Disclaimer: I own nothing, these characters belong to 20th Century Fox, i simply play with them.

Set as an alternate season seven, Tara is alive, Giles didnt leave and Xander and Anya are together.

Read and let me know what you think.

Buffy glanced around as she walked round the upper level of the mall

Buffy glanced around as she walked round the upper level of the mall. All around her the shops had Christmas decorations up and the people of Sunnydale were doing their Christmas shopping. Some were frantically searching for the right gifts, others were just milling about with not a care in the world.

Buffy herself had done all her Christmas shopping now for the gang. She had bought Giles a fancy writing set, one with a diary, address book, pens, notepad etc and was pretty sure he would like it. The present was now wrapped in a green box with a red ribbon in one of her many shopping bags. Xander was more difficult to buy for but she had eventually settled on a new watch. He had recently broken his old one down at the construction site so she had asked the shop assistant for a durable watch. The watch was in the same bag as Giles in a funky yellow and orange box with cartoon mice on it. The other wrappings were more mature and not Xander at all so she picked a children's box.

She glanced down into the bag and could imagine him unwrapping it. "The papers definitely him" she thought.

For Willow she had gone to the only other magical supply store other than the Magic Box. She browsed round knowing that Willow had more than enough supplies but actually nowhere to put them.

"Unless you count the cardboard box under the bed, not exactly sophisticated witch storage." She mused.

Buffy had let out a cry of delight when she found the perfect gift. It was a wooden box with an antique look. Inside had compartments for vials and herbs, crystals and candles. The outside of the book had flower carvings on the surface. The shop assistant even wrapped it in deep purple paper with stars and moons on.

"Perfect for Wicca Willow," she assessed.

For Tara and Anya Buffy had bought jewellery. Anyas silver and topaz bracelet was safely in a velvet box in a glittery bag. Tara, Buffy found was a little more difficult. It wasn't that she didn't know what to get her but she just couldn't decide between two necklaces she had found. One was a silver fairy with stars around and the other was a silver moon with a stone set in it. Buffy eventually decided to buy the moon necklace. It was now safely wrapped in a lilac box with Anyas.

Dawn was the easiest of the whole Scooby Gang. Buffy had bought the new CD she wanted, a pair of dangly dragonfly earrings and the boots she had wanted for months. An embroidered denim skirt was carefully folded in a box. These were all now wrapped in sparkly pink paper.

The blonde had most enjoyed shopping for Spike though and all his presents were wrapped in blue boxes with black ribbons. She had bought a midnight blue shirt that she thought would accentuate his pale skin and blue eyes. A silver curb chain bracelet, and a soft hunter green sweater were also in the bag. Her favourite present was by far the lighter. Over the past few weeks she had been spending more time around him and bounced around the house waiting to patrol. Her friends had noticed as well and had figured out who was getting her gooey. They had cornered her one night after patrol and basically gave them both their blessing. Giles himself had told her to get a move on and stop wasting time.

So when the manager had asked if she wanted the lighter engraved she had jumped at the chance thinking it would be the perfect way to tell Spike how she felt. She had the perfect plan.

Buffy didn't have a clue how she was going to sneak all these bags into the house but she decided to wait until she got home to worry about that. She glanced around and saw one of the coffee stalls open. She placed her bags by a table on the edge and went to get her coffee. Buffy sat back down and sipped her latte. She loved sitting here because she could look down and see all the shoppers below. She peered down over the rail to see a harassed looking mom fighting to pull her toddler away from the fountain. Apparently the little girl was determined to go for a swim. Buffy smiled to herself and looked around her.

It had been a nice relaxing day shopping she had even treated herself to a few new things. She hadn't had many days like this since Willow had brought her back and it was nice to just sit and relax and watch the world go by.

"Hmm speaking of world goes by. Isn't that Spike? What's he doing here?"

He was carrying a lot of bags and was looking rather embarrassed.

"Spike!" She called out, "Coffee?"

He swung round bags swinging to look for her. He started over toward her.

"He knew it was me." She thought with a tingle of pleasure.

He slumped down into the chair opposite her, leaned back and closed his eyes.

"Hello luv."

Suddenly his eyes opened to reveal exasperation in those cerulean orbs.

"Cor pet how do you lot do it?"

"Do what Spike?"

"Christmas shopping! Bloody soddin awful it is, worst sort of torture there is I reckon." He gestured with the bags still dangling off his wrists and then gently lowered them to the floor and began to untangle his arm.

Buffy stood up and came back with a hot chocolate for him complete with little marshmallows. She placed it on the table in front of him and sat back down.

"Thanks pet." He said, taking a sip. He was touched by the gesture.

"Maybe I do have a chance after all. " Spike thought wonderingly.

Buffy leant over the table to look at the bags.

"So what have you got anything for me?" She asked with a smile.

"Now that would be telling." Came the reply with a smug smirk.

The bags at his feet were brimming with parcels. Two of the bags were entirely cream packaging with black bows on, another two were all pink boxes and the other bag had colours of all sorts in.

He mimicked her and looked at the bags she had

"Anything for me in those bags then Goldilocks?"

She smiled at the name and played along.

"Now that would be telling wouldn't it?" She said sweetly and smiled at him.

He laughed and smiled a true smile.

"Yeah all you Slayers think your so smart, silly bints." Spike shook his head.

She smiled and shuffled in her seat.

"Spike?"

"Yeah luv?"

"You know the Gang are staying over tonight and tomorrow, well I was just wondering if maybe you would like to come as well seeing as your part of the family now. And well I'd like you there, plus Dawn will kill me if I don't ask."

She looked up to see him staring at the tabletop. Her face fell and she quickly backtracked.

"Of course you don't have to, if you have other plans that's fine."

Spike looked up quickly and saw the panic in her eyes.

"Bloody hell ", he thought "Quick tell her yes before she panics. Damn too late."

"Of course luv, I wouldn't miss it if the Hellmouth opened."

Buffy relaxed in her chair and smiled at him.

"So should we head home then?" She asked standing up and gathering her bags.

"Sure luv whatever you say."

They walked home in comfortable silence. They staggered through the door with their shopping and were met by Dawn.

"Oooh which ones are mine, can I peek please, oh go on just one!!"

She bounced round the room as Buffy and Spike unpacked the bags and placed them under the tree. Spike didn't notice as she carefully placed the box with his lighter in her pocket for later.

For the rest of the evening the gang all came in at different times with presents and clothes for the next day. They ate dinner, which Spike had rescued upon finding Buffy cooking.

Giles sat and watched the two blondes together and found that he quite liked Spike now and found he believed that Spike loved her. He went to bed content to know that his Slayer would be looked after.

Giles was sleeping in the basement as it had recently been decorated and had heating installed. Xander slept on the couch in the lounge so he had control of the remote in the morning. The whole house had resigned themselves to the fact that they would be watching Charlie Browns Christmas. Anya shared Dawns bedroom after loudly complaining about no sex with Xander. Her and Dawn enjoyed themselves watching romantic comedies. Willow and Tara slept in their room as normal.

Buffy was in the kitchen when everyone was off to bed and turned round to find Spike standing in the hallway. It crossed her mind that he looked like a lost schoolboy.

"Uh Buffy where am I sleeping?" He asked sheepishly.

"Oh you're sleeping in my room." she replied absently as she made her coffee.

He stood there stunned but seemed to get over the fact and followed her upstairs with a sleeping bag in his hand. He wasn't going to argue when he had the opportunity to watch her sleep.

Buffy wandered out of the bathroom pulling her hair into a ponytail with a spare hair band of Dawn's she had found on the counter. Hopefully the teen wouldn't notice and would never know. She stopped in front of her vanity to check her reflection (better to know before you slept if you had sticky up bits in your hair) and pondered Spike's lack of reflection.

"It looks better down." Spikes voice startled her out of her reverie.

She turned to face him and squeaked out "Huh?"

"Your hair, sbetta down when you sleep. Kinda fans across the pillow, pretty like."

He blushed at this admission but she simply smiled and gently tugged the band out of her hair to let it fall gracefully down her back and shoulders. He looked up and smiled as he watched her hair tumble from its restraints.

She smiled and stretched tiptoeing and reaching for the ceiling exposing a tanned stomach and asked him, "I'm not tired, do you wanna watch a movie with me?"

"Yeah sure pet, whatever you want."

Her head snapped forward and she bent down in front of him to look in his eyes.

"What you want matters too Spike."

She stood and brushed her hand across his shoulder as she straightened and passed him. She wondered downstairs to find a DVD, leaving him to think about what she had said. He leaned against the side of the bed and let his eyes fall shut.

"Maybe she does love me after all, deep down. She treats me like the man, not the monster." He thought to himself, a lazy smile crossed his lips as the thought wandered across his brain. He opened his eyes as she came through the doorway.

The little slayer was stood with a frown marring her delicate features, staring at the offending DVDs in her hand. She glanced down at Spike and back at the films.

"What's wrong luv?"

Buffy looked at him again and held the films out to him. Pouting she said.

"Moulin Rouge or The Princess Bride?"

He stared at the films in his hands and let out a laugh.

"Bloody hell Slayer, I thought it was the soddin apocalypse."

She grinned at him then gestured to his hands.

"Well?"

"You want me to decide between a happily ever after where the guy gets the girl or a love story where the love of his life dies?"

She mutely nodded her assent. He jumped up and flung Moulin Rouge onto her vanity.

"We want a happy ending don't we Slayer? Riding off into the sunset with no bad guys. Love's a bitch but we've had that story once before don't want the heroine to die again do we pet?"

He handed her the DVD and brushed her hair off her shoulder and looked at her eyes. It only took that one look for him to know that she had understood the double meaning of what he had said. He loved her and didn't want her dead again.

"Of course Spike, me too. Do you want cocoa?"

His face lit up. "With marshmallows?"

"With marshmallows." She confirmed.

He grinned a Cheshire grin and threw her over his shoulder. He started to stride out the room jiggling her on his shoulder. He pushed the DVD in the television on the way out and pushed play.

"Come along Slayer, no time to waste, there's marshmallows a waitin."

Buffy laughed long and loud and curled herself around his neck so she was comfy. He sighed and stopped bouncing her as he felt her relax. She repeated her earlier comment.

"Of course Spike."

Giles downstairs smiled as he heard the blonde's laughter and smiled to himself. Xander groaned good-naturedly and smiled. Willow and Tara smiled softly to each other and snuggled firmly into each other. Dawn and Anya gave one another broad grins and threw popcorn at each other.

Spike gently lowered Buffy to the kitchen counter and grinned at her flushed face.

"Oh god that was fun." She said breathlessly. She looked at him and saw the maelstrom of emotions whirling across his face and his eyes.

"I hurt and confuse him so much. Oh god I don't want to anymore."

She slid her hands from his arms to around his neck and drew him toward her. He frowned slightly not understanding what she was doing. She rested her cheek against his. "Hold me." She whispered into his ear, her breath blowing across his neck. She felt him relax and melted inside as his hands slid back around her waist to splay across her back. Buffy moved her face down to the juncture of his neck and sighed contentedly." I love you William." She mouthed silently into his neck.

"What'd you say Slayer?" Spike murmured through her hair, relishing the feel of her in his willingly in his arms. She pulled back slightly to look in his eyes.

"Please don't call me Slayer, its not who I am when I'm with you."

She felt his intake of breath as he started to reply.

"Then who are you pet?"

"Yours."

She said simply as though it was the simplest thing in the entire world.

He smiled wistfully.

"That's my girl." He replied.

Buffy leaned forward and kissed him on the nose.

"Cocoa." She reminded.

"Cocoa!" He kissed her full on the mouth and pulled away from her as he whirled round the kitchen, pulling mugs out from the cupboards.

"Chocolate maniac." She said as she wrapped her arms about herself missing the feel of his body pressed against hers.

Spike looked over his shoulder and winked at her.

"That makes two of us then doesn't it pet."

The house was once again filled with both blonde's laughter and the houses other occupants stirred from their activities and smiled knowingly to one another.

Spike handed Buffy the marshmallow bag as he carried their mugs up the stairs to the bedroom.

The Princess Bride option menu greeted them, twinkling excitedly on the television.

AN: Well what do you think? I have a few chapters ready and will post them if people like them, please review !

Any comments or tips are greatly appreciated, so please let me know!

Lollie