A/N : Here is the first chapter of my BtVS Christmas fic. I have written eleven chapters each of my three main fics (Trouble With Boys, Oh Brother!, One Wild Night) and probably won't be posting anymore on those til after Christmas now since I want to write this one and get it all done and posted by 25th Decemeber, obviously. Hope you all like this...

Title: Emily's Christmas Wish
Author : Ultrawoman
Rating : PG
Feedback : Yes, please! :)
Pairings : Mainly Buffy/Spike, also Xander/Anya, Willow/Tara, Giles/Olivia, Cordelia/Angel, Dawn/Zack
Setting : Set in the ARILY-verse, Buffy and Spike's little girl, Emily, is now seven years old.
Summary : When the existence of Santa is questioned, Emily makes a wish to prove that he is real...and to make Mommy and Daddy happier too.
Disclaimer : All recognisable characters belong to Joss Whedon and not me, however, the idea/storyline is all my own, as are the non-recognisable characters, like Emily :-)

Part 1 - 11th December 2013

Two weeks before Christmas, and William Summers almost felt like he'd got one of his presents early. He had big news for his wife as soon as she arrived home from the shops with their daughter.

"I know Buffy's going to be thrilled for you, it's an excellent achievement" Giles congratulated the man who was practically his son-in-law.

"Thanks mate" Spike almost blushed, "Means a lot to me"

The two men drank the tea Spike had made just a moment before and enjoyed each others company, which they did regularly lately, the two of them finding they had quite a bit in common when they bothered to spend time just talking.

Eventually the front door opened and in came Spike's two favourite people.

"Hey" he frowned as Buffy came into the house with Emily, the little girl had tear stains on her face, "whats up with my little bit?" he asked. Immediately his daughter let go of her Mom's hand and ran to her father. Spike scooped her up and sat her on his knee.

"Dollar was telling lies" the little girl sniffed, trying to wipe her eyes with her hands, desperate to be strong like her parents and not cry like a baby anymore.

"Harris' kid been starting on her again?" Spike asked Buffy who shook her head.

"Not exactly" she replied, "I was talking to Anya and the kids were playing, I don't know exactly what Dollar said to her but I think it may have something to do with a certain Christmas personality not existing..."

"Oh" Spike nodded that he understood, before looking back at Emily as she shook in his lap. What was he supposed to say?

"I know she's lying, Daddy" she told Spike seriously, "Santa has to be real, cos he's magic, and magic is real cos Auntie Willow and Auntie Tara do magic all the time"

"Well, yeah, they do, but..." Spike really didn't want to lie to her, but obviously Dollar knew the truth, despite her being a year younger than Emily. The former-vampire had no doubt it wasn't Xander's choice for his daughter to know the reality about Mr Claus, probably Anya told her the real demon story of Santa, and there was no way Spike was going to elaborate on that.

"You don't believe in him either" Emily said accusingly and Spike felt sick, Buffy had to surpress a giggle, almost glad her daughter had run to Daddy with this one.

"It's not that I don't want to believe, baby" Spike tried to explain, but Emily had already folded her arms over her chest and was looking distinctly like a mini-version of his Slayer when she was particularly brassed-off.

"Erm, if I might just cut in" Giles said nervously and the little girl turned her head to see him, hardly noticing he was there til now "I have an idea, to perhaps test your theory Emily, to see whether or not Santa does indeed exist"

Spike shared a glance with Buffy who looked equally baffled, as the little blonde girl slipped off of her fathers knee and moved to stand by Giles who sat on the sofa.

"Whats your idea, Grandpa Giles?" she asked him and he leant his arms on his knees so he was closer to her level.

"Well, I just thought, perhaps if you wrote a letter for Santa and ask him for something you'd never ask anymore else for, a real secret wish, something special that only he could get for you, then if you get it on Christmas Day you'll know he exists"

Spike smirked to Buffy who grinned back, shaking her head in disbelief at how smart her father-figure really was. Again she wondered how she ever would have gotten through all these years without him.

"That's a very clever plan Grandpa Giles" Emily told him matter-of-factly, smiling widely and reaching to hug her mother's almost-father. He smiled to himself, pleased to have been useful, and loving the fact this little girl saw him as a grandparent. It didn't matter that he had no real children of his own, he and Olivia were happy, and Buffy, her friends, and their children, had all become his family.

"Thanks Giles" Spike sighed as his daughter bolted up the stairs to go and start work on her letter, "I owe you one"

"Oh, no bother at all" Giles said, almost embarrassed, "Glad to have helped"

"Not that I don't love seeing you" Buffy chimed in, turning to the older man, "but how come you're here?"

"Oh, let's amend that" Spike smiled, "I owe him not one but two" the ex-vamp admitted, "Giles is gonna baby-sit tonight, pet"

"Are we going out?" the Slayer asked with a look somewhere between a smile and confusion, they really didn't have a lot of nights out, just the two of them, unless they were patrolling.

"Indeed we are, my sweet" Spike grinned as he stood up, walked over to her and took her in his arms, "Believe it or not, your wonderful husband got his well-earned promotion" he told her proudly, earning himself a loud squeal of delight and a very long and deep kiss, which completely embarrassed Giles. In truth, however, the ex-Watcher had to admit he didn't mind all that much, he loved to see Buffy, and Spike for that matter, so happy with their life.

"You be a good girl for your Grandpa Giles" Buffy made her daughter promise as she sat on the edge of her bed in her 'going out' clothes that rarely saw the light of day recently.

"I'm always a good girl" the seven-year-old smiled innocently, but the glint in her eyes reminded Buffy so much of Spike it was almost scary.

"Give me a hug" Buffy smiled as the little girl did just that and then laid down to go to sleep, "Sleep tight baby, I'll see you in the morning"

"Have a nice time, Mommy" Emily smiled, as she turned on her side. Immediately sitting up again, "Goodnight Daddy!" she called to the man who was right in the doorway. He came in when she spoke and stood beside his wife, leaning down he placed a kiss on his daughters forehead.

"G'night luv" he whispered as she snuggled back down under the covers and her parents left the room.

Emily wanted to go to sleep, but her mind as too busy thinking about Santa and the letter she was going to write to him. Grandpa Giles had such a great idea and she wanted to do it, but everything she ever wanted she already had. She had a Mommy and Daddy who loved her, an extended family who also loved her a great deal, despite the fact they were mostly not real blood relations. Everything she wanted for Christmas she got, more or less, and there was really nothing she wanted for herself that would be a Santa-only magic wish type of gift. She went to sleep trying to think of something and woke up to find her answer...

It was past midnight when Buffy and Spike arrived home, having enjoyed a meal and dancing before a quick sweep of the cemetaries. Emily was sound asleep and didn't even realise her parents had come into the house and Giles had left, until her mother's yelling woke her up.

Despite the fact her parents hardly ever fought, it was not the first time Emily had woken up to hear a shouting match in the middle of the night, and usually it went the same way. Tonight was no different, as the little girl crouched at the top of the stairs and listened to her parents...

"I cannot keep having this same argument with you, Spike!"

"Well, what do you bloody expect?!"

"I expect you to learn to accept the fact that I am the Slayer. I thought you understood by now"

"Of course I soddin' understand, you silly bint! I've known you long enough, besides, hello, used to be a vampire here!"

"So what is your problem? That you're not a vampire anymore? You wish you still were or something?"

The voices were quieter now and Emily strained to hear...

"You know I'd never want that. I was given a great gift when I was made human again and I wouldn't trade that for anything. I might not have you and I definitely wouldn't have Emily..."

"So?"

"You're stronger than me, pet, you don't need me"

"I do need you"

"To fight?"

"Yes. You're my strength, Spike. Okay, so being the Slayer helps but knowing you're there with me, or knowing that I'm coming home to you and to Emily, it means everything. I love you"

"I love you too, and I get what you're saying but...I just feel so bloody useless. Over ten years since I came back like this, you think I'd be used to it by now, but I see you fighting and I want to help and...I just feel like some great useless poofter"

"You're not useless..."

The voices dropped to an even lower level and Emily knew the argument was over. She also knew her father's pain was not, and she knew precisely what to do about it. Going back into her room and pushing the door closed, Emily pulled paper and pencil from her little desk and sat by the soft light of her beside lamp...

Dear Santa,

There is something very important I need to ask you for. My cousin Dollar Harris tried to tell me you weren't real, so Grandpa Giles said I should write you a letter and ask for something only you could get for me, a special wish. I didn't know what to ask for before, but now I have something real important that I need you to do for me, please.

My wish isn't really for me at all, it's for my Daddy. His name is William, but everyone calls him Spike and a long time ago, before I was born, he was a vampire, but he was good and nice, and then he got to be a man and he married Mommy and they had me.

My Mommy, her name is Buffy, she's called the Slayer and she has superpowers. Daddy used to have superpowers too, when he was a vampire, but now he doesn't have powers and he hates it. He wants to be strong like Mommy, so he can help her when she patrols and fights the nasty demons, cos that's what a Slayer does.

Daddy is pretty strong anyway, but not super-strong like Mommy. They fight sometimes, like today, because he feels bad that he can't help her.

So my wish is for my Daddy to have superpowers like Mommy. I know that's a big gift, but I never asked for much before and it would mean so much to us all.

Yours truly

Emily Summers

To Be Continued...

[Part 2 will hopefully be up tomorrow!]