A Very Scooby Christmas
By Pyro Bear
~
Dawn grinned as she pulled the chocolate chip cookies out of the oven. She may not be good at much, but she could bake. Looking out at the kitchen table she saw the past batches she had made that day. Not really knowing what some people liked, she just made everything she could find. Dawn just stopped short of making anything that was shown on Martha Stewart's show.
In one pile were the oatmeal raisins, with nuts and without. In another pile were sugar cookies in Hanukkah shapes courtesy of Mrs. Rosenburg, Willow's mother. There were snickerdoodles, and oatmeal lace, along with another three batches of chocolate chip. She just hoped it would be enough. As the timer rung for the next dozen or so cookies to be taken out, Xander wandered into the room.
"Merciful Zeus!" he exclaimed, looking at the war-zone that was previously the Summer's kitchen.
Dawn just glared at the man she used to have a crush on. "Bite me," she said as she turned off the oven and put the cookies on the cooling rack.
Granted the kitchen was a little messy, but she had done a lot of cooking! Xander just shook his head at the irritated teen as he reached for a chocolate chip cookie. There was a hell of a lot of chips and not a lot of cookie, just the way he liked 'em. But Dawn's slap on his hand stopped him. "You can wait," she retorted to him, seeing how she had seen the mischievous look in his eyes.
"I'll help you clean up…if I get a cookie, It's not like you can't spare just one, you could feed an army!" Xander bargained.
"Shh!" Dawn commanded. "Don't say that. Who knows what can happen." She shuddered, thinking about Buffy's failed birthday parts. When he took a cookie of his choice, she threw him a towel. "Get to work," she joked. Happily munching on his cookie like a child, he got to work.
While Dawn was slaving away in the kitchen, Giles was putting up the tree while Buffy carried up the ornaments. Willow was tending a small bush that sat under the windowsill where a menorah stood, with all the candles unlit. When people rose their eyebrows at the bush Willow just gave a cheerful smile and announced, "It's a Hanukkah bush."
Tara was helping Willow drape the unusual bush with tinsel and white and blue lights. "Do you have all the traditional carols and such?" she asked, standing up. Brushing off the stray tinsel, she went over to Anya who was setting up the food area. The punch bowl was already full of eggnog, she was just setting up napkins and cups around it.
"Are you excited?" the blonde witch asked the ex-vengeance demon. Anya and Xander finally go back together, and they had confided in Tara that they were going to try and get hitched once more, without all the family, problems and all.
Anya nodded. She was happy to be back with Xander. She loved him, and he loved her, he wanted to save her when it was up to Buffy to kill her. What more could a girl ask for? Tara smiled and put a hand on the other woman's shoulder.
"Cookies, we've got cookies!" Xander called, walking into the living room.
"Where's Dawn? Buffy asked, knowing that Dawn as the one in charge of baking.
"She's putting more cookies on a tray. Then we're going to need people to clean the kitchen, Dawn decided to get really into it. This has been a message from the faithful messenger," Xander bowed as well as he could and handed his tray to Anya, who started to arrange them around the punchbowl. Tara just followed the man into the kitchen.
Meanwhile Buffy was telling Giles the story of each and every ornament. Giles had brought some of his own, so he was telling his as well. Willow soon joined and the three enjoyed the quiet amusement of tree decorating. Soon Xander, Tara, Anya, and Dawn joined the festivities.
Dawn watched her adoptive family enjoy the time. She then cocked her head, something didn't seem right. "Tara, Willow, I thought you didn't celebrate God, but the Goddess instead," Dawn was sorely confused.
"It's just the spirit of giving that we're celebrating. It all means the same thing," Tara answered the teenager. Dawn nodded and went back into the kitchen, which was still beckoning to clean it up. She also had to bring in the soda, and anything else that was sitting out in the garage, which was doubling as a refrigerator, considering they didn't have nearly enough room in their own.
As she went outside she saw a care come down the street. So Angel was going to show up…and on time as well. As it parked in the driveway, Dawn heard the unmistakable sound of the melody of Jingle Bells. The melody soon faded out and was soon replaced with the sound of laughing.
"Welcome," Dawn smiled as everyone finally got out of the car. How the hell three males fit in the backseat alone, baffled Dawn.
"Hey Dawnie," Angel smiled, holding Cordelia's hand. Dawn picked up on this, but didn't let on. What they did on their own time was none of her business.
"I need someone to help me. Preferably a nice, strong man," she smiled a coy smile as she pointed to Connor, "Will you help me?" she asked, obviously flirting.
As they walked towards the house, another car came up Rodeo Drive. "There's Gunn and Fred," Cordelia remarked. Soon the missing two stumbled out of the car and everyone, save for Connor and Dawn went in thought the front door and into the living room.
Dawn need help bringing in the soda. They had the normal ones like Coke and Diet Coke, Pepsi and Diet Pepsi. Along with root beer, lemon-lime, and ginger ale. The only one that make Connor cock his head was the cherry soda.
"Spike likes it. He likes to add it to his blood. He says it makes it all bubbly," she shrugged and walked back into the house, Connor following.
Dawn was surprised to find Spike sitting in the kitchen, "Ah Bit, you have the cherry soda!" he smiled and went to open it.
He added it to the blood and too a sip. The two teens watched him. More precisely, Connor was watching him, while Dawn studied Connor.
"He's beautiful, like the way the Greeks thought what beauty was. He eyes, my god, his eyes. They're like stagnant pools of Caribbean water. But let us not forget his body. It's to die for," as Dawn internally drooled over Connor, Spike had finished his blood and went to wash his mug.
"Heh, a vampire who cleans," Connor said quietly, catching the bleached vampire by surprise.
"What'd you say Poofter Jr.?" Spike turned.
The teenager shrugged, "Cordy's always yelling at my father to clean up after himself. I just figured that all vampires were like that."
Before Connor could blink, Spike was in front of him, their faces less than an inch apart, "Listen kid, you'll soon learn that I'm not like normal vampires."
That was the time when Dawn woke up from the internal drool-a-thon. "Spike stop scaring the poor kid! Go into the living room and get drunk or something," Dawn cried.
Spike looked crest fallen for a second, but turned to go anyway. "Alright 'But. I'll be seeing you," he said softly, and went into the next room.
"He wasn't frightening me you know, "Connor said as they brought in all the soda and put what they could into the refrigerator.
Dawn was still shook up about the tone of voice Spike used so she whirled around to face Connor, her nerves quivering. "What's wrong with you? I was trying to do you a favor!" she glared at him intently before she went to the sing to only pick up a bowl and start to wash it.
They worked in silence for awhile, before Connor could put his pride aside, :I'm sorry, I'm just not used to people sticking up and helping me," Connor turned to the back of Dawn.
She turned to face him, a tear glistening in her eye. "It's okay. I'm just not used to him being around again. Besides he's a funny drunk," Dawn gave him a watery smile.
Connor looked at her, "Are you sure you're okay?"
Dawn nodded, "I'm sure. Why?"
Cracking a smile, Connor pointed to the plastic bowl that Dawn had been cleaning. "You've been washing that same bowl for the last five minutes, and it wasn't even dirty when you picked it up.
"Oh," she blushed.
Connor looked at the teenage girl as she put the bowl back in the sing. They into the living room together and they saw Gunn start a fire. Both Giles and Wesley talked quietly near the tree, probably about jolly good England. Everyone seemed to have found a place to be, except that is for the teenagers.
They just went into a corner and sat sown, hidden slightly by the Christmas tree.
"So how was your drive up?" Dawn asked.
Connor shrugged, "It was ok. But then again there was a three-way fight between Lorne, Cordelia, and my dad. You never want to hear my father sing."
Dawn cracked a smile, "Singing isn't all bad, but then again, if you sing and dance until your body spontaneously combusts…" Connor quirked an eyebrow, "You really don't want to know," Dawn shook her head. "So what were they fighting about?" Dawn tried to change the subject.
"Elvis," Connor sighed and leaned against the wall.
"Elvis?" Dawn confirmed. She didn't think that Angel knew who Elvis was.
"Yeah, Dad wanted to play some Christmas tunes by him, Cordelia was arguing that the only reason that he wanted to listen to it was because he had been to his wedding. The of course Lorne just wanted to listen to Bing Crosby," Connor sighed once again and looked at Dawn.
"You dad was at Elvis' wedding?" Dawn squeaked, Connor just nodded.
"Who was he anyway?" he asked.
Dawn shrugged, "My mom was in love with him." Then she changed the subject once more, "Do you want any cookies? They're freshly made from scratch."
"Um, okay" Connor stood up and helped Dawn up by holding out his hand, which she gratefully took. Walking over to the food table they had yet to let go of each other's hands.
"Poofter--mmppr," Spike tried to call out, but Buffy's hand covered his mouth.
"Shut up, it's rather adorable," she whispered to him and took her hand away from the general mouth area before he could take a lick.
Everyone watched the two teenagers, but both Dawn and Connor were oblivious. Tara's hand found Willow's and she squeezed it. "Look," Tara whispered, pointing towards the mistletoe.
"Dawnie!" Willow called out, pointing to the mistletoe that hung over the two teenagers' heads. They both blushed and Connor leaned down, kissing Dawn on the cheek.
A chorus of 'awws' went up and the two blushed even more, if that was possible. After hurriedly choosing what type of cookies they wanted, Dawn and Connor went back into their hiding spot, relieved to get out of the spotlight.
"Oh my god! I'm so sorry!" Dawn mumbled once they both had sat down.
Connor looked at the blushing girl. "I don't know, it wasn't so bad," he grinned as Dawn looked up. He leaned over and captured his lips with his.
Once they had broken about, Dawn glared at him, "Wasn't bad, that's all I am?"
Connor swallowed, "That was then, this is now. You're wonderful."
"And you're amazing," Dawn countered. "How do you know to make everything sound all right?" Dawn grinned and leaned back into gather another kiss.
"Connor," Angel called. Giving Dawn an apologetic smile, Connor stood up and went to the beck and call of his father.
"What do you want?" Connor growled, sending shivers thought many in the room.
"Just stop making out behind the tree. And stop being anti-social," Angel grinned as his son's cheeks burned.
As Connor turned away, Angel could distinctly heard, "Bite me old man," Angel just laughed out loud, as did Spike, taking it all in jest.
"You've got your job cut out for you Peaches. Just don't do anything that could get you in trouble with child services. They're vicious," Spike cracked.
Everyone snickered as Connor went into the kitchen, Dawn followed. "Merry Christmas," Dawn said, as they walked into the back yard.
"Merry Christmas," Connor replied, wrapping an arm around her shoulders.
They sat outside together for awhile, just simply talking. Hearing a car pass playing the song 'Let it Snow' Dawn smiled and turned to Connor, "I wish it would snow, it's beautiful at Christmas time."
"What's snow? I always hear people talking about it, but I've never seen it, we didn't have many types of weather in Quor-Toth," Connor confessed, happy that he could confide and learn from someone he could trust.
"Snow? Well it's that," Dawn pointed to the frozen little flakes that were falling from the sky. She ran out to catch them on her tongue, Connor just followed her lead.
"It's cold," he complained after a few minutes of the flakes falling on his bare skin. Dawn just laughed.
Once the two grew tired of playing in the falling snow, they walked inside, their noses read and chilly. As they grew warm in the kitchen, they sat and talked, occasionally kissing and laughing periodically.
"Come on, we've probably missed most of the boring part of the party. The fun should just be beginning," Dawn gave him a wicked grin. As they walked into the living room, they found everyone lounged about, all asleep.
"They looked popped out," Dawn whispered.
"Huh?" Connor asked, clearly confused.
"Never mind, it's a pop culture thing," Dawn waved her hand at him as she busied herself by drawing the shades and pulling the curtains closed.
"Why are we doing this?" Connor asked as he helped her in her task.
"Well you don't want a pile of dust as a father, do you?" Dawn asked pointedly.
"Well…no," Connor shrugged, seeing her point.
After they closed the window shades they look at Willow, Tara, and Buffy. "Will you help me move them upstairs? That way they can have some room," Dawn asked him, picking up Tara's upper body, Connor obliged by picking up her legs. One by one the pair dragged Willow and Buffy upstairs. Dawn then directed Connor to get pillows and blankets as she moved people out of the way of the foldaway bed from the couch.
Yet they still didn't have enough room, so Dawn sacrificed her room to Angel, Cordelia, and Spike. When the sofa had been pulled out, Gunn and Fred as well as Xander and Anya found places on it, it may have been a rather tight squeeze, but at least they'd be off the floor. They left Lorne to sleep in the chair he was already occupying, and put Giles and Wesley on the floor, with blankets and pillows of course.
As they worked Dawn hummed Christmas Carols, trying to stay in the spirit of the holiday. "What are you humming?" Connor asked, once he found himself humming along for the fifth time.
"It's called Jingle Bell Rock," Dawn told him as they walked into the kitchen, cookies that had been uneaten surrounded them.
"Sing it for me?" Connor asked, taking a bite of a chocolate chip cookie.
"Jingle Bell, Jingle Bell, Jingle Bell Rock. Jingle Bell swing and Jingle bell ring…" Dawn stopped and shrugged, "I don't know the rest, but that's the melody."
Connor scrunched up his face, not really understanding why people would want to sing something so stupid, and he voiced his opinions on that.
Dawn glared at him, "It's the holidays, it's all supposed to be about nonsense and fun," she said hotly, taking a cookie to hide her anger.
They sat in silence for a few minutes until Connor looked at Dawn, "I'm glad I could spend my first Christmas with you."
She smiled at him, "Again, how do you do it? How do you make everything all right?"
Connor looked at her and leaning in for a kiss, "It's a gift I guess," he whispered into her head before kissing her lips.
After they finished the kiss, Dawn licked her lips, still tasting him on her, "Now this is a gift I like," she smiled. This Christmas didn't turn out so bad after all.
Disclaimer: I own none. Review please and flames are accepted, I can roast marshmallows with them! Oh, and I know Tara is dead, but I don't care!
Author's Note: If you like Connor and Dawn pairings. Please read my other Connor/Dawn story entitled Past, Present, and Future. If you like Connor, please read the current story I'm working on, entitled Two of One. There's no Sunnydale gang. But you never know, they might show up. But please review, I'll love you for ever and ever!