Home For Christmas
By: Andrea Michelle
Disclaimer: I don't nor have I ever owned any of the Buffy characters even
though I wish otherwise.
Another one I wrote a while ago. This one is BTVS season 3.
Note: Yes, I realize Willow is Jewish, no, I don't really care in this story.
** thoughts
######
The Scooby Gang all showed up at the front door of the Summers
home. They didn't even bother knocking before opening the door and
walking in.
In the three years since Buffy had been gone the group had formed a
family. Joyce Summers and Giles were like the parents, while Oz,
Xander, Cordelia, Willow, and Angel were the children. Angel could be
considered a uncle or something since he was older than even the real
adults. Things had changed a lot since Buffy had left. The gang had
gotten Angel out of Hell and made him human, they had graduated
high school, and going to college. They had accepted Angel back into
their lives. Willow had been determined to get Angel out of Hell after
Buffy left. No matter what anyone else said she was going to do it.
Xander ended up helping her. He had felt guilty about not telling Buffy
that Willow was going to try the curse again. Eventually they succeed
in getting Angel out of Hell. What had been unexpected however was
that Angel started to become human. It was a hard time for everyone,
but with a lot of fighting, apologizing, tears and forgiveness they had
gotten through it and built strong friendships. They all had the hope of
bringing Buffy home. None of them ever quit believing. Nothing in
Buffy's bedroom had been moved since the day she left. The gang now
prepared for their third Christmas without their beloved Buffy.
Willow, Oz, Xander, Cordelia, Giles, and Angel went into the living
room where the Christmas tree had been set up.
Joyce had adopted the entire gang when Buffy had left. They made
her feel closer to her daughter, besides she now loved them like
family.
When they entered they saw Joyce sitting in a chair curled up staring
at the Christmas tree crying. They all moved into the room slowly and
sat down . The feeling of loss was great in the room. Every once in a
while this happened. The feeling that Buffy was never coming back.
Without realizing it the rest of the family began to cry. They all stared
at the tree thinking about the day that they had put it up.
It had been a bittersweet day. They enjoyed putting up the tree and
stacking the presents under it, but the fact of being Buffyless was
strong. They had gone to pick out a tree, it took the two hours. They
finally found a tree that they all agreed Buffy would have loved. When
they got it home they decorated it. They put on all of Buffy' s
ornaments. Her favorite ones that she always put on, the ones that
she had bought, the ones that her parents had bought for her, even
the ones that she had made as a little girl. The whole tree reminded
them of Buffy. There were even presents under the tree for Buffy. The
first Christmas without her they had all felt silly buying a present for
someone that wasn't there, so they had kept it a secret. Then Willow
had found a present with Buffy's name on it in Joyce's closet. They
had all gotten together and admitted that they too had bought Buffy a
present, even Cordelia. So from then on Buffy had always gotten
presents. The ones from the pervious years were in the upstairs hall
closet waiting for her.
Finally the slayerettes calmed down and stopped crying. Angel left
silently. He wanted to be alone. The others watched him go knowing
he needed time. Angel truly loved Buffy and he still had the hardest
time with her being gone.
########
Buffy was back. She was back in Sunnydale. Not for good, just
to check on the large vampire forces she had heard about in
Sunnydale. She knew that her mother and Giles still lived there, she
wasn't sure about the rest of her friends, but if anything else she had
to protect her mother and Giles(who she thought of as a honorary
father.) So here she was home again. She smiled sadly thinking of the
song 'I'll be Home For Christmas.' On her way to the cemetery Buffy
passed her house. She stopped and stared at it for a few moments.
she could see the Christmas tree in the window and the lights on in
various rooms. She continued to walk. Part of Buffy wanted to go
home and tell her mom she was sorry and just be held, but another
part of her said that, that was impossible. The fear won out everytime.
Buffy thought about her small apartment back in L.A. She had gotten a
small tree and decorated it the best she could. She thought about all
the presents under the tree for her friends. There were tons of
presents under the tree for Xander, Willow, Cordelia, Oz, Giles, her
mom and even Angel. * My poor Angel.* The presents remained
wrapped under her bed from the past two Christmases.
When she reached the graveyard she headed to the grave of Jenny
Calendar. Buffy still felt guilty about not being able to save her. She
just stood by the grave and disappeared into her thoughts. As she was
thinking a group of vampires surrounded her quickly. Buffy jerked
herself out of her thoughts quickly and began to fight. She dusted
about six out of the fifteen vamps surrounding her before they got her
down. As she fell to the ground she seemed to give up. * Why am I
fighting death? If I die another Slayer will be called. And I can be
with my Angel.* These were her last thoughts before one of the
vampires kicked her in the head and she was rendered unconscious.
######
As Angel was walking down the dark streets of Sunnydale he
heard sounds of fighting coming from the cemetery. * Who would be
fighting? Everyone's at the house.* Hope rose unbidden in his heart
as he raced towards the cemetery. He followed the sounds of fighting.
He reached the scene as the fighter fell. He quickly rushed towards
the vampires pulling a stake out of his pocket. He quickly dusted the
vamp closest to him to get the others attention. And it worked! The
vampires forgot all about their prey to attack him. * It's a good thing I
didn't lose my vampire strength and healing powers when I became
human.* Angel thought to himself. He dusted three vampires with no
great effort. The rest, seeing how their numbers had depleted thanks
to the girl and guy, ran off. Angel watched them go then looked down
to the fallen girl. The breath was knocked out of him when he saw the
short blond hair. He would know her anywhere. It was his Buffy. She
was thinner and had dark circles under her eyes, but she was here and
she alive. He looked her over and saw the many cuts and bruises.
These, however, did not bother him, what bothered him was the large
bump that was appearing on her head. He picked her up into his arms.
*Gosh, this feels so good, so right.* He held her as close to him as
possible with cutting off her breath. As he carried her home he made a
promise to himself and to her. * I'll never let you out of my sight
again. You belong here, in my arms and I'll never let you go.* Angel
reached the house sooner than he wanted. He wanted some time
alone with Buffy, even if she was unconscious. However, he knew she
needed Giles to administer first aid and he knew it would be unfair to
leave Joyce out of it, she had gone through so much already. He
walked into the house silently and looked into the living room. Xander
was eating cookies and flipping channels on the T.V.. while Cordelia
yelled at him to give her the remote. Joyce and Giles sat together on
the couch talking, while Oz and Willow sat on the floor by the
Christmas tree talking and shaking presents trying to guess what they
had gotten.
Angel stayed in the shadows and called to Joyce and Giles. "Giles, can
you come here for a second? I need your help. Joyce, could you come
too?"
Joyce and Giles looked at each other then got up and left the room.
The teens continued what they were doing. It probably wasn't that
important anyways.
The two adults walked into the hallway, but could barely make out
Angel's shape.
"Let's go to the kitchen." Angel said still in the shadows.
Joyce lead the way and Giles followed leaving Angel to bring up the
rear. When they entered the kitchen Joyce and Giles sat down at the
bar.
"Angel, what is this about?" Joyce asked with concern.
Angel was a very depressed person. Ever since he had been back he
had, had to deal with the crimes of Angelus and Buffy disappearing all
by himself. Without Buffy in his life the light was gone from his eyes.
He had said it best himself when he said it was like the sunshine had
life his life.
"Giles, could you get the first aid kit from the cabinet?" Angel asked
without bothering to answer the other question.
"Are you hurt?" Joyce asked in a motherly voice as Giles got up to get
the kit.
"No, I'm not, but Buffy is." Ange4l replies deciding to tell them.
"What?" Joyce cried as her head snapped in his direction.
Giles too turned in that direction. Angel stepped out of the shadows
to show himself with Buffy in his arms.
"Oh, my goodness!" Joyce cried as she rushed to her daughter.
Angel walked forward and laid Buffy on the bar carefully. Giles
grabbed the first aid kit from the cabinet and hurried to his patient.
"What happened?" he asked as he began to put disinfectant on the
cuts.
"I found her in the cemetery fighting vamps and I got there just as
they knocked her unconscious. I picked her up and brought her here
as fast as I could." Angel told them.
"Is she going to be all right?" Joyce asked looking down at her baby.
"I think so, she's had worse, but she was stronger than. If she doesn't
wake up in twenty-four hours thought I want to take her to the
hospital." Giles answered.
"I didn't tell the others yet, because I figured it would be too hard to
patch her up if they were all around." Angel explained.
"Well, I think that, that was a wise decision." Giles commented.
"Why don't you carry her to her room? Joyce and I will tell the others.
I would also recommend that you stay with Buffy in case she wakes
up." Giles continued.
"Okay." Angel nodded as he picked Buffy up in his arms again and
went up the stairs quietly.
He gently opened the door to Buffy's room and headed for the bed.
While he supported Buffy with one hand he used the other to pull back
the blankets on the bed. He carefully laid Buffy down and covered her
up. As he turned on the lamp and sat down on the side of the bed he
thought. *This is the first time I will be able to see Buffy in the
sunlight. I bet she will be so beautiful with the sun shining off her hair
and making her blue eyes sparkle.* Angel continued to watch her
sleep peacefully. He never got tired of it. *Buffy, you are my peace.
Watching you gives me peace from all the bad things in my life.*
########
While Angel stayed with Buffy, Joyce and Giles went back into the
living room to tell the others of Buffy's return. Willow looked up as
they entered the room.
"Is Angel okay?" she asked.
"Yes, but we all need to talk." Joyce answered as she and Giles sat
down on the couch and the teens all turned towards them.
Giles took the remote from Xander and turned the television off.
"Hey, G-man, relax. It's not the end of the world." Xander
commented.
"Well, it could be." Cordelia responded.
"That's true this is Sunnydale." Willow added.
"Sunnydale, where the world almost ends everyday." Oz joked.
"This is not about anything like that." Joyce interrupted.
They all noticed the looks on Joyce and Giles, they looked nervous yet
happy.
"What's going on?" Cordy asked always wanting to know the gossip.
"Angel just came back from his walk. He wanted to talk to us in the
kitchen because I needed to administer first aid." Giles stated.
"Is he okay?" Willow asked worriedly.
"Yes, he's fine. He's not the one that needed first aid...Buffy needed
it." Joyce finished before they could ask anymore questions.
"Buffy?" Willow asked in a small voice.
"Is she okay?" Cordelia asked at the same time.
"Yes, she's fine. She is unconscious right now and has a fairly large
bump on her head, but she's okay." Giles told them.
"Where is she?" Xander asked without looking up at any of them.
"Xander, I know all of you want to see her, but right now she's
sleeping." Joyce started.
"I don't care! She's been gone for so long and you don't want us to see
her because she's not awake? I just want to see her. Know that she's
real." Xander cried.
"I feel the same way." Willow agreed.
"I don't ever want to let her out of my sight. We need to see her."
Oz nodded as he took hold of Willlow's hand. Cordy put her arms
around Xander and bobbed her head in agreement.
"Angel took her upstairs, to her room." Giles told them.
With that the Scooby Gang headed for the stairs. They quietly opened
the door to Buffy's room and stepped inside. They saw Angel still
sitting on the side of Buffy's bed, looking down at her.
"Angel? Can we come in?" Willow asked softly.
Angel looked up at them and nodded slowly. Willlow walked over and
gave him a friendly hug before turning her attention on her long-lost
best friend. The others followed her into the room. No one said
anything they just watched their slayer sleep.
######
Buffy moaned softly as she began to wake up. The pain in her head
was tolerable but with all the cuts and bruises she felt like she had
been through a blender. She tried to open her eyes against the glare
of the sun through the window.
"Ugh, what time is it? What day is it?" Buffy asked herself as she
pried her eyes open.
She rolled away from the window and let her eyes adjust. When she
could see again she looked around the room. *Where am I? This isn't
my apartment!* Then she remembered coming back to Sunnydale and
fighting the vampires. *Oh my goodness. This is my room!* She
looked around in shock. *Why am I here?* She sat up slowly and did
a mental back track, but she still couldn't figure out why she was in
her old room. She carefully got out of the bed and went to the door of
the room. As she stepped into the hall fear leaped into her chest, but
this time it didn't get the better of her an and she continued down the
hallway.
########
The Slayerettes were all crowded into the kitchen having lunch. It had
taken a lot of work, but Giles had finally torn the rest of the family
away from the sleeping slayer's side.
"Did you hear sometime?" Angel asked after finishing his sixth
sandwich.
"No, Angel, you need to relax. Buffy will be fine. She's sleeping
peacefully in her room." Cordelia replied.
Xander looked at her in mock shock. "Cordelia? Being nice? Giles are
you sure the world isn't ended?"
Cordy took the more immature approach this time and just stuck her
tongue out him.
"Don't stick it out if you don't plan on using it!" Xander warned.
Cordelia smiled playfully. "Well, know that you mention it."
Everyone laughed at the look on Xander's face.
"There it is again. Are you guys sure you don't hear that?" Angel
asked again.
"No, I haven't heard anything, but Angel even though you are not a
vampire anymore your hearing is still more advanced." Giles
responded.
With that statement finished Angel stood up and headed out of the
kitchen. The others looked at each other then got up and followed
him. Angel was about to go up the stairs when something stopped
him. He turned and looked into the living room. There was Buffy
standing there staring at the tree.
#######
When Buffy had gotten downstairs she had immedately looked into the
living room on reflex. Her eyes had been drawn to the large tree. She
stared in wonder as she moved closer. The Christmas tree was perfect.
Not too big, not to small, forest green, and decorated with all the
ornaments that she treasured. She just stood there in front of the tree
crying silent tears lost in memories.
#######
The rest of the Scooby Gang stopped behind Angel and looked in shock
at Buffy staring at the tree. They knew that they had to be careful.
Buffy was emotionally, physically, and mentally stressed. Angel
shooed them back as he slowly and quietly walked into the room. The
others stayed back in the doorway and watched as Angel made his way
over to the Slayer.
Angel moved carefully as he stepped right next to his love. He glanced
at her face and saw her clear blue eyes full of tears that were slowly
making their way down her cheeks. He reacted before thinking and
quickly wrapped her in his tight embrace.
Buffy tensed at first, she hadn't seen anyone else in the room.
However, the arms felt warm and familiar.
"Angel." she whispered softly knowing that he could not be here. He
was in Hell, where she had sent him. *Angel...My Angel...I'm so
sorry.* Buffy's tears began to come faster soaking the shirt of the
man that held her.
"Shhh, I know. It's not your fault." she heard.
*Angel? What?* Her head snapped up at the sound of the familiar
voice and she found herself looking into the eyes of the man she loved.
"Angel?" she asked quietly.
Angel nodded his head and said, " I'm here. I'll always be here no
matter what."
Buffy began to sob saying to herself, "No. I-I killed you. You can't be
here. No, I didn't want to, but I had to kill you. I sent you to Hell. I
must be dreaming. Not here..."
Angel saw that she was rapidly losing her grip on reality so he grabbed
her by the arms tightly and shook her.
"Buffy, I'm here. I'm not in Hell. Willow and the others got me out.
plus, I'm human. I'm not a vampire anymore. I'm alive and here with
you." Angel told her.
Buffy stopped sobbing and looked at him with tear filled eyes.
"Angel?' she asked again this time with a more normal sound.
"Yes, Buffy I'm here and I'll never leave you." Angel said as he pulled
her into his arms again and held on tight.
This time Buffy put her arms around his waist and held on with all her
slayer strength, which was a lot even though she was weak and
beaten.
"Buffy, I have to breath, too." Angel said quietly in her ear.
Buffy smiled against his chest and only slightly lessened her grip.
"I missed you, Buffy." Angel said with his face buried in her hair.
"I missed you so much." Buffy replied.
The others decided that this was the time to enter. If they didn't they
might never get the two apart.
"Buffy?" her mother said softly as she entered the room.
Buffy jerked her head up and looked over Angel's shoulder.
"Mom." Buffy half whispered.
Angel released her from his arms so she could go to her mother. Buffy
went to her mother and hugged her tightly.
"Mom, I'm so sorry." she cried.
"Shhh, baby. I know, it's okay. All that matters is that you're safe and
home." Joyce told her daughter.
Buffy looked into her mother's eyes. "you know I wasn't going to
come home."
"Why were you in Sunnydale if you weren't planning on coming
home?" a new voice interrupted.
Buffy looked up at the rest of the people in the room.
"Cordy, hi. Hey Xander..Willow...Oz...Giles." Buffy said to them a she
broke away from her mother.
"Buffy." Xander said, then his face broke into a smile and he opened
his arms for a hug. Buffy smiles as she moved to give and receive a
hug.
"We missed you." Xander told he as they hugged.
"I missed all of you, too." Buffy responded.
"I mean no offense, I'm glad your home an and all, but why are you
here?" Cordelia asked again.
Buffy shook her head and smiled. "I heard there was a lot of vampire
activity here. I knew that mom and Giles still lived here and I had to
do something. I figured I'd come here kill some vamps then leave."
Buffy told them.
"Where were you going to go?" Willow asked.
"Back to L.A. where I've been living." Buffy answered as she moved
back into Angel's arms after giving everyone a hug.
"Well, we're glad you're back, whatever the reason." Oz said.
Buffy smiled, "Do you realize today is Christmas?" Buffy asked them.
"I can't think of a better present, than to having you back." Angel told
Buffy as he hugged her tighter.
Willow, having slipped away silently, came back into the room with her
arms full. They all looked up as she dumped the packages on the
couch.
"Buffy, you have a lot of Christmases to make up for." Willow said as
she waved her hand at the presents she had brought in.
Buffy laughed as everyone moved in to pull presents out from under
the tree.
"You guys have a lot of Christmases to make up for too." Buffy told
them. "Tomorrow we need to go to L.A. so I can get my stuff, plus a
few hundred Christmas presents."
"Yea, more presents!" Oz, Willow, Xander, and Cordelia agreed.
Joyce and Giles laughed as they too began to open presents.
"I love you." Angel whispered to Buffy as they watched their family.
"I love you, too. Merry Christmas." she whispered back.
"Merry Christmas." Angel replied as he lowered his head to begin a
long kiss.
-I'll be home for Christmas
You can plan on me
Please have snow and mistletoe
And present for the tree.
Christmas eve will find me
Where the love light gleams
I'll be home for Christmas
If only in my dreams.
THE END!!!