Chapter 4: 'Tis the season

Buffy grinned when she spotted the black muscle car parked at the curb outside her house and trailed a hand along the trunk. She barely managed to refrain from bolting to the door in her excitement to see the brothers but forced herself to stay calm and her heart to slow. She opened the door and was greeted by the sound of her mother's laughter and two male voices that made her grin get even bigger.

"Oh Buffy, Sam and Dean are here!" Joyce called to her daughter from the kitchen where she was regaling the Winchester's with stories about Buffy in her younger years. Buffy entered the kitchen and hugged Sam tightly. Dean met her gaze and she noticed that his smile was only slightly forced but he gave her a hug anyway, holding onto her a moment longer than Sam had.

"We need to talk, princess." He whispered in her ear and kissed her cheek. He gently clasped her hand in his; leading her into another room so they could talk in private. He looked down at his drink for a long moment, deciding how best to start without causing an argument he didn't want to have. "You know, I saw the damnedest thing when Sam and I got in last night," he started, his voice even. "I was at the store waiting for Sammy and imagine my surprise when I see a certain blonde talking to none other than the vampire I could have sworn/i I watched her kill a few months ago." He heard her sharp intake of breath and continued. "Strange thing is, she didn't even bother to tell me that this guy was back from, oh where was it again..." He pretended to think about it for a moment. "Oh yeah, Hell." He finally looked up at her, his eyes a steely green. "It's kinda funny, odd how I'm not laughing."

She met his gaze and winced when she saw the coldness in his eyes, her heart sinking when she realized that he was right. She hadn't called or told him or Sam about Angel's return, she'd been too caught up in everything that she hadn't thought of it until now when he'd seen it with his own eyes. She frantically tried to think of what to say to ease the anger and hurt in his eyes but he held up a hand to stop her.

"Don't. Please, I don't want to fight. I came to spend the holiday with you and your mom and to give Sammy a normal Christmas. Fighting will only ruin it. After that though, we're going to have some words, got me?" She nodded, and he lowered his hand and took a long pull from his drink. "Is he good again?" He asked, wanting to know that answer above any of the others that crowded his jealous mind.

"Yeah, he's good now. He doesn't remember being Angelus or being evil. He's being haunted by ghosts though; I wanted to ask you about it." She answered softly and he let out a bark of laughter.

"Ghosts are haunting his ass? Serves him right." He said his tone hard. "No, before you say anything about helping him the answer is no. Find someone else." He turned to go back into the kitchen with Joyce and Sam and Buffy sighed.

Christmas music played in the background as Buffy and Sam put the finishing touches on the tree. Dean was watching from the couch, still stewing and Joyce placed another log on the fire, then stood from her crouch and inspected the result.

"There we go." She said with a satisfied smile at Dean, Buffy and Sam.

"Nothing like a roaring fire to keep away the blistering heat." Sam joked with a wink at Buffy.

"Oh, come on. It's lovely. Maybe I should turn the air conditioning on." Joyce continued but Buffy was off in her own world as she and Sam finished trimming the tree. "So, angel's on top again?"

"What?" Buffy turned a startled gaze to her mother and Dean glanced at her, ignoring the look Sam aimed in his direction.

"Angel or star?" Joyce asked, holding up two tree toppers.

"Oh, uh... star. Star." Joyce nodded and handed it to Sam who easily placed it atop the tree. Just then the doorbell rang and Buffy and her mom exchanged an inquiring look, wondering who it could be. Buffy went to the door and opened it while Sam went over to put their gifts under the tree while she wasn't looking.

"Hey." Faith said uncertainly from the porch.

"Hi!" Buffy answered with a surprised smile.

"Uh, looked like that whole party thing was gonna be kind of a drag." Faith continued but then dropped her eyes for an instant. "I didn't really have anything...You know."

"I'm glad you came," Buffy told her with a sincere expression.

"Uh... Here," Faith said with a relieved smile and handed Buffy a couple of gifts."

"Why don't you come in from the entire lack of cold?" Buffy cracked and Faith gave a small snort of amusement and stepped inside, and Buffy closed the door behind her.

"Uh, that one," Faith pointed to one of the packages, "is for your mom. They're pretty crappy."

"Faith, you made it." Joyce said coming into the hall and taking the gifts from Buffy. "Oh, that is so thoughtful."

"They're crappy." Faith turned an embarrassed smile on Joyce and then noticed the two strange guys in Buffy's living room watching her. "Hi." She said hesitantly, giving them both once-overs. They were pretty hot; one a tall brunette with shaggy hair that flopped into his eyes and the other was shorter with spiky blonde hair.

"Oh! Faith, these are the guys I mentioned, Dean and Sam Winchester. They're friends of mine, guys this is Faith, she's a slayer too." Buffy said, taking Faith's elbow and making the proper introductions. Dean gave her his patented smirk and Sam tried not to blush when she looked him over. She sat next to Dean and the two started to talk and flirt with one another while Buffy watched, fighting the little pang in her gut at seeing Dean flirt with the dark Slayer. "Um, you know, I'm gonna go upstairs and get your gifts. Excuse me."

"Uh, would you like some nog?" Joyce asked Faith from behind her as Buffy hurried up the stairs to her room, trying to shake off the weird feeling. Buffy walked down the hall and into her room, raising her voice to address her mother downstairs. "Okay, Mom, don't touch yours, though, 'cause then you're gonna know what it is."

Once in her room she heard her door slam behind her and she spun around to find Angel there, looking very tired and somewhat disoriented. "Angel."

"Huh... Buffy." He answered dazedly, glancing around her room.

"What is it?" She asked and he looked around apprehensively and cleared his throat.

"I gotta... I... look, I, uh, I had to see you, um..." His gaze landed on her bed and it confused him. "I don't know, I... You shouldn't be..."

"Just tell me what's going on," Buffy asked softly, taking a step closer to him. His gaze focused on her neck, and noticed she wasn't wearing her cross. Jenny appeared behind her. "She wants you to touch her. What are you waiting for?"

"You have to stay away from me." He pleaded, trying to ignore Jenny.

"You came to see me to tell me that I can't see you?" Buffy asked, confused. Angel panted heavily and struggled with for control. "Angel, something is doing this to you." He started to move toward her and she backed away.

"You just have to control it, okay? I-I know that you're confused." She said in a frightened voice.

"I think you're the one who's confused. I think you need to..." Angel growled.

"She wants you to taste her. Think of the peace. You'll never have to see us again." Angel struggled to control his mind, and then grabbed his hair with his hands in desperation.

"Angel, how can I help you?" Buffy asked imploringly.

"Leave me alone!" He cried in anguish. He ran toward her window and dived out, and Buffy stared at the window in shock.

Dean heard Buffy's door slam upstairs and then raised voices and he set his drink down and tore up the stairs two at a time, pushing open the door to find Buffy staring in confusion at the window. "Buffy?" He crossed over to her and lightly shook her shoulders until she focused on him. "What is it? Are you okay?"

She slowly shook her head and looked back at the window, the curtains blowing lightly in the breeze. "He's getting worse Dean, I have to help him."

Dean bit down on his cheek, realizing who she meant and walked to the door, "Move it then, I'll take you to Giles'." She stared after him in surprise and hurried to follow, stopping to grab her coat and talk to Faith before leaving.

"I just need you to stay with Mom in case he comes back." She strode for the door, Faith at her back and Dean already starting the Impala.

"Yeah, I'll play watchdog. I don't really get it, though." Faith answered, watching Buffy get ready to leave and Sam looking out the window at his brother.

"I'll explain later. Everything. I promise." Buffy said as she opened the door and left to get in the car with Dean, who peeled away from the curve and headed for Giles'.

Dean pulled up outside the curb of Giles' flat and they climbed out and went inside. Dean nodded a greeting at Giles and crossed his arms, leaning against his table while Buffy filled Giles in on the scene from her room. "Giles, we have to do something. Soon. Now." She finished and Giles rubbed his forehead wearily.

"I'm still not sure what." Giles said and Dean ground his teeth as Buffy's voice turned desperate.

"Find me these priest guys. Find me something I can pummel."

"Let's not lose our heads." Giles said, taking off his glasses and glancing down at the book in his hand.

"Giles, he's slipping." She cried and Giles was silent, having no response to that. "I think we're losing him." She said, her voice faltering with fear.

"So what?" Dean grumbled but neither replied to his muttered comment.

"Look..." He puts on his glasses. "You realize if he... truly becomes a danger, you may have to kill him. Again. Can you do that?" He asked and Buffy was silent, not knowing what to answer.

Angel's Mansion:

Angel tried to get away from Jenny and walked into the mansion. "I can't do it."

"You have to do it." Jenny taunted. "What else are you good for?"

"Get away from me!" He cried in desperation.

"Couldn't you just... feel her?" Jenny continued to taunt as she appeared behind him, leaning close to him. "Couldn't you almost smell her skin? You never were a fighter, Angel, don't start trying now." She stepped away. "Sooner or later, you will drink her."

"I'll never hurt her." Angel argued weakly.

"You were born to hurt her." Jenny said scornfully. "Have you learned nothing? As long as you are alive..."

"Then I'll die," he said flatly.

"You don't have the strength to kill yourself." Jenny said, pausing to consider that possibility.

"I don't need strength. I just need the sun to rise." Angel answered in the same flat tone and he walked back out into the atrium.

"You're not supposed to die. This isn't the plan." Jenny said as he passed her and headed back outside. She watched him walk through the atrium and up the steps and out. "But it'll do."