Disclaimer: Puts right hand in the air I swear to tell the truth and nothing but the truth sighs, I own nothing except the plot, well kind of, I am using parts of the plot lines of the show, so I actually own nothing. turns to Joss But why not? Please, just one character he shakes his head. Damn, well you can't say I didn't try…
Chapter 10:
In the Potentials room:
"I am so excited for the party tomorrow! It is going to be the best!" Sarah exclaimed.
"Well I am not so sure. I mean we are," Kelly counted off on her fingers," what like 9 Slayerettes plus Dawn," she pointed at Dawn," The whole Scooby gang is going to be there and a very um, well, I don't know if interesting is the right word, vampire."
"Oh and don't forget about Andrés," Sasha piped in.
"I thought his name was Andrew. Well anyway, doesn't matter. Point is, isn't it going to be a little cramped in the living room? And on top of that there is a serious lack of guys!" Kelly finished. There was a murmur and nod of agreement throughout the room.
"Well, maybe I could invite three or four of my guy friends. If you want I can ask Buffy," Dawn suggested.
"Well that could make the party a little better," Kelly said slowly looking around the room as if there were more ideas written on the blank walls.
"Guys I am sure Buffy has everything planned for us. She hasn't failed to throw a good party," Dawn laughed when she thought of her sister's last birthday party. They had been trapped in the house for nearly 3 days but yet somehow managed to still have fun, well until the demon was released and started to attack people. And after that getting caught for stealing thing from the Magic Box. "Never mind. This party is doomed."
Christmas Eve Morning:
Everyone was up pretty early and there was a usual buzz in the kitchen: Potentials were scrambling to get their favorite cereals before it was all gone. Willow was cleaning up the mess that the next generation made but surprisingly Buffy was nowhere to be seen.
By 11 o'clock Dawn offered to go wake her up, but was surprised to find her bed untouched and her PJ's neatly folded on top of the comforter.
"Weird. So where is she?" Dawn thought. She went back downstairs and told Willow.
"So Buffy never went to bed last night?" Willow asked.
"Yup isn't that what I just told you?" Dawn said.
"Rhetorical question. No need to answer. Maybe she went on patrol and is hurt. Or maybe," the Wicca gasped then started to giggle.
"Retro question? I don't understand what is that supposed to mean. What is it?"
"Nothing."
"Come on Willow. I know!"
"You do?" Willow was confused.
"Yeah, Buffy is probably getting another Potential!"
"Oh," Willow was relived that she wouldn't have to explain anything so she decided to play along. "Yeah, probably ran into some trouble."
"Well, I am going to find her. She is most likely at the train station. Let me just go get my jacket out of the dryer," she headed to the basement door and opened it.
"Ok, but be careful. Maybe bring a stake," Willow warned.
"You know I -," she stopped talking quite suddenly. She ran back up to stairs as quickly and quietly as she could and out of breath she grabbed Willows hand and said," Wills, you have to see this!"
The red head followed the brunette down and saw…
Buffy and Spike sleeping, snuggled up together, just holding each other closely sitting on top of the cot, backs against the wall.
"Aww, do we have to wake them up?", Dawn whispered into Willows ear.
"Well that would be wrong," she said quietly, a grin slowly forming on her lips," but it is to tempting."
The teenager and the redhead walked over and Willow sweetly whispered into Buffy's ear," Rise and shine sleeping beauties!"
The two started to stir, finding themselves in each other's arms was not the problem, in fact this was quite comforting for the two. No, the problem was realizing that they had company was.
"I can explain Dawn!" Buffy quickly said adjusting herself to stand right in front her little, but yet ironically taller sister.
"Buffy," she laughed slightly," it's ok. I'm cool with this, no worries. If you want Willow and I can cover for you two if you want to sleep a little longer."
"Yeah Buff, but I am just saying the Slayerettes are getting antsy that their boss ain't present for so long."
"Why? What time is it?" the slayer looked slightly distressed.
"Well it's about," Willow pulled up her sleeve and looked at the time," 11:30."
"Oh my god. You're kidding me right?" Willow shook her head," I have to go start to get ready for the party, decoration, food, dinner! And I haven't even had breakfast!"
"Speaking of which, Buff, can I invite like 3 or 4 of my friends?"
"Sure, as if I didn't have enough people to prepare for!"
"Buffy, calm down. You can slay demons and even gods but a party has you all worked up! Sometimes I don't understand how you work. Let the lil' Bit have her fun," Spike finally spoke, trying to calm the panicked Buffy. He still sat up against the wall
"So that's a yes right?" Dawn asked hopefully.
"Go ahead," Buffy said calmer then she was before.
"Thank you!" the teenager hugged her sister tight.
"Urgh, oxygen, highly overrated!" Buffy breathed. Her sister let go and quickly ran upstairs, before her sister changed her mind. Willow followed her, glancing behind shortly, seeing Buffy and Spike now facing each other.
"Well I should go. Do you want to help?"
"And be a bloody wanker? For you, anything, luv!", he smiled at her and they walked up the stairs as well, kissing at the top before uncoupling and walking into the kitchen.
4:00, Summer's residence:
Xander and Giles, who had been out shopping for beverages were coming through the back door arguing.
"Buffy told us to get soda and sugary drinks that the teenagers could get hyper on. Not tea, G-man!"
"Xander, if I've told you once, I've told you a thousand times never call me that again. And tea I find rather soothing."
"Yeah British man, the girls will be swarming around tea because it's soothing," Xander said sarcasm dripping in his voice.
"I thought it more for us. It would soothe us, the chaperones, from being around, 10 hyper-active girls."
"Ahhh, gotcha G-man! Good thinking."
"Xander!" Giles glared at him.
"That was just to tempting to through away the opportunity!" Xander laughed, rubbing his hands together. "Muahaha I am an evil Xander."
Giles rolled his eyes placing the paper bags with drinks in them onto the counter as Buffy walked in wearing an apron, Anya in pursuit.
"Anya no we can't invite any more demons to our not-so-little little party! I'm sorry. Oh hey guys, get the drinks?" Anya looked mildly disappointed and lagged behind.
"And tea!" Xander said brightly in a very bad imitation of a British accent.
"And you are British since?" Buffy asked jokingly.
"Never, but the tea will be soothing," Xander informed the blonde.
"Giles, who is he and what have you done with Xander?" Buffy asked her watcher.
Anya was now contemplating behind Buffy and whined," But why not? Oh I have an idea! We can ask for an entrance fee! That way, profit for us! Yay," Anya chirped in.
"Dare you ask anyone for an entrance fee and you may just find bunnies hopping in your apartment!" Buffy growled. Anya quickly dropped the idea seeing as an entrance fee was defiantly not worth floppy eared bunnies roaming around in her new and bunny-free apartment.
"I ask you Anya, do you think about anything else other then money?" Xander paused," and sex?"
"Don't be so snippish Harris, because I do think of other things!" Anya retorted angrily.
"Name 3 things."
Anya thought hard, "I don't have to answer that!" and she turned on her heels, furiously stalking out of the kitchen mumbling something about wishing Xander were a bunny so she could kill him.
Buffy shook her head in disbelief," You two will never stop fighting now will you?"
"Did I ever say anything when you and Spike argue, nonstop may I add!"
"No, mostly because you fought with him just as much maybe more."
"Like that is possible," Xander snorted," Where is the chip head at anyway?"
"He said he was going shopping for gifts. He also said he didn't know when he would be back," Buffy told Xander, glaring at him for calling her boyfriend chip head.
Xander laughed and shook his head," More like stealing for gifts."
"Xander, he has a conscience now. I think he has changed enough to no longer steal gifts," she said coolly, trying to keep her temper under control.
"So what are the girls doing right now," Buffy said, swiftly changing the subject.
"Mm, not sure. Something girlie. What did you do at 16?"
"Gossip. Talk about boys. The usual."
"There's your answer. They are probably in their room talking. Prepping for the party."
"Well I'm glad they stayed out of my way while I cooked, but when I hadn't heard a peep from them all day I started to worry," Buffy said taking a cutting board out and a stack of crackers and cheese. She started to make little bites for the appetizers.
"Well I won't distract you from making your cracker bites, so I'll just leave," Xander said. He twitched his nose," Hey what's that smell?"
"Oh shit! The turkey! I completely forgot," she said rushing over to the burning bird in the oven and put her oven mitts on.
She pulled it out and as quickly as possible put it on the counter. Sure enough the turkey was slightly blackened on the bottom.
"Well to the foreign Potentials you can say it's blackened turkey, a rare delicacy and famous recipe in the Summer's family, passed down from generation to generation. To the natives you can say… I got nothing!" Xander chipped his idea to the now furiously scrapping Buffy," Buff, put down the knife before you cut a hole straight through the bird!"
Buffy gave up and put the sharp object down as Xander advised her and a lock of blond hair fell in her face. She blew on it hard making it fly up for a second and fluttering back into its previous place. She tried again with no result.
"It's useless!" she exclaimed.
"Aw, Buff just cause the turkey is a little burnt doesn't mean that that the not so burnt parts won't taste good!"
"No, not that, my hair. It's useless, no matter how hard I try to put my hair back with out using my dirty hands, it will never work!" the slayer said throwing her hands up in defeat.
"Ok, this is defiantly my cue to go set something up, not here. So I'll just leave," he said taking the tray of crackers into the dining room.
Buffy sighed deeply and called for Andrew. He came dashing into the kitchen.
"Andrew, could you do me a favor and decorate the turkey with lettuce, so you can't see the burnty goodness?" Buffy asked sweetly smiling," I know it's Christmas Eve, but I am still going on a quick patrol, ok? Those pesky vampires don't give a damn if it's the holiday or not!" she said with mild anger evident in her voice.
"Sure, fine by me just be back before 7, so you don't miss the party," Andrew supported taking over the cooking while Buffy took her apron off and gathered a couple of stakes together and put her knee length leather jacket on.
5:00 Patrol:
Buffy was walking through the cemetery when she heard a branch break. Her astute slayer senses were on high alert and she followed the sounds. A slim, dark figure could be seen in the darkness. Buffy raised her stake ready to slay when the figure whipped around, the bottom of a leather duster flying swiftly through the air.
"Buffy! Whoa! Watch were you point that thing, luv," a familiar voice said," bloody dangerous!"
"Spike, what are you doing here?" Buffy asked surprised to see the peroxide haired vampire.
"Patrolling. You?"
"Same. Damn those vampires, never give it a rest!" she laughed," so you want to join me in my sweep of the cemeteries?"
"Of course luv!" and hand in hand they walked through the grave stone rows, looking for any new and fresh vampire popping their heads out from fresh graves. Nothing.
The two stopped to rest shortly and they faced each other. Buffy stuck her stake in her usual hiding spot, her waistband and asked Spike," I was thinking, you said a pre-Christmas gift the other night. What more could you have gotten for me? I'm not that special!"
Spike touched her soft hair and played with it, "You know I love you right?" he said, pulling her close to him and kissing her gently. She didn't dare, or more she couldn't resist and pulled her arms around his neck, pulling him closer to her. She let go for the shortest moment to say, "Yes, I do. And I think I love you too." But she didn't even get that far, since it was very hard to say anything at all with his lips on top of hers.
An annoyed voice behind her groaned, "What is this? Smooch-Fest 2003?"
Both of them broke apart to see a young male vampire glaring at the two of them. They glared back at the Fledgling.
"Hell Slayer, I could've attacked you already."
Buffy rolled her eyes. "Do you mind? We're kind of in the middle of something." She sighed and then pulled out a stake from her waistband," Come on. Let's make it quick."
"You bet!" the vamp said. "I'm going to be the one everyone will be talking about after I kill the Slayer."
"Like I haven't heard this one a million times," Buffy told Spike.
"From me included," he added.
"Yes from you. But you were actually threatening. The first couple times anyway," she said with a wink. "You know you could never hurt me, even if you tried!"
"Really? You want to test that theory?" Spike said with a glint in his eye, his scarred eyebrow slightly raised. He traced a finger down her arm. "I could hurt you real bad…" Buffy rolled her eyes again, but leaned in for another kiss but pulled back slightly after they touched.
"You could try but I don't think you would get very far!"
"Will you two stop yapping?" the vamp yelled. "I swear. I thought vampires were supposed to kill Slayers, not make out with them. You truly are an embarrassment to are kind, you know that?"
"Well then, you haven't been in my world," Buffy replied flippantly.
"Buffy, just kill the guy already," Spike sighed. "He's getting on my bloody nerves."
Buffy turned towards the young vamp. "You heard him," she said with a shrug. "Sorry about this." She held up the stake and flung it hard at the vamp, piercing it right in the heart.
"Bitch!" it yelled as it exploded into dust.
"Ok well maybe not so much! You were right that vampire did get on my nerves, most vamps die in silence but no we have to talk back!" she grinned and faced Spike once more," As much as I love this we really should get a move on. We don't want to be late for the party!"
"I have to finish some business first. Oh and by the way, you are that special and so much more," he spoke those final words softly, leaving Buffy standing in the somewhat cold Sunnydale winter.
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A/n: Well that was longer then expected, and a little too fluffy for my taste! But anything to please the readers. I will update soon. Just read and review, cause that usually gets me going faster, ok?
Thanks to all my persistent reviewers: justawritier, ness345, sexyspike, AmethystDragon81, spbangel and all my anonymous reviewers too!
Luv ya guys and hope for many new readers who review!
Till next time, your not-so-favorite-writer,
Kali