Christmas morning, early

            Dawn woke before the sun rose and rolled over to check her alarm clock.  She was amazed that the clock read three thirty in the morning.  Brushing her hair out of her face, she climbed out of bed, padding on bare feet across the hall to the bathroom.  Hearing sounds from the kitchen, she decided to investigate. 

            Creeping down the stairs and remaining hidden in the shadows near the kitchen doorway, she watched the action with wide eyes. 

            "Spike, could you check on the pie?  I want to put the next one in soon." 

Dawn saw Buffy and Spike wearing aprons and working over the counters.  Food, spices, pans, and utensils were strewn across the counters.  A mix of smells met her nose, and the sounds of stirring and chopping filled the air. 

            "Got it."  The chopping stopped, and Spike slipped an oven mitt on his hand, pulling out the requisite pie.  "Smells wonderful."

            "Yeah.  It's Mom's recipe," Buffy reminded him.

            "You've always been a good cook," Spike insisted.

            "How would you know?"

            The chopping resumed.  "I remember Thanksgiving two years ago."  Spike was referring to the time Buffy cooked a large holiday dinner for Giles and the rest of the gang.

            "Oh!"  Buffy's voice lowered after her brief outburst.  "I forgot you were there."

            "I didn't."  Spike's tone was husky and deep.

            "Oh." 

Dawn edged forward to hear better and almost jumped back when a cloud of white powder flew through the air. 

            Buffy shrieked.  "Hey!  The flour's for the pies!!!  And aren't you supposed to be putting the other pie in the oven!"

            "Shhh, Buffy.  You'll wake everyone up." 

            Flour streaked at Spike from the opposite direction.  "You hush!  I'll do what I please!"

            "Don't you always!" he teased.

            Pouting, Buffy declared, "Okay, mister.  This means war!"  With that said, she smeared white grains on Spike's nose. 

            With a huge grin on his face, he retaliated by run white-coated fingers through Buffy's hair. 

            Horrified, she paused for a few seconds.  Then, she scooped up a huge handful of flour and spread the powder over his black sleeves.  Spike growled in return and lunged at her, intent on covering Buffy the way she had him. 

            Darting away, Buffy slipped on some loose powder that now layered the floor.  Spike caught her arm before she fell.  They ended up inches from one another, a bit breathless. 

Buffy stared up into Spike's eyes that were alight with a happiness she'd never before associated with him.  She'd viewed him as evil, soulless, angry, sexy, pathetic. . . but never happy.  Somehow, the lighthearted sparkle made her want to kiss him more than she wanted to admit.  She recalled how soft his lips could be when she let him be tender with her.

Before Spike could take advantage of the moment, Dawn cleared her throat and stepped out of the background.  "What're you guys doing?  Cooking at three A.M.?"

            Buffy and Spike parted hastily. 

Flustered, Buffy ordered, "Spike, put the other pie in the oven!"

Spike minded her silently, shoving the pie into the oven roughly. 

Resuming her stirring, Buffy ignored his behavior.  "Dawn, what are you doing up so early?"

"What are you doing cooking?" Dawn repeated with a small smirk on her face. 

Spike began chopping carrots and onions again.

"Well," Buffy explained, brushing flour out of her eyes, "Spike and I were trying to make the house smell nice when you guys woke up.  It was supposed to be a surprise!"

"Well, it does smell good."  Dawn grinned.  "But with the noise you were making, I'm surprised the whole household isn't in here."

"We weren't noisy. . . were we, Dawnie?"  Buffy cast a doubtful glance at Spike.

"Umm. . . yeah, you were."  Dawn rolled her eyes, but she wasn't really annoyed. 

"Afraid we were, pet," Spike acknowledged, scraping vegetables into individual bowls. 

"And what's with the flour in your hair?" Dawn asked innocently.

Buffy touched her hair self-consciously.  "Umm.  Is there something in my hair?"

"Yep.  Lots of flour!" Dawn declared, giggling.

Spike winked at Dawn, and she laughed harder.  Buffy glared at both of them.

"Spike, shouldn't you be gutting the turkey?  And Dawn, since you're up, you can help with the cooking!"

"You want *me* to put my hand in there with the intestines and entrails and pull them out of the turkey?" Spike protested putting his hands up in mock disgust.

Buffy planted her hands on her hips.  "Yes, I do!  And I *know* you've done worse with your hands before, so get to it!"

Grumbling good-naturedly to himself, Spike headed to the sink, bearing the bird.  Dawn hugged her sister briefly before grabbing a spoon and taking the bowl from her.  Buffy was free to supervise, so she paced back and forth between Dawn and Spike before finally deciding to sit on the counter near the sink and Spike. 

"Watcha doing?" she asked mischievously. 

"What's it look like I'm doing?"  Spike had finished emptying the turkey of entrails and began to pull the skin off.

"Umm. . . skinning the turkey?"

"Want to help me?"  Spike started to hand her the raw bird.

Buffy wrinkled her nose.  "Ewww.  Nope.  That's your job as the man in the room."

Spike raised his eyebrows.  "*Man* in the room?"

"Okay, vampire.  But you're definitely the only male in the room," Buffy modified to appease him.  "Therefore, it's your job to skin the bird."

"Uh huh.  And who did it when it was just you, your mom, and Dawn here?" 

"You know very well that you did it then, Buffy," Dawn interrupted.  She laid the spoon aside.  "And can one of you take over the stirring?  My arm's tired!  I'll do something else instead." 

Buffy took the bowl from her.  "How about set the table?"

Dawn brightened and saluted.  "Sure thing!  One set table right away!"

A few minutes after Dawn was out of earshot, Buffy asked boldly, "Were you going to kiss me before Dawn came in?"

Of all the things he thought Buffy might ask him, that was not what he was expecting.  "Umm. . ." he hesitated.  He still felt awkward around her.

Buffy reached out to touch Spike's cheek, but he flinched away.  Her heart ached with the hurt she knew he felt. 

How was he to respond to her advances?  What was her goal?  Did she want to use him again?  He didn't ask her any of those questions.  "Buffy. . . what are you doing?"

"Realizing that life is too short to waste," she said, allowing the sincerity to show on her face. 

Dawn bounded into the kitchen.  "Finished!"

Spike's eyes didn't leave Buffy's green ones.  She read the twisted conflicting emotions crossing his face and longed to sweep away his confusion with deft fingertips.  However, she didn't move for several seconds, finally tearing her gaze from Spike's hold on her.

Dawn rubbed her eyes tiredly.  "Guys, I'm feeling sleepy again.  Shouldn't we get some sleep before morning?"

Buffy yawned widely and then leaned over to kiss her sister's cheek.  "Yeah.  We should.  Let's go to bed."

"After you take a shower?"  Dawn grimaced, rubbing flour off her face. 

"Ick.  You're right.  After I get a shower and wash my hair."  Buffy glanced over her shoulder at the vampire.  "Spike, you need a shower?"

Spike shook his head.  "I'll wash up down here.  And get some sleep on the sofa."

"Okay," Buffy agreed.  "The turkey's ready for the oven when we get up?"

"Yeah, it is.  I'll make sure to clean up in here, check on the pie, and put the bird in the fridge."

Buffy patted his chest absentmindedly.  "Thank you, Spike." 

Dawn hugged the vampire.  "Night, Spike."

Spike smiled at the girl with affection.  "Night, Bit."

Dawn didn't protest the nickname and left the kitchen.  Buffy trailed after her sister but paused in the doorway.

She faced Spike and caught his eye again.  "We'll talk about this tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow," he whispered half-sadly, half-hopefully. 

"Merry Christmas, Spike."  Her eyelids were drooping she was so sleepy. 

"Merry Christmas, pet."

TBC. . . Christmas morning, present time!!! :o)  YAY!!!! 

***thanks bunches for the wonderful reviews!!! You guys are great!!! *hugs*

Take care, Sandy :o)

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