"Bah Humbug." Spike shrieked as he slipped on a patch of ice. Buffy just
laughed. "What"
"Nothing. I was just remembering a conversation I had with Angel about Vampires not being big on Christmas. And then with your Scrooge impersonation."
"I am nothing like the Great Poof and what's Scrooge?"
"A Christmas Carol. It's a book about a man, who's grouchy and then he's visited by ghost who make him realize what Christmas is all about."
"Well as long as the ghost don't try to make me kill anybody this time. I could stand having someone visit me. Not like I have any company these days over in my crypt."
"Spike." Buffy turned him around to look at her. "What happened between us last time was so fast. I just want to make sure I do things right this time."
"Whatever Slayer." Spike stormed off into the cold Christmas Eve.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
"How was Spike on patrol?" Dawn asked turning away from decorating the tree with Willow when Buffy got home.
"Still really touchy. I didn't even get to ask him over for Dinner tomorrow night, he was so angry." Buffy sighed as she sat down on the couch.
"Give him time Buffy." Willow comforted her friend. "The First really did a number on him."
"I know I just wish he'd open up to me." Buffy hugged Willow and started helping with the tree.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
"Peaches. What are you doing here?" Spike asked when he walked into his crypt.
"Buffy was worried about you. And since I have a soul and was tormented by the First."
"She thought you could understand what I was going through. Well you can't goodnight. Run over the Leaving Sunnyhell sign on your way back to L.A. and please remember to never come back."
"Fine, if you want to act like this I won't tell you that there are two Christmas parties you're invited to tomorrow. I don't think I want you at Angel Investigations anyway, but it would mean a lot to Buffy if you went to her party. She's really trying to make things better between the two of you and your attitude is not helping."
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
"What now?" Spike jumped out of bed later that night. "Dru. Bloody Hell not the First again."
"Spike." Dru said. "Three nasty spirits will visit you this night. They will try to separate you from the family. Don't let them. Choose us Spike, choose your family." And in a flash she was gone.
"The First couldn't do that, but then again neither could Dru. I'll figure it out tomorrow."
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Spike was again woken by a small voice saying, "I am the ghost of Christmas Past."
"Wait, I've seen pictures of you in the Watchers house."
"In life, I was his girlfriend Jenny. In death, I come to vampires who need me. So others will not come to my fate."
"Yeah, Angelus killed you. Go bother him."
"William, what has happened to you? You loved Christmas once."
"That was when I had a family, when I was human."
"Not only when you were human."
"Spike, a new birdie it will sing so sweetly." Dru smiled as she wrapped herself on top of Spike.
"Okay, so Dru and I celebrated. So what? I'm a different vampire now." Spike stared at Jenny.
"No. You think a chip and a soul can change what was already inside of you? No, what changed you was this family."
"Angel on top again this year?" Joyce asked from her elevation close to the top of the tree.
"I don't like the Angel anymore." Dawn grumbled from where she was threading a popcorn chain."
"Yes, mom." Buffy glared at her sister. "Angel again this year."
"Angel, Angel, always Angel." Spike screamed. "Look I didn't ask to reenact their relationship. I was there for most of it thanks."
"Yes, and you know how it turned out. She put all of her trust in him and when he left she didn't know who to trust."
"So are you coming over for Christmas?" Buffy asked Riley.
"I can't. I'm going home for Christmas this year."
"But I thought it would be nice to be together."
"I'll see you when I get back. It's only a few weeks."
"More like a bloody eternity. Now Jenny I think I've been more than patient. Now get out of my bloody crypt."
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
"I am the Ghost of Christmas Present."
"Willow, what are you doing here so late?"
"I'm not Willow. I'm a spirit sent to show you what you're missing by being all grouchy and fangy."
"The tree looks great Angel." Cordy smiled and kissed him as she balanced baby Connor on her hip. "What's wrong and please don't tell me you're still worried about that stupid bleached childe of yours."
"Spike's been through a lot. I just thought coming out here, might help him clear his head. He's in pain Cordy."
"So the poof is worried about me. So what?"
"He's not the only one."
"Spike, Spike" Buffy screamed waking up on the couch where she'd been napping.
"Another nightmare about the rape?" Dawn asked coming in.
"No, I had a nightmare about him being out alone in the freezing cold without any hope."
"Buffy. I'll go over right now and invite him for dinner. You know he'll never turn me down. He's too afraid of my influence over you and your dating choices." Dawn smiled, but then she coughed.
"No going over to Spike's. I want you to get rid of that cough. You've had it for over a week now. The only reason I haven't taken you to a doctor is the school councilor gig doesn't have good insurance. Wonderful seeing Dawn perks but very little medical."
"What's wrong with Little Bit?"
"Hard to say, but she doesn't look very well."
"Willow, Spirit, Thank you for helping me see that these two women are the most important thing in my life."
"What do you want whelp? Red was just over here."
"I am the Ghost of Christmas Future and I'd appreciate a little respect for what I'm doing for you."
"Right sorry, on we go into the flashback sequences."
"Thanks for spending Christmas with me Cordy," Buffy smiled at her friend.
"L.A. just doesn't seem the same this time of year with Angel."
"I know what you mean, without Dawn it feels like I died again."
"So we superwomen sent to save the world, have Christmas together for fear of being alone with the memories of those dead. Speaking of dead. Have you seen Spike?"
"No, he left after Dawn died. Didn't see the point in sticking around. I guess no guy is ever going to stick around. I should be used to it."
"Spike wake up." Dawn shook him.
"Little Bit what Ghost are you?"
"I'm not a ghost Spike. I just came over to see if you were okay. I know Buffy can be such a pain."
"That she can, but that's why we love her."
"Why are you in such a good mood?"
"It's Christmas, Tell big sis I'll be over in a few I have a phone call to make first. Hey Peaches. I mean Angel, Merry Christmas. I hope you and cheerleader, I mean Cordy, have a great day."
"Nothing. I was just remembering a conversation I had with Angel about Vampires not being big on Christmas. And then with your Scrooge impersonation."
"I am nothing like the Great Poof and what's Scrooge?"
"A Christmas Carol. It's a book about a man, who's grouchy and then he's visited by ghost who make him realize what Christmas is all about."
"Well as long as the ghost don't try to make me kill anybody this time. I could stand having someone visit me. Not like I have any company these days over in my crypt."
"Spike." Buffy turned him around to look at her. "What happened between us last time was so fast. I just want to make sure I do things right this time."
"Whatever Slayer." Spike stormed off into the cold Christmas Eve.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
"How was Spike on patrol?" Dawn asked turning away from decorating the tree with Willow when Buffy got home.
"Still really touchy. I didn't even get to ask him over for Dinner tomorrow night, he was so angry." Buffy sighed as she sat down on the couch.
"Give him time Buffy." Willow comforted her friend. "The First really did a number on him."
"I know I just wish he'd open up to me." Buffy hugged Willow and started helping with the tree.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
"Peaches. What are you doing here?" Spike asked when he walked into his crypt.
"Buffy was worried about you. And since I have a soul and was tormented by the First."
"She thought you could understand what I was going through. Well you can't goodnight. Run over the Leaving Sunnyhell sign on your way back to L.A. and please remember to never come back."
"Fine, if you want to act like this I won't tell you that there are two Christmas parties you're invited to tomorrow. I don't think I want you at Angel Investigations anyway, but it would mean a lot to Buffy if you went to her party. She's really trying to make things better between the two of you and your attitude is not helping."
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
"What now?" Spike jumped out of bed later that night. "Dru. Bloody Hell not the First again."
"Spike." Dru said. "Three nasty spirits will visit you this night. They will try to separate you from the family. Don't let them. Choose us Spike, choose your family." And in a flash she was gone.
"The First couldn't do that, but then again neither could Dru. I'll figure it out tomorrow."
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Spike was again woken by a small voice saying, "I am the ghost of Christmas Past."
"Wait, I've seen pictures of you in the Watchers house."
"In life, I was his girlfriend Jenny. In death, I come to vampires who need me. So others will not come to my fate."
"Yeah, Angelus killed you. Go bother him."
"William, what has happened to you? You loved Christmas once."
"That was when I had a family, when I was human."
"Not only when you were human."
"Spike, a new birdie it will sing so sweetly." Dru smiled as she wrapped herself on top of Spike.
"Okay, so Dru and I celebrated. So what? I'm a different vampire now." Spike stared at Jenny.
"No. You think a chip and a soul can change what was already inside of you? No, what changed you was this family."
"Angel on top again this year?" Joyce asked from her elevation close to the top of the tree.
"I don't like the Angel anymore." Dawn grumbled from where she was threading a popcorn chain."
"Yes, mom." Buffy glared at her sister. "Angel again this year."
"Angel, Angel, always Angel." Spike screamed. "Look I didn't ask to reenact their relationship. I was there for most of it thanks."
"Yes, and you know how it turned out. She put all of her trust in him and when he left she didn't know who to trust."
"So are you coming over for Christmas?" Buffy asked Riley.
"I can't. I'm going home for Christmas this year."
"But I thought it would be nice to be together."
"I'll see you when I get back. It's only a few weeks."
"More like a bloody eternity. Now Jenny I think I've been more than patient. Now get out of my bloody crypt."
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
"I am the Ghost of Christmas Present."
"Willow, what are you doing here so late?"
"I'm not Willow. I'm a spirit sent to show you what you're missing by being all grouchy and fangy."
"The tree looks great Angel." Cordy smiled and kissed him as she balanced baby Connor on her hip. "What's wrong and please don't tell me you're still worried about that stupid bleached childe of yours."
"Spike's been through a lot. I just thought coming out here, might help him clear his head. He's in pain Cordy."
"So the poof is worried about me. So what?"
"He's not the only one."
"Spike, Spike" Buffy screamed waking up on the couch where she'd been napping.
"Another nightmare about the rape?" Dawn asked coming in.
"No, I had a nightmare about him being out alone in the freezing cold without any hope."
"Buffy. I'll go over right now and invite him for dinner. You know he'll never turn me down. He's too afraid of my influence over you and your dating choices." Dawn smiled, but then she coughed.
"No going over to Spike's. I want you to get rid of that cough. You've had it for over a week now. The only reason I haven't taken you to a doctor is the school councilor gig doesn't have good insurance. Wonderful seeing Dawn perks but very little medical."
"What's wrong with Little Bit?"
"Hard to say, but she doesn't look very well."
"Willow, Spirit, Thank you for helping me see that these two women are the most important thing in my life."
"What do you want whelp? Red was just over here."
"I am the Ghost of Christmas Future and I'd appreciate a little respect for what I'm doing for you."
"Right sorry, on we go into the flashback sequences."
"Thanks for spending Christmas with me Cordy," Buffy smiled at her friend.
"L.A. just doesn't seem the same this time of year with Angel."
"I know what you mean, without Dawn it feels like I died again."
"So we superwomen sent to save the world, have Christmas together for fear of being alone with the memories of those dead. Speaking of dead. Have you seen Spike?"
"No, he left after Dawn died. Didn't see the point in sticking around. I guess no guy is ever going to stick around. I should be used to it."
"Spike wake up." Dawn shook him.
"Little Bit what Ghost are you?"
"I'm not a ghost Spike. I just came over to see if you were okay. I know Buffy can be such a pain."
"That she can, but that's why we love her."
"Why are you in such a good mood?"
"It's Christmas, Tell big sis I'll be over in a few I have a phone call to make first. Hey Peaches. I mean Angel, Merry Christmas. I hope you and cheerleader, I mean Cordy, have a great day."