Away From It All
Chapter 15: Mistletoe and Closure
By: Rogue-Slayer13
Summary: See pervious chapters.
Disclaimer: The characters of Btvs and Ats belong to Joss Whedon. Spike's family members and other character you've never heard of before are mine.
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"Mom, are we going to England for Christmas?" asked Dawn once Joyce and Giles got home from the grocery store.
"We were going to try to at least," said Giles. "Why?"
"Andrew's going and he wondered if we were."
"Not to mention you promised everyone already," said Buffy.
"Why's Andrew going?" asked Joyce as she began to put up the groceries. "He doesn't have any family there, does he?"
"He talked to Wesley and they both think it's a good idea for us to all get together and celebrate our new lives."
"That's a nice idea," said Giles as he handed Joyce the orange juice. "I'll see what we can manage."
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"I received a phone call from Andrew not too long ago," said Wesley, who hardly ever got to hang out with the others because of school.
"Really?" asked Willow. "What'd he have to say?"
"He wanted to know if I could find a way for him to spend Christmas with us, or more importantly Spike." Wesley glanced over at the blonde who was sitting on the couch with Fred.
"I told you he had some weird semi-erotic fascination with you," said Xander.
"What can I say? I'm just that charismatic," said Spike.
"Oh yes, you're devilish good looks are just too much for everyone to resist," teased Faith.
"Spike does have a certain amount of natural charm I suppose," said Anya.
"It's the voice," said Lorne. "Chords of gold."
"And the fact you're in a band," said Gunn. "Chicks dig guys in bands."
"And you wear leather," said Faith.
"Can we please stop talking about how hot my boyfriend is?" asked Fred.
"If you insist," said Willow in mock aggravation.
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"How are we going to work out Christmas with Giles' family and Christmas with Spike and everyone?" asked Dawn.
"I don't know," said Buffy as she flipped through the channels on the TV. "Ask mom. She's in charge of all the technical stuff."
"Mom!" called Dawn.
"Yes Honey?" replied Joyce, sticking her head into the living room.
"How are we working out two Christmases?" asked Dawn, turning so she could look at her mother.
"We're spending Christmas Eve and Christmas morning with Giles' family in Bath and then we're spending Christmas Day and the day after Christmas with Spike."
"Wow, we're really gonna rake in the frequent flyer miles," commented Buffy.
"Tell me about it," replied Joyce as she went back into the kitchen to finish cooking dinner.
"Ooh! Maybe we could save the frequent flyer miles and then go on one huge vacation to Europe and all those other places we should go on vacation to."
"I'm so glad they have you taking Geography," said Buffy as she rolled her eyes.
"Like you could do any better," shot back Dawn.
"I was just teasing."
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"As much as I love the thought of having the whole gang back together again for one last encore, can I point out what a huge pain in the ass this is going to be?" Cordelia looked around the living room at her friends. "Surely I'm not the only one who thinks this?"
"I kind of have to agree with Cordy on this one," said Xander. "I mean, I like Buffy, Dawnie, Giles, and Mrs. Summers . . ."
"Mrs. Giles," corrected Willow instinctively.
"Whatever, I like them as much as the next guy, but how are we going to work this out?"
"I have no idea," said Gunn.
"Well, Christmas Eve and Christmas morning, they'll be with the Giles family," said Wesley.
"So we only have to work out Christmas evening and Boxing Day to figure out," said Angel.
"Well I'm sure the two of us," Spike pointed to himself and Angel. "We'll have to go to midnight mass, with the rest of our family."
"Yeah, but that's midnight on Christmas eve," said Angel. "We could still work something out for earlier in the evening."
"I have an idea," said Fred. "Spike, when's your mom doing Christmas?"
"Dinner on Christmas eve, and presents in the morning I think," said Spike. "Which reminds me, I was supposed to invite you all to that."
"Well, we can have Christmas with your family and Angel's and then we can do our Scooby/Fang Gang Christmas on Boxing Day."
"That's a good idea Fred," said Lorne.
"I'll tell Andrew and he can tell Buffy," said Wesley.
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"Can you get the door?" called Anne from the living room.
"Sure thing dear," replied James as he walked down the hall and opened the door. "Declan! Sarah! Kathy! How good to see you. Come in, come in." James ushered his sister, brother-in-law, and niece into the house.
"Hello James," said Sarah as she hugged her brother.
"Anne!" called James. "Sarah's 'ere to help."
"Oh great," said Anne as she came into the entry hall. "We have a lot of work to do and not a lot of time to do it in." Anne lead Sarah into the living room.
"Women," said Declan and James in unison.
"Honey, why don't you go and find Mary and Eryn?" asked Declan.
"Okay Dad," said Kathryn as she headed off to find her cousins.
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"You've really out done yourself this year," said Sarah as she put the last decoration on the Christmas tree.
"I just wanted to do something special for William and Liam, they've been through so much," said Anne.
"I know what you mean, I just hope it doesn't affect 'em too much."
"They seem to be adjusting well."
"Yeah, Will especially, he's a totally different boy from what he used to be," said Sarah. "I mean he goes from quiet and bookish, to outspoken and has a girlfriend."
"Winifred truly is a dear," said Anne as she began to pick up some of the trash that had occurred due to the decorating. "I hope they stay together."
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"How did we manage to get booked on the same flight?" asked Buffy in amazement, as she rode to the airport.
"I guess we're just lucky," replied Andrew from his spot in the backseat if Joyce's SUV. "And thanks again for giving me a ride."
"No problem Andrew," commented Joyce from the front seat.
"So, we're going to meet you over at Willow's apartment on Christmas day?" asked Giles as he looked into the rear view mirror so he could see Andrew.
"Yep, and then we're all going to have one big Christmas shindig."
"I don't know about you guys, but I'm excited," said Dawn with a smile.
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Spike and Angel came over to the Edwards' residence just in time to be ushered into the dinning room by Anne.
"I'm so glad you boys could make it on time," said Anne as she took their coats and put them on the coat rack. "We decided to have dinner a little bit early and I was afraid you'd be late, because I couldn't reach you."
"Sorry mum, I must've left my phone at Fred's," said Spike.
"How is Winifred?" asked Anne.
"She's fine," Spike took his seat at the table. "Said she'd stop by later fi she got done with decorating the flat in time."
"Well she's always welcome," said Anne. "How are you Liam?"
"Fine Aunt Anne," replied Angel as he sat down.
"And Cordelia?"
"She's fine too. I think she's helping Fred and the girls get the place ready for tomorrow."
"Oh that's right," said Anne as she sat down. "You're having a Christmas for your American friends. I hope you have fun."
"Me too," said Angel.
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"I hate lights," said Anya as she struggled to untangle the knot that had become the Christmas lights. "Why do we even have to have them?"
"It's tradition Ahn," said Willow as she hung stockings on the bar connecting the kitchen to the living room. "Just like these stockings are tradition."
"Speaking of stockings," said Cordelia. "Which one belongs to whom?"
"Well," said Willow. "The black leather one with spike's on it is well, Spike's and the one with the wings on it is Angel's, the black with the red trim is Faith's, the red with the black trim is Buffy's, the green one is mine, the purple one is Fred's, the blue on is Gunn's, the one with the dog is Oz's, the pink one is yours, the leopard print one is Anya's, the smiley face one is Xander's, the outer space looking one is Andrew's, the traditional one is Joyce's, and the light purple one is Dawn's."
"Wow," said Fred. "Where did you manage to get all those custom stockings?"
"I had Spike's mom help me with most of them," said Willow.
"I think they're neat," said Anya.
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"Is that what I think it is?" asked Angel as he looked at the mantle in shock.
"It can't be," replied Spike.
"Two pints and some cookies for Santa Claus. Kevin and Craig wouldn't leave Mum alone until she put them up," said Eryn as she pointed to two little boys who were playing in the dinning room.
"Not all drunks are Irish, but all Irish are drunks," said Sam as he too came into the room.
"That is so stereotypical," said Angel, eyeing the Guinness.
"I bet Mum would let us drink the Guinness once the kids go to sleep," said Spike.
"Can we eat the cookies too?" asked Angel, forgetting about the racial stereo typicalness of the situation.
"We could ask 'er."
"You can't go to mass drunk," said Eryn.
"Have you ever been to one of this family's funerals?" asked Spike. "I've seen less liquor at a pub."
"Sides," said Angel. "It's just a pint."
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"Buffy!" said Willow as she pulled the blonde into a hug. "How are you?"
"Fine," replied Buffy as Willow let go.
"Hey Dawnie, Mrs. Giles, Giles, Andrew."
"Hello Willow," said Joyce with a smile.
"Where's Spike?" asked Dawn.
"He and Angel haven't got back from their family's Christmas yet," said Cordelia. "He called and said they'd be here in like five minutes."
"Okay," said Dawn.
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"Sorry we're late," said Angel as he and Spike came into the apartment. "We had to take my aunt to the train station."
"No problem," said Anya.
"You guys are actually just in time," said Willow.
Buffy watched with mild anger as Spike promptly took a seat next to Fred on the couch.
"So, who wants to go first?" asked Xander as he eyed the presents.
"Well, since you're about to burst, why don't you start," said Gunn.
"If you insist," said Xander as he began to hand out presents.
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"Hey Wills," said Buffy as she came into the kitchen.
"Yeah?" asked the redhead as she got a soda for herself and one for Oz.
"Are Spike and Fred official now?"
Willow paused.
"Yeah, they went official a few weeks ago," said Willow. "I'm sorry Buffy."
"No, it's okay, really, I just need some closer is all."
"I hope you get it," said Willow as she was called back into the living room by Xander.
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"Okay Dawnie, this is from," Xander paused to read the tag. "Spike and Fred." Xander handed the present to Dawn, who quickly tore into the paper.
"Geez Dawnie, good thing we're not saving that stuff," said Faith with a smile.
Dawn's eyes went wide as she saw the gift.
"This is so cool!" squealed Dawn as she pulled out the dagger from its box.
"That is wicked awesome D," commented Faith.
"But purely for decoration," added Spike.
"Your mom said you had a collection going," said Fred from her spot curled up next to Spike.
"I do and I love it." Dawn set the dagger down and gave Spike and Fred each a hug. "Thanks guys."
"Fred you're next." Xander handed Fred a small box with a bow on it. "It's from Wills."
"Thank you Willow," said Fred as she unwrapped the present to see a Dixie Chicks cd and a Gretchen Wilson cd."
"I hope you like the Gretchen Wilson one, I haven't heard a lot of her stuff, but it seemed like something you'd like."
"Oh yeah, I like her," said Fred."
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"This was nice," said Joyce as Spike and the guys put all the wrapping paper and packaging into trash bags.
"Yeah, and we don't have to clean up either," said Anya.
"We did all the decorating," said Cordelia. "It's the least they could do."
"We didn't help with anything though," said Dawn.
"But you guys just flew all the way from California, that's why Andrew and Giles didn't have to clean up either," said Faith.
"I can hardly call what Andrew's doing as cleaning up," commented Giles as he looked over into the living room where Andrew was gathering up all of the discarded bows and putting them on himself.
"He looks like he's having fun," said Fred as Andrew began to do a little dance around the room.
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To Be Continued . . .
Wow, this is one of the longest chapters I've posted for this fic. Please review (best do it now, cause you might not be able to tomorrow if things keeping going this way).