A/N: Hey guys! Hope you like this chap I am not to sure about it. Also, thanks SO MUCH for all the reviews!
Disclaimer: If owned Buffy, why in god's name, did I let Seeing Red go into production?
Dawn flopped onto the couch "Yuck, I stink of ammonia"
"Ah the sweet stench of Christmas" Xander said playfully before nudging Dawn who was still pouting dramatically.
"Come on Dawn, cheer up its Christmas day!" Willow said putting on a pout very similar to Dawn's to try and cheer her up.
"Yeah I'm really feeling the holiday spirit " Dawn grumbled
Anya came in looking slightly apprehensive "Is the cleaning done?"
Xander smiled at her nervous face. A demon could threaten her life and she wouldn't flinch, but mention marigolds and she was out the door. "All clear, we just finished putting the tree back up, I swear that thing's got heavier"
"Yeah that's because you didn't have me to help you this time," Spike said as he came in the room, Buffy close behind him, Buffy sat down on the armchair and Spike made himself comfortable on the arm nearest to her.
Xander just shot Spike a glare that he happily retaliated. Anya however visibly relaxed and went to sit next to Xander. " Well as long as I don't have to clean it's good. I can spill entrails but I'm not so good with removing them from upholstery"
Everyone just looked at Anya.
"What? It's not as if I've spilt any recently"
Willow rolled her eyes " Anyway, shouldn't we order some food? It's like almost midday and we still have to open the presents"
Dawn turned around to open the curtains. A ray of sunlight spilled into the living room.
"Hey! Watch it bit you almost fried me!" Spike shouted backing away from the light.
Dawn let go of the curtain guiltily. "Oops, sorry! I was just seeing if the sun had melted all of the snow, which unfortunately it has."
"Well we had some fun in it yesterday, so at least we should be grateful for that" Buffy suggested trying to lift Dawn's spirits.
"Indeed, some fun was had in that snow" Spike whispered low enough for only Buffy to hear, returning to his seat.
Buffy just elbowed him in the ribs, which only caused him to chuckle. This time it was Xander's turn to roll his eyes.
"So guys, food? Presents?" Willow hastily said to avoid yet another ego clash between Spike and Xander.
"Why don't we go out? Later I mean, we could all go out to dinner or something," Buffy suggested
"Yay! Because then we could have turkey!" Dawn squealed happily.
"Never knew you were such a carnivore Dawn, I'm suddenly seeing a whole new side to you" Spike teased her.
"Well forgive me if I want to have a nice proper Christmas with all my family" Dawn answered looking pointedly at Spike.
"Spike's not…" Xander began but Buffy interrupted.
"…able to go out till later, so I guess it's pressie time now"
Xander just glared at Spike but Spike was to busy staring admiringly at Buffy. Usually she would be the first person to say he wasn't family and yet here she was, stopping somebody from saying words a couple of weeks ago she would have been saying with equal force.
"Cool, so can we open presents now?" Dawn asked slightly impatient.
Buffy went over to the slightly battered Christmas tree to inspect the presents. "Some of them are squished but they're mostly good"
She brought the pile of presents over to the center of the group.
"OK, let's see what we have here… oo here's one for Willow" Buffy said, as she handed the gift over to her.
Willow ripped it open. " Oh my gosh Xander! A Grimoire! I don't even have one of these!"
"Well I have to give some credit to Anya, she helped me pick it out" Xander admitted sheepishly.
"I thought that a witch of your level should already have a scared spell book anyway and I did some searching in your room and you didn't have one" Anya explained.
"You went through my things?" Willow asked, astonished.
"For re-con purposes only of course, it's not like I went though your underwear or anything personal like that" Anya said shrugging.
"Oh so you just violated my privacy by looking in places other than my underwear draw" Willow snapped sarcastically.
"Will Anya was just trying to help" Xander reasoned trying to break the growing tension between the two women.
"Yeah, and we all know how helpful Anya can be" Willow sneered.
"What is that supposed to…" Anya started to say but she was interrupted.
"Can we open the rest of the presents now?" Dawn cut in; sick of all the arguing that went on, and also anxious to get her presents.
Buffy shot Dawn a thank you look and leaned forward to inspect the other presents.
"Hey, here's one for Dawnie" Buffy said, pulling out a small rectangular box.
Dawn practically jumped up and down with excitement as she grabbed the box off of Buffy and tore off the paper.
"A phone! Oh my god this is so cool!" Dawn squealed.
Buffy looked confused. "Wait, who got Dawn a…" she trailed off when she saw Spike's face of glee at Dawn's happiness.
"You got her a mobile phone!" Buffy shot at Spike open mouthed.
Spike looked like a deer caught in headlights. "Yeah well I figured Dawn could use it you know, seeing how she's always getting lost or kidnapped all the time"
Dawn was busy playing with her phone so she didn't hear Spike's little comment.
"What's the problem?" Spike asked, confused.
"The problem is dead boy, that maybe Buffy doesn't want Dawn to have a mobile which you would have known if you had bothered to ask her about it" Xander almost yelled at Spike.
"You know I don't think I was talking to you!" Spike said getting up.
Buffy's arm shot out and she got up to stand in front of Spike. "Oh no you don't, you are going to explain why you got my little sister a phone without even telling me"
"Exactly" Xander spat at Spike.
"Xander, shut up" Buffy said before dragging Spike out into the hallway.
Spike pulled a face at Xander on the way out, and Xander went to stand up but both Willow and Anya pulled him down.
"Hey guys, did you know I have call waiting on this thing?" Dawn said enthusiastically
"What's the problem? So little sis has a phone, worst case scenario is she runs up the bloody phone bill talking to her kiddie mates" Spike said once they were out in the hall.
"That's not the point! The point is you went behind my back and bought a gift which you should have least consulted me before buying AND god only knows where you got the money to pay for it" Buffy seethed, trying to keep her voice down.
"Oh please what the hell do you take me for? I bought that phone fair and square! So you can save the holier than thou attitude for when you are actually right"
Buffy just folded her arms and looked pointedly at him.
"What you don't believe me? Five minutes into this 'relationship' and not only do you not trust me but you are accusing me of stealing!" Spike shouted
"Well it's not like it's the first time!" Buffy shouted back
Spike just stared at Buffy amazed. How is it that she managed to find something wrong with everything he did? He tried to do a nice thing for Dawn and she threw it back in his face!
"Just what exactly is your problem slayer?" Spike asked, crossing his arms and stepping closer to her.
"My problem is when you buy things for my family without telling me what it is or where its come from" Buffy said defensively.
"And if I had told you? If I had told you everything that I was going to do and ruined the surprise would you have been happy then?" Spike said.
"Maybe." Buffy mumbled.
"Maybe? OK so what's the other reason?" Spike, challenged her.
"Do I need to have a reason? She's my little sister end of story"
"See you cant give me another reason can you, thats because you know you cant justify being so..."
"Radiation" Buffy interrupted
"What?"
"Radiation. Recent studies have shown that the levels of radiation that come from mobile phones can cause brain damage and tumors, especially among teens" Buffy blurted out.
"I don't believe it" Spike said disbelievingly shaking his head.
"It's a perfectly rational and reasonable explanation," Buffy mumbled.
"No, I mean I don't believe you"
"Don't blame me, these are perfectly good reasons"
"Bull, you're just threatened"
"I am not! What would I even have to be threatened by?"
"You figure I start buying gifts for the bit that I'm going to worm my way into her heart. Start pushing you out. Do you have any idea how much therapy you need?"
"Look who's talking, oh yeah it's the vampire from planet narcissist"
"Don't make this about me, I'm not the one with abandonment issues"
"I do not have…" Buffy began but Spike stepped closer to her and put a hand over her mouth.
"I get it pet. You don't have to worry about me taking your place when it comes to Dawn. I know it may not seem like it but she adores you, and I would be lucky to come second" Spike said smiling slightly at her. He dropped his hand.
Buffy looked down. "You know, that's not what I was worried about" she said defensively.
Spike rolled his eyes and pulled her in for a hug. "Sure it wasn't"
Buffy nestled her head into his chest, closing her eyes for a second.
"Spike"
"Hmm"
"For the record, radiation is a factor"
Spike just grinned. Just then the phone rang, and Buffy reluctantly pulled out of Spike's arms to go into the kitchen and answer it.
"Hello?"
"Buffy this is so awesome! I have speaker phone on this and everything!" Dawns voice could be heard shouting loudly.
Buffy chucked and walked into the living room with the phone still in her hand. "Yeah, that's great but just so you know, your paying the bill on this thing"
Dawn put the phone down and ran up to Spike to give him a hug as he came back in to join the group.
"Hey watch the ribs bit!"
"Thank you so so so so much! This is the coolest present ever! " Dawn said happily as she let Spike go.
"You know I think Buffy deserves a hug to, she was in on this from the beginning" Spike said casually, looking at Buffy who was staring back at him confused.
"Huh?"
"Oh come on now luv, no need to keep up the act I think it's only fair that Dawn knows the part you played in all of this"
"You had something to do with this Buffy? Then why did you have a Wiggins when Dawn opened it up?" Willow asked Buffy confused also.
"It wasn't the model we picked out." Spike said quickly, willing Buffy to back him up.
"Well I didn't want to say anything…" Buffy said, unsure of whether or not this was a good idea. She had brought Dawn a present, but that was on Doublemeat wages and it wasn't nearly as good as this.
However her thoughts were interrupted when Dawn almost barreled her over in a hug.
"Thank you so much Buffy, I swear I will never borrow any of your clothes or steal anything ever again in my entire life" Dawn breathed earnestly.
"Well that's good to know I guess" Buffy said smiling as she pulled her sister in for another hug. From over Dawn's shoulder, she looked at Spike who gave her a slight nod and a smile. Boy, she thought, that man is gonna get lucky tonight.
"So what about the rest of us? Don't we get any presents?" Anya asked impatiently
"You should all open mine and Tara's presents now, she wont be down till later that spell with Kreckov really took alot out of her" Willow explained while taking out five presents from the pile and handing them to Buffy, Dawn, Xander, Anya and finally Spike.
"I got a present?" Spike asked shocked as he took the soft package off of Willow.
"Tara wanted to get it for you, I haven't got a clue what it is" Willow answered shrugging.
Spike opened his package slowly, to reveal a blood red throw-over. He was confused, why would Tara get him something like this?
Buffy giggled quietly.
"Wanna explain this to me pet?"
"I cant believe Tara remembered" Buffy said still giggling. She looked at everyone else blank faces and realized she had to fill in the blanks. " A couple of weeks ago I had a carpet burn down my back and I was complaining that Spike didn't have any sort of quilt in his crypt and I guess this is Tara's solution"
" What were you doing at Spike's?"
"How did you get a carpet burn?"
Suddenly both Xander and Dawn realized the answer to their questions.
"OK can I just say eww?" Dawn said shuddering slightly.
"Wow Willow a League of Extraordinary gentlemen DVD!How did you know I wanted this?" Xander asked, grateful for the distraction of his present.
"I made a guess based on the 100th email you sent me with the release date of it and the detailed road maps of all the stores in a 50 mile radius that sold it" Willow said smirking.
"See, don't ever say I'm not subtle"
"Money! What a sweet gift!"Anya said, cooing over the pile of notes which made up her present. Xander raised an eyebrow at Willow but she just shrugged and pointed to Anya's gleeful face.
"I'm sorry I didn't really get you guy's anything what with the Doublemeat and slaying I didn't really have much cash to spare"
"It's OK,presents are for materialists anyway" Willow said helpfully.
"All we need is your love" Xander joked.
"But I'm paying for dinner,call it my treat" Buffy said firmly.
"Talking of which, I think I am going to go line my stomach with some pre dinner goodness. Will did you say there were cookies?" Xander asked rubbing his stomach.
"On the top shelf of the fridge, but try not to eat them all" Willow replied giving Xander's back a firm look as he retreated into the kitchen. "I guess I'd better go see if Tara's up,I might bring her presents to her in bed"
Dawn was still playing with her phone, completely oblivious to her surroundings. "Oh my god! I soo have to call Janice!"
Buffy and Spike just rolled there eyes at each other.
About five hours later Buffy went into her bedroom, having just come out of the shower. She opened her closet and looked at her reflection. She was sure she was getting a zit.
"Before you start fretting about it, you do not have a spot" Spike's voice came from behind her.
She jumped and turned round to see Spike propped up on the bed smirking at her.
"I wasn't checking for that" Buffy said quickly, looking through her clothes. Spike chuckled.
Buffy pulled out two dresses and held them both against her for Spike to see." Which one do you think, the red or the blue?"
Spike sat up and went over to the foot of the bed, where he stood on his knees looking at Buffy critically.
"OK drop the blue one"
Buffy dropped the blue dress.
"Now drop the red one"
She looked at him confused but she did it anyway, and she stood with only her towel.
"Now drop the towel" Spike finished, his face a picture of innocence but his eyes flashing wickedly.
Buffy hesitated and then dropped the towel and watched as Spike tried very hard not to show his reaction to her standing there with only water droplets on her.
"Perfect" Spike whispered
In spite of himself, he grinned and reached over to pull her to him before giving her a deep, long, kiss. Buffy giggled slightly when she broke apart from him.
"We really should get ready"
"Nope, I'm afraid your not leaving this room young lady till we get you nice and dry"
"But I dropped my towel" Buffy said, pouting and grinning at the same time.
"Well in that case, we'll have to settle for making you wet again" Spike replied, before picking her up and bringing her down onto the bed with him, Buffy squealing and laughing.
OK, so I might have borrowed a few things from season 7. Sue me. Also, I know up until this point I have been going AU but I am going to get back on track pretty soon to the rest of the series. But as the disclaimer suggests, seeing red will NOT feature. (Is it just me, or did anyone else hate Joss for a couple of months after that episode?) Its not going to be a rewrite because I have some of my own factors, but I am open to suggestions! And PLEASE review again!
