Cordelia stood back in admiration. She tilted her head and smiled at the bright, sparkling Christmas tree. "Lovely!" Wesley perked.

"I thought so too, hope Angel likes it." Cordy beamed. Wesley glanced at her uncertainly. "Don't get your hopes up" he advised.

"What do you mean? What's not to love?" Cordelia enquired, whilst giving her tree another look of admiration. "There's nothing wrong with the tree, it's just…. Well Angel doesn't seem like a very Christmassy fellow. I mean he's never bothered before…" Just as Cordelia was about to reply, the hotel door burst open and Gunn and Angel paraded in. Gunn had an axe slung over his shoulder.

"Two big, ugly, butt-faced demons no bother for Angel Investigations! Hey, cool tree" Gunn exclaimed, his face lit up as he saw the tree.

Angel looked up at it; the perfectly positioned lights and baubles did nothing for him. He decided not to comment.

"Well, what do you think?" Cordelia asked, enthusiastically.

"Its…its...fine" Angel hesitated, trying not to sound too fake whilst also trying not to hurt Cordy who had obviously worked hard to impress him. "Fine? It's fine? What's that supposed to mean?" Cordy demanded, Angel's attempt to spare her feelings had obviously failed. "Well I'm not really into Christmas trees." Angel said.

"Told you!" Wesley smirked. Cordelia turned to give him a scorn.

"You said he didn't like Christmas, he just doesn't like Christmas trees, right Angel?"

Angel hesitated, opening his mouth but saying nothing.

"You mean you… Is it against your religion or something? Because any other reason just isn't acceptable." Angel walked across the room, realising his ultimate defeat and slumped into a large padded chair.

"Surprisingly, I don't actually have a religion. It's just another day, I don't see the big deal. Just another excuse for all the major retailers to squeeze every penny they can out of people. Kids asking Santa for presents that that their parents just can't afford, people ending up in debt until the next Christmas."

Angel was about to go on when Cordy interrupted, not appearing entirely convinced.

"Whoa there Ebenezer! It's not just about that, it's about people coming together and all that, spending time with friends and family."

"Cordelia…."

"It's the magic of Christmas that makes it special…"

"Cordelia…"

"And, who doesn't like getting presents? I mean…."

"Cordelia…"

"Even people like…"

"Cordelia, just drop it okay! Nothing you say is going to change my mind, you are just wasting time. Like you've not wasted enough putting that thing up." Angel gestured towards the tree with a heavy arm. "Just get on with the work, we've got a lot to do" Angel snapped, more than irritated at this point. Cordelia glared at him like a child who had just been reprimanded by a parent. Defiant yet upset.

Angel had retreated to his office. He felt guilty. He always did when he had yelled at one of his staff, especially Cordy who always tried her best to cheer him up. He forgot most of the time, that they were only kids, I mean he was more than old; he was ancient. He was a good 220 years older than any of them, he had seen things, had done things that made Christmas seem so insignificant. He had no time for it, he had never had. Even when he was younger, and living, Christmas for him had been about going to church and coming home for his father to get drunk and yell and curse at him, even more so than he did the rest of the year. Then, as Angelus, Christmas was an unnecessary excuse for more blood and carnage. When his soul was restored he didn't even notice Christmas coming and going because he was spending all of his time wallowing in guilt. His only Christmas with any significance was in back in Sunnydale when an unexpected snowfall stopped him from killing himself. But he was with Buffy then, now even saying her name caused him so much pain. Since he had come to LA, he had given his employees Christmas day off, but it had never really been a part of his life, until now.

"What the hell is his problem? I mean anything that might cause him, you know, to smile and have fun is automatically labelled bad, must not do" Cordy ranted

"Cordelia, just let him be, if he doesn't want to celebrate Christmas then it's his decision, and he obviously has a reason for it. Your nagging him wont help." Wesley said, trying to calm Cordelia. "Well, its not going to wreck my Christmas, which reminds me, you two wanna come round for Christmas dinner this year" Cordy asked. Gunn and Wesley glanced at one another.

"I'm not being rude or anything, but I kinna wanna live to see the New Year, no offence" said Gunn. Cordelia looked at him in sarcastic disgust.

"I could cook, I actually make a smashing Christmas dinner" Wesley volunteered.

Cordelia looked concerned "I can't leave Phantom Dennis alone on Christmas day!"

"Fine, he can cook at your place, it that cool?" Gunn confirmed.

"Fine" Cordy and Wesley mumbled simultaneously. Just then, Angel shuffled out from his office. "Look guys, I'm sorry I acted like I did, I shouldn't have been so harsh," Angel offered.

"Well to make up for it you can come round to my place for Christmas dinner tomorrow, and don't worry, Wesley's cooking" Cordelia said. Wesley glanced at her in slight anger, did she never learn? Angel looked at her, as though he was expecting her to say something else. He decided that he would approach the situation with a bit more caution this time.

"I don't think so Cordelia, I told you, I'm not into all that. Thanks for the offer anyway. I think its time that we call it a day, oh and before you go, you can take that tree down" Angel turned and went up to his room. A clear sign that communications for the day had ended. Cordelia sighed and began to dismantle the Christmas tree.

Angel sat in his room thinking, as he often did. Although this time he was not in the middle of a deep, meaningful thought, he was just wondering what would be on TV at this time. Despite his back being turned to the door, he immediately sensed someone was there.

"Wesley?" he knew his scent, although he never told him this at risk of making him even more paranoid.

"Angel, we're just about to leave"

"Okay, goodnight." said Angel

"There's just one thing." Wesley informed him, still lingering at the door. He didn't like to enter Angel's space without permission as he felt that it was only polite, as Angel had no choice but to wait for permission.

"Yeah?" Angel waited.

"The invitation is still open for dinner tomorrow, it would mean a lot to Cordelia"

"Goodnight Wesley" Angel hoped that Wesley had taken the hint. They were persistent, he gave them that.

"Very well" Wesley mumbled as he walked away from the door. Angel got up to light the fire, he didn't require the heat, but he enjoyed the light.

Angel had fallen asleep in his chair, and was awakened by a loud banging. He opened his eyes with a yawn, looked at his watch, and began for his bed. He was immediately startled when the fire suddenly went out. He instinctively turned around to look at it when he sensed something behind him. He slowly turned round and realised that his window had blown open, there was a bright, blinding light. It slowly dulled to reveal a figure standing several feet in front of him, he recognised it immediately. It was Jenny Calendar. Angel tried to speak, but he was numb, and completely terrified. It took a lot to scare Angel, but after his last encounter with whom he thought was 'Jenny', it was understandable.

"Angel, don't be afraid. It's me, the one and only, I've been sent with a message for you" Jenny said, softly.

Every instinct in Angel told him that she was telling the truth, but could he trust the being before him? All the memories came flooding back. How he had chased her, terrified her and killed her. How he had left her body in the most upsetting manner for Giles to find. How he had laughed when Buffy and her friends had heard of her death, how he had smirked at their tears and grief.

All he could think to say was, "I'm so sorry!"

His voice could barely be heard.

"I know you are, I know that you carry an inescapable burden of guilt with you, and you always have done. But it's the way that you are focusing that guilt that concerns people; I know that you have a mission in life. I know how much you want to atone, to live." Jenny said, soothingly. Angel was still in shock, he was shaking, and he could hardly take any of it in.

"W-h-hat do you mean? I try, God I try. We try. We help people every day, we help as many people as we possibly can" he stuttered.

"You do, you would give your life to save a stranger, and I know you would Angel. But, if you want to become human, you have to be more human."

Angel appeared dumbfounded.

"You have to show kindness, love and warmth to your friends as well as, possibly more than, the rest of the world. I know that you try, but these things require a lot of attention. There are many human values that you have to learn to appreciate. You do love those around you; anyone with a soul can love. But since it is, you know Christmas, how about we start with that?" Jenny suggested

"I don't understand" Angel said

"Cordelia was right, Christmas is more than money, and you know that. You are wary of Christmas; you don't like it because you've never experienced it properly. Humans tend to use Christmas as an excuse to show love and appreciation that is often overlooked throughout the year. But this visit is not just about Christmas, it's about you. You have saved countless others, but before that becomes of any use, you must save yourself. Tonight you will be visited by three spirits, the first one…" Jenny started.

"Past, present, future, right, got it, I have read the book. Dickens…what a strange man he was…" Angel humoured.

Jenny laughed. "Ok, a slightly overused cliché perhaps, but very useful none the less." The light behind Jenny began to appear again and it began to get brighter.

"Good luck. Oh and Angel, apology accepted!" Said Jenny before she was gone from sight. The light vanished, the window closed and the fire started up again.

After a while, Angel was beginning to doubt the fact that he had actually just seen Jenny Calendar. Maybe he was so tired that he was delusional, or maybe it was a dream? He knew better than anyone that Jenny Calendar was dead, yet he had just had a conversation with her. He eventually came to the conclusion that he was feeling guilty about what he had said to the guys, so he had fallen asleep and dreamed that he was about to play the role of Ebenezer Scrooge in 'A Christmas Carol'. He then turned the fire off and went to bed.

Angel was abruptly awoken by the alarm on his wristwatch. He found it strange that he did not remember setting it, especially for one O'clock in the morning. He fumbled for the button to switch it off. He was about to turn over and go back to sleep when he saw a shape beginning to emerge at the bottom of his bed. He sat up and stared intensely. A little girl who looked about twelve years old stood there. She had long, brown hair and was wearing a green corset dress. Everything about the way she looked said that she was from the past, but Angel did not have to look at what she was wearing to know where she was from. He was so startled that he had great difficulty speaking. His spine shivered and his hands trembled. His eyes blurred with hot tears. Angel took a deep breath and found himself whisper a name that he had not spoken in a very long time.

"Kathy?"