Angel hopped into Buffy's room with relative ease. He came to a stop finding what he was looking for, Buffy's book bag. Angel quickly hopped down the window and walked to the front door and simply knocked.

Joyce opened the door with a smile. "I know you, Buffy's tutor friend right, Andrew."

"Angel, actually, is Buffy home; she forgot her book at the library." The vampire replied holding up her history book.

Joyce sighed. "Buffy, you forgot your book at the library again."

Buffy eyes rose up, that's a lie, she did her homework in it already before dinner, but any excuse to get away from Ted. "Be right there." The slayer calmly walked and to her own surprise she saw the vampire with a soul standing next to her mother; if this isn't getting weird.

Angel looked at it. "You left this in the library again when you left. Try not to do that."

Buffy nodded taking the book. "Of course."

Angel looked at her. "And you remember everything right."

Buffy simply nodded. "Oh yeah, Archduke Ferdinand got shot and everyone went to war except for America… we went when our boats kept getting blown up. Thanks for the refresher."

Joyce let out a smile hearing Buffy apply herself in her studies. Her grades are improving; just liked Ted said they would.

"History is easy it's college criminology that's a problem." Angel replied. "Like what happened with Buchanan."

Buffy looked at him curious realizing the code and Ted's last name at work. "Buchanan"

"Beau Buchanan, notorious murderer left women in his basement till they starved, had a tendency for blonds."

Buffy looked at him. "Where did you learn all that?"

"Study session with Xander and Cordelia." Angel answered as Ted himself came to the door.

Ted looked at the young man. He's way too old for Buffy. "Hello, who are you?"

"I'm a friend of Buffy's. My name is Angel." Angel answered putting his hand up.

Ted smiled and shook his hand. "That's a particularly cold handshake you have there son."

"Yeah" Angel replied funny thing is though. "You too."

Buffy processed this new bit of information. "Thanks for bringing my book back."

"Yeah, but I'm gonna go meet up with Xander and Cordy we still have a bit of studying we can do before morning." Angel replied. "Why don't you just spend the night with your mother?"

Buffy nodded getting the message 'protect her mother because Ted isn't human and Angel, Cordy, and Xander will kill him when he gets home.' "Good night Angel, and thanks for stopping by."

"Of course"

One Month Later

Willow sat on the couch with Buffy. It's official, worst Christmas ever; or Hanukah in her case.

Buffy looked down trodden according to the depressed redhead this was supposed to be a her and Xander thing. She'd sneak over to Xander's and together they'd watch a Charlie Brown Christmas.

Buffy looked over at her pack of stuff she's broke… but she's done for another year. "So, you want to see if we can do the dance before we start this?"

Willow shook her head and leaned back. "Just don't seem the same without him. And I'm going to be gone till New Year after tomorrow. And you're going to be in LA."

Buffy nodded as she got to her feet hearing a knock on the door. She walked over to it and opened it as a smile spread over her face. "Xander!"

Willow let out a squeal before over and hugged him in which was more of a pounce.

Xander smiled being held by Buffy and Willow, this is nice. "OK, it's nice to see you guys too."

Willow looked at him almost upset with how long it's been. "I haven't seen you since that night at the church.

Xander frowned. "I know, but if you thought I was going to miss this, you're crazy!" He hands them each a jewelry box. "Merry Christmas guys."

Willow looked at him. "Wished you'd come sooner I have to go in half an hour."

Xander smiled. "That's OK it's the same thing here."

Willow and Buffy opened their boxes and pull out nice chain bracelets. Buffy smiled and handed him a present from her in a little box. "I figured since you're always patrolling it would be wise to have your own."

Xander smiled holding it up and seeing a little cross. "Yeah I'll probably get some use out of it."

Willow smiled and handed him her gift wrapped in something bigger. Xander let his fingers rest on the paper for a moment before he opened it and saw a Tiger handheld of the game Frogger causing him to laugh.

Willow looked at him with a smile. He wins Xander wins, he loses frogs get flattened, it's win-win for her. "Yeah I thought you'd like that."

Xander looked with a smile. "Thank you so much guys, these are great, so let's watch the old blockhead, shall we." Xander watched the special he promised her every year they would watch the Charlie Brown Christmas special. He fully planned on keeping his word this time no matter what straight down to the Snoopy dance as Willow and Buffy clapped along.

A half hour Later Willow reluctantly left and five minutes later Xander went the other way after wishing Buffy a heartfelt Merry Christmas.

Later that night Cordelia packed away her clothes for Christmas in Aspen, ordinarily she'd be happy but she saw her father packing up a week's worth of work for a weekend trip so she can guess where he's going to be. And with all the alcohol packed she knows where mom's going to be. Cordelia packed up her stuff and Christmas time with the rich… really sucks when you're not seeing anyone. Because then you get pathetic pigs going 'hey, look at the Chase girl with the ginormous boobs.'

Cordy was taken out of her thoughts by knocking on the window. She opened it and to her surprise Xander climbed in.

Xander looked at her. "What would you have done if I was a demon?"

"I didn't invite you in." Cordy countered.

Xander rolled his eyes as he sat down on her bed. "That only works on vampires."

Cordy looked at him she refuses to concede this. "Well, nice of you morons to finally tell me." She collected herself and realized it. "You're on earth. Is there a demon out back? Because if there is…"

"There's no demon." Xander insured her he would have seen it. "I just took an hour for Christmas."

Cordelia looked at him touched but. "Isn't that a waste of an hour?"

"No, visiting my fighting and or passed out parents would have been a waste of an hour this is me taking an hour to be with the people I care about." Xander quipped as he handed a wrapped box to Cordelia. "Merry Christmas Cordelia"

Cordy looked at the box and quietly opened it. To her surprise she found a necklace with a heart on the bottom of it. "Wow, it's beautiful, I didn't get you anything." With that she looked away.

Xander smirked well that's Cordelia for you. He gently put his hand to her chin so she'd look at him. "You've been my listening ear this whole time. You've been someone I could talk to, from the last person I expected. You gave me something great Cordelia."

Cordy looked at him. "Wow, when did you become such a sweet talker?"

"I've always been a sweet talker, you just didn't know it." Xander joked and hugged her. Everything she's been doing has meant a lot to him. He hopes she knows that.

Cordy looked at him and just hugged him. "So how long are you staying? I mean on earth?"

"Another twenty minutes." Xander answered.

Cordy looked up at him. "Stay with me?"

Xander nodded easily then the two kissed passionately under the mistletoe. ironically even if the genuine article is three days away this was way better then last Christmas.

One Month Later

Xander teleported to earth clear cut fury in his eyes and ashamed of his own cowardice. He thought Buffy had it. Especially since she broke free from the closet. Next thing he knows Buffy comes down and is eaten by Pinky down there. With one swift cut he decapitates Lyle Gorch the vampire cowboy as repeated whacks are heard and everyone falls down.

Xander watched a black tar like substance covered Buffy emerge from the hole. "Um… I'm here to save you."

Buffy let out a smile. "Thanks. Now I gotta clean this junk off before Mom comes to."

Xander smiled and looked around. What a mess. He gently nudges Willow trying to wake her up but nothing. He tries again.

"No Kermit, don't make me get Miss Piggy."

Xander chuckles a bit realizing she'll be fine as he moved along. He went into the tunnels and saw everyone starting to come to. He walked over to Cordelia and helped her up.

Cordy looked at him. "What are you doing here?"

Xander rolled his eyes and closed his fist. Yeah Cordy I was worried about you. "Nice to see you too Cordy."

Cordelia looked at him. "It's a serious question."

Xander looked at her. "Cordy…"

The cheerleader almost violently grabbed his wrist and pointed to his watch as it steadily counts down. "Each second here is a second you don't have anymore dumbass, so please, just go, I'll tell Willow you stopped by to help." She gently kissed him. "I don't want you to die now go."

Xander looked at her but saw her logic as he left the tunnel.

Cordy turned around and saw Harmony staring at her with a satisfied smile. "What?"

"You're in love with that dweeb." Harmony said in a smile seeing herself at top of the mountain. "Now who can I tell?"

Cordy crossed her arms and leaned against the wall. "He's not the same guy anymore Harm. So go ahead, tell his friends, tell my friends, tell them I'm dating the guy that allegedly got thrown out of school for trying to kill the new assistant librarian. My ego and rep could use a bit of a boost from dating a bad boy." She sees her point got clear to Harmony. "Good, now keep this to yourself because if Buffy or Willow find out, I will make your life a living hell, got it?"

Harmony nodded and practically ran away in the other direction.

Buffy sleeps fitfully. She wakes with a start and puts her hand to her head. She reaches over to her lamp, turns it on and lets out a sigh. She takes her glass from her nightstand for a drink, but finds it nearly empty. She gets up to fill it. Buffy comes out of her room holding the glass and walks down the hall. Behind her Spike stalks her. Buffy opens the door to the bathroom and suddenly finds herself at the Bronze. She finds Willow sitting at a table with a large cup of cappuccino and an organ grinder's monkey.

"L'hippo a pique' ses pantalons." Willow told the monkey.

The monkey on the table with her squeaks. Buffy walks up to the table and looks at Willow curiously. Willow smiles at her and waves. Buffy raises her hand back, but remains confused about the monkey as Willow walks away.

Buffy continues on and finds her mother holding a large cup and saucer.

"Do you really think you're ready Buffy?" Joyce asked as she dropped it and shattered the saucer.

Buffy watched her mother move on with Willow and joined Xander, Jenny, and Giles at the pool table. She smiled seeing Angel at the pool table as he puts down a birthday cake, sixteen normal size candles and one green monster of a candle. Buffy begins to walk towards them as Spike appears behind him vamped out and stakes his grandsire in the back.

"Angel!" Buffy shouted in a panic trying to reach her beloved. Before she can touch him his hand begins to disintegrate. The ring on his finger fell to the floor. His body doesn't explode like most vampires, but just crumbles to dust.

Spike lowers the stake and with a smile blows out the giant candle as Xander seemingly falls over dead as Willow breaks down sobbing trying to wake him up. Spike takes the few steps over to Buffy. "Happy Birthday, Slayer." He vamps out and bites down on her neck.

Buffy shot up awake if that wasn't the nightmare from hell.

Author's Notes

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