Chapter 13 -- Merry Christmas

Much to Willow's relief, Kyra took over cooking Christmas dinner. Much to the relief of Spike, Connor and Dawn as well, who knew how Buffy cooked and didn't want to see it.

Buffy wasn't home at the moment. She had went shopping with a few of the girls.

"No, you wouldn't've believed it! She was phenominal!"

Kyra rolled her eyes.

"She saved me, from the Daleks!"

"After, don't forget this part, Doctor, after he'd sworn up and down to me they were extinct."

"Well, it's not like I could have predicted that one had escaped! After all, I saw their creator die!"

"Before or after you met God?" Spike asked.

"Oh, no, this was before."

"Whoa, whoa, wait. There's a God? Seriously a God?" Connor asked. "'Cause that's just weird."

"Yeah, and Daleks are normal, right?" Spike asked.

"Hey, I've seen those. I've never met God."

"He was interestin'," Kyra said. "How much stuffing should I make? One box enough?"

"Yeah, right," Connor said.

Kyra opened another box.

"That smells good, lovely," Spike said.

"Thanks," she said. "Should be ready in another hour."

"Oh, food food food," Dawn said, bouncing into the room. "Can I sniff the turkey? Whoa, hey, Kyra, no wonder it didn't smell like Buffy Turkey!"

"Hey, Dawn."

"Oh, I so love your earrings! Where did you get those?"

"Sumarra Five."

"See, I knew nothing that pretty was Earthly."

Kyra dug through her bag and tossed Dawn a small box.

Dawn opened it an let out a squeal. "Oh! Yes! Glitters!"

"Those are the sands of Time," the Doctor said.

"Whoa. I have shinies and specials. Yeah."

"Where's my gift?" Spike demanded. "Don't I get a shiny?"

"Oh. Wait. Here you go." The Doctor fished something out of his pockets.

Spike narrowed his eyes and took it. "What the hell is it?"

"One of the original jewels of your species. Not every vampire's got a claim to one of those."

"Ooh. Pretty. What do I do with it?"

"It's a protection against death," Kyra explained. "For champions. It got blessed somewhere along the line by a priest of Cottisk. They're good guys. Demons, but powerful ones. Won't harm a vampire, since it was intended for one."

"Right now, you're holding the only one left in existence."

"You guys sure take Christmas seriously," Spike said. "All I got Kyra was some clothes. And WIllow picked 'em out."

"Pff!" Willow said. "Like that's true. Spike picked 'em out. Willow paid. Which is why it's from both of us, and not just Spike."

"The way I look at it, you need a Christmas gift, you've got a Tardis... why not take the opportunity to get something special?"

"I have been shoppin' in the weirdest places," Kyra told them. "Samarra Five? The sky is green, the grass is purple, and there are these, like, spider horse things with eight legs and six eyes, and that's how people get around."

"And until they met Kyra, they'd never met a species that had a female. They're asexual."

"The entire planet!" Kyra added. "Everything on it, from algae on up."

"That's totally weird," Dawn said. "If that every suddenly happened to humans -- wow. The Earth would implode."

"Oh, that won't happen for another thirty million years or so."

"Not my problem, then," Dawn said.

"Food's ready," Kyra added, just as Buffy came in the door.

The Slayer froze. "Come on in. Make yourselves at home."

"Thanks," the Doctor said. "Don't mind if we do."

Without a word, Kyra set about carving the turkey.

Everyone else was silent.

The Doctor leaned over, reached into Kyra's bag. "Merry Christmas!" he said, and tossed it to Buffy.

"What is it?"

"It's a ring," Kyra said.

"Just a ring?"

"Yep."

"Not just any ring," the Doctor added. "That ring belonged to the first Slayer. Ever."

"Explains why it's made of ivory," Buffy said. "Thanks."

"Not ivory," Kyra said. "Bone. Vampire."

"How'd they get it out? I mean, vampires ash, and on second thought, forget I asked. Don't wanna know."

"No, you really don't," Kyra replied. "White meat, or dark?"

TBC...