A/N: I own nothing of the Whedonverse nor any fairytales and I am not profiting from this work.

Chapter 22

Previously on Buffy the Vampire Slayer

You're The Mirage

Can vampires get CAT scans?

"What do you mean they can't see you until after Christmas?" Buffy looked at her mom and Spike. "How are we supposed to enjoy pre-Christmas?"

"These things are in high demand, love. And when it comes to pre-christmas? Well, why don't we just try to keep it out of our minds." Spike kept hold of her hand the whole time.

"That's right sweetheart. We'll go skating and tree shopping and you and Spike will patrol. We'll fill the time with things we enjoy and the time will just fly by without us even thinking on it."

"Okay." Buffy squeezed Spike's hand and stood up. "I'm going to whittle. I'll see you for dinner."

Time passed easily with Christmas fast approaching. All the girls, including Tara, shopped for presents the week before Christmas Eve but there was one gift Buffy just couldn't find.

"I, I want to do something for him, but what?" Buffy looked at the pile of things they had bought and all she could think was there wasn't anything for Spike.

"Well, there's the usual things." Anya piped up from behind her pile of receipts. "Flowers, chocolates, promises you don't intend to keep."

"Very funny." Buffy sighed. "It has to be something special. Something that sparks his interest."

"Wait a minute!" Dawn was practically jumping in her seat.

"What?" Buffy's eyes narrowed.

"Trust me." Dawn smiled. "This is gonna be perfect."

"Spike, it's beautiful." Joyce held the artifact up to the light. "Thank you."

"It's nothing really. Just a bauble left over from the Treasure of Amara. Seeing as it's a vampire treasure I figured I had the right to shower the girls in my life with pretty things." Buffy looked down at the pair of running shoes filled with her favorite brands of lip gloss and concealer. When she looked back up Spike had a finger against the side of his nose. Apparently he was hiding something. And he wasn't telling. Buffy handed Spike the decoy. It had been dangling on a knick knack nook in the museum Dawn had dragged her to for some middle school trip. There were no cursed mummies or anything supernatural and she was glad. She had brought up this fact to her little sister who, with straightest face, said 'And what? Your Laura Ingalls?' Just as Buffy was getting a little annoyed she had seen it. A little key chain of the golden railroad spike. She had it wrapped at the gift shop and Spike opened it with the same quiet awe he had opened the Star Trek Combadge pin from Xander and Anya and the two flowers encased in resin; white heather from Willow and holly from Tara.

"They mean protection, success, and happiness at home." Willow explained.

"I know." Spike had said with a gentle smile at his presents. "I know the whole language."

"Language?" Buffy had felt out of the loop.

"Th-the language of f-flowers. It was v-very popular in V-Victorian England." Tara turned toward Spike. "That was when you were human?"

"Uh...yeah."

Dawn had felt the tension and given Spike the present she had gone in on with her mom. It was a mug that could be made at one of those ceramics stores. It had 'Property of Spike' on the outside and their names and the date on the bottom. Buffy ended up handing out the last gift with that keychain. Everyone talked for awhile and thanked each other one last time before dispersing to other holiday get togethers. Giles hadn't been left out. Just in a fairly sour mood as no one had discussed what they were getting him and he came away with eight rather nice bookmarks.

Buffy had gone down to the basement while Spike had helped upstairs and had finished up his gift. As he came down to the basement she spoke up. "Spike! Close your eyes."

"While walking down the stairs?" She could hear the smile in his voice and see that he was doing as she asked.

"Just, get down here. But don't peek."

"Ha, okay." Spike stopped at the last step and Buffy walked up to him.

"Open your eyes." And he did. He stood there somewhat disbelieving for a moment. There were T.V. trays holding three milk crates filled, rather comfortably with records. He reached out and tentatively sifted through. Seeing some old friends already. "This is amazing. How did you?"

"I just bought the combo. I've had the records for a while." She pointed to an end table that had a combination cassette, record, compact disc, and radio resting regally in the corner. "My uncle had left them to me back when we were in L.A."

Spike pulled one out. "Have you heard all of them?"

Buffy shook her head. "No, but, I did listen to the Divinyls one a lot."

Spike's left brow cocked. "Divinyls?"

Buffy rolled her eyes. "Shut up." She was smiling though. Because he was smiling.