Frosty Hearts

One shot: Continuing on from 'When It Rains It Pours'. It's the Summers Girls first Christmas without their mother and one bleach blonde vampire tries his damnedest to make it special for them. Set in season 6 just after 'Wrecked'.

Buffy walked out of The Magic Box with a sigh. The people of Sunnydale had really gone all out with the Christmas decorations this year so Buffy thought or maybe she just hadn't stopped to notice them in previous years. Every holiday since her mother's passing seemed more painful. Life continued on like nothing had ever happened, when in her life she felt as if things should come to a grinding halt because her mother was no longer there.

The pain of missing her mother coupled with her recent resurrection made the Holidays almost too much to bear. As she walked the streets came alive with a kaleidoscope of colors, as vibrant decorations illuminated the darkness of the winter night. Tinsel-clad trees stood proudly in town, their branches adorned with baubles and ornaments that glistened in the glow of streetlights.

And all Buffy could think about was how much she wished she wasn't there. She longed for the feeling of being complete again. She had been going through the motions for months and even though her friends now knew about her stint in heaven she still couldn't look them in the eye. She was still angry, it burned inside her and the only time she felt any sort of reprieve was when she was wailing on a fledge or as recent events would reveal having mind blowing sex with Spike.

She cursed herself for thinking of him. She had made a promise to herself that she wouldn't ever stoop so low as to let him touch her again, but those moments when they were alone together it's like she couldn't help herself. She just needed to feel something.

As she approached her front door she heard the unmistakable sound of 'Feliz Navidad' blasting from the stereo in the living room. She groaned loudly before bracing herself as she opened the door.

The smell of Christmas cookies filled her nostrils as she turned to the living room to find a Christmas tree waiting to be decorated. She made her way into the kitchen and saw Dawn and Spike sat at the kitchen island decorating cookies.

"How very festive" Buffy sighed

"Buffy!" Dawn smiled "Spike got us a tree!"

"So you're to blame" Buffy rolled her eyes

"The Nibblet said you didn't have one yet" he shrugged

"Dawn I told you I'd get us a tree" Buffy reminded her

"Buffy, it's Christmas in two days. The tree lot had sold out" Dawn grumbled

"So where did this one come from?" Buffy raised an eyebrow

"I have connections" said Spike

"I don't even want to know" Buffy frowned

"Well now you're here, we can decorate the tree" Dawn said excitedly

"Uh sure… why don't you go and grab the box of decorations out of the basement" said Buffy

Dawn practically skipped down into the basement. Buffy looked over the cookies and picked up one that hadn't been decorated yet and took a bite.

"What are you doing?" Buffy asked with a mouthful of cookie

"What?" He replied

"This? The whole Christmas extravaganza with you and Dawn?" She sighed

"Just trying to lighten your load Slayer. The kid was practically begging for some Christmas cheer" he told her

"Since when did you become Santa Claus?" She raised her eyebrows "This isn't going to change anything Spike, what we did is done but it was just… it just happened okay? But it's not gunna happen again"

"You really think a lot of yourself don't you Slayer? This isn't about us! Dawn mentioned it was the first Christmas without your mum. I just wanted to make her happy that's all" he groaned

Buffy was taken aback, she really thought this was another one of his ploys to get her to sleep with him again. Not that it would take much convincing but she couldn't let it happen again. It wasn't right, she was using him and his feelings for her to feel something. Yet, being with him felt so right.

Her emotions were all over the place. Her thoughts flicked back to Dawn. She wasn't the only one hurting, Dawn was too. Joyce would've had everything planned to the last gift tag. Buffy on the other hand hadn't even gotten Dawn a gift yet.

"Mom usually took care of all of this… the tree, the presents…" Buffy's eyes filled with tears "I didn't realise it was so close. Thank you"

"Did i just hear a 'thank you'??" He smirked

"Do not get used to hearing that." She told him firmly

"Wouldn't dream of it" he smiled

Dawn returned with a box full of decorations and squeaked excitedly as she made her way into the living room.

XXXXX

The rest of the evening was spent decorating the Christmas tree. Dawn stood back and admired the now completed tree.

"It looks so beautiful" said Dawn

"Not bad" said Buffy

"I'm not one for the season m'self but it doesn't look rather nice" said Spike from his seat on the couch, where he spent most of the evening.

He enjoyed watching the two girls squabble over which ornaments should go where. He also had to stifle a giggle when Buffy got tangled up in tree lights.

"Just one thing left to do" said Buffy handing Dawn the star for the top of the tree.

"Me? I couldn't… it was mom's job" said Dawn with tears pricking her eyes

"New tradition" Buffy shrugged

Dawn smiled gratefully and stepped on a small stool to reach the top of the tree and placed the star on top.

"Perfect" said Buffy

Willow walked through the door and smiled "Well hey, looks like Christmas threw up in here"

"Awesome isn't it?" Dawn smiled

Willow approached the tree "I've never had a tree before"

"Were your parents that rotten you didn't have a tree at Christmas?" Spike asked

Willow laughed "I'm Jewish Spike… well I was,

Now I guess I'm Wiccan?"

"Sorry Will, I didn't think" Buffy said, hoping the tree didn't offend her beliefs

"No Buffy, it's pretty" Willow smiled "Do I smell cookies?"

"Yes! Spike and I baked!" Dawn said excitedly

"Hey! I thought I told you not to tell anybody that!" Spike yelled

Dawn rolled her eyes "Ruining your street cred?"

"I can't be known as the chipped vampire who bakes!" He groaned

"Ooh we could get you a real nice apron for Christmas" Dawn joked

"Don't. You. Dare" he said through gritted teeth

"C'mon Dawnie, I'll make us some hot cocoa to have with our cookies" said Willow, grabbing Dawn by the sleeve and leading her into the kitchen.

"I'm never gunna recover from this" Spike sighed

"Oh cheer up Betty Crocker, it's Christmas" Buffy smiled

Spike was going to respond with a snarky remark but he saw how her eyes sparkled as she stood there with her arms wrapped around herself as she admired the tree.

"It's nice to see you smiling again" he told her

She smiled at him a little "I appreciate what you did for Dawn. You really care for her don't you?"

"I do… I did it for you too" he smiled

"All of this is kind of less terrible with you around" she said softly

"Wow, you're actually being nice to me for once Slayer" he chuckled

"Christmas miracle" Buffy shrugged "I won't make a habit out of it."

"G'night luv" he said heading for the door

"Mom was right about you" Buffy said barely above a whisper

"What's that?" He asked

"You could be a good man" she smiled

He smiled back and turned on his heel and left out of the front door. He took in a sharp unneeded breath and looked up to the nights sky "Merry Christmas Joyce" he smiled