November passed quietly for the people of Sunnydale and with them, the world, as well as the Scooby Gang as they slowly adjusted to the new normal. Didn't matter that the world hadn't consciously acknowledged the existence of the supernatural, on some level they'd known it was out there and now on some level, they knew the most notorious and vicious threat was gone. That knowledge, subconsciously known or not, made this a particularly good reason for celebrating Thanksgiving this year.

While Xander and Cordelia weren't yet actually dating, they were spending time together, getting to know each other, who they were under the masks they'd worn for so long. So when Cordelia invited him to spend Thanksgiving with her family, he happily accepted.

The month of November hadn't gone so well for Buffy though. Not knowing where Angel was or what happened to him or why he hadn't contacted her, was painfully upsetting. She'd thought they were starting a relationship and then that spell had changed him and instead of letting her help him deal with his changed circumstances, Angel had just disappeared on her. Add to that the knowledge that someone had used Magic on her, Magic that might, possibly have influenced her feelings and Buffy was very much not having a good month.

On the plus side, with no actual need to patrol, she only went out for a couple hours a night and so far hadn't even found any demons to slay, which left her more time to get her homework done, so her grades were improving, which made her mom happy.

"Thanksgiving," Buffy muttered to Willow when the two were hanging out at the Bronze again a couple weeks after Xander's evaluation with the Eye of Agamotto. "a time to be thankful, it's literally in the name and I should be jumping for joy, no more vampires and my life is so much easier and I actually have time to get my homework done. But I also have no Angel to celebrate it with."

"No word from or about him yet?" Willow asked sympathetically, her month had been going good. The boy with orange hair turned out to be a Senior named Daniel Osbourne, who went by Oz and he was a fellow genius and he really seemed to like her.

"Not a peep, it's like he's dropped off the face of the Earth." Buffy said morosely. "I miss him." Buffy admitted.

"And I'm sure he misses you." Willow tried to encourage her friend. "He probably just felt overwhelmed by it all and took off. Once he gets himself together he'll come back."

"I could have helped him." Buffy replied. "That's what people in relationships do, help each other. But he didn't give me the chance, he just disappeared on me. The longer he's gone - I need to work on getting on with my own life." Buffy decided. "I'm having to adjust to a lot here too and I could use his help with that. We were alike, we understood each other and we both have been hugely affected by that spell, we could have done this together, but he didn't give us the chance."

"There's still the age issue, Buffy." Willow pointed out. "Sooner or later people were going to notice and they would have had a problem with it."

"It's my business who I date!"

"Not at our age, Buffy." Willow reminder her. "At our age our parents and the law have a say and they both say your age and his is a big problem."

"I honestly don't see what the problem is." Buffy grumbled. "I'm old enough to make my own choices!" She insisted. "But I suppose with Angel gone, it's a moot point anyway. So, on a different subject, what are your plans for Thanksgiving?"

"My family doesn't celebrate Thanksgiving." Willow answered. "My mother is very opposed to it, she feels it celebrates the destruction of the indigenous peoples of America, therefore it's a farce. Her words. Which means she and my Dad will be out of town again, there's a lecture they're attending."

"So you're going to be alone for Thanksgiving?"

"Xander used to come over and spend some time with me and Jesse would too. But Xander said he had other plans this year, so yeah, I'm alone."

"Not anymore you're not." Buffy had somewhere else to focus her attention. "I'll talk to Mom, I'm sure she won't mind if you spend Thanksgiving with us."

"That's not necessary, Buffy." Willow protested.

"You're my best friend, of course it's necessary! Don't argue, I'm getting my way on this." Buffy grinned at her friend and Willow surrendered without a fight.

"Alright, I'll be there."

"Good, well I've got to go." Buffy gathered her things. "I'm going to take a run though the warehouse district, vampires may be gone, but there's still demons out there. Then I have homework to do. See you tomorrow, Will." Trying to be optimistic.

"You too." Willow turned to the stage and waved at Oz, who gave a slight smile back. On anyone else it would have been a blazing, neon sign, but Oz did stoic real well. But Willow understood it and was warmed by it and waited for him to join her on his break.

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A/N Willow expressed Sheila Rosenberg, her mother's feelings regarding Thanksgiving in season four when Buffy made Thanksgiving dinner and a vengeance spirit attacked them.