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Spuffy Christmas through the Seasons by slaymesoftly
 
One Shot
 
Christmas through the seasons
 
I
Buffy – That first year in Sunnydale, Christmas was pretty low-key. A phone call from Dad, some practical gifts from her mother and one new outfit that she hadn’t been expecting. She got a new stake from Xander, cookies from Willow, a book (!) from Giles. Of course she had to hide the book and stake from her mother, she really didn’t want to have to explain why the school librarian was giving her a Christmas present, or why one of her friends thought she’d want a wooden stake. No question but that one would have opened some old wounds… pun not intended.  Really not much to it.
 
Spike – Eastern Europe was nice. Enough to eat, plenty of misery, and people who would do whatever was necessary to get out of it.  Dru had been very restless the spring before, nattering on about a new slayer that was going to steal her dollies.  He assured her that if they ran across any slayers, he’d do what he usually did and kill the new one before she could cause them any problems.  But now it was the holiday season and people were drinking more and becoming even more careless at night, and Dru seemed to have forgotten her worries in the excitement of seeing so many children out and about.  He’d had to restrain her once or twice, pointing out that you couldn’t just snatch a young caroler off the front porch.  Especially in this part of the world where there were still too many people whose tribal memories included knowledge of what they were and how to destroy them.  It wouldn’t pay to draw attention to themselves…
 
II
Buffy – Christmas was better this year.  She had a boyfriend (well, okay, Mom didn’t know, and he was a vampire, and he kind of showed up for a while and then disappeared, but still – boyfriend, kisses, skating, prezzies), Willow and Xander were now almost part of the family and joined them for cookies and hot chocolate on Christmas Eve without Mom asking questions about how she’d managed to hook up with kids so different from her friends at Hemery. Cordelia brought a sense of familiarity with her presence. And Oz. Willow had a boyfriend too! Life was good. Spike was dead or crippled (she really needed to check that out after the holiday, she’d been sure that he was gone and that his crazy girlfriend had left town, but now she wasn’t so sure…) the Master was long gone. And best of all, Mom was still feeling guilty about the robot boyfriend and almost ruining Buffy’s life for him, so the pile of presents with Buffy’s name on them was huge. Life was good – or as good as it could be for somebody who still had to sneak out every night and run around killing things.  But hey, nothing’s perfect, right?
 
Spike – Fucking Christmas. Dru was gone every night and he just knew she was snatching a kid here and there.  He hoped the Slayer wouldn’t suspect she was around and would blame it on demons.  When he asked Dru if she’d seen Angelus, she just smiled that “I’m on another planet” smile and cooed, “Soon, my prince, soon.”  All he’d wanted to know was if the bloody poofter knew they were still around, but he got nothing from Dru but babbling about getting her family back. Like he wanted that prancing arse back in their lives.
 
 
III
Buffy – As Christmasses go, this one turned out okay. Maybe not right away, what with the First Evil trying to get Angel to kill her or himself.  (What egomaniac calls itself the First Evil, anyway?) But the Powers that Be intervened and sent snow. So – hey, not-any-deader-than-usual-boyfriend, holding hands and walking in the snow, a white Christmas in sunny Sunnydale. Not bad, all things considered…
 
Spike – Happy bloody Christmas.  Just how he wanted to spend it – watching Dru drape herself all over other demons and listening to her going on again about that bloody slayer. Wasn’t his fault he hadn’t killed her. That he had to make a truce so that Dru’s fuckin’ ‘daddy’ didn’t send them all to hell when he ended the world.  He’d done it for her. Why couldn’t she see that?  Tellin’ him they were finished, that he was dead to her.  He’d show her dead.  All he needed was a witch to cast a spell over her. A spell to remind her of how much she loved him. That would do it.  He lifted his glass and drained it, gesturing for another round. Yep, that was the ticket. Get himself a witch to cast a love spell…
 
IV
Buffy – okay, new normal boyfriend not all that normal. I can deal. It’s not like I’m exactly the girl next door either.  He’s nice. He likes me. We’re going to go Christmas shopping together…  I wonder if I should invite him to the Scoobie Christmas thing? Oh, wait, no, Spike will probably be there. Can’t let him see that we’ve got Spike.  Somehow I don’t think he’ll get the whole ‘can’t stake him because he’s harmless’ thing.  I really should stake Spike. I mean what’s the point of keeping him around? He can’t really tell us any more about the labs… except that now that I know Riley’s one of them…  But it would a real shame to dust somebody who can kiss like that. I wonder if I could get Spike under the mistletoe Xander’s bound to have hanging somewhere? Not that I really want to kiss him again. I mean, ewwww, it’s Spike! But still, one amazing kisser. I’ll give him that…
 
Spike – Another Happy Bloody Christmas. No Dru, no Harm, even. Can’t even have a bit of drunk reveler to cheer me up.  I suppose the white hats think they’re doing me a bloody favor, telling me they aren’t going to kick me out while they have their little party. Like I want to spend the night watching them eat cookies and drink punch.  Probably tie me to another chair just for the hell of it.  Maybe I can arrange to have the chair put under the mistletoe – could try to coax the Slayer into my lap. That’d be a nice prezzie – hot little slayer body in my lap again, maybe get my tongue down her throat a couple of times… yeah, could be a bit of alright…
 
V
 
Buffy – “Merry bloody Christmas” as Spike would say. Mom’s okay, and that’s awesome.  Boyfriend is getting suck jobs from vamp hos – not so awesome. Spike gets to watch my face when I find out – totally unacceptable, except…. I don’t know what he expected, but he looked surprised and almost… sorry? I guess he thought he was doing the right thing, showing me. I never would have believed him if he tried to tell me about it, so I guess he had to show me. Still. Not so much with the ho, ho, ho’s. I hope Riley doesn’t take it out on Spike that I found out…
 
Spike – Hate that I hurt the Slayer. I thought she’d just be brassed off at the big farmboy. Never expected her to….  I know she doesn’t love that berk. Not like she did—does the big poof. But had herself convinced she had a normal man in her life, I guess.  Tells me how much of chance I’ve got, doesn’t it? Not all heroic and souled like the poof, and not all human and undeserving like the soldier. Not that stupid though. I’ll give him that. Figured out why I did it, didn’t he?  Not that I wouldn’t have wanted her to know anyway. If the arse got himself turned it would have put Joyce and the Bit in danger too. Don’t know when the Slayer’s family got to be so bloody important to me, but…  Maybe Clem will bring me another bottle of Jack for Christmas. Could go a long way toward making this hole in my chest feel better. 
 
VI
 
Buffy – Christmas without Mom. How am I supposed to do this? No money, no time, and a boyfr— no, not a boyfriend. A… a… a—no, not a lover. Never a lover. A dirty little secret who wants to be part of my life and is probably going to show up on Christmas Eve expecting to be allowed into the house for cookies and hot chocolate. Gah!
 
Spike – Another bloody Christmas in my crypt. Slayer hasn’t said a thing to me about the holiday, other than to moan about not having any money to buy things for Dawn. Damn near broke my nose when I suggested I help her out. Ungrateful bitch. Wouldn’t even let me explain how hard it is for me to watch her struggle like she is. Doesn’t want to know I’m not the soulless – alright, I am soulless – but not the unfeeling, evil creature she thinks I am. Know she knows better. She knew it last year, before she…  Alright, she’s alive and spending time with me. Guess that’s enough of a Christmas present.
 
VII
 
Buffy – get Spike back. There’s no Christmas until he’s free and back with me. I’m not sure how I know he’s not dust, I just do. All I have to do is kick uber-vamp butt… I can do this. Maybe give the Potentials a little lesson in slaying at the same time. Guess I’d better get with Xander and make a plan… The First Evil isn’t going to ruin this Christmas for me either.  I want my vampire back!
 
Spike – She came for me. Kept telling myself she would, but didn’t really believe it. Undeserving monster that I am. Had to fight that ugly fucker to do it, didn’t she? But she won. Kicked his arse good, if I know my girl. And she came for me. Best Christmas ever.
 
 
 
And then…
 
Buffy – Okay. So I’ve got this… guy… interested in me.  Pluses? Good-looking, rich, charming, likes to dance…. Minuses? Older than dirt (Immortal? Seriously? That’s supposed to impress somebody who’s died twice?), probably evil, and… and so not who I thought I’d be spending Christmas with.  Suck it up, Buffy. Spike is dead and gone and he wouldn’t want you to stop living. Think of the upside – expensive prezzies, dancing, good food and wine…. If he touches me, I’m going to break both his arms.
 
Spike – Look at all the bloody Christmas decorations. Christmas! Here in the bosom of evil.  Should have just gone to Rome as soon as I could. Could be spending the holiday with Buffy. I think. She wouldn’t have forgotten about me so quickly, would she? Even if she hadn’t meant it, she would be glad to see me. Know she would. I should have gone when I had the chance.  Too bloody late now…