Following Thanksgiving, Joyce Summers kicked fully into Christmas overdrive. This included shopping, baking, cleaning, wrapping presents and driving Buffy absolutely nuts. On top of the hectic holiday planning, Buffy still had to patrol and study for finals. And there was Spike.

Buffy had talked to Giles regarding her relationship with Spike. He had let her know in no uncertain terms that he disapproved, that she was foolish and thoughtless to take yet another vampire into her bed, and that he thought that Spike should be put down.

Buffy had never come closer to hitting her Watcher in real anger.

Taking a deep breath, Buffy tried to explain her feelings to Giles. "It's not as if I'm in love with him, Giles. This thing, whatever it is, it'll go away soon, you'll see. But for now, it's there and you'll just have to deal with it."

Continuing on, she tried to put it into perspective, "We have a much bigger problem to deal with than my love life. We need to concentrate on this Initiative organization."

"Yes, Buffy, we do," Giles agreed. "And this thing as you put it that you have with Spike is interfering in the performance of your duties."

"No, Giles, you're wrong," Buffy insisted. "Spike has done nothing but help me since he came back to Sunnydale. He's helped with tracking down information on The Initiative and he's helped me on patrol. Yes, we may take some private time for ourselves, but it is not interfering with my duties as Slayer."

Running her hands through her hair, she looked seriously at her Watcher. "Giles, you just have to trust me on this. Spike doesn't have me under a thrall or anything like that. We're just together. Temporarily. We figure we'll tire of each other soon and then, well, we'll see what happens. Most likely he'll just live in his crypt and do whatever vampires who can't hurt people do, and I'll go back to being The Slayer with no life but killing things. Okay?"

Buffy knew she wasn't being completely honest with Giles. Spike had said he was in love with her, although he hadn't repeated it. Maybe it was just something men said in the heat of passion and not to be taken seriously. Buffy wasn't sure how she felt about that. It would be easier to believe that it was still just about sex. Trouble was, Buffy wasn't so sure it was.

Sometimes life was just too damned complicated.

***

Spike had moved into the crypt shortly after their raid on The Initiative facility. It seemed to ease the pressure on Buffy somewhat if Giles didn't have to see them together all the time. Of course that meant that Spike wasn't there to attend the Scooby meetings, but from what Buffy told him, things were left pending until Willow had completed breaking the encryption. And since she had finals to study for too, it was taking a little longer than hoped.

Buffy had decided against telling her mom about their relationship and in this instance Spike was glad. He really liked Joyce and enjoyed her company, but he was wise enough to know that she would never approve of him screwing her daughter. So as far as Joyce was concerned, Spike and Buffy just had a working relationship and casual, if unusual, friendship.

***

Buffy continued to date Riley even though she felt it was now a waste of time, time she could be spending with Spike. But there was always the chance that she could find out something important so she kept up the ruse of interest in him. And so it was that she learned that once again the holidays would allow them an opportunity to infiltrate the facility when most of the men were gone. "Riley said that most of the guys from Lowell House would be gone from Thursday the 23rd until Monday the 27th. I think that probably Christmas Eve will be the best time to make another foray into the facility to see if we can discover exactly what they're doing there. So far, Willow hasn't had much luck with the decryption, and I don't know how many more opportunities we'll have for infiltration."

She had brought Spike with her to Giles' that night. This was too important a meeting for him not to be there. Although she still wasn't happy with him coming with her into the compound, the fact was that his preternatural abilities could help them duck whatever personnel remained.

In the end, it was decided that Willow would work the spell that would hide them from the security system and then accompany Buffy and Spike into the facility. In all likelihood they would need her magically enhanced hacking abilities to get them into secure areas. Xander and Giles would stay behind. Xander wasn't happy to say the least but finally accepted Buffy's mandate. A few more details were discussed and then Buffy and Spike left for patrol.

***

One of Buffy's legs was hooked over the back of Spike's couch while the other was hooked over one of his shoulders. His head was buried between her thighs and Buffy moaned and writhed as he licked and sucked at her clit. They had returned to his crypt after finishing patrol ostensibly to watch "A Charlie Brown Christmas" on television. But as usually happened when they were alone together in a private place, handholding had led to nuzzling which led to kissing which led to petting which led to what they were doing now.

As the pressure built and Buffy's hips moved faster and faster, Spike lifted his head and crawled up her body. Kissing him deeply, Buffy tasted herself on his mouth, and then he raised his head as he slid into her. Buffy was lost in the look of pure pleasure Spike had on his face as he moved within her. Her breath caught in her throat as he angled his hips in such a way as to hit an entirely new spot deep within her. Arching her back, she threw back her head which exposed the slim white column of her throat to him. Spike immediately took advantage of her vulnerability to lower his head and sink his fangs into her flesh.

Buffy cried out and dug her nails into his back, leaving scratches and half moon marks. Increasing the pace of his thrusts, Spike began to suckle at the flow of blood trickling from his bite. They had learned just how deeply he could bite her so that the wound was healed before she left him. They both knew that if anyone guessed that Spike could bite her while they made love, his life would be in even more danger from her well-meaning friends.

Buffy tensed under him as her climax neared. God, she loved the feel of him. The strength of his arms, the length of his cock as it stroked deeply within her, the sharp pain/pleasure of his bite. Someday this would all be over. Someday they would grow tired of each other. Someday the passion would burn to ashes.

But not today.

***

Buffy looked at the Christmas tree and all the decorations. She was dressed in a pretty holiday frock, her hair piled on top of her head with tiny bells tinkling in her earlobes. Joyce entered the room with a tray full of cookies and placed it on the coffee table. Sighing in contented pleasure she observed her lovely home and her lovely daughter and felt true joy. The doorbell rang and Buffy hurried over to greet her friends as they came for the annual Christmas Eve get together.

They were seated around the living room with drinks and snacks when the doorbell rang a second time. As Buffy went to answer it, Giles, Willow and Xander exchanged disapproving glances, but Joyce only smiled in pleasure as her vampire guest entered the room. Handing her a bottle of wine complete with bow, Spike leaned forward and kissed the woman on the cheek saying "Happy Christmas, Joyce".

"Merry Christmas, Spike, and thank you. You didn't have to bring anything you know."

Spike just shrugged in shy embarrassment and then nodded a greeting to the others. They coldly returned the greeting and then turned their heads from him. Spike heard Buffy's sigh and looked at her. She merely gave an apologetic shrug and then motioned him to have a seat. Going to the sideboard, she fixed him a drink and then sat on the hassock not far from his chair.

Christmas music played softly in the background and after an initial uncomfortable silence, Joyce was able to get the conversational ball rolling again. Presents were passed out and toasts to the season given. Buffy gave Spike a carton of cigarettes. He gave her a stake he had carved. But these were just presents that they were giving each other in public. She had something much more personal to give him later stashed up in her bedroom.

At last the evening came to an end and the guests left. Buffy had explained to Joyce that even though it was Christmas Eve she would still have to patrol, but it wouldn't be until later so she helped her mother clean up and then bid Joyce good night. Retreating to her bedroom she changed clothes and grabbed the present she had hidden in her closet. Leaving by the front door, she hurried to Spike's crypt. She wanted time before they picked up Willow to give Spike his real Christmas present.

Entering Spike's crypt Buffy caught her breath. Candle's burned all around and he had strung fairy lights along the walls. A tiny Christmas tree complete with decorations and twinkling lights sat on top of the television. Tearing her eyes from the sight she looked at Spike who was standing nervously to one side watching her. Breaking into a pleased smile she ran up to him and hugged him. "Spike, it's beautiful," she assured him.

"Hoped you'd like it Buffy. I did it for you."

Buffy showed how much she liked it by giving him a deep kiss and then holding him in her arms. The package she had in her hand bumped against his back as she embraced him and Spike asked, "Here, what's that then?"

Suddenly shy, Buffy handed it to him. "It's your real Christmas present. I hope you like it."

Taking her hand Spike led her over to the couch where they both sat down. For the longest time, he merely sat and looked at the present sitting on his lap. "Aren't you going to open it, Spike?" Buffy asked. Nodding his head, Spike swallowed and with slightly shaking hands began to undo the wrapping. He hadn't received a real present from anyone since he had been human. And never one from a woman he loved.

As the paper was removed, Spike realized that it was a picture in a frame. Turning it over, he gasped in amazement.

During the previous weeks, he and Buffy had spent some time at the mall doing her Christmas shopping. The mall management had set up one of those photo booths where people could have a string of pictures taken for a couple bucks. On a lark, Buffy and Spike entered one and had proceeded to make silly faces for the camera. However one picture hadn't been silly. They had pressed their heads together and gazed smilingly into the lens. The picture showed two people who seemed to be happy and in love.

Buffy had taken that picture and had one of the art students at the university render it into small painting and then had it framed. It was this he was now looking at.

Spike swallowed again, totally rendered speechless. Turning his head, he looked over at Buffy tears in his eyes. "Buffy love, it's..." Looking back down at it, Buffy watched as one tear slowly made it way down his cheek. Buffy felt her own tears fall.

And the final scale fell from her eyes.