This Christmas fiction occurs after Joyce’s death, but before Spike’s fumbling admission of love. We are well aware that it doesn’t fit into the canon timeline, but we don’t care and are going to do what we want, it’s our story!!

Disclaimer: All characters herein are the property of Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy. We are simply playing with them a bit. Well, we really just want to play with Spike, but you know…


Returning home from Xander's 'Night Before Christmas' party, Buffy dragged her feet. She had decided not to do her nightly patrolling; she was just too depressed.

The young blonde was so disappointed in herself. Dawn's Christmas was going to suck. Buffy drifted into the house, frowning at the scraggly tree next to the fireplace. It was listing to the right again. Buffy sighed loudly and began to hopelessly tweak the sparse branches, using tinsel to cover the balder patches. She and Dawn had spent the better part of the afternoon trying to decorate the poor thing into looking healthy.

They had failed.

The gifts that Dawn had placed so lovingly under the drooping branches barely covered the tree skirt and Buffy wondered if adding her few gifts to the slight pile would improve the scene. ‘I miss Mom. She was so good at making the holidays perfect.’ Sighing, she stomped up the stairs and into her room to get Dawn's gifts.

After changing into pajamas, Buffy dug through her closet looking for the presents that she had hidden from her sister and, consequently, from herself. Just as she found the gifts hidden in the false bottom of her old weapons chest, she heard a car approach.

Buffy glanced out the window to see Dawn waving to Janice's mom as she approached the front steps. She heard the front door slam open, then shut.

Footsteps thundered up the stairs as Dawn yelled, "Night Buffy!" The door to Dawn’s room slammed and Buffy flinched when Dawn’s radio began blaring.

Buffy banged on the wall and yelled, “Dawn! Headphones!” The music suddenly quieted.

Hoping that Dawn wouldn't be too disappointed the next morning, Buffy went down the stairs and placed the gifts under the tree.

Looking at the picture on the mantle, she whispered, "Wish you were here…" After placing a kiss on the portrait of her mother, Buffy stumbled up the stairs and into her bed.

Sparkling blue eyes immediately invaded her dreams.

Outside her window, those same blue eyes smiled as a cigarette was extinguished. “Time to get to work.”