Buffy sat on the living room couch, watching her mom and sister decorate the Christmas tree. The were giggling about something a boy at school had said to Dawn. She smiled as she watched them, enjoying their happiness. For the moment, everything was good. Glory was off their backs, and things with Riley were great. Kind of. He was so sweet, and so good to her. It almost felt unnatural for him not to be bad. But Buffy was beginning to love him, and she was finally getting over Angel.
“Buffy?” Joyce asked, looking at her daughter with delight in her eyes.
“Yeah?”
“What on top this year?” Joyce asked, holding up the star and the Angel and weighing them in her hands. Buffy smiled and pretended to think.
“Angel. It’s been a while since we’ve used the Angel,” Buffy nodded. The past few years the Christmas Angel had just been too reminiscent of her Angel.
“Buffy, what did you get me for Christmas?” Dawn asked, sitting down next to her sister and leaning her head against Buffy’s shoulder.
“Coal. Like I’m really going to tell you? You try every year, Dawnie, and every year I don’t tell you. Just wait until tomorrow like everyone else,” Buffy smirked.
“I can’t believe we waited so long to put up the tree this year. It’s Christmas Eve for goodness sake,” Joyce fretted, fixing a few ornatments.
“We’ve all been busy mom. It’s cool though, at least we got it up,” Buffy shrugged. Joyce knew that she was right.
“True. So, what should we have for Christmas dinner tomorrow?” Joyce asked, sitting next to her daughters. They all admired the tree for a moment before anyone spoke.
“Turkey and pie. And mashed potatoes. And stuffing. Don’t forget that Giles, Willow, and Xander are coming over for dinner, too,” Buffy reminded.
“Right, I almost forgot,” Joyce nodded, thinking things over in her head.
“Speaking of, I’ve got to go do the present thing with them. I’ll be back later,” Buffy said as she bounced up and grabbed her blue, knee length pea coat.
“Be careful, honey,” Joyce said, almost as an afterthought.
“Promise.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“Buffster!” Xander exclaimed as Buffy walked into Giles’ apartment. Apparently she had been the last to arrive.
“Hey guys. Ready to do the present thing?” she asked excitedly. She couldn’t wait for her friends to open their gifts.
“Yes, let’s sit down, shall we?” Giles said as he set out tea for everyone. They all sat around the apothecary table in the middle of Giles’ livingroom and set the gifts out in piles according to person.
“Can we? Can we?” Willow asked excitedly, bouncing up and down.
“Yes. Everyone...dig in,” Giles smiled. Everyone tore into their gifts. Buffy got a new, get this, cedar stake from Giles, a new weapons chest from Xander, and a beautiful embroidered blanket from Willow.
“OH guys, this stuff is all so great. And beautiful. I can’t forget beautiful,” Buffy said, tearing up. They sat around and talked for a while before Buffy looked at the clock.
“I gotta head off, guys, it’s getting pretty late. Don’t forget that dinner’s a six tomorrow,” Buffy reminded them.
“We won’t” they chorused.
Buffy walked back to her house, arms full of gifts. A passerby would have did a double take. A young, small, blond carrying a large wooden chest and a blanket. But not many people were driving by.
When Buffy got to her house all the lights were off. There was a note on the refrigerator saying that her mother and Dawn had gone out for some last minute shopping and then they were going to see a movie. Buffy could meet up with them if she wanted. She sighed and started setting out the gifts she had bought for her mom and Dawn. Then she noticed that there was one already under the tree. It was for Buffy, with no giver named. She reached for it, since it obviously wasn’t from her mother. It was wrapped in light brown parchment paper, a small red bow covering the top. Her fingers felt for the seam in the paper and she gently peeled it open. Inside was a box. Buffy opened it and gasped. There was a beautiful silver cross with an emerald inlay. Only one person had ever given her a cross.
“Want me to put it on?” he asked, stepping from the shadows. She stood and turned to face him at the same time, tears glistening in her eyes. She nodded numbly, her mouth hanging slightly open in surprise. She had so many words, but none of them would come. He reached out and took the chain from her hand, stepping behind her, brushing her arm as he did so. Buffy shivered. She felt his fingertips lightly caressing her neck as he clasped the necklace.
“It’s beautiful,” Buffy whispered when she was finally able to talk. He leaned against her and she lay her head back, resting it on his broad chest.
“It matches your eyes. That’s what I first thought of when I saw it,” he muttered, his breath hot against her neck.
“I missed you,” she admitted, turning and burying her face in his shirt. He wrapped his arms around her and held her tightly.
“I missed you too. Buffy...”
“Shh, kiss me.” Buffy’s reached up, standing on her toes, to meet his mouth. He kissed her, softly at first but with growing passion every second. Buffy breathed sharply and pressed into him harder.
“Buffy...last time,” he warned as their passion grew.
“Shhh. Last time won’t happen again. You know it as well as I do,” Buffy promised. He picked her up and carried her up the stairs to her room. Even after these few years, it was still a familiar route. He could do it with his eyes closed. He very nearly did. They fell on top of her bed, a place they had sat, pressed close, many times. The memories came flooding back as he kissed her. He could hear her heart beating faster, almost exploding from her chest. The blood was pounding in her veins.
Buffy reached up and lifted off his shirt, feeling the smooth muscles of his stomach as she did. They slowly undressed each other, taking their time, exploring territory that was once familiar. Buffy looked up into his eyes, seeing the love, passion, and fear. She wanted nothing more than for time to freeze and keep them like that forever. Joined in blissful love. But time kept moving, and she glad that it did. He pleased her in a way Riley couldn’t. She loved him, that was what made the difference.
When they were both spent, they lay tangled in her sheets, holding one another like the world would end if they let go even for a moment. They were good at saving the world. She pressed closer to his sweaty, naked body and lightly traced circles on his chest.
“I love you,” she said.
“I love you.” He reached over and kissed her forehead.
“How long will you stay this time?” Buffy wondered, hoping it was forever.
“I’m not sure. This wasn’t what I planned. I saw the necklace and it reminded me of you, so I bought it. I came here with the intention of leaving it under the tree and taking off. Less pain that way. But then I couldn’t stand to not see you, even if it were just for a moment. So I stayed. And then...” he admitted, shrugged. Buffy nodded.
“You can leave now if you want. I wouldn’t be upset,” Buffy offered, giving him an out that she desperately hoped he wasn’t going to take.
“I’m not sure that I want to. I want to come back to you so badly Buffy, and it kills me, but you have Riley and a whole new life that I’m not a part of. I’m afraid that if I come back, it will hurt more than if I just left.” He looked into her eyes and she silently pleaded with him not to go.
“I’m scared. My mom is sick, and the doctors say that she’s fine, but I don’t know if I believe them. My sister isn’t really my sister, she’s some mystical force that a bunch of monks made human so that I could protect her. And, to top it all off, a god is after that mystical force. She doesn’t know yet that it’s Dawn, but she knows that I have it, and she been making my life hell,” Buffy said, breaking. Tears rolled out of her eyes and down her cheeks. She could always tell him the truth. She couldn’t be scared in front of her friends, but she could be in front of him.
“Shh, my love. It’ll all be okay. We’ll get through it,” he said soothingly, resting his lips against her temple.
“Will you stay? Forget about everything you’re leaving behind, just come back to me. I mean, the problem we had isn’t an issue anymore or I’d already be dead,” Buffy said, attempting a laugh.
“If it will make you happy, love, I will. I will stay until the end of time.” Buffy smiled and kissed him again. A slow sweet kiss that held the future. A future full of kisses and love.
“It would make me very happy,” she sighed. The two lovers dressed and Buffy led him downstairs by the hand. She brewed tea for the both of them while he started a fire. Then they sat down, wrapped in each other’s warm embrace, and watched as the flames consumed each log, popping when it reached an air pocket. They were still like this, casting each other loving glances, when Buffy heard keys rattle in the door.
Joyce stopped dead when she saw who was on the couch with her daughter. Dawn ran into her and gasped. Then, like the teenager she was, squealed and ran to her room.
“Mom, it’s okay,” Buffy promised, standing up. He followed suit, holding her hand discretely behind her back.
“Angel...” Joyce gasped.
A/N: Hope you guys like it. It’s my first time doing a one shot, so hopefully you did. I know you probably figured out it was Angel, long before Joyce said his name, but I liked the idea that you might not. Merry Christmas!!! And please review!! It’s the best X-mas present ever! Oh yeah, and if you want it to keep going...let me know!
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