Re: FIC: Chanukmas (Part 2)

["uj18" <uj18@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Pat,
Great story so far. But could you please send me a copy of your story POINT OF VIEW.
I missed that one and I'd really like to read it.
Thanks,
James
-----Original Message-----
From: Pat Kelly <bandits@xxxxxxxxx>
To: buffyloveswillow@xxxxxxxxxxx <buffyloveswillow@xxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Thursday, December 02, 1999 11:20 PM
Subject: [buffyloveswillow] FIC: Chanukmas (Part 2)


Here's the second "part". The reason for the quotes, is because the way I'm writing the story is one large document, and not in parts. So here's the next bit:

CHANUKMAS

(The First Night)

"We come bearing gifts." Xander said walking in front of Anya into the house.

"And jelly doughnuts." Anya said. "He said they were necessary."

Willow graciously accepted the box of doughnuts. "They are. Practically a delicacy."

"You can put the gifts under the tree, Xander." Buffy said.

"Roger. Place looks great." He said placing the gifts down.

"Thanks. Giles said he'd be -"

"His car's coming up the street now." Willow said. The timer went off for the cookies, and Buffy moved towards the kitchen. "I'll get 'em."

Buffy smiled in thanks, and went to welcome Giles. She immediately noticed that his gift was rather large. "Hi…and how much did you spend?"

"Isn't the whole point of wrapping a gift not to allow people to know what the gift is?"

"Pull logic on me, why don't you? I'm just curious."

"You'll just have to wait and see. Wonderful decorating, by the way."

"Well, Willow deserves half the credit too."

As if on cue, Willow walked in carrying a plate of fresh chocolate chip cookies. Xander, not needing to be told, rushed over and stuck one in his mouth.

"Careful, they're -" Willow started, as Xander pulled the cookie off of his tongue in pain. "Hot."

***


Twenty-five minutes later, they were still waiting on Cordelia and Angel to show so they could pick gifts. In the living room, Xander and Anya were sitting on the floor, and Giles was on the couch. The need to fill Xander's eating habit meant Buffy and Willow had to make frequent trips to the kitchen.

"Will! You got a dreidel?" Xander called.

"Why? Do you wanna eat that too?"

"That hurt."

"Yeah. Hang on."

Buffy and Willow came in, and walked under the mistletoe.

"You know what you gotta do now, don't you?"

"As if we need a mistletoe." Buffy said kissing Willow.

A blush crept onto Willow's face as she handed Xander the dreidel and Buffy handed him another bag of Cheesy Chips.

"What would I do without you gals?"

"Hire a maid probably." Willow said.

"Bah Humbug. Now, time for the Dreidel game. Ooh Christmas colors."

"It's a Chanukmas Dreidel." Buffy said.

"You do know how the game is played, right Xander?" Giles asked.

"Please. You don't grow up being friends with a Rosenberg and not learn how to play the Dreidel game."

"Then get on with the explanation." Anya said.

"Somebody's pushy. Anyway, see these four symbols on the sides? Well, the one that looks like a W is called…"

"Shin." Willow supplied.

"Right. The one that looks like one of those stone things at Stonehenge is called Hey, the one that looks like a bone is called Gimel, and the last one that looks like a pipe, is called Nun. They mean something. I think."

"'A Great Miracle Happened There'. Meaning Israel, I believe." Giles said.

"And I have the perfect gambling pot." Buffy reached underneath the sofa, and pulled out a large bag of Peanut M&Ms, and a bowl. "It was hidden so there would be no premature eating." She said looking at Xander.

"If you land on Nun, nothing happens, and somebody else spins. If you land on Gimel, you get it all. If you get Shin, you have to add an M&M to the bowl. If you get Hey, you get half of what's in the bowl." Willow said.

Xander was about to spin when there was a knock on the door, then it opened.

"Can I come in?" Cordelia asked.

As they started to get up to greet her, Spike ran in past Cordelia who screamed in shock. Spike, tied with rope, tripped and fell to the ground. "Damn bloody holidays."

***


After Buffy tied Spike, again, to a chair, and said a quick 'hello' to Cordelia, she dragged Giles into the kitchen.

"What's he doing here?" She asked.

"I wasn't going to leave him at my house alone, Buffy. I thought he would've stayed in my car until I left here."

"Well he didn't. Didn't you lock your car?"

"Of course I -" Giles suddenly looked horrified, scared at what damage Spike might have done getting out of the car. "Excuse me." He ran out of the house.

***


Buffy walked back in the living room where everyone else was involved with the Dreidel and Spike was staring at the switched off TV. She walked over to him.

"Okay, listen. You behave, or I stake you."

"You know it's moments like these that I'm glad we didn't go through with the whole marriage bit. You have abusive tendencies, and I don't think I could have taken it."

"I'm trying to block that out of my mind."

"You're not the only one."

"Good. Then…watch some TV." She walked over and turned on the television and "It's a Wonderful Life" came on.

"God, anything but this."

Buffy grinned, and sat down in between Willow and Cordelia. As she opened her mouth to speak, she saw Anya giving Cordelia her best icy glare. "So how you doing?"

"Honestly? I've been better. Um, Angel…couldn't…"

"Kinda figured as much." Buffy looked a little hurt for a second, then shook it off.

"I tried. Presents are under the tree." Cordelia still looked distracted.

"What happened?" Willow leaned in and whispered to Buffy about Doyle. "Oh. I'm sorry. He seemed nice."

"He was. He was…I have to -"

Cordelia quickly got up, and went upstairs.

"So much for perfect happy holidays."

"We should -" Willow started, hugging Buffy close to her and looking at the stairs.

"Wait." Buffy said gently, putting her hand on Willow's shoulder.

Xander quietly had gotten up and walked up the stairs as well. Anya watched him go, and then turned to Willow and Buffy.

"I've always despised ex-girlfriends."

***


Cordelia stood in front of the mirror in Buffy's bathroom cursing herself for crying.

'I'm Cordelia Chase, damn it! Stop crying.'

But as much as she wanted to be that same old, uncaring high-schooler she was before she went to LA, she couldn't be. Not anymore. She had lost someone she cared about. Someone she was starting to fall…in love with.

She jumped a little when she heard the slight tap on the door. "Who is it?"

"It's me." Xander said, turning the knob. He walked in and shut the door behind him. "Wanna talk about it?"

She broke down. Completely. And she started to cry into his chest. He wrapped his arms around her softly.

"Whatever happened…you'll get through it. Hey, if you can survive me, you can survive anything."

She laughed a little. "You were never a…thanks." She pulled away, and wiped the tears away from her eyes. "She came back, huh?"

"Who, Anya? Yep. Once they get a taste of the Harris charm -"

"You're so full of yourself, you know that?"

"Yes. Yes I do."

"Well, it's good that you can admit that. She's certainly -"

"Go ahead. Make fun of my dating an ex-demon."

"Demons aren't so bad." She said, fondly remembering. "I was gonna say, she seems very…into you."

"I am too. Into her, I mean."

"Good, that's…good."

He put his hand on her shoulder. "Come on, its holiday time. Cheer. Whoever he was, have fun for him. I bet he would have wanted you to."

Cordelia smiled, reaching for the doorknob. "Oh, he was into fun alright. He would've drunk a gallon of eggnog, passed out, woken up, taken some aspirin, and done it all over again."

"Bar hopper, huh? My kinda guy."

"You have no idea."

***

Downstairs, Giles was yelling at Spike.

"My door is broken. Broken! My seat cover -"

"It took me awhile to jar that door loose, mate. I think I bruised my shoulder."

"Well forgive me for not rushing to get you a bandage."

"This may be the only time I say this, but I think he did you a favor, Giles. Now you can get a car that isn't as old as…" Giles looked at Buffy. "Your books."

"You know what I think? I think Spike is just lonely." Willow said.

"Right. Like I wanted to spend tonight surrounded by you people and the very stuff that I could bloody well do without. Such as, I dunno, crosses and that other holy crap. You know, the stuff that kills me."

"You just be glad I didn't put you close to that very hurtful stuff then. I think Will's right, why would you break out of the car to come in here?" Buffy said.

"I was cold." He saw their disbelieving faces. "Just lay off it."

Xander and Cordelia came downstairs, and he went over to Anya, who ignored his presence. Cordelia walked over to everyone else.

"We ready to pick gifts?" She asked.

"Yes, let's." Giles said.

"Oh, you mean we're all done with the pity and sadness? How wonderful, because I was just about to gag." Spike said.

This time it wasn't Buffy who spoke to him. "That's it. I've had it. You're ruining this, and I won't stand for it anymore. Get me the duct tape." Willow said, fire in her eyes.

Buffy walked cautiously over to Willow. "It'll be okay. I'll just get him some blood…" Spike nodded. "…and he'll shut up. Nothing's ruined." Buffy kissed her quickly, smiled at her, and went to get the pig's blood she had stored in the fridge.

***


"Okay," Willow said holding a red Christmas stocking, "this is how it's gonna work. We each pick a name out of the stocking. Whoever you get, you get that present. If you get your own name, pick again."

She walked around to each of her friends, and they picked.

"Xander's." Giles said.

"Ugh. Angel's." Xander said, and then apologized.

"Cordelia's." Anya said, showing signs of unhappiness that she didn't get Xander's.

"Willow's." Cordelia said.

"Giles'." Buffy said.

"Mrs. Summers." Willow said.

"K, since mom's not here…yet, we have to pick for her."

"She can have mine." Anya said.

"Whose gonna take mine?" Buffy asked. "And you'll get one from me soon enough, Will."

Willow shut her mouth, and faked a pout.

"I'll take it." Spike offered.

"No way."

"Why the hell not?"

"You didn't bring a gift, you don't get a gift. Especially from me."

"You want a gift? See this rope around me? It's made of lovely, coarse material that causes wonderful burns and irritation. I feel generous. Holiday spirit and all. You can have it. It's a very useful thing, you know. Maybe you could hang yourself with it."

"Perhaps we should call it a night." Giles said, trying to avoid a potentially hostile situation.

"Yeah…it's late…sleepy…" Willow agreed quickly. "Remember, same time tomorrow."

Buffy, calming herself down, went up to Cordelia. "Stay here."

"Thanks." She smiled.

***


"That went well." Buffy said later. It was one in the morning. She, Willow, and Cordelia were sitting on the floor of her room, Jingle Bell Rock, playing low on her stereo.

"Really well. No massive wrongness at all." Willow said, next to her.

"Has to be a first for Sunnydale." Cordelia said. "You two seem awfully -"

"Snuggly?" Willow asked. Cordelia nodded.

"Well -"

"No. I get it. Just commenting. I think its good." Cordelia looked at their shocked faces. "I've grown up."

"Angel?" Buffy asked.

"He's been part of it, I guess. But it was really something I learned how to do on my own. I still think I drive him crazy though. It's hard to break old habits."

"We've all had experience with old -" Buffy started.

"And don't forget bad." Willow added.

"Right. And bad habits. But that's what this whole holiday thing is about. Healing, looking forward, making peace with the past, and…being happy and letting people know how much they mean to you." Buffy said smiling at Willow and Cordelia.

"I sense a hug." Willow said. They did. Cordelia was right about what she said to Angel. She was lucky. Two great friends, and a life which was dangerous, but also fulfilling at the same time. She looked at Buffy and Willow.

"Okay, I can see you two need to kiss or whatever…so I'm going go to the bathroom."

She got up, and started walking out of the room, when they all heard noise that sounded like it was coming from by the front door. Buffy, instantly on guard, grabbed a knife from her closet. Not wanting to stay, Willow and Cordelia followed Buffy closely downstairs.


"When I held that gun, I felt an incredible surge of power. Like God must feel when he's holding a gun.." (Homer J. Simpson)

"You've been fighting evil here for three years, and I've helped some, and now we're supposed to decide what we want to do with our lives. And I just realized that that's what I want to do. Fight evil, help people. I mean, I think it's worth doing. And I don't think you do it because you have to. It's a good fight, Buffy, and I want in."

"I kind of love you."
(Willow Rosenberg, Buffy Summers, BTVS)

"Don't.."
"What? Don't love you? I didn't know I got a choice in that."
(Angel, Buffy Summers, BTVS)