FIC: Chanukmas(Part 4)

["Pat Kelly"]

Here it is. The last part.

CHANUKMAS
(The End of Christmas Eve Through Christmas)
Angel stood outside, watching Buffy in the kitchen. She was radiating happiness. Anyone could see that. He didn't know why he came. Maybe Cordelia was right. Maybe he really did enjoy brooding and torturing himself. Why couldn't he just.

"Come inside." Willow said, coming around from the opposite side of the house.

He turned, shocked, and quickly recovered. "That's not a good idea."

"I was giving you an option?" She walked over and stood beside him, and looked in at Buffy. "You obviously want to come in."

"Doesn't matter."

"That's a load of poop and you know it. You probably have all these reasons for beating yourself up, and you know what? It's not important."

"I can't. I can't be part of her life anymore."

"Then why are you here?"

"I don't know."

"Do you want to have her as a friend or not at all?"

"It'd be better that -"

"Stop doing that. Don't avoid. What do YOU want?"

"Happiness."

"That's easy. With friends. Which you have. And you know that."

"Do I?"

"You got my gift, and we're gonna open them tomorrow. Don't you want it?"

"Who -?"

"Buffy's mom got yours." She could tell he was cracking. "Look, you can be broody guy all you want back in LA, but not now."

"She probably doesn't want to see me."

"And how would you know that?" Buffy asked walking out the back door. Willow grabbed Angel's arm so he wouldn't disappear. "I only have one thing to ask you." Angel cringed. "Do you want some eggnog?" She smiled.

"Come on. We're not letting you in until we see it." Willow said. It took him a minute to realize what they wanted, and then he smiled. "That wasn't so hard, was it?"

They dragged him inside.

***


The three of them were now sitting on the couch, drinking eggnog as the rest of the group arrived home.

"Now shush, Angel. Mom doesn't know." Buffy said.

"About?"

"Us." Willow whispered, pointing to herself and Buffy.

"When did you become so dense?" Buffy asked jokingly.

"Must be Cordelia. She's a bad influence." He said straight-faced, and with no change whatsoever in his tone. They both had to hold back their shock. Angel just made a joke, and at someone's expense. "You wanted me to lighten up." He said simply.

Xander walked through the door first, and he scanned the room, his eyes immediately focusing on Angel's presence. "Angel." He nodded.

"Xander." Angel nodded in return.

Xander looked at him for a few more seconds, and both Buffy and Willow held their breath, waiting for the fireworks. Their friend looked away, and at the table. "Ooh, eggnog! More?"

"Kitchen." Buffy said.

The three of them just grinned as everyone else started to come in.

***


The four girls were in Buffy's room later that night.

"So he came." Anya stated.

"Yep." Both Buffy and Willow said together.

"You're sure it has nothing to do with a big evil.thing?" Cordelia asked.

"Never came up." Willow said.

"He's your boss, Cordelia. Ask him." Buffy said.

"Oh no he's not. I'm not at his beck and call whenever he wants something. I'm my own woman. On vacation. He has no power over me whatso -"

"Cordelia!" Angel called from downstairs. "I need to talk to you."
"Coming!" The three other girls just stared at her. "What? He gives me a paycheck." She walked out of the room.

"She's definitely her own woman." Willow said.

"Completely." Anya said.

They all started giggling.

***


Angel was going to be sleeping on the couch, so Joyce had pulled the shades over the window in the living room. Just to be safe, he was checking to make sure no light would be able to get in when morning came. Cordelia came walking down the stairs.

"Couldn't stay away, huh?" She asked.

"Guess not."

"What did you want to talk to me about?"

"I wanted to say thank you."

"What for?"

"For what you said. I spent days sitting there and thinking, and I realized that you were right. I know I'm a little late, but if it wasn't for you, I don't think I would have come at all. Thanks."

"Um.you're welcome." Cordelia was stunned.

"You look better."

"Being around friends helps."

"So I've learned."

"Well, now that you've started to see my side of things, the next task is to get you into brighter colors. How do you feel about teal?"

"Cordelia."

"Just seeing how many buttons I could push. I'm done. So, would it be too much to hope that the office will be a brood-free environment from now on?"

"For a little while at least."

"I'll take it." She smiled.

"Good night, Cordelia."

"Night, Angel."

***

Buffy and Willow were planning the final day of their holiday, while everyone was awaiting them downstairs.

"Gifts, cooking, cooking, cooking, dinner, last candle, passing out from exhaustion. I get it all?" Buffy said.

"I think that covers it." Willow confirmed with an affirmative nod.

"Good." She kissed Willow, and then took a deep breath. "Shall we?"

"We shall."

They went downstairs, where everyone was talking amongst themselves. Joyce was talking with Giles, Cordelia, Anya, and Xander were conversing, and Angel was standing in the corner keeping an eye on an unrestrained Spike.

"We ready?" Buffy asked.

"Are you?" Xander shot back, which caused Buffy and Willow to blush.

They all gathered around the tree, and each picked up the presents they had chosen the previous night.

Joyce got Angel's.

Angel got Willow's.

Xander got Giles'.

By a bizarre coincidence, Giles got Xander's.

Willow got Cordelia's.

Cordelia got Buffy's.

Buffy got Anya's.

Anya got Joyce's.

Xander, having the biggest gift of all, opened his fastest. He just stared at his new.encyclopedia set. "Thanks.Giles."

"That might actually come in handy for you." Giles hid the sarcastic edge to his voice very well, as he opened his gift. It was a video. "Animal House?"

"The ultimate portrayal of American college life. Plus, a drunk Blushi doing 'Louie, Louie'. If you can't go to college, this is the next best thing."

"Thank you." He got the feeling Xander had bought this for himself, but he let it drop.

Buffy opened Anya's next. Opening the rectangular box, she pulled out a gold heart necklace/locket. "It's beautiful. Is it -"

"Real gold?" Anya asked. "Yeah. You pick up some nice things being around as long as I have. You can put a picture inside the heart."

Buffy and Willow stared at Anya, and then looked in Joyce's direction. Anya smiled sheepishly.

"So who's next?" Willow asked hurriedly.

"I'll go." Angel said, carefully unwrapping the gift. He looked at the book's title and grinned. "Chicken Soup for the Soul. Thank you, Willow."

Willow smiled, and proceeded to open hers. Inside the envelope, was a gift certificate for a makeover at a salon in LA.

"We'll go sometime next week." Cordelia said.

"Are you trying to tell me I need a makeover?"

"I would never! It was just an offer."

"I'd be glad to." Cordelia smiled in relief. "But what if Giles or Xander got this? Or Angel?"

Cordelia looked at the three men, scrutinizing them. "Anyone can get a makeover. I guess I should open mine." She did. It was a plush reindeer with a Santa hat and a bell. "Aw, it's cute, Buffy." She said hugging it to her chest. "Thanks."

"Your welcome, Cordy. Stuffed animals are my weakness."

"They're any girl's weakness."

"She's right." Willow said.

Anya opened her gift. Inside the small box was a miniature replica of a gothic English castle. Right down to the tiny gargoyles. "Wow. Mrs. Summers, where'd you get this?"

"Gallery's gift shop. They have some wonderful things in there. Corresponds with different time periods and art styles."

"This is amazing. Thank you."

"Your welcome. Well, I guess I'm the only one left." Joyce opened her gift. It was a very old looking copy of A Christmas Carol. She opened the cover, and on the inside was Charles Dickens signature. "This must be rare."

"It's the only one in the world." Angel said.

"I can't accept this. It wouldn't be right."

"It's just another book to me."

"I don't think 'thank you' are the right words to use."

"It's enough."

"Can't believe I don't get a gift. I've been mortal enemies with all of you for three years. Doesn't that count for anything?" Spike said.

"You know what, Spike? You're absolutely right." Buffy said. "Tell you what. We'll take Polaroids of all the gifts, and that way you can look at the things you didn't get whenever you want."

"I need a smoke."

"Not in this house." Joyce said.

"You could go outside." Buffy said.

"Actually." Angel said.

"Oh that's right. The sun thing."

"And a bloody Merry Christmas to you too."

***


The next hours that followed were hectic to say the least. Trying to get everything prepared for dinner and all. Buffy, Willow, and Angel were in the kitchen, Joyce had gone out to get rolls, and Cordelia and Anya were trying to keep Xander from the kitchen. Giles was actually watching Animal House.

Spike walked in.

"Make yourself useful, and check on the chicken." Buffy said to him.

"What's in it for me?"

"The blood will drain out when it's done. You can drink that."

"How's the cranberry sauce coming?" Willow asked Angel as Spike went over to the oven.

"Good. I think."

Buffy stopped the mixer on the mashed potatoes, and turned to him. "You have to be sure."

"I'm sure."

"Cordelia, Anya, time to start making the gravy and stuffing! I want to eat at four so hurry!"

"She's awfully neurotic." Anya said walking in.

"Don't you mean slave driver?" Cordelia asked.

"I heard that." Buffy said.

***


Dinner went off without a hitch. They all sat around the dining room table, eating.

"Who would have thought we'd all be sitting here like this?" Willow asked.

"I sure as hell didn't." Spike muttered.

"Ignoring that, I'd say it's quite an accomplishment." Giles said.

"One of those Christmas miracle things." Cordelia said.

"Miracles don't just happen. You have make your own." Angel said.

"Which they did." Xander added.

"And a well deserved one too." Joyce commented.

"We couldn't have done it without you guys. Cause there would have been no reason to." Buffy said.

"Even me?" Spike asked.

"No." Willow quickly responded.

"I think the real miracle is that we're all still alive. Well, most of us." Anya said.

"I think we should toast." Buffy said.

"To what?" Xander asked.

"Friends and family. Isn't that what this is all about, anyway?"

They did, well, except for Spike. He didn't want to admit it, but he really envied everyone at the table. The reason Buffy always beat him was not because she was necessarily better or stronger than he was; it was because she had reasons to. Whereas every other Slayer he had come up against, didn't. It was unfair.

And his supposedly 'tortured' sire was more welcome than he was. And Angel had killed. But souled, Angel was so good, it was sickening. As envious as he was, he wasn't going to turn good. Well that was impossible, but he had lost the desire to kill Buffy and her friends. Because, he had finally figured out, that was impossible.

They finished eating in content silence.


***

Buffy and Willow were getting ready to light the final candle. Everyone else, except Angel and Spike, had gone caroling. Angel and Spike were just.out. They had always lit the candles alone, and they wanted to keep it that way.

So, Buffy lit it as Willow said the final blessing. After it was done, they both separated to go get each other's gifts. They came back a few seconds later, gifts in hand. They exchanged, and Willow opened hers up first.

Buffy gave Willow a book. An album to be more specific. Filled with pictures of them, from all the years they'd known each other. Notes they'd passed back and forth in classes, drawings of stakes and Wiccan symbols, and different dates of things that had happened. A scrapbook really, of their friendship, and extra pages, for the future.

"I wasn't sure what to get you so."

"Buffy.this is." She looked at Buffy with tears in her eyes. "I love it. Hang on."

Willow rushed out of the room, and then came back with a black magic marker. She wrote on the first empty page. 'THE 1ST CHANUKMAS, 1999.' Below that, she drew a Star of David with a Santa hat on top.

"There. And once we get the pictures developed."

"Can I open mine?" Buffy asked.

"Oh, yeah." Willow grinned.

Buffy did, and found a collar inside a box. "You didn't."

Angel came in, carrying a Labrador puppy. He let it down, and it ran into Buffy's arms.

"He's so cute! Where'd you keep him?"

"Giles' house." Willow said.

"He's not going to be thrilled when he sees the mess it made." Angel said.

"Where's Spike?"

"Smoking. A cigarette."

"Do you like him? It's not as -"

"Stop right there. I love him, Will." They hugged. "What's his name gonna be? How about Slacker?"

"Slacker?"

"You know, combing Slayer and Hacker? Slacker."

They watched as the dog climbed up on the sofa, and flopped into a laying position facing the TV. "Sounds about right, actually."

They laughed, and faced each other. Angel had quietly left the room.

"Merry Chanukmas, Will."

"Merry Chanukmas, Buffy."

They started to kiss, and the front door opened. They didn't hear or didn't want to hear, because they kept kissing. Joyce, who was over by the door, cleared her throat. Buffy and Willow looked up. And almost comically, so did Slacker.

"Hi, Mrs. Summers." Willow said quickly.

"So.how'd caroling go?"


"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)