FIC: Chanukmas II: Part One

["Pat Kelly" <bandits@xxxxxxxxx>]

Part one below. Enjoy.

(PART ONE)




Willow entered Angel Investigations, a little anxious. She was never good at keeping secrets, or surprises, which was basically a good secret. Most of the time. Right now, Buffy was back home on patrol. It was going to be a long sweep, so it gave her plenty of time to get away. Plus, Giles had gone with her, so he'd keep her busy.

Spike had driven her here, and said he'd back to pick her up. He had heard about a bar that demons liked to frequent on the outskirts of the city, and decided he wanted to go pick a fight. She had to shake her head. It wasn't just his demon talking; it was also his maleness. She just hoped he didn't get himself dusted.

She walked into the front room, where Cordelia was sitting at her desk. The brunette looked up and smiled.

"Hey, Willow. What's up?"

"You know.the thing." The redhead said conspiratorially. Even though she had no need to.

"You mean the tickets?" Willow nodded looking around nervously. "Relax. Breathe. She isn't going to know. You afraid she's gonna pop out or something?"

"Well.you never know."

"He and Xander are fighting.well some ugly thing across town. Angel booked the flight, so I don't know. Hopefully he got a time where the sun won't burn him to a crisp."

"Yeah. That would be bad."

"And Spike too. Did you tell him where we were going?"

"No. Can you see him coming along willingly if I did?"

"Then how are you getting him to go?"

"He wants to get, and I quote, 'as far out of sodding Sunnyhell as possible'. And I said we were. It's the truth."

"It is the truth. No denying that." Cordelia had to grin. The look on Spike's face would be priceless. "So you're really going to -"

She cut herself off as they both heard the elevator come up. Exiting it came Angel and Xander, both a little worse for the wear. Xander more so then Angel, though. They were both covered in a translucent gel, and their clothes torn. Mostly around the back area.

"What happened?" Cordelia asked, running to Xander's side.

"Got a little swallowed. It's his fault."

"You let him get swallowed?"

"I didn't let him get swallowed. I told him to 'follow' behind me, but he must have not heard very well, because he charged up to the demon, it picked him up, and then."

"Maybe. But who ruptured its intestinally insides causing it to regurgitate -"

"Don't need to hear anymore." Willow said, feeling sick suddenly.

"Well, the point is, we won. And I want a bonus."

"You can do this later, right? Cause I need to talk to Angel."

Cordelia started directing Xander toward the door.

"Let's go home and get you clean."

"I like the sound of that." He grinned.

"Don't you have any shame at all?"

"I can be a-shamed, if that's what you mean." They started to leave. "And have you noticed stuff flying around the apartment? Like you have a ghost in there or something."

"Ghost? Please. I think you spent a little too much time inside that demon."

***


Willow waited patiently on Angel's sofa while he was in the shower. His living 'space', it really wasn't big enough to call an apartment, was really kind of quaint. Kitchen, priceless paintings, artifacts, and the axes hanging on the walls just added that little extra touch.

She remembered when he gave Joyce his copy of A Christmas Carol that was signed by Charles Dickens, and he said it was just another book to him. Looking around at his collection, she realized, it really was just another book. He finally came in and sat next to her, minus the slime. He was carrying an envelope in his hands.

"You got the tickets!" Willow said happily.

"I couldn't get a direct flight. We have to leave at 12:30 our time, and stop over in Philadelphia at around 8:21 Eastern time. Then take a connecting flight. If it all works out we should get to where we want to be by midnight. Eastern time."

"Time zones are tricky things, aren't they? And wow.that's really late. Not for you, I guess. Course if you got burned it wouldn't be a happy holiday, now would it?" She took the tickets and looked them over. "The sixteenth.perfect.USAir. Good choice."

"Is it? I don't travel.well, at all."

"Have you ever even been on a plane?" He shook his head. "Has Kate?"

"Never really come up."

"Things going good with you guys?"

"As far as I can tell. Still.awkward."

"It is for everybody at first. It's not just you."

"Good to know. She's never been to -"

"She's never -?" Willow asked, shocked.

"No, and since I haven't either, it should be an experience."

"You're looking forward to it. Good. Makes me happy. And I made all the reservations, so we're all set."

"Everything?"

She smiled, knowing what he meant. "Everything."

***


"Everything is all set then?" Giles asked Buffy on their way back from patrol.

"According to Willow. She wanted to handle everything this year. I tried to help, but she wouldn't let me. It's got me a little suspicious. You would know. Is she hiding something?"

Giles had to think fast. "Did she give you any reason?"

She eyed him, but still decided to answer. "She said she wanted to give me a break. Let me relax. Course with the way she convinced me, I couldn't say no." She smiled, and then became serious again. "But I still didn't buy it."

"I'm sure she's being.honest with you."

"You hesitated. Don't think I didn't notice that. But I'm too tired to grill you."

"Thank Goodness." He muttered quietly.

He wasn't very good at keeping secrets. Especially where Buffy was concerned. If everything went the way they had all planned, well Willow mostly, she would end up extremely happy, and her suspicions, however well founded, would be forgotten. They continued, in silence, towards Joyce's house for awhile.

"So.you gonna marry mom or what?"

"Well.ah.we've discussed the possibility."

Buffy laughed. "Relax, Giles. But.I wouldn't be opposed to calling you dad." He smiled despite his shock. "You've been dad to me for awhile now, you know. I think you should know that."

"I believe the only way to respond to that is by saying that I have considered you to be like a daughter to me for a very long time."

They smiled at each other, and she put her hand on his arm.

"Then there's no reason to not make it official. I mean we're all paired up. Well, except for Spike, but.the point is somebody should tie the knot."

"You're absolutely right."

He smiled to himself, and they continued to walk.

***


It was the thirteenth. Classes were officially over. Buffy entered the dorm after patrol, and found all the lights off. She knew they were supposed to clear all their stuff out and go home, but Willow should have been here still. They were going to gather their things tomorrow. And she was pretty sure it was past one.

She walked further inside, her senses on alert. Then the lights switched on. She whirled around, to find Willow standing by the light switch.

"You shouldn't do that to a slayer in the middle of an adrenaline rush, you know."

Willow smiled apologetically, and tilted her head towards the wall. Buffy finally looked at the walls. The décor had changed. All sorts of Disney related paraphernalia - posters, brochures, and postcards were all hanging up. Before she could comment, Slacker ran in and jumped into her arms.

"Hey boy." She scratched his ear. "Let's see what Mommy Willow is trying to tell us. Though she can't be trying to tell us what I think she's trying to tell us, cause then I'd have to smother her with kisses."

"What do you think I'm trying to tell you?"

"That we're going to Walt Disney World. On vacation."

"Can I consider myself smothered then?"

"No way."

"At the risk of being nicknamed Garth - way."

"Mommy deserves tons of kisses, doesn't she Slacker?" The dog barked, and Buffy proceeded to do just that. "What about -"

"Everybody." Kiss. "Is." Kiss. "Coming."

"You're devious." Kiss. "But in a good way."

"Glad you think," they kissed longer this time, and then Slacker tilted his had up and licked Willow's chin. They stopped and giggled. "so."

"Looks like he's feeling a little left out."

"There is that little rule about no pets on campus."

"He wanted to come. He's got a mind of his own."

"Kind of like you?"

"I hope that was a compliment, Rosenberg."

"And if it wasn't?"

Buffy smiled and let the dog down on the floor. Willow collapsed back onto the bed.

"Love you."

"Good. Because I have love type feelings for you too."

"I can't believe it. Disney World. Last time I was there was when I was five. Can't even remember it."

"Trust me. It'll be memorable or my name isn't." Buffy captured her lips again. "What's my name?"

"Did I mention I'm really happy? This is gonna be the best -" She got cut off as Willow switched positions with her over and became the kisser. "Chanukmas yet."

"I should really tell you the plan."

"It can wait."

***


It was a rush trying to get everyone to the gate. The hardest part was getting Spike to stay with them. No one could quite figure out why he still came around, still helped. They wouldn't go so far as to call him a friend, mostly because he would have denied it, but he wasn't a foe anymore either. Well, what it came down to was, as long as he didn't try to kill them, or anyone else, they didn't mind him. That much.

"You all look happy." Spike said finally.

"Your point?" Xander asked.

"Too happy if you ask me. That means I'll probably be miserable."

"Look, Spike. You have to come. We gave you a gift last year, remember? That means you're part of this. For me?" Willow asked, pouting.

"Hard to resist, isn't it?" Buffy asked.

"Fine. But if I -"

"I realize I'm kind of new to this," Kate spoke, interrupting Spike, "I just don't get why he's coming along."

"This coming from someone who's dating the poof that made me what I am."

"He's different -" She said as she looked at Angel, who smiled.

"Damn. Already got her defending you? You're quite the charmer aren't you dad?"

"Attempting to goad me, Spike? I though we were past that."

"It's fun to try and give it a go sometimes. Where's the bloody plane?"

"Refueling," Giles said, "so why don't -?"

Joyce gave Giles an apologetic look, turned to her daughter, and then to the other three women. They all thought it was good idea to get out of there too.

"I think I saw a gift shop. Will? Cordy? Kate? Mom?" Buffy asked.

All the women got up, and quickly walked toward the nearest store that might have possibly looked like a gift shop.

***


They finally found one, and went in, dispersing. As Buffy walked through the shop, eventually met up with Kate. They were both a little nervous. Buffy spoke first.

"He seems happy."

"You think so? He's hard to read sometimes."

"I know what you mean. But trust me, you're making him happy."

"That's a relief. I'm happy too."

"Positivity all around then." Buffy looked kind of embarrassed. "I have to admit.I feel really young next to you."

"Is that a nice way of saying I'm old?" Kate asked, a smile in her voice. "You're twenty one. I'm only twenty-nine. And I respect you. I've had to catch lots of sick people, but you, you've seen things I couldn't even imagine. And you're tougher, mentally and physically, than most of the cops in this town."

"You gotta wonder what that says about the people that are supposed to protect us then."

"I guess that wasn't a very good endorsement for law and order. But, as long as we're being honest, I feel like I have to fill your shoes."

"I have small feet. Shouldn't be too hard. From the looks of things, you're doing just fine in your own shoes, anyway. He's just a little scared of hurting you, I think. Scared of himself too. But once you get through the mysterious guy barrier, he's like an open book. Just takes some work."

"I'm a detective. That's what I do."

"Then -"

"Buffy! You gotta take a look at this!" Willow called.

"Willow beckons, I must answer."

"Thanks, Buffy."

"Thank you."

***


"Hurry up! The plane's boarding!" Spike yelled as the women ran back to the gate.

"Keep your fangs on, blondie." Kate said.

"Making fang jokes now. That's just great. You know I may seriously consider switching back to killing humans. The fear. It's vanished."

"Just remember, Spike. I have Mr. Pointy in my jacket. Watch it." Buffy said.

"I'm just trying to get some respect. Is that too much to ask?"

"We respect you. Now just get on the damn plane." Cordelia said.

"I don't know why I agreed to this." Spike said, sighing.



"I have misplaced my pants." (Homer J. Simpson)

"You know what the secret of life is?"
"Your finger?"
"One thing. Just one thing."
"That's great, but what's the one thing?"
"That's what you gotta figure out."
(Jack Palance, Billy Crystal, City Slickers)

"I heard your heartbeat." (Buffy Summers, to Angel, ANGEL)