-
The one thing that Spike really hated about Christmas was the music. It wasn’t just the sugary carols that people sang when they went door to door or in church. The songs that appeared on the radio and when they were being used in the commercials were also incredibly annoying. He was close to asking one of the other two vampires to use their claws and gouge out his eardrums.
“Candles burning low, lots of mistletoe, lot’s of snow and ice,” Drucilla’s dulcet tone rang out behind the door.
Spike sighed. The only way he could tolerate the holiday music is when it was sung by Dru. His sweet Dru, a part of him still loves her and it always will. He remembered the good times they had when they were both badass vampires that terrorized Europe. Then Angelus returned to the mix and he was the bigger demon. Meanwhile Spike felt drawn to the Slayer. He wanted to add another notch to his belt of dead Slayers, but he felt an attraction to her. She was beautiful, brave, got a great smart mouth and had one of the most beautiful and truest souls. He could not be with Drusilla as a torture loving insane vampire. Now Dru was back with both a soul and her humanity.
Spike flopped backwards onto his bed and stretched out his arms. He was falling in love with Drusilla all over again and he still had feelings for Buffy. He wasn’t sure if he felt anything for Harmony. She was wonderful in the sack, but she was stupid and annoying. There was nothing left but sex. He chucked her from his mind and knew his heart was now just divided between Buffy and Dru.
He heard the sounds of Charley and Ed waking up in their coffins.
“Evening boys,” Spike greeted as they unlocked their coffin lids. “Might want to use a candy cane to stir up your blood.”
“How does that taste?” Ed asked as he yawned.
“Minty,” Spike said and sat up. “Ready to open gifts before or after you do your routines?”
“Shower first,” Charley said as he stretched. “And brush my teeth and have a nice warm cup sans candy cane.”
“Don’t you ever have any fun?” Ed asked.
Spike raised an eyebrow. He had heard himself saying the same thing to Angel a few times before.
“I have fun,” Charley said. “I have a lot of fun with Lyra. You know, my girlfriend. What is the name of your girlfriend?”
“Ha ha ha,” Ed said and flipped his friend off.
“Enough,” Spike crawled out of bed. “It’s Christmas at least act like you care.”
-
The fresh warm blood was good. It wasn’t just cow blood there was something added to give it a bit more flavor and it wasn’t otter blood either. Spike wondered what it was. He couldn’t quite identify it but it made his breakfast even more delicious. At least he was able to identify the vodka in the eggnog. What a great way to start Christmas evening.
“Stockings,” Dru squealed as she handed the vampires the stockings she made. All three were made of fuzzy cloth that was stitched together with fluffy white trim. Their names were written in gold glitter paint. “Open them before our friends arrive.”
“Thanks, pet,” Spike said as he pulled out a large candy cane. There were more candy inside including little chocolate Santas, a chocolate orange that you are supposed to smack against the table and blood lollies.
“Blood lollipops?” Ed asked as he pulled his out.
“I don’t think they really have blood,” Charley said as he studied his. “These are Harry Potter lollipops.”
“Sorry guys no blood,” Faith said as she sat down with her glass of eggnog.
“We appreciate the candy,” Charley said.
“There is more,” Drusilla said. She was practically dancing. “Look and see, look and see.”
“Stocking is just like you,” Spike said to her. “Full of surprises.” He reached into the stocking and pulled out a few miniature bottles of liquor. He couldn’t say anything. He remembered the last time he held such tiny bottles before. It was on the plane when he and Angel were trying to save Fred.
“Is something wrong?” Xander asked.
“Nothing’s wrong,” Spike said as he set the bottles down on the coffee table. “Just they remind me of someone.”
Drusilla’s happy face disappeared. “That poor girl.”
“Which one?” Xander asked.
“Fred,” Spike said and sighed.
“Fred?” Ed blinked. “Her name is Fred, now I know why you feel sad for her.”
“Evil,” Charley glared at him before he turned back to Spike. “Who was she?”
“A brilliant mind,” Spike said. “Lot like Ronnie. She was a genius and meek. Spent five years in an alternate world where humans were turned into slaves. We bonded when I was in a non corporal state and helped me become more solid.” He shook his head. “Then Illyria happened. She was a demon, not just any demon one of the most powerful demons that lived in the primordial days. They fought a lot and when their days were coming the an end their remains, their essences were sealed up in sarcophaguses and those were put in a very deep.”
“Primordial age?” Charley asked.
“This world is older than you think,” Xander said. “Our world originally was and before the dinosaurs lived the demons or as the called them the old ones.”
“Like elder gods?” Charley asked
“Cthulhu is real?” Ed asked.
“No,” Faith said. “There might have been something that was similar to him, but not really him.”
“Actually you can’t know for sure these days,” Xander said.
“One of these demons killed this girl?” Ed asked.
“Ed stop it,” Charley told him. “Let Spike tell the story.” He nodded at Spike.
“A few people that worked with us were backstabbing traitors,” Spike said as he remembered everyone who had gone and went behind their backs. “They made a shady deal and had one of the sarcophaguses to office. They wanted Fred to be the host for Illyria. She accidentally unleashed Illyria’s remains and they flew into her. Her insides were cooked and her skin became hard. The death was not the worst. Her soul was destroyed.” He closed his eyes and tried to hold back the tears.
“Not all gone,” Drusilla said as she placed her hand on him. “There are parts of her still around.”
“If you say so love,” Spike said he had to believe her.
The doorbell rang breaking the sadness.
“That should be the kids,” Faith said as she opened the door.
“Yo ho ho,” Ace said as he lead the group of Avenger’s. All the kids were carrying armloads of presents.
“All of mine our hand made,” Rissa said. “Don’t worry there is no magic involved.”
“Charley,” Lyra was the first to notice their expressions. “What’s wrong?”
“Yeah who died?” Ace asked and was slugged in the arm by Ronnie. “Uh sorry.”
“And this is why you have two huge wings on your back,” Ronnie told him. “Because you don’t think.”
“Leave him alone,” Spike said as he held up his hand. “Not his fault you don’t know.”
“What had happened?” Tyler asked.
“Another time,” Spike said. He forced himself to smile. “It’s Christmas lets get with the Christmasy. Dru, you play Santa Clause.”
“Gather around the tree,” Drusilla ordered.
They all took their places close to the tree. It was six feet in height and made of plastic. They got it from Walgreens at a great low price and decorated it with ornaments bought at both Walgreens and at dollar stores and hand made ornaments, mostly from Dru, but she insisted that everyone at least make one. Spike got a few pipe cleaners together, one white, a red shiny one and a green shiny one. He wove them together like a braid and kept it in place with glue and bent the end in a cane.
Drusilla handed out presents to everyone and then divided up the gifts that the Avengers had bought. Once the gifts were handed out they opened them.
Spike decided to go something simple for the kids. He got the girls all little hand lotion sets. For the guys he got them gift cards to Best Buy. He bought Faith a Disaronno gift set. He got Xander an X-men coffee mug. He bought both Charley and Ed decent pairs of sunglasses.
“Whoo chocolate,” Faith shouted as he unwrapped Ed’s gift. Evil was similar in his gift giving. He bought chocolates for all of the girls.
“I don’t believe this,” Xander said as he unwrapped Charley’s gift for him. It was a discoball for his room. “I had one of these back in Sunnydale.”
“Hot wheels,” Ace shouted as he held up Ed’s gift for him. He was shouting all of the gifts he had received. He had two more gifts left. One was from Charley and the other was from Rissa. It seemed everyone was saving the gifts from their loved ones for last.
“Thank you for the set,” Tyler said to Ronnie. She had given him a set of cooking tools: tongs, a meat tenderizer, stirring spoons, slotted spoons, ladles, spatulas, large plastic fork, a whisk, and a rolling pin.
“Now you have a set all your own,” Ronnie told him. “You are going to end up moving out one of these days.”
“My cousin likes to cook,” Rissa explained. She gave everyone small painted pictures. Spikes picture was of some cool monster that looked like a cross between a motorcycle and a skeleton.
“And he’s a damn good cook,” Ace said.
“I’m not that good,” Tyler said.
“Yes you are,” Ronnie told him.
“Should come over and cook with Xander and Dru,” Spike said as he opened his gift from Ed. It was a fine bottle of Scottish whiskey.
“Oh dude you didn’t,” Ace said as he opened up the box Charley got him. “An actual black leather duster.” He pulled it out of the box. “Was this your way of asking for your coat back?”
“Not really,” Charley said. “I was borrowing something similar from the set.”
“Oh Spike,” Drusilla said as she opened her gift. It was a tea set made out of white china, trimmed with gold and painted with red and pink roses. He got her the entire set with pot, cups, saucers, sugar bowl and cream pitcher.
“Only the best for you,” Spike said before she kissed him.
“Oh my god,” Charley said as he unwrapped his gift from Lyra. “I’ve been trying to find this poster for years. Where did you get it?”
“Hot Topic,” Lyra told him.
“Hot Topic?” Charley blinked. “It was actually there?”
“Hard to believe. I guess you can say it is thanks to serendipity.”
“Gotta love that serendipity,” Charley said as he embraced her and placed a kiss on her forehead. “Here is yours.” He handed her a jewelry box.
“Nice,” Faith said as she removed the dagger from the box. It was Xander’s gift to her.
“Phantasm movies,” Xander said as he looked at his gift from her. “I kinda love how you know me.”
Spike sat back and watched as Charley helped Lyra with her new Batman locket. Rissa was admiring her leather bound spell book that Ace got her. Ace received a nice new watch from her.
“Spike here is my gift,” Drusilla handed him a small wrapped box.
“Thank you, love,” Spike said as he unwrapped the box. Inside was nice looking skull keychain with a key attached. “What’s the key to?”
“Close your eyes and follow,” Dru instructed as she grabbed his hand.
Spike did as she said. He felt himself being pulled and guided through the house. He felt the cool and crisp breezes and heard the leaves that were still on the trees rustle. They were outside. He smelled something metallic and new.
“Open your eyes,” Dru told him.
He opened his eyes and opened them wide. Right in the middle of the driveway was brand new black Harley Sportster.
“Do you like it?” Dru asked.
“Do I like it?” Spike asked. “That is asking if I like the Ramones or the Sex Pistols or a good bar brawl, of course I like it. Drusilla this is the best present anyone could get me.”
“I’m glad you love it,” Dru said.
“Not as much as I love you.” He pulled her into a deep embrace and kissed her.
-