'Well, I'll have a blue Christmas without you...'
Xander started to raise his glass of JD for another drink, then
realized he was out, again. "Shpikie, I need more."
Spike looked over at Xander, studying the boy's features, then
sighed, "Bloody hell, you've had almost as much as me.
You don't need any more."
'I'll be so blue just thinking about you.'
"But how else will I get the pain out?"
'Decorations a-red on a green Christmas tree...'
"Oooo..." Xander's glass fell to the floor as he tried
to stand up.
'Won't mean a thing, dear, if you're not here with me.'
"Now what, pet?"
"Gotta turn the lights on."
"Turn the lights on?" Spike asked, confused.
"On the tree, silly." Xander stood up, wobbled a bit, then
stumbled over to the tree. He was reaching for the cord when
something grabbed him. "Shpike, are you back there?"
"What do you think?" came a hoarse growl.
"Spike?!" yelled a panic-stricken Xander.
"Nope, just me!" the growl said as Xander was suddenly pulled
into the tree.
"Aiiiee! It's got me!"
"What's got you pet?"
"The tree! The tree is trying to eat me!"
"You sure about that?" snickered Spike. "Maybe you
got caught on something."
"Hungry, so hungry," came the growl again. Xander screamed.
Spike shot across the room, stopping as he took in the strangest
sight he had ever seen. Xander was hanging partially out of the
tree, which was pulling him in with its branches.
"Spike, save me!"
"Sounding a bit more sober, there, Pet," said Spike, as
he studied the situation. Then he smirked. "Hold tight,
Pet. I'll be right back."
"Where am I gonna... ow!" Xander yelped as the tree bit
him. "Hurry!"
Spike ran to the kitchen, grabbed some cooking oil, and ran
back. Xander was unconscious and Spike could hear the tree
making obscene slurping noises. "Bloody hell, a fucking
vampire-tree."
Spike tore the cap off the oil and doused the tree liberally, then
lit a cigarette and tossed it on the tree, watching with a bit of glee
as the thing went up in flames immediately. Spike then grabbed
Xander and pulled him away from the Christmas tree of death.
It was obvious that the boy had lost too much blood. One of Xander's legs had a huge chunk
taken out of it. Spike picked the boy up and left the basement.
Idly, he
wondered if the boy's parents would make it out of the house before it
burned down.
Setting Xander down on the grass, Spike realized he didn't have
much time left, so he tore his wrist open and placed it over the boy's
mouth. Xander immediately began sucking, and soon Spike had to
pull away. He watched as the boy stopped breathing.
He'd been planning on turning the boy ever since Angel offered him
up as a gift. But Spike had never imagined that a blood-sucking
tree would be the excuse he needed to claim the boy as his Childe.
"Merry Christmas, Xander," he said, hoisting the boy over
his shoulder and heading for his crypt.
