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Epilogue: A Very Merry Christmas

“’Bout bloody time Peaches finally put the company’s resources to good use,” Spike said as he prepared himself a drink from the bar. Buffy just rolled her eyes at him as she settled back in her plush chair, nodding distractedly at something Dawn said from the seat next to her.

“You’re not gonna get drunk just because we’re spending Christmas in L.A., are you?” Buffy asked, eyeing the double-shot of Jack Daniels he poured into a tumbler.

“Make this soddin trip go a lot quicker,” he mumbled under his breath.

“I heard that. Vampire hearing now, remember? Now, come sit down and keep me company,” Buffy said, patting the seat beside her. Actually, she wanted her pillow back. The long flight from Rome to L.A. was extremely boring, and she was hoping to get a nice nap in to make the time go by quicker.

“Can’t believe I agreed to this…wasn’t Thanksgiving enough? It’s bad enough I’m the only bloke living with twelve females. Now, I’m willingly going to add Angel’s gang, the Scoobies, and your git of a watcher too? For a whole soddin week? Am I bloody insane? I swear… if Giles brings Andrew with him I’m bloody well locking myself in my suite and refusing to come out!”

“Spike?” He looked up from his rant into Buffy’s eyes.

She knew this act was just for show. Spike had come to tentative truce with Xander. Oh… they still traded their barbed nicknames, but it was done more out of habit than malice now. He’d also put aside his differences with Giles. She knew he was secretly grateful that Giles had come to Rome at a moments notice to help her. Shoot, even Angel seemed to be part of Spike’s recent good will. The two had apparently buried the hatchet of whatever had seemed to be bothering them for the last oh…hundred years or so. Sure, Spike still seemed to get on Angel’s nerves. But, Buffy thought he did that to keep Angel from constantly brooding. A smile came to her lips as she thought about what mischief Spike would create with Angel once they arrived in LA.

“Huh?”

“Shut up,” Buffy replied, slipping a little exasperation into her tone of voice. His scarred brow quirked at that and Buffy gifted him with another roll of her eyes. Seeing “Plan A” wasn’t working, she quickly regrouped and switched to “Plan B.”

“I’m tired, Spike,” she half-whined. “Can you come and sit down so I can lean on you and take a nap… please?” Out of the corner of her eye, she made out her sister’s eye roll at her expense. ‘Hey…whatever worked.’ The plaintive whining worked. Spike pushed himself away from the bar and sat down beside Buffy.

“C’mere, luv,” he said softly, guiding Buffy’s head to rest in his lap. As his fingers glided through her hair, she was soon lulled to sleep. She slept until Spike gently shook her awake, telling her that they were about to land.

The nice thing about having your own private company jet was that it was usually stored in your private hangar. This allowed the two vampires to easily switch from plane to limo without worrying about the daytime sky. The limos and the lack of having to deal with baggage claim were a big bonus as well. In a matter of minutes, both limousines were wending their way through the afternoon Los Angeles traffic on their way to the Wolfram & Hart law offices.

~*~*~*~*~

“Peaches!” Spike hollered, throwing open the double doors to his office.

“Spike,” Angel muttered. His voice became much friendlier as he greeted Buffy, Dawn, and the others.

“How was your flight? No problems, were there?”

“The flight was fine…” Buffy started.

“’Course it was fine for you… you slept the whole way.” That remark earned Spike an elbow to the ribs.

“Ow! Bloody hell, slayer! What the hell was that for? ‘S the truth…” Buffy ignored him and turned to Angel.

“Thanks for the use of your plane, Angel. You didn’t have to do that. Giles was going to pick up the tab with Council funds,” Buffy told him.

“Not a problem at all. Besides, half the time the thing is just sitting in the hangar. It gave the pilots a chance to rack up some in-flight miles if nothing else.”

“Well, thanks…so… speaking of… have you heard from Giles? What about Willow and Xander? Anything from them?” she asked.

“As a matter of fact, I just sent the limo after Giles. His flight is due to arrive any time now, and with his Council credentials, he shouldn’t have to deal with a long line in customs. He should be here in about an hour. Willow is already here, probably asleep in her room. Xander isn’t due in for another two hours yet.”

Standing up from behind his desk, he gestured to the elevators in the corner of his office.

“Why don’t I show you all where you’ll be staying and let you get settled in? Sound good?” Murmured assents were whispered from the grateful group. After a ten hour flight, everyone was eager for a shower and a bed, not necessarily in that order. Jet lag was a bitch.

Angel showed everyone to his or her rooms, explaining that he didn’t have a formal meal planned for tonight as he had figured on everyone being exhausted. He did, however, show them how to get food and drink delivered to their rooms via the telephones and that breakfast was being catered in one of the conference rooms in the morning.

~*~*~*~*~

Buffy and Spike were alone in their room. The room Angel had given the two to use was rather large. The door opened to a large sitting area that included a huge couch and entertainment center. Further in the room was a pseudo dining area and bar; the bar included a mini refrigerator, microwave and sink. Cabinets above housed an assortment of dishes and glasses. A beautifully decorated folding screen provided privacy for the huge king-sized bed that was tucked against the back wall. The headboard, dresser, nightstands, and foot chest were all composed of the same dark wood, all beautifully handcrafted. Off to the side was – upon further inspection – a huge bathroom. A shower and separate sunken tub made out of beautiful tile beckoned visitors to while away the hours why getting clean.

Buffy wandered out of the bathroom and started unpacking the many suitcases that were brought up by some flunky and were now stacked at the foot of the bed. Spike had wandered to the bar after cutting on the television. ‘Probably trying to see if ‘Passions’ was on,’ Buffy thought.

“Ahhh… good ole Peaches,” Spike said as he pulled a couple packets of blood out of the mini refrigerator. Buffy was unsure what Spike was talking about until she peeked around the folding screen and saw him dangling a couple bags of blood in the air.

Realizing that it had been a while since she fed, Buffy licked her lips in anticipation. Watching her tongue glided unselfconsciously around her lips had Spike’s cerulean gaze darkening to an almost midnight-blue hue. Seeing her effect on him had Buffy repeating the action, this time with seductive slowness.

In the weeks since being turned, Buffy had started taking her blood out of a mug like Spike. But, that was usually when he wasn’t around. Most times, she continued to feed from him. He didn’t seem to mind, in fact, he encouraged it. Both enjoyed the closeness it provided to each other. So, whenever they were alone – like now – Spike would feed from the mug, and Buffy would in turn feed from him… which usually led to other things.

It was those “other things” that had Buffy crossing swiftly to their bedroom door to secure the lock before turning back to Spike with a predatory look. Eyes locked on him as he waited for the blood to heat in the microwave above the refrigerator, Buffy began a slow striptease as she made her way to the huge king-sized bed, negligently dropping items of clothing along the way.

As she reached the screen, the last item of clothing slipped from her fingertips. With a seductive wink and a crook of her finger, she sauntered behind the screen, hidden from his view, to await him on the bed. She held a hand over her mouth to keep from laughing as she heard him mutter at the microwave to “bloody hurry up.” She was surprised he didn’t just open the door and guzzle the blood semi-cold.

Although, it would be just like him to tease her by waiting after that little striptease she just pulled. Just in case he was of that mind, she fluffed the pillows behind her and got started without him.

Licking both fingers in turn, she let them slip from her mouth to trail down her neck to her awaiting breasts. The wicked thoughts running through her head had her nipples tightening. Using a hand on each, she rubbed the hardening nubs between her thumb and forefinger. Vaguely, she heard the timer for the microwave sound. When he didn’t immediately show himself, she realized that she had guessed correctly: he was going to take his time. ‘No matter,’ she thought as she continued to pluck and roll her nipples.

Buffy pushed thoughts of her wayward Sire aside as she got caught up in pleasuring herself. She allowed one hand to fall from her breast to glide down her flat stomach to play with the coarse curls covering her sex. She felt the first drops of moisture as she trailed her fingers around the outer folds. ‘He should smell that. Now let’s see how long it’ll take him now.’

Turning her mind back to the matter at hand, she trailed a finger up and down the length of her slit coating her finger with her juices. When it was good and wet, she allowed it to slip inside her. A soft moan escaped her lips. She pumped her finger inside her a few times before adding a second… and then a third. It wasn’t enough. Removing her other hand from where it was alternately tugging on her nipples, she let it trail down to draw lazy circles using her thumb on her clit.

So involved was she in bringing herself to climax, she didn’t see Spike walk around the folding screen. Was oblivious to his enraptured stare as he watched his golden goddess writhe around on the bed, head thrown back, eyes closed as she attempted to achieve her release.

Spike quickly stripped out of his clothes, letting them fall where he stood. With feline grace he crawled up the length of the bed. Lowering his head to where her fingers were furiously working to bring herself off, he extended his tongue to lap at the juices coating the fingers pumping into her body. His hand came up to replace the one of hers that was circling her clit. Her suddenly free hand worked its way into his hair to hold his head secure at her apex.

The pleasurable feeling of his cool tongue laving her outer folds and fingers had them stilling their insistent pumping. As her fingers slipped from her slick passage, she felt as Spike slipped each one into his mouth to suck it clean. That task out of the way, he bent his head to allow his tongue to lave up and down her slit before plunging inside. Buffy’s hips shot off the bed when she felt his tongue slip inside her core. She groaned in disappointment when she felt his tongue leave her, but moaned in delight as she felt him slide up her body positioning his cock at her entrance and thrusting deep inside.

The mewling sound that issued forth from her lips as her inner walls gloved his staff nearly sent Spike over the edge. He attempted to hold himself still for a moment, taking deep unnecessary breaths, his forehead resting on hers, as he fought to bring his raging desire under control; but Buffy had other ideas. Her hands slipped to his tight ass, each hand grabbing a taut globe and squeezing; she gripped him so tight she knew that her nails were going to leave small, bloody crescent marks.

“Move, dammit,” she commanded. To further illustrate her point, she pushed her hips down into the mattress causing his cock to slip out of her slightly. With her hands still imbedded in his ass, she pulled him forcefully back inside her, while she lifted her hips to grind her clit up into his pelvic bone.

The slim control Spike tried to maintain snapped and with a fierce snarl he let himself go. Slipping his arms underneath her shoulder blades, he used his hands to grip the tops of her shoulders to hold her in place while he proceeded to fuck her into the mattress. If the keening cries issuing forth from her lips were any indication, she didn’t appear to mind. Buffy raised her legs on either side of his hips to wrap around his lower back.

“God… yes… fuck… Buffy…” he got out, as the new position allowed him to penetrate a little deeper. He never slowed his pace and continued to fuck her as if he couldn’t get enough of her, sinking into her body over and over to the sound of her cries.

“Yesssss… Spike… harder…faster…yeah, baby…that’s it… more…” He felt her start to spasm around his cock, watched as head fell back exposing her neck as she climaxed, her juices cascading over his pulsating length. With one more surge within her slick passage, he came, his seed spewing forth within the depths of her body. Her neck was too good an invitation to pass up and he sunk his fangs in his mark then began sucking small amounts of her blood into his mouth. The second penetration sent another orgasm crashing over her.

Spike released her neck, lovingly closing the fresh marks on her neck before he collapsed on top of her. The feel of his weight as he lay on top of her was something akin to heaven, and Buffy wrapped her arms around him, holding him close.

After a time, Spike shifted to lie beside her, spooning her backside as he pulled her back in his arms. With a kiss to her bare shoulder, he drifted off to sleep.

“I love you,” she whispered, before she too gave herself over to sleep. She could feed later.

~*~*~*~*~

After a good night’s rest by Angel’s guests, everyone gathered the next day in his office. It was officially Christmas Eve. Angel had given the employees of Wolfram & Hart the day off, much to the shock of the senior partners – who let their displeasure be known via Eve.

Angel just told her politely to “stuff it,” inviting her to leave so that he could spend time with his family and friends. She left his office in a huff, much to the amusement of the people currently occupying his office.

Everyone came armed with their gifts, piling them in a vacant corner, to be opened tomorrow.

The gang spent the afternoon hanging out in Angel’s office, either socializing or watching the television playing the latest in holiday entertainment. By early evening, everyone made their way to their individual rooms to relax after a day of eating, drinking, and being merry.

After the last person left his office, Angel picked up the phone and had his decorators get to work.


~*~*~*~*~

Buffy and Spike finally made their way back to their room after wishing Dawn a Merry Christmas and that they would see her in the morning. Hand-in-hand, the two walked into their borrowed room. Spike looked up in surprise at all the unlit candles scattered about the room. Turning to Buffy, he quirked a brow at her.

She just smiled at him. She had sent him out of the room ahead of her on the pretext that she forgot to grab a gift. After he had left, she’s pulled the candles from their hiding place and placed them all over their room. Quickly, so as not to arouse his suspicions, Buffy got everything prepared for the early Christmas gift she planned to give him.

Now that everything was in place, Buffy was ready to give Spike his early Christmas gift. It was Christmas Eve after all, and it was a tradition in the Summers’ household that everyone got to open one gift the day before Christmas.

Moving forward, she grabbed Spike’s hand in hers and led him to the bed. Telling him to get undressed, she left him there to walk about the room lighting the candles. When she was done, the room resembled her bedroom at her “awakening.” She wondered briefly if Spike realized the significance of the candles, but figured he probably didn’t.

Buffy knew how much Spike wanted to claim her, but had resisted. She was glad, because she wanted to be the one to initiate this. To prove to him how much she loved him. She had heard how he’d tried to claim Dru so many years ago, only to have her reject his claim. It was probably why he hesitated with her now. Although, if Spike had initiated the claim, she would have certainly reciprocated. She wanted nothing more than to tie herself to this man for all eternity.

But, she wanted to be the one to do it.

To show how much she loved him. Would always love him.

After all the candles were lit, she walked back to the foot of the bed, gazing down at her naked lover. The love spilling forth from his eyes had her weak in the knees. With her eyes fixated on his, she slowly undid the buttons to her top before shrugging out of her top. Reaching one hand up between her breasts, she undid the front clasp of her red lace bra, allowing it to follow the same path to the floor as her shirt.

She watched as his eyes blazed hot with his mounting desire. Her eyes flicked briefly to the cock standing so proudly at attention. Licking her lips in anticipation, she reached behind her to undo the clasp of her skirt then lowering the zipper. The garment fell to the floor to pool at her feet. She stood before him in the matching pair of red thong underwear. Slipping a finger into either side of the waistband, she slowly lowered them to the floor, her eyes never leaving his as she worked the cloth down her toned legs.

Finished with her little striptease, she stood back up, allowing Spike to feast on her naked figure. If possible, his eyes seemed to smolder more, his hardened cock straining towards her.

With a smile on her lips, she crawled on the edge of the bed to make her way up his body. As she slithered up the length of his body, her tongue darted out to lick a path from the base of his cock, up along the underside, swirling around the head…once, twice, before engulfing his engorged staff in her mouth. His hands fisted in her hair as she took him all in her mouth, a hoarse, “Fuck… Buffy…” escaping his lips. As her head bobbed up and down on his staff, incoherent babblings issued forth from his lips.

“Oh God… feels so good… don’t stop… harder… ahhh…”

His words spurred her on, increasing her pace as she deep-throated him. Reaching one hand down, she fondled his balls, rolling them around in her hand.

“God… Buffy… gonna cum…”

Slipping his cock out of her mouth so just the head remained, she ran her tongue along the underside of his length, tracing the tip along the protruding veins. Then, in one quick motion, so took him in her mouth to the hilt, sucking hard on the upstroke to send him over the edge, before enveloping him once more.

It was too much for Spike to take. Grabbing the back of her head, he thrust his hips upward and came.

“Buffy…” he hollered, as his orgasm overtook his body.

Buffy eagerly swallowed as his release flooded her mouth, the extra sucking action causing slight tremors to shudder through his body. Slowly, she worked her mouth up and down his cock, making sure he was licked clean, before releasing him from her mouth.

As he collapsed back to the bed, a smug look came over her face. Licking her lips to get any stray bits she may have missed, Buffy moved further up his body. Straddling his hips, she leaned down and kissed his parted lips, allowing him to taste himself on her.

The moan that escaped his mouth had her once again licking her lips this time in anticipation. She could feel him start to swell again as she leaned over him, sampling his lips. Eagerly, she started to rub her wet slit along the length of him, her juices spilling forth to coat his now-hard cock. Reaching one hand between her legs, she gripped him, stroking him a few times, before rubbing the head up and down her slick entrance.

Her head fell back as he lifted his hips to slip slightly inside her drenched passage. A soft mewl escaped her lips. His raised his hips again, slipping a little further inside her core. Unable to stand the exquisite torture anymore, Buffy sank down on his length until she felt his pelvic bone grind into her clit.

She felt his hands slide to her waist to guide her movements as she rode him. She wanted nothing more than for him to flip her to her back and pound into her with bruising intensity, but she needed to be in control tonight. Later, she promised herself. Right now, she just rode him for all she was worth, clamping her inner walls tightly around his cock.

All too soon, her climax was upon her and she ground down on him as she began to quiver around him. Her demonic features slid to the fore and she came with a roar, burying her fangs in his neck, pulling his blood into her mouth, swallowing it down greedily.

Her fangs were his undoing, and with his hands gripping her waist tightly, his hips shot off the bed as he filled her core with his release.

“Mine!” she growled fiercely, as she felt his cock pulsing within her, releasing his seed within her.

His eyes flew wide at her stated claim.

“Yours,” he answered humbly, overwhelmed by her gift.

With a fierce wave of possessiveness, Spike flipped her to her back, careful not to jar her fangs where they clung to his neck. Allowing his own features to shift, he quickly sunk them into her neck, just above his original mark. As her blood slid down his throat, a wave of contentment washed over him.

“Mine,” he growled back.

“Yours,” was her soft reply as she released her fangs from his neck. Buffy nicked her tongue with her fang and brought Spike’s lips to her own, sealing their vow. Releasing each other’s lips, they allowed their own blood to coat the fresh marks they gave one another before licking the wounds closed.

With a sated sigh, he rolled off her then gathered her close to his side. His fingertips trailed up and down the length of her arm that was draped across his middle.

Her head tilted up so that Buffy could look at him. The love blazing from his eyes humbled her. Moving the hand draped across his waist upward, she trailed her fingers down his sharp cheekbones. The gentle caress had him closing his eyes in pleasure.

“I love you, Spike,” she whispered softly. His eyes flew open at her declaration. Sure, she had said the words often after awakening and he never got tired of hearing them. It’s just that now, finally being mated, and the words springing forth from her lips… that little niggling of doubt that whispered to him in the back of his mind was gone. She really loved him…proved it in the claim that she had instigated.

“I love you too, Buffy. Forever.”

~*~*~*~*~

It was early Christmas morning, and everyone was sprawled around Angel’s office in preparation of the gift exchange. Demons and human alike gathered to spread good cheer and bestow gifts of love and friendship to their friends and family. Even Willow – who was Jewish – got into the gift-giving atmosphere that was spreading throughout the room.

All were in awe of the sudden transformation Angel’s office underwent over the previous night. It was as if Santa’s own decorator came in to transform the vampire’s office from a cold, remote workspace to a warm, inviting winter wonderland. Some type of holiday decoration covered every available surface. The once-vacant wall that was the home of the pile of presents now sported a huge Christmas tree, complete with fancy decorations.

At the entrance to his office, mistletoe hung from the frame so that Angel was able to take advantage and place a chaste kiss to each of the females as they entered his office. The other males soon got caught up in the act and began dragging unsuspecting victims to the special branch to claim their kiss.

After a time, everyone took a seat so they could begin passing out gifts.

Spike and Buffy were curled up on the couch nuzzling next to one another. Surprisingly, Xander and his werewolf fiancé, Alaine, were sitting next to them. Dawn and Willow sat on the floor chatting to the two.

On a separate couch sat Fred, Wesley, Giles, and Gunn. Lorne was at the bar fixing himself a drink. The young slayers were scattered on the floor in small groups, talking amongst themselves.

Almost all of them were practically prancing in their seats, each waiting with child-like eagerness to start tearing into the beautifully wrapped packages.

Angel broke into their conversations to say, “I want to thank you all for coming to spend your Christmas here. Rather than go into some longwinded speech, how ‘bout we just get to opening gifts?”

That announcement was met with several “hear hear’s” and a few “yeses” from some of the girls. Smiling, he walked over to the tree and grabbed a gift.

“Giles. This one is for you.”

“Oh, I say…” he trailed off, a blush staining his face. He got up and went to retrieve his gift. Angel started calling out more names until, finally, everyone was loaded down with presents surrounding them.

Some eagerly opened their gifts, tearing into the paper then squealing with delight at what they had received. Others, tentatively opened packages, shocked to be receiving a gift in the first place.

One such person was Angel. Spike and Buffy watched as he fingered the wrapping paper of the gift they had given him. He looked up and made eye contact. ‘Open it,’ Buffy mouthed. Turning his attention once more to the package, Angel tore off the paper, suddenly overcome with giddy anticipation. His normally expressionless face gave way to awe as he fingered the gift they had given him: multiple sketchpads, pencils and charcoals of exceptional quality stared back at him.

“Read the note,” Spike said soft enough that he could be heard, but not overheard by the others as noise erupted around them. Angel glanced up for a second before looking through the supplies for a note. Finding it, he opened it and quickly perused its contents. When he was done, he looked back up at both of them and nodded once.


Angel,

I know this is your gift, but both Spike and I would like something in return. We want a family portrait – a complete family portrait.

Love,
Buffy

(The “complete family portrait” was underlined twice.)

A/N: Ok, all, this is it. The last "chapter" of this story. Keep in mind, some issues haven't been resolved. 1. Buffy's demons. 2. Willow's part in the spell. They'll be resolved in the sequel.  Hope you've enjoyed the tale so far...

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