Disclaimer- I do not own the characters of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. They belong to 20th Century Fox, Joss Whedon, and Mutant Enemy. I am using them without permission, however I am not making any money off this so please do not sue me. I don't own the premise for this story either, it's an alternate to Amends. The original transcription was done by AleXander Thompson. I also mean no infringement to 20th Century Fox or anyone else by using it.
Author's Notes- This follows The Way It should Be and the currently unfinished Be Careful What You Wish For. You should read The Way It Should Be first, but you can skip Be Careful What You Wish For, which might never get done anyway. The series is an alternate to the third season of Buffy, starting in Lover's Walk. This is a happier version. This is the Amends Episode. Enjoy.
Feedback- Please! Send feedback but no flames.
Distribution- Buffy's Passion, Daydreams of BtVS, and anyone else who has any of my stories archived at their site has permission, everyone else just ask me first. I'll almost always say yes.
Rating- TV-14, if you could watch the Amends episode of Buffy, you can read this.
Classification: Buffy and Angel, Drama/Romance.
Spoilers- Lover's Walk and back, mild ones for Amends.

Dublin, Ireland, 1838.

It was Christmas time. ground. A carriage went by. Behind it a very worried-looking young man hurried along the street. He constantly looked back to see if he was being followed. In a more crowded area he pushed his way through the people, eliciting a few comments on his rudeness. Suddenly a pair of arms reached out from an alleyway, pull him in and throw him to the snow-covered cobblestones. He looked up to see who his aggressor is, and found Angelus standing over him, sporting his game face.

Angelus: "Daniel. Where were you going?"

Daniel: (afraid) "You! You're not human."

Angelus: (agreeably) "Not of late, no."

Daniel: (begging) "Wh-what do you want?"

Angelus: "Well, it happens that I'm hungry, Daniel, and seeing as that you're somewhat in me debt..."

Daniel: (frightened) "Please, I can't!"

Angelus: "A man playing at cards should have a natural intelligence or a great deal of money, and you're sadly lacking in both."

Daniel tried to get up and flee, but Angelus grabbed him by the coat and roared.

Angelus: "So I take me winnings me own way.

Daniel: He looked up, terrified. "The Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures..."

Angelus: (interrupts) "Daniel, be of good cheer. It's Christmas!"

He bit him violently on the neck.

* * * * *

Angel awoke from his dream with a start, and after realising it was only a dream, he sat up in bed.

* * * * *

Down town Sunnydale. In the window of an audio/video store a TV is tuned to the weather.

Weatherman: "It's going to be sunny and warm with temperatures continuing in the high 70s" about 25C. "throughout the holiday weekend. Just a little warm to light the Yule log, but it should make for a very nice Christmas.

Angel walked past the shop window at a brisk pace and crossed the street. He passed a Santa Claus ringing a bell and collecting for the Salvation Army. A passerby dropped some coins into his pot.

Santa: "Merry Christmas!"

Angel stopped short when he unexpectedly ran into Buffy. They were both surprised, and didn't say anything for a moment. Angel broke the silence.

Angel: "Hi."

Buffy: (smiling) "What are you doing out here Honey?"

Angel didn't answer, and the silence got a little awkward.

Buffy: "So, are you shopping?" She looked at him playfully. "Getting me a gift are you, that's so sweet."

Angel: "I couldn't sleep."

Buffy: "Why were you sleeping at night, I thought that was a daytime activity?"

Angel: "Busy night."

Buffy smiled again.

Buffy: "Yeah, I fell asleep in homeroom. Oops. Oh, would it be okay if I spent Christmas day at you're place? Mom gave me permission."

Angel: "That would be great. Be warned though this is the first Christmas I've celebrated in a long time."

Buffy: "That's okay." She smiled. "I was buying some last minute gifts." She looked down at the boxes she was carrying. "You think Giles will like a tweed vest? It was all I could think of."

Angel's attention was diverted to behind Buffy. In the middle of the street he saw an apparition of Daniel looking sadly back at him.

Buffy: (continuing) "I got Cordy a bottle of perfume, she should like it."

Angel and Daniel exchanged a long look, then Daniel walked away. Buffy noticed Angel's distraction.

Buffy: "Angel?"

She looked behind herself and saw nothing, then turned her concerned attention back to Angel.

Buffy: "What is it?"

Angel was frozen with fear.

Part One

Sunnydale High School. The bell rang, and students began to pour out of the classrooms into the halls. Buffy, Willow and Xander came out of one and head over to the girls' lockers.

Buffy: "And then he just bailed. He didn't say anything. He just took off. It was so weird."

The girls both worked their locker combinations.

Xander: "Angel? Weird? What are the odds?"

He got a look from Buffy.

Willow: "Do you think something's wrong? Maybe you should tell Giles."

They both opened their lockers and got what they need.

Buffy: "No. I don't wanna bug Giles. He's so lonely, and I don't want to bother him. Especially on the holidays."

She took off her jacket and hung it in her locker.

Xander: "Yeah. Poor Guy."

Willow zipped up her book bag and closed her locker as well. They all started down the hall.

Willow: "Maybe Angel just has the holiday blues. Everybody gets 'em."

Buffy: "I know, but I want this year to be special. We're even going to celebrate together."

A Christmas tree was set up in the student lounge. The gang came out of an adjacent hall and headed into the lounge.

Xander: "So, you and Angel are spending Christmas together?"

Buffy: "Yeah. Mom gave me permission to spend the whole day with him. What are you guys doing?"

Willow: "Being Jewish. Remember, people? Not everybody worships Santa."

Buffy: (smiles) "I just meant for vacation.

Willow: "Mm. Oz and I have plans."

They took the steps up to the couches and sit down.

Buffy: "Cool. You Xander?"

Xander: "Well, I'll be enjoying my annual Christmas Eve camp-out. See, I take my sleeping bag outside and I go to sleep on the grass."

Cordelia walks up.

Willow: "Sounds fun."

Xander: "Yeah, I like to look at the stars, you know? Feel the whole nature vibe."

Cordelia: "You'll also be missing me, right?"

Xander smiled at her and motioned for her to sit down beside him.

Xander: "Yes. Of, course."

Cordelia: "Well, I'll be miserable in Aspen."

Willow: "Miserable?"

Cordelia: "I had planned to spend Christmas with Xander, just the two of us, but no. That's not going to happen."

Buffy: "Poor you."

Cordelia: "Yeah. I got to go. I'll call you tonight before I leave okay?"

Xander nodded and she gave him a quick kiss before walking away.

Buffy: "Things certainly seem to be going well for you two."

Xander: "Can't complain."

Willow: "Not even going to comment."

Oz walked up to the group. He dropped a kiss on Willow's head.

Oz: "What's going on?"

Buffy has a happy look on her face.

Buffy: "We were talking about our holiday plans."

Oz: "I sense giddiness."

Buffy smiled, then shrugged.

Buffy: "I know it's weird, but this feel like the happiest I've ever been. I have Angel, nothing can ever take him from me now, you guys all have someone, Mom knows I'm the slayer. It just feels good you know?"

Everyone nodded. Willow looked at Buffy and smiled.

Willow: "What about, Angel weirdness."

Buffy shrugged.

Buffy: "It's probably nothing, or just nerves. Come on he hasn't celebrated Christmas in over 200 years, he has to be a little nervous."

* * * * *

A Christmas Tree lot. Buffy and her mother walked through trying to find the right one. Other shoppers were also selecting trees.

Shopper: "Take the other one, then."

Off to one side the tree merchant was spraying fake snow onto a tree. Joyce looked over one of the snowed trees.

Joyce: "Do you wanna get one with snow on it? Be very Christmasy."

They continues through the tree lot.

Buffy: "I think those are just for display."

Joyce: "Oh. You know, honey, I was thinking. Maybe we should invite Faith to spend Christmas Eve with us, and then she and I can spend Christmas together while you're with Angel."

Buffy: "I don't know. Faith and I don't really hang out. Or talk or make eye contact lately.

Joyce: She looked over another tree. "Do you really wanna let her spend Christmas Eve all by herself in that dingy little motel room? Besides, would you leave you're poor mother all by herself on Christmas Day?"

Buffy: (smiling) "You're still number one with a guilt trip, Mom."

Joyce: "I try."

Buffy: "I'll ask her."

Joyce: "You're a doll."

Buffy: "What about Giles? I mean, he doesn't have any fam..."

Joyce: (interrupting) "No, I'm sure he's fine."

Buffy: "We could at least ask him and see..."

Joyce: "He doesn't wanna spend Christmas Eve with a bunch of girls." She took a deep breath. "Let's split up."

She went off to her right. Buffy sighed and continued looking. She noticed an area where a bunch of the trees are all brown, and walked over to them for a closer look. The tree merchant came up to her.

Tree merchant: "Bunch of them up and died on us. Don't know why. If you want one, I can make you a hell of a deal."

Buffy: "No, thank you."

Joyce: from a distance. "Oh, honey, this one's perfect!"

Buffy went to see what her mother has found.

* * * *

Images of a fire and burning candles floated around. The image of a round table with candles at its center and ritualistic artifacts arranged to form three spokes upon it, all surrounded by a circle, appeared. Three chanting figures were sitting round the table, their palms placed flat upon the table's rim, as if using a Ouija board. The table and figures floated by several times. Suddenly the view angled up from the table and into the face of one of the three figures. It had no eyes, but instead has runes branded in the flesh where eyes should have been.

Angel woke with a gasp, frightened and breathing hard. Again he realised it was only a dream, and rubbed his head with his hands.

* * * * *

Faith was struggling with the TV, slapping and shaking it to try to get some reception, but got nothing. There was a knock at her door.

Faith: "Yeah?

Buffy opened the door and came in.

Faith: "Hey, what's up?" to the TV. "Work, damn it!"

Buffy: she closed the door. "Hey."

Faith gave up and turned off the TV. She stood up and faced Buffy.

Faith: "What's going on? Scary monsters?"

Buffy: "No. Um," she stepped further in. "we're having Christmas Eve dinner at my house, and I thought that, um, if you didn't have plans..."

Faith: "Your mom sent you down, huh?"

Buffy: "No."

Faith: "Well, thanks, but I got plans. There's this big party I've been invited to. It should be a blast." She smiled evasively.

Buffy was unconvinced.

Buffy: "Okay. Cool. But if you change your mind, the offer..."

Faith: "That's nice of you. Thanks. But I got... I got that big party that I've been invited to, so..."

Buffy stepped toward the door, but looked around and notices the Christmas lights that Faith had strung up around the room.

Buffy: "I like the lights."

Faith: "Yeah. Well, 'tis the season. Whatever that means."

Buffy shot her sad look before leaving.

* * * * *

Giles was cooking dinner when there was a knocking at his door.

Giles: "Just a minute!"

He opened the door and was surprised to see Angel standing there. For a long moment neither of them said anything.

Giles: "Hello."

Angel: "Um... I'm sorry to bother you."

Giles finds himself unable to keep from laughing bitterly.

Giles: "Sorry. Coming from you that phrase strikes me as rather funny. 'Sorry to bother me.'"

Angel: "I need your help."

Giles: "And the funny keeps on coming."

Angel: He swallowed his pride. "I understand I have no right to ask for it, but there's no one else. I would ask Willow, but she'd tell Buffy, and I don't want her to worry."

Giles: (bitterly) "Of course not. Come in."

Slowly and not without reservation Angel stepped into the apartment.

Angel: "I've been seeing...I've... I've had dreams lately about the past. It's... It's like I'm living it again. It's, it's so vivid, I... I need to know. (pleading) I need to know why I'm here.

Giles: "Here? Back on Earth?"

Angel: "I should be in a demon dimension suffering an eternity of torture."

Giles: "I don't feel particularly inclined to argue with that."

Angel took a deep breath, and continued.

Angel: "But I'm not. I was freed, and I don't understand why."

Giles: "I don't either, but since Buffy is happy now. Happier than she's ever been, I'll look it up."

Angel didn't say anything. he stared behind Giles where he saw an apparition of Jenny Calendar. Jenny looked at Angel sadly. Angel began to shiver with fear. Angel saw Jenny stroke her hand down Giles' shoulder and sigh. Giles didn't notice a thing. Angel began to pant with short rapid breaths. Giles noticed the look of fear on his face focused behind him.

Giles: "What?"

He looked around his apartment, completely unaware of Jenny's presence.

Angel: "Don't you see her?"

He saw Jenny walk around Giles.

Giles: "Who?

Angel began to make his way to the door. Jenny followed him with her stare. He began to freak out.

Angel: "I can't!"

He ran out of the door into the night. Giles was left standing there, very confused.

* * * * *

Angel slept fitfully, Buffy was beside him. Her head was rested on his chest. . Suddenly his dream flashed back to Dublin again at a dinner party. The affair was very formal. Angelus was talking with a maid under the stairs.

Margaret: (nervously) "Sir, please, I should return to the party."

Angelus: "Margaret, Margaret, there's no hurry."

She tried to pull away.

Margaret: "Mistress will be wondering..."

Angelus: "Shh. Mistress will be wondering how to get the good Reverend Chalmers into bed and will not notice the absence of canape'." He stroked her chin. "Stay with me."

Margaret: (worriedly) "Sir, people might talk. I'll be put out in the streets. My little boy would... I can't lose this job."

He grabbed her firmly.

Angelus: "Then you must keep quiet."

Margaret: "You're hurting me!"

Angelus: "Ah! Cry out. Call for help. I'm sure Mistress will believe your behaviour beyond reproach." He sneered at her.

Margaret: "Please!"

Angelus: He shook her. "Come, make a scene, huh? Shall *I*?"

She thought better of it.

Margaret: "No."

Angelus: "No, no. We'll be as quiet as mice."

Margaret looked down, defeated, having no choice but to give in. When she looked back up at him he's in his vampire guise.

Angelus: "No matter what."

She was terrified.

Margaret: "Sir! My son!"Angelus: "Oh, he'll make a fine dessert, huh?"

She gasped as he grabbed her roughly and bit her. He drunk her dry, and let her body collapse to the floor. When he looks up he was shocked to see a witness to his deed: Buffy. She stared back at him, also in shock.

* * * * *

Angel's bedroom. He awoke with a sudden jerk and gasps. Beside him Buffy awoke just as surprised.

Buffy: "Angel?"

Part Two

Unable to sleep, Angel walked out of a hall into the main room, pulling on a T-shirt. Buffy had left. There standing at the opposite end of the room by the doorway to the atrium was Jenny.

Jenny: (with false sympathy) "Trouble sleeping?"

Angel: "You're not here."

She slowly came closer.

Jenny: "I'm always here."

Angel: "Leave me alone."

He sat down on the cold marble on one side of the great fireplace.

Jenny: "I can't. You won't let me."

Angel: "What do you want?"

Jenny: "I wanna die in bed surrounded by fat grandchildren, but guess that's off the menu."

He couldn't face her.

Angel: "I'm sorry."

Jenny: "You're sorry? For me? Don't bother. I'm dead. I'm over it." She crouched down next to him. "If you wanna feel sorry for someone, you should feel sorry for yourself. Oh, but I guess you've already got that covered."

Angel: "I am sorry... for what I've done. What else can I say to you?"

She put her hand to his temple and stroked it. With her next sentence she transformed to the likeness of Daniel.

Jenny/Daniel: "I don't wanna make you feel bad."

Daniel: "I just want to show you who you are. What you were meant to do."

* * * * *

Giles' office at the library.

Giles: "You had a dream about Angel."

Buffy: "I was *in* Angel's dream."

Giles took off his glasses.

Giles: "I'm not sure that's..."

Buffy: "Giles, there was stuff in this dream that I couldn't possibly know about. It was Angel's past, he was dreaming it, and somehow I got sucked in. Besides he woke up at the same time, he felt it to."

Giles looked up at Buffy.

Giles: "You were there? At the mansion."

Buffy nodded.

Buffy: "Yeah, but he was different. There's something wrong with him."

He looked down, then drew and released a measured breath.

Giles: "I know. I've seen him. He wanted to know why he was back."

Buffy: "Is there a way for us to find that out?"

Giles: "Uh, possibly. I-I've been looking." He put his glasses back on.

Buffy: "Well, let me look, too."

Giles looked at her curiously.

Buffy: "I'm his girlfriend Giles. I love him, I don't know what I would do if I lost him. Not after I just got him back."

Giles leaned back in his chair and considered the truth of that.

Buffy: "So we'll help him?"

Giles realised he had no other choice.

Giles: "Yes. I already said I would."

Xander walked into the office.

Xander: "Where do we start?"

He gets surprised looks from Giles and Buffy.

Xander: (abashedly) "Look, I'm aware I haven't been the mostest best friend to you when it comes to the whole Angel thing, and, um, I don't know, maybe I finally got the Chanukah spirit. Besides, he makes you happy, that's enough for me."

Buffy: "Thank you."

Giles stood up.

Giles: "Well, we start, not surprisingly, with research." He went to a small bookcase. "Xander, um," he handed him a book. "the Black Chronicles. And, uh, Buffy," handed her a book. "the diary of Lucious Temple, an acolyte of Acathla, expert on demons. You can skip the passages on his garden unless you're keen on growing heartier beets."

Buffy and Xander headed out into the main room.

Buffy: "Are you sure this is how you wanna spend your Christmas vacation?"

Xander: "Yeah, with Cordy in Aspen this is actually the most exciting thing I've got planned. Who else can claim that pathetic a social life?"

Willow walked in smiling.

Willow: "Hey, guys. What are we doing?"

* * * * *

Later Willow and Buffy were at the table, talking.

Willow: "He's coming over on Christmas Eve, Ocause my parents are out of town. We're going to watch videos."

Buffy raised her eyebrows.

Buffy: "Just watch videos?"

Willow blushed.

Willow: "I don't know. I've been thinking about it. I think I'm ready."

Buffy: "Well, I say go for it, if you think you're ready."

Willow considered that.

Willow: "Thanks." She reads the book in front of her. "Hey, he likes beets."

Buffy: "I read that one already." She sighed. "We're

not getting any closer."

* * * * *

Angel fell to the floor of the mansion, clammy, shivering, and panting in horror. Another one of his victims, a businessman, paced past him.

Businessman: "The thing I remember most was thinking how artful it was. In the dark, they looked just like they were sleeping. It wasn't until I bent down and kissed them good night that I felt how cold they were. You grabbed me, and I thought," he faced Angel. "who would go to so much trouble to arrange them like that?"

Angel looked up at him. The businessman crouched and transformed into Margaret.

Margaret: "But you see, that's what makes you different than other beasts. They kill to feed, but you took more kinds of pleasure in it than any creature that walks or crawls."

Angel: "Oh, God!"

She mocked him.

Margaret: "Yeah, cry out. Make a scene."

Angel jumped to his feet and tries to run away, but found Daniel standing in his way.

Daniel: "I was to be married that week, but then, as I recall, you knew that."

Angel: "It wasn't me.

Daniel transformed into Jenny.

Jenny: "It wasn't you?"

Angel: "A demon isn't a man. I was a man once."

She gave a small laugh.

Jenny: "Oh, yes, and what a man you were."

Angel was forced to flash back to the days before he became a vampire, in a bar, singing and drinking, pulling at a woman's dress before passing out and falling to the floor. The flashback was over, and Margaret was standing before him again.

Margaret: "A drunken, whoring layabout, and a terrible disappointment to your parents."

Angel: "I was young. I never had a chance to..."

Margaret: "To die of syphilis? You were a worthless being before you were *ever* a monster."

Angel couldn't take much more, and he held his hands to his ears.

Angel: "Stop it! Stop..."

Margaret transformed to Jenny, and she put her hands on his, gently taking them away from his ears.

Jenny: "I don't wanna hurt you, Angel, but you have to understand. Cruelty's the only thing you ever had a true talent for."

Angel: "That's not true. It's different now."

Jenny: "Shh." She lead him to the coffee table. "Rest." She gently got him to lie down. "Rest." She walked around him. "Your curse was mistaken, Angel. It's not your destiny, your destiny is to kill."

Angel: "No, how can you say that..."

She sat down by his head and stroked his hair.

Jenny: "I'll show you."

* * * * *

Xander yawned in his chair behind the checkout counter and went back to researching his book. In Giles' office Willow was asleep in a chair. Giles got up from his desk to get another book. Buffy was sleeping in the stacks, with several books lying on the floor around her. She rolled from her side onto her back.

* * * * *

Angel rolled over onto his back also. Then with a flash of bright light they were both sharing a dream. Buffy was lying in her bed, and she slowly opened her eyes. Angel was sitting at her side, looking down at her waiting for her to awaken. He reached for Buffy's hand with his. They touched fingertips briefly before intertwining their fingers and clasping hands.

Then Buffy faced Angel, sitting on his lap with her legs circling round his waist. They are kissing passionately, holding each other as closely as possible, caressing each other tenderly. Buffy tugged at Angel's shirt, and he helped her pull it up and off, baring his chest.

In the real world Angel turned again on the coffee table.

it the dream it was Angel's turn to slip the satin pyjama top from Buffy's shoulders. They held each other tightly as they kiss longer and more intensely.

In the real world Buffy moaned and turned her head while lying on the library floor.

Buffy and Angel were lying in bed together, making gentle passionate love. They changed positions as Angel rolled on top of her, the muscles of his back flexing under his tattoo. They caressed each other for several moments. Angel tenderly kissed Buffy where her neck joined her shoulder, and he slid his hand up and along her outstretched arm, reaching and clasping her hand as they continued making love. Suddenly, over Angel's shoulder, Buffy saw the eyeless priest from her previous dream, sightlessly observing them from where he was standing at her door.

There was a sudden flash of light. Angel removed his hands from their tender clasp and then, as a thunderclap was heard, grabbed Buffy's wrists hard, forcibly pinning her down to the bed. He rose over her and transforms into his vampire guise, and then bites her savagely on the neck.

In the library Buffy woke in startled shock.

* * * * *

In Angel's mansion. He woke up and sat bolt upright, drawing a hard breath. Jenny was still sitting next to him.

Angel: "How? We've made love before, I've never even drank her blood. Let alone be tempted to kill her."

Jenny: "But you should be. She's vulnerable, it would be so easy. Do it."

Angel: "No."

Jenny: "You can't live for eternity with *all that pain*. This is what you are. This is why we brought you back. Take her! And then you'll be ready to be who you're supposed to be.

* * * * *

Part Three

The library. Buffy walked out of the stacks and down the stairs.

Giles: "Here, Buffy. Take a look."

He went to the table with a pile of very old and worn sheets of paper.

Giles: "These letters contain references to a, a, an ancient power known as The First."

Buffy: "First what?"

Giles: "Evil. Absolute evil, older than man, than demons. It could have had the power to bring Angel back."

Buffy: "These guys," she picked up one of the letters with sketches of the eyeless priest. "I-I saw them in my dream. I, I fell asleep up there."

Giles: "You had another dream? With Angel?" Buffy nodded. "What happened?"

Buffy: "We made love, and then he killed me."

Giles: "Killed you?"

Buffy: "Yes. But I don't understand, it's not like we haven't before. He's never killed me. Why would he?" Giles had no answer, and Buffy continued. "Who are these guys?"

Giles: "Um, they're known as the, uh, as the Bringers o-o-or Harbingers. They're high priests of The First. They, uh, they can conjure spirit manifestations and set them on people, influence them, haunt them."

Buffy: "These are the guys working the mojo on Angel?"

Xander came out from behind the counter.

Xander: "We gotta stop them."

Giles: "Y-you can't fight The First, Buffy. It's not a-a physical being."

Buffy: "Well, I-I can fight these priest guys.

Xander: "If we can find them."

* * * * *

Willy's bar. He was wiping down a few bottles and putting them away when he saw Buffy and Xander enter the bar.

Willy: (loudly) "Hey! It's the Slayer. What brings the, uh, Slayer down here?"

Several vampires at the bar got up and quietly left.

Buffy went to the bar.

Buffy: "Hey, Willy, how you been?"

Willy poured a drink for a vampire.

Willy: "Keeping out of trouble, as God is my witness." He came over to them. "So, w-what can I do for you? Couple of drinks?"

Xander: "Yeah. Let me get a double shot of tequila." Buffy shot him a look. "Never mind."

Buffy: "Three priests. They call themselves..".

Xander: "The Bringers."

Buffy shot Xander another look.

Buffy: "Bringers, Harbingers. They have a 'no eyes' kinda look."

Willy: "Doesn't ring a bell."

Xander: (menacingly) "How about I ring that bell for you?" He turned to Buffy. "Does the threatening come now?"

Buffy: "Maybe you shouldn't help." She looked at Willy. "They would've come to town recently. They'd be holed up somewhere summoning the spirit of The First."

Willy looked around the bar carefully, then leaned in toward them.

Willy: "Well... I heard a few things, you know, from the underground."

Xander: "The underground?"

Willy: "Yeah, you know. From things that live under the ground. Apparently there's been a lot of migration out of Sunnydale from the lower inhabitants. Something's scaring them off, and these are things that aren't easily scared. Could be your priest guys are underground."

Buffy: "Underground where?"

Willy: (regretfully) "I do not know."

Buffy: "Okay. Thanks."

Xander: "See you around."

They started to leave the bar.

Willy: "Hey." Xander faced him. "You did great, by the way. I was very intimidated by you."

Xander: "Really?" He smiled.

Willy gave him a nod and Xander smiled widely.

Xander: "Thanks!"

Buffy took Xander's arm.

Buffy: "Let's go."

She led him away.

Willy: "Hey, kid." Buffy faced him. "Merry Christmas."

Buffy smiled slightly, and then she and Xander left.

* * * * *

Outside. They stepped into the heat of the day and started down the block.

Xander: "Man, is it hot. It was so nice and cool in there."

Buffy: "Yeah, a nice cool waste of time."

They stopped walking.

Xander: "We know underground. That's a start."

Buffy: "Sure, in a town with fourteen million square miles of sewer."

Xander: "Plus a lot of natural cave formations and a gateway to Hell. Yeah, this does resemble square one."

Buffy: "I don't know what to do."

Xander: "I think right now the best plan is to deck the halls with boughs of holly. Look, we'll catch the bad guys... sooner or later. Just go home, spend Christmas Eve with your Mom, and then tomorrow spend the day with Angel. If this something really is trying to destroy him it might be your last time, enjoy it. Show him how much you love him."

Buffy gave Xander a quick hug.

Buffy: I will. Thanks."

* * * * *

Willow's house. Oz came in the door.

Oz: "Willow?" He closed the door. "I got videos." He held them up.

When he saw the living room, he stopped in his tracks. Willow had the room softly lit, with a small fire going in the fireplace, candles burning on the coffee table, and soft music playing on the stereo. She was sitting on the sofa, dressed nicely just for him.

Willow: "Hi." She patted the sofa next to her. "Why don't you come s-sit down?"

After a moment's hesitation, he walked into the room and sat down next to her. He set the videos on the table. On the stereo "Can't Get Enough of Your Love, Babe", by Barry White, began to play.

Lyrics: "I've heard people say that"

Oz wasn't sure what to make of this, and looked at Willow. She smiled back at him.

Lyrics: "Too much of anything is not good for you, baby"

Oz: "You ever have that dream where you're in a play, and it's the middle of the play and you really don't know your lines, and you kinda don't know the plot?"

Willow: "Well, we're alone, and we're together. I-I just wanted it to be special."

Oz: "How special are we talking?

Willow: (nervously) "Well, you know, we're alone, and we're both mature younger people, and, and so... w-we could... I-I'm ready to... w- with you." She lowered her voice to a whisper. "We could do that thing."

Oz looked at her in disbelief

Oz: "Are you sure?"

Willow nodded, and Oz leaned towards her tentatively and kissed her. She kissed him back and in a minute she was laying on her back on the couch with Oz on top of her.

Oz: "Do you want me to stop?"

Willow: (Softly) "No."

They began to kiss again, and slowly his shirt fell to the floor followed by her dress and then the rest of their clothes.

* * * * *

Part Four

The Summers house. Christmas music played in the background. Buffy put the finishing touches on the tree. Joyce placed another log on the fire. She stood up and inspected the result.

Joyce: "There we go."

Buffy: "Nothing like a roaring fire to keep away the blistering heat."

Joyce: "Oh, come on. It's lovely. Maybe I should turn the air conditioning on."

Buffy was off in her own world as she finished trimming the tree.

Joyce: "So, angel's on top again?"

Buffy: (startled) "What?"

Joyce held up an angel and a star.

Joyce: "Angel or star?" She looked at Buffy closely. "What did you think I meant?" Was silent for a moment, thinking. "Oh."

Buffy: "Angel."

Joyce: You know I think I like the star better."

Buffy: "Why would that be?"

The doorbell rang. Buffy and her mom exchanged an inquiring look, wondering whom it could be. Buffy went to the door and opened it.

Faith: (uncertainly) "Hey."

Buffy: "Hi!"

Faith: "Uh, looked like that whole party thing was gonna be kind of a drag." She dropped her eyes for an instant. "I didn't really have anything...You know."

Buffy: (sincerely) "I'm glad you came."

Faith smiled.

Faith: "Uh... Here." She handed Buffy some gifts.

Buffy: "Why don't you come in from the entire lack of cold?"

Faith: "Mm."

She stepped in, and Buffy closed the door.

Faith: "Uh, that one," she pointed, "is for your mom. They're pretty crappy."

Joyce: "Faith, you made it." She took the gifts from Buffy. "Oh, that is so thoughtful.

Faith smiled with embarrassment.

Faith: "They're crappy."

Buffy: "You know, I'm gonna go upstairs and get your gifts. Excuse me."

Joyce: "Uh, would you like some nog?"

* * * * *

Buffy walked down the hall and into her room.

Buffy: "Okay, Mom, don't touch yours, though, 'cause then you're gonna know what it is."

Once in her room she heard her door slam behind her. She spun around to find Angel there. He looked very tired and somewhat disoriented.

Buffy: (smiling) "Angel."

She walked over to him.

Angel: "Huh... Buffy."

Buffy: (confused) "What is it? Are you okay?"

He looked around apprehensively and cleared his throat.

Angel: "I gotta... I... look, I, uh, I had to see you, um... I don't know, I... You shouldn't be..."

Buffy: "Just tell me what's going on."

His gaze focused on her neck, and he noticed she wasn't wearing her cross. Jenny appeared to him behind her.

Jenny: "She wants you to touch her. It would be so easy to kill her. What are you waiting for?"

Angel: "You have to stay away from me."

Buffy: (upset) "What? Why?" She took a step towards him. "Angel."

Angel panted heavily and struggled hard with himself for control.

Angel: "No."

Buffy: "Angel, something is doing this to you."

He started to move toward her.

Buffy: (worried and frightened) "You just have to control it, okay? I-I know that you're confused."

Angel: "I think you're the one who's confused. I think you need to..."

Jenny: "She wants you to taste her. Think of the peace. You'll never have to see us again. All you have to do is kill her."

Angel struggled for control of his mind. He grabbed his hair with his hands in desperation.

Buffy: (imploringly) "Angel, how can I help you?"

Angel: "Leave me alone!"

He ran toward her window and dived out. Buffy was in shock over it all.

Buffy: "Angel?"

Downstairs. Buffy hurriedly talked with Faith as she grabbed her coat before leaving.

Buffy: "I just need you to stay with Mom in case he comes back. There's something wrong with him." She made strides for the door.

Faith: "Yeah, I'll play watchdog. I don't really get it, though."

Buffy: "I'll explain later. Everything. I promise."

She Opened the door and left.

Faith: (concerned) "Watch your back."

* * * * *

Giles' apartment.

Buffy: "Giles, we have to do something. Soon. Now."

Giles: "I'm still not sure what."

Buffy: (desperate) "Find me these priest guys. Find me something I can pummel."

Giles: "Let's not lose our heads."

Buffy: "Giles, he's slipping."

Giles had no response to that and Buffy's voice faltered.

Buffy: "I think we're losing him."

Giles: "Look..." He put on his glasses. "You realise if he... truly becomes a danger, you may have to kill him. Again. Can you do that?"

Buffy couldn't bring herself to answer.

* * * * *

The atrium at Angel's mansion. He tried to get away from Jenny and went into the mansion.

Angel: "I can't do it."

Jenny: "You have to do it." She taunted him. "What else are you good for?"

Angel began to pant hard.

Angel: "Get away from me!"

Jenny appeared behind him.

Jenny: "Couldn't you just... feel her?" She leaned close to him. "Couldn't you imagine what her blood would taste like? You never were a fighter, Angel, don't start trying now." She stepped away. "Sooner or later you will drink her."

Angel: "I'll never hurt her."

Jenny: "You were born to hurt her. (scornfully) Have you learned nothing? As long as you are alive..."

Angel: (flatly) "Then I'll die."

Jenny paused to consider that.

Jenny: "You don't have the strength to kill yourself."

Angel: "I don't need strength. I just need the sun to rise."

He walked back out into the atrium.

Jenny: "You're not supposed to die. This isn't the plan."

She watched him walk through the atrium and take the steps up and out.

Jenny: "But it'll do."

* * * * *

Part Five

Giles' apartment. Buffy read aloud from a book. Behind her Giles sat on the stairs and read to himself from another.

Buffy: "'A child shall be born of man and goat and have two heads, and The First shall speak only in riddles...' No wonder you like this stuff." She closed the book. "It's like reading The Sun."

Giles found something.

Giles: "Yes. Ah."

Buffy looked up at him, putting her book down.

Buffy: "Priests?"

Giles: "Um... Yes, but, uh, more, more posturing, I'm afraid. Um, 'For they are the Harbingers of death. Nothing shall grow above or below them. No seed shall flower, neither in man nor...'" He gestured that it went on and on. "They're rebels and they'll never ever be any good. Nothing specific about their haunts."

Buffy: "Let me see that."

Giles handed her the book.

Buffy: "'...the Harbingers of death. Nothing shall grow above or below...'"

She was suddenly lost in thought.

Giles: "What?"

* * * * *

The Christmas tree lot. Buffy kicked open the gate and marched straight towards the dead trees. Once there she studied them for a moment. She looked at the six trees that had died arranged in a circle. All the trees around them were fine.

Buffy looked around for something to dig with and found a long-handled axe. She swung it at the ground, and after a couple of hits she broke through. A few more swings and the hole was large enough for her to get through. She crouched down and drops herself into it.

Buffy dropped down into a cave. There were groups of candles burning here and there. She cautiously looked around and started to make her way deeper into the cave. She could hear chanting coming from nearby. She didn't have to go far before she found the table with the priests sitting around it.Buffy: "Alright, ten more minutes of chanting and then you guys have to go to bed."

The priests got up, and Buffy jumped down to fight them. She swung the handle of her axe into one priest's stomach, and he goes down. She swung it into another one, who doubles over. She followed up with another swing to his head, and he went down, too. The third one ran away. Buffy uses the axe to destroy the arrangement of artifacts on the table. The next thing she knew, Jenny was in the cave with her.

Jenny/The First: "Hmm. I'm impressed."

Buffy hesitated at first, surprised to see Jenny there, but quickly realised that it was not really her.

Buffy: (defiantly) "You won't get Angel."

Jenny/The First: "Hmm. You think you can fight me? I'm not a demon, little girl. I am something that you can't even conceive. The First Evil. Beyond sin, beyond death. I am the thing the darkness fears. You'll never see me, but I am everywhere. Every being, every thought, every drop of hate."

Buffy lost her patience.

Buffy: "Alright, I get it. You're evil. Do we have to chat about it all day?"

Jenny/The First: (unimpressed) "Angel will be dead by sunrise. Your Christmas... will be his wake."

Buffy: "No."

Jenny/The First: "You have no idea what you're dealing with."

Buffy's voice dripped with sarcasm.

Buffy: "Lemme guess. Is it... evil?"

The apparition of Jenny shrinked and was replaced for an instant by an image of a huge horned and clawed beast coming at her, roaring and with eyes glowing red. It faded as quickly as it appeared. Buffy stared in shock at the place where it appeared. It screamed a final warning.

The First: "DEAD BY SUNRISE!"

Buffy ran from the cave, terrified for Angel's life.

* * * * *

Angel's mansion. Buffy ran in.

Buffy: "Angel!"

She looked around, but he was nowhere to be seen. She walked toward the doorway to the atrium and looked out. She saw the steps leading up and ran toward them. Buffy ran through the bushes, up the hills behind the mansion, frantically looking for Angel. She climbed further up the hill and found him standing at the top looking out over a peaceful residential area of town.

Buffy: "Angel."

He heard her say his name and briefly glanced in her direction before looking back out over the rooftops. Buffy slowly walked over to him.

Angel: "I bet half the kids down there are already awake. Lying in their beds... sneaking downstairs... waiting for day."

Buffy: (out of breath) "Angel, please. I need for you to get inside. Th- there's only a few minutes left."

Angel: "I know. I can smell the sunrise long before it comes."

Buffy spoke to him in an anxious and hurried voice.

Buffy: "I don't have time to explain this. You just have to trust me. That thing that was haunting you..."

Angel interrupted her.

Angel: "It wasn't haunting me. It was showing me."

Buffy: (confused) "Showing you?"

Angel: "What I am."

Buffy: (insistently) "Were."

Angel: "And ever shall be. I wanted to know why I was back. Now I do."

Buffy: "You *don't* know. Some great evil takes credit for bringing you back and you buy it? You just give up?"

Angel: (harshly) "I can't do it again, Buffy. I can't become a killer."

Buffy: "You won't. You can't lose your soul unless you want to. "

Angel: "I can't fight this Buffy."

Buffy: (desperately) "Angel, please, you *have* to get inside."

Angel: "It told me to kill you. You were in the dream. You know. It told me to make love to you and then to kill you. To become a monster again."

Buffy: "I know what it told you. What does it matter?"

Angel raised his voice.

Angel: "Because it's what I'm afraid of! I'm terrified that I'll lose control one night when you're in my arms. That I'll drain your blood and lose control.

Buffy was at a loss for words.

Angel: "Look, I'm weak. I've never been anything else. It's not the demon in me that needs killing, Buffy. It's the man."

Buffy: "You're weak. Everybody is. Everybody fails. Maybe this evil did bring you back, but if it did, it's because it needs you. And that means that you can hurt it."

Angel didn't want to believe her.

Buffy: (pleadingly) "Angel, you have the power to do real good, to make amends. To do penance for your sins." She raised her voice. "But if you die now, then all that you ever were was a monster."

She looked out at the sky as it began to lighten.

Buffy began to beg frantically.

Buffy: "Angel, please, the sun is coming up!"

Angel: "Just go."

Buffy: "I won't! I love you!"

Angel: "What, do you think this is simple? You think there's an easy answer? You think you can tell me you love me and it's as easy as that? You can never understand what I've done! Now go!"

Buffy: "You are not staying here." She grabbed his arm. "I won't let you!

Angel: "I said LEAVE!"

He jerked his arm free of her grasp. In her anger and desperation Buffy punched him. He reacted by shoving her away from him roughly, making her fall face forward, hard to the ground."

Angel saw what he dope and spoke quietly to himself.

Angel: "Oh, my God..."

He went to her and crouched over her, grabbing her by the shoulders and turning her around to face him. Buffy feared his intentions and cried out.

Buffy: "No! No!"

He grabbed her roughly by the arms and held her firmly.

Angel: "Am I a thing worth saving, huh?" He shook her. "Am I a righteous man?" He shook her again. "The world wants me gone!"

Buffy: (tearfully) "What about me? I love you so much... I know I shouldn't, but I do... I've tried not to... I killed you and it didn't help.

She shoved him off of her and got up.

Buffy: (crying) "And I hate it! I hate that it's *so* hard... and that you can hurt me *so* much." She sobbed then her voice went harsh. "I know everything that you did, because you did it to me. Oh, God! I wish that I wished you dead. I don't." She whispered. "I can't. I need you."

Angel got up now, too.

Angel: "Buffy, please. Just this once... let me be strong."

Buffy: "Strong is fighting! It's hard, and it's painful, and it's every day. It's what we have to do. And we can do it together. Strong isn't giving up, especially not when we have a chance. We can be happy, but you're going to just give it up like that!"

Angel struggled with himself, knowing she was right.

Buffy: (resolvedly) "But if you're too much of a coward for that, then burn. If I can't convince you that you belong in this world, then I don't know what can. But do *not* expect me to watch. And *don't* expect me to mourn for you, because..."

She stopped in mid-sentence because it has inexplicably begun to snow. She and Angel both looked up at it coming down, lightly at first and gradually heavier. Angel looked around in amazement. Buffy walked to the edge of the hill and looked out at the town as the roofs on the houses below also started to become white. She turned to Angel, and they looked at each other, stunned by this apparent miracle.

* * * * *

Epilogue

Willow and Oz in her bedroom. They noticed the snow outside and sat up on her bed. They're each only wearing a robe. Willow was first to get up and walk to her balcony door to look out. Oz was right behind. They smile as they saw it come down and noticed the glass of her French doors begin to frost. He pulled her close to him, and they stood there in each other's arms watching it fall.

* * * * *

The Summers house. About an inch and a half (4cm) of snow had collected on the roof. Faith opened the door, and she and Joyce came out to watch it fall. Faith stepped off the porch and let a few flakes fall on her open hands and face. Joyce pulled her wrap tightly around her against the cold.

* * * * *

Giles' apartment. He noticed that his window had become frosted, and went over to it to have a look outside. He stared out in amazement.

* * * * *

Xander was lying in his sleeping bag in his backyard. The light from his lantern glowed blue. His unfinished dinner plate was covered with snow, as was a comic book he had put aside before retiring. He was sleeping with the top flap of his sleeping bag folded open under his arm. He stirred slightly and wiped at the snowflakes falling on his face. That didn't help, so he reflexively pulled the flap closed over his head, fallen snow and all. This woke him up, and a moment later he pushed back the flap and looked up in wonder at the falling snow.

* * * * *

The shopping district. The weatherman can be heard on the TV in the window of the audio/video store.

Weatherman: "And while most of Southern California is enjoying a balmy Christmas, an extreme cold front has sprung up out of nowhere around Sunnydale, where they are reporting heavy snowfall for the first time in, well, ever. Sunnydale residents shouldn't expect to see the sun at all today. That cold front isn't going anywhere. With temperatures in the high 30s (about 3C), means you better bundle up if you're planning to go outside and enjoy the change in the weather."

The street below was deserted except for Buffy and Angel, who walked along hand-in-hand, still looking up at the snow as it came down.

The street and a few parked cars were covered with about two inches (5cm) of snow. Buffy and Angel continued to walk in silence down the street.

Buffy looked over at Angel. He looked exhausted but at peace. He noticed her gaze and smiled at her. She lay her head on his shoulder and they continued walking.

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