Disclaimer: As I've said, Coke owns Christmas, Dickens owns "A Christmas Carol", and Whedon owns B/A and the rest. No infringement intended
Rating: PG
Author's Notes: *whew* I received a bombardment of e-mails begging for a sequel. I suppose I should be flattered. But really, I'm just scared. *grin* No, it's nice. Although I was threatened with death at some points. love the B/A shippers. We're a crazy bunch!
Dedication: to all the B/A shippers who sent me feedback and those who said they tried my hot chocolate *hugs* you guys are the best of the best!

The car ride was long and cold, but Buffy barely noticed. She turned the heater up full blast and flicked on the radio to a station playing non-stop Christmas carols. Singing at the top of her lungs was a helpful distraction for what she knew was to come. How was she going to convince Angel to get back together by telling him she had been visited by the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future? He would never believe her. // Worse yet, he might think I'm crazy // she thought to herself.

It took two long hours to get to LA, and it occurred to her she had no idea where he lived now. She asked some old man on the street for directions to an abandoned hotel, and he wasn't very forthcoming. Frustrated, Buffy slipped him a twenty, and he gave her directions to the only one he knew about, in no time flat.

Grumbling, Buffy drove for another hour until she finally pulled into a large, forbidding building that looked like a hotel. But she noticed, there was only one light on. // That has to be it // she told herself, grabbing her jacket and slipping it on as she exited the vehicle.

Sprinting up the steps, she tried the doorknob and was shocked to find that it opened easily. Stepping inside, she wondered if maybe this was the wrong place, but decided she had to at least check. She tried the stairs first, and looked down the first hallway. No lights shone. This process was repeated until she got to the fourth floor, and then as Buffy peered down the hall, she saw a faint shaft of light flooding the carpet from underneath the door.

"Here goes nothing" she whispered, and stalked lightly across the floor, halting at the door and wondering if she should just go in. That decision was made for her. The door was flung open and she found herself face to face with her ex-lover.

"Buffy." His voice was sharpened by surprise, and weariness tinged his features. She felt her heart melt as she saw him desperately stick the picture of her in his back pocket so she wouldn't see it.

"Hey," she greeted him softly and he gazed into her eyes for a long moment before gesturing for her to enter.

"Um." he hesitated and then spoke. "What are you doing here?"

She grinned and shrugged her shoulders. "Would you believe I took a trip into 'A Christmas Carol' and came out of it, a changed woman?"

He looked startled and then tilted his head to the side. "You got a visit from the three ghosts? Wow."

Now it was her turn to look surprised and she swatted him on the arm. "You know they're real? Why didn't you tell me?"

He looked at her and gave her that trademark half-smile. "When would that ever have come up in conversation, Buffy?"

"Oh.well I guess never," she allowed and sat down on a chair by the bed, looking out the window pensively. "They sure had some interesting things to say about my future though."

He lowered his lean body into the chair facing hers and rested his chin in his hands. "Like what?"

"Well.I guess the biggie is that I'm going to die."

His head shot up and his eyes flew wide with shock at her revelation. 'What?! How? When?"

She smiled at him tenderly. "You're babbling. Okay, in about five years from the End of Days fight."

Angel sank down wearily and closed his dark eyes with a wince. "This isn't happening." he moaned softly and she patted him on the shoulder, rather enjoying how upset he was.

"Well.there is something we can do to make it right again." She paused and then said quietly, "Actually, to make everything right again."

He glanced at her hand, and then at her face, his eyes darkening. "What is that, Buffy?"

"Well.basically the gist of it is." she hesitated and then plunged in. "You have to love me again."

His expression could only be described as shocked and then it settled into 'confused'. "But." he murmured, their gazes locking. "I do love you.still."

Feeling a little light-headed, Buffy stood up, walking over to the window and looking out over LA. "I guess then.it's really that we have to get back together. We have to do it.or apparently we're both gonna die."

She suddenly felt him behind her, and she pressed closer to the glass, not wanting to betray her reaction to the feel of his body against her back. He sighed heavily and then she felt him press a kiss on top of her head. "I'm going to die in the End of Days fight as well, huh?'

Flushing slightly, she was glad he couldn't see her face as she mumbled, "Um.nope. Not exactly. You.you kill yourself when I die."

He didn't respond for a moment and then his hands curved around her hips and then her waist, spanning it with his large fingers. "Have you been eating?" he asked her, worry shading his voice for a quick moment.

"Oh man.Angel, stick to the matter at hand," she said, exasperated and felt him chuckle, his hands squeezing her stomach. Suppressing a shiver, she allowed herself the supreme pleasure of curving her body back into his. "Whaddya say? About the whole.you and me thing?" she inquired tensely, trying not to be frightened as she waited for his answer .

"Saving you and me from certain deaths, huh?" he repeated and then his voice whispered in her ear. "Good enough reason for me."

She smiled with pure joy and then he was whirling her around and they were kissing and she felt as if she had come home again. His lips devoured hers hungrily, and she wound her arms around his neck, desperately trying to get as close to him as possible. "You know.as reunions go," she murmured between hot kisses, "This is not what I expected ours to be like."

His head bent and he ran his tongue down her neck, felt the scar against his teeth and nipped gently. "What did you expect?" he asked, his voice muffled against her skin. She arched up against him, running her hands over his back, starved by the need to touch every inch of him.

"Well." she whimpered as his mouth returned to hers with bruising force. "I guess.some angst or something."

He laughed and picked her up, sitting down on one chair and drawing her onto his lap. "Do you want angst?" he wiggled his eyebrows and she giggled, kissing him again, her lips whispering over his.

"Nope, fluff is just fine," she grinned and began unbuttoning his shirt. "Some little smutty parts to this reunion might not be amiss."

He caught her hands with a strangled laugh and arched his brows at her. "That's a whole other reunion, Buffy," he reminded her and she sighed, abandoning his shirt to snuggle against him, her body melting against his.

"I know.when you're Shansh- something- ed. That'll be fun," she murmured drowsily, the lack of sleep finally catching up with her. Angel tilted her head so he could stare into her eyes.

"You know about that?"

"Oh yeah!" she waved her hand, closing her eyes again and pressing her face into his neck. "Yeah.you're gonna get all human and we're going to get married.yay," she murmured happily and then without another word, just a faint sigh, Buffy fell asleep.

She missed the tears that ran down Angel's face as he rocked his sweet love in his arms, his heart singing with joy. He watched Buffy sleep, her face relaxed, her aura shining with happiness unparalleled. He knew they should go back to her house soon. He could just imagine her mother wondering where she was. He hoped she had left a note.

The girl in his arms burrowed further into his embrace, a slight smile gracing her lips as he wrapped her tighter against him. Angel pressed a sweet kiss to her lips.

He wouldn't wake her for the world. She looked too happy. She looked content.

And that.that was all he had ever wanted. To be the reason that expression was on Buffy Summers' face.

Hope the sequel lived up to your expectations??? Please feedback me on this!

Send feedback to Trixie Firecracker

Back to the Fanfiction Archive