"Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way..." Willow sang to Becky as she shook sleigh bells in front of the baby in her lap. She loved to play and sing with the little girl she saw as practically her niece.

"Give it a rest, will you Red" Spike complained from behind his book "You’re givin’ me a right soddin’ headache with all that bloody jingling"

"Aaw, who’s a grumpy Daddy, huh?" Willow asked Becky as she bounced her on her knees. Spike rolled his eyes.

"Daddy was perfectly happy til Aunt Willow here started with her daft Christmas ditty" he pointed out, "and why are you singing Christmas tunes anyway, don’t you Jewish lot do that thing with the dradel and the funny candlesticks?" he waved his hand in a random gesture. Buffy came back from the kitchen, catching the end of his sentence and frowning.

"Spike, remember how we don’t insult our friends and their beliefs anymore?" she said pointedly as she smiled apologetically to Willow and took Becky from her "Part of the whole being non-evil thing?"

The vampire looked indignantly at her.

"M’not being bleedin’ insulting, just stating fact" he told her before attempting to go back to reading his book.

"I can like Christmas if I want to, Spike" Willow told him "just cos I don’t do the whole church part and all. I mean you celebrate Christmas without the actual holy part, right?"

"Wrong, pet" he told her matter of factly "I don’t celebrate Christmas at all"

Buffy frowned at that, her attention switching from her daughter to her partner.

"Well, maybe not before" she said slowly "but you do this year"

"Why the soddin’ hell should I?" he asked, getting annoyed now. He finally gave up on his book and threw it onto the coffee table.

"Spike, we talked about curse words in front of Becky remember?" Buffy held the baby close and Spike sighed.

"Yes, I remember" he told her running a hand back through his hair and calming down some "I’m sorry, luv, but the fact remains I don’t do the festive season" he told her honestly "Evil vampire, remember? Yes I have a chip and I do the loving partner/father bit but there’s still a demon in me, one that’s of the non Christmas celebrating kind, got it?" he spoke a little more harshly than he meant to but the silly bint was being infuriating about this whole topic.

Willow could see a fight was about to erupt as Buffy and Spike stared at each other with faces like thunder. Though they had few major fights it was always best to run for cover when one started. The red-head quickly got to her feet.

"I think now would be a good time for me to go far away and be...away" she mumbled as she picked up her purse and pulled on her jacket.

"No, Willow" Buffy seemed to suddenly remember her friend was there "You don’t have to leave just because..."

"No really Buff, stuff to do" she smiled nervously as she headed for the door "Shopping and...stuff. Besides, I told Tara I’d just be a few minutes and that was an hour ago"

"Well, okay" the Slayer relented, following her friend to the door, still carrying Rebecca "but I’ll see you later, right?"

"Sure" Willow smiled, "Bye sweetie" she aimed at Becky as she left and Buffy closed the door behind her.

"I’m taking Becky upstairs for her nap" the blonde told Spike coldly when her friend was gone "and then you and me are having a serious talk"

The vampire rolled his eyes when she was gone.

"Make a change for her to start a serious conversation" he grumbled to himself, "silly bint" he added right before she came back down the stairs, "Come on then, pet" he grinned, leaning back on the couch with his arms folded behind his head "I’m all ears, give us the ‘serious talk’ speech"

"Okay first, switch off the Sarcastic Jerk station and tune back into Nicety FM, okay?" Buffy snapped, arms folded across her chest as she stood in front of him. The smile fell from the vampire’s face and in an instant the room felt colder.

The Slayer sighed in exasperated fashion when she realised World War Three would most likely erupt if at least one of them didn’t take the grown-up route in this conversation "Spike, this is Becky’s first Christmas and I want it to be special she explained "It won’t be unless you’re a part of it"

"What do you want me to do, luv?" Spike shrugged "Have a nice normal family Christmas, is that what you had planned?" he asked her like she was stupid "Well, sorry to disappoint sweetheart, but there’s not a whole lot of normal in this house..." he pointed out none to gently "not counting your Mum of course, but still"

Buffy sighed once again as she sat down on the couch next to Spike. He took a sudden interest in his fingernails so he didn’t have to look at her and she knew without asking that some of the reason he was picking a fight was because he felt bad. Though he claimed to love being the Big Bad, she’d seen the longing on his face when she got Becky ready and went out to the park for a walk in the sun. A part of him wanted to be a normal man even if he would deny it to the last.

"I know we’re not like everyone else" she told him, a hand on his arm to get his attention "I can deal with that. I’ve spent years not being totally normal but at Christmas that didn’t ever matter" she explained "It’s about love, Spike, it’s about being a family and wanting everyone you care about to be happy, even if it’s only for one day"

The softness was back in his voice and his eyes, as he covered her hand with his and replied.

"I want everything for you and Becky every day of the year" he said sincerely "Why should I make a fuss just cos it’s December? Christmas doesn’t mean a bloody thing to me" he told her with a shrug and Buffy pulled her hand from his grasp, standing up fast.

"I guess you shouldn’t bother then" she said icily "I mean, here was me thinking that me and Becky meant something to you..."

"Buffy you know that you do" he interrupted swiftly, standing up in front of her but she backed up when his fingers reached out to her face.

"No, don’t, just don’t" she said, making for the stairs as Rebecca began to prove the greatness of her lung capacity "If you won’t make this special for Becky then I will do it myself" Buffy told the vampire that stared after her "I don’t care what you think about it" she lied, tears running down her face as she ran up the stairs.

Spike was so angry he was having a hard time keeping the demon on the inside. He loved Buffy and their little girl, more than unlife itself. How dare the silly bint ever doubt him?!

"Bloody Christmas! Causing all this bloody bother!" he cursed and rambled on to himself, pacing up and down the room. He paused near the stairs as he heard Buffy trying to comfort Rebecca back into sleep. She was crying too, he could tell and it broke his heart to know he played a part in their unhappiness. He should perhaps admit to himself at least that he was the whole damn cause of the tears being shed but if he did that it meant he’d purposefully hurt his Slayer, and that he couldn’t bear.

Sometimes she made him so angry he could...well, perhaps he shouldn’t dwell on what his anger might cause him to do but no-one could get to him quite as much as his Slayer could. As he thought that very thing, it occurred to him there was a reason for that, and only one thing to be done about it.

Just an hour til sundown, his senses told him and it had been a while since he’d been so glad about that. He really needed to get out of the house. There was something he needed to do.

- - - - - - -

Spike knew the Slayer was pissed at him, not only because she’d stayed firmly on her side of the bed last night with her back to him, pretending to be asleep when he knew she wasn’t, but also from the way she barely said three words to him in the morning, except to say she was going to see Giles and she was taking Rebecca with her.

The fact was, the Slayer hardly ever took her baby with her when she was going training with her Watcher, but today it was clear she wanted to teach Spike some kind of lesson. She had no idea of course that he was glad she’d gone out, and that dear Joyce was away on a gallery-related trip for a couple of days. He had a plan that Buffy knew nothing of. He was going to give her what she deserved.

The key in the front door signalled her arrival home and he waited in the living room for her entrance. Her eyes lit up as she entered the room and found Spike standing by the most enormous Christmas tree that was all decked out in sparkling decorations and tinsel, a bright star sitting on top. Twinkling lights were wrapped around the branches and carried on around the entire room, along with paper decorations, mistletoe, and holly.

"Merry Christmas, pet" Spike half-smiled, hoping against hope that this meant their little spat would be forgotten now and she’d just be thrilled with him for what he’d tried to do.

"Oh my God" Buffy gasped in surprise, one hand covering her gaping mouth as she held Becky tight in her other arm "How did you...?" she began but found she didn’t have the voice to complete her question.

"Had a little help" Spike smirked, gesturing to three hidden figures that came into view at his signal.

"Just call us Santa’s little helpers" Faith shrugged, a grinning Willow and Tara right behind her. With an evil glint in her eye, the second Slayer stepped up behind Spike and attempted to plant a Santa hat on his head, something she’d been attempting almost constantly all day.

"I told you to get off me with that bloody thing" he shoved her hands away "Silly bint" he smirked good naturally and Faith backed off with her hands up on mock surrender.

Willow and Tara shared a look, and tugging on Faith’s sleeve to urge her to follow, the witches disappeared through to the kitchen when they realised it was a total family moment now and something best left alone.

Back in the living room, Spike stepped tentatively towards Buffy who seemed to be hypnotised by the festively decorated room.

"You like it, luv?" he asked her as he reached her side, and she had to swallow hard before she could answer.

"It’s beautiful" she whispered, encouraging the seven month old in her arms to take a look at what Daddy had done for them "It’s all so great but...Spike, you said..."

"Forget what I said" he silenced her "You made me so angry yesterday and I realised I only got like that because...I love you so much" he smiled, "Thought occurred that if I love you that much, I’d want to do anything I could to make you happy, you and the Bit" he said tickling the little girl til she giggled "This stuff makes you happy" he gestured vaguely at the room "so, it’s done"

"Oh Spike, I love it" Buffy told him, joyful tears evident in her eyes "and I love you" she assured him, reinforcing her point by kissing him on the lips.

She knew it was a big deal for him, to make all this fuss about Christmas. After their argument, she’d realised that maybe she was asking something of him that she shouldn’t. Willow didn’t believe in exactly the same things as her but Buffy didn’t have arguments with her best friend all the time. It’d made her mad that Spike didn’t want their daughter to have this perfect Christmas that she’d had planned in her own head. Now she was just so thrilled he’d make this effort despite his reservations, it was yet more proof, if proof were needed, that he loved her too much for words.

"What about you, Little Bit?" he grinned at their daughter as he lifted her from Buffy’s arms "Think your old Dad did a decent job with the fairy lights and all?" he asked the little girl.

Rebecca made a bunch of happy baby noises, waving her arm around in the general direction of the tree and other pretty things in the room.

"I’ll take that as a yes" Spike smiled, holding her close and kissing her head gently.

He may still feel that Christmas was not something that required celebrating, but he’d do what he could to make it special for his girls.

Nothing else mattered, at this time of year, or any other.

- End of Story 1 -

"She’s so excited about this" Buffy enthused "I expected her to be nervous but it turns out that’s just me" she admitted as they walked slowly through the school auditorium, with a whole load of other parents and relatives.

"She’ll be perfect luv" Spike told her with a smile "she’s spent enough time practising, and it’s only one little bit of a song"

"This is a big deal Spike" Buffy briefly stopped walking and almost caused a pile up "It’s our daughters first time on a stage and in front of all these people"

She looked more terrified than the Little Bit had, Spike realised.

"I know, pet" he nodded, trying to keep her moving towards their seats "Just thankful they do these things in the evening. Seems bloody stupid to keep the kids up so late but at least us vampiric fathers get to see the show" he smirked, whispering the words that others should not hear.

"Y’know Becky was so thrilled when I told her you could come" Buffy smiled, remembering just how happy her little girl had been to know this was one special event Daddy was allowed to attend. So many others he’d missed out on before, because of his ‘sun allergy’.

"I know she understands that I can’t do stuff her mates Dad’s do, like take her to the park and all" Spike sighed "but I also know she wishes I could...I do too" he admitted as they stopped by two spare seats near the front of the room.

"Me too" she told him, kissing his cheek "but hey, you’re here for this"

"Looks like we’re just in time too" he pointed out as a teacher came on stage to start the show and Buffy and Spike quickly slid into their seats.

"Hey Mom" the Slayer whispered "I’m so glad you’re here"

"We wouldn’t miss it for the world, sweetheart" her mother assured her, squeezing her hand. She remembered Buffy’s first appearance on the school stage as if it were yesterday and it seemed crazy to think she was now about to see her grandchild.

"Xander, Willow, and the others are standing at the back" Giles leaned across her to speak to Buffy "It took a while to park the car apparently and we couldn’t save enough seats for everyone" she smiled as she turned to see her friends all crammed in by the doors. Willow gave a little wave but Buffy didn’t have time to wave back as Spike alerted her to the fact the show was starting.

- - - - - - - -

Spike wasn’t entirely thrilled to be sitting through a whole kids nativity play when all he really wanted to see was his little girl’s part in it. So far she’d been on the stage exactly twice and both times stuffed up near the back so she was barely visible. Still, her big moment was coming, he knew, and all the pain of listening to Joseph stammer through his lines and watching Mary drop the baby Jesus would be worth it when his little girl got to do her part.

"Oh God" Buffy audibly gasped as her daughter walked out into the centre of the stage, dressed in the angel costume it had taken Joyce hours to make. Three other small girls stood to either side of her but the eyes of her parents, grandparents and all the Scoobies were fixed on Becky alone as the narrator, an older boy, spoke.

"And the angels watched over the baby Jesus, singing him softly to sleep" he said grinning at his own mother as Becky spotted her parents and waved to them.

Tears came to Buffy’s eyes as she and Spike waved back and the teacher began to play a familiar melody on the piano.

"Silent night, holy night, all is calm, all is bright" Becky sang alone before the rest of the little angels joined her to complete the verse of the song.

Spike sat there in the second row, Buffy’s hand gripped in his, staring straight ahead at his little girl. It was in that moment as he watched her smile and sing her heart out that he realised something...

- - - - - - - -

"Was I really good, Daddy?" Becky asked as Spike tucked her up in bed a while later.

"Better than good" he promised her, "Bloody brilliant" he whispered, hoping Buffy wouldn’t hear from the door. Becky giggled and wrapped her little arms around his neck, hugging him tight.

"I love you, Daddy" she told him before she lay down to go to sleep.

"Love you too, baby" Spike told her, pulling the covers up under her chin and kissing her forehead, "Sleep tight" he whispered as he went over to the door, turned out the light and left the room. He headed back down the stairs and found Buffy waiting for him on the couch.

"What’s with the look, Slayer?" he asked as he approached, "I know that face too well, now what’s up?" he pressed as he came to sit beside her.

"I was gonna ask you the same thing" she admitted, "You’ve been all weird since the play, all quiet and kinda dreamy" she told him, looking down at her hands "I know Christmas isn’t a great time for you I mean, hello, vampire and all that’s unholy but..."

"That’s just it Buffy" he interrupted her, making her look up, "Reckon it’s Christmas that’s got to me" he told her with a half-smile, "I think...I get it now"

"I don’t understand" Buffy shook her head as he took her hand in his and studied the ring upon it, the one he’d given her as a symbol of his love.

"I know what Christmas is in the bible sense, son of God born in a stable and all that, and I always used to believe it as a human and sometimes even now I wonder about it" he admitted "but Christmas isn’t just about believing in that story" he had realised "it’s about love and being with the people you care about and...Buffy, when I saw Becky up there, all done up in her little angel outfit, singing that song" he smiled with obvious parental pride just at the thought of it "she’s what Christmas is about Buffy, mine at least. I’ve never felt love like I have for you and her. I believe in you two and that love I have for you, more than anything else in the world, and I think that’s what matters, right?" he tried, but she didn’t answer him "Or possibly I’m not making any sense at all and I’ve just made myself look like a complete nancy boy" he said bitterly, looking away.

"No, Spike" Buffy put her hand to his face and made him look at her, smiling despite tears in her eyes "I’m glad you get Christmas now" she told him honestly "and I love that you love Becky and me so much, I can’t even tell you what it means to me"

She leaned in then and kissed him tenderly. It really did mean so much to her that Spike was willing to turn his unlife upside down just to be with her and Becky and make them happy. His love for them exceeded anything she’d ever known. What he’d just said to her was so beautiful she couldn’t keep back the tears that formed in her eyes and ran down her cheeks.

They curled up on the sofa together, and she realised she never felt so safe as when she was wrapped in his arms. So comfortable and peaceful and after a day of both stress and excitement, Buffy soon fell asleep right there.

Spike smiled as he looked down at her peaceful face.

"Merry Christmas, Slayer" he whispered, kissing the top of her head, before closing his eyes and letting sleep claim him too.

End of Story 2

"Well, that’s all the gifts unwrapped" Buffy smiled, before changing her mind and frowning as she glanced towards the kitchen "I guess I better go check on that turkey..."

Spike moved to get up from the floor and follow her (Buffy should not be allowed near cooking food by herself) when Becky called them back.

"Wait Mom, there’s still one more" she said, reaching under the tree and pulling a small brightly wrapped box out into the open. Buffy looked puzzled as she picked up the gift that seemed to have suddenly appeared. She shared a glance with Spike as they sat down once again and she read aloud from the tag on the box.

"For Mom and Dad, A Christmas wish come true (I hope) All my love Becky"

"What’s this about, Little Bit?" her father asked as he leaned in next to Buffy to see what she held in her hands.

"Open it and find out" Becky urged, practically bouncing up and down and finally her mother conceded and pulled off he red wrapping. Opening up the small box inside she still looked confused by what she found.

"It’s a ring" she announced, turning the box so Spike could see.

"Bloody hell, is that what I think it is?" he gasped, ripping it from Buffy’s hands without thinking.

"What?" the Slayer leaned over his shoulder to inspect the ring again "I mean it kinda looks like...but, it can’t be, can it?" her brow creased as she looked between the ring, Spike, and Rebecca.

"The Gem of Amara?" the vampire dared to speak the words that had been spinning in his head for the past two minutes since the box was opened, "Looks like it, but Peaches smashed that up years ago, right?"

When he looked to Buffy for a reply she only nodded dumbly and so both turned to their daughter for explanation.

"Angel smashed up the original" she agreed "so I kinda made a new one" her voice disappeared towards the end, she was both embarrassed now and also worried that maybe this hadn’t been such a good idea. She just wanted her Dad to be more free and by association her Mom too. They did so much for her, ensuring her happiness as much as they could, she just wanted to give something back. Now she wondered if she’d made the wrong decision. Was she sending out the message that she wanted her father to change because she really hadn’t meant to...

"You made this?" Spike couldn’t believe what he was hearing or seeing right now, and had to pinch himself to ensure it wasn’t a highly vivid dream.

"Well, not just me" Becky admitted "Aunt Willow and Aunt Tara helped a whole lot obviously..." she trailed off when her parents looked away "Merry Christmas?" she tried hoping to get the joyful response she’d expected.

"Rebecca, sweetheart, you can’t just re-make the Gem of Amara it’s one of a kind" Spike told her "the magicks involved are beyond anything..."

"Not beyond my witchy Aunts" she grinned "although it took a lot of time and effort to get this right. I researched for months before I even told them about my idea and between the three of us it took just a few more weeks to conjure up this little baby" she smirked much like her father always did and Buffy nearly laughed it was all so unbelievable.

"I can’t believe it" she shook her head as a grin took over her face. It truly was amazing and like a real wish come true.

"Bit, this is..." Spike stumbled over what he meant to say, clearly even more moved by the occasion than Buffy "I can’t even tell you, I..." the words just wouldn’t come, but the tears did, though he made a valiant effort to hide them.

"Dad, are you crying?" Becky was stunned to see it. As far as she could recall her father had never shed a tear in her presence, Uncle Xander had and even Grandpa Giles that one time, but never her Dad.

"No I’m bloody not" he argued, looking not quite mad at her for noticing "just, something in my eye is all" he said, rubbing away the stray droplets. Buffy’s eyes were fixed on the box in his hands as she put her arm around him.

"Are you going to put it on, Spike?" she asked and he nodded as he got to his feet.

He seemed to make a big deal of getting out the box and putting it on his finger, but then as Buffy realised this was probably the one thing that would rival their not-quite-a-wedding in importance. Today, if this ring did what it was supposed to, it would change all their lives.

"Do you feel...different?" Becky asked, not really certain whether he would or not. There were very few existing records of vampires using the real Gem of Amara and even fewer written from the vamp’s perspective.

"Can’t say as I do" Spike told her, absently flexing the hand that bore the special ring "but then if memory serves I didn’t last time either" he said thoughtfully "Guess the only real way to tell is..." he walked towards the window but Buffy dived in front of him, putting her hands on his chest to keep him back.

"No!" she shouted more loudly than she ever meant to. His confused and almost hurt look made her calm down fast "Just stand to the side, hold your hand out and I’ll open the drapes just a little" the Slayer told him, before turning to her daughter "It’s not that I don’t trust you Becky, but..."

"It’s okay, Mom" the girl nodded in understanding "I want him to be careful too"

Nothing could be worse than losing either of her parents, and the guilt she would feel if the ring failed and caused her father harm would be tremendous.

"Okay, ready?" Buffy asked nervously as she stood by the window, Spike off to the side, with his arm held out where the sun was about to come in.

"As I’ll ever be, pet" he nodded, part of him already planning to dive into the shadows if this all went wrong. For the most part, however, he just had great faith and pride in his little girl, as well as Willow and Tara obviously.

As Buffy pulled the drapes open slightly, a shaft of light fell over Spike’s wrist. Instinct told him to immediately pull away but he fought it and grinned all over his face when he realised he wasn’t burning or smoking, just being pleasantly warmed by the light. Still a little cautious, he stepped further into the beams and Buffy opened the drapes as wide as they’d go till she saw her vampire love standing in full sunlight.

"Soddin’ hell, Bit" Spike laughed "I reckon you’ve only bloody gone and done it!" he yelled with joy as he grabbed his daughter and spun her around til her feet left the floor. She laughed and screamed to be put down, she was so dizzy.

"I can’t believe it" Buffy ran at Spike as soon as his arms were free and he held her tight as tears ran down her cheeks.

"Slayer" he said, pulling away to see her face "God you’re even more beautiful in daylight" he told her softly, wiping her tears away. He kissed her then with such a passion, the like of which Rebecca was pleased to say she’d never born witness to before, and hoped to never see again. Though at the same time she was thrilled they were so happy and that she’d played a huge part in that.

"Guys?" she called after a while, but to no avail "Hello? Hey! Breathe already!" she laughed as her parents finally parted, Buffy going a little pink when she realised how long they’d been kissing.

"Don’t need to myself, luv, remember?" Spike smirked at his little girl "Come here" he told her, hugging her tightly once again, and it was only at a time like this when Buffy didn’t object to not being the girl in Spike’s arms "My clever Little Bit" he enthused "you don’t know what this means to me"

"I think I kind of do" Becky smiled over his shoulder as he held her tight "but Dad, crushing ribs now, and I kinda need those" she told him jokingly. She was serious again when he looked at her.

"All the stuff I missed when you were growing up" he said sadly "School events, trips to the park and the beach..."

"It doesn’t matter" she interrupted "You’re still the best Dad a girl could have" she promised as they hugged again.

"Hey" Spike suddenly exclaimed as they parted "Don’t you think we should go pick up Red and Glinda? I mean, they shouldn’t be walking over here in the sun all by themselves"

"Spike, that makes no sense" Buffy told him, though she laughed when she said it. She couldn’t believe how happy he was, like some little kid that just got the gift they really wanted for Christmas, well, in essence he had.

"Stuff bloody sense, Slayer" he told her, still standing in the full on sunshine and loving it "Nothing can hurt me now, not the sun, fire, stakes, I’m impervious to just about every bugger’s attack" he grinned with delight "but better than all that" he said more seriously, grabbing both his Slayer and his daughter’s hands and pulling them into the light with him "I can see my girls in the daylight. I can walk out into town with the two most beautiful girls in the world on my arms, with the proudest grin on my face when I wish ‘em all a Merry bloody Christmas" he said delightedly, making both his girls giggle like idiots.

"I’m gonna go call the Wiccas, make sure they’re ready to go and all that" he said, practically bounding over to grab the phone, "Don’t go anywhere"

"We won’t" Rebecca promised as he disappeared and her mother grabbed hold of her, hugging her tight.

"Oh Becky, I was always proud of you but, what you’ve done for your father..." she didn’t have the words to thank her little girl for what she’d done, or to tell her how proud she truly was, it was just beyond words.

"It was for you too" Becky told her, "I know you love him, but I also know how hard it is sometimes to deal with all the stuff Dad can’t do, especially the sun thing, and you guys do so much for me, I wanted to kinda give something back, y’know?" she shrugged, almost as if it were nothing, but they both knew it was an extremely big deal.

"It’s not like you owe us anything, sweetheart" Buffy told her, putting her hand to the girl’s face "You’re our little girl and we love you"

"I love you too, Mom" Rebecca was almost in tears again as she hugged her mother, and that’s how Spike found them when he returned to the room.

"Come on you two, no time for messing about" he told them "Let’s get out in that winter sun"

- End of Story 3 -