Slowly Buffy woke up. She was comfortable, content, and there was a reassuringly warm body behind her. A strong arm was wrapped around her waist and her hand held his tightly. A smile slowly appeared on her face but she kept her eyes closed, trying to keep the sense of peace and happiness safe within her. Buffy could hear the faint sound of Lotty breathing over the baby-monitor and at the same time she could feel a warm breath on the back of her neck. The room was silent and she could pretend that nothing existed beyond her and her family.
The arm around her waist tightened slightly and she felt warm lips kissing her bare shoulder.
"Morning, love," Giles rumbled.
Buffy wriggled around until she was facing him, their faces so close she had to cross her eyes to focus. She decided that was not dignified and reminded her too much of Lotty, so she let her eyes uncross again. "Morning. How did you know I was awake?"
"Your breathing changes."
"Ah. And you've studied this?"
"Intimately."
"I thought you had."
Buffy moved forward a couple of inches and caught his lips in a lazy kiss. It sent sparks down her spine and a warm ball of fire began to grow inside. She explored thoroughly, enjoying the tiny gasps and moans she managed to entice, and finished with a soothing nibble to his lips.
Giles cupped her face when she pulled back and smiled at her. "Merry Christmas, love."
Buffy's face broke into a delighted grin. "Ooh, it is, isn't it? I almost forgot - you're much too distracting Mr Giles."
"And you, my love, were the one doing the distracting," Giles corrected her.
"Details, details." Buffy struggled to sit up and he released her with a sigh. "More importantly, did I get any presents?"
Giles looked up at his wife with an amused grin. Buffy's midnight blue satin nightdress was sexy, her hair was tousled, and her lips were swollen from kisses, but the expression on her face was like . . . well, like a kid on Christmas morning. The stresses and tensions that she had endured over the past year melted away as she regarded the bulging stocking at the end of their bed with eager eyes. Sometimes she missed the carefree teenager she had been a year ago but right now she almost felt like that girl again. Lotty might well be the technical child of the household, but Buffy was still young enough to be excited over something as simple as Christmas. It was, she knew, something that Giles loved about her but sometimes she still worried that she was too young for him. Each time she did he reassured her, saying that her youth was balanced by her emotional maturity, but there would probably always be that tiny, niggling worry at the back of her mind.
She put those worries away and focused instead on the little pile of presents she emptied out of the stocking. A satsuma and a bag of nuts had stuffed the toe of the sock, which was apparently a tradition in Giles' family, and she put that aside for later.
Most of the gifts were practical little things - nail files, hair clips, a bottle of her favourite perfume - and she opened those quickly. She was left with two, interesting looking gifts. Buffy picked up the larger one and shook it playfully.
"Hey, it's not a rattley thing," she said with a grin.
"If you open it you'll find out what it is," Giles said with an impatient grimace.
Curiously, Buffy carefully removed the tape and peeled away the bright wrapping paper. For a moment she just held the present, her mind not quite processing it. In her hand she held an old leather-bound book. She opened the cover with a slightly shaking hand. Scribbled on the cover page were a succession of names, dates and dedications. The handwriting varied from beautifully formed copperplate at the top to hastily scrawled messages. The last entry in the book was dated Christmas 2000 and signed from Giles.
"To my beloved Buffy. Yours always, Rupert."
The entry above it was from Albert to Louisa, and from the date she thought it was the final Christmas before the young Slayer had given her life to save her child's. She turned a few more pages and smiled as she recognised a poem she had studied at college. Flicking through it she found several more poems she recognised and lots more that she would enjoy discovering. She returned to the front cover and looked at the dedications more closely.
"Rupert, this has been in your family for over a hundred years. How can you give it away?" she asked, turning to Giles with a shocked expression.
"I'm not giving it away, I'm giving it to you." He took her hand and twined his fingers with hers. "Mary gave it to me a couple of months ago and explained. Apparently it's a family tradition to give this book when someone has found his, or her, true love. My god knows how many times great grandfather gave it to his wife, his son gave it to his wife, and so on through the years. My father gave it to Louisa and now I am giving it to you."
Buffy felt her throat close up and she sniffed. "Rupert, that is so beautiful. Thank you." She held the book tightly against her chest. "I'll always treasure it. Until we have to pass it onto Lotty, anyway."
Holding his eyes with her, she leaned in and kissed him again. This time the kiss was passionate instead of lazy as she tried to convey everything she was feeling but could not express. Giles' hands reached up of their own accord to hold her more securely against him and she sighed.
It was so tempting just to give into the desire she could feel but Buffy forced herself to pull back. She very deliberately put the book on her bedside table, put the rest of the presents on the floor, and then shifted until she was lying sprawled on Giles. Then she returned to her task.
After a few, incredibly pleasant minutes Giles pulled away and looked at her questioningly. "Are you sure, love?"
Buffy nodded. "Yeah. I know I've been a little bit . . . it's hard to get in the mood when you feel frumpy and fat. Not to mention kinda weird after the whole giving birth thing. But I'm ready now, and I want to."
"Good."
She rested her chin on his chest and peeked up through blonde lashes. "Good? Why, you sound positively deprived."
Giles rolled them over so that he could look down at her with mock seriousness. "You are a difficult woman to resist."
Her wicked chuckle was cut off as his lips descended over hers.
***
Faith stared up at the ceiling. At the end of the attic that she had made into her sleeping area the ceiling was painted with a spectacular night sky, complete with her own impression of the Eagle Star Nebula. The paint for the stars even glowed in the dark. She had graduated the painting as it went down the room through dusk, sunset and at the far end of the attic it was a beautiful summer's day with tiny wisps of clouds. Nobody came up here so she felt free to paint whatever she wanted to. And she had. She grinned wryly; nobody would guess that Faith the Slayer had actually enjoyed art and even had some extra lessons from her teachers. Maybe if there had been the option to do art and drop everything else she might have stayed at school. Or then again, maybe not.
The house was silent apart from the occasional creak as it settled. Christmas morning, she was quickly discovering, did not seem to involve being awake early. Or at least, she corrected, being out of bed early. Everyone else in the family was with their honeys.
Faith closed her eyes and tried to will herself back to sleep. After a few minutes her eyes opened again and she sighed morosely. She could not even sleep through the day. Giving in, she sat up and ran a hand through her hair. Outside the day was bright and unnervingly cheerful. Faith glared at the happily beaming sunshine. Christmas morning was supposed to be cold, overcast and depressing. The sun mocked her.
With a heartfelt sigh Faith slid out of bed and pulled on a robe before padding down her little staircase. She almost tripped when her foot came down on an uneven surface at the bottom and she scrambled back a step so she could look down and stare. Somehow a red stocking had found its way onto her bottom step. She was sure there had been nothing there the night before. If it had not been for her name sewn in glittering gold thread on the seasonal red sock she would have assumed that someone had simply dropped it.
The stunned Slayer bent over and picked up the stocking. It was heavy. The presents were all addressed to "Faith" and signed from "Santa". There was no doubt about it; someone had decided that she was going to join in with Christmas.
Faith sat down with a solid thump. For a long moment she simply held the stocking dumbly. It was more than she had ever expected. It was more than she had been given for years. It was a stocking of her own. Wow.
Slowly a grin spread across her face. There was only one thing to do with presents and Faith set about it with childish delight.
***
"Child of mine, you have exquisite timing," Buffy grumbled as she stared down at Lotty.
One of the best parts of making love with Giles, she had discovered (although maybe not the best part), was the cuddle time afterwards. Just lying surrounded by him, their love and not having a care about anything else made her feel closer to him than she had ever imagined. Lotty had apparently decided that her parents were not paying enough attention to her, so she began wailing hungrily just as Buffy was lying on Giles in a happily sated sprawl.
"I think, young lady, we need to have words about what time is acceptable to begin waking up," Buffy continued, shaking a finger at Lotty.
In her cot, the baby watched the waving finger with uncertain eyes. On the one had it was mommy, but on the other hand mommy was not feeding her. She did not quite know what to make of it. In the face of insurmountable confusion she decided to complain the only way she knew; she screwed up her face and renewed her screaming.
Buffy rolled her eyes and quickly gave in. Her daughter had her wrapped around her pinkie and the child knew it.
"Come on, sweetie, let's get you fed and changed and then you can open your first Christmas presents."
Lotty felt herself being lifted up so she stopped crying for a moment, willing to play along as long as she got her meal. Little grey eyes peeked up at her mother in a red face and Buffy smiled and planted a kiss on her forehead.
***
"Merry Christmas," Willow and Tara chorus with matching grins as Buffy and Lotty arrived in the kitchen.
Buffy rolled her eyes. The two witches were outfitted in matching Santa hats and there were definite signs that Willow was on a coffee high.
"Haven't you learnt about her and coffee?" she asked Tara, sitting down at the table.
From his post at the stove Giles snorted and she glanced over to see him smiling far too innocently.
"Coffee?" Tara asked, also sporting a much too innocent smile.
"Coffee," Buffy nodded sighing. She winced as Lotty pulled her hair and gently disengaged the baby's hand from it. "Willow plus coffee equals major caffeine high. It's not fun."
"Nu-uh, no coffee," Willow protested. "I haven't had any coffee, have I? You'll back me up?"
The redheaded girl directed pleading eyes at her girlfriend.
"She's right, she hasn't had any coffee," Tara admitted. "Promise. We just got excited about Christmas and . . ."
"We'll be good now."
A plate of waffles appeared on the table in front of Buffy and she felt a kiss planted on her head before Lotty was gently pulled out of her arms. She looked up at Giles gratefully before tucking into her breakfast as he pulled out a chair next to her.
"Remind me again why we get up so early?" Xander asked mournfully as he wandered into the kitchen, Anya in tow behind him. "I'm sure there's a reason, I've just forgotten."
"Presents," Anya supplied helpfully.
Buffy swallowed before asking, "Uh, early how? I thought we were running behind schedule here."
"There's a schedule?" Willow asked worriedly. "Why didn't I see the schedule? Who made up the schedule?"
"Honey, it's ok," Tara said, patting her hand. "We got the turkey ready, remember? Everyone else is just running late."
"Oh, that's all right then."
Xander glared at the cheerful group. "For you it may be late, but I didn't get home until four this morning because someone wanted to go to two carol services and then watch the lights in town."
Anya shrugged. "You said it was traditional."
"One church, quick look at the lights and then home. That's tradition."
"Oh."
Xander saw her downcast expression and sighed. "Maybe we'll start our own traditions. We can always sleep tomorrow."
As they moved to the stove to get their share of the waffles they were replaced in the doorway by Faith, wearing a bemused smile. Her hair was freshly washed and brushed, her green shirt and black jeans were not skin tight and even her make-up had been toned down for the day. In her arms lay a small stack of presents and she glanced down at them before gazing around the kitchen.
"Who should I thank for these?" she asked quietly, her usual brash demeanour utterly defeated by the shock of receiving so many presents.
Six pairs of overly innocent eyes reflected back at her and there were universal shrugs. Lotty just blew a raspberry and tried to put her hand in Giles' mouth.
"Santa?" Buffy suggested.
Giving up, Faith deposited her presents on the counter and rummaged in the cupboards for the box of Pop Tarts.
With the entire family present and accounted for there was a unanimous decision that it was time for the present part of the morning so the gang trooped into the brightly decorated lounge.
"So, who's on postman duty?" Buffy asked, curling up next to Giles on a sofa. "Traditionally it's the youngest, but I don't think Lotty can read the labels yet."
"Don't look at me," Anya said, shaking her head violently. "I'm definitely not the youngest. And postman always opens their gifts last so I really don't want to do that."
Faith sighed. "I guess I'm next youngest."
Anya pounced on her presents the moment Faith handed them to her and began pulling the wrapping open eagerly. Faith picked up a mangled piece of bright wrapping paper and held it up with a raised eyebrow.
Willow bit her lip. "I guess Button found the catnip cushion I was giving him."
"Catnip?" Faith asked. "Wait, I probably don't want to know."
Suddenly there was silence from Anya's corner and Buffy looked over to see the former demon holding a small box as though it was a ticking time bomb. She turned hopeful eyes on Xander and held it out.
"Xander, is this what I think it might be?" she asked quietly.
The dark haired young man took a deep breath. "That depends on if you want it to be. If you don't, it's just a pretty ring. If you do, then . . . yeah, it is."
Anya looked at the box intently. After a moment's hesitation she opened the box and handed it to Xander.
"Isn't it traditional for you to put it on me?" she asked.
Xander blinked twice before his brain managed to convert her words and he turned to look at her, astonished. "Do you mean it?"
"Of course. You're handsome, I love you, you're financially stable and I don't want to cast spells on you even when I'm angry because I can't stand the idea of you hurting. Why wouldn't I want to marry you?"
He took a deep, shuddering breath and pulled Anya into a tight hug. Buffy snuggled closer to Giles and grinned as she felt him take her hand. A year ago she would not have put a bet on Anya and Xander lasting a week, but the past year had apparently matured them as well. Looking around at her friends Buffy frowned as she realised that none of them had been untouched by what had happened. The marks of their sacrifices were plain on everyone's faces, but at the same time there was joy. Each of them had found something, in the middle of the pain, that was worth fighting for. She watched Willow smile shyly at Tara, and blush when the blonde girl whispered in her ear. At the same time Faith was sitting with another pile of presents and a stunned expression as she realised that the people around her actually did care.
"We've done good things, love," Giles whispered in her ear as he handed her a soft, squashy present. "It didn't seem like it at the time, but sometimes these things have a way of working themselves out."
Buffy nodded and smiled up at him. "I know. That's just what I was thinking."
"Well, great minds . . ."
She kissed him and grinned cheekily. Lotty, seated in her lap, protested as the bright package in front of her waved around without coming near her grabbing hands. Buffy quickly unwrapped it to reveal a bright pink furry toy with green spots.
"Lotty, you are spoiled," she told the baby.
Lotty ignored her, focusing instead on her new toy.
***
Buffy hurried down the hallway to answer the door. The sounds from the lounge were now much quieter and her adoring adoptive aunts and uncles surrounded little Lotty so she was on doorman duty.
"Hi mom!" she greeted as she opened the door. "Merry Christmas."
Joyce kissed her cheek and smiled down at her. "Hello, honey. Now, where's that beautiful granddaughter of mine?"
She quickly disappeared into the lounge leaving Buffy to close the door behind her.
"And I was worried that she wouldn't accept Lotty?" the blonde Slayer grumbled with an exasperated grin. "Who woulda thunk that mom would actually enjoy being a grandmother? I think she just likes everyone telling her she looks much to young to be a grandmother."
***
A few minutes later the doorbell rang again and Buffy rushed down the hallway to answer it.
"Merry Christmas!"
"Happy Christmas!"
"Is it lunchtime yet?"
Wesley, Cordelia and a black man that she assumed was Gunn stood on her doorstep.
"Hi," Buffy said, holding the door wide. "Come on in. Lunch won't be for another hour."
Cordelia swept through the doorway. "Is Lotty awake?"
"She's being doted on in the lounge," Buffy told her.
Wesley cleared his throat uncomfortably. "I hope we're not imposing."
"Of course not! The more the merrier. Anyway, where else were you planning to go?"
Gunn rolled his eyes. "Hey, I had plans with a turkey roll and the TV until these two dragged me here. It was just going to be a nice, traditional day until Cordelia decided that she had to save me from myself and that apparently involved Christmas trees and turkey gravy."
Buffy grinned up at the tall man. "You're Cordelia's new project? Oh, dear, I'm sorry."***
Mary hurried up the path to the house, cursing under her breath. All her plans to arrive bright and early so she could spend time with her nephew before the guests arrived had been spoilt by an early morning call from England. When the door opened to reveal Buffy's cheerfully smiling face she decided not to tell her about it yet. There would be time enough later for official business. Today was to be a celebration of joy and life.
***
At the end of the day, with presents given and received, food eaten and much fun had by all, Buffy and Giles lay curled up together on the sofa. Cordelia, Wesley and Gunn were chatting quietly in a corner and Willow and Tara had already fallen asleep propped up against each other. Joyce and Mary were out in the kitchen making coffee, leaving Xander and Anya to play with little Lotty and keep her occupied.
"Rupert," Buffy said sleepily. The effects of her second glass of wine were just kicking in. "Do you have any regrets?"
Giles was silent for a long time as he contemplated, and Buffy was content just to lean against him, his arm snug around her waist, and wait for his answer. She knew that if she had asked the question of some people they would have had an immediate answer. But Giles was different; she knew that he was carefully weighing everything up before he answered and it was one of the many things she loved about him. He was always honest, sometimes painfully so, but it was a carefully considered honesty. Buffy freely admitted that sometimes she spoke before she thought and that occasionally her kind of honesty hurt. However Giles' honesty was always worded in such a way that it only hurt if he intended it to; otherwise, no matter what he was saying, it was hard to take his words painfully. On the other hand, when he chose to be he was scathing and she could remember some times when she was at school that his words had cut her deeply.
Now, though, they understood each other so well that she could hear what he meant beneath the words. She could hear the love and support in his criticism, and the joy he took in his praise.
"No, love, I don't have any regrets," he said eventually. "Despite everything that happened, even despite everything I've learnt about my family, I can't regret it. Without it I wouldn't have you or Lotty, and I wouldn't trade either of you for anything."
Buffy nodded. "I hoped you'd say that."
They were both silent for a while, thinking.
"What happened to your parents?" Buffy asked after a while. "The ones who raised you, not Louisa."
"They died about ten years ago," Giles said sadly. "Father was driving, and a lorry skidded on some ice. They never stood a chance. It's always seemed slightly ironic that after all they had done, and everything they had survived, that they were finally killed by a bit of black ice."
"Were you close?"
"Not at all. Father always seemed a little remote - I suppose I know why now - and mother . . . I always felt as though she was jealous of me in some way. I suppose I know the reason for that as well."
"Did you see Mary much?"
Buffy could hear the smile in his voice. "Almost every day. She was my favourite aunt. She was always the one to take me shopping for school uniforms, give me sweets and watch me in the Christmas play at school. On reflection I suppose my parents were too busy with their own problems."
"It must have been a lonely time, though."
"In a way it was." Giles kissed the top of Buffy's head. "I made a promise that if I ever had a child I would be as much of a father to her as I could, and that is a promise I intend to keep."
"Lotty's going to be a lucky girl." Buffy twisted slightly so she could look into her husband's eyes. "And I'm lucky already."
"I think we both are."
*finis*