rum2

DISCLAIMER: All hail Joss Whedon, UPN, the WB, FOX , Mutant Enemy and 20th Century Fox Film Corporation. Theirs not mine.

"Well, I think it will be more fun to tell everyone all at once. Tara invited Willow to a Yule thing, so Will won't be here. Not that I�m not glad they are making up. And I'll have to call Giles, which should be a really interesting conversation. So I guess I don't actually know what I want to do."

He held her hand, his fingers running over the diamond solitaire she had accepted the night before. "Well, whatever you want. Six of one, half dozen of the other." He held her tightly, and she felt secure and protected.
"I am one lucky bloke, Slayer. I can't believe that you really want to marry me."

She turned to face him. �Well, believe it.� He kissed her, and she broke away, straddling him. �I love you so very much,� she said, as she leaned down and bit his neck. He growled and leaned his head back, offering his neck to her. She scraped the flesh of his neck gently with her teeth. He grew hard underneath her, and she ground against him. She bit harder and harder until he was writhing underneath her, barely restrained by her hold on his waist. Huskily, she whispered, "I�m the lucky one."

She stood up and pulled off her clothes. Spike joined her, pulling off his pants. He tossed her gently on the couch, rolling on top of her. He slipped inside her, more than ready, stiff with need. He bit her neck and shoulder, making her moan. Wanting to break his control, needing him to melt for her, she slipped her hands underneath his sweater and pulled her mouth to his chest, biting down. With a pained noise, his focus snapped as he grabbed her hips and thrust up into her, screaming her name. Buffy crashed, shattering all around him, feeling dizzy with the rush of her release. He slumped forward, lying on her chest as they basked in the afterglow.

She whispered in his ear. "That was a better apology than the flowers."

He smiled at her, kissing her forehead. "You know, I like the making up. Let's skip the fighting part next time."

She got up and put on her clothes. She held out her hand. "Up time, lazybones. I need you to make the eggnog and help finish icing the cookies. Plus, we need to get dressed up." She peered down at her tiny gold wristwatch. "We have an hour and fifteen minutes before Tara drops off Dawn. Come on, Mr. Pokey." Spike pulled himself together and followed Buffy up the stairs, toting the case of rum and the centerpiece.

Put a collar on me, Spike thought, I've been domesticated. Buffy had dressed him in a red sweater with snowflakes on it. He hadn't said a word. Now here he sat, at the kitchen counter, icing cookies. Holding a pastry bag, he put the finishing touches on a Santa Claus. Looking around to see if Buffy was nearby, he drew in tiny fangs. He smiled at his handiwork. He wondered if anyone had ever tried to turn Santa Claus. He shook his head. Of course not, Santa Claus wasn't real. He took a sip from his mug of blood. Looking thoughtful, he took an unfrosted cookie and dipped it in the blood. Mmm, yummy. Dipping away, he finished off the cookie and downed the last of the blood. Taking a gingerbread man off the rack, Spike switched pastry bags. He outlined the little man in white frosting, drawing in his face and tiny buttons down his front. He had gotten better at this in the last week or so.

A rush of chilly air came into the house as Dawn came in the back door. She launched herself at Spike. The pastry tube whipped in the air and a big blob of frosting fell on the cookie's head. "Dawn!� said Spike. �Look what you made me do to my gingerbread man!"

Dawn laughed at Spike's crestfallen expression. "That makes the top five list of "Things Evil Vampires Should Never Say". She tapped Spike on the shoulder. He turned to her, still distracted by the cookie trauma.
"So? I'm dying here! What happened after I left?"

He looked at her, mischief in his eyes. "Can't tell you, bit. Sworn to secrecy."

"Spike! You have to tell me. I'm dying here. Please? Please?" Dawn bounced up and down, brimming with excitement.

Buffy walked into the kitchen. She looked beautiful, wearing diamond studs in her ears and a red halter dress. "Dawnie, what are you pestering Spike about now? I told you the pierced tongue thing was out of the question."

"Are you guys going to get married or what? I deserve to know. I've been a member of the family longer than he has!" Buffy opened her mouth and Dawn shrieked. She ran over to Buffy and grabbed her hand. "You're wearing it! You're wearing the ring!" Dawn pulled Buffy over to the table and grabbed Spike out of his chair. The three of them joined in a big happy hug. .

"What the hell is going on?" asked Xander, standing in the doorway looking seriously perplexed.

Dawn broke out of the group hug and pulled Xander into one. "It's so great! Spike and Buffy are getting married!"

Xander looked green around the gills. "Getting married? Wait, this is d�j� vu all over again. A spell-"

Spike strode over and pulled Xander away from Dawn. His hand clamped the back of Xander's neck firmly. He whispered very softly in Xanders' ear. "Say one thing to burst her bubble, or say anything to upset Buffy, and I will snap you like a twig. Chip be damned." Looking into Spike's face, Xander knew that he was deadly serious.

Point made, Spike broke into a big goofy smile. "Right then. Let's have some eggnog. I made it with lots and lots of rum."

Xander sighed. "Pour me a tankard. While you're at it, grab the bottle of rum and a couple of shot glasses too."

Anya wandered into the kitchen wearing a green sweater and slacks. The sweater had a large Christmas tree on it, complete with metal ornaments and blinking electrical lights. Fabric barrettes shaped like holly adorned her blonde hair. She looked a little pasty. "Hi Buffy, hi Dawn. I was just sick in your bathroom. I keep getting all pukey."Buffy looked concerned. "Do you want to sip on some ginger ale or something?"

"No, I'll be alright. I think that Xander knocked me up, actually. I've peed on a bunch of those little sticks and they all turned blue. But I won't go to the doctor until next week. So Xander told me that I shouldn't talk about it today, since we don't know yet." Floored, Buffy tried to think up an appropriate response.

Anya spied the Christmas cookies on the platter on the table. Dawn sat in a chair, munching away at a snowman. "That would be cool if you had a baby, Anya. I could baby-sit, " said Dawn.