Disclaimer-I don't own any of the characters from B:tVS or A:ts , OK? Therefore you WILL NOT SUE ME!!!!
Author's Notes-This takes place in the current timeline....sort of. This SEASON. Only now Buffy's 20, and Dawn's 15. And Fishboy left, but not without much ass kicking on Buffy's part. And it's Christmas. The song is called *One Little Candle* and it's by Audrey Snyder. (It's old and I picked it....because. Just 'cuz.) Buffy's parts are in italics. Angel's are bold. Both are bold italics. The Scoobies' part is the chorus and it's underlined. It's snowing because it's snowing....icing...whatever...here. I'm sliding on the ice here in friggin' cold Pennsylvania. And it's COLD. And Angel has had his shansu-only Buffy doesnt know yet. There's also a bunch of Christmas carols in here, but I can't identify them all.
Spoilers-Possible Pangs, IWRY, and S5

Buffy sat in the windowsill. She held in her hands a steaming cup of hot chocolate with small marshmellows floating on the top. It was snowing again in Sunnydale....the first snow in two years. The first snow since Angel left. She sighed, depressed. Dawn came bouncing down the stairs.

"Buffy, some guy's on the phone for you!" she said, "and NO it's not Riley. I checked."

She took the receiver from her sister. She could faintly hear the song "Jingle Bells" coming from her mothers's room upstairs, where she was probably wrapping Chirstmas presents.

"Hello?" Buffy said into the receiver.

"Hello, Buffy."

It was that unmistakable voice.

The one that filled her every being.

Angel.

She almost passed out. "Hi," she said in a whisper.

"How are you?" he asked. How can he be so calm? she asked herself.

"I'm....," she began, "I'm good. You?"

"Same."

She began to wonder why he had called. "Not to be rude, but....why are you calling? I mean, you don't usually call unless there's trouble."

"Oh! I"m having a Christmas party. On the 24th. Cordelia has it planned. You and the Scoobies are invited to my new....hotel. Office...either works. If you guys want to stay for a while, you're welcome to. You can bring your mother and Dawn." he said.

"I can come....Angel?" she said.

"Yeah. Good. What?"

Buffy considered saying something, but decided against it. "Bye," she said, hanging up.

Christmas with Angel, she thought. This should be fun.

**********************

Angel paced. He was petrified by the thought of seeing Buffy again. Being close enough to touch her. Especially now that he was human.

There was a knock on the door. He got up to answer it. It was Joyce and Dawn.

"Hey Angel!" Dawn said.

"Hi, Dawn. You're alot bigger than the last time I saw you. In case you're wondering, Cordy's in the other room."

"Hello, Joyce."

"Hello, Angel," she said. "Buffy's unloading the car. I swear, between her and Dawn, they must have a houseful of clothes."

He laughed nervously. Buffy came through the door, her face and body hidden by suitcases. She stumbled over the doorframe and set the luggage down.

"Hey, Angel."

Angel looked over to her. Buffy looked fabulous. She had on tight fitting silveryblue jeans with rhinestones up the sides, and a form fitting black V-necked tank top, despite the bitter cold. Her hair was curled and longer than she had worn it in a long time. Her scent wafted across the room, smelling like honeysuckle and vanilla.

"Are you gonna stare or let me in?" she asked.

He snapped out of his daze. "Oh," he laughed tentatively," come in."

This is going to be a long week, he thought.

************************

Everybody was at Angel's by now. They were singing (well, okay, Xander was howling) Christmas carols. Giles played the piano and the Scoobies sang.

"Silent night, holy night
All is calm
All is bright
Round yon virgin mother and child
Holy infant so tender and mild
Sleep in heavenly peace
Sleep in heavenly peace"

"Xander, I SWEAR if you don't stop singing you aren't going to get to watch A Charlie Brown Christmas tomorrow!" Buffy said.

"No, Scrooge! Don't take Snoopy away from us too! Take the Cherrioes! All golden and delicious! Not Snoopy! I have to dance!" Xander said with mock seriousness.

Angel heaved a pillow at him. "YOU said we had to invite him," Angel said, glaring at Cordelia.

Cordelia blushed modestly. "Shut UP," she hissed.

Giles took that as his cue to start playing again. He played a tune that was unfamiliar to everyone except Buffy and Angel. (Except for the chorus...)

"One little candle burning bright
One little gleam of radient light
Shimmering softly in the night
Makes the darkness fade away

Keep your light (Keep your light)
Shining bright (Shining bright)
Like a torch of hope held high
Let it glow (Let it glow)
Let it show (Let it show)
Keep the flame of love alive)

One little smile for someone new
One little word of kindness too
Rekindles the friendship flame anew
Soon the lonliness is gone

Keep your light (Keep your light)
Shining bright (Shining bright)
Like a torch of hope held high
Let it glow (Let it glow)
Let it show (Let it show)
Keep the flame of love alive

Keep your light (Keep your light)
Shining bright (Shining bright)
Like a torch of hope held high
Let it glow (Let it glow)
Let it show (Let it show)
Keep the flame of love alive........"

Buffy and Angel got closer and closer as they sang. Dawn spoke up as they ended the song. "You're under the mistletoe. You have to kiss."

They exchanged worried glances. "No, we don't, Dawn. Go to bed." Buffy said urgently.

"But Buff-"

"NOW."

********************

December 24, 2000

In the middle of the night, Buffy was roused out of her deep sleep. She heard somebody restock the fire. Quietly she tiptoed out of her dark room into the warm lobby.

"Angel," she said.

He whirled around. "Buffy. You scared me."

She smiled. "I scare most people after I wake up."

"I think you look beautiful," he said quietly. They inched closer. "Buffy, I need to tell you something."

A worried expression crossed her face. "What?" she asked tentatively.

"I'm human."

She looked skeptic. Angel grabbed her hand and placed it on his sculpted, bare chest.

"I can feel your heart beat," she said. Oh my god.....he's human... "How long?"

"Since this last month.....it was my shansau. My redemption."

She wasn't sure what to say. "Congratulations....have fun with your normal life...."

"Buffy, I want to try again." He looked deep into her eyes with warmth and sincerity.

"Angel," she said," we're underneath the mistletoe....."

"Does that mean-" She silenced him with a kiss.

******************

The snow fell softly outside of the cozy hotel. Los Angeles was coated in a blanket of white. "Angel," Buffy murmured," have you noticed that every time that we're together for Christmas it snows?"

"No," he said," I haven't. I'm too busy noticing how beautiful you are. This feels unreal."

"I know.......it feels perfect. Exactly like I've always wanted to. Utopia. Like a perfectly normal girl curling up in the arms of her perfectly normal, super sexy boyfriend, by the fireplace, on Christmas with big cups of hot chocolate."

"All I want for Christmas is you," she finished.

Angel stood up suddenly. "Buffy, I have wanted to do this since your seventeenth birthday. Will you marry me?" he asked, opening a box to reveal a gold Cladduah ring with 'Love Always' inscribed in the small heart.

"Of course," she said.

"Merry Christmas, Buffy."

"Merry Christmas, Angel."

Yes, I know the ending was sappy. I felt like it. This might become a series....who knows? Anyways, Merry Christmas, Happy Chanauka, Happy Kwanza, or whatever other holiday you celebrate! And feedback is always welcome. (See, I AM capable of FLUFFINESS!)

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