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Part 1
Angel was busy putting the last few glass ornaments on the Christmas tree when he heard the door to the mansion open and a voice call out, "Hey. I didn't know vampires decorated for the season! Looks like Xander was proven wrong..."
"Buffy!" He gasped,spinning around and almost knocking over the tree. The slayer came through the hall into the main room.
"No,I'm an elf from Santa's workshop at the North Pole disguised as Buffy Summers come to tell you which of the lists you made!" She quipped,taking off her coat and back-pack, setting them on the couch and walking to Angel.
"You are?" Buffy rolled her eyes and looked at the mountain of glass, lights and pine needles.
"Wow have you got free time!" Angel chuckled and led her back to the couch.
"Do you like it?"
"It's beautiful. No star, though. I know,why don't we hang you by the top and you can be the Christmas Angel!" The vampire laughed again.
"So,which list did I make?" He asked,brushing a bit of hair from the side of Buffy's face to see her eyes better.
"It all depends what you bought your ravishingly beautiful slayer girlfriend for the holidays. If it's food, shoes, clothes or jewelry, Nice list. Anything else, Naughty list."
"What did you get me?" Angel asked. Buffy looked at him, smiled and dug into her back-pack, producing a brown paper-bag tied with red and green ribbon. He took it and untied the ribbon,then put his hand in and pulled out... A little gingerbread vampire complete with yellow Smartie eyes and red and white icing fangs. Angel looked at her puzzled,then told her,"I appreciate the thought,but I don't eat gingerbread. Even before I was brought over, I hated it."
"Oh. Oops. That's *my* present from Will and the gang." She dug again into her bag and produced a similar bag. "*Here's* your present."
Angel opened it and brought out several bags of dark red blood,with glitter glue messages across them:
"There's more,but it's at my house. Plus,I scored A positive, see? Your favorite!" Buffy smile died when she realized her topic of discussion. "Look at me,I'm talking about blood. At Christmas." Angel set the bags down and got up quietly without word. Then he went to the tree and bent down underneath it. "Angel. Look, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to-" He came back holding a small golden gift-wrapped box. He had a slight smile on his face and handed the box to her.
"Here. Merry Christmas." He said as she took it.
"What is it?" She shook it, and only heard a small rattling.
"Open it!" He told her, sitting down again. Buffy eyed him, then carefully tore off the paper. Under it was a velvet case,and inside that was a beautiful gold necklace with a little heart pendant. She gasped as she picked it up and saw how lovely it was when it reflected the light from the tree.
"Oh-my-God! It's so beautiful!"
"Open the locket." Angel said. She did,and on the inside,on one side and continued onto the next, were the words:
"I could stay awake just to hear you breathin'
Watch you smile while you are sleepin'
Far away and dreamin'
I could spend my life in this sweet surrender
I could stay lost in this moment forever
Well, every moment spent with you
Is a moment I treasure"
Buffy smiled at him lovingly after having read the inscription and pulled him into a soft kiss. Angel returned it, wrapping his arms around her. The kiss grew in passion until Buffy broke it.
"You know,if you want to really make this a merry Christmas, we could do the animal cracker thing AJ and Grace were doing..." They both laughing softly.
"So, which list am I on, Ms. Elf?"
"Huh? Oh. You know, I don't really know. I'll have to consult with the head elf. I think that's classified information, though." They laughed again, then Buffy stood up and placed the necklace in the case,then the case in her bag. "Listen,I've got to go. Come by around 7, and we can go to the Christmas party at the Bronze. Okay?"
"Okay." Angel assured her, handing her her jacket. Her *leather* jacket. *His old* leather jacket...
"It's settled. Bye." Buffy gave him a quick kiss,grabbed her back-pack
and walked out. Angel stared after her, then turned and put the star up on
top of the tree.