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Disclaimer: All characters are the creations of Joss Whedon and the property of those folks who own the copyright and/or trademark. I have no connections to the WB or the folks involved in the Buffy the Vampire Slayer television show whatsoever, and do NOT own the characters.
Author's Note: This is intended to be part of a series of stories. I've only written one other story in this series, called "The Last Vestige." It does not directly affect "The Toll of Time." The two stories can each be read without knowledge of the other.
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.
-Silent Night
It was Christmas Eve. All was quiet as the snow fell slowly to the ground. The bitter winds that that plagued the city were not to be found in the deep pine woods, and the snow fell at a leisurely pace, drifting gently on the subtle currents of the air, covering trees in blankets of soft, glistening crystals. Not a creature stirred in the night. All of the wild things had gone to shelter in their nests and burrows. It was cold in the woods, but compared to the city streets below, it was a tropical paradise.
Deep in the woods, there was a hill. It had few trees at its top, and a small creek ran at the edge of the natural clearing. The sides of the hill had a gentle slope which met the door of a fair-sized log home. Faint laughs could be heard through the stout walls, and light danced on the window panes, shining out onto the snow-covered hill and making it golden in tiny patches.
The single-story structure consisted of three good-sized bedrooms, two baths, a spacious kitchen, a dining room, a large living room, and a cozy family room. It was from this last room that the laughter and light came. A man and a woman sat together on a love-seat, brown in color, and whispered to each other as they wrapped presents. Occasionally, one of them would whisper something that the other found amusing, and they would soon find their quiet compromised by giggles. The man was quite handsome, appearing to be in his mid to late twenties, with dark hair and eyes, a pale complexion, and strong, sharp facial features. He was powerful in limb, and very tall. The dark flannel shirt and black jeans he wore accentuated the contrast between his skin, eyes, and hair. His female companion of the same age seemed to enjoy this contrast very much, for her eyes rarely left his, even when she was folding the wrapping paper around a gift. She too was a sharp contrast to the man. Her golden hair shimmered in the fire light, and her warm complexion was complemented by the red blouse she wore with snug-fitting blue jeans. Her eyes were a deep brown, and she used no make-up to bring out their color or to accentuate her delicate facial features. She was small, and compared to her companion, not much more than a sprite would be to a giant. She enjoyed the conversation her male counterpart offered very much. Or maybe it was his deep, husky voice that she loved. She answered him in quiet, soft tones every now and again, always smiling. He smiled, too, as he saw her face light up at his comments.
They passed over an hour in this manner until, finally, all of the presents had been wrapped. Then, they quickly arranged them under the Christmas tree, which was decorated with electric lights, a few Hallmark ornaments, and even more handmade ornaments. A star was placed on the top of the tree, and its golden fabric caught the firelight. The couple straightened and turned to each other. The man put his arms around the woman’s waist and drew her close. “What’s next?” he asked, a mischievous light in his eyes.
The woman chuckled and hugged him closer She stood on tiptoe and whispered, “Wouldn’t you like to know.”
At that, her male companion grinned and swept her up in his arms. She let out a quiet shriek of surprise. He carried her to the front door. Here, he set her back on her feet. “Don’t go anywhere,” he said, and disappeared into the next room. He soon returned with a pair of black leather coats. “Put this on,” he said quietly. She obliged him and let him help her into the coat. He then put his own on and stepped up in front of her. “Up you go again,” he said playfully. The women smiled as he lifted her up in his arms once more. He opened the door and carried her outside, shutting the door behind them with a firm tap from his foot. He carried her behind the house, where a small stable stood. He shouldered the door open and carried her inside the warm building. A gentle nicker greeted them as he turned on the dim lights.
“What was that?” asked his companion.
He set the her down on her feet. “It’s a surprise. Follow me,” he said. She did as he asked and followed him to the back of the barn. There, in the largest stall, stood a beautiful horse. It was dark bay, its coat the color of milk chocolate and its mane, tail and legs as black as ebony. Its eyes were a warm brown and intelligent. The horse was tall, but its manner said that it wouldn’t dream of hurting any creature.
“He’s beautiful,” the woman breathed. Her companion smiled.
“He’s a Thoroughbred. He used to be a jumper, but the pounding got to be too much for his legs. He’s ours, now.”
The woman stared at her companion in disbelief. “Ours?! Oh my...” She threw her arms around the man’s neck. When she stood back, she asked, “What’s his name?”
“Oz.” She smiled brightly. The two of them had known a man named Oz. They’d just lost him a few months ago. “Oh, I don’t know what to say-”
The man put a finger over her lips. “I’m not done yet. There’s one more surprise.”
“One more?” she said in confusion.
He nodded. “One more.” He took her delicate hand in his strong one, and led her to the stall across the aisle. He nodded towards it. “Take a look inside.”
She went to the door and stared in. “I don’t see anything.”
“Look again.”
She did, and this time she saw it. A little brown and white paint pony blinked up at her from the back corner of the stall, where it stood munching on its hay.
“This little mare is a Shetland pony. Her name is Jenny. Grace has always wanted a horse of her own, and I think she’s ready for the responsibility, don’t you?”
The woman smiled brightly, and again hugged him close. This time, she didn’t say anything. She didn’t have too. The man gently swept her up in his arms again, and carried her back inside the house. He carried her all the way to their bedroom before he finally set her down on her feet. The two of them changed, he into a pair of loose, comfortable pajama bottoms, and she into a flowing, light blue night gown. She walked up to him and wrapped her arms around his neck. “I love you,” she whispered as she gazed into his eyes.
“And I love you,” he answered her. They kissed, and for a moment there was only the two of them and the passion they shared. Then, the moment was over. A sadness crept into their eyes.
Both of them knew what to come, but they still fought the acceptance of it. In a few short months, they would no longer be together, not like this. More and more, they found the truth of matters weighing on their minds, and more and more, they thought of how it might affect their little daughter.
"Angel,” she began, “what are going to tell her when it happens?”
Angel bowed his head and looked away. “I don’t know Buffy. I...” His voice trailed off and he walked to the window. He stood there, silently, staring out at the snow. Buffy, the Vampire Slayer, walked quietly over and joined him, her vampire lover made human.
“We’ll find a way, Angel,” she whispered, her voice strong with the determination that had made her the most formidable Slayer in history.
Angel nodded and slipped his arm around her waist. He drew her close, and she rested her head against his shoulder.
And then they simply stood there, husband and wife, for the last Christmas Eve they would ever share in such a union. Soon, it would be different. Soon, a husband, a father, and a man would leave, and be replaced by a mysterious lover, a shadow of a parent, and a vampire cursed with a human soul.
Sing Silver bells, Sweet silver bells;
All seem to say, Throw cares away;
Christmas is here, Bringing good cheer;
Oh how they pound, Raising the sound;
Merrily they ring While people sing
Songs of good cheer, Christmas is here.
Merry, Merry, Merry Christmas,
Merry, Merry, Merry, Christmas;
Sing Silver Bells, Sweet silver bells...
Ding, Dong, Ding, Dong...
-Carol of the Bells