Some Holiday cheer for Chocobell
Title: The Holiday Tie That Binds
Genre: Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Grimm
Rating: PG
Prompt: Who spiked the egg nog?
chocobell1212, I hope you enjoy your bit of holiday fun! My thanks to you for playing along and to nursesparky for her beta!
Buffy watched Giles carefully arrange the suitcases in the trunk of his car.
“Tell me again why we are doing this?” She didn’t mean to sound like a truculent child, but she did.
“It’s important that you see more than just your little piece of the world.” Giles ran down a mental list. “Are you sure there aren’t any more suitcases?”
“You had one, I had two… I’m seeing three pieces there and I think that’s all we’re allowed on the plane.”
“Weapons.”
“We’re taking weapons? First, you’re taking me away from my friends and now I’m having to take work with me. Some holiday.”
Giles sighed inwardly. There were times when he forgot just how young she was. “Buffy, I can’t make you do this.”
“I know.” She blew out a mouthful of air. “I’m just…” She looked around at the gaily decorated houses and apartments. While they spoke Christmas, it wasn’t even cold enough to wear a sweater. “This is Christmas to me - palm trees and shorts.”
“Variety is the spice of life.”
“I thought it was nutmeg.”
“Hey, Buffy, Giles!” Willow ran up to them, Xander on her heels. “I’m glad we caught you.” She held out a bright green tin. “We made you something for the trip.” Then she giggled, “Well, two somethings, but Xander ate the other ones.”
“Are you sure you are up to patrolling while I’m gone?” Buffy took the packet and tucked it into her backpack.
“No problem. We can do this.” Willow gestured her away. “We got it.”
“No heroics. If it gets bad, find Spike or Angel if you have to. We’ll only be gone a few days.”
“Buffy, it’s fine. We’ll be fine. Everything is fine.” Xander’s voice nearly cracked on the last ‘fine.’
Buffy looked over at Giles and shook her head. “This is such a bad idea.”
Giles set his tray table up and sighed. Buffy had been asleep for much of their flight north. It had been just as well. He knew how desperately his Slayer needed the rest. She’d been going straight out as of late and was starting to fray around the edges.
“Buffy, wake up.” He sat well away from her. He remembered the last time he tried to wake her up. It had taken him a week to heal. “Buffy, we’re here.”
Slowly, she came awake as if reluctant to leave a pretty dream. “Mmm, I was dreaming about junior high… back when I had a dad and not a Watcher.” She smiled sadly. “For what it’s worth, you’re a much better man.” Impulsively, she gave Giles’s cheek a peck and sat up. “Where are we?”
“We’re on our final approach to Portland.”
“I’ve never been outside of California.” She peered out the window and squealed. “Giles, look, snow.”
“Yes, remember that when I ask you to sweep off the rental car for the tenth time. Your seat belt, Buffy.”
“What? Oh, yeah, right.” She hasty shoved things into her backpack and stuffed it beneath the seat in front of her, then put on her seat belt. “So, this guy we’re meeting… is he a Watcher, too?”
“Not exactly.”
“Then a member of the council? I mean, he can’t be a Slayer. We’re always girls, right?”
“Yes, you are correct in that you are all women, but he’s not a member of the Council, either.”
“Then what is he?”
“Special.”
She continued to pepper him with questions even as they entered into the terminal. Giles scanned the crowd and saw a young couple holding a sign, Keep Portland Weird. They spotted Giles and started waving madly.
Giles smiled and waved back. He hastened his step, leaving Buffy in his wake. Amused, she followed behind.
“Uncle Pert, It’s great to see you!” The woman wrapped her arms around his neck and gave him a big kiss. “I can’t believe you came!”
“I’m glad you finally did.” The man with her shook Giles’s hand.
“As am I. May I introduce both of you to Buffy.” He motioned her forward. “Buffy, this is my niece, Juliette, and her boyfriend, Nick.”
“Hey, it’s nice to meet you.” Buffy picked up a very weird vibe as she shook hands with Nick. “I’ve never seen snow before.”
“Really? Oh, I guess in southern California, you wouldn’t.” Juliette locked elbows with Giles and led him away. Buffy felt a flare of something… jealousy? She scoffed at the thought. Who would be jealous over Giles?
“So, what do you do for a living?” Nick asked her.
“Oh, college student, for the most part. You?”
“Cop, for the most part.”
“She’s really happy to see Giles.” Buffy watched them disappear towards baggage claim.
“He’s about the only family she has left.” Nick smiled and Buffy noticed his eyes. They are different, very dark and very piercing. “What about you?”
“My mom and my sister. They’re spending the holidays in LA with my ex-Dad and his new family.”
“Oh, that can’t end well.”
“Tell me about it, which is why I’m here.”
“Glad you are. Juliette has been a whirlwind since she got the call. “I hope you like Thai.”
“Love it.” She’d never actually had Thai, but if it was food, she wasn’t fussy.
They’d had dinner and were getting settled when Buffy decided to approach Giles. “Hey, Giles?”
“Yes?” He was busy hanging his suit in the closet. It had been decided that he would take the guest room and Buffy would take the couch. She had a younger spine.
“What’s going on with Nick?”
“What do you mean?”
“It’s me, your Slayer with my super spidey sense.”
Giles sighed and abandoned his suitcase to sit on the bed. “Come here, Buffy, I need to explain something.”
“Uh, huh.” She plopped down.
“Nick is rather special. He’s a Grimm.”
“A what?”
“A Grimm. It’s sort of like a slayer.”
“I thought only women could be slayers. Is there something you aren’t telling me about him?” She giggled, the result of a bit too much wine.
“I’m trying to tell you. He’s like a Watcher and a Slayer all rolled into one. You know how good I am at spotting demons?”
“Well, you do hang about with demon bait.”
“That accepted. Nick sees demons, even when they are trying to hide.”
“So, are you a Grimm?”
“Not entirely. I have some leanings, but not all the powers.”
“Which is why you dabble with magic.”
“It was a way of dealing with it when I was younger and thought I had a choice in my calling.”
“Sort of like me. Does Juliette know? About you, I mean?”
“I’m not sure and I’d like to keep it that way.”
The next day was a blur of activity. Buffy found herself having a good time and forgetting to worry about Sunnydale. As long as it was standing when they got back, she would be happy.
“Okay, this is the rest of the sugar cookie dough. What should we make?” Juliette picked up a cutter and pressed it into the dough. It stuck and twisted as she pulled away.
“Oops.” She laughed. “That’s not right.”
“Look a little like Krampus.”
“You know about Krampus?” Juliette practically squealed.
“Um… yes?” Buffy had a sinking feeling in her stomach. Giles and Nick walked in at that point, arms laden with brightly wrapped gifts.
“Nick, Nick, Buffy knows Krampus!”
“Well, not personally or anything.”
“Wait, what?” Nick looked from Buffy to Giles and back. “You know?”
“I think I goofed, Giles.” Buffy’s smile was weak.
“It’s fine, Buffy. It was bound to happen.” He looked at his niece and removed his glasses, polishing them on his handkerchief. “I think we need to talk.”
Buffy looked around the trailer, totally blown away by the spectacle before her. “And here I was proud to have a trunk full of weapons and you have a whole trailer.”
“I had a lot of help.” Nick was humble. “Being a Grimm runs in my family, whether I want it to or not.”
“Yeah, sort of like me. ‘You are the chosen one.’.” She added air quotes. “Wish someone had asked me about it first.”
“And Giles is your teacher.”
“My watcher.” She nodded as she paged through a book. “He does research mostly. Willow and Xander help.”
“Willow and Xander?”
“They’re part of my Scooby gang.” She shook her head slowly. “I haven’t seen anything of these. Mostly, I deal with vampires, with the odd demon now and again.”
“Vampires are real?” Nick was dumbfounded.
“Ya think?” Buffy closed the book. “Guess you have your world and I have mine.”
Nick’s cellphone rang and he was quick to answer it. “Juliette. Okay, okay, we’re on our way.”
“Trouble?”
“Well, she’ll probably be there. Juliette was just reminding me that Monroe’s and Rosalie’s party is about to start. We have to go.”
Buffy continued to pepper Nick with questions until they pulled up in front of Monroe’s place.
“Okay, now, these friends of mine. They’re not exactly what they seem.”
“Who is anymore?”
“Just relax and try to enjoy the Christmas spirit. Monroe really loves to decorate. Compliment him on that and it’ll go a long way.”
He knocked and the door opened wide. Giles was wearing a Santa hat and grinning. “You’re finally here!”
“Sorry, we got sidetracked,” Nick said entering and taking off his jacket. “Come on, I’ll introduce you.”
They walked into the living room, and Buffy gasped. “Oh my god!”
“Great, isn’t it?” The voice was unfamiliar but Nick was relaxed, so Buffy didn’t lash out. The room was literally decorated from floor to ceiling. Every surface, every nook screamed Merry Christmas
“Incredible. It’s a like a store window, but better.”
“Monroe, this is Buffy.” The man was wearing a knitted vest and a Santa hat. He grinned and held out a hand. Just then a woman came up and whispered in his ear.
Immediately, there was a transformation, much like what Oz went through when he went into full werewolf mode. She took a step back, against Nick as Monroe shouted, “Okay, who spiked the egg nog?”
Yup, she was going to fit in here just fine.
Genre: Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Grimm
Rating: PG
Prompt: Who spiked the egg nog?
chocobell1212, I hope you enjoy your bit of holiday fun! My thanks to you for playing along and to nursesparky for her beta!
Buffy watched Giles carefully arrange the suitcases in the trunk of his car.
“Tell me again why we are doing this?” She didn’t mean to sound like a truculent child, but she did.
“It’s important that you see more than just your little piece of the world.” Giles ran down a mental list. “Are you sure there aren’t any more suitcases?”
“You had one, I had two… I’m seeing three pieces there and I think that’s all we’re allowed on the plane.”
“Weapons.”
“We’re taking weapons? First, you’re taking me away from my friends and now I’m having to take work with me. Some holiday.”
Giles sighed inwardly. There were times when he forgot just how young she was. “Buffy, I can’t make you do this.”
“I know.” She blew out a mouthful of air. “I’m just…” She looked around at the gaily decorated houses and apartments. While they spoke Christmas, it wasn’t even cold enough to wear a sweater. “This is Christmas to me - palm trees and shorts.”
“Variety is the spice of life.”
“I thought it was nutmeg.”
“Hey, Buffy, Giles!” Willow ran up to them, Xander on her heels. “I’m glad we caught you.” She held out a bright green tin. “We made you something for the trip.” Then she giggled, “Well, two somethings, but Xander ate the other ones.”
“Are you sure you are up to patrolling while I’m gone?” Buffy took the packet and tucked it into her backpack.
“No problem. We can do this.” Willow gestured her away. “We got it.”
“No heroics. If it gets bad, find Spike or Angel if you have to. We’ll only be gone a few days.”
“Buffy, it’s fine. We’ll be fine. Everything is fine.” Xander’s voice nearly cracked on the last ‘fine.’
Buffy looked over at Giles and shook her head. “This is such a bad idea.”
Giles set his tray table up and sighed. Buffy had been asleep for much of their flight north. It had been just as well. He knew how desperately his Slayer needed the rest. She’d been going straight out as of late and was starting to fray around the edges.
“Buffy, wake up.” He sat well away from her. He remembered the last time he tried to wake her up. It had taken him a week to heal. “Buffy, we’re here.”
Slowly, she came awake as if reluctant to leave a pretty dream. “Mmm, I was dreaming about junior high… back when I had a dad and not a Watcher.” She smiled sadly. “For what it’s worth, you’re a much better man.” Impulsively, she gave Giles’s cheek a peck and sat up. “Where are we?”
“We’re on our final approach to Portland.”
“I’ve never been outside of California.” She peered out the window and squealed. “Giles, look, snow.”
“Yes, remember that when I ask you to sweep off the rental car for the tenth time. Your seat belt, Buffy.”
“What? Oh, yeah, right.” She hasty shoved things into her backpack and stuffed it beneath the seat in front of her, then put on her seat belt. “So, this guy we’re meeting… is he a Watcher, too?”
“Not exactly.”
“Then a member of the council? I mean, he can’t be a Slayer. We’re always girls, right?”
“Yes, you are correct in that you are all women, but he’s not a member of the Council, either.”
“Then what is he?”
“Special.”
She continued to pepper him with questions even as they entered into the terminal. Giles scanned the crowd and saw a young couple holding a sign, Keep Portland Weird. They spotted Giles and started waving madly.
Giles smiled and waved back. He hastened his step, leaving Buffy in his wake. Amused, she followed behind.
“Uncle Pert, It’s great to see you!” The woman wrapped her arms around his neck and gave him a big kiss. “I can’t believe you came!”
“I’m glad you finally did.” The man with her shook Giles’s hand.
“As am I. May I introduce both of you to Buffy.” He motioned her forward. “Buffy, this is my niece, Juliette, and her boyfriend, Nick.”
“Hey, it’s nice to meet you.” Buffy picked up a very weird vibe as she shook hands with Nick. “I’ve never seen snow before.”
“Really? Oh, I guess in southern California, you wouldn’t.” Juliette locked elbows with Giles and led him away. Buffy felt a flare of something… jealousy? She scoffed at the thought. Who would be jealous over Giles?
“So, what do you do for a living?” Nick asked her.
“Oh, college student, for the most part. You?”
“Cop, for the most part.”
“She’s really happy to see Giles.” Buffy watched them disappear towards baggage claim.
“He’s about the only family she has left.” Nick smiled and Buffy noticed his eyes. They are different, very dark and very piercing. “What about you?”
“My mom and my sister. They’re spending the holidays in LA with my ex-Dad and his new family.”
“Oh, that can’t end well.”
“Tell me about it, which is why I’m here.”
“Glad you are. Juliette has been a whirlwind since she got the call. “I hope you like Thai.”
“Love it.” She’d never actually had Thai, but if it was food, she wasn’t fussy.
They’d had dinner and were getting settled when Buffy decided to approach Giles. “Hey, Giles?”
“Yes?” He was busy hanging his suit in the closet. It had been decided that he would take the guest room and Buffy would take the couch. She had a younger spine.
“What’s going on with Nick?”
“What do you mean?”
“It’s me, your Slayer with my super spidey sense.”
Giles sighed and abandoned his suitcase to sit on the bed. “Come here, Buffy, I need to explain something.”
“Uh, huh.” She plopped down.
“Nick is rather special. He’s a Grimm.”
“A what?”
“A Grimm. It’s sort of like a slayer.”
“I thought only women could be slayers. Is there something you aren’t telling me about him?” She giggled, the result of a bit too much wine.
“I’m trying to tell you. He’s like a Watcher and a Slayer all rolled into one. You know how good I am at spotting demons?”
“Well, you do hang about with demon bait.”
“That accepted. Nick sees demons, even when they are trying to hide.”
“So, are you a Grimm?”
“Not entirely. I have some leanings, but not all the powers.”
“Which is why you dabble with magic.”
“It was a way of dealing with it when I was younger and thought I had a choice in my calling.”
“Sort of like me. Does Juliette know? About you, I mean?”
“I’m not sure and I’d like to keep it that way.”
The next day was a blur of activity. Buffy found herself having a good time and forgetting to worry about Sunnydale. As long as it was standing when they got back, she would be happy.
“Okay, this is the rest of the sugar cookie dough. What should we make?” Juliette picked up a cutter and pressed it into the dough. It stuck and twisted as she pulled away.
“Oops.” She laughed. “That’s not right.”
“Look a little like Krampus.”
“You know about Krampus?” Juliette practically squealed.
“Um… yes?” Buffy had a sinking feeling in her stomach. Giles and Nick walked in at that point, arms laden with brightly wrapped gifts.
“Nick, Nick, Buffy knows Krampus!”
“Well, not personally or anything.”
“Wait, what?” Nick looked from Buffy to Giles and back. “You know?”
“I think I goofed, Giles.” Buffy’s smile was weak.
“It’s fine, Buffy. It was bound to happen.” He looked at his niece and removed his glasses, polishing them on his handkerchief. “I think we need to talk.”
Buffy looked around the trailer, totally blown away by the spectacle before her. “And here I was proud to have a trunk full of weapons and you have a whole trailer.”
“I had a lot of help.” Nick was humble. “Being a Grimm runs in my family, whether I want it to or not.”
“Yeah, sort of like me. ‘You are the chosen one.’.” She added air quotes. “Wish someone had asked me about it first.”
“And Giles is your teacher.”
“My watcher.” She nodded as she paged through a book. “He does research mostly. Willow and Xander help.”
“Willow and Xander?”
“They’re part of my Scooby gang.” She shook her head slowly. “I haven’t seen anything of these. Mostly, I deal with vampires, with the odd demon now and again.”
“Vampires are real?” Nick was dumbfounded.
“Ya think?” Buffy closed the book. “Guess you have your world and I have mine.”
Nick’s cellphone rang and he was quick to answer it. “Juliette. Okay, okay, we’re on our way.”
“Trouble?”
“Well, she’ll probably be there. Juliette was just reminding me that Monroe’s and Rosalie’s party is about to start. We have to go.”
Buffy continued to pepper Nick with questions until they pulled up in front of Monroe’s place.
“Okay, now, these friends of mine. They’re not exactly what they seem.”
“Who is anymore?”
“Just relax and try to enjoy the Christmas spirit. Monroe really loves to decorate. Compliment him on that and it’ll go a long way.”
He knocked and the door opened wide. Giles was wearing a Santa hat and grinning. “You’re finally here!”
“Sorry, we got sidetracked,” Nick said entering and taking off his jacket. “Come on, I’ll introduce you.”
They walked into the living room, and Buffy gasped. “Oh my god!”
“Great, isn’t it?” The voice was unfamiliar but Nick was relaxed, so Buffy didn’t lash out. The room was literally decorated from floor to ceiling. Every surface, every nook screamed Merry Christmas
“Incredible. It’s a like a store window, but better.”
“Monroe, this is Buffy.” The man was wearing a knitted vest and a Santa hat. He grinned and held out a hand. Just then a woman came up and whispered in his ear.
Immediately, there was a transformation, much like what Oz went through when he went into full werewolf mode. She took a step back, against Nick as Monroe shouted, “Okay, who spiked the egg nog?”
Yup, she was going to fit in here just fine.