DECEMBER 25TH, 1998

Oz needed to think some things out. Faith went looking for another party. Angel was plainly exhausted. So it was that at about twelve noon, Buffy, Willow, Xander and Joyce went out and took advantage of the miraculous snowfall before California's balmy weather reasserted itself.

In the middle of a snowball fight with Xander and Joyce, Willow saw Buffy pushing a large, round mound of snow together and compacting it.

"Ya know, that's way too big for a snowman base."

Buffy gently pointed her away.

"Its not for a snowman. Now shoo."

Willow chuckled.

"Well, there's no need to get violent on me."

Buffy looked at her.

"Maybe sometimes violence is called for."

Which rang a bell in Willow's head, but it was one she ignored in favor of nailing Xander with a back-shot of icy kisses.

Taking her break from the fight, Joyce pointed at the mound of snow Buffy was still building up.

"That's way too big for a snowman base, honey."

Buffy just smiled and kept compacting her circle.

"Its not for a snowman, Mom. Its for therapy."

"Strange therapy."

The Slayer shrugged.

"So? Buffy's not perfect."

As with Willow, Joyce felt a twinge at that, but a laughing Willow in the distance made too tempting a target, and she resumed.

Having given as good as he got, Xander walked over to Buffy and made a pithy, insightful, wholly unique observation. Buffy responded to it in kind.

"Its not for a snowman."

He nodded.

"So why don't you come and join us in the snow war?"

Buffy nodded.

"Eventually. Can't you do without me for just a little while, though?"

The words and tone themselves told Harris nothing. But an odd sense of deja vu crept in, and wouldn't be put out. But as he returned to snowball fighting, he, Joyce and Willow ran about, seeking advantage until they came to a snow-drifted cul-de-sac over a hill.

It was then they heard Buffy's voice.

"Guys, remember when I ran off last spring? And how that made all of you so upset, angry and nervous?"

The three wondered at this.

"Hey, Buff, we forgave you, Okay?"

"Buffy, that is sooo way in the past now. We don't need any more apologies."

"Willow and Xander are right, honey. That all got sorted out. Now, come down and join us."

Still over the rise, Buffy kept on.

"Nope. I was a jerk. I left you alone, and I couldn't have done it in a worse way. So I need you guys to promise me something."

"Anything."

"More than anything."

"Buffy, you know that."

Getting closer now, her voice was heard ever more clearly.

"Promise me, that if I ever pull a bonehead maneuver like that again, and if I come crawling back, begging forgiveness..."

The three gasped. Buffy was now visible. She held above her head what they had mistaken for a large  snowman base, and she was quite ready to throw it, a large grin on her face.

"....that you will try to be a whole lot nicer to me. Happy Holidays!"