Angel is dreaming of his past, of Angelus...

Dublin 1843 - A very scared man (Daniel) is running though the streets of Dublin, obviously trying to get away form someone. He ducks into an alley, thinking he is safe until Angelus comes up behind him. Daniel has lost a card game to Angelus and hasn't got the money to pay his debts. Angelus reveals his vampire face to the man, scaring him into praying as Angelus bites down into his neck. . .

Angel wakes up and is unable to fall asleep again. He decides to take a walk to clear his head and heads into the shopping area of Sunnydale. he runs into Buffy who is doing some last minute Christmas shopping. They have an uncomfortable conversation which is broken short when Angel sees the ghost of Daniel standing on the other side of the street behind Buffy. Buffy notices Angel's strange behaviour and turns around but there is no one there. Angel is seriously wigged.

The next day, Buffy is in the library telling the others of her strange meeting with Angel. They go to classes discussing their holiday plans, Willow pointing out that she doesn't worship Santa when Oz walks in, wanting to talk to Willow. He tells her that he misses her a lot and that he wants to give their relationship another go. Willow is very pleased about this.

That evening, Buffy and Joyce go shopping for a Christmas tree. Joyce starts making plans for Christmas Day and tells Buffy to invite Faith over for Christmas Dinner. Buffy asks whether she can invite Giles as well as he'd be spending Christmas by himself, but Joyce flusteredly says no (They're staying away from each other after the Band Candy fiasco). Trying to decide between frosted or unfrosted trees Buffy comes across a patch of dead trees. The tree owner hasn't got the faintest diea what has killed them, especially as the surrounding ones are fine.

Angel is still being tormented by nightmares, now he's seeing Jenny and in despertation goes to the only person who could possibly help him. Giles is a little bit surprised when he finds Angel at the door, but it's not a happy surprise. Angel asks him for help which Giles doesn't want to give. Giles arms himself with a crossbow and reluctantly lets him in. As the talk Jenny appears behind Giles, touching his shoulder but Giles is unaware. It's almost as if Jenny is taunting him. Angel can't cope with this ghost and runs away back to the mansion.

Angel has another dream, this time he is at a turn-of-the-century society party and has cornered a maid, Elizabeth under the stairs. She begs him to leave her alone but he ignores her pleas and takes a bite out of her. He looks up from his feeding and sees Buffy (dressed in normal clothes) watching him in shock. They both wake up with a start, realising that they're sharing each other's dreams.

The next morning Buffy goes to Giles for help. She doesn't want to be guest starring in Angel's dreams and Giles tells her that Angel came round to his place the night before, but ran off. They decide to do some research to see if they can find a cuase for Angel's dreams. Xander walking in, overhears them and offers to help. Buffy is surprised that Xander is willing to help, but he tells her that it's better than spending the holidays at home. As they are about to start, Willow comes in, because she's not celebrating a holiday and is bored at home. As they research Willow tells Buffy about her and Oz getting back together.

Angel is still unable to sleep and having Jenny haunting the mansion isn't helping either. he asks her what she wants and when she tells him that she wants to be able to grow old and die surrounded by fat grandchildren, he tries to apologise, but she won't let him. She wants to make him suffer for what he has done. He is visited by other ghosts as well, Daniel, Elizabeth, a man whose children Angelus killed and many others. Angel is slowly being driven crazy by the visitations, the reminder of the monster he was. He wants it to stop. Jenny tells him to sleep.

At the library, a research-heavy day has worn out Buffy and see falls alseep amongst the bookstacks. Her and Angel share another dream. This one isn't of the past though. This time they are making mad, passionate love in Buffy's bedroom. Buffy looks over Angel's shoulder and sees a man with his eyes sewn shut standing by the bed. Angel vamps out and bites into Buffy and they both wake up with a start. At the mansion Jenny tells Angel that he needs to kill Buffy for the dreams to stop.

Buffy wakes up in the bookstacks, very confused and scared about what is going on.

Giles, however, has made some progess in the research department. Buffy tells him that she's had another dream and when Giles asks what it was about she changes the subject. Giles has found some information on a creature/thing/force called the First - ultimate evil. It is very powerful and impossible to kill. However, it is being called into existance by three priests (the guys with their eyes sewn shut.) Buffy can kill those and effectively stop Angel's possession. However, they don't know where the priests could be.

Buffy and Xander go to Willy's bar to try and get some information out of him. Willy says he doens't know anything, so Xander tries to intimidate him (he's not very scary) Willy does them that the indegious nasties are leaving Sunnydale in droves and that leads Buffy to think that the First is holed up undreground somehwere. Willy tells Xander that he was very intimidated, which gives Xander a happy.

Buffy's not happy though as there are about a million miles of tunnel underneath Sunnydale. Xander tells her that everything will be alright.

That evening, Oz goes around to Willow's house, for a reconcilation date. When he arrives with videos and snacks he discovers that she has a little bit more in mind for the evening. She has Barry White and everything. He tells her that its not the right point in their relationship for stuff like that, which she looks a little relieved about and they just kiss instead.

At Buffy's house, Buffy and Joyce are deorating the tree, Buffy is daydreaming about the dream she shared with Angel (Or selcted parts of it anyway) and is only brought out of her reverie when Joyce says "Angel on top?" not meaning the vampire but the toping of the tree, Angel or a Star. Buffy goes with the star.

Faith shows up, the 'party' she was invited to being a bit of non-starter. Buffy lets her in. Faith has even bought gift, but admitts they are a little crappy. Buffy runs upstairs to get her gifts. She goes into her room and finds Angel there waiting for her. He tells her to stay away from her but keeps staring at her throat. Buffy hasn't the faintest idea what is going on and is further confused when Angel leaps out of her window to get away from her.

Buffy goes back downstairs and after sort of explaining what is going on leaves Faith to keep Joyce safe in case Angel comes back while she goes to Giles for help.

At the mansion Angel is feeling extremely tormented. Jenny tries to convince Angel that Buffy must die by his hand, but Angel can't/won't do it. Jenny sneers and tells him that he can't kill himself by his own hand. Angel agrees, he'll just let the sunlight do it. Angel runs out of the mansion, leaving Jenny to comment that it wasn't the plan, but it'll do.

Buffy and Giles are going through the books in his apartment when Giles comes across a passage which says that nothing will grown above or below where the priests are. Buffy remembers the Christmas trees and knows exaclty where the priests are. She heads back to the Christmas trees and grabbing an axe on the way she starts to smash a hole in the ground She breaks through the ground and jumps down into the middle of the priests. She tells them off and then proceeds to tear the place (and priests) apart. Jenny (or in actuality the First in Jenny's form) appears. Buffy rips into the First and the First attacks Buffy back telling her that she's too late to save Angel before revealing her true form and disappearing. Buffy heads for the mansion. But Angel's not there, she runs through the mansion and out into the garden. She knows where Angel will be.

She finds him on top of a plateau overlooking Sunnydale, it's Christmas Morning and Angel is wondering about the people below. Buffy tells him that she doesn't want him to due and Angel tells her that living is too hard. He loves her so much and is prepared to lose his soul just to spend a night of passion with her. Buffy wants him to come inside, but the First has convinced Angel that he is evil and beyond redemption. He deserves to die. They shout at each other and Angel throws Buffy the the ground, shaking her. Buffy bursts into tears and tells him how much she loves him. he cries too and they tell each other how much they love each other. Buffy tells him to come inside and prove the first wrong.

Suddenly it starts to snow. (An unusual occurance in 'Sweatydale'.) Angel and Buffy both look around in wonder as the snow falls.

Down in Sunnydale, Willow and Oz are sleeping on top of Willow's bed, somethnig wakes them up and they both go to the window to look at the snow. Xander is sleeping in his back garden and the snow falling on him wakes him up. Faith and Joyce step out onto the front porch to watch the snow. Buffy and Angel walk down the middle of the main street in Sunnydale hand in hand.