Chapter 1
Walking off the plane, Spike huddled under his duster. He really wasn’t afraid of the sun popping out in the cloudy sky, but Buffy was worried. Not only was she worried, but hormonal, too. When she asked him to don the coat, he refused, but she pouted let tears form in her eyes. She made it virtually impossible for Spike to say no. She didn’t even bother to use their link to get him to agree; he caved almost instantly.
Grumbling all the way off the tarmac, Spike hit the building first. Then Buffy and Giles entered. Spike whipped off the duster and looked around. It had been awhile since he had been in the Heathrow, but it still looked the same. The last time he was here, Drusilla and he were looking for a tourist to eat. She called it exotic food. He smiled at the memory of his earlier life. They had some wild times here. Buffy sauntered up to her vampire mate, “Thinking about old times?”
Spike shook the memories out of his head and smiled, “Love, you know you’re the only one for me. Wouldn’t trade you in for the world.”
“I know, but it’s nice to hear it every now and then.” She smiled and kissed his chin, letting her lips linger on his pale skin. She knew that he was just reminiscing and not yearning for that life again. The claim told her that he was more than happy to be next to her for the rest of her life and then some. Buffy mused about how her life had changed in the past two months. Through the claim, Spike seconded her thoughts of increased happiness. Smiling at each other, they melted into a kiss.
Giles cleared his throat, temporarily breaking their bond and bringing them back to the outside world. They were standing inside the doorway, next to the windows, when the sun just started to peek out from behind a cloud. Jumping out of the light and patting down his smoking arm, Spike swore, “Bugger!” He put his leather jacket on and looped an arm around Buffy. All three headed to the baggage claim.
~*~*~
Headed east on the road, Giles easily drove on the left hand side of the street, leaving Buffy momentarily carsick. “It’s just not right.” Buffy whined as they drove closer to London proper. Giles gave up on stopping Buffy from whining about the differences in driving laws in England.
The lump of blankets and leather spoke up from the backseat, “Love, it’s the bloody yanks that have it wrong. The rest of the world knows which side you drive on.”
“I don’t think so Bleach Boy, we drive on the right side hence being RIGHT!” Spike knew she was pouting the front seat and it was driving him nuts. If it were up to him, Buffy would be absconded to the backseat, wrapped up in the blankets with him, and they wouldn’t be having this conversation.
“Please, children! ” Giles spoke up as he turned to head north towards the Council headquarters.
“Hey, watch it Watcher, I’m older than your grandfather.” Spike spoke from the back.
“Yeah, and I’m far from being a kid, too!” Buffy pouted again.
“You two are acting like two bleeding brats and I’ve had it. Stop the bickering or I’ll… I’ll…” Giles didn’t know what he was going to threaten, but it was going to be good.
“Oh, I know this one… you’ll turn the ‘bloody’ car around. Am I right?” Buffy jumped in her seat, unused to the smaller car and hit her head. “Owe!” Buffy rubbed her head. “You know, it is very disconcerting sitting in the driver’s seat and not driving.”
“Yes, I know, you’ve told me about ten times already.” Buffy looked over at Giles, he had the look where you knew he wanted to clean his glasses but couldn’t.
“How much longer because I’m going to boot.”
“The boot is what you call the trunk, ducks,” Spike said in his sweetest voice that he could muster while being trapped under fifty pounds of blankets.
“I’m serious, Giles, pull over.” With a look of abject horror, Giles quickly turned the car onto a side street and let Buffy get out.
Five minutes after Buffy got out of the car, Spike didn’t hear anything and he got anxious. “Rupes?”
“Please, don’t call me that.” Giles said in a flat tone, Spike could have sworn he heard the squeak of him cleaning his glasses.
“What’s going on?” Spike started to itch under the covers. He felt, through the claim, that Buffy was in distress, nauseous with a strong headache. He knew he couldn’t do anything for her and it was driving him crazy.
“She’s fine. Hasn’t gotten ill, yet. She was looking quite green for a moment or two. Walking around the road. She’s coming back.”
Spike felt the tiny car dip under her weight as she settled. “All right love?”
“Sorry. We can keep going.” Giles smiled and pulled the car around as they set off to the Council Headquarters.
~*~*~
The building on the old north side of London loomed in front of the trio. Cobblestones lined the drive making the car ride bumpy. “Geeze, Giles. Didn’t they ever hear of pavement?”
Giles sighed and kept steering the car up the drive. Setting the parking brake, Giles reiterated, “This won’t be easy. They will fight us all the way.”
Buffy turned around and faced the bundle of blankets in the backseat. “It’s OK, Spike. The building is blocking the sun.” She turned to Giles, “They can try and fight, but I’m not giving up.”
“Very well, dear. Let’s go.” Giles exited out of the right-hand side of the car while Buffy and Spike took the left-hand side.
Looking up at the columns and pretentious architecture, Spike whistled a low wolf call. Buffy snickered, “Looks like someone is trying to make up for a lack of…” Giles glared at Buffy, silently praying she didn’t finish the sentence the way he thought she would. “POWER.”
Spike evidently agreed with her comment and nodded. “See, that’s why I had the crypt, didn’t need to over compensate.”
Buffy looked over at Spike with his tongue licking his lips and eyebrow wiggling, “Uh huh, honey, sure.” She stepped up the stairs, heading for the large front door.
“Oi, come back here! Slayer!” Giles and Spike had no choice but to follow. Buffy didn’t bother to knock and opened the front door. Inside, Buffy stopped, looking around. The walls were marble, made to intimidate and strike a feeling of awe to those visiting. Looking down from the second floor landing, Quentin Travers sneered at the trio. He knew that she had him beat; he’d played the chess game and lost his queen. Without missing a beat, a much perkier Buffy commented dryly, “No wonder why they don’t pay slayers, they had to buy all this marble.” Although Spike and Buffy were slightly entranced with the adornment to the Watcher’s Council, Giles wasn’t. He used to visit the building a lot.
“Miss Summers!” Quentin admonished.
“Whatever. We’re here for the meeting.” Buffy strode further into the building with Spike closely behind. This place smelled foul and he wasn’t going to leave Buffy’s side if he could help it. Giles followed Buffy and Spike up the stairs. They stood in front of Quentin, waiting for the man to show them the way. Eye to eye, toe to toe, Buffy stared into Quentin’s gray eyes, daring him to weasel his way out of the arrangement. Spike growled low in his throat, reminding the older watcher that he was once again a threat and prepared to follow through. Looking at Giles, Quentin nodded his head and turned around. The trio followed the old man through the marble encrusted corridors. He stopped and opened the door. Buffy looked in and saw a huge library filled with people. “Go on in, Miss Summers. We don’t bite.” Quentin looked at Spike as he spoke. “Unlike others,” Spike shrugged and followed Buffy into the room. “This is our library and most of the watchers are here.” Giles stepped into the room. Quentin closed the door after him. Walking over to a large boardroom table, Quentin announced that the meeting would start. Everyone stopped what he or she was doing and sat down at the table. With a condescending smile, Quentin declared, “This is Buffy Summers, the oldest Vampire Slayer.” A hush fell across the room as all eyes stared at Buffy.
squawks
05/18/17 04:16 am
pj! I remember wishing one of your stories would be finished seriously about a decade ago. Amazing. I just tried an old password I used to use and amazingly got in too. Memories!
pj
03/20/17 01:20 am
10 yrs later, i finally rem my username and password. Pari, you rock. Hope you are well.
Rabbit_moon1
12/23/16 01:12 pm
I donate every month. Please donate to keep this site up!
AudryDaluz1
10/06/16 08:34 am
Great post.
Chrissel
08/31/16 03:45 pm
And anyone else who loves this site, it's worth mentioning there's a nifty little "Donate" option just below the shout box here! ;)
Chrissel
08/31/16 03:43 pm
Just wanted to take a moment to thank Pari and all the mods for maintaining such a great site!
05/18/17 04:16 am
pj! I remember wishing one of your stories would be finished seriously about a decade ago. Amazing. I just tried an old password I used to use and amazingly got in too. Memories!
pj
03/20/17 01:20 am
10 yrs later, i finally rem my username and password. Pari, you rock. Hope you are well.
Rabbit_moon1
12/23/16 01:12 pm
I donate every month. Please donate to keep this site up!
AudryDaluz1
10/06/16 08:34 am
Great post.
Chrissel
08/31/16 03:45 pm
And anyone else who loves this site, it's worth mentioning there's a nifty little "Donate" option just below the shout box here! ;)
Chrissel
08/31/16 03:43 pm
Just wanted to take a moment to thank Pari and all the mods for maintaining such a great site!