Chapter 1:


"Hello Mr. Giles." Tara Summers smiled, hugging her pink stuffed pig; which she never let out of her sight, close to her chest as she toddled her way over to Giles with her thumb stuck in her mouth


"Hello Tara. Where’s your mother? It's not like her to just let you wander around?" Giles asked, his voice laced with concern.


'Something must have happened to Buffy, she wouldn’t let Tara walk around by herself. What if she’s been hit by a car...? Or been mugged on the way here? Oh dear Lord, she could have been shot…!' Giles reached for his glasses, worry and fear evident on his face as he and started to clean them with the edge of his shirt.


Tara tilted her head to the side and laughed, seeing the numerous faces Giles was making. "No silly, Mommy's next door." She smiled, making her way over to the big piano Giles had on display in the corner of the store.


"Oh! Then why are you he...?" Giles was cut short as Tara smacked her hands down on the keys, letting out a delighted squeal at the shrill sound. But Giles, obviously not amused, scowled at her.


"Mommy said she would be here in a minute." Tara smiled, smacking her hands down again and giggled at Giles as he scrunched up his face, cringing. She placed Mr. Gordo; the pig, next to her on the stool, and proceeded to teach him how to play, making his hooves touch two of the keys at once.


The Magic Box was a music store; it had everything a musician could ever want. They sold every kind of musical instrument, books on how to play, vinyl records, Cd's, posters and even shirts and other bits of clothing from different bands. It was the perfect store for any musician, and Tara loved it.


Almost everything in the store made some kind of noise, and since she loved making noise, she took every opportunity to sneak around behind Giles’ back, doing just that.


"Tara,” Giles sighed, exasperated. “Please try to remember the rules," he cringed as Tara once again brought her hands down, yelling the words to a nursery rhyme. With an "oops" smile on her face she did it again, but more softly, lowering her voice. Giles had restricted Tara's wandering hands to only be allowed to play the piano.


Buffy, Tara's mother was 20 years old. At the age of 16, Buffy had been walking home after finishing her cheer leading practice when she fell victim to an emotionally unstable ex boyfriend who raped and left her beaten and laying in the bushes.


Her daughter, Tara was born 9 months later on the 28th of May, at 1 am.


Buffy had dropped out from school when she was only 6 months along in her pregnancy. There was only so much of the scrutinizing glances and rumors she could handle from her peers. Her fellow students had labeled her the school’s sleaze bag for getting knocked up at such an early age.


Only her closest friends knew the truth, and Buffy wanted to keep it that way. At 19, Buffy had missed almost 3 years of schooling and decided it was time to sign up again. She was accepted into UC Sunnydale; the only school that would accept her, and was now taking day courses for music and art, which were her two favorite subjects, as well as English and psych 101.


"Tara, look what I found, sweetie." Buffy smiled as she walked into the store, the bell that was tied to the top jingled, making her entrance noticed.


Tara looked up from the piano, her eyes widening in surprise when she what was in her mothers arms. Buffy was holding a little black kitten with white paws.


Jumping down from the stool, Tara ran over to her mother, Mr. Gordo momentarily forgotten.


"WOW! Can we keep her, Mommy, please?" Tara pleaded as Buffy bent down to her daughters height so that she could have a better look.

Tara hesitantly reached out and touched the kitten's back, smiling when it started to make purring noises.


"I bought her for you, baby. It’s your birthday present." Buffy smiled as Tara got a look of awe on her face.


Tara scrunched up her nose, glancing at her mother as she pulled her hand back from the cat and crossing them over her chest, puffing out a sigh.


"It's a late birthday present," Tara pouted. Giles watched the scene, amusement evident in his eyes. He silently laughed to himself, thinking of all the trouble Tara would be getting herself into while growing up.


Buffy saw Giles out of the corner of her eye and smiled.


"Thanks for looking after her while I was next door. I hope…" Buffy looked down at her daughter, a smile on her face "That she didn't touch anything she wasn't supposed to." Still smiling, she handed Tara the kitten, watching as the she sat down on the steps with the kitten in her lap.


"She was harmless, as usual." Giles smiled, faltering as he did so; his ears were still slightly ringing. Buffy only laughed at his expression, her hair bouncing.


"Well, that's good. I'll see you tomorrow then. Mom’s having a family get together for Tara's birthday party…" she glanced over to where Tara was seated on the set of steps, her nose scrunched up. "Well, late family birthday party. So we'll see you there?" Giles nodded as Buffy walked over to Tara and picked the kitten up.


She held the kitten in one arm, waiting for Tara to retrieve her beloved pink pig before slipping her other hand over Tara’s.


"Mommy, why do I always have to get my birthday late?" Tara sighed as she followed her mother towards the door and out into the sunlit street.


"Honey, your birthday was last Friday, that's just one week. And last year Grams was away on business, she didn't want to miss it, so we had it the week after." Buffy sighed as they walked out of the store. Squeezing her mothers hand, Tara looked up at her with big brown eyes.


"Next year can I have it on time?" she asked innocently, making Buffy laugh.


"Of coarse you can sweetie. Now, why don't we go show Grams your new birthday gift?" At the mention of Buffy's mother, Tara's pace quickened.


"GRAMS!" Tara loved her Grams; she made the best hot coco and even put little coloured marshmallows in it for her.


Buffy and Tara both lived with Joyce. All throughout Buffy’s pregnancy and even after Buffy gave birth to Tara, Joyce had been adamant about supporting her. No matter how much time they spent with Joyce, the mention of 'Grams' made Tara ecstatic.


...................................................................................


"Hey Mom." Buffy smiled, watching as Tara ran out from behind her and straight into her Gram's legs.


"Look what Mommy bought me!" Tara smiled, her mouth in the shape of an O, eyes wide with excitement. Buffy placed the small kitten into her daughters awaiting arms. Joyce let out an excited gasp, she exaggerated everything just for her granddaughters delight. She bent down to Tara's height.


"Well, isn't this just the sweetest little thing!" Joyce smiled, taking the black and white kitten into her arms and patting it, watching as Tara smiled at her.


"Can I watch Sleeping Beauty now, please?" Tara asked, the question directed at Joyce. At Joyce's nod, Tara walked straight into the lounge room, getting the DVD from the shelf and extracting the disk from its case.


Tara had been going through a Disney stage, watching all the movies that involved any kind of princess. Joyce placed the kitten in Tara's lap and ruffled her hair. The smile on the little 4 year old’s face never left as the kitten closed its eyes, and then started to purr as she stroked its back.


"Do you think I spoil her to much?" Buffy asked as she and her mother walked into the kitchen, grabbing two coffee cups from the shelf as she put the jug on.


"No dear. She gets spoiled just the right amount. Are you working tonight?" Joyce asked, getting the milk out of the fridge. Getting out a saucer from one of the kitchen shelves, she poured some of the milk in it for the kitten and walked into the lounge room.

When Joyce came back from the lounge room, having given Tara instructions to make sure none of the milk was spilt, Buffy continued.


"I am. It was packed last night, so they want me to work overtime. Fridays are always the busiest, but I have tomorrow off. I gave them strict instructions to not call me in." Buffy smiled, sitting down on a stool at the island. The bench that was in the middle of the kitchen.


"That's good, because the whole family is supposed to be coming down." Joyce smiled, handing Buffy the freshly made cup of coffee. Buffy's face suddenly paled.


"Wh-Whole family?" she asked, meekly staring at her mother.


"Hank is not coming. Apparently he's overseas with his new 'wife'..." Joyce said bitterly, anger in her voice. Buffy's colour returned to her cheeks. A visit from her absentee father was not something she could handle on her daughters birthday.


"Come on Mommy, its starting. Hurry up... Oops!" Hearing Tara's exclamation, Joyce and Buffy looked at each other with a "what has she done now?" look on their faces. "Mommy, can your bring in more milk? BB tipped it over!" Tara yelled from the lounge room.


"BB?" Joyce looked at Buffy, puzzled. Buffy just shrugged, grabbing a towel and some more milk.


"I'm guessing it's the cat," Buffy said, walking into the lounge room, her mother following.


......................................Somewhere in LA .....................................


"We’re screwed, totally and utterly screwed... W-were beyond screwed – we’re fucked!" Xander said, pacing back and forth in front of his band mates. Anya stood up as Xander collapsed onto the couch, looking utterly defeated. He placed his hand over his face and let out a huge sigh.


Anya just smiled. "Come on guys, look on the bright side!" her smile faltered seeing the group of people staring back at her with blank faces. Looks of "you’re kidding, right?"


"Brighter side... Right. The brighter side where the stupid ponce, Devin, didn't fuck us all over, didn’ take the bloody friggin’ drugs, and didn’ get caught doing it. Bloody stupid git!" Spike growled out his words, clearly not seeing a bright side to their current situation at all. Anya just stared back, thrown off by the menace in his voice.


"I guess there's a little bit of a brighter side…-I-I mean, no more listening to his whining." Oz said, glancing around the room at his fellow band members and friends; Angel, Spike, Xander and Anya.


Anya smiled and nodded, pointing at Oz.


"See, he gets it. I don’t see why you all can't." Smiling again, she bounced in her seat.


"Yeah, and no more of his poofy makeup, hair styling and shit," Angel said.


Xander burst out laughing at Angel’s statement. "You’re one to talk, Mr. ‘I spend an hour putting gel in my hair’."


Spike sighed loudly and stood up, taking over Xander's pacing. He stopped and looked at his fellow band mates. "HELLO! We have a concert to do in 4 months. Or did you all just forget that? 4 friggin’ months, and we don't have a singer. God, we are so screwed!" Spike said, raising his voice and eyes going bug wide as realization truly hit him.


"We need help," Angel sighed.


"We need a new vocalist," Oz mumbled, resting his head in his hands.


"Yes, new vocalist... This is good. Any ideas on how to get one? Think outside the box people!" Anya said, making a box with her hand and then gesturing outside it.


"Rupes," Spike said, pointing at Anya. He picked up his duster, which was thrown over the couch he had been sitting on only a moment earlier.


"Oh, Mr. Giles. I remember him. Nice man." Anya smiled sheepishly as Xander pulled her up and off the couch.


"He owns that music store in SD right? I'm sure he's bound to know some people who have a smudge of a talent. It's a small town right? That shouldn't be too hard to find someone who can belt out a few," Angel said, following Spike out the door, the rest of the band not to far behind.


Giles was Spike's uncle and had raised Spike from the tender age of 4. Giles had taught him everything, writing, drawing, music, Giles knew it all.


Spike and Giles had left England when Spike was 22, and come to America. Giles had been offered a new job at a local high school as their librarian, which hadn’t worked out quite as expected and he’d bought a small shop and turned it into a music store.


Spike had followed Giles to America in hopes of pursuing his musical career. He wanted to be in a band, and from what his friends and music teachers had told him, America was the best place to start out.


Spike had never known his birth father. His father had just up and left his mother when he had found out that she was pregnant. He didn't have many memories of his mother either, she had died when he was only 4, leaving Giles in custody of him.


Spike was now 24 years old, and one of the key band members of Loves Bitch. Not to mention one of the most lusted after men in America.


"Right then, let’s hope Sunny Hell has some talented singers," Oz said as he started up the van and steered it for the freeway that would lead them to Sunnydale.

Chapter 2:


……..........The Same Night At The Bronze….............…


Buffy usually arrived 10 to 15 minutes before her shift at The Bronze would start. After making a quick stop at the entrance to say hello to the bouncer who was currently working, and would most likely be there for the next 6 hours, she gave him a smile and entered the night club. The place smelled of smoke and beer and Buffy tilted her head back, closing her eyes to take it all in. Inhaling deeply, Buffy finally opened her eyes and looked around the room. She realized that, so far, only a few people had arrived at the club, but the night was still young and many more were likely to come.


Making her way between the tables and the small groups of people who were huddling close to the dance floor, Buffy walked up to the bar. It was situated at the far end of the club, leaving the stage at the front, close to the entrance. There was also a small kitchenette/café, serving hot beverages and some food. Buffy smiled as she noticed her boss, who looked up at the exact same time and spotted her. Returning the smile, he handed her a tray with a couple of drinks. Blushing, she tucked some hair that had fallen out of her ponytail behind her ear. Looking for her fellow co-workers, who would be on the same shift as her, Buffy noticed them standing next to the bar, waiting for their boss to give them their orders. She hurried over to join them.


"Alright guys, tonight's gonna be a busy one. I want Stacy, Harmony and Buffy at the tables. Gary and Parker, you guys are with me at the bar. Let’s go people, the place will be crowded soon!" Their boss, Ben, nodded and made a shooing gesture with his hand, indicating that they should get to work. Harmony and Stacy both sighed, starting towards the occupied tables to take the costumers orders. Gary and Parker made their way to the bar, Ben following. Ben was the owner of The Bronze, and had been for the last 2 years. He had done a lot of changes to the place; intending to make it more hip and less arty farty, hoping to attract a younger crowd. And he’d succeeded; the club was packed every weekend.


"Hey Ben, what time are we closing tonight?" Buffy asked as she tied an apron around her waist. She wore a black skirt, ending at her mid thighs, with a white button down dress shirt, and she’d pulled her hair back in a ponytail with a few loose strands framing her face. A thin, black headband was finishing the look. Buffy never wore much makeup; just some eyeliner along with a light shaded eye shadow, as well as some foundation to bring a little color to her cheeks.


"11:30, why?" Ben asked suspiciously, glancing at Buffy while holding up a half filled class mug of beer. He knew that Buffy liked him, but he was already taken. His, oh so beautiful, Glory. Thinking of her made him sigh, happily. She was the love of his life, and he wouldn't give her up for anything, or anyone, any time soon. He had told Buffy about Glory, but she kept making small conversations with him, obviously trying to drop little hints. Ben had brown hair, neither long nor very short. He might not have been the fittest guy on the block, but who was complaining? Certainly not him. Besides, his Glorificus liked him just the way he was.

Now Buffy let out a nervous laugh, having seen the look on Ben's face; the same look he gave her every time she tried to talk to him. He was already taken. 'A girl can still try, right?' Buffy thought.


"Nothing, don't worry." There was a pause, then Buffy looked up again. "I-I finished my new song, I can play it for you before we close up tonight if you want," She was fiddling, nervously, with the ties of her apron. Ben smiled softly, nodding. Buffy smiled back, then picked up her pen and note pad, heading towards a nearby table.


.............................Giles Apartment .....................................


Giles was reading his book, intently. He was sitting on the edge of his seat, waiting for the huge twist he knew was coming. Suddenly there was a knock on the door. Letting out a deep sigh, he placed the book on the coffee table in front of him, making sure to leave it open on the page he was reading, not wanting to miss anything. The knocking started again.


"Hang on!" Giles called, muttering to himself about impatient people. How could they expect him to open the door after merely seconds? As his hand reached for the door knob, there was another knock. Pulling the door open with a growl, about to deliver a loud series of complaints, he saw who was staring back at him.


"William? W-what are you doing here? Not that I'm disappointed, you’re quite welcome, it was just a bit of a surprise is all. Please, do come in!" Giles stuttered, moving to stand by the side of the door, holding it open. Spike had lowered his hand from the knocking position as soon as Giles had opened. The group of people behind him followed as he entered his uncle’s apartment. Closing the door behind his surprise visitors, Giles eyes widened at the sight in front of him. Xander, Anya and Angel had already made themselves at home, slumping down on his couch. Oz and Spike remained standing. His single recliner, the one he’d been sitting in a moment earlier, was luckily left untouched. The book was still lying on the table, waiting for him to pick it up and continue reading.


"We have a problem," Xander started, interrupting Giles’ thoughts as he sat down in the recliner. Glancing wistfully at his book, Giles sighed before turning to Xander with raised eyebrows, waiting for him to go on.


"Yes. A very big one." Anya smiled, patting Xander's thigh. Giles just stared at her, wondering if that woman could ever be less than happy. It was just not natural to be so perky all the time.


"Alright, I don't know what I can do to help, because you haven't explained the situation to me. How is the music business coming along? We don't hear much about the big stars here in Sunnydale, just little bits here and there. Last thing I heard was that your album went platinum," Giles said, looking at Spike who had a gloomy look on his face, realizing that it was obviously not a good sign. The expressions on the other band members’ faces were about the same.


"Here’s the thing, Rupes. Devin left." There was a pause. "He was our lead vocalist, and our tour’s starting in September. We’re royally fucked is what we are!" Spike sighed, running a hand through his platinum hair.


"Oh dear… 4 months, that's so soon," Giles removed his glasses, reaching for a handkerchief in his pocket, then starting to clean them. Xander, Anya, Oz, Angel and Spike all just looked at him, waiting for him to come up with some brilliant plan that would save their asses. But Giles just continued to slowly wipe at his glasses, oblivious to the looks they were giving him.


"We were hoping that you might be able to help us with that part," Oz finally said, looking at Giles. Giles gave him a confused look, putting his glasses back on his nose.


"What part?" He looked from Spike to Angel, to Oz and to Xander, and finally at Anya who met his eyes with a bright smile.


"The part where you help find us a new vocalist," Spike said, hope evident in his voice. Giles stared at him in disbelief, wondering how the bloody hell he was supposed to do that.


"Do you know if there are any talented singers here, at all?" Angel asked, gesturing towards the town behind Giles's apartment.


"Oh! Well, there are some talents, all right." Giles let out a laugh. "There's just the small problem of finding them." He sighed, eying the band members again.


"Auditions! HELLO!" Anya smiled, proud at herself for coming up with the idea.


"Yes, that's good, but first you have to find a place where they could be held at, and find out what it is going to cost. Then get pamphlets out to let people know what's happening, and last but not least siting through the grueling hours to sort out all untalented idiots who will show up just to get a chance to meet you. You'll have to find someone quick, and they have to be familiar with all your songs and lyrics, " Giles explained, watching their faces fall at his statement.


"Do you know of a place we can use in such short notice?" Angel asked hopefully, looking at Giles.


Letting out another sigh, Giles eyes softened. "You could try a place called The Bronze; they have the equipment and the space. I think they’re closing at 11:30 tonight. Ask for Ben, he's the owner, I'm sure he'll be happy to help." Giles reached for the cup of tea he’d been drinking while reading, sending the book another wistful glance.


"Thanks Rupes, your a life saver! Um, do you mind if we crash here for a few nights?" Spike asked, looking around the small apartment, then back at his uncle.


"Uh, no... no that's fine. It'll just be a bit… cramped," Giles answered weakly as the others looked around the room again.


"We’ve lived on a bus for months, Giles, I think we can handle a little cramped." Angel let out a laugh, Xander joining in.


"Ok, then I vote we’ll go to the Bronze, wherever that is. Better get going soon if we’re gonna book the place for the weekend." Oz smiled, pulling his keys out from the pocket in his jacket. They all thanked Giles before leaving the apartment.


As soon as they had left, Giles sat back down and finally picked up his book. He had just re-read the paragraph he had starting on before he had gotten interrupted, when the phone rang. Glaring at the offending item, he simply ignored it, leaning further back into the chair.


"I'm not home right now, please leave a message after the tone and I'll get back to you as soon as possible." Giles smiled as his pre-recorded voice on the answering machine took the call. Focusing on his book, he continued to read. Who ever it was, he would call them back later.


.........................The Bronze 11:00 pm.....................


The crowd at The Bronze had definitely cleared out. Only an hour earlier, the air had been so thick that breathing seriously became a problem; the hot, muggy scent of mixed cologne and body spray was overwhelming and people had been packed in the open space of the nightclub. Now it was almost as quiet as it had been when Buffy’s shift first started. Just a small amount of people remained, comfortably occupying the tables around the dance floor.


"Hey Ben? D-do you want to hear my song now?" Buffy asked, fiddling with her apron as she made her way over to her boss, who was currently cleaning glasses and stacking them on the shelves.


"Sure, why not?" He smiled. Buffy looked over at Gary, nodding for him to enter the stage with her, as well as Stacy. Stacy and Gary both attended UC Sunnydale, and were in her music class. One of the major assignments they had been given for the semester was to compose a song and present it in front of the rest of the class by the end of the term.


"You guys remember this one, right?" Buffy laughed, removing her apron and grabbing an electric guitar. Stacy made her way over to the keyboard, situated on the left side of the stage, and Gary walked over to the drums. They were both grinning back at her, the looks on their faces screaming ‘hell, yeah!’.


Buffy might not have been the most confident person on the planet, and she definitely wasn’t used to preforming in public; in fact, she preferred to just sing at home in the shower when she was all alone. Jitters and nerves almost consumed her, as she had a tendency to chicken out when she knew people were watching her. But there were times when she did manage to push herself, just that little bit extra, and actually get up on the stage and sing. Times like that, the adrenaline rush really brought out the best in her.


"This is just something we wrote for school. So, here goes!" Buffy said nervously into the microphone, glancing around the now almost empty room. She nodded at Stacy, who started to play. Then she closed her eyes, and started singing:


"One night to you, lasted six weeks for me, just a bitter little pill now, just to try to go to sleep, no more waking up to innocence, say hello to hesitance, to everyone I meet, thanks to you years ago, I guess I'll never know, what love means to me but oh, I'll keep on rolling down this road, but I've got a bad, bad feeling…"


Gary started hitting the drums, smiling at the blonde in front of him. Buffy looked up at Ben, who seemed to be surprised at her vocal capabilities.


"Right, which one do you think is Be…?" Spike, who had just arrived with the others in tow, was looking around the club when a beautiful voice, coming from up the stage, suddenly cut him off.


"It's gonna take a long time to love, It's gonna take a lot to hold on, It's gonna be a long way to happy, yeah, left in the pieces that you broke me into, torn apart but now I've got to keep on rolling like a stone, cause it's gonna be a long long way to happy…"


Buffy closed her eyes again, concentrating on her guitar. Gary started playing a little louder.


"Left my childhood behind, In a roll away bed, everything was so damn simple, now I'm losing my head. Trying to cover up the damage and pad out all the bruises, do you know I had it, so it didn't hurt to lose it, didn't hurt to lose it, no but oh, I'll keep on rolling down this road, but I've got a bad, bad feeling…"


Looking up again, Buffy found that the few remaining people had now moved over to the dance floor, swaying to the beat. She spotted a couple of new faces in there as well, all of them staring at her.


"It's gonna take a long time to love, It's gonna take a lot to hold on, It's gonna be a long way to happy, yeah, left in the pieces that you broke me into, torn apart but now I've got to, keep on rolling like a stone, cause it's gonna be a long long way…"


Buffy was almost yelling the words out, the pain she’d been feeling when she’d written the lyrics evident in her voice.


"Now I'm numb as hell and I can't feel a thing, but don't worry about regret or guilt cause I never knew your name. I just want to thank you, thank you, from the bottom of my heart. For all the sleepless nights and for tearing me apart yeah yeah"


Spike was immediately drawn to the blonde woman up on the stage. Her voice was unique; not like any other voice he’d ever heard before. For such a small woman, she sure packed a punch. Singing with the voice of a thousand emotions at once, she caused a wave of goose bumps to appear on his arms.


"It's gonna take a long time to love, It's gonna take a lot to hold on, It's gonna be a long way to happy, yeah, left in the pieces that you broke me into, torn apart but now I've got to, keep on rolling like a stone, cause it's gonna be a long long way…"


"She's good," Spike said, not able to take his eyes off the woman, his face a mask of both awe and excitement.


"Hell yeah, and damn, she’s hot too!" Xander tilted his head to the side, looking at the blonde from a different angle, which resulted in a slap and a glare from his girlfriend, Anya.


"Who is she?" Oz asked. The rest of the band just kept staring at her.


"It's gonna take a long time to love, It's gonna take a lot to hold on, It's gonna be a long, long, long, long way to happy, yeah, left in the pieces that you broke me into. Torn apart but now I've got to, keep on rolling like a stone, cause it's gonna be a long long way to happy…"


Buffy strummed out the last few notes on her guitar, as Gary and Stacy finished singing. Backing away from the microphone with a huge smile on her face, they were rewarded with enthusiastic cheering and clapping from what was left on the the audience.


Thanking Gary and Stacy, Buffy descended the steps at the side of the stage, making her way over to the bar where Ben was now wiping off the bench. He had a stunned look on his face.


"I had no idea you could sing like that, Buffy. That was really good!" Ben smiled at her, causing her to blush.


"Can we go now, baby?" A blonde woman, dressed in a tight red dress, asked him impatiently before giving Buffy a look-over and obviously deciding that she wasn’t worth her time.


"Thanks, I'm uh… gonna go finish clearing off the tables now." Buffy smiled, putting her apron back on. Picking up a cloth and a spray bottle, she started towards a table, hearing Glory telling her to do just that.


"Giles was right about the talents in this town!" Angel smiled, watching the blonde's ass as she stretched over the table to reach the other end. Buffy's skirt rode up a little, her bare legs showing.


"Yeah, and it was just a matter of finding it, alright!" Spike smirked as the girl suddenly looked up, blushing as she realized he was staring at her.

Chapter 3:


Buffy bobbed her head, softly singing along to the music playing over the sound system. "…wheat wheels keep on turning, carry me home to see my kin, singing songs about the south land..." Spike laughed to himself as he watched the blonde. She was smiling as she said goodbye to the people passing her as she was wiping the table tops.


"Sweet home Alabama, where the sky's are so blue, sweet home Alabama, lord I'm coming home to you…" Buffy was swaying her hips to the beat, picking up one chair at the time and stacking them on the table she had just finished cleaning. Suddenly looking up in the middle of the dance, she noticed the bleach blonde who had been with the group of people walking in during her song. He was looking at her again. Blushing, she turned to the next table, continuing to stack the chairs.


"Can I help you, you guys look kinda lost?" Harmony smiled seductively, swaying her hips as she walked up to the group of people standing near the newly cleaned tables.


"Hey there gorgeous, we’re looking for a guy called Ben," Angel said, smiling seductively at the girl who just smiled and puffed out her chest at him.


Flinging her blonde hair from her neck and pouting her red lips, Harmony continued; "He's over there." She pointed at Ben who was near the bar, talking to Glory. Spike was still staring at Buffy, who hadn't looked up again since he had smiled at her while she was dancing and cleaning.


"Thanks." Oz smiled as they walked over to the bar. Buffy had just turned around to see what other chairs needed to be stacked, when Harmony came, almost running, over to her.


"OH MY GOD, they are so hot! Blondie bear was such a cutie, with eyes to die for! But the brunette on the left was giving me the looks, if you know what I mean…" Harmony said exciting, raising her eyebrows in a suggestive manner. Buffy just laughed. Shaking her head, she handed Harmony the cloth, now covered in dirt from the tables.


.........................................................................


"Are you Ben?" Anya asked, coming to stand on the other side of the bar.


"That’s me, gorgeous, how can I help you?" Ben smiled. Glory had stormed out moments before, telling him she’d be waiting for him in the car. 10 minutes of waiting at The Bronze was just too much for her. Xander slid his arm around Anya's waist, making a point of showing that she was off limits. Ben just smiled, waiting for them to continue.


"We’re the members of a band called ‘Loves Bitch’, and…" Angel started, but was immediately cut off by two squealing girls.


"Oh my God, it's you! It's them, OH MY GOD!! Can we please have your autographs?" They said the last part in unison, smiling excitedly.


"Oh my God, oh my God…" one of the girls repeated under her breath, her body shaking with nerves.


"Sure!" Oz said, getting everyone to sign the piece of paper the girls had handed him. Smiling, he returned it to the girls who squealed before thanking them and then left with huge smiles on their faces.


Buffy, who had heard the squealing, looked up. 'Who the hell in God's name is Loves Bitch? Meh! Buffy shrugged, dismissing the thought.


"As I was saying, we’re the Loves Bitch. Our lead singer has just left the band due to certain circumstances, and we’re here in Sunnydale because we’re looking for someone to replace him. We were wondering if we could hold auditions in your club," Xander explained, fingers crossed behind his back. Smiling in surprise, Ben nodded. Something like that would be great publicity for the club!


"Yeah, sure, no problem. Though I will charge you 50 bucks an hour." Ben smiled, seeing the female member of the group sending him a glare.


"That's fine, mate." Spike smiled. The blonde girl he’d been watching so intently before suddenly came up to the bar to speak to Ben.


"I'll see you in a few days Ben, bye!" Buffy put her apron behind the bar. Slipping on her black jacket, she smiled shyly at the group before turning around and headed towards the door. Bidding goodnight to the bouncer, she jumped into her car and took off.


...................................Summers House..........................................


"Mommy, BB needs her breakfast," Tara said, holding the small kitten in her arms as she entered the kitchen. Buffy placed her cup of coffee on the island, and went to pour some of the kitten food into the saucer she had used the day before.


"Here you go, sweetie." Buffy smiled, handing the saucer to Tara. The girl put BB down on the floor in front of the food, smiling as the kitten sniffed at it before she started munching on the little chunks.


"Look BB, brekkie’s good for you, it’s yummy!" Tara knelt down to pat BB on her back as she continued to eat.


"Sweetie, don't do that, she might bite you," Buffy told her daughter in alarm, worried that the cat was going to chomp her daughters hand. Just as Buffy had said that, BB hissed at Tara, causing her to reel back and run to her mother, clinging to her thigh's.


"Animals don't like being patted while eating, baby, so don't do it again, ok?" Buffy smiled, wiping the tears from Tara's face. Tara nodded slowly as her mother bent down to kiss the top of her head.


"Buffy dear, have you seen my hoop earrings?" Joyce asked, gesturing to her bare ears as she walked into the kitchen. Tara left the room, sucking on her thumb. Buffy watched her daughter’s retreating back.


"Keep doing that, and you'll be stuck that way!" Buffy warned the girl, who immediately removed the thumb from her mouth and ran into the lounge room. Buffy turned to her mother with a smile and bid her good morning. "They’re over here," she then said with a laugh, handing her mother the silver hoop earrings off of the bench.


Buffy wore a pair of faded pale blue jeans. The top, which she had cut off so there were no belt loops, left the top jagged and frayed to give the jeans a fashionable look. To that, she wore a black top which only covered her left shoulder. It tied at her right side and had mesh like patterned material hanging from the shoulder. It was cut at a slant, showing off a bit of her stomach. She wore her hair down, hanging in waves around her face. As always, she’d put on minimal makeup, a simple pink lipgloss finishing her look.


"Mommy, can you do my hair now please?" Tara asked as she came running back into the kitchen with her hair brush. Buffy sat down at the island, watching Joyce starting to make a salad for Tara's birthday barbeque.


"Sure sweetie, what would you like? Pony tail?" Buffy messed up her own hair to make it look like a really messy pony tail. Tara giggled, shaking her head no. "Hmm… no to the pony tail… what about one here?" Buffy went on, making her messy pony tail go to the side of her head. Tara's fits of giggles and laughter told her that was a no as well. Joyce looked up from cutting the cucumber and smiled, seeing Buffy making faces at Tara. Buffy gasped out loud in an over exaggerated tone.


"I've got it! Let’s go into the lounge room with you, missy." Buffy said, swooping her laughing daughter up into her arms and ran into the lounge room.


"Oh, play!" Tara smiled before picking up the remote and pushed the play button.


"Ah yes, the terrible sleeping beauty strikes again…" Buffy smiled as well, kissing the top of Tara's head as she was half way through doing one of the two braids. Suddenly the phone rang. She stopped braiding and reached over to pick it up when she heard her mother calling.


"I'll get it!" Joyce came down the stairs quickly, passed the two girls into the kitchen where she finally picked up the phone midway through a ring.


"What should I wear, Mommy?" Tara asked, turning away from the TV as Buffy finished the second braid.


"Hmm… How ‘bout that nice blue dress Grams bought you?" Buffy smiled as Tara nodded, then ran past Joyce up the stairs as fast as her little legs would carry her.


Joyce came back into the lounge room. "That was Giles calling. He said he’s bringing 5 more people, which is ok I guess, since aunt Nancy and her 3 kids won't be here." She smiled, leaning against the door frame that lead from the lounge room into the kitchen.


"Oh, ok." Buffy got up from the couch and made her way over to her mother.


"It's 11:10 now. Everyone should be here at 12. Wanna help me getting the salads ready?" Joyce asked, stepping away from the door frame and followed her daughter into the kitchen.


...........................Giles Apartment .........................


Giles had finally finished his book. Not that even half of the words had actually fully sunk into his brain, due to the amount of snoring, not to mention complaints of wanting to go to a hotel so Anya could have her way with Xander. The band members were currently lounged around on Giles' couches with their feet up on the coffee table.


"God, she was hot!" Angel smirked, placing his hands behind his neck and leaning back onto the couch.


"Definitely!" Xander agreed. A slap and a glare from Anya got him to be silent, but then he smiled at the others and wiggled his eyebrows as soon as Anya had averted her gaze from his face. Oz let out a chuckle.


"Hell of a woman, that one. Had a set of pipes on her too, wonder if she'll come to the audition," Spike said, pulling the recliner back to the maximum.


"Yeah, she'd be pretty good." Oz nodded in agreement to Spikes statement.


"I liked her hair. Wonder what I'd look like as a blonde, Honey what do you think?" Anya asked her boyfriend, fiddling with her hair from her position on Xander's lap. He nodded and smiled at her in response, and was rewarded with a quick peck on the lips.


"God, she was hot…" Angel repeated with a sigh. Giles choose that moment to walk out of his library, which was situated in the back room of his apartment.


"Who is hot?" Giles asked, kicking Angel's feet off of his coffee table which caused Angel to lose his balance and hurry to sit up properly. Spike laughed.


"A girl who was singing at The Bronze last night," Angel told him, placing one leg over his knee; the male equivalent of crossing his legs. Putting his arms back behind his neck, he reclined back into the couch.


"She was really good." Anya nodded, smiling as Xander wrapped his arms around her waist.


"I see. Well, I just got off the phone with Joyce, she said it was alright for you all to come along today. As much as I told her you would be perfectly fine siting here, she insisted you’d be there." With that Giles picked up his car keys and put on his jacket.


"Who's the party for again?" Xander asked, patting Anya's thigh to indicate that he wanted to get up.


"Joyce's granddaughter, who is also the daughter of a very dear friend of mine. We need to leave now, I do not want to be late," Giles answered, opening the door and motioning for them to move their asses.


...........................Summers House...................................


"My mom is a meanie poo, who looks like BB's doo doo, meanie poo, BB's doo doo…" Tara laughed as she stood outside the bathroom, waiting for Buffy who was inside using the toilet.


"You better run little girl, I'm gonna get you!" Buffy threatened as she flushed the toilet. Tara jumped up and down, squealing with delight. Holding onto the stair banister, she hurried down the stairs. Buffy opened the bathroom door just as Tara reached the bottom of the stairs.


"Grams, Mommy's being a poo!" Tara laughed again as Buffy started chasing her around the lounge room. Joyce just laughed in response, following to watch the two. The guests had yet to arrive for the barbeque, not that any of their relatives would ever be on time anyway. Just then, the doorbell rang.


Opening the door, Joyce smiled at Giles while calling over her shoulder; "Buffy leave her alone! Rupert, hi! Please come on in." Still smiling, she gestured for Giles and his guests to enter.


"Joyce, this is…" Giles started, but was cut off by a little girl's laughter and Buffy's voice. Hearing the voices as well, the group turned their attention towards the lounge room, seeing Buffy holding Tara close to her on one hip and tickling her side.


"Say it!" Buffy smiled, watching Tara squirm and laugh under her mothers playful assault.


"N-no!" Tara screamed, laughing louder as Buffy brought on another wave of attacks.


"Say it..." Buffy smiled again. Her hand perched in mid air, ready to attack again if her daughter didn't give in.


"Y-you're the… best… mommy in the world!" Tara managed to get out, trying to catch her breath. Satisfied with the answer, Buffy hugged her daughter close.


"And don't you forget it, missy!" Buffy kissed her daughters cheek before putting her down on her feet. Standing up again, trying to fix her shirt so it covered the top of her breast, Buffy turned to face her mother. Then she blushed, seeing the group of people staring at her.


"Buffy." Joyce smiled at her daughter and gestured towards the newly arrivals. She recognized them as the group of people who had been at The Bronze the night before, when she had been singing.


"Yeah?" Buffy said, looking at her mother who was smiling at Giles.


Tara had stepped away from her, and just before she made a run for Joyce, she spoke; "I told you Grams, she's being a poo!" Laughing, she ran up to Joyce and hid behind her legs.


"Hey you, get back here!" Buffy called, glaring at her daughter. Tara poked her head out from behind Joyce's legs, then poked her tongue out at her mother.


The group of people continued to stare, none of them saying a word as they watched the scene unfold in front of them. Buffy's blush deepened.


"Buffy, this is William, Liam, Daniel, Anyanka and Alexander," Giles introduced his guests, pointing to each of of them, who in return told her what they preferred to be called.


"Spike, Angel, Oz, Anya and Xander." They all smiled.


"Hi all! I saw you guys at The Bronze last night, how'd your talk with Ben go?" Buffy asked curiously, giving them a wave. Giles and Joyce walked into the kitchen, Tara following; not taking her chances to have another tickling fight with her mother.


"You’re the singer?" Angel asked, staring at Buffy who smiled and nodded in response.


"Yeah, I sang. Only at the end of the night, though. I'm just the waitress, not the paid entertainment." Buffy laughed, closing the door behind them and gestured for them all to follow her into the lounge room.


"The song you sang last night was really good, you have a powerful voice," Anya said with a smile, happily taking a seat on the couch next to Xander. Angel slumped down on her other side. Oz sat on the single seat, leaving Buffy to stand next to Spike.


"So, how long have you been singing?" Xander asked.


Buffy nervously tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, a little uncomfortable after Anya's statement. The song last night just reminded her of the time in her life when she’d conceived Tara. "Since I could talk, really." She let out a nervous laugh, moving a fraction away from Spike who was staring at her, again.


"So, how old is your little sis?" Oz asked, looking up at her.


"Oh, she's not my little s…" Buffy was cut off by Spike. 'How did he get so close?' Buffy thought, looking him in the eyes. 'Oh boy!'


"How old are you, pet?" Spike asked, smiling. Buffy clearly looked interested, so he just kept smiling at her.


"I'm 20." Buffy told him, breathlessly. She blushed again as Spike raised his scared eyebrow.


"How old did you say your li’l sis was again?" Angel asked this time, leaning forward from his position on the couch.


"She's 4, and she's not my little si…" Buffy started out again, but once again got cut off.


"MOMMY!" The girl in question suddenly cried out, running into the lounge room with her arm cradled to her chest.


"Hey baby, what happened?" Buffy knelt down and scooped the child up in her arms, balancing her on her right hip.


"BB scratched me!" Tara sniffled, showing Buffy her arm. Sure enough, there was a line of scratches down the little girl's arm, not deep, but still bleeding.


"No more tears, ok." Buffy said, wiping Tara's cheeks as she nodded. "You'll be ok, how ‘bout you’ll go to Grams to get a band aid, ok?" Buffy put Tara down on her feet.


"GRAMS!" Tara yelled, running into the kitchen, holding her arm to her chest again. Buffy smiled; Grams would make everything right.


"She's… she's your daughter?" Angel asked in shock. 'She's only 20 for Christ’s sake!' He thought to himself. Buffy just nodded, seeing the look pass across his face. It was the same look she got from most men nowadays; rejection and definite lack of interest. Spike however wasn't looking at her like that, he just smiled at her. Oz just shrugged, not knowing what to say.


'Brings a whole new meaning to the phrase yummy mummy!' Spike thought, smirking to himself. He had noticed the lack of a ring on that special finger. ‘Definitely interested!’

Chapter 4:


There was an eerie silence in the room, although, for some reason it felt almost deafening. Buffy smiled nervously, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear and folding her arms across her chest. She felt uncomfortable as the group of people in front of her kept throwing questioning glances her way. Anya sat next to, who Buffy guessed must be her boyfriend since he had put his hand intimately on her thigh, counting on her fingers and mumbling words under her breath that Buffy couldn't make out.


"Cute kid, can see where she gets her looks from," Oz said with a smile in relation to Tara's physique and facial features.


"Thanks, she's adorable sometimes, although not so much when she was younger." Buffy let out a laugh, her gaze fixed on Oz who seemed to be the only one interested, except for Spike. Anya continued to count on her fingers while Xander and Angel had started a conversation, and Buffy went on; "When she was a baby, God she was difficult!” She laughed a little again. “But I managed…"


She stopped then, having suddenly heard her name being mentioned, and looked over at Xander and Angel who seemed to be in deep conversation. But the minute she locked gazes with them, they became quiet. Another eerie silence.


"Wow, so you were 16 when you had her, that’s so young!" Anya finally blurted out, a smile on her face.


'So that's what she was counting? Took her long enough to figure it out, it’s not like it’s rocket science or anything,' Buffy thought with a suppressed laugh, before a frown creased her face as she once again felt uncomfortable being in this position with a group of strangers.


"Where's her da'? " Spike asked carefully, having spent the last five minutes contemplating whether or not to ask her. But clearly it was a touchy subject, since Buffy abruptly changed the subject and cut him of mid sentence.


"So, what brings you guys to li’l old Sunnydale?" A conversation about Tara's father was one she definitely wasn't having with people she hardly knew, in fact, she wasn't ready to have that with anyone, anytime soon, the feeling and emotions still raw and fresh in her mind, even though it had been 4 years.


"We’re in a band called Love’s Bitch," Xander told her, a huge smile on his face. Xander might not have been the best looking guy of all the band members, but he was obviously very proud of his achievement of being a key member of such an important group.


"Do you mind if I use the bathroom?" Oz asked then, standing up and gesturing with one hand, not knowing where the bathroom was located within the Summers’ household.


"Sure, it's up the stairs and then it’s the first door on the left." Buffy smiled, gesturing towards the stairs. Then she turned her gaze back to Xander. "So that's what the mass squealing last night at the Bronze was about!" She laughed. Spike had taken Oz's seat on the single couch, and was now leaning back, hands clasped together on his lap. Head tilted to the side, he was looking at Buffy up and down, something she was unable to miss. Her cheeks turned into a rosy shade of red.


"Pretty much. Our lead singer, Devin, was being a complete idiot and got caught doing something he shouldn't have. Long story short; we’re here in Sunnydale to find a new lead vocalist." Angel explained, leaning forward and rested his arms on his knees.


"Well, I wish you guys the best of luck; having to deal with all those people who just wanna get your autograph and be in the lime light for a while. Hope you’ll find someone who can actually sing!" Buffy laughed, fiddling with the material hanging down from her side cut top.


"I think we already have," Spike said with a smile. Buffy had a blank look on her face, so he nodded at her to indicate that she was the one he was talking about.


"M-me?! You want me t-to sing for you guys?" Buffy laughed out, pointing at herself in disbelief.


"You have a really great voice, and it would bring a whole new style to the band," Anya said with pleading eyes.


Buffy just let out another disbelieving laugh and shook her head. "I can't! I have commitments here; my daughter, school, my job. I can't just leave for a few months."


"But we’re desperate here! We need someone A.S.A.P, and you would be just the right person for us," Angel pleaded, pointing at her.


"You guys haven't even heard anyone else yet! And…" Buffy was about to go on when there was a knock at the door. "I'll just get that." She gestured at the door and hurried over to open, desperate to escape more questions and the pleading looks she just knew they would give her.


"Xander, make her say yes! She'd be great, but you can't persuade her through sex, because your mine." Anya smiled brightly, patting Xander on the leg and giving him a hug.


"AUNTIE DAWNIE, AUNTIE WILLOW!" Tara's bright scream could be heard from the kitchen, and a moment later the little 4 year old came running out and barreled into the two women who had just walked through the door.


"How's my favorite little niece doing? You've gotten so big, and you look so pretty!" Dawn swooped Tara into her arms and hugged her tight.


"Hi Buffy." Willow smiled, embracing her best friend since 5 years in a warm hug. Buffy returned the smile and hugged her back, watching as Dawn; her younger sister, handed the girl her birthday present.


"Hey Buffy!" The sisters hugged as well. Willow gave Tara her gift, and watched the little girl’s face brighten before she ran into the lounge room to sit down and open her presents. Completely oblivious to the group watching her, she ripped the pink Barbie wrapping paper off and squealed with delight.


"Mommy, look what I got!" Tara jumped up with her two gifts in her arms as Buffy, Dawn and Willow walked into the lounge room.


"Oh wow! Why don't you go show Grams what you got, I bet she'll never guess!" Buffy said with excitement, hyping up the moment for Tara. Spike smiled seeing the interaction between mother and daughter. Buffy made a great mother.


"Buffy, OH MY GOD! What are Love’s Bitch doing in our house?! " Dawn gasped out, quickly grabbing onto Buffy's arm. Buffy was just watching her daughter, whose smile hadn't left her face, as she toddled off into the kitchen and out the back, where Giles and her mother were currently entertaining some of their other relatives. Dawn had to shake her arm to get her attention.


"Huh…? Oh, they’re Giles' friends," was Buffy’s only response, as if having a famous rock band siting in your lounge room was a perfectly normal thing. She just couldn’t see what the big deal was, just shrugging at Willow and Dawn’s reactions.


"Forgive my sister's lack of excitement, she doesn't get out much!" Dawn laughed, moving to stand a little bit in front of Buffy; who just poked her tongue out at her sister. "I'm Dawn, and this is Willow," Dawn went on, pointing to Willow who was standing next to Buffy. She was looking towards the stairs, her mouth in the shape of an ‘o’ as Oz descended.


"Oz, this is Willow. Willow, meet Oz." Buffy smiled, introducing the two. Willow blushed as Oz smiled as well.


"H-hi!" Willow laughed nervously, and her already red face went a deeper shade of crimson.


"Hey!" Oz said, offering his hand in greeting. But instead of shaking it, he brought it up to his mouth and placed a kiss on top of her knuckles, causing Willow to let out a silent gasp. Buffy raised her eyebrows, a knowing look on her face as Willow sent her a death glare; ‘Why hadn't Buffy told them Loves bitch was going to be there?!’


"I'm gonna let you guys get acquainted while I’ll start getting things ready for lunch," Buffy said then, de-tangled herself from Dawn's grasp and made her way over to the kitchen.


..............................Kitchen.............................


Buffy could hear muffled voices and laughing coming from the lounge room as she peeled the cling rap off of the salad bowls. Looking out through the window in the kitchen, she watched Tara run around the backyard with her cousins, and the grown-ups standing around the barbeque as they were cooking the meat. Buffy smiled as Tara squealed while chasing the other kids. She tucked a small stand of hair behind her ear, just as someone coughed from the doorway. Buffy let out a startled gasp and turned to face the intruder.


"Sorry luv, didn't mean to scare you." Spike smiled at her.


"That's ok." Buffy let out a nervous laugh as Spike stood up from leaning on the door frame, and made his way into the kitchen.


"Need any help with that, pet?" he asked, taking the cling rap off of the remaining bowl.


"No I'm good, thanks anyway!" Buffy smiled. Spike just smiled back and spent the next couple of minutes watching her intently as she moved around the kitchen.


"What?" Buffy let out a laugh, catching Spike looking at her yet again. He was now leaning on the island bench, standing on the opposite side from her.


"Nothing." He chuckled. After a few more minutes of Buffy watching Spike watch her, she finally raised her eyebrows.


"Ok, what? I don't have something on my face do I?" Buffy went to wipe her face with the back of her hand.


Spike came around the bench to stand in front of her. "Missed a bit…" Reaching up, Spike brushed his thumb over her cheek, causing Buffy to close her eyes. His gentle touch was soothing, but at the same time igniting a fire inside her that she thought had burned out a long time ago.


"So… do you have a boyfriend, husband?" And with those words, the spell was broken and Buffy opened her eyes, noticing he'd stepped back and was once again leaning on the bench in front of her.


"A world of no. Go the single mother!" Buffy laughed out, moving around the kitchen collecting cutlery and cups, placing them next to the numerous bowls of food. Spike smiled to himself; this new found information was definitely of the good. "Buffy?"


Buffy's only reply was a ‘mmm’ , before looking up and met his gaze. She stopped in her tracks.


"What would you say if I asked you to join the band?"


"I already told you guys, I can't. I have commitments here, like my daughter, school and my job. I can't just up and leave everything, as much as I'd love to" Buffy sighed, sadly meeting his gaze.


"Can you at least think about it some more, pet? Come to the auditions?" Spike pleaded, moving to stand closer to her again.


"And why should I?" Buffy smiled up at him then, raising a brow.


"’Cause if you don't, I'll come and personally collect you myself and drag you there kicking and screaming." Buffy's smile broadened at the image she got. Spike just smiled back, and they both started to laugh.


.....................................Lounge Room.............................


"You guys want my sister to be your new vocalist?! OH MY GOD, this is so unbelievably cool!" Dawn squealed, looking at Willow.


"T-that's really great," Willow said nervously, sparring another glance at Oz.


"I don't think she’ll do it though," Xander sighed.


"Oh, that just sucks! I'll talk to her about it, try and convince her to join." Dawn smiled, the enthusiasm at the thought of her sister joining a band still quite evident on her face.


"I'll talk to her too." Willow blushed as she glanced at Oz, catching him looking at her. She quickly averted her eyes back to Dawn.


"Good, it would be so awesome if she would accept! I think having a female voice on the band will bring a whole new tone to it, not to mention attract a whole new male fan population, ‘cause she's gorgeous. I’m talking instant success, not to mention more money!" Dawn smiled. Anya's eyes brightened at the word ‘money’, which set her and Dawn off on a conversation about how they might be able to get more people into the band.


For sisters, Dawn and Buffy were totally different. Dawn had long brown hair, whereas Buffy’s was golden. Ever since they were kids, one could easily tell their personality traits were different. They’d been fighting constantly, but as they grew older, they also grew closer and their friendship stronger.


"You better make with the major convincing soon, we don't have much time left," Xander said, his arms around Anya.


"I'm on it!" Dawn gave him an assuring smile, deciding that there was no time like the present. Leaving Willow with the rest of the band, she made her way into the kitchen.


.................................Kitchen...................................


"You’re kidding right? Tell me you’re joking!" Buffy laughed, not believing what Spike had just told her.


"I'm serious, luv," he laughed out.


"You really are serious? A fan actually ran up on stage, naked? That's just priceless!" Buffy laughed even harder, clutching her stomach as she did so.


"Unfortunately, he was an ugly bloke too." Spike smiled as Buffy burst into another fit of giggles. Dawn, who had just entered the kitchen, watched the two interact with each other. She smiled at Spike before turning to her sister.


"Hey Buffy."


"Hey Dawnie," Buffy said, turning away from Spike to look at her sister.


"I'm so having a huge conversation with you later." Taking a glass down from the shelf, Dawn poured herself a drink.


"If this is about the whole ‘joining the band’ thing, I'll think about it, ok? But I don't think I can, Dawn." Buffy sighed, looking at her sister who had a questioning look on her face.


"Come on, it'll be great!" Dawn was bouncing up and down in front of her sister.


"I can't, ok! I have Tara to look after," Buffy told her and looked out the window again, smiling at seeing her daughter playing with her cousins.


"But you can! Mom and I can look after Tara, and you can call everyday, and we'll get to see you on TV and on concerts and… Come on, Buffy! You’ve always said you wanted to be in a band, and...." Dawn stopped at the look on her sisters face. Buffy's eyes glazed over, remembering everything she’d wanted to do as a child, the things she had planed. Then he had to come along and ruin everything. Destroying her.


"That was before I got… before I had Tara, excuse me." Buffy rushed past Spike, hurriedly making her way up the stairs.


"Shit..." Dawn sighed out, running a hand through her hair.


"You ok, bit?" Spike asked, a million questions running through his head.


"Yeah, just… " She was interrupted by the doorbell. "I'll get it!" she yelled out, motioning for Spike to wait. She left the kitchen, Spike following behind. He walked into the lounge room and started a conversation with his fellow band members.


...............................Upstairs.........................


Standing in front of her mirror, Buffy pulled down her jeans a bit and lifted up her top. She lightly ran her fingers over the faded scars. The night it had happened, the night he’d marked her, those were a permanent reminder. Buffy let the tears roll down her face as the words repeated themselves over and over in her head.


"Mommy?" The patter of Tara's light steps could be heard, just outside Buffy's door. Pulling up her jeans and flattening her shirt, Buffy wiped her eyes and turned just in time to see Tara come into view.


"Hey baby, what's up?" Buffy knelt down as Tara walked over to her mother and wrapped her arms around her neck. Buffy stood as Tara wrapped her leg's around her mother’s waist.


"Aunt Dawnie said you needed a hug. Don't be upset, Mommy." Tara smiled, stroking Buffy's hair from her face with her small hand. Buffy just let out a laugh and let a last tear fall. "I love you, Mommy." Tara hugged her mother tight.


"Love you to baby. Now, let’s go see if lunch is ready," Buffy finally said, still holding Tara in her arms. Making her way down the stairs. Tara started to wriggle, indicating she wanted to be put down. Then the girl ran into the lounge room, and the room became quiet.


"Hey li’l Bit." Spike smiled. Tara slowly made her way over to the man with strange hair. Tilting her head to the side, she looked at him.


"Wanna watch a movie with me, Mr…?" Tara scrunched up her nose, not knowing what his name was.


"Call me William, or Will. Sure I'll watch a video with you." He smiled as Tara tugged on his hand to get him to follow her.


Buffy watched the scene from the hallway. "You have no idea what you’ve just gotten yourself into!" Buffy laughed as Tara dragged Spike towards the stairs. Spike just smiled.


"Pet, my sister has three kids. One eight, one five and a three year old. I can handle anything!" Tara was already halfway up the stairs. There was a DVD player and a TV in her room, which she was only allowed to watch after her room had been cleaned, or when it was nap time, or when she was playing with someone.


"I hope you like Barbie then!" Buffy laughed, watching Spike and Tara make their way up the remaining stairs. Then the doorbell sounded again. Buffy shook her head, watching Spike disappear into Tara's room.


"God, luv, you get cuter every time I see you!"


"Hey pop, Nan." Buffy smiled, hugging her grandparents.


"Be a good girl and tell us where your mother is, dear," Her Nan asked after giving Buffy a hug.


"She's out back." Buffy smiled, closing the front door behind them. Hearing laughter coming from Tara's room, Buffy made her way up the stairs.


"You could do that, bit," Spike said as Tara was dancing in front of the TV, trying to mimic the characters movements.


"Ah yes... Barbie in Swan Lake... one of my personal favorites." Buffy smiled, leaning against the door frame.


"I now understand what you meant by ‘have no idea what I got myself into’," Spike said, looking back at Buffy from his position on the floor. Tara had plonked herself back down on the floor, intently watching the movie.


"Oh, but there’s more!" Buffy smiled at the blank look on Spike’s face. "Barbie as Rapunzel, Barbie’s princess, and the pauper; Barbie and the nutcracker." Buffy laughed at Spikes ‘Oh yay!’


"You've gotta watch! You’re missing it… look!" Tara said, poking Spike in the face.


"Cute, real cute!" Buffy laughed, pushing off from the wall.


"Thanks, pet," Spike smirked, causing Buffy to blush.


"Eww, not you, that's gross!" Buffy smiled, a teasing note in her voice.


"You wound me with your words, pet!" Spike said, placing his hands over his heart in mock hurt. Buffy just shook her head before making her way out of the room and down the stairs.


"Willium, wanna play 20 questions?" Tara asked then, finally turning her attention away from the TV.


"Ok bit, you go first. Ask away!" Spike smiled, leaning back as Tara started her questions.

Chapter 4:


"Lunch was wonderful Joyce, thank you so much for having us all over." Giles smiled and gave Joyce a brief hug. Buffy's relatives had long since gone home, leaving Buffy, Dawn and Willow to talk to the band members. Giles and Joyce had also gotten a chance to catch up with each other. It was known that Joyce Summers and Rupert Giles once had been an item, although they had broken up when Giles had left for England. Now, years later, they had both found love elsewhere. But to this day they still felt a strong bond connecting them.


"It was no problem at all, I enjoyed the company," Joyce assured him, watching as the band members all made their way from the lounge room towards the front door, where she and Giles were standing. Giles had opened the door and was halfway out when Spike started speaking.


"Happy birthday bit, you take care alright." Spike smiled, watching as Tara hugged her mothers thighs, half hiding behind them. Having all these people she hardly knew towering over her was an intimidating thing, and Tara wasn't one for big crowds of grown ups.


"Bye Willium. Don't forget." Tara bent her fingers in and out softly, waving at Spike from behind her mother. He just smiled at her and winked, causing her to giggle. He gave Buffy a smile as well before finally leaving, heading out to wait by the car.


"Auditions tomorrow, you better be there!" Xander said, shaking Buffy's hand goodbye. Anya waved at Joyce and Buffy before following Xander out the door.


"We'll see you tomorrow," Angel said, giving Buffy a look that sent shivers up her spine, and not in a good way. The half smile on his face made her uncomfortable. At Buffy's brief nod, he turned and walked out the door, briefly thanking Joyce for having them over.


"Bye Willow." Oz smiled as he took Willow's hand in his and kissed it lightly. "Was nice meeting you all." He turned to Joyce and Buffy with a smile.


"See ya, Oz." Willow sighed dreamily as Oz made his way out the door to where the rest of the band members were already standing, waiting. After watching them all leave, Buffy closed the door and followed her mother, Willow, Dawn and Tara into the lounge room.


Plonking herself down onto the couch, Buffy shuddered. "That Angel guy gives me the creeps." She picked up her daughter and sat her on her lap. Tara lay her head down on her mothers shoulder, wrapping her arms around Buffy's neck. Buffy started to rub circles on the little girl’s back, realizing that the long day was finally starting to catch up with the youngest Summers member, as her eyes were starting to close. It didn’t take long before she was asleep, oblivious to the chatter around her.


"Oz is so cute!" Willow gushed, having taken a seat next to Buffy on the lounge, Dawn taking the other side. Joyce was siting in the single chair. A blush spread on her face as Buffy raised her eyebrows in a suggestive manner.


"Willow has a crush…" Dawn sing songed, laughing at Willows embarrassment. "Don't worry about it, besides, I think Xander was pretty cute." She smiled.


Buffy hit her arm. "Dawn, you have a boyfriend, not to mention Xander is going out with Anya."


Before Dawn could say anything else, Joyce interrupted her; "Would you girls like a drink? I'm about to go put the kettle on." She started to get up from her chair.


"Mom, sit down, I'll do it" Buffy started to get up, and in the process jostled Tara, whose eyes flew open. Joyce just smiled and shook her head.


"I don't mind, I'll be back in a few minutes." She then made her way into the kitchen. The clinking sound of cups, and the switch of the kettle being turned on could soon be heard. Tara's eyes once again started to drift, only to open again when Spike’s name was mentioned.


"So Buffy, did you like any of the guys? Huh? You and Spike seemed to make with the clickage at least, Angel seemed to just throw these strange glances your way, kinda creepy," Willow said, poking Buffy when she mentioned the obvious connection between her and Spike. Tara lifted her head from her mothers shoulder and turned to look at Willow.


"I liked Willium. He watched movies with me and promised he would come over tomorrow again." Tara smiled as Willow moved her gaze from the young girl to Buffy.


"Baby, I don't think..." Buffy started, but was cut of by Tara, who was now most definitely awake.


"He promised he would… we haven't finished our game yet," she explained, looking into her mothers eyes.


"What game?" Dawn asked curiously, giving Buffy a puzzled look before turning back to Tara, who was smiling.


"Shh! It's a secret, I'm not supposed to tell." She placed her fingers over her lips, eyes sparkling with excitement.


...................................Giles’ Apartment............................................................


"So, Oz my man. Chatting it up with Red a bit?" Spike smirked, smacking Oz on the back before seating himself next to his fellow band mate on Giles’ couch. Oz's face started to brighten, which caused Xander to start giggling.


"Shut up, man!" Oz glared at Xander and hit Spike on the arm. It wasn't a hard punch, but Spike still rubbed his arm as if Oz had really hurt him.


"Speaking of chatting up… You and Buffy, hey!" Angel smiled, coming to sit down in one of Giles’ single chairs, a cup in his hand. He gave Spike a knowing look and smirked.


"Don't even start, mate." Spike glared at Angel, a warning look on his face. Angel was known as the kind of guy who dated a chick for a little while, slept with her a few times, and then dumped her before moving on to the next sad morsel. "She's a nice bird, doesn't deserve that." Spike slumped further back on the couch.


"Deserve what?" Angel asked, playing dumb.


"You know what I mean." Spike sighed. Xander and Anya could be heard in the background, talking to Giles as they were putting on their jackets. They soon came
around to the front of the lounges.


"Me and Anya are gonna head over to The Bronze. Work everything out for tomorrow, make sure it's all set up." Xander pointed to the door, grabbed the keys from the bench and made his way out, his arm wrapped around Anya’s shoulders.


"Later," Oz said, watching them leave whilst Spike and Angel glared at each other from across the room. Giles was watching them from the kitchen. Spike had only known Buffy for a few hours, and was already looking out for her well being. 'Ahh....to be young and in love,' he thought to himself with a smile, remembering his own life as a young man, all those years ago.


.............................Summer's House......................................................


"This is really nice, Mrs Summers," Willow smiled, raising her cup of tea in indication.


"Joyce. Willow, you've known me for years. Call me Joyce, please!" Joyce insisted, looking at Willow who just nodded and smiled. They were all in the lounge room, drinking tea or coffee. Tara was laying down on one seat on the couch, her head placed on Buff's lap. Buffy was running her fingers through Tara's hair. The girl's eyes closed, and she soon started snoring softly.


"So Buffy, what are you gonna tomorrow? Your voice is one of the best in this town. Are you gonna do it?" Dawn asked from her position on the floor. She was sitting with her back resting against the couch.


"I don’t know. I mean, I'd love to do it, but Tara…" Buffy looked down at her sleeping daughter and let a smile tug at the corner of her mouth.


"Is this about the band audition, dear?" Joyce asked, sipping from her mug. Willow nodded, Buffy's soft 'Yeah' followed. "I think you should do it. If you’ll get it, then that's great." Joyce smiled, then stopped as she saw the look on her daughter’s face.


"But then I'd be traveling, and won't be here." Buffy sighed again, still stroking her daughters hair.


"Come on Buffy, it would only be for a few weeks, me and Mom can look after Tara!" Dawn gave Buffy an assuring smile, lightly caressing her niece’s tiny fingers as they were hugging Buffy's legs.


"Me too," Willow added, sitting up straighter in the chair. Tara started to stir and wriggle and Buffy stood and picked her daughter up. The girl wrapped her arms and legs around Buffy, holding on tight.


"I'll be back in a minute," Buffy said, making her way up the stairs and into Tara's room. She could hear soft whispered voices from downstairs as the three women started plotting how to get Buffy to accept when she would return.


Putting Tara down in her bed, Buffy sat down next to her. Tucking the sheets up around her daughter, she started whispering. "What would you think if I went away for a little while, to sing with William?" Tara's chest kept rising and falling in a steady beat. Buffy smiled and stood.


"Willium told me about his band. He said he would look after you and I could see you on the TV, and I can call you everyday." Buffy sat back down on the bed as Tara smiled up at her mother. "I think it's good."


"You'd be ok with me going away for a few weeks?" Buffy asked, not sure if she had heard her daughter correctly. But Tara nodded in response.


"Grams and Dawn and Auntie Willow will look after me." Buffy removed the hair that had fallen into Tara's eyes and brushed it off of her forehead. Leaning down, Buffy then placed a kiss on the top of her daughters head.


"Sweet dreams, baby," she whispered softly before getting up. Then she left the room, after turning Tara's night light on.


Buffy slowly made her way down the stairs. Thoughts of how it would be like to finally be able to live the dream she thought long since out of her reach kept rushing through her head. To sing in front of a crowd… Touring, and play music at so many different venues. To be loved, and looked upon with awe instead of horror. She walked into the lounge room and sat back down on the seat she had been occupying before she went upstairs.


"So, we were thinking that..." Dawn started, but Buffy cut her off.


"I'll do it." she whispered, looking up to meet her mother’s eyes. Dawn's squeal broke the silence, along with Willow’s laughter.


"This is so awesome! My sister is going to be a member of Loves Bitch, God, I can't wait to tell everyone!" Dawn chattered on.


"This calls for celebration!" Willow jumped up, grabbed Buffy's hand and pulled her up along with Dawn. Then looking around the room, Willow couldn't think of any way to celebrate. Sitting at home, drinking wine just didn't feel right. This was big news.


"Why don't you guys go over to The Bronze? I'll look after Tara. If she wakes up asking for you, I'll just call you." Joyce smiled, seeing the grin appear on Buffy's face as she grabbed her jacket. With one arm through the sleeve and the other half way in, she kissed her mother on the cheek before grabbing her keys, purse and
phone and was then dragged out to the car by a very eager Dawn and Willow.


....................................Giles Apartment...............................................


"It's 8:30 and we’re sitting here in Giles’ apartment, and I'm bored out of my mind!" Angel groaned, slapping a hand across his face as he leaned back on the couch.


"Well, if you’re so bored, then by all means go out and do something," Giles said in an irritated voice. He had been trying to read the ending of his book for the last half an hour, but constantly got interrupted by Angel and his whining. Spike and Oz just looked on in amusement.


"Ok, that's it. I'm going to the Bronze," Angel said, standing up swiftly and grabbed his jacket.


"The great almighty poof does have a bit of a point," Spike said, watching Angel walk out the door. Giles raised his eyebrows at his nephew. "No offense," Spike continued, standing. Giles just nodded. Spike looked down at Oz, who looked at Giles.


"I'm coming." He stood up as well and grabbed his keys. Slipping on his leather duster, Spike opened the door and stepped outside, letting the night light encase
him. Not knowing what they were going to do once they had arrived at The Bronze, or who they were going to run into, he and Oz started up the van and made the 10 minutes car ride over.


Watching the door close behind them, Giles let out a huge sigh. "Bye. Don't be in any rush to come back," he said quietly, once again picking up his book. Taking a sip from his cup of tea, he readjusted his glasses and started reading. 'Bout time I got some piece and quiet.'

Chapter 6:


Walking into The Bronze, the three girls let the musky scent of cigarettes, alcohol and mixed bodies wash over them. The music was pumping from the speakers, and people were crammed on the dance floor, writhing against each other. They made their way over to one of the few remaining empty tables.


"God, it's pumping tonight!" Willow took off her jacket. The amount of people occupying the club was making the temperature rise.


"I'll say." Dawn smiled as she was looking around. There was no band playing tonight, but she recognized the face of the DJ. Connor was playing occasionally at the Bronze, usually when a band called in sick, like tonight.


"I'm gonna go get us some drinks. What do you want?" Buffy put her jacket down on the table and stood.


"Beer," Dawn said, her gaze not leaving the DJ.


"Beer, thanks." Willow smiled up at Buffy from her seat.


"Three beers coming right up!" Turning around, Buffy squeezed her way through the mass of bodies and headed towards the bar.


"Hey Ben, three beers," Buffy replied to Ben's short 'hey'. "Good turnout tonight!" She motioned to the people around her, smiling brightly at Ben. He just nodded and took her money, then smiled as he turned to face his next customer. Buffy frowned, before making her way back to Willow and Dawn.


"Oh hey, I didn't realize you guys were coming." Buffy handed over the beers to Willow and Dawn, then turned to Spike, Oz and Angel, who were now standing beside their table. Oz and Angel took the two remaining seats, Oz siting next to Willow and Angel next to Dawn. That left her and Spike standing next to each other.


"Giles is only entertaining for so long." Oz smiled at Willow, who blushed in return.


"I'll bet!" Dawn laughed, finally tearing her gaze away from Connor. "Hey Buffy, I think Connor wants you to go talk to him." Dawn pointed to the stage where Connor was set up. He cocked his head as he met Buffy's gaze.


"I'll be back in a minute. Excuse me." Buffy smiled, picking up her beer and once again squeezing her way through the mass of people, this time towards the stage. Spike's eyes darkened, seeing Connor laughing with Buffy.


"Easy there, tiger." Dawn laughed, seeing Spikes gaze. "That's my boyfriend." Turning her gaze away from Spike, she watched as Buffy waved at two people in the crowd. Connor was making his way towards her.


...........................................................................................................


"Hey, what's up?" Buffy smiled at Connor and took a sip from her beer. Connor had the turntable disk playing on a loop as he talked loudly to Buffy.


"Can you take over for a bit? I haven’t seen Dawn in ages... and the music's gotta keep playing." His gaze broke from Buffy to go to Dawn.


"You want me to take over so you can go mack on my sister?" Buffy laughed with amusement. Connor just shrugged and smiled. "What do you want me to do? I don’t know how to work this thing." Buffy pointed to all the turns and dials on the set up.


"Sing, of course!" Connor smiled at her.


"Fine. Give me minute." Buffy's gaze swept the club until she found who she was looking for, and motioned them over.


...........................................................................................................


"What are they doing?" Angel asked, watching Buffy and two other people enter the stage. Dawn's smile broadened, seeing Connor walking towards her, hunger in his eyes.


"Great, now they’re gonna be all lovey dovey…" Willow sighed as she sipped on her drink, her shoulders slumped. Spike, who had only just returned from the bar with three drinks, raised his eyebrows as Dawn jumped into the DJ's arms and wrapped her legs around his waist.


"D-do they do that often?" Oz asked, tilting his head as he watched the two people in front of him make out.


"He's been in LA for the last two weeks, so…" Willow's voice was cut of as the people on the dance floor started yelling. Raising her gaze from the couple, she noticed that the music had stopped.


"What’s going on?" Spike asked, handing Angel and Oz their beers.


"Sorry, guys." They heard Buffy's nervous voice from the microphone, and found her standing on the stage, the crowd staring at her. "The DJ's gonna take a little break." Buffy smiled, seeing her sister and Connor. "So, we’re gonna play a song for you in the mean time." She looked at Gary as he took his seat at the set of drums, and at Stacy who had picked up a guitar. She was standing next to the keyboard, playing a few notes to get ready to set the tune to repeat.


Buffy looked down a little nervously at all the faces staring up at her. Closing her eyes, she inhaled deeply and slipped the guitar strap over her shoulder. She wore the same clothes she had been wearing earlier. "This one’s for all the ladies in the house. You all know what I’m talking about." Buffy smiled as she started singing into the mic in front of her.


Stacy pressed play on the keyboard, and its repetitive notes could be heard throughout the club. Gary started a repetitive beat as well, following on with the keyboard.


"Uh uh uh uh uh uh uh oh, uh uh uh uh uh uh uh oh" As soon as Buffy started breathing into the mic, Stacy started strumming.


Spike's eyes bulged as Buffy started breathing into the mic. 'Oh boy,' he thought, seeing one of her hands grasp the microphone, the guitar hanging from its strap on her shoulders.


"Check it out, going out, on the late night, looking tight, feeling nice, it's a cock fight. I can tell, I just know, that it's going down. Tonight" Buffy's eyes opened slightly, scanning the crowd.


"At the door we don't wait cause we know them, at the bar six shots just beginning. That's when dick head put his hands on me. But you see" Raising one eyebrow, Buffy let go of the microphone and started strumming her guitar. Leaning forward into the mic, she continued to sing.


"I'm not here for your entertainment, you don't really want to mess with me tonight, just stop and take a second, I was fine before you walked into my life. Cause you know it's over. Before it began. Keep your drink just give me the money, It's just you and your hand tonight" Buffy let go of the guitar again as she grabbed the mic, her eyes hooded as she started breathing again, swaying her hips.


"Uh uh uh uh uh uh uh oh, uh uh uh uh uh uh uh oh"


Spike wriggled around on his seat, desperately trying to readjust himself. It had become painfully uncomfortable in his pants, and nothing he did would rectify the situation. Taking a rather large gulp from his beer, he watched on.


"Midnight, I'm drunk, I don't give a fuck, wanna dance, by myself, guess you're outta luck. Don't touch, back up, I'm not the one, ah buh bye. Listen up it's just not happening, you can say what you want to your boyfriends, just let me have my fun tonight, aiight" Buffy smiled, winking at Spike. She didn't know why she did it, but he had been staring at her for the entire time, and she just couldn’t help herself.


"I'm not here for your entertainment, you don't really want to mess with me tonight, just stop and take a second, I was fine before you walked into my life, cause you know it's over, before it began, keep your drink just give me the money, It's just you and your hand tonight" The writhing mass of people in front of her were now jumping up and down. She smiled at a group of women dancing, and a group of males, obviously trying to get into their circle to join them, but to no avail.


"Uh uh uh uh uh uh uh oh, Break break, Break it down." Buffy pointed out to the group of males. "In the corner with you boys, you bet 'em five bucks, you'd get the girl that just walked in but she thinks you suck, we didn't get all dressed up just for you to see, so quit spilling your drinks on me, yeah. You know who you are, high fivin’, talking shit, but you're going home alone aren’t’cha?" Buffy let out a laugh at seeing the males glare up at her from their position on the dance floor.


"Cause I'm not here for your entertainment. No. You don't really want to mess with me tonight, just stop and take a second, just stop and take a second, I was fine before you walked into my life, cause you know it's over, know it's over, before it began, keep your drink just give me the money, It's just you and your hand tonight. It's just you and your hand." Buffy flicked the hair from her face, smiling again.


With Buffy's sultry voice singing, and the wink she had sent him, not to mention the couple making out heavily in front of him, Spike was definitely up shit creek. He shifted his position again as Buffy smiled in his direction.


"I'm not here for your entertainment, No no no, you don't really want to mess with me tonight, just stop and take a second, just take a second, I was fine before you walked into my life, cause you know it's over, Before it began, keep your drink just give me the money, It's just you and your hand tonight. Yeah, oh" Buffy, Gary and Stacy finished of the last few notes, and stood smiling before the crowd who was clapping and cheering for them.


"Thank you! Hope you guys liked it." Buffy was met with another applause. "Now, where's that DJ?" Buffy scanned the club, and found him with Dawn perched on his lap. They were kissing each other like there was no tomorrow, and she cleared her throat, loudly. "That’s your que, Connor," Buffy said into the microphone, watching Connor glare at her. She just laughed, shook her head and descended the stairs off of the stage.


"Are you ok man? You’re kinda..." Oz was cut of by Anya.


"He's lusting after Buffy!" She smiled, coming to stand next to Xander. They had been organizing the auditions which were to be held the following day.


"Who wouldn't, she's fucking ho…" Angel groaned, smirking.


"Hey Buffy, GREAT song!" Willow half yelled as Buffy came to stand next to them.


"…ho... hello!" Angel finished, averting his gaze.


"Aw, thanks Willow!" Buffy laughed. "I was a bit nervous to start with, but after I got into it, then… you know." She shrugged.


"So how did it go with Ben?" Spike asked, having not yet met Buffy's eyes. Buffy, who had noticed, frowned at him. She thought she had made it obvious how she felt with the smile and wink she had sent him. Maybe not.


"It went well. We've got The Bronze from ten AM to eight," Xander answered, flinching as Angel yelled at him.


"Ten hours?! Come on, that's going to be torture!" Angel groaned, already dreading the process.


"I hear there's a lot of people in this town," Xander defended himself meekly, stepping closer to his girlfriend.


"Buffy, weren't you going to… mffm…?" Willow's voice got muffled as Buffy clamped a hand over her mouth. Buffy let out a nervous laugh and smiled.


"Going to… what, luv?" Spike asked, eyebrows raised in amusement.


"Going to... to ask you to dance with me." Buffy shot Willow a look as she removed her hand.


"You want to dance with me?" Spike asked, not quite sure if he had heard her correctly. Buffy just nodded with a smile. Angel let out a loud whistle.


"Hey B!" Faith smiled, making her way over to the group.


"Faith!" Buffy greeted. Faith acknowledged Willow and the others with a nod, then started to walk away.


"See you ‘round, hot stuff…" she said huskily, running a hand down Angel's chest. Angel watched the sway of her hips as she walked over to a part of the room that was masked in darkness.


"Excuse me…" he said quickly, walking over to where Faith had been only seconds before. The others caught a quick glance of hair and clothes as the couple dashed behind a door.


"You do… um, know that Faith is going to have sex with him, and then..." Buffy started, pointing to where the couple had disappeared.


"You realize Angel just wants to screw her, and then..." Xander said at the same time.


"…and then leave." They both finished, laughing.


"Meh. That's Faith for you. Screw ‘em and leave ‘em," Dawn said with a shrug, sipping on her beer.


"Speaking of sex, Xander and I are going to go back to Mr. Giles’ house and mff fmm…" Anya glared at Xander as his hand clamped over her mouth.


"Hahaha! Bye guys!" He laughed nervously, before pulling Anya away with him.


"They haven’t even heard all the talent in this town, other people deserve a chance as well," Buffy whispered to Willow.


"But you said you would do it!" Willow exclaimed.


"Do what?" Spike said, leaning over the table to get closer to Willow, Oz and Buffy.


"Um... Dance with you," Buffy said nervously. "Lets go do that now!" She then grabbed onto Spike's arm and pulled him up from the chair and over to the dance floor.


The sound of a guitar and drums could be heard through the speakers, and Buffy looked up to see Stacy and Gary on the stage. Another male was standing at the microphone. She recognized him from school.


"Can't explain all the feelings that you're making me feel. My heart's in overdrive and you're behind the steering wheel." Buffy smiled, knowing the song she started singing along. She put her back to Spike and ground her hips against his.


"Touching you, touching me, touching you, God you're touching me" Spike grabbed one of Buffy's arms as she raised them above her head and brought it around his neck, his other arm already resting around her waist. They moved in sync to the music.


"I believe in a thing called love. Just listen to the rhythm of my heart. There's a chance we could make it now. We'll be rocking 'til the sun goes down. I believe in a thing called love, Ooh!" Buffy spun around, and Spike pulled her body close to his chest. She gasped as his arm found its way around her waist again.


"I wanna kiss you every minute, every hour, every day, You got me in a spin but everything is A.OK!" Spike looked down at Buffy and raised his eyebrows in a suggestive manner, then pulled her closer to him as they danced.


"Touching you, touching me, touching you, God you're touching me" Buffy spun around again, leaving her back against Spike. She turned her head around, catching his gaze through hooded eyes.


"I believe in a thing called love, Just listen to the rhythm of my heart, There's a chance we could make it now, We'll be rocking 'til the sun goes down, I believe in a thing called love, Ooh!" Spike was lost in the woman in front of him. She had him captured in a trance with one look.


"Touching you, touching me, touching you, God you're touching me" Buffy half moaned as Spike ran his hands up and down the sides of her body.


"I believe in a thing called love, Just listen to the rhythm of my heart, There's a chance we could make it now, We'll be rocking 'til the sun goes down, I believe in a thing called love, Ooh!" Spike had spun Buffy around so her front was now facing him, as the guitar and drums finished off the song. He caught both her arms and placed them behind his neck.


"Um, we should get back to the t-table," Buffy whispered, looking up at Spike through hooded eyes. The next upbeat song had started to play, but they remained swaying, dancing to their own beat. Spike's only reply was to lean down to capture her lips in a deep kiss.


"Mmf…" Buffy gasped as Spike lips came crashing down onto hers. The room seemed to fade away, and all that existed was the two of them. She could feel his tongue as it pushed against her lips, wanting to gain access to her mouth. The feeling of his hands, as they ran over her back to her waist, pulling her closer. Buffy heard Spike moan as she ran her fingers through his hair, cupping the back of his head as she opened her mouth and let their tongues duel.


They finally had to pull back for air, panting, their foreheads resting together. "Buffy, I.." Everything came rushing back at once, and Buffy stepped away from Spike with her hand over her mouth, eyes wide.


"Oh my god," was all she whispered, looking Spike in the eyes.

Chapter 7:


"Pet, I…" Spike started, making a move to step closer to Buffy. Music was still playing in the background, and the people dancing around them constantly bumped into them.


"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have done that," Buffy whispered, starting to walk away and get off the dance floor. Spike quickly went after her.


"Hey." He grabbed her arm and spun her around. "We didn't do anything wrong, luv." He smiled. They had walked towards the stairs leading to the top level of the Bronze, and were now standing under the staircase.


"Nothing wrong?!" Buffy gasped, then lowered her voice. "We were practically dry humping on the dance floor!" She glowered at him, nervously looking around to see if anyone was listening.


"So, you didn't enjoy it?" Spike asked, a hurt note in his voice. Moving a few steps closer, he pushed Buffy up against a pillar, their bodies enclosed in the darkness. "Tell me you didn't love what we were doing…" Spike whispered, his hands resting on her hips. He let his lips nibble at her neck, as his lower waist pushed into hers.


"We barely know each other," Buffy whispered, letting out a soft moan. One of her hands was tangled in Spikes hair, the other one placed on his back, pulling him closer.


"I don’t care, luv. Feel like I’ve bloody known you for ages." Spike groaned, and lifted his head from her neck. Buffy rested her forehead against his, and kept panting, softly.


"This isn't right." Her eyes fluttered closed as Spike's pelvis ground hard into hers. "Only just met each other… Oooh!" Buffy bit her bottom lip, tilting her head to the side as Spike started kissing her behind the ear. Neither one of them noticed the constant clicking of the cameras as numerous photos were taken, just a couple of feet away.


...........................................................................................................


"Did anyone see where Buffy and Spike went?" Willow asked, slightly rising in her seat to look around the room, searching for the two blondes.


"No," Oz replied, meeting Willows eyes. "Last time I saw them, they were... uh… dancing?" He smiled, and Willow let out a little giggle.


"Pfft! Dancing my ass!" Dawn laughed, leaning into Connor who was standing next to her.


"Your sister's not like that, Dawn," Connor said sternly, smacking Dawn lightly on her thigh.


"Hey!" she exclaimed, hitting him softly at his chest, smiling. "I know that." She paused. "Still, it wouldn't hurt her to get her groove thang on… Don’t think she's had any action since R...." Her voice trailed of, and she quickly glanced at Oz and Angel, who had returned only moments earlier from his quickie with Faith.


"Yeah." Willow nodded softly. "But I’m sure she's fine. Just talking with Spike or something, getting to know him better." She smiled, then jumped a little as Oz grasped her hand under the table.


"Fuck, you have no idea what you’re missing out on!" Angel groaned, a huge smirk on his face. The other occupants of the table shot him a look, but he just kept smirking at them.


"Eww, and more eww!" Dawn shuddered, turning her gaze away from Angel who just laughed at her.


...........................................................................................................


Buffy's grip tightened around the back of Spike’s head, her fingers grasping at the short curls and she pulled his mouth closer to hers. She didn't know how long they'd been kissing, but it felt like forever. They finally had to break apart, gasping for air, foreheads resting together.


"You’re really good at that." Buffy cupped Spike’s cheek and smiled up at him.


"You’re bloody amazing!" Spike smiled also, running his hands over her arms and then linking his fingers together with hers. He brought her arms up to rest behind his neck.


"I am not!" Buffy blushed, following Spike as he pulled her out of the shadows and back to the dance floor.


"Yes. You. Are." Spike gave her a brief kiss on the lips between each word. His hands held on to her waist as a slow rhythmic song was played in the background. Buffy leaned forward and rested her head against Spikes chest as they were swaying to the beat. She then smiled as her eyes met Willow’s, seeing that her friend was only a few feet away, happily dancing in Oz's arms.


"Aww, they’re so cute together!" Buffy smiled. Spike followed her gaze.


"He's pretty smitten with her, pet," Spike said, looking back down at the woman in his arms.


"And she with him." Buffy smiled up at Spike. He leaned down to capture Buffy's lips with his. Buffy smiled into the kiss, and wrapped her arms tighter around his neck.


"Sorry!" Buffy was suddenly jostled out of Spikes arms as someone brushed past them, roughly. Buffy's body stiffened after the quick glimpse she’d gotten of the other person. That smell, that particular aftershave was one she would never forget.


"Hey, watch where your going, mate!" Spike yelled to the retreating back, then turned his gaze to Buffy. Her eyes were frantic and she was breathing heavily.


"Buffy?" Spike asked, worriedly, still holding on to her arms.


..........................................................................................................................


"I'll see you guys later!" A 16 year old Buffy was laughing with her friends, before breaking away from her fellow cheerleaders and making her way down the front steps leading out of the school building.


"Mmmm hhmm…" Buffy hummed, bobbing her head to the tune she had been practicing to for the last few hours. Her team had a big game coming up soon, and as a cheerleader, it was her duty to be there and know the routine, to help her fellow students. Buffy smiled and fixed her shoulder bag, flicking a lock of blonde hair from her face.


"Creepy dark outside… Nice kitty!" Buffy gasped, quickening her pace down the dim lit street, sidestepping a cat. There weren't many street lights on this particular street, but once she’d made her way over at the small hill, she'd be able to turn off onto her street and be home in no time. "God, I’m such a loser, it was just a cat, Buffy, stop being a wuss! And I’m talking to myself, can I get any more lame…? AGHH!" Buffy screamed as someone suddenly grabbed her from behind and covered her mouth with a strong hand.


She struggled, trying to pry the hand away from her mouth as she was dragged away from the foot path and back through the park she had just passed. The person holding her must have stumbled on a rock or something, because his grip loosened. Using that moment to her advantage, Buffy pushed her attacker away and made a run for it. She only made it a few feet, before the man grabbed her again and hauled her back.


"What do you want? Please, just let me go! HELP!" She screamed as she was roughly pushed to the ground.


"Shut up! Just shut up, bitch!" Buffy's eyes widened as the face of her attacker came into view.


"Riley?" she whispered in shock and fear. Her body had gone stiff as panic swept through her. Riley grabbed her hands and bound them together. Buffy struggled to move, but he shoved her roughly back onto the ground.


"Please, let me go…" Buffy whispered, her eyes full of tears, her vision going blurry as the tears made their way down her face.


"You should never have broken up with me, baby…" Riley growled, pinning her legs down with his body. "We could have been so good together…" he then whispered, stroking her face. "You shouldn't have said those things about me to your friends." He shot her a fierce look as he pulled something out of his back pocket. One look at the object shook Buffy to the core.


"Please, let me go!" Buffy cried, her body shaking as her eyes followed the knife he now had in his hand.


"I told you to SHUT UP!" Riley yelled, bringing the knife down and cutting Buffy's cheerleading top to shreds. Using a strip of the shirt, he used it as a gag and tied it around her head.


"Please don’t do this…" Buffy cried. "It wasn't me, Harmony… she said..." Buffy's scream was muffled through the gag as Riley lifted her skirt and ripped her underwear off.


"Please, don’t!" Buffy tried to wriggle her body away from him. Riley held on tight, but Buffy had been able to move a little. She bucked under him and kicked him in the stomach. Unfortunately, he was too strong for her and pinned her with his body.


"That hurt, bitch!" He growled, pushing her legs apart and smiled sadistically, watching Buffy whimper and cry beneath him. She squeezed her eyes shut after seeing him undo his pants. "Oh, yeah!" Riley groaned as he held her down to the ground, one hand on her shoulder, the other positioning himself, ready to take her.


"Oh, God, please don’t... Argh!" Buffy screamed through the gag as Riley roughly shoved himself inside her, all the way. She had never had sex before, but she was certain that it was never meant to be like this. She and Riley had only dated for a little while before he had become a bit obsessed with her, and she had decided to end it before things got too complicated. He obviously hadn't taken it very well.


"Oh yeah, baby... Fucking you feels so good…" Riley panted from his position on top of her. He was thrusting into her, crushing his body against hers. Buffy cried beneath him, desperately begging him to stop. But he didn’t.


..............................................................................................................................................



"Stop!" Buffy cried, trying to push Spike away from her. Her eyes were squeezed shut and she was still breathing hard.


"Buffy?" Spike grabbed her hands, stilling her movements. "Buffy," he said again. The music from the speakers flowed into Buffy's ears, and she finally relaxed. "You ok, pet?" Spike asked, a mask of concern on his face.


"I-I'm…" Buffy closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Slowly opening them again, she met Spike’s worried gaze. "Can you take me home, please?" she finally whispered.


"Sure, pet" Spike; still holding onto one of her hands, gently led her out from the club. He could feel her hands shaking, and it wasn't because of the chill of the night.


"Can you call Dawn and tell her I’m going home?" Buffy asked, handing Spike her phone. She was standing next to him when he made the call, letting the cool night air wash over her.


"She said she'll see you tomorrow," Spike said a moment later, handing Buffy her phone back. She gasped and jumped, almost dropping the phone when a group of people brushed past her, laughing as they made their way over to their cars.


"Are you ok, Buffy?" Spike asked, worriedly.


"Yeah." She took a deep breath, realizing that the people who had bumped into her now weren't the same man who had bumped into her minutes before. "I just want to go home…" she whispered, wrapping her arms around herself as the chill of the night sent a wave of goose bumps over her body.


"Here." Spike slipped out of his duster and wrapped it around her small frame. She smiled, gratefully, and hugged it close, letting his scent comfort her.


............................................................................................


They took a cab. The ride back to 1630 Revello Drive was filled with an uneasy silence, neither one of them saying a word. Closing the front door behind her, Buffy placed her keys on the table and turned to look at Spike, who was staring at her intently.


"Buffy..." Spike started, but was cut off by Buffy, who was looking into the lounge room.


"Tara…" she whispered, seeing the sleeping form of her daughter on the couch. A lonely tear slid down her face at the sight of the resembling features on her daughters face.


"Buffy?" Spike repeated, taking a step closer.


"Would you... Can you carry her to bed for me, please?" Buffy looked up and met his gaze, as he nodded and moved into the lounge room to carry the small girl up the stairs.


"Thanks," Buffy whispered behind him, following him up the stairs. Spike looked at the little girl in his arms, then gave her a puzzled look. 'What the hell happened to you, Buffy Summers? What made you so afraid?' he thought to himself as he put Tara down in her bed and tucked the covers up around her.

Chapter 8:


"Thanks for that," Buffy whispered, shutting the door to her daughters room.


"No problem, pet," Spike whispered back, smiling. Buffy motioned for him to follow her. They silently made their way to her room. Entering, she turned the light on.


"You probably think I’m a loony." Buffy laughed as she took of her boots.


"You’re not a loony, luv. You'll tell me everything when you’re ready," Spike said, watching as she combed out her hair.


"Thank you." Buffy came to stand in front of Spike, her pajamas in her hand.


"For what, luv?" Spike asked, raising an eyebrow.


"For staying," Buffy whispered, smiling sadly. There was an uncomfortable silence between the two, before Spike cleared his throat and ran a hand through his hair.


"I, uh... I better get going." He pointed towards the door behind him, and Buffy nodded. "Get some rest, yeah?" Spike turned, and started walking out of her room.


"Spike?" Buffy took a step forward, then stopped, seeing Spike turn back to face her, quickly. "You’re um... T-Tara said you were coming over in the morning to watch movies with her." Buffy was playing with the hem of her shirt, nervously.


"Yeah?"


"Do… do you maybe... I mean…" Buffy paused, and met his gaze. "Would you like to stay over? Saves you the trouble of coming back here tomorrow, and, yeah…"

Spike smiled at seeing all the faces she was making. "You sure, pet? I don't mind coming back."


"No, it's fine. I'll be right back, just gonna go get changed." Buffy held up the bundle of clothes she held in her arms, and Spike nodded.


"I'll uh... just wait here then," Spike said, standing in the middle of Buffy's room again. Looking around, he smiled at the girlyness of it all. There were pictures all over the place. Ones of Buffy and Dawn, Tara and Buffy. He smiled, seeing a photo that had been taken in mid laugh. Buffy looked absolutely gorgeous. 'God, I hope she’ll join us,' Spike thought, running a hand over her desk. The woman was a mystery to him, and he couldn't wait to get to know her better.


"You can stay in Dawn's old room, it's next to mine." Buffy came back into the room, then stopped in her tracks at seeing the look Spike was giving her. She wore a pair of short, silk pajama bottoms that rode low on her hips, and a black singlet top. "Here’s a pillow." Coming to stand in front of him, she handed it over.


Her body now completely exposed, Spike couldn't help but look at her. Buffy stood with her arms folded over her chest, fiddling with a strand of hair. 'Please, don’t let him notice. Please, don’t let him notice. Please, don't…' Buffy chanted in her head, watching Spike's face.


"Pet?" Spike took a step closer to her, his eyes never leaving her waist. "Come here a sec?" Spike turned to see how far away her bed was, and walked over to it. Placing the pillow on the bed, he sat on the edge and watched as she slowly made her way over to him. Buffy stopped in front of him, and lowered her gaze to meet his. Spike reached up a hand and brushed it over the scarred skin. Buffy's body tensed, and she held her breath.


"What's this?" he asked, trying to make out what the scar was. It was a word. ‘ALWAYS’. Tears welled up in Buffy's eyes, and she brought a shaky hand down to where Spike's rested. She pushed down the material of her boxers from her hip, and heard him gasp.


Spike’s eyes widened at the sight before him. Someone had cut into her flesh and marked her. He traced each word that was under the other. ‘ALWAYS. MINE. BITCH.’ His hand never left her hip. Buffy flinched as Spike stood in front of her. 'God, he thinks I’m disgusting,' Buffy thought, lowering her gaze to the floor.


"Who did that to you?" Spike whispered, cupping her cheek and made her raise her head. 'Who would do something like that? God, what happened to her?' Spike asked himself, his own eyes tearing up at seeing the faces Buffy was making.


"T-Tara's father did that," Buffy whispered, squeezing her eyes shut as a brief memory of the night he had marked her came into her head.


"H-her father?!" Spike stepped back, and Buffy nodded, her tears falling freely. "Why would he do that to you?"


"He was a sick bastard." Buffy shuddered, bringing her arms around herself. Spike took a step closer, and reached out a hand to touch her.


"Buffy?" he whispered. Buffy looked up through the tears, and met his gaze


"Can we... Can we not talk about it? Please?" Buffy whispered, looking down at the floor, and then back at him again. Spike wiped the tears from her face, and nodded. "Can you just be kissing me now?" A few more tears slipped down her face. "I don’t want to remember any more." She hugged herself tighter, and looked him in the eyes.


Spike's hand came around the back of her neck. Pulling her face down, he captured her lips with his. The kiss was slow and long, Spike pouring all he could into it. Buffy's hands had come to wrap themselves around his back, as their tongues started dueling. They broke apart, panting.


"Not that I don’t want to, luv, but I think it might be better if we do this another time. I want to get to know you better first. You, and Tara." Buffy nodded and took a step back from Spike. "If you have any trouble sleeping... You know where to find me." Spike bent down to capture her lips in a brief kiss, and picked up the pillow she had given him moments before. He turned and smiled, before shutting her door and heading towards the room he would be sleeping in.


Buffy tossed and turned in her bed that night. Flashes of the past were haunting her dreams…


........................................................................................................................


Buffy screamed again, as Riley roughly pounded into her.


"You’re always gonna be mine… You dirty little bitch!" He groaned as he grabbed her breast. Buffy had managed to push the gag out of her mouth, using her tongue, and spat on Riley.


"I'll never be yours, you sick bastard! Get over your obsession with me, jackass!"


Riley growled, wiping the spit off his face. "You shouldn’t have done that, babe…" He smiled cruelly, making Buffy cringe. He put the gag back over her mouth, tying it hard around her head. Picking up a knife, he brought it up to her face. Buffy's eyes bulged at seeing the sharp blade, mere inches from her eyes.


"Always mine, bitch!" He smiled sadistically, the blade making its decent into the flesh of her hip.


"Hmmmm… hmgh…" Buffy cried into the gag as the sharp, stinging pain in her hip increased with each stroke Riley made. He let out an evil laugh as Buffy kept thrashing around.


……………………………………………............……………………………………………………


Buffy gasped, sitting up with a start. Her body was covered in sweat and she took in gulps of air. Laying slowly back down, she wiped her hand over her forehead. Sunlight was streaming through the window into her room. Looking to her left, Buffy read her clock; 6:45 am. Tara was bound to be awake.


'Speak of the devil…' Buffy thought, watching her daughter bounce into the room, a huge smile on her face, Spike in tow.


"Mommy! Mommy!" Tara was bouncing up and down, her hand clasping Spike’s. "Look, Willium stayed over!" She giggled, letting go of Spikes hand and ran to her mothers side. Buffy brought a hand up to her head, feeling a slight headache.


"Mommy?" Tara asked, seeing her mother scrunch up her face.


"How ‘bout we let your mum get dressed, yeah?" Spike asked, watching Tara turn to look at him. "C'mon li’l bit, I think I promised you I’d watch a movie. And I always keep my promises." Spike held out a hand and smiled, watching Tara smile back and run over to him.


"Barbie as Rapunzel! Come on Willium, hurry!" Tara tugged on Spike's hand, starting to pull him out of the room. Spike shot Buffy a look, and she smiled.


"I'm fine." She smiled again, standing on shaky legs, the dream still fresh in her mind.


Spike sent her another look, one that said he wasn't buying her happy act. He turned and looked down at Tara, who was still trying to pull him with her, panting at the effort. He smiled to himself and swept her up in his arms.


"Where to, bit?" he asked as Tara clung to him.


"That way." She pointed to the staircase, indicating they were to watch the movie down in the lounge room. Buffy smiled at the two, watching as they headed down the stairs. Still on shaky legs, she made her way over to the bathroom to take a shower.


Looking in the mirror, she traced her scars and let out a shuddering breath. Closing her eyes tight, she shook her head to get rid of the memories of that night. Untying her hair from its band, she turned the water on and stepped into the shower, letting the rhythmic sound of the water lull her out of her worries. A lot would be changing soon. She had a big decision to make. Joining the band, or not? Buffy placed her face into the stream of water to wake herself up. Could she face her inner demons and, for once, take a chance and follow her dream? Could she let herself fall in love with Spike, a man she hardly knew? Only time would tell.

Chapter 9:


After getting dressed and towel drying her hair, Buffy made her way down the stairs. She stopped in the arch to the lounge room and smiled at the pair watching TV. Tara was sitting next to Spike mimicking his body position every time he moved. She laughed to herself as Spike turned his head to look at Tara who unclasped her legs and brought her gaze to the screen. Shaking her head she made her way into the kitchen.


"Morning" Joyce smiled looking up from her newspaper as Buffy came through the doorway.


"Hey" Buffy said glumly as she plonked herself in the seat next to her mother.


"Everything ok sweetie?" Joyce asked watching her daughter rest her head on the bench top.


"I'm fine" Buffy tried reassuring herself. Joyce raised an eyebrow at this. "Ok. I'm not fine" Buffy sighed and sat up. "I just. Last night" Buffy paused. "I had another dream about...." Her sentence drifted off. She still couldn't bring herself to voice what had happened all those years ok.


"Oh honey" Joyce placed her coffee mug on the bench and wrapped her arm around her daughter.


"I'll be fine.” Buffy rested her head on her mother's shoulder. "I'll just try and forget about it" She whispered.


"Buffy maybe you should think about seeing someone?" Joyce stopped watching Buffy abruptly stand and walk around the other side of the island.


"I don’t want to see a shrink mom. I don't want to have to relive it all" Buffy brushed a hand through her hair and sighed.


"Ok" Joyce stood and made her way around the island. "We'll just not talk about it then." Buffy nodded and smiled softly at her mother. "So? What would you like for breakfast?"


"Pancakes are easy." Buffy shrugged. "I'll go let Tara and Spike know" She motioned towards to lounge room. Joyce nodded and watched her leave.


"Tara, sweetie what do you want for breakfast?" Buffy asked walking into the lounge room. Tara was standing on the lounge with her hands on Spike's shoulders to balance her. She was staring him in the face.


"Is Grams making pancakes?" Her voice full of excitement. She broke her gaze with Spike and turned to face her mother.


"Yes" Buffy laughed at the two. "What are you guys doing?"


"We were playing a game luv" Spike said helping Tara off the couch and watched as she ran past Buffy and into the kitchen.


"A game?"


"You're not aloud to blink" He smiled standing and stretching. Buffy's cheeks went a light shade of pink at seeing how low his jeans were riding. "Like what you see luv?" Spike smirked watching Buffy come out of her haze and her cheeks brighten a few more shades. Turning abruptly she made her way to her kitchen, Spike not far behind her.


......................................................................................


"Mommy" Tara asked coming to stand next to Buffy, who was finishing off her breakfast. Looking down at her daughter Buffy smiled.


"Yes sweetie"


"Can we go to the park?" Tara asked briefly looking at Spike.


"I thought you wanted to watch movies?" Buffy asked eyebrow raised.


"I want to go to the park now" Tara smiled.


Letting out a sigh Buffy smiled. "You'll have to ask William if he wants to go" She watched as Tara ran around the other side of the table, coming to a stop next to where Spike sat.


"Willium do you wanna come to the park with me and mommy?" Tara asked a slight bounce in her stance.


"Sure thing niblet" Spike smiled glancing at Buffy. Tara let out a squeal and turned to face her mother.


"Go put your shoes on sweetie." Tara ran away from the table to collect her shoes. Turning towards her own mother Buffy laughed. "Mom do you want to come to" Joyce laughed in return and shook her head.


"I think I’ll stay here" She smiled standing and collecting the empty plates from the table. "You kids have fun" Joyce said watching Buffy grab her coat and helping Tara into hers.


"Bye grams" Tara waved before running out the door yelling for Spike to hurry up.


......................................................................................


"Higher Willium, higher!" Tara's ecstatic squealing could be heard throughout the park. Sitting down under the shade of a tree Buffy let out a laugh, tucking a stray piece of hair that was being blown across her face from the wind. She looked from her daughters face and met Spikes gaze and blushed. He was smiling brightly at her.


She watched as he picked Tara off the swing and placed her on the ground, watching as she ran over to the gym section of the park. Buffy returned his smile as he slowly made his way over to her.


"You look like your having fun" Buffy laughed. "We might have to leave you here" She smiled as he sat down next to her.


"Not bloody likely. Although it does sound a lot better than going to the auditions" Spike grimaced.


"Naw, it won’t be that bad.." Buffy stopped mid sentence at seeing his raised eyebrows. "Ok so maybe it's going to be bad. But, think about afterwards when you find someone" She smiled.


"I already found someone" Spike whispered lifting a hand to stroke her cheek.


"Spike" Buffy whispered softly looking at him through half closed eyes.


"Buffy I..." His head slowly lowered towards hers and just as their lips were about to meet Tara's high pitched scream was heard.


"MOMMY!" Buffy's head swung around eyes opened wide. They came to a stop when she saw Tara on top of the tower waving at her. Waving back with a smile she turned again to look at Spike who in turn was smiling.


"What" She laughed.


"How do you do it?" He asked glancing once again at Tara.


"Do what?"


"Everything. Raise Tara, you’re so good with her pet. Scared the living hell outta me when she screamed." He let out a laugh. "How did you manage it all..." He paused. "You were so young"


Buffy lowered her gaze and gave him a sad smile. Taking a breath she started. "When I first found out I was pregnant it scared the shit out of me" She met his eyes. "The way it happened wasn't exactly......." She drifted off. "Who the father was....." She said as she wiped a tear from her face that had slipped. "But then I started thinking you know. What would happen if I got rid of her.....If I had, things wouldn't be like they are now. I'd always think what if....." Spike nodded in understanding. "There’s not a day go by where I don't look at her and see his face" Buffy cried as Spike wrapped his arm around her shoulders. "But she's part of me..." Buffy whispered. "She's my baby girl"


Reaching into her bag she pulled out her wallet. Sifting through its content she stopped on a photo of Tara in the hospital just after she had been born. She was wrapped up in a little plink blanket with her eyes closed. "When you lose everything and find that one thing that keeps your grounded, you don’t ever let it go...." She smiled handing the photo over to Spike.


Spike looked over the photo smiling at the sight of the gorgeous little baby. Turning the picture over he realized there was writing on it.


You can't fool me, I saw you when you came out
You got your momma's taste and you got my mouth
And you will always have a part of me
Nobody else is ever going to see but you and me
My little girl


Tears formed in his eyes as he read the paragraph which Buffy had written. Turning his face to look at hers she smiled softly at him.


"Your one hell of a woman Buffy" Spike had cupped her face and wiped the tears from her cheeks.


"Thank you" She whispered just before his lips descended down to hers, neither noticing the camera's going off in the distance.

Chapter 10:


"Mommy their's a weird man over there who keeps looking at me" Tara whispered into her mothers ear. She had run over from the play equipment after noticing someone with a camera staring at her. Buffy's head snapped up looking into her daughters eyes and then to Spike's. She turned her head towards where Tara was now pointing and her heart sped up faster at seeing what was in front of her. Their was indeed a man holding a camera to his chest, but also another three standing not to far away. Once Buffy met the man's gaze his eyes opened wide giving her the 'deer caught in headlights' look.


"Ah... Pet. I think we might want to head to the auditions a lil bit early yeah?" Spike had heard what Tara had whispered and had immediately began gathering there things. Paparazzi were standing on the sidelines of the park, half a dozen of them all grasping camera's and taking pictures.


"I think that's a good idea" Buffy laughed nervously gathering her things. Spike and Buffy stood but before either could move Tara started grabbing onto Spike's leg, showing that she wanted to be lifted up.


"Alright lets get this show on the road" Spike said adjusting her onto one hip. Tara was giggling as Spike tickled her sides.


"Your silly" She scrunched up her nose.


"You know I don’t think I’ve ever seen her so comfortable with someone in such a short time as she is with you" Buffy smiled as they played 'dodge the paparazzi' out of the park.


"I must be special than" Spike laughed as Tara tried to tickle him. She giggled again as he got her back. Buffy just smiled up at him as he slipped his hand into hers.


'That you are' She thought.


....................................................................................................................


"Oh my!" Buffy exclaimed, her eyes widening after turning down the path that led to the Bronze's entrance.


"God this is going to be a looong day" Spike groaned seeing the massive line of people waiting to be auditioned for the part of the bands new vocalist.


"Just think of all those potential voices who are going to stand out of this crowd" Buffy smiled. Spike shot her a look. "O-Or not" She smiled meekly.


"Mommy are we going to stand in the line to" Tara asked trying to sit up in Spikes arms to look at the line that loomed ahead.


"Yes"


"No" Spike and Buffy said at the same time. "Your coming inside pet. It looks like its going to rain." Spike looked up at the clouds, which were indeed turning a dark grey.


"That's unfair to everyone else who has to wait outside Spike" Buffy said as Spike tugged on her arm as he led her down the side of the line, heading straight for the door. Their were a few yells from the crowd at seeing Spike and a few more groaning about Buffy being aloud to the front of the line.


.............................................................................................


The seconds ticked by and soon they became minutes. Minutes turned in hours as each new potential made their way onto the Bronze's stage only to be rejected by the band members. As the hours passed by it only got worse. Buffy's nose scrunched up at hearing the dreadful screeching coming from the stage in front of her. She was sitting with Tara on a couch located not to far behind the band members. About 20 meters back from the stage was a table which sat Angel, Spike, Xander and Oz. Buffy laughed to herself as Angel's back shuddered at the hideous noise.


"That was uh....." Oz coughed.


"Your voice isn't what were looking for at the moment" Angel said at the other band members silence.


"Thank you for your time" Placing her application form at the bottom of the list Xander let out a sigh. The girl on stage sadly nodded and made her decent, wiping her eyes of any tears that may have dropped.


"With all the people in the line you'd think their might be someone with at least a half decent voice" Anya said walking up to the table and handing Xander a coffee. He beamed up at her as she played with the hair on his neck. His shoulders relaxed having the caffeine make its way through his system.


"I vote for a break" Spike said standing and stretching. They'd been at the bronze for a good couple hours and the break was well needed. Oz's phone rang and he made his way to the back of the bronze to answer it. Angel got up and made his way to the bathroom while Xander and Anya sat at the table coffee's in hand. Spike turned and made his way over to Buffy and Tara who were chatting on the couch.


"So pet. Any chance your going to reconsider and just say you'll be in the band." Spike said hope in his eyes. "Save us from the torture!" He groaned plonking himself down on the couch next to her. Tara giggled and climbed over her mother. She stood on Spikes thighs and poked his face which was resting on the back of the couch, his eyes closed.


"I'm sure the lines not that big anymore. There's only so many people in Sunnyvale right" Buffy laugh as Spike sat up one eyebrow raised.


"Oh my god!" Willow exclaimed bursting through the door shaking her arms out of her now soaked jacket. "That line is massive. There all just standing in the rain." Spike groaned and his head smacked down onto the back of the couch. It was going to be a long, long afternoon.


"Mommy is Willium sick" Tara asked turning to face her mother who just laughed and shook her head.


"No sweetie, he's just sick of hearing every ones bad singing voices" Tara nodded and watched her mother make her way over to where Willow was.


.............................................................................................


"So you and Oz huh" Buffy whispered. Her and Willow had been sitting in silence for the past hour. The auditions had started up again shortly after Willow had arrived and they hadn’t improved. They'd gotten worse. Their was a man currently on the stage giving his rendition of Kelly Clarkson’s Since you've been gone. It was the most horrible sound Buffy had ever heard in her entire life.


"Since you've been gone, I ca..." The man screeched only to be interrupted.


"Thank you for coming" Angel said loudly his shoulders letting out another shudder.


"He asked me to come down and check the auditions out. He wanted to take me out to dinner after" Willow whispered staring at Oz's back. Buffy was running her hands through Tara's hair, she had fallen asleep about an hour ago and now lay curled up on the couch her head in Buffy's lap.


"Aww! That’s so sweet"


"I know. I've got so many butterflies in my stomach at the moment. I really like him Buffy" Willow blushed as Oz turned to look at her, he smiled.


"Well then go for it. Have a good time maybe you'll get some smoochies in." Buffy said all the while maneuvering Tara into her arms. She stood slowly and smiled gently as Willow placed her semi dry jacket over Tara's form.


"Can you tell Spike we went home." Buffy quickly checked her watch, which read 6pm. No wonder Tara was so tired, she'd been awake for almost 12 hours.


"Sure" Willow smiled as she followed Buffy over to the Bronze's entrance. "You are gonna tell him you’re willing to be the bands signer right?"


"Of coarse" Buffy smiled. "I just thought it was unfair to anyone else they might have discovered through the auditions"


"Ok well I’ll see you later tonight yeah. You'll come back at 8 when the auditions finish to tell him right?" Willow asked fixing the jacket that had slipped from Tara's shoulders.


"I will" Buffy laughed hearing the new voice on the stage. Willow let a laugh of her own out. "Heres to hoping their not all in a grumpy mood when I come back" She laughed hugging Willow with one arm before opening the door and making her way outside.


The rain had stopped, but it was a lot darker now than it was before, the sun being close to fully setting. Fixing the jacket around her daughters sleeping form she made her way down the path towards home. They hadn't been walking for long before Buffy stopped in her tracks. Her heat speeding up a few notches.


"Tara sweetie" Buffy said her voice shaking. Her daughter groaned burying her head closer into her mothers shoulder not wanting to wake up. "Baby I need you to wake up ok" Buffy's voice was weak at she saw who was standing in front of her. A leer on his face and a knife in his hand.


"Mommy?" Tara mumbled wiping sleep from her eyes.


"I want you to run back to the Bronze ok and get aunty Willow and Spike ok" Buffy said placing her daughter on the ground, her eyes flashing back to the man who was advancing on them.


"Mommy" Tara started to cry.


"Run baby!" Buffy gave Tara a bit of a push and watched her little girl's legs carry her as fast as they could back the direction that had come.


"Hello Buffy" Riley sneered, twirling the knife in his hand. Buffy's body shook with fear as she sent out a silent prayer, hoping that Tara made it back safe and that help would come.

Chapter 11:


"Mommy" Tara started to cry.


"Run baby!" Buffy gave Tara a bit of a push and watched her little girl's legs carry her as fast as they could back the direction that had come.


"Hello Buffy" Riley sneered, twirling the knife in his hand. Buffy's body shook with fear as she sent out a silent prayer, hoping that Tara made it back safe and that help would come.


Buffy spun her body around as fast as she could. After one last glance at Riley's advancing form she ran for it, her legs pumping as fast as they could. The footfalls of Riley's steps could be heard behind her as Buffy pushed herself harder. She felt arms grab her from behind and she let out a scream.


"You can't run forever baby," Riley ground out, his grip on her waist tightening as he brought the hand wielding his knife to the front of her body. Buffy's eyes widened trying to shake out of Riley's grip as the knife got closer and closer to her.


"W-What do you want"


"I'll always want you baby" Riley's voice took another tone as he whispered into Buffy's ear. "Your" The hand holding the knife lowered. "Mine" Buffy turned her head slightly and met his gaze. Her body shook with what she was about to do.


"I'll" She paused as he breathed in the scent of her hair. "I’ll never be yours!" Buffy swung back her elbow and hit him hard in the ribs. She let out a scream that came out as a groan as he tried to grab her but instead managed to slash her with his knife across her arm.


"Bitch!"


"Don't look back" Buffy told herself as she kept running, the pain in her arm hurt but not as much as she would if she stopped running. She could hear the faint tap tap of Riley's shoes on the ground as he chased her. Slower than he had before.


......................................................................................................................


"Don't look so glum guys. When Buffy comes back later tonight she has a surprise for yo.....Can anyone hear that" Willow asked her tilted as her eyebrows came together as she concentrated on the faint tapping.


"I think its coming from the door" Oz said getting up from the couch. The auditions had finished not long ago and the band was relaxing within the bronze, having a few drinks before the bronze was due to open for the public.


"Tara!" Willow gasped watching the little girl run into the bronze and straight for her. Wrapping her arms around her aunt's legs and clinging on for dear life. Spike's head snapped up at hearing Tara's name. He looked around trying to spot Buffy, who had not come through the door with her daughter. His brows creased together.


"Sweetie what’s wrong?" Willow asked picking Tara up. The little girl wrapped her arm around Willows neck and buried her head into her shoulder. Willow looked up and met Oz's eyes. The rest of the band had come over to where Willow and Oz were standing. Spike took his place closest to Willow.


"Tara. Where's your mommy?" Tara looked into her aunt's eyes and let out a huge wail. "Where's Buffy" Willow asked again her voice streamed with fear.


"Bit where's mom?" Spike asked running a hand down Tara's head.


"There was a bad man" She sniffled wiping her eyes. "Mommy told me to run and come get you" Tears were streaming down her face. Spike was rubbing her back. "Mommy....He knew mommy's name" Tara squeezed Willow tighter and buried her head into her shoulders again, her body shaking with the force of her tears.


"I- I don't know who.." Willow looked at Spike as he cut her off mid sentence.


"The other night when we were all here." He paused looking around the Bronze. "Me and Buffy were dancing and talking." He ran a hand through his hair and continued. "There was a man who bumped into her and she completely freaked out. I mean really freaked out" Spike said at the bands blank stares.


"Riley" Willow whispered her eye's widening. She thrust Tara into Spikes arms and ran to her purse on the couch. "Hello" her voice shook as the person on the other end of the phone finally answered. "Yes. Look theirs someone trying to get my friend. No I don't know where she is. Last seen at the bronze. Look I don't know, all I know is that you need to get out there and find her because if he gets to her first she won't be alive for very much longer. She's uh got blonde hair, about 5 foot 3. Buffy.. her name is Buffy. Please just hurry." Willow was shaking by the time she got off the phone with the police.


"What’s going on" Xander asked looking from Spike who was trying to sooth Tara and Willow who was frantically pacing back and forth.


"When Buffy was young she uh. Riley…They dated for a while. Things got bad. It ended badly. He hurt her" Willows eyes were rimmed with tears. "She had Tara in result of what happened and he left marks on her" Willow looked at Spike who's eyes narrowed at remembering Buffy's scars. "Not just emotional marks but physical ones."


"So he's bad right" Anya asked starting to worry.


"He's mentally unstable" Willow wrapped her arms around herself and stopped pacing. "He's capable of anything."


...................................................................................................................


Buffy ran around the corner of a building and straight into someone’s body. She let out a scream as arm's grabbed her shoulders.


"Woah there sugar plum. I ain't gonna hurt you" The voice wasn't Riley's and Buffy let out a sigh of relief her shoulders sagging. Her body tensed back up knowing that Riley was still chasing her.


"He's coming we have to go" Buffy started to run again as she pushed past the person she'd run into. Not even bothering to look at whom it was.


"Slow down, no one's going to hurt you" Arms grabbed her again and pulled her into the light. Buffy had run to the local coffee shop and people from within it were staring through the glass windows staring at her.


Buffy looked up and met the man's gaze. He was dressed in a brightly colored suit and looked kind of green. "Who are you"


"I think the question is who are you and who are you running from" The man asked watching Buffy's frantic eye's searching the space behind him.


"C-Can we go" Buffy asked starting to walk already. Her arm was throbbing with pain and blood streamed down her arm and her hand. All the running had made her head speed up and the blood pump faster. The blood loss was getting to her and she started to get light headed.


"C'mon sugar lets get you somewhere safe to fix that" The man said leading her to a car not to far from the corner of the street she'd first run into him at. Buffy allowed the stranger to help her into his car...a police car and sat quietly as he drove.


.....................................................................................................................


Riley's eye's darkened as he watched Buffy being helped into the front of the police car.


"You can't run forever sweetheart" He smiled pushing off from the wall and walking back into the shadows of the alleyway.


.....................................................................................................................


"Name's Lorne" He smiled leaning over and opening the dashboard, he handed Buffy a small first aid kit. Buffy raised an eyebrow. "Mind telling me what’s got you so scared darlin‘"


Buffy opened the first aid kid a took out some gauze and a small bottle of alcohol and started to wipe the dried blood from her hands and up her arms. "My name's Buffy." Lorne smiled and nodded for her to continue. "It was a few years ago. We dated in high school" Buffy flinched as the first drop of alcohol touched her open wound. "Things got bad and I broke it off" Buffy's eyes started to water. "He..Didn't like it and um, came after me". Lorne kept glancing between Buffy and the road.


"He hurt you?" Buffy let out a strangled laugh as a few tears dropped.


"You could say that" She whispered her body shaking from the memory’s and fear of what had just happened.


"Let's get you fixed right now and you can tell me the rest later. You've lost a lot of blood there sugar" Lorne pulled the car into the hospital parking lot. "C'mon"


Lorne led Buffy into the hospital and helped admit her. She was rushed to the emergency ward once the cut on her arm started to bleed again. Buffy sat up in the bed she'd been laying in for the last 5 minutes after the doctor who stitched her arm had left.


"I need to call Tara" Buffy said frantically trying to pull the drip out of her arm.


"No. You’re staying right here." Buffy shook her head as tears fell. "I'll call for you. Your in no shape to be getting up now" Lorne smiled handing Buffy a pen and paper, indicating he wanted the numbers.


"My mom and Willow" Buffy said pointing to both of the numbers on the page. "Please god, let one of them have Tara. She's only a little girl" Buffy whispered to him with pleading eyes, letting out a sob.


"She'll be alright. You just rest and I’ll be back in a minute"


...................................................................................................................................


They had all gone back to Gile's house after notifying Joyce what had happened. At present Willow was pacing up and down wearing a whole into Gile's floor. Spike was sitting on the couch with Tara in his arms trying to sooth the poor girl, she had fallen asleep only a few minutes ago. The rest of the band members sat around the apartment none of them saying a word. Gile's stood there cleaning his glasses profusely.


Willow nearly jumped out of her skin at hearing the shrill ringing of her mobile phone. Reaching into her pocket with a shaking hand she pulled out her phone a flicked it open. "H-Hello" her shoulders sagged and she let a sigh of relief out. Spike sat up straighter in his chair intensely watching Willow's movements.


"She's in the hospital" Willow said already halfway out the door. "In the emergency ward"


"Oh god" Spike whispered standing a million thoughts running through his head. "What did he do to her" Tara started to lift her head from Spike's shoulder. Spike rubbed her back and shifter her in his arms.


"Willium?" Tara sat up, waking up more watching the bunch of people before her rush around for key's and jackets.


"C'mon bit, were gonna go see mom" Tara let out a smile as she wrapped her little arms around Spike's neck and snuggled into him further. He would protect her from the bad man.

Chapter 12:


"She's in the hospital" Willow said already halfway out the door. "In the emergency ward"


"Oh god" Spike whispered standing a million thoughts running through his head. "What did he do to her" Tara started to lift her head from Spike's shoulder. Spike rubbed her back and shifter her in his arms.


"Willium?" Tara sat up, waking up more watching the bunch of people before her rush around for key's and jackets.


"C'mon bit, were gonna go see mom" Tara let out a smile as she wrapped her little arms around Spike's neck and snuggled into him further. He would protect her from the bad man.


......................................................................................................................


By the time they made it to the hospital Joyce was already there pacing back and forth in the waiting room. She'd been in to see her daughter already but Buffy was still asleep. The medicine the doctors having administered to dull the pain in her arm had also made her drowsy. She'd been sleeping peacefully for the last hour. Joyce's hands shook with fear at seeing the group burst through the door, their voices carrying over the once quiet room.


"Is she ok?"


"What happened?"


"Where is she?"


"Mommy?"


All the voices started at once and Joyce's only response was her eye's rimming with tears before she was engulfed in a hug by Giles. He wrapped his arms around her as she let out a few silent sobs.


"It's all right dear. She's safe now" Giles soothed patting her back. Joyce looked up and smiled sadly wiping away a few stray tears. Turning to face the group she put on a brave smile. They all stared at her intently waiting for her to speak. It made her nervous.


"She's fine" Those first two words set the group in a combined sigh. Spike, who was still holding Tara, shoulders sagged. It felt like a weight had been lifted off them. Joyce smiled at him and continued. "She's got a c-cut on her arm and some bruises on her ribs where he," Giles placed a reassuring hand on her back. "She's resting now but I’m sure she'd like the company." Looking around at the big group of people she let out a chuckle. "Though maybe only a few at a time." The group smiled back at her. Oz grasping Willow's hand in his and giving it a squeeze.


"Mommy?" Tara was struggling to get out of Spike's firm grip. Joyce walked over to where her granddaughter was and took her into her own embrace.


"Come on sweetie lets go see mommy" Joyce smiled starting to make her way towards the doors that led down to Buffy's room. Willow and Giles followed Joyce leaving Angel, Anya, Xander and Oz behind. Spike stood back not sure what to do. He desperately wanted to know if Buffy was ok but at the same time didn't want to intrude on such a crucial family moment. The answer to his question came from Tara who had twisted in her grams grip and was facing him arm's out stretched.


"Willium" Joyce heard her granddaughters pained voice and stopped in her tracks. She turned and saw the same pained expression on Williams face and tilted her head. She wasn't sure what it was but she knew something was going on between her daughter and this man. He seemed to care deeply for not only her but Tara as well.


With a smile she nodded her head in the direction of the doors in which she was about to pass through. Spike sent her a sad smile and started to follow, not before turning to his fellow band members as if asking them permission if they were alright by themselves for a little while.


"We'll see you in a bit" Oz took a seat and made himself comfortable.


"Say hi for us" Xander smiled taking a seat next to Oz. Anya sat down to, not before staring at all the other people in the room, glaring at those who shot her weird looks. Angel walked around the room. He hated hospitals.


........................................................................................................................................................


"Mommy!" Tara exclaimed wriggling excitedly trying to disentangle herself from Joyce's grasp as soon as they walked through the door to her mothers room. Joyce didn't have much of a grip in comparison to Spike's and Tara made it out quite easily. Buffy was sitting up in bed, still looking a bit pale but awake none the less.


"Hey baby" Tears rimmed her eyes at seeing her daughter running towards her and attempting to climb onto the high bed. The little girl let out a few sobs at not being able to her to her mother. Buffy attempted to lift her daughter up but the painful throb that came from her arm stopped her. Spike watched the interaction from the sidelines and stepped in to lift Tara onto the bed.


Buffy found her arm's full of Tara and squeezed her tight as the little girl snuggled into her. She looked up and smiled at Spike before whispering "Thank you". He took a step back and let Willow and Giles through.


"Buffy." Willow's bottom lip wobbled and her eyes brimmed with tears at seeing Buffy's expression. Willow had known how bad things were last time Riley came around and it could have been worse this time if she hadn't gotten to safety.


"Willow" A pause and she tilted her head, a tear slipping down her face. "Please don't". Willow nodded slightly and wrapped her arm's around herself. She needed to be strong for Buffy and if she let herself succumb to tears then she would be of no use to her. Wiping her eyes, she pushed the hair from her face and let out a deep breath. Buffy gazed down at Tara and ran her arm over her body, her hand gliding through her daughters hair.


"How are you feeling Buffy" Giles asked his hand halfway to his glasses. Buffy shrugged as he started to clean them.


"I'm ok. A little shaken up" Her voice was hushed, not wanting Tara to hear much of what she said. "He- He had a knife" She looked at her mother who was standing next to her.


"You don't have to talk about it just yet. You just get some rest." Joyce said leaning down to kiss Buffy's head. a nurse came into the room to check Buffy's vitals and drip before whispering a few words to Joyce and leaving again.


Spike felt awkward in the room not knowing if he should stand or sit in the chair next to her bed, which no one had sat in. He slowly made his way in between Giles and Willow and hesitantly sat down on the edge of the chair.


"The nurse just want's to talk about release forms and um.. I'll be back soon" Joyce made her way to the door and turned around. Watching Buffy and Spike staring intently at each other she turned to Willow and Giles.. "Willow, Rupert." They each turned and at her head tilt followed her out of the room not before saying bye and get better soon. Buffy just smiled and turned back to Spike.



........................................................................................................................................................


"Hi. Sorry to pull you out like that" Lorne smiled watching Buffy's mother and friends walk out of her room and down the hall towards him. "I'm Lorne, I found your daughter". He said to Joyce handing her his badge.


"Oh your the officer who rang me!" Joyce exclaimed. "Thank you so much for saving her."


"It was nothing. She ran into me sweets" he placed his badge back in his jacket pocket. "I was just there to help. There was a call over the radio saying someone was after a young woman". He looked puzzled.


"Oh that was me. I- uh called the police wh-when Tara ran back to the Bronze." Willow still shaken up ran a hand through her hair.


"I'm sorry to ask you to go through it again. But I'm gonna need to take it all down." Lorne pulled a note pad and pen out and flipped it open. "Theirs going to be a full on investigation made after this" Willow nodded. "I don't know why Buffy didn't say anything when it happened the first time, but this man needs to be caught before he does this to another young woman."


"I know" Willow whispered knowing full well Riley's metal state wasn't very well.


"Come on let's get some coffee" Giles said leading Joyce away from Willow and Lorne and out into the waiting room where the rest of the group sat.


"Now can you tell me from the start what happened tonight" Lorne looked up from his notepad waiting for Willows response.


"We were at the bronze-"

........................................................................................................................................


"How are you doing?" Spike looked at Buffy his voice streamed with emotion. She met his gaze briefly and turned back to Tara.


"I'm-" She was cut off.


"Really luv" Spike watched her face as she stared at her daughter.


"I'm scared" She whispered her hands shaking each time they lifted from Tara's head and then ran back through her hair. "He was gone for so long," She met his gaze, her eyes rimmed with more tears. "and now he's back again" Her bottom lip wobbled. "I don't know what he'll do next." Spike dragged his chair closer to her bed and reached out a hand. He grasped her sore arm's hand in his and intertwined their fingers. "It's not safe anymore." She whispered letting a tear fall as Spike squeezed her hand.

Chapter 13:


'Spike Devlin has tryst with blond at club'


'Has Love's Bitch finally found their new singer'


'Devlin in love?'


"OH MY GOD!" Spike's jaw dropped as numerous magazines and newspapers were dropped on the desk in front of him.


"That's an understatement. I mean really" Anya tilted her head to the side standing next to a sitting Spike. "How did you even do that" Tilting her head some more. "And up against a wall no less" She shrugged as Spike grabbed the papers hiding the pictures from her scrutinizing eyes. "Suit yourself. I'll just go and get another copy, their everywhere"


'Oh shit' Spike thought as he flipped open the top article. "Devlin in love?". "Spike Devlin has been spotted in the small town of Sunnydale, California. After the abrupt departure of the bands former vocalist Devon, the band hiked it off to Sunnydale where it has been rumored they've found their new vocalist." Spike's eyes scanned down the page, briefly looking at the pictures of him and Buffy at the bronze making out against a wall and to the ones of him and Tara at the park. Underneath the picture were the words. "Devlin. (left) with his new flavor of the week (right) and her daughter (end)"


"The couple were seen out together at a local park, shortly where after they left for the band's auditions for their new singer. The relationship between this blond bombshell and LA's hottest heart-throb is currently unknown. Will Devlin keep up appearances and act like his old ways?. Or is the distant sound of bedding wells in the air for this blonde duo."


'Buffy is going to KILL me' Spike thought grabbing the next magazine with pictures of the bronze incident all over them. "Spike Devlin has tryst with blonde at club"


"Did you show him yet" Xander asked running through the door to Gile's small apartment.


"You should have seen his face" Angel laughed plonking himself on the couch and switching on the TV.


"You might want to give her a heads up on the whole LA paparazzi coverage." Oz said handing Spike another magazine with yet another story about them. He let out a groan.


"Yes Joyce I understand" Giles paused, listening to Joyce on the other end of the phone, clearly upset. "I know. I'll get him to pop round." He hung up, whipping his glasses of not a second later and began cleaning them. "Buffy's been home from the hospital less than twenty-four hours and already has something new to deal with, on top of what she's already going through." Giles sighed disapprovingly at Spike.


"I know" Spike whispered. "I didn't know anyone was there at the Bronze." A pause. "She's gonna kill me." He hung his head. Buffy was still very clearly shaken up from what had happened the other night and didn't need all of Sunnydale thinking she was a tramp.


"Not if you go round there and sort this mess of yours out" Giles sternly said chucking Spike his duster from where it had been hanging on the hook only moments before.


"I'll ring around, see if I can't sort a few things out from this end" Anya said seeing the torn look on Spike's face.


"Thanks pet." Spike smiled before walking out the door.



............................................................................................................................


"Now Buffy before you over-re..." Joyce was cut off by Buffy's exclamation.


"OH MY GOD!" She squealed seeing the papers on the island's top.


"Over-react. William is coming over to talk to you about the- uh. Alleged activities you've been photographed doing." Joyce said tilting her head towards one of the magazines with Buffy and Spike at the Bronze plastered all over the front cover.


"Alleged activities!" Buffy squeaked flicking through some of the pages her eyes widening at the amount of pictures that had obviously been taken without the pair noticing. "We kissed. That’s all. Period."


"Honey. Things tend to be blown up a lot when your seeing a celebrity. Even if you are both just friends for the time being" Joyce came around the other side of the island and wrapped her arm around her stressed daughter. "Cut William a break ok." She rubbed Buffy's shoulder. "He has as much control over the situation as you do at the moment." Just then the doorbell rang.


"I need to lie down" Buffy whispered taking the bundle of magazines and news papers up the stairs and into her room. She winced after placing the papers on her bed, rubbing her bandaged arm.


Downstairs Joyce answered the door and greeted Spike.


"How's she doing" Hanging his jacket up on the hook by the door, Spike followed Joyce into the lounge room.


"She's doing as well as expected." Joyce sighed taking her seat. Spike nodded slowly rubbing the back of his neck. "She's putting on the brave face." Joyce fiddled with her skirt. "I'm waiting for her to crack, for it to finally hit her. She didn't deal properly last time.. and now" Joyce had tears in her eyes when she looked up at Spike.


"I'll look after her Mrs. Summers." Spike vowed, smiling softly.


"It's Joyce."


"I'll look after her Joyce" Spike replied again.


"I don't know what exactly is happening between the two of you. But for some reason I believe that you will" She smiled gently back.


"I like your daughter a lot, Joyce. May even love her. I don't understand it all myself. She's an amazing woman and Tara's an amazing little girl that's got me wrapped around her little finger" Spike laughed making Joyce smile.” I’d look after both of them. Til' the end of the world, I’d look after them." Spike said all seriousness in his voice.


"She'd probably like to see you. Seeing how thing's have turned out this morning" Joyce didn't have to mention the pictures or the articles to let Spike know what she was talking about.


"Ah yes.. A-about that" Spike stuttered, nervously running a hand through his hair.


"It’s between you and my daughter. I'll trust you to get it sorted out" She stood and grabbed her jacket and keys of the table top. "Me and Dawn are taking Tara to the zoo to give Buffy a little time to sort everything out." Slipping her arms through the coat pockets she reached for the door. "Would you mind telling her we'll be back a little bit after lunch." Spike nodded and with that Joyce left to make her way across town to the apartment her younger daughter was renting. Everyone had thought it best that Tara be sent to stay with her aunt Dawn for a few nights to let Buffy rest and heal.


...............................................................................................................................................




Spike made his way upstairs and paused just outside Buffy's door. He could here the rustling of papers and magazines and let out a huge sigh. "It's now or never mate" He whispered to himself knocking on the wood softly. After hearing Buffy's muffled "Come in" he took a deep breathe and turned the handle and entered her room.


"Uh hey"


"Hi" Was Buffy's brief and monotone response.


"Look I know," Their was a pause. "Ok your probably really upset right now, with everything being in the papers and all. But were getting it fixed. Anya is a great publicist and if I know anyone as good at their job as she is. She'll have this straightened all out by morning yeah." Spike spoke a little bit more to himself than to Buffy. Hoping to god that he was correct and that Anya would have everything cleared.


"I know. I just," Buffy pushed the magazines to the side of her bed and motioned for Spike to sit next to her. "I just have a lot on my plate right now. A lot of things to deal with. Things I don't know how to deal with." Spike tentatively stroked her sore arm. "Riley's back in town." her eyes started to water. "You guys have your tour coming up in a few months and I’ve got to be ready for it all. Seeing as that was my big surprise for you guys last night" She let out a laugh. "Suprise!"


"We can postpone the tour you know. Until your ready" Spike tucked her hair behind her ears.


"No I want to do it. I just need a little time to sort myself out." She smiled up at him. "Riley needs to be put away before he hurts anyone else." Buffy shuddered at the thought of any other girl being hurt by his hands. He was a sick twisted bastard and she wouldn’t rest until he was behind bars.


"I know" Spike lent over to kiss Buffy's forehead.


"Um about the papers" Buffy looked down at the pile of magazines at her side. "What exactly is Anya going to tell people what's going on between you and me. Because I don't even know what's going on. One minute were kissing, the next I’m having a freak out session, then were kissing again and then were at the auditions, then the whole Riley thing happened and now I don't know wh..." Buffy was cut off from her rambling by Spike's soft lips caressing hers.


His hand cupped the back of her neck sending shivers down her spine and goosebumps up her arms. She opened her lips and granted him access as their tongues came out to play. It felt like hours but at the same time felt like seconds had passed and Spike was pulling away from her.


"We'll figure it all out when the time comes. But just so you know. I like you a lot" Their foreheads were touching. Spike smiled and brushed his nose on hers. (Eskimo kiss style). "And I’d like to keep seeing you. As your boyfriend." He pulled back to look Buffy in the eyes. "If you'll have me of course."

Chapter 14:


"We'll figure it all out when the time comes. But just so you know. I like you a lot" Their foreheads were touching. Spike smiled and brushed his nose on hers. (Eskimo kiss style). "And I’d like to keep seeing you. As your boyfriend." He pulled back to look Buffy in the eyes. "If you'll have me of coarse."


..........................................................................................................................................


"If I’ll have you?" Buffy asked pulling back, staring at him. Spike's face faltered, hearing the evident rejection in her voice.


"I-I...Y-you... don't have t-." He was cut off by Buffy's laughter. Looking up he ran a nervous hand through his locks, catching Buffy smiling back at him.


"You don't even have to ask me that." She smiled softly, bringing a hand to his cheek. "I'd like very much for you to be my boyfriend." Stroking his cheek she continued. "If you'll have me as your girlfriend of course?" He pulled back and hmmd.


"Oh I don't know pet, I might have to think on that one for a bit." He chuckled seeing her pouting. "Look at that lip," He leaned forward, bringing a hand to the back of her neck. "Gonna get it." Their kiss was slow, both taking the time to explore each other's mouths. Buffy reached up to run a hand down his arm but let out a strangled groan.


"Ow!" She winced pulling away, cradling her bandaged arm in her lap.


"God luv I’m so sorry!" Spike pulled back, concern all over his face. He stroked her good arm in comfort as Buffy readjusted the bandage that had somehow managed to come loose.


"It’s not your fault," She smiled, doing the elastic bandage clip back up. "It comes undone all the time." Lifting her arm slowly she moved it around. "See. Good as new." Spike frowned at her, not believing for one second that her arm wasn't giving her pain.


"You need to rest some more." Spike stood, pulling her bed spread back for her, motioning for her to get under it.


"Can you stay?" Buffy asked, sliding herself across her bed so there was enough room for Spike to lie down comfortably. "We can watch a move?"


Giving in once again to her pouting lips and puppy eyes he took his boots off and laid himself on top of her bed. Buffy got up and wandered across the room to the small TV that was in the corner, on top of a wheelie table. Wheeling it to the end of her bed with little difficulty she picked a DVD and grabbed the remote.


Spike watched, smiling, as she plonked herself back on her bed, remote control in hand. She handed him the DVD cover as the menu came to the screen.


"Stardust?" Bemused he looked up at the screen.


"You've never seen it?" Buffy asked, placing the remote control on her bedside desk as the opening credits started.


"Can't say that I have pet." He placed the cover on the bedside table next to his side of the bed and laid back against the pillows. Just as the voiceover stared Buffy groaned.


"Damn it. I didn't turn the lights off." Frustrated she tried to maneuver herself up from her current laying down position. Spike placed a hand on her shoulder and pushed her back down.


"A philosopher once asked, are we human because we gaze at the stars, or do we gaze at them because we are human?"


"I got it pet." He stood and made his way to the door where the light switch was located.


"Pointless, really. Do the stars gaze back? Now, that’s a question."


Laying back down he smiled as Buffy rolled over to snuggle into his side.


"But I’m getting ahead of myself. Our story begins here, 150 years ago..."


..........................................................................................................................................


"I don't care what their all saying. Fix the damn mess!" Anya yelled into her phone before slamming it shut and letting out a frustrated growl. "I hate magazine reporters." Growling some more.


"Sweetie maybe you should take a break? You've been talking to them for at least forty minutes." Xander rubbed Anya's shoulders, releasing them of all the tension that had built up over the last 40 minutes.


"I know, I just," She sighed. "I told him I was going to fix it." Anya reclined back into Giles couch. "I've got it!" She sat up and grabbed her phone. Dialling the all to familiar numbers she grinned as they answered. "Hello? Yes, right. Look it's Anya." She stood and walked away from a frowning Xander. "Yes Love's Bitch publicist." She fiddled with her hair, looking in the small mirror that hung on the wall. "Anyway I just wanted to address this little issue about our boy Spike here and his uh, girlfriend." Anya held the phone away from her ear as the woman on the other end of the phone let out a huge squeal.


"Look I’ll give you the scoop if you can send the word out to everyone." Fixing the lip gloss that had smudged, she flipped her hair one more time and walked away from the mirror. "Spike doesn't take kindly to paparazzi exaggerating his activities." She smiled at Xander who had one eyebrow raised. "Yes I know you know that. Look do you have a pen?" Pacing back and forth Giles small living room she rambled on.


"Her name is Buffy. She has a 4 year old daughter called Tara, who for the record is the worlds biggest sweetie pie. Ooo I could just eat her all up." Anya smiled remembering Tara's smiling face. "Right sorry." The reporter on the other end had gotten impatient and was pressing Anya for more information. "She's Loves Bitch new vocalist?" She looked at Xander for confirmation who just shrugged.


"She is now" He mumbled. This article was going to go everywhere and as soon as it hit the public everyone was going to go ballistic, Loves Bitch has found a new singer.


"No. She's blonde, green eyes. Amazing voice!" Anya beamed. "Anyway how she and Spike met well I......."


..........................................................................................................................................


"You could search the furthest reaches of the universe and never find anything more beautiful."


Buffy had fallen asleep halfway through the movie, snuggled into his side the whole time. Spike was running his fingers through Buffy's hair as she snored softly.


"So yes I know that love is unconditional. But I also know it can be unpredictable, unexpected, uncontrollable, unbearable..."


"Don't I know it" Spike chuckled softly watching the screen. The movie wasn't all that bad, actually quite interesting. A fallen star on the run from witches, whom are trying to cut out her heart so they can have eternal youth. She falls in love with a human boy and glows brighter and brighter by the day. Spike looked down at Buffy's golden tresses and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead.


It's funny the way love worked. Half a year ago Spike had thought he was in love. Drusilla was his dark goddess. She'd shown him thing's he couldn’t possibly have ever thought of doing. Taught him things he'd never thought he'd know. She was his princess, his salvation. Until she'd ripped his heart out and cut it up into a million tiny little pieces, stomping on it over and over and over again. Everyday until their was hardly a piece of him left to break.


He'd become a womanizer. Wanting to hurt every other woman who wanted him. Hurt them the way she had hurt him. He slept around, held no girlfriend for more than 2 weeks. Was slandered by the paparazzi, accused of doing drunks and binge drinking. If it wasn't for Angel, Xander and Oz he was sure he'd be in a place right now, a hole so deep no one was going to dig him out of.


They'd placed him back on the path. They'd made a new album, which had gone platinum after only a few short months. Devon had fallen down the same dark path as Spike had. Drusilla having cheated on Spike with Devon, only did the same thing to him. Except this time No one was going to help Devon.


Spike looked down at Buffy and placed another kiss to her forehead. If it wasn't for the choices he'd made months ago, he wouldn't be here today. Wouldn't have her in his arms right now, wouldn't have ever met Tara or Joyce. Wouldn't be dating Buffy right now.


"Mmm." Buffy rolled slightly in discomfort. Spike moved to the side and placed another pillow under her arm.


"Go back to sleep pet." He whispered making himself comfortable. Pulling the top blanket over himself Spike lay next to Buffy, kissing her head one last time before turning to watch the ending of the movie.

Chapter 15:


"Mommy!" Tara bounced up the stairs, excitement laced her voice, as she pushed open the door to her mothers bedroom.


"Mmm." Was Buffy's groggy reply. She rolled over just as Tara jumped up onto the bed. Quickly glancing at her alarm clock that sat on her beside table, she registered that it was 4pm. She and Spike had been asleep for a better half of the day.


"I got to see the ephalants!" She exclaimed, eyes wide, holding up a stuffed grey elephant plushie before wriggling her way between her mother and Spike. She smiled when her mother grabbed the stuffed elephant.


"Where they this big?" She asked eyebrow raised.


"No silly!" Tara giggled.


"Of coarse not pet." Spike scoffed, looking at Buffy with a 'You should know this already,' face. He reached over and lifted the toy from her grasp. "Their as big as the house!" He exclaimed, stretching his arm up high, emphasizing 'big'.


"No their not!" Tara laughed as Spike tickled her with the toy.


Dawn had followed her excited niece up the stairs and now stood silently watching the interaction between the trio, a smile playing on her lips. They look like a family she thought, before knocking softly on the doorframe. Buffy looked up from her position on her bed, Tara giggling as she tried to explain the size of the elephants at the zoo.


"How are you feeling today?"


"I'm better," She was smiling, her gaze traveling back and forth between Spike and Tara, who were imitating elephants and her sister who's face was still a mask of concern. "Really, I am." Dawn frowned. She hadn't been there the night before when Buffy had been taken to the emergency ward, having been in LA with Connor.


"What’s all this commotion about?"


"Hey mum." Buffy waved, just as Tara bounced up and down on her bed, trying to be a playful elephant on all fours. "Gentle sweetie!" Exclaimed Buffy, lifting her injured arm away from her daughter.


"Sorry mommy." She pouted before giving her a hug.


"William, would you like to stay for dinner?" Joyce asked, motioning towards the stairs.


"I-I, uh, ok." He shrugged, not sure whether to decline the invitation or not.


"Tara sweetie, come help your old grams cook some dinner" Joyce held out her hand and waited for Tara to slip from the bed and grasp her tiny hand in hers.


Their was an awkward silence between Dawn, Buffy and Spike.


"Right well, I’m gonna just-," Dawn motioned towards the stairs.


"No stay." Spike stood, and made his way around the bed. "Talk to your sis," he picked up his boots and walked towards the door. Dawn had moved inside the room and was now standing at the edge of the Buffy’s bed. "I'm just gonna go see what the ladies are up to." He smiled at Buffy, before shutting the door behind him, his footsteps could be heard as he descended the stairs.


"So you guys!" Dawn raised her eye brows in a suggestive manner, taking in the array of the ruffled bed sheets.


Buffy's eyes widened. "Mind in the gutter much?!" She exclaimed. "And for your information, we watched a movie and fell asleep." Reaching behind herself, she grabbed a few more pillows and placed them underneath her back for support. Dawn plonked herself next to her sister on the mattress.


"So no more of the raunchy Bronze make-out session's?" Dawn laughed, seeing Buffy's wide but shameful eyes.


"Oh god!" She exclaimed, mortified.


............................................................................................................................................


"So did you have a good time bit?" Spike asked, taking a seat at the island, watching as Tara passed her grandmother various ingredients. The little girl nodded in response. "What was your favorite part?"


"The ephalants and the tiggers," she beamed, Spike letting out a chuckle in response to Tara's pronunciation of the animals.


"Honey your just to cute!" Joyce laughed, placing the kettle on the stove to boil. "William would you like a coffee or a tea?."


"Tea's fine." He smiled. Tara had wriggled her way to the edge of the bench obviously trying to get down. Spike stood and lift her in his arms, smiling when the little girl snuggled into his embrace. The shrill ringing of the phone broke his trance.


"Hello, Joyce Summers speaking." Joyce answered, placing her knife on the chopping board as she answered the phone. "Uh, y-yes." Her voice took on a shaky tone. "Oh," her eyes met Spikes, as he watched the older woman intently. "I'll get her to come r-right i-in," with shaky hands she placed the cordless phone back in it's holder.


"Everything alright?" Spike placed Tara on the floor, as the little girl watched her kitten scurry around the room before running after it into the lounge room.


"Yes a-and no."


"Right-" Spike raised an eyebrow.


"That was Lorne on the phone," at Spikes bemused look she continued. "The police officer who found Buffy yesterday."


"Oh."


"Apparently something's come up in the investigation and Buffy's needed at the police station."


.............................................................................................................................................


Half an hour earlier at Sunnydale bus depot a very pregnant woman stepped off her bus that had just arrived from LA.


"Watch it!" She yelled out, as a burly man pushed his way past her, eager for a cigarette. "God, people are so rude!" She spoke to herself, collecting her bag from the bus driver who was chucking luggage from the bottom compartment of the bus.


Waddling over to the nearest bench, the woman sat down and unscrewed the bottle of water that had been sitting in her bag. It was warm, but a drink none the less. As soon as the first few gulps were down, the all to familiar flutters in her stomach started, signaling her child's movement.


"It's ok sweetie, Mommy will keep you safe," she whispered, stroking her belly. "We'll make sure he doesn't hurt anyone else."


"Cordelia Chase?" Looking up, she was met by two police officers.

Chapter 16:


"It's ok sweetie, Mommy will keep you safe," she whispered, stroking her belly. "We'll make sure he doesn't hurt anyone else."


"Cordelia Chase?" Looking up, she was met by two police officers.


"Yes?"


"I'm Lorne." Lorne smiled and helped Cordelia to her feet. "Sugar you are positively glowing," he beamed, making Cordelia blush.


"I can tell you right now I don't feel it," she sighed, watching as the second police officer leant down and picked up her bag, effortlessly.


Seeing the look that came across Cordelia's face, Lorne wrapped one arm around her waist. "C'mon sugar, lets get this sorted out properly."


...................................................................................................


"That was Lorne on the phone," at Spikes bemused look Joyce continued. "The police officer who found Buffy yesterday."


"Oh."


"Apparently something's come up in the investigation and Buffy's needed at the police station."


.............................................................................................................


"Your name?"


"Cordelia Chase," she sighed out, looking around her surroundings. Lorne and the second police officer had brought her back to Sunnydale police station, where they proceeded to take her to an interrogation room. She'd been alone for 5 m inutes when a man in a suit, carrying a notepad and pen had entered and sat across from her, immediately asking her questions.


"And how far along are you, miss Chase?" The man gestured towards her belly.


"Exactly 7 months and 3 days."


"And the father?" At Cordelia's silent response the interviewer continued. "Who is he?"


"Ri-" she was unable to meet the interviewers eyes, instead, rest a hand on her pregnant belly. "Riley," she barely whispered.


"And the mark on your neck?" The interviewer wrote Cordelia's responses on a notepad in front of him. "Did Riley do that to you?"


Cordelia's hand hesitantly reached to the mark on her neck. It was an inch long and was now an ever fading pink line, another permanent reminder of what Riley had done to her. "Yes," she whispered again.


"Can you tell me when you met Riley?" Again the interviewer wrote down her response.


"It was about a 7 and a bit months ago," Cordelia looked down and rubbed her swollen belly. "In LA, at a club... He seemed nice," she met the interviewers eyes, with her tear filled ones. "You know? We danced for a little while and he was really nice. Bought me a drink and we talked and danced." She looked down again. "I'd had a few drinks by then, I'd been knocked back for another modelling job and I was feeling down. My friends had left already," she let out a tear strained laugh. "I-I didn't t-think... It wasn't supposed20t-" A few tears slipped down her cheeks. "He...he seemed really nice, 'cause when I couldn't walk anymore, he offered to drive me home." The tears were falling freely now and Cordelia reached up with a shaky hand to wipe them off her cheeks.


Their was a knock on the door and Lorne walked in, a glass of water in his hand. The interviewer continued to ask questions.


"Did you go to the police in LA." Cordy shook her head 'no' and then after a few short seconds she nodded 'yes'.


"I didn't at first. I-It happens to girls all the time," Lorne exited the room, shutting the door behind him. "I waited a few days. Things were....things were still to raw. I c-couldn't," Cordy took a sip of water and continued. "They did an examination on me, took some swabs, scraped under my nails. They took some photo's of t-the," her hand touched her neck. "I gave them his name a-and then went home. A few days later I got a call, telling me that if I ever saw him again I was to tell them. T-they told me he was wanted," she took another sip from the glass. "I wasn't the first person he hurt. A few weeks later I started to feel sick, thought it was a cold, but when I missed my...."


"Are you positive Riley Finn is the father?" Cordy slowly nodded 'yes'. "You weren't sexually active with anyone previous to your encounter with Mr. Finn?"


"No."


"Have you heard of anyone by the name of Buffy Summers, Miss Chase?"


"Yes. Riley he-" her hand again unconsciously reached for the mark on her neck. "He kept saying the name w-while he..."


.................................................................................................................


Buffy was accompanied by her mother to the police station, deciding it was no place for Tara to be, Spike stayed behind with Dawn to keep her occupied.


"Mum what's this about?"


"I don't know, sweetie. They just said you were needed at the police station." Joyce put the car in park and turned the engine off. Opening the door she walked with Buffy into the police station.


"Hey sugar!" Lorne beamed. "How are you feeling?"


Buffy shrugged "Been better," she held up her bandaged arm. "So why am I here?"


"Ah...that." Lorne gestured for Buffy and Joyce to follow him. They walked down a corridor and into a room where they could see a woman sitting at a table, she was facing them. A man in a suit sat facing her.


"Who is she?" Joyce asked, watching the woman’s tear streak face as she cried.


"One of Riley's latest attacks." Lorne heard Buffy's deep intake of air and turned to look at her.


"Is she?" Buffy eyes welled up with tears, seeing the woman's hand stroke her stomach.


"Pregnant? Yes."


"Can she see us?" A lone tear slipped down Buffy's cheek.


"No. But I'd really like you to meet her, i f you're ok with it?" Slowly, Buffy nodded her head in agreement.


"I never...I never wanted anyone else to get hurt," her voice was strained, her hand reaching to her hip where the scars Riley had left on her were. A permanent reminder of what he'd done. And now this woman had scars of her own. Something that should never have happened.

Chapter 17:


"No. But I'd really like you to meet her, if you're ok with it?" Slowly, Buffy nodded her head in agreement.


"I never...I never wanted anyone else to get hurt," her voice was strained, her hand reaching to her hip where the scars Riley had left on her were. A permanent reminder of what he'd done. And now this woman had sca rs of her own. Something that should never have happened.


...................................................................................................................................................


Knocking on the door to the interrogation room, Lorne guided Buffy inside. Cordelia was still sitting, wiping the tears from her eyes, she looked up, having heard the door open, she smiled glad for the interruption. The interviewer gazed at Lorne with questioning eyes, before nodding and leaving the room at Lorne's look of 'It's ok'.


"How are you doing?" Buffy stood by the door, nervously glancing over Cordelia's form whilst Lorne spoke to her.


"Been better," she laughed, wiping away again the few remaining tears that lingered on her cheeks. Buffy for the first time let out a gasp as Cordelia tucked her short hair behind her ear, bringing her attention to the pink line or a scar that resided on her neck. "Who is-?" Cordelia leant on the table around Lorne to catch a glimpse of the female standing in the room.


"This is Buffy Summers..."


Cordelia's eyes widened. "B-Buffy Summers?" she whispered, her hand touching the fading scar on her neck.


"Hi," Buffy smiled, tentatively, walking a few steps closer. "I'm-"


"Th- the, Buffy Summers?" Cordelia glanced at Lorne, his nod confirming her question.


"Cordelia, Buffy wanted to speak to you...Is that ok?" Lorne took Buffy's hand and guided her to the vacated chair, the interviewer had moments before been occupying.


"Uh- sure," Cordy watched Buffy take a seat opposite her. Lorne gestured to the door before telling them he'd be gone for 5 minutes. Turning, he gave them one last glance before walking out of the room, shutting the door behind him.


"So..." Buffy gave Cordelia a soft smile. Cordy stared blankly at her in return.


..............................................................................................................................


Lorne joined Joyce and watched through the glass as Buffy and Cordelia started a conversation.


"How long has she been here?" Joyce asked, as soon as Lorne walked back into the room.


"Only a couple of hours," he took his spot standing next to Joyce. "We got a call from our LA branch, telling us they'd had another girl hurt by the same guy," he met Joyce's eyes. "By Riley. After the incident with Buffy=2 0the other night, we called Miss. Chase out here." Joyce raised an eyebrow questioning their methods. "We're hoping to catch Finn and need more than just one witness to put him away for good."


"Oh"


"We plan on putting him away for life, Mrs Summers, not just a 25 year sentence." Lorne turned his attention back to the two woman sitting in the interrogation room.

.......................................................................................................................................


"I've known about you..." Cordelia was the first to break the silence. "Not a lot. But I knew your name," she fiddled with the bottom of her shirt. "He was obsessed with you," looking up she caught Buffy's eye. "Your hair," Buffy's hand went to her blonde locks and tucked a few stray pieces behind her ears. "Said it was like sunshine. H-he said-"


Buffy reached across the table and clasped one of Cordelia's hands in hers. "You don't have to..." Cordy looked up with a frown. "You don't have to tell me, if you don't want to."


"It's ok," she whispered, a few tears forming. "It helps, you know. Helps having someone to talk to who understands." Buffy nodded and waited for Cordelia to continue. She picked up her chair and brought it around the table so that she was now sitting adjacent to her.


"When he was-" Cordelia let out a shaky breath trying to gather herself before she continued. "When he was doing those things to me, he kept saying your name, that you were his, that he marked you a-and that n-no one," her voice was20getting softer. "No one would ever have you again because of it. He scared you for life a-and now he's done it to me," her resolve broke and her tears flowed as her hand reached for the scar on her neck.


"Hey," Buffy was unsure what to do, with a shaky hand she squeezed Cordelia's and stood. Cordy watched Buffy stand, trying to contain her tears as she did. "He did scar me," Buffy pulled her jeans down low on her hip, revealing the words that Riley had etched into her skin with his knife. Cordy gasped seeing the faded pink lines, her hand touching the small one Riley had left on her neck. Her scars were nothing in comparison to what he'd done to the woman standing in front of her. "I've never-" Buffy looked down and traced over the words. "I've never been with anyone else.... I was to scared," she pulled her pants back up and sat down next in her seat. "Physically and mentally."


"How did you get through it all?" Cordy's hand rubbed her fluttering belly, her child making its presence known. "He's left me with two permanent reminders that I'll-" she was cut off by Buffy.


"He did that to me too," she reached into her back pocket and pulled out her wallet. "Left me with more than just one reminder of what he did to me," flicking through it's contents she found a photo of Tara and smiled softly as she handed it over to Cordy.


"She's beautiful," she smiled. "Is she?"


"She's his, yes." Buffy smiled as Cordelia handed back the photo. "You're not alone in this. There are people who understand and if you ever need anyone to talk to, i'm here."


"Thank you." Cordelia stood just as Buffy did and engulfed her in a hug.


Lorne knocked on the door and walked in, paperwork in his hands. "Cordy we've set you up to stay at the Sunnydale Inn, w-"


"You're kidding me right?!" Buffy exclaimed, shuddering at the thought of this very pregnant woman sleeping in a roach infested hotel. "If that’s the best you guys can do then she's coming home with me!"


"Buffy you don't ha-" Cordy was cut off by Buffy laugh.


"If you want to sleep in a roach infested dump like that, then by all means," she held up her hands in defense. "Be my guest. But if you want to sleep on a comfy mattress with a nice meal then come home with me and my mum." Buffy could see Cordelia struggling with her response. "You can meet my daughter?" Cordy's head snapped up and she smiled.


"My baby has a big sister," realization finally hit and she grinned.


"Right then," Lorne held open the door for the couple. "Buffy we'll need to get some details from you for contact purposes and then we'll have someone escort you all home."


Cordy placed a hand on her belly and stroked it. 'Everything's going to be alright now. I'm not alone anymore.'

Chapter 18:


“I’ll set the spare room up for you, Cordelia.” Joyce smiled, lifting Cordy’s bags from the car and gestured for her to follow as she and Buffy walked towards the front door.


“You really didn’t have to-”


“Nonsense.” Joyce cut her off, waiting for Buffy to unlock the door. “We’re here to help you and I won’t have you sleeping in a dump like Sunnydale Inn.” Buffy smiled towards them both and stood aside, holding the door open to let them in. “Honestly, what were they thinking.”


“We’re back.” Buffy yelled, taking off her coat and helping Cordelia out of hers. Buffy was met with silence.


“Dear, would you like a cup of tea?” Joyce asked Cordelia, walking towards the kitchen.


“I’m fine, thank you.” She smiled, hovering next to Buffy.


“Let’s go upstairs and I’ll show you to your room.” Buffy smiled, lifting Cordelia’s bag with her good arm. “Well it’s my sister, Dawn's room, But she lives with her boyfriend so…” Her bandaged arm stinging as she ascended the stairs.


……………………………….....


“I LIIIIVE…So tell what mortal needs my protection great ancestor. You just say the word and I’m there.”


“Mushu...”


“Hey, let me say something. Anybody who’s foolish enough to threaten our family. Vengeance will be MIIINE…”


Buffy smiled hearing her daughters giggles through her bedroom door. She set Cordelia’s bag down next to the spare bedroom door and motioned for her to follow her down the corridor.


“Hello? Hello!….Hello!”


“He’s funny,” Tara giggled.


“He is,” she heard Spike reply.


“Uh oh.” Buffy smiled to her self, shaking her head as she pushed the door to her room open. Tara, Dawn and Spike were all spread out on her bed watching a movie. Tara snuggled into Spike’s lap as she giggled at the characters on her TV. Dawn was stretched back onto the headboard.


“Uh, Stoney?…Stoney!-”


“Hi guys.”


“Mommy!” Tara squealed, wriggling out of Spike’s lap and clambering down the bed to rush to her side.


“Hey, sweetie,” with her good arm, Buffy lifted Tara into her arms and balanced her on one hip. “Their’s someone I want you to meet.” Dawn, for the first time broke her gaze from the movie and glanced at the guest Buffy had brought home. Spike slid to the end of the bed and sat with his legs hanging off the edge.


Tara always the shy little girl, buried her face into her mother’s neck.


“This is Cordelia.” Buffy turned her back to Dawn and Spike.


“Hello,” Cordy whispered, giving Tara a small wave. Tara whispered something into Buffy’s ear making her laugh. “What did she say?” Cordy asked, a puzzled look on her face.


“She asked,” Buffy laughed. “Why you have a balloon under your shirt.”


“Oh.” Cordy smiled, running a hand down her bulging belly.


“Remember the photo’s mommy showed you when she was pregnant with you?” Buffy asked, shifting Tara in her arms when the weight became to much. Tara nodded against Buffy’s neck and glanced briefly at Cordy’s stomach. “Well that’s what Cordelia is. She’s pregnant.” Buffy stopped talking as Tara whispered something in her ear. Spike smiled watching Tara slide down Buffy’s hip.


Tara slowly walked over to Cordy and stopped right in front of her. Her head coming up to the underside of Cordy’s round belly.


“She want’s to listen to the baby.” Buffy nodded to her daughter who was staring at her.


“Oh,” Cordy glanced down and took her hands from her belly. “Ok.”


“It’s ok sweetie.” Buffy smiled, stepping forward and kneeling down to Tara’s height. She helped place her hands on the underside of Cordy’s belly and smiled hearing her daughter gasp.


Spike smiled seeing the happiness on Buffy and Tara’s faces. He’d do anything to keep them that ecstatic. He glanced at Cordelia’s face and then back to her belly. He thought briefly what it would feel like to see Buffy that pregnant. Not with anyone else’s child but his. He didn’t notice Dawn watching him, a grin on her face knowing exactly what he was thinking.


Knowing now wasn’t the time to explain to Tara that Cordelia was carrying her baby brother or sister she picked her up and once again balanced her weight onto one hip. Wincing as the movement scratched against her sore and caused the bandage to come loose.


“Dawnie can you help Cordy set her things up in the spare room. I need to-” Buffy struggled to hold Tara in her arms as well as trying to avoid hitting her arm again.


“Here, Pet.” Spike stood and gathered Tara into his arms before turning and placing her on the bed to watch the rest of the movie. Dawn stood and made her way over to a stumped Cordy.


“Is that-”


“C’mon and I’ll explain everything. My sister keeps forgetting to tell everyone about the small detail that involves her life and celebrities.” Cordelia followed Dawn out of the room and down the hall to where her bags were sitting.


“You ok, Luv?” Spike asked, coming to stand next to Buffy once Tara was settled down on the bed.


“Yeah,” Buffy whispered sitting on the side of her bed, her back and arm to her daughter. She didn’t want Tara to have to see another one of her scars. “It just stings.”


Spike knelt down on the floor in front of Buffy and brought her injured arm to her lap. He was gentle with his movements and slowly unraveled the bandage. Once her cut was exposed Buffy winced. The movements having caused the stitches to stretch and bleed.


“How bout we take this into the bathroom to get cleaned up, Luv?” Spike asked, standing and offering his hand to Buffy.


“Sweetie we’ll be right back.” She was met with silence and cast a quick glance to Tara who was engrossed in the movie.


I'm never gonna catch
my breath
Say good-bye to those
who knew me
Boy, was I a fool in school
for cutting gym
This guy's got 'em
scared to death
Hope he doesn't see
right through me
Now I really wish that I
knew how to swim


With a shake of her head, Buffy let Spike lead her to the bathroom. Tara always went into a trance when her Disney movies were played. She was watching Mulan and whenever songs came on she always stared at the screen.


“So…” Spike started, lifting Buffy to sit on the counter. “What’s with the bird?” He reached behind Buffy to pick the first aid kit up.


“Riley’s newest victim.” She winced as she touched the tender skin around the cut.


“Don’t do that, Pet.” Spike brushed her hand away and swiped some antiseptic onto a gauze pad to clean around the wound.


“Lorne…Sunnydale police are trying to find Riley to put him away for good,” she winced again, letting a tear fall from her eyes at the pain.


“I’m sorry, Pet.” Spike met her eyes before going back to cleaning her wound.


“They need us as witnesses. Ow!” She cried out, tears falling freely as she pulled her arm in closer to her.


“Sorry!” Spike exclaimed putting the antiseptic covered gauze down “Sorry,” in a softer voice he reached for a clean bandage.


“It’s ok.” Buffy winced, turning her head away from the wound as he wrapped it up.


A few minutes later his movements stopped and he placed his hands on either side of her on the bench.


“All done,” she turned her head to meet his gaze and gasped finding his face a lot closer to hers than she had expected.


“Thank you.” She whispered, leaning forward to capture his lips in a chaste kiss. But Spike was having none of that. He curled one hand around her neck and pulled her in to meet him. Spike pushed his tongue into her mouth and let out a moan as Buffy’s tongue came out to play with his. Spike’s moved his hips to push their way in between her spread legs and smirked into the kiss as Buffy gasped and wrapped a leg around his hip.


Tara’s giggles from the bedroom broke through Buffy’s muddled mind and she pulled back.


“We shouldn't-”


“I know, Pet.” Spike captured her lips briefly. “Jus’ can’ resist you is all.”


“You’re sweet,” she smiled, hopping off the bench with his help. “I should go and help Cordelia settle in.”


“Is she going to be ok?” Spike asked as they walked into the hallway.


“She will be.” Buffy said her voice full of determination. She wasn’t going to let Riley ruin someone else’s life. She vowed to herself that no matter what, she was going to be there for Cordelia. Help her get back on her feet. After Riley was put behind bars where he belonged of course.

Chapter 19:


“Bitch!” Riley growled walking through the door and up to the front desk. “Thinks she can hide from me. Thinks she can stay away. They won’t find me. I’ll get her first.”


“Same one as yesterday?”


“Huh?” Riley was broken out of his seething trance as the woman in front of him spoke.


“The girl. Do you want the same one you had yesterday?”


“Yeah.” Riley nodded, glancing around the room. He’d been to a few brothel’s since his arrival back in Sunnydale. He’d always had a problem with woman and found that these women were always the most submissive and if they didn’t suit his needs a little bit of persuasion never hurt them.


Darla had been working as a prostitute for the last 4 months. She was new at the whole idea of selling yourself for sex, but money was tight and she needed to pay her rent weekly. Riley had picked her from a line of girls yesterday and told her she was like sunshine. He seemed nice, wasn’t to rough with her, but as she led him up the stairs to the room she worked in she shivered at the way he was staring at her.


Riley sat down on the edge of the bed and let her unbuckle his pants and strip them away. She pumped his cock until it became hard and bent her head down to take him into her mouth. “Harder!” he growled, looking straight down at her head as it bobbed back and forth, he grit his teeth letting out a slight growl. She looked just like her. Like Buffy. ‘Fucking bitch!’ Riley slammed his cock faster into her mouth making her gag and pull back, her blonde hair covering her face as it tangled in nots.


“What the fuck is your problem!”


“Shut up!” Riley yelled, pulling her to her feet and throwing her down onto the bed. “Don’t speak,” he growled as he pulled off her skimpy outfit.


“You’re starting to freak me out.” She squeaked as Riley forcefully held her down, squeezing her arms so tight she was sure it was going to bruise.


“Don’t speak,” Riley growled thrusting himself into her at a fast pace making her groan with pain.


“Stop it! You’re hurting me!” Darla tried to push him off but stopped when he pulled a pocket knife out from under his shirt.


“I said,” he growled, brining the knife to touch her skin. “Don’t speak.”


“Please, stop!”


………………………………...............................................


“She’s been gone for about four hours. Nina called it in about half an hour ago.” Lorne pinched the bridge of his nose and rescanned the notebook in his hands.


“Witnesses? I want to know what time he got here. When he left. How many times he’s been here. I want to know where he is and I want to know it now!” he yelled, flipping the book shut, giving It to the officer to his left. He took another glance at the battered woman spread out on the bed. Her blood soaked the sheets and it was dripping onto the wooden floor. The medic’s were waiting for the last photo’s to be taken and the crime seen to be taped up before they moved the body to take it to the morgue.


“She looks an awful lot like Miss Summers.” One officer noted, watching the medics lift the body from the bed.


“I know.” Lorne sighed, opening another notepad he’d been given to scan the notes.


Candy= age 23
Saw Riley come in at about 9:30- left about 11:30
He’d been the night before and had the same girl.
Girls name= Darla Mortensen aged 19


“Nineteen,” Lorne sighed, handing the book back to an officer. “He’s going away for a long time.”


“Sir, you need to come here!” Lorne nodded towards the medic team as they started to wheel the body of 19 year old Darla away and turned towards who had yelled his voice. Officer Jonathan Levinsine was interviewing a brunette woman and had obviously discovered something that would help the case.


“Officer?”


“Tell him what you told me.” Officer Jonathan nodded at the woman as a gesture to start speaking.


“I-I’ve been working here for a while. B-but I occasionally work a few blocks over at another b-bro-.”


“It’s ok. Continue.” Lorne nodded and smiled sadly. The girl in front of him was shaken up and shivering due to the cold night air coming in through the window.


“Th-the man came in about 3 days ago. Asking for all the young blonde girls to be lined up for him to ch-chose from.” Her eyes were rimming with tears. “I’d just died my hair brown the week b-before. B-but it could have been me.” she glanced at the ground.


“Please, It’s important I need to know everything so we can catch this guy, mam.”


“He p-picked Charline and s-she- h-he. She didn’t die b-but he hurt her.” The woman wrapped her arms around herself and started to shake. “I d-don’t know if that helps?”


“It does.” Lorne smiled. “Thank you.” He turned to Jonathan. “I want a list of all the brothels in the next few km blocks. He’s hitting them up for young girls.” Lorne was already starting to walk away as he pulled out his phone to ring the station and get them to alert all the police officer’s on duty.


……………………………….................................................


“So, let me get this right.” Cordy started, holding onto the porch swing with one hand, the other on her stomach as she sat down. “You’re dating one of the hottest men alive and you’re now Love’s Bitch new lead vocalist?”


“Yep,” Buffy smiled popping the ‘p’. “It’s not really that big a deal.”


“Not a big- Hello!” Buffy laughed and handed Cordy her drink before sitting next to her on the swing.


“It’s sort of new and with everything that’s happening at the moment they’ve put the tour on hold,” she took a sip of her own drink. “Just until everything settles or coarse.”


“That’s understandable.” Cordy smiled and started out towards the road. She’d decided she needed some fresh air and agreed when Buffy had suggested they sit out the front. Spike had taken Tara to the park an hour ago and were due back any minute. They sat in silence for a while before Cody spoke again. “Are they hot?”


“Wha-”


“I saw a group photo of them in this magazine a few months back.” Cordelia gushed, stroking one hand over her stomach. “They are so hot!”


“Uh- I guess.”


“Although Oz is a little to short for my liking.”


“Well that’s good. Because he’s kind of crushing on my best friend Willow.” Cordy’s eyes raised with interest and smiled, taking another sip of her tea.


They sat in silence for a few minutes before Buffy spoke again. Spike was walking up the footpath with Tara in his arms, throwing her up in the air and catching her as she came down. Angel was also following Spike up the path.


“Do- do you think Angel is hot?” Buffy asked sparing a glance at Cordelia who was leaning back into the swing letting it’s swaying movements lull her to sleep. With her eyes closed she responded.


“Are you kidding me. I’d so totally jump his bones,” she grinned. Buffy snickered to herself as the two males and Tara got closer. “Although I’m as huge as a house right now so I’m probably not very attractive looking.”


“I think you look plenty attractive.” Angel smiled towards the pregnant woman who was lounging in the swing. Sure she was pregnant, very pregnant. But that didn’t hide the way her eyes shone when she opened them, nor the nervous smile she gave him before turning to glare at Buffy.


“Have fun at the park sweetie?” Buffy asked Tara who was poking Spike’s face with her fingers.


“Yep,” she smiled popping the ‘p’. “We found Captim Forehead,” she giggled burying her face into Spike’s neck hearing three exclamations come from the adults.


“Hey!”


“What have you been teaching my daughter?!”


“We’ll work on pronunciation later, lil bit.” Spike nodded, patting Tara’s back in reassurance.

Chapter 20:


“Mommy, I’m thirsty.” Tara said, breaking the silence that had seemed to engulf the group.


“C’mon sweetie I’ll get you some juice.” Buffy smiled taking her daughter from Spikes arms. “Cordy would you like anything to drink?” Buffy asked, a smiled on her face seeing Angel and Cordelia sparing glances at each other from the corner of their eyes.


“No thanks, I’m not thirsty at the moment.” Cordy continued to rock back and forth on the swing, soothing her stomach.


“Angel?” Buffy asked, turning to face Angel.


“I’m good.” Angel replied, meeting Buffy’s gaze before turning to stare at Cordelia.


“Ok then.” Buffy let out a laugh before turning to walk into her house.


“Le’ me help you with that, Pet.” Spike said, rushing behind Buffy. Shutting the front door as he did so, not wanting to be stuck outside with Angel and Cordelia and the awkward silence that had once again consumed the atmosphere.


“Apple juice, apple juice.” Tara chanted  bouncing herself in Buffy’s arms. Buffy winced and placed Tara on the bench to sit.


“You’ve got to be careful with mommy, remember sweetie?” Buffy asked, nursing her stinging arm.


“Sorry mommy.” Tara’s bottom lip wobbled her eyes starting to form tears.


“Don’t cry baby,” Buffy smiled kissing the top of Tara’s head. “Just be careful next time,” she opened the fridge and retrieved the apple juice, reaching with her good arm she grabbed Tara’s plastic cup and filled it half with apple juice. She turned to walk to the sink to fill the other half of the cup with water but stopped in her tracks seeing the sight before her.


“Give us a smile, luv.” Spike smiled, trying to tickle Tara’s sides who was sitting with her arms crossed over her chest a frown marring her features. She wasn’t budging. “C’mon, I know you got one in there for me.” Spike smiled, leaning down to blow raspberry’s on her cheek making Tara giggle.  “Ah huh!” Spike exclaimed blowing another raspberry on her cheek.


Buffy held Tara’s cup in one hand, a smile on her face as she watched Spike point to his own cheek with his index finger waiting for Tara to blow a raspberry on it.


Tara was hesitant at first but slowly leaned forward and attempted to blow a raspberry on Spikes cheek, which resulted in Tara slobbering all over Spikes cheek. Spike let out a laugh and pulled back, tickling Tara’s sides before lifting her down from the bench to put her on the floor where her cat, BB was sitting.


Buffy filled the remainder of the cup with water and handed it to Tara who followed her cat into the lounge room. As soon as Tara left the room Spike came to stand in front of her, his arms wrapping themselves around her waist.


Buffy tightened her arms around Spike, breathing in his scent as she rest her head on his chest.


“You alright, Pet? You’re quiet.” Spike asked, leaning back to meet Buffy’s eyes.


Buffy smiled softly before leaning up to capture his lips in a brief kiss.


“Your amazing.” She whispered, her nose touching his.


“Buffy,” Spike whispered, his hand coming to cup the back of her head. “I think I’m falling in love with you.” His voice was soft as his hand threaded it’s way through her hair.


“I-I-” Buffy stuttered a few seconds later not knowing what to say, she didn’t know what she was feeling. Did she love Spike? Could she let herself love him? What were her feelings towards him?


Before she could say anything else Spike cut her off, his lips descending down to meet hers in an urgent kiss. Buffy felt his tongue slip across her lips and opened her own lips granting him access.


The kiss was heated as Spike poured everything he felt into it making Buffy dizzy. She gripped his shoulders as his free hand slipped down her back pulling her body flush against his as he pushed her into the edge of the sink.


Just as his hands were about to slip lower on her waist their was a cough from behind them.


“God, get a room.” Angel laughed, nudging Cordelia who giggled in response.


“There are minors in here.” Cordy smiled, tilting her head in the direction of the lounge room where Tara’s giggles could be heard.


“Right, I uh-” Spike stuttered nervously pulling away from Buffy as he ran a hand through his hair.

“Lorne is here.” Cordelia said, pointing to the front door.


“Oh!” Buffy exclaimed still holding onto the kitchen sink for support. Angel, Cordelia and Spike all started to walk towards the door but Buffy grabbed Spikes elbow.


“Buffy I um,” Spike met her eyes and was unsure what to say. When Buffy hadn’t said anything after he told her he thought he was falling in love with her, he felt his heart rate increase with nerves. Did she like him enough to love him? Had he just made a complete git of himself.


Buffy’s next words confirmed all his thoughts.


She reached up on her tip-toes so her lips were close to his ears as she whispered. “I think, I’m falling too,” before she kissed his cheek softly and walked out the front door to talk to Lorne.


When Spike joined the group outside he briefly glanced at the sun setting in the distance before glancing down at Buffy, a huge grin on his face. Angel raised an eyebrow in suspicion.


“Riley’s hit again.” Were the first things Buffy heard Lorne say before the slice in her arm started to really sting. Cordy’s hands immediately went to her stomach and Angels eyes narrowed. “We got a call in this morning,” Lorne sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose as he recalled the last few hours. “A young woman who looked an awful lot like you,” Lorne’s eyes met Buffy’s just as Spike wrapped his arms around her waist. “She uh-. Let’s just say she’s not going to be around anymore.”


Cordy gasped, her hands stroking her belly.


“Riley was hitting up brothels in a certain area. The search came up with nothing and we widened the area in which we were covering.” Lorne took another deep breath before continuing. Knowing full the next parts of information were going to shock everyone. “We found him.”


“Oh thank god.” Buffy breathed a sigh of relief, her shoulders relaxing.


“It’s about god damn time.” Cordelia exclaimed.


“That’s not all.” Lorne sighed, afraid to put a damper on their moods.


“What is it?” Spike asked his hand rubbing circles on Buffy’s lower back.


“We took him in but before we could charge him this woman comes in. Maggie Walsh or something- anyway she says she’s with the military and wants to pay Finn's bail to get him out.”


“She can’t do that. You’ve pinned him for murder, you have witnesses!” Buffy exclaimed her heart racing.


“Buffy,” Lorn started. “Riley claims to have been in his room at his hotel in the hours that the woman was killed. We need you and Cordelia to come in an-”


“Please don’t ask me to do that.” Buffy whispered tears in her eyes.


“He’s going to get out and hurt someone else if you don’t take him to court and charge him for raping and abusing you!” Lorne yelled frustrated.


“Mommy?” Tara asked from the front door making Buffy jump.


“Sweetie why don’t you go upstairs and play with your dolls?” Buffy smiled bending down to Tara's height.


“Can William come too?”


“Sure bit. Peaches,” Spike turned and motioned for Angel to follow. “Why don’t you come to.”


“Peaches.” Tara giggled slipping her hand into Spikes. Buffy watched the three of them ascend the stairs before speaking.


“I can’t face him. I ca-” Buffy was cut off by Cordelia.


“He’s going to hurt other people if we don’t do something,” she whispered, bringing her hand up to Buffy’s shoulder in comfort.


“I know I just. I’ve been through so much because of him already.” She met Lorne’s gaze. “I had my life on track, even got a new job,” she laughed feeling her career as a professional singer drift further and further away. “He keeps messing with my life.”


“We’ll do this together Buffy.” Cordy said. “He’s not going to hurt another young girl.”


“We plan, with both your help, to put him away for a very, very long time.” Lorne’s tone of voice was pleading.


“I’ll do it.” Buffy whispered softly before turning her head from the ground to meet Lorne’s gaze. He nodded and smiled and wrote down a few things on a piece of paper before briefly telling her and Cordelia what was going to happen.


In two days Buffy would have to face the man that had changed her life forever. In two days he was going to change It again.


Buffy rubbed her hands up and down her arms as she slowly walked up the stairs to Tara’s room.

Chapter 21:


Angel and Spike were sitting on Tara’s bedroom floor watching Tara play with her dolls when Buffy walked into the room.  


“Everything ok?” Spike asked as Cordelia stepped into the room, her hands rubbing her belly in a soothing motion.  


“Lorne wants us to testify,” Buffy whispered, running a shaky hand through her hair.  


“That‘s good though. That‘ll put him away for a long time.” Angel said, standing.  


“You have no idea what he’s capable of,” Buffy whispered, her voice laced with fear.  


“Maybe we should take this to another room?” Spike said standing, glancing at Tara who was staring at them all intently.  


Buffy nodded her agreement.  


“Sweetie, we're just going to be downstairs if you need us, ok.”  


“Ok, Mommy.” Tara smiled, picking up another one of her dolls.  


“I don’t know if I can do it,” Cordelia said, shaking her head as she descended the stairs. “I know I should…I have to do it. But I don’t know if I can face him again…” she whispered.  


Buffy, Spike and Angel had reached the bottom of the staircase and were watching Cordelia.  


“I don’t know if I can rehash my nightmare in front of a courtroom full of people,” she reached up and touched the scar on her neck, a permanent reminder that Riley would forever haunt her. “I just don’t know.”  


“Cordy are you ok?” Buffy asked alarmed, watching as Cordelia’s eyes fluttered.  


“I don’t feel so good,” she swayed, reaching the last step on the staircase.  


“Woah!” Angel gasped, catching Cordelia as she stumbled into his arms. “I’ve got you,” he whispered as she grabbed her head to stop the spinning.  


“I feel kind of dizzy,” she whispered.  


“Let’s sit you down,” Spike said, walking into the lounge room and pointing for Angel to lay her on the couch.  


“I’ll get a glass of water.” Buffy rushed into the kitchen and grabbed a glass, quickly filling it up with water.  


Angel brushed the hair out of Cordelia’s eyes and laid the back of his hand on her forehead, feeling for a temperature.  


“Are you feeling ok? You don’t look so good,” Angel brushed her cheek with his hand, meeting her gaze. “You feel a little warm.”  


“Here drink this,” Buffy came back into the room and passed the glass of chilled water to Cordelia who immediately took a few sips.  


“Thanks.”  


“Maybe we should get you to the hospital.” Angel said, standing.  


Cordelia let out a laugh and took another sip of water.  


“I’m fine,” she met Angels gaze, who raised an eyebrow in question. “I’m fine, really,” she glanced at Buffy and then Spike. “I just need to get some fresh air.”  


Seeing Cordelia struggling to stand, Angel reached out and helped her up, taking the glass out of her hand as he led her to the front door.  


“I think he likes her,” Spike leant down and whispered into Buffy’s ear.  


“You think?” Buffy smiled, amused, the tone of her voice saying ‘Duh’.  


Spike and Buffy followed Angel and Cordelia out the front door and watched as Angel helped her into the porch swing seat, before taking a seat next to her, handing her back her drink.  


“Thanks,” Cordy smiled.  


“Any time.”  


“Are you guy’s going to be ok? I just want to check on Tara, make sure she’s ok.” Buffy asked, already slowly stepping back into the house.  


“Buffy,” Cordy sighed. “I’m fine. Go check on your daughter.”  


“Are you sure?”  


At Cordelia’s raised eyebrow and frustrated look Buffy raised her hands in surrender.  


“I’m going, I’m going.”  


Cordelia raised her eyebrow at Spike, waiting for him to get the hint and leave.  


“Right,” Spike coughed, running a hand through his hair. “I’m going to go help Buffy….check on Tara.” he quickly stepped inside the house, closing the front door behind him.  


Cordy leant back in the chair and laid her head on the back of the chair, listening to Spike’s footsteps as he ascended the stairs.  


“D-did you want me to go?” Angel asked, nervously.  


“No,” Cordelia answered a little bit to quickly, letting out a nervous laugh. “I’d like your company.”  


They were silent for a few minutes before Angel nervously let out a deep breath.  


“So….”  

………………………………...........................  


“Cordelia’s right, you know.” Buffy sighed walking into her bedroom with Spike close behind her.  


She had checked on Tara moments before. The little girl was quite content when her mother had turned on the TV and placed another Disney movie in the DVD player. Tara had pulled her pillow from her bed and laid down on the floor, eyes focused on what was going on in front of her.  


“Right about what, luv?” Spike asked, taking a seat on the edge of the bed, watching as Buffy paced back and forth in front of him.  


“About not being able to convey her nightmare to a courtroom full of people. Let alone have Riley sitting in front of her, smirking because it gets him off. Sick bastard.” Buffy growled, frustrated. “It’s been four years since…. And he’s still ruining people’s lives,” Buffy met Spike’s eyes. “He’s still ruining my life.” Her eyes welled with tears.  


“C’mere luv,” Spike reached out for Buffy’s hand, pulling her to sit beside him.  


“I don’t know if I have the strength left in me to testify against him. H-he’s going to be there, watching me when I tell the court w-what he did to me. He doesn’t know about Tara, that she’s his.” Spike could see in Buffy’s eyes that she was fearful. He knew that she needed to do this. To testify against Riley and put him away for good, to stop him from hurting any other innocent women.  


“Do you want me there?” Spike asked, squeezing Buffy’s hand. “I’ll be your emotional support,” he smiled.  


Buffy sniffled and met his eyes, a few tears slipping down her cheeks.  


“I can’t do that to you. It’ll be in the news, in magazines…” Spike cut her off.  


“If you want me there,” he cupped her cheek at let his eyes rest on hers. “If you need me to be there, then I will.”  


“People are going to find out about my past. It might put a damper on your career.” Buffy whispered sadly.  


“Hey, none of that. Being with me is going to suck at the biggest times. Being Love’s Bitch new singer is going to suck at the biggest times.” Spike laughed, wiping away a few of her tears. “People are constantly in your life, you hardly have any privacy. But you put up with it because others need you. Our fan’s love us. We create music for them, bring some of them peace and understanding with our lyrics. We make things easier for others.”  


Buffy smiled sadly and nodded.  


“You once told me that when you find that one thing that keeps you grounded,” Spike kissed her softly on the lips. “You don’t ever let it go,” he met her eyes. “And I don’t plan to.”  


“Spike,” Buffy whispered, right before Spike’s lips crashed down to hers in a passion filled kiss.  

Buffy didn’t know what the next few day’s held, but she knew that Spike was going to be there for her. When the time came for her to testify in a courtroom full of people, with Riley sitting in the room, smirking, she knew that Spike was going to be there to pick up the pieces.  


She just hoped the paparazzi didn’t blow the situation out of hand. As Spike slipped his tongue into her mouth and Buffy crawled into his lap, she prayed that Anya was able to sort out the tabloids, but she couldn’t help but feel that the situation with Riley wasn’t anywhere near over.

Chapter 22:


“This is awkward. I’m sorry,” Cordelia let out a nervous laugh, glancing at Angel out from the corner of her eye.


“It’s fine,” Angel reassured her, picking invisible lint from his jeans.


They’d been sitting in an uncomfortable silence ever since Buffy and Spike had left them on the front porch. The sun had long since set and the cool night’s breeze was washing over Cordelia in waves, washing away the troubles of the day.


“I’m just,” she sighed. “I haven’t really been alone with a guy in a while, aside from the police.” Cordy laughed, taking a sip from her drink. “It’d be nice to be able to feel completely comfortable again.” She met Angel’s confused gaze and continued. “To not constantly be looking over my shoulder all the time, you know.”


“I completely understand. The life of a celebrity, especially for the band at the moment, is extremely chaotic. We’re constantly looking over our shoulders and making sure we’re not caught doing something we shouldn’t be doing. It’d be nice not to constantly be on the lookout for paparazzi.” Angel smiled, and coughed. “N-not that I’m comparing my situation with your’s it’s-...”


Cordelia raised her eyebrow in question.


“You’ve had a lot of things happen to you recently, a lot of bad things. You have reason to be constantly looking over your shoulder to see whose behind you.” Cordelia nodded, her face dropping in sadness. “I chose my life,” Angel continued. “I chose to put myself in the lime light,” he said, sparring a glance at the horrific scar that marked her neck. “You didn’t chose this life, Cordy. You didn’t ask for these things to happen to you. Riley, he…”


Cordelia had tears in her eyes when she met his gaze, nodding her agreement. Angel tentatively reached for her hand and thread his fingers with hers, giving her hand a squeeze.


“Life gives us obstacles…” he brought her hand up to his lips and gave it a gentle kiss. “And at the end of the day we find a way to overcome them. We become better people for it.”


Cordelia blushed, and wiped away a few stray tears that had fallen down her cheeks.


“You’re sweet,” she whispered, taking another sip of her water.


“I know,” Angel sighed sadly, letting his hand slip from hers.


Angel knew he was sweet. He was a womaniser and his women never let him forget how sweet, gorgeous and charming he was. It was extremely rare for someone like Angel to go to home alone.


Angel was the kind of person that never went without. When the band had a gig booked, or the group had a night out, he was sure to never be empty handed. In his case, have an empty bed. Their were even times when Angel had two someone’s to go home with. But never the less, there was always a warm body waiting for him in his bed after a gig or a night out.


Spike’s words about Buffy flashed in Angels mind as he glanced at Cordelia from the corner of his eye.


"She’s a nice bird, doesn’t deserve that."


"Deserve what?"


"You know what I mean."


Cordelia wasn’t just one of his one night stands. She wasn’t someone he could have fun with and just toss aside afterwards. Cordy had already been burnt in her past, badly burnt both physically and mentally.


She deserved more.


She deserved more than what he could give her.


“Maybe too sweet,” she whispered, breaking the silence.


“Yeah.”


“I don’t want…I can’t…” she let out a sigh, frustrated with herself. Cordelia knew what she wanted to say, she just didn’t know how to say without hurting Angels feelings. “Look,” she met his eyes. “I’ve read about you-”


“Don’t believe everything you read I-”


“I know the kind of person you are. You can’t help yourself when a scantily clad woman flaunts herself in front of you. If the opportunity arrises you’re going to jump and run for it,” she let out a laugh. “I should know. I used to be one of those girls. Flaunting it myself in front of gorgeous men.…. W-what I’m trying to say is,” she took a deep breath, calming herself. “I can’t stop you being you.”


Angel was silent, not sure where Cordelia was heading with the conversation. Was she telling him she wanted to flaunt it for him? If that was the case, he smiled to himself, he was definitely running head on towards her. She was gorgeous.


“I don’t want a relationship.”


Angel felt his spirits drop.


“I’ve been through too much,” Cordelia sighed, rubbing her swollen stomach, a sad smile on her face. “I’ve got so much too look forward to and w-what I’m trying to say is…it’d be nice to have a friend around to share it with.” She met his eyes with a shy tentative smile.


“Friends?”


“Yeah,” she laughed. “You know…tell each other about their past. Share stories with each other, hopes and dreams? That kind of stuff….” she trailed off. “I haven’t had a lot of friends since-”


“What happened with Riley?”


“No,” Cordelia sighed, sadly. “Since school finished.”


‘You’re either friends with her or you walk out of her life forever. You can’t have all of her.’ Angel’s mind screamed.


“Friends…” he smiled. “Friends I can do.”


“Thank you,” Cordy smiled, taking another sip from her glass of water, resting her head on the back of the chair. The night’s breeze along with the rocking from the swing chair, were lulling her to sleep.


They were silent for a few minutes before Angel spoke.


“So how does this work exactly?”


Cordelia let out a laugh, staring at Angel as if he was out of his mind.


“I don’t connect with people,” he coughed. “women really well. I’m more of a-”


“One night man?” Cordelia offered, a teasing smile tugging on the corners of her mouth.


“Yeah,” Angel laughed, shaking his head in embarrassment.


“It’s pretty simple really. We’ll start slow, ok. Cover the basic’s first.” Cordy said, rubbing soothing slow circles across her abdomen.


“Right…” Angel said, trailing off, waiting for Cordelia to start what would be the beginning of their friendship.


“My name is Cordelia Chase. I’m 20,” she smiled, breaking their gaze briefly. “My favourite colour is purple and I’m a valley girl and ex cheerleader.”


Cordelia laughed, seeing the look that came across Angel’s face when she told him that she used to be a cheerleader, it was priceless.


“I grew up in a family that had a lot of power. My father was a wealthy man and in turn made me and my mother quite wealthy…” A sad smile appeared on Cordelia’s face. “My father was never good at gambling,” she bitterly laughed. “He knew it too. He gambled away out lives, our estate, our belonging’s, everything… I left home when I was about 19 to become a model,” she glanced down at her swollen belly. “A career which wasn’t all I’d hoped it would be. Before I came to Sunnydale I was living in a cockroach infested whole of an apartment and living off whatever food I could get from my job.”


Angel was shocked to say the least. With one eyebrow raised in shock and interest he motioned for her to continue.


“I’ve worked at the diner ever since I moved out from home. It manages to pay the bills and gets me by…for the time being anyway.” She said sadly, feeling the all to familiar flutters of her child rolling around in her belly.


“That’s….wow.”


Angel didn’t know what to say, didn’t know how to react to what he’d just heard. The longest conversation he’d had with any other female was Anya, and she was practically one of the boys, not to mention the band’s publicist.


Cordelia gave Angel’s shoulder a nudge.


“This is where you give me the run down of your life,” she giggled, sitting patiently in silence, waiting for him to start.


“Right,” he coughed. “My name is Liam O’Connor, aka Angel or Angelus to my friends. I’ve just recently turned 24 and I…”


Cordelia sat, smiling as she intently listened to Angel tell her about his life. Where he grew up, what his favourite food was, what his favourite colour was and most importantly about why he was the way he way. He was a womaniser for a reason and Cordelia couldn’t help but feel sorry for Angel when hearing about the number of women who had crushed his heart.


Tonight was the very beginning of what was going to be an amazing friendship.