Angelus was back.

Buffy's mind rolled that fact around every minute of her days in the past week. Angelus was back, and, from what she and Spike could deduce, he was planning on picking off their children one at a time, for whatever demented purpose his demon had come up with.

Buffy and Spike, mated now for fifty years, sat next to each other on a loveseat, surrounded by all but three of their immortal children. Their youngest, Colette, had been missing for a week, absconded with by their daughter, Althea, before the rest of Buffy and Spike’s brood congregated in the French manor. Fearing the worst, Buffy had sent their twelve-year-old son, Dylan, to stay with his elderly aunt Dawn in London, after she was assured by several of her demon contacts that Angelus was indeed in France. A tall strawberry blonde with full lips paced the large drawing room.

“Gods! How could Althea do this to you? To us? To Colette?”

Spike rubbed Buffy’s neck tenderly as he looked at their children.

“Tara Lyn, poppet, she’s been killing innocents for years, just because she could. Althea has always been easily persuaded by handsome blokes, and if she’s teamed up with Angelus...well, that would explain it.”

“But Papa, why would they want to hurt Colette? She’s barely three….”

Buffy took a deep breath and sighed.

“Because, Angelus is after your father and me. He…this isn’t the first time he’s done something like this….”

Spike took her hand in his.

“But it’s the first time he’s been able to have something to really barter with.”

A curly haired blonde man, who looked more cherubic than human, stood up in a huff from his seat next to his longer-haired twin sister.

“Papa, there’s nine of us and only two of them…why don’t we all just go in there and rescue her?”

“Because, William, Angelus isn’t like any demon you’ve faced before. He’s…he’s insane is what he is….”

Joyce fidgeted on her seat on the couch.

“Then what’ll he do to Colette?”

“I don’t know, poppet.”

“Surely Althea wouldn’t let him hurt Colette…right? For all of her faults, Althea truly loves her,” offered a demure, golden-haired woman with shining green eyes.

“Anya,” Spike said, “with Angelus around, I’m afraid Althea could be persuaded to do anything.”


--


“So now what?”

A dark-haired waif with coal-black eyes sat on a stiff chair across from the small couch Angelus lounged on, molesting her with his gaze.

“Now we wait.”

Colette had long since ceased her incessant wailing and had drifted off to sleep on the cot Althea had prepared for her days before. A few stuffed animals stolen from various shops in town kept the room from looking military grade. A bright pink pig was locked in a death grip in the child’s small arms.

Angelus rose to look out of the flat’s darkly tinted window at the slowly rising sun.

“But they’ll come…and soon too. Your mother isn’t one to wait for anything.”

Althea remained silent, staring at Angelus while absent-mindedly stroking her thick, dark locks. Angelus lustily eyed her up, his lecherous gaze hovering first at her full bosom, then at her neck. His grin was malicious and well practiced.

“Care to retire?”

When she shook her head in denial, he grabbed her wrist, wrenching it in his strong hand. A loud crack confirmed to him that it did, indeed, snap.

“That wasn’t really a question.”

As she was dragged by her shattered wrist into the seclusion of a dark, filthy bedroom, Althea regretted her choice to help Angelus in his evil intentions, but didn’t make a sound. Better to receive Angelus’ lust than his wrath, she thought. The first time they had been intimate, Althea had gone willingly; but his rough and torturous manner of sex made her wary of being involved again. Her wariness did her no good, as she had already been raped twice by Angelus, despite her willingness to give in on other occasions.

In spite of her attempts, Althea could not contrive a dense enough image of England to distract her from the pain and disgrace Angelus was thrusting into her. For a brief moment, all she could think was “I want my Mummy.”

Angered by her own weakness, a new surge of hatred filled Althea, and she took charge over Angelus’ rape, flipping on top of him and changing his pace to please herself. Once her inner beast was satiated through enraged lust, she allowed an enthralled Angelus to regain control and finish.

Sliding out from underneath his heavy form, Althea silently walked into Colette’s makeshift room, and curled up on the floor next to her cot. Even if she hated the rest of her family, she would die protecting Colette from anyone, her mother, her father, Angelus, or even herself. She was determined to keep Colette from the life she was “gifted” with by her parents.

Immortal life is worthless if you have no one to spend it with.

Her determination sank into her stomach as a pale, jet-black haired woman cooed at Colette from the doorway. Cradled in her arms was a porcelain doll.

“Oooh! You were right Miss Edith! Look at the pretty child! My William did well, didn’t he Miss Edith?”

Frightened as she was at the obviously crazed woman before her, Althea couldn’t help but be entranced by her dark beauty. Had she not known who this woman was, Althea would have assumed she was a close relation.

Well, perhaps Papa’s Sire is a close relation.

--

Three identical faces, aside from eye color and hair length, stared blankly at the walls of the kitchen in their parent’s French home. Though the cobblestone and mortar was decidedly different from that of Buffy’s Revello Drive home, the décor and furnishings were almost identical. The smallest of the three spoke first, pushing the dirty blonde hair out her green eyes.

"We can’t just sit here wondering where Althea has taken her! Colette needs to be at home with Mother and Father.”

“I realize that, Anya, we all do, don’t we Rupert? It’s just a matter of where to start,” a blue eyed, shaggy haired woman replied, looking to their male replica who was pacing the kitchen.

“Roxie…we need to go now,” the small girl said. “I can’t bear waiting around.”

“Anya, you’re never impulsive…you have to realize that going out blindly will get you or Colette killed!”

Anya’s green eyes filled with tears as she plopped down on a wooden chair. Her longhaired male replica, who had his blonde locks tied back in a fashion that was in vogue 200 years previously, knelt before her, holding her trembling hand in his.

“Don’t worry…we’ll figure it out, yeah? Mum and Papa have lived after fighting Angelus, and we’ll all be no different. We just have to find them so we can save Colette and rid the world of that monster.”

“And what about Althea, Rupert? She’s still our sister,” Anya choked.

Rupert’s handsomely chiseled face grew stern.

“No sister of mine would betray our family like that. We’re supposed to protect the world, but more importantly each other. She’s been a danger since she could walk. I don’t know what Mum and Papa plan to do with her, but I’d be happy to be rid of her once and for all as well.”

Anya and Roxanne both gasped. Anya began to sob and Roxanne shook her head.

“Rupert…hush. You know no one would allow that. Althea just needs to be taught a lesson. She’s young…she has time to mend her ways.”

“Can we really take that risk, Roxie? It’s not like she’ll die in forty years…she’s immortal, like the rest of us. What if we have to deal with an eternity of her attacks on our family? It’s only a matter of time before she loses all of her love, even for Colette. And all because she can’t find a guy! She’ll kill us all if we don’t kill her first.”

“That’s enough Rupert,” Spike said, slamming an empty but blood-stained mug down on the counter. “What if your Mother heard you, eh? Heard you talking about killing your own sister? If you think that’s an option, you’re no better than Angelus.”

Rupert shut his open mouth and hung his head down.

“I’m sorry Papa, you’re right. I just….”

“I know son. ‘M worried about her too. We’ll find her though. I know we will. Anya, your namesake is trying to get all the information she can in the other realms and from The Powers That Be, and William and Joyce should be home any moment with whatever they’ve found out from town.”

The two identical cherubs burst through the kitchen’s door, heaving. Spike smiled slightly.

“Speak of the devils….”

Joyce’s face was whiter than normal, which caused Spike’s grin to fall. William replicated her pained look.

“Get Mama.”

Anya rose, with fear speckling her face, and quickly returned to the kitchen with Buffy, Tara, and Conrad. Buffy’s normally lean, muscular frame was now emaciated and frail.

“What did you find out?”

Joyce looked sadly at her mother before speaking.

“Mama, it’s not just Angelus we have to worry about….”

“What do you mean Joyce?”

“It’s Drusilla…she’s with them.”

Spike gripped Buffy’s shoulders in his hands.

“Did you see her poppet?”

Joyce nodded.

“She looked just as you described her Papa. She was carrying a doll and a basket full of food, walking into a little abandoned farm house about fifteen miles south of Paris. I’m sure Colette is there…I could feel her.”

“But we didn’t want to go in there without everyone else…without letting you know where we were, and where they were,” William interjected.

Buffy and Spike sighed in unison. Spike walked to the refrigerator and took out a pot roast that had been marinating and shoved it in the oven.

“We’ll leave in the morning. Everyone needs to eat tonight,” he said, casting a glare at Buffy.

“Everyone pet.”

She nodded.

“We’ll all need our strength to be up if we have to deal with Angelus, Althea, and Drusilla.”

“We can do it Mama. I know we can,” a tall, dark brown haired man said.

Buffy kissed his forehead before sitting down at the table.

“If we keep our spirits up, Conrad, we might have a chance.”

Tara Lyn began to set the table as the others say in a determined silence.

“We’ll get them back, pet. Both of ‘em.”

“I know. I just don’t want to risk anyone else.”

“The kids are stronger than we know, Buffy. Especially when they’re worried about one of our own. You remember when Roxie broke her finger? You couldn’t cut the tension in the room with a knife. I’m surprised Rupert didn’t snap that bicycle in half after she fell off of it.”

“I know. You and our children are my everything, Spike…I don’t know what I would do if….”

“Well, love, you know you won’t have to live a life without me…you go, I go, and vice versa.”

Buffy smiled for the first time since Colette disappeared, at Spike’s snarky comment.

“You know you really are shirty.”

“And that’s exactly why you love me, pet.”

“We will get her back…right?”

“I promise, Buffy. With everything.”

--

--


Althea awoke to the familiar feeling of Angelus forcibly thrusting into her.

This is why you’re mad at them…because this monster is the closest you’ll get to a normal boyfriend! At least you won’t have to watch him wither and die….

“Gods! I didn’t ask for this,” Althea shouted, referring to her immortality.

However, ignorant of her internal monologue, Angelus’ fury was sparked.

“You dare to mock me,” he thundered.

She was less than frightened.

“No, not you…oh! Nevermind. Just finish up.”

Enraged at her speech, Angelus continued to barrel into her, ripping her fleshy regions into pulsing, bloody strips. Just when she thought he was finished and she could finally have a speck of relief, he surprised her. For the first time in her life, Althea was petrified. Shifting into his demonic form, Angelus bit into Althea’s neck, drinking in large gulps until she couldn’t move.

“Mine!”

Though her eyes darted around the room for an escape, Althea found nothing but the increasing coldness of death…and rebirth. His claim not reciprocated, Angelus’ demon was fuming, but malevolently humorous. Even if she didn’t reciprocate, he knew that as her Sire, she would be drawn to him in an unspeakably devoted way; so he continued to drink himself full of her blood.

“You know I only wanted you to piss her off,” he said, sliding out of her, as she drifted into the death she would soon awaken from.

He smiled as he slammed the door, hearing the hushed sobs that accompanied a vampire’s “birth.” Before retiring to his own posh quarters, Angelus left a half-empty jar of pig’s blood in front of Althea’s room.

She’ll be hungry when she wakes up…and I can’t risk her eating the child before I do.

--

“Miss Edith says she likes you. Says you remind her of my Spike.”

“Who’s Spike?”

Drusilla’s smile was empty and full of lunacy.

“You don’t know Daddy’s name, moppet?”

Colette shook her head, her blonde strands bouncing against her creamy skin.

“No…it’s just Papa.”

“You know I’m your grandmummy.”

“Then why aren’t you old? All of the grammas on TV are grey and wrinkly. Mama says it’s because they’re old.”

“Yes that’s true. Drink your tea moppet…but save some for Miss Edith! She needs her tea.”

Colette took a sip from a pink plastic teacup while staring at the porcelain doll propped up on a chair next to her.

“Mama said I’ll never be grey, because we’re special! Does that mean you’re special too grandmummy?”

Drusilla’s eyes widened and she nodded eagerly.

“Special special. Yes.”

“That’s why Althea is so cross…she doesn’t want to be special.”

“And why would she want that? Tell Miss Edith moppet.”

Colette scooted closer to the doll Drusilla had sat in a small chair at the child-sized table they sat around, sipping their tea. Drusilla poured more tea into the pink cups as Colette whispered to Miss Edith.

As crazed as Drusilla was, for an inexplicable reason, the connection she felt to Colette was curiously caring, even motherly. Her animal-like ears heard Colette’s whispers to Miss Edith.

“Umm…Miss Edith? Can you hear me? Okay, the dark lady said to tell you why Althea doesn’t want to be special. Mummy said she’s just lonely, but I heard Althea talking to that man with the big forehead, and she said, um, she said everyone is going to die but us…and she doesn’t want to let everyone go through what she did when she lost Phillip! That’s why that man gives her kisses, even though she thinks he’s yucky…maybe it’ll help like in Snow White!!”

Only Drusilla’s muddled mind could make sense of Colette’s confused and childish view of her sister’s situation.

“We can help her find a new family she can add to, can’t we Miss Edith?”

In Drusilla’s eyes, the doll nodded, and she smiled.

“Now, Miss Edith thinks you should go back to sleep like a good girl. Dreams, dreams, dreams. No more nasty pixies floating around you. I’ll send the faeries to protect my little one.”

Colette smiled at Drusilla and enveloped the vampire in a giant hug before her small, padding feet carried her off to her makeshift bed. Her eyes fluttered momentarily, and she drifted into an undisturbed slumber. Drusilla perched Miss Edith at the foot of the cot before wandering out of the room to find Angelus.

“Don’t be naughty Miss Edith; keep the pixies away.”


--

Spike and Buffy were awake before their children even began to stir.

"What’ll we do when we find them, pet?”

“I don’t know, Spike…and that’s what frightens me.”

“Buffy, love, don’t worry…everything will be fine. I promised, didn’t I? And I do always come through on my promises, don’t I love?”

Buffy nodded and stroked Spike’s cheek.

"Always. I just have this horrible fear that we’re already too late.”

Gazing into each other’s eyes, the pair lost themselves. Fingers probed, tongues caressed and bodies melded, not out of desire or lust, but out of their now intrinsic need for each other. Had this been any other coupling under these circumstances, one would assume the parents to be uncaring; even monstrous. But, Buffy and Spike’s need for each other grew not only out of their love and mating, but out of their need to be entwined…to be one. If they were truly one going into battle, as Anyanka had often put it, they were a force not only to be reckoned with, but to be feared by all.

The red glow that permeated their hearts filled the room with its warmth and energy, its power and presence. Buffy and Spike did not unlock their gaze until their mutual orgasm pulsated through their bodies and souls, empowering their connection. Though the sex was not always necessary to boost their power, it was by far Buffy’s favorite way to do so. She suspected that it was Spike’s favorite way as well, though when asked, he never owned up to it, only chuckled knowingly and sucked his teeth. Spent, the couple lay in each other’s grip for a moment, regaining control over their own bodies.

“We’ll get her back Spike. I’m sure of it now.”

“I hate to say I told you so, love…but….”

“So hush.”

“ ‘Fraid I can’t love.”

“I should be used to this.”

“I told you so, pet.”

“I know you did…we’ll get Colette back, I know it.”

“But you’re worried about Althea?"

“Yes.”

“I am too, pet. I can’t…”

“I can’t feel her either, Spike.”

“Gods, what has Angelus done to her?”



--

--

Althea awoke, her entire body pulsing. The metaphysical connection she had always felt for all of her family was gone. She could now only feel three entities, two dead…one very much alive. She could hear Colette’s blood whipping through her veins, her heart beating softly and her airy breath falling from her lips. Althea could sense the coldness of the other two entities, and, feeling instinctively drawn to one, exited her room, almost knocking a jar of blood over in the process.

Realizing how famished she was, and how full and rich the scent emanating from the jar was, even if it was cold, Althea released her inhibitions and gulped the half-pint of pig’s blood down. Wiping the stains from the sides of her mouth, Althea composed herself, and walked silently into Angelus’ room. Although she was used to the heightened awareness that came from being the immortal progeny of a mating between vampire and Slayer, Althea could never have imagined the world would feel like this. Though the room was pitch black, Althea could see as clearly as she had in the daylight. She could see Angelus’ sculpted bulk lying beneath a blood and sweat-stained sheet, his arm wrapped around Drusilla’s nude form. A pang of jealousy shot through her and Althea began to growl deep in her, until she realized that both Angelus and Drusilla were staring at her, their yellow eyes gleaming. Drusilla’s face shifted back into human form as she clapped her hands merrily.

“Is she our new Darla,” Drusilla asked in her sing-songy manner.

“We’ll see,” Angelus replied.

“Her hair is much too coarse. I don’t like it. All wrong she is. Not like our Darla was. Filled with the Slayer this one is. Have to change her we do.”

“I already did that Dru. But let’s see what else we can fill her with….”

Angelus and Drusilla grabbed Althea’s arms, pulling her down into the bed with them. Drusilla looked up when a small sniffle came from the doorway. Pushing Althea and Angelus out of the way, Drusilla scooped Colette up and covered her eyes. She shut the door behind her, muting most of Althea’s screams, before carrying Colette into the living room and sitting down, setting Colette on her knee.

“What happened to Althea grandmummy? She looks sad and pale, like Papa does when he doesn’t have his tomato soup…and why is she screaming? Is she okay?”

Drusilla pet Colette’s head.

“Why are you awake, moppet?”

Colette sniffled again.

“My heart felt funny and I worried Althea got hurted. I always know when she’s sad and it makes me sad…I can’t feel her anymore…does that mean she isn’t sad anymore?”

“Special moppet. Where’s Miss Edith? Did she keep those nasty pixies away?”

Colette nodded.

“I gave her some more tea…she said she needed her tea, and then she went back to sleep.”

“You’re taking good care of Miss Edith aren’t you moppet? The faeries like when little girls are good. Lovely lovely moppet!”

“Do you like me grandmummy? I like you…and Miss Edith! She tells me things, you know. Special, secret things, but I can’t always hear her. She speaks so quietly! But she says you know them too, so I can ask you.”

“That’s because the faeries like you moppet. And I love my little grandbaby. Just like me you’ll be. But you won’t have the stars talking to you all the time. That’s what Miss Edith says.”

Drusilla smiled, her yellow eyes flashing slightly with a happiness and clarity that had never passed through her eyes, as Colette threw her arms around her neck.

“Dru…let her go.”

Drusilla looked up in shock before she was knocked to the floor, and Colette was ripped from her arms. Colette broke free of their strong hands and ran to Drusilla’s side, her hand on her hip and her pout protruding. She held her small hand out to Drusilla, who took it and sat up, stunned. Colette frowned.

“Papa! Don’t hurt grandmummy!”

--



--An Hour Earlier--

The rumble of the three cars fell to a hush as they almost simultaneously parked and turned off their engines. Spike and Buffy climbed out of Spike’s black Lamborghini. The manual Spyder 2006 car was one of Spike’s few luxurious purchases, and the one that he rarely used.

“It’s a classic,” he had told her.

She retorted with, “It’s a liability.”

The car had remained in their garage for five years before this morning. Buffy would never admit it, but she was glad to have a car that could get them to Colette at a possible 193mph, though when Spike had hit 90mph, Buffy slapped him and told him to drive slower. No use getting to Colette in pieces or paralyzed.

The two other cars, classic Jaguars, another black vehicle and a custom-painted hot pink convertible parked next to Spike’s Lamborghini. Tara, Conrad, Rupert, and William climbed out of the black vehicle. Tara had teased the three men incessantly throughout their drive about their inability to embrace their feminine sides, after they had all refused to sit anywhere near Buffy’s pink convertible. As it was, Joyce, and Roxanne hadn’t enjoyed the Barbie-pink vehicle either, although the extremely feminine Anya had hinted to her mother that after they saved Colette, she was planning on stealing the pink Jaguar. Buffy cracked one of the first smiles she had in days before they left the manor.

Parking about a half a mile away from Angelus’ hideout, Buffy, Spike and their brood walked toward the decrepit house in frightened anticipation.

“I can feel Colette in that house, Spike.”

“So can I, pet…and Drusilla and Angelus.”

“There’s something else in there Spike.”

“I know…what d’you think it is love?”

“I don’t know…but I think I’m ready to find out…and kill it.”

Spike kicked the door open and the group spread out throughout the house, searching not only for Colette, Althea, Drusilla and Angelus, but for answers. As Spike burst through the chipped, white doorway into the living room, he saw Drusilla’s yellow eyes flash as Colette grasped onto her.

"Oh God, Dru! Don’t bite her!”

Grabbing the only projectile close to him, Spike threw a vase at Drusilla’s skull, knocking her over as Conrad grabbed Colette out of her arms. Colette slapped Conrad’s hands from her, and ran to Drusilla. She turned, and frowned at her father.

"Gods, with that pout she looks just like Buffy.”

“Papa! Don’t hurt grandmummy!”

"Grandmummy?”


--

Spike called out to Buffy as he cautiously looked at Drusilla.

“Buffy, love, I found Colette.”

“Where? Is she okay?”

“Yeah, she’s fine pet, but I think you need to come here.”

A few moments later, Buffy stumbled into the living room, and, noticing Drusilla, grabbed for the stake lodged in her belt.

"No, Buffy…I think she’s alright.”

“Drusilla…alright? You’ve got to be kidding.”

Spike shook his head and turned to Colette.

“Colette, poppet, what happened?”

Colette looked up at Drusilla, who nodded, her eyes bulging and teeth gleaming in a dazed smile.

“Well Papa, I was very scared when Althea came in my room because she had this strange man with her, looking in my window. I missed her since she left, but she looked all different, and the man’s forehead was too big and mean, so I screamed. She covered up my mouth and I fainted. When I woke up I was in this little room…not a big room like I have at home. Althea gave me a little piggy to sleep with, and he was nice, but I missed my dolls at home. Althea said we were on vacation, but I didn’t like it, because you guys didn’t know. I cried a lot and that scary man came and yelled at me, but Althea yelled back so he hit her and took her into the other room. I was so sad until grandmummy came in to see me! We’ve been having tea with her doll, Miss Edith! She’s sort of like my dolls, except Miss Edith actually talks to us! It’s nice to have someone to talk to; do you want some tea with us Papa?”

“No poppet…I’ve had quite enough tea with Miss Edith for one lifetime.”

Colette ran to Buffy, who scooped her up in her arms.

“I’ve missed you, Mummy!”

Tears began to well up in Buffy’s eyes as she held her daughter closer to her.

“Gods, Colette, Mummy’s missed you too.”

She turned to Drusilla and gave her an appreciative nod.

“Thank you for taking care of her.”

Drusilla clapped her hands and smiled at Colette, barely acknowledging Buffy.

“We’ve had lots and lots of fun, haven’t we, moppet?”

The horde of Buffy and Spike’s remaining children, save for Althea, piled into the large room; Anya, Roxanne, and Tara ran to their mother’s side, all doting on Colette and checking her for any injuries, while William, Joyce, Conrad, and Rupert stood by their father, at a close distance from Drusilla, eyeing her up cautiously.

“What’s her deal,” William asked his father, “and why aren’t you guys beating her senseless?”

Spike patted him on the back.

“ ‘S alright William. Think Dru’s been taking care of Colette in our place; sorry ‘bout the boy Dru, he…”

Drusilla frowned at Spike.

“Told you you were full of the Slayer. The faeries were right. Knew you’d end up with her, I did…saw the moppet as soon as you gave Miss Edith to me. ‘S why I didn’t make you mine, Spike. Wouldn’t be a grandmummy then, Miss Edith said. Couldn’t take her away. Couldn’t take her place…just kept it warm.”

“Right. Well, thanks just the same.”

“Had to save her from Angelus. Wants to be more powerful, he does. He knows about the children. Knows their secrets…its those damned pixies; everywhere they are. Chirping and fliting about, and saying things they shouldn’t,” Drusilla wagged an angry finger at the air. “Naughty pixies. My grandbaby will see them too…but she has Slayer in her. The stars’ll help her, not like they did with me. They’re cross with me because I shouldn’t hear them. They don’t listen when I try to explain…there are too many of them to talk to anyway, and I’ve named them all the same. It gets so confusing!”

“Tsk, tsk, tsk. No one invited us to the family reunion, Althea; what a pity.”

The whole of the group turned to look at the towering Angelus, who was grasping a meek and very pale Althea at his right side. Spike growled as his Grandsire entered the room.

“Angelus. See that even when you’re evil, you’re still a brooding ponce.”

“Spike…you’ve gotten soft. I can see it in your eyes. Children do that to you, eh? That’s why vampires aren’t supposed to have children,” Angelus stroked Althea’s punctured neck, “At least, not that way.”

“You monster! What did you do to her?”

“Well, it’s obvious Spike. She’s all mine now. Sorry! Your little girl is my childe. I can already feel her power in me…it feels really great, by the way. Thanks for having her, Slayer...she's even better in the sack than you were.”

Buffy, overcome with grief for her daughter’s turning, and rage at Angelus for turning her, could only muster a flabbergasted gasp. Angelus chuckled.

“Very poignant, Slayer. You always had a way with words.”

“Why don’t you go back to hell, Angelus?”

“Now, is that a way to speak to your new son-in-law?”

Overcome with anger and confusion, Rupert, Conrad, Anya, and Tara lunged toward Angelus with a shout. The power that he showcased was unbelieveable, and he deflected each of the four without so much as a flick of his wrist.

“Ah…something I forgot to tell you; the powers your lovely daughter gave me are unbeatable. Surprise!”

Buffy and Spike stared in slight horror at each other.

"Pet, I know we haven’t completely gotten a handle on this…”

"We don’t have a choice, Spike. We have to. We have to get rid of Angelus once and for all, he’ll never leave us alone if we don’t. We can’t risk it…we can’t risk our children’s futures.”

Spike nodded and grabbed Buffy’s hands, staring lovingly into her eyes.

"Love you pet.”

"I know.”

A flash of blinding red light swept over the room, and where Spike and Buffy once stood, now stood a large, throbbing, red demon. Colette shrieked and buried her face in Drusilla’s chest. Drusilla smiled.

“Lovely!”

Taken aback for a moment by the beast in front of him, Angelus staggered behind Althea. After regaining his composure, he commanded Althea with a dark gaze.

“Show no mercy. I’ll take that…thing.”

Althea nodded, and lunged at her brothers and sisters, attacking them with a savageness the likes of which the world had never seen. The mental weight of being the progeny of a mated Slayer and vampire, and being turned early in life by a “master” vampire, proved to be too much for Althea. As she made a crazed lunge for Roxanne’s throat, she was met with a swift blow to her head by Tara.

“I’m sorry Althea…we’ll get you help.”

Angelus roared in anger as his plaything fell to the ground, unconscious. Sensing the beast’s worry at Althea’s fall, Angelus’ mind quickly brought him to a new realization. In mere seconds Angelus was at Althea’s side, holding a stake to her heart. This new, terrorizing thought broke down the connection Spike and Buffy shared, bringing them to their normal, separate forms. Buffy’s pleading look did little more than humor Angelus in his rage.

“Give me the girl, or I’ll send this one to Hell with me.”

“You know we’ll never do that Angelus,” Spike said, gritting his teeth. “Just put her down and fight us like a man.”

Angelus shrugged, and was suddenly covered in a burst of dust. For a brief second, Buffy swore that she saw a flash of blue light before Althea’s lifeless body was no more. Angelus grinned.

“Oops.”

A horrified Buffy tore after Angelus, her heart pounding. Spike too began to attack him, with full vampiric face bared. Colette gasped at her father’s appearance and turned to Drusilla.

“What happened to Papa?”

“Ohhh moppet, that’s just Daddy's cross face. You never see it because you’re a good girl.”

Surrounding their parents and Angelus in a circle, Anya, Rupert, William, Joyce, Conrad, and Tara growled angrily at Angelus. Spike took a stiff breath after lunging, unsuccessfully, at his Grandsire.

“You’ll never get out of this alive, Angelus. Why don’t you just stop fighting? I’ll make it as painless as I can.”

“You still have a lot to learn, don’t you, William?”

Because of Althea’s warm blood still coursing through his veins, Angelus’ next movement was almost invisible to the naked eye, but Drusilla in her usual madness, knew before he even though of it, what would happen next. Grabbing a sharp metal poker from the fireplace, Angelus lunged, fangs and blade bared, at Colette. As the blade came moving toward Colette’s throat, Drusilla heard Miss Edith’s tiny voice.

“Save her! That’s what the stars want!”

Drusilla didn’t take even a moment to nod before jumping in front of Colette, pushing her back against the wall and away from Angelus’ cruel intent. Spike, blinded by rage and fear, didn’t notice Drusilla’s injury until he had Angelus’ head in his hands.

“Go to Hell you son of a bitch.”

A large cloud of dust accompanied a loud snapping, and Buffy sighed in relief as she checked Colette for injuries, and found none. Drusilla moaned in agony on the bloodstained carpet beneath them. Spike, realizing what she had done, moved to her side and pushed the hair out of her face.

“Dru, pet…what have you done?”

“Miss Edith said. Said I had to save my grandbaby. Wouldn’t be fair if I kept her gift now, would it?”

“Yeah. How are you feeling, Dru?”

“I’m feeling very red. Spike…I’ve never felt this red before, Spike…I…I can’t breathe.”

“Dru, pet, you’re a vampire. You don’t have to breathe.”

“Nonetheless, I can’t do it. Everything is getting red now Spike. I don’t like it.”

“I know, Dru…I….”

Spike was overcome with compassion and gratitude toward his Sire, and, though he attempted to blink the tears away, he could not, and they flowed freely down his cheeks.

“Dru, I don’t know how to repay you.”

“We have to get her blood now if she’s going to make it,” Buffy said, her face as tear-stained as Spike’s.

Without a second thought, Colette raised her tiny hand and moved to Drusilla’s side.

“Please, Mummy…let me help Grandmummy! She saved me! I know she won’t hurt me, I just want to save her too.”

Drusilla smiled at Colette, but shook her head.

“No, moppet, I don’t deserve it. You keep your neck and take care of Miss Edith for me.”

Buffy sighed and took a small knife out of her back pocket.

“How much does she need Spike?”

One by one, Buffy and each of her children cut a small slit in their wrist and allowed Drusilla to feed briefly from them. Colette held her wrist out last, as Spike pulled the poker out of Drusilla’s stomach. Sucking lightly on Colette’s wrist for a brief moment, Drusilla smiled and looked up at her grandchild, her wound now completely healed.

“Wait...wait! I can’t….”

Drusilla’s smile faded and she stood up, twirling about the room and perking her ears up randomly. She picked up Miss Edith and shook the doll violently, before dropping it to the floor.

“I can’t hear them!”

Drusilla smiled and picked Colette up, twirling her around and laughing merrily.

“Your blood fixed it, moppet! Only you have the gift now!”

Colette smiled at Drusilla, and when she set her down, gingerly picked up Miss Edith and stroked the doll’s hair back into place.

“Miss Edith says everything will be alright, Grandmummy.”

A burst of smoke permeated the room, and Colette coughed.

“Oohh. Sorry! I’ve got to work on that whole entry thing, don’t I?”

Buffy smiled sadly as she picked Colette up in her arms.

“Hello Anyanka.”

--

--

“Why are you so sad Buffy? Cheer up,” Anyanka said, crossing the room and patting the Slayer on the shoulder.

Spike shook his head at her.

“Anyanka, we’re really not in the mood…you must’ve seen, we…we lost Althea.”

Tears began to roll down Buffy’s cheeks, which Colette tried to brush away.

“Where is she Mummy? I miss her.”

Anyanka smiled and took Colette’s hands gently in her own.

"She’s with me now, sweetie. She’s okay!”

Spike and Buffy looked confused, and Anyanka sighed.

“Oh, do I have to explain everything to you? Well, you know how I intervened on your behalf to get you two kids back together?”

Spike nodded.

“And…?”

“Well, like you said, I was watching your whole battle with Angelus, and I have to say you fight really well for someone your age Buffy, but when I saw what was about to happen to Althea, I had to intervene; Buffy, I know you must’ve seen it.”

Buffy cocked her head to the side and comprehension flashed across her face.

"That blue flash?”

Anyanka smiled.

“Yep. That was me. I don’t always have to do the 'smoky entrance' thing, you know. I'm not a one-trick pony. That one's just my favorite. I had to make a quick decision before Angelus could kill her, and I hope you aren’t mad at me for it….”

“Why would we be mad if you saved her life?”

“Well,” Anyanka drolled, until she was interrupted by another cloud of smoke.

Althea stood before them, however, there was a decidedly different air about her. Buffy was confused momentarily until she noticed the small silver necklace dangling from Althea’s throat.

“Oh God, Anyanka…not that….”

Althea moved toward her mother, slowly, her eyes begging for acceptance.

“Mummy, I…I would have chosen this if I was given the chance to, anyway. I can help people this way, I really can.”

Anyanka nodded.

“With the vacancy that Hallie…that Halfrek left, we do need a good Vengeance bringer for hurting children…that Hansen guy that was on television worked out for a while, but, you know men...always thinking with their," Anyanka trailed off as she looked at Colette, "Well, yeah...you know. Let me tell you, beware a scorned orc woman; they tend to be more jealous than all get out."

"I'll keep that in mind," Spike said, rolling his eyes.

"Poor Chris learned that the hard way. And after all the good he did...oh well. But, Althea can help, Buffy. I know she can.”

Althea smiled at her mother and father, and stepped backward to join Anyanka.

“I promise, I’ll only do good. I’ll help those who need me, just like you two do.”

Tara Lyn, who had been clustered in the back of the living room with Buffy and Spike’s other children, came forward, tears blistering her face.

“Mama, I think it’s her purpose. She’s always had a soft spot for Colette, and she died trying to protect her. I think…I think this is what she was born for.”

Buffy sighed and nodded, squeezing Tara Lyn’s hand for a moment before looking back to Anyanka and Althea. She smiled sadly at Anyanka.

“Take care of my daughter Anyanka.”

Anyanka grinned and nodded.

“Of course I will, Buffy! She really has already been a big help, she has some great ideas on what to do to this one awful fellow that we saw on a chat room pestering little kids, she thought we could….”

Althea cleared her throat and smiled at Anyanka.

“I don’t really want to discuss work right now, is that okay?” Anyanka nodded, blushing, and Althea continued, “Mama, Papa, I’m so sorry for putting you through this. But I will make you proud of me, I swear.”

“I know, poppet,” Spike said, “But we don’t understand why you even did all of this nonsense with Angelus in the first place…why?”

Sighing and hanging her head in shame, Althea held back the tears that threatened to escape her eyes.

“It all just blew up when Phillip died…I realized that I couldn’t be with anyone without having to lose them to their own mortality, and I hated you for cursing me with this life…for cursing all of us. You two got to choose to be immortals, we didn’t have that choice…and I wanted to do something to show you that I was unhappy, but I didn’t know what Angelus was planning on doing.”

“Poppet, I didn’t even know that you had such strong feelings for that lad….”

"I didn’t, not really, but when he died, I realized that I couldn’t have anyone. I mean, if a car accident doesn’t kill them like it did Phillip, then old age will,” she turned to her brothers and sisters, “How do you all deal with it?”

Joyce and William blushed furiously and shifted their gaze from Althea to Buffy and Spike. Joyce sighed and spoke in a quiet voice.

“Well, we aren’t the only children of a mated pair…even if we are the only children of a Slayer and a vampire.”

William cracked his knuckles absentmindedly.

“While Joyce and I were out fighting a Kungai demon in Iceland, we were helped by another pair of twins, a man and a woman.”

“And we were talking for a long while, and everything just…happened. It felt right…William lives with Tela back home, and I live with Oliver.”

“I’m so sorry for you to find out this way…we were planning on telling you,” William offered, “...eventually.”

One by one, the children came forward, admitting their love interests, who ranged in variation from ensouled vampires, to various immortal demons, and, to Spike’s confusion, one Deathwok clan demon named Lorne.

“Lorne...demon Lorne,” Spike asked Roxanne, “Poppet, why? He’s…a…he’s, he’s green!”

“Papa, I love him, and we have a lot in common,” Roxanne offered.

“Like what, pray tell?”

Roxanne shrugged and pouted.

“Well, I love to sing. He loves to run karaoke bars. It seems like a perfect fit to me.”

Buffy patted her on the shoulder.

“As long as you’re happy, Roxie, we’re happy.”

"Aren’t we, Spike?”

Spike frowned at Buffy, but relented quickly and nodded at Roxanne.

“Alright, poppet. Whatever makes you happy.”

" ‘m not going to be happy if we have green grandkids, pet. It’ll be all your fault too. You’ll have to explain it to everyone.”

Buffy laughed and gently kissed Spike’s forehead.

"I do love you, you dope.”

"Yeah, yeah...I'll bet. I'm getting to be a bloody pushover.”

"A sexy pushover."

"Pushover nonetheless."

Anyanka smiled at Buffy and Spike in a strangely eerie way. Spike furrowed his brows at her and cocked his head to the side.

“What is it, Anyanka?”

She smiled and grinned widely.

“Oh nothing. Just can sense something coming. Can’t you sense it in your parents Althea?”

Althea stood in concentration for a moment, staring at her parents before breaking out into a huge smile.

"Wow. Yeah…you know for people who are as old as you are, you sure have an avid nightlife. Mummy, there are ways to get around winding up in your condition, you know. They make pills for that sort of thing.”

Anyanka and Althea chuckled before waving to the group and leaving, in a cloud of smoke. Buffy bit her lip and turned to Spike.

"You don’t think she meant….”

“I’m pretty sure she did pet.”

“Right. Well, it’s off to the drugstore again, isn’t it?”

“I s’ppose so, love. We should buy stock in whoever makes those little tests.”


~~END!!~~