Chapter 1: Call Me Buffy

They called her Oniha. Only that wasn’t who she was. By the time she was two years old she was able to let them know in no uncertain terms that her name was Buffy. They didn’t like that. Tough. Buffy. Buffy. Buffy. Buffy. It was a chant that she could keep up indefinitely. Eventually they gave in. They called her Buffy. By the time she was six they had sought help from a shaman from her mother’s tribe. Her mother was a Cherokee who had never set foot inside a reservation in her life. Her father was a wealthy business owner in Oklahoma. Between her mother’s blood and her father’s money they found the answers they needed. Unfortunately, they were the answers they did not want. They went on to have other children; children that actually belonged to them.

Buffy liked the people she was born to. She felt bad that she caused them so much pain, but she refused to deny who she was, and she really, really wanted to go home. They were good people and they tried everything they could to contact the people she asked them to, but it always failed. It was as if there were magical barriers that prevented her from reaching her loved ones. She felt very isolated from everything. She watched the couple as they had more children. They were happy. She was glad for them. They always tried to include her, but she continued to feel like she was on the outside looking in. What must it be like for them? To see the body of their daughter – one who had arrived in this world stillborn - be filled with the soul of Buffy Summers after she dove off of a platform to save the world. Buffy thought it was probably a bit creepy. Maybe they shouldn’t have contacted the shaman. Maybe it would have been better if they had just thought she was crazy.

As weird as it may sound, Buffy knew why she was here. It was Spike. He was her one regret as she jumped off of the platform. The one thing she wished she had allowed herself. It was as if his love for her had anchored her in this world. At night she used to talk to him. She asked him over and over again to come and get her. He never talked back. She decided that as soon as she turned eighteen she would find him. She would head out to Los Angeles and ask Angel for help. She hoped there wouldn’t be some bizarre force field that kept her from entering the Hyperion just like it kept her from calling it. She was now sixteen, nearly seventeen, and she couldn’t wait to leave. These people had been better to her than she could have hoped, but she never felt a connection to them.

They had given her a great education and indulged in her every whim, which mainly included a lot of martial arts training. That was another thing – her strength had never left her. Nope, even reincarnated she still had the slayer package. Just imagine an elementary school student who could lift up a car so her mother could change the tire – hence the home schooling. So, here she was just waiting to be of legal age. Tonight she was going patrolling. It wasn’t particularly necessary in the small town that she lived in, but it gave her something to do while she waited for time to pass by. She looked herself over in the mirror. She had to admit she’d been lucky. She was really quite beautiful. She had straight long black hair and almond shaped eyes that were nearly black, with thick dark lashes. She had high cheek bones in an oval shaped face that was adorned with soft pouty lips. She stood at about five foot four and had a deceptively delicate build. Thanks to her mother’s heritage she had golden brown skin that never needed to see the sun. She was wearing her usual patrol attire: blue jeans, black t-shirt, and black tennis shoes. She was ready to rock… or at least maim

She slipped out of the guesthouse that her parents had let her use since she had turned ten. It was just easier for everyone. She made her way over the wall that surrounded the grounds. She could have walked through the gates but this was a lot more fun. It took her nearly forty minutes through the wilds of Oklahoma, okay through farm fields, to reach the nearest cemetery. She had only staked twelve vampires since she started coming here. Even for a cemetery, this place was dead. Tonight, something felt different. There was a buzz in the air that hadn’t been there before. It was a familiar tingle that said vampire, but it was more than that. She felt a feeling of anticipation steal over her. Whatever it was – she wanted it. She walked up and down the headstones for nearly ten minutes before she spotted the cause. There on a blanket under the moonlight was a lovely dark haired vampire having a tea party.

Buffy knew who it was immediately. Drusilla. She should have been scared. She should have been wary. She should have left. She didn’t. Even Drusilla was a taste of home. Her real home. She walked over to the crazy woman and sat down on the blanket.

Dru turned to her with a wicked smile. “Mummy’s been waiting for you. You’re late to the party. Miss Edith says I musn’t punish you, though. She says you’re too important.” Dru handed Buffy a cup of tea.

Buffy gave it a delicate sniff before deciding it was safe to drink. It was tea. She took a sip and then carefully set it back down on the saucer. “What are you doing here Dru? Is Spike with you?”

Drusilla took a sip of her own tea. “No, I lost my Spike.”

At Buffy’s look of devastation, Dru quickly added, “No, he’s not dust silly girl. He’s just lost to me. He’s not lost to you, however, at least not yet. He will be if you don’t go to Daddy’s hotel. You must go. Spike needs you. He’s being taken over by a horrible creature. A Lisa person. Who doesn’t want the true Spike. When he is himself, he will die. Unless you go.”

“I’ll go Dru. Who is this Lisa?” Buffy didn’t like the sound of this. She took another sip of tea for comfort.

“He thinks he’s in love with her, but he’s not. He’s only in love with you. She’s the slayer. The one who took over after the dark one died,” Drusilla explained.

Buffy felt a pain shoot through her. Faith was dead. Oh, poor Faith. She wondered how long she had lasted. “That’s right, Slayers die young.” Drusilla pointed out. Buffy started to feel funny. She looked down at the cup in her hand and watched as it seemed to tumble down to the blanket in slow motion. She looked at Dru. She was fully vamped. “Mummy has to turn you so that you won’t die. Musn’t die. You have to save my Spike. All my chicks must be safe.” The next thing Buffy felt were Drusilla’s fangs pressed into her flesh. Surprisingly, it still felt comforting. It still tasted of home.

Chapter 2: Soul Struck

Buffy was hungry. She could smell something tantalizing tugging at the edges of her awareness. She fought to come fully awake so that she could find the source of the aroma. She opened her eyes to a strange room. She sat up and looked around, zeroing in on the smell. It was sire. Drusilla had turned her. Oh brother, what had she gotten herself into now? Could her life get much more complicated?

Drusilla offered Buffy an enticing smile as she slinked her way over to her newest childe. “Hungry, my sweet?” She slid onto Buffy’s lap, straddling her thighs, and tilted her neck. Buffy wasted no time into sinking her fangs into her sire’s sweet flesh. The blood that filled her mouth was unlike anything she had tasted before. It was dark, sweet, and filled with promise. She’s not sure she would have ever been able to stop if it weren’t for Dru’s low growl of warning. Buffy gently retracted her fangs and smoothed her forehead.

“What’s going on Dru? Why did you turn me?” Buffy asked her.

“I told you, silly, so you won’t die. You’re my gift to Spike. I always knew you would be. I didn’t like it. I tried to ignore Miss Edith, but she started to wail so that I couldn’t here anything else.” Dru walked over to a suitcase and pulled out several garments. “I bought you clothes. Much better than what you usually wear. I also put money, lots and lots, in the lining of the suitcase. I believe I’ve thought of everything.” She turned to Buffy holding out a pair of low rise jeans and sheer floral print poet shirt. “You need to shower. You should have everything you need.”

“Where am I going?” Buffy was feeling dizzy at the pace Drusilla was moving things.

“To Daddy’s hotel. I already told you Slayer, honestly,” Dru tisked as she ushered Buffy towards the bathroom in what must be a hotel room.

“Dru, I’m a vampire. Don’t you think Angel might find that a little stake worthy? Especially as I’m not exactly wearing a familiar face?” Buffy knew Dru was crazy but what was the point in turning her only to have her dusted.

Dru heaved a great sigh. “What do you feel like doing right this moment?”

“Taking a shower,” Buffy stated.

“Exactly. Not killing. Not ripping the throats out of young lovers.” Dru gave another sigh, this one more wistful. “My children are such a disappointment to me.”

“Are you saying that I have my soul?” Buffy asked with excitement.

“Sadly, yes. You’re soul stuck,” Dru said it as if it were the sorriest thing in the world. “Now, into the shower with you missy. It will be sunset soon and you can take a cab.”

“Wait, where are we?” Buffy was confused. How long had it taken her to wake up?

“We are in the city of my Angel. Shower. Now.” Dru was starting to loose her patience. Plus giving Buffy so much blood had made her weak and hungry. She needed to send her newest childe off so that she could eat.

Buffy made her way into the shower and had to stifle the short scream that came to her when she didn’t see herself in the mirror. Luckily, this body had never needed make up. A little lip gloss and she was good to go. Still, she would miss her reflection. What if she had a booger on the outside of her nose? What then? Did vampires even get boogers? She shook her head to clear it and got in the shower. The water felt different on her skin. That’s when she realized all of her senses had become enhanced.

She finished soaping up and let the water rinse off the suds. She stepped out of the shower and dried herself off. She looked around and was quite pleased to find a toothbrush and toothpaste. She made use of the items and then began brushing out her long hair. It struck her suddenly that she wasn’t particularly upset at being turned. She wasn’t sure if it was the anticipation of getting to see Spike and Angel, or if it was just that she had always felt so out of place anyway. In the end she supposed as long as she had her soul, she was still Buffy and that’s all that mattered.

She walked naked out of the bathroom and saw Drusilla’s eyes widen in appreciation. She was unaccountably pleased with the reaction. Must be a vamp thing. She put the clothes on Drusilla had left for her and was delighted to see a pair of dark brown suede boots. She couldn’t see a mirror but she was pretty sure she looked good. “So, Dru, anything in particular that I need to look out for? Like whatever is going to happen to Spike that you want me to stop?”

“You’ll know when the time comes. I do have a word of warning. You must not tell them who you are. They will not believe you. You smell like family and they will know that I have sired you. They’ll think I’ve gotten into your head and put things there. You must simply throw yourself on their mercy. Let them know I sent you to protect them. Tell them you have a soul. I’ve bought you a little something to help convince them.” Drusilla picked up a leather case and handed it to Buffy.

Buffy opened it and was stunned to see a beautiful gold cross on a thick chain. She reached her hand out and was overcome with relief at being able to touch the cross without pain. She pulled the necklace out and fastened it around her neck. She turned to Drusilla with tears in her eyes. “Thank you. This means so much to me. It means I’m not evil. I’m not tainted.”

Dru gave a disgusted shudder. “Stop. Please. It’s revolting. Just get your suitcase and go. Save Spike. I need to get back to my chaos demon. We’re having a no souls party next weekend.” Dru gave Buffy a level look. “No invitation for you.”

Buffy smiled. “Thank you, anyway. I promise I’ll do whatever I can to protect Spike.”

“I know,” Dru said with a sad smile.

Buffy didn’t turn back to look at her sire as she walked out of the hotel room and made her way down to the street below. She got into a cab and gave them the address of the Hyperion. She was going home. She couldn’t wait. The no telling thing was a little overwhelming. The Lisa thing was a bit much too. A slayer. Did he have a thing for slayers or something? She was a little annoyed at that thought, but decided to settle on thinking that he was just trying to find someone like her. Buffy felt sure that she was going to hate this girl on sight.

The cab pulled up in front of the Hyperion. Buffy paid the cab driver and got out with her suitcase in hand. She walked up to the front doors. She felt every cell in her body buzzing with nerves. Oh goodness, here it goes. She pushed through the doors and felt great relief that there was no barrier. She made it about three feet before she was tackled to the ground by a blur of blonde power. Slayer.

Buffy threw the other girl off with ease. “Save it sister, I’ve got soul.”

The girl wasn’t about to fall for that one. She went in to attack again when a deep voice said, “Wait.”

Buffy looked up. It was Angel. Oh gosh, it was Angel. She wanted nothing more than to run to him and throw herself into his arms. She could already tell that she was grinning from ear to ear like a fool. Honestly, she thought she might faint. “Angel,” She said in that breathy little voice that she always used when saying his name.

“Yes, that’s me. Who are you?” Angel asked coming over to them. “Lisa, back off. I’ve got it.”

“But she’s a vampire,” the girl said.

“I’m aware of that.” Angel looked at the current slayer with annoyance. He couldn’t help it. He just didn’t like this one. “What you are not aware of is that she’s family.” Angel turned to the gorgeous, dark skinned girl who was just now getting to her feet. “You’re one of Dru’s, right?”

“Yes. Just turned.” Buffy was still grinning. It was Angel. She had to hold herself still to stop from touching him. “I kept my soul. Dru was completely, how did she put it? Oh that’s right – revolted. She was revolted. She said to come here, and help her Angel and her Spike. So here I am. To help.”

Angel couldn’t help smiling back at the girl. She made him feel good just like his Cordy did. “We’re going to have to check this soul thing. As far as I know I’m the only souled vampire in this world.”

“Look.” Buffy said pulling the cross out from under her blouse and fingering it. “No burning. I’ve never killed a human. I’m a good guy.”

“Bloody well doubt that, kitten.” A lightly accented English voice spoke from the doorway behind Buffy.

Buffy turned to see Spike. The smile fell from her face. She felt herself falling. He was there. He was as beautiful as ever. She really was home. She hit the ground hard and blackness overtook her.

Chapter 3: Hotel California

Angel looked down at the fallen girl and then back up at Spike. Spike just shrugged. “Well, what can I say? I just have that affect on women,” Spike said with his tongue against his teeth.

Angel rolled his eyes and then bent down to revive the strange girl. “Hey you,” he stroked her cheek gently. “Wake up.”

Her eyes fluttered open. “Angel?”

“Yeah,” he said with another warm smile.

“It’s really you.” She had tears in her eyes. “I’m home.”

“That remains to be seen.” Spike said looking down at her. Damn but she was gorgeous. He’d learned not to trust gorgeous women; they were trouble.

“Spike,” Buffy said in awe.

“Well, so glad that Dru could fill you in on the family tree, but how about you telling us who you are exactly.” Spike was nobody’s fool.

Angel reached down to help the little vampire to her feet. He escorted her over to a couch and sat her down. He didn’t want her fainting again. “Have you eaten?”

“Just from Drusilla when I woke up,” Buffy said shyly.

“You must be starving.” Angel turned to Lisa. “Would you please get our guest a warm glass of blood, Lisa?”

“Why should I?” Lisa said smartly.

“Lisa,” Spike said softly. “Please.”

The slayer gave one last disdainful look at Buffy and turned to do as Angel had asked. She really hated that righteous prick.

When she had left the room Buffy decided to tell them as much as she could. “I’m from Oklahoma. Drusilla caught me using this tea party set up. I drank her tea, passed out, and woke up a vampire here in California. She found out I had a soul and sent me to help you guys. She seems to think that Spike is in danger.”

“From what?” Angel asked her. He had learned to take Dru’s premonitions seriously.

“She didn’t say,” Buffy answered honestly.

“You got a name, o’ soulful one?” Spike said leaning against a wall.

Buffy thought about it for a moment. Then she smiled. “Can you just call me Rose?”

“So you aren’t going to tell us your name?” Angel asked.

“Well, my birth certificate says Oniha. It’s Cherokee. But since I’m dead and all, why not Rose? I like Rose,” Buffy, now Rose explained.

“By any other name would smell as sweet…” Spike looked at her askance.

“Exactly,” Buffy said shyly. She’d studied Shakespeare because she’d known how much Spike had liked it. She’d also learned to love Manchester United and punk music. It suddenly dawned on her, she was like a stalker. Creepy.

“So, Rose, do your parents know what happened to you?” Angel asked ever the responsible one.

A look of panic stole over Buffy’s face. “Oh, no! I should have called. What’s the date?”

Angel told her the date. Buffy was relieved. “I’ve only been missing for three days. They may not have noticed, yet.”

“How old are you?” Spike asked her.

“I’m sixteen, almost seventeen.” Buffy didn’t dare tell them the date of her birth.

“What parents don’t notice when their sixteen year old daughter doesn’t come home for three days?” Spike questioned.

“Mine. They’re great people. It’s just that we’ve never really been close. I’ve lived in the guesthouse for the last six years. It’s better that way. They have their own kids to deal with,” Buffy tried to explain.

“You’re not theirs?” Angel wondered if she just had terrible adoptive parents.

“Yes and no. It’s complicated. Would you mind if I didn’t discuss it?” Buffy asked.

“Of course,” Angel assured her.

“May I use the phone?” Buffy asked Angel. “I can pay you for the call. Drusilla left me with a ton of cash.” She looked at Spike. “She really is strange, you know.”

Spike finally gave her a bit of smile as he nodded. Angel reached into his pants pocket and handed her a cell phone. Buffy took it gratefully and placed the call.

“Hello, Grace, it’s me,” Buffy said to the woman who had been as much of a mother to her as she would allow. “I’m sorry if I’ve worried anyone. I was finally able to go home. I hope you’ll be happy for me. I also want to thank you for all that you and Dave have done for me over the years. You’ve been so patient and accepting. I could not have asked for more understanding people to live with.” Buffy listened for a while. “No, I won’t be coming back. Just pack up my things for charity. Thank you.” Another pause. “I wish you and your family all the best, Grace. Bye.” Buffy handed the phone back to Angel.

“They were wondering where I was. Thanks for mentioning it. I would hate to have worried them,” Buffy said.

Angel and Spike just stared at her. That was the oddest conversation that they had ever heard, and they’d heard some doozies. Angel decided then and there that he would give this girl a home. “Look, Rose, you are welcome to stay here with us. I just need to have a friend confirm that you do have a soul. Not that the cross thing wasn’t impressive.” He smiled to let her know it was going to be okay.

Buffy sagged with relief. There was no way she was willing to leave when she’d just found them. Plus she was dying inside to find out about Dawn and the rest of the gang. She imagined a great deal of snooping in her future. “Thank you so much. You have no idea how much this means to me.” She launched herself at Angel in a big hug.

He hugged her back with a chuckle. “You’re welcome. You will have to work though.”

“I’m ready for anything,” Buffy said with a smile.

“Hope you’re ready for pig’s blood, ‘cause here it is,” Lisa said with a sneer as she handed a mug over to Buffy.

“Thank you, Lisa,” Buffy said graciously. She’d come against a hell of a lot worse than this girl. Buffy studied her as she drank the blood. Lisa had medium length blonde hair, blue eyes, stood about five feet seven inches tall, and had a nice muscular build. She was pretty enough, but she had a pettiness to her that Buffy thought spoiled her looks. When Buffy finished her mug, Angel took it and set it on a coffee table. He was just about to ask her some more questions when a commotion at the door stopped him.

Connor, Fred, Gunn, Lorne, Wesley, and Cordelia entered through the hotel doors weighted down with shopping bags. They were all laughing at something Lorne was saying. Buffy had eyes for only one person in the group. Cordelia. She looked so beautiful. She had fine lines around her eyes and mouth and her figure was a little fuller. She had aged into a stunning woman. She was another taste of home. Once again Buffy had to hold herself back from tackling someone. All she wanted to do was hold onto Cordelia and not let go. Who would have thought?

As the group got closer Buffy was able to discern things with her new sense of smell. Cordelia and Angel were a couple. Instead of making her sad, she felt elated. Good for them. They deserved it. The very thin woman smelled like both Wesley and the African American man. Funny. The boy smelled like Angel. Wait a minute! He was Angel’s son. Buffy had to steel herself to keep the shock from showing on her face. Must have been a prophecy. He looked to be about the same age as Buffy’s current body.

“Hey everyone, meet Rose. She’s a vampire with a soul,” Angel said cheerily. “Well, we think she has a soul anyway. Lorne would you mind?”

Lorne looked at the little girl. Her aura was blinding. “She’s got a soul. Boy does she ever have a soul.” The packages Lorne was holding dropped from his hands. He made his way over to the girl. “No need to have you sing. You’re a warrior of light.” He reached a hand out to touch something no one else could see. “Thank you,” he said to her.

Buffy knew what he meant. He could see her. He could see the sacrifices that she had made. “You’re welcome. Thank you for seeing me.”

Lorne backed away. He noticed something else, too. Something that he was going to keep to himself. Her soul was connected to Spike. There would be trouble in the days to come, and Lorne was gleeful at the thought; he hated Lisa. She had a small soul. She was condescending to everyone around her, especially Spike. Yes, things were looking up at the Hyperion.

“Welcome to the Hyperion. I’m Fred.” The pretty woman she’d noticed a moment ago held out her hand for Buffy’s.

Buffy gave it a gentle shake. “Thank you, Fred.”

Connor came up next. This girl was gorgeous. Vampire or not. He gave her his most charming smile and stuck out his hand. “I’m Connor. I’m Angel and Cordelia’s son.”

Spike growled at the boy approaching Rose. He stepped back in surprise. ‘What the hell?’ “Sorry,” he muttered to Connor. Angel turned to look at his grand-childe with raised eyebrows. Spike just shrugged. He didn’t know why, but his inner demon did not want the boy touching this girl. That couldn’t be good.

Buffy shook Connor’s hand. “Nice to meet you, Connor.” She was secretly pleased by Spike’s reaction. Only she and Angel had any idea -- besides Spike of course -- what the growl indicated.

“I’m Gunn.” The African American man came and exchanged handshakes with Buffy.

“Rose,” Buffy said back to him.

“Yes, and I’m Wesley. It’s lovely to meet you Rose.” Wesley offered her his hand as well.

“Lovely to meet you, too, Wesley,” Buffy offered back and she let her hand linger just slightly on his. Another taste of home.

“That just leaves me,” Cordelia said with a smile as she approached the young girl. She had a good feeling about this one. “I’m Cordelia. I’m sort of the mother hen around here. Welcome to our home.”

That was it. Buffy couldn’t help it. She threw herself into Cordelia’s arms. She breathed her in as deeply as she could. “Thank you Cordy. Thank you so much. You are one of the most beautiful things I have seen in nearly seventeen years,” Buffy cried.

Cordelia just wrapped her arms around the girl and rocked her back and forth. ‘This girl needs a mother’ she thought and Cordelia felt more than prepared for the job. She loved everyone in her family, except Lisa. She couldn’t bring herself to think of Lisa as family. Cordelia had to tolerate her, however, because she was the slayer. After the girl in her arms stopped crying, Cordelia gently pulled away. “Let’s get you settled in.”

“Kay,” was all that Buffy managed as she followed Cordelia up the stairs never once letting go of the older woman’s hand.

Angel stared after them. He couldn’t explain it. He hadn’t felt so happy in ages. It was a good thing his soul had been bound after Connor was nearly stolen from him as a baby. Wesley had been researching the prophecy on Connor’s birth when he found a way to permanently cement Angel’s soul. They had taken down an old enemy of Angel’s named Holtz in the process.

Spike came up behind Angel with Lisa firmly wrapped around him. “I don’t know, mate. I get a funny feeling about this girl. I think she’s trouble. Dru wouldn’t have sent her here if she didn’t have a purpose. Miss Edith’s probably been whispering to her again. Got something afoot.”

“Well, Spike. You and I both know that Rose has told the truth about being newly turned and belonging to Dru. Lorne confirmed the soul. I think we should just wait and see. Dru may be pissed as hell that you decided to help me out here after Dawn went to college, but she still loves you. If she sent this girl here to protect you, let her.” Angel walked away.

“I agree with you, Spike, I don’t like this vamp. She’s trouble,” Lisa stated.

Spike felt his demon rise at Lisa’s words. His demon wanted to protect the newly arrived vampire from the slayer standing beside him. Spike felt a well of resentment rise up at the intrusion of this newcomer upon his inner peace. It wasn’t easy being a soulless vampire with a chip in your head. He’d been struggling to do what was right for years; to honor Buffy’s memory. Now, this girl waltzes in and makes him feel things he hadn’t felt in seventeen years. He was determined to stomp down any good feelings he had toward her. He would not allow her to mess things up for him. It was a promise he was making to himself and to Buffy.

Chapter 4: Warrior Woman

The next day Buffy found her way to the kitchen. Cordelia was sitting down eating a bowl of cereal. Gunn was working over the stove. Angel and Spike were no where to be seen. Buffy wished she could say the same for Lisa who not only gave her the evil eye, but who reeked of sex and Spike. Buffy had to suppress a growl. She spotted Wesley, Conner, Fred and Lorne sitting at a far table playing with their eating utensils. Apparently they were waiting for Gunn to finish with whatever he had going on in the skillet. It smelled divine, but all Buffy really wanted was blood.

“Good morning, Rose,” Cordelia greeted her with a smile. “Blood is in the refrigerator.”

“Thanks, Cordelia, and good morning.” Buffy walked over and pulled a blood bag out. She took a mug off of the rack and ripped the bag open with her teeth. She poured the blood into the mug and put it in the microwave. She found the trashcan and disposed of the bag. When the microwave beeped she took out the mug and started drinking her breakfast. She noticed everyone looking at her.

“Oh, does this bother you guys?” Buffy asked in embarrassment.

“No, honey. We’re just a little surprised at how easily you did all that. Spike and Angel still sometimes burn their blood even after all these years,” Cordelia explained.

Buffy had always been a quick thinker. Okay, not always. “Men. They should never be allowed in the kitchen.”

“Hey!” Gunn said indignantly as he waived a wooden spoon in the air.

“Sorry,” Buffy muttered as she took a seat across from Cordelia. Great. She was alienating people left and right. Way to go, Buff. But it was better than saying, ‘oh that’s ‘cause I did it for Spike all the time when we had him chained up in a bathtub’.

Lisa finished with her bowl of cereal and got up from her seat with no thought to picking up after herself. This time, Cordelia couldn’t hold her tongue. “Lisa, please rinse out your bowl and put it in the dishwasher.”

The slayer turned with preternatural grace and looked down at Cordelia. “You’re the mother hen around here, right? So, mother.” She turned back around to leave.

“Apologize!” Buffy growled.

Lisa turned again whip-fast. “Make me.” She’d been dying to fight this chick as soon as she walked through the doors yesterday.

Buffy set her mug down. “If you insist.” She walked towards the insolent girl. “Only, you go first.”

“That I can do, vampire!” Lisa shot her fist out at Buffy as hard as she could. The blow was intended to send Buffy flying backwards but Buffy ducked it effortlessly. She had both her slayer strength and her vamp strength. This slayer was nothing more than a toy to Buffy.

Lisa tried again and again but Buffy avoided her every time. This went on for several rounds until Buffy smiled and stood still. Lisa got in a solid hit. Buffy stumbled backwards. Lisa had managed a kick to her jaw. Buffy could feel a little blood leak out from a split on her lip. She turned back to Lisa and gave the blood a slow lick. “Everyone saw, honey-bunny, you hit me first.” Buffy struck out like a snake and grabbed Lisa’s arm. She could feel the other woman’s bones grind in her hand. It felt good.

“Now, apologize to Cordelia, or we all get to see that slayer healing in action,” Buffy said sweetly.

“Sorry, Queen C,” Lisa snapped out.

Buffy ground the girl’s wrist until she felt it crack. Only she got to call Cordelia that. Lisa screamed. “I said sorry!”

Buffy let the girl go. “Next time mean it.”

Angel and Spike came running in at the same time. Spike looked to Buffy first then down at Lisa. He delicately inspected his girlfriend’s wrist. He vamped out in anger. He stalked over to Buffy, picked her up, and pushed her against a wall. “Are you ready to die?”

Angel threw Spike off of Buffy and looked around the room. “Anyone care to explain what’s going on here?”

“It was Lisa, dad,” Conner said getting up. He’d been completely mesmerized by the little vampire’s moves. Amazing. She was totally amazing. “Mom asked Lisa to rinse her dish out, but Lisa just insulted her and told her to do it herself.”

Spike felt his stomach clench. Why did Lisa always do that? He knew Cordelia could be a bit much. He remembered that she and Buffy had always gone head to head, but still, she needed to back off. “That doesn’t excuse Rose from attacking Lisa, Angel,” Spike snarled.

“No, it doesn’t,” Angel agreed.

“Please! Lisa attacked first when Rose told her to apologize to mom,” Connor yelled.

Angel looked at Rose’s cracked lip. “Spike, get Lisa out of my site.”

Spike did as he was told. He led Lisa back up to their room. He was a bit shocked that a fledgling could have gotten the upper hand on a seasoned slayer. Lisa was certainly no Buffy, or even Faith for that manner, but she’d been a slayer for nearly seven years. They lived a lot longer now that the Hellmouth had been sealed when Buffy jumped. It had taken them months to even realize it had closed; they had been so shell-shocked by her death. Spike tried to shake those thoughts away. He didn’t know why, but ever since Dru’s newest had walked in yesterday thoughts of Buffy kept plaguing him. How could he still love her so much after so many years when she had never even loved him back? He was pathetic. Completely and irrevocably love’s bitch.

“Are you gonna stare at the carpet all day, braniac, or are you gonna get a wrap for my wrist?” Lisa snarled as she took a seat on their bed.

“Sorry,” Spike apologized as he made his way into the bathroom for the first aid kit. He hated when she called him names. Buffy used to call him names, too. Back then of course he had called her names back. He used to give it just as good as he got it. Times change. People, even vampires, get worn down. It was like a piece of himself died when Buffy died. He just didn’t have the fire he used to. Loving Lisa was easy. It only cost him his pride. Loving Buffy had cost him the soul he wasn’t supposed to have.

He wrapped Lisa’s wrist and gave her some pain killers. Thanks to her slayer healing she’d be fine by tomorrow. He tucked her into bed and bent down to give her a kiss but she turned away like usual. Oh, that’s right, he forgot, no kissing on the mouth. She didn’t like blood breath. Spike made his way back down stairs. He noticed Cordelia fussing over Rose’s split lip. Once again he felt something inside of him stir.

“If you have a problem with Lisa, little girl, you bring it up with me,” Spike said as he prepared himself a glass of blood. “She’s the slayer. She’s a hell of a lot more important than you. She is the chosen one. She protects this world.”

Buffy would have responded but Lorne caught everyone’s attention with a loud snort. They all looked at him. Lorne cleared his throat. He knew who was in their midst, or at least he knew what she was made of. “Sorry, Spike honey, it’s just that our Rose here is a bit of a warrior woman herself. Aren’t you sweetie?”

Buffy wasn’t sure what he was getting at. “I can fight,” she said noncommittally.

Connor and Gunn both started talking about the way Rose had moved. How she’d been faster than any vampire or slayer that they had ever seen. Angel and Spike both raised their eyes over their mugs of blood and looked at each other. Angel set his mug down and turned to Rose. “Have you studied martial arts?”

“Since I was four,” Buffy informed him.

“Really?” Spike had an idea. This sixteen year old fledgling had no clue whose presence she was in. “Care to spar?”

Buffy felt everything inside of her light up. “Hell, yeah.”

“Language,” Cordelia said.

“Sorry, Cordy.” Buffy gave her an apologetic grin.

Cordelia just sighed. This girl had her wrapped around her finger after only one day.

Angel got up from the table. “Listen, if you two are going to do this we have to set some ground rules. No broken bones, no staking, no ripping heads off, or snapping of spinal cords.”

Buffy winced. “That was an accident.”

Angel looked at her funny. “What was?”

Buffy realized what she had said. “Oh, just something from my childhood.” It was, sort of. She’d still been in school when she’d snapped Spike’s spinal cord with an organ. It had been an accident. She’d meant to crush his skull and dust him, not put him in a wheel chair.

Everyone quickly cleaned up their dishes and made their way to the practice room. They loved a good spar, and after seeing Rose move they couldn’t wait to see her fight Spike, who was undoubtedly their best fighter.

“Do you need to change, school girl?” Spike taunted Rose as he moved out onto the matt.

“No, Billy, I’m cool. I can fight in a mini-skirt and pumps if the mood strikes me,” Buffy promised him.

Spike thought of Buffy. She’d fought like that all the time. It pissed him off how much this girl kept bringing Buffy into his head. “You ready, little girl?”

“Bring it on, Big Bad. Bring it on,” Buffy said. She knew that using little monikers would eat at him. He’d be wondering just how much Dru had told her about him. She also knew about throwing her opponents off of their game any way she could. She’d learned from the best. She’d learned from Spike.

Damn, but this girl annoyed him. “You first.” Spike told her.

“Gladly.” Buffy came at him with a roundhouse kick which he ducked. She could have hit him. She was stronger and quicker than he was. But while Spike thought they were fighting, Buffy knew it was just a dance.

He came at her and ducked down at the last minute grabbing onto her thighs and bringing her down underneath him. He thought he had her pinned. Buffy smiled at him and bucked against his cock. “I guess I’m really beneath you now,” she whispered low enough so only he and Angel could hear.

Spike shot off of her like he had been burned. He waited for her to get up and the fight resumed in earnest. It was a fierce battle, with no one gaining the upper hand. It was beautiful to watch. Angel was completely taken aback. This girl could fight. And the way she fought Spike, if he didn’t know any better, he would swear that the two of them had fought before.

Spike forgot all about why they were doing this. He forgot all about the audience they had. It was just him and her. They were in their own world. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d felt like this. That he had felt this good. Wait, yes he could. When he used to fight Buffy. Damn it, she’d done it again. She’d made him think of his lost love.

Buffy felt Spike falter, but she refused to take him down. No, she would make sure he was the victor of this match. She let him wrap his leg around her and pin her again. This time she didn’t say anything to make him jump away. She had to hide a smile of triumph, however, because this time he was the one to push his cock against her. His very hard cock.

Spike was trying to will his erection away so he could get up and let her go. He knew she’d let him take her down. What he couldn’t figure out was why. He also knew she could feel how hard he was. “Don’t flatter yourself, girl. It would happen no matter who I was pressed up against.”

Buffy had almost said ‘even Xander’. So help her, she almost had. Instead, she purred, “Even Wesley?”

“Very funny,” Spike responded. Luckily thoughts of being pressed up against the watcher managed to have the effect he needed and he was able to hop off of the matt.

There was a lot of excited chatter as the residents of the Hyperion talked about the different moves. Then they began to file their way out of the training area to attend the day’s business. As Spike walked passed Angel, Angel whispered, “Held her long enough.”

“Sod off,” Spike hissed back.

Angel just laughed.

Chapter 5: Anne

Over the next few weeks Buffy had been assigned to patrol with Connor. No one ever let them be more than muscle on an actual case. After all, they were just teenagers. It had provided Buffy with a wealth of opportunity to glean Connor for information on her loved ones. Of course, in order to make it look like she was interested in everyone in general she also had to learn way more than she wanted to about Wesley’s and Fred’s families. Oh joy.

She learned that Willow and Tara were the head of a coven in Oregon. They had two little girls and a little boy. Xander and Anya had gotten married but ended up divorced. Here’s where she got one shock after another. First, her death had somehow closed the Hellmouth. Way cool. Second, Anya had happily remarried Giles of all people and the two of them were living in England working for the Watcher’s Council. Way weird. Then third, Xander ran his own construction company in Sunnydale with his live in girlfriend and soulless vampire, Harmony. They were apparently blissfully happy. Not weird or cool. It kind of made sense. Xander really was a demon magnet.

She’d also learned of Faith’s death at the hands of a demon cult seeking to start an apocalypse. Angel and Spike had killed every last member. Buffy’s heart ached for her sister slayer. The last thing she’d learned was about Dawn. When Connor had told her about her little sister she’d listened quietly and gone back to her room to cry the whole night through. Dawn had done very well with her life. She’d gone to college. She’d married a great guy. She had two little girls. One named Joyce and one named Buffy.

The other thing that Buffy had discovered over the last weeks was that Spike hated her. Everything she did pissed him off. Lisa hated her too, but that wasn’t so bad. Spike’s hate hurt her heart. She couldn’t understand why he was so nice to everyone but her. Dru must have been wrong. Spike didn’t need her. He certainly didn’t want her. She was thinking it might be best if she found someplace else to live. She was very aware that her stay at the hotel was causing strife. Cordelia and Conner were always defending her to Spike and Lisa. Angel got caught in the middle. Buffy couldn’t see any way to overcome Spike’s intense dislike of her. He didn’t even seem capable of being in the same room with her for more than a few minutes. She’d walk in and he’d get up and leave.

“What are you thinking about?” Connor asked her as they walked along an alley.

“Oh, about love,” Buffy answered absent-mindedly.

“Love. What do you know about love?” Connor had a huge crush on the girl beside him but he knew that she didn’t return his affections. She acted just like a big sister. He’d come to accept it. More than anything, he just enjoyed hanging out with her.

“I know that I’m terrible at it,” Buffy said miserably.

“You’re sixteen. How much could you know?” Connor teased her.

“I know that it can devastate you. That it can leave you empty. Love is more powerful than hate. Love can hold you to this world when nothing else can. It defies death. It also seems to really not like me,” Buffy ended with a sad little smile.

Connor reached for her hand. Neither one of them noticed the growl that escaped from the creature that was watching them from the rooftops above. Every night Spike found away to head out on his own and follow Connor and Rose as they patrolled. He didn’t know why he did it. He couldn’t help himself. He was completely obsessed with this girl. He could barely stand to make love to Lisa anymore. When he did, he thought of Rose. He couldn’t even stand to be in the same room as Rose. It took all of his many years of experience to maintain his self control. He wanted nothing more than to pick her up and carry her off to bed. It started after the day they sparred. Once he thought of her as a sexual being, teenager or not, it wouldn’t leave his head. She wouldn’t leave his head.

On the street below Connor and Buffy made their way to a local teen shelter. Connor said he wanted to check in on his friend Anne. That he stopped by periodically to see if the vamps were leaving her and her kids alone. Buffy stood by Connor as the front door swung open.

“Connor, how good to see you,” A pretty blonde haired woman in her thirties said as she walked out to greet them.

Buffy’s knees felt weak. “Lily?” She cried.

Anne looked at the dark skinned girl before her. She’d never seen this child in her life. She never forgot the faces of her kids, and besides, none of them had ever known her as Lily. “Do I know you?”

“No, I’m sorry,” Buffy apologized. “I mistook you for someone else.”

Connor laughed. “This is my friend Anne, Rose. She’s the one who runs the shelter.”

“You’re a vampire,” Anne said to Buffy.

“She’s a white hat, Anne. She’s got a soul like my dad.” Connor explained.

“How old are you?” Anne realized this girl must have known her from years before. “It’s no coincidence that you called me by that name.”

Buffy felt frozen to the spot. How could she get out of this one? She decided for honesty. “My age is a bit fixed at this point. There was this whole thing with a little trip to Hell.”

Anne walked forward and looked into Buffy’s eyes. She swayed a bit and pulled Buffy into a hug. “It’s you. My gosh, it’s you. I thought you were dead.”

Buffy hugged her back. “I am dead, Lily. My name is Rose now. Just like yours is Anne.”

Anne pulled away to look at her again. “You’ve changed.”

“Yeah, well, life can throw you a few curves,” Buffy said with a smile.

“I can’t believe you two know each other. Rose if from Oklahoma.” Connor pointed out.

“Is she now?” Anne said knowingly. “Why don’t you two come in for some coffee?”

“We’d like that,” Buffy said as she and Connor followed Anne into the building.

From up in the rooftops Spike had heard everything. So, our little Rose is hiding a few things. And Anne. Oh, he’d known she’d gone as Lily before, but he hadn’t known that she’d used that name during Rose’s lifetime. It might be time to have a little talk with Angel. He made his way back to the hotel with a single purpose in mind.

“Angel!” Spike yelled as he entered Angel’s office.

“Yes?” Angel asked softly indicating that there was no need to shout. He, Wesley, and Cordelia were going over this month’s invoices.

“It’s about Rose. She’s lying to us. We need to know exactly who she was before she was turned. I mean everything.” Spike threw himself into an available chair.

Wesley let out a big sigh as he got up and opened the filing cabinets. He pulled out a file and flung it at Spike. It was a file on Rose. Spike looked at Wesley with one raised eyebrow.

“Honestly, Spike,” Wesley exclaimed. “Do you think we’d invite someone into our home and our lives without checking her out a bit? If you read that, which of course you won’t, you’ll find that everything she said is true. She was born in Oklahoma. Her birth name is Oniha Joy Meyers. Her parents are Grace and David Meyers. They have four children other than Rose. The only odd thing about it all is that the Rose was the only of the five children to be home schooled exclusively.”

Spike looked through the papers. He caught the date of Oniha’s birth. It was the day Buffy had died. He felt a cold chill spill down his spine. He looked at Angel. “Did you notice the date she was born?”

“Coincidental, Spike. Don’t go reading anything into it.” Angel didn’t need Spike obsessing over this girl. Unless, of course, it got rid of Lisa. Then, by all means, obsess away.

“Dru probably picked her because of the day of her birth. It’s the sick kind of thing she’d get a kick out of. It’s just -- I keep getting this weird feeling from Rose. And tonight I happened to come across her and Connor patrolling.” Spike stopped at a look from Angel. “It could happen! Anyway, they went to check on that Anne bird you and the boy are so fond of. See, I knew Anne before. Back in Sunnydale, she was part of this vampire worshipping cult and she went by the name of Lily. That was what, 18 years ago? Now, tonight I heard Rose call Anne by the name Lily. Anne called her on it and Rose admitted that she knew Anne. It had something to do with a trip to Hell,” Spike ended triumphantly. There. Put that in your pipe and smoke it. He wasn’t obsessing; there really was something off about Rose.

Angel and Wesley were quiet. Cordelia gave a hurumph. “Listen. I know there is something weird about her, but I like her. Heck, I think I even love her. She’s like the daughter I never had. I’m keeping her, weird or not.”

“Calm down, Cordelia.” Angel pulled her onto his lap. “I love you and I’m not about to make Rose leave unless she does something to indicate that she is a danger. Okay?”

“Okay.” Cordelia forgave him with a searing kiss.

Spike felt envy shoot down him. Angel got to kiss his girl on the mouth. She never complained about him having blood breath. Hell, even Buffy had kissed him on the mouth. There was that Spell of Red’s and the time he’d taken a beating by that hell-bitch Glory. Maybe they were all right about Lisa. Maybe he should get out of this relationship.

Wesley cleared his throat to interrupt the snog fest that had erupted. “We researched Rose also because I have discovered that she has an unusual knowledge about demons for a girl who was only turned a few weeks ago. You are quite right Spike something is weird. And now she has admitted to taking a trip to Hell. Perhaps we should talk to Anne about this.”

Angel broke away from Cordelia. “Okay. Spike and I will head over there tonight.

Angel and Spike were seated at a table across from Anne. Angel had never seen the sweet woman look so determined before. He tried again. “Please, Anne, if there is something you know about Rose, you need to tell us. It’s for her safety and for ours.”

“No.” Anne took her cookie and gave it a dip in her milk. She looked right at Angel as she took a sharp bite.

“Look, Lily, I don’t like people keeping secrets from me,” Spike said in an attempt to throw her off.

Anne gave him a hard look. “You have no right to use that name. You tried to kill me. If it hadn’t been for Buffy, I’d be dead by your hand. Or, mouth, rather.”

Angel looked at Spike. “It was before the chip, Grandpa!” Spike said in his own defense.

“Anne, please,” Angel tried again.

“You both need to leave. Rose is a very special person. She’s saved my life, and yes, Angel, I know you have too, but Rose actually gave me my life. It’s not something I can explain. Keeping quiet is the very least I can do for her. I promise you both that she isn’t a danger. She’s the best person I’ve ever known.” Anne got up from the table and walked over to the kitchen door. She opened it.

Angel and Spike took the not so subtle hint and left. As they made their way back to the Hyperion they were both overwhelmed, immersed in their own thoughts. Some of them good, some of them bad. Angel turned to Spike, “Maybe we should just ask Rose about it?”

Spike shrugged his shoulders. “Maybe.”

They got back to the hotel and found Rose and Connor in the training room. There was music coming out of a boom box. Rose was trying to teach the boy how to dance. Spike’s entire body tensed up. The way she moved should be illegal. How sick was he to feel this way about a sixteen year old girl? He reminded himself that he was a vampire and therefore evil. It made him feel slightly better.

Angel was in his own world. Thoughts of Buffy and of another time were swimming over him. Rose danced like Buffy used to. All sex. Suddenly he wasn’t sure he wanted her to teach his son to dance like that. “Uh, excuse us,” Angel interrupted the gyrating.

Connor looked up to see his dad and Spike. “Hey guys!” He went and turned the music off. “What’s up?”

“Connor could you give us a moment alone with Rose?” Angel asked his son.

“Sure.” Connor turned to Rose and gave her a kiss on the cheek. They both ignored the growl from the other end of the room. “Thanks for the lesson. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“You’re welcome.” Buffy said as she slid down to sit on the matt. After Connor left the room, Buffy patted the matt. She wanted Angel and Spike sitting down too It was less intimidating. Though really, they couldn’t intimidate her; even Spike with his intense dislike. She looked at them and she saw home. Even like this, with lies and emotional distance, they made her happy.

Angel sat down and gave Spike a hard look until he sat down beside him. They were facing Rose. “We talked to Anne tonight.”

Buffy tensed up. “What about?”

“You,” Angel stated simply.

“What did she say?” Buffy was trying to play this carefully.

“Not much. She likes you,” Angel said.

“I like her too,” Buffy responded.

“I overheard you tonight, Rose. Talking to Anne, calling her Lily. I also heard what you said about Hell.” Spike was trying hard to gage her reaction.

“Stalking much?” Buffy quipped.

Once again she reminded him of Buffy. Spike had to suppress a smile. “Just making sure you don’t screw up and get the boy killed.”

Buffy was livid. How dare he? “He’s safer with me than any of you. I’m twice as strong as you. I’d give up my life for his in a second!”

Angel put a restraining hand on her arm. “Calm down, Rose. Spike just doesn’t want to admit that he was stalking you.”

Buffy gave Angel a thankful smile. At least he didn’t think she was incompetent. “I know, Angel. I don’t know why I always let Spike get to me like he does.”

“We need you to tell us about Hell and about knowing Anne as Lily,” Angel explained.

“I can’t tell you. Dru said I can’t. I want to more than anything. You have no idea.” Buffy started to cry. “I get so tired sometimes. I just want to take a rest. I want to crawl in… I want to go home.” Buffy looked at Spike. “You think I like you hating me? You think it doesn’t hurt? It kills me, Spike. It kills me all over again.”

Spike felt something twist in his gut. He didn’t want to hurt this girl. He really didn’t know what was wrong with him these days. “I don’t hate you.”

Buffy gave him a sad smile. “Yeah, you do.”

He couldn’t answer her. She was half right. He hated what she did to him. “Rose, why would Dru ask you to keep things from us? Don’t you think that an evil vampire might have a slightly nefarious purpose in asking you to keep secrets from us?” Spike said going at it from another angle.

“Dru may be a vampire, but she loves you and Angel very much. Besides, I learned the hard way that not all vampires are evil. I know that you aren’t evil. That you’ve chosen to be good.” Buffy gave Spike a look of longing. She needed him to believe her. She needed him to forgive her for not loving him when she had the chance.

Spike was shocked. For the first time ever he felt that someone might actually be seeing him as he was. Angel ruined the moment, however, with a few horrible words. “Rose, Spike has a chip in his head that stops him from hurting humans. That isn’t making a choice. Vampires are evil. Drusilla is evil. I know you have feelings for her because she is your sire, but trust me, she’s evil.”

Buffy looked at Angel. Did he honestly think that Spike had fought on the side of good for the last seventeen years just because of the chip in his head? Could Angel possibly be that blind? It dawned on her then, he refused to see Spike for what he was because then he would have to admit that Spike could do what Angel had not been able to do; control Angelus. Buffy felt a wave of sympathy pour over her for Spike. How she wished she had the right to take him into her arms and comfort him.

Spike got up. “I don’t think she’s going to tell us anything Angel. I’m done.” He walked out of the training room without looking at either of them.

Chapter 6: The Coming Dawn

The next day Buffy was surprised to find Spike in such a chipper mood. She didn’t see how anyone could be chipper sharing a bed with Lisa. She walked into Angel’s office where Spike and Angel were having an animated discussion, and sat down next to Connor. Spike turned and saw her and his good mood seemed to slide away. He studied her carefully.

“Hey, Rose.” Angel gave her a smile. “Cordelia, Connor, and I are heading out for a little day trip. Sometimes we go up to this cabin in the mountains. It’s nice and shady and we just hang out as a family. Would you like to come?”

“Oh, thanks for asking, but I think I’ll hang here today,” Buffy said. In truth she was scared to leave Spike’s side in case whatever Dru was worried about started to go down.

“Okay, that’s fine. Spike will be in charge while we’re gone. Don’t worry, though, he’ll be on his best behavior. He got a call this morning from Dawn. She’s going to be in town today visiting her father and she’s coming by here so that Spike can spend some time with his girls.”

Buffy felt her chest explode. Dawn was coming. Dawn would be here with little Joyce and little Buffy. There was no way she would be able to keep her secret. She would take one look at Dawn and envelop her in a hug from which she might never be released. To hell with it all. She was telling her sister who she was. She couldn’t wait. She mustered all of her self control and gave a relaxed smile. “Cool.”

Cordelia burst in with a picnic basket and toting an ice chest. “Either of my two muscular men willing to help a lady out to the car?”

Angel and Connor both got up to relieve Cordelia of her burdens. They said goodbye to the gang with Angel giving Spike one last admonition to be good. Wesley, Gunn, and Fred took off on a call shortly after. Buffy didn’t know where Lisa was. It was just her and Spike, sitting in Angel’s office. Spike was looking at her funny.

“What?” Buffy asked with worry. It was probably one of those boogers she couldn’t see anymore. She absently wiped at her nose.

“I was wondering if you could help me with something in the basement. It’s not too heavy for me or anything. It’s just awkward and with two of us balancing it, I think we can get it moved.” Spike got up assuming Rose would follow him. He hated what he was about to do, but more than anything else he had to protect Dawn and her daughters. Rose was still an unknown quantity. He needed her out of the picture for the day.

Buffy knew something was up. Her slayer senses were kicking in. She pushed them down and decided to trust Spike. After all, she had doubted him in the past and been proven painfully wrong. She followed him down the basement steps. He walked into the cage they had down there and got at one end of metal cot-like thing that was the cage’s only piece of furniture. He looked at her. “Are you going to help me or not?”

Buffy was pretty sure the thing was bolted down, but maybe he had loosened the bolts. She stepped in and grabbed the other end. Spike moved in a blur. He was out of the cage door and had it shut and locked before she could blink. What was he doing?

“Spike?” Buffy asked shakily.

“Sorry, Rose. But my girl is coming today and I don’t trust you. I can’t let anything hurt Dawn or her daughters.” He turned to walk out of the basement.

“Spike, don’t do this to me,” Buffy said in desperation. This couldn’t be happening to her.

He didn’t even turn back around. “I made a promise to a lady.” He shut the basement door and bolted it.

Buffy sank to the ground and sobbed. He was protecting Dawn from her. She wasn’t safe to be around. Spike didn’t trust her. Dawn would be here. Her sister would be here. Buffy wouldn’t be able to even look at her. She wouldn’t be able to here her voice, or touch her skin. It was unbearable. Buffy curled into a ball on the hard floor and let the pain take her.

Spike felt like shit. The look on her face as he locked her in there. Fuck. He shook it off and waited for Dawn to arrive. He figured the sight of her and the girls would lift his spirits.

“Spike, I don’t want them in our rooms,” Lisa complained coming into the lobby. “Remember how the girls got into my make up last time? There will be no repeat performance.”

“Fine, Lisa, I’ll keep them occupied down here,” Spike promised.

“I don’t know why you keep this up,” Lisa bitched. “They aren’t your family. Your family is dead. I’m sure you probably killed them yourself.”

Spike was going to say something. He really was this time, but at that moment the lobby doors opened and in walked Dawn with little Joyce and little Buffy. The girls broke away from their mother and tackled the vampire. “Uncle Spike!”

Spike let them knock him down to the ground and then he tickled them mercilessly. “Stop!” “Stop!” They squealed between giggles.

Spike gave them each a kiss on the tops of their heads and then he let them go. He reached up for the hand Dawn offered him and let her assist him to stand. He opened his arms up. “Hello, little bit.”

Dawn gave Spike a huge hug. “Hello, Spike. I missed you.”

“I missed you too, sweetheart.” He pulled away to give her the once over. She had turned into such a beautiful woman, just like her sister. Thoughts of Buffy immediately made him think of Rose. There was that deep stab of guilt again. He looked at Dawn and the girls, “Let’s go to lunch and get some ice cream after. We can take the Desoto. I know a place with great underground parking and mall access.”

The girls started squealing again. “I wanna go!” “Yes, Mommy, please?”

Dawn laughed. “Okay, okay. We’ll go.”

Spike turned to Lisa. “You want to come, Lisa?”

“Hardly,” Lisa muttered and made her way back upstairs. Lorne was monitoring the phones from his rooms and she was hoping something good would come in today. She could really do with some violence. Spike hadn’t been the lover recently that she was used to. Maybe she should dump him? Then she thought how no mortal man could come even close to comparing. Nope. She’d keep him, if only for the sex.

Dawn watched the other woman leave with a huge sigh of relief. How she hated that girl. Dawn wished she could think of some way to get Spike to see how horrible Lisa was for him. She wished not for the first time that her sister was still alive. She knew in her bones that Buffy and Spike would have been happy together if they’d had the opportunity.

Spike looked at Dawn’s sad face. He lifted her chin up. “No, frowns today, pet. This is a fun day.” He had both girls perched on his hip and he was ready to go.

“You’re right. I was just missing Buffy,” Dawn said softly.

“Me too, Dawn. Me too,” Spike muttered as he led them to the cars.

They had a great time at the mall. Spike spoiled the girls with ice cream, toys, and merry-go-round rides. Dawn was terribly disappointed that she had to leave to go to her father’s, but he’d been begging her to visit for months. She was only doing it out of guilt. She considered Spike to be her true family; father and brother rolled into one. Spike brought them back to the hotel and walked them to Dawn’s truck. His nibblet in a big black truck. It always cracked him up. He watched as they drove away. Dawn came to visit him often and he took time to go visit her as well, but each time one of them had to leave his heart hurt. He thought of Rose then and made a beeline for the basement.

He opened the door and was greeted with total silence. He walked over to the cage and almost didn’t see her; she was so tightly curled in on herself. He unlocked the cage and walked in. She didn’t move. He reached down to give her a shake. Still nothing.

“Rose?” Spike asked gently. Nothing. “Rose!” He tried yelling. Nothing. He finally decided to pick her up and carry her to her room. If she didn’t snap out of it before Angel got back he was going to be in deep shit. He had hoped originally that she would just be pissed as hell and beat the shit out of him. Was he ever that lucky?

He reached her bedroom, opened the door, and carried her in. He shut the door with his foot and walked over to her bed. He laid her down gently. She was still in a ball. He began to straighten her out. He pulled her legs out and slipped her shoes off. Then he loosened her arms from around her waist. He pushed her head back against the covers. He got the shock of his unlife, her eyes were open. She was staring sightlessly at some inner pain. He was sure he had never seen this look on anyone’s face before, and then he remembered the look on Buffy’s face when Glory had taken Dawn. She’d shut down just like this. He sat down on the bed beside her. What was he going to do? It wasn’t like it was altogether his fault. Who knew she would react to being locked up like this?

He was going to get up and try and splash some cold water on her face when he heard her say, “You smell like her.” He looked back down at her. She was still staring at nothing. “It’s not enough. You smell like her, but it’s not enough.” She turned over and started sobbing.

Spike had no clue who she meant. Dru? Lisa? Dawn? What was she talking about? At least she was crying and not curled into an unmoving ball. That was a definite improvement.

“Look, Rose, I did what I had to do!” Spike said imploringly.

“And what exactly would that be?” Cordelia asked in a voice of steel from the doorway.

Chapter 7: Hell Hath No Fury Like That of a Mother Hen

“Cordelia,” Spike turned in horror. “I just…I didn’t know that she would react like this. I locked her in the cage while Dawn was here.” There he’d said it.

Cordelia made it to his side in two strides. She slapped him hard. His head flew back. She took the opportunity to kick him in the shin. He pulled his leg up in pain. “Okay, stop already. I’m sorry, but I had to do it. You were all gone and I needed to keep her away from Dawn. No telling what nutty things Dru’s put in her head!” Spike was trying to explain himself.

Lorne showed up at the door. “What’s going on in here?” He asked with a sniff. He’d been in his rooms over the last couple of days with a bad cold.

Cordelia pointed at Spike while simultaneously making her way over to Rose’s bedside. “He locked her in the cage!”

“What! Why would you do that?” Lorne asked in disbelief.

“Cause my girl was coming today. I had to keep Rose away from Dawn. I have to keep Dawn safe. I promised Buffy!” Spike yelled trying to explain himself.

Lorne closed his eyes. “Spike, you screwed up on all accounts. I’m glad I’m not you.” Lorne turned to Cordelia who was holding a devastated Rose. “Cordy baby, if you need me I’ll be in my rooms.” He turned to leave with one last pitiful look directed at Spike.

Spike walked over to the bed. He watched as Cordelia rocked Rose back and forth. “It’s okay sweetie, you’re out now. We won’t let Spike do that again.”

Buffy turned her tear stained face to Cordelia and gave a bitter laugh. “It’s not okay. It will never be okay. I figured something out today. You can’t go home. I shouldn’t be here. This is all wrong.”

“What are you talking about?” Cordelia cried. She felt a stirring of panic she didn’t want to loose this sweet child.

“I need to go, Cordelia. This isn’t my place. It’s not my life. It’s yours. You all have a family here and I am not meant to be a part of that. I think I’m a mistake. I used to think I was here for a reason. That I was supposed to love him. That he would come for me and take care of me. But he never came, Cordy. I was wrong about everything.” Buffy tried to make her understand.

Every word she said cut into Spike. What had he done? Something was fundamentally wrong here and he was just missing it. Angel came into the room and starred at the tableau before him. “What’s wrong with Rose?”

Cordelia was about to respond when Rose put a hand up to stop her. Rose spoke to Angel, “Nothing really, I’m just having a bit of an identity crisis.” Realizing what she said she started to laugh uncontrollably. It was hysterical laughter. It took her over and she couldn’t stop for several minutes. When she finally caught her breath she looked at the worried faces before her. “I’m fine. I just need to leave here.” She gently untangled herself from Cordelia’s embrace. “I need to find someplace else to live. Another job. I’ll stay close enough to help if you need me, though, I promise.”

Angel was confused. He walked into the room and sat on the other side of the bed. He took Rose’s hand. Cordelia had her other one. Buffy looked down at Angel and Cordelia both worrying at her and started to laugh all over again. This situation was absurd. They were treating her like a sixteen year old girl when she was in fact the same age as Cordelia.

“Guys, really. I’ll be fine. I just need to go to sleep.” She gave them a tired smile. Angel and Cordelia each gave her hand a squeeze and then got up to leave the room. Cordelia drug Spike with them. He seemed almost comatose; just staring at Rose. Cordelia wasn’t done with him, however. She wouldn’t tell Angel what had happened because Rose obviously didn’t want him to know, but that wouldn’t stop her from ripping Spike but good.

A half an hour later a very tired, very contrite Spike made his way to his bed. He looked down at Lisa sleeping peacefully. He realized that he hadn’t even thought of her all day. Why was he with her? He couldn’t remember. She wasn’t Buffy. That’s why. Nobody could ever be Buffy. He started to undress and climb into bed when suddenly he felt like he had to go back and see Rose. All her talk of leaving had him feeling positively sick to his stomach. It’s what he wanted at first, but now the thought was intolerable. He quietly left the room and made his way down to the little vampire’s sanctuary.

He opened the door and looked as the moonlight spilled over her skin. She was one of the most gorgeous creatures that he had ever seen. She was nothing like Buffy, so why did she remind him so much of her? He walked over to the bed and felt a compulsion to lie down beside her. It was like something was pulling him down to her. He slipped his shoes off and got in beside her. He pulled her into his arms. She started to stir. “Shh, it’s just me, baby.” He whispered into her hair.

“Kay,” she said and snuggled into him.

Spike realized that her easy acceptance of his physical presence should be yet another indication that something was wrong, but instead it felt right. More right than anything had in seventeen years. Before he knew it, he was sound asleep.

Sometime in the night Buffy realized that she wasn’t alone. That Spike was wrapped all around her. The knowledge shook her to her core. Why now? Why after breaking her heart yesterday did he decide to hold her? She felt the silent tears fill her eyes and slip down her face, soaking his shirt.

Spike came awake slowly. Something was tickling his chest. Something wet. It was Rose. She was crying. “I’m so sorry, Rose. I was wrong. I’m sorry.” He started to rock her like he’d seen Cordelia do. “Don’t cry, baby. Don’t cry.”

She cried all the harder. She pulled away from him. “You need to leave, please.” She looked into blue eyes that had haunted her recent childhood with promises of love and hope. No more. “I don’t belong to you.”

They were strange words. They caused his demon to howl in loss. They caused the man to fill with emptiness. She didn’t belong to him. Was that true? What was happening here? Once again he was certain that he was missing something vital.

“Please, Spike. Just go back to your room. Go back to Lisa,” Rose implored him.

Spike did as she asked. He hated it. Something was terribly wrong. The farther he walked away from Rose the more he felt himself slipping away. Something wasn’t right. Something was missing. He was loosing something. She didn’t belong to him? He stumbled into bed and fell into a sleep filled with nightmares. In each and every one of them he lost Buffy all over again.

Chapter 8: Don’t Go

The next day Spike was exhausted. He was mentally and physically drained. Lisa had gotten up before him and was already out for the day. Spike realized that they never woke up together. That they never held one another while they slept. It was dawning on him that she was just someone he fucked and who he let belittle him. When had he gotten so pathetic? He took a long shower and thought about everything that had happened the day before. If he had followed his instincts instead of his head, Rose wouldn’t be talking about leaving.

She couldn’t leave. She just couldn’t. He couldn’t loose her. Okay, so he never had her, but he couldn’t loose her anyway. He turned the shower off with a sense of determination. He was going to open up to her. He was going to tell her things about himself that he only discussed with Dawn. He got dressed and made his way to her rooms. He could tell before his knuckles even made contact with the door that she wasn’t there. His knees nearly buckled. What if he was too late? What if she was gone?

He ran down the stairs and to the kitchen. It was empty. He realized it was later than he thought it was. Where was everyone? He let out his demon and concentrated on using his senses. Lorne was still upstairs. Lisa wasn’t in the building. Everyone else was in the training room. He took off in another run. In the training room, the site that met him made him nearly weep with joy. She was here. She was still here. She was beating Angel to a pulp. That was good too.

Buffy felt Spike’s presence as he entered the room. She didn’t let it distract her even though she could feel that he was in a great deal of turmoil. She decided it best to take Angel down quickly. She grabbed his neck and threw him to the ground. She pinned him but was careful to avoid rubbing any naughty parts. Those belonged to Cordelia. “Okay, you win, little girl. Now let the old man up,” Angel grumbled. He wasn’t embarrassed that she’d pinned him. No, in fact he was quite proud.

Buffy jumped up and looked around. “Anyone else up for a go?”

“Hell, no.” Gunn said with a smile. He had his arms wrapped around Fred. Wesley just shook his head no as he leaned against his partners.

Connor laughed and rubbed his sore behind. “I had enough the first round, Rose.”

“Okay. Wusses,” she teased them.

Spike walked over to her and grabbed her arm. “Could we talk?”

She was torn. She really didn’t want to be around him right now, but at the same time she couldn’t bare to refuse him. She nodded her head yes and they made their way back up to her rooms.

Buffy closed the door behind them for privacy. She sat down at one end of her bed and indicated that he could sit on the chair. Spike just ignored her and went and sat down on the bed right beside her. She shifted away a bit. He picked up her hand and held it in his. He slowly examined every inch of skin. “Your hands are nothing like hers. There isn’t a single thing about you physically that reminds me of her, but ever since you came here I can’t stop thinking of her.” He looked into Rose’s dark exotic eyes. “I’m trying to tell you why I act like I do. I’m not trying to excuse my behavior. I just want you to understand. I need someone to understand.”

Buffy nodded her head. “Go on. I’ll listen.”

Spike gave a hard laugh. “Yeah. That’s another thing that makes you completely different from Buffy. You do listen to me. She never did.”

Buffy couldn’t help squeezing the hand that was holding hers. She owed him this and so much more. “Please, Spike. Talk to me.”

“I fell in love with a woman. Not any ol’ love, but a deep never ending, never should have been kind of love. She pretty much hated me. You think I would have been used to it. Cecily hated me. Dru loved me but never as much as she loved her Daddy.” He took an un-needed breath. “Buffy. She was everything I should never want. Pure, golden, full of life and love. All things vampires are supposed to hate. But I couldn’t help it. I fell in love with her. I was beneath her though. I knew it. She knew it and she told me so.”

Buffy’s heart broke. What had she done to him? She started using the fingers still in his hand to give him gentle caresses. She wished she could tell him how sorry she was.

Spike liked the feather light touches Rose was giving his hand. It gave him the strength to continue his story. “Still, even though she didn’t love me, she needed me. I stood by her during some tough times, and I like to think in the end she trusted me.” He looked into her eyes. “She asked me to take care of her sister. That’s who was here yesterday, Dawn. I did it too. After Buffy died,” he choked out, “I stayed and took care of Dawn. Willow and Tara helped. They were friends of Buffy. Once Dawn left for college. I couldn’t go back to being the Big Bad. It seemed obscene.” Spike gave a bitter shake of his head. “See, I was still in love with Buffy. Dead or not. I felt like I had to be a good man for her. I’m still trying.”

“You are a good man, Spike. I know it,” Rose told him.

“You’re the only one then.” He smiled.

“That’s because they’re blinded by things. Angel is blinded by the way his own demon controls him. Wesley and Lisa are blinded by years of Council rhetoric. I’m sure Dawn believes in you,” Buffy told him.

Spike gave a genuine smile. “Yeah, my Bit always has believed in me. She’s the last part of Buffy that I have.” He looked down. “I suppose you think I’m a complete prat for loving a dead girl all these years when she never even loved me back.”

“Not at all. I think you are a hell of a man, William. I also know that she loved you back. No one would go to their death and leave their sister in the hands of a man they didn’t love,” Rose said in earnest.

Spike gave her the saddest look. He whispered, “Sometimes, I like to think that way too.”

Buffy couldn’t take it. She wished whatever was going to happen to Spike would just happen so she could try and convince him that she was who she was. She pulled Spike down so that they were lying side by side. She could now look right into his eyes as he talked.

“The reason I’m telling you all of this is so that you understand why I did what I did yesterday. Also, the way I treat you, it’s because you keep making me think of Buffy. It hurts to think of her. The other thing, the thing that scares me most, is that you bring the demon out. I think it’s because Dru turned you, but I’m not sure. The inner me wants you. He thinks of you as his. He wants to claim you. He wants to make sure you stay with him forever. It makes me feel like I’m loosing whatever humanity I’ve fought for over the last two decades.” He was done. He hoped she understood.

Buffy had tears in her eyes. “Oh, Spike. You are the demon. The man and the demon are one. It’s not like it is with Angel and Angelus. You don’t have a soul and you don’t need one. Just be yourself. Be the man who could love Buffy even though she didn’t show you she loved you back. That man was a vampire. One she trusted in completely.”

Spike started to sob in relief. Buffy cried along with him. They held onto one another and cried themselves into a peaceful sleep. Three hours went by with them wrapped in each other’s arms, finally where they belonged. Rested and content they awoke nose to nose. “Hey there,” Buffy said softly as she stared into his beautiful blue eyes.

“Hey.” Spike smiled. “You aren’t going to leave now are you?”

“No, I’m staying right here. Besides there’s that thing I’m supposed to protect you from,” Buffy teased him.

Spike snorted. “With Dru it could be from a soddin’ TV commercial. You can never tell with that one.”

Buffy laughed. She leaned in and gave him a soft kiss. “I’m giving you exactly 24 hours to break up with Lisa. I want you Spike. I want you as my own.” Buffy felt she had to be as honest as she could. There was so much more she wanted to be able to say to him.

Spike leaned in for another kiss; this time with a little bit of tongue. “I can do the Lisa thing, kitten, but the you and I thing needs to wait a bit. In case you forgot, you’re only sixteen.” He gave her another kiss completely belying the words he had just spoken.

“I’m a vampire, Spike, I’m not going to get any older,” she reminded him between kisses.

“That’s true,” he muttered huskily as he fiercely claimed her mouth with his own.

Buffy pulled away and looked into his eyes. “Now get out of here before we do something wrong. I’m not the other woman kind of a girl.” She gave him a smile.

Spike groaned. He was as hard as a rock. He knew she was right though. He gave her a chaste kiss on the forehead and raised himself up off of the bed. He walked reluctantly to the door. Buffy watched him go. As he started to walk through the door she warned him, “24 hours, Spike. Then I’m coming for you.”

He gave her a wicked smile as he walked out and said, “I’ll be waiting, Rose.”

Chapter 9: The Poison

That night Spike asked Lisa if he could go patrolling with her. She shrugged. It was fine with her as long as he managed to fit some time in for a good hard lay. It had been a while and Lisa was feeling particularly horny.

Spike took the shrug as a ‘yes’ and followed her out into the night. They made the usual rounds. Killed the usual demons. There were no real surprises for them. Spike decided that the alley behind the used bookstore was as good a place as any to have that talk with Lisa that he promised Rose. Spike was at a bit of a loss. He’d been dumped a time or two in his life but he’d never actually dumped anyone else. Well, he had staked Harmony. That was a definite dumping, but he didn’t think the same technique would go over well with the citizens of the Hyperion if he tried it on Lisa. Actually, when he thought about it, it might. But there was the chip, damn it.

“Lisa,” Spike stopped her with a hand at her back.

She turned around with a feral grin and immediately jumped him. Spike pulled her off of him and held her back with his arms outstretched. “I need to talk to you, Lisa.”

She gave him a look of annoyance. “So, talk.”

“I don’t think we should see each other any longer.” Spike decided it was best stated as simply as possible.

“What?” Lisa asked incredulously. “You’re breaking up with me?”

“Yes.” Spike answered.

“Who do you think you are?” Lisa yelled. “You’re not even human. You’re a monster. I was only using you for sex.” She gave him a disdainful look; aimed at his member. “And I gotta say that hasn’t been all that stellar.”

Spike was already tired of this. He just wanted to get back to Rose. Start a new chapter in his life. “Fine. I’m useless. I’m a monster. You could never love me. And I’m beneath you,” Spike paused. “That about cover it?”

“Almost.” She sent a fist flying to his face. He flew back against the wall of the bookstore. His skull cracked as he slid to an unconscious heap against the debris in the alley. Lisa made sure to spit on him as she made her way out. She figured he’d wake before sunrise, and if he didn’t? Well it wasn’t like he was human. He was worthless. Just another monster to be put down.

She got back to the Hyperion and gave everyone a dirty look as she stormed her way up to her rooms. She started flinging her clothes in a bag. She took all of Spike’s CDs and threw them out the window. She opened the side table drawer and took out an old leather journal. She knew it contained his poetry. She’d snuck it for a laugh a time or two. She took it to the trash can and got out a lighter. It would be doing the world a service to see this trash burned. It was her civic duty. She flicked the lighter on…

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” Buffy asked as she flung open the door.

“None of your business, bitch!” Lisa sneered.

Buffy moved in a blur. She had the lighter and the notebook in her own hands and Lisa flat on her ass in less than a second. “Where’s Spike?”

“I don’t fucking care,” Lisa said getting to her feet.

Buffy knocked her back down. “I didn’t ask if you cared. I asked where he was.”

“In an alley with all of the other trash,” Lisa hurled the words at her.

Buffy was ready to snap the girl’s neck when Angel grabbed her from behind. “She’s not worth it Rose. Let’s go find Spike.” He pulled her out of the room.

“She’s done something to him, Angel. I know it.” Buffy was really worried. She felt this heavy pressure on her chest.

“We’ll find him.” Angel assured her. “We have his scent and the pull of family.” He led her outside. “Now, vamp.” He looked at her with ridges and fangs. He was a fierce sight. Buffy felt her own face shift in response.

Angel realized he had never seen her in her demon guise before. She was as lovely as ever. Dru certainly knew how to pick them; just look at Spike. Angel allowed his senses to stretch out and search for his lost grand-childe. He felt a slight pull and was about to turn to Rose and tell her to follow him when he realized she’d already taken off in the right direction. Impressive.

He hurried to catch up with her. He wondered if she had any idea how fast she was moving? Even for a vampire. He followed her as she twisted and turned through the maze of the city. Within fifteen minutes she had found the alley. Angel walked as Rose ran to the crumpled form of Spike. She picked up his body and turned back toward Angel. Angel felt horror wash over him. Oh, no. Not this. He knew what this was. Spike’s body was covered in bites. Spike had been attacked by an Anaye demon. Angel had seen this type before. This wasn’t good it wasn’t good at all.

“Bring him back to the hotel.” Angel turned around letting Rose follow after him. He could hear her sobs as she carried Spike’s unconscious body. He could hear her chanting things to him. Telling him over and over that it was going to be okay. Only Angel knew that it wasn’t.

They reached the hotel and Angel told her to take Spike to the infirmary. They’d made a little mini-hospital in a part of the old hotel. Rose walked in and laid him down on the table. Angel turned and yelled through the doorway. “Wesley!”

A few moments later Wesley came running into the room followed by Fred and Gunn. “Oh, no.” Wesley said.

“What can we do to make him comfortable?” Angel knew that comfort was the most they could possibly offer Spike at this point.

“We can wash him down and pour alcohol in the wounds, but Angel you understand that there is no cure. Not for Spike, not from an Anaye.” Wesley explained.

Buffy’s head jerked up from lying on Spike’s chest. “What the hell do you mean no cure?”

“The bite of an Anaye demon can only be cured by one’s true love. Otherwise the poison simply eats you from the inside out. It’s very painful,” Wesley told her.

“What does it take?” Buffy was determined to cure Spike.

“Rose, I know you think you have feelings for Spike.” Angel began. “No, scratch that, I know you do have feelings for Spike, it’s been obvious to us all, but we are talking the one true love. For Spike that was Buffy and she’s dead. There is no cure. No matter how much you may love him.”

Buffy felt relief. She could cure Spike. She just had to convince Angel of who she was. Above all she needed them to tell her how to do it. “Fine, Angel. But please tell me how it would work. If Buffy were standing here now, what would she have to do to cure him?”

At that moment Lisa walked into the infirmary. She gasped. “That’s not how I left him. I hit him and he passed out, but he was fine. I swear! What’s wrong with him?”

Angel growled and came at Lisa. He threw her against the wall in the hallway. “You left him passed out in an alley! He was completely defenseless, you selfish girl! He was attacked by an Anaye demon. He’s going to die and it’s going to hurt.” He threw her again, this time towards the lobby. “Get yourself to England. Tell the Council to place you somewhere else. You’re not wanted here. Go!”

Lisa picked herself up off the floor and left. Angel walked back into the infirmary trying to rein his demon in. He couldn’t remember the last time he was this angry.

“Angel, Wesley, please tell me what has to be done,” Buffy asked them once again. She would deal with Lisa another time. She saw a trip to England in her and Spike’s future, and there would be a future. “Tell me.”

“I’ll tell you, Rose, but it will do you no good,” Wesley said sadly. He rather liked Spike. “His true love needs to take the poison into herself and suffer all of the pain he would go through as he died. She will not die, unless of course she isn’t his true love. Do you understand now?”

“How do you take the poison into yourself?”

“You would need to drink his blood,” Angel said. “But you aren’t doing it.”

“Yes. I am,” Rose told him.

“You’ll die. He doesn’t love you Rose. Maybe someday he would, but not now, it’s too soon.” Angel hoped he was getting through to her.

“Angel.” Buffy decided it was time to tell. Sorry, Dru, but it’s the only way. “I’m Buffy.”

Angel gave a harsh laugh. “No, you’re not. That isn’t even a good try. I’d sooner buy that you’re Dru.”

“I am Buffy. I was born the day she died. You can call the birth parents and ask. They’ll tell you.”

“We already know that, Rose. It just means that Dru was being her usual sick self.” Angel was getting angry at this girl. He knew she was scared, but no one messed with Buffy’s name. No one.

“Fine. How about this. Remember when I sent you to Hell?” Buffy quipped. “I told you to close your eyes.” The memory swamped them both.

Angel shook it off. “That just means Dru filled your head with things. She can do that, Rose. Hell, I even believe there is a chance you really think you are Buffy. More than likely Dru just used her thrall and brain washed you.”

Buffy groaned. This is what Dru had meant. This is why she warned her not to say anything. Shit! How could she convince him? Then it dawned on her, she didn’t have to. She was stronger than anyone here.

Angel saw the look on her face and he knew exactly what she was going to do. He braced for a fight. Buffy launched herself at Angel and threw him out of the door. She had never used her full strength on him before. All she needed to do was knock him out. Gunn and Wesley jumped on her from behind. Buffy vamped. She fought like a wild woman, all the while trying desperately not to hurt anyone too badly. Gunn went down first. His knee was seriously damaged. Wesley was next, knocked unconscious accidentally by Angel’s foot. Buffy felt a heavy object hit the back of her head. She turned with a growl. Fred had an axe in her hand. While her head was turned Angel got in a good punch.

Cordelia, Lorne, and Connor had made their way down after hearing the commotion. They had no idea what was going on. They jumped into the fray. Soon, Buffy was contained. Connor and Angel had her penned down. They had to use all of her strength. “Cordy, go get a tranquilizer!”

Cordelia ran into the infirmary and saw Spike. She understood immediately what had happened. They’d run into this type of Anaye before. Rose clearly wanted to be the one to save Spike. Cordy shook her head sadly. She’d known the young girl had fallen in love with the blonde vampire at first sight, but Cordelia also knew that Spike was still hopelessly in love with Buffy. She brought the tranquilizer out and aimed it at Rose.

“Wait a minute!” Lorne cried. “Before we shoot the girl up what’s going on?”

“Tell them Lorne!” Buffy yelled desperately. “Tell them who I am.”

“She’s Rose. She’s a warrior. She’s a vampire and she’s a slayer. She’s died twice to save the world,” Lorne explained. He knew what she was; the essence of her.

“That still doesn’t make her Buffy!” Angel yelled. “No one is Buffy.”

“Except Buffy you moron!” Buffy yelled. She was pissed. “I’m Buffy.” She looked imploringly at Cordelia. “Cordy, ask me anything. I’m Buffy, I swear.”

Cordelia was game. She had always felt a strange vibe from this girl. “Okay, what shoes did I wear on my first date with Oz?”

“You never dated Oz.  That wasWillow. You dated Xander, and I don’t think the two of you ever had a real first date. Xander never had any money,” Buffy said to her.

“That’s true Angel,” Cordy told him.

“Cordelia, don’t be stupid. Whatever she knows Dru told her,” Angel growled out.

“Ask me something Dru would never have known. Something pure.” Buffy felt Spike’s pain from the other room and it was killing her.

Angel didn’t know what came over him but he found himself saying, “What saved me from killing myself?”

“Snow.” Buffy looked sideways at her largest captor. “It was snow. The first evil was trying to get you to go all Angelus and kill me. You decided to kill yourself instead. You were waiting for sunrise, but sunrise never came. The snow blocked it out. It wasn’t me. I couldn’t save you. That’s the difference between our love and the love I share with Spike. We weren’t enough for each other, Angel. But Spike and I are. He was enough to keep me tied to this world in the body of a stillborn infant in Oklahoma, and I was enough to keep him fighting the good fight even after I was gone. Now, I will be enough to save him from death. I’m the one, Angel. Please, you have to believe me.”

Angel let go of her and stood up. Connor did the same. Buffy swiftly made her way back into the infirmary and Spike’s side. She bit down on his wrist and started to drink his blood. To keep him from losing too much she brought her other wrist up to her thumbnail and cut a deep slit. She placed it at Spike’s mouth. She felt her heart compress as she waited for him to start drinking. Finally she felt him softly swallowing and then the pressure of his fangs as they descended into her arm. She kept it up until she was sure the transfer was complete. Then she fell to the ground as pain exploded all around her.

Chapter 10: That’s Not Buffy

Spike opened his eyes to the familiar site of the hotel’s infirmary. He’d seen the grayish tiles above him many times before. The last thing he remembered was breaking up with Lisa. He thought she had hit him. He reached up to rub the back of his head. Boy, she must have really packed a punch. His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of thrashing on the bed beside him. He got up and opened the dividing curtain. Rose seemed to be convulsing. Angel and Connor were both holding her down.

“What’s wrong with her?” Spike asked coming over to help them.

“She had to take in the poison of an Anaye demon.” Angel ground out. He was getting tired. They’d been at this for over an hour, and after the beating he had taken from her earlier he was wearing down.

“The same Anaye we ran into a couple of years back?” Spiked asked. He was having to really give it his all to hold her legs down. Damn, she was strong.

“The one and the same,” Angel said.

Spike felt fear fill his heart. He was going to loose her before he had the chance to really get to know her. Then a thought hit him. “Wait a second, you said had to take in. She took the poison from someone?” Apparently she already had a true love. He felt utterly deflated. She’d probably live. He was happy for her, but why hadn’t he just stayed away from her like he told himself to do. Gorgeous women were trouble.

Connor gave him a hard look. “Yes. She took it willingly.”

“From who?” Spike asked not really wanting to know. Did it matter?

“From you,” Angel informed him.

“When was I poisoned by an Anaye demon?” Spike was completely confused.

“Tonight, after Lisa left you passed out in an alley,” Connor filled him in.

“Shit! Angel how could you let her do this? She’s gonna die. I don’t love her like that, not yet, if ever. You know how I still feel about Buffy!” Spike screamed at his grand-sire.

“She is Buffy,” Angel said. His arms were shaking. He looked at Connor and saw that his arms were as well.

“She’s not Buffy,” Spike snarled.

“Yes, she is,” Angel said back. He didn’t feel like explaining things to Spike right now.

“No, Angel, Buffy’s dead and we both know it. Whatever she said to make you think differently, well, it was probably some crazy plan of Dru’s,” Spike said sadly.

“That’s what I thought at first, but I was wrong. This is Buffy, Spike. Her soul went into the body of a stillborn child in Oklahoma. That’s why the talk with her mom was so weird. Buffy always knew who she was.” Angel needed a break. “Now, that you’re here, we’ll get Wes and Lorne to help you hold her down. Connor and I need to rest for a few minutes.” Angel moved so Spike could take over for him and he picked up his cell phone, “Send Wes and Lorne to come down and help.”

Spike looked at Angel. “It isn’t Buffy. Buffy never loved me. She couldn’t love me. I was beneath her. She said so.” For the next few moments they all just stared as Rose’s body writhed beneath their hands.

Wes and Lorne came through the door. “Can you spell Connor for a bit guys?” Angel asked them.

“Certainly.” “Sure.” They took over for the young boy. Connor and Angel sank into two chairs and just watched as the others held her down.

After a while Buffy’s eyes shot open. They were glazed over with pain. She looked right at Spike. “Spike! Where’s Dawn?”

“She’s home,” Spike still didn’t believe this was Buffy.

“You have to get there. We can’t leave her alone. Glory might get to her. Something’s wrong with me. I think I’m sick. Please go,” Buffy begged him.

“She’s safe. Glory’s dead.” Spike knew that between what he and Connor had told her that Rose could have put things together enough to say to him what she did.

“Glory’s dead? Good.” Buffy relaxed a bit. “Are you sure?” She tensed up again.

“Very,” he said coldly. Whatever Dru had done she’d done a bang up job of it.

“I feel funny,” she said still looking only at him.

“You took in some poison.” He would have told her that she would be fine, but he pretty much figured that would be a lie. This wasn’t Buffy. Buffy would never have done this for him. This was just some poor girl that Dru brainwashed. He tried to push his anger away and concentrate on her needs. None of this was Rose’s fault.

Buffy looked around. She saw Wesley. “Wes? What are you doing here? Where am I?”

“You’re at the Hyperion in Los Angeles, Buffy,” Wesley explained to her. He was relieved that he didn’t have to try and hold her down any longer. His head was killing him from the blow earlier. Still, he was better off than Gunn who Fred had taken to the hospital.

Buffy lifted up and spotted Angel and a boy sitting next to a large green guy. “Angel,” Buffy said in the way that only she did. Angel realized he should have known that it was her on that first night when she’d said his name.

“Hello, sweetheart.” Angel gave her a warm exhausted smile.

“You can’t hurt Spike okay? He’s one of the good guys now.” Buffy wasn’t sure how she got here, but she didn’t want Angel staking Spike. She was pretty sure she was falling in love with him.

“I know, Buffy.  He has a chip in his head,” Angel said to her.

“Please! Like he couldn’t just pay someone to kill us. He’s a good guy. A regular white hatter.” Buffy looked at Spike. “I don’t mean to embarrass you or anything. It’s just I need to go back to sleep and I can’t until I know you’re safe.”

“I’m not embarrassed,” Spike assured her. Boy had Dru gotten it all wrong.

“Good.” She started to close her eyes. Then she opened them again and looked at him coyly. “I gave you a kiss when you were all banged up. How come I don’t get one when I’m poisoned?”

Everything in Spike froze. No one knew that but he and Buffy. “Buffy?” He looked down at her with his blue eyes blazing.

“Yes, dummy, you were expecting Harmony?” Buffy shot back at him.

Spike gave her a tear filled smile. “I thought I’d lost you.”

“Nope,” Buffy said as her eyes closed. “I’m not finished with you yet.”

Spike leaned down and gave her a kiss. He felt her slip into sleep, then he looked over at Angel and fell in a dead faint.

Chapter 11: For the Sake of a Kiss

Disclaimer: Song belongs to Kenny

“Oh, look at them.” Cordelia whispered misty eyed as she looked at Spike and Buffy curled around each other. Angel and Conner had decided to muster up what strength they could and carry the two vampires up stairs to Buffy’s room. As soon as they had been laid down they curled into one another. Cordy was right, it was a moving sight.

Fred, who had just come back for a little bit of rest after getting Gunn settled in at the hospital for his knee, came to stand next to Cordelia. “They’re like two sleeping beauties.”

Wesley, Connor, and Angel gave her a look of utter disgust. Lorne on the other hand was as teary eyed as Cordy. “I knew it.” He snuffed. “Their auras are connected. I knew it as soon as I saw Rose -- I mean Buffy -- that these two kids belonged together.”

“Why didn’t you say anything you bloody pouf!” Spike said groggily from the bed.

“Because, sweet cheeks,” Lorne loved labeling that one onto the disgruntled vamp, “I know when to hold them, know when to fold them, know when to walk away, know when to run,” Lorne sang as he swiftly left the room.

Spike was very aware that everyone was staring at them. He really wished they would leave. He was still trying to wrap his mind around the concept that this was Buffy lying beside him. No one appeared to be moving so he decided he might as well suss things out with them standing there. “It makes sense now that I think about it. So many odd things she said. The way she always reminded me of Buffy. I don’t get why she didn’t contact us sooner though.”

“I tried. Over and over and over. It’s like you had some sort of magical barrier up to keep me out!” Buffy grumbled into Spike’s chest.

“Willow!” Wes, Cordy, and Angel all said at once.

“Come again?” Spike asked. He really wanted them out now that Buffy was awake.

“Willow put up barriers after Buffy died, so that anyone looking for Dawn would fail. She called me for the spell. I imagine that in some way Buffy always had Dawn on her mind when she was trying to contact any of us,” Wesley explained.

Buffy started to sob. Spike looked at everyone, the plea evident in his eyes. One by one they filed out of the room. Spike held her tightly and cried with her. There was so much pain. So many years of separation and grief; all because of a barrier spell. “Think though pet. If you had contacted us as a little one, it would have been me that took you to raise along with Dawn, and the last thing I bloody want is for you to think of me as a flippin’ father figure.”

Buffy’s next sob turned into a laugh. “Oh, Spike, I could never think of you as a father. Even when I hated you, when you were actively trying to kill me, I wanted you in a very grownup way.”

“Really?” Spike asked with such wonderment in his voice that Buffy just wanted to pull him to her and never let go.

“Really,” She whispered to him. Her eyes glistened as they stared intently into his. “That’s why I came back. I had unfinished business. You. Letting myself love and be loved by you. That’s the whole reason I exist. You were on my mind as I dove off that platform and you were the first awareness I had in this body.”

“Oh, Buffy. What you said after I locked you up. About waiting for him to come. It was me wasn’t it? You were waitin’ for me to come and get you and I never did.” Spike felt despair overwhelm him as he thought of Buffy as a tiny little girl, all alone and scared, waiting for him to come rescue her. He couldn’t take it. It was just too much. He started to push himself away from her. “I don’t deserve you. I should have known.”

Buffy wasn’t having any of it. She grasped him tightly. “Don’t you dare take yourself away from me! There was no way you could have known. I’m here now. Please, just spend the rest of our lives keeping me close.”

Spike let her hold him. He kissed the top of her head. “Okay, luv. That works for me.” They were quiet for a bit; each absorbing the essence of the other. “I can’t believe you’re here. Can’t believe that you actually love me,” Spike whispered.

Buffy tilted her head so that she was once again staring into his eyes. “Silly vampire. You are the most honorable man I have ever met. Who else would defy their very nature for the memory of a girl they thought never loved them? What you’ve done these years since my death, it humbles me, Spike. I love you so very much, and if you doubt that just think of the Anaye. It took your true love to save you. That’s me. Only me. No one else. Ever. Ever. Got it?”

“Got it.” Spike closed his eyes and opened them again just to make sure she was real.

Buffy harrumphed. Guess she was gonna have to prove to this vamp that she was real. No more talk Buffy. Time for action Buffy. She dove in toward Spike’s mouth and captured his velvety soft lips with her own. She slipped her tongue inside the soft folds and licked his teeth. The little growl he gave let her know she was getting somewhere with him.

Spike was in heaven. This was Buffy. She was alive and she’d chosen him. He felt her tongue slide against his teeth. He growled. Fuck, she was kissing him. Not a spell kiss. Not a thank you kiss. Just a kiss for the sake of a kiss. He pushed his own tongue into her open mouth. Buffy. The taste of Buffy. He let her essence wash over his tongue. This was his. He began rubbing slow little circles against her back with his right hand. His left was busy trying to find its way up her top.

Buffy felt Spike’s fingers against her sensitive skin. She decided to help him out and pull her shirt off. She felt a wave of feminine triumph wash over her as he gasped at the sight of her breasts as they lay encased in a sheer white bra. She sat up and pulled him with her. She grabbed his hands and moved them to the back of her bra.

Spike felt his fingers work at the latch. He could see the dark rouge of her nipples showing through the sheer material and it made him all the more desperate to set them free. He wanted those succulent tips in his mouth. The offending garment finally popped open. Spike pulled it down her arms and threw it away from him. He stared in awe at the beauties before him. They were small and round, just enough to fit in the palm of his hands. He looked up at Buffy and gave her a wicked smile. Then he went in. A mouth at one. A thumb and finger at another. He felt them pebble into hard nubs under his ministrations. Damn, he loved that.

Buffy was dying. She had to get him to touch her a hell of a lot lower than he was. “Spike, please baby,” she moaned.

“What? What do you want, Slayer?” Spike asked as he traded mouth and fingers. He didn’t want to leave one nipple feeling jealous of the other.

“Want you. Want you inside of me.” Buffy writhed against him. She could feel his hard shaft poking against her. “Need that inside of me. Please, Spike!” She was more than willing to beg.

“Okay, baby.” Spike reluctantly broke away from his new playthings and worked on removing his clothing. Buffy followed suit. Soon they lay on the bed with nothing separating them but the occasional pocket of air.

Spike started to put a finger in her to see if she was moist enough, but Buffy stopped him by grabbing his hand. She shook her head. “No, not that. The first thing that I want in me is you. Really you. No one and nothing has ever entered this body before. This is all yours, Spike.”

Spike felt his cock twitch at her words. She was a virgin. Buffy had experienced sex before, but no in this body. This body belonged to him and only him. The thought made him dizzy with lust. He positioned his head at the outside of her walls and gave it a little rub. Okay, she was plenty wet. Another thing all for him. He’d done that. He’d gotten Buffy so wet she was nearly dripping. He pushed himself into her carefully. So tight. So fucking tight he thought he might explode.

“Don’t hold back. I may be a virgin but I’m also a vampire and a slayer. A little bit of pain is only gonna add to the pleasure,” Buffy encouraged him.

Spike pushed all the way in. Nirvana. He could smell her blood as he tore through her hymen. He couldn’t wait to get a lick of that. He started to move inside of her, tentatively at first, but as her moans of pleasure reached his ear he picked up momentum. Nothing had ever been this good. Not sex. Not being turned. Not blood. Not violence. Nothing.

Buffy felt her climax building. This was what she’d been looking for. This was home. Every thrust that Spike drove against her put her world back in order. This is why she’d stayed behind. She belonged with Spike. “I’m yours. I belong to you.” she said huskily.

Spike vamped. “Mine.” He sank his fangs into her neck and drank. He let go and declared, “You belong to me.”

“Yours. All yours, baby.” Buffy was completely mindless as wave after wave of pleasure washed over her. She belonged. She was his. A single thought penetrated her brain. He needed to belong too. She let her teeth elongate and she sent them straight into his jugular. “Mine,” she growled as a mouthful of his blood washed down her throat. “You belong to me!” A second even more powerful orgasm hit her.

Spike couldn’t believe she was claiming him back. She really did love him. He finally belonged to someone. He felt her orgasm again and this time he allowed himself to go with her. He sank his dead seed deep into her womb, leaving a part of himself inside of her along with his blood and his heart.

He rolled onto his back and brought her to rest against him. “That was the best moment of my life, Buffy.”

“It was the best moment of both my lives,” Buffy said back to him. “You’ve made me so happy. So complete. I’m finally home.”

“Yeah, baby, you are. Never gonna lose you again,” Spike said into her hair.

“That’s why Dru turned me. So that you could keep me forever,” Buffy explained to him.

“Need to thank that girl,” Spike said as he started to drift off to sleep.

“Uh-huh,” Buffy agreed as her eyes closed.

Chapter 12: Malfunction

Buffy and Spike had slept on and off during the next sixteen hours. They awoke many times to make love. They couldn’t get enough of one another. A seventeen year separation will do that to you. Finally deciding that they needed to get up and see the others they had one last intimate moment in the shower.

Buffy threw herself on the bed and looked at Spike. “Dress me. I’m too tired to do it.”

Spike chuckled. Personally, he liked her naked, but he didn’t like the thought of anyone else seeing her naked one bit. Especially Angel. He stopped in his tracks and turned to her. “You came back for me? Not him?”

A glorious smile broke over Buffy’s face. “Just figuring that out huh?”

Spike’s own smile followed Buffy’s. “Yeah.” He came and sat down on the bed beside her, dumbstruck.

Buffy rolled over and put her head on his lap. “I love you.”

Spike closed his eyes. “I get that.”

“Good,” Buffy declared. “Cause I’m gonna say it a lot, and I’d hate to think I’m just wasting my breath.”

Spike opened his eyes and looked at her. “I know that you love me. I knew that last night, but you choosin’ Angel over me, well, that’s something I never would have expected. Not from you. Not from anyone.”

Buffy realized that Spike had a lot of hurt in his past and one day of loving him wasn’t going to make up for it all. “Spike, look at me,” Buffy demanded. Spike looked down at the beauty in his lap. “We have both had so much pain in our lives. Neither of us knows what tomorrow is going to bring, but I promise you that you will never have to go another moment without my love. I will always put you first. You and no one else. Got it?”

Spike nodded. He lifted her head off of his lap and turned them both so that he could hold her. “I need to just hold you for a little while, pet. Okay?” he asked as tears leaked out of his blue eyes.

Buffy felt her own eyes fill with tears. “Okay, baby. You can hold me forever. I’m yours.”

A knock at the door ended their little moment. Buffy started to get up and answer it but was stopped by a warning growl from her mate. She looked down at her serious lack of clothes and would have blushed if she could. “Sorry.” She picked up her robe and wrapped it around her body. She picked up a towel from the floor and tossed on top of Spike Jr. before she walked over to the door and opened it. It was Angel. He looked at her with wonderment.

“Hello, Buffy.” His smile was big and warm.

“Hello, Angel. Miss me?” she asked him with a smile of her own.

“A little, sweetheart. Yeah,” he said. “You guys have been holed up in here all day. I’d love to talk to you and I think another hug would be in order, but I’ll wait to you’re dressed.” He jerked his head in Spike’s direction.

Buffy turned to see her very vamped out mate staring holes into Angel. “We’ll both be down in a minute.” Buffy shut the door and made her way back to the bed. “Where was I?” She threw herself down. “Oh, that’s right. Dress me.”

Spike laughed and got up to do as he was told. He picked out a pair of low hip rise jeans and an incredible cream colored top that was laced up the sides with leather ties. “You have fabulous taste in clothes, luv.” He said bringing the items to her.

“Dru bought them all,” Buffy told him. “I think I’m kind of like another doll to her.”

Spike agreed. “Yeah, she likes to dress things up. She’s never shown taste quite this modern before, though.”

“Times change. I think she caught up with them. She was wearing…” Buffy stopped. “I’m so not describing your ex to you.”

Spike warmed at the little jealous note he detected in her voice. He had just finished putting her bra and panties on her and was now attempting the jeans. “There’s just you baby. Figured that was pretty bleedin’ obvious.” He pulled the jeans up to her knees. He’d dressed Dru more times than he could count, but she’d always worn dresses. Jeans were much easier to put on oneself than someone else. “Lift up, luv.” Buffy raised her butt in the air and Spike was able to finally pull them up. He buttoned them and then just stared at her. “That is a look right there. Jeans and no top.” He sighed a great sigh and lifted her to a sitting position to put her top on.

When she was completely dressed Buffy walked to his former rooms and grabbed a bunch of clothes for him. Once they were both fully clothed, they descended the stairs and made their way to the kitchen where they could sense the others. Buffy saw Gunn with his knee in a brace and felt instantly guilty. “I’m so sorry.”

Gunn looked at Wes and Fred and then turned back to Buffy. “Don’t be. I wouldn’t let anyone or anything stop me from saving the life of the ones I love either. You did what you had to do.”

Buffy ran over and gave him a hug. “Thank you.”

Gunn hugged her back. “You’re welcome. You will, however, be making me dinner.”

At a furious shaking of Spike’s head Gunn said, “Just kiddin’. Fred and Wes have that covered.”

Buffy just shrugged her shoulders and went to get a couple of bags of blood. Spike sat down next to Gunn. “Buffy was never exactly a culinary wiz,” Spike whispered so that only Gunn could hear him.

“I heard that!” Buffy yelled back. Vampire hearing. “What about Thanksgiving? I did all that and it was perfect!”

“One meal does not a cook make, luv,” Spike explained. “But look at it this way, now all you have to do is fix blood.”

She came over and handed him his mug of blood. “See if I ever put any Weetabix in it for you, mister.”

Angel and Cordelia walked in and Angel shuddered. “That is the most disgusting habit!”

“What? It gives it texture.” Spike tried to defend his choice of breakfasts.

“Since when does blood need texture?” Angel asked him.

“Since it comes out of a bag,” Spike grumbled under his breath.

Buffy smiled at her lover and scooted close enough to lean her head on his shoulder. Once Angel and Cordelia had poured themselves some coffee they took a seat across from the new couple. Angel just kept staring at Buffy. He was amazed that she was really here. He felt awful about all of the years that had gone by where she couldn’t contact them.

“Buffy, I’m really sorry about you not being able to get a hold of us,” Angel said.

“It’s okay Angel. It sucked, but it’s okay now.” She looked adoringly at Spike. “Everything is just right.”

“I imagine that you would like to get in contact with everyone.” Wesley came to join them. “Especially Dawn.”

A knife cut straight into Spike’s heart. “Oh Buffy. I’m so sorry baby. That’s why you acted like you did. I kept Dawnie away from you.” Spike pulled away from her in horror. He was such an asshole.

“Spike.” Buffy pulled him back to her. “You were only doing what I asked you to do. It’s over. I forgave you for it already. Let’s keep moving forward, baby, we don’t need this.”

Spike picked her up off her seat and put her on his lap. “I love you so much and I am so very sorry.” He held her tight. “Oh shit. Dawn is going to kill me.”

Buffy laughed. “I might just let her.”

Angel was confused. “What are you talking about?”

Cordelia, Buffy, and Spike all responded, “Nothing.”

“Okay.” Angel looked at Spike holding Buffy. He had to admit it bothered him a little bit. He loved Cordelia and would never have entered into another relationship with Buffy at this point, but seeing her with Spike just didn’t sit well with him. He realized it was none of his business, and decided to keep silent for now. If that chip ever failed, though, he would have to step in.

“Your parents always knew?” Angel asked Buffy.

“Yeah. It was mondo weird let me tell you. They brought in a shaman when I was little. I think they thought I was possessed. I guess in a way I am.” Buffy got quiet for a moment. “I kind of don’t want to talk about all of that if it’s okay with you.”

“Of course, Buffy. If you want we’ll call Giles and Anya and explain things to them. I’m sure they’ll want to come for a visit,” Angel offered.

“It would probably be best if you talked to them before I did,” Buffy agreed. “I’m not sure anybody will believe me. Look how right Dru was about your reactions.”

Angel winced. “It’s true. If you had walked through those doors that night saying you were Buffy. Both Spike and I would probably have staked you.”

Spike felt fear pour over him. “I could have lost you.” He started to rock back and forth with her.

“Spike, baby, calm down. It didn’t happen. I’m okay. I’m here,” Buffy assured him. “Besides, I came back from the dead for you once, didn’t I? Who’s to say I wouldn’t do it again. Dru said I was soul stuck. I think I’m tied to you Spike.”

Spike stopped rocking and stared into her eyes. “Good.”

She leaned in to give him a little kiss. Connor came into the room. “Uggh! Not at breakfast.” He should have been jealous but he wasn’t. He was just glad to see Rose happy. He tried to think of her as Buffy, but he just couldn’t. He’d never known Buffy as anything more than a legend.

“So that’s why you’re still here?” Angel was trying to wrap his mind around the concept. “For Spike?”

“Yep.” Buffy told him. “I knew he loved me. After what he let Glory do to him, I knew. I had so much going on at the time that I didn’t have a chance to see if I could love him back. As I jumped he was my one regret. The one thing I felt I’d left undone.”

Angel had to admit that hurt. He felt Cordy grab his hand. He remembered he was loved. He also remembered that he had been off rescuing Cordelia when Buffy had needed him the most. Maybe she was right. They had never been enough for each other.

“Well, I’ll call England today,” Angel said. “You can decide when and how you want to contact Willow and Xander.”

“I figured I’d let Spike talk to Dawn. She’ll believe him,” Buffy said.

Gunn got up from the table and hobbled over behind them all. “I’m headed up to my room for a nap. Someone whacked my knee all up.” He gave Buffy a mock evil look and went to playfully tap her head with the tip of his crutch. Spike vamped and knocked Gunn back. It was instinctual; he hadn’t actually meant to do it. The claiming was brand new and he was at his most protective. Before Spike could even process what happened he found himself up against the wall with a stake to his heart.

“Chip not working, boy?” Angel growled into Spike’s face.

‘Oh shit,’ Spike thought.

Chapter 13: Definition of a Man

“Let him go Angel,” Buffy said from behind him.

Angel turned to her with a fierce growl, and saw that she was dangling Gunn in the air by his neck. “Put him down, Buffy!”

“Just as soon as you step away from Spike,” Buffy replied firmly, having no intention of backing down.

“His chip isn’t working. The Anaye poison must have fried it.” Angel couldn’t believe that she didn’t understand the potentially lethal situation they were dealing with.

“He doesn’t need a chip. I’m glad it’s gone. Now he can defend himself from humans. The chip didn’t cause him to be good, Angel. That was a choice Spike made.” Buffy couldn’t believe that he didn’t understand the man he was dealing with.

“Vampires don’t change. Spike said it himself.” Angel pressed the stake a little further into Spike, piercing the skin.

The scent of her mate’s blood reached Buffy causing her face to change. She was willing to go farther than Angel was. She would walk out of here with Spike, no matter what it took. She squeezed Gunn’s neck a bit more, causing his eyes to bulge slightly from their sockets while his labored breath struggled to pass through his restricted airways. Gunn’s choking reached Angel’s ears and he backed off on the stake. “I don’t believe you’d do it.”

“Try me,” Buffy growled.

With one last heated look in Spike's direction, Angel tossed the stake to the floor and backed away. Immediately, Buffy let go of Gunn, offering him an apologetic look as she set his feet on the floor. Spike moved to Buffy's side and wrapped his arm possessively around her waist.

“I’m not gonna go off huntin’, peaches. You’d think after nearly a score of years wearin’ a white hat you’d cut me some fuckin’ slack!” He always knew that if the chip stopped working, they would turn against him. Only in his musings he always found out before they did, and simply left before it came to this.

“I can’t, Spike. I can’t cut you any more slack than you cut Rose when you locked her up to keep her away from Dawn,” Angel told him, having figured it out.

Spike knew defeat. He was right. Angel had to protect his family at all costs. “Okay, mate. I got it. Let me and Buffy leave. We’ll just pack a couple of bags and head out of Los Angeles. We’d like to go see Dawn at her dad’s and then we’ll leave town and never come back again.”

“What?” Buffy yelled. “This is stupid! Angel, I can’t believe how totally lame you are being. You have to know how smart Spike is. If he was still evil he would have found ways to kill you all long ago. Hell, all he’d have to do is step back in a fight. He’s the best fighter you’ve got. He’s saved all of your asses time and again.” She looked around the room at the confused and frightened eyes of the people who should have been like family to Spike. Only Cordelia stared back with something akin to compassion in her eyes, but wariness overshadowed it. Buffy just shook her head. “None of you have any idea of the measure of a man, do you?” She looked back at Angel. “Let us leave?”

He looked down at the ground. He hated this. Didn’t either one of them know what this was doing to him? He didn’t want Spike dead. He just wanted him contained. Angel was very aware of just how vicious an unleashed vampire was. He couldn’t take any chances around the people he loved. “Get your stuff and go. I’m also calling Dawn and telling her about the chip. If she wants us to come and protect her and her daughters we’ll do it. Otherwise, see her and leave the city. And Buffy, if anything happens to them, I’m holding you personally responsible.

Buffy just looked at him. “You really believe that Spike would hurt Dawn?” At that moment Buffy felt pity for Angel; for all of them. It was becoming increasingly obvious Angelus had managed to instill constant fear in their hearts, and if Angel can’t be good without a soul, no one can. She sighed heavily and turned to Spike. “Come on, let’s go.”

It didn't take Spike and Buffy long to pack their belongings in a couple of leather duffle bags. They were on their way in under twenty minutes. Goodbyes were stilted with Cordelia and Lorne being the only two who showed any emotion about their impending departure. Buffy wanted to scream at the others to wake up and see the real man behind the monster, but knew it wouldn't do much good.

There was no doubt in Buffy’s mind that Dawn would be at the door waiting with open arms. She knew, however, that after what just happened Spike’s self-esteem was at an all time low. She could feel the tension pouring out of him. She reached over and grabbed his hand. “It’s gonna be okay, baby. Dawnie loves you. You’re the only family she has. Well, except for me.”

“Wonder if the Grand-Arse will tell Dawn about you or leave it up to us to convince her?” Spike asked, happy to have Buffy with him again, but he was completely dispirited after what had just gone down. They pulled up in front of Buffy’s dad’s house. Spike shut the engine off and looked over at Buffy. “You really think it will be okay?”

“You don’t see Angel’s car anywhere do you?” Buffy asked him.

“No,” Spike answered.

“Well, then she didn’t ask for back up.” Buffy pushed him towards his door. “Now, go hug your girl.” She pulled her own door open and got out of the car.

They didn’t even make it onto the driveway before the front door flew open and Dawn came running out straight into Spike’s arms. “I’m so sorry that Angel is such an ass!” She sobbed into his shoulder. “You’re a good man, Spike. I know it and Buffy knew it or she would never have left me with you.”

Spike hadn’t meant to cry, but the relief he felt was immense. “Dawnie. My Dawnie. You still love me?”

“Of course, you idiot!” She still hadn’t let go of him.

“You still trust me?” He asked the most important question.

Dawn let go of him and turned her head toward the house. “Buffy! Joyce! Get out here and hug your Uncle Spike.” Two squealing little girls came bounding out of the house and hurled themselves right into their Uncle’s waiting arms. Spike picked them both up at once and twirled them around, causing joyous laughter and shouts of “More! More!” He was loved and he was trusted.

“Does that tell you how much I trust you?” Dawn asked, smiling through her tears. She hated to see Spike in pain.

Buffy waited back a few paces letting them have their moment. She’d never doubted Dawn. She couldn’t tear her eyes away from her sister and her nieces. They were so beautiful. The older one was apparently Buffy. She looked just like Dawn. The younger one, Joyce, looked a lot like Buffy had at that age. Dawn, Buffy couldn’t get over her; she had aged into such an incredibly beautiful woman.

Dawn finally noticed the strange dark haired girl hovering behind Spike. “Do you have someone you’d like us to meet?” she asked him.

Spike turned to see Buffy standing behind him. He put the girls down and held his hand out. “Come here, pet.”

Buffy shyly walked over and plastered herself against Spike’s side. She didn’t know why, but suddenly she was very scared. Spike could feel the fear coming off of Buffy. He didn’t like it when she was scared. He rocked her a little bit and kissed her temple. “It’s okay, luv. Dawn is gonna be so happy, you’ll see.” He waited for her to calm a bit. “Wonder why peaches didn’t say anything? I bet he thought it would sway things in my favor if he did”

“Probably.” Buffy still wasn’t willing to let go of Spike.

Spike turned to Dawn. “Is there someplace we could go and talk?”

Dawn looked down at the girls. “Would you guys go in and play with Grandpa for a while? Mommy needs to have one of those grownup talks with Uncle Spike and his friend.”

“Is this Uncle Spike’s girlfriend?” Joyce asked her eyes wide with curiosity.

Spike laughed. “She’s more than that, little bit. She’s like Uncle Spike’s wife.”

Dawn’s eyes grew round. Spike had taken a mate? He mated with someone without introducing her to them first? Dawn felt a shiver of dislike run through her. What kind of witchy, human thrall did this chick have over Spike to get him to mate with her? “Just go girls,” Dawn said a little more sharply than she had intended.

The two girls ran back into the house and Dawn turned to walk in the back yard, clearly expecting Spike and Buffy to follow. They both noticed the change in Dawn’s voice and demeanor. Spike gave Buffy’s hand little encouraging circles with his thumb. It would be all right. He was sure of it. Dawn opened the garden gate and walked over to a seating area by the pool. The pool light was on and it gave everything a lovely glow. Dawn took a seat and Buffy and Spike did the same.

“I think I deserve an explanation, Spike. I saw you just two days ago. You were still with Lisa,” Dawn stated. She was giving both of them a hard look.

“Yes, Dawn, I know. I didn’t say anything about… Oh, hell, I don’t know where to begin,” Spike said in frustration. “Dawn, do you remember that Anaye demon I told you about whose bite can only be healed by the person’s true love?”

Dawn nodded her head. Spike continued, “Well, I went to end things with Lisa the other night and she didn’t take it well. She hit me and left me passed out in an alley. I got bitten several times by the Anaye while I was layin’ there.”

Dawn felt panic shoot through her veins. “You should be dead. Why aren’t you dead?”

Spike looked at Buffy. Dawn shook her head. “I don’t believe it. My sister was the great love of your life. I don’t believe you could ever love anyone else like that. I don’t think love works that way!” Her voice had taken on a shrill edge as she tried to make sense of what Spike was telling her.

“I couldn’t,” Spike said plainly.

“Then how…” Dawn began.

“Hey, Pumpkinbelly,” Buffy said softly.

Dawn’s face lost all of its color. She tilted her head to the side and leaned in to look in Buffy’s eyes. “Buffy?”

“Yeah, Dawnie, it’s me. I just look a little different.” Buffy didn’t even finish the sentence before Dawn had launched herself over the table and was in her sister’s arms.

“Where have you been? Why didn’t you come home!” Dawn cried.

“I tried, Dawn. I tried so hard. It turns out Willow put some kind of cloaking spell on you. I was in Oklahoma. A sort of reincarnation thing. Sort of,” Buffy explained, while holding Dawn tightly to her.

“How come you didn’t just call the hotel?” Dawn asked again.

Buffy rolled her eyes. For as accepting as Dawn was, she was relentless on the questions. “Whenever I did anything I thought of you, sweetie. And thinking of you meant the spell was activated. You’ve always been in my thoughts. You and Spike.”

Dawn pulled away to look at her sister. “You’re with Spike. You’re mated to Spike. You’re a lot smarter this time around, aren’t you?”

Buffy and Spike both burst into laughter. “I guess I am.” Buffy said. “Could I meet the girls? You don’t have to tell them who I am. It would be too confusing, but since I’m married to their Uncle Spike could I be their Aunt Rose?”

“At least you don’t want to be their Aunt Joan,” Dawn shuddered. She leaned in towards Spike. “When we were little and we’d play pretend, Buffy always wanted to be Joan. She can be so weird sometimes.”

“You only think that because your name is Dawn. Try living with Buffy and then see if you don’t like Joan. Joan is a nice name. Dawn’s pretend name was always Princess Pylea. Who ever heard of Pylea?”

Both Dawn and Spike cleared there throats. Spike looked at Buffy. “That might have had something to do with Dawn being the key and all, pet. Turns out there really is a Pylea. It’s where Lorne is from. Cordelia got to be queen there for a while.”

Buffy just looked at them in amazement. “Huh.”

“Come on. Let’s go in and meet your nieces,” Dawn said, coming to a stand but still holding on tightly to Buffy’s hand. They got to the glass slider and Buffy pulled back.

“Uh, Dawnie, you’re going to have to get Dad to give me an invite. I’m assuming Spike already has one.” Buffy was actually a little embarrassed.

Dawn looked at Spike in annoyance. “You turned her?”

“What? No!” He said in his defense.

“I kind of came to him this way. Dru did it.” Buffy explained.

“Why?”

“It was a gift for Spike. So he could keep me forever.” Buffy couldn’t help the dreamy little tone that entered her voice. She was happy. She had love and she had family.

“That’s sweet. Twisted, but sweet,” Dawn said. “Kind of like Spike.”

“Hey, now. I’m a good bloke,” Spike teased back.

Buffy turned toward him. “You’re a fine measure of a man, William.” Spike leaned in and gave her a tender kiss. When he pulled away he saw Dawn had tears flowing down her face again.

Dawn swiped at her eyes. “It’s just that I’m so happy. I feel like a kid whose parents have gotten back together. It’s like all my dreams just came true.”

Spike and Buffy spoke at the same time, “Mine too.”

Chapter 14: Welcome to Sunnydale

“That is so immature,” Buffy muttered, as Spike backed off of the sign he had just run over.

“It’s not immature. It’s tradition,” Spike replied cheerfully, putting the Desoto into drive and getting back on the road.

“It’s an immature tradition,” Buffy clarified.

“That it is, luv,” Spike agreed. He reached out and grabbed her hand. “But, I’m not the most mature bloke around.”

Buffy smiled at him. “I just love you so much. You’re kinda cute, you know that?”

Spike looked over at her and saw the big goofy grin on her face. He didn’t know what he could possibly have done in this world to deserve the happiness he had now. After they had spent a few hours with Dawn and the girls, with poor Buffy as ‘Aunt Rose’, they had decided to head to Sunnydale to surprise Xander. They figured with him shacking up with Harmony he was the most likely to be understanding of the chipless situation. Once they had convinced Xander of Buffy’s Buffiness, they planned to drive up to Oregon to visit Willow and Tara.

Spike pulled into the driveway of Xander and Harmony’s home. To both of their surprise, they found it to be quite posh. It was a large craftsman styled single story in one of Sunnydale’s nicer neighborhoods. Buffy couldn’t help the swell of pride that came over her at how well Xander had done for himself.

It was nearly sunrise so they hoped they could get the introductions over with quickly. Buffy reached up with one nicely polished nail and hit the doorbell. She jumped back as if she’d been bitten. How did you even get doorbells to make that sound? It was like a cross between a circus theme and a children’s television show. Way creepy. That’s when Buffy took a better look around at the stylish front yard. Topiary. How had she missed that? There were unicorn shaped hedges wherever you looked. There was little doubt now that they had the right address. Only Harmony Kendall would adorn her lawn in such a fashion.

She and Spike were both so engrossed in examining the yard that they missed the door opening. “Spike?” said a sleepy Xander.

Spike and Buffy turned to see Xander rubbing at his eyes and just staring at them. He looked great, was all that Buffy could think. Older and a little fuller, but… great. Buffy felt an overwhelming urge to throw herself into his arms, but knew that she needed to wait. Though could a hug from a stranger be any creepier than that shrubbery?

“Hey Xander, could we possibly come in?” Spike asked him with a weary smile. Truth be told all of the emotional upheaval had taken a toll on him and he was feeling the need for rest.

“Oh, of course. Come in.” A nice general invitation. Just what they needed. Spike and Buffy stepped into the house toting their duffle bags with them. “Follow me,” Xander said leading them into a nice dark living room with big comfy couches. It was a toss up who was more horrified by the floral décor, Spike or Buffy, but the comfort was highly appreciated. They sank down and dropped their bags.

“You going to tell me what you’re doing here?” Xander asked. “Not that it isn’t great to see you and all.”

“Angel didn’t call you then?” Spike asked, already knowing he hadn’t or Xander would have already commented on it. “Didn’t give you the heads up about my chip not working?”

Buffy got the surprise of her unlife. Xander didn’t so much as flinch. “That’s rough. They kick you out?” he asked Spike with something akin to sympathy in his voice.

“Pretty much. Me and my girl.” Spike pulled Buffy into his side. “We could use a place to stay for a couple of days if it’s okay with you and Harm.”

“Oh sure, of course,” Xander offered immediately, “You two can have one of the four never used guestrooms. It’s hard to have company when your girlfriend is a blood sucking fiend. No offense.”

“None taken,” Spike and Buffy said simultaneously.

Xander’s eyes did widen a bit then. He looked at Buffy. “My girlfriend will tear you apart if you try to get a taste of me. I’m her nummy treat only!”

That caused Buffy to burst into a fit of laughter. “Oh, Xander. I’ve missed your humor. I’ve missed everything about you.”

Xander looked at Spike. “Got yourself another nut, huh? Well, anything’s better than that Lisa chick. That one was a bitch. At least this one gets my sense of humor.”

Harmony came walking in dressed in a pink negligee with matching pink stilettos. “Blondie bear!” She ran over to Spike and gave him a hug but let go just as quickly at the low growl that sounded from the girl at his side. “Who’s this?”

“Spike and his girlfriend…” Xander paused realizing he hadn’t been introduced to this girl yet.

“Buffy.” Buffy supplied for him.

“Right, Spike and his girlfriend Buffy need a place to stay for a… Wait a minute. What did you say?” Xander knew this one was a bit of a nutter, but still.

“Hi Xand. It’s me,” Buffy announced, a hint of mischief coloring her voice.

“It’s you who?” Xander asked, clearly confused.

“It’s me, Buffy. Your best friend. You know, the dead one. I’m back. I was never really gone actually. Apparently Willow did this spell thing that kept me from contacting anyone. Totally sucked, you have no idea, but then Dru turned me and sent me to the Hyperion where I saved Spike from the poison of the Annoying demon and now he believes that I’m me so he’s all with the lovin’ me, which is good. Buffy lovin’ is always good. Oh, and we saw Dawnie last night which was amazing. How cute are my nieces! Gonna have to spend some more time with them as soon as Spikey and I settle. First we wanted to come see you though, so…” She finally stopped talking because she had an armful of Xander.

“You believe me?” Buffy said into his shoulder.

“It’s either you or Willow. I don’t know anyone else who can ramble like that,” Xander explained with a choked sob, as tears fell down his cheeks. He picked Buffy up and settled her onto his lap. Glancing up at Spike and Harmony, he announced, “Sorry guys, I just need to hold her for a little while.”

“No problem, mate.” Spike understood completely. He and Harmony looked on as the great loves of their lives held one another and wept. This had gone easier than Spike had anticipated. The whelp had surprised him believing in Buffy as quickly as he had. Looking back on it, Spike realized that Xander had surprised him many times over the years, like how easily he accepted the marriage of Anya and Giles. Xander occasionally showed a wisdom and maturity that was at odds with the stubbornly opinionated Xander they knew.

After Xander and Buffy had their reunion moment they all headed into the kitchen. Harmony got Spike and Buffy some blood. She was overjoyed that Buffy was a vampire. She explained how hard it was to have friends because all of the vampires laughed at her for being with a human and drinking blood bags, and all of the human’s thought she was weird and didn’t understand why she never did anything during the day. She really needed a friend. Buffy thought it was highly ironic that in life they’d hated each other but that in death they’d find friendship and shared loves. Weird.

Spike and Buffy were finally directed to the least frilly guestroom in the big house. Xander had insisted on having at least one area of masculine retreat. Buffy noted only one unicorn in the room and since it was made out of brass, it wasn’t too hideously intrusive. With exhaustion having taken control of every pore of their bodies, they fell asleep without showering or making love. When they woke up however, they more than made up for it. They took full advantage of the remodeled guest bathroom and indulged in a nice long bout of shower sex.

They stayed with Xander and Harmony for a week, finding their time together so enjoyable that they were seriously considering moving back to Sunnydale. But with the Hellmouth closed, the means for making a reasonable living was slim. Fighting demons was one of the only things either one of them excelled at, and they were seriously thinking of starting a business like Angel’s in one of the larger west coast cities. Maybe San Francisco or Seattle?

When it was time for them to leave, Spike and Buffy said their goodbyes, and more than a few tears were shed by all. They promised to come back and visit as soon as they could.

They took the drive up to Oregon in a leisurely manner. They took the coastal route and would make love at the beach under the moonlight every night. They soon realized that if their mutual thirst for violence wasn’t able to be sated, they could indulge in a good bout of vicious sparring, which ultimately led to rough fantastic sex. This usually did the trick.

They were just entering the town that Willow and Tara called home when Spike’s cell phone rang. “Hello?”

“Spike.”

“Angel? To what do I owe this honor?” Spike drolled.

“I need to talk with Buffy.”

“Okay, fine,” Spike said coldly, handing the phone to his mate. He wasn’t worried. He trusted Buffy completely. Whatever Angel tried to tell her, she’d stay with him, he knew it.

“What do you want, Angel?” Buffy asked warily.

“I wanted to apologize. I was wrong to speak to you the way I did. After losing you for so long, I should have tried harder, I’m sorry.”

“You know this doesn’t help, right? Unless your attitude has changed about Spike’s need for the chip, we’ll never be ok. I do appreciate that you called, and I hope we can keep in touch. Spike and I are thinking of starting up a business like yours in another city. I’m sure we’ll need a lot of pointers.” Buffy was trying to offer up a flag for Angel’s use.

“Maybe we could help with that. I wish you the best, Buffy. I really do. Call me if you need me,” Angel said.

“I will. That is if I can get through.” Buffy told him in a slightly teasing voice.

“Sorry about that. I love you, Buffy.”

There was a brief hesitation before she replied. “I love you too, Angel. Goodbye.”

“Goodbye.”

Buffy handed the phone back to Spike. “No changes. Just an apology for the way he treated me. He did say that he might be willing to help us if we start up a business though.”

“So generous of him. We should send him candy and a thank you note,” Spike snarked.

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Buffy snapped. “Balloons obviously, and with a singing thank you telegram.”

Spike laughed. “I love you, pet. Love you so much.”

“I know. It’s my reason for living. Literally.” She reached over and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

The Desoto pulled to a stop in front of a set of wrought iron gates. Spike rolled the window down and pushed the call box. “Peace and serenity to you. What can we help you with?” A mellow male voice flowed over the speaker.

“Ah… Peace and serenity to you too. We’re here to see Willow Rosenburg. We’re expected,” Spike said into the box.

“Yes, the two vampires. Come in please.” The box sounded off and the gates slowly opened in front of them. They followed the winding drive way up to a parking lot. It wasn’t much of a parking lot, but regardless, the coven had their own parking lot. Spike pulled into one of the spaces marked ‘visitor’. Life was odd.

Willow and Tara were waiting for them on the top steps of the main building. The estate itself was vast and sprawling, and with the large number of outbuildings, it resembled a college far more than a coven.

Buffy got out of the car and ran to meet the witches. Xander had called them to explain everything, and then had handed the phone off to Buffy. Not a lot got accomplished during that conversation; just a whole lot of apologizing from Willow. Now that Buffy had her arms wrapped around her old friends she could smell a familiar smell coming form the basket at Willow’s feet. Cookies. Not just any cookies, but Willow’s own brand of ‘please forgive me I’m so sorry cookies’. Buffy broke away from the women and looked pointedly down at the basket. “Are those for me?” Buffy asked, with a hopeful look in her eye.

“Yes,” Willow said as tears streaked down her cheeks. “Buffy, I’m so sorry about the barrier spell. If I had any idea…”

“Red!” Spike came up to them with their duffel bags in his hands. “If I hear one more soddin’ apology came out of your mouth I’m going to let my girl bite you. Got it?”

“Got it.” Willow looked just as contrite as ever. She pulled two cookies out of the basket. She handed one to Buffy who took it with a ‘thank you’, and she shoved the other one into Spike’s open mouth, since his hands were occupied. There’s nothing like old times.

Chapter 15: The Ozlings

Buffy and Spike both stared in open mouth fascination at the children running in circles around the dining room table. They created a mid hip red blur as they raced by. All three of them were miniature versions of Oz. Buffy finally looked up at Willow and Tara. “So, did either of you pass any genes off to these children?”

Both witches broke into a laugh. “No, not a bit. Wait until you hear them talk. Or not talk,” Tara said. She had been the one to give birth to the girls. She and Willow had been so excited when they realized that Tara was carrying twins. Finding out they were little girls after Willow had already given birth to Daniel over a year and a half before was just icing. Oz had come for one of his regular visits when he overheard Willow and Tara talking about artificial insemination. In his Oz-like manner he’d walked over to them and said “Use mine.” So they did. The only stipulation Oz put on them was that the children would be conceived naturally. Weres were into the nature thing, but so were wiccans and so both parties found themselves in complete agreement. The children had been conceived in warmth and love. Oz visited frequently and the odd little family was happy and healthy in every way.

“Faith and Hope are actually far chattier than Daniel,” Willow said as she led Spike and Buffy into the guestroom. They didn’t have an official guestroom per se. Daniel was forced to vacate his bedroom and take over the living room couch. He was ten years old, however, and viewed this as a treat. His sisters were both incredibly jealous which just added to this unexpected treat.

Spike looked at Daniel’s bedroom in delight. Now, this was a boy’s room. It was painted dark blue and had movie monster posters all over the walls. There was a telescope connected to a computer sitting on a desk by the open window. The kid had notebooks everywhere, reminding Spike of a far cooler version of himself as a lad. He placed the duffel bags on the bottom bunk and turned to Willow with a smile. “Cool kid, Red.”

Willow beamed. “Thank you. Sorry it’s kind of a mess in here. I would have straightened it up, but I’m not allowed to touch anything. Apparently there is some kind of order to this madness. He’s always writing observations down in his notebooks and each one is on a different subject. He’s funny like that.”

Buffy couldn’t believe that Willow had a child in the double digits. Dawn’s girls had thrown her, but this was just too much. “I feel left behind.” Buffy said with a bit of a sigh.

Spike pulled her into his arms. “I know, pet. It’s a lot to take in.”

Willow’s eyes flowed over with tears. “I’m so sorry…”

Buffy used her vamp speed to cover Willow’s mouth with the palm of her hand before she could finish the sentence. She looked into Willow’s eyes. “Not one more I’m sorry out of you, missy. I’m in the body of a sixteen, almost seventeen year old. I’d feel a little behind even if I’d been able to contact you ten years ago. Plus, as Spike pointed out, he so didn’t want to raise me.” Buffy took her hand away from Willow’s mouth and gave her a kiss on the nose as she stepped away.

“Oi! That’s not what I said, Goldilocks.” Spike looked at Willow. “I said that if I’d raised her she’d think of me as her dad and that’s the last thing I want.”

Willow shook the thought off, cringing at the imagery that came to mind. She looked at Buffy. “That would be wrong.”

Buffy just laughed at the both of them. “As if.”

Tara came into the room followed by one of the twins. Buffy still couldn’t get them straight, and Spike saw the look of concentration on her face. “Go by smell, pet. They each have their own scent, kind of like fingerprints.”

Buffy used her sense of smell and sure enough she could detect a much different scent coming from the other girl who was still goofing with her brother in the great room. It was handy, but she needed a name to go with the scent. Spike leaned in “This one’s Faith.”

“Thanks,” Buffy whispered back to him. She loved how he always seemed to know what she was thinking and what she needed.

“I thought we could all just sit and talk for a while,” Tara said. She had her arm around Faith’s shoulder and she was absently playing with a lock of the girl’s bright red hair.

“That would be great, luv,” Spike said to the blonde witch. “Just give Buffy and I a minute and we’ll be right out.”

The three women walked back out to the great room and Spike quietly shut the door behind them. He turned to Buffy and gave her a sad smile. “I’m so sorry that I can’t give you that.”

“What?” Buffy had no idea what he was talking about.

“Children. A real family,” Spike revealed, looking down at his feet.

“Spike, please. All I want is you. For seventeen years I have had one solid thought – ‘Get to Spike’. Now, I’ve got you and I don’t need anything else. Besides, even if I wasn’t with you, I’m a vampire. Pretty sure my reproductive organs aren’t reproducing anytime soon, or ever!”

“That’s my fault too. Dru turned you for me.”

Buffy used the same technique she had used to shut Willow up a minute ago. With her hand firmly placed over his mouth she said, “I love you. You are my family. I never planned on having children, William. It isn’t in the slayer cards. It’s not that I don’t like kids, I do, it’s just I don’t need them. You are the only one I need. Ever. Plus, this way we get to enjoy them and then leave them with their parents!” Buffy gave him her cheekiest grin and let go of his mouth.

He was on her in a flash. Buffy moaned into the delicious kiss she was receiving from her mate. Spike felt himself harden but the sound of giggling coming from just outside the door put a damper on his ardor. “Think we have some eavesdroppers, my love.”

“That might be our cue to come out and be sociable.” Buffy patted his butt. “We can get back to this later.” Buffy glanced at the bunk beds. “Who gets to be on top?”

Spike growled lustfully. “You’re not helping here.” He pointed to his penis.

Buffy laughed. “Sorry. I meant the beds.”

Spike looked at their sleeping accommodations. “We will both be on the bottom bunk.” He gave it a look. “I think it’s the sturdiest.”

“Spike! We are so not having sex in Daniel’s bed,” Buffy admonished him.

Spike just shrugged. “Floor it is then.”

Buffy shook her head as she walked away from him and opened the door. The kids ran down the hall and into the great room. Willow and Tara had a lovely timber frame home. The kitchen, living, and dining area were all in one large room. The three bedrooms were located down a hall off of the living room side. It was the kind of house that told you its occupants spent a lot of time together. It was filled with books and games and decorated in warm reds and oranges with the occasional purple thrown in.

Buffy and Spike took a seat on one of the two large gold colored sofas. Tara and Willow were curled up on the other one. Faith, Hope, and Daniel were sitting on the floor leaning on the coffee table. Spike watched in fascination as the kids spun these top thingies at each other. It appeared to be some sort of dominance battle game. He loved it. Spike looked around. He loved the whole place really. He looked down at the girl curled up in his arms. “I want a home like this. I want us to make a home.”

Buffy leaned further into him. “You got it, baby.”

“So how can we make Sunnydale work?” Spike asked her. He’d really enjoyed hanging out with Xander and Harmony.

“You two are thinking of settling in Sunnydale?” Willow was shocked.

Buffy laughed. “I know it sounds weird, but we had a really good time staying with Xander and Harmony. We have a lot in common.”

Willow thought about it for a moment. “But all the unicorns. I don’t think that’s healthy.”

Spike and Buffy both shuddered. Spike looked up at Willow with a pained expression. “I suppose it’s just the price we’ll have to pay.”

“What are you guys thinking of doing?” Tara asked.

“We want to set up an outfit like Angel Investigations but we don’t think post-Hellmouth Sunnydale can offer us enough business,” Spike explained.

“How about doing contract work. It will allow you guys to travel and make money. A house in Sunnydale could operate as your home base,” Tara suggested.

Spike came up out of his seat and gave Tara a big smack on the lips. “Glinda, you’re a bleedin’ genius.”

Little Hope looked up at her mother. “Yeah.” She went back to playing tops with her siblings. Willow looked at her partner. “Yeah,” She said and pulled her into a sweet kiss.

Tara blushed. “So how long are you guys going to stay with us?”

“We were thinking just a few days if that’s okay with you guys. We want to head over to England and visit with Giles and Anya. Plus, I have some unfinished business with the current slayer,” Buffy said with a determined glint in her eye.

Willow and Tara had known that Spike was dating the girl. They hadn’t put much thought into what went down before Spike and Buffy came together. But by the hard look on Buffy’s face, it must not have been pretty. Spike ruffled the top of Buffy’s head and dramatically rolled his eyes. The two witches laughed. Buffy did not.

The next few days flew by. They had a great time at the coven. All of the witches were extremely accepting of the two vampires. As long as Willow and Tara trusted them the rest followed. Spike had dubbed the kids the “Ozlings.” The name stuck as they overheard several coven members using it as well. The kids just shrugged. They were the most laid back children that Buffy and Spike had ever seen, apparently taking after their father in that regard.

Spike put a call into Giles and discovered, with some irritation, that Angel had called the watcher first. Things were a bit tense. Spike and Buffy were welcome to come to England but they would not be receiving an invitation into Giles’ and Anya’s flat. Giles’ felt it best to meet on neutral ground since he was not as convinced as everybody else appeared to be that Buffy was who she said she was. He seemed to doubt her true identity more than he doubted Spike’s ability not to munch on the locals. Both Spike and Buffy were dreading the coming trip.

When their final day came with Willow, Tara, and the Ozlings, Spike and Buffy decided a normal day of board games and movies was called for. By the time the sun had set Buffy’s nerves were in full swing. She didn’t know if she could go through with it. Did she really need to see Giles? Spike sensed how nervous she was. He was wondering the same thing himself. In the end though, they said their goodbyes and headed off to the airport. They only had plans to be gone for a week since Spike wasn’t willing to leave his beloved Desoto in public parking any longer than that. As the plane took off the ground Buffy looked at her mate. “Promise me you won’t let anything separate us?”

Spike looked into her dark brown eyes, “I promise, baby. Nothing will ever come between us.”

Chapter 16: The Council

“If the girl does indeed have a soul, whether she is Buffy Summers or not, she needs to be separated from the vampire. He’s soulless and therefore evil,” Travers told Giles.

“If she is indeed Buffy, Sir, I can assure you that neither you nor any of the Council members will be able to talk her into anything,” Giles said wearily.

“Please! She’s not that dead slayer.” Lisa had insisted on being in on the meeting. “She just wanted Spike and came up with the only thing she could to make him leave me.” Lisa didn’t bother hiding her former relationship with William the Bloody because she knew the Council was already aware of the situation and didn’t see any need to try and deny it.

Giles looked at the blonde woman with disdain. He’d always disliked this slayer. Why did the unpleasant ones seem to live the longest? Giles thrust the unpleasant thoughts from his mind as he announced, “Anya and I will be meeting with them tonight. I believe that I will be able to tell quite easily whether her claim has any merit. I will, of course, call you immediately with what I find.” Giles got up to leave the room, wondering why he had stayed on with the Council like he had. Travers was getting ever more bizarre in his old age. He had a deep seated need to control everyone and everything. He saw himself as the seat of not just the Council, but of the power of the slayer. Giles and a few others had been quietly working to usher the old man into retirement, but unfortunately that left Giles to fill his shoes. Anya was in favor of such a move as it increased their earning exponentially, but Giles was beginning to feel the weight of the years himself and wasn’t sure he was up to heading the Council.

He left the building and headed home to change. A long shower and a stiff drink would hopefully better prepare him for the emotional deluge that was sure to follow, as he found himself increasingly incensed that someone would dare inpersonate his slayer. When he had first received the phone call, Giles’ instinct was to refuse the meeting. Than Anya, always his voice of reason, suggested that he owed it to Buffy to explore this avenue, and Giles knew in his mind that she was correct.

So here he was in his early sixties, wearing a suit, with a gorgeous young wife on his arm who actually had him by a good 940 years, about to enter a pub in order to meet with two vampires; one of which was claiming to be the daughter of his heart who had died so very long ago. It had taken a great deal of time to heal from that pain and here he was about to open it all up again.

“Look, honey. There they are!” Anya exclaimed with excitement. Personally she believed that this was Buffy. If anyone had a chance to come back in some freaky way, it would be Buffy, and Anya was looking forward to seeing her old friend. Council life wasn’t always easy on an ex-demon. She often felt like a subclass citizen. It would be nice to spend the evening in the company of people who actually respected her.

“Yes. I see them,” Giles said calmly at her side. He looked at the dark haired beauty seated with Spike. It looked nothing like Buffy. The closer they got; however, he did notice a determined set to her chin that reminded him of his beloved girl.

“Watcher, Demon-bird,” Spike nodded to them. “Have a seat.”

“Thank you,” Giles said as Anya and he slid into the booth.

“Oh, Buffy, I love the new body.” Anya said. “I think this one goes much better with Spike then the last one did. I bet you look amazing together when you have sex. All light and dark.”

Buffy broke into a grin at Anya’s blunt words. “Anya, thank you for showing me that some things never change.”

Anya grinned back. “You’re welcome.”

Giles had to hide a smile. It was nice to be in the presence of people who were not put off by his outspoken wife. “Yes, well. Let’s get to first things first. Your identity. Why do you believe that you are Buffy Summers?”

Buffy looked at him and rolled her eyes. “Maybe ‘cause I am Buffy. Geez, Giles! Check the birth date. Oniha was born the same day that I died. I always knew who I was. The parents hired a shaman to come check me out. They thought I was possessed, and pretty much they were right. The soul of their little girl was safe in heaven. She would have been born dead if my soul hadn’t come to fill her up. They never resented me, though. They were just really nice people. I mean, imagine how hard it was for them to want to hold and love a little girls whose first word was ‘Spike’!”

Spike looked at her with eyes that were a little too bright. “Your first word was Spike?”

Buffy looked a little embarrassed. “Yes. It was. I knew you would come for me.” At the look of sorrow that washed over his face Buffy hurried to continue. “You’re here now, baby, and that’s all that matters. You’ve got me now.”

“Why Spike?” Giles was more doubtful than ever, though the shaman did give him a place to start. “Why call out for Spike?”

“Because he was the last thing I thought of as I jumped from that platform. He was the one thing I felt I was leaving undone. After what he let Glory do to him, I started believing in him. I believed in his love and I believed in his loyalty. I needed that, Giles, and I still do. It’s not that I didn’t trust the rest of you. It’s just that with Spike it goes beyond trust. I feel like I belong to him.” Buffy wished she had the words to explain to her old watcher what she meant.

“Angel explained that you had tried to contact us earlier but that the wards Willow had put up stopped you,” Giles said. The server interrupted them to take their drink order.

After she left, Buffy turned to look at Giles, “Ask me anything. Something Dru or no one else would have known.” She hoped she would know the answer; seventeen years was a long time to remember everything.

“Okay.” Giles stopped to think for a minute. He gave a nervous glance at Anya and Buffy caught it.

“Stevedore,” She said to him simply.

“Yes, well, that’s something.” Giles glanced at Spike’s beer with longing.

“What about stevedores?” Anya asked.

“Nothing, dear. Oh look, isn’t that Henry from accounting. The one you think has such a cute arse?” Giles pointed to a young man who was walking in with several others.

“Yes, it is.” Anya gave a great sigh. “Not that I don’t like your butt, honey.” She assured her husband.

“Yes, I’m sure.” Giles saw the waitress approaching their table with their drinks. Oh, how he needed one. The waitress set the drinks down. A scotch for Giles. A rum and coke for Anya. She refilled Buffy’s water and put another beer in front of Spike. They said their thanks and she walked away.

“The others, Xander and Willow, are sure that you are Buffy. I’m afraid that I need proof. Would you be willing to come to the Council offices with me? We have a shaman and several witches on staff who could perhaps confirm things.”

Spike growled. “Not bloody likely, mate.”

Giles looked at Spike. That’s right, no chip. Mustn’t upset the vampire. “Sorry, Spike. I just thought it would perhaps clear everything up.”

“It’s clear, watcher. Buffy knows exactly who she is. So does everyone else. The problem’s yours. You deal with it,” Spike said as he took a large pull from his beer.

“Buffy?” Giles looked at her.

“You heard Spike, Giles.” Buffy stood by her mate in all things, even though she really did want to get to the Council so that she could run into Lisa. She had a bone to pick with that girl.

“Then we are at an impasse,” Giles said with disappointment.

“Oh, why don’t you just bring the shaman to meet Buffy? You could do the probe at their hotel room just as easily as at the council,” Anya suggested. Why make big problems out of little problems?

“I don’t see why that wouldn’t work.” Giles looked at Spike. “Does that meet with your acceptance?”

Spike thought about it for a moment. He knew this was important to Buffy. Giles had been like a father to her. He gave a slow nod. “Okay, but no funny business. I see a bunch of council goons and we’re out of here.”

“Fine. That will be fine. Though the Council might insist on some protection for their shaman.” Giles worried.

“Why don’t you have the slayer come with him,” Buffy suggested. She was just trying to be helpful.

“That would be acceptable to the both of you?” Giles wondered aloud.

“Yeah, mate. Shagged the girl for years. Even though the chip’s out I’m not too worried about her dusting me,” Spike told him. He knew damn well why Buffy had suggested it, and he wasn’t about to stand in the way of his girl and a little ass kickin’.

Chapter 17: Hey Lisa

There was a hard knock at the door, and Spike and Buffy shared a look of anticipation. They could smell a total of four humans outside of the door. Buffy walked over before Spike could and wrenched it open.

“Hey, Lisa,” she said with a wide smile. “Why don’t you come on in?”

Lisa rolled her eyes and stepped over the threshold, a small dark haired man following close behind. He was dressed in a tweed suit that looked ill suited to his frame. His hair was a glossy black and cut in a bowl style that suggested he was from Peru. Giles and Anya came in next. Anya offered the two vampires an encouraging smile, which Buffy gladly returned.

“Let’s get this over with.” Lisa was obviously put out by the babysitting job. She stood with her arms crossed and stared at the shaman. The small man looked up at her nervously. It was obvious that he was far more uncomfortable with her than he was with Spike and Buffy.

Spike walked over and held his hand out to the newcomer. “Hi. I’m Spike.”

The man looked away from the rude slayer and up at the vampire. “I’m Yaki. Thank you for inviting me to your home.” He shook Spike’s hand with a firm grip, offering not a bit of hesitation.

Spike decided right then that he liked this guy. “Whatever you need to do, just let us know.”

Yaki nodded at Spike and walked over to Buffy. “Could you sit, please?”

Buffy sat down on the ground. Yaki took a pinch of some kind of powder that hung in a sack around his waist. He put it in the palm of his hand and then spit in it. He rubbed the paste first on Buffy’s forehead and then his own. He started chanting and walking around Buffy in slow circles. After a few turns something seemed to catch his eye. He turned to the vampire on the floor and rocked back on his heels staring at what everyone assumed was Buffy’s aura. A small ‘oh’ escaping his mouth.

Yaki looked at Giles and Anya. “She is the one. She is the chosen one whom you seek.”

Giles still needed to clarify things, not daring to allow his hopes to be raised until he had absolute confirmation. “Buffy? She is Buffy Summers?” Yaki nodded gravely. Hadn’t he just said that?

Giles felt his knees go weak, and he would have fallen if not for the cool arms that were suddenly wrapped around him. Buffy was holding on to him tightly. “Oh, my darling girl. I have missed you so,” he sobbed.

Buffy felt her own tears pour down her face. “Me too. Only more, because I was all abandoned and stuff.”

Giles pulled away to look at her. “I am so sorry about that. Willow and I…”

Buffy gave him a watery smile. “I know. I know. I understand why you did it. No more apologies. We only have a few days together. Let’s just enjoy them, ‘kay?”

“That would be lovely,” Giles responded.

Lisa had left during the hug session. She walked back into the room while clicking her cell phone shut. Giles looked at her coldly. “Lisa, did you just make a telephone call?”

“Yes, I called the Council. Figured they’d want to know about this. Get their slayer back.” Lisa smiled wickedly at the old watcher.

Buffy walked with deliberation over to the insolent girl. “Lisa?” Buffy said in a steely voice. “I’m going to hurt you now. Just thought you might want to know.” Before Lisa could open her mouth to form a ‘what?’ Buffy’s fist connected with her jaw. It sent the younger slayer flying back against the wall, hitting the doorframe in the process. She slid to the floor in an unconscious heap. Buffy looked down at the fallen slayer and then back up at Giles, and with no hint of remorse told him, “I’ll carry her to a cab for ya.”

“Thank you, Buffy. That’s very generous.” Giles calmly turned and offered his wife an arm. Anya took it with a smile. She loved, really loved Giles.

“The two of you will come for dinner tomorrow night at our house,” Anya called over her shoulder. “I know how to make all sorts of fabulous blood dishes. I never get a chance to show off all my talents.”

“We’d love to Anya, thanks.” Spike called to her. He was following behind the group, chatting with Yaki. Spike was trying to figure if the man would like help returning home, knowing quite well how the Council worked. It seemed, however, that the money he was sending to his village was a great source of pride to him. The little guy had no intentions of leaving. Spike shrugged, and then he watched in amusement as his mate roughly shoved Lisa into a cab. Anya and Giles got in the back with the unconscious slayer and Yaki took the front. He gave Spike and Buffy a friendly little wave as the cab pulled away from the curb.

“I really like that guy.” Spike told Buffy as he pulled her into a hug.

“Yeah, me too, but I’d like to get his spit off of my face. Now-ish.” She turned and ran back into the hotel room.

“Oi! What we gonna do about the Council?” Spike called running after her.

“Nothing.” Buffy said as she entered their room and flew into the bathroom. “Let them come.” She turned on the shower tap. She had planned on just washing her face, but then she eyed the foamy soap stuff that Tara had given to her. It looked like gel but when you rubbed it got all foamy. She wanted to play with it, and Spike of course. She checked to see if the water was hot. Perfect. She turned to yell for her mate when she noticed him standing at the door. He was completely naked.

“Time to play with the soap?” Spike asked hopefully.

Buffy held up the dispenser. “Uh-huh, I’m feelin’ dirty.”

Spike’s hardened cock gave a twitch. “You are dirty, baby. But don’t worry,” Spike said in a husky voice as he took the soap from her. “I know just how to get you all clean.”

“But I’m dirty everywhere,” Buffy said, adopting an innocent tone as she started to slip her clothes from her body. Spike watched each and every move with rapt attention. “What if I get you all dirty too? You know, when you touch me?” Buffy now stood completely naked in front of him.

“Then I guess you’ll just have to clean me up.” Spike stepped in the shower. He peeked his head back out. “Get in here, woman!”

Buffy stepped into the shower behind her mate. “Baby, when we get ready to buy a house of our own, let’s get one with a really big shower.”

“You got it, kitten,” Spike promised as he put a handful of gel in his palm. He started to rub it on Buffy’s shoulders. The way it turned into foam fascinated him. He made tiny circles against her skin, getting ever closer to her gorgeous breasts. “Lift your arms up, luv.” He soaped her arms, running his hands up and down them in leisurely strokes. Buffy wondered how he could make her so hot just by touching her arms.

“Turn around,” Spike said as he put more soap in his palm. He washed her back, making sure to knead the muscles with the palms of his hands. When he reached her bottom, Buffy couldn’t help but arch against him. She felt his hard shaft poke her opening and she let out a throaty moan of desire. “Want something, baby?” Spike purred against her ear as he worked the soap into her derriere.

“Always, my love. I always want you. Can’t stop and don’t wanna.” Buffy could feel the moisture building up between her thighs from Spike’s rubbing and the teasing of his member against her lips. She wanted nothing more than to push against him, slip him in. The very thought brought forth another moan from her. She couldn’t help herself, she moved down just a bit.

“Uh-uh-uh. None of that, now.” Spike gave her bottom a firm smack. “You’re still dirty.” He went down on his knees and started to wash her legs. Every time he got to the top of her thighs he made slow circles with his thumbs, just barely grazing her clit. Buffy didn’t think she could take much more. Spike lifted up each of her feet and gave them a thorough wash. Buffy giggled as he slipped his fingers between her toes. He then stood up and turned her around.

Spike put more soap in his hands and set to work on Buffy’s gorgeous stomach. This girl was all lean muscle. When he was satisfied that her tummy was clean he moved up to her breasts. He’d saved the best for last. He really loved her breasts. He knew she thought they were too small, but she couldn’t be more mistaken. They were perfect for her tiny lean body. They were like two oranges, all ripe and juicy. Her nipples were dark and stood prominently out from her breasts. They were the kind of breasts that just begged a man to take them into his mouth, which he planned on doing just as soon as he got them clean. He rubbed the soap against her breasts, getting them nice and foamy. He paid special attention to the tips, knowing how much Buffy loved that.

“All clean, pet.” Spike declared as he leaned into her for a kiss. Buffy pushed him away and shook her head saucily. She held her hand out for the soap. “I don’t kiss dirty men,” she admonished him. Spike gave her a wry smile and handed over the soap. The water had run cold before the two of them were done; that seemed to happen to them a lot.

Chapter 18: The First Slayer Sans Cheese

Neither Buffy or Spike were surprised by the knock that sounded outside their hotel door. Nor were the shadows of the two Council agents covertly dangling outside of the covered windows a big shock, they had been expected. Buffy expected nothing less from the Council.

Buffy insisted on being the one to answer the door, and she threw it open with a big smile, and an even bigger gun, her own little surprise. The connections that Spike had in London came in quite handy. “ Why… It’s Travers! What a surprise!” Buffy mocked.

Travers looked sardonically at the gun. “Really, Miss Summers, as if that could intimidate me.”

Buffy just shrugged. “Are you going to tell us why you’re here?”

“To get you back on the team, of course,” Travers said smoothly, not daring to step into the room. He had arrived with three armed men, and knew there were two more behind the drawn curtains. With that type of man power, he was hoping to avoid a scene, and figured his chances would be greater if she exited the hotel room.

“I quit a very long time ago. I’m no longer a slayer. I’m a vampire with a soul and I have no more intention of working for you than Angel does. Do we understand one another?” Buffy informed him firmly, hoping that she and Spike wouldn’t have to fight their way out of this.

“Very clear.” Travers made a slight move with his hand, and suddenly the window behind Spike shattered as two men came rolling into the room with weapons drawn. Spike dove to the side, avoiding the shaft of sunlight that came in with Travers men, wincing as the first bolt hit him in the leg. He could have avoided it, but now he was fully justified in putting a bullet hole into both of their heads. With his vampire reflexes, they were nice clean shots.

Buffy saw the men behind Travers raise their cross bows and she immediately raised her arm. Travers was pushed down by the men behind him just as she fired several rounds. The bodyguards just smirked at her and then vamped. Uh, oh. How had she not realized they were vampires? She threw the gun down and made a leap back toward Spike yelling, “They’re vamps!”

“What?” Spike was astounded. He must be getting old.

Buffy glanced at the two dead men. “They’re not vamps are they?” she asked, as the three vamps came in from the hallway.

Spike moved so he and Buffy were back to back. “Not with the sunshine hittin’ them pet.”

“Duh, sorry,” Buffy mumbled, as she sent out a kick that knocked the weapons from two of the vampires at the same time.

Spike had managed to do the same with the third vamp while keeping an eye out for Travers. The old man so far was huddling in the corridor, but Spike wouldn’t put anything past him.

Losing their weapons didn’t seem to cause the vamp guards any qualms. They kept right on attacking. Spike and Buffy blocked their every move, while looking around desperately for something wooden. While she was stronger and faster than most vamps one on one, these three were obviously trained fighters. Plus, they were huge. The Council had obviously messed with their genetics somehow, because these were not your normal vamps. It was like fighting sumo wrestlers on speed.

She managed to kick one of them into the glass coffee table. Damn, she wished it had been made out of wood! Then she spotted one of the fallen weapons. She picked it up and fired. The glass was now littered with dust. Smiling with satisfaction, she reloaded the weapon, but had it kicked out of her hands before she could shoot. As she tried to recover her balance the vamp grabbed her arm and threw her on the ground. Buffy hissed as she rolled partially into the sunlight.

Spike smelled the scent of his mate’s burning flesh and he became enraged. He jumped the vamp that had thrown her, bringing the other one with him as it tried to hold him back. All three of them went rolling on the ground; unfortunately, right on top of Buffy who had moved just out of the shaft of sunlight. Spike rolled between the two of them and used his legs to shove the vamp that had a hold of him right through the open window. They heard him turn to dust before he ever hit the ground. Spike and Buffy both turned to the remaining vamp.

One well placed punch later, and Buffy sent the last vamp into la la land. With determined looks set on their faces, she and Spike headed into the hallway to retrieve Travers. The man was nowhere to be seen, but his fear made him easy to track. Within seconds, Spike had him firmly raised in the air the lapels of his tailored jacket.

“I thought you wanted to chat?” Spike growled to the quivering old man, as he carried him back to the hotel room.

“Why aren’t there any hotel personnel or policemen coming to check out all of the noise?” Buffy looked around at the devastation that was their room.

“I imagine it’s for the same reason that we couldn’t sense that these two were vamps. Isn’t that right, Travers?” Spike tossed the man onto the ground next to the dead bodies of his men. Buffy was in the process of tying the big vamp to a chair with ropes. And she thought Spike had only brought them along for the kink factor.

“I don’t mean to sound stupid, but I don’t get it?” Buffy was finished with her task and looking for some answers.

Spike picked up the phone and dialed out. “Rupert?”

“Yes?”

“Best get over to our place. We’ve got Travers here, two dead bodies, and a bodyguard who sports a mean case of lumpies. I’m also pretty sure that the old fart has some mojo worked on the hotel. No one’s been in to see what’s the what, and Buffy and I were not able to tell that three of Traver’s men were vampires. We need some clean up, mate.”

“I’ll call for a team, and then I’ll be right over.”

Spike hung up the phone and turned to his mate. “That explain it all to you?”

“Pretty much, yeah.” Buffy sat down on one of the still solid pieces of furniture in the room. She looked at Spike. “I’m bored.”

“Me too.” He said taking a seat next to her. “But your watcher is on his way. He’ll get this mess cleaned up and then we can go have that dinner Anya’s so keen on.”

Buffy looked at him. “That doesn’t do much for my boredom now though.” She gave him a wicked smile as she vamped. She turned towards Travers and ran a tongue against her fangs. “I may have a soul, old man, but I also have a demon.” She walked until she was standing over him. “Also, I’m a bit young as vampire’s go. Haven’t learned to control it all yet. The smell of all this blood is intoxicating.” She bent down near him. “You don’t mind if I have just a sip do you?”

Travers didn’t mind pain. He had a high tolerance for it, but he did mind getting bit. It was one of his worst fears. The very idea of having a corpse put its mouth on him just shook him to his core. Buffy could smell his fear, and it was delicious. She leaned in right at his neck and let just the smallest drop of saliva drip down. Travers shrank back in repulsion. He turned to Spike. “Control her! You’re a master vampire, do something!”

` “Like what?” Spike was amused. He’d never seen Buffy act this way before. It was dead sexy.

“How would I know?” Travers asked.

Spike looked purposefully over at the tied up vamp. “Seems to me you know an awful lot about controlling vampires.”

“Oh, that.” Travers sighed. “They’re just the result of some American government testing. They have microchips quite similar to the one you used to have.”

Spike gave him a hard look. “Let me guess. You planned on installing one of those in Buffy.”

“Yes. She was always difficult to control, even as a human. With these new improved chips…” Travers never even got to finish his statement. Several things happened all at once. Lisa came in threw the window, Giles and the cleanup crew came in from the doorway, Spike moved in to rip Travers head off, and Buffy started to chant. The last thing stopped everything else. All heads came to look at the beautiful vampire as an ancient language poured forth from her lips.

Travers and Giles were familiar with the sound even though neither of them could understand it as it was spoken. It took them hours just to translate a written passage. This was the language of the demon from which all slayers derived their power.

Buffy had been enraged at the actions of this man. She was not about to be controlled by the Council ever again. Who did they think they were to mess with lives like they did? She felt the primal power of the first slayer fill her. It took her over, using her body as a vessel for its own use. It touched Lisa and deemed her unworthy. Immediately the girl fell to the ground as her slayer powers were torn from her. It looked at Travers. Faster than any eye but Spike’s could see, it had Travers’ heart giving its last beats in the palm of its hand. It threw the heart down and turned to look at Giles. It uttered one last phrase before it receded back into its host.

Giles knew this phrase; you are worthy. He realized he’d come face to face with the power of the first slayer again, and he had been found worthy. Looking at the dead body of Travers he had a pretty good idea of what he had been judged worthy off. Apparently, Anya was going to get her wish. More money would be coming in.

Giles turned toward the clean up crew who were looking on in horror. “It’s quite alright. She’s gone now. Gentlemen, you just had the great fortune of witnessing the first slayer. Now, let’s clean this mess up shall we?”

The men were all seasoned veterans and it took only a moment for them to shake off the experience and set to work. They had the bodies removed, the glass and furniture replaced, and the protective spell taken off the hotel within an hour. Spike, for one, was impressed. He thought that he and Buffy could use a couple of chaps like this on their team.

Lisa was the last to be removed. She looked at Buffy with pure hatred. “You’ve taken everything from me! What did I ever do to you?”

“It’s what you did to Spike. Whatever is done to him is done to me. We’re a team. That’s how love works.” Buffy didn’t feel the need for any further explanations.

Giles had told them that the council would see to rehabilitation and placement for the ex-slayer. He’d asked Buffy if she knew if another slayer had been called. Buffy assured him that one had. He gave both Buffy and Spike a small strained smile as he led Lisa from the room. “Do you still wish to come to dinner? I don’t believe there will be any attempts on your life or well being while you’re there.”

“Of course, Giles. We don’t think that any of this is your fault. To be honest, we were kind of expecting it. Well, not the whole cave Buffy thing again. At least this time, there wasn’t any cheese,” Buffy replied with a smile.

Giles nodded at her reassuringly, as he walked through the door and closed it behind him. Spike, however, was looking at her like she’d grown a second head. “What's with the cheese? And what the hell was the channeling thing?”

“Scared, baby?” Buffy walked towards him with a glint in her eye.

Spike backed up. “A little. Is that first slayer thing gonna come back anytime soon?”

Buffy kept advancing on him. “Maybe, but she’d find you more than worthy.”

“So she’s a smart scary bitch?” Spike had stopped backing up.

“Oh, yeah.” Buffy moved against him.

Spike captured her lips in a fierce kiss. “That’s just how I like my women.”

Epilogue: Still-life in Sunnydale

Spike and Buffy bought their big house. It had room for each of their nieces and an extra one for the girls’ parents. Tuesday’s were spaghetti nights at Harmony and Xander’s. Friday’s were game nights at Spike and Buffy’s. Angel had come up to help them start the business. He wouldn’t let anyone else come with him, just in case. Things were tense, but they did manage to get things up and running without any bloodshed. Giles and Anya were planning to come out for Thanksgiving. Giles had discovered that he rather liked running the Council. The new slayer turned out to be of a much better disposition than the last one, much to his relief. Willow and Tara had asked everyone to come to their place for Christmas. Life was good. Demons, vamps, witches, and unicorns. It was all good.

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