*banner by bloodshedbaby*

Ok, blame this fic on Evenstar. She asked me to write a "spuffy baby fic" and my freakin god, how big of a challenge is that? Little hard to find a somewhat original story line, one that hasn't been done before or whatever. So, what did I do? I obsessed over it.  
Also, except for I think one or two chapters, this is an unbeta'd fic. Just thought it only fair to warn you!

Now, for my disclaimers.  This was going to be an AU/AR  fic, vampire spike, human Buffy.  But then I decided to tweak how Buffy became the Slayer around, so FOR THE PURPOSE OF THIS STORY, keep the following in mind.  Oh and if this kind of thing bugs you, this FAR from canon, sorry. 1. Buffy didn't become the Slayer when she  was 15, she will become the slayer later on  2. Giles will be her first and only Watcher, no Merrick  3. There will be no Angel/Angelus drama, cos it just doesn't work  4.I'm making Buffy older, 16 in the beginning of the fic, cos well, you'll see.

I'll be adding things on later, but I don't want to give the plot away by mentioning them now!  Just know that Buffy is not the slayer yet, so this is set before any occurrences in Sunnydale, because Buffy doesn't live there yet.  Confused yet? yeah, me too. Oh, disclaimer for statutory rape here also, so if that's not your thing, DON'T READ IT.

chapter 1

    A pair of piercing blue eyes skimmed the endless sea of faces filling the casino, boredom slammed into him from all angles, blunt and powerful like a sledgehammer to his head.  He didn't know how long it had been like this; he had lost count along the way. Each night was a repeat of the last, nothing there to grab hold of him, to finally break the monotony of the hunt, of the kill.  He had even parted ways from his companions of over a century, unable to tolerate even their presence and company a moment longer. But even that rash action hadn't done anything to bring an end in sight, an end to this endless torment he now called his life. To say he was bored was like saying he didn't cast a  reflection, so obvious a statement it wasn't even worth mentioning.  And the worst part was he didn't even know WHY things were like this, why he felt this perpetual restlessness. It made no sense.

    So he had come to Vegas, hoping the hordes of people might offer him something. Some little gem that would turn his undead life around and make life worth living. This was his third week in the big city, and he was slowly working his way through the hundreds of hotels that crowded the streets. To a vampire, Vegas was ideal, really. The casinos were alive with people day and night and the lack of natural light in most casinos ensured that he could move around safely regardless of the time of day. There was no shortage of willing victims, women drawn to his bad boy good looks and his flash of money, usually dying with a smile on their face.  Spike always took pride in that fact, that his victims got off on their deaths. Vegas was ridiculously easy to get away with murder, and Spike did so quite often. 

    But still, the boredom persisted, the niggling restlessness that didn't want to leave, telling him that somewhere, there was SOMETHING....better? Different? He didn't know. He only knew it wouldn't go away, and the shell of the desperate poet that remained behind when his demon took hold could only hope that it was something that would make a difference. That would make him different. His demon which lurked in his body resisted that idea, but the poet couldn't help but hope.

    He was brought out of his reverie by a flash of blonde that struck a chord deep within him, his interest suddenly more than piqued. 'Well now, there's a tasty little morsel,' he thought, his eyes roaming up and down the girl's slight form. He moved a little closer and put his enhanced senses to work.

    Buffy was upset, there was no doubt about it. But then even wondered why she was so surprised. This is soooo Dad, she thought.

    "Now honey, here's some money. I want you to take a cab back over to the hotel," Hank said, handing her a few bills.

    "Why aren't you coming again?" Buffy asked snottily, knowing full well the reason.  Miss 34 DD standing next to her dad, popping her gum was more than enough reason as far as Hank was concerned. Yeah, there's a winner for you, dad.  Way to go.

    "Now Buffy, I already told you. Missy invited me for cocktails," her dad replied, completely oblivious to the absolute wrongness of the situation. Buffy nearly gagged  in disgust when her dad gave a leering look in Missy's direction. Oh, pardon, in the direction of that oh so deadly cleavage. Those things should come with a warning label, Buffy thought bitterly. Could poke an eye out with the babies.

    Giving a well patented eyeroll and a pained sigh, Buffy grabbed the money. "FINE.  I don't even see why you bothered to bring me with you, it's not like we've spent any quality time together or anything."

    Hank laughed, as if Buffy had said the funniest thing on the planet.  "Come now, honey. Our annual Vegas trip would hardly be a tradition if you weren't here, now would it? I mean, we ALWAYS stay at Harrah's, right sweety?"

    Yeah, well, what about mom? Buffy gritted her teeth to keep a snide comment from escaping, having learned over the years that it wasn't worth it.  Her father was truly an uber-idiot where the family was concerned. And now? He'd broken up their little family with his disgusting little affairs, and Buffy was moving with her mom to a town called Sunnydale.  But her mother had told her to go on this one last trip with her dad, feeling it was important to spend some time with him. And what was her reward?  Now she was being sent back to their hotel with a pat on the head so her dad could be with his newest bimbo. Hurt and anger sliced through her and after giving her dad one last telling look, Buffy spun on her heel and headed in the direction of the lobby. Once outside, she stepped into the taxi line, frowning at the scant number of taxis and the high volume of tourists waiting for transportation.

    Spike had listened to this exchange with interest, noting the varied intense emotions that played over the girl's face. He realized she was younger than he had first thought, still in her teens, most likely. Not that this was something  of great concern to Spike, age wasn't something he paid a great deal of attention to. When he saw the girl being dismissed by what appeared to be her father, a flicker of anticipation shot through him as he tracked the girl's heated departure. With a wolfish grin, Spike quickly glided behind the throngs of people and followed her movements.

    He saw her step into line for a taxi, and saw an opportunity offered that was too good to pass. With his usual confident stride, he slipped in right behind her.  He saw her eyes settle briefly on him as he passed by her, and gave her a look of acknowledgment.  Oh yes, of this flirting game, Spike had years of experience.

    They both pretended to ignore the other for a few scant minutes, the vampire more aware of her than she could possibly ever imagine.  Every scent, every rumble of the blood coursing through her body, it all spoke to him, assuring him that she was worthy of his attention. When the line had yet to move in the five minutes they had stood there, Spike gave an impatient growl.

    "Where the bleedin hell did all these people come from?"

    Buffy turned around and looked at the stranger behind her, shrugging in response. "I don't know. I think maybe all these people were at the show that just got out."

    "Well, this isn't going to do it." Spike grumbled. He cocked his head and flashed the girl his endearing smile. "Fancy a walk, pet?  Maybe there are more taxi's the next hotel over."

    Buffy couldn't help the suspicion that popped into her head at this stranger's suggestion, but she was tempted, oh so very tempted.  She had noticed him right off, and her stomach had done a strange little flip flop thing it had never done before when he had walked by her.  Oh yes, she was tempted. And why not?  The guy was gorgeous. Ok, older than her, no question there, but hello, major hottie standing a few feet away. And her dad DID just give her the brush off. Might as well enjoy the evening, she thought.

    Spike smiled at the suspicion he  saw glittering in her eyes, as well as her wavering indecision. He liked that. He didn't like it too easy, and for some reason he didn't want this girl to succumb to him too quickly either. "Name's Will, by the way, in case your daddy told you not to go anywhere with strangers. And in which case, he's right.  It's a bloody stupid thing to do."

    That made Buffy smile. "And yet you're suggesting I do just that with you?"

    A cocky grin took over Spike's face. "Well, yeah. I just introduced myself, now didn't I? If anything, you're the stranger here, luv."

    Buffy didn't know why she found that so funny, but she did. Belatedly, she realized she had come out here in a really pissed off mood, and within minutes, this handsome stranger had charmed her right out of it. "My name's Buffy."

    "Well, Buffy, what do you say we take us a little stroll?"

    Buffy peered intently into brilliant blue eyes, and tried one last attempt at being rational. "Can I trust you?" she asked, half joking.

    Spike nodded seriously. "Bloody right you can."  He didn't even realize that the words he spoke were the truth, that realization wouldn't come until much later.

    Buffy nodded with a smile and stepped out of line. Spike fell into step next to her, and they headed down the large circular driveway to join the crowds of people on the sidewalks. At the next hotel, they found the line for the taxi much shorter, and Buffy thanked Spike for his suggestion. When the bellhop asked where they were going, Buffy said "Harrahs" at exactly the same time Spike made his announcement. Looking at him quizzically, Spike just shrugged. "Guess we're both headed the same place."

    Buffy should have began to wonder at that time, but she was too enraptured by this man showing her attention to notice the coincidence. And there was no doubt, this was a man. And the strange thing was, he seemed to know how young she was, asking her about school and different things.  Buffy hadn't lied to him, like she knew a lot of her friends would.  This was some MAJOR salty goodness here, you didn't get attention like this everyday. But the fact that she was jailbait didn't seem to bother Will. Well, either that or she was reading the signals wrong. And she so thought she didn't, she could feel it when he looked at her. It was like his gaze was....hot or something corny like that.  But she felt it and it made her tingle in good places.

    Sharing a cab had seemed like the logical thing to do, and Will was insistent that he pay the cab fare. Feeling slightly uncomfortable, Buffy finally demurred in the matter.  When they walked in the glass doors, Buffy jumped slightly when Will grabbed her hand, a playful endearing look on his face. "Fancy something to eat, Buffy?"

    TBC.....

A/N-Ok, let me go through this again. This is basically an AU fic. I am taking this totally away from canon, and am totally changing the time line and events in which Buffy became the slayer, rewriting everything. SO LISTEN UP- Please do not send me emails saying that I am messing up the timeline. I KNOW I am, and am doing so deliberately, as I stated in my disclaimer in the first chapter. I am making Buffy older in this fic because having her be 14 would just be too young for the nature of this story, even 16 is pushing it. So again, I am changing almost everything, and I will do my best to explain why.   I wanted Buffy to be just a "normal" girl when Spike first meets her, which hopefully explains the pre-slayer aspect. So again, I am not following the Buffy timeline, and I don't plan on doing so. Phew, got that out of the way!  Sorry, just had to get that out. If you're the sort of reader where it drives you bonkers having everything all messed up, this may not be the fic for you.  Now on to the story.. Thanks for reading!!

Chapter 2

    Did she want to go get something to eat? With him? All delicious bad boy inch of him?  Hmm.. Yeah, she really did.  

     "Sure."

    Spike smiled, that flashing grin that made her stomach jump, as he led her deep into the casino towards a small cafe. At this time of the night, the dinner crowds had thinned out and empty tables were plentiful.  Without letting go of her hand, they followed a tired sour looking hostess to a small out of the way booth. Spike immediately ordered a beer. Buffy  noticed he wasn't carded, not that this surprised her. He was definitely over 21 and she didn't know if she really wanted to know just HOW far over 21 he was. Yes, sometimes ignorance was nice.  Buffy ordered a vanilla cappuccino, hoping that it seemed somewhat sophisticated because she was definitely feeling young which felt weird.  Because well, usually she LIKED feeling young.  She also knew this man was way out of her league, her only experience being the high school boys at home. But surprisingly, this didn't bother her.

    Just after their drinks arrived, Spike excused himself, saying he had to use the restroom. Making sure that Buffy wasn't watching him, he slipped out of the cafe, and headed to the registration desk. In a matter of moments, he had acquired a room. Something he felt was very necessary, especially since the girl was under the impression he was a guest at the hotel. Oh yes, the room would be seeing some action before the night was over, of that Spike would make sure. A thrill of excitement shot through him at the thought, and he inwardly grinned.  Huh, how bout that.  His boredom had taken a little siesta since he'd been in the young Buffy's entertaining company.  Well now, that wasn't something that came along every day. Spike realized he may have to rethink his plans.  He had planned to do his "usual", first fucking, then while his victim basked in the afterglow, go in for the kill. But a delicious solution to his acute boredom didn't just come along everyday. Spike decided that perhaps he'd keep her a bit. It didn't even cross his mind to consider her feelings in the matter. No, she'd be with him, regardless if she was willing or not. He'd prefer her willing, but beggars couldn't be choosers. And Spike knew he could be very persuasive if need be.

    With a bounce in his step that had been missing lately, he rejoined Buffy, who was intently studying the menu. "What sounds good, eh pet?"

    Buffy looked up, smiling shyly. Her nerves had become rattled in his absence, self doubt rearing its ugly head. Spike smiled kindly at her  and she relaxed a bit.  "Um...hamburger, I think."

    Spike glanced at his own menu, noting with satisfaction that they had his favorite snack. "Right then. Think I'll have an order of these spicy buffalo wings. Can't get enough of those things, they're brilliant." 

    Their waitress finally decided to grace their table with her presence, her attitude much like the hostess. Tired and sour.  Spike had noticed a lot of this type around, mostly working in the food service department. He wondered if perhaps it was a prerequisite or if it was the thankless job itself that did it. He'd killed one about a week ago, and her blood was just as sour as her personality. He'd learned his lesson with that one, almost feeling like he was doing the woman a favor.

    When the waitress left without another word spoken, Buffy looked over Spike and studied him.  She watched as he picked up his mug and took a gulp of beer, his throat muscles working as he swallowed the bitter brew. In the unnatural light of the cafe, his skin cast almost an unnatural tone, so pale in color. She could see the eyeliner he wore, outlining his vivid blue eyes, making them stand out more intensely against his pale complexion. She didn't know if he was wearing lipstick, but his lips were a blood red which contrasted violently against the pale backdrop that made up his face and hair. Spike suddenly caught her eyes, his lips curled up in a smirk that let her know that he was aware of her intense staring, but Buffy didn't back down nor did she  look away.

    "Like what you see?"

    "Yeah, I do," Buffy answered, than blushed furiously. It was almost as if it was someone else inside her speaking, answering for her.  At home, she had confidence in buckets. But here? With this man? She was out of her element, and she knew it. And she did not like this feeling at all.

    "Well, then. Doesn't that make things convenient for us?  Because I'm liking what I'm seeing in front of me too." Spike's voice had lowered until it almost seemed to pass as a caress over her and she couldn't help the slight shiver that ran through her.

    "Will, uh..can I ask you a question?" Buffy asked, a bit hesitantly.

    Spike nodded, bringing up his mug once again, looking at her over the rim. He wondered what would be coming out of that luscious mouth of hers.

    Buffy took a deep breath. "Ok, here goes.  You are.... flirting with me..... right?"

    Spike was glad he had already swallowed his beer when he heard her question. He couldn't help the laughter that escaped at the absurdity of her question, then saw by the look on her face that she was deadly serious. "Yes, pet. I am.. flirting with you."

    He didn't expect the question that came next. "Why?"

    Why? She wanted to know why?  Bloody hell, couldn't she look in a mirror?  Spike at least, had an excuse. But this girl, she couldn't really be so oblivious of her own appearance, could she? "You do own a mirror, don't you, luv?"

    Buffy gestured impatiently, this was so not the answer she was looking for.  "That's not what I mean. I'm talking about why you're flirting with a sixteen year old girl."

    Understanding dawned on Spike. "Ah, that. It's because it doesn't bother me, that's why. Where I come from, girls mature faster, get married earlier. It's what I'm used to."

    Buffy thought hard about that one. "So... you're not some big perv who gets off on kids?"

    Again, Spike was amused by her. She was very endearing, and he could just see the innocence radiating off of her.  He couldn't wait to exploit it, his demon was clamoring to get its hooks into that shimmering virginity. His jeans became restrictive against his growing hard on, and he tried to get his mind off his dick until later. "Pet, you're not a kid. You're a woman." 

    He had answered that question honestly and Buffy appeared satisfied by it. She nodded and smiled in relief. "Ok, just wanted to make sure. I just, uh... don't usually do this sort of thing, you know? Not with strange men I just meet."

    That statement irked something inside of Spike, and he had to stifle his possessive growl. He was already considering this girl his. "I should hope not, like I said, it's a bloody stupid thing to do."

    Buffy scrunched her nose at him and laughed. "And yet... here I am."

    The look Spike sent her was piercing in its intensity, and she was almost held captive by his gaze, drowning in a sea of blue. Something inside of her seemed to try to speak to her, shouting a warning at her but she refused to listen. They were interrupted by their food being slapped down in front of them, and a bored, "Can I get you anything else?"

    Buffy could feel the blood rush to her face again and she directed her eyes to her food, as she shook her head in response to the waitress's questioning. Spike did the same, effectively dismissing her, and the bill was slapped on the table. They ate in silence. Buffy could feel chemistry at work, a concept she'd always thought was a load of bull. Chemistry, how lame was that?  But now she knew for a fact such a thing existed because all she had to do was look at Will, and her blood would start to sizzle and her underwear became flooded with moisture. She was glad he was totally unaware of her reactions because things were way embarrassing enough as it was.

    But Spike was more than aware of her reaction, a subtle sniff of the air was all it took. Well now, this was shaping up to be interesting evening after all, and Spike was more than ready to jack it up to the next level.

    Buffy finished her hamburger and leaned back in her chair. She flashed a shy, self conscious smile in Spike's direction, self doubt flooding her again. 'Now what?' she thought. Ok, much with the awkwardness here. 

    But wait, did she.....WANT something else to happen?  Oh god..... Buffy decided she did.

    Well, she'd never be a poker player, Spike thought with some amusement. The thoughts flitting through her mind were plain as day on her face; the uncertainty, a bit of arousal thrown in and that innocence shining bright and true. Then finally she appeared to come to a decision when he saw the determination settle across her features.

    "So, luv, what do you want to now?" Spike asked, his voice holding a slight teasing quality.

    Oh yeah, she had decided something all right, Spike noted with smug satisfaction, as he watched her face flush a bright red. Taking a deep breath, Buffy tried her hand at flirting. "I don't know... what sounds good to you?"

    Spike gave a deep throated chuckle and curled his tongue behind his front teeth, studying her through hooded eyes. "Well let's see... fancy coming up to my room? We can check out the flicks on the telly, or something?"  Spike could hear her heart begin to pound at his suggestion, and his cock sprang to life again.

    Oh god, this was it. Buffy wasn't under the delusion that they would actually be watching movies if she went up to his room, but was she ready for this?  She'd had boyfriends, sure, but had never "done the deed". Did she want it to happen like this though?  Looking into the piercing blue eyes of the man in front of her, her heart and mind both leapt to the same conclusion. Oh yeah, she wasn't passing up this delicious bit of salty goodness.

     In what she hoped was a confident voice, she replied, "Sure, Will. That sounds good."

    Spike didn't reply, just gave her a heated look that sent shivers down her spine, and picked up the check. He pulled out his wallet and laid a few bills out then stood up. Buffy slid out of the booth, not the least bit surprised this time when Will grabbed her hand. God his hands are cold! But the simple gesture was comforting and they walked hand in hand out of the cafe.

    Spike could hear her heart beat faster with each step they took and as they waited for the elevator, he pulled her around so that she stood in front of him. Reaching his hand up, he traced a finger lightly down the side of her face, and Spike found himself attempting to reassure her. "You don't have to be nervous around me, you know. Not gonna hurt you."

    Buffy flashed him a grateful smile. "I know. It's just... this isn't something I've ever done before."

    Spike was spared from having to answer by the timely arrival of the elevator. They stepped inside and Spike moved to one side so his lack of reflection wouldn't be noticeable. Wisely he had memorized the floor and room number before he had rejoined Buffy and they got off on the 10th floor. Slipping his key into the door of room 1002, Spike opened it and allowed Buffy to enter before closing it shut behind him. If Buffy took notice of the lack of luggage, she didn't comment.

    Oh my god, what am I doing!!!??? Am I crazy??? I don't even know this guy!  He could be a serial rapist or something! Self doubt plagued Buffy once again and Spike heard her staccato heart beat sounding like a railroad train threatening to burst out of her chest. He went to work on the first part of his plan, getting her relaxed and at ease. 

    "So, let's see what's on the telly, shall we?" Spike moved to the TV and pressed the power button on. Grabbing the remote control, he went to recline against the headboard on the bed. Patting the space next to him, he said, "come luv, come have a seat. Might as well get comfortable."

    Buffy's eyes darted around nervously but she did as he suggested, settling herself next to him, smoothing her skirt over her legs.  She glanced up and saw that Spike had been following her movements, his eyes darkening as they became focused on the shapely, tanned expanse of her leg revealed by the short skirt. Knowing that he had been caught staring at her legs, he gave her a wolfish grin. "Sorry, got taken in by the view."

    "Uh... that's ok."  Not knowing where to look, she directed her gaze to the tv set. "So what are we watching?"

    "Your choice," Spike informed her, handing her the remote, letting his fingers trail over her hand. Buffy almost dropped the remote at the contact and embarrassment reared its ugly head again. Oh my god, could I be any more spastic here???  

    She was relieved to note that Will didn't seem to notice her reaction as he settled himself in, making himself comfortable. Buffy flicked through the channels, praying something interesting was on.  Yeah, cos you're here, in a strange man's hotel room just so you can watch TV.  Sure thing. That little voice in Buffy's head was beginning to annoy her, so she decided to ignore it. She had already made her decision, and she didn't really think she'd be leaving this room a virgin.

     One of the channels revealed one of her favorite movies, Ferris Beullers Day Off, and she smiled excitedly. "Oh I LOVE this movie!"

    Spike finally took his eyes off of her and flicked them in the direction of the TV.  "Oh right. This flick is bloody brilliant, good choice."

    Buffy beamed a smile in his direction and leaned back further against the pillows. The movie was just beginning and they soon became engrossed in it, at least on the surface.  Buffy made no comment when Spike smoothly leaned over and shut off the light, the TV bathing the room in a light glow. He had moved right next to her and had put his arm around her, directing her head until it lay against his shoulder.  Spike didn't know how much of the movie was really penetrating Buffy's consciousness, he could smell the nervousness and fear that continued to pour off of her. Oh yes, she was very aware of him right next to her. And Spike was having a hard time concentrating hearing the blood pounding through her veins, just waiting for him to take a taste. His cock had been in a state of perpetual hardness practically since he'd laid eyes on her and he was looking forward to sinking into her tight virgin flesh, hearing her scream in pain. 

     Oh yes, virgins were his favorite.

    Just the thought of plunging his huge shaft through that virgin barrier was making him lose control and he decided he'd spent enough time getting her at ease, it was time for the fun and games to begin. Spike reminded himself that he wasn't going to kill her, not yet. He'd wait to see how she was before deciding how long he would keep her around.

    Letting his hand touch the tanned warm skin of her thigh, he gave an inward smile of satisfaction as he heard her breath hitch in her throat and her pulse skyrocketed again. There are the nerves again, but oh yes, little one, ole Spike can smell a little something else. You want it, you wicked girl.  And you'll get it, don't you fret about a thing.   

    Spike let his fingers trail up the inside of her thigh, skimming her clothed mound and up over her flat abdomen. Shifting slightly onto one side, his eyes studied her face and watched her reactions. It amused him that she wouldn't look at him, just kept her eyes peeled on the TV set yet made no move to stop his advances. Oh yes, the girl knew what the score was. 

    God, all he is doing is touching me, and I'm practically melting. Oh my god, this is really happening.  I'm going to have sex. With a stranger. In a hotel. In vegas.  What am I doing?????? But Buffy's second thoughts were completely obliterated when Spike leaned over and pressed his lips to the tip of one of her breasts. Even through the layers of clothing, it was enough to send a jolt of desire straight through her.

    Come on baby, look at me.  Show me you want me. It was as if Buffy had heard his unspoken command  as she turned her hazel eyes to him, permission to proceed clearly in evidence shimmering in their depths.

    "Can I kiss you, sweet Buffy?"

    Buffy nodded mutely, her body reacting to his rough gravelly accented voice.  It seemed like an eternity before he leaned over and pressed firm lips against hers, a kiss so sweet it was entirely possible to get a sugar buzz from it. He kept the pressure light, and Buffy found herself strangely dissatisfied with that. Darting her tongue out, she flicked it across his lips, and an almost different man seem to take over.  Suddenly the lips against hers became hard and demanding and his tongue shoved its way into her mouth. Spike rolled over so he was laying partially on top of Buffy and she snaked her arms up around his neck, pressing him even closer.

    Oh my god.  That was all that Buffy could think, as her body was assaulted with an array of delicious new sensations. It registered for about half a second that everything about Will was slightly chilled, but it was quickly chased out of her conscious thought by waves of feeling. She could feel his hands running up and down her body, they were everywhere and they were making her feel so good. There was no voice of protest when she felt her shirt being removed, or when her skirt pushed down off of her hips. She watched in morbid fascination as Spike reared back slightly to yank his own black t-shirt off, exposing a chest so cut and defined, it was like a piece of living art. Rubbing her hands greedily over it, she liked how it felt hard and soft under her palms and it was her own hands that reached for his belt buckle.

    "There's my naughty little vixen," Spike murmured in her ear, sucking on the lobe. That sent chills through Buffy and her hands refused to work for her anymore. Noticing her dilemma, Spike stayed her hands. "Let me take care of this." With efficient movements, Spike had his jeans off in record time, turning back to Buffy just in time to see the stunned look on her face.

    Amusement coloring his voice, Spike said, "Is there a problem?"

    Buffy tore her gaze away from his rigid erection and turned her shocked eyes to meet his. "That thing is huge."

    Spike chuckled at her comment and his cock bounced in greedy anticipation.  "We'll make it fit."

    Suddenly, the uncertainty came slamming back into Buffy, and she stuttered, "I've uh... never done this before."

    Leaning back down to press wet kisses against her collarbone, he whispered, "I know, it's ok. Let me take care of you." Trailing his tongue down, he latched on to one of her youthful plump breasts, drawing the nipple into his mouth while flicking his tongue over the tip. That self doubt flew right back out the window as she felt herself become wet, a delicious ache building up. When he trailed his hand down to rub the swollen nub, Buffy suddenly gasped and clutched his shoulders tightly. 

     "Like that, do you?" he whispered, turning his oral worship to the other breast.

    Buffy nodded helplessly as his talented fingers and tongue worked their magic, and it wasn't long before she experienced her first orgasm. Spike lifted his head up from her breasts and gave her a smug smile. "That feel good?"  Again, a helpless nod was all Buffy was capable of, her breath coming in rapid pants.

    She tensed a bit when Spike moved up to capture her lips again, and she felt his erection digging into her hip. But she didn't resist as he nudged her legs further apart and settled in-between them. She could feel the hard thick tip hitting her intimate core and she stiffened in anticipation.

    "Relax," Spike ordered sensuously, finding himself having a fight with his demon on his hands. He buried his face into her delicate curve of her neck and worshipped the unmarked skin roughly with his tongue. Buffy groaned a bit, tipping her head to the side and Spike couldn't help but wonder what her reaction would be if she knew what was about to take her virginity. 

    His demon was gearing up in anticipation for the cruel onslaught of ramming his cock through her virgin barrier, so Spike was surprised to find himself easing his way into her, murmuring words of encouragement and tenderness against her throat. He felt her tense, could smell the pain she was in, and for some reason it touched him.  And than it angered him. He was a demon, a monster. He didn't want to care that a chit's first time was as pain free as possible and that thought made him push himself into her more forcefully.

    Oh god, oh god, it hurt.  Buffy tried to push him off, to get that thing away from her, but he wouldn't stop. Suddenly he thrust in hard and it felt like she had been split in two. "Oh GOD! Get it out! Get it out!" she cried, tears flowing freely down her face.

    Spike stilled on top of her, immediately ashamed at his rough tearing of her maidenhead which was immediately followed by more anger. It was as if the demon and the man were at war inside of him, and he didn't know which one "Spike" wanted to win.  He made the mistake of looking down into her tear ravaged, agony-filled eyes and he came to the sudden realization that he wanted the man to win. Spike lowered his face and licked a trail of tears off her face before kissing her deeply.

    "Shhh.. it's ok. It won't hurt for much longer, just need to get used to me. That's all you have to do, get used to me," he whispered it over and over while pressing small tender kisses all over her face and throat.

    Buffy stopped trying to push him away but she was of the majorally confused. She had seen legitimate torment in his face when he saw her cry, but she could have sworn he rammed into her hard on purpose. It didn't make sense. But her confusion did serve a purpose because while she was trying to figure it out, the pain had subsided and was followed with a delicious full feeling.

    "Now what?" she asked awkwardly.

    Rearing his head back in surprise, Spike looked down at her. Then he noticed the contorted look of pain was missing, and he gave her a sex charged look.  "Well now," he drawled.  "Perhaps a bit of this." He moved his hips slightly, and watched delightedly at the shocked look on her face. "How does that feel?"
 

    "Good," Buffy admitted, experimenting a bit by moving her own hips. Spike bit back a groan at the friction, as his shaft began sliding in and out of her blood and juice sodden passage. It was so tight, it was excruciating and Spike couldn't help but increase the pace.

    "This hurt?" 

     Buffy shook her head no and she wrapped her arms back around his neck, hooking her legs around his hips to draw him closer and they began to slam together.

    And it felt really good.

      Spike once again buried his face into her throat, making growling noises as the intense feeling began building up inside her. She could tell he was trying to make this good for her when he reached down and rubbed that sensitive spot between her legs and oh, was it working.  She'd never felt like this before, it felt so incredible. She flung her head to the side in pleasure and that was when she saw it.

    The mirror. 

     She had left the door to the bathroom open and the closet mirror reflected the door mirror which cast a reflection of the bed.  But that wasn't the disturbing part. She could see her, but the man who had just taken her virginity was not there, which made no sense because she could FEEL him.

    Oh god how she could feel him.

    But it was like her legs were hooked up in the air on their own accord, her hips grinding against nothing. Oh god. Buffy suddenly felt a stab of fear.

    Feeling her tense before he smelled the sudden scent of fear flood from her, Spike looked up, not stilling his hips. "Am I hurting you?"

    Buffy looked from the mirror, to him, then back to the mirror again, her face full of confusion and the beginning of terror. "Wha...."

    Spike turned his head to see what she was looking at and noticed the mirror. Smirking, he asked, "Something wrong?" As he asked that, he twisted his hips almost cruelly, ramming himself deep into her.

    Turning frightened eyes back to look at him, she whispered, "What.... are you?"

    "What do you think I am?"

    Buffy shook her head dumbly, looking from the mirror, to him, then back again. 

    "Well then, luv, maybe this will help you out."  Shifting into game face, Spike presented his true face to Buffy and waited for her reaction.  She tried to push him away, shoving violently at his chest, her eyes wide and fearful.

    Now that the demon had emerged, it was easy to let it take over. Grabbing her wrists, Spike stilled them by her side, using his weight and superhuman strength to pin her down. She thrashed and bucked against him, and he hissed in pleasure. "Oh yeah, Buffy, just like that. Give it to me good."

    "Get off of me!" Buffy cried, still attempting to struggle.

    "Not quite yet. Not done with you as of yet," Spike informed her, moving inside of her once again.  He managed to resist the urge to pound into her as hard as he could. For some reason, he still didn't want to cause this girl much damage. Didn't mean that he wouldn't, if necessary.  Her tears and fear where turning his demon on, and he knew it wouldn't take long.  Buffy had quit her struggling and lay limp under him. Directing his attention to her neck once again, Spike's fangs sliced through her delicate skin in precisely the spot he had picked out earlier,  and he began to drink from her, murmuring something inaudible as her blood slid down his throat. Almost simultaneously, his orgasm hit and he tensed up as he shot his load deep inside her.

    His orgasm was exactly what Buffy had been waiting for. Of course, having had no prior experience, she didn't really know quite what to expect, but she figured it would be her only chance, especially when she felt something sharp bite her neck. As soon as he appeared to be coming, she wrenched one of her hands free and grabbed blindly on the bedside table for some sort of weapon. Her hand curled around a phone, and thank goodness it was an older model- solid and heavy- not one of the light plastic numbers. As soon as she got a good grip around it, she brought it around with all of her strength and smashed it against the back of Will's head and he immediately slumped against her.

    Spike never knew what hit him; he was just in the throes of one of the most intense orgasms of his life and then the world went black. But Buffy was sure going to take advantage of his incapacity and lifted his head up off of her neck. She winced when her skin tore; she had no idea what had happened there but that could so wait for later. She could feel blood running freely down her neck, but ignored it.

    Warily, she pushed him the rest of the way off of her, jumping off the bed when his dead weight was lifted.  He had landed face up on the bed and she took a quick opportunity to look at him. What the freak was this? Will's handsome face had just like....melted...into this.  Way weird. Buffy grabbed her clothes, threw them on and without a backwards glance, ran from the room.  It didn't even cross her mind that she may have left a dead man in the room, her sense of survival had kicked in and all she wanted to do was put distance between her and that thing in the room.

    Buffy ran to her room floors away like she was being chased and prayed that her dad would be back. She met him in the hallway and flung herself into his arms, sobbing. Buffy told him she was attacked, refused to give him any more details. 

    She was scared with utter terror being a more accurate description. Knowing that Will was still here in the hotel, her panic knew no bounds. She insisted that her dad take her home to LA, begging, crying and pleading until he finally agreed. 

     He had stepped in to ask plenty of questions, all of which she refused to answer. She only knew she had to get away.

    From him.

    From what they had done. From what she had allowed him to do to her. Oh god, she was so ashamed. Nobody could ever know. She knew she couldn't call this rape, this was a violation beyond rape.

    As she rushed her father through the hotel checkout process, Buffy kept her eyes glued to her surroundings, dreading any sight of him. She finally was able to begin processing what had actually happened.  Looking in the mirror had helped, and seeing the twin puncture marks on her neck had helped set things straight in her mind.  She didn't begin to relax until they were on the hastily rescheduled flight back to LA, and even then it was just a tiny bit. She ran through every bit of their conversation, praying that she hadn't given Will a means to track her down. This was not something that she would ever forget.

    Because now she knew; she could finally admit it to herself. Vampires were real. And her life was never going to be the same again.

tbc...

Chapter 3

Because now she knew, she could finally admit it to herself. Vampires were real.     And her life was never going to be the same again.

TWO YEARS LATER

    Thinking back over the events of the past two years, Buffy realized how naive she had been. She knew her life wasn't going to be the same, but she had no idea the magnitude of that change. The memories starting rolling over like they had just happened the day before, and Buffy took a brief moment to indulge in thoughts of the past and became completely absorbed in her memories.......

*******

    It had taken  a long time for her to stop looking over her shoulder after her innocence had been completely shattered that night in Vegas. Everywhere she went, her eyes would study her surroundings, looking out for any sight of a man with bleached blonde hair and who was as handsome as the devil. The ultimate bad boy, she had thought when she had first laid eyes on him. She just had no idea HOW bad. She had come to terms with the fact that he was a monster, something that shouldn't even exist except in bad cinema films. A vampire. Little did she know how intimately acquainted she would become with vampires in the not too distant future.

    Her parents had tried prying details out of her about the night, but Buffy would just clamp her mouth shut and shake her head furiously, refusing to share any details of what had her flying like a bat out of hell into her dad's arms, sobbing hysterically that fateful night. That earned her quite a few trips to see various shrinks, but Buffy didn't dare tell them the truth. Really, who would believe her? She wouldn't even have believed her. So she bore the burden alone in silence.

    It didn't surprise Buffy that this caused her parents relationship to further deteriorate, she knew there was  no hope for reconciliation now. Buffy's mom, Joyce, blamed her dad for "it", and Buffy just threw that on the heaping pile that was known as her guilt.  A few months after Vegas, she and her mom moved to a town a few hours north of LA called Sunnydale. Buffy started a new school and surprisingly made a few friends right away. Willow and Xander, two social outcasts that fit her perfectly.  Miss Popularity was not a role that she felt comfortable wearing any longer, and Xander and Willow were just what she needed. There were no pretenses with them, she could just be... Buffy.  They accepted that and Buffy realized that they were the first real friends she had ever had. It made her embrace them even more, knowing how rare a thing that was to find.

    Then IT happened, one more life-changing occurrence right as she sat in the middle of history class. She could practically feel it; something invading every cell in her body, creating a myriad of changes not the very least being a sudden surge of power. She felt strong and judging by how easily her pencil snapped without her even trying, she WAS strong.

    It was big with the weird.

    For some reason, it hadn't really surprised her when she got a summons to the library soon after that.

     Still feeling way weird, Buffy had gathered her books, shrugged at Willow's baffled look and set out in the direction of the library. She had been there once before, but the creepy librarian had given her the major wiggins so she never went back.

    On her way there, she snorted. What kind of a loser gets called out of class to report to the LIBRARY?

    She pushed open the heavy wooden double doors and glanced around the seemingly empty room. "Helllloooo," she called out.

    The creepy librarian darted out from his office and stopped short when he saw her standing there. "Ah yes, Miss. Summers. So good of you to join me."

    Buffy looked around with a skeptical look on her face. "Wanna tell me WHY I'm here?"

    Pushing his glasses up further on the bridge of his nose, Buffy watched as he scurried over to the check out desk: something in the crisp cultured British voice betrayed his nervousness. "Yes well, perhaps this will explain a few things." He reached under the desk and pulled out a huge old musty book and slammed it down right in front of her.

    Buffy looked down at the title then looked up into the completely serious face of the librarian and a series of hysterical giggles erupted from her. The title of the book was VAMPYRS. How appropriate.

    Giles looked at her in disbelief. "I assure you, this is not a laughing matter. These creatures do exist."

    Suddenly her face switched expressions so quickly, Giles almost wished for the humored one to return. Pain now haunted her eyes, making her look years older than her 16 years.

    "I know," Buffy announced quietly, gathering her hair up at the back of her head, lifting it up and tipped her face to the side so that the side of her neck was exposed to view.

    Giles saw the jagged twin puncture scars marring her skin and gave a swift intake of breath. "Good lord! How did they know?"

    Buffy dropped her hair and the look in her eyes became confused. "Huh? Know what?"

    "That you would become the Slayer."

    "And again with the Huh?"

**************

    Buffy was jerked out of her reverie by the sound of a car horn. Her thoughts quickly skimmed over learning about becoming the slayer, her training, Giles, the vampires... But, surprisingly, that hadn't been the biggest shock of the last two years. No, that came about just after she became the Slayer. She could still remember it like it was yesterday...

***************

    She and her new Watcher, the wow not so much with the creepy librarian, Giles, were training after school in the library. She had been the Slayer for almost a month, slipping into the role with startling ease.  Her new supernatural strength empowered her, she could feel her shattered self confidence finally being restored to what it had been before that night in Vegas. She would never be a victim again and it was a liberating feeling. Buffy had given Giles a G rated version of how she had acquired the bite marks on her neck, unable to bring herself to share the intimate details with anyone. It was still too traumatic and raw.

    But being the Slayer was like being given the keys to a new life; a whole new world had opened up to her and she embraced it with relish, much to her Watcher's delight. Her friends, Xander and Willow had been let in on the "big secret", and almost seemed in awe of Buffy. As far as Giles was concerned, he could not have hoped for a better Slayer. She trained hard and took her calling seriously and she was deadly accurate. 

    When he had first been informed that he would be the Watcher for the next Slayer, he had been ecstatic. However, when he learned his soon-to-be charge was a sixteen year old girl living in a beach town in California, he feared the worst. It wasn't until he arrived in Sunnydale and took his position as head librarian at the school Buffy was attending that he discovered his fears were for naught. From what he could surmise, the girl in question was serious, almost seeming to carry an air of sadness about her. She was a tiny thing, But Giles knew very well how deceptive appearances could be. So he set out to wait for the demise of the current Slayer, an almost morbid task, but one grounded in reality. As soon as the current Slayer died, Buffy would be called to take her place. Her body would be infused with the ancient strength and knowledge.

    In short, she would become the chosen one.

    The wait had turned out to be a short one, a scant few months after Buffy arrival in Sunnydale. Giles had been stunned when she revealed the bite marks to him and realized just how lucky the girl was that she escaped with her life. As a result of her attack, Giles had no problems convincing her of the seriousness of her calling. Buffy threw herself into it 100%, not trying to shirk any part of it except some of the research and complained very little.

    So it came as a bit of a shock to Giles when Buffy seemed out of sorts during training that particular afternoon.  "Buffy really, you must pay attention, the slightest lapse could result in your death."

    Buffy's breath was coming in heaving pants, and her color could only be described as ashen, which was a far cry from her usual healthy tanned complexion. "Sorry, Giles. My stomach's been feeling all kinds of funky. Maybe I'm coming down with something."

    Willow, who had been watching the training session while she drank can of soda, suggested, "Maybe it's just a bit of PMS."

    Giles grimaced in her direction. "Thank you Willow for your input."  Willow just shrugged in his direction, as she continued to sip from her straw. When they looked over at Buffy, they both noted with alarm that Buffy had turned deathly pale. Her grey pallor had turned into a shocking chalky paleness, and her eyes had grown huge with horror.

    "Buffy?" Willow questioned, concern highly evident in her voice.

    Giles reached out and touched her arm. "Buffy, are you all right?"

    Buffy's eyes didn't seem to be focusing as she shook her head slowly in response to Giles question. "No," she whispered. 

    Giles led Buffy over to a chair, and she sat down heavily into it, her eyes still wide with fear.

    "Buffy, is there anything I can do to help?" Giles asked gently, confused by his charge's behavior.

    Tears crowded Buffy's eyes and she began shaking her head slowly in mute horror. "Oh god.... Giles..."

    "Are you hurting anywhere? Do I need to get you to a hospital? Should I call your mother?"  Giles questioned, looking helplessly at Willow.  Willow didn't seem to know what to do with her friend either. Going over to the side of her chair, Willow crouched down beside Buffy and grabbed her hands.

    "Buffy, what can we do to help?"

    Tears began streaming down Buffy's face, and she closed her eyes in an effort to get her emotions under control. Oh god, it couldn't be.  Not that.

    "Buffy?" She heard Giles ask. "What is it?"

    Taking a deep breath, Buffy opened her tears streaked eyes and said almost inaudibly, "I think I'm pregnant."

    Buffy didn't need to look at Giles face to know he wore a stunned look, she could feel it boring into her.  Oh god, everything about that night...  Again, Giles looked at Willow helplessly. Buffy could have kissed her friend when she stepped in to take charge of the situation. Buffy had kept everything locked inside of her for so long now, that even this small admission had made her pay dearly. It was like she had been dealt a savage blow, and the squeezing pain in her heart was astounding.

    Standing up, Willow announced, "Ok. Well hey, let's make sure. Giles, I'm just going to go run down to the drugstore, and uh, buy, uh... well, you know. That...uh.. thing.."  Giles nodded, grateful the redhead was taking care of that little detail. Buffy looked at her with profound gratitude, the tears streaming down her face once again.

    Giles felt completely out of his element here.  He was supposed to be this girl's Watcher yet he was finding it next to impossible to keep his feelings for her impartial as was Council policy. In the month that she had been called, this was the first display of weakness she had shown and Giles quite honestly did not know how to handle it. Mumbling that he was going to make her a nice cup of tea, he disappeared into his office, leaving her alone.

    Willow was back in less than fifteen minutes carrying a small paper bag. She handed it to Buffy, blushing a bit. But it had been nothing compared to the perpetual flush of mortification that had adorned her face the entire time at the drug store. It had been mortifying for Willow, who had never even been kissed by a guy before. Well, not in a boyfriend, girlfriend sort of way. 

    With Willow joining her for moral support, Buffy took the pregnancy test into the bathroom. Her hands were shaking so badly, she almost dropped the test in the toilet, but she finished and brought it out to wait the allotted 3 minutes.

    Two minutes later, Buffy was staring slack mouthed at the + sign in the test window. She looked up at Willow, her gaze pleading. "Tell me it's not."

    Willow looked over at her, hoping the shock wasn't evident on her face. Not able to answer, she just went and engulfed Buffy in a hug. It startled her a bit when Buffy clung to her in desperation, crying hysterically. Like Giles, she had never seen Buffy not in control of herself and wanted to blame it on her new pregnancy hormones but Willow had the bad feeling it was something else.

    Finally, Buffy lifted her head up, sniffling hard, and told Willow that she needed to go talk to Giles. Willow nodded, and keeping her arm around Buffy, led her back to the library. Since it was after school, they didn't have to worry about meeting anyone else in the halls.

    Giles looked up sharply as they entered through the double doors, his face asking the silent question. He could see the tears still glistening on her face and his stomach sank as he prepared himself for the news.

    "I'm pregnant, Giles."

    He let out a pent up breath, trying to work out in his mind the right thing to say. This had not been covered during his watcher's training, What To Do When Your Slayer Winds Up Pregnant.  He tried to work up a comforting smile. "Well... I suppose we have some things to discuss."

    Buffy's laughter was sudden and inappropriate. "Oh, you have no idea..."

    Giles gestured for her to sit and placed a cup of tea in front of her. Buffy picked it up gratefully, glad to have something to do with her hands. Willow sat on the other side of Buffy with Giles on the other side of the table.

    "So..." Giles began, his discomfort growing by the second. "First, I believe you should be made aware that you are not the first Slayer in history to be with child."

    Buffy decided to go for bluntness. "Yes, but am I the first be knocked up by a vampire?"

    Giles cup of tea fell unnoticed from his hands as he stared at her in utter shock.  "What on earth are you suggesting?"

    "I'm not suggesting anything, Giles. I'm telling you. The father of this baby was a vampire."

    Giles shook his head in denial. "But that.... it is truly impossible.  Vampires are, by all account, dead. And that includes their sperm...." His voice trailed off when it penetrated his brain the implications of her statement. "Oh good lord."

    Willow looked as stunned as Giles.  "You...uh.. did it... with a vampire?"

    "I didn't KNOW he was a vampire!" Buffy cried in defense.

    "The bite marks.... on your neck....." Giles announced, and Buffy could just see the wheels at work there.

    "Yeah." She admitted quietly. And then finally, after three months of keeping it repressed, she allowed the sordid story to come out, leaving out very few details. How she had met the vampire, all the way up until she noticed his lack of reflection in the mirror. Her smashing him over the head with the telephone and her rapid fleeing from Vegas. She was a tearful mess by the time she finished, but it felt wonderfully liberating to get it out finally, to unload it.  She knew it had been sucking the life out of her, keeping it locked away inside of her like she had been. But now? Now she had other shit to deal with.

    "Oh god, how am I going to tell my mom?" she cried, panic gripping her once again.

PRESENT DAY

    Buffy was once again interrupted from her reminiscing by a sound, but this time it was a familiar noise. Looking down into the stroller, a loving smile stretched across her face as she looked into the beautiful blue eyes of her child. 

    "Hey, look who's awake."  Buffy knelt down in front of the stroller and released the seatbelt harness, lifting her precious cargo out and setting him down on the ground for him to toddle around the small enclosed park. As always, seeing her son's smiling face sent a shock of joy through her; she never thought she could love something as much as she loved Blake. He had become her entire world.

    It hadn't been easy. Oh no, the road that had led here had been rocky and full of peril, but Buffy wouldn't have given up a minute of it.  Her mom had been her saving grace and Buffy had a completely newfound respect for her now. Their relationship had gone through so much over the last few years, but it had brought them closer and for that, Buffy would be eternally grateful.

    Being a pregnant high school sophomore had been a nightmare. Being a pregnant high school sophomore and the Slayer had been excruciating. But Buffy had endured with the help of her friends, her Watcher, and her mom.

    God, her mom. She'd had  Buffy's pregnancy AND her new Slayer status dumped on her at once. But she had come through for her and Buffy was positive she couldn't have done it without her.

    Her biggest fear during her pregnancy was that the child would not be human and even with multiple ultrasounds showing a healthy normal baby boy, it wasn't until after the birth that Buffy began to relax a bit. Blake appeared to be completely human and Buffy fell madly in love with him the minute he was born.

    Now, she was in her senior year, Blake had just turned one and Buffy finally felt like she was finally hitting her stride.  Her mom watched Blake while she was at school, taking him to the gallery with her and then again while she patrolled at night. Blake had definitely brought them closer together and Buffy was truly thankful for that. Joyce had not been told about the father of the baby being a vampire though, and Buffy was beginning to feel the guilt of that deception. At the time, she and Giles had decided that her mom had enough to deal with without throwing her daughter getting knocked up by the undead into the mix.

    Giles had asked repeatedly for a description of the vampire who had "assaulted" Buffy and that was the one thing she refused to give.  That was for her alone, as well as his name. Sometimes, late at night, she would think about the night, replaying it in her head and would often find herself confused. The man she discovered was a vampire had not seemed evil, except at the end when she had reacted in terror.  But as quickly as those thoughts penetrated, Buffy pushed them back frantically. No, she was not going there. She was not going to think about HIM.  But, she was reminded of him everyday. Every time she looked at her son, she saw him.

     Her son had his face.

    Buffy's cell phone rang, and she dug it out of her pocket. Blake whined a bit at the loss of momentum by her inattention to the swing, and as soon as Buffy had answered, she resumed pushing her child, much to his squealing delight.

    "Hey Wills, what's up?"

    "Buffy!  Bronzing action tonight?"

    Buffy thought for a moment. "I'll see if mom can watch Blake, and if so, yeah. I'm totally on it."

    "Awesome!  Xander's going, and a few others. Oz's band is playing."

     "Coolness! I'm at the park right now. I'll check with mom and call you back."  Buffy hung up with Willow, mentally blessing her friend  who had been there for her through everything. Buffy pushed Blake a bit more then packed him back up in the stroller and jogged home.

    Later on, she called Willow and told her that she was on for the Bronze that evening.  Her mom was happy to watch Blake. It pained her to see Buffy have so much responsibility at such a young age and if she ever got a hold of that Watcher's Council, she would give them a swift kick in the ass for pinning such a horrendous duty on such a young girl. Especially HER little baby girl. And now her little baby girl had her own baby and as difficult as it was, Joyce was head over heels in love with her grandson. And, it gave her great pleasure watching Buffy being a mom.

    Buffy got ready to go out that evening, putting a bit more care into her appearance than she normally did.  Makeup was of the good, and she pinned her hair up.  She had stopped trying to cover the scars on her neck, refusing to let them bother her anymore. There was one good thing had resulted from that night and it was sitting in the playpen watching her get ready. He was so easy going, so calm, and he seemed years older than he was, especially when he just stared at her like he was doing now, as if he was studying her.  Sometimes it gave her the wiggins because she knew his dad had that same penetrating stare. Like father, like son, she thought with some amusement.

    When she was ready, Buffy snatched Blake from the playpen and ran downstairs, plopping him in her mother's lap.  She bent down and gave them both a kiss and headed to the Bronze, completely unaware that a blonde stranger had blown into town with the sole intent of taking out the Slayer.

TBC....

a/n-I hope the shifting back and forth between present and Buffy's memories wasn't too confusing! I was trying to do a "filler" chapter here, so I could advance the plot a bit, because I don't want this to be an epic fic!  next chapter will see some action, I promise!

Chapter 4

    Spike stepped into the demon bar and cast a cursory glance around the joint. He noticed little to set it apart from countless other demon bars he had frequented over the years.  Settling himself onto a bar stool, he ordered a beer from the timid weasely man working behind the wooden slab.

    "So...uh.. just passing through?" Willy asked nervously. The very nature of his business was fraught with peril, but this stranger exuded an exceedingly dangerous vibe and Willy wisely decided to tread lightly. He glanced behind him at the mirror that took up the wall behind the bar and his suspicions were proven correct. No reflection. Another damn vampire.

    Spike pinned a penetrating stare on the little man, not replying to his question. "The Slayer. Tell me about her."

    "Oh.. uh.... the Slayer, huh?  Uh, well, she's kinda bad for business."

    Spike growled his irritation and Willy hurried to supply him with a better description. "Uh, she usually hangs at the Bronze. Can't miss her, she's a looker all right. Short, blonde. "

    Spike gulped the rest of his beer down and slammed the glass down on the counter. He walked out of the bar without another word to the bartender who was just getting ready to impart the rest of the gossip about the Slayer. She was one of Willy's favorite topics and a constant thorn in his side.

    Outside the bar, Spike grabbed a fellow vamp by the collar of his shirt and growled menacingly. "The Bronze. Which way?"

    The young vampire pointed down the street, trying to shrug his way out of Spike's grasp. He was let go, only to have his neck snapped mere seconds later.

    "Thanks for your help, mate," Spike muttered, stepping over the newly gathered pile of dust on the ground. In the last two years, he had earned even more of a name for himself among the demon community. He was deadly, lethal, quick, and in possession of nothing that resembled a sense of humor. Humans hadn't suffered at his hands nearly as much as the demon population had and it had been rumored that William the Bloody had a severe ax to grind. But nobody knew what it was, most just tried to stay out of his way. Most demons that crossed his path didn't live long to tell the tale.

    As for Spike himself, if asked, he would not have been able to define his reasons for taking things out on the demon community. And if he did know, he would never admit it to himself. Never admit that getting clocked over the head with a telephone had made him want to cast war on demons everywhere, when he knew the demon deserving of such harsh punishment inhabited his own body. No, whenever thoughts of that night tried crowding his head, he would shove them away and go out to do some killing.

    So it was a very on edge vampire that stalked towards the Bronze. His latest challenge to himself in an attempt to divert his restlessness came to him after hearing some vampires talking about the current Slayer and how they had barely escaped with their lives. As a killer of two such Slayers, this had piqued Spike's interest. He needed a challenge and it sounded like the current Slayer might be able to provide just that. So without further delay, he set off for the town called Sunnydale where the girl apparently lived.

    Spike didn't expect to engage her in combat just yet, he wanted to study her first like he had the first two. This was something he could drag out as long as he needed to. Tonight, he just wanted to get a looksee at her. He paid the cover charge at the door and walked into the dim lit hazy interior of the Bronze. He headed straight for the bar and ordered a beer. When he had his drink in hand, he turned around and leaned against the bar as he surveyed the joint.

    Buffy was enjoying herself, there was no doubt about it.  Her self reflection earlier had resulted in her making a few realizations about herself and how her life was going, and she was happy. And now, she was here with her friends, listening to a good band, and just enjoying some time to be Buffy. Not the Slayer. Not a mom. Just... Buffy. Those moments were rare and Buffy was determined to enjoy every moment of it.

    "OOhh! I love this song!" Willow squealed  as she grabbed Buffy's hand. "Come on, let's go dance!"

    "You two crazy kids go ahead. The Xan man will stay and guard the table. With my life, if necessary," Xander announced.

    Buffy allowed herself to be dragged onto the dance floor, losing herself in the rhythm created by Willow's boyfriend. She felt a niggling in her stomach and the scar on her neck tingled a bit, but she ignored it as she swayed and gyrated to the song. Then suddenly, it was as if her eyes sprung open on their own accord and her attention was forced behind her. Buffy spun slowly around, and her heart skipped a few beats.

    Oh god, no. Please god, no.  She blinked her eyes, hoping when she reopened them, the man at the bar staring intently at her would be gone. But he was still there. Oh god, he had finally found her. 

    Willow noticed the weird look on her friend's face and touched her arm. "Buffy?"

    Buffy jumped at the contact, and looked at Willow. "Sorry," she mumbled. "I, uh, need some air."  Not bothering to wait for a response, Buffy pushed through the dance floor crowd in the opposite direction of the monster and slipped outside into the alley.  Bending over at the waist, arms wrapped around her, she drew ragged breaths in an attempt to calm herself.

    Spike was paralyzed for just a moment. The last thing he had expected to find in this small beach town was HER.  Experimentally, he had reached out and tried to connect with her. Thing had been hazy after he had woken up naked, alone, and bleeding, but he seemed to recall mumbling a few choice words in latin at just an opportune time.

    He saw how she stiffly turned around to face him, her eyes going wide with terror at the sight of him. Oh yes, it was her, all right.  Bloody hell, she looked amazing.  It took him a moment to realize that she had bolted and with his face settled in grim determination, he followed after her.  Pushing his way through the crowd on her trail, he didn't notice the redhead with the curious face staring after him.

    Buffy slowly stood up, still doing her deep breathing exercises as she stood against the dirty alley wall next to the Bronze.  Suddenly, she had the breath knocked out of her as something solid slammed against her and her body became pinned against unforgiving brick.

    "Well, well, lookee what I found."

    Buffy didn't need to look up to know who that accented voice belonged to. It was a voice that lived in both her dreams and nightmares.  She stiffened in his tight hold, gasping when he pressed his erection into her. 

    "Let me go," she demanded in what she hoped was a confident voice. It was as if all of her Slayer training and strength had left her, by mere shock alone.

    "Oh, I don't think so. I've got something I need to check out first. I need to make sure my property has been a good little girl."

    Before Buffy could even think to question what he meant by that, she had a pair of razor sharp fangs tearing through her skin, right over the scarred marks he had left before. She could feel him take a deep drink, swiveling his hips against hers. 

    Suddenly he thrust her away so hard she fell to the ground. Slapping her hand to her bleeding neck, Buffy looked at him in confusion.

    "Bloody fucking hell! You're the SLAYER!!" Spike shouted.

    Suddenly, that knowledge alone gave her back her confidence, as it had done before.  She allowed herself to giggle at his horrified discomfiture. "Well, DUH," she said to him, rolling her eyes in juvenile response as she watched him pace back and forth in front of her. He stopped and glared at her, his amber eyes shooting venom in direction.

    The back door of the Bronze was thrown open, and Willow and Xander came rushing through it.  "Buffy!" Willow called, seeing Buffy sitting on the ground with her hand at her neck.  She didn't see the dangerous looking blonde stranger who had shifted back to human form at the interruption, but Xander caught a glimpse of him out of the corner of his eye. 

    As Spike stalked away, he turned back to Buffy and threatened, "This isn't over. You belong to me."

    By all appearances, Buffy seemed to ignore his parting words, but they slammed into her with the impact of a freight train.  Willow helped Buffy to her feet, and she waved off their concerns, refusing to answer questions, just saying it was a vamp attack.  They tried to coax Buffy back inside, but she demurred, the urge to get home to Blake overwhelming.  Oh god... Blake...

    Buffy burst through the front door, frantic eyes searching for him.  She found him asleep in her mother's arms and let out a pent up sigh of relief. Her worst nightmare was coming true. Will had found her and he was just as terrifying as she remembered. She looked down at the sleeping form of her son and vowed to do anything in her power to keep him safe. Even if it involved staking her son's father.

    Spike's mood was foul, and he was in a dangerous frame of mind. By a cruel twist of fate, he had found her again. And the kicker? She was the slayer he had come to town to kill. The myriad of emotions seeing her again had stirred up inside of him angered the evil part of Spike, he couldn't stand this constant tug a war between his retained humanity and his demon. Looking up into the sky, he shouted "Will you make up your bloody mind already!!"  But he knew it wasn't that simple, and never would be. 

    He found himself in one of this town's many cemeteries and an evil grin crossed his face. Well now, violence was always good for soothing the beast, figuring he'd give that a whirl.  Extending his senses, he quickly picked up on a skirmish not too far away.

    When he arrived on the scene, he was amused to find a human battling a minion, who was apparently waiting for a new fledgling to arise. Since the human seemed to be somewhat holding his own, Spike settled against a tombstone and watched. His interest piqued however, after a comment made by the vampire.

    "So.. where's your Slayer, Watcher?  She leave you to do her work?" 

    "Gave her the night off, thank you for asking."

    But that was where the human ran into a spot of trouble, because the fledgling had risen from his grave while he had been occupied with the minion. Now it was two against one, and the human wasn't faring as well.  Stepping in, Spike made quick work of the fledgling, then just as the minion had the human pinned down and was just going in for the kill, Spike ripped his head clean off. 

    Giles, suddenly littered with a deluge of vampire dust after being fully prepared to feel the vampire's fangs, looked up in surprise at his unlikely savior. He saw a man with bleached blonde hair, dressed all in black who wore an amused smirk on his face. He looked slightly familiar, but Giles was unable to place him.

    "Nasty piece of work there," Spike commented, pulling a cigarette out of his leather duster and lighting it up.

    Ah, fellow Brit, Giles noted. "Quite." He got to his feet.  "My thanks for your timely assistance."

    Spike snorted, his lips twitching with amusement.  "Quite all right."

    "Rupert Giles." Giles held out his hand.

    "Will." Spike grabbed his hand, watching his face carefully for any sort of reaction. There was none, except curious interest.

    They began to walk out of the cemetery. Giles lived a block over from this particular one and he was more than prepared to end patrol for the night. 

    "I was just headed home to indulge in a spot of brandy. Could I offer you one as a thank you for saving my life?" Giles offered. It wasn't often he ran across a fellow countryman, and the thought of sitting home alone drinking was not very appealing.

    "Sure."

    Giles unlocked his front door, and Spike remarked casually, "This your place?"

    "It is. Come on in." And like that, the barrier was lifted, and Spike passed over the threshold without hesitation. That was almost too easy. It was on the tip of his tongue to lecture the man about inviting strangers in. Especially with him being a Watcher and all, Spike figured he should know better. But, he didn't want to tip his hand too soon.

    Giles handed him a drink and they settled down in the living room, making small talk. Spike got up at one point and began wandering around the room, looking at the pictures. He came across a picture of Buffy and asked casually, "Is this your daughter?"

    "No.. she's almost like it though. Her name is Buffy."

    "I heard the vampire in the cemetery refer to you as a Watcher."

    Suddenly, Giles eyes finally began to narrow with suspicion. Good lord, was he really such an idiot?  He had been so relieved at having another chance at life, he hadn't given this stranger much thought beyond giving him his profound gratitude. Now, he was beginning to wonder if there was perhaps a hidden agenda here.

    "And what business is that of yours?" Giles asked, his voice now business like and clipped.

    Spike shrugged. "None. Just curious."  He continued his inspection of the Watcher's pictures, finally coming to one that had him stumbling back in shock. "Who.. is this?" he turned to Giles, and showed him the picture in question.

    Giles gave him a curious look.  "I already told you, that's Buffy."

    Spike shook his head. "No, the baby. Whose baby is this?"

    Giles eyes became hard at the tone the other man was using.  "I don't see how that is any of your business."

    With a snarl, Spike prepared to fly at Giles, desperate for confirmation.  "Tell me."

    Both men were too engrossed in their little pissing contest to notice that the front door had opened and both started when a voice broke through. "So, Giles, is it common practice these days to invite vampires into your house?"

    Giles looked at Buffy, then at Spike with some akin to horror. Spike smirked in his direction before turning his attention to the petite blonde by the front door. Holding the picture up, he ordered, "Explain this."

    Buffy crossed her arms in front of her chest and replied defiantly, "No."

    Spike growled, then charged Buffy, slamming her up against the wall, pinning her there with his body as he had done earlier that night.  But Buffy now remembered she was the slayer and wrenched Spike away from her and knocked him to the floor.  She straddled him and punched him angrily in the face. "I don't owe you ANYTHING, do you hear me?"

    With a savage snarl, Spike slipped into game face and flipped them, knocking over a chair in the process.  "You will tell me, damn you."

    At her defiant face, he growled and sunk his fangs into her once more as she cried out and struggled against his iron hold.  As quickly as he had bitten into her, he flung himself off and scooted himself back in shock along the floor. 

    "It's mine. No one else has touched you."

    Buffy got up angrily off the floor and punched him in the face again, which surprisingly, Spike let her get away with. She looked over at Giles, who was standing before her frozen in mute horror. Boy, sure glad her Watcher was on the ball, she thought bitterly. He sure had her back with that one. 

    Turning her attention back to the vampire on the floor, she announced coldly, "Get out."

    His game face had retreated and his face was  a whirlwind of confusion, and oh god... tenderness?  At her harsh words though, his  face hardened and he smirked at her. "Oh, I don't think so, my little Buffy."

    "Get out, or I'll be sweeping you out."

    Sauntering up to her, he leaned right into her face. "No. See, I believe I told you that you belong to me? Well, that hasn't changed."

    All of the emotions of the last two years seemed to ball up and fling themselves at Buffy at once, and the source of it all was standing right in front of her, a smug shit eating grin on his face. And Buffy's anger flared. Drawing her arm back, she punched him in the face again, unable to control the impulse.  Even when he lay laughing at her on the floor, wiping the blood from his nose, Buffy wanted nothing more than to go over and rain blow after blow on him. How could he DO this to her??? Her life was JUST finally going right.  Oh, she had gotten over the fact that her virginity had been taken by a monster. She couldn't call it rape, she wanted it and knew it.  But she been violated by his demon all the same.

    And oh god, her son.  Now her son was potentially in danger and the cause of it all was still on the floor laughing at her.

    Finally, Giles roused himself out of his shocked stupor and attempted to assert some authority.  "Leave, and do not come back."

    That had Spike howling with laughter. Wiping tears from his eyes, he looked over at the enraged and confused Watcher and said, "Well now, perhaps you should explain to your slayer the definition and meaning of Claiming Rights? She might take it a bit better coming from you, and all."

tbc..

Chapter 5

    The bottom of Buffy's stomach dropped out as she looked towards her Watcher, her anxiety increased when she saw the horrified  look on Giles face. "What is he talking about?" she snapped. When Giles didn't answer her question immediately, she turned on the vampire lying on the floor. "What...did....you...do....." she ground out.

    Spike lumbered to his feet, an amused look on his face.  "Well, since I seem to have rendered your Watcher speechless, I guess it's up to me to enlighten you. I claimed you. Means you belong to me. As in," he moved closer to her. "You.. Are... Mine..."

    Buffy's nostrils flared at the injustice of it, and her fist reacted immediately, but Spike was ready for her this time. He caught her incoming fist in his, using the momentum to twist her arm behind her, bringing the back of her up hard against his chest.  "Now, now, now. No more of that. Wouldn't want me to practice some of the uh... more demeaning aspects of the claim, now would you."

    Buffy struggled defiantly, twisting her head around to glare at him.  "Get your hands off of me."

    Spike's response to that was to lick the raw puncture wounds he had left on her neck and Buffy gasped at the contact.  "No," he informed her smugly.

    "I swear to god, you are going to wish you never came here!" Buffy yelled, as she tried to twist in his grasp. She managed to get one arm free and threw her fist backwards, where it landed with startling accuracy against his nose again.  Spike growled angrily in response, as he grabbed her renegade arm.

    "Well, well, meek little Buffy has grown some claws. But don't you know, every time you do something like that, it just gives me a huge boner?" As if to prove his point, he ground his erection against her thrashing butt.

    "God, crude much?" Buffy yelled. "Who the hell even says boner anymore, anyway?" That resulted in her arms being wrenched to an excruciating degree behind her back. "Giles! Little help here!"

    Giles finally snapped out of his horrified daze, cursing himself for his inattention to present matters.  "ENOUGH!!!! " he shouted. "Both of you, stop this!"

    Buffy stopped her thrashing to look at her Watcher in shock. "Well, gee, I was thinking more of the pointy wooden kind of help, Giles."

    Giles ignored her, pinning his gaze on the smug vampire who was holding his Slayer.  "Let her go."

    "And why should I?"

    "Because I told you to, that's why," Giles stated calmly, a stake suddenly appearing in his hands.

    "I've got to say, that's not exactly swaying me here."

    "All right. How about this. You let her go and we'll explore the reasons why you were able to father a child."

    That got Spike's attention. With a hard shove, he threw Buffy away from him and went and sat down in the chair he had occupied earlier. "So, could I get a refill here, Watcher?"

    Buffy looked at Giles in stunned disbelief.  "You invited him over for a DRINK???"

    Giles had the good sense to look abashed. "I was uh, aware of his....undead status at the time."

    Spike tipped his head cockily. "Yeah, been meaning to mention that. You might want to watch those invites you toss around so casually. Might find yourself with some not so desirable company."

    "Yeah, just look in the mirror. Oh wait, you can't, can you? So sorry, my mistake. Must suck to be dead," Buffy injected snidely.

    Before Spike could throw an angry retort back, Giles barked, "Buffy, please!"

    Buffy looked at Giles in shock. "Uh, Giles, can I speak to you a moment? In PRIVATE?" she added meaningfully.

    Giles nodded his consent, and with a warning look in Spike's direction, followed Buffy into the kitchen.  "What the hell are you doing?" Buffy hissed at Giles. "Why aren't we staking him?"

    Giles adopted a pained and uncomfortable look on his face. Reaching up to remove his glasses, he formulated his next words carefully.  "Buffy, I am sorry if this...situation is bringing you mental anguish.  However, from a Council standpoint, it would be remiss of me not to explore the implications of this."

    At Buffy's stunned look, he hastened to reassure her that he had not breathed a word to the Council about her son's supernatural roots, nor would do so.  "But he is the father, am I correct?"

    Buffy closed her eyes briefly, then directed her gaze to the ground. She gave a brief nod in confirmation to Giles question. "And we only have his word that he claimed you. There are things that need to be dealt with here. Do you understand?" 

    Churlishly, Buffy finally nodded her acceptance. She knew he was right but it didn't mean she had to like it. Just in the short time she was in Will's company, he had made her emotions behave as if they were on a roller coaster. And that pissed her off.

    "Right then. Well, let's go back out and see if we can get Will to answer any of our questions," Giles suggested.

    "SPIKE." they heard being yelled from the other room. Buffy and Giles quickly reentered the living room to find a smirking vampire sprawled in his chair, feet up on the antique coffee table.  He looked up at them when they walked back in.

    "I beg your pardon?" Giles asked in confusion. Spike?

    "The name. I go by Spike," the vampire drawled, allowing his feet to be knocked off the table by Giles.

    "Oh Good LORD!!" Giles exclaimed, finally putting the pieces of the puzzle together, why the man seemed so familiar and mentally chastised himself for not recognizing him earlier.

    "Wha?" Buffy asked.

    "Otherwise known as William the Bloody, I presume?" Giles announced coldly.

    A proud smile spread over Spike's face as he said gloatingly, "Ah, so you've heard of me, then?"

    "Unfortunately." 

    "Giles....." Buffy said threateningly.

    Giles heaved a big put upon sigh and slumped down heavily onto the couch. "Well, Buffy, it seems you don't have any ordinary vampire as the father of your child. Spike is quite legendary among the Council archives."

    "Oh. Gee. Fabulous," Buffy muttered, throwing another lethal glare in Spike's direction. He was just about to call her on it when the door to Giles apartment was thrown open and he recognized her little rescuers from the club.

    "Oh Buffy! You're here! Good, we were worried about you," Willow announced.

    "Yeah.  Something weird seems to be going on, thought we'd come over and talk to G-Man about it."

    "Xander...." Giles lectured in a pained voice.

    "Sorry." Xander replied in a voice that sounded anything but.  It was then he noticed the sprawled smirking figure in Giles chair. "Merciful Zeus! I was right!" Turning to Willow, he said, "Told you he was totally blonde."

    "Yeah." Willow agreed, staring at Spike.

    "Want to introduce me to your little friends, Buffy?" Spike suggested in a low intimate tone.

    Buffy's response was automatic and as soon as it left her mouth, she wished she could take it back. "Bite me."

    Spike's eyes darkened, and he curled the tip of his tongue behind his front teeth as he allowed his eyes to slowly drink up and down Buffy's rigid body. "Well luv, thought you'd have had enough by now, but I'm always willing to oblige a lady... As you well know."

    Buffy's temper flared at his not very subtle innuendo. "Screw you!" she tossed back. Wow, she was amazing herself with her quick and original comebacks. Yep, no doubt.

    "Oh yes, that too can be arranged."

    With a yell, Buffy's movements were quick and her aim was true. Before Spike could finish congratulating himself for taunting her, She had a very sharp and very deadly stake pointed over his heart. With a smirk, he challenged, "Do it."

    Flashing eyes were locked on the other as they stared each other down, then in a surprise ending, Buffy threw the stake in Giles hands and ran out the door, tears blinding her way. As the door slammed behind her, everyone stared after it in shock. Spike made a move to get up and follow, but found his way blocked by a lethal looking crossbow and a pissed off Watcher.

    "You're not going anywhere. You and I are going to have us a nice little chat, I believe," Giles informed him, his voice cold and unrelenting.

    "What the hell just went on here? I thought Buffy staked vamps." Xander whispered to Willow. But Willow was too busy staring at Spike to bother answering right away. Finally, she turned to him and whispered, "Xander, look at him, who does he remind you of?"

    Xander looked at Spike, then back at Willow, shrugging his shoulders in ignorance. "Dunno. A bloodsucking fiend, perhaps?"

    "He looks like Blake, Xander."

    That had Xander giving the vampire another inspection.  "Oh sweet fancy googilies. He does." Now he knew what Giles wanted to chat with him about.

    Buffy ran all the way home, her tears spilling in every direction. Oh god, things were so complicated. Why couldn't she dust him? It was her job. He had not given her any reason tonight to think he was anything but an evil vampire, so why was that voice nagging at her? Telling her that there was more there than met the eye? It made no sense, and her confusion was absolute. Was it a claim thing? And why didn't that thought disgust her?  Buffy felt like smashing her head against her bedroom wall.  Just like she knew her friends would not be in danger because she had left them with an apparently legendary vampire. She wouldn't have left him there if she was really concerned.

    Then her mom brought Blake into her room for bed and Buffy looked into those blue eyes that were so familiar, and her heart just melted.  Will, no, SPIKE had given her this. He might be evil, but he had given her the most precious thing in the world and for that, she realized she owed him a chance. Well, a chance at a non dusty existence anyway. 

    Feeling much better, she got herself and Blake ready for bed.

tbc...

Chapter 6

    Buffy walked with Blake into his room holding him tightly to her, her face buried into the sweetness of his dark blonde curly hair. Tears stung her eyes again at the thought of him being in jeopardy.  She would do ANYTHING  to keep him safe.  Her earlier peace had completely deserted her, leaving massive upheaval the size of a vast ocean in its place, and Buffy had to force herself to relax her grip on her son. Smothering his face with kisses, she told him goodnight gently and laid him in his crib. As she backed out of the room, she watched him settle in.

    "Nigh Nigh," she heard his sweet voice tell her sleepily as he immediately shut his eyes and fell asleep. Her tears were falling in earnest when she carefully shut the door behind her. Buffy gave a small start when she caught sight of her mother standing just to the side of the door, arms crossed in front of her chest with her determined Mom look firmly in place.

    "Mom. You scared me."

    "How about we go downstairs and you talk to me about whatever it is that's bothering you?"

    Buffy didn't dare argue, her mom was using THAT voice. The voice that Buffy knew from experience she had no chance of convincing her that there was really nothing bothering her. And truth be told, she REALLY wanted  to talk this out with someone.  Boy, her mom was going to be so excited to learn that there had been more secret keeping from her. Buffy had promised her, with her fingers crossed behind her back of course, that there would be no secrets between them again. Except gee... Sorry mom. Kinda forget to tell you that about that little vampire thing. But she had really been feeling totally guilty about it for some time now and was looking forward to unloading it. Her mom so deserved to know the truth though. Especially now.

    Her mom turned and went downstairs with Buffy meekly following behind. Just because she wanted to tell her mom the truth sure didn't mean that she was looking forward to it. Her mom sat down on the couch and told Buffy to sit down. Joyce could tell by the look on Buffy's face that something big was going on.

    "So.. what's going on that had you bursting into the house to check on Blake?"

    Looking around uncomfortably, Buffy tried to think of the best way to answer that question. She must have taken too long because she was brought to attention by her mom saying a sharp "Buffy."  She looked at her mom and her mind went completely blank. God, how could she do this? How could she sit here and tell her mom that her grandson's father lacks a heartbeat?

    "Buffy, whatever it is, you can tell me. You're not pregnant again, are you?" Joyce was almost positive that wasn't the case, but there was always a niggling possibility.

    That brought Buffy right up. "NO!" She exclaimed in horror. "How can you even have thought that?"

    "Well, let's see. My daughter comes home acting all weird, won't tell me what's going on, hugs her child like it's the last day on earth.... Wait, it's not the last day on earth is it?"

    Compared to the news Buffy had to impart, that would almost be preferable, than mentally slapped herself for such morbid thoughts. Ok Buffy, get yourself together. Just tell your mom you slept with a vampire. You accepted demon seed. And now? Now you have demon spawn that is asleep upstairs in his crib. Yeah, that should go over well.

    "Buffy, it's not, is it?" Buffy tuned back in to see her mother's frantic look.

    "Huh? Not what?"

    "The end of the world!"

    " Oh god no, mom. It's not the end of the world, I swear."

    "Then what is it?"

    "It's uh.. about Blake."

    "Sweetie, you're scaring me. Is Blake alright?"

    Buffy gave her an encouraging smile. "Oh, Blake's fine, mom, you know that!"

    "Then WHAT is it? And this is the LAST time I am going to ask you, do you hear me, young lady?"

    Buffy knew that once she entered "young lady" territory, there was no going back. She gave a sigh of relief when a knock at the door sounded, then stiffened in alarm. It was late, people knocking on doors at this hour usually resulted in a not so good situation. Her mom got up to answer it with a pained sigh of frustration, but Buffy flew to intercept her. She was the Slayer, after all.

    "No mom. Let me answer it."

    With an irritated sigh, Joyce gestured for Buffy to do the honors. Her stomach churned when she looked through the peephole and saw a shock of blonde hair. "Noooooo!"  she wailed quietly, resting her forehead against door. "Why me?"

    "I heard that, Slayer. Open the damn door."

    "Go away," Buffy called back, her body tensing with coiled emotion.

    "Buffy, open the door this instant!" The irritated voice of her Watcher barked at her through the closed door.

    "What is going on, Buffy?" her mom asked again. "Is that  Mr. Giles outside?"

    Buffy ignored her as she unlocked the deadbolt, but kept the chain firmly in place. She let the door open the few inches the chain allowed and glowered through the crack in the door.

    "What?" she asked surly.

    "Open the bloody door," Spike ordered, his eyes narrowing as they clashed with hers.

    "No."

    "Open it, or I will bloody break it in. Understand?" The lethal quietness in his voice gave Buffy all the warning she needed that the vampire had every intention of following through on his threat.  Mindful of her mom, she decided to give in. But just this time.

    With an exaggerated sigh, she slammed the door, flicked the chain off and then threw the door open. She made sure she blocked the doorway with her body as she directed an icy glare at the man standing in front of her. She didn't notice her mom coming up behind her.

    "Is that supposed to intimidate me? Please," Spike scoffed.

    "What do you want?"

    With a truly pained and suffering sigh, Giles intervened. "Both of you, stop this nonsense."

    Buffy turned her ice queen look to Giles. "Why did you bring him here Giles?"

    Ripping his glasses off in irritation,  Giles replied, "I didn't BRING him here. Since I couldn't very well stop him from coming here, I figured the least I could do was accompany him and monitor the situation, make sure things didn't escalate."

    "Oh, like a babysitter."

    "Buffy, that is quite enough! You are behaving like a tiny prat," Giles lectured. When he caught the smirk that Spike gave in regards to his comment, added, "And you, Spike, aren't much better."

    Joyce finally had had enough. Obviously, there was something going on here, something that was being kept from her and that angered her. And getting a good look at the man on her porch, she had a feeling she knew where this was headed. Taking Buffy by surprise, she knocked her out of the way and presented herself in the doorway.  "Mr. Giles, perhaps you could let me know what is going on? Buffy's tongue seems frozen on the matter."

    Buffy threw another glare in Spike's direction, which he replied to with an infuriating smirk. Giles glanced at the two, barely repressing the urge to roll his eyes at their behavior. Since that one breakdown when Buffy discovered she was pregnant, Giles had never seen her emotionally out of control before. Not like she was tonight. It was obvious the vampire was taking great pleasure in pushing her buttons and Buffy was just falling right into it. Hopefully once her mother was apprised of the entire situation, she could talk some sense into her daughter.

    "Why don't we all go in and sit down? " Giles suggested, seeing a few lights turning on next door.

    "WHAT!!!" Buffy shrieked. "Are you crazy, Giles??  I'm not inviting HIM in!"

    "Why don't you screech that one a little louder, pet. Don't think they heard you at the end of town," Spike taunted, already gearing up for her violent reaction.  He wasn't disappointed when Buffy came at him swinging. Laughing in her face, he blocked her punches with ease, but she still managed to get in one good punch before her mother intervened.

    "BUFFY!" Joyce said, her tone indicating that Buffy had better not argue.  Buffy turned and gave her mother a put upon look. "Invite him in."

    Buffy looked at her in shock. "Mom, no way!"

    "If you don't, I will."

    "Mom, you don't understand, he's a vampire."

    Joyce pinned a steely look on her daughter. "And he's also the father of your son."

    Buffy's face paled and the look on her face was all the confirmation Joyce needed to know that she had been right on the money. With her daughter shocked into silence she turned to handsome man on her porch and said, "Come in, please."

    Spike could feel the barrier lifted at those three words and he took great pleasure in sauntering in the door, deliberately knocking Buffy out of the way as he passed by her. That brought her crashing back to reality and she retaliated by shoving him, becoming increasingly infuriated at his taunting laughter. The look in her eyes was murderous and she responded by sticking her nose in the air as she stormed past him towards the couch.  Maybe if she ignored him, he would go away.  She tried desperately to ignore the smug smirk he sent in her direction, letting her know that he was aware of how much he was irritating her. Stupid idiot.

    Joyce and Giles shared a look, both shaking their heads at the juvenile behavior being displayed. Joyce also had never seen her daughter act in such a fashion. Oh, she had a few things to discuss with her daughter's watcher, that was for sure. Turning to the blonde stranger, Joyce approached him and said, "I'm Joyce."

    Spike took the hand that had been extended in his direction, his face showing his surprise before it was carefully masked. But Joyce caught it and was strangely reassured by it. Just as the cool skin clasped against hers was strangely reassuring.  " The name's William."

    "I thought it was Spike," Buffy said nastily from her position on the couch. "Oh sorry, my mistake.  How could I forget? Mr. William the Bloody."

    "Buffy, please. Do try and keep things slightly civil," Giles admonished.

    Buffy looked at him in shock. "OH my god! I so cannot believe you are taking HIS side in this!"

    Giles ripped his glasses off in exasperation once more. "I am not taking SIDES, I am merely trying to keep the two of you from killing each other."

    "Hello? he's a vampire! So what if he gets dusted? No big."  Buffy ignored the warning growls she heard coming from Spike as she looked at her Watcher.

    "Buffy!" Her mom chided, throwing her daughter a hard look. Buffy looked back defiantly. She knew she was behaving badly, but somehow, when she was around HIM, she just couldn't help it.

    In a low voice, Spike said to her, "I want to see him."

    "Who?" Buffy replied, knowing full well who Spike meant.

    "The boy."

    "No."

    Stalking dangerously towards the couch, he stopped in front of her and said,"Go get him."

    "No!" Buffy brought her chin up defiantly as she met his angry eyes. Joyce moved to intervene but Giles stopped her, shaking his head. As much as it pained him to do this, he had to see how they interacted with each other, if Spike tried to control her using the claim. 

    "You will got get him or I will make you." A flash of amber added to his steely gaze.

    Tossing her hair back, Buffy stood up so she was inches away from Spike. "Yeah? I'd like to see you try."

    Spike shrugged, and closed his eyes briefly, concentrating.  At that instant, Buffy felt him take control of her mind, of her body. It was like he had slipped in and completely taken possession.  Just as quickly as it happened, it was gone and with a gasp, Buffy was back in the driver's seat.  Spike wasn't disappointed by the amount of time it took for her to react and had his smug grin ready for her. Laughing in her face again knowing how much that pissed her off, he effectively blocked her punches. This was getting to be quite familiar and damned if he wasn't enjoying himself. Her anger made her sloppy, and he let her pound on him until they were both startled by a large crash.

    "Good one, Buffy. Ruin your mum's house while you're at it, why dontcha?"  Spike said in a condescending voice.

    He laughed again at the look of pure fury on her face, ah yes, his little Buffy had definitely grown some claws.  And she was so much more fun this way. He looked over at the angry look on her mum's face and he became contrite. "Sorry 'bout that, Joyce."

    Joyce opened her mouth to respond when she was interrupted by a pierce wailing coming from upstairs, with shouts of "mama, mama." Spike froze at the sound, the sound of that little voice cutting deep inside of him. Buffy threw another lethal look in his direction and used his inattention to deliver a sharp uppercut to his jaw which almost flattened him before she walked away with satisfaction.  She didn't see her mother's horrified look at her daughter's excessive use of violence.

    Opening the door to Blake's room, Buffy found him standing up holding onto the side of the crib, his eyes wide open and fearful. "Mama, mama."

    "Shh... it's ok, I'm here, baby," Buffy cooed, lifting him out and holding him to her, as she gently bounced him up and down on her hip in an effort to soothe him.  She turned around, pressing soothing kisses to the side of his face as he buried his face into her neck. Her breath hitched when she saw Spike in the doorway. Buffy pressed Blake closer to her, feeling the urge to shield him from the evil standing in the door. 

    Spike heard Buffy's heart rate pick up and smelled the sudden flush of fear that poured from her, and that angered him. Walking slowly into the room, he growled low in his throat when Buffy turned her body so the boy was hidden from his view.  "Let me see him."

    Buffy didn't respond, wouldn't look at him, just kept trying to ease the panic that was welling up inside of her.  She was fully prepared to battle to the death to protect her child. She noticed Giles and her mom at the door, and a small measure of relief went through her when she saw the stake in her Watcher's hand. She began backing away, her stomach tightening with dread.

    Spike knew that Buffy was terrified, and emotion that he didn't even know he could feel poured into him. Just the sight of seeing Buffy standing there, clutching HIS son to her and knowing that she was scared to death.... of him. God, it was gut wrenching. She was afraid he would hurt his child, and the part that sickened Spike the most was knowing that she had every legitimate right to think that. Because he was a monster, and he knew it.

    "Buffy," he said, his voice colored with this newfound emotion he was feeling. "I won't hurt him. I promise."

    Buffy's head jerked up at the unexpected tender voice and her eyes bored into his, searching. Then slowly she turned around, bringing Blake into Spike's view, watching his face carefully the entire time.  When Blake looked up in curiosity and looked right at Spike, Buffy wished she had a picture of the look on his face. There had been the niggling feeling that Spike or "Will" as she had known him as, hadn't had entirely evil intentions that night in Vegas.  And now seeing the look of pure wonderment on his face, which completely wiped off the indifferent mask he usually wore, made that feeling she had even more likely. Vampires weren't supposed to feel, or care. But that's not what Spike was showing right now.

    "Can I..." Spike whispered before his voice broke off.

    Oh god, he wants to hold him. Well, here goes a huge leap of faith, as Buffy extracted Blake's arms from around her neck and held him out to Spike. Blake held his arms out expectantly, waiting for Spike to take him, and when he did, Blake wrapped his arms around his neck.  Oh my god, he's got tears in his eyes Buffy thought, watching Spike with their son. THEIR son.  How weird was that? 

    Buffy looked over at her mom, who had come into the room with Giles and they shared a  tender look.  Giles still looked prepared to stake Spike if necessary, but was watching the vampire interact with his son with avid interest.

    "How old is he?"

    "Gee, can't you do math?" At Spike's look, Buffy actually looked contrite. "Sorry. He's 15 months old."

    "What did you name him?" Spike asked gruffly.

    "Blake," Buffy answered.

    " 'ello Blake," Spike said gently, staring into the youthful version of his own face.

    "Who you?" Blake asked with a slight frown.

    Suddenly Spike's face broke out in a huge smile. "Who am I, you ask?" Then, risking a look over at Buffy, who didn't seem ready to object, he answered, "I'm your daddy."

tbc....

chapter 7

    Suddenly Spike's face broke out in a huge smile. "Who am I, you ask?" Then, risking a look over at Buffy, who didn't seem ready to object, he answered, "I'm your daddy."

   In the true resilience of children, Blake looked at Spike, blinked a few times, smiled, then laid his head against Spike's chest, telling him he was "seepy, Daddy".

    Spike looked at Buffy helplessly, not sure what he should do, and found her with a strange look on her face.  Unable to interpret it, he just gathered Blake closer as he breathed his scent in deeply as if to forever etch it in his mind.  Since he had found out that Buffy had gotten pregnant that night, he hadn't given much thought to the actual child that had resulted. He had mostly insisted on seeing him because he knew it was yet one more thing that would get Buffy brassed off, and for some reason, he felt a strong urge to do just that. And often.  He also liked making her Watcher nervous, that was turning into good fun.  But now? Now that he was actually holding his living breathing flesh and blood in his arms... the feeling was indescribable. This child was a part of him, it had come from him. The resemblance was uncanny, and Spike could feel his demon retreating and a sense of calmness stealing over him.  He knew they were watching him, yet he didn't care, standing there holding HIS son was the only thing important at the moment. So there they stood, a creature dressed in black, cradling a child gently in his arms, belying the evil and violence that was housed behind the misleading facade.

    Giles relaxed his hold on the stake he had in his hand and motioned to Buffy that he was going downstairs. She nodded, her face looking oddly touched by the scene in front of her. Joyce followed Giles from the room, intent on getting some answers.  Seeing Spike's reaction to Blake helped set her mind at ease that her grandson was not in danger from him and only hoped that Buffy saw that as well.

    Going into the kitchen to make tea, Joyce turned to Giles and asked, "So, care to fill me in on what I missed?"

    Giles gave a tired sigh.  "Well, I'll tell you what I know. First off, my deepest apologies for keeping the uh.. status of Blake's father from you. It was not my intentions to deceive you."

    "Yet you did, for 2 years."

    "You are correct we did. At the time, that was Buffy's wish.  I believe she was trying to repress the events surrounding the uh..conception."

    At his comment, it finally dawned on Joyce that the man upstairs was the one responsible for her little girl's profound misery and torment two years ago and her resolve hardened.  Well, she had a few choice words to say to him on that little matter. Nobody hurt her little girl and got away with it.

    "He raped her."

    Giles got an uncomfortable look on his face. "I was not given all the details regarding the uh, conception. I am afraid I am not in a position to answer that question accurately."

    Joyce heard footsteps come down the stairs and went to intercept those who WERE in the position to answer her question.  Her resolve softened a little when she saw Spike sitting on the couch, Blake sound asleep in his arms. Buffy sat not too far off, still prepared to come in snatch her young from the big evil monster, if the situation arose.

    Both of them looked up when Joyce entered the room, the hard set of her face impossible to miss. "Mom?" Buffy asked in bewilderment, wondering what had her mom all bent.

    Joyce pinned her hard look on Spike and announced coldly, "You raped my little girl."

    The look of astonishment on Spike's face was almost comical, then he turned and glared at Buffy. "You told them that?"

    Buffy squirmed a bit under the intense scrutiny she was under, then rallied back. "No, not exactly." At the growl that came from Spike, Buffy looked worriedly at Blake, getting ready to get him away from Spike.

    "I'm not going to bloody hurt him, so stop looking at me like that," Spike snarled. "I would appreciate it though, if you could tell your mum the truth."

    Flopping herself back against the cushion, Buffy sighed. "Fine." She snapped. "He didn't rape me." Then added, "exactly."

    In a dangerous voice, Spike replied," You were ready and willing, Buffy, or did you conveniently forget that part?"

    Buffy's cheeks flushed a bright red, and she took a mortifying glance over at her mom. The confusion there was in high evidence, but her mom also looked...relieved?

    "I'm waiting for an honest answer here, Buffy," Spike announced, his voice still hard and dangerous. His eyes were cold, yet Buffy could see his hands were gentle as they held Blake.

    "I didn't forget," Buffy replied. "But I was referring to the END."   She couldn't help the shiver that went down her spine as unbidden memories came crashing through her. Frantically, she once again pushed them away.

    Spike could smell the panic flowing from her, and a bit of the coldness left his face. "I won't apologize for that, because well, I just wouldn't mean it. But I'll apologize for scaring you."

    Buffy looked at him curiously, realizing that he actually meant it. Forgetting that her mom and Watcher were in the room, Buffy sucked it in to ask him a question that had weighed heavily on her ever since that night.  "Why did you get so nasty when...uh.. you weren't before?"

    Spike smirked at her, and Buffy immediately wished she could have bitten back her words. She was an idiot if she thought she could have anything resembling a normal conversation with him.  "Cos, luv, you gave my demon something it craves, the taste of fear."

    "So, you're trying to tell me it was MY fault you were trying to kill me?" Buffy asked him, her eyes wide and incredulous.

    Spike shrugged his shoulders indifferently as best he could with a child laying on his chest. "Wasn't planning on killin' ya."

    Buffy snorted indelicately. "Yeah right. That's why when I knocked you out, you had your fangs buried in my throat."

    A bored look on his face, Spike looked down at his son. "Think what you want. Wasn't planning on killing ya."

    Buffy rolled her eyes. "Please."

    Giles interrupted the squabble, fearing the tentative truce the two had established upstairs in their son's room had come to an end.  "Buffy, for the sake of argument, I am inclined to believe Spike on this matter."

    "What????!!! Giles!" Buffy didn't even want to look at Spike's gloating face.

    "Buffy, I don't know what went on that night, and quite frankly, I don't care to know the intimate details. However, for the sake of preventing yet another argument that is sure to impound my already colossal size headache, the facts do speak for themselves."

    Unable to help himself, Spike arrogantly looked at the girl sitting stiffly by his side. "Yeah, Buffy, so listen up."

    A crack showed in Giles tightly held British reserve as he let loose on the vampire.  "Spike, we would all appreciate it if you could stop baiting Buffy. And Buffy, would you please stop falling for it every time? God lord, you two act like a couple of two year olds!" 

    An offended look crossed Spike's face. " Eh, watch it. 128 here."

    "Oh god!" Buffy cried, throwing her head back against the cushion. Gee, only a 110 year age difference.  She looked over at her mom, who had a pained expression on her face.  Feeling a stab of guilt, Buffy realized her less than stellar behavior probably wasn't helping matters here. Making a mental decision to try not to react so much to Spike's taunting, she plastered a phony smile  on her face and gestured for Giles to continue. Actually, she found herself curious to see how Giles had reached the conclusion he had, when she had felt it in her gut that Spike hadn't been intending to kill her that night. She found herself desperately wanting to believe that and really wanted to find out if she was right. Of course, she could just ask Spike, but she was also afraid of his answer.

    Slightly placated by Buffy's apparent willingness to behave, Giles sat down on the other couch. "All right then. As far as my research has led me to believe, vampires don't usually claim victims they intend to kill. Is this correct, Spike?"

    Spike's indifferent mask had been drawn firmly over his sharp features, making him seem far colder than the awed vampire that had beheld his son in stunned wonder.  But Giles was beginning to see through Spike and cringed at that realization.  He had wanted to keep Spike in the category of "bad", but the vampire was slowly worming himself out of it, inching towards "not entirely bad." And Giles wasn't quite sure what that meant.

    "Yeah, Watcher, that's correct," Spike replied in a flat voice, keeping his gaze downcast and  focused on his sleeping son.

    "What are you talking about?" Joyce asked, highly annoyed once again at finding out another aspect she wasn't told about.

    Giles realized that it was up to him to explain, when he took in the tight lipped faces of the two on the couch.  He did catch the dirty look Buffy threw in the vampire's direction but didn't call her on it, as he figured Spike more than deserved it.  Taking his glasses off and using his handkerchief to polish the lenses, he replied, "It appears that Spike placed a vampiric claim on Buffy two years ago. It's usually done between two vampires, to keep tabs on the other, but occasionally a vampire will claim a human, that uh.. takes his or her fancy."

    Buffy was glad that her mom's lethal look was directed at Spike and not her as her mom asked, "And why did you do that?"

    Spike's indifferent mask couldn't hold up under the wrath of Mom and he mumbled, "Dunno. Just liked the girl." 

    "And just what were your intentions after?"

    "Vampire here, Joyce. Didn't have much in the way of intentions. Just knew I wasn't planning on killing her right away."

    "Oh gee, and that just makes me feel SO much better." Buffy announced rudely, forgetting her reminder to herself to watch her mouth. Her question had been answered, but surprisingly, she didn't feel very comforted by it.

    "What are you going on about? You clocked me over the head with a telephone, knocked me out.  If I recall correctly, before you got all panicky, you didn't suffer too badly at my hands, now did you?"

    The change in body temperature and the sudden rush of color to her cheeks was the only answer he needed. Clenching her jaw, Buffy retorted hotly, "That's so not the point.  The point is, you placed a claim on me without asking. You come here and start telling me that I belong to you, and it's just....WRONG!"  Buffy cursed the tears that crowded her eye as familiar feelings of helplessness possessed her.

    Spike took an unnecessary deep breath to calm himself. He looked over at Buffy and let his features soften so she could read the honesty on his face. "Look, pet. You and me, we have a few things to suss out between us, ok?  I know things have gone a bit rough for you, but I can't change that now. And I know you probably just as soon stake me than take a chance, but what do you say we try and not kill each other for now?"

    Buffy stared at him in shock then saw he was serious. She found herself nodding. "Fine."

    Giles and Joyce shared a relieved look, both wondering why they were even supporting this. Joyce was as fiercely protective of Blake as her daughter was, yet she was allowing an apparently evil vampire into his life. Into their lives. Wait, Joyce corrected. Not just any evil vampire. Blake's father. Her mind was a bit more at ease with Spike now at the admission that the events that led up to his conception hadn't involved forced sex then cringed at the visual imagery that evoked.  She could see Buffy and Spike studiously ignoring the other on the couch now and suddenly she was exhausted.

    "Well, now that we've got that out of the way, maybe we can think about getting some sleep. Spike, you can sleep on the couch." She felt satisfaction that she had managed to shock him as his head jerked up and he looked at her with surprise. She ignored Giles and Buffy's identical looks of shock.

    "Thank you, Joyce."  She nodded, and stood up with the linen cabinet as her destination. She grabbed some blankets and brought them back to Spike.  "Mr. Giles, I'll walk you to the door."

    Giles, knowing he was being dismissed, nodded at Buffy's mother and bid them a goodnight. He sent a warning look in Spike's direction, which surprisingly, Spike didn't react to, just tipped his head in a curt nod of acknowledgement. After he had left and Joyce had gone upstairs, both Spike and Buffy sat staring at the boy sleeping against Spike's chest.

    "Want me to take him?" Buffy asked, breaking the silence.

    Spike just shook his head, finding himself feeling strangely....awkward, something he wasn't used to feeling. "Tell me about him," he asked quietly, stroking Blake's hair gently, a small smile playing across his lips when the toddler squirmed in his sleep.

    Realizing that for Spike- this was reaching out, Buffy obliged him without any snide comments.  "He's my life," she replied simply.  Spike looked over at her, his intense eyes catching hers and Buffy felt that weird feeling deep in the pit of her stomach again, the one that had drawn her that night in Vegas. The one that caused her to give her virginity to this man sitting next to her. Then Buffy asked a question that had been bothering her, realizing that Spike could probably answer it. "He is... human, right?"

    Spike nodded. "Yeah, he is. Smells human anyway. You haven't noticed anything, have you?"

    Buffy shook her head. "No, not really.  Sometimes, he looks at me a certain way and I think there's something, but other than that, no. He's super smart, and he's always been really good.  Like freakishly good."

    "You complaining about that?" Buffy realized Spike was teasing her, and felt herself relax a bit. 

    "Me? Nooo...  No complaints here." Buffy reached out to fluff her son's hair, her hand brushing against Spike's accidentally. Buffy jerked her hand back so hard at the unexpected contact and almost smacked herself in the process.

    "Still as spastic as ever, I see," Spike commented dryly.

    Buffy glared at him in reply, then couldn't help the smile that stole over her face. She was suddenly reminded of exactly what had attracted her to Spike in the first place, and it wasn't just his undeniably gorgeous face. For some reason, they had clicked. And maybe someone else thought so, because hello, vampires weren't supposed to be able to give 16 year old girls the cutest babies they could ever hope for. 

    "So, you really weren't going to kill me?" Buffy shocked Spike by asking.

    "Nah, wasn't planning on it that night."

    "Well, that's reassuring."  A comfortable silence followed before Buffy asked, "Why did you want to keep me?"

    Spike took a moment before answering.  "Cos I wasn't bored when I was with you."

    "And you... often have a problem with boredom?"

    "Hell yeah."

    "So, uh, how come you didn't try to find me, if you considered me your property and all?"

    "Who says I didn't?"

    Buffy blinked in shock. "Oh."

    "Yeah, it was hell. I was bored again."

    Buffy took a second before asking, "So, uh, are you bored now?"

    Spike turned his head to look at her and gave her a wry smile. "Nope."

    Buffy didn't know why his response pleased her, but it did.  God, she was so whacked.  Here she was, sitting on her mom's couch having a civil conversation with a notoriously evil vampire, who also happened to have traumatized her probably for life, even if it hadn't technically been rape and yet she was happy because he wasn't bored in her company.  How lame was that?    Thank god her mom and Giles already knew about this, they'd probably die of shock or something.

    "What about you?" Spike asked.

    "Huh? What about me what?"

    "You bored?"

    "Oh. Uh, well..no," Buffy admitted.

    "Well, guess that's a start then."

tbc

 do  not own the characters of BTVS. Yeah that's right. I don't. Also, wanted to mention that it was brought to my attention that as far as legalities went, Spike and Buffy's night in vegas could technically be considered rape (at least statutory) and also assault.  I didn't want Buffy to feel like that had happened to her in this fic, figuring she had enough stuff to deal with.  If this bothered anyone, I very much apologize.  I wanted to leave Buffy with SOME good thoughts of that night, so that was my basis behind it. Now, on to the story!!

Chapter 8

    They sat there on her mom's couch in silence again, both lost in their own world. Spike could feel his demon getting pushed further back, and his mind played over the recent events that had caused that to happen.  He'd never given much thought to children, mostly because he was under the impression he would never have any. He had never gotten off on feeding on children like a lot of his kind, but now the thought of that made him sick and he wondered what was happening to him.

    "Spike?"

    "What?"

    "How come you've been such a jerk since you came to town?"

    It was on the tip of his tongue to tell her that he was always a jerk, which wouldn't be far from the truth. In actuality, he had acted in a manner far less violent than he was used to, but he knew what she was referring to and decided to give her an honest answer. "Mostly 'cos I was angry, I suppose."

    "At me? What did I do?? Well, besides hit you over the head that time, but you so deserved that."

    Spike gave her a half smile. "Yeah, guess I did. No, was angry at me."

    "Huh?"

    Spike thought she looked cute with that confused look on her face. Going for brutal honesty, he asked, "Buffy do you know what I usually do to virgins?" At the hesitant shake of her head, he replied, "I hurt them, is what. And I like it."

    He could see the horror etched on her face, and he pressed on. "I'm a vampire, luv. A demon. And we like causing pain and death. It's what we do."

    "But... you uh, didn't really hurt me," Buffy said hesitantly, finding herself confused. "Well, you did at the end, but that was different."

    "Yeah, it was."

    "So..why didn't you hurt me?"

    "My demon wanted to, believe me."

    "So, what stopped it?"

    After a lengthy pause, Spike finally said, "I did."

    "oh. So, uh.. what happened to you when I freaked?"

    "The demon took control."

    "Oh. I think I get that. But that still doesn't explain why you've been such an ass since you came to town."

    "Like I said, I was angry."

    "Yeah, but why?" Buffy pressed.

    Spike looked over at her in mock annoyance. "Boy, you really ask the tough questions dontcha?  Ok, you really want to know why? I'll tell you. But don't complain if it doesn't make a whole lot of sense."  Buffy nodded. "The demon's pretty much been in the drivers seat for the last two years. I've been one mean son of a bitch." At her horrified look, he smirked. "Yeah that's right baby. Bad.  The demon population the world over has suffered greatly."

    "Demons?"

    "Yeah, demons. Don't know why, but the human scene got a bit old. Demons were more of a challenge, put up more of a fight. But even that got old. Then I heard some talk about the slayer, and I thought, well, there's my next challenge."  He didn't look at her as he told her this not wanting to see the condemning look on her face.  "So I arrive in Sunnydale to take out the Slayer, and who do I find? You. The Slayer.  So yeah, angry here."

    "It's not my fault you don't get to kill a slayer!" Buffy said indignantly.

    "Yeah, well that's not what caused the anger. I discovered I felt something like guilt when I saw you. Me, feeling guilt. I don't feel guilt, I'm a vampire. But that's what I felt. And it brassed the demon off but good."

    "Oh. Ok, that makes a little sense. So, are you still pissed?"

    Spike smiled at her and shocked her by reaching for her hand. "Yeah, my demon's not happy with all these tender feelings I seem to be having,  but I'll try not to take it out on you again, ok?"

    "Yeah, that'd be nice. Because, you know, you were kind of annoying earlier," Buffy remarked with a slight teasing tone in her voice.

    Spike snorted. "And like you weren't?"

    "I so wasn't."

    Spike's sensitive ears picked up the sound of Buffy's mom finally going all the way up the stairs. He had been aware of her presence but didn't really blame her. At least not enough to call her on her eavesdropping. He was actually amazed she hadn't tried to stake him on sight and another sliver of human emotion snuck in on him. But this time, he just accepted it and didn't lash out at the one his demon deemed "responsible" for it. The girl sitting next to him.

    Buffy's face turned serious, and her eyes hardened a bit. "Spike, there are a few things I need to say to you, things I've pretty much been holding onto for 2 years now. I know it probably won't make a difference to you, but I have to say it anyway."

    Spike nodded. "Fine."

    Taking a deep breath, Buffy plunged ahead. "Ever since that night, I've been really confused.  But the bottom line is, you hurt me. And you terrified me. And if I wasn't the Slayer, you'd be terrifying me right now.  But killing vampires is my job, and I'm good at it. I'm willing to give you the benefit of the doubt about that night because I realize you really were trying to make it good for me, which added greatly to my confusion. I don't know what would have happened if I hadn't seen you in the mirror and I'd rather not think about that."  Then, looking straight into Spike's intense blue eyes, Buffy added fiercely, "But what I can tell you is this. If you hurt me again, I will kill you. If you hurt our son, I will kill you. If you hurt any of my friends or family, I will kill you. Understand?"

    Spike looked away, but Buffy still caught the flicker of sadness in his eyes which only added to her confusion. Why was he so damn confusing?  "Yes, I understand."

    Buffy nodded. "Ok, good.  And just so you know, I'm not making idle threats here. You're Blake's father and I'm not entirely certain there isn't a reason why we were given a chance to have this baby, which is why I'm even willing to take this chance with you.  I'm going on gut instinct here, so please don't make me sorry, ok? If you don't want a part of this or if you know you can't be trusted, you are more than welcome to walk away now. I won't stop you."

    "Not walking away from my son," Spike replied, finding himself oddly proud of Buffy's speech to him. He had discovered she had grown claws, now he realized she'd also grown up a bit. 

    "Alright, just remember what I said. I'm dead serious."  Looking at her watch, Buffy groaned. "Uh, time to go to bed, I have school in the morning."

    Spike looked at her in surprise, then remembered how young she really was. "What do you do with the boy while you're at school?"

    Standing up, Buffy answered, "Mom takes him to the gallery and watches him there."

    An odd feeling hit telling him that he had missed out on a lot of his boy's life and that tugged at him.  "I can watch him."

    Spike watched with dread as Buffy's face closed off and she shook her head. "No.  Not going to happen."

    A small glint of anger found its way back into Spike's eyes as he retorted, "He's my son."

    Putting her hands on her hips, Buffy replied, "Spike, I said I was willing to take a chance. That does not mean that I trust you."

    A stab of hurt found its mark and Spike found himself with an internal war once again. But before, when he would have reacted in anger, this time he allowed himself to react in acceptance, knowing the words she spoke were most likely true.  "Ok. I guess we'll have to work on that, won't we?"

    Buffy gave him a relieved smile and Spike felt like he had passed a test. "Yeah, guess so.  Bring him on up, let's get him back to bed."

    "Can I just sit with him a while more?"

    Buffy shook her head. "No, Spike." At the look of anger on his face, Buffy added, "And if you try that controlling claim thingie on me again, I'll kick your ass."

    That made Spike smile, as he drawled, "Yeah? Like to see you try."

    Buffy shrugged, as she pulled him up off the couch.  "Maybe we can spar sometime. Giles'd like that. I'm always pounding on him."

    "Yeah, maybe."  Spike followed Buffy up the stairs, noticing the light was still on in her mum's room. Reluctantly, he lowered his son into his crib, wanting to have him back in his arms again. But, he knew it was his fault Buffy didn't trust him and allowed himself to curse his demonic side. He had been honest with her tonight and he knew he'd been a jackass to her. Blame it on his defense mechanism, or whatever, Spike decided then and there he was willing to do whatever it took so that he earned Buffy's trust. He wanted it, and he hadn't realized how much he needed it until now, as he looked at his precious sleeping son, then back at Buffy's gentle face. He smiled at her and allowed himself to be drawn out of the room.

    Closing the door quietly behind her, Buffy asked, "So, how did it come about that you got yourself invited to Giles for a drink?"

    "Saved his life, is what."

    "Really?"

    "Yeah, you can ask him.  Think your Watcher is a bit on the lonely side."

    "Yeah, maybe."  She turned to head to the bathroom, then looked back at him and announced, "Just so you know, I'm sleeping in Blake's room tonight."

    Spike held her gaze, then nodded his head, acknowledging her unspoken statement that she would be watching over her son against him. Again, the need to wipe that doubt and mistrust from her face stuck Spike like a sledgehammer, even while he knew he was responsible for putting it there. No, he corrected, the demon put it there.  Yeah, well you helped, mate, Spike chastised himself.

   "Better be getting to bed with you then," Spike commented as he turned around and went back down the stairs, knowing Buffy was watching him walk away.

    As Buffy settled into the twin bed in Blake's room, she realized that her most of her conflict surrounding that night was gone. Whatever the outcome of the future, for that she was grateful. She was glad they had been able to talk, that he now knew exactly what he had done to her. And she could so do without the piddly shit fighting they kept engaging each other in.

    Joyce also finally allowed herself to shut off the light, and tried to sleep. She had no guilt about eavesdropping on their conversations. Regardless if Buffy was the Slayer and could handle herself against a vampire, she was still her little baby girl. And that vampire downstairs had hurt her. But, Joyce had also seen something else in Buffy, something that would flash in her eye when she would talk about "him."  It had been enough for Joyce to allow herself the benefit of the doubt when he had shown up at their door, wanting to see how they interacted with each other. And again, it was her mother's intuition that told her that the entirety of  Buffy's feelings towards Spike were not all bad. That was the only thing that kept her from sending a stake through his heart, because she just wanted to see her daughter happy.  She realized most would think her foolish for giving an evil vampire the benefit of the doubt, but Joyce felt it was the right thing to do.  So for now, she would just watch and see what happened. And pray she had made the right decision.

    With that thought in mind, Joyce drifted off to sleep.

tbc..

chapter 9

   
    Spike jerked awake in full game face, all senses on alert ready to face whatever threat had woken him up. Just as quickly, his face smoothed out and he gave Buffy a dirty look. "Don't you know better than to wake a vamp up like that?" He gestured to the stake she held loosely in her hand.

    Buffy snorted. "Please, you sleep like the dead. I've only been calling your name for like the last 5 minutes. Not my fault you wouldn't wake up."

    "Yeah, well, I am dead. And it's my nighttime, supposed to be sleeping right now," he grumbled, running a hand through his unruly blonde hair.

    "Well, I need to talk to you, ok?" Buffy informed him. Spike nodded his consent and Buffy continued. "I'm leaving for school right now. My mom will be leaving soon, with Blake. She doesn't want you getting in her way, ok?  She's kind of nervous being here alone with you without me here. Now I'm just going to ask you this one time. Does she have a reason to be?"

    "I'm not going to hurt your mum."

    Buffy searched his face, seeing the slightly offended look he was trying to hide from her and nodded. "You better not. And you are not to try to see Blake this morning either."

    Spike opened his mouth to interrupt her, but Buffy held up her hand to cut him off. "No Spike. We're doing this by my rules. Any contact you have with him will be with me right there, understand? "

    Spike glared at her. "Wouldn't hurt my boy."

    "And that's what I'm counting on Spike, and that's the only reason why you're being allowed to stay here today. But like I said, we're doing this my way. Ok?"

    Spike knew by the steely and determined tone Buffy used that there was no sense arguing with her, even though the temptation was there. Slowly he nodded his head in acceptance. "Right. Won't get in your mum's way. When are you going to be home?"

    "After four, or so. My mom is working until five. I'll pick up Blake on the way home."

    "Right then."  Spike found himself feeling awkward at this slightly domestic scene, something he wasn't used to feeling. He was the Big Bad, daily pleasantries weren't in his usual vocabulary. "Well, uh..have a good day."

    Buffy gave him a strange look. "Uh, Ok, I will."  Flipping her hair behind her shoulder, she headed back into the kitchen, leaving a confused vampire behind. He heard her say goodbye to her mum, telling her that she had talked to Spike and he had promised to behave. Spike could hear the slight edge of fear in Joyce's voice when she responded and he laid back down, finding himself oddly bothered by the fact that Buffy's mum was scared of him. The voice of the demon was growing more faint, bringing his more human emotions to the surface where they hadn't been seen since he'd been turned. Annoying, but strangely comforting and he was glad he and Buffy had come to their little truce last night. The constant war inside of him had eased a bit now, and he now knew why. Trust? No, they were right not to trust the demon, but Spike knew it was ok for them to trust William.

    Spike heard Buffy leave and the sound of Blake's sweet little voice babbling in the kitchen reached his ears, causing him to smile. Then he heard Joyce tell the boy it was time for her to get ready and Spike pretended to be asleep when she passed through the room on her way to the stairs.  He heard the swish of material and the padding of feet up the stairs and allowed his eyes to open up slightly, looking after them longingly. He noticed the stake Joyce had gripped in her hand and his respect for her grew. Good for her, not a stupid woman. And she was doing it to protect his son, even better. Blake waved at him from his place over her shoulder just as they reached the top of the stairs and Spike was startled by the tears that sprang into his eyes at that sweet innocent gesture. At least one person didn't appear to be afraid of him and Spike intended to keep it that way.

    Rearranging the pillow so it was more comfortable, Spike allowed his eyes to drift closed once again and it wasn't long before he fell back into a deep dreamless sleep.

    A loud crash jerked him awake this time. He jumped up and whipped his head around, all senses heightened and on direct alert. Nothing downstairs seemed to be amiss, then he heard his son whimpering upstairs. Moving from the kitchen, he went back through the room he had slept in and crept softly up the stairs. 

    "Joyce?" he called out, hoping to alert her he was on his way up the stairs. He didn't really think she'd do it, but he didn't fancy a stake through his heart so early in the morning.

    But there was no response and Spike's uneasiness grew. "Joyce?" he called again, louder this time. Suddenly a familiar smell hit him, and he froze. Blood, and it was fresh. Going to Joyce's door, he knocked loudly.

     "Joyce?"   Spike could hear two heart beats in the room beyond the closed door, one that could only belong to his son, but it was the other that concerned him.  It was rapid and somewhat thready.  Spike put his hand on the door knob, giving a growl of frustration when he realized he'd been locked out. Taking a step back, he wasted no time in kicking the door in, nearly splintering the thing from the frame in his haste. Stepping quickly inside the room, he was assaulted by the heady smell of blood and lots of it. Shaking his head to clear it and push the surging demon back, he looked around and found Joyce lying on the other side of the bed. His son was in some sort of enclosed contraption, and appeared to be staring intently at his grandmum. Spike was able to assure himself quickly that he was alright.

    He moved quickly to Joyce's side, avoiding the patches of sunlight filtering through the blinds and assessed her injuries.  She appeared to be unconscious, and from the awkward angle of her ankle, it was surely fractured.  He ran practiced eyes over her form, noting a wide laceration to her forehead, causing a pooling of blood on the floor. There appeared to be multiple lacerations from the broken mirror that lay littered around her like sparkling diamonds.  Her respirations seemed to be alright, and her heart beat was losing the prior threadiness and was beginning to beat with more conviction. Spike heard a hitch in her breath and he pondered his next course of action before realizing that Joyce was coming to. With a muffled groan of pain, she attempted to roll over from her prone position on the floor. Spike realized her worst injury was a laceration to the inside of her upper arm. There was profuse bleeding and Spike suspected her brachial artery had been nicked. Grabbing a shirt he found on the bed, he crouched down next to her and wrapped it tightly around her arm. 

    "Don't move, Joyce," Spike told her, his eyes taking note of the sharp pieces of glass that surrounded her body. He quickly picked her up working hard to ignore the sweet allure of her blood calling to him and laid her down on the bed, ignoring the hiss of pain that his actions caused her. He then went in search of first aid supplies.

    Joyce allowed her body to relax when she felt the soft bed beneath her, her body felt like it was on fire. Everything hurt and she could feel the blood dripping down from various cuts on her. So stupid. Blake had thrown one of his toys out of his play pen and she had tripped on it, falling head first into her mirror, then hitting the footboard of her bed. And now? She was at the total mercy of a vampire. 'Oh god, please let it be all right,' she thought frantically before the inky darkness pulled her back into its welcoming depths and she succumbed willingly.

    When Spike reentered the room, he realized that Joyce was unconscious again. Well, that was fine with him; he knew what he had to do next wasn't going to feel good, better that she be out cold for it. Putting his supplies down next to her,he looked over at Blake and saw the concerned look on his face.

      Now he knew exactly what Buffy was talking about when she said that sometimes the boy seemed years older, there seemed to be an uncanny intelligence burning deep behind those eyes so much like his own and Spike felt pride well up in him that he'd had a hand in creating this beautiful child.

     Blake tore his eyes away to look at Spike and surprised him by saying, "Help gwanma, daddy."

    Spike nodded at him and told him he would. Blake just turned those intense blue eyes back to his grandmother, and Spike set about getting the bleeding stopped. The shirt he had tied around her arm was now saturated and Spike ripped it off and put a pressure dressing in its place, hoping that it would do the trick.

    This was new to him, trying to keep blood inside of a body rather than take it out like he had done so many times in the past. But he was a vamp on a mission and he had no intentions of failing. He thought briefly of dialing that 911 thing but then dismissed it.Too many questions involved, and most likely of the stake now- ask later variety. He could tell by her heart beat that she wasn't in mortal danger anymore now that he'd gotten the bleeding controlled.

    Secure in his intent to help Buffy's mum, the temptation to take a taste of what was pouring so freely was not there even though he couldn't help his true face from emerging. 

    He worked quickly and efficiently, removing glass where he could and covering the many lacerations that littered her body. Some would require sutures he knew because of her mortal status and the urge to get her to the hospital was growing stronger with each passing moment.

    So intent on his task, Spike hadn't even realized she was awake until he smelled the very strong odor of fear coming from her. He looked up to find a look of sheer terror frozen on her face.

    "What?" he asked, tearing a piece of tape and placing it over a bandage.

    In a whispered voice, Joyce replied, "Your...face.."

    That was when Spike realized he was in game face and he looked over at Blake to see his reaction to it. But the toddler just had the same intense look on his face he'd had before and Spike found himself relieved by that. 

    Looking back at Joyce, he mumbled, "Sorry" and changed back into his human face. "You ok?"

    "Are you going to kill me?"

    Spike snorted. "No, Joyce, not going to kill you.  I don't usually take the time to bandage up those that I'm planning on killin', y'no?"

    Joyce painfully looked down and saw the various bandages on her arms, and the huge bulky pressure dressing on her inner arm. "You did this?"

    "Yeah, well, the little tyke's a bit too young for this type of stuff, so it was kinda up to me seeing as how no one else is here." Spike placed a bandage over the laceration on her forehead and taped it in place. "Was waiting til you woke up to see what you wanted to do. Most of these are going to need stitches, especially the one on your arm. And I think your ankle is busted. You're going to need a trip to the hospital. I think you knocked yourself on the head pretty good too."

    "I, uh.." Joyce attempted to finish her sentence, but the darkness had pulled her back, unwillingly this time. Sinking back into the dark abyss, her eyes closed and her head slumped to one side.

    Spike sighed. 'Well, guess it's that 911 deal after all. Not much more I can do.'

    Fifteen minutes later, Joyce had been strapped onto a gurney and loaded into the back of an ambulance and Spike watched it pull away.  Looking at the boy in his arms, he said to him "Come on, let's go call Giles and let him know what's going on."

    "Unker Giles!" Blake commented causing Spike to roll his eyes. "Yeah, Unker Giles, all right." 

    Blake had watched in quiet fascination as the EMS crew had worked over his grandmum, starting an IV, asking Spike questions.  He had called "Daddy" in the middle of it, with his arms raised, indicating he wanted to be free from the enclosed prison he had been in, and Spike happily complied. Especially when Blake had thrown his arms around his neck and hugged him. 

    Hurt him? They thought he would hurt him?  He would stake himself before he'd allow this boy to be harmed and surprisingly, even his demon seemed to be in agreement there. This boy was HIS.

    Finding the number for the library on the frilly little corkboard thing next to the phone, Spike dialed the number.  "Sunnydale Library"

    "Rupes, it's Spike. Got me a bit of a situation here."

    "What did you do?" The cultured British voice had gone from cordial to coldly lethal in seconds flat.

    "Didn't do a thing, you git. Joyce had a bit of an accident though, the ambulance just left here. Just thought you'd like to know."

    "And you want me to believe that you had nothing to do with it?"

    "Believe what you want, Watcher. But I didn't."

    "Where's Blake?"

    "He's right here."  Giles heard Blake in the background chanting happily, "daddy, daddy" and it made his blood boil.

    "Spike, you listen to me. Either Buffy or myself will be right over. And you and the boy had better be there when we get there, do you understand?"

    Anger tried to take control of Spike's good sense as he snapped, "Yes, I bloody understand Watcher. It's daylight out, in case you hadn't noticed. Wasn't planning on going anywhere. One request I DO have, you will bloody well talk to Joyce before passing any judgment on me, do YOU understand? "

    "I'll think about it. But if one hair on that boy's head is harmed, you will be praying for a quick stake through the heart when I'm done with you," Giles threatened.

    "This is my SON, Rupert," Spike growled. "Nothing will happen to him as long as I'm around, got it?"

    "We'll see."

    "Now go get Buffy and tell her that her mum is in the hospital, will you?  She lost a bit of blood, and I think her ankle is busted."  With that parting comment, Spike slammed the phone down, trying to calm his anger down. Really, had he expected any different? And did he deserve any different, he forced himself to ask. The answer was no to both questions. 

    He scooped Blake back up and buried his face into the sweet smelling hair and breathed deeply. That alone was enough to soothe the anger and frustration brewing inside of him and he pulled his head back slightly to smile down at his son.  "So, what do you want to do now?"

    "Watch TV."

    Chuckling slightly, Spike headed into the living room and pretended to throw a giggling boy onto his makeshift bed. Sitting down next to him, he grabbed the remote and flipped through the channels until Blake informed him which show he wanted to watch. Not content to just sit next to him, Blake climbed into Spike's lap and sprawled, burrowing the back of his head into Spike's chest.

    Fifteen minutes later, the front door flew open and Buffy ran in, wild eyed and frantic, her Watcher following behind. Spike scoffed at the stake evident in his hand and just turned his attention back to the tv.

    "Momma!" Blake called happily but did not get up from his comfortable position in Spike's lap, much to the vampire's delight.

    Buffy stopped and looked at the curiously domestic scene on the couch. Spike had apparently even retrieved some snacks for Blake and her son appeared to be in absolutely no danger. She looked back at Giles and raised her eyebrow.

    "How come you're not at the hospital?" Spike asked, but figured he already knew the answer.

    "Giles thought we should stop by here first, said it sounded suspicious," Buffy replied, looking from her Watcher to Spike, and back again.

    "Yeah, figured as much."

    "Blake, sweetie, are you ok?" Buffy asked, going over to the couch and sitting next to Spike and her son.

    Blake looked at her and nodded with eyes that were wide and serious. "Gwanma hurt."

    "I know sweetie, we're going to go see her right now." She leaned over and ruffled his hair, inadvertently pressing the side of her breast against Spike's arm. He almost hissed at the sensation and turned his attention to the tv again to get his mind of how nice it felt to be touched by her again.

    "We'll take him with us," Giles announced.

    Spike glanced up sharply and threw the Watcher a dirty look, then looked back at Buffy. "I can watch him."

    Buffy looked torn and looked up at Giles who had a suspicious look on his face.

     "Oh for god's sakes, Watcher.  Go take a look at the room, I had to kick in the bloody door to even get to her." 

    Buffy took a deep breath and cast her eyes to the floor. "I'm sorry. I think we're going to take him with us."  She risked a look at Spike's face and saw the tightly held set of his jaw and his rigid posture and couldn't help the stab of guilt that went through her. At that moment, she realized her fear of him had dissipated and was reassured by that feeling.  "Spike, look at me."

    She realized that the eyes that he turned in her direction weren't tinged with anger but with hurt. "Spike, I'm sorry, ok? I just need to talk to my mom. Remember, I'm still working on that trust thing."

    Spike's eyes softened a bit and he grabbed her hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. "Go. Your mum needs you. I'll just catch up on some sleep here.  Could you...uh... maybe call me later and let me know how she is?" 

    "Yeah, I can do that," Buffy agreed, pulling her hand away. She grabbed Blake off of Spike, surprised when he put up a bit of a fuss about leaving his "daddy". Spike gave him a kiss on the forehead and told him to go with his mum, and Buffy and Giles left the house. 

    Suddenly, the dense quietness of the house was overwhelming and Spike felt a sense of loneliness like no other. Well, this wasn't good, he thought to himself and flicked the TV on loudly to surround himself with noise.

tbc...

Chapter 10

    Buffy burst through the emergency room doors, cursing herself for taking the extra time to get to her mother's side. She shouldn't have listened to Giles when he had suggested a set up, but knew he had a point.  Her son had been safe though, of that Buffy was sure. And now she had her son with her, exposing him to god knows how many germs that lingered on every surface in the hospital. Ugh, how she hated hospitals.

    "Joyce Summers?" She said to the admitting clerk at the registration desk. Luckily, she was dealt with in a timely and efficient manner, and it wasn't long before they were directed back into the main hub of the emergency room which was a massive influx of perpetual motion.  Joyce was in a private room and Buffy rushed in. 

    Her mother opened pain filled eyes in her direction and encompassed them all in a weary smile. She looked pale and tired, but Buffy was just happy to see her awake.

    "Mom! What happened?"

    "It was so stupid. I tripped."

    Giles stepped forward and asked something he was anxious to get cleared up. " Joyce, my apologies for bombarding you, but can you tell me if Spike had anything to do with this?"

    Joyce shook her head wearily. "No, he didn't. He was downstairs. I tripped on one of Blake's toys."

    A doctor entered the room at that time, flipping through a chart thus halting any further conversation in that direction. "Ah good, you must be Ms. Summers family. I'm Dr. Kimball."

    "Is she going to be ok?" Buffy asked anxiously, finding herself relieved that Spike wasn't implicated in this.

    The doctor nodded, looking up at Joyce and smiled. "Yes, I believe she is going to be just fine. She's rather a lucky woman. I believe it safe to say that in this case, quick medical intervention saved her life."

    This did not seem to shock Joyce, she'd obviously already heard it but Giles was stunned by this news. "Perhaps you could elaborate on that?"

    "Oh, sorry. Thought you knew. When Ms. Summers fell, she cut her brachial artery on a piece of glass. It's quite possible for a person to bleed out and die as a result, especially since Ms. Summers apparently was unconscious as a result of her fall.  But because pressure was quickly applied, it slowed the bleeding down and  allowed it to clot. The other injuries are mostly surface stuff, they've already been sewn up. But that laceration to her arm was a nasty piece of work. There is a possibility of a concussion, so we will be keeping her here overnight for observation and she does have a fracture of her ankle. One of our orthopedic surgeons will be consulting later today. All in all, she's a lucky woman, it could have been a lot worse. A blood transfusion wasn't even necessary. Yes, quite fortunate. " After giving an encouraging nod to Joyce, he stepped out of the room.

   The silence that pervaded the room after the doctor left had Giles and Buffy exchanging shocked glances. "So what happened after you fell, mom?" The concern in Buffy voice was in high evidence.

    "I really don't know. I think I was mostly unconscious. I remember waking up at one point, and seeing Spike there. I think it was Spike, he was all fangy and I remember being scared," Joyce replied in a slow slightly slurred voice.

    "But he didn't hurt you?"

    Joyce shook her head. "No, I don't think so. He said sorry and his face went back. I think he bandaged me up, then I think I passed out again."

    Buffy looked at Giles who had a pensive look on his face.  "How did I get here?" Joyce asked, confusion coloring her voice.

    "Spike called 911, I believe," Giles responded.

    "Oh. Ok."  At that, Joyce closed her eyes and fell asleep, the pain medication she had received finally taking affect. 

    "Giles, she could have died," Buffy said softly.

    "I know"

    "Spike saved her."

    Giles ripped off his glasses and began polishing the lenses. Heaving a pained sigh, he admitted, "I know. However it's entirely possible that he's trying to lull us into a false sense of security here."

    Buffy shook her head. "No, I don't think so. This morning I told him that mom was nervous around him, and he told me he wasn't going to hurt her. And I'm sure he meant it, Giles."

    "Daddy help gwanma," Blake piped in from his spot in a chair across the room.

    "I take it by this change of heart that you and er, Spike, came to some sort of reconciliation last night?"

    Looking down at her mom, Buffy nodded. "Yeah, we did. We talked a bit." Looking up at her Watcher, she announced, "Giles, I want to research this claim thing. Can you help me with that?"

    Giles nodded hesitantly. "It might be a bit disturbing for you."

    "What disturbs me is having Spike be able to throw those little surprise curveballs my way. I need to know what he did to me."

    "I have the books at the library. As much as I hate to say this, I have to return to work. As it is, Snyder is sure to investigate the reason I pulled you out of class and closed the library doors during school hours. Will you two be all right?"

    Buffy nodded, then looked over at her fidgeting son. "Giles, can you do me a favor?" Giles nodded his agreement. "Can you take Blake back home?"

    Giles opened his mouth to argue, but Buffy cut him off. Her body was set with determination as she spoke. "No Giles, so not going to argue with you about this one.  It's not fair to  Blake for him to be here all afternoon when he could be at home. Spike wanted to watch him and it was a judgment call earlier that made me say no. Well, now my judgment is saying yes. I didn't grab my diaper bag, I have nothing here for him. I'm asking you to please take him home."

    Giles stared at her, wanting to argue but seeing the steely resolve on her face, he changed his mind. He nodded his assent. Buffy turned to Blake and informed him that Uncle Giles was taking him home.

    "With dada?" Blake asked excitedly. Buffy nodded, unable to help the smile at his youthful enthusiasm. It turned into a happy grin when he begin to clap his hands at the thought of being back in his father's presence. Her son was uncannily insightful and had a strangely good judgment of character for one so young and Buffy was relieved to see that Blake did not seem to perceive Spike as a threat. Blake had had the misfortune of being with Buffy when they were accosted by a pair of vamps, and Blake had immediately whispered "bad men" to Buffy.  She didn't know how he knew, but he did.

    With one last glance at the sleeping Joyce, Giles hoisted Blake into his arms and said to Buffy "I hope you're not going to regret this."

    Strangely, Buffy knew she wouldn't.  "Giles, it's ok.  Really."

    Giles gave her a skeptical look, but moved to do as she had asked. He knew he couldn't take him to the library; the one time they had tried that, that bastard Snyder had tried to make Buffy feel like unwed white trash. And now that Blake was able to understand more of what was being said around him, more than he should really, Giles was not willing to put either one of them in that situation. Plus, the library was not set up for a highly inquisitive toddler.

    So Giles took the boy home.To his father.

    Spike had tried to lose himself in TV to no avail. He was staring blankly at it, his brain working frantically around itself when he heard a car in the driveway. Turning the TV down, he waited to see who was there. There was no knock, just the sound of a key being inserted into a lock at the front door and then what sounded like music to his ears.

    "Daddy!"

    Spike looked over to see his son burst through the door as fast as his little chubby legs would carry him, and a welcoming smile spread across his face.  "Hey there, little one."  Blake stopped at the couch and raised his arms up expectantly. Spike leaned down and swooped him up, causing an eruption of giggles to commence.  He set his son down next to him, and turned to look at Giles.

    "How's Buffy's mum?"

    "What? Oh, er... she seems to be all right. They will be keeping her overnight for observation," Giles announced, feeling slightly tongue tied, knowing that the vampire deserved some sort of recognition for his deed, but the words did not want to spring forth from his mouth.

    "Good. Had a nasty fall, she did."

    "Yes, well.  It seems we owe you a bit of gratitude," Giles mumbled.

    Spike laughed, amused. "That hurt a bit, did it, Watcher?"

     "Yes, quite, as a matter of fact," Giles admitted. "Buffy was hoping you'd watch the boy for her."

    "Course I will. Already told you I would." At the look on Giles face, Spike felt compelled to add, "Don't worry, he's safe with me."

    "Well, you'll have to excuse me if I have a bit of trouble believing that."

    Spike shrugged. "Believe what you want. It's the truth."

    "Why?"

    "Why what?"

    "Why the big change?"
 

    Spike directed a piercing looking at Giles. "Because I want what's mine."

    Ah, now we're getting somewhere, Giles thought. Sitting down on the chair opposite Spike, he asked. "And what, pray tell, do you consider yours?"

    Spike didn't respond, just continued to study the Watcher with that piercing look, making Giles feel slightly uncomfortable. "Ok, since you won't answer, I'm assuming you are referring to Buffy and Blake. Is this correct?"
 

    Spike nodded in confirmation. Giles continued, "So this whole thing is an elaborate set up so you can take what is yours?"

    Spike scoffed at that. "No, you git. I don't want to take them. I want them to take and accept me."

    Giles tipped his head to the side, studying the vampire in front of him. "Ah well then. And how do you propose to manage that one?"

    Agitation was striking Spike hard, and he tried to quell it.  "Dunno, Watcher  All I know is that two days ago, I would have ripped you to shreds for daring to speak to me the way you have. But now?  Now I'm just willing to sit and take it and hope that it gets better.  Dunno quite what's happening here, but I do know for the first time in my bloody undead life, it's something good. It's something that's not evil."

    Giles sat and thought about his words. "So, you're saying you're not as evil as you were two days ago?"

    "Thought you were a quick one, Watcher, but that's not what it looks like from my end."

    "Were you tempted by all the blood Joyce had lost?"

    By the slightly horrified look that flashed across Spike's face, Giles had his answer and was strangely reassured by it. He got up to leave, saying good bye to Blake who was fully engrossed in whatever god awful TV program Spike had been watching. 

     "Buffy's at the hospital, don't know when she'll be home. I'll be at the library if you need anything." Then he was gone, and Spike knew that was as close to acceptance he was going to get from Giles at this time. The fact that he had left without issuing any sort of threat spoke volumes and Spike found himself strangely placated by that fact. Yeah, he was turning all touchy feely all right. But he didn't really care; especially when his son crawled up into his lap and snuggled and Spike wrapped his arms around him and drew him close. They sat like that, father and son, watching TV until both fell asleep not long too after.

    And that was how Buffy found them an hour later Spike sprawled on his back along the length of the couch, her son, no correction, THEIR son laying face down on his chest, deeply asleep. It was a strangely domestic scene and that along with the heightened emotions that the day had brought, caused Buffy to fight the tears that were welling up in her eyes.

    Spike opened his eyes at the sound of sniffling in the room, and saw Buffy standing there, obviously upset as she fought a valiant battle against a pool of tears that slid down her cheeks. Scooting over a bit, he extended his arm out to her.

    "Come 'ere," he told her in a sleep roughened voice.

    Buffy started a bit, so caught up in her little emotional trip that she hadn't realized he was awake. She looked down at him warily, but saw only concern on his face. He grabbed her hand and pulled her to the side of the couch. "Lay down," he ordered gruffly. 

     She stiffened a bit, causing him to growl a bit in displeasure. Then he said something that shocked her. "Please. Lay down with us."

    She looked like she was going to bolt, but finally allowed herself to curl up next to him on the small space he had provided for her on the couch, her arm flung over Blake where he lay sleeping on Spike's chest, Buffy's head pillowed on his shoulder. Her body was stiff at first at the intimate contact but she finally allowed herself to relax. When Buffy felt the lips press gently against the top of her head, it all became too much and the tears came again in earnest. This time though, they were for her mother. 

    "Shhh, it's ok," Spike whispered against her hair.

    "Oh god, Spike. I almost lost her."

    "You didn't though. She's going to be ok, right?"

    Buffy nodded her head, adding in a whisper, "Thanks to you."

    Spike ignored her words, and continued with his reassurance. "She'll be home soon, good as new. You'll see."

    His voice was so soothing that Buffy felt herself drift off to sleep. She had only intended to come home to check on how things were here, but she was so tired, and right now, she was so comfortable, pressed against Spike and Blake. Strangely, she felt safe. Ok, how weird was that?

    It might have been hours later or just minutes before they were awakened by the sound of voices. Loud and accusing voices that had Buffy cringing.

    "Oh merciful zeus, please tell me I'm not seeing this."

    "Sorry Xander," Willow's voice was apologetic, but curious. It was actually kinda sweet. Well, if one of the three on the couch wasn't an evil vampire and everything.

    "Willow, Xander, that's quite enough." Giles voice sounded through with its usual authoritative presence. He too was a bit taken aback by the domestic scene on the couch and Spike's earlier words about wanting to be be accepted by them sounded through his head. He hadn't had the time to do any quality research to see if anything could be found that could explain the supernatural conception of Blake's existence. Buffy had been insistent prior to this that she didn't want him delving into possible prophecies, she'd rather not know. But now, it seemed remiss on his part to have listened to her requests.

    "What do you sods want?" Spike grumbled, elation going through him that Buffy had not leapt from the couch or from his arms at this intrusion. He knew she was awake and irritated.

    "We came to check and make sure Buffy and Blake were still among the living, you bloodsucker," Xander remarked heatedly.

    Buffy opened her eyes at that point and looked at Xander. "I'm fine, just tired. And try to keep your voice down ok? Blake's still asleep."

    "I knew it! He's got you under that thrill thing again, doesn't he?"

    Spike snorted. "It's thrall, genius. And no, she's not under anything."

    "Yeah, like I believe that one." Xander retorted, ready to stalk over to the couch.

    "Xander, cease."  Looking over at Buffy, he added, "We went to the hospital, but you weren't there." Before Buffy had a chance to ask the question, Giles answered it for her. "Don't worry, your mother is quite well. We just came by to see if you needed anything."

    Buffy shook her head wearily, her red rimmed eyes prominent on her too pale face. "No, I'm fine."  

    "Well then, we'll be on our way. Give us a ring if you need anything," Giles told her, as he headed to the front door.

    "We're not leaving them here with that murderous thing, are we?" Xander asked in an incredulous voice.

    "Yes, Xander, we are. Buffy is the slayer, after all. If she has a problem with him, I am quite sure she knows what to do about it." With that, they were out the door, and Buffy and Spike were alone again. As alone as one can be with a sleeping child thrown in the mix.

    "Your mate Xander is a breath of fresh air," Spike commented dryly.

    "I don't want to talk about him." Buffy announced, closing her eyes again and sighing lightly. She felt Spike's arm tighten around her, and snuggled closer.

tbc...

chapter 11

    Back at the library, Xander commented, "Ok, want to tell me again why we're leaving Buffy alone with a murdering bloodsucker?"

    Giles threw a heated look at the teen. "Xander, need I remind you yet again that Buffy is the slayer?"

    "Yes, and I'm sure that will do her a lot of good when he has her under his thrilling thrall thingie."

    Giles cast his eyes towards the ceiling in a fit of impatience. "Xander, I am well aware of the implications here. And while I too have my doubts, I don't think our presence is required at this time."

    "G-man, he's a killer!"

    "I am well acquainted with that fact, thank you. And I would appreciate if you did not refer to me in such a...common way."

    "Sure thing, G'sters."

    "Oh good lord. Is there anything wrong with keeping a name the way it was intended?"

    "Such things offend the XanMan." Xander replied as he put his feet up on the table and leaned back, appreciating the fact he was managing to ruffle that cool British reserve.

    Giles pinned an annoyed look on the smug teen. "You should consider yourselves fortunate that I allow you to get away with referring to me by merely my last name without doing your best to butcher it, you know."

    "Ok, Rupert."

    "Oh, for God's sakes." Giles turned to the stack of books on the research table, then in an attempt to rid himself of the troublesome teen, he commented, "Well, I have quite a bit of research ahead of me. Perhaps you care to help me out?"

    That caused Xander to jump to his feet, as he grabbed his bag of chips and clutched them tightly to his chest. "The XanMan would, but I promised Willow I'd be over at her house about...."  Xander made a point of looking down at his wrist which was unadorned and bare. "Oh gee, would you look at the time. I gotta go."

    Giles gave him a pained look, but told him to go. Xander practically ran for the exit in his hurry to escape researching hell.  Before he went through the double doors, he suddenly paused and turned back to Giles, all traces of the obnoxious teen wiped off his face. "Giles, do you really think Buffy is going to be ok?"

    Giles let out a deep sigh and sank down heavily into one of the chairs, taking a moment to answer. "Quite honestly, I'm not sure, Xander.  I'd like to hope that things will all work out, but we are dealing with an extremely dangerous vampire here. Very old and powerful. But, from what I've seen, he's not fitting the mold of a typical vampire. I do know that he saved Buffy's mother's life today and as a vampire, to be that close to that amount of blood and not act on it,.... well, it's enough to make me wonder.   Spike  apparently has quite a rigid control on that part of him that makes him a monster. However, I just pray that it is enough."

    Xander stood in the doorway for a moment, pondering Giles words.  "So do I."  With a wave and a "later Gman", Xander was gone and Giles was left alone with his books. This was not something that particularly bothered him, to be in the constant company of teens was a strain at times, especially since prior to coming to Sunnydale, his peers had been fellow Watchers who were quite a bit like him. Reserved and British. So yes, to be alone was something he found quite enjoyable. Most of the time, anyway. When he opened the ancient volumes, they seemed to come alive for him, telling him tales of different times, different eras.  Of what could be, and what will be. The written word was always something that Giles could sink his teeth into, it was something sacred to him, something for him to worship and study. No matter how many times he would glance through these ancient texts, there was always some pearl of wisdom ready to be extracted from the dusty pages to be implanted into his brain. Of that, it was a certainty like no other. 

    With those reverent thoughts in mind, he began to research for a possible explanation to Blake's existence.  The boy should not have been conceived, yet here he was, and Giles could only wonder what significance that held. 

~~~~

    Spike and Buffy's time on the couch quickly came to an end by the awakening of a fully refreshed and recharged 15 month old.  Blake looked at Spike and smiled happily. "Daddy!" Then he turned his head and shouted "Mama!!"

    Buffy's face softened, and it didn't escape her notice the tender look on Spike's face at their son's waking comments.  "Hi sweetie." Buffy pulled herself to a sitting position as Blake scrambled off of Spike's chest and threw himself into her arms.  Hugging him tight, she stood up with him. "I'm uh, going to go give him his dinner."

    Spike nodded, noticing that Buffy seemed ill at ease now and wondered what was going through her head.  "I fed him some lunch earlier before we both conked out. Dunno if I did it right, but he seemed to eat ok."

    "Thanks," came her distracted response as she headed into the kitchen. Spike sat up and ran his hand through his hair again before he grabbed his smokes and headed out to the porch. Dusk would be falling soon, and not a moment too soon as far as Spike was concerned.  Lighting up, he pulled the smoke deep into his nonliving lungs and exhaled forcefully. He could take air in and out, but the basic body mechanics of exchanging oxygen and CO2 died when he took his last breath over a hundred years ago. It wasn't something he particularly missed, breathing. Or realized it was missing most of the time. But when he smoked and would see the smoke billow out in a rush of stagnant expirations, it would lead his mind to wondering.To his life, before he was a vampire. And that led to thoughts of his son. 

    And Buffy.

    In the kitchen, Buffy had hoisted Blake into his high chair and had fixed  some fish sticks for him. While they were cooling, she fed him the chocolate soy pudding that he liked, as her thoughts also took a little side trip. Spike wasn't staying in the evil little box she had built for him, and yeah ok, it was cause for some wiggins. He had saved her mom, he had taken care of Blake. And the most confusing thing, he actually seemed to care. And god help her, she could tell she was falling for him. Again. That feeling in her gut tingled every time he was near. Why was her life always so damn confusing? It would be so much easier if he could have just stayed evil, then she wouldn't be faced with this issue of trust. Because if she made the wrong decision here, lives were at stake. Her life sucked, she decided with a pout.

    She looked up when Spike clomped into the kitchen. "Going to go take a shower. I'll take you to see your mum soon as the sun sets." And without waiting for a reply, he turned and headed up the stairs. 

     Looking down at Blake, Buffy complained, "Your daddy is a complicated man."

    Their trip to the hospital was delayed slightly when Buffy took in the state of Spike's car. That provided the fuel for their first argument and there was no shortage of kindling laying around.

    "Just bloody shove the stuff on the floor!"

    "Spike, this is disgusting. I can't have my son riding in this."

    "He's MY son too and he won't break. It's just a bit of trash."

    "A BIT of trash? The back seat is like...overflowing!"  They stared each other down; Buffy with determination locked tightly in place, Spike with irritation. Finally with a snarl, Spike threw up his arms and stomped into the house, causing Buffy to relax slightly and let out a sigh of relief.

     Ok, he hadn't gotten all damage bound on her, this was of the good. She didn't want to admit that she was testing him but she wasn't giving into the sliver of fear that remained where he was concerned. Ok, more than a sliver, Buffy thought, more like half a damn pie of fear.

    Spike came stomping out of the house with a black trash bag and held it out to her. Huh? Fear was forgotten as Buffy realized Spike wanted HER to do it.

    "Oh NO WAY!" she yelled. "I am so not cleaning all that crap out of your car!"

    Spike threw a smirk in her direction. "Language, pet. Got us a impressionable child here." Spike opened up the door to the backseat and a whirlwind of trash tumbled to the ground. Rolling his eyes, he bent down and picked it up. Buffy picked Blake up, who was staring curiously at the car.

    "Car messy, Daddy."

    Spike glared at Buffy who was in the throes of hysterical laughter at her son's comment. He realized it was just plain irritation he felt, not the complete and total rage of the demon that had plagued him for years. His girl was lucky, his demon didn't take kindly to being laughed at. Wait, his girl? Yeah, she was. And with that realization, his mood lightened and a smile graced his chiseled face.

    It was so unexpected and breathtaking at the same time that Buffy stopped laughing.

    "Yeah, I know it is, little one," he told his son, stepping over and ruffling his hair where he sat in his mother's arms. With a wink at Buffy and a quick pat on her butt that left her blinking in shock; he turned and faced the task of making room for the car seat. The Big Bad with a car seat in his car, now there was something he never thought he'd experience. 

  When he crawled into the backseat of the car and began tossing garbage into the bag, he finally had to admit that ok yeah, the car was a bit of a mess. He tried to recall the last time he'd emptied the thing out, and his mind was completely blank on the matter. Judging by some of the more retro wrappers he was finding, it probably had been quite some time ago.

    Buffy left him for a minute, telling him to keep an eye on Blake, who was spectating with interest and she went to go retrieve something from the house. Scooting herself into the passenger seat, she took out the car lighter and plugged her retrieved item in.

    Almost completely having filled one huge bag, Spike took the opportunity for a small break. Sniffing, his senses were flooded with a rush of rosemary, peppermint and lavender. "What in the bloody hell did you stink up my car with?"
   

    Buffy offered him an aghast look. "Please, the car so smelled already. "

    "Not answering my question. What is that?"

    "It's aromatherapy."

    "It's WHAT?"

    "You know, aromatherapy?  This is a portable one that heats the oil, thus releasing the fragrance of the oils so you can appreciate the full affect."

    "Only thing I can appreciate is that it stinks and you'll do well to get it the hell out of my car."

    Buffy gasped. "I will not!  That....odor of 20 years of trash was giving me a headache."

    Spike just glared at her, taking in her determined and set face then suddenly found himself laughing.  He tried to remember the last time he'd really laughed like this, but couldn't. Aromatherapy. Christ. What a world she lived in.

    "What are you laughing at?" Buffy asked suspiciously.

    "You."

    "Well stop it!" Buffy demanded.

    "Are you always like this?" Spike asked, grinning at her from the back seat.

    "No," Buffy announced. "Well, maybe."

    "Good," Spike replied, leaving her stunned. When he leaned over the front seat and pressed a quick hard kiss against her lips, she went beyond stunned. 

    Spike sauntered out of the car to find his son already sitting in his car seat on the grass. He smiled at Blake and picked the car seat up and turned back to the car with his precious cargo.  He noticed Buffy still in the same spot with the same astonished look on her face, and felt highly pleased with himself.  Not every day he managed to shake up a slayer, after all.

    With Blake laughing at being given a free ride in his car seat, Spike said "Wanna show me how to put this contraption in, Buffy?"

    With a mental slap, Buffy came out of her daze and assisted Spike, finally allowing them to get on their way to the hospital. The drive over was curiously pleasant for Spike, and he even allowed Buffy to keep her smelly oils plugged in. A warm feeling was working its way through him and he didn't even try to shrug it off because he was finally realizing that this is what he had been searching for. This little bit of paradise, this feeling of family. He had been cold and dead inside for so long.

    He liked this girl, oh yes. She was annoying, argumentative, maddening, confrontational, but she was also strong, loyal, warm, brave, maternal, loving and he found himself wanting to be included in her love. Again, an internal buzz sounded, the Big Bad wanting the love of a Slayer?

    Without hesitation, he beat it down. Yes, the Big Bad wanted the love of the Slayer. And of the mother of his child.  Spike purposely didn't include the 'love of his mate', he had already decided to not use the claim in any way. It had already served its purpose, letting him know that nobody else had laid their hands on his girl.

    His reverie was soon brought to end by the ceaseless chatter of a toddler. He quickly learned that Blake expected his answers to be answered immediately Turning to Buffy, he asked, "Do all kids his age talk this much?"

    Buffy laughed. "Nope. Our boy has an advanced vocabulary for his age."

    Spike nodded, and pulled out his pack of smokes. Buffy grabbed them out of his hands and he growled at her. "No smoking around him, got it?"

    Heaving an exaggerated pained sigh, Spike announced, "I am still evil, you know."

    Buffy was silent for a moment before replying softly, "Spike, if you were still completely evil, we wouldn't be in this car with you."

    Spike pulled into a parking space at the hospital and winked at her in response. Opening his door, he got out and rescued his son from his car seat. Settling him on his hip, he went around to Buffy's side of the car and held out his free hand to her. "Ready to go see your mum?"

    Buffy looked at his hand, then at his face, studying it. Finally she smiled and slid her hand into his larger cooler one, slinging the diaper bag up onto her shoulder.  Hand in hand, they walked into the hospital, causing quite a few looks to be thrown in their direction. There was something just adorable about the sight of a dangerous looking man in black leather with his son held in his arms that drew people's attention. Spike didn't appear to be aware of it, but Buffy was and it made her smile. They really were adorable, she thought, looking over at them.

    Buffy's mom had moved from the Emergency room and was now in a room on the medical/surgical floor. She was awake when they came in the door and if she was surprised to see her daughter holding hands with the vampire who had gotten her pregnant, she didn't show it. What she did show was a welcoming smile for Spike.

    "Gwanma!" Blake called out excitedly, pitching forward in his excitement to get to his grandmother's side. Spike set him on the floor, and he went over to the side of the bed and smiled up at her happily.

    Buffy went over and embraced her mom, eyes beginning to tear up at the thought that she had almost lost her. "How are you, mom?"

    "I'm doing ok. They won't let me get any sleep, but other than that, it could be a lot worse." With that comment, Joyce directed her attention to the vampire lurking by the door. "Spike."

    He took a few steps forward, finding himself oddly discomfited. "Joyce."

    Joyce reached one arm out in his direction, her eyes full of gratitude. She was still groggy, but was in full control of her mental capacities, unlike earlier. Hesitating for just a moment, Spike took the remaining steps to the side of the bed to stand next to Buffy,and took hold of her hand. 

     "Thank you." Joyce said simply but with heartfelt meaning.

    "Didn't do much."

    Nodding her head, Joyce contradicted him. "Yes, you did. And I thank you."

    "You're welcome," he mumbled, casting his eyes around uncomfortably, finding himself once again plagued by unfamiliar feelings. 

    Luckily, Buffy changed the subject by asking, "So, when do you get to go home?"

    Joyce grimaced distastefully and sighed tiredly. "I'm not sure now. The orthopedic surgeon was here and said something about possible surgery. I think I'll know more tomorrow."

    "Oh God! Mom!! That's horrible!!"

    Joyce looked back over at Spike and asked, "Are you going to be sticking around for a while?"

Chapter 12

    Joyce looked back over at Spike and asked, "Are you going to be sticking around for a while?"

    Spike shot an uncomfortable look over at  Buffy, not sure of the reaction he would find on her face in response to her mum's question. To his relief, she was merely regarding him with curiosity, not in the abject horror and fear he had anticipated. 

    "Uh.. yeah, think so," he finally said, looking over at Buffy again and noted the relief that settled over her features at his words.

    Joyce nodded once with satisfaction and said, "Good, I'm glad to hear that. Buffy's going to need some help, and well, I'm not sure how much help I'm going to be for a while."

    Spike found himself completely gobsmacked. This was a concept that he could hardly fathom; that his company was apparently both needed and wanted. That warm feeling inside him was quickly gaining the heat of a raging inferno and he knew there was a sappy grin on his face. Buffy's mum was a right decent lady, and Spike found himself glad that she was going to be ok.

    Luckily Blake broke the sudden emotionally charged silence with a request to be picked up. Spike was more than happy to comply, swinging him easily into his arms with Blake threw his pudgy arms around his neck. Joyce and Buffy watched this interaction with interest, both sharing a tender smile. Spike took him over to the window and began pointing things out in the well lit parking lot, with Blake hanging onto his every word and engaging his dad in a myriad of questions that bounced from one topic to another.

    "He's good with him," Joyce announced quietly, watching them.

    "Yeah, he is."  Buffy replied just as softly, knowing that Spike could most likely hear every word spoken.

    Joyce turned to look at her daughter and concern was etched heavily on her weary features. "He won't hurt you again, will he?"

    Buffy was silent for just a moment; she had been watching Spike and had witnessed his body tensing at her mom's question.. Then in a voice barely over a whisper, she admitted, "No."

    Spike turned to look at Buffy and the naked raw emotion in his eyes was such a far cry from the rude cocky vampire she thought she knew, that a tiny gasp escaped. Turning his attention to her mother, Spike announced quietly, "I won't hurt either of them, Joyce. You have my word."

    Joyce appeared a bit startled by the revelation, and Buffy couldn't help the small giggle that escaped at her confusion. "Vampire, mom. Means all senses are enhanced, including hearing."

    "Oh."

    Spike brought Blake over to the bed. "Yeah, and you should see how your daughter abused my sense of smell on the way over here."

    Joyce sent a smile in his direction. "Aromatherapy?"

    "If that's what you want to call it."

    The banter was cut off by the arrival of a nurse bearing pain medication for Joyce, and Buffy felt her first hint of jealousy when the young attractive nurse spent a bit too much time talking and looking at Spike.  Buffy saw the blatant inspection of his ring finger before the lecherous eyes traveled to inspect Buffy's hand. Before she even realized she did it, Buffy had moved right next to Spike and pressed herself against his side in an obvious effort to claim ownership. To let the nurse know that this was HER guy.

    A minute later, reality crashed in and Buffy realized exactly what she had done. She looked up at Spike and stiffened at the highly amused smirk on his face and was poised to move away, but he made good use of the opportunity by snaking his arm out to keep her pinned to his side. Buffy's first instinct was to struggle and she just barely managed to quell that urge, especially since this close proximity to him was making her Slayer sense rattle like a fire alarm. But then she realized it wasn't just her slayer sense, it was that delicious feeling in the pit of her stomach again, and she finally allowed herself to relax under his tight grip.

    Coolly efficient now that the line had been drawn, the nurse finished pushing the narcotic pain medication into Joyce's IV tubing and crossed the room to throw the empty syringe in the red Sharps container by the sink. In a pleasant professional voice, she asked Joyce if she needed anything else. Joyce shook her head, highly amused by her daughter's blatant possessiveness. With a flirty toss of her hair and a wink in Spike's direction, the nurse turned to leave the room.

    Spike turned his head to look at Buffy just in time to catch the lethal glare she had sent in the nurse's direction as she passed through the door. Under her breath, Buffy muttered, "Geez, unprofessional much?"

    Eyes twinkling, Spike teased, "oooh, the little kitten has claws."

    Buffy broke away from Spike's hold, finding her capacity for thought diminished in such close proximity to his body.   Assuming an innocent air, she stuck her nose in the air and informed him haughtily, "I don't know what you're talking about."

    Joyce and Spike exchanged amused glances over the top of Buffy's head, which thankfully she missed. Seeing that the pain medication was starting to make Joyce sleepy, Spike announced they should probably be on their way.  Buffy opened her mouth to argue, then saw her mom's drooping eyelids and allowed Spike to be correct. Saying their goodbye's and giving her mom a kiss, they walked out the door towards the elevator. 

    Spike pushed the button for the 2nd floor and Buffy looked at him like he had the IQ of a idiot. "We need the ground floor, brainiac."

    Spike sent narrowed eyes in her direction, but replied in an easy tone, "Know that. Need to stop off on 2. Feeling a bit peckish."

    The horror returned to Buffy's eyes as she realized what he meant. "Oh no you don't!  If you think I'm going to let you kill someone while you're with me, you're so totally mistaken."

    Spike sent her another look, this one Buffy was unable to interpret. "Not gonna. GI floor, y'no? Lots of bleeders there so they always keep extra blood on hand in case someone starts bleeding out."

    "Oh," Buffy answered, feeling slightly placated. "Wait, you're going to steal it?"

    "Well, yeah.  Can't exactly buy it off of them, now can I?"

    "No," Buffy admitted in a surly tone. "Fine, just go do it. We'll wait in the car."

    "Don't know what this attitude is about Slayer, it's a lot easier for me just to go out and kill someone, you know. I'm doing this bagged thing for you."

    The doors opened on 2, and Spike was gone like a black shadow, striding purposefully down the hall.  How he thought he was going to manage walking away with blood in the middle of a crowded hospital floor, she had not a clue. But yet, she didn't doubt his pending  success.  And then she had to admit, he was right. It WAS easier for him just to go kill someone. Now how sad was that?  Grrr...It made her head hurt. If he was going to be sticking around on any type of regular basis, she'd have to see what she could to to fix him up with a constant supply.  She didn't want his diet to be an issue between them, they had enough stuff to deal with. 

    Buffy had barely gotten Blake buckled into his car seat before Spike threw open the driver's seat door, causing Buffy to jump in alarm. "I thought you were getting blood," she accused, allowing herself to relax from her attack stance.

    He turned to look at her with an amused smirk before he pulled a few bags out of his duster pocket and threw them at her. "I did," he informed her unnecessarily.

    "Ok, I so don't want to know the details," Buffy muttered, shaking her head. She handed Blake a sippy cup of juice then got herself buckled up as Spike started the car and they headed back to Buffy's house. The ride back was spent in surprisingly comfortable silence, marred with periods of incessant chatter from the youngest occupant of the car. Spike didn't appear to be harboring any lingering resentment over her attitude about the blood, and Buffy found herself grateful for that. She didn't even say anything when he shifted into game face for a second to bite down into one of the bags before shifting back and drinking the blood greedily. He kept looking over at her expecting a comment from her, but was treated with a friendly silence.

    But when they got home and Buffy walked through her front door, it hit her that she was totally alone with Spike and that's when her mind exploded with the possibilities. No, don't let your thoughts go there, she chastised herself frantically. Look at how well that turned out last time. Pinning her eyes on the ground so she didn't have to look at him, she missed the curious look he gave her.

    "So now what?" Spike asked, setting Blake down in the living room.

    Buffy shot her head up, a startled look on her face. "Huh?"

    Amused, but finding himself reluctant to add fuel to her obvious uneasiness, he tipped his head in Blake's direction. "The boy. Does he have some sort of night time ritual or any such rot?"

    "Oh yeah. Sure thing. I mean, yes, he does. Maybe you can like, uh, change his diaper while I go get his jammies?" Buffy asked, ready to bolt from the room, becoming more and more unnerved by his commanding presence the longer she stood there.

    Spike looked at her like she was daft in the head, but she was already gone, effectively escaping the room.

    And him. 

    He sighed and turned to his son. "Right, diaper."  He looked around the room then looked back at Blake and said, "Wouldn't happen to know where the diapers are at, would ya?"

    Without a verbal response, Blake walked over to a basket in the corner and got a diaper out and held it out to Spike who took it with a slightly horrified look on his face. Changing a diaper wasn't something he thought he'd ever be doing, that much was certain. Didn't exactly fit the criteria for being bad and evil.  

     "Ok, now what?" he asked, hoping his son would be helpful once again.

    Luck was on his side. Blake laid down on the floor and looked up at Spike expectantly. Letting go of another sigh, Spike muttered, "Right. Well, here goes nothing." He crouched down on the floor and managed to get Blake's pants off without mishap. He stared at the diaper on his son trying to figure out what the blasted thing, then realized there was some velcro numbers on the side that held the sides together. Huh, how 'bout that. Guess modern day conveniences stretched to include updated diapers. 

    He got the soaked diaper off with Blake lending some assistance and began to get a feeling of accomplishment, half the job was done. But if he'd looked at his son's face just then, he would have taken note of the lips curving up into a mischievous smirk that was almost identical to Spike's own.

    Spike was just reaching for the clean diaper when he heard Buffy yell from the top of the stairs. "Oh, if you're changing his diaper, be careful." Before Spike could ask what she meant, a stream of urine shot out, coating the arm of Spike's leather duster and spraying the floor.

    "Bloody HELL!" was ripped from his throat and his mind froze on how to handle this situation. He looked at his son and finally noticed the smirk. "Oh you, you did that on purpose, dinnit ya?"

    Peals of giggles were his answer and Spike just shook his head in disbelief, then called, "Hey Buffy, get that cute bum down here. Your boy just peed everywhere."

    Buffy came into the room and rolled her eyes at the horrified look on Spike's face."I told you to be careful!"

    "He peed on me."

    "Well, duh." Buffy threw him the box of wipes, and with a ferocious scowl sent in her direction, Spike grabbed a few and cleaned up the mess his son had made. He shrugged out of his duster and wiped it carefully off.

    Blake still had a wide pleased smile on his face, and Spike growled, "It's not funny."  The boy just continued to smile, and Spike felt his resolve weaken. "Ok fine, maybe it is a bloody good trick, but save it for someone who's not your da, got it?"  Spike managed to get the diaper on, albeit a little crooked, but he felt satisfied with himself for his accomplishment nonetheless.  Buffy handed him the pajamas she had retrieved from his room, and Spike managed to get those on as well.  Spike leaned back to admire his success, feeling a tad proud of himself.     

    The next hour was spent going through Blake's usual bedtime ritual and Buffy didn't allow herself to feel apprehensive. This was her time with Blake and she didn't let anything interfere. But as soon as she kissed Blake goodnight and they shut his bedroom door, her nerves slammed right back into her. 

    With Buffy's tightly coiled emotions written clearly across her face, Spike found himself making an attempt to put her at ease.  "Fancy a bit of telly, pet?"

    Without looking at him, Buffy nodded and headed down the stairs. Spike found her huddled on the couch, remote in hand, her gaze intent on the television screen before her. He sat down next to her, and his jaw tightened when he saw her stiffen at his close proximity.  She still wouldn't look at him, keeping her attention focused on the corny sitcom on TV. He could tell by her unfocused eyes that she wasn't really watching it, just fixing her stare on it to avoid having to look at him.

    "What's wrong?" he found himself asking in exasperation.

    Buffy flinched at his tone, pressing herself further away from him. "Nothing."

    Spike grabbed the remote from her hand and flicked the TV off.  "Dammit, would you talk to me?"

    Buffy took a deep calming breath, then look over at him. She expected the anger she found brewing on his face, but it was the confusion mixed in with it that had her relaxing slightly.  "I'm sorry," she mumbled, wrapping her arms around her tighter.

    "Did I do something?"

    Buffy started to shake her head no, then sighed and decided to go for the truth.  "I'm probably being stupid, but... being alone with you like this kinda brings back some not so good memories for me."

    Spike let his head fall back against the back of the couch and looked up at the ceiling. Silence filled the room for several uncomfortable minutes before Spike finally said, "I'm sorry. I think I said that before, but this time I actually mean it. All I can say is that will never happen again."

    "What won't?"

    "Me trying to hurt you."

    The obvious sincerity in his voice brought Buffy's head up sharply to look into his eyes. When he reached over and took her hand, she didn't pull away, just kept her eyes locked on the intense stormy eyes that seemed to be peering into her soul. 

     "What can I do to show you I mean it?" he asked gently, rubbing the roughened pad of his thumb over the top of her hand.

    Buffy shocked herself as much as she did Spike by closing the distance between them and pressing her lips to his. Again, it was like someone else had taken possession of her body, making her do the one thing that her entire being craved.  It took him less than a second to respond and he let his mouth move against hers in a dance that was both completely foreign to him yet hauntingly familiar. He reached over and hauled her into his lap while his lips increased the pressure, his tongue thrusting into her mouth in a frantic sweep.  Buffy wrapped her arms around his neck and rose up so she was straddling his hips where he sat on the couch. His hands were everywhere at once, and Buffy could feel a ripple of desire shoot through her at his intimate touch.

    There wasn't a flicker of doubt that she shouldn't be doing this with him, not like there should have been and Buffy gave it barely a moment's notice that there was no fear, only desire. And strangely, a fragile trust that he would be a monster of his word; he would not hurt her again. She drew back slightly and ripped her t-shirt off, baring her bra clad torso to his hungry eyes. Reaching behind her, she unsnapped her bra and let it slip slowly from her shoulders before he grabbed it in a fit of impatience and threw it on the floor.

    "So fucking beautiful," he murmured, burying his face in the valley between her breasts before he turned his head and captured one rosy nipple in his mouth, teasing it with his tongue.  Buffy gasped at the sensation, it felt like the was a connection between her sensitive nipples directly to that throbbing place between her legs that begged for his attention. Without even realizing it, Buffy found herself grinding her mound against the hard protrusion that lay beneath Spike's jeans, unable to stand the sweet ache.

    She was glad she had worn a skirt when Spike's skilled hands deftly lifted up the hem and shoved the crotch of her panties out of the way, allowing his fingers to rub against her engorged nub. Buffy reached down and undid the buckle on his jeans, frantic for another glimpse of him. This shouldn't be happening like this, she thought fleetingly as she struggled with the buttons. But she was helpless to stop, she wanted him.  And that was the part that had tormented her the most during the last two years, knowing that even after what he had done, what he was, she knew she still desired him. And the self disgust over that knowledge had been the hardest cross that she'd had to bear. But now she was free to admit it to herself. Vampire or not, she wanted him inside her again.

    Breaking her mouth away from his, she muttered against his jaw, "Can't get the buttons undone."

    Not stilling the worship his hands were bestowing upon her body, he managed to ask, "You sure 'bout this, luv?

    Buffy nodded emphatically, leaning in to kiss that succulent mouth again as Spike worked his buttons free with one hand, his erection now free from its prior restrictive confine, curving up in a hard arc towards his abdomen.  Buffy dragged his shirt over his head, frantic in her need to touch as much of his cool firm flesh as possible, her hands sliding over rock hard muscles and pale satiny skin before trailing downward to grab his engorged shaft in her hand. Spike moaned at her touch, closing his eyes and tipping his head back against the cushion. Unable to wait, Buffy shifted herself and poised herself over his thick member before slowly sinking down. A bit of feminine satisfaction came when Spike's eyes flew open, filled with wonderment and awe at the intense feeling of being enveloped in her hot moist sheath, inch by agonizing inch.

    "Oh god, baby," je moaned, clutching at her hips to keep her still when she had taken him inside her to the hilt, afraid he would come right then.  Looking up in to her face, he asked, "Does this hurt?"

    Buffy shook her head no, smiling down at him as she trailed her index finger softly down the side of his face, tracing his chiseled jaw.  She began to move against him, and he couldn't help but thrust up into her each time, watching her face carefully for any sign of pain.  He was determined to do right by her this time and actually now felt sick at the thought that he had hurt her before.  Of course he had hopes that the evening would wind up with them shagging, but he didn't really think things would progress this far and he hadn't been about to push her.  She shocked him though by initiating this, and now it was hitting home yet again just how special this girl was.

    Using his hands on her hips as guidance, he showed her the best way to move against him, liking that he was the one who got to introduce her to these things. He could see things were building up for her by the enthralled look on her face and took one now unneeded hand off of her shapely hip and pressed his thumb against her sensitive clit. His own thrusts were becoming more demanding and he could feel things beginning to tighten up, but he wanted her to get off first.  With a loud cry, Buffy's orgasm broke over her, sending delicious shivers through every cell in her body, causing all of her muscles to lock up simultaneously before she collapsed into a boneless heap against Spike's bare chest.

    That extra squeeze coupled with seeing Buffy's face as she got off was what Spike needed to send him into his own orgasm. With a snarl, he clutched her tight while he spurted his seed deep inside her, his body convulsing with each ejaculation, before he joined Buffy as a boneless heap.

    "Fuck, that was amazing," Spike panted, holding her tight in a desperate attempt to keep physical contact with her.

    Buffy  groaned, "Oh god, my legs are totally asleep."  Spike looked up at her, then after pressing a quick kiss to her lips, hauled her up and stretched out on the couch, placing her to sprawl on top of him.  "Oh my god, I so cannot believe we just had sex on my mother's couch."

    "Well, we'll just have to keep that little tidbit to ourselves then, won't we?" Spike replied teasingly, stroking the back of her head gently. He had this sudden fear that she was going to regret what they had just done and was steeling his emotions against it.

    "Yeah, I guess so," Buffy replied tiredly, pressing her cheek against his chest.

    "I didn't hurt you, did I?" 

    Buffy lifted her head up and stared at him. "What? No!"

    She could see the relief enter his intense blue eyes and she leaned up to kiss him gently then whispered in his ear, "Wanna go play up in my room?"

    His eyes darkened with desire, and with a high pitched squeak, she found herself scooped up in his arms and on her way up the stairs.  She looked down at herself, shirt off, skirt all hiked up and grimaced. Then she looked down and saw that Spike's pants were still on, and she began to giggle.  With a playful growl, he threw her on her bed, kicked off the offending jeans and flung himself at her.  This time, he wanted to do things slowly, show Buffy exactly how talented he was, but again she was an impatient wench and spoiled his plans.

    Hours later, Buffy found herself sore in all the right places, a languid feeling having taken up residence in her body, and she couldn't move even if she wanted to. It had been a night of sharing and learning, about learning how to trust and getting past the fact that she was the Slayer and he was a vampire.  It ceased to matter anymore.  Sometime during the night, she  realized Spike was having trouble keeping his demon back, and told him to let it go.  When he questioned her about her motives, she told him quite simply that she had to know that she was safe from his demon also.  He merely nodded then allowed his face to change instead of fighting to keep it back and he was humbled by Buffy's willingness to trust him that much.  After what his demon had done to her, she was still willing to take a chance. As soon as his demon came to the forefront, Spike realized that there was no problem here, his demon was just as taken by this girl as he was. He made no attempt to bite her, although the urge  to do just that was almost overpowering, and after they had both come down from mind numbing orgasms, Buffy had gently traced the distorted ridges of his forehead, pressing gentle kisses along his cheek and said a quiet "Thank you." Spike didn't reply, just gave her a heart felt smile that spoke volumes

    It was near dawn when they finally collapsed into each other's arms, utterly exhausted by a full night of lovemaking. Buffy fell quickly into an utterly exhausted sleep, tucked in the naked embrace of the demon she had let worship her all night.  Spike watched her drift off, feeling oddly proud of himself at the contented smile on her face, and settled himself against the pillows to get some much deserved rest. 

``````

    Xander and Willow walked through the library doors after second period and found Giles deeply engrossed in research, only looking up when Xander cleared his throat in gross exaggeration. 

    "Yes?" Giles asked a bit impatiently.

    "Have you talked to Buffy?" Xander asked.

    All impatience fled to be replaced by concern. "No, she hasn't been by yet this morning. Why?"

    "Uh, she wasn't in class this morning," Willow informed him.

    Giles eyebrows knitted together as he pondered this information. "Well, perhaps we should give her a call." He went through the library cage and picked up the phone, dialing Buffy's number. He was visibly upset when he rejoined the two teens in the main part of the library.  "There appears to be no answer."

    "And why am I thinking that I'm going to get to say I Told You So?" Xander announced unhelpfully.

    "I believe I am going to go over to her house, she may be in need of assistance." 

    "I'm going with you" Xander informed him forcefully and Giles decided not to argue the matter.  Willow regrettably returned to class, having a major chemistry test the next period. Within moments, Giles closed up the library once again during school hours and he and Xander were on their way to Buffy's house.

     Giles parked next to Spike's black monstrosity in the driveway, and he felt somewhat reassured that the vampire at least still appeared to be in Sunnydale. However, the state in which they might find Buffy and Blake was what was truly cause for concern. Walking up the front steps, Giles rang the doorbell and his unease grew when there was no answer. Xander tried the door and found it unlocked, slowly pushing it open as he called Buffy's name.

    They walked into the front room and looked around. Nothing seemed too out of place, Giles frowned when he noticed the blankets Spike had previously used on the chair. They both managed to miss the few choice clothing articles strewn about before they headed up the stairs.  Giles peeked into Blake's room, sure he was going to find a bloodbath there, but was greeted by a sleeping toddler sucking his thumb. He and Xander continued down the hall to the partially opened door to Buffy's room with great trepidation, and the sight that was waiting for them  was more horrifying than Giles could possibly have imagined.

    His Slayer was sprawled naked on top of equally naked vampire, their bare limbs entwined, her head pillowed on his silent chest with his arms wrapped around her protectively. A slight effort had been made to cover up, but the sheet had gotten as far as the curve where her ass met her thigh, and did nothing to hide this stark brutal reality. Both of them were deeply asleep, Spike's chin resting on top of Buffy's head.

    "Holy crap," Xander uttered in a shocked voice.

    That quietly uttered expletive served to do what a phone call, the doorbell and calling her name refused to do.  It woke Spike up.  His sleepy eyes opened and immediately hardened when he caught sight of them in the door way. "Stop your bloody staring," he ordered in a dangerous voice.  Buffy shifted in her sleep, trying to burrow herself deeper against him and sighed in contentment.

    Both Giles and Xander found themselves helpless to do anything but stare, causing Spike to growl, "Get your fuckin eyeball off of her, do you understand?"  That finally served to wake Buffy up and she lifted her head up from its comfortable pillow to peer into his face, confusion overriding her weariness. But when she saw his penetrating glare directed over her head towards the doorway, she turned to see what had captured his interest so intensely.

    "Oh GOD!!! " she cried, scrambling to draw the sheet over her to hide her nakedness from Giles and Xander's horrified and probing eyes. Her cheeks flushed red with mortification, her embarrassment palpable.

    "Buffy.....?" Xander said, unable to finish, and unable to tear his eyes away either.

    "I told you to stop bloody looking at her!" Spike snarled, but his movements were gentle when he moved Buffy off of him and to the side. "Get the fuck out, now."

    Stunned beyond all comprehension, Giles tried to get his brain to jump start, but he couldn't get his body to obey Spike's commands. "Spike, I.."

    Giles and Xander suddenly found a naked vampire in full game face charging towards them, rage clearly present on his demonic features. "I told you sods to stop fucking looking at her!"  Spike roared.

     With no time to scramble for the stakes they had brought, Giles and Xander did the only thing possible for their self preservation that they could. They beat a hasty retreat, their hearts pounding with fear and anticipation.  But instead of the savage attack they were expecting, they found themselves with the door to Buffy's bedroom slammed shut in their faces. Looking at one another, relief hit them at the same time and they both slumped against the wall.

    "Well, I hope they used birth control this time," Xander announced snidely, finding himself feeling out of sorts now that the fear and shock had worked its way out of his system.

    "Oh good lord."

tbc...

  13

    Inside the room, Spike turned to face Buffy, his features no longer distorted or demonic but smooth and handsome. "Sorry 'bout that, luv."

    Buffy had been lost in a virtual daze of mortification of truly gargantuan proportions, and her head jerked up at the sound of his voice, her eyes blinking rapidly to bring him into focus. Spike's face was an open book to her at that moment. She clearly saw his concern, his hesitation, the barely suppressed anger coursing through him. But what leapt out the most to her was the utter fear in his eyes, fear of her reaction.... To him, to what they had done together, and her heart opened to him just a bit more. She found her lips curving up into an amused smile as she regarded the tense vampire in front of her. 

    "Well, bet that's not something they're going to forget seeing anytime soon."

    She saw his whole body relax, the tension pouring out in a torrential flood when he realized by her light hearted comment that she wasn't regretting what had been shared between them and her smile widened. She dropped the sheet and got up on her knees and held her arms out to him. "Want to try this morning thing over again?"

    His smile seemed to light up the darkened room and he reached her side in two rapid strides. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him down for a soft meaningful kiss, loving the feel of his capable hands stroking their way over her body.  She was the first to draw back, commenting, "Ah yes, now that is MUCH better."

    "Was afraid you'd be all panicky, having your Watcher and your mate seeing us like that," Spike admitted to her quietly

    "Have to admit, I was all majorally panicky girl at first. But now? Not so much."

 ``````

    Outside the room, Giles and Xander could hear muffled words being spoken. They didn't want to admit to eavesdropping, but Giles justified it by telling himself that he was merely making sure his Slayer was all right. After all, she was behind a closed door with a dangerous vampire who last seen, had charged them in full game face. It was then that the reality of what they had witnessed finally hit home, and Giles at least realized that this would have to be dealt with in a truly delicate manner. Spike had been protecting Buffy from them. Good lord, he thought, rubbing  his temple where a pounding was starting up with all the subtly of a full symphony.

    The next moment had Xander checking the crotch of his pants for accidental leakage when the door to the bedroom was suddenly thrown open and Spike came striding out, wearing only a pair of jeans, his chest and feet bare. He gave Giles and Xander a withering glare and announced coldly, "The least you two sods could have done was gotten the boy up."

    They watched Spike walk down the hallway and it was then they realized that Blake was yelling in his crib. Giles surmised that the door slamming probably was responsible for waking him up and he moved to follow Spike down the stairs when he emerged from Blake's room carrying the boy easily in his arms, with Blake laughing and hugging him tight.  Spike pointedly ignored the Watcher's presence as he grabbed a diaper out of the basket and quickly changed Blake's diaper, finding himself proficient at the task after just the one time.  Xander came downstairs just at the tail end and gaped at the sight.

    "William the Bloody changes diapers? Well, there's something you don't see every day," Xander wisecracked, unable to keep his mouth shut. Giles sent him a pained look and after Spike set Blake back on his feet and turned the telly on for him, he stalked slowly in Xander's direction.  The smell of fear coming from Buffy's idiot friend was invigorating and he allowed a dangerous look to take over his face. Xander gulped and backed away with Spike following his movements with lethal precision. When he had Xander backed up against a wall, he told the boy fiercely, "You shut your gob, boy."

    Xander's fear had now escalated to pure terror, and he called out, "Giles, little help here."

    Giles was just reaching for the stake in his back pocket when Spike sent a hard look in his direction, stilling his movements.  "Won't be needing that, Watcher. Just be having us a bit of a talk, is all."  He took a step back from Xander, and crossed his arms across his chest. "Now then, this is the way it's going to be.  Neither one of you is going to say one bad word to Buffy about what you saw this morning.  Either one of you gits makes her feel ashamed of what she did with me, you'll be finding one very pissed off vampire after you. Understood?"

    Giles did not hesitate to agree, causing Xander to look at him in shock. "What? Are you crazy? How do we know he didn't have her in that thrall thing so he could have his evil way with her?"

    "She wasn't in a thrall, Xander," Giles informed him.

    "Oh? And how do you know this, oh Mr. Book Man?"

    Giles ripped his glasses off and allowed his calm composure to slip a little.  "Because Xander, if she was under a thrall, she wouldn't have been embarrassed that we saw her, that's how I know this."

    "Oh."

    "You guys talking about me?" A voice from the top of the stairs said, causing all four males present in the room to look up in that direction.

    "Mama!" Blake squealed, tearing himself away from the tv set to go greet  her.  Buffy walked down the stairs, now properly attired in a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt, her previous sex tousled hair now tied back in a ponytail at the nape of her neck.  She saw Giles immediately search her neck for any evidence of bite marks, and she rose an eyebrow in his direction. Blake wrapped himself around her legs, and Buffy picked him up and kissed him good morning. She turned to her best friend and her Watcher and asked if they wanted any coffee.  Without waiting for a response, she winked at Spike and carried Blake into the kitchen. Spike eagerly followed, watching the swing of her ass as she walked, barely resisting the urge to grab it and shag her until she came screaming his name over and over. 

    Once in the kitchen, Spike took Blake from Buffy and put him in his highchair while Buffy made a pot of coffee. While it was brewing, she handed Spike a box of cereal to start feeding Blake, and he attended to that while Buffy got the coffee ready. Xander and Giles just watched, it not escaping their notice the way they were interacting with each other now, the easy familiarity that was now present.

    When Buffy finally turned to them, a mug of coffee in hand, Giles took that as his cue.  "Buffy, I apologize for the way we barged in here."

    "Yeah, me too, Giles."

    "However in our defense, we came over here because we were concerned. Willow and Xander came and told me that you had missed the first couple periods of school, and in light of recent circumstances, well, I felt it would be remiss of me if I did not investigate."

    "Ever hear of an invention called the telephone?"  Buffy asked.

    "I did try to ring you, there was no answer. And when we got here, there was no answer to the doorbell.  So, we decided it warranted further investigation," Giles continued, ignoring Spike's snort.

    "Yeah, and you got yourself an eyeful, dinnit ya?"

    "Yes, well...."  Giles muttered, his discomfiture becoming increasingly obvious.

    Spike noticed Xander's continual glare and finally gave into his irritation. "You got something you want to say, you ponce?"

    Xander's hand went to his back pocket and his grip tightened around the stake he was keeping handy. He met Spike's irritated look with one of defiance. "Yeah, guess I do.  I don't trust you.  And I don't particularly like you either.  I don't like seeing you around Buffy or Blake, I think you're a whole lot of bad news."

    Xander tensed up preparing to have a enraged vampire charging him once more, but Spike managed to surprise him again.  The vampire laughed, and cast an amused look towards Buffy.  "Hey, I'm bad news, baby." He informed her smugly.

    Buffy gave an indelicate snort and rolled her eyes. "Yeah, tell me something I don't know, Spike."

    Spike gave her a wicked grin, then turned his attention back to Xander.  The amusement left his eyes and his face hardened as he regarded the teen.  "Well I'm thinkin I don't particularly care what you think of me, it's what Buffy thinks that I'm more concerned about."

    "Oh really? Like you can't manipulate her feelings to suit your diabolical fiendish plans?"

    A hint of amber was now clearly visible in Spike's gaze, now hard and cold.  "I don't have any diabolical fiendish plans at the moment unless you count getting to know my son."

    Xander threw his hands up helplessly and turned to Giles. "See? I told you we shouldn't haven't left Buffy alone with him. One night, that's all it took. One night and he managed to seduce her and have his evil way with her."

    Buffy rolled her eyes in exasperation. "Xander knock it off, ok? "

    "Buffy, I'm just trying to watch out for you, ok? You're too close to this, you can't see what he's doing..."

    "XANDER! I said stop!  Besides, there was no seducing involved here, I jumped HIM, ok?"  At the shocked glances of her Watcher and friend, Buffy turned her mortified face towards Spike's smirking one and said, "Did I just say that out loud?"

    "Yeah, you did, luv."

    "Oops."

    Xander opened his mouth to rebuke her statement, but Giles intervened. "Xander, do shut up, won't you?  Buffy, we'll be going now. Will you be in school later today?"  Buffy shook her head, and Xander opened his mouth to argue, but at Buffy's lethal glare  he wisely shut up.

    "No, I'm going to go see my mom later," she explained, feeling a tinge of guilt that she hadn't called to check up on her yet.

    Giles nodded and with a nod to Buffy and Spike and a wave to Blake, the Watcher dragged a complaining Xander out of the house, and Spike and Buffy found themselves alone.

    "Don't care much for your mate," Spike announced.

    Buffy laughed, crossing the room to sink down on his lap. "I think the feeling is more than mutual."

    Spike snaked one arm around her middle, the other still engaged in feeding their son breakfast and this cozy domestic feeling should have had him flying out of town, tires screeching. But it just made him want more of it. The persisting restlessness he'd had was all but a dim memory now.

    They spent the morning with their son, watching TV with him, cuddling on the couch, subtly learning how to be a family. And Spike was learning how to be a father, which Buffy noted was a role he seemed to have no problem stepping into. Buffy had called her mom and had been informed that they would be doing surgery on her ankle later that afternoon, and Buffy told her she would be there when her mom went into the operating room. She immediately felt ashamed of herself when the first thing she thought of at hearing of the impending surgery, was that it gave them one more night alone. 

    At nap time they all fell asleep on the couch again, Blake sprawled on Spike's chest and Buffy cuddled up next to them. The feeling of closeness was growing stronger, and Buffy was having a hard time remembering that she had feared this man. She knew she and Spike still had quite a bit of talking to do and felt a tinge of apprehension about it, but for now, she was just basking in the delicious sensation of being in his arms.

    That afternoon, Buffy learned how vampires got around during daylight hours, and she had to admire Spike for his ingenuity.  Of course the paint blackened windows on the car were wicked conspicuous, but they did allow Spike to accompany them to the hospital.  This time there was no hesitation when he offered his hand after they had parked in the underground parking structure, Buffy grabbed it without thought.

    When they stepped into Joyce's room, Buffy's mom immediately noticed the change in their demeanor.  There was an acceptance present between the two that had not been present before, an easy familiarity in the way they regarded each other and their son.   To her surprise, Joyce found herself glad that things were apparently working out between them.  It had taken her aback learning the truth about Blake's paternity, but Spike was proving to be somewhat of an enigma.  She would have to ask her daughter's Watcher if this was typical behavior for vampires, but she was under the impression that it wasn't.  No, having a vampire in her daughter's life was certainly not one of her first choices, or even one of the last ones, but he WAS Blake's father, and Joyce herself was a bit of a old fashioned romantic.  As long as she could be sure this vampire wouldn't hurt them, she would support whatever decisions they made. 

    This self revelation had Joyce entering the operating room with a much lighter heart, her unease about this situation fading as well as the helplessness she had been experiencing that she was stuck in a hospital bed while her daughter might potentially be needing her. Now there was someone else there for Buffy, and for that, Joyce was grateful.

    The next week seemed to pass by in a blur.  Joyce's surgery was successful, and she was discharged home under the care of her daughter. Her helplessness persisted when she found it cumbersome and painful to the almost fatal laceration on her inner arm to get herself around on the rented crutches.   She was unable to cook, unable to care for Blake, and all around felt generally useless.  She was continually amazed at how Spike had picked up the slack in the Summers household, taking care of Blake while Buffy was at school even though Joyce knew those were his typical hours of sleep. He even helped with meals and household chores, and every time Joyce would express her gratitude, it always managed to infuriate the vampire.  Joyce soon realized he was embarrassed, and stopped thanking him, and he seemed much happier that way. 

    After the fifth night she had been home, after watching him make a big production of making up his bed on the couch and knowing full well he wouldn't be using it, she told him to just go ahead and sleep in Buffy's room. He had looked at her in shock, then she watched as a wide grin overtook his face, and he quietly thanked her than sauntered up the stairs, whistling.

    When Buffy came home from patrol that night, she saw her mom sitting in front of the TV, then looked around for Spike.  " Where's Spike?"

    Her mom gave her a pointed look and announced, "I'm sure he's waiting for you in your bed."

    Buffy's face turned crimson, and she looked at her mom in horror.  "Huh?"

    "Well, I figured since he snuck up there every night anyway, it'd be  nice to be able to watch tv down here for once. Since he wasn't really sleeping on the couch anyway."

    "Oh GOD!" Buffy wailed, sinking down on the couch.

    "What, you don't want him up there?"

    Buffy couldn't help but smirk. "Well, yeah, I do. Just kinda embarrassing being busted on it, you know?" 

    "Well, I can't say as I'm entirely happy with it, but I'd rather we have honesty from now on. Ok?"

    Buffy nodded, and stood up to give her mom a well deserved hug.  "Thanks, mom."

    "You're welcome. Every time I try to thank your vampire for his help around here, he gets all bent out of shape."

    Buffy smiled. "Yeah, I think the Big Bad gets embarrassed about being domesticated."

    "That's what I figured." Joyce laughed.

    Bidding her mom a good night, Buffy ran up the stairs and just as her mom said, found Spike reading in her bed.  "Well, well, well, this is a nice surprise to come home to." Buffy announced wickedly as she walked in and closed the door.

    "Yeah, your mum shocked the hell out of me, all right." Spike replied, watching her as she got undressed and changed into a tshirt and gym shorts in lieu of pajamas.  She slid into bed beside him and was immediately engulfed in a pair of strong arms.  "Think I like this."

    Buffy sighed contentedly. "Yeah, me too."

    Joyce turned the volume up on the TV to ignore the sounds that soon were heard coming from her daughter's bedroom, mentally berating herself for allowing this to happen under her own roof.  But so far Spike had not been a deterrent in Buffy's life, had only been helpful, and Joyce was afraid of losing her only child if she tried to keep them from each other.  So, for that she would suffer, and pretend she didn't hear the bed slamming against the wall upstairs.

    Buffy's relationship with her friends had suffered since Spike had made his unexpected appearance, and both Willow and Xander found themselves missing their friend. He loomed like a shadow over their heads, and Xander usually was unable to keep his mouth shut around Buffy, causing the wedge in their friendship to become like the Grand Canyon.  Willow was cautiously optimistic about him, she could see he made Buffy happy. But she found it hard to forget what Spike was, and also what Buffy had told them that day she found out she was pregnant.  So she kept herself in cool judgment of him, but managed to be supportive. At school, she managed to be the same ole Buffy, albeit a little happier now.  But where before she would spend time with them after school, now she would fly out of the library as soon as Giles dismissed her after training, never inviting them over to her house anymore. And the more times she did it, the more Willow found her feelings hurt by it.

    Finally, after two weeks of the same routine, Willow had her Resolve Face firmly in place, and when Buffy turned to leave the library tossing a "Later Wills, later Xander" casually over her shoulder, Willow blocked her exit.

    Willow's face did not break at the sight of Buffy's confusion, she just pointed at the table and told Buffy to  sit.  Sending her friend an odd look, Buffy moved to comply.

    "So...what's up, Wills?" Buffy asked.

    Willow sat down opposite her, with Xander next to her.  Giles, sensing trouble pending, beat a hasty retreat to his office to get out of the crossfire. 

    "We miss you, Buffy." Willow said simply.

    Buffy looked at her aghast. "Willow, you see me everyday!"

    "Yeah, but not like we used to."

    Buffy fell silent at that, and realized she had been kinda disappearing girl lately.  "Guys, I'm sorry, things have just been way hectic with my mom getting hurt and the slayage, and everything."

    "And Spike." Xander added.

    Buffy nodded. "Yes, and Spike."

    "So, can we all go out and do something tonight?" Willow asked, her eyes pleading. "Oz's band is playing at the Bronze tonight."

    Buffy was silent for a moment, biting her lip, then she looked up and saw the hopeful looks on her friends faces and found herself agreeing.  The happy look on Willow's face made Buffy realize she'd done the right thing, and she just hoped her mom would be able to watch Blake.  It wasn't that she was trying to keep Spike from her friends, it was just that the time they got to spend alone together with their son was special, especially  now that her mom had gone back to work.  Spike watched him during the day, and Buffy usually got home in time to get in on the napping action with her two favorite guys. 

    But tonight she'd make it up to Willow and Xander. Especially Willow, since Buffy was still a bit wigged at Xander having seen her naked, and his snide comments didn't help things either. 

    Feeling better about things, she headed home to her guys to tell Spike the news that they were going out tonight.  She was well aware that Willow hadn't extended the invitation to Spike, but Buffy felt no qualms about bringing him.  Willow had hardly gotten to know him at all, and well, that just had to change.

    As it turned out though, Spike didn't want to go.  He told Buffy he didn't fancy spending the evening with Xander and a bunch of other gits at a club, but when Buffy saw her mom's haggard looking appearance, she guessed the real reason for it.  He wanted to stay home to take care of his son, and Buffy was oddly touched by this.  He was really a sensitive guy, even though he snarled and growled if she even hinted that she was on to him. But he was, and he showed it in a ton of little ways.

    So Buffy found herself getting for the Bronze that night with a profound sense of nostalgia. She could see Blake in the mirror behind her as she pinned up her hair, but this time, when she turned around, she saw what the mirror refused to reflect, a vampire who was quickly filling her heart and giving her a sense of peace.  Buffy strutted across the room towards him, asking, "Sure you don't want to go?"

    Spike forced himself to look into her eyes, she looked so bloody amazing that he was having trouble concentrating. Did he want to go? Bloody hell, that was an understatement. He didn't want to let her go out without him, and he found his resolve weakening.  To be able to dance with her, just the two of them....  Spike shook his head to clear the lewd thoughts parading through it, and told her regretfully, "Your mum isn't up to watching our little boy tonight. S'not fair to ask  her."

    Buffy tipped her head to the side to regard him, her eyes searching his powerful blue ones. Sometimes she could see right through him, and this was one of those times.  He was trying to make up for not being there the last two years, that was his primary motive for not coming with her tonight. Her mom could have watched Blake tonight, but it would have been a bit rough on her, and Spike didn't want to put her through that.  Wow, didn't know vampires could feel such guilt, she thought.  He really was turning into quite a nice surprise, never did she think there would be such...depths to him. 

    "What are you smilin' at?" Spike asked, as he grabbed her hips and drew her close.

    "You.  You're kinda cute, you know that?"

    He gave her that look again, that threatening 'don't call me cute' look but she could always tell he was flattered by it.  She leaned down and kissed him fast and hard,  then backed out of his hold.  "See ya later!" And with a saucy wink, and a kiss for Blake,  she was bounding down the stairs and out the door. Without him. And that thought made his gut clench.

    With a heavy sigh, he turned to his son and slung him in his arms. "So, let's go see what your grandmum is up to, shall we?"

TBC....

chapter 14

    Buffy entered the Bronze with the subtle feeling of apprehension, like something vitally important was missing, but she worked hard to shrug it off so that she could offer a happy front to her friends.  Because she did know what they had accused her of, she had been the major Miss. Avoido Girl lately, and she knew it.  She quickly caught sight of Willow waving her down from their "usual" table.  The Bronze was crowded like it usually was on a weekend night, and the influx of people just added to her unease.  

    Willow got up and hugged her friend, and a flood of guilt went through Buffy at the obvious excitement her being here was causing her friend. And she realized in one big swoop just how much she had really missed Willow, and she returned the hug with a genuine smile on her face.  Xander stood up  to offer his own hug, and the hug she offered him was  a pale mockery of the one she had just given Willow, but found herself happy to see him also. At least  away from school and what that usually represented. She suddenly realized in a moment of blinding clarity as she stood looking into their excited faces how much both of them really had been there for her the last few years. They'd dealt with her slayer stuff without blinking an eye, then there had been Blake. She hadn't really given much thought to how weird that must have been for them, suddenly having a best friend with a baby, but they'd been nothing but supportive. Buffy found herself desperately wanting that easy friendship back. 

    They all sat down and Xander went to go get drinks.  Buffy turned to Willow and said , "Willow, thank you for making me come tonight. I'm really sorry I've been all avoidy and everything."

    Willow smiled happily. "No problem, Buffy! How come Spike didn't come?"

    Buffy looked surprised. "You were expecting him to come?"

    "Hello, he's just, uh, I don't know, your boyfriend now, isn't he?"

    Buffy snorted at that comment. "Yeah, I guess you could call him that."

    "So how come he didn't come?" Willow asked, then a paranoid look came over her face. "It's me, isn't it? He doesn't like me, that why, isn't it?"

    Buffy shook her head. "No, Wills, nothing like that.  He's watching Blake tonight."

   "But I thought your mom was home now?" Willow asked, confused.

    "Yeah, she is home now. But Spike noticed that she looked tired, so he stayed home to watch him."

    Willow looked pensive. "Oh. Well, that was nice of him."

    Buffy gave her friend a wry smile. "Yeah, he's like that a lot."

    "So, uh.. you two are good?"

    A small grin stole over Buffy's face. "Oh, we're WAY good, Wills."

    "Good. I'm glad. Cos I was you know, kind of worrying, what with the vampire thing and all.  I read some of Giles books, the Spike on those pages doesn't seem like the Spike who's been taking care of Blake and stuff."

    "Yeah, I get that. I think he's even shocking himself these days. But I'm trusting him more and more. I mean, he hasn't even bitten me again."

    "You say that like it's a bad thing." Willow joked.

    Buffy chose not to reply rather than risk shocking her friend, admitting to her that sometimes she wanted him to do it, to mark her again, to feel that connection between them again.  But she kept her mouth shut, barely keeping the secretive smile from playing across her face.

    Xander returned with their beverages, and conversation started a bit on the stilted side, but gradually progressed to their usual banter and friendliness.  Buffy still feel like something  was missing, but she found herself  having a good time with her friends.

    Oz's band finally started up, halting the ability to carry on a normal conversation due to  extreme volume issues. Willow and Buffy hit the dance floor again leaving Xander to watch the table and drinks, and Buffy's sense of deja vu grew stronger, thinking back to the night Spike came back into her life.  Willow must have sensed her thoughts because she commented loudly in her ear, "Seems kinda weird how the last time you were here turned out, huh?"

    "Oh my god,  I was JUST thinking that. We're talking way weird."

    Buffy enjoyed watching Willow make googly eyes at Oz up on stage, they were really a cute couple.  She found her thoughts wandering to  ideas of double dates, then snorted. Please. William the Bloody going on a double date with a bunch of high school kids?  But then realized that it wasn't as crazy as it sounded, Spike really seemed to be trying to integrate himself into her life, so maybe he would be receptive.  Maybe Buffy had been a bit selfish, keeping him away from the part of her life that included her friends, her Watcher, training. She made a sudden decision to feel him out and see if he wanted to be included in that part of her life.

    Buffy was so caught up in the music and her thoughts that she didn't see the Scott, a jock from her high school slide up next to her. Her slayer sense would have screamed at his close proximity, but his being human kept him off of her radar, but still Buffy was cursing her sense of personal space for not alerting her that he was so close. He had the reputation for thinking himself God's gift and Buffy just tended to ignore him. At her old school in  her old life, Scott probably would have been one of her best friends, if not her boyfriend. But here in Sunnydale? Things were way different.

    "Let's dance."

    Buffy looked at him and smiled, but shook her head. "No, I'm sorry, I'm dancing with my friend."

     She saw the hard look cross his face and spared a glance over to Willow, who was watching with a curious look on her face.  Buffy looked back at Scott, who she had hardly ever talked to before and saw the hard look turn into what he thought probably passed for smooth charm. The band took a break at that moment, and the speakers filled the club with a rocking beat.

    "Come on, Buffy, just one dance." He cajoled. Physically, he had her by at least a foot and about 100 pounds, but Buffy knew a little something he didn't know, and that little edge gave her attitude.

    "Sorry Skip. I'm really don't want to dance with anyone."

    His face darkened with anger. "It's Scott." He ground out.

    "Oops, my bad."  Grabbing Willow's arm, Buffy started to lead her friend off the dance floor, dancing suddenly having lost its appeal.

    Xander saw the exchange and stood up, seeing his friends heading off the dance floor and the tight rigid posture of the meathead football player.  Then he remember his friend had superhuman strength, so he just waited for them to come back to the table to see what happened. Yep, the Buffsters could take care of herself, he thought with anticipation, hoping he would get to see her knock Scott on his ass. He had been tormented by the jock since preschool, and a little bit retribution would be of the good here.

    Buffy  forced her way through  the throngs of people in her haste to get back to the table, her sense of not wanting to be here had slammed back in her with alarming force.  Just as she was reaching the table, she felt a hand grab her arm, and she swung herself around and glared at the offender.

    "Let go of my arm." She announced coldly.

    "What's your problem? All I did was ask you to dance." The football star asked, his friends coming up to flank him.  Xander's sense of apprehension just blasted right off the scale at that sight.  Scott plus friends equals bad.

    Buffy crossed her arms over her chest and looked up at him. "Yeah, and I remember saying no."

    "You don't have to be such a bitch about it."

    Suddenly, Buffy just wanted to get this over so she could cut out on her friends and get home to her family.  Relaxing her stance, she managed an apologetic look on her face and said, "Look, I'm sorry, ok?  Just not in the mood."

    One of Scott's friends laughed nastily. "Yeah, well, guess you should have used that line a few years ago, huh?  Maybe then you wouldn't have found yourself knocked up."  His friends burst out into hysterical laughter at that comment, and they all high fived the idiot who said it.

    Buffy's temper flared, they so went over the line with that little statement, and she had to bite back the urge to retaliate in a highly physical manner. God, high school boys were so stupid, she thought, as she looked at the group of howling meatheads around her.  They had no idea.. This right here represented some of the most popular boys in school, and they just made her sick.

    She turned  to Willow and Xander while the self congratulations was underway and told them quietly she was leaving. They nodded with understanding, Willow obviously upset that the evening had ended the way it did. Buffy gave her a hug and told her to come over the next day. Willow looked at her in surprise, then smiled happily and nodded.  With a quick wave, she turned around and headed out. She didn't look to see if her exit was noticed, because she just didn't care.  As she stepped out of the Bronze and began walking down the street, she tried to imagine what her reaction would have been to being asked to dance by one of the most popular guys at school before Spike showed up.  And she came to the conclusion that she still would have said no, but she would have been flattered by the attention.  Ugh, she thought. How lame is that? 

    She was halfway home when she got that tingling in the back of her neck that signaled vampire.  Getting a firmer grip on the stake she held in her hand, she allowed her eyes to search the area. She was in a part of Sunnydale that while busy during the day, was pretty much deserted at night.  Not that it really bothered her, being the Slayer and all, but she'd still be happy to get home.

    Suddenly she heard giggling coming from an alley and whispered hushes and she knew who it was.  What idiots, following her from the Bronze.  Walking purposefully, she stepped into the dark alley, rolling her eyes at how cliché this was. She tucked the stake she was carrying into her pocket where she still had easy access to it.   The moon cast distorted shadows all throughout the length of the alley, and when she heard more muted hysteria, she realized that they were drunk. Great. Just what she needed. Drunk jocks. But she was curious to see how far they would go, and she was willing to teach them a lesson they would not soon forget.  And hopefully the next time a girl said no to one of them, they would remember the lesson she was about to impart, and back away respectfully.  Like they should have done tonight, Buffy thought bitterly. Instead of making snide comments about me getting pregnant. Pregnant with the best thing that ever happened to me, she added.

    When she had just walked past an overflowing dumpster, she allowed herself to  act surprised when a pair of beefy arms reached out and grabbed her.

    "What are you doing?" She asked, allowing just a small hint of fear to be heard in her voice. 

    "Just want to talk." Scott said, grinning at his five friends.

    "Did you follow me?"

    "Maybe."

    "I'm going home, so please just let go  of my arm."

    "Oh, I don't think so."

    "Excuse me?" Buffy tried the haughty act to get the ball rolling.

    "You heard me." Scott sneered, holding onto her arm tight enough to leave bruising. The knowledge that she could have him on his ass in seconds was comforting.

    "So..what? What are you going to do? Oh my god, you think you're going to rape me?" She asked in disbelief. "I do believe that is against the law, you know, and will result in getting your stupid asses kicked off the football team."

    "Now hold on, don't need to call it rape.  Let's just think of it is as you giving up the same thing you've obviously already given to some other guy and we'll have a real nice time."  Scott said in a leering way. It didn't even penetrate his drunken haze that Buffy showed no fear.

    "Uh. let me think a minute, .. uh, no. As in, a world of no." Buffy announced.

    "Well see, that's where we were hoping you'd be a little bit more cooperative."

    "My god, where did you get these lines? Raping for Dummies?"

    Scott's face turned red and his grip tightened.  Throwing her up against the wall, he leaned against her hard and snarled, "Listen bitch, we're just going to take what you've already given away before. So you can either shut up and enjoy it, or fight and make it a lot harder on yourself.  It's your choice."

    Buffy nearly gagged at the smell of liquor on Scott's breath, and her vampire radar was stronger now. "My choice? I choose to go home."

    "Sorry, that's not one of the options, bitch."

    From behind the group, a voice asked "Did you just call my girl a bitch?"

    Scott whipped around to see a man decked out in black with blonde hair that seemed to shine white.  He had a dangerous look to him, but size wise he wasn't too impressive.  With his five jock friends standing there, Scott was feeling pretty confident and not at all threatened.

    "I asked you a question, boy." The man reached into his coat and pulled out a pack of smokes, putting one to his lips and with a flick of his lighter, inhaled the newly lit cigarette deeply before returning his penetrating gaze on the boy who held Buffy.

    With a sneer, Scott tossed Buffy to the side, causing her to stumble at the unexpected maneuver.  He missed the smirk she wore on her face.  Scott strode up to the stranger and demanded, "What business is it of yours?" 

    "Oh, it's my business." Spike said calmly, locking eyes on Buffy, assuring himself that she was all right.  She gave him a tiny nod and they communicated without words.  He closed the distance to Scott, not seeming to be affected by the substantial height difference as he looked up into the idiot's face.

    "So, what? You're going to beat us up for talking with your girlfriend?" Scott asked in amusement, looking around at his snickering friends.

    "Nope." Spike said, dropping his cigarette to the ground and smashing it with the toe of his battered combat boot. He looked back up, a smirk drawing over his face. As Scott stood there trying to figure out what was up, Spike allowed his face to change. "I'm going to kill you."

    Scott stared in mute horror at the monster that now stood in front of him, and quickly backed up to get away. Right into Buffy.

    "Oh, who's the big man now, huh?" She mocked, giving him a hard shove which sent him to the ground. Buffy walked over next to Spike, pressing herself into his side as his arm snaked around her waist.

    "Nice friends you have there, luv." Spike remarked in a rough voice, his amber eyes peering intently at her.

    Buffy leaned up and pressed a careful kiss to his lips, avoiding his fangs. "Aren't they though?" She looked back at the teen frozen on the ground and at the boys standing in mute terror next to him.  "So... why don't you boys tell my guy here some of the lovely things you were spouting at me?"

    When that was met with a terrified silence, Buffy rolled her eyes. "Come on, you guys were so quick with the wit earlier."

    "What... what is he?" one of them ventured to ask.

    "Vampire." Buffy announced smugly. She knew she shouldn't be enjoying this, but well, she just couldn't help herself.

  tbc..

n-thank you so much for all the reviews for this fiction, it has been so very much appreciated!! But by all means, keep 'em coming! :)

Chapter 15

 "Vampire." Buffy announced smugly. She knew she shouldn't be enjoying this, but well, she just couldn't help herself.    

    With that startling revelation,  Spike stalked towards them, all lethal grace and black leather. Scott picked himself up from the ground and attempted to make a run for it, but Spike caught him  easily before he'd  even taken five steps, wrenching him back around.  Spike cast a quick questioning glance in Buffy's direction, and she gave him a barely imperceptible nod. With an acknowledging grin, he wasted no time in turning back to the struggling boy he held in his arms, and sunk his teeth into Scott's neck. The taste of fresh blood washed over him, pouring down his throat, warming him and he found himself with a  fierce inner battle on his hands.  But the reminder that he had  way too much to lose now was all that he needed to make himself pull away, tossing the boy back carelessly to the ground where he lay in a stunned heap. 

    "Anyone else want to try to make a run for it?"  Spike asked with a mocking grin, making his elongated canines shine in the moonlight, tinged with a hint of red.  "Cos gotta say, I'm still a mite peckish."

    The others stared at Spike's disfigured face in undisguised horror, one of them looking down at the front of  his own pants, then staring at the ground, watching as a small puddle began to form in front of him..

    "Now that's just disgustin'" Spike commented, his lip curled up in disgust.  "Pissing in your pants like a right wanker. Should kill you just for that."

    "No please, god, no." The boy whimpered, backing up the few steps until his back was flush against the side of a building.

    "We weren't going to do anything, really. Just messing around." One of the other jocks attempted to say.

     The boy barely had time to register the angry glimmer that leapt into Spike's eyes before he found himself with a pair of sharp fangs embedded in his throat, his body pinned unrelentingly against the brick behind him. This time Spike didn't drink much, just a few deeps pulls, finding no fight with his demon on his hands this time.  His demon was just as outraged as he was.  When Spike was finished, he tossed the boy back hard against the wall,  his eyes sparking with anger.

    "Anyone care to try lying to me again?"  Spike's voice was low and dangerous, and the would be attackers shook their heads furiously.  Scott, who had yet to retrieve himself off the ground, looked at Buffy's amused face and dared to ask, "How can you just let him do this?"

    Spike took a step toward him, but Buffy stopped him with a shake of her head. She walked back over to her lover's side and grabbed his hand, and looked down at Scott with contempt.  "I'm letting him because even though he's a vampire, he's still a better man than any of you will ever be."

    Something that had died a hundred years ago seemed to swell in Spike's chest with Buffy's passionately uttered statement, something that felt like hope. It was immediately followed by a profound deluge of guilt, telling him that he really was not any better than these boys.  He himself had treated Buffy with as little regard as they had, and had managed to inflict a whole lot more damage to her, both physically and mentally.  He tried to untangle his hand from her grasp, and she looked at him in surprise.  Her eyes narrowed when she took note of the guilt ridden look that haunted his features.   She knew exactly what was running through his head, and was so not going to let him do this.  She used her profound strength to tighten her grip,  daring him with her eyes to argue with her.  Buffy gave him a heartfelt smile, letting him know it really was ok, she was ok, and relaxed slightly when the tightly held tension he had been holding onto slowly dissipated. Buffy reached up and pressed a quick kiss to his lips to reassure him, and she saw when the bad ass vampire reemerged, and found herself comforted by that.

    Returning his lips to its usual smirk, Spike looked over at the dumbfounded group of teens.  "So, looks like we  need to be having a little chat on how to treat women here, dontcha think?"

    When his question was met with no response, Spike took a threatening step forward.  Suddenly, a chorus of shrill fear ridden voices rang out through the alley, all acknowledging Spike's comment.  Spike grunted, and resumed his threatening stance.  " So this is how things are going to be.  How they bloody well should be anyway, without me, an evil vampire, having to tell you wankers what's what . But here it is, all spelled out for ya, all nice like.  You gits won't EVER touch a woman against her will again, any of you, or I'll be sure to show you all the evil and torturous things I've learned over the  last century. And believe me, I've taken the time to become quite inventive.  Do you bleedin wankers understand what I just said? And I'll be keeping track of you gits, don't you worry your empty little heads about that one. Got your disgusting scents locked in, I could find you anywhere. Understand?"

      There were frantic nods all the way around, with slight sighs of relief over the realization that they may be leaving the alley alive.  Spike allowed his features to shift out of game face, his forehead smoothing out, his teeth retracting. The reaction to that was almost as startling as when Spike first showed them the face of his demon, horror again etched on every single one of them.

    "Oh and another thing.  See, this here is my girl.  And it wouldn't do you a lot of good if I was to hear  that you had been spreading tales about my girl. Things like she was involved with a vampire, for instance. Because really, vampires? There's no such thing, right? Because you wouldn't have believe yourselves before tonight, now would ya?  Nope, you sure wouldn't.  Do we understand each other?" Spike glare was just menacing without the glowing eyes and shimmering fangs, and the boys nodded instantly, eyes wide. Spike took a step forward, causing a flurry of panic before him.  The scent of fear perfuming the air was soothing, and Spike's entire posture spoke of menace and danger. He may have been much shorter in stature then the hulking football players before him, but there was no doubt who had the power to instill fear.  "And if any little rumors come floating my way  that you've been spilling your guts about tonight, or are in the least bit threatening to my girl here, well.. Let's just say that they will probably have a hard time identifying your body after I'm through with you. Got it?" He sent them one more hard threatening look, then with a creak of well worn leather and a clomp of his combat boots, Spike turned his back on the wankers who had threatened his Buffy, leaving them with looks of dumbfounded relief on their faces.

    Buffy allowed Spike to grab her hand and pull her out of the alley, calling a "Night boys" over her shoulder at the jocks.  As they walked along,  Buffy couldn't help but stare at Spike with a sappy indulgent smile on her face.

    "What are you bleeding staring at?" Spike finally growled, looking at her out of the corner of his eye.

    "You." Buffy replied, amused. "You're kinda cute, you know that?"

    Spike stopped shock still and turned to look at her.  "Those wankers wanted to do nasty things to you, and now you just stand here and tell me I'm cute?"

    "Spike, hello, Slayer here.  It's not like I couldn't have kicked their asses at any time.  But I liked seeing you all damage bound and protective, you were cute."

    Spike snorted. "S'not cute what they wanted to do to you."

    Buffy took a step forward and raised her hand to gently cup the side of his face, tracing her thumb over the exaggerated curve of his cheekbone, down to his prominent jawbone before allowing the pad of her thumb to gently trace his firm lips.  Unable to help herself, Buffy leaned up slightly and pressed a soft sweet kiss to his tension ridden mouth. "Spike, it's ok. I said YOU were cute, not what they were going to do." Spike opened his mouth to say something, and anticipating the direction of his  thoughts, Buffy silenced him with another drawn out luxurious  kiss, keeping her mouth closed against his, just reveling in the feel of his satiny lips against her own.  "Don't say it" She whispered against his lips. "You don't need to say it. I forgive you."

    She felt him nod his head, and she pulled away, smiling at him.  "Thank you, Spike. For being my knight in shining armor tonight."

    Another snort erupted. "Yeah, some bloody knight I am."

    "You are, you just haven't realized it yet."

    Spike gave her an odd look before a genuine smile graced his face.  Grabbing her hand, he began walking again, this time his steps lighter than they had been.  She humbled him, there was no question.  He knew he didn't deserve her, or what they had been given, but damned if he could walk away.

    "Anyway, now those idiots don't know about me being all SuperGirl, so I owe you big time." Buffy announced, swinging the hand that held hers lightly.  "Of course, it would have been nice to see their faces when a girl whipped their butts. That would have been so priceless." Buffy shrugged. "Oh well, guess there is always next time."

    At the low growl that she heard emanating from Spike, she hastily reassured him, "I was just saying it hypothetical like. Geez Spike, paranoid much?"

    Spike allowed some of the anger to drain from his taunt muscles. Adopting a flippant tone, he remarked, "Gotta protect what's mine, you know."

    His comment was met with silence, which was better than the flat out denial that Spike had been expecting.  He risked a look at her face and found it to be pensive. Maybe she could accept that was his someday, he thought. Maybe I haven't bollixed things all to hell.

    They didn't speak again for some time after that, both lost in their own thoughts. "Wait, home is the other way." Buffy suddenly announced.

    Spike smirked at her. "Yeah, well, I was on my way to the Bronze when I caught your scent.  Your mum cut me loose, said I was driving stark raving bonkers with all of my pacing."

    "Oh really? Hmm.. imagine that.  So where are we going?"

    "The Bronze."

    "But... I just left there, wasn't much fun."

    Spike stopped in the middle of the sidewalk, and pulled Buffy around so that she stood in front of him. He grabbed her hips and drew her flush against him, allowing her pert breasts to smash against his hard  chest, searing him from the outside.  "Yeah, well, that's because I wasn't there."

    Buffy smile lit him up inside.  "True, very true."

    They made good time getting to the Bronze, with no further mishaps or deep conversations along the way.  The  band was still playing and it was more packed then it had been.  As Buffy walked in the doors with Spike's arm around her, it hit her in a flashing bolt of clarity that yep, this was what was missing when she had been there earlier.  Being here with Spike now, she felt complete. She didn't want to dwell on how bizarro that was, or wonder if it was because he claimed her or what, now she just wanted to enjoy the rest of the evening.

    Looking around, she saw that Xander and Willow were still sitting at the same table, and Buffy headed in that direction with Spike in tow.  Willow looked up with a happy smile on her face to see Buffy, getting up and hugging her again.  Willow surprised Spike by offering him a genuine smile of greeting and he nodding his head in acknowledgement. He looked over at Xander's scowling face and smirked.

    "What's the Totally Dead Dude doing here?" Xander complained.

    Buffy threw a dirty look in his direction, and Xander immediately felt chagrined. "He's here because we want to be here, ok Xander?"

    Not expecting an answer, Buffy pointed at a chair for Spike to sit in and he flung himself into it with all of his cocky grace. Buffy was getting ready to sit next to him when he grabbed her and tumbled her onto his waiting lap.  She gave him an exasperated look but didn't make a move to get up. Instead, she leaned back against him and got comfortable. 

tbc...

a/n- this chapter is pretty Xander-centric, just wanted to warn ya! Also sorry about the delay, the words seemed to have deserted me.  Hate it when that happens!!!!

Chapter 16

    Conversation was stilted at first, helped along by the loud music being pumped out of the speakers behind them.  Willow and Xander were on one side of the narrow table, leaving Spike and Buffy on the other.  It was hard to tell where Spike ended and Buffy began, they were so entwined  on the thick wooden chair they were sitting on. Spike had his arms wrapped securely around her middle, and Buffy's head was relaxed comfortably against his shoulder.   This was the first time Willow really had been able  observe Buffy and Spike together, and she had to admit that Spike was totally into her friend.  And not in the freakishly monsterish  sort of way she would have totally expected. All with the  deep penetrating looks, low growls and subtle mind control.  But more of the cuddly boyfriend  kind of way. Each light stroke of Buffy's hair, each gentle graze of full lips that would skim her bare shoulders all pointed to the undeniable fact.  That this way evil vampire liked being with Buffy.  This made Willow happy, her friend had enough bad stuff in her life. She knew Buffy had told her that their relationship was going really good, but Willow hadn't really believed it. Now she did.

    The walled up dam that had been their conversation burst free when Willow began asking about Blake, and Willow could easily see  the affection that Spike had for his son.  He was kinda weird, for a vampire, but Willow  found herself liking  him.

    Even Xander had to admit Spike wasn't as bad  as he had built him up to be. Maybe it had been the cold brutal shock of reality at seeing the two naked together in her bed that had stonewalled Xander's emotions, it was easy to throw the blame in the vampire's court for that one. But now,  he could see plain as day how Buffy reacted to this  dead freak's touch, and it wasn't the trembling with dread kind of reaction.  He had to finally admit it to himself.  Buffy liked Spike.  And shockingly, Spike liked Buffy.  It was right there in front of him, in frank brutal Technicolor.  Still didn't mean he really had to like it though.

    "So, how did you two crazy kids run into each other?" Xander asked in a surprise attempt at pleasant conversation.

    Buffy stiffened slightly, and Spike's grip on her waist tightened in response.  "She walked down the street, I walked up the street, we met in the middle. The end."

    Xander put his hands up as if to ward away the negative energy. "Ok, ok, was just asking. No need to rip my head off."

    Spike arched a perfectly formed eyebrow.  "Trust me, you'll know when I'm ripping your bleeding head off." Buffy gave him a sharp warning look, clearing warning him to behave.

    "Ooo kee.  Now there's a pleasant visual."

    Spike tuned out Buffy's annoying friend and allowed his intense gaze to wander around the dim interior of the Bronze.  This would have been just his scene, lots of pretty  tasty young co-eds just dying for a bit of attention from the Big Bad.  Spike had never had a problem luring potential victims to their deaths. He may not be able to look in a mirror, but he knew he was a right handsome bloke, often using that to his advantage. There weren't many who remained immune to the Big Bad when he set his sights on someone, neither male or female.  Spike sighed heavily, at the realization that those days were now over.   At least for now. All these tasty girls were all safe from him, he wouldn't dare make a move against any of them.  Strangely though, he didn't really feel any tragic  sense of loss, just a` flash of annoyance at being housebroken, something he had never seen coming.

    More rough than he intended, he picked Buffy off of his lap and set her on her feet. At her questioning scowl, he told her he was going to the bar. "Want anything?" he added as an afterthought.

    "Oh, can you get me a mineral water?"

    "I'll go with you." Xander announced, jumping up.  He took Willow's order and pointedly ignored the questioning scowl that was now present on Spike's face.   He was hoping that Spike could buy him a beer at the bar, which was the reason behind the manly beer run.

    Spike was pushing though the dense crowd with  Xander scrambling to keep up.  Damn, Spike had that bad ass routine down to a science, Xander thought.  He could see all kinds of tasty chicks checking out the vampire right and left and felt a burning stab of jealousy. Hey, maybe he could learn some pointers from Spike, because god knew some major help was needed in the love department of Xander-land.  He took a moment to really assess Spike from an almost clinical perspective, not in the I Hate Your Guts perspective he had indulged in since he'd met the vamp. Ok, he had to admit, so maybe Spike was kinda cool, in a 80's reject sort of way. He tried to figure out just what it was that had the girls and not just a few guys swivel  their attention on him as Spike sauntered by.

    Xander decided it was because Spike wore danger like some people wore open friendliness. It just exuded from him, oozing out of every cool pore of his body. The bitchin black leather coat, the spiked hair, the cool scar on his eyebrow, all those things were props that added to the whole picture. Ok fine, so he was totally scary, but he was scary in a cool way and everyone knew that, well, coolness was contagious, right? And suddenly Xander grew a whole new appreciation for the bloodsucker. Maybe he wasn't doomed to a life of being a nerd, of being shoved in lockers for the rest of his life. Maybe if he hung with Spike, that coolness would breed and multiply, with Xander as  the lucky recipient. And then he, Xander, would get the chicks checking him out right and left. Yep, Xander and Spike, the chick magnets. Hey, it was worth a shot, what was the worst thing that could happen? Xander refused to think of fangs sinking deep into his flesh as he called out, "Uh, Spike?"

    "What."

    "Could you maybe, uh, buy me a beer?"

    Spike stopped so suddenly that Xander almost ran into his back. "I'm not bloody buying you anything, you berk. What are you on about?"

    "What? Oh, no, so not what I meant. I mean I give you money, you order me a beer, you give me the beer." Then couldn't help but add, "and my change."

    At the bitter look Spike threw out, Xander back pedaled, his great plan already in jeopardy. "Ok, ok, fine, I'll be the official sponsor of the alcoholic beverage of your choice. Just don't let it be said that the greatness that is Xander doesn't share the wealth, mister."

    Spike gave a curt nod. "Fine. I'll buy your bloody beer." He held his hand out impatiently, grabbing the money that was proffered him, fully intending to keep whatever change he got back.

    "I'm going to go run to the little boys room. I'll be right back."

    A pained look shadowed Spike's features. "The little boys room?" he scoffed.

    "Ok, guess that didn't really make with the macho ness, did it? Fine. I need to go take a squirt, that better? Need to let the ole hose out for a bit of fresh air."

    "Just go to the bloody loo." Spike instructed in a disgusted tone, turning away from the annoying boy and setting off in the direction of the bar. Bloody humans.

    After Xander had relieved his bladder, he was half way to the bar to meet up with Spike when the clear path he had was suddenly blocked. Xander groaned, this was so not his night. He thought he'd already had to deal with these idiots once tonight, but no, here they were. Shouldn't there be a rule against that? Only one taunting per night? For this group before him was the bane of his entire school career, his whole childhood practically had been tainted with their stupid antics. Xander had lost track of how many lockers he had been stuffed in and how many times his books had been knocked out of his laden arms. And how could he forget how many times his lunch tray had been knocked to the ground, to spatter corn and mystery meat all over the floor of the grimy cafeteria. Why couldn't he have run into them AFTER he had drank his illegally obtained beer?  Maybe then he'd be able to face them without feeling that big ole stab of low self esteem rubbing itself in his face.

    "Hey guys."

    "Well, well, if it isn't little Xander Harris. Watcha doing, you little faggot?"

    Xander raised his index finger in protest. "First off, so not a faggot. Although the very fact that you boys are always together, as in closely  together has always made me more than just a tad suspicious." He eyed their furious faces with mock suspicion. "Something you need to be sharing with the class, huh boys?"

    "You're dead meat, Harris," Scott bit out, his alcohol flushed face reddening even more with his growing anger.

    Ok, maybe taunting these meatheads wasn't the smartest thing he'd ever done, Xander conceded as he literally saw his life flash before his eyes.  Why he'd never let Buffy beat these assholes up, he didn't know. It was obvious by the droopy eyes and goofy looks that they had drank a whole lot more than when he'd seen them last. Suddenly he saw a pair of punctures marks on Scott's neck, that caused him to take a step back. Speaking of dead meat...

    Shit. Dead meat didn't flush with anger, did they?

    Scott, in a sudden need to bolster his fear ravaged self confidence back up, reached out to grab Xander by the front of the shirt causing Xander to let loose with a shrill yelp. But before he could find purchase on Xander's obnoxious button down, Scott found his fist engulfed in an unrelenting savage vise. His own yelp rivaled Xander's for shrillness, and Scott found himself looking into furiously cold blue eyes. Ones that no amount of alcohol would make him ever forget.

    "My hand!" Scott yelled, noticing his comrades backing away in unison. The response to his comment was a tighter hold, and even Xander was forced to wince at the sound of crushing bones that seemed deafening even over the steady thump of the latest pop hit coming through  the speakers. 

    Spike's face was cold and barren, lips tightly compressed with anger, eyes flashing with rage. He forced the boy down to his knees, savoring the sweet sounds of his utter agony before he allowed his grip to loosen and finally let his own hand to drop free. Scott began to wail, clutching his mutilated hand to his chest as he stared at Spike in abject terror. Spike fought with everything in him to not let himself loose on this wanker, who deserved to die in a thousands different ways. 

    "Shut the fuck up," Spike snarled. When Scott refused to listen, Spike made as if to grab his hand again and the idiot finally remembered his previous lessons and quieted his hysterical sobs.

    Xander was dumbfounded. What the HELL? He watched as Spike clenched his fists, tipping his head in the air for a brief moment and closed his eyes, his jaw locked with tension. Rage and tightly coiled fury blew off of  the vampire, almost palpable in its intensity and even Xander took a step back before Spike took a deep calming breath. Then he reached to grab one of the bottles he had cradled against his chest and held it out to Xander. "Here's your beer, mate."

    Xander took it from his outstretched hand, the same hand that had just crushed Scott's, probably rendering him useless for football for the rest of his life.  "Thanks, Spike," he surprised himself by saying.

    A bouncer came over and pushed his way through. "What's the problem here?"

    Spike looked in his direction and shook his head. "No problem. A little minor difference in opinion, is all. But we got it all sussed out, right boys?"

    By the menacing look in Spike's eyes, Scott knew it was useless and potentially lethal to say otherwise. "Everything is fine," he managed to bite out, his face pale and diaphoretic from pain.

    The beefy bouncer nodded, then turned away but not before issuing a blanket warning of what would happen if he saw any other signs of impending violence. They all nodded, the other jocks fighting the urge to flee for their lives. They had let Scott talk them into drinking more, all desperately needing courage in a bottle. They  had all sat around bolstering their self confidence back up again, greedily guzzling whatever they could get their hands on. By the time they had entered the Bronze for the second time that evening, they had it in their heads that the vampire was lucky they had let him live, rather than the other way around. Alcohol and stupidity, a lethal combination. In more ways than one. 

    "I need to get to a hospital, you broke my fucking hand," Scott muttered from his position on the floor. He attempted to get up, but Spike was right there.

    "Did I tell you that you could get up?" he said softly, which sounded more dangerous than if he had roared at full volume. When the others attempted to back away again, one brutal look from Spike stilled them from their actions.

    The fear reattached itself with stunning accuracy, the alcohol and their community pep talk deserting them just as quickly as it had taken control, and it didn't escape Xander's notice that these idiots knew exactly what Spike was capable of.  "So, uh, Spike. You know these guys?"

    "We've met," was the cryptic reply Xander got, but he did catch a glimpse of pain beneath the cold fury that was firmly stamped on Spike's face.

    "Wow, lucky you," Xander commented sarcastically, and Spike looked over him, as he arched an cynical eyebrow in response. Xander gave him a tentative smile. This was met with a curt nod of the head from the blonde vamp. 

    "So, how did you get to be so lucky?"

    "Caught these gits trying to rape Buffy," Spike allowed the bitter words to roll off of his tongue, blanching slightly as he said them. He looked over at Xander and caught a glimpse of the horrified look on his face.

    "And you let them live?" Spike was surprised by the coldness and seriousness of the question.

    His lips quirked up in a mockery of a smile. "Yeah. Stupid, eh?"

    "I'll say."  Spike watched as Xander walked up to Scott who had not moved himself from the floor, and leaned into him.  "What, you didn't like that Buffy said no, was that it, Scott? You decided to rape her because she wouldn't dance with you?"  He straightened up and shook his head in disgust. "And here all this time I thought it was Spike that was the monster. Guess I was wrong, wasn't I?"  Xander turned his back on Scott, intentionally kicking his foot back and caught Scott in his injured hand, as he ignored the howls of pain. "Whoops, clumsy me."

    "Come on, Spike, the girls are waiting for their drinks." And with that, a much cooler Xander headed back in the direction of the bar to get Willow and Buffy their drinks. 

    "Remember what I said, all of you. Not a bloody word or Harris and I will pay you a little visit.  Have you ever seen anyone with their penis cut off? If caught in time, I'm told there is a chance for reattachment." He shook his head in wry admiration. "Those transplant teams, amazing work they do. Oh, but hey, no worries. Those  transplantation rules won't apply to you. Kinda hard to transplant your penis after it's been digested, y'no. Something about human stomach acid. Well, the teeth and all the gnashing first does a number on it to begin with."

    Spike looked up and saw his words had the intended affect. There was a tinge of green haunting each one of them, and the other jock Spike had sunk his fangs in made a dash for the bathroom, hand covering his mouth frantically.

    "If you can't bloody handle your liquor, don't' bloody drink it," Spike growled, reaching down to grab Scott by the wrist and hauling him painfully to his feet.  "Get the bloody fuck out of here, I don't want you gits even around my girl. And you can thank her for the reason you're even alive right now. Fact is, I would have torn you to pieces if I didn't know she wouldn't approve." Spike looked over his shoulder as Xander came up with Buffy's mineral water and Willow's coke. "Let's go Harris."

    Spike sent one last penetrating glare, making sure each one of them met his eyes and saw his serious intent. He spun around, a dramatic flurry created by the whirl of  black leather cascading around his legs, and sauntered back confidently in the direction of Buffy. Xander sent his former tormenters his own version of a penetrating glare, then stalked off after Spike. He was sickened by what he had heard, what they had tried to do to Buffy. He mentally slapped himself upside the head, he should have known after Scott and his trained chimps left the Bronze right after Buffy with identical looks of anticipation on their hormone charged faces that they were up to no good. But, after tonight, hopefully the tables were turned and Xander would be a victim from these gimps no more. Or anybody else, Oh no. A happy sentiment butted its way  rudely into his feelings of disgust and anger, realizing that yet one more thing good had come out of Spike. Ok, that so didn't really come out right, Xander thought with a slight cringe. 

    When Xander reached the table he saw Buffy's face light up at the sight of Spike and his welcoming look of adoration and happiness. Ok, mental note to one Xander Harris. Spike plus Buffy just MIGHT equal good. And hey, it couldn't hurt to have another guy around, could it?  It's not like his life was brimming with male bonding opportunities or anything. There was Giles, and Oz, who was ok, but was a bit too mellow for Xander's taste. So.. then there was Spike. Who was cool and had a car. And also the undead father of Buffy's love child. Xander shook his head at the irony. Only on the Hellmouth.

TBC..

chapter 17

    The next few weeks passed by in haze of activity. Summer was beckoning its welcome arms, and Buffy and her friends would be graduating in a few weeks. Teachers had slacked off, kids had shifted gears.  They were on the brink of teetering off the bridge into adulthood, and would soon be shedding their so called teenage life. 

    And then there was the senior prom. 

    Buffy had already decided she wasn't going to go.  It's not like she had lived the life of a normal high school girl, and so not getting to go to her senior prom? No biggie. At least that's what she kept telling herself, keeping up a brave and happy front whenever anybody asked her about it. Some of the kids more nastily than others. It wasn't like she could just ask Spike to go with her. And she knew he would probably have murderous intent if she went with another guy. Not that anybody else had asked, she thought bitterly.  So... no prom for Buffy. How typical.

    Scott and his friends had listened to Spike and had not shared the news that Buffy was dating a monster. But it had not gone unnoticed the fear that struck their eyes when they would pass her in the hall or during class.  Buffy had already been labeled a freak just by being an unwed teenage mother, but add the abnormal reactions of the school's most popular boys and it was a recipe that exalted her to Super Freak status.  She was not immune to the whispers and giggles that went on around her, mostly by that popular crowd that inhabits every high school across the country. A group that she used to be a full fledged member of in her old life in LA. This one was headed by Cordelia and Harmony, and their band of little wannabe followers. It was so irritating. For the most part, she ignored it, but it would still find a way to crawl inside, causing her pain and upset. She knew that the other kids had picked up on her continuous involvement whenever things went a bit wonky. Since they lived in Sunnydale, home to the Hellmouth, this occurred more often than Buffy and Giles would have liked. In true Sunnydale fashion though, these episodes were ignored, or explained away with some bogus story, usually leaving Buffy as the fall guy.  It was just one more thing that she shouldered being the Chosen one.  Or the Super Freak as she was now known as. Life sucked, so not fair, she thought.  People should be kissing her ass, not labeling her a freak. And the guys should be lining up to take her to prom, dammit. Even though the only guy I want to take me is Spike.  So not fair.

    Spike could tell something was wrong with Buffy, she had an almost resolute air about her now that had been growing in severity as time went on.  He knew it wasn't about him, and it wasn't just his ego telling him that. Every gesture and smile Buffy would give him proved over and over that as far as they were concerned, all was right with the world.

      In a bold desperate move that had him questioning his sanity, Spike turned to Xander for help. After that little episode at the Bronze, the whelp wasn't being such a git. Buffy would tease him that Xander had a crush on him but Spike knew the boy was looking for a role model, of sorts.  When Spike saw him in a newly acquired black leather jacket, he knew he had been right, as usual. Usually those who would look up to Spike as  a role model were looking for guidance as to the best way to inflict death and destruction.  To have someone who looked to him as a person, well, Spike wouldn't put a name to how it made him feel.

    So now here he was, the Big Bad, William the Bloody, meeting Xander annoying Harris at the Bronze to discuss Buffy. Without even asking, Spike strode to the bar and brought back two beers, slapping one down in front of Xander, who gave him such a look of wide eyed appreciation. Spike wanted to slap it off his face. 

    "So.. Spike. What's with the cryptic beer sharing invitation?" Xander asked. "Oh god, you're not trying to get me drunk so you can eat me, are you?"

    The black look Spike sent his way had Xander sighing with relief.  "Ok, not so much with the eating part.  Still, what's up?"

    Spike took a moment to answer, deliberately stalling by taking a sip of beer. "It's about Buffy."

    "Ah.  I see. You want to discuss the ways and wiles of women with Xander here." Xander leaned back in his chair and adopted a cocky pose that he'd seen Spike use. "You've come to the right place, my friend."

    The urge to slap Xander's head off was growing stronger. "Right. Well, it's like this, see. Something's bothering her, but she won't tell me what it is."

    "Prom."

    "What?"

    "You asked what was bothering her and I told you. The prom."

    "What the bloody hell is the prom?"

    Xander stared at him in shock. "You're kidding right? You're how old?"  Xander shook his head in pained exaggeration. "You poor bastard.  The senior prom is like the biggest social event that takes place just once in a girl's life.  Buffy has resigned herself to the fact that she's not going."

    "So it's a... party?"

    "No, more like a dance."

    "Buffy's been moping around because of a bloody dance?" The outrage on Spike's face was almost comical.

    Xander nodded his head in feigned sadness. "Yep. Sad but true."

    "Why isn't she going?"

    Xander looked at him like he'd suddenly grown a second head. "You're kidding, right?"  He withstood the withering glare the vampire sent him as long as he could before he buckled under the pressure. "Ok fine.  She doesn't have anyone to go with."

    Spike looked confused. "What's wrong with me?"

    "Hope you don't mind me saying this, but... you're not exactly the prom type."  At the growl he heard coming from Spike, Xander threw up his hands in defense. "Hey! No killing the messenger!  I think Buffy just didn't want to ask you."

    "When is it?"

    "This weekend." 

    Spike nodded thoughtfully. "Ok, right.  Buffy will be going to this bloody prom thing."

    "You are going to take her?"

    "Bloody well right I'm going to take her. Can't believe she's been moping around about something as ridiculous as this."

    "Women, eh?"

     "I need you to put together the, you know, little details. Don't want her to know until the last minute, otherwise she'll come up with something to get out of it, most likely. Some misplaced sense of guilt or some rot."

    Xander couldn't help but smile. "Yeah, you know her pretty good, don't you."

    "Yeah, I do.  So, tell me what I need here." 

    Enlisting the help of Joyce and Willow, as well as Xander's assistance, the plans for Buffy's prom experience were set in motion. Joyce almost burst into tears when Spike told her that he was planning on taking her, knowing full well how upset her daughter had been about it.  Joyce understood Buffy's reasons for assuming that Spike wouldn't be interested in going, because the notion of a 100 plus year old vampire at a dance with hundreds of teenagers didn't quite fit.  But she was glad to see that once again, there was more to Spike than was readily apparent on the harsh surface. 

    Willow and Joyce had picked out a dress for Buffy, using Willow as a living mannequin, adjusting measurements to take into consideration Buffy's slightly more ample frame.  Buffy was so engrossed in her morose feelings that she had no idea these plans were taking place. 

    The day of the prom, Buffy's mood had become downright despondent. The multiple times Spike would question what had crawled up her ass, she replied an unhappy "nothing", giving him a pained look that told him it was anything but. It was all Spike could do to keep up his irritated scowl at her behavior when in reality he wanted to laugh. She was such a little girl in some ways, he would forget until something like this came up. But the way she loved him was all woman, he thought with satisfaction.

    Finally, in the late afternoon, Spike strode into the living room where Buffy was moping on the couch. Blake was taking a nap, and her mom was sitting in the chair next to her.  She looked up at him and managed a small pitiful smile, before turning her attention back to the tv in front of her. Spike went and turned it off.

    "Hey! I was watching that!" Buffy said indignantly.

    "Get your ass up and go take a shower."

    "I don't feel like it."

    "You're going to go take a shower even if I have to go carry you in there and throw you in," Spike threatened.

    Buffy's eyes lit up at that and she opened her mouth to make a lewd remark but then remembered her mom was in the room. Allowing her face to draw back into a pout, she crossed her arms in front of her chest. "I don't wanna."

    Spike exchanged an amused glance with Joyce before putting his hands on his hips and glaring at her. "Fine, don't take a shower. Just thought you'd feel better being clean and all for the prom."

    Buffy looked at him aghast. "What are you talking about?"

    "The prom? You know, your soddin' school dance thing?"

    "But I'm not going," Buffy replied confused.

    "Oh really? Then why do I have these then?" He threw the prom tickets at her and watched as she looked at them in shock, then looked at him, then over at her mom before looking back at the tickets, disbelief frozen on her face.

    "I'm going to the prom?" she asked softly.

    "That's what I'm trying to tell you, luv. Course if you don't want to take a bloody shower, don't on my account. I just have this enhanced sense of smell thing going, no need to be bothered by that."

    The teasing words had barely left his mouth before he had an armful of slayer wrapped tightly around him. "Thank you thank you thank you," she whispered over and over, tears of happiness crowding her eyes.

    Joyce just sat there and watched how happy this had made Buffy and marveled at how strange life was. The very fact that Spike had even noticed something was bothering Buffy, then going out of his way to find out what was causing it... Well, he had turned into quite a surprise. He had even insisted on funding the whole thing, which Joyce's bank account appreciated.  It had come as a shock when Spike had finally admitted he had money, almost as if he was embarrassed by it. Maybe because it had  not been obtained in evil nefarious ways, almost as if it offended his demonic nature.  Apparently, once upon a time, the man who used to be known as William came from a wealthy family and since he was the only heir, the money came to him. That may not have occurred through entirely legal means, since William technically was dead and had been for over 100 years, but Spike had never touched it. Joyce knew better than to question the reasons too closely, but appreciated him using it now.

    When Spike looked over at Joyce and saw her face full of gratitude, he beat a hasty escape. The tender emotions flowing through the room were making him nauseous. He was evil, for Christ's sake. Yet that didn't seem to stop the glimmer of satisfaction that he'd done something to make Buffy happy.

    The hours that followed were almost torturous for Spike, who was well versed in what actual torture entailed. Red had come over and the two girls had embraced a ritual so archaic, it made Spike cringe. There was primping and giggling and doors slammed in his face. It seemed to be unending.

    Willow's other half, Oz, showed up at some point, providing a welcome distraction for the vampire who was attempting to watch TV with his son, who had also been kicked out of the primping party. The three sat and watched Blake's favorite show, Veggie Tales.

    "This is just...wrong," Oz commented at one point, as he watched the singing vegetables.

    "I ought to find the bastards who put this show on and kill them. Slowly," Spike replied.

    "Wait for the next full moon and I'll help."

    Spike took that into consideration and nodded.  "The worst part is, these songs sneak your brain and before you know it, you're singing 'em. You'll be walking down the bloody street, and all of a sudden, you realize you are singing about broccoli and celery. It's bloody terrifying."

    "I can see that."

    Spike had refused to wear a tuxedo, instead was wearing a pair of black dress pants and a black silk shirt with a blood red tie to compliment the outfit. His hair was styled a bit different, thanks to Joyce, and Spike found himself asking Oz if it looked ok.

    "She didn't do anything real nasty to it, did she?"

    Oz tipped his head to study the vampire before him. "Nah. Looks good."  Silence followed that comment, and Spike reflected how bloody bizarre this was.  And yet, again it didn't feel wrong. He liked this boy, Oz. He had a bit of a demon in him himself, so they had that little bit in common. And yet, he was finding Xander a bit of all right as well. 

     Bloody ridiculous.   

    Finally, the girls came down the stairs and Spike came to the immediate conclusion that  the time had been well spent. Buffy looked amazing. She glowed, she radiated and any other poncy words he could come up with. She was wearing a strapless red prom dress the color of Spike's tie, the color complimenting her blonde tanned looks to perfection. When Joyce forced them together for pictures, it became very clear that they were quite the attractive couple. For Buffy's sake, Joyce hoped that Buffy would gain back some of the confidence that had been lost and self-sacrificed since she'd became the slayer. Joyce was quite sure there would be more than one envious girl when they got a look at Spike. She almost wished she could be a fly on the wall, but would have to trust Mr. Giles to fill her in, knowing he was acting as a chaperone this evening.

    Xander arrived with his date and the limo. Spike was introduced to Anya who didn't smell entirely human herself. Buffy whispered ex vengeance demon and Spike nodded, thus clearing up the mystery. Interesting little group of mates the Slayer had.

    After a few tears from Joyce that had increased Spike's queasiness factor and more pictures, they finally left the Summers house. Spike snorted in derision as he climbed in the back of the limo.  William the Bloody going to a bloody high school dance.  He would have said how the mighty had fallen except for the fact he hadn't fallen.  Except in love. Bloody hell, that sure snuck in there a bit too easily. He was saved from having to follow that thought around the bend by his enhanced sense of hearing picking up a familiar tune.

    "Veggie tales, veggiiiieee tallllesss.." He heard Oz singing under his breath.  He locked eyes on the werewolf and smirked.

    "Told ya it bloody takes your brain over."

    Oz have him a horrified look as he realized exactly what he had been singing, causing a chuckle from Spike. "Dude, that show is seriously messed up."

    Spike just nodded, relieved to find he wasn't the only who had succumbed to its bewitching wiles.

     The other occupants of the limo looked confused and neither male made a move to enlighten them. Some things were just better left unexplained, and this was one of them. Spike just passed around his flask, snickering as Xander bravely tried to act like the strong alcohol had no affect on him. However it was near impossible to hide the muted choking from someone with supernatural hearing, and Spike just offered him a knowing smirk. It didn't stop Xander from taking the flask when it came back his way though, and Spike gave him a measuring glance. The boy did all right the second time. 

    His date was strange. Willow and Buffy tried to involve Anya in the conversation, but she had a wacky way of saying things that seemed to alienate herself without too much effort. 

    "I'm not used to being human, dammit. It shouldn't be this hard," Anya finally complained.

    "I hear ya," Spike commiserated as he handed her the flask. When he saw her tip it back and give it a healthy whirl without batting an eye, he threw his head back and laughed. "Interesting little bird you picked up, Xander."

    Xander felt his own apprehension about his forced date ease at Spike's backhanded compliment. "Yeah, she kind of grows on you, doesn't she?"

    "What are you talking about? Why doesn't anybody just say what they mean? I hate this place," Anya grumbled.

    "You're doing fine, pet. Give it a chance. Never know, you might come to like it," Spike found himself saying, realizing  how true it was.

    Soon, the limo pulled up into what looked like a virtual grandiose piano keyboard of ebony and ivory as limos competed with each other for space. Their occupants poured out en masse, in all colors and sizes. 

    It was with a sardonic grin that Spike surveyed this scene in front of him as he helped Buffy out of the limo.  "Well well. So this is a prom."

    Buffy looked up at the tone of his voice and narrowed his eyes. "Be good, do you hear me?"

    He allowed his leering eyes to travel the length of her body, letting it linger on certain parts that he knew would get her going. His leer turned into full blown lust as he said, "Or what?"

    Buffy felt her body respond to his penetrating gaze, her pulse quickened and her breath came faster as she drew herself up to ward him off.  "Or.. or.. gah! I don't know. But trust me, it won't be pleasant, mister."

    Spike leaned towards Buffy and whispered in ear, "Is that a promise, luv?"

    The gravely intent of his voice caused her eyes to glaze over and she knew she was treating Spike to just how much he affected her by mere scent alone. They stood there staring at each other, inches apart but Spike could feel her heat touching him, reaching into him as if she were physically touching him. The intensity of their regard was beginning to smolder into full blown desire and they both began closing the distance between them.

    "Hey, come on!  Like you can't do that when you get home?" Xander complained loudly right in front of them. "Lucky bastards," he added beneath his breath.

    That served to break the spell that had been cast and Spike and Buffy gave each other an amused smile before turning to the others. "I believe you have forgotten that I'm evil, Harris. Might want to keep that in mind, you git."

    "Yeah yeah. You scare me all right," Xander replied as they got in line with the other new comers and headed into the gymnasium for the Senior Prom.

TBC..

Chapter 18

    Spike and Buffy walked in behind Willow and Oz; Anya and Xander having taken an unknown detour before they had hit the double doors. Spike took a look around him, cringing as he took in the obscene amount of crepe paper, cardboard and doilies  that littered the joint. What the bloody fuck was this supposed to be? A glittering sign over the far wall gave him a hint. A Night in bloody Paris?  There was nothing that resembled Paris whatsoever that Spike could make out, just a truly distastefully decorated room.  

    He did note all sorts of gits puffed up and pimply in rented tuxedos with giggling dates by their sides. It was absolutely bloody ridiculous. But it also made his girl happy, so for that, he would sit and endure. And try to disregard the sheer volume of potential victims filing into the gaudy room. A strenuous effort was made to ignore the heady call of the mass amounts of fresh, youthful blood. Christ, it was deafening, even over the pulsing crap that the borrowed speakers were currently spewing. Pure exquisite torture, this was. Spike had intentionally raided the fridge and gorged himself on pigs blood in anticipation of feeling a bit of extra bloodlust tonight.  Feel it? Yes. Act on it? No. 

    They found a table to sit at and watched as people paraded through the cardboard Eiffel Tower that loomed menacingly over the door. Willow and Oz went to find Xander and Anya, which left the vampire and slayer alone at the table. Spike must have had a hungry look on his face because Buffy  leaned over and whispered, "Don't even think of eating anyone tonight. These are my friends." A slightly sad and thoughtful look came over her face. "Ok, maybe not friends so much, but they are my classmates."

    Spike gave her a pained look. "Have I given you cause to worry since I've been with you?"

    Buffy shook her head slowly. He was right, he hadn't. They had never even talked about it, Spike had just taken it upon himself to keep himself stocked up with pigs bloods, never being Mr Complainy Guy. Well, maybe a few snide comments here and there, but that was just Spike. He had just rearranged and gone against his entire nature for the sake of her and their son.  That's all. No big. And to be honest, she had just taken it for granted.

    But now seeing the way his hungry eyes were sweeping the crowds, she tried looking at it from his point of view. All these young girls with their little up-do's and their bared necks. The slight hint of sex in the air. It must be quite a tempting array of food for a vampire. Suddenly she was stuck with a high degree of guiltage. And the fact that she willingly brought someone to her prom who had no qualms over killing, doing so as a means to survive didn't help the guilt meter any.

    "Is your, uh, stomach making with the rumblies?"

    Spike pulled away and looked down at Buffy curiously. "Don't have to worry about me, luv. Told ya, not going to go eat your chums. Ate before I came."

    Buffy let out a sigh of brief sigh of relief. "Ok, good. Because this is me with the guilt here."

    "I'm ok."

    "Well still. If things get too bad, will you let me know?"

    Spike grabbed her hand and gave it a gentle reassuring squeeze. "Buffy, I'll be ok."  He took the opportunity to look around again.  "So. What exactly does one do at the Prom?"

    Buffy gave him a teasing smile, trailing her index finger slowly up his arm. "Well. They drink punch. They eat little appetizer thingies. There's even been known to be a little dancing going on."

    "Sounds like a soddin rip roaring time to be had. Ok, let's take care of those first two things, then we'll get to the dancing."

    "You want to dance?" Buffy couldn't help the surprise in her voice.

    "If it means I can have my hands on you, then yeah." He got to his feet and looked down at Buffy. "I'll go get you something to drink. Be right back." Swooping down, he crushed his lips to hers before heading for the refreshment table. 

    Standing behind the table, he saw Buffy's Watcher and an amused smirk came over Spike's face. "Well, Rupert. Don't you make quite the dashing picture."

    Giles shifted uncomfortably in his tuxedo and gave Spike a nasty look. "I don't think you are in any position to cast stones, Spike."

    Spike shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly. "Doesn't bother me any. I always cut a dashing picture." Spike ignored the look of disgust that was tossed his way as he filled a cup full of some fruity concoction from the huge bowl on the well laden refreshment table. Taking a quick whiff, he turned his nose up. "This spill doesn't have a lick of alcohol in it. Bloody waste, if you ask me."

    "This is a high school dance, Spike. We try not to encourage alcoholism in our students."

    "Won't hurt 'em to loosen up and have a good time."

    "I hope you are not planning on spiking the punch, er..Spike."

    The look of outrage that flooded Spike's face was almost comical. "I'm not bloody wasting my stash on a bunch of zit faced morons!" Then he added as an afterthought, "Why? You want some, Rupert?"

    The temptation was clearly there, Spike thought with amusement. "Perhaps later, Spike. If this event gets any worse, I fear it may lead in that direction."

    "Right."  Spike nodded with understanding. He turned his back on the Watcher and surveyed the crowd. He noticed that he was the object of scrutiny from various directions. With a scowl, he turned back to Giles.

    "So do you know why this was so bloody important to your Slayer?"

    "I can only assume it was in defiance to her calling  and all that she has had to sacrifice over the years," Giles surmised.

    From across the room, Cordelia and her little band of wannabe Cordettes were studying the room to get the sitch on the party goers.

    "Oh my god, look at Mary Katherine. Is that dress supposed to be flattering?" Harmony observed, her tone loud and disbelieving.

    "Uh, hello. I think someone needs to go over there and give her the 411 on appropriate prom attire. Last I knew, muumuu's weren't on the list," Cordelia revealed in a snotty tone.  "But when you wear a size 50XXX, I guess your choices might be a bit limited."

    There was a tittering that accompanied Cordelia's cruel remark as the group roved hungry eyes over the crowd for their next target. "OH MY GOD." Cordelia squealed, eyes big with exaggeration. "Check out the major piece of hot meat at the grub table. Who is THAT?"

     Six pairs of eyes were immediately drawn across the room where Spike and Giles were engaged in conversation.  "I don't know," Harmony admitted wistfully, "but that is one fine side of bacon. Major drool worthy. I just wish he'd turn around though."

    "I wonder who he's with," Cindy pondered.

    Cordelia gave the other a girl a look of disdain. "Please. It so doesn't matter who he's with. Because he'll be leaving with me." Her face gleamed with decisive mischief.

    "What about Scott?" Harmony asked.

    Cordelia shrugged.  "He just can't compare to that piece of salty goodness over there. Come on baby, turn around. Let's get a look at your face. Come on...."

    As if on cue, Spike turned around to gaze over the crowd. He could feel the keen inspection from across the room and snorted with derision when he saw the pack of she-wolves making 'come-hither' eyes in his direction.  Stupid bints. Like they could ever even hope to compete with his Buffy.

    Harmony almost fell out of her chair when presented with the full frontal onslaught of the guy talking to the freaky librarian.  "Ok, now words cannot even describe the fineness that is that guy. Can we just say HELLO."

    Cordelia and friends nodded enthusiastically in agreement. Cordelia stood with determination, a competitive glitter shining brightly in her eyes. Her friends eyed her with more than a hint of envy. Their friend had spent copious amounts of money to  look her best tonight and it had been money well spent. Cordelia looked amazing.

    "Watch me and learn, girls." she called back and with confidence in excess, Cordelia glided across the room towards her intended prey. The fact that he was obviously here with someone from her school made no difference. She was the hunter and he was her just reward.

    Spike was just turning to return to Buffy when a stunning brunette sidled up to him. 

    "Hi," the girl greeted, her body language informing him exactly what her intentions were.

    " 'ello," he replied, finding himself amused.

    " I'm Cordelia. I was sitting over there." She gestured across the room where her friends were watching with avid interest. Cordelia took a step closer, invading his personal space. " And you looked a little lonely and so I thought I'd save you and treat you to a dance."

    Spike offered her a polite bored smile. "No thanks. I'm here with someone."

    Cordelia looked up at him coyly through her eyelashes, practically melting at the sexy timber of his accented voice.  "So am I. Doesn't mean we can't enjoy a little dancing, does it?"

    Spike's eyes hardened a fraction."Yeah, actually it does." Turning his back on her, he walked away from her, practically feeling the searing heat of her glare. 'Stupid girl has a lot to learn', he thought bitterly. He wouldn't even let his thoughts wander to the good ole days when a girl like that would have been his dinner in a heartbeat.

    Cordelia could feel the rage pour through her at being dismissed so curtly. How dare he? She was the most popular girl in school, he should be... GRATEFUL for the attention, dammit!!  Giving in to the urge, she stomped her foot in a juvenile display of anger.  Cordelia watched the bastard make his way through the now crowded room, weaving his way in and out, waiting to see who he zeroed in on.

    Cordelia's jaw dropped with shock as she watched him stop at a table and set the punch in front of someone. BUFFY??? That guy was with BUFFY???  In what alternate reality does the hottest guy Cordelia had ever seen choose Buffy Super Freak Summers over HER???? That so did not just happen!

    Cordelia stomped back to her table, brushing aside the outraged comments. She was way beyond pissed here. Scott chose that moment to return to Cordelia's side.  He and his buddies had snuck into the locker room to indulge in a little liquid refreshment and he was feeling no pain. His favorite state to be in these days.

    "Where have you been?" Cordelia snapped.

    Scott just grinned at her, then grabbed her hand and pulled her towards the dance floor. Cordelia let herself be manhandled, it would do that totally hot guy good to see her dancing with someone, she thought. Maybe if he saw her with another guy, he would ditch Buffy. It was flawed logic, but Cordelia was furious and her brain had stopped sending signals to the rest of her. She was acting on pure emotions and hormones.

+++++++++

    Buffy sipped the punch, finding it too sweet for any thirst quenching capabilities, but it tasted good. When she set it down, Spike asked, "You ready for plan two, luv?"

    At Buffy's puzzled look, Spike got to his feet in a fluid sinuous move and pulled her up. "Dancing, pet. You did say that is what you do at a prom."

    "You two kids going to boogie down on the dance floor?" Xander asked.

    "Yep. I'm all for a bit of the boogie right about now," Buffy replied with a smile of anticipation.

    Spike didn't reply, just hauled Buffy away in the direction of the dance floor. Xander watched Buffy being dragged by the impatient vamp and sighed in mock exaggeration. "That Spike. Always a go getter."

    Sitting down at the table that was just vacated, Anya announced, "Spike is very different. He's a vampire. They are supposed to kill people. Instead he goes to the prom. "

    Her volume was of concern, and Xander found himself looking around cautiously to see if anyone had heard his date's blunt remarks. "Ok, Anya. Here's how things work in Sunnydale. We do an X-Files and Deny Everything and that includes the existence of vampires. Cos just gotta say, people really don't want to know. "

    Anya looked confused. "But that's ridiculous. You know he is a vampire. Your friend is sleeping with a vampire. Why would you try to deny that?"

    Xander turned a helpless look to Willow and Oz. Willow merely shrugged. "The world is a wacky place, Anya. Nothing is as it should be."

    "This place sucks."

    "Aw, cheer up, Anya.  Look, even Spike likes it now. Maybe you should give it a try," Willow tried being supportive.

    Anya looked unconvinced. "I suppose I could try."  Xander was looking more and more uncomfortable the longer Anya spoke.  He had a choice of prom dates. Anya or........ Anya.  Not wanting to go alone, he accepted her invitation, and was now in the throes of regret.

    On the dance floor, a slow song was crooning over the borrowed speakers, the sound echoing slightly in the large gym. Spike and Buffy were pressed as close as two people could be, her arms wrapped around his neck to further cement herself against his lean frame. Spike had his hands dangerously close to her ass and he could sense the disproving looks he was getting from various authority figures stationed strategically around the room.

    "What's with the bloody hands police?"

    Buffy giggled, a sound that sent a shiver of delight through Spike. "Don't think they want the students doing the grope-age  thing on the dance floor."

    Spike snorted. "Tough shit."

    "Yeah." Buffy sighed as her eyes slid shut and she pressed her face against his solid chest comfortably, the soft silk of his shirt cool beneath her cheek. Now this was a tiny slice of heaven, she thought, being in Spike's arms, feeling his gentle guidance to the lulling tune being played.

    "Wow, Buffy. I'm just curious where you found this guy. Escort service, perhaps?" A snide slightly metallic voice intruded on Buffy's happy moment and her eyes opened against her will. Cordelia. Gee, big surprise there.

    It took a moment for her date to identify who Cordelia was talking to, but when Scott managed to put it together, his face immediately contorted with fear. While that should have made Buffy smug, now it just served to piss her  off

    "What do you want Cordelia?" Buffy asked in a weary tone.

    "I just want to know where you found this guy, is all." Cordelia ignored Scott's frantic attempts to draw her away, just pushed herself from his side. "Because he is so obviously way out of your league."

      That was it. Buffy was so not putting up with any of Cordelia's snide shit on her happy night. "Oh wait, don't tell me, let me guess. Out of my league and into yours?"

    Cordelia's smile was sly wickedness and pure intent. Spike gave the girl a look of disgust. "Buffy outclasses you in every way.  Oh and you better attend to your little lap dog there, he's looking a bit queasy."  Spike drilled his eyes into Scott's wide ones. "And do be careful leaving tonight. You never know what sort of nasties might await you."

    With that last parting remark, Scott grabbed Cordelia's arm and pulled her away, ignoring her shrieking outrage. Spike pulled Buffy back into his arms and murmured, "Now where were we?"

tbc.....

Cold Lovin Chapter 19

    The rest of the evening passed without further mishap; a blur of punch that was too sweet, bad music and bad decor. The more time Spike spent in the company of Buffy's schoolmates, the more he wanted to rip the throats out of at least half of them. It had become painfully clear to Spike how much Buffy had endured over the last few years. Her time as the Slayer with a mix of unwed teenage motherhood thrown in had caused Buffy to become a joke among her peers. The whispered comments and snotty looks alone were enough to clue Spike in, without Rupert and the others giving him the full story. As someone who had been on the outskirts of society as a human, the rage he felt on Buffy's behalf was almost crushing. What pained him the most was seeing how Buffy just accepted it. Like it was her lot in life to bear. 

    It maddened him.

    After several hours of Spike being at war with his rage, Buffy misinterpreted his increasingly distressed mood. Gruffly, Spike pulled out of the  gaudy gym and told her it was time to go. She didn't argue, she had absorbed more than enough prom goodness to last her and she was wondering what had brought on Spike's  increasingly dark mood. 

    "Are you mad at me?" she asked suddenly.

    He jerked his head around to look at her. "Bloody hell, no."

    The tension in her body eased and she smiled. "So what's with the bad moodies?"

    "Didn't care too much for your school mates, is all. Bloody blind bunch of sods."

    Buffy nodded in agreement, and reached over to take Spike's hand. With a sharp tug, she found herself settled in his lap. "Seatbelt law? Look into it," she teased.

    He shrugged. "You've got supernatural healing, I'm immortal. Think we'll do just fine."

    Buffy didn't even think of the fact that they had left without the others until the limo pulled up into the circular drive of the Sunnydale Hilton, the most plush hotel the town had to offer.

    "Why are we stopping here?"

    Spike sent her a smirk. "Phase three, luv."

    "Huh?"

    "Party all night in a hotel, breakfast the next morning?" At Buffy's baffled look, Spike tsk'd mockingly. "Now, now, luv. I'm told it's quite a time honored prom tradition." Their chauffeur opened the door and Spike exited the limo in one graceful effort. He turned around to help Buffy extricate herself from the backseat. 

    "Ta, mate." Spike said to the driver, slipping a wad of bills into the discreetly waiting palm.  "If you could return to the school and take the others where they want to go, it'd be appreciated."

    The chauffeur tipped his black hat in their direction.  "Of course. Thank you, sir. It's been a pleasure serving you."

    Spike nodded and smiled over at Buffy who was looking at him curiously. This suave debonair side of Spike was a bit shocking. He actually had... MANNERS. "Ready, pet?"

    They entered the automatic double doors of the hotel to find the lobby a stream of motion,  a thick mass  of kids in evening wear waiting at the registration desk. An apparent lack of staff on duty was clearly evident by the long lines and irritated looks.  Buffy's face suddenly fell. "Guess it'll take us a while to get checked in."

    Spike raked his gaze over her, smirking at the adorable petulant look on her face.  "Already all check in," he announced, holding up a key card as he ushered her toward the elevator.

    "Wow, aren't you Mr. Resourceful Guy," Buffy teased as the doors closed behind them.

    His gaze turned heated. "Oh, you'll be seeing resourceful, all right."

    Buffy offered him a coy smile. "Promise?"

    A low sensual growl was Buffy's only response, sending a flash of desire straight through her. The door opened on their floor, and Spike grabbed her hand and dragged her out. "Hey, Impatient Guy, I'm wearing  some serious heels here," Buffy complained.

    "Take 'em off, then." He shot back over his shoulder, causing Buffy to roll her eyes. A few doors  down the well lit opulent hall, he stopped and shoved a key card in. When the light was green, Spike pushed open the door and hauled her inside after him.  Buffy was just about to tease him about being an eager vamp when she caught the look in his eyes. Oh god, it almost brought her to her knees.  The burning desire shooting back at her was overwhelming, and she was lost in his gaze.

    With an impatient growl, Spike charged her and slammed her again the wall, gripping her wrists up above her head with one hand.  His darkened eyes hungrily raked down her body. "Fuck, you're beautiful," He murmured. 

    He had yet to touch her with his body, his hand holding her wrists in place the only physical contact and every fiber, every cell in her body screamed out for the hard body that was just inches away.

    "What's gotten into you?" she mused, licking her lips in anticipation.

    Spike watched the pink tongue dart out to moisten the luscious lower lip and groaned, dipping his head down to capture that beckoning lip between his teeth. Sucking gently, he let it escape before plunging his tongue into her waiting mouth, finally closing the distance between their bodies. He ground the lean hardness of his form into her softness, and Buffy yanked her wrists from their steely imprisonment.  Spike backed his head away slightly and looked at her with slight displeasure, giving her a barely inaudible warning growl. Buffy smiled sweetly at him and allowed her arms to snake around his neck, bringing his face back to hers.

    With a growl now thick with desire, Spike smashed up against her, effectively imprisoning her against his unyielding body and the unforgiving wall behind her. Reaching up to take out the clip, he watched as her honeyed tresses fell and arranged themselves around her shoulders, thus ruining the sophisticated image she had worked so hard to create. His manner had suddenly turned intense, almost pensive, and Buffy decided to wait him out. Rolling a soft golden lock between his thumb and forefinger, he brought it to his nose and inhaled deeply, closing his eyes in what Buffy could only describe as a look of pure bliss.  She'd come to find out that vampires had weird ideas of what turned them on, and the whole smell thing was one of them.

    "Bloody drove me crazy to see how those little prats at your school treat you," he finally admitted, gazing deep into her eyes.

    His admission stunned Buffy. "I'm kinda used to it." she said softly, reaching up and cupping his cheek.

    "You're bloody amazing and they have no idea."

    Buffy's face erupted with pleasure at his compliment. "Well, I got to see you put Cordelia in her place, so my night was complete."

    Spike gave a derisive snort and moved his hands to her hips. He leaned in to blaze a trail of kisses over her jaw, down the side of her neck, giving a small hiss of delight as she leaned her head to the side to provide him with more room to maneuver. She would never have any idea of what that meant to him, that trusting move.

    "As much as I love you in this dress, I can't wait to see you bloody out of it," he whispered, his voice caressing like fine silk against her sensitive skin.

    "Zipper. In back." Words were beyond her, intense desire taking control. She felt his hands slide around her back, practiced hands locating the zipper and drawing it down before she found it pooled at her ankles. Stepping out of it, she kicked it aside, not giving any thought to the hefty price tag that had been paid for it. "Bed. Now."

    Spike nodded his consent, already threatening to burst the zipper on his dress slacks. He picked her up, allowing her to wrap her silk clad legs around his waist and backed them up to the huge king size bed that was situated in the middle of the room.  Depositing her on the edge, he took a step back to free his painful cock from its prison. He gave a tortured groan when he saw Buffy wearing a strapless satin red bra with matching panties. But the clincher was the black garter belt  that were holding up a pair of red hose stockings. Black and red, his favorite colors. She looked like an innocent school girl playing bad girl in the get up, and he was almost startled by the sudden surge of desire that flooded him.

    "Where did you ahold of that get up?" His voice came out strangled as he fumbled at his pants.

    Buffy delivered a wicked smile, feeling a sense of power at the strength of his reaction to her new lingerie. She looked down at herself, trailing a finger over one breast, down her stomach then under the waistband of the thong backed panties. "Oh this? Mom," she replied, her delivery innocent.

    "Your bloody MOTHER gave you that?"

    Buffy nodded. "You like it?"

    "Luv, I liked it any better, I'd be squirting all over myself." He didn't think Buffy realized that Joyce actually got the sexy get up for him, probably to reward him for his unselfish behavior tonight. That Joyce. Thoughtful woman, he decided, not for the first time.

    "Ok, so not the visual I need," Buffy commented drying. She watched with avid interest as Spike slipped his shirt off of his shoulders, adding it to the growing pile on the floor.  She could watch him all night, the way his sleek muscles twisted and contracted under that perfect skin. Skin she couldn't wait to get her hands on.

    "Are you about finished yet?" The words had barely left her mouth before she found herself knocked onto her back, completely pinned to the bed by the man on top of her. 

    "Yep," he drawled, leaning down and licking a trail from her collarbone to her earlobe, causing Buffy to suck in her breath. "Like that do you?" he murmured as he repeated the action. 

    "You're squashing me," she complained trying to buck him off.  That only served to stimulate parts of him that were already well stimulated and he gave a deep groan which caused Buffy to smile.

    "You're the slayer, you can take it," he told her, but took some of the weight off of her anyway. Burying his head into the crook of her neck, he worshipped it with his tongue and lips before turning to the other side. Buffy was dizzy with desire, arching up against him as he trailed lower. "Let's get you out of this thing." In mere seconds, her breasts were bared for his onslaught.  Wasting no time, he slid the tip of one firm peak into his mouth and pulled lightly, running his tongue along the rosy nipple. His hand found its way down between her legs, pushing aside her panties where his finger slipped through her wet folds.  Buffy practically arched off the bed right there when his finger flicked over her clit, Spike held her down, not letting her escape his pleasured torture.

    When his mouth moved to her other firm mound, his tongue mimicking the same licking sucking treatment, Buffy felt the orgasm take her over as the world faded away to be replaced by pure pleasure, if only for a few seconds, before she drifted back to find Spike still stroking her with a satisfied smirk on his face.  "That didn't take you long," he commented smugly.

    Buffy felt too good to lower herself to roll her eyes in his direction, she just held her arms out to him. "Come here."

      He slid up her body, trailing his rigid cock against her sensitive skin as he went.  Brushing the hair off her face, he leaned down to press a tender kiss to her lips. "You're so amazing," he whispered.

    "No, you're the amazing one." Buffy argued, smiling softly at him. "And now it's time for that reward we talked about."

    Confusion entered the blue eyes above her. "Thought that's what we were doing here, luv."

    Buffy shook her head. "No, we're making love.  This is a reward." With that said, Buffy pushed the few stray hairs off of her neck and tipped it to the side, offering the pale elegant column to the vampire above her. A feast for him to consume, given willingly.

    "You want me to.. bite you?" he asked gently, afraid of saying the wrong thing or using the wrong tone in case she changed her mind.

    "Yes," came the soft but decisive reply. There was no need for warning or threats, this was the mother of his child. He would do her no harm, and they both knew it.

    "Oh... Buffy," he sighed, emotion welling up inside of him, thick and strong. Emotions that shouldn't be there, that didn't belong in the body of a demon, yet lived within him all the same. Leaning down, he noticed she had her eyes closed in anticipation and he licked another wet path down the thin sensitive skin. The pulsing blue river just below the soft surface called to him and he felt his features change. He heard her sharp intake of breath at the feel of the sharp ridges emerging against her delicate skin and let his now razor sharp teeth sink into her neck before she changed her mind.

    She tensed at the initial violation, then relaxed under him, allowing her eyes to flutter closed again. It was only then that Spike let the first sip of thick sweet blood pool into his mouth, moaning in ecstasy at this willingly given treat of Slayer's blood. His Slayer. Unbidden, he began to thrust his erection against her hip as he took slow measured pulls, determined to make this treat last as long as he could without endangering Buffy.

    When he felt her pelvis grinding against his and the wafting perfume of arousal clouding his already heightened senses, he reached down between them and grabbed his cock, slowly guiding it to her slick entrance, his movements slow and questioning. She'd already given him so much, he didn't want to ruin things now.  He pushed aside her panties so there would be no doubt of his intentions.

    He nearly came right there when he heard Buffy's moan of pleasure, and he introduced the swollen head of his shaft into her welcoming channel. Slowly, with more restraint than he knew he possessed, he pushed himself into her, inch by agonizing inch, giving her time to protest. Her gift had been her blood. It hadn't been for blood and sex, and Spike had no desire to cause her any further distress. 

    When he was fully sheathed inside of her, he stopped, and was rewarded by a low panting moan from the girl he was now invading with cock and fang. "Oh my god, Spike. Feels incredible, don't stop."

    Those were the words Spike needed to hear as he withdrew from her heat before plunging himself back in. He felt her wrap her strong legs around his waist, allowing him even deeper access inside her, and he removed his fangs from her throat. The thought of tearing her delightful skin and causing her pain made him sick, and a brief memory of  their first time together flickered through his mind.  Thrusting it aside, he focused his attention on causing a web of pleasure in the writhing girl under him, rather than the web of fear of two years ago.

    With the tip of  his tongue, he kept the holes open, allowing her blood to flow freely into his waiting mouth. With each swallow, he noticed the shiver of desire that went through Buffy, and he increased the suction.

    Buffy was suddenly reminded of a totally lame and cheesy movie  she had watched with her mom, Barbarella.  In it, Jane Fonda got tortured with an orgasm machine.  That's what Buffy felt like now. She was  Jane Fonda in Barbarella. Every time Spike would suck on her neck, it sent a little mini orgasm straight through her, all the while building up to something... big.  She could feel it spooling up in the pit of her stomach, a dull ache  spreading through her lower abdomen until it focused almost painfully at her center. She could feel Spike thrusting in and out of her, his large girth stretching and filling her until she didn't even know where she ended and he began. Meeting his thrusts enthusiastically, she fleetingly thought this was the most intense thing she had ever felt.

    Then it happened. Even though she knew she was close, it still managed to sneak up on her. As if a volcano of molten lava suddenly blew from the pressure, Buffy felt her body turn completely numb for just a second only to be replaced with such mind numbing pleasure, all she could do was scream helplessly and clutch Spike desperately, as her body spasmed and keened in a way it had never done before. It was huge, it was epic.

    Allowing his demon to hide, Spike followed Buffy into a virtual wonderland of sensation, spurting thick ropes of milky semen deep inside her.  His orgasm wasn't the earth shattering release that Buffy's had been, but it had been close.  With each jerk of his body, he felt himself connected to her.

    Collapsing on top of Buffy, careful not to crush her, Spike made sure the wounds on her neck had closed before closing his eyes in exhaustion and pulling her close.

    "You ok?" he asked gruffly.

    "That was..... wow," Buffy admitted with a small smile playing on her face.

    Spike snickered. "Yeah, it was at that.

    "Should we call and check up on Blake?" Guilt began seeping into Buffy's ingrained sense of responsibility, reality intruding rudely behind.

    Spike opened his eyes and looked at her like she was daft. "Hell no. It's past midnight. Your mum and the boy are well asleep. Your mum knows where to find us if she needs us."
 
   

    Buffy nodded and sighed in contentment, snuggling against Spike, completely happy and totally unfreaked by Spike having bit her again. It was so different than the other times he‘d done it. Before it had been all about Spike’s demon asserting pain and dominance.This had been about connection, reward and pleasure. Yeah, ok he’d been in game face, but Buffy knew it was just as much about Spike this time as it was his demon. And god, what pleasure. A hint of guilt hit her that maybe she had enjoyed it too much, but she quickly erased that thought from her mind. ’So not going with the negative here, she thought. Everything now between us is for the good.’ 


 

    "Can we go shopping tomorrow?" she asked suddenly, changing the subject on her internal monologue.
 
   

    "Anything you want," came the muffled reply, Spike already half asleep.  Buffy grinned in anticipation before closing her eyes and letting her mind drift. She would wait until later to tell him that Giles wanted a semen specimen from him, anticipating the outraged reaction at that touchy request.
 
 

tbc....

chapter20

   Entry into the Summers house during daylight hours always proved noisy whenever Spike was involved. Since it was almost noon, Joyce was more than prepared when the door was thrown open and a smoking vamp burst through, her daughter trailing behind, quickly shutting the door on the harmful rays. Both were still decked out in the prom attire that had looked so elegant the night before, but now appeared grossly out of place in the daylight hours.  

    "Mommy! Daddy!" Blake cried, jumping off of Joyce's lap, where he'd been watching TV and ran over to throw his little body around their legs.

    Spike leaned down to pick him up, giving him a big sloppy kiss on the side of the neck that caused his son to erupt in a fit of giggles. "Were you good for your grandmum, eh?"

    Blake nodded emphatically, his face a study of seriousness, blonde curls bouncing. Spike couldn't help but run his hand along the soft hair, still gob smacked every time he laid eyes on the boy.That he was worthy of fathering such a innocent delightful child. He knew he didn't deserve it, and could only work at being worthy now and hope that it was enough. It was sappy and not just a bit scary to have those thoughts rattling around his brain, but he was right serious about it.  Especially in light of Buffy's special gift to him the night before. His feelings towards this family, HIS family, were growing so much that sometimes it threatened to choke him.       

    Buffy leaned in and gave Blake a kiss on the cheek, ruffling his hair. "Missed you," she whispered to her son. His immediate smile dazzled across his face, threatening to light up the room with its keen voltage, and she sent a loving smile back in return.  Turning to her mom, Buffy said, "Thanks for watching him last night, mom. I'm going to go take a shower, then I think we're going to go to the mall if you want to go."

    "The mall?" Joyce asked skeptically, looking at Spike after Buffy had gone up the stairs.

    "Underground parking. Bloody brilliant."

    "Ah."  Joyce sat back down and gestured for Spike to sit. He settled in the side chair, Blake sprawled on his lap. "So, Spike, how was the prom?"

    He couldn't help the snort that escaped. "Completely ridiculous, if you ask me. But it made Buffy happy."  Giving Joyce a pointed look, he added, "And you... you are a wicked woman, Joyce Summers."

    Feigning innocence, Joyce replied, "What?"

    "You know what. Buying your daughter a knickers set like that. You ought to be ashamed of yourself."

    A conspiratorial smile slid over Joyce's face. "Did you like it?"

    He tipped one scarred eyebrow in her direction. "You're joking, right? What do you think?"

    "I think you want to know where I got it."

    Spike's rich laughter filled the room, with Blake joining in, even though he had no idea what he was laughing at. Sending a look of admiration her way, Spike announced fondly, "I do like you, Joyce."

    "And strangely, I like you, Spike." 

++++++++++++

       After Blake's afternoon nap, they headed to the mall with Buffy in the front and Joyce in the back with Blake.  Spike was glad he had given in and thoroughly cleaned out his car after that first episode with Buffy. He didn't want to admit to being slightly embarrassed by the thought of Joyce being in the back seat surrounded by all that trash.

    They took Blake for a couple rides on the giant Merry Go Round, then Joyce told Spike she was borrowing Buffy for a while.  He looked puzzled until Joyce offered him a saucy wink, then he had to hide the grin. Joyce was quickly endearing herself. Gotta love a woman who let her daughter sleep with a demon and then turned around and bought her sexy knickers for said demon. At the stirring in his groin, he pushed such thoughts aside and concentrated on Blake.

    Turning to him, Spike commented, "Your grandmum is quite a woman." 

    "Ice Kweem?"  Blake asked hopefully, his eyes wide with faux innocence. He learned which ploys worked and which didn't.

    "You haven't had supper, you young scrap."

    "Pweese?" The word was filled with such sad longing that Spike felt his resolve crumble into fine powder.

    "Fine," he grumbled, ignoring the whoop of delight from his boy. "You realize your mum is going to stake me good and proper when she finds out I've fed you dessert before your supper?"

    He stopped in shock when Blake pantomimed holding a stake and shoving it in the directions of Spike's heart. How did did the boy know about staking through the heart? Spike was just about to question him on it when Blake said frantically, "ice Kwwweeeeem!!!!"

    "Ok, ok. We're going to have a talk about that little staking job you did, son," Spike told him as they came upon the Food Court. He ordered Blake a child's chocolate and was handed the cone. "Don't make a mess of this, ya hear me?" he threatened, wrapping the bottom of the cone in a thick cocoon of napkins, and placing it into Blake's pudgy hands.

    With a neatness that was frightening for his age, Blake began eating the ice cream methodically and precisely, never allowing one area to melt and spill. "Well, that's a bit of all right, I suppose," Spike conceded, as he picked Blake up carefully and turned to return to where he was supposed to meet up with Buffy and Joyce.

    He had taken about five steps when his hackles stood and he looked around for what had triggered it. Coming towards him with the same predatorial look in her eye, was the barracuda bint from the night before. The one who accused him of being Buffy's paid male escort. She'd make a helluva vampire, he thought fleetingly as he braced himself for her onslaught. And her bloody friends were with her. Bloody fabulous.

++++++++

    "OH MY GOD!!" Cordelia announced loudly, unable to believe her good fortune. Here before her was that major hottie from the night before, the one she hadn't been able to get off her mind all damn night and he looked even more lickable than the night before! Oh, she liked the bad boy thing he had going on. Black leather coat? Check. Ok, it was a bit tattered, but that was easily fixed. It's not like he couldn't get a new one. Something nice and tailored, yet that still screamed 'I'm bad'. Tight black jeans? Check. Ok, so she preferred Armani, but she was willing to slum a little, if it meant she could have this hunk wrapped around her. Oh gawd, his boots would so have to go. 80's much? The t-shirt she was willing to deal with because she could see some yummy muscles outlined nicely underneath. 

    Oh yeah, this was major yum. Just needed a little fine tuning.

    Spike couldn't help but be flattered at the admiring look she gave him, but when it turned calculating it just plain pissed him off.

    "Sorry, not really into the God thing, luv," Spike commented as he moved to brush past her.

    It was then that Cordelia's eyes let her see the other accessory he was sporting. A little boy. She allowed her face to soften even though she was cringing with horror and cooed, "Oh how sweet! You baby-sit!!"

    She ignored the look of disgust he threw her. "I'm not a sodding babysitter."

    "He's my daddy," Blake said proudly, taking a long lick of ice cream, still doing a remarkable job in keeping it mess-free.

    The shock was revealed on Cordelia's face, as she added this newest revelation into the tally she had going. Well, it was a total negative, but not a complete disaster. This was still doable. Cordelia stepped forward and slipped her arm in the one that was not supporting an ice cream eating child. "Wow, things must be rough. A single dad. I have so much admiration for you, you have no idea."

    He disentangled his arm, cursing the fact that he couldn't just kill this girl to shut her up and sent her a glare that seemed to bounce right off her thick hide. 

    "It's ok to let it out, you know." She patted his arm, discreetly feeling the muscles that were hidden behind the jacket. "You don't need to be ashamed of it."

    Spike looked over at the bint's friends, who seemed to have the clue that Cordelia was sadly lacking, then shook his head incredulously. "Look, little girl, I'm not available ok?  I'm.."

    He was interrupted by his son's harsh intake of breath. "Daddy," Blake choked out, his youthful voice full of fear.

    Spike turned his attention away from Cordelia to look anxiously into the panicked face of his son. "What is it?"

    "Mommy." Just as Blake said that, Spike could feel a cold sense of foreboding hit him through his possession of her.

    "Do you know where?" Spike bit out, not even questioning why he was so sure his son held the answers. Buffy had said that she had noticed some weird things about their son, and one more thing had just cropped up. 

    Blake turned and pointed at the other side of the mall, the next level down. "Down dere," he whispered. "Bad men twy to hurt mommy and gwanma. Lots."  He turned to look at his dad, his big blue eyes wide with fear and urgency. "Hurry!"

    At the mention of Buffy being in danger, Spike slid into game face without realizing it.  He dumped Blake into Cordelia's startled arms and growled, "I need you to take care of him for me."

    "Go daddy, hurry!" Blake cried. Sending one last look into Cordelia's terrified face, Spike gave her one last warning. " Anything happens to him, I'll hunt you down." Turning away from the terrified teens, Spike used his preternatural speed to launch himself at the railing that would  take him to the level below.  There were several loud shrieks as people witnessed the flash of black topped by bleached hair throw himself over to fall to his almost certain death below. There was a rush of bodies who ran to the railing in time to see that black flash speeding around the other side of the mall, using speed that was not normal.  Nobody who crossed paths with the fleeing figure got more than a blurring glimpse of his face, so the shrieks of terror were kept to a bare minimum.

    "Ok, what the freak was that?" Cordelia asked, holding Blake stiffly in her arms. She didn't even notice that her friends didn't want to get anywhere near the demon spawn.

    "Daddy," Blake announced unnecessarily, returning to his ice cream in a distracted manner.

    "Are you going to do that? Go all ugly like that?" Cordelia asked.

    "Daddy's not ugwy!" Blake suddenly yelled, his face scrunched up in anger.

    "Coulda fooled me," Cordelia muttered.

    "You're not very nice."

    Before Cordelia could respond to that comment, Harmony and the others hesitantly approached. "Um, we gotta motor. See you later."

    "What? You can't leave me here all by myself!!!" Cordelia cried indignantly.

    "Well, he asked YOU to watch him, not us. So bye." And like that, Cordelia found herself alone with an upset little boy. The child of.. what the hell was his dad?

    "Hey, what's your name?"

    "Bwake," came the sullen reply.

    "I'm Cordelia. Come on, let's go sit down, don't know how long your dad is going to be."

    "Ok." Cordelia carried him to a table, setting him on top of it while settling herself in a chair. Finding herself with nothing to say to the little boy, Cordelia studied her nails, holding them out in front of her as she pondered the need for a manicure.

    "Mommy ok?" She finally heard Blake say. Oh great, his ice cream was melted all over the place. She was so never having kids, Cordelia firmly decided as she stormed over and grabbed a wad of napkins.

    "Mommy ok?" Blake asked again hopefully, his big blue eyes wide.

    How the hell am I supposed to know? Cordelia thought bitterly. I just get threatened by whatever the freak that was to watch his kid, get dumped by my friends, and that major hottie I was trying to get my hands on turns out to be some monster.  Plus the prom sucked.  She finally looked down at her reluctant charge and saw the flood of tears pooling up in his huge blue eyes.

    "No way, you're so not going to start that sniveling thing," Cordelia told him, scooping him off the table, hoping that a change of scenery would chill him out. Bouncing him on one hip, she began walking out of the food court. What the hell did she know about little kids? Nothing. Hello, that's what nannies were for.

    Her distraction tactics didn't do the trick, and Cordelia was soon treated to a fully crying toddler. "Oh great, now what do I do," she muttered, shifting him so he could bury his head against her neck.  She could feel his sticky face smearing god knows what all over her Versace top, and her temper began to boil. The temptation to set him down on a bench and walk away like she didn't know him was strong; overwhelming actually, but then she thought of the freak's last parting comments to her and rethought that plan.

    "Hewlp dem," the little boy sobbed into her now ruined $200 blouse. Ok, kids were so not cute.

    Then she caught sight of the poster children for bad taste coming towards her, which  on normal day would prompt quite a different reaction than it did at this given moment. So instead of giving them a wide berth as if their hideous lack of fashion sense were a contagious thing, Cordelia found herself giving them a warm hearted greeting, the hint of panic making her voice more shrill than usual.

    "Xander! Willow!"

    "Cordelia," Xander acknowledged suspiciously. "With a brat," he added, taking in the sobbing child that was clinging to Cordelia's neck.

    The wailing suddenly ceased as Blake turned his head and glared as only a toddler can do. "Not a bwat, Dander!"

    "Blake?" Willow and Xander said simultaneously, their eyes wide, then narrowing with distrust. "Cordelia, what in the wild world of sports are you doing with Blake?" Xander asked.

    "You know him? Thank GAWD!" Cordelia announced dramatically, trying to pry little grubby arms from around her neck to fork him over to the school's ultimate fashion victims. She was so out of here. "Here. Take him."

    But then Blake opened his mouth and changed those plans. "Dander, bad men hurt mommy and gwanma."

    "Where?" Willow asked Cordelia, suddenly going from nerdy geek girl to... Cordelia couldn't even put a name to it. Even Xander dropped the goofy doofus routine.  "Is this like the Twilight Zone marathon or something? What is going on?" Cordelia demanded.

    "Where are they?" Xander repeated the question, scanning the level they were on for any disturbances, not seeing anything amiss. "WHERE, Cordelia?"

    "Daddy go help," Blake added, his eyes big and fearful, fast filling up with tears once again.

    "Oh great, thanks a lot. Got him sniveling again," Cordelia announced disgustedly, hugging Blake to her once more.

    "Cordelia, for the last time, where did they go?" Xander asked, his voice betraying his anxiety. He knew Buffy and Spike had planned a mall outing together, and Xander and Willow had hoped to meet up with them for a bit. But the fact that Blake had been left in the care of CORDELIA of all people was so not of the good.

    "Oh, you mean Grampa Munster? The hottie from the prom?" Cordelia dished back snottily as she pointed to the level below them in the big circular mall.  "He jumped down there."

    Before the words had even left her mouth, Willow and Xander had sprinted away towards the escalator that would take them to lower level. "Oh... my god!" Cordelia announced dramatically, as she watched them go. "What is this? Oh wait... I know this," she said, forehead furrowing in concentration. "Candid Camera!"  She looked around vainly, taking one hand of Blake to primp her hair as she tried to figure out where the cameras were set up.  "Helloo... I figured it out...." she commented as she walked in a circle. "Isn't this where you're supposed to come out and tell me I'm on Candid Camera and I'm supposed to like, be totally embarrassed and stuff?"

    But Alan Funt failed to make his dramatic appearance, and Cordelia began to get pissed. Again. Blake was silently sobbing against her chest, further sending her blouse into complete ruin. With an irritated huff, Cordelia stalked off towards the escalators that Willow and Xander had just descended, determined to get to the bottom of things. Like why the brat's mother had bad guys chasing after her, for one thing. Briefly, Cordelia considered Buffy in this, then immediately tossed it aside. There was no way and she refused to even further consider it.

tbc. 

  Chapter 21

    Tendrils of fear swept along Spike's cool flesh, a sense of foreboding seizing him in a punishable grip the closer Spike got to Buffy. The tug he felt was too familiar to ignore, and he knew with sickening clarity just who the "bad men" were. He rounded the last curve of the path he'd been sent on by his son, and slowed, ignoring the shocked looks thrown his way. He could feel Buffy closer now, and shook his head to clear the demon screaming in his brain, his face shifting back to its human form. The demon made him rash, and that recklessness would most likely get Buffy killed, something Spike would not allow to happen. The girl was his, and worse, she had wormed her way into his petrified shell of a heart. He couldn't lose her now. Or Joyce, for that matter.  Resolve sharpened, mind clear and focused, Spike pulled out the cell phone that Buffy insisted he always carry.  He found himself  pushing the speed dial for Buffy's Watcher, with no other back up options available to him. Not knowing exactly what he was walking into, Spike needed to have  someone aware of what was potentially going down. At the very least, there was Blake to consider and he tried to push it out of his mind that he'd left his son with the piranha bint.

    Spike kept the conversation short, merely alerting Giles that Buffy and Joyce were potentially in danger and he was checking it out, and in whose care Blake had been left in. Ignoring the sputtering on the other end, he ended the call and slipped the phone back into his duster.

    Turning to the closed metal double doors that led to public restrooms, Spike quietly slipped through them, knowing instinctively that he didn't want his arrival announced any sooner than necessary. They'd know soon enough.

    The hallway which Spike now found himself was in complete contrast to the loud bright mall he had just left.  No frills or extras had been extended when this part was built, leaving it industrial and ugly. As Spike stalked down the silent hallway, flickering fluorescent lights lit up the beige walls that bled into the sticky beige floor beneath his feet.

    The bathrooms had been located at the end of the long bleak hall, and Spike tread carefully.  His apprehension grew as did the tingling tug that was too familiar to ignore, and things did not bode well. There was the faint residue of magics in the air, and that served to further increase the ominous tone.

      Spike discovered the first victims in the ladies bathroom, throats ripped open, eyes wide and agonized, even in death.  Buffy and her mum weren't among them, but Spike could smell their lingering scent in the air over the heady smell of freshly spilled blood. Again, Spike was able to push his demon back, knowing instinctively that if he gave in, Buffy would end up dead.   The carelessness with which the bodies had been left bothered Spike. For self preservation purposes alone, this wasn't standard practice for vampires, especially the savage way the women had been left in the loo.  Spike didn't know when he'd stopped thinking of victims as mere food and given them an identity, but he could only assume it was around the time Buffy, Joyce and Blake came into his life.

    In the bleak hallway once more, Spike sampled the air through his nose, finding Buffy's scent once again.  Tracing her essence, he followed it around the corner, now hearing the sounds of muffled sobs and evil laughter.  Eyes narrowing with rage, Spike pushed through another pair of metal doors, finding himself in another long hallway. This part of the mall was not well used; the musty smell that lingered spoke of its disuse. Spike came to a door, forced a deep calming breath before twisting the knob to see what waited for him on the other side.

   Intense, blue eyes immediately searched the room, sizing up the situation.  Spike found himself in a large room obviously used  for the occasional business meetings or training classes. There was a big rectangular table with plastic chairs pushed in around it. Spike wasn't surprised to note a lack of windows; this room had been chosen with care.

    Seated in one of the chairs, sprawled unconscious over the table was Buffy, her mom tied up and gagged next to her. Joyce's eyes showed relief when she saw who the newcomer was and she cast another worried look at Buffy. Spike schooled himself to show no reaction to Joyce's silent plea, and confusion soon slipped its way in. For the first time since Spike had saved her life, Joyce looked wary of him.

    "William, my boy. So glad you could join us," A voice boomed, and Spike turned his head, lip curling up into an instinctive smirk. His demon rejoiced, this was family. 

    And again, Spike beat it down.

    "Angelus!  What are you doing in town?" Spike replied, trying to keep a handle on his anger.

    Angelus strode over to Spike and clapped him heartily on the back. "Just checking up on my family. You don't call, you don't write."

    "Yeah. Been a little busy. You know how time just slips away when you're all immortal like." Spike forced a friendly tone, casually looking around.  "Where's mum and grandmum, they here?"  he asked, already knowing the answer, the pull of kin being too strong. 

    Now Spike was about to attempt to bluff the sadistic vampire who practically invented the word deceit. Allowing himself another quick look around, he noticed three other bodies piled carelessly in the corner, along with five other live victims tied up in various locations around the room.

     Spike walked forward and pulled out a chair, and threw himself in it. Leaning back in the chair, he tossed his feet on the table, and laced his fingers behind his head. "So what's with this little party? You've got my girl here, y'no that, right?"

    Angel began walking around the room, the terror he inspired making him seem twice as large.  "See, now that's a funny thing.  We were actually going to try to catch up with the Slayer while we were here looking you up.  But then we got a little hungry.  Well, you know how that goes." Spike cast an evil smile, nodding conspiratorially. "So we thought we'd stop by the mall for a quick bite to eat. Only place to go in the daytime, you know, especially when they are so kind to have underground parking and everything.  And so Drusilla..." Angel turned his head to the door. "Ah, speak of the devil.  Dru, sweetie, look who's come to join the party."

    "My sweet William!" Drusilla cooed, bursting into the room, two minions trailing behind with multiple gagged victims slung over their shoulders.  The humans' fear practically flooding the air, and Spike tried not to be affected. At the sight of Dru, he felt... practically nothing. Here was his sire, his previous lover, and all he felt for her now was the vampiric pull of family. Calling on all of his years of poker, Spike faced Drusilla and engulfed her in passionate embrace. "Looking good, pet," he told her when they finally parted. Spike could practically feel the daggers Joyce was sending his way, stabbing him violently in the back. He was actually glad Buffy had been knocked out, not really sure if he'd be able to act with her watching.

    Drusilla drew back and threw him a coy look. "My William has been a mischievous boy." She shook her finger at him as if scolding a child.  "Too many secrets, my Spike."

    "I have nothing to hide," Spike bluffed, shrugging nonchalantly. He threw himself back in his chair and reached in his pocket for his smokes. Lighting one up, he used the familiar motion to get himself under control.  "Darla here?"

    Drusilla waved her hand in a dismissing motion. "Oh, she is here and there. The great Queen has gone to the royal shops."

    Spike lips curved up into a smirk. "Ah yes, that does sound like our Darla."  Turning his head to Angelus, he commented, "Ya know mate, a bit careless leaving bodies in the loo for anyone to stumble upon."

    Angelus smiled cruelly.  "Yes, it would be, except our Drusilla here has come upon a certain enchantment spell that has become quite.... useful, right darling?"

    "Shhh.. only naughty little girls share all their secrets," Drusilla remarked, her penchant for the bizarre not having waned during Spike's absence. Her face was full of mischief, and her dark innocent beauty was such a contrast to the profound evil that lived within.

    "So Angelus, what were you spouting earlier? About blowing into town?" Spike prompted, keeping his eyes purposefully blank and praying that Joyce did nothing to give things away. He was taking his biggest gamble here, and he could feel its weight trying to crush him.

    Angelus pretended to look thoughtful.  "Yes, where was I? Oh yes. We stopped  here for a bite to eat; the minions were a little restless, you see."  Spike let his eyes trail around the room to account for the ten minions that stood quietly to one side, waiting for further orders from their master. "And so by chance, we happen to come upon this girl who had your scent all over here, Spike. Now imagine our surprise at this discovery. You. William the Bloody. With a mortal."

    Another shrug rolled off Spike's shoulders. "What can I say, I was bored. Nice change of scenery."

    Angelus walked over to where Buffy was slumped over the table and grabbed a fistful of blonde hair, lifting her face off the table to get a look. Joyce gasped and bucked in her seat, trying to get to her daughter. Angelus turned and backhanded her savagely across the face, a gratifying smirk emerging at his actions.

    Spike's hands were clenched so tight in an effort to keep himself in his chair, that he dug deep furrows into the palms of his hand. Angelus would pay for hitting Joyce, of that Spike would make sure. Seeing Buffy's mum sitting there sobbing, terror and horror etched into her face cut deep into Spike, drawing on emotions he never wanted to have. And seeing that his prick of a grandsire lay his dirty hands on his girl made Spike want to rip him apart piece by piece.

    "So, Spike. What's so... special about this one?"  Angelus asked, grabbing Buffy's hair again, taunting Spike now.

    "She's a bloody good fuck, that's what," Spike commented crudely, blowing out a cloud of smoke. "Her blood's not too bad either."

    Angelus laughed harshly, before reaching his hand down to cup Buffy's breast, giving it a sadistic twist. Blind rage ignited, causing the tendons in Spike's neck to cord with the ferocity he was using to clench his teeth together. He was in danger of seriously losing it and it took Joyce's pleading look to get it back under control.  He couldn't tell if Joyce was on to his game or not, but it did serve to calm him down.

    "If she's so good, think I'll give her a try." Angelus announced, reaching for Buffy's other breast.

    "I don't think so, Angelus. She belongs to me." There was a lethal precision in Spike's voice that caused Angelus to look up sharply. Wrenching Buffy's neck to the other side, he inspected it for the mark that branded her as property. With a wry shake of his head, Angelus looked at the younger vampire and smiled.

    "Well, this IS a surprise, Spike. You, claiming a human." Angelus leaned his dark head towards Buffy and licked at Spike's mark. With an amused smirk, he commented, " And you just took a little bite of her didn't you, my boy? Well, good for you."

    Spike kept the indifferent look glued to his face, his eyes dead and expressionless while forcing his body language to scream boredom. Internally, he had a battle on his hands. Angel wouldn't dare taste something that belonged to Spike, but he wasn't about to take any chances. If he found out she was the slayer, they were all dead.  He just had to keep things up until Buffy woke up and would be able to help out, knowing he wouldn't be much good against all of them.

    "What about this one?" Angelus walked behind Joyce's chair, smiling broadly at the indignant glare Joyce threw at him. Spike wished he could tell Joyce somehow not to antagonize the older vampire, that it just turned him on, but she would soon learn that first hand. 

    "That's my girl's mum." Spike said it with a sneer in his voice. "She doesn't much like me. Thinks I'm a bad influence on her little girl." He cockily got to his feet and rounded the table. "Isn't that right, Joyce? Treats me like I'm a monster, like I'm beneath them." Spike stopped right behind Joyce and ripped the gag out of her mouth.

    Joyce tipped her head up to glare at the two vampires above her. "You bastard," Joyce bit out, her eyes full of venom.

    "Got that right, Joyce. I'm a right bastard." Spike agreed, an amused smirk on his face.

    "So why didn't you just kill her, Will? Not like you to put up with that. Especially when it's so easy to just crush the life out of her," Angelus commented, crossing his arms over his chest as he regarded the other vampire.

    "That's easy. I found my girl was more... let's just say, responsive and enthusiastic, when I didn't have to use a thrall on her. If I killed her mum, it would have jacked her right off, and then I'd be forced to use more persuasive measures in dealing with her.  Didn't want to do that."

    Drusilla sidled up next to them, her long skirts billowing behind her.  "Think I'll make me a nice snack of this nasty lady, Spike. Think she needs a few lessons in manners, this one does."

    "You're right about that," Spike commented, but grabbed Drusilla's arm as she closed the distance to Joyce. "But I get to be the one to teach her those manners, Dru. I'm the one who's suffered from her poisoned tongue, after all."

    Drusilla drew back, granting him access. With a sneer plastered across his face, Spike hauled Joyce up out of her chair, and spun her around to face him. A multitude of emotions were warring in her gaze, and Spike wished he could drop this pretense.  He slipped into game face and an evil, toothy grin emerged. He was rewarded by a sudden deluge of fear flying off of Joyce, and hoped it'd be enough to fool the other two. 

    Crushing Joyce against his chest, he locked her in his familiar deadly embrace as she fought against him. It was tough to ignore the crying pleas rolling off her lips as he wrenched her head to the side.  "Not so quick with the nasty comments now, are ya, Joyce?" he sneered before burying his head in the exposed column of throat.

    An anguished cry was ripped from Joyce's throat as razor sharp fangs were sunk into her neck, and she closed her eyes in resolute terror. She could feel the blood leaving her body, passing easily into Spike mouth and wondered how she could have been so wrong about him.

    Spike tipped his head so his face was buried under the cover of Joyce's hair and he allowed his teeth to pull out of her skin. "Joyce, " he whispered so softly, he didn't know if she'd be able to hear, even though he was speaking right into her ear.  The sudden tensing of her body was his answer.  Speaking as loudly as he dared, Spike revealed, "I have to drain you a bit, I'm sorry. Pretend to pass out and I won't have to kill you."

    He heard the anguished sigh that was her reply, and as gently as possible, bit into her again. Spike tried to ignore the call of fresh human blood and concentrated on draining her just enough to satisfy the others.  He felt when Joyce slumped against him, hating himself for what he was doing to her.

    Gruffly, Spike released Joyce and she tumbled to the floor. Allowing his human features to come back, he wiped the blood from his mouth. "Thanks. I needed that."

    "You didn't kill her," Angelus announced coldly.

    "Why would I want to kill her when I get to torture and torment her again when she wakes up?  The evil bint doesn't deserve a quick death," Spike replied.

tbc...

thanks to Beanmommy for her help with this chapter!  I wrote this in a hurry, in response to multiple requests for a fast update, so I apologize in advance if it's lacking.   

Chapter 22

    "You didn't kill her." Angelus announced coldly.

    "Why would I want to kill her when I can torture and torment her again when she wakes up?  The evil bint doesn't deserve a quick death." Spike replied cynically.

    Angel appeared satisfied with that explanation as he watched Spike step disgustedly over Joyce's prone form. The younger vampire lifted Buffy out of her seat, taking her place on the uncomfortable chair, before bringing her down on his lap. Her head flailed back and Spike had to school his face to remain unaffected as he ran practiced hands over her head.  He found the knot on the side, right above the ear. Someone had clocked her but good, luckily not breaking the skin. The powerful scent of slayers blood was hard to miss, and if her skin had been broken, it would have been a whole different situation they would now be in.  It was clearly evident that his kin had no idea whom they had captured, and Spike was grateful for that little bit of luck.

    "What are you doing, Spike?" Angelus asked with a pained sigh.

    Spike threw him an incredulous look. "I'm checking my property over, you git.  Don't want to be saddled with some brain damaged loon." The  not so subtle dig regarding Drusilla lingered heavily in the air, and Angelus sent him a thunderous look.

    Dru dropped to her knees next to Spike and stroked Buffy's hair softly, completely oblivious to the fact she'd just been insulted.  "Such a pretty little thing, she is. She'll make such a nice addition to our nice little family. Won't she Angelus?"  Dru looked up at the grim faced vampire looming over them and giggled.  "Daddy will come around, little one," Dru whispered into Buffy's ear. "You'll see. Don't you worry about a precious thing. We'll be like sisters, you and I."

    Dru tipped her curious face in Spike's direction, who was forcing himself to remain impassive. His internal battle had  come to arms once more, as unbidden thoughts of Buffy being with him forever crept into his head. She would make an amazing vampire, he mused, getting drawn into the seductive web Dru was spinning.  Just as quickly as that thought came to mind, he beat it down, feeling ill that he had even considered for the briefest moment, turning her. He knew first hand the truly sadistic mind that was housed behind Drusilla's enthusiastic innocence.  Of course, the bastard Angelus was responsible for a good portion of it, but the innate demonic nature of vampires was evil.  Spike couldn't afford to forget that Dru was cruel and a demon to the very core, no matter how strong and seductive the pull of family was. That was one thing that could not be forgotten. Spike found himself able to fight his evil, and he didn't question it, it was just something that had to be done. For the sake of Buffy, Joyce and Blake, he was able to fight his inherent nature, but the others had always been more sadistic than he had ever been. And he would never want that for Buffy. Ever.

    "Why hasn't she been turned yet? You appear to be so fond of the girl and everything." Angelus's voice was cold and mocking as he watched Dru stroking the girl that Spike had claimed as his own.

    Once more assuming a bored voice, Spike responded, "I found that I liked my meat warm, it's a nice change, actually. Haven't quite decided yet if I want to keep her around forever though."  Spike could feel Buffy's muscles twitching as she fought off the heavy weight of oblivion. The telltale increase of Buffy's heart and respirations as they responded to the panic slamming into her system were further proof she was slipping out of unconsciousness.

    Dru clapped her hands gleefully, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "The little kitten is waking up! I can't wait to see what lovely eyes our little pet kitty has."

    Spike didn't wait until Buffy had opened her eyes, he couldn't take that chance.  Closing his eyes for just the briefest second, he asserted his power of her and was rewarded by her muscles going slack against him.  She was now under his command, and he had to keep her that way for just a little while. She could kick his ass later, but this was for her own good. Their own good.

    "Open your eyes, kitten," Spike said softly, rewarded by Buffy's head coming off his chest, her eyelids pulling back to reveal her dazed green eyes.

    "Oh! Perfect! They're perfect!" Drusilla exclaimed excitedly. "She's perfect!" Continuing with her gentle ministrations to Buffy's hair, Drusilla smiled soothingly and announced, "We are going to have such grand times together, you and I."

    "This is Drusilla, pet. She's the beauty that sired me," Spike told Buffy, feeling her trying to buck against his inner hold.  He looked up at the scowling vampire lurking behind them. "That's Angelus, he sired Drusilla.This is my family, luv. They stopped by to check up on me, wasn't that nice?" Spike gestured to Joyce on the floor, still lying face down on the industrial grey carpet. "Sorry about your mum, luv. Had to drain the bitch, you know she never liked me."

    A little whimper of protest escaped from Buffy, and Spike smiled cruelly. "What? Oh don't worry, didn't kill the bitch. Not yet, anyway. Need to make her pay a little for all the snide comments she threw my way. And I don't think I'll be forgetting about her looking down her nose at me all that time, like I was some sort of garbage. A bloke just can't let that kind of stuff go, you know."

    Spike made himself laugh at the look of betrayal on Buffy's face. "What? Thought I was all housebroke? Christ, your mum wouldn't even let me in the bloody house," he bit out in an angry tone.

    He let her have some of her control back; if that hadn't served to let her know that he was playing both sides, he didn't know what would. Her face softened, and Spike could read in her eyes that she understood the game. With that, he took her completely out of the thrall, and she responded by continuing to lay slack in his arms. Spike cast a worried eye over to Dru, hoping that she didn't pick up on the fact that he'd had Buffy under his thrall, but Drusilla appeared fascinated by Buffy's hair, studying it curiously, running the silky tresses through her fingers.

    "Stop playing with my hair," Buffy ordered weakly as soon as she was in control of her body again. Spike growled low in throat in warning, hoping Buffy got the hint to keep her mouth shut.

     Drusilla laughed in delight, looking up at Spike with appreciation. "Such a feisty little kitty. What's your name, my little princess?"

    "Anne", Spike answered, giving the alias in case the others were aware of the slayer's unusual name.

    "Anne." Drusilla purred, patting Buffy on the cheek. "Such a sweet name for a sweet girl. I can see why my Spike was so taken with you. Fire and ice, purity and sin. And to wrap it all up in one beautiful little package, and we have you. And you, my little Anne, are going to become mummy's little princess. And Spike will be your daddy, and you and I will be the belles of the Gentlemen's Ball."

    Buffy inwardly cringed, but managed a scared twitch of her lips in reply, since the creepy vampire was obviously expecting a reaction. Ok, she was beyond freaked now, but Buffy could feel the tension in Spike and knew he was probably just as freaked.  She didn't even question his loyalty or trust, she just knew. While it pissed her off he had taken control of her, she knew why he did it. They obviously were clueless she was the slayer, and Buffy was willing to play it Spike's way. But what walked in the door next almost made her call all bets off.

+++++++++

    The door burst open and Darla swept in, looking chic in a pair of form fitting black leather pants, red halter top and stiletto heels. Her petite blonde form ladled down with shopping bags, and she sighed dramatically upon her entrance. She was flanked by a pair of minions, who had a new pair of captives to add to the collection.

    "Wow, we've got enough food stored up here to last us for weeks!" Darla commented airily, throwing her bags down on the table.

    "Honey, please don't tell me you paid for these things." Angelus commented, rounding the table to draw Darla into his arms.

    Darla laughed, snaking her arms around his neck. "You know I did.  It gives me such a wicked thrill when I hand my money over, knowing I could just snap their necks and take what I want."

    Drusilla rose from Spike's side and went over to join the entwined duo. "Mummy look. Our Spike has brought us a delicious new dolly for the playroom."

    Darla looked across the room, eyes narrowing as she took in their wayward relative with a human girl cowering on his lap. She looked up at Angelus and asked, "So what did I miss?"

    "It seems Spike has found himself a human playmate," he commented snidely, throwing a sinister look at the younger vampire.

    "Hmm.. Interesting." Darla revealed, pondering this information. "You've been ignoring your family, William. That is not nice."

    "Sorry Darla. Got a bit bored, is all," Spike replied, gripping Buffy with all of his strength to keep her from bounding off his lap. "Found something to relieve my boredom for a spell, you know how that is."

    "You're still not forgiven," Darla informed him, then smiled evilly. "But we'll work out your punishment later."

    Spike nodded in acceptance, knowing full well what their idea of punishment entailed. Pain, degradation, violence, sex, bloodshed, domination. When they felt he'd been broken and bled enough, he'd be welcomed back into the fold. Amazing how that thought now left him cold, when he used to find some pleasure in it.

    Spike allowed himself to finally look at the new captives that had been brought gagged into the room, their eyes full of accusations and betrayal. "Nice little pair you picked up there." Spike announced, digging his fingers into Buffy's hips to keep her still.

    Darla threw a bored look over her shoulder, dismissing the new additions with a flick of her heavily adorned wrist. "Bit scrawny, but they'll do."

    Spike stared into the condemning eyes of Willow and Xander and tried to convey for the briefest moment to play along, before tightening his face up into a sneer. "Bet you wished you hadn't come to the bloody mall today, don't ya?"

++++++++++

    Cordelia lost sight of Willow and Xander briefly in the throngs of shoppers impacting the mall, standing on tippy toe trying to pick them out of the crowd. Geez, why did everyone have to pick today to shop?  Was there like some fantastic sale that she was totally missing out on? If that was the case, she was going to be seriously bent if she missed out on the action. Finally she saw a glimpse of red hair and heaved a sigh of relief, never thinking that she'd  EVER appreciate the atrocity that Willow liked to call the color of her hair. 

    Pushing her way rudely between people, Cordelia sped to catch up, positive that Willow and Xander could reunite her with the grubby crybaby's parents and she could go get her nails done. She heaved a great sigh of disgust when she saw the two fashion victims go through the doors that led to the bathrooms, and she stomped her foot in irritation..

    "Oh so no way, I am so not going in there again." She imparted, shuddering with the tortured memory of going through those doors into the hallway of grunge and filth.  So totally disgusting, god only knew the last time it had been cleaned. Not to mention all that beige totally washed her coloring out. No, she was not putting one Prada encased stem through that door, looking down and admiring  her new shoes. She would just wait for them to come out. 

    Having made her empathic decision, she sat down on a bench with her reluctant charge and set about to wait.  Evidently, the word had gone out about the disgust level of that bathroom, nobody taking the brave plunge to walk through those doors. Probably opting for the well decorated ones on the lower level, Cordelia surmised.

       Blake had stopped crying and was asking now continually for his mommy and daddy, every word out of his mouth driving Cordelia seriously up the wall.

    "I don't KNOW where your mommy and daddy are, for like the millionth time." She complained to the little boy. "If I knew that, you think I'd be sitting out here with YOU?"

    When the bottom lip began quivering again, Cordelia rolled her eyes. "Oh great. Not again. Hey, Blake, don't cry, ok?" She told the little boy sitting next to her.  Desperate for some way of shutting his trap, Cordelia rummaged through her purse. Pulling out a Cliff bar, she unwrapped it and handed it over.   "This was supposed to be my lunch and dinner tonight, but here." she told him in a long suffering voice, forking over her allotted food source of the day.

    "Blake!" Cordelia heard a male British voice call, and her hopes shot up. Oh thank GOD, it was about damn time.  After this, she was totally asking to be paid for her babysitting services, and she wasn't going to be cheap, dammit.

    "Unker Giles!" Blake called happily, in that manic way that children have, crying one minute, laughing the next. Cordelia looked over and saw...the school librarian??? Could this day GET any weirder? 

    "Cordelia." Giles began, casting his eyes around warily.  "I wish to thank you for your assistance with young Blake here."

    "Yeah, well, here you go. I've got mass things to do." Cordelia replied, standing up and attempting to hand Blake over.

    Giles took a step back and shook his head. "My apologies. I'm afraid I am not able to assume guardianship of him at this particular time.  You're going to have to keep him with you for a spell longer."

    Cordelia stared at him incredulously. "You have so got to be kidding me. This went beyond totally insane about 10 minutes ago and has now entered the realm of freaksville. What is going on here?"

    "I'm afraid this is neither the time or place to fill you in properly. I just must ask you this one favor. Keep the boy out of harms way, and if... nobody comes to claim him, would you kindly contact either willow Rosenberg or Xander Harris?" The librarian's face was serious and grim.

      "Well, since I just saw them go through those doors, that shouldn't be a biggie." Cordelia replied snidely.

    Giles turned ashen. "Good lord. Are you quite certain?"

    "Hello, did I stutter? Nobody else but Willow has that Ms. Clairol Gone Seriously Awry shade of hair. They went through there like 5 minutes ago."

    "Oh truly fantastic," Giles grumbled, his mind working through this new development.  "Cordelia, it is most imperative that you keep this boy safe, do you understand? Can you do this for me?" He asked seriously, inwardly cringing that this task had been left to this.. cheerleader of all people.

    "I didn't ask to be part of the Babysitter Club you know. I have better things to do with my time. My cuticles are just screaming for a treatment."

    "Cordelia, please. Will you do this?"

    Cordelia expressed a pained heavy sigh, then looked down at the little boy gazing up at her with guileless eyes. "Fine." She agreed. "But I expect some total  compensation from this."

    Giles allowed a brief distracted smile, as he considered his options.  There was no one else to call.  Willow and Xander were apparently already involved if the cheerleader was to be believed, and Spike had been unsure of the condition he would find Buffy and Joyce.  Since Spike had arrived in Buffy's life, Giles had investigated his background and bloodlines, finding himself greatly disturbed by the results.  If what Spike had said was true, there were some notoriously powerful and evil vampires here in Sunnydale, apparently in this very mall.  This was not going to be pleasant, of that Giles was most certain.

    Finding no other option than to conduct his own investigation, Giles discreetly slid a compact crossbow from his jacket pocket.  Cordelia caught sight of it and shrieked, "Oh god, what kind of freaks are you people?"

    Giles sent her a harsh look to shut her up, but was interrupted by a youthful voice breaking in. "Unker Giles, go. Bad men."

    Even Cordelia could hear the quiet dread in Blake's voice and allowed Giles to leave without further comments.  Looking down into his blue eyes that were so much like his daddy's, Cordelia said, "Guess it's just you and me again, Blake."  Blake remained silent as Cordelia settled them back on the bench. 

+++++++++

    Xander and Willow had been pushed unceremoniously to the floor, luckily near where Buffy sat pretending to cower on Spike's lap.  When Xander got his first look at Joyce's body on the floor, he struggled to buck away from the horrifying sight, trying to deny the gaping bite marks on her neck, the utter stillness of her form, and the pale ashen tone of her skin.  Oh god, she'd been drained, he thought frantically, struggling to get away. The other three master vampires were on the other side of the room, so when one of the minions made a move to discipline the prisoner,  Spike cut him off with a lethal look.

    Pushing Buffy off his lap roughly, Spike stood and moved quickly to where Xander was huddled  on the floor, his hands tied tight in front him. Grabbing the mortal boy around his upper arms, Spike hauled him to his feet. Pushing Xander so his back was flush with the wall, the vampire grinned demonically at the boy, the fresh torrent of fear being released stroking that evil presence that would always reside within him.   Spike had to give himself a mental shake and remind himself that this was the boy he had gone to the silly prom with just the night before.  Making sure that the others attention was being paid elsewhere, Spike slipped out the switchblade he carried in his pocket and deftly sliced through the ropes that bound him. He ignored Xander's startled look, keeping up a deluge of taunts and threats. Xander played his part and acted like the weak scared human, head bowed and body trembling.  Spike slipped the knife into Xander's pocket with a warning look, hoping he could trust the boy to not do anything rash and give things away too soon.  They were too many and too spread out all over the huge room, Spike wanted them closer together before they struck.

    "Spike if you are done tormenting our dinner, we have some things to discuss." Darla snapped, as always irritated by Spike's obnoxious behavior. She had been in favor of forgetting about him, but since they had gotten word the Slayer lived in the same town that he had evidently settled, they decided to kill two birds with one stone.  They would all be in on the hunt for the Slayer, but it was Drusilla's turn to be the one to go in for the kill.

    Spike grabbed Buffy's hand and pulled her up, grateful that she had the presence of mind to act fearful of the others.  He did smell some fear from her, not as much as there should have been, but it would have to do.  "Come on, pet.  This is going to be your new family, after all."

    "That still remains to be seen, William." Darla announced, as they approached the corner of the table that the other three had taken over.

    "I don't need your permission to turn anybody, Darla." Spike countered.

    "Oh you can turn whoever you want, William." Angelus replied smugly. "But as you well know, it's quite a simple matter to dispose of your messes."

    Spike didn't reply to his elder's taunt, knowing that is what they expected. He felt Buffy tense next to him, and squeezed her hand in reassurance.

    Drusilla excitedly patted the empty seat next to her. "Come sit here, my pretty little poppet.  Don't listen to Daddy, he's always cross whenever he's around our William. Like little boys, they are."

    Buffy looked at Spike, still allowing her face to reflect fear and at his nod, went to sit hesitantly next to Drusilla.  She tried not to shiver in revulsion when Drusilla slid her cold hand through hers, her other hand going once more to Buffy's hair, where it was stroked with reverence.  "Oh, Spike!  Miss Kitty is so deliciously warm!  I'd like to keep her this way for a while, oh yes."

    "I hadn't planned on turning her just yet, Dru, so she can be your own personal furnace." Spike said cryptically, standing in back of Buffy's chair.

    "Oh, I'd like that! We can have tea for two and watch the ships on the bay."

    Buffy smiled hesitantly at the dark haired vampiress petting her.  Not much going on upstairs, Buffy thought.  Suddenly Drusilla giggled like a school girl, her hand daintily covering her mouth in response to her mirth. "Someone has decided to crash the birthday party, and he wasn't invited."

    "What are you talking about Dru?" Darla asked rudely.

    "Enchantments and spells, sends a buzz if someone crosses the finish line before the game is done."

    Darla and Angelus looked at each other with irritation, both remembering why they wanted Spike back.  When neither one had figured out Dru's ramblings, Spike said in disgust, "Bloody hell, didn't you have Dru enchant your little massacre?"

    Four minions were dispatched to investigate, returning moments later with yet another prisoner.  Spike and Buffy exchanged looks as the man was dragged in, one of the game faced minions sporting a crossbow bolt from his shoulder. 

    "Well, well.  It looks like someone was expecting us." Angelus commented unnecessarily. "Wonder how that came to be? Spike, you have any ideas?"
 

    "Why would I bloody know." Spike scoffed, curling his lip in contempt.

    "Well, let's see. Maybe because you're with a human now, and we were holding your mate." Darla supplied snottily, flipping her blonde hair back over her shoulders.

    Buffy made brief eye contact with Giles, concerned for his safety. This was about to get really ugly quickly, she could feel it churning in the air like a killer tornado ready to touch down. 

    "I'm a vampire, ladies and gentlemen.  I don't betray my kind, my family, for a lot of sodding humans."

    "Well, we'll just have to see about that." Angelus said with a icy look.  Spike knew it well, the one that promised pain and lots of it. What they needed here was a distraction, so they could get all their players in place, and get the odds evened up on their side.

    A distraction was provided, but it was one that froze the stagnant blood in Spike's veins. The shrieking of "NO!  Go way! Bad!" followed by the irritated voice loudly complaining, "Hello, disgusting smell coming from little child equals end of my involvement.  This was so not part of the deal. Now where is everybody.... HELLO! A little certain someone has polluted the air with foul bodily functions! And I am so sick of smelling it!"

    "Hark! I hear an appetizer calling." Darla announced sardonically, cupping her hand around her ear. Crossing over to the door, she opened it and peeked her blonde head out. "Hi!" She greeted in a friendly voice. "Can I help you?"

    Cordelia sighed with relief as she saw the smartly dressed woman, frowning as Blake twisted in her arms trying to escape.  "Well, I can only hope. I'm looking for this kid's dad."

    Darla held the door open wide for them to enter. "Well, maybe he's in here. We're having an impromptu meeting of sorts, and there are a slew of potential fathers in here."

    "God, I hope so.  He did this whole superman disappearing act earlier after ordering me to watching his kid and now I just want to go get my nails done." Cordelia replied cynically, as Blake cried to be released. "What is with you?" She asked him, looking into the child's scared face as she went through the door.

    "Bad men." Blake whispered, eyes wide with fear.

    "That was a woman." Cordelia scoffed. "Some keen observer you are."

      When she finally looked up, Cordelia's own eyes widened with fright, as she tried to process what she was seeing before her.  There were people tied up on the floor all around the outskirts of the room, their gagged faces frozen in terror. "Ok, if this is Candid Camera, you guys have gone WAY too far."  Again, no Alan Funt appeared. She was never watching that show again, dammit. There were more guys looming around, with the freaky faces like Spike, but none of them anywhere near as hot as Blake's dad. God, ew, were they... LEERING at her? Oh, totally gross. 

    A big dark haired man came forward to relieve her of the burden in her arms, who suddenly wasn't such a burden. "Thank you for the delicious little snack." He said with mock politeness.

    Ok, now this guy was kind of hot, Cordelia thought. In a hulkish kind of way. "Oh, you don't want him. He totally stinks. About made me gag and throw up the banana I had for breakfast. Plus he's kind of whiney.  No, he's nothing but a problem," Cordelia announced, trying to keep the terrified little boy in her arms.  She looked around wildly for help, finally noticing the kid's studly dad bent over the huge table in the room, a sharp piece of wood positioned at his back by one of those pervert freaky guys. He was glaring at her with blatant rage on his face, and Cordelia suddenly remembered his parting words about keeping his son safe. Oops.

    Blake was finally torn  from her grasp and held up for inspection.  "Let's get a look at you," Angelus remarked, holding Blake up to face him.

    "You bad man," Blake suddenly shouted, his face scrunching up in anger. He was facing away from where Spike was being held down, stake at the ready and where Buffy was being restrained by yet another minion, an anguished look on her face as they waited for the right moment to make their move.

    Angelus suddenly laughed. "I like this kid." He brought Blake against his chest, supporting him with one arm, amused by the fiery little glares this little boy was sending him. They reminded him of something, but he couldn't put his finger on it.  "The girl was right, you do smell," Angelus commented suddenly as the foul odor of excrement hit his olfactory senses. He was about to throw the boy away from him in disgust when he caught a hint of something else. Angelus buried his nose in the boy's neck and breathed deep, then looked over at Spike, a cruel grin spreading across his face. "It seems William has been keeping a few secrets from us," Angelus announced to the others.

    Buffy and Spike exchanged looks, tensing up to make their move. What happened in the next minute would dictate how things played out, the anxiety building as both worked to clear their mind for the upcoming battle.  Buffy looked at Giles and saw that he was aware of his role.

    Angelus looked back down at Blake's defiant look, now recognizing it as a miniature replica of his father's and turned so that the boy could see the entire room.  "Is your daddy here, son?"   

    Blake caught sight of his father with a stake at his back and cried out in distress. "Daddy!!!"  Angelus set him down on the ground and Blake ran over to Spike's side, tears streaming down his face. "Bad men." Then he saw Buffy and ran to her, hugging her leg.

    "Isn't that adorable," Angelus commented, pretending to wipe a tear from his eye.  "But like I said earlier, I will destroy any mess that you create, Spike. I think I'll start with this one."

    Cordelia, who had been standing in a state of shock as she watched this drama unfold, began to inch towards the open door.  Drusilla noticed the movement and moved swiftly to capture her. "The party has just begun, we haven't even had our tea and cakes. The mistress will be most upset if we leave before the ball has dropped in the square," Drusilla told the struggling girl.

    Buffy took this opportunity to go from helpless mortal to super slayer. Using the element of surprise, she flipped her captor over her head, then efficiently snapped his neck, not pausing as he turned to dust beneath her hands.  Buffy grabbed Blake and threw him under the table before turning to the minion who had Spike and kicked the stake out of his hands. Picking it up, she quickly thrust it into the minion's chest and was rewarded with a pile of dust as Spike jumped from his submissive pose.  Buffy shattered a shelf, supplying them with lots of nice wooden pointy objects and they turned in unison to face the onslaught.

    "Hello everyone. Allow me to introduce myself.  Buffy Summers, Vampire Slayer," Buffy quipped, feeling the familiar anticipation of the fight flowing through her veins.

    "You claimed the Slayer?" Darla yelled at Spike, amber eyes flashing. "You stupid idiot!"

    "Yeah, but he's MY stupid idiot," Buffy informed her possessively as Drusilla charged her. And the fight was on.

+++++++++++++

    Now Cordelia was sure she had entered the Twilight Zone. Right before her eyes, just as she was sure death was inches away by this loony bin reject, Buffy Superfreak Summers just went all bionic woman and started snapping necks and stuff. Then the crazy chick threw her aside and jumped into fight, screaming about her precious little kitty, and Buffy threw her across the room.  And everybody had those freaky faces on...

     Well, everyone but Buffy.

    Just as Cordelia began inching out the door again, she saw another sight that boggled her mind. The school's geekiest duo jumped up and joined in along with the school librarian, and oh my god, was that... Buffy's MOTHER???  

    Cordelia sneezed as the dust flying set off her allergies and was getting all set to flee and set herself in total denial that this whole thing had ever taken place, but then she saw that dark haired guy from earlier who had taken Blake from her, except now he wasn't as hot because he had a freaky face on, snatch Blake from his hiding spot underneath the table. Now Cordelia found her emotions torn. Spike and Buffy were both battling the loony and the pretty blonde and the others were otherwise engaged. Oh, what to do, what to do...

    Grabbing a stray piece of wood, Cordelia walked up behind the dark hulk, closed her eyes, and struck out with the piece of wood as hard as she could, like she'd seen the others do. She pried one eye open to what had happened just in time to see Blake flying through the air amidst a cloud of dust. Instinctively, she reached out and caught him, feeling a rush of emotion as pudgy little arms were thrown around her neck and Blake buried his face against her, sobbing. Ok, so maybe he was kinda cute. In a smelly, sticky, annoying kind of way She brought her hand up and rubbed his back in slow soothing circles, talking to him while making sure they were out of harms way.

    Ok, she wasn't crying over a little boy, she wasn't. It was just... all the dust in her eyes.

++++++++++++++

    As Spike had been fighting Darla, he'd seen Angelus nab Blake and almost lost it.  His loss of concentration had almost ended the fight right there, but he'd managed to stake Darla right at the last second. Just in time to see the cheerleader blindly stick a piece of wood into Angelus's back after having dismissed her when he'd saw her edging for the door.  Blake started falling through the air as the body holding him dissolved and was once again saved. 

    By the piranha.

     A flush of relief washed over him and then he laughed at the irony. The great Angelus taken out by a bloody cheerleader. Spike surveyed the room, noting with satisfaction that the others had cleaned up this mess. A slight pang of sadness struck him at the loss of Drusilla, but she was a monster in sheep's clothing and he full acknowledged that.

     When the dust settled, an emotionally fragile group took a look around, noticing the hopeful looks from the people tied up around the room. Xander and Willow went to begin the process of releasing them from their bonds, and the sounds of tearful words of gratitude were soon heard echoing around the room. Except for the human loss in the bathroom, nobody else had been sacrificed.

    Buffy walked over to where Cordelia stood trying to comfort her son and offered her a small smile. Cordelia peeled Blake off of her and held him out, not able to help but smile when Blake saw her.

    "MOMMY!!" he yelled, his sad face lighting up. Buffy clutched Blake to her as tears began to fall, thankful that this threat was over. Spike joined them, wrapping his arms around them both, his own tears rolling down his face. Even Cordelia had to admit they made a nice looking little family.

    Even if it was Buffy.

    "I thought I'd lost you both," Spike whispered hoarsely to his girl as she buried her face into his chest, sobbing with relief.

    Joyce wandered over to where the little family were reunited and always the queen of tact, Cordelia exclaimed, "Oh my god! What chewed on your neck?"

    A guilt stricken face swiveled around and Spike took in the pale unsteady form before him. "Oh christ. I'm sorry, Joyce."

    Joyce laid her hand on his arm and smiled weakly, the blood loss making things fuzzy. "It's ok, Spike. I know why you did it. I'd probably be dead if you hadn't."

    Spike's silence was confirmation that her assumption was correct. "You need to get to a hospital, Joyce," he told her, worried by her ashen appearance. She offered no resistance and Xander took her with Buffy accompanying. Giles and Spike were left behind to explain things, or attempt to explain things, the police much preferring to accept the story that didn't fit the crime rather than the story that did.

+++++++++++++

    It was hours later and Joyce was upstairs in bed, still wiped out even after receiving a few units of blood. Buffy and Spike were laying together on the couch, with Blake sleeping on his favorite spot against his daddy's chest. The day had drained all of them. It had also brought new things to light and helped cement Spike's credibility and trust with her Watcher and friends, as well as everyone else. He had been quiet since they had come home, and Buffy knew instinctively that he was mourning the loss of his vampire family, and had just given him silent support.

    Buffy was just repositioning herself on the couch so she could snuggle even closer to Spike when he broke his silence and the words that came out of his mouth were the most beautiful things she had ever heard.

    "Buffy, I love you."

    Tears filled her eye and she rose on one elbow to peer down into his serious face, hand reaching out to cup his chiseled cheek. A tear drop slid down her face and landed on shirt and Buffy wiped the rest away self consciously. "Sorry,"  she told him, giving an embarrassed laugh. "It's just been kind of an emotional day."

    He reached out and drew her head down for a gentle kiss. "I mean it, Buffy. I do. Today made me realize how much and I almost didn't get a chance to tell you. I love you."

    Buffy smiled through her tears. "I love you too, Spike."

TBC

thanks to Spikeskat for being beta'ing this chapter!

chapter 23       

    With languid reluctance, Spike was pulled from sleep to find himself surrounded by a virtual cocoon of warmth.  After yesterday's emotionally charged day, neither he nor Buffy could stand to be apart from Blake. So instead of putting him in his crib at bedtime, they had tucked his little body between them as they slept on Buffy's bed the previous night.

    Now Spike opened his eyes to find Blake curled up against his own, his breathing fast and even in sleep. The picture of his son sleeping so innocently next to his body was  absolutely the most beautiful sight Spike had ever beheld.  Well, one of two most beautiful, Spike corrected, as his eyes drifted to the girl who lay wrapped around his son on the other side. This was exactly where he belonged, and his discord over the loss of vampire family suddenly paled in comparison

    He would kill a hundred times over to keep this family safe.

    Later on that morning, Spike fixed pancakes for Blake, taking great care while using the cookie cutters that Joyce had available to keep his son entertained. He found that Blake like the animal ones the best, so Spike made a varied assortment of monster animal pancakes, causing giggles with each new creation.

    Spike had let Buffy sleep in, not having the heart to wake her when she had looked so exhausted, even in slumber. So, as Blake first began to stir, Spike carefully pulled him from his mother’s embrace and quietly brought him downstairs. He wasn’t surprised to find the kitchen empty even though it was well past the time Joyce was usually up. He knew Joyce had a bit of a recovery ahead of her, her body needing time to adjust after the amount of blood he'd taken from her.

    "More cakes, pweese," Blake asked from his position in the tall, costly highchair. Spike had sputtered in outrage when he had learned how much the bloody thing had cost. And they had thought he was evil. Those buggars deserved to go to hell for charging so much for the hunk of plastic. Spike didn't much care for the explanations of how easy it was to detach the tray with just one hand, or how nicely the fabric wiped down. It was bloody highway robbery, pure and simple.

    Spike prepared another pancake for his son, making sure the pieces were small enough for Blake to pick up easily and put them on the tray.  Blake smiled and began shoving it into his mouth, chewing happily. 

    Spike heard a noise behind him and whipped around to see Joyce enter the kitchen.  He noted with concern that she was still too pale and looked completely wiped out. Black circles had dug deep rims under her eyes, her lips looking almost as pale as her face. The whole look wasn’t helped by the colorless robe she wore. It did please him that she exhibited no signs of wariness as she entered and saw him already present.

    "Morning, Joyce," Spike greeted. "I've got some coffee made, if you want some."

    She flashed him a grateful smile and headed for the coffee pot, pouring the bitter brew into a big ceramic mug. On her way to the kitchen chairs, Joyce dropped a kiss on Blake's head before settling herself down wearily.

    "You doin' alright?"

    "I feel a bit out of sorts," Joyce admitted, not surprised to see the guilty look shadow Spike's face at her words. His eyes immediately sought out the jagged marks on her neck, red and ugly against her skin.

    "Joyce, I'm sorry."  Spike buttered more pancakes in a distracted manner, putting them down silently in front of her, even though her appetite was non existent.

    "Spike, I already told you. You don't need to apologize. I know why you did it. Can't say as I liked it very much, but I think being dead would have been a whole lot worse. Yes, you scared me. And yes, to be honest, there was a hint of doubt that you weren't going to stop. But you did stop, and we're all ok."

    Spike nodded his head, finding himself not particularly cheered by Joyce's words.  He went and warmed up his coffee from the pot on the counter, and took a seat across from Joyce.

    "I know they were your family, Spike.  But I can't say I'm sorry that they're gone," Joyce revealed, seeing the pain firmly etched on the sharp planes  of Spike's face.

    Sighing heavily, Spike brought the steaming mug to his lips, and took a sip. "Can't say as I'm particularly sorry myself, if you must know the truth.  Mostly I'm just bleedin sorry that you, Buffy and my boy were put in a situation like that."

    That acknowledgement pleased Joyce, and she felt it safe to address another topic that she had learned yesterday.  "I wanted to talk to you about something else, Spike. I know this isn't really my business, but I'm going to pry anyway. I can't help but be bothered that you are... biting Buffy."

    Spike looked up sharply from his intense perusal of the contents of his mug. "It's a different kind of biting, Joyce. It's not done to harm her. And it sure as bloody hell is not being done without her consent either. I told you I wasn't going to hurt her and I meant it."

    By the coolness that had suddenly entered his voice, Joyce had the good sense to back off of the topic. She nodded and stood to give Blake some more pancakes. The little boy had been listening to their discussion in a serious manner, his lips pursed intently.

    "Daddy no hurt Mommy," he announced suddenly.

    His innocently spoken words, voiced so emphatically, broke the sudden tension that had enveloped the room and both adults found themselves smiling in response.

    Buffy chose that moment to enter the kitchen, the brightness of her eyes suggesting the extra time spent sleeping had gone a long way towards wiping away her exhaustion.  "You guys talking about me again?"

    "Just a little," Joyce assured her, with a fond smile.

    "Mommy!" a little voice squealed with glee, Blake's  breakfast all but ignored now that his mother was up.  His wild writhing in his seat indicated he wanted out of his high chair so Buffy unlocked his seatbelt and scooped him out. She was unable to help the prolonged hug she gave him, savoring the feel of his little body against hers.

    Joyce's eyes filled with tears as she observed her daughter respond to the natural call of motherhood. Maybe Buffy had a little inkling now of the mental torment Joyce went through each time Buffy put herself in danger doing her "chosen" sacred duty.

    As if reading her mind, Spike tore his eyes away from Buffy and his son and quietly informed her, "I'll take care of her, Joyce."

    Joyce just nodded her head, not wanting to verbalize her fears.  They needed to focus on the positive in their lives, not the "what ifs". If nothing else, yesterday had served as a reminder of how truly fragile life could be.  Last night, she'd had recurring nightmares about the barbaric way the women in the bathroom were killed. The vision had crept into her mind and refused to leave. She kept thinking that it could have been her lying pale and bloodless on the cold bathroom floor. 
 

    Forcing a bright smile, Joyce looked at Buffy and asked, "So, what's on the agenda for today?"

    "Mouse place!" Blake announced enthusiastically before Buffy could reply.

    Spike tipped an eyebrow in Buffy's direction with a silent question attached. Buffy smiled mischievously, risking a glance at Spike before returning her attention to the blondehaired boy in her arms.  "Why, yes. I think the 'mouse place' is doable."

    Several hours later, Joyce dropped Spike off right at the curb, and he made a mad dash for the pocket of shade that would shield him from of the sun's deadly rays.

    Pressing himself against the side of the building, Spike shook his head in disgust at the things he allowed himself to get roped into.  When Joyce, Buffy and Blake finally joined him, he couldn't help the harshness that crept into his voice as he bit out, "What the bloody hell is this place?"

    "It's the mouse place, Spike," Buffy replied cheekily, ushering him inside.

    Once inside, Spike was subjected to even more indignities, as his wrist was grabbed unceremoniously by the pimple faced girl manning the roped entrance, and an ink number stamp was pressed to the back of his hand.   

    Instinctively, Spike jerked his arm back, sounding a low warning growl, barely able to refrain from flashing his fangs at this complete invasion of his person.

    The girl who had stamped his hand threw him a disgusted look. "Dude, chill.  Everyone who comes in with their family gets stamped with the same number."

    Spike allowed the tension to leave his body as he witnessed Buffy, Joyce, and Blake also being stamped. The girl was bloody lucky though that she didn't loose a limb, much less her life, for grabbing at him like that. Buffy just looked at him and rolled her eyes, and Spike was beginning to  suspect that she was secretly enjoying these reactions of his.
    

    Throwing her a dirty look, he relieved her of Blake, holding him easily against his side with one arm.  Spike leaned over and whispered huskily into Buffy's ear, "You toss one more little smirk my way, little girl, and I'll haul you over my knee and throttle you."
    

    He noted with profound satisfaction that her heart rate increased at his spoken innuendo, and gave her a wicked smirk of his own. 
    

    The pimple face bint unhooked the velvet rope, and ushered them through before hooking it firmly behind them. "Enjoy your visit at Chuck E. Cheese," she called after them. 

tbc..

24
a/n-whoa it's been a while! I don't think I ever gave an explanation to what Chuck E. Cheese is. Basically it's a pizza place that is geared for kids that is the most insane place you've ever been to.

    After his initial disgust at the hordes of unsupervised kids running around, Buffy watched as Spike look of disgust turned mildly accepting.

    They had settled into the Toddler Zone and within an acceptable timeframe, their pizza and chicken wings were delivered by another pimply face teen. Throughout the meal, Spike had continually winced with every high pierced scream that came at him from all directions until Buffy finally handed him a napkin and told him to use it to make makeshift earplugs.

    While first protesting, Spike finally gave in and stuffed wads of paper in his ears, sighing with relief when his acute sense of hearing was not continually traumatized.

    After they had eaten, Spike glanced at Buffy with trepidation when she handed him a cup full of tokens and told him to go play some games with Blake. He looked down into the cup before looking back at her with a truly suspicious look on his face, eyeing the ridiculous games around them.

     But Blake's enthusiasm had him containing his snide comments and Buffy watched with amusement as he headed for some of the machines positioned around the more sedate backdrop of the Toddler Zone.

    But after a few minutes, Spike came back to the table with a scowl on his face. "These machines bloody rob you blind."

    "No twicketss," Blake grumbled, matching his daddy's look.

    "That's right. They don't give you any tickets, do they Blake?" Spike asked his son.

    "No, dey don't," Blake said mournfully.

    It was another moment where Buffy realized how truly advanced her son was, knowing that most children his age wouldn't be aware that the other machines in the place rewarded those who played with a varying amount of tickets, which could then be redeemed for an assortment of prizes.

    Of course Buffy didn't know how much influence Spike had over this particular observation either.

    "Want twickets." Blake's petulant look turned pleading as he looked at his daddy. "Pweese?"

    Never one to resist that particular look on his son's face, Spike's face became determined. "Bloody right we'll get some tickets."

    Buffy watched as he strode purposefully out of the safe haven of the toddler zone into the manic frenzy of the main arcade, his son safely ensconced in his arms.

    She shook her head and sat back to finish the rest of her lunch, the appetite of a toddler not giving her the time to appreciate it fully.
 

    Twenty minutes later, Spike still had not returned with their son and Buffy finally stood up to go look for them. She had quickly become bored and not just a little irritated that every mother that had settled around her since their departure seemed to be of the same yuppy mold, never raising their voice or looking ruffled at anything. She had long since found that this type of parenting bugged her, from their conservative clothes right down to their obnoxious offspring that could do no wrong in their eyes.

    It didn't escape her notice either the glances to her ring finger, disapproval clearly evident on faces that had the application of natural makeup down to a science.

    She so had to get out of there.

    What should have been an easy task turned into an ordeal with the Saturday crush of birthday parties but Buffy finally managed to locate the two men in her life crowded against the back wall, intent on the game they were playing.

    And she had to take a moment to smile.

    Identical looks of determination were set on both of their faces and it just illustrated their almost uncanny resemblance, finding her eyes suddenly tearing up. Buffy could feel her heart expand and lurch just a little bit more at the sight of them; this was her family. Spike had given her this little boy and then had turned around to offer her his love, defying everything he was genetically disposed to in order to do so. 

    He had killed his vampire family to protect them and the reality of that ultimate sacrifice and show of devotion suddenly humbled her. Oh yes, he had her love.

    "Mommy!" an excited voice called out to draw her out of her reflective melancholy. "Look! Twickets!" A chubby finger pointed to the floor next to the machine where an impressive array of tickets were falling out of the slot.

    A happy and content look stole over Buffy's face as she closed the distance that separated her from the loves of her life. "I see that! Very impressive."

    Spike threw her a smirk and held out his hand in the direction of his son. "Ball," he commanded, watching as Blake took the next ball out of the compartment and handed it to him, his face a mask of seriousness. "Thank you, son."

    "So this is a group effort, I take it?" Buffy asked, amused by the intensity with which they were going about it.

     "Got that right," Spike said distractedly as he lined up his shot. With a quick flick of his wrist, the ball traveled up the short lane and popped right into the 100 point slot.

    "Good, daddy."

    Spike merely smiled and held out his hand again which his son promptly filled with another ball. Using the same technique, the ball once again landed neatly in the 100 point slot and the tickets continued to pour out.

    When he turned a smug look in her direction, Buffy rolled her eyes. "You do realize this is a child's game, don't' you?"

    He merely shrugged. "Don't see many children playing it, do you?"

    Buffy looked and discovered Spike was right. Of the ten lanes, only five were being used and beside Spike, the other four were obviously housewives-all with that same determined look on their face.

    With her own shrug, Buffy took up position in the lane next to her boys and ignored Spike's grumble about her delving into 'his bloody tokens' and an unofficial competition began.

    Blake was in his glory. The tickets never stopped flowing and he was the official ball boy and his giggles were infectious.

    By the time they left, Spike had to admit that for what had started out as something potentially horrifying, it had turned into one of the best times he had spent with his family.

    His real family, he amended. His only family.

    And Blake had got to pick out quite a nice prize as well with the vast number of tickets he and Buffy had accumulated. Not a bad deal, that.

    Of course he blocked out how much money he and Buffy had spent in order to win all those tickets. That was something that just ruined the moment.

     *******

    The next few weeks passed by smoothly, no trips to the hospital or kidnappings to interrupt the usual flow of events. A fact that had Buffy sighing with relief. She had enough trauma in her day to day life just by being the Slayer; she really didn't need to add further to that.

    After Spike had almost lost her to his vampiric family, he insisted on patrolling with her, refusing to even let her step foot outside the house without his presence, her very own demonic bodyguard. 

    And Buffy was sooo okay with that.

    Besides, it gave her a chance to really talk to him, finding that he liked to open up while stalking the cemeteries by the filtered light of the moon. Of course they stopped for some smoochies but had soon found that potentially dangerous. When Spike would touch her in an intimate way, everything else just fell away until there was only him and the way he made her feel.

    Not so much with the good for keeping on your toes against the threat of evil.

    So they decided to make patrol smoochy-free and that allowed for a whole other avenue of 'getting to know each other' to commence. Buffy soon came to the conclusion that she didn't just love Spike.

    She liked him too.

    He made her laugh. He made her think.

    And he made her realize just how lucky she was that she had him in her life.

     For what had started off as something sinister and horrifying, Buffy continually found herself amazed at his depths, his level of caring.  She didn't even question how much he loved her-loved them. She could feel it.

    And because of that, Giles' startling lack of producing anything to explain the conception that had occurred failed to bother her. As far as she concerned, no news was good news. He had tried to give her some books that explained claiming rituals but she refused to read them.

    At this point in time, she found she just didn't care. Spike had tried to explain a few times, but Buffy found herself not wanting to know, more than content to bask in her ignorance.

    Because it just didn't' matter.

    Graduation was coming up soon and Buffy found herself more than ready to leave that part of her life behind, feeling years older than her peers already with having been the slayer and a mother these past years.

    There had been no discussion regarding what the future was going to bring after graduation and neither her mom or Spike had mentioned anything about it. Buffy had made it very clear that she was not giving college a consideration at this time and her mom was smart enough not to argue about it.

    Joyce had time to work on her daughter and for now was content to let her choose her own path. She was not blind to the emotions that had rapidly built between her daughter and Spike and it brought a smile to her face daily to see her daughter so happy.

    As far as Spike himself, he had more than proved himself to her. The brutal reminder of exactly what he was would always haunt her as would the scars on her neck, but the fact that he had protected them above everything else was very clear in her mind.

    So with graduation a few days away, Joyce found herself with much to do. After learning of Willow's parents extended trip to Europe that didn't include an opportunity to see their only child graduate and Xander's less than enthusiastic parents, Joyce was taking it upon herself to include them in the celebration.

    She just hadn't counted on her ex-husband coming to town unannounced.

tbc..

Thank you soo much for all of the reviews! Obviously my kids aren't bugging me as bad because my muse for this fic has returned, LOL! Thank you to OracleHolly for being my comma police! I was in direction violation (and probably still am, LOL)

25

  Joyce had arranged ahead of time to take the day off from the gallery to work on the elaborate plans that she had been cultivating for Buffy's graduation party, more than determined that her daughter would have one memorable night of recognition. It was something Joyce felt she deserved, decidedly more so than the majority of her graduating class.

    But an early morning phone call foiled Joyce's extensive plans for the day, and she grumbled quite heavily to herself as she moved around the house to get ready for her unexpected day at the gallery.

     Sometimes it just didn't pay to be in charge.

    Buffy had already left for school, and Joyce waited until the very last minute before knocking on her daughter's door to alert Spike that she had to leave. The evening before, she had informed him that he could sleep in because she would be home to get Blake up. It hadn't surprised her that she had heard him downstairs in the wee hours of the morning, eagerly embracing his genetic nocturnal urges.

    "Spike?" she called softly when a repeat tap of the door didn't yield a response.

    When she heard some semblance of a mumble from inside the room, Joyce carefully turned the knob. "Spike, are you awake? I'm opening the door."

    As the door slid open tentatively, Joyce called out again, hoping he was decent.

    He was. Barely.

    He lay sprawled on his stomach in the middle of the bed, the sheet riding low on his hips, hair an unruly mess of curls. Finding herself oddly non-pulsed by the reality of seeing an obviously naked man in her daughter's bed, Joyce merely smiled indulgently.

    "Spike, I need you to wake up."

    One bleary eye opened to peer at her before his body suddenly coiled with tension, the implications of Joyce waking him up penetrating through the fog of beckoning slumber. Spike raised himself on his elbows to look over his shoulder in her direction. "What is it? Is something wrong?" he asked, all hint of sleep knocked from his voice by his immediate concern. "Blake and Buffy ok?"

    Joyce nodded her head, trying to keep her eyes from following the sheet that was determined to trail even lower, the barest hint of a pale cheek now visible. "No, nothing is wrong. I just got called into work today and I know I said you could have a break today, but...."

    Spike nodded with understanding, grabbing the sheet with one hand as he turned himself over, effectively covering everything that Joyce didn't need to see.  "Right. Don't worry, I've got the boy."

    "Thanks. Blake isn't up yet so maybe you can get a little more sleep."

    Spike ran his hand through his hair, fingers parting the errant curls. "Nah. I'll get up."

    Joyce smiled gratefully and said her goodbyes, closing the door to the darkened room and headed off to the gallery.

    Spike lay there for a moment after he heard Joyce's car back out of the driveway when the sound of a slight whimper echoed through the walls that separated him from his son and reached his ears.

    Jumping out of bed, he quickly pulled on his jeans and made his way to check on his boy. With his acute sense of hearing, he was well versed in every sound Blake made and this was not one that he could recall hearing before.

    He found his son laying limply on the bottom of his crib, his favorite blankie clutched tightly in his hands as he looked up at his daddy with droopy eyes rimmed with dark circles.

    "Daddy," Blake whimpered pitifully.

    "Oh Blake," Spike breathed, reaching down to scoop him out and bring him against his chest, quickly coming to panic as soon as he felt Blake's body against his own.

    His boy was burning up.

     Not being well versed in modern medicine with his 120+ years of illness-free existence, Spike found himself utterly helpless and that jacked him off. He was the Big Bad; nothing got him flustered. But the way Blake was lying limply against him was in such direct contrast to his usual vibrancy that Spike found himself at a complete loss.

    When another pitiful whimper reached his ears, Spike was propelled into motion; striding back into the bedroom he had just left.

    Watching Blake's eyes flutter shut and hearing the continued low whimpers, Spike had no qualms about reaching for the phone that was beside the bed. He was out of his depth here, and he was too worried to even try to deny it. Out of sheer desperation, he found himself pushing the speed dial that would connect him with the school library.

    "Sunnydale Library," the clipped voice answered.

    "Rupes, I need your help."

    "Spike? What is it? Is everything alright?"

    "No everything isn't bloody alright! Would I be ringing you if it was?" Spike snapped, then forced himself to calm down. He could do this. "Look, I think Blake is sick, and I don't know what to do."

    "I thought Joyce was going to be home today?" Giles questioned, trying to figuring out why Spike was calling HIM of all people for medical advice.

       "Was supposed to. Had to go open the bloody gallery this morning. She just left a few minutes ago ,and I know Buffy is in class, so I called you."

    There was a hint of something in his voice that Giles had only heard on one other occasion, and that hint managed to cut through all the questions that were trying to crowd his brain.

    Spike sounded scared.

    "Yes well, I am certain we can take care of this," Giles found himself reassuring the vampire on the other end of the phone. "Does he have any symptoms that you know of?"

    "Symptoms?"

    "Yes, Spike. Is he coughing or anything of that nature?"

    Spike glanced down at his still bundle. "No. Just laying here like a bloody corpse, and he feels like he's burning up."

    Even though Spike wasn't able to see him, Giles nodded thoughtfully. "It sounds like he has a fever."

    Spike gave an exasperated snort. "Figured that part out for myself, you git. I just don't know what to do about it, is all."

    Giles reached into the deep recesses of his brain to pluck out the information that had been stored away, basic first aid a necessary requisite from his days at the Council. "I believe he will require some form of anti-pyretic."

    "What in the soddin' fuck is that?" Spike snarled.

    "Ibuprofen or acetaminophen. I am quite certain that there is something of that nature there; perhaps you could go look?"  Giles suggested easily, not letting himself be affected by Spike's attitude.

    "Oh right," Spike muttered, his mind flashing back to the previous week when Blake had fallen and 'gotten an owie' on his knee. Buffy had given him something then.

    Cradling the cordless phone between the side of his head and his shoulder while keeping a firm grip on Blake, Spike went downstairs and opened the cabinet he remembered Buffy rifling through.

    With a sense of relief, his hand closed around a bottle that said 'Children's Motrin,' and he pulled it out. "Got it."

    "Fantastic. Give it to him then."

    Spike's entire body stilled. "How do I do that?"

    "Bloody hell man! Surely you can manage to give your own son some medicine!" Giles exploded, conveniently ignoring the fact that he himself would most likely be at a loss. "Perhaps I should call Buffy out of class."

    "No!" Spike bit out determinedly. This was HIS son and he would bloody well take care of him himself, his resolve hardening at that moment. 

    With that resolve came the dim memory of Buffy showing him things he might need while he was watching Blake, and he now remembered her showing him the medicine cabinet and the contents that might pertain to Blake.

    Spike mentally berated himself for not paying more attention at the time, having found he'd had no bleedin' idea what she had been going on about, merely nodding occasionally while he gave her ass a proper oogling. His thought was that he'd just ring Buffy or Joyce for anything he didn't know, Buffy's physical attributes proving far more interesting.

     Spike turned the bright bottle over and saw that a label had been placed on the back with Blake's name written in bold letters. An arrow had been drawn which pointed to Blake's dose, complete with directions on how to administer it.

    Spike suddenly smiled. 

    He threw the phone down and ignored Giles' sputtering. With surprising ease, he managed to get Blake to drink the copiously syrupy fever medication, cringing at its sickening sweet smell. 

    A moment later, Spike grabbed the phone again once Blake had been all medicated. He was feeling particularly chuffed with himself, if truth be told.

    "Shall I retrieve Buffy?" Giles asked, sounding a bit put off.

    "Nope. Got it under control."

    "Well, yes, I'm sure you are quite capable. However I am sure we will need the information regarding the proper dosage required."

    "I already gave it to him."

    A pause. "Oh. Well then, nicely done." Giles sounded thoughtful. "Oh yes, make sure you don't bundle him up with clothes or blankets."

    Spike glanced down at the thin garments Blake wore and scowled, having been just about to head upstairs to put something warmer on him. "Why the bloody not? He looks cold."
 

    "Because it makes the fever higher, that is why. You put more layers on him, it just raises his body temperature which is quite the opposite of what you wish to happen," Giles imparted, feeling smug himself that he was able to be the expert in the field of fever reduction. "You might also wish to take his temperature so you can monitor the progress of his fever. You will probably have to take it rectally."

    Spike held the phone away and stared at it for a quick moment. "No bloody way! I don't need a bleedin' thermometer, you git. Vampire, remember?"

    "Oh yes. Quite handy, really."

    Spike was just about to reply when the doorbell rang, and he barely managed to curtail his heated curses about the interruption, remembering Buffy's lecture about impressionable young ears.

    "Doorbell just rang. Thanks for the help, mate." Without waiting for a reply, Spike pushed the 'end' button, and after shifting his boneless burden around in his arms, he headed for the front door. When another chorus of whimpers reached his ears, his worry grew. He didn't like feeling this way, not knowing if he was doing the right thing for his son. 

    Before he could reach the door, the bell was rung again and Spike ripped it open in irritation.

    "What?" he demanded at the man standing on the other side, a brief flicker of recognition hitting him. Spike took a discreet sniff and the intruder's identification was confirmed.

    "Oh. Uh. Hello. I wasn't aware that Buffy had employed a babysitter," Hank announced, mentally forming his first impression of the man who was holding his grandson, and it was not in the least bit flattering.

    Spike snorted. "Yeah right."  His mouth opened to properly identify himself when he felt a rapid change in Blake's breathing pattern.

    Blake gazed back up at him with haunted eyes and whimpered, "I sick."

    Spike's own frame of mind turned into one of downright panic, and he completely missed the look of utter confusion on Hank's face.  "Shh, it's ok," Spike soothed, shifting him around so he lay against a cooler portion of Spike's chest, remembering Rupert's instructions about not feeding the fever.

    Hank opened his mouth to make an inquiry as to who exactly Spike was, when he was suddenly rendered speechless.

    With absolutely no warning, Hank found himself the unwilling target of Blake's projectile vomiting.

    Hank's eyes widened with disbelief as he stared from his grandson, to the man holding him; Blake's stomach contents dripping off of him to fall to the ground.

    If Spike thought he was worried before, it was nothing compared to what suddenly slammed through him. Vampires didn't vomit, this was beyond his realm of dealing.

    Ignoring the fact that he himself had not come away from the incident unscathed, Spike's eyes frantically found those of Buffy's father.

    "What do I do?" he demanded, not caring that he was close to begging.

    Hank had forgotten much of raising a child, but the horrors of childhood vomit had lingered. The scars of midnight carpet cleanup and load after load of vomit drenched bedclothes were memories that just didn't go away.

    Shrugging out of his ruined sports coat, Hank hung it over the porch rail before turning to the blonde stranger holding his grandson. "We can start by getting him in the bathtub."

    Without waiting for a response, Hank crossed the threshold and disappeared inside, leaving Spike to follow behind in a daze.

    An insane sire, a century worth of murder, torture and evil- he could handle.

    But a sick, vomiting child he could not.

A/N-This chapter is for Passionfish. Why you ask? Well, because MONTHS ago (as in August, I believe), we made a deal that I would work on this fic and she would work on 400 Days, which I had DEARLY wanted to see updated. Well, Passionfish kept up her end of the bargain, even COMPLETING 400 Days and I never did, so PF, this is for you! Finally!

Chapter 26

    By the time Spike had made it as far as the stairs, Blake had succumbed to a fitful slumber in his arms, and Spike turned around and headed for the living room. Lowering himself gently onto the couch, he carefully rearranged his boy so that he lay sprawled comfortably across his chest as he reclined back against the oversized cushions.

    Spike could hear the water running upstairs, but ignored it. Blake needed sleep. Sleep was good. Sleep allowed the body to heal, this was something he knew. Sleep would put an end to the pitiful little moans from tiny tortured lungs.

    Except it didn't, he soon realized. Little gasps and grunts reached his ears and dug deep into his heart, threatening to crush it into the petrified hunk of nothing it really was. Every hitched breath was noted and the mask of concern on Spike's face grew. He didn't like this, this soddin' humanity that insisted on taking over. It was painful and harsh.

    Relentless.

     Tortured echoes of past memories slowly bled back into his brain. He alone had been responsible for so much death and horror in the past without any regard to those loved ones that were left behind, and his self-loathing grew. True he had not killed children as a general rule, but he hadn't had a problem with bringing them home for Dru as a special treat; never once caring that a frantic parent was out there wondering what had happened to their baby, their precious child. It suddenly made him physically ill to think of their frantic worry, especially knowing what their child had typically been subjected to before finally allowed a merciful death.

    He was a monster.

    He didn't deserve this second chance. That thought trumpeted through his head; loud and agonizing. Yet he had it anyway. A second chance. Love. A child.

    A family.

    And he would do anything to protect them.

    Hank stood at the bottom of the stairs, a bad feeling trying to crawl its way into his gut. The ravaged look on this man's face just didn't make sense. He couldn't think of a valid reason why a caretaker should be staring down at his grandson with such burning ferocity, and it made him not just a little nervous.

    Determined to get to the bottom of it, Hank stepped into the room, not missing the dangerous look in the stranger's eyes when the blonde head snapped up at his determined approach. There was a hint of something hiding in the schooled gaze that told Hank to tread cautiously.

    "Guess now isn't a good time to get him in the tub." Hank gestured to the sleeping Blake before looking down at himself. "Although I sure wouldn't say no to it."

    Spike looked over and saw Buffy's dad standing there with steaks of puke running down his trousers and chunks of something unidentifiable in his hair, and his lips almost quirked up into a smile. "Yeah, guess the boy got you pretty good."

    "Well, wouldn't be the first time. I think he's just taking after his mother. I remember getting vomited up on several different occasions, if memory serves," Hank commented, still not willing to relax even though the intensity had left the caretaker's face. Hank gave an self-conscious laugh while running his fingers through non-descript, light brown hair, quickly regretting that action when his hand came away sticky and wet. Grimacing, Hank wiped his hand on a clean patch of his shirt. 

    "So... where are Buffy and Joyce?"

    "Buffy's at school, Joyce just left for work a bit ago."

    There was a brief pause.

    "And you are?" Hank finally asked.

    "Spike."

    "And again I ask- and you are?" Hank repeated a bit more firmly, getting the feeling that the other man was dodging something.

    Spike's eyes bored into those of Buffy's father before looking down at his fretting son, his hand rubbing the small, heated back in gentle, soothing circles.

    "The boy's got a bit of something," Spike commented in lieu of a response, finding himself oddly reluctant to reveal his true identity. Something that felt a bit like shame tried worming its way into his already fragile state of emotions, and Spike bit it back angrily. Ok, so this was Buffy's father.  Didn't mean he should bloody identify with him now that they had both fathered children.

    But he had hurt this man's daughter.

    With a heavy sigh, he merely accepted the shame and filed it away with the rest of the emotions he should not be feeling.

    Hank was growing more confused and more concerned as each second passed by. Something still told him to proceed with caution and he suddenly cursed the impulsive act that had prompted his showing up on his ex-wife's doorstep with no warning. He had meant it as a surprise, wanting to repair his fractured relationship with his daughter.

    For all he knew, this man could be completely delusional. Joyce and Buffy could be tied up in the basement- or something worse- and yet here he stood, covered in puke, making conversation when he really should be demanding to know what the fuck was going on.

    And he would have done just that if he thought his grandson was in any danger. But the hands that were gently soothing the boy were reassuring and almost...

    Paternal.

    With a quick intake of breath, Hank studied the man on the couch, his hands fisting tightly as he noticed something that had escaped him up until now.

    Spike heard the slight gasp and his eyes quickly locked on Hank's.

    And that was when Hank knew.

    Blake had this man's eyes. 

     Anger rushed through him, dark and ominous, as he remembered back to the night Buffy came running into his arms, terrified and crying, yet refusing to speak of what had caused her panicked flight.

    But Hank knew one thing that had happened that night.

    That one thing had left her pregnant.

    His daughter had never been the same after that night, and that was the reason Hank had distanced himself from her life.

    Guilt.

    Because of his own selfish needs, he had left her alone that night and she had paid a terrible price.

    And the cause of it was sitting on his ex-wife's couch.

    "What did you do," Hank bit out dangerously, two years of anger and self-recriminations bubbling up and now overflowing. He knew he was right when he saw the stab of guilt and regret shadowing the features that were so like his grandson's.

    "I'm sorry," was all Spike could say, his demon raging at him for apologizing to a HUMAN. Just a few months ago, this man would have been dead the second he dared to speak to Spike in such a manner.

    And now?

    Now Spike knew the helplessness and worry that accompanied parenthood and felt a kinship. He KNEW. And even more, he knew he deserved the anger.

    "You son of a bitch," Hank growled, stepping forward to yank Blake away from him, rage consuming him that this man had defiled his daughter and he didn't even want to think of what else had occurred. How Spike had come to be situated in his ex-wife's house, he didn't know, but he would get to the bottom of it. Of that he was determined.

    But then Blake's eyes fluttered open and his face crumpled, looking worse than Hank had ever seen him. Blake gazed at his grandfather with a slightly dazed and glassy-eyed look before peering up into Spike's worried face.

    "Daddy, I sick."

    Hank watched as Spike's face melted into worry and felt marginally better, gaining some reassurance from that mere observation.

    Spike put aside the answering rage that had built up when Buffy's father had charged him.

    "What should I do?" he asked when Blake began crying.

    Hank's mouth tightened into an angry line, then came to a swift decision. Blake first, kick ass later. Stepping to the couch, Hank felt Blake's cheek with the back of his hand, his mouth now twisting with worry.

    "He's burning up with fever."

    "I bloody know that," Spike snapped, then forced himself to calm down. "I gave him some fever medication not too long ago." He eyed the orange-tinged stains that Hank continued to sport. "Believe you're wearing most of it there."

    Hank opened his mouth to retort, when suddenly the front door burst open and the sound of feet entering the house was heard.

     "Spike?" Buffy called from the front entry way, looking around for her child and lover.

    "In here, pet," he called back, relief overwhelming him that she was here.

    His girl would know what to do.

    "Is Blake ok? Giles said...," Buffy's voice trailed off when she caught sight of who was in the room with Spike, her eyes widening as she realized the implications of his presence.

    "Dad? What are you doing here?" 

tbc

Thank you sooo much for all the reviews I've gotten for this fic!! It makes me soooo motivated to keep working on it (and finish it, by gum)

Chapter 27

    Hank whipped around to stare at his daughter, his mind trying once more to make sense of things. His mouth opened to demand an explanation only to be interrupted before any words could leave his mouth.

    "Mommy," Blake whined pitifully.

    "Oh baby," Buffy exclaimed with concern, crossing the room in two steps to sink down next to Spike on the couch. "My poor little tough guy is sick?"

    Blake nodded sadly, then returned  his cheek to its prior position against the hard planes of Spike's chest while he stared up at his mom.

   Buffy smoothed the limp curls back off the little face, her brow furrowing with concern. "Spike, he's burning up."

    "I know." Spike looked down into the drooping eyes of their son. "I tried giving him some of that orange stuff that you had labeled in the cupboard. Good job with that, by the way. Found I hadn't really been paying attention when you were showing me where stuff was."

    Buffy snorted, drawing her legs up under her so she could scoot closer to Spike and Blake on the couch. "Please. I know where your attention was that day, stealth guy." She leaned into his side and began stroking Blake's head. "How long ago did you give him the Motrin?"

    "About ten minutes ago. Problem is, I think your dad is wearing most of it."

    Buffy glanced over at her dad, almost having forgotten that he was even there in wake of seeing how pitiful her son was. Chewing her lower lip, she finally noticed the state of his clothes and grimaced. "Oh god, Blake threw up all over you?"

    "It would appear that way," Hank replied a bit tightly, trying to refrain from demanding answers and explanations to some very obvious questions. He didn't like at all the direction his thoughts were taking.

    "Should have seen it, luv. It was something all right. Almost like a scene right out of the Exorcist. Your dad didn't stand a chance."

    Buffy couldn't help the amused look that stole over her face, which quickly turned subdued when she caught sight of her dad's rigid posture and pressed lips. 

    Finally, he could stand it no longer. "Who exactly is this, Buffy?"

    Both Spike and Buffy's backs stiffened at the hostility present in the heated question, exchanging telling glances.

    "He's my daddy."

    The determination and venom in which Blake imparted that information belied his illness, and Hank was reduced to staring with his mouth agape.

    It had indeed been a while since he had last seen his grandson and he had not been expecting this level of maturity to be present in such a young voice.

    What else had he missed in his self-imposed absence?

    Spike had to work to keep his smirk in check as he watched his son keep a narrowed, steely stare pinned on his grandfather, a challenge clearly being thrown. It did him right proud, it did.

    Hank's features softened and he gave Blake a small smile. "Yes, I can see that, Blake. You look just like your daddy."   

    Blake gave his grandpa one more look, then nodded. Suddenly his face scrunched up in confusion.

    "Who you again?"

    At that, Spike couldn't help the snicker that escaped, quickly sobering up at Buffy's heated look.

    "That's your grandfather, Blake," Buffy explained patiently.

    Blake shook his head slowly. "I don't knows him."

    "It been a while since he's seen you. You were just a little guy the last time,' Buffy commented gently, but not quite keeping the accusation out of her voice.

    Blake nodded. "Hi Gwanpa."

    Hank couldn't help but smile at the adorable little boy. "Hello Blake."

    Wanting to avoid confrontation, Buffy nudged Spike. "Come on and help me give him some Tylenol for his fever."

    "I thought we just gave him something."

    "You did and he threw it up. Now we're giving him something else." Buffy stood up and arched her eyebrow, clearly indicating for Spike to follow.

    More than content to escape the company of Buffy's father, Spike lumbered to his feet and followed Buffy out of the living room, Blake firmly set in his arms.

    "You do realize you aren't supposed to have him against your bare skin like that, don't you? You're not helping his body temperature there, you know," Hank lectured in a self-righteous tone as they passed by him.

    Spike ignored him and refrained from tossing him a chilling look as he followed Buffy into the kitchen.

    "Stupid git," Spike mumbled.

    Buffy pinned a severe look on him. "Behave. He doesn't know anything, ok? All he knows right now is that you were the cause of some major freakage two years ago and you got me pregnant. I'm sure his brain is working overtime trying to fill in the blanks. You're lucky he hasn't called you out."

    Spike snorted. "Please. Like that scares me."

    Buffy's face gentled. "Spike, I know he's been a jerk but he's still my dad. I need this to be ok."

    And just like that, Spike found himself feeling contrite, nodding to concede to her wishes. "I'll work on it."

    Buffy nodded, knowing without those spoken words that Spike had already gone against his true nature and kept his mouth shut and his fangs to himself. There had been full disclosure on her part regarding how much her dad's self-imposed exile had hurt her and Buffy knew Spike's thoughts on the matter of her father.

    And they weren't flattering.

    But nothing more needed to be said between them as Buffy gave Blake the Tylenol she had poured into a small measuring cup. Blake took it without complaining and Buffy relieved Spike of his precious burden.

    At his questioning look, Buffy answered, "I'm taking him upstairs to change him."

    Spike nodded and watched as his girl swept out of the kitchen, a drowsy Blake perched in her arms.

    Making a mental note to read up on anything that he might need to know about toddler first aid and illness, Spike turned around to put the medications back into the cupboard and wash the tiny cup that had been used.

    With his back to the kitchen entry, Spike tensed when he heard heavy footsteps enter but refused to turn around, instead concentrated on the other dirty dishes that waited for him in the sink.

    "I want to know what is going here," Hank demanded.

    Spike expelled a pent-up sigh and drew out his housekeeping duties, keeping his back to the door. "I'm washing the dishes, is what."

    Spike wasn't surprised to hear the footsteps cross the room or when his arm was grabbed, and he merely let himself be manhandled by this...human. Spike knew her dad had reason to be angry for his part and Hank actually scored some points with him for this hostile confrontation, his demon appreciating the violence.

    You think I can't see what's going on here?" Hank demanded angrily. "I was there that night. I know what you did."

    Spike's brow tipped in sardonic question. "And what exactly did I do?" He knocked Hank's imprisoning grip off of his arm easily as he took a step forward. "Would that be where I took advantage of a beautiful and sweet sixteen year old girl?"

    Spike couldn't help the evil smile that slid over his face at the anger that erupted within the other man. "Because you're right, I did." Ignoring the gasps of pure rage that sounded from the mortal in front of him, Spike continued, "But that beautiful and sweet sixteen year old was just ripe for the picking and do you know why?"

    Spike didn't allow Hank an opportunity to answer his rhetorical question. "Because her dad left her all alone in a strange hotel so he could have a quick go with some bimbo with huge tits."

    The guilt on Hank's face was immediate and Spike's responding smile was mocking. "So yeah, I might have been the monster, I admit it. But you're not exactly guiltless here, you know."

    Hank was torn; fury that this man had admitted attacking his daughter warred with the ever present guilt that he carried around inside of him about that night. "She should have safe," he uttered, knowing the moment the words left his mouth how inane they sounded.

    "Yeah, but she wasn't, was she? So was the precious Missy worth it, Hank?"

    Hank started at the mention of the girl's name he had left his daughter's side for in Vegas two years ago. "Did Buffy tell you her name?"

    Full lips twisted into a smirk. "Didn't need to. Was right there, you know. Saw and heard the whole thing for myself."

    Finally catching on to what Spike was doing, Hank invaded his personal space once again. "I may have left her, but you're still the one who took advantage."

    Now it was Spike's turn to host a look of guilt, but before he could reply, Buffy's voice broke through the smoldering tension. "I leave for 2 minutes and you guys are already getting into it?"

    Hank backed off as he turned to regard his daughter, noting the rigid posture she had adopted.

    "Where's Blake?" Spike asked worriedly.

    "He fell asleep again so I put him in his crib."

    Spike nodded then turned back to the dishes. Damned if he was going to answer Buffy's questions, her dad could field her wrath.

    "Dad, what are you doing?"

    "I'm trying to find out what has been going on here," he attempted, glaring at Spike's turned back.

    Buffy suddenly sighed, finding herself exhausted. "Look, I know it seems weird and all kinds of suspicious, but you're just going to have to take my word for it. Whatever happened between Spike and me two years ago is no longer open for discussion. We have dealt with it, come to terms with it, and have totally moved on."

    Spike turned his head to capture the sincerity of her eyes, not bothering to mask the reaction her words had on him. Her open acceptance of him continued to astound and humble him and he flashed a smile her way.

    She allowed herself to return his smile before turning to her dad again. "Got it? It's over and done with."

    "But Buffy, I saw you that night. He obviously did something to you, something horrible." Hank paused to glare at the man responsible. "In fact, if you want to press charges, I can..."

    "DAD! Did you NOT hear me? I'm not being brainwashed, I'm not being naive. It's just...not important anymore." Drawing herself up firmly, she crossed the room to wrap her arms around Spike's waist. "What IS important is that Spike is my life now and I love him."

    Spike could feel a burst of unbidden tears well up at Buffy's sincere declaration and he bent down to press a kiss onto the top of her head, wrapping his arm protectively around her.

    "I don't like this," Hank announced, watching the tender display. He was having trouble getting past how terrified Buffy had been that night and seeing this easy acceptance just didn't sit right in his brain.

    Buffy's face closed off a fraction. "You don't have to like it. You just have to accept it."

    Hank crossed his arms over his chest. "So what? He's just... been living here? Freeloading off your mother? Is that it?"

    Buffy had to physically restrain Spike from charging. "Not freeloading off anybody," he growled.

    "You are living here, are you not?" 

    A curt nod followed his remark and Hank shrugged his shoulders, preparing to find flaw when Buffy's hard-edged voice barged in.

    "Dad, just stop. I mean, what gives you the right to barge back into my life and pass judgment? You haven't been here, you don't know how things have been. If you can't just accept what I am telling you, then I want you to leave."

    Hank stared at his daughter, trying to find some trace of the fragile girl he remembered.

    But he realized that girl was gone.

    His daughter had grown up, and he hadn't been there to see it.

   With a heavy sigh, Hank did the only thing he could do. He nodded, letting Buffy know that he would not interfere.

    He still didn't like it though. 

tbc

Again unbeta'd. I know, what can I say.

    Chapter 28

    By mutual consent, the subject was dropped, although Spike caught each and every heated glare good ole Hank sent his way.  He wanted nothing more than to shift into game face in the wake of an attempted covert dirty look and scare the piss of the man, but self-preservation held strong.

    Buffy would be right brassed at him if he gave into that evil impulse, and that is not something he wanted to experience. Ever.

    He had to work hard to feign indifference as he watched Hank stomp out to his car to retrieve his overnight bag, then disappear up the stairs to take a shower as if he owned the place. Another fact which grated on Spike's tightly woven nerves.

    Spike had followed Buffy into their bedroom while she put away a basket of folded laundry, throwing himself dramatically on the bed, stomach first. His demon was pissed and the acute need to introduce himself to Hank in a highly up-close and personal manner was growing stronger by the second. Especially when he saw the sad, distracted manner in which Buffy was behaving.

    Nobody made his family sad. Especially not the supposed head of said family.

    Finally, he couldn't keep his mouth shut any longer. 

    "Tell me again why I can't eat your dad?"

    Buffy stopped mid-stride and looked at him, rolling her eyes at the absurdity of the question. "Because you can't, that's why."

    "Nope," Spike pretended to think, "don't think that answer is going to cut it."

    "Because we're just not going there, ok?" Buffy informed him pointedly.

    "Why not?" Spike allowed his lower lip to settle in a pout, a look he'd adopted from Blake once he saw how highly effective it was.

    "Because we're just not," Buffy replied primly, not able to keep her lips from twitching when Spike threw himself over onto his back dramatically. "Trust me, Spike. My dad and all this Hell-mouthy stuff? So very unmixy. If we're lucky, he'll just leave and we won't have to see him again for a very long time. Because trying to tell him that you're a vampire and Blake is the product of a conception that should never have taken place?" She shuddered at the thought of that conversation.

    Spike just grunted benignly, keeping his eyes closed. He heard a car pull up into the driveway and sat up. "Your mum is home."

    "She is?" Buffy looked confused. "I thought you said she was working all day today."

    "S'what she said." Spike got up and went to open the bedroom door, trying to keep from gnashing his teeth when Hank chose that moment to exit the bathroom.

    "Well, well. All nice and puke-free, I see," Spike announced irreverently, his lip curling back slightly into a sneer.

    Hank chose to shoot a dirty look that wasn't aimed behind his back this time, and Spike answered it with a smirk.

    "Spike!" Buffy hissed from inside the room and he turned his head in her direction. "Knock it off," Buffy informed him, pointing an accusatory finger at him.

    Before Spike could reply, the front door slammed open and the sound of determined heels was heard marching across the threshold.


    "Spike!!! Get down here!"

    "Oops, I do believe I'm in trouble," Spike announced with mock exaggeration, snickering when Buffy rolled her eyes at him. When Joyce's voice once more called his name, Spike hustled down the stairs to greet her.

    "Bloody hell, Joyce. Think maybe you could call for me a little louder? The boy is only trying to sleep and all," he greeted her with as he reached the bottom.

    Joyce whirled on him. "You? You are in some serious trouble, do you know that?"

    "I have no idea what you're talking about," Spike asked, his face the very picture of innocence.

    Joyce smacked him with the papers she had gripped in her hand. "This is what you did," she accused, waving them in his face.

    "What did he do, mom?" Buffy asked, poised at the top of the stairs as she watched her mom smack Spike around.

    Joyce whirled in Buffy's direction, gesturing wildly with the papers in her hand. "This is what he did. He paid off the mortgage on the house," she announced to Buffy in an outraged tone, still unaware that her ex-husband was in the house.

    "And that's bad.....why?" Buffy finally asked, not sure what was with her mom's major freakage and Spike's generous gesture.

    "It's bad because....," she paused momentarily to think up a good reason, "well, because it just is! You don't just go around paying off people's mortgages, that's why!"

    "You paid off the house?" Buffy asked Spike with confusion, peering down at the obvious discomfiture that plagued her vampire lover.

    Spike shrugged uncomfortably. "Well, yeah. I live here, don't I?"

    "You're so sweet," Buffy teased, knowing how much Spike disliked recognition for his good deeds.

    Spike merely glared into his girl's laughing face before scowling at the looming presence of Hank behind her shoulder. "What are you staring at, you git?"

    It was then that Joyce noticed Hank at the top of the stairs behind Buffy. "Hank?"

    He stepped forward and leisurely descended the stairs, briefly offering his ex-wife a quick embrace. "You're looking good, Joyce."

    Her face had hardened into a questioning mask and Hank could feel her disapproval practically sizzle through the air.

    "I came for Buffy's graduation," he informed her quickly.

    "Without letting us know first," Buffy added unnecessarily.

    Hank had the nerve to look abashed. "I just wanted to surprise Buffy. I thought just dropping in would be the best way to handle it. Apparently, I thought wrong."

    "Apparently," Joyce commented, giving her ex a sharp look before redirecting a quizzical gaze to her daughter, just realizing that she wasn't supposed to be home either. "Buffy, why aren't you in school?"

    "Blake's sick. Giles sent a note to me in class after Spike called him, so I came home." Buffy turned to Spike, her eyes widening with sudden realization. "Wait, you called GILES?"

    "Well, yeah. You were in class, Joyce had just left for the Gallery. Who else was I supposed to call?"

    "Is Blake all right?" Joyce asked concerned.

    "Yeah, I think so. He's sleeping right now. He threw up all over dad though. I didn't see it happen, but I saw the not so lovely results."
 

    "Well. Sorry I missed that sight," Joyce commented before breezing into the kitchen, Hank hot on her heels. She turned around sharply and gave Spike one more accusatory look. "And don't think we've finished this little discussion either, Spike."

    "Yes, mum."

    *****

    Once in the kitchen, Hank couldn't help but ask, "So you know about this?"

    Joyce threw him a cool, accessing  look. "All of what?"

    Hank gestured wildly into the living room. "That! That little punk that hurt our daughter and got her pregnant!"

    At the accusation that heavily tinged his voice, Joyce bristled. "You have no idea what has gone on here, Hank. Why? Because you weren't here, were you?"

    When she saw the look of guilt enter his eyes, Joyce refused to relent. "No, you weren't. You chose to deal with it by turning your back on your daughter and grandson. It's been a YEAR, Hank. Sending late birthday cards just doesn't cut it, I'm sorry. So don't you come in here and use that tone on me, understand?"

    "But he lives here. YOU didn't see Buffy that night. She was panic stricken, scared out of her mind. He DID something to her that traumatized her so badly, she could hardly even talk. And yet? Here he is, living in this house." He shook his head. "I'm just having trouble understanding this."

    Joyce crossed her arms over her chest and leaned against the kitchen island, the burden of clueing in her typically clueless ex-husband weighing her down. She thought about how she should proceed before realizing it wasn't her explanation to tell.  "I can't talk about this... I just can't."

    Hank looked at her with barely concealed contempt. "Well, nice to see that some things haven't changed, Joyce. You've always been so good at denying when there is a problem. THIS is a problem. I can't believe you can't see that. I mean... you've got our daughter's rapist freeloading off of you and your response? 'I can't talk about it'" Hank began to pace the length of the kitchen.

   "He's not freeloading," Joyce informed him in a steely voice.

    "Oh. Sorry. Right. He just paid off the mortgage, didn't he? Probably money made doing god knows what. Drugs. Robbery. Why stop at rape when there are so many other lucrative crimes?"

    "Hank, just stop."

    "No. I don't think I will. And do you know why? Because this is disturbing. I can see Buffy getting lulled into believing that she is in love with the father with her child-she's young and impressionable, but you?" Hank shook his head in disgust. "You should know better. You're her mother, for christssake. You are supposed to be setting an example."

    "You'd be wise to bloody well shut your gob right about now," a low and quietly lethal voice spoke from the doorway.

    Both heads swiveled around in that direction, neither having been aware of Spike's presence.

    Hank took a step in his direction belligerently. "Well, aren't you just the chivalrous one. What did you do....brown nose your way into Joyce's good graces?"

    Before Hank could process a hint of movement, he found himself slammed back against the refrigerator, kitchen magnets dropping off to litter at his feet. An unrelenting arm across his chest had him pinned; just shy of being painful.

    "Apologize, you git," Spike snarled.

    "Spike," Joyce commanded quietly. "Let him go."

    With an annoyed look in Joyce's direction, Spike fought back his urge to rip Hank's head off and released him, but refused to move out of Hank's personal space.

    His lip curled up into a sneer when Hank drew himself up to his full height in a failed attempt to intimidate the shorter man.

    "Joyce, could you call your boy off, please?" Hank finally ground out rudely.

    And suddenly found his breath caught in his throat when the turbulent blue of Spike's eyes bled into an angry amber.

tbc.

Special thank you to spikeskat for beta'ing this chapter!

    Chapter 29

    Spike could feel his facial bones begin the familiar shift, the sudden scent of fear saturating the air hastening the process. He inhaled deeply to savor the sweet smell, unable to help the slow, satisfied grin that lifted the corners of his mouth, thereby introducing Buffy's father to a lethal pair of fangs that had practically ripped from his gums.

    "What in the hell..." Hank gasped, his eyes bulging in disbelief.

    "Now that's the very question, now innit?" Spike mocked, tilting his head to the side as he regarded the man in front of him.

    "Joyce?" Hank's voice was shrill; panic seizing a tight hold on his vocal cords. He risked a quick look in his ex's direction and was horrified by the absence of fear on her face. 'What has been going on here?'

    "Spike." Just one word, softly spoken yet full of intensity. "Let him go."

    "Do you see me touching the git?" Spike tossed back.

     But the mere fact that Hank's exit was blocked by a creature that he couldn't dare admit existed kept Hank frozen in place, no physical restraint necessary on Spike's behalf.

    "Spike, please. Don't do anything you are going to regret later," Joyce advised, finding herself begrudgingly unnerved at this brutal and sinister reminder of what, exactly, was living in her house. This wasn't the Spike she knew.

    "No mom, he's fine." Buffy was framed in the entryway of the kitchen, her brilliant hazel eyes glittering with anger. With deliberation, she stalked across the kitchen and stood next to Spike. She had to fight back her own need for violence after hearing her dad's accusatory comments.

    "So..., dad. You really wanna know why I was all with the freakage that night? Take one good guess."

    Hank's vocal capabilities seemed to have completely deserted him, only able to stare in muted disbelief, his eyes begging her for an explanation that would make what he was seeing make some sort of sense.

    But Buffy found herself unwilling to make it that simple for him. He had abandoned them for his own selfish purposes. For so long, it had just been Blake, her mom and Buffy trying to succeed as a family until that fateful day when Spike came to town to kill her.

    No. Her dad did not deserve the simple explanation.

    She very deliberately nestled into Spike's side, welcoming the arm that banded around her waist and drew her even closer.  

    "What....are....you...?" Hank finally bit out, his brain trying to process what he was seeing.

    Spike snorted rudely and Buffy couldn't help but roll her eyes, going for the cynical approach.

     "Please, dad.  I totally know you've seen vampire movies. I remember watching Fright Night with you over and over."

    Hank shook his head back and forth slowly, not wanting to accept what was right in front of him. "No. Vampires don't exist. There has to be some other explanation."

    "Ooookay. I think someone is in denial, and for once, it's not me," Buffy commented. "Dad, wake up and smell the reality! Look at what is in front of you. I mean, hello! You're acting as freaked out as I was that night! Don't you think that should tell you something?"

    Suddenly, clarity decided to grace Hank with its calming presence, adding a generous portion of incredulity into the mix. A fact that caused Hank to fall back on a familiar defense mechanism; lashing out at what made him uncomfortable.

    Pushing away from his cowed stance against the refrigerator, Hank drew himself up and looked at the pair in front of him, his mouth working overtime to inflict damage upon the couple. "Well, this is just great. Imagine my relief to find that my daughter isn't really involved with a criminal because being with a vampire is just so much better."

    Spike was on him before the last syllable left Hank's lips, his arm a band of steel against Hank's chest, elbow pushing into his neck, as he slammed Buffy's dad against the hard surface behind him. "Oh believe me Hank, I more than fit the definition of a criminal. Want to know how many innocent lives I've taken?" A cruel grin emerged. "Want to know exactly what I feel like doing to you, Hank?"

    "Buffy," Joyce cried, grabbing onto her daughter's arm as she nervously eyed Spike's fangs so close to her ex-husband's neck, memories of her own experience at Spike's mercy vivid in her mind.

    Buffy turned to give her mom a reassuring look. "It's fine, mom. Spike won't do anything that dad doesn't totally deserve."

    At the complete lack of doubt in Buffy's voice, Spike felt his anger suddenly melt away. He dropped Hank and took a step back, demon features fading back to his human form as his expressive blue eyes swiftly found those of the girl he loved. He didn't know exactly what he'd done to earn her trust, but nothing, not even her asshole father, was going to cause Spike to shake her obvious faith in him.

    It suddenly dawned on Spike just how much he had changed. She'd done this to him, and there was nothing within him that needed to rebel against it. And with that revelation, the vampire found a calming strength. 

    "Looks like it's your lucky day, Hank, old man," Spike announced as he turned back to the man he held pinned against the refrigerator. "See, your daughter loves me. And because I love her so bloody much, I'm not even going to hurt you." He gave Buffy's father a chilling look. "But you've had your last warning. You watch your bloody mouth around my family from now on."

    The words left Hank's mouth before he could stop them. "This isn't your family."

    Spike's smile was cruel. "It is now."

    He shoved himself away from Buffy's father, not wanting to touch the foul human a moment longer. Turning to Buffy, his expression softened. "I hear the boy stirring. I'm going to go check on him."

    "I'll come with you," Buffy replied, taking the hand that Spike offered as they walked out of the kitchen.

    Hank merely stood there and watched his daughter exit the kitchen, his hand unconsciously rubbing his neck and chest where he had almost had his last breath squeezed out of him; his brain running in frantic circles. 

    Vampires were real. There was a vampire living in his house. A vampire had gotten his daughter pregnant.

    He turned to look at Joyce, who was watching with him with a combination of anger and sympathy. "Is Blake... normal?" he found himself asking.

    Joyce's expression hardened. "Yes, Hank. Blake is a normal little boy, who just happens to be extremely intelligent and very intuitive. Not that you'd know, of course, not having seen him for a year."

    "But how? What?" Hank knew he was babbling but couldn't seem to help it.

    Joyce sighed heavily. She gestured for Hank to sit down at the table and walked to the kitchen counter to fix a pot of coffee. Yes, she was angry at her ex-husband, but knew that he deserved some answers. Joyce remembered her own disbelief when she'd learned firsthand of the existence of things that went bumpy and fangy in the night.

    When she placed a mug of coffee in front of her ex's bowed head, Hank looked up at her and nodded his thanks. Taking it between the palms of his hands, the man took a grateful sip.

    "Vampires are monsters, aren't they? The whole blood-sucking and killing thing, they do that, right?"

    Joyce nodded her head in affirmation.

    "So...what?" Hank gestured through the door. "What's different here? I just... can't understand this."

    "Spike's different."

    "How? I mean, look at this from my point of view, Joyce. My ex-wife, daughter and grandchild are living with something that isn't supposed to exist and that has freely admitted to killing people and liking it. How can this be safe?" The anger and outrage had fled, leaving Hank befuddled and disturbed.

    Joyce sighed heavily, resenting the position she'd been put in and once more cursed Hank for his impulsive actions. Buffy was so much like him sometimes. "Let's just say that Spike has earned my trust. I'm not going into details right now, but he has had several opportunities to kill me, yet surprisingly hasn't taken advantage of those situations. Truth be told, instead of doing me in, he saved me from an almost certain death. That type of thing tends to change your opinion of a person."

    Hank was quiet for a moment. "So Buffy... in Vegas...?" His voice trailed off in an unspoken question.

    Joyce nodded. "Again, without going into details... that I don't think either one of us want to dwell on, from what she has said, Buffy saw a lack of reflection and panicked."

    "The reflection thing... that's true?"

    Again Joyce nodded.

    "And he did what?" A hardened edge appeared in his voice.

    "Hank, leave it alone. Spike and Buffy have put it behind them, and quite frankly, it's not my story to tell."

    Hank wanted to argue the point but conceded for the sake of his own personal safety. The one thing that had come through loud and clear was that Spike wouldn't tolerate any upset to what he considered 'his' family.

    And for the moment, Hank wanted his neck attached to his head.

tbc...

A/N- Yeah I know, there was no pain inflicted upon Hank. I'll uh, work on that? Thanks, as always, for the reviews!

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