Chapter Six
Written for Dia


Xander carried his precious cargo into his apartment. He wondered how his other so-called friends could be so cruel as to treat a hero like Riley the way they had. It was obvious to Xander that this was some nefarious plan cooked up by Spike to weaken the scoobies. The truth was in the biting he’d done on Buffy just minutes earlier. Yes, he had to save Riley so the commando could help him save the gang.

Xander laid the big soldier on the couch, loosened his boots, and sat down to wait. When Riley started to stir Xander was like a big puppy whose master had just gotten home.

"C'mon, Riley, we’ve got to save the gang from Spike."

Riley scowled at the hyperactive brunette. "Who messed with my boots?' he asked darkly.

"I loosened them so you would be more comfortable,” Xander answered with a smile.

Finn's eyes narrowed as he asked, “Are you....gay? Cause that would make you fit in with Buffy and her band of weirdoes a lot better."

Xander sat back down quickly, his enthusiasm turning to anger until he realized that it was all Spike's fault. "Riley, this isn't you, man. This is some spell Spike put on you. We'll get you some help."

Riley finished lacing his boots back up, staring at Xander as if he were insane. "You know what? I think Spike may be better off without you loons."

Xander stood up and moved between Riley and the door. "I can't let you go, big guy. We’re friends and I need to protect you from yourself." Xander nodded slowly to himself. A Scooby intervention was just what his friend needed.

Riley’s fist shot out and connected with Xander's eye, knocking him too the floor. "Stay away from me, you psycho,” Riley commanded and then stormed out the door.

Xander slowly struggled to his feet. He was nearly in tears that he had failed his friend in the time of his greatest need. He had a bad feeling about things to come, and knew there was only one solution; the Xan-man was going to have to do the impossible- find the right spell and counteract what Spike had done. It was the only way to save the scoobies. He just prayed that he was in time.

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Sunnydale Hospital

William Kenticot moved confidently through the corridors of the hospital, relieved to have clean clothes for himself and his daughter. His gray cashmere duster had the same swirl of movement that his old duster had. The blue silk Italian suit fit him like a glove. He felt rested and in need of some father/daughter time.

They hadn’t had any time to bond lately. If nothing else, his eldest the needed to understand that they had to be careful. The hard-headed chit was her mum's daughter and tended to rush in head first and not worry about the consequences.

He turned the corner just in time to see what appeared to be an orderly fly out of his daughter's room and slam into the opposite wall. William rushed forward, intent on apologizing for his daughter when the man turned over.

BEN.

William felt his demon surge forward. His fangs elongated and his instincts rushed to the fore. The only thought in his head was 'never again'.

Before William could get to him, Drusilla seemed to appear from nowhere and grab the boy, obviously intending to break his neck. As she caught him, Ben turned into Glory the Hell Bitch. She sent Drusilla flying as William moved into place and hit her hard enough to knock her down.

"Who do you people think you are? I'm a God," Glory yelled, vaulting up and attacking William. However, this William had spent some time sparring with Ilyria and then a decade and a half of training Slayers. Things had changed and he was able to hold his own, landing double the punches he took and making every punch count. He wasn't doing nearly enough damage to suit him, but he was keeping the bitch away from his daughter and that was all that counted.

___________________________________________________________________________________

Rupert Giles walked through the halls of the hospital looking for the young man who had sold him blood before. He was fairly certain that Buffy's new childe would need a great deal when he finally awoke, and Giles was hoping to have enough on hand to get the job done. He would never admit it, but he was chuffed to bits that his Slayer had re-sired the notorious Slayer of Slayers. Now the poor bastard would have to defend the Slayer line with his life. It was a level of irony, he decided, that only the British could understand.

As he turned the same corner William had only minutes before, the sight before him had his blood boiling.

That silly chit of a bloody hell god was attacking his slayer and her childe. Amazingly, Spike- who was probably still reeling from his re-siring- was giving the evil tart a run for her money.

Giles moved into position and got a running start. He barreled down the short hallway and hit the god behind the knees with his shoulders, but she didn't budge. She merely reached around behind her, grabbing him by the collar before throwing him at Spike. The re-sired vampire tried to catch him, but his momentum carried them both into the wall. Giles’ head hit with a sickening crunch and as he lost consciousness, he thought he heard 'Buffy' yell ‘Grandpapa!’

From the safety of her room, Joy Kenticot saw both her papa and grandpapa go down through a haze of red. She lost it.

Joy had begun her training with her grandpapa at the tender age of four. At six, she had been cornered by a vampire and dusted him within seconds. By age eleven, she was a regular at the local demon bars. Few had the nerve to cross her unless poker was involved. They had the strangest idea that she cheated. She did, of course, but how they knew she would never guess. At age fourteen, some bitch from hell had summoned a pack of trolls to her and her brother's birthday party. The twins, along with Will's ever present girl friend, Toni, had brought their world down. Now, at sixteen, Joyce Caroline Summers-Kenticot was one of the best fighters alive, and Glory was soon to find out.

Joy moved in on Glory, bobbing and weaving around the woman's blows almost effortlessly. When she saw an opening, her left hand shot out in a jab that broke Glory's nose.

The Hell god staggered back wiping her nose with the back of her hand . She screeched and charged at the young Damphyre. "Bitch!"

"Smile when you say that," Joy said as her fist shot out once more, clipping the bigger woman in the ear.

Glory stumbled back, trying to put some distance between them, but the girl was like a bulldog and refused to let up. Covering her head, the hellgod obviously thought herself safe, but Joy stepped in and landed a sharp snap kick to the inside of Glory's left leg, breaking the bones and tearing out her knee.

The young girl eventually made the mistake of getting too close and a gravely wounded Glory grabbed her and threw her through wall.

Spike was after her immediately, scared to death for his daughter, while Dru moved in for the kill. With her injuries, Glory feared the dark haired master vampire, so she began to hobble quickly away.

Dru tracked her with a smile, knowing she could catch her at anytime, but the crafty old vampiress was waiting for her chance at an easy kill. She hissed her displeasure when Glory made it to a crowded nursing station and changed back into Ben before she could end her.

"Soon," Dru said evilly. "Soon, little brimstone, Grandmummie will end you."

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William had barely stepped through the hole in the wall before he saw his daughter climbing up towards him. She was a picture of a vengeful warrior, her face filled with hard pressed lines of righteous indignation as she looked up at her papa.

"Where is the bitch?" she growled.

William smiled. His daughter was fine and full of piss and vinegar. "She got away, luv."

"Grrrrrr!" Joy said as she tried to move past her father to stalk down the hall.

"Might wanna wait, bit," William said still smiling at his daughter. "That fall kind of tore your jammies a little."

Joy looked down and eeped as her anger gave way to embarrassment at the fact that her clothes were barely hanging on and the hall was full of people. She dived into her room, slamming the door.

As the bedraggled father stood at his little girl's door, Rupert Giles reawakened. "Who are you?" He asked.

"William Samuel Kenticot," William answered. "I guess now it's your turn to ask lots of questions." William wondered how the hell he had ever hoped to hide himself and his daughter from the scoobies here in Sunnydale.

"My turn?" Rupert muttered.

"Yeah, was Spike first, then Joyce earlier today, so I guess it's your bloody turn, Watcher,” William answered

1630 Revello Dr.

Buffy carried Spike into her bedroom wrapped in a blanket. She was overwhelmed with her concern for her one time mortal enemy. Side effects like these had been unforeseen. She had only intended to claim the vamp for extra muscle. True, her slayer side wanted Spike and a side of abs. Gawd, just thinking about him made her horny as hell. Not that this was new, per se. When she had first met him, the sound of his voice alone had been enough to make her panties go damp.

Honestly, she chided herself. She had rushed into sex with Angel because Spike and Drusilla had been so sexy together, had slept with Parker because she was pissed at Spike, and started dating Riley because he wasn't Spike. Now that she thought about it, Spike had long had way too much control over her love life.

Joyce and then Dawn followed Buffy into her room. As Buffy closed the drapes, Joyce put blankets over them to further protect Spike. Dawn saw the bundled form on the bed and began unwrapping. When she exposed Spike, she pouted and whined, "Mooooom, Buffy has Spike in her room. When can I get my own vamp?"

Joyce shook her head at her youngest daughter’s teasing and replied. "Spike isn't a pet, Dawnie. Actually, he’s more like your brother now."

"In-law," Buffy said not turning around. At the extended silence, she sighed then added. "He is now very much like Dawn's brother-in-law, ‘cause you know, sleeping with my sister’s brother is so against the law in California."

Dawn cracked a smile. "I think it is everywhere but Alabama."

"Mom," Buffy called as she pulled off Spike's duster and boots. "Can you see if Aerifinn is awake?"

"Awake, I am," the healer replied from just outside the door. "Need, you have?"

"I kind of re-sired Spike." Buffy already owed this woman more than she had ever owed anyone before. "Is there any way to help him to adjust?"

"Tender, you must love him. True, must your heart be," Aerifinn answered. "Fulfill all your dreams, he will, but into your heart you must take him. His, you must tell him you are, and yours he will be till the end of time."

"Yeah, I get that part, was kind of planning on it already." Buffy smiled and shook her head. "I meant can you like, heal him or something?"

"Help? Yes, I can." Aerifinn sat carefully on the bed next to Spike and began the silent healing.

_______________________________________

Magic Box

Rupert Giles could hardly believe what he had recently been told. The very idea that William the Bloody would let such an insignificant problem as Riley Finn escalate as it had was one for the record books. It was also one thing he would rectify in this reality very easily. William from the future was too much like the Buffy of now. He was a hero, a true champion of the people and taking a human life, even one who so desperately begged to be taken, was anathema to him.

"Listen, Anya, you can tell me where Buffy is, or I can be the one getting your orgasms,” Riley Finn threatened as he held the former vengeance demon by the throat.

"I think not,” Ripper said as he moved quickly to the commando’s side, his handkerchief-covered hand pulling Finn's own 9mm Berretta from its holster. Placing the gun under the commandoes chin, the former watcher pulled the trigger. The hollow tip blew brains, blood, and bone out of the back of the man's skull.

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Xander Harris entered the Magic Box only a second or two later, his mind was made up; he would save his friend.

He felt slime hit his face before his ears registered the shot, and then saw Riley's body hit the floor as Giles lowered the gun.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO." Alexander Harris sank to his knees in tears as he held the blood soaked head of the best man he had ever known.

tbc???
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