Oil & Blood

By Medea

Chapter Seven

Megan had been living at the Hyperion with her vampire trainers for two weeks when the good news finally came that her parents had been able to find work in Sunnydale. Her father, who had served the Pagosa Springs community as a veterinarian, had been hired by one of Sunnydale's many animal clinics. Although his practice had centered around horses and cattle, for the sake of his family he was willing to shift to house pets. Meanwhile, Giles -- who still had a few connections in the public school system from his days as a librarian -- had arranged for Megan's mother to float as a substitute teacher until she was assigned her own classroom.

The young Slayer was giddy at the prospect of being with her parents again. Of course, when it threw her concentration off during her daily work-out, Spike took the opportunity to give her a few serious bruises as a reminder of what happened to Slayers whose minds wandered.

"Ow!" Megan complained as she sat on the practice mat and massaged a sore shin, courtesy of the blond vampire.

"Tsk, tsk," Spike chided her smugly. "You still leave your left flank exposed when you lunge. Haven't cured you of that bad habit, have I?"

"Sod off!" the eleven-year-old sulked at him, eliciting a grin not only from Spike, but from Willow. The redheaded vampire crossed the mat and offered her hand to help Megan up.

Handing Megan a dry, white towel, Willow announced, "I'd say you're done for the day. There's no reason to wear you out when you have a big day ahead of you tomorrow."

As Megan accepted the towel and wiped the sweat from her face and neck, Spike asked, "So, all packed?"

Megan nodded as the three of them walked toward the stairs. "There wasn't a lot to pack, anyway. Most of my stuff is with mom and dad."

At the foot of the stairs leading up from the dojo, she retrieved her water bottle and swallowed several draughts as they ascended to the lobby. When Willow and Spike hung back as she continued toward her room, Megan paused and offered a shy, hopeful invitation. "Wanna come hang out for a bit, seeing as I'm kinda leaving tomorrow?"

Spike raised his eyebrows in an expression of bored disinterest and replied gruffly as he started toward the revolving door, "Sorry, luv. Workin' out gave me an appetite." With a wicked grin, he taunted. "I feel the need to go out and *kill* people."

Megan's face paled slightly at the blunt reminder about his nature, and she dropped her gaze to the floor. Willow's eyes narrowed as she watched Spike stroll out into the night and thought to herself, <Ooooh, I'll get him for that one.>

Turning to Megan, Willow offered a smile to lighten her mood. "Why don't you go shower off, and I'll be right up. You can pick my brains about life in Sunnydale."

"Thanks," Megan muttered with a less-than-enthusiastic half-smile.

When the girl still made no move to head to her room, Willow reached out, gave her a playful poke just beneath the chin, and ribbed, "Okay, out with it, kiddo. You know full well that Angel is the only one allowed to brood around here."

The Slayer shrugged, doing her best to feign detachment. "I don't know... I guess I'm sort of going to miss you guys."

"We'll miss you, too," Willow assured her, watching her face closely for clues as to what troubled her.

"Yeah, maybe..." Megan agreed, but with a disappointed glance at the entrance to the lobby. Willow closed her eyes and smiled, understanding.

"Spike will miss you, too. Why do you think he snuck out so quickly?"

"Are you kidding? He thinks I'm a weak little dweeb who can't fight," Megan protested, but with a gleam of hope in her eyes that belied her brusque dismissal.

"No, Spike will miss you," Willow insisted. "He just doesn't want to admit that he cares." Shifting into her best imitation of the blond vampire, Willow huffed, "Vamps bloody well don't care about little girls, see? And I'm the *Big* *Bad*, so if you're tryin' to tell me I've gone soft over some little chit, I'll rip your bleedin' tongue out of your 'ead!"

By the time Willow finished lampooning Spike in her mock tirade, Megan was shrieking with laughter and clutching at her aching sides. The sound echoed through the cavernous lobby and lured Angel out of his suite. He sauntered over, slightly bemused, but with an underlying grimness that caught Willow's attention. She could tell that he wanted to talk to her alone.

"How was the work-out?" Angel asked nonchalantly.

Still grinning broadly from Willow's performance, Megan quipped, "Same as always. I fell on my butt alot."

"Maybe your butt could do with a nice, relaxing shower," Angel suggested with a friendly tilt of the head.

Megan folded her arms across her chest and demanded with mock haughtiness, "Are you saying I smell bad?"

Not to be outdone, Angel -- who had finally found his comfort zone with the young girl -- staggered back with his hand over his nose and moaned, "Oh, God! It's awful...it's overwhelming..."

Willow shook her head and chuckled softly. Angel really could be a ham sometimes.

"Oh, bite me!" Megan drawled, jutting her chin out loftily.

Now Willow couldn't resist getting in the game. With a conspiratorial look at Angel, she vamped out and he followed suit.

"Now there's an idea," Willow growled with false menace. She and Angel stalked toward the young Slayer, who rolled her eyes.

"Okay, okay, I'm going. See you in a few, Willow."

After the girl was out of earshot, Willow turned expectantly to Angel and waited for him to explain the source of his concern. When he gestured for her to follow him into the privacy of his suite, her sense of unease mounted. Angel shut the door behind them and conveyed the news he had just received.

"Giles called while you and Spike were training with Megan. The Council still hasn't agreed to send her a Watcher," Angel informed her soberly.

Willow's eyes darkened, but she wasn't surprised so much as disgusted. "You mean they'd leave her on her own at an active Hellmouth? What about her training?"

"Giles and I talked about that..." Angel confessed slowly. "He's offered to do what he can, and said that Xander is willing to put on the human punching-bag suit 'for old time's sake'. But he was wondering if you and Spike would be able to help out... It would mean moving back to Sunnydale for a while."

Willow was silent for several moments. Angel shifted uncomfortably.

Feeling a hollow pit in her gut, Willow stated, "You wouldn't be going with us."

"No."

Willow calmly swallowed the lump in her throat, her heart heavy at the prospect of being away from Angel for what could be an indefinite period. It had been hard enough for her to accept the shift in their relationship, and the fact that when she entered his suite, she now went no further than the sitting room. She felt that circumstances were conspiring to push them even farther apart, and it was beyond her control to do anything about it.

Even when he had been avoiding her, she had still gone to sleep each morning sensing his comforting, familiar presence in the hotel. It was one of the few things that gave her a real sense of connection any more. She had no blood kin; of the two lovers who had been so close to her in her formative years, only Spike was left to her. Must she lose yet another tie?

Yet, at the same time, Willow had grown fond of Megan, and had to admit that the idea of continuing to shepherd her in her development was appealing.

"Los Angeles isn't so far away," Angel offered awkwardly, sharing Willow's quiet anguish at the thought of no longer having her constant companionship.

Willow made an effort at a brave smile, but the slight quivering in her chin was Angel's undoing. He wrapped his arms around her and placed a tender kiss on her forehead. She squeezed him gently in gratitude and, raised her head to kiss his cheek. At this simple gesture, Willow felt his hands tighten ever so slightly on her hips and the mood changed unmistakably. Each of them tensed even as their bodies relaxed into the embrace, and neither made a move to retreat to a more platonic distance.

Angel closed his eyes, allowing tactile sensation to take over. Gently he stroked her back as she likewise traced her hands lightly up and down his spine. It was as if they sought to erase physically the discord of the preceding few months. Not needing vision to guide them, Willow and Angel closed what small distance remained between them as their lips met in a kiss that was anything but innocent. Their mouths locked together with crushing need. Angel's tongue explored her mouth with demanding, possessive strokes, as if he were staking a claim. Willow welcomed him in, offering herself entirely.

But when she felt the slight teasing of his fangs at her lip, Willow started and pushed herself free. Her alarm was mirrored in Angel's eyes, and he gulped, "We shouldn't do this."

"No, we shouldn't," Willow agreed reluctantly. After regaining her composure, she added, "I'll go see if Megan is ready to quiz me about Sunnydale."

"Willow, there's one more thing," Angel stopped her. "The vampires in town have figured out by now that we've been keeping the Slayer here, and Giles told me that the news has spread to Sunnydale. Megan should be safe when her parents come to pick her up tomorrow, since they'll be traveling during the day, but Giles is worried that there might be trouble tomorrow night."

"When Sunnydale's vamps sense that she's in their territory and assume that we aren't around to protect her any more," Willow nodded her head. She fixed him with a resigned, steady gaze and said, "I'll explain the situation Spike. He and I should be able to leave as soon as it's dusk. Tell Giles to be prepared to handle things until we get there."

As he watched her go, Angel murmured, "Safe journey, Willow."

*****

Willow had assured Megan that Spike cared, despite his gruff unwillingness to show it.

Two evenings after Willow and Spike arrived to set up shop in Sunnydale, little doubt remained as to his attachment to the girl.

As Giles had feared, the local vampire population quickly got wind of the new Slayer's arrival. Well aware of her youth and inexperience, they hoped to take her out with a quick strike. They pulled one of the oldest tricks in the book to lure her out of her home, since Giles had counseled her against patrolling after dark until she had honed her skills.

Fire.

Many of the MacKenzies' possessions were still packed in boxes from their recent move when the vampires struck. Roughly a dozen of them surrounded the house, hurled torches through the windows and waited for the human residents to flee. They got far more than they bargained for.

Willow and Spike, who had been keeping a close watch on the Slayer and her family, charged the stunned vampires. Hoping to avoid a fight, Megan's protectors had advertised their presence loudly, yet apparently there were those who simply couldn't believe that any vampire would willingly assist a Slayer.

It seemed they'd all forgotten how closely Buffy had worked with her undead allies.

The first vampire who reached for Megan barely had a chance to let out a startled yelp before Spike viciously ripped his throat out.

Megan gawked for a split-second, grateful to be alive yet shaken by the horrifying realization of exactly what Spike was capable of. The idealized vision of her rough, cocky trainer slipped a few notches. Nonetheless, the immediate threat kicked her Slayer instincts into gear, and rather than dwelling on the brutality she'd witnessed, she threw herself into the fight.

Willow and Spike prevented most of the attacking vampires from getting anywhere near Megan. Each of them made several quick, efficient kills, and in a short time they had chastened the Sunnydale vamps enough that the few survivors fled while they still had the chance.

The fighting had almost completely died down, but one vampire stubbornly struggled with the young Slayer, hoping to overpower her before either Willow or Spike could come to her aid. Just as Spike dispatched a minion he'd been grappling with, the vampire who had cornered Megan lunged and sank his fangs into her shoulder. She screamed.

Willow turned just in time to see Spike launch himself at Megan's attacker. She could only recall seeing him this enraged once or twice before.

At the sight of another vampire's teeth latching onto Megan, something inside Spike snapped. He became, literally, demon possessed as he reacted instinctively to an intolerable trespass against his territory. He'd helped train the girl to keep Willow happy, and hadn't minded the chance to knock the kid about without fear of reprisal. No matter how much he pushed her, teased her, or scared her, she stubbornly bounced back...even seemed to look up to him. It meant nothing to him, Spike had assured himself during the past two weeks. She was just a silly kid.

But *nobody* laid a finger on this silly kid except him.

Spike yanked the vamp away from the girl and flung it across the yard. It lay stunned from the impact, and before it could push itself up and escape, Spike was upon it, ripping it to shreds. He dragged clawed hands from the ill-fated vamp's chin all the way down to its groin, opening its chest more completely than a pathologist examining a cadaver. Spike's victim released an unearthly scream. It writhed in a vain attempt to free itself as the blond vampire pried its ribs apart with a sickening crack, plunged his hand into the gaping cavity and tore out its inert heart.

The vampire that had bitten Megan disintegrated into a pile of ashes, leaving Spike kneeling on the ground with blood on his hands and a wild, triumphant flame in his eyes.

Making a decision, Willow released the minion she had been about to stake and shoved him toward the sidewalk. He would be more useful to them as a witness. Having no desire to stick around after what he'd seen, the minion ran off.

Mr. and Mrs. MacKenzie stared in shock and horror at the blond vampire who had thrown himself into the frenzy of battle with sadistic zeal. What little they had seen in Pagosa Springs paled in comparison to the cannibalistic bloodbath they had just witnessed on their front lawn. Hearing the crackling fire which continued to consume their home, they clutched at each other in a moment of numbing despair before rushing toward Megan.

Willow saw the conflict that strained Megan's features, and knew that this was yet another chilling lesson for the girl. Vampires could look seductively human, adopt a vast array of human mannerisms, and even had the capacity to feel affection. But they were no more tame than a grizzly bear, and every bit as deadly when provoked.

Shifting her attention to Mr. and Mrs. MacKenzie, then to their house, Willow stretched out her hand and chanted softly. The flames inside receded until the fire was extinguished. She crossed the lawn to the humans, who still clutched at each other in shock. Trying to ease their fears, Willow suggested, "I think they'll think twice about coming after you again any time soon. But just to be safe, why don't we get you inside."

Dimly, functioning on auto-pilot, Megan's parents began to move toward the house, but the young Slayer hesitated, her eyes fixed on Spike. He remained on his knees in the spot where he'd torn apart her attacker.

When Mr. MacKenzie saw that Megan wasn't coming along with them, he paused, but Willow ushered him toward the front door.

"I don't want to leave her alone with him after that," Mr. MacKenzie protested in a low voice.

"Spike saved her life," Willow reminded him as she continued to steer both parents away from Spike and Megan.

"But that was...horrible. Dark. It looked like he enjoyed it."

They had crossed the threshold and stood inside the smoky, charred foyer. Willow's eyes locked with Mr. MacKenzie's in a sympathetic but uncompromising gaze. "He did enjoy it. You owe your lives, and your safety, to creatures who thrive on death. It's what we are. This is your world now, like it or not."

Megan's parents shifted uneasily, but said nothing.

Outside, Spike had finally risen to his feet, but he kept an aloof distance from Megan. Without looking at her, he muttered, "Go on, then. Get inside, before mum and dad drop dead from worrying. You'll want to clean off that bite, too. No telling where his fangs've been."

The girl's forehead wrinkled and she looked at him with wide, perplexed eyes. For a split second, it seemed as though she was about to turn on her heel and head inside. But without warning, she launched herself at him and wrapped her small arms around his waist.

Startled, Spike struggled to free himself.

"Hey! Easy does it, you little chit! You gone completely daft or something?"

Megan hugged him insistently, and when he found that he was unable to extricate himself from her stubborn embrace, Spike finally stilled. His hands, which had been pushing her away, now rested awkwardly on her shoulders. Still bloody, they left crimson smears on her tee shirt.

"Thank you, Spike," Megan murmured fervently against his chest, squeezing him even tighter.

Spike looked down at the child who clung to him like a savior, wholly at a loss for a response. Haltingly, he let his arms drop from her shoulders and then encircled her with them. Closing his eyes, he finally let go and just held her.

The rest of the world be damned.

*****

Xander and his contracting firm came over the following day to begin repairing the damage to the Slayer's home. Anya came to offer a long-time resident's perspective about life on the Hellmouth, and brought Jesse and Julie along to get acquainted with Megan. In the two Harris children, Megan discovered the closest thing to peers. Although they were younger than she -- Jesse being nine, and Julie, seven -- their parents' eventful history in Sunnydale made them familiar with vampires and other creatures that stalked the night.

Eventually, things calmed down and Megan settled into an almost comfortable routine of training with Willow and Spike after school. The vampires slept at Giles's apartment during the day while he tended the magic shop, then met the Slayer in the same work-out room Buffy had used when she was still alive. Giles did his best to school her in the responsibilities of a Slayer, and teach her to identify a variety of demons and the method of destroying each one.

Megan made steady progress, but little could be done to change the fact that she was limited by the body of a pre-adolescent girl. It made Willow that much more determined to bolster Megan's confidence, and convince her that someone who started out at a disadvantage could still be a survivor.

From time to time, Willow fell prey to a profound loneliness when she thought about Angel. They spoke regularly, and she even made occasional trips back to Los Angeles, since he was interested in hearing about Megan's development. He also missed Willow as much as she missed him. But when Willow felt herself wallowing too deeply, she redoubled her attention to Megan's training. The task allowed her to bury her feelings.

Or, at least her feelings for Angel. Being back in Sunnydale summoned up a whole host of other feelings and memories about Buffy. There was nowhere Willow could go that wasn't associated with something she and Buffy had done together at one time or another. They had patrolled every inch of the small town, spent way too much time at the hospital, and relaxed at the Bronze or the magic shop when things were quiet.

But surprisingly enough, after the first few nights, revisiting the familiar old haunts actually helped Willow make her peace with Buffy's death once and for all. Helping Megan adjust, making the nightly rounds, and working with Giles somehow seemed to honor Buffy's memory in a way that felt right. Willow would catch herself smiling ruefully at the thought of a vampire feeling the need to honor a Slayer's memory, but each time she reminded herself that she had never been an ordinary vampire.

Then, four months after Spike and Willow had resettled in Sunnydale, the call came.

The Council was sending a Watcher for Megan.

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