Castaway
Joyce Summers was up early the next morning, before anyone else in the household stirred. She had lain awake most of the night anyhow. Several times, she had gotten out of bed to check on her daughter and sudden extended family, almost afraid that the night before had been a dream...her daughter, Will and Spike, all figments of a fevered imagination created by a desperate mother.But they were all still there. There was a moment of panic when she checked in on Buffy to see William was gone, but when she checked on Spike for the fourth time, she had found him lying on his back, her grandson cradled to his chest, the vampire's chin resting on the child's head as they slept. She had nearly broken down in tears again, but managed to fight them back.
Her Buffy was really home...Spike and her beautiful grandson really existed. It was almost too much for her to process. Just a few days before, she had no daughter, no real hope of ever seeing her child ever again, and in less then a day, she had her daughter back, as well as a grandchild and pseudo-son-in-law. She felt as if her heart was going to burst in two, she was so very happy and relieved.
Now, she was in the kitchen, quietly preparing a big breakfast for her family, a small smile on her face, as for the first time in nearly six years, she prepared breakfast for someone other then herself.
As she set a plate of pancakes on the table and began making some bacon, she heard giggles coming from the living room, and she looked up with a smile as Spike came into the kitchen, Will slung over his shoulder, his little feet kicking in the air as he squealed happily. "Mornin'," He greeted Joyce with a somewhat shy smile, which widened when she beamed at him brightly.
"Good morning, Spike, coffee's in the pot, if you want some."
"Oh...Gods, yes," He had such a look of pleasure on his face at the mere thought of coffee that Joyce had to laugh, and he headed towards the pot, Will still hanging over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes, and Joyce plucked the boy from his father's grasp, planting a kiss on his forehead.
"And good morning, Will," Joyce tickled his side, inciting some of his lovely, excited laughter, before setting him down, and quickly saving the bacon before it could burn, "Did you sleep okay on the couch?" Joyce asked Spike, who was leaning against the counter, sipping from a mug, keeping half an eye on Will, who was wandering around the kitchen, looking at everything curiously, "I know it's not that comfortable..."
"S'fine, Joyce," Spike smiled at her reassuringly, "Believe me...after sleeping on pallets for so long, the couch was the same as grandmum's feather bed in comparison. 'Sides...just not waking up covered in sand is a bloody blessin' these days."
"Where sand?" Will ran over to his father and tugged on his jeans, "Where sand? Wanna play."
"No sand, mate," Spike scooped his son up, kissing his cheek, "And maybe if you're a good boy, mum might take you to the beach sometime soon, alright?"
He pouted, but nodded obediently and Spike sat him back down when he started to wriggle. The boy raced out of the kitchen and towards the stairs when they heard Buffy calling his name. "Don't run in the house!" Spike called after his child, rolling his eyes when he was ignored. "Or not."
"Wonder where he gets that from," Joyce said with a wink in the vampire's direction before gathering up the food and bringing it into the dining room just as Buffy came down the stairs with an overly excited four and a half year old. "Morning, honey..."
Buffy nodded, still looking a bit out of it, and Spike chuckled a bit at his tired mate before going up to her and kissing her cheek, "Mornin', luv," He greeted quietly, whispering in her ear, "Gods, I missed you last night..."
Buffy opened her eyes a little bit wider and smiled at him as he nuzzled her throat lovingly before going to sit down at the table Joyce had set up while Buffy collected Will and sat him on top of a chair with a phone book sat on top of it so that he could reach the table. Joyce watched in amusement as the child immediately shoved an unprepared pancake in his mouth, chewing on it happily, while both Spike and Buffy looked mildly embarrassed by the display. "Sorry, mom..." Buffy fidgeted as she sat down next to Spike, "We...weren't really big on the table manners back home...uh...back...at the island..."
"Like you were so much better when you were his age?" Joyce teased her daughter lightly, "You wouldn't use a fork till you were seven. Screamed every time we tried to teach you how to hold one and spear your food."
"Must've been fighting those Slayer tendencies early, uh, pet?" Spike said, receiving a swat on the arm from her, and he grinned in her direction before glancing towards Will, "Hey, mate...try to at least keep the mouth closed, huh?"
Will sealed his mouth shut, his face screwing up as he concentrated on chewing, and Spike chuckled as he prepared his own plate, Buffy already having attacked the bacon, with a mumbled, "Oh, God...real meat that isn't monkey..."
"Lovely breakfast, Joyce," He said sincerely, "Nice not to be doing the cooking for once..." He shot a pointed look at Buffy, who scrunched her nose up at him, with William imitating his mother rather well.
"Hey, you know the rules...you suck it dry, you cook it...and there was no way I was cooking monkey."
"You...ate monkeys?" Joyce stared at the two of them in surprise, and Buffy flushed while Spike looked somewhat sheepish.
However, Will wasn't shy about voicing his preferences, "Momkey yummy..." He rubbed his belly, shooting a crooked grin at Joyce, "Daddy saids it tastes like chikum."
"Chicken, love," Buffy corrected, and shrugged at her mother, "Actually, it kinda did. Go figure."
Joyce laughed and then jumped when the front door slammed open, and both Spike and Buffy hopped to their feet, eyes going wide, but Joyce waved at them to sit down again as the door closed and heavy, chunky footsteps headed towards them, "Relax," She told them as she stood herself, and calling, "Faith! How many times do I have to tell you that the door isn't made for kicking open?"
Buffy stood up again as Faith came into the dining room, wearing a wide grin, "Sorry, Joyce, and hey, B!" Faith immediately went towards the blond girl, surprising her by giving her a huge hug, "Man, it's been sooo dull around here without you!" She took a step back, keeping her hands on Buffy's shoulders and looking her over, "Still lookin' good, Buff...what kind of exercising where you doing in the middle of east bumblefuck?" She shot a look at Spike, who was watching the two girls dubiously, "Oh...rrriiggghhttt...you were playing the mattress Olympics big time, right?"
"Faith, little ears are present," Joyce admonished, "And grab a plate and sit down like normal person, for Goodness sakes."
Faith glanced towards William, who was watching his mother and the strange woman with wide eyes and she grinned at him before ruffling his hair as she passed by to go into the kitchen and grab a plate for herself, leaving Buffy to recover from the swift, welcome home attack from her sister-in-arms.
"What's...mattess oympics?" Will asked his father curiously, "Can I play it too?"
Spike choked on a piece of pancake, shooting a wide eyed glance at Buffy, who smirked in his direction as she took her seat again. "Um...well...Will...it's kinda..."
"Don't sweat it, kid," Faith appeared again, startling Spike as she threw herself into the seat beside the child, piling her plate up with food, and she nudged Will with a wink, "That's one of those things you don't find out till you're older...or discover HBO," She shot a look in Spike's direction, running her eyes over him, "Course, if you end up looking like your dad, you won't ever have to worry about attracting the hotties for a little gymnastics."
"Faith," Joyce said in a warning tone, "He's four years old...could you wait a little longer before you try and corrupt him?"
"Sorry," She looked genuinely sheepish when she caught Buffy's glare, apparently not liking the way Faith had been looking over her mate, "Relax, B...your man's safe with me. I just wanted to tease you a little...I kid because I love you," She offered her fellow Slayer a lopsided grin, "Can't wait till we're back together on the ass--eh..." She glanced at Will, who was watching her with wide, fascinated eyes, apparently already hanging onto every strange word out of her mouth, "Bum...kick brigade again...dam--darn it, that just doesn't sound as scary, does it? Anyway...Xander, Willow and Tara are all good with the helping on patrol...but it'll be really nice being able to go Slaying with someone who doesn't squeal like a girl...I mean, don't get me wrong, I love the guy, but that's just such a big turn-off."
Spike snickered at that, not having any trouble at all believing that Xander screamed like a girl, but then he blinked in surprise, looking up at Faith in confusion, "Wait...you...and the...whelp? You're...a...thing?"
"Sorta...we're kinda on the outs right now...I got pissed off when he went off again to look for B..." Faith glanced at Buffy, looking a bit ashamed, "Sorry...I didn't mean it like it sounded...but for the last six years, he left every summer and left me here to take care of everything...and I told him it was time to just...let it go...you weren't coming back...if I had known though..."
"Faith...it's fine," Buffy replied quietly, offering Faith a tiny smile, "You couldn't know. And believe me...I'd probably feel the same way if Spike kept on going off to look for a girl that had been missing and presumed dead for that long. I hope you guys work it out..."
"Oh, it's fine...just wear some tight clothes and pout at him, and all's good again," Faith replied, visibly heartened, "So...B...gettin' knocked up by the undead...that's pretty wild. How'd that happen?"
"Um...we're not exactly sure," Spike replied, still a little surprised that Xander of all people, was dating a Slayer. "S'not like we could do any research," He shook his head, "Don't know what the Watcher's more excited about...Buffy bein' back...or gettin' to find out how it's even possible for Will to exist."
"The G-man? It's the kid. If he gets to use books, he's way happy. Like a kid in a candy store...or...a librarian in a library."
Buffy smiled a tiny bit at that, remembering the long nights spent in the library at school, bent over his books, that sort of excited look on his face as he discovered new things, "Did they rebuild the library?" She asked curiously, "After we blew up the mayor and all?"
"Nope...they paved it over. The Hellmouth is now the parking lot of Doom. Eh...progress is hell on the Supernatural, I guess. No way for the demons to get at it," Her face fell a bit, "Actually, the Council was talking of sending me somewhere else, since Sunnydale isn't exactly the demon hotspot anymore, but Giles was able to convince them I was still needed here...but I guess since you're back now, they have no reason to keep me here anymore."
"Actually," Buffy fidgeted slightly, glancing at Spike, who took her hand and squeezed it, "I don't think I'm going back to Slaying."
Faith's head shot up at this, and Joyce raised an eyebrow, "You're not going back to Slaying, B? But....I thought it was your whole life or somethin'..."
"It was, not anymore," Buffy shook her head, "I have a child now...I want to be able to watch him grow up...and not worry about fighting for my damned life every night. I...I want my damned white picket fence...well, maybe not the picket fence, in case Spike accidentally trips on it...but you know what I mean. I haven't even seen a demon in six years..." Spike cleared his throat, giving her a look and she smiled at him, "Except for Spike...and he and Will...they're my whole life now. I want my child and I want my husband...and maybe more children one day, and a normal, nine to five job...and...and...dammit, I want a SUV that has no business being in the suburbs! With car seats and a 'My child ate your honor student' bumper sticker on the back!"
Joyce was smiling happily at the end of her little speech, Spike was unsurprised, Will had slid down off his seat and was sitting on the floor beneath the table, playing with Faith's untied shoelaces, and the dark-haired Slayer was staring at Buffy like she had grown another head...and a hideously ugly one at that.
"But...you can't just give up Slaying, Buff...it's in your blood and all that..."
"Yeah," Buffy replied softly, "I know it is...but that doesn't matter. Not anymore," She looked at Spike, and he smiled at her gently, "This is my life now, Faith...I'm sorry you're going to get stuck with the Slaying...I know it really isn't fair to you...but I just can't do it anymore."
Faith nodded slowly, watching the loving look exchanged between the blond couple, and the way Joyce was looking supremely blissful with her daughter's decision, "Hey, no skin off my nose...just means I won't get shipped off to...I don't know, Russia or something. But did you tell G-man yet? Cause he's going to go ballistic."
"Um...not so much...no. Not really. But if he does, he's just going to have to deal," She said firmly, "I won't be pressured into that life again. They stole my life when I was fifteen, for Godsakes...and the only way I could get my life back, was to be caught in a tidal wave and be trapped on a desert island like freakin' Gilligan...how pathetic is that?! The Council isn't about saving people's lives or even the world...it's about a bunch of fat, old white men sitting on their butts and waiting for a couple girl-children to pull their asses out of the fire. Not anymore."
"Viva la revolution, huh, B?" Faith looked particularly delighted by Buffy's little rebellion, "Gotta admit, I'm on board, but mostly just to see the look on Travers' face when you tell him to take this job and shove it straight up his super-glue sealed as--rear end."Spike chuckled, and Faith glanced at him, raising an eyebrow, "What about your little boy-toy here? He's not going to be misbehavin', will he? I know you're not slaying anymore, but if he touches the people in my town..."
"Nah, he's successfully whipped," Buffy teased her mate, nudging him with her elbow when he growled at her, and then replied sincerely, "He's changed too, Faith. I trust him with my life."
Spike smiled at her and kissed her cheek before whispering something in her ear, and Faith raised an eyebrow when she saw Buffy flush suddenly. Joyce smiled as she stood up to start clearing the table, "I'll leave you kids to catch up," She told them, "Buffy? Is it all right if I take Will with me to the mall? I want to pick him up some more clothes, and I'm afraid I don't have very many toys for boys in the house. Plus, I got four years of birthdays, Christmases, Easters, and just plain old grandmother spoiling to make up for."
Buffy glanced at Spike, who shrugged a tiny bit, and Buffy bent, picking her son off the floor and settling him on her lap, "I guess that's okay...you be good for grandma, okay, honey?"
He nodded, but it was with a wicked gleam in his eye that always reminded her of Spike, and Buffy shook her head before setting him on his feet.
"Oh, and Spike, I need your clothing sizes...I noticed you don't have anything to sleep in, and I don't want you to be wearing Xander's clothes for very much longer," Joyce told him, pulling him to his feet, and drawing him out of the room to leave the girls alone together to catch up. She ignored his protests, insisting that she had to spoil him too, and Spike shot a desperate look over his shoulder at Buffy and Faith, but they only smirked and waved bye.
Buffy giggled, getting to her feet and she and Faith moved to the living room and plopped down on the couch together, and Buffy looked at Faith, smiling a tiny bit, "You've been keeping my mom company, haven't you?" She asked, having noted that her mother's chastisement and Faith's sheepishness seemed to be normal between them.
"Well...uh..." Faith shifted, and then grinned almost shyly, "She kept on bringing me dinner on patrol, since she said she was sure I wasn't eating anything but junk food, 'cause I was with Xander so much...and she helped me out, a lot. She got me a job at the gallery, and even co-signed a car for me, so I wouldn't have to walk all over the place all the time, and so that I could get to LA when Angel needed help. Helped me pick out an apartment and get furniture for it and everything," Faith smiled, glancing down at her hands, "And...uh...she made sure I got health insurance through the gallery, since the Council doesn't provide it for me anymore."
"You quit the Council?"
"Not exactly...they tried to deport Giles a couple years back, since they were pretty much paying for him to stay here, even though he had quit...told them I would quit too if they did that, and told them if that they were so strapped for money, they could cut my benefits and that would cover the cost of keeping him here. They agreed...and well..." Faith shrugged, "It's not so bad, actually. I mean, your mom's way understanding if I'm too beat up to show up for work, and it's really nice not having to explain how the black eye I have is not because my boyfriend beat me up. As if Xander even could. She's really been there for me, B..."
"And you've been there for her too," Buffy leaned forward, catching the dark-haired girl in a tight hug, surprising her slightly, "Thank you..." Buffy pulled away, smiling a tiny bit, tears standing in her eyes, "I know...when I left, we kinda weren't on the best terms...what with you switching sides like that...and when I was on the island, I kept thinking about how I told you I wouldn't trust you again because of what you did...and how I never told you how proud I was that you had the strength to come back to us...even if you thought we'd all hate you...and even when I was all hostile towards you about the Angel thing..."
"Hey...it was my fault...I shouldn't have..."
"No...no, it's okay...I've already forgiven you...and I can see that you've...changed a lot in six years too..." Buffy smiled at her wanly, "A lots changed while I've been gone...but I just wanted to thank you for keeping my mom safe for me...after I ran to LA the one time, she almost fell apart....and this had to be way worse for her...thinking I was dead...or that I would be stuck on an island for the rest of my life...not knowing that I was safe and happy...it had to have been killing her..."
"It was," Faith replied softly, "It was way hard for her...I wasn't much of a replacement, but I guess I was something...but now that you're back..."
"Nothing's going to change," Buffy said firmly, "Mom just doesn't love someone less because there's a bunch of new people to love..." Buffy grinned then, "Of course, we're going to have to start competing with Will for attention sometimes...cause he's got the cute kid and grandson edge working for him. How are we supposed to beat that?"
"Speaking of cute guys," Faith winked at her, nudging her, "So...you and William the Bloody...I can just see Giles polishing his glasses till they're worn away to nothing but powder."
"He was surprisingly way okay with it," Buffy replied, "Xander was being a total dick though. Angel too..."
"Angel? You ran into Angel?"
"Ugh...he was at the airport. As soon as we got to the hotel, he wanted to talk about...'my choices' and how Spike was a cold-blooded killer who couldn't love anybody. Pretty much called me an idiot for loving him."
Faith whistled, "Did you hit him? I sooo would have hit him."
"Nope, just shoved him out into the hall and told him the 'Angel Angst Hour' was over."
Faith started to crack up, "Oh God, I could just see his face when you said that!"
Buffy giggled, "He wasn't happy, that was for sure...he actually changed facial expressions for a second."
That only made Faith laugh even more, "Oh, man, it must've been better then when Willow told Xander she was gay!" Faith replied, swiping at some tears that ran down her face.
Buffy snickered, picturing his face when Willow told him she was..."WILLOW'S GAY!?"
"Hmmm...God..." Buffy sighed, closing her eyes and stretching her arms over her head languidly, "This is heaven..."
Spike chuckled as he shifted onto his side, pressing his lips against her tanned breast, "Sentiment's appreciated..."
Buffy cracked an eye open, "I meant the actual having sex in a real bed and not worrying about splinters or palm frond burn," She corrected, smiling as he pouted and closed her eye again, "Oh...and the mom babysitting while we have the whole house to ourselves..." She 'mmm-ed' when he tickled her stomach, "Okay...and the sex is pretty heavenly too..."
"You just like the bein' able to scream without worrying about the kid in the other room," Spike teased her lightly, still stroking her warm, sweat-slicked skin, "Gotta say...missed that myself..."
She rolled her eyes beneath her eyelids, stretching again, and Spike watched as the muscles played beneath her skin, smoothly flowing, and he growled before attacking a rose-colored nipple, worrying it with his teeth, making her squeak in surprise at the attack. He shifted his weight back on top of her as he suckled her breast, and she moaned softly as she let her legs fall open, bending her knees so that they were pressed against his side and tried to urge him forward. "Hmmm...more..."
"Patience, luv...think we got all bloody afternoon," He muttered, rubbing his semi-hard cock against her lower body, and ran his hands up along her arms till he clasped her hands in his own. "Just wanna play for awhile."
She opened her eyes and smiled up at him, "Play away," She replied coyly, dropping her knees from his side and spreading her legs open for him, enjoying the almost tortured look that crossed his face at her words. He dropped his head towards her, and drew her into a slow, sweet kiss, their tongues sliding together wetly. He then kissed along her jaw and proceeded to lick and suck at her throat till she wriggled beneath him with a small, tiny mewls, and pulling at her entrapped hands in order to try and touch him.
"Shhh...shhh..." He purred soothingly near her ear, "Not goin' anywhere, pet..."
"Less talk, more play," She ordered breathlessly, and he laughed as she managed to free one hand and shoved his head down. He immediately went to the playground of her breasts, roughly nipping and sucking, his hands firmly kneading them, his hips undulating against hers, pressing his hardness into her, but never entering her. She started to move with him, following his movements as they mimed the act of sex, craving the feel of him against her, inside her. "Spike..."
He smiled as he started to kiss down her body, his hands never leaving her flushed breasts, his fingers pulling and pinching at her hard nipples, palms applying constant, rolling pressure to her soft breasts. She arched into him when his mouth reached her naval, where he started to tease her, flicking his tongue into her belly-button and nibbling at the soft swell of her stomach.
"Spike!" She lifted her head to glare at him when he spent way too much time in that particular area, and he looked up at her, grinning wickedly before suddenly removing his hands away from her breasts and sliding it beneath her ass, squeezing the firm cheeks before lifting her hips up and attacking her center with a loud growl.
She squealed when he suddenly changed his foreplay from gentle and teasing to voracious and hard, his tongue stabbing inside of her, his nose pressing hard against her clit. He continued to growl loudly, the vibrations of his tongue and mouth driving her nearly insane with want, and then she was screaming, her thighs clamping around his head, body arching off the bed and into him. The sudden movement upset his position on the single bed, and then he was falling backwards onto the ground, pulling Buffy with him, never letting go of her hips. She landed on her knees and fell forward onto her hands, panting so hard it was almost painful.
The sudden change of position only served to faze Spike for half a second before he renewed his attack and Buffy was shouting his name once again, and began to ride against his face, drenching it with her release. He didn't release her till he felt her come for the fifth time, and only because he felt her knees beginning to buckle, and then he rolled her over, immediately plunging inside her, and she shuddered around him, screaming his name again as she came just with the sensation of his hard cock stabbing inside her.
She dug her fingers into his shoulders, hips arching off the floor to meet his fevered, hard thrusts, their eyes boring into each other. Grunts were forced from his lips as he pounded into her, and Buffy was only vaguely aware of the carpet burning into her back as her back rubbed back and forth against it, her eyes intent on his and her entire body swept up in their love-making.
"Spike...God...yes...harder..." She panted out, and his mouth turned up in an almost painful grin as he gripped her hips in his hands, and sat up, changing the position on her suddenly. Buffy hissed out his name, eyes finally closing as she thrashed her head back and forth on the floor as he slammed into her with all his powerful strength behind him, their pelvises slamming together with enough force to bruise.
She felt him tense up, and opened her eyes, staring up at him dazedly as his back went rigid, and he fell forward onto his hands, his thrusts intensifying as he vamped out with a low snarl as he started to come. Buffy's hand came up and wrapped around the back of his neck, drawing his head down to her throat, and she screamed, loud and long, as his fangs pierced her flesh, several, potent orgasms ripped through her body, one after another, "Oh...God...SPPPIIKKEEE!" She screeched his name, her nails ripping into the flesh of his back, and he came hard at the sudden explosion of pain and pleasure, roaring her name, the sound of it echoing off the walls and its piercing intensity probably reaching out through the neighborhood.
He collapsed to her side, spread-eagle on the floor in a similar position to Buffy, both of them looking delightfully boneless and out of breath. "Holy Christ..." Spike panted out heavily, turning his head with some effort towards his mate, "That was..."
"Completely and utterly amazing?" Buffy replied between her own hard breathing, "Really agreeing right here..." She tried to lift her arm, unsuccessfully. "Just don't ask me to move...or to sit down anytime soon."
Spike let out a tired chuckle, and rolled onto his side, burrowing his face into Buffy's sweat-dampened hair and inhaling her scent blissfully, lazily draping an arm across her stomach and closing his eyes, "Hmmm...m'beautiful girl..." He cracked an eye open when he heard the door slam open downstairs, and shoved himself up into a sitting position just as the door to Buffy's room was kicked open, and Buffy screamed, scrambling to her feet and diving behind her bed, leaving Spike to defend himself bare-assed naked.
Spike snarled, about to pounce when he sniffed the air and sat back on his haunches, "Dammit, Harris! What in the bloody HELL is your PROBLEM!? KNOCK!"
"You were killing Buffy!" Xander held up his large crucifix, pointing into in Spike's direction, "We heard her screaming coming up the walk! Where is she?! Did you hide the body!? You are soooo dead!"
"ALEXANDER HARRIS!" Faith stomped up to her boyfriend and grabbed the crucifix out of his hand, "You are such an ass sometimes," She glanced at Spike, apparently unfazed by his nudity as he was, the vampire standing up and crossing his arms over his chest and glaring at them, "Sorry...he can run pretty fast when he wants too."
"Hey!" Buffy peeked her head over the top of the bed, "Spike! Pants! And Xander! Get out!"
"You're not dead!"
"Of course she's not dead, you bloody twit!" Spike snapped as he found his pants and jerked them on.
"But...I heard her screaming..." Xander looked confused, "It sounded like you were killing her!"
"Xander, they're both naked and you heard screaming...how much of a mystery is this NOT?! Jeez...she's barely back home a day and you're already busting in on her and her hottie and not letting her get her cookies."
"Cookies? What cookies?"
"Oh...son of a bitch..." Faith rolled her eyes, offering Spike and Buffy an apologetic look, "Sorry, guys...I'm taking him downstairs and explaining the birds and the bees and how the brat came to be," She winked at them, "You guys finish up here and I'll make sure he doesn't interrupt again," She said, leading a heavily protesting Xander out, but glanced over her shoulder, looking Spike up and down, eyes lingering at his crotch, "Oh, and Spike...nice...chest."
Buffy grabbed a pillow off her bed, and Faith laughed as she ducked out the door before the thrown bedding could hit her, "Have fun, kiddies!"
"Okay...startin' to bloody remember why I really hated civilization," Spike growled as he found his t-shirt and pulled it on, watching mournfully while Buffy dressed as well, "A whole bloody afternoon, just you an' me...ruined by the whelp. Why can I see this swiftly becoming a habit?"
"Tell me about it," Buffy growled, pulling her hair back with one of her old scrunchies, "We so need our own place...I think mom made this place into Scooby Central Station. Everyone's got a damned key."
"Yeah, well," Spike sighed, "She'll probably be home with Will soon...guess it's better they interrupted us rather then your mum...don't really want to scar my son for life yet...and I'm pretty sure your mum still keeps that ax beneath her bed for exactly like moments like this."
"I don't know," Buffy went up to him and wrapped her arms around his middle and rested her head against his chest, "She ordered a new bed frame and mattress for my room...king size...so, I think she's kinda expecting us to stay for awhile...and she's clearing out the guest room for Will. I'm guessing she already knows her daughter's going to want to be naughty with her mate."
"Guess we can stay for a bit," Spike conceded, smiling down at her, "Like your mum, anyway, and she probably wants to be close to you and Will for as long as possible."
"Hey," She leaned up to plant a firm kiss on his lips, "She wants to get close to you too, buddy. She just doesn't buy clothes for anybody."
"Yeah, I'm the guy who knocked up her poor, innocent daughter..." Spike laughed as she swatted his arm, "Yeah, okay, she likes me...probably waiting for the right time to whip out the shot gun and ride my ass to church."
"Huh? Why would she want you to go to church?" Buffy asked in confusion, and Spike sighed.
"Never mind, lovely," He nuzzled her throat affectionately, "You're just so cute sometimes."
"Huh...how come you always say that when I don't understand what you're talking about? Is that your way of calling me a dumb blonde? It is, isn't it? I finally broke the code."
Spike laughed, swatting her behind and giving her a shove towards the door, "Come on...the whelp's probably downstairs, having an embolism...and I want to see it before his brain pops and leaks out of his ears."
"Sadist," Buffy replied, smiling at him as he took her hand and they head downstairs together, joining Faith and Xander in the living room, only to see that Willow and some blond girl Buffy didn't recognize was there as well; both girls were blushing furiously, the one girl's head bowed so that her hair hung in her face, and Willow was looking everywhere but at them.
"Bloody hell...did anyone NOT hear us?" Spike asked, and Buffy elbowed him as Faith snickered, Xander paled, and Willow and the girl that Buffy had guessed must be Tara blushed even more, "Ow! What?"
"Tact, darling...work on it."
"Me?! Who's the one bustin' down the door when I'm trying too...OW!"
"You done?"
"Fine," Spike groused, plopping down on a chair and pulling Buffy down to his lap as he did so, and she made herself comfortable, ignoring the stares and Faith's smirk as she did so.
"What's up, guys?" Buffy asked, eyeing them a bit warily. She was wishing they had given her a few days to settle in before coming over for bonding time, save for Faith, who she had enjoyed talking too. For some reason, she felt more easy around Faith, since she seemed the most comfortable around Spike, easily exchanging teasing back and forth with him, never taking anything he said personally, like the other Scoobies did. He had threatened to make her into a snack for teasing him about being Slayer-whipped. She had only snorted and replied that he would be a lot more threatening if he wasn't drawing rainbows and fish with a four-year-old and a box of Crayolas.
If he had said that with any other Scooby in the room, the stakes would have been out faster then she could say 'big pile of dust.'
"Faith told me you aren't going to be slaying anymore," Xander snipped out, throwing an accusatory look at Spike, as if this was all his fault, and Faith looked apologetically at Buffy.
"Sorry...I didn't think he'd freak out like that...and personally, I thought the SUV speech with the 'my kid ate your honor student' bumper sticker was kinda worth repeating," She said, shrugging her shoulders sheepishly, and Buffy sighed.
"It's okay, Faith," She gave Xander a look, "But of course, you felt the need to rush over here right away and get on my case about my decision, right?" She threw a pointed look at Willow and the new girl, "And you brought someone I haven't even met yet for the chewing out?"
"Um...we...were kinda on our way up when we met up with him," Willow supplied meekly, and then caught Spike's raised eyebrow at the girl beside her, "Oh! Um...Buffy...this...is...uh..." The girl lifted her head, pinning Willow with a look, and she began to stammer, "Uh...a lot's kinda changed in the last couple years...and um...I don't want to shock you or anything...but...um..."
"Tara, right?" Spike interrupted Willow's babbling, and the blonde girl glanced towards him, smiling a bit shyly, "Spike...lovely to meet you. Your girlfriend's a basket-case, you realize?"
Tara's smile bloomed even more as Buffy laughed, burrowing her face in Spike's neck as Willow stared at him with wide eyes, her mouth opening and closing like a great big fish, "Nice to meet you," She said softly, "And...yes...sometimes she is..."
"I...I...um...how'd you..." Willow's eyes widened, "Oh! It's cause...of the smell thing, right? So...you can smell...um...us...?" Tara's blush returned in full force, and Faith took pity on the girl.
"Sorry, Wills...it kinda slipped out this morning," Faith replied, "I kinda thought she knew."
"Oh!" Willow looked relieved, "So, you can't smell..." Spike's eyebrow remained raised and she blushed again, "Oh...okay...not wanting to know now."
"Are we done with the unsuccessful coming out?" Xander asked in annoyance, "I really want to go back to the no Slaying thing."
"Which is really none of your bloody business," Spike replied coolly, "I think you ought to learn to keep out of things that don't concern you, whelp."
"Thank YOU!" Faith threw her arms in the air, "That's what I keep telling the idiot!"
"Faith! Boyfriend! Supposed to be backing me up here."
"Honey, I'll back you up anytime you want...except when you're wrong and being completely stupid about it," Faith replied sweetly.
"This so does concern me!" Xander snapped, looking back at Buffy and Spike, "We spent six years looking for you, Buffs...and we finally find you...hooked up with that...thing..."
"Oh, I get it...you found me...and so I'm obligated to do whatever you want me to do. Which, in this case, apparently, means abandon my mate and love of my life, pretend I don't have a son to live for, and go out and Slay so that you can say, 'Oh, I saved Buffy from a fate worse then death, kept her away from that nasty vampire that protected loved and provided for her for the last six years, and gave her a beautiful, sweet child that she loves more then anything in this world and the next.' All so I can go back to fighting demons that want to kill me nightly and deprive my child of a mother when one fucking demon gets lucky!? Excuse me when I say no, thanks, I'll pass on that."
"So, Faith should do it all alone because you're being stubborn?!"
"Oh, don't even bring me into this!" Faith glared at her boyfriend, "I can take care of myself and as far as Buffy is concerned, I think her job's done. She already died, and another Slayer was called. That's the way it works. She's not required to fight anymore, and I pretty much agree with her! She's got a kid now, Xander...I think he's a little more important then your stupid ego being bruised because Buffy's shacked up with another vampire." She stood up abruptly and crossed over to Buffy, throwing her arms around the blond and giving her a big squeeze, and then gave a hug to Spike as well, "I think you're doing the right thing, B, and don't let the idiot over there convince you two otherwise. You're right, that isn't your life anymore, and it's not fair to ask you to go back to it."
Faith gave Xander a pointed glare, "Besides,I think Joyce has lost her daughter way too many times already. I don't think the woman deserves to go through that sort of hell ever again...let alone be able to survive it." She then turned and stalked out, and Xander glared at Spike...or maybe it was Buffy as well, before running after his girlfriend, calling her name, leaving Tara, Willow, Buffy and Spike sitting in somewhat awkward silence.
Finally, Buffy cleared her throat, glancing towards the couple, "So...um...gay now...that's pretty...um...wow."
"God...look at all this stuff..." A line appeared between Buffy's eyebrows, "Do we really need this junk?"
"I think a car seat's pretty important," Spike replied, "You know...if we don't want our son to go flying into the windshield every time you tap the damn brakes."
"Okay, car seat, I know we need, smart ass," Buffy glanced towards her mother, who was standing nearby with Faith and Will, practically gushing over the clothing for toddlers, "Mom?" Joyce glanced over, holding a ducky t-shirt in front of Will, and Spike visibly winced at the neon blue shirt, "Isn't Will a little big for a carriage?"
"He's only four, Buffy...his little legs will get tired if you make him walk all over the place."
"Yeah, but that's what I have Spike for."
"Funny, pet," Spike rolled his eyes, "And I'm not going to do you much good during the little day excursions, now will I? And Joyce...for the love of God...nothing remotely pastel or neon colored is going on my son."
"That's what I said," Faith seconded the motion, holding up her own selection, a small, black t-shirt with white lettering that said 'Party...my crib...2 AM.'
Spike grinned, giving her the thumbs up while Joyce and Buffy rolled their eyes.
"You two are no help whatsoever," Buffy said, sighing as she turned back to the selection of baby products, "So much easier to just let him run around naked."
"Yeah, but I don't think his preschool teacher will appreciate that very much," Joyce replied, moving beside Buffy, "You're definitely going to need the car seat. And you need the carriage so you can take him out, since you don't drive."
"Okay..." Buffy frowned slightly, looking over the myriad selection of car seats and baby carriages, "Oh God...choices...so many choices."
"Well, at least we don't have to buy a crib," Spike replied, "There's an entire wing devoted to those bloody things."
Buffy frowned at that, glancing towards Will, who Faith was currently dangling upside down by his feet and swing him back and forth like a pendulum, "What if he falls out of the new bed, though? He did before sometimes, but that didn't matter, since it was like...a four inch drop to the floor...now it's like...twenty feet to someone his size."
"Chairs around the bed," Spike replied right away, earning a surprised look from Joyce, "Didn't have a crib, and my big sister sometimes kicked me out of bed when she was sleeping...couple chairs around it kept me from falling."
"So, you were dropped on your head as a child," Faith said, still swinging a delighted Will around, "Why am I totally not surprised?"
"Ha bloody ha. And what's your excuse?"
"Juvie all the way, baby," Faith replied with a grin, "Eleven through fifteen...that's where I earned all my damage."
"Lovely...and we let her near our son, why?"
"Because, compared to you, she's Mother Theresa?" Buffy suggested sweetly before swatting his arm, "Now concentrate. Which car seat?"
"They all serve the same bloody function, right? Just get the cheapest one and be done with it..." Spike frowned when all three women went rigid and stared at him as if he had just announced he had eaten the entire Royal family, "Wot?"
"Just get the cheapest one and be done with it?" Buffy repeated, still gaping at him, "This is our son's life we're talking about here, Spike! You...just can't strap him into any old thing and expect him to survive the ride home!!"
"Um...isn't the basic function of a bloody car seat to get him home alive?" Spike asked in confusion, "Why wouldn't it work?"
"The beauty of American made products manufactured in Taiwan, Spike," Faith answered, "They're all pretty much bound to not work."
"Great...why don't we just strap him down with duct tape...beautiful invention. Never failed me before."
"Okay, next time, we leave the male at home while we go baby shopping," Buffy groused, "They're sooo not any help."
"Oh...bloody hell..." Spike sighed as he took Will from Faith, "Tell you what. You birds do the shoppin' thing, me an' Will are going to head down to the Hot Topic and look at tongue gauges."
"Okay," Buffy resumed staring at the millions of car seats lining the wall, while Joyce frowned.
"Tongue gauges?"
"Never too early to start the boy's body piercing education," Spike replied lightly, and Buffy started at that.
"He is NOT getting a body piercing!"
"Well, not right bloody now, he isn't! Give me some credit, woman. Geez."
"Why don't you take him down to Baby Gap and find him some clothing?" Joyce suggested and Spike stared at her as if she had gone completely insane.
"The day I bloody well step into any Gap of my own free will…will be the day that Satan damn well takes up ice fishing."
"I don't know...crew neck sweater...pair of khakis, could look pretty yummy on you," Faith teased with an evil look on her face, and Buffy turned to gaze at Spike thoughtfully.
"No." Spike said firmly, and glared at Faith, "And don't you be puttin' those nasty thoughts in her head, girl." Faith snickered at his expense, but then took pity on him when Buffy continued to look over Spike like he was her personal 'Dress Me Up' doll.
"Hey, B!" She snapped her fingers in front of Buffy , drawing her attention away from Spike, "I'll take the brat to Baby Gap. Gotta protect the goods, right?"
"What?" Buffy asked in confusion, and Faith rolled her eyes, gesturing at Spike.
"Set him loose in the mall with that kid and no wedding ring? He'll be pulled down by every desperate woman in Sunnydale. Like lions on a wounded gazelle."
"Oh, come on...you can't be ser--" Spike glanced towards Buffy, frowning slightly when he saw the look on her face, "Luv? You're really not buying into this, right?"
"She's got a point," Buffy replied, shrugging somewhat sheepishly, and Spike rolled his eyes, kissing the top of Will's head before handing him off to Faith.
"Anything happens to him, and I will hurt you...slowly...painfully...with lots of sharp objects, got that, Slayer?" He threatened Faith in a low voice, but the dark-haired girl only rolled her eyes, not at all taking him seriously.
"I'm quaking with fear on the inside, Blondie...really, I am."
Buffy giggled at the crest-fallen look on his face before planting a kiss on his cheek and slapping his backside, "Stop worrying so much. Nothing's going to happen in the stupid mall..." Spike raised an eyebrow, and Buffy amended her statement hastily, "Again. Nothing's going to happen in the stupid mall again. Just relax, Faith's a Slayer anyway. He'll just be as safe with her as he is with us."
"Fine, fine," Spike grumbled, ruffling Will's hair and offering his son a big grin, "Be good for Faith, all right, kid?"
Will pouted, shaking his head, "Go with you!" He demanded, but Spike shook his head.
"Have fun with Faith," Spike told him firmly, and then leaned forward, adding in a whisper, "Be a good boy and we'll stop and get you a cookie, all right?"
"Spike!" Buffy turned towards her mate, giving him a look, and he grinned sheepishly.
"See you ladies later," He saluted the group before beating a hasty retreat, escaping from Buffy's impending lecture. Faith snickered as Buffy crossed her arms over her chest and glared at Spike's disappearing back.
"All right, B, me and Will are outtie," Faith said, and Buffy nodded.
"How about we meet at the food court in about an hour?" Joyce suggested, digging into her purse and pulling out a credit card to hand to Faith, "You sure you'll be okay getting him clothes?"
"Hey, as long as he keeps the wriggling down to a minimum, I'm five by five," Faith replied, "Food court, hour, catch ya guys later."
"Have fun," Buffy called after them before turning back to the task before them, her nose scrunching up, "Okay...back to the car seats," She sighed, "Yay. Fun."
Faith wrinkled her nose, shaking her head as she held up a pair of small khakis, and glanced down at Will, who was standing next to her, looking completely bored out of his mind, "Yeah, kid...I know what you're thinking," She replaced the khakis on the display rack, "I can't believe it. They're starting the preppie conformity pretty early on."
"Peppie comormity?" Will repeated, looking up at Faith in confusion, "What that?"
"Um..." Faith bit her bottom lip thoughtfully, "Forget it, not important."
Will looked a little frustrated as she turned back to the clothing, picking up a dark blue t-shirt, "Hmmm...this might actually match your eyes. Technically, it's color, so Buffy will like it, and close enough to black to appease Spike..." She turned and knelt beside Will, and held it up against his body, but he tried to shove it away from him. "Hey, come on, Will...I have to see if this thing will fit you or not..."
Will shook his head, "Don't like it," He complained, and Faith sighed.
"Fine, what do you like?" She straightened as he moved across the store, towards the girl's section. She could barely keep from laughing as she went to collect him.
"Pretty," He pointed at a small, pink, frilly dress.
"Oh, no way in hell. There's absolutely now way I'd ever be able to explain that to your dad without him blowing a brain fuse, kid." He looked disappointed, but allowed Faith to lead him away.
"Can I help you?" Faith looked up, eyebrow raising when she saw the cute guy with the nametag.
"Um...yeah, maybe," Faith glanced down at Will, "We're having a difference in opinion. He wants dresses, but I think he's a little young to be exploring alternate lifestyle choices."
The guy kneeled down in front of Will, grinning, "What's wrong, kid? Your mom doesn't want you to wear dresses?"
"Oh, God, I'm not his mom," Faith broke in, "I'm a friend of the family's. Just buying him some clothes."
"Oh, sorry...it's hard to tell these days. Mothers are getting younger and younger every year," The guy grinned at Faith, "I'm Andrew."
"Faith," She smiled at him, "But yeah, I can probably use some help..."
"Okay, great," Andrew smiled, "Well, you'd probably want to just stick to shorts and t-shirts, since its still summer. Is he still in diapers?"
"Nope. Kid was potty-trained pretty early."
"Okay, so then I'd suggest shorts with elastic bands. Easier for him to pull down when he needs to go," Andrew suggested, "And I'd stay away from the khakis, unless he needs something nice to wear. Kid will just destroy it otherwise."
"Wow," Faith smiled, leaning agaisnt the rack, "You really know your shit."
Andrew shrugged, "I've worked here all summer. You have no idea how many times I hear questions like this."
Will fidgeted next to Faith, growing bored with the adults talking to each other and pretty much ignoring him. He started to twirl around in a circle, till he grew dizzy and a bit nauseous. He stopped, but staggered a few feet, trying to catch his bearings. He shook his head, and then looked up excitedly, catching a glimpse of a bleach-blond head just passing by the entrance. He glanced back at Faith, who was still talking with Andrew, and then started towards the entrance. He glanced around outside, and then started to run in the direction he had seen the blond going, going as fast as his little legs would carry him.
However, he stopped by the fountain in the middle of the mall, turning around in a circle, and then a grin surfaced on his face when he saw the blond near the payphones. He started towards him, but then the blond turned around. It was a kid with a pinched, rat-like face, his ears pierced with a least ten piercings for each one. Will stopped his approach, feeling a thread of panic run through his small body.
Tears filled his wide, blue eyes as he looked around him, trying to find a familiar face in the sea of people moving around him, and he sniffled as the tears began to fall. He wanted his mommy and daddy.
"Hey, kid," Will turned as a man with thinning, brown hair knelt down next to him, laying a hand on the child's shoulder, "What's wrong? Lose your mom and dad?"
Will nodded, still crying, and eyeing the man with the somewhat dirty face a bit warily. He didn't smell right to the little boy; he was kind of stinky, and he smelled like the stuff his dad drank sometimes, but a lot stronger.
"How about we find them, huh, kid?" The man straightened, taking Will's hand, and started leading him towards one of the exits, "I think I saw them around here."
"You did?" Will looked ahead expectantly, squinting his eyes a bit. There were several ladies with hair like his mom walking around, but they didn't look like her, "Don't see 'em..."
"They're probably outside, waiting for you, to take you home. Let's go look, all right, kid?"
Will finally nodded, letting the man lead him on. "Okay...daddy said he was going to get me a cookie..."
"I'm sure he's already got it for you. We just have to find him first."
"Oh God, oh God..." Faith ran up and down the mall three times already, upstairs and downstairs, a panicked look on her face. She practically barreled down a group of teenaged girls, giggling in the middle of the aisle. She was in too much in a hurry to apologize, and she didn't even respond when they called her a bitch for nearly knocking them over.
She had her imminent death to worry about at the moment. Which was sure to be forthcoming when she told Spike and Buffy she had lost their only child. Which, they wouldn't have to know about, if she found him first. She practically pounced on a little blond boy walking by, only to be smacked upside the head by a panicked mother.
"Sorry!" Faith held up her hands, shooting the woman a look, "I'm sorry...it's...I lost my friend's kid...he looked like him..." Faith was moving on already, calling the last over her shoulder, trying to ignore the stricken look on the woman's face. Yes, she was a horrible, mean, despicable person for losing a child in the middle of a crowded mall.
"Hey!"
Faith skidded to a stop, closing her eyes, and trying not to let out a frustrated scream as Spike came out of the Hot Topic, holding a small bag, and he was grinning, "Think Buffy'll let me put up my Ramones' poster in her room?" His grin faded when he saw the look on her face, his eyes narrowing, "Where's my son?"
"Um...okay...before you panic..." Faith winced when Spike's fingers were suddenly digging into her arms, and he was shaking her roughly as he shouted at her.
"WHERE'S MY SON, FAITH?!"
"I'm sorry!" She practically wailed, "I only turned my back for a second!"
"You LOST HIM!?" Spike snarled, the bones in his face shifting, but he didn't actually vamp out, but it was a close thing, as his eyes flashed yellow, "How could you have LOST HIM?!"
"I'm sorry!"
Spike growled, shoving her away from him, giving her a look of disgust, "Go find Buffy. Now."
"Spike..."
"NOW!" He snapped at her, whirling around and charging down the mall, and Faith bit her lips, trying to stave off the tears she wanted to shed, desperately. She glanced ahead, seeing Spike near the fountain, stalking around it, head bowed, and then she saw his head jerk softly, a look of pure fear crossing his features as he started to follow his son's scent traces and started towards the exit.
Faith turned and started to run for the food court.
Goddamn little brat...the man grimaced as he dragged Will after him, the little boy starting to put up a fuss. "Where mom and dad?" He complained in a loud, annoying little voice, even while he sniffled and cried those big tears. "I want my mommy and daddy!"
"Shut up, you little shit," The man snapped at him, glancing around the nearly empty parking lot. His van was parked near the shadows beneath the trees at the very end, where people were least likely to notice it. He just had to get the little brat there, and he was home free.
"My daddy's gonna be mad..." Will warned him, rubbing his little hand beneath his nose, crying out when the mean man jerked on his arm roughly.
"I said shut up!"
"Don't like you," Will complained beneath his breath, trying to pull away, "Your mean."
"Goddamn fucking little kids," The man cuffed Will behind the head, "SHUT UP!"
"My daddy...when he get mad, he get all bumpy," Will made his best little 'grrr' face, hooking his free hand near his chin, "He gonna be mad..."
"I don't give a fuck about your daddy," He spat out, breathing a sigh of relief when they reached the van. However, Will decided not to be passive anymore, and sank his teeth into his hand. He yanked his hand back with a shout, and then struck the child, sending him reeling against the van. Will tripped, and he started to wail when he hit his head against the wheel-well, the skin on his forehead splitting over and blood started to roll down his face and into his right eye.
"SHUT UP!" The man hit Will again and again till the little brat stopped crying, and he glared down at the small body sprawled on the ground as he threw open the door to the van, and grabbed him by one arm and tossed him inside. "Fucking kids..."
He started to close the door, pausing when the door made a strange, rumbling sound, and he opened the door again, listening to it closely. He shook his head and closed the door, and frowned when the rumbling continued. "What in the fuck...?" He turned and glanced around into the shadows, his heart nearly stopping in his chest when he saw two points of amber-fire rushing him.
Steel crumbled beneath his body as he was slammed into the passenger side door of his van with enough force to knock the breath out of his lungs. The last thought he had before he felt razor sharp claws rip through his throat and chest, was that the boy was right. His daddy did get bumpy when angry.
Oh, God...my baby...my little baby...my tiny little baby...
Buffy tried not to let the panic beating with her racing heart show on her face. She had to be strong. She had to be brave...for her baby, for her little, tiny son. However, even while her face was set in a hard, determined mask, her mind was screaming at her to do something, anything, her child was in danger.
"I'm sorry, Buffy, you can't believe how sorry I am..."
Buffy's head was pounding as she, Joyce and Faith headed out into the parking lot, where Faith had seen Spike running towards. Her mind was also telling her to turn around and punch Faith in the face the next time she apologized. However, she managed to squash the urge. Barely.
Buffy looked around the lot, not seeing Spike or her son, and then tensed when she heard a scream, which was abruptly cut off seconds later. She was running before she could even register a single thought, her blood roaring in her ears, adrenaline racing through her veins. Somewhere, in the back of her consciousness, she knew it wasn't her little boy, but panic had firmly set itself in.
She heard Faith keeping pace with her, both of them running all out, leaving Joyce far behind.
Soon, there neared the end of the parking lot, and Buffy felt like screaming when she saw nothing, but shadows, but then Faith grabbed her arm, and was dragging her to the side. She glanced in that direction, seeing the lone van, set way back beneath some trees, and then she saw her mate, covered in blood, head bowed over Will's small, tiny body. He looked up at them as they approached, his game face, pain plainly written across it.
She felt like screaming as she dropped down beside him, and grabbed her son out of his arms, gathering him into hers. She very nearly started sobbing when she saw his tiny, bruised and bloodied face, but she could see his chest rising and falling steadily.
"Shit..." She looked up at Faith's soft swear, color draining from her face when she realized why Spike was covered in so much blood. A corpse was lying next to the crumbled door of the van, four slash marks running from cheek to mid-sternum, his face twisted in a mask of terror. Spike flinched visibly at the look on her face, a combination of fear and disgust. She jerked from him instinctually when he reached for her and she cradled her child more firmly to her chest.
Spike felt like vomiting and screaming, all at the same time as he climbed unsteadily to his feet. He heard Joyce's gasp when she finally caught up, and he closed his eyes, inhaling sharply, feeling as though his heart was breaking in his chest. And then he was whirling, letting the darkness swallow him up.
"Spike...?" Buffy whispered, a confused look crossing over her face, but then Faith was tugging her to her feet.
"Come on, B...we gotta get out out of here..."
"Spike..."
"He's fine," Faith said as Joyce gently coaxed William out of Buffy's arms, "We gotta get out of here, like...now. Come on...we need to get Will to a hospital, all right? And then we'll find Spike...I promise. Now, come on!"
Giles moved swiftly down hospital hallways that were much too familiar to him, trying to quell the panic that fluttered beneath his breast. He turned a corner into the waiting room, and saw that Faith and Joyce were still the only ones seated there. Joyce stood as he approached, a wan smile playing across her face.
"Joyce," He nodded in greeting, his calm British exterior not showing the worry on the not so-calm, not-so-British interior. "What happened?"
"I almost got him killed..." Faith replied before Joyce could, "I wasn't watching him, and he ran off...some bastard tried to grab him..."
"Is he all right?" Giles asked, his eyes widening a fraction.
"He's fine," Joyce assured him, "He's a little..." Her lips pressed together in a thin line, "He's a little beat-up...he needed a few stitches, but other then that...he's fine..."
"Right...and the man who tried to grab him...did you call the police?" Giles watched as Faith and Joyce exchanged an apprehensive look, "What is it? You didn't call them? Why not? That man must be apprehended as soon as pos--" Giles' word's immediately broke off, his face paling slightly, "Shit."
"Rupert!" Joyce looked at him in surprise at his swear.
"Sorry...sorry..." Giles shook his head, "It was at the mall, wasn't it?"
"Yes," Joyce chewed on her bottom lip, "It's on the news already." It was a statement, not a question.
Giles nodded, "I...I heard a radio report...they said they found an unidentified man mauled outside the mall..."
"He deserved it," Faith broke in, "I mean....come on, you should have seen the little guy...Will's blood was in the air...Spike was all panicked...he was just...protecting his son, Giles...you can't hold that against him...it's all my fault anyway. If I hadn't had lost him..."
"Faith," Joyce returned to the girl's side, taking her hand with a small smile, "Stop blaming yourself...he's a little child. They wander off sometimes. Believe me, I was constantly chasing after Buffy when she was his age..." Faith didn't reply to that, only turned her gaze away from Joyce and worried her bottom lip.
"Are Buffy and Spike in there with him?" Giles asked, but Joyce shook her head.
"Buffy is...but...we don't know where Spike went," Joyce told him quietly, "He...he ran off...I think he might think that Buffy or the rest of us will be mad at him for killing that man..."
"Why aren't you?"
Giles started, then turned to see Xander standing in the doorway, an angry look on his face, "Xander...now is not the time..."
"Why not? Sounds like the perfect time," Xander retorted, crossing his arms over his chest, "I told you he'd go back to the killing...but does anybody listen to me? Nooo...but who always turns out right in the end? Hell, I was right about Angel and look how that ended up!"
"Xander..."
"He probably ran off to bag himself some more victims. He's just a goddamned vampire...don't know why you people can't figure out he's evil. This just proves it..."
"Xander!" Giles snapped, whirling on the boy, but he was a fraction too late as Joyce moved a little faster then him. The sound of her palm striking flesh was satisfying to all that heard it.
Xander cupped his cheek, staring at the elder Summers in surprise, "Don't you dare say one more word like that about him," She hissed angrily, "That...that thing beat up my grandson and tried to kidnap him to do God knows what with him! If I had gotten there before Spike, I would have killed him myself! He was protecting his child, you self-righteous little bastard!"
Faith's eyes widened when she heard Joyce swear, probably even more shocked then Xander and Giles combined. Xander opened and closed without a sound coming out, making him look like a suffocating trout. Right then, Willow and Tara appeared, the two Wiccans pausing in the doorway, bewildered expressions on their face when they saw Xander's face, his cheek turning red, Giles cleaning his glasses, and Faith staring at Joyce in awe, while the Slayer's mother continued to glare at Xander.
"Um...did we miss something?"
"Miss Summers..."
With a bit of effort, Buffy turned her gaze from her poor baby's bruised face, looking up at Dr. Sumter, running a hand through her hair wearily. Hopefully, he wasn't going to ask her anymore questions. She didn't think she could handle questions...and lie convincingly. She had told the truth about Will being grabbed by a strange man, but she had fudged a bit on the facts, saying it had been at the park and not at the mall. The less association with anything that went on there that night between her family and the corpse left there, the better.
"You should go home...get some sleep. He probably won't wake till morning anyway," The doctor told her in concern.
Buffy shook her head, "No. No...I...I want to stay with him," Her voice was thick with unshed tears as she smoothed Will's hair off of his forehead, careful of the bandage taped just above his eye, protecting the small stitches beneath it. The cut would probably scar, leaving a rift in his right eyebrow. Like his father's. "If...if he wakes up, he'll be scared...I need to stay with him..."
"All right," The doctor shook his head slightly, "Listen, I'll have the nurse bring in a cot for you...you can at least avoid sleeping in a hard chair all night."
"Thanks," Buffy replied softly, turning her attention back to her son. The doctor left, closing the door to the room behind him. Buffy closed her eyes, her hand finding William's small one, and she squeezed it gently, opening her eyes again, tears pouring down her cheeks as she gazed on his unmoving form, so tiny and frail looking beneath the sickly green blankets.
We never should have left the island, she thought bitterly, swiping at the tears on her face with one hand. When deciding to come here, she had been worried about demons and vampires and other monsters...she had completely forgotten about the human monsters that stalked the streets. One less now, at least...
Her mouth twisted up when she thought of that, as if she had tasted something sour, and she was wiping away a fresh onslaught of tears. She had seen the look on Spike's face when she had flinched away from him. She hadn't meant too...she wasn't angry with him, or disgusted with him. He had saved their child...okay, maybe it was a bit of overkill...but he was a vampire, after all. His protective instincts were stronger then most, and with his son's blood on the air, and probably already nearly blind with panic, it wasn't surprising to her that there were causalities. And it's not like he was an innocent, She thought, staring at her son's bruised and swollen face. The man had taken her child, beaten him into unconsciousness and had nearly gotten away with it and Will.
So close, baby...Buffy chewed on her bottom lip, which was already ragged with her constant worrying of it. She didn't even want to think about what would have happened to her baby...their baby...if Spike hadn't been there. She didn't look up when the door opened, keeping her gaze on her sleeping child, "You can just set it by the door...I'll put it up myself..."
"Right...no idea what you're talking about..."
Buffy's head snapped up, eyes widening a bit when she saw Spike standing in the doorway, head ducked slightly, a wary look on his face. "Spike..."
"Sorry...I...I know you probably don't want me here..." He interrupted her, his voice cracking with emotion, "I...I just had to see him...is...is he all right?"
"Why wouldn't I want you here?" She watched as he jerked in evident surprise, "You...you thought I was mad at you?"
"Well...yeah..." Spike slowly approached the hospital bed, wincing as he looked down at Will. "Is...he going to be all right?"
"He's fine," Buffy told him, "Physically, at least...just a few stitches and cuts...bruises..." She shuddered, "Spike...if you hadn't had been there..."
"I know," He whispered softly, and then he was at her side as she started to weep, wrapping his arms around her, "Shh...baby...he's all right now...everything's all right..."
She nuzzled her face into his throat as he eased her onto his lap, taking her spot on the chair, and he closed his eyes, fighting back his own tears, "Where'd you go?" She asked him quietly, "I was so scared for you..."
"I...I just walked around for awhile," Spike replied softly, "I...I thought you wouldn't want anything to do with me...after...thought you thought I was a monster...want to stake me...after killing that guy..."
Buffy sniffled, resting her head on his shoulder, "He almost took our baby away," She told him quietly, "You...just reacted...like when that leopard attacked me...'member? It's not like...you killed him because you were hungry or anything...you didn't feed off of him...you just wanted to protect our baby..." She turned her head to look up at him, seeing tears had spilled down his cheeks, and she reached up, angling his head down so that he was looking at her, "He is...was...the monster, not you," She told him softly, "Don't you ever think differently."
He smiled at her wanly, kissing her forehead and resting his head atop hers as he turned his gaze back to his son, "Whatever you command, luv," He replied quietly, tightening his grip on her, somewhat surprised that she had accepted him back with her so readily, even after what he had done.
Spike smiled as Buffy's breathing evened out, her face pressed against his throat as she dozed. He looked up as a nurse came in with the cot for Buffy, and she set it up beside Will's bed. Spike watched as she checked the IV line connected to Will. "Do you want another cot?" She asked Spike quietly, but he shook his head. As soon as the nurse left, he stood with Buffy and settled her on the cot, gently so not to wake her. He started to straighten, but she opened one of her eyes, and reached out her hand to clasp his, tugging him back down to her. Spike smiled as he sat on the edge of the cot, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.
"Stay?" She asked softly, and Spike sighed, shaking his head slightly.
"Can't...daylight soon," He replied, "Hospitals aren't vamp friendly with all their windows, luv." He chuckled when she pouted, "None of that now. S'not playing fair." He lifted his head to glance at Will, sighing as he stood, brushing his lips across his son's forehead, "I'll be back as soon as the sun sets," He said as he glanced back down at her, "Promise."
"He'll miss you when he wakes up," Buffy told him, and Spike smiled sadly.
"I know. I'll miss him when I wake up too."
To Be Continued....
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