Future Childe
by Ariel Dawn

Summery: In which Buffy gets some sense ranted at her

Disclaimer: Buffy and Spike aren’t mine, I just make them play out ‘what if’ scenarios

Author’s note: Thanks again to all my reviewers. Feedback is very much welcomed! Quotes from the episode Reptile Boy and Halloween. *denotes thought*
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Chapter 4 : Secrets and Lies

Buffy didn’t remember how they got onto this topic. Think it started out about weird dreams that each of them had. Luckily Buffy had caught herself before she mentioned exactly who had been featuring prominently in her dreams. And it wasn’t exactly the topic to be discussing in the hallways of Sunnydale high.

“You dreamed about Angel again?” asked Willow.

Sure it was a lie, but really what else could she do? *Hate keeping secrets from Willow.*

“Third night in a row.”

“What did he do in the dream?”

“Stuff.” *Oh god the stuff,* made her wet just thinking about the dream. She was sure that if Spike knew what she had been thinking she wouldn’t be walking down the hall with Willow, she’d find herself suddenly naked and under her peroxide blond vampire lover.

“Oh! Stuff!” Willow had a grin on her face. Yep she got it.

Buffy smiled

“Was it one of those vivid dreams where you could feel his lips and smell his hair?”

“It had surround sound. I'm just thinking about him so much lately.”

“You two are so right for each other. Except for the, uh...”

“Vampire thing.” supplied Buffy. But that wouldn’t be a problem eventually.

“That doesn't make him a bad person. Necessarily.”

Buffy completely agreed. Except that the one she really wanted was the Bad Vampire.

“I'm brainsick.” said Buffy thinking about her attraction to Spike. It was the only explanation. But oh, Willow was still thinking that this conversation is about Angel. “I can't have a relationship with him.”

“Not during the day, but you could ask him for coffee some night. It's the non-relationship drink of choice.” offered the red head. “It's not a date, it's a caffeinated beverage. Okay, sure, it's hot and bitter like a relationship that way, but... “

Buffy hadn’t noticed Xander entering hearing range.

“What's like a relationship?” asked Xander

“Nothing I have.” stated Buffy, a little to fast. *What if they think something is up?* “Coffee?”

Hoping to get out of this conversation, Buffy stopped for a drink at the fountain. The bell rung.

“Oh! I told Giles I'd meet him in the library ten minutes ago! Aw, he won't be upset. There hasn't been much paranormal activity lately.”
__________________________________________

But he was upset. Complete lecture and pace mode Giles was waiting for her in the Library.

“Just because the paranormal is more normal and less... para of late is no excuse for tardiness or letting your guard down.” lectured Giles.

“I haven't let my guard down.” she protested.

“Oh, really? You yawned your way through weapons training last week, you, you, you, you skipped hand-to-hand entirely... Are you gonna be prepared if a demon springs up behind you and does this?”

Giles swung his arm over her shoulder from behind. Catching his arm, she grabbed it and pulled it behind his back, forcing him down, clearly in pain.

*Boring*, thought Buffy. The only reason she yawned through weapons training last week was because she had been having mind blowing sex with Spike the night before, nearly all night long.

“Yeah, well, I'm, I'm not a demon. Which is why you should let go now.” said Giles.

Buffy let her watcher go. *He’s so obvious.*

“Thank you.” Giles rubbed his wrist for good measure. “When you live on top of a... a mystical convergence it's only a matter of time before a fresh hell breaks loose. Now is the time that you should train more strictly, you should hunt and patrol more keenly, you should hone your skills day and night.”

“And the little slice of life that still belongs to me from, I don't know, seven to seven-oh-five in the morning, can I do what I want then?” asked Buffy sarcastically.

“Buffy, you think I don't know what it's like to be sixteen?”

“No. I think you don't know what it's like to be sixteen. And a girl. And the Slayer.”

“Fair enough, no, no, I-I don't.”

“Or what it's like to have to stake vampires while you're having fuzzy feelings towards one?”

“Uh...” Giles stammered.

“Digging on the undead doesn't exactly do wonders for your social life.” she ranted.

“Maybe..uh...‘digging on the undead’ isn’t something The Slayer should be doing. You don’t have the luxury of experimentation Buffy. I am concerned that you may be focusing too much on the social, and not enough on your duty. Being overly friendly with vampires, regardless of your personal connection with them is inherently dangerous given your chosen duty.”

“Right! Who needs a social life when you've got your very own Hellmouth?”

“Yes! Y-you, you, you have a duty, a-a-a purpose, y-y-you have a commitment in life. Now how many people your age can say that?”

“We talkin' foreign or domestic? How 'bout none?”

“Well, here's a hard fact of life: we all have to do things we don't like! And you have hand-to-hand this afternoon and patrol tonight. So I, I suggest you come straight here at the end of, of period six a-and you get your homework done. And don't dawdle with your friends.”

Buffy put on her pouty face. Rant-y Giles was no fun. The pouty face always worked with Giles, and Spike for that matter.

“And, and don't think sitting there pouting is gonna get to me, because it won't. It's not getting to me.”
__________________________________________

Buffy was lurking in their usual cemetery waiting for Spike, while ‘patrolling.’ As she walked Buffy spied a bracelet on the ground. Picking it up she felt Vampire tinglies. Not the tinglies she wanted to feel but, still a vampire that she didn’t want to kill.

“There's blood on it.” he said

*No hello from tall dark and broody?*

“Hi. It's nice to... Blood?” she asked.

“I can smell it.”

*Great another Vampire who thinks his nose will solve all mysteries.*

“Oh.” she said looking at the bracelet, “It's pretty thin. It probably belonged to a girl.”

“Probably.”

“I-I was... just thinking, wouldn't it be funny some time to see each other when it wasn't a blood thing.” she smiled, “Not funny ha, ha.”

“What are you sayin', you wanna have a date?”

“No.”

“You don't wanna have a date?”

“Who said 'date'? I-I-I never said 'date'.”

“Right. You just wanna have coffee or somethin'.”

“Coffee? Friends have coffee. Co-workers have coffee“

“I knew this was gonna happen.”

“What? What do you think is happening?”

“You're sixteen years old. I'm two hundred and forty-one.”

“I've done the math.”

“You don't know what you're doing, you don't know what you want...”

“Oh. No, I, I think I do. I want out of this conversation.” Buffy started to walk past him. *God men! Just friends, I wanted to be just friends*

“Listen, if we date you and I both know one thing's gonna lead to another.”

“And again I say ‘date?’ I never said date. I realised a long time ago, Angel, that we couldn‘t have a relationship.”

“I'm just tryin' to protect you. Vampires don‘t do normal relationships Buffy. This could get outta control. ”

“This? There’s a this?”

Angel grabbed her shoulders and pulled her closer.

“This isn't some fairy tale. You’re the Slayer Buffy, you kill Vampires.” Angel leaned in and inhaled close to her ear. “I think you should remember that. It’s your job to protect the world, Buffy, not turn a blind eye when you don’t feel like caring. You might end up dead again, and sooner than you think. There is not happily ever after with my kind Buffy, only pain and death and blood.“

“No. I think you should remember I’m the Slayer, Angelus.“ she spat.

Pulling herself away from him, she turned and ran off. *Stupid Angel. Crap, now Spike’s gonna smell him on me! Shit! Shower, now.* Buffy thought about his words though. It was like he was on his own personal soap box, which frankly had popped out of nowhere. Of course she knew she was the Slayer. It was something she couldn’t forget even if she tried. Maybe him and Giles had gotten together and decided today was rant at Buffy day? And she was doing her job, right? Killing giant bugs, mummies, and vampires. Thoughts of vampires turned to thoughts of Spike. Buffy’s eye went wide as a thought occurred to her. *Angel knew! That was the only explanation! The rant, the sniffing, how stupid could I be?*

Buffy didn’t get two blocks away from the cemetery before she ran into Spike. She launched herself into his arms

“Goldilocks, what’s wrong?”

“Nothing”

“Angelus.” said Spike pushing her away from him a bit. “He kissed you!”

“No, he didn’t! I wouldn’t let him.” Buffy could feel her eyes getting all watery.

“Tell me what happened, Buffy.”

“Nothing, I swear. We were talking, I might have suggested getting coffee. Friends have Coffee you know.”

“And he took it for more than that.”

“Yes, reminding me that he’s a Vampire, that I’m only 16 and he’s 241. Making me feel like a little girl, like I’m just a child. I’m not a kid!”

“No, you aren’t a kid, Buffy,” he said pulling her close to him again. “Why would you want to friends with him anyway?”

“He’s already my friend, Spike. Maybe I want him to be happy for me, happy to have me in the family.”

“Angelus will never be happy that you are in the family pet. He’ll see you as a conquest that got away from him.”

“Conquest?”

“He probably wanks off thinking about you every night.”

“Eww gross, Spike.”

“So, were you going to ditch me tonight, leave me wandering the cemetery, because sodding Angelus upset you?”

“Was going home to have a shower, knew you wouldn’t want to smell him on me.”

“Oh! That’s right considerate of you pet.” Spike said with a smile.

“I thought you’d think so. Care to join me? Mom’s not home tonight.”
__________________________________________

Buffy had a problem and she worried. Angel had to figure out that she didn’t want to date him, and she had to get him off the idea that she was with Spike. The only way she could think of to make sure that he got this idea through his hair gelled head was to flaunt a boyfriend in front of him. Therefore, when Cordelia practically forced her to attend a frat party, Buffy counted herself very relieved that an opportunity had presented itself.

“You're going to the fraternity party? What made you change your mind?” asked Willow after Buffy told her the encounter with Cordelia that afternoon.

“Angel.”

“He's going with you?” Willow looks to Xander “She's got a date with Angel! Isn't that exciting?”

“I'm elated.” dead panned Xander.

“I-I'm not going with Angel. I'm going with -- ye gods -- Cordelia.” said Buffy as she slowly left the lounge.

“Cordelia?!” exclaimed Willow. “Did I sound a little jealous just then, 'cause I'm not really...” Willow followed Buffy out of the Lounge. “Cordelia?!”

“Cordelia's much better for you than Angel.” declared Xander as he hurried after the two girls.

“What happened with Angel?” asked Willow as she finally caught up with Buffy.

“Nothing, as usual. A whole lotta nothing with Angel.”

“Bummer.” said Xander in his very articulate manner of speaking.

“I don't understand. I mean, he likes you. More than likes.” said Willow confused.

“Angel barely says two words to me.” noted Buffy.

“Don't you hate that?” interjected Xander.

“And when he does, he treats me like I'm a child. And then he rants about how evil vampires are, completely out of the blue.” ranted Buffy.

“That bastard!”

“You know, at least Tom can carry on a conversation.” said Buffy.

“Yeah! Tom? Who's Tom?”

“The frat guy.” explained Willow.

“Oh, Buffy, I don't think so. Frying pan, fire? You know what I'm sayin'.” cautioned Xander.

“You know, Tom might just be the guy to make Angel see that I’m over his ass.” said Buffy with a smile.
__________________________________________

“You know, I’m gonna stop telling you about my day. If you get all worked up like this.” Buffy said trying to down play exactly how big a deal it was that she was almost eaten by a big snake demon in a frat house.

“You don’t think I have a right to get worked up? Last time I checked, you belong to me Buffy. I think I’m well within my right to get right pissed off if you are almost eaten! Especially by someone who isn’t me.” argued Spike.

“It’s not like I planned it that way. I didn’t go to that party to get eaten by a large snake Spike!”

“And just why did you go to the party pet?”

“I wanted to show Angel that I’m over him. I can’t go displaying you all about town now can I? I thought if he saw me with a regular guy that he’d see it’s over and he’d stop trying!”

“Instead he had to rescue you like a damsel in distress.”

“He did not! I slayed that snake dude good. Spike...there‘s more...I think...”

“Buffy! Get off the phone! I need to make a call!” shouted her mother from down stairs.

Buffy exhaled loudly, “I’ve got to go Spike. See you tomorrow? I’m going to the Bronze tomorrow night and then we can patrol?”

“Sure Goldilocks.”

“I’ll be thinking naughty thoughts of you in my sleep...”

“Care to give me an idea what those thoughts would be?”

“Buffy!” shouted her mother again.

“Gotta go, love you!”

Buffy hung up exasperated. “I’m off the phone already!” she shouted down to her mother.

“Will I ever get to meet this boyfriend of yours that you spend so much time on the phone with?” asked her mother from Buffy’s bedroom doorway.

“Someday, he’s not really, comfortable meeting you yet. He’s got this thing about meeting parents.”

“Buffy, you shouldn’t be nervous about bringing him home to meet me. I’m a very understanding person. I’m sure I will like any boy you bring home for me to meet.”

“Thanks mom.”

Buffy started to get ready for bed. *Will you be understanding if you knew that he was a 117 year old vampire who is gonna kill me in 2 years?*
__________________________________________

“Says here that they've all been sentenced to consecutive life sentences. Investigators found the bones of missing girls in a huge cavern beneath the frat house. And older bones dating back fifty years.” said Xander as he read the Sunnydale press.

Buffy looked at Willow and mimicked grossed out look #14.

“A surprising number of corporations whose chairmen and founders are former Delta Zeta Kappas are suffering from falling profits, IRS raids... Ooo, and suicides in the boardroom. Hmm. Starve a snake, lose a fortune. Boy, I guess the rich really are different, huh?” continued Xander.

“Have you heard from Angel?” said Willow obviously trying to change the subject. “When he got so mad about you being in danger, and changed into a grr, it was the most amazing thing I ever saw. I mean, how many guys can...” Willow trailed off.

“Angel, Angel, Angel. Does every conversation we have have to come around to that freak?” said Xander unaware that Angel was in fact right behind him. “Hey, man, how you doin'?” Xander recovered pretty well from his shock at having insulted the vampire.

“Buffy.” greeted the vampire in question

“Angel.”

“Xander!” spoke Xander the comedian.

“I hear this place, uh, serves coffee. I thought maybe you and I should get some. Sometime. If you want.” said Angel.

Buffy smiled a bit. “Yeah. Sometime. I'll let you know.”

Buffy got up and left the Vampire and her friends sitting at the table. It was time to go patrolling with Spike.
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So while on the way to the non date with Angel, to tell him that there was no way that they would ever work out, and that she only really wanted to be friends and possibly find out if he actually knew about her and Spike, she was ambushed by vampires, again. *All I wanted to do was go and have coffee with my ex love interest, and now I have straw in my hair*, Buffy complained to herself. The whole thing got her really mad, because they were Spike’s minions.

As she walked into the dark atmosphere of the Bronze Buffy saw Cordelia and Angel sitting at a table having coffee. *Good maybe I don’t need to have this conversation.* Buffy turned to leave.

“Buffy?” came Angel’s voice behind her.

Caught she turned around.

“Hi! I'm...”

“Late.”

“Rough day at the office.”

Angel reached up to her hair and pulled out a piece of straw. “So I see.”

“Hey, it's a look. A seasonal look.”

Then, just what she needed, Cordelia was there, behind Angel, just waiting to be a bitch.

“Buffy. Love the hair. It just screams street urchin.” noted Queen C as she left.

“Know what? I need to go...” said Buffy “put a bag over my head.”

“Don't listen to her. Please. You look fine.” offered Angel.

“You're sweet. A terrible liar, but sweet.”

“I thought we had...”

“Coffee. So did I. But who am I kidding? Going out for coffee with friends are things normal girls do. Girls who have time to think about nail polish and facials. You know what I think about? Ambush tactics. Beheading. Not exactly the stuff dreams are made of. I‘m sure Cordelia will keep you company.”

And with that Buffy walked out the door.

*Yep Big Chicken.*
__________________________________________

Buffy backed away from the livid Xander towards Willow. Ok, so making sure friends don’t get beaten by large football players...apparently not something she was supposed to do today.

“I think I just violated the guy code big time.” said Buffy as she sat down in the Lounge. Obviously she wasn’t supposed to save Xander from a pummelling.

“Poor Xander. Boys are so fragile. Speaking of, how was your date last night?” asked Willow.

“Was not a date Will!. Coffee! Remember? Non-relationship beverage of choice? I was late due to unscheduled slayage. Showed up looking trashed.”

“Was he mad?”

“Actually he was pretty unmad. Which probably had something to do with the fact that Cordelia was drooling in his cappuccino.”

“Oh, Buffy. Angel would never fall for her act.”

“You mean that 'actually showing up, wearing a stunning outfit, embracing personal hygiene' act? Why not? It‘s not like I‘ve been available. Not exactly the kind of girl that‘s easily seen, in a social sense.”

“You know what I mean. Uh, she's not his type.”

“Are you sure? I mean, I don't know what his type is. I've known him less than a year, and if you haven't noticed, he's not exactly one to over share.”

“True. It's too bad we can't sneak a look at the Watcher diaries and read up on Angel. I'm sure it's full of fun facts to know and tell.”

“Yeah. It's too bad. That stuff is private.” And Buffy wasn’t thinking about Angel anymore. *Who cared what Angel’s type was? Spike on the other hand was in the watcher diaries too.*

“Also Giles keeps them in his office. In his personal files.”

“Most importantly, it would be wrong.”
__________________________________________

Buffy had borrowed Giles’ watcher diaries, for homework. Willow had wanted to borrow with out telling. But Buffy figured the truth was better. She had told Giles she wanted to read up on what she could expect from Spike. Giles had handed her a volume dedicated on the scourge of Europe, which had satisfied Willow.

Buffy sat in the middle of her living room with books scattered all around her.

“Wow, I’ve never seen you so into homework before,” said her mother coming in from the kitchen.

“Not homework, costume researching,”

“Ok, I’ll pretend I understand...wait no I won’t. Why do you have to research your Halloween costume?”

“Just do. Not liking what I’m finding though. 1880 was a good year for hoop makers.”

“Huh?”

“Hoop skirts” said Buffy pointing to the picture in front of her.

“Pretty,”

“Very, but heavy,”

“Aren’t you meeting Willow for costume shopping?” her mother asked.
__________________________________________

Deeply entrenched in the commercialism that was Halloween, Buffy had agreed to go costume shopping. It was completely unfair that she had to be out on Halloween. The one night a year that she didn’t have to patrol, and Principal Snyder had roped her in to escorting small children around to get candy. She and Spike had made plans to watch vampire movies and critique them.

“What'd you get?” Buffy asked Willow.

“A time-honoured classic!” said Willow proudly as she held up her ghost costume.

“Okay, Will, can I give you a little friendly advice?”

“It's not spooky enough?”

“It's just... you're never gonna get noticed if you keep hiding. You're missing the whole point of Halloween.”

“Free candy?” said a smiling Willow.

“It's come as you aren't night. The perfect chance for a girl to get sexy and wild with no repercussions.”

“Oh, I don't get wild. Wild on me equals spaz.”

“Don't underestimate yourself. You've got it in you.”

“Hey, Xander!” greeted Willow, clearly avoiding. “What'd you get?”

Xander pulled out a toy military rifle out of his bag and held it up for Willow to see.

“That's not a costume.”

“I got fatigues from an Army surplus at home. Call me the Two-Dollar Costume King, baby!” said Xander proudly.

“Hey, look, Xander... I'm... really sorry about this morning.” said Buffy trying to apologise.

“Do you mind, Buffy? I'm trying to repress.”

“Okay, then I promise, from now on I'll let you get pummelled.” said Buffy as she put her chin on his shoulder and pouted.

“Thank you. Okay, y'know, actually I think I could've t... “ Xander trailed off.

Buffy didn’t mean for her attention to drift, but at the back of the store, Buffy noticed the most beautiful dress she had ever seen. There, on a dummy was a pale pink, hoop skirt, gown. She slowly walked over to it.

“Hello! That was our touching reconciliation moment there.” complained Xander.

“I'm sorry, it's just... Look at this.” said Buffy basking in the gown’s beauty.

“It's amazing.” agreed Willow.

“Too bulky. I prefer my women in spandex.” commented Xander.

“Please, let me.” said the store owner, coming up behind them and taking the dress off the dummy.

“Oh, i-it's...” Buffy couldn’t find the words, she was sure that this dress was there just for her.

“Magnificent. Yes, I know. There.” said the man holding it up to her in the mirror. “My. Meet the hidden princess. I think we found a match. Don't you?”

“Oh, uh, I-I'm sorry. There's no way I could ever afford this.”

“Oh, nonsense. I feel quite moved to make you a deal you can't refuse.” said the shop keeper.
__________________________________________

Staring at herself in her full length mirror, putting on earrings, Buffy couldn’t help but think about what Spike was going to think when he saw her in this dress. Her hair was done up in ringlets, forgoing Willow’s idea of a wig. Spike liked her blonde hair. She was his Goldilocks after all.

“Where're you meeting Angel?” asked Willow from the bathroom.

“Huh? I never said I was meeting Angel.” said Buffy confused.

“You said you had plans after. I guessed they were Angel plans.”

“Oh, I guess you would assume that. Makes sense.” Buffy furrowed her brow.

“So, where're you meeting Angel?” asked Willow from the bathroom.

“Here. After trick-or-treating. Mom's gonna be out.” Buffy winced, she was getting further and further into this lie.

“Does he know about your costume?”

“Nope. Call it a blast from his past. I'll show him I can coif with the best of 'em.” Buffy turned to face the bathroom , “Okay, Willow, come out. You can't hide in there all night.”

“O-okay, but, but promise you won't laugh?”

“I promise.”

Willow opened the door and came out wearing boots, a short, black leather skirt and a burgundy, long-sleeved, V-necked, tummy exposing top.

“Wow! You're a dish!”

Willow tried to hide herself with her ghost costume, but Buffy snatched it away from her and tossed it aside.

“I mean, really.” continued Buffy.

“But this just isn't me.”

“And that's the point.” Buffy walked around her friend to show her, her reflection “Look, Halloween is the night that not you is you, but not you. Y'know? Hey before I saw this dress, I was gonna go as a Goth Vamp, ironic, but not me...the whole point of Halloween”

Down stairs the door bell rang.

“Oh! That's Xander. Are you ready?”

“Yeah. O-o-okay.”

“Cool! I can't wait for the boys to go non-verbal when they see you!”

Carefully Buffy negotiated the stairs, with her hoop skirt. *No wonder these things went out of style*. Buffy opened the door to reveal Xander decked out in Army regalia.

“Private Harris reporting for... Buffy! Lady of Buffdom, Duchess of Buffonia, I am in awe! I completely renounce spandex!”

Buffy curtseyed “Thank you, kind sir.” Buffy was trying out a Birtish accent, but it didn’t quite sit right.

Xander took a bow.

“But wait till you see...” trailed off Buffy as they looked up the stairs to see a sheet covered Willow.

“Hi.” greeted Willow.

“...Casper.” finished Buffy.

“Hey, Will! That's a fine boo you got there.” joked Xander.
__________________________________________

At first he had been delighted to find that most of the population of this hum drum town had been turned into their Halloween costumes. Made for an interesting night to say the least. Best Halloween ever. They were usually very dull days, staying in to watch The Great Pumpkin with Dru.

With all this chaos, he supposed he should have left the Slayer to do what she did best, but his curiosity got the better of him. Sure he was going to see Buffy later, movie watching and all. Maybe she had dressed up for him. Knowing her she was probably dressed in her punk outfit, she didn’t get to wear it very often, not in public anyway. What would her friends think if they knew that she was at heart into punk?

Ducking behind a tree Spike barely escaped being noticed by Angel and, Buffy’s friend, the whelp, and some chit, in a cat outfit.

“Are you sure she came this way?” asked the boy.

“No.” snapped Angel

“She'll be okay.” said the bint confidently.

“Buffy would be okay. Whoever she is now, she's helpless. C'mon!” urged Angel.

The realisation hit Spike like a ton of bricks. Buffy was helpless out there somewhere. He just had to find her. He followed her scent, which was laced with fear. What the hell was she dressed up as?

Spike found her in a warehouse, huddled in a corner.

“Buffy?” he called out into the space.

“Who are you?” she whispered, British accent and all, as he approached.

“Look at you? Reminds me of what the ladies wore when I was in school. Did you dress like this for me, luv?”

“I don’t know what you are talking about, Sir. I dress for no one but myself.”

“Well I like it, luv.”

“Are you here to protect me from the demons, like the others?”

“Yeah, that’s right, Goldilocks.”

“Will you make sure that I’m safely delivered home? I’m certain that if I don’t return home soon, my honour will be ruined forever.”

“Oh luv, your honour was ruined a long time ago.”

“I beg your pardon! That is an awful thing to say.”

“Buffy, luv, I don’t know what’s made you lose your memory, but you and I are very well acquainted.”

“Are we courting?”

“Yes, you could say that luv,” Spike laughed.

“Engaged?”

“You belong to me.”

Spike led her away from the corner and twirled her around.

“Got to say Goldilocks, love the outfit.”

“Thank you kind sir.. forgive me, I seem to have forgotten your name.”

“William”

“William.” she said with a shy smile.

“Let’s get you home luv.”

Spike held her hand as he led her towards the exit of the warehouse. Suddenly Angel, in game face no less, the boy, the bint and the red head burst onto the scene.

“Buffy!” shouted Angel, “Get away from him!”

“It’s the demon! The Vampire!” cowered Buffy, clinging to Spike.

Spike smiled.

“That it is luv,” noted Spike.

“Let her go Spike!” yelled Angel.

“No, I think I’ll let the lady decide that. What do you say, Goldilocks, who would you rather go with, this big lout, or yours truly?”

“You William. I don’t even know him. You are my betrothed.” said Buffy carefully.

“Betrothed? What garbage have you been telling her?” said Angel.

“Wouldn’t you like to know.”

Angel lunged at Buffy, to pull her away from Spike. Spike pulled Buffy behind him and set about to defend his lady from the poofter. Angel got in a few blows to Spike’s jaw before Spike managed to knock his grandsire down.

“Oh, William, you saved me from that brute!” declared Buffy wrapping her arms around Spike.

All of a sudden there was a change.

“What the...” asked the boy as his rifle was suddenly of the toy variety once again.

“Hi, honey. I’m home” said Buffy muffled into Spike’s chest.

Buffy looked up at her comforter and smiled.

“Goldilocks.”

“Spike”

“You are so gonna get it now, buster.” said the boy.

Buffy didn’t let go of Spike.

“I’ll see you later?” Buffy asked Spike so quietly that only he could hear her.

He nodded.

“Why isn’t she hitting him?” asked the boy.

“Thrall me Spike...“ Begged Buffy. “It’s the only way...”

Spike dipped his head in acknowledgement. “Don’t move until I’m gone” he said in a steady voice. With that he stepped back and stalked out of the warehouse.

Angel and Xander rushed to Buffy‘s side as soon as Spike was out of the way. Buffy stood motionless for a few seconds. Xander started to shake Buffy into response.

“Xander! Cut it out!“ yelled Buffy as she regained her ability to control her body.

“What did he do?“ asked Xander.

“Thrall”

“Huh?“

“He put Buffy under his control, she was powerless to stop him.“ supplied Angel. “How long has this been going on?“

“A long time” said Buffy trying to sound sad.

“What! You are under some sort of vampire mind control thingy? How could you not tell us?“ ranted Xander.

“Enough, Xander, let’s go,” said Buffy hiking her skirts and walking out of the warehouse.

“Aren’t you going to go after him and stake him?”

“No, Xander I’m not, he didn’t hurt me, let’s go. Angel, you are coming too.”

“Buffy?” questioned Angel.

“God, are you dense much?” said Buffy exasperated.

“I can’t believe you just let him go!” said Xander, “ I mean, where was the staking action, the pounding and the hitting?”

“Xander! Can you honestly see me fighting anyone in this dress? Let’s go find Willow.”
__________________________________________

Spike rang the doorbell of 1630 Revello dr. From the other side of the door he could hear a few muttered expletives, as Buffy tried to manage the stairs. She opened the door with a smile.

“Good evening Sir,” she said as she curtseyed. “Do come in” Buffy had for gone her British accent in favour of making herself sound as refined as she could.

Spike smiled. “I believe, Miss Summers, that we had an appointment?” he said as he crossed the threshold of the house.

“Indeed we do, Sir.” Buffy shut the door and faced her guest. “Perhaps we should retired to the salon,”

Spike took her hand and pressed it to his lips. “Miss Summers, you are a radiant beauty, I feel that I should warn you, I am just a mere man, and am unlikely to be able to resist your delightful charms.”

“Sir! I do protest! I would never... What is it that you want here, Sir?”

“Only you” he answered.

With a smile she led him to her room and shut the door. She inched nearer towards him until she was only millimetres from his skin.

“I want you,” she whispered in his ear, letting her tongue glide over his ear and neck and back up until she reached his mouth.

His hands reached out and pulled out the laces of her corset. He slid the sleeves of her dress down, letting the whole contraption fall heavily to the floor, revealing a white lace bra, and a pair of white bicycle shorts. Slowly he let slip the straps and began to kiss her shoulders, collar bones and down towards her breasts. She inhaled deeply as he ran his tongue over her nipples, one then the other. He returned to her mouth only to find her finding a way lower and lower on his body. She stopped her expectant kisses only to undo his pants and let them slide to the floor. With her tongue she explored every part, letting it slide along his shaft slowly, finally taking him in her mouth for a few moments. She stood back up, eagerly removing his last piece of clothing. Spike reached out and slid her shorts down past her ankles. The two toppled on to the bed and she sat atop him for a milliseconds before he realised that there was no fabric between him and her. They both smiled as he slipped inside her. Starting slow, they moved together but their passions would not allow them to savour the moment. Faster and harder they heaved and pulsated, clinging even more tightly and closely. She could feel him moving within her up and down, rubbing and throbbing. She screamed as climax rippled through her body. She sank back on the pillows, her spent lover still holding her hand, their fingers intertwined.
__________________________________________
Buffy lay on her bed, covered by a sheet, panting.

“Definitely more fun getting out of the dress than getting in it.” she said breathless.

Spike rolled closer to her on the bed. “Won’t get an argument from me there, Goldilocks. You never told me what the super friends thought about you leaving me there to escape.”

Buffy laughed.

“I explained that I wasn’t able to fight you with the dress on. I think Xander bought it, Angel, not so much. I think he thinks I’ve been under your thrall for a while. He seemed to accept it. He’s probably talking with Giles about it right now,” she sighed “Whatever happened to watching movies?”

“This is better than movies,” said Spike as he started to kiss her neck. “You never told me, why’d you dress up for me? Like a Victorian Lady no less.”

“You were a Victorian gentleman William. ‘Sides, I like dressing up for you.” She said as she laced her fingers through his hair. “It’s Retro Punk night at the Bronze on Friday, I think that’s another good excuse for me to dress up for you.” she smiled.
__________________________________________


 

Future Childe
by Ariel Dawn

Summery: In which Buffy meets Dru, and Angel talks at her some more

Disclaimer: I don’t own Buffy and Spike...sad but true.

Author’s note: Thanks again to all my reviewers. Feedback is very much welcomed! Quotes from the episode Lie to Me. *denotes thought*
__________________________________________
Chapter 5: Everyone Lies.

Angel had been avoiding her. True she really didn’t blame him, after what he saw on Halloween. She still had a hard time believing that Angel couldn’t tell that Spike had marked her. Vampires were supposed to have all that extra sensory fabulousness. Thus she concluded that Angel knew, and that he was seriously displeased.

On her way home from a Spike-less patrol Buffy followed a whim and climbed up on the roof of a building. Seeing Sunnydale from above wasn’t something she did every day. From the building Buffy had a nice view of the park across the street. Angel and a girl were talking in the park. Maybe he found himself someone else to fawn over. Buffy could just barely over hear them.

“Who?” asked Angel.

“The girl. The Slayer. Your heart stinks of her. Poor little thing. She has no idea what's in store.”

“This can't go on, Drusilla. It's gotta end.” said Angel.

*Drusilla! Spike’s sire.* Buffy watched as Dru tilted her head up for a kiss

“Oh, no, my pet. This is just the beginning.” cooed the dark haired Vampire.

Dru walked away smiling at Angel. Buffy stood there for a long time, watching Dru go, then Angel. *Dru is beautiful. No wonder Spike was so devoted to her. I so am not jealous,* Buffy tried to convince herself.
__________________________________________

Exiting from history class, Buffy, Willow and Xander launched into yet another conversation about Angel. Buffy had been delighted to tell her friends that she saw Angel with someone else. A pretty someone else. Of course she lied about the fact that she didn’t know who the pretty person was.

“Pretty sure she was a vampire. And it seemed like they knew each other. Very friendly,” said Buffy

“Who's friendly?” asked Xander.

“Angel and a girl.” said Willow.

“Willow, do we have to be in total share mode?” chastised Buffy.

“Hey, it's me. If Angel's doing somethin' wrong, I wanna know. 'Cause it gives me a happy!” said Xander smiling.

Buffy rolled her eyes. “He’s not doing anything wrong, Xander. He is free to pursue other girls, if he wants to.”

“But I thought...”

“Angel is not my boyfriend, Xander.”
__________________________________________

That night at the Bronze Xander had convinced her that she needed bronzing. Good friend that he was. And now with her old friend Ford in the mix, who had just popped into Sunnydale, she just had to show him the sights of the town, all two of them. It was good to have a friend from LA here, after all, Willow and Xander had all those grade school stories that she simply did not get.

“Ford! You made it.” greeted Buffy, as she entered the pool table area of the Bronze.

“Wasn't hard to find.” the brunette responded.

“Buffy, Ford was just telling us about the ninth grade beauty contest, and the, uh, swimsuit competition.” explained Willow.

“Oh, my God, Ford, stop that! The more people you tell, the more people I have to kill.” joked Buffy.

“You can't touch me, Summers. I know all your darkest secrets.” said Ford.

“Care to make a small wager on that?” said Xander.

Buffy smiled. “I'm gonna go get a drink. Ford, try not to talk.” Buffy walked off with a smile on her face.

At the bar, Buffy found Angel, with a drink in his hand no less.

“Hi.”

“Hey! I was hoping you'd show,” greeted Angel. “I think we need to talk.”

“You drink! I mean, drinks. Non-blood things,” avoided Buffy

“There's a lot about me you don't know.”

“I believe that. So. What'd you do last night?” Buffy queried.

“Nothin'.”

“Nothing at all. You ceased to exist?”

“No, I mean I stayed in, read.”

“Oh.”

Buffy headed back over to the pool table, leaving Angel standing by the bar. Angel lied to her, right to her face. *What did you expect?* said a voice in her head. *Pot, Kettle?*

“Didn't want that soda after all?” asked Ford.

“Not thirsty.” explained Buffy *No, actually was distracted by the brooding Vampire who lies*

“Hey, Angel.” greeted Willow looking past Buffy.

Buffy turned to see Angel standing behind her.

“Hi.” said Ford.

“This is Ford. We went to school together in L.A.” said Buffy introducing Ford to Angel.

“Nice to meet you,” said Angel shaking Ford’s hand

“Whoa! Cold hands!” exclaimed Ford.

“You're not wrong,” said Xander.

Buffy gave Xander a look.

“So, you're here visiting Buffy?” asked Angel.

“No, I'm actually here to stay. Just moved down.” explained Ford.

“Hey, Angel? Do you wanna play?” asked Willow, gesturing at the pool table.

“Y'know, it's getting really crowded in here tonight. Um... I'm a little hot. You wanna take a walk?” Buffy asked Ford.

Buffy wasn’t liking the way this conversation was going. And she really didn’t want to remain under Angel’s brooding stare. He wanted to talk to her. Of course she knew what it was going to be about: Spike.

“Um, sure! That'd be nice.” he agreed.

“Okay, then, um... I'll see ya tomorrow.” Buffy said to the rest of the gang.
__________________________________________

See, her first thought had been, *must get Ford away from the vampire who thinks he’s my boyfriend and my friends who know about the vampire.* This was why she didn’t have friends that didn’t know about the vampires and the slaying. And as it turned out, Ford wasn’t one of those people either. He knew! *What was the point of even trying to be secret identity girl when people could figure it out themselves? And on top of that Angel was acting jealous again! Grr. *
__________________________________________

Buffy found herself at the 24 IHOP that night after patrol.

“I saw Drusilla the other night. She’s pretty,” said Buffy waiting patiently for her order to reach the table.

“Well, sometimes she just wanders out, can’t be watching her all the time. A bloke has got to eat.”

Buffy chose to ignore that. Buffy had made a conscious decision that if she didn’t see it, it didn’t happen.

“The devoted childe should really look after her. She was with Angel.”

“Stalking him were you?”

“No, I was patrolling, without you by the way.”

“Couldn’t be helped Goldilocks. Not like I‘m really there to help. Just sit and watch the show.”

“What exactly is it that you do that’s so important that you can’t see me every night?”

“Oh I’d see you every night, luv. But someone has a problem with making loud noises when her mother is home.”

Buffy blushed.

“Heard you’ve got a friend in town.”

“Are you stalking me?”

“No, I’m having minions stalk you. Big Bad remember. No one’s going to follow a vamp who is soft on the slayer. I’m supposed to be trying to kill you, remember?”

“I remember. It’s something that looms over me all the time. I’m gonna be turned, I’m gonna kill my friends. It’s not exactly a happy thought. Can’t we have normal relationship type talk?“

“Define a normal relationship pet...“

Buffy sighed. “If you weren’t going to make me your childe, would we still have had a relationship Spike?”

“Probably not.”

“Great, just great. I was just a piece of meat to you,” she said exasperated, throwing her hands in the air.

“You may not like it Goldilocks, but you were, and still are, by the way, just a happy meal with legs. And until the day comes when I decide that I can’t wait anymore, you are still a piece of meat just like the entire population, Slayer powers be damned.”

“I thought you said that other Vampires couldn’t drink from me?”

Spike rolled his eyes. “Any vampire with respect for the name of Aurelius, anyone of my minions, will think twice before covering my mark with theirs. But there are vamps out there that don’t care, because they are rival clans or they just are stupid.”

“Oh”

The waitress arrived with their meals.

“What if I decided I didn’t want to be turned?”

Spike practically spat his food out.

“Excuse me?”

“What if I decided I didn’t want to be turned? Would I have to stake you? Or would you just let me go?”

“Buffy...”

“I know you probably haven’t thought much about this. When you first came to Sunnydale, at the beginning of the year, I admit I was lost. The master had killed me. You offered me an escape. I didn’t like that I could die any day by any random demon or vamp. I knew exactly when and who would do it. It was freeing. But now, I’m feeling that I want to live my life. That’s fair right?”

Spike didn’t respond. He just kept looking at her. Buffy reached across the table.

“Spike? I love you, I’m just saying that maybe I want to live a little more of my life before we spend eternity together.”

Spike let a smile pass over his face.

“Yeah, I understand pet. How about we give this conversation a few more years? November third 2000 sound good for you?”

Buffy smiled.

“It’s a date.”
__________________________________________

The next night Buffy had been showing Ford about town when they were ambushed by minions, again. *Stupid minions.* And Ford said he took one out. *Yay Ford.* Buffy had been all proud, another one of her friends dusting vamps. Too good to be true though right?

The look on Giles’ face when that minion, the minion that Ford said he staked, stole Giles’ book, priceless. Buffy wished she had had a video camera just for that. The whole minion stealing Giles’ book thing made her have a Spike flash back.

*Might have to break into your watcher’s library, have some minions do it. Place bets if they come back or not.*

Buffy assured her watcher that she would get the book back for him.

“You still have Moritz‘s Journal on the Scourge of Europe, correct?” asked Giles.

“Oh, ya, I do, it’s at home.”

“How are you getting on with it? Learn anything new?”

Buffy had only looked at the pictures.

“It’s slow going, you know me and books...”
__________________________________________

“You sing the sweetest little song. Won't you sing for me, hmm? Don't you love me anymore?” asked Dru to the dead bird in the cage.

“Dru, pet! I heard a funny thing just now. Lucius tells me that you went out on a hunt the other night.” said Spike coming up behind her.

Why she insisted on keeping animals she wasn’t going to feed or eat for that matter bothered him to no end. They were stinking up the factory. The minions had started to complain.

“My tummy was growly. And you were out.” she explained before going back to talk to the dead bird. “Come on.” she whistled “I'll pout if you don't sing.”

“You, um, meet anyone? Anyone interesting? Like Angel?”

“Angel.”

“Yeah. So...What might you guys have talked about, then? Old times? Childhood pranks? It's a little off, you two so friendly, him being the enemy and all that.”

“I'll give you a seed if you sing.” said Dru to the dead bird

“The bird's dead, Dru. You left it in a cage, and you didn't feed it, and now it's all dead, just like the last one.”

Drusilla started whining.

“Oh, I'm sorry pet. I'm a bad, rude man. I just don't like you goin' out, that's all. You are weak.” Spike took her hand “Would you like a new bird? One that's not dead?”

“This is so cool!” came a voice from behind the pair.

The residual Buffy smell invaded his senses. Spike looked up to see Ford, Buffy’s newest (oldest?) pal standing on some crates.

“I would totally live here.” spouted the teen.

“Do I have anyone on watch here? It's called security, people. Are you all asleep? Or did we finally find a restaurant that delivers?” Spike smiled and approached the idiotic boy.

“I know who you are.”

“Yeah, I know who I am, too. So what?”

“I came looking for you, Spike. You are Spike, right? William the Bloody?”

“You've got a real death wish. It's almost interesting.”

Out of nowhere came minion # 35, blonde hair, but the book she held was all that Spike really cared about. The minion handed him the book, the one he had expressed a desire to borrow from the watcher. *Must congratulate Dalton, he won the bet.* Spike began to leaf through the book, completely ignoring the boy.

“Oh, this is great. This'll be very useful.” he said then turned back to the boy “So, how did you find me?”

“That doesn't matter. I've got something to offer you. I-I'm pretty sure this is the part where you take out a watch and say I've got thirty seconds to convince you not to kill me?” said Ford smiling “It's traditional.”

“Well,” Spike began, slamming the book and walking over to where the boy stood. “I don't go much for tradition.”

Spike grabs the boy by his ear and lifted him up.

“Wait, love.” interjected Dru

Only with Drusilla’s touch did Spike let go of the boy.

“Well?”

“Oh, c'mon! Say it! It's no fun if you don't say it.” said Ford excitedly.

“What? Oh.” Spike rolled his eyes, “You've got thirty seconds to convince me not to kill you.”

“Yes! See, this is the best! I wanna be like you. A vampire.”

“I've known you for two minutes, and I can't stand you. I don't really feature you livin' forever.” He looked to Dru “Can I eat him now, love?”

Dru shook her head.

“Well, feature this: I'm offering you a trade. You make me a vampire, and I give you the Slayer.”

Spike was intrigued. Goldilocks’ friend was going to sell her out to him, in exchange for being a vamp?
__________________________________________

Buffy was drinking coffee in her kitchen, Motriz’s Journal on the Scourge of Europe open in front of her. She had just finished reading all the gory terrible horrible things that Angel and Darla had done in 1863, when Angel showed up at her door.

“Buffy. May I come in?” the vampire asked.

“Sure. I thought once you were invited you could always just walk in,” she said turning the page.

“I can. I was just being polite.” he said as he closed the door “We need to talk.”

“Do we?” Buffy picked up her coffee and headed for the dining room. *This is gonna be about Spike* Buffy dreaded this conversation. It had been hanging over them for such a long time.

“It's about your friend Ford. He's not what he seems.”

*So not about Spike then... very much of the good. Chicken*

“Who is these days?”

“Willow ran him down on the computer.”

“Willow?”

“We found this address, we checked it out with Xander, and it turned out...”

“And Xander? Wow. Everybody's in. It's like a great big exciting conspiracy.”

“What are you talking about?”

“I'm talking about the people I trust. Who's Drusilla?” *Caught ya, didn’t I? A ha! * “And don't lie to me. I'm tired of it.”

“Some lies are necessary.”

“Don’t I know it. But you know, honesty, not as overrated as most people think.”

“Sometimes the truth is worse. You live long enough, you find that out.”

“I can take it. I can take the truth.”

“Do you love me?”

“What?”

“Do you?”

*Oh god, so not the good question. Do I love him. Like a Friend, sure, like a lover, big no.*

“I love you. You are my friend Angel, I’d care a lot if you got dusted. I just don't know if I trust you.”

*Oooh there could be a ranking scale, placing him slightly below Xander? Maybe above Xander.* Angel was kinda like the big brother she never had. *Except a Big brother that wanted to mack on you.* Ewww, bad visual.

“Maybe you shouldn't do either.”

“Maybe I'm the one who should decide!”

“I did a lot of unconscionable things when I became a vampire. Drusilla was the worst. She was... an obsession of mine. She was pure and sweet and chaste...”

“And you made her a vampire.”

“First I made her insane. Killed everybody she loved. Visited every mental torture on her I could devise. She eventually fled to a convent, and on the day she took her holy orders, I turned her into a demon.”

“Well. I asked for the truth.”

“Ford's part of some society that reveres vampires. Practically worships them. I don't know what he wants from you, but you can't trust him.”

Buffy turned to look at the book before her for a few moments. “Figures“

“Buffy, I saw you with Spike.”

Buffy gulped. “You saw me with...S..Spike?”

“Ya, a few weeks ago, in the cemetery. Look, I don’t blame you, you’ve got to be under his thrall or something. I just know that you have to learn how to fight it.”

“You think I’m being controlled by him? He’s making me do things?”

“Oh God, you don’t remember?”

“Remember what?”

“I’ve got to talk to Giles”

“About the thrall?”

“Yes, there is no way you can be an effective slayer while you are under it.”

“You think I’m not doing my job? I am very much doing my job Angel. Giles has me training every day. I spent countless hours fighting vamps and demons in cemeteries. You can’t seriously tell me that I’m not doing my job. The world is still here right? I haven’t missed an apocalypse have I?”

“No.”

“Well then what’s the problem? I slay. I do watcher homework...” Buffy gestured to the book in front of her, “I do school homework, and still have time for minimal social time with friends and shopping. I’ve got an extra five minutes in the morning I could probably take on another sacred duty...I wonder if the tooth fairy has an opening for an apprentice?”

“Now you are being silly.”

“I don’t think so Angel. Thanks for the info about Ford, I don’t think you need to worry about it. I’m fine on my own.”

Buffy picked up her coffee and her book and trudged upstairs to her room. Angel made her so mad sometimes. But her knew about her and Spike, and now he would tell Giles. Buffy laughed a bit. *So he thinks I’m under thrall...Well maybe I am. But I don’t feel like I am.*
__________________________________________

When Spike arrived at the club, according to the directions given by the boy, the first thing he noticed was Buffy, unconscious on the floor.

“ Take them all. Save the Slayer for me,” he shouted.

It was like going out to a restaurant. IHOP, International house of people.

Spike watched his minions feed. There was no way he was going to actually feed with Buffy in the room. But he was trying to make a good show of it.

Buffy woke from unconsciousness only to find that Ford was wielding a crowbar. She grabbed his arm mid swing and forced him into a cement pillar. Buffy locked eyes with her lover for a few moments before taking a running leap off a couch up to the balcony where she grabbed Drusilla from behind and held a stake to her chest.

“Spike!” shouted Buffy.

She needn’t have said anything because Spike hadn’t stopped looking at her.

Buffy leaned in to Drusilla’s ear “I’m so, very sorry about this,” Buffy whispered.

“Everybody STOP!” shouted Spike.

All around him minions stopped feeding.

“Good idea. Now you let everyone out, or mummy dearest fits in an ashtray.”

“Spike?” said Dru, either legitimately scared or playing the part.

“It's gonna be alright, pet. Let them go!” he shouted at the minions.

“Down the stairs.” Buffy directed Spike.

Buffy pushed Dru ahead of her, still holding the stake ready. Then when they had reached the top of the stairs Buffy paused and looked into his beautiful blue eyes. ‘I Love you,’ she mouthed. Buffy looked at Drusilla and whispered her apologies again, and shoved her down the stairs. Buffy bolted for the door, slamming it behind her.

Outside the door she heard someone slam up against the door. Buffy laughed as she heard Spike ask where the door knob was.

“Spike, when you get out of there, call me!” she laughed.

Buffy turned to go home only to see Angel, Willow and Xander.

“I thought I said I could take care of this myself?” Buffy said to Angel.

“We just wanted to help,” said Willow plaintively.

“It’s taken care of then?” asked Angel sceptically.

“They are contained. Got everyone out, except Ford. Hope he enjoys being a vampire. He won‘t be one long.”
__________________________________________

“Buffy!” said Giles, surprised when he opened his front door. “And the rest of you!” he said as he noticed, Xander, Willow and Angel also lurking. “What brings you here at this hour. Did something happen on patrol? A new demon?”

“No, old demon, new tricks,” said Xander.

“Spike’s got Buffy in thrall,” stated Angel.

Buffy rolled her eyes. “It happened once,” she protested.

“It’s been more than once Buffy,” Angel patronised. “She doesn’t remember, it’s an effect of the thrall.”

Giles moved aside from the doorway and invited the group in.

“H..How long has she been under his thrall?”

“K, I’m right here!” said Buffy raising her hand as she sat down on the couch.

“I don’t know, I started noticing her acting strangely in October, but I wasn’t sure. A couple of weeks ago, I saw something that shocked me. She did something that I know Buffy would never do in her right mind.”

“And just what was that?” Buffy asked, knowing full well what he meant, and how he would never be able to say it without getting flustered.

“You don’t want to know, Buffy.”

Willow gasped. Everyone looked at her surprised. “Sorry, my mind made pictures, not good pictures, or maybe good pictures, depends on how you think about it.”

Buffy smiled at her friend.

“The question is how was Spike able to insinuate his thrall on her so completely. I was under the impression that a thrall of such power required the victim to be bitten,” Giles was busy cleaning his glasses.

“Buffy’s been marked,” stated Angel.

Buffy whipped her head around to face the vampire.

“Good Lord,” muttered Giles.

“Marked? Marked what?” asked Xander.

“She belongs to Spike. He will turn her, or attempt to. The mark makes certain that other Vampires know that she is his,” said Giles, reaching for a book. “The question is, when was she marked?”

“She’s been marked since before I’ve met her,” stated Angel.

“And you are just telling us now?” Giles was livid.

“Spike wasn’t here then.”

“And when he arrived here? You still didn’t feel it prudent to inform me?”

Buffy didn’t want to be there. She wanted to be anywhere but here. And actually it looked like she didn’t need to be there, the conversation was progressing quite nicely without her.

“When did Spike mark you Buffy?” asked Giles.

“Before I was called,” said Buffy sadly. “Look, this thrall thing, it’s not a big deal, just tell me how to fight it. It hasn’t gotten in the way of my slaying, except where Spike is concerned. I saved all those people at the ‘Vampires are cool show me how’ club. Spike was there, now he’s stuck in the warehouse.”

“Buffy you are in serious danger here!”

“I guess that five minutes I have in the morning has just been filled by unthralling me, hasn’t it?”
 

Future Childe
by Ariel Dawn

Summery: Buffy learns the truth about thrall, and investigates intriguing career opportunities.

Disclaimer: Not mine ok? You don’t have to rub it in.

Author’s note: Thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter! Quotes from the episode What’s my line part 1. *denotes thought*
__________________________________________
Chapter 6: So what is the relationship beverage of choice then?

“You ate him! He was my friend and you ate him!” Buffy threw her hands up in the air.

“He was the bad guy luv”

“Yes he was a bad guy,” said Buffy resigned.

“He was the bad guy, luv, but I hadn’t eaten any of those other chaps. We were down there a good long time.”

“Excuses, excuses. You sired Ford!”

“He asked for it, and it wasn’t like I made him childer! He was minion material luv, nothing more.”

“Cause that makes me feel so much better”

Buffy was conflicted. This was the first time that Spike had actually done something she knew about that she disagreed with...no disagree was not a strong enough word. Yes, Ford had tried to kill her so that he could be a vampire, but did that make any difference? As many minions as she dusted or Spike dusted for that matter (cause he seemed to do that a lot, they pissed him off tonnes) there would always be vampires chowing down on Sunnydale’s population. And Spike was one of them. *Brain hurts.*

“What did you think was going to happen when you left him down there with us? That we’d knit sweaters together?”

Buffy laughed, “Do you know how to knit?”

“Not answering that”

“Was Drusilla ok?”

“Yeah, shaken up a little. Funny thing, she doesn’t like having stakes pointed at her. Did go on for an age about how her baby girl is a deadly killer though, I think you impressed her a bit.”

Buffy smiled and took a sip of her coffee. It was really too bad that the IHOP was the only 24 hour place in Sunnydale. Gourmet cappuccinos were what Buffy wanted when she had suggested coffee. *True, Coffee was the non relationship beverage of choice, but what exactly was the relationship beverage of choice?* But at 2 am, when one wanted to avoid, your lover’s minions, one had to make sacrifices. Oh also, Buffy suspected that Angel was stalking her too, in the misguided attempt to keep her safe from the thrall Spike had over her.

“They know, Spike,” she said solemnly.

“Did Angelus tip them off?” coming straight to the point as usual.

“More like he made a stage production of it. I’ve started ‘thrall fighting lessons’ to add to my already busy schedule.”

“Should prove interesting.”

“You aren’t worried?”

“No, haven’t used thrall on my girl since Halloween.”

Buffy looked relieved for a moment, then grew concerned.

“Did you use it before?”

Spike chuckled, “Second time we met.”

“The Starbucks? I always thought that it was weird that I wanted coffee so late at night, also that Starbucks wasn’t really close to my house.”

“Now you know.”

“Those were the only times you used it on me?”

“God’s honest truth.”
__________________________________________

A week later Buffy found her self in the same booth, trying to convince said lover that the tattoo on her neck had to go.

“My mom will see it”

“Wear your hair down.”

“I’ll forget it’s there and she’ll see it. Besides totally don’t want an evil demon symbol on my neck. I’ve got all the marks I need.” said Buffy letting her hand drift to Spike’s marks on her neck.

“That you do love”
__________________________________________

“Read it again.” commanded Spike, as he paced his factory lair.

Before him sat Dalton his most loyal of minions. The quest to find Dru a cure continued. Dalton was reading from the book that had been taken from the watcher’s library.

“Well, I'm not sure. It could be, uh...” Dalton shrugged, “deprimere... ille... bubula... linter.”

Spike looked through the dictionary that he held in his hands. He didn’t really need it to translate that little piece of idiocy.

“Debase, the beef, canoe.” Spike translated.

Dalton offered up a smile, hoping that Spike would realize that it wasn’t entirely his fault. In a moment of extreme frustration Spike punched him smack dab in the face.

“Why does that strike me as not right?” complained the master vampire.

Dalton looked up sheepishly and hastened to turn his attention back to the book.

“Spike, come dance?” asked Dru as she held out her hands. She had been amusing herself with Tarot cards before and keeping out of the way for a bit.

“Give us some peace, would you? Can't you see I'm working?” snapped Spike. The frustration from not finding a cure for such a long time was beginning to build on him. He needed to de-stress and soon, before he didn’t have any minions left.

Drusilla pulled back her hand and began to pout and whine. She didn’t like when Spike got angry with her. He was supposed to be her dark knight and not get angry with his dark princess.

“Oh, kitten. It's just this manuscript. Supposed to hold your cure, but it reads like gibberish. E-even Dalton here, the big brain, he can't make heads or tails of it.” Spike explained.

“I... I, I need to change Miss Edith.” said Dru distractedly putting her hands to her head.

Noticing her discomfort Spike wrapped his arms around his sire.

“Oh, forgive me! You know I can't stand to see you like this.” Spike sat Dru down and crouched down to look at her face. “We're runnin' out of time.”

“Shh. Shh. You'll make it right. I know.”

Spike wrapped his hands around her neck and kissed her on the cheek. If only she would get better, he thought. He turned his attention back to Dalton.

“Well. Come on, now. Enlighten me.” Spike commanded.

“Uh, well, it looks like Latin, but it's not. I-I'm not even sure it's, it's a language, actually, I...” stammered the minion.

“Then MAKE IT A LANGUAGE! Isn't that what a transcriber does?!”

“Well, not exactly...”

Spike grabbed Dalton by the shirt and lifted him up out of his chair. Sometimes minions needed more persuasion.

“I want the cure.”

“Don't...” interjected Dru, who had returned to her Tarot cards.

“Why not? Some people find pain very inspirational.”

“He can't help you. Not without... the key.” answered Dru.

“The key? You mean this book is in some kind of code?”

“Yeah.”

Spike shoved Dalton back into his chair and walked over to his sire.

“Is that where we'll find this key?” Spike asked seeing the cards spread out in front of Dru.

“Yeah!”

“I'll send the boys, pronto!”

“Now will you dance?” asked Dru smiling.

“I'll dance with you, pet.”

Spike pulled her up from her chair and lifted her up into his arms.
__________________________________________

*Hate minions!* thought Buffy as she climbed back into her bedroom. Minions about meant that Spike was not out, he didn‘t want to be seen by his minions cavorting with the slayer, like he was ashamed of her or something. Peering into her room Buffy noted that Angel there, in her room and had picked up Mr Gordo from her shelf. *God! what is he doing here?* Rolling her eyes Buffy launched her bag o’weapons into her room.

“Buffy! You scared me,” declared the vampire.

“Now you know what it feels like, Stealth Guy.” said Buffy as she climbed into her room. “ Just dropping by for some quality time with Mr. Gordo?”

“Excuse me?”

“The pig.” she answered as she deposited her bag o’weapons into her trunk.

“Oh.” he laughed “I, uh...”

“What's up?” she asked. *Please let there be a good explanation for why Angel is in my room,* she silently begged.

“Nothing,” he said as he tossed Mr Gordo onto a chair.

“Only you don't have a nothing face. You have a something face. And you don't have to whisper. Mom's in L.A. till Thursday. Art buying, or something.” *And I wanted to spend this time with Spike, in this room doing bad naughty things. But can’t now.*

“Then why'd you come in through the window?”

“Habit.”

“I wanted to make sure you're okay. I had a bad feeling.”

“There's a surprise. Angel comes with bad news.”

Angel exhaled in that ‘Buffy’s a child’ pissed off way he had.

“Oh, God, I'm sorry.” she said walking over to him. “Look, I've been Cranky Miss all day. It's not you.” *No it’s just that you aren’t who I want to be with right now.*

“Well, what is it then?”

“It's nothing.” *Not ready to tell you yet, you dense broody fool.* “Uh, we're having this thing at school.”

“Career week?”

“How did you know?”

“I lurk.”

“Right. Well, then you know it's a whole week of 'what's my line', only... I don't get to play. Sometimes I just want...”

“You want what?”

Buffy looked into the mirror. What did she want? Which of her three lives did she want to continue with? She looked into the mirror only to see herself sitting on her bed. Did she want to be alone in the mirror? Did she want to see Spike in the mirror with her? or did she want to see no one in the mirror at all?

“It's okay.”

“The Cliff Notes version? I want a normal life. Like I had before.” *Before I knew all about Vampires, and that Spike was one.*

“Before me.”

“No, Angel, it's not you. There’s very little in this world that really makes sense to me anymore. I just get messed sometimes. I wish we could be regular kids, all of us. Me you, Willow, Xander. Just be normal and not have to deal with the Vampires and the demons.

“Yeah. I'll never be a kid.”

“Yeah, I can’t really see you as a kid either. Where you this broody when you were a kid?“

Angel laughed. His attention drifted to a picture of Buffy as a kid, skating.

“Was this part of your normal life?”

“Oh, my God.” Buffy laughed and stood. “My Dorothy Hamill phase. My room in L.A. was pretty much a shrine. Dorothy dolls, Dorothy posters, I even got the Dorothy haircut. Thereby securing a place for myself in the geek hall of fame.”

“Hmm, you wanted to be like her?”

“I wanted to be her. My parents were fighting all the time, and skating was an escape. I felt safe.”

“When was the last time you put on your skates?”

“About a couple of hundred demons ago.”

“There's a rink out past Route 17, it's... closed on Tuesdays.”

“Tomorrow's Tuesday.”

“I know.”
__________________________________________

At school the next day Buffy couldn’t help but tell Willow about Angel and Skating. It was just too sweet of him.

“You and Angel are going skating? Alone?” asked Willow

“Unless some unforeseen evil pops up. But I'm in full 'see no evil' mode.” *But I’m usually in see no evil mode aren’t I?*

“Angel ice-skating.”

“I know. Two worlds collide.”

Xander caught up with them as they walked across the quad.

“Wouldn't you two say you know me about as well as anyone else? Maybe even better than I know myself?”

“What's this about?” asked Willow.

“When you look at me, do you think 'prison guard'?” replied Xander.

Willow and Buffy giggled. Prison Guard? Xander?

“Um, crossing guard, maybe, but prison guard?” Buffy firmly shook her head.

“They just put up the assignments for the career fair, and according to my test results I can look forward to being gainfully employed in the growing field of corrections.”

“Well, at least you'll be on the right side of the bars.” said Buffy.

“Ha, ha, ha, ha! Laugh now, missy, they assigned you to the booth for law enforcement professionals.”

“As in police?” said Buffy Stunned.

“As in polyester, doughnuts and brutality.”

Buffy let out a whine.

“But, doughnuts!” said Willow trying to look on the positive side.

“Well, I'll just jump off that bridge when I come to it.” whined Buffy, until she saw Giles, complete with large stack of books. “ First I have to deal with Giles. He's on this Tony Robbins hyper-efficiency kick. Expects me to check in every day after homeroom.” Buffy walked off after her watcher.
__________________________________________

Spike and Dru stared at the large red cross on the ornate pillow. He had sent Dalton to get it, along with another minion. If the tale that Dalton was spreading was true, Buffy had shown up and had beat him to an inch of his unlife. Dalton had gone up against the Slayer and come out alive, for a minion that was prestigious indeed.

“This is it then?” asked Spike.

“It hums. I can hear it.”

“Once you're well again, we'll have a coronation down Main Street, and invite everyone, and drink for seven days and seven nights.”

From behind, Dalton had to ruin the moment.

“What about the Slayer? She almost blew the whole thing for us. She's trouble.”

“You don't say? Trouble?!” Spike started to pace. “She’s supposed to be trouble for us. She’s the god damn Slayer isn’t she? Need a way to keep her busy. Keep her from poking her cute little nose into my plans.” shouted Spike as he kicked the table for good measure.

“Spike?” whispered Dru.

“I’m not worried Pet, We'll complete your cure regardless.“

“The minions will feel better if you did something to take her out.“ said Dru. “Baby needs a test maybe? Sunshine needs clouds to dull the skies!“

“What have you got planned Dru?“ Spike asked with trepidation.

“Pretty plans, with guests and songs. Baby will prove her worth.“

Spike‘s mind followed a logical progression. “The Order of Taraka. You’ve called in those nutters?“ Dru had always wanted to use them.

“The bounty hunters?!” exclaimed Dalton, who had been all but forgotten.

Drusilla dealt out three tarot cards. One is of a Cyclops, another of a centipede and the third of a panther.

“They're coming to my party. Three of them.”

“Uh, yes, but... The Order of Taraka, I mean... isn't that overkill?” asked Dalton.

“Just a little test for baby.”
__________________________________________

Angel refused to put on skates and get on the ice with her. Which was ok, really. Cause Ice skating with a vampire could only lead to hand holding and that would lead to the bad. Angel = Friend, nothing more.

Caught in her thoughts Buffy wiped out and slid to a halt next to the wall. As she tried to get up something started choking her from above, lifting her off the ice. Buffy found herself pressed into the railing and being choked by !ugly!

*Just trying to have a happy moment here!* thought Buffy as she tried to pry the hands from her throat.

“Buffy!” shouted Angel, coming across the ice, complete with game face.

Angel pushed ugly off of Buffy, causing her to fall onto the ice landing hard on her knee. Looking up from her position on the ice, Buffy noted ugly and Angel battling it out. Angel punched ugly in the face before ugly retaliated with a hard blow to Angel’s stomach, sending the vampire into the wall.

Skating over to the two combatants Buffy grabbed the safety net and hit ugly with the blade of her skate.

Buffy rubbed her knee. *Stupid dead ugly guy. Now I‘ll never skate professionally.* she joked to herself.

Angel crouched over ugly and lifted the dead guy’s hand.

“The Hellmouth presents: Dead Guys On Ice. Not exactly the evening we were aiming for.” said Buffy.

“You're in danger. You know what the ring means?” declared Angel.

“I just killed a Super Bowl champ?”

“I'm serious! You should go home and wait until you hear from me.”

Angel dropped the hand and stood up, still in game face. Clearly very annoyed. Buffy thought. *I’m not his little sister! He can’t order me around.*

“Are you okay?”

Buffy noticed that he had a cut above his eye. “What about you? That cut!” She said temporarily forgetting her outrage.

“Forget about me. This is bad, Buffy. We gotta get you outta here.”

“What, you mean hide?”

“Let's just get you someplace safe!”

“No! Your eye!” Angel backs away from her. “Hey! Don't be a baby. I'm not gonna hurt you.”

“It's not that. I...”

“What?”

“You shouldn't have to touch me when I'm like this.”

Buffy took a good look at his vampire game face. She removed her glove and put her hand on his brow.

“I didn’t even notice. It’s a part of you, and I’m not ashamed to have you as my friend Angel.”
__________________________________________

She needed to speak to Spike. He’d make everything seem much better. Buffy stood on her front porch and stood to scan the area. There could be an assassin stalking her right now. How many more people did she need stalking her? Spike’s minions, assassins, Angel...It was a stalk Buffy convention. Struck by a sudden compulsion, Buffy stepped off her porch and went into the back yard.

Standing near the hedge, was the one person she really wanted to talk to. Buffy’s face lit up when she saw him and ran to wrap her arms around him.

“Thank god! You will never guess how horrible my day was!”

“I can imagine pet.” he said speaking into her hair.

“I have assassins after me! I have to stupid career day crap and Angel and Giles are all ‘head for the hills’”

“Running away wouldn’t do the trick with these fellas Goldilocks.”

“Huh?” asked Buffy puzzled. “Do you know who’s after me?”

“Ya, I do luv.”

“How do you know?” she said backing up from him.

“Dru’s the one that’s hired them.”

“Dru’s hired assassins to kill me?”

“Not to kill you love, it’s a test. They’ve been hired to capture you, that’s all.”

“But Giles said that they were unstoppable, they will keep coming and coming.”

“Until you are presented to the person that’s hired them, pet.”

“Great, Why don’t I just go see Drusilla now? Would that get them off my tail?”

“Dru likes her games Goldilocks, she won’t want you to spoil her fun.”

“Fun! This isn’t fun Spike!”

“I know love,”

“On top of everything else, my career test told me I’ll be a good police person. I don’t want to be a police officer!”

“And you won’t be luv,”

“So how long do I have to deal with this game of Drusilla’s?”

“She said three.”

“Ok, two more to go then. I got one tonight.”

“Ya, I know.”

“Having minions follow me again?”

“Yep, evil pet. And what’s the deal with you and Peaches ice skating?”

“He wanted to take me skating? You never offered. Too busy letting mummy’s hired ruthless killers to capture me and ordering minions about to steal crosses.”

“I didn’t know you wanted to go skating luv,”

“Perceptive the boyfriend strikes again.”

“Buffy...” he said with warning.

“Everything we do is secret Spike. Just once I’d like to go out, and not at 1 am to the IHOP.”

“Look, I’m very close to the cure for Dru, after I’m done with that, we will go where ever and do what ever you want, ok pet?”

“I suppose. Can I at least tell other people I have a boyfriend?”

“Let me think about that love, I might need some persuading” he said with a leer.

“Take me somewhere, hotel room and I’ll come up with some interesting ways to persuade you.”
__________________________________________

Buffy closed the door the motel room and looked at her lover.

“Let the persuading begin.“

Buffy stalked closer to him, standing in the middle of the room. Buffy pushed his duster off of his shoulders and set about undoing his pants.

“Goldilocks, what are you on about?“

“Persuading you.“

Buffy managed to undo his belt, button and zipper, and was taking him out. Buffy stroked his cock gently, before pulling her hand back and placing a light kiss on the tip.

“You see, I would only do this with my boyfriend Spike. Are you my boyfriend?“ Buffy traced a vein on his shaft with one finger nail. His cock jumped at her administrations.

“You know it love.“

“’Cause I’d really like to be able to tell everyone else that I have a boyfriend.“

Buffy stuck her tongue out and licked his length from base to tip. Buffy took him in her mouth for the briefest of moments, laving the tip with her tongue.

Buffy let him fall from her mouth and stood up.

“Tease.”

“You haven’t answered my question,” she said removing her top.

Spike reached for her, but she side stepped his advance and ducked to pull his pants all the way down.

“Oy!”

“Answer the question Spike!”

“Fine, bloody fine, ok. After Dru’s all healed up, and everything, We’ll have a bloody dinner party and announce it to all the super friends.”

“See that wasn’t so hard, now was it?”

Buffy sank to her knees and took him in her mouth again.

Spike’s eyes rolled back in his head. “God your hot little mouth.”

“Mmm hmmm” Buffy hummed.

Buffy reached forward and started fondling his balls, earning a groan of appreciation from Spike.

Spike grabbed the sides of her head, keeping her in place as he thrust gently into her mouth. Buffy dug her nails into his ass with her free hand, deep throating him. It wasn’t long before she felt his ball tighten up.

“Oh fuck Buffy!“ he roared as he shot his load.

Buffy swallowed rapidly, then letting him fall from her mouth, stood up with a big smile.

“My turn!“ she said gleefully.

tbc...
 

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