Chapter 9:

Her last thoughts before slipping off to sleep was a wish to have been able to see what he was like when he was human.
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Miss Elizabeth Sumner, of Vale Manor, Kent, is to be presented into society this season.

Buffy read the card with astonishment. Some how she knew this to be her. She looked around at her surroundings. The lavish house, the ornate grounds she could see our the window were all familiar to her, somehow.

Buffy put down the invitation to her coming out ball and left the drawing room, taking a moment to discern what she was wearing. She looked like she had stepped into Gone with the wind, he skirt was huge! She walked down the gallery of her house, yes this was her house. On the gallery walls were all the portraits of her family, past and present. There were pictures of her father, mother and sister all she ever remembered them.

“Beth!” called Dawn from behind her, “Cook wants a word about the menu for tomorrow when you have a moment.”

“Thank you,” said Buffy stiffly. Buffy tried to add more, but she couldn’t force her mouth to move.

“I don’t know how you do it Beth, all the responsibilities that accompany the role of mistress of Vale Manor. I am glad that you were born first,” said Dawn.

“Responsibilities indeed,” said Buffy. Damn it! I wasn’t going to say that! She was talking like the decor.

“Are you excited for your ball? It is a shame that I cannot go. I am sure that you will meet dashing young men there though. Perhaps you will fall madly in love with a Colonel, who will take you to far off and exotic places.”

“Please...” said Buffy trying to make her sister stop.

Dawn rolled her eyes and breezed by her.

Buffy walked to her room. Somehow she knew the way, like she had lived there all her life. Her room was filled with trinkets and embroidery. There was a portrait of her mother, and a jewellery box on her armoire. She opened the box to reveal a small collection of crosses on chains. Buffy rolled her eyes. What exactly was there to do here?

Buffy flopped down on the bed. If only she could figure out how she got here in the first place. A weird had happened.

“Miss Sumner?” asked a voice in the doorway.

An older woman stood hands folded waiting to be asked in.

“Yes,” said Buffy with a forced smile.

“I have two sample menus from the cook for your ball. Perhaps you would be so good as to give your opinion of them?” said the woman stretching her arm out with two slips of paper.

Buffy read the two menus.

“This one is acceptable,” came the words from Buffy’s mouth. In fact normally, wouldn’t she have said something like Yummy or something? “Is there anything else?” asked Buffy, unaware that anything needed to be said.

“Yes, Miss Sumner. I am aware that you are lately without a lady’s maid. Could I be so bold as to present my niece for the post?”

“Your niece?” said Buffy thinking, “Very well I will meet her.”

“Thank you Miss Sumner. Is now a good time or are you engaged?”

“No, I’m not engaged,” said Buffy smiling. This woman had planned this.

The woman stepped aside and into the doorway stepped Willow.

“Allow me to introduce my niece, Willamina Rose, Miss Sumner,” said the woman.

Willamina bobbed a curtsey looking down, her red hair creeping out from under her puritan cap.

“I am very pleased to make your acquaintance. I am delighted. We shall become very great friends indeed, I would be honoured if you would become my ladies maid.” said Buffy happily, wondering why her tongue managed all those words. Too many words for ’you’re hired,” Buffy thought.

“I’ve never worked as a ladies maid before Miss Sumner, but I will endeavour to improve myself.”

“Good, no doubt your aunt will tell you just what duties you are to perform.” It was then that Buffy noticed that she was speaking in a British accent. And she had been unconsciously doing it too. “I am away to London after my ball, you shall come with me of course.”

“Yes, Miss Sumner,” said Willamina.

Willamina Rose, Beth Sumner, strange how everyone was the same but different. Whenever they were, it was clear that they had to conform to the time and place. Or maybe it was just her. Perhaps she was trapped in this Beth Sumner’s body. And maybe Beth Sumner was trapped in her body. Scary thought. She just hoped that Spike realized who was who before he freaked out Beth. Spike. Maybe he was still human then, now, whatever. she must find him. God what was his last name? She was going to London, but how was she to find him? Certainly she couldn't look for every random William in the phone book. God there wasn’t a phone book!

“Mrs Rose, I will have my tea in the garden,” said Buffy all at once and walked out of the room.

Angel would be a vampire at this point, no doubt Anya a vengeance demon. Perhaps Anya could...no it was probably best to keep the vengeance demon away from Beth. If only she could find a way back to her own body.
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Buffy stood motionless in the middle of the ball room, waiting fro the music to start. She had been asked to dance by an extremely handsome Colonel named Clearwater, while she had been scanning the room for people she recognized. Colonel Clearwater was nice enough, but she didn’t really think that Beth and he had a future together. The look on her father’s face when she had accepted his hand was priceless, like she had stepped in something bad. The dance was complicated. Buffy was very glad that the body she was inhabiting was good at this kind of thing.

Dawn of course was upstairs watching from a balcony. She wasn’t permitted at the ball. Willow...uh...Willamina was there too. A ladies maid could not be expected to attend society functions.

As she danced she caught sight of Xander. Her loyal Xander. But this guy, had both eyes and a bit more of a mean look to him. Her dance partner must have noticed.

“Mr Alexander Harrison is a scoundrel. I should pity anyone who does business with that man.” said Colonel Clearwater.

“He lives not far from here,. He is a frequent guest of my father,” said Buffy with a smile.

“Pity,” said the colonel as they danced on.

Buffy rolled her eyes. How much longer could this night last. No wonder so many people she knew became vampires, there was nothing to do.
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When at last that dance was over, Buffy headed for some chairs near the back of the room. She wasn’t tired, bored was more like.

She was only steps away when she was accosted for yet another dance. Politely she begged to be allowed to rest for one set. Buffy settled into a chair with a sigh for relief. No one would bother her now for two dances. But how did she know that? Observing her surroundings Buffy made the discovery that she was seated fairly near a young man with brown hair, facing away from her. He was ready from a volume of poetry.

“I sincerely hope that the words you read give you greater enjoyment than this ball gives me,” said Buffy in his direction.

“Sorry?” he said looking up from his book.

As his eyes met hers she drew in a breath. The face was so familiar. Spike. Buffy smiled.

“I’m afraid we’ve not been properly introduced, Mr...?” Buffy heard her voice say.

“Mr. William Graves, Miss Sumner, at your command.”

“Mr Graves, you may regret placing yourself at my command,” said Buffy in a flirty way, “And what brings you here to by coming out ball Mr Graves. I trust it was not poetry?”

“Oh, no, Miss Sumner. I am a junior partner in your father’s business in London. I came on errand this afternoon, and was persuaded to stay the evening.”

“How very inviting of my father.”

“I hope you do not think ill of your father for the invitation, Miss Sumner.”

“Oh indeed no, for now I have met you Mr Graves and am delighted by the acquaintance. But you must tell me of yourself Mr Graves I am intensely interested,” said Buffy. It was true she was. She wanted with all her being to kiss him, but her body held her back.

She listened how he told her that he had worked for her father for over a year now and how his mother was very sick.

“I sadly know the pain of losing a mother to illness,” said Buffy reaching out to place her hand on his.

His hand was warm. He was human. She smiled.

“I am to escort you to town tomorrow,“ he said looking down at her hand.

“That would please me very much indeed Mr Graves. Perhaps you could share with me some of that poetry that so enchants you this night. Goodness know I should like o leave the monotony of this ball as well.”

He smiled. God she loved him. Buffy’s insides screamed to take his hand and run outside and tell him everything. That she was from the future and his girlfriend, then she could warn him about all the things that would happen to him. But then history would change and things would turn out differently. No, she couldn’t do that, but what was she here?

The dance changed and Buffy’s time with her Spike had gone. Instantly she had three gentlemen begging for her hand to dance,. She wished Spike had asked her instead.
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She met him again that morning in the carriage that was to take Buffy, Willamina and William to London. Buffy was going to stay at the house of her cousin, Mr John Sumner to get out in society more. Buffy had a sneaky suspicion that all this dancing was supposed to get her married post haste. Buffy really had no idea exactly how old Beth Sumner was supposed to be but clearly it was time for her to move out. Buffy smiled as she entered the carriage.

“Mr Graves, a delight to see you as always. This charming young lady is my maid, Willamina,” said Buffy.

“Hello, Miss Willamina,” said William.

“And what rather large text are you entranced by today Mr Graves?” asked Buffy.

“Shakespeare’s sonnets,” he said shyly.

“I trust that there is some young woman in town that will benefit from all your study.”

William did not reply. Clearly there was though. Buffy was slightly startled by the fact. She knew that he had been sired by Drusilla, but not much else. Buffy resolved to learn as much about him as possible. She tried to draw him out during the carriage ride. Clearly he wasn’t the same Spike she knew, He was too shy. Obviously years of being a vampire had changed him,. All she knew was that he was not her Spike. This man loved another woman.
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“I’ve planned a dinner party for your arrival cousin,” said Jane her cousin, sister of John. “Some very fashionable people, of course no one who will be presented at court you know but fashionable just the same.”

“Will Mr Graves be there?” asked Buffy.

“Of course, though he is an odd fellow. Off in his own little world. No wonder he hadn’t found himself a wife yet.” Jane Laughed.

“Who else will be there?”

“Oh the Underwoods, the Paghams, Colonel Clearwater. Miss Chase, the actress, unfortunately could not attend, she has the funeral of her uncle to attend in New Castle as is enroute. So disappointing.”

“Mr. Giles?” asked Buffy hesitantly. Buffy was startled that her own voice had asked the question.

“Goodness no. Mr Giles and I are through. I have decided at last that I shall not marry any man who studies the occult. Imagine what kind of questions one would have from our dinner guests.”

Obviously this Giles was a watcher too. It was a family thing. Perhaps he could help her find a way back into her own body in the future. Problem was that she wasn’t in control of this body. How could she get a message to him?

“You must tell me how your sister Danielle does. Has she grown much since the spring?”

Danielle? Buffy wondered. Dawn’s name was Danielle?

“I have noticed no growth in anything but the ability to irritate,” said Buffy.

“I suppose that is the trying age, thirteen,” said Jane.

“Indeed,” said Buffy with a sigh. Would that make Beth eighteen?

“It is a pity that your father waited so long to put you out into society. It should have been done two years ago. But I suppose he just wanted to keep you a little girl. All fathers do,” said Jane.

Stake me now, thought Buffy.
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The dinner party was a success according to Jane anyway. Buffy had another thought: boring. Buffy did have the opportunity to meet Mr Grave’s love interest, Cecily Underwood. She was pretty, but she was sickly sweet and clearly trying to gain Colonel Clearwater’s affections. Poor William, Buffy thought. Buffy hid from view as he tired to get up the courage to speak to Miss Underwood.

“You know Mr Graves, a girl would begin to think you did not care at all if you continue to talk to that plant,” said Cecily coming out from the opposite doorway.

“Miss Underwood” stammered William.

“Miss Sumner,” said Colonel Clearwater’s voice to Buffy.

Buffy smiled sweetly. “Colonel Clearwater, I trust you are enjoying yourself this evening.”

“I would be enjoying the evening more if you were on my arm Miss Sumner.”

Buffy felt her face blush.

“It is a terrible loss to the party when you are not there for all to see and converse with my dear Miss Sumner.”

This last part Colonel Clearwater said with resonant clarity. Cecily took a glaring look at Buffy. Beth Sumner was competition and it was clear to Buffy that William Graves was just going to be strung along for the ride.

“My dear Colonel Clearwater,” said Cecily, ignoring William. “Perhaps you will delight the party with your latest tale of heroism. I myself have heard it already, but I would love to hear it again from your own lips,” Cecily smiled.

As Colonel Clearwater and Buffy headed towards a seat nearer to Cecily, the Colonel whispered in her ear, “She seems determined to catch me, but I am determined to catch you.”

Buffy blushed again. At the same time she couldn’t help but notice William’s pained expression as Cecily paid more attention to Colonel Clearwater than him.

Oh how she wanted her own Spike back. This was so incredibly boring. She’d much rather be fighting vampires than listen to a wind bag twice her age tell about his heroic exploits of ordering soldiers to their deaths.

Later that evening she found William outside the house clearly disappointed in love.

“Mr Graves, I trust you have enjoyed some of your company this evening. I dare say some of the guests are dull in their conversation. Mr Pagham speaks of nothing but his horses and Colonel Clearwater his less than heroic exploits,” said Buffy.

“I agree with you Miss Sumner.”

“Thank you Mr Graves. I trust that you are coming to firmer conclusions about Miss Underwood? She is a nice girl, fortune too. You would be extremely fortunate to secure her hand. We should all meet very often.”

“I should like to keep up your acquaintance Miss Sumner.”

“How kind of you Mr Graves. I cannot wait to hear of your approaching nuptials. I have already decided on your wedding gift.”

“You speak as if you know already what she would say.”

“I do not pretend to know Miss Underwood’s inner thought Mr Graves. However, I do know that should I have been so fortunate to capture your affections, I should not turn them down at any cost,” said Buffy turning to leave.

How could she say such a thing? Did Beth not see how Cecily used him, how she cared nothing for him at all. It would end by breaking his heart, she knew it and he would turn to Drusilla.
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The next party was at the Adams’ home. Buffy was firmly entrenched with Colonel Clearwater as much as she hated it. Buffy secretly knew that at some point this evening William would declare his feeling for Cecily. She had to listen in. She stole away from the Colonel during one of his long recitations of his heroic dead and into a back parlour where she suspected that William and Cecily were sequestered.

She heard Cecily’s voice come clearly through the doorway.

“You are beneath me.”

Buffy’s hand flew to her mouth. She had once said that to Spike. She regretted it now of course, but she had said it. William flew out of the room in her direction.

“Mr. Graves!” said Buffy shocked, “What haste!”

He breezed by her. It took her several minutes of wondering and waiting before Beth’s body followed William out into the street and to the stable. She hid behind some straw. He cried. Buffy felt herself cry. A tear trickled down her cheek for his pain. She took a step forward but stopped when she saw another woman in the barn with him. Drusilla. Buffy screamed to her body to get out of there. Drusilla was trouble, but she could not make herself move. Intently she listened to their conversation. He had been monumentally hurt by Cecily. Buffy knew what was about to happen, as William moved closer and closer to Dru. Buffy averted her eyes then ran out of the stables and into the Adams’ home. Buffy hid herself in a closet and cried.

Buffy herself wasn’t sad. She knew this was going to happen. Beth didn’t though. It slowly dawned on Buffy that Beth was in love with William. Weird love triangle thing, thought Buffy actually a square really. Buffy wondered what would have happened had Dru not been there. Would Beth and William have gotten together? What was going to happen now? Now that William was dead. Who would Beth marry? She really hoped it wasn’t that Clearwater guy. What was clear to Buffy was that she might be in Beth’s body, but Beth was still here too.
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Now with William Graves being William the Bloody, Buffy/Beth moped around Cousin John’s house. There had been no mention of William Graves’ death in the stables, perhaps no one had found him yet. Or maybe Dru took the body. John mentioned that he had not been at the offices for days.

It was clear however to Buffy that Beth still thought about him. She watched as Beth poured out her feelings into her diary and talked with Willamina about him and his disappearance.

“I must speak with him,” Beth told Willamina one day. “I will go to his house perhaps talk with his mother.”

Bad news, thought Buffy, Very Bad news.

Beth set out on foot the next morning to see him, the house was not far. Beth knocked to see him, and at last was allowed in. The servants at the door looked terrified. Beth was shown into the parlour. The curtains were drawn and there was hardly a stream of light in the room. Buffy/Beth seated herself on a sofa and examined a few books and some embroidery lying on a table. At last he came in.

Yep, he was vamped all right, thought Buffy. Still had brown hair, but his face looked dead. Beth smiled as she saw him.

“Mr Graves, it is good of you to see me, I trust I have not interrupted anything?” asked Beth.

Probably interrupted him and Dru doing the nasty, Buffy cringed.

“Miss Sumner, what can I do for you this morning?” he said circling her.

“I come to inquire after you. I had heard that you have not been to the offices of Sumner and Graves in days. I am thankful that I find you well,” said Beth.

“Your kindness has always brought a smile to my face, Miss Sumner,” he responded sickly.

“A pleasure Mr Graves. I am also come to issue an invitation to another dinner party at my cousins’ house. Miss Underwood will not be invited I assure you. Anyone who treats my friends so contemptibly shall not have my company. Do say you will come. I fear that the whole affair will be deadly dull if you are not there.”

“I fear Miss Sumner, that I shall not be able to attend.”

“A great pity. I shall be extremely sad for I must confess that I find every day I do not see you deadly dull. I trust I have not offended you.”

“Oh no, Miss Sumner,” he said walking towards her. “Never once did you offend me. You were always kind and sweet. If only there was something I could do to repay your kindness.”

“Oh Mr Graves,” said Beth. William was so close now. He would be going in for the kill soon. “Perhaps someday you could recite one of your poems to me, by the pale moonlight. I now I should appreciate it more than she did.”

“Miss Sumner...” said William stroking her hair, “Beth...”

“William...”

What the hell is going on here! Buffy inwardly screamed, He’s going to kill you! don’t make moon eyes at him!

William began to kiss her and Beth kissed back. William started down her throat then. Yes here it comes. A stabbing pain as William bit her and started sucking the blood out of the wound. Buffy recalled hitting the floor in Beth’s blue taffeta gown her high collar now stained with blood.
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Buffy/Beth woke to an incredible feeling of hunger. Opening her eyes Buffy noted that she was in a room she had never seen before.

“This must be Victoria’s room,” said Beth to the room.

Buffy had no idea who Victoria was. Beth got up and stood by the closet, inspecting the gowns that resided inside.

Maybe Victoria was Spike’s sister? Did he have a sister?

Beth pulled a lilac dress out of the wardrobe and pressed it up against her body, then turned her head looking for something. Beth rushed to a mirror to see...Beth gasped.

You are a vampire you ninny! thought Buffy. You don’t have a reflection!

Beth backed up from the mirror in fear. Turning, she grabbed the door handle and flung the door open, to reveal William.

“William! There is something wrong with the mirror!”

“No, pet, there is nothing wrong with the mirror. I’ve made you like me, a vampire.”

“No!” she gasped.

“It is true. We can revenge ourselves now on all those that made us feel inferior.”

“I’d like that” she grinned. “But right now, I’m hungry.”

“Of course you are pet.” William exited the room for a few moments and came back dragging one of the servants.

“Your dinner, pet,”

Buffy felt Beth change into game face and dreaded what was going to happen next.

Beth plunged her fangs into the pour servant girl’s neck.
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“So, you are my Sire, then?” Beth asked cautiously. They were lounging on a bed, bodies littered the floor.

“Yes, pet,”

“Where is your Sire then? You were made only a few days before I came to you.”

“Drusilla has gone out hunting with her Sire.”

“I see. William? Why did you make me a vampire? Please don’t think I am ungrateful at all. I love this feeling of power. I cannot wait to kill that windbag, Clearwater. And Cecily! You should make her pay for what she did to you.”

“All in good time.” William began to run his hands up and down the arms of her dress.

Beth turned in for a kiss. Beth raised her hand to caress his cheek. William started to kiss down to her neck, as he had done the night he sired her.

“Oh William!” she whispered, as he licked his mark on her neck.

Suddenly he rolled on top of her and ripped her dress from her body, corset and all.

Beth gave a giggle as she saw her taffeta dress ripped to shreds join the bodies that littered the floor.

William smiled and then set about attacking her exposed breasts with his lips. Beth let her head fall back and moaned. William worked his way down her torso with his lips and settled down between her thighs. He pushed her legs back and sunk his tongue into her moist recesses. Slowly he dragged his tongue across her opening and flicked her clit a few times before closing his lips over it. He removed one of his hands from her thigh and slowly penetrated her with two fingers. He stroked her slick passage, adding another finger.

“William...oh goodness!” responded Beth, breathless.

William broke off what he was doing and bite into her thigh, drinking in her blood. She moaned in pleasure.

William raised himself up and undid his trousers. Buffy groaned as Beth watched William strip. This was like voyeurism to the second power. It was way wigging her out.

William crawled up the length of Beth’s body, positioning himself at her slick entrance.

“Please, William..” she begged.

Slowly, William entered her, penetrating her barrier and causing Beth to scream.

Wililam smirked at her pain.

Beth wrapped her legs around his waist, pushing him deeper into her.

“Beth, darling. I want you to belong to me,” he said thrusting in and out of her passage.

“Oh yes William,”

William growled, increasing the pace of his thrusts. Beth started clawing at his back, as she neared her climax.

The room was filled with dual roars as the vampires came together, each sinking their fangs into the other’s shoulder.

“Mine,” growled William.

“Yours,” she agreed.
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Beth had put on the beautiful lilac dress she had been coveting earlier and started putting pins back into her hair.

William reached around and planted a kiss on her neck, where he had bitten her. Beth’s face broke into a smile.

“Oh William, let’s go and make some fun.”

“Of course pet.”

From down stairs the pair heard the someone enter the house.

“Mummy’s home!” came a female voice.

Buffy knew at once that it was Drusilla. Buffy cringed to think what Dru would do if she knew that William had taken a mate.

William took Beth’s hand led her down stairs to present her to Drusilla.

“Sweet William’s been naughty and turned one of his little friends,” was the first thing out of Drusilla’s mouth.

Drusilla approached Beth. Suddenly she pointed to Beth’s bite wound.

“She’s been claimed! William, naughty! Bad dog! Mummy wants you all to herself.”

Beth didn’t take her eyes off of Drusilla until she had moved away from her.

“William you aren’t going to let this, poor insane woman dictate with whom you are going to spend eternity, are you?” pleaded Beth, turning to William with tears in her eyes.

It appeared to Buffy that Beth had realised what Drusilla had meant. Drusilla was going to dust Beth.

William stood motionless. Beth grabbed his hand once more.

“Please, William!”

Drusilla moved towards the couple, now holding a stake in her hand.

Beth dropped William’s hand and looked around the room, looking for a way out, but Drusilla had backed her into a corner.

“William!” begged Beth, as Dru positioned herself directly in front of the now sobbing vamp.

Buffy felt the stake enter Beth’s heart and the curious sensation of crumbling to dust.
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Buffy opened her eyes. She was home, in her own bed in Cleveland staring at the ceiling in her darkened room. Her hand flew to her neck. Yes this was her own body she could move it freely. Buffy leapt out of bed and threw back the curtains. She must have slept the whole day, but it was just one day.

“Buffy are you up yet?” asked Dawn from the kitchen, “You’ve slept the day away. Man you must have been crazy busy last night...I mean with the patrolling.”

“Ya, feels like I’ve been asleep for days.”

“Well, I have supper for you in the fridge. It’s spaghetti, please read the label, cause in your sleepy state I can just imagine the nastiness of finding out your just heated up blood.”

Buffy grabbed herself a muffin and changed her clothes before heading out to Spike’s crypt.
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tbc...

 

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Chapter 10: Demon Buffy

She found him just getting up himself. He was just closing up his newly acquired coffin, wearing the red shirt she had bought for him.

“God, how can you sleep in that thing?” she asked.

“Well until I get myself a bed, it’s decent. Beats the floor. Sooner or later our favourite vampire hunter will find me and I’ll have to move on again.”

“Ya sorry about that.”

“Sorry enough to let me eat him? Joking, pet”

“I know. Hey totally off topic, what do you remember about Beth Sumner, daughter of a tradesman, died in 1880?”

Spike’s eyes went wide.

“How do you know about Beth Sumner?”

“I kinda had a freaky dream, that I was trapped in her body and lived inside her for the last few weeks of her life.”

“You were in her body the last few weeks of her life?” he repeated.

“She was murdered.”

“Look are you going to accuse me of something here pet? I killed her alright, I turned her. First person I regretted killing.”

“Before or after the soul?”

“Before the soul. Regretted taking her precious life.” Spike sat down on the stone tomb and cradled his head in his hands.

“She loved you.”

“Yeah, found that out too late, didn’t I? Look, Slayer I have so many things that my soul plagues me about, without you having to remind me about them.”

“I know. I just wanted to let you know that I understand.”

“Understand what?”

“You. You were a poet and a good man. And though I’m pretty sure you still dabble in the poetry, I know for certain that you are a good man today. And I love you. I love Spike. I love William the Bloody, and I love William Graves.” Buffy smiled and planted a kiss on his lips. “Hey, the mushy doesn’t happen often, so live with it,” she smiled. “I’m not going anywhere you know. Even Drusilla won’t be able to keep me away from you. I won’t ask you to bite me again, Spike. But when you are ready, I want you to claim me. I want to spend the rest of my eternity with you.”

He smiled. “If you insist luv. When the time is right.”

“Whenever you are ready Mr Graves.”

“Bloody Hell, Slayer! Keep that little tidbit to yourself luv. If the watcher were to find out I’m sure I’ll have wannabe watchers following me again, just like that Lydia bird.”

“I read her thesis you know, funny stuff, got too much wrong though.”

“You read her bloody thing? Whatever for?”

“Curious”

“Of what, how many people I’ve killed?”

“No, just exactly how evil you think you are.”

“And your conclusions?”

“Very evil, oh so very evil,” she purred, “But you are my Big Bad.”

“Better believe it luv.” Spike wrapped his arms around his slayer and pulled her close.

Buffy smiled down at her vampire and leaned in to kiss him.

“Vampire” she whispered.

“Slayer” he countered.

Suddenly Buffy stopped, pulled back and shifted her eyes like she was fighting something.

“Buffy?”

“Vampire.”

Buffy clutched her head. “Demon,” she breathed.

Spike could feel her tense up and relax several times before she pushed him away, standing several feet away from him. Spike could see her eyes flashing something he had never seen before.

“Buffy?”

“Vampire,” she breathed.

Spike was eternally grateful at that moment that Buffy had come to him that day without a stake in hand, otherwise he would have been dust.

Buffy flew at him fists and fury. Spike deflected her blows with skill until he pinned her, holding her arms down and straddling her legs.

“Buffy, luv, I know you are in there.”

“Gone,” she said.

“No, not gone, here, with me. Need to fight this. Dawn needs you. I need you. Don’t you dare give into it Buffy.”

“Strong”

“You are stronger”

“Wants to kill you.”

“Only you, Buffy, not the demon, will ever kill me luv.”

“Spike, let me go,” said Buffy who had stopped struggling.

“Got the upper hand, do you?”

“For now,” she smiled sweetly.

Spike let go of her arms and leaned forward. A tear rolled down Buffy’s cheek.

“Spike, go back to the apartment. Take care of Dawn.”

“Buffy?” Spike didn’t like how this sounded.

“Please Spike. If the demon wants to stake you, what will happen if it wants to stake Dawn? She can’t fight me. I need you to stay with her, with us, make sure I can’t do her harm.”

“I promised to take care of her a long time ago luv.”

Buffy smiled. “I love you,” she whispered.

“I know luv,” Spike made to kiss her but she pulled away.

“Vampire,” spat Buffy’s demon.

“And it’s back.”

Buffy threw him off into a wall and took off out of the crypt. Spike lay shaking his head for a moment before grabbing his coat and heading out himself.

Spike headed straight to Buffy’s apartment. Dawn was there, doing homework diligently, books spread out over her bed. Andrew had plopped himself in front of the TV, watching Star Trek or some such thing. Neither knew anything was wrong, neither acknowledged his presence until he had closed the door behind him.

“Spike you speak French right?” asked Dawn, not looking up from her books.

“Ya nibblet, I do,” Spike walked over to help Dawn with her homework.

Hours later Dawn was asleep in her bed, Andrew was curled up in his nest and Spike sat watching his charge. Dawn had no idea that her sister was hovering on the brink of insanity. Buffy was patrolling, that was all.

When Buffy still hadn’t returned by the next night Dawn did start to worry.

“What if she’s hurt, Spike? You can’t just leave her in some ditch. We have to find her. Ditches are bad.”

“She’s fine nibblet,” he said trying to sound confident. “If she doesn’t come back today I’ll look for her.” He poured himself a mug of blood and set it in the microwave. “She will come back, she has to.”

Just the there was the sound of a key in a lock and in stepped the girl in question.

“Buffy!” exclaimed Dawn, “Where have you been?”

“Patrolling, crashed at Oz’s,” said Buffy. “Tired now.” She headed to her room.

“Oz, wolf boy Oz?” said Spike surprised.

“It’s under control Spike,” said Buffy as she closed her bedroom door, shutting him out.

“I’m going out!” Dawn called to her sister through the door. “Andrew and I are going to the mall for interior decorating window shopping.”

It was only after Dawn and Andrew left that Spike entered Buffy’s room. He didn’t knock.

“Are you going to tell me the truth about where you crashed last night or not?” he asked.

“Not,” said Buffy rolled away from him on the bed. “Did Dawn say anything?”

“Thought you were in a ditch somewhere.”

Spike saw a tear roll down Buffy’s cheek. She curled up into a ball on the bed. He sat down on Buffy’s bed close to the ball of shaking Slayer.

“Buffy...” Spike reached out to touch her.

“Please don’t touch me,” she whispered. “I don’t want to hurt you.”

“You won’t hurt me luv.”

“But I will, you know what this is like!” she said forcefully, sitting up. “It wants me to kill, it doesn’t care if who I kill is innocent or if I care about them. What if I’m not strong enough Spike?”

Buffy collapsed into a ball again, sobbing.

“You will beat it down luv, I know you, you are the strongest person I know.”

“What if that isn’t enough?”
__________________________________________

Spike woke up the next morning to the sound of vigorous cleaning, but he couldn’t see. After pondering his blindness in his sleepy haze he realised that he had a quilt on top of him.

“Spike if I were you, I’d stay under that thing and go back to sleep,” whispered Dawn. “The demon is making her clean and we are all her slaves.”

Suddenly the vacuum shut off.

“Nice try Dawnie,” came Buffy’s voice.

Spike peered from under the quilt. Before him stood Buffy in her work out/cleaning clothes.

“I’m glad you could join us in the land of the awake. There are no windows in the bathroom, off you go.” Buffy handed him a bottle of Mr Clean and a sponge.

“I’m not bloody cleaning your soddin’ bathroom Slayer,” he started. “I don’t bloody live here.”

“You clean or you leave,” she said hands on hips, “But I should point out that it is a beautiful sunny September morning.”

Spike groaned. “Slayer!”

“Clean or leave, Spike, you are just in the way here. I’ve been vacuuming around you forever.”

“Fine, I’m off,” he grabbed the quilt that was still on his head and took off.

“Nibblet, come see me when the cleaning nazi demon lets you out.”

“K Spike. Lucky Bastard,” muttered Dawn.

Spike shut the door behind him.

“How come he gets to leave?” whined Andrew.

“He doesn’t live here,” responded Buffy as she wiped a counter.
__________________________________________
Spike sulked down to the laundry room. It was bloody ten in the soddin’ morning! There was no way he was going to attempt to find his way to his newest lodging place with a blanket over his head in a town he could barely remember.

Spike sat down on top of an empty washing machine wondering just how long Buffy’s mad cleaning binge would last. He lit up a cigarette and took a drag. Her knew that she had been holding back last night, there was a whole lot more wrong than she let on. Slept at Oz’s, right, bet she doesn’t even knew where the wolf lives.

Lost in thought atop a washing machine, Spike's revelry was interrupted by the entrance of a slight brunette with wide eyes and short cropped hair. She stood in front of him waiting to get his attention. When at last he opened his eyes she stared at him.

“Hi, I’m Julia, I’m 3D, wait no, not 3D, but I suppose I am just that I’m in apartment 3D and you are new to the building, right? I notice lots of things like that. Anyway just wanted to say hello and check if the washers were free. They are free aren’t they? Cause they sound quieter than usual if they were running not that I'm a washer know it all. I’m gonna shut up now.”

Spike flicked the ash off of the end of his fag and got up off the washer.

“It’s free.”

“I hope you don’t think that I blather on like this all the time cause I don’t, not really anyway just a little nervous. I’ve never thought anyone in this building was hot before, oh crap, I said that out loud didn’t I? Oh well, too late to take it back now. I think you are hot. Want to get coffee sometime?”

Finally her talking ceased.

“Thanks for the offer pet, but I’ll have to turn you down...”

“His girlfriend would disapprove,” came Buffy’s voice from the doorway, a load of laundry on one hip.

Julia turned around stunned.

“Geez, I’m sorry you could have told me you had a girlfriend,” she said as she stomped off.

“Let a mate get a word in edgewise...” muttered Spike.

“I thought you were leaving?” asked Buffy.

“Changed my mind, just didn’t want to clean the bathroom.”

“No big. Andrew’s doing it,” Buffy set down the with a thump and started to fill the machine that Spike had just been sitting on.

“Buffy...”

“Spike, I don’t want to talk about it, talking will make me not concentrate on the cleaning. I have a social worker coming to check up on Dawn and I. Everything must be perfect. Especially since Valery wants Dawn back in LA. I can’t lose Dawn Spike. Not now. I need her.”

“Even if you hurt her? That what you were afraid of, why you didn't come home. Afraid you were gonna hurt Dawn and me. How can that have changed so soon?”

“I’m stronger than the demon. You told me that,” said Buffy closing the lid to the machine and starting it.

“I know you are luv,” he said gathering her in his arms.

“No time for huggage, must clean.”

Buffy raced back up stairs leaving Spike bewildered. Spike sat there in the laundry room for a good half hour before venturing back into the apartment.

Andrew was scrubbing the floor in the kitchen on his hands and knees. Dawn was trying to look busy dusting. As soon as she saw him she was in his face.

“You have got to do something. She's nuts. This place is already spotless. Freaky clean Buffy is going to kill me.”

“Do you have any idea why she’d doing thins?”

“I have some theories Mr Spike,” said Andrew eagerly. “First there is the important interview with the Social worker. Second, less likely but also plausible, she is preparing for the move to her new house.”

“Two weeks away numbskull,” said Dawn.

“Third, pent up energy, either sexual frustration or lack of slayage.”

“Oy!” protested Spike at the sexual frustration comment.

“Or fourth, unknown mystical, perhaps evil forces at work.”

“Great Andrew, that really makes me feel better,” said Dawn.

Buffy barged through the door only to see her ‘minions’ not hard at their tasks.

“Less talking more cleaning!” Buffy ordered, as she walked into her bedroom with the hamper of now clean clothes. Spike followed her into her room and shut the door.

“You are running them ragged out there luv,” said Spike as she flopped down on the nicely made bad. “Don’t you thinks it’s clean enough out there?”

“I’m running out of things to do Spike,” said Buffy as she folded . “I should have let them go, so I could clean it all. I need to clean.”

“No you don’t.”

“Need to keep busy.”

“Why?”

“Only way I’ll beat it.”

“Ya, I’ll buy that,” with that Spike got up off the bed and went to the door. He opened it and threw at twenty dollar bill out into the room.

“Nibblet take the guestage here and flee, before she makes you clean.”

Dawn ran into his arms.

“You are a god! Not God god, a lesser but benevolent god. Thank you!” she took the twenty and fled out the apartment door, dragging Andrew behind her.

Shutting the bedroom door again, Spike walked up behind Buffy and wrapped his arms around her.

“I know another way to keep you busy luv,” her purred.

“Show me,“ she whispered.

Spike growled and pushed her on the bed. Buffy looked a bit shocked at his rough handling, but smiled as he started to crawl towards her on the bed. Spike attacked the button on her pants and pulled them from her body. Starting at her feet, Spike started kissing and lightly biting his way up her legs. Reaching the apex of her thighs, Spike tested her dampness through her panties. They weren’t quite as soaked as he would have liked. In one fell swoop, he ripped her underwear from her body and dove his tongue into her pink recesses. Spike passed his tongue over her clit and across her labia. Buffy moaned in response and ground her herself down on to him to get better friction. Spike dug his fingers into the fleshy part of her hips.

Buffy let herself be taken over by the ecstasy that was being created by his tongue and lips. Buffy fisted her hands into the bed sheets and arched her back as the feeling overcame her. Recovering from her orgasm, Buffy threaded her fingers through Spike’s hair and pulled the vampire up from his place between her legs so that she could claim his lips.

The taste of herself on his mouth merely added to her eagerness to have him completely inside her. Buffy flipped them over so that she was straddling him, still kissing his lips frantically. Buffy ripped his shirt down the middle and attacked his chest with kisses and nibbles.

Spike moaned as the feeling of her lips and teeth and the silky feeling of her hair on his chest, tickled in very pleasant ways.

“Slayer, Buffy...”

“No talking,” she said suddenly. “Have to concentrate.”

Buffy’s little fingers set about removing his pants. She pulled them from his body, to find herself pinned to the bed, by her lover. She felt his teeth at her neck and she closed her eyes hoping, waiting for a bite. But it didn’t come.

She reached down between her legs and gave his member a few strokes, just to make sure that he was ready for her next move.

Spike let out a feral growl and thrust his pelvis into hers. Buffy positioned him at her entrance and he slid home easily.

Buffy braced herself for what she thought was going to be rough coupling. She was right. Buffy wrapped her legs around his waist, and clung for dear life as Spike slid in and out of her channel, with a ferocity she had forgotten he had. The intensity could only be sustained for so long and the couple dropped, spent on the bed, Buffy panting and Spike licking his partner’s neck.
_________________________________________
Being the vampire that he was, he felt that it was quite natural to fall asleep in the middle of the afternoon after such a vigorous work out. However when he found himself alone in Buffy’s bed, just after sunset he wished that he hadn’t.

Buffy was not in the apartment.

“She went out to patrol,” said Dawn when he asked. “She left you a note.”

There on the fridge was an envelope labelled ‘Spike.’

Notes in envelopes are never good, he thought. Hesitantly he opened his letter.

Spike was gonna hit something. He mumbled something but all Dawn heard was patrol. She shrugged her shoulders as he slammed the door on his way out of the apartment.

“Geez those two have issues,” she said to no one in particular.
__________________________________________
It had taken him two days, two nights rather, to track Buffy down. He had found her beating the shit out of some demon. Taking her by surprise he knocked her down long enough so he could bind her hands with duct tape and take her home. After manacling her to her own bed, trying not to wake the nibblet or whelp jr. He set about washing the blood off of Buffy’s body. She was covered in it.

“Looks like you’ve been seeing the inside of quite a few nasties, my girl,” he said as he took a cloth to her arms.

“Spike?” she whispered.

“Ya, luv,”

“What happened?”

“Brought you home.”

“Why?”

“Cause you are needed here luv, no matter what the demon things you need to do, Dawn needs you here.”

“Green and scary.”

“Come again luv?”

“Dawn, she’s green and scary.”

“She’s the key, luv. The demon is scared of her, is all.”

“Let me go Spike.”

“No. You have to deal with this, but not in the way you think you have to. Running away rarely solves anything. You would think you knew that by now.”

Buffy laughed. “Takes one to know one Buster.”

“The only way you can learn to deal with it is to make sure that you spend time with demons without killing them.”

“No fun.”

“You can kill some of them pet.”

“But not you, Dawn, Oz or Clem.”

“That’s a good start to the list but there are a few others that I would rather you didn’t kill either.”

“Angel.”

“No you can kill the poofter if you want,” he said with a chuckle. “Now you get yourself some rest and tomorrow night you and I will go to town,” he said with a clap of his hands.

“You can’t leave me chained up like this!”

“Oh but I can luv, and I will, especially since I’ll be sleeping here until sunrise, got to get the nib off to school and all, since Big Sis is slightly indisposed.”

“Spike! Unchain me!”

“Tsk, tsk, that tone of voice won’t get you anywhere, just go to sleep.”

Spike regularly found it hard to sleep at night, but even more so with bitchy Slayer chained up beside him. At one point he had even had to gag her to keep her from waking Dawn.

When dawn came, Spike undid the manacles and tucked his sleeping slayer into bed. Sounds of waking people began to fill the apartment. Dawn took the shower and the whelp jr started to make breakfast. Spike emerged from Buffy’s room and jury rigged the door so that it couldn’t be opened from the inside.

“So when did she finally come home?” Dawn asked as she stepped out of the bathroom, fully dressed.

“Two in the morning, or so,” said Spike looking for blood in the fridge.

“Stupid head, doesn’t, she know that she needs to be here in case social services decides to pay a visit?”

“Its not her fault pint size.”

“Sure it’s the demon’s fault. If I don’t take that excuse from you Spike I sure as hell won’t take it from her.”

“Hasn’t learned to control hers yet.”

Dawn grabbed some of the pancakes Andrew had made and helped herself to some OJ.

“Is this something that I should be recording for posterity?” Andrew asked very seriously.

“I don’t really give a flying rats ass watcher boy.”

“Buffy wouldn’t like it if you recorded her weakness for all to see.”

“No, I can see that.”

The phone rang.

“That should be Xander,” said Dawn, rushing to the phone.

Spike helped himself to some blood while Dawn chatted away with Xander, he really couldn’t care less about the mundane life of the one eyed whelp.
__________________________________________
tbc...

__________________________________________
Chapter 11: Vengeance demons: Not just girls anymore.

Buffy was running fast, so fast she couldn’t see exactly where she was all, she knew was she had to catch up to the demon in front of her before it killed someone. Suddenly it stopped in front of a large crypt.

“Show me who you are!” shouted Buffy.

The demon started to turn...
__________________________________________
“WHAT!!!” screamed Dawn at Xander.

The shriek was glass shattering.

“Bit! Please...” began Spike.

The door to Buffy’s room was ripped from its hinges and Buffy bolted out of the room and ran to Dawn.

“Dawn, what’s wrong?” asked Buffy.

Dawn placed the handset back onto the base of the phone and set it for speaker phone. With a calm rigidity that formally she did not possess, clearly not happy news.

“Xander you are on speaker phone, tell them what you told me,” said Dawn coldly.

“Dawn are you sure?” asked Xander.

“Do it”

“Fine, well we’ve been researching everything we can about your sitch Buffster, there’s not a lot let in the archives but not only that it doesn’t look like there was anything about this originally anyway, so I was sleep, ya, I dozed off in the library, drooling all over some musty tomb of apocalypse or something, cause that’s all they have here really, not what you would all fun for the whole family entertainment...”

“Xander, the point?” said Buffy.

“K, so I’m sleeping and who pops into my dream, Cordy! And here I thought she was in coma, so...”

“Xander!”

“Anyways, so Queen C tells me that prophecy in completion was never fully written down or some cryptic thing like that and that I’m looking in the wrong place, and I was not happy camper man. SO we get into a fight, you know Cordelia Chase, always ragging on me for something...”

“Whelp! Get on with it.”

“It’s blood, ok? It’s always blood, Buffy you will die, truly die, when your blood is spilt to cover you own blood’s evil, that the only way you can die.”

“Huh?” sounded Buffy.

“I found the prophecy with Cordy’s help and Giles and some of the other watchers think it had something to do with Dawn or maybe if you have kids, I have the prophecy here, I’ll send you a copy.”

“Faith said the only way I’d die is if I was killed by one of my own descendants.”

“Sound like it goes with the story at this end, unless Dawn kills you.”

“So not going to happen!” shouted Dawn.

“So I guess if I want to die I have to do it before Dawn dies,” Buffy tired to laugh, “Cause me not so much with the motherly ness.”

“I’m not killing you Buffy!” screamed Dawn as she fled out of the apartment.

“Dawn!” Buffy made to do after her but was stopped by Spike.

“Give her a mo’ luv,” he said softly. “Whelp you sure now how to kill the fun atmosphere here”

“Ya, hey just the council’s butt monkey here.”

“It’s not your fault Xander,” said Buffy. “Thanks for the info though, say hi to Giles for me.”

“Hey no problem, I need to speak with Andrew though is he there?”

Andrew picked of the receiver. “What?” he whined.

Buffy looked at Spike, “Is there something you know that I don’t?”

“Bit blames herself for you dying luv, like I did, except for her I think it never got addressed when you got back. Kinda ignored her for a good long time,” Spike said softly. “Guess she doesn’t want to kill you again.”

Buffy kissed his cheek and ran out after Dawn.
__________________________________________
Dawn was sitting on the front steps of the apartment.

“Dawn?”

“Leave me alone.”

“I can’t do that Dawn, I love you.”

“Can you love something that will kill you?”

“Yes. I have a knack for finding just those people to love actually,” Buffy sighed. “Dawn I don’t think you would ever hurt me intentionally, in the dead and dying sense, I already have many emotional scars from annoying little sisterhood, like when you blurted out to Todd Ryerson that I kissed my New Kids on the Block poster every night, very cruel.”

Dawn laughed.

“The point is, I don’t believe you can kill me. You are a pure and innocent person, you could never kill anyone, especially me. Am I making any sense.”

Dawn nodded.

“And for the record it’s not your fault I died last time. It was what I had to do and in no way shape or form your fault, ok?”

“Ok,” Dawn said meekly.

“I’m not quite getting that you believe me here, but I’ll accept it for now. I love you Dawn.”

“I know you do Buffy.” Dawn played with her hair for a moment. “So exactly what have you been up to lately?”

“Oh, god!” Buffy put her head in her lap. “What did I do!” Buffy started to cry. She’d been so concerned with stuff since she woke up that it had completely skipped her mind.

“I'm a monster!”

“No you aren’t,” said Dawn giving her sister a hug.

“No, you don’t understand, I killed a family last night, oh my god.”

“A family Buffy? Like a mom and dad and kids?” Dawn gulped.

“They were demons, but a demon family. They weren’t doing anything bad. And I just killed them. Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god!”

“Buffy!” shouted Dawn, “ Snap out of it already! It’s the Slayer demon, you have to get control and not let this happen again ok? Let’s go inside.”
__________________________________________
Kennedy was moving out. It’s not like Willow hadn’t seen it coming, after the whole, ‘take away Kennedy’s powers,’ thing, Kennedy and she never talked again. They yelled, they screamed. Kennedy hasn’t really even stayed since that night. It was good to have closure, sorta. Kennedy was going to work with Angel and crew at Wolfram and Hart. Once again this sucked. The suckiness was everywhere. Kennedy genuinely hated her. How had this happened?

Ok, she knew it was her fault. Oz left, cause she kissed Xander, and then cause she didn’t understand his werewolf sitch. Tara left because she messed up with magic. Now Kennedy left.

Other than Kennedy and Fred, Willow really didn’t have any friends in LA. When Willow had started school earlier in the month, everyone had been here, well except Giles. But now she was alone. LA, not so fun anymore. Maybe she could transfer to Ohio State when the semester was over, help with the slaying again.

Angel and crew really hadn’t asked for her help at all yet since she had let them know she was available for magic consultation. She had to go where she felt needed and that was not LA anymore.
__________________________________________
When Dawn and Buffy returned to the apartment no much had changed, Spike had settled himself in front of the TV but now Andrew had started sniffling, like he was sad and wanted attention.

“Bloody hell, boy, stop your sniffling. I don’t care what the whelp yelled at you for, it’s not going to change a thing.”

“Not fair! You aren’t the one being told you aren’t doing your job properly.”

Spike’s attention shifted back to Buffy who looked distraught. Instantly he was up out of his chair.

“Slayer, What’s wrong?” he inquired.

“I killed a family! Last night! I’m a monster!” wailed Buffy.

“Oooh! This sounds like it needs to be written down,” said Andrew.

“Not the time Andrew,” said Dawn pushing Andrew away.

The look of sadness returned to the boy’s face.

“I can’t do my job, if you don’t let me do my job! Xander’s been yelling at me!”

“So much sympathy for you,” said Dawn sarcastically.

Spike had taken Buffy back to her room.

“No one appreciates me! I can’t be a watcher if no one lets me watch stuff!”

“Did it ever occur to you that the reason why they didn’t take you to England was because you whine?” said Dawn as she gathered her school books together.

Andrew gasped, then strode out of the apartment haughtily.

Dawn rolled her eyes.
__________________________________________
In Buffy’s room, Spike had set the slayer down on her bed.

“What do you mean you killed a family?” he asked softly.

“A family, of demons, like Clem! I slaughtered them. I didn’t care. I’m so horrible.”

“Ya that’s right awful pet. Are you sorry you did it?”

“Yes!” she wailed.

“So at least we knew your soul’s still good.”

“Oh yeah, soulfully Buffy, just killing all the demon children now,” Buffy collapsed on the bed wailing.
__________________________________________
“Sun’s set pet,” he said casually trying to get any reaction other than sobbing from the slayer.

“Chain me up Spike, please,” she whimpered.

“No,”

“What do you mean, no?”

“No, you and I pet, we are going out, get yourself cleaned up.”

“Huh?”

“Shower. Now,” he said forcefully.

“Why?”

“Tell you after. Shower. Now.”
__________________________________________
Andrew sat at the bar in one of Cleveland’s nicer bars. He wasn’t ready to find himself where demons met yet. He was nursing his rum and coke (cause beer is just plain gross) while he poured out his feelings to the attractive blonde beside him. He didn’t quite remember how exactly he got talking to him, but he didn’t want to stop. He was nice, nicer than Dawn had been that day.

“Just how does he expect me to do my job when she is just so unwatchable! He forgets how hard living with her can be you know. I’m sure he had the same problems when Anya was alive.”

“Anya?” asked the blonde man sipping his beer.

“Yes, she was a rare beauty, blunt, told it like it was. Gave Xander Harris a horrible time. He jilted her at the altar. She was my friend. Made his life miserable. You know sometimes I wish that she was alive again, just so she could make him feel miserable once more. That would be nice. Also I miss her. She died saving me you know. Saved me twice, once when Willow was evil, but she was all powerful then, the teleporting was cool. I’d amend my wish. I’d wish for Anya to be back with her powers, then she could teleport to London and give Xander an earful.”

“Wow, tall order,” said the blonde.

“Yeah I know, but its my fantasy, isn’t it?”

“No, now it’s your reality,” said the blonde. “Wish granted.”

Andrew turned shocked at the man he had been pouring out his soul to.

“Huh?”

“Well it’s been swell,” said the blonde as he got up to leave.

“Wait! What did you mean?”

The man only smiled before he walked out of the bar.
__________________________________________
Willow was immersed in one of her sociology readings when she was roused out of her concentration by a large thud.

“Ow!” said a voice.

Willow looked up from her text to see a woman lying in the middle of her dorm room floor.

“Hey! Not good! Teleporting into my room without permission: not ok!” said Willow, “I don’t even know you...”

The woman pushed herself up off the ground.

“Anya!” breathed Willow.

“Geez. Been dead for four months and I can’t teleport properly anymore.”

“Anya!” Willow got herself up off her bed.

“Willow! Good to see you. I’m glad you didn’t die when I did. How has everyone been since I died? Did anyone else die?”

“How!?”

“Oh yes, well it was a shock for me too. Apparently I am the result of a wish made to a vengeance demon. That’s what D’Hoffryn told me anyway. Did you know he’s taking gay men to be vengeance demons? Apparently there was a niche in the market that he hadn’t considered before. So one minute I was being cut in half by a bringer then the next I was in front of D’Hoffryn. Told me I had been dead for four months.”

“Wow!” said Willow shocked. “Do you know who made the wish?”

“Yes! Andrew!”

“Andrew? Guestage Andrew?”

“Yes, I have to fulfill his vengeance wish. I must annoy and give a hard time to Xander Harris.”

“Wow, k really need to make a phone call or two.”

“Are you calling Xander?”

“Well yes”

“Excellent perhaps we can have some post death sex.”

“Well you’d have to teleport to England for that.”

“Xander’s in England?”

“Yes, he’s all watchery now.”

“Xander’s a watcher?”

“Yep.”

“Anything else I should know? Except that Sunnydale is a crater, I saw that.”

“Um Buffy, Spike, Dawn and Andrew are all in Cleveland.”

“So what are you waiting for? Call Xander!”
__________________________________________
Buffy was dressed and standing outside her building holding Spike’s hand.

“Are you sure about this Spike?” Buffy asked with trepidation.

“Yes, we are going out, you are going to have a great time.”

“But what if...”

“No, not going to hear it pet. Think positively.”
__________________________________________
Spike led Buffy into a bar, not just any bar, the loudest and most raunchy demon bar in Cleveland, Mercy Bee’s.

“Relax Goldilocks,” Spike said as he squeezed her hand.

All around her Buffy could see and sense Demons of every shape and size.

Spike led her to a booth and ordered 2 shots of tequila.

“How’s it going Pet?”

“Ok, I still want to scream bloody hell and kill, main and destroy, but I’m better, with you here.”

“Thanks, but you know I won’t always be attached at the hip, you know. Gotta live my own unlife.”

“You won’t leave me though will you Spike?”

“I came back from the dead for you luv. You can’t get much more persistent than that.”

“I guess not.”

The waitress arrived with their shots, only to have the woman/demon/whatever she was with green arms tell them that there was a rumour that the Slayer was coming there to night and it might be best to clear out.

“Really? The Slayer huh?” said Buffy interested. “What’s she like?”

“Oh, nuts, heard she’s loonier than Drusilla Childe of Angelus, and that’s saying something.”

Buffy couldn’t help but laugh. “I think I could take her, how about you baby, do you think you could take out someone loonier than Drusilla childe of Angelus?”

Spike chuckled. “I don’t know luv, I always thought Drusilla a mighty good fighter, but then she’s got thrall, like Dracula that one.”

“You couldn’t take out the Slayer, hon, not some waify vamp like yourself. She’s ruthless.” said the waitress.

“Ruthless huh?”

Buffy was really enjoying this game with the waitress.

“This Slayer, what does she look like?”

“See that’s the thing, anyone who’s fought her, is dust or dead.”

“You mean no one knows what she looks like? No one?” asked Buffy.

“Nope.”

“Baby you’ve seen her right? I mean you the Slayer of Slayers, surely you’ve seen her?” said Buffy to Spike.

“You’re the Slayer of Slayers? William the Bloody? Childe of Drusilla? Wow I’m serving Drinks to a legend!”

“You’re a legend Baby,” snickered Buffy.

“So tell me what do you know about me?” asked Spike pouring on the charm.

“Ooh, that you’ve killed two slayers and helped kill the one in Sunnydale, but she got raised from the dead or something. I guess you’ll have to kill her again huh?”

“Oooh that’s too rich!” laughed Buffy, “Who does your PR? We really need to get out of here before your adoring fans get out of hand.”

“I think you are right luv,”

Spike paid the waitress and headed out the door.
__________________________________________

“Anya’s alive!” screamed Dawn as soon as Buffy and Spike got in.

“What with the huh?”

“Anya, alive, vengeance demony, and in LA with Willow! Willow just phoned.”

“How?”

“Andrew made a wish to a vengeance demon.”

“Figures”

“Bloody hell, well that’s half of us what’s gone and been resurrected. Does the Whelp know?”

“Yeah, Willow should be on the phone with him now.”

“Good grief I’m going to bed,” said Buffy.

“Don’t forget you have a social services drop in tomorrow!” shouted Dawn.

“Ah crap. Ok, Andrew needs to split for the day. Where is he anyway?”
__________________________________________
Andrew stumbled down the street; alcohol and Andrew Wells did not mix. He was trying to make his way back to Buffy’s but seemed lost. He just hoped that someone from the light side of the force found him before some vamp in search of an easy meal.
__________________________________________
Andrew woke up to find himself in a comfortable bed in a brightly lit room.

“Good you are awake!” said a friendly voice.

Andrew looked up to see a tall brunette male appear at the door way of the room.

“Yep, I’m awake...Um not to seem rude, but who are you and where am I. I don’t like not knowing.”

“Oh right, I’m David Gable, and you are in my house.”

“Oh where have I heard that name? It’s nice to meet you Mr David Gable. Thank you for your wonderful hospitality.”

“Not a problem. Do you pass out drunk often in dark alleys?”

“Um that would be a no. I sorta got yelled at by Xander, he’s well not my boss, but he thinks he is and I decided to drown my sorrows. I don’t know Cleveland that well yet. I think I got lost.”

“Right well I’m glad I found you before you got picked up by...”

“Vampires,” Andrew finished Gable’s sentence.

“I was going to say police”

“Right the police, that would have sounded better I wouldn’t want to get picked up by them either.”

David Gable sat down on Andrew’s bed.

“You know about Vampires?”

“Oh yes” answered Andrew knowingly.
__________________________________________
“So you see this apartment is only temporary, I’ve recently signed a lease on Pine street, we’re moving in in two weeks,” said Buffy to the social worker.

“And who all will be living in this house Miss Summers?”

“Dawn and I”

“Dawn mentioned that you have a boyfriend Miss Summers. Does he spend a lot of time here?”

“Actually, he’s just getting over an injury, he was mugged a week ago. He’s been here, so I can look after him.”

“Yes, Dawn said that too. Miss Summers would you allow me to speak with your boyfriend...a Mr. oh I’m sorry the name Dawn’s given me is Spike...”

“Spike’s a high school nick name he had. William Graves is his real name. I’ll see if he’s awake.”

“He’s asleep at this time of the day?”

“He works the late shift.”

Buffy walked into her bedroom to find Spike sitting on the bed.

“So the bint wants to see me does she?”

“You heard what was being said? Just along ok? I can’t have the state of Ohio thinking Dawn deserves to go back to California. I’m her family. You’re her family.”

“No problem luv,” Spike said as he got up off the bed. “I can be charming when the occasion calls for it.”

Spike was true to form too, impressing the social worker. Told her that he was a bouncer, but had a degree in English literature and languages, moved from Sunnydale with Buffy. He stressed that he had his own place and was quite fond of Dawn.

Buffy looked on impressed even though inside her slayer demons was shouting ‘Vampire!’ Buffy thought she had never been so in love with this man.
__________________________________________
“So David Gable of Cleveland, perhaps you’d like to make an alliance if you will with the forces of good, against the vampires and the demons,” said Andrew dramatically as he clutched his coffee.

Andrew sat at Gable’s kitchen table. The whole house was barren and sparse. Clearly needing Queer eye for the straight guy if ever anyone needed them.

“What do you mean? Forces of good. Do you mean there is actually an organized group that fights evil?”

“Oh how little of this world...” Andrew trailed off, “No let me start again. Yes there is. We are called the council of watchers.”

“The council of watchers...What do you watch?”

“The slayer. The one girl chosen in all the world to fight the vampires, the demons.”

“The Slayer, that’s a laugh. She doesn’t happen to be blonde 5’2” and have a bleach blonde vampire boyfriend?”

“Actually...”

“No, this is ridiculous”

“No, it’s not. You already know about vampires how hard is it for you to believe that there’s a girl to kill them. I’m a watcher. I record everything that happens to the slayer, demons she fights, enemies she makes. You are in the watcher diaries already. I know a lot more about you and your father than you think I do.”

“Excuse me? I never mentioned anything about my father to you!”

“That’s right, you haven’t, but I know, because your father was one of us, a watcher assigned to the slayer Marianne Levoy, she was fifteen when she was called, died in 1968 at the age of seventeen. Died in a car crash. Your father was her watcher.”

“Now you are just pouting a web of lies. My father was caretaker of this cemetery. Marianne Levoy was a family friend whose parents left her in my father’s care due to mental health issues.”

“Believe what you will. I only wish for us to work together for the forces of good against evil.”

“You know this is a lot more than I signed up for when I picked your drunk ass off the street.”

“You’re right, I’ve outstayed my welcome. Thank you for last night and if you ever need help here’s my number,” Andrew pulled out his brand new very professional looking business cards that he had had made up the week before.

Very proud of himself, Andrew made his way back to Buffy’s apartment. True he had not successfully recruited Gable as he had hoped to but then again he had tired been polite, planted the idea. It wouldn’t be long before David Gable was on their side of this. Andrew Wells was confident.
__________________________________________
tbc...

Review? Please?
 

Chapter 12:

Anya stomped around Willow’s dorm room. She had nothing to do. She was at a loss for what to do. She had had a stroke of luck and recovered her access to her assets. However she didn’t know where to go or what to do. True she was a vengeance demon again, but D’Hoffryn had made it very clear that because her continued existence was the result of a wish he did not expect her to be fulfilling her vengeance quota. She could consider herself a free lance vengeance demon, but where to go? To live? To set of shop? Shop!

That was it. She had to set up the magic box again. She still had contacts, suppliers, clients. She loved commerce and capitalism and money almost as she loved orgasms. Yes, a new magic box shop but then the next question would be where?

It certainly wouldn’t be in LA. Anya had met Angel and the rest of them in his Scooby wannabe group, no love for the vengeance demon crowd there. Plus that girl Kennedy was with them now. Never really liked her.

Buffy was in Cleveland. Yes a new place, a new Hellmouth of course there were a couple of more Hellmouths on the planet just some were more active than others. A plan formed in Anya’s mind.

Willow took that moment to return to her dorm room. One look at Anya made the witch’s face grow happier. At the beginning of the year Kennedy had signed up for a lot of the same classes Willow had, the ones she could get into anyway. Now post break up Willow was feeling that maybe this wasn’t such a good idea. Kennedy could be really mean when she wanted to be.

“Willow!” said Anya pleasantly “I’m moving to Cleveland!”

Willow’s smile dropped off her face.

“No, this is a happy thing. I’ve decided to relocate the magic box, to the Hellmouth.”

“That’s great Anya,” said Willow trying to be happy for the demon.

“You don’t sound glad for me.”

“It’s just, well Kennedy’s being nasty and I don’t really have any friends here in LA now that Kennedy’s all chumming with Angel’s gang. I thought...I thought we could you know, hang.”

“You want to be friends?”

“Yeah, cause well you don’t have anything to do after well, Xander’s response to you being back ‘Wow, ok’ You won’t be running off to see him.”

“No I won’t be teleporting to England for post resurrection orgasms. You would think, after my brave and selfless death that he would, being my former fiancé, show some sort of happiness at my resurrection.”

“So you will stay?”

“For now, but I must find something for me to do with all my time, I could go answer the call for vengeance. Your neighbour two doors down has been recently dumped.”

“No!”

“Alright then, what?”

“You could...You could attend classes with here at UCLA?”

“University life...Perhaps, I’ve never been in formal post secondary education before, in my day that stuff was only for monks. But it’s been 1120 years. Alright, higher education here I come.”
__________________________________________
Buffy patrolled with Spike. It was crazy but since Buffy killing machine exposition 2003 she never let Spike out of sight while on patrol and she was pretty sure that he liked the arrangement too. But patrol wasn’t the same. She always felt that he was waiting for her to freak out. She really hadn’t felt this uncomfortable on patrol since things started to go south with Riley.

In truth Buffy never had more respect for Spike. She now knew what it was to control an inner demon. It had been a few days since she had lost control. Everyone had been sympathetic. The demons in Cleveland were scared of her, which would be seen as a good, but she wasn't too sure about that.

With all the problems that were imposing themselves in Cleveland, she wondered exactly when they would see an actual big bad. Of course now that she had completely jinxed the whole thing she had only to wonder how bad it was going to be for her and her family.

It was while she was contemplating this that Spike pushed her down to the grass.

“Spike!” she was pissed, until she saw the cross bow dart that was now sticking out of a tree that had been behind her.

Buffy looked ahead of her to try to see who had shot the cross bow but could not see anyone. She had a very good idea who though.

“You still looking to exact pay back Spike?” Buffy asked her slaying partner.

“Absolutely luv, need a plan though.”

“Plan? How about going after him right now. Bastard with a crossbow is trying to kill me and dust you!”

“Yes luv, can’t just chase after the git, he’s got the advantage.”

“I say you circle to the left, me to the right and we pounce.”

Spike nodded.

Within five minutes, David Gable was face down on the ground, being held by Buffy.

“You know you are really starting to piss me off,” said Buffy.

“Luv?”

Buffy looked up to see Spike holding a roll of duct tape.

“I’ve always wondered what all you carried in that coat of yours.”

Spike smiled as bent down to wrap up Gable’s hands.

“Why don’t you just get it over with, you foul soulless demons,” spat Gable.

“Hey!” said Buffy offended, “We have souls.”

“Oh really? Prove it.”

“Uh well, you see that’s a little hard to prove,” said Buffy seriously, “But we aren’t going to kill you.”

“Sure, you are champions sent by the gods to protect the world from the vampires and demons.”

“As a matter of fact...” said Buffy.

“They like to be called the Powers that be, mate.”

“Whatever.”

“Look buddy,” said Buffy getting mad and turning him to face her. “I want you to leave us alone. We are on the same side here.”

“Come on luv, let me have a go at him, pay back for what he did to me.”

Buffy gave him a look.

“Buffy,” he whined, “Can I hit him at least?”

“Sure,” she shrugged her shoulders, “Go ahead.”

“Hey,“ protested Gable. “I thought you said we were on the same side here.”

“That’s true, but you hurt my vampire, people who hurt my boyfriends tend to end up in the hospital.”

“It’s true mate, I tried using her first boy toy in a ritual and I ended up in a wheel chair for months,” Spike turned to Buffy. “I never did pay you back for that.”

“Oh I think you did...can we say kidnapping Willow and Xander? Or how about the whole Gem or Amara incident?”

“Chaining me up in the watcher’s tub?”

“Selling us out to Adam”

“Beating me for info.”

“Trying to get the chip out.”

“Ruining my rep”

“Showing me Riley and the vamp hos”

“Telling me I’m beneath you.”

“Making the Buffy bot.”

“Dying.”

“Oh Spike...” Buffy left her prisoner on the ground and rushed into Spike’s arms. “I’m so sorry.”

“Not as much as I am luv.”

They kissed.

“You two are insane!”

Buffy turned to look at her prisoner.

“Not so much actually,” observed Buffy.

“So what are we going to do with him?”

“I’m thinking subject him to Andrew?”

Spike laughed.

“Maybe he can talk some sense into him,” continued Buffy.

“Andrew?” Spike spat during his chuckle.

“Ok,” Buffy sighed. “I’ll call Giles.”
__________________________________________

With Gable safely confined to the bathroom and Giles on a plane, Andrew had the arduous task of telling Gable that he was mistaken about Buffy.

Buffy herself was just grateful that soon this whole Gable mess would be over.

“The watcher’s plane gets in, in three hours pet.”

“Right, Apartment clean, check. Weird Vamp hunter guy in bathroom, check Fridge stocked, complete with tea and crumpets, check.”

“Kinda interesting seeing the captive in the bathroom from this side,” observed Spike.

“Oh please, you liked it. You had a warm place to stay and we fed you.”

“And I got to look down your shirt when you did it too,” he smirked.

“You did not.”

“I did”
__________________________________________
Giles arrived with volumes of texts in his hands. Buffy looked at him sceptically. “If you expect me to read all that you’ve got another thing coming.”

“Oh...” Giles looked at the books. “No, not in fact for you.” Giles dug around in his pickets for a moment. “This is for you.” Giles thrust a piece of paper at her.

“A cheque?”

“Yes, your pay retro active to the time when you were of legal age. In British pounds sterling.”

Buffy looked harder at he cheque with disbelief.

“Also you will be getting a monthly cheque for carrying out your Slayer duties. As well the council will be purchasing your house. We may need to send potentials to you to train until we are up and running at full capacity.”

“Giles this is too much!”

“I don’t think so Buffy considering all you’ve been through.”

Buffy smiled and hugged her watcher.

“You uh, better get in there, Andrew may have caused Gable to gnaw his own ears off by now.”
__________________________________________
Buffy returned from the grocery store with boxes for the move only to hear Giles yelling.

“You stupid prat! Have you learned nothing?”

“I thought it would be an educational tool...For future watchers.”

“Video taping Gable is not useful in anyway!” Giles held Andrew’s video camera in his hand.

Buffy had to laugh; she had threatened to break the device innumerable time this past week. Buffy laughed and headed into her room. Lying on the bed, Spike was reading.

“Look what I have!” Buffy sing-songed.

Buffy dangled keys in his face.

“Keys?”

“House keys, picked them up when I went for boxes. You wanna go take a look?”

“Middle of the day pet.”

“Blanket...car.”

“You know, I wonder if your father is ever going to want his car back.”

“He’s coming for Christmas and driving back.”

“Oh.”

“But now I have money I can buy a car.”

“Do you have an Ohio driver’s licence?”

“Do you?”

“Maybe you should let me worry about the car pet.”

“Oh I see, you’ll get to drive it, pick it out, but I have to pay for it?”

“Sounds about right.”

“I’m just your sugar daddy aren’t I? Or...what ever the female equivalent is. Sugar Mommy?”
__________________________________________
Spike stood in the large room in the basement of Buffy's new house.

“And this will be my training room/laundry room.”

“Sounds like you’ve got all the rooms assigned. Even the whelp and red have rooms.”

“And you are wondering where you are going to sleep?

“I admit that was the direction my brain was progressing.”

“Well, down the hall,” Buffy pointed, “are two bedrooms, one could be yours if you wanted, or...”

“Or?”

“You could share with me,” she said in a little voice.

Spike swept her up in his arms.

“Are you asking me to move in with you?”

“Yes, sounds like anyway. What do you say?”
__________________________________________
Buffy and Spike returned to the apartment to find Giles drinking tea and Andrew watching TV.

“How did the Gable-ing go?” asked Buffy.

“Oh far better than I expected. He has agreed to leave you alone, in exchange for all information we have about his parents.”

“Sounds like a good deal.”

“Indeed. I believe that Andrew should remove with me to England. Despite his protests I believe it will do a tremendous amount of good for him, however as his job is so bloody important to him, he has agreed to come after he’s given notice, four weeks at most.”

Buffy breathed a sigh of relief, she had lived too long with Andrew as it was.

“I’ll send Xander here to take over his duties as watcher. I’m sure Xander will find Andrew’s task a refreshing change from his current assignment.”
__________________________________________
tbc...

Review? Pretty please?

__________________________________________
Chapter 13: Mother-ish

On moving day, the unpacking was going well. Everyone had agreed to their share of the cleaning and unpacking. Buffy was carefully unwrapping the dishes. They had one set per person and really she didn’t want to break anymore dishes.

“Buffy!” yelled Dawn from her bedroom. “The box marked weapons got put here by mistake, come take it to the basement!”

“Get Spike to do it!” Buffy shouted back.

“Did I hear my name?” said Spike as he came up from the basement.

Spike wrapped his arms around the blonde slayer and ground his pelvis into her backside. “Our room is all set up and just waiting to be christened luv,” he purred into her ear.

“Mmm,” responded Buffy, “Too many people in the house, I wanna be loud.” She turned to face him. “Dawn needs you to move the box of weapons from her room to the basement.”

“Did she open the box to make sure there are actually weapons in there? I’m not carting boxes around so you Summers women can ogle my goodies.”

“But they’re so yummy,” Buffy smiled.

“Never mind Buffy! It’s my text books!” shouted Dawn from the second floor.

“When did you get so smart?” chuckled Buffy.

“Must have been all those years as a Master Vampire, must have been good for something.”

Spike leaned in for a kiss only to be interrupted by the doorbell. Buffy rolled her eyes and headed to the front door.

“Better not be neighbours bearing casseroles,” she muttered.

The neighbour across the street had already introduced herself and given them a cake and had promptly fallen in love with Giles. Mrs. Morganson, widow, approximately 45 years old, had flirted relentlessly with her watcher, resulting in Giles’ attempts to be away from the house a great deal today, making trips with the rented van, helping Oz and Spike carry things, doing spontaneous shopping for things that he felt she needed in her house and leaving to have coffee or tea or something with Gable at one point. Right now Giles and Oz were packing up Oz’s stuff to bring to the house.

When Buffy had offered Oz a room to stay in he had happily accepted. He had been living, in a less than nice apartment in the bad side of town. She had more than enough rooms in her house and it was kind of nice to have lots of friends around. Oz was taking one of the rooms in the basement and they were planning on adding a secure metal cage down there for emergencies in a few days. Oz was not completely werewolf free, but he could control it now. He just wanted to be safe.

Buffy opened the door to reveal two young girls, one preteen-ish, holding the other, a sleeping toddler, standing on her front porch.

“You aren’t here to sell me Girl Scout cookies are you?” Buffy asked.

Without muttering a word the elder, sandy blond girl, who looked eleven or twelve, handed Buffy a piece of paper and stood there waiting for her to read it.

“Ok, well why don’t you come in, it’s cold outside,” said Buffy not wanting to heat all of Cleveland.

The girls entered the house and the elder girl dropped the bag she was carrying and headed to the living room without even being shown where to go. She put the little one down on the couch and sat beside her, a scowl apparent on her face.

“Please make with the reading before she wakes up or you will have a two year old you don’t know what to do with on your hands,” said the girl.

Buffy took a long hard look at the children. The elder one was speaking what Dawn would call ‘Buffy speak’ and clearly was exhibiting the most pronounced pout she had ever seen. Her green eyes were angry and scared.

The little one was curled up around a teddy bear. She had cute curly brown hair and was just the cutest little person Buffy had ever seen.

Buffy opened up the piece of paper and started to read, vaguely aware of Spike behind her.

Buffy looked from the letter to the kids and back again before handing the letter to Spike.

“I hope you won’t be too offended if I ask you a skill testing question?” asked Buffy as Spike read the letter.

“No,” said A.

“Could, you name your grandparents? All of them?”

A sighed. “Joyce and Hank Summers, William and Anne Graves, Drusilla childe of Angelus and Rupert Giles. All people you consider to be my grandparents. Happy?”

“Let’s just say this is very hard to believe, but I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt for now.”

“Thanks, I think,” sniped A.

“Hey, don’t get all snippy with your mother pet, it’s not exactly something she was expecting today, to have two of her kids show up on the door step from the future,” said Spike folding the letter back up.

“Yes, Da,” said A with her head bowed.

“So what are we to call you? Or is “A” good for you?” asked Buffy.

“You can call me Amy, it’s not my name but it’s ok.”

“Alright then, Amy lets get you settled. I only have 3 rooms currently not assigned.”

“No worries, Mum said you had our rooms still available, though one of them is earmarked for uncle Xander. Mum said that you also don’t have any furniture in our rooms yet, so she wished you happy shopping.”

“Ah crap, one other thing to do today. You might have to sleep on the couch or bunk with Dawn.”

“Dawn?”

“My sister?”

“Oh, Auntie Dawn, yeah, ok I remember her, Vicky used to tell me stories about crusty old Auntie Dawn.”

“Crusty?”

“Well I’m sure she was at the time, I mean Vicky’s been around forever. Vicky said she was way old and smelled like medicine all the time.”

Buffy started to laugh. “Dawn is Seventeen here. Exactly how far in the future are you from?”

“Nope, Mum said I couldn’t tell you that.”

“Wonderful. You want something to eat?” offered Buffy. “I think Dawn was going to make grilled Cheese or something.”

“Ok.”

“Great,” said Buffy. “Dawn!” Buffy shouted up the stairs. “Come and make lunch, we have guests.”

“Slayer! Did you want to wake up the littler bit?” said Spike.

“Actually yes,” said Buffy. “Amy why don’t you take your bag upstairs to your room?”

“Ok,” Amy trudged out of the room.

Buffy pulled Spike into the kitchen.

“Oh my god Spike, what the hell am I going to do with a 12 year old and a 2 year old? I don’t know anything about kids.”

“Raised Dawn alright, and I’ll help you, they are mine too you know,” he said proudly.

“I’m not ready to be a mom so soon. I need, like 9 months to get used to the idea!”

“Ok, I’m here!” said Dawn as she entered the kitchen, “Who is this company?”

Buffy handed Dawn the letter and watched as Dawn’s eyes bugged out of her head.

“I’m an aunt!” Dawn whispered. “ An indecent number of kids? One word, birth control. Hey, I thought Vampires couldn’t, you know, get anyone pregnant?”

“That’s what we thought too,” said Buffy. “But right now we need lunch, then we have to go shopping for furniture, and clothes for Amy and D.”

The two year old ran into the kitchen.

“Mummy! Up!” said the toddler with a smiled on her face.

Buffy picked up the little girl. For the first time, Buffy saw D’s eyes, they were crystal blue, just like Spike’s.

“D, this is your Auntie Dawn.”

Dawn waved to the little girl.

“Dawn, lunch. I am going to spend time with my kid. You are just the most precious little girl,” cooed Buffy as she took the toddler back into the living room.

“I don’t think I’m ready to hear baby talk coming from your mouth quite yet,” muttered Dawn.

Buffy returned to the living room and sat on the couch, D happily on her lap.

“You are just the prettiest little toddler I have ever set my eyes on,” cooed Buffy.

Buffy looked up to see Amy return to the living room.

“Geez, its so bloody primitive here, its what 2003? This is completely noidal.”

“Noidal?”

“It’s slang, you’re old you aren’t meant to comprehend,” said Amy.

“Hey!”

“Well at least you aren’t as old as Da.”

“I guess.” Buffy looked down at D then at Amy. “Look I realize that this is way weird for you but it’s weird for me too. So if you could give me some slack on the mother front. If I’ve had the indecent number of children, I must be a better mom then rather than now.”

“Mummy! Cat!” called D, drawing Buffy’s attention back to the toddler.

“We don’t have a cat, sweety,” said Buffy.

“Cat, Cat, Cat.”

“Does she have a cat at home?”

“No, she’s just yelling out things she shouldn’t. She’s two. She doesn't know any better.”

“Aweel? Play Cat?”

“No, D.”

“Aweel?” D’s lip started to tremble, but broke into a smile when Spike entered the room. “Da!”

Buffy hoisted her daughter up into his arms.

“Da!”

Spike smiled proudly.

“Cat-rin Dusilly Gaves”

Amy groaned.

Buffy and Spike froze.

“Is...is that her name?” stammered Buffy.

Amy nodded. “You’ve done it now D.”

D just clapped her hands.

“Why the hell would I name my kid after your ho of an ex?” Buffy seethed.

“Hey, she’s my sire, I’m sure we named one of our kids after Joyce,” defended Spike.

“Whoa...guys...”

“My mom wasn’t a raving lunatic,” countered Buffy.

“Parentals...”

“I’ve just as much right to name my kids after Dru as you have to name her after your mum. Amy, what’s your middle name?” asked Spike.

“Oh good grief,” said Amy. “I knew this wasn’t going to last. Vicky warned me about this, Grace too. Please will you just calm down.” Amy exhaled. “Da is right, my sisters have been named after Grandma Joyce, and Grandma Anne and Drusilla. You decided a long time ago that we would each have a middle name of someone in the family.”

Dawn walked in on the discussion.

“D here is Catherine Drusilla. And I’m Ariel Dawn.”

“You named your kid after me?” exclaimed Dawn, “You guys are so great.”

Buffy smiled. “Thanks crusty old Aunt Dawn.”

“You have to promise to name us that when we are born though,” continued Ariel.

“And Vicky and Grace are two of your other sisters?” asked Buffy.

“Yes,”

“See we named a kid after your sister, Spike,” offered Buffy, trying to placate the vampire.

“Spike had a sister?” asked Dawn.

“Two actually and no I didn’t kill them. They died of natural causes,” said Spike, bouncing Cat up and down

“Is lunch ready yet Dawn?” asked Buffy.
__________________________________________
Lunch was consumed in relative peace, with Andrew joining them from his attic room shortly after he smelled food. He took the news that Ariel and Cat were Buffy and Spike’s kids in stride. He didn’t particularly like kids, but he could see that Dawn adored them.

Shortly after the dishes were cleared away, Oz and Giles arrived at the kitchen door with Oz’s stuff. Buffy had sent Ariel to write down all the things she thought she needed for her room and for Cat’s room. Cat was playing with Dawn in her room.

Spike took a box from Giles and trudged down into the basement and Oz’s room, leaving the other two men to bring in stuff from the van.

“Andrew! Get your butt down here and help the guys out!” shouted Buffy.

“You know you could help too luv,” said Spike as he came back up the stairs. “Slayer strength and all.”

“Nope, I was raised to believe that the women had the babies and the men did the heavy lifting. And hey, now I have the babies!” she smiled.

“That you do luv,” he said.

“I’m feeling very motherly right now, I wonder if I could learn to make cookies.”

“Gah! I refuse to let you burn down the house on the first day we live here!” said Dawn coming into the kitchen, carrying Cat.

“Ya, ya, rub it in that I can’t cook.”

“It doesn’t get better” came Ariel’s voice from the dining room entrance to the kitchen.

“Great,” pouted Buffy.

Cat saw the pout and reached towards her mother. “Mummy? Hug?”

Buffy scooped up Cat and held her tight.

Giles and Oz, returned with Oz’s mattress.

“Hey, there are kids in the kitchen,” observed Oz. “Did they come with the house?”

Buffy laughed.

Giles did a double take, as Spike took his end of the mattress and helped Oz down the stairs. Off came the glasses and the watcher whipped out a handkerchief.

“Buffy? Dare I ask whose children these are?”

“Who’s he?” asked Ariel.

“Giles, meet Ariel and Catherine, I have kids!” Buffy beamed.

Dawn handed Giles the letter from future Buffy. The whole group waited in silence for Giles to peruse the letter.

“And have you verified the identity of the children? Forgive me but this seems highly suspicious. Vampire’s can’t father children.”

“Well I beg to differ Giles, look at them! You cannot possibly deny that they are my kids Giles. Catherine has Spike’s eyes.”

“I’ll need to research this.”

“Why? Look the letter said that Buffy couldn’t tell us how they were conceived, why can’t we just remain in blissful ignorance until it happens?” said Dawn “You’ll spoil all the fun for when she is actually pregnant.”

“I suppose. It is all rather peculiar.”

Ariel walked up to Giles and scrutinized him carefully.

“So you are grandpa Giles. Huh...I thought you’d be, I don’t know, more posh.”

“Dear Lord...”

“Ariel...” warned Buffy.

“Can we go shopping now?” asked Ariel. “I need to find out what is cool here. Before you enrol me into an ancient education system where they probably still rely on paper.”

Buffy rolled her eyes. “Ok, ok, clothes shopping, bed shopping, again.”

Spike and Oz came up the stairs.

“Ya, I see it. Cute kids,” said Oz, reaching the top of the stairs.

“Thanks,” Buffy beamed.

“So who’s this then?” asked Ariel.

“Manners pet,” warned Spike.

“Oh, right. Hi, I’m Ariel Dawn Graves, but you can call me Ariel, and you are?” Ariel extended her hand to be shaken.

Oz returned the gesture. “Daniel Seth Osborn, but you can call me Oz.”

“Pleasure. So now that we are all acquainted, can we go shopping now?”
__________________________________________
tbc...