_________________________________________
Chapter 14: The Name Game

Buffy lay back against Spike reliving the days events. She had kids, kids that could potentially kill her. One kid that was named after Drusilla. Buffy had also purchased two more beds and some other furniture and a whole new wardrobe for Ariel and Cat. Frankly she was shopped out. Buffy had begun to doze when suddenly a high pitched scream came from Cat’s room.

Buffy jumped out of the bed and dashed next door. Cat was crying and holding her head. Buffy gathered the toddler in her arms and rocked back and forth.

“Oh Kitty Cat it will be ok,” soothed Buffy.

“Mummy, head.”

“Oh Sweety...”

“What’s wrong?” yawned Dawn from the doorway.

“I don’t know Dawn,” said Buffy worried. “She says her head hurts.”

“Maybe we should take her to the hospital.”

“No!” said Ariel coming into the room. “You can’t take her to the hospital!” All eyes turned to the doorway.

“Why not?” asked Dawn.

“We can’t go to the hospital, we are half vampire!”

“Oh ya,” said Dawn like she was thinking hard about something.

“How about tylenol?” asked Buffy.

“Won’t work. She needs blood.”

“Excuse me?” balked Buffy.

“Oh bloody hell...” said Ariel rushing towards her mother and sister.

Buffy watched intently and with suspicion as Ariel grabbed her wrist and brought it to her sister’s mouth. Suddenly Buffy felt small teeth pierce her skin. She turned wide eyed at Cat who was happily sucking her blood.

“Yeesh!” Buffy freaked out and pulled herself away from her daughter.

“Holy Crap!” exclaimed Dawn.

Buffy held her bleeding wrist and backed away.

“Great now you’ve scared her!” said Ariel hugging her sister.

“Spike!” Buffy yelled.

When Spike didn’t respond right away, Buffy charged into her bedroom.

“Spike!” Buffy yelled.

Spike did not stir.

“William Graves you get your undead ass out of that bed!” Buffy chucked a stuffed toy at her lover’s head.

“Wha?”

“Spike did you not hear Cat scream?”

“Was that Cat? I was dreaming about this girl Darla tortured when I was a fledge.”

“God, I so don’t ever want to see your dreams.”

“So why are you waking me up then?”

Buffy rolled her eyes.

“Why are you bleeding?”

“Your daughter bit me.”

“Ain’t that interesting.”

“What, aren’t you shocked?”

“She’s my daughter pet, remember vampire. Did she vamp?”

“Not really, but she grew fangs.”

“Bloody brilliant that is.”

“Spike! So not helping.”

“What do you expect me to do then luv.”

“Bloody hell Da do you ever wear clothes?” came Ariel’s voice from the doorway.

Spike nearly jumped and covered himself with a blanket.

”Oh please all the important boy parts were covered,“ said Buffy.

“I’m traumatized for life!” wailed Ariel.

“Whatever, would you care to explain why a toddler just sucked my blood?” asked Buffy.

Ariel rolled her eyes.

“You know I shouldn’t tell you this, you should find out about it the natural way.”

Buffy put her hands on her hips. Ariel sighed.

“My sisters and I, we aren’t Damphyrs or anything else the watcher’s council has ever seen before. There’s never been children born to a vampire and the first slayer before. We drink blood, when we are born, mixed with breast milk.”

Buffy’s arms went to cover her chest. “Ouch”

“We’re strong, not as strong as Slayers but stronger than normal kids, our fangs come down when we need iron, we don’t have game face, just fangs, and we sunburn easily. Look, D’s just a little kid that doesn't realize that anything is different, we still live in this house, the room she ‘s in, that’s her room. I know that this is weird fro you, but do you realise that this is weird for us? Our parents are fighting the first evil, they may die, we might be stuck here in the ancient past for the rest of our lives.”

“Ariel I’m sorry for freaking out,” said Buffy rushing to hug her daughter. “I promise no more wigging.”
__________________________________________
“Willow! I have kids!” gushed Buffy on the phone the next morning.

“What no hello from the Buffster?” said Willow. “What do you mean you have kids?”

“Kids, Willow! and I’m freaking out here. They just showed up on my doorstep with their teddy bears from the future Willow.”

“Do you think their real, I mean, of course they’re real, right? They are real?”

“I can touch them and everything.”

“Oh good, but what I meant was as you sure they’re your kids?”

“If you saw them you wouldn’t ask the question.”

“It just seems odd. You know, that they would just show up. I wonder which spell was used? I wonder if I was the one who cast it?”

“I don’t know Willow and I won’t be asking. It’s to easy for Ariel to just give us information. She means well but if we press her too hard she might tell us something that will screw up the future.”

“Ok...”

“I don’t want to screw up that future Will. I sounds good. I’ve got kids, with Spike! and I’m married to Spike! I’m Mrs William Graves!”

Willow laughed. “Not yet you aren’t.”

“So how’s everything with you?”

“Good, Anya and I submitted our forms for transfer for next semester. Hopefully in a few months we’ll be just two more bodies in the Summer’s home for wayward Scoobies.”

“That’s great Wills. So what is Anya taking, course wise?”

“Well, first year courses and plus she’s a later admission, so the courses she’s in are pretty blah. She’s got 20th century history, which she’s calling the course of American propaganda and lies. Intro to Psych, she thinks it will be useful if she ever gets back into vengeance. Umm, what else... She’s taking an art course and Intro to Marketing.”

“Sounds fun”

“Ever thought of returning to school yourself Buff? You could come with us and we could be study buddies.”

“You know that’s not a bad idea. I don’t have to work anymore, I’ve got a vampire to look after the kids during the day and Dawn and Andrew at night. I could do back to school, finished my degree.”
__________________________________________
Buffy was infinitely glad that Cat was potty trained and that she had three bathrooms in her house.

Andrew was secluded in his attic bedroom, which had its own bathroom, no longer would she have to put up with all of his male products. The basement had a bathroom which serviced the two occupants of the basement bedrooms, Oz and Giles (who wasn’t staying but liked the fact that he had his own bedroom while he was here.) Buffy’s second floor bathroom had a beautiful Victorian Style tub in which she had promised herself a relaxing bath as soon as they were satisfactorily moved in.

Unfortunately that idea went out the window when Cat discovered the garden in the back yard and decided to plant her own seeds (which Buffy found out were raisins) and now looked like she had plunged head first into the dirt.

So the first person to get to use the tub was Cat, with Buffy hanging over the edge to wash her two year old.

Buffy had to admit that it was cute, seeing Cat splash playfully in the water, only slightly marred by the fact that she would have to mop the bathroom floor after she was done.

Looking into her daughter’s face Buffy couldn’t help but wonder about the future that this child came from and whether or not these children would be returning to their home at all.

The idea that she would have children, with Spike of all people was mind boggling. She had all but resigned herself to the fact that she would never have kids. Now she had hope. Like most little girls, Buffy had planned her wedding when she was young, and picked out her kids names.
She wondered exactly what and ‘indecent’ number of kids actually was.

“Oh I’m not telling you,” said Ariel, standing in the doorway.

Buffy smiled, she must have said that last part out loud.

“You will flip out just like when you found out what D’s name was.”

“Can you at least tell me if I name any more of my kids after blood sucking vampires?”

“Yes, you do. Family names.”

“Wonderful,” said Buffy hoisting Cat out of the tub, and wrapping her in a towel. “So that’s what, Darla then?”

“I don’t get why you are so fixated on the names, I mean they don’t mean anything right?”

“Names mean things Ariel. I’m sure I debated quite heavily on your name before you came into this world.”

“And here I thought you decided to name me after an animated mermaid.”

“Funny, ha, ha. You’ve never wondered what your name means?”

“It’s like ‘lion of god’ or something.”

“See, there you go.”

“I guess, The lion of god, Sunrise, Summer, Grave. Ya that’s an inspiring collection of meanings.”

“You’re the lion of god at sunrise in summer at a grave?”

“Well what does your name mean then?”

“Ummm, Consecrated to God, Gracious, Summer.”

“See that sounds like a chosen one’s name.”

“Thanks Ariel.” Buffy had finished drying off Cat and had dressed the toddler in her new pjs covered in Bunnies.

“Do I have to go to school tomorrow?” Ariel asked tentatively.

“Yes, you do, don’t try to get out of it.”

“I’m scared.”

“Of what?”

“Of the other kids, of not being smart enough.”

“Nonsense, I’m sure you inherited all your smart genes from your father, or sideways from your name sake...” Buffy wrinkled her brow as she contemplated that idea. “And even if you did get my defunct smartness, well, I did ok on my SATs, that’s got to count for something right?”

Buffy walked to Cat’s room and laid the now sleeping toddler down. Closing the door, so that there was only a crack open, Buffy turned back to her other daughter.

“You will do fine.”
__________________________________________
The house was quiet. It had better be, thought Buffy. It’s 3 am

Spike and Buffy walked hand in hand back towards their house. They had just finished possibly the most extensive patrol that they had ever done in Cleveland, turning up a couple of vamps, a few demons and a really confused pledge from a fraternity.

Really quite boring actually. But Buffy enjoyed her alone time with Spike.

“You haven’t said what you think about suddenly being a father,” she said standing on the front porch.

“What is there to say, pet? There’s no denying that they are related.”

Buffy laughed. “Cat’s like a female you, but with your natural hair colour.”

“Felt like I’d lost the plot for a bit there though. I’m a bloody vampire, what am I going to do with children pet?”

“I don’t know? Love them? Raise them? Threaten to eat their boyfriends?”

A happy smile passed over Spike’s face.

“I thought you’d like that...” she laughed. Suddenly she got serious again. “I love them though.”

“They could kill you...The prophecy...”

“Screw the prophecy. I was never meant to live forever.”

“Bloody hell Buffy. I don’t want to lose you again.” Spike took her into his arms and held her tight. “Thought it was a bloody brilliant thing that you and I could have a long time together.”

Buffy smiled up at her lover.

“I love you, you know...” she whispered.

“I know,” he said softly. Spike leaned down and captured his lips with his own.

“Mmm,” she moaned breaking for air.

Spike didn’t give her much time to recover from the pant worthy kiss, before assaulting her mouth with another followed by yet another.

Buffy found her body pressed up against the porch railing. Her brain briefly flickered to whether or not the railing could actually withstand the punishment that it was about to face. But the thought was cut short as she suddenly found herself without pants.

Buffy looked down to see Spike’s platinum head kissing up her now bear thighs. She leaned back further on the railing to grant him better access. Buffy gasped as she felt his cool tongue pass between her nether lips and begin stroking her clit with determination.

A car passed down the road, briefly illuminating their activities.

Buffy struggled to free one of her feet from her boot and jeans, to wrap her leg around Spike’s neck as he ate her out.

Buffy tried valiantly to restrain her moaning, but she failed and the whole neighbourhood could hear just how much she liked what Spike was doing to her. Buffy bit her lip when her orgasm took her.

Holding on to the railing for dear life and panting from her exertions, Buffy was unaware that Spike was suddenly fascinated by the bloody lip that she was now sporting. Standing up, Spike leaned in and licked the blood from her lip, cleaning the wound like a big cat.

Buffy smiled at his actions, she had an urge to ruffle his hair. Her hands other ideas though, good ideas. Buffy unzipped his pants and pushed them down exposing his hard on. He was kissing her now, mingling her juices and her blood between them.

With a grunt Spike hoisted Buffy up, wrapping her legs around him and lifting her up off the railing. Making a small turn, Buffy found herself up against the house, Spike poised at her moist entrance, hovering.

“Fuck me Spike,” she whispered. “I’m yours.”

That was all he was waiting for apparently.

Her thrust harshly into her moist recesses, only waiting a moment for her to adjust to his size within her.

She only hoped that they didn’t wake the kids.

And Dawn.

Spike’s eyes were almost feral with the intensity of what he was doing to her. She half expected him to vamp out. The wonderful sensation of his thrusting against her inner muscles made her start babbling incoherently.

“Oh Spike, so...fuck me Spike...”

Spike was beyond words it seemed.

Another car passed down the road, slower than the last one, illuminating the couple to catch Spike’s final roar as he spent his load.

Remaining there, pressed between her lover and her house Buffy leaned her head on his shoulder. She could feel his spendings trickling down her leg.

“Mmm, like porch sex,” she muttered.

Spike smiled a sleepy smile.

“You aren’t tired are you? Mr Vampire Stamina?” she asked.

“No, Miss Summers, care to have another go?” he asked politely.

“Why yes, Mr Graves,” she said with a twinkle in her eye. “Race you upstairs?”
__________________________________________
tbc...

__________________________________________
Chapter 15: Difficult Questions

Armed with Ariel’s modified school records and birth certificate (which Ariel had had stashed away in the bag she had brought with her), and a reluctant 12 year old decked out in what Dawn said was the coolest outfit, Buffy entered the local junior high school.

Buffy infinitely wished she could have passed this job onto someone else, Principals gave her the willies.

Buffy and Ariel were introduced to Ariel’s grade 7 teacher before the bell rang. She seemed nice enough, but Buffy had a strange feeling about her.

“We are currently working on a science unit on sound, and in math we just started geometry.”

Buffy looked down at Ariel, who looked infinitely bored.

“Sounds very educational,” said Buffy trying to sound like the informed parent she very clearly wasn’t. “Right, I’m sure you don’t want the parental to be hanging around. Someone will come and get you after school.”

“You don’t know who?” asked the teacher concerned.

“Well, we have seven adults living in our house and only one car, who ever has it at 3:30 will come and get her.”

“Mrs Graves, I don’t mean to sound sceptical, but the school becomes concerned when children are picked up by people we are unfamiliar with,” said the teacher.

“First of all, if you want a list of all the people who could pick her up, I’ll be more than glad to provide the school with one, secondly I’m not Mrs Graves. I’m not married. Ms Summers will be fine.”

“Oh, forgive me, I assumed... Her father lives with you though? I wasn’t mistaken about that?”

“Oh no, he’s a permanent fixture, just not married.”
__________________________________________
What the teacher said bothered her. She had kids and she wasn’t married. She had never thought it would have been such a big deal, especially in this day and age. But it mattered to her. Never once in her life had she ever imagined being an unwed mother, and now here she was, unwed and motherish.

Buffy returned home sans Ariel, to find Spike and Cat curled up on the couch, the curtains drawn, watching sesame street. She wished she had a camera. One more thing to put on the shopping list. Today’s list of things to do was growing quite long.

“Where’s Giles?” Buffy asked.

“Out with that Gable prick, again. Gotten quite chummy.”

“I guess that’s what happens when you chain someone up in a bathtub,” she said planting a kiss on Spike’s bleached head. “How’s mommy’s baby?” Buffy asked the two year old.

“She had another headache, when you were gone with Ariel,”

“What did you do to make it stop?”

“Let her bite me, not just slayer’s blood that heals her up nice.”

“You’re all medicine-y too. I really wish we could find out if something is wrong with her.”

“Well we can’t send her to daycare if she keeps having these headaches, they’ll send her to the hospital, and I shudder to think what the doctors will say about her fangs.”

Both the Vampire and the Slayer cocked their heads as they heard noises coming from the kitchen.

“Good morning Oz!” called Buffy.

Oz stumbled into the dinning room with a bowl of cereal and a glass of OJ. He nodded in the family’s direction and sat down at the recently purchased table.

Buffy turned her attention to the Vampire on the other side of Cat. “You can go get some sleep if you want,” she offered.

She knew that Spike hadn’t gotten a lot of sleep last night, he had lay awake, listening for anything wrong with Cat. After the first night and the scream of pain that he thought was part of his dreams, Spike wasn’t willing to fall asleep and not be there for his Kitty Cat.

“Don’t mind if I do pet.” Spike gave kiss to the toddler and rose from the couch. Spike passed in front of Buffy to exit the room, but held back, back tracked and yanked Buffy off the couch and into a passionate embrace. Buffy sighed as sank into his kiss.

Buffy giggled, returning the kiss. “Spike, not in front of Cat! or Oz!”

“Oh don’t mind me,” came Oz’s voice from the dining room.

“Mummy! Potty!” shouted Cat, hands in inappropriate places.

“Up you go then,” said Spike, indicating the stairs.

“Gotta go, bad.”

Buffy groaned and picked up the kid, and hustled up the stairs, depositing her into the bathroom.

“Next time, a little more warning ok? Mommy likes smoochies from your daddy.”

Cat just giggled.
__________________________________________
Giles returned from yet another meeting with Gable to find Buffy and Cat playing dolls in the living room, listening to the sounds of Oz practicing his guitar in the basement. Spike was sleeping in the master bedroom, complete with ear plugs, (cause it’s your own fault that you have to sleep in the afternoon.) Cat had slept for an hour after lunch, but now, at 2:30, it was play time, and daddy was still asleep.

“Gampa Giz!” clapped Cat.

“Hello Catherine.”

“We’re playing dolls,” said Buffy with a huge smile on her face.

“Excellent, good for you, Buffy. I was wondering if you would like me to do a trace spell on the spell on the children? To be sure that they were in fact sent here by yourself?”

“Do you really think that’s necessary Giles? I mean it’s not like I’m in any danger from Cat and Ariel, they are just kids.”

“You were in danger from the anointed one and he was a child.”

“He was a child with an e Giles.”

“Yes, ha, very amusing. The fact remains, Buffy, that it is possible that someone with a dark purpose has sent these children to you. They may in fact be genuine, but the purpose behind them...”

“Ok, I get it, someone is trying to take me out with my children from the future. God, is nothing just a happy day for you? You aren’t having a good time unless ‘evil is afoot,’ are you? Go ahead, do your spell, Cat and I have to dress up Barbie for her wedding to Ken.”
__________________________________________
Being the gentleman of tact as he was, Giles waited until Ariel and Cat were safely tucked into their beds before starting his tracer spell on the children. Buffy sat on the stairs watching the watcher in the living room prepare.

She had done this spell herself before, but it was a different matter watching someone do it.

When Giles rose from his spot on the living room floor, Buffy jumped out of the way. She knew he would have to look at Ariel and Cat. Giles stopped directly in front of his slayer for a moment, not saying a word.

Buffy waited quizzically for Giles to continue up the stairs, when he did, she was following close behind.

At the top of the stairs, blocking the way to the children’s bedrooms, Spike stood on guard. Buffy could see the conflict on his face as he paused before allowing the watcher to pass by him and into Ariel’s room.

Giles pushed open the door of the twelve year old’s room and stood for moment then turned and walked across the hallway to Cat’s room.

As Giles walked back down the stairs to the living room, Dawn joined them. Buffy shut the French door to the living room and sat down on the couch next to her watcher.

“Well?” she finally asked.

“The number of spells subjected to this family is quite astonishing. The spell on all of us regarding Dawn remains still very powerful. What I saw around Ariel and Catherine, the spell was performed or controlled by an older woman, I should say an elderly woman. I have no idea as to her identity. Further research into the identity of this woman would give us a better clue as to the purpose of the children in this time. Spike it seems still bears the imprint of the amulet on this chest, I should like to research that as well, this all will keep me very busy for a considerable amount of time.”

Buffy fidgeted in her seat. “I believe the note Giles. When you think about it who would you trust with the lives of your own children but yourself? If you want to confront Ariel about who ever put the spell on them, go ahead, but I won’t do it, Giles.”
__________________________________________

Buffy watched Ariel pick at her fruit loops. She had a sense that Ariel already knew what Giles was going to ask her. Buffy had begged him not to bother her about it before school. She didn’t need an angry and bitter preteen getting called to the principal’s office, because her surrogate grandfather upset her.

“I was awake when Grandpa Giles came into my room last night,” Ariel mumbled. “And I heard what you said to him after wards. Thanks for believing us.” Ariel tried to smile.

“Giles looks for demons when there is none. Sometimes he can’t see past the end of his nose.”

“Mary Poppins.”

“Huh?”

“Disney movie, with that Sound of music chick in it? Mary Poppins, that’s a line from the movie.”

“Oh.”

“Oh ya, versed in the classics. I remember the screaming match between you and Da when he said I should read the book first, instead of watching the movie. I think I was five.”

“Who won?”

“You did, as usual. Da read me bits of it as my bed time story for a month. Until he couldn’t stand me singing ‘Supercalafragilisticexpyaladocious’ anymore.” Ariel smiled at the memory. “Grace wanted to strangle me.”

“You don’t have to answer Giles’ questions if you don’t want to.”

“Ya I do,”

At that moment Giles walked into the kitchen via the basement stairs. Ariel stared at her grandfather for a moment before returning her attention to her Fruit Loops.

“Ariel...” began Giles.

“Her name is Rowan, she’s a witch.”

“How long have you known her?”

“All my life.”

“How long have your parents known her?”

“All her life.”

“What spell did she use?”

“I don’t know...I’m twelve.”

“Giles...” warned Buffy.

“Let him ask his questions Mum, so I can get on with the rest of my life.”

“I’d like to know more about this Rowan person, how was she trained? Who were her teachers? In witchcraft,” asked Giles, getting out a note pad.

Ariel rolled her eyes.

“Rowan was trained by the most powerful witch that Mum and Da know. She studied at the coven in Bath, you know the one.”

Giles waited for more info, while Ariel finished off her OJ.

“Can you provide me with names?” Giles asked after Ariel failed to continue.

“Rowan is my sister. Rowan Tara Summers- Graves, trained by Willow Rosenburg and Rupert Giles. Happy now?”

Ariel stormed out of the kitchen and up the stairs to her room.

“I seem to have stepped in it haven’t I?” stated Giles.

“Yep, in a big pile of crap,” agreed Buffy.
__________________________________________
Anya was sitting in her history class, diligently taking notes, trying desperately to pay attention to the professor, and not the girl in the row in front of her who had been dumped the night before.

“I just wish...” the girl started, “I wish that he would get penis fungus, is there even such a thing?” the girl giggled.

“There is now,” said Anya still typing, “Wish granted.”

It was a few moments before Anya even realised what she had done. She had typed the whole conversation between that girl and her friend, including Anya’s own contribution.

Anya shrugged her shoulders. “I’m sure penis fungus can be cured.”
__________________________________________
Ariel and Dawn were at school, Cat was napping, all her children accounted for, Buffy slipped into her room to write her in diary.

Buffy silently pulled the secret book from between the mattress and the box spring, while her Vampire lover slept on. Buffy padded back down stairs and sat on the couch for some privacy. Buffy opened the book only to pull a piece of paper out of it. Buffy unfolded the paper and read the contents:

Ariel Dawn
Catherine Drusilla
Grace
Vicky

Buffy took a pen and wrote another name down.

Rowan Tara

It had become an obsession. She wanted to know all about her children, they hadn’t been born yet, but deep down she had to know. The fact that Ariel knew so much about her children, more so than Buffy herself, it irked her. Shouldn’t a mother know?
__________________________________________
tbc...
 

__________________________________________
Chapter 16: Granny Anya

“You want to do what?” Buffy nearly screamed. “You can’t honestly be serious! He’s tried to kill us! He nearly murdered Spike!” It wasn’t lost on Buffy that Giles had once tried to kill Spike too, but inviting Gable to dinner? “Spike still can‘t see well out of one of his eyes. Do you really want me to invite the man that tried to blind my lover to dinner?”

“I would like him to meet all of the group, those who help the slayer, to get a better idea of what we do,” responded Giles.

“By having a dinner party?”

“A Columbus day dinner party?”

“Fine,” Buffy growled, “I’ll have to get another chair. That makes eleven for dinner then. I cringe to think what Christmas is going to be like.”

“Eleven?”

“Anya and Willow are teleporting in for the weekend. Teleporting still takes a lot out of Willow. Willow said that they had invites to spend the weekend with Angel and company. She’s willing to put up with a migraine and bloody nose to escape Kennedy, so I have to make pie.”

“Can you make pie?”

Buffy glared at Giles.

“Dinner’s at 6.”
__________________________________________
Dawn had taken Ariel and Cat to the park, Spike was setting up the futon in the guest room for Willow and one in Cat’s room, for Ariel, as Anya would stay in the pre teen’s room.

When Buffy had told them that Willow and Anya were coming to stay, Ariel and Cat’s eyes lit up. She didn’t know why, but she was eager to find out.

Willow and Anya arrived an hour after the kids where sent to the park. Willow instantly collapsed, Oz catching her before she hit the ground and placing her on the couch. Willow murmured her thanks and fell asleep.

“So where are these children of yours?” asked Anya eagerly.

“They are at the park with Dawn.”

“Oh.”

“Don’t worry Anya, they will be back soon,” Buffy laughed. “Anya? I’m glad you are alive again.”

Anya smiled. “Me too.” Anya gave Buffy a hug. “What can I do?”

Buffy smiled. “How are you at making jello?”
__________________________________________
When Willow woke up, she found herself staring into Oz’s eyes.

“Better?” he asked.

“A little. I’m really not so good with the teleporting. It’s either in pain Willow, or Willow three towns over.”

“I’d prefer not in pain Willow right here.”

Willow smiled, then suddenly frowned.

“You were in LA and you never came to see me, you non see-er!”

“It was easier.”

“But not better. I’d like to see you, I like seeing you.”

“I like seeing you too.”
__________________________________________
Anya had just pulled the pan out of the fridge to start cutting out shapes for the ‘jigglers’ that Buffy had asked her to make, when the front door opened and in ran a screaming two year old.

“Cat!, quiet!” shushed Buffy, scooping the little person into her arms. “Your aunty Willow is sleeping!”

“I’m up!” came Willow’s voice from the living room.

Willow stumbled out of the room and into the kitchen, to see Buffy holding Cat.

“Oh Buffy she’s so beautiful, and she has Spike’s eyes!”

Buffy beamed.

“Willow Rosenburg, meet Catherine Graves,” said Buffy proudly.

“Graves?”

“So you’re telling everyone what my blasted last name was now?” came Spike’s voice as he rose from the basement steps.

“No, I’m introducing your daughter to my witch friend,” defended Buffy. “Besides what’s the big deal? It’s not a bad last name.”

Spike huffed. There wasn’t a point of arguing about this, especially in front of the rest of the scoobies.

“It’s a nice last name for a pretty girl like you isn’t it Kitty Cat,” cooed Buffy.

“Oh please, enough with the baby talk already, god you’ll be horrible when your kids are actually babies.” Dawn had just come through the door with Ariel.

“Can I hold her?” asked Anya, uncharacteristically timid.

“Oh sure.” Buffy handed her toddler over to the vengeance demon.

“Gwanny An-ya!” said Cat.

Ariel groaned.

Everyone stared at Ariel.

“No! I’m not answering this one. It’ll just get me in trouble. Mum was very clear about that.”

“I’m ok with being called granny, by this little one, only her,” said Anya as she looked down lovingly at the toddler now sucking her thumb. “Well I am old enough to be her granny.”

“Yes, but why aren’t you Auntie Anya?” asked Buffy.

“Who knows maybe I marry one of her grandfathers?”

Giles, who had developed a habit of coming into rooms at the wrong time appeared from the basement. All eyes turned towards him.

“Why is everyone staring at me?” asked the watcher.

“It doesn’t have to be Giles!” cautioned Anya, “Perhaps I end up with Mr Summers...”

“Ewwwwwwwww,” came Dawn’s response.

“What? Your father has divorced before, and though I’ve never met this Valery person, she sounds very nasty.”

“Or it could be the poofter,” offered Spike.

“See,” nodded Anya, “there are many possibilities.”

Buffy cringed. The thought of Anya and her dad made her skin crawl.

“I’m not telling!” shouted Ariel and she rushed upstairs.

“That went well,” observed Spike as he turned to follow Ariel up the stairs.
__________________________________________
Spike found Ariel pacing around her room.

“You and Mummy told me not to tell about Anya, Granny Anya told me not to tell either.” Ariel gestured wildly into the room, knowing full well that Spike was in the doorway.

“That’s good enough for me, sweet bit, but you know humans, they question everything. Especially your Mum. Look, pet, you don’t have to tell anything you don’t want to. And if your mum or anyone else asks too many questions, just tell them to sod off.”

“Can I use the word sod?”

“You most certainly cannot!”

Ariel laughed. “I didn’t think so.”
__________________________________________
Buffy had left her children in the tender care of their !Grandmother! Anya to patrol, with Spike. It seemed that she hadn’t been doing her job for since the kids arrived and she was feeling guilty. Also this was good Spike and Buffy time.

“What are we?” he asked completely out of the blue. It had to be out of the blue, because they had been walking in silence.

“Huh?”

“What are we? Is there a title I should be referring to you as?”

“Girlfriend?”

“Girlfriend?” he sounded sceptical.

“You don’t like girlfriend?”

“Just seems a tad inappropriate is all.”

“Inappropriate how?”

Spike lit a cigarette. “I don’t know, just is.”

“Fine, what else is there? Lover, sure, that’s appropriate isn’t it? Or soul mate, I like that one too. Significant other?...”

“Mother of my children.”

“Ahhh....” Buffy understood. “Mr Victorian morals is having problems with fathering children with some one to whom he is not married too.”

Spike huffed, “I do not.”

“Spike, they haven’t been born yet, you know how I signed my name on that note, Buffy Summers-GRAVES, seems to me you make an honest woman out of me eventually.” Buffy smiled. “But you still have issues with it. I understand that, hey I even lived a little of that time when I was Beth, but I don’t want you proposing, just to make yourself feel better about it.”

“I heard you, you know, when you were on the phone with Willow, and gushing about how you are Mrs William Graves, pet. I know you want the dream.”

“Of course I do, I mean I’m not going to pretend it’s not true. It’s what my mom wanted for me, it’s what I wanted for me. I once told Angel that I didn’t see fat grandkids in the offing with you, but you know what, I do now, not because of the soul, or because I love you more or less, it’s because of who you are, and how much I’ve changed because of you. I know that you will never grow old, but I’d like to grow old with you and have those fat grand babies, so we can spoil them rotten. I’m just sorry that my mom wasn’t around to see that I finally fell in love with you. I think she was pulling for you.”

“Joyce was a right fine lady.”

“Ya, she was. I miss her. So did that define our relationship enough for you Mr Graves?” Buffy teased.

“For now”

Buffy looked at Spike wearily, was this the end of said conversation? She thought not. Unfortunately she had no choice , their têtê-à-têtê was interrupted by the appearance of Gable, their erstwhile dinner guest.

“Hello” greeted Buffy tersely.

Sure she had agreed to dinner but she didn’t know how to act around him. The last time she saw him he was tied up in her bathtub.

“Hello,” he replied.

Spike just shrugged him shoulders.

“Not much vamp activity in this cemetery,” noted Buffy completely seriously.

“I’ve noticed that too,” said Gable.

“Well, we’ll move on,” said the Slayer.

“Ok.”

And they parted.

“Dinner’s at six,” said Buffy over her shoulder.

As Buffy and Spike exited the cemetery Spike noted, “Great conversationalist that one.”

“Ya cause most people have so much to say to the people who tied them up in bathtubs.”

“I get on famously with you.”

“Geez Spike. I’m sorry I chained you up in the tub already.”

“I know, luv, I just like makin’ ya squirm.”
__________________________________________
tbc...


__________________________________________
Chapter 17: Dinner party from Hell

The assembled congregation around Buffy’s new dinning room table was a mixed bag. Buffy was pretty sure that although Gable knew about Spike being a vampire and Buffy being the slayer, the fact that he was sitting at a table with a vengeance demon, a witch, a werewolf and two children from the future would completely drive him mad. Wouldn’t that be fun?

Cat had attached herself to Anya and Anya was looking very motherly (grandmotherly) with Buffy’s youngest.

“I’m sure you are my favourite of all my grandchildren,” said Anya lovingly.

“Not really,” came Ariel. “You liked Lizzy best, and then of course your real grandkids and great grandkids and great great grandkids.”

“Lizzy?” asked Buffy, through a mouthful of potatoes.

“Granny Anya always said she couldn’t help but have favourites of those who were named after her. But she had a lot of love to give so don’t go and feel neglected.”

“That sounds like something that Anya would say,” said Willow

“Lizzy was named after Anya?” asked Buffy.

“Elizabeth Anya,” said Ariel as she poured gravy on her turkey.

“How many kids did you have Buffy?” asked Andrew.

“I don’t know, I keep hearing names. I’m up to six now.”

“You don’t know how many kids you had?” asked Gable incredulously. “How can you not know how many kids you gave birth to?”

“Well it’s a funny story cause...”

“You leave her alone!” said Ariel angrily. “Her kids aren’t born yet! I’m not born yet. It’s not your business!”

Their was not a sound in the dining room.

“Could someone pass the broccoli?” asked Oz.

“We got the cage parts today,” said Spike, sipping his blood today, “I’ll give you a hand setting the thing up when you want.”

“Sure,” replied the werewolf.

“Cage?” asked Gable.

Ariel gave him a look.

“Why do you need a cage?”

“Not your business!” said Ariel again.

“Ariel Dawn! Enough!” said Spike.

Ariel looked down at her plate sheepishly.

“You have to forgive the child, Gable,” said Giles hospitably. “She’s had her life so disrupted that she most likely fears your intrusion to break up her family again.”

Spike heard an almost inaudible snort come from his daughter. Oz and Anya heard it too.

“I just wanted to know if you had plans for me in that cage, I wondered if I’d graduated from the bathtub of captivity,” said Gable bitterly.

“You put him in the bathtub? Like Spike?” asked Anya. “I’d consider that a mark of honour actually. I didn’t get chained up in the bathtub.”

“You were already of the not when you came started hanging out with us,” replied Buffy. “There was no need for bathtub time.”

“Can we not talk about the bathtub? It was a very traumatic experience for me,” said Spike.

Buffy giggled.

“I agree, I want to hear more about my various offspring,” said Anya. “It will distract me from the fact that I am once more eating the carcass of a bird.”

“Anya’s flirting with vegetarianism,” explained Willow.

Anya looked at Ariel eager for more information. Ariel refused to budge. She kept her mouth shut.

“The bit’s not going to give up any more information than she wants to. Lay off demon girl,” said Spike.

Anya pouted.

“Demon girl?” asked Gable.

“Oh Spike just comes up with nick names for us all,” said Dawn.

“Willow is Red, I’m demon girl,” said Anya proudly.

“Dawn is Platelet, or nibblit, or bit,” said Willow.

“But it seems that Ariel is getting to be called bit now,” whined Dawn.

“Don’t worry platelet, you will always have a place in this old soul’s dead unbeating heart,” said Spike with a smile.

Dawn smiled.

“Right, and Oz is wolf boy, Xander is whelp or the boy, Giles is the watcher, and Buffy...” said Willow.

“Buffy is Goldilocks, Slayer, pet and love,” beamed Buffy. “Now we just have to find out what he’s going to call you.” Buffy smiled evilly.

“And you are all ok with the fact that you are sitting at a table with a vampire?” asked Gable.

“That Vampire is my da!” said Ariel.

“Huh?”

“We are all comfortable with Spike. He saved the world you know,” said Anya, feeding Cat a spoonful of potato.

“He’s a vampire.”

“So?” asked Anya, “I’ve known a lot of vampires, and frankly he’s the nicest one I’ve ever had sex with. Buffy is certainly a lucky woman.”

“Anya!” gasped Willow.

“What? It’s true.”

“There are children at the table!”

Ariel cringed.

“Ewwwwww! You and Da! Ewwwww!”

“Oh I see you are still at the age where the idea of your parents participating in that kind of activity is nauseating.”

“I want to believe that my parents only did... that... eleven times thank you very much,” Ariel cringed again.

“Eleven times!” screamed Buffy.

“Bloody Hell!” agreed Spike. “Did you ever stop woman?”

“Me? It takes two to tango buster!”

“Dear Lord,” said Giles as he reached for his handkerchief.

“Two words, Birth control,” said Dawn.

“It won’t help,” said Ariel.

“Can we talk about something else, I beg you,” said Giles.

“I agree,” said Buffy.

There was silence.

“This is excellent turkey Buffy,” said Oz.
__________________________________________
Buffy was eternally grateful when Gable finally left her house, and the discussion of her prolific sex life and spawning of children was at an end.

She couldn’t believe it, eleven kids. What the hell was she thinking? Buffy could only shake her head in continued disbelief.

Buffy groaned, only to see Willow return to the dining room, having finished the dishes with Anya’s help.

“It’s time I headed back,” said Willow reluctantly. “I’m going to be bloody nose girl for the rest of the night.”

Buffy nodded.

“I’m glad you came Willow. I’m sure Oz liked seeing you too,” she grinned.

Willow smiled.

“I liked seeing him too.”

“Now that you don’t have a girlfriend issue, do you think, maybe Oz will want to see you more?”

“I don’t know, I don’t know what to think or do, it’s strange, being confronted with possibilities again. All I know is that I don’t want to be in a Kennedy type relationship again.”

“Kennedy girl relationship or...”

“Kennedy bitch relationship.” Willow smiled evilly.

“Where is Oz anyway?” asked Buffy.

“He had a rehearsal with his new band.”

“Ah yes, Wolves on a Merry-go-round.”

“I like the name.”

Anya took that moment to enter the room with a sleeping Cat on her hip.

“Can I take her home with me?” asked Anya, “I just love her to pieces.”

“Some day you will have your own, Anya,” said Buffy taking Cat from her, “This one is mine. Number eleven of mine actually.”

“Eleven kids Buffy...” marvelled Willow.

“I want two, that is all,” said Anya, “A boy, and a girl.”

“You don’t always get what you want Anya,” said Willow.

“Sterling William Rupert and Christina Cecily Aud,” continued Anya.

Earning a few looks from her friends she continued.

“My children’s names, Sterling William Rupert, and Christina Cecily Aud. What you have never thought about this?”

“Trevor Rupert and Joyce Anne,” said Buffy. “But apparently I had the opportunity to explore other names, cause I have eleven of them.”

“What about you Willow?”

“Jesse Alexander, and Jennifer Tara.”

“Mummy!” squealed Cat, who had just woken up.

“Bed time for you little one,” said Buffy, “You’ve had a long and exciting day.”

“Well we must go,” said Anya, “But I will see you again Kitty Cat!” Anya planted a kiss on Cat’s nose. “I want one just like her.”

“Come on Anya,” said Willow.

Buffy bade Cat to wave good bye and Anya and Willow disappeared in a flash of light.
__________________________________________
The mid October weather was starting to get to Buffy. She was a California girl. She didn’t enjoy the cold. This particular night she was patrolling, with Spike, on the far side of town that she hardly ever patrolled.

The truth was that Cleveland was dull. Vamp activity wise. There didn’t seem to be any demons or others trying to end the world. Just the run of the mill vamps catching their happy meals. Giles had assured her that the Cleveland hellmouth was the most active on the planet. If this was active...Well it just seemed to her that this was extremely boring.

Buffy spent her days being the stay at home mom. She guessed her kids were lucky in that they had a stay at home dad too.

Ariel had come home from school the other day to say that it was bring your kid to work day soon. She had had to explain just what her parents did for a living.

Buffy was just glad that her daughter could think on her feet. How do you explain to the rest of grade 7 that your parents were champions of the powers that be and fight things that everyone knows to be make believe?

Cat had been getting her headaches regularly, about once a week. It worried Buffy to no end, but there was nothing she could do. Ariel seemed adamant that Cat not go to the hospital. She only wished she knew what was causing the pain.

Buffy looked over at her lover. He was so much more than that now. It was different now that she knew what was going to happen, that she was going to marry this man and have his eleven kids. Eleven kids!

Buffy reached over and held his hand.

“Penny for your thoughts?” she asked.

Spike exhaled loudly.

“It seems too good to be true, you know, that everything is all going to work out and ...them, Ariel and Cat. I know that I told Ariel that we wouldn’t push about the hows and whys but bloody hell Buffy, How? Why?”

Buffy smiled.

“I know how you feel. I’m just surprised that it took you this long to tell me. Doesn’t it bother you that if we do any little thing to screw up the future, they won’t exist?”

“It’s right troubling it is.”

“I’m not supposed to have kids Spike, I’m supposed to die sometime in the next two years. No slayer has ever lived past 25, and here I am immortal, except for the fact that potentially my kids can kill me, or Dawn, and in our house right now is proof that Vampires and Slayers can procreate.”

Spike only smiled.

“I love them Spike, I don’t know how it happened. I just know that they are mine and that I love them. I’ve only known them for a couple of weeks and I love them. They’ve turned our lives upside down and yet...I look at Cat and I know that she’s mine and yours and ours.”

They walked in silence for a few more feet.

“And here’s what I don’t get; the First told me that the reason that it was making a move was because of the imbalance with the Slayers, that there were two. The First is back in what ever year that Ariel and Cat are from, does that mean that I died again? And brought back again? Arg, it’s so frustrating not knowing!”

“We aren’t meant to know pet, Ariel isn’t supposed to tell us.”

“I know. I just want answers.”
__________________________________________
tbc...

 

__________________________________________
Chapter 18: Dirty Old Man

Buffy stepped back from the mirror and nodded appreciatively. She took out her earrings, only to feel hands wrap around her waist. Buffy looked into the mirror and smiled at the empty space next to her.

“Beautiful,” purred Spike.

Buffy smiled and turned to face him.

“I’m glad you like the outfit Spike,” said Buffy as she pressed herself closer to him.

Buffy stepped back and stooped to put on her boots. Buffy had dressed up as Peter Pan, to complement Cat’s Tinkerbell. Cat was getting ready in her room, with Dawn to help.

“What I don’t understand is why you won’t dress up and come out with us.”

“It’s my day off love.”

“Your day off?”

“Ya Big Bad’s like me stay in on Halloween. Nothing happens on Halloween.”

“Oh I beg to differ Mr Big Bad. I happen to remember a number of Halloween’s where stuff happened. I was turned into my costume and almost killed by a certain bleached menace...”

“And your choice of attire this year is going to help you if that happens again...Maybe you’ll fly?”

“I was trapped in a frat house with Grak’Nar the tiny, Dawn decided to experience her first Vampire kiss...need I go on?”

“I’m just saying that nothing is supposed to happen on Halloween. It’s not my fault that you and your group of super friends decide to look for trouble.”

Buffy rolled her eyes.

“Well tonight I’m going to take our daughter to get candy. Dawn’s having some friends from school over, Oz is spending the night in his cage, wolfy or not, Andrew is packing and Giles has gone to visit Gable...again. You can stay here and hand out candy.”

“I bloody will not!”

“Oh yes you will!” she said with her hands on her hips. “No one else is going to be available to do it!”

Spike huffed.

“Your children are going to be taking candy from the rest of the neighbourhood, it’s only fair that we give some back....You can scare the small children if you want?”

Spike smirked at that.

“Alright then.”

“But wouldn’t it be fun if I could fly?”

“Bet I can make you feel like your flying,” he said seductively.

“Mmm,” Buffy smiled. “Later, I promise.”
__________________________________________
Cat was the cutest Tinkerbell. Her golden brown locks were tied up, her wings sparkled and she waved her pom pom-ed toes in the air, as her aunt Dawn carried her down the stairs.

“Ok,” said Buffy, to her sister. “I know you are having friends over, but try to make sure that Spike hands out at least some of the candy.”

Dawn laughed. “He’s gonna eat it all isn’t he?”

“Probably.”

Buffy and Cat roamed the neighbourhood in search of good candy. It didn’t take long before the toddler was dead to the world. On her way home Buffy ran into Ariel, dressed as the bride of Dracula or something. Buffy couldn’t wait until she got home to hear about her costume decision from Spike. Buffy bade her daughter good luck and told her to be home by 9 pm.

Peter Pan and Tinkerbell arrived home in time to see Dawn, dressed as a cheerleader and her friends get out Twister. Luckily the two year old was out for the count, or she would be wanting to play too. Buffy de-fairy-ed the toddler and put her down to sleep, then headed next door to her own room, to de- Peter Pan.

“Oh don’t you dare take off that costume, Goldilocks. You and I are going to have some fun with you as a lost boy,” came his voice from the doorway.

Buffy turned in place to look at her lover.

“I thought you were supposed to be handing out candy?”

“The whelp junior is on it. I think he wanted to watch Dawn twister.”

Buffy rolled her eyes. Spike walked into the room and closed the door behind him.

“So you wanted to have fun with Buffy as Peter Pan?” she asked.

Spike smirked.

“God yes.”

“Are you going to be playing the part of Wendy or Tiger Lily in this scenario?”

“I was thinking more of Captain Hook.”

“Really? Well aren’t you the dirty old man then.”

“That I am Pet.”

“It’s Peter, Come on Hook, Got to catch me first.”

Buffy jumped away from him and scurried out of his reach.

“You do know pet that the part of Peter Pan was usually played by a woman. Not that I’m not tempted by the thought of giving you a right buggering.”

“Still makes you a dirty old man, Spike.”

“You get off on Vamps.”

“Ya, I do,” said Buffy.

Buffy pounced, pushing Spike down on the bed.

“Mmmm, Spike,” Buffy said between kisses.

“I thought I was going to be Hook?”

“Screw the role play Spike.”

“I’d much rather screw you,”

Buffy moaned as Spike’s fingers had made their way between her tight clad legs and was fingering her moist centre through her clothes.

Buffy writhed on the bed, letting Spike touch her where ever he wanted. Suddenly he pulled his hand away. Buffy whimpered at the loss of his touch.

“Spike I need you,” she whined.

Spike just smiled and flipped her over onto her back and started to unzip the green costume she was wearing. Finally getting her unzipped he slid his hands under the garment and ran his hands over her soft skin. Buffy’s breath hitched as she let herself give in to the sensation of his cool hands against her warm skin.

Buffy raised herself up so that he could slide the outfit off her shoulders. She giggled as he flipped her over again, so that he could have access to her now exposed breasts.

“I see Peter Pan doesn’t wear a bra.”

“Not this Peter Pan...”

Spike lowered his mouth to her left breast, swirling his tongue around the nipple.

Buffy moaned, and tried to divest herself of her costume, only to stopped by the constricting tights she was wearing under the green costume.

Her frantic motions were ended by Spike reaching down and with one swift motion had ripped the tights and the entire costume off her body.

Buffy just hoped that Cat didn’t ask what happened to Mummy’s costume the next day.

Buffy felt two fingers work their way over her clit and test her wetness. Buffy moaned as Spike pushed past her nether lips and began stroking her sopping channel.

Spike flipped her again, and forced her up on her hands and knees.

From behind her she heard his zipper descend. Buffy looked behind her to see her lover completely enraptured by her nether end.

Spike positioned himself at her entrance and thrust in, causing an audible squeal of delight and surprise from the Slayer.

His thrusts were slow and steady. Buffy tried to quicken the pace only to be startled when she felt a slick finger enter her other puckered passage.

Buffy wanted to say something about this invasion, but between the sensations from his continued thrusting and the stretching of her other passage, Buffy’s mind began to blank.

She registered another finger being added, stretching her even more, but she was more occupied with the cascading feeling of the impending orgasm.

Buffy smothered her scream into a pillow as she came violently over his hard cock.

Spike didn’t give her an opportunity to recover, before pulling out, still hard and positioning himself at her other entrance.

Getting her second wind, Buffy slowly backed up taking him in. She gasped as her insides adjusted to his presence. Slowly he began moving behind her, careful not to hurt her.

He reached around and began to pinch and flick her clit, sending her rocketing towards another orgasm. He wasn’t far behind. Spike smothered his roar as he came buried up her ass.

They fell back onto the bed.

“Do you think the teenagers heard us?” asked Buffy.
__________________________________________
Buffy supervised the packing of the bags into the car. Her father’s car. She really had to get another car. Especially since her father would be taking his car back at Christmas.

Giles and Andrew were leaving today. Leaving for London. Buffy was only a little apprehensive that her buffer between her family and Gable (Giles) was leaving. Gable hadn’t been giving them any trouble lately but there was always tomorrow.

They were all going to the airport. Well everyone except Spike and Oz. Spike had the Sunlight issue, and Oz was previously made plans. Buffy was slightly curious about what exactly the werewolf did all day, and night. She knew that he had a band. But other than that Oz was a mystery. But he had always been a mystery.

Ariel and Cat wanted to say goodbye to Grandpa Giz at the airport. Buffy had a sneaking suspicion that Ariel just wanted to see an old airport, and Cat to get out of the house.

Cat’s headaches were becoming a regular thing. It worried Buffy to no end and for this reason, and because the pain could only be relieved by ingesting parental blood, Buffy was loathe to put Cat into any kind of daycare. Too many questions would be raised.

Buffy wanted to make the most of Cat and Ariel’s time with Giles. Chances are they would never see him again. Then again she really didn’t know how long they were staying. Or if they were ever going to be taken back. Truthfully she didn’t want them to leave at all. She loved her children and right now she couldn’t imagine her life without them.

Piling into the car, Cat in her car seat, Ariel, Dawn and Andrew buckled up a tad bit illegally, Giles driving and Buffy in the passenger seat, they set off.

To say that the car ride was fun was a gross misinterpretation. The back seat of Hank Summers’ sedan was not meant to seat a toddler in a car seat and three other people.

“I want to thank you Buffy, for exposing me to such a ruckus, before I get on the plane. Nothing during the flight will phase me at all now,” said Giles as they parked.

“I aim to please,” she smiled, getting out of the car.

The group entered the airport and waited while Giles and Andrew checked in. Ariel spent the time trying to entertain the fussy toddler.

The goodbye was tearful, Buffy liked Giles here with her, but on the other hand she was extremely grateful that Andrew was leaving.

“It was nice to meet my Grandpa Giles,” said Ariel, as she gave Giles a hug. “Now I have a face to go with all the stories that Mum, Da and Grannie Anya have to tell.

“It was nice to meet you too Ariel,” said Giles, a little teary. “Be good to you parents.”

Ariel rolled her eyes.

At which point Andrew started to hug Dawn.

“Eww, get off!” squealed the teen.
__________________________________________
Buffy spent the next few days cleaning up Andrew’s mess. He had left his attic bedroom in such a state that at first Buffy refused to go up there. Of course when she couldn’t get anyone else to go up there either...someone had to clean the room.

Giles’ room in the basement was cleaned and prepared for Xander’s arrival within the week.

In an uncharacteristic expression of, well anything, Oz actually started to get excited to see his old friend.
__________________________________________
Buffy let Dawn and Spike pick up Xander from the airport, as the teen had just gotten her learner’s permit, and Spike was the better driver. Ya it was after sunset, but that was the only time Spike could get in the car to teach his nibblet.

“Uncle Xander isn’t going to be like Grandpa Giles is he? I mean he won’t put me through the third degree right?” asked Ariel while they were waiting for the arrival of Xander.

“Let’s hope not,” laughed Buffy.

There was a squeal of tires and a thump outside. Buffy waited for the slam of car doors before opening the front door.

Spike was the first to enter the house and Buffy could tell that he was fuming.

“Ariel, please tell me that the ability to drive was something that I passed down to my offspring.”

Ariel laughed. “Vicky is a very good driver Da, Grace and Alex too. Rowan’s too old to drive, she prefers to teleport.”

“Alex?” Buffy perked up at the name of yet another child.

“Oh yeah, Alexandra, she’s a fashion designer.”

“Very cool,” said Dawn coming in from outside.

Following closely behind Dawn was a frazzled Xander.

“Buff, I apologise for any comments I ever made about your driving skills. It seems impossible but there is someone whose driving skills give even you a run for your money.”

Buffy smiled. “So Dawn and cars? Unmixy you say?”

Dawn huffed. “It’s only cause I can never drive during the day to practice. Spike can’t go out in the sun and Buffy’s always busy with Cat.”

“Ah yes, lets see these children of which I’ve heard...nothing,” said Xander.

Cat toddled over to her uncle Xander and stared at him.

“Who you?”

Xander crouched down and took her little hand.

“I’m your uncle Xander. Who you?”

“Cat!” giggled the two year old. “Cat-rin Dusilly Gaves”

“Alexander Lavelle Harris, a pleasure to meet you little lady.”

“Your middle name is Lavelle?” snickered Dawn.

“Cast not stones Eleanor,” said Buffy.

“At least it’s a normal sounding name. What’s your middle name Spike?”

“None of your bleedin’ business.” Spike picked up Cat. “Come on Drusilla, let’s leave these nasty people.”

“Tea party?”

“If that’s what you want Button.”

Spike and Cat left the group in the hallway.

“Is he really gonna have a tea party with her?” asked Xander.

“Hey man,” said Oz, coming from the kitchen.

“Oz! Long time no hear from. How’s the wolfman?”

“Nothing significant. Unfortunately I have an appointment. If you will excuse me?” Oz walked past them and up the stairs.

“Where’s he going?” asked Xander.

“There is something you have to learn about Cat Xander, she has all the men in this house wrapped around her baby finger,” said Buffy.

“So you mean...”

“Yep, it’s Mistress Catherine’s weekly tea party,” said Dawn. “You’ll be a regular attendee by next week.”
__________________________________________
Buffy helped Xander bring his bags down to his room, and gave him a quick tour of the house before wishing him sweet dreams. He was seriously jet lagged.

Buffy padded back up to her own room. Getting out her journal she took out that piece of paper on which she had typed all her children’s names.

Ariel Dawn
Catherine Drusilla
Grace
Vicky
Rowan Tara

Buffy took out her pen and wrote down

Alexandra.
__________________________________________
tbc...


 

__________________________________________
Chapter 19 : Toddlers soothe the savage beast.

Buffy woke up that night around 3 am to Cat’s crying again. Her headaches were coming roughly every couple of days now. Buffy brought the crying child down stairs to get away from Dawn, who had a Chemistry test the next day and Ariel, who had a history presentation. Buffy seated herself on the couch in the darkened living room and rocked the whimpering child, who was sucking from her arm.

This was the only time of day that the house was ever quiet, what with all the people what were coming and going on a daily basis. Dawn had been right, Cat had gotten Xander wrapped around her little finger right away. She was quite the charmer. Buffy worried about what would happen when she got into high school. Buffy heard a noise outside like a car door slamming and turned to look out side.

Buffy exhaled. Her house was about to get even more crowded. Buffy rushed up the stairs to put Cat back to bed and then rushed back down stairs to answer the door before anyone could knock or ring the door bell.

Swinging the door open Buffy took in the five individuals standing on her porch.

“Angel,” she greeted.

“We have a problem,” he said harshly. “Drusilla is in Cleveland.”

“And you felt the need to bring your brigade of demon hunters to my house in the middle of the night?” asked Buffy.

“I thought you’d want help?”

Buffy rolled her eyes. Buffy moved back to let the group in. “If you don’t come in, Mrs Morganson from across the road will start telling tales. Keep your voices down I’ve got teenagers who have academic achievement to do in the morning.”

Wesley, Gunn, Fred and Kennedy walked past Angel and into the house. Buffy guided them to the living room.

“Uh? Buffy?” asked Angel still at the doorway.

“Can you go around to the side door. I need to do something before I let you in...” said Buffy.

“What could you possibly need to do?”

“Wake up Spike.”
__________________________________________
A very sleepy Spike walked into the kitchen. Buffy had woken him up with the most unpleasant words he could think of: “Angel’s here, get up or I’m inviting him in.”

Spike stared at his grandsire who was leaning against the barrier on the kitchen door.

“Oh come in already ya big poof,” said Spike getting himself a mug of blood. “You’re letting all the heat out. This isn’t soddin’ California.”

Buffy chuckled as Angel fell to the ground.

“You did that on purpose,” spat Angel.

Spike just snickered. “So what brings your over gelled hair to Cleveland’s fair shores?”

“Drusilla is in town. I’m here to contain her.”

“Oh isn’t that sweet. You didn’t think that the Slayer could take care of my loony sire?”

“I don’t want Dru dust Spike.”

“Of course not, compassionate fellow like yourself.”

“Can we go into the living room and talk about this?” asked Buffy. “I don’t want people waking up.”

“That’s right...Got Bits that need their rest.”

Buffy led Angel to the living room, where she announced that the kettle was on.

“If I never see the inside of that car again, I’ll die a happy woman,” said Kennedy.

Buffy glared at the former potential. She didn’t want her in her house. She had caused Willow pain.

“Let us get directly to the point,” said Wesley. “We’ve been tracking Drusilla for about 2 weeks now. She is responsible for the massacre at three day cares in LA, one in Las Vegas and one in Denver. We believe that she is now in Cleveland and will strike again. The victims have all been toddlers.”

“We don’t know why she’s going after children, toddlers specifically.”

Buffy’s hand flew to her mouth and gasped. Buffy flew up the stairs.

“What was that about?” asked Gunn.

“We know why she’s gone after the lil’uns,” said Spike sadly.
__________________________________________
When Buffy didn’t come down stairs after half an hour, Spike went up in search of Buffy. He had spent the past half hour deflecting questions about how they knew about Drusilla’s targets and why Buffy ran up stairs. He wasn’t about to tell the magnificent poof that he had fathered Buffy’s children from the future. Especially not without Buffy in the room to defend him.

Spike found Buffy curled around Cat, lying on their bed. Buffy looked so peaceful, asleep. Shaking his head, he left them asleep and closed the door to the room.

“She’s asleep,” said Spike simply. “And I won’t have the rest of you waking her up. We’ll talk about this in the afternoon. We’ve got 2 bedrooms free and there’s the training room, the office and the couch here, divide yourself accordingly.”

After some debate, Spike found the extra linens and made up beds for the impromptu guests. Angel in the training room, Kennedy in the Guest room, Fred on the couch and Gunn in the office and Wesley made do with Andrew’s bedroom in the attic.

Spike briefly apologized for the mess of the attic and made his way back into his own bed, and his lover and child curled up on it.
__________________________________________

The first thing Buffy heard the next morning was Dawn’s scream from the basement. By the time she got there herself, Oz and Xander were already there and equally perplexed as to Angel’s presence in the house.

“Buffy I came down to do some laundry and Angel was all sleeping on the mats!“ exclaimed Dawn.

“Spike had to put him somewhere,“ muttered Buffy, “He’s here cause he think we need help with Drusilla. Fred, Wesley, Gunn and Kennedy are here too.“ Buffy said the last name with a sneer.

Sleepily Buffy trudged up the stairs and back to her bedroom.
__________________________________________
Spike was in the kitchen making breakfast for his Bits, so they could get a good start on their day. It was the smell of cooking that brought up Xander and Oz from their subterranean rooms. Eventually all the chairs of the dinning room were filled with Scoobies or wannabe scoobies. Dawn was having a discussion with Fred about her chemistry test, Wesley was discussing the new council with Xander and Oz and Kennedy were giving each other the cold shoulder. The problem was that Ariel hadn’t come down stairs yet.

Angel made his way up into the kitchen and helped himself to blood after looking disgustingly at Spike who was eating scrambled eggs that had blood poured over them. Most of the others just thought it was really runny ketchup.

When finally Ariel entered the dinning room for breakfast she had the whole population of the house, except her mother and sister to witness the entrance.

Oz vacated his seat for her and she sat down with a thump, everyone looking directly at her.

“Hi!” said Fred pleasantly. “I got here last night, you may not know me. I’m Fred. Winifred Burkel.”

Ariel tried to smile. “Hi,” she grunted.

“Ooh introduction time!” said Xander far too perky for early morning. He was eagerly waiting for the reaction on Angel’s face when Ariel introduced herself.

“Wesley Wyndem-Price,” said Wesley nodding.

“Charles Gunn,” said Gunn.

“Kennedy,”

“Stuck in the 80’s?” came Buffy’s voice from the doorway to the living room.

“Hornhouse,” muttered the former slayer.

Snickers erupted from around the table.

“Did you say Pornhouse?” asked Spike, entirely seriously.

The laughter got worse.

“HORNhouse” repeated Kennedy, her face red.

“Angel,” said the elder vampire, sticking his hand out to shake the preteen’s.

“Oh I know who you are,” said Ariel sullenly.

“Manners,” cautioned Buffy.

Spike took the opportunity to whisper in his daughter’s ear that he didn’t care if she was polite to the great poofter. So Buffy mock swatted him.

“I guess Buffy must talk about me all the time,” continued Angel.

“Not so much,” said Ariel.

The rest of the people at the table, and Oz standing to the side were silent. The Cleveland crew was waiting for the revelation that Ariel was Buffy and Spike’s kid and the AI group just wanted to find out why everyone else was silent.

“Then how’d you find out about me then? You a potential Slayer? Done your vamp research?”

“I don’t know if I’m a potential. Potentials are only identified at age 15, I’m 12. And no I didn’t do any research on you, didn’t have to. I got the first hand accounts when my Da wanted to scare me.”

Spike snickered.

“Don’t you think you should tell them your name?” asked Buffy, trying to keep from laughing herself.

“Do you really think that’s wise? Peaches won’t like it,” said Spike.

“What won’t I like?” asked the broody vampire.

“Can we just get it over with. Someone has to drive us to school in 20mins,” said Dawn.

Ariel exhaled.

“I know you because I’ve met you before Angel. You are my great grandfather. I’m Ariel Dawn Summers-Graves, the daughter of Buffy and Spike. I’m from the future.”

At which point Cat came running into the dinning room, clad in yellow ducky pjs calling “Mummy! Mummy!”

Buffy scooped up the toddler. “Do you want breakfast Cat?” asked Buffy.

“And that’s my two year old sister Catherine Drusilla.”

Buffy cringed as she waited for Angel to hit the roof. Angel’s forehead was moving of it’s own accord, indicating that the vampire was holding in quite the pocket of rage.

“Dawn, Ariel, get in the car we are going now,” said Xander, practically leaping out of his chair.

Buffy made an exit into the kitchen to get Cat set up with her breakfast.

“What do you mean you are Spike and Buffy’s daughter?” roared Angel.

Ariel rose from her chair. “Just that, great grandpa.”

“She does look like Buffy,” said Wesley.

Buffy came back in with Cat and set her up in her high chair, with her plate of scrambled eggs.

“And Catherine looks like Spike,” said Fred.

Cat looked wide eyed at all the people in her dinning room. “Hi!” she beamed.

“Hello Catherine,” said Wesley pleasantly.

Cat turned her head to look at Angel who was still in the doorway to the kitchen. “Pretty,” she said looking directly at him.

Buffy snickered.

“Aww,” said Fred, “She likes you.”

Angel calmed down at the presence of the toddler.

“Cat always had a thing for Angel,” said Ariel coming into the room with her book bag.

“Is she the reason why Drusilla’s eating toddlers?” asked Gunn.

“Grandma Dru would NEVER hurt us,” said Ariel defiantly.

“The fact remains Ariel, that Drusilla is in Cleveland and has been feasting on toddlers for months,” said Wesley.

The Summer’s car honked from outside.

“Drusilla would never hurt us,” muttered Ariel as she walked out of the room and towards the front door of the house.
__________________________________________
“You are cookies aren’t you?” asked Angel while Buffy was washing up after breakfast.

“Huh?”

“Cookies, you’re baked and you’ve decided who gets to enjoy cookie you...”

Buffy laughed. “I thought you hated the cookie analogy.”

“I do.”

“Yes Angel, I’m cookies. I was cookies even before I finished the cookie analogy. I just didn’t know it yet.”

“And it’s Spike.”

“It’s Spike, Angel. I thought I explained this to you in LA before I left.”

“You did, but that was before he miraculously reappeared. He is still a vamp right?”

“Yes, he’s all fangy and everything.”

“Then how...?”

“I don’t know how he gets me pregnant Angel. Ariel wouldn’t say, I don’t think she even knows. She’s from the future, but she won’t say how far into the future.”

Buffy pulled a slip of paper out of a junk drawer and handed it to Angel. It was the letter her future self wrote.

Angel stood there reading it for a while.

“This is ridiculous!” he shouted. “How can you possibly believe that they are actually your children?”

“Cause Giles checked it out while he was here. I know they are mine Angel, there’s this feeling that I can’t describe when I hold Cat or when I hug Ariel. They are mine, and they are Spike’s. Please don’t make a bigger deal about this than you already have.”

“Angel!” cried Cat as she bounced into the room. “Up!”

Reluctantly Angel scooped the little girl up into his arms. Cat cuddled into Angel’s arms.

“Looks like you’ve made a new friend.”
__________________________________________
tbc...

 

__________________________________________
Chapter 20: Catherines

When Ariel arrived home from school that day, she was greeted by a virtually empty house. Fred was typing away on a computer in the office, Cat was taking her afternoon nap.

“They left us with you?” asked Ariel.

“Uh, the others are out searching for Drusilla,”

“Even my Da and Angel? In the middle of the afternoon?”

“They are strange vampires.”

“A hardy nodding of the head to that statement.”

A loud piercing scream filled the hallway. Cat was having another headache.

Fred and Ariel rushed towards Cat’s room.

“What’s wrong?” asked Fred looking a little overwhelmed.

“She’s having a headache, she needs Mum or Da.”

“I’ll call them on the cell phone.”

Ariel shook her head at Fred. Sure she was nice and all, but was she really the right person to leave to protect her sister? She didn’t seem like she knew a lot about kids. Especially not Cat.

“Aweel? Head hurts,” whimpered Cat. “Mummy?”

“Mummy’s not here D, I’m sorry.”

Cat launched into another fit a wailing.

Ariel scooped up her sister and took her down stairs, hoping against hope that maybe there was some slayer blood in the fridge. There probably wasn’t, but she could hope.

“They are on their way back,” said Fred, coming in from the living room. “Maybe we could give her some children’s Tylenol for her head?”

“It won’t work,” said Ariel peering into the fridge. “She needs a sire.”

“Huh?”

“Blood, she needs blood from Mum, or Da, or Angel or someone related directly to her by blood.”

“Would Drusilla work?” asked Fred.

“Yes, why?”

“Cause she’s on the front lawn.”

The sun had just set, and sure enough, Drusilla was dancing on the front lawn, clad in a white regency style dress.

“Thank God.” Ariel, still carrying a crying Cat rushed towards the front door, only to be stopped by Fred.

“You can’t go out there. Drusilla’s a vampire!”

“Duh!”

“It’s not safe for you!”

Ariel yanked her arm free of Fred’s grip and whipped open the front door.

“Don’t do it, Ariel, your parents will be back soon.”

“She’s in pain Fred, don’t tell me to keep her in pain.”

Ariel strode out of the house and directly at Drusilla, who had now stopped dancing and was looking at Ariel and Cat with a delicious smile on her face.

“Ariel!” screamed Fred from the safety of the house.

Ariel looked back at Fred and smiled. “I know what I am doing Fred.”

“Hello pets,” purred Drusilla.

“Hello grand mummy,” said Ariel.

“Grannie Du!” whimpered Cat as she reached towards the vampire.

Ariel gave up her little sister to Drusilla.

“Give me the child,” said Fred forcefully, holding a stake at Drusilla’s back.

Ariel did a double take, she hadn’t noticed Fred moving into that position. Equally as fast, Ariel knocked the stake out of Fred’s hand and pushed the woman down on to the ground.

“Don’t hurt her!” shouted Ariel.

Fred looked up at the trio of girls. Cat was happily sucking away from Drusilla’s wrist. Ariel was in a fighting stance, protecting Dru and Cat from Fred.
__________________________________________
Buffy arrived in front of her house to see Fred passed out on the lawn, and the front door wide open. Not of the good. Wesley and Gunn were at her side before anyone else could react and were carrying her into the house. Buffy wasn’t concerned for Fred. She wanted to know where her kids were. Screaming at the top of her lungs and searching every room in the house, every nook and cranny, Buffy failed to find Ariel or Cat in the house. It was just too much for her. She collapsed, sobbing, at the bottom of the stairs to the second floor. Instantly Spike was at her side.

“We will find them, love. I swear to you.”

“I should have stayed. I should have protected them,” she wailed.

“She’s awake,” came Wesley’s voice from the living room.

Buffy flew at Fred.

“Where are my children!?” screamed Buffy.

“Buffy! Calm down, let her talk!” said Angel, holding the girl’s hand.

“Fine. Talk.”

“Catherine had a headache,” began Fred. “I didn’t know what to do. Ariel said she needed Sire’s blood, that she needed you.”

“Oh god Spike, I really shouldn’t have left. Our baby is out there in pain.”

“Or she could be dead,” said Kennedy.

Spike growled at the former potential and backhanded her.

“You keep your bloody comments to yourself.”

Remarkably no one chastised Spike for hitting Kennedy. Xander even giggled.

“She’s not in pain anymore,” said Fred. “Drusilla came, and Ariel took Cat to her. I never saw a two year old drink blood before.”

“Thank god,” murmured Buffy.

“Then what happened?” asked Spike.

“I ran outside after them, tried to get them away from Drusilla. But...”

“But?” asked Spike.

“Ariel hit me.”

“She what!” yelled Buffy.

“Knocked me down. The last thing I remember is Drusilla looking at me all weird like.”

“Thrall,” said Wesley.

“You didn’t see where they went?” said Buffy frantically.

Fred shook her head. “It was strange. Ariel defended Drusilla. I had a stake and everything.”

“You threatened to stake her grandmother, how did you think she was going to react?” said Spike annoyed.

“Drusilla is a vampire!” protested Kennedy.

“So is her father and great grand father!” protested Buffy.

“And two of her sisters,” said Ariel’s voice from the front door. “But I probably shouldn’t tell you that.”

“Ariel!” screamed Buffy as she rushed to hug her daughter. “I’m so glad you are ok! Where’s Cat?”

“I left her with Dru.”

“Why would you do that!” said Xander

“Cause Dru won’t hurt us!”

“You don’t know that!” protested Gunn.

“Yes, I do. Where do you think I’ve been for the last 45mins? Do you see me all dead?”

“Can you take us to Dru, Ariel?” asked Angel.

“Not if you are going to hurt her,” said the 12 year old.

“I promise I won’t.”

“Fine. I only came back cause I had to go pee, you can come with me, Da too. Maybe Mum, but that’s it.”

Ariel turned and headed towards the bathroom.

“I don’t believe you people,” muttered Kennedy, as she turned to go into the guest room.

“Can I bite her love?” Spike asked Buffy

Buffy smiled. “Be my guest, just don’t get blood on the carpet.”
__________________________________________
Buffy, Spike and Angel followed Ariel back through the sewers to an abandoned maintenance room. Sitting on a makeshift bed, it looked like Dru was telling Cat a story.

“My mummy and I were all happy because sister had made the cake instead. It all fell to pieces and the pixies came. The pixies talk to you too. I see them floating around your head.

“Cat?” whispered Buffy as she drew nearer to the pair.

“Mummy! Look Dusilly!” Cat pointed to Drusilla happily.

“Baby you gave Mommy a scare.”

“Had to get away from the nasty girl with all the numbers.”

“Huh?” said Buffy confused.

“Fred,” offered Angel.

“Oh.”

“Wanted to hurt Catherine. Did you know that my name was Catherine once? Hmm? Named me after a saint me Mum did. Me Mum’s dead now...My Angel made sure of that. Didn’t he my precious girl. You’ll be like me, are like me. Another sad Drusilla, another sad Catherine.”

“Dru, pet what do you see?” asked Spike, realising that Dru had seen the future of this child.

“Not to tell. The pixies tell me. Must listen to Miss Edith or there will be no cake and tea. You’ve come to take me away from them haven’t you?”

Angel nodded.

“Why?”

It was such a simple question. Buffy felt a little bit sorry for Dru. She was a vampire, she was just doing what she did to survive, granted, eating little kids was bad. It seemed wrong that Dru was destined to be tied up and caged by Angel for the rest of her unlife.

“Gonna get you a soul, pet,” said Spike.

Angel and Buffy looked shocked at Spike.

Dru started to whimper. Then a smile crossed her face. “It won’t work,” she sing songed. “Little one has my soul.”

“Cat has your soul?” asked Buffy.

“Must protect Little Me, so she can be me.”

“Huh?” Buffy was confused again. “Can we get out of the sewer at least?”

“Will the nasty girl be there?”

“Fred? Yes.”

“I won’t let her hurt you grand mummy,” said Ariel sweetly.

“And don’t think we aren’t having a conversation about that young lady,” said Buffy.
__________________________________________
No one except Ariel, Cat, Angel and Spike wanted to be anywhere near Drusilla. Kennedy had nearly been kicked out of the house when Buffy invited Dru inside, she raised such a loud fuss.

Buffy almost wished she could just let Dru eat her. The problem was that even though Buffy knew that Dru would be contained, with the chains that Angel and Spike had set up in the training room, she couldn’t help but agree with Kennedy on a slayer demon level. There were 3 vampires in her house now, and one without a soul. Her inner demon was screaming at her to dust Drusilla, and to dust Angel. What it was screaming at her to do with Spike on the other hand...

She knew that she had promised him that she would let him decide when he was ready for the mating thing, but she wanted it, she needed it so badly, or at least her demon did.

Sneaking down to the training room to relieve Angel from his watch post at sunrise Buffy wondered how hard it would be to have a coherent conversation about Spike with Dru.

“Slayer all covered in my William,” said Dru. Buffy guessed it was a greeting.

“Dru. Do you remember Beth Sumner?”

“Nasty blonde to take away my William.”

So yes then.

“If Spike were to take a mate again...would you let him?”

“Ahhh. Mummy doesn’t like it when her boy does things she doesn’t like. You make my William do nasty things. Betrayed Daddy, tried to stake Mummy. Miss Edith was very cross with William for ages and ages.” Dru started swinging back and forth on her chains. “But Miss Edith has changed her mind. She’s thrown out the cookies and wants only muffins now. Where’s Miss Edith?”

Honestly Buffy had no idea what to say about the doll. She assumed that it was lost somewhere.

“Will you make him happy? Take care of him like I never did?” Dru asked, quite seriously.

“Yes,” answered Buffy.

“You took him away from me a long time ago you know. His head was always full of you, even when he thought he still hated you. He’s not my William anymore.”

“You are wrong Drusilla,” said Buffy. “He’ll always be your William. It’s just that now...He’s my Spike.”

Dru smiled.

“Then Miss Edith will dance with the pixies. Mrs Darlington.”

Dru refused to leave Ariel and Cat for the time being, and strangely Buffy was ok with that. Though she knew that if anyone other than Angel, Spike or the kids came down into the training room, Dru would probably try to eat them.

Buffy was relieved by Xander in mid morning, so that she could get some sleep. Buffy had thought Dru was asleep until a whispered ‘Sweet dreams Mrs Darlington’ was murmured across the room.

“Huh?” asked a sleepy Xander.

“Don’t ask.”

Buffy went upstairs to cuddle with her Spike, strangely comforted that Dru saw her as Spike’s wife.
__________________________________________
tbc...