Chapter 19:
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Singing Spike

“What would you say if I got my hair cut today?” asked Buffy in bed.

“You know I love this hair,” said her mate, running his fingers through the blond tresses.

“I know, but maybe I need a new look...”

“That’s bollocks!”

“Maybe. But that doesn’t change anything.”

“Do you want to cut your bleedin’ hair?” he said rolling towards her.

“Would it make you terribly angry if I did cut my hair?”

“Bloody Hell!” he exhaled. “Are you very badly trying to tell me something? Cause I don’t go in for those cryptic mumbo jumbo sessions you and Angelus used to have.”

“Good grief!” she shouted. “Why did you have to bring him into it? I just wanted to know...”

“If I was bloody ok with you cutting your soddin’ hair,” he said exasperated.

“Well are you?”

“NO!”

“Ok then, you don’t have to shout.”
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“Ok, do we have food in the fridge?” Buffy was pacing the kitchen floor.

Dawn opened the fridge. “Check,” noted the teen.

“Are the weapons stored?”

Buffy heard a thump from upstairs and then the pitter patter of wiccan feet.

“Willow dropped something,” explained Tara.

“Weapons away, check,” said Willow.

“Demon/vampire/witch related items?” continued Buffy.

“Check,” said Tara nodding.

Spike appeared before the assembled women, clad in only his jeans and headed straight for the fridge.

“I think you forgot something on that list,” said Dawn, looking at her ‘brother-in-law.’

“Oh god,” murmured the slayer. “Spike! What are you doing?”

“Getting the day off to a good start. Breakfast is the most important meal I’ll have you know,” explained the vampire, getting his blood out of the fridge.

“Gah! Ok, then take your blood and your semi nude body and go back upstairs!”

Spike poured the pigs blood into the new mug he got for Christmas from Dawn that said Bite Me.

“Ashamed of the vampire are we?” Spike put his mug into the microwave and hit the beverage button.

Tara, Willow and Dawn chuckled.

“Spike! Social services is coming this morning!”

“Doesn’t this production seem a bit like you’ve been tipped off?”

“It didn’t go well last time, Mr I stopped by for my lighter! I want things perfect!”

The kitchen was filled with a beeping noise from the microwave.

“Right then, I’d best be off. Up to our room with me, to hide in shame at what a horrible creature I am.”

He popped the door to the appliance and took his steaming mug of blood out.

“Spike... I’m sorry,” murmured Buffy.

Spike broke into a huge smile. “I’m just taking the piss outta you, Slayer.” Spike pecked his mate on the cheek and trod back upstairs.

“What does that mean?” asked Dawn.
__________________________________________
Xander arrived to take Dawn to school as per usual. He was treated to the loud song stylings of Spike the vampire singing ‘Anarchy in the UK’ upstairs.

Xander raised his eye brows in puzzlement.

“I think he’s being immature today,” said Buffy. “He’s been singing every Sex pistols song he knows since he went up there. You should have heard him sing ‘Friggin in the Riggin,’ it was priceless.”

“Too bad I missed it then,” said Xander almost honestly.

“I recorded it...”

“Ooh look at the time, Dawn!”

Dawn and Xander were well away from Revello drive by the time that Doris Kroger darkened Buffy’s doorstep.

At 9 am precisely, the doorbell rang. Spike had just finished singing ‘This is not a Love song.’ Buffy gave one last shush in the direction of the stairs and opened the door to reveal Doris Kroger, clip board in hand.

“Oh, good morning. You must be Buffy. I'm Doris Kroger, from Social Services.” The middle aged woman took out an ID and flashed it before Buffy. “We had an appointment?”

“Yes! Of course, come in Ms Kroger,” said Buffy with a smile.

“Dawn off to school then?” asked the social worker entering the house.

“Oh yes, she left a little while ago.” Buffy closed the door behind the woman. “Perhaps we can have this discussion in the living room?”

Doris nodded and followed Buffy into the living room, seating herself on the big red couch.

Buffy opened her mouth to speak only to be cut off by the opening to ‘Streets of London.’

Buffy groaned. “That’s my partner, he’s cleaning, excuse me, please for a moment.”

Buffy made to get up only to hear the thump of Spike’s feet on the stairs and the jingle of mugs. Spike poked his head into the living room and stopped singing mid verse.

“You could have bloody told me to shut up, Buffy,” he said apologetically.

“And miss your aria, never!” protested Buffy with a smile. “Ms Kroger, this is William Darlington, my partner.”

“Pleased to meet you. You uh, live here?”

“Yes, he does,” supplied Buffy. “William, why don’t you come and join us? After you put on a shirt?”

Spike looked down at his shirtless chest and shrugged, then turned towards the kitchen.

“And how long has Mr Darlington been living here?” asked Ms Kroger.

“Since November.”

Doris nodded and wrote something down on her clip board.

“And how does Dawn feel about this man in the house?”

“Won’t bloody stop asking me when I’m going to marry her sister, actually,” said Spike coming up from the basement wearing...a white tee shirt.

Buffy’s eyes bugged out of her head. He was wearing something other than black. This was a momentous occasion.

“And what do you do? Mr Darlington?”

“I work with Buffy.”

“It says here that you are unemployed Ms Summers.”

“Oh well that’s outdated then isn’t it? William and I are security professionals.”

“Name of your employer?”

“Watcher’s Council. They are based in England.”

Doris made a note on her clip board.

“And the name of your immediate superior?”

“Uh...That would have to be Giles, Rupert Giles.”

More scribbling on the clip board.

“Buffy!” shouted another voice from the kitchen, “Did Willow make any more Portanus?”

Anya

Anya walked into the living room munching on a doughnut.

“Oh look you have company,” said Anya between chews.

“Yes, Anya this is Ms Kroger from social services.”

“Oh right, you’re the lady that could take Dawn away from Buffy and Spike. Do you know that you’ve made my Maid of Honor neglect her honouring duties for a whole week so she could get ready for this visit? I mean do you honestly think that Dawn needs more attention? She’s got the whole Scooby crew at her beck and call. I even have to let her win at Monopoly! It’s cruel.”

“Anya...”

“No, I’m not finished ranting. I’m getting married, Dawn’s one of the bride’s maids, don’t you think she should be showering attention on me instead of the other way around?”

“Uh..” Doris was a little pressed for what to say.

“You don’t have to say anything, I usually leave strangers speechless. I just came over for more Portanus, Willow makes them.”

“Willow is upstairs,” said Buffy.

“Ok,” Anya bounced off towards the stairs. Before she exited the room though, she turned back and took a look at Spike. “Are you wearing a white shirt?”

“I’m sorry about that. Anya always speaks her mind,” said Buffy apologetically.

“And what Miss...”

“Jenkins.”

“And what Miss Jenkins was saying?”

“All true,” said Spike.

“Dawn has a book report due next week, so we decided to read the book together.”

More scribbling. Doris turned her head as she heard yet more people coming down the stairs. Anya returned to the living room.

“Ok, I’m leaving now, I do have a job you know. Just had to get the wiccan lovers to get up off their lazy butts and make me some snacks. Oh and Buffy we have fittings on Friday.”

“Thanks Anya,” said Buffy.

“So who all exactly live in this house?” asked the Social worker.

“Well, William and I, Dawn of course and Willow Rosenburg and Tara McClay,” said Buffy.

Tara and Willow poked their heads into the room and waved.

“They are students at UC Sunnydale.”

More scribbling.
__________________________________________
Doris Kroger left 1630 Revello drive with the promise of more visits but no change in status. Buffy didn’t know if she was happy about this or not. At least she wasn’t on probation.

The thing was that she sorta wished that the geeks were still at large so she could play invisible girl on Ms Kroger again. Feeling sorry for herself Buffy curled up on the couch and turned on the TV.

“Authorities are still on the look out for escaped thief Warren Meers, who broke out of this prison cell last week,” said the mews reporter.

“Ah crap,” muttered Buffy.
__________________________________________
Buffy was muttering to herself in the kitchen. If one looked at Willow’s face, you would think that Buffy was possessed.

“Buffy? Uh, what’s wrong?” asked Willow stirring the pot of portanus.

“He’s out, Warren, stupid police. I should have known that they’d muck it up.”

“Ok.....Calm down?”

“I can’t calm down Wills, He’s bad.”

“Ok, but what can you do? You don’t know where he is? Oooh maybe a locator spell, you want me to do?”

“Thanks but we’d need something of his to do the spell.”

“Buffy bot!”

“Huh?”

“I still have pieces of Buffy bot,”

“That’s weird Willow, and random.”

“For the locator spell. Warren made her.”

“See there’s the Willow thinking I know and love. Where are the parts Wills?”

“Uh, under my bed.”

“Ok again with the weird and random.”
__________________________________________
Buffy pulled the remains of the Buffy bot from underneath Willow and Tara’s bed. It was just a torso and an arm.

“If I didn’t think that Wills had issues before...” Buffy trailed off.

“Uh, Buffy?” asked Tara in the doorway.

“Oh, I have to do a locator spell on Warren.”

“Ok, but why is the Buffy bot in my room?”

“It was under your bed.”

“Excuse me?”

“Ya, I know, it’s weird.”

“Willow put it there?”

“I’m sensing there are going to be words between you two aren’t there?”

“Oh ya,”

“Help me with the spell?”

“You know you don’t need the help Buffy.”

“Maybe, but that doesn’t mean I don’t want it.”

Tara smiled.

Suddenly from down the hall Tara and Buffy heard Spike start in on his rendition of ‘Schools are Prisons.’
__________________________________________
tbc...
 

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Chapter 20: Warren

Buffy bolted out of the house after the completion of the locator spell. The spell said that he was hiding out at the Sunnydale arms hotel. Don't all evil bad guys stay there? Why didn’t the police check there first? probably cause they were the Sunnydale PD.

Buffy kicked in Warren’s door with grim determination on her face.

“I was wondering when you were going to find me...” came Warren’s voice from the bed in the centre of the room. “Slayer?” he sounded shocked.

“You were expecting the Easter Bunny?”

“Police actually. Doesn’t matter though.” Warren reached under a pillow and pulled out a gun.

“Wow, I didn’t see that coming at all,” Buffy noted raising her hands.

“Why not?” asked Warren surprised. “I mean come on everyone has a gun.”

“I don’t,” said Buffy. “Swords, axes, a Troll hammer, a very nice assortment of crossbows, but no guns.”

“Good for me then,” said Warren.

“Of course I don’t need a gun,” said Buffy with a lilt in her voice.

“And why is that?” asked Warren, getting up off the end of the bed and walking towards her.

“Cause I don’t need a gun.” Buffy allowed Warren to get even closer before she reached out and took the gun right out of his hand, but not before Warren pulled the trigger.
__________________________________________
Across town Spike sat up and clutched his chest. He had dozed off while watching passions again, off in his own little dream world, where Buffy wore only skimpy lingerie. Whatever had startled him from his sleep had caused him to start panting. Spike looked about the living room trying to find out what had woken him up. Willow was still puttering around in the kitchen. He had left Buffy and Tara doing mojo up in the Wicca’s room. Spike reached out with his senses to locate his mate.

She wasn’t in the house.

She was in pain.

Spike jumped off the couch and flew upstairs. Barging into the Wicca’s room, Tara was cleaning up the remains of the spell.

“Where is she?” he asked.

“Sunnydale Arms...it...it’s where the spell said Warren was,” said Tara.

Spike didn’t wait around for more explanation. Grabbing his coat, and holding it over his head, Spike took off outside, jumping down into the protection of the sewers as soon as he could.
__________________________________________
Spike arrived underneath the Sunnydale Arms hotel in record time. Pulling his coat over his head once more Spike emerged from the sewers and followed her scent which led him to an open door. Room 35 was open to just anyone who wanted to come in. The sheets on the bed were ripped, there was a large crack in the plaster of the wall just to the right of the door and a bullet hole in the door itself.

But the item of note was the splatters of Buffy’s blood on the carpet in front of the door.

Buffy is hurt, bleeding.

Spike turned and headed out the door. He had to find her. He had a feeling that Warren had already done something that Spike would have pleasure making him regret.
__________________________________________
Dawn walked into Sunnydale minimum security detention centre with purpose. She was determined to meet Andrew Wells, regardless if he was in prison or not.

Dawn had breezed by the security, saying that she was his cousin. The guards seemed to be a complete joke. Some were playing cards, others were sleeping on the job. It was a wonder that anyone stayed locked up here very long at all.

Dawn sat down at the booth and waited for Andrew to show up. After what seemed like an eternity, Andrew was escorted in by a very displeased guard.

Andrew slid into the cheap plastic chair forlornly and looked through the glass to his visitor. His shock was apparent.

“What...what are you doing here?” he asked.

Dawn stared back at him for a moment.

“I...I wanted to meet one of the people that made my sister’s life miserable.”

“Well you came you gawked. Leave me alone.”

“No, I came here to meet you, not to gawk.”

Andrew shifted uncomfortably in his chair.

“Buffy seems to think that you can be rehabilitated. That you would make a good watcher.”

Andrew’s face lit up in a smile. “She really thinks so?”

“I don’t know why...You seem like an annoying little man to me. But it doesn’t matter what I think. Buffy is the Slayer.”

“What do I have to do?”

“Well stop trying to take over Sunnydale, why would you want this town? It majorly sucks.”

Andrew nodded.

“Oh and you could tell the police everything you know about Warren and where he could be. That would be very helpful.”

“I can’t betray Warren, he’s my friend.”

“Would a real friend let his friend get caught by the police? And then escape without them? Huh?”

“I see your point...”
__________________________________________
“You know it’s a lot easier to drag your sorry ass if you would just keep still!” yelled Buffy at the tied up form of Warren before her. He was covered in mud, no doubt due to the fact that Buffy had been dragging him towards the police station via the back roads and alleys.

Buffy had stopped, to take a break. She reached up to her shoulder and touched the bullet wound. It looked a lot worse than it really was. She had only been caught off guard a bit really. She had managed to deflect the bullet away magically in time to keep from getting too badly hurt.

Spike is really gonna let you have it when you get yourself home Buffy Anne Summers.

It was only a flesh wound, but she was going to get yelled at none the less.

Buffy exhaled and moved to pick up the criminal by the shoulders again. Only this time she lost her footing and landed sprawled on her butt.

“Bloody Hell,” she muttered as she righted herself.

Seventy Five years of living in England did things to your vocabulary.

Buffy clapped her hands together to get the grime off and looked at her captive, who had managed to get himself up off the ground too.

She shook her head. “You never learn do you?”

Suddenly Warren lunged towards her and pushed her down back onto the grimy alley ground. Buffy looked up to see him shuffle away from her. It was pathetic really. His feet could only move an inch or so. He looked like a mummy, all wrapped up in bed sheet strips.

Buffy made to hoist herself up off the ground for the second time when she heard a growling noise. A smile spread over her face.

Her gaze traveled to a nearby manhole cover. A manhole cover that was nearer to Warren’s position than hers.

Spike popped out of the sewers and into the shaded alley like a bat out of hell. Within seconds Warren was on the ground and Spike was on him.

“Where is she you bloody git?”

Warren mumbled through his gag.

“Spike?” said Buffy calmly, standing up.

Spike turned to look at who called his name. His vamp face melted away to his human features as he saw the smile of his mate.

“Spike, I’m ok,” she said walking closer to him.

Spike sniffed the air.

“You’re bleeding!”

“Oh, ya, that. It’s only a flesh wound.”

Spike gathered her up in his arms and set about inspecting every inch of her body to determine the extent of her injuries.

He lightly touched her shoulder wound and cringed.

“Flesh wound my lily white arse,” he muttered under his breath. Spike dipped his head and licked the wound clean.

He nuzzled the wound for a few moments before Buffy had to return them to the situation at hand.

“Spike, he’s getting away, very slowly.”

Spike turned his head and looked at Warren shuffling away.

“He shot you.”

“He did.”

“Coulda killed you.”

“I guess,” said Buffy, petting Spike’s bleached locks. “He didn’t though.”

Buffy looked deeply into Spike’s piercing blue eyes. She had this horrible feeling that Warren wasn’t going to live through the night. Spike would see to that.

“I don’t want you to kill him Spike,” she whispered. “Please.”

“In your future, who kills him?”

“Willow, for killing Tara.”

“This pathetic git kills Glinda too? Oh no pet, you can’t honestly ask me not to drain the bugger dry now.”

Buffy placed a kiss on his lips and then smiled. “He isn’t worth your extraordinary talents Spike.”

Taking his hand, Buffy and Spike started walking closer to the shuffling man. The Vampire reached out and grabbed Warren by the scruff of his neck.

“Best get him back to the Sunnydale ponce brigade then.”
__________________________________________
With Warren safely back in police custody, Buffy borrowed back her new toy from Giles’ custody.

Spike was spouting incessant warnings about going to the hospital to get her shoulder checked out. It was endearing to a point, but the point had been crossed. Now in the Magic Box, he petitioned Giles and Anya to make her see reason and get herself to a doctor.

Her trip to the cemetery was only delayed long enough for Spike to attend to her wounds himself. Newly gauzed and disinfected, Buffy, her shiny, pointy new toy and Spike headed to one of Sunnydale’s many cemeteries, in search of answers.
__________________________________________
Buffy slipped into the pyramid anticipating a very cryptic and confusing conversation with pyramid lady.

The interior of the pyramid was exactly how she remembered it. The torches, the cob webs, it was uncanny. All that was missing was the woman hating preacher man and Angel. Spike was even hanging out in the entrance.

The pyramid lady came out behind a curtain looking exactly how Buffy remembered her.

“I’d forgotten. I’d forgotten how young you would be. Comes from the waiting. The mind plays tricks.” the long haired woman motioned towards the scythe that Buffy carried in her hand. “I see you’ve found our weapon.”

“Ya, it made me all mole girl.“

“You pulled it out of the rock. I was one of those who put it in there.”

“Ya, so you said last time. Look I need to run something by you. Last time, in another future time, I got this scythe, and my friend Willow did a spell that released the essence of the spell so that every girl who was going to be a slayer was a slayer....Can the spell be done in reverse? Can we make it so that there is only one Slayer again?”

“I am only a guardian. One of the women who want to help and protect you. We forged this centuries ago, halfway around the world, to carry out that mission.”

“Fair enough,“ lost the plot much? “So do you have any idea if it can be done. You were the ones that made the nice shiny...“

“Forged, yes, it was put to use right here… to kill the last pure demon that walked upon the earth. The rest were already driven under. And then there were men here, and then there were monks. And then there was a town… and now there is you. And the scythe remained hidden. Until you.”

“Yay me with the digging. But you still haven’t answered my question.”

“We are not witches.”

“How did I know you were going to say that? Thanks anyway.”

Buffy turned to walk out of the pyramid.

“A word of caution though... Your plan, it faces it’s own perils.”

“Really? Cause that hadn’t occurred to me at all...” Buffy said sarcastically.
__________________________________________
Buffy and Spike walked home hand in hand.

“Get the answers you were looking for pet?”

“Course not, that would be too easy wouldn’t it? At least this time there is no julienne preacher man, stupid cookie analogy and Angel, afterwards.”

Spike gave her a funny look.

“Just smile and nod Spike, you don’t really want to know. Of course what you should know is that I came home and we had basement cuddling.”

“Just cuddling?”

“At the time, yes.” Buffy stopped walking and stepped out in front of him. “Are you telling me that you want more than just basement cuddling?”
__________________________________________
tbc...

 

__________________________________________
Chapter 21: Recognition

Buffy checked the date on the calendar. Today was the day that shall remain in infamy, the day she lowered her standards and went to work at the Doublemeat Palace. Buffy counted herself lucky that she had avoided that tragic route again.

Spike stumbled down the stairs with a frown on his face.

“What’s your problem?” she asked.

“There was no naked slayer in my bed this morning,” he pouted.

Buffy gave him sympathetic look and petted his head.

“I can’t stay in bed all day you know, even if there is a very distracting naked vampire in there with me.”

Spike smirked.

“So what made you leave our bed of mated bliss then?” he asked.

“Martial bliss? It’s Anya’s bridal shower tonight. Expect me home late and drunk.”

“Drunk Naked Slayer?”

“You betcha.”
__________________________________________
As Maid of honour, Buffy was in charge of Anya’s bridal shower. Dawn was excited. Which was a good thing. She’d been Broody Miss for a few days now, every vengeful since the mole girl incident.

Buffy sat and stared at her scythe before her. She was returning it to Giles, so that he could ‘discover’ to his hearts delight.

Of course also open before her were volumes of volumous books, that would potentially provide the insight needed to create a spell that would make there only be one slayer.

Her brain hurt, a lot.

The magic, the white power that she had, it was something she never asked for, she never really wanted, it kinda just crept up on her. Giles’ explanation years and years from now had been that maybe all Slayers when they reach this age would just naturally acquire the magic.

Willow had said it was inherent.

And now here she was, looking up a spell to make it so that there would be only one slayer again, with power that was inherent to Slayers.

Willow.

She hadn’t talked to Willow on a one on one basis for a couple of days and she cringed to think just how Willow would take to the fact that Buffy was all powerful and witchy. And of course how she had been all don’t use your power. Buffy didn’t see rainbows and puppies in that scenario.

The books before her stared back menacingly. They taunted her. Defying her to attempt to find their secrets.

Buffy stuck her tongue out at them. Stupid books

Buffy got up out of her chair and headed into the training room. The punching bag was her friend in times like this.

She needed to de-stress. The party was catered, with Willow doing the demon food.

Buffy was proud of Willow, she had found a niche. Buffy had even gone so far as to suggest that Willow open her own catering business for the demon population of Sunnydale.

Tara had thought it a great idea, Willow just needed a little bit of encouraging.

Buffy worked herself into a steady rhythm of punches and kicks to her heavy bag, only to be startled by Dawn entering the training room.

“He’s annoying, and impossible, and I don’t understand why I would ever want to have that man’s kid!” shouted Dawn as she slouched into a nearby chair.

Buffy laughed.

“But you were friends with him,” said Buffy. “Yes, Andrew is annoying, and yes he’s impossible and has a bad habit of making things overly dramatic and forcing video cameras into your face, but he was your friend.”

“So you are saying that I wasn’t in love with him?”

“God no. He was your best friend, you two decided to have a kid together.”

Dawn let out a sigh. “Oh thank god.”

“Did it really worry you that much?” asked Buffy.

“You have no idea,” said Dawn with a smile.
__________________________________________
Like most Scooby parties, Anya’s bridal shower was being held at the Magic Box. It was a women only affair.

The guest list wasn’t extensive, just Anya’s closest friends, Buffy, Willow, Tara, Dawn, Amy, Rowan, Hallie and a few other’s that had been at the Engagement party that Buffy really didn’t know all that well. They opened the party with a game to make the best veil out of toilet paper.

Which inevitably led to the Magic box being covered in the stuff.

Anya wore the winning creation, by Dawn, on her head for the rest of the night. Buffy won the loser, by Willow, until it fell apart, which was about 15 mins. So to clarify, Buffy wore toilet paper on her head for the rest of the evening.

Buffy groaned as Dawn got out the camera. She was never going to live this down.

Willow started to pass out the M&Ms to start the next game.

Buffy stared down at the 5 M&Ms that she held in her hand. Now she had to think of 5 things to say about Anya that were true.

Dawn was first.

“I have 7 M&Ms, so 7 things huh? Um, Anya likes money,” said Dawn.

“Very true,” said Anya, “but not very original.

“She dated a Troll,” continued Dawn. “She has a dance of capitalist superiority.”

Anya nodded cheerfully.

“Which we will make her do after we get her really drunk,” added Buffy.

“Oh I’ll do it now, you don’t have to ply me with alcohol, I’d be more than happy to dance,” said Anya happily.

“She’s scared of bunnies, Her Birthday is on the 4th of July, Her first date with Xander was the senior prom, and her favourite food are portanus.”

Dawn seemed pleased with herself for her truths about Anya, and how she had gone first now no one could use those things. Buffy could sense some groaning from the other’s assembled.

Willow was next.

“I have 6 M&Ms. Oooh, Anya doesn’t have a driver’s license, but feels that she can drive anyway.”

“Why do I need a driver’s licence when I have Xander to drive me places?” asked Anya.

“You can’t just rely on Xander for rides Anya,” said Dawn.

“I’ve never needed to drive a car, well besides the time when Willow set Olaf free from that crystal with her little ball of sunshine.”

“I didn’t know your ex boyfriend was in that crystal,” whined Willow.

“Well if you ask me, the whole idea was nuts. Little ball of sunshine...”

“Sounds preposterous,” agreed Hallie.

Willow glared at Hallie and Anya.

Sensing some tension, Buffy sat up from her chair.

“Margaritas!” she said falsely chipper. “We so need Margaritas!”

“I’ll have you know, that I’m a very competent witch and just because one spell didn’t go according to plan...well I’m sure there have been some of your vengeance spells that didn’t go all happy faces!” said Willow.

“A competent witch knows her limitations,” said Hallie snidely.

“Willow, can you help me with the margaritas?” asked Buffy.

Willow turned to look at her friend and flicked her wrist. In the training room Buffy could hear the blender that they had brought over for the occasion buzz to life.

“That’s not what I meant,” Buffy mumbled under her breath.

“Willow...” said Tara softly obviously trying to calm down her girl friend.

“No, Tara, she’s insulting and I don’t have to put up with it,” said Willow loud enough so the rest of the room heard.

“Willow!” gasped Tara.

Buffy looked between Hallie and Willow. This could only end in badness. Then, as if on cue, a tray full of margaritas floated into the shop.

Buffy grabbed one and took a sip, letting the sweet lime taste drip down her throat. Buffy closed her eyes and tried to drown out the yelling.

“I have been Anyanka’s best friend for centuries!” Hallie was shouting. “I have every right to be here!”

Buffy opened her eyes again to see Dawn helping herself to a margarita. The slayer walked across the room and plucked the drink from her underage sister’s hands.

“I don’t think so there Dawnie,” said the older sister.

“Come on Buffy, it’s a special occasion!” protested Dawn.

“The wedding is a special occasion. This is just a gathering, which any second now is going to turn into an opportunity for renovation.”

“Huh?”

Buffy pointed to Willow and Hallie, still staring each other down.

“You aren’t even on the bride’s side of the ceremony, aren’t you like the best woman or something terribly politically correct? In my day this would have been a terrible faux pas.”

“That’s cause you are older than dirt.”

“Hey!” protested Anya and Buffy simultaneously.

“Sorry Anya, Buffy,” said Willow sheepishly.

Hallie tapped her foot.

Willow remained silent.

“Willow, just apologize, so we can move on, please?” begged Buffy.

“I think she should apologise to me!”

“Wills, think about Anya, it’s her party,” said Tara.

Willow’s face softened briefly. “Sorry Anya, but your friend is rude.”

“Oh, sometimes, yes she is,” agreed Anya with a smile. “That’s how she got herself elevated to be a demon. that’s a fabulous story Hallie, you should tell it.”

Hallie’s face softened.

“That is a great story.” Hallie sat down on her chair once more and took a margarita. “I am much much younger than Anyanka you know. When I was still human, my mother kept making me go to these dull dull parties, with intolerable people, just so that I could meet the right people, you know to marry me off. I don’t know what was wrong with me but I keep attracting creepy guys. Well this one guy wouldn’t leave me alone. Wrote me poetry. It was bad poetry too. God it was awful. He was beneath me.”

As Hallie told her story Buffy’s eyes went wide. She could believe that she hadn’t seen it before. Hallie was Cecily Underwood! The girl who had broken William's heart and sent him into the night to be turned by Drusilla.

Buffy felt her hands clench and her nails dig into the palms of her hands. She suddenly felt the need to get more food out of the fridge. For the first time she cursed the fact that she had all the food catered. She could have worked off a lot of tension by chopping something.

Cause right now she kept seeing herself chopping off Hallie’s head in her mind’s eye.
__________________________________________
After all the guests had gone home and Anya and Buffy were cleaning up the mess left by the toilet paper, paper cups, and napkins.

“The man in Hallie’s story was Spike,” said Buffy at once.

“Yes,” sighed Anya. “I am glad that she didn’t tell everyone that though. I like Spike.”

“Does Hallie know that Spike is William?”

“I don’t know, though I think it very unlikely that she doesn’t. She has a remarkable memory.”

“I don’t want to think what Spike would do when he recognises her,” said Buffy worried.

“They can’t do anything more to each other. Spike’s dead, and Hallie’s a demon.”

“I have a very bad feeling about this.”
__________________________________________
tbc...
 

__________________________________________
Chapter 22: Exposition

Buffy wasn’t drunk when she got home. She did consume two margaritas, but that was when she was desperately trying to not kill Hallie. The house was quiet. Dawn, Willow and Tara had come home long before she had and were obviously already asleep.

But where was Spike?

Buffy grabbed a carton of grapefruit juice from the fridge and poured herself a glass. He wasn’t in the house, she could feel that much just by being in the house herself. Setting the carton down, Buffy calmed her inner senses and reached out trying to find her mate. She felt that familiar buzz of alcohol and realized at once where he was.

He was at Willy’s. Getting hammered.

Well at least one of us is going to be drunk, she thought.

The idea briefly of going to join him was squelched by the fact that she was so overly tired that she would probably pass out after her first drink. She satisfied her self with sending Spike naughty thoughts via her link with him, in hopes of getting him home to her faster.
__________________________________________
Buffy stretched out her arms happily the next morning and snuggled closer to her mate. She had met him at the door, wackiness had ensued. Now, the next morning, with a fresh wound on her neck, Buffy debated about whether or not she should tell Spike about Halfrek, before he found out on his own.

“Out with it,” ordered a sleepy vampire.

“Huh?” Buffy mumbled.

“I can practically hear the wheels turning in your head, Goldilocks.”

“Then tell me oh great one, if you can hear my wheels, what am I thinking about?”

“Shagging me until I dust?”

Buffy giggled. “That is always foremost in my thoughts.”

“Damn right,” he said pulling her closer.

“Which remind me of thing that happened last time... We are going to the bronze tonight.”

“Why’s that pet?”

“Fun balcony sex.”

Spike groaned happily.

“Spike?”

“Ya pet,” he said kissing and licking the marks he made on her neck the night before.

“At Anya’s bridal shower last night...there was someone there...You remember Halfrek from the engagement party?”

“Yes,” said Spike all cautious. He didn’t like how she was approaching the subject. “Brunette, veiny, drama queen.”

“Right, well she let a few things slip, about how she was elevated, and she is very pretty without the veins, almost you could say...effulgent?”

Spike bolted away from Buffy like she was the sun itself.

“Halfrek is Cecily, Spike.”

“Cecily Underwood is dead.”

“Are you so sure about that? Did you see her body? The way she tells it after she broke your heart, she trapped her parents in a never ending waltz and was elevated by D’Hoffryn.”

“She never did like our parties,” mumbled Spike.

“I just wanted to let you know, so she doesn’t surprise you with it.”

Spike flopped back on the bed, his arms spread wide for a moment before sitting up again.

“Just how...”

“Effulgent? You might want to reconsider what you keep in that lock box at Wolfram and Hart Spike.”
__________________________________________
Buffy set the scythe down on the Magic Box’s research table and looked around at the assembled Scoobies. They had gathered here today to hear Buffy’s tale of woe and horror, and to help in what way they could in the upcoming battle with the first evil.

“Hey I just came, cause we are going Bronzing later,” said Dawn indignantly.

Buffy rolled her eyes. Willow, Tara, Amy, Giles, Anya, Dawn, Giles, Xander and Spike, peppered the room.

“A year from now we are going to be in the fight of our lives. I’ve seen it, it’s not pretty, there’s violence, teenagers taking over my house, betrayal, bombs, and nasty woman hating preacher men, and he’s probably out there right now. The First Evil, the thing that tried to get Angel to kill himself three years ago, will be back and more powerful than ever. Spike dies. Anya dies. And none of us are ever the same again.”

The scoobies, with the exception of Spike, Buffy and Anya, looked shocked at Anya’s predicted death.

“What? She told me like weeks ago,” said Anya who had gotten out another bag of Portanus to munch on.

“So what we are going to do it stop it?” asked Xander.

“The First told me that it was me being brought back to life that upset the balance. There is more than one slayer. So we have to make it so that there is only one slayer again,” said Buffy.

“Are we going to kill Faith?” asked Anya.

“No, cause the Slayer line passes through her, another slayer would be called,” explained the slayer.

“So how do we make it so that there is only one slayer then?” asked Willow. “Cause last time I checked it sorta wasn’t up to us.”

“We need to find a spell. A spell that restores balance.”

“We would need to have an idea of what the slayer essence, if you will, was before we even attempted what you are proposing,” said Giles.

“Well, here it is,” said Buffy picking up the scythe from the table before them.

“Huh?” asked Xander.

“The essence of Slayer power is in this scythe,” stated Buffy matter of factly.

“And you know this how?” asked Anya.

“I’m older than dirt, just trust me on this one, k?”

“What does that make me then?” said Anya bitterly.

“That’s a good point,” noted Xander. “What is older than dirt?”

“Your blushing bride?” offered Giles.

Xander awkwardly put his arm around Anya and smiled. Anya didn’t look happy. Not happy at all.
__________________________________________
Three hours of research later and they were still no closer to a solution. Willow thought she could make up the spell herself, to which Tara gave her a disapproving look. As they searched, Buffy couldn’t help but think about how this was all going to go down, even if they did find a spell. Should she let Willow participate at all?

Dawn threw down a book in disgust.

“I thought you said we were going to the Bronze?” she whined.

“I didn’t lie,” sighed Buffy.

In an instant Spike was by her side and holding out his arm for her to take. Buffy stood up and smiled at her mate. She had been sensing his increasing boredom for the past three hours. She slipped her arm around his and leaned her head against his shoulder.

“The Bronze?” she inquired.

“Thank god!” exclaimed Dawn as she brushed past the couple and out the door.
__________________________________________
The music in the Bronze pounded against her skull. The beat was forcing parts of her body to move along with it. Sitting at the table with glasses of beer in front of her and her vampire curled up around her, despite being seated on his own stool, Buffy found herself staring at her right index finger that was tapping out the beat on Spike’s hand. He didn’t seem to mind much, as long as she let him take an occasional sip of Guinness. Out on the dance floor Dawn and Amy danced to the music, Tara and Willow were whispering sweet nothings into each other’s ears across the table from the mated couple. Anya and Xander were having a heated discussion about a wedding related item at the bar.

Buffy reached forward and took Spike’s beer and sipped. He watched in fascination as she licked the foam from her lips. She did miss a bit though at the very corner of her mouth. Spike leaned over and licked it from her skin.

“I didn’t know you liked your Guinness, pet.”

“You don’t live in England for over 50 years without growing an appreciation for actual beer.” She smiled. “This American stuff, it’s nasty.”

“Says the American.”

“I’m transplanted, and mated to a Brit, that’s got to count for something.”

“It does at that pet. So what’s on the Slayers list of things to do? What evil is afoot tonight?”

“Well, nerds are in jail, including Warren, so no time shifting demon, no dead Katrina. Just balcony sex.”

That got Willow and Tara’s attention.

Buffy smiled at their shocked faces. “What?” asked the slayer innocently. “You should try it, though the mechanics in your case might be slightly different...”

Spike snerked at Willow’s mouth hanging open. Buffy smiled and grabbed Spike’s hand leading him from the table, just as Xander and Anya approached.

“Where are they going?” asked Xander.

“Balcony sex,” said Tara calmly.

“Damn it, now it’s occupied,” said Anya. “We are next though, k?”
__________________________________________
tbc...
 

__________________________________________
Chapter 23: The Big 1-2-3

When Buffy woke up without her vampire mate pillow snuggled next to her she knew something was wrong.

“Spike?” Buffy called out into the muted yellow of her room, the blinds keeping out the deadly rays of light. Buffy, sitting up she scanned the room for clues. His pants were gone, conclusion: he wasn’t taken by force. Or taken by someone who really didn’t appreciate his chiselled bod like she did. His black tee from the night before was still in a crumpled pile at the bottom of the bed where it had fallen in a fit of passion, as normally happened after they returned from patrol. Conclusion: he’s shirtless, or he has a new one on.

He was probably not far, but she had to make sure. Buffy laid back on the bed and reached out with her senses. He was close, very close and he didn’t want her finding out what he was up to. With a satisfied smile on her face, Buffy rolled over in bed and stretched out her arms.

Maybe he’s making me breakfast in bed? she thought. But why?

Suddenly the door to their room was kicked open and Spike walked in with a tray of pancakes.

“Happy Birthday Goldilocks,” he beamed.

Right, Birthday Buffy!

“Thank you!” Buffy smiled back. “You cooked?”

“God no, these are patented Willow cakes, fresh squeezed OJ and GJ by Dawn,” explained Spike, who wasn’t wearing a shirt after all.

“And your little contribution?”

“I carried the tray, and I picked the flower,” he said pointing to the rose on the tray.

Buffy raised an eye brow. “Picked a rose, in the daylight, in January?”

“Picked it out of a florist’s window?”

Buffy smiled. “That sounds more realistic. So my birthday huh? The big 1-2-3. Funny I don’t feel older than 21.”

“Eat you bloody pancakes, slayer.”

“Or what? You gonna eat me?”

Spike licked his lips and raised an eyebrow.

“Don’t you wish.”
__________________________________________
Full, showered, dressed and happy as a clam, Buffy bounced down the stairs.

“You ready to go?” asked Willow who was standing at the bottom of the stairs.

“Ready to go where?” asked the slayer a mite confused. She had expected to go about the day normally, perhaps a party later with gifts and hijinx, after the ritual demon fighting.

“Oh it’s sorta a surprise,” said Willow eagerly. “Oooh but not too much of a surprise, cause I’m sure there will be demon fighting later, it is a Buffy Birthday after all.”

“As long as it doesn’t involve embarrassing retelling of past mistakes or world endage...”

“None of the above.”

“Ok...”Buffy started hesitantly, “What do I need?”

“Just you, and possibly car keys, we don’t have licenses...”

“Licenses? and wait...we?”

“We have to pick up Anya too?”

Buffy rolled her eyes only to have them settle on the form of Dawn bouncing down the stairs. It was 10 am, on a weekday.

“Dawn? Why aren’t you at school?” asked Buffy.

“Cause it’s Buffy birthday fun day! Willow wrote me a note,” Dawn said proudly.

“Willow...”

“Buffy birthday fun day!” answered the witch. “Tara!”

Tara emerged from the kitchen with a blind fold in her hand.

“I...I thought I was driving?” asked Buffy really confused now.

“You are, it’s for after we get there,” explained Tara. “Ooh the time!”

Buffy felt herself being pointed towards the door and shoved.

“Spike?” Buffy called out helplessly.

“Have fun pet,” he said with a smile.
__________________________________________
Buffy gripped the steering wheel like it was a lifeline.

She knew the way to Xander’s house. That was no problem, Anya squeezed into the SUV’s back seat wished Buffy a happy birthday. It was after they pulled away from Xander’s building that Buffy really started feeling uncomfortable behind the wheel.

She hadn’t felt this uncomfortable driving since her driving test in England when she was 27. She had had a horrible tester, with way bad teeth and horrid onion breath. At a light she had got a pack of mints out of her purse and offered him one. The test had gone down hill after that.

Willow was shouting out directions to her.

“Here, turn right now!”

Buffy struggled to keep up with her friend’s orders.

With relief they finally pulled into the back parking lot of a building. But because it was the back entrance Buffy couldn’t tell where they were.

“Blindfold time!” said Tara happily.

“Can I at least get out of the car first?”
__________________________________________
Blindfolded and being pushed somewhere Buffy tried to determine what was going on around her by tapping into skills she had not felt she needed for what seemed like eons. Giles used to train her with a blindfold in a whole Obi Wan type thing. She had been pretty good at it until she stopped training other Slayers.

She knew that Willow and Tara were holding her arms, Anya was behind her and that Dawn was floating somewhere to the left, well not literally. Turning some corners and up a few stairs the group came to a stop and the blind fold was removed.

“Happy Birthday Buffy!” squealed Dawn.

Buffy looked around her trying to find out where they were, until her eyes drifted to a sign that read, “The Sunnydale Spa welcomes you.”

“Sunnydale has a Spa?” were the first words out of Buffy’s mouth. “How did I not know this? Where was I? And don’t tell me I was slaying or saving the world or some garbage like that. When did we get a spa?”

“Uh, Buffy, they opened this past year...” said Tara.

“When? Where was I? Was I dead?”

The four women around her clammed up and looked at the floor like it was a taboo subject.

“Damn, being dead sucked.”
__________________________________________
Four hours later, completely rejuvenated, Buffy dropped her friends and Dawn at Xander’s for party planning and drove home. They had been trying to convince her that after such a relaxing day at the spa, she should just sleep until the party.

It made sense in a weird sort of way.

But she didn’t want to sleep. She had seen Spike for all of 20mins today, and it was her birthday. She wanted Birthday smoochies!
__________________________________________
Buffy opened the door to her house to be hit with a flowery fragrance. Buffy closed the door behind her only to notice, once her eyes adjusted to the muted light, that there was a trail of rose petals leading up the stairs.

With a smile on her face, Buffy set down her bag and began climbing the stairs, expecting to see a seduction scene in her bedroom. Half way up there was a white note card, written in delicate calligraphy, and bordered in gold lamé.

Buffy smiled sadly. At the top of the stairs there was another note card.

Buffy laughed at that one. Explaining to her mother what she was doing with Spike was a funny, now in hindsight. At the time? Not so much. On the floor of the upstairs hallway there was another one.

He had counted the days she had been dead. She had almost forgotten that little detail. Following the rose petals further down the hallway, just in front of their bedroom door there was yet another card.

Buffy entered her room, which was covered in red and white rose petals to see another card sitting on their bed.

Buffy flashed back to the time she spoke those words and a smiled. Behind her she felt a vampire enter the room. She turned with a smile to look at her mate.

“Have you got something to tell me?” she asked all innocently.

In a smooth, fluid motion, Spike was down on one knee and was holding out a ring box.

“Buffy Anne Summers, I love you, you are my mate, my lover, my best friend. I want to be with you the rest of your days. I don’t know how things would have gone if the other Buffy was here, but I want to make the Buffy that is here happy for the rest of her days. Goldilocks, will you marry me?”

Buffy stared open mouthed as he opened the ring box and revealed possibly the most beautiful ring she had ever seen.

“Turn over the last card, pet...”

Buffy turned over the card.

Buffy started to laugh. “It's just so sudden. I don't know what to say,” she quoted off the card.

“Just say yes, and make me the happiest man on earth.”

“Oh, Spike! Of course it's yes!” she said with a huge smile on her face. “Silly Vampire.”

Spike slipped the ring on to her finger, while she brushed a tear from the corner of her eye.

“Buffy?”

“Oh happy tears, very happy tears. Mrs Darlington happy tears.”

Spike frowned.

“You don’t want me to be Mrs Darlington? Mrs The Bloody?”

“Just never thought you’d wanna take my name is all.”

“Course I wanna, I don’t change my name for just anyone you know.”
__________________________________________
The not so surprise party was held at , surprise, surprise, the magic shop. There was music, there was cake, there was punch.

But there was no Richard, and no wall inhabiting demon, and no Halfrek to trap them together.

But most of all there was Buffy, a very happy Buffy.

She already knew what they were getting her for gifts. Xander and Anya a weapons chest. Dawn, a leather jacket, this time actually paid for. Willow and Tara had hosted the spa day, eliminating both Buffy’s birthday gift and Anya’s Bachelorette party gift.

Giles gave her a new axe.

Once all the gifts were opened the scoobies looked expectantly at Spike.

“Where’ s your gift Spike?” asked Dawn.

“Oooh!” said Buffy excitedly. “Spike and I are getting married.”

Buffy leaned over and kissed her fiancé full on the mouth before her friends.

“Can I be blind too?” said Xander.
__________________________________________
tbc...

__________________________________
Chapter 24: Bite Me

“I’m going to the crypt for a bit, love,” said Spike, pulling on his duster.

Buffy looked up from her book, Igman’s book of Undead Habits and over her shoulder at her fiancé from the couch. The sun had just set and Spike had been pacing for ages to get out of the house.

“I thought you brought everything here when you moved in?” she asked curious.

“I did love, just have a favour to do a friend, lost at poker last night.”

Buffy shifted her body to look at him in the hallway. “You aren’t stowing Sulvote eggs by chance are you?”

“Don’t know, just need a space is all. Didn’t ask what the space was for. Was hoping that it was naked mud wrestling actually...”

“Spike!” Buffy protested with a big smile on her face.

“Of course I’d always be thinking I’d much rather it was you in the mud...” he quickly added.

“Oh, cause that’s so much better...Spike, these eggs, they’re dangerous,” she said worried.

Spike stepped into the living room, a concerned look on his face. The vampire crouched down so that he was eye level with Buffy.

“Love, this is one of those things from the future again, right?”

Buffy nodded. “And you aren’t going to like what coming next.”

“What comes next then Slayer?”

“I trust you Spike,” she said leaning over to kiss his cheek. She was avoiding. She knew it. “Have a good time with your poker buddies. We will be having company tonight, tomorrow, sometime soon.”

“Who, pet?”

“Captain Cardboard,” said Buffy, turning back to her book.

Buffy flinched as Spike muttered some choice expletives and ranted about Riley and something about plastic stakes as he kicked the couch, not hard enough to break it, but she was sure that it wouldn’t hold up to a beating. Buffy watched Spike go only slightly worried. Yes she trusted her mate, but she also trusted that Riley Finn was going to be exactly the same bigoted man as he was the last time she saw him.

But she still intended to one up him before he could on up her. Not like last time.

The moment Spike was gone out of the house, Buffy bolted off the couch and up the stairs.
__________________________________
Sure enough, Riley Finn found her later that evening and this time she wasn’t working a crap job at the Doublemeat Palace. This time she was in the bathtub. Dawn had to come up and get her, which have Riley time to stew in her living room of happy pictures. Happy pictures of Buffy and Spike, Spike and Dawn, Willow and Tara, Xander and Anya, but also the family portrait that they had had taken last week, Buffy Dawn and Spike like a family sitting in the centre of the mantel piece.

Buffy walked down the stairs elegantly in her tight leather pants, slayer boots and a cute black tee that said ‘Bite Me’ on it. Yes, since she had come back to this younger body, she’d been experimenting with fashion, and occasionally she liked to take a page out of Spike’s style guide. Her nails were painted black and her makeup was as dark as it had been when she was in high school.

“Riley!” Buffy greeted happily, stepping forward to hug him. “God, it’s been forever!”

And it had almost, over a hundred years. Buffy barely touched him as they hugged and she pulled away as fast as she could.

“It sure has, Buffy,” he said. “You look great!”

“Thanks,” she tried an insincere blush.

“Sorry to just drop in on you like this, Buffy,” offered the commando.

“Not a problem, next week I have demons teleporting in for wedding fun, it’s like practice.”

“Look, this isn't the way I wanted it. But something's come up, something big. We don't have much time. You understand?” said Riley cryptically, making sure to keep his voice low, obviously trying not to get Dawn involved.

“I’m familiar with the language known as cryptic ramblings...Willow and Giles are fluent speakers of it.”

“I want to explain, I just don't have time. I've been up for forty eight hours straight tracking something bad, and now it's come to Sunnydale,” said Riley again, casting a look at Dawn who was standing in the middle of the living room.

“Cause I’m always game of cryptic from the ex boyfriend...“

Riley sighed. “I know that I'm putting you on the spot, showing up like this, but ... but you know, here we are. I need the best. I need you, Buffy. Can you help me?”

“You don’t need me, you need a slayer Riley, I just happen to be her.“ Buffy grabbed her coat from the hall closet and opened the front door. “Well here I am, point me in a direction and I’ll slay”

“Don’t you want to know what to slay?”

“Oh I have an idea.”
__________________________________
Buffy and Riley walked down the street, each feeling the awkwardness.

“Look, I'm sorry this is all so sudden. You know, if we get a minute, I'd really like to sit down...”

Riley stopped talking as his attention drifted to the beeping gizmo that was on his belt.

“What is it?” Buffy asked only slightly curious, she had been through this before.

“Suvolte demon. Rare, lethal ... nearly extinct, but not nearly enough. It's close.”

Buffy couldn’t help but break out into laughter. He was very James Bond, and Batman combined.

“What?” asked the commando.

“Sorry. It's just ... you still carry around all that James Bond stuff,” she tried to explain. Buffy leaned over to examine the gizmo he was intently staring at. “It's so cute! I forgot.”

Riley put the device away, and shot Buffy a look of disbelief.

“Sorry,” said Buffy trying to sound sheepish. “Carry on.”

Riley resumed his trek. “We've been tear-assing through every jungle from Paraguay up, taking out nests. As soon as we put one Suvolte down, a dozen take its place. They're breeders, Buffy. One turns into ten, ten becomes a hundred. This gets out of hand and there's a war with humans? Humans are gonna lose.”

“So they're like really mean tribbles,” said Buffy smartly.

Riley shot her another look of death. “What? I’ve expanded my appreciation of the geekdom.. it’s a thing.”

Of course the first time this happened she had believed his tale that he spun. This time she knew better. In her pursuit to exonerate Spike when he was gone and she was alone, Buffy had found out the real story behind the eggs. And it only made her feel even worse.

What Spike had said had been the truth. Riley on the other hand was indeed tracking the doctor, but he wasn’t an international arms dealer selling Sulvote eggs, he was an OB/GYN for demons.

From behind them Buffy could hear a sound of growling, possibly demon. Looking up, Buffy spotted the demon in question. It was green and knocking over some vending machines. Probably disappointed that her demon skin didn’t allow her to carry change to purchase a newspaper. Or maybe she didn’t like the head lines.

“You ready for this?” Riley asked.

“Yes please.”

Walking towards the demon and the masses of screaming people...Cause people multiplied when there was demon near by, Riley held up a badge.

“National Forestry Service, we got a wild bear! Everybody stand back!” Riley yelled, pushing people out of the way. “Look out!”

Buffy watched the demon fight off Riley’s advances. A bear? she thought in disbelief, How stupid are people? The demon struck first, but Buffy couldn’t help but feel bad for the demon. deciding to do what she was chosen to do, instead of moralizing about the needless death of demons that were simply mad at the day’s head lines, Buffy jumped on the demon’s back only to be flung into the wall of the nearest building.

Riley was kind enough to help her up. The demon had retreated into the alley, and Riley motioned her to follow him. Buffy picked up a fallen gun that was at her feet and followed.

“Split,” ordered Riley once they got to a wider part of the alley.

Buffy nodded. They moved off in different directions. Suddenly, a garbage can flew at Riley, but he deflected the can before it could knock him to his feet.

Buffy noticed right away that the demon had it in for Riley. It was going to charge. Don’t blame it actually, she thought. Buffy rolled her eyes and again chose to protect her ex.

“Riley!” she warned. Buffy tossed him the gun.

Riley took aim and shot, the dart standing out against the demon’s skin. The demon roared at the pain and flailed it’s arms, knocking her down and into Riley’s arms.

“You all right?” asked Riley.

“I'll feel better when we catch it. But it's too fast,” she whined.

“I wouldn't necessarily say that,” he said smugly.

Back out in the street, a black SUV came screeching around the corner.

The Bat Mobile, thought Buffy.
__________________________________
Inside the car, Riley drove. Buffy sat primly in the passenger seat.

“Nice wheels,” she said trying to fill the awkward silence.

“Came with the car.”

Buffy tried to smile at his attempt at a joke. “Know where we're goin'?”

“Got an idea. The tag's on-line. We'll find it.”

The car beeped at her. The seat belt scratched and Riley’s driving was making her nauseous.

“How's your arm?” she asked.

“It'll heal. How you doin'?”

“Complicated question.”

“I just meant-”

“I know.”

“I hear ya. Got some, uh ... big stories to tell you to. If we ever get half a second.”

“Did you die?”

“No.”

“I'm gonna win,” she said with a huge grin.

Riley looked a little surprised. He took an appreciative glance at her clothing and handed her something black.

Buffy laughed in his face, when she realised what he was trying to make her wear.

“I’m not in your army Riley. I’ll wear this,” she said indicating what she was already wearing.

“A tee shirt that says ‘Bite Me’ Ya, that will go over well,” he commented.

“This is me Riley, deal. Things have changed since you left.”

Riley gave her a knowing look. “They haven’t changed that much Buffy.”

“You have no idea. So ... the black-ops life, it's workin' out for ya?”

“Don't suck.”

“They got dental?” she asked, looking at him from the side.

Riley shot her a smile. “Yeah, we're covered.”

The SUV filled with another pause.

“You know, there's not many people I'd ask to risk their life for me, Buffy. It's really good to see you.”

“Thanks.”

“You're welcome. And Buffy ... love the hair.”

Buffy smirked, and flicked her long blond locks over her shoulder. Spike liked the hair too, that’s why she didn’t do anything to it.
__________________________________
The SUV screeched to a halt on a side road. As Buffy got out she recognised the place immediately. She shut the door with a slam and dusted off her leather pants.

“End of the line?” she asked “I don't see our demon.”

“It's not here.”

“Let me guess.”

They walked between some low stone buildings. Riley shot her another teethy grin. They walked over to a fence and look down.

Buffy knew when she got out of the car that they were at the dam. And now she remembered when she had been here before.

“Down we go?” she asked.

“Looks that way.” Riley started getting some equipment ready for their descent.

“That's a big first step. So, Mr. Finn, got an extra jet-pack for a girl like me?”

“ Sorry, fresh out of jet-packs. Looks like we'll have to share.” Riley got out the repelling rope and attached it to the fence. “This test line's built for one, so if we go together, we're not hauling any gear. Just be you and me,” Riley explained.

“I was never big on the hardware anyway.”

“You hold onto me?” he asked.

Buffy shot him a look. “Well I don‘t know if I should do that...” she said all innocent like.

“Come on.”

Riley lifted her up onto the fence.

“Ready when you are, Agent Finn.”

Buffy put her arms around his shoulders and looked down as they began their descent.

In the silence during the descent, Buffy couldn’t help but let her thoughts travel to Spike and what he was doing, cause frankly Riley was boring. She’d done this before.

And like before Buffy killed the demon once they reached the bottom. It was trying to kill her, fair enough right?

And this time she wasn’t surprised by Sam.

“Hey,” greeted Mrs Finn.

Buffy looked up from the dead body of the demon.

“Hey there,” Sam greeted Riley then turned to Buffy and glared at her. “What exactly are you doing with my husband?”

“Husband?” Buffy asked curiously, partly knowing that that was what was expected.

Riley nodded.

“Wife,” continued Buffy.

Sam nodded.

“And ... those aren't code names like Big Dog or Falcon or... I didn't think so.”

“Buffy, meet Sam. Sam, Buffy,” introduced Riley.

“Pleasure,” said Sam sincerely.

“How long have you been married?” Buffy asked.

“Four months almost.”

“Mazel tov. Any children?”

Sam laughed.

“Buffy, I meant to tell you. When the time was right. She caught up to us a hell of a lot faster than I would've guessed possible. She does that.”

Sam smiled up at her husband.

“So, you-you guys do this often, you know, the whole ... husband-and-wife tag-team demon fighting thing?”

“Yeah, it's what brought us together,” said Sam, leaning into Riley.

Buffy kicked the dead demon at their feet. “So, guess that's mission accomplished.”

“She killed it,” said Riley stating the obvious.

“Oh, honey ... That's okay,” said Sam patting Riley’s chest, that she was still leaned up against.

“Okay? Wait ... you guys have been tracking this thing as a couple for two days straight, and you ... did want it dead, right?”

“Let me guess. Captain Can-Do over here” Sam pointed her thumb at her husband, “forgot to mention that this was a homing operation. But it's nice to finally meet you, by the way. Knife.” Sam took a knife from Riley and knelt down beside the dead demon. Slashing into the demon’s stomach, Sam started to curse.

“Damn.”

The ooze that was well, oozing out of the gash was gross. Buffy shot Sam a grossed out look.

“We're too late. Finn ... how could you recruit the Slayer without filling her in on the objective?”

“That'd be my question,” said Buffy. “I can’t be expected to remember everything you know.” Problem was she was experiencing a curious memory loss, probably because she had been repressing the embarrassment of last time for so long. The memory was painful, because in five years, she would get the news that Riley and Sam were dead, along with their new born son, at the hands of human terrorists.

“If we weren't under severe time constraints I'd seriously think about ripping you a new one,” said Sam completely ignoring Buffy’s comment.

“Stand down, soldier,” smirked Riley.

“He's your boss, too?” asked Buffy.

“Oh, he wishes. We better regroup. Buffy, I hate to impose further, but ... you got a safe house?” asked Sam.

“I, I have a house. I-I think it's safe,” said Buffy running her hand through her long blonde locks. Her engagement ring glinting as it caught a stray ray of light.

“Wow, look at that ring she’s sporting,” gawked Sam. “I’m not allowed to wear my rings on missions.”

“I normally take it off, when I go patrolling, Riley just surprised me, I didn’t think of it,” explained Buffy.

“Wow, that must have cost...Well wow, Buffy, do I know the lucky guy?” asked Riley.

“You do, but don’t we have to do something about the body?” asked the slayer, pointing at the demon corpse that had only just stopped oozing yellow goo.
__________________________________
tbc...
 

__________________________________
Chapter 25: Soldier Girl

Buffy showed Mrs and Mrs Finn into her house, glad that her immaculate house cleaning was up to June Cleaver’s standards.

Dawn of course was standing in the middle of the living room doorway, not at all pleased.

“Hey,” said Riley apologetically.

“Agent Finn returns....again,” snarked Dawn.

Willow and Xander appeared from the kitchen.

“Hey, there's the man! Life taker, heartbreaker.” Xander shook Riley’s hand. “You know, figuratively speaking.”

“Xander, Sam. Willow...” Riley was handling the introductions.

Sam waved the open front door.

Buffy watched as Willow and Riley hugged. Sending her friend a raised eye brow, Buffy was delighted when Willow pulled away from the hug sharply.

“Uh, we got your call,” said Willow trying not to stammer.

Call? thought Buffy. When did he call????

“We're here to help. Just like old times. Except, with you being all big with the married life,” babbled Xander.

“Hear you're getting hitched yourself. Believe me, you're gonna love it,” said Riley, his wife smiling up at him. “And you too Buffy.”

“Congratulations, really, both of you,” added Willow.

They all moved into the living room. Hanging back from the happy couple Willow turned to whisper in Buffy’s ear.

“Just so you know? I'm prepared to hate this woman any way you want.”

Buffy smiled. “Thanks, but no. I don't wanna seem all petty.”

“Well, that's the beauty! You can't, but I can. Please. Let me carry the hate for the both of us.”

“Go nuts,” grinned an evil looking Buffy.

Buffy and Willow proceeded into the living room, Buffy noting that Dawn was still mad at Riley, and some how Buffy was ok with that.

“So. What brings you back to town after you left suddenly with no word?” asked the teen.

The group sat down on the couch and various other sitting type furniture. Buffy tried to catch Riley’s eye and direct them to the various pictures of her and Spike that were littered around the room. But to no avail.

“Sam and I have been tracking a Suvolte demon through Central America. Killing machine. Nearly mature,” explained Riley.

“Yeah, three months old and growing fast,” added Sam.

“These things start to kill the minute they're hatched. And leave a real clear trail.”

“Yeah. Just follow the villages with nothing in them but body parts.”

Riley suddenly turned to face Dawn. “Uh ... Dawn, are you sure you wanna be around hearing all this?”

“Oh, come on, Finn, she looks all grown-up to me.” Sam turned to Buffy, thinking that maybe she‘d over stepped Buffy‘s authority. “ That is, if it's all right with you.”

“Uh, sure, yeah, it's fine,” said Buffy feeling a little out of it. She knew that this was happening, but for the life of her she couldn't’ remember what was going to happen next.

“So, this demon shredded your guys, and now you're looking for a little payback?” asked Dawn.

Sam shook her head. “No. It came here to the Hellmouth to, to spawn.” Mrs Finn sighed “But we think it already hatched its eggs somewhere.”

“And the plan was to track it. Let the demon take us to its nest.”

“And ... now they're gonna hatch a bunch of ... baby demon things?” asked Dawn, shifting her weight from one foot to the other.

“Unless we stop it,” added Sam.

“Which means we have to find the nest, and fast, before Sunnydale turns into the Trouble Meat Palace,” said Buffy.

Everyone turned to Buffy.

“I wish I'd said something else,” she admitted. “It sounded funny in my head.”

“Okay, so we track down the demon, find the nest, Mr. and Mrs. Finn here make with the killin', and everyone goes home happy.” Xander sat down on the couch beside Sam. “But seriously, married man. If forced to choose between a photographer and place settings...”

“We can't track the demon. I killed it,” said Buffy, picking a piece of lint off her shirt. “So! Who's hungry? We got, uh...”

“Bloodsicles,” added Dawn.

“Huh?”

“I found them in the freezer, he’s making weird deserts again,” complained Dawn.

“Be thankful you didn’t witness the bloody cheesecake,” added Willow. “Tragic waste of cheesecake if you ask me.”

“Buffy?” interrupted Sam. “It's good that you killed the Suvolte before it killed us.” She turned to Xander. “Disposable cameras.”

“Di - wah?” stammered Xander.

“Yeah, you, you know, little plastic ones, ten bucks a pop. You arrange them like table settings, guests snap photos breaks the ice, and when the wedding's over, you get to take home the pictures,” explained Sam.

Xander grinned. “I like it!”

“So, demon eggs. Any timetable on when they're gonna hatch?” asked Buffy.

“Hatching's not the problem,” said Riley.

“We think they're gonna be sold on the black market. There are some foreign military powers that would love to have their own Suvolte. You could never train it, but drop it on an urban population...”explained Sam.

“And it cleanses the area,” added Riley.

“Is that a nice way of saying it kills people?” gulped Dawn.

“Lots of 'em. Money's been exchanged. There's a dealer in town, calls himself the, The Doctor. Willow, you think you can help with a little locating spell?” asked Sam.

Buffy snapped her fingers, drawing the attention of the rest of the people in the room. “I was having such a senior moment there for a while! K, I know now. God that’s reassuring. It’s like trying to remember an old TV show sometimes.”

“K, I’m confused now...” said Riley, looking between Buffy and Willow, who was nodding along with everything that Buffy said.

“Oh, Riley doesn’t know about the body switch,” said Willow.

“Another body switch?” asked a nervous commando.

“Oh look, now you’ve scared him,” said Dawn.

“Whatever, it’s not important. It doesn’t change the fact that we have things to do and people to see,” said Buffy.

“Two teams. No civilians. I'll, uh ... I'll go out and look for our Doctor. You two find that nest.” Riley handed out assignments to Buffy and Sam.

“Me and Sam together?” asked Buffy. “Great, lets go, Dawn, stay here, you have a test tomorrow, Xander, don’t eat anymore of my chips. Willow....do, whatever you were doing anyway...”

Now that she remembered how this went, she was eager to get it over with.

“I was going to do the locator spell for Sam...”

“I'll check out some bars. Willy's, some, uh, crypts that I know,” said Riley.
__________________________________
Buffy and Sam walked through Restfield and the Slayer was thinking that really she would have liked to have had her coat with her. The tee was not providing the warmth she needed.

“Thanks for letting me tag along,” said Sam keeping up with Buffy‘s brisk walk

“No problem.”

“Maybe not for you. I gotta tell you, Buffy, I'm a little bit intimidated. I mean, patrolling with the real live Slayer, you're like ... Santa Claus, or Buddha, or something.”

“Fat and jolly?” said Buffy looking down at her hips.

“Legendary. And it's not just slayer status I'm talking about. It's you.”

“Riley talks about me?”

“He didn't say anything for a long time, but I could tell. He was ripped up inside.”

“Good thing he has you.”

“More like miraculous. I went down to Central America with the Peace Corps. One night, my entire infirmary got slaughtered by... I didn't know what they were. I got saved, quit the Corps, joined the squad. My first firefight, I met Riley. We started talking, you know, first about tactics, missions, stuff like that. And then about you.”

“He thinks ... I let him go.”

Sam stopped walking. “Do you wish you hadn't?”

“No, not now, maybe when it first happened. I’m glad he’s over me, I’m glad he’s happy.“

“So your fiancé? What’s he like?“

Suddenly Buffy stopped and faced Mrs Finn. “Sam. You know what? Um, I think we should split up.”

“Oh, I'm slowing you down. I knew I would, this was just selfish of me.”

“Oh, no, not really I’m, well I have a kind of informant. He usually knows what’s what in Sunnydale, demon wise.“

“Is he twitchy? Does he, will he have a problem if I come?”

“He shouldn’t. Actually, I’m sure he’d be delighted to meet you,” said Buffy with a knowing smile, changing her mind instantly.

Spike would be delighted to see Sam. The thought that anyone would marry Riley Finn voluntarily would be an oddity enough for Spike to have some interest.

Sam followed Buffy for a while, encroaching even further into Restfield’s depths. They proceeded to Spike’s old crypt and burst through the door.

“He lives in a cemetery?” asked Sam.

“No, he doesn’t live here, he told me he’d be here tonight.”

Sure enough Spike poked his head up from the bottom level of the crypt.

“What’s this about then?” he asked hoisting himself up from the ladder.

“This is Sam, Riley’s wife,” introduced Buffy sweetly.

Spike smiled. “Captain Cardboard’s got himself hitched has he?”

“Samantha Finn,” said Sam, reaching out her hand to shake.

Spike looked at her hand for a few seconds before taking and shaking firmly. Buffy was a little scared that he wasn’t going to shake it at all. Buffy breathed a silent breath of relief.

“Sam, this is Spike, my fiancé,” said Buffy proudly.

“Spike?” asked Sam, “Where have I heard that name before?”

“Probably from Riley,” muttered Buffy.

“Oh right, hostile seventeen, right?” asked Sam.

“I prefer Spike,” he observed.

Here Buffy interrupted. “So Riley and Sam are in town about some sulvote eggs,” said Buffy.

“Oh, is Captain Cardboard starting a nursery school?”

“Spike...” warned Buffy.

“They’re killers, being trafficked by a fellow, calls himself ‘the doctor.’ Do you know him?”

“What if I do?” asked Spike. “I have a few friends in the demon world, won’t be too happy when I start selling them all out to the new initiative.”

“Do you want demons to be sold to foreign countries as weapons?” asked Sam.

“Do you want a mother to come back to her nest and find her spawn missing?” asked Spike. “Under all that GI Jane, there must be some sort of motherly... Forget it, she’s a female Captain Cardboard.”

“Demons don’t care about their children. They can’t love,” said Sam.

Buffy sided up to Spike and planted a kiss on his lips.

“So glad Solider Boy found himself a Soldier Girl,” said Spike, giving his marks on Buffy’s neck a nuzzle.

“You aren’t going to find me very susceptible to insults vampire,” declared Sam.

“Ok, I think it’s time for us to move on,” said Buffy. “Will you be home later? Dawn wanted you to help her on her English paper,” the slayer asked her mate.

“Right Dylan Thomas, bright thing our Bit.”

“That she is. I knew she got something other than her hair colour from you,” beamed Buffy. “Come on Sam.”

“Are we going to leave without searching?” whined the commando.

“I don’t think you understand,” said Buffy, her hands on her hips and standing a little bit away from Spike. “This is my fiancé. I love him, he loves me, I trust him. I don’t need to search.”

“You may trust him, but Riley told me about you, you have a vamp fetish, a vampire slayer who gets off on vampires.”

Buffy snorted.

“Oh right,” said Spike, moving to protect his mate from the verbal onslaught. “How about...”

“Spike, not now, please,” said Buffy cutting him off. “Sam, we can go find Riley.”
__________________________________
Buffy and Sam were having coffee at Buffy’s house. Xander was upstairs with Dawn, attempting to help with homework. Willow was making Portanus in the kitchen for Anya, with Tara and the bride to be were looking on. Mrs Finn glared menacingly at the Slayer when Riley came storming in.

“It was a bust, the Doctor was tipped off,” shouted Riley.

“Yes, come in to my house, Riley,” said Buffy looking up from her mug and after Riley was already in the living room.

“Oh sorry Buffy. Just all our work is for nothing.” Riley looked at his wife with a pout. “The chopper will pick us up in a few minutes. I’m really sorry that I didn’t get to meet your guy Buffy.”

“You will shortly.”

Buffy could tell from her slayer sense tinglies and from her ability to sense her mate, that Spike was approaching the house.

“You never did tell me his name...” started Riley.

“William,’ said Buffy proudly.

And with that Spike entered the house putting Riley on guard.

“Spike,” spat Riley disdainfully.

“Cardboard,” answered Spike, taking his duster off and finding a place on the coat rack.

“What are you doing here?”

“Thought I’d see my girl,” answered Spike, not looking at Riley at all.

“I’m surprised you’re even still around. I can’t believe that Buffy hasn’t staked you yet.”

“Sometimes I wonder that myself.” Spike walked into the kitchen taking a beer out of the fridge and walking back into the living room.

“Do you let him walk around here like he owns the place?” Riley asked Buffy incredulously, missing the glares that his wife was shooting the Slayer and the giggly look the Slayer was sporting.

“I do what I want Soldier Boy, nothing you can do about it.”

“Buffy!” said Riley, expecting his ex to contradict Spike.

“You leave my girl out of this Cardboard.”

“She’s not your girl. She’ll never be your girl.”

Sam snorted.

“Um, Riley...” Buffy tried to interject.

“That’s where you are wrong,” continued Spike.

“What is this a grade school pissing contest. I don’t see your name on her,” continued Riley getting red in the face.

“That’s cause I have clothes covering it up,” said Buffy to no one in general, putting down her mug on the table.

That got Riley’s attention.

“Huh?”

Spike smirked and walked over to kiss the top of Buffy’s head.

“Riley, Spike is my fiancé, my mate, my lover.”

“No, you are just trying to make me feel bad for leaving you.”

“Ooooh, big no to that one, wanna try again?” asked Buffy.

“He’s a vampire.”

“Score one for the kid from Iowa,” said Spike with a snicker.

“But you said...” trailed off the commando.

“Riley , I don’t think I should be held accountable for things that I said to you over a hundred years ago,” complained Buffy.

“Huh?”

“I just love it when he does that...Don’t you?” asked Buffy. “So totally another conversation. The one thing I do remember saying to you though... If I wanted to have a boyfriend with super powers I’d be dating Spike. Remember that Riley?” asked Buffy. “Well it is as true now as then. I discovered I need him.”

Buff flipped her hair away from the side of her neck that held Spike’s marks.

Sam took a hard look at the expanse of skin that Buffy was revealing.

“Wait, you are mated?” asked Sam. “He bit you?”

“Yep, on a wonderfully regular basis actually,” smiled Buffy.

“I don’t know what happened to you Buffy. But you seriously need help,” said Riley.

“I don’t think so Riley. After all I’m not the one that’s tracking a demon OB/GYN.”

The movement in the house ground halt and a deafening silence filled the air. Even Willow stopped stirring her pot on the stove. Then it started, with Anya first, then the Wiccas. The laughter permeated the house, as they all got a good snicker in at Riley.
__________________________________
Buffy followed the angry Riley and his silent wife out into the street. They stood in silence for a long time.

“So, are you and Sam headed back to Central America? Or, is that classified?”

“Nepal,” Riley barked back at Buffy.

“Sounds fun,” said the Slayer sadly.

“I'll send you a postcard.”

“Please don’t be mad, Riley,“ she asked sweetly.

“I’m not supposed to be mad at the fact that you make fun of the work I do, you the high and mighty Vampire Slayer. Throwing it in my face that you are more happy with a vampire than you ever were with me?“

“Huh. Well.... did you wait until your life was absolutely perfect and then send that demon here so you could throw it in my face?”

“Look ... you think this was easy for me?”

“Yeah! I think it was a rollicking adventure, fun for the whole family.”

“I was terrified about seeing you again.”

“I’m sorry I couldn’t be all pathetic for you this time around. I’m happy with my life.“

“If you are happy with that...You let him bite you Buffy... Are you addicted?”

“I’m not like you Riley, and I have a fabulous man on the other end of those bites. He would never do anything to hurt me.”

“Whatever, clearly I can’t reason with you.”

“You really can’t,” she said with a gleam in her eye.

“This isn't about who's on top. I know how lucky I am right now. I love my work, and I love my wife.”

“I know.”

Buffy and Riley turned to see Xander, Dawn, Willow and Sam emerge from the house.

“So you know she’s a demon and you are still marrying her?“ asked Sam of Xander.

“Yep,” said the groom.

“Ex demon!” corrected Dawn. “I’m a bride’s maid.”

Sam smiled an insincere smile at Dawn.

“Can you get out of it?” asked Sam.

“He doesn’t want to get out of it!” said Willow.

Dawn walked up to Riley and put her hands on her hips.

“So you gonna say goodbye this time, or just ... split all secret-agenty like last time?” said the teen.

The whole group looked up at the approaching helicopter.

“Depends. I warrant a hug?” asked Riley.

Dawn didn’t smile. But she hugged him anyway.

“Goodbye, Dawn.”

“Now, get out of here, I don’t want you mucking up my family anymore,“ said Dawn completely seriously.

Riley smiled, thinking that it was supposed to be a joke.

“Oh Riley?“ asked Buffy, wrapping her arms around her sister. “Funny thing...Dawn’s really a key of mystical energy used to open dimensions. She was created from my blood and Spike’s DNA. So Spike is really her father....Isn’t that neat?“

Riley stared blankly at the two sisters.

“It was really nice meeting you all,” said Sam, tapping Riley on the shoulder and rousing him from his bewildered state. “You ready for Nepal, agent?”

Riley shook his head and headed out into the street. Within minutes the pair was gone.

“What a bitch,” said Willow.

“I completely agree,” said Dawn.
__________________________________
tbc...
 

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