chapter20
 

   Entry into the Summers house during daylight hours always proved noisy whenever Spike was involved.    Since it was almost noon,  Joyce was more than prepared when the door was thrown open and a smoking vamp burst through, her daughter trailing behind, quickly shutting the door on the harmful rays.   Both were still decked out in the  prom attire that had looked so elegant the night before, but now appeared grossly out of place in the daylight hours.

    "Mommy! Daddy!" Blake cried, jumping off of Joyce's lap where he'd been watching TV and ran over to throw his little body around their legs.

    Spike leaned down to pick him up, giving him a big sloppy kiss on the side of the neck that caused his son to erupt in a fit of giggles.  "Were you good for your grandmum, eh?"

    Blake nodded emphatically, his face a study of seriousness, blonde curls bouncing.  Spike couldn't help but run his hand along the soft hair, still gob smacked every time he laid eyes on the  boy. That he was worthy of fathering such a innocent delightful child. He knew he didn't deserve it, and could only work at being worthy now, but it was enough. It was sappy and not just a  bit scary to have rattling around his brain, but he was right serious about it.  Especially in light of Buffy's special gift to him the night before.  His feelings towards this family, HIS family, were growing so much that sometimes it threatened to choke him.

    Buffy leaned in and gave Blake a kiss on the cheek, ruffling his hair. "Missed you," she whispered to her son.  His immediate smile dazzled across his face, threatening to light up  the room with its keen voltage, and she sent a loving smile back in return.  Turning to her mom, Buffy said, "Thanks for watching him last night, mom. I'm going to go take a shower. then I think we're going to go to the mall, if you want to go."

    "The mall?" Joyce asked skeptically, looking at Spike after Buffy had gone up the stairs.

    "Underground parking. Bloody brilliant."

    "Ah."  Joyce sat back down, and gestured for Spike to sit. He settled in the side chair, Blake sprawled on his lap.  "So, Spike, how was the prom?"

    He couldn't help the snort that escaped. "Completely ridiculous, if you ask me.  But it made Buffy happy."  Giving Joyce a pointed look, he added, "And you... you are a wicked woman, Joyce Summers."

    Feigning innocence, Joyce replied, "What?"

    "You know what.  Buying your daughter a knickers set like that. You ought to be ashamed of yourself." He teased.

    A conspiratorial smile slid over Joyce's face. "Did you like it?"

    He tipped one scarred eyebrow in her direction. "You're joking, right? What do you think?"

    "I think you want to know where I got it."

    Spike's rich laughter filled the room, with Blake joining in, even though he had no idea what he was laughing at.  Sending a look of admiration her way, Spike announced fondly, "I do like you, Joyce."

    "And strangely, I like you, Spike."

++++++++++++

       After Blake's afternoon nap, they headed to the mall, Buffy in the front, Joyce in the back with Blake.  Spike was glad he had given in and thoroughly cleaned out his car after that first episode with Buffy.  He didn't want to admit to being slightly embarrassed by the thought of  Joyce being in the back seat surrounded by all that trash.

    They took Blake for a couple rides on the giant Merry Go Round, then Joyce told Spike she was borrowing Buffy for a while.  He looked puzzled until Joyce offered him a saucy wink, then he had to hide the grin.  Joyce was quickly endearing herself. Gotta love a woman who let her daughter sleep with a demon and then turned around and bought her sexy knickers for said demon.  At the stirring in his groin, he pushed such thoughts aside and concentrated on Blake.

    Turning to him, Spike commented, "Your grandmum is quite a woman."

    "Ice Kweem?"  Blake asked hopefully, his eyes wide with faux innocence. He learned which ploys worked and which didn't.

    "You haven't had supper, you young scrap."

    "Pweese?" The word was filled with such sad longing that Spike felt his resolve crumble into fine powder.

    "Fine." He grumbled, ignoring the whoop of delight from his boy. "You realize your mum is going to stake me good and proper when she finds out I've fed you dessert before your supper?"

    He stopped in shock when Blake pantomimed holding a stake and shoving it in the directions of Spike's heart. How did did the boy know about staking through the heart? Spike was just about to question him on it when Blake said frantically "ice Kwwweeeeem!!!!"

    "Ok, ok. We're going to have a talk about that little staking job you did, son." Spike told him as they came upon the Food Court.  He ordered Blake a child's chocolate, and was handed the cone.  "Don't make a mess of this, ya hear me?" He threatened, wrapping the bottom of the cone in a thick cocoon of napkins and placing it into Blake's pudgy hands.

    With a neatness that was  frightening for his age, Blake began eating the ice cream methodically and precisely, never allowing one area to melt and spill.  "Well, that's a bit of all right, I suppose." Spike conceded as he picked Blake up carefully and turned to return to where he was supposed to meet up with Buffy and Joyce.

    He had taken about five steps when his hackles stood , and he looked around for what had triggered it.  Coming towards him, with the same predatorial look in her eye, was the barracuda bint from the night before. The one who accused him of being Buffy's paid male escort. She'd make a helluva vampire, he thought fleetingly as he braced himself for her onslaught. And her bloody friends were with her. Bloody fabulous.

    "OH MY GOD!!" Cordelia announced loudly, unable to believe her good fortune.  Here before her was that major hottie from the night before, the one she hadn't been able to get off her mind all damn night, and he looked even more lickable than the night before! Oh, she liked the bad boy thing he had going on.  Black leather coat? Check. Ok, it was a bit tattered,  but that was easily fixed. It's not like he couldn't get a new one. Something nice and tailored, yet that still screamed 'I'm bad'. Tight black jeans? Check. Ok, so she preferred Armani, but she was willing to slum a little if it meant she could have this hunk wrapped around her. Oh gawd, his boots would so have to go. 80's much? The t-shirt she was willing to deal with because she could see some yummy muscles outlined nicely underneath.  Oh yeah, this was major yum, just needed a little fine tuning.

    Spike couldn't help but be flattered at the admiring look she gave him, but when it turned calculating,  it just plain pissed him off.

    "Sorry, not really into the God thing, luv." Spike commented as he moved to brush past her.

    It was then that Cordelia's eyes let her see the other accessory he was sporting. A little boy. She allowed her face to soften even though she was cringing with horror,  and cooed "Oh how sweet! You baby-sit!!"

    She ignored the look of disgust he threw her. "I'm not a sodding  babysitter."

    "He's my daddy." Blake said proudly, taking a long lick of ice cream, still doing a remarkable job in keeping it unmessy.

    The shock was revealed on Cordelia's face, as she added this newest revelation into the tally she had going. Well, it was a total negative, but not a complete disaster. This was still doable. Cordelia stepped forward and slipped her arm in the one that was not supporting an ice cream eating child.  "Wow, things must be rough. A single dad.  I have so much admiration for you, you have no idea."

    He disentangled his arm, cursing the fact that he couldn't just kill this girl to shut her up and sent her a glare that seemed to bounce right off her thick hide.

    "It's ok to let it out, you know." She patted his arm, discreetly feeling the muscles that were hidden behind the jacket. "You don't need to be ashamed of it."

    Spike looked over at the bint's friends, who seemed to have the clue that Cordelia was sadly lacking, then shook his head incredulously. "Look, little girl, I'm not available ok?  I'm.."

    He was interrupted by his son's harsh intake of breath. "Daddy." Blake choked out, his youthful voice full of fear.

    Spike turned his attention away from Cordelia to look anxiously into the panicked face of his son. "What is it?"

    "Mommy." Just as Blake said that, Spike could feel a cold sense of foreboding hit him through his possession of her.

    "Do you know where?" Spike bit out, not even questioning why he was so sure his son held the answers. Buffy had said that she had noticed some weird things about their son, and one more thing had just cropped up.

    Blake turned and pointed at the other side of the mall, the next level down. "Down dere" he whispered. "Bad men twy to hurt mommy and gwanma. Lots."  He turned to look at his dad, his big blue eyes wide with fear and urgency. "Hurry!"

    At the mention of Buffy being in danger, Spike slid into game face without realizing it.  He dumped Blake into Cordelia's startled arms and growled "I need you to take care of him for me."

    "Go daddy, hurry!" Blake cried. Sending one last look into Cordelia's terrified face, Spike gave her one last warning. " Anything happens to him, I'll hunt you down."  Turning away from the terrified teens, Spike used his preternatural speed to launch himself at the railing that would  take him to the level below.  There were several loud shrieks as people witnessed the flash of black topped by bleached hair throw himself over to fall to his almost certain death below.  There was a rush of bodies who ran to the railing in time to see that black flash speeding around the other side of the mall, using speed that was not normal.  Nobody who crossed paths with the fleeing figure got more than a blurring glimpse of his face, so the shrieks of terror were kept to a bare minimum.

    "Ok, what the freak was that?" Cordelia asked, holding Blake stiffly in her arms. She didn't even notice that her friends didn't want to get anywhere near the demon spawn.

    "Daddy." Blake announced unnecessarily, returning to his ice cream in a distracted manner.

    "Are you going to do that? Go all ugly like that?" Cordelia asked.

    "Daddy's not ugwy!" Blake suddenly yelled, his face scrunched up in anger.

    "Coulda fooled me." Cordelia muttered.

    "You're not very  nice."

    Before Cordelia could respond to that comment, Harmony and the others hesitantly approached. "Um, we gotta motor. See you later."

    "What? you can't leave me here all by myself!!!" Cordelia cried indignantly.

    "Well, he asked YOU to watch him, not us. So bye."  And like that, Cordelia found herself alone with an upset little boy. The child of.. what the hell was his dad?

    "Hey, what's your name?"

    "Bwake." came the sullen reply.

    "I'm Cordelia.  Come on, let's go sit down, don't know how long your dad is going to be."

    "Ok." Cordelia carried him to a table, setting him on top of it while settling herself in a chair.  Finding herself with nothing to say to the little boy, Cordelia studied her nails, holding them out in front of her as she pondered the need for a manicure.

    "Mommy ok?" She finally heard Blake say.  Oh great, his ice cream was melted all over the place.  She was so never having kids, Cordelia firmly decided as she stormed over and grabbed a wad of napkins.

    "Mommy ok?" Blake asked again hopefully, his big blue eyes wide.

    How the hell am i supposed to know? Cordelia thought bitterly. I just get threatened by  whatever the freak that was to watch his kid, get dumped by my friends, and that major hottie I was trying to get my hands on turns out to be some monster.  Plus the prom sucked.  She finally looked down at her reluctant charge and saw the flood of tears pooling up in his huge blue eyes.

    "No way, you're so not going to start that sniveling thing." Cordelia told him, scooping him off the table, hoping that a change of scenery would chill him out.  Bouncing him on one hip, she began walking out of the food court.  What the hell did she know about little kids? Nothing. Hello, that's what nannies were for.

    Her distraction tactics didn't do the trick, and Cordelia was soon treated to a fully crying toddler. "Oh great, now what do I do." She muttered, shifting him so he could bury his head against her neck.  She could feel his sticky face smearing god knows what all over her Versace top, and her temper began to boil.  The temptation to set him down on a bench and walk away like she didn't know him was strong, overwhelming actually, but then she thought of the freak's last parting comments to her and rethought that plan.

    "Hewlp dem" the little boy sobbed into her now ruined $200 blouse. Ok, kids were so not cute.

    Then she caught sight of the poster children for bad taste coming towards her, which  on normal day would prompt quite a different reaction than it did at this given moment.  So instead of giving them a wide berth as if their hideous lack of fashion sense were a contagious thing, Cordelia found herself giving them a warm hearted greeting, the hint of panic making her voice more shrill than usual.

    "Xander! Willow!"

    "Cordelia." Xander acknowledged suspiciously. "With a brat."  He added, taking in the sobbing child that was clinging to Cordelia's neck.

    The wailing suddenly ceased as Blake turned his head and glared as only a toddler can do. "Not a bwat, Dander!"

    "Blake?" Willow and Xander said simultaneously, their eyes wide, then narrowing with distrust. "Cordelia, what in the wild world of sports are you doing with Blake?" Xander asked.

    "You know him? Thank GAWD!" Cordelia announced dramatically, trying to pry little grubby arms from around her neck to fork him over to the school's ultimate fashion victims.  She was so out of here.  "Here. Take him."

    But then Blake opened his mouth and changed those plans. "Dander, bad men hurt mommy and gwanma."

    "Where?" Willow asked Cordelia, suddenly going from nerdy geek girl to... Cordelia couldn't even put a name to it. Even Xander dropped the goofy doofus routine.  "Is this like the Twilight Zone marathon or something?  What is going on?" Cordelia demanded.

    "Where are they?" Xander repeated the question, scanning the level they were on for any disturbances, not seeing anything amiss. "WHERE, Cordelia?"

    "Daddy go help." Blake added, his eyes big and fearful, fast filling up with tears once again.

    "Oh great, thanks a lot. Got him sniveling again." Cordelia announced disgustedly, hugging Blake to her once more.

    "Cordelia, for the last time, where did they go?" Xander asked, his voice betraying his anxiety.  He knew Buffy and Spike had planned a mall outing together, and Xander and Willow had hoped to meet up with them for a bit.  But the fact that Blake had been left in the care of CORDELIA of all people was so not of the good.

    "Oh, you mean Grampa Munster? The hottie from the prom?" Cordelia dished back snottily, as she pointed to the level below them in the big circular mall.  "He jumped down there."

    Before the words had even left her mouth, Willow and Xander had sprinted away towards the escalator that would take them to lower level. "Oh... my god." Cordelia announced dramatically, as she watched them go. "What is this? Oh wait... I know this." She said, forehead furrowing in concentration. "Candid Camera!"  She looked around vainly, taking one hand of Blake to primp her hair as she tried to figure out where the cameras were set up.  "Helloo... I figured it out...." She commented as she walked in a circle. "Isn't this where you're supposed to come out and tell me I'm on Candid Camera and I'm supposed to like, be totally embarrassed and stuff?"

    But Alan Funt failed to make his dramatic appearance, and Cordelia began to get pissed. Again.  Blake was silently sobbing against her chest, further sending her blouse into complete ruin.  With an irritated huff, Cordelia stalked off towards the escalators that Willow and Xander had just descended, determined to get to the bottom of things.  Like why the brat's mother had bad guys chasing after her, for one thing. Briefly, Cordelia considered Buffy in this, then immediately tossed it aside. There was no way, and she refused to even further consider it.
 

tbc.

Chapter 21
 

    Tendrils of fear swept along Spike's cool flesh, a sense of foreboding seizing him in a punishable grip the closer Spike got to Buffy. The tug he felt was too familiar to ignore, and he knew with sickening clarity, just who the "bad men" were.   He rounded the last curve of the path he'd been sent on by his son, and slowed, ignoring the shocked looks thrown his way.  He could feel Buffy closer now, and shook his head to clear the demon screaming in his brain, his face shifting back to its human form.  The demon made him rash, and that recklessness would most likely get Buffy killed, something Spike would not allow to happen. The girl was his, and worse, she had wormed her way into his petrified shell of a heart. He couldn't lose her no. Or Joyce, for that matter.  Resolve sharpened, mind clear and focused, Spike pulled out the cell phone that Buffy insisted he always carry.  He found himself  pushing the speed dial for Buffy's Watcher, with no other back up options available to him. Not knowing exactly what he was walking into, Spike needed to have  someone aware of what was potentially going down. At the very least, there was Blake to consider, and he tried to push it out of his mind that he'd left his son with the piranha bint.

    Spike kept the conversation short, merely alerting Giles that Buffy and Joyce were potentially in danger and he was checking it out, and in whose care Blake had been left in.  Ignoring the sputtering on the other end, he ended the call and slipped the phone back into his duster.

    Turning to the closed metal double doors that led to public restrooms, Spike quietly slipped through them, knowing instinctively that he didn't want his arrival announced any sooner than necessary. They'd know soon enough.

    The hallway which Spike now found himself was in complete contrast to the loud bright mall he had just left.  No frills or extras had been extended when this part was built, leaving it industrial and ugly.  As Spike stalked down the silent hallway, flickering fluorescent lights  lit up the beige walls that bled into the sticky beige floor beneath his feet.

    The bathrooms had been located at the end of the long bleak hall, and Spike tread carefully.  His apprehension grew as did the tingling tug that was too familiar to ignore, and things did not bode well. There was the faint residue of magics in the air, and that served to further increase the ominous tone.

      Spike discovered the first victims in the ladies bathroom, throats ripped open, eyes wide and agonized, even in death.  Buffy and her mum weren't among them, but Spike could smell their lingering scent in the air over the heady smell of freshly spilled blood.   Again, Spike was able to push his demon back, knowing instinctively that if he gave in, Buffy would end up dead.   The carelessness with which the bodies had been left bothered Spike. For self preservation purposes alone, this wasn't standard practice for vampires, especially the savage way the women had been left in the loo.  Spike didn't know when he'd stopped thinking of victims as mere food and given them an identity, but he could only assume it was around the time Buffy, Joyce and Blake came into his life.

    In the bleak hallway once more, Spike sampled the air through his nose, finding Buffy's scent once again.  Tracing her essence, he followed it around the corner, now  hearing the sounds of muffled sobs and evil laughter.  Eyes narrowing with rage, Spike pushed through another pair of metal doors, finding himself in another long hallway.  This part of the mall was not well used; the musty smell that lingered spoke of its disuse.  Spike came to a door, forced a deep calming breath before twisting the knob to see what waited for him on the other side.

   Intense, blue eyes immediately searched the room, sizing up the situation.  Spike found himself in a large room obviously used  for the occasional business meetings or training classes. There was a big rectangular table with plastic chairs pushed in around it. Spike wasn't surprised to note a lack of windows; this room had been chosen with care.

    Seated in one of the chairs, sprawled unconscious  over  the table was Buffy, her mom tied up and gagged next to her. Joyce's eyes showed relief when she saw who the newcomer was and she cast another worried look at Buffy. Spike schooled himself to show no reaction to Joyce's silent plea, and confusion soon slipped its way in. For the first time since Spike had saved her life, Joyce looked wary of him.

    "William, my boy. So glad you could join us." A voice boomed, and Spike turned his head, lip curling up into an instinctive smirk.  His demon rejoiced, this was family.  And again, Spike beat it down.

    "Angelus!  What are you doing in town?" Spike replied, trying to keep a handle on his anger.

    Angelus strode over to Spike and clapped him heartily on the back. "Just checking up on my family. You don't write, you don't call."

    "Yeah. Been a little busy. You know how time just slips away when you're all immortal like." Spike forced a friendly tone, casually looking around.  "Where's mum and grandmum, they here?"  He asked, already knowing the answer, the pull of kin being too strong.

    Now Spike was about to  attempt to bluff the  sadistic vampire who practically invented the word deceit. Allowing himself another quick look around, he noticed three other bodies piled carelessly in the corner, along with five other live victims tied up in various locations around the room.

     Spike walked forward and pulled out a chair, and threw himself in it. Leaning back in the chair, he tossed  his feet on the table, and laced his fingers behind his head.   "So what's with this little party? You've got my girl here, y'no that, right?"

    Angel began walking around the room, the terror he inspired making him seem twice as large.  "See, now that's a funny thing.  We were actually going to try to catch up with the Slayer while we were here looking you up.  But then we got a little hungry.  Well, you know how that goes." Spike cast an evil smile, nodding conspiratorially. "So we thought we'd stop by the mall for a quick bite to eat. Only place to go in the daytime, you know, especially when they are so kind to have underground parking and everything.  And so Drusilla.." Angel turned his head to the door. "Ah, speak of the devil.  Dru, sweetie, look who's come to join the party."

    "My sweet William!" Drusilla cooed, bursting into the room, two minions trailing behind with multiple gagged victims slung over their shoulders.  The humans' fear practically flooding the air, and Spike tried not to be affected. At the sight of Dru, he felt... practically nothing.  Here was his sire, his previous lover, and all he felt for her now was the vampiric pull of family. Calling on all of his years of poker, Spike faced Drusilla and engulfed her in passionate embrace. "Looking good, pet." He told her when they finally parted. Spike could practically feel the daggers Joyce was sending his way, stabbing him violently in the back. He was actually glad Buffy had been knocked out, not really sure if he'd be able to act with her watching.

    Drusilla drew back and threw him a coy look. "My William has been a mischievous boy." She shook her finger at him as if scolding a child.  "Too many secrets, my Spike."

    "I have nothing to hide." Spike bluffed, shrugging nonchalantly. He threw himself back in his chair and reached in his pocket for his smokes. Lighting one up, he used the familiar motion to get himself under control.  "Darla here?"

    Drusilla waved her hand in a dismissing motion. "Oh, she is here and there. The great Queen has gone to the royal shops."

    Spike lips curved up into a smirk. "Ah yes, that does sound like our Darla."  Turning his head to Angelus, he commented, "Ya know mate, a bit careless leaving bodies in the loo for anyone to stumble upon."

    Angelus smiled cruelly.  "Yes, it would be, except our Drusilla here has come upon a certain enchantment spell that has become quite.... useful, right darling?"

    "Shhh.. only naughty little girls share all their secrets." Drusilla remarked, her penchant for the bizarre not having waned during Spike's absence. Her face was full of mischief, and her dark innocent beauty was such a contrast to the profound evil that lived within.

    "So Angelus, what were you spouting earlier? About blowing into town?" Spike prompted, keeping his eyes purposefully blank and praying that Joyce did nothing to give things away.  He was taking his biggest gamble here, and he could feel its weight trying to crush him.

    Angelus pretended to look thoughtful.  "Yes, where was I? Oh yes. We stopped  here for a bite to eat, the minions were a little restless, you see."  Spike let his eyes trail around the room to account for the ten minions that stood quietly to one side, waiting for further orders from their master.  "And so by chance we happen to come upon this girl who had your scent all over here, Spike. Now imagine our surprise at this discovery. You. William the Bloody. With a mortal."

    Another shrug rolled off Spike's shoulders. "What can I say, I was bored. Nice change of scenery."

    Angelus walked over to where Buffy was slumped over the table and grabbed a fistful of blonde hair, lifting her face off the table to get a look.  Joyce gasped and bucked in her seat, trying to get to her daughter.  Angelus turned and backhanded her savagely across the face, a gratifying smirk emerging at his actions.

    Spike's hands were clenched so tight in an effort to keep himself in his chair, that he dug deep furrows into the palms of his hand.  Angelus would pay for hitting Joyce, of that Spike would make sure.  Seeing Buffy's mum sitting there sobbing, terror and horror etched into her face cut deep into Spike, drawing on emotions he never wanted to have.  And seeing that his prick of a grandsire lay his dirty hands on his girl made Spike want to rip him apart piece by piece.

    "So, Spike. What's so....... special about this one?"  Angelus asked, grabbing Buffy's hair again, taunting Spike now.

    "She's a bloody good fuck, that's what." Spike commented crudely, blowing out a cloud of smoke. "Her blood's not too bad either."

    Angelus laughed harshly, before reaching his hand down to cup Buffy's breast, giving it a sadistic twist.  Blind rage ignited, causing the tendons in Spike's neck to cord with the ferocity he was using to clench his teeth together. He was in danger of seriously losing it, and it took Joyce's pleading look to get it back under control.  He couldn't tell if Joyce was on to his game or not, but it did serve to calm him down.

    "If she's so good, think I'll give her a try." Angelus announced, reaching for Buffy's other breast.

    "I don't think so, Angelus. She belongs to me." There was a lethal precision in Spike's voice that caused Angelus to look up sharply. Wrenching Buffy's neck to the other side, he inspected it for the mark that branded her as property.  With a wry shake of his head, Angelus looked at the younger vampire and smiled.

    "Well, this IS a surprise, Spike. You, claiming a human." Angelus leaned his dark head towards Buffy and licked at Spike's mark. With an amused smirk, he commented, " And you just took a little bite of her didn't you, my boy? Well, good for you."

    Spike kept the indifferent look glued to his face, his eyes dead and expressionless while forcing  his body language to scream boredom.  Internally, he had a battle on his hands. Angel wouldn't dare taste something that belonged to Spike, but he wasn't about to take any chances. If he found out she was the slayer, they were all dead.  He just had to keep things up until Buffy woke up and would be able to help out, knowing he wouldn't be much good against all of them.

    "What about this one?" Angelus walked behind Joyce's chair, smiling broadly at the indignant glare Joyce threw at him.  Spike wished he could tell Joyce somehow not to antagonize the older vampire, that it just turned him on, but she would soon learn that first hand.

    "That's my girl's mum." Spike said it with a sneer in his voice. "She doesn't much like me. Thinks I'm a bad influence on her little girl." He cockily got to his feet and rounded the table. "Isn't that right, Joyce? Treats me like I'm a monster, like I'm beneath them." Spike stopped right behind Joyce and ripped the gag out of her mouth.

    Joyce tipped her head up to glare at the two vampires above her. "You bastard." Joyce bit out, her eyes full of venom.

    "Got that right, Joyce. I'm a right bastard." Spike agreed, an amused smirk on his face.

    "So why didn't you just kill her, Will? Not like you to put up with that. Especially when it's so easy to just crush the life out of her." Angelus commented, crossing his arms over his chest as he regarded the other vampire.

    "That's easy. I found my girl was more... let's just say, responsive and enthusiastic, when I didn't have to use a thrall on her. If I killed her mum, it would have jacked her right off, and then I'd be forced to use more persuasive measures in dealing with her.  Didn't want to do that."

    Drusilla sidled up next to them, her long skirts billowing behind her.  "Think I'll make me a nice snack of this nasty lady, Spike. Think she needs a few lessons in manners, this one does."

    "You're right about that." Spike commented, but grabbed Drusilla's arm as she closed the distance to Joyce. "But I get to be the one to teach her those manners, Dru. I'm the one who's suffered from her poisoned tongue, after all."

    Drusilla drew back, granting him access.  With a sneer plastered across his face, Spike hauled Joyce up out of her chair, and spun her around to face him. A multitude of emotions were warring in her gaze, and Spike wished he could drop this pretense.  He slipped into game face and an evil, toothy grin emerged. He was rewarded by a sudden deluge of fear flying off of Joyce, and hoped it'd be enough to fool the other two.

    Crushing Joyce against his chest, he locked her in his familiar deadly embrace as she fought against him. It was tough to ignore the crying pleas rolling off her lips as he wrenched her head to the side.  "Not so quick with the nasty comments now, are ya, Joyce?" He sneered before burying his head in the exposed column of throat.

    An anguished cry was ripped from Joyce's throat as razor sharp fangs were sunk into her neck, and she closed her eyes in resolute terror. She could feel the blood leaving her body, passing easily into Spike mouth and wondered how she could have been so wrong about him.

    Spike tipped his head so his face was buried under the cover of Joyce's hair and he allowed his teeth to pull out of her skin. "Joyce, " he whispered so softly, he didn't know if she'd be able to hear, even though he was speaking right into her ear.  The sudden tensing of her body was his answer.  Speaking as loudly as he dared, Spike revealed, "I have to drain you a bit, I'm sorry. Pretend to pass out and I won't have to kill you."

    He heard the anguished sigh that was her reply, and as gently as possible, bit into her again. Spike tried to ignore the call of fresh human blood and concentrated on draining her  just enough to satisfy the others.  He felt when Joyce slumped against him, hating himself for what he was doing to her.

    Gruffly, Spike released Joyce and she tumbled to the floor. Allowing his human features to come back, he wiped the blood from his mouth. "Thanks. I needed that."

    "You didn't kill her." Angelus announced coldly.

    "Why would I want to kill her when I get to torture and torment her again when she wakes up?  The evil bint doesn't deserve a quick death." Spike replied.
 

tbc...

Chapter 22
 

    "You didn't kill her." Angelus announced coldly.

    "Why would I want to kill her when I can  torture and torment her again when she wakes up?  The evil bint doesn't deserve a quick death." Spike replied cynically.

    Angel appeared satisfied with that explanation as he watched Spike step disgustedly over Joyce's prone form. The younger vampire lifted Buffy out of her seat, taking her place on the uncomfortable chair before bringing her down on his lap. Her head flailed back and Spike had to school his face to remain unaffected as he ran practiced hands over her head.  He found the knot on the side of her head, right above the ear. Someone had clocked her but good, luckily not breaking the skin. The powerful scent of slayers blood was hard to miss, and if her skin had been broken it would have been a whole other situation.  It was now evident that his kin had no idea whom they had captured, and Spike was grateful for that little bit of luck.

    "What are you doing, Spike?" Angelus asked with a pained sigh.

    Spike threw him an incredulous look. "I'm checking my property over, you git.  Don't want to be saddled with some brain damaged loon." The  not so subtle dig regarding Drusilla lingered heavily in the air, and Angelus sent him a thunderous look.

    Dru dropped to her knees next to Spike, and stroked Buffy's hair softly, completely oblivious to the fact she'd just been insulted.  "Such a pretty little thing, she is.  She'll make such a nice addition to our nice little family.  Won't she Angelus?"  Dru looked up at the grim faced vampire looming over them and giggled.  "Daddy will come around, little one." Dru whispered into Buffy's ear. "You'll see. Don't you worry about a precious thing. We'll be like sisters, you and I."

    Dru tipped her curious face in Spike's direction, who was forcing himself to remain passive.  His internal battle had  come to arms once more, as unbidden thoughts of Buffy being with him forever crept into his head. She would make an amazing vampire, he mused, getting drawn into the seductive web Dru was spinning.  Just as quickly as that thought came to mind, he beat it down, feeling ill that he had even considered for the briefest moment turning her. He knew first hand the truly sadistic mind that was housed behind Drusilla's enthusiastic innocence.  Of course, the bastard Angelus was responsible for a good portion of it, but the innate demonic nature of vampires was evil.  Spike couldn't afford to forget that Dru was cruel and a demon to the very core, no matter how strong and seductive the pull of family was.  That was one thing that could not be forgotten.  Spike found himself able to fight his evil, and he didn't question it, it was just something that had to be done.  For the sake of Buffy, Joyce and Blake, he was able to fight his inherent nature, but the others had always been more sadistic than he had ever been. And he would never want that for Buffy, ever.

    "Why hasn't she been turned yet? You appear to be so fond of the girl and everything. " Angelus's voice was cold and mocking as he watched Dru stroking the girl Spike had claimed as his own.

    Once more assuming a bored voice, Spike responded, "I found that I liked my meat warm, it's a nice change, actually. Haven't quite decided yet if I want to keep her around forever though."  Spike could feel Buffy's muscles twitching as she fought off the heavy weight of oblivion.  The telltale increase of Buffy's heart and respirations as they responded to the panic slamming into her system were further proof she was slipping out of unconsciousness.

    Dru clapped her hands gleefully, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "The little kitten is waking up! I can't wait to see what lovely eyes our little pet kitty has."

    Spike didn't wait until Buffy had opened her eyes, he couldn't take that chance.  Closing his eyes for just the briefest second, he asserted his power of her and was rewarded by her muscles going slack against him.  She was now under his command, and he had to keep her that way for just a little while. She could kick his ass later, but this was for her own good. Their own good.

    "Open your eyes, kitten." Spike said softly, rewarded by Buffy's head coming off his chest, her eyelids pulling back to reveal her dazed green eyes.

    "Oh! Perfect! They're perfect!" Drusilla exclaimed excitedly. "She's perfect!" Continuing with her gentle ministrations to Buffy's hair, Drusilla smiled soothingly and announced, "We are going to have such grand times together, you and I."

    "This is Drusilla, pet. She's the beauty that sired me." Spike told Buffy, feeling her trying to buck against his inner hold.  He looked up at the scowling vampire lurking behind them. "That's Angelus, he sired Drusilla. This is my family, luv.  They stopped by to check up on me, wasn't that nice?" Spike gestured to Joyce on the floor, still lying face down on the industrial grey carpet. "Sorry about your mum, luv. Had to drain the bitch, you know she never liked me."

    A little whimper of protest escaped from Buffy, and Spike smiled cruelly. "What? Oh don't worry, didn't kill the bitch. Not yet, anyway.  Need to make her pay a little for all the snide comments she threw my way. And I don't think I'll be forgetting about her looking down her nose at me  all that time, like I was some sort of garbage. A bloke just can't let that kind of stuff go, you know."

    Spike made himself laugh at the look of betrayal on Buffy's face. "What? Thought I was all housebroke?  Christ, your mum wouldn't even let me in the bloody house."  He bit out in an angry tone.

    He let her have some of her control back; if that hadn't served to let her know that he was playing both sides, he didn't know what would.  Her face softened, and Spike could read in her eyes that she understood the game.  With that, he took her completely out of the thrall, and she responded by continuing to lay slack in his arms.  Spike cast a worried eye over to Dru, hoping that she didn't pick up on the fact that he'd had Buffy under his thrall, but Drusilla appeared fascinated by Buffy's hair, studying it curiously, running the silky tresses through her fingers.

    "Stop playing with my hair." Buffy ordered weakly as soon as she was in control of her body again. Spike growled low in throat in warning, hoping Buffy got the hint to keep her mouth shut.

     Drusilla laughed in delight, looking up at Spike with appreciation. "Such a feisty little kitty.  What's your name, my little princess?"

    "Anne" Spike answered, giving the alias in case the others were aware of the slayer's unusual name.

    "Anne." Drusilla purred, patting Buffy on the cheek.  "Such a sweet name for a sweet girl. I can see why my Spike was so taken with you. Fire and ice, purity and sin. And to wrap it all up in one beautiful little package, and we have you. And you, my little Anne, are going to become mummy's little princess. And Spike will be your daddy, and you and I will be the belles of the Gentlemen's Ball."

    Buffy inwardly cringed, but managed a scared twitch of her lips in reply, since the creepy vampire was obviously expecting a reaction. Ok, she was beyond freaked now, but Buffy could feel the tension in Spike and knew he was probably just as freaked.  She didn't even question his loyalty or trust, she just knew. While it pissed her off he had taken control of her, she knew why he did it. They obviously were clueless she was the slayer, and Buffy was willing to play it Spike's way.  But what walked in the door next almost made her call all bets off.

+++++++++

    The door burst open and Darla swept in, looking chic in a pair of form fitting black leather pants, red halter top and stiletto heels. Her petite blonde form ladled down with shopping bags, and she sighed dramatically upon her entrance.  She was flanked by a pair of minions, who had a new pair of captives to add to the collection.

    "Wow, we've got enough food stored up here to last us for weeks!" Darla commented airily, throwing her bags down on the table.

    "Honey, please don't tell me you paid for these things." Angelus commented, rounding the table to draw Darla into his arms.

    Darla laughed, snaking her arms around his neck. "You know I did.  It gives me such a wicked thrill when I hand my money over, knowing I could just snap their necks and take what I want."

    Drusilla rose from Spike's side and went over to join the entwined duo. "Mummy look. Our Spike has brought us a delicious new dolly for the playroom."

    Darla looked across the room, eyes narrowing as she took in their wayward relative with a human girl cowering on his lap. She looked up at Angelus and asked, "So what did I miss?"

    "It seems Spike has found himself a human playmate." He commented snidely, throwing a sinister look at the younger vampire.

    "Hmm.. Interesting." Darla revealed, pondering this information. "You've been ignoring your family, William. That is not nice."

    "Sorry Darla. Got a bit bored, is all." Spike replied, gripping Buffy  with all of his strength to keep her from bounding off his lap. "Found something to relieve my boredom for a spell, you know how that is."

    "You're still not forgiven. " Darla informed him, then smiled evilly. "But we'll work out your punishment later."

    Spike nodded in acceptance, knowing full well what their idea of punishment entailed. Pain, degradation, violence, sex, bloodshed, domination. When they felt he'd been broken and bled enough, he'd be welcomed back into the fold.  Amazing how that thought now left him cold, when he used to find some pleasure in it.

    Spike  allowed himself to finally look at the new captives that had been brought gagged into the room, their eyes full of accusations and betrayal.  "Nice little pair you picked up there." Spike announced, digging his fingers into Buffy's hips to keep her still.

    Darla threw a bored look over her shoulder, dismissing the new additions with a flick of her heavily adorned wrist. "Bit scrawny, but they'll do."

    Spike stared into the condemning eyes of Willow and Xander and tried to convey for the briefest moment to play along, before tightening his face up into a sneer. "Bet you wished you hadn't come to the bloody mall today, don't ya?"

++++++++++

    Cordelia lost sight of Willow and Xander briefly in the throngs of shoppers impacting the mall, standing on tippy toe trying to pick them out of the crowd. Geez, why did everyone have to pick today to shop?  Was there like some fantastic sale that she was totally missing out on? If that was the case, she was going to be seriously bent if she missed out on the action. Finally she saw a glimpse of red hair and heaved a sigh of relief, never thinking that she'd  EVER appreciate the atrocity that Willow liked to call the color of her hair.

    Pushing her way rudely between people, Cordelia sped to catch up, positive that Willow and Xander could reunite her with the grubby crybaby's parents, and she could go get her nails done.  She heaved a great sigh of disgust when she saw the two fashion victims go through the doors that led to the bathrooms, and she stomped her foot in irritation..

    "Oh so no way, I am so not going in there again." She imparted, shuddering with the tortured memory of going through those doors into the hallway of grunge and filth.  So totally disgusting, god only knew the last time it had been cleaned. Not to mention all that beige totally washed her coloring out. No, she was not putting one Prada encased stem through that door, looking down and admiring  her new shoes. She would just wait for them to come out.

    Having made her empathic decision, she sat down on a bench with her  reluctant charge and set about to wait.  Evidently, the word had gone out about the disgust level of that bathroom, nobody taking the brave plunge to walk through those doors. Probably opting for the well decorated ones on the lower level, Cordelia surmised.

       Blake had stopped crying and was asking  now continually for his mommy and daddy, every word out of his mouth driving Cordelia seriously up the wall.

    "I don't KNOW where your mommy and daddy are, for like the millionth time." She complained to the little boy. "If I knew that, you think I'd be sitting out here with YOU?"

    When the bottom lip began quivering again, Cordelia rolled her eyes. "Oh great. Not again. Hey, Blake, don't cry, ok?" She told the little boy sitting next to her.  Desperate for some way of shutting his trap, Cordelia rummaged through her purse. Pulling out a Cliff bar, she unwrapped it and handed it over.   "This was supposed to be my lunch and dinner tonight, but here." she told him in a long suffering voice, forking over her allotted food source of the day.

    "Blake!" Cordelia heard a male British voice call, and her hopes shot up. Oh thank GOD, it was about damn time.  After this, she was totally asking to be paid for her babysitting services, and she wasn't going to be cheap, dammit.

    "Unker Giles!" Blake called happily, in that manic way that children have, crying one minute, laughing the next. Cordelia looked over and saw...the school librarian??? Could this day GET any weirder?

    "Cordelia." Giles began, casting his eyes around warily.  "I wish to thank you for your assistance with young Blake here."

    "Yeah, well, here you go. I've got mass things to do." Cordelia replied, standing up and attempting to hand Blake over.

    Giles took a step back and shook his head. "My apologies. I'm afraid I am not able to assume guardianship of him at this particular time.  You're going to have to keep him with you for a spell longer."

    Cordelia stared at him incredulously. "You have so got to be kidding me. This went beyond totally insane about 10 minutes ago and has now entered the realm of freaksville. What is going on here?"

    "I'm afraid this is neither the time or place to fill you in properly. I just must ask you this one favor. Keep the boy out of harms way, and if... nobody comes to claim him, would you kindly contact either willow Rosenberg or Xander Harris?" The librarian's face was serious and grim.

      "Well, since I just saw them go through those doors, that shouldn't be a biggie." Cordelia replied snidely.

    Giles turned ashen. "Good lord. Are you quite certain?"

    "Hello, did I stutter? Nobody else but Willow has that Ms. Clairol Gone Seriously Awry shade of hair. They went through there like 5 minutes ago."

    "Oh truly fantastic," Giles grumbled, his mind working through this new development.  "Cordelia, it is most imperative that you keep this boy safe,  do you understand? Can you do this for me?" He asked seriously, inwardly cringing that this task had been left to this.. cheerleader of all people.

    "I didn't ask to be part of the Babysitter Club you know. I have better things to do with my time. My cuticles are just screaming for a treatment."

    "Cordelia, please. Will you do this?"

    Cordelia expressed a pained heavy sigh, then looked down at the little boy gazing up at her with guileless eyes. "Fine." She agreed. "But I expect some total  compensation from this."

    Giles allowed a brief distracted smile, as he considered his options.  There was no one else to call.  Willow and Xander were apparently already involved if the cheerleader was to be believed, and Spike had been unsure of the condition he would find Buffy and Joyce.  Since Spike had arrived in Buffy's life, Giles had investigated his background and bloodlines, finding himself greatly disturbed by the results.  If what Spike had said was true, there were some notoriously powerful and evil vampires here in Sunnydale, apparently in this very mall.  This was not going to be pleasant, of that Giles was most certain.

    Finding no other option than to conduct his own investigation, Giles discreetly slid a compact crossbow from his jacket pocket.  Cordelia caught sight of it and shrieked, "Oh god, what kind of freaks are you people?"

    Giles sent her a harsh look to shut her up, but was interrupted by a youthful voice breaking in. "Unker Giles, go. Bad men."

    Even Cordelia could hear the quiet dread in Blake's voice and allowed Giles to leave without further comments.  Looking down into his blue eyes that were so much like his daddy's, Cordelia said, "Guess it's just you and me again, Blake."  Blake remained silent as Cordelia settled them back on the bench.

+++++++++

    Xander and Willow had been pushed unceremoniously to the floor, luckily near where Buffy sat pretending to cower on Spike's lap.  When Xander got his first look at Joyce's body on the floor, he struggled to buck away from the horrifying sight, trying to deny the gaping bite marks on her neck, the utter stillness of her form, and the pale ashen tone of her skin.  Oh god, she'd been drained, he thought frantically, struggling to get away. The other three master vampires were on the other side of the room, so when one of the minions made a move to discipline the prisoner,  Spike cut him off with a lethal look.

    Pushing Buffy off his lap roughly, Spike stood and moved quickly to where Xander was huddled  on the floor, his hands tied tight in front him. Grabbing the mortal boy around his upper arms, Spike hauled him to his feet. Pushing Xander so his back was flush with the wall, the vampire grinned demonically at the boy, the fresh torrent of fear being released stroking that evil presence that would always reside within him.   Spike had to give himself a mental shake and remind himself that this was the boy he had gone to the silly prom with just the night before.  Making sure that the others attention was being paid elsewhere, Spike slipped out the switchblade he carried in his pocket and deftly sliced through the ropes that bound him. He ignored Xander's startled look,  keeping up a deluge of taunts and threats. Xander played his part and acted like the weak scared human, head bowed and body trembling.  Spike slipped the knife into Xander's pocket with a warning look, hoping he could trust the boy to not do anything rash and give things away too soon.  They were too many and too spread out all over the huge room, Spike wanted them closer together before they struck.

    "Spike if you are done tormenting our dinner, we have some things to discuss." Darla snapped, as always irritated by Spike's obnoxious behavior. She had been in favor of forgetting about him, but since they had gotten word the Slayer lived in the same town that he had evidently settled, they decided to kill two birds with one stone.  They would all be in on the hunt for the Slayer, but it was Drusilla's turn to be the one to go in for the kill.

    Spike grabbed Buffy's hand and pulled her up, grateful that she had the presence of mind to act fearful of the others.  He did smell some fear from her, not as much as there should have been, but it would have to do.  "Come on, pet.  This is going to be your new family, after all."

    "That still remains to be seen, William." Darla announced, as they approached the corner of the table that the other three had taken over.

    "I don't need your permission to turn anybody, Darla." Spike countered.

    "Oh you can turn whoever you want, William." Angelus replied smugly. "But as you well know, it's quite a simple matter to dispose of your messes."

    Spike didn't reply to his elder's taunt, knowing that is what they expected. He felt Buffy tense next to him, and squeezed her hand in reassurance.

    Drusilla excitedly patted the empty seat next to her. "Come sit here, my pretty little poppet.  Don't listen to Daddy, he's always cross whenever he's around our William. Like little boys, they are."

    Buffy looked at Spike, still allowing her face to reflect fear and at his nod, went to sit hesitantly next to Drusilla.  She tried not to shiver in revulsion when Drusilla slid her cold hand through hers, her other hand going once more to Buffy's hair, where it was stroked with reverence.  "Oh, Spike!  Miss Kitty is so deliciously warm!  I'd like to keep her this way for a while, oh yes."

    "I hadn't planned on turning her just yet, Dru, so she can be your own personal furnace." Spike said cryptically, standing in back of Buffy's chair.

    "Oh, I'd like that! We can have tea for two and watch the ships on the bay."

    Buffy smiled hesitantly at the dark haired vampiress petting her.  Not much going on upstairs, Buffy thought.  Suddenly Drusilla giggled like a school girl, her hand daintily covering her mouth in response to her mirth. "Someone has decided to crash the birthday party, and he wasn't invited."

    "What are you talking about  Dru?" Darla asked rudely.

    "Enchantments and spells, sends a buzz if someone crosses the finish line before the game is done."

    Darla and Angelus looked at each other with irritation, both remembering why they wanted Spike back.  When neither one had figured out Dru's ramblings, Spike said in disgust, "Bloody hell, didn't you have Dru enchant your little massacre?"

    Four minions were dispatched to investigate, returning moments later with yet another prisoner.  Spike and Buffy exchanged looks as the man was dragged in, one of the game faced minions sporting a crossbow bolt from his shoulder.

    "Well, well.  It looks like someone was expecting us." Angelus commented unnecessarily. "Wonder how that came to be? Spike, you have any ideas?"

    "Why would I bloody know." Spike scoffed, curling his lip in contempt.

    "Well, let's see. Maybe because you're with a human now, and we were holding your mate." Darla supplied snottily, flipping her blonde hair back over her shoulders.

    Buffy made brief eye contact with Giles, concerned for his safety. This was about to get really ugly quickly, she could feel it churning in the air like a killer tornado ready to touch down.

    "I'm a vampire, ladies and gentlemen.  I don't betray my kind, my family, for a lot of sodding humans."

    "Well, we'll just have to see about that." Angelus said with a icy look.  Spike knew it well, the one that promised pain and lots of it. What they needed here was a distraction, so they could get all their players in place, and get the odds evened up on their side.

    A distraction was provided, but it was one that froze the stagnant blood in Spike's veins. The shrieking of "NO!  Go way! Bad!" followed by the irritated voice loudly complaining, "Hello, disgusting smell coming from little child equals end of my involvement.  This was so not part of the deal. Now where is everybody.... HELLO! A little certain someone has polluted the air with foul bodily functions! And I am so sick of smelling it!"

    "Hark! I hear an appetizer calling." Darla announced sardonically, cupping her hand around her ear.   Crossing over to the door, she opened it and peeked her blonde head out. "Hi!" She greeted in a friendly voice. "Can I help you?"

    Cordelia sighed with relief as she saw the smartly dressed woman, frowning as Blake twisted in her arms trying to escape.  "Well, I can only hope. I'm looking for this kid's dad."

    Darla held the door open wide for them to enter. "Well, maybe he's in here. We're having an impromptu meeting of sorts, and there are a slew of potential fathers in here."

    "God, I hope so.  He did this whole superman disappearing act earlier after ordering me to watching his kid and now I just want to go get my nails done." Cordelia replied cynically, as Blake cried to be released. "What is with you?" She asked him, looking into the child's scared face as she went through the door.

    "Bad men." Blake whispered, eyes wide with fear.

    "That was a woman." Cordelia scoffed. "Some keen observer you are."

      When she finally looked up, Cordelia's own eyes widened with fright, as she tried to process what she was seeing before her.  There were people tied up on the floor all around the outskirts of the room, their gagged faces frozen in terror. "Ok, if this is Candid Camera, you guys have gone WAY too far."  Again, no Alan Funt appeared. She was never watching that show again, dammit. There were more guys looming around, with the freaky faces like Spike, but none of them anywhere near as hot as Blake's dad. God, ew, were they... LEERING at her? Oh, totally gross.

    A big dark haired man came forward to relieve her of the burden in her arms, who suddenly wasn't such a burden. "Thank you for the delicious little snack." He said with mock politeness.

    Ok, now this guy was kind of hot, Cordelia thought. In a hulkish kind of way. "Oh, you don't want him. He totally stinks. About made me gag and throw up the banana I had for breakfast. Plus he's kind of whiney.  No, he's nothing but a problem." Cordelia announced, trying to keep the terrified little boy in her arms.  She looked around wildly for help, finally noticing the kid's studly dad bent over the huge table in the room, a sharp piece of wood positioned at his back by one of those pervert freaky guys. He was glaring at her with blatant rage on his face, and Cordelia suddenly remembered his parting words about keeping his son safe. Oops.

    Blake was finally torn  from her grasp and held up for inspection.  "Let's get a look at you." Angelus remarked, holding Blake up to face him.

    "You bad man." Blake suddenly shouted, his face scrunching up in anger. He was facing away from where Spike was being held down, stake at the ready; and where Buffy was being restrained by yet another minion, an anguished look on her face as they waited for the moment to make their move.

    Angelus suddenly laughed. "I like this kid." He brought Blake against his chest, supporting him with one arm, amused by the fiery little glares this little boy was sending him. They reminded him of something, but he couldn't put his finger on it.  "The girl was right, you do smell." Angelus commented suddenly as the foul odor of excrement hit his olfactory senses. He was about to throw the boy away from him in disgust when he caught a hint of something else.  Angelus buried his nose in the boy's neck and breathed deep, then looked over at Spike, a cruel grin spreading across his face. "It seems William has been keeping a few secrets from us." Angelus announced to the others.

    Buffy and Spike exchanged looks, tensing up to make their move.  What happened in the next minute would dictate how things played out, the anxiety building as both worked to clear their mind for the upcoming battle.  Buffy looked at Giles and saw that he was aware of his role.

    Angelus looked back down at Blake's defiant look, know recognizing it as a miniature replica of his father's, and turned so that the boy could see the entire room.  "Is your daddy here, son?"

    Blake caught sight of his father with a stake at his back and cried out in distress. "Daddy!!!"  Angelus set him down on the ground and Blake ran over to Spike's side, tears streaming down his face. "Bad men." Then he saw Buffy and ran to her, hugging her leg.

    "Isn't that adorable." Angelus commented, pretending to wipe a tear from his eye.  "But like I said earlier, I will destroy any mess that you create, Spike. I think I'll start with this one."

    Cordelia, who had been standing in a state of shock as she watched this drama unfold, began to inch towards the open door.  Drusilla noticed the movement and moved swiftly to capture her. "The party has just begun, we haven't even had our tea and cakes. The mistress will be most upset if we leave before the ball has dropped in the square." Drusilla told the struggling girl.

    Buffy took this opportunity to go from helpless mortal to super slayer. Using the element of surprise, she flipped her captor over her head, then efficiently snapped his neck, not pausing as he turned to dust beneath her hands.  Buffy grabbed Blake and threw him under the table before turning to the minion who had Spike  and kicked the stake out of his hands. Picking it up, she quickly thrust it into the minion's chest, and was rewarded with a pile of dust as Spike jumped from his submissive pose.  Buffy shattered a shelf, supplying them with lots of nice wooden pointy objects and they turned in unison to face the onslaught.

    "Hello everyone. Allow me to introduce myself.  Buffy Summers, Vampire Slayer." Buffy quipped, feeling the familiar anticipation of the fight flowing through her veins.

    "You claimed the Slayer?" Darla yelled at Spike, amber eyes flashing. "You stupid idiot!"

    "Yeah, but he's MY stupid idiot." Buffy informed her possessively , as Drusilla charged her. And the fight was on.

+++++++++++++

    Now Cordelia was sure she had entered the Twilight Zone.  Right before her eyes, just as she was sure death was inches away by this loony bin reject, Buffy Superfreak Summers just went all bionic woman and started snapping necks and stuff.   Then, the Way over the Cuckoo's Nest chick threw her aside and jumped in to fight, screaming about her precious little kitty, and Buffy threw her across the room.  And everybody had those freaky faces on. Well, everyone but Buffy.

    Just as Cordelia began inching out the door again, she saw another sight that boggled her mind. The school's geekiest duo jumped up and joined in, and the school librarian, and oh my god, was that... Buffy's MOTHER???

    Cordelia sneezed as the dust flying set off her allergies, and was getting all set to flee and set herself in total denial that this whole thing had ever taken place.  Then she saw that dark haired guy from earlier who had taken Blake from her, except now he wasn't as hot because he had a freaky face on, snatch Blake from his hiding spot underneath the table.  Now Cordelia emotions were torn. Spike and Buffy were both battling the loony and the pretty blonde, and the others were otherwise engaged. Oh, what to do, what to do...

    Grabbing a stray piece of wood, Cordelia walked up behind the dark hulk, closed her eyes, and struck out with the piece of wood as hard as she could, like she'd seen the others do. She pried one eye open to what had happened just in time to see Blake flying through the air through a cloud of dust.  Instinctively, she reached out and caught him, feeling a rush of emotion as pudgy little arms were thrown around her neck as Blake buried his face against her, sobbing. Ok, so maybe he was kinda cute. In a smelly, sticky, annoying  kind of way She brought her hand up and rubbed his back in slow soothing circles, talking to him while making sure they were out of harms way. Ok, she wasn't crying over a little boy, she wasn't. It was just... all the dust in her eyes.

++++++++++++++

    As Spike had been fighting Darla, he'd seen Angelus nab Blake and almost lost it.  His loss of concentration had almost ended the fight right there, but he'd managed to stake Darla right at the last second. Just in time to see the cheerleader blindly stick a piece of wood into Angelus's back, just when he was sure she was going to bolt through the door.  Blake started falling through the air as the body holding him dissolved and was once again saved.  A flush of relief washed over him, then he laughed at the irony.  The great Angelus taken out by a bloody cheerleader. Spike surveyed the room, noting with satisfaction that the others had cleaned up this mess.  A pang of sadness struck him at the  loss of Drusilla, but she was a monster in sheep's clothing, and he knew it.

     When the dust settled, an emotionally fragile group took a look around, noticing the hopeful looks from the people tied up around the room.   Xander and Willow went to begin the process of releasing them from their bonds, and the sound of tearful heart wrenched thank you's  were soon heard echoing around the room.  Except for the human loss in the bathroom, nobody else had been sacrificed.

    Buffy walked over to where Cordelia stood trying to comfort her son, and offered her a small smile. Cordelia peeled Blake off of her, and held him out, smiling when Blake saw her. "MOMMY!!" He yelled, his sad face lighting up.  Buffy clutched Blake to her, as tears began to fall, thankful that this threat was over.  Spike joined them, wrapping his arms around them both, his own tears rolling down his face.  Even Cordelia had to admit they made a nice looking little family. Even if it was Buffy.

    "I thought I'd lost you both." Spike whispered hoarsely to his girl, as she buried her face into his chest, sobbing with relief.

    Joyce wandered over to  where the little family were reunited, and Cordelia exclaimed, "Oh my god! What chewed on your neck?"

    A guilt stricken face popped up, and Spike took in the pale unsteady form before him. "Oh christ, I'm so sorry, Joyce."

    Joyce laid her hand on his arm, and smiled weakly, the blood loss making things fuzzy. "It's ok, Spike. I know why you did it. I'd probably be dead if you hadn't."

    Spike's silence was confirmation that her assumption was correct. "You need to get to a hospital, Joyce." He told her, worried by her ashen appearance.  Joyce offered no resistance, and Xander took her, with Buffy accompanying.  Giles and Spike were left behind to explain things, or attempt to explain things, the police much preferring to accept the story that didn't fit the crime rather than the story that did.

+++++++++++++

    It was hours later, and Joyce was upstairs in bed, still wiped out even after receiving a few units of blood.  Buffy and Spike were laying together on the couch, with Blake sleeping on his favorite spot against his daddy's chest.  The day had drained all of them. It had alsobrought new things to light and  helped cement Spike's credibility  and trust with her Watcher and friends, as well as everyone else .  He had been quiet since they had come home, and Buffy knew instinctively that he was mourning the loss of his vampire family, and had just given him silent support.

    Buffy was just repositioning herself on the couch so she could snuggle even closer to Spike when he broke his silence and the words that came out of his mouth were the most beautiful things she had ever heard.

    "Buffy, I love you."

    Tears filled her eye and she rose on one elbow to peer down into his serious face, hand reaching out to cup his chiseled cheek. A tear drop slid down her face and landed on shirt, and Buffy wiped the rest away self consciously. "Sorry."  she told him, giving an embarrassed laugh. "It's just been kind of an emotional day."

    He reached out and drew her head down for a gentle kiss. "I mean it, Buffy. I do. Today made me realize how much, and I almost didn't get a chance to tell you. I love you."

    Buffy smiled through her tears. "I love you too, Spike."
 

TBC

Spike had let Buffy sleep in, not having the heart to wake her when she had looked so exhausted, even in slumber. So, as Blake first began to stir, Spike carefully pulled him from his mother’s embrace and quietly brought him downstairs. He wasn’t surprised to find the kitchen empty even though it was well past the time Joyce was usually up. He knew Joyce had a bit of a recovery ahead of her, her body needing time to adjust after the amount of blood he'd taken from her.

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