Chapter 4: January 2017

“We don’t have to do this,” Wesley said softly. “We can turn back now.”

Spike shook his head, staring out the window. It was a simple fiction to tell the airplane crew that he had a horrible sun allergy, and it made flying easier. The questions were fewer. “I’m committed.”

“We haven’t left L.A. yet,” Wesley pointed out.

Spike shook his head again. “Can’t,” he said hoarsely. “Been thinkin’ about this for a long time, mate.”

They had known each other for over a decade, and Spike hadn’t aged a day in all that time. Wesley knew that he had more laugh lines, more gray hair—more creaking bones. These days he left much of the field work to the younger crowd or the vampires, as they healed faster. It was a rare mission that sent him out with Spike again.

It was just like old times.

Wesley had known this day was coming, actually. He had seen the tension build, had begun to sense it before Meg’s birth actually. While Angel always seemed to disregard his being a vampire—or perhaps to take it completely for granted—Spike interacted with the world around him. He built connections with people who would age and eventually die.

Immortality was bound to rest heavy on his shoulders.

“How did Buffy take it?”

“Think she’ll be fine.” Spike was quiet for a moment. “Know I don’t need to ask, but—”

Wesley’s sharp tone cut him off. “You will be coming back in one piece, Spike, but no. You don’t need to ask. I’ll be happy to take care of both of them.”

“I promised I’d return,” Spike reflected. “Promised both of them.”

“Then you have to,” Wesley replied. It had been watching Spike that had taught Wesley the value of keeping promises, especially to his children. “You’re alright with stopping in England?”

Spike shrugged. “S’pose we have to, yeah? Rupert’s gonna want to talk with the both of us. Only makes sense we give the annual report before I head off to my doom.”

Wesley didn’t try to debate Spike’s comment. In many ways, the vampire was going off to his doom. Even if he survived, he would not be the same. It was a gamble that he would even be the same person and not someone completely different.

The whole thing was unprecedented.

“I daresay that Giles will want to ask a million questions,” Wesley ventured.

Spike snorted. “More than that, most likely. Rupert’s used to me bein’ an odd one by now, though. Reckon it won’t come as a huge surprise.”

“No, possibly not,” Wesley replied. “He’s going to be losing one of his finest warriors, though.”

“Not goin’ anywhere,” Spike said quietly. “It’ll be different, but I’ll still be there.”

They both knew it was wishful thinking.

~~~~~

Buffy was cleaning, her movements quick and purposeful. It had only been one night and already she missed him. There was a hole where he had been, and it was only going to get worse. Sleep had been elusive without his still form next to hers, and the Slayer knew she was going to be extra-cranky if she didn’t get some sleep before Spike returned.

Meg was at school, and Buffy frowned, remembering her daughter’s subdued mood before she left to catch the bus. She and Spike were so very close. If anything happened to the vampire, Meg would be devastated.

Meg wouldn’t be the only one.

The doorbell rang, and Buffy wiped her hands on a towel, hurrying to answer it. Nika smiled at her. “I thought you could use some company.”

Buffy smiled at her. “You can say that again.” She smiled at Carwen. “And how are you?”

Carwen grinned at her, a gap-toothed smile that lit up her face. She had her mother’s gray eyes. “Aunt Buffy!”

Buffy held out her arms and the little girl launched herself. She remembered when Meg was this little. She’d loved it when Spike tossed her up in the air. The ache inside her heart threatened to overwhelm her. “Why don’t I make us some tea?” Nika suggested softly.

They drank their tea and watched as Carwen scooted around on the floor, dumping out the pieces of a wooden puzzle and putting it back together again. “How are you?” Nika asked gently.

Buffy shrugged. “Fine, I guess. It’s just—I miss him already.”

Nika made a face. “I know just what you mean.”

The silence stretched out, although it was not uncomfortable. They had gone through a lot together over the years—over a decade of raising children and being married and mourning various losses. It had been Buffy’s shoulder that Nika had cried on after her last miscarriage, so certain was she that she’d never be able to have another child.

Buffy had wept with her, as much for Nika’s pain as for her own.

Time and children and marriage had bonded them even closer than Buffy was to Willow. Although the witch was still her best friend, she and Nika shared more ties these days.

“Did you know about this?” Buffy asked.

Nika nodded. “It’s been rather obvious over the last few years, Buffy. Spike’s been longing for something more.”

“I never even saw it,” the Slayer murmured, although that wasn’t completely true. She had known that Spike was unhappy, that he hated staying the same while everything around him changed. It was the one thing to which he couldn’t adapt. The first time he’d broached the subject of trying to find a cure for his immortality, Buffy had reacted so violently that he hadn’t brought it up again.

Instead, he had taken the discussion to Wesley and the Watcher’s house.

In some ways, that was what hurt the most. A chasm had opened up between them in the last months, and Buffy had done nothing to bridge it. She had known how important this was to him, but she had ignored his pain, thinking Spike would get over it, and it would go away.

Now he was the one who was gone.

“I just keep wondering if there wasn’t something I should have done,” Buffy admitted unhappily. “If I could have changed his mind.”

Nika shook her head. “That’s not what this was about, Buffy. Spike—Spike needed this for himself. He was scared to death of losing you and Meg, of being left behind. What else could he have done?”

Nothing. Buffy knew the answer by heart, but that didn’t mean she was happy with it. It was as much about the Spike that would come back to her as it was about her fear of losing him. What if he wasn’t the same? What if he didn’t love her anymore?

What if he was so changed that he wasn’t the man she loved?

“I just wonder what he’s going to be like,” Buffy said quietly. “What if—”

“Spike is Spike, Buffy,” Nika said soothingly. “Some things never change about a person.

She shook her head. “You never saw Angel without a soul.”

“Wasn’t the soul an improvement, then?” Nika asked.

Buffy shook her head. “On Angel, maybe, but I like Spike exactly the way he is.”

~~~~~

“It’s so not fair,” Davey said, kicking at a rock that came into his path.

Hannah tried to suppress a smile. “What’s not fair, Davey-boy?”

“That Dad and Uncle Spike get to go to England,” Will said matter-of-factly. “Davey’s mad they went without him.”

Hannah frowned. “We’re all going next summer.” She would be 18 then, and would go through the new tests that the Council had rigged up. Giles had done away with the Cruciamentum about a year after she’d been Called, and Hannah was definitely grateful. While it was still possible for her to fail the exams, at least it wouldn’t mean her death.

Just utter humiliation.

“Yeah, but this is different!” Davey exclaimed. “This is an adventure! Didn’t you hear Uncle Spike the other night? They’re prob’ly gonna go to Africa.”

“I heard him, but you were supposed to be in bed,” Hannah replied severely. “If Nika finds out you were eavesdropping—”

“We weren’t eavesdropping,” Will said quickly. “It was just that we were thirsty, and we got up and overheard. We didn’t mean to listen.”

Hannah gave both of them a skeptical look. “Uh huh. Well, you guys aren’t old enough for adventures yet.”

Davey frowned, greatly offended. “Are too! We aren’t little anymore.”

She very nearly laughed, but knew that to do so would hurt both boys’ feelings. “No, you guys aren’t little, but you still aren’t old enough. I was sixteen before Wesley let me go hunting by myself, so you guys have to wait at least that long.”

Davey kicked at another rock. “It’s still not fair,” he muttered rebelliously.

Will was willing to take things a little more in stride. After all, he and Davey were the men of the house while their dad was gone. “When do you think they’ll be back?”

“I don’t know,” Hannah replied. “Neither of them could say.” They were only about a block from the grade school at this point. Hannah usually walked the twins home on her way from the high school. The schools weren’t too far apart, and she enjoyed the exercise. It helped her think.

Hannah, at 17, had matured into a truly lovely young woman. She was also something of a loner, both her background and her reserved personality causing friendships to be few and far between. Even though there had been a couple boys who had asked her out, Hannah didn’t date. After all, when she compared the boys she knew to Wesley, Spike or Connor, they all fell short.

Really short.

She was just grateful for people like Wesley and Nika, who were willing to not only give her a place to sleep but a purpose in life. Because when you got right down to it, Hannah loved being the Slayer. She could honestly say that getting Called was the best thing to ever happen to her.

“Hey, Hannah!”

She sighed, knowing that voice. “What do you want, Sam?”

The young man skidded to a halt next to her. “These your little brothers?”

Davey and Will exchanged identical grins that did not bode well for Hannah’s future. “Sam and Hannah sitting in a tree,” Davey said under his breath.

Hannah gave him a light tap on the back of the head. “Yeah. This is Will, and Davey.” She rarely bothered explaining her living situation. While she didn’t call Nika and Wesley, “Mom and Dad,” that’s basically what they had been over the last three years. Trying to define her life was like trying to pin down water.

“So can I walk you home?” Sam asked, trying to sound cool and failing miserably.

Sam was one of those guys who had been perpetually picked on until his growth spurt the previous summer. He had also found a sense of style, and was marginally more popular. Still, if you knew what to look for, there was a deep insecurity that hid behind his hazel eyes.

Hannah was ready to shoot him down—as she had at least twice before—but found it impossible. She could see the fear of rejection that lurked, and she felt sorry for him.

Besides, Sam was pretty cute these days.

“I guess,” she replied, making sure she sounded grudging. Hannah didn’t want to give him any ideas, after all. “Although, you’ll have to meet Enid.”

“Who’s Enid?” he asked, falling in beside her.

Davey and Will gave him a skeptical look, not sure what they thought of this tall stranger who was so interested in Hannah. In their father’s absence, it was their job to look out for their sisters—which included the Slayer. “Our nain,” they replied in unison, and then immediately began chattering back and forth in Welsh.

Hannah rolled her eyes. “Ignore them, Sam. They’re just being little show-offs.” Davey said something rude in Welsh. “Repeat that,” Hannah said sternly. “I would love to see Enid wash your mouth out with soap.”

They ran off ahead. “What language is that?” Sam asked, mystified.

“Welsh.”

“And you understand it?”

Hannah nodded. “Sure. I had to. Both Nika and Enid speak it, and the boys do too.”

“Nika?” Sam asked.

Hannah sighed, realizing that she was now committed to giving him an abbreviated version of her life at least. “If you spread this around school, I will kick your ass,” she warned.

“Okay,” he replied with a goofy smile.

“I mean it,” she said scowling. “Don’t think I can’t.”

Sam grinned at her. “I believe you. I watched you save my hide last year, remember?”

Hannah had forgotten. She’d prevented one of the varsity football players from stuffing him in a locker. “Oh.” She stared at him, seeing the admiration in his eyes. “Okay, then.”

Sam’s grin broadened as he realized Hannah was going to tell him something that no one else knew. At this rate, he might actually get her to go to the prom with him.

~~~~~

“Are you sure?” Connor asked, staring at her.

Dawn rolled her eyes. “As sure as I can be.” She moved so that she could lay her head on his shoulder—her strong warrior. They made the perfect team. She did the talking, he did the fighting.

Every once in a while they switched it up, just for for fun.

“What are you thinking?” Dawn asked after a long silence.

His arms moved to slide around her. “I’m thinking that it’s going to be a big change, but I think we’re ready. And I’m thinking that my dad is going to flip his lid.”

“Right after Spike does,” Dawn joked. “He’ll finally have proof that we’re sleeping together.” Her voice faltered at the last when she thought about the fact that Spike not return from his quest. He might not ever know that she was pregnant.

Connor tightened his grip. “They’ll be back, Dawn.”

“I know.” She sighed. “I talked to Buffy today. She doesn’t sound all that great.”

“Maybe you should go see her,” Connor suggested.

Dawn shook her head. “Not right away. Soon, though. It would probably be better if you told Angel in person.”

“Probably,” Connor acknowledged. The Cleveland Hellmouth would be secure enough without them for a while. It wasn’t like he and Dawn didn’t travel for the Council occasionally, and they hadn’t had a vacation in a year or more. “Next month, maybe. Spike should be back by then.”

“He should be,” Dawn said softly. “What do you think about it?”

“What else could he do?” Connor asked. “He’s different than Dad. Dad thinks it’s a part of his grand destiny to suffer. He’s still holding out for the Shanshu, and probably will forever. Spike doesn’t have that option.”

“You think he did the right thing then,” Dawn said flatly.

“Don’t you?”

“I don’t know, Connor,” Dawn replied, shifting again so she could see him. “What if he’s not the same when he comes back?”

Connor smiled reassuringly. “He’s still going to be Spike, Dawn. He won’t change that much.”

“What if he does?”

“Then we deal with it.” Connor reached up and stroked her hair away from her face. “Haven’t we taken care of pretty much everything that fate has thrown at us?”

“I suppose,” Dawn replied reluctantly, then caught his mouth in a kiss. “Promise me you’re not dying to make a major change.”

Connor smiled. “Why would I want to change anything when I’ve got all I want right here?”

Chapter 5: January 2017

Giles hadn't wanted to entrust anyone with picking Spike and Wesley up at Heathrow. With careful planning, even vampires could fly. It just had to be timed right. Still, he was their contact with the Council, now that he was head of all field personnel.

There was also the issue of Spike's request. Giles hated to think that he might lose the vampire, since Spike's abilities were nearly legendary. He understood why Spike was doing this. He had to admit that it made sense.

The crowds drifted apart just enough so that he could see them coming. Neither Wesley nor Spike had brought anything more than a carry-on, used to traveling lightly by now. This trip was also not supposed to be a long one. If all went according to plan, both men would be on their way home in a week or less.

"Giles," Wesley said, greeting his superior with a firm handshake. "You're looking well."

"As are you," he replied with a smile. "Spike."

The vampire's lips twisted into a half-smile. "'s good to see you again, Rupert."

The strange thing was that it was nothing but the truth, and the feeling was mutual. If it wasn't for the sunlight issue—as well as the need to have blood on hand—Giles could forget that Spike was a vampire. He just seemed so human these days. "You too. How was the flight?"

"Borin' as ever," Spike replied. Sitting still for hours on end had never been his favorite activity. "An' the in-flight movie sucked."

"It was a chick-flick," Wesley explained briefly. "No violence and no nudity."

Giles smiled. "I'm sorry to hear that."

Spike rolled his eyes. "You try listenin' to that garbage for hours on end. Can't even shut it off these days."

"You could have brought a book," Wesley pointed out.

Spike frowned. "Didn't think I'd need to. Besides, 'm not plannin' on doin' much reading, where we're going."

"Then you're set on your destination?" Giles asked. "You know, Spike, if Willow couldn't do the glamour, you could have the coven try. That would have taken care of the problem."

Spike shook his head. "Red offered, an' I declined. It only takes care of a part of the problem. Best to do it this way."

"Don't try," Wesley advised when Giles opened his mouth. "You know how stubborn Spike can be."

"An' it's served me well," Spike said, not bothered by Wesley's statement. "It'll get me through this mess too."

Giles wasn't so sure about that, but he wasn't willing to argue the point either. "So you leave tomorrow?"

Spike nodded. "Catch a flight from here to Morocco, an' then on to Uganda. Shouldn't be too hard to find the place."

"Maybe you should wait," Giles suggested. "The coven—"

Spike shook his head. "Can't do much. We've talked about this, Rupert."

"It's why I'm going as well," Wesley said quietly. "If both of us go..." Wesley trailed off, leaving his thoughts unspoken. If he went with Spike, and something went wrong, someone would know about it.

And if things went right, Spike would have company on the way home.

Giles sighed and nodded. "I suppose you're right. So you'll go through the trials, and then what?"

"I make a wish," Spike said. "It's as easy as that."

Giles raised an eyebrow. "A wish? Is that wise? Wishes are notoriously difficult."

"All I want is to be mortal," Spike replied. "An' that's exactly what I'm goin' to wish for."

When Giles opened his mouth to protest, Wesley's hand stopped him. He and Spike had already been over this, more than once. This was what Spike wanted—to gain his mortality, and he wanted to earn it.

Spike always did like to do things the hard way.

"I thought we might have dinner at my place," Giles suggested, neatly changing the subject. "If you're hungry, that is."

"I'm famished," Wesley replied. "And I know Spike hasn't eaten since we left L.A."

"I could stand to eat," Spike replied. "You think we could get a curry though? Nika's is good, but 'm dyin' for something spicy."

Giles sighed and shook his head, reflecting on Spike's oddities once again. He would never understand. "Wesley?"

"Curry is fine," Wesley replied, not bothering to say that he'd go along with pretty much whatever Spike wanted. To refuse his request would be like refusing a condemned man his last meal.

Besides, he liked a good curry as much as the next bloke.

~~~~~

Buffy picked up the phone on the first ring, instinctively knowing that it would be Spike. He had promised to call from Giles' place, before he left for parts unknown. "Hello?"

"Hey, pet."

His voice was cool, almost distant, and Buffy cursed herself for not making certain they parted on good terms. She knew he expected her to be angry, and she hated that he was expecting her to give him grief. "How was the trip?"

"Boring," he replied. There was a pause. "How are you?"

"I miss you, but other than that I'm good."

"Buffy—"

His voice held a note of warning, and she continued, cutting him off. "I know you have to do this, Spike. I'm not angry."

He was quiet, obviously not knowing what to say. Neither of them was very good at talking to each other on the phone. It would have been better if they could have made contact.

Or maybe it wouldn't have been. Contact had been sporadic and painful these last few months.

"How's Meg?" Spike finally asked, sticking to a safe subject.

Buffy bit back a sigh. "She misses you too, but she's fine. She wanted me to let you know that she got an A on that paper."

"Good." Pride warmed his voice. "Knew she could do it."

Buffy hesitated, then asked, "What time are you leaving tomorrow?"

"Just after sunset," Spike said. "Don't know when I'll be able to call."

"I know. That's fine. Just—when you can."

"Of course." There was another awkward pause. "I should go. Don't want to leave Rupert with a huge phone bill."

There was a time when he wouldn't have cared, Buffy knew. There was a time when he would have talked to her for hours, just to hear her voice. "Be careful," she said.

"I will. Careful as I can be," he replied quietly. "See you soon, luv."

"I love you," Buffy said a little desperately.

"Love you too."

And he was gone.

~~~~~

Enid smiled as Davey and Will came hurtling through the door, chattering on in Welsh. "What's gotten into you two rascals now?" she asked.

"That would be me," Hannah said wryly, with a fascinated Sam in tow behind her. "They've decided to try and annoy me to death."

The older woman grinned. "And is it working, cariad?"

"Oh, they're getting there. If you guys don't knock it off, I'm going to hurt you!" Hannah called after the twins, who were now singing "Sam and Hannah sitting in a tree..." at full volume, in Welsh. "This, by the way, is Sam. Sam, this is Enid, also known as Nain."

"Nice to meet you," he said, looking around. Hannah's story fascinated him, not least because he loved the idea of having so many people around all the time. Sam only had one younger brother, and the rest of his family was depressingly normal.

Enid smiled at him. "Would you like to stay for dinner, Sam?"

"That would be great!" he said enthusiastically.

Hannah bit back a sigh. It looked like she wasn't going to be getting rid of him anytime soon. "Do you want to see my room?" she asked. "I've got some homework, so—"

"That's cool," Sam replied quickly. "I've got some calc problems to work on."

Hannah looked hopeful. "Did you understand this last chapter? Because I really don't. Math is so not my thing."

"Yeah," he said. "It's no problem. We can work through it together, if you like."

Enid smiled as she watched them head off to Hannah's room, glad that the girl was finally starting to make a friend. Sam was the first person she'd brought home with her, and Enid thought it was a good sign. The girl was as dear to her as any of the other children, and Enid worried about her tendency to keep to herself.

She closed her eyes and said a prayer for the others so close to her heart that were so far away.

~~~~~

Meg concentrated on the picture she was drawing, the charcoal clutched in her left hand. Her dad always said that lefties had the advantage because most people were right-handed. When you got into a fight, no one expected a left hook.

Of course, her mom had been furious that Spike had even mentioned fighting, which Meg thought was ridiculous. Hannah had taught her that a girl needed to be able to look after herself.

She missed him already. The house seemed emptier with Spike gone, and Buffy was obviously miserable. Spike was the one that brightened everything up, who made life exciting. Meg was scared to death that he wasn't coming back. She knew how dangerous his job was.

Of course, Meg knew that Spike wasn't her real father. About a year before, there had been a story in the newspaper about a senator from New York who had an illegitimate daughter by one Buffy Summers. Both of her parents had been furious, as had the senator in question, but for very different reasons.

They had sat her down and explained that Spike wasn't her biological father, but that he'd chosen to be her dad, and that Buffy had wanted him there. Meg had been happy knowing that she didn't have to go live with strangers, and that Spike wasn't going to leave.

Meg understood why Spike had to leave better than anyone gave her credit for. She'd heard the comments that her teacher made, and she'd seen her father's face when he overheard them. The careless comment would have completely freaked her out if she hadn't already known the truth. Her teacher was wrong for sure—Spike was definitely old enough to be her father.

Actually, he was old enough to be her several times great-grandfather.

It probably should have had her completely wigging out, but it didn't. Her dad was her dad, whether he was a vampire or not. As long as he came home, Meg didn't particularly care where Spike had been, or whether he'd been trying to shed that pesky immortality.

Just as long as he came home.

~~~~~

Morocco was warm, even after the sun had gone down. Wesley had forgotten just how warm Northern Africa could be. Tomorrow they would catch a flight to Uganda, and from there—well, there was no telling what would happen after that.

He had gotten a chance to speak with Nika earlier, as well as the boys, and he recalled their conversation with longing. Nika had said that she missed him and that Hannah had brought a boy home. That didn't sit well precisely, but at least the young man in question had been breathing.

Davey had come home with a note from one of the teachers saying that he was failing social studies. Wesley sighed. He wished he could have been there to provide backup for Nika. It wasn't that she needed it, but he knew his voice sometimes carried more weight. They would have to crack down on the boy again, and Wesley couldn't help but wish that Davey was a little more like Will.

Carwen was just fine, and was as sunny as could be.

Oh, how Wesley missed them all.

Wesley watched as Spike smoked one cigarette after another as he stood out on their tiny balcony. It was barely big enough to stand on, but it allowed the vampire to have his smoke, which kept him calm. Well, calmer anyway.

He knew Spike was worried about what was coming. They had no guarantee of the outcome, that it would be what the vampire wanted. Wesley knew that Spike didn't particularly want to be human, but he did want to be mortal.

Spike wanted the certainty of change.

Wesley stepped outside, squeezing in next to his partner. They might as well have been brothers, for all their physical dissimilarities. The bond between them was that deep. "How are you?"

"Fine." Spike stared out into the night sky, the stars winking down on the both of them. "How's Nika?"

"Good," Wesley replied. "Apparently Davey's failing a class again, and Hannah's started seeing someone."

Spike raised an eyebrow. "We leave, an' it all goes to hell in a hand basket."

"It would seem that way," Wesley agreed. "Are you ready for this?"

"You ready to die?" Spike countered.

Wesley sighed. "We can still turn back, Spike. We'll call this a vacation, and then head back home."

"'m not goin' to change my mind," the vampire said stubbornly. "You know how important this is to me."

"I know." Wesley leaned back against the rail. "Are you doing this because you've decided it's the answer, or because you've made up your mind to go through with it?"

Spike's lips twisted in a sardonic smile. "You know me too well, mate. 'm pigheaded, sure, but that's not what this is. Seems like this is the only choice here."

Wesley nodded slowly. "It might be."

"Or I could go back, get Red to do the glamour, an' watch everything I love die." Spike flicked his cigarette butt out into the night. "You explain how that's the right thing to do."

"I can't," Wesley said quietly. "I think I'd do the same in your position."

"I've been thinkin' 'bout this for years, mate," Spike said quietly. "This is the only thing I could come up with that would keep everybody happy."

"Except for Buffy," Wesley said wryly.

Spike rolled his eyes. "When the bloody hell is the Slayer ever happy?" He sighed, looking out into the darkness. "You know, I may be evil an' all that, but 've never really done anythin' for me. It was always about Dru or Buffy, or someone else. For the last fifteen years, 've done everythin' anybody ever asked of me. The Big Bad changed diapers, an' took care of scraped knees, an' all that. I loved every minute of it, Wesley, but this is for me. I need this."

Wesley really couldn't argue with that, which was why he was in a hotel in Morocco, waiting to accompany a vampire in his quest to get rid of his immortality. Wesley went because Spike was his friend.

Chapter 6: October 2014

When Hannah woke that morning, it was to the sound of childish giggles. She opened her eyes sleepily and saw two identical faces peeking around her door, staring at her as though she was the eighth wonder of the world.

As soon as the boys saw she was awake, their giggles ceased abruptly, and they ducked out of sight. They had obviously not counted on being discovered in the act by someone other than Hannah. "I told you two to leave Hannah be," Nika's whispered words came through the door clearly to Hannah's enhanced hearing. "She was up late, and you were to let her sleep."

Their voices faded down the hallway, and Hannah briefly considered getting up. On the other hand, she had been up late, and like any teen she wasn't going to pass up a chance to sleep in.

When she woke again, it was late morning, and Hannah dragged herself out of bed reluctantly. She would have much rather stayed there, where she didn't have to face all these new people again. Not that they weren't nice, but the first few days in a new home were always awkward.

Still, it was better to get it over with, really.

Hannah rose and pulled on her jeans and sweatshirt, thinking longingly about a shower. She wasn't comfortable just going ahead and taking one without saying good morning to whomever was still around, though. She pulled her hair into a quick ponytail and headed out of her room, following the sound of voices.

Wesley and Giles were seated at the kitchen table, drinking coffee and talking as Enid bustled around behind them. Wesley spotted her first and gave her a warm smile. "Good morning, Hannah. Did you sleep well?"

"Yeah, the bed was really comfortable," she said. Hannah felt strange in this bright kitchen with these people she didn't know, but who were obviously close. She had stayed with a family of six before, but all the other kids had been from the foster system too, so it had been different.

These people belonged together.

Enid and Giles were both looking at her now with similar expressions of welcome, although Enid spoke first. "Sit," she said firmly, pointing to an empty chair. "You're probably hungry."

"A little," Hannah agreed, watching as Wesley pushed a plate full of scones towards her.

Enid nodded. "Of course. A growing girl like you is hungry all the time. Do you want coffee?"

"Nain, I don't think—" Wesley began, only to be cut off by the older woman's words.

"She will be doing a grown woman's job; she deserves to have a choice of beverage." Enid turned kind eyes back towards Hannah. "Coffee?"

Hannah hesitated. From what Dawn and Connor had said, Wesley was supposed to be in charge of her, and she didn't want to make him mad right off the bat. Although, he didn't look angry, just amused. "Please."

No sooner were the words out of her mouth than the coffee cup was placed in front of her, with cream and sugar pushed her way. Hannah doctored the brew liberally and then sipped, sighing happily. Coffee was something she didn't often get the chance to drink, but she loved it.

Giles gave her a perfunctory smile before going back to his conversation with Wesley, taking up where he left off. "Buffy said that she and Spike would be over this morning. I imagine they'll get here any minute."

"Who are they taking with them?" Wesley asked. He was feeling ambivalent about being left behind. On one hand, it only made sense that he should remain with his Slayer. On the other hand, Spike was his partner, and Wesley felt as though it wasn't quite fair that he should stay safe while Spike put himself at risk.

Giles reached out and took a scone, taking a bite absent-mindedly. "Connor for certain, and I believe Angel and Willow will both be going."

Wesley nodded. It was a good team. With all of them along for the ride, there was less of a chance any would be lost. "Good. I think that's wise."

Enid cut in when she realized that Hannah had yet to start eating. "You need to eat," she scolded. "You need more meat on your bones."

The corners of Wesley's lips twitched, and he nudged the plate of pastries a little closer to Hannah. "I have to warn you that Enid and Nika are in charge in the kitchen. You'd best do as she says or she'll most likely have both our hides."

Wesley's tone of voice let Hannah know that he was kidding, but she reached for a scone anyway, nibbling on one corner experimentally. In another second, she'd taken a good-sized bite, and Enid gave her a satisfied nod.

Giles went on as though there had been no interruption. "There's a good possibility that they'll be successful where Faith was not," he said. "While Faith changed quite a bit these last years, she was not a team player."

"One might say the same about Spike," Wesley observed mildly. "He's not known for playing well with others."

Giles cleared his throat uncomfortably. "Spike is something else altogether."

The sound of the front door banging open filled the house, and Hannah felt a little tingling sensation at the back of her head start up. She'd never experienced anything like it before, and had to wonder what was going on.

No one else seemed alarmed, however, and in a few seconds they were joined by a petite blonde woman and a wiry man who looked to be ten years younger than Wesley. "I'm glad you two are here," Giles said. "We can get down to business."

Wesley rolled his eyes at Giles' rudeness. "Spike, Buffy, this is the new Slayer, Hannah. Hannah, this is Buffy and Spike. I think Connor and Dawn will have told you about them."

The other Slayer looked her over and responded with a weary smile. "It's nice to meet you." She turned back towards Giles. "Do we know anything else yet?"

"Very little, I'm afraid," Giles replied. "I get the sense that you won't know all of it until you actually arrive."

Hannah felt as though she had been very neatly dismissed, and she wondered if now wouldn't be a good time to go catch that shower. Then Spike caught her eye and winked, causing Hannah to realize exactly why she was getting a tingling sensation.

Spike was a vampire.

Hannah had blurted out the words before she could stop herself, flushing deep red as all eyes turned to look at her. "Sorry. It's just—"

"No need for apologies, snack-size," Spike replied easily. "It's the truth. Dawn and Connor tell you that?"

She nodded and then motioned vaguely. "I got this feeling, too. I don't know—"

Now both Wesley and Giles were looking vastly pleased. "She's already sensing the presence of vampires," Giles said approvingly. "Well done."

Buffy made a face. "You aren't going to make her hone?"

"This is her first day on the job, luv," Spike pointed out reasonably. "She hasn't had time to eat her breakfast yet."

Buffy scowled. "Well, sometimes you don't get time to eat. That's just the way it goes." She stalked out of the room, Spike watching her go rather helplessly.

"Sorry 'bout that," he finally said. "She's been a bit off since we dropped Meg at school this morning."

"It's understandable," Giles soothed. "I'll go talk to her."

The older man left the kitchen, and Spike took his place at the counter. "You ready for this gig?"

Hannah wasn't sure if he was talking to her or to Wesley, but since his eyes were on her, she answered. "Not really."

Spike smiled with what she thought might be approval. "No one is," he agreed.

~~~~~

Buffy knew that Spike hadn't followed her. She understood that, in fact, since she'd been on his case all morning. After the truce of last night, the Slayer had found herself out of sorts and off kilter.

Seeing Hannah had only made it worse. This was the third Slayer who had been called since the line had split with Kendra. Maybe three wasn't so bad since Faith had lasted a long time, but it didn't change the fact that there had been three more. Three more Slayers who weren't Buffy, and two of them had been her friends.

This girl was very nearly young enough to be her daughter.

"Buffy." There was reproof in Giles' tone, and she winced. Only Giles could use that tone of voice and make her feel two inches high. Buffy knew that probably would never change, no matter how old she got.

"I'm sorry, Giles." She turned to face him, and saw the compassion on his face.

He hugged her then, and Buffy could smell that familiar scent that had always been Giles. He looked older every time she saw him. His work with the Council was not easy, but he didn't want to give it up. It was his life.

Just as Slaying would always be hers. It seemed neither one of them would ever be able to outrun their destinies, even with time and age.

"She is very young, Buffy," Giles said quietly. "And she is no Faith."

"No, she's not," Buffy replied, thinking about the girl's watchful eyes. She was not much like Kendra either. The Slayer knew she needed to remember that Hannah wasn't either of her predecessors. "It doesn't seem right, Giles."

They sat down on the couch, Giles gently leading her. "No, it doesn't, but look at it this way. You might not have lived to see her. Surely you can be thankful for your own blessings."

Buffy knew what he was telling her. She had her daughter and Spike and good friends. She had lived longer than any Slayer in history, and there was a very good chance she'd live longer yet.

Those were important things to remember.

Buffy gave him a sour look. "You do realize she's young enough to be my daughter, don't you?"

Giles blinked. He hadn't thought of that, but his Slayer was correct. A smile hovered around his mouth. "Now you know how I feel most of the time." She made a face at him, and Giles smiled, then grew serious. "She will need you, Buffy. You're the only one who truly knows what she's going through right now."

Buffy sighed. "Yeah, as first impressions go, that wasn't my best. She probably thinks I'm a bitch."

Giles decided to ignore that comment in favor of being diplomatic. "We do need to discuss this upcoming mission."

Buffy nodded, and Giles thought he could see a veil coming down over her eyes. It was time for her to be the Slayer.

~~~~~

Connor watched his father pack. They hadn't had many opportunities to go into battle together in the last few years, especially since he had started working for the Council. Technically, his services were at Giles' disposal these days, although he still free-lanced for Wesley or Angel Investigations.

Sometimes, he even put his law degree to good use.

"So what's she like?" Angel asked, trying to sound casual.

Connor and Cordelia shared a look. "Who?"

"The new Slayer," Angel replied impatiently. "You know who."

"You weren't very specific," Connor pointed out.

"Connor—" Angel growled.

He smirked. Connor had to agree with Spike. There was nothing quite like winding Angel up. Besides, their relationship was hardly one of parent to child these days. They looked and acted more like brothers. "She's young."

"How young?" Angel asked, curious.

Connor shrugged. "Fourteen. She's had a rough time." He spoke without emotion, but the girl had touched him. She had looked so lost—he could well remember feeling that way the first time he'd found himself in L.A.

Cordelia looked surprised. "She's just a baby!"

Connor shook his head. "She's the Slayer, Cordy. There had to be some reason that she was the Potential activated. She seems like a good kid, although I'd guess Wesley will have his hands full." Pushing himself away from the wall, Connor headed out the door. "I'm going to keep Gunn company. We'll head over to Wesley's as soon as you're ready."

Angel finished putting his clothes in the bag and zipped it up, looking over at Cordy. "Are you going to be okay while I'm gone?"

She rolled her eyes at him. "Please, Angel. I'm perfectly capable of holding down the fort."

"I know you are, but—" He hesitated. She hadn't changed much in the last few years. Apparently, having a little demon in her meant slowing the aging process, and Angel was grateful for that. Cordy kept him honest; he loved that about her.

So much had changed; he had so many regrets. Losing Wesley's friendship was probably the biggest. He still felt a pang when he heard the twins say "Uncle Spike," while they called him Angel. He still wished he hadn't been so hasty, that he had given Wesley another chance.

There were regrets that never eased.

Gunn and Fred were still around, but Angel was beginning to sense their need to move on as well. Fred was talking about going back for her doctorate. Gunn was spending more time with Anne at the youth center.

It felt wrong to be the only one not changing.

Cordelia was the same, though, and that gave him comfort. Angel could fool himself into believing that Cordy would never change, that she would always be there. When Gunn and Fred decided it was time to leave, she would stay, and Angel would find others who shared his vision.

Or maybe they would find him. That's usually how it worked.

Angel kissed Cordelia soundly, wishing he didn't have to leave, glad that he had someone he could rely upon while he was gone. "I'll be back soon," he promised.

"You don't have to hurry," Cordelia replied with a smile. "I'm planning on going shopping with your credit card while you're gone."

~~~~~

Spike fought a sigh, wishing that there was no need to plan things out so extensively. The sooner they left, the sooner they could get back. The sooner they could return to what passed for normal.

There had been some debate as to whether or not Hannah was to be allowed to sit in on the discussion. Buffy had been against it, and had asked Wesley point-blank why she wasn't in school. The Watcher had patiently replied that they were keeping Hannah out for the rest of the week, and that Hannah was a Slayer. Therefore, she deserved to at least listen in. It would not be long before she would be the one going on missions of this nature.

Spike had added his vote, and Giles had abstained. With Nika at work and Enid making herself scarce, he and Wesley had outnumbered her. That was why Hannah was sitting on the couch next to Connor, listening nervously. For some reason, she was getting along quite well with Hell-Boy.

Wesley had asked earlier if Buffy would be willing to assist him with Hannah's training when they returned, but she had given an unequivocal no. Spike had immediately offered to help out, but Buffy's attitude startled him, and he couldn't figure out where it was coming from.

Normally, Spike knew his wife like the back of his hand.

The rest had started bickering again while Spike had let his thoughts drift, and he rolled his eyes. "We don't know anything," Spike reminded them. "What are we tryin' to make plans for?"

"This is a very powerful vampire, by all accounts," Giles pointed out with ill-concealed irritation. "We would like to minimize the risk."

"You mean you'd like to minimize your risk," Spike retorted. "Plan's only as good as the people making it an' the information they feed in. We're wastin' our time."

Angel spoke up. "As much as I hate to say it, I have to agree with Spike. There isn't anything we can do from this side."

Buffy gave a sigh of relief. She hadn't wanted to talk things to death any more than the two vampires, but Willow and Giles had insisted on discussing their options. "We don't have time for this, Giles. You know I work best under pressure."

Willow nodded. "They're right, Giles. I think we've done all the talking we can do at this point."

"I'll call for the plane tickets," Giles said with a sigh, knowing when he was outnumbered.

Wesley looked at Connor. "I take it Dawn won't be joining us?"

"Dawn had to leave for that conference this morning," Connor replied. "She had a paper to present." By the look on his face, it was obvious that Connor would have preferred to be there.

"I had forgotten," Wesley admitted. He appeared wistful. "A linguistics conference would be nice to attend."

Buffy smiled. "That's because you're the only one who would understand any of it."

"I don't know," Willow said. "Dawnie let me read over her paper, and it was really good." She stopped and flushed. "And I'm revealing my current-nerd status, aren't I?"

"We already knew," Angel teased. "That cat was out of the bag a long time ago."

There were a few chuckles before silence fell over the room, uncomfortable in its intensity. Everyone had forgotten about Hannah, who had no idea what they were talking about, but also thought that maybe she should offer her help.

Wasn't that what Slayers did?

"Shouldn't I be going?"

"And get yourself or someone else killed?" Buffy asked. "I don't think so."

Wesley gave her a sharp look. "You're not trained, Hannah. It's not a good idea right now."

At Hannah's crestfallen expression, Connor moved in to intervene. "We've got enough people, Hannah. Trust us. There'll be plenty of times to test your skills in the future."

Hannah acquiesced, wondering why Buffy didn't like her. Willow, who knew what it was like to feel left out offered her own brand of consolation. "It doesn't make any sense for us to take both Slayers with us. Just in case."

"Right," Hannah muttered, still feeling quite sure that the older Slayer wanted nothing to do with her.

"The flight leaves in a few hours," Giles announced as he came back into the room, interrupting the conversation. "Wren will meet all of you at the airport, and you'll call when you arrive. Once you locate the vampire, it shouldn't take long to kill him."

It wouldn't take long one way or the other.

Chapter 7: July 2015

Hannah knew this had been a mistake. She had wanted to prove a point, but now that she was out in the cemetery, by herself, she was beginning to wonder what had possessed her.

Other than the insane desire to let everyone know she was capable of taking care of herself.

It really wasn't fair, though. She knew that Buffy had been out on her own slaying vampires soon after she was called. Hannah had to be accompanied every time, and when she complained, Wesley always pointed out that things were different now.

It didn't help that Buffy had not warmed up to her in the last year. In fact, the older woman would often comment on the fact that she never had that much backup. She was alone. She had saved the world a couple times when she was Hannah's age.

Buffy was special; she had died twice, and everyone seemed to be doing their best to make sure Hannah didn't die at all.

The girl laughed at herself, knowing how insane that sounded, even in her own head. She was grateful that Wesley and Nika cared, and she knew that most of their protectiveness had to do with her youth and relative inexperience.

She missed Connor and Dawn intensely. The Cleveland Hellmouth had needed permanent guardians, and they had accepted the position. For a while, the couple had been going back and forth, trying to decide whether or not to make the move. In the end, neither had really had a choice.

Dawn had been like a big sister, though, and Connor had often taken her out with him on patrol. He was more likely to let her take chances than Wesley was, and Hannah missed that. There was a part of her that wished she could have gone with them to Cleveland.

She sighed and straightened her shoulders. It didn't matter. She was the Slayer, and therefore she would do her job.

She just wasn't expecting to have to take on four vampires at once.

They came up on her, one still dirty from clawing its way out of the grave. Fledglings weren't hard to handle, but the other three appeared older.

This was not a good thing.

"What have we here?" The male vampire who spoke was obviously the leader of the pack. "Looks like dinner just got delivered."

Hannah clutched her stake a little tighter. "I'm not dinner."

"Oh, no?" The lone female in the group looked her up and down. "You know, she's probably right. She's more like a hors d'oeuvre."

Hannah decided that it was time to get the bantering over with. She silenced the female with a roundhouse kick to her chin and followed it up with a quick stake to the heart.

It might have been the wrong move. The leader was obviously incensed, and with a growl he went at her, his two companions not far behind.

Hannah found herself trying to fight off three vamps, two of them skilled fighters, and she knew she was in trouble. She ought to be fully capable of handling three at a time, but one of them managed to grab her arm, and before she could shake him off, a second had grabbed her by the shoulders.

In that moment, she was certain that she was going to die.

Suddenly, one of the vampires disintegrated, and Hannah broke free of their hold to dust another. The third was busy fighting a black-clad shape. She recognized the bleached hair immediately and her knees nearly gave out in relief.

Hannah had no idea how Spike had managed to find her, but she definitely wasn't complaining.

With a final flourish, Spike dusted the last vampire and turned to face her, the fury on his face causing her to take a step backwards. "What the bloody hell were you thinking?"

"Spike, I—"

"You're just lucky that Nika called me when she realized you'd gone out on your own!" he exploded. "Those idiots very nearly had you. Did you think that just because your Watcher was on retreat the rules had changed?"

Hannah was torn between rage and tears. Rage won out. "I'm the friggin' Slayer, Spike! You guys never let me go out on my own! Connor was the only one who ever let me take chances, and now he's gone! What the hell am I supposed to do?"

"You let one of us come with you," Spike snapped back, reigning in his own temper, sensing that the girl was on the verge of tears. She was only a few years older than Meg, and right now he was reminded of a young Dawn who was bound and determined to find out what the Slayer was hiding from her.

The tears she was fighting back started to leak down her cheeks, and Hannah replied, "Buffy was fighting vamps on her own when she was my age! It isn't fair."

"We're tryin' to keep you alive," Spike said. "'s not safe for anybody to be out on their own, luv. It's one of the reasons Wes an' I partnered up. It's just good sense to have somebody watch your back."

Hannah's lower lip trembled, and she scowled at him. "I don't need a bloody babysitter." She started stalking off, and Spike sighed deeply. Wesley had warned him before he left that Hannah would need careful watching in his absence. The girl had taken Dawn and Connor's move badly, and she was beginning to test him.

They should have been expecting this, Spike thought as he followed her over to where she perched on a gravestone. Hannah was as strong-willed as any of her predecessors, but this was the first time she'd disobeyed a direct order. She had told Nika that she was going to a friend's house after school and would walk home, but when she didn't show up for dinner, the woman had called him.

Buffy, of course, hadn't wanted to come.

He came to stand next to her. She was crying in earnest now, and Spike bit back yet another sigh. The last year had been a rough adjustment for all of them, and it had probably been hardest on Hannah. "There, now, Sweet, don't cry."

"It's not fair," she said. "I suck at this. I can't even kill a few stupid vamps."

Spike put an arm around her shoulders. "You got two of them," he pointed out consolingly.

"If you hadn't shown up they would have had me," Hannah replied stubbornly. "She's right. I'm never gonna be good at this. I never should have been Chosen."

Spike knew exactly who Hannah was talking about, and he winced. He was going to have to speak with Buffy. As long as Dawn and Connor had been around, they had served as a buffer between the two Slayers, but that wasn't the case anymore. It was all too obvious that Hannah had taken some of Buffy's more catty comments to heart.

"You've only been at this a year, luv," Spike said gently, much as he would have spoken to Meg had she been crying. "Give it some time."

Hannah shook her head and then buried her face in Spike's shirt. "I don't have time."

Spike pulled her closer, knowing what she meant and wishing he had the right words to say. It seemed that by trying to protect her, they may have done more harm than good. "I'm goin' to call Nika an' let her know you're alright," he said. "Then we'll go out together, yeah? I promise to let you take a few chances."

He felt her nod against his stomach and pulled out his cell phone to call his friend. They needed to find a different way of doing things for Hannah's sake, because she was right. She needed to get good at this, and she didn't have that much time.

~~~~~

Nika breathed a prayer of thanks as she hung up the phone. Spike had promised to keep an eye on the young Slayer, and she knew she could trust Hannah to his capable hands. "Did William find her then?" Enid asked, a touch of concern in her voice.

"Yes, and she's fine. Apparently, she was holding her own against a group of vampires when Spike found her." Nika shook her head. "I have no idea what has gotten into that girl."

"You know very well what's gotten into her," Enid said severely. "Wesley's being overprotective, and hearing the others talk about the good old days when the Slayer was stopping an apocalypse every year isn't helping any. You expect her to do a woman's job, and then you treat her like a child."

"She is a child," Nika replied, although her expression was rueful. "But you're right. Something is going to have to change."

Enid gave her granddaughter a look. "Hannah also knows very well that the only reason she's here is because she's the Slayer. I think she's trying to prove herself worthy of staying."

Nika made a face. With Carwen's birth, things had been more than a little stressful. Hannah had been quite helpful with the boys and helping around the house, but in the last couple months she had been showing quiet signs of rebellion. She spent more time in her room, emerging only when absolutely necessary. She wouldn't speak unless asked a direct question, and then would give as short a response as possible. Davey had been the only one she would talk to, although Will would sometimes just go into her room and sit with her.

Really, both she and Wesley had been so busy with Carwen that it had been easy to let Hannah disengage. The girl wasn't any trouble, or hadn't been until tonight. With Wesley out of town on a Watcher's retreat, Nika hadn't seen a problem in letting Hannah go to a friend's house after school, skipping her usual training regimen. Honestly, she'd just been grateful that Hannah was finally showing some interest in other kids her age.

Apparently, that wasn't the case at all.

"What do you suggest I do?" Nika asked. "She lied to me about where she was going."

Enid raised an eyebrow. "What would you do if she was one of the boys?"

That was an easy question to answer. "I'd ground them, of course, but I can't very well do that with the girl. It's not as if there is anything I can take away from her that would make an impression."

Enid shook her head. "Not for punishment, Danika," the older woman said impatiently. "What if it was Will, and he was showing signs of being unhappy?"

Will was the one who would withdraw, Nika knew. Davey had no trouble voicing his needs, and very loudly too. "I would take him somewhere, and talk." She rolled her eyes, impatient with herself. "Bloody hell. Of course." She rolled her eyes, impatient with herself. "I'm such an idiot."

"It's not just you, cariad," Enid replied. "Wesley is just as guilty, as are the rest of us. Hannah's a quiet one, and so it's easier than it ought to be to forget that she's just as needy as the rest of the children."

"Maybe even needier," Nika murmured. She shook her head. "Well, Spike said he was going to keep her at their house tonight and bring her back tomorrow. Would you mind watching the boys?"

"Of course not," Enid replied. "And I'll make her favorite for dinner. It's time Hannah realizes that being the Slayer isn't everything she is."

~~~~~

She had been as giddy as the child she was. Spike had taken Hannah to some high traffic areas where he knew there would be plenty of vampires, and then he had mostly stayed back and let her slay.

There was a natural grace in her movements that was often hidden by her rather awkward manner. She needed some confidence, since she had all the ability and all the training. Unfortunately, building that confidence would take time, and it was for that reason that he and Wesley hadn't been allowing her to go out on her own.

They had kept her safe, but they had also kept her from blossoming.

Hannah executed a perfect flying kick, taking out the last vampire of the evening with style, and Spike began applauding. "Well done, Sweet."

She grinned at him, all traces of her tears gone. "Thanks!" A worried look crossed her face. "You aren't going to tell Wesley about this, are you?"

"Don't think I'm goin' to have a choice, luv," he replied gently. "You did fib to Nika 'bout where you were goin'." Hannah winced, and Spike sighed. "I'm not gonna tell him you almost got yourself killed, though. Told Nika you were holdin' your own, an' there's no reason to tell Wesley anything different."

There was a measure of hero-worship in her eyes when she looked at him, and Spike was oddly reminded of Dawn again when she was that age. His Niblet had looked at him like that too, and he felt Hannah tug on his heart-strings as she hadn't before.

"Come on, then. Let's get home," Spike said, heading back towards the motorcycle.

Hannah hesitated. "Won't Buffy be mad that I stayed at your place?"

"Buffy's not the only one who lives there," Spike said wryly. "I think I can make the decision on this one." When the young Slayer's expression didn't change, he sighed. "I'll talk to her, luv. Buffy's just—she never did adjust well to change."

"She doesn't like me," Hannah said glumly, trudging behind him.

Spike frowned, trying to think of the best way to explain it. "'s not that, Hannah. It's more that you're the third Slayer other than herself she's seen Chosen. It's—it's hard for her."

Hannah didn't really understand, but she wasn't sure she was supposed to. It sucked that Buffy didn't like her, but she hadn't done anything wrong.

Unless you counted getting Chosen in the first place, and Hannah was fairly certain that wasn't her fault.

"It'll be fine," Spike said encouragingly. "She just needs a little more time."

"It's already been a year," Hannah muttered under her breath, pulling on the extra helmet Spike kept with his motorcycle.

Spike pretended not to hear that. While he agreed, Buffy wasn't always willing to listen to reason.

~~~~~

When Hannah woke the next morning and came downstairs, she was relieved to that no one awake except for Meg. "Hey."

Meg glanced up from her Saturday morning cartoons. "Hey." She was unsurprised at finding the other Slayer there. Her dad had a habit of letting people crash at their place when they had been

out late on patrol the night before.

"What are you doing?"

"Watching cartoons."

Hannah frowned. Davey and Will always watched cartoons Saturday morning. She realized, with something akin to surprise, that she missed them. "Where's Spike?" She didn't really want to run into Buffy.

"Sleeping. He and Mom aren't up yet."

"Oh."

They watched TV in silence, Meg munching on dry cereal by the handful. While the girls had spent time in one another's company, it was rare that they were alone together. Normally, they only saw each other when both families got together for dinner. The sheer chaos of such gatherings prevented any real bonding from taking place.

At a commercial break, Meg turned and looked at the older girl. "All the good shows are over," she announced. "It's all going to be boring ones now."

Hannah gave her a wary look. "Do you want to do something else?" she asked, wondering if she was going to get herself into trouble as she did so.

"Let's play Slayer and Vampire," Meg suggested. "You can be the Vampire."

It would figure that the daughter of a Slayer and a Vampire would want to play something other than the typical cops and robbers. Hannah hesitated and then shrugged. She doubted she could be in any more trouble than she probably already was. "Okay."

Meg graced her with a broad grin. "Cool. Dad plays with me all the time, but Mom yells at us for making too much noise. Sometimes he can get her to play too, though."

"When you're hunting vampires, it's better if you're quiet," Hannah replied. "Besides, if we wake your mom and dad up, they'll probably get mad."

"Dad won't," Meg replied with perfect assurance. "He hardly ever gets mad unless I do something really bad. Mom might though, so we should be quiet." Then, without fully realizing exactly what she was saying, Meg added, "Mom and Dad are always up really late wrestling after patrol and stuff. Mom said it was because patrol always gets them wound up."

Hannah nearly choked as she realized what Meg was referring to, and she blinked, trying to get the mental pictures out of her head. Sure, Spike was hot, but—

They were old.

~~~~~

Buffy lay next to Spike contentedly. She loved Saturday mornings. Meg was always occupied with the television, and they could take advantage of the alone-time.

They didn't get enough of it these days.

"I need to ask you somethin'," Spike said quietly, and Buffy knew she wasn't going to like it. She never liked what he had to say when he used that tone.

"Shoot."

"It's about Hannah."

Buffy pulled away. "Spike—" They'd had this conversation before.

"Buffy, she's a Slayer. You might not like it, but that's how it is." Spike sat up so he could see her better. "You know where I found her last night? In a cemetery, fightin' off four vamps, an' doing a decent job of it before they got the better of her."

Buffy looked away, knowing what he was going to say next. "Spike, I don't—"

"She wants to prove she's just as good as you," Spike said earnestly. "Don't you remember what that was like?"

Buffy more than remembered. She could recall the days not long after Faith had rolled into town, after their friendship became strained. They had both wanted to be the best—both wanted the attention, the acclaim, the recognition, if only from the few people who knew what they were. Faith's sense of inferiority had driven her to the dark side.

That had been part of it, anyway.

"I do remember, Spike, but we're not in a competition," Buffy replied, getting out of bed and pulling a robe on. "She's just a kid."

"Hannah stopped being a kid a long time ago," Spike responded, frustrated that they weren't getting anywhere. He had thought that Buffy's initial animosity towards the new Slayer had everything to do with Faith's death. Once Buffy got revenge and had a chance to mourn, things would get better. Instead, she seemed to resent Hannah more and more as the days went by, and for once Spike didn't understand.

Buffy's eyes flashed in anger. "No, Spike. She gets to be a kid. You and Wesley keep insisting on that. You make sure she's safe, you hold her hand while she patrols. Hannah hasn't had to save the world yet. Everyone knows that she's the Slayer, and they all bend over backwards to make sure she's okay with that. That's not what a real Slayer is."

"That's what this is about?" Spike asked incredulously. "You're jealous that the system changed for her and not you? Your mum didn't know you were the Slayer, and you had to do all this without as much support. That's it?"

When he put it that way, Buffy knew it sounded petty. She shouldn't begrudge Hannah's ability to take advantage of Giles' new system. It was one of the things that had allowed her to draw a pension, and to have some choices about which apocalypses she had to stop. There were other people in place to deal with the emergencies these days, which allowed her some pretense of a normal life.

It was petty. It was also true.

The look on her face was enough to answer Spike's question, and he stood, yanking on a pair of jeans. "You don't get it, do you, Slayer?" he demanded. "Hannah didn't ever get to be a kid, even before she got all Chosen. Wesley or Nika ever explain to you why she was in foster care? Her mum was so depressed she couldn't get out of bed in the morning. There was somethin' wrong in her head, an' so Hannah was the one who made sure rent got paid, an' there was food in the cupboard. She came home from school an' made sure her mum ate an' the house was cleaned. She made sure that the welfare check stretched far enough to last them the month, an' when it didn't, she was the one who went hungry."

Spike took Buffy by the shoulders and stared deep into her eyes. "Wesley makes sure she's safe because he's scared to death she'll go off the deep end like Faith did. He's tryin' to make up for past mistakes. The rest of us just want to make sure she gets to be a teenager once in a while."

He painted a bleak picture, and Buffy flushed deeply. She'd been feeling jealous and put-upon, thinking about all the hardships she'd gone through as the Slayer, resenting the fact that Hannah got to lead a more balanced life than she often had.

In reality, being the Slayer was probably the best thing that had ever happened to her, and Buffy was reminded of some of the hints Faith had let slip.

And maybe that had bothered her too. Hannah and Faith were both so alike and so different—Buffy had her own special regrets when it came to the dark Slayer.

"I hate it when you're right," Buffy muttered rebelliously. "You know that, right?"

Spike tried to bite back a smile unsuccessfully. "Yeah, I do."

"I like her," Buffy finally confessed. "I didn't want to, but I do. She's a good kid."

"That she is."

A shriek of laughter, quickly stifled, came from downstairs."What do you think I should do?" Buffy finally asked.

"I think you should treat her the way you'd want to be treated, were you in her shoes." Spike gave her a warm kiss. "I know this isn't easy for you, luv, but it's not all that simple for her either."

Buffy sighed once more, knowing he was right. "I'll try."

"Then you'll do fine," Spike replied, giving her another quick kiss and heading downstairs. Buffy watched him go, wondering if she'd ever be as good with people as Spike was.

She thought it was doubtful.

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