“Yeah, thanks Uncle Giles.”

Giles and Peter chuckled as Liz plopped herself in the taxi next to Peter.

“Do be sure to call me.”

“We will.”

“Goodbye, good luck.”

“Thank you!!! Byyyeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!”

Giles smiled again as Liz waved furiously out of the window. When the taxi drove around the shrubbery, away from sight, Giles nodded in a proud way and still smiling, went back into the house, Sergio at his heel.

~*~*~*~**~*~*~*~**~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The drive was relatively short, a half-hour, perhaps. Liz was fidgeting at an extreme rate and Peter was equally as bad. When the taxi pulled into the Camp, their anticipation reached an almost unbearable point, and without even fully absorbing their surroundings, allowed themselves to be ushered, with their belongings, into separate rooms, in different areas of the camp.

In reality, the camp was large, including sports courts for basketball and rounders (the British version of baseball-ish). There was a ramp leading over the lake and several wooden buildings and tents were scattered over the area. There were a forest of cabins in clusters around the edges and Liz was lead to one of the cabins in a cluster near the entrance. There were three bunks, two of which were already filled. The last one remained empty and Liz, slightly nervous, made her way to it.

“Hi, I’m Verity.” A girl in the top bunk, parallel to Liz’s waved and smiled.

“I’m Liz.”

“You’re lucky you got here before your bunk mate, you got top.”

“You too.”

“Yeah, I was here last year. Most of the newbies end up on bottom.”

“What grade are you in?”

“I’m going into three.”

“Cool, that’s mine too. Do you know who’ll be our teacher.”

“We all want Ms Summers, but you could get Mrs Forthright.”

“I heard about Ms Summers, have you ever had her?”

“Yeah, she taught me last year. She’s reeeaaaalllllllyyyyyy nice.”

Liz nodded and smiled at Verity. The other girl was round faced, plain brown hair and green eyes. She was dressed as any true tomboy would be, shorts, a scruffy long shirt and pigtails.

“Hello.”

Liz looked down and a boy smiled back up at her.

“Hi.” She replied, smiling.

“I’m your Bunkie.”

“Do you mind? I took top, but we can swap every week or something.”

“No, its fine. I’m Tom.”

“I’m Liz.”

“Are you new?”

“Yeah.”

“Me too.”

Liz was about to continue their conversation when a voice silenced the room.

“Hey guys.” A blonde, petit woman was standing before them. Her hair was down, pulled back in a half-pony tail with fiddly wisps coming out in a messy/beautiful way and her face was shining and bright. She wore a pink sundress, with flower sandals and a simple cross necklace.

Liz immediately felt she liked this new woman, whoever she was. The other kids seemed to agree and one asked, “Are you going to be our cabin teacher?”

The teacher grinned and nodded. “Yup.”

“Oh yes. Score!” Verity called out and two other people agreed.

The blond teacher smiled and continued. “Alllllright. Let me take this register, I’ve got another cabin you know.”

“One of the camp staff, Mark, is also in charge of this cabin so if you have a cabin problem, he’s the best other person to go to.”

She waited while everyone nodded and then continued.

“There are a few rules. No fighting, no bullying, your rooms must be tidy, we’ll be checking them, your beds are included in said tidying.”

She grinned at them in a knowing fashion and added, “Other than that, basic rules, be polite, stay within sight, listen to us, and have fun!”

“You betcha Ms Summers.”

Liz nearly gasped out loud. THIS was Buffy Summers? She was so different from…an evil freak woman. This woman was pretty and glowy and nice.

“Alright, you have ten minutes to sort yourselves out, then everyone has to meet at the cafeteria for lunch.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“Sara, she’s feisty that one.” Spike sighed and fell onto the couch.

The house was so empty without Liz. It wasn’t that he was worried. The widowed vampire was aware that his baby was in safe hands; probably having fun doing whatever it was that she was doing. It was more that Spike had realised that other than Liz…he had nothing, he did nothing. When his friends had commented on the fact, he has dismissed them. He did lots of things other than work. He watched TV, played tennis, read, drew, and went out with… Liz.

What else could be out there for him?

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

“Now that we’re all out here, I’d like to introduce the camp. This is camp Horwood. It’s a chance for all you guys to meet some other kids in your area from other schools and to meet some friends for next year in your own respective classes.”

“There are four respective grades, 2,3,4 and 5. For each of these grades there are pupils from seven respective schools.”

“Each of you has a teacher and a parent or camp staff who are responsible for you. You should have been told who those two people are. They are the ones you should go to, but if you can’t find them, feel free to ask for help from any one of us.”

“I hope you all have a great summer! Let’s eat!”

The camp administrator, an old woman, robust and scarily cuddly looking sat down and the food rush began.

Peter had recognised her instantly. She had barely changed, her face was older, but she still held the same aura of strength and dignity that had commanded respect long ago. Her face was happy, her movement flowing…it was so strange to see her this way. He caught himself thinking of Sara, of how she would have grown with similar grace and beauty…. but no. Now was not the time. Once his task was achieved, he could rest easily in his memories.

*Not quite yet, you old fool*

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Liz found that not only did she have most of her day with Buffy, but also that the camp was a lot more fun than she had expected.

There was a lot of dancing, singing and acting mainly for ‘lessons’. There were sports to play, the lake to swim in and the music centre to use.

“Alright then folks. I have like totally arrived.” Buffy melodramatically flipped her hair across her shoulder. Pouting her lips she sashayed towards the blanket covered area of grass where Liz and her friends were giggling.

“In today’s class DARLINGS, we are going to put on a HORROR skit.”

Staying in her horrendous mock-role Buffy dumped a box in front of her kids and proceeded to pull out all manner of costume.

“I want colours DARLING, Blues and greens, be imaginative! Make up your own MONSTORS, then, when everyone is finished, we’ll scuttle on to the PRODUCTION!”

Seeing that the class were no longer laughing, and instead had taken to looking at her like she’d grown another head, Buffy dropped the act.

“So I shouldn’t head into acting then?” Buffy asked wryly.

They all nodded in a mock-sombre fashion and Buffy rolled her eyes before emptying out the box fully.

Once the stampede was over and everyone was busy setting himself or herself up, Buffy started wandering round helping out where she could and admiring the imaginative process at work.

“Hey Liz, you look pretty normal, what are you?”

“I’m a vampire.”

Buffy stopped her eyes bugging and smiled instead. “I thought vampires would have a cloak or some big teeth and really warty skin…”

“Nope. I think vampires look really normal but then they have a vampirey face that they put on when they’re hunting people.”

“Oh.”

Liz nodded, playing up to the silly little girl stereotype and struggled to hide her glee at Buffy’s somewhat pained face.

“Ok, why don’t you do the ‘vampirey’ face so people can tell what you are.”

“Sure.”

Buffy nodded, a little unnerved at how close to reality Liz’s interpretation of vampires was. Luckily for Buffy’s mental state, the rest of the kids stuck to the basic idea and she was faced with pointy-hatted/warty witches, toilet-papered mummies and hairy yetties.

Liz had eerily made a mask that bore uncomfortable resemblance to a game face and Buffy was certain that Liz had some connection with vampires. The thought that vampires had tainted a child as gorgeous as Liz made Buffy’s blood curl and she knew that the mystery had to be solved.

*You can take the girl out of the Slayer hood but you can’t take the Slayer out of the girl. *

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“Come on, Liz.”

“I’m coming!”

Wrapping her blanket round her shoulders tighter, Liz followed Peter towards the phone booth at the entrance of the camp.

“Have you seen her?” Liz whispered, barely containing her excitement.

“Yes.”

“Well?”

“She looks the way I remember her to look.”

“I think she’s great.”

“She’s a lot more feminine. I remember when she was an active Slayer I barely ever caught her in a dress, but she wears one quite often now, and her hair is a lot more styled. I think when she retired it must have released such a huge tension for her.”

“I can’t imagine her fighting monsters and being really tough.”

“I’m not surprised. She had a very traumatic past if I remember correctly, she was quite tense. It was your father that kept her level and able to cope.”

“We’re here.”

“Ok, time to call your Dad.”

“Abuelo…?”

“I do not like the sound of that.”

“Well, I mean, we’ve been here for two days already…. I like Buffy…maybe we should get Dad out here too?”

When he heard Spike pick up the phone, Peter passed the handset down to Liz.

“Hello?”

“Hey Dad.”

“Liz! Princess, please come home. I’m missing you so much.”

“Dad! I’m not coming home. You can come here with me and granddad if you want but I really want to stay! It’s so much fun here and I’m practising my English…”

“Liz – I have meetings.”

“You need a holiday.”

“Alright, I’ll be there by the end of the week. Where is this damned camp?”

Peter took the phone from Liz and directed Spike to the camp brochures that the old man had purposely left in his son-in-law’s dining room.

“Alright, I give. See you in three days.”

“Bye, William.”

“Bye Peter, Tell Liz I love her.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“Morning Brian, come on in.” Dawn smiled as the smiling man walked into Edgewood and picked up Felia.

“Hey Dawn is Giles in?”

“Yeah, he’s in the kitchen. Watch out though, he’s been in a grouch all week.”

Brian nodded an easily found his way to the kitchen. Giles was talking on the phone.

“Yes Buffy, I am fine…No no, Dawn has kept me on that infernal diet of yours…she did…It was probably a lucky shot…game face…well, that is unusual…. why don’t you just come out and ask her?”

After a few moments of talking on Buffy’s end, Giles sighed and spoke again.

“Buffy, how are you, really…the wedding is coming up in a few months, you’re not giving yourself much time to prepare…I know you don’t want a big fancy wedding, but Buffy it is a wedding. I’m just worried your heart isn’t in it.”

Brian shifted uncomfortably at the door. That was precisely what he had come to talk to Giles about. He knew there was someone in Buffy’s past, someone she would probably never forget, but she was healed – or so she said. However, Brian couldn’t help an uncomfortable feeling that the woman he loved did not feel entirely the same way. There was always that…hesitation…before she said ‘Me too’ or, on the rare chance she did say ‘I love you’, it sounded forced – no, not forced – but, painfully convincing enough for not only Brian, but perhaps herself.

He didn’t doubt she loved him, but in a quiet, simple way. Was that even love? Love was meant to be fiery and passionate, consuming and refreshing – that’s how he felt, anyway.

“Alright Buffy, Goodbye.” Giles hung up the phone and pinched the bridge of his nose once more.

“Hey Giles.”

Startled, Giles looked round to see Brian enter the kitchen, smiling and holding a magazine of some kind.

“Hello, Brian.”

They talked idly for some minutes, scanning the dresses and decorations that Buffy had left to Brian and making general comments about nothing in particular.

“I love her very much, Giles.”

Confused by the seemingly random change in topic, Giles nodded. “Of course you do, Brian. No one ever doubted it.”

“She doesn’t love me, does she?”

Giles looked away, instinctively and then cursed himself for doing so in such a guilty manner.

“Don’t be silly Brian.” He muttered and stood, leaving the room.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Buffy eased open the cabin door and stood quietly while watching Peter and Liz together.

“Tell Daddy to stay safe and not miss me too much and to please put my drawing kit away because I forgot.” Liz kissed Peter goodnight and he ruffled her hair before leaving. Just as he got to the door her noticed Buffy.

“I just came in to say goodnight. I’m a bit late.” She said.

“Everyone’s asleep, except Liz.”

“I’ll say goodnight to her then.”

Buffy smiled as Peter left and then walked up to Liz’s bunk.

“Hey Liz.”

“Hey.”

“My that was an awfully long list of things for your Daddy to do! Maybe your Mummy will give him a hand, eh?”

“No, I don’t think so.”

“Oh, why not?”

“Well, she’s too busy in heaven.”

Buffy’s mouth semi-froze in an ‘oh’ expression and her face fell slightly.  “Maybe she’s hanging out with my Mom?”

“Is your mum in heaven too?”

“Yeah, she is.”

Liz nodded and bit back the few tears that seemed to have come out. Having Buffy talk to her like that, in a comforting way…it made her remember Sara and what could have been.

“Hey now, no crying. They’re very happy up there. It’s a lovely place, Heaven.”

“Yeah?”

“I’m positive.” Buffy said, no pain laced in with her words. “Whats that?”

Liz looked down to the frame in her hands, the picture against her chest.

“It’s a picture of my mum.”

“I have a picture of my mom too, at home. Can I see yours?”

“Sure.”

Liz gave Buffy the photo frame and watched as Buffy smiled at her and then looked.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The flight attendant nodded, not bothering to check his details. After all, it was one of his company’s jets.

William smiled and continued onboard the 12-seater. He was travelling alone, after all, how many business associates would be heading to a fairly remote summer camp where his wild child daughter had stolen herself.

“Good Morning Mr Vinnier, can I be of service?”

“No no, thank you. I want to get flying as soon as possible please.”

The air stewardess nodded and William made himself comfortable while waiting for the plane to take off. It had been nearly a week without Liz and it had been the most desolate in his existence. In his solitude, the mouse-brown-haired vampire had decided to set up another branch of his art gallery in Madrid. There was already one there, but all his other locations had at least two.

In the previous years, business had flourished under his command. Knowing how the scene had changed in the last two centuries, from personal experience, William could control the market he played in with eerie precision and determination. There were ‘Cuppa Cocoa – In memory of Joyce Summers’ galleries in New York, France, Spain, Italy, Germany, Greece, Turkey and Egypt. It had taken awhile to set them all up and find trustworthy managers and directors for each country and branch, but once that was done, the proud dad had been able to step back and watch his creation flourish. All he really needed to do now was keep an eye on his representatives and see where best to expand. He had a handsome bank account, which he doted on Liz with, saved, supported Peter with and gave to charity with. His life was well rounded to the outside world, but one week without his daughter and he had practically gone insane. How well rounded was that?

~*~*~*~**~*~*~**~*~*~**~*~*~**~

“I just said goodnight and tried to act somewhat NORMAL but GILES! Giles, Spike has a DAUGHTER! As in a CHILD! As in with Sara…Sara…she’s…dead, Giles. I don’t understand what happened. I need to know.”

“I thought you didn’t care about Spike anymore. What was it you said? Indifference? Apathy? Why should you care?”

Buffy was silenced under Giles’ obviously bitter words.

“You didn’t have to do what I wanted.”

“Yes I did. You know I did. I don’t regret supporting you Buffy. I regret not supporting you to do the right thing.”

“Do you have any idea what happened?”

“Willow did a spell allowing Spike and Sara to have a child, Liz. There were complications in the delivery, a curse of some sort that a resentful demon cast on Sara. She didn’t make it. Spike and Liz have been alone ever since.”

“How did you find out…when?”

“Willow told me when it happened.” Giles lied; there was no other viable explanation.

“Oh.” Buffy nodded to herself and changed the subject, “Dean Restrepo is here too. I can’t believe how much he’s changed.”

“He’s aged Buffy.”

“But wow, what a difference. I didn’t recognise him at all.”

Giles smiled. “I’m pretty unrecognisable, Buffy;”

“You look exactly the same.”

“However flattering a comment Buffy, I fear it is only due to the fact that you aged with me.”

Smiling, they sat for a few moments in a comfortable, albeit, contemplative silence.

“It doesn’t matter Giles. I’ll just keep going, at the end of the camp, she goes home and everything goes back to normal.”

“Buffy…you have a chance to right a mistake. Not a lot of people get that chance.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“Hey Ms Summers.” Liz said watching as Buffy bounced a basketball with slightly uneasy movements. It was a mismatched picture, Buffy’s dress, sandals and wispy hair, unsuited to the atmosphere.

“Hey Liz,” Buffy threw the ball to the side, slightly embarrassed. “Why aren’t you at lunch?”

“I’m not hungry, why aren’t you at lunch?” Liz smiled.

“I guess I’m not very hungry either. Wanna go for a walk?”

“Sure.”

They walked along to the lake where the next class was to take place, talking about little things and laughing at more. Wave upon wave of nostalgia rode across Buffy’s soul as she remembered Spike’s little mannerisms and phrases from his daughter.

Liz could see why her dad used to be best friends with Buffy. Her challenging and sly nature was such a direct contrast to his, that, stories of their arguments being legendary on campus didn’t seem like such a surprise anymore. Liz had never encountered anyone who truly challenged her dad. There was Aunt Cordelia and Grand-Sire, but in the end it was always Spike that won. Liz sensed that with Buffy, her dad might not win.

“Alright class is starting. Thanks for walking with me.” Buffy grinned.

“It was fun! Thanks Ms Summers.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**~*~*~**~

William paid the taxi man and pulled out his suitcase. Eager to see his baby again, he all but ran into the campground. He was totally unsure of where to go, there were a multitude of people and tents – where was he to find Liz?

“William.” Peter smiled as his son-in-law turned around and raised his eyebrows in questioning.

“She’s in a class by the lake, go on over.”

“Thanks, mate.”

William left his stuff with a member of staff and rushed down to the lake. Not seeing anyone except the swimming class, he ran his fingers through his hair and scanned the landscape. Noticing a group of people on the other side of the lake, he ran over, excited and energised.

“Liz!!”

*Dammit, she can’t hear me! *

“Liz!!” William was nearing the group who obviously, still couldn’t hear him.

“OY! DUCKS!!”

The whole group turned to face him, and he froze. Taking in a breath, William whispered, “Buffy.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Buffy couldn’t believe she was seeing Spike. He was so different. His hair, mousy brown, un-gelled – his clothes, chinos and a sweater – he was so different, so new and so THERE.

Without any conscious realisation, her feet drew her to him.

Spike couldn’t believe he was seeing Buffy. She was so different. Her hair – up in a finicky design that she would never have had as a Slayer – her clothes, a dress? Sandals – she was so different, so new and so THERE.

Without any conscious realisation, his feet drew him to her.

They met, less than a metre between them. Her mouth opened, no words came out.

----flashback----

- Hold an invisible stake to own heart and stake twice.
- Hug.

---flashback----

Spike leant forward to touch her nose as Buffy leaned in for a hug.

They stopped and Buffy leant forward to touch his nose as Spike leant in for a hug,

Haltingly they managed a handshake and downcast glances. All the words Spike had prepared for her went out the window and after a few moments they pulled away from each other, unsure of how to act.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“It was awful Abuelo.” Liz started when she sat by Peter in the cafeteria, “They acted like strangers. They shook hands and then Dad just came over and sat down for the rest of the class.”

“Where are they now?”

“Ms Summers is over there, getting her dinner, and Dad is just getting changed.”

“Of all the reunions I’d pictured – that was not an option. They were both such passionate people – I assumed…”

“I know. It’s awful.”

“Lets see how things go, we might have to do some more pushing.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

That night

Buffy sat on the bench, her eyes focussed on a point in the sky.  Spike watched her for a moment before coming to sit beside her.

“Hi.” He whispered.

“Hi.”

“I guess you’re not the Slayer anymore then.”

“No, Faith died – someone else was called, it just…ended.”

“Nice hair.”

“Thanks.” Buffy replied.

“Nice clothes.”

“Thanks.” She paused and then smiled. “Nice hair.”

“Thanks.” He grinned.

“Nice clothes.”

“Thanks.”

They sat in a silence that had no description, before Buffy spoke.

“I didn’t know about Sara. I’m sorry.”

Spike smiled and nodded. “How would you have known? You disappeared.”

“I changed houses.”

“Did you change friends too? When I needed my best friend the most, you weren’t there for me Buffy.”

Spike didn’t say it with anger or resentment; there was a smile on his face that no one could account for.

Buffy looked down and the question of her leaving was left, hanging in the air.

“Goodnight, Spike.”

“Goodnight Buffy.”

And with that, she stood and left. Spike sighed and stood, walking to his own room.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“They need a major shove.” Liz whined.

She was in her granddad’s room. It had been about three days and Spike and Buffy had rarely interacted. It was totally beyond their comprehension.

“I agree. They need something that’ll make them remember.”

“What did they use to do everyday?”

“Well, they slayed.”

“What are they meant to slay over here? And Buffy’s not the Slayer anymore!”

“Ok, ok, let me think.”

Liz waited eagerly, nearly falling face-first at the angle she was tilting. After a few minutes she groaned and fell back onto the bad. Peter remained on the sofa beside the end of the bed and for a few minutes it was silent.

“I know!” Peter grinned finally.

“What?!” Liz sprung up and looked up into the smiling face of her grandfather.

“Basketball.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**~