True Nature

Chapter 9

“Oh my God. Spike.” Buffy gasped. She pulled him into a tight embrace as tears rolled down her cheeks.

Spike held her close, inhaling her scent and taking comfort in her warmth. This was what he would have missed if he remained non-corporeal. He silently thanked whatever almighty power had decided to bring him back and had allowed him to be corporeal again.

He heard a choked sob and looked to his right. Fred stood between Wesley and Lorne, one hand over her mouth, tears of joy streaming down her face. She had her other arm wrapped around Wesley’s waist. He had one arm slung around her shoulders and his chin rested atop her head. Spike saw unshed tears sparkling in his brown eyes.

On the other side of Fred, Lorne cleared his throat. “Excuse me. I...have something in my eye.” The green skinned demon turned to snatch a tissue out of a box on a nearby lab table.

Spike released Buffy with one arm and reached out to clasp Wesley’s hand in a firm handshake. “You did it, mate.” Then he pulled Wesley in and caught him in an one-armed hug, as he kept his other arm firmly around Buffy. “Thank you.”

He released Wesley, and pulled Buffy closer to him. She smiled up at him. ‘Oh yeah, touching is definitely of the good.’ She thought with a contented sigh.

“This is so great!” Fred exclaimed. She rushed forward and hugged them both. “I was starting to think I would have to extrapolate a new variation on interdimensional plasma dynamics to get you corporeal again. And, that requires a massive surge of dark energy to catalyze the process.” She sighed and rolled her eyes dramatically. “I’m really glad we didn’t have to do that.”

Buffy and Spike exchanged perplexed glances, but smiled at Fred, “Yeah, me too.” They said simultaneously.

Lorne walked over to them, his red eyes showing no signs of the “foreign object” that had been irritating them earlier. He shook Spike’s hand and kissed Buffy on the cheek. “Congratulations, you two. I knew you had it in you.”

“Is this what you saw? When you read me earlier, is this what you saw?” Buffy asked.

Lorne hesitated briefly before answering. “Yep. That’s what I saw. I knew you were meant to release him, sweetheart. It was part of your destiny.”

Wesley’s eyes narrowed when he noticed Lorne’s brief pause before answering Buffy’s question, but he said nothing. Instead, he turned to the couple in front of him. “So, what are you going to do now?”

Spike smirked. “Well, for now, I plan to take the woman I love back to my bed and spend the rest of the day showing her exactly how I feel about her.”

Wesley chuckled. Fred blushed. Lorne’s jaw nearly hit the floor, despite his familiarity with Spike’s fondness for blunt honesty. Buffy’s eyes widened, her pulse quickened, and the smile on her face grew impossibly wider, then dropped away altogether when she looked into Spike’s eyes. Her mouth went dry and her breath left her body when she saw all of the emotion swirling in their depths.

She paid no heed to her surroundings as Spike pulled her from the lab. She was unaware of anything except the feel of his arms and the taste of his lips, until she realized they were standing in his living room, and she had no idea how they’d gotten there.

Spike couldn’t take his hands off of Buffy. He tried to touch her everywhere. He’d almost forgotten how soft and warm she really was. He leaned in to kiss her again, loving the slightly salty taste of her skin, the softness of her lips, the warmth of her mouth.

Buffy couldn’t stop touching Spike, either. She pushed his duster off and slid her hands under his shirt. She loved the feel of his smooth skin and taut muscles. She broke the kiss to pull his shirt over his head then pulled him closer. After so long, she needed to feel him against her. He fit her just right.

She moaned at the feel of his tongue caressing her neck. She never tired of his skill with that talented organ. She slid her hands up to his hair. She always loved to pull it free of his carefully slicked back “Big Bad” look and muss it into the soft curls that made him look so young and vulnerable.

She ran her fingers through his hair as he ran his tongue down her neck, then continued further, into the cleft between her breasts. She gasped as he hit a particularly sensitive spot, then giggled as she felt him smile against her skin.

“Like that, do you, luv?”

“Mmm, more, please.”

Spike picked hr up and carried her to the bedroom where he deposited her on the bed. He pulled off his boots and settled himself over her.

“More, huh?”

“Mmm, yeah.” She wrapped her arms around his neck to pull him down for a kiss, but he resisted.

“How much more?” She shivered at the question, whispered against her ear.

She kicked off her shoes and slid one foot under the leg of his pants. “How's everything? Does everything work for you?”

Spike growled softly against her neck. “That’s all I ever wanted to give you, luv.”

This time he didn’t resist when Buffy pulled him in for another kiss. As their tongues danced, their hands went to work. Spike fumbled with the buttons of Buffy’s blouse while she struggled with his belt. Finally, they pulled apart and sat up.

Spike carefully undid each of Buffy’s buttons, staring blissfully at each inch of golden skin as it was revealed to his hungry eyes. As he undid the last button he slid the garment off her shoulders and leaned forward. He had to taste her, and that spot where her shoulder met her neck was too delectable to ignore.

Buffy gasped as Spike began to nibble and suck on her skin. She let her head fall back, allowing her hair to cascade down her back. Spike pulled her into his lap and groaned as he felt her heat against his erection for the first time.

He caressed her back as he worked his way to the clasp of her bra. As he worked on the clasp, he bit down gently on her neck with his blunt teeth, eliciting a small cry of pleasure from her.

He gently pulled the straps down her arms, fully exposing her to him. He laid her back against the bed and followed her down. He took one rosy nipple in his mouth and began sucking, gently at first, then more urgently.

She threaded her fingers through his hair to hold him to her as he suckled first one breast, then the other. She was so close already and he hadn’t even touched her below...’Oh God!’

Spike slipped one hand under Buffy’s skirt. He found the edge of her panties and pushed them aside. He worked her until her muscles clenched around his fingers and she screamed his name in ecstasy.

As she came down from her high, Spike tugged her skirt and panties off and lay down on his side next to her, caressing her heated skin. He couldn’t get enough of her; her taste, her scent, her beauty, the softness of her skin, her heat, the sound of her breathing and heartbeat, the gasps and moans she made when aroused, not to mention the way she screamed his name when she came. He could never get his fill of the whole sensory experience of being with her.

Buffy rolled onto her side and smiled. She let her eyes wander over his beautiful body, then back to his gorgeous eyes. She gazed into them with a wicked gleam in her eye. One hand reached out to caress his chest, then his abs, and then his went to work on his belt.

“My turn.” She announced with a saucy smile. As she spoke, she rose to her knees and pushed him onto his back. Using both hands, she made short work of his belt, then tugged his pants off.

She locked eyes with him, briefly and smiled before she bent and licked him. He groaned and squeezed his eyes shut as he arched his neck. She smirked at his reaction. She loved that she could do that to him.

She slid her mouth over him, fully engulfing him in her mouth. He moaned at the feeling of her hot mouth surrounding him. She tormented him until he couldn’t take it anymore.

“Oh, fuck! Buffy!” He shouted as he exploded.

She loved it when he called her by her name. She liked the pet names, but there was just something about the way he said her name. She never knew it could sound like that.

She scooted up next to him and laid her head on his chest. “So, how did I do on returning the favor?” She asked with a hint of laughter in her voice.

The question caught Spiked off guard and he burst out laughing. “Bloody marvelous, luv.”

“Good.” She giggled and leaned up to kiss him. The light kiss quickly deepened and turned became more passionate. Spike rolled Buffy onto her back and lay on top of her as they continued to kiss and caress. She slid one foot up the back of his leg and he caught it and held it as he peppered her with kisses while he moved down her body and settled between her legs.

He inhaled her scent, wishing they could stay like this forever. He dipped his head to taste her and his senses went wild. He hadn’t really tasted her for so long and she was delicious. ‘Pure Ambrosia.’

He pleasured her with his hands and mouth until her entire body arched off the bed as she screamed out her release.

“Oh God! Spike!”

Once Buffy had calmed, Spike stretched himself out alongside her and stroked her cheek gently. She smiled softly at him and pushed a stray curl off his forehead

“I love you.”

He smiled suddenly and leaned forward to capture her mouth in a gentle, loving kiss. He gazed at her lovingly. ‘One more thing I’ll never get enough of.’

“I love you, too, Buffy.” As he spoke, he positioned himself over her and kissed her again. As Buffy opened her mouth to allow him entrance, she opened her legs to allow him inside.

It was unlike anything they’d experienced before. There was nothing rough, hurried, or hurtful about this experience. They were both exactly where they wanted to be, and with the person they wanted. No shame, guilt, or “convenience” involved. They were pouring all of their emotions into every movement, the intensity of their lovemaking flinging both of them toward la petite mort.

As Buffy regained consciousness, she realized that Spike was struggling back to awareness himself.

“Spike, are you okay?” She patted his cheek firmly. “Still with me?”

“Mm, uh, yeah.” He finally shook off the grogginess. “What happened?”

Buffy shook her head and laughed lightly. “Not sure, but I think we knocked each other out.”

Spike blinked. “Really? That’s never actually happened before, you know from pure pleasure.” He smirked at her. “Always heard being in love makes sex better, now I know it’s true. Best bloody shag of my life.”

Buffy smacked him lightly. “You’re a pig, Spike.” But she laughed, nonetheless, until a yawn interrupted her laughter.

Spike nuzzled her neck. “Did I wear you out, pet?”

Buffy curled against his side. “Mmm hmmm. In the best possible way.”

She yawned again and her drifted closed. Spike listened to her breathing even out and placed a kiss on top of her head. Then he pulled the blanket up and tucked it around them before he followed her into sleep, contented smiles on both of their faces.

***********************

As soon as Spike pulled Buffy from the lab, Knox approached Fred, Lorne, and Wesley with a small weapon in his hand.

“Hey, congratulations on recorporealizing Spike.” He smiled.

Wesley returned the smile, hesitantly. “Thank you.”

Knox turned to Fred. “I think I’ve gotten all the bugs out of that new neural-intercept grenade.”

“Great.” Fred smiled at him. “Angel will be pleased to hear that.”

Knox nodded. “Yeah, it was pretty simple. It's just a little hand-held, spell-casting robot. It should work pretty well.”

“Okay, good. Thanks for the update.” Fred watched as he nodded at her and returned to his workstation.

She turned to Wesley and Lorne. “Okay, does anyone else find it disturbing that my staff just kept working through that whole magical vortex thing like nothing out of the ordinary happened?” She asked in an undertone.

“Oh, yeah.”

“Quite a bit, actually.”

“Okay, just checking. I‘m still not used to this whole, ‘we’ve seen it all, so nothing throws us’ attitude.”

Wesley and Lorne were nodding their agreement next to her.

She turned back to smile at Knox, who was once more flashing her his pearly whites.

“We should probably go tell Angel what’s happened. Since the Practical Sciences division knows it’s only a matter of time before the entire firm knows.”

Fred grimaced. “Do we have to? Like you said, the firm’s going to know soon anyway. Couldn’t we just...” She broke off at Wesley’s pointed look and head shake. “I know, it’s just he really doesn’t handle Spike and Buffy stuff very well and this is really...”

“Hey.” Lorne interrupted. “You know, I’d love to be there and back you guys up, but I’ve got this important teleconference with..uh...Richard Harris’ agent about the new Harry Potter....”

“He’s dead, Lorne.” Wesley snapped as he grabbed Lorne by the elbow and steered him out of the lab.

“Ow, take it easy there, big guy.” Lorne pulled away and straightened his suit. “Fine, I’ll go with you to tell Angel-cakes about his wayward grandchilde and the love of his unlife....Oooh, that would make a great story.” Lorne pulled his cell phone out of his jacket.

“Lorne!” Fred and Wesley each took an arm and dragged Lorne down the hallway to the elevator.

*********************

Angel sighed and rubbed his forehead. “So, he’s corporeal again?”

Wesley nodded.

“And it was Buffy’s blood?”

Another nod.

“But only a few drops?”

Wesley nodded again.

“So, where is he?” Gunn asked from the sofa. “I figured he’d run right here to gloat.”

Wesley looked at Fred and Lorne, who avoided his gaze. He glanced at Angel before answering Gunn. “Something else took priority.” He said simply.

“What would take priority...?” Gunn broke off at the look on Angel’s face. “Oh.”

Wesley turned to Angel. The pain in his eyes was as sharp as a razor’s edge. Wesley felt for his friend, but he couldn’t help but think that everything had worked out, as it should. He had observed Buffy with both Angel and Spike, just as he observed Angel with both Buffy and Cordelia.

Cordelia’s coma was a great tragedy in so many ways. It was not just the loss of her vibrant spirit and personality, or the loss of the connection to the Powers That Be, it was also the loss of the one woman who truly understood and accepted Angel for everything he was.

Buffy was too independent and hot-tempered to put up with Angel’s protectiveness the way she had as a teenager. But, Angel could no more stop being protective than he could start taking walks on the beach at noon. They cared for each other, and respected each other’s skills, but he did not respect her ability to make her own decisions and she did not accept his need to protect everyone around him, including her.

Spike understood and respected Buffy’s need to follow her calling and fight her own battles, make her own decisions, and live her own life. So much of her life had been determined for her, and so many of her decisions had been taken out of her hands, that she had the need to make as many decisions as possible in her own life. He let her fight her own battles, unless she got in over her head, he argued with her when necessary, but never took the decision out of her hands, and he stood by her, her steadfast support. He was her equal in strength and skill. They were of similar temperaments and had a similar sense of humor. They were even more evenly matched physically. They were an ideal match

Cordelia had learned to understand and accept Angel’s need to protect everyone around him, even if it meant fighting their battles for them. She had learned how to fight alongside him, and supported him. But, she had also learned to argue with him, without resorting to screaming or sulking, in order to work him around to her way of thinking. She had gotten very good at convincing him to let him fight her own battles without resorting to a battle with him. They had been an ideal match.

Wesley knew that Angel was in pain, but he also knew that the pain was not as deep as it might have been a few years ago. Most of the pain was really due to the fact that it was Spike, rather than the fact that Buffy had found happiness with someone else.

Angel sighed heavily. “When you see them again, tell them...ask them, if they would come by here. I think we all need some questions answered and I think I know who can answer them.”

*********************

When Spike awoke a few hours later, the first thing he heard was the rumbling of both of their stomachs. Spike climbed out of the bed and went into the kitchenette to see what was in the fridge. He found some leftover Chinese food from Buffy’s dinner a few days earlier, the remains of the Buffalo Wings that Wes had left after the football match the previous weekend. Nothing he really wanted to eat, or serve her, right now.

He picked up the phone and made a quick call, then grabbed his pants and pulled them on. A little while later, he answered the knock on the door. He smiled at Wesley, who stood on the other side of the door holding a pack of fresh blood, nicked from Harmony’s stash, and a box with Buffy’s favorite meal from the dining room, beer for Spike, and a latte for Buffy.

“Thanks, mate.”

“You’re welcome. When you two come up for air, Angel would like to speak with you. He wants us all to meet and talk about what’s happened.”

Spike grimaced. “Fine. May as well get it over with. Let us eat first.”

“Alright. Ring me when you’re ready.”

“Will do, mate.”

“Oh, and Spike?”

“Yeah.”

“Congratulations.”

Spike smiled and nodded as Wesley closed the door.

When Spike entered the bedroom, he found Buffy just sitting up. She squealed with delight when she saw the food in his hands. “Have I told you lately that I love you?”

Spike chuckled as he sat down on the bed with the food. “Well, not in the last couple of hours, luv.”

She leaned over to kiss him, careful not to spill the food. “Terrible oversight on my part.” She smiled against his lips.

She sat up and opened her food. “Oh my God. You are the perfect boyfriend.” She said when she saw that he had ordered her her favorite meal. “You know what I like, you’re a great fighter, strong, great sense of humor, incredibly hot, amazing in bed, and now you bring me food in bed when I wake up from amazing sex. You’re perfect.”

Spike stared at her in amazement, wondering if she knew what she was saying. She peered up at him out of the corner of her eye. “Yes, I know what I’m saying. At least better than I did back when I was saying those...horrible things I was saying to you back then.” She hated to recall the terrible things she’d said. She’d apologized, during the weeks that he’d been non-corporeal. When they’d talked about things, she’d apologized for the terrible things she’d done and said. He’d forgiven her, just as she’d forgiven him for what had happened in the bathroom.

“So, yeah, I know what I’m saying.” She smiled at the look on his face. So many emotions played out across his face; he had so many expressions. Right now, he looked amazed, happy, in love, relieved, grateful, and touched. She wanted to be able to put that look on his face every day. “I love you, Spike. And, you are the perfect man for me.”

Then, her food was forgotten for a little while as he showed her exactly what he thought of her words. But, afterward, he fed her while she giggled at his little romantic gestures, and thought about how lucky she was.

**********************

It was actually the next morning before Buffy and Spike emerged from his suite to meet with the others. They had intended to try to meet with them the night before, but Buffy had insisted on taking a shower, and Spike had insisted on accompanying her. So, they took a shower, made love in the shower, then Spike distracted Buffy when he was helping her put lotion on her back. All in all, it was breakfast before they finally made it out to meet the others.

They met in the conference room after breakfast. Wesley sat next to Spike, who sat next to Buffy. Lorne and Fred sat a few chairs away. Gunn sat on the opposite side of the table watching Spike and Buffy cuddle and flirt with a look of dismay.

Angel walked in, followed closely by Eve. When she saw Spike and Buffy holding hands, she smiled. “Well, you finally figured it out, did you?”

They looked at her sharply. “Wait, you knew how to restore him and you didn’t tell us?” Wesley asked.

She shrugged. “I actually was ordered not to. You know how bosses are.”

Buffy started to stand up, but Spike kept a tight grip on her hand. When she looked at him, he shook his head slightly. She narrowed her eyes slightly, but sat back down.

Angel stepped up to Eve and gestured to a chair. “I had a feeling that you knew more than you were letting on. Now that Spike is fully restored, we’d like for you to answer a few questions.”

Eve shrugged again. “I’ll answer what I can, but don’t expect much. I have my orders.”
 

Angel started to sit down across from Buffy and Spike, but he couldn’t deal with the scent of sex surrounding them. Even if he chose not to breathe, all he had to do was look at their faces and he could read everything that had happened. He just couldn’t deal with it.

He sat down in a chair where he could look at Eve, but still be somewhat far away from the happy couple.

“So, I guess the first question is, why? Why did you give me the amulet? Did you expect me to be the one to become a ghost?”

Eve gave him a patronizing look. “The senior partners gave you the amulet because they knew that you’d give it to the Slayer. They knew about her relationship with Spike and his quest for a soul. They also knew that if you gave her the amulet, it would either be you or him. That’s all they wanted, for one of you to be the Champion.”

“Why?” Wesley asked.

“And why would they want anyone helping me defeat the First Evil? Aren’t they on the same team?” Buffy added.

Eve shook her head. “The First has a very overblown sense of it’s own importance. It wanted to take over the world and destroy everyone good, and allow only evil to exist in the world.”

Fred looked confused. “But, aren’t you guys on the same team, like Buffy said? Why wouldn’t the senior partners want that?”

Eve cocked her head to one side. “Sweetie, there can’t be evil without good. Without good, evil would have nothing and no one to corrupt. Where’s the fun in that?”
 

Everyone in the room answered with an identical “Ookaayy.”

“But, why was it so important that it be one of them?’

“There was a prophecy..”

“Wait. I looked for a prophecy while we were researching how to restore Spike.”

“Yes, well, our source brought the book with the information from another dimension. And the Watcher’s Council knew about it, but they didn’t tell Miss Summers before they went boom. And, when Sirk came to us, he made sure to bring the necessary information with him so that no one could accidentally stumble on it and try to prevent it, or try to manipulate it to their satisfaction.”

“The senior partners wanted to do that themselves, huh?”

“Actually, they didn’t do anything. See, the prophecy was very vague. It wouldn’t have been if Angel had still been the only vampire with a soul, or the only vampire to love a Slayer. But, with both of you involved, it became very iffy.”

She stood up and moved to the conference board. “You see, the prophecy included references to a vampire with a soul, one who loved the Slayer. It also mentioned that the Champion would cease to be, but would be restored by the same blood that had restored him before.” She wrote Spike’s name and Angel’s name on the board, then under each name, she wrote the parts of the prophecy that pertained to them.

“Wait, that would have made it me.” Angel interjected. “Her blood restored me when Faith poisoned me.”

“Yes, but her blood also restored Spike when he was being controlled by the First.” Wesley explained.

“What do you mean?”

“Weren’t you listening to Buffy in the lab when she was talking about not fighting Spike in demon form, at least not for her life, for years, except when he was triggered?”

“But, he broke the trigger’s effect when he tasted her blood.” Fred added.

“You bit her?” Angel roared at Spike.

Buffy sighed. “I thought you were going to read the book. No, he didn’t bite me, I got cut in the fight and when he tasted my blood, he not only broke the effects of the trigger and he remembered everything that he’d done under the trigger.”

“Right, so the senior partners had two vampires, one prophecy, and one amulet. What should they do? They finally decided to let Buffy decide. They gave the amulet to you, you gave it to Buffy, and she decided who the Champion should be.”

“Wait” Spike sat up in his chair. “What about those trips to Hell I’ve been taking?”

“Well, the amulet wants to return home. You were bound to the amulet, so you were going along for the trips.”

“Yeah, but I haven’t been having those trips lately.”
 

“Well, lately, you’ve had a very good reason for wanting to stay here. You’ve been getting stronger and resisting the amulet. So, even when it wanted to go home, it couldn’t because your desire to stay here outweighed its desire to go home. Of course, now you are free and the amulet can be returned to it’s own dimension, so you won’t be taking anymore of those trips.”

“Hey.” Everyone looked at Gunn. “What about the trick in Wesley’s office, with the book? We’re pretty sure that the senior partners had a hand in that.”
 

“Oh, yeah, that. That was a test for Angel.”

“What?!”

“The senior partners are well aware of your past and were just curious to know just how much it would take to push you over the edge. How hard would it be to get you to attempt to destroy a defenseless being? Or threaten one of your own people?” She smirked at Angel. “Let’s just say they were pleased with the results.”

Angel pulled her to the door and practically threw her, bodily, from the room. “Thanks for all your help.”

Everyone looked at Spike and Buffy. “So, this was meant to be.” Spike said in awe.

“Yeah, I guess so. We really were meant to be together.” Buffy smiled at him.

“Well, that explains alot.” Wesley added. He smiled at his friends. Then he looked over to the other side of the room where another friend of his stood. He stood and walked over to where Angel was standing. “Thank you for bringing Eve in to answer those questions. He followed Angel’s gaze to Spike and Buffy. “Angel...”

“Save it, Wes.” Angel stalked from the room. Wesley hesitated moment, then followed him. Then he recognized Angel’s path. He realized that Angel was going to see Cordelia and decided to return to the conference room.
 

He shook Spike’s hand and hugged Buffy. “I’m very happy for the two of you. You’ve earned some happiness.”

He turned to walk away. “Hey, where you going, mate?”

Wesley turned around. Spike hugged Buffy closer to him and smirked at Wesley. “Well, I realize that I’ve been pretty pre-occupied, but I’m not a complete git. I do remember that there’s a match tonight. Don’t you want to come watch it?”

Wesley smiled and followed Spike and Buffy out of the conference room.

True Nature

Chapter 10

A few days after Eve’s revelation, Spike and Buffy moved into their own place. They found a nice three-bedroom house in Encino, in anticipation of Dawn moving in with them.

However, Dawn opted to stay in Cleveland for the remainder of the semester. She planned to move in with them in December. She did visit them for Thanksgiving, though. She and Spike managed to recapture some of their previous closeness. Buffy was relieved to see them talking and joking around before Dawn returned to Cleveland.

Spike officially joined the Wolfram and Hart team as Wesley’s associate in the Research and Intelligence Division. He and Wesley continued to patrol nightly with Buffy.

A side effect of Giles’ role in the new Watcher’s Council was that he convinced them to provide the Slayers with an income. They liquidated some of the Council’s holdings around the world and were able to provide the 15-18 year olds with minimum wage. The under 15 year olds had their money placed in a trust until they were of age. The Slayers who were adults, especially those who were heads of their own households, were paid a living wage.

The Council hired financial advisors to help them invest the money they had from their current holdings in order fully optimize their assets. Kennedy and Willow were majoring in finance and accounting, respectively, so that they would be able to take over the Council’s finances in a few years.

So, Buffy had an income from the Council, and with references from Giles and Robin, she had secured a job working with counselors for victims of violent crimes. She also taught self-defense at UCLA. And, between her incomes and Spike’s, as well as a little help from financial aid, she was able to take some classes at UCLA also. She wanted to get her degree so that she could be a full-time counselor. She really liked working with young people, and she felt like she was really making a difference helping victims recover and take back their lives.

They settled into a comfortable domestic routine. Then, a few days before Christmas, Dawn showed up on their front porch, earlier than expected, along with Giles, a willowy brunette, and a petite redhead with long, curly hair. Buffy remembered the teenage girls from Cleveland.

Buffy hugged Dawn and pulled her into the house. Then she turned to Giles. “What’s going on? Is something wrong?”

“No, no. But, I need to speak with you. It’s rather important. May I?” He gestured inside.

“Oh, yeah. Sorry.” She stepped aside and let Giles and the two girls step into the house.

Spike and Wesley came into the entryway to see what was going on. Spike smirked at Buffy’s careful refusal to extend a verbal invitation. Wesley noticed the smirk and smiled himself when he realized the reason behind it.

“Hello, Spike.”

“Watcher.” Spike nodded amiably at Giles. He was still not used to the other man’s friendly behavior toward him.

“Wesley, good, you’re here as well. I need to speak to all of you.”

They looked at him apprehensively, but headed into the living room to hear him out. Buffy and Spike settled on the couch. Wesley sat in his favorite overstuffed armchair. Giles sat in the other chair, while the Slayers sat on the loveseat. Dawn went to her room to start unpacking.

“So, what’s so important, Giles? And why are Caitlyn and Darby here?”

“Well, many of the Slayers are far enough along in their training that they are ready to take on their own assignments. The problem is that most of them have no idea how to integrate their personal lives with their Slayer calling. Some of them will have a better chance because, like you, they had normal lives before Willow’s spell made them Slayers. But, others who were raised by their Watchers, like Kendra, have no idea how to function in the real world.”

He stared intently at Buffy. “We don’t have the assets to provide for all of them. We don’t have enough Watchers for all of them; we don’t have space to keep them all in Cleveland. Some, like Vi and Rona, will stay there and help us train the new Slayers. But, we don’t need all of our more experienced Slayers to train our newer ones. Not to mention that there is not enough demonic activity, even in Cleveland, to occupy all of the Slayers.

“So, we need to prepare them to live as normal lives as possible, while still fulfilling their duties. Since you’re the only Slayer to accomplish that, we need you to train them.”

“But, you said you needed Wes and Spike, too.”
 

“Yes, well with Wesley’s training as a Watcher, we thought that he could assist you in continuing their training. We won’t be able to send Watchers with all of them. And those we do send will have to understand how to help their Slayers achieve success; not only as Slayers, but also in whatever else they pursue. We believe Wesley can teach the new Watchers how to do that.”

“And Spike?”

“We are hoping that he will assist both you and Wesley, as well as provide the girls with a sparring partner and source of information.”

“A training tool?”

“No, a trainer. And an assistant to you and Wesley in training our new Slayers and new Watchers in the way we will be doing things in the new Council.” He paused when they still seemed hesitant. “Of course, we will compensate you for your additional responsibilities. Wesley and Spike, as well.”

They looked somewhat apprehensive at the proposition and exchanged glances.

“What if we refuse?” Spike asked quietly.

Giles looked at him, unconcerned. “Then, we will try to work out an alternative, but I sincerely hope that you will help us. But, we won’t force the issue and there will be no consequences if you refuse.”

That seemed to satisfy all of them. “Okay, I guess we’re in.” Buffy said. “Where do we start?”

“Well, the first step is to get Caitlyn and Darby enrolled in school with Dawn. Their Watchers will be here next week...”

“Whoa, wait a minute, Watcher.” Spike interrupted. “Maybe you haven’t noticed, but this is not the Ritz-Carlton. We’re not a bloody hotel. Where are you planning on putting all these people?”

Giles looked surprised for a moment. “Oh dear. I forgot to explain, didn’t I? We are going to aid you in finding a larger home. That way you can keep several girls at a time, along with their Watchers with no real inconvenience to you. Now, we have decided, since we have a shortage of Watchers, that only those Slayers who are under twenty-one will have full-time Watchers. The others will have Watchers during their initial training, then will have one only if they themselves feel they need one.

“We will also help with their room and board. They will be responsible for part of it themselves.”

Buffy sat up straighter. “Wait, you’re going to pay me to train them, and you’re going to pay for them to live here and pay for their food?”

“Yes.”

Buffy smiled. “Okay, I’m definitely in then. No more doubts. So, tell me about this house that you want us to get. Do you have one in mind, or do Spike and I get a say in it since we’ll be living in it all the time”

Dawn walked back into the room. “And me, since I’ll be living there, too. At least until I go to college.”

“Are you already done unpacking?”

“Didn’t you notice that I only brought one suitcase? The rest is coming on a truck with the training equipment the Council is sending for the new house.”

Buffy and Spike turned to look at Giles.

“Uh, er, yes. We will have to make sure that there is sufficient space for training. We are providing the necessary equipment for training.”

“Where are you finding the money for all of this, Rupert?” Wesley asked.

“Well, it turns out that the Council had its finger in alot of pies. Many of them were quite lucrative.” Giles explained.

“Then why in the bloody hell was the Slayer scrimping and scraping to get by and support her sister? Couldn’t the Council of Wankers part with a few quid to pay their most valuable employee?”

Wesley answered him. “They didn’t see her that way, Spike. She wasn’t the most valuable. She was the most expendable. There was always another Slayer.”

Spike growled, leaving no doubts about his opinion of the former Council of Watchers.

Buffy saw Caitlyn and Darby flinch. “Girls, are you okay? You know that Spike won’t hurt you, right? You both read Nature of the Beast and we talked about him.”

“Y-yeah.” Caitlyn said. “It’s just, he sounded like, well like one of them just now. And, it was just, well, freaky sitting here listening to you guys talk like regular people and then suddenly he goes all ‘grr’.”

Darby just nodded.

“Oh, get used to it. Spike gets ‘grr’ when someone isn’t treating the people he loves right.” Dawn smiled from her spot by the door. “He won’t go off on you unless you’re the ‘someone’ in question, though.”

Darby and Caitlyn looked at each other nervously then nodded. Buffy shook her head, but she had to admit, between them, Dawn and Spike had probably forestalled any potential problems. She noticed Giles and Wesley carefully concealing smiles.

“Okay, well, school got out yesterday, so they’re free for now. I guess we can go ahead and start house hunting now, if you want. The campus closed last week, and if Wesley gives the okay, then Angel won’t have a problem with Spike taking the day off.”

“Actually, if I’m going to be part of this, I’d like to participate, as well. Why don’t we start with the Internet?” Wesley stood up and moved into the bedroom that Buffy and Spike used as an office.

Buffy and Spike shrugged and followed him. Giles went with them. Caitlyn and Darby looked at Dawn who shrugged and flopped down on the now empty couch and picked up the remote. They joined her and soon all three were engrossed in The Real World.

******************

The Internet search yielded five potential properties. The next day was Saturday, so the whole group piled into two cars and went out to look at them. One was smaller than the owner’s clearly doctored photos made it appear. One was literally falling apart, the pictures on the ‘net had been at least ten years old. A third had turned out to be very close to a big name celebrity. There were far too many members of the paparazzi around for the comfort of the Slayers and Watchers. The fourth had promise, but the fifth turned out to be perfect.

It had been a large mansion built by a studio mogul several decades earlier. But, quite a while back, it had been sold and converted into apartments. The ground floor had still been a residence for the owner. The upper floors had been the ones converted to apartments. There was also a large basement that was perfectly suited for a training room.

Buffy, Spike, and Dawn would live on the ground floor. The Slayers and their Watchers would be able to live in the apartments. Some were one bedroom, some were two bedroom. There were ten apartments in all. There was even room for Wesley to move in, so that he would have more time to work with them while still continuing to work with Wolfram and Hart.

Giles went back to Cleveland after an early Christmas celebration with Buffy, Spike, Dawn, and Wesley. The Council had paid for the two Slayers to fly home for Christmas. The small family group had their own Christmas in Spike and Buffy’s home.

Spike and Buffy thoroughly enjoyed their first Christmas together. Spike gave Buffy some lingerie and a locket with a picture of himself on one side and a photo of Joyce and Dawn on the other side. Buffy gave Spike a book of Romantic poetry, some silk boxers, and a copy of The Kama Sutra. The last gift got a laugh from everyone, but also drew a very heated and intent, if concealed, stare between Buffy and Spike.

Wesley and Spike gave each other souvenir books on their favorite football clubs. Wesley gave Buffy a black duster that matched Spike’s. Dawn gave Spike a photo album with photos of herself, Buffy, and Joyce. She gave Buffy one with photos of all of her friends and family, as well as some pictures of Spike that Buffy had never seen. Dawn had taken them the summer after Buffy died. Dawn received a book of languages and one new outfit from everyone.

Caitlyn and Darby came back two days after Christmas. After Christmas, the Council pulled a few strings to get the paperwork pushed through quickly and the group moved into the new house before New Year’s Day.

The Council also got them set up to look like a legitimate halfway house for young women recovering from near-fatal injuries, and their families. That way, no one questioned the number of young people of various ages, races, and backgrounds who came and stayed for a little while and then left again. Some with “parents” and some without.

A few days after New Year’s, Dawn, Caitlyn, and Darby started school. Buffy sent them off on the first day with a cell phone for each of them and a few pieces of advice. “Whatever you do, don’t set the gym on fire. If some guy suddenly starts looking really good after he puts his jacket on, ask him to take it off. Don’t ignore the nerds. They could end up being your best friends, or your worst nightmare. Oh, and if you come across a tweed-wearing nancy-boy who screams like a woman, don’t underestimate him.” That last comment earned her a smack on the back of her head from Wesley. She responded with a giggle and snuggled up to Spike.

The girls rolled their eyes at her as they turned to leave. But before they were away from the house, she heard Dawn. “She may sound like a freak, but you should have been there for my first day of school at the new high school in Sunnydale. You know the one that got flattened when Spike sealed the Hellmouth? Way freaky. Manifest spirits stabbing me with pencils, bathroom floors opening up and dropping me into the basement with more manifest spirits, getting lost in said basement. So not fun.”

“Well, that’s life on a Hellmouth.” Caitlyn quipped. The pretty brunette shrugged.

“Yeah, at least our school in Cleveland wasn’t on the Hellmouth.” Darby added. “And I don’t like football that much anyway, so at least we weren‘t on top of it every day.”

Caitlyn nodded. “Yeah, at least LA isn’t anywhere near a Hellmouth.”

They all agreed and chatted as they walked the rest of the way to school.

*******************

The girls did well at school. They patrolled nightly with Buffy, Spike, and Wesley. They made some friends and went to basketball games and parties. Darby turned out to be gifted at research. She and Dawn got internships with Wesley and Spike doing at Wolfram and Hart, while Caitlyn helped Buffy teach self-defense. Their Watchers, Constance and Gunther, were counseled by Buffy, Spike, and Wesley to allow them to attend the games and parties. They were encouraged to allow them to participate in the internship and after-school job that would help prepare them for a life outside of slaying once they graduated from high school.

The Watchers were survivors of the old Council and struggled with the new ways, but when they saw how much more successful and confident their Slayers were in the field, they relented and listened to everything the others told them. They then passed on word of their positive experiences to the other surviving Watchers. The good new spread and soon Buffy, Spike, and Wesley had the reputation as the most gifted trainers the Council had ever known.

Two months after their arrival, Darby and Caitlyn left to return home and protect their own towns from demons and vampires. Sandrine, Wu-Jin, and Lyric followed them. Sandrine was a twenty-five-year-old French national who had been a teacher before being called. She wanted to return to it. She audited some educational courses at UCLA and worked in the college bookstore during her stay in LA. When she returned to France, she was thrilled with what she had learned; not only her Slayer training, but the new techniques and information she had picked up at the college.

Wu-Jin was a peasant from mainland China who was able to benefit from the ESL classes at the local high school. When she returned to China, she knew that she would not stay in her village, but would travel around the countryside to help as many villages as she could and she would find someone to help her continue her education.

Lyric was an African-American girl in her early teens from a small suburb of Dallas. She was able to return home more confident and secure in her own abilities. She succeeded in everything she did, and not only became an extraordinary Slayer; she made the honor roll at school and was well liked among her peers. She often sent Buffy and Dawn e-mails thanking them for all of their help and encouragement.

About six months after they had begun their “re-integration’ training, Buffy, Spike and Wesley welcomed three new Slayers to their facility. Katie was a college student who had continued taking courses in Cleveland and wanted to go back to her home school in the fall. Irene was a twenty-year-old Ojibwa who couldn’t wait to get home and help her people. The third Slayer was Annie, a twenty-seven-year-old attorney from Georgia who never would have been called if not for Willow’s spell.

She was a petite, pretty brunette with a wicked sense of humor and a sharp wit, with a tongue to match. She and Spike hit it off immediately. They both loved dog racing, Passions, and punk rock, and had a fondness for black leather. At first, Buffy was a little jealous, until Spike realized what was going on. He cornered her in the kitchen after breakfast a few days after Annie’s arrival.

“Buffy, are you jealous of Annie?”

“What? No.” Buffy scoffed. “Of course not.”

“Really? So, all the little looks and the little comments, ‘Oh, good, you guys are getting along.’ They don’t mean anything?”

“No, well...” Buffy faltered. “Well, you do have a lot in common with her. Maybe more than...”

“Buffy, luv, we’ve been over this before. There isn’t another girl anywhere who means anything to me. You’re the one, Buffy.”

Buffy grinned and pulled him down for a kiss. As the kiss deepened, he lifted her onto the counter. He pulled her tank top over her head and latched onto one breast as he slipped one hand beneath the waistband of her pants.

*************************

Annie was coming out of the basement where she’d been training with Wesley and her eyes widened at the sounds coming from the other Slayer’s apartment.

“Ah, yes, Buffy and Spike. They are, er, quite vocal. You may hear them sometimes at night. You’ll just have to get used to it.” Wesley explained tersely. “I’m going to shower. I’ll meet you down here in one hour.” He walked up the stairs, leaving an irritated Slayer behind him.

She didn’t understand it. She got along well with most people. Even Buffy. She knew Buffy was jealous of her friendship with Spike, but she was still polite, and Annie knew that it would pass. Spike’s love for Buffy was so glaringly obvious that even a blind woman could see it. Besides, Annie wasn’t really interested in Spike, except as a friend. He was fun to be around and spar with, but that was as far as it went.

And she and Buffy had still managed to find some common ground, despite Buffy’s jealousy. Annie admired Buffy’s strength in turning her back on the Council, more than once, to do what she felt was right. And, she respected her for finally having the guts to stand up to everyone and say, ‘This is my life and I’m going to live it how I want and with whom I want.’ Like the other Slayers, she had read Nature of the Beast during her training in Cleveland and she had been appalled by the refusal of the “Scooby Gang” to see what had been right in front of their faces for so long. She was glad that they’d finally come to their senses, she was just sorry it had taken them so long.

She understood how difficult things had been for Buffy, not that it excused all of her behavior, but she was glad that Buffy had finally decided not to let other people dictate how she lived her life.

For her part, Buffy respected and appreciated Annie’s unwavering acceptance of Spike as one of the good guys. Not all of the Slayers were able to do that, even now. Some still had questions and reservations about his role in the new order.

But, for some reason, Annie and Wesley had just rubbed each other the wrong way from day one. If he told her to go left, she went right. When Spike suggested getting her a job at Wolfram and Hart, since she was a lawyer, Wesley had balked.

She had started the job the next day.

She shook her head as she heard him close the door to his second-floor apartment. She debated going back down to the basement again and doing a little more training before getting cleaned up for work.

“Oh, God, Spike!”

“Bloody Hell, Buffy!”

‘Okay, shower it is.’ Annie headed up the stairs to her apartment.

*******************

Wesley stomped up the stairs and into his apartment. He slammed the door behind him. He had to get away from her. He couldn’t stand there, listening to those sounds without wanting to shove her up against the wall and make her cry out as loudly as Buffy was.

He’d wanted her from the day she arrived. She’d left him completely gobsmacked. She was bright, sarcastic, funny, and very attractive. She was also strong and independent, but he could see a vulnerable side of her that brought out his protective streak.

He wanted her, but he also wanted to protect her. Except, she was a Slayer, a warrior, and protector in her own right, and he doubted she would appreciate his manly rescue attempts. She could, quite literally, kick his ass from one side of Los Angeles to the other. She didn’t need a knight in shining armor. But he still tried.

It was the reason he pushed her so hard during training and patrol. He wanted to make sure that she was able to protect herself. He didn’t want he to be one of the Slayers who died early because she was caught off-guard.

It was also the reason he had opposed her employment at Wolfram and Hart. The employees there had a very high mortality rate. He wanted to keep her from that.

‘Besides.’ He thought as he entered the bathroom and turned on the shower. ’She clearly enjoys Spike’s company and even if nothing can come of it, I still can’t compete with his ’sexy bad boy’ persona.’

He stripped off his sweaty workout clothes and stepped into the shower, letting the hot water stream over him. He had hoped that he would calm down, but the workout and the subsequent soundshow downstairs had him too aroused.

He decided to take matters into his own hands, so to speak; he couldn’t stop picturing her face. The way she looked when she was fighting, so focused and intense, her face flushed with excitement; her smile when she was amused; the look of triumph on her face after a slay, he couldn’t get her out of his head.

He thought about how it would have felt to shove her against the wall and have his wicked way with her. In his fantasy, he imagined her screaming his name as she came. That was enough to send him over the edge.

Once he had calmed, he finished his shower and dressed for work. When he arrived downstairs, he found her already waiting for him. He never ceased to be amazed by her. Gone were the comfortable workout clothes and tight leather patrol clothes. Today, she was wearing a light gray, pinstriped suit with a dark greenish-blue blouse. Her hair was pulled back in a sophisticated style. She looked every inch the tough professional, but soft and feminine at the same time. He felt himself growing aroused again.

“Well, we should go.” He brushed past her and knocked on Buffy and Spike’s door. Buffy opened the door, looking tousled, but happy.

“Hey, Wes. Spike’ll be out in a minute. We, uh, got a late start this morning.

“Yes, so I heard.” Wesley deadpanned. He chuckled as Buffy blushed.

Spike walked up behind her and dropped a kiss on top of her head. “What are you turnin’ colors for, luv? Ol’ Wes is probably just wishing he was the one making a woman sound like that.”

“Spike!” Buffy elbowed him in the ribs. Spike just laughed and kissed her as he walked past her.

Buffy looked over Wesley’s shoulder. “I hope he didn’t embarrass you.”

Annie just smirked and shrugged. “Nah. Besides, he’s probably right.”

Wesley turned toward Annie, a stricken look on his face. ’What did she mean by that?’

“Well, if you lot are quite through poking fun at my current relationship status, or lack thereof, then perhaps we could go to work.” He walked out the front door, followed by Spike.

Annie watched Wesley walk away and thought about Spike’s remark. She had to admit, despite their constant bickering, she found him very sexy. He was smart, charming, a strong fighter, and dangerous, but with a sensitive side. All in all, he got her very hot. She had no doubt that he could make her scream just as loud as Buffy had, if not louder.

********************

A week later, Spike sat down across from Wesley and leaned his elbows on the desk. “We need to talk, mate.”

Wesley looked up from the text he was studying. “About what?”

“Annie.”

Wesley’s heart skipped a beat. “What? Why? Has something happened?”

Spike smiled at his friend’s response. Apparently the sparks he and Buffy thought they had seen weren’t imaginary. “Well, I’d say so. How long have you been in love with her?”

“What?” Wesley asked, incredulously.

“Oh, come on, Wes. I’ve seen the way you look at her, the way you fight with her. There’s alot of passion there. And don’t think I don’t know what that’s all about, either. Buffy and I have had plenty of fights because I don’t want her taking unnecessary risks, even if her job is risky by definition. And, she feels the same way about me.”

Wesley tried to appear disinterested. “I don’t know what you’re nattering on about. Of course I want to keep her safe, just like any other Slayer. That is part of my job, after all.”

Spike looked at him skeptically and shook his head. “Whatever you say, mate. But, some things are worth the risk. And just remember, life is short, especially for our girls.”

He stood up and swept out of the office in a swirl of black leather.

*****************

Six weeks later, on patrol, Spike and Buffy sat on a large sarcophagus watching in amusement as Annie and Wesley argued over her technique in staking a vampire.

“I don’t care if it worked! It was too risky. Did it ever occur to you that you could have hit Spike when you threw that stake?”

“Hit...He was ten feet away! And he was behind me. I checked before I threw it!”

“So, how long do you think it’ll take them to figure it out?” Buffy whispered.

“I don’t know, pet. They’re both human, and they’re smarter than us...”

“Hey!” At Spike’s pointed look, Buffy relented. “Okay, point taken.”

“I wager they’ll figure it out long before we did. But, they better figure it out soon. She won’t be here much longer.”

Buffy smiled and leaned over to kiss her lover. She was glad that they had finally figured it out.

“C’mon, let’s leave the Bickersons to their fight and go find Katie and Irene. They should be right over...”

The two Slayers in question came barreling into the clearing as they spoke, followed by a large group of vampires. For the next several minutes, no one spoke, beyond Buffy and Spike’s typical quips and puns, while they fought, and staked, the vampires pursuing the Slayers. Between the six of them, they were able to stake all but four of them, and those four escaped during the brouhaha.

Spike and Buffy were uninjured. Katie had a cracked rib where she had been thrown against a tombstone with a little too much force. Irene had a dislocated shoulder. Wesley sported a large bruise on his cheek and a small gash over his left eye. Annie was bleeding from a wound in her shoulder, apparently inflicted by her own stake.

It wasn’t very deep and thanks to Slayer healing was already closing up, but Wesley was furious. He grabbed her by the arm and steered her toward the car. The others followed. The drive home was made in silence. As soon as they got into the driveway, Katie and Irene bounded out of the car and up the front steps. They met Dawn in the entryway.

“You might want to get inside before Wes and Annie get in here.” Katie whispered to Dawn.

“What now?”

“We got into a really bad fight with this big group of vampires and Annie got stabbed with her own stake. Wes is pissed off.” Irene answered.

Dawn rolled her eyes. They were such idiots. They reminded her of a couple of other idiots she knew. And speaking of...

Buffy and Spike stumbled in the front door, clutching each other and trying not to laugh. Katie and Irene looked at the couple like they were insane. They shook their heads and hurried upstairs to clean up and help each other with some first aid before going to sleep.

Dawn looked at her sister and favorite vampire and burst out laughing. “How much longer do you think this is going to go on?”

“I don’t know, Bit, but she’s supposed to be leaving in two weeks, so one of them better get off their arse.”

They heard loud voices on the front porch and slipped in their front door.

“You were reckless and you could have been killed!”

“Oh my God! Do you ever stop? I’m fine! Give it a rest. I did my job and okay I got hurt, but newsflash, I’m a Slayer, part of the job description, Einstein! And, what do you care anyway? There’s always another Slayer, and as long as I get the job done...”

Her voice faded as she headed into the basement.

“Bloody hell, woman! What do you mean what do I care? I care. You need to be more careful...” Wesley followed Annie into the basement.

Buffy, Spike and Dawn shook their heads as the arguing couple went into the basement. The UST between the two was palpable. Spike and Buffy were nearly to the point of locking the two of them in the basement until they came to their senses.

*******************

“What do you mean ’what do I care’?” Wesley stormed into the basement.

Annie turned to him with tears in her eyes. “Come on, Wes. We’ve been working together for weeks now. All you ever do is criticize me when we’re patrolling. You didn’t want me at Wolfram and Hart. Everything I do pisses you off. I’m not an idiot. It’s obvious that you don’t want me around.”

Wesley stared at her, too stunned to speak. ’How can she think...?’

Finally, he found his voice. “Well, you’re obviously not as smart as I gave you credit for.”

Her eyes widened and she started to push past him toward the stairs. He caught her and held her by the shoulders.

“What I mean is, my behavior has nothing to do with not wanting you around. Quite the opposite, in fact. I’m critical of you on patrol because I can’t stand the thought of you being hurt.”

He gently caressed her shoulder where her earlier wound had already begun healing. “And I didn’t want you at Wolfram and Hart for the same reason. It’s a dangerous place. I know that you’re the Slayer and you can take care of yourself, but you’re also the woman I love and I am damn well going to do my best to keep you from harm.”

He’d gotten so carried away that he hadn’t realized what he’d said until she looked at him. Her eyes widened and her hand flew to her mouth.

“You, you love me?”

He stiffened. He’d been here before and had his heart trampled. He wasn’t sure he could go through it again. But, he thought about his friends upstairs and all of the risks they had taken to be together and he decided to take the risk.

“Yes.”

Annie threw her arms around his neck and reached up to kiss him. As their lips met, he decided that this was one risk worth taking.

****************************

They went to their rooms to get ready for bed then came back out to grab a quick snack before hitting the sack. They once again heard raised voices coming from the basement.

“Oh God, Wesley! Yes!”

“Oh, bloody hell! So good!”

They all looked at each other. “Yes!” They shouted simultaneously. “It’s about bloody time.” Spike said.

Dawn and Buffy had to agree.

True Nature

Epilogue

Six months after her arrival in Los Angeles, Annie Crawford followed her best friend, Buffy Summers, down the aisle of a small chapel in Los Angeles, to the altar where her fiance, Wesley Wyndham-Pryce, stood next to his best man, Spike.

After the happy couple returned from their honeymoon, Giles sat down with the two Slayers and their men.

“The Council has decided that since all of you are set on living here, and Los Angeles does not need two active Slayers, that you, Buffy, will be allowed to retire as an active Slayer, if you wish. You will still retain your Slayer strength and speed, as we would like you to continue in your role as trainer. You can work on earning your degree, or simply work for us full time. But, we would like for Annie to be the Los Angeles Slayer. We feel that you have earned the right to retire”

“Are you serious, Giles? I can retire, but still keep all my Slayer powers?”

“Yes, I’m quite serious.”

Buffy looked at Spike. “I should probably discuss it with Spike...”

“Nothing to discuss, luv. If you can keep your powers and not have to put yourself on the line every night, then I’m all for it.”

Buffy launched herself into Spike’s arms. This was what she’d wanted ever since she’d been called. It was the closest thing to normal that she would get. And if she retained her powers, she could keep up with Spike. And, if she was still training the new Slayers, then she was still helping. She was thrilled.

She looked over at Wesley and Annie, almost feeling guilty for being so happy when they had just been told...

Annie walked over and hugged Buffy. “Congratulations. I’m happy for you. You have really earned this. And don’t worry about me. I’ve had the most gifted trainers in history, remember? Plus, I’ve got Wes watching my back. I’ll be fine.”

Buffy smiled. She knew Annie was right. She was a damn good Slayer, one of the best Buffy had worked with, and she’d be fine. And, it wasn’t like Buffy was going anywhere, she’d still be around to go on patrol from time to time if they needed help, or if she needed to kill something, so it would be fine.

Wesley stepped from behind his wife and pulled Buffy into an embrace.

“Congratulations. You’ve accomplished another first. The first Slayer to retire.”

Buffy laughed. “Yeah, I guess I’ve got the record on Slayer firsts, don’t I?”

They all laughed. Spike pulled Buffy down onto the couch and into his lap. She snuggled into his embrace and sighed contentedly. “I can’t wait to tell Dawn.”

THE END