~*~*~

Chapter 11:



Spike stumbled as he ran, the earth shaking beneath his feet.

His eyes widened in horror as he had a good idea what it meant.

The hellmouth had been opened.

Swearing loudly, he gained his feet and neared the mansion. He could hear the sounds of swords crashing against each other as it drifted through the air.

When he burst into the main room of the mansion, his immediate reaction was to jump in and help.

"Get my mom," Buffy yelled as she caught sight of him from the corner of her eye.

Spike hesitated.

He wasn't going to let her do this by herself. But her mum...

*I'll be fine. I can handle him.*

Spike jerked into action moving for Joyce's prone figure.

Angelus let out a roar as Buffy's blade sliced into his forearm.

"You gonna leave her here all alone boy?" Angelus asked as he thrust his sword forward.

It took all of Spike's energy not to react and pounce on Angelus as he lifted Joyce up into his arms.

*Spike...please get some help for her!*

Spike nodded and hugged Joyce closer and headed out of the mansion.

Angelus's voice followed him.

"I'll kill her boy. Make her bleed and you will never forgive yourself. You-"

The ground shook again and Spike was gone.

"Gonna kill me huh?" Buffy asked blocking his next blow.

"Gonna bleed you dry," Angelus answered.

And on it went.

~*~*~

Giles moved slowly down the hall, Xander trailing behind him.

"So we're just going to take a peek right?" Xander asked nervously.

Giles ignored him.

"Cuz even though the ground has been shaking, it could be a regular earth quake," he rambled on.

"Do be quiet."

"So, we look and go hide again. Because really what can we do? Buffy- "

"Shut up," Giles hissed.

Xander clamped his mouth shut and bumped into Giles as he stopped abruptly.

"Wh-"

"Spells. A spell has been cast here. A protection spell. We can't get past...yet."

Giles dropped to his knees and began going through his bag.

"Here," he said tossing a bag of herbs at Xander, he then began lighting candles.

"Is this going to work? I'm--you're no witch-I mean uh...wizard. Do you..." Xander trailed off as Giles looked up the glint in his eyes causing him to stop talking all together.

Giles's eyes glinted dangerously as he realized what Xander had said.

"You're right," he muttered.

Xander looked uncertain.

"Bloody hell," Giles growled, quickly he rolled up his shirtsleeves. Revealed the tattoo that had been his curse and blessing the minute he'd gotten it.

As he was now they would all surely perish. As of now, as far as he was concerned he was the only hope left.

He began to recite the words that would seal his fate.

Xander cast a worried look at the invisible barrier as the ground shook again. He returned his gaze to Giles in time to see his tattoo light up and a surge of energy pass through Giles.

"What...? What happened?" Xander demanded.

Giles glanced up at Xander his eyes completely black.

Xander took a stumbling step back as Giles rose, little bolts of electricity crackling around him.

"Move," Giles ordered.

Xander hopped sideways as Giles lifted his hands and a ball of blue fire appeared between them.

"Gi-"Xander began.

Xander broke off as Giles threw the ball at the wall where it seemed to...be soaked up by the walls. Xander watched in awe and terror as they could clearly see it racing along the wall towards the library.

"What the hell was that? What's wrong with your eyes?" Xander asked hesitantly. He trusted Giles...but this new Giles was creepy to put it mildly.

"I've no time to explain, but trust me Xander, this is the only way." Giles muttered. "We must-"he broke off as a wave of blue light exploded lighting the hall with an eerie light.

Giles's head shot backwards as he realized what was happening.

"Come, the spell has been broken," he ordered as he ran down the hall.



~*~*~

Wolfe thrust Mornay from him and charged at Rufus as the ground shook and a crack began to form in the carpeted floor.

Rufus stood still as Wolfe bounced off the protective shell he'd erected.

"I'm glad to see you could join us," Rufus said.

"Whatever this ritual is you'll need my blood. How are you going to get it? Come on and-"

"Wolfe! Come with me," Mornay yelled grabbing at Wolfe's elbow trying to drag him away.

"Let go of me!"

The blue light when it exploded blinded all of them for a brief moment.

Wolfe stumbled. Mornay tugged him to his feet. When the light dimmed, Giles stepped into the room chanting.

"Too late Ripper," Rufus snarled as he stepped out of his protective circle and lifted his arms wide.

"I beseech thy Lord Miti of the seventh realm of hell. I beseech thy. I have come bearing gifts. Three fresh young victims to sacrifice at your feet! I beseech thy," Rufus screamed.

Everyone stared in horror as the ground opened up and-

"We're too late," Xander, whispered.

~*~*~

Buffy kicked Angelus in the stomach sending him into a nearby wall.

"You know...that was the hellmouth opening," Angelus stated regaining his feet.

Buffy ignored him as she sliced at his head.

"Which means your boy is gonna be dead soon! As much fun, as this is I'd like to be the one to do in your spawn. Catch me if you can," Angelus growled.

He whirled and raced out of the mansion.

Buffy clenched her fists, muttering to herself.

She had to save Wolfe. She'd have to deal with Angelus later. She forced her thoughts from drifting to her mother.

Grasping her sword, she raced off towards the school.

~*~*~

Spike raced along the empty streets, making his way towards the hospital. He had to hurry he had to-

He fell Joyce falling from his arms as he was swiped from behind.

He hit his head and blinked back the lights that exploded before his eyes.

"Wh--Joyce," he muttered crawling towards her.

His thoughts were muddled and his vision was blurry as he felt like he'd been skinned inside out.

His head tilted to the side as he heard whatever had done this come at him again. He rolled, hissing as claws ripped another piece out of him.

He lifted his eyes and they widened in shock at what he saw. It was ridiculous, unfathomable; it should have been funny except....it was very real and very deadly.

Spike scrambled to his feet, grabbed Joyce and began to run.

"Damn, damn," he chanted as he threw a look over his shoulder.

Shook his head again in disbelief.

The dragon-A dragon! Was still on his tail and Spike had to find a way to get rid of it and save Joyce.

He was afraid he wouldn't be able to do either.

~*~*~

Rufus stood in the middle of chaos.

Creatures like those that they had never seen came crawling, flying, slithering, and any way possible out of the mouth of hell.

Xander stared in shock as what he could have sworn was a dragon soared out of the hellmouth and went straight through a window into the night.

Grabbing two swords from his bag, he ran to Willow and Oz and began chopping at their binds.

When they were free he handed a sword to Oz.

"We've gotta keep these things from Giles. I think he's going to-"

"The girl," Willow cried out as Rufus lifted the unconscious girl screaming his chant and tossed her into the hellmouth.

"Willow....go help Giles. Oz and I will try and keep these things off you guys," Xander ordered.

Willow nodded and followed Xander as he made a path to Giles.

"Aw man," Xander moaned as he hacked his way towards Giles. "We're gonna die!"

~*~*~

Wolfe kept an eye on the four Scoobies as he fought. Demons who were exiled to the seventh realm were anxious to get out. Wolfe was determined to stop them.

Brute strength worked the best as he tore at limbs, anything he could get a hold of, to get them to stop.

What he had not counted on was Mornay.

She continually got in his way.

Finally, he'd had enough.

He jerked her to him growling into her face his eyes glowing bright green.

"You stupid little fool! Keep this up and I'll be wearin' your guts for garters," he spat as he flung her aside right into the path of an oncoming demon.

She cried out in pain as its teeth sunk into her shoulder.

"His blood has yet to have been spilled," Martha's scream had Rufus moving. Grabbing his book, he made his way through the chaos untouched.

Protected by an unseen force.

He would do the deed himself.

~*~*~

Buffy raced down the halls of Sunnydale High only to come upon Angelus.

Her eyes narrowed and she swept a leg underneath his feet and watched him tumble to the ground.

"About you killing my son...so not gonna happen," she said as she thrust her sword down.

Angelus rolled, missing the blade that would have struck his dead heart.

He kicked out sending Buffy's sword flying.

"Well...well...well, all alone. No weapon. No help. What's a Slayer to do?"

Buffy grinned.

"Well, let's see....what can I do?" she asked cocking her head as she flew forward a blur of fists and feet.

"This work for you?" Buffy asked.

Angelus let her lead him into a corner.

"That's it," he whispered as he caught her fist.

Crushed it under the weight of his own.

Buffy screamed as she felt the bones break.

"You've really no idea what you're dealing with do you?" he asked as he shoved her to the ground.

He straddled her.

"Who it is you're dealing with? I'm not Angel....I don't love you-"

Buffy bucked underneath him, raising her uninjured hand and slamming it into the side of his head.

Angelus's eyes rolled back in his head and he wavered.

Buffy gritted her teeth as she thrust him off her.

"I get it," she spat. "I understand perfectly who I'm dealing with here. A disgusting, evil, creature that I'm going to kill very soon."

She gathered her sword and let him circle her as she rolled to her feet swinging at his legs.

He jumped back with a laugh.

There was no more talking.

~*~*~

Giles' low voice mingled with the softer feminine voice of Willow's.

Willow had no idea what was going on with Giles. His eyes were black and obviously, something wasn't right.

She'd had no idea he'd even known how to do magic! Much less how to close a hellmouth. To say she was shocked would be an understatement.

This new Giles scared her to death. And with that, hope flared. They might make it out alive!

Oz wiped at his brow with a bloodied hand.

He was tiring and he could tell Xander was tiring as well. They couldn't handle much more.

His eyes scanned the room, settled on Wolfe, or rather whom he assumed was Wolfe. He was currently fighting off five demons of various sizes and- Mornay!

Oz's eyes widened as he remembered Buffy's words.

She wanted Wolfe brought home unharmed.

Gritting his teeth, he straightened and with a new resolve, fought even harder.

Xander swung his sword with wild abandon, hacking away.

Keeping one eye on the opened hellmouth.

He did not want to fall into it and burn to death, more importantly he didn't want the flames that were licking at the mouth to touch him.

So he fought with little skill but with ferocious intensity that slayed many a demon.

His arms were beginning to ache; lifting the sword had become a challenge. His breath came in ragged gasps and he was bloody and bruised.

He didn't know how much longer he could do this.

But he hoped he didn't stop before Giles managed to close the hellmouth.

~*~*~

Spike zigzagged his way down the street, his ears alert for any noise.

Any sign of the dragon.

He'd been dodging that damn thing since he'd left the mansion!

The more he ran the angrier he became.

Why was he running? Sure, it was a dragon that spewed flames from its mouth and it could kill him in the blink of an eye! So what? That didn't mean he had to run from it. Let it chase him away.

Growling he halted. Glanced around as he realized he was in the warehouse district down near the docks.

He headed impatiently towards a nearby building and kicking in the boarded up door he hurried inside.

His eyes dropped to Joyce and he could barely hear her faltering heart beat. He knew if they went back out the dragon would get them both.

It had taken a peculiar interest in him and he couldn't afford to go to the hospital with it trailing his every step. Have it kill others.

He dropped a second before a wave of flames exploded where his head had been a second earlier.

He swore, glanced at Joyce and tried to think hard about all the myths he'd heard in regards to dragons.

How to kill one.

He had no time for this; he thought furiously as he settled Joyce in a secluded area of the warehouse and crawled back towards the door.

Jumping to his feet, he let out a roar and raced from the building. If he couldn't save Joyce, he was sure he could send some one to her as soon as he took care of this dragon.

~*~*~

Wolfe let out a choked yell as he felt claws rip across his face.

He reached out, blindly jerking the demon's head straight off.

He used it to block another blow from a different demon.

He blinked his eyes rapidly to dispel the sweat that continued to drip into his eyes. He spotted Rufus coming straight at him.

"Wolfe come on," Mornay's voice drifted to him.

He barely heard her as he flung her off him.

He tossed his sword aside as he moved to meet Rufus halfway.

It was time to finish this.

This man had to be stopped and Wolfe was the only one who could do it.

Rufus met Wolfe with a grin on his lips and an axe ready to strike.

He swung as Wolfe breezed past.

Rufus growled as he missed and Wolfe stood before him.

"We can do this the easy way or the hard way," Rufus stated calmly.

"Either way I'm dead so really no to both."

"It doesn't really matter," Rufus murmured as he swung at Wolfe's head.

Wolfe flew back a good three feet before he landed.

He was on his feet in a flash, he threw himself at Rufus and they tumbled to the ground.

Wolfe gave it his all as he punched him repeatedly.

"You know...you can't touch me. This...is all wor-"

"Don't you ever shut up? I've heard enough," Wolfe growled as he gripped Rufus's head and began to twist.

He grunted in pain as he was hit from behind, rolling over he blinked in confusion. Martha Travers stood over him the hilt of a sword raised.

"Listen, this is between me and Rufus here. You need to-"

"Martha," Rufus yelled as Mornay flew out of nowhere knocking Martha down to the ground.

Rufus scrambled, and Wolfe scurried to stop him. Gripping Rufus by the ankle Wolfe dragged him back towards him.

"Not so fast," he growled.

~*~*~

#BUFFY!#

Spike dodged another wave of fire.

He knew absolutely he had no way of actually killing this bloody thing! But if he didn't he wouldn't be able to save Joyce like Buffy wanted.

Joyce was his first priority.

#How do I fight this? I've got no weapons,# he asked sending her a mental picture as the dragon swooped down low.

Spike scrambled back, stumbling back into the building.

~*~*~

Buffy stumbled as her vision was blurred by an image of Spike facing off with a dragon.

She could hear his voice in her head and she was distracted enough for Angelus to knock her to her knees, her sword flying from her grasp.

*I DON'T KNOW HOW TO KILL A DRAGON!*

#Blow it up maybe?#

Angelus bore down, swinging wildly.

Buffy rolled, grabbed her sword and jumped to her feet in time to block his next swing.

"You wouldn't by chance know how to kill a dragon would you?" Buffy asked conversationally as her left fist came up smashing his nose. She ignored the pain that shot through her broken fist.

Angelus gasped, backing away.

She followed him, their swords locked and she hit him again.

"I'll take that as a no," she muttered.

*I don't know...Spike please save my mom. Just...Please!*

~*~*~

Spike grabbed Joyce, glanced back and then ran as fast as he could.

He had to get Joyce away before-

He flew through the air as a rush of air lifted him off his feet.

He rolled covering Joyce as the warehouse exploded in flames an unearthly scream piercing the air.

Grinning, he laughed, scooped Joyce up and threw a look over his shoulder.

#Blowin' it up worked luv. I'm on my way to the infirmary with your mum.#

~*~*~

Giles lifted his head raised his arms.

"By the powers I beseech have this seventh realm of hell be closed by the blood of he who opened it. I beseech the powers have this seventh realm of hell be closed by the blood of he who opened it," Giles chanted.

Wolfe struggled with Rufus.

Mornay tossed Martha aside and raced to assist Wolfe.

Willow chanted along with Giles staring wide-eyed at the fights going on before her eyes.

Xander gritted his teeth fighting on. Swinging, chopping.

Oz flicked the sweat out of his eyes as he rolled around with a slimy demon who bucked and wormed around as Oz tried to get a good enough grip to kill it.

Spike felt it.

Could almost taste it.

God he was so close!

Just two more miles and he'd be there.

Joyce was still alive, hanging in there. He could hear her heart feel the blood flowing sluggishly.

"Aw, please, c'mon," he screamed as he pushed his body.

But you can't out run the sun.

She could feel his anguish. Sense his fear.

Feel the slowly rising sun.

*Save her Spike!*

Grappling Wolfe got a hold Rufus's robes.

Rufus sputtered as he felt his spell induced strength leaving him.

His hand fumbled to his neck.

"Here," he gasped out as he shoved Wolfe away with the last of his strength.

Wolfe clung to him still.

Spike's eyes landed on an abandoned building nearby and ran for it, feeling the first sting of the rising sun.

Kicking in the door he ran to the farthest corner shrouded in darkness and dropped to his knees. Cradling Joyce's head in his lap, he shook his head to clear it.

He closed his eyes and when he opened them, they glowed yellow.

He tilted her head back revealing her neck and lowered his head baring his fangs.

"Take this here," Rufus yelled scrambling backwards, thrusting his hand out.

Wolfe ignored Rufus and lunged.

Rufus dodged, slipped and reached out gripping Wolfe's shirt as he fell.

Buffy kicked Angelus in the head, followed it up with a fist to the gut.

Turning slightly she cut across his face with her blade slicing the lower half of his face.

She shoved him and watched in satisfaction as he fell to his knees.

She turned her back on him.

Spike's fangs ripped into Joyce's throat and he drank.

And hoped he was doing what Buffy wanted.

Wolfe yelled as he fell with Rufus into the hellmouth.

He flailed, his hand going out catching the edge of the hole, just barely.

He gripped it hard.

He felt the tug of Rufus as he clung to his legs, the heat as it ate away at him, the screams that came from beneath them.

Wolfe looked down and resisted the urge to kick Rufus off, send him to hell.

"Give me your hand," Wolfe ordered ignoring the pain.

Rufus swung a little, thrusting his hand up.

Wolfe caught it.

"You think...this is the end?" Angelus's voice came from behind her. "That my legacy won't last? I killed your mommy! I'm going to kill you and who's going to care? All that will be left will be me. And when it's all said and done I'll have gotten the boy too!"

Spike choked as he swallowed too quickly, gagged and hurriedly tore at his wrist.

He opened it up and placed it at Joyce's mouth.

"Drink," he whispered harshly.

Buffy turned and swung her sword in a sweeping arch.

Wolfe fumbled with Rufus's hand clenched it so tight he heard bones break.

Felt the crystal Rufus had been clutching shatter.

"Oopps," Wolfe moaned as Rufus let out a scream of horror and pain as his hand slipped from Wolfe's grasp.

Buffy watched in horror as Angelus's eyes began to glow and his head fell forward.

"B...Buffy?" he gasped out in confusion.

"A...Angel?" she choked out, tried to stop the blade.

Couldn't.

She screamed as his head fell forward, his dust floating gently to the ground.

She dropped to her knees.

"No," she screamed, her sword dropping to the ground with a clang.

"I'm sorry," she sobbed.

"I beseech the Powers-"

"Wolfe's in the hellmouth Giles," Willow interrupted Giles mid chant.

"Oz! You must help Wolfe," Giles yelled.

Buffy looked up as she heard running feet fly by.

She glimpsed a flash of black hair, heard the whispered words:

"Your boy's as good as dead."

Wolfe glanced down at the falling form of Rufus.

Looked up.

Into the furious, grief stricken blue of Martha Travers eyes.

"You," she hissed as she lifted her sword. "I'll kill you," she screamed as she brought the sword down.

Wolfe clenched his jaw shut and swallowed the scream that threatened to erupt as pain surged through him as the sword tore through his hand.

His grip loosened and he let go.

Spike let out a choked laugh of relief and giddiness as Joyce slowly began to drink.

"There...that's good," he murmured encouragingly. "That's good pet."

Wolfe opened his eyes as he felt a hand grip his and he was pulled out of the hellmouth.

"I beseech the powers have this seventh realm of hell be closed by the blood of he who opened it," Giles screamed.

The ground shook and with it, a flash of light flooded the room.

The hellmouth was sealed.

Giles slumped to the ground unconscious.

Willow hurried to him.

Oz and Xander looked around at the battlefield that had been their school library littered with dead or dying demons.

Then looked at each other.

Grinned.

"We did good," Xander, mused.

"Yeah," Oz agreed.

Wolfe lay sprawled out in the middle of the destroyed room. Lying on various body parts, soaked in blood.

He rolled his head to the side.

Gazed at his mom.

"Hey mom," he rasped out with a wide grin.

Buffy rolled her head far enough so she could look at her son.

Met his eyes.

Blinked away tears.

Smiled a heartbreakingly sad smile.

"Hey Wolfe."

~*~*~

Elias looked at Mornay as she sat slumped a defeated look about her.

He narrowed his eyes and let out a deep sigh.

"What am I going to do with you Mornay? You failed me," he muttered as he paced the room.

Mornay glanced up a petulant look on her face.

"Well...one out of three isn't bad. I mean Angelus is dead. And hey, Rufus is too! And let's not forget Delos Elias! I did almost what you asked for," she snapped.

Elias scowled.

"Not even almost! I asked you to get rid of William, Angelus, and the Slayer! I wanted you to bring the boy to me! The only thing you accomplished was letting the Slayer reconnect with William and he killed Delos! You my girl have done nothing right! Making deals with the Slayer, playing people against one another! If you're going to do that, at least do it right and don't get caught! What do you have to say for yourself?"

Mornay glanced up and met his furious gaze with her own deadly brown.

"I want to know why you didn't trust me enough to let me do this on my own."

"What are you talking about?" he asked impatiently. "I gave you our best and they ended up dead, which should have been incentive to get back here where you belong and let me handle the Slayer!"

"So you make a deal with Angelus behind my back and ruin all of my plans?! I almost had the Slayer Elias. I would have had Spike as well. You never gave me the chance."

They were silent as each pondered their own thoughts.

"I can get the boy," she suddenly said.

Elias glanced at her in surprise.

"What?" he asked.

"I can get Wolfe. He has a demon," she muttered grimly.

Elias looked shocked at her words.

"He has a demon?" he gasped out.

"Yes," she answered.

"Do you know what this means?" he demanded. "What he could be?"

"Absolutely Elias! That is why I was trying to get him out of there in time but he was by far too strong for me. He has a demon and it is attracted to me. I can use that."

Elias stopped his pacing to stare off into space a brief second before he grinned and glanced at Mornay.

"Well I'll be! This is wonderful! New plan of attack. We want the boy alive. We need him alive and we shall get him. Mornay I will trust you with this, fail me again and I will be forced to make an example out of you."

Mornay grinned as she sat forward.

"I won't. I know what I'm doing and what I'll have to do in order to win him over."

~*~*~

Martha Travers stared out the window of her limo as it raced down the highway leaving behind Sunnydale and Rufus.

Her eyes were cold and flat as she thought of her husband.

Dead by the hands of such a child!

Anger blazed through her and she knew she would make him pay! Make him feel her pain and enjoy every minute of it.

First, she had to get Rufus back.

She had a plan on just how to do that.

Picking up her cell, she dialed a number.

"I'd like to speak to Mayor Wilkins please....Martha Travers newly appointed Head of the Council," she murmured coolly.

~*~*~

 

~*~*~

Chapter 12:

The brief flashes of disjointed memories ran like a never-ending filmstrip behind Joyce Summers closed eyes.

One after the other until they all began to run together and she couldn't discern truth from illusions.

One thing remained clear though.

She loved her daughter Elizabeth Anne Summers. She was her reason for being and nothing would ever change that.

She would always love Buffy.

~*~*~

Giles had never been delusional with himself. Never consciously lied to himself either.

He prided himself on his ability to get past the bull and get to the point in regards to himself any way.

He knew what he was about.

He was a Watcher.

With a Slayer.

A Slayer he now saw as a surrogate daughter.

He had always esteemed to be a man who people could respect and hold in the highest regards.

Wanted people to look at him as he walked by and say oh, there is Rupert Giles, he's the Watcher of that Slayer---I hear she's the best in good part due to Rupert or some such nonsense.

He conveniently forgot about his wayward past as the notorious Ripper and had never planned to rehash that out. Never wanted his Slayer to know about it.

Now...

Once he would have said nothing would mean more than for his work with his Slayer and as a member of the Council to live on and leave an ever lasting legacy for future Watchers and their own Slayers' to use as an example.

Now he had no such thoughts. Now he had only one. Knew only one thing that really mattered. That in the end he would do anything for.

Anything.

For his Slayer.

Even condemn himself to the afore mentioned Ripper in order to protect her and those she loved.

~*~*~

Xander had never aspired to be more than he was.

The son of two drunks, with a father who was used to giving him pain instead of love. He knew what he was.

He was the weird Harris kid who had no fashion sense, as Cordelia was so fond of pointing out. He was borderline geekish and that had never bothered him too much because he had always had Willow to stand beside him through thick and thin.

She had been his anchor to this harsh and now deadly world for more years than he could remember.

He had once thought he would never amount to much. That he had very little to offer the world much less to himself. Guess he'd absorbed one too many degrading and humiliating comment from his parents.

Now though...

Now he was optimistic for himself.

Well....not too high.

However, high enough so that he could glimpse a better future.

Where before he had never paused long enough to think of a future.

Before he had never thought he'd be a part of such a grand thing.

Saving the world!

Him the Zeppo.

Just a regular boy with no skills at all.

But he had helped in saving the world and now he knew...

Knew he could and would be a man who could stand tall and proud and lift his head high when he walked down the halls.

It wouldn't matter what other's thought of him, what Cordelia thought....

He was officially a man.

And he owed it all to Buffy.

The Slayer.

One of his best friends.

His second anchor to the world he now hoped he would live in for a very long time.

~*~*~

You could see it, just barely. Lurking underneath the skin.

Confidence...

Sort of.

Kinda.

Okay not quite.

But getting there.

Willow Rosenberg had never been known for her social skills, her buoyant exuberance for life. She lived it and in her small world, which had mainly consisted of school, her huge crush on her bestfriend Xander, and being the smartest person she could be she had no time for loving life.

She had never wanted people to notice her and yet she had. She had wanted to be looked at and seen and maybe loved by...Xander.

Her confidence and self-esteem had been at an all time low, she knew now that what she had been before was a person she never wanted to be again.

Never wanted to be the wallflower, never voicing her opinions. To self-conscious, to get what she wanted.

Oz had of course helped in this process that he could look at her and see the Willow inside and what she aspired to one day be. A woman confident with herself and her actions.

But the main thing that made this whole process begin and start her on her slow path to being a better, happier, confident Willow had been Buffy.

Meeting her had changed her life and she would be forever grateful.

She was her bestfriend.

The Slayer.

Buffy.

~*~*~

Things had been hectic.

Moving all the dead bodies out of the library had been hell, going to the hospital to get every one looked at had been awful. They asked questions in which they had no answers.

But that was Sunnydale for you.

Now they were all back at the Summers house where Giles...new and weird Giles had insisted on having a recap session while waiting for Joyce to arrive.

So there they sat.

Tired and bruised but alive.

"...and it was huge Buffy! I'm talking Godzilla type huge," Xander was saying.

Oz glanced at him a slight frown appearing.

"What do you mean? You mean just the doll towering over those tiny paper buildings they use to make us believe he's huge? Or when the camera moves out to get a wide shot?" he asked curiously.

Xander stared at him incredulously.

"What? I uh...geez I just meant it was... you know huge. You had to be there Buffy," Xander said glancing at her only to find her gazing at Giles with an unreadable look on her face.

He swallowed and glanced around the room.

At Willow and Oz.

Wolfe had left shortly after stopping off at the hospital on Buffy's insistence letting his burns and various other wounds be looked over. He had skipped out on them saying he was going to look for Spike.

That had been an hour ago.

A sudden and uncomfortable silence fell as all eyes studiously avoided looking directly at Giles or Buffy.

All who had been there to see Giles's transformation into what he currently was were very unnerved and uncomfortable by it. They had no words.

Oz looked at the ceiling his fingers tangled with Willow's his thoughts a million miles away.

Willow studied her inter locked fingers and wondered on how lucky she was that Oz had made it out of there alive and he hadn't been killed. She could only imagine what Buffy was feeling.

"So...what's with the new look? Not that I don't like it, but really it's kinda creepy. What with the black eyes and electricity coming off you. Makes for an interesting picture," Buffy finally asked eyeing Giles.

Giles studiously avoided looking any of them in the eyes as he shifted in his chair and tightly gripped his hands together.

"I was twenty-one, studying history at Oxford. And, of course, the occult by night. I hated it. The tedious grind of study, the........ overwhelming pressure of my destiny. I dropped out, I went to London... I fell in with the worst crowd that would have me. We practiced magic's. Small stuff for pleasure or gain. And Ethan and I discovered something......... bigger," he began.

"Occult?" Buffy echoed.

"Oxford? You went to Oxford?" Willow asked at the same time.

He got up and began to pace nervously running an agitated hand through his hair as he went.

"I never wanted to be a Watcher you see. I aspired to what I always had thought was better. To be a fighter pilot or...uh a grocer," he mumbled.

"A grocer," Oz mouthed to himself.

"Of like food and stuff?" Xander asked.

Looking slightly sheepish, he speared a glance for Xander before he realized he was supposed to be repentant.

"Yes. Well as you see, I am neither. My father and grandmother were Watchers' and it was only expected that I become one too. I was a rebellious fool and fell in with the wrong crowd after I left Oxford."

Buffy looked slightly puzzled as she pondered what he'd just admitted.

She'd known, sure that Giles had a past but it was hard to tell what with all the tweed and stuffy British qualities that had become so familiar to them all.

Having that firmly established fixture broken was a shock.

To see him as more than a Watcher, as a person....was a shock.

"You said you got into something bigger?" she prodded, as it looked as if Giles had finished talking all together.

Giles nodded.

"By bigger I mean we-a group of us began to dabble in raising demons. We raised one demon by the name of Eyghon also known as the Sleepwalker. It inhabited dead or unconscious bodies as it had no set form and had to merge with a body in order to function properly. We used to knock one another out before we summoned it. It was quite a rush. We were young...foolish and stupid. However....in those days that was what I was, young and stupid. When it was all said and done one of our mates was taken over by the Eyghon and we tried to exorcise the demon but it ended up killin-we ended up killing him and I was soon on my way to being the stodgy Giles you all know and...love."

"So if you gave it up why are you...like this?" Willow asked gesturing to him and looking at him with sympathetic yet wary eyes.

"Oh," Xander exclaimed as he raised his hand excitedly. "He has a tattoo and it lit up when he said these weird words! And then he threw like...a ball of fire at the wall and it went into it and-"

"Yes," Giles interrupted. "I have the tattoo of Eyghon on me and it has a direct link to my more...colorful magical powers. Mainly black magic and I re-activated it tonight in order to save all of you and the rest of the world. I did what I had to."

Silence fell and Giles finally returned to his seat, crossing his arms over his chest and going inward.

He knew that their opinions should not mean so much that he didn't need their approval. That he was an adult and had in the end made the right choice.

However, it did matter.

He did not want them to ever look at him the way they had today. Scared and terrified at what he had become. He was determined not to let the Ripper side of him rule and do damage he was afraid he would never be able to repair.

He wanted their respect and desperately hoped this had changed nothing in that respect.

"So...you're like a wizard?" Xander asked breaking the silence.

"Warlock," Willow jumped in. "You're a warlock! This is so cool....could you teach me how to do more spells?"

"It's cool man," Oz stated. "So you were a warlock, your bad days are behind you right? No more raising demons and killing friends?"

Giles lifted his head and smiled slightly.

"Yes my bad days are gone. I am a responsible adult and there will be no more killings of my mates."

His eyes sought out his Slayer who was gazing at the ground a thoughtful look on her face.

"You mentioned this demon Ey....whatever. When you...when your friend died did, you get rid of the demon or what? I mean you deactivated your tattoo for a reason. It won't come looking for you will it?" she finally spoke up never lifting her face.

Giles felt the sting of disappointment that she had not even bothered to look at him that she seemed to have taken this badly.

"Yes. We vanquished Eyghon but...I bound most of my powers to this tattoo and when I reactivated it I essentially became the Ripper again."

"Ripper," Willow asked curiously.

"So..." Giles began but trailed off uncertainly staring at his Slayer's bowed head.

"So you were wild and wicked in your youth. Did a lot of mojo that got one of your friends killed and were called Ripper. That is just...wow. And you knowingly reactivated your tattoo in order to help all of us knowing all of that."

Everyone was staring at Buffy as she spoke, uncertain of where she was going with this.

"Yes," Giles muttered.

"Thank you," Buffy whispered as she lifted her head and met his eyes, smiled.

Giles blinked and dropped his eyes as they began to sting with tears, he clenched his jaw and cleared his throat enough to choke out," You're welcome."

"Whew! For a minute that I thought you'd go all Slayer on us," Xander exclaimed as he jumped to his feet.

"Nope not I," Buffy quipped. "Just coming to terms with the fact Giles wasn't born in tweed, never sat in class mad that there weren't more math classes. I'm good. Giles how are you? I know this must be a-"

A pounding on the door had everyone turning and staring at it in apprehension.

Abruptly Xander moved to open it.

Stepped aside as Wolfe raced through Joyce in his arms.

His eyes searched and met Giles's eyes and he jerked his head to follow him as he raced up the stairs.

Giles followed.

"What was that about?" Willow asked looking around.

Buffy ignored her as she bounded up the stairs after Giles.

"Should we go up?" Xander asked hesitantly.

"We should give them some time alone," Oz, answered.

They were silent a minute.

"Can you picture Giles as a grocer?" Willow suddenly asked dissolving into a fit of giggles.

The other two soon followed.

~*~*~

Wolfe settled Joyce on her bed and settled down next to her as she began to struggle and winced when her fangs scrapped his singed neck.

"What-Joyce love are you alright?" Giles demanded as he rushed into the bedroom eyes wide and worried.

"Giles I need you and Willow to do a spell. I need you to get the Orb of The-"

Joyce's wild scream echoed and caused Wolfe to break off as she began to buck and scream wildly.

Buffy stood frozen in the doorway.

Giles looked from Buffy to Joyce and back again. Finally settled on Joyce, his eyes narrowed dangerously.

"My God, who did this to her?!" he yelled.

Wolfe's eyes sought out his mother's ignoring Giles for now.

"Mom," he began.

Buffy blinked her eyes filling with tears that she would not shed.

Her body trembled and her heart beat painfully in her chest as she stared into the yellow eyes of her mother.

Saw her distorted demon visage.

Felt the last tiny piece of her heart break.

Shatter.

She opened her mouth to speak.

No words came.

She took a stumbling step backwards horror washing over her.

"M...M...Mommy," she gasped out as she lifted shaking hands to cover her mouth.

All she got was a crazed growl instead.

She turned and ran.

~*~*~

"...you like plastic or paper ma'am," Xander snickered.

"Can I help you load your bags? No we don't have any-" Willow was saying as they heard the screams and as one they grabbed weapons and hurried up the stairs only to halt as Buffy brushed past them ignoring their worried questions.

They piled into the doorway and stared in shock and horror at the scene that met their eyes.

"Giles...she needs to be sedated, some kind of sleeping spell-Now! Willow I need you to get the ingredients for a permanent soul. You and Oz will do that. Xander I need you to go to the Butcher's and get some blood," Wolfe ordered.

Giles quickly cast a sleeping spell over Joyce and she fell into a deep sleep.

Wolfe rolled out of bed and hurried out of the room confident his orders would be carried out.

He paused in the kitchen's doorway looking pensively at the back door that led to the back porch.

Gathering his fleeting courage, he straightened his shoulders and quickly opened the door ready to step out and offer his comfort.

Buffy lifted her hand, her back to him, her head bowed.

"Mom..."

She shook her head.

"Please," she whispered.

Wolfe hesitated, and then nodded abruptly.

"I'll be inside. We're giving her a permanent soul," he softly said as he turned and headed back into the house closing the door behind him.

Leaving her alone.

~*~*~

She had known of course that being the Slayer was a dangerous job and that at some point or another people close to her would get hurt.

A Slayer with ties to the world was it seemed an unheard of thing.

Now she knew why.

She was like a plague that was slowly spreading throughout her relationships and causing everyone pain.

Her mom...

Angel.

Wolfe.

Spike.

Her friends would be next she knew.

Breathing deeply she resisted the urge to cry.

She couldn't.

Not yet.

Her mother was a demon.

A vampire.

Something she was sworn to kill.

A vampire.

A vampire.

A vampire.

A vampire.

A vampire.

A vampire.

Her very own vampire mother.

Sired by her very own vampire lover.

A cigarette landed at her feet and never lifting her head, she ground it out her face shadowed by the curtain of her hair.

"Pet," his voice slid through the air, wrapping around her.

Smothering her, making her gasp and struggle for breath.

Gripped her, twisted and turned her stomach.

Slowly....

Put.

Back.

The.

Pieces.

Of.

Her.

Broken.

Heart.

She swung her head back.

Looked up and met his questioning blue gaze.

He stood half in the shadows.

Stepped out into the light the porch cast and clenched his jaw so hard his cheek bones became even more pronounced in his gaunt face.

She tore her eyes from his and dragged them down the length of him.

From his pale unruly hair that was dirty and singed with soot and blood.

Down his paler than usual, thin, anorexic face, covered in bruises and smeared in blood.

His torn and bloodied t-shirt that could not even be called that now. More like a few pieces of cloth.

His jeans were a little better. They just had tears in the knees, but they hung on his once lean and healthy-well healthy for a man who was dead frame.

Rested on his bloodied and swollen bare feet.

"Oh Spike," she moaned as the tears began to fall.

For her.

For him.

For her mom.

All of them.

The mess they were in.

"I know I don't look my usual Big Bad self but surely I don't look that bad luv," Spike muttered trying to get her to stop crying.

All it did was make her begin to sob.

He shuffled over to her, his face indecisive as he hesitantly towered over her before he took a seat not too close and not too far.

He raised a hand that paused over her shoulder.

He didn't know how she would react to his touch. Whether she was happy to see him or if she hated him.

Abruptly his hand dropped down to her shoulder and he patted her on the back aching to hold her close but resisting the urge.

He would let her set the pace.

Be it ripping his head off.

Or sobbing in his arms.

"ShelookedatmeandIcouldn't-Icouldn'tSpiekIcouldn'ttryand-"

"Pet," he muttered, loathing to interrupt her, but he couldn't understand her. And he needed to. "Pet I can't understand you...I need you to speak clearly."

Buffy lifted her face long enough to look at him before she scooted closer, until they were hip to hip. Thigh to thigh.

Spike wrapped his arm around her holding her close.

"This is about your mum then." He stated firmly.

"Yes," she muttered sniffling and rubbing at her eyes as tears continued to fall. "No. It's about everything Spike! She's just...she is the worst thing to have come out of all of this."

"I'm sorry," he whispered.

"I mean Wolfe came in and took her up to her room. I was preoccupied with what Giles had just told us and then he came in and-so I followed him up and the minute she laid eyes on me she screamed. I realized then you know? That she was a demon-a vampire. Yellow eyes, fangs and the whole grrrr face. Took one look at me and screamed her head off. Then I just ran out, couldn't face her."

Spike remained silent.

"But that's not all. Today was horrible...and I thought killing Angel would be the worst," she muttered.

"You...killed Angelus then?" he asked hesitantly.

She shook her head.

"Angel," she whispered.

Spike's eyes narrowed to slits and he glanced at her lowered face. Lifted her chin with his forefinger and looked into her slowly turning red and puffy eyes.

"ANGEL?" he queried.

"Angel....soul and all," she said with a humorless laugh.

Sighing heavily he shook his head.

"M'sorry pet. I know what you're feeling," he said softly.

"No you don't," she snapped moving away.

Spike reacted as if he had been punched, jumping to his feet, hissing in pain and growling.

"What do you mean I don't know what you're feeling?!" he yelled. "I LOVED DRU FOR OVER A CENTUARY! Don't you dare denounce that!"

"It's not the same...you didn't kill her! I KILLED ANGEL! I mean I taint everything I touch! Look at my mom! Turned into a vampire because I couldn't save her! I brought Angel into our lives and now-NOW I'm going to go in and tell everyone I love to stay away! Get away from ME before you end up dead or worse!"

Spike grabbed her arm as she rose and turned to go back into the house. Jerked her towards him and growled down in her face.

"Stop talking such foolish rot! It's a privilege to be your friend Buffy! They ought to be glad they know such a wonderful chit like you. And as for Angel well pet, he was the devil himself. He would have killed you and anyone else if he thought it would hurt you. He was a right bastard. You only gave him what he deserved. DON'T YOU DARE FEEL SORRY FOR HIM! As for me killing Dru I might as bloody well have! I took her there and I was going to let them kill her! I took her there for her to die! It may have not been by my hand but it's the same. She died because if me."

Buffy closed her eyes and sighed, already regretting her harsh words. She shouldn't have said that. She knew Spike loved Drusilla and of course he would be broken up about it.

But he couldn't understand everything else. She knew deep down that it was only a matter of time before all her friends ended up dead or turned into vampires because of her. She would never let what happened to her mom happen to them. And if she had to force them out of her life to keep them safe so be it.

"Spike I'm sorry. I know you loved her," she said looking up.

Spike stood stiffly arms crossed and a guarded expression in his face.

"Just because I'm a vamp doesn't mean I don't have feelings Buffy. I loved her I did. But I love you more. It hurts though...her being gone; it hasn't fully sunk in yet guess same could be said for you yes?"

Buffy rose and walked towards him.

"I am sorry. We're in the same boat...so to speak. We both feel responsible and we are. To some extent.....in your case. So..."

Spike lowered his eyes and debated with himself.

"Your mum..."

"Yeah so how'd that go," she muttered.

"The usual, little blood and a little blood and tada newly made vampire on m'hands!"

"Little blood....that always seems to do the trick. I really...I never expected this."

"What did you expect?"

"Not this."

"You asked me to save her and I did! What did you expect me to do? I tried Buffy, tried my bloody hardest to get her to the infirmary....keep her alive. So you could have your mum."

Buffy turned from him holding herself tightly, sliding her gaze up to the night sky, and bit her bottom lip.

"I asked you to save her..." She whispered tortured.

"And I have. She's not dead."

"She's a vampire. She's undead. Not alive."

"She's here."

Spike licked his lips and slowly clenched his fists together.

He had been expecting this, her anger, hatred even.

"This is it then? Thanks but no thanks. Is it over now...can I go back to being just a regular vamp now? You hate me?" he asked bitingly. "Oh wait...can't be that! Not any more see I'm tainted, got this bloody...thing that connects me with you. Then there's my son. With you. And the little fact I'm in love with you. There's no escaping you is there? All around me- inside of me. I'm drowning in you. You're in my gut-my throat, wiggling around. I am in love with you. Do you hear me?! Do you understand? In love with you and have done everything for you. You can't just-"

"When did I say that? When did I open my mouth and say I hated you and didn't love you and wanted nothing more to do with you?! I never once said that. Don't put words in my mouth. I love you. I am in love with you, do you understand that? Do you hear me? I know I asked you to save my mom. I know...what I asked put you under a lot of pressure, I know that," Buffy demanded yelling right back at him.

She paused as she glanced at him and then away before she began again.

"The thing is I just did not expect that. I thought for sure she would be okay, that's all I could let myself think. But really, I knew...just didn't want to believe it. I mean what else were you going to do when the sun came up and you were nowhere near the hospital? Let her die? You love me and you did what you thought was right and....now we'll have to deal with it."

She turned then. Faced him and met his wide unblinking eyes.

Smiled.

"So what I'm saying is...thank you. I asked and you did only what I asked. Saved her and that's all that matters. Right?"

Spike looked slightly stunned as he gazed at her before he nodded quickly.

"Right. So you're not mad?" he asked hesitantly.

"Wigged? Freaked? Scared? Upset? All of the above except mad. Too exhausted to be mad Spike. Are we finished? Can I take care of you? Thank you properly?"

Spike leered at her a suggestive look forming in his eyes as he caught his tongue between his teeth.

Buffy blushed looking away quickly. Only he could manage to look sexy covered in bruises and blood. Clothes half way to gone. All of the above just added to his appeal and she was ashamed to admit she rather liked it.

"I didn't mean that," she muttered.

"What did you mean? How do you plan on....thanking me properly?" he purred sauntering forward.

Or he would have sauntered but really, he could barely walk. So it was a slow shuffle laced with moans of pain and grimaces.

"You're a mess," she stated as she hurried to him and hooked an arm around his waist as she helped him hobble to the steps and up them.

"Never fear luv, I'm up for anything you've got to give..."

~*~*~

"S...stop, please...no more," Spike moaned twenty minutes later in delight.

Buffy paused mid pose.

"What? Don't you like my impersonation of Ripper Giles?" she asked smiling softly.

"As funny as this is... You shouldn't take this lightly I have heard of Ripper, he's not to be trifled with. Powerful bloke in his days."

Buffy gently settled herself next to Spike who lay sprawled on her bed.

"I know. He's like...static man. Electricity just hovers around him and his eyes are all black. I can't associate my Giles with this new Giles."

"Gonna hafta start. He's not the same man any more."

She trailed a light hand down the side of his face and rose abruptly as she heard the front door open and slam shut.

"Xander's here with the blood," she announced.

"Animal blood," he muttered distastefully. "Care to add a little Slayer blood luv? Make it a mixed drink heavy on the Slayer side won't you?"

She threw him a look over her shoulder as she left the room.

"Maybe..."

~*~*~

Buffy met Xander half way up the stairs.

"Hey Xan any problems?" she asked.

Xander shrugged and held out the brown bag full of blood bags.

"Nope, long line though that's why it took me so long. So...how's your mom?"

Buffy frowned as she walked back up the stairs Xander trailing behind.

"Haven't checked on her. Giles and Willow are doing the spell and I...couldn't go back in there. See her like that."

"It's harsh. Your mom being a vampire now but hey...look on the bright side! She'll last forever. Like diamonds. Only not dead-uh undead. You know she would have died of a brain aneurysm anyway. Now that's kinda moot. And she's super strong an-"

Buffy cut him off mid ramble.

"I know. It's just she freaked when she saw me. I don't want that happening again is all. So...could you go check on them and I'll be in my room."

Grabbing a few of the blood bags, she jogged back down the stairs to get a glass and a knife.

Xander slowly opened Joyce's door after knocking softly.

Gave a huge sigh of relief as he found the others huddled around the still sleeping figure of Joyce.

"So she's out huh? Got the blood," he held up his bag.

Giles turned and looked at Xander.

"She will be out for a good while. Let us put that in the fridge and commence downstairs," Giles ordered.

Wolfe was the last to leave the room his gaze lingering on his grandmother.

They wandered into the kitchen and Wolfe leaned against one of the counters gazing off into space. Wanting to go check on Buffy, see how Spike was doing.

"So she's got a soul now?" Xander asked after putting away the blood.

"Yes," Giles muttered grimly looking serious and dangerous all at the same time.

"W...who did this to her? Was it Angelus?" Willow asked the question they were all wondering about.

"She would have died," Wolfe said abruptly. "Angelus drained her to the brink of death."

"So you are saying he didn't sire her? Did not turn her into a vampire?" Giles asked carefully.

Wolfe straightened and met Giles's gaze head on.

"That's what I'm saying."

"Who did then?"

"Mom asked dad to save her and he did," Wolfe said simply as he turned and headed back upstairs.

The Scooby gang hurried after him anxious for more details.

Wolfe ignored them as he knocked on Buffy's door and pushed it open as he was invited in.

"You did this," Giles exploded upon seeing Spike sitting up with the help of Buffy and sipping a glass of blood.

Before any of them had time to react to his outburst, a spurt of blue energy flew from his fingers and Spike was thrown from the bed into the wall.

Suspended there as Giles or rather Ripper stalked over to him.

"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't kill you," he hissed.

"Told you pet...a man not to be trifled with," Spike mumbled with a half grin.

"Giles! Put him down right now," Buffy, ordered striding up to Giles and shoving him none to gently to get his attention.

Slowly he lowered his hands and Spike would have fallen had Wolfe not rushed to catch him and place him gently back on the bed.

"What the hell is your problem? She is my mother and if I don't have a problem with her being a vamp you shouldn't have one either," Buffy snapped glaring at Giles.

"Give him a break pet. E's got it bad for your mum. Was only doing what any man in love would do if his woman were 'urt," Spike said.

The look on Buffy's face was classic.

She sputtered.

Blinked.

Sputtered some more and finally managed, "You like my mom?"

She could not even think about the love part yet.

Giles flushed and looked away from Buffy's horrified gaze.

"Well...you see...I uh....well yes indeed I do like your Mother," he choked out extremely embarrassed.

"Aw... They'll make a cute couple won't they? She's all grrrrrrrr and he's all zzzzzzzzzz. They so fit," Willow said hugging Oz.

"Wills think about that," Xander suggested.

Buffy shook her head and sat...missing the bed and falling on her behind instead.

"Like like? Or is this like I like you as a friend like? But not like that kinda like?" Buffy asked.

Giles frowned trying to decipher that odd sentence full of the word like.

"Yes. I really like her in the romantic sense. Is that clear enough?" he asked as soon as he unscrambled her sentence.

Buffy nodded.

"Crystal. Now get out," she ordered.

The others scrambled to do as they were told.

"Cept the boy," Spike put out.

"You and I will have words on a number of things Spike," Giles warned as headed out.

"Wouldn't have it any other way Rupes," Spike called after him.

~*~*~

"So...how weird was that?" Wolfe asked nervously as he glanced around the room taking in everything.

His parents studied him with the same degree of love and concern.

Spike glanced at Buffy a minute before he spoke.

"Yeh, weird isn't quite the word. How are you?" he asked carefully as Wolfe continued to pace and never let his eyes rest on them too long.

"Great. You? Mom? Are you guys okay? Because I was worried for a while when I couldn't find you dad. But then I did and you looked like hell...still do. So I was worried and then mom...when you found out about Joyce you freaked and I-"

*Something's wrong with him,* Buffy mused silently.

#Yep,# Spike agreed.

*This must have been hard on him. Hiding from everyone and trying to stay alive. Add on the fact he's pretty beat up and...there's something not quite right with him Spike. I can't put my finger on it.*

Spike lay back down and contemplated the ceiling.

"Wolfe you want to tell us about you? How are you? Where have you been? What happened to you?" he asked.

Wolfe crossed his arms and frowned.

"Not really," he mumbled.

*How do we do this Spike? I don't know how to be a parent, look what happened to my mom and I'm just her daughter! Turned into a vampire. God knows what will happen to Wolfe!*

#Calm down luv,# Spike ordered.

"If you're going to talk like that I'll just leave you-"

"No...come sit down with us," Buffy found herself saying.

#That's it luv. Do what your mum would.#

*But he's a man. He doesn't need me coddling him!*

#We will learn together. Now scoot over and let him sit down and then let me ask the next question.#

*Like that's been going so well Spike! Let me.*

#No.#

*Yes.*

#No.#

*Yes.*

#No.#

*No.*

#Yes.#

*Why thank you Spike I think I will.*

"Wolfe..." Buffy began.

#No fair luv! I'm impaired here, being all wounded and the like. You cheated.#

*No. I won.*

"Wolfe," she repeated as he settled himself down next to them and glanced from one to the other.

"Hmmmm?"

"You don't feel responsible for this do you? Because really it's not your fault... And we came out of it alive. We're all alive," she said with a smile.

"So? I don't see how that doesn't make this my fault. I mean Grace my girlfriend was the one who pulled you from the past into the future and everything that happened there had a direct affect on the past! The things you did are my fault. Things now are my fault! Rufus wouldn't have opened the hellmouth if it weren't for me!"

Wolfe got up and began to pace around angrily.

"Rufus opened the hellmouth. He was doing it before you got there right? So it would have been opened anyway. Sure Grace is the reason we were sent to the future but we made decisions Wolfe. Our own choices that affected our world now. No one made those decisions for us. You need to realize you can't control other people's actions," Buffy tried to placate him.

"Can't I?! I made sure you would think about me. About having me. I wanted things to change. Be given the chance to know you and it has changed the whole damn world! I think I have the right to be pretty pissed about that," Wolfe growled.

"Wolfe," Spike tried to put in his piece. "You should be angry that you were put in such a dangerous position and were almost killed because of it. What you shouldn't blame yourself for is things outside of your control mainly being what people will do to gain power. As our son, it seems you're quite the wanted man. But that's just a fact, can't change that now."

Wolfe paused and stared at them his face taut and his eyes shinning an unnatural bright green.

"You're right we can't change that. Not now. Not ever," he yelled.

#His eyes...#

*Oh no....not this!*

"What do you mean...not now not ever? Don't you want to go home?" Spike asked.

"What did you do?" Buffy whispered a horrified edge to her voice as she slowly got up and walked towards Wolfe.

"What I had to do," Wolfe, muttered.

She reached up and cupped his face; he struggled for a moment before he let her.

"Amazing. They glow just like any other vampire. Except they don't change colors. They stay the same color only unnaturally so. Why would you do this?' she demanded.

"You've got a demon now?" Spike demanded rising and slowly making his way to them. "What the hell for?!" Looking into his sons eyes, he knew he spoke the truth. "You didn't before!"

"Do you hate me?" he whispered all his anger and resentment falling away leaving only the boy behind.

Anxious for his parents love and approval.

Buffy blinked as she let go of his face and glanced at Spike as he joined them.

"Hate you?" she whispered.

Shook her head.

"Of course we don't hate you Wolfe," Spike muttered.

"We love you," Buffy stated.

"But I'm a demon..." Wolfe protested.

"If you weren't you wouldn't be a part of this family," Buffy said with a laugh.

"Your mum's right. What we've got like three generations of demons in this family now! Grandmum, mum and now you...wouldn't make sense if you was normal."

Wolfe smiled, blinking back tears.

"Mom doesn't have a demon," he muttered half laughing.

"Well...technically I do. I've got one in my head and if he isn't a demon I don't know what he is!"

"Hey now! M'all demon! Here ends this round of beat the Spike pet!" Spike grumbled good-naturedly.

"Right," Wolfe snarked. "You've got yourself a Slayer, a kid, and a new childe. You're right. You are still a demon of... sorts."

Spike nodded firmly as he wrapped his arms around Wolfe and pulled him in for a big hug.

Buffy flung herself at both of them, completing the family hug.

"And I'll have you know the only reason I'm keepin' the Slayer around is... It's always nice to have Slayer blood on tap."

Buffy huffed.

"Here ends this round of beat Buffy the Vampire Slayer," she muttered.

"Don't you mean la-"

"Don't you even say it," Buffy threatened.

"Wha? I was only gonna say don't you mean Buffy the Vampire...uh supermum," Spike protested.

"That so does not start with an L which was what you were saying! And you should be glad that I can even stand you! What with you being snarkish, obnoxious, not funny, witty, or even remotely attractive-"Buffy rambled on.

"Take that back!" Spike gasped out. "I am too attractive! Best bloody damn lookin' vamp you have ever met luv. Ever likely to meet. And besides that wasn't what you were saying when we did th-"

Buffy let out a gasp as she realized what he was going to say.

"Wolfe is in the room Spike! He doesn't want to hear about that!"

Spike looked questioningly at Wolfe.

"She's right. I so don't want to hear about...that," Wolfe mumbled beyond embarrassed.

"You make it out as if I was talking about us having sex or somethin'! I was only going to say your mum wasn't thinking how bad lookin' she likes to pretend I am when we first met. In the alley behind the Bronze."

Buffy slapped him on the chest and mock scowled.

"You're like deficient," she complained.

"And you are like so cute," Spike grumbled.

"And I'm like going to be sick. You guys are crazy," Wolfe complained laughing. "God I love you."

Spike and Buffy grinned at each other and then looked as one at Wolfe.

"So does that mean you're feeling better?" Buffy asked happily.

~*~*~

"So essentially we've got nothing," Giles said as they all assembled in the living room where they were discussing recent events.

"Well not necessarily," Buffy said as Giles looked as if he were about to give up.

"Yes?" he asked.

"We know that whatever ritual Rufus was doing was in that book and it went to hell with him. So for now Wolfe's relatively safe."

Giles glanced at Wolfe and smiled slightly.

"That's all good and well but we still have no idea why the Order of Aurelius aided Rufus in his plans. We have no idea how Angelus came to be or what we'll be facing in the future."

"I think I have a pretty good idea what Rufus was doing teamed up with the Order," Wolfe announced.

All eyes turned to him and he straightened slightly at all the attention.

"Well...when I was-see I wasn't hiding," he breathed in a rush looking at Buffy then Spike as he said this. "I was in a self imposed...prison."

"Prison?" Willow asked.

"Imposed?" Giles questioned at the same time.

"Well...as you all know I'm half demon half Slayer. So naturally, I have a demon, like any other vampire. The thing is it doesn't control me. I can function without it and live a normal life. I...let the demon out once and it wasn't pretty. I did things...I'm not proud of. I vowed never to let it out and made Willow cast a spell over me. If I ever started to think about letting the demon out I would be taken away from all I loved so I would not hurt any of them and placed in a sort of containment structure."

"Wow," Xander mumbled as he eyed Wolfe warily.

"What does this have to do with you knowing anything about Rufus's plans with the Order?" Spike asked abruptly.

"I can only guess it was the Powers that placed a sort of screen into the going on's down below in the past. With you all. Granted I don't know everything but I do know some things that may come in handy. Rufus didn't just plan to rule the world, open the hell mouth. What he wanted was bigger. Something about the Master's line being what he needed to complete the circle. But when Mornay killed Dru, the circle was broken and Elias decided that keeping the rest of the line alive would be something only to give an edge to Rufus. "I'm not even sure Elias knew what Rufus wanted with the Master's line other than the fact he had been promised the Order would be safe when Rufus ruled the world. Anyway, that's one thing. The other is Rufus caused Angel to lose his soul. He had a Soul Catcher grab it at his weakest moment. And...he kept it in a crystal. When I was trying to save him I broke it."

All eyes turned to Buffy.

"Angel had his soul when you killed him?" Giles voiced the question no one wanted to ask.

Buffy lowered her head, closed her eyes in shame.

The feel of Spike's cool hand enclosing her own had her gathering her resolve.

She lifted her head and gazed at all of them in turn, daring them to protest what she'd done. To make her feel worse than she already did.

"Yes. I did. He got his soul right when I chopped his head off," she said bluntly.

No one said anything for a moment all coming to terms with this new and disturbing fact.

"No matter," Giles finally spoke breaking the silence. "You did what had to be done and I'm sorry you had to do that on your own Buffy. Angelus was a monster. An evil being that wouldn't have stopped until he was dead and you did what any of us would have. Isn't that right?" Giles snapped out.

He would have no one judge her for this!

"Right," Xander agreed sending Buffy a wide reassuring smile.

"I second that Buffy. It had to be done," Willow chimed in.

Oz just sent her a silent agreement.

"I've a suggestion," Spike announced.

"What ?" Buffy asked curiously.

"I suggest we all get some sleep. My guess is even though the library is totaled you all have school tomorrow."

"Snyder would be perverted enough to do that," Xander groaned.

"Yes...well. We shall heed your advice Spike. Now-"

"You guys are staying here," Buffy ordered as everyone made as if to leave.

"We are?" Willow asked hesitantly. "I thought you might want to be alone. Have some family time."

"You guys are my family," Buffy simply said. She was going to have a talk with all of them. The sooner the better. They could not be around her much longer.

"Besides Rupert here will just worry bout Joyce and it's better if you all stay here tonight. Can't have any of you dying by the Ripper's hands now can we? Run you right off the road with his wanderin' thoughts," Spike felt it necessary to point out. The barb directed solely at Rupert who stood frozen on the stairs.

"Let us have that talk now Spike," Giles gritted out.

"Thought you'd never ask," Spike said with a smile.

Buffy caught Spike's arm as he turned to follow Giles out the back door.

"Keep it clean Spike. Don't goad him. I love you both and don't want either of you hurt."

Spike placed a quick kiss on her lips.

"Never fear luv. It's just a little male posturing. He's gotta see if I'm worthy enough to be trusted with the precious lives of you Summers women. And there's the little fact I turned the woman he loves into a-"

"Don't say that," Buffy moaned.

"What?" Spike asked though he knew what she was talking about.

"Love. There's no love there Spike! Like. We're on like right now. Like is all I can handle. He likes her. L-I-K-E."

Smothering a laugh, he shook his head and turned away.

"What ever you say pet. I still say he loves her."

"Can't hear you," she sing-songed.

His laughter followed him out.

~*~*~

Epilogue:

"On the seventh day of the seventh month, in the seventh moon of the seventh year there shall arise a being more powerful than the devil himself from the depths of the seventh realm of hell. Only the seven warriors born of blood, love, and courage shall be able to stop it. On the seventh day of the seventh month, in the seventh moon, seven warriors will stand tall and face the seventh realm's greatest demon. Man will perish but only these seven warriors who bear the mark of Aurelius shall stand a chance..."

Martha Travers glanced one last time at the passage circled in her husband's private journal before she ripped the page out and tossed it into the fire that flared brightly in their bedroom.

"Doesn't matter," she muttered. "They shall never know and in the end we will have all we could ever have hoped love. I will get you back. You and I will dance in the ashes of all those who brought about your destruction. In time. For now we wait."

~*~*~