Chapter 8

Buffy and Xander came out from the back room at the sound of a loud thump. They soon discovered that thump was the result of Giles hitting the floor, completely passed out. Next to him, the teens found Buffy’s next door neighbour.

"Jessica, hi" the girl greeted her as Xander tried to bring the librarian back to land of the living.

"Hello Buffy, how are you?" the woman smiled nervously, as Giles finally opened his eyes and Xander spoke to him as he helped him into a nearby chair.

"I’m fine" Buffy nodded "Are you looking for Spike?"

"No, I’m here to see Rupert" Jessica told her as both women got their feet again.

"Spike?" Giles echoed, holding his head, Xander stood by him looking equal parts confused and forgotten.

"Yeah, Spike who you met yesterday, he’s Jessica’s son" Buffy turned to her Watcher and explained.

"Oh, I see" he nodded slightly, his head beginning to clear and his eyes locked on the older woman before him "Buffy, Xander I need to speak to with Jessica alone, do you think you could come back later" he asked them.

"Sure" Buffy answered with a dubious glance at the two adults. She started to walk out of the library, grabbing Xander’s arm along the way, forcing him to go with her.

"What’s going on?" he asked as they exited the library and Buffy shut the door behind them.

"What do you mean?" she asked him.

"Well, Spike knows about Slayers and his Mom knows Giles who is the Watcher" Xander pointed out "What is it with your new neighbours?"

Buffy shook her head, as they walked along the near empty corridor. She looked thoughtful and then she gasped.

"Oh God"

"What?" the brunette beside her looked a little scared.

"Spike’s Dad was British" Buffy began to explain "and he thought the book he found about Slayers and vamps and everything belonged to his father. He never met the guy because the man never knew Jessica was pregnant, he left the country"

"So?" Xander was confused, as usual, and it infuriated his friend.

"Don’t you see?!" she said, too loudly "Jessica knows Giles and came here to see him! Giles is Spike’s father!"

"What did you say?" said a voice behind Buffy and she swung round to see the person she’d dreaded it was.

"Spike!" she exclaimed, desperate to change the subject she continued "Oh, I wanted to talk to you about earlier, look I’m sorry I was so off about that kiss..." which was true even if it was a cover. She did feel bad about how she’d behaved this morning.

"You two kissed?!" the brunette exclaimed.

"Shut up Xander!" Buffy and Spike told him together.

"I asked you what you just said" the bleach blond demanded from the girl, she glanced away and then looked back with fake wide-eyed innocence.

"About what?"

"Buffy don’t play games with me!" his tone was cold and deadly "Did you just say that Giles was my father?"

"I don’t know if it’s true, I’m just guessing, but...yeah, that is what I said" she conceded.

For a moment there was silence in the halls of Sunnydale High. Buffy wasn’t sure whether speaking would be a good idea right now and Xander was far too shocked by the revelations that, one - Giles had a son and that was Spike, and two - Buffy and Spike had kissed!

As for Spike himself, he was now leaning back against the wall and from his expression Buffy guessed he was somewhere between confusion, anger and shock. He was either going to cry or explode and the girl was actually afraid to go near him to find out. She’d faced demons and vamps, but real human people with their human emotional problems, well, they could be just as volatile and dangerous.

After about two minutes, although it seemed longer, Buffy took a chance and stepped toward Spike, his eyes fixed on the ground.

"Spike, are you okay?" she asked, nervously, placing a hand on his leather jacket covered shoulder.

He flinched and shrugged her away, turning to lean his side against the wall and facing his back to her. Inside of his head, thoughts were spinning. He’d met his father and he hadn’t known it. His mother had moved them to Sunnydale - did she know her father was here? Why had he left her all those years ago? Would he want to be part of their lives now? Did they want him in their lives? The shock and other emotions brought tears to his eyes that he was determined not to release in front of Buffy and especially not in front of that idiot Xander.

The bell sounded and students began to come into the halls.

"Buffy, we’ve got to get to class" Xander told her.

"You go" she said turning to her brunette friend, "I’ll be there soon"

Xander knew not to argue and with a nod of his head he left. As Buffy turned back she realised Spike was gone.

"Jessica, it’s such a shock to see you after all this time" Giles shook his head as he sat down and gestured for his old girlfriend to do the same.

"I just moved to Sunnydale with my son, William" she told him, carefully working up to the point where she would ‘drop the bomb’ and tell him William was also his son.

"Oh yes, I’ve met him" the librarian nodded now "So you’re married?" he guessed.

"No, I’m not" the woman told him "Are you?" she was worried now, if this man had a wife and family of his own now he would not necessarily want to know his son or her.

"Good lord, no" Giles laughed at the idea, and Jessica let out a breath she didn’t know she’d been holding. The room plunged into silence as they both glanced around the room to avoid looking at each other. Suddenly, Giles spoke.

"Jessica I want to tell you I’m sorry for leaving so suddenly al those years ago. It had to do with my being the Watcher, you remember me telling you about that?"

"Of course, in fact I know more than simply what you told me" she admitted and he looked at her with a puzzled expression, so she explained "when you left, you left a few things behind and this book was one of them" she said, producing a red leather bound volume from her shoulder bag.

"Oh my goodness" Giles took the book from her hands and flicked through the pages "You kept it all this time?"

"For a long time I thought...I hoped" she amended "maybe you would come back"

Her voice was suddenly very small and she saw guilt play over Giles’s face as she glanced up at him.

"I wanted to, heaven knows Jessica, I did want to, but my duties as a Watcher, I had to think of them first" he tried to explain, "I was sent here to train the young Slayer and after that I became too scared to think what you would say if I ever tried to find you" he admitted, standing up from his seat and pacing a little as he cleaned his glasses "but there have never been any other women in my life" he told her "except for Buffy and she is really much more of a daughter to me..."

"Buffy?" Jessica interrupted "Why would she...?" she started before realising Giles’s attachment to her new next door neighbour, "The Slayer?"

"Yes, indeed, Buffy Summers is the Slayer" he told her, knowing he could trust her with such secret information, even after all these years.

"Do these strange coincidences often occur in Sunnydale?" the woman asked with a smile.

"A great many strange coincidences occur in Sunnydale I assure you" he smiled back at her and wondered why she looked so nervous and then looked away from him completely.

"I have one more thing to say that you might find strange" she began "or at least surprising..."

Jessica was interrupted by the library doors swinging open and a rather angry looking boy striding in, straight toward them.

"William?" Jessica stood up and saw her son enter the room. Without a word Spike headed straight for an unsuspecting Giles, punching him in the face and almost knocking him over completely.

"William Hart what on earth do you think you’re doing?!" Jessica yelled, but the boy took no notice.

"That’s for leaving my Mum when she needed you" he shouted, before administering a second blow "and that’s for not being there when *I* needed you"

Before anyone could say or do anything, Spike turned on his heel and left the room just as swiftly as he had entered it, leaving his mother to tend to the injured librarian.

Buffy had gone full circle around the school grounds hunting for Spike when finally she spotted him as he headed from the library to a bench outside.

As she came through the doors and out into the sun she saw him, elbows resting on his knees, staring off somewhere. ‘He looks so alone’ Buffy thought as she approached him carefully.

"Spike?" she said as she reached his side "Where did you go?"

"I hit him" he told her, simply, without looking at her "and I’m not even sure why..."

"You hit Giles?!" Buffy interrupted, shocked and somewhat annoyed, she was ready to give this boy a piece of her mind until he glanced up at her and she saw tears streaming down his face.

"Spike..." she said in a softer tone, feeling desperately sorry for him all of a sudden. She really didn’t know what to say to him. It had to be a shock and very confusing to find your father after all this time of not knowing.

"I’m sorry, I am, I just..." he tried to explain but the lump in his throat took his voice away. Not knowing what else to do, Buffy sat beside him and put her arm around him, nervously since she wasn’t sure how he would react. She was surprised but also relieved when he allowed himself to go into her embrace. Not knowing what to say she just held him close and comforted him as he cried. He wasn’t as big and tough as he pretended to be, and she knew what that was like, because despite being the Slayer, sometimes she just wanted to be held while she cried too. No-one did that for her, but at least she could be content with the fact that she could do it for someone else.

Chapter 9

"Oh my God, Rupert I’m so sorry" Jessica was almost in tears as she helped her ex-boyfriend into a nearby chair. Blood trickled from his nose where Spike had placed two forceful punches, which he had proclaimed to be one for his mother and one for himself. Beside the pain that Giles felt through his whole head, the man was also very confused.

"I’m quite alright" he lied, taking a handkerchief from his pocket to wipe away the blood, "I think, perhaps you might have an explanation for what just happened?"

Jessica sat down in her seat beside him again as he tilted his head and attempted to stem the blood flow as well as block out the searing pain.

Jessica decided just to say what she came to say. As tears of regret and fear trickled down her cheeks she forced out the important words.

"William is your son"

Giles looked over at her, looked her right in the eyes and just stared.

"My son?" he choked out, in disbelief and shock, the pain in his face almost completely forgotten now.

Jessica could only nod in response.

"My son" the librarian repeated, out loud and in his head, over and over, trying to make sense of it. He had a son, he and Jessica had a son called William, known as Spike, and who apparently had an impressive right hook.

Jessica managed to find her voice and gave a little more explanation.

"I didn’t know about him until after you’d gone, and I tried to find you but people said you’d left the country and I didn’t know what to do" she cried, tears of guilt for not trying harder to find him, of relief at finally being able to explain, and of fear of what his reaction might be.

Giles shook his head as if to clear the fog that seemed to fill it.

"Er, but, I don’t understand..." he began, "I mean we, er...it only happened...once"

Jessica smiled in spite of her tears. She knew what he meant and was afraid to say.

"Once is all it takes" she said simply, "William is living proof of that"

Giles nodded, of course she was right, but he was simply astounded by it all.

"I never knew..." he trailed off, wondering how different his life might have been if only he had have known, if he’d have stayed in England with the love of his life, for that was what Jessica Hart was, always. She had been the first and only girl he’d loved, and then regrettably lost. But here she was, in front of him now and telling him they had a son together. Speaking if whom...

"William, he, erm, he seemed rather upset"

"He really had no reason to hit you like that" Jessica said quickly, "I’ve told him so many time, explained that you had no idea. I know you would never have left if you’d have known"

"Oh no, indeed, of course not" Giles agreed, "Jessica, I never wanted to leave anyway, you do know that, I had no idea how long I was to be away and there was no way I could have brought you with me even if I’d known I couldn’t return"

"It’s okay" Jessica told him, "I understand" it sounded shocking even to her own ears as she said it, but it was true. She did understand, as crazy as the whole situation was and as much hurt and anguish as she had been through she didn’t blame her dear Rupert at all, she loved him too much - then and now.

Outside...

It was a good five minutes before Spike lifted his head from Buffy’s shoulder and she released him from her embrace. He couldn’t look her in the eye, he felt like such and idiot. He pretended to be big and tough but he was a scared little boy inside. Finding out that Giles was his father, it had been too much, resulting first in anger and mindless violence and then later in tears from the guilt and shock.

"You wanna talk about it?" Buffy asked him gently as he sniffed and looked down at the ground again.

"What’s to talk about?" he shrugged, and Buffy knew this was going to be harder than she thought. She wanted to help him but it was clear he wasn’t going to let her.

"Well" she said slowly, "you’re upset, it might help to talk about how you feel"

Spike let out a humourless chuckle.

"I don’t do the touchy-feely stuff"

"You did last night" she reminded him.

He swung his head round and looked straight at her, the memories of the night before very clear suddenly. The secrets they’d shared, and the kissing he’d initiated, but then there was this morning and she’d been so off with him.

"Why’d you care about me all of a sudden?" he asked eyeing her carefully "This morning you didn’t want to know" he said bitterly, looking away again.

"Spike..." she started, but to be honest she didn’t know what had changed. She didn’t know why she’d done and said what she had that morning. The night before had been great, just talking and sharing and of course the kissing had been incredible but afterwards she’d gotten all worried and panicky about a possible relationship and the complications that could bring.

Her time with Angel had been wonderful but it had all gone wrong. There was the advantage with Spike that he was human, but he wasn’t exactly your average guy. He was...different, that was the only word Buffy could think of. Angel had been different, vampire-type different, and that had led to too many problems. Spike was at least only British-type different and Goth kind of different, that was an improvement.

So deep in thought was the Slayer that she didn’t notice Spike stand up and start to walk away. His question had gone unanswered and he had wrongly assumed that she didn’t care about him at all.

"Spike!" she called him back as soon as she noticed he was leaving, but he didn’t listen.

"Leave me alone Slayer" he called over his shoulder, but she wouldn’t let him be alone.

"No" she called, hurrying along behind him. She knew he couldn’t get far, the school gates would be locked, "Spike, please, just listen for a minute"

"To what?" he asked not looking at her, before continuing to speak without giving her a chance to answer, "Y’know I’m starting to wish I’d never come to this place. Sunnydale" he scoffed, "they should rename it Sunny-Hell! Two days here and already my life has been turned upside down!"

Buffy really wasn’t sure what to say, but she couldn’t seem to make herself walk away and leave this guy alone. She wanted to help him, needed to, just wanted to do something to ease the pain he clearly felt.

"I never asked for a father" Spike continued his ‘speech’ still with an angry tone but with an edge of sadness too, "Now I’ve found him I don’t know what to do about it and it’s all this stupid towns fault! Two days and I’ve managed to meet my father and beat the crap out of him as well as meet a Slayer and fall for her and all before we’ve even finished unpacking!"

"Woah" Buffy stopped walking and her mouth dropped wide open, "back up a second"

Spike also stopped walking just a couple of steps ahead of the girl and inwardly cursed as soon as he realised what he’d said and to whom he’d said it.

"You wanna repeat what you just said?" Buffy asked his back, since he had yet to turn around.

"Not especially no" he threw over his shoulder, continuing walking away, but there was no way the young Slayer was going to let that happen. He had just said he’d fallen for her, hadn’t he? She could hardly believe that was true. They’d only known each other for two days! But she had to care for him too, against her better judgement or why else would she care so much that he might like her?

Spike cursed loud and long when he reached the school gates and found them locked as Buffy knew they would be. He slammed his arms into the metal railings which jangled in protest at his force.

"Bloody buggering hell-hole of a place" he cursed, "Buggering up my life good and proper" He knew he needed to calm down and seeing as no-one was around, he felt in his pocket for his cigarettes. Buffy reached his side as he tried to light one but the hand that held the lighter shook with frustration making it impossible.

"What the hell is wrong with you?!" Buffy demanded to know.

"Spare me the ‘smoking is fatal’ speech, pet" Spike protested "now is not a good time!"

"Oh screw the smoking" Buffy was getting increasingly annoyed at this guys ridiculous attitude. He seemed somewhat shocked by her outburst, but she didn’t notice and continued anyway.

"First of all, I know it was a shock finding out who your father was but you’re lucky you found out you had such a nice guy for a Dad, God knows I wish my Dad was as decent as Giles! Secondly, house moving is stressful I understand that but not the huge deal you’re making it out to be and thirdly..." here she trailed off for a second before deciding she really did have to ask, "what the hell did you mean when you said you fell for me?!"

The entire speech sounded loud and annoyed and all in the same tone, but the last question scared her to death. Could she deal with this now? Did she want Spike to more than just like her or feel attracted to her but to, maybe, love her? It was crazy after just two days but yes, she did want him to feel that way, she honestly did.

"Well?" she asked, hands on her hips and a fierce expression on her face, more through expertly-concealed fear than anger, but he didn’t know that "Are you gonna answer me?"

As Spike opened his mouth to speak, his unlit cigarette fell from his mouth, unnoticed. He really couldn’t think of anything to say to her, all he could think was how stunning she was when she was angry, and he knew if he told her that he’d soon learn, what Slayer strength could do, so he closed his mouth again and just stared at her for a second.

Buffy watched and waited for what felt like an eternity as Spike’s mouth opened and closed like a goldfish but no sound came out. Suddenly, without warning, he was right in front of her, not two or three steps away but right in her face and then his lips were on hers and his hands were on her waist and it was last night all over again...and Buffy realised she didn’t mind at all.

To Be Continued...

Chapter 10

"Miss Summers! Mr Hart!" a loud and angry voice boomed across the school grounds and Buffy and Spike were jolted out of there passion by it. The voice belonged to the school Principal, Mr Flutie, and he was far from amused to find two of his students who should have been in class actually just inside school parameters successfully re-enacting, as far as he could see, the meeting of two sink plungers.

Buffy went a bright shade of pink as she moved as far away from Spike as she could. Principal Flutie was hardly her biggest fan anyway and she knew he was going to be really mad about this. Spike just seemed annoyed about the interruption the Principal had caused, adding to the frustration he was already feeling about his whole situation in Sunny-hell!

"I believe you two have classes you should be in?" the angry man asked, and Buffy shuffled nervously.

"Yes, sir" she answered while Spike just looked the other way and made no response.

"Then I might suggest you get there...NOW, before my patience runs out and I put you both in detention!" the Principals voice rose in volume throughout the sentence and Buffy immediately obeyed, determined not to land herself in any more trouble with either her school teachers or her mother.

Spike followed her as she walked towards the school building and she was sure she heard him mutter ‘wanker’ under his breath, referring of course to the oblivious man behind them.

Buffy couldn’t concentrate in class. History lost all it’s appeal as her mind whirled round with scary thoughts. A girl who spends her spare time battling demons and vampires without a sliver of fear, was now petrified because of what she was feeling. Life had been complicated enough before but now, it was getting worse every minute. Her best friend left, her new neighbours arrived, she hated him, then she liked him, he turned out to be Giles’s son and now...Buffy really wasn’t sure what was supposed to happen now. Things were simple for everyone else, why couldn’t she have a normal life!

Well, maybe things weren’t so simple for Giles. Having his ex-girlfriend and a son turn up out of nowhere had to be a shock...actually the thought of Giles ever having had a girlfriend and doing what is required to make a child gave Buffy the heebie-jeebies, but that wasn’t the point. His life had just got about ten times more complicated too.

But Willow and Xander, their lives were simple, why couldn’t Buffy have an easy life like them? Well, their lives are fairly simple, except for the helping with the slayage and the fact Willow is learning control her witch powers and Xander has to cope with being the only normal human amongst them, and...maybe their lives aren’t so simple either.

Buffy was starting to realise perhaps it wasn’t just her with the complex life after all. Maybe everyone’s life was complex when you looked at it carefully. Maybe Spike was right, maybe it was Sunnydale that screwed up everyone’s lives. Maybe that’s why, maybe in other places, lives are simpler...but then she didn’t know everybody in Sunnydale, maybe it was just her friends and family that had the problems maybe the cause of all the trouble was...her.

"Oh my God" Buffy exclaimed aloud, at her sudden realisation, causing all the students in the class, plus the teacher, to turn and stare.

"Something you’d like to share with the class Miss Summers?" the teacher asked and Buffy remembered where she was.

"No, no, no" she stuttered, "I was just, er, no" she said quickly, looking down at her books and hoping everyone would stop staring.

"Late to class and now this, Miss Summers, it really isn’t good enough" she was told.

"I’m sorry" she said, as innocently as she could and after a long stare the teacher turned away and continued his lesson. Buffy let out a breath she didn’t know she’d been holding as she zoned out again and resumed her thoughts.

‘Giles would never have left England if I wasn’t the Slayer’ she mused, ‘he wouldn’t have left Jessica and Spike would have had a proper father. Also, Willow wouldn’t be a witch and Xander wouldn’t feel so inadequate...oh my God, everyone would be better off without me! This is all my fault!’

"You’re right you know" a voice said behind her and she turned to see Spike behind her. The classroom was empty, save her and him.

"What?" she didn’t understand what was happening.

"It is all your fault, my life is a wreck because of you" the bleached blond before her said, leaning over her.

"And mine" said a second voice as Willow appeared to her left and Xander to her right.

"It’s all your fault that our lives are ruined" the brunette taunted as they all leaned over her in her seat.

"No, no, no" she repeated trying to get away but finding she was stuck to the chair.

"Buffy" she heard the kindly voice of her Watcher and turning back she saw Giles and Jessica in front of her.

"It’s not my fault, Giles, help me" she begged as tears streamed down her face.

"It is your fault, Buffy" the man told her, "All your fault"

"No" she cried, burying her face into the desk and putting her arms over her head, she couldn’t bear to see them there, to hear them taunt her. She didn’t mean to cause problems for anyone.

"Buffy" she heard one voice clearer than all the others, it was Spike, but she didn’t want to look at him, she couldn’t bear to.

"Buffy, luv, come on" he called again and with a jolt she turned to him, screaming; "No!"

She was surprised to find that she was alone in the room, save for Spike and that he was looking at her with a worried expression.

"You okay, pet?" he asked her and she blinked hard.

"I...I think I was dreaming..."

"That you were, pet" Spike nodded, crouching down beside her seat, "Must have been some sort of nightmare you were screaming like a banshee when I came in and the more I tried to wake you up the louder you got"

"I..I’m sorry" she stuttered, both confused and embarrassed, noticing that although the images she saw and words she’d heard had been a dream her tears were very real.

"You wanna tell me about it?" he asked, moving to sit in the seat beside her.

"Er, ...I don’t know" she said, still disorientated, "Where is everyone?"

"Class ended ten minutes ago" Spike told her, "teacher was gonna give you a right tellin’ off for dropping off while she was talkin’"

"Why didn’t she then?" she wondered aloud.

"Told her you were ill, didn’t I?" he explained, "Said you weren’t feeling well and that I’d been told to come and get you cos your Mum was here to take you home"

"My Mom?" Buffy wiped her face with the back of her hand and looked worried and confused.

"It was a lie, Buffy" he smiled, "Don’t look so panicked. Just told a bit of a fib to save your skin is all"

The Slayer was silent thinking about what had happened. Her dream was still haunting her in the back of her mind and now Spike was here and he wasn’t helping her think particularly clearly, what with his lying and her own guilt and also the feelings she was having for him.

"Buffy luv, I’m not so sure I was completely lying now, are you feeling alright?" Spike looked really concerned about her and that only made things worse.

"I’m fine" she lied, "I should go" she pulled herself up from her seat, grabbed her books and made for the door.

"Buffy?!" Spike called behind her. He really wanted to talk to her, about a lot of things, the main thing being the two bouts of kissing they’d shared in the short time they’d known each other, but more than that he also needed to talk to someone about his other feelings. What he felt about his parents, things like that, he really had no-one else in Sunnydale who he could call a friend, only Buffy. She clearly didn’t want to talk to him right now though and that dream she’d had, the way she’d acted afterwards, it had really scared him. He really liked the Slayer, and he couldn’t understand why he felt so close to her, why he thought maybe...did he love her? That he wasn’t sure of, but he cared for her a lot and he’d never felt like that about anyone. His Mum meant the world to him, but that was different, this was...he didn’t know what it was, but he wasn’t going to find out sitting in an empty classroom all day.

"Slayer’s not in the mood for a chat right now" he said to himself as he stood up again, "Maybe I should see what’s happening with the parents"

Chapter 11

"Knock Knock" Spike’s somewhat nervous voice accompanied his fist on the wood of the library door as he opened it.

"William Hart you are in serious trouble..." his mother stood up from her seat immediately, a distinctly annoyed expression on her face and tone in her voice.

"Mum, please, give us a chance to apologise at least..." he dared to interrupt and her look softened a little on the word ‘apologise’. She nodded for him to continue. Spike turned to Giles with a sigh as he noticed, although the older mans nose was no longer bloody, it was bruised.

"I had no right hittin’ you like that" he said coming toward him slowly, "I’m sorry"

"Apology accepted, William" Giles nodded in response as Jessica sat down again and Spike came to stand by the table.

"It’s Spike, remember?" said the young man, slightly aggravated by the use of his given name "Only Mum here calls me Will" he gestured to the woman with his head "to everyone else, including you Giles, I’m Spike"

"But Will, Rupert is your father" Jessica told him, pointlessly.

"Only cos biology says so" he countered "I don’t even know him" he mumbled.

"Will..., er, Spike is right, Jessica" Giles stumbled on his words, glancing between his new-found son and ex-girlfriend "I have no right to call him my son"

"S’what I am though innit?" Spike shrugged, "Can’t change it"

"No, indeed" Giles replied, softly. It was a very strange situation the three were in and an uncomfortable silence descended on the room, until Jessica finally found her voice.

"Erm, I think we all need to talk about this, together, but now might not be the best time"

"I do have work to do, yes" Giles admitted "and then I have a training session with Buffy later..."

"After that" Jessica suggested "would you like to come to our house and we can talk?"

"Oh, of course, yes" Giles agreed and Jessica smiled slightly, turning to her son.

"Is that okay with you, Will?"

"S’pose so" he shrugged, if he was honest he wasn’t sure what he wanted to happen with his parents, all that was on his mind was what would happen next with himself and Buffy.

"Okay, I’ll er, cook us some dinner" he heard his mother continue "oh but I’ll have to pick you up from here first..."

"I could er give you a lift if you care to wait" Giles piped up, much to the others surprise. Spike considered for a moment before nodding.

"Yeah, okay" he said, before adding quietly "I need to talk to Buffy anyway"

Despite the lowering of his voice, his mother still heard every word he said.

"Something important, honey?" she asked, tilting her head. She had her suspicions that there might be a few developing feelings between those two, more than just friendship, she had no idea of course that she was so right.

"Er...yeah, actually" Spike wasn’t sure whether he wanted to say this in front of his mother and new-found father or not, but if he wanted to make sense of this girl he was going to need help. Who better to help him than the man Buffy looked up to so much - her Watcher.

"You know her better than I do Giles, maybe you can figure it out. Is she always so...I dunno, does she change her mind a lot, her opinions...also she fell asleep in class today and had some sort of nightmare and when I asked her about it she ran off" he explained, "I just can’t make any sense of her.

"What had happened before that?" Giles asked, going straight into Watcher mode, cleaning his glasses and pacing the room. But Spike had a problem, he couldn’t tell the absolute truth, that truth being that he and Buffy had been kissing after a sort discussion/argument about his confusion about his parents and possible love for the Slayer.

"We talked is all" he shrugged again "about...stuff" he said, non-commitally.

"Well, the dream may be significant" his father told him "she does occasionally have prophetic dreams, it’s all to do with being the Slayer"

"Maybe that’s all it was then..." Spike nodded wanting to get out of this uncomfortable conversation he’d started as soon as possible "I should get to class. See ya later Mum" he smiled, placing a kiss on her cheek, before turning back to Giles "and I’ll see you after last class"

"Yes, you will" the Watcher smiled at his new found son as he left the room.

"I should be going too" Jessica sighed, standing up. She shifted a little and uncomfortably wondered what to do next. She took a step forward as did the man before her and they caught each either in a an awkward hug. It felt so familiar and comfortable once they were there that neither really wanted to let go, but they knew they must "I’ll see you tonight, Rupert" Jessica smiled as she left.

"Yes, see you then, Jessica" he called behind her, sinking down into his chair again, thinking about a time in his life when he thought he and Jessica would be together forever, before coming back to Earth and worrying about the dinner that night.

"Hey Buffster, you okay?" Xander caught up to Buffy at lunch, Willow at his side "We heard you went home, feeling sick or something"

"No, I’m fine" Buffy smiled fakely, not feeling even half as happy as she looked. She was confused, in every possible way and she couldn’t see a way out of the mess she appeared to have got into. Unidentifiable feelings for Spike were causing her the biggest problems, that and a sudden overpowering sense of guilt about everyone’s situation she felt she’d caused.

"Hey, what you said to Spike about the kissage" her male friend continued "you two didn’t really..."

"Xander" she snapped in annoyance at the reminder of what she’d said and done as regards her new next door neighbour "Can we not talk about this now, please?"

"Sure" the brunette nodded and Willow finally spoke up.

"Buffy, are you sure you’re okay?"

"I’ll be fine" the blonde smiled, kindly, at her friend, since she really had no reason to be so off with Willow and she didn’t want to worry her either. It was then she saw Spike, or rather his back, disappearing out of the cafeteria.

"Spike, we need to talk" she called as she hurried to catch up to him. She caught him just outside the doors.

"Oh so now she wants to talk" Spike said to no-one in particular before turning around to face her "Earlier you couldn’t run away fast enough, pet"

"I’m sorry" the Slayer looked own at her feet, feeling awful.

"For what?" Spike asked, trying to get her to meet his eyes "The Little Miss Ice-queen routine first thing this morning? The kissing after that? The running away? What exactly am I getting an apology for?" he asked her, his voice demanding and slightly angry. It was now Buffy raised her head and Spike felt awful when he saw two tears roll down her cheeks.

"All of it" she choked out, angrily dragging the back of her hand across her face to remove her tears. She almost broke Spike’s heart, she genuinely looked like she felt so bad.

"Oh come on Slayer" he sighed, putting an arm around her shoulders and squeezing her slightly "no more tears"

She smiled slightly and he encouraged her to walk with him down the corridor, leaving his arm just where it was.

"I’m sorry too" he told her "I know I’m not the easiest person to get along with or to understand, especially now...I don’t even understand my life myself at the moment" he trailed off and Buffy looked up at him.

"Did you talk to Giles and your Mom?"

"Yeah...we’re having a talk tonight, the whole family dinner bit...it’s weird" he laughed lightly, "I dunno whether to be happy about it or not"

"Giles is a nice guy" Buffy told him "he’s been more like a father to me than my Dad ever was" she admitted, and it was true.

"Good job he’s not your real father, pet" Spike laughed some more as they stopped by some lockers, his arm slipping from her shoulders as they both turned to lean sideways against the wall "It’d make us brother and sister"

"Would that be so bad?" the girl before him asked and Spike frowned, not understanding.

"I don’t know what happened last night or this morning" Buffy shook her head for emphasis "but I think maybe it would be a good idea if we started again?" she mumbled most of it and Spike could barely hear what she was saying.

"What are you on about, Slayer?" he asked, clearly aggravated.

"I want us to be friends, Spike" she said as simply as she could but he still looked confused.

"We are, aren’t we?"

"I hope so" Buffy said looking up at his again "cos I could use another friend" she waited and watched as the smile on his face faded, he finally understood her and she knew she’d hurt him but it was for the best, right?

"Oh now I get it, just friends, nothing more than that" he shook his head, pushing himself away from the wall and turning away from her.

"Yeah" she nodded as she spoke although he couldn’t see her.

"Do I wanna know why?" he asked, his back still facing her.

"It’s complicated" she told him, knowing that she couldn’t explain all her reasons even if she wanted to "but I just don’t think we should be more than friends, okay?"

There was silence as she waited for his response and she was about to tap his shoulder to regain his attention when he suddenly swung round, a smile that didn’t reach his eyes, painted on his face.

"Okay" he nodded, just as the school bell rang "I’ve got to get to class, already missed one today and I’ve only been here two days!" he turned to walk away again, but called back over his shoulder to her "I’ll see you after school, Buffy"

"No, I’ve got training tonight" she called after him.

"I know, with my D...with Giles" he corrected himself, "So I’ll be there"

Chapter 12 - Family

Buffy had spent all day trying to keep her mind off Spike, but it hadn’t been easy. She knew she’d hurt him more than he would admit when she pulled the ‘just friends’ card on him, but giving her current emotional state, she figured it was for the best...wasn’t it? She couldn’t even looked forward to training, not that it was something glorious to look forward to anyway, but it was going to be so awkward having Spike there too.

Outside the library doors at the end of the day, she took a deep breath, painted on a fake smile and went inside.

"Hey Giles"

"Buffy" her Watcher smile when he saw her "how are you?"

"Fine" she nodded, well that was a half-lie to start with "Ooh, your nose looks..." she started before realising she was not exactly displaying tact if she said ‘awful’ "...painful" she settled on eventually.

"Yes, well, not to worry" he waved away her concern and she wandered over to the table where he was, dropping her bag onto it.

"Must have been a shock I guess, finding out Spike was your son" Buffy thought about it, and it had been a shock to her. She couldn’t begin to imagine how weird it felt to Giles.

"Yes, it was rather astonishing and seeing Jessica after so many years..." he trailed off as Buffy looked on expectantly, "but we’re not here for that" he said, with a shake of his head "Your training is the most important thing..."

"Hey" Buffy interrupted "you’re important too, and you know I think you’ll be a great father" she smiled. She knew what she said was true, since Giles had really been the nearest thing to a father that she’d had since her real Dad left. She was pleased to see him smile back at her, happy but possibly embarrassed too.

"Thankyou very much, Buffy. That’s very sweet" he said, quietly.

"Hey" a voice interrupted the Slayer and her Watchers little father-daughter-esque moment.

"Spike, hi" Buffy smiled despite the uncomfortable feelings she felt as soon as the bleach blond entered the room.

"Yes, hello, er, Spike" Giles stumbled on the strange name he had been asked to used, still wondering how this slightly odd looking young man was a son of his, but he had every faith in Jessica and he did believe what she told him. This was his son, as incredible and disturbing as that seemed...

"Don’t mind me" Spike shrugged, dropping into a nearby seat "you two just carry on with your Watcher/Slayer stuff I’ll just be a quiet observer"

"Very well" Giles nodded, turning his attention back to Buffy. He began to talk to her but the Slayer hardly heard a word, her mind and her eyes stuck on the new arrival in the room. She finally came back to reality and tried to put Spike out of her mind and her visual range as she warmed up and then practised her fighting with Giles.

As much fun as it would have been to show off in front of her Watchers son, show him just what she was capable of, how tough she was, it didn’t work that way. Spike’s presence in the room only caused her aim to be off and her skills to disappear. She felt ridiculous and the more she failed to execute the moves, the more she remembered he was watching her and the worse she got.

Eventually, Giles realised that no amount of practice was going to help his Slayer today. ‘Perhaps it’s because we have an audience’ he thought, glancing at Spike who’s eyes had been burning a hole in Buffy’s back for the last hour and a half.

"I think that’s enough for today" Giles decided, taking of his glasses and cleaning them "besides er Jessica is expecting myself and Spike for dinner soon"

Buffy had to admit to herself that she was glad it was over. She knew Spike had been watching her and she was sure Giles had noticed too. She just wanted to get away from those two right now, but fate was against her...

"We’re going right by your house, I’ll give you a ride too" Giles offered and Buffy knew she should accept, she had no feasible reason to refuse.

"Oh, thanks" she said with the best smile she could manage under the circumstances. She was relieved when Spike rode in the front of the car with his father, at least in the back on her own she was further away from the young man she wanted to avoid right now. Only trouble was she knew he could still see her by glancing in the rear view mirror, which he did at every opportunity.

The ride from the school to Revello Drive was awkwardly silent and Buffy breathed a quiet sigh of relief as the car was parked and she could get away.

"Thanks Giles" she smiled, genuinely, as she climbed out of the car, "I’ll see you tomorrow and I hope everything goes okay tonight" she said as he walked towards the house next door, Spike in tow.

"Thankyou Buffy" her Watcher smiled.

"Bye Spike" the girl called as she reached her front door, he turned back to glance at her.

"See ya Buffy" he smiled over at her, just before he went through his own front door.

"Hey Mum" he called as he entered the house, Giles on his heels.

"Hello Will" his mother smiled as she came to greet them "Hi Rupert" she said glancing at the older man.

"Good afternoon, Jessica" he replied, shuffling nervously and Spike rolled his eyes, before belting up the stairs. It was part of his usual routine to go straight to his room, dump his bag and jacket, maybe have a sneaky cigarette out of the window, before going back down to tell his Mum about his day and get a snack. Then it was homework back in his room and down for dinner. It was quite clear that tonight was going to be different but he still went upstairs, figuring his recently re-united parents could use some time alone.

Spike hung his jacket over the back of the chair by his desk and dropped his school bag beside it. He flopped down on his bed with a sigh. It had been an interesting day, to say the least. It seemed incredible that all that had happened had taken place in just a single day. Before Sunnydale his life had been simple enough, it seemed hard to believe that just a week ago he hadn’t even seen this place, and now it was home and a very mixed up home at that.

In those first two days he had acquired a father that he wasn’t even sure existed before. He had made a few friends, not something Spike was really used to but he liked the red-head called Willow and as much as that Xander bloke drove him crazy, he figured he wouldn’t be too bad to be around.

Then there was Buffy. The Chosen One, the Slayer, the girl next door, his friend - she was all those things and infinitely more, because if he was honest with himself, she was the girl he’d fallen for. Hook, line and sinker, he was completely in love, drowning in feelings stronger than he’d ever felt before in his life.

Love at first sight, whirlwind romance, not really phrases ever thought he’d use but what else could he call it? From the moment he’d laid eyes on the girl, he knew Buffy Summers was special. Two days and he’d seen just how special, and it wasn’t just her slaying abilities either. The girl could fight, but along with slaying demons and vamps, she’d slayed his heart, good and proper.

When they were in that corridor, when she’d said it would never happen that they were to be nothing more than friends, well she might as well have shoved one of those stakes through his heart, because surely that had to hurt less than her words had. He closed his eyes and forced back tears and tried to make himself forget those two kisses he’d shared with the girl who wanted to be no more than his mate.

How had he allowed himself to fall so hard and so fast? Spike was tough, not bothered by emotions and deep feelings, wasn’t all that just for poofters? He was stronger than this, wasn’t he?

"What has she done to me?" he whispered to himself, breathing deeply, and glancing over at the clock beside his bed. He’d left his parents alone for almost thirty minutes, surely that was long enough for now, besides he was hungry and he really hadn’t meant to be upstairs or thinking about Buffy for this long.

Spike had more important things to think about than Buffy right now.

‘What could be more important than Buffy?’ a voice in his head asked him as he made for the bedroom door.

‘Er, the fact that my father, a man I didn’t even know really existed until today, is downstairs?’ a second more sarcastic inner-voice countered.

"I’m going crazy!" Spike complained aloud as he came down the stairs. He glanced toward the living room, but no-one was there so he moved through the empty dining room and headed for the kitchen. The sight that greeted him was not exactly what he’d expected and he wasn’t entirely sure whether he was happy about it or not.

Spike wasn’t really sure what was considered respectable or even normal behaviour for parents so on seeing his mother backed up against the kitchen counter, pinned there by his father who was thoroughly kissing her, Spike was at a loss as to know whether running, screaming or laughing would be the best course of action.

He eventually decided on loudly clearing his throat and was somewhat relieved when the pair came up for oxygen and backed away from each other at lightening speed.

"Er, Will..." Jessica started, unsure of what her son’s reaction might be to what he’d seen. His expression was unreadable and it worried her. Her plan for the evening had not been to end up kissing her ex-boyfriend / father of her child within the first few minutes of his visit but it seemed all the feelings that had once existed between the two was still there even after all these years. The flame had been quite thoroughly re-ignited between them.

Giles looked similarly worried and looked a if he would surely pass out as Spike stepped forward and picked up three knives from the counter top. He was mightily relieved when the young man turned to his mother with a slight smile.

"Shall I finish setting the table Mum?" Spike offered, picking up the forks and spoons too and gesturing back to the dining room.

"Oh, yes" Jessica sighed in sheer relief, "Thankyou, Will"

Spike smiled fully as he went back to the table and finished setting out the cutlery, etc. He had successfully shocked his father, he knew he had, and probably his mother too, but then they did deserve it after the shock they’d given him.

It seemed to Spike that Giles was a decent sort of bloke, Buffy thought so and his mother still seemed to like him very much. Also it hadn’t been his fault that he hadn’t been a proper father to his son, since neither knew the other existed. No, Spike would accept this man to be his father, try to get to know him better and maybe one day they’d be some sort of family, the three of them. Maybe if Spike concentrated enough on that, he could put Buffy out of his head somehow, well, perhaps that was just wishful thinking...

To Be Continued...

Chapter 13 - One Month Later

One month. Everything that had happened had happened a whole month ago, in some ways it seemed way longer and in others it could have been just yesterday. Cordelia had moved away and Spike and Jessica had moved in. Giles had discovered he was Spike, or William’s, father and over the past month the strange little family had got to know each other better. Spike still called his father Giles, feeling uncomfortable calling a man he hardly knew Dad, and despite Spike’s mother calling him by a shortened version of his real name, Giles stuck to the boys nickname as his friends did.

Buffy had changed over the month. After Cordelia left she felt there was an empty space in her life but Spike had quickly filled it in the strangest way. In the first two days of knowing each other the pair had kissed twice and divulged secrets to each other that they hadn’t even told their parents, but Buffy had decided they should not be more than just good friends, despite the fact she was very attracted to her new neighbour.

A mixture of fear and worry and guilt had caused her decision. She’d been through so much with Angel she was afraid of a new relationship, and the people she got close to, Angel, Cordelia, her father, they had a habit of going away and she didn’t want to risk losing Spike. Plus she’d felt so guilty about being the Slayer and making everyone’s lives complicated, she didn’t want to add further complications. She’d let her guilt go when she realised everything seemed to be better with Giles and Jessica and Spike, but there was no way she was going to hinder that now.

At school, Buffy, Spike, Willow and Xander hung around together, usually talking about meaningless teenage things or that special secret they shared about Buffy being the Slayer. They hung around the library, talking to Giles, and Spike and Xander heckled each other most of the time. Willow’s witch powers got stronger, Xander’s aim with a stake got even better, and Spike soon became a real member of the gang too. Sometimes he would patrol with Buffy, both of them sneaking out of their bedroom windows after dark. Joyce still did not know Buffy’s secret and although Jessica did, Spike knew she would not approve of his helping the Slayer with her work, but he had to do it.

It still hurt when Spike thought of his second day in Sunnydale, when Buffy told him they should never be more than friends. He hadn’t understood then and he still didn’t understand now, why she’d made the decision but he respected it and they became good and trusting friends, as he tried to bury his attraction to her. It was hard for him to control sometimes, the burning feelings he felt for her, but he restrained himself well, unaware that she had to force herself back sometimes too.

* * * * *

It was a Saturday, and two days until an important Maths exam for the gang at Sunnydale High. Spike had asked Buffy if she wanted to study with him, and since Jessica had plans to spend time with Giles, Buffy agreed and suggested Spike come over to her house to study.

Giles and Jessica saw a lot of each other, they were more or less dating, which seemed strange to Buffy since they already had a son together, but they had to get to know each other all over again, and both Spike and Buffy, as well as Joyce, Dawn, Willow and Xander, suspected the flame they’d had before was being re-kindled.

"Buffy, I think Spike is here!" Joyce called up the stairs to her daughter as she moved to answer the door, but Dawn got there first. She flung the door open with a bright smile on her face.

"Hey Spike"

"Hey there, Little Bit" he smiled back and she giggled at the nickname he had given her weeks ago. Spike had nicknames for everyone, she had noticed one day when he was at their house, talking about ‘Red’ and the ‘Whelp’ so Dawn had asked what her name could be. Hence forth she had been christened Little Bit, to Spike at least. Buffy was just Buffy in front of company, but when alone, or in front of those who knew, he called her Slayer.

"Buffy’s still upstairs" Dawn told Spike as she let him into the house. "How are you?"

"I’m just fine" he smiled, "Yourself?"

"Oh, you know" she shrugged, closing the door and trying to look grown up, attractive and sexy at the same time, and failing miserable. Spike wasn’t even looking at her as Buffy came down the stairs.

"Hey" she greeted him and Dawn huffed as she stomped away to the kitchen to find her mother. Spike was gorgeous and she really liked him, but he only had eyes for her sister. It was so unfair since it seemed Buffy didn’t want him at all.

"My stuff is in my room" Buffy said as she got two steps from the bottom, "So, if you wanna come up" she gestured to Spike as she turned to go back up and he followed, adjusting the bag on his back as he went.

He’d studied at Buffy’s house before, as she’d studied at his, but always in the living room or the dining room, they’d never been in each others bedrooms. Buffy felt a little weird about it, but it was a lot of effort to take all her books down today, besides she knew Dawn wouldn’t leave them alone if they worked downstairs. ‘It’s just a room and Mom and Dawn are just downstairs’ she thought to herself, ‘and we’re just studying, get a grip’ She had no idea Spike was thinking the exact same thing.

Little more than fifteen minutes into their studies, there was a knock on Buffy’s bedroom door and Joyce came in to find her daughter seated on her bed with Spike on the desk chair, and maths books and papers everywhere.

"Buffy, your sister and I are going to the grocery store, is there anything you want?"

"No thanks Mom, we’re good" the girl smiled as she glanced up from her work.

"Oh, okay" Joyce smiled once again as she back out of the room, "We shouldn’t be long"

"Okay, Mom, see you later" Buffy told her mother calmly, panicking on the inside as she realised she was going to be alone in the house with Spike, in her bedroom.

"Bye Buffy, Bye Spike" the older woman glanced from her daughter to the boy beside her as she finally left the room,

"Goodbye Joyce" Spike glanced up to smile at the woman as she left, using her first name after being repeatedly told that ‘Mrs Summers’ made her feel old.

Five minutes later the front door clicked shut and the house was empty save for the two young people upstairs.

"Buffy?" Spike said glancing over at the girl with her nose buried deep in a text book.

"Yeah" she answered without looking up, knowing she risked drowning in those blue eyes of his if she did.

Spike sighed, taking the text book from her and forcing her to give him her attention. He placed the book beside her on the bed and pushed the wheeled chair he was on forward so he was right in front of her.

"What is it, Spike?" she said, annoyed at the interruption and desperate not to look at him too much.

"There’s something I think we need to talk about.." he started, he had spent the whole time there in her room, not taking in a word or number written on the pages he’d supposedly read. He really needed to tell Buffy how he felt about her, even if she did tell him to go away and never come back. It was too hard to just ignore it anymore.

"Spike, unless this is a math related topic I don’t want to hear it" she told him, looking away and reaching for the book she’d been reading. His hand went for it at the same time, to stop her and their fingers connected for a moment.

It wasn’t as if they’d never been in contact like that before, but the significance of that moment, the tension on the air and the words he needed to say to her...

"Buffy, I..." he began as their eyes locked onto one another at last.

The girl sighed with relief as the door bell rang.

"Literally, saved by the bell" she whispered to herself as she dived for the bedroom door and right down the stairs as fast as she could, shaking as she went. The impatient person beyond the front door began knocking now as Buffy flew down the remaining stairs and flung open said door.

"Hey Buffy!" said the cheerful girl on the other side.

"Cordy?"

To Be Continued...