Buffy was naturally concerned for her kids lives and knew she should be concentrating on the book in her hands in an attempt to find something useful, but her eyes kept leaving the page to survey the scene around her. It was just like being back in Sunnydale, all the Scoobies spread around the room just like they had been back then in the Magic Box or the Summers house. Books on the tables and on the floor, Giles and Dawn making notes, Spike with his cute little ‘serious study’ look on his face, and Xander and Andrew both fidgeting because those boys just couldn’t ever keep still!

Buffy had missed this, missed being amongst her friends. Giles being in charge and Xander asking why there were no doughnuts. Of course they were missing Willow, who might still be in Brazil or could be somewhere else entirely by now. Nobody had heard from her in months which worried them slightly, but they were all too aware of how strong the witch had become, she could look after herself now.

"You tired, pet?" Spike asked her, his hand on her shoulder, startling her out of deep thought, "Your eyes keep glazing over" he smirked as she looked at him.

"I’m fine" she assured him, putting her hand over his and squeezing his fingers gently, "Just thinking is all, about Sunnydale"

"Done a lot of that myself over the time" he nodded, "Wasn’t all sunbeams and rainbows, but there were good times"

"Yeah" Buffy smiled, just enjoying this little moment when Andrew all but squealed.

"Okay, burst eardrum now" Dawn complained, leaning away from her boyfriend who bounced in his seat.

"And so say all of us" Xander agreed from across the table.

"You guys, I found it!" Andrew said excitedly, handing the book over to Giles and gesturing at the paragraph he meant, "The demon, I found it!"

The gang all gathered closer as Giles read aloud from the book.

"Propulso Antesignanus, roughly translated, the soldier that repels..."

"Well that makes sense" Buffy cut in, "I couldn’t get within a few feet of that thing without getting blasted back"

"But it was only you, luv" Spike frowned, "Me and Lyri had ourselves a right old punch up with the thing"

"If you would all wait just a moment" Giles said, looking a little annoyed, "I shall continue"

"Please do, oh mighty Watcher" Spike smirked, as Buffy and Dawn tried not to giggle. It was nice to have something to laugh about after the last couple of days.

"The soldier that repels..." Giles continued from where he’d left off, "is very rare, almost extinct in fact, but those that live on are extremely vicious creatures. They are foot soldiers in a way, working for others and when they are given a goal, something they’re supposed to acheive, they will not stop until their task is complete" he explained, and nobody liked the implications of that, "The demon has the ability to keep fellow ‘soldiers’ at bay by activating a forcefield between the stone in it’s head and theirs..."

"But I’m not one of his kind, there is no diamondy stone in my head...right?" Buffy frowned feeling her forehead for signs of gemstone growth.

"Not in your head" Spike shook his head grabbing her left hand as it rubbed her face, "On your finger" he pointed out, bringing her hand down to the table and watching the light shine through her engagement ring.

"No" Buffy shook her head as the gang all stared at her, "No, you cannot be suggesting that this demon has anything to do with Davy. He is NOT evil!" she protested loudly.

"It’s kind of a weird coincidence though" Dawn said carefully, not wishing to amplify her sisters anger as the Slayer got up from her seat and walked away from the table.

"Dawnie, it’s Davy" she implored her sister, hoping for some support, "He’s not a bad guy" when Dawn looked away Buffy glanced at Andrew.

"Anakin started out good but... y’know, lure of the dark side’s kinda tricky to avoid" he shrugged, not wanting to get in the middle of this. What started out as simple spat could easily lead to imminent death with a Slayer around.

"Look, Buff" Xander tried to calm her down, "Nobody is saying that your guy Davy is the big evil, we’re just saying maybe he, I dunno, maybe..."

"Maybe he gave her a bloody repeller demons ring and then accidentally sent said demon after her kids!" Spike exploded angrily, "What is wrong with the bleedin’ lot of you, the man is evil!"

"He can’t be!" Buffy shot back, "You don’t know him, he couldn’t be a demon or anything evil he just couldn’t"

"Why Buffy? Tell me why the bloody hell not!" Spike wanted to know.

"Because he was the first real man to love me!" she yelled without thinking, immediately clamping her hand over her mouth when she realised what words had escaped, "Spike, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean..." she began to apologise but he shook his head.

"Save it, Slayer" he told her nastily, grabbing his coat from the back of the chair and disappearing out the door before anyone else could say a word.

Tears streamed from Buffy’s eyes and Dawn came over to hug her as she cried.

"I didn’t mean it the way it came out, Dawnie, I didn’t" the Slayer sobbed.

"I know" the younger girl nodded rubbing her sisters back.

"Not that I wish to upset matters further" Giles said carefully, "but, er, if we are to solve the mysteries of this demon, it might be in our best interest to get your ring checked Buffy"

"Checked?" she asked, sniffing as she pulled out of her sisters embrace and they came back to the table.

"Yes, a simple spell should tell us if it is a diamond or... something else" he explained. Buffy wanted to say no, wanted to swear black and blue that it was a diamond, because Davy wasn’t evil, because she’d found a good and normal man to love her, but it seemed she was wrong.

"I think I must go after, Spike" Illyria said suddenly scrambling to her feet, "He is... my friend, I suppose, and he is distressed. I am of no use to you at this time" she told the group as she made for the door.

"Illyria?" Buffy called behind her. The woman with the blue-streaked hair turned back.

"Thank you, for protecting my children" the Slayer said sincerely, "and, if you find Spike, please tell him I’m sorry and that... that I love him"

"I will" Illyria nodded, "Though I am certain he already knows it"

As the woman left, Giles pushed some books aside and picked up another, flicking pages til he found the spell he was looking for.

"Ah yes, here we are" he announced, "This spell is for identifying the mystical powers of gemstones. Some are enchanted, some are purely decorative, and it is not always simple to tell which is which. By way of specific ingredients and a little Latin, this spell puts a sort of forcefield around the stone. Those with mystical properties will glow brightly, others will remain as they were"

"What do we need?" Buffy asked flatly. She wanted this over with as soon as possible. She couldn’t let herself believe that Davy might be behind it at all, but if the spell proved positive, it seemed she would have to.

Spike couldn’t believe the pain in his heart right now. He was sure it would not hurt so much if Buffy had put a knife through him, her words had stung just as a blade might’ve, only worse. Davy was the first real man to love her, God did she really not know how painful that was to hear. He wasn’t a real man when he fell in love with her, maybe she didn’t even consider him a man now, just a former demon, not good enough for the likes of her.

Spike had thought seeing Buffy kiss Angel not twenty four hours after spending the night in his arms had made him feel as bad as he ever could, but this was worse. He felt like such an idiot when he noticed a tear in his eye and he wiped it away harshly as he stormed down the street, duster flying out behind him. He reached in his pocket for his cigarettes. Though he smoked much less as a human than he had as a vamp, he could never quite kick the habit completely. In times of crisis and stress, he needed a fag to keep him sane.

It was only when Spike stopped walking to light his cigarette that he realised it wasn’t just his heart that ached. In the rush to escape from Buffy’s apartment, his body seemed to have forgotten about the beating it had taken just a couple of hours ago. Of course his healing powers, much like Buffy’s, had kicked in and he was better now than he had been a few moments after the attack, but muscles still burned as he tried to walk on further, his head pounding and spinning as he tried to focus his eyes.

Spike sat down heavily on the side of a fountain and flicked ash onto the pavement. With his head down the first he knew of his companion were her boots coming into view.

"Not now, Lyri" he shook his head turning away. Ignoring him, Illyria took a seat beside him.

"She is sorry you know" she said, "Your Buffy Summers, I do not believe she intended to wound you"

"Well, she bloody did!" he snapped, throwing his spent cigarette to the ground and stamping on it, "If I wasn’t such a stupid ponce, maybe it wouldn’t hurt so damn much" he half-yelled, "Or maybe if I wasn’t so much in love with her..." he added bitterly, "How does she do it to me, Lyri?" he asked, not really expecting an answer, "How can she make me feel so good, and then so worthless in a matter of hours?"

"I believe these are the ways of love" Illyria told him, a comforting hand on his shoulder, "A wise man once told me that sometimes the pain we suffer for it is worth the rewards in the end"

She was smirking slightly when he glanced over at her and a small smile broke through his dismal expression.

"Know what, pet?" he sighed, putting his hand on hers, "Sometimes wonder if life might not’ve been simpler if I’d just shacked up with you and had done with it"

"We will not have this conversation" Illyria said sharply, pulling her hand from under his, suddenly uncomfortable.

"Don’t have a panic attack, luv, it was a joke" Spike told her with a slight frown.

"Love is not to be made fun of" she said shaking her head, "I believe I am developing an understanding of the subject, and I do not think one should find amusement in the tos and fros of it"

"An understanding of the subject, eh?" Spike said, his smirk returning as he tilted his head and stared at her, "You really are falling fast for the boy, aren’t ya?"

"Do not presume you know my heart" Illyria snapped half-heartedly, unable to look her companion in the eye.

"Don’t need to, luv" he explained, "I know you, and I know people in general. You could do worse than Harris y’know. Not saying he wasn’t a royal pain in the ass from time to time but I’m fairly certain he’d treat you decent"

"I am not certain he even likes me" Illyria admitted, feeling very strange. She was not accustomed to the feelings she was having, and it unsettled her.

"The way he was looking at you before, reckon he might" Spike smiled, "Wish it was as simple for Buffy and me"

"You do not need coy glances across the room" Illyria told him, "You know Buffy loves you, just as you love her"

"How can we be in love when one of us barely qualifies as a human being?" he sneered and his companion rolled her eyes.

"Really William, the more I see of the two of you, the more I begin to wonder why you bother to be together at all" off his incredulous expression she continued, "but I know it is because you are in love, and all rational and logical arguments have no place where true love exists. Is that not so?"

Spike nodded slowly, looking away again.

"Almost a hundred and fifty years living and dead" he sighed, "And I’m still running out on arguments like a bloody kid"

"It is fortunate then that you have wise council from one who’s birth was many millennia before your own" Illyria smiled as he looked back at her, "Now, I think we should go back to Buffy’s apartment. Mr Giles is performing a spell that will end your feud, and help us to know who is planning to take your children from you"

Spike got up with his friend and began walking, back towards the only woman he ever truly loved, and whom he knew he would forgive anything. She and his children mattered more to him than anything else in this world. He’d be damned all over again if he was going to let a silly argument stop him from protecting them.

Buffy was shaking as the gang huddled around the table and waited for Giles to get on with the spell. The ingredients needed were fairly common and Dawn and Andrew were sent to get them from the modest store of magick supplies held at the apartment. The younger Summers sister was not a fraction of the witch Willow was but she’d learnt a couple of basic spells that came in handy for translations, temporary barriers, and the such like. She held out her hand to Buffy, and her sister grudgingly slid her engagement ring from her finger before handing it over.

"In the centre, Dawn" Giles told her, pointing on the table.

The ring was placed in the dish at the middle of the table, a circle of sand around that as Giles held a small bowl with a mixture of herbs and other ingredients within it. He referenced the book to his left as he sprinkled the substance from the bowl onto the ring and chanted something in Latin that most of the Scoobies didn’t understand at all. None of them were really listening anyway, just concentrating on the ring and waiting to see if it would glow as a mystical item would or remain as it was, an ordinary diamond and symbol of love between man and future-wife.

Giles finished speaking but the staring continued, waiting and some wishing, all in silence til finally something happened. The ring seemed to come alive within the dish, rattling around it like it had a mind of it’s own. When it finally settled, the stone shone with the brightest green light, almost too bright to look at.

"Oh God" Buffy physically reeled back, her hand going over her mouth as Dawn put an arm around her sisters shoulders.

"A positive result" Giles said softly, "The stone is mystical"

"So, er, the guy that gave the Buffster the ring..." Xander began voice trailing away as he realised how upset his friend looked.

Nobody wanted to say it, but the result of the spell only seemed to prove without a doubt that Davy was in fact evil.

"Buffy?" Spike called through the door as he knocked louder, his first attempt had been seemingly ignored in the midst of the spell.

"Let them in, Andrew" Giles suggested as the boy did just that and the ex-vampire stepped into the room with Illyria just behind him.

"What’s goin’ on?" he asked as he glanced at the still glowing ring, the ashen faced Slayer, and her shocked friends.

"The stone is glowing" Illyria explained, "This means a positive reaction to the spell, that is not a diamond but a mystical gem or crystal"

Spike resisted the urge to say ‘I told you so’ when he realised how genuinely upset Buffy looked.

"Slayer" he sighed, crouching down beside her chair, "I’m sorry, luv" he said honestly, hating to see her hurt this way. What she’d said had caused him pain, but if he was honest he knew she hadn’t meant it the way it came out. He was hardly the king of tact himself, and yet he’d flown off the handle when she made a mistake, that wasn’t fair.

"No" Buffy shook her head, turning to him, "No, I’m the one who’s sorry, Spike" she insisted, "I’m sorry that what I said hurt you, I never meant to do that again" she assured him.

"I get it, pet, I do" he promised her with a half smile, "End of the day it’s just words. You’ve said worse y’know"

"Maybe" she sighed, "I used to think comparing Davy to you was never fair on him, he couldn’t compete, and now..." she glanced back at her ring that still shone with a bright light, "Now I see I was being unfair to you too"

"You thought I was dead, luv" Spike pointed out, "Can’t exactly blame you for moving on"

"I never did" she replied quickly, "You were always in my heart, and I wouldn’t want that to change even if you’d never come back to me... because whilst you were here" she said, hand on her chest, "I never truly let David Di Luigi in. Makes it hurt a little less now I know what I have to do" she said taking a deep breath, her face hardening.

"Er, Buff" Xander cut in, "Not to interrupt the kill, crush, destroy, and obviously completely onboard the vengeance train on this occasion but... this doesn’t necessarily prove Davy is a guilty man"

"Wanna explain that, Whelp?" Spike frowned, the nick-name he used to use for Xander coming so easily. The brunette didn’t comment, just smiled slightly. Despite everything he’d kind of missed it, this situation, being amongst the gang again, though he was kind of missing Willow.

"All I’m saying is, one glowy rock does not a villain make" he explained, "Remember the whole song and dance extravaganza back in Sunnydale?" he said, knowing they’d all recall it, "Demon caught Dawnie with his talisman on and was all ready to do the child bride thing, but yours truly was the culprit"

"Indeed" Giles nodded, "I see what Xander means. Simply because David gave the ring to Buffy does not mean he knew what it was"

"Did he tell you where he got it, Buffy?" Dawn asked her, not recalling being told whether it was a shop bought ring or handed down through the family or whatever.

"I think, I think it was his grandmothers?" the blonde tried to remember. Her head was so full, information overload right now. The comforting feeling on Spike’s hand around her own was helping a lot though.

"And his grandma was what? Demon commander extraordinaire?" the bleached blond snorted, "I’m sorry but I’m not buying that this git didn’t know your ring was all magicked up, luv" he told Buffy who didn’t know what to think.

On the one hand, Davy was such a nice and sweet guy who’d cared for her and her kids so well these past months. On the other side of the argument, she wasn’t exactly expecting to meet evil people and demons so much here in Rome, maybe she’d been blind to something that should’ve been obvious.

"Surely the easiest way to know who sent the demon is by use of torture" Illyria said suddenly, earning odd looks from all.

"Torture Davy?" Andrew asked making the ex-god roll her eyes.

"The demon who attacked us" she explained, "When threatened it might tell us what we need to know"

"It is unlikely the creature would speak in a language we could understand, Illyria" Giles told her, "It is of an ancient order, many hundreds of thousands of years old"

"That doesn’t matter" Dawn shook her head, gaining the groups attention, "Remember back on the Hellmouth, when we captured the Bringer. He couldn’t talk at all but we did that spell and Andrew told us what he wanted to say"

The boy’s hand when subconsciously to his throat as he recalled the incident all too clearly.

"I don’t wanna be the voice this time" he said definitely and Spike took a turn at rolling his eyes.

"I’ll be the bleedin’ voice" he offered, "Any bloody thing if it’ll get this sorted once and for all"

"It’s okay" Dawn told him, "I can do the spell, the voice should come through me"

"Little Wicca now, are you Bit?" Spike smirked.

"Well, I’m not like Willow type good or anything but I get by" she told him proudly as she went to fetch the book she needed and the rest of the gang prepared to leave the apartment. Buffy sat very still, watching her ring as the glow dissipated like Giles said it would soon. Spike stayed at her side, her hand in his.

"Luv, as much as I wanna do the comforting thing here" he told her, "My knees are bloody killing me" he pointed out as he shifted from his crouching position on the floor. The injuries he’d sustained hours earlier weren’t helping much and it was an awful way to sit for too long.

"Get up" she half smiled, doing the same and pulling him into a hug, "Spike I love you so much" she reminded him. Though he knew it was true without being told, it thrilled him to hear the words.

"Love you too, sweetheart" he assured her, "Not gonna lie though, bloody hurt what you said" he added as they pulled apart slightly.

"I said I was sorry, I..." she began but he put a finger to her lips to silence her.

"I didn’t say I wanted an apology" Spike told her, "Like you said, already got one. I just want you to know that, even if you did hurt me, I came back. I suddenly had this awful fear you’d think I’d left you again. Reckon I used up all my luck when you took me back this time, and all the times before" he smiled, head tilted as he stared at her, his fingers moving from her lips to her cheek.

"I knew you’d come back" she smiled fondly at him, "You always come back. I trust you to do that"

Spike couldn’t answer her. He was in awe of the fact she loved him and trusted him so much now. In some ways it hurt that she hadn’t felt this way when he was a vampire, only since he got made human. Something in his eyes told her he wasn’t completely happy and she needed to know why.

"There’s something you’re not saying" she said with a slight frown.

"Dunno what you mean, pet" he said, first looking away and then completely walking away.

"Spike, you are a lousy liar these days" she informed him, glad that it seemed the rest of the gang had left them alone, probably in purpose.

"I just... I wonder if things could’ve been different" he told her, turning back, "I hate myself for thinkin’ it Slayer, but if I was still a vampire..."

"Then I would love you just the same" she assured him, wanting to be offended but knowing she couldn’t be. After all that had happened between them, she had no right to be angry that he didn’t trust her love for him.

The two shared a long look until the Scoobies came crashing back into the room declaring they were ready to go.

"Er, we can’t all go" Buffy told them, as she came out of her Spike related daze, "Someone has to stay here for the kids"

"Oh yes, of course" Giles sighed, unable to believe how stupid he’d been in not realising it sooner, "Er, well, Dawn must come to perform the spell and I propose to go with her"

"I have to go too" Andrew piped up, gripping onto his girlfriends hand. Though the idea of getting caught up in another spell of this kind didn’t thrill him, he was going to be there for Dawn.

"Do you wish for me to stay behind?" Illyria offered, "I would think you two might wish to hear the demon’s story" she said, turning to Spike and Buffy.

"Sounds good to me, luv" the bleached blond nodded as the Slayer did the same, "Hey Xander, how about you keep Lyri here company while we’re gone?" he suggested, "Less of course you’re too eager to hear what demon boy has to say?"

"No, I’ll stay" the brunette offered, "It’s no big. In a dire emergency, say another demon attack - not that it’s likely but - I’m still pretty good with an axe" he grinned and Buffy smiled at her friends ever present enthusiasm for helping out.

"Right then, here we go" Spike smirked at Illyria as the gang vacated leaving the ex-God and her crush behind.

As much as Illyria appreciated Spike’s suggestion of leaving herself and Xander alone, she was now at a loss as to know what to do. He sat in the armchair whilst she was in the middle of the couch. Illyria could not remember ever feeling so uncomfortable in her own skin, not even when her power had become too great for it’s shell, not even when the Powers had made her a transparent spirit.

She had adjusted well to being a human being, albeit a superhero version. The blue streaks in her hair were as fake as the blondness of Spike’s these days but she took the time to keep the marks that she felt made her herself. Her clothes were much more a woman than god, though mostly denim and leather due to Spike’s influence. Though so many outside forces seemed to have made her what she was, Illyria was comfortable enough with herself, until now. She was so very aware of her looks and movement and so nervous about speaking in case she said something she shouldn’t and offended the man across the room from her.

"So, er, how’s the leg feeling?" he asked, startling her from her daze. His concern made her smile slightly, though she knew it was ridiculous, he was probably just making conversation.

"It heals" she told him, "I possess such power to heal my body at speed, much like Spike and your friend the Slayer"

"Handy thing to have" Xander nodded, "I’m almost jealous" he admitted, subconsciously adjusting his eye-patch.

"You have suffered in battle" she said with a tilt of her head, "You have suffered to save others, knowing that you would not heal so fast, or even at all" though she was making statement rather than asking questions he felt he needed to agree with her.

"Yeah, I fight because somebody has to" he shrugged.

"The Slayer was chosen for her task, as they all were" Illyria pointed out, "The Powers decreed that Spike and I should do there bidding. You were not ordered to help and yet you do" she smiled, "I admire that"

"Thanks" Xander smiled back, glancing away when her intense gaze became a little too much to bear, "but the way I hear it, you did the same. I mean, you fought with Angel’s gang before the Powers told you that you had to, right?"

"I did" she agreed, "but I did not seek to fight for the sake of good alone" she said, looking away, "In the end I fought for vengeance, to make others pay for my fallen ally"

"Vengeance, huh? I know a little something about that" Xander said more to himself than to her, "You and Wes had kind of a connection?" he said, moving to join her on the couch as she looked down at her hands that fidgeted at her knees. This creature, this woman, she was so different. In this moment it was hard to believe she was the same person to have fought the demon that had threatened her. She seemed so small and a little lost.

"Wesley was my guide" she said more softly than she meant to, "I had affection for him of some kind I believe, perhaps you would say we were friends but... do not assume I was in love" she snapped, realising how vulnerable she must look to him right now, "I... I did not believe I had the capacity for that, not before"

"Before what?" Xander frowned, not understanding.

Illyria could not understand why her heart beat so fast in her chest or why her palms were sweating so much as he spoke softly to her. If this was love or similar she found it to be most unsettling and not a wondrous emotion like she had hoped. Though she wanted to answer him, to ‘make a move’ as Spike would say, she was almost relieved when the kids began to stir, one of them screaming loudly from the bedroom.

"Want me to go?" Xander offered as Illyria got to her feet.

"It cannot be so difficult to make them stop" she said with a shake of her head as she disappeared into the bedroom. It was Chloe that was crying, Ellie though awake was quiet so far.

"How is it one so small can make such noise?" Illyria asked no-one in particular as she lifted Chloe from her crib and tried to remember how children of such a size should be held, "Come now, it is dark outside, time for your eyes to be closed and silence to reign" she said, bouncing the baby a little and rubbing her back as her tears and yells calmed down to gentle sobs.

"You have no need for tears, little one" Illyria continued, unaware she was being watched from the door, "It amazes me, the amount of salt water spilt by the species I have been made a part of. I do not make a habit of showing such emotion... perhaps this is my downfall" she said, speaking more freely to the children that didn’t understand at all than she could’ve to any grown-up.

"I did not know I was capable of such deep feelings and yet I feel them. I wish to know love, and believe now I may have the capacity to experience it. Though I have affection for Spike, I know what I feel is not the same as those feelings he and Buffy Summers have for each other. Feelings of attraction and longing to be close..." she closed her eyes and pushed back ridiculous tears that she’d been complaining about just moments before. She put the now quiet Chloe back into her crib and looked down at the two little girls as they went back to sleep.

"Yet he will not notice me, will never want me as I feel I want him" she continued in the darkness, "He is a better human being than I can ever be, he fights not because he was chosen but because he cares enough to do so. An old god made flesh would be of no interest to such a man..." her voice trailed away and she realised the two children now slept soundly once again.

Illyria backed towards the door, turning as she came through it and finding she was face to face with Xander, barely two inches between their bodies.

"Hey" he said, not knowing where else to begin, "I was, er, just checking that everything was okay, with you, and the kids obviously"

"They are sleeping once again" she breathed, finding words didn’t come easily all of a sudden, "but I... I struggle to convey what I am feeling" she said frustratedley, part of her wishing she could make her body move and run for the exit, the other loving being this close to Xander and aching to be closer still.

"What you feel..." he said trying to read her expression, "What you said to the kids... that wasn’t about anybody in particular, like say, I dunno, a friend of the Slayer with an eye patch, maybe?" he asked, with a light laugh.

He could always say he was joking if she laughed now or told him he was an idiot for suggesting such a thing. He wasn’t sure whether it was a good or bad thing when she remained silent.

"Illyria?" he prompted and suddenly she seemed to snap out of her daze.

"Am I unattractive?" she asked him earnestly, "I have no way to know how to act, what to think... Perhaps you do not even like me at all in which case I waste my time dallying here" she shook her head as she looked away a pained expression on her face.

"Hey" Xander put a hand to her cheek and made her look at him again, "You are not unattractive" he said firmly, "I just... I guess I’m kind of thrown that you might think I’m worthy of noticing or whatever"

"Spike has taught me all human beings have worth" she told him, swallowing hard, the feel of his fingers on her cheek making her shiver, "but some unknown force makes me feel your worth is far greater to me than that of others"

Xander wasn’t sure what to say to that. He wasn’t exactly used to gorgeous women being so complimentary about him. Cordelia had always been insulting, even when she was kissing him. Anya, well she was blunt and direct about what she felt and what she wanted, he’d loved her so much but the girl wasn’t exactly big with the romantic words, more with the action. Now here was Illyria, some kind of mighty warrior, suddenly reduced to a scared deer in the headlamps of a Mack truck, and somehow he made her feel this way? Xander couldn’t take that concept in.

"I think I would like you to kiss me now" she told him suddenly, and in a moment of the strangest clarity, he did just that.

"Rise and shine, you ugly bastard!" Spike yelled, kicking the unmoving demon in the ribs as he did so, "What’s up with the stupid bugger?" he asked, turning back to look at Giles who was turning pages of a spell book.

"It is held by a binding spell" he explained, "It is probably best that we keep it in this state"

"Can it talk?" Buffy checked, "I mean are we gonna be able to channel anything from it word-wise if it’s all unconscious?"

"Er, s’not unconscious, luv" Spike pointed out as he rolled the beast over. It’s eyes were open and shooting evil glances at all, the stone in it’s head glowed brightly and it’s lips twisted in an attempt to form words

"The spell stops it from moving" Andrew told them, "Makes the body feel like it’s made out of lead, but it’s not knocked out or anything. I don’t know how to do that"

"That’s okay" Buffy nodded, "So long as it doesn’t move, we’re okay"

"So then" Giles said, passing Dawn the book, "Shall we begin"

The younger Summers stepped up by the demon and took a deep breath before she began to read.

"Konus bizimle viza adam" she chanted "Konus bizimle guzle re olya ma adam. Speak to us" as she spoke the final words she got in the demon’s line of sight, the idea being that if she was the person it saw as she spoke the words of the spell, she would become the vessel through which it would speak.

The rest of the group waited for some kind of sound to come from either the demon or Dawn, but none did.

"Did it work?" Spike whispered to Giles, "’M not hearing much"
"Wait a moment..." the Watcher told him as he stepped forward and glanced between the demon and the Slayer’s sister.

"Can you speak to us?" he asked.

"I can, but I will not" said Dawn in a much deeper voice than she possessed. She made a startled sound as her hand went to her throat, "To betray my Master would mean loss of my life, and my honour"

Buffy strode over there with her axe in hand and held it aloft over the demon’s still form.

"You don’t think not talking would mean loss of your worthless life too!" she yelled, taking aim with the blade.

"You do not know what you do" it said through Dawn, "The forces you are playing with"

"Got the biggest forces there are on our side, mate" Spike told it, "Brought back by the Powers That Be I was, and those kids you tried stealing are bloody miracles"

"This I know" the demon answered, "This my Master knows. The blood of the innocent miracles possesses great power"

"This Master of yours" Giles asked what no-one else dared, "Does he have a name?"

"This I shall not betray" the demon swore, until a sword was pressed against it’s throat.

"We’ll ask again then, shall we?" Spike sneered, "The name of your Master, what is it?"

There was a long pause and everyone’s eyes were on Dawn as the demon’s answer began to spill from her own lips.

"My Master has the name of..."

An almighty crash blew the doors from the building and threw the four Scoobies to the ground with force enough to break the spell over the demon and Dawn. The four figures on the ground fought to see through the bright light to who or what was there. When the glow dissipated, they got the shock of their lives.

This was different, better, amazing, Illyria simply didn’t have words to describe as Xander’s arms wound round her body and he continued to kiss her. When she had tried this with Spike, it was not unpleasant but she felt very little at all. Somehow this experience was having a very strange affect on her body. Every inch of her skin tingled like electric currents were running beneath the surface, the heat in her blood rose, and she swore if Xander were not holding her up she’d have lost the ability to stay on her feet. The loss of control, far from unpleasant was incredible to her, a minor miracle considering how usually she liked to be in charge of all situations.

When Xander’s lips left hers Illyria was gasping for air, but smiling like an idiot.

"That was... not unpleasant to me" she admitted, in no hurry to have him let go of her yet, "What is your opinion?" she asked him.

"Yeah" Xander nodded, amused by her manner, head still spinning from the experience of kissing her for so long, "That’s in no way of the bad"

"I..." Illyria began to speak again but stopped abruptly as something in her head felt odd, and not in the way of the pleasant sensations she’d been experiencing a moment ago, "Something is wrong" she said suddenly, her body convulsing as her hands went to her head. Xander lost his grip on her as she reeled back against the wall and slid to her knees, clearly in pain.

"Illyria?" he said, kneeling by her side, trying to find out what was wrong as she closed her eyes and writhed in agony for a few more moments.

"It has passed" she said when she was finally still, touched by the concern she saw when she looked up into Xander’s eyes, "It was merely a vision" she told him.

"Wow" was all he could say to that, "And here was me thinking I was just a little too good at the kissage"

Illyria smiled feintly at that as she attempted to get to her feet and he helped her to do so.

"We must go, or at least I must" she told him, still a little unsteady on her feet.

"What did you see?" Xander asked as she steadied herself and headed for the door.

"Something is attacking, where the demon is held" she explained, picking up the axe Xander had by the door in case of emergency, "I shall go and fight, but you must stay. The children must be protected"

"I... okay" he nodded, "but, you be careful, okay?" he said, looking worried about her condition still. Though she wouldn’t admit it, Illyria hardly felt battle worthy right now but it was her job to do it, she needed to help.

"You too must be careful" she nodded as she opened the door, turning back just once before she left the apartment.

"And it was not just the vision that affected my balance" she admitted with a smile, "You are very good at kissing"

"Oh my God" Buffy gasped as she looked over at the figure in the doorway, bright light fading around her, "Oh, Willow!" she cried as she scrambled to her feet and hurried over to her best friend.

"Hey Buff" the red-head smiled, hugging the Slayer tight, "It’s been too long" she said, not yet releasing her friend as tears came to both their eyes.

"I can’t believe you’re here" Buffy shook her head as they finally pulled apart, "Nobody knew where you were"

"Oh come on" Willow smiled, "You thought you could have a Scooby reunion without me?"

"Wouldn’t dream of it, Red" Spike told her as he stepped up behind Buffy.

"Spike" she greeted him with a grin and more surprisingly to him a hug, "I heard you were back. It’s so good to see you"

"You too, Wicca" he said, still a little startled by her sudden wish to greet him quite so physically.

Dawn, Giles, and Andrew were soon taking turns at hugging the witch and then Buffy had a question.

"Not that it’s not great to see you Will, but how come you’re suddenly here? I mean, how did you know we were even here?"

"Got me some friends in the high places these days y’know" her friend told her proudly, "The witches at the coven in England that Giles took me to before was just the beginning" she explained, "That coven is connected to others, so many powerful women, witches and seers... I met up with some in Brazil when I was there with... well, when I was there" she said, looking momentarily pained before continuing, "I realised there was still so much I could learn, and I was a little lost after Sunnydale, trying to find my purpose. Anyway" she said, "long story short I was studying in the Himalayas, trying out some theories about astral projection, when I came down I got word that Angel was trying to call me"

"About Fred" Spike nodded as he recalled it.

"Yeah" Willow nodded sadly, "I felt awful when I realised what had happened. Some of the ladies from the coven knew about Illyria’s resurrection, they explained it all to me... I also know she’s not evil now, what the Powers did for her and you, Spike"

"Know a bloody lot for absentee-girl" he smirked and Willow smiled back at him.

"I wasn’t so absent" she told him and the rest of the gang too, "It’s all connected, right, Giles?" she glanced at the Watcher, "I learnt a little something from the Seer’s I was hangin’ with and they helped me. I pretty much know the whole sitch"

"Everything?" Buffy asked, looking a little worried. Since Xander was here already, that only left Will not knowing about her children.

"Oh you mean your two little mini-Buffys?" Willow smiled, "Uh-huh, I know. I also know that demon boy here tried to take them from you and would have succeeded if not for Spike and your new pal Illyria"

"Speaking of" Dawn said, noticing the ex-goddess approaching. She swung her axe as she came through the door, aiming for Willow’s back.

"Lyri, no!" Spike yelled, but he was too late. The witch however had faster reactions.

"Obrigesco!" she commanded, throwing an arm around. The axe froze in place though Illyria was still free to move and did so, going to the floor and rolling back onto her feet, giving Willow a scathing look.

"Nice entrance" the red-head told her, "but y’know throwing axes at your fight partner’s girlfriend’s best friend, kinda not a good first impression from here"

"I do not understand" Illyria said, glancing at Spike and Buffy then back at Willow, not yet shifting from her fighting stance.

"Illyria, this is Willow" Giles introduced the two women, "She is a good friend of ours, and also a witch as you may have noticed"

"Willow" the ex-god echoed as she relaxed a little, "Your friends have spoken of you, you are a valuable asset to many I believe"

"I like to think so" Willow grinned, "And I hear we kinda need to get with the magicky goodness with your new demon buddy over here, right?"

She walked over to the still demon by the opposite wall and Dawn, Andrew and Giles joined her. Buffy and Spike held back as Illyria stared after the other three.

"You alright, luv?" the ex-vamp asked his friend as she tilted her head in her own strange manner.

"I do not understand" she admitted, "I received a vision, a bright light here, and then a figure of evil" she explained, "I arrived and attacked as I felt I should, and yet there was no danger, only your friend, the witch"

"That is weird" Buffy frowned, "There’s gotta be a rational explanation for that though, right? I mean Will isn’t evil again, I would totally be able to tell"

"If she’s bloody evil I’m the Queen of England" Spike scoffed.

"He’s right" Buffy nodded, barely containing a smile "He’d look awful in a tiara"

"Cheeky bint" he shot at her, though he was smiling too.

"I believe someone is playing with me" Illyria told them, interrupting their sweet bantery moment, "The vision was more painful that it should have been and I cannot go back" she frowned. Buffy glanced at Spike not understanding.

"When she has a vision it’s sort of like a little movie in her head" he explained, "But after, for a while at least, she can concentrate and pull still pictures back into her mind... That not happenin’ this time, pet?" he checked with Illyria who shook her head in confusion.

"Er, guys?" Willow called across to them, "Dawnie was fillin’ me in on the whole spell deal. Want me to try it?"

"Sure, Will, that’d be good" Buffy answered absently, "Maybe the demon knows why your visions are going all wonky too?" she suggested to Illyria, "Could be all connected?"

"You find out" Spike nodded, "I’m going back to the apartment. If somethin’ other than the Powers wanted you here, could be a trap. Not leavin’our kids to get... Not leavin’ them" he told Buffy, kissing her cheek before leaving in a hurry.

"I should follow him" Illyria considered, but Buffy’s hand on her arm prevented it.

"You don’t look like you should be fighting right now" the Slayer pointed out, "You feel okay?"

"Not entirely" the other woman admitted, "My head still spins a little, my legs do not feel quite adequate to hold me but that may be because... Is this a normal reaction when one you desire kisses you?"

"Er, I don’t..." Buffy mumbled, "Did you...?"

"Xander and I, we tested out a theory that I had" Illyria explained, "I believe we have feelings for each other that require to be explored"

"Huh" was all Buffy could find to say in response. That was really not what she’d been expecting, though considering Xander’s track record with both demons/ex-demons and also out-spoken women, it should not be so wholly surprising that he and Illyria might have feelings for each other.

"It bothers you, perhaps?" the girl with the blue streaked hair challenged.

"No way, nuh-huh, whole world of not" Buffy assured her overly much, "It’s just not what I expected, I guess"

Illyria glanced over at the four people gathered around the motionless demon on the ground.

"We have more important things to attend to" she realised, "Do you wish me to stay, or follow Spike?"

"Whatever you wanna do is fine with me" Buffy told her, "and for the record, all I want for Xander is happiness. You think you two could have something, it’s all good"

"Thankyou, Buffy" Illyria smiled, "I have often told Spike that I wish him to be happy too. I knew this would not happen until he found you" she said as she turned to leave, "I shall see you later, I am sure"

"You will" the Slayer called behind her before walking back across the room to her friends, "So, what’s the what?" she asked them.

"I’m gonna try a little hyped up version of the spell" Willow told her, "Not that Dawnie didn’t do a great job but..."

"But you’ll do better" the younger Summers rolled her eyes and smiled, "Don’t worry Willow, I’m not offended. You’re the real Wiccan WonderWoman, I’m just the magically-challenged Diana Prince Wannabe" she sighed, as Andrew squeezed her hand and grinned at her comic book reference. Buffy shuddered involuntarily - that was just disturbing.

"Okay, so spell time" Willow announced, preparing herself for the magick moment. She began to incant something a little more complex than Dawn had used, her eyes getting darker as she concentrated on the demon at her feet. All going well, he’d be telling them everything he knew and more within moments.

The knock on the door made Xander jump. Illyria had inadvertently taken his only weapon and how he was going to protect the kids should anyone or anything attack was beyond him.

"Oi Xander!" Spike called through the door, "Let me the hell in, Whelp!" he told him as he knocked for a third time, becoming increasingly impatient.

"Oh, it’s you" the brunette sighed as he opened the door and let the ex-vamp in.

"You were expecting, who? The bleedin’ tooth fairy?" Spike smirked, "You get any jumpier mate, you’ll hit the ceiling. How are the Little Bits?" he checked next.

"They’re good, sleeping mostly" Xander told him "although I doubt that’ll last too much longer. What happened with the demon?"

"Not much yet" Spike explained, "Though you might like to know your little red witch is in town"

"Wills is here?" the boy grinned stupidly and Spike almost laughed.

"Yeah, whippin’ up a little mojo to get demon boy talkin’" he explained, "Seems someone’s messing with Lyri’s head though. That vision she had of us being attacked was a fake, the only grand entrance was Willow"

"Is she okay?" Xander checked, "Illyria, I mean?"

"I am fine" she answered from the still open door, "Though your concern is appreciated" she smiled at him and Spike saw a look pass between them.

"I, er, reckon I’ll check on the kids" he smirked, heading in the direction of the bedroom, "Leave you two to be alone"

Illyria waited until he was gone before speaking again.

"I believe he knows what we have done" she told Xander as he came across the room towards her.

"What exactly have we done?" he wanted to know, "I mean yeah, there was kissage and that’s great but... that something you see us doing again sometime?"

"No" he was stunned by her answer and very disappointed until a smirk tugged at the corners of her mouth and she continued, "Not sometime" she told him, "With such dangers at every turn, I believe we should repeat our pleasure now" she smiled, pulling him forward by his shirt and putting her lips to his.

Spike smirked from this spot behind the bedroom door.

"Seems Uncle Xander and Aunt Lyri have found a new game to play kids" he told the two babies as their stirred in their cribs, "’S not exactly what I expected to happen when I came here, but then you two have to have been my biggest surprise" he sighed, "Gotta say though, not hating the idea of fatherhood. Your Mum and me, well it’s complicated between us at best, but as soon as we figure out why some nasty bugg...person is after you" he amended, trying not to curse in front of the kids, "and I promise that we will, I’m gonna do my best to make things work with the Slayer" he assured them, "I want this, the family thing, I want Buffy so much it hurts, and you two... you’re my icing on the cake, Sweet Bits" he smiled, leaning over Ellie’s crib to straighten the covers over her.

Whatever else happened everything was going to work out here, Spike didn’t just want it to be true, he knew it was. He felt it deep inside him, like instinct or something. He belonged with Buffy and the kids, and nobody was going to take that destiny away from him.

"Tell us what we want to know, from your lips only truth must flow" Willow ended the English part of her chant and the demon at her feet stared at her with steely eyes.

"Ask it what you want to know" the witch told Buffy, "He can’t lie, and the answer will come so you understand it"

"Tell us who your Master is" the Slayer said to the still demon.

"Her name is never spoken" said an English speaking voice, clearly coming from the demon, though it’s lips never moved, "I know her only as The True Chosen" he answered.

"Why does she want my kids?" Buffy asked next, trying to keep her emotions in check as she spoke of her babies who’s lives were apparently in danger.

"Their blood is potent, it holds great power" the demon went on, "Power that my Master believes should be her own"

"What does all this have to do with Davy?" Buffy asked with a shake in her voice. The danger she and Spike and the children were in was the biggest deal but they could handle all that, she was sure of it, they always did. She still needed to know if a man she had some feelings for at least had betrayed her and never really loved her at all.

"You speak of The Instrument" the demon realised, "That is all he was. He fulfilled his function, almost completely. He is no longer of use to my Master"

"What does that mean?" Dawn asked glancing at her sister, her eyes going wide as Buffy brought her sword down on the demons head, splitting it in two. Tears welled in the Slayers eyes as she looked at her shocked friends.

"It means he never really loved me" she said flatly, "and that he’s probably dead"

A knock on the door startled Illyria and Xander from their kissing and brought Spike running from the kids bedroom.

"Who the bloody hell is that?" he asked, grabbing up his sword and making sure his friends were well armed too.

"Whoever it is will be met with caution" Illyria said, stepping towards the door and listening for some clue of who or what might be on the other side. Another knock was all she heard and then the frantic mutterings of a strangely familiar voice.

"It is a man" she frowned slightly as she turned back to Spike and Xander, "I believe it may be the one who gave Buffy her ring"

"But he’s evil, right?" Xander checked, "Or possibly not. How are we supposed to know?"

"No way to for sure" Spike said with a shake of his head, "Plan on findin’ out though" he said as he pushed past Illyria and stood by the door.

In one swift movement he opened it, grabbed the man on the other side by the throat, hauled him inside and pinned him against the wall. Davy yelped as a sword was pointed towards his gut.

"Don’t think we were properly introduced, mate" Spike smirked, "Name’s Spike, good mate of Buffy’s, bloody in love with her if you must know, so you see I don’t take too kindly to hearin’ you might have been upsetting the lady in question"

"I never meant to" Davy grimaced as the tip of the sword grazed his stomach on every breath, "I..I like Buffy, I do, I never wanted to hurt her"

"You never wanted to" Xander echoed, "But you did it anyway?"

"I had to, you don’t understand" Davy tried to tell them, Spike’s gaze never wavered and the hand holding the sword never shifted, not even a fraction.

"Then make me understand" the ex-vampire almost growled as he pulled the other man off the wall and flung him onto the couch. Putting one booted foot up on the coffee table, Spike leaned his weight forward, sword still aimed at Davy though from further back now.

"Here’s the plan, junior" he said as Illyria and Xander stood either side of him, looking almost just as menacing as the bleached blond, "You are going to tell me everything you know about the ugly-ass demon that’s after Buffy’s and my kids and you’re gonna do it now, and if I get the tiniest hint of a lie coming from you, well, it’s a long time since I was evil and used torture but where those I love are concerned..." he left the threat hanging as an almost-evil smirk came over his face. Davy’s eyes shifted nervously to Xander who explained.

"Oh you’re gonna be julienned real nice if don’t you talk fast" he said simply, knowing Spike wasn’t playing around, and that he himself would get very angry if this guy didn’t do as he was told so the Buffster and the kids could be saved.

"I’ll talk, I will" Davy assured them, "but if you don’t like what you hear, you’re not gonna... slice me, are you?" he asked nervously.

"Begin your story!" Illyria demanded, "Or I’ll shall grow bored and commence cutting your flesh simply for the purpose of my own amusement" she said menacingly and Davy swallowed hard.

"Okay, okay, I’ll tell you..."

"Uh, was killing the demon the best plan?" Dawn said as she peered over the remains of said creature, the contents of it’s head spilling out on the ground near her feet, "I mean, how do we get info now?"

"I don’t know, sweetie" Willow shook her head, glancing between the demon carcass and her best friend as she stood at the other side of the building with her back to the rest.

"Buffy?" Giles called as he approached her, "Buffy, are you quite alright?" he checked as he reached her and put a hand on her shoulder.

"I did a stupid thing, didn’t I?" the Slayer said, not moving still.

"Well, perhaps the destruction of the demon was a little hasty given that he could have given us so much more information" her Watcher sighed, "but you were upset and..."

"No" Buffy interrupted, "I didn’t mean... I meant with Davy, trusting him, loving him even. That was my stupid thing, thinking it could be so easy, that somebody could love me..." she felt so silly for getting teary about it. She had Spike and her kids and all her friends, it shouldn’t matter that Davy had betrayed her, not really. In her heart she knew she would have broken it off with him when all this was over anyway, but it still hurt to know of his betrayal, to know he probably didn’t care about her at all.

"Buffy, I know you’re hurting" Giles said gently, "but there is more at stake here than you seem to realise" he explained, "Whoever or whatever this Davy is, he is not the leader of this plot to take the children. He and the demon have a master of some kind, and I fear if we do not find her and destroy her, Eloise and Chloe may still be in very great danger"

Suddenly, with a deep breath, Buffy turned to face her friends once again. Her full General mode from last year took over as she addressed them one by one.

"Okay, this thing has a boss" she said, tipping her weapon towards the dead demon, "Giles, Andrew, do some research. Look up anything that could maybe control a thing this powerful, any obvious connections" she told them, "Willow, think you could work up some mojo, maybe cloak this thing or whatever so nobody finds it?"

"Sure" the red head nodded, "Could use a hand maybe, Dawnie?" she said turning to the younger Summers who said she was happy to stay and help the witch.

"Okay" Buffy agreed, "I’ll head back to the apartment, check on the others. We meet back there tonight"

"Er, what about Davy?" Andrew squeaked, almost too scared to mention his name, "I mean, if he’s more Lex Luthor than Clark Kent, shouldn’t we research him too"

Buffy seemed to consider the idea for a moment and Giles added his own opinion.

"We could check the public records" he suggested, "Check his family history and so forth"

"His Mom was a Watcher" Buffy told them, "Her name is Mary, she was Watcher to an Italian Slayer in the seventies, that’s all I know" she shrugged, "Might be a place to start"

Giles nodded as he and Andrew left, though the Watcher was wondering if all Davy had told Buffy was a lie. He certainly didn’t remember an Italian Slayer in the seventies, but then some didn’t live as long as others...

Leaving her friend and sister to perform the necessary spells on the dead demon, Buffy headed back towards her apartment, not realising she was in for a shock when she got there.

"You think he’s lying?" Xander asked Spike as they stood across the room from Davy. Illyria was still standing over him, axe in hand should he decide to do anything stupid.

"I dunno, mate" the bleached blond admitted, "I don’t wanna take any chances with him but you really think that quaking heap could be the mastermind behind a plan like that?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Not so much" Xander admitted, "but this Master chick sounds like she’s all five fruity flavours of crazy"

"Yeah well, dealt with the psycho type before" Spike told him, "Reckon I can handle another, even if she is a little more demony that she ought to be"

"What’re you gonna tell Buffy?" the brunette wanted to know and as the ex-vamp opened his mouth to answer the very woman appeared behind him.

"What’re you going to tell me about what?" she checked as she came through the door, heading for her friends until she noticed Davy on the couch and Illyria standing over him.

"Buffy" he said uncertainly, wondering whether he should be relieved or more worried by her presence.

"Don’t talk to me" she said, shaking her head as she covered the rest of the distance between them and stood at Spike’s side, "Why is he here?" she asked, all business-like. Spike saw the pain in her eyes and just wanted to hug her but this wasn’t the time, she was the Slayer right now, nothing else.

"Came lookin’ for you I reckon, we sort of intervened" he smirked, "Got the whole story out of him, Slayer, he’s not the big threat"

"The demon’s master is his master too" Xander chipped in, "and it’s not so much an it as a she"

"He, she, it, whatever" Buffy shrugged, "She’s a demon and she’s after our kids, so she’s going down" she said, sharing a serious look with Spike.

"I’m right there with you, luv, always" he assured her, "but it’s not as simple as the demon aspect... Buffy, she’s a vampire but not like the rest"

"They all dust the same when they get staked, Spike" she reminded him, "Even the Chaka Khans or whatever the proper name was for those Uber-thingies"

"Turok-hans, luv" he smirked at her unintentionally humorous mistake.

"This girl wasn’t exactly your average chica, Buff" Xander explained, "even before the vampyness"

"Xander, you of all people know I hate riddles" Buffy sighed, "Tell me what’s so special about this Master vampy skank"

Spike took a breath, looking down and then up at her before he answered.

"She was a Slayer, pet" he told her at last, "Only one I ever heard of that got turned"

Buffy didn’t have an immediate answer to that.

"So, you and Andrew, huh?" Willow smiled as she and Dawn headed back towards the apartment, the sun rising and bathing the beautiful city in pink and gold. The demon’s body had been cloaked from sight, their work for the moment was done, and they had some catching up to do.

"Yeah, me and Andrew" the brunette smiled almost shyly, "I know that probably seems weird to you but, he’s a total sweetie, and he loves me a lot. I love him too"

"I always wondered about you two" Willow admitted, "The little smiles across the table when we were talking battle plans, and how you were the only one he ever let touch his markers or his big board" she giggled.

Dawn when a little red and hid behind her hair. When she appeared again she looked more serious.

"Did things not go well with Kennedy?" she asked carefully, mindful of upsetting the witch.

"She... well, we kinda drifted I guess" the red-head explained, looking mostly at her feet, "We needed each other, back in Sunnydale, with the fighting and all, but I... I don’t know if I can explain"

"You don’t have to" Dawn told her with a quick shake of her head, "If it hurts or whatever"

"No, it’s not..." Willow sighed, "I just think maybe I was looking for something that wasn’t there or something to take my mind off what wasn’t there" she smiled sadly.

"Tara?" Dawn guessed.

"There’s never going to be another one like her" the red-head said as she looked out at the sky, "But what I think I realised was, that’s okay" she nodded firmly, "If there was more than one, she wouldn’t be half so special, and I like that she’ll always be special. She’ll always be my girl" she smiled, looking to Dawn who did the same.

"I get that, that’s nice"

They climbed the stairs of the apartment block, up to where the Summers girls all lived, and where their friends were waiting. They had no clue of the story that waited for them too, the true tale of an old vampire slayer who wasn’t quite as dead as she ought to have been.

A Slayer, a fellow sister in arms, was the enemy this time around. Buffy was having trouble taking it all in. Not only was it another woman of her own kind that was trying to take her children by sending a demon after her and setting her up with a man she thought she loved, but this Slayer was more than a little crazy and apparently a vampire. There were so many questions running round Buffy’s head right now and she just couldn’t get them into enough of an order to get them out properly.

"What...? How did...? I don’t..." she rambled some until she finally settled on on person to speak to and one thing to say, "You" she snapped, stalking over to take Illyria’s place leaning over Davy, "Who is she? This Slayer, how are you connected?"

"She... she was my mother’s charge, years ago" he stammered, feeling very intimidated by a woman that he had claimed to love for so long, "We thought she was dead but she came back"

"Right, she got turned" Spike nodded, "We got that part already Sparky, time to cough up the real goods for the Slayer now" he told him.

"This Master of yours got a name?" Buffy asked with a icy glare and Davy nodded.

"Luisa" he told her, "Luisa Vincenzi, she was called in 1977 and died the same year" he explained, "My mother was her Watcher"

"Mary talked about her..." Buffy remembered, "but she never mentioned that she got turned!" she snapped.

"She didn’t know" Davy assured her, "None of us did, for years we thought she was just dead but then she returned... the day I met you"

A knock on the door took the attention of the room off the shaking mortal and Illyria strode over to answer and see who was there. Willow and Dawn were startled by the glaring ice blue eyes that met their entrance.

"Geez, Illyria" Dawn breathed, "Scary glare, much?" she said as she and Willow came into the apartment that was filling up fast.

"What’s happening?" the red-head frowned as she saw the nervous looking brunette on the couch and her friends’ expressions of badness.

"We know what the Master thing is" Xander told her, "She’s a Vampire Slayer"

"Oh, but thats kind of a good thing, right?" Dawn chipped in, "I mean, if she’s like you Buffy she’s beatable, just another Slayer, nothing big and scary?"

"’S not that simple, Bit" Spike shook his head, "When Xander here says Vampire Slayer, he means Slayer that’s been vamped. She could be stronger than me and your sister"

Suddenly the children awoke in the next room and cried out for their parents. Buffy asked Illyria to watch over Davy whilst she went to her kids and Spike was quick to follow his woman. Once inside Ellie and Chloe’s bedroom he shut the door so it was just the four of them.

"Come on, sweetie" Buffy told Chloe as she picked her up and held her close, "I guess you’re getting pretty hungry"

"You too, eh pet?" Spike smiled at baby Ellie as he lifted her from the cot and held her the same way.

The two little girls were soon calm in the embrace of their parents and despite all the badness that waited beyond the door, Buffy and Spike could not help but love this little moment, just them and the kids, a family like they ought to be. As he glanced at her Spike realised Buffy was thinking the same thing he was, but when tears ran down her cheeks and she held the child in her arms tighter he sensed her fear of losing all this too.

"Slayer, it’ll be alright y’know" he told her, holding Ellie with just one arm so he could hold Buffy with the other, "We get rid of this evil chit and then it’ll always be like this, you, me and the Little Bits"

"I wish it were that simple, Spike" Buffy said, swallowing hard, "but when has anything ever worked out for us?"

"Now listen here, Buffy Anne Summers" he snapped almost angrily, looking her right in the eye, "You can stop with the defeatist attitude right now, cos we’re gonna get through this, all four of us, the gang too. This girl, she can’t be any tougher than what we’ve faced before, and we’ve got the Powers on our side, must have, what with me being back here with you and all"

Buffy shook her head.

"I know the Powers That Be brought you back, and maybe they are on our side but, Spike, this girl, this thing she’s become, you have no idea how strong she is" she told him.

"And you do?" he frowned, sensing there was something he was missing here.

"I was her once" Buffy began to explain, "Or at least I was in her position once, kind of" she sighed when she realised her explanation wasn’t coming out at all right so she started over, "There was a thing happened in Sunnydale, years ago now, before I even met you" she told a confused Spike, "A boy got beaten by his little league coach and something Hellmouthy happened, it made everybody’s worst nightmares come true..." she winced at the horrific memories, despite all she’d faced in her life since then, her real life nightmare still filled her with the most dread, "For as long as the effects lasted, I was a vampire" she admitted.

"Bloody hell" Spike exclaimed, not really knowing what else to say.

"Yeah, well, it only lasted a little while" Buffy shrugged, "Just a few hours but I was what she is, Spike, a true Vampire/Slayer. The power that flowed through me was so intense... and this girl’s had almost thirty years to get real messed up psychologically, I don’t wanna imagine how strong she could be, not to mention crazy"

Eloise wriggled in Spike’s arms taking some of his attention from the situation at hand. He glanced back at the window and saw it was daylight outside, the sun had risen fast

"Look, luv" he said to Buffy, "the Bits need feeding and looking after. With demon boy taken care of, your traitorous ex under the watchful eye of Lyri and the others, and the sun up like it will be for the next twelve hours at least, reckon we’re safe for a while" he told her.

"I guess" Buffy nodded, "We should deal with the kids, get everybody ready, make battle plans..." she rattled off one thing after another not looking as coherent as she might as she went towards the bedroom door.

"Buffy" Spike reached his spare hand out to her arm and stopped her leaving for a moment. As she turned around he put his lips to hers and kissed her soundly, "We’ll be okay, all of us. Got it?" he said firmly, not letting her go until she nodded her agreement and forced half a smile for him.

"That’s my girl" he smirked as they left the bedroom with their kids still in their arms.

"Where is he?" Luisa demanded, "Where is he! Where is HE!" she bellowed, sweeping her arms across the shelves and bringing all the books and ornaments crashing to the floor.

"I don’t know" Mary told her, trying to be strong, but shaking violently with fear, "Luisa, please, spare my boy. He has done nothing to you"

The Vampire/Slayer cackled with maniacal laughter at that as she turned to face her old Watcher.

"Nothing to me?" she scoffed, "He has hurt me, I depise his existence, as I despise you!" she said angrily, grabbing Mary by the hair as she got up in her face, "I am what I have become because of you, people like you!"

"No, Luisa" Mary would have shook her head if she were able, "The Watchers Council were good people, I was here to guide you when you were called but we were not the ones that made you what you are. It was your destiny to be a Slayer"

"And was it my destiny to die as I did!" she demanded to know, "Was it my privilege to be killed at the age of seventeen?" she cried, "Was it my birthright to have the very life drained from me, and lose the child I carried!"

"Luisa, I am sorry" Mary cried too, for all the good it did.

Vamping out, Luisa pushed the older woman away violently and raged as if she were in terrible pain.

"I am not Luisa!" she screamed, "I am Optimum Verus, the True Chosen, and I will have what is mine!"

"Optimum Verus?" Spike echoed as Xander helped Illyria up from the floor. Her vision had caught her of guard and she’d fallen to the ground in severe pain, pictures flashing behind her eyes so fast she could barely make them out, but two words rang through clear as a bell. She’d muttered them over and over til the vision subsided and no-one really understood them.

"Sounds like Latin" Willow pointed out, "but I wouldn’t know what it means" she shook her head, "I can pronounce stuff for spells but translation would definitely be a Giles thing"

"You okay?" Xander checked as he handed a glass of water to Illyria, tenderly brushing her hair off her face.

"I shall be quite well" she assured him, "My only concern is the danger I felt within my vision" she explained, looking over at Spike and Buffy, "Whatever it is that bears the Latin name, she is getting closer to her goal"

"It has to be Luisa, right?" Dawn guessed, "Do you think Davy would know if it was?"

Buffy looked towards the bathroom where they had her ‘fiancé’ held captive. They hadn’t been sure what to do with him, no way of knowing how strong he might really be or what might happen if he got away. The irony was not lost on Spike as he chained the bugger into the bath tub. He’d have laughed about it had the situation not been so serious.

"I can’t deal with him" the Slayer admitted, "and anyway, Giles and Andrew won’t be much longer, they can probably tell us more" she said.

They’d called Andrew’s cell an hour ago to update him and Giles on what they knew. The two men had promised to be back as soon as they could, complete with all the info they currently had and any more books and manuscripts that might prove of use.

"Better hurry it up" Spike sighed, glancing out of the window and then down at his watch, "Don’t want to worry anybody but if we don’t have a plan before the sun goes down..."

"We will have a plan by then" Buffy said firmly, "We can’t afford not to" she realised as she looked down at her giggling daughters playing on the rug, their lives literally depended on it.

The Slayer was pulled from her thoughts by Giles and Andrew being let into the apartment, a pile of papers and books each in their arms which were quickly stacked on the table.

"What do we know?" Buffy asked her Watcher and her friend as the group all gathered to hear the answer.

"We found records, Watchers Diaries and other stuff about Luisa Vincenzi" Andrew explained, "Basically she was called on July 29th 1977, her Watcher was Mary Fisher as you know. Luisa was the Slayer for almost six months when she was killed by vampires" he went on, "Twist is, she wasn’t murdered, she was sired, by Yoda knows who, and the scary part is, she was pregnant at the time"

"What does that mean?" Buffy asked, her face having gone ashen as what she was being told sunk in, "I mean, did she have a vampire baby or...?"

"No, no" Giles shook his head, "A vampire’s body is dead and therefore not condusive with either keeping a child alive or indeed giving birth to it. The child would’ve died when Luisa did and whilst she was brought back as a vampire, the baby would almost definitely have been left dead"

"That’s awful" Dawn gasped, feeling sick to her stomach. She could only imagine what Buffy must be feeling. It would’ve been so easy for something bad to have happened to her during her pregnancy... Dawn couldn’t bear to finish that particular thought.

"So, because her kid is dead, she wants ours?" Buffy guessed, glancing between Spike and her Watcher.

"I think there may be more to it than that" Giles explained, reaching into the pile of books he’d brought in and pulling out a piece of paper with scribbled writing all over it, "I copied this from a photograph of an ancient scroll that has long since been destroyed" he explained as Spike took the page form his hand, "I copied it because it mentioned the Chosen, and offspring, I made the connection with you, Buffy, and thought it might mean something..."

"Blood of the Chosen, both black and white, bring forth the offspring in purest light. Life from beyond, and blood of the true, shall live ever after, in the world of the new" Spike read aloud, frowning slightly as he tried to figure out what it all meant.

"Blood of the Chosen? I guess that’s you, Buff?" Xander told her.

"And I s’pose offspring’d be the little ones" Spike added.

"Indeed" Giles nodded, "I do believe the first line is simply saying that the two of you would have your children" he explained, "since Buffy is indeed Chosen and she and Spike came from opposite sides originally, the black and the white"

"I came back from the beyond too" the ex-vampire pointed out, "Reckon that’s what this bits about?" he checked, putting the paper on the table and pointing to the beginning of the second line as the gang gathered to see.

"So, so far we have Buffy and Spike got together and made babies ‘in purest light’, whatever that means, then Spike came back, and they’re gonna live happily ever after?" Dawn assumed.

"I guess" Andrew agreed, "I mean, the world of the new could be cos we made all those other Slayers, kinda like a new world now?"

"I get it" Buffy said suddenly catching everyone’s attention, "Finally" she actually laughed as he said it, "I finally get how Ellie and Chloe got here" she smiled as she looked over at Spike.

"That night" she reminded him, "When we... were together, the amulet was on the bed"

"It was" he agreed remembering the scene in beautiful detail, "Sort of forgot about it when we were... otherwise engaged" he smirked, "but I don’t see..."

"It was a force of good, of ‘purest light’" she quoted, "The power from the amulet did something to us when we were together, Spike, it has to be that, it fulfilled the prophecy"

"Woah, hold on a sec" Xander said suddenly, "I’m figuring something out here" he told the assembled group, "You two had special Chosen kids, cos you’re the big important Slayer and you were the vamp who sought out the soul, right?"

"I guess" Buffy agreed, not yet seeing where he was going with this.

"The other Slayer, Luisa, she was having a kid and she got turned" he went on, "A Slayer, a vampire, a baby... you think she thought her kid was gonna be big with the big miracle child-ness?"

"Oh yes" Giles nodded, "That would make a lot of sense, and go some way to explaining her psychotic obsession with the children"

"I don’t care" Buffy shook her head, "Whatever her reason is for wanting our kids, she’s not getting them" she said firmly, "You can send demons after me, set me up with a fake fiancé, that I can deal with, but nobody is going to harm our babies" she said, looking at Spike who nodded in agreement.

"Too true, luv" he told her, "The bitch is going down"