Disclaimer: Legal stuff, don't own characters, haven't made any money, this is for entertainment purposes, no profit earned, lawyers go away. –kisses-
You can comment on this or any Spanderverse stories by visiting the Spanderverse forum under the Buffy topic! You can also read my commentary on 'To Dream', 'After 314', 'Spike', and 'Dracula'. Emails are welcome as is R & R (please – feed my muse).
POV: Shifts Perspective
Spoiler Alert: There are tidbits from past episodes and Spanderverse: stories.
Notes: Story number fifteen in the Spanderverse-universe, following "Falling Apart". Everything from the television series through the defeat of Adam also occurred as depicted, in the Spanderverse.
People's thoughts are depicted in italics. You'll find emphasis depicted with an underline.
More Notes: BIG thanks to Joss, the ME creative team and the crew of one of the best shows on television. WE MISS YOU!
Thanks to the authors of Fanfiction, wherever you may post. It's probable that I've read at least one of your stories somewhere. I apologize for recycling concepts inadvertently from the plentitude of stories I've read.
Takes place two weeks after Thanksgiving, and ergo, about two weeks more or less before Christmas.
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Sunnydale Antics
Ch 1 – Delivery
Two weeks before bloody Christmas and two bloody weeks late, Spike stood looking at Buffy. She was standing perfectly still, not so much as a sway in her movements with her eyes closed, waiting. Waiting for him.
Nearby and scenting up the air with the aroma of nerves and the sounds of shuffling stood the man that had brought Spike and his Slayer together at last. Warren cleared his throat anxiously, "Well?"
"She's seems…life-like. 'Leastways with her standing still. How do I know she'll…perform…to my specifications?"
"Oh, she will! She's got everything you asked for. Sorry, she's a bit late. But, it'll be worth the wait, you'll see."
"And her requirements," Spike asked. "Not that I'm worrying about stealing a little more electricity from the city grid, but it could be damned inconvenient if she winds down just when things get good."
"Not necessary. I mean," Warren sputtered. He really wanted to get the hell out of here before the vampire remembered he should have been fanging him by now.
"I mean, I gave her solar collectors…behind the eyes. Just have her stand outside and stare at the sun for thirty minutes a day and she'll be good for twenty four hours. As a backup, that case next to her is a miniature generator…runs on kerosene. It'll keep her running on cloudy days."
Spike gazed over his specially built Buffy and winced a little. Even being a vampire, he could tell there was something immensely wrong with this whole scenario. But, what's done was done and he had her now. Still, maybe he should cancel the whole show; have this nerdy bloke take her apart and forget the whole idea. He turned to ask what's-his-name about shutting her down in case of emergencies only to find the skittery young man gone. He'd been so wrapped up in his mini-guilt fest, he'd let the wanker slip out on him.
"Bloody hell."
The Buffybot's eyes flew open then, and Spike was caught speechless by how alive she seemed. Her eyes sparkled and her muscles shifted beneath the flesh-looking skin. She expressed a surprised and pleased reaction to his presence and he thought of the real Buffy and how she'd never reacted this way. And about how much he'd give if only she would.
Seconds later, the Buffybot was in his arms and kissing him like he'd always imagined Buffy would kiss and he forgot all of his qualms. Even her breasts under his hands felt real. Spike closed his eyes and allowed himself to get lost in the fantasy.
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Joyce tiptoed through her front door, swaying slightly as evidence that she might have wanted to pass on that last glass of wine. But the night was so magical and Brian was so disarming, she'd found herself hesitant to end the evening. In fact, if it wasn't for the fact that she'd specifically told the girls she wouldn't be late, she just might have allowed herself to go back to Brian's place tonight. After all, she was an adult and she and Brian had been on what, four or six dates by now? Surely he wouldn't think she was 'easy' if she got a little bold?
She crossed the threshold, giggling a bit with the thought of finally having sex again after such a long dry spell. She had her black pumps in one hand and the keys in the other as she tried not to wake up the girls, only to be confronted by two narrowed pairs of eyes and two impatient sets of feet tapping away on the floor.
"You're late," Dawn said while glaring.
Buffy stood in an identical stance to her sister. "And," she added with a smirk, "your lipstick is all smudgy."
Dawn was ecstatic and immediately began whooping. "Oh, my God! You and Brian have been making out! Go Mom! Go Mom! It's your birthday!"
Buffy warmly took her mother's heels and keys from her. With a grin she pointed out that Joyce was looking a little bit tipsy. "I hope Brian hasn't been taking advantage of my mother! Getting her all liquored up and then…" she waggled her eyebrows causing Joyce to immediately turn pink.
"Buffy! I am not that sort of a woman. And neither are my daughters, I hope."
"Oh, c'mon mom," Dawn said, "it's the 90's and not the 1890's. How long are you going to put the guy off?"
"Dawn! And Buffy! And, my goodness, I'm not talking about this. When Brian and I are…well, when it's time, it'll be when I tell you I'm leaving town on a business trip. Not when I'm coming home tipsy from the restaurant," she giggled.
"Well, now that you're home safe and sound," Buffy said with a quick peck and grabbing her coat, "I need to do a quick patrol. 'Night!"
"Buffy? You'll be careful, right? Even if it is just your ordinary vampires?"
"I'm always careful, mom."
"I think the new look is growing on me," Joyce smiled. Buffy had suddenly decided to dye her hair to dark black on a whim and though it'd taken some time to get used to it, it didn't look bad. Buffy always seemed less than happy with it, but when Joyce reminded her she could just change it back, her daughter would only shrug.
"And you, honey," Joyce said to Dawn, "should have been in bed, oh…two hours ago?"
"I'm going, I'm going. But, mom? Buffy and I really are happy seeing you dating. You know, if things are getting serious, well, we approve and stuff."
Joyce watched Dawn head upstairs as she turned to lock the front door after Buffy. When she started weaving up the staircase herself, she couldn't stop giggling. Whether it was the alcohol or feeling romance in the air again, or just embarrassment that her girls were actually pushing her to 'put out', she wasn't sure. Maybe it was all three, but she found it all amusing and let herself be happy as she made her way to her bedroom.
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Across town, Anya and Willow were in the Magic Box…alone…together.
Any of the Scoobies would have thought that a bad idea, even if they didn't mention it aloud. Anya was going through order invoices (her website for the store was really starting to take off) and drinking; heavily drinking.
Despite it being after midnight, Willow was still busy going through a collection of spell books and collecting ingredients. Anya had already asked her to leave more than once, but she'd just replied that she was working on something important. She'd told Anya to just go home and she'd lock up when she left, but Anya was being obstinate.
As if I find that a surprise, she thought a little nastily while sipping tea.
"I should call Tara and have her pick you up. It's late and the shop has been closed for hours. Really, it's just rude for you to still be here," Anya pointed out.
Willow sighed in irritation, "Tara's got a bad cold. Just let her sleep. Besides, I've told you to go home, already. Now stop interrupting me, I have to focus to get this spell right."
"What are you working on, anyway?" Anya stumbled over. In one hand was a wine glass while in the other was Giles' emergency scotch. "And how come you have to do it now? And are you keeping track of how much your using in…uh…in stuff, 'cause this is still a store and I want to be copmse…uh…compstei…paid for it!"
"Anya! Stop worrying about it, will you? I've told you already, Giles will totally understand this. It's to help Buffy against super-whoever she is."
"We haven't even seen her in weeks. Maybe she's already left town. Besides, that doesn't mean you can just use the shop's stock as your own."
"I don't think so," Willow said. Even Anya, blotto as she was could recognize worry in Willow's voice. "According to the books about the Sphere, it shouldn't feel warm to the touch unless she's nearby and when I picked it up today, it was still warm. Very warm. Besides…he's going to be more upset that you're guzzling his scotch," she added.
"You want some?"
"No. Well, is it good?"
"Giles bought it, what do you think?"
Willow shrugged, "Well, maybe just a half of a tumbler or something. I can't afford to get wasted while I'm trying this spell."
Once Anya had fetched a glass and given Willow about a hand's width worth, she sat down heavily across from the witch. "So, this spell?"
"Oh! Well, according to the Dagon Sphere thingie information, this woman is supposed to be pretty powerful. I mean, I wish we knew her name; maybe we could find something a little more concrete, but the point is that if she shrugged off Buffy, we should all be worrying. So, anyway, I'm trying this teleport deal where I can send her to an alternate realm? That way, we don't have to fight her; we just walk up to her and presto, she's sent far, far away."
"Wow. Think you can pull it off, 'cause that would be convenient. Of course, you'll probably just end up opening a different Hell portal and causing even more chaos."
"Now what's that supposed to mean?"
"You know exactly what I mean! I don't know what you did to Xander, but you messed everything up!"
"Xander? What's wrong with Xander?"
"He dumped me!"
"What? When did this happen?!"
"About two weeks now," Anya sniffed. "He didn't want us to tell anyone. You know how he is. He just keeps saying that there are more important things right now and since we are still very good friends, no one needs to have a 'freak out' over it. As if I'm not entitled to express my pain, even in my own shop! Jerk."
"Anya, I'm sorry. I mean, I knew this was coming. We talked a little bit, but I didn't know he'd gone through with it."
"Now he wants to bang Spike."
"Ugh," Willow choked up her swallow of scotch across the table, searing her throat. Once she'd gasped a few breaths, she stared at Anya through wide, and watery, eyes.
"He told you that?! I mean, I thought he wanted it to stay super-duper secret!"
"He told you?! You know about him wanting to get Spike's penis?"
"God, the way you phrase things! But, yes, he told me he had, uhm, feelings for him. But he wasn't supposed to tell you until Tara and I could…." Willow bit her lip in hesitation.
"…could what? Could what, Willow?!" Anya glared at the witch. "Could cast a spell on me, maybe? So that I'd be happy about it!"
"No! Of course, not! I'd never play with people's emotions like that. We just wanted to have…look, do we have to talk about this? Obviously it wasn't necessary."
"Oh, no way! I want to hear this. Just what were you and Tara supposed to do, you…you…you bumbling witch!"
"Hey! And we were supposed to be looking into protection spells. In case you acted like you and went on a vengeance rampage! I swear; I don't know why Xander ever fell for you anyway! That man and demons…."
"I knew it! I knew that you never approved of me and Xander," Anya slurred. "That's probably why your stupid 'put him back together' spell crapped out."
"What do you mean? There is nothing wrong with my spells! They always work, which is more than I can say for you. Half the time the only thing you're doing while the rest of us are working is complaining. 'Oh, I'm Anya, money; money; goods and services, blah-blah-blah.'"
"Well, for your information, I know a thing or two about magic. I did cast a quadzillion wishes, you know! And your spell frizzled. Why else would my very hetero Xander suddenly want to do Spike? Not until after you put Hyena-Xander in him!"
"You granted wishes! Not 'cast' them; they weren't spells. And I didn't 'put Hyena into him'. I just put the differing aspects of him back together. Maybe he always wanted Spike, somewhere deep inside? Anyway, it's not my fault you two can't make it work. Not that I think Xander and you ever had a hope of lasting, anyway."
"You bitch."
"You bigger bitch," Willow glared.
"Want more?" Anya poured herself another glass.
"I shouldn't. But, what the hell? So, you really think maybe I did something to him," Willow wondered with a little doubt in her voice. "I mean, I love Xan. I'd never screw him up like that on purpose. And between you and me…if it was you or Spike; I'd totally pick you to be with him."
"Thanks. I don't know. I mean Toth really did split him up, so Hyena always had to be there, right? And that means that maybe his attraction to Spike was always there. I mean, have you seen the way the two of them pal around…tell me that's entirely heterosexual vampire-human bonding. Movie nights? They sit so close to each other, they're practically holding hands."
"It is weird. But Xander has always freaked a bit about gay stuff. I mean much as he jokes about lesbian sex being hot, when he found out about me and Tara, he wigged a bit. It doesn't surprise me that if he was feeling anything not related to girls, he'd be repressing."
"Men. They are so self-blind," Anya grumped.
"I hear you. And he is definitely among the blindest."
"Uh-huh. But he's so sweet, too."
"Yeah. And he is one of the truest and loyalist guys I've ever known," Willow added.
"And he looked so badly when he was trying to explain," Anya continued. "By the time he got it out, I just couldn't wish that he turned inside out."
"Oh, yeah! When he gives you that big-brown eyed, sad puppy look? I can't tell you how many times I've been good and angry at him and then before I even know what's happening, I'm apologizing to him for getting mad, even though I had every stinking right!"
"I know! He's breaking my heart, and I'm trying to console him! He's such a…guy!"
"The guy-i-est. Hey, let's drink to all the women done wrong," Willow brightened.
"I'll gulp to that!"
"So," said Anya with a drunken giggle, "Can you imagine Buffy's face when she hears about this?"
"Oh, my God! And Giles," the two of them started cackling until they couldn't breathe.
Once they had themselves under control and had shared a few more toasts to men and how they messed up everything they touched, Anya became a little too quiet. Willow looked over at her to see her running a finger around the wine glass' rim.
"Anya?"
"You really thought I'd hurt him? After all this time in the Scoobies, you still don't trust me?"
"It's not that," Willow fudged. "It's just…if it was me, I'd want a little well deserved suffering on his behind, and well, with your past…. I just wasn't sure. Sorry?"
"No, I guess I understand. I mean, I spent way more time as a demon than I did as a woman. And well, they do say that 'hell hath no fury, etcetera'. But you don't have to worry about him; I wouldn't do that kind of thing now. I'm trying really hard to grow as a human. It's just… men just suck!"
"Preaching to the choir," Willow assured her.
"So," Anya brightened. "Are we ready to try this teleport do-hickey?"
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End Chapter 01