Vamp Version

by Oiche

Brody as a vampire!

Chapter One: Trip down Memory lane.

Brody cruised into town in her classic Rolls Royce, taking the 'Welcome to Sunnydale' sign along for the ride. She didn't care about her petty vandalism or theft of the car she was currently driving, she was a vampire for crying out loud! And besides it wasn't like she was feeding on humans, so why feel bad for getting in touch with her evil side in such a small way?

When she was sired by William the Bloody in 1890, she found that she couldn't feed on innocents, or even not-so-innocent humans. She had retained her soul.

France, November 1890.

"Ohhhhh Dru, Darla, Angelus!" Spike called into the villa of the family they had slaughtered the night before.

Angelus poked his head around the door of the master bedroom and stepped out a second later followed by Drusilla and Darla.

"What is so fecking important that you insist on interrupting me and my women?" Angelus demanded of his infuriating grandchilde.

Spike grinned in his cocky manner and turned back to the front door. "Pet? Come in here and meet the family."

Angelus, Darla and Dru watched as a petite, lithe framed, shockingly beautiful girl walked through the door. Spike held out a hand to her and she walked to his side. The girl stared cautiously at them and Spike tucked her against his side.

"I've made us a new family member." Spike announced happily.

Dru hissed at the girl who growled back. "William, she steals your dead heart all away from, princess."

"Oh no, luv. I still love my dark princess." Spike assured Dru "But I needed company for when you're busy with Gramps."

Darla stepped up to the girl and pulled her from Spike's side. She circled the younger vampiress, studying her. She fiddled with the girl's wavy, pale pink tresses and hooked a thumb under her chin to inspect her face. The girl looked back with defiant, wary and confident blue-grey eyes. Darla looked over her delicate brows, perfect nose, long lashes and plump lips.

"I can't believe I'm saying this, but you've done well Spike. She'll make a fine addition to our happy little clan. What's your name, girl?" Darla demanded.

"Broderique St. James-Summers, Miss Darla." Brody replied.

"Miss Darla?" Darla echoed with a laugh "I don't think anyone has called me that before, I like you."

"What's not to like?" Brody said with a smirk.

"Oh, she's got spunk. Don't you, my pretty?" Angelus commented as he paced closer to her and leered down on Brody.

Spike pulled Brody back into his arms, protectively. "Oh, no. I won't be sharing Brody with you."

"Not even with us?" Darla asked indicating herself and Dru.

"No, she's mine." Spike snarled in warning.

"Don't you talk back to us, boy!" Angelus roared and reached to backhand Spike. Brody grabbed his hand before he could land the blow and twisted it painfully. Angelus growled and howled in agony.

"That's a half-demon Slayer you've turned." Dru revealed, backing away with wide, scared eyes.

"Yes, I was. I'll be part of your family but you will not touch my sire again, or else." Brody barked.

"Ohh, Grandmum! I like William's new toy, too. She's a bad little puppy, ruff! Such a pretty girl" Dru sang, stroking Brody's cheek. Brody leaned into her touch and purred happily.

Angelus towered over Brody and ignored Dru as they were all prone to do "Look, here. You're a childe, you do as we all say, not the other way around. I don't give a piss who you used to be."

"Still am, sweetie" she replied in a sickly sweet tone and slipped into her version of a game-face. Her eyes turned gold in colour, fangs descended from her gums and her hair turned dark purple. But no bumpies appeared. "Now, come on. We need to celebrate."

Spike smiled proudly at his petulant childe and slung an arm around her shoulders. "Let's get you washed up and changed. You can loan her something right girls?"

Darla and Dru perked up at that and nodded. They grabbed one of Brody's arms each and dragged her into the Master bedroom.

"I'll draw you a bath, pet." Spike said, waggling his eyebrows at her "And when you pick a dress, I'll be your bathroom attendant."

"I'm not sure I need an attendant." Brody teased him and chewed her full, bottom lip.

"Yeah, but you're gonna want one."

"You've got me there." Brody stated.

"Oh, no. But I'll have you in the bathroom." Spike smirked.

After that introduction she became the less-known fifth member of the Scourge of Europe. Although, unbeknownst to her vampire family she was only a scourge to bad demons. She never once fed on a human, taking blood instead from a type of demon that was evil and so closely related to humans that her family didn't notice. In fact, the only way to differentiate was by taste or handy residual Slayer senses.

She contacted her human family and her beloved watcher and step-father, Alfred Giles. She wrote to them explaining what had happened. She told them of her new family and that she was as well as could be expected. She detailed how she was still on the side of good and relayed the message that they were not to look for her. She was happy.

And she really was. Spike was still with Dru but very dedicated to her also. It irked her but she could understand the Sire-Childe bond. She was in love with her Sire and sure that he loved her back. They spent long hours loving each other, her virginal Victorian manner forgotten, or sparring or fencing or reading in companionable silence or talking about everything under the sun. She liked the idea that they had eternity to spend together and in weeks knew him better than any other person she had ever known. She was delighted that he opened up completely to her and her only, allowing his William side out for hours at a time.

France, December 1890

Spike glanced speculatively around the ballroom of the beautiful, lake-side Chateau. He turned and smiled as his Childe sidled up beside him.

"Messenger arrived with news of the others," she began as she rested her head on his shoulder and he hugged her waist "They will be here from 'business' in Paris in a week,"

"Then we are alone for the time being." Spike responded.

"That we are. Got any ideas as how to pass the time?" she inquired as she looked up at him through her thick lashes.

"I have a few notions." he answered with a leer.

"First, I have a surprise for you." Brody said as she brushed a kiss across his brow "Do you trust me?"

"With all m' dead heart." Spike vowed earnestly.

"Then follow me and close your eyes." she whispered.

He obliged and allowed her to lead him deeper into the huge, palatial house. She rounded a corner and danced up the sweeping staircase, tugging an excitable Spike behind her. They turned left at the first level and continued down the hall. Suddenly she pushed a door open and stopped.

"Open your eyes." she breathed happily.

Spike opened his eyes and gasped. In front of his astonished eyes was a library that rivalled any National Library in the world. Its walls stretched back for apparent miles and thousands of bookcases lined the large yet cosy room. Warm fireplaces and comfortable seats dotted the room and moonlight swamped down from the huge, domed skylight hundreds of feet above.

"Oh, pet." was all he could manage to say.

"You like?" she pondered aloud.

"I love." he replied "But not half as much as I love you, fairy."

He grabbed her shoulders and threw her onto a nearby table, following and straddling her within seconds. He kissed her until she was dazed and the two vampires christened the library. Ten hours later they were still laying side by side on the surprisingly comfy ruins of the table.

"Sun's comin'" Brody commented from her place, tucked lovingly into his sculpted chest.

"Stupid party wrecker." Spike grumbled.

"Shall we take this to the office joined onto the library or one of the bedrooms?"

"Which one's closer?" Spike asked, pulling on his trousers.

"Office" Brody pulled on his shirt and the two walked up the steps to the little room adjoining to the library.

"This house, it's amazing, you must have had to slaughter a lot of people." he remarked as he led her to the little office, their pale fingers entwined tightly.

"You have no idea." she declared, forgetting to mention that the last owners had signed the house over to her when she had taken out their relatives. Their evil, child-sacrificing, warlock relatives.

Spike hadn't lied. He never shared her with the others. He often returned to whatever room he and Brody shared badly beaten by Angelus for his insolent behaviour on the matter but he never caved. Brody's heart and body belonged to Spike alone.

Dru quickly became her best friend. While the others became frustrated with the insane vampiress, Brody soon learned that Dru wasn't as crazy as everyone thought her to be. She, Dru and Spike had many lucid conversations in front of a roaring fireplace. Dru was very protective of her and cared deeply for her.

Once, a man in Luxembourg tried to kiss Brody and Dru tore him limb from bloody limb. Brody was touched at the gesture but the soul she knew she had retained was at odds with her demon. Guilt seeped into her mind and stayed there over the situation.

She loved her vampire family instinctually but hated Angelus at the same time. He was twisted, crude, disgusting and oftentimes rather smelly. While he found her irritating just like her sire, Angelus bore a grudging respect for Brody. She destroyed many of the warring vampire clans single-handedly and beat Spike's record at becoming a master vampire with an astounding time of two weeks. Her strength surpassed that of any other demon or vampire and her fighting skill was faultless. She was the warrior of the Aurelius family and kept the family name emblazoned in honour.

Darla and Brody bonded over their love for fashion and Brody pleased Darla to no end with the countless invites to exclusive fashion shows. They had a mass of in-jokes and happy memories. Brody had mourned for months when she felt her great-grandsire's demise through the familial link.

She kept the whole family happy and they didn't think to ask why their pleasing new childe disappeared for days at a time. They didn't wonder why she always hunted and fed alone. Little did they know that before she returned with smiles and gifts that she had been feeding off Gerthlak demons and fulfilling slaying duties.

Germany, September 1891

"Hello?" Brody called into the apartment she had learned that her family had moved to.

She screeched in delight as she was swept into strong arms from behind. She was twirled around in the air and then set down, turned around and pressed against a cool, hard body.

"You're back." Spike said joyously as he hugged his childe. "Where were you?"

"Hunting in Spain," she mumbled against his shoulder "I felt in the mood of something, spicy."

"I missed you terribly." he noted.

She linked her arms around his abdomen and bit into his shoulder. "I missed you, too."

"Ugnnnh!" Spike replied as he arched his hips against hers and writhed under the attention of her fangs.

"Brody!" Darla called out happily as she, Dru and Angelus entered the room. Something about their beloved childe removed her from her usual cold, distant behaviour.

"Family!" Brody replied as Spike loosened his hold on her and she licked blood from her lips. They approached the others and Brody embraced Dru and Darla. Angelus nodded in greeting and Brody laughed before pecking him on the cheek.

"It's good to see you all well and undead." Brody greeted with a grin.

"Ohhh, grandchilde!" Dru sang as she danced in a circle while rubbing her stomach "The queen has been mean and took you all away. But more fool on her because it's Christmas in Japan."

Brody frowned, not sure what Dru was on about but answered quickly. "And how's Miss Edith?"

"She's teething and keeps biting." Dru said seriously.

"Oh, poor thing." Brody patted Dru's arm and turned back towards the door. "I have gifts for you all. It turns out that they don't lock up their shops that well in Madrid."

She ran to the door and grabbed a sack. Returning to the room she handed a flat, rectangular box to Darla, wrapped in pink bows and silken paper. Darla opened it to reveal a gold chain with a golden skull adorning it. The eyes were rubies and tiny diamonds dotted the chain.

"It's stunning, thank you, dear." Darla said and pulled Brody into a hug.

"You're welcome." Brody returned "Next up is great-grandpappy."

She pulled a three foot long, wooden box from the sack and handed it to the Glowering Wonder. He glanced at Brody before opening it. A light but deadly broad sword was lying in the velvet encased box. It was inlaid with emeralds and had Celtic patterns etched along the blade.

"Huh, it's pretty." he grunted as he took a few practise swings.

"Dru, sweetie. You'll never guess what I stumbled upon in Barcelona."

"What!?" Dru asked clapping her hands giddily.

"They had a shop for doll's clothing! I got lots of pretty outfits for Miss Edith." Brody announced lifting out a little Sailor's costume, a wedding dress, a standard vampire costume, a witch costume, a Chinese kimono, a little Dutch girl costume, a Matador costume and a Meringue dancer's costume. Dru squealed her praise and thank you and ran to dress Miss Edith up.

"And last but never least, Spike." she murmured.

"Our room, fairy?" he queried.

"Yep."

They bade goodnight to their family and slipped into the room Spike had picked out for himself and Brody.

"Kinda went crazy with your presents, Spike."

"Yeah?"

"Oh, yes." she husked back and flopped backwards onto the bed. He jumped on after her and trailed slowly and sensually up the length of her body. Resting, lying on top of her tiny body with his lips pressed to hers. He rolled them over and tucked her under his chin as he stroked her hair and whispered about how direly he had missed her.

Brody reached beside the bed, grabbed the sack and handed it to him. Inside were a mountain of books, all first editions and extremely rare. Spike ghosted his hands over the covers and scanned the titles and authors in awe. The pile of books was easily worth a thousand pounds. He encountered something strange at the end of the bag. A small, square box wrapped in black velvet with a complicated silk, black bow.

"What's this, luv?" he asked with a raised eyebrow and looked down at her snuggling against him.

"For you, as well. Open it." she encouraged as she rubbed circles against his lower back, lightly smacking his bum.

"Minx" he growled pinning her beneath him and opening the box.

Inside, nestled against more black velvet was a small, gold ring. It was a Snake Ringwith a ruby encased in its head. It was a ring that symbolised love and eternity.

Spike slipped the finger on and stared at it reverently.

"Eternity, you and I,

Till the world is void

Till my bones are but dust

Till there is nothing left

But you, and I,

And the love we bare."

"That's beautiful, Spike." Brody whispered as she curled a hand into his unruly hair.

"Then it suits you." Spike decided.

Brody felt her eyes well up as she thought of that moment, her happiest. Things were perfect until Angelus discovered the truth about her two years later and she left her family behind.

She had not seen any of them in over a hundred years and missed her family dreadfully. A sharp sting resided permanently in her gut and at first when she left them and was on her own; she thought she would dust from the pain.

Being away from them got easier but it was never pleasant.

She missed Spike like crazy.

She had blocked their link to her and covered her tracks, only using the link when Darla was dusted. She opened it to Spike for a couple of hours and allowed him to console her before saying a tearful goodbye and blocking him once more.

She gathered her own gang and they became known within demon social circles as renowned evil fighters. The Council however, still saw her as evil and she never disputed it to them. Why waste time and energy on an impossible task?

Brody looked down at the ring on her wedding finger. Spike had insisted on 'buying' it soon after she had presented him with his Snake Ring.

Germany, Berlin, September 1891

Spike and Brody strolled hand-in-hand behind the rest of their family down a busy street in Berlin. They were in the fancy side of town on a pretty little promenade, inundated with shops of all kinds. Angelus and the others disappeared down a side-alley and Spike and Brody continued down the crowded street.

They made a striking couple. Both dazzlingly attractive with lean bodies and confident swaggers. They chatted easily and freely as they ambled along stopping now and then to peer in at the window displays. When they reached one window Brody stopped and stared longingly at a magnificent ring. Its band was made of white gold and the centre was an oval of clean diamonds.

"Ouuuhhh! Shiny!" Brody gushed as she pointed it out to Spike.

"You want?" Spike asked and at her nod he slammed a fist through the glass and pulled out the ring as well as the matching earrings.

People walking by stopped and stared and some men ran outside from the store. They attempted to grab Spike but he flashed some fang and they backed away. Chaos took over as people screamed and pulsed to get away from the vampires, knocking over each other and standing on each other in their haste.

Brody and Spike laughed and floated away from the scene.

Brody stroked the ring lovingly and reminded herself why she was in Sunnydale; she had a mission.

She was going to retrieve the Gem of Amara.

"Mistress?"

Brody looked over her shoulder to the door. "Come in, Marcus. I hope you have good news for me."

"Stop fidgeting!" the woman fitting Brody's dress whined.

Brody was standing in the middle of her living room on a small crate with her arms out while the young, dress-making, vampiress completed the final alterations on her gown.

"You know, I always hated this as a girl. Thank God for ready-made clothing." Brody commented absentmindedly. "So, where's the Gem?"

"Here's the location Mistress, do you wish to get it yourself or shall we?" Marcus inquired.

"Hmmm, it's such a momentous occasion. No, I'll go myself when the sun sets." Brody decided. "Are the wards up?"

"Yes, Mistress. Your Sire will still smell you but we ensured that he can't locate you."

"Well done, Marcus. Take the evening off. Go do something fun." Brody said, smiling at her friend.

"Thank you. May I inquire as to what you will do tonight?" Marcus asked looking up at his mistress and friend.

"Let me see, well obviously I will retrieve the Gem and… I feel like clubbing. Where's the best place around here?"

"The Bronze, Mistress. Will I have one of the others drive you or will you find it yourself?" Marcus questioned.

"I'll go myself. Okay then, you are dismissed." Brody said and Marcus nodded before wandering out of the room.

"Ow!" Brody screeched as one of the pins pierced her flesh.

The dress-maker rolled her eyes at the Master Vampiress, Big baby! "I told you to stay still!"

Brody paced through the street that Marcus had written on the paper. She had one thing on her mind; Get Gem. Then secondary; celebrate Gem with lots of alcohol. The cave that housed her current obsession loomed ahead of her.

She tried to push thoughts of her sire out of her mind. He was in town! So close, yet she could not approach him. Maybe…maybe she could get close enough to just look at him, ensure herself that he was well. She could smell him all over the town and her hundred-year-celibate body flushed with lust at the thought of her handsome sire.

Bad, Brody! she mentally chastised herself No more thinking about that distracting, forbidden, sexy…drool.

Shaking her head she reminded herself to focus. The reward would be the sun. The sun she hadn't seen in so long. The sun that had caused her to miss important aspects of her human family's life; her sister, Dawn's graduation, her brother, Richard's wedding, various christenings and reunions.

She had returned to her human family after she had left her vampire one. She purchased a house nearby and stayed with them until one by one each had left her alone in the world. Alone all over again.

That was when she had made only demonic attachments. She could never again watch as those around her aged and died while she remained forever seventeen.

Brody slammed purposefully into the cave and climbed into the tunnel below. She followed the tunnels until she saw a hole in the roof and jumped up through it.

"It's BLOODY WELL GONE!" she screamed in exasperation when she saw the empty cavern.

"WELL, THAT'S JUST GREAT. BLOODY GREAT!" she continued, turning to leave and get very hammered. Suddenly a glint of light caught her attention. Embedded in the rock was a tiny diamond. Curiosity got the best of her, as usual, and Brody made her way to the furthest end of the cavern.

She pulled out the diamond and saw that there was another beside it. They were earrings. She felt ancient magic roll in waves from the tiny objects and they were really cute. Still infuriated, she pocketed the items for further research and stomped back outside.

"HELP!" a man's scream ripped through the silence of a nearby graveyard. Brody perked up and ran in the direction of the sound.

Evil-dooers, you picked the wrong night and area to commit atrocities in, she thought as she ran.

She hopped up onto the wall of the graveyard and settled herself casually there, surveying the man valiantly trying to defend himself against three fledglings. She cleared her throat and caught the attention of the group.

"Oh, hey. Name's Brody and I'll be kicking your ass tonight." she said in her sexy English accent and launched herself off the wall at the three vamps.

They blinked and each looked down at the stakes protruding from their chests before they crumbled into dust. Three stakes clattered to the ground. Brody patted herself down and stepped towards the young man. He was holding his bleeding neck and staring at her with wide eyes.

"Who-who are you?" he stammered.

"Um, Brody." she repeated herself, slowly this time in case he was thick.

"No, I heard you the first time. I mean 'who are you' as in 'how did you dust those vamps so easily'." he explained.

"Oh." Not so thick then after all "Well, I used to be a Slayer, about a hundred years ago. Now I'm a vamp out to make a difference in this cruel, evil, wanton world." she explained with a grin.

She offered him a hand and pulled him to his feet with ease.

"Cold hands." he commented.

"Vampire." she returned.

"Oh, yeah." he snorted and really looked at her for the first time. She was quite petite but lithe and long-limbed. Her skin was a creamy ivory colour and her complexion was perfect. Her hair was long and an odd pale-pink colour, the wavy, silky locks cascaded down her back in a chaotic tumble. Her face was stunning; wide blue-grey eyes, angular jaw, cheeks and nose and her lips were plump and a pretty cerise colour. She was wearing tight, black leather trousers and a Sex Pistols concert tee. The t-shirt was clingy and had been turned into a backless, halter neck. He visibly drooled. Were all Slayers gorgeous?

"I'm Xander" he hastily introduced himself "Thanks for saving my life and all."

"No prob, look I gotta go. The sodding Gem of Amara's gone and I now need to go get well and truly sloshed."

"Gem of Amara? Oh, that was destroyed." Xander remarked.

"Bleeding wonderful!" Brody sighed. "See ya."

"Yeah, bye." he said as he watched her walk away.

Brody walked into the Bronze with a confident swagger. Tonight she was going to drink, have fun and forget the crappiness that was her unlife. She had returned to her apartment momentarily and changed; then she grabbed a wad of cash and stepped out into the warm autumn weather.

Eyes were immediately drawn to her as she descended into the packed little club. Her hair was tumbling messily down her back and over her shoulders. Her eyes were lined in kohl and seemed wider and prettier than they normally did. Her lips were pursed in concentration as she made her way through the crowd. She was simply dressed, knee high, black leather, stiletto boots and a black satin, mid thigh length dress. The neckline was loose and the bodice hugged her slender body while the skirt's hem was purposefully tattered and uneven.

His scent lingered here, as well, but he was not nearby. Her shoulders lost some of their tension and she started to relax. A couple of guys approached her, as she strutted towards the bar, and asked for a dance. As usual she shook her head and brushed them off. Not my Spike she thought None of them could ever compare.

Brody ordered a shot of whiskey and the bartender looked at her like she was crazy.

"Look, sweetie, no way you're any older than seventeen. So, no alcohol for you. How 'bout a soda?" he said in a condescending tone.

She flashed some fang and whispered in a deadly voice "Just gimme the damned drink, 'kay? I'm just about a hundred and thirty years old and I'm not a happy vamp, ya hear what I'm sayin', boy?"

"S-sure! Right away! On the house!" he sputtered and stumbled away to quickly do as she asked.

"Oi! Make sure it's the good stuff!" she called after him.

"That's a neat trick."

Brody turned her head slightly. It was the young man from earlier, Xander. He gave her a goofy smile and she grinned back at him sweetly.

"Bein' a vamp has its perks." she replied with a shrug. The man returned with her drink and she nodded at Xander. "What're you drinking?"

"Some hearty, manly ale." he returned and postured, showing off his, not-really, muscles.

"Uh-huh. No, really?" she chuckled with a raised eyebrow.

"Beer." Xander said.

Brody gave the bartender a meaningful look and he ran to grab Xander a beer. He handed it to Xander and disappeared to the furthest away point of the bar.

"Huh, lil' ole me scared 'im away." she commented dryly.

"Hey, thanks for this." Xander said indicating the beer "And the lifesaving." He now motioned himself.

"'S okay…I don' know why I even bother carrying money around anymore." Brody said shaking her head.

"Your bank manager must love you." Xander teased.

"Not so much. He's always whining 'Miss St. James! Don't you dare turn up in my establishment in that punk clothing!' It's kinda funny. His face turns all kinds of interesting colours and I say 'What? You don' like the Docs?'."

Xander chortled. He liked this girl. Sure, she was a vamp, but she was good! How could something that hot be evil? He tried to tell himself that it was his skill at reading people's characters and not lust that was making him so amiable towards a demon.

"Can I introduce you to my friends? They're all kinds of grateful for the life-saveage and stuff." he asked, shifting from foot to foot.

Brody thought about it for a second. Company would make it easy to forget the Gem… and her sire.

"Sure."

Xander grabbed her hand and led her through the crush of bodies to a make-shift booth facing the pool table. Four women and one man were crowded around the little table. Two of the women smelled of magic, a red-head and a sweet, little dishwater blond. The tiny blond perched next to the farm-boy radiated with Slayer power, she smelled somehow familiar. The man next to her was a pretty-boy with a military stance and she immediately and instinctually disliked him. The fourth woman smelled of residual demonic status. She stared at the ex-demon.

"Anyanka?" she said, not quite believing her eyes.

"Brody!" Anya squealed and jumped up to take the tiny Master Vampiress in her arms.

"It's so good to see you. And human?" Brody exclaimed, looking questioningly at her friend.

"My power source was destroyed." Anya informed her.

"That's…awful?" she stated unsure as how to respond to that.

"It was…at first. But now I've got a fun job, handling money and friends and a boyfriend who gives me many orgasms." Anya assured her in her trademark bluntness.

"There's the Anya I know and love!" she grinned "You don't know how much I've missed your honesty. The minions are always like 'You are so beautiful, mistress' or 'What a great idea, mistress'. Che, yeah! Even I realise I'm not that wonderful."

"Where have you been all this time?" Anya asked as they sat down in the booth.

"Oh, a little bit of everywhere. You know me, I get bored of continents pretty easily."

"And you saved Xander? He's my orgasm buddy you know." Anya revealed chirpily.

"Really? Go, me."

"Brody, this is Buffy, Riley, Willow and Tara." Xander said pointing out each person as he named them.

Buffy and Tara were both staring at her in a very weird manner.

"I don' mean to seem rude, but what are you staring at? I have something on my face, right?" Brody blustered feeling paranoid.

"O-oh n-no!" Tara hastened to say "It's just, your aura. It's…so beautiful and pure. It's the purest good I've ever seen."

"What? It can't be! She's an evil soulless, thing!" Buffy screeched unhappily.

After that whole Angelus debacle, no more trusting vamps. It was bad enough dealing with Spike daily.

"Sorry, luv. But wrong on both counts there. I kept my soul and 'm definitely not evil." Brody said.

"Oh, yeah. She's good!" Anya nodded emphatically as she spoke "She was a Slayer and everything."

"You were a Slayer?" Buffy gaped at the girl in front of her, she reminded her of someone but she couldn't place who that someone was.

"Yep, for five years."

"And she was one of the most powerful Slayers ever! The first and only half-demon Slayer." Anya added proudly.

"If you were so powerful how'd you get turned?" Buffy demanded.

"I was in love with the vampire who did it. Ever since I was six years old. I thought he was dead and when I saw him I was so happy I didn't think." Brody divulged with a dreamy smile.

"Wait a sec!" Willow exclaimed and everyone turned to look at her. "You were, what, like seventeen when you were turned?"

"Exactly." Brody told her with an encouraging smile.

"Then you would have been twelve when you were called!" Willow cried out in shock.

"Again, another Council of Wankers first." Brody said with a shudder as she thought of those disgusting old men who had tried to ruin her life. She thanked God for her personal Watcher, Alfred Giles. He was sweet and caring and became a second father to her. Then he became her legal father when he married her Widower mother, Lady Emma St. James-Summers. He was the one bright spot in the whole miserable lot.

The Scoobies glanced at each other when she used the Spike-ism.

"That's just what Spike calls them!" Tara said with a laugh.

Brody froze and spat out her drink. Spike! He knew these people! What the hell was he doing hanging out with the Slayer and her pals? How did she fail to smell his lingering scent on them?

"Spike?" she asked in a quiet voice.

"Yeah, you know him? Say yay high, blue eyes, pain in the ass." Buffy described her sire.

"Oh, God! I-I have to…go. Now!" Brody jumped and ran from the room.

"What the heck was that about?" Willow inquired with a puzzled frown.

"I don't know…" Buffy replied with a suspicious look "But I intend to find out."

Brody leaned against the filthy brick wall outside the Bronze and panted as she tried to stop the on coming panic attack. She'd been cavorting with the friends, colleagues, whatevers of the one sodding person in this kip of a town that she was trying to avoid! Yay, go team Idiotic-Me!! If she'd been more aware and less wallowy she might have avoided the whole scene. Would it get back to Spike?

Probably.

Tears rolled unbidden down her cheeks. Part of her wanted to say 'feck it anyway' and let her sire find her. She knew that everything would seem fine and dandy if she was in his arms again. But she couldn't, wouldn't be around him, not if he was doing evil. She couldn't force herself to stake the most precious thing in her world. At the same time she couldn't stand by and watch him hurt people.

But if he was hanging out with the Slayer he couldn't be doing evil, right?

Her head hurt and her dead heart clenched. She slid down the wall and sank against the ground. She trembled as sobs wracked through her entire body.

And the Slayer! She looked so like her long dead sister, Elizabeth. Seeing her brought all the good and bad memories of her treasured older sister to the fore. The most prominent memory being that of her death. Her death at the hands of a demon that Brody didn't get there in time to save her from.

God she missed them! Elizabeth and Dawn and little Anne and Richard and her mother and step-father. She missed them so badly, added to that was the torment of being away from her vampiric family.

She had lost contact with her descendants after her immediate family died. She couldn't watch the

people she loved die, not again and the nieces and nephews moved away to have their own lives.

She could never have a life. Not a real one, with family and love and children. She was a vampire as well as devoted to her sire, the sire she could never be with.

And while she loved her vampire gang and friends they couldn't take the place of those she had lost.

So, so much loss.

She felt so vulnerable in that moment; perpetually doomed to be a teenager forever. She was an eternal teenager without the guidance and love of a mother. Mother was now dead one hundred and twenty eight years; she hadn't even been around for Brody's introduction to society.

"Dear, are you alright?" a kind voice floated across the near-empty yard to her.

Brody looked up and blinked back tears. She gasped, the girl with the older woman before her looked just like Dawn.

"Hey, why are you crying? It's okay." the young girl placated.

Brody stared at their soft smiles and felt more tears well up. Why were the Powers tormenting her like this?

"I'm sorry" Brody mumbled "I'm just a bit upset. I miss my family and my…boyfriend."

"Well, that's completely understandable." the likely mother said.

"Where are they?" the girl asked.

"My family are dead and my…boyfriend is…slightly…troubled. I can't be around him anymore."

"That's terrible!" the girl exclaimed "Mom, can, um…?"

"Brody"

"Right, can Brody come over for some hot chocolate?" the girl asked giving her mother puppy-dog eyes.

"Sure, that's a great idea. Let me just run inside and give your sister her overnight bag." the older woman said with a smile at them both and rushed inside the club.

"I'm Dawn." the girl said as she turned from her mother and back to the pretty girl huddled on the ground.

Brody gasped again and let out an anguished cry. Dawn's eyes widened and she wondered what she had said wrong.

"I'm sorry!" she rushed out "I don't know what…what did I do? Are you okay?"

Brody looked up into the girl's worried eyes and could not restrain herself any longer. She jumped into Dawn's arms and wept.

"Shuuush! It's okay." Dawn soothed uncertainly, she didn't know this girl but hugging her felt familiar.

"I-I'm sorry! You just…you look just like my sister. Her name was Dawn also." Brody managed to squeak out around her tears.

"Oh my God! That's so sad." Dawn cried with tear-filled eyes.

Joyce came back outside to find the two girls whimpering and crying.

"Oh my" she whispered "We'd best go home."

She bundled her daughter and the poor, little girl into her SUV and started off down the darkened streets of Sunnydale back to Revello Drive.

Spike woke from his day-long slumber and slipped out of his bed. He yawned and stretched and reached for his discarded jeans. Pulling the worn material up his lean legs he stumbled sleepily up the ladder and to the ground level of his crypt.

A warm breeze welcomed him as it crept into his home through cracks in the ancient walls. He revelled in the relaxed state such peaceful slumber had left him in. Harmony, the idiot, had pissed off for a couple of days. Spike vaguely remembered her mentioning something about shopping in New York before she finally left. The silence was welcome and long overdue.

He walked to the mini-fridge in the far corner of the room and pulled it open. Spike stood staring at the contents while he continued to wake and rubbed sleep from his weary eyes. He grabbed a bag of blood and poured it into a mug before popping it into his newly acquired microwave.

As he waited for the blood to heat he absentmindedly scratched the back of his neck and breathed in the scent of the evening.

What the bloody hell!?

Her scent was in the air.

It was dim, but there all the same.

His childe! The woman he had loved above all others, even Dru. The woman who saw the man and not just the monster. The woman who loved both sides of him. The woman who had fallen in love with him as a little girl.

His demon roared happily and Spike ignored his growling stomach. He left the blood and ran to the door of his crypt. Spike slammed the door open and jumped back when sunlight hit his skin. He patted out the tiny fire that broke out on his arm and closed the door angrily.

He'd have to wait.

No way could he go searching in the daylight, maybe if he knew where he was going, could he navigate a path through the sewers but he didn't know where to look. To follow her scent would be impossible while the sun was up.

He screamed in frustration and threw a chair against the wall. It shattered into thousands of pieces and his poetic side couldn't help but think how apt that was; he had felt as if the same had happened to his dead, cold heart when she had left.

Now she was back and he would find her.

No matter what.

A hundred years of pining would end.

Soon.

You just wait, pet. I'm gonna find you, and now we can be together. You're never getting away again he thought 'Cause if you do, I think I might just dust.

Buffy separated with her friends and Riley outside the Bronze and set off to patrol. She twirled Mr. Pointy, her stake as she walked and hummed a jaunty tune. She had heard it while at the docks in LA with her mother during the summer. Thinking of the actual words that made up the song made her blush; she'd never be able to repeat them aloud.

She wanted to get patrol over with quickly.

Tonight she and Riley were going camping for the night in the forest. It would be a short, nice break from reality. For one night she would be just some girl, camping, with her boyfriend. No being chosen, no responsibilities and no bad guys.

She was delighted.

At first, she had been like 'Camping, ughhh!' but then Riley had described the site, the smells, the view and the stars. She'd changed her tune. Riley had gone for cheapskate to romantic in two seconds flat.

As Buffy approached Restfield cemetery she saw two vampires up ahead, chatting.

"So, what are you two up to? Eating townsfolk? Pillaging?" Buffy taunted them.

"We're not doing anything wrong." one whined.

"Yeah, leave us alone." the other complained.

"I don't think so, Tweedledum and Tweedledee." Buffy retorted with a snort.

"Bully!" the first vampire exclaimed.

The vamps shared a look before turning tail and running. They had been long told not to fight humans unless unavoidable and were far more scared of their mistress than the Slayer. Buffy took up chase after them and jumped through the air, knocking both to the ground. One kicked out and the other punched at her. They were strong and old. Both over a hundred years old.

All three jumped to their feet and circled each other. Their stances were defensive, ready to fight but waiting for the opponent to make the first move. Buffy felt familiar tinglies run down her neck and saw Spike close in on the fight out of the corner of her eye.

"What do you want now, Spike?" she asked in a bored voice.

"Just looking for a good fight, Slayer. Sheesh! You know…"Spike stopped abruptly and sniffed the air. The two masters in front of him smelled of her!

Spike surprised Buffy by running at the vampires and screaming out in rage. The two shocked vamps fell to the ground under the infuriated vampire. Spike pinned them both to the ground by their throats.

"WHERE IS SHE?" he demanded in a very scary voice.

The vampires shivered but shook their heads.

"I SAID: WHERE IS SHE?" he shouted in their faces as he shook them both.

"Mistress has asked for us not to divulge that information." one said.

"I DON'T GIVE A SHIT WHAT SHE ASKED OF YOU. TELL ME WHERE SHE IS!" Spike was irate and a vein ticked in his jaw as he forced himself not to dust the pair of vampires, just for being so fortunate as to have been around her.

"She would be very angry if we told you." the other vampire whimpered.

"AND WHAT? I LOOK HAPPY WITH THE PAIR OF YOU? TELL ME NOW! SHE'S MY CHILDE! I HAVE THE RIGHT TO KNOW WHERE SHE IS!" Spike's anger was now drenched in desperation as he eyed the pair contemptuously.

One of the vamps reached into his pocket and pulled out a pouch. He sprinkled some dust on the earth and chanted quickly.

"Away. Mighty Earth, mother to us all. Allow us escape." the two vampires sank through the ground and disappeared.

Spike tried frantically to stop their disappearance but the magic was too strong and suddenly the pair was gone. He roared angrily and pounded his fists against the soil.

"S-spike?" Buffy called uncertainly and tried to catch his attention.

Spike slowly stood up, looking down and turned his back on her.

"Spike?" she repeated.

"Not now, Slayer." he said without facing her and strode purposefully out of the graveyard.

"Not Now."

Buffy stared at his retreating back with a confused frown.

Spike crashed into Willy the Snitch's bar. Willy looked up from the counter where he was chatting with a Chaos demon and visibly recoiled at the sight of an enraged William the Bloody.

"Don't start any trouble, Spike." Willy said cautiously as the vampire advanced on him.

"I need to know some stuff." Spike stated coldly, in a calm voice at odds with his flashing eyes.

"Oh yeah? What can I do you for?" Willy inquired, knowing that he didn't want to hear the answer.

"I need to know if you've seen someone." Spike announced as he leaped the counter and towered over the wavering bar owner. "'Bout the Slayer's height and build. Most beautiful creature in the world; she's a vampire, old and a Master, long, pale-pink hair, blue-grey eyes, pouty lips."

"Doesn't ring any bells." Willy stated nonchalantly.

"Don't bullshit me. Tell me, NOW!!" Spike shouted down at the mousy man.

"Okay, okay! I saw her, yeah. Earlier this evening, she came in here asking if I'd seen some of her minions. She was really mad, said that the Gem of Amara was gone and she'd been searching for it for a year. That's all I know."

"Where's she staying?" Spike asked, easing his hold on the man.

"I really don't know. She's got wards up."

"Dammit!" Spike swore angrily. "Taught her too damn well."

"How d'you know her Spike? She's a real spitfire, those legs…"

"Don't ever look at her with your filthy eyes again!" Spike hissed and threw the man other side of the room, gladly taking the headache.

Spike stalked out of the dive, no closer to finding her.

"So, you were in love with the vampire that sired you?" Joyce was saying as she, Brody and Dawn sat around the island in the Summer's kitchen with hot chocolate for the humans and tea for the vampire.

"Oh, yeah. Completely. When I was six and he was twenty six we were introduced. He liked me but in a kid-sister kind of way and I was utterly crazy about him. I was always following him around and asking him questions. He was just so regally handsome and sweet and gentle. He was forever sneaking me sweets when mum wasn't looking." Brody replied "I was so annoyed because he didn't think of me in any way other than 'Awww, cute kid' and I mean, it wasn't like any of the society ladies appreciated him. He was kinda nerdy and awkward but he had such a sweet soul. But they were always mocking him and making fun of his poetry, some of it was awful but some of it was really beautiful.

"His mother and mine were good friends so we were thrown together a lot. He would constantly keep me company at the parties because I was one of the youngest there and the girls my age didn't like me. I was too much of a tomboy you see, all the time climbing trees or fencing with my brother. I always hoped that he wouldn't get married for another ten years and I could be a prospect then. But, alas, it was not to be.

"When I was seven we received news that he had been killed. I was devastated, din't stop crying for two weeks. I mourned for a long time but moved on. His mother had disappeared soon after and that had made me even more distraught, she was my godmother.

"I was called as the Slayer then, when I was twelve. I was allowed to remain with my mother and siblings because my parents had high ranking among the Council and because my three sisters had been potentials. When I was seventeen, he turned up. He was surprised to see how much I had grown. I was the toast of the season with astonishing prospects, I could have married anyone I wanted but even after all those years I still loved him. He asked me if he wanted an eternity with him and I said 'More than anything else in the four corners of the globe.' I didn't know what he was talking about and next thing I knew, I was a vampire.

"He hadn't changed except that he was more confident and a bad boy. And God, did it make me drool!" Brody finished with a giggle.

"That's so romantic! You loved him all along! Then what happened?" Dawn asked with a dreamy sigh.

"I met his family. We got along okay but he was still connected with his sire. While I loved her, she was family; I was annoyed that I had to share him. But he refused to share me. He took so many beatings from his grandsire over the matter but he didn't cave. And countless times he showed me how much he loved me. I was completely happy and in love.

"But then the grandsire discovered that I was feeding on demons, I'd kept my soul. There was a horrible confrontation and then I left them. My sire and his sire would have done anything to make me stay but I couldn't. What if I was forced to stake them? As much as it tore me apart I left and I hid from them. It was the worst time of my life."

"Where did you go?" Dawn inquired.

"To my human family. But that only hurt worse because they all aged and died on me. I had to watch each one leave." Brody shuddered. "So I stopped making human attachments and only formed demon ones."

"That's terrible, I'm so sorry, dear." Joyce sympathised.

"'S okay, it was a long time ago."

Chapter Two: Hey I know you!

London, October 1945.

Brody staggered out of the funeral home. Dawn was gone. She had been the last of her immediate family to die.

She felt sick to her stomach but knew that it wasn't possible for her to actually vomit. Her head span from the hours of non-stop crying. She wiped a hand fiercely across her eyes and tried to make the world stop spinning.

She knew the rest of her relatives were inside but she couldn't stay any longer. Too many times had she been forced to visit this godforsaken funeral parlour, well no more. She refused to watch her nieces and nephews and grandnieces and grandnephews wither and fade away.

She couldn't watch the light and love and beauty fade from their eyes, not again, never again.

She righted her clothing and shook her head and walked off into London's darkened streets. As she passed each memorable sight; the park she had loved as a girl, the moon peeping around the steeples and ancient buildings, the library where she had met her watcher, the house William had lived in as a human; she bade them farewell. Maybe one day she would return, but for now she had to leave.

Milan, May 1946.

"Mistress?"

Brody looked up at her minion and friend, Marcus. He was old enough for a vampire, almost sixty and was a master. He had pledged loyalty to her and while he insisted on doing things for her, she liked to think of them less as minion and mistress and more as equals. She knew he wanted more than friendship and she could use the company of a male but her heart screamed; that would be cheating on her Spike.

"Yes?" she inquired as she put her copy of 'Emma' by Jane Austen down.

"We have a visitor. Will I allow him in?"

"Who is it?" Brody asked as she righted her nightdress, stood up from her chair and stretched.

"It is the Immortal, he is adamant that we allow him see you." Marcus said with an apologetic grin.

"Oh for crying out loud! Fine, send him in. But tell him to be on his best behaviour." Brody sighed. She walked across her bedroom and pulled a black, silk robe over the camisole nightdress and turned back to recline on a chaise lounge.

"Hello, bella!" the Immortal greeted as he walked inside her room.

"Yeah, hey. Can we make this quick? I've got recruitments to make." Brody muttered as she inspected her nails.

"Ah, another woman of your clan. I know your family, quite well. Did you know that?" the Immortal drawled as he stood in the doorway "Are you not going to invite me in?"

"Not so much, I've heard all about you."

"Good things, I hope?" he said raking his eyes over Brody.

"From Dru and Darla? Yes. Angelus and Spike? Not really." she replied, hoping the irritating man would leave soon.

"Oh yes, Darla and Drusilla. Good times. I must say your clan has impeccable taste in the women they turn, yourself included." he edged closer to Brody as he spoke.

"Ughh! You stay the hell away from me!" Brody exclaimed, moving to the furthest end of the sofa.

"Why, bella? I'm sure I could please you."

"Yep? Well I'm not." Brody snorted delicately.

"Ah, yes. I see now, you are still loyal to the sire you have abandoned." the Immortal revealed with a sad shake of his head.

"For eternity." Brody countered proudly.

"What does William the Bloody have that warrants such loyalty?"

"My heart." Brody informed him dryly.

"My, dear. I am merely suggesting a tumble, not love." the Immortal stated as if it were obvious.

"Well, I have far too much self-respect to ever lower myself to touch you." Brody replied archly.

"Fine, but the next time I see your precious sire. Well, let's say that there won't be much Italian hospitality for him."

Brody watched as he stormed from the room. She bit her lip 'Be careful, Spike my love. I've made him mad.'

Marcus returned to the room. "Lissa, Esme and Jeremy have arrived."

Brody nodded and took his offered arm. "Let's greet the family."

She now had the beginnings of a clan. There was Marcus, a French master with an abundance of wealth, Lissa, a young Italian vampiress, only thirty, Esme and Jeremy, mates and eternal lovers; they had been turned shortly before she. Even though her group was made up of three vampires older than she, they gladly followed her; she was the fastest vampire to ever become a master, she was William the Bloody's only childe, she was a Slayer before turning and she was the fiercest warrior in Europe. They were a force for evil to reckon with.

China, Beijing, 1947.

Brody stared around the training room of her latest home. A huge ancestral mansion overlooking the city below. Her followers were training below, there were ten now. Each had been hand-picked; for intelligence, cunning, strength, skill and a penchant for fighting evil.

Her unlife was now consumed with the struggle against the forces of darkness.

Little else filled her life other than planning, training, researching, battling.

Her friends were good to her and she loved them like crazy. But they only reminded her of all the loss. Of all the pain. She smiled and chatted and lived on.

But never was she truly content.

Each night she dreamt of him, her sire.

Her poet.

Her William.

Her Spike.

Her love.

Each morning she woke up in an empty bed, without those strong, loving arms around her. Each morning her heart broke all over again.

Spike dreamt of her that day as he waited for the imprisoning sun to set.

He had failed to find her the day before and was exhausted after all the ground he had covered in one night, trying desperately to find her before the sun entrapped him once more.

He regularly dreamt of her after she had left but after time they only occurred rarely. Dru, too, had dreamed of her. They both missed Brody. Dru didn't even comment when it was Brody's name and not hers that he screamed out.

In this latest dream she was dressed like the Victorian lady she had been, wearing the opera outfit she had been dressed in the night he had turned her.

Unlike that night, she was alone. The band of friends and admirers were missing, so was the laughter and happiness. She was standing outside the Opera-house leaning against the wall. One hand was splayed against the smooth stone as she stood with her forehead pressed against the wall below her outstretched arm. People walked by unaware of anything amiss.

Spike walked from the shadows as he had that night but continued towards her this time. He didn't wait until she saw him and allow her to come to him. Desperation took over and he ran blindly across the mildly busy street. A hackney barely missed running him over and as it raced down the road, the driver shouted back curses at Spike.

Spike ignored it and dashed towards his target. He turned her to face him.

"Brody? Oh God, Brody! I've missed you so badly. It hurts, it hurts so much." Spike whimpered down at her.

Slowly she looked up at him. He jumped back when he saw her. To anyone else she looked fine, good, gorgeous, but he knew better. The light was gone from her eyes, as was the twinkle of mirth, the love of life. In its place was torment, pain, suffering, sorrow and a soul-destroying love. He clearly saw how much she loved him and through the pain he saw the lack of blame and animosity towards himself.

"Spike? William? Find me, please. I need you, a great deal. You're the only one who can make it stop hurting." she begged.

Spike sat up in bed with a gasp. It had been the first night in a long time that he hadn't had one of those horrific Buffy-lovin' dreams. This one made him antsy. He had to do something, now.

She needed him.

He just knew it.

With a grumble of dissatisfaction when he saw the still-there sun, Spike grabbed a blanket and headed down into the sewer system beneath his crypt. As he trudged through the slime he decided then and there that he'd change. For Brody. He'd be good and the chip would be a handy little reminder. He'd be good. For Brody, for the Bit, for Joyce and for himself; for the left over William he could and would do this.

Brody lay, curled in a tight ball on her bed as she bawled her little eyes out. She clutched the sheets as her throat hitched and ached with the huge sobs, they were far too big for her tiny body.

She felt unlike the powerful, master vampiress, clan leader, warrior that she was. She felt like a scared, overwhelmed little girl. And she hated feeling that way, hated feeling helpless, hated feeling out of control.

She had formed human attachments; that couldn't end well. Her sire was so near by; she could almost taste him. The Gem was gone; her chance at walking in the sun again had disappeared with it.

Brody allowed herself till nightfall to continue wallowing and ignored the pleas from her clan members outside her door. Why wouldn't they get a clue and sod off?

"So why'd you put out the Buff-signal?" Xander asked as he walked into the Magic Box and crossed the shop floor to the counter. He leaned across it and gave Anya a short kiss before hopping up to sit on the surface.

When Buffy had returned home the night before to find out that Brody, the vampire she still refused to trust, had been buddy-buddying with her mom and sister. It did not sit well with the Slayer. She had learned the hard way that vampires could never be trusted, not after Angelus.

She refused to listen as Dawn and Joyce explained that they had invited the distraught vampiress to come home with them, didn't listen when they described her loneliness, her pain, her suffering. All she knew was that this Brody was bad news.

Therefore she had called an impromptu Scooby meeting. They'd dig up this girl's past and Buffy would expose her as the monster she knew the master vampiress to be. She had questions, ones that burned into her brain to be answered.

That was why she had invited Joyce and Dawn as well as the others, they needed to see that they couldn't trust Brody; they needed to see that, before they were hurt.

"I think we need to research our new friend." Buffy explained.

"Brody?" Dawn asked with a wide smile "She's really awesome. She's like a hundred! And really sweet."

"She's also in a lot of pain." Joyce added solemnly.

"How's that Joyce?" Giles inquired, the vampiress having piqued his interest since Buffy had told him about her.

"Mr. Giles, she's been wounded really badly. First she told us how her father and grandmother died when she was five. Then the man she had a crush on died when she was seven and his mother disappeared with him, she was Brody's godmother. Then she was called at the young age of twelve and had all these responsibilities thrust upon her. The council first wanted her killed; she was too young and called her a 'filthy half-blood' because she was half demon. Then when she was seventeen she'd managed to pull her life together when the man she thought dead turned up. He offered her eternity with him and her weary little heart jumped at the chance. She managed to grow to love her vampire family and fit in when her great-grandsire found out that she'd kept her soul and was feeding on demons. Her sire wanted her to stay with them saying that they could figure something out but she was afraid she'd be forced to stake them. She couldn't sit by and watch them hurt people so she left and hid. She went back to her human family and stayed with them. She watched every person she loved grow old and die. She's been basically alone for fifty years." Joyce told the maudlin tale with a sad expression.

"My, God!" Giles said, scrubbing at the lenses of his glasses with the hem of his shirt "That's absolutely awful, I can't imagine…"

The group looked thoughtful as they imagined that kind of life. Buffy herself found that she was sympathising with Brody but quickly shook her head.

"That's enough of a pity-party for now, let's get researchy." she declared.

"Right, quite right, of course." Giles mumbled. "Well, what do we know about her?"

"Name's Brody. She's a master vampire, super strong, turned in 1890, supposedly was a half-demon Slayer." Buffy ticked off on her fingers.

"Half-demon Slayer? Oh, I know I've seen that somewhere in the Watcher's diaries!" Giles said scrambling to get said books.

"Aha, 'Broderique St. James-Summers, called in 1885, died in 1890. Broderique was the first and only half-demon Slayer. Her parents had great pull in the Council and her sisters, Dawn and Elizabeth were both potentials before she was called. She is the youngest Slayer to be called in Council history, at the age of twelve. Her watcher was Alfred Giles who married her mother the year he was assigned to Broderique, 1885. They had another daughter together Anne Summers-Giles.'" Giles' eyes widened as he read from the introduction to the diaries about the Slayer Brody.

"Wait, Summers? Giles?" Dawn squealed. "Are we related to you, Giles?"

"It would seem plausible." Giles murmured. He flicked the page and caught sight of a family portrait, he gasped loudly.

"What's up G-man?" Xander asked as he and Willow exchanged a glance.

"Don't call me that." Giles groused absentmindedly as he paced from the bookshelves to the research table and laid the book on it. "Look at this picture."

Buffy, Joyce, Tara, Willow, Dawn, Xander, Riley and Anya stared down at the large, black and white portrait. Brody stood laughing with an arm around her sisters, who looked remarkably like Dawn and Buffy. A younger little girl with curly blond hair stood in front of Brody clutching at her skirts and young boy with mischievous, dancing eyes and wild brown hair lay sprawled out beside them. A middle-aged woman stood next to them with her arms wrapped around a Giles-look-alike. They were all smiling widely, happy, oblivious to the sorrow that would befall them in a year or so.

"Wow, they look just like Giles, Dawn and Buffy." Riley remarked with a low whistle.

"Oh Goddess," Willow breathed and the others turned to stare at her "Think how much it must have hurt to see you both." Willow nodded at Dawn and Buffy who stood with gaping mouths.

"She said that I looked like her sister, but I didn't think…" Dawn trailed of, staring at her mother, then Buffy and Giles and then back at the book.

"I wanna…" Buffy gulped, feeling new respect for the ex-slayer "I wanna know about the vampire she became."

Giles noted the determination in her eyes and rubbed the bridge of his nose.

"That could be more difficult I'm afraid, Buffy. We only know her human name, we know nothing of her as a vampire." he slumped in a chair.

"Anya!" Tara cried.

"What?" Anya demanded, slightly irritated.

"What?" Giles said, curiously.

"Anya, you knew her." Willow finished, smiling at her girlfriend when she caught on.

"Exactly!" Tara nodded.

"Oh, well I've only met her a couple of times in the seventies and she'd left her vampire family at the time. I never thought to ask about her family tree. She was always at these punk gigs, you wouldn't believe the amount of scorned women at those and…" Anya babbled.

"Ahn, you're going off topic again." Xander chided.

"Oh, right, well in summary, I know diddly." Anya smiled widely.

"Well, thank you Anya." Giles sighed "Okay I guess it's sifting through the books we are then."

"Yay!" Willow said with a grin which Giles returned, at everyone else's expressions she continued "I, mean: Boo! Reading, bad."

"She's catching on." Buffy laughed as Willow buried her head happily in a pile of books "Or maybe not."

"Too far gone, Buff, too far gone." Xander sighed as he shook his head.

They'd been crowded round the research table, reading for hours when Dawn stuck her hand in the air and waved it around, excitedly.

"Yes, Dawn?" Giles questioned, with an amused smile.

"I found 'er." she announced proudly handing the book to Giles, opened to the correct page.

Giles took the book and they all smiled gratefully at Dawn, even Willow and Giles were sick of researching at this stage. They were all stiff, cranky and hungry. Buffy stood up and paced. Xander laid slumped back on the ground with Anya patting his leg gently. Riley stretched and watched Buffy pace. Joyce looked relieved beyond belief and resettled herself in the one padded chair in the room. Willow and Tara looked up and waited diligently for the information.

"Well done, sweetie." Joyce praised her youngest daughter proudly.

"Thanks." Dawn returned and moved to sit at her mother's feet.

"'Brody the Shadow also known as The Warrior of Aurelius is thought to have been a petty thief and a prostitute before turning…"

"She was bloody well not! Don't use those filthy words about her!" Spike growled menacingly, effectively cutting Giles off as he entered the Magic Box from the basement where the sewer access was.

"I'm sorry to offend, Spike" Giles sputtered "I'm merely reading what the book has to say."

"Fine, read on. Let's see what else this book of yours has wrong." Spike drawled as he lazily sank down next to Dawn on the ground.

"Yes, capital idea. '…Sired by William the Bloody in 1890…" Giles looked up sharply from the book at the vampire. "Is this true? You are our new friend's sire?"

"That I am, mate." Spike nodded.

"Spike, the girl's crazy about you." Dawn said, staring at Spike with a soft smile.

"Feeling's very mutual, pet. Keep reading, Watcher."

"Um '…Sired by William the Bloody in 1890 she is one of the fiercest fighters in recorded history. Single-handedly she took down ten opposing vampiric clans of numbers varying between fifty to a thousand per clan. Her strength, agility and speed are all more enhanced than those of normal vampires. She is the quickest vampire to become a master, beating even her sire with an astonishing time of two weeks. A force to be reckoned with, Brody has faced one Slayer in battle and has bested her. For unknown reasons she left her adoring family two years after her turning and has not been heard from since. It is also thought that her vampiric visage differs those of others as she was possibly half siren in life.'" Giles read.

"Wait! She killed a Slayer! She's evil." Buffy shouted in satisfaction at having been proved right.

"My little fairy killed herself a Slayer? She's always made me proud!" Spike breathed delightedly.

Buffy shot him a disgusted look. "What? 'm an evil vampire." he shrugged.

"You might not be right there, Buffy." Giles intervened before things got out of hand.

"What?!" Buffy screeched as she spun to face her ex-Watcher.

"It says in the book that eyewitnesses to the battle said that it looked as though Brody acted only in self defence." as Giles spoke he glanced at Buffy, carefully gauging her reaction.

"Oh." she stated simply with a blank face he couldn't read.

He decided that she needed time for the information to sink in, that she needed time to make up her mind and needed time to figure out how she felt about the whole situation.

Looking back at the book he flipped a couple of pages and came across another picture. In this one Brody's stance was even more confident and relaxed. She was standing, surrounded by the boisterous group that was her vampiric family. Brody and Spike stood at the centre; his arms wrapped tightly around her tiny waist, and were engaged in a passionate kiss, smiling against each other's lips. Angelus towered, glowering behind them, his arms slung casually over Drusilla and Darla's shoulders. He was brooding and the women at his sides were smiling down at the couple below them. Drusilla's fingers were linked in one of Brody's hands and Darla laid a hand on her right shoulder.

"When was this?" Giles inquired inquisitively as he stared at the image and approached Spike with the book.

"Whatsit? Oh…" he looked at the picture and ran fingers lovingly over Brody's likeness. "That was Milan, 1892. We'd just come back from this party. A demon called Elthrag the Mighty tried to put the moves on Brody and Dru and Darla; Brody shoved a fist right through his gut. Dru was delighted singing about 'pretty splatters decorating the floor' but Darla was impatient to get to the photo studio on time. It ended up in an all-out brawl. Peaches was right pissed off, lectured Brody for three hours, later on. Then all was forgiven when she returned home with half a jewellery store, gramps really likes his diamonds…although they do say that diamonds are a girl's best friend… But anyway we turned up on time and dripping in pretty jewels. And see how the Poof is extra frowny? It's cause at the last second Brody grabbed me and started snogging me senseless. He was always peeved that I wouldn't let him have a taste of 'er."

"Dru and Darla, they were fond of Brody?" Giles queried.

"Crazy about her. Brody's the only thing I did right in the Whore's eyes. That's the way Brody is, if she wants, she's the most charming person you ever met. Everywhere we went she made friends, they're all probably still loyal to her too. Peaches only allowed her to be so sociable 'cause it got us out of a few scrapes." Spike recalled.

"And Angel, did he like Brody?" Dawn said.

"Too much, was always cracking on to her. Although he was irritated by how petulant she was. He always said that she was second in the Most Infuriating Offspring contest, after me of course. But he had grudging respect for Dee. She's so smart, imaginative and strong, it's scary." Spike sighed. "'ve missed the chit."

"So, what are you doing here, Spike?" Giles asked, a tad suspiciously.

"I need your help and possibly Red's. I need to find someone but they have wards up to block me. I have to find her, you get the wards down for ten minutes and I'll be able to track her down. I'd know her scent anywhere." Spike pleaded "I can't let her be alone anymore."

"I suppose this is Miss Brody we're talking about?" Giles questioned.

"It is. She's my childe, Giles, and she needs me." Spike looked down and snarled as he continued "I'm a git. Should have done this years ago, but the bint covers her tracks well. Always was a quick learner."

"We'll gladly help, Spike." Willow assured him in a firm voice that stopped any arguments from being born "We'll help for you and for Brody."

"Thanks Red, you can't know how much this means to me."

"I can, I know how it feels when someone leaves and you can't be there to help them and I wouldn't wish that feeling on anyone."

"Spike, we need you to remember Brody, imagine her scent, her appearance, her voice, anything and everything you can think of." Tara bade him as she settled down into the circle being formed by herself, Spike, Willow, Giles, Dawn and Buffy; all seated on the floor. Spike was providing the image to centre on the wards so they could remove them. Giles, Tara and Willow brought the mojo to the table and Dawn and Buffy were making the link stronger as they were obviously related to Brody. "Ready?" she asked the group.

They each nodded. Spike's having the most fervour. He remembered the feel of her silky, oddly coloured locks. Remembered her sweet, angelic singing voice that had sung lullabies in his ear as they had drifted to sleep in each other's arms. He recalled the soft, smoothness of her perfect, creamy skin. He imagined her beaming, cheeky smile. He thought of the smell of her soothing him while he listened to Angelus drone on about his fabulous (inward snort of sarcasm) self, the smell of passionflower, lavender, purity, sketching charcoal and the element that was only her.

Willow sat slightly forward and poured green sand on the picture Spike had sketched. Tara and Giles simultaneously added small drops of a clear liquid as Willow began to chant.

"You hide,

Magicks obscure you from our sight,

Let the trees in the way part,

Let the lakes in the way dry,

Let the mountains level,

Let the magic bend to my will,

Reveal,

Hide no more."

Spike's head flew up and he drew in a deep breath, smelling the air. As he stood to leave with a wide grin plastered across his features, Dawn reached a hand to his arm and asked him a question he knew was coming with her eyes. He nodded and shifted her onto his back.

"See you guys later!" Dawn called back as they shot out the door into the evening twilight with Spike's vampiric speed.

"Dawn!" Buffy shouted after them but they were gone.

"Scooby-mobile?" Xander suggested and Buffy nodded.

They all ran out the door and piled into Giles' convertible. Giles pulled the car out into the street and darted after Spike's visibly disappearing form in the distance. Riley hopped along with the car which had started to move before he was fully inside the vehicle. As Giles screeched around the corner Anya and Buffy pulled him into the car and they all squished further to allow him fit in. Joyce sat up front with Giles and Willow.

"Maybe we shouldn't interrupt this? It could be kind of private." Joyce said looking from Giles and then back at her eldest daughter.

"Dawn's with him." Buffy responded simply.

"Yeah, but Spike will keep her safe, I know it." Tara chipped in.

"I'm not taking any chances, not when she's a danger magnet." Buffy countered.

"You really think the eleven of you half breeds can take us down?" the leader of the demon pack demanded incredulously. He and his sixty or so, hulking, eight foot tall, demon friends stood facing Brody and her gang.

"No, I don't" Brody was admitting with a shrug as Spike caught sight of her for the first time in a hundred years. She looked fantastic, if not world-weary, her tresses half loose, half piled messily on top of her head. Her lean body clothed in torn to shreds jeans and a black, silk handkerchief top with a see-through, blood-red, tiny waistcoat over it. She flexed her neck and continued "I think I can, on my own."

The demons erupted into roars of growling, animalistic laughter. The leader trailed his eyes over the teensy vampiress in front of him; she cocked her head and popped her hip in challenge. He chuckled again "Let's play, it'll be fun, such a pretty little thing."

"Good, 'cause all this small talk? Not exactly riveting, ya know? Besides I prefer to get right down to business." Brody retorted. She felt it the second Spike had arrived but, if her head wasn't in this fight one of the horde in front of her might get lucky.

You always did like getting straight into it, pet Spike thought with an inward snigger.

Dawn turned wide eyes to him. "You can't let her fight all those guys on her own!" she squealed.

"Calm down, Nibblit. Sit back and enjoy the show, you're in for a treat." Spike said, settling down on a headstone and turning to glare as the others showed up. "Shut up, sit down and just watch." he growled at them and looked back at his girl.

She was gearing up for a fight, stretching her arms behind her back and rolling her shoulders. Then she suddenly snapped her fingers and stared back at her clan. "Music, please, and give me something sharp and shiny as well."

They scrambled to do her bidding two rushing to her, one with a long bow and arrows and the other with two, small, deadly looking swords. Another picked up a stereo and pressed a button. The beginning chords of The Damned's 'New Rose' chimed through the cemetery.

"Thanks." she muttered to them all as they fell back behind her. Brody eyed the demons and cracked her neck to the left, then the right. She shook her head and transformed into her demon visage and crooked a finger at the monsters before her.

"Bring it, bitches." she drawled.

The group rushed her and she swung her swords with trained ease. Ten dropped to the ground headless and she regarded them with bored eyes. Two more ran at her from opposite directions and she jumped up allowing them to run each other through with their swords. She landed on the two blades and used the height to flip high through the air, firing three arrows as she went. Four more demons fell, as one of the arrows had gone through two demons. When she landed she kicked her foot through one demon's stomach and into the face of the guy behind him, she retracted her foot and let out a few 'ewww's never missing a beat. She swished her blade in complicated arcs fending off the on-coming demons, who shied back trying to avoid the fatal blades. Their attempts were in vain when she caught sixteen more with her weapons. They died before their comrades could blink.

The Scoobies and co. looked on with amazed eyes as she killed the monsters with bored ease.

More than half the demons were now littering the graveyard ground after less than a minute against the miniscule warrior. The demons exchanged surprised, scared looks yet continued to surge forward. Brody smiled devilishly and brushed some of their blood from her face, sticking a soaked finger in her mouth. The blood wasn't as good as others but the fear in it was intoxicating.

She pulled eight little daggers from under her waistcoat and threw them in quick succession, moving on to punch another demon as the weapons were still reaching their targets. Screams of pain and last breaths punctuated the sound of music in the usually silent resting place.

As she punched through that demon's neck she swung her foot round to kick another, he caught it and leered down at her. She leaned her weight on that foot and brought the other far higher through the air than she could have normally; to land blows that bashed four other's heads in. He had the foot held against his chest and watched in horror as he aided the destruction of his friends; she used the distraction to push her foot harder against him. He let go and his body was sent flying against an old tree, the blow was so hard that the tree buckled and tipped over. His bones crunched sickeningly and his organs squelched.

The last twelve faced off with her and looked ready to flee. The leader was among them, Brody wanted to face him last; there was more honour in it. She jumped up, catching the axe that Marcus tossed to her.

"Thanks, baby." she flashed him a dazzling smile and turned back to her enemies.

"You're welcome, my lady." Marcus bowed his head and sat back down beside Lissa.

Spike glared at him but soon returned to watching Brody. She flipped sideways, catching two demons in the side and ripping their stomachs open. They fell to the ground, grasping at the innards spilling from their bodies. As she stood up straight, she ducked and allowed the demon flying at her to soar over her head. She turned to where he landed, on his hands and knees and embedded the axe in his back; he groaned loudly and slumped face first to the soil.

She pulled her swords back out from their sheaths and swirled them over her head before crouching in a stance, ready to pounce. The demons hesitated, unsure of what to do before the leader ordered them to attack. They nodded complacently, charging with their own swords outstretched. They all tried to land blows, one catching her arm and another slicing her stomach. She growled and her eyes turned so cold that they shivered.

She parried the rest of the onslaught and rolled under their blades and legs. From behind them she tore into three of the warriors before they could face her again. She stepped over their bodies and viciously swung her weapons at the ones still remaining. Two stumbled backwards and she poked a sword into each of their guts before twisting the blade painfully. While occupied with them another of the demons managed to tear her jeans.

She stared down at the rip. "Okay, now? I'm mad." she ground out.

"What?" the demon defended with wide eyes "You can't even tell the difference, those jeans are so torn anyway!"

"I spent four hours getting the tears right!" she snarled and ducked his sword; at that level she impaled him on the sword through a very sore place. "Don't mess with the wardrobe, mate!"

All the males in the area cowered and covered their parts in sympathy. Brody whirled around holding out her sword and tore at two more demons, effectively chopping them both in half.

The leader looked at her hard face in terror; his eyes were wide as he glimpsed around at his fallen men and women.

"You killed them all!" he screamed.

"Hey, look at that! I did too, huh! Guess that's a full night's work, ey?" she grinned.

"What the hell are you?" he asked fearfully.

"A hell of a lot prettier than you." she quipped as she reached out and grabbed his neck. She hefted him into the air and stared up at him purposefully when she suddenly froze.

"Oh God! I love this bit!" she announced and glanced meaningfully at her gang who took the hint and turned up the volume. As the music blared she swayed sensually. When the segment continued into the rest of the song she tightened her grip and the neck in it snapped.

She dropped his body to the earth and dusted her hands.

"Time?" she said, looking down at the body.

"One minute, fifty nine seconds, mistress." Marcus called out.

"Huh." she grunted.

Spike jumped to his feet and ignored the speechless Scoobies. He ran and stopped in front of her. She was still staring at the ground. He cupped her beautiful face and raised her eyes to his.

Brody gasped. He was as handsome, as perfect, as ever. Her eyes that ached from a lifetime of too many tears, filled to the brim and salty drops escaped to glide down her skin. He reached a thumb out a captured the little droplets that symbolised years of agony.

"Brody." he whispered huskily.

"Oh, Spike, William!" she breathed out.

"I'm here, fairy, I'm here." he assured her as he continued to stare at her stunning face.

"You're real, not just a dream?" she said.

"I'm real." he stated simply.

"Oh, God." she whimpered.

Spike's own eyes were glazed over with tears of joy, regret and the feeling of wholeness that had escaped him over a hundred years ago. He lowered his mouth to hers agonizingly slowly. When their lips met it felt like nothing mattered, it felt like they hadn't spent a century apart. They were just Spike and Brody. They were William Pratt and Broderique St. James-Summers. They were together. Loved poured through the kiss as inquisitive tongues reacquainted themselves.

Brody sighed happily and melted into his arms. He caught her, he always would. But it was too much for him as well and he sank the ground. He cradled her against his lap as he vowed to her never to lose her again.

The kiss was wild, passionate, salty from mingling tears and it was home. They both felt that they were home and the burdens that seemed to weigh on their shoulders lessened to a slight reminder. Spike ripped his mouth from hers and kissed the tears from her porcelain skin. She shuddered and sobs tore at her throat before they tumbled from her cerise lips. Spike whispered happy thoughts against her ear and she rubbed her soft cheek against his sculpted one.

"So, so long." she murmured.

"It doesn't matter, Dee. Nothing matters except that I've got you back and I'll be damned if I ever let go."

"Please, don't ever let go."

"Never. The powers give us eternity and I'll still beat them for more."

"Eternity…" she sighed as he trailed kisses down her jaw-line.

"Eternity." he echoed firmly and nibbled at her neck.

Brody arched her back and moaned as his fangs slipped into the marks he'd given her so long ago. She felt the blood pull from her dead body and felt the pulls at the pit of her stomach. She was blinded when orgasm took her over. She screamed his name loud enough for people for miles to hear and writhed in his grip. As she shuddered back down to earth she nuzzled his chest and rested against him. He laid his cheek on top of her head and purred blissfully.

Buffy stared at them; her cheeks reddened painfully, and felt sadness tug at her heart. That was love. Love she might have for herself if she hadn't pushed Spike away that night outside the Bronze. Regret; that bitch of a feeling, consumed her as she glanced at Riley and realised they would never have what Brody and Spike did. Love, passion, intimacy, and easiness it all was there for the couple in front of her. They were able to pick up where they had left off, even after a hundred years!

When Spike had just relaxed he felt skinny, little fingers on the neckline of his shirt. Brody popped three buttons and pushed the material to reveal a perfect pectoral. She sank her small fangs into his skin and licked at his flesh while she pulled powerful sire-blood into her mouth. She hummed in delight as it slid down her throat and smiled against his skin when she felt his reaction prod against her ass. She squirmed in his lap as he growled and moaned in ecstasy. She could feel him fall over the edge rapidly. As he orgasmed and snarled her name she shouted against his skin.

"Mine!"

"Oh, God…Yours, fairy, Dee…Always…yours." Spike mumbled incoherently. Then his eyes snapped open from where he'd had them clenched in pleasure and he stared at the vampiress in his lap. She was licking blood from her lips and smiling up at him gleefully. She leaned back against him and he wrapped arms around her tiny waist.

"Brody…" he began.

"Later, when we have less of an audience." she murmured as she lay her head on his shoulder and arched her back from the sensation of a cool mouth on her collarbone. Spike rubbed circles into her stomach and enjoyed listening to her little mewls of joy.

"Love the noises you make, fairy."

"Rarghhhh." she mock-growled and giggled as she made 'claws' with her curled fingers.

"I love you."

"I love you, too. I've missed you so much, William."

"I'm right there with you, I was so scared something would happen and I wouldn't be able to help." Spike admitted with a shudder "Every night I had nightmares about finding your dust."

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you. I just…"

"Let's savour the moment, yeah? Nothing matters, that's all the past. We can be together now. The government put a microchip in my head and now Spikey has to behave himself. And Dru's not an issue anymore, it'll be me and you…"

"The government did BLOODY WELL WHAT?" Brody shouted angrily as she jumped gracefully to her feet and started to pace. "How dare they! How FUCKING dare they! No one, I repeat: NO ONE, touches my sire. I'm gonna ugh" she said and punched at the air "and argh" she now kicked at the unsuspecting air "and gah" she made throttling motions with her hands "and…"

Spike jumped up after her. He grabbed her hands. "Pet." he said softly.

"What?" she asked, looking up at him.

"It's okay, well, I mean, it's not okay but I'm getting used to it. And you know what? They did us a favour. Now there's nothing that can tear us apart." he soothed her as he drew her into his arms.

"Why do you have to be so sodding sweet?" she demanded, pouting.

"What can I say? You inspire the nerd in me." Spike smirked.

"Is that an insult or a compliment?" she frowned, pouting even more.

"Bit' o' both." he shrugged "Look at that lip. Gonna get it! All juicy and ripe for the taking."

Buffy jerked when she heard the words similar to those he'd uttered when they were under the spell the year before. She remembered the feel of Spike's soft lips and pined for the happiness she'd felt that day.

Spike got vampy and bit into Brody's lip. "I can agree with taking." Brody cried out.

Suddenly her body stiffened. Spike pulled back. "Luv?"

Her eyes were glazing over and her body was quivering. Spike gripped her shoulders and watched in horror as she convulsed.

"Dee!" he yelled, shaking her slightly but the only reaction he got was a stare from blank, unseeing eyes.

Dawn turned scared eyes to her mother who was rushing forward to the two vampires. Spike laid Brody flat out on the ground. He kneeled by her and watched helplessly as she jolted on the ground.

"Joyce? What's happening to her?" he asked in a petrified voice as she and the others got closer.

"I-I don't know, Spike." Joyce replied, fear drenching her words.

"William! What's going on? What's happening to me? Why's everything blurry?" Brody sobbed.

"I don't know, Dee. But I'm gonna find out. You're going to be fine, I'm here for you." Spike answered sweetly, rubbing her forehead.

"I'm here for you too." Dawn chipped in, stroking a finger along Brody's face.

"And me, sweetie." Joyce whispered from beside her trembling body.

"Ooohhh and me." Anya added.

"Watcher?..." Spike started.

Giles held up his hand. "No need to say it. Let's get her to the Magic Box."

They reached to pick Brody from the ground when they both jumped back in dismay at the latest development. Blood was dribbling from her eyes, nose, mouth and ears with a very disturbing hissing noise.

"Oh my God!" Dawn screeched as she tried not to be sick.

"Mistress!" Marcus exclaimed with wide eyes.

"Brody!" Spike grabbed her elegant hand and was about to press it to his face when he saw that more blood was trickling from under and around her nails. "Oh Christ."

Cordelia was sitting in a new, stylish Café that she had dragged Wesley and Gunn along to when the vision struck her. It was an occupational hazard; these visions could strike whenever and wherever. And more often than not? They hit her at the worst possible times.

She grabbed her head as images spilled into it. The pressure of the knowledge being forced into her brain caused shockwaves of pain to ripple through her body. She whined in pain as she watched what the Powers thought so damned important that they had to slam her body with excruciating agony.

As Wesley and Gunn crowded worriedly at her sides she saw a very pretty girl with strange pale pink hair writhing in anguish on the ground. Blood was seeping from her eyes, mouth, nose, ears and fingernails. She was on the floor of a shop, the Magic Box, and a figure was sitting holding her hand, Dawn Summers. Voices talked worriedly in the background but Cordelia couldn't make out the words. Cordelia was also barraged with the information that this girl was seriously important in the grand scheme of things, she was a vampire, she would need the extra help that Lorne could provide and that they didn't need Angel's aid to help her.

"Cordelia! Are you alright?" Wesley was demanding frantically.

"Yes, headache from hell but I'm fine." she replied as he and Gunn helped her up from the floor, where she had fallen to.

"What did you see? Who do we need to jab with sharp objects?" Gunn asked.

"Sunnydale." she muttered distractedly.

"What?" Wesley said in confusion.

"We're going to Sunnydale."

Lorne looked up as three shadows made reading the stock list impossible. Standing before him was a grimfaced Wesley, Cordelia and Gunn. He could tell that something was seriously up without using his abilities.

Pasting a chirpy smile to his face he addressed the trio "What's up? You three look like Angelcakes has been singing again."

Wesley shuddered at the thought. "No, he hasn't, thank the lord."

"Well then, why are you all such frowny Fred's and Francine's?" Lorne inquired.

"You up for a road trip?" Cordelia queried.

Spike was lying down, on the mats they had dragged from the training room, beside Brody, watching as the latest attack took hold of her body. Her divine face scrunched as she tried to hold in the cries of torture. After the first attack an hour ago she'd stopped making noise, Brody saw how much the sounds affected Dawn and Spike. Her jaw clenched as it got excruciating, that was surprisingly a good thing, it meant the second attack she'd had was ending. Spike's presence was helpful; he was telling her fairytales and stroking her face. It was nice, a distraction.

The others were all crowded around the room, the Scoobies, Joyce, Dawn, her Clan, Riley and they were all researching what was happening to her. They'd ascertained at the cemetery that none of the demons had poisonous properties, so that was ruled out. A poisoned weapon was still a possibility and Willow was painstakingly testing each one to see.

The rest of the researchers were sifting through books on mystical illnesses. The room was filled with silence except the quiet sounds of pages turning, breathing, bubble of chemicals and Spike's voice in her ear. It made it easier for the others to keep an eye on her. Every time she gasped slightly or her body slammed against the mat as tremors took her body whole they all stared worriedly at her. Brody didn't know if time was a matter of importance but she didn't mention it, they were all far too stressed as it was. The worry and fear in the room was so heavy she felt sick to her dead stomach.

Suddenly the attack passed and her head stopped shaking abruptly, knocking it hard against the wooden floor. Her body had been trembling so much she'd moved a couple of inches down the mat, leaving her head vulnerable to the hard, ancient flooring. Spike cursed loudly and cradled her now still head in his arms. He checked the back of her head. A large wound had opened up and was dribbling blood into her luscious locks of oddly coloured hair.

"Nibblet? Will ya bring over the first aid kit? I need it again." he called across the room to the wet faced teenager. She'd taken the situation the worst and silent tears had rolled down her cheeks the last hour.

She rushed to comply. As she handed the little, green box to Spike he smiled reassuringly. Brody caught Dawn's hand before the teenager could return to the table. She placed a little kiss into the small palm and whispered to her.

"Hey, sweetie, no more tears, 'kay? I'm fine, maybe not the prettiest I've ever looked but I'm good."

"I'll try." Dawn whimpered.

"Oh, hush now. Come 'ere." Brody said and pulled herself to sit up. Spike continued working on her head, cleaning and bandaging. Brody reached her arms out to Dawn who stepped into the safety of her embrace. "Now, honestly? Do I look awful?"

Dawn giggled slightly. "No, just a little bloody." She reached her finger to brush some blood from Brody's bottom lip and stared at it. She slowly brought it to her mouth and darted a tongue out to lick the crimson liquid.

"Dawn!" Buffy screamed "What the hell are you doing?!"

Dawn looked from Brody's wide eyes to her sister's. Their eyes were the same shape, but Brody's were bigger and rivalled Bambi. Their jaws were also the same. She honestly didn't know what had come over her.

"I don't know, I just saw the blood and the next thing I know I had to taste it." she creased her face as she spoke "It was weird. It tastes sweet and powerful and kinda warm…"

"Warm?!" Spike yelped.

"Yeah. Why?" Dawn was seriously wigged and confused.

"You eaten really recently, pet?" he questioned Brody.

"This morning, twelve hours ago." she replied with a frown "Which means…"

"The blood shouldn't still be warm." Giles finished.

"What does this mean?" Joyce pondered aloud.

"I don't know." the three brits replied as one.

"What's happening to me?" Brody whispered, half to herself, half to Spike as he carried her exhausted body through the threshold of the Summers' home.

"I don't know, luv." he said simply, his voice breaking. Brody could feel a cold tear chill her cheek when he nuzzled her soft face with his chiselled cheek.

"William…" she sighed, her dead heart clenching at the thought of him being in any pain.

"'S okay, pet, I'm okay. Let's jus' focus on you, 'kay?"

"All I do is work my ass off keeping ignorant humans alive and this is what the Powers do in reward." Brody grumbled angrily.