Feels Like Home
By Saberi
**March, 2003
1 New York City**
"No, please!" Spike paused on his way to his apartment as he heard the pleading cry. With a frown, he noticed that the door to the apartment where the voice was coming from was ajar. He pushed it open and stepped forward tentatively, expecting the barrier. To his surprise, there was none. Which meant that either the occupant of the apartment was not fully human, or it was already too late to save her.
The scene that greeted him would have turned his stomach if he'd been a mortal. A young woman lay on the floor, bleeding. Deep gashes ran across her stomach, soaking her clothes with blood. A Polgara demon stood over her, bone skewer extended as he prepared to attack once again.
Almost without thinking, Spike's game face came forward as he launched himself at the demon, tackling it to the ground. His eyes scanned the room desperately for something to use as a weapon, and he smiled. Two crossed swords were mounted on the wall above the fireplace. He left the unconscious demon on the floor and plucked one of the swords from its mount. With a single clean stroke, he killed it.
"Please…" the woman whispered, her voice hoarse. Spike knelt beside her and did his best to make her comfortable in her dying moments. The action brought back a flood of memories from a lifetime ago, back in Sunnydale. Then, he'd have done something like this purely for gaining Buffy's approval. Now, well, he didn't know why he was concerning himself with helping someone- but it felt somehow *right* to do this.
"My daughter!" the woman gasped out, "Cassie…"
"Hush, now," Spike ran a hand through the woman's hair, attempting to soothe her, "don't try to talk."
"I'm dying," her eyes met his as she spoke plainly, "I need you to take care of Cassie. You're the only one who can protect her,"
Spike frowned inwardly. This woman knew he was a vampire, yet still requested that he take her daughter? Without thinking, he nodded, accepting her request. She smiled at him and clutched his cold hand.
"It was meant to be," she said, before closing her eyes for the last time.
Spike stayed kneeling by her side, reluctant to move, before almost keeling over in surprise as the woman's body began to glow. The room was bathed in an ethereal light for only a few moments, and when it cleared, the body of a strangely beautiful demon had replaced the human woman.
Demons, as a rule, were an ugly looking lot- even those who were considered 'good'. But this woman, whoever she had been, was unlike anything Spike had ever seen. Her skin was a soft blue, and her straight, shoulder-length hair shone like silver. Even the sharp spines he could see protruding from her forearms and the hands with the iridescent webbing between each clawed finger had a beauty of their own. He wondered why she hadn't reverted to her demon form when the Polgara had come for her. Surely her natural weapons would have given her a fair chance in a fight?
"Cassie?" he stood up, his eyes scanning the room for the girl. If she was a half-breed, perhaps it was best if he took care of her. After all, being a demon himself he could understand her better than some mere human.
A creak signaled the opening of a door, and a small, frightened face peered out from a darkened room. Spike smiled in what he hoped (not having much experience in the area) was a reassuring manner.
"Hi," he said softly, remaining where he was.
"My mommy's gone," the little girl stepped out from the room and moved closer to the vampire.
"Yeah, pet," Spike replied, not knowing what else to say. The girl- Cassie- was standing next to him now, staring up at him with wide hazel eyes. He guessed her age to be around two or three years old. On impulse, he leaned down and picked her up. The girl wrapped her small arms around his neck and buried her face in his shoulder.
The next thing he knew, he was standing in a white room, two toga-clad figures staring at him with unreadable expressions.
The female of the pair moved closer to him, studying him intently. He refused to falter under her piercing gaze, and this evidently pleased her, for she smiled and looked back at her companion.
"Leatha chose her child's Guardian well, brother," the woman in white said.
"I agree. His desire to protect those he loves is unusually strong, for a vampire."
"He is different, special. I can sense it."
Spike was growing exceedingly annoyed as the two mysterious beings continued to discuss Cassie and himself as if they were not present. Even as he thought about voicing his displeasure, the male of the pair spoke.
"My sister and I are Oracles, we work as Messengers for the Powers That Be. The little one is the last of her kind, vampire. She carries something that could spell disaster should it fall into the wrong hands. Her mother chose you as Guardian for this child. Do you understand and accept this responsibility?"
Spike only nodded mutely, and the two Oracles smiled at him, evidently satisfied with this response.
The next thing he knew, he was back in his own apartment, still holding on to the little girl. Now, his daughter.
By Saberi
**March, 2003
1 New York City**
"No, please!" Spike paused on his way to his apartment as he heard the pleading cry. With a frown, he noticed that the door to the apartment where the voice was coming from was ajar. He pushed it open and stepped forward tentatively, expecting the barrier. To his surprise, there was none. Which meant that either the occupant of the apartment was not fully human, or it was already too late to save her.
The scene that greeted him would have turned his stomach if he'd been a mortal. A young woman lay on the floor, bleeding. Deep gashes ran across her stomach, soaking her clothes with blood. A Polgara demon stood over her, bone skewer extended as he prepared to attack once again.
Almost without thinking, Spike's game face came forward as he launched himself at the demon, tackling it to the ground. His eyes scanned the room desperately for something to use as a weapon, and he smiled. Two crossed swords were mounted on the wall above the fireplace. He left the unconscious demon on the floor and plucked one of the swords from its mount. With a single clean stroke, he killed it.
"Please…" the woman whispered, her voice hoarse. Spike knelt beside her and did his best to make her comfortable in her dying moments. The action brought back a flood of memories from a lifetime ago, back in Sunnydale. Then, he'd have done something like this purely for gaining Buffy's approval. Now, well, he didn't know why he was concerning himself with helping someone- but it felt somehow *right* to do this.
"My daughter!" the woman gasped out, "Cassie…"
"Hush, now," Spike ran a hand through the woman's hair, attempting to soothe her, "don't try to talk."
"I'm dying," her eyes met his as she spoke plainly, "I need you to take care of Cassie. You're the only one who can protect her,"
Spike frowned inwardly. This woman knew he was a vampire, yet still requested that he take her daughter? Without thinking, he nodded, accepting her request. She smiled at him and clutched his cold hand.
"It was meant to be," she said, before closing her eyes for the last time.
Spike stayed kneeling by her side, reluctant to move, before almost keeling over in surprise as the woman's body began to glow. The room was bathed in an ethereal light for only a few moments, and when it cleared, the body of a strangely beautiful demon had replaced the human woman.
Demons, as a rule, were an ugly looking lot- even those who were considered 'good'. But this woman, whoever she had been, was unlike anything Spike had ever seen. Her skin was a soft blue, and her straight, shoulder-length hair shone like silver. Even the sharp spines he could see protruding from her forearms and the hands with the iridescent webbing between each clawed finger had a beauty of their own. He wondered why she hadn't reverted to her demon form when the Polgara had come for her. Surely her natural weapons would have given her a fair chance in a fight?
"Cassie?" he stood up, his eyes scanning the room for the girl. If she was a half-breed, perhaps it was best if he took care of her. After all, being a demon himself he could understand her better than some mere human.
A creak signaled the opening of a door, and a small, frightened face peered out from a darkened room. Spike smiled in what he hoped (not having much experience in the area) was a reassuring manner.
"Hi," he said softly, remaining where he was.
"My mommy's gone," the little girl stepped out from the room and moved closer to the vampire.
"Yeah, pet," Spike replied, not knowing what else to say. The girl- Cassie- was standing next to him now, staring up at him with wide hazel eyes. He guessed her age to be around two or three years old. On impulse, he leaned down and picked her up. The girl wrapped her small arms around his neck and buried her face in his shoulder.
The next thing he knew, he was standing in a white room, two toga-clad figures staring at him with unreadable expressions.
The female of the pair moved closer to him, studying him intently. He refused to falter under her piercing gaze, and this evidently pleased her, for she smiled and looked back at her companion.
"Leatha chose her child's Guardian well, brother," the woman in white said.
"I agree. His desire to protect those he loves is unusually strong, for a vampire."
"He is different, special. I can sense it."
Spike was growing exceedingly annoyed as the two mysterious beings continued to discuss Cassie and himself as if they were not present. Even as he thought about voicing his displeasure, the male of the pair spoke.
"My sister and I are Oracles, we work as Messengers for the Powers That Be. The little one is the last of her kind, vampire. She carries something that could spell disaster should it fall into the wrong hands. Her mother chose you as Guardian for this child. Do you understand and accept this responsibility?"
Spike only nodded mutely, and the two Oracles smiled at him, evidently satisfied with this response.
The next thing he knew, he was back in his own apartment, still holding on to the little girl. Now, his daughter.
