Chapter Notes:
Disclaimer: BTVS and all likeness shown in this story is the property of Joss Whedon. I don't own anything.
Father and Fangs
Chapter One
The smell of summer was still fresh, not yet worn away by the thunderstorms and changing leaves. Buffy Summers had always liked summer. There was no school, she could stay out as late as she liked. There was even a respite from the beasts that clustered around the Hellmouth. Her nights in the summer were mostly peaceful and lazy, tonight being the exception: her father was coming to visit her. Truthfully, she had not seen Hank Summers since her freshman year of high school, and now… Well, now she was dutifully awaiting her father at The Bistro.
The Bistro was the fanciest place in Sunnydale, not like that was a hard thing to accomplish. Most places were plagued by random demon related attacks. The Bistro had been spared by the demon population, only by the fact that the owner had paid for protection by an organized vampire mob. The Slayer had allowed this action because the mob agreed to not kill their prey and to glamour the memory from them. It was one of the concessions that the Slayer had been making since the Adam problem. There was just not enough time to kill every supernatural gang in Sunnydale, and, sometimes, it was just best to cut a deal with the leader of whatever supernatural force was the least harmful than fight them all. It was all part of her new plan to keep herself alive as long as possible. Buffy often debated about telling Giles of her new game plan, but had decided against it. The watchers weren't much for grey areas in regards to the supernatural world, and she doubted that Giles' watchers training would allow him to understand her plan.
The thought made her tired so she waved over the bartender. "Shot of vodka." Buffy ordered, letting her deep, creeping anxiety wash over her for a second.
The not entirely human bartender makes his way over recognizing the Slayer. Determined not to be on the slay list, he pulls a fat bottle of Absolute vodka coupled with a tiny shot glass. "Course anything, for the Slayer." The Bartender poured, doing his best to be charming.
Buffy picked up the shot, sucked it down with all the practice of a nineteen year old college student. She leaned into the bar waiting for the wave of happy that accompanied the not so pleasant burn of vodka. Yet it never came, instead thoughts of her father swam through her head making her throat dry. The Slayer almost waved the Bartender for another, when a high pitch squeal sounded from behind her.
The barely human squeal jolted Buffy upright and facing a woman with chocolate eyes, "Oh. My. God. Buffy! Is that really you? Me and the girls I thought you died or something?"
In a confused moment of staring at a cheerful girl Buffy had forgotten, she smiled, "Yeah...it's been ages." Buffy picked through memories of the shallow girls that she use to know. Oh my God who is this person? Was it Jessie? No, she had long straight blondish hair not frizzy messy coffee color hair. Ok, she looks familiar, I know she used to hang out with my group but I don't think we were friends per se. Was it that fat chick Rachel? I mean it could be and she just lost a lot of weight. No, Rachel would not be happy to see me. God I was a horrible person. Don't go down that road. Focus. But I know her. Actually, I think I hated her. Yes now I remember her, Hand Job Hannah. Yes, trashy red lip stick, brainless brown eyes, skimpy red cocktail dress, and too big to be real breast; it was Hannah.
Hannah crawled on to a bar stool beside Buffy. The clueless girl rambled on about her engagement and how they're moving here from Los Angeles because they worry about the city's influence on their future children. It was all Buffy could do not to laugh. Instead she scanned the room looking for her father and trying to find a way to politely escape. Hannah explained, "So we're going to have a bunch of kids."
Before Hannah could go into more detail about her children she was planning; Buffy noticed Spike saunter into the bistro. For a second Buffy stared at the vampire in disbelief. It seemed Spike traded in his duster and black boots for upscale formal wear, shifting the punk rock villain into a strange, almost comical, mix of Gatsby and Kurt Cobain. The bezoar combination landed a ghost of smile on Buffy's face, prompting her to do what she would normally never think of. "I have to go my date is waiting for me." Spike was better than nothing, ready for mischief. She sped off in Spike's direction. She kissed him on the cheek, "Honey you're late."
Spike wrinkled his brow in puzzlement at Buffy's strange behavior. "What the bleedin hell Slayer?"
Buffy could feel the brown eyes of Hannah Hand-job on her, so she grabbed Spike whispering low enough so only he could hear, "Pretend to be my date."
For a second all Spike could do was look at Buffy like she grew a second head. Carefully his steely blue eyes studied her for any sign of trouble in her soft jade eyes. He could have sworn that she flushed a little under his gaze but she merely shifted uncomfortably in her tall black heels made to match the little flirty black coktale dress. The dress hugged her subtle curves making her more elegant. Frustrated by Buffy's nearness, Spike huffed out a refusal. "I'm not goanna pretend to be your date just because Capt. Cardboard stood you up." Buffy's eyes narrowed with outrage, her hands planted on her hips as Spike hissed, "Now shove off." At seeing the flustered Slayer, he had nearly forgotten about his own date, Sarah. Desperately trying to break away from his Slayer before his date showed up. Spike had no matter of luck as a willowy girl in a white sundress glided into the bistro. Her flowing dark hair and ghostly skin reminded Buffy of a living version of Drusilla. A pang of jealousy hit the Slayer as she realized that Spike was on a date.
Buffy had a sinister smile and put on her sad puppy dog eyes, "What are you talking about honey? We have been dating for two years and….." her hazel eyes welling up with tears. "You're cheating on me? I thought we had more than that?" Buffy inwardly laughed and thought to herself, and the Oscar goes to Buffy Summers. The Slayer watched as Spike turns back into his punk rock villain self as he glares daggers at her. Buffy hiding her amusement put her puppy dog eyes on full blast.
Dru 2.0, Sara, looked horrified at the pair, "Oh God I didn't know. I am so sorry." Sara stormed off. Buffy wiped away her eyes giving the biggest smile to Spike.
Boiling rage filled Spike, "You crazy bint! Why did you do that?" He calculated whether or not the shock of the chip would be worth the second it would take to rip out the Slayer's throat.
Buffy's eyes seem to sparkle with wicked joy as her voice dripped with condescension, "Oh don't be upset. I was simply trying to help you from an unhealthy behavior pattern where you sleep with some idolized copy of your crazy, skanky ex-girlfriend." Self-satisfaction rolled off her like perfume on a French whore. "Or maybe... it was because I was just bored," She smiled.
Spike's voice dropped lower and became more predatory, "One day this chip will be gone and I will be bathing in your blood." Spike's growling warning remind Buffy he was dangerous. Brushing off the reminder Buffy rolled her eyes as Hank Summers strolled in through the doors of the restaurant.
Before, Buffy could say a word to her father; Hannah bolted from the bar, jumping on Hank like a lion on a juicy steak. Buffy eyes widened as she watched the happy couple kiss passionately. Spike examined the trio with a growing fascination.
Buffy recalled the conversation she had with Hannah. "Dad you're, engaged….." Hank wanted to settle down with a girl no older than her. "We were on the same cheerleading Squad." The comment was more to herself than anyone else. Still Buffy found herself staring at the kissing couple in dumbfound amazement. Did she know she was with my father and choose to leave out that part of her story or did she not know?
Hank coming up for air said, "Oh. I suppose you're right. I forgot you two were classmates." Acknowledging the two girls familiarity as something as inconsequential as expired milk.
On the other hand Hannah's normally brainless brown eyes sparkled with giddy realization, "Oh my god, I thought your daughter was sooo much younger. I would never have guessed you two were related. You are just so young looking Hanky... Oh my god this means I'll be my besty's step mother." Hannah's gasp of astonishment seemed to kick Buffy in the stomach, making her itch for a good slay. The growing anger was briefly interrupted by a cruel chuckle that stiffened Buffy's spine.
"Kitten who is your friend." Hank asked, looking over Spike, seemingly as innocent as any other father looking over his daughter's date.
Buffy had forgotten about the vampire she had been teasing only moments ago. Hannah looked at Spike, "Oh I am sorry this must be sooo awkward for you. Buffy aren't you going to introduce us to your boyfriend?"
Spike teased snaking arm around Buffy's waist. "Yes pet, aren't you going to introduce me to your family?" He wondered how long he could push this before Buffy snapped. Payback's a bitch, Slayer. Amusement plain on Spike's face, he watched the scene unfold.
Buffy's face grew pale as she unwrapped herself from Spike's strong grip. "What? Oh...yeah because I told you... and... well...this hmm is William." She looked between her father and the vampire sizing the other up as she gave more information, "This is my dad Hank and his fiancé Hannah who he never mentioned, ever."
A devilish grin played across Spike's face, "Why so formal luv, call me Spike." Spike eyed Hank curiously, wondering if charming daddy dearest would infuriate Buffy more than him being a complete twat. Spike picked the former given the current circumstances. He shook Hank's hand, trying to be as charming as possible.
Buffy tried to get rid of Spike, "Oh god honey, I totally forgot doesn't your band have a gig or something tonight?" She prayed Spike would give her a break and leave.
Spike was not that kind. Instead he quirked his eye brow up word before saying, "No honey, that's next week." Buffy gave Spike a look that seemed to scream I'm going to kill you when this is over.
Meanwhile, Hank scanned Spike and Buffy up and down and called over to the hostess, "Table for four in the back and the best bottle of whiskey this place has." The hostess, a young girl in a pants suit, eyed the two young women of the party. On the hostess's lush peach lips hung the normal question of ID but a quick fifty shoved in the girl's hand by Hank made the question die.
Horrified Buffy found her-self on the most awkward double date in history of dating. She grab Spike's arm gently forcing him to hang back as the hostess guided Hannah and Hank to a table in the corner. Buffy whispering to Spike, "Please go."
Smirking His petated leer he brush a strain blond hair from her face. "Come on pet, I thought you wanted me to be your date. It wouldn't do to have two men bail on you in one night."
Breathing in deeply Buffy pleaded, "I didn't invite Riley. I thought…" She shook the half expressed thought away, "You know it doesn't matter what I thought. The point is this is hard enough for me without you trying to strew with me all night. So please just go."
A moment sympathy toyed with Spike when he saw flake of the sad disappointed little girl underneath the enrage slayer. Then he remembered how she ended up in this mess. Wicked joy sparkled in Spike's blue eyes, "Under normal circumstances I would be more understanding to your predicament but my entertainment for the evening ran out on me because of a certain pain in the arse slayer."
Lowly she growled, "I don't know why I thought you could be decent about this. Fine, either leave willingly or in a dusk buster? Your choice."
Spike laughed, "Oh goody, so before that we'll make a scene of it and you can humiliate yourself in front of this entire restaurant and daddy dearest. Sounds like fun, Slayer. Let's go." When Buffy eyes widen into two large saucers, he knew he won. Jovially Spike hissed, "Didn't think so. Don't worry Slayer I won't embarrass you too much." Defeated she trudged over to table in back corner with Spike at her side.
Hannah frowned at the thought of the bitter amber liquor, "Hanky boo you know how I hate whiskey."
Hank greeted the couple warmly as they sat down. "Kitten I can't remember do you like Whisky?" Studying his daughter looking at the amber liquor.
Frowning at her father, Buffy turned to a busty waitress, "I'll have a glass of Ice tea."
"None sense Kitten, we're celebrating my engagement tonight. Champagne for the ladies." He tried to remember what his daughter liked to drink. However the only thing that came to his mind was chocolate milk and a little girl in pigtails. For a moment he longed to go back to that little girl who loved him despite all his flaws. Hank turned his attention to Spike, "Now Spike, tell me about yourself? Are you in school?"
The waitress made herself scares writing down the order champagne and ice tea. Spike shrugged answering Hank with most of the truth, "Finished my undergrad a while ago in Cambridge. Then I came to ol' Sunnydale for my PhD in Linguistics with a specialty in dead languages. "
"Dead Languages?" Hank turned over the phrase in his head. "Isn't that a little impractical?"
Spike chuckled leering at Buffy, "Trust me Hank, a well versed tongue has loads of practical applications."
Disapproving Hank changes the subject, "How does a Linguist from Cambridge come to find himself dating a ditzy girl from the Valley?"
A ditzy girl from the valley, that is all he'll ever see me as, the thought had come unbitten as Champaign danced on her tongue. Glancing toward each other the two warriors found the memory of their first meeting. It was a dark alley behind the Bronze. Buffy wore a little red number that wasn't suitable for slaying but she believe it made her look a bit older than her seventeen years and just a tad more seductive for Angel's benefit. Only he hadn't come or cared instead she was left disappointed forced to kill some in a minion in a back alley while Spike watched. Looking back now Buffy was surprised Spike hadn't made his move then. It would have been easy she knew now. Buffy hadn't even known he was there. Instead Spike had teased her with allusions to saint Vistuary day. Against herself, she replayed the memory with a warm smile. Spike had been the definition of cool in his black leather duster threatening her in that seductive way he had. She could still hear the words in her head: Buffy, "What happens on Saturday?" Spike, "I kill you." It was not a story to tell her father, by any means. A cool hand rested on her knee breaking Buffy from her memories.
Spike merely studied Buffy fondly at Hanks question. In his head he could picture the girl in red, all innocent trying so hard to look grown up. It wasn't long before a twinge of sadness entered the memory as Spike compared the Buffys. That girl was dead, replaced by a lethal woman in a little black dress, Spike found himself missing that girl in red. A half-truth would serve for an answer, He amused, "It seems like a long time ago, don't it pet? Let's see, it was the night of your parent-teacher conference and I had just started working at the library of the high school; when Joyce introduced us. There was a chemistry between Buffy and me right away." He smiled fondly at the memory of Joyce wielding the axe; before adding, "Unfortunately, we were both with someone so all that chemistry we had, got turned into seething hatred." Introspectively Spike finished the story with returning to Sunnydale for college, "Then one day I saw her at Uni she's talkin to some poncy frat boy. She looked so beautiful with her golden hair shining in the sunlight with her eyes like leafs on a tree. But she looked so sad and I thought what sodding Pillock could brush a girl like Buffy off. Well after that I realized I loved the silly bint." He hadn't met say that last part and became sheepish as he inwardly cursed himself. It had been a trick of the sun, Spike believed. It made her look gentle which made the sappy poet in him want to write.
Buffy felt as if she had been kicked in the stomach. Certain Spike would make up some terrible story about drunken frat parties or one night stands she had been shocked when he told the truth with a flare. The thing that seemed to catch her off gaurd was the last bit of the story and suddenly she wondered how much of the end was an act.
Hannah cooed, "Oh that is so sweet, isn't it Hanky boo?"
The indearment seemed to maked Buffy squirm awkwardly in the chair. Overall the Slayer seemed reactionless to Spike's edited story. The sad sappy Poet in Spike had hoped for at least flicker of something at his unexpected declaration of love but there was just nothing. For some reason the lack of responce seemed to infuriate Spike more than if Buffy had scoffed the declaration away. With a change in subject needed Spike addressed Hannah giving his best charming and disarming smile, "So poppet how does a ravishing thing like yourself meet a bloke of ol' Hanky stature."
Hannah play with a bouncy brown curl while biting her cheap cherry lips, "I know it's like super crazy right? Me and Hank... who would have guessed that my Hanky would be Buffy's dad. But I totally didn't know. I don't remember seeing him around when me and the girls stayed over Buffy's place. Any way we met at one of my shows. I am a Dancer."
Buffy couldn't help but add her two cents into the story, "Dancer? Really. So do you tap dance or pole dance?"
Hank glared at Buffy while Spike laughed as Hannah stared after the slayer puzzled, "I don't know why everyone thinks that. I mean is there like some kinda law that's says Ballerinas can't be like voluptuous?" A teasing smile stretched across Hannah's heart shape face as Spike made to answer but was stopped by a kick from Buffy. "It's cool Hanky. No need to get upset with Buffy. Yes, I totally take off my clothes for like an obscene amount of money but you shouldn't just assume someone something just because of their body type. Just look at you some people would just assume your an over privileged snotty sorority girl because of the way you look." Hannah sipped on her drink. "With no more questions, how I met Hanky. Well I was dancing in the private event room with my friend DJ. Hanky was there with his greasy lawyers buddies from his firm Wilferm and Hart. They were talkin shop while we gave them a good time. DJ got Hanky at first and I got suck with some whaleish guy with no hair that smelt like Mcdonalds. But me and Hanky's eyes met and he requested me. Well after my set Hanky asked for my number. I told him I didn't date clients but he kept coming back night after night until I gave in. The next thing I know we're getting married." Hank and Hannah stared after each other passionately in love. It made Buffy's stomach twist with a little guilt at her earlier behavior but then Hannah opened her mouth again. "Oh my God. I almost left out like the best part of this story... Hank and I are moving here!"
Buffy's mouth had drop at the declaration as Hank finally broke their loving gaze and study his daughter and realized something was wrong since her mood had soured through the night. "Kitten what's the matter?"
Buffy said in utter disbelief, "What's the matter? You really don't know?" Everything is wrong, Buffy firmly believed. Hank was a selfish womanizing jerk and now he was giving up his womanizing ways for a tramp who was young enough to be his daughter.
Hank was dumbfounded, "No, I don't understand, Kitten. I wanted you to meet the love of my life and to tell you that I am moving here to be closer to you. Yet you seem unhappy. Why?"
Buffy's mouth dropped, "The love of your life? Let me get this straight. For the last four years, you've completely and totally cut your only daughter out of your life, so you can fuck your way through every bimbo in LA. Then, finally, what? You had some realization that you actually wanted to get married and be a father again?"
Hank grasped his fiancé's hand, "Yes, but the way you say it makes it seem like a bad thing."
Spike more mockingly said, "Yep she likes to do that to people's plans. We're trying to work on it. Aren't we pet?"
With utter annoyance and confusion, Buffy said, "I can't take this, I've got to go." She got up and hurried to the exit.
Spike also stood, saying, "Pleasure to meet you both, but I should go after her." He followed the slayer out to the street.
Chapter End Notes:
Big thanks to my Beta evlane for editing this chapter. Hopeful you all enjoy it