Disclaimer- I own nothing you recognize. I'm making no profit whatsoever, but having a blast.
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The group sat stunned for a moment, and then Willow looked around. She put her 'Resolve' face on and stared at Xander for a moment.
"Xander, Chris, Amanda and I will stick together. Why don't you, Spike and Angel go find Buffy, Natalie?" Willow pushed to her feet and drew a folding crossbow and two stakes from her backpack. Tossing it onto the couch, she stood ready. Xander was holding his own stake, a gleam in his eye.
"We weren't really allowed to bring weapons on the plane." Amanda said. Angel stood and crooked his finger before walking down a hallway. Natalie stood, drawing Spike up with her, and they moved to follow. Chris and Amanda followed as well. Angel stood in a doorway, ushering them in. It was larger than the living room, full of weapons. Weapons on walls, weapons in chests, armoires and racks. Weapons were everywhere. Stakes lay on a table. Natalie moved inside, taking stock of what they had.
"It's a freaking arsenal in here, Angel." Natalie grinned to her brother before stoking a hand along a set of short swords. One had a baldric, a sword belt that slid across the back. The other perfectly matched sword would be worn at the waist. Natalie chose these, slipping the belt first around her waist, then the next along her back. Chris accepted a set of stakes, passed them to Natalie who shoved them in the belt. Chris then took up a set of daggers, sliding those in his pockets before a set of stakes followed. A bottle of holy water was distributed to those inside. Spike shrugged and hefted an axe. Amanda merely took a stake. She shrugged, then spirited it away. Angel nodded, then took a broadsword and a stake.
"Good then. Let's be getting." Angel said to the group. He once more led them back out, and they all looked at one another.
"Look watcher, I think it's best if you left it to the A string this time." Spike started. Giles merely nodded and then looked to Joyce. She smiled, relieved, then sat back down. The younger ones… some not so young, began to file towards the front door.
"Mr. Giles, it looks as if they're going to war." Joyce said, watching them leave.
"They are, Mrs. Summers. They are." Giles simply said. Joyce sighed.
"I was afraid you'd say that."
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Once out the front door, the two groups separated. Angel began to lead them, as if he knew exactly where Buffy was. And he proved right, as only a few moments went by before they came upon her, reclining against a headstone. She was waiting, listening with her eyes closed. As soon as they came within sight she was up on her feet, as if they were the targets and not the vampires. She relaxed a little at the sight of them, and smiled a welcoming smile. Buffy patted the headstone.
"Come on and talk with me, Natalie." She invited. Natalie stepped over and took a seat next to her.
"I think given a little time, we could all be very good friends." Natalie grinned to Buffy, who was popping a piece of gum into her mouth. She offered the pack to Natalie, who accepted.
"I think we already are, Nat." Buffy responded.
They chatted about this, they chatted about that. But most of all, Natalie realized that this was what she wanted. Someplace to belong where they, whoever they were, didn't judge her. People who accepted her as a leprechaun, a protector. A girl who had a vampire for a brother and another vampire for a mate didn't exactly get accepted a lot of places. But here she did. And it was good. Even in the midst of the fight she had gotten into. One second they were just talking, and the next Natalie had one sword out, swinging it with perfect fluidity. She had two vampires decapitated before she even realized what she was doing. And by that time the vampires that had swarmed were in true trouble. Buffy had staked a few, as it was getting dusty out. Natalie blinked, trying to see better and then she could. Finally, just as it had begun, it had ended; quickly.
For a moment, Natalie didn't realize why Buffy was staring strangely at her. Spike sidled up next to her and whispered. "Game face." And Natalie calmed herself, thinking about human face again. Buffy sighed in relief, then looked around. She gathered her stake up again, and Natalie slid her sword back into the sheath.
"Let's go home. There weren't any fledglings scheduled to rise tonight, it'll be slow." Buffy was already walking towards the house, and Natalie took Spike's hand as they walked. Life was definitely interesting here.
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They met the other group as they were walking back. Xander was complaining about not getting anything to kill, and Chris just smiled. Oh well, his loss. Natalie winked to Chris as they entered the front door.
"Okay Mom, let's go home. Xander, Willow, do you need rides?" Buffy asked. Willow and Xander both agreed, and soon they were all gone.
"Well, that went well." Natalie spoke as they all sat back in the living room.
"I guess so." Chris said. Amanda got up, then returned with a small carryon.
"Wanna watch a movie?" Amanda asked, but without asking she was already at the vcr, putting in a movie.
Natalie, Chris and Amanda sat before the tv, just talking while Highlander played. Laughter rang through the house as Spike and Angel sat in the courtyard, sipping mugs of steaming blood.
"She's changed a lot since I last saw her." Angel commented as he looked through the open French doors.
"Of course she's going to change, Angel. We've not even seen the girl for over two centuries." Spike grumbled. "No one stays the same that long."
"True, that's very true." Angel agreed. "Still, she's grown a lot since then."
"The last time we saw her, it was her first life Peaches. Now she's on what? Life three or four? Seeing your own family die over and over again, even if they come back, it changes a person. And her friends, they're not immortal, not vampires, not leprechauns." Spike trailed off.
"Like you said, it changes a person. I still can't believe she's been with Anden for the last year or so. Anden, my sweet little Anden. I still cant believe she's even still alive!" Angel exclaimed. He didn't even know what it was about Anden, but there was something. Some unexplained little niggle in the back of his mind that made Anden his favorite, second only to his sister.
"Might have to meet this Anden." Spike said offhandedly. Angel grinned to Spike for a moment.
"From what Natalie told me, Anden is ninety six, and still keeps rabbits. She runs ten miles a day still, and she doesn't look a day over sixty. She's been Natalie's solace ever since her father tried to kill her." Angel's voice grew dim at the last bit. Spike's head snapped up.
"He what?" Spike glared in the general direction of Florida. "Changed my mind. Might have to introduce myself to old Dave there." Spike growled.
"Apparently Natalie had a younger brother, spitting image of both me and her, but David DID succeed in killing him about the same time he thought he killed Natalie. It's why she never reintroduced herself to them once her mother started looking for her again."Angel continued. "Natalie's been so alone out there. We're lucky she's even made it this long. And from what I see, she's made good friends now."
"That man's going to find himself in a spot of Karma soon, Peaches." Spike said grimly.
"That he is, Spike my dear, that he is."
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Meanwhile, back inside, Amanda and Natalie were debating finding a creek and going out to harvest the little gems that grew on a hell mouth. The little gems were used for storing pre-cast spells, so Natalie had taken to calling them 'Spell Stones'. Amanda had them sorted by colors, and they had agreed to cast a certain spell in each color. Also, a benefit to storing spells was, that when a big battle came, the energy had already been expended previously, so they didn't tire while battling. Another benefit being the fact that anyone could weld the pre-cast spells. Spell Stones came in very handy indeed.
They made plans to find the creek or river tomorrow, as Spell Stones were easiest found during daylight hours. With plans made, the trio began finding their resting places. Dawn would come early, and each needed their rest. However, Natalie wasn't quite tired, and so she meandered out into the courtyard, eying the mugs that both her brother and Spike had. Sniffing, she crept closer before taking the mug from Spike and taking a hesitant sip.
"God, that's good. That's exactly what I've been wanting all day." Natalie gave the mug back to Spike. She had a feeling that it was blood, but didn't ask what it was. Didn't want to know, just wanted to drink and pretend it was… hot cocoa, pretend it was hot cocoa.
"Do you want more?" Angel asked, offering his own mug out to her. She hesitated before taking the mug and drinking from it. It was good, and so she finished it before setting it down on one of the benches.
"I should call Anden tomorrow." Natalie said softly, staring up at the sky.
"Why?" Spike asked as he set his own mug down.
"Because aside from those present, she's the only family I've got really, and she'll worry. " Natalie answered. Shrugging, Spike accepted that answer.
"Alright then pet." He said softly and pulled Natalie back, wrapping his arms around her front. Angel, Spike and Natalie stared up at the stars, thinking.