They were all acting like morons. So this guy had been somebody, once. He was still here asking for something. Buffy glared at the cause of all this insanity and slapped her palm flat on the table.
"I don't care who you are or what you've done. The past is a dead thing. Can't do anything about it. I need to know what you can and will do." Buffy looked at the vampire steadily. "I'm not in the redemption business."
The vamp had the nerve to look at Spike and Sophie. She growled and let her eyes flash over. He wasn't the ruler here.
"They are family. You aren't." Buffy stepped back and crossed her arms over her middle.
"I am the font they both emerged from. I am family of a sort as well." His patient tone grated on her nerves. He came to her for something and had the nerve to act like she was a child.
"There is more to this. I'm not older than dirt, but I know when I'm being played." She looked to Giles, half buried in the new research material. "How old is he?"
"He was born in 121, Buffy. His human life ended in 180." Giles looked awed by the thought.
"That doesn't track. He would have been nearly sixty. That was old back then, really old. This guy looks to be about your age." Buffy turned her eyes back to their guest and raised an eyebrow. "Plus the master looked like shit and he was no where near as old as this guy is claiming to be. I mean where is the bat face and punch bowl mouth?"
"Hadrian made us drink vampire blood as a tonic. It kept him alive for quite a while and kept us from aging normally."
"There's not some royal us, is there?" Buffy demanded.
"No, Love." Spike smiled and winked.
"There were other potential heirs."
"Of course there were." Buffy tilted her head. "Where are they now?"
"Dead. I have spent millennia alone."
"Weren't so alone when you fucked Drusilla and Darla silly for weeks." Spike snarled. "It's all about sensation and satiation with you. I don't want you near my mate."
"I needed to know what was happening in your world. I had to know how much longer I had to wait for her. I have visions. Your Buffy straddles the hell mouth and saves us all. She is the redeemer."
"Oh, there's some pleasant imagery." Sophie murmured. "I'll go tell the others we're safe before they head for the hills."
"They're gonna love this guy." Buffy rolled her eyes. "Unrepentant vampire seeks stupid slayer for redemption. Yeah. Let's let Xander interrogate him for a few hours. That might be funny."
"The boy's not going to like any part of this." Spike sighed. "He's gonna sound off about the bastard being in the house."
"My call. I'll deal with it." Buffy rubbed the back of her neck.
"Please, help me, Buffy. You are the only one that can. I want the change. I want to fight for light once more." The stranger's words pricked at her.
"I don't know if I can." Buffy sighed. "With Sophie, I knew. It felt like a compulsion almost. I don't want to touch you. This isn't something you can give back. Sophie is part of our family now. She is mine and mated to my watcher. What would tie you here?"
"My word. I would choose you. I did in coming here. Whatever oath you require, I will give it." His eyes flared golden as he spoke. "My future is tied to this. I have been holding on to the vision for nearly two millennia. If you will not help me, I will greet the sun."
"I don't care, Sophie. I want to see Buffy." Joyce glared at Sophie as the emerged from the basement. "I gave birth to her. Slayer or not, she is still my daughter."
Buffy saw it then as their guest's eyes landed on her mother for the first time. He was a seer, and he knew her mother. Spike sniffed the air and turned toward him, one eyebrow raised.
"My Joy is your mother. Redeem me, now." His voice dripped with authority. Must be the emperor thing.
Spike snickered as Buffy smiled. Giles sighed. Sophie just shook her head.
"My name is Joyce and I am most certainly not yours." Joyce glared.
"He's a seer, Mom." Buffy rolled her eyes.
"Well, not a very good one if he thinks I belong to him." Joyce planted her hands on her hips. "I am an independent woman."
"Yes, Mom. A woman needs a man like a fish needs a bicycle." Buffy eyed the Aurelian as that dig struck home. He was unneeded and unwanted. "I'm not real keen on having an uppity emperor type trying to control us all in the family anyway."
"Emperor?" Her mother's eyes widened.
"Yeah, Mom. This is Marcus Aurelius. Vampire seeking redemption and, apparently, his Joy." Buffy rolled her eyes.
"Be nice. The man has come here and asked for your help." Her mom examined the man and sighed. "It's only right to help him."
"Mom, I have to accept him as my family. You do know what Roman emperors did to their families, don't you?"
"Well, if this creature ever wants his Joy, he will do whatever you need of him with no fuss at all."
"Another strong arm on our side wouldn't be a bad idea." Giles shrugged.
"Will you be the one sucking his blood then?" Buffy glared at her watcher. "Will you have that connection with him?"
"It might be interesting to try." Giles leaned back and rubbed his chin. "We might all be able to affect the change. Do you want me to try?"
Buffy leaned against her mate. How many vampires would want to be saved? She worried her bottom lip with her teeth. There wouldn't be many, but it could be difficult to have all of them depending on her. Sophie was a comforting presence, but this vamp annoyed her.
"I want to try, Buffy." Giles looked up at her from his books and scrolls. "If I have the ability, we will know the talent passes from the vampires you convert to their human mates."
"So, it's research?" Buffy grinned at her watcher.
"And a bit of curiosity. I would like to understand your bond with Sophie."
"Still research, Watcher." Spike put his hand on her shoulder, comforting and supporting her. She turned into his arms and hugged him tightly.
"If Mom's his joy, I would rather not be bonded directly to him." Buffy whispered to Spike and blushed as she considered the emotional feedback she received from Sophie. It was hard enough to deal the second hand satisfaction of her watcher. Her mother's needed to remain a mystery if at all possible.
"Understood." Spike chuckled softly into her ear. "Want me to try if it turns out the watcher lacks the mojo?"
