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Part 6: The Train Ride
She stood outside the train station, casually checking her watch every couple minutes and then resuming her search for the missing half of her party. The station was crowded, and, from somewhere nearby, the smell of cooking noodles was making her sick to her stomach. Okay, so the kid obviously didn't like Chinese.
The crowd was putting her one edge as well. Chen had made it very clear that Lang and her lackeys wouldn't give up so easy on finding them, not that she thought they would. After all, they went through all this trouble already. Why give up now just because Mommy and Daddy don't want to play?
Mommy and Daddy? In a million years, she would have never thought that would be her and....him. How did that happen anyway? Angel had been very clear on the whole 'no kiddies' rule. Well, she never was one to follow the rules now was she? Just another barrier broken by dear Buffy Summers.
He had taken the news a lot better then she thought he would. Instead of going over the deep end like she had expected, he had laughed in her face.
"Okay, good one, Slayer," he said on the verge of tears. "Now who really got you in trouble? It was Captain Cardboard, right?"
Buffy's eyes narrowed in on him as the anger began to build inside of her.
"Spike, I know this might be a bit advance for you, but let's do some simple math. I am three months pregnant. We were on the island for six months. Unless you think I'm a candidate for immaculate conception-"
"But, I can't have kids."
"That's what I thought. But tell that to the little sure to be slayerette growing inside of me."
He looked at her blankly for a moment, the wind from the ocean blowing over the motor boat they had snatched. The information seemed to be slowly sinking into his thick skull. He opened his mouth to say something, closed it, opened it again, and then closed again. To her, he looked like a fish out of water, gasping for air in their water free environment.
"Well, if I knew getting knock up would shut you up, I should have tried it a long time ago," she more to herself then to him.
The statement bleed through more of her fears about this then she really wanted it to. She could tell he was reading her, like he always seemed able to do whenever she didn't want anyone to know what she was thinking or going through. How he managed to look directly past all her barriers, she still did know. Of course, it wouldn't take a genius to know she was scared out of her mind. Scared of being caught, scared of what they would do to her and her child, scared of actually having the child and having to raise it. Anyway she went, she was terrified.
He sighed as he continued to look at her.
"Don't worry, Love. We'll make it through this. We always do."
That had happened last night right before they arrived on China's main land. She and Spike didn't exactly fit in with all the short, dark hair dark eye people, and had decided to lay low in a cheep hotel they had found for the day. When night rolled around again, he had told her to meet him at the train station in the middle of the busy little town, and he would take care of the arrangements. She had been waiting for nearly an hour and was getting antsy.
All day she had been fighting the urge to call her mother or Giles or anyone she knew to tell them she was alright. It was too dangerous; she knew that even before Spike had warned her against it. These guys had caught them in Sunnydale, which meant that they probably would have immediately put tabs on the Scoobies and her family the instant that the news broke that they were gone. They would just have to wait until the heat was off then try to make it home.
She looked down at her watch yet again, and, when she looked up, she found a familiar man standing before her. Buffy jumped before she realized it was just Spike. He was different, though. His once prized shock white hair was cut away to just a dirty blond color. So that was his natural hair color. It was amazingly close to hers, when she didn't high light it that is.
He smirked when he saw he had scared her, but he didn't press the matter. Not tonight.
"Here," he said handing her a black wallet like billfold with a ticket sticking out of it.
She opened and found a phony passport staring back up at her.
"Where'd you get this?"
"Used the good doctors cash and bought these off a guy I know that has been hiddin' out here in China for the past hundred years. Did a pretty good job on 'em."
She studied it for a moment. There were already a couple of stamps on it, making it seem as if she had been a couple of places before here. The color picture was something that was lacking, but it did look like one some DMV reject had taken it.
"Can this guy be trusted?"
Spike shrugged.
"No. That's why he's havin' to hide out. But I don't think we'll have to worry about him."
"And why is that?"
He smirked, and she didn't need any more information. Outwardly, she groaned, inwardly, she rejoiced. No demon means no leaks. No leaks means she could get away a lot easier. She hated that he did it because he did help them, but she would just chalk it up to another dead demon.
"Come on, Love," he said turning away. "We're on the nine o'clock."
******
Li's life was never exciting. Nothing he ever did or said would ever make into the news, and chances are there would only be a few people to morn his passing if something should happen to him. He worked as a ticket agent for Petes sake, whatever that meant.
He bowed at a pair of school girls who had just purchased a ticket for the train to Hong Kong, and prepared for the next person in line.
"How may I help you, Sir," he said respectfully.
The large man reached into his black over coat and pulled out a photo. On it was a pretty young blond girl smiling brightly at the photographer.
"Have you seen this woman?" he asked in Chinese, but lacked the accent that of a person who spoke it often.
Li studied it for a moment, then slowly shook his head.
"I'm sorry, Sir. She has not passed through here."
The man frowned as he placed it back in his pocket, and pulled out another photo. This one was a young man, with high cheek bones and deep blue eyes. Though the photo was fuzzy, he could still make out what he looked like pretty well.
"And him?"
It took Li a moment.
"Yes. I think I remember seeing him earlier."
"Did he buy a ticket?"
"I'm sorry, Sir. I cannot give out that information."
The man eyed him for a moment, before taking the photo back, and retrieving a black bill fold. He pulled out a large sum of money, and slid it towards Li. Everything told Li that he shouldn't tell this man, but that was a lot money. He could buy his girlfriend that ring she has been wanting, and pay off his bills with still some left over. Biting on his bottom lip, he reached out and took it.
"Yes, Sir. He bought a ticket heading out of China I believe."
"Good. I'll take three tickets on the same train."
*****
She laid her head back against the seat, staring out into the blackness. Nearly every light in the compartment was off, except for a few overly productive members who were working hard on computers, and the woman who sat across from her who was reading a book. She was wiped, and would like to try sleeping like so many other people in the compartment had already managed to do, but the child inside of her was kicking and doing somersaults, thus causing no rest for her. So, she had taken to staring out the window in hopes that it'd stop in a little while and she could sleep.
She felt him sit down next to her, then present a cup of dark liquid for her. For a long moment, she just looked at it before taking it. To her surprise, he had gotten her a Diet Coke. She didn't even know that he knew she liked that.
"Thanks," she said wearily glancing him and then back out the window.
Buffy had caught the grin that had appeared on his face from the simple word, and it took awhile to realize why. That had been the first time she had ever thanked him for anything. Well, there's a first time for everything, she guessed. Her child was proof of that.
Outside, they came across a clearing where she could see a large lake glowing with moonlight and outlining the snow capped mountains that rested behind it. She bet that during the day it was really something to see.
"You didn't say China was such a pretty country," she told him as she continued to look.
He shrugged. "Well, if you like this, wait until we get to Prague."
She shifted in her seat again to face him. "Prague?"
"Yeah. I should still have an account in the bank out there. It should be enough to at least get us back to the States. All though I can't promise that it's enough to make it to California. You may have to settle for New York."
"Right now, New York sounds kinda good. Hot dogs, apple pies, and people who don't look at me like I'm some sort of foreign devil."
He chuckled lowly to himself as he leaned back in his own chair. "That's such a stigma, love. I thought you were better then that."
She thought a moment. "Yeah. So did I. Guess it must be the hormones or something."
That had gotten his attention again. He hadn't said a word about the kid since she told him the night before. She had just thought it was because he was still having to adjust to the idea, she knew she had to when she found out. But she found herself wanting him to say anything about it. If it was good, which she really didn't expect, she thought that maybe she would feel better knowing that maybe she'd actually get through this. If it were bad, she beat him to a bloody pulp, then they'd go from there.
Buffy grunted slightly when the kid landed a kick square into her ribs. She made a face as she placed her hand over her stomach and shifted in her seat to try and make the kid move. That was when she noticed him looking at her oddly.
"I think Junior here decided to practice his round houses," she explained, "unfortunately, it's right against my ribs."
"Hasn't even been born yet and all ready it's makin' your life hell," he said.
"Guess that proves that its your kid then," she smirked sarcastically.
He smiled as he shook his head. "Yeah, guess it does."
The kid punched her hard, then kicked again. It hadn't been this active in a long time. In fact, she could never remember it doing anything like this before. Finally, she just couldn't stand it any more.
"Move," she told him as she pushed past him into the aisle.
"You alright, pet?"
"Yeah, just need to move," she said as she let herself stretch out. "Where'd you get the Coke?"
"Two cars up. Go down the stairs to the lower level, there's a little bar set up there."
"Good. And, Spike."
"Yeah?"
"Don't call me pet."
"Whatever you say....love."
*****
Spike watched as she walked away from him and sighed. Things had gone from weird to Twilight Zone in less then forty eight hours, and he had no idea how to deal with any of it. Forty eight hours ago, he was sitting in his cell, and had finally decided that he had enough of these Area 51 rejects and was going to make a break for it. Twenty four hours ago, he had executed his plan, and got some surprise help from the Slayer. Twenty hours ago she had told him something he would have never dreamed of hearing from any woman lips, let alone from her, she was pregnant, and it was his. Logic had said that she must be lying, but that look of disgust and desperation for him to believe her had said other wise. Two hours ago, he had bought two tickets to New Delhi. And two minutes ago, they had had the first conversation without any hint of screaming or threat of violence. Yeah, this was defiantly the Twilight Zone.
How in the world did all this come about? How could it come about? He was a vampire, he couldn't have kids. At least, that was what he had always thought. Of course, he had never been with anyone where it was a possibility to find out. Until now and guess what.
Oh, won't the Watcher be so happy when a kid that looks like him comes running up to him with his arms open calling him Grandpa Giles. The look on his face would be priceless. He'd have to remember to bring a camera for that one and for the Whelp when he finds out. That is, if he doesn't find himself on the pointy end of stake the second the words come out of her mouth about Juniors' father.
Junior. That's what she had called the child a few minutes before. He wondered if that meant that she knew she was having a boy. Wouldn't that be something? A little boy with light blond hair, his deep blue eyes, and Buffy's nose. When the kid hit his teenage years, he'd have to beat the ladies off with stick, he would. After all, it would be his son.
His son. Two words that he would have never put together. He'd given up on that a hundred and twenty years ago when he crossed over, and, to be truthful, he never gave it another thought. When you're immortal, leaving someone behind that's a part of you just doesn't seem that important anymore. After all, you're not going anywhere, at least for a very, very, very long time. But now, he did have something, someone, and it was the strangest sensation he had ever had in his whole life and un. He felt everything, happy, nervous, excited, dread, worry, and they were all amplified a hundred fold. He wondered if they Slayer felt like that.
Sure she did. She was his mother after all. He chuckled again to himself. Him and the Slayer. Who'd ever thought?
When she had told him that the kid was kicking her, he was tempted to ask her if he could feel. He was curious, and besides, wasn't that normal for a father to want to feel his kid kicking inside of its mother? He didn't though. She probably would have hit him or something.
Spike closed his eyes, holding onto the glass of scotch he had bought a couple of minutes before, as the thoughts all swirled in his head. He'd been thinking about her and the kid all day. He wondered if she knew that, or cared.
The hairs on the back of his neck stood on end as he slowly began to recognize another feeling he hadn't had in a long while. There was a demon nearby, he could tell. Three of them, in fact, and closing fast.
He jumped out of his seat, nearly spilling the scotch on himself as he looked around, trying to decide which way they were heading from. The car behind them, and they would be there soon. Well, he'd just have to be somewhere else.
******
Buffy was coming up the stairs, carrying a fresh coke, when he ran into her. Her eyes widen in surprise as he hurried down, and started to motion for her to go back down with him.
"Down," he said as he basically turned her around and pushed her down the stairs.
"Spike? What's going on?"
"Demons, love," he told her as he pushed her into the smoking section of the car, which was, thankfully, empty. "Three of 'em."
"Three? That's not so bad. We can handle three."
"I can handle three. You just stay out of the way."
"What?! I'm the Slayer. That's my job, not yours!"
He turned to her, giving her the iciest stare he could muster.
"And you've got yourself in the family way, which means no slayin' for you for awhile."
She crossed her arms, returning the stare.
"The family way? Who are you? Grandpa Moses?"
"Slayer-!"
"There!"
The two turned to see three large men standing in the doorway, all dressed in black leather and looking as if they are ready for a fight. Both of them instinctively fell back into fighting stance, though Spike growled slightly when he saw she was preparing to fight as well. She rolled her eyes at the sound.
She pointed her finger at the three in the door, "Fight now," then she waved the finger between herself and Spike, "fight later."
He didn't have time to protest with her. Right now, they did have more pressing matters to deal with.
Two of the demons flanked out as the obvious lead stood between them and the way out.
"Don't hurt them," he told the other two. "They want them both back in one piece."
"Oh, here that, Spike. They don't want to hurt us."
"Real worried there, love."
The two that had flanked out approached them slowly, and Buffy watched as hers shifted on his feet with a murderous look on his face. She could hear Spike and his already fighting, but this one wasn't doing anything. He looked at her for a long time, and finally she grew tired of it.
"Well, you going to fight, or just stand there all night."
He stepped forward and through a right cross at her, which ducked easily buy dropping down. On her way back up, she landed a punch to the stomach, knocking the creatures' breath out. As he lay doubled over, she grabbed the back of his shirt and through him into wall with a loud thud. She could hear a crack from his neck breaking upon impact.
She glanced over at Spike and saw him holding his own against the other demon, but she was already tired of this and wanted it over. Buffy began to approach them when she felt someone grab her from behind. It was the leader of the group, and he held her close to him with her arms locked behind her back.
"You're all we really need," he whispered into her ear before turning to the other demon and yelling, "Finish him off."
That was when she spotted the stake in the demons hand. She gritted her teeth together. There was absolutely no way she was going to do this alone. She didn't care if it was Spike, she was not going to raise a child alone. She had seen her mother do that, and she wouldn't be able to take it.
Buffy drew her head forward, then smashed it back into the guys face. He let out a yelp in surprise as she broke his nose, and loosens his grip just long enough for her to get away. She spun around to face him, and smashed her fist in his face before he could even react.
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Spike gain control of the guys arm that held the stake, and caused the demon to slam the stick into his own chest. He let out a small groan as he sank to the ground, and finally died. The bleach blond then came to help her.
Buffy hit the demon with a hard left hook, sending his head hard and fast to the right, where it meet Spike's right cross. The demon sank to his knees, and Spike maneuvered behind him and snapped his neck to where his head was all the way around his body.
"Well, that was fun," she said sarcastically as she sank down into one of the bench seats. Though it wasn't much of a fight, it still took a lot out of her. Then she noticed that the baby had settled down, and wasn't even moving at all now the demons were gone. That was weird.
"Yeah, real fun," Spike said as he rolled the last demon they kill over and went through his pockets.
"What is it about you and robbing dead people?"
"I'm not robbin' them, love," he told her when he finally found what he was looking for. "I'm searchin' for information. If I happen to find some cash, lucky me."
She rolled her eyes as he opened up the paper he had found. He read over it quickly, then sighed.
"Just what I thought," he said handing it over to her.
Buffy read over it quickly and frowned.
"Didn't take Lang long to get the word out, did it."
"We didn't think it would," he told her as she stood up and shoved the piece of paper into her pocket.
"So what now? I'm guessing they know we're on this train."
He shrugged. "Get off at the next stop, I suppose. There's a lot of people in China. We'll use that to our advantage."
"Yeah, how? We don't look like any of them."
"Doesn't matter. People are people. Come on. Let's get out of here before someone decided to come down for a smoke."
******