There were arguments about it of course… some ranting and raving and
jumping up and down. But in the end, the small but firm insistence of a
tiny girl won them over. Jenny and Andrew would stay with Spike. Buffy had
protested most loudly, her main arguments being that Spike couldn't be
trusted, Spike was evil, Spike was a vampire. Pretty much the same things
she was always making a fuss about, things that at least to Jenny, seemed
trivial and sometimes down right untrue!
Andrew had seemed willing to follow his willful little charge wherever her heart desired to go, and with Giles own home being the only other choice, he was open to the possibility if it meant he kept his privacy.
"Giles I can't believe your allowing this!" whined Buffy after the three subjects of the argument had left.
"Buffy, they will be perfectly safe with Spike, and more to the point they wont be HERE!" Giles took a deep breath and let it out slowly, "You don't seem to understand Buffy that I give my house up at every possible opportunity… Spike stayed here for…" pause, "a dizzying amount of time… if there is somewhere else they can go where someone will look after them then I'm happy to let them go!"
Buffy's eyes opened wide and she twiddled her thumbs a little.
"I'm sorry Giles… everyone knows you do more than your share… but is it really safe to leave the mother of the savior of mankind with SPIKE?"
Giles took his glasses of and for the millionth time that night cleaned them with the hem of his shirtsleeve. When he placed them back before his eyes, his face was calm and serene, 'explaining things to Buffy' face firmly in place.
"Buffy, where would she be safer? Here, where every demon in the world knows her location… or in a crypt in the cemetery with a vampire where no one will ever think to look?" He patted her shoulder reassuringly.
"I guess your right, but I hate trusting Spike to do anything!" she grumbled.
"He did a good job with Dawn, Buffy…" he reminded her gently.
"Dawn! Oh my God I'm so late!" she grabbed her bag and her jacket and gave Giles a quick peck on the cheek, " Gotta go, Bye Giles!" and she was gone.
Giles chuckled softly to himself and settled down on his couch flipping some music on. He managed a whole five minutes before he gave up on relaxing and started riffling through his books in full research mode. He'd never been able to help himself, he gripped sometimes in the silence of his soul about his duty to Buffy and saving the world, but the truth was, he was only ever happy when there was a problem. He felt his true worth when digging through thousand-year-old volumes to find the answers, because that was his skill, his part of the scoobies gang. Such a frivolous title for something so serious, but as with everything that was Buffy, it fit, just so.
****
In a crypt in the cemetery, there was a small argument going on about the one queen sized bed Spike had in his possession. Spike had made some sexist statement about the lady getting the bed, at which point a strange argument had taken place. Jenny was 'yelling' at Andrew that he was injured and he should have the bed, but her words of course had to come from his mouth, at which point he would argue back that she was more important than him. So the argument went on well into the night until at last Spike picked Jenny up and flung her onto the bed where her small body took up only the tiniest amount of space. He then pointed at Andrew.
"Your turn, you going in on your own or do I have to throw you?" he asked testily.
Andrew gave Spike a lopsided smile that would have rivaled his own, cocky and overconfident. Andrew crawled up onto the bed and arranged himself so Jenny was lying against him with one of his arms around her.
"Goodnight Jenny…" he said softly.
Jenny raised her eyes to look at him and smiled, then turned and smiled at Spike, her hand rising to wave at him wearily.
"Good night pet, Rambo." He settled into his overstuffed chair, the one he had for watching TV and closed his eyes.
Things were going to get rather interesting for him, he could see it coming. The entire underworld was going to be out for his blood if they ever found out about this. Somehow, as frightening a thought as that was, he couldn't bring himself to abandon the two figures on his bed. The girl was sweet, she trusted him, didn't matter to her that he was dead, that he needed blood to live. She didn't care about his true face, she trusted him… the person that he was. As for the boy, that one was far too much like him for his liking! Cocky and confidant, smart and fiercely overprotective. Not that Spike doubted for a moment that the end of this little adventure would need all of that.
****
At a port in LA, a freighter pulled into harbor, the captain and crew left, laughing and joking with one another. On legs unused to land they staggered towards the nearest pub to take part in the great ritual of drinking and finding a nice soft woman to lay with.
In the hold, 'it' began to stir. Growling in discomfort from its long journey having been forced to keep still inside it's crate. It stretched its limbs out, shattering wood splinters in every direction. Snarling and sniffing the air it lumbered towards the hold hatch and sent it flying into the night air. Climbing from its long time prison, its first thoughts were of food, it was dreadfully hungry, so it set about the hunt.
It would eat anything it came across, be it man or beast, but always in the back of its demented and maddened mind, it could smell her. Feel her under its skin like an insult to its existence, a spear of light that pierced to its very heart, and it would find her. Find her and extinguish that painful light forever!
****
"Yes, yes, Very impressive Andrew," smiled Giles as Andrew went through a simple training sequence.
Buffy had to admit she was impressed too. Sure he didn't have slayer strength but he was stronger than the average guy his size. She found herself drawn to his emerald eyes, which took on a decidedly golden hue when Jenny was upset or in danger. It had been a week since they had appeared and it was getting to be that no one really remembered a time when they weren't there. Nothing nasty had crawled out of the woodwork to attack them, and the scoobies began to take for granted the fact that nothing ever would.
Jenny was sitting quietly in the corner reading one of Giles' watcher journals with avid interest. Andrew bounded over to her and pulled her to her feet. She tried to bat him away in a very Kitten like manner and he laughed at her.
"Come play with us?" he asked almost pleadingly.
Jenny looked up at him and blushed a little, then set the book down, carefully marking her page with a scrap of paper, she moved to the middle of the training floor and took up a rather sloppy fighting position. Andrew grinned at her, the grin of a predator after its prey, but of course Jenny hardly cared, she knew she'd never beat him unless he let her, but he wouldn't hurt her either.
Buffy watched as Andrew circled her slowly, as she'd been taught, Jenny kept her eyes on her opponent and tracked him around the room. Before she could even move to strike he had shot in, grabbed her around her middle and had her in fits of giggles on the floor. Giles watched the youthful show of exuberance with badly disguised longing. Buffy didn't have the restraint for him to enjoy training the way they did, Buffy left him bruised and broken most of the time.
The battle became serious again and Jenny wriggled, managing to poke her warden in the ribs making him yelp and loosen his grip if only for a moment. Jenny shot out from under him and tried to get to her feet. Andrew growled playfully and dived on top of her, they rolled around for a moment, Jenny battling for dominion she knew she'd never gain, he was simply to big.
In the end, Andrew was firmly on top with Jenny's hands caught above her head in one of his larger ones. The look passing between them was intense, as their eyes battled a better balanced war. Jenny's defiant brown orbs staring without fear into the well controlled emerald green of her warden. In the end, it was Andrew that looked away; he released her hands and kissed her forehead gently.
"Well done little one," he said softly, "You're getting better."
Jenny smiled brightly and gave him a hug before heading back to her book. Buffy moved out onto the floor and smiled at Andrew.
"Feel like going another round?" she asked.
"If madam wishes," was his shrugged reply.
It was clear to Buffy then that this BOY was over confident, he trained because it amused him and his little charge, not because he thought he needed it. Well, she'd make him think twice about that.
"Come on," she said briskly and took a standard fighting stance.
Giles watched with interest as the two began to move about one another. He was fascinated by Andrews obvious disinterest in the fact Buffy was stronger than him. Buffy also seemed to be ignoring that Andrew was capable of much faster movement.
Just as the battle began, when Buffy lunged at Andrew, Spike wandered into the magic shop training room with armloads of shopping to pick up his houseguests. He dumped the bags next to Jenny and sat with her as she once again put up her book and watched the training room floor with mild interest.
Andrew did not attack nor defend; he simply got out of the way, Buffy corrected before running headfirst into the wall and turned to glare at her opponent. She willed herself angry, she fought better angry. Andrew seemed completely at ease and calm.
They spared a little, testing and inquisitive, searching for weaknesses and Buffy found his in the most unlikely of ways.
The entire fight, Andrews eyes flicked to Jenny, an unconscious move, born of a million fights and sparing sessions when his sole purpose was to keep her alive. That and a simple desire to look on her. From the corner of his eyes Andrew had seen the vampire come in, had seen him take a position beside his charge. He was glad she had found a friend; she hadn't had a real one in as long as he had known her.
Buffy pushed every time Andrew's eyes flicked to Jenny, but it wasn't enough, he was still evading her. They had landed only one or two hits each. Then, from the corner of his eye, Andrew saw Jenny smile up at Spike, then lay with her head on his outstretched thigh. He growled menacingly as Spikes hand began to stroke her hair gently and Jenny closed her eyes enjoying the attention.
At that moment, Buffy dived in and tackled Andrew to the ground. Andrew looked up at the blonde woman above him and wondered briefly why it was that Spike being nice to Jenny bothered him. Buffy grinned down at Andrew triumphantly, but he fun was spoilt when Andrew didn't even pretend to be disappointed. He didn't even grumble about it!
Giles clapped and smiled his 'proud father' smile at the two. Jenny sat up from Spikes lap and gifted her warden with a bright smile. She clambered to her feet and hurried to his side as Buffy got up. Jenny knelt next to him and laughed softly, stroking his hair with one hand and resting the other on his heaving chest.
"I'm fine little one," he managed to laugh at her slightly worried look.
Jenny took his hand and tried to help him to his feet, only managing to end up on her backside herself. Laughing again she almost climbed up his leg to regain her feet. Wrapping her arms around her warden's waist they both made their way over to her corner to watch Buffy finish her training.
"Ready to go pets?" asked Spike jovially.
Andrew looked at Jenny, he could see she wanted to leave, be alone with her books where Giles and Buffy wouldn't try to distract her. She couldn't fight and she knew it. The knights had pulled their hair out for years trying to teach her and nothing worked, she didn't have it in her to hit anyone. Andrew looked up at Spike and nodded.
"She's ready to leave." He said.
"Do you want to stay then mate? I can take her home and look after her for a while if you wanna prance about with the Slayer for a while longer." The offer was innocent of course, but Andrew didn't know that.
Jenny smiled up at Andrew, her eyes clearly saying that she didn't mind, Spike would protect her from the big bad nothings that had come after her lately if he wanted to stay.
"I… I shouldn't leave her…" he stuttered.
Jenny laid a gentle hand on his chest and pushed him towards the training floor. Andrew went slowly, his eyes following her as Spike gathered up the shopping and took her hand, leading her away from him.
"I'm sure Jennifer will be fine Andrew, despite appearances Spike has been a great help to us." Smiled Giles.
Buffy watched as Andrew's eyes followed the two as the left. She truly felt sorry for him then, it was so obvious to her that he loved Jenny more than anything, idly she wondered if Andrew would be the father of Jenny's baby.
It didn't take to long for Andrew to get back into training, behind his eyes and in the back of his mind he could still feel his tiny charge and she appeared at least to his senses, to be content and slightly amused. So he and Buffy spent a pleasant night sparing.
****
Across town, Spike kicked the door to the crypt open and held it thus with his body while Jenny entered. Jenny almost danced in and plonked down in Spikes chair, crossing her legs and smiling at him. Spike began unpacking shapes, Nacho's and little bits and pieces that his guests would be able to eat, some juice and coke went in the fridge.
"Well Bit, what do you want to do now? Its getting late and all living things should be asleep!" smiled Spike
Jenny frowned a little as she looked up at him, frustrated beyond measure that, unlike Andrew, he couldn't hear her mind. She wanted to tell him she was an adult and didn't need to be sent to bed, she wanted to tell him she hated leaving her warden behind at the training room, but most of all she wanted to tell him that she was grateful for all he'd done for them, that she trusted him to look after her.
Spike knelt in front of the chair she was in and took her hands gently in his. His ice blue eyes were soft and gentle, as they always were with her.
"I know how frustrating it must be Kitten… why won't you talk to me?" he asked softly, "I know you can… you used to talk. You understand English just fine…"
Jenny just looked at him, she was fairly sure she could talk, if she wanted to that badly. But it was like a habit now, of not speaking and simply thinking it. She was half afraid that to speak out lout would break the bond she shared with her cocky warden, that he'd never hear her thoughts again. Now however she looked down at the blue eyes of a dead thing and could not find it in her to deny him what he asked… if it was talk he wanted, then she would try.
"I…" she coughed a little her voice so long unused, "I can speak… but…" she paused again, "I have… little to say."
Spike simply looked at her. His hands tightened slightly around hers and a smile graced his face the likes of which she'd never seen on him before. He leaned up and tenderly kissed her forehead before laughing and picking her up to spin her around.
Jenny laughed, at the same time searching her mind franticly for Andrew, he was still there, nothing had changed, she had spoken and nothing had changed. Still, all these years of living without words, she was unsure how to use them and wanted to explain such to Spike. She wanted him to understand that she didn't want to tell anyone else or use it with anyone else, not unless he was willing to teach her. She wanted Andrew to hear her talk for the first time and her to have said something smooth and worthwhile.
"You spoke!" the laughing voice of the undead thing could be heard for miles as he danced about in a childish display of pleasure.
Jenny looked up at him with serious brown eyes and he stopped, placing her down on the floor he looked back at her trying to contain the joy he felt.
"I can't… can't tell," she started, then paused and more emphatically added, "YOU can't tell,"
Spike knelt down and looked at her as she to sank down to sit on the white fur rug. Spike didn't understand, he'd thought she'd want to share it! To let the others know and be happy with her.
"Bad…" she mumbled.
"No, no Jen it's wonderful!" exclaimed the disbelieving vampire.
"No… bad… bad at it!" she managed.
Spike stopped and looked down at her with a newfound understanding. She was smart, so much smarter than he gave her credit for, and more fragile too. Despite everything, she was still just a girl who didn't want to appear foolish in front of the people she cared about. He sighed softly and let a cold hand rest on her shoulder.
"I could teach you pet… if you wanted. You don't really want my accent but talking isn't hard, and you already know all the words." He looked down at her hopefully.
Jenny smiled and nodded launching herself forward she wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly sending them both sprawling across the floor. Spike laughed merrily as they engaged in a battle of tickling and screaming laughter. Never once did Spike push his advantage of speed nor strength as Jenny used everything in he possession to win.
****
Their delighted laughter was not unnoticed; outside in the great wide world 'It' writhed in pain so intense it was madness. The beast could feel the light, like daggers and bees and all manner of painful things spearing into its very being. Her life was an affront to its existence, to its power.
Lumbering with all the speed it could muster, the tattered and skinned body of its last victim still held tightly in one clawed hand, it made its way towards the source of its pain. Ignoring roads completely it went cross-country, a straight line to Sunny Dale. The girl would die, and it could return to its rest in peace.
****
The thing that rules the darkness has many plans, and none of his servants knows the others… In a hall of blackness in a place that is not, the darkness sat and hatched yet another plot.
Out into the world it sent another thing. A thing to rival that, which already made its way towards the disgusting goodness that radiated out from Sunny Dale like a beacon from a lighthouse. This thing had in mind a different purpose, a newer and more interesting approach.
The spawn of a simple girl could undo his darkness forever, his work and masterpiece. That couldn't be allowed to happen. His first impulse had been to destroy her, make it as if she had never been and carry on as such. But after anger, there comes thought and like evil little spirits of their own thoughts whispered to Darkness. Whispered that perhaps his plans should be changed. Yes…
A child born from love, out of the womb of this woman would be the undoing of Darkness, but a child born of pain… something dark and unnatural would still wield the birthright of power that being her child promises… it would still be the savior, only not of mankind. No, it would be the savior of darkness, the deliverer into power that the Darkness had waited for…
But why call back his warrior, if such an evil child could not for some reason be conceived, then 'It' would do its work and make it as if she never was.
****
Andrew moved towards the crypt some time later, he hadn't felt any fear or worry from his charge in the time they'd been apart. They had never been separate before, never more than a few meters from each other. Now she happily left in the protection of someone else, admittedly so he could do something he wanted but that wasn't the point. She was happy and protected without him.
Andrew stopped cold in his tracks when he heard the sounds of merriment from inside the crypt. Jenny was howling with laughter at something Spike was doing and as Andrew stood outside the door, she was so caught up in her amusement she didn't feel him there. She always felt him coming, it was impossible for him to sneak up on her, she always knew where he was. He sighed and pushed the door open and the sight he beheld inside almost made him turn around and leave.
Jenny was pinned on the floor under a shirtless Spike who appeared to be wet from a shower; he was tickling her mercilessly and laughing with her. She'd never let anyone else touch her like that before. He was the only one who'd been allowed to play with her, she'd only laughed like that with him.
Spike looked up at Andrew, his eyes glinting in joy and his hands never stopping their work on Jenny's overly ticklish sides.
"Come on Rambo, she's starting to break free, I could use another pair of hands!" called Spike as Jenny started trying to wriggle away.
Fighting the urge to move forward and rip this undead thing to pieces, Andrew moved forward and took a different tack. He grabbed Spikes shoulders and flipped him onto his back, pinning his arms down grinning as he did so. Jenny squealed in delight and pounced on Spike giving him a tickling he'd never forget! Andrew was bucked off and sent flying but he soon returned trying to tickle both his playmates at once, until Jenny and Spike formed and unspoken alliance and turned on him.
In the course of the tickling a Jenny sandwich was formed, she landed hard on top of Andrew who carefully held her steady all the while trying to fight off her tickling fingers and flung on top of both of them was Spike.
"What is going on in here?" screamed an incredibly pissed of voice.
Spike cringed and slunk back like a scolded dog to sit on his heels and look at Buffy who stood in his doorway, her fists on her hips.
"We were just playin' Slayer." He said casually.
Andrew and Jenny finally broke eye contact and sat up looking at Buffy with bright eyes, both fighting for breath.
"We're fine Buffy, just got a little wild there for a while," Andrew was grinning that incredible grin of his and Buffy found that in the face of it, she couldn't argue.
For the four people sitting in that room, something strange happened and they all felt it. The most interesting 'triangle' of loves leapt into being in that moment. Buffy could not tare her eyes from Andrews emerald orbs… Andrews arms were tight around Jenny's waist, Jenny watched Spike with appreciation and a childish and inexperienced kind of affection, while Spike, as always, was watching Buffy with the longing in his heart reflected perfectly in his eyes.
For long minutes no one moved, each acutely aware of the other, and all unable to speak. Fate and light and shadow and all the things that made the people in that room the way they were, all those things took a hand in the feelings played out, the most important kind of pain. They would all grow and become better for what they learnt… if they could just play the game right then the amount of love in that room could save the world.
OK, not finished still and I'd like some indication of where you'd all like it to go. I have my own ideas of course but think of it as an interactive novel. You give me the ideas and I'll see what I can do. Deal?
Andrew had seemed willing to follow his willful little charge wherever her heart desired to go, and with Giles own home being the only other choice, he was open to the possibility if it meant he kept his privacy.
"Giles I can't believe your allowing this!" whined Buffy after the three subjects of the argument had left.
"Buffy, they will be perfectly safe with Spike, and more to the point they wont be HERE!" Giles took a deep breath and let it out slowly, "You don't seem to understand Buffy that I give my house up at every possible opportunity… Spike stayed here for…" pause, "a dizzying amount of time… if there is somewhere else they can go where someone will look after them then I'm happy to let them go!"
Buffy's eyes opened wide and she twiddled her thumbs a little.
"I'm sorry Giles… everyone knows you do more than your share… but is it really safe to leave the mother of the savior of mankind with SPIKE?"
Giles took his glasses of and for the millionth time that night cleaned them with the hem of his shirtsleeve. When he placed them back before his eyes, his face was calm and serene, 'explaining things to Buffy' face firmly in place.
"Buffy, where would she be safer? Here, where every demon in the world knows her location… or in a crypt in the cemetery with a vampire where no one will ever think to look?" He patted her shoulder reassuringly.
"I guess your right, but I hate trusting Spike to do anything!" she grumbled.
"He did a good job with Dawn, Buffy…" he reminded her gently.
"Dawn! Oh my God I'm so late!" she grabbed her bag and her jacket and gave Giles a quick peck on the cheek, " Gotta go, Bye Giles!" and she was gone.
Giles chuckled softly to himself and settled down on his couch flipping some music on. He managed a whole five minutes before he gave up on relaxing and started riffling through his books in full research mode. He'd never been able to help himself, he gripped sometimes in the silence of his soul about his duty to Buffy and saving the world, but the truth was, he was only ever happy when there was a problem. He felt his true worth when digging through thousand-year-old volumes to find the answers, because that was his skill, his part of the scoobies gang. Such a frivolous title for something so serious, but as with everything that was Buffy, it fit, just so.
****
In a crypt in the cemetery, there was a small argument going on about the one queen sized bed Spike had in his possession. Spike had made some sexist statement about the lady getting the bed, at which point a strange argument had taken place. Jenny was 'yelling' at Andrew that he was injured and he should have the bed, but her words of course had to come from his mouth, at which point he would argue back that she was more important than him. So the argument went on well into the night until at last Spike picked Jenny up and flung her onto the bed where her small body took up only the tiniest amount of space. He then pointed at Andrew.
"Your turn, you going in on your own or do I have to throw you?" he asked testily.
Andrew gave Spike a lopsided smile that would have rivaled his own, cocky and overconfident. Andrew crawled up onto the bed and arranged himself so Jenny was lying against him with one of his arms around her.
"Goodnight Jenny…" he said softly.
Jenny raised her eyes to look at him and smiled, then turned and smiled at Spike, her hand rising to wave at him wearily.
"Good night pet, Rambo." He settled into his overstuffed chair, the one he had for watching TV and closed his eyes.
Things were going to get rather interesting for him, he could see it coming. The entire underworld was going to be out for his blood if they ever found out about this. Somehow, as frightening a thought as that was, he couldn't bring himself to abandon the two figures on his bed. The girl was sweet, she trusted him, didn't matter to her that he was dead, that he needed blood to live. She didn't care about his true face, she trusted him… the person that he was. As for the boy, that one was far too much like him for his liking! Cocky and confidant, smart and fiercely overprotective. Not that Spike doubted for a moment that the end of this little adventure would need all of that.
****
At a port in LA, a freighter pulled into harbor, the captain and crew left, laughing and joking with one another. On legs unused to land they staggered towards the nearest pub to take part in the great ritual of drinking and finding a nice soft woman to lay with.
In the hold, 'it' began to stir. Growling in discomfort from its long journey having been forced to keep still inside it's crate. It stretched its limbs out, shattering wood splinters in every direction. Snarling and sniffing the air it lumbered towards the hold hatch and sent it flying into the night air. Climbing from its long time prison, its first thoughts were of food, it was dreadfully hungry, so it set about the hunt.
It would eat anything it came across, be it man or beast, but always in the back of its demented and maddened mind, it could smell her. Feel her under its skin like an insult to its existence, a spear of light that pierced to its very heart, and it would find her. Find her and extinguish that painful light forever!
****
"Yes, yes, Very impressive Andrew," smiled Giles as Andrew went through a simple training sequence.
Buffy had to admit she was impressed too. Sure he didn't have slayer strength but he was stronger than the average guy his size. She found herself drawn to his emerald eyes, which took on a decidedly golden hue when Jenny was upset or in danger. It had been a week since they had appeared and it was getting to be that no one really remembered a time when they weren't there. Nothing nasty had crawled out of the woodwork to attack them, and the scoobies began to take for granted the fact that nothing ever would.
Jenny was sitting quietly in the corner reading one of Giles' watcher journals with avid interest. Andrew bounded over to her and pulled her to her feet. She tried to bat him away in a very Kitten like manner and he laughed at her.
"Come play with us?" he asked almost pleadingly.
Jenny looked up at him and blushed a little, then set the book down, carefully marking her page with a scrap of paper, she moved to the middle of the training floor and took up a rather sloppy fighting position. Andrew grinned at her, the grin of a predator after its prey, but of course Jenny hardly cared, she knew she'd never beat him unless he let her, but he wouldn't hurt her either.
Buffy watched as Andrew circled her slowly, as she'd been taught, Jenny kept her eyes on her opponent and tracked him around the room. Before she could even move to strike he had shot in, grabbed her around her middle and had her in fits of giggles on the floor. Giles watched the youthful show of exuberance with badly disguised longing. Buffy didn't have the restraint for him to enjoy training the way they did, Buffy left him bruised and broken most of the time.
The battle became serious again and Jenny wriggled, managing to poke her warden in the ribs making him yelp and loosen his grip if only for a moment. Jenny shot out from under him and tried to get to her feet. Andrew growled playfully and dived on top of her, they rolled around for a moment, Jenny battling for dominion she knew she'd never gain, he was simply to big.
In the end, Andrew was firmly on top with Jenny's hands caught above her head in one of his larger ones. The look passing between them was intense, as their eyes battled a better balanced war. Jenny's defiant brown orbs staring without fear into the well controlled emerald green of her warden. In the end, it was Andrew that looked away; he released her hands and kissed her forehead gently.
"Well done little one," he said softly, "You're getting better."
Jenny smiled brightly and gave him a hug before heading back to her book. Buffy moved out onto the floor and smiled at Andrew.
"Feel like going another round?" she asked.
"If madam wishes," was his shrugged reply.
It was clear to Buffy then that this BOY was over confident, he trained because it amused him and his little charge, not because he thought he needed it. Well, she'd make him think twice about that.
"Come on," she said briskly and took a standard fighting stance.
Giles watched with interest as the two began to move about one another. He was fascinated by Andrews obvious disinterest in the fact Buffy was stronger than him. Buffy also seemed to be ignoring that Andrew was capable of much faster movement.
Just as the battle began, when Buffy lunged at Andrew, Spike wandered into the magic shop training room with armloads of shopping to pick up his houseguests. He dumped the bags next to Jenny and sat with her as she once again put up her book and watched the training room floor with mild interest.
Andrew did not attack nor defend; he simply got out of the way, Buffy corrected before running headfirst into the wall and turned to glare at her opponent. She willed herself angry, she fought better angry. Andrew seemed completely at ease and calm.
They spared a little, testing and inquisitive, searching for weaknesses and Buffy found his in the most unlikely of ways.
The entire fight, Andrews eyes flicked to Jenny, an unconscious move, born of a million fights and sparing sessions when his sole purpose was to keep her alive. That and a simple desire to look on her. From the corner of his eyes Andrew had seen the vampire come in, had seen him take a position beside his charge. He was glad she had found a friend; she hadn't had a real one in as long as he had known her.
Buffy pushed every time Andrew's eyes flicked to Jenny, but it wasn't enough, he was still evading her. They had landed only one or two hits each. Then, from the corner of his eye, Andrew saw Jenny smile up at Spike, then lay with her head on his outstretched thigh. He growled menacingly as Spikes hand began to stroke her hair gently and Jenny closed her eyes enjoying the attention.
At that moment, Buffy dived in and tackled Andrew to the ground. Andrew looked up at the blonde woman above him and wondered briefly why it was that Spike being nice to Jenny bothered him. Buffy grinned down at Andrew triumphantly, but he fun was spoilt when Andrew didn't even pretend to be disappointed. He didn't even grumble about it!
Giles clapped and smiled his 'proud father' smile at the two. Jenny sat up from Spikes lap and gifted her warden with a bright smile. She clambered to her feet and hurried to his side as Buffy got up. Jenny knelt next to him and laughed softly, stroking his hair with one hand and resting the other on his heaving chest.
"I'm fine little one," he managed to laugh at her slightly worried look.
Jenny took his hand and tried to help him to his feet, only managing to end up on her backside herself. Laughing again she almost climbed up his leg to regain her feet. Wrapping her arms around her warden's waist they both made their way over to her corner to watch Buffy finish her training.
"Ready to go pets?" asked Spike jovially.
Andrew looked at Jenny, he could see she wanted to leave, be alone with her books where Giles and Buffy wouldn't try to distract her. She couldn't fight and she knew it. The knights had pulled their hair out for years trying to teach her and nothing worked, she didn't have it in her to hit anyone. Andrew looked up at Spike and nodded.
"She's ready to leave." He said.
"Do you want to stay then mate? I can take her home and look after her for a while if you wanna prance about with the Slayer for a while longer." The offer was innocent of course, but Andrew didn't know that.
Jenny smiled up at Andrew, her eyes clearly saying that she didn't mind, Spike would protect her from the big bad nothings that had come after her lately if he wanted to stay.
"I… I shouldn't leave her…" he stuttered.
Jenny laid a gentle hand on his chest and pushed him towards the training floor. Andrew went slowly, his eyes following her as Spike gathered up the shopping and took her hand, leading her away from him.
"I'm sure Jennifer will be fine Andrew, despite appearances Spike has been a great help to us." Smiled Giles.
Buffy watched as Andrew's eyes followed the two as the left. She truly felt sorry for him then, it was so obvious to her that he loved Jenny more than anything, idly she wondered if Andrew would be the father of Jenny's baby.
It didn't take to long for Andrew to get back into training, behind his eyes and in the back of his mind he could still feel his tiny charge and she appeared at least to his senses, to be content and slightly amused. So he and Buffy spent a pleasant night sparing.
****
Across town, Spike kicked the door to the crypt open and held it thus with his body while Jenny entered. Jenny almost danced in and plonked down in Spikes chair, crossing her legs and smiling at him. Spike began unpacking shapes, Nacho's and little bits and pieces that his guests would be able to eat, some juice and coke went in the fridge.
"Well Bit, what do you want to do now? Its getting late and all living things should be asleep!" smiled Spike
Jenny frowned a little as she looked up at him, frustrated beyond measure that, unlike Andrew, he couldn't hear her mind. She wanted to tell him she was an adult and didn't need to be sent to bed, she wanted to tell him she hated leaving her warden behind at the training room, but most of all she wanted to tell him that she was grateful for all he'd done for them, that she trusted him to look after her.
Spike knelt in front of the chair she was in and took her hands gently in his. His ice blue eyes were soft and gentle, as they always were with her.
"I know how frustrating it must be Kitten… why won't you talk to me?" he asked softly, "I know you can… you used to talk. You understand English just fine…"
Jenny just looked at him, she was fairly sure she could talk, if she wanted to that badly. But it was like a habit now, of not speaking and simply thinking it. She was half afraid that to speak out lout would break the bond she shared with her cocky warden, that he'd never hear her thoughts again. Now however she looked down at the blue eyes of a dead thing and could not find it in her to deny him what he asked… if it was talk he wanted, then she would try.
"I…" she coughed a little her voice so long unused, "I can speak… but…" she paused again, "I have… little to say."
Spike simply looked at her. His hands tightened slightly around hers and a smile graced his face the likes of which she'd never seen on him before. He leaned up and tenderly kissed her forehead before laughing and picking her up to spin her around.
Jenny laughed, at the same time searching her mind franticly for Andrew, he was still there, nothing had changed, she had spoken and nothing had changed. Still, all these years of living without words, she was unsure how to use them and wanted to explain such to Spike. She wanted him to understand that she didn't want to tell anyone else or use it with anyone else, not unless he was willing to teach her. She wanted Andrew to hear her talk for the first time and her to have said something smooth and worthwhile.
"You spoke!" the laughing voice of the undead thing could be heard for miles as he danced about in a childish display of pleasure.
Jenny looked up at him with serious brown eyes and he stopped, placing her down on the floor he looked back at her trying to contain the joy he felt.
"I can't… can't tell," she started, then paused and more emphatically added, "YOU can't tell,"
Spike knelt down and looked at her as she to sank down to sit on the white fur rug. Spike didn't understand, he'd thought she'd want to share it! To let the others know and be happy with her.
"Bad…" she mumbled.
"No, no Jen it's wonderful!" exclaimed the disbelieving vampire.
"No… bad… bad at it!" she managed.
Spike stopped and looked down at her with a newfound understanding. She was smart, so much smarter than he gave her credit for, and more fragile too. Despite everything, she was still just a girl who didn't want to appear foolish in front of the people she cared about. He sighed softly and let a cold hand rest on her shoulder.
"I could teach you pet… if you wanted. You don't really want my accent but talking isn't hard, and you already know all the words." He looked down at her hopefully.
Jenny smiled and nodded launching herself forward she wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly sending them both sprawling across the floor. Spike laughed merrily as they engaged in a battle of tickling and screaming laughter. Never once did Spike push his advantage of speed nor strength as Jenny used everything in he possession to win.
****
Their delighted laughter was not unnoticed; outside in the great wide world 'It' writhed in pain so intense it was madness. The beast could feel the light, like daggers and bees and all manner of painful things spearing into its very being. Her life was an affront to its existence, to its power.
Lumbering with all the speed it could muster, the tattered and skinned body of its last victim still held tightly in one clawed hand, it made its way towards the source of its pain. Ignoring roads completely it went cross-country, a straight line to Sunny Dale. The girl would die, and it could return to its rest in peace.
****
The thing that rules the darkness has many plans, and none of his servants knows the others… In a hall of blackness in a place that is not, the darkness sat and hatched yet another plot.
Out into the world it sent another thing. A thing to rival that, which already made its way towards the disgusting goodness that radiated out from Sunny Dale like a beacon from a lighthouse. This thing had in mind a different purpose, a newer and more interesting approach.
The spawn of a simple girl could undo his darkness forever, his work and masterpiece. That couldn't be allowed to happen. His first impulse had been to destroy her, make it as if she had never been and carry on as such. But after anger, there comes thought and like evil little spirits of their own thoughts whispered to Darkness. Whispered that perhaps his plans should be changed. Yes…
A child born from love, out of the womb of this woman would be the undoing of Darkness, but a child born of pain… something dark and unnatural would still wield the birthright of power that being her child promises… it would still be the savior, only not of mankind. No, it would be the savior of darkness, the deliverer into power that the Darkness had waited for…
But why call back his warrior, if such an evil child could not for some reason be conceived, then 'It' would do its work and make it as if she never was.
****
Andrew moved towards the crypt some time later, he hadn't felt any fear or worry from his charge in the time they'd been apart. They had never been separate before, never more than a few meters from each other. Now she happily left in the protection of someone else, admittedly so he could do something he wanted but that wasn't the point. She was happy and protected without him.
Andrew stopped cold in his tracks when he heard the sounds of merriment from inside the crypt. Jenny was howling with laughter at something Spike was doing and as Andrew stood outside the door, she was so caught up in her amusement she didn't feel him there. She always felt him coming, it was impossible for him to sneak up on her, she always knew where he was. He sighed and pushed the door open and the sight he beheld inside almost made him turn around and leave.
Jenny was pinned on the floor under a shirtless Spike who appeared to be wet from a shower; he was tickling her mercilessly and laughing with her. She'd never let anyone else touch her like that before. He was the only one who'd been allowed to play with her, she'd only laughed like that with him.
Spike looked up at Andrew, his eyes glinting in joy and his hands never stopping their work on Jenny's overly ticklish sides.
"Come on Rambo, she's starting to break free, I could use another pair of hands!" called Spike as Jenny started trying to wriggle away.
Fighting the urge to move forward and rip this undead thing to pieces, Andrew moved forward and took a different tack. He grabbed Spikes shoulders and flipped him onto his back, pinning his arms down grinning as he did so. Jenny squealed in delight and pounced on Spike giving him a tickling he'd never forget! Andrew was bucked off and sent flying but he soon returned trying to tickle both his playmates at once, until Jenny and Spike formed and unspoken alliance and turned on him.
In the course of the tickling a Jenny sandwich was formed, she landed hard on top of Andrew who carefully held her steady all the while trying to fight off her tickling fingers and flung on top of both of them was Spike.
"What is going on in here?" screamed an incredibly pissed of voice.
Spike cringed and slunk back like a scolded dog to sit on his heels and look at Buffy who stood in his doorway, her fists on her hips.
"We were just playin' Slayer." He said casually.
Andrew and Jenny finally broke eye contact and sat up looking at Buffy with bright eyes, both fighting for breath.
"We're fine Buffy, just got a little wild there for a while," Andrew was grinning that incredible grin of his and Buffy found that in the face of it, she couldn't argue.
For the four people sitting in that room, something strange happened and they all felt it. The most interesting 'triangle' of loves leapt into being in that moment. Buffy could not tare her eyes from Andrews emerald orbs… Andrews arms were tight around Jenny's waist, Jenny watched Spike with appreciation and a childish and inexperienced kind of affection, while Spike, as always, was watching Buffy with the longing in his heart reflected perfectly in his eyes.
For long minutes no one moved, each acutely aware of the other, and all unable to speak. Fate and light and shadow and all the things that made the people in that room the way they were, all those things took a hand in the feelings played out, the most important kind of pain. They would all grow and become better for what they learnt… if they could just play the game right then the amount of love in that room could save the world.
OK, not finished still and I'd like some indication of where you'd all like it to go. I have my own ideas of course but think of it as an interactive novel. You give me the ideas and I'll see what I can do. Deal?
