Chapter Four



Dawn and Darry were back just as the sun had begun to sink in West. Willow was in the kitchen, trying to make dinner but it looked like they would be ordering take out again.
Willow looked up when Dawn and Darry entered the kitchen, via back door.
Dawn looked around. "Where's Buffy?" She asked, noticing that her sister wasn't around.
"She had to, you know, check a few things out but she promised to be back before late." Willow answered.
"Oh, is Spike going to handle, you know, tonight?" Dawn asked.
Darry became confused about all the 'you knows' that were being spoken but she just decided to ignore it.
"Who's Spike?" Darry asked, confused about the fact that someone could be named 'Spike' but then she just figured it was a nickname.
Dawn shrugged. "Just this guy." She answered and walked over to the stove to see what Willow was cooking.
Darry attempted to shrug the thoughts off but she couldn't help but think that all her new friends were a bit strange. Not that she was all that normal herself.

Buffy watched the sun go down as she headed to the cemetery to pay a visit to someone she didn't want to see at that moment, or any moment for that matter. However, Buffy needed someone who could take over patrol tonight so she could keep a close eye on Darry. She also didn't want Darry to think that she was never home at night or to get suspicious. That was the problem with making new friends when you were the Chosen One, you couldn't get too close without answering a few questions.
Back to subject (Buffy thought) Spike would surely take over patrol tonight, especially if she explained to him why she couldn't patrol. Then maybe Spike would want to see their new guest and Buffy couldn't let that happen because she would have to invite him in again; Buffy didn't want to do that.
Attempting to push the thoughts out of her head, Buffy entered the cemetery and pulled out a stake-just in case. Buffy crept silently toward the Moslem that Spike inhabited. There was the sound of trashcans tipping over some where to her left but Buffy guessed that it was just a cat or raccoon. Vampires didn't raid trashcans.
Buffy immediately took back her last thought because as she neared the Moslem because Spike was rummaging through a trashcan. With a shout of triumph Spike withdraw himself from the trashcan, clutching a fat rat that looked like it belonged in the sewers of New York.
Buffy chuckled, more of mocking laugh, loud enough to let Spike know she was there. Spike whirled around, surprised and slightly embarrassed to find Buffy standing behind him.
"Slayer." He growled and stuffed the rat in the pocket of his duster.
"What, now you're eating rats?" Buffy asked, somewhat mocking the vampire but knowing in some hollow part of her body that her ex-boyfriend (if you could call him that) used to eat rats. That hollow part of her body was not a place she cared to visit very often so she brushed the thought away.
Spike gave Buffy that grin that she hated so much and walked over to her. "So, came to pay me a visit pet?" He asked and attempted to put his hand on Buffy's shoulder.
Buffy backed away. "Don't touch me. As much as I hate to admit it I need to ask you a favor." Buffy muttered.
Spike gave her a mock look of surprise. "A favor? Why should I do anything for you?" He asked.
Buffy frowned. "Look Spike, I'm not here to argue. I need you to do the patrolling tonight. Keep all your little 'family members' under control for one night." Buffy said, her voice straining with anger she was trying very hard to contain.
Spike looked as though he was considering the thought. "No." He answered simply.
With a sigh of frustration, she leapt forward and pinned Spike to the wall of the Moslem, trusting the stake toward his heart. She stopped at the wooden tip pressed against the leather of his duster. "Spike, I'm not in the mood for your crap tonight. Just patrol or I'll have one less vampire, no make that mistake, to worry about." Buffy commanded, pushing Spike harder against the stonewall.
Spike grunted and tried to shove Buffy off him. When he found he couldn't, he became slightly more agreeable. "So, me patrolling tonight, that sounds like a bloody good idea." He said.
Buffy relaxed her hold on Spike and the vampire shoved her away from him with a growl. Buffy stumbled backward, caught off guard. Before she had a time to regain her balance, Spike grabbed her by the neck and slammed her against the wall of the Moslem.
Buffy rose her hand that held the stake but Spike grabbed her wrist with his other hand and squeezed hard enough to snap the bones. The stake fell to the ground.
Spike's face "morphed" into his vampire face and he put his face close to the Slayer's. "Don't try me Slayer." He growled.
Buffy head-butted Spike and freed herself. She knocked Spike to the ground. "No Spike, I suggest you don't try me." She growled. "Patrol tonight, if anything happens in this town, tonight, I will hunt you down and kick your undead ass. Understand?" Buffy said.
Spike nodded and stood up as Buffy turned and left. Spike switched back to his human face and cursed at the Slayer. "You're lucky I love you so damn much or you'd be vampire kibble by now." Spike muttered to himself as he turned and headed into the woods, believing every word of Buffy's threat.

The moonlight washed upon the streets of Sunnydale but underground none of the pale rays reached. In a cavern that was pitch black (except for a single candle) a man sat in a throne. In the flickering candle light the throne was pale white and looked as though it was made of bone. The man could not be seen in the dark and he preferred it that way. In his rough and large hand was a golden chain that was used for a charm necklace to put a single jewel on. However, the chain held not charm or gem. The man balled the chain up and clutched it in his fist.
"Soon." He whispered, his voice echoing through the cavern. He uncurled his fist and looked at the golden chain, warm with the heat of his hand. "Soon." He repeated, looking lovingly at the chain.

Buffy let the front door slam shut behind her, alerting everyone in the house that she home. Darry, who was seated on the couch with Dawn, turned around and offered Buffy a smile. Buffy attempted to smile back but found she couldn't, her little 'fight' with Spike left her slightly shaken.
Dawn turned around as well and motioned for Buffy to sit down. "Where's Willow?" Buffy asked as she joined Darry and Dawn on the couch.
"Upstairs." Dawn answered and went back to flipping through the TV Guide that she held in her hand.
Darry looked slightly uncomfortable, as though she felt that she was intruding on their 'private life', like they would be doing something else on a Saturday night if she weren't there.
Well, she's half right (Buffy thought), I would be doing something different but then again I do the 'different' thing everyday. Buffy winced slightly and cradled her broken wrist in her hand, wrapping her fingers around it.
Darry looked over at her and noticed her cradling her wrist. "Are you alright, Buffy?" Darry asked.
Dawn looked over at her sister. "Buffy what happened?" She asked, concern in her voice.
Buffy shrugged. "Spike had a little temper tantrum, no worries I heal fast remember?" Buffy said, attempting to convince Dawn that she was okay.
Darry attempted a half smile. "You guys hurt your arms a lot in this family don't you?" She attempted at a joke.
Dawn looked down at her arm and then over at Buffy. Darry could tell that her attempt at a joke had hit a nerve. Darry let out a tense breath and looked away from the sisters.
"You know what, I'm tried so I think I'll go to bed." Buffy muttered, feeling the tension in the room.
"Okay." Dawn muttered, watching her sister walk out of the room. Buffy walked up the stairs and ran into Willow, on her way down. Buffy stopped her.
"I think it's time to find Darry a place to sleep; I'm going to bed, I don't feel so well." Buffy muttered.
Willow nodded. "We could use the pull out bed in the couch." She suggested.
"Do you think it will even pull out? I don't think that thing's ever been used." Buffy said.
"I'm sure we'll be able to get it out." Willow said and gave Buffy a half-smile.
"Right, I'll get the sheets from upstairs then." She said and half-smiled back.
Willow watched her friend disappear up the stairs and then turned and entered the living room.
"Okay Dawnyie, it's time for everyone to go to bed." Willow said.
"But it's only 9:00 o'clock." Dawn protested.
"Oh well, you know what they say 'early to bed, early to rise'." Willow countered.
"You can't argue with logic like that." Darry put in. She looked up at Willow as if to say 'where am I going to sleep?'
"Dawn, why don't you help me pull the bed out of the couch?" Willow suggested.
Dawn took the couch cushions off the couch to revel a metal handle. "I don't think we've ever used this bed." Dawn muttered.
She wrapped her good hand around the metal handle and gave it a tug. When the mattress didn't come lose, Willow put her right hand on the handle beside Dawn's hand and they tugged. Still the mattress wouldn't come lose.
Willow put both hands on the handle and the two tugged. Still nothing.
"Here, let me try." Darry offered and grabbed the handle with one hand. She pulled and with a groan the mattress slid out of the hollow part of the couch.
Willow stared at her in amazement. That sort of strength could usually only belong to a….
Willow turned around to see Buffy standing in the entrance of the living room. By the look on her face, Willow could tell Buffy had seen the whole thing and was thinking the same thing she was.
That strength could only belong to a Slayer.