Doublemeat Dilemma
by Colleen Hillerup
Clem picked Sophie up at her front door. Her mother was with her. "Don't keep my baby out too late. She has work in the morning."
"No, ma'am," he answered. "I'll have her back by midnight." He put out his arm and Sophie took it. She snuggled next to him. "Your mom seems nice," he said.
"She's kinda protective, but yeah. She is." She smiled at him. "She liked you. I can tell. She's just a little concerned about your 'skin condition'. I told her not to worry, that it didn't hurt."
They stood at the end of her driveway. "Spike's gonna pick up up here, if that's okay. I gave him your address." He put his arm around her shoulder. "You should tell your mom. About this not being a health problem. I mean, I know it won't be easy, telling her I'm a demon."
"I think she'll understand. She always said dad was the devil from hell. I don't think she was being literal. So, where are we going tonight?"
"Spike said something about a moonlight picnic. I don't think his girlfriend likes to be seen with him in public."
"That's so mean! But are you sure? Cause Buffy seems like such a nice girl." She played with the folds of skin on his arm. "I was wondering. I mean, what happened to Spike? How did he get hurt? That was a bad black eye."
"I think, I'm not sure, he won't say, but...." Clem's voice dropped, "I think maybe she did it."
"What?" Sophie brought her hand to her mouth and gasped. "No! Why would you think...?"
"Sophie," he asked, "do you know what a Slayer is?"
"A Slayer?" She thought a moment. "No. Why?"
"There's always a Slayer. When one dies, the next one comes. Vampire Slayers." He squeezed her hand. "Like Buffy."
"Buffy is a.... And Spike is a...." She sucked in her breath. "Wow, what a mess."
"The Slayer's job is to kill vampires. And demons."
Sophie stuck out her jaw defiantly. "I won't let her touch you!"
Clem hugged her tight. "That's my girl. But I don't think she wants to kill me. Just bad demons, like the sword guy in the house."
"This is so weird." Sophie looked into his loving eyes. "I liked Buffy. Now I don't know if I want to be around her. And I have to work with her." Her eyes grew wide. "And we have to spend the evening with her."
"And," Clem added as the DeSoto pulled around the corner, "They're here."
by Colleen Hillerup
Clem picked Sophie up at her front door. Her mother was with her. "Don't keep my baby out too late. She has work in the morning."
"No, ma'am," he answered. "I'll have her back by midnight." He put out his arm and Sophie took it. She snuggled next to him. "Your mom seems nice," he said.
"She's kinda protective, but yeah. She is." She smiled at him. "She liked you. I can tell. She's just a little concerned about your 'skin condition'. I told her not to worry, that it didn't hurt."
They stood at the end of her driveway. "Spike's gonna pick up up here, if that's okay. I gave him your address." He put his arm around her shoulder. "You should tell your mom. About this not being a health problem. I mean, I know it won't be easy, telling her I'm a demon."
"I think she'll understand. She always said dad was the devil from hell. I don't think she was being literal. So, where are we going tonight?"
"Spike said something about a moonlight picnic. I don't think his girlfriend likes to be seen with him in public."
"That's so mean! But are you sure? Cause Buffy seems like such a nice girl." She played with the folds of skin on his arm. "I was wondering. I mean, what happened to Spike? How did he get hurt? That was a bad black eye."
"I think, I'm not sure, he won't say, but...." Clem's voice dropped, "I think maybe she did it."
"What?" Sophie brought her hand to her mouth and gasped. "No! Why would you think...?"
"Sophie," he asked, "do you know what a Slayer is?"
"A Slayer?" She thought a moment. "No. Why?"
"There's always a Slayer. When one dies, the next one comes. Vampire Slayers." He squeezed her hand. "Like Buffy."
"Buffy is a.... And Spike is a...." She sucked in her breath. "Wow, what a mess."
"The Slayer's job is to kill vampires. And demons."
Sophie stuck out her jaw defiantly. "I won't let her touch you!"
Clem hugged her tight. "That's my girl. But I don't think she wants to kill me. Just bad demons, like the sword guy in the house."
"This is so weird." Sophie looked into his loving eyes. "I liked Buffy. Now I don't know if I want to be around her. And I have to work with her." Her eyes grew wide. "And we have to spend the evening with her."
"And," Clem added as the DeSoto pulled around the corner, "They're here."