[Disclaimer: You know the drill]
Now, I've given Niamh to Spike in order to make sure nobody's harboring hopes that I might actually relent and do something nice for Buffy - like giving her Spike. That and Niamh is one of my favorite characters (out of the ones I've made up). She's a lot of fun, really, and certainly deserves Spike more than Buffy does (or ever will). I like Drusilla more than I like Buffy. And why not. Buffy's a pain in the proverbial hindquarters.
I'll have a little bit of a look at Niamh and Spike now, but this story is still more about Angel and Cordy than Spike and Niamh, so don't worry. They'll sort of fade into the background soon enough.
Babyshowers at the Hellmouth
Chapter Five
by Adele Elisabeth
It was sort of strange, Angel reflected. Niamh and Spike were a couple again, and they hadn't been a proper couple even when they were sleeping together, oh, 80 years ago or so. More than that even.
There was a similarity between Spike and Niamh, and Angel and Cordy, he decided. And, oddly enough, Spike and Drusilla, and Angel and Buffy.
For example, Niamh and Spike had been friends before they were lovers - like Angel and Cordy.
And then, Spike and Drusilla had been lovers and never friends - like Angel and Buffy.
So, Angel suspected Spike and Niamh's relationship had a lot more going for it than Spike and Drusilla ever did, and was far more likely to survive.
Like Cordy and him.
It wasn't that surprising of a revelation, really. Spike, despite all his bad habits, wasn't really that bad. Anymore.
However, he didn't have much more time to ponder this train of thought, because Cordy was awake - at three in the bloody morning, no less - and wanting peanut butter on chocolate cake.
Angel was convinced she only had these cravings to torment him.
[[This bit isn't really that relevant to the story, you can skip it if you're not interested in Spike and Niamh's little relationship. It strikes me as ever so slightly marysue, and I wrote it, so there you go. I just reckon Spike deserves some goodness, and while Niamh is prepared to beat the crap out of him if need be, she's not going to do it just because, unlike someone we know **looks pointedly at Buffy** So, you can skip this if you want.]]
Niamh rested comfortably in Spike's arms, watching a bad vampire movie. They found it oddly amusing.
"What happened to Annette?" he asked suddenly.
[Now, you may be wondering by this time who Annette was. So here's a little background information before we go any further:
Annette was Niamh's half-sister, fifteen years older. But she didn't know about Niamh, because she was turned the night Niamh was born, and Niamh was the daughter of Annette's father and his mistress - a beautiful irish siren who didn't see the harm in being a rich man's mistress. Annette's new papa killed most of her family, and then the pair of them left. Niamh knew -of- her, but never knew her until 25 years later. Annette has no memory of the fifteen years she was alive, and Niamh didn't fill her in. Annette's 'papa' was a vampire who'd been James Wright in life, and then simply James in unlife, who was aware of the kinship between the two women. He managed to convince Niamh he was trustworthy, and they entered into a relationship, upon which Annette viewed her as a stepmother. Niamh already had a five year old daughter named Siobhan. James lost his place as trustworthy lover when he had Siobhan for a snack. He and Annette were driven away by a nearly mad with grief Niamh. She cut herself off from regular mortals, and about 90 years later, Annette turned up on her doorstep yet again. James was nowhere to be seen. Niamh didn't ask, Annette didn't tell. All the rest of her unlife, Annette referred to Niamh as Miss Mama, and Niamh never bothered to correct her, knowing that Annette would never have known her in life in any case - her father was a very, very discreet man. She remained with Niamh for the rest of her unlife, which came to an abrupt end 35 years ago. Back to the story]
"A misunderstanding with a slayer, about 35 years ago. I was just a moment too late." She replied, staring resolutely at the tv-screen. "She wasn't even hunting anymore."
"I'm sorry." Spike murmured.
He had known Annette more through Drusilla than through Niamh, back then. Annette and Drusilla had been famous friends, both seeing the world in a different way than the others. A different way than each other, also. Annette had a child-like innocence in her wide, dark eyes, and had looked nothing like her half-sister. She had taken after her mother, and been a small, pale girl, with dark eyes and dark hair. She and Drusilla used to pretend they were sisters, and would have little tea parties. They would share secrets in the night, and giggle together. It was strange, Spike mused, that Annette retained such innocence, even after all the atrocities she had witnessed - had had a hand in, too. Niamh had never answered when he questioned her on it, either. Eventually, he'd decided she just didn't understand it any more than he did.
"She was a child. A 365 year old child." Niamh's fists clenched involuntarily.
"What did you do?"
"Killed the slayer."
"Niamh, you can't have...slayer strength, and everything. You're a siren. You sing, and all dance to your tune. But that's not physical strength."
"I never said I went hand to hand with her, Spike. I sang her to sleep."
"You killed a slayer in her sleep." He sounded slightly stunned.
"Best time."
"Isn't that...somehow wrong?"
"Spike, killing a slayer at any time is probably wrong." She said it patiently, as if speaking to a particularly slow child.
"You have a point there."
"Naturally."
"How'd you kill her?"
"I slit her throat. Can we talk about something else?"
"Just a few more questions?"
"Fine."
"Why did you come here? After all this time?"
"You want me gone?"
"No, don't be stupid. I just want to know what brought this on."
"Honestly?"
"Honestly."
"I'm not telling." To be truthful, Niamh loved Spike (the Spike he was when she knew him, and the Spike she knew he could be - the one he was now) and had toyed with the idea of finding him again on and off for years. After Annette died, she had nothing left, and she'd roamed around the place aimlessly for most of the 35 years she'd been gone. And then she'd thought: I have nothing left to lose, why not go find Spike, and maybe even find out what this whole 'vampire with a soul' business is with Angelus? After all, what harm can it do?
But all she knew now was that Spike wanted her back in his unlife, back in his bed. He hadn't said anything about her being in his heart - and, honestly, he'd never said anything of the sort the last time. Sometimes it's hard to let go of something you've never even had, but Niamh...she wasn't sure of what was going on between Spike and her.
"Tell me." He insisted.
"No."
"Yes."
"No."
"Niamh, love--"
He couldn't know how her heart soared just at hearing him call her that.
"--why can't you tell me? You -used- to tell me everything." He gave her the kicked-puppy look that Angel pulled off so well, and that he was a bit of a novice at. Points for effort, though.
"It's complicated."
"What, so I get your body and not your heart?" he asked, looking offended.
Niamh put her hand over his mouth. "Please, please, please be quiet. Also - since when does me not telling you things equate with me not 'giving you my heart'? And whoever mentioned hearts?"
"You don't love me?"
"You never said you love me." She pointed out. "Last I checked you were in love with the slayer."
"I'm sleeping with you." His turn to make a point.
"In the grand scheme of things, that really doesn't mean much."
"It doesn't?"
"Well, it means a little..." she conceded.
Now why don't we let them sort out their relationship problems in private, after all, we're neglecting our stars...
Cordy fretted. The only missing members of the odd assortment of people were Spike and Niamh, but that was understandable - it was day time. No, she was fretting because something was up. She was sure of it. It had been that first vision that brought them here to Sunnydale, but she was sure there was something else here for them to do. The Powers wouldn't have sent them to Sunnyhell just because Spike's old girlfriend was getting curious. They'd cleared up the fact that she was harmless - the way her and Spike were all over each other made it pretty obvious she wasn't here for a fight (snigger, snigger, wink, wink). She sighed.
"Angel?" she asked.
"Mmmm?" he looked up, question in his eyes.
"What are we doing here? I mean, we can't just be here because Spike's old girlfriend - well, new girlfriend too - was nosing around. Something must be happening."
"Cordelia has a point." Giles put in. "I couldn't help but overhear."
"Vision!" Cordy shouted, suddenly. "Two vamps, tomorrow night. Meeting at the cemetery. I don't think it's just them that we should be worrying about, though." The very-pregnant seer frowned in concentration as images flooded her mind. "Drusilla's there," she said with surprise, "And Darla. They're up to something." Her expression grew afraid. "It's not good, and it's to do with Angel and me and Bump..."
Cordy put a protective hand on her babybump, and Angel covered her hand with his. "Nobody's going to hurt you, Cordy." He promised.
"They'll have to go through me, too." Wesley put in.
"That shouldn't take them long." She sniped, but it was just the familiar sniping of family.
Wesley gave her a mock-hurt look, and she smiled despite herself.
"We should be preparing." Buffy cut through their talk. "Researching, too."
"Researching what?" Cordy gave her an incredulous look. "We don't know what we're dealing with, so we can't research it. Seriously, I think Giles left out a whole lot in your slayer training."
Cordy and Angel went for a walk and some ice-cream to take their minds off things. A teensy bit of normalcy every now and again never hurt.
Of course, the fact they were discussing demons and whatever it was that might be after them sort of ruined it, but there you go.
"It's bad, Angel. Very, very bad. They can't take my baby...we haven't even named her yet..." Cordy looked scared, and not without reason, either.
"I told you, I'm not going to let anyone hurt you or -our- baby." He reminded her, as she thieved some of his ice-cream.
"I know...still. Scary stuff."
"Scary stuff." He agreed.
***
Is it just me, or are my chapters getting longer?
Well, review! Bad things happen to people who don't review...**looks menacing** Okay, not really, but hohum.
Toodles to yoodles,
Adele Elisabeth
Now, I've given Niamh to Spike in order to make sure nobody's harboring hopes that I might actually relent and do something nice for Buffy - like giving her Spike. That and Niamh is one of my favorite characters (out of the ones I've made up). She's a lot of fun, really, and certainly deserves Spike more than Buffy does (or ever will). I like Drusilla more than I like Buffy. And why not. Buffy's a pain in the proverbial hindquarters.
I'll have a little bit of a look at Niamh and Spike now, but this story is still more about Angel and Cordy than Spike and Niamh, so don't worry. They'll sort of fade into the background soon enough.
Babyshowers at the Hellmouth
Chapter Five
by Adele Elisabeth
It was sort of strange, Angel reflected. Niamh and Spike were a couple again, and they hadn't been a proper couple even when they were sleeping together, oh, 80 years ago or so. More than that even.
There was a similarity between Spike and Niamh, and Angel and Cordy, he decided. And, oddly enough, Spike and Drusilla, and Angel and Buffy.
For example, Niamh and Spike had been friends before they were lovers - like Angel and Cordy.
And then, Spike and Drusilla had been lovers and never friends - like Angel and Buffy.
So, Angel suspected Spike and Niamh's relationship had a lot more going for it than Spike and Drusilla ever did, and was far more likely to survive.
Like Cordy and him.
It wasn't that surprising of a revelation, really. Spike, despite all his bad habits, wasn't really that bad. Anymore.
However, he didn't have much more time to ponder this train of thought, because Cordy was awake - at three in the bloody morning, no less - and wanting peanut butter on chocolate cake.
Angel was convinced she only had these cravings to torment him.
[[This bit isn't really that relevant to the story, you can skip it if you're not interested in Spike and Niamh's little relationship. It strikes me as ever so slightly marysue, and I wrote it, so there you go. I just reckon Spike deserves some goodness, and while Niamh is prepared to beat the crap out of him if need be, she's not going to do it just because, unlike someone we know **looks pointedly at Buffy** So, you can skip this if you want.]]
Niamh rested comfortably in Spike's arms, watching a bad vampire movie. They found it oddly amusing.
"What happened to Annette?" he asked suddenly.
[Now, you may be wondering by this time who Annette was. So here's a little background information before we go any further:
Annette was Niamh's half-sister, fifteen years older. But she didn't know about Niamh, because she was turned the night Niamh was born, and Niamh was the daughter of Annette's father and his mistress - a beautiful irish siren who didn't see the harm in being a rich man's mistress. Annette's new papa killed most of her family, and then the pair of them left. Niamh knew -of- her, but never knew her until 25 years later. Annette has no memory of the fifteen years she was alive, and Niamh didn't fill her in. Annette's 'papa' was a vampire who'd been James Wright in life, and then simply James in unlife, who was aware of the kinship between the two women. He managed to convince Niamh he was trustworthy, and they entered into a relationship, upon which Annette viewed her as a stepmother. Niamh already had a five year old daughter named Siobhan. James lost his place as trustworthy lover when he had Siobhan for a snack. He and Annette were driven away by a nearly mad with grief Niamh. She cut herself off from regular mortals, and about 90 years later, Annette turned up on her doorstep yet again. James was nowhere to be seen. Niamh didn't ask, Annette didn't tell. All the rest of her unlife, Annette referred to Niamh as Miss Mama, and Niamh never bothered to correct her, knowing that Annette would never have known her in life in any case - her father was a very, very discreet man. She remained with Niamh for the rest of her unlife, which came to an abrupt end 35 years ago. Back to the story]
"A misunderstanding with a slayer, about 35 years ago. I was just a moment too late." She replied, staring resolutely at the tv-screen. "She wasn't even hunting anymore."
"I'm sorry." Spike murmured.
He had known Annette more through Drusilla than through Niamh, back then. Annette and Drusilla had been famous friends, both seeing the world in a different way than the others. A different way than each other, also. Annette had a child-like innocence in her wide, dark eyes, and had looked nothing like her half-sister. She had taken after her mother, and been a small, pale girl, with dark eyes and dark hair. She and Drusilla used to pretend they were sisters, and would have little tea parties. They would share secrets in the night, and giggle together. It was strange, Spike mused, that Annette retained such innocence, even after all the atrocities she had witnessed - had had a hand in, too. Niamh had never answered when he questioned her on it, either. Eventually, he'd decided she just didn't understand it any more than he did.
"She was a child. A 365 year old child." Niamh's fists clenched involuntarily.
"What did you do?"
"Killed the slayer."
"Niamh, you can't have...slayer strength, and everything. You're a siren. You sing, and all dance to your tune. But that's not physical strength."
"I never said I went hand to hand with her, Spike. I sang her to sleep."
"You killed a slayer in her sleep." He sounded slightly stunned.
"Best time."
"Isn't that...somehow wrong?"
"Spike, killing a slayer at any time is probably wrong." She said it patiently, as if speaking to a particularly slow child.
"You have a point there."
"Naturally."
"How'd you kill her?"
"I slit her throat. Can we talk about something else?"
"Just a few more questions?"
"Fine."
"Why did you come here? After all this time?"
"You want me gone?"
"No, don't be stupid. I just want to know what brought this on."
"Honestly?"
"Honestly."
"I'm not telling." To be truthful, Niamh loved Spike (the Spike he was when she knew him, and the Spike she knew he could be - the one he was now) and had toyed with the idea of finding him again on and off for years. After Annette died, she had nothing left, and she'd roamed around the place aimlessly for most of the 35 years she'd been gone. And then she'd thought: I have nothing left to lose, why not go find Spike, and maybe even find out what this whole 'vampire with a soul' business is with Angelus? After all, what harm can it do?
But all she knew now was that Spike wanted her back in his unlife, back in his bed. He hadn't said anything about her being in his heart - and, honestly, he'd never said anything of the sort the last time. Sometimes it's hard to let go of something you've never even had, but Niamh...she wasn't sure of what was going on between Spike and her.
"Tell me." He insisted.
"No."
"Yes."
"No."
"Niamh, love--"
He couldn't know how her heart soared just at hearing him call her that.
"--why can't you tell me? You -used- to tell me everything." He gave her the kicked-puppy look that Angel pulled off so well, and that he was a bit of a novice at. Points for effort, though.
"It's complicated."
"What, so I get your body and not your heart?" he asked, looking offended.
Niamh put her hand over his mouth. "Please, please, please be quiet. Also - since when does me not telling you things equate with me not 'giving you my heart'? And whoever mentioned hearts?"
"You don't love me?"
"You never said you love me." She pointed out. "Last I checked you were in love with the slayer."
"I'm sleeping with you." His turn to make a point.
"In the grand scheme of things, that really doesn't mean much."
"It doesn't?"
"Well, it means a little..." she conceded.
Now why don't we let them sort out their relationship problems in private, after all, we're neglecting our stars...
Cordy fretted. The only missing members of the odd assortment of people were Spike and Niamh, but that was understandable - it was day time. No, she was fretting because something was up. She was sure of it. It had been that first vision that brought them here to Sunnydale, but she was sure there was something else here for them to do. The Powers wouldn't have sent them to Sunnyhell just because Spike's old girlfriend was getting curious. They'd cleared up the fact that she was harmless - the way her and Spike were all over each other made it pretty obvious she wasn't here for a fight (snigger, snigger, wink, wink). She sighed.
"Angel?" she asked.
"Mmmm?" he looked up, question in his eyes.
"What are we doing here? I mean, we can't just be here because Spike's old girlfriend - well, new girlfriend too - was nosing around. Something must be happening."
"Cordelia has a point." Giles put in. "I couldn't help but overhear."
"Vision!" Cordy shouted, suddenly. "Two vamps, tomorrow night. Meeting at the cemetery. I don't think it's just them that we should be worrying about, though." The very-pregnant seer frowned in concentration as images flooded her mind. "Drusilla's there," she said with surprise, "And Darla. They're up to something." Her expression grew afraid. "It's not good, and it's to do with Angel and me and Bump..."
Cordy put a protective hand on her babybump, and Angel covered her hand with his. "Nobody's going to hurt you, Cordy." He promised.
"They'll have to go through me, too." Wesley put in.
"That shouldn't take them long." She sniped, but it was just the familiar sniping of family.
Wesley gave her a mock-hurt look, and she smiled despite herself.
"We should be preparing." Buffy cut through their talk. "Researching, too."
"Researching what?" Cordy gave her an incredulous look. "We don't know what we're dealing with, so we can't research it. Seriously, I think Giles left out a whole lot in your slayer training."
Cordy and Angel went for a walk and some ice-cream to take their minds off things. A teensy bit of normalcy every now and again never hurt.
Of course, the fact they were discussing demons and whatever it was that might be after them sort of ruined it, but there you go.
"It's bad, Angel. Very, very bad. They can't take my baby...we haven't even named her yet..." Cordy looked scared, and not without reason, either.
"I told you, I'm not going to let anyone hurt you or -our- baby." He reminded her, as she thieved some of his ice-cream.
"I know...still. Scary stuff."
"Scary stuff." He agreed.
***
Is it just me, or are my chapters getting longer?
Well, review! Bad things happen to people who don't review...**looks menacing** Okay, not really, but hohum.
Toodles to yoodles,
Adele Elisabeth