My Slayer's Keeper
***
"So this is great, we've seen almost every museum and all the sights of London. At the expense of the council while everyone else has to work."
"We lead a great life," Xander sighed.
They had gone all over London during the day and patrolled at night. London was a fairly dull city, underworld wise. They had killed seven vampires and had been accosted four times by Council thugs. They had done their job well, and they had also seen most of the city.
Their relationship was platonic, but they had formed a bond. She was Dawn's age and Xander knew that he loved Anya. However he had always had a weakness for Slayers. He had loved three. Buffy for her brilliance and for her spunk, the sheer determination that would never let her fail. Faith for the deep down lost child that he saw in her. Now Melinda, because she never stopped amazing him. He would always love them, but his heart lay with another woman and she waited across the ocean.
Xander looked at Melinda.
"Well we're going back to the mundane," Xander sighed, "After storming the gates of the council and taking over and playing hide and seek and stuff."
"You sound disappointed."
"Well life has become slow lately. Closed the hell mouth and all. No more bug people or huge snakes. It's just kind of boring."
"You're a thrill seeker, Harris."
Xander smiled, "Well you get used to living at ten, its hard to go back to three."
"That's why you like Anya, having an ex-demon around turns it up to a four or five."
"Yeah, but at least there's no more worry about those I love dying."
"Retirement not that much fun?"
Xander could hear the fear in Melinda's voice and he kicked himself. This girl was just beginning a life that wasn't expected to last over five years.
"Hey jailbait," Xander said putting an arm around her shoulders, "Do an old man a favor give me a call when you need help. Hell give me a call when you are bored."
"You're an action junkie," she mocked. Underneath the joke she was saying thank you. She was scared of being alone after seeing what could be accomplished with others.
"Once a Scooby, always a Scooby. That is what I always say."
"Well you are the first. I guess you get to write the doctrine."
"Nah, I'm just a groupie."
Melinda kissed him on the cheek impulsively, "Thank you I'll take you up on that."
"I hope so."
Xander would fight as hard as he could not to let another Slayer die.
***
Angel stood in the shadows watching her look at the sunset. She was beautiful.
She felt him and turned.
"I've come to say good-bye."
Buffy nodded. Though he had accepted her relationship with Spike he would not want to be there when Spike came back. The last time he had been badly injured Angel had been around Spike's girl things had gone badly. It was better for stress levels if Spike was presently unaware of Angel.
"I'm leaving at sunset."
He always leaves. That was Angel.
"Thank you."
Angel nodded. He wished it had been him. Somehow he knew that this was the better path. However it was hard for him to understand all that happened. He turned away from her.
She wasn't his anymore.
***
The sun set an everyone cleared away from Buffy. She had grown increasingly antsy and had the tendency to snap at people.
The door opened at Buffy knew. She turned slowly. He stood there. Buffy didn't notice the cane at his side or his limp as he entered the room. All that Buffy noticed was that he was there.
Spike saw her standing before the window. She wore all black. Silky black flowed around her. Her skin had been sensitive since the pregnancy. She only liked the softest of materials. Spike thought it was the sexiest thing that he had ever seen.
They weren't the couple that runs towards each other as the music swells. They stood there and simply breathed in the scent of each other.
Buffy walked over to him.
Spike looked and touched her hair, "How's Bite Sized?"
"She was missing her daddy."
He pulled her to his chest. He needed her badly. It was primal. He kissed her and he wasn't going to let go until she knew that she was his and that it hadn't been a dream. This was the woman he had changed for, she was the reason that he wanted to exist.
***
In the glow of the aftermath Buffy curled up against him. They cuddled on the floor of the library.
"Spike," Buffy said.
"Yes love."
"Do you miss London?"
Spike shrugged, "It's been awhile. Why?"
"Well Giles is going to need some help. I was wondering if you wanted to stay here. There is a new council to build. He kind of needs me. Dawn would stay in Sunnydale for the rest of her senior year and then come here. I can't really travel with the baby."
"And what would I do?"
"Run amok in London?"
Spike laughed, "I guess we'll find somethin.' I could start writing poetry again."
Buffy rolled her eyes, knowing his poetry had not improved in his many years on earth. However she chose not to make fun of him, it wasn't the moment.
"So you don't mind the three of us starting our lives here."
"I started my life and my unlife here. It's only fitting."
Buffy smiled and curled up against him.
***
"So this is great, we've seen almost every museum and all the sights of London. At the expense of the council while everyone else has to work."
"We lead a great life," Xander sighed.
They had gone all over London during the day and patrolled at night. London was a fairly dull city, underworld wise. They had killed seven vampires and had been accosted four times by Council thugs. They had done their job well, and they had also seen most of the city.
Their relationship was platonic, but they had formed a bond. She was Dawn's age and Xander knew that he loved Anya. However he had always had a weakness for Slayers. He had loved three. Buffy for her brilliance and for her spunk, the sheer determination that would never let her fail. Faith for the deep down lost child that he saw in her. Now Melinda, because she never stopped amazing him. He would always love them, but his heart lay with another woman and she waited across the ocean.
Xander looked at Melinda.
"Well we're going back to the mundane," Xander sighed, "After storming the gates of the council and taking over and playing hide and seek and stuff."
"You sound disappointed."
"Well life has become slow lately. Closed the hell mouth and all. No more bug people or huge snakes. It's just kind of boring."
"You're a thrill seeker, Harris."
Xander smiled, "Well you get used to living at ten, its hard to go back to three."
"That's why you like Anya, having an ex-demon around turns it up to a four or five."
"Yeah, but at least there's no more worry about those I love dying."
"Retirement not that much fun?"
Xander could hear the fear in Melinda's voice and he kicked himself. This girl was just beginning a life that wasn't expected to last over five years.
"Hey jailbait," Xander said putting an arm around her shoulders, "Do an old man a favor give me a call when you need help. Hell give me a call when you are bored."
"You're an action junkie," she mocked. Underneath the joke she was saying thank you. She was scared of being alone after seeing what could be accomplished with others.
"Once a Scooby, always a Scooby. That is what I always say."
"Well you are the first. I guess you get to write the doctrine."
"Nah, I'm just a groupie."
Melinda kissed him on the cheek impulsively, "Thank you I'll take you up on that."
"I hope so."
Xander would fight as hard as he could not to let another Slayer die.
***
Angel stood in the shadows watching her look at the sunset. She was beautiful.
She felt him and turned.
"I've come to say good-bye."
Buffy nodded. Though he had accepted her relationship with Spike he would not want to be there when Spike came back. The last time he had been badly injured Angel had been around Spike's girl things had gone badly. It was better for stress levels if Spike was presently unaware of Angel.
"I'm leaving at sunset."
He always leaves. That was Angel.
"Thank you."
Angel nodded. He wished it had been him. Somehow he knew that this was the better path. However it was hard for him to understand all that happened. He turned away from her.
She wasn't his anymore.
***
The sun set an everyone cleared away from Buffy. She had grown increasingly antsy and had the tendency to snap at people.
The door opened at Buffy knew. She turned slowly. He stood there. Buffy didn't notice the cane at his side or his limp as he entered the room. All that Buffy noticed was that he was there.
Spike saw her standing before the window. She wore all black. Silky black flowed around her. Her skin had been sensitive since the pregnancy. She only liked the softest of materials. Spike thought it was the sexiest thing that he had ever seen.
They weren't the couple that runs towards each other as the music swells. They stood there and simply breathed in the scent of each other.
Buffy walked over to him.
Spike looked and touched her hair, "How's Bite Sized?"
"She was missing her daddy."
He pulled her to his chest. He needed her badly. It was primal. He kissed her and he wasn't going to let go until she knew that she was his and that it hadn't been a dream. This was the woman he had changed for, she was the reason that he wanted to exist.
***
In the glow of the aftermath Buffy curled up against him. They cuddled on the floor of the library.
"Spike," Buffy said.
"Yes love."
"Do you miss London?"
Spike shrugged, "It's been awhile. Why?"
"Well Giles is going to need some help. I was wondering if you wanted to stay here. There is a new council to build. He kind of needs me. Dawn would stay in Sunnydale for the rest of her senior year and then come here. I can't really travel with the baby."
"And what would I do?"
"Run amok in London?"
Spike laughed, "I guess we'll find somethin.' I could start writing poetry again."
Buffy rolled her eyes, knowing his poetry had not improved in his many years on earth. However she chose not to make fun of him, it wasn't the moment.
"So you don't mind the three of us starting our lives here."
"I started my life and my unlife here. It's only fitting."
Buffy smiled and curled up against him.