Redefined :7
A/N: I know many of my readers have been demanding answers to your questions and this is the chapter for it. It is a long one. I think I have answered most of your questions and the rest I'll answer in ch.8. Which I will post tomorrow or Friday at the latest. About the ring Angel gave Buffy, I think it was before they slept together which puts it in my time frame. If not forgive the mistake, but I needed to put it in here. Oh and some one mentioned I spelled peckish wrong. I know, but I didn't catch it before I posted. Sorry. Enjoy. Skyz
~*~*~*~*~*~
Redefined:
New day. New people. Old faces. Maybe it had been a dream.
Wishing it had been Wolfe sipped his coffee staring blankly at the toaster. He was being broody and he hated being broody. He left that up to Angel. But today it couldn't be helped. The last twenty-four hours had been the best and worst of his life. It had thrown his emotions into a tailspin that had yet to recover. He had been up for the past hour trying to discern his feelings but had found the task useless. All he had figured out was that he had to fix this.
He could not leave it like it was. Things had to be put right, and he could pretend this had never happened.
"I really wasn't going to say anything," Grace said as she entered the kitchen.
Roused he blinked.
"Hmmmmmm?"
"I wasn't going to say anything. But I have too. I spoke to Spike last night."
"What? Did he do something to you? He isn't chipped, he didn't try and bite you did he?"
Wolfe felt sick as he wondered what he would do if his father had tried to kill the woman he loved.
"No! Nothing like that. Although he isn't too fond of Pig's blood. Any way this is all my fault Wolfe. Buffy and Spike have decided that they will never get together. Ever. Th-"
"I know. Came in on them talking about it," Wolfe interrupted quietly as he drained the rest of his cup.
Grace took a seat beside him at the breakfast bar and stared at him a full minute before she spoke.
"Why are you acting like this doesn't bother you?"
"Well what can I do? What do you want me to say? What do you say to never being born? I can't think of anything," he said dejectedly.
"Wolfe.there are spells. Forgetting spells."
Wolfe shook his head and placed a hand on her shoulder.
"Grace you've heard the stories from Willow. They hardly ever have the effect you want them too. Besides, you've done enough magic. No more magic, except for the spell to send them home."
"But..what if you could make them understand how much they loved each other. What a miracle. If they saw..."
"We are not showing them that."
"Why not? It's all about them! Seeing it would be proof that, there was love after Angel and Drusilla left them. Angel could expl-"
"Angel? No, I can't let him talk to them! Could you imagine what he'd say? You know he thinks that if they hadn't died his life would be different. Him and Cordy...well that would have worked out instead..." he trailed off with a shrug.
Grace pursed her lips in thought.
"Well if you want to send them back knowing they aren't ever going to be together by all means. But I think you should call Quint, I'm sure the sight of them falling from the sky did not go unnoticed. See what he can find out from the old man. As for the spell to return them, I'm having trouble finding it. I hadn't planned to return them at all. It might take a few days to find it. What are you going to do with them until then?"
Wolfe rose washed his cup then turned to face Grace crossing his arms as he did so.
"Keep them in the house. If someone saw them!" he shook his head at the thought. "We'd have a mob on our hands. Not to mention the old man would-"
The sharp trilling of their phone startled them both. Sharing a cautious look Wolfe jerked it up.
"Hello?"
He listened for a minute, and then frowned.
"Well..of course I don't mind. No! No, you guys just hang out, relax. We've got it covered over here. The whole thing's almost set up. We're playing around with different angles and stuff. By the time you get back it'll be done. Huh? Oh, nothing much eatin' breakfast. No, he hasn't made a move yet but - I'm not. I know. He may be old but he isn't less of a threat. Okay. Have a good time. All right. Love you too. Bye."
"Cordelia?" Grace asked.
Wolfe hung up and sighed shaking his head.
"Willow."
"Why didn't you tell her about our little problem?"
"If they all came stampeding back here, the old man'll know something's up. Our hand can't be tipped like that."
"You should tell them. Willow probably has the spell I'm looking for. I'm no novice mind you but I only have a limited amount of books in regards to this."
"Maybe. I need to call Quint. You should check on our house guest."
~*~*~ ~*~*~
Said houseguests were wandering slowly through the large mansion looking for a way out.
"Did we come this way last time Spike?" Buffy whispered to the vampire at her side.
Her answer was a shrug of his shoulders.
"What's wrong with you? I thought you'd be happy we were trying to get outta here."
"We're never getting' out of here pet," he mumbled defeated.
Buffy's eyes narrowed at the sound of his voice and she stopped so suddenly Giles ran into right into her.
"Oh-excuse me Buffy," he said.
"What did you do?" Buffy hissed at Spike knowing he must have done something for him to sound like he did.
Spike glanced at her then away. Shrugged again.
"Might of let it slip, when we get home their reality will cease to exist."
Buffy stared at him as if she hadn't understood a word he had said.
"Spike! Why would you do that?! We were supposed to play along. Be all you know with of the nice making -"
Spike stared at her, shook his head.
"What did you just say? Is it me or did that not make a lick of sense? With the nice making? Of the nice? What does that mean? Is that Valley talk again?" he mockingly asked.
"Shut up Spike! That made absolute sense, didn't it? You guys understood huh?" she asked in a huff as she turned to stare at her friends.
Willow and Xander nodded in agreement. Giles just shrugged and mumbled something about teenagers.
"You stupid sods didn't understand any better then I did! And you Watcher lying with the rest of them! You're all afraid cuz she's stronger than you, well not me. I can kick her ass just fine."
Buffy scowled as she glanced back at Spike.
"Kick my ass? Who went screaming into the night when my mom hit you with that axe? I can so and will kick your ass," she spat.
"Um...guys weren't we trying to find a way out of here?" Willow's soft voice floated out. They ignored her.
"Ok Slayer. I'd like to see you try. And I did not go screaming into the night! I ran true but calmly and rationally. No screaming. None. Ever. Never!!!!"
"That is quite enough thank you! Buffy, Spike calm down and let us commence with finding a way out of here," Giles ordered.
"Fine," Buffy snapped with one last glare stalked off ahead.
"There's no way out of here," Spike said slowly looking at Buffy's back as she got further away.
"Why don't you go find Buffy then? I say I'm quite famished, I say we go find the kitchen. We'll meet you there Spike," Giles said turning away.
"Why should I find her? She went off by herself; I had nothing to do with it! I don't think so Watcher."
"Yeh, we can find her Giles. He'll probably make good on his threat and kill her," Xander protested glaring at Spike.
"Couldn't even if I wanted to. Grace said we can't go back unless together as a whole. Which means I can't kill her. Yet. Once we get back though..."
Giles restrained himself barely from reaching out and smacking him as he obviously spaced out in visions of killing his Slayer.
"I say Spike because he has better senses than us. He can smell her out and when you do, we shall be in the kitchen. Come along."
"Smell her out?" Willow muttered casting Spike a wary glance as she scurried after Giles.
"She better not have one mark on her or-"
"Xander," Willow called.
"Or what whelp?" Spike snarled switching to game face and flashing his fangs.
"Or you'll be dust peroxide boy. Dust!"
Spike just laughed as Xander hurried after the others.
Turning in the opposite direction, he went in search for the angry Slayer.
~*~*~ ~*~*~
Angel sat looking over blueprints when the beeping of the silent alarm alerted him of activity in the restricted area.
Pushing a button the wall panel in front of him slid aside to reveal a wall full of security monitors. He scanned the screens until they rested on the figures that had sounded the alarm.
He smiled slightly as he saw it was Spike and Buffy arguing. Just like old times, he thought fondly. His smile turned into a grin as Buffy ignored Spike and shoved open the door they'd found.
"Gotcha," Angel muttered as he rose. Explanations were in order and he was just the one to give them, he thought in anticipation.
~*~*~ ~*~*~
Spike caught up with the Slayer easily enough as she stood pouting in front of a door she'd found.
"Where is everybody?" she demanded as he came into view and she saw he was alone.
"Gone."
"What? I'm the leader! I'm like Scooby to their Scoobiness. They just can't not follow me!"
"It was Velma pet. Velma led the whole Scooby team or whatever the hell they're called," Spike replies mildly.
"No she didn't! It was Scooby. Hence the name of the show!"
"No luv, Scooby is a dog, you can't follow a dog. And none of the other's were smart enough. Velma was the brains that led them. You Slayer are no Velma. More along the lines of Daphne."
"Daphne?!" she asked with a laugh that trailed off as she saw he was serious. "I'm no Daphne! I can kick ass. Yours especially! And hey-I'm smart too. Just not obvious with the nerdiness of it Spike! And Scooby is so much more than a dog; he's the glue that kept them together. A-"
"Why are we discussing this? This is one of the most ridiculous conversations I've ever had! And I know what I'm talking about, live a hundred years with Dru and I've had a few. Come on Slayer. We can't leave the 'Scoobies' alone too long or God knows what'll happen! C'mon!"
Buffy shook her head.
"No I found this door and I want to see what's inside. Willow said she heard Angel mention planning some kinda war.."
"More reason to leave it alone. We don't need any more problems. No, don't Slayer-"
Buffy ignored him and pushed open the door with a smug smile over her shoulder at Spike.
"Bloody hell," was the only thing heard as he followed her into the room.
They both looked around in awe and a little bit of terror.
The room was filled with demons. Various kinds, sizes, shapes. Demons, demons, demons and more demons!
Buffy frowned as he Slayer senses didn't go off except for the tingle from Spike, nothing. Nada. Zilch. Hesitantly she reached out and touched one that was to her left. With antlers and slime dripping fro-
"No! Don't touch that! Damn ugly buggers, all slime and antlers. Chaos demons luv, nasty cheats. One owes me a good bit," Spike snarled as he jerked her to his side looking around warily.
"Chaos demon? Look Spike, these things are fake! No vibes. They're kinda cool, look they're all facing something in the middle of the room," Buffy said, excitement catching her by surprise.
Spike kept his grasp on her arm as he let her pull him through the mass of demon's to the middle of the room.
Buffy let out a strangled gasp as they came upon the scene in the middle of the room.
Spike dropped Buffy's arm and made his way to the figures his eyes wide and disbelieving.
"It's us," Buffy whispered.
It was true. It was them, Spike and her. Caught in fighting stance back to back. Twin looks of anticipation and concentration on their faces. Buffy eyed herself, clutching a stake in one hand and a long wicked looking knife in the other, dressed all in black. Black leather pants, black halter, black boots. She looked like death, she looked like Spike. She looked ready to kill.
Spike circled himself a look of wonder etched on his face. He couldn't believe what he was seeing. There he was, dressed in his usual black. Black T-shirt, jeans, duster, boots. In his hands, he held a large sword and something on one of his fingers caught his eye. Stepping closer he let out a strangled gasp.
"I married you," he choked out.
Buffy turned from herself to glance at him.
"What did you say?"
Freaking now he brushed past her and frantically searched Buffy's look a like for a ring, some sign that he had not done what it looked like!
He found it on a chain around her neck along with her cross. He hissed as his hand brushed it as he gestured for Buffy to come over.
"Look, this is my mum's! I married you Slayer," he growled as she looked at her ring.
Buffy gazed at the ring then involuntarily her gaze fell to the ring Angel had given her. The Claddagh ring she had cherished it having come from Angel. She looked for it on the other her but found it missing.
"This must be some mistake," she muttered. "I mean I'm not wearing it! So that means we are not married!"
"What's this then? I've got a wedding band on m'finger! That ring belonged to me and you have it so one could assume-"
"Then you're an ass! You can't just assume-aren't you freaked out about this? I mean here we are! Two replicas of us, like in those museums. Wax people!"
"Perfect replica wax people," Angel's voice came form behind them and they started.
"What the hell is this Angel? Some sorta creepy shrine? If so then why do you have Spike here too?! An-"
"Better start talking old man," Spike growled.
"Okay. Come with me and I'll explain everything," he said as he turned.
Spike and Buffy shared a look before they fell in step behind him.
~*~*~ ~*~*~
Buffy sat next to Spike in Angel's office as Angel took a seat behind his desk.
"What do you want to know?"
"No one said we were married Peaches! That girl said we had a son, didn't mention marriage! You need to explain what happened to us. How you ended up here with our son and we're dead," Spike said.
"Well..."
"Explain how we - how Spike and I came about. Why you have life size figures of us, etc. Explain away," Buffy murmured.
"You two were in love. While I was in L.A. living my life, you and Spike got closer. After I came back from hell, you and I tried to make it work but it didn't. It was too hard. I had to leave or ... Anyway Spike left town after he helped you defeat me-"
"I helped the Slayer?"
"Yes."
"I accepted his help?"
"Yes. He left town with Dru and I left for L.A. I made a name for my self as a champion. The powers had a plan for my life that didn't follow yours-"
"Didn't you love me? How could you leave like that? Did I just let you go? Did I do something wrong?" Buffy cried out.
"He always leaves Slayer," Spike put in.
"Are you going to let me finish? We couldn't be together Buffy. But I never stopped loving you. I'll love you till the day I die," came his heart felt pledge.
Spike made a disgusted face.
"Kill me now. It's the Buffy and Angel love fest," he grumbled.
Buffy glared at him, wiping her eyes. Angel's words had touched her even if it was out of the mouth of a man she no longer knew.
"Anyway. Spike you came back to town to get the Gem of Amara. That ring makes a vampire invincible and able to go out into the sun. You-"
"That's a myth Angelus! No one knows where it is," Spike interrupted angrily.
Angel let his head fall forward and wondered how he was going to get through this with out wanting to kill Spike.
"Please don't interrupt. I want to finish this and then you can ask all the questions ok?"
"Ok," Buffy readily agreed.
Spike just shrugged and gave a small nod.
"Spike found the Gem. Buffy sent it to me. I got rid of-"
"WHAT?! Why wou-"
"Spike! Shut up and let him finish. Is this really relevant? Can't you skip this and get to the part where Spike and I are together?"
"Right. Spike was implanted with a chip that sent electrical shocks through his head every time he tried to hurt a human. He came to you and Giles's for help and you took him in. He started helping you and soon he was in love with you. Yes you Buffy. He chained you up and professed his love..Didn't go over well when he said he'd kill Dru for you either. She wasn't happy and you weren't when he threatened to feed you to her if you didn't give him a chance. N-"
"I'd never threaten to kill Dru. I love her. I would never do that."
"Yet you did. Things changed. She knew before you did that you loved Buffy. Anyway, Buffy de-invited you from her house. She only started to believe you weren't trying to -" he paused not wanting to bring up the Buffy-bot. Had no bearing on things and made Spike look bad. He didn't want that so amended what he was about to say. "He was tortured by a hell god for you and your sister. He never once told her where the key was-Don't say anything!!!! You have a sister. Let it go. You started to see that maybe he wasn't so bad. Then you died so..Spike was a mess he really loved you and thought it was his fault you died. Which now that I think about it...But that's not the point. Buffy died and Spike stayed behind, fought the good fight and when Willow brought you back she had it figured you'd been in hell. Stupid really I know. I mean you saved the world on a weekly basis and she thought you'd gone to hell! What she did was take you out of Heaven.
"Made you come back to hell on earth. That's when things between you two changed. You became friends sort of. You became intimate. But Buffy was..she wasn't herself and you and she had a tumultuous relationship. Things happened. While this was going on with you, I had to deal with the consequences of the year before. I did some bad things. Like sleeping with Darla. She came to me pregnant and I took her in, she had to kill herself so that Connor could live. Everyone was after Connor and Cordelia was like a mother to him. She was raising him along with my other friends. Wesley, he's a fellow Watcher, your old one Buffy, he found a prophecy about me killing my son and this law firm that had been hounding me since I came to Los Angeles was doing crazy things, like feeding me my son's blood. Holtz a vampire hunter from way back in the 18th century was in like a kind of limbo since Darla and I killed his family. He was bent on killing me-"
"Willow told me about this already Angel. I know you said not to interrupt but what does all this have to do with Spike or me? That's what we want to know about right now. I don't mean to be rude but you can tell us about yourself later."
"I'm sorry I just thought you'd be interested in my life. Forgive me," Angel muttered.
"Good god, don't pout! Tell us if it'll get you to get that look off your face! Man you are one pathetic git. Go on," Spike slashed out.
"Ok! So I couldn't save Connor because Wes was working with Holtz and he stole my son. Jumped into portal to a hell dimension. He was gone for a month or so when he came back as a teenager. A teenager who hated me. He tried to kill me. Locked me up in a cage and sunk me into the ocean. About this time, I was just starting to realize I was in love with Cordelia-"
"What?! You were in love with Cordelia? I didn't believe Willow when sh--"
"I like the sound of your son, but seems his little plan didn't work," Spike said with a large grin.
Angel looked from one to the other before he switched gears. He didn't need to let them know about him and Cordelia or the rest until he finished with their story.
"So back in Sunnydale Spike went off to get the chip out of his head. Instead, he got a soul. He came back to town and you two..got back together sort of. You uh-well you went through a hell of a lot before you got together again. In a healthy, loving relationship. So that was 2002. You two were very happy together. Very," he stressed. "Then you got pregnant and had Wolfe and then you died. So back to me-"
"I knew I shouldn't have let you stay here. I knew you would do this! What are you doing Angel?" Wolfe asked as he came into the office.
Angel glanced up and had the grace to look chagrined.
"I was telling them what happened. You know how they were very happy and so happy they got married! Had you and tragically died saving the world. So I was granted the gift of turning human so I could raise Wolfe."
Wolfe glanced at his parent's then at Angel. Anger vibrated off him and he glared at Angel.
"I bet you were. Come on you guys I can explain exactly what happened. Angel, Quint's here. He needs to speak with you."
Spike and Buffy followed their son out.
"So he was lying then?" Buffy asked.
"No."
"Then what's your problem?"
"My problem is he wants you to do things differently so his life can turn out different! He wants to use you. He wants you Mom to fall for dad and go home dump him and he can go off to L.A. and wait for Cordelia to come on down and the rest is to be determined! I won't have it!"
"He really is in love with her huh?"
Wolfe cast a glance at Buffy's crest fallen face and swore silently.
"You weren't supposed to find this out. But it's pointless to ignore this any longer. You and dad were happy. You got pregnant...fluke. My birth brought about the opening of the hell mouth. Indirectly anyway. The Council had a prophecy about the rebirth of the First Evil and since you were pregnant, they figured I had to be it. They opened up the hell mouth and decided to kill three birds with one stone. You because you never followed orders. You quit the Council and turned your back on them.
"They hated you ever since. Dad because he changed, he could love without a soul. He was everything they taught against. They didn't want a vampire who was as unique as Spike to be hanging around. Me because there's never been someone like me. I'm a hybrid. I have doubled the strength, stamina; I have the best of you both. Any way Quentin Travers the head of the Council was really relying on opening the hell mouth and destroying us all. What he didn't know was that we became aware of his plan. But we could only find a spell that would close the hell mouth after it was opened. We had to let him open it. You two were prepared to die.
"Giles on your insistence hired a trusted midwife of his to induce labor. You had me two days before the hell mouth opened. You weren't quite 100% but you were ready. Everything was set up and you went to war. Because essentially that was, what it was. All kinds of demons came out. You all fought. You died the way you lived. You died knowing I would be taken care of."
Wolfe looked at them trying to see if they believed him, if they understood how much they had meant to the world. To him. Buffy looked shell- shocked and she was shaking slightly.
Spike looked impassive, as if what he'd heard hadn't fazed him at all. He automatically wrapped an arm around the petite Slayer, pulling her into his side.
"Chin up Slayer. We haven't died yet," he muttered. His eyes met Wolfe's and he took in a deep breath.
"Are you two alright? This was probably too much huh? Well I'm sorry but I don't know what Angel was telling you-he has his own reasons for not telling you the whole truth."
They didn't speak again until Wolfe had led them back to the Slayer's room. Where they found the Scoobies anxiously waiting. Seeing Buffy being held by Spike Giles immediately moved to intervene.
"Unhand her! Buffy are you all right? Where were you?!" Giles asked as he tugged Buffy from Spike's grasp.
"She's fine Watcher, just a little shocked. Come on Wolfe," Spike said as he turned to leave.
Wolfe hesitated before following Spike out.
"Is that all? Cause I have the feeling you left out a good bit," Spike asked.
Wolfe shot him a surprised glance.
"I thought I was being all sneaky like too. I only left out a little. Mom didn't need to hear it. It's basically about Angel."
"So the poof lied, but question is what about?"
"About that gift from the Powers. There was no gift. In the battle, he ran into a Mohra demon. That type of demon has blood that rejuvenates dead things. So when mixed with a vampire's blood you turn human. He turned human. Thing is though he didn't want to turn back. He had done that once already and wasn't going to do it again. He wanted to be with Cordelia, he was in love with her. But she ascended, became a higher being. Her duty was to the Powers as was Angel's. He turned his back on redemption. He was punished."
Spike frowned and grabbed Wolfe's arm to stop him as he made to move along.
"Doesn't look like punishment to me. He's human, he can walk in the sun, have chi-well that's moot, he could have them before. He has a real life now. How is that punishment?"
"He lost what he most desired."
"So she died then, too bad. Doesn't give him the right to use us like you claimed he was doin'!"
"She didn't die," Wolfe stated.
"What then? What could be worse than that? He seems to be livin' it up and I see no sufferin', the Powers musta done it wrong. Cause if he were in pain, constant pain I'd buy tickets to see that. He just seems like broody every day Angel! Oh, wait was that it? He had to brood for the rest of his very short life?! That's more like a punishment on everyone around him. Hmmmmmm..."
Wolfe snickered and shook his head.
"You really hate him. He and everyone else said you two were working on your differences when you died. For moms sake. Cordelia never married him. She was in love with him true, but she didn't marry him, wasn't ever with him. In fact she married his so-"
"Wolfe, where's the exhibit? I wanna check it out before-Whoa! What is this a bot? Damn it really is life like. When'd you get it?"
Father and son turned to face the man that had spoken from behind them.
Wolfe silently groaned. He didn't need this right now. After all, he had just explained he did not need to explain anything else.
"I am not a robot, I may be dead but I'm no robot you bloody prick! Who the hell are you anyways?"
The young man sent a wide-eyed look to Wolfe, grinned and stuck out his hand.
"Name's Quint Travers," he happily replied.
A/N: I know many of my readers have been demanding answers to your questions and this is the chapter for it. It is a long one. I think I have answered most of your questions and the rest I'll answer in ch.8. Which I will post tomorrow or Friday at the latest. About the ring Angel gave Buffy, I think it was before they slept together which puts it in my time frame. If not forgive the mistake, but I needed to put it in here. Oh and some one mentioned I spelled peckish wrong. I know, but I didn't catch it before I posted. Sorry. Enjoy. Skyz
~*~*~*~*~*~
Redefined:
New day. New people. Old faces. Maybe it had been a dream.
Wishing it had been Wolfe sipped his coffee staring blankly at the toaster. He was being broody and he hated being broody. He left that up to Angel. But today it couldn't be helped. The last twenty-four hours had been the best and worst of his life. It had thrown his emotions into a tailspin that had yet to recover. He had been up for the past hour trying to discern his feelings but had found the task useless. All he had figured out was that he had to fix this.
He could not leave it like it was. Things had to be put right, and he could pretend this had never happened.
"I really wasn't going to say anything," Grace said as she entered the kitchen.
Roused he blinked.
"Hmmmmmm?"
"I wasn't going to say anything. But I have too. I spoke to Spike last night."
"What? Did he do something to you? He isn't chipped, he didn't try and bite you did he?"
Wolfe felt sick as he wondered what he would do if his father had tried to kill the woman he loved.
"No! Nothing like that. Although he isn't too fond of Pig's blood. Any way this is all my fault Wolfe. Buffy and Spike have decided that they will never get together. Ever. Th-"
"I know. Came in on them talking about it," Wolfe interrupted quietly as he drained the rest of his cup.
Grace took a seat beside him at the breakfast bar and stared at him a full minute before she spoke.
"Why are you acting like this doesn't bother you?"
"Well what can I do? What do you want me to say? What do you say to never being born? I can't think of anything," he said dejectedly.
"Wolfe.there are spells. Forgetting spells."
Wolfe shook his head and placed a hand on her shoulder.
"Grace you've heard the stories from Willow. They hardly ever have the effect you want them too. Besides, you've done enough magic. No more magic, except for the spell to send them home."
"But..what if you could make them understand how much they loved each other. What a miracle. If they saw..."
"We are not showing them that."
"Why not? It's all about them! Seeing it would be proof that, there was love after Angel and Drusilla left them. Angel could expl-"
"Angel? No, I can't let him talk to them! Could you imagine what he'd say? You know he thinks that if they hadn't died his life would be different. Him and Cordy...well that would have worked out instead..." he trailed off with a shrug.
Grace pursed her lips in thought.
"Well if you want to send them back knowing they aren't ever going to be together by all means. But I think you should call Quint, I'm sure the sight of them falling from the sky did not go unnoticed. See what he can find out from the old man. As for the spell to return them, I'm having trouble finding it. I hadn't planned to return them at all. It might take a few days to find it. What are you going to do with them until then?"
Wolfe rose washed his cup then turned to face Grace crossing his arms as he did so.
"Keep them in the house. If someone saw them!" he shook his head at the thought. "We'd have a mob on our hands. Not to mention the old man would-"
The sharp trilling of their phone startled them both. Sharing a cautious look Wolfe jerked it up.
"Hello?"
He listened for a minute, and then frowned.
"Well..of course I don't mind. No! No, you guys just hang out, relax. We've got it covered over here. The whole thing's almost set up. We're playing around with different angles and stuff. By the time you get back it'll be done. Huh? Oh, nothing much eatin' breakfast. No, he hasn't made a move yet but - I'm not. I know. He may be old but he isn't less of a threat. Okay. Have a good time. All right. Love you too. Bye."
"Cordelia?" Grace asked.
Wolfe hung up and sighed shaking his head.
"Willow."
"Why didn't you tell her about our little problem?"
"If they all came stampeding back here, the old man'll know something's up. Our hand can't be tipped like that."
"You should tell them. Willow probably has the spell I'm looking for. I'm no novice mind you but I only have a limited amount of books in regards to this."
"Maybe. I need to call Quint. You should check on our house guest."
~*~*~ ~*~*~
Said houseguests were wandering slowly through the large mansion looking for a way out.
"Did we come this way last time Spike?" Buffy whispered to the vampire at her side.
Her answer was a shrug of his shoulders.
"What's wrong with you? I thought you'd be happy we were trying to get outta here."
"We're never getting' out of here pet," he mumbled defeated.
Buffy's eyes narrowed at the sound of his voice and she stopped so suddenly Giles ran into right into her.
"Oh-excuse me Buffy," he said.
"What did you do?" Buffy hissed at Spike knowing he must have done something for him to sound like he did.
Spike glanced at her then away. Shrugged again.
"Might of let it slip, when we get home their reality will cease to exist."
Buffy stared at him as if she hadn't understood a word he had said.
"Spike! Why would you do that?! We were supposed to play along. Be all you know with of the nice making -"
Spike stared at her, shook his head.
"What did you just say? Is it me or did that not make a lick of sense? With the nice making? Of the nice? What does that mean? Is that Valley talk again?" he mockingly asked.
"Shut up Spike! That made absolute sense, didn't it? You guys understood huh?" she asked in a huff as she turned to stare at her friends.
Willow and Xander nodded in agreement. Giles just shrugged and mumbled something about teenagers.
"You stupid sods didn't understand any better then I did! And you Watcher lying with the rest of them! You're all afraid cuz she's stronger than you, well not me. I can kick her ass just fine."
Buffy scowled as she glanced back at Spike.
"Kick my ass? Who went screaming into the night when my mom hit you with that axe? I can so and will kick your ass," she spat.
"Um...guys weren't we trying to find a way out of here?" Willow's soft voice floated out. They ignored her.
"Ok Slayer. I'd like to see you try. And I did not go screaming into the night! I ran true but calmly and rationally. No screaming. None. Ever. Never!!!!"
"That is quite enough thank you! Buffy, Spike calm down and let us commence with finding a way out of here," Giles ordered.
"Fine," Buffy snapped with one last glare stalked off ahead.
"There's no way out of here," Spike said slowly looking at Buffy's back as she got further away.
"Why don't you go find Buffy then? I say I'm quite famished, I say we go find the kitchen. We'll meet you there Spike," Giles said turning away.
"Why should I find her? She went off by herself; I had nothing to do with it! I don't think so Watcher."
"Yeh, we can find her Giles. He'll probably make good on his threat and kill her," Xander protested glaring at Spike.
"Couldn't even if I wanted to. Grace said we can't go back unless together as a whole. Which means I can't kill her. Yet. Once we get back though..."
Giles restrained himself barely from reaching out and smacking him as he obviously spaced out in visions of killing his Slayer.
"I say Spike because he has better senses than us. He can smell her out and when you do, we shall be in the kitchen. Come along."
"Smell her out?" Willow muttered casting Spike a wary glance as she scurried after Giles.
"She better not have one mark on her or-"
"Xander," Willow called.
"Or what whelp?" Spike snarled switching to game face and flashing his fangs.
"Or you'll be dust peroxide boy. Dust!"
Spike just laughed as Xander hurried after the others.
Turning in the opposite direction, he went in search for the angry Slayer.
~*~*~ ~*~*~
Angel sat looking over blueprints when the beeping of the silent alarm alerted him of activity in the restricted area.
Pushing a button the wall panel in front of him slid aside to reveal a wall full of security monitors. He scanned the screens until they rested on the figures that had sounded the alarm.
He smiled slightly as he saw it was Spike and Buffy arguing. Just like old times, he thought fondly. His smile turned into a grin as Buffy ignored Spike and shoved open the door they'd found.
"Gotcha," Angel muttered as he rose. Explanations were in order and he was just the one to give them, he thought in anticipation.
~*~*~ ~*~*~
Spike caught up with the Slayer easily enough as she stood pouting in front of a door she'd found.
"Where is everybody?" she demanded as he came into view and she saw he was alone.
"Gone."
"What? I'm the leader! I'm like Scooby to their Scoobiness. They just can't not follow me!"
"It was Velma pet. Velma led the whole Scooby team or whatever the hell they're called," Spike replies mildly.
"No she didn't! It was Scooby. Hence the name of the show!"
"No luv, Scooby is a dog, you can't follow a dog. And none of the other's were smart enough. Velma was the brains that led them. You Slayer are no Velma. More along the lines of Daphne."
"Daphne?!" she asked with a laugh that trailed off as she saw he was serious. "I'm no Daphne! I can kick ass. Yours especially! And hey-I'm smart too. Just not obvious with the nerdiness of it Spike! And Scooby is so much more than a dog; he's the glue that kept them together. A-"
"Why are we discussing this? This is one of the most ridiculous conversations I've ever had! And I know what I'm talking about, live a hundred years with Dru and I've had a few. Come on Slayer. We can't leave the 'Scoobies' alone too long or God knows what'll happen! C'mon!"
Buffy shook her head.
"No I found this door and I want to see what's inside. Willow said she heard Angel mention planning some kinda war.."
"More reason to leave it alone. We don't need any more problems. No, don't Slayer-"
Buffy ignored him and pushed open the door with a smug smile over her shoulder at Spike.
"Bloody hell," was the only thing heard as he followed her into the room.
They both looked around in awe and a little bit of terror.
The room was filled with demons. Various kinds, sizes, shapes. Demons, demons, demons and more demons!
Buffy frowned as he Slayer senses didn't go off except for the tingle from Spike, nothing. Nada. Zilch. Hesitantly she reached out and touched one that was to her left. With antlers and slime dripping fro-
"No! Don't touch that! Damn ugly buggers, all slime and antlers. Chaos demons luv, nasty cheats. One owes me a good bit," Spike snarled as he jerked her to his side looking around warily.
"Chaos demon? Look Spike, these things are fake! No vibes. They're kinda cool, look they're all facing something in the middle of the room," Buffy said, excitement catching her by surprise.
Spike kept his grasp on her arm as he let her pull him through the mass of demon's to the middle of the room.
Buffy let out a strangled gasp as they came upon the scene in the middle of the room.
Spike dropped Buffy's arm and made his way to the figures his eyes wide and disbelieving.
"It's us," Buffy whispered.
It was true. It was them, Spike and her. Caught in fighting stance back to back. Twin looks of anticipation and concentration on their faces. Buffy eyed herself, clutching a stake in one hand and a long wicked looking knife in the other, dressed all in black. Black leather pants, black halter, black boots. She looked like death, she looked like Spike. She looked ready to kill.
Spike circled himself a look of wonder etched on his face. He couldn't believe what he was seeing. There he was, dressed in his usual black. Black T-shirt, jeans, duster, boots. In his hands, he held a large sword and something on one of his fingers caught his eye. Stepping closer he let out a strangled gasp.
"I married you," he choked out.
Buffy turned from herself to glance at him.
"What did you say?"
Freaking now he brushed past her and frantically searched Buffy's look a like for a ring, some sign that he had not done what it looked like!
He found it on a chain around her neck along with her cross. He hissed as his hand brushed it as he gestured for Buffy to come over.
"Look, this is my mum's! I married you Slayer," he growled as she looked at her ring.
Buffy gazed at the ring then involuntarily her gaze fell to the ring Angel had given her. The Claddagh ring she had cherished it having come from Angel. She looked for it on the other her but found it missing.
"This must be some mistake," she muttered. "I mean I'm not wearing it! So that means we are not married!"
"What's this then? I've got a wedding band on m'finger! That ring belonged to me and you have it so one could assume-"
"Then you're an ass! You can't just assume-aren't you freaked out about this? I mean here we are! Two replicas of us, like in those museums. Wax people!"
"Perfect replica wax people," Angel's voice came form behind them and they started.
"What the hell is this Angel? Some sorta creepy shrine? If so then why do you have Spike here too?! An-"
"Better start talking old man," Spike growled.
"Okay. Come with me and I'll explain everything," he said as he turned.
Spike and Buffy shared a look before they fell in step behind him.
~*~*~ ~*~*~
Buffy sat next to Spike in Angel's office as Angel took a seat behind his desk.
"What do you want to know?"
"No one said we were married Peaches! That girl said we had a son, didn't mention marriage! You need to explain what happened to us. How you ended up here with our son and we're dead," Spike said.
"Well..."
"Explain how we - how Spike and I came about. Why you have life size figures of us, etc. Explain away," Buffy murmured.
"You two were in love. While I was in L.A. living my life, you and Spike got closer. After I came back from hell, you and I tried to make it work but it didn't. It was too hard. I had to leave or ... Anyway Spike left town after he helped you defeat me-"
"I helped the Slayer?"
"Yes."
"I accepted his help?"
"Yes. He left town with Dru and I left for L.A. I made a name for my self as a champion. The powers had a plan for my life that didn't follow yours-"
"Didn't you love me? How could you leave like that? Did I just let you go? Did I do something wrong?" Buffy cried out.
"He always leaves Slayer," Spike put in.
"Are you going to let me finish? We couldn't be together Buffy. But I never stopped loving you. I'll love you till the day I die," came his heart felt pledge.
Spike made a disgusted face.
"Kill me now. It's the Buffy and Angel love fest," he grumbled.
Buffy glared at him, wiping her eyes. Angel's words had touched her even if it was out of the mouth of a man she no longer knew.
"Anyway. Spike you came back to town to get the Gem of Amara. That ring makes a vampire invincible and able to go out into the sun. You-"
"That's a myth Angelus! No one knows where it is," Spike interrupted angrily.
Angel let his head fall forward and wondered how he was going to get through this with out wanting to kill Spike.
"Please don't interrupt. I want to finish this and then you can ask all the questions ok?"
"Ok," Buffy readily agreed.
Spike just shrugged and gave a small nod.
"Spike found the Gem. Buffy sent it to me. I got rid of-"
"WHAT?! Why wou-"
"Spike! Shut up and let him finish. Is this really relevant? Can't you skip this and get to the part where Spike and I are together?"
"Right. Spike was implanted with a chip that sent electrical shocks through his head every time he tried to hurt a human. He came to you and Giles's for help and you took him in. He started helping you and soon he was in love with you. Yes you Buffy. He chained you up and professed his love..Didn't go over well when he said he'd kill Dru for you either. She wasn't happy and you weren't when he threatened to feed you to her if you didn't give him a chance. N-"
"I'd never threaten to kill Dru. I love her. I would never do that."
"Yet you did. Things changed. She knew before you did that you loved Buffy. Anyway, Buffy de-invited you from her house. She only started to believe you weren't trying to -" he paused not wanting to bring up the Buffy-bot. Had no bearing on things and made Spike look bad. He didn't want that so amended what he was about to say. "He was tortured by a hell god for you and your sister. He never once told her where the key was-Don't say anything!!!! You have a sister. Let it go. You started to see that maybe he wasn't so bad. Then you died so..Spike was a mess he really loved you and thought it was his fault you died. Which now that I think about it...But that's not the point. Buffy died and Spike stayed behind, fought the good fight and when Willow brought you back she had it figured you'd been in hell. Stupid really I know. I mean you saved the world on a weekly basis and she thought you'd gone to hell! What she did was take you out of Heaven.
"Made you come back to hell on earth. That's when things between you two changed. You became friends sort of. You became intimate. But Buffy was..she wasn't herself and you and she had a tumultuous relationship. Things happened. While this was going on with you, I had to deal with the consequences of the year before. I did some bad things. Like sleeping with Darla. She came to me pregnant and I took her in, she had to kill herself so that Connor could live. Everyone was after Connor and Cordelia was like a mother to him. She was raising him along with my other friends. Wesley, he's a fellow Watcher, your old one Buffy, he found a prophecy about me killing my son and this law firm that had been hounding me since I came to Los Angeles was doing crazy things, like feeding me my son's blood. Holtz a vampire hunter from way back in the 18th century was in like a kind of limbo since Darla and I killed his family. He was bent on killing me-"
"Willow told me about this already Angel. I know you said not to interrupt but what does all this have to do with Spike or me? That's what we want to know about right now. I don't mean to be rude but you can tell us about yourself later."
"I'm sorry I just thought you'd be interested in my life. Forgive me," Angel muttered.
"Good god, don't pout! Tell us if it'll get you to get that look off your face! Man you are one pathetic git. Go on," Spike slashed out.
"Ok! So I couldn't save Connor because Wes was working with Holtz and he stole my son. Jumped into portal to a hell dimension. He was gone for a month or so when he came back as a teenager. A teenager who hated me. He tried to kill me. Locked me up in a cage and sunk me into the ocean. About this time, I was just starting to realize I was in love with Cordelia-"
"What?! You were in love with Cordelia? I didn't believe Willow when sh--"
"I like the sound of your son, but seems his little plan didn't work," Spike said with a large grin.
Angel looked from one to the other before he switched gears. He didn't need to let them know about him and Cordelia or the rest until he finished with their story.
"So back in Sunnydale Spike went off to get the chip out of his head. Instead, he got a soul. He came back to town and you two..got back together sort of. You uh-well you went through a hell of a lot before you got together again. In a healthy, loving relationship. So that was 2002. You two were very happy together. Very," he stressed. "Then you got pregnant and had Wolfe and then you died. So back to me-"
"I knew I shouldn't have let you stay here. I knew you would do this! What are you doing Angel?" Wolfe asked as he came into the office.
Angel glanced up and had the grace to look chagrined.
"I was telling them what happened. You know how they were very happy and so happy they got married! Had you and tragically died saving the world. So I was granted the gift of turning human so I could raise Wolfe."
Wolfe glanced at his parent's then at Angel. Anger vibrated off him and he glared at Angel.
"I bet you were. Come on you guys I can explain exactly what happened. Angel, Quint's here. He needs to speak with you."
Spike and Buffy followed their son out.
"So he was lying then?" Buffy asked.
"No."
"Then what's your problem?"
"My problem is he wants you to do things differently so his life can turn out different! He wants to use you. He wants you Mom to fall for dad and go home dump him and he can go off to L.A. and wait for Cordelia to come on down and the rest is to be determined! I won't have it!"
"He really is in love with her huh?"
Wolfe cast a glance at Buffy's crest fallen face and swore silently.
"You weren't supposed to find this out. But it's pointless to ignore this any longer. You and dad were happy. You got pregnant...fluke. My birth brought about the opening of the hell mouth. Indirectly anyway. The Council had a prophecy about the rebirth of the First Evil and since you were pregnant, they figured I had to be it. They opened up the hell mouth and decided to kill three birds with one stone. You because you never followed orders. You quit the Council and turned your back on them.
"They hated you ever since. Dad because he changed, he could love without a soul. He was everything they taught against. They didn't want a vampire who was as unique as Spike to be hanging around. Me because there's never been someone like me. I'm a hybrid. I have doubled the strength, stamina; I have the best of you both. Any way Quentin Travers the head of the Council was really relying on opening the hell mouth and destroying us all. What he didn't know was that we became aware of his plan. But we could only find a spell that would close the hell mouth after it was opened. We had to let him open it. You two were prepared to die.
"Giles on your insistence hired a trusted midwife of his to induce labor. You had me two days before the hell mouth opened. You weren't quite 100% but you were ready. Everything was set up and you went to war. Because essentially that was, what it was. All kinds of demons came out. You all fought. You died the way you lived. You died knowing I would be taken care of."
Wolfe looked at them trying to see if they believed him, if they understood how much they had meant to the world. To him. Buffy looked shell- shocked and she was shaking slightly.
Spike looked impassive, as if what he'd heard hadn't fazed him at all. He automatically wrapped an arm around the petite Slayer, pulling her into his side.
"Chin up Slayer. We haven't died yet," he muttered. His eyes met Wolfe's and he took in a deep breath.
"Are you two alright? This was probably too much huh? Well I'm sorry but I don't know what Angel was telling you-he has his own reasons for not telling you the whole truth."
They didn't speak again until Wolfe had led them back to the Slayer's room. Where they found the Scoobies anxiously waiting. Seeing Buffy being held by Spike Giles immediately moved to intervene.
"Unhand her! Buffy are you all right? Where were you?!" Giles asked as he tugged Buffy from Spike's grasp.
"She's fine Watcher, just a little shocked. Come on Wolfe," Spike said as he turned to leave.
Wolfe hesitated before following Spike out.
"Is that all? Cause I have the feeling you left out a good bit," Spike asked.
Wolfe shot him a surprised glance.
"I thought I was being all sneaky like too. I only left out a little. Mom didn't need to hear it. It's basically about Angel."
"So the poof lied, but question is what about?"
"About that gift from the Powers. There was no gift. In the battle, he ran into a Mohra demon. That type of demon has blood that rejuvenates dead things. So when mixed with a vampire's blood you turn human. He turned human. Thing is though he didn't want to turn back. He had done that once already and wasn't going to do it again. He wanted to be with Cordelia, he was in love with her. But she ascended, became a higher being. Her duty was to the Powers as was Angel's. He turned his back on redemption. He was punished."
Spike frowned and grabbed Wolfe's arm to stop him as he made to move along.
"Doesn't look like punishment to me. He's human, he can walk in the sun, have chi-well that's moot, he could have them before. He has a real life now. How is that punishment?"
"He lost what he most desired."
"So she died then, too bad. Doesn't give him the right to use us like you claimed he was doin'!"
"She didn't die," Wolfe stated.
"What then? What could be worse than that? He seems to be livin' it up and I see no sufferin', the Powers musta done it wrong. Cause if he were in pain, constant pain I'd buy tickets to see that. He just seems like broody every day Angel! Oh, wait was that it? He had to brood for the rest of his very short life?! That's more like a punishment on everyone around him. Hmmmmmm..."
Wolfe snickered and shook his head.
"You really hate him. He and everyone else said you two were working on your differences when you died. For moms sake. Cordelia never married him. She was in love with him true, but she didn't marry him, wasn't ever with him. In fact she married his so-"
"Wolfe, where's the exhibit? I wanna check it out before-Whoa! What is this a bot? Damn it really is life like. When'd you get it?"
Father and son turned to face the man that had spoken from behind them.
Wolfe silently groaned. He didn't need this right now. After all, he had just explained he did not need to explain anything else.
"I am not a robot, I may be dead but I'm no robot you bloody prick! Who the hell are you anyways?"
The young man sent a wide-eyed look to Wolfe, grinned and stuck out his hand.
"Name's Quint Travers," he happily replied.