Summary/Disclaimer: See Chapter 1
*****
Chapter 14
"They're staying. Plus the files on Buffy and Dawn are going to be destroyed. There's no chance of Dawn ever being taken away." Cheers sounded in the waiting area as all the members of the Scooby gang jumped up with wide smiles on their faces.
Buffy didn't know why her friends were jumping about and shouting. At first she was afraid that they were angry, possibly at her but she quickly realised that they were happy. That was good, she wanted her friends to be happy.
"How? We thought we were going to loose for sure." Xander asked.
"Lets get out of 'ere then we'll explain everything." Spike replied.
The gang made their way back out to the cars and returned to Buffy's house. Everyone sat down in the living room to listen to what happened at the hearing. Spike started to tell the tale.
"Well we were lead into the judge's chambers..."
*****
Spike, Buffy and Dawn were lead into the moderately sized, nicely decorated room. The judge sat behind a large desk, the social worker and Spike were told to sit in front of the desk. Dawn lead Buffy to sit in some chairs in the corner of the room. The judge pulled out a file and started to read as he spoke.
"Well then, we have a twenty-one year old who is the legal guardian of her 15 year old sister who seems to have gone insane." He looked at Spike. "I'm sorry but I see this hearing as a formality. It seems clear to me that Elisabeth should be put into care where she can get the treatment needed and Dawn be placed into a foster home. I'm going to give you a chance to argue your case but in all fairness Elisabeth"
"Buffy."
"Excuse me?"
"Her name is Buffy. She hates Elisabeth."
"Fine, Buffy," he emphasised the word, "needs 24 hour care by trained professionals. You are not trained and you are asking not just to be put in charge of a mentally unbalanced woman but also a teenage girl. I don't really see a way for you to convince me to put them into your care." Spike took a deep breath before starting to speak.
"You have to realise that it's not just me that will be looking after Buffy and Dawn. There's a waiting room full of people out there who are closer than any family I've ever seen. We all want to look after Buffy. We will all look after Dawn. We all love them and will do anything to make sure they are properly taken care of.
"Hell, if I thought she would be better off with doctors or if they could do anything to help her I'd drive her to that place myself. But they won't help her. Buffy needs us, she needs the people who love her."
"I see. I'm now required to ask Buffy what she wants to do. Will Buffy be able to answer my questions?"
"Yeah, just don't expect any long answers and don't make the questions too complicated."
"Dawn, could you bring Buffy over here please?" When both Buffy and Dawn were standing in front of the desk he started to question Buffy.
"Buffy, I want you to answer some questions, is that OK?" Buffy nodded so he continued. "Do you know why you are here Buffy?"
"You wanna help, wanna take me away."
"That's right. Do you want to go away?" Buffy shook her head.
"Wanna stay with Spike and Dawn."
"Do you like staying with Dawn and Spike?" This time Buffy nodded.
"Spike takes care of me."
"And Dawn?" She nodded again.
"Dawn pretty."
"Thank you Buffy, will you go back with Dawn now?" Dawn lead Buffy back to the chairs.
"Well it's clear that Buffy wants to stay with you Mr...I'm sorry, did she refer to you as 'Spike'? It says here your name is William."
"Spike's a nickname."
"I see. Well as I was saying, Buffy wants to stay with you and Dawn. However given her current state of mind I can't put any faith in that. I see no other choice but to have Buffy taken into care and Dawn placed into a foster home. Do you agree with this Mr Collins?" The judge was addressing the social worker.
"Yes, that is the optimal situation at this time." At this Dawn ran up to the desk.
"NO! You asked Buffy but don't I get a say?! No way will I stay at some stranger's house! I'll just run away!"
"I'm sorry Dawn but this is the best solution." Spike stood up and placed a hand on Dawn's shoulder.
"Time for plan B Nib. Just sit with Buffy." Dawn did as she was told and went back to Buffy. Spike faced the judge and social worker.
"Now I assume that like most officials in this town, you know much more about it's true nature than you let on. Hell how couldn't you when you had a big snake demon for a boss? So you know about the things that go bump in the night that live here don't you?" The faces of the judge and social worker visibly paling were all the answer he needed.
"Well, I happen to be famous for being one of the most vicious and nasty examples of those things and I am not to be fucked with." He shifted into game face and grinned, giving both men clear views of his demon face and extended teeth. He looked at the judge.
"Now, you will make sure Buffy and Dawn stay with me." He faced the social worker. "And you will destroy all files you have on Buffy and Dawn. I will never have to worry about either of them ever being taken away from me. Believe me when I say that if I ever hear anything from you again I will kill you, your families and everyone in this town.
"You want people who are trained to look after Buffy? I spent a bloody century looking after someone who was twice as crazy as Buffy is now! Taking care of her is piss easy compared to that, and I'd gladly do it for the rest of her life! Now, we are going to walk out of here and you are going to do as you are told." He walked over to Buffy and Dawn, helped them up then walked out of the room.
*****
"So we spent two days trying to figure out what to do and your first idea that we all ridiculed worked?" Xander was shocked that Spike had actually managed to pull it off.
His next action stunned everyone. He stood up and offered Spike his hand.
"This doesn't mean we are friends. I still think Buffy would be better off with us. But you stopped them taking away Buffy and Dawn. Thank you." Spike looked at the hand, considered and eventually shook it.
*****
It was decided that the gang would spend the evening at Buffy's to celebrate. Videos were rented and food ordered. Dawn made another phone call to Giles to explain what had happened.
While this was going on Spike took the chance to be alone for a few moments in the kitchen. He thought about how close he had come to loosing both his girls and felt an overwhelming sense of relief to put it behind him. He heard someone enter the kitchen and looked up to see Tara.
"Hey Glenda, what you doing here?"
"Thought you may need someone to talk to." Spike thought for a moment.
"Yeah, I do. Hey, how come you don't stutter when you talk to me?"
"Crowds make me nervous and I stutter when I'm nervous. I meant talk about you. It seemed like something was bothering you, and not just this hearing thing."
"Buffy kissed me last night."
"And that's a bad thing?"
"She doesn't want to, I mean the sane Buffy doesn't, well..." Tara interrupted him.
"Before you try and explain, I know about you and Buffy."
"She told you?"
"When you found out you could hit her. She needed someone to look at the spell that brought her back to see if she was 'wrong'. I think she was also looking for someone to tell her she did a bad thing. She said she didn't want us to be disgusted with her but I think she needed someone to be, she wanted to be told that her feelings were wrong, because otherwise there was the chance that they were real."
"Yeah, once a martyr, always a bloody martyr." Tara grinned at him. "Thing is though, she decided to break it off and now she kisses me. I could have shagged her then and there."
"But you didn't."
"Was never just the sex for me, I want, no I need for her to love me. The way she is now then I don't know what she wants. Hell she could have just been copying something she saw on TV!"
"You're wrong. The way she is now has stripped her of all pretence and lies. She's not hiding now. What she does is her honest feelings." Spike started to laugh at this, not a happy laugh but a defeated laugh that told Tara that it was either laugh or cry at this point for Spike.
"Great, I finally get more than my crumb and its when I've sworn to look after Buffy and do no more than that. Well, it could be worse, social services could have....." He trailed off. Tara was confused.
"What?" He didn't answer her, instead he walked back into the living room.
"Listen up people, I've just thought of something. You lot didn't say anything to anybody abut Buffy being the way she is now and I certainly didn't. So, the question is, who did?" He saw everyone think about it and scowl when they came to the same conclusion he had come to. It was Dawn who spoke up.
"You mean...." Spike finished her sentence with a growl that would have sent fear into the heart of Satan himself.
"Warren."
TBC
AN: Longest chapter yet!
So who actually thought I would take away Buffy and Dawn? And just how much trouble is Warren in?
Please review me!
*****
Chapter 14
"They're staying. Plus the files on Buffy and Dawn are going to be destroyed. There's no chance of Dawn ever being taken away." Cheers sounded in the waiting area as all the members of the Scooby gang jumped up with wide smiles on their faces.
Buffy didn't know why her friends were jumping about and shouting. At first she was afraid that they were angry, possibly at her but she quickly realised that they were happy. That was good, she wanted her friends to be happy.
"How? We thought we were going to loose for sure." Xander asked.
"Lets get out of 'ere then we'll explain everything." Spike replied.
The gang made their way back out to the cars and returned to Buffy's house. Everyone sat down in the living room to listen to what happened at the hearing. Spike started to tell the tale.
"Well we were lead into the judge's chambers..."
*****
Spike, Buffy and Dawn were lead into the moderately sized, nicely decorated room. The judge sat behind a large desk, the social worker and Spike were told to sit in front of the desk. Dawn lead Buffy to sit in some chairs in the corner of the room. The judge pulled out a file and started to read as he spoke.
"Well then, we have a twenty-one year old who is the legal guardian of her 15 year old sister who seems to have gone insane." He looked at Spike. "I'm sorry but I see this hearing as a formality. It seems clear to me that Elisabeth should be put into care where she can get the treatment needed and Dawn be placed into a foster home. I'm going to give you a chance to argue your case but in all fairness Elisabeth"
"Buffy."
"Excuse me?"
"Her name is Buffy. She hates Elisabeth."
"Fine, Buffy," he emphasised the word, "needs 24 hour care by trained professionals. You are not trained and you are asking not just to be put in charge of a mentally unbalanced woman but also a teenage girl. I don't really see a way for you to convince me to put them into your care." Spike took a deep breath before starting to speak.
"You have to realise that it's not just me that will be looking after Buffy and Dawn. There's a waiting room full of people out there who are closer than any family I've ever seen. We all want to look after Buffy. We will all look after Dawn. We all love them and will do anything to make sure they are properly taken care of.
"Hell, if I thought she would be better off with doctors or if they could do anything to help her I'd drive her to that place myself. But they won't help her. Buffy needs us, she needs the people who love her."
"I see. I'm now required to ask Buffy what she wants to do. Will Buffy be able to answer my questions?"
"Yeah, just don't expect any long answers and don't make the questions too complicated."
"Dawn, could you bring Buffy over here please?" When both Buffy and Dawn were standing in front of the desk he started to question Buffy.
"Buffy, I want you to answer some questions, is that OK?" Buffy nodded so he continued. "Do you know why you are here Buffy?"
"You wanna help, wanna take me away."
"That's right. Do you want to go away?" Buffy shook her head.
"Wanna stay with Spike and Dawn."
"Do you like staying with Dawn and Spike?" This time Buffy nodded.
"Spike takes care of me."
"And Dawn?" She nodded again.
"Dawn pretty."
"Thank you Buffy, will you go back with Dawn now?" Dawn lead Buffy back to the chairs.
"Well it's clear that Buffy wants to stay with you Mr...I'm sorry, did she refer to you as 'Spike'? It says here your name is William."
"Spike's a nickname."
"I see. Well as I was saying, Buffy wants to stay with you and Dawn. However given her current state of mind I can't put any faith in that. I see no other choice but to have Buffy taken into care and Dawn placed into a foster home. Do you agree with this Mr Collins?" The judge was addressing the social worker.
"Yes, that is the optimal situation at this time." At this Dawn ran up to the desk.
"NO! You asked Buffy but don't I get a say?! No way will I stay at some stranger's house! I'll just run away!"
"I'm sorry Dawn but this is the best solution." Spike stood up and placed a hand on Dawn's shoulder.
"Time for plan B Nib. Just sit with Buffy." Dawn did as she was told and went back to Buffy. Spike faced the judge and social worker.
"Now I assume that like most officials in this town, you know much more about it's true nature than you let on. Hell how couldn't you when you had a big snake demon for a boss? So you know about the things that go bump in the night that live here don't you?" The faces of the judge and social worker visibly paling were all the answer he needed.
"Well, I happen to be famous for being one of the most vicious and nasty examples of those things and I am not to be fucked with." He shifted into game face and grinned, giving both men clear views of his demon face and extended teeth. He looked at the judge.
"Now, you will make sure Buffy and Dawn stay with me." He faced the social worker. "And you will destroy all files you have on Buffy and Dawn. I will never have to worry about either of them ever being taken away from me. Believe me when I say that if I ever hear anything from you again I will kill you, your families and everyone in this town.
"You want people who are trained to look after Buffy? I spent a bloody century looking after someone who was twice as crazy as Buffy is now! Taking care of her is piss easy compared to that, and I'd gladly do it for the rest of her life! Now, we are going to walk out of here and you are going to do as you are told." He walked over to Buffy and Dawn, helped them up then walked out of the room.
*****
"So we spent two days trying to figure out what to do and your first idea that we all ridiculed worked?" Xander was shocked that Spike had actually managed to pull it off.
His next action stunned everyone. He stood up and offered Spike his hand.
"This doesn't mean we are friends. I still think Buffy would be better off with us. But you stopped them taking away Buffy and Dawn. Thank you." Spike looked at the hand, considered and eventually shook it.
*****
It was decided that the gang would spend the evening at Buffy's to celebrate. Videos were rented and food ordered. Dawn made another phone call to Giles to explain what had happened.
While this was going on Spike took the chance to be alone for a few moments in the kitchen. He thought about how close he had come to loosing both his girls and felt an overwhelming sense of relief to put it behind him. He heard someone enter the kitchen and looked up to see Tara.
"Hey Glenda, what you doing here?"
"Thought you may need someone to talk to." Spike thought for a moment.
"Yeah, I do. Hey, how come you don't stutter when you talk to me?"
"Crowds make me nervous and I stutter when I'm nervous. I meant talk about you. It seemed like something was bothering you, and not just this hearing thing."
"Buffy kissed me last night."
"And that's a bad thing?"
"She doesn't want to, I mean the sane Buffy doesn't, well..." Tara interrupted him.
"Before you try and explain, I know about you and Buffy."
"She told you?"
"When you found out you could hit her. She needed someone to look at the spell that brought her back to see if she was 'wrong'. I think she was also looking for someone to tell her she did a bad thing. She said she didn't want us to be disgusted with her but I think she needed someone to be, she wanted to be told that her feelings were wrong, because otherwise there was the chance that they were real."
"Yeah, once a martyr, always a bloody martyr." Tara grinned at him. "Thing is though, she decided to break it off and now she kisses me. I could have shagged her then and there."
"But you didn't."
"Was never just the sex for me, I want, no I need for her to love me. The way she is now then I don't know what she wants. Hell she could have just been copying something she saw on TV!"
"You're wrong. The way she is now has stripped her of all pretence and lies. She's not hiding now. What she does is her honest feelings." Spike started to laugh at this, not a happy laugh but a defeated laugh that told Tara that it was either laugh or cry at this point for Spike.
"Great, I finally get more than my crumb and its when I've sworn to look after Buffy and do no more than that. Well, it could be worse, social services could have....." He trailed off. Tara was confused.
"What?" He didn't answer her, instead he walked back into the living room.
"Listen up people, I've just thought of something. You lot didn't say anything to anybody abut Buffy being the way she is now and I certainly didn't. So, the question is, who did?" He saw everyone think about it and scowl when they came to the same conclusion he had come to. It was Dawn who spoke up.
"You mean...." Spike finished her sentence with a growl that would have sent fear into the heart of Satan himself.
"Warren."
TBC
AN: Longest chapter yet!
So who actually thought I would take away Buffy and Dawn? And just how much trouble is Warren in?
Please review me!