Good afternoon, All:)
Well, here is the last of the William flash forward chapters. Well, sort of. It was so monstrous, I divided it into two. Chapters eighteen and twenty.
Good news, this is an angst feel installment. I can feel the rejoicing already! No chocolate or kleenex needed, so please just enjoy as entertainment alone. Just a look into another possible path of William's future.
The next chapter will be out on Monday. I do hope you will tell me how you feel about this one:)
Thanks and happy weekend to you all.
*Cheery Vibes*, Nimue
"As sick as it sounds, in my little head, there's a little Sunnydale, and a widdle Buffy, and a widdle Spike, and Spike wubs Buffy." James Marsters 14 July 2002
Title: The Hero - Part One (Time - Chapter Eighteen)
Author: Nimue
Rating: PG -13
Pairing Buffy/Spike. Most major characters included.
Feedback: Yes, please
For instant notification of fic releases, straight to your mailbox, please visit Always_Everyday@yahoogroups.com
Disclaimer: All characters belong to Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, UPN, Fox... Just Borrowing. (with, of course, the exception of Emma and William, who belong to Buffy and Spike)
Summary: Set immediately following Promises. This is the last of the William flash forward chapters and had to be divided into two parts (the parts are slightly smaller than usual, but the whole would have been gigantic). William follows yet another path into the future. But where does this one lead? And is there anything he can do to change their destiny?
The Hero
They were pretty this time. Sparkly and new and fluttering happily about him. The lights almost illuminated the way. Not quite. He was still falling. But this time, he could almost make out where he was going. And this time the landing wasn't quite as bad.
"Will, you OK?" Her sweet, musical voice. He opened his eyes and looked up at her from his spot on the floor. Underneath of him were pillows. She smiled.
"Butt hurts," William responded, caught in the way only a four year old can be, between crying and laughing hysterically.
Emma walked over to him, scooping him off the pillow on the floor and sitting him on the bed. "See? Big sisters are smart sometimes. You *always* fall out of bed, goofy."
William looked at her, grateful and embarrassed at the same time. His eyes were bright, but there was always that fear behind them. That feeling of knowing something that you didn't want to know. Slowly, he crawled over to her and climbed into her lap.
"Have another nightmare, Will?" Emma asked, cradling him against her like their mother did when he was scared. She could feel him nod into his chest.
"Mommy and Daddy," Will whispered. "The dark takes us. We die."
Emma looked down at him, part of her wanting to run for the hills, part of her wanting to laugh, part of her so terrified that he was right, she couldn't move. Something about this one nightmare, the one he had all the time, rang a warning in her little mind. Like maybe they ought to listen. Weirder things had happened than someone's bad dream coming true. Even her little brother's.
"Did you tell Mum and Dad about your nightmare, Will?" Emma asked, stroking his hair. He shook his head, looking up at her with wide and innocent eyes. Tears stood fast behind them, held off only by the arms around him. "I think you should."
"I don't want them to go," Will said softly. "Not ever. Not you either, Emmy."
Emma pulled him closer, standing. "Well, then maybe we should do something about it. We'll fight the nightmares like they fight the demons."
"With swords?" Will asked, a big grin spreading across his face as she carried him through the door.
Emma giggled. "Very tiny William-sized swords, " she answered. "I can't even pick up mum's and I'm like fifty times your size." She began down the stairs.
His expression contorted into the best scowl that such a nearly angelic little round face could make. "Not long, Emmy. I'll be bigger than you."
"In your dreams, pipsqueak," she joked back, making him even more indignant. He kicked his feet, catching her in the bottom. "Ow"
"I kick like dad," William stated proudly.
"Heard that," Spike called from the dining room. Emma made her way down the stairs and turned towards the voice.
"He kicked me," Emma tattled.
"You can hold your own," Spike answered, smiling at them. He was hunched over a table full of books, looking for yet another demon that had made it's way into their den. "So," he breathed, sitting back in the chair. "To what do I owe this pleasure?"
Emma walked over, sitting next to her dad and handing her brother over as if he had suddenly grown horns. "Will," she began, "Is having nightmares."
"What kind of nightmares?" Buffy asked from the doorway. She had followed the sound of gentle arguing down the stairs.
Spike pulled William up onto the table, sitting him on the books so that they were face to face. "So, what do we have? Fyarl demons? Slimy toad monsters? Giant Bunnies?" Spike asked the little boy.
"Shadows," William responded quietly, looking down at his feet. Buffy scooted Emma out of the chair next to Spike and sat down, pulling the girl back into her lap.
Spike quirked an eyebrow. "Shadows. They make us die," William continued.
Buffy reached out to stroke the boy's arm. "Will, we're not going to die. At least not soon. We hope..."
Spike shot her a sidelong glance warning her she wasn't helping and her mouth snapped shut. "Will, we all die someday, but no time soon, alright? Know it looks bad some nights. Most little boys..." Emma kicked his shins. "And little girls...:
Emma sighed, "Big now, hello?"
"Most children," Spike corrected, "Don't see their mum and dad come in all hacked up and covered in nonsense. But we are all right. Been doing this since long before either of you."
"Not now," William corrected. "Late."
"Late?" Buffy asked. "You mean when we're older?"
William nodded at him mum. "When I'm big."
They were quiet a moment. Buffy could feel Spike mulling over the question in his head. Something we need to be looking into? Slayer dream inherited? Little boy's nightmare? This was the Hellmouth. This was them. This was a Vampire and a Slayer and their daughter the saviour of Peace. Not far fetched to think the boy might be onto something.
"Right then," Spike said. "What do they look like?"
"Dark. Big. Changes." Will answered.
"Do they look like people?" Buffy asked. She chuckled to herself. "Or like dad?"
Spike spun his head and smirked. "No," Will answered. "Just dark."
"Could you draw them for me?" Spike asked, toying with the little boy's shoe. He nodded. "Then why don't you make me and your mum a picture? Then we can suss out what we need to do to make them go away." He stood the boy on the floor. "Emma?"
"Got it," she whined, grabbing William's hand and leading him back up the stairs.
"What are you thinking?" Buffy asked, climbing out of her chair and sliding into Spike's lap. He cradled her gently against him, burying his face in her hair.
"Dunno, Pet," Spike responded, picking up her hand and letting his fingers wind through hers.
"Feel like we need to listen. I mean, how did it feel like when we were kids... OK, or when we weren't adults.. mature adults.. and..."
"Point, being?" Spike prodded, smiling.
"If no one had listened to us when we said that all this stuff that happens here was real?" Buffy blurted, looking up at his endless blue eyes.
Spike was silent, feeling her all around him. She was right. He just didn't like to give up that easily. "I can understand why they thought you were sack of hammers. Me, on the other hand..."
Buffy smacked him playfully with her free hand. "*So* getting you back," she whined.
"Like to see you try," Spike teased. "But, before this degenerates into teenage banter fest.."
"Followed closely by teenage hormonal sex having?" Buffy asked, raising her eyebrows.
*That* made him suddenly agreeable, she thought as he picked her up. "You are completely right about listening to Will. Was bout to say that myself before you beat me to it."
She shook her head, smiling as he walked. "Where we going?"
"Didn't you say we had some laundry to do, Pet?" He winked, sweeping her down the stairs into the basement.
*****
The lights seemed almost like an amusement park ride of sorts. Dodging and weaving in front of him, daring him to chase, to fight, to follow. Like streaking bright snowflakes or white fireflies dancing in the night.
"I've been studying this volume on Noirset demons," Giles called from the bench in the training room. "Quite enlightening, really."
"What'd you find? Ooof. Good one, Will," Spike asked as William caught him with a roundhouse to the gut. He fended the boy off a moment, then spun in time to block Emma's right hook.
"Do you really need to fight both at once while we research?" Giles sighed. "Can't they fight each other? Where's Buffy?"
"Yes. No. And had to go to the school. Parent/Teacher conferences," Spike answered, turning back to Will and parrying a left jab, right hook and straight kick in rapid-fire succession.
"Didn't want you to threaten to rip Ms. Green's throat out again?" Emma chided as she let loose a barrage of fists against him. He let her make contact on a few. She may not have had her mum's power, but her speed and balance were nearly impeccable.
"Never did that," Spike said sheepishly. "More push behind your left."
"What did you say?" William asked.
"Told her she didn't know the difference between Shakespeare and Poe and the thought that she was allowed to actually try and teach anyone literature was a travesty," Spike responded, grabbing William's ankle with one hand and blocking a right hook to the jaw from Emma with the other.
"Dad, I'm only in eighth grade," William answered. "Not supposed to be all-knowing literature geek like you."
Emma chuckled, backing away. "That's it, you've met your end now," Spike snarled, going at a mocking full force after his son. Giles sat, shaking his head and watching the two fight. William was nowhere near as strong as his parents, but he was turning into the best fully human fighter the Watcher had seen. Not to mention that, despite his father's disdain for the American school system, William was turning out to be near brilliant as well. Little bobbles with math, but nearly every other subject was a breeze for the boy.
They ended in a heap on the floor. A tangle of black jeans and razor cheekbones and flashing blue eyes. William was laughing. Spike was trying not to. Worked well, really. Considering the kinds of things these two particular children had grown up seeing, it was a wonder that they were as happy as they were.
"Can we get back to the Noirset demon anytime soon?" Giles asked as Spike stood, pulling his son back to his feet.
"Right," Spike continued. "What've you got?"
"They're shadow demons," Giles began.
"But we've found *scores* of shadow demons..." Will interrupted.
"None are like the ones in Will's nightmare," Emma continued.
"Let the old man finish," Spike corrected, watching Giles look indignantly up at him.
"Why I help you," the Watcher mumbled. "The Noirset demon is an ancient creature. To be honest, some of the scrolls from the original prophesy of the One mention such a demon. That is what drew me back. That it may be connected to both you and Buffy and to Emma's fate."
Spike sat down next to Giles on the bench, looking down at the text. "Alright, got my attention."
Giles sighed. "I'm ever so grateful," the Watcher snarked. Will and Emma stretched out on the mats, listening. "Based on the information William gave me, and on his own research, Anya and I went back through some of the more ancient texts.... Did you know she can read Babylonian? Only person I know other than you..."
"Know you love her brainy ways, Watcher," Spike snarked. "Back to the story."
"Right," Giles continued, pulling off his glasses. He still wiped them every time he was knocked off balance. "Well, they are actually not demons at all, per se. They are manifestations of darkness. Spirits of hell themselves."
"Not sure I follow," Emma said, looking up at him with her pretty summer sky eyes.
"It's like they aren't creatures *from* Hell," Will said, piecing it together in his mind," But hell itself?"
"Exactly," Giles answered, smiling at the boy. Only his own child was dearer to him than these two, and his pride in their accomplishments made him beam like a grandfather.
"So, you're saying, based on Will's nightmares, we're to be fighting Hell itself?" Spike asked, his head tilting, questioning the man.
Giles nodded. "Basically, yes."
"Alright," Spike sighed. "So how do we go bout killing it?"
"There's the rub," Giles replied. "I haven't quite figured that out yet."
Spike was silent, wanting to snap at the Watcher for not having it sorted, but knowing they weren't doing any better on their own. Spike had no idea what these creatures were, and that bothered him as much as not knowing for sure that they were coming. "Will," he asked, looking at his son. "How much time do you say we have to suss this all out?"
Will looked at Emma, and then back at himself. Judging based on the bits he could remember. "A few years yet, I'd say. In the nightmare, I'm full- grown. Think Emma's out of school."
"We'll get there," Giles said softly, patting Spike's arm. "You should know by now that I won't just let you and Buffy face something you are doomed to fail."
Spike looked over at the Watcher, his eyes tired and somehow frightened. "Not me I'm worried bout, Mate. Gotta keep them safe," he said softly. "And Buffy."
"We'll be fine dad," William chimed in. "What can't we face if we're together?"
*****
Every once in a while, the lights were still aggravating, although he'd come to see them as comfort. A chance to change it all. Still, they were dizzying and somewhat annoying when they wanted to be.
William wrapped the towel around his waist and headed into the locker room. It had been a good day. A on his English Literature test. Was pretty easy when your father was a walking Cliff Note. That and making the Varsity Soccer team at fifteen. He was the only freshman and was quite proud of it.
As he rounded the corner, he heard them. The football players. Especially that annoying bloke who threw the ball through the air and spent the rest of the time lying on the ground writhing in pain. Wuss.
"You have *got* to be kidding man," the little quarterback said. "The Windsor girl? Damn fine piece of.." The football player was distracted by William opening his locker door. "Hey, aren't you the kid who made Varsity today?"
"Yeah," Will answered, never looking back at the boy as he pulled jeans from his gym bag.
"Too bad it's in that pussy sport," the quarterback chimed. "Still, pretty good. Anyway," he continued, turning back towards his little group of wankers, "The chick is *fine*. I was thinking of asking her to Homecoming. I hear she puts out, man, and her parents are freaky superheroes or something, so I bet she has some powers of her own, if you know what I mean."
Will could feel his blood boil in his veins as the Quarterback spoke. Slowly, he turned, facing the boy. This piece of trash is the one that Emma had been talking about. The popular boy. The one who's name she wrote over and over in her notebook in study hall. Stupid girl. When she gonna learn that it's not the popular ones that'll treat her right. "Who are we talking about?"
The quarterback eyed him with amusement. "Completely out of your league, freshman," the wanker called back. "But if you want to go lube the can with her, Emma Windsor."
Will shuddered at the disgusting thought. "Cheerleader?" Will asked, stepping towards the player. "Bout this tall. Blonde. Blue eyes?" He questioned, coming ever closer to the larger, but somehow weaker football player.
"That's her. See you've already had your little underdeveloped imagination..."
"Nothing bout me is underdeveloped," Will snapped, grabbing the boy's throat and slamming him back into the lockers. The rest of the group stepped back, watching. "And *she* is my bloody sister."
The quarterback looked terrified, staring at the wild blue eyes and feeling the grip of a man twice William's age and twice William's size around his neck. "Look, man... I didn't know.."
"Shoulda thought a that before you mouthed off," William snarled, banging the boy'ss head back into the lockers. "She's a person, mate. Not some trivial piece of meat."
"Not what I hear," the now angry football player snarled.
Will's grip around the boy's neck tightened and he lifted him off the ground, pushing him hard into the lockers. "Listen to me," William began calmly. "You go near my sister, you say another *word* bout her, you say another *word* to her, and I'll let the entire school know that you're hung like a chipmunk."
The football players behind them snickered. Will smiled at the quarterback. "Not to mention, not one satisfied lady in this school has visited your bed. So, before you start destroying the reputations of those round you, might want to think of what I can do to yours. Not to mention your face."
With that, William banged the boy's head into the lockers one last time and dropped him. They all stared at the barefoot, shirtless boy in front of them with a sort of frightened curiosity. "Got something to add?" William asked, looking at the other boys.
"No, dude. I think your sister's nice," one of them said as the quarterback took off out the door.
"Good," Will answered. "Guess we have an understanding."
"You've got nuts, Windsor," one of the older Soccer players announced as he watched the scene from the corner of the room. William spun, adrenaline still coursing through his veins. "Welcome to the team."
To be contd.
Well, here is the last of the William flash forward chapters. Well, sort of. It was so monstrous, I divided it into two. Chapters eighteen and twenty.
Good news, this is an angst feel installment. I can feel the rejoicing already! No chocolate or kleenex needed, so please just enjoy as entertainment alone. Just a look into another possible path of William's future.
The next chapter will be out on Monday. I do hope you will tell me how you feel about this one:)
Thanks and happy weekend to you all.
*Cheery Vibes*, Nimue
"As sick as it sounds, in my little head, there's a little Sunnydale, and a widdle Buffy, and a widdle Spike, and Spike wubs Buffy." James Marsters 14 July 2002
Title: The Hero - Part One (Time - Chapter Eighteen)
Author: Nimue
Rating: PG -13
Pairing Buffy/Spike. Most major characters included.
Feedback: Yes, please
For instant notification of fic releases, straight to your mailbox, please visit Always_Everyday@yahoogroups.com
Disclaimer: All characters belong to Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, UPN, Fox... Just Borrowing. (with, of course, the exception of Emma and William, who belong to Buffy and Spike)
Summary: Set immediately following Promises. This is the last of the William flash forward chapters and had to be divided into two parts (the parts are slightly smaller than usual, but the whole would have been gigantic). William follows yet another path into the future. But where does this one lead? And is there anything he can do to change their destiny?
The Hero
They were pretty this time. Sparkly and new and fluttering happily about him. The lights almost illuminated the way. Not quite. He was still falling. But this time, he could almost make out where he was going. And this time the landing wasn't quite as bad.
"Will, you OK?" Her sweet, musical voice. He opened his eyes and looked up at her from his spot on the floor. Underneath of him were pillows. She smiled.
"Butt hurts," William responded, caught in the way only a four year old can be, between crying and laughing hysterically.
Emma walked over to him, scooping him off the pillow on the floor and sitting him on the bed. "See? Big sisters are smart sometimes. You *always* fall out of bed, goofy."
William looked at her, grateful and embarrassed at the same time. His eyes were bright, but there was always that fear behind them. That feeling of knowing something that you didn't want to know. Slowly, he crawled over to her and climbed into her lap.
"Have another nightmare, Will?" Emma asked, cradling him against her like their mother did when he was scared. She could feel him nod into his chest.
"Mommy and Daddy," Will whispered. "The dark takes us. We die."
Emma looked down at him, part of her wanting to run for the hills, part of her wanting to laugh, part of her so terrified that he was right, she couldn't move. Something about this one nightmare, the one he had all the time, rang a warning in her little mind. Like maybe they ought to listen. Weirder things had happened than someone's bad dream coming true. Even her little brother's.
"Did you tell Mum and Dad about your nightmare, Will?" Emma asked, stroking his hair. He shook his head, looking up at her with wide and innocent eyes. Tears stood fast behind them, held off only by the arms around him. "I think you should."
"I don't want them to go," Will said softly. "Not ever. Not you either, Emmy."
Emma pulled him closer, standing. "Well, then maybe we should do something about it. We'll fight the nightmares like they fight the demons."
"With swords?" Will asked, a big grin spreading across his face as she carried him through the door.
Emma giggled. "Very tiny William-sized swords, " she answered. "I can't even pick up mum's and I'm like fifty times your size." She began down the stairs.
His expression contorted into the best scowl that such a nearly angelic little round face could make. "Not long, Emmy. I'll be bigger than you."
"In your dreams, pipsqueak," she joked back, making him even more indignant. He kicked his feet, catching her in the bottom. "Ow"
"I kick like dad," William stated proudly.
"Heard that," Spike called from the dining room. Emma made her way down the stairs and turned towards the voice.
"He kicked me," Emma tattled.
"You can hold your own," Spike answered, smiling at them. He was hunched over a table full of books, looking for yet another demon that had made it's way into their den. "So," he breathed, sitting back in the chair. "To what do I owe this pleasure?"
Emma walked over, sitting next to her dad and handing her brother over as if he had suddenly grown horns. "Will," she began, "Is having nightmares."
"What kind of nightmares?" Buffy asked from the doorway. She had followed the sound of gentle arguing down the stairs.
Spike pulled William up onto the table, sitting him on the books so that they were face to face. "So, what do we have? Fyarl demons? Slimy toad monsters? Giant Bunnies?" Spike asked the little boy.
"Shadows," William responded quietly, looking down at his feet. Buffy scooted Emma out of the chair next to Spike and sat down, pulling the girl back into her lap.
Spike quirked an eyebrow. "Shadows. They make us die," William continued.
Buffy reached out to stroke the boy's arm. "Will, we're not going to die. At least not soon. We hope..."
Spike shot her a sidelong glance warning her she wasn't helping and her mouth snapped shut. "Will, we all die someday, but no time soon, alright? Know it looks bad some nights. Most little boys..." Emma kicked his shins. "And little girls...:
Emma sighed, "Big now, hello?"
"Most children," Spike corrected, "Don't see their mum and dad come in all hacked up and covered in nonsense. But we are all right. Been doing this since long before either of you."
"Not now," William corrected. "Late."
"Late?" Buffy asked. "You mean when we're older?"
William nodded at him mum. "When I'm big."
They were quiet a moment. Buffy could feel Spike mulling over the question in his head. Something we need to be looking into? Slayer dream inherited? Little boy's nightmare? This was the Hellmouth. This was them. This was a Vampire and a Slayer and their daughter the saviour of Peace. Not far fetched to think the boy might be onto something.
"Right then," Spike said. "What do they look like?"
"Dark. Big. Changes." Will answered.
"Do they look like people?" Buffy asked. She chuckled to herself. "Or like dad?"
Spike spun his head and smirked. "No," Will answered. "Just dark."
"Could you draw them for me?" Spike asked, toying with the little boy's shoe. He nodded. "Then why don't you make me and your mum a picture? Then we can suss out what we need to do to make them go away." He stood the boy on the floor. "Emma?"
"Got it," she whined, grabbing William's hand and leading him back up the stairs.
"What are you thinking?" Buffy asked, climbing out of her chair and sliding into Spike's lap. He cradled her gently against him, burying his face in her hair.
"Dunno, Pet," Spike responded, picking up her hand and letting his fingers wind through hers.
"Feel like we need to listen. I mean, how did it feel like when we were kids... OK, or when we weren't adults.. mature adults.. and..."
"Point, being?" Spike prodded, smiling.
"If no one had listened to us when we said that all this stuff that happens here was real?" Buffy blurted, looking up at his endless blue eyes.
Spike was silent, feeling her all around him. She was right. He just didn't like to give up that easily. "I can understand why they thought you were sack of hammers. Me, on the other hand..."
Buffy smacked him playfully with her free hand. "*So* getting you back," she whined.
"Like to see you try," Spike teased. "But, before this degenerates into teenage banter fest.."
"Followed closely by teenage hormonal sex having?" Buffy asked, raising her eyebrows.
*That* made him suddenly agreeable, she thought as he picked her up. "You are completely right about listening to Will. Was bout to say that myself before you beat me to it."
She shook her head, smiling as he walked. "Where we going?"
"Didn't you say we had some laundry to do, Pet?" He winked, sweeping her down the stairs into the basement.
*****
The lights seemed almost like an amusement park ride of sorts. Dodging and weaving in front of him, daring him to chase, to fight, to follow. Like streaking bright snowflakes or white fireflies dancing in the night.
"I've been studying this volume on Noirset demons," Giles called from the bench in the training room. "Quite enlightening, really."
"What'd you find? Ooof. Good one, Will," Spike asked as William caught him with a roundhouse to the gut. He fended the boy off a moment, then spun in time to block Emma's right hook.
"Do you really need to fight both at once while we research?" Giles sighed. "Can't they fight each other? Where's Buffy?"
"Yes. No. And had to go to the school. Parent/Teacher conferences," Spike answered, turning back to Will and parrying a left jab, right hook and straight kick in rapid-fire succession.
"Didn't want you to threaten to rip Ms. Green's throat out again?" Emma chided as she let loose a barrage of fists against him. He let her make contact on a few. She may not have had her mum's power, but her speed and balance were nearly impeccable.
"Never did that," Spike said sheepishly. "More push behind your left."
"What did you say?" William asked.
"Told her she didn't know the difference between Shakespeare and Poe and the thought that she was allowed to actually try and teach anyone literature was a travesty," Spike responded, grabbing William's ankle with one hand and blocking a right hook to the jaw from Emma with the other.
"Dad, I'm only in eighth grade," William answered. "Not supposed to be all-knowing literature geek like you."
Emma chuckled, backing away. "That's it, you've met your end now," Spike snarled, going at a mocking full force after his son. Giles sat, shaking his head and watching the two fight. William was nowhere near as strong as his parents, but he was turning into the best fully human fighter the Watcher had seen. Not to mention that, despite his father's disdain for the American school system, William was turning out to be near brilliant as well. Little bobbles with math, but nearly every other subject was a breeze for the boy.
They ended in a heap on the floor. A tangle of black jeans and razor cheekbones and flashing blue eyes. William was laughing. Spike was trying not to. Worked well, really. Considering the kinds of things these two particular children had grown up seeing, it was a wonder that they were as happy as they were.
"Can we get back to the Noirset demon anytime soon?" Giles asked as Spike stood, pulling his son back to his feet.
"Right," Spike continued. "What've you got?"
"They're shadow demons," Giles began.
"But we've found *scores* of shadow demons..." Will interrupted.
"None are like the ones in Will's nightmare," Emma continued.
"Let the old man finish," Spike corrected, watching Giles look indignantly up at him.
"Why I help you," the Watcher mumbled. "The Noirset demon is an ancient creature. To be honest, some of the scrolls from the original prophesy of the One mention such a demon. That is what drew me back. That it may be connected to both you and Buffy and to Emma's fate."
Spike sat down next to Giles on the bench, looking down at the text. "Alright, got my attention."
Giles sighed. "I'm ever so grateful," the Watcher snarked. Will and Emma stretched out on the mats, listening. "Based on the information William gave me, and on his own research, Anya and I went back through some of the more ancient texts.... Did you know she can read Babylonian? Only person I know other than you..."
"Know you love her brainy ways, Watcher," Spike snarked. "Back to the story."
"Right," Giles continued, pulling off his glasses. He still wiped them every time he was knocked off balance. "Well, they are actually not demons at all, per se. They are manifestations of darkness. Spirits of hell themselves."
"Not sure I follow," Emma said, looking up at him with her pretty summer sky eyes.
"It's like they aren't creatures *from* Hell," Will said, piecing it together in his mind," But hell itself?"
"Exactly," Giles answered, smiling at the boy. Only his own child was dearer to him than these two, and his pride in their accomplishments made him beam like a grandfather.
"So, you're saying, based on Will's nightmares, we're to be fighting Hell itself?" Spike asked, his head tilting, questioning the man.
Giles nodded. "Basically, yes."
"Alright," Spike sighed. "So how do we go bout killing it?"
"There's the rub," Giles replied. "I haven't quite figured that out yet."
Spike was silent, wanting to snap at the Watcher for not having it sorted, but knowing they weren't doing any better on their own. Spike had no idea what these creatures were, and that bothered him as much as not knowing for sure that they were coming. "Will," he asked, looking at his son. "How much time do you say we have to suss this all out?"
Will looked at Emma, and then back at himself. Judging based on the bits he could remember. "A few years yet, I'd say. In the nightmare, I'm full- grown. Think Emma's out of school."
"We'll get there," Giles said softly, patting Spike's arm. "You should know by now that I won't just let you and Buffy face something you are doomed to fail."
Spike looked over at the Watcher, his eyes tired and somehow frightened. "Not me I'm worried bout, Mate. Gotta keep them safe," he said softly. "And Buffy."
"We'll be fine dad," William chimed in. "What can't we face if we're together?"
*****
Every once in a while, the lights were still aggravating, although he'd come to see them as comfort. A chance to change it all. Still, they were dizzying and somewhat annoying when they wanted to be.
William wrapped the towel around his waist and headed into the locker room. It had been a good day. A on his English Literature test. Was pretty easy when your father was a walking Cliff Note. That and making the Varsity Soccer team at fifteen. He was the only freshman and was quite proud of it.
As he rounded the corner, he heard them. The football players. Especially that annoying bloke who threw the ball through the air and spent the rest of the time lying on the ground writhing in pain. Wuss.
"You have *got* to be kidding man," the little quarterback said. "The Windsor girl? Damn fine piece of.." The football player was distracted by William opening his locker door. "Hey, aren't you the kid who made Varsity today?"
"Yeah," Will answered, never looking back at the boy as he pulled jeans from his gym bag.
"Too bad it's in that pussy sport," the quarterback chimed. "Still, pretty good. Anyway," he continued, turning back towards his little group of wankers, "The chick is *fine*. I was thinking of asking her to Homecoming. I hear she puts out, man, and her parents are freaky superheroes or something, so I bet she has some powers of her own, if you know what I mean."
Will could feel his blood boil in his veins as the Quarterback spoke. Slowly, he turned, facing the boy. This piece of trash is the one that Emma had been talking about. The popular boy. The one who's name she wrote over and over in her notebook in study hall. Stupid girl. When she gonna learn that it's not the popular ones that'll treat her right. "Who are we talking about?"
The quarterback eyed him with amusement. "Completely out of your league, freshman," the wanker called back. "But if you want to go lube the can with her, Emma Windsor."
Will shuddered at the disgusting thought. "Cheerleader?" Will asked, stepping towards the player. "Bout this tall. Blonde. Blue eyes?" He questioned, coming ever closer to the larger, but somehow weaker football player.
"That's her. See you've already had your little underdeveloped imagination..."
"Nothing bout me is underdeveloped," Will snapped, grabbing the boy's throat and slamming him back into the lockers. The rest of the group stepped back, watching. "And *she* is my bloody sister."
The quarterback looked terrified, staring at the wild blue eyes and feeling the grip of a man twice William's age and twice William's size around his neck. "Look, man... I didn't know.."
"Shoulda thought a that before you mouthed off," William snarled, banging the boy'ss head back into the lockers. "She's a person, mate. Not some trivial piece of meat."
"Not what I hear," the now angry football player snarled.
Will's grip around the boy's neck tightened and he lifted him off the ground, pushing him hard into the lockers. "Listen to me," William began calmly. "You go near my sister, you say another *word* bout her, you say another *word* to her, and I'll let the entire school know that you're hung like a chipmunk."
The football players behind them snickered. Will smiled at the quarterback. "Not to mention, not one satisfied lady in this school has visited your bed. So, before you start destroying the reputations of those round you, might want to think of what I can do to yours. Not to mention your face."
With that, William banged the boy's head into the lockers one last time and dropped him. They all stared at the barefoot, shirtless boy in front of them with a sort of frightened curiosity. "Got something to add?" William asked, looking at the other boys.
"No, dude. I think your sister's nice," one of them said as the quarterback took off out the door.
"Good," Will answered. "Guess we have an understanding."
"You've got nuts, Windsor," one of the older Soccer players announced as he watched the scene from the corner of the room. William spun, adrenaline still coursing through his veins. "Welcome to the team."
To be contd.