E-mail: Cajun_chick411@yahoo.com or Cajun_chick411@netscape.com or Spikesluv666@netscape.net
Title: Twins of Peace Book Three: Time Hopping (working title)
Spoilers: all four HP books, Buffy up to the end of season six, and my two fanfics Twins of Peace books one and two
Category: General, Supernatural, Action/Adventure, and Romance
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer:
If I owned this stuff do you really think I'd be living here in NJ? Hell no! Los Angeles is calling my name…
Summary- Chapter Three: I suppose that you want to know what Spike and Adrian were talking about at the end of the last chapter. Now If I was an evil person, we'd be switching over to Piper right now, but I'm going to assume you don't want that…right? ::looks around happily as people shake their heads:: Good then. So here's the conclusion to my cliffy.
Authors Note: Sorry to make you wait so long for this chapter and the last one. I've just been soooooo tired, and that's really weird 'cause I don't do anything! Oh, also, a big thanx to all of my reviewers. You guys make me feel all special and stuff! I feel fluffy and soft inside, and because of this (and the fact that I have no life and WAY to much free time) there will fourth story, in which we shall become acquainted this generation's kids. I love reading about main characters kids so I figured I might as well do something with all that time when I'm not doing homework (don't worry, It's getting done the day it's assigned in study hall). You'll hear more about it towards the end of this story, all I know for sure now is that elements of Charmed might come into it. See ya! Pleeze r/r! Thanx!
Chapter Three:
When my step faltered slightly, Spike's hand kept me from falling. He grinned as my heartbeat skyrocketed, and felt as if it was on its way out of my chest. "You don't know anything about that."
"Dumbledore did, he told me and Red." His voice dropped, and he tried to reach out to me. I pulled away and headed for another room that turned out to be the kitchen. "That's where the James thing comes from, isn't it?"
"I guess," I said. I tried to ignore him, but I couldn't completely. As I looked through the large fridge for blood old memories jumped out. Memories I thought had been buried a long time ago. I hadn't thought about it in years. But suddenly I remembered the dark, and her voice. "She thought she was helping."
"Right, like my sister thought she was helping when she let the rats out the cellar and into the kitchen." Spike said sarcastically. "Red and I didn't get details though, so what was it? Did she lock you in a closet 'till it disappeared? I know she called you James when your demon came out, that's why you can't stand it now."
I found the blood and a toddler sipper cup. Ryan went into a highchair at the table and I stuck the blood in the microwave. The blond vampire stood watching as I went through everything in a methodical fashion. Everyone had always wondered why I was such a skittish kid. From about three to ten years old it'd been impossible for me to sit still for more than a minute. It was her fault. Completely her fault.
"Which one was it Adrian? Prudence or Constance. It couldn't have been Faithful. She was to young."
"Pru," I said softly. "And she didn't lock me in a closet, she put me under her bed. And when I was a demon she called me James. She said the human was Adrian and the demon was James. I managed to forget about it after awhile, 'cause I told my self there were no such things as demons and ghosts and stuff, but then…well we obviously found out otherwise."
Spike nodded giving me a strangely sympathetic look. "What about Piper?"
"She never shifted, only me." I said, ignoring Ryan who was having the time of his life spilling half the blood in his cup. His face had shifted back. "It hurt a lot; I wasn't getting blood. You know how that feels, like your veins are going to crack and your throats going to close. But when I was five the blood lust stopped, and I shifted for fun sometimes, to see into the dark closets or outside at night, but whenever Pru caught me she'd hide me again. I stopped around nine, but it took me awhile to get over it."
"Didn't you tell anyone?" He asked.
I glared and shook my head. "No! And you can't either, not even Piper or Dad. Knowing them they'd go back to New Jersey and start blowing out brains. If anyone comes up to me asking 'if I want to talk', rest assured I'll be coming after you."
"And Hermione? You saw her, all calculatin' like. She'll get it, or she'll drag it outa Wills."
"Does Buffy know all your secrets?"
Spike grinned. "See, that's the thing about the women we've surrounded ourselves with. They'll do anything to know everything about you. It either comes out during sex, you get knocked around for a few minutes until you tell, or," He looked at the kitchen door which we'd left open. "They eavesdrop shamelessly. C'mon out ducks."
"I do not eavesdrop shamelessly William, I just care about Adrian. I knew something was wrong, I just knew it! And Buffy said I should follow." Hermione said haughtily as she stepped from behind the wooden paneling. "And you two left Ryan alone, with blood! He…never mind. I'm sorry about listening in, but you both seemed so disturbed for no reason except Ryan shifted. At least now I know why. It was horrible what you went through."
"S'okay," I said after she finished. "It's only old memories that should've been buried a long time ago. They'll leave again soon enough."
When Hermione reached out to wrap her arms around me I let her, falling helplessly into her embrace. Spike, though I'd told him what he wanted to hear, still didn't look assuaged. After a minute his voice pierced through the air again. "That's not bloody it Adrian. You need to tell her the rest. All of it Damnit, she loves you."
"There's no more!" I lied, feeling my face shift in anger.
"The nightmares," Spike said calmly. "The ones almost as bad as Harry's. On a conscious level, yeah the memories were gone, but when you sleep the darkness, it clouds you. And you hear your sister's voice don't you? She calls you James. Sometimes it's her and Dru, but the difference is Dru was evil but Pru thought she was doing good. You try telling them that. Doesn't matter though, both chits are doin' the same bloody thing."
"Haven't had those in a awhile. Three months." It was the truth, and Spike knew it. "How do you even know?"
"Had bad ones, I did, after I got my soul. People talkin' to me, tellin' me I meant to be evil. Dru tells you that, doesn't she?" When I nodded in agreement Hermione gave a small muffled sob into my chest. I just stood still waiting for Spike to go on reiterating nightmares I'd once had, but he didn't. He gave a half smile and lifted Ryan with his stained shirt out of the highchair and headed to the door. "The nightmares may start again, but I don't think so. When we came back from being tortured by Dru, you had nightmares, but in the hospital 'Minoe'd sleep with you. It helped…stopped them. It'll work again." With that he left, assumedly back to the study with Buffy and Xander. I knew he wouldn't tell, but still, I worried. I hated that he knew everything, but with out a memory charm nothing could be done, and I wouldn't even try placing a memory charm on Spike
Hermione lifted her head from my chest. Her face was tear stained, and her eyes red, and when she spoke her voice light, but choked with emotion. "You saw Ryan and thought someone would try and do that to him. Lock him away somewhere every time he shifted, right? You have to remember who we keep company with; two werewolves, two vampires, a Wiccan, a true seer, an escaped -though innocent- convict. Within our friends in this time period there're a dozen half vampire and half werewolf children running around. No one's going to punish any of our kids for being something different."
"I know," I sighed. "But that's the thing, I wasn't punished. Pru was five when it started and she thought she was doing the right thing. That's what I'm afraid of."
"I swear I'll personally interview every nanny we ever hire; not that we're going to need one. Out of all of us someone always has to free to watch kids" She looked thoughtful for a moment. "And besides, we're in the future! We're not even supposed to be here yet. I'm sure come the time when we get married, that's a subtle hint Adrian, and decide to have kids we'll think everything through."
Hermione got a laugh out of me with her last comment. She took advantage of that, and slowly walked with me out of the kitchen.
*~*
Dear Oz,
Did you hear? Professor Dumbledore thinks he might have a way to bring them back! I hope so, this whole thing has been very depressing, and Ginny Weasley's been complaining that I've been too sad lately. Maybe the constant playing of Together Again wasn't such a good idea.
Do you know when you can come out of Hospital Wing? Madam Morela keeps telling me 'he'll come out, when he comes out.' I had second-degree burns and I was outa there faster than you. Ok, maybe your injuries were a tad more excessive, but still! I want to see you some where out side the white sterile-ness of the hospital wing, somewhere where we can kiss and talk about chocolate hamburgers without people looking at us weirdly.
Love you much,
Candra J.
P.S- I still think chocolate pasta would taste better
Dear Leandra,
Definite progress has been made, and with Severus' help, grudging though it was, we've developed a way to pull people out from the plains the vortex transported them too. We'll be able to get one out each day before the vortex tires and closes. Eleven People went through, meaning that it will take the same number of days to get them out. I have talked to Willow and Cordelia, and they both agree with me that it would probably be best to retrieve the children first, Pettigrew, and then the adults. I believe everything will be safer that way, do you agree? Adhara has agreed to close the portal permanently once all are safely back, and I truly hope she sticks to that bargain.
Sincerely,
Albus Dumbledore
*~*
Truth be told, I'd never even journeyed out of Europe before meeting Adrian and Piper. The thought had certainly crossed my mind more than once, but vacations always ended up in France, Switzerland, or something of the like. They're all beautiful places, and unique in their own way, but it was still Europe all the same. But within the last year I've been to Los Angeles, Floo stops in Orlando, Chicago, and Huston, and now I was walking for my first time in New York City. It wasn't 1996 New York, but I was grateful to see it anyway. I felt tense with worry though, and that took away from some of the excitement. Maybe I'd ask Adrian to bring me back one day.
The first thing I noticed was the rather convenient thick cloud covering over the entire city. I didn't attribute this to any sinister happenings, just natural causes or the Willow of this time being really nice. It was so cloudy that Spike was able to walk out with out becoming a thin crisp. I didn't fancy him much, but unlike Xander I didn't take pleasure in seeing him in pain. He cared about my friends and I, and that was enough for me.
"Honestly Xander, you're not all here today!" Anya said from behind Adrian and I as their daughter ran across the streets of New York into Central Park.
"That's not even the half of it." Xander muttered. He hurried to catch up with the sprite like girl. Adrian gripped Chloe's hand tighter as we watched him almost become Xander-pancake. Spike decided that Xander almost getting hit by a car was funny and laughed, earning an elbow in the ribs from Buffy.
My eyes darted around from place to place; I'd never seen anything like New York. "You ok?" Adrian asked me, when I started staring at the Chrysler Building. It was just so huge.
"Never been here." I whispered sheepishly. "Ever. I wanted to though. When I was little I thought it would be the coolest thing to skate on the Rockefeller Plaza Rink."
"It's never that exciting to me anymore." Adrian admitted as we walked though the park, discretely following Anya. She seemed to know where she was going. "We grew up in South Orange New Jersey. That's twenty-five minutes away on a good traffic day. We always had field trips here and stuff, it sorta lost it's magic after awhile. But I'd always wanted to go to the west coast, so I see where you're coming from."
"Of course I'd hoped to go in real life, or real time…whatever. But I'll take- oh no!" I was barely able to take a breath before what seemed like hundreds of children attacked us. In reality it was only twenty, give or take a few, but to me it was like a mob. All at once their voices, happy though they were, pierced through the air. Luckily they noticed the others as well and scattered out.
"Nieces, Nephews, and cousins I presume." Adrian muttered in my ear. At the same time he managed to bend down and hug one little boy who's blond hair and gray eyes reminded me of Draco. "Hello…Remy." He said to the boy. In response Remy grinned and nodded, dragging Adrian off.
After greeting who I thought were Fred and Gunn's children, I walked leisurely with Buffy. She'd left Xander and Spike to their own devices and didn't seemed yet inclined to go over to the others our age. I wasn't either, I decided as I shifted Ryan's weight in my arms. I wouldn't be until I knew for sure what time they were from
"What's the matter?" The older woman asked. we stopped under a large willow, and sat down on the shaded grass. I knew my emotions had escaped to my face. "If it's our slight predicament, trust me, we've been in worse situations than this."
"It's not being here." I said. "In fact, here is nice, well home is nicer, but here is my dream. It's what I want. Adrian, kids, a good life. No, my problem rest souly in Adrian."
Buffy looked up, suddenly perceptive. "I noticed something after he left the study yesterday. He got darker."
"What?"
"Well my slayer sense sort of went off. I can always sense Adrian, he's got…power, pure vampiric power, he really doesn't know how much. He keeps it latent, I've always felt it in small doses, but yesterday it was like he opened the dams. He was really upset wasn't he? I could feel it, probably half the vamps in LA could."
"He was upset, and I'd tell you why if I could, but he doesn't want anyone to know. He didn't want me to know." I thought about what she'd said. "T-That power Adrian has, is it bad for him?"
"Let me put it this way Hermione, he could be the next Apocalyptic Big Bad if he wanted to, but he doesn't. That's what's important. Humanity has him, and even if it didn't, Spike proved to me that a soul isn't necessary to fall in love with someone." Buffy gave me a small smile. "And I do know what's bothering Adrian. Dumbledore didn't only tell Spike and Willow. Sirius, Angel, and I know as well. It was a precaution, just incase."
"Incase the nightmares came?" I said softly. "He had them last night, just like Spike said. He talked to Pru and Drusilla, about stars and flower petals. Then in the morning he didn't want to talk about it."
Buffy sighed. "The never want to. It's all, put on a show of male poweress. No matter if they're crying inside. Even the best of them are like that."
"I've noticed. I've been with Harry and Ron for the past six years remember? Ron could probably beat Angel in brooding sometimes."
"No, Angel will always be number one in brooding. He's had two hundred years to hone the skill, and believe me, it's perfect." She shook her head with a laugh. "Y'know, I haven't done this in a while?"
"Done what?" I asked.
"Girl talk." Buffy shrugged. "Not even with Willow, we used to have some good ones back in high school. On patrol sitting in graveyards and stuff. I think the best one was when she told me 'love makes you do the wacky'. Sometimes I miss high school...err, in a metaphorical sense."
I nodded. "Bad experiences?"
"There was a demon ascension on graduation day, the principal had it in for me, most kids thought I was a total spaz, and I had to do homework, and slay. But it was the first place I had real friends, Xander, Willow, and even Cordy." Buffy reached over to take Ryan from my arms, giving them a break. "We were talking about you though."
"No! That's ok!" Talking about myself and Adrian could only lead to drama, and besides, there was a lot I wanted to know about Sunnydale. Especially one thing…"How did you and Spike meet?"
Buffy gave me a full smile, and her eyes completely lit up. "He drove into Sunnydale with his ho-biscuit Drusilla, who as you know, was completely insane…" It was a long history of love, hate, and sex. Buffy told me everything that ever had to do with her and Spike, and had me crying at the parts with Glory, but laughing at the point where her mother had threatened Spike with an axe. Then there was Harmony- I hadn't known that he could sink that low. From Buffy's description she'd hopped straight out the muggle movie Clueless. Of course lower than Harmony was the Buffy-bot, but I promised myself I would just push that one out of my mind.
"…Then Willow came through my fireplace and told me that Spike and his nephew and niece were in trouble. Honestly, I didn't even register it all at first. I was trying to figure out the whole 'Willow just stepped out of my fireplace and she's supposed to be in England' thing. Finally she got it through to me that Spike was with the ho-biscuit, and he needed my help. I'd been missing him so much, so I didn't even think about it. I left a note to Dawn and went through the fireplace with Willow, never mind I was eight months pregnant. I had to save him. I didn't realize how much he meant to me until I couldn't have him anymore, and I hate that." She looked skyward, and heaved a long sigh. "Don't let anything break you and Adrian apart Hermione. Even if he does somehow loose his soul , keep loving him. The soul doesn't mean anything, sure it might change him a little, but inside he's still Adrian. Remember that alright?"
"The soul doesn't matter." I repeated sincerely. "I know that, and no matter what I'll always love him. "
Those words seemed to have some kind of magic in them. Ten feet away from us the familiar blue vortex appeared; the opening slowly expanding. Buffy and I stood slowly. I took Ryan out of her arms and she crouched in a low fighting position.
Something gray and mist like shot out of the portal engulfing my senses, and then everything was black.
*~*