Some Kind of Wonderful:12
A/N: Hi all. So here, we are final chapter. Wanted to say that I took some things out of the 2nd season ep Dark Age. Dialogue that is. Um....not much to say except that I put most of my thanks and acknowledgements down at the bottom. Enjoy. Skyz.
Disclaimer: Nothing new we all know Joss Whedon owns Btvs.
~*~*~
Chapter 12:
The brief flashes of disjointed memories ran like a never-ending filmstrip behind Joyce Summers closed eyes.
One after the other until they all began to run together and she couldn't discern truth from illusions.
One thing remained clear though.
She loved her daughter Elizabeth Anne Summers. She was her reason for being and nothing would ever change that.
She would always love Buffy.
~*~*~
Giles had never been delusional with himself. Never consciously lied to himself either.
He prided himself on his ability to get past the bull and get to the point in regards to himself any way.
He knew what he was about.
He was a Watcher.
With a Slayer.
A Slayer he now saw as a surrogate daughter.
He had always esteemed to be a man who people could respect and hold in the highest regards.
Wanted people to look at him as he walked by and say oh, there is Rupert Giles, he's the Watcher of that Slayer---I hear she's the best in good part due to Rupert or some such nonsense.
He conveniently forgot about his wayward past as the notorious Ripper and had never planned to rehash that out. Never wanted his Slayer to know about it.
Now...
Once he would have said nothing would mean more than for his work with his Slayer and as a member of the Council to live on and leave an ever lasting legacy for future Watchers and their own Slayers' to use as an example.
Now he had no such thoughts. Now he had only one. Knew only one thing that really mattered. That in the end he would do anything for.
Anything.
For his Slayer.
Even condemn himself to the afore mentioned Ripper in order to protect her and those she loved.
~*~*~
Xander had never aspired to be more than he was.
The son of two drunks, with a father who was used to giving him pain instead of love. He knew what he was.
He was the weird Harris kid who had no fashion sense, as Cordelia was so fond of pointing out. He was borderline geekish and that had never bothered him too much because he had always had Willow to stand beside him through thick and thin.
She had been his anchor to this harsh and now deadly world for more years than he could remember.
He had once thought he would never amount to much. That he had very little to offer the world much less to himself. Guess he'd absorbed one too many degrading and humiliating comment from his parents.
Now though...
Now he was optimistic for himself.
Well....not too high.
However, high enough so that he could glimpse a better future.
Where before he had never paused long enough to think of a future.
Before he had never thought he'd be a part of such a grand thing.
Saving the world!
Him the Zeppo.
Just a regular boy with no skills at all.
But he had helped in saving the world and now he knew...
Knew he could and would be a man who could stand tall and proud and lift his head high when he walked down the halls.
It wouldn't matter what other's thought of him, what Cordelia thought....
He was officially a man.
And he owed it all to Buffy.
The Slayer.
One of his best friends.
His second anchor to the world he now hoped he would live in for a very long time.
~*~*~
You could see it, just barely. Lurking underneath the skin.
Confidence...
Sort of.
Kinda.
Okay not quite.
But getting there.
Willow Rosenberg had never been known for her social skills, her buoyant exuberance for life. She lived it and in her small world, which had mainly consisted of school, her huge crush on her bestfriend Xander, and being the smartest person she could be she had no time for loving life.
She had never wanted people to notice her and yet she had. She had wanted to be looked at and seen and maybe loved by...Xander.
Her confidence and self-esteem had been at an all time low, she knew now that what she had been before was a person she never wanted to be again.
Never wanted to be the wallflower, never voicing her opinions. To self-conscious, to get what she wanted.
Oz had of course helped in this process that he could look at her and see the Willow inside and what she aspired to one day be. A woman confident with herself and her actions.
But the main thing that made this whole process begin and start her on her slow path to being a better, happier, confident Willow had been Buffy.
Meeting her had changed her life and she would be forever grateful.
She was her bestfriend.
The Slayer.
Buffy.
~*~*~
Things had been hectic.
Moving all the dead bodies out of the library had been hell, going to the hospital to get every one looked at had been awful. They asked questions in which they had no answers.
But that was Sunnydale for you.
Now they were all back at the Summers house where Giles...new and weird Giles had insisted on having a recap session while waiting for Joyce to arrive.
So there they sat.
Tired and bruised but alive.
"...and it was huge Buffy! I'm talking Godzilla type huge," Xander was saying.
Oz glanced at him a slight frown appearing.
"What do you mean? You mean just the doll towering over those tiny paper buildings they use to make us believe he's huge? Or when the camera moves out to get a wide shot?" he asked curiously.
Xander stared at him incredulously.
"What? I uh...geez I just meant it was... you know huge. You had to be there Buffy," Xander said glancing at her only to find her gazing at Giles with an unreadable look on her face.
He swallowed and glanced around the room.
At Willow and Oz.
Wolfe had left shortly after stopping off at the hospital on Buffy's insistence letting his burns and various other wounds be looked over. He had skipped out on them saying he was going to look for Spike.
That had been an hour ago.
A sudden and uncomfortable silence fell as all eyes studiously avoided looking directly at Giles or Buffy.
All who had been there to see Giles's transformation into what he currently was were very unnerved and uncomfortable by it. They had no words.
Oz looked at the ceiling his fingers tangled with Willow's his thoughts a million miles away.
Willow studied her inter locked fingers and wondered on how lucky she was that Oz had made it out of there alive and he hadn't been killed. She could only imagine what Buffy was feeling.
"So...what's with the new look? Not that I don't like it, but really it's kinda creepy. What with the black eyes and electricity coming off you. Makes for an interesting picture," Buffy finally asked eyeing Giles.
Giles studiously avoided looking any of them in the eyes as he shifted in his chair and tightly gripped his hands together.
"I was twenty-one, studying history at Oxford. And, of course, the occult by night. I hated it. The tedious grind of study, the........ overwhelming pressure of my destiny. I dropped out, I went to London... I fell in with the worst crowd that would have me. We practiced magic's. Small stuff for pleasure or gain. And Ethan and I discovered something......... bigger," he began.
"Occult?" Buffy echoed.
"Oxford? You went to Oxford?" Willow asked at the same time.
He got up and began to pace nervously running an agitated hand through his hair as he went.
"I never wanted to be a Watcher you see. I aspired to what I always had thought was better. To be a fighter pilot or...uh a grocer," he mumbled.
"A grocer," Oz mouthed to himself.
"Of like food and stuff?" Xander asked.
Looking slightly sheepish, he speared a glance for Xander before he realized he was supposed to be repentant.
"Yes. Well as you see, I am neither. My father and grandmother were Watchers' and it was only expected that I become one too. I was a rebellious fool and fell in with the wrong crowd after I left Oxford."
Buffy looked slightly puzzled as she pondered what he'd just admitted.
She'd known, sure that Giles had a past but it was hard to tell what with all the tweed and stuffy British qualities that had become so familiar to them all.
Having that firmly established fixture broken was a shock.
To see him as more than a Watcher, as a person....was a shock.
"You said you got into something bigger?" she prodded, as it looked as if Giles had finished talking all together.
Giles nodded.
"By bigger I mean we-a group of us began to dabble in raising demons. We raised one demon by the name of Eyghon also known as the Sleepwalker. It inhabited dead or unconscious bodies as it had no set form and had to merge with a body in order to function properly. We used to knock one another out before we summoned it. It was quite a rush. We were young...foolish and stupid. However....in those days that was what I was, young and stupid. When it was all said and done one of our mates was taken over by the Eyghon and we tried to exorcise the demon but it ended up killin-we ended up killing him and I was soon on my way to being the stodgy Giles you all know and...love."
"So if you gave it up why are you...like this?" Willow asked gesturing to him and looking at him with sympathetic yet wary eyes.
"Oh," Xander exclaimed as he raised his hand excitedly. "He has a tattoo and it lit up when he said these weird words! And then he threw like...a ball of fire at the wall and it went into it and-"
"Yes," Giles interrupted. "I have the tattoo of Eyghon on me and it has a direct link to my more...colorful magical powers. Mainly black magic and I re-activated it tonight in order to save all of you and the rest of the world. I did what I had to."
Silence fell and Giles finally returned to his seat, crossing his arms over his chest and going inward.
He knew that their opinions should not mean so much that he didn't need their approval. That he was an adult and had in the end made the right choice.
However, it did matter.
He did not want them to ever look at him the way they had today. Scared and terrified at what he had become. He was determined not to let the Ripper side of him rule and do damage he was afraid he would never be able to repair.
He wanted their respect and desperately hoped this had changed nothing in that respect.
"So...you're like a wizard?" Xander asked breaking the silence.
"Warlock," Willow jumped in. "You're a warlock! This is so cool....could you teach me how to do more spells?"
"It's cool man," Oz stated. "So you were a warlock, your bad days are behind you right? No more raising demons and killing friends?"
Giles lifted his head and smiled slightly.
"Yes my bad days are gone. I am a responsible adult and there will be no more killings of my mates."
His eyes sought out his Slayer who was gazing at the ground a thoughtful look on her face.
"You mentioned this demon Ey....whatever. When you...when your friend died did, you get rid of the demon or what? I mean you deactivated your tattoo for a reason. It won't come looking for you will it?" she finally spoke up never lifting her face.
Giles felt the sting of disappointment that she had not even bothered to look at him that she seemed to have taken this badly.
"Yes. We vanquished Eyghon but...I bound most of my powers to this tattoo and when I reactivated it I essentially became the Ripper again."
"Ripper," Willow asked curiously.
"So..." Giles began but trailed off uncertainly staring at his Slayer's bowed head.
"So you were wild and wicked in your youth. Did a lot of mojo that got one of your friends killed and were called Ripper. That is just...wow. And you knowingly reactivated your tattoo in order to help all of us knowing all of that."
Everyone was staring at Buffy as she spoke, uncertain of where she was going with this.
"Yes," Giles muttered.
"Thank you," Buffy whispered as she lifted her head and met his eyes, smiled.
Giles blinked and dropped his eyes as they began to sting with tears, he clenched his jaw and cleared his throat enough to choke out," You're welcome."
"Whew! For a minute that I thought you'd go all Slayer on us," Xander exclaimed as he jumped to his feet.
"Nope not I," Buffy quipped. "Just coming to terms with the fact Giles wasn't born in tweed, never sat in class mad that there weren't more math classes. I'm good. Giles how are you? I know this must be a-"
A pounding on the door had everyone turning and staring at it in apprehension.
Abruptly Xander moved to open it.
Stepped aside as Wolfe raced through Joyce in his arms.
His eyes searched and met Giles's eyes and he jerked his head to follow him as he raced up the stairs.
Giles followed.
"What was that about?" Willow asked looking around.
Buffy ignored her as she bounded up the stairs after Giles.
"Should we go up?" Xander asked hesitantly.
"We should give them some time alone," Oz, answered.
They were silent a minute.
"Can you picture Giles as a grocer?" Willow suddenly asked dissolving into a fit of giggles.
The other two soon followed.
~*~*~
Wolfe settled Joyce on her bed and settled down next to her as she began to struggle and winced when her fangs scrapped his singed neck.
"What-Joyce love are you alright?" Giles demanded as he rushed into the bedroom eyes wide and worried.
"Giles I need you and Willow to do a spell. I need you to get the Orb of The-"
Joyce's wild scream echoed and caused Wolfe to break off as she began to buck and scream wildly.
Buffy stood frozen in the doorway.
Giles looked from Buffy to Joyce and back again. Finally settled on Joyce, his eyes narrowed dangerously.
"My God, who did this to her?!" he yelled.
Wolfe's eyes sought out his mother's ignoring Giles for now.
"Mom," he began.
Buffy blinked her eyes filling with tears that she would not shed.
Her body trembled and her heart beat painfully in her chest as she stared into the yellow eyes of her mother.
Saw her distorted demon visage.
Felt the last tiny piece of her heart break.
Shatter.
She opened her mouth to speak.
No words came.
She took a stumbling step backwards horror washing over her.
"M...M...Mommy," she gasped out as she lifted shaking hands to cover her mouth.
All she got was a crazed growl instead.
She turned and ran.
~*~*~
"...you like plastic or paper ma'am," Xander snickered.
"Can I help you load your bags? No we don't have any-" Willow was saying as they heard the screams and as one they grabbed weapons and hurried up the stairs only to halt as Buffy brushed past them ignoring their worried questions.
They piled into the doorway and stared in shock and horror at the scene that met their eyes.
"Giles...she needs to be sedated, some kind of sleeping spell-Now! Willow I need you to get the ingredients for a permanent soul. You and Oz will do that. Xander I need you to go to the Butcher's and get some blood," Wolfe ordered.
Giles quickly cast a sleeping spell over Joyce and she fell into a deep sleep.
Wolfe rolled out of bed and hurried out of the room confident his orders would be carried out.
He paused in the kitchen's doorway looking pensively at the back door that led to the back porch.
Gathering his fleeting courage, he straightened his shoulders and quickly opened the door ready to step out and offer his comfort.
Buffy lifted her hand, her back to him, her head bowed.
"Mom..."
She shook her head.
"Please," she whispered.
Wolfe hesitated, and then nodded abruptly.
"I'll be inside. We're giving her a permanent soul," he softly said as he turned and headed back into the house closing the door behind him.
Leaving her alone.
~*~*~
She had known of course that being the Slayer was a dangerous job and that at some point or another people close to her would get hurt.
A Slayer with ties to the world was it seemed an unheard of thing.
Now she knew why.
She was like a plague that was slowly spreading throughout her relationships and causing everyone pain.
Her mom...
Angel.
Wolfe.
Spike.
Her friends would be next she knew.
Breathing deeply she resisted the urge to cry.
She couldn't.
Not yet.
Her mother was a demon.
A vampire.
Something she was sworn to kill.
A vampire.
A vampire.
A vampire.
A vampire.
A vampire.
A vampire.
Her very own vampire mother.
Sired by her very own vampire lover.
A cigarette landed at her feet and never lifting her head, she ground it out her face shadowed by the curtain of her hair.
"Pet," his voice slid through the air, wrapping around her.
Smothering her, making her gasp and struggle for breath.
Gripped her, twisted and turned her stomach.
Slowly....
Put.
Back.
The.
Pieces.
Of.
Her.
Broken.
Heart.
She swung her head back.
Looked up and met his questioning blue gaze.
He stood half in the shadows.
Stepped out into the light the porch cast and clenched his jaw so hard his cheek bones became even more pronounced in his gaunt face.
She tore her eyes from his and dragged them down the length of him.
From his pale unruly hair that was dirty and singed with soot and blood.
Down his paler than usual, thin, anorexic face, covered in bruises and smeared in blood.
His torn and bloodied t-shirt that could not even be called that now. More like a few pieces of cloth.
His jeans were a little better. They just had tears in the knees, but they hung on his once lean and healthy-well healthy for a man who was dead frame.
Rested on his bloodied and swollen bare feet.
"Oh Spike," she moaned as the tears began to fall.
For her.
For him.
For her mom.
All of them.
The mess they were in.
"I know I don't look my usual Big Bad self but surely I don't look that bad luv," Spike muttered trying to get her to stop crying.
All it did was make her begin to sob.
He shuffled over to her, his face indecisive as he hesitantly towered over her before he took a seat not too close and not too far.
He raised a hand that paused over her shoulder.
He didn't know how she would react to his touch. Whether she was happy to see him or if she hated him.
Abruptly his hand dropped down to her shoulder and he patted her on the back aching to hold her close but resisting the urge.
He would let her set the pace.
Be it ripping his head off.
Or sobbing in his arms.
"ShelookedatmeandIcouldn't-Icouldn'tSpiekIcouldn'ttryand-"
"Pet," he muttered, loathing to interrupt her, but he couldn't understand her. And he needed to. "Pet I can't understand you...I need you to speak clearly."
Buffy lifted her face long enough to look at him before she scooted closer, until they were hip to hip. Thigh to thigh.
Spike wrapped his arm around her holding her close.
"This is about your mum then." He stated firmly.
"Yes," she muttered sniffling and rubbing at her eyes as tears continued to fall. "No. It's about everything Spike! She's just...she is the worst thing to have come out of all of this."
"I'm sorry," he whispered.
"I mean Wolfe came in and took her up to her room. I was preoccupied with what Giles had just told us and then he came in and-so I followed him up and the minute she laid eyes on me she screamed. I realized then you know? That she was a demon-a vampire. Yellow eyes, fangs and the whole grrrr face. Took one look at me and screamed her head off. Then I just ran out, couldn't face her."
Spike remained silent.
"But that's not all. Today was horrible...and I thought killing Angel would be the worst," she muttered.
"You...killed Angelus then?" he asked hesitantly.
She shook her head.
"Angel," she whispered.
Spike's eyes narrowed to slits and he glanced at her lowered face. Lifted her chin with his forefinger and looked into her slowly turning red and puffy eyes.
"ANGEL?" he queried.
"Angel....soul and all," she said with a humorless laugh.
Sighing heavily he shook his head.
"M'sorry pet. I know what you're feeling," he said softly.
"No you don't," she snapped moving away.
Spike reacted as if he had been punched, jumping to his feet, hissing in pain and growling.
"What do you mean I don't know what you're feeling?!" he yelled. "I LOVED DRU FOR OVER A CENTUARY! Don't you dare denounce that!"
"It's not the same...you didn't kill her! I KILLED ANGEL! I mean I taint everything I touch! Look at my mom! Turned into a vampire because I couldn't save her! I brought Angel into our lives and now-NOW I'm going to go in and tell everyone I love to stay away! Get away from ME before you end up dead or worse!"
Spike grabbed her arm as she rose and turned to go back into the house. Jerked her towards him and growled down in her face.
"Stop talking such foolish rot! It's a privilege to be your friend Buffy! They ought to be glad they know such a wonderful chit like you. And as for Angel well pet, he was the devil himself. He would have killed you and anyone else if he thought it would hurt you. He was a right bastard. You only gave him what he deserved. DON'T YOU DARE FEEL SORRY FOR HIM! As for me killing Dru I might as bloody well have! I took her there and I was going to let them kill her! I took her there for her to die! It may have not been by my hand but it's the same. She died because if me."
Buffy closed her eyes and sighed, already regretting her harsh words. She shouldn't have said that. She knew Spike loved Drusilla and of course he would be broken up about it.
But he couldn't understand everything else. She knew deep down that it was only a matter of time before all her friends ended up dead or turned into vampires because of her. She would never let what happened to her mom happen to them. And if she had to force them out of her life to keep them safe so be it.
"Spike I'm sorry. I know you loved her," she said looking up.
Spike stood stiffly arms crossed and a guarded expression in his face.
"Just because I'm a vamp doesn't mean I don't have feelings Buffy. I loved her I did. But I love you more. It hurts though...her being gone; it hasn't fully sunk in yet guess same could be said for you yes?"
Buffy rose and walked towards him.
"I am sorry. We're in the same boat...so to speak. We both feel responsible and we are. To some extent.....in your case. So..."
Spike lowered his eyes and debated with himself.
"Your mum..."
"Yeah so how'd that go," she muttered.
"The usual, little blood and a little blood and tada newly made vampire on m'hands!"
"Little blood....that always seems to do the trick. I really...I never expected this."
"What did you expect?"
"Not this."
"You asked me to save her and I did! What did you expect me to do? I tried Buffy, tried my bloody hardest to get her to the infirmary....keep her alive. So you could have your mum."
Buffy turned from him holding herself tightly, sliding her gaze up to the night sky, and bit her bottom lip.
"I asked you to save her..." She whispered tortured.
"And I have. She's not dead."
"She's a vampire. She's undead. Not alive."
"She's here."
Spike licked his lips and slowly clenched his fists together.
He had been expecting this, her anger, hatred even.
"This is it then? Thanks but no thanks. Is it over now...can I go back to being just a regular vamp now? You hate me?" he asked bitingly. "Oh wait...can't be that! Not any more see I'm tainted, got this bloody...thing that connects me with you. Then there's my son. With you. And the little fact I'm in love with you. There's no escaping you is there? All around me- inside of me. I'm drowning in you. You're in my gut-my throat, wiggling around. I am in love with you. Do you hear me?! Do you understand? In love with you and have done everything for you. You can't just-"
"When did I say that? When did I open my mouth and say I hated you and didn't love you and wanted nothing more to do with you?! I never once said that. Don't put words in my mouth. I love you. I am in love with you, do you understand that? Do you hear me? I know I asked you to save my mom. I know...what I asked put you under a lot of pressure, I know that," Buffy demanded yelling right back at him.
She paused as she glanced at him and then away before she began again.
"The thing is I just did not expect that. I thought for sure she would be okay, that's all I could let myself think. But really, I knew...just didn't want to believe it. I mean what else were you going to do when the sun came up and you were nowhere near the hospital? Let her die? You love me and you did what you thought was right and....now we'll have to deal with it."
She turned then. Faced him and met his wide unblinking eyes.
Smiled.
"So what I'm saying is...thank you. I asked and you did only what I asked. Saved her and that's all that matters. Right?"
Spike looked slightly stunned as he gazed at her before he nodded quickly.
"Right. So you're not mad?" he asked hesitantly.
"Wigged? Freaked? Scared? Upset? All of the above except mad. Too exhausted to be mad Spike. Are we finished? Can I take care of you? Thank you properly?"
Spike leered at her a suggestive look forming in his eyes as he caught his tongue between his teeth.
Buffy blushed looking away quickly. Only he could manage to look sexy covered in bruises and blood. Clothes half way to gone. All of the above just added to his appeal and she was ashamed to admit she rather liked it.
"I didn't mean that," she muttered.
"What did you mean? How do you plan on....thanking me properly?" he purred sauntering forward.
Or he would have sauntered but really, he could barely walk. So it was a slow shuffle laced with moans of pain and grimaces.
"You're a mess," she stated as she hurried to him and hooked an arm around his waist as she helped him hobble to the steps and up them.
"Never fear luv, I'm up for anything you've got to give..."
~*~*~
"S...stop, please...no more," Spike moaned twenty minutes later in delight.
Buffy paused mid pose.
"What? Don't you like my impersonation of Ripper Giles?" she asked smiling softly.
"As funny as this is... You shouldn't take this lightly I have heard of Ripper, he's not to be trifled with. Powerful bloke in his days."
Buffy gently settled herself next to Spike who lay sprawled on her bed.
"I know. He's like...static man. Electricity just hovers around him and his eyes are all black. I can't associate my Giles with this new Giles."
"Gonna hafta start. He's not the same man any more."
She trailed a light hand down the side of his face and rose abruptly as she heard the front door open and slam shut.
"Xander's here with the blood," she announced.
"Animal blood," he muttered distastefully. "Care to add a little Slayer blood luv? Make it a mixed drink heavy on the Slayer side won't you?"
She threw him a look over her shoulder as she left the room.
"Maybe..."
~*~*~
Buffy met Xander half way up the stairs.
"Hey Xan any problems?" she asked.
Xander shrugged and held out the brown bag full of blood bags.
"Nope, long line though that's why it took me so long. So...how's your mom?"
Buffy frowned as she walked back up the stairs Xander trailing behind.
"Haven't checked on her. Giles and Willow are doing the spell and I...couldn't go back in there. See her like that."
"It's harsh. Your mom being a vampire now but hey...look on the bright side! She'll last forever. Like diamonds. Only not dead-uh undead. You know she would have died of a brain aneurysm anyway. Now that's kinda moot. And she's super strong an-"
Buffy cut him off mid ramble.
"I know. It's just she freaked when she saw me. I don't want that happening again is all. So...could you go check on them and I'll be in my room."
Grabbing a few of the blood bags, she jogged back down the stairs to get a glass and a knife.
Xander slowly opened Joyce's door after knocking softly.
Gave a huge sigh of relief as he found the others huddled around the still sleeping figure of Joyce.
"So she's out huh? Got the blood," he held up his bag.
Giles turned and looked at Xander.
"She will be out for a good while. Let us put that in the fridge and commence downstairs," Giles ordered.
Wolfe was the last to leave the room his gaze lingering on his grandmother.
They wandered into the kitchen and Wolfe leaned against one of the counters gazing off into space. Wanting to go check on Buffy, see how Spike was doing.
"So she's got a soul now?" Xander asked after putting away the blood.
"Yes," Giles muttered grimly looking serious and dangerous all at the same time.
"W...who did this to her? Was it Angelus?" Willow asked the question they were all wondering about.
"She would have died," Wolfe said abruptly. "Angelus drained her to the brink of death."
"So you are saying he didn't sire her? Did not turn her into a vampire?" Giles asked carefully.
Wolfe straightened and met Giles's gaze head on.
"That's what I'm saying."
"Who did then?"
"Mom asked dad to save her and he did," Wolfe said simply as he turned and headed back upstairs.
The Scooby gang hurried after him anxious for more details.
Wolfe ignored them as he knocked on Buffy's door and pushed it open as he was invited in.
"You did this," Giles exploded upon seeing Spike sitting up with the help of Buffy and sipping a glass of blood.
Before any of them had time to react to his outburst, a spurt of blue energy flew from his fingers and Spike was thrown from the bed into the wall.
Suspended there as Giles or rather Ripper stalked over to him.
"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't kill you," he hissed.
"Told you pet...a man not to be trifled with," Spike mumbled with a half grin.
"Giles! Put him down right now," Buffy, ordered striding up to Giles and shoving him none to gently to get his attention.
Slowly he lowered his hands and Spike would have fallen had Wolfe not rushed to catch him and place him gently back on the bed.
"What the hell is your problem? She is my mother and if I don't have a problem with her being a vamp you shouldn't have one either," Buffy snapped glaring at Giles.
"Give him a break pet. E's got it bad for your mum. Was only doing what any man in love would do if his woman were 'urt," Spike said.
The look on Buffy's face was classic.
She sputtered.
Blinked.
Sputtered some more and finally managed, "You like my mom?"
She could not even think about the love part yet.
Giles flushed and looked away from Buffy's horrified gaze.
"Well...you see...I uh....well yes indeed I do like your Mother," he choked out extremely embarrassed.
"Aw... They'll make a cute couple won't they? She's all grrrrrrrr and he's all zzzzzzzzzz. They so fit," Willow said hugging Oz.
"Wills think about that," Xander suggested.
Buffy shook her head and sat...missing the bed and falling on her behind instead.
"Like like? Or is this like I like you as a friend like? But not like that kinda like?" Buffy asked.
Giles frowned trying to decipher that odd sentence full of the word like.
"Yes. I really like her in the romantic sense. Is that clear enough?" he asked as soon as he unscrambled her sentence.
Buffy nodded.
"Crystal. Now get out," she ordered.
The others scrambled to do as they were told.
"Cept the boy," Spike put out.
"You and I will have words on a number of things Spike," Giles warned as headed out.
"Wouldn't have it any other way Rupes," Spike called after him.
~*~*~
"So...how weird was that?" Wolfe asked nervously as he glanced around the room taking in everything.
His parents studied him with the same degree of love and concern.
Spike glanced at Buffy a minute before he spoke.
"Yeh, weird isn't quite the word. How are you?" he asked carefully as Wolfe continued to pace and never let his eyes rest on them too long.
"Great. You? Mom? Are you guys okay? Because I was worried for a while when I couldn't find you dad. But then I did and you looked like hell...still do. So I was worried and then mom...when you found out about Joyce you freaked and I-"
*Something's wrong with him,* Buffy mused silently.
#Yep,# Spike agreed.
*This must have been hard on him. Hiding from everyone and trying to stay alive. Add on the fact he's pretty beat up and...there's something not quite right with him Spike. I can't put my finger on it.*
Spike lay back down and contemplated the ceiling.
"Wolfe you want to tell us about you? How are you? Where have you been? What happened to you?" he asked.
Wolfe crossed his arms and frowned.
"Not really," he mumbled.
*How do we do this Spike? I don't know how to be a parent, look what happened to my mom and I'm just her daughter! Turned into a vampire. God knows what will happen to Wolfe!*
#Calm down luv,# Spike ordered.
"If you're going to talk like that I'll just leave you-"
"No...come sit down with us," Buffy found herself saying.
#That's it luv. Do what your mum would.#
*But he's a man. He doesn't need me coddling him!*
#We will learn together. Now scoot over and let him sit down and then let me ask the next question.#
*Like that's been going so well Spike! Let me.*
#No.#
*Yes.*
#No.#
*Yes.*
#No.#
*No.*
#Yes.#
*Why thank you Spike I think I will.*
"Wolfe..." Buffy began.
#No fair luv! I'm impaired here, being all wounded and the like. You cheated.#
*No. I won.*
"Wolfe," she repeated as he settled himself down next to them and glanced from one to the other.
"Hmmmm?"
"You don't feel responsible for this do you? Because really it's not your fault... And we came out of it alive. We're all alive," she said with a smile.
"So? I don't see how that doesn't make this my fault. I mean Grace my girlfriend was the one who pulled you from the past into the future and everything that happened there had a direct affect on the past! The things you did are my fault. Things now are my fault! Rufus wouldn't have opened the hellmouth if it weren't for me!"
Wolfe got up and began to pace around angrily.
"Rufus opened the hellmouth. He was doing it before you got there right? So it would have been opened anyway. Sure Grace is the reason we were sent to the future but we made decisions Wolfe. Our own choices that affected our world now. No one made those decisions for us. You need to realize you can't control other people's actions," Buffy tried to placate him.
"Can't I?! I made sure you would think about me. About having me. I wanted things to change. Be given the chance to know you and it has changed the whole damn world! I think I have the right to be pretty pissed about that," Wolfe growled.
"Wolfe," Spike tried to put in his piece. "You should be angry that you were put in such a dangerous position and were almost killed because of it. What you shouldn't blame yourself for is things outside of your control mainly being what people will do to gain power. As our son, it seems you're quite the wanted man. But that's just a fact, can't change that now."
Wolfe paused and stared at them his face taut and his eyes shinning an unnatural bright green.
"You're right we can't change that. Not now. Not ever," he yelled.
#His eyes...#
*Oh no....not this!*
"What do you mean...not now not ever? Don't you want to go home?" Spike asked.
"What did you do?" Buffy whispered a horrified edge to her voice as she slowly got up and walked towards Wolfe.
"What I had to do," Wolfe, muttered.
She reached up and cupped his face; he struggled for a moment before he let her.
"Amazing. They glow just like any other vampire. Except they don't change colors. They stay the same color only unnaturally so. Why would you do this?' she demanded.
"You've got a demon now?" Spike demanded rising and slowly making his way to them. "What the hell for?!" Looking into his sons eyes, he knew he spoke the truth. "You didn't before!"
"Do you hate me?" he whispered all his anger and resentment falling away leaving only the boy behind.
Anxious for his parents love and approval.
Buffy blinked as she let go of his face and glanced at Spike as he joined them.
"Hate you?" she whispered.
Shook her head.
"Of course we don't hate you Wolfe," Spike muttered.
"We love you," Buffy stated.
"But I'm a demon..." Wolfe protested.
"If you weren't you wouldn't be a part of this family," Buffy said with a laugh.
"Your mum's right. What we've got like three generations of demons in this family now! Grandmum, mum and now you...wouldn't make sense if you was normal."
Wolfe smiled, blinking back tears.
"Mom doesn't have a demon," he muttered half laughing.
"Well...technically I do. I've got one in my head and if he isn't a demon I don't know what he is!"
"Hey now! M'all demon! Here ends this round of beat the Spike pet!" Spike grumbled good-naturedly.
"Right," Wolfe snarked. "You've got yourself a Slayer, a kid, and a new childe. You're right. You are still a demon of... sorts."
Spike nodded firmly as he wrapped his arms around Wolfe and pulled him in for a big hug.
Buffy flung herself at both of them, completing the family hug.
"And I'll have you know the only reason I'm keepin' the Slayer around is... It's always nice to have Slayer blood on tap."
Buffy huffed.
"Here ends this round of beat Buffy the Vampire Slayer," she muttered.
"Don't you mean la-"
"Don't you even say it," Buffy threatened.
"Wha? I was only gonna say don't you mean Buffy the Vampire...uh supermum," Spike protested.
"That so does not start with an L which was what you were saying! And you should be glad that I can even stand you! What with you being snarkish, obnoxious, not funny, witty, or even remotely attractive-"Buffy rambled on.
"Take that back!" Spike gasped out. "I am too attractive! Best bloody damn lookin' vamp you have ever met luv. Ever likely to meet. And besides that wasn't what you were saying when we did th-"
Buffy let out a gasp as she realized what he was going to say.
"Wolfe is in the room Spike! He doesn't want to hear about that!"
Spike looked questioningly at Wolfe.
"She's right. I so don't want to hear about...that," Wolfe mumbled beyond embarrassed.
"You make it out as if I was talking about us having sex or somethin'! I was only going to say your mum wasn't thinking how bad lookin' she likes to pretend I am when we first met. In the alley behind the Bronze."
Buffy slapped him on the chest and mock scowled.
"You're like deficient," she complained.
"And you are like so cute," Spike grumbled.
"And I'm like going to be sick. You guys are crazy," Wolfe complained laughing. "God I love you."
Spike and Buffy grinned at each other and then looked as one at Wolfe.
"So does that mean you're feeling better?" Buffy asked happily.
~*~*~
"So essentially we've got nothing," Giles said as they all assembled in the living room where they were discussing recent events.
"Well not necessarily," Buffy said as Giles looked as if he were about to give up.
"Yes?" he asked.
"We know that whatever ritual Rufus was doing was in that book and it went to hell with him. So for now Wolfe's relatively safe."
Giles glanced at Wolfe and smiled slightly.
"That's all good and well but we still have no idea why the Order of Aurelius aided Rufus in his plans. We have no idea how Angelus came to be or what we'll be facing in the future."
"I think I have a pretty good idea what Rufus was doing teamed up with the Order," Wolfe announced.
All eyes turned to him and he straightened slightly at all the attention.
"Well...when I was-see I wasn't hiding," he breathed in a rush looking at Buffy then Spike as he said this. "I was in a self imposed...prison."
"Prison?" Willow asked.
"Imposed?" Giles questioned at the same time.
"Well...as you all know I'm half demon half Slayer. So naturally, I have a demon, like any other vampire. The thing is it doesn't control me. I can function without it and live a normal life. I...let the demon out once and it wasn't pretty. I did things...I'm not proud of. I vowed never to let it out and made Willow cast a spell over me. If I ever started to think about letting the demon out I would be taken away from all I loved so I would not hurt any of them and placed in a sort of containment structure."
"Wow," Xander mumbled as he eyed Wolfe warily.
"What does this have to do with you knowing anything about Rufus's plans with the Order?" Spike asked abruptly.
"I can only guess it was the Powers that placed a sort of screen into the going on's down below in the past. With you all. Granted I don't know everything but I do know some things that may come in handy. Rufus didn't just plan to rule the world, open the hell mouth. What he wanted was bigger. Something about the Master's line being what he needed to complete the circle. But when Mornay killed Dru, the circle was broken and Elias decided that keeping the rest of the line alive would be something only to give an edge to Rufus. "I'm not even sure Elias knew what Rufus wanted with the Master's line other than the fact he had been promised the Order would be safe when Rufus ruled the world. Anyway, that's one thing. The other is Rufus caused Angel to lose his soul. He had a Soul Catcher grab it at his weakest moment. And...he kept it in a crystal. When I was trying to save him I broke it."
All eyes turned to Buffy.
"Angel had his soul when you killed him?" Giles voiced the question no one wanted to ask.
Buffy lowered her head, closed her eyes in shame.
The feel of Spike's cool hand enclosing her own had her gathering her resolve.
She lifted her head and gazed at all of them in turn, daring them to protest what she'd done. To make her feel worse than she already did.
"Yes. I did. He got his soul right when I chopped his head off," she said bluntly.
No one said anything for a moment all coming to terms with this new and disturbing fact.
"No matter," Giles finally spoke breaking the silence. "You did what had to be done and I'm sorry you had to do that on your own Buffy. Angelus was a monster. An evil being that wouldn't have stopped until he was dead and you did what any of us would have. Isn't that right?" Giles snapped out.
He would have no one judge her for this!
"Right," Xander agreed sending Buffy a wide reassuring smile.
"I second that Buffy. It had to be done," Willow chimed in.
Oz just sent her a silent agreement.
"I've a suggestion," Spike announced.
"What ?" Buffy asked curiously.
"I suggest we all get some sleep. My guess is even though the library is totaled you all have school tomorrow."
"Snyder would be perverted enough to do that," Xander groaned.
"Yes...well. We shall heed your advice Spike. Now-"
"You guys are staying here," Buffy ordered as everyone made as if to leave.
"We are?" Willow asked hesitantly. "I thought you might want to be alone. Have some family time."
"You guys are my family," Buffy simply said. She was going to have a talk with all of them. The sooner the better. They could not be around her much longer.
"Besides Rupert here will just worry bout Joyce and it's better if you all stay here tonight. Can't have any of you dying by the Ripper's hands now can we? Run you right off the road with his wanderin' thoughts," Spike felt it necessary to point out. The barb directed solely at Rupert who stood frozen on the stairs.
"Let us have that talk now Spike," Giles gritted out.
"Thought you'd never ask," Spike said with a smile.
Buffy caught Spike's arm as he turned to follow Giles out the back door.
"Keep it clean Spike. Don't goad him. I love you both and don't want either of you hurt."
Spike placed a quick kiss on her lips.
"Never fear luv. It's just a little male posturing. He's gotta see if I'm worthy enough to be trusted with the precious lives of you Summers women. And there's the little fact I turned the woman he loves into a-"
"Don't say that," Buffy moaned.
"What?" Spike asked though he knew what she was talking about.
"Love. There's no love there Spike! Like. We're on like right now. Like is all I can handle. He likes her. L-I-K-E."
Smothering a laugh, he shook his head and turned away.
"What ever you say pet. I still say he loves her."
"Can't hear you," she sing-songed.
His laughter followed him out.
~*~*~
Epilogue:
"On the seventh day of the seventh month, in the seventh moon of the seventh year there shall arise a being more powerful than the devil himself from the depths of the seventh realm of hell. Only the seven warriors born of blood, love, and courage shall be able to stop it. On the seventh day of the seventh month, in the seventh moon, seven warriors will stand tall and face the seventh realm's greatest demon. Man will perish but only these seven warriors who bear the mark of Aurelius shall stand a chance..."
Martha Travers glanced one last time at the passage circled in her husband's private journal before she ripped the page out and tossed it into the fire that flared brightly in their bedroom.
"Doesn't matter," she muttered. "They shall never know and in the end we will have all we could ever have hoped love. I will get you back. You and I will dance in the ashes of all those who brought about your destruction. In time. For now we wait."
~*~*~
A/N: Well. That's it folks. I've got many thanks to give out in regards to this story. I loved writing this and your support has been wonderful and has kept me at my keyboard busily typing away. Thank you Spuffygirl for your faithful reviews. Lml1996 you are the best. You've reviewed every chapter and for that, I thank you. Mel, you are too cool and I thank you for your reviews as well. Duster you amuse me with your reviews and I'm glad you've taken the time to review almost all of the chapters. Ennui, Pin, and all you others. The lurkers out there THANK YOU! I love you guys and for you I will write a sequel. It's called The 7th Moment. I'm gonna take a mini break. Focus on Dancing on the Edge and read some fanfic. Probably a week or so. Look out for it and I hope you enjoyed this story as much as I loved writing it for you. The things I've left out will be picked up in the next story. Finally, a special thanks to Darlin I love you.
Cheers,
skyz
A/N: Hi all. So here, we are final chapter. Wanted to say that I took some things out of the 2nd season ep Dark Age. Dialogue that is. Um....not much to say except that I put most of my thanks and acknowledgements down at the bottom. Enjoy. Skyz.
Disclaimer: Nothing new we all know Joss Whedon owns Btvs.
~*~*~
Chapter 12:
The brief flashes of disjointed memories ran like a never-ending filmstrip behind Joyce Summers closed eyes.
One after the other until they all began to run together and she couldn't discern truth from illusions.
One thing remained clear though.
She loved her daughter Elizabeth Anne Summers. She was her reason for being and nothing would ever change that.
She would always love Buffy.
~*~*~
Giles had never been delusional with himself. Never consciously lied to himself either.
He prided himself on his ability to get past the bull and get to the point in regards to himself any way.
He knew what he was about.
He was a Watcher.
With a Slayer.
A Slayer he now saw as a surrogate daughter.
He had always esteemed to be a man who people could respect and hold in the highest regards.
Wanted people to look at him as he walked by and say oh, there is Rupert Giles, he's the Watcher of that Slayer---I hear she's the best in good part due to Rupert or some such nonsense.
He conveniently forgot about his wayward past as the notorious Ripper and had never planned to rehash that out. Never wanted his Slayer to know about it.
Now...
Once he would have said nothing would mean more than for his work with his Slayer and as a member of the Council to live on and leave an ever lasting legacy for future Watchers and their own Slayers' to use as an example.
Now he had no such thoughts. Now he had only one. Knew only one thing that really mattered. That in the end he would do anything for.
Anything.
For his Slayer.
Even condemn himself to the afore mentioned Ripper in order to protect her and those she loved.
~*~*~
Xander had never aspired to be more than he was.
The son of two drunks, with a father who was used to giving him pain instead of love. He knew what he was.
He was the weird Harris kid who had no fashion sense, as Cordelia was so fond of pointing out. He was borderline geekish and that had never bothered him too much because he had always had Willow to stand beside him through thick and thin.
She had been his anchor to this harsh and now deadly world for more years than he could remember.
He had once thought he would never amount to much. That he had very little to offer the world much less to himself. Guess he'd absorbed one too many degrading and humiliating comment from his parents.
Now though...
Now he was optimistic for himself.
Well....not too high.
However, high enough so that he could glimpse a better future.
Where before he had never paused long enough to think of a future.
Before he had never thought he'd be a part of such a grand thing.
Saving the world!
Him the Zeppo.
Just a regular boy with no skills at all.
But he had helped in saving the world and now he knew...
Knew he could and would be a man who could stand tall and proud and lift his head high when he walked down the halls.
It wouldn't matter what other's thought of him, what Cordelia thought....
He was officially a man.
And he owed it all to Buffy.
The Slayer.
One of his best friends.
His second anchor to the world he now hoped he would live in for a very long time.
~*~*~
You could see it, just barely. Lurking underneath the skin.
Confidence...
Sort of.
Kinda.
Okay not quite.
But getting there.
Willow Rosenberg had never been known for her social skills, her buoyant exuberance for life. She lived it and in her small world, which had mainly consisted of school, her huge crush on her bestfriend Xander, and being the smartest person she could be she had no time for loving life.
She had never wanted people to notice her and yet she had. She had wanted to be looked at and seen and maybe loved by...Xander.
Her confidence and self-esteem had been at an all time low, she knew now that what she had been before was a person she never wanted to be again.
Never wanted to be the wallflower, never voicing her opinions. To self-conscious, to get what she wanted.
Oz had of course helped in this process that he could look at her and see the Willow inside and what she aspired to one day be. A woman confident with herself and her actions.
But the main thing that made this whole process begin and start her on her slow path to being a better, happier, confident Willow had been Buffy.
Meeting her had changed her life and she would be forever grateful.
She was her bestfriend.
The Slayer.
Buffy.
~*~*~
Things had been hectic.
Moving all the dead bodies out of the library had been hell, going to the hospital to get every one looked at had been awful. They asked questions in which they had no answers.
But that was Sunnydale for you.
Now they were all back at the Summers house where Giles...new and weird Giles had insisted on having a recap session while waiting for Joyce to arrive.
So there they sat.
Tired and bruised but alive.
"...and it was huge Buffy! I'm talking Godzilla type huge," Xander was saying.
Oz glanced at him a slight frown appearing.
"What do you mean? You mean just the doll towering over those tiny paper buildings they use to make us believe he's huge? Or when the camera moves out to get a wide shot?" he asked curiously.
Xander stared at him incredulously.
"What? I uh...geez I just meant it was... you know huge. You had to be there Buffy," Xander said glancing at her only to find her gazing at Giles with an unreadable look on her face.
He swallowed and glanced around the room.
At Willow and Oz.
Wolfe had left shortly after stopping off at the hospital on Buffy's insistence letting his burns and various other wounds be looked over. He had skipped out on them saying he was going to look for Spike.
That had been an hour ago.
A sudden and uncomfortable silence fell as all eyes studiously avoided looking directly at Giles or Buffy.
All who had been there to see Giles's transformation into what he currently was were very unnerved and uncomfortable by it. They had no words.
Oz looked at the ceiling his fingers tangled with Willow's his thoughts a million miles away.
Willow studied her inter locked fingers and wondered on how lucky she was that Oz had made it out of there alive and he hadn't been killed. She could only imagine what Buffy was feeling.
"So...what's with the new look? Not that I don't like it, but really it's kinda creepy. What with the black eyes and electricity coming off you. Makes for an interesting picture," Buffy finally asked eyeing Giles.
Giles studiously avoided looking any of them in the eyes as he shifted in his chair and tightly gripped his hands together.
"I was twenty-one, studying history at Oxford. And, of course, the occult by night. I hated it. The tedious grind of study, the........ overwhelming pressure of my destiny. I dropped out, I went to London... I fell in with the worst crowd that would have me. We practiced magic's. Small stuff for pleasure or gain. And Ethan and I discovered something......... bigger," he began.
"Occult?" Buffy echoed.
"Oxford? You went to Oxford?" Willow asked at the same time.
He got up and began to pace nervously running an agitated hand through his hair as he went.
"I never wanted to be a Watcher you see. I aspired to what I always had thought was better. To be a fighter pilot or...uh a grocer," he mumbled.
"A grocer," Oz mouthed to himself.
"Of like food and stuff?" Xander asked.
Looking slightly sheepish, he speared a glance for Xander before he realized he was supposed to be repentant.
"Yes. Well as you see, I am neither. My father and grandmother were Watchers' and it was only expected that I become one too. I was a rebellious fool and fell in with the wrong crowd after I left Oxford."
Buffy looked slightly puzzled as she pondered what he'd just admitted.
She'd known, sure that Giles had a past but it was hard to tell what with all the tweed and stuffy British qualities that had become so familiar to them all.
Having that firmly established fixture broken was a shock.
To see him as more than a Watcher, as a person....was a shock.
"You said you got into something bigger?" she prodded, as it looked as if Giles had finished talking all together.
Giles nodded.
"By bigger I mean we-a group of us began to dabble in raising demons. We raised one demon by the name of Eyghon also known as the Sleepwalker. It inhabited dead or unconscious bodies as it had no set form and had to merge with a body in order to function properly. We used to knock one another out before we summoned it. It was quite a rush. We were young...foolish and stupid. However....in those days that was what I was, young and stupid. When it was all said and done one of our mates was taken over by the Eyghon and we tried to exorcise the demon but it ended up killin-we ended up killing him and I was soon on my way to being the stodgy Giles you all know and...love."
"So if you gave it up why are you...like this?" Willow asked gesturing to him and looking at him with sympathetic yet wary eyes.
"Oh," Xander exclaimed as he raised his hand excitedly. "He has a tattoo and it lit up when he said these weird words! And then he threw like...a ball of fire at the wall and it went into it and-"
"Yes," Giles interrupted. "I have the tattoo of Eyghon on me and it has a direct link to my more...colorful magical powers. Mainly black magic and I re-activated it tonight in order to save all of you and the rest of the world. I did what I had to."
Silence fell and Giles finally returned to his seat, crossing his arms over his chest and going inward.
He knew that their opinions should not mean so much that he didn't need their approval. That he was an adult and had in the end made the right choice.
However, it did matter.
He did not want them to ever look at him the way they had today. Scared and terrified at what he had become. He was determined not to let the Ripper side of him rule and do damage he was afraid he would never be able to repair.
He wanted their respect and desperately hoped this had changed nothing in that respect.
"So...you're like a wizard?" Xander asked breaking the silence.
"Warlock," Willow jumped in. "You're a warlock! This is so cool....could you teach me how to do more spells?"
"It's cool man," Oz stated. "So you were a warlock, your bad days are behind you right? No more raising demons and killing friends?"
Giles lifted his head and smiled slightly.
"Yes my bad days are gone. I am a responsible adult and there will be no more killings of my mates."
His eyes sought out his Slayer who was gazing at the ground a thoughtful look on her face.
"You mentioned this demon Ey....whatever. When you...when your friend died did, you get rid of the demon or what? I mean you deactivated your tattoo for a reason. It won't come looking for you will it?" she finally spoke up never lifting her face.
Giles felt the sting of disappointment that she had not even bothered to look at him that she seemed to have taken this badly.
"Yes. We vanquished Eyghon but...I bound most of my powers to this tattoo and when I reactivated it I essentially became the Ripper again."
"Ripper," Willow asked curiously.
"So..." Giles began but trailed off uncertainly staring at his Slayer's bowed head.
"So you were wild and wicked in your youth. Did a lot of mojo that got one of your friends killed and were called Ripper. That is just...wow. And you knowingly reactivated your tattoo in order to help all of us knowing all of that."
Everyone was staring at Buffy as she spoke, uncertain of where she was going with this.
"Yes," Giles muttered.
"Thank you," Buffy whispered as she lifted her head and met his eyes, smiled.
Giles blinked and dropped his eyes as they began to sting with tears, he clenched his jaw and cleared his throat enough to choke out," You're welcome."
"Whew! For a minute that I thought you'd go all Slayer on us," Xander exclaimed as he jumped to his feet.
"Nope not I," Buffy quipped. "Just coming to terms with the fact Giles wasn't born in tweed, never sat in class mad that there weren't more math classes. I'm good. Giles how are you? I know this must be a-"
A pounding on the door had everyone turning and staring at it in apprehension.
Abruptly Xander moved to open it.
Stepped aside as Wolfe raced through Joyce in his arms.
His eyes searched and met Giles's eyes and he jerked his head to follow him as he raced up the stairs.
Giles followed.
"What was that about?" Willow asked looking around.
Buffy ignored her as she bounded up the stairs after Giles.
"Should we go up?" Xander asked hesitantly.
"We should give them some time alone," Oz, answered.
They were silent a minute.
"Can you picture Giles as a grocer?" Willow suddenly asked dissolving into a fit of giggles.
The other two soon followed.
~*~*~
Wolfe settled Joyce on her bed and settled down next to her as she began to struggle and winced when her fangs scrapped his singed neck.
"What-Joyce love are you alright?" Giles demanded as he rushed into the bedroom eyes wide and worried.
"Giles I need you and Willow to do a spell. I need you to get the Orb of The-"
Joyce's wild scream echoed and caused Wolfe to break off as she began to buck and scream wildly.
Buffy stood frozen in the doorway.
Giles looked from Buffy to Joyce and back again. Finally settled on Joyce, his eyes narrowed dangerously.
"My God, who did this to her?!" he yelled.
Wolfe's eyes sought out his mother's ignoring Giles for now.
"Mom," he began.
Buffy blinked her eyes filling with tears that she would not shed.
Her body trembled and her heart beat painfully in her chest as she stared into the yellow eyes of her mother.
Saw her distorted demon visage.
Felt the last tiny piece of her heart break.
Shatter.
She opened her mouth to speak.
No words came.
She took a stumbling step backwards horror washing over her.
"M...M...Mommy," she gasped out as she lifted shaking hands to cover her mouth.
All she got was a crazed growl instead.
She turned and ran.
~*~*~
"...you like plastic or paper ma'am," Xander snickered.
"Can I help you load your bags? No we don't have any-" Willow was saying as they heard the screams and as one they grabbed weapons and hurried up the stairs only to halt as Buffy brushed past them ignoring their worried questions.
They piled into the doorway and stared in shock and horror at the scene that met their eyes.
"Giles...she needs to be sedated, some kind of sleeping spell-Now! Willow I need you to get the ingredients for a permanent soul. You and Oz will do that. Xander I need you to go to the Butcher's and get some blood," Wolfe ordered.
Giles quickly cast a sleeping spell over Joyce and she fell into a deep sleep.
Wolfe rolled out of bed and hurried out of the room confident his orders would be carried out.
He paused in the kitchen's doorway looking pensively at the back door that led to the back porch.
Gathering his fleeting courage, he straightened his shoulders and quickly opened the door ready to step out and offer his comfort.
Buffy lifted her hand, her back to him, her head bowed.
"Mom..."
She shook her head.
"Please," she whispered.
Wolfe hesitated, and then nodded abruptly.
"I'll be inside. We're giving her a permanent soul," he softly said as he turned and headed back into the house closing the door behind him.
Leaving her alone.
~*~*~
She had known of course that being the Slayer was a dangerous job and that at some point or another people close to her would get hurt.
A Slayer with ties to the world was it seemed an unheard of thing.
Now she knew why.
She was like a plague that was slowly spreading throughout her relationships and causing everyone pain.
Her mom...
Angel.
Wolfe.
Spike.
Her friends would be next she knew.
Breathing deeply she resisted the urge to cry.
She couldn't.
Not yet.
Her mother was a demon.
A vampire.
Something she was sworn to kill.
A vampire.
A vampire.
A vampire.
A vampire.
A vampire.
A vampire.
Her very own vampire mother.
Sired by her very own vampire lover.
A cigarette landed at her feet and never lifting her head, she ground it out her face shadowed by the curtain of her hair.
"Pet," his voice slid through the air, wrapping around her.
Smothering her, making her gasp and struggle for breath.
Gripped her, twisted and turned her stomach.
Slowly....
Put.
Back.
The.
Pieces.
Of.
Her.
Broken.
Heart.
She swung her head back.
Looked up and met his questioning blue gaze.
He stood half in the shadows.
Stepped out into the light the porch cast and clenched his jaw so hard his cheek bones became even more pronounced in his gaunt face.
She tore her eyes from his and dragged them down the length of him.
From his pale unruly hair that was dirty and singed with soot and blood.
Down his paler than usual, thin, anorexic face, covered in bruises and smeared in blood.
His torn and bloodied t-shirt that could not even be called that now. More like a few pieces of cloth.
His jeans were a little better. They just had tears in the knees, but they hung on his once lean and healthy-well healthy for a man who was dead frame.
Rested on his bloodied and swollen bare feet.
"Oh Spike," she moaned as the tears began to fall.
For her.
For him.
For her mom.
All of them.
The mess they were in.
"I know I don't look my usual Big Bad self but surely I don't look that bad luv," Spike muttered trying to get her to stop crying.
All it did was make her begin to sob.
He shuffled over to her, his face indecisive as he hesitantly towered over her before he took a seat not too close and not too far.
He raised a hand that paused over her shoulder.
He didn't know how she would react to his touch. Whether she was happy to see him or if she hated him.
Abruptly his hand dropped down to her shoulder and he patted her on the back aching to hold her close but resisting the urge.
He would let her set the pace.
Be it ripping his head off.
Or sobbing in his arms.
"ShelookedatmeandIcouldn't-Icouldn'tSpiekIcouldn'ttryand-"
"Pet," he muttered, loathing to interrupt her, but he couldn't understand her. And he needed to. "Pet I can't understand you...I need you to speak clearly."
Buffy lifted her face long enough to look at him before she scooted closer, until they were hip to hip. Thigh to thigh.
Spike wrapped his arm around her holding her close.
"This is about your mum then." He stated firmly.
"Yes," she muttered sniffling and rubbing at her eyes as tears continued to fall. "No. It's about everything Spike! She's just...she is the worst thing to have come out of all of this."
"I'm sorry," he whispered.
"I mean Wolfe came in and took her up to her room. I was preoccupied with what Giles had just told us and then he came in and-so I followed him up and the minute she laid eyes on me she screamed. I realized then you know? That she was a demon-a vampire. Yellow eyes, fangs and the whole grrrr face. Took one look at me and screamed her head off. Then I just ran out, couldn't face her."
Spike remained silent.
"But that's not all. Today was horrible...and I thought killing Angel would be the worst," she muttered.
"You...killed Angelus then?" he asked hesitantly.
She shook her head.
"Angel," she whispered.
Spike's eyes narrowed to slits and he glanced at her lowered face. Lifted her chin with his forefinger and looked into her slowly turning red and puffy eyes.
"ANGEL?" he queried.
"Angel....soul and all," she said with a humorless laugh.
Sighing heavily he shook his head.
"M'sorry pet. I know what you're feeling," he said softly.
"No you don't," she snapped moving away.
Spike reacted as if he had been punched, jumping to his feet, hissing in pain and growling.
"What do you mean I don't know what you're feeling?!" he yelled. "I LOVED DRU FOR OVER A CENTUARY! Don't you dare denounce that!"
"It's not the same...you didn't kill her! I KILLED ANGEL! I mean I taint everything I touch! Look at my mom! Turned into a vampire because I couldn't save her! I brought Angel into our lives and now-NOW I'm going to go in and tell everyone I love to stay away! Get away from ME before you end up dead or worse!"
Spike grabbed her arm as she rose and turned to go back into the house. Jerked her towards him and growled down in her face.
"Stop talking such foolish rot! It's a privilege to be your friend Buffy! They ought to be glad they know such a wonderful chit like you. And as for Angel well pet, he was the devil himself. He would have killed you and anyone else if he thought it would hurt you. He was a right bastard. You only gave him what he deserved. DON'T YOU DARE FEEL SORRY FOR HIM! As for me killing Dru I might as bloody well have! I took her there and I was going to let them kill her! I took her there for her to die! It may have not been by my hand but it's the same. She died because if me."
Buffy closed her eyes and sighed, already regretting her harsh words. She shouldn't have said that. She knew Spike loved Drusilla and of course he would be broken up about it.
But he couldn't understand everything else. She knew deep down that it was only a matter of time before all her friends ended up dead or turned into vampires because of her. She would never let what happened to her mom happen to them. And if she had to force them out of her life to keep them safe so be it.
"Spike I'm sorry. I know you loved her," she said looking up.
Spike stood stiffly arms crossed and a guarded expression in his face.
"Just because I'm a vamp doesn't mean I don't have feelings Buffy. I loved her I did. But I love you more. It hurts though...her being gone; it hasn't fully sunk in yet guess same could be said for you yes?"
Buffy rose and walked towards him.
"I am sorry. We're in the same boat...so to speak. We both feel responsible and we are. To some extent.....in your case. So..."
Spike lowered his eyes and debated with himself.
"Your mum..."
"Yeah so how'd that go," she muttered.
"The usual, little blood and a little blood and tada newly made vampire on m'hands!"
"Little blood....that always seems to do the trick. I really...I never expected this."
"What did you expect?"
"Not this."
"You asked me to save her and I did! What did you expect me to do? I tried Buffy, tried my bloody hardest to get her to the infirmary....keep her alive. So you could have your mum."
Buffy turned from him holding herself tightly, sliding her gaze up to the night sky, and bit her bottom lip.
"I asked you to save her..." She whispered tortured.
"And I have. She's not dead."
"She's a vampire. She's undead. Not alive."
"She's here."
Spike licked his lips and slowly clenched his fists together.
He had been expecting this, her anger, hatred even.
"This is it then? Thanks but no thanks. Is it over now...can I go back to being just a regular vamp now? You hate me?" he asked bitingly. "Oh wait...can't be that! Not any more see I'm tainted, got this bloody...thing that connects me with you. Then there's my son. With you. And the little fact I'm in love with you. There's no escaping you is there? All around me- inside of me. I'm drowning in you. You're in my gut-my throat, wiggling around. I am in love with you. Do you hear me?! Do you understand? In love with you and have done everything for you. You can't just-"
"When did I say that? When did I open my mouth and say I hated you and didn't love you and wanted nothing more to do with you?! I never once said that. Don't put words in my mouth. I love you. I am in love with you, do you understand that? Do you hear me? I know I asked you to save my mom. I know...what I asked put you under a lot of pressure, I know that," Buffy demanded yelling right back at him.
She paused as she glanced at him and then away before she began again.
"The thing is I just did not expect that. I thought for sure she would be okay, that's all I could let myself think. But really, I knew...just didn't want to believe it. I mean what else were you going to do when the sun came up and you were nowhere near the hospital? Let her die? You love me and you did what you thought was right and....now we'll have to deal with it."
She turned then. Faced him and met his wide unblinking eyes.
Smiled.
"So what I'm saying is...thank you. I asked and you did only what I asked. Saved her and that's all that matters. Right?"
Spike looked slightly stunned as he gazed at her before he nodded quickly.
"Right. So you're not mad?" he asked hesitantly.
"Wigged? Freaked? Scared? Upset? All of the above except mad. Too exhausted to be mad Spike. Are we finished? Can I take care of you? Thank you properly?"
Spike leered at her a suggestive look forming in his eyes as he caught his tongue between his teeth.
Buffy blushed looking away quickly. Only he could manage to look sexy covered in bruises and blood. Clothes half way to gone. All of the above just added to his appeal and she was ashamed to admit she rather liked it.
"I didn't mean that," she muttered.
"What did you mean? How do you plan on....thanking me properly?" he purred sauntering forward.
Or he would have sauntered but really, he could barely walk. So it was a slow shuffle laced with moans of pain and grimaces.
"You're a mess," she stated as she hurried to him and hooked an arm around his waist as she helped him hobble to the steps and up them.
"Never fear luv, I'm up for anything you've got to give..."
~*~*~
"S...stop, please...no more," Spike moaned twenty minutes later in delight.
Buffy paused mid pose.
"What? Don't you like my impersonation of Ripper Giles?" she asked smiling softly.
"As funny as this is... You shouldn't take this lightly I have heard of Ripper, he's not to be trifled with. Powerful bloke in his days."
Buffy gently settled herself next to Spike who lay sprawled on her bed.
"I know. He's like...static man. Electricity just hovers around him and his eyes are all black. I can't associate my Giles with this new Giles."
"Gonna hafta start. He's not the same man any more."
She trailed a light hand down the side of his face and rose abruptly as she heard the front door open and slam shut.
"Xander's here with the blood," she announced.
"Animal blood," he muttered distastefully. "Care to add a little Slayer blood luv? Make it a mixed drink heavy on the Slayer side won't you?"
She threw him a look over her shoulder as she left the room.
"Maybe..."
~*~*~
Buffy met Xander half way up the stairs.
"Hey Xan any problems?" she asked.
Xander shrugged and held out the brown bag full of blood bags.
"Nope, long line though that's why it took me so long. So...how's your mom?"
Buffy frowned as she walked back up the stairs Xander trailing behind.
"Haven't checked on her. Giles and Willow are doing the spell and I...couldn't go back in there. See her like that."
"It's harsh. Your mom being a vampire now but hey...look on the bright side! She'll last forever. Like diamonds. Only not dead-uh undead. You know she would have died of a brain aneurysm anyway. Now that's kinda moot. And she's super strong an-"
Buffy cut him off mid ramble.
"I know. It's just she freaked when she saw me. I don't want that happening again is all. So...could you go check on them and I'll be in my room."
Grabbing a few of the blood bags, she jogged back down the stairs to get a glass and a knife.
Xander slowly opened Joyce's door after knocking softly.
Gave a huge sigh of relief as he found the others huddled around the still sleeping figure of Joyce.
"So she's out huh? Got the blood," he held up his bag.
Giles turned and looked at Xander.
"She will be out for a good while. Let us put that in the fridge and commence downstairs," Giles ordered.
Wolfe was the last to leave the room his gaze lingering on his grandmother.
They wandered into the kitchen and Wolfe leaned against one of the counters gazing off into space. Wanting to go check on Buffy, see how Spike was doing.
"So she's got a soul now?" Xander asked after putting away the blood.
"Yes," Giles muttered grimly looking serious and dangerous all at the same time.
"W...who did this to her? Was it Angelus?" Willow asked the question they were all wondering about.
"She would have died," Wolfe said abruptly. "Angelus drained her to the brink of death."
"So you are saying he didn't sire her? Did not turn her into a vampire?" Giles asked carefully.
Wolfe straightened and met Giles's gaze head on.
"That's what I'm saying."
"Who did then?"
"Mom asked dad to save her and he did," Wolfe said simply as he turned and headed back upstairs.
The Scooby gang hurried after him anxious for more details.
Wolfe ignored them as he knocked on Buffy's door and pushed it open as he was invited in.
"You did this," Giles exploded upon seeing Spike sitting up with the help of Buffy and sipping a glass of blood.
Before any of them had time to react to his outburst, a spurt of blue energy flew from his fingers and Spike was thrown from the bed into the wall.
Suspended there as Giles or rather Ripper stalked over to him.
"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't kill you," he hissed.
"Told you pet...a man not to be trifled with," Spike mumbled with a half grin.
"Giles! Put him down right now," Buffy, ordered striding up to Giles and shoving him none to gently to get his attention.
Slowly he lowered his hands and Spike would have fallen had Wolfe not rushed to catch him and place him gently back on the bed.
"What the hell is your problem? She is my mother and if I don't have a problem with her being a vamp you shouldn't have one either," Buffy snapped glaring at Giles.
"Give him a break pet. E's got it bad for your mum. Was only doing what any man in love would do if his woman were 'urt," Spike said.
The look on Buffy's face was classic.
She sputtered.
Blinked.
Sputtered some more and finally managed, "You like my mom?"
She could not even think about the love part yet.
Giles flushed and looked away from Buffy's horrified gaze.
"Well...you see...I uh....well yes indeed I do like your Mother," he choked out extremely embarrassed.
"Aw... They'll make a cute couple won't they? She's all grrrrrrrr and he's all zzzzzzzzzz. They so fit," Willow said hugging Oz.
"Wills think about that," Xander suggested.
Buffy shook her head and sat...missing the bed and falling on her behind instead.
"Like like? Or is this like I like you as a friend like? But not like that kinda like?" Buffy asked.
Giles frowned trying to decipher that odd sentence full of the word like.
"Yes. I really like her in the romantic sense. Is that clear enough?" he asked as soon as he unscrambled her sentence.
Buffy nodded.
"Crystal. Now get out," she ordered.
The others scrambled to do as they were told.
"Cept the boy," Spike put out.
"You and I will have words on a number of things Spike," Giles warned as headed out.
"Wouldn't have it any other way Rupes," Spike called after him.
~*~*~
"So...how weird was that?" Wolfe asked nervously as he glanced around the room taking in everything.
His parents studied him with the same degree of love and concern.
Spike glanced at Buffy a minute before he spoke.
"Yeh, weird isn't quite the word. How are you?" he asked carefully as Wolfe continued to pace and never let his eyes rest on them too long.
"Great. You? Mom? Are you guys okay? Because I was worried for a while when I couldn't find you dad. But then I did and you looked like hell...still do. So I was worried and then mom...when you found out about Joyce you freaked and I-"
*Something's wrong with him,* Buffy mused silently.
#Yep,# Spike agreed.
*This must have been hard on him. Hiding from everyone and trying to stay alive. Add on the fact he's pretty beat up and...there's something not quite right with him Spike. I can't put my finger on it.*
Spike lay back down and contemplated the ceiling.
"Wolfe you want to tell us about you? How are you? Where have you been? What happened to you?" he asked.
Wolfe crossed his arms and frowned.
"Not really," he mumbled.
*How do we do this Spike? I don't know how to be a parent, look what happened to my mom and I'm just her daughter! Turned into a vampire. God knows what will happen to Wolfe!*
#Calm down luv,# Spike ordered.
"If you're going to talk like that I'll just leave you-"
"No...come sit down with us," Buffy found herself saying.
#That's it luv. Do what your mum would.#
*But he's a man. He doesn't need me coddling him!*
#We will learn together. Now scoot over and let him sit down and then let me ask the next question.#
*Like that's been going so well Spike! Let me.*
#No.#
*Yes.*
#No.#
*Yes.*
#No.#
*No.*
#Yes.#
*Why thank you Spike I think I will.*
"Wolfe..." Buffy began.
#No fair luv! I'm impaired here, being all wounded and the like. You cheated.#
*No. I won.*
"Wolfe," she repeated as he settled himself down next to them and glanced from one to the other.
"Hmmmm?"
"You don't feel responsible for this do you? Because really it's not your fault... And we came out of it alive. We're all alive," she said with a smile.
"So? I don't see how that doesn't make this my fault. I mean Grace my girlfriend was the one who pulled you from the past into the future and everything that happened there had a direct affect on the past! The things you did are my fault. Things now are my fault! Rufus wouldn't have opened the hellmouth if it weren't for me!"
Wolfe got up and began to pace around angrily.
"Rufus opened the hellmouth. He was doing it before you got there right? So it would have been opened anyway. Sure Grace is the reason we were sent to the future but we made decisions Wolfe. Our own choices that affected our world now. No one made those decisions for us. You need to realize you can't control other people's actions," Buffy tried to placate him.
"Can't I?! I made sure you would think about me. About having me. I wanted things to change. Be given the chance to know you and it has changed the whole damn world! I think I have the right to be pretty pissed about that," Wolfe growled.
"Wolfe," Spike tried to put in his piece. "You should be angry that you were put in such a dangerous position and were almost killed because of it. What you shouldn't blame yourself for is things outside of your control mainly being what people will do to gain power. As our son, it seems you're quite the wanted man. But that's just a fact, can't change that now."
Wolfe paused and stared at them his face taut and his eyes shinning an unnatural bright green.
"You're right we can't change that. Not now. Not ever," he yelled.
#His eyes...#
*Oh no....not this!*
"What do you mean...not now not ever? Don't you want to go home?" Spike asked.
"What did you do?" Buffy whispered a horrified edge to her voice as she slowly got up and walked towards Wolfe.
"What I had to do," Wolfe, muttered.
She reached up and cupped his face; he struggled for a moment before he let her.
"Amazing. They glow just like any other vampire. Except they don't change colors. They stay the same color only unnaturally so. Why would you do this?' she demanded.
"You've got a demon now?" Spike demanded rising and slowly making his way to them. "What the hell for?!" Looking into his sons eyes, he knew he spoke the truth. "You didn't before!"
"Do you hate me?" he whispered all his anger and resentment falling away leaving only the boy behind.
Anxious for his parents love and approval.
Buffy blinked as she let go of his face and glanced at Spike as he joined them.
"Hate you?" she whispered.
Shook her head.
"Of course we don't hate you Wolfe," Spike muttered.
"We love you," Buffy stated.
"But I'm a demon..." Wolfe protested.
"If you weren't you wouldn't be a part of this family," Buffy said with a laugh.
"Your mum's right. What we've got like three generations of demons in this family now! Grandmum, mum and now you...wouldn't make sense if you was normal."
Wolfe smiled, blinking back tears.
"Mom doesn't have a demon," he muttered half laughing.
"Well...technically I do. I've got one in my head and if he isn't a demon I don't know what he is!"
"Hey now! M'all demon! Here ends this round of beat the Spike pet!" Spike grumbled good-naturedly.
"Right," Wolfe snarked. "You've got yourself a Slayer, a kid, and a new childe. You're right. You are still a demon of... sorts."
Spike nodded firmly as he wrapped his arms around Wolfe and pulled him in for a big hug.
Buffy flung herself at both of them, completing the family hug.
"And I'll have you know the only reason I'm keepin' the Slayer around is... It's always nice to have Slayer blood on tap."
Buffy huffed.
"Here ends this round of beat Buffy the Vampire Slayer," she muttered.
"Don't you mean la-"
"Don't you even say it," Buffy threatened.
"Wha? I was only gonna say don't you mean Buffy the Vampire...uh supermum," Spike protested.
"That so does not start with an L which was what you were saying! And you should be glad that I can even stand you! What with you being snarkish, obnoxious, not funny, witty, or even remotely attractive-"Buffy rambled on.
"Take that back!" Spike gasped out. "I am too attractive! Best bloody damn lookin' vamp you have ever met luv. Ever likely to meet. And besides that wasn't what you were saying when we did th-"
Buffy let out a gasp as she realized what he was going to say.
"Wolfe is in the room Spike! He doesn't want to hear about that!"
Spike looked questioningly at Wolfe.
"She's right. I so don't want to hear about...that," Wolfe mumbled beyond embarrassed.
"You make it out as if I was talking about us having sex or somethin'! I was only going to say your mum wasn't thinking how bad lookin' she likes to pretend I am when we first met. In the alley behind the Bronze."
Buffy slapped him on the chest and mock scowled.
"You're like deficient," she complained.
"And you are like so cute," Spike grumbled.
"And I'm like going to be sick. You guys are crazy," Wolfe complained laughing. "God I love you."
Spike and Buffy grinned at each other and then looked as one at Wolfe.
"So does that mean you're feeling better?" Buffy asked happily.
~*~*~
"So essentially we've got nothing," Giles said as they all assembled in the living room where they were discussing recent events.
"Well not necessarily," Buffy said as Giles looked as if he were about to give up.
"Yes?" he asked.
"We know that whatever ritual Rufus was doing was in that book and it went to hell with him. So for now Wolfe's relatively safe."
Giles glanced at Wolfe and smiled slightly.
"That's all good and well but we still have no idea why the Order of Aurelius aided Rufus in his plans. We have no idea how Angelus came to be or what we'll be facing in the future."
"I think I have a pretty good idea what Rufus was doing teamed up with the Order," Wolfe announced.
All eyes turned to him and he straightened slightly at all the attention.
"Well...when I was-see I wasn't hiding," he breathed in a rush looking at Buffy then Spike as he said this. "I was in a self imposed...prison."
"Prison?" Willow asked.
"Imposed?" Giles questioned at the same time.
"Well...as you all know I'm half demon half Slayer. So naturally, I have a demon, like any other vampire. The thing is it doesn't control me. I can function without it and live a normal life. I...let the demon out once and it wasn't pretty. I did things...I'm not proud of. I vowed never to let it out and made Willow cast a spell over me. If I ever started to think about letting the demon out I would be taken away from all I loved so I would not hurt any of them and placed in a sort of containment structure."
"Wow," Xander mumbled as he eyed Wolfe warily.
"What does this have to do with you knowing anything about Rufus's plans with the Order?" Spike asked abruptly.
"I can only guess it was the Powers that placed a sort of screen into the going on's down below in the past. With you all. Granted I don't know everything but I do know some things that may come in handy. Rufus didn't just plan to rule the world, open the hell mouth. What he wanted was bigger. Something about the Master's line being what he needed to complete the circle. But when Mornay killed Dru, the circle was broken and Elias decided that keeping the rest of the line alive would be something only to give an edge to Rufus. "I'm not even sure Elias knew what Rufus wanted with the Master's line other than the fact he had been promised the Order would be safe when Rufus ruled the world. Anyway, that's one thing. The other is Rufus caused Angel to lose his soul. He had a Soul Catcher grab it at his weakest moment. And...he kept it in a crystal. When I was trying to save him I broke it."
All eyes turned to Buffy.
"Angel had his soul when you killed him?" Giles voiced the question no one wanted to ask.
Buffy lowered her head, closed her eyes in shame.
The feel of Spike's cool hand enclosing her own had her gathering her resolve.
She lifted her head and gazed at all of them in turn, daring them to protest what she'd done. To make her feel worse than she already did.
"Yes. I did. He got his soul right when I chopped his head off," she said bluntly.
No one said anything for a moment all coming to terms with this new and disturbing fact.
"No matter," Giles finally spoke breaking the silence. "You did what had to be done and I'm sorry you had to do that on your own Buffy. Angelus was a monster. An evil being that wouldn't have stopped until he was dead and you did what any of us would have. Isn't that right?" Giles snapped out.
He would have no one judge her for this!
"Right," Xander agreed sending Buffy a wide reassuring smile.
"I second that Buffy. It had to be done," Willow chimed in.
Oz just sent her a silent agreement.
"I've a suggestion," Spike announced.
"What ?" Buffy asked curiously.
"I suggest we all get some sleep. My guess is even though the library is totaled you all have school tomorrow."
"Snyder would be perverted enough to do that," Xander groaned.
"Yes...well. We shall heed your advice Spike. Now-"
"You guys are staying here," Buffy ordered as everyone made as if to leave.
"We are?" Willow asked hesitantly. "I thought you might want to be alone. Have some family time."
"You guys are my family," Buffy simply said. She was going to have a talk with all of them. The sooner the better. They could not be around her much longer.
"Besides Rupert here will just worry bout Joyce and it's better if you all stay here tonight. Can't have any of you dying by the Ripper's hands now can we? Run you right off the road with his wanderin' thoughts," Spike felt it necessary to point out. The barb directed solely at Rupert who stood frozen on the stairs.
"Let us have that talk now Spike," Giles gritted out.
"Thought you'd never ask," Spike said with a smile.
Buffy caught Spike's arm as he turned to follow Giles out the back door.
"Keep it clean Spike. Don't goad him. I love you both and don't want either of you hurt."
Spike placed a quick kiss on her lips.
"Never fear luv. It's just a little male posturing. He's gotta see if I'm worthy enough to be trusted with the precious lives of you Summers women. And there's the little fact I turned the woman he loves into a-"
"Don't say that," Buffy moaned.
"What?" Spike asked though he knew what she was talking about.
"Love. There's no love there Spike! Like. We're on like right now. Like is all I can handle. He likes her. L-I-K-E."
Smothering a laugh, he shook his head and turned away.
"What ever you say pet. I still say he loves her."
"Can't hear you," she sing-songed.
His laughter followed him out.
~*~*~
Epilogue:
"On the seventh day of the seventh month, in the seventh moon of the seventh year there shall arise a being more powerful than the devil himself from the depths of the seventh realm of hell. Only the seven warriors born of blood, love, and courage shall be able to stop it. On the seventh day of the seventh month, in the seventh moon, seven warriors will stand tall and face the seventh realm's greatest demon. Man will perish but only these seven warriors who bear the mark of Aurelius shall stand a chance..."
Martha Travers glanced one last time at the passage circled in her husband's private journal before she ripped the page out and tossed it into the fire that flared brightly in their bedroom.
"Doesn't matter," she muttered. "They shall never know and in the end we will have all we could ever have hoped love. I will get you back. You and I will dance in the ashes of all those who brought about your destruction. In time. For now we wait."
~*~*~
A/N: Well. That's it folks. I've got many thanks to give out in regards to this story. I loved writing this and your support has been wonderful and has kept me at my keyboard busily typing away. Thank you Spuffygirl for your faithful reviews. Lml1996 you are the best. You've reviewed every chapter and for that, I thank you. Mel, you are too cool and I thank you for your reviews as well. Duster you amuse me with your reviews and I'm glad you've taken the time to review almost all of the chapters. Ennui, Pin, and all you others. The lurkers out there THANK YOU! I love you guys and for you I will write a sequel. It's called The 7th Moment. I'm gonna take a mini break. Focus on Dancing on the Edge and read some fanfic. Probably a week or so. Look out for it and I hope you enjoyed this story as much as I loved writing it for you. The things I've left out will be picked up in the next story. Finally, a special thanks to Darlin I love you.
Cheers,
skyz