Chapter 4 Aftermath

With the memorial service for Deloris at the forefront, and Sheena still in the hospital, the last week for the Level 4 girls was shaping up to be a subdued affair. Buffy and Faith had originally planned to give them something of a going away party after their last shopping trip. Now they didn't know if they were taking them and a party just seemed to be in poor taste.

Deloris had been part of Zari's group and she had been taking her loss particularly hard. So was Faith.

After it was apparent she hadn't been turned, they arranged to have Deloris's body sent home to her family. What made it even more difficult for some of the girls was the fact that Ruby was still being held in the utility room.

Buffy still hadn't decided exactly what to do with her. She had spent many hours in conversation with Giles, Spike, and Willow, trying to figure out her next step. A day or so after Deloris's death Ruby started to seem almost listless. Spike said it was the effects of the Slayer blood leaving her system. It was like a drug for vampires. She seemed somewhat calmer now and had stopped coming onto everyone who walked into the utility room. Ruby didn't seem to have a preference. It had gotten so bad that Jetta had even gagged her.

Although she didn't show any remorse for Deloris, she had at least started to ask about her sister's wellbeing. None of them took that at face value. Although Buffy couldn't help but think she didn't want to kill her either. Maybe it was because the situation had reminded her of Spike tied up in Giles's bathtub. Or maybe it was because Spike had shared his thoughts with her about Harmony being able to be rehabilitated. The idea made her stomach clench every time the Andersons mourning their daughter crossed her mind. Especially with Sheena still in the hospital. Even if it was possible to rehabilitate her, they still couldn't just let her wander around the castle.

Buffy sat on the couch in the living room gazing at her phone when Spike came out of the utility room carrying an empty container of blood. He strolled over to her, setting the empty container on the coffee table and plunking himself down on the couch next to her. The shift of the couch cushion pulled her out of her thoughts.

"All right, you have had serious-thinking-face all week, which is it now?" he asked.

"I just talked to Will and something is definitely up. I just can't figure out what. She tells me that she and Kennedy are on the rocks and the ship is sinking fast and yet she seems like totally happy about it. She even sounded excited… I am really confused right now."

"She's your best friend, Pet, if you can't figure it out, you really think I'll be able to?"

"You're good at reading people. You were right about her when Oz left."

"Ahh, yeah, I could actually see her and it was obvious to anyone with eyes. Didn't know I'd end up proposing to you and doing some heavy snogging in Giles's living room, did I?."

"Ohhh like you didn't enjoy it?"

"I– course, but I wasn't about to admit it then. Not when we were still doing the mortal enemy bit."

"Humm yeah. Same. Plus I was totally wrapped up in Riley then."

Spike rolled his eyes, "Oh yeah, let's talk about Major Shaggless and his immense idiocy."

"Wow! I know you never liked the guy but, it's been how long? Yikes. You really have to work on this whole letting go thing."

"Don't like what he did to you. Wanker."

Buffy watched his face as he spoke. His eyes were focused on the blank TV, "Is this the whole 'men hurting me' thing again? Because I told you, I'm not…"

"Men who hurt you should be punished plain and simple."

"The way you punished yourself?"

"For starters. Yeah…" he choked out as the last word caught in his throat.

"William… look, I can't believe I'm actually going to say this… I have more reason than most to hold on to stuff, but…" she took a deep breath, "Maybe we both should work on the whole forgive and forget thing. It's going to eat you up if you let it."

"I'm alright, Pet. What about Ruby-Tuesday there?", he said, indicating the door leading to the utility room, "Forgive and forget?"

"Kinda changing the subject."

"Guess you're not the only one with a lot rolling around in the attic."

"You got me there, I don't know what we're going to do with her. This week has been a serious disaster."

"That it has. Any word from the hospital or from Sheena's parents?"

"Not since yesterday. Sheena's condition seems to be improving slightly but she is still out. She really took one hell of a hit to the head. If she wasn't a Slayer she'd probably be dead. Look how long Faith was out— Sheena might be a while."

"Don't really know anything about that besides what you told me, Love. Didn't meet her until after the fact, remember? I just thought you'd been hit with an anti-inhibition spell or something the first time I met her."

"Yeah, seriously awkward. I still can't believe you and Riley couldn't tell it wasn't me."

"Oi! Don't lump me in with Captain Lunkhead, he's the one who slept with her! I knew something was up, just didn't know what. Did give me lots of mileage for some interesting dreams though."

"And so began the madness—" she laughed.

"Pretty sure that was already in play after the engagement thing. Fuel for the fire at that point, I just didn't realize it yet," he wrapped an arm around her waist, "Pretty hard to get the thought of your sweet little body pressed up to mine, out of my head. Enough to drive any bloke round the bend—- speaking of, fancy a trip upstairs?"

"Very funny. How's our captive anyway?"

"Bit banged up. Thinking one of the girls tried taking out some aggression on her. Otherwise she's fine since she got the last of the Slayer blood out of her. That was wearing thin, almost staked her myself."

"Still not sure we shouldn't."

"Makes two of us but what happened to forgive and forget?"

She puffed out her cheeks with a long breath, "Yeah… baby-steps?" she grinned, "I mean just staking her would definitely simplify things."

"So aside from the rehabilitation angle, what's stopping us now?"

"The Andersons... What if you're right, what if there is hope for her? What if she can be… different?"

Spike leaned back in his seat on the couch, "Come here, Love," he said, putting an arm around her. "Ruby is young, that had to of been one of her first kills. Angel was able to get the W vamps in line by doing human-blood tests and killing anyone who failed. Kept the lot of 'em inline. Course that works better when there's a bunch of them. Could always ask Red if she's up to popping a soul in her."

"We sort of already talked about it. She said she'd have to track down one of thoses orb thingys. But it's a good idea. Have I told you today how much I love you, William Pratt?" she said, reaching for a kiss.

He cupped her face in one hand, melting into the kiss. Buffy backed away slowly and settled herself down in his lap to watch TV.

"Told you to keep that quiet, Pet."

She looked around the empty room with mock concern, "Do you think the walls have ears? The door is closed so it's not like Ruby can hear us. Vampire hearing is good but it's not that good."

"Very funny."

"It's just your name, you dope. I'm sure there are lots of Pratts running around out there in the world. Might even be some distant relatives, fourteenth cousins or something. You really need to get over the schoolboy trauma. See, this is exactly what I'm talking about with the forgiving and forgetting thing. Big bad vampire with a soul is afraid of people knowing his last name just because of some long dead idiots? You're ridiculous."

He sighed, "I know you're right," he put a finger to his head, "in here I know it. I'm just— let it be on my own terms, alright?"

"As long as you know you're being a long-dead-idiot, I'm good," she said as she snuggled into him more.

"You know what I think you need? What we need?" he asked, changing the subject.

"What's that?"

"Get out of the castle a bit, go to town, something. Maybe just go out on patrol tonight. Anything. Just switch things up a bit."

"Yeah, I could do with some away time, Mr Pratt."

He grumbled quietly to himself and sighed again, "How about some telly for now?"

"As long as it's nothing too thinkie, I can't do thinkie right now."

He chuckled, "One order of mindless entertainment coming up."

They were still snuggled up on the couch when the doorbell rang. Spike raised an eyebrow, "Wonder who that could be," he said, shifting in his seat as Buffy got up.

"I'll get it."

"If it's a singing telegram send it back!" he joked.

"Watch it, Babe, your age is showing," she grinned as she made her way to the entryway.

From the living room Spike could hear Buffy open the door and give a loud shriek of delight. Followed by two more very familiar, excited voices. He grinned slyly as he got up and headed towards the front door.

"Oh my God! What are you guys doing here!" Buffy squealed and jumped up and down in excitement as the newcomers hugged her.

"We figured you could use some serious best-friendage," Xander said, not relinquishing his hold on Buffy.

"That and after the attack, I thought maybe the castle's defenses could use some sprucing up. And—" she paused, pulling a wooden box out of her bag, "I thought maybe we could try this out on your newly-vamped-vamp," she opened the box to reveal a glass ball.

"Is that what I think it is?"

"Only if you think it's an Orb of Thesulah… oh and get this! I've been tinkering with the spell. I think I can do it without the whole 'no happy' thing now. The thing is that it's still a curse so I just have to substitute 'true happiness' for some other majorly big thing."

"Seriously?"

"Absolutely! I really think I can use something slightly more specific, like— 'the true joy of daylight', which a vampire can't experience without getting all flamey anyway so it makes for one heck of a good loophole."

"And here I went and got mine the hard way," Spike drawled from where he leaned against the archway between the entryway and the living room.

Buffy extricated herself from her best friends and went over to him beaming, "Your way was seriously way, way better, all the happy. Big fan of the happy," she wrapped her arms around his waist and kissed him on the lips. She pulled back with a broad smile still on her face. "Did you know they were coming?"

He adjusted his arm around her waist, dropping his hand to her hip and returned a little smile, "Thought they might make an appearance after what happened. Might have also mentioned the idea of adding wards to the castle grounds to Red here."

"Just so happens I have a plan for that too," Willow grinned.

Xander stood looking transfixed at Buffy and Spike. Buffy had talked to him and she knew he had been told they were together, but apparently seeing it with his own eyes was something else. His mouth worked silently as though he wasn't sure what sounds he should attempt to form, "So humm… this, this isn't some kind of spell or robot shenanigans again is it? I mean that's really Spike, like in the undead flesh? And you two are together by choice? On purpose?"

"Yes, Xander," Buffy said flatly.

"Yes, you finally snapped from grief and made a robot of your favorite sex-pire? Or— Yes, he's really real and you are really in a serious out-of-the-shadows, so-to-speak, relationship like Willow and Dawn said."

"I can totally turn him into a ventriloquist dummy for you, if you want," Willow said, crossing her arms and glaring at Xander.

"Nah, I've had enough of puppets for a while— Harris, of all the stupid bloody—"

Buffy stopped Spike with a hand on his chest, "Humm eh, Babe, Xander isn't totally out of line here," she cleared her throat, "There may or may not have been a drunken night with Xander before we even came to the castle when, I— I might have insisted on trying to find somebody that could make me a— well, a you—"

"You're putting me on."

"In my defense I was really drunk and upset and I never actually did it. Unlike the other hot blonde in this relationship."

"I plead soulless and out-of-my-gord-obsessed."

Buffy tilted her head for another kiss, "Plead of soulless-insanity accepted."

"So 'no' to the ventriloquist dummy?" Willow said with a teasing pout.

"Who could tell the difference?" Spike grinned.

"Hardy-harr-harr very funny. All right, all right. I can accept this is all real, not a figment of my imagination. You're not a robot and you two are really… wow OK just gotta wrap my head around this one."

"Seem to be hearing the same tune from everyone, don't we?"

"With our history, what do you expect, Honey?"

"Oh I don't know, folks seem to be all right with Captain Forehead."

Xander held up a finger, "I still don't like him, so not my favorite person. You helped out in a big way in Sunnydale. In my mind you finally earned that free pass, man. We lost you and Anya that day. Even with one eye I saw what that did to Buffy. I figure that if I can't have Anya back, at least I can be happy for Buffy getting you back."

Spike raises eyebrows, "Wow, ehh… right then. I can live with that," he stepped forward a little still holding his other arm around Buffy and held a hand out to Xander.

Xander looked at it for a moment, pausing, then accepted the handshake, "You still make me a little uneasy, Dude, but I'm willing to give you a shot after everything. Just treat her right. That's all I ask."

"Oh he does," Buffy smiled up at him.

"For the record, Harris, I was sorry to hear about Anya. I figured if anybody was going to make it, it would be her. Sorry to hear it wasn't. Always liked her."

"I just gave you a free pass, don't go reminding me how much you liked her."

Spike rolled his eyes and scoffed, "You know what I meant, lady knew how to treat a bloke."

"I am going to choose to accept that in a platonic, non-sexy kind of way."

"Moving on, Eyepatch."

"Are we going to stand around here and gab in the entryway or do we get to see this place now that Faith has done her home renovation thing?" Willow asked.

Buffy grinned, "Big yes, let's give you the grand tour and get you settled in," she thought for a moment, "Xander you can probably crash on Giles's couch and Will, I think you're going to have to stay with the Level 1 girls. It's the only place we have spare beds," Buffy frowned, "but you can use our bathroom, we only share with Faith."

"Don't worry about it, Buff. I'll make do. How are the girls holding up?" she asked as they moved out of the entryway.

"As well as can be expected I guess. Not super great. Sheena is still in a coma and Deloris's murderer is locked in the utility room. So yeah, this week really has not been big fun," Buffy frowned again, "Spike and I were just talking about going out for patrol tonight, just to get away from things for a little bit."

"Count us in!"

"Sure, we can all go and then do a movie night or ensoul a vampire or something. Just like old times."

"Eeek, friend plans!" Willow squealed happily, hugging Buffy and nearly clobbering Spike in the process. "Sorry, Spike! You get in here too. Xander where are you?" She said pulling Spike in suddenly. Before Spike realized what was happening, Xander was on the other side joining in the group hug. Spike stood frozen with his arm still around Buffy but unwilling to hug anyone else back. It was all just too weird for him.

At that moment Faith and Callum came down the stairs into the entryway. "I wondered what all the racket was about down here," she said gruffly, but smiled slyly all the same. "Hey Will— Xan, looking good, still rocking the pirate thing, I see."

"Hey Faith!" Willow greeted.

Xander released himself from the group-hug and faced them, "Ah yeah, actually looking into the whole glass eye thing. Getting a little bored with the pirate look, you'd think it would go with everything but it really doesn't. Hey! Where'd Superman come from?"

Callum pressed his lips together, and took a step down to stand beside Faith, "Name's Callum," he said a little gruffly, crossing his arms over his expansive chest, "I'm with Faith."

"Yeah, he's been staying with me the last couple of nights. And drop the Superman thing, Xan, so not earning points with that one."

"Huhh, steady guy, didn't see that one coming especially after Wood split."

Willow punched Xander in the arm, "Oww! Wills! What was that for?"

"So no one around here with super strength would feel the need to do it instead, dummy."

The moon glinted off of tombstones as Buffy and Willow walked side-by-side through the cemetery. Spike and Xander followed a few feet behind. Willow had been filling Buffy in on what she had missed in Rome with the Slayers based there.

"…And then of course after Angel's visit, Dawn just had to go seek out Connor," Willow was rambling on.

Buffy groaned, "Great… and how is that playing out?"

"Turns out that he was in one of her classes. They probably would have met anyway. They've hung out a few times. He came over one night for dinner, but she hasn't said much about him. I'm pretty sure they are just study-buddies."

Buffy nodded, "I can't pick her friends for her… I guess it's kinda comforting that he can fight. I mean that should be a plus, right?"

"Yeah, sure it is. I mean, I'm sure it is."

"Stupid maternal-ish protective feelings…" Buffy grumbled, making Willow laugh.

"She's doing fine, Buffy. Honestly. She's staying with Vi and Andrew while we're here. It works out because their place is closer to campus anyway. And added bonus, it gives Kennedy time to slip away quietly and we can avoid all the icky-ness of actually breaking up."

"Wait… you actually WANT her to move out?"

"Want might be a little strong. Hoping. Hoping might be better. We'll talk about it later. Right now I want to talk about witchy services to be rendered."

Buffy was more confused than ever, but if Willow didn't want to talk right now she wasn't going to force it out of her… "Humm, sure, did you want to try the re-ensoulment thing tonight?"

"Do we think she's a good candidate?"

"Oh yeah, like we even know what makes a good candidate. Not like we have a lot of data on the subject. We have Angel, who apparently was kind of a bit unhinged to begin with, before the whole super evil bad guy thing. And then we have Spike who started out as a gentleman, poet, who took care of his sick mom. It's not like there's a manual or a formula to follow."

"That's right, Love, tell everyone what a bleeding Nancy boy I was," he grumbled.

"I think it's sweet that you cared about your mom so much. Honest Buffy here- I'd rather have the mama's boy over the drunken scoundrel any day," she dismissed.

"Think you're missing the biggest difference here."

"Dark and brooding vs bleached and snarky?" Xander laughed.

Spike turned to him seriously, "Angel didn't have a choice, he was forced into this. Or rather, had his soul forced into him. I sought it out and fought for it. It's a difference of choice."

Xander slowed down and gaped at Spike's back as he kept pace with Willow and Buffy as though he had never put it together until now. Realizing he had stopped walking entirely, Xander ran to catch up to Spike. "So let's give her a choice," Xander said with a huff.

"What? A soul or a stake?"

"Not much of a choice, but yeah."

"Still a choice. I'd feel a bit better 'bout it at least."

Willow looked over at Buffy, "What can you tell me about this vampire, she's Sheena sister, right?"

"Yeah, her name is Ruby. She's just a little younger than us. I think she was a student at Edinburgh… Spike, you probably know more about her than I do. Can you fill in some blanks?"

"Oh 'bout all I know is that she was trying to get Sheena into some classic punk rock. Think she might have been studying literature or some such, not sure about that. Buffy and I met their parents. Seem like nice folks, real religious types from what I gather," he shrugged his shoulders, "Aside from that, I don't really know much about the girl always got the impression she was more of the quiet sort. In which case I'd say her demon has done a number on her. Oh and apparently slayer blood makes her want to come-onto everything on two legs. She's calmed down a lot now, seems more level headed."

"Is that normal for vampires?"

"Slayer blood is powerful stuff. Dunno many who've had a taste, none that are still kicking that is; besides me and Angel, that wanker Dracula. God I hate that guy. Dunno how it affects them exactly but it seems to have the same effect on Ruby as it did on me."

"What kind of effect?"

"Randy as hell if you must know. I didn't even feed off of my second Slayer because Dru was out of town, didn't see the point with no one to shag senseless."

Willow grimaced, "And now I have that picture in my head! Sorry I asked. Okay, well I'm here and I have everything I need, let's see if having a third ensouled vampire works out as well as the first two. It's about time to break-up the boys club."

"Right, because Angel and I are such chauvinist pigs about it. Bring on the new kid I say. I wouldn't mind showing her the ropes. Just hope she won't be a brooding killjoy like sodding Peaches is."

"We can try it and see how it goes. Who knows how she'll react," Willow interjected.

"It sort of depends on how things go with Sheena, don't it? It might make all the difference in the world."

"Do you think we should wait to see if she wakes up?" Willow asked.

"No, that could be days or months. I want this done and over with," Buffy said, glancing back at Spike.

Xander chimed in with a lame gangster impression, "We'll give her an offer she can't refuse," then in his normal voice, "And you know, make with the magic!"

"Take the orb, leave the cannoli?" Willow asked.

Spike shrugged, "Something like that."

Buffy just rolled her eyes and glanced over at Willow. "So are you going to tell me what's going on with you and Kennedy?" she asked her best friend.

"Oh that. It isn't anything specific… it's just… ever since we got back from our last trip, things have been— strained… even before that if I'm being honest… it just really hasn't been great. I keep thinking about Tara— and Kennedy— Kennedy's great, but it just—"

"It's not what you had with Tara."

"No, it's not. Not even close. It isn't even what I had with Oz— She's a great girl; I really like her, but I just can't— and I really think if I'm going to be in a relationship with someone," she sighed, "I want it to be like it was with Tara or Oz. Or at least something like it; I want to feel that again. I– I sort of feel like I rushed into things with her and we're only together now out of conveniance… we just don't mesh like I thought we would. Oh and don't get me started on the witch thing. Its like she still thinks it's a bunch of farytail crap, like she hasn't been with me for over a year! I'm just tired of trying to make something work that never really made sence to begin with. Things just made sense with Oz and Tara. I need that."

"I definitely get that."

"I sort of thought you might."

"You know it won't be the same, right?" Spike said from behind them.

Buffy glanced back towards him, "Well, no. It won't be the same, but maybe it could be even better."

Spike flicked his cigarette butt, "I say good for you, Red. If you're not happy, then it's time to get out. Find yourself a new love. Tara was a one in a million. Great girl, always liked that bird."

Willow's voice caught, "Thanks, Spike. To be honest I'm not even sure if I want to be in a relationship at all right now. I'm not like actively looking or anything. I just don't think I see a future for me and Kennedy. Like at all. Maybe I never really did.".

"Just how it goes sometimes. Take it from someone who knows. Over a hundred years with the same woman and I still stumbled into something far better than I could've ever dreamed of."

"He's such a romantic," Buffy smirked.

"There's also the fact that I really don't know what you ever saw in Kennedy to begin with. I think you could do infinitely better than that tart, but that's not really any of my business now is it?"

Willow gaped at Spike, she opened her mouth to speak when Buffy interrupted, "God, Spike! That isn't fair—" she started to say but trailed off when she noticed him lifting his chin, eyes scanning the cemetery and landing on a spot to the right.

"You got that 3 o'clock there, Pet?"

Buffy snapped her head to her right, "I do now. Thanks, Honey," she said as she pulled out a stake and ran down the vampire that had just come their way. It was a short fight and Buffy rejoined the group quickly, shaking a little dust off of her top.

"Feels like old times huh?" Xander grinned. He turned towards Spike who simply raised one scarred eyebrow.

"If it's nostalgia you're after, I could always try to kill you."

"Buffy!"

"Don't make me come back there you two. I won't hesitate to put you on a leash, Babe."

Spike couldn't help the wicked grin forming on his face, "Promises, promises. Still waiting on the collar you promised me years ago."

"I never promised you a collar. Pretty sure I told you to look into getting a bell. The collar was your idea."

Xander made a sputtering sound, "Come on, Buff, you gotta be kidding me with this guy and the bondage jokes."

"Who says we're joking, Mate? You don't know what we get up to," Spike leered with a grin.

"Buffy!"

"Oh knock it off, both of you. Xan, you know you make yourself an easy target."

Spike snorted, "This coming from the bloke who wanted to use my shackles for happy-fun-times? Don't think I don't know what you did on my cot back in Sunnydale, Mate," he said, laying one finger along the edge of his nose.

"Good god."

"Spike, you want to put a pin in your gab session? We've got work coming our way."

"Right you are, Pet," he said, drawing out a stake and assuming a fighting posture as he took his place by Buffy. The two of them squared off with the two vampires as they attacked from behind a crypt. Willow spotted a third vampire running from the fight and with a murmured word and a swipe of her hand the vampire flew back landing directly in front of her and Xander. Xander leveled a crossbow at the vampire just as it kicked out hard, knocking the crossbow to the side, thus sending the bolt flying in the opposite direction. The bolt landed squarely in Spike's thigh and he let out a sound between a growl and a scream.

"Bloody Hell! Watch it would you!" He growled as he pulled the bolt out of his leg, swearing. He threw the bolt forcefully. Hitting the vampire now grappling for Willow's neck, squarely in the back, piercing its heart. Willow straightened herself up as the vampire exploded into a cloud of dust.

She turned sharply towards Spike, "Thanks!" She panted as her eyes landed on the hole in his leg, and she grimaced, "Ouch. That looks painful."

Xander raised his hand tentatively, "My bad! Sorry, Man!"

"Yeah, I've had much worse. I'll be fine, Red. Just watch it with the wood, would you, Xan? Don't wanna have to start wearing chainmail around you all the time, ya pillock."

"It was an accident!"

"Oh yeah, like that's better!"

Buffy strode up to the three of them, "What was that guys?"

"The boy here needs a refresher on handling a crossbow," he said, indicating his leg.

"Well, he sure came to the right place," she shrugged.

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