Q & A #7
Spike picked up the remote control and clicked off the TV. "That's enough for tonight, pet."
"Why?" Meredith protested from her comfortable position, stretched out between her father and the back of the couch. "I like that show. Can't we watch more TV?"
"Too violent." He shifted and drew his arms around her. "Nothing fit on for a little princess like yourself."
"What's violet?"
"Violent. People hurtin' each other. Killin' each other. Terrible things you don't want ta see."
"Like when the man shot the lady and there was blood?" She snuggled against him.
"That's right, love. Nasty things." He stood up, picked her off the couch and flung her over his shoulder. "Time for bed."
"No bed. I want to play with you." She struggled, but he held her fast. "You drink blood, daddy? Is it nasty?"
"Only pig's blood. And it's nasty for little girls. Now up the stairs you go."
"Daddy, what's a Slayer?"
He stopped his ascent. "What, pet? Where did you hear that?"
"I heard you call mommy 'Slayer'. I thought her name was Buffy."
"It's just a nickname, love." He hugged her close. "You needn't worry about it. We'll explain when you're older."
"Okay." They started back up the staircase. "Mommy can be Slayer, and I can be Princess."
"Right, Princess. I think you got the better end of the deal."
Spike picked up the remote control and clicked off the TV. "That's enough for tonight, pet."
"Why?" Meredith protested from her comfortable position, stretched out between her father and the back of the couch. "I like that show. Can't we watch more TV?"
"Too violent." He shifted and drew his arms around her. "Nothing fit on for a little princess like yourself."
"What's violet?"
"Violent. People hurtin' each other. Killin' each other. Terrible things you don't want ta see."
"Like when the man shot the lady and there was blood?" She snuggled against him.
"That's right, love. Nasty things." He stood up, picked her off the couch and flung her over his shoulder. "Time for bed."
"No bed. I want to play with you." She struggled, but he held her fast. "You drink blood, daddy? Is it nasty?"
"Only pig's blood. And it's nasty for little girls. Now up the stairs you go."
"Daddy, what's a Slayer?"
He stopped his ascent. "What, pet? Where did you hear that?"
"I heard you call mommy 'Slayer'. I thought her name was Buffy."
"It's just a nickname, love." He hugged her close. "You needn't worry about it. We'll explain when you're older."
"Okay." They started back up the staircase. "Mommy can be Slayer, and I can be Princess."
"Right, Princess. I think you got the better end of the deal."