Disclaimer: I own nothing, nada, zero, and zilch.

Thanks to my reviewers. You are the best people in the world. I've been hard at writing all weekend, and this is the last of the chapters I've already written. I'll probably update again tomorrow, or Wednesday at the latest. Please review the new ones.

Buffy opened the door of her mom's room to see her mother wiping what looked like thick white glue off her face, "What?"

Dawn turned and saw Spike, "There's something out there you guys it's after mom."

Buffy looked quickly to Spike and saw him nod, "You guys stay here don't leave this room."

Buffy pulled the door closed. As soon as she did she heard a thud and a stream of Spike's colourful swearing. Turning around she saw him wrestling with some kind of creature. The thing had what looked like a beetle shell on it's back; its head was small and round. Buffy couldn't see it's face but it was squealing. Spike stumbled backwards underneath the things weight and tumbled down the stairs. Buffy quickly followed and pulled the thing off him. It skittered round a corner and Buffy pulled Spike to his feet, "You okay?"

"I'll un-live pet."

"You sure?"

Spike smiled and nodded, "Let's kill this thing though."

Buffy nodded and went through to the kitchen. She took two knives out of the rack, gave one to Spike, and the two of them crept through the house.

Buffy turned at a noise, but if the thing had been there it disappeared.

Buffy indicated the passage way to the kitchen at the back of the house, Spike nodded and walked past her while she stayed at the front window. Buffy kept her eyes on the shadow until she heard an unmistakeable growl from Spike. Buffy ran through to see the thing on top of him. Buffy leant forward and sank her knife through its back. The demon let out and ear piercing squeal and jumped at Buffy. Spike watched as the Slayer fell backwards and hit the floor. He picked up his knife and threw it to her. Catching it in one hand, she sunk it into the demon's back until it stopped moving.

Spike looked at her stuck under the body, "That's a good look for you Slayer."

Suddenly Buffy was struck with the hilarity of her on her dining room floor under the body of a demon. She started to giggle. Spike leant against the doorframe as he laughed. "Okay you bleached moron get this thing off me."

Spike, still laughing, walked towards her. Before he got two paces the front door burst open. About twelve men with guns came through the door. One of them turned and saw the demon on the floor. Buffy wriggled trying to get out from under it.

Spike saw what was about to happen. The soldier aimed at the demon apparently thinking that it was still moving. "No!" Spike rushed forwards. Before he could get there, Riley came through the door and saw him. He moved forward and caught Spike by the arm, "What the hell are you doing here?"

The soldier pulled the trigger, just before Spike could stop him.

Spike turned and heard Buffy groan.

Pushing the demon off Buffy and ignoring the twinge in his head he reached for Buffy, "Pet? Slayer are you okay?"

Buffy looked art him, "Yeah. It just hit me in the shoulder. What are these guys doing here?"

Spike slipped into game face without realising, "They came here with soldier boy."

Buffy took a second to realise what he was saying. She looked up at Riley, "You, you got the military involved? After what happened last time you brought them to my house?"

Buffy's voice was quivering with rage. Riley flinched. Partly from her obvious anger and partly from the fact that Spike still had two hands on is girlfriend's arms. "I had no choice. We knew that there was a demon out there killing mentally sick people. You weren't reachable with your mom. I had to do something."

Buffy's eyes flashed, "So, you didn't let the gang, people with five years experience let me remind you, help? You called in the army to my town. When you know how I feel about them. When you know that they invented something that tried to kill all humans and go 'Frankenstein.' You called them in without checking with me or I assume, friends. You brought them here and they have now shot me in the arm and you thought that I would what? Thank you?"

Riley flushed. She didn't understand. That he needed this. This was what he was good at. He needed the respect given to him. It made him feel good. But he also felt a little guilt, "Are you okay?" Buffy seemed to be going a little pale.

She stumbled to her feet, "Don't. Touch. Me. Spike, can you help me upstairs I need to check on them? Then I need you to get me to the hospital."

Riley felt a surge of jealousy, "I'll help you. We can go straight to the hospital after."

Buffy turned her blazing eyes on him. "You will get these people out of my home and out of my town."

Riley squirmed uncomfortably, "Buffy they're the military. They're kinda in charge."

Buffy looked like she was about to explode with rage, "Get them out. If you don't, I will. They can threaten all they want but let's face it. When it comes to the supernatural, they're amateurs in the worst way. Boys playing with toys. They can't actually do anything to me, all I would have to do is break a few legs."

Spike fought the urge to laugh. Buffy was right of course. These army boys were no match for her. If he were Riley, God forbid, he'd get them out of there quick. He hadn't seen the slayer this pissed off since he had kidnapped Angel. Spike put an arm under hers and helped her up the stairs.

"Don't tell them I've been shot okay?"

Spike nodded, "I won't pet."

She tried to explain, "They'd just worry, and you know. Mom'd worry . . ."

Spike cut her off, "I know and don't worry. I won't say a word

Buffy seemed to have lost her steam a little. She opened the door and slipped inside, "It's gone. I killed it."

Joyce looked up, "Oh thank God. Are you two okay?"

Spike stepped forward, "We're okay. Just a little scratch."

Joyce saw the blood and paled, "Are you okay? Oh my God Buffy. . ."

Spike came forward, "It's okay Joyce. Just a scratch. We'll get it looked at but it's fine."

Joyce smiled. "Okay."

Dawn took her sister's hand, "It's gone?" She looked to Spike, "You promise."

Spike put his hand on her head, "It's gone. Promise."

Buffy put her arm around her sister and rested her sore arm on her sister's shoulder pulling them both into a hug, "It's all right. Everything's all right."

Two days later they were all back at the hospital. Buffy's arm was almost healed. Thank God for being a Slayer. Spike had been more worried about it than she had. Apparently the bullet had gone straight through the flesh and the hospital staff couldn't understand how it was almost healed over in forty eight hours.

Buffy sat on the bed with her mother. She could tell that her mother wanted to talk to her about something; she was just waiting for the right moment. Buffy sat and waited for it too.

"Buffy. I wanna ask you about something. Two things actually."

Buffy took her mother's hand and smiled, "Go ahead."

"Well, firstly. I wanted to ask you. Is there something going on? With . . . someone who isn't Riley."

Buffy flushed, "What makes you say that?"

"The way that Spike looks at you. The way you look at him. I wouldn't ask you but with me going in for this operation. I might not get another chan . . ."

Buffy cut her mother off, "No, mom. You will."

Joyce smiled and squeezed her daughter's hand, "I just wanted to tell you. I know how hard you have worked to try and keep some of your life separate from your life as a Slayer. You have tried. You've gone to college and tried to have a normal relationship. But . . ."

"What?"

"You were happier when you were with Angel." Buffy looked down with tears in her eyes. "I know that, you'll always love him in a way, but I also know that it can't work out with him. It's not possible. But from what I've seen, you've been happier since Spike came into your life in a . . . personal capacity. I don't want you to think that I don't understand. That you'll ever disappoint me. I want you to be happy and if that's with Spike . . . I can accept that. And anyway, I like Spike."

Buffy smiled as the tears ran down her face, "Thanks mom."

"Life's too short to not do what you want to be happy."

Buffy leant forward and hugged her mother. "Thank you."

"Your welcome. Oh, that was emotional."

Buffy laughed, "Yeah."

"But there is something else."

Buffy wiped her face, "What is it?"

"This is about . . . Dawn"

Buffy felt her heart clench. Her mom couldn't know.

"The other day. I'm not sure when actually, the days seem to all bleed together."

"It's not important."

"No, I guess it isn't. I do know I was pretty out of it, and I had . . . not a dream exactly . . . more like I had this knowledge, it just came to me like truth you know."

Buffy felt the tears stream down her cheeks again, her mother knew, "What?"

"That Dawn, she's not mine is she?"

Buffy dropped her head and took a deep breath. Meeting her mother's eyes she whispered, "No."

Joyce closed her eyes, and squeezed them, "She's, she does belong to us though."

"Yes she does," Buffy, said it with all her heart; trying to convey to her mother just how much Dawn belonged to them.

"And she's important, to the world precious. As precious as you are to me. Then we have to take care of her. Buffy you must promise, if anything happens to me if I don't come through this . . ."

Buffy tried to cut off her mother again, "Mom, no . . . "

"No. No, listen to me. No matter what she is, she still feels like my daughter. I have to know that you'll take care of her that you'll keep her safe, that you'll love her like I love you."

Buffy clutched her mother's hands, "I promise."

Joyce swallowed a sob, "Good . . . good." Joyce flung her arms around Buffy, "Oh, my sweet brave Buffy. What would I do without you?"

Buffy fought not to cry as she held her mother.