When Spike woke up, he was laying on the floor, several faces peering down
at him. "Daddy?" Kat asked, "Are you okay?" Spike sat up, his face filled
with bewilderment.
Xander was the first to speak up. "Buffy, maybe Anya and I should take the kids out for an ice cream." Buffy nodded at this, as the kids smiled and ran to the door.
Willow and Tara exchanged another glance, this time Willow speaking into Tara's mind. *Maybe we should* *Yeah* Tara responded. "Buffy," Willow said, "We're gonna home and try the locator spell again." Dawn, realizing that everyone was trying to give Buffy and Spike some time alone, spoke up. "Yeah, Buff, I'm just gonna head home," she glanced over at Spike, still on the floor, "I'll make dinner tonight, just come on over when you guys are ready." With that, everyone except the Slayer and the vampire left the shop.
Buffy walked over to the counter and started straightening things up. Spike watched her from his seat on the floor, silently. After a few minutes, he stood up, walking over to join her.
"When?" Buffy turned her head at the question. "From what Kat said, pretty soon after they took you. We, that is, you and I, it just happens. I try and hide it from my friends, but eventually they find out." Spike nodded as he tried to take all of this in. "And Kat?" For the first time, Buffy looked Spike in the eye. "She's ten, so about a year from your time," the Slayer smiled as she said this.
Spike, noting the happy look on Buffy's face, turned his head away. "What happens to us?" he asked, hurt in his voice. "Well, we still live in Mom's old house, with Dawn, although she isn't there very much, she stays with friends a lot," Buffy began. Spike's head shot up, "You mean we're still together?" he asked. Buffy just laughed. "Of course. Why wouldn't we be?" "Oh, I dunno, the fact that I'm a vampire and you're the Slayer?" Buffy smiled, "That excuse stopped working a long time ago." Spike, not knowing what else to say, looked at Buffy and smiled. She smiled back, taking his hand.
"So, luv, why'd the 'lil bits bring me here then?" Spike finally broke the silence. At his words, Buffy tensed, pulling her hand away from his and wrapping her arms around herself. She sighed, started to talk, but instead shook her head. A few tears trickled down her face, causing Spike's heart to tear. He pulled her back into his arms, whispering soothingly.
"Buffy?" The pair turned towards the door to see Giles standing there. "Giles!" Buffy broke free from Spike's arms to run into the Watcher's. Giles smiled as her hugged her back, before releasing her. "Buffy I don't understand, I thought you called me to help you find Spike?" he asked. Buffy sighed, glancing over her shoulder at the past Spike, and just nodded.
Xander was the first to speak up. "Buffy, maybe Anya and I should take the kids out for an ice cream." Buffy nodded at this, as the kids smiled and ran to the door.
Willow and Tara exchanged another glance, this time Willow speaking into Tara's mind. *Maybe we should* *Yeah* Tara responded. "Buffy," Willow said, "We're gonna home and try the locator spell again." Dawn, realizing that everyone was trying to give Buffy and Spike some time alone, spoke up. "Yeah, Buff, I'm just gonna head home," she glanced over at Spike, still on the floor, "I'll make dinner tonight, just come on over when you guys are ready." With that, everyone except the Slayer and the vampire left the shop.
Buffy walked over to the counter and started straightening things up. Spike watched her from his seat on the floor, silently. After a few minutes, he stood up, walking over to join her.
"When?" Buffy turned her head at the question. "From what Kat said, pretty soon after they took you. We, that is, you and I, it just happens. I try and hide it from my friends, but eventually they find out." Spike nodded as he tried to take all of this in. "And Kat?" For the first time, Buffy looked Spike in the eye. "She's ten, so about a year from your time," the Slayer smiled as she said this.
Spike, noting the happy look on Buffy's face, turned his head away. "What happens to us?" he asked, hurt in his voice. "Well, we still live in Mom's old house, with Dawn, although she isn't there very much, she stays with friends a lot," Buffy began. Spike's head shot up, "You mean we're still together?" he asked. Buffy just laughed. "Of course. Why wouldn't we be?" "Oh, I dunno, the fact that I'm a vampire and you're the Slayer?" Buffy smiled, "That excuse stopped working a long time ago." Spike, not knowing what else to say, looked at Buffy and smiled. She smiled back, taking his hand.
"So, luv, why'd the 'lil bits bring me here then?" Spike finally broke the silence. At his words, Buffy tensed, pulling her hand away from his and wrapping her arms around herself. She sighed, started to talk, but instead shook her head. A few tears trickled down her face, causing Spike's heart to tear. He pulled her back into his arms, whispering soothingly.
"Buffy?" The pair turned towards the door to see Giles standing there. "Giles!" Buffy broke free from Spike's arms to run into the Watcher's. Giles smiled as her hugged her back, before releasing her. "Buffy I don't understand, I thought you called me to help you find Spike?" he asked. Buffy sighed, glancing over her shoulder at the past Spike, and just nodded.