Ice Cream, Hide-N-Seek, and Plans of Action
Author: Shroomie
Title: Family Links
Disclaimer: Joss is god. I am not. Therefore, they are not mine, they are his.
*** Spike had never felt more panicked in his life. He had faced demons, slayers, even the occasional hell-god, but nothing could have prepared him for this moment.
*they left me alone with a kid! they left me alone with a kid? they left me alone with a kid?* Spike kept running the same question through his mind. Kat, still in the doorway, observed him with a now serious face.
*he's still my dad, I guess. I mean, yeah, still my dad, but not my dad. he's not evil now at least, well, not like he used to be, I guess. hmmmm, he's not like he used to be, which means he doesn't know the rules. this could be fun* Kat thought as Spike finished his mental questioning and started to look around frantically, as if another babysitter would magically appear.
Kat decided to take it easy on him. *well, not too easy* she thought.
"Um, can I get a snack?" she asked, thinking this would be a simple request, even for him. *after all, we are in a kitchen* she thought.
*snack?! oh no, I have to feed it already?! not it, her, your daughter, relax, just get her some food. anything.* Spike looked around. There was nothing on the counter, so he opened up the fridge.
"Can we have ice cream?" Kat asked, sliding under his arm to look in with him. Spike jumped back when he heard her. He hadn't realized she had moved until she spoke and it had scared him. A lot.
*oh, pathetic vampire, scared by a little girl* he thought, before being hit by a wave of pride that his daughter was sneaky and stealthy. *hmmm, wonder what all traits she got from the vampire side?*
"So can we?" Kat asked again, impatiently this time.
"Can we what?" Spike had already forgotten her question.
Kat sighed, acting as if he had forgotten the most important thing in the world, and stressed each word as she spoke. "Can we have ice cream?"
"In the morning?" Spike asked, "You eat ice cream in the morning?" Kat nodded solemnly, pouting her lips just a little for effect, in case he was thinking of saying no. Spike wasn't sure what to do. Surely Buffy wouldn't let their daughter eat ice cream in the morning. But, Buffy wasn't here.
*so then I guess it's up to me.* he thought, looking down at the pouting little girl, *bloody hell, she's pouting now, just give her the ice cream* he concluded.
Kat beamed when he handed her the container. *well, that was easier than I thought. I wonder what else I can guilt him into doing?* she thought as she made herself a sundae.
*** Half an hour later, Kat finished her ice cream and put her bowl in the sink. Spike looked around the kitchen and cringed. There was ice cream on the counter, milk spilt on the table, and a line of chocolate syrup that went from the fridge to the counter to the table and back to the fridge.
*Buffy's gonna kill me. must clean up the kitchen before her and the Watcher get back.* he looked around again and nodded once to himself *yep, clean kitchen, check. so, where do they, uh, I mean we, keep the cleaning stuff?*
"Kat, where do we keep the," he trailed off when he realized she was no longer in the kitchen. He wondered into the living room.
No sign of Kat, but he did find a little slip of paper. For a split second he wondered if it could be a ransom note and he could have sworn his heart skipped a beat. Picking the paper up slowly, he read it and swore.
*great. just bloody brilliant Spike. they leave you alone with the kid for half an hour and you lose her already. stupid, stupid, stupid. ok, now I'm startin' to sound like Angel. stop being such a nancy and find the kid. right, find the kid, beat her to death for scaring you, bury the body, clean the kitchen. you have a plan.*
"Definitely a nancy," Spike murmured as he left the kitchen, "Can't be too hard though. How many places can a little kid hide?" ***
An hour later, Spike concluded that the number of places little kids can hide was too high to count. He pulled a crumbled piece of paper out of his pocket to read it for the hundredth time since he found it on the living room table.
Dad, oops, I mean Spike, Come find me, if it takes all week, Me and you are playing Hide-N-Seek! I'm somewhere close, but you can't see, So hurry up and come find me! Kat
Spike smiled wryly. *I see she got my skill at poetry* he thought. He sat down on the couch to try and figure out where she was. He had already checked the living room, the hallway, and all of upstairs. He also checked the kitchen, even though he was in it when she hid.
She might have gone outside. He pulled the curtain aside just a bit to glance in the yard. Sunlight poured into the room, and he quickly pulled his hand back. No, she wouldn't have gone outside in the light, not if she expected him to ever find her. And he had to find her. Buffy was going to be home soon and he knew he would be dust if he lost Kat.
"Where else Spike? Come on, think, think, where else could someone hide in this house?" he thought out loud, his eyes roaming over the room.
"The basement!" he shouted, congratulating and cursing himself mentally, for realizing he had forgotten the basement and being stupid enough to forget it.
He jumped up from the couch, hurrying to the basement door, when he heard a slight giggle coming from behind him. He slowed to a stop, turning his head to search for the source of the noise. It came from the corner where he had thrown his trench coat earlier. Narrowing his eyes, he noticed the slightest movement coming from underneath the coat.
Realizing he had been tricked the entire time, Spike almost growled in frustration. He had torn apart the whole house looking for his daughter when she was hiding under his coat the entire time. Now, instead of a messy kitchen, Buffy would be coming home to a trashed house. Plus, he had nearly gone insane with worry.
*well* Spike thought, smiling to himself *two can play this game*.
He walked over to the front door, sighing dramatically as he went.
"No, she wouldn't have gone into the basement. She must have gone outside. Now what am I supposed to do?" He heard the giggle he was listening for and almost chuckled along before regaining his composure.
"Well, I can't leave her out there. This note says I have to find her," Spike spoke louder as he opened the door a little, careful not to get burned.
"Guess I'll just have to go out and get her!" he yelled, before throwing the door wide open, jumping into the kitchen for protection.
"No!" Kat screamed, throwing the coat off and running into the hallway. She stopped in the open doorway, her eyes huge in her face as she looked on the ground and floor for ashes.
"What's a matter, pet? Looking for me?" Spike leaned against the wall, careful to stay in the shadows.
Kat's face changed from a look of confusion, to one of relief, to one of disbelief, and finally settled on angry. She slammed the door closed, crossing her arms over her chest and pouting.
"That was so not fair! You cheated!" she yelled indignantly.
"*I* cheated? *I* cheated? You disappeared on me, hid from me, making me worry that something had taken you and hurt you or killed you even," Spike found himself yelling back at her.
"I left you a note." Kat explained, her voice quieting as she realized she'd really made him upset. "I didn't think you'd get mad. We play this all the time." She uncrossed her arms and looked down as she finished.
Spike's anger melted when she glanced back up at him briefly, before hurrying to put her head back down, all the while trying to look apologetic.
"I'm not mad, pet. Just worried, that's all. Wouldn't want anything to happen to you." Spike was surprised to hear the level of concern in his voice. Kat heard it too and came forward to put her arms around him. Spike hugged her back, fiercely.
Suddenly the door flew open again, causing Kat to yell and Spike to jump backwards suddenly, hitting a picture off the wall as he did.
Buffy quickly shut the door, Giles looking rather apologetic.
"Sorry, um, Spike, didn't realize you would be standing right in the doorway." Giles took in the sight of the ruffled vampire before him, smiling slightly, before turning to the little girl at his side.
"Grandpa Giles!" Kat squealed as he lifted her into a hug, "When did you get here?"
"Last night, rather late I'm afraid. You were already in bed." Giles gave her another squeeze and put her down. He cleared his throat sharply, indicating for Buffy and Spike to go into the living room. He turned back to Kat, noticing that she now frowned.
"I know, I know, grown-up business, I'll go upstairs," she said, pouting as she walked slowly towards the stairs, looking longingly over her shoulder.
Buffy smiled at her daughter, then shifted her glance to Spike. Over his shoulder, the kitchen was visible. "Spike," she asked calmly, "What did you do to our kitchen?"
Spike flinched. "Um, well, that is," he mumbled.
Buffy nodded. "Uh-huh, get in there and clean it up. Now," she ordered. Noticing Kat laughing quietly on the steps, she added, "And you too." Spike smiled despite himself as Kat looked outraged at the suggestion and followed into the kitchen.
*** A short while later, the rest of the group had been assembled for an emergency meeting. Xander, Anya, Willow, Tara, and Dawn joined the adults in the living room while Rosie and Alex joined Kat upstairs. After everyone had settled on the couch, Spike a little unsure of how close he should sit to Buffy, Giles began his explanation of the morning's events.
"As you know, um, Spike, you are missing, and, well, since you were brought here, things have gotten rather interesting indeed, and now that I've been called here, although I think I should have been called sooner," Giles began.
"Do you think you could get on with it this century, Watcher?" Spike interrupted, "I do have other things to be doing, like returning to my *own* time."
Giles began to make a comment back, but was silenced with a glare from Buffy. He sighed and continued, bluntly this time. "There's a ritual, it will open the hell mouth, a small group of vampires and lower demons are working for a powerful demon, he needs your blood."
"So this is just a run-of-the-mill apocalypse thingy?" Xander asked gleefully. When everyone looked at him, slight shock on their faces, he frowned. "Guess I said that a little too happy, huh?"
Spike concealed a smile as Giles continued. "Yes, well, moving on, now that we do have the past Spike here, Willow and Tara can use his blood to make a stronger tracing spell that should lead us to him, and thus, to the demon."
"Once we get there, Spike runs distraction, making the minions think he escaped. Xander and Anya, you two will be waiting with Giles to take care of them. Spike and I will go on to fight the demon thing while Dawn frees present Spike and Willow and Tara help with whatever magic they can wherever they can. Everyone got it?" Buffy asked.
With nods all around, she continued, "We leave at nightfall."
*** "Did you hear that? We're gonna go get Daddy free tonight!" Kat exclaimed from her eavesdropping spot on the steps.
"Not *we* Kat, them, the adults are gonna go and get your Dad," Alex said.
"Yeah, we'll probly have to stay with Uncle Clem or something," Rosie added.
Kat thought about this for a second before her face lit up with an evil grin. "Hey Rosie, do you think you could grab one of your Moms' books on glamours?"
Author: Shroomie
Title: Family Links
Disclaimer: Joss is god. I am not. Therefore, they are not mine, they are his.
*** Spike had never felt more panicked in his life. He had faced demons, slayers, even the occasional hell-god, but nothing could have prepared him for this moment.
*they left me alone with a kid! they left me alone with a kid? they left me alone with a kid?* Spike kept running the same question through his mind. Kat, still in the doorway, observed him with a now serious face.
*he's still my dad, I guess. I mean, yeah, still my dad, but not my dad. he's not evil now at least, well, not like he used to be, I guess. hmmmm, he's not like he used to be, which means he doesn't know the rules. this could be fun* Kat thought as Spike finished his mental questioning and started to look around frantically, as if another babysitter would magically appear.
Kat decided to take it easy on him. *well, not too easy* she thought.
"Um, can I get a snack?" she asked, thinking this would be a simple request, even for him. *after all, we are in a kitchen* she thought.
*snack?! oh no, I have to feed it already?! not it, her, your daughter, relax, just get her some food. anything.* Spike looked around. There was nothing on the counter, so he opened up the fridge.
"Can we have ice cream?" Kat asked, sliding under his arm to look in with him. Spike jumped back when he heard her. He hadn't realized she had moved until she spoke and it had scared him. A lot.
*oh, pathetic vampire, scared by a little girl* he thought, before being hit by a wave of pride that his daughter was sneaky and stealthy. *hmmm, wonder what all traits she got from the vampire side?*
"So can we?" Kat asked again, impatiently this time.
"Can we what?" Spike had already forgotten her question.
Kat sighed, acting as if he had forgotten the most important thing in the world, and stressed each word as she spoke. "Can we have ice cream?"
"In the morning?" Spike asked, "You eat ice cream in the morning?" Kat nodded solemnly, pouting her lips just a little for effect, in case he was thinking of saying no. Spike wasn't sure what to do. Surely Buffy wouldn't let their daughter eat ice cream in the morning. But, Buffy wasn't here.
*so then I guess it's up to me.* he thought, looking down at the pouting little girl, *bloody hell, she's pouting now, just give her the ice cream* he concluded.
Kat beamed when he handed her the container. *well, that was easier than I thought. I wonder what else I can guilt him into doing?* she thought as she made herself a sundae.
*** Half an hour later, Kat finished her ice cream and put her bowl in the sink. Spike looked around the kitchen and cringed. There was ice cream on the counter, milk spilt on the table, and a line of chocolate syrup that went from the fridge to the counter to the table and back to the fridge.
*Buffy's gonna kill me. must clean up the kitchen before her and the Watcher get back.* he looked around again and nodded once to himself *yep, clean kitchen, check. so, where do they, uh, I mean we, keep the cleaning stuff?*
"Kat, where do we keep the," he trailed off when he realized she was no longer in the kitchen. He wondered into the living room.
No sign of Kat, but he did find a little slip of paper. For a split second he wondered if it could be a ransom note and he could have sworn his heart skipped a beat. Picking the paper up slowly, he read it and swore.
*great. just bloody brilliant Spike. they leave you alone with the kid for half an hour and you lose her already. stupid, stupid, stupid. ok, now I'm startin' to sound like Angel. stop being such a nancy and find the kid. right, find the kid, beat her to death for scaring you, bury the body, clean the kitchen. you have a plan.*
"Definitely a nancy," Spike murmured as he left the kitchen, "Can't be too hard though. How many places can a little kid hide?" ***
An hour later, Spike concluded that the number of places little kids can hide was too high to count. He pulled a crumbled piece of paper out of his pocket to read it for the hundredth time since he found it on the living room table.
Dad, oops, I mean Spike, Come find me, if it takes all week, Me and you are playing Hide-N-Seek! I'm somewhere close, but you can't see, So hurry up and come find me! Kat
Spike smiled wryly. *I see she got my skill at poetry* he thought. He sat down on the couch to try and figure out where she was. He had already checked the living room, the hallway, and all of upstairs. He also checked the kitchen, even though he was in it when she hid.
She might have gone outside. He pulled the curtain aside just a bit to glance in the yard. Sunlight poured into the room, and he quickly pulled his hand back. No, she wouldn't have gone outside in the light, not if she expected him to ever find her. And he had to find her. Buffy was going to be home soon and he knew he would be dust if he lost Kat.
"Where else Spike? Come on, think, think, where else could someone hide in this house?" he thought out loud, his eyes roaming over the room.
"The basement!" he shouted, congratulating and cursing himself mentally, for realizing he had forgotten the basement and being stupid enough to forget it.
He jumped up from the couch, hurrying to the basement door, when he heard a slight giggle coming from behind him. He slowed to a stop, turning his head to search for the source of the noise. It came from the corner where he had thrown his trench coat earlier. Narrowing his eyes, he noticed the slightest movement coming from underneath the coat.
Realizing he had been tricked the entire time, Spike almost growled in frustration. He had torn apart the whole house looking for his daughter when she was hiding under his coat the entire time. Now, instead of a messy kitchen, Buffy would be coming home to a trashed house. Plus, he had nearly gone insane with worry.
*well* Spike thought, smiling to himself *two can play this game*.
He walked over to the front door, sighing dramatically as he went.
"No, she wouldn't have gone into the basement. She must have gone outside. Now what am I supposed to do?" He heard the giggle he was listening for and almost chuckled along before regaining his composure.
"Well, I can't leave her out there. This note says I have to find her," Spike spoke louder as he opened the door a little, careful not to get burned.
"Guess I'll just have to go out and get her!" he yelled, before throwing the door wide open, jumping into the kitchen for protection.
"No!" Kat screamed, throwing the coat off and running into the hallway. She stopped in the open doorway, her eyes huge in her face as she looked on the ground and floor for ashes.
"What's a matter, pet? Looking for me?" Spike leaned against the wall, careful to stay in the shadows.
Kat's face changed from a look of confusion, to one of relief, to one of disbelief, and finally settled on angry. She slammed the door closed, crossing her arms over her chest and pouting.
"That was so not fair! You cheated!" she yelled indignantly.
"*I* cheated? *I* cheated? You disappeared on me, hid from me, making me worry that something had taken you and hurt you or killed you even," Spike found himself yelling back at her.
"I left you a note." Kat explained, her voice quieting as she realized she'd really made him upset. "I didn't think you'd get mad. We play this all the time." She uncrossed her arms and looked down as she finished.
Spike's anger melted when she glanced back up at him briefly, before hurrying to put her head back down, all the while trying to look apologetic.
"I'm not mad, pet. Just worried, that's all. Wouldn't want anything to happen to you." Spike was surprised to hear the level of concern in his voice. Kat heard it too and came forward to put her arms around him. Spike hugged her back, fiercely.
Suddenly the door flew open again, causing Kat to yell and Spike to jump backwards suddenly, hitting a picture off the wall as he did.
Buffy quickly shut the door, Giles looking rather apologetic.
"Sorry, um, Spike, didn't realize you would be standing right in the doorway." Giles took in the sight of the ruffled vampire before him, smiling slightly, before turning to the little girl at his side.
"Grandpa Giles!" Kat squealed as he lifted her into a hug, "When did you get here?"
"Last night, rather late I'm afraid. You were already in bed." Giles gave her another squeeze and put her down. He cleared his throat sharply, indicating for Buffy and Spike to go into the living room. He turned back to Kat, noticing that she now frowned.
"I know, I know, grown-up business, I'll go upstairs," she said, pouting as she walked slowly towards the stairs, looking longingly over her shoulder.
Buffy smiled at her daughter, then shifted her glance to Spike. Over his shoulder, the kitchen was visible. "Spike," she asked calmly, "What did you do to our kitchen?"
Spike flinched. "Um, well, that is," he mumbled.
Buffy nodded. "Uh-huh, get in there and clean it up. Now," she ordered. Noticing Kat laughing quietly on the steps, she added, "And you too." Spike smiled despite himself as Kat looked outraged at the suggestion and followed into the kitchen.
*** A short while later, the rest of the group had been assembled for an emergency meeting. Xander, Anya, Willow, Tara, and Dawn joined the adults in the living room while Rosie and Alex joined Kat upstairs. After everyone had settled on the couch, Spike a little unsure of how close he should sit to Buffy, Giles began his explanation of the morning's events.
"As you know, um, Spike, you are missing, and, well, since you were brought here, things have gotten rather interesting indeed, and now that I've been called here, although I think I should have been called sooner," Giles began.
"Do you think you could get on with it this century, Watcher?" Spike interrupted, "I do have other things to be doing, like returning to my *own* time."
Giles began to make a comment back, but was silenced with a glare from Buffy. He sighed and continued, bluntly this time. "There's a ritual, it will open the hell mouth, a small group of vampires and lower demons are working for a powerful demon, he needs your blood."
"So this is just a run-of-the-mill apocalypse thingy?" Xander asked gleefully. When everyone looked at him, slight shock on their faces, he frowned. "Guess I said that a little too happy, huh?"
Spike concealed a smile as Giles continued. "Yes, well, moving on, now that we do have the past Spike here, Willow and Tara can use his blood to make a stronger tracing spell that should lead us to him, and thus, to the demon."
"Once we get there, Spike runs distraction, making the minions think he escaped. Xander and Anya, you two will be waiting with Giles to take care of them. Spike and I will go on to fight the demon thing while Dawn frees present Spike and Willow and Tara help with whatever magic they can wherever they can. Everyone got it?" Buffy asked.
With nods all around, she continued, "We leave at nightfall."
*** "Did you hear that? We're gonna go get Daddy free tonight!" Kat exclaimed from her eavesdropping spot on the steps.
"Not *we* Kat, them, the adults are gonna go and get your Dad," Alex said.
"Yeah, we'll probly have to stay with Uncle Clem or something," Rosie added.
Kat thought about this for a second before her face lit up with an evil grin. "Hey Rosie, do you think you could grab one of your Moms' books on glamours?"