Author's note: Spike rambles and the plot thickens

Chapter XII

We stayed up to watch the ball drop on the telly even as she was yawning all through Dick Clark's monologue. At midnight we toasted with sweet sparkling cider and I got to kiss my best girl for good luck.

In the past, (before my bit came into my life), I would have spend New Year's Eve drinking my fill, and painting the town blood red with my lady love at my side. Now I am content to sit here with my luv and her cat, watching some overgrown Christmas ornament gather all the glory of bringing the New Year in. The center of the world. Right.

The real center of the world lies in my arms. She's finally succumbed to Orpheus and snores away with her arm wrapped around my waist making sure that I don't run away. How could I ever?

Another year has passed. A year that came with the unprecedented challenges of a vampire trying to raise a future slayer. Sounded serious but in the end it was just my little bit and me trying to raise one another. A Pseudo father and daughter. Just the two of us. Or three if you count the cat.

I turned the telly off a little after one. With my bit in my arms I made my way towards her bedroom and laid her on her on top of the cloud comforter. She had an extra one at the foot of the bed so I covered her up with that. I gave her a quick peck in the nose and went back to the living room.

My home was a disaster area. Having an active five-year-old and her pet home for vacation was not conducive to graceful living. So I would try to clean up while she slept just so that she could mess it up again in the morning. It was already a pattern. I emptied the litter box and the dustbin and took it to the communal one next to the parking lot.

The air was brisk and inviting. I breathed it in thankfully, happy to be outside even if it was just for a few seconds. It wasn't like I was feeling cooped in but sometimes I just wanted to howl at the moon. You know? I guess it was the roars of the demon in me.

I threw the garbage away and settled on the stoop for a moment. The night was alive with sounds as my neighbors welcomed the New Year in. Sometimes I wondered how they could celebrate the passing of time if it meant that they are getting older and closer to the inevitable. When I was human, I too celebrated the birth of a year in my own pitiful way. For William it was a brand new start. Every year was another chance to become the poet that I was certain I was meant to be. The man I needed to be so that she could love me. That never happened and I only became a new man after Drusilla eradicated William so Spike could take over.

Drusilla. I wonder where she is? My dark lady was one for parties and I could just see her dancing under the starts with her skirts twirling about wildly. I have been missing her lately especially in the nights when a hunger burned inside of me that wasn't satiated with blood. I suppose that I could always find another lover but I was reluctant to expose the bit any further. So for her sake I remained chaste and willed the need to go away. Maybe when the bit was older I would look for another mate. Until then it would be cold showers and warm blood.

What is this? All this rambling about my non-existent love life when I am more than myself? When I have a child to take care of? I must be a bigger git than I thought.

And yet…

Bloody Hell. I look at my watch and realize that I've spent almost twenty minutes away from the apartment. I dust myself off and hurry back to my girl.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

After the New Year things seem to be quieting down. I managed to refill the till and we are slowly getting back on track. Granted our apartment is a study in spare but at least we got the basics.

The bit's nightmares have lessened but she rather have me sleep in the floor of her bedroom so I do. I'd rather have her close anyway.

We settled again into our routine. Summer went back to school and I went back to waiting for her. Sometimes I had to wait a lot since she started going to her friend's house after school and not show up until before dinner. My girl, at five, had a more active social life than I.

So it was very unexpected when I was awakened a little before noon by the doorbell. I jumped out of my bed and without bothering to put on a shirt went to answer it.

The sight the greeted me what interesting to say the least. A bloke of about thirty or so stood before me fidgeting in his tweed suit. He wore heavy glasses and clutched a heavy looking leather bag in his hands. His coloring told me that he spent a large portion of his life in a library and when he spoke it was evident that he hailed from my homeland. Needless to say the wanker was a watcher.

"William the bloody" he ventured while his hands gripped the bag even tighter.

I nodded and wondered if this white hat had a death wish.

"There is something we need to discuss"

TBC.