Author's note: Thank you ever so much for your responses and taking the time to read this with all that ff.net has to offer. I do have a small request that I will make at the end of this chapter. Enjoy

Chapter XIII

"So what is this? A new test for watchers? Survive ten minutes with a vamp and get three credits?"

The watcher was not amused and more than a little uneasy. Still, he stood his ground and repeated his request.

Seeing that he had no defense except for the stake that I was certain he was hiding in his bag, I decided to let the poofter in to say his piece. Thankfully I had eradicated all traces of my girl from our tiny living room.

"Get in" I barked.

The wanker stepped in cautiously as if he was waiting for me to attack him at any moment. Even though he wasn't so young I could guess that he was still green and untried. He hadn't been assigned a Slayer yet.

He took in the ratty sofa, second hand telly and mismatched end tables that peppered the room. I bristled at his obvious disdain of my quarters. Well what else could you do with a steady income of nothing?

He did get points for waiting to sit until I offered. He took the sofa and I straddled a folding chair.

"Well what do we need to 'discuss'?"

The watcher cleared his throat and gathered his courage. He reached into his bag and withdrew a black folder that he handed to me. I opened it to find about a dozen pictures of Summer taken at school or during our many outings.

"The council keeps a close watch on vampires that have proven to be as… notorious as you. You fell off radar almost five years ago and the council had classified you as terminated although the Slayer did not report you as such. A few months ago I was designated to this part of the country to conduct a study and was astonished to learn that you are alive and well. I needed some proof to send to the council and thus began tracking you. The rest is in the pictures"

"I see. Is the council aware of your discovery?"

He didn't reply and as if he was gauging the possible consequences of his words. If he hadn't notified the council then he was vulnerable. If he had he might not get what he wanted from me which was Summer of course.

"No. I did not inform them of your presence here or the fact that you are concealing a documented Slayer candidate" he said with a decidedly more forceful tone as if knowledge had given him the upper hand I smirked knowing that he would not be walking out of here alive.

"What's it to you watcher?"
He narrowed his eyes at me and I had to admire his audacity.

"What you are doing is beyond the pale. Using a helpless child for your own twisted purposes…"

I grabbed the wanker by the throat "I am not using her"

"Then why…" he sputtered "…why do you keep her"

I let him go. "That's my concern"

He breathed heavily. "Now its mine"

We glared at each other. The watcher was no longer intimidated or if he was he didn't show it.

" Spike, what are you doing with her?"

"I'm taking care of her. Isn't that obvious from your pictures?"

He nodded. "Yes, she seems well taken care of if not a little deprived of certain things"
"So it was you who sent the dollhouse" It wasn't a question.

"Her teacher had the kids write a list of the things they wanted for Christmas. I made it a point of appropriating hers"
I swallowed my pride "Thank you then but it doesn't change the fact that I am doing right by her"
"I agree" he said quietly

I was shocked that he'd admitted as much. "Then why are you here?"

"Because although you have provided the girl with care and a home of sorts I cannot help but wonder at your intentions. Are you hoping to bind the Slayer to you so that in the future her loyalties will be compromised. Or will you turn her against us therefore crippling any resistance we might offer to the demon threat? Either way it is not in her best interests"

He was totally honest with me and I returned the favor.

"I will not attempt to influence Summer's calling or prevent her from doing what she must. I did not plan this. She was given to me by fate and I have made her mine. She is not deprived of anything a normal child gets. In fact a lot more do much worse than her"
"Like I said you have provided her with adequate care…"
"Adequate??? Watcher, I have cut myself into little pieces to give her what she deserves. I even chose her over Drusilla and have stopped drinking human blood so that she could have a proper home. What more could you give her?"
"Her parents"

My blood ran cold at his words. "They are dead" I whispered.

"No both are alive and have not given up on finding their child"

"Drusilla…"
"She did not drain the mother completely. She had to be hospitalized but she survived"

Bloody hell. The bit's mum and dad are still alive. She is not the lost, little orphan I thought I was protecting because no one else would.

"Where are they?"

"Still in the same city where Drusilla took her. I have opted to not contact them until I can be certain that their daughter will be returned to them" His words were cautious and careful. He was uncertain as to how I was going to respond.

"No"

"Spike. As unbelievable as it sounds I know that you care for this child. I've seen it, its all in the pictures. What I do not know is exactly what she means to you because if she is some project then the council will be notified and they will take care or it"
"Are you threatening me?" I snap

"No, I am warning you" he said calmly and I could not help but feel that this watcher was more than met the eye.

"She is not a project. She is my daughter" and she was.

The watcher took off his glasses and wiped the lenses with a linen handkerchief.

"I thought so and that is why I chose not to reveal what I knew. I'd hoped that I could appeal to your feelings for this child so that you'd let her return to her parents"
"Why should I do that watcher? I am all that she needs, I am all that she knows. She is my child in every sense of the word"
"No she is not. She is human of human parents. Will you deny her this?"
"I am not denying her anything. She has me"
"And you love her but you are not the best for her. She is special, a possible future Slayer. Doesn't she deserve a normal childhood away from the darkness that will someday claim her? This may just be what makes her strong enough for her calling or at least gives her something to fall back on"

The watcher's words weighted my heart because somewhere deep inside of me I recognize the truth behind them. And yet I could not see a future without her.

And at that moment there was a knock that announced her arrival.

TBC. Okay this story could go either way. The watcher (who may or may not be Giles) has offered our favorite vamp a choice and its up to you to decide what the outcome will be. I can envision either way so it will depend on your feedback. So don't forget to tell me what you think and I will write the end accordingly. - Jill