Disclaimer: I do not, to my vexation, own anything.
A/N: Thank you so much to all my wonderful reviewers and readers! Rachel, Maryann, Kate, rarachie, and Buffy fan and to everyone else who has reviewed in earlier chapters . . . thank you!
Rarachie: Meant to do so. Thank you for the reminder.
Buffy Fan: "Isn't there anyone who can come up with a once Buffy makes a decision she tells her friends if so tell me." I'm not too sure what you mean. Would you mind clarifying?
I was going to try and stray away from Glory but it is probably best if I stick with her. There is already background info and it is less for you guys to remember.
---Important--- Alright, remember how I said, in chapter 2, that Buffy's mom was still in the hospital? Well, scratch that. She's home, she's been home from the hospital all along. I realized it was just easier to do it this way. So sorry for changing it up on you again. This is it, though. She is home.
* * *
There was no way they were allowed to know. The questions they would ask, the look on their faces if they ever found out . . . it would be too much. They have too much on their plate already. Dawn and her entire existence being nothing but fake memories, a new and wickedly strong evil by the name of Glory, her mother---and that was just to name a few.
"Just to let ya know, Buff, we didn't find anything on this new evil. I mean it was spell, spell, spell, books, books, books, and we're still left with a big goose egg for our troubles." Willow told Buffy.
"Yes, uh, goose egg indeed. I'm afraid there is nothing in the books, Buffy. As far as I've seen, at least."
"Well we'll deal. There has to be something somewhere--- uh I'm gonna make a quick sweep through the cemeteries."
As Buffy spoke Spike silently got up and left the house, prompting Buffy to excuse herself so she could talk to him.
"Spike!" She called after him.
"Spike!" She shouted as she grabbed his arm. "Don't do this."
Spike whirled around. "Do what?" He asked sternly.
"Walk away." She told him. "I thought you promised---"
"That was before I knew I was in for a round of 'hide from the Scoobies for thou shall be shamed'." He paused and took a deep breath. "I should have known, though. I should have known you wouldn't be able to handle it."
"Of course I wouldn't be able to handle it! I can't handle anything right now. My family, school, Glory . . . it's all way too much and the people that I need right now are my friends. Spike, the way they would judge me for even thinking about being with you I . . . I just can't lose my friends."
"I understand that. And you don't have to lose your friends, Slayer--- you just have to lose me." He said before starting to walk off.
"Do not do this," she pleaded, "do not walk away. You think we can't be together because I don't want to tell my friends? That is not the issue. I am good at keeping secrets, I've done it before."
"That's just it, pet. I don't want to be another one of your secrets. I need them to know how you feel about me, about all this."
"*I* don't even know how I feel! God, this started only a few days ago and I was fine until then. How am I supposed to tell them if I can't even tell myself!?" She paused. "Look, all I know is I am asking you to stay. That has got to mean something. Doesn't that mean something?"
He didn't say anything, only stood there. This hadn't exactly been a surprise to him; he had never expected her to tell anyone. But he hadn't expected her to push him away because she was ashamed. Sure, he knew they would never understand why she wanted to be with him, he didn't even understand it.
"Spike why are you doing this? We just went through this." She looked down at her feet. "I want you," she looked up at him, "I do. Can't you see that?" She paused for a minute and shook her head. "You're making this so hard. It doesn't make sense anymore."
Spike stalked up to her, his face mere inches away. "And when did this ever make sense before?" He grabbed her arms and kissed her fiercely before walking away. If she really wanted him, she'd come.
* * *
Buffy slammed the door behind her before leaning against it and exhaling. It had been a long night. She ran her hands through her hair and sighed. Long indeed. She took off her coat and threw it over the banister.
"So, how did it go with Spike?"
Buffy froze in the hallway. Dawn. She turned on her heels to face her sister. She really didn't have the energy to do this.
"If your talking about research then I would have to say awful. We can't find anything on this new big bad."
"Well, that's great and everything, but I meant Spike."
Buffy opened her mouth to say something, but decided it best to change the subject entirely.
"Dawn, go to bed."
"You're not my mother." She pouted.
"No," she said aggravation rising in her voice, "but your mother is---"
"Right here." Spoke Joyce as she came out of the kitchen. Buffy shot Dawn an irritated glare and Dawn only smirked.
Buffy rushed to her mother's side and held her arm. "Mom, what are you doing out of bed?"
"Oh skip the questions and get straight to the part where I am too weak to be walking around."
"You *are* too weak, mom. You just had major surgery, on your brain no less."
Dawn swallowed and her face grew solemn. She hated to think about her mother's tumor. She hated to think about her mother lying, unconscious, on a table surrounded by doctors gossiping about weekend happenings while the prepped her mother to have a hole driven through her skull.
The concern was evident to Buffy and to her mother.
"Dawn, honey, why don't you go up to bed." Joyce said softly. Dawn nodded and smiled weakly before giving her mother a kiss.
After Dawn was in her room Joyce turned to Buffy. "Buffy please---"
"I know and I'm sorry I mentioned it in front of her but, mom, she's fourteen. She's mature enough to know exactly what is going on and deal. Or at least she should be."
"Buffy it is bad enough that you have to deal with this, I don't want you to worry your sister."
Buffy sighed and sat next to her mom on the sofa. "Alright." Was all she said, but it was enough to spark something in her mother's mind.
"Buffy, are you alright?"
Buffy turned to her mother. "No. I-I'm fine."
"Maternal instincts, Buffy." She scolded.
"Right, those. Really, I'm fine."
"Is it Riley?" Her mother asked.
Buffy laughed weakly. "Uh, no. Definitely not a Riley thing. I . . . I'm over that."
"Then what is it. Slaying? Oh Buffy is it Dawn?" Joyce asked in alarm.
"No." She confidently assured her. "Listen, it is really nothing important. I'm just gonna sleep on it and then, in the morning, I'll deal. And speaking of bed," Buffy looked at her watch, "isn't that where you should be headed right about now."
Joyce sighed as Buffy helped her up, "A warrior and a nurse all in one."
As they reached the top of the stairs, Joyce still held an uneasy feeling. "Buffy, you can tell me anything. I don't care what it is, I am here for you." She touched Buffy's face. "You're my precious."
Buffy smiled and leaned into her mother's touch. "I know." She whispered, tears looming in her eyes. Why something so horrible had happened to somebody so incredible she would never be able to figure out. She let go of Joyce's arm and watched as she made her way to bed.
"Goodnight, Buffy."
"G'night, mom." She said before flipping the light switch, letting darkness engross the room.
* * *
Buffy flopped down on her bed and brought the sheets up over her body. She turned on her side and closed her eyes, letting her body relax. She was almost asleep before the phone rang.
Buffy groaned and removed the phone from its cradle. There was only one person who would call this late at night.
"Giles, I need sleep."
"Yes, well I understand, but--- how did you know it was me?"
"Lucky guess." She said wryly as she sat up letting her warm comforter bunch up around her waist. "What's up? Any new info."
"Not exactly."
"How not exactly?" Buffy asked.
"It seems as if the only source of information we could find on this Glory was in England."
"England? How did--- Giles, no."
"Buffy, I am afraid we have no other choice. The Council is the only link we have to this . . . creature and we must take whatever we can get. I assure you they will not find out about or hurt Dawn."
"Why would they hurt---" realization hit her, "--- Giles they're coming here?"
"Buffy-"
"Last time they were here you were fired, I was almost killed and so was my mom. I am not going to have them here putting her through that again. Things are bad enough as is."
"There is no need for worry, Buffy. You're mother and Dawn will be safe, you have my word."
Buffy couldn't think. This really was their only option. "What time?"
Giles answered with an 'around ten' and gave a 'goodbye' and they both hung up.
There was no way she would ever get to sleep now. She was stressed, frustrated, and angry on so many levels, but most of all she was scared.
There was only one person she could talk to.
* * *
Please review! I need my inspiration!
Next chapter should be up shortly. I have oodles of ideas now thanks to all of you!
A/N: Thank you so much to all my wonderful reviewers and readers! Rachel, Maryann, Kate, rarachie, and Buffy fan and to everyone else who has reviewed in earlier chapters . . . thank you!
Rarachie: Meant to do so. Thank you for the reminder.
Buffy Fan: "Isn't there anyone who can come up with a once Buffy makes a decision she tells her friends if so tell me." I'm not too sure what you mean. Would you mind clarifying?
I was going to try and stray away from Glory but it is probably best if I stick with her. There is already background info and it is less for you guys to remember.
---Important--- Alright, remember how I said, in chapter 2, that Buffy's mom was still in the hospital? Well, scratch that. She's home, she's been home from the hospital all along. I realized it was just easier to do it this way. So sorry for changing it up on you again. This is it, though. She is home.
* * *
There was no way they were allowed to know. The questions they would ask, the look on their faces if they ever found out . . . it would be too much. They have too much on their plate already. Dawn and her entire existence being nothing but fake memories, a new and wickedly strong evil by the name of Glory, her mother---and that was just to name a few.
"Just to let ya know, Buff, we didn't find anything on this new evil. I mean it was spell, spell, spell, books, books, books, and we're still left with a big goose egg for our troubles." Willow told Buffy.
"Yes, uh, goose egg indeed. I'm afraid there is nothing in the books, Buffy. As far as I've seen, at least."
"Well we'll deal. There has to be something somewhere--- uh I'm gonna make a quick sweep through the cemeteries."
As Buffy spoke Spike silently got up and left the house, prompting Buffy to excuse herself so she could talk to him.
"Spike!" She called after him.
"Spike!" She shouted as she grabbed his arm. "Don't do this."
Spike whirled around. "Do what?" He asked sternly.
"Walk away." She told him. "I thought you promised---"
"That was before I knew I was in for a round of 'hide from the Scoobies for thou shall be shamed'." He paused and took a deep breath. "I should have known, though. I should have known you wouldn't be able to handle it."
"Of course I wouldn't be able to handle it! I can't handle anything right now. My family, school, Glory . . . it's all way too much and the people that I need right now are my friends. Spike, the way they would judge me for even thinking about being with you I . . . I just can't lose my friends."
"I understand that. And you don't have to lose your friends, Slayer--- you just have to lose me." He said before starting to walk off.
"Do not do this," she pleaded, "do not walk away. You think we can't be together because I don't want to tell my friends? That is not the issue. I am good at keeping secrets, I've done it before."
"That's just it, pet. I don't want to be another one of your secrets. I need them to know how you feel about me, about all this."
"*I* don't even know how I feel! God, this started only a few days ago and I was fine until then. How am I supposed to tell them if I can't even tell myself!?" She paused. "Look, all I know is I am asking you to stay. That has got to mean something. Doesn't that mean something?"
He didn't say anything, only stood there. This hadn't exactly been a surprise to him; he had never expected her to tell anyone. But he hadn't expected her to push him away because she was ashamed. Sure, he knew they would never understand why she wanted to be with him, he didn't even understand it.
"Spike why are you doing this? We just went through this." She looked down at her feet. "I want you," she looked up at him, "I do. Can't you see that?" She paused for a minute and shook her head. "You're making this so hard. It doesn't make sense anymore."
Spike stalked up to her, his face mere inches away. "And when did this ever make sense before?" He grabbed her arms and kissed her fiercely before walking away. If she really wanted him, she'd come.
* * *
Buffy slammed the door behind her before leaning against it and exhaling. It had been a long night. She ran her hands through her hair and sighed. Long indeed. She took off her coat and threw it over the banister.
"So, how did it go with Spike?"
Buffy froze in the hallway. Dawn. She turned on her heels to face her sister. She really didn't have the energy to do this.
"If your talking about research then I would have to say awful. We can't find anything on this new big bad."
"Well, that's great and everything, but I meant Spike."
Buffy opened her mouth to say something, but decided it best to change the subject entirely.
"Dawn, go to bed."
"You're not my mother." She pouted.
"No," she said aggravation rising in her voice, "but your mother is---"
"Right here." Spoke Joyce as she came out of the kitchen. Buffy shot Dawn an irritated glare and Dawn only smirked.
Buffy rushed to her mother's side and held her arm. "Mom, what are you doing out of bed?"
"Oh skip the questions and get straight to the part where I am too weak to be walking around."
"You *are* too weak, mom. You just had major surgery, on your brain no less."
Dawn swallowed and her face grew solemn. She hated to think about her mother's tumor. She hated to think about her mother lying, unconscious, on a table surrounded by doctors gossiping about weekend happenings while the prepped her mother to have a hole driven through her skull.
The concern was evident to Buffy and to her mother.
"Dawn, honey, why don't you go up to bed." Joyce said softly. Dawn nodded and smiled weakly before giving her mother a kiss.
After Dawn was in her room Joyce turned to Buffy. "Buffy please---"
"I know and I'm sorry I mentioned it in front of her but, mom, she's fourteen. She's mature enough to know exactly what is going on and deal. Or at least she should be."
"Buffy it is bad enough that you have to deal with this, I don't want you to worry your sister."
Buffy sighed and sat next to her mom on the sofa. "Alright." Was all she said, but it was enough to spark something in her mother's mind.
"Buffy, are you alright?"
Buffy turned to her mother. "No. I-I'm fine."
"Maternal instincts, Buffy." She scolded.
"Right, those. Really, I'm fine."
"Is it Riley?" Her mother asked.
Buffy laughed weakly. "Uh, no. Definitely not a Riley thing. I . . . I'm over that."
"Then what is it. Slaying? Oh Buffy is it Dawn?" Joyce asked in alarm.
"No." She confidently assured her. "Listen, it is really nothing important. I'm just gonna sleep on it and then, in the morning, I'll deal. And speaking of bed," Buffy looked at her watch, "isn't that where you should be headed right about now."
Joyce sighed as Buffy helped her up, "A warrior and a nurse all in one."
As they reached the top of the stairs, Joyce still held an uneasy feeling. "Buffy, you can tell me anything. I don't care what it is, I am here for you." She touched Buffy's face. "You're my precious."
Buffy smiled and leaned into her mother's touch. "I know." She whispered, tears looming in her eyes. Why something so horrible had happened to somebody so incredible she would never be able to figure out. She let go of Joyce's arm and watched as she made her way to bed.
"Goodnight, Buffy."
"G'night, mom." She said before flipping the light switch, letting darkness engross the room.
* * *
Buffy flopped down on her bed and brought the sheets up over her body. She turned on her side and closed her eyes, letting her body relax. She was almost asleep before the phone rang.
Buffy groaned and removed the phone from its cradle. There was only one person who would call this late at night.
"Giles, I need sleep."
"Yes, well I understand, but--- how did you know it was me?"
"Lucky guess." She said wryly as she sat up letting her warm comforter bunch up around her waist. "What's up? Any new info."
"Not exactly."
"How not exactly?" Buffy asked.
"It seems as if the only source of information we could find on this Glory was in England."
"England? How did--- Giles, no."
"Buffy, I am afraid we have no other choice. The Council is the only link we have to this . . . creature and we must take whatever we can get. I assure you they will not find out about or hurt Dawn."
"Why would they hurt---" realization hit her, "--- Giles they're coming here?"
"Buffy-"
"Last time they were here you were fired, I was almost killed and so was my mom. I am not going to have them here putting her through that again. Things are bad enough as is."
"There is no need for worry, Buffy. You're mother and Dawn will be safe, you have my word."
Buffy couldn't think. This really was their only option. "What time?"
Giles answered with an 'around ten' and gave a 'goodbye' and they both hung up.
There was no way she would ever get to sleep now. She was stressed, frustrated, and angry on so many levels, but most of all she was scared.
There was only one person she could talk to.
* * *
Please review! I need my inspiration!
Next chapter should be up shortly. I have oodles of ideas now thanks to all of you!