WOES
NOTE: I own none of these guys except for Skylar and any character that you haven't seen before.
A/N: This is the third Skylar story in the Skylar series. Like I said before each story has a different length. This one might be longer or shorter than the others. I don't know yet. But since this story goes with Angel's gift and Valentine's Surprise you might want to read those before you read this.
CHAPTER 8Buffy, Xander, Anya, and Dawn were all clustered up together on a dark route. It was near dark and the sky was cloudy. Buffy's double ax hung down low enough to nearly touch the ground. Xander had a long, silver bladed dagger. Anya had a handheld ax. Dawn carried a long, baseball bat like stake.
"Hasn't this been a fun day?" Anya asked. "A wedding, a party, and now a hunt for the groom."
"My groom. This is ridiculous," said Buffy.
"We'll find him, Buff. Don't worry," Xander assured her.
"You know. I don't care what we've been through," said Dawn. "I never imagined we'd be scouting for my new brother-in-law."
Gunn, Connor, and Lorne were having zero luck. They were in the opposite direction of Buffy's team. Gunn had a crossbow in hand. Connor had a short sword. Lorne had a one sided ax.
"Connor, remember we're not out to kill Angelus… yet. So don't get no ideas," Gunn reminded him for the third time since they'd left the hotel.
"Whatever," Connor replied. "But if things were my way—"
"We'd all be dead in a split second," Lorne finished.
"I'm just saying, don't do something you know you go regret," said Gunn.
"I'm not afraid of my father or his alter ego," said Connor. "I don't even need him that bad."
"Oh, here we go again, crumb cake," said Lorne.
"Fine. You don't care about Angel," said Gunn. "But think about your sister. That girl needs Angel. And let's not forget how Sky lost one father and a mother."
"I know," Connor snapped. "We're hunting their killer now, remember?"
Gunn said, "Yeah. I know, kid."
Skylar sat by the double doors in the hotel lobby. She'd been there for close to half an hour. Spike walked in then. Skylar's reflection in the window looked completely glum. Spike walked up and sat down near her.
"Now what's with the frown on your lovely face, sunshine?" Spike asked her.
"Sunshine?" Skylar giggled a little. "You sound like Uncle Lorne."
"You have the sun in your eyes. The name suits you. Now why so blue?"
"Will, no one tells me anything," said Skylar.
"What do you mean?"
"Why won't anyone tell me what's wrong with Dad? Why isn't he here? And why was Mom hurt like that? What's going on? Why won't anyone tell me?" Skylar was miserable.
"That's a lot of questions for such a little girl. But you have every right to ask them."
"Can you tell me, Will? Please?"
Spike sighed. The young child just seemed so wretched and depressed. There was a lot she did not understand. She just had so many unanswered questions. It was breaking Spike's heart.
"All right, sunshine. Angelus is an evil vampire who took over your father's body many years ago. He used Angel's body to hurt people, to ruin their lives, to torture and kill them." Spike stopped. Skylar looked terrified. "No. I don't want you to get the wrong idea. Angel never did any of this. It was all Angelus. Haven't they told you anything about Angelus?"
"Just that he killed my… other dad. But I don't care. I love my dad and he loves me. He wouldn't hurt anyone. He loves everybody."
"Yes. The old boy does have a heart in him still," Spike agreed.
"Well, why is "Angelus" back now?"
"Well, it's a very strange reason. Your father just got too happy. Buffy's with him again and they're married. Connor's in his life again. Then he has you, of course. He thought he'd lost you forever. But when you came back… it was pure happiness. That's what brings Angelus back, Angel's pure happiness."
Skylar stood up. "So this is all my fault isn't it?"
"What? Oh, sunshine, no, I—"
"Yes it is!" Skylar insisted. "If I never came back Daddy would be OK and he and Mom could live happily ever after. Just like my story. But this isn't like the story at all. I ruined everything. I wish I never came back!" Skylar raced up the stairs, tears streaming down her face.
"No," said Spike, standing up. "Skylar!"
Fred stepped out of the office with a startled look on her face. "Spike, what's going on?"
"Um, nothing to worry about."
A/N: Oh, boy. Maybe Spike shouldn't be left alone with seven-year-olds. Reviews, please.
