Good evening, One and All,
Wow, a three fer week! I really am amazed. Considering we have spent what seems to be a calendar year digging out and still haven't managed to do so, I really am surprised I had the time to get this out tonight.
Anyway, the angst is coming back. So, hang onto your hats. But know that I will leave you in a place that I hope you like.
Many thanks for all of your support.
*Cheery Vibes*, Nimue
"As sick as it sounds, in my little head, there's a little Sunnydale, and a widdle Spike and a widdle Buffy and Spike wubs Buffy." James Marsters 14 July 2002
Title: My Sister's Keeper. (Chapter Twenty-One of The One)
Author: Nimue
Rating: PG -13
Pairing: Buffy/Spike. Most major characters included.
Feedback: Yes, please
For instant notification of fic releases, straight to your mailbox, please visit Always_Everyday@yahoogroups.com . Also, please visit the wonderful fan listing that Rachel put together. Sign up today and link to your website (or just sign up to say hi!). The fan listing can be found at .
Disclaimer: All characters belong to Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, UPN, Fox... Just Borrowing. (With, of course, the exception of Emma and William, who belong to Buffy and Spike)
Summary: Anya returns from La Maison Rouge and tells the others what she found. Spike and Buffy return from patrol, but Buffy has changed. What she does next scares both her lover and her watcher.
My Sister's Keeper
Anya came back to the fold in a rush of air and a small gasp. The look in her eyes was wild and somehow satisfied, as if she had seen a ghost, but one that had done her some good.
"So.how'd it go?" Willow asked from her position lying back on her elbows on the floor. Bringing her back through to exactly the same spot had proven a little more energy consuming than the Witch would have liked. But the feeling of success overpowered her fatigue.
Anya sighed. "Giles is going to want to know."
"Know...know what?" Tara asked, steadying Willow and bringing her back to sitting position.
"Did you find the answer to what's going on with Buffy?" Dawn asked, still holding her wrist in her hand. It wasn't really bleeding anymore. Just a thin crimson line on her forearm that would heal without a scar. Still, she hadn't been able to leave the circle once the spell started to tend to it.
Anya sighed again. "The point *is*, if I have to tell this whole boring story, why don't we go up there and talk? That way I only have to tell it once and I can take my man and go home."
"Right," Takina sighed, shrugging. 'Well, it does make some sense."
"We should patch up your arm too, Dawnie," Willow commented, pushing herself up on her knees and then to the balls of her feet. "Before Spike decides to pummel us into oblivion for injuring his precious Niblet." Willow batted her eyes with the blatant poking of fun at the Vampire. Dawn just smirked.
"Can we go?" Anya asked.
"Sure," Tara answered, smiling slyly. "But you might want to put some clothes on first."
~~~~~
Giles sat still watching his beloved cradle their baby in her arms. It made the corners of his mouth twitch with amusement that she could be so blunt and seemingly so cold while holding her flesh and blood with such incredible tenderness. Anya was a world of dichotomies. A blessed union of polar opposites that kept him on his toes and made him sigh with relief and joy.
"So, anyway, it's them and they're up to no good," the demon concluded, shifting Randy in her lap and leaning back against the couch. "Can we go home now, Rupie?"
Giles sighed, watching the others watch him. They always looked to him for answers. Sometimes, he wished they didn't. But they always would. "Alas, dear, we still have work to do. We need to be certain that what you saw was not some sort of ruse."
"How could it be a ruse, Rupert?" Anya snapped indignantly. "I was naked and invisible and they couldn't know I was there because the spell protected me from disturbing their dimensional walls. Who would they think they were fooling?"
"You were naked?" Xander asked, fixating on what his brain could metabolize at four AM.
Takina elbowed him, huffing softly. She knew better than to be truly jealous. Xander was her one. Loyal and faithful and loving. But she had to put on a show, none the less. He winced and smiled over at her. "Well, she said it."
"Not to you," Takina corrected, returning the smile. "Where's River?"
"Where else?" Xander sighed, letting his eyes roll towards the ceiling.
Takina had to chuckle. "You broke down and put her to bed with Will?"
"Can I tell you that I *hate* that that Vampire's little blonde replica has got his fangs in our girl already?" Xander huffed crossing his arms. Takina glared at him with amusement. He softened. He always did. "But Oz was taking Emma and Will up to their beds and River just looked at me with these huge brown eyes that look like yours and they were all wet and."
"Face it, man, you're whipped by a two year old," Oz commented, smiling up from the floor at Xander.
Xander sighed deeply. "Yeah, yeah."
"Back to the point," Giles commented, pulling off his glasses and wiping his tired eyes. "Anya, you are sure it was Draconius there with Luke?"
Anya shot him a glare that warned him never to question her again. It made him shudder. "Yes," she hissed. "Heard him, saw him. Told the story."
"I am just being sure that we do nothing wrong. This is the strength of the One, and possibly the life of the Peacemaker at stake. Emma's life," Giles stressed, knowing that Anya would melt at the thought of the little girl in danger.
She did.
"All right," Anya conceded. "But yes, I am sure it was him."
"And you say he had a TV?" Oz asked, his brow quirked in an expression of amusement.
"It was a monitor. Like one of those Watchmen or PDA's that you see in pop up ads. You know." Anya replied, gesturing the general size of the equipment, while still holding Randy to her chest. "But I couldn't see what he was watching. From their conversation, they have something rigged up to watch their pawn."
"Their pawn?" Dawn asked, still holding her wrist. The first aid supplies sat in front of her, but she didn't seem to be in a hurry to clean up the wound. It didn't really hurt. And the air felt good.
"The person or object that they use to enact their will in this dimension," Willow explained, sitting down on the floor next to Oz. Tara sat casually on the other side, passing out sodas to those who wanted a pick me up.
Dawn nodded. "But you couldn't see the pawn?"
"No," Anya answered, ruefully. "But it was close. They were describing people here."
"How?" Takina asked.
Anya shrugged. "Seemed like it'd been here at some point."
Giles nodded. "Well, then we need to be sure to have someone on watch at all times. Willow, could you formulate a spell."
"Like a magical burglar alarm?" She chirped, smiling. "Sure, but you'll have to give me a few hours of shut eye first. I'm wiped from all that anchorage."
"Of course," Giles answered, nodding. "It may be best if you two stay here," he commented, looking at the girls. "With Draconius in the mix, some magical protection may be best."
"Sure," Tara whispered, smiling.
"I can stay too," Oz contributed. "You know.wolf. Keen sense of smell?"
"Right," Giles agreed nodding. "But I suggest that Xander, you take your family home. You as well, Anya. I will join you shortly, after I've talked to Spike and Buffy. Cyrus, would you like to stay with us a few days?"
The other Watcher was confused as to why Giles would ask, but the look on Giles' face said not to argue. Cyrus nodded his agreement. "Anya, is there anything else about the spell?"
"Just that it will cross their beings. You know, make Buffy take on Vampire characteristics, and Spike, Slayer. Oh, and that the spell will break automatically when the pawn returns to Draconius with Emma and Buffy and Spike will return to normal."
"But without their daughter," Takina said very quietly. "Nothing will be normal then."
Xander nodded. "Isn't there any other way to break the spell?"
Anya thought for a moment and then a light bulb went over her head. "Break the amulet."
"What amulet, dear?" Giles asked, leaning forward, his elbows to his knees.
Anya fidgeted, her hands fluttering before her. "The pawn wears an amulet. If it's broken, then the spell is broken. Something about the Hibachi Texts or something. "
"Horasci," Giles corrected, losing himself in thought. "Of course."
"That sounds easy enough," Willow commented, trying to smile. "I.I mean, the pawn person is nearby if it could describe us. We watch out for it, find it, break the amulet and voila, normal non fangy Buffy and . well, Spike."
"Sounds like a plan," Oz agreed, stretching out, one arm tentatively going around each of the girls. Tara smiled at the gesture. Willow squirmed.
"Except," Anya continued, squinching her nose. "Something about the soul of the pawn then belonging to Luke and Draconius and for some reason, we wouldn't want that. Or Buffy and Spike."
"Why?" Dawn asked, shifting her legs underneath of her on the couch.
"I dunno," Anya answered, honestly. "The pawn was apparently stolen, or bribed, or something, from heaven. So, only thing I could guess is that Buffy's morality gear wouldn't want to damn a heavenly creature to Luke's dimension."
Giles rubbed his chin with one hand, lost in thought. "Or.or it's someone that means something to one or both of them."
The door swung open unceremoniously and Buffy blinked at the bright light in the house. "Hey?" She muttered, standing still in the doorway, blanket still wrapped around her like a refugee or a wayward child.
Willow quirked a brow. "You okay?"
Buffy looked up at Spike who had moved protectively behind her, his hands on both of her arms. "Yeah. Just tired. And kinda hungry."
"We got all sorts of info tonight on the baddies," Willow chirped, smiling at the pair of them.
"Love a fill in, Red, but I think the Slayer needs some shut eye," Spike commented, the hairs on the back of his neck on end. He could feel the beast swirling underneath of her skin like a snake, waiting to strike.
"I can sit for a minute," Buffy answered, craning her head around to look at those beautiful blue eyes.
Spike watched her closely, blue battling green. It wasn't a good idea, but he knew that she didn't want her friends to look upon her as the enemy. To be more worried than they were. "Right then. I'll go check on the tots and then fix you something to eat. Promise then you'll go up for a rest?"
Buffy smiled, pushing herself on tip toes and letting her lips brush his. "Promise."
"Right," Spike commented, pushing himself away from her. "Take it easy. Had a rough night," he whispered, letting his lips graze her ear. She nodded, her silky hair tickling his nose. He pulled further from her, watching her all the while and then turned to go up the stairs.
~~~~~
Buffy yawned, listening to the tale of Anya's naked hijinx in hell. It actually wasn't a bad story, but the sun was coming and it was making her sleepy. Like some god-awful alarm clock. Spike had come back down the stairs and was rattling around the kitchen when he felt something about her, about them, change.
Slowly, Spike crept to the edge of the doorway and looked out into the living room without any of the occupants noticing. Buffy had moved up on the couch, curled in a ball next to Dawn. She was sniffing almost involuntarily. Scenting the air. Spike's eyes scanned the room, his sense of smell gone with his demon. He eyed a pile of slightly bloodied gauze pads on the table in front of Dawn and scanned up from there. Dawn had a long slice down the inside of her arm, air-drying and still red with blood.
Buffy's blood, from what history told them.
Slayer blood.
Buffy was craning closer to her sister without even noticing and it was all Spike could do to get into the room in time without creating a scene. He could feel it in Buffy's head, boiling in her veins. She wanted a taste. She wanted to drink the blood, lick the wounds. The demon inside of her was drawing her to the cut in her sister's arm and Buffy didn't even know what was happening.
"All right, Love," Spike answered, holding onto a mug and looking down at Buffy. She jerked to attention as if startled from a dream. Spike held out his hand.
"I'm okay, really," Buffy commented, still grabbing his hand and letting him pull her up.
"Know that, Pet," Spike answered, wrapping an arm around her. "But you need your strength to fight this off, right? Need to rest."
Giles furrowed his brow, watching Spike nervously tend to his mate. Something was wrong. The Watcher's eyes scanned the couch where Buffy had been, his mind racing in his head. Then he saw it.
Blood.
Buffy was to the point of wanting human blood. Or Spike's demon was. He was strong enough to control it. She was not.
"I agree, Buffy. The more rest you get, the better. You'll need your strength," Giles commented. Spike sighed, his shoulder's dropping in relief. "Dawn?" The Watcher continued, "Why don't you stay downstairs will the rest of them. I am sure that they could use a bit of help with guard duty and the spell. "
Dawn smiled at the thought of being useful. "Sure. It'll be like a slumber party."
Giles shifted his gaze to Spike. 'How is everything.upstairs?"
It took Spike a moment to process what Rupert was asking. "I think they're fine. Harris might want to take his tot home with him, much as that will break little Will's heart, but the sun's almost up. No need to disturb the other two."
"All right," Giles answered, nodding.
Buffy yawned, sniffing the air again. "I'm so tired."
"I know," Spike whispered into her hair. "Let's get you something to eat and put you to bed."
Willow's face was wracked with concern. "Is.is everything okay?"
Spike looked at her for a moment, his eyes pleading with her not to make him talk about this with Buffy around. She got the message, nodding. "Need anything?"
"Just some rest, Red," Spike answered, leading Buffy towards the stairs. "Check in on the tots in the morning?"
"Sure," Tara answered, smiling. "Sleep in."
Spike looked down at his pretty little Slayer, her eyes flickering from green to yellow beside him. His stomach rolled, knowing that she had to eat soon. Knowing that he'd have to help her. Have to explain it all. Everything that happened. "Might do that."
"Call me in the morning, if you need anything," Giles commented standing up. Spike was already leading Buffy up the stairs, mug in his left hand, and Buffy's hand in his right.
Spike simply nodded, disappearing up the stairs.
To be contd.
Wow, a three fer week! I really am amazed. Considering we have spent what seems to be a calendar year digging out and still haven't managed to do so, I really am surprised I had the time to get this out tonight.
Anyway, the angst is coming back. So, hang onto your hats. But know that I will leave you in a place that I hope you like.
Many thanks for all of your support.
*Cheery Vibes*, Nimue
"As sick as it sounds, in my little head, there's a little Sunnydale, and a widdle Spike and a widdle Buffy and Spike wubs Buffy." James Marsters 14 July 2002
Title: My Sister's Keeper. (Chapter Twenty-One of The One)
Author: Nimue
Rating: PG -13
Pairing: Buffy/Spike. Most major characters included.
Feedback: Yes, please
For instant notification of fic releases, straight to your mailbox, please visit Always_Everyday@yahoogroups.com . Also, please visit the wonderful fan listing that Rachel put together. Sign up today and link to your website (or just sign up to say hi!). The fan listing can be found at .
Disclaimer: All characters belong to Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, UPN, Fox... Just Borrowing. (With, of course, the exception of Emma and William, who belong to Buffy and Spike)
Summary: Anya returns from La Maison Rouge and tells the others what she found. Spike and Buffy return from patrol, but Buffy has changed. What she does next scares both her lover and her watcher.
My Sister's Keeper
Anya came back to the fold in a rush of air and a small gasp. The look in her eyes was wild and somehow satisfied, as if she had seen a ghost, but one that had done her some good.
"So.how'd it go?" Willow asked from her position lying back on her elbows on the floor. Bringing her back through to exactly the same spot had proven a little more energy consuming than the Witch would have liked. But the feeling of success overpowered her fatigue.
Anya sighed. "Giles is going to want to know."
"Know...know what?" Tara asked, steadying Willow and bringing her back to sitting position.
"Did you find the answer to what's going on with Buffy?" Dawn asked, still holding her wrist in her hand. It wasn't really bleeding anymore. Just a thin crimson line on her forearm that would heal without a scar. Still, she hadn't been able to leave the circle once the spell started to tend to it.
Anya sighed again. "The point *is*, if I have to tell this whole boring story, why don't we go up there and talk? That way I only have to tell it once and I can take my man and go home."
"Right," Takina sighed, shrugging. 'Well, it does make some sense."
"We should patch up your arm too, Dawnie," Willow commented, pushing herself up on her knees and then to the balls of her feet. "Before Spike decides to pummel us into oblivion for injuring his precious Niblet." Willow batted her eyes with the blatant poking of fun at the Vampire. Dawn just smirked.
"Can we go?" Anya asked.
"Sure," Tara answered, smiling slyly. "But you might want to put some clothes on first."
~~~~~
Giles sat still watching his beloved cradle their baby in her arms. It made the corners of his mouth twitch with amusement that she could be so blunt and seemingly so cold while holding her flesh and blood with such incredible tenderness. Anya was a world of dichotomies. A blessed union of polar opposites that kept him on his toes and made him sigh with relief and joy.
"So, anyway, it's them and they're up to no good," the demon concluded, shifting Randy in her lap and leaning back against the couch. "Can we go home now, Rupie?"
Giles sighed, watching the others watch him. They always looked to him for answers. Sometimes, he wished they didn't. But they always would. "Alas, dear, we still have work to do. We need to be certain that what you saw was not some sort of ruse."
"How could it be a ruse, Rupert?" Anya snapped indignantly. "I was naked and invisible and they couldn't know I was there because the spell protected me from disturbing their dimensional walls. Who would they think they were fooling?"
"You were naked?" Xander asked, fixating on what his brain could metabolize at four AM.
Takina elbowed him, huffing softly. She knew better than to be truly jealous. Xander was her one. Loyal and faithful and loving. But she had to put on a show, none the less. He winced and smiled over at her. "Well, she said it."
"Not to you," Takina corrected, returning the smile. "Where's River?"
"Where else?" Xander sighed, letting his eyes roll towards the ceiling.
Takina had to chuckle. "You broke down and put her to bed with Will?"
"Can I tell you that I *hate* that that Vampire's little blonde replica has got his fangs in our girl already?" Xander huffed crossing his arms. Takina glared at him with amusement. He softened. He always did. "But Oz was taking Emma and Will up to their beds and River just looked at me with these huge brown eyes that look like yours and they were all wet and."
"Face it, man, you're whipped by a two year old," Oz commented, smiling up from the floor at Xander.
Xander sighed deeply. "Yeah, yeah."
"Back to the point," Giles commented, pulling off his glasses and wiping his tired eyes. "Anya, you are sure it was Draconius there with Luke?"
Anya shot him a glare that warned him never to question her again. It made him shudder. "Yes," she hissed. "Heard him, saw him. Told the story."
"I am just being sure that we do nothing wrong. This is the strength of the One, and possibly the life of the Peacemaker at stake. Emma's life," Giles stressed, knowing that Anya would melt at the thought of the little girl in danger.
She did.
"All right," Anya conceded. "But yes, I am sure it was him."
"And you say he had a TV?" Oz asked, his brow quirked in an expression of amusement.
"It was a monitor. Like one of those Watchmen or PDA's that you see in pop up ads. You know." Anya replied, gesturing the general size of the equipment, while still holding Randy to her chest. "But I couldn't see what he was watching. From their conversation, they have something rigged up to watch their pawn."
"Their pawn?" Dawn asked, still holding her wrist. The first aid supplies sat in front of her, but she didn't seem to be in a hurry to clean up the wound. It didn't really hurt. And the air felt good.
"The person or object that they use to enact their will in this dimension," Willow explained, sitting down on the floor next to Oz. Tara sat casually on the other side, passing out sodas to those who wanted a pick me up.
Dawn nodded. "But you couldn't see the pawn?"
"No," Anya answered, ruefully. "But it was close. They were describing people here."
"How?" Takina asked.
Anya shrugged. "Seemed like it'd been here at some point."
Giles nodded. "Well, then we need to be sure to have someone on watch at all times. Willow, could you formulate a spell."
"Like a magical burglar alarm?" She chirped, smiling. "Sure, but you'll have to give me a few hours of shut eye first. I'm wiped from all that anchorage."
"Of course," Giles answered, nodding. "It may be best if you two stay here," he commented, looking at the girls. "With Draconius in the mix, some magical protection may be best."
"Sure," Tara whispered, smiling.
"I can stay too," Oz contributed. "You know.wolf. Keen sense of smell?"
"Right," Giles agreed nodding. "But I suggest that Xander, you take your family home. You as well, Anya. I will join you shortly, after I've talked to Spike and Buffy. Cyrus, would you like to stay with us a few days?"
The other Watcher was confused as to why Giles would ask, but the look on Giles' face said not to argue. Cyrus nodded his agreement. "Anya, is there anything else about the spell?"
"Just that it will cross their beings. You know, make Buffy take on Vampire characteristics, and Spike, Slayer. Oh, and that the spell will break automatically when the pawn returns to Draconius with Emma and Buffy and Spike will return to normal."
"But without their daughter," Takina said very quietly. "Nothing will be normal then."
Xander nodded. "Isn't there any other way to break the spell?"
Anya thought for a moment and then a light bulb went over her head. "Break the amulet."
"What amulet, dear?" Giles asked, leaning forward, his elbows to his knees.
Anya fidgeted, her hands fluttering before her. "The pawn wears an amulet. If it's broken, then the spell is broken. Something about the Hibachi Texts or something. "
"Horasci," Giles corrected, losing himself in thought. "Of course."
"That sounds easy enough," Willow commented, trying to smile. "I.I mean, the pawn person is nearby if it could describe us. We watch out for it, find it, break the amulet and voila, normal non fangy Buffy and . well, Spike."
"Sounds like a plan," Oz agreed, stretching out, one arm tentatively going around each of the girls. Tara smiled at the gesture. Willow squirmed.
"Except," Anya continued, squinching her nose. "Something about the soul of the pawn then belonging to Luke and Draconius and for some reason, we wouldn't want that. Or Buffy and Spike."
"Why?" Dawn asked, shifting her legs underneath of her on the couch.
"I dunno," Anya answered, honestly. "The pawn was apparently stolen, or bribed, or something, from heaven. So, only thing I could guess is that Buffy's morality gear wouldn't want to damn a heavenly creature to Luke's dimension."
Giles rubbed his chin with one hand, lost in thought. "Or.or it's someone that means something to one or both of them."
The door swung open unceremoniously and Buffy blinked at the bright light in the house. "Hey?" She muttered, standing still in the doorway, blanket still wrapped around her like a refugee or a wayward child.
Willow quirked a brow. "You okay?"
Buffy looked up at Spike who had moved protectively behind her, his hands on both of her arms. "Yeah. Just tired. And kinda hungry."
"We got all sorts of info tonight on the baddies," Willow chirped, smiling at the pair of them.
"Love a fill in, Red, but I think the Slayer needs some shut eye," Spike commented, the hairs on the back of his neck on end. He could feel the beast swirling underneath of her skin like a snake, waiting to strike.
"I can sit for a minute," Buffy answered, craning her head around to look at those beautiful blue eyes.
Spike watched her closely, blue battling green. It wasn't a good idea, but he knew that she didn't want her friends to look upon her as the enemy. To be more worried than they were. "Right then. I'll go check on the tots and then fix you something to eat. Promise then you'll go up for a rest?"
Buffy smiled, pushing herself on tip toes and letting her lips brush his. "Promise."
"Right," Spike commented, pushing himself away from her. "Take it easy. Had a rough night," he whispered, letting his lips graze her ear. She nodded, her silky hair tickling his nose. He pulled further from her, watching her all the while and then turned to go up the stairs.
~~~~~
Buffy yawned, listening to the tale of Anya's naked hijinx in hell. It actually wasn't a bad story, but the sun was coming and it was making her sleepy. Like some god-awful alarm clock. Spike had come back down the stairs and was rattling around the kitchen when he felt something about her, about them, change.
Slowly, Spike crept to the edge of the doorway and looked out into the living room without any of the occupants noticing. Buffy had moved up on the couch, curled in a ball next to Dawn. She was sniffing almost involuntarily. Scenting the air. Spike's eyes scanned the room, his sense of smell gone with his demon. He eyed a pile of slightly bloodied gauze pads on the table in front of Dawn and scanned up from there. Dawn had a long slice down the inside of her arm, air-drying and still red with blood.
Buffy's blood, from what history told them.
Slayer blood.
Buffy was craning closer to her sister without even noticing and it was all Spike could do to get into the room in time without creating a scene. He could feel it in Buffy's head, boiling in her veins. She wanted a taste. She wanted to drink the blood, lick the wounds. The demon inside of her was drawing her to the cut in her sister's arm and Buffy didn't even know what was happening.
"All right, Love," Spike answered, holding onto a mug and looking down at Buffy. She jerked to attention as if startled from a dream. Spike held out his hand.
"I'm okay, really," Buffy commented, still grabbing his hand and letting him pull her up.
"Know that, Pet," Spike answered, wrapping an arm around her. "But you need your strength to fight this off, right? Need to rest."
Giles furrowed his brow, watching Spike nervously tend to his mate. Something was wrong. The Watcher's eyes scanned the couch where Buffy had been, his mind racing in his head. Then he saw it.
Blood.
Buffy was to the point of wanting human blood. Or Spike's demon was. He was strong enough to control it. She was not.
"I agree, Buffy. The more rest you get, the better. You'll need your strength," Giles commented. Spike sighed, his shoulder's dropping in relief. "Dawn?" The Watcher continued, "Why don't you stay downstairs will the rest of them. I am sure that they could use a bit of help with guard duty and the spell. "
Dawn smiled at the thought of being useful. "Sure. It'll be like a slumber party."
Giles shifted his gaze to Spike. 'How is everything.upstairs?"
It took Spike a moment to process what Rupert was asking. "I think they're fine. Harris might want to take his tot home with him, much as that will break little Will's heart, but the sun's almost up. No need to disturb the other two."
"All right," Giles answered, nodding.
Buffy yawned, sniffing the air again. "I'm so tired."
"I know," Spike whispered into her hair. "Let's get you something to eat and put you to bed."
Willow's face was wracked with concern. "Is.is everything okay?"
Spike looked at her for a moment, his eyes pleading with her not to make him talk about this with Buffy around. She got the message, nodding. "Need anything?"
"Just some rest, Red," Spike answered, leading Buffy towards the stairs. "Check in on the tots in the morning?"
"Sure," Tara answered, smiling. "Sleep in."
Spike looked down at his pretty little Slayer, her eyes flickering from green to yellow beside him. His stomach rolled, knowing that she had to eat soon. Knowing that he'd have to help her. Have to explain it all. Everything that happened. "Might do that."
"Call me in the morning, if you need anything," Giles commented standing up. Spike was already leading Buffy up the stairs, mug in his left hand, and Buffy's hand in his right.
Spike simply nodded, disappearing up the stairs.
To be contd.