"I can't believe she still thinks that she is your mother." Spike said with a look of disbelief on his face the night after his encounter with the slayer's "Mother"

Buffy just looked at him for a moment and smiled, "Drusilla did the spell on Joyce well. The one on Hank didn't hold up so well though."

She paused for a moment, "Though it might have something to do with Joyce wanting her child back so much that she would believe anything that was told to her, like the idea that I was her child. I remember you saying that she would do anything to have her child back and that's why she believed the spell so easily."

Spike smirked, "At least she loves you. You can't say we didn't pick good parents, well one parent at least, for you even though I thought home schooling would have been better. I could have taught you a lot better then the pricks who teach school now a days."

Buffy just shook her head, "Sure Blondie, what ever you say. Lord knows you can teach better then all those nancy boys and bints could." Her voice was caustic as she used his words that he had once used to describe some of her teachers.

Spike fell silent and they walked towards Buffy's school. When they were passing it, Spike noticed the sign announcing the parent teacher meetings, refreshments provided by Buffy Summers.

"So why are you providing the refreshments for the meeting love? I thought you hated this school?"

Buffy turned to look at her friend, then shrugged. "Either I provide the refreshments or I get kicked out. I'm not doing so hot on the grades. You know with slaying and other stuff."

Spike nodded and they continued walking. Buffy looked at Spike, he looked exhausted. Drusilla's sickness was really killing him. Buffy was worried that it was going to wind up hurting him too.

"Hey Spike, if you want I could poke around in Giles' books to see if I can find a cure for Dru." Spike looked at her surprised. Buffy took it as a good sign and continued, "I can't promise you nothing pet, you have to understand that. But I'll try."

Spike brightened, "Thanks pet, I really appreciate it, so does Dru. That will be one less problem for me to deal with."

Buffy cocked her head, "What other problems do you have to deal with?" The curiosity was evident in her voice.

Spike raised his eyebrow, "Like you don't know who?" Disbelief was evident in his voice. How could she not know?

Buffy looked at him for a moment, "Of course I don't know who…" She paused for a moment "Wait are you talking about the Anointed kid? The one the Master was so big about?"

"Yeah, the Annoying One, he is driving me nuts with all his chanting and rituals." Spike said with annoyance.

Buffy smirked, "I'm sure he is, I've heard he takes after his sire. The Master wasn't known for have wild parties, impatience and having fun."

She paused dramatically, "Of course you on the other hand, aren't known for your rituals, patience, and your seriousness. I can see were there would be a clash between the… little boy vampire, who is very very powerful and the Big Bad Victorian vampire, er gentleman." She said with an evil smile.

Spike glared at her, she always brought up his past when teasing him about certain things. "Not funny Elizabeth. I'm sure you would love remembering being a slave to them. Working for hours on hours doing their hard labor."

Buffy just stared at him; "I hated it." She said in a small childlike voice. "They made me work, do horrible horrible things." She sank to the ground, head between her knees.

Spike stared at her a moment, this was not the reaction he had expected at all. Buffy looked up at him, "At least your past they didn't take what they took from me." She looked down for a moment, then whispered softly, "Then again maybe they did. They hurt you worse didn't they? They were suppose to be your friends. She hurt you."

Spike looked at her for a moment, "You never really did recover, did you kitten. You've held all this inside." Buffy just sniffed and cried on the ground. That was enough of an answer of an answer for him.

Spike knelt down next to her and held her close to him. "It's okay now love, they can't get you now. They don't know who you are now or where you are now. I'll never let them get you."

Spike rocked her back and forth, "I'm sorry I reminded you of that time, I thought you would know I was just teasing. I'm sorry baby." He kissed her forehead. "I'll take care of you. We won't leave you this time. I won't leave."

Buffy pulled away from him, and looked at him for the longest time. She looked into her friend's eyes, searching to find the truth. "I know how to get rid of your other problem. I know how to get rid of the annoying one without anyone suspecting anything, 'til the end." Buffy said softly before leaning back into his chest.

Forgiveness.

Tbc…

Stay tuned for next time!