TAKEN BY SURPRISE
Author: Richess a.k.a. A.N.H. Richards
Feedback: Do vampires have teeth? Of course I want it. Please. richess78@hotmail.com
Summary: Set a couple of months after Lover's Walk, Spike goes up North and unbeknownst to him fulfils a prophecy. The council is after Christine and her baby and Spike gets something he never thought he'd have a baby.
Warning: This a Spike and baby story just to warn all. It will eventually lead to a Spike/Buffy ship.
Things that must be known: For this story to make sense I have integrated it with season four events. Except Spike never gets chipped, Harmony does, Harsh Light of Day and Something Blue never happened. But the rest of the year is pretty much intact, with a few exceptions that will be revealed in the story.
Disclaimer: I own none of BTVS characters they belong to J. Whedon, Mutant Enemy Productions, WB, FOX, UPN and etc. But I do own Niya, Christine, Lnor, Jacob, Nina, Marcus, Tasha and Rachel.
Distribution: THESE SITES ONLY, Strictly Fic, Death-Marked Love, The Sandlot, and Fanfiction.net. No other site has my permission to post this fic without my permission.
Dedication: To Hilary who forced me to continue this story and helped write a crucial scene for me. And thanks to the other Hunnies. To Miss Binks who helped me SO MUCH especially with chapter 5. To Esme, Shippy, Wrydin & Jill my wonderful betas, thanks bunches.
THINGS TO REMEMBER PLEASE READ!!!
1. Remember that Harmony is chipped in my version of season 4 not Spike
2. That all of the episodes basically remain intact except for the changes that I write in the fic.
3. I will leave out parts of episodes because well I expect you to hopefully know them being BTVS fans so brush up on your season 4 knowledge pretty please. And also ever chapter would be like a two-hundred pages and no one wants to read all of that.
4. The episodes glanced at in this chapter are (descriptions taken from 2002 Yearbook)
a. A New Man – Giles, down after Buffy's latest (typically disastrous) birthday party, ends up commiserating over a pint with Ethan Rayne. But Ethan slips something into Giles drink, causing him to literally wake up as a new man or in layman's terms a demon.
b. The I In Team – Buffy becomes an honorary member of The Initiative, but unbeknownst to Buffy, Professor Walsh wants her dead.
c. Goodbye Iowa - While Buffy tries to reveal the truth about The Initiative to Riley, Maggie Walsh is discovered murdered by her own creation, Adam who was built as research but sets out on a path of destruction.
5. I think that's it. Good luck in reading LOL!
Chapter 10
Part 46
"So this guy turns your Watcher into a Fyarl demon. Bloody priceless." Spike laughed. "And Harmony helped save his butt. I didn't think she could help water out of a tap that one."
"Well apparently the Initiative was after him cause he decided to pull a stunt on Professor Walsh. I don't think he likes her." Buffy giggled. "Anyways I tried to kill the demon thinking it had done something terrible to Giles. But after I stabbed him in the heart with a letter opener, I released that it was Giles."
"Ouch."
"Yeah I know but it wasn't Silver thank god or I would have killed him." Buffy looked over the town from Spike's balcony. Niya was fast asleep and for some reason the night air was surprisingly hot. "But when I looked into his eyes I knew it was Giles. God I hope Ethan Rayne gets some rough military treatment. Maybe they have anal probes."
"Buffy!" Spike laughed.
"He tried to kill me, tattooed me, and gave my mom and Giles Candy that made them, you know." Buffy gave him a weird look and shoulder shrug. He looked at her completely dumbfounded, Buffy sighed loudly, "YOU KNOW!" She couldn't bring herself to say the word. Then it dawned on Spike.
"Oh god no! That man is evil." Spike shuddered. "Poor Joyce."
Buffy punch him playfully in the arm. "I have to go and see him tomorrow. It's gonna be a real hoot." Buffy said sarcastically.
"Yeah I bet. Especially when you explain to him how you forgot to tell him about your Boy toy and Co."
Buffy glared at the last bit of his statement. "Don't remind me."
* * *
Buffy sat on the sofa in Giles' apartment the next day, watching him hook up his new cordless phone.
"I am sorry, Giles. I really thought I told you about Riley and the Initiative. And I know that it doesn't help. Look, I promise it won't happen again. I will tell you everything."
"Buffy, I don't want to ask you to betray any confidences, and I certainly don't want to interfere--." Giles removed his glasses to clean them.
"Uh-oh, you have 'but-face'. You look like you're gonna say "but." She explained quickly.
Giles took a seat next to her, "But . . . this, um, Initiative, I'm a little concerned. Ethan's not exactly a reliable source but, um . . . I'm not sure that he's wrong about them."
"I'm not dating the Initiative. I'm dating Riley. He's a good guy."
"I-I believe that. But he's part of something we don't really understand."
"You sure you're not just saying this because you don't like Riley's boss?"
"No! No. I'm not saying that at all." The Ex-Watcher paused, "Although I do . . . hate her quite a lot. But I want you to have your personal life, but . . . keep your eyes open. Make sure you know what you're getting into."
"Warning heeded." Buffy put on a smile but underneath she knew that Giles might be right.
* * *
Professor Walsh didn't believe one word of Riley's story. But the little information that they got forcibly from subject Rayne she decided not to pursue the issue.
"So she walks in and the rules just suddenly break?"
"Pretty much." A sheepish look crossed Riley's face.
"Be careful with her. She reacts on instinct. There's no discipline there. Her loyalties are uncertain." She warned cautiously as they continued to walk.
"You won't be disappointed in her." His confidence in her glowed, "She's good at what she does. She is the truest soul I've ever known."
Professor Walsh chuckled, "Oh, no…oh, no! Spontaneous poetic exclamations. Lord, spare me college boy is in love."
"I'm just saying she'll work out. You'll be proud of her."
"You want to know what I think." She knew that she needed to keep tabs on this relationship and a positive disposition would be a good one to take, "I think you're probably right."
Riley smiled leaving Walsh. She glanced over her shoulder before swiping her ID card through a keypad the mechanical security door opened and she steps inside. She looked at her notes walking down a white corridor and punched a security code into another keypad. "Good afternoon Professor Walsh." An automated voice greeted her, "Welcome to 314."
* * *
Part 47
The two witches were sitting in the student lounge.
"This is so cool. Wow." Willow admired the clear purple-pink crystal in the palms of Tara's hands. "I've been trying to find a dolls-eye crystal my entire life. Well, since June, anyway. Where'd you get it?"
"It-it was my grandma's, I think. I found it a long time ago in my attic." Tara hesitantly began, "I-I want you to have it."
"Oh, no, Tara. That's really sweet. I can't. It's like a family heirloom. I-I just wouldn't feel comfortable."
Tara looked a little hurt as she put the crystal away.
"But if you wanted to try out some spells with it some time, I wouldn't say no." Willow smiled brightly.
"Maybe tonight. I mean, if you're not doing something you could… come over and we could do something." Tara's eyes avoided Willow's.
"Tonight . . . That sounds really nice. But tonight I, uh, already have plans with people. I have to take something's for a friend and I uhmm…" Willow gestured to the bag next to her.
"Oh. Um, that's okay. Another… time?"
"Absolutely! It's just tonight, it-it's kind of a specific crowd. You might feel out of place."
"Oh…"
"And I have to bring this stuff over to a friend mine he has a baby."
"Oh I love babies. Maybe I can go with you."
"Well uhmm… I don't know if…"
Tara was silent for a moment she grabbed her bags and stood up, "It's ok…I better get to class."
"Well, um, I'll see ya later. Okay?"
Tara just nodded as she walked off.
* * *
Buffy looked around the huge installation trying to take in everything she could, but being on the inside of The Initiative was mind-blowing and a bit intimidating. Here she fought demons with stakes and axes; meanwhile they had tazers and mini camera devices and such. Now she was truly receiving the grand tour.
* * *
"I mean it was huge. You wouldn't believe all of that was sitting underneath a frat house." Buffy relayed excitedly as she grabbed a bowl of popcorn. "It was soooo state of the art like a James Bond kind of thing. I had to get a retinal scan and everything. It was so unreal."
"Willow already brought me the formula and stuff already." Spike gritted his teeth as she yammered on about The Initiative. "So you don't have to stick around." He muttered the last part underneath his breath.
"Oh no probs, I have a little while to stay and chat. Anyways, they had demons trapped in this place called 'The Pit' that is probably where they took Harmony…"
"Luv, pass me the remote."
"Sure." Buffy handed him the remote that was on the end table next to her and continued, "And there were some green squid-faced demons laying on two tables, while techs work on them."
"Really." Spike said disinterested.
"And then there was this device laying in an open case. When I looked at it you could see my face zooming up into the monitor I had no idea it was a camera. Professor Walsh says it costs about twenty-thousand dollars. Then she gave me a security card and a pager."
"Really? So now you have an all access pass to some evil government installation. Good for you." Spike snidely flipping through the channels.
"What's that suppose to mean? They aren't evil."
"Sure… Cause the government wants to kidnap and tinker with demons heads for fun right. It totally makes sense now they want to make demons into fuzzy little kittens." He huffed getting up from the chair. "You're going to be late meeting the Scooby's at the Bronze. You can see yourself out Slayer. Make sure you're here at 10 to take Niya to the doctor's ok. Joyce can't do it cause of a new delivery at the gallery." Spike disappeared into his bedroom.
Buffy stood baffled by his attitude but she shook it off and did take his cue, she grabbed her bag and looked at her watch she was going to be late.
* * *
Professor Walsh waited as Dr. Angleman finished washing his hands.
"How did the tour go?" He asked as he grabbed a towel.
"I'm not sure. She's unpredictable." She replied walking across the room.
"She's an unnecessary risk."
"Possibly. How's our baby doing today?"
"Adjusting nicely. Reflexes, motor-functions. All off the charts."
"That's what I like to hear. Almost time to wake up, Adam." She said almost lovingly to the figure lying on the surgical table.
* * *
Willow, Anya and Xander sat around waiting for Buffy to arrive. The music flowed through the small club.
"Maybe she won't show." Xander shrugged, "She's got Riley now and hell she's even got Spike now."
"Xander has issues with Spike." Anya relayed the obvious to Willow.
"When someone practically bludgeon you to death and kidnaps you… I think you will have issues too." Xander replied defensively.
"Ok that's in the past Xander, Spike is… well he's a parent now."
"Poor kid." He huffed.
"Buffy is coming and Spike is a good dad." Willow said sternly wanting to bring doubt on both out of the issue. "Here she comes." Willow said excitedly until, "...with Riley... and some other guys."
Buffy looked around until her friends sitting at a nearby table. She walked toward them with five guys in tow.
"Hi, all! Sorry about the late-itude." Buffy said taking a seat next to Willow.
"Late? Really? Huh. Hadn't noticed." Xander's voice was etched with sarcasm.
"Hope you don't mind us tagging along." Riley said giving the group a slight smile.
Willow had to force her own smile, "No. No, of course not. The more the. . . more."
"This is Graham. This is Forrest. That's Kevin. And that's Jay in the back." Riley pointed out all of his friends.
"How you doing?" Graham smiled at Willow and other's nodded their acknowledgement.
"We're gonna go grab some drinks. Anybody want anything?"
"Coke, please." Buffy gave Riley a sweet smile.
"I'm good." Willow said curtly.
"No." Xander said and then Riley looked at Anya with the offer.
She just frowned, "We're going away. To dance. Over there." She stood up and grabbed Xander's arm dragging him toward the dance floor.
Riley and the guys headed over to the bar.
"Anya seems a bit on edge." Buffy talked over the music.
"She's a little angsty around commando-types. Ex-demon issues."
"Oh. You know, I didn't think that you would mind. Riley and the guys were throwing a little impromptu celebration in my honor and made it, like, impossible to not invite them." Buffy tried to explain.
"Oh. That's neat about the celebrating. I just thought this was supposed to be, you know, just us. Just the Scooby corps. You know. I mean, I could have invited somebody else if I knew it was an open free-for-all." Willow looked over at Anya and Xander. She was really a bit pissed off at Buffy.
"I'm sorry. I had no idea. My *total* bad. So, who did you want to invite?"
"What?"
"You said you wanted to invite someone?"
"No. Not-- no one. I meant a hypothetical someone, which is to say no one. What are we celebrating?"
"I'm in. The Initiative. Professor Walsh gave me the grand tour and we're talking Grand as in Canyon! You'd never believe the size of it. When I told Spike about it though he seemed unimpressed. I guess he kinds of feels the same way Anya does without the ex-demon part."
"And maybe the fact they tried to capture him didn't help either." Willow grumbled. "That's really . . . again I say 'neat.' So, what do you mean exactly? You've joined them?
"No. N-not exactly. It just means that when I patrol I'll have a heavily armed team backing me up. Plus, boyfriend going to work with me: big extra perk."
"Buffy, do you really think this is a good idea? I mean, don't you think you're rushing things a little?"
"I thought you liked Riley?"
"Not with Riley. With the Initiative. I mean, there's a bunch of stuff about them we still don't know."
"I know that. Like what?"
"Well, what's their ultimate agenda? I mean, okay, yeah, they-they neuter vampires and demons. But then what? Are they gonna reintegrate them into society? Get them jobs as bagboys at Wal-Mart?"
"Does Wal-Mart have bagboys?"
"Plus, don't forget that '314' thing that Ethan told Giles about." Willow reminded the slayer.
"Well, a man that worships chaos and tries to kill you is a man you can trust." Buffy's voice dripped with sarcasm, 'God she is beginning to sound like Giles with all of the warnings'
"Well, bad info or not, I just think there's certain questions you should ask before you go off and enlist. Also what about Niya and Spike."
"What about them?" A loud beep emitted from Buffy's bag she reached into her bag to pull out the still beeping pager. Two seconds later five more beepers go off at the bar and Riley checks his pager.
"That's us. Let's go." Riley commanded to the others.
"When did you get a pager? What's going--?" Willow looked on as Riley's friends headed toward the exit.
Riley steps up to the table and Buffy stands up. "That's our cue. Mother wants us."
"Will..." Buffy looked back at her friend as she grabbed her jacket.
"I know. Talk later." Willow said as she watched unhappily as Buffy left with Riley.
* * *
Part 48
Xander opened one eye looking at the ringing phone willing it to stop but it didn't stop. He looked at the time and groaned it was 9:25. His head ached from hearing Anya's yammering about the Initiative and now on his one day off in two weeks the phone was ringing incessantly.
He slammed his hand over the handle and grabbed the phone harshly, "What?"
A voice sighed on the other end.
"Look it's too friggin early in the morning for phone sex Anya."
"Bloody hell. It's not her you prat."
The British voice woke him up instantly, "Spike? Why the hell are you calling me?"
"Cause the Slayer is not at her dorm room neither is Red and Rupert as gone somewhere according to Harm so you are my last hope. Actually if I knew your girls number I would have called her before I called you but Buffy didn't leave me that number. So you're it."
"What do you want?"
"I need you to do me a favour."
"Ha, this keeps getting better. Why would I do you a favour?"
"Cause it's for Niya." Spike gritted his teeth even the thought of the whelp helping him out of this mind irked him.
"What is it?"
"Well the Slayer was suppose to be here at 9:00 to pick Niya up for a 10:00 appointment but she's not here and Niya needs to go to this check up and I can't go with it being daylight and all."
"Fine. Give me your address." Xander sighed knowing he couldn't not do this for Niya; the only thing he couldn't stand was that he would be helping Spike in a way.
* * *
She sat watching them together. So loving and tender with each other. Needless to say she was not amused.
The surveillance monitor continued to record Buffy and Riley's intimate moments between the couple, she turned her attention the monitor labeled, GATES. There lay Tasha and Forest sleeping peacefully. That relationship she had monitored from the beginning but Tasha was no Buffy she wasn't a real threat to her plans. But Buffy was.
Professor Walsh turned away from the monitor wondering what exactly she should do next.
* * *
Buffy could almost feel the sun rising she woke up taking in her surroundings. Worried, she suddenly rolled over and to her relief Riley was lying next to her, already awake, looking at her.
"Hey. What's the matter? Weren't expecting to see me?" He brushed a lock of hair away from his face tenderly.
Buffy relaxed a bit, "I never know what to expect."
He leaned and kissed her until an annoying electronic chirping sound fills the room.
"Your robot bird sounds hungry." Buffy smiled.
"It's just a reminder to take my vitamins." He explained kind of embarrassed as he rolled over and grabbed a medicine bottle on his nightstand as the chirping ends.
"You're kidding?"
He sat up a bit and downed the pills with a glass of water, "Sorry."
"Quite the regimental soldier."
"I am how they trained me."
"They? Who they?"
"You know the government. Plucked me out of special op-training for this." He regaled.
"What did they tell you it was for?"
"They didn't. In the military you learn to follow orders. Not ask questions." He said matter of factly.
"I don't understand. Aren't you curious about all the science and research stuff they're doing?"
"I know all I need to know. We're doing good here. Protecting the public. Removing the sub-terrestrial threat. It's work worth doing." Riley said proudly wondering where Buffy was going with this.
They were silent for a moment.
Buffy figured beating around the bush was getting nowhere to she went for the jugular, "What's 314?"
Like clock work the phone rang. Buffy sighed thinking that phone call was too convenient as he answered it. The phone call lasted less then twelve seconds once Riley hung up the phone she got up out of bed.
"What is it?"
"Don't know." He said grabbing a pair of jeans.
"You're really not one for asking questions, are you?"
The soldier smiled "I'll leave that to you."
* * *
Her plan was easy enough - send Buffy out to capture two of the fiercest demons The Initiative ever caught and making sure Riley wasn't around until it was too late. Professor Walsh was overly confident that this would be the end of her Buffy Summers problem. She watched with glee as the cam-con's heart rate monitor flat lined.
* * *
Buffy looked at the two demon bodies that laid at her feet and shuddered. She turned around looking for the com-cam, once the Slayer found it she held it up make sure that her message would come across loud and clear.
"Professor Walsh. That simple little recon you sent me on . . . wasn't a raccoon.
Turns out it was me trapped in the sewers with a faulty weapon and two of your pet demons. If you think that's enough to kill me, you really don't know what a Slayer is. Trust me when I say you're gonna find out."
Buffy put down the com-cam and decided that the little 20,000 dollar piece of equipment needed a little remodeling as she crush it into the ground.
* * *
"It will be dark soon. I think it will be wise for you to leave Sunnydale." Giles said to Harmony as she put on her pink sweater carefully avoiding the bandage that Giles had just put on her shoulder.
"I'm not going anywhere. They put this thing in my head, they shot me with super tracking device thingy. I've had enough. I am not leaving until those bastards undo whatever they did to me. Put me back the way I was." Harmony huffed.
"Sure. Just explain to the nice scientist guys that you really miss killing and torturing innocent people." Xander couldn't believe the gall of the vampiress.
"Do you think that would work?" She smiled hopefully.
Willow rolled her eyes, "Why didn't we let them capture her."
"Get loss geek."
"Hey this geek just saved your little scrawny ass." Willow said angrily.
Giles removed his glasses rubbing his nose bridge in frustration, "Harmony-- lord knows why I'm telling you this-- it's for your own good. As long as the Initiative is in operation it's not safe for you here."
No one even noticed that the Slayer had stepped in.
"No." Everyone turned to face Buffy. "It's not safe for any of us."
* * *
Professor Walsh walked through the corridor of 314 she was looking forward to seeing him. It was the only highlight of the day that her creation would be awakening tonight. She didn't know how she was going to get Riley back on her side but she knew it would have to happen soon.
She reached his room and stood over him and talked to the still figure.
"So, all right. Fine. If she wants a fight, we'll give her one. Won't we, Adam? I've worked too long. Too long... to let some little bitch threaten this project. Threaten me." She stood by him. "She has no idea who she's dealing with. Once she's gone, Riley will come around. He'll understand."
She turned toward a second table, "It's for the greater good. He'll see that. And if he doesn't... Well, first things first. Remove the complication and when she least expects it…"
She suddenly felt a cold sting through her body. She looked down to see a long sharp spear sticking through her chest. The last thing she did was look over her shoulder her voice paralyzed in shock and pain to see Adam.
Finally the last word she would ever utter came in a faded gasp, "Adam?"
As her body fell to the floor Adam looked as his arm retracting the skewer and then looked at the body lying at his feet, "Mommy."
* * *
Ever since coming back from the doctors with Xander, Niya had been moody. It was almost like she knew something bad was happening.
She kept crawling around with Mr. Gordo in tow and followed Spike into every room he went. He walked into the bedroom and Niya was right behind him crawling quickly once he stopped she would start crying. He walked into the kitchen and it was the same thing. He changed her and fed her and still she would do the same thing. He didn't know what was going on in the hellmouth but for some reason he thought Niya knew more then anyone else there that something evil was awakening.
* * *
Part 49
The boy played with the small silver armored doll. His bike is beside him. His grandfather always told him not to go into the forest behind the park but he never listened, he wanted adventure and fun.
That's why when he saw the creature walking toward him he didn't run. He was fascinated.
"What am I?" The creature asked him.
"You're a monster." He answered honestly.
"I thought so. What are you?" Adam asked curious.
"Me? I'm a boy."
"A boy. How do you work?"
"I don' know. I just do." The boy looked over the creature and then at the bone skewer pointing from his wrist. "What's that for?"
Adam smiled as he looked at the skewer, and then looked at the boy.
* * *
Buffy was reeling from the day's events. Being in search of a Polgara demon only to find out that this boy was killed by something Professor Walsh made. It sickened and angered the slayer. If she had listened to Willow and Giles, maybe she could have stopped this. She sighed in defeat she walked up the stairs of Spike's building. The door as usual was unlocked she walked into to see Niya crawling around with Mr. Gordo.
"Spike?"
"In here Slayer." He called out from the kitchen. Buffy picked up Niya and walked through the condo to the kitchen to see Spike washing dishes. She just looked at him strangely wondering what made him so different from Angel. 'Here is vampire with no soul taking care of a baby and actually doing it very well. Just weird.'
He turned around to find Buffy staring at him. "What?"
"Nothing."
"Had a rough day?" Spike clenched his jaw he knew that she completely forgot about Niya's appointment yesterday but he was going to wait to at least see what stopped the Slayer from forgetting her promise.
Buffy huffed, "That's an understatement if I ever heard one. The question is where I begin."
* * *
"It was such a set up. She was trying to kill me because I was getting too close. To finding out about her killer demon-cyborg."
"I can kill her you know." Spike said seriously.
Buffy shrugged her shoulders, "She's already dead her demon creation already killed her."
Spike was kind of shocked that Buffy didn't take more offense to him offering to kill another human being no matter how evil that person was.
He rolled his eyes as she continued.
"The demon 'Kinematically redundant, biomechanical demoniod' named Adam. We think it's him that killed that little boy in the woods today. It was a really horrific scene Spike. I mean it's just weird to think that Professor Walsh created that thing for some purpose. Riley was acting sooooooooo weird. Especially after he found about Professor Walsh's death. He was ranting and raving…"
"Like I rabid dog I hope." Spike muttered underneath his breath.
"Huh?" Buffy didn't hear him clearly.
"Nevermind." Spike picked up Niya from her playpen and put her sitting up on the sofa.
"Well we, me and Xander that is, break into the compound to find out that Professor has been drugging all of the Initiative soldiers. And since her death freaked them all out they were off their schedule so the ones that didn't get immediate treatment like Riley were going all loopy. So anyway…"
Spike started to play with Niya.
"We are in the 314 room and I'm grilling Dr. Angleman and Riley bursts in accusing me of killing Maggie and doing something to him. Then Adam is there and starts talking a bunch of stuff, he wants to know what he is. Weird huh, so he stabs Dr. Angleman with his bone skewer and we start fighting. He was super strong picked me up and throws me across the room.
"A light wind can do that." Spike said never taking his eyes off of Niya.
"Haahaa very funny. So Riley tries to fight and he skewered Riley. I was so freaked. I mean he almost killed Riley. Then the commandos start pounding on the door and Adam takes off. I was by Riley's side and they pulled out guns on me and ordered me to leave. Saying they will; take care of him. God I hate Forest. I can't believe that Tasha goes out with that ass. I mean my boyfriend is there bleeding to death and he threatens to kill me because I want to get him to a hospital."
"Interesting." Spike said completely disinterested.
"I mean everything is so crazy and so messed up. I swear I should have never let them take Riley."
Spike continued to play with Niya ignoring Buffy's ranting.
"Are you listening to me?"
Buffy waited hearing Niya's giggles.
"SPIKE!!" Buffy yelled both he and Niya stopped.
Then Niya's face turned red and she began to cry and scream at the top of her lungs.
"Bloody hell Slayer." Spike cringed as he held Niya.
"Sorry." She said sheepishly feeling bad for scaring Niya.
"Sorry? Oh please. Why don't you leave?"
"What?"
"Why--don't--you--leave?" He repeated slower, "I don't want to hear about that wanker anymore. You have been going on and on about the enormous hall monitor for an hour. Do you think I care? I don't! What I care about is right here. I care about my daughter and the fact that you were suppose to do something for me yesterday and I had to swallow whatever bit of pride I might have had left in my unlife and call the Whelp to take her. So if the bloody boy got skewered or shish kebabed I could bloody well care less. You need to deal with the psychotic lost boy that you are shagging not me and I am tired of hearing about it. If you have nothing else to talk about don't bother coming back. Now get out." Spike lifted up the crying baby into his arms.
Buffy looked at Spike stunned. She huffed as grabbed her coat and slammed the door behind her. Like clock work Niya began to cry.
* * *
Buffy stood on the other side of the door as soon as she heard Niya she wanted to run back in a hold her but when she heard the snap of the lock behind she slowly left the apartment complex.
* * *
Part 50
Spike looked at the clock for the 13th time in the last hour and huffed. The sun was finally setting. Niya was getting fidgety and so was he. Ever since his fight with Buffy he had been feeling restless and from the look on Niya's tiny face so was she.
"That's it pet. Let's go out for a walk." Spike smiled, "Maybe I'll show you how to kill a vamp or two. That way we can save your mu… the Slayer from any extra stakings. But knowing those government do-gooders they have already taken care of the problem."
Niya just looked at him and he continued to talk, "I wonder what your real mum would think of Buffy. I wonder about the prophecy. I am beginning to wonder about a lot of things like why I came back to Sunnydale. Why I felt compelled to bring you here? Why I brought you into her life. You were supposed to be all mine but now…."
Niya just kicked her legs and gurgled as he ranted on fastening her pink fuzzy jumper.
"Ok you're all done." Spike threw on his duster and headed out of the door.
* * *
"I totally don't know what happened to him. I mean he looked like he had been through a car wreck these last couple of days and he refuses to tell me what is really going on. We get word that Professor Walsh was in an accident and died and he totally gives me the brush off when I try and comfort him. And something is going with him and Riley. And he doesn't want to talk about it. So screw him. I am so just tired of him, Rachel." Tasha said carrying her French Vanilla tea back to her table at the Espresso Hut.
"He could at least have told you. Him and Riley and Graham they act so weird sometimes." Rachel stated as they sat with four other UC Sunnydale students. "I mean it was like a week ago Graham was so spaced out. It was weird. I mean they are just TA's they were acting like there mother had died or something. Not to be cruel it was shocking but they were so over-reacting."
"I know. But…" The first thing that caught Tasha's eye was his striking blond hair and then her eyes slowly drifted down his sculpted body draped in all black to see his hands tightly gripping the handles of a stroller. "Oh-my-god!"
The other girls at the table turned to see what he was looking at. It was a guy that had "Bad-boy" written all over him come into the brightly lit and crowded café with a baby in a stroller.
"That is so hot." Rachel exclaimed before any of the other could say a word she made her way across the café and pretended to be looking for napkins to get the man's attention. "Wow precious." Rachel never even looked baby but eventually the baby got her attention kicking her in the knee, "Ouch. She's got a strong kick too."
Niya just smiled.
"Yeah she's a real warrior my little one."
Rachel nearly melted when she heard his accent. The brunette smiled slightly, "That she is."
Spike scanned the crowded café and sighed, "Well pet, nowhere for us to sit so let's…" He began to tell Niya.
"Oh you can come and sit with us. There is plenty of room with us." She pointed over toward the table and full of college girls. Spike flashed them a smile and they all giggled haplessly as they encouraged him to come over.
"That would be great pet."
* * *
By the hours end, the girls knew everything about Spike especially that he wasn't married to the baby's mother and that she had died. After some 'Oh that's so sad, I'm sorry's and how awful's' all of the girls were right back to flirting.
* * *
Buffy slowly walked into the Espresso Hut tired and worn out. These last couple of weeks had really worn her out and she felt guilty about not calling Spike not to apologize but to see Niya. She heard a familiar laugh and turned to see Niya in Tasha's arms and Spike shamelessly flirting with another girl.
"Don't get me wrong, but you so don't seem like the father type. I mean you have bad boy vibe about you." A red head gushed over him.
"Well I am a bad-boy can't you tell. I had to stop smoking, child proof a condo and I smell like baby powder. You don't live more on the edge then that." Spike joked, the girls giggled furiously as a figure approached their table.
"Spike?" Buffy asked in an almost disbelieving tone.
"Slayer!" His previously warm cheerful demeanor suddenly turned cold and the effect was not lost on the tables other occupants.
"What's up Buffy? What are you doing here?" Tasha interrupted the tense air that suddenly surrounded them.
"I was around doing stuff and …"
Spike got up abruptly taking Niya out of Tasha's arms and fitted the jumper back on her and quickly tucked her in the stroller. "Well ladies it's been a blast but I must get sweet-pea here home."
"Spike don't." Buffy pleaded.
Niya smiled as she recognized Buffy and stretched out her arms to the slayer. Spike grumbled an obscenity and resigned to let Buffy hold his daughter. "Hi hunny, long time no see huh?" The baby gripped Buffy's finger in an attempt to put it her mouth, "No no Ni…"
"Yeah Niya," Spike pried the infant out of Buffy's arms, setting her back down in the stroller. "God only knows what Buffy has on her hands." Before Buffy could utter a word Spike pushed the stroller heading toward the door.
Tasha say the expression of hurt on Buffy's face as Spike wheeled away the stroller.
* * *
As soon as her reached the shadows of the building she was there right behind him.
"We need to talk."
"No we don't."
She stood in front of him blocking his path. "Yes we do. This isn't about you and me anymore Spike it's about Niya and what this…"
"No you want to tell me what's best for Niya? She's my child Buffy. I have raised her from birth, my face is the only one she sees everyday. I am there for the teething and the feedings. Not you. She mine Slayer, not yours. I don't care what any prophecy says. She is mine alone, my responsibility." Spike spewed it all out without taking a breath.
Buffy was stunned silent.
Spike huffed, "That's right! I've known about the prophecy for weeks now. And you want I know how I found out. By listening to you telling your mum that night I moved out. And between now and then you haven't bothered to tell it to me. And I bloody well know why. You think I would hurt her. You think I would use her to get at you. Well as you said a moment ago slayer. It's not about you and me anymore. I'm leaving Sunnydale by the end of the week." He brushed past the stunned slayer and proceeded on his way home.
TBC…