Untitled

by Spunkles

Set Directly after the Gift, Season 5 finale, AU Season 6..This is a BS of course :D Chapter 35 is finally up :D

35. It's a whole new ballgame

Chapter 35

Whole New Ballgame

Dawn was the first to wake early the next morning.

She yawned widely & for a moment Dawn wasn't sure where she was.

She turned her head to the left & encountered a still sleeping Spike.

She chuckled silently to herself at the cute picture he made.

Dead sexy, Spike was when he was awake.

But, with his eyes closed & that happy as hell smile on his face…& lets not forget to mention those curls his hair always did when he hadn't had a chance to slick it back, were oh so adorable.

It just made her want to hug & squeeze him tight like a cuddly baby.

Of course, she knew he was far from it once those eyes opened, sweetness be damned; he'd go back to being devilish & handsome again.

So she didn't touch him.

A second later, she remembered in whose room she was in, whose bed, & who was laying on her other side.

She turned her head to the right & her smile was wide as she gazed upon Buffy's peaceful & apparently happy, if her smile was anything to go by, dreaming face.

Dawn couldn't begin to describe her happiness.

Her sister was back.

And it had been her choice to return to them.

It would have been awful if she had been at peace & she had gotten pulled back.

That's like when you get everything settled on the living room couch, chips, movie set up, soda, blanket, & of course, remote, etc. & then the phone &/or doorbell rings.

Okay…not the same image wise…but still a valid point, she thought.

Dawn chuckled to herself as she realized her thought pattern.

Get it together Dawn, she thought to herself.

She stretched again.

Then she started to wonder about what had woken her up.

She looked over to the open window and watched the new day begin as dawn broke.

She smiled to herself.

Dawn watching dawn.

Nice shiny, bright new day with no mistakes in it…well…no mistakes in it yet, she thought grinning.

Another, more serious thought hit her just as the light covered their bed.

Now I know there's some reason why light is bad…work brain work…great…early in the morning and I sound like Xander…. that is so not a good thing.  Okay…we can do this...light…sunlight…Spike and sunlight…. Oh no.

Dawn tried to leap up to rush to the window and close it, but some sort of force was keeping her in place.

She looked around and saw nothing, but out of both Spike and Buffy's still sleeping mouths she heard the words,

"Just wait…and watch."

She looked at both of them and then over to Spike, who she noticed was in fact NOT smoking as the light touched him.

She blinked and looked again.

Still no smoke.

She rubbed the sleep out of her eyes and looked again… swearing that it was the sleep that was altering her vision.

But...still… no smoke.

Maybe she was still dreaming… that would explain it… as well as the Buffy & Spike twin voices-while-they-slept thing.  She pinched herself hard…

OUCH!

Nope… definitely not dreaming.

She rubbed her throbbing arm delicately and gave Spike another once over.

The sunlight was steadily creeping towards his face… but there was still no smoke, nothing aflame, and no smell of burnt flesh.

Dawn's mind couldn't take any more of this silently, so she uttered her next words out loud,

"What the…"

At Dawn's spoken words, Buffy stirred, opened her eyes and yawned loudly.

She blinked a few times and then noticed Dawn's awakened state.

"Morning Dawnie.  What time is it?"

She looked over to the window & seeing the new day just beginning, moaned & closed her eyes and turned over saying,

"It's way too early to be up…wake me in a few hours."

"Buffy," Dawn's voice was strange, strangled & very soft.

"Just give me a few more hours," Buffy said, trying to go back to sleep.

"Buffy…" Dawn started again, voice still very weird.

Buffy picked up on it this time and looked over at her sister.

"Dawnie what's wrong?"

Dawn didn't know how to explain it, so she simply pointed at the still sleeping form of Spike, who was now almost completely covered by the sunlight.

Buffy stared in shock at Spike.

She was about to leap to his aid, just as Dawn had been about to, when Dawn tapped her,

"Don't bother…she won't let you up."

"Who?"

"Ashta."

Buffy tried anyway, feeling that she had to try, and was held back by the same force Dawn had been.

This time, only out of Spike's sleeping mouth did they hear the words,

"Just wait…and watch."

"What the…"

Dawn nodded.

"Exactly what I was thinking…but look Buffy…there's no smoke."

Buffy looked just as Dawn had done before, even rubbing her eyes to clear them, her face frowning in concentration as she tried to puzzle out what was going on.

Before either one could decide on what to do, Spike awoke as the sun's rays had reached & caressed his face with its warmth.

The first thing Spike saw when he woke up was his two girls looking at him.

He smiled at both of them…then he noticed their expression.

"What's wrong?"

"Spike…you're…"

"I'm what?"
"You're covered in…"

"I'm covered in what, sweet bit?"
"You're covered in sunlight," Buffy told him, softly, "and you're not burning."

Spike sat up quickly.

He looked right at the sun and down at himself, covered in sunshine.

He looked at his girls in wonder and amazement.

"I'm…covered in sunlight…"

"Yes…you are."

"I'm really not burning?"

"You really aren't," they both said softly.

"How?"
"I'm guessing it has to do with the whole bonded thing.  You know, weakness being a weakness no longer."

"Oh yeah"

"So…ya wanna go play in the sun?"
"Maybe later…you know…when I get used to being in it without bursting into flame."

Dawn grinned at Spike and then with a small & quick glance to Buffy, she climbed off the bed, as if heading towards the door.  Once behind Spike, however, she doubled back and came up from behind Spike as Buffy moved forward from the front.

Spike could feel Dawn behind him, but it was the look on Buffy's face that concerned him.  She had that mischievous look in her eyes.

Spike narrowed his eyes, wondering what was going on.

He didn't have long to wait, nor did he have time enough to figure out on his own.

Both girls, from both sides, attacked him at once…and they tickled him mercilessly.

Spike shrieked and tried to get away, but they captured him and using their extra powers, held him captive & unable to get away.

Spike had to use his new senses to block theirs, as well as leaping high and clutching to the ceiling in an attempt to escape from the double attack.

"Hey, hey…use of extra new senses is prohibited."

"Like neither of you just used yours?  That was fair?"

  "Well…"

"You don't have an excuse, do you?"

"Sure I do…because… well… because we're girls…sounds right, doesn't it Dawn?"

"Yeah," Dawn said with a giant grin. "And what's with the Spiderman impression, Spike?  Scared of little ole us?"

"Scared… please… I'm the Big Bad you know."

"I think your neglecting the past tense there, William."

Spike snorted and rolled his eyes, causing both Buffy and Dawn to giggle.

Then Dawn said, "Sounds accurate to me… how many Big Bad's you know that cling to the ceiling, like your doing right now?"

"That's not fair slayer, key… two-on-one isn't right either."

"Fair shmare," was all Buffy said right before leaping upwards, pulling Spike off the ceiling onto the bed and then slipping up close, and reaching out and tickling him.

Spike closed his mouth before he squealed and struggled to get away.

Buffy and Dawn laughed.

"Oh come on…just one squeal…and the big bad slayer and the powerful 'open-all-doors' key will leave you alone."

Spike clamped his lips together tightly.

Buffy looked at Dawn.

"I think he's trying to resist."

"I get that too…what shall we do about it?"

Spike gave them pleading eyes, but neither of them was giving in.

"I'm tellin' the watcher on you two."

They laughed, and their eyes briefly flashing emerald before Dawn sat down on his legs, facing his feet, and Buffy straddled his waist.

They tickled him mercilessly, not stopping and not seemingly bothered by the bucking he did trying to get them off.

Finally, when Spike could hold it back no longer, he squealed loudly.

Both girls giggled and then Dawn hopped up.

She sat down on the bed next to them and kissed Spike's forehead.

"Thanks.  I'm happy now."

Spike glared at her and she giggled even more.

Then she told them that she was gonna go get changed, but she didn't move, she wanted to see what they would do next.

Spike turned to look up at Buffy, who was looking down at him from her perch above him.

"Gonna let me up anytime soon Slayer?"

"I'm thinking about it."

Spike looked down and saw how her hands were resting on his chest.  When he sat up a little, her hands fell down to his abs. 

He gave her a sexy grin before saying,

"Now you know I love your hands all over me, Slayer…but is it really appropriate with the bit here and all?"

"Spike!" Buffy yelled as she hit his chest and leapt up off him as quickly as possible, cheeks red.

Dawn and Spike laughed hard at the furiously blushing slayer.

"Now, now Slayer…it was just a joke," Spike said opening the door for Dawn.

As Buffy passed him, right behind Dawn, on her way to the bathroom, he leaned down and whispered," but once we're alone, feel free to put your hands anywhere you want."

Buffy shivered at his words and practically fled to the bathroom.

Spike laughed and then headed downstairs.

After getting dressed, both Buffy and Dawn joined him in the kitchen to be pleasantly surprised as Spike set a hefty breakfast in front of them with only the word,

"Tuck in."

They looked at each other and smiled before digging in.

Within twenty minutes, Fred, Gunn, Cordelia, Giles, and Wesley had all wandered into the kitchen, either one by one or in groups.

Cordy, Gunn, and Fred gave Spike a grin as he served them breakfast as well, while Wesley just looked shocked when Spike handed him a plate.

Giles gave Spike a smile and then gently steered Wesley into a seat.

Wesley opened his mouth, beginning to start to ask questions, but Giles stopped him by saying,

"Later Wesley…it's still barely morning.  Why don't we wait until this evening…that way all of us will be here to ask our questions?"

Wesley thought it over and then nodded.

"Would you mind, however, if I could watch you two spar?"

Spike and Buffy shared a grin.

"They'd love it," Dawn answered for them.

Giles shook his head.

"This is gonna take some time for me to get used to."

"What?" Xander said, walking into the kitchen.

"Buffy & Spike agreeing."

"As long as I don't have to watch a repeat of what happened after Thanksgiving a little over a year ago, then I'm fine."

Giles, Buffy, Spike, & Dawn laughed, remembering Willow's 'I-will-it-so-spell-gone-horribly-wrong.'

"What on earth are you talking about, Xander?"
"Oh…that's right, you weren't here for that.  Well, Wil did an 'I-will-it-so' spell cause she was upset when Oz left, and she made Giles blind, made me a demon magnet, and Buffy & Spike were getting married."

Cordelia burst out laughing.

"That had to be priceless."

"It was…one minute we were fighting…and the next, we were being engaged."

"It was worse for me," Giles muttered.

"Why you, you couldn't see anything?"

"No…but I damn as sure could hear you two…kissing and smooching and moaning…not to mention all the wedding plans I had to listen to."

Buffy and Spike laughed.

"Poor watcher…Red hurt you the most then, didn't she?"
"What did I do now?" Willow asked as she and Tara walked into the kitchen.

"Nothing lately, Red…Rupes was just remembering the 'I-will-it-so' spell you did over a year ago and what happened to us all as a result.

Willow groaned.

"Please don't remind me.  I had to bake a million cookies and detail Giles's car after that one. Not to mention that I really don't think that I stopped apologizing to either Buffy or Spike for a good six months."

The group as a whole laughed before Willow noticed that something was off.  She just couldn't put her finger on it.

Then she noticed what it was as Spike stepped directly into a patch of sunlight.

She ran towards him, intending on removing him from harm, and then stopped as she realized that not only did he know, but also that he wasn't smoking or screaming in pain, he was grinning and nodding at her.

"What the…?"

Spike & Buffy looked towards Willow as she said the words & shared a grin before Buffy said,

"Oh yeah… we have news.  We're guessing that due to our newly bonded state… Spike's now in the category of those that can play out in the sun."

"Oh Dear Lord."

As Giles took off his glasses & began cleaning them, Spike held out a hand to each Buffy & Dawn.

They acted like they didn't notice.

Spike, however, was not having any of it.

"Come on you two… pay up! You both owe me 10 quid."

"Ten what?"
"Roughly ten bucks… but we're rounding up… I want my full 10 American dollars, ladies."

"We don't owe you…" Buffy started, but was interrupted by his,

"Bull! I called seconds… you & Niblet swore up and down he'd be too shocked to start the 'O dear Lord', clean the glasses bit for at least a minute after the announcement.  He started in seconds; I called it… you loose, I win…pay up!"

Buffy & Dawn gave twin pouts.

"Uh uh uh… none of that.  I won fair & square.  Just 'cause I'm bonded and all, doesn't mean you can pull a fast one over this vamp."

"Are you still a vamp?" Tara asked softly.

"I don't see why not…"

Spike paused & vamped out before morphing back into his human façade.

Buffy was giving him a strange look… as were the rest of them.

"What?"
"Your eyes."

"What about them?"

"When you vamp out…"

"Yeah?"
"They usually turn yellow…. feral…"

"Okay?"
"But… now...they're… different."

"Luv… before the next century… what color are they?"

"They're mixed."

"Mixed how?"

"Okay… your vampy eyes used to be two colors… black pupils and yellow around, right?"

At Spike's shrug and nod she continued.

"But now… the pupil and a bit outside of it… is green… emerald green…and the outside is blue.  It kinda looks like the blue of your eyes is overcoming and mixing with the vamp yellow… mixing them into the green."

"Never knew you stared into my eyes so much Slayer," Spike drawled.

Buffy whacked him upside the head.

"Focus."

Spike laughed, hardly bothered by the small tap he had just received, & Xander commented.

"Ah…the sweet sound of a hand whacking Spike in the head… it's the perfect start to the day."

Spike gave Xander a wicked grin & then moved so fast that he was in front of Xander in seconds.

"Boo."

Xander screamed & backed away, nearly falling off his chair, as he was surprised.

Spike chuckled, but moved fast enough that he was able to catch Xander before he tumbled to the floor.  After up-righting Xander, Spike casually strolled back over to where he had been before.

The gang just shook their heads, most of them figured that they were never gonna figure Spike out.

"Are you hungry?" Dawn asked him.

"A little."

"Want me to warm you up some blood?"

"Actually, I'd rather prefer some Hot Chocolate…and some of the pancakes you just ate," he said, serving himself up a plate.

After fixing his own plate, he sat down next to Buffy, bumping her shoulder, getting a grin out of her, before eating.

The rest of the group talked around them, and when he was finished, they all went out to the back yard to watch Buffy and Spike spar.

Spike sighed as they stepped onto the porch.

"What's wrong?" Buffy asked him softly.

"It's nothing…  I think it's just gonna take me some time to walk into the sun without being shocked… I keep expectin' it to burn, ya know."

Spike looked into the sky and sighed.

Buffy, Willow, and Dawn patted his back.

Xander burst out laughing.

"What?" they asked, giving him puzzled looks.

"You're comforting the 'former' Big Bad? Am I the only one that doesn't think that it's a little weird?"

The girls stood back and stared at Spike, who rolled his eyes and then, before anyone got a chance to say or do anything else, he struck out at Buffy, hitting her in the nose and causing her to fall backwards off the porch and down the stairs, landing on her back staring into the now midmorning sky.

"Buffy!"

"Spike?!"

"What the hell?"

More and more commented, but only Tara realized that Dawn, Spike, and Buffy were not in the least concerned.  Dawn was giggling, Spike was grinning wickedly and Buffy was laughing up at the sky.

Buffy rose slowly, not 'cause she was in pain, but because she was working herself up, stretching all her muscles out to limber them up.

"What's all this about, then?" she asked him, mocking his accent a little.

Spike grinned, sauntering down the steps & stepping back some to give them sparring space before answering her,

"Well now… on one part, it's about payback.  Do you know how many times you hit me… just like that?" Spike asked as he and Buffy slowly circled one another.

"Somewhere in the hundred range?"

"More like a three hundred range, Slayer."

Buffy shrugged.

It looked to the others, at first, that she didn't care, but then they noticed her eyes.

Something underneath was definitely going on, her eyes were twinkling…and changing color as well, slowly but surely.

Giles was about to step forward, when he realized that he couldn't…and then as if they were all no more than puppets, they were all forced, although it was with a gentleness, as if they were being pushed to their seats by the wind, to sit down on the steps. 

Well…all but Dawn and the two day-walking warriors.

Dawn gave a smile of pure glee, a happy shriek as well, and bounced down next to Tara, putting her head on her shoulder.

Tara smiled down at her and combed her fingers through Dawn's hair as she turned her focus back to Buffy and Spike.

"Okay…I know I don't speak for everyone, but what the hell is going on?"
"I think its okay Xander."

"How could this possibly be okay, Will? He just clocked Buffy.  Remember…he's all bite-able again.  Now that his chip has been removed, I say we stake him before he does something we …"

Xander screamed as Spike moved quickly and jumped in front of him, vamping out at him.

Spike morphed back into his human façade laughing.

"Don't do that!" Xander yelled at him.

"Why not?"
"Cause…you nearly gave me a heart attack."

"But it was funny," Spike muttered turning back to Buffy, who had crossed her arms and was giving him a 'hey-we-were-in-the-middle-of-something' expression.

"Sorry luv," he explained, "had to do a little something to the Whelp…you understand, right?"

A high kick to the side of his head was her answer as Buffy spun and delivered.

"Sure…I get it," she quipped as he fell to the ground.

Spike laughed and bounced back up.

Buffy landed in slayer stance, waiting for him to launch his attack.

Spike gave her a look, and then mocked her by also going into slayer stance.

Buffy narrowed her eyes at him.

Spike winked at her.

That just set her off and she began attacking him with fast, accurate punches and kicks, while Spike just blocked her attacks with ease, quipping all the while.

"And you call yourself a slayer," Spike said, right before she delivered a tight two kick, three punch, and sweeping mid kick to his chest combination, sending him crashing onto the ground.

"What about that move?" she said smirking as she watched him get up.

"Please… Xander can kick harder than that," he said as he got up.  "I only fell to give you some confidence.  Too much I see…"

Buffy growled.

"Hold on…did she just growl," Xander asked.

"I heard it too…definite growl action… Giles…is she supposed to growl now?"

"Honestly…I don't know what she's supposed to do, Willow.  This is completely unprecedented…as far as I know.  I'd have to do some research, but I'm pretty sure that a non souled vampire and a slayer have never been bonded before."

"So many words…and not a comforting one in the lot."

"Can we talk about our news now Xander?"

"Hush An… soon okay… just not yet."

"You said that if the world didn't end…"

"I know… and it didn't.  So we will… okay?"

"What are you two talking about?"
"Talking… we weren't talking… we were…we were discussing."

"Xander…"

"I'm not looking… the resolve face can't affect me if I don't look."

The gang laughed and then looked back to the sparring couple in front of them.

"Wait… how come they're getting blurry? Are my eyes getting bad… please tell me the rest of you see this too?"

"Oh we're right there with you Wil… Giles… what's up with the blur-vision?"

"I don't know Xander."

"They're just moving faster," Dawn, replied calmly.

She was smiling and watching them fight happily.

Anya looked over at Dawn and then tapped Giles.

"Yes Anya?"
"Her eyes are doing that glowing thing again…can we get them to stop…on humans…it just looks weird."

Giles turned his head towards Dawn and startled.  He was never gonna get used to the new glowing eyes thing.

Dawn however, didn't even seem to notice.  She was still watching Buffy and Spike spar.

Buffy launched at Spike and Spike bent down, and just as Buffy was about to deliver a spear hand, twisted, picking her up and launching her into the air.

Buffy flipped twice before landing in a crouched position, arms spread out in eagle fashion to keep herself from tumbling to the ground.  She then lowered her arms before looking back over her shoulder, at Spike who was advancing quickly in order to gain the advantage, and jumped up, leap-frog style, over him, legs kicking straight out and high like a gymnast, causing him to loose his target and fall face down into the ground. 

She landed, on her feet, behind him, laughing.

"Jeez Spike… I know you love me and all… but there's no need to grovel so."

Dawn laughed out loud.

Buffy flashed her a grin, before returning her attention to Spike, who bounced back up so quickly, the gang wondered if all the sparring they were doing was increasing their energy.

It seemed to be the case, because Spike & Buffy fought hard, with even more energy than they had been showing so far.

Also, to the amazement of the onlookers, the area surrounding both Buffy and Spike was filled with a pulsing glow. 

Around Buffy, the glow was golden and shimmering.  The glow, surrounding Spike, was sapphire blue and it was shimmering as well, and it was pulsing in tune with the pulsing of Buffy's glow. 

Another interesting thing, not including the sparring, the energy, the eyes and the surrounding glow, was that whenever they were close enough to touch, the glow around and between them became a shimmering emerald green.

Giles and Wesley gave each other looks.

'What in the world?' Wesley mouthed to Giles.

'I've no idea.' Giles mouthed back.

He was as stumped as the rest of them.

Xander kept rubbing his eyes, swearing that his eyes were playing tricks on him of some sort.

But the strange image didn't disappear.

"What the hell is going on?"
"If I had any idea, I'd clue you in."

"Glad to know I'm not the only clueless one in the bunch."

"Dawn, d-do you have a-any idea of w-what's going on?"

Dawn sat up and looked at Tara, her eyes fading from their emerald green color back to her normal bright blue.

"They're just sparring… that's what you said you guys wanted to see."

"So they're not hurting each other?"

"It takes a lot to hurt either one of them."

"N-not that… d-do you understand what all the g-glowing between them is about?"

Dawn lowered her eyes.

How to tell them what hasn't been discovered yet?

She lifted her eyes and looked into Tara's eyes and said softly,

"Don't worry… it is part of their destiny."

"So that… and your glowing eyes are okay?"

"Yes…it's fine."
"Well I for one am glad… although it is very strange…. It's weird to see humans and vampires with glowing eyes… especially when their eyes weren't doing it before."

The group turned their heads back to watch Buffy and Spike, but soon realized that it was getting impossible.

"I can't even see them anymore…all I see is blurry lines."

"Are they gonna stop soon?  They've been at it for hours already."
"I think they're stopping… its not so blurry anymore," Wesley said, returning his gaze on the two sparring champions.

As the others looked as well, it seemed true.  Buffy and Spike were slowing down.  They're glows were the only thing that weren't disappearing, but their moves could be watched by all now.  They're eyes, as well, had changed back to their original colors.

Buffy delivered a high kick to Spike's chest, knocking him down and she then jumped and landed straddling his waist.

This time, however, she didn't have stake in her hand.  Nor was she trying to kill him.

Buffy merely smiled at him and then said, "I win."

He smiled back, "Only cause I let you, luv."

They grinned at each other.

And that's when Giles noticed that the glow surrounding them began to change color.  It had been emerald green, but now… it was a brilliant shining violet.

"Does anyone else see that?"

"The now shiny purple shadow thingy they now have surrounding them you mean… yup… we see it."

"What's causing that?"

"Wish I could explain it…. Got any theories Gunn?"

Gunn, after watching Buffy and Spike had a good idea, but if they couldn't see it, he wasn't going to be the one to tell them.

He just shook his head no.

Dawn looked at him and winked.

He figured that reading minds must be a new skill.

So he winked back.

Back on the ground, Buffy and Spike's heads were getting closer…

Xander squeezed his eyes shut, he was muttering softly.

With her new advanced hearing, Dawn could hear his words clearly,

"It's not gonna happen…they're not gonna kiss.  It's not gonna happen… they are not gonna kiss… oh please Lord… it's not gonna happen…"

Dawn burst out laughing, causing the rest of them to give her looks.

She just shook her head, she couldn't begin to tell them, but she did send his thoughts her sister and Spike's way.

They both burst out laughing as well and then Buffy jumped up and pulled Spike up and they walked over to the rest.

"So… now what do we do?"

"I'm guessing discussion for what we just witnessed is out of the question, isn't it?"

"Yep… nothing until all the gang can be around…"

She turned her head to Spike and he laughed at whatever she said internally.

She turned back to look at the rest of them and said,

"Well… until then… I say we go shopping.  I haven't been shopping since… well… months before I was dead… besides… as you can tell by looking at him, Spike definitely needs new clothes."

"Slayer…"

"I mean… how long since you've changed these clothes?"
"Pet…"

"Yeah I know… there was the one brief moment when he was obsessed with me, but that didn't last long… you just reverted back into black and red… not that you don't look good in what you got on… but still."

Spike was just about to talk to her about this when he caught on to the end of her sentence.  He stopped; jaw hanging open, and just stared at her.

Dawn walked over to him and closed him mouth.

When he glanced down at her she said,

"Flies… drool…"

Spike gave her a mock glare and she replied,

"I'm just trying to save your reputation, oh mighty big bad."

Spike rolled his eyes and then leaned over and tickled her, and then moved closer to Gunn, and out of her range, when he was done and Dawn had stopped yelping.

Dawn's look said she was about to out his secret, but Buffy stopped her with her arms around her waist and she calmed her down by saying,

"Don't worry about that Dawn… just be happy.  We're going shopping with Spike in a few minutes."

"I've been shopping with Spike…. It's only fun if you drag Giles along with… Ohhhh… can we get stuff too?"

"I think that depends on how much cash we have."

Dawn started to pout, knowing finances were probably gonna be tight, but Giles said,

"I know I'm gonna regret this… but you can get a good deal of what you want… I'll pay… and Spike can find a way to pay me back."

"Oh… lovely that."

Giles gave him a wide smile.

"Here to help my girls."

"They're buying clothes for me, remember?"
"If you don't mind… I'm trying to ignore that part of the deal.  Once was more than sufficient."

The group on whole laughed and Gunn said,

"Oh, I'm so coming with you guys… hell I might even front an outfit or two for the lovely ladies.  But you both must promise me something."

Buffy and Dawn stepped forward, already nodding their agreement, at the thought of free new clothes.

Gunn lowered his voice so that only they, and of course Spike, could hear them, and whispered,

"You've got to make him model them once we get back here… to music… in front of all of us, meaning that if it's still daytime, we have to go get Angel & Dru."

The girls giggled as Spike growled.

"Do I look like the whelp? I'm not doing it!"

"What about me?" Xander asked with a blank look on his face.  He had only caught the tale end of their conversation, so he wasn't sure what was being talked about.

No one answered him…well…no one except Anya who told him bluntly,

"They're not talking to you Sweetie.  The girls and Gunn are torturing Spike in the fun way…and although it's fun and amusing…I'd rather go home so we can get in a nooner."

Xander blushed bright red and dragged Anya off to the side of the house to talk to her.

Dawn, Willow, Fred & Cordelia were laughing their heads off at all of them while Giles & Wesley shook their heads, chuckling a little.

Dawn, Spike, Gunn, & Buffy hadn't heard a word of the other conversation, for they were still deeply involved in their own discussion.

Both Buffy and Dawn gave Spike the sad puppy dog eyes, "Please."

Spike closed his eyes and then told them,

"I'm not doin' it… and turn those things off…"

"No man alive, or even undead, can resist that look," Xander told Gunn as he came back over towards them; Anya had left to tend to her store," he's a goner."

Seeing that Spike had no intention of opening his eyes to do their bidding they projected their thoughts to him.

Spike dropped his hands & his eyes snapped wide open and he gave the girls a wide-eyed look.

"You wouldn't."

"Of course we would…"

"Oh come on now…"

"Your choice Spikey…we have our way…or we really have our way."

"Huh? Did we miss something?" Xander asked Gunn
"I believe we missed a lot." Gunn replied.

"You know…some of this new group bonding thing really bites."

Gunn laughed.

Spike sighed loudly.

"Fine…I give in…turn those bloody things off and take me shopping."

Both Summers' girls squealed happily before hugging Spike from both sides.

The rest of the crew shook their heads and they all trailed inside to get ready, those that were going with them, while the others made plans for what they wanted to do that day.

***

Many hours later, the crew wandered back into the house to find Angel & Dru awake and waiting for them, sitting with Giles and Wesley who had opted to stay at the house and maybe do some research.

"Did you find something nice?"
"Yeah Giles, we gots us lots of stuff… hold up… that wasn't right, was it?"
"No… but I'm used to the mixed up language of Sunnydale."

Dawn giggled.

"Come sit down… we have to go get ready."

Giles smiled, and looked around at the ones that had come inside. 

Fred, Tara, Willow, Dawn… 'Where were the rest?' he wondered.

"Where's Spike, Buffy, Xander, Cordelia & Gunn?"

Dawn giggled before saying; "Buffy's trying to pry Spike out of the car… he refuses to come in, knowing what the rest of the afternoon will be for him.  Xander and Gunn are out there messing with him and cheering Buffy on…"

Giles chuckled, having a good idea of what it must look like… he was tempted himself to go and see how that looked, but he resisted and picked up a copy of the Copexum Deligrantor that he had found in his library, while they had been out shopping.  He wanted to find out just what it said about Ashta.

Angel, however, wasn't as reserved… he raced across the room; only to stop at the window… he had forgotten that the sun hadn't set yet… one more step and he would have been dusted.

Damn, he thought.  I really wanted to see that.

"Bet you wished you hadn't smashed that ring now, don't you?" Cordelia told him, walking into the room.

"I was just wondering where you had gone, Dawn didn't mention you."

"Oh yeah… that's 'cause she thought I was right behind her… but I had to stay and see more of the show… Buffy's actually prying Spike out of the car… and I mean body part by body part."

At Angel's look she said,

"Eww Angel… not like that… you big perv.  Last I saw… Spike was holding onto the headrest, from the backseat, and Buffy was half-in and half-out of the car, arms around his waist, trying to pull him out of the car and failing utterly.  She's strong enough, but he's way more determined."

They all laughed.

Dawn opened the door and they could hear the argument.

"Slayer!"

"Slayer!" They heard Buffy mock Spike's voice and tone.

"Come on… leggo."

"Come on Spike… you promised."

"I bloody well did not."

"You bloody well did too."

"I'm not doing it."

"Oh yes… you will.  We got you clothes… and now it's time for you to do the do."
"You made the bloody deal… you and the bit… you do it."

"Come on Spike… my arms are getting tired."

"Then. Let .Go."

"I will… just as soon as you let go.  If you don't… I swear I'll do it."

"You wouldn't?"
"Of course I would… I just told you so."
"You're not right Slayer."
"Yeah… well…"

Gunn and Xander were laughing hard.

Gunn began to chant,

"Do it, do it, do it."

Xander, however, was confused… he had no idea of what Buffy would do to him, but he was sure it would be just as amusing as it was now… either way, he was happy.

Buffy laughed at Gunn's chant and moved her arms a little, to get them in position.

Spike tried to buck her off of him, without much success.

"Buffy… please."

"Begging now, huh?  And what's so big and bad about that? Hmmm?"
"What do you want me to do luv?"

"Come out of the car."

Spike gave a groan.

Buffy stopped pulling at him.

This wasn't getting her anywhere.

She really didn't want to out him by tickling him, if she did that, she'd loose the best bargaining chip she had on him, since ever…. and if Spike thought about it for a moment, he'd realize it.

She was going to have to come up with a different approach or they could be stuck out here for hours.

Buffy decided to switch tactics.

Instead of pulling, she just held him.

Spike stopped struggling.

He stilled, shocked.

But she didn't move, if anything, she nuzzled him.

Spike let go of the headrest completely.

Buffy chuckled silently before yanking him and herself completely out of the car.

Gunn & Xander cheered for her.

Spike, standing on the sidewalk, glared at her.

Buffy giggled, walking over to him and pulling his head down so that their foreheads touched.

"Yeah I know… but you still love me."

Spike growled.

Buffy wriggled her nose at him.

She walked him into the house, holding onto one of his arm so he wouldn't escape.

As they were walking up the walkway toward the house, she called over her shoulder,

"Guys… could you get the bags.  I would help, but I got my arms full of Spike right now."

"That sounds so horribly wrong," Xander said before he and Gunn nodded and headed over to the car's trunk to get out their purchases and cart them into the house.

As Spike & Buffy walked inside, Spike took one look at the wicked grin on both Angel & Dru's face and thought about turning and bolting out of the door once again.

Buffy, however was way too tuned to Spike's thoughts and impulses. 

She leaned over and said,

"One foot towards that door and I promise I'll out you right here."

Spike gave her a sideways glance and sighed deeply.

"Why do I let you treat me this way?"
"Who are you kidding? You love the attention."

Spike smiled.

"Yeah… I do."

Buffy laughed and tugged him into the lobby to sit down next to Dawn who was lounging on the couch.

Dawn moved over so he could sit down & once had, curled up in his arms, as Spike stroked her head, while they watched some nameless show on the TV.

Buffy looked at them and smiled and then went to help Gunn and Xander, who were starting to complain about the amount of packages they had to keep going back to the car for.

"Good grief, did she buy out the whole store?"

"No Wes… just half of it.  Stop gaping at us and give us a hand."

Wesley stood up and walked over to the car to help.

"I say we wait until sunset and then load up Dru and Angel and have them carry all this mess inside," Xander said.

As they walked through the door, once again, Xander encountered Angel's glare.

He settled down the packages and, all the while staying in the sunlight's rays, bolted out of the door, suddenly refreshed and ready to move a few more packages.

Angel gave a chuckle, before going back into the living room area, where they had blocked off the sun, to give their resident vampires a place to hang out until the sun set.

Fred joined Wesley and the group of them got all the packages.

"I hope your rich Giles," Cordy said, looking at the bags and bags of packages that the group had brought it, "… cause… if not… you're so gonna be bankrupt."

"I told you… Spike's gonna pay me back… I'm not really loosing any money, so I'm not worried."

Spike snorted, but remained quiet.

"I don't know why the 'former big bad' couldn't get his new non-sunlight-dusty behind up and help us cart those bags in," Xander muttered as he took a seat next to Willow & Dawn.

"Cause he would have bolted… and out of all of us… I'm betting only Dawn and I could catch him now," Buffy told him
"He can run that fast, huh?"
"You saw him move earlier, right… and before…when he caught Angel?"
"Oh yeah… I forgot about that."

"Apparently."

"It's not a crime, is it? I just don't always think about Spike."

"I know, I know," Buffy told him with a giant grin.

Xander gave her a silly grin.

Spike was watching Gunn, who smirked and winked at him, and was about to say something when Spike interrupted him by calling out to Giles,

"So… Watcher… what did you find in the book?"

Gunn laughed to himself… he could go ahead and say something, but he decided not to… he was curious about what Giles had found as well.

"About what?"

"No time to get coy, Rupes, what did you find about Ashta in the book?"

"Oh yes," Giles paused a bit while he looked through the huge stack on his desk until he found a very large tome.

Giles picked up the large book & scanned the pages until he came to the passage that he wanted.

"Well… according to this book that Ashta recommended…"

"Is that the Cold Pecs Defibrillator?" Xander asked.

The group as a whole turned & looked at him, before bursting into laughter.

Xander chuckled with them, but it was clear, when you looked at his expression, that he wasn't sure why what he had said was so funny.

Giles, chuckling slightly, but still pinching the bridge of his nose, said,

"It's called the Copexum Deligrantor, Xander."
"Isn't that what I said?"
"Ohhh…no," Buffy, Spike, Dawn, Willow, Gunn, & Cordelia all answered him, still cracking up.

The rest didn't say anything; they were too busy laughing.

"Giles… please…continue," Xander said, trying to move on.

"Don't you wanna know what you actually said, Whelp?"

Xander shook his head and turned to Giles,

"Come on G-man… you were about to say something … long-winded and boring… I mean detailed and very important."

Giles gave him a look before rescuing Xander and telling them what he had found.

"What I found… was a passage that mentioned the Milani clan as being ancient demons with magical powers."

"How can they be so ancient…Ashta said she was only 300 years old…that's not so ancient-y.  Old, yes… but ancient?"
"Well…no…it's not…but that's only how long she's been…alive…well… undead to be technical."

"Okay before… I was just confused…now I'm really confused. Splainy…"

"Ashta's clan, before she was turned, was one of the ancient merger clans."

"A Merger clan…what's that… some sort of ancient demon bank cult?"

Giles rolled his eyes before saying,

"A Merger clan is one of the more advanced primitive demon cultures from the Hatenkeshnall region of the lower region."

"Giles, speak English."

'The who of the huh of the what?"

"Are you sure you didn't pick up my Harry Potter book and read that instead of the book with the weird name?" Dawn asked him.

"Or be thinking of the Lord of the Rings movie that we were watching yesterday?"

Giles gave them all a look before continuing,

"They're existence is mostly limited to their dimension, which of course runs parallel with ours."

"Oh yeah…cause they…and just about EVERY demon dimension does."

"Xander…if you don't have any…"

"Yeah I know…but come on Giles… give us something quick… we're waiting to get the festivities of the night on… and you're doin' Spike a favor and delaying it."

Giles thought about it for a second and then chuckled as he realized that it had been Spike's prompting on the subject that started him off in the first place.

Spike, who was just about to jump up and defend Giles and tell him how much they really needed to know every little detail, just slumped further down in his seat. 

Damn it to hell, he thought.  Whelp's not as dumb as he looks.  And I was so gonna try and get Rupes to bore them all to sleep.  Guess this means I'll have to go thru with the bloody thing now.

It sure does.

Stay out of my mind Slayer.

Make me.

Spike growled at Buffy, who only giggled in response before turning back to Giles.

"You were explaining Giles?"

Giles nodded before continuing,

"Yes…well…to make a long story short…the Milani use their incredible powers as a way of … expanding their, and the individual's that they merge with, powers and lifespan."

 "Oh… so when they're disassembled they don't age?"

"Not really."

"They could live forever like that."

"Not forever…but at least for thousands of centuries."

"Still… kinda neat."

Dawn nodded with him and then they grinned at each other.

"So they're like h… hitchhikers?"

"Yes Tara, exactly."

Willow lovingly patted her love's knee before asking Giles,

"Okay… I get that that's what they do, but why do they do that…and who do they decide to merge with?"

"I believe it has something to do with the elements of the individuals."

"Can't you think of a less stuffy way to say that?"

"The stars say they must be glow-y…effulgent…"

"Translation please…from both stuffy-Ville and from loony-Ville …someone, anyone?"

Most of them chuckled.

"I think I get what they're both saying, which either means that I'm going crazy, and hanging out with the lot of you isn't all that hard to do, or…I've been spending way too much time with Wesley."

Gunn paused as the group laughed.  When they had settled down, he continued,

"Now…as I was saying, what I think Giles and Dru mean, is that because they're all supernatural beings…

"I'm supernatural too," Willow muttered.

"Yeah…but you're a witch…and the power was shared with you…and Tara…right?"

"Oh yeah," Willow said, after giving a goofy smile, "I forgot."

Gunn smiled before continuing,

"Right… now because they're supernatural…they have more…is it energy to feed off of?"

"Close enough," Giles told him.

"Sounds more like a parasite to me."

"Now, now Angelus… sounds like you're jealous to me," Ashta's voice emerged from Dawn's throat.

The group turned to look at the individuals who had been the quietest for the later part of the discussion.

Buffy, Spike, and Dawn looked up as one, eyes glowing violet, like Ashta's once did. Together they spoke to all,

"It was interesting watching you all try to figure out my tribe…by the way, Wetekro means village/tribe, not clan Giles."

"Oh…"

"But it's a common mistake to make."

Giles gave a smile in their direction.

"If you have other questions, now would be a good time to ask them," she said as they all sat there and stared at them.

"Okay…this is all freaky within freaky…but…it's hurting my eyes…. is it possible that you can all sit together when you do this?"

Buffy, Dawn, and Spike laughed, but Buffy got up and moved until she was sitting next to Spike and Dawn.

"Thanks."

"Your welcome."

"Okay… now… how can you be conscious… we saw your body blow apart."
"Yes, you did, but that's how I merge with my individuals… I'm still here, and so are they, I'm just… scattered."

"Do you only do it to feed off of them?"
"No…they benefit from me being here as well…. I am a demon from the upper realm."

"Translation?"
"It means that I work with the PTB as Cordelia calls them."

"The Powers That Be…" Angel muttered.

"That is correct Champion."

"You know…the freakiest thing, is that you sound like you and the eyes are yours, but when you use Spike's body, that smirk on your face is pure pain-in-the-butt Spike," Xander commented.

The group chuckled.

"They are here as well, so that would make sense."

"So you don't control them?"
"No.  They are still in control; I'm merely a…. added feature."

"Okay…I get that.  I still have plenty of questions though…"

"Feel free to ask them… we don't mind."

Willow nodded her head before starting.

"Okay… so…

"How can you be in three people at once… well…two people…and one demon?"
"Because there is a connection between them."

"What's the connection?"

All three cocked their heads to the side and then looked at one another, as if thinking about it and discussing it internally.

They then turned and looked at the group before them,

"I cannot answer your question."

"You don't know the answer?"

"Some of us do, some of us don't…and if we answer before its known, it'll upset the balance."

"Okay…. so big riddle still a riddle…"

Dawn's giggle answered them.

"As I was saying before Mr. Butt-in-ski had to have his say," Willow said, poking Xander in the side before continuing, "You increase their life-span and enhance their powers and all…but what happens if one of them dies, but not the other two?"

"Morbid enough?" Cordelia asked.

"Yes, but still valid," Fred said, "I was gonna ask the same thing.

"If one of my three dies," Ashta told them, "their power stays embedded within the other two, as I am split between two instead of three."

"And when they all pass," Giles asked, curious.

"Then I am returned to my original form."

"Will you contain their powers?"

"Well…the slayer powers Buffy has will be transferred on after she has rested, for good.  Dawn's powers…I am not sure."

"And Spike's?"

"Some of it will be mine and some will disperse."

"This is a pretty creepy conversation," Xander said.

"I a… agree," Tara told him.

The two shared a smile before returning to the conversation.

"Can you come out now?"

"I don't think I understand your question?"

"Is it possible for you to leave your hosts now?"
"No…once merged…we stay merged."

"Does that mean they'll never be separate from you?  What if they wanted to…you know…you do know…. right? Please tell me you understand what I'm trying to say?" a very red-faced Willow asked.

Ashta, Buffy, Dawn & Spike all laughed.

"It's not that kind of immersion…if any of them want a little…together time with their…mates, lovers, etc…. believe me when I say that I will be dormant then."

"Does that mean you won't be present, there, or that you'll be deep within their subconscious with your hands in your ears screaming, 'I can't hear you!'"

Ashta laughed.

"It means we're kinda separate & she won't be around either Xand," Buffy answered laughing, her eyes fading into their original hazel color.

"Oh…a…are we tiring you out?" Tara asked, concerned.

"No…I tired myself out," Ashta spoke from Dawn's mouth, while Spike's eyes also returned to their original blue.

"Usually I sleep for weeks and weeks,"

"Otherwise known as months," Xander interjected.

Ashta rolled her eyes at him before continuing as if Xander hadn't interrupted,

"once I merge with other individuals, but I knew you had questions and I thought I owed it to you to answer them."

"Thank you very much for your time."

"Your welcome."

As the glow began to fade from Dawn's eyes, Willow asked a question she had almost forgotten to ask until just then,

"Hold up…one more question."

"Yes," Ashta asked, the fading of her eyes stopping mid fade.

"Can they use your powers?"

"Only what I allow them to."

"Oh…okay…that's it for now…believe me when I say I'll bug you later."

Ashta laughed but nodded Dawn's head as she faded completely out, leaving Dawn stretching and yawning.

"Hey Giles?" Xander and Dawn asked, almost at once.

"Hmmm?"

"Are we done yet?"
"Well I did want to go through with Buffy, Spike & you, Dawn, and see what new powers you seem to have picked up…"

"Aww…we can do all that old boring junk anytime…don't tell me your not willing to watch Spike make a fool of himself… cause I know I am," Xander said.

"Please… you just want an opportunity to look at me," Spike told him.

"And why would I want that."
"Told ya…you want me…and I keep telling you…I'm not interested in you."

Xander groaned.

"For the last time… I'm not…"

"Save it Xander, we know… you're only encouraging him to delaying the fun."

"Gunn… bloody ponce… you were on my team… how could you?"

"I am…. on your team that is.  I haven't mentioned the special circumstance that is, now have I?"
"Not until just now… you prat."

Gunn smiled brightly at him.

"Anyway, as well as we get on… I helped pay for your and their excursion, and it wasn't cheap…. So you will be shaking your money maker."

Spike rolled his eyes.

The group laughed as they began to set up the stage to get enough room for the show.

Dawn and Buffy pushed a very reluctant Spike up the stairs to change.

Ten minutes later, Buffy called down the stairs,

"Are we all set up?"

"We're ready," Willow called back up.

"Okay… hit the music."

Willow had found what she considered the perfect song… and went over to the stereo and put it in.

As Buffy, Dawn, and Spike started down the stairs, the music began to play.

Xander & Gunn couldn't stop laughing.  Giles & Wesley were shaking their heads and chuckling.  Willow, Tara, Fred, and Cordelia were giggling, but bobbing their heads along with the song.  Anya, back from work and ready for a more interesting part of the day/night to begin, nodded her head to the beat and began popping her popcorn. 

Dru watched between the gang and the doorway and the music, wondering just what they were waiting for.

Angel had a giant smile on his face… he couldn't wait.  Spike was so gonna go mad when he heard the song Willow had decided to play.

And he was right.

Seconds later they heard Spike's shout and then his footsteps going back up the stairs,

"Turn that bloody song off…I'm not doing it."

"But Spike…"

"Now Red!!"

Willow giggled and started over to the bottom of the stairs.

"Ignore him Will…he's coming…but restart it…we want to be on our way into the living room when it starts.  And put it on repeat…we're gonna keep it on while we run up to change.  And Spike's going first, aren't ya Spike?"

Spike's low growl and Dawn's giggle were all they heard in response; before they heard them head down the stairs once again.

Willow ran over to the stereo system and restarted the song.  Spike was just striding through the living room when it restarted. 

The living room was filled with:

I'm too sexy for my love, too sexy for my love
Love's going to leave me

Spike stopped in the entrance way and then rolled his eyes before taking the path Buffy and Dawn had told him that he had to follow if he didn't want to be tickled in plain view of all.

I'm too sexy for my shirt; too sexy for my shirt
So sexy it hurts

But, instead of doing it as he was supposed to, meaning he didn't walk to the middle of the group, walk forward and turn around and then walk back and back towards the entranceway, like Buffy and Dawn had told him to, Spike merely walked to the middle, stopped and glared at them all, before walking back towards the entranceway. 

"Would you look at that, he's a walking magazine.  Hey Abercrombie, where's Fitch?"

Spike gave Gunn an extra glare before heading back upstairs.

"I think he's cute, but not as much fun to watch as the girls were."

The group looked at Fred.

"What…I mean they came down and were twirling and posing and all, but he just came forward, glared, and headed off."

They nodded and Willow shouted up the stairs,

"Buffy, Dawn…you gotta make Spike model some… wearing the clothes, good…glaring at us, bad."

"Don't worry," they heard Dawn call down, "he'll behave…and pose and all this time."

The next trip down, Spike grinned, even if his eyes didn't.

He walked to the center and winked at the girls, turned around once, waited until Buffy and Dawn had finished their turns, before waiting for each one to put an arm around him so they could walk out and back up the stairs.  As they left the room this time, he looked over his shoulder and winked at Angel after kissing the top of Buffy's head.

I'm too sexy for my car, too sexy for my car
Too sexy by far
And I'm too sexy for my hat
Too sexy for my hat, what d'you think about that

Dru laughed as Angel growled.

The next time they came down, Spike was wearing this sexy button down blue shirt, open at the top, which matched his eyes perfectly.  Simple black pants completed his outfit.  It was simple, but enough to make Fred, Cordelia, and Anya's mouth gape open.  His sexy smirk and the way he posed almost did them in.

I'm a model, you know what I mean
And I do my little turn on the catwalk

Spike turned around just as the song told him to, winking at the girls, as he did.

Yeah, on the catwalk, on the catwalk, yeah
I shake my little tush on the catwalk

And then he shook his tush at them.

I'm too sexy for my, too sexy for my, too sexy for my

And just when they thought they had seen the most wonderful scene,

'Cause I'm a model, you know what I mean

Buffy joined him, dressed like Spike in a matching button down blue top, which was tied in the front and a long, sexy black skirt with silver buttons down both sides.

And I do my little turn on the catwalk

Spike's approving glance, and his hand running through Buffy's hair, caused the girls in the group to catch their breaths.

Yeah, on the catwalk, yeah, on the catwalk, yeah

Fred and Cordelia gasped out loud and then blushed, they just realized how hot Spike could be.

 I shake my little tush on the catwalk

Buffy fingered the top of Spike's pants and Spike fingered the top of Buffy's skirt.  They leaned closer, and all thought they were about to kiss, but then they pulled back and with twin smirks, each gave a wicked glance at their audience and then pulled back.

 I'm too sexy for my cat, too sexy for my cat

Buffy had Spike's tear-away pants in her hand and Spike had Buffy's tear-away skirt in his.  Both pretended to be surprised, looked down at each other, and then grinned and shrugged. 

Spike was wearing black silk boxers and Buffy was wearing matching black silk short-y shorts.

Poor pussy, poor pussy cat

Gunn whistled… boy he wished he had a camera to tape this… cause this was a once in a lifetime opportunity…and he was gonna remember this scene for the rest of his life.

Anya fell of the couch and dropped her popcorn, but didn't notice.  She just scrambled back onto the couch… and while the others stared in shock, with what can only be termed as Anya-like fashion, she then said,

"You know… I've never really noticed just how hot Spike is before just now.  I would be oh so happy to take him in the back, tear off his clothes, and ravage him.  You know vampires have extraordinary stamina.  I bet he could go for hours…"

The girls groaned at the thought.  
 
I'm too sexy for my love, too sexy for my love
Love's going to leave me

Both Buffy & Spike turned around again before winking at the assembled group and heading towards the door and back up the stairs.

And I'm too sexy for this song

Dru watched them both walk up the stairs before she nodded before saying,

 "Mmm…yess…my little Willie can go for hours.  He's a hungry little kitten he is.  Meow…always in search of milk and always looking for a spot to nibble.  Mmm…and he always finds them all.  Mmm."

Fred, Cordelia, Willow, Tara and Anya all stared at her and then looked back to watch Spike and Buffy, who had lingered on the stairs to hear more and were now both laughing and skipping up the stairs to change.

Gunn laughed while Xander and Angel gave twin groans.

"Would I be wrong if I thought….'I would so like to experience that'?"

"N…No more wrong than I would be… c…cause I'm right there with you Sweetie."

"God…not you too, Willow."

"Why not… I'm a woman too.  Spike's hot.  I'm gay, not blind, you know?"

"I know I never wanted to hear you say that Will…please…. for the love of God…promise me you'll never say that again."

Willow giggled, but didn't say anything.

"Will…"

"Well…I can't promise you that…if I think Spike's hot…I'm gonna think it.  You don't want me to lie to you, do you?"
"Yes…please lie to me."

"Okay…he looks like a yucky…toad."

"A toad?"

"Yah…The kind you don't lick to get high."

"Does that really work?"
"Naw…some demon in the early 1500s made that up for kicks.  I couldn't believe how many foolish mortals he got to do it though."

"Can we get back to the telling of the lie for my sanity, please??"

The girls giggled, but Angel said,

"For once, I'm with you."
"Thank you."

Angel and Xander gave each other a wary glance, they glanced at the girls once again, and then they both said,

"I think I need a drink."

The group laughed.  Willow then got up and walked over to the stereo and turned it off.

Dawn called downstairs, "Hey…I wasn't done…what ya do that for?"

"Sorry Dawnie…but I don't think some of them are gonna last through any more…blame Spike and Buffy for their last performance."

Dawn giggled instead, she had caught the show; she had been waiting and watching on the side.

"Alright," she called down; rushing back upstairs to put on the outfit she had been wearing at first.

When everyone had assembled downstairs, Giles said,

"Now…that was very entertaining, but we really need to get on with figuring out what new abilities you have."

Buffy and Spike gave twin groans before plopping down in front of the couch.

"Buffy…"

"I know, I know…it's very important.  Okay…if we hurry through this…can we go do something normal…like going to the movies or something for a change?"
"Uh…well…sure…I guess."

"Whoo…hoo…So…first…new things you guys can do…and then it's flick time…and I'm putting in my bid here and now…Apocalypse Now."

"Haven't you had your fill of apocalypses living on the Hellmouth?"

Xander gave her a blank look, before chuckling,

"I guess your right… I just really love that movie."

"It's gory enough…I'd guess…but why don't we go see something nice and romantic…like…"

"Ugh…no chick flicks…please."

"What's wrong with a 'chick flick'?"

"Please…only two bloody types of them: first one, guy and girl fall in love immediately, or soon after, and either take the whole boring movie to hook up, or they can't hook up and are forever miserable, or one of them dies and the other tells all about their lonely life without their partner."

"And the other?"
"They hate each other from the start and after all the trials and all, find out they love each other deeply."

"And this is bad because…?"

"Didn't say it was bad, just not what I want to waste money for going to see..."

"You mean you'd pay?"

"Shut up."

The girls laughed.

"Let me guess… you want horror?"

Spike shrugged.

Buffy rolled her eyes,

"Nothing wrong with horror."

"Yeah…but we see it every day…movies are supposed to be a break from life, you know."

Spike shrugged…

"Fine…no horror…but we've gotta find something that has some action in it…for us guys, demons, at least."

"This from a man who likes, no loves, the show Passions."

"You hush up about my show woman."

Buffy and Dawn laughed.

"So what are we gonna see?"
"Well see when we get there."

The men of the group looked at one another and just knew they were going to see a 'chick flick'. 

The females saw their expression and laughed…. It was good when they knew when to give in, they thought.

They all then turned to look at Giles, who had opened up his notebook to take notes.

"Okay, what new abilities do you seem to have Buffy?"

"Do we have to list them one by one?"
"Why not?"
"Some of them seem to be…"

"What?"

"Joint."

"I'm sorry…what did you say Spike?"
"Joint…as in…we share abilities sometimes."

"How so?"

"Well…I may think of something…and before I'm done thinking it, Buffy here or Niblet has mentioned it and added to it."

"Like you can communicate telepathically?"

"Yeah…kind of like that."

"Can you do it all the time?"

Dawn, Buffy, & Spike looked at each other and then turned to Giles,

"Pretty much."

Giles nodded.

"Can you communicate with anyone other than you three?"

"Not communicate, but if we're on the same level/wavelength, then we can hear your thoughts."

Xander sat up straight,

"You can hear my thoughts," he asked, blank look at the forefront.

Buffy and Dawn laughed at Xander's horror shocked expression.

"No Xander… we can't…not usually," they said, trying to cam him down.

"You're safe Harris," Spike said, "You'd have to have a mind for us to read first."

"Oh…okay…thanks…hey!"

Spike grinned.

"And that took you how many seconds to react?"
"Shut up Spike."

"So you can only hear our thoughts if we're all on the same wavelength?"

"Yeah…it's kinda of projected… to us…but you can't hear us back.  When we communicate/talk telepathically, however, it just seems like we're talking out loud, unless we're sending pictures or images."

"Hmmm…interesting.  What else?"
"The eye glowing thing they have going on," Anya muttered.

Giles nodded, writing it down.

"Does that bother you in any way?"

"What?"
"When you're eyes change color?"
"No…we usually don't notice it until one of you mention it…looks the same to us.  Some things may be clearer, but for the most part, it's still the same."

Giles nodded as he wrote down her words.

"Don't forget the speed thing… and Buffy mentioned that her and Dawn have it to."

"And Spike's vamp eye different thingy."

Anya tapped Spike on the shoulder.

Spike turned to look at her,

"Hmmm?"

"I thought I should tell you that I've come to realize that you are very hot…and if I wasn't already very much in love with Xander…and you with Buffy, I'd come to you for lots and lots of orgasms."

Spike gaped at her for a few seconds, the way to respond to her revelation escaping him for a moment.

Then he nodded at her before turning back to look at Buffy, whose shocked expression made him laugh.

"Got that Watcher…I'm a hottie."

Giles rolled his eyes before saying wryly,

"Yes, I'll be sure to add that to my notes with all due haste.  Now… other new abilities?"

The group laughed, before Spike said,

"Buffy can leap like me now."

"Is that right?" Giles asked her.

Buffy thought about it.

"I can?"

"Yeah…'member…this morning…and while we were sparring."

"Oh…yeah…I guess I can…. Yay me."

Spike shook his head and bumped her.

Buffy laughed and bumped back while Dawn said,

"Oh…yeah…and we can freeze each other."

"Freeze?"

"Well…not freeze really.  More like, bind…stop…I don't know what word you'd use for it.  We can make them standstill..."

"And how do you know this?"

"Me and Buffy did it this morning to Spike."

"This morning? When?"
"Before we came down for breakfast."

"And you froze Spike?"
"Well…we kinda locked him in place."

"You locked him in place…why?"

Buffy and Dawn shared a look before both looked at Spike, who was glaring at them both.

They grinned before turning back to look at Giles.

"Just to test our powers out," Dawn told him.

Gunn and Fred were laughing to their selves; they had an excellent idea of what had been going on.

Buffy turned and looked at them and winked, before turning back to face Giles.

"And what happened then?"
"Well Spike used the other half of that power to burst out of our restraints…and escape."

"So you can bind and unbind a person/demon to a particular spot?"
"Well…I don't know if it works on anyone else other than us…we'll have to go out and test it when we go on patrol…. but if it works, talk about a wicked new dimension to slaying."

"Okay Buff…. I'm gonna have to stop you right there.  You're channeling Faith.  Stop…think about that path…back away from it with all haste and come back to us."

Buffy laughed and said, "I'm fine…and all here Xander."

"Just checking."

 "Anything else?"

"Don't forget, Buffy growls now…"

"Yeah…what's all that about?"
"I don't know…it… just happens," Buffy said, with her head down.

"I like it, sounds sexy," Spike whispered in her ear.

Buffy blushed and pushed him away from her.

Spike chuckled, but when the others looked at him questioningly he just shrugged.

"What about the glow?" Wesley asked.

"What glow?" Buffy asked him.

"That's what we would like to know…while you were fighting…and just after, there was a shimmering glow surrounding you and Spike.  What was it?"

"I don't know."
"It wasn't bothering you, you couldn't see it?"
"I don't remember seeing it, did you, Spike?"

Spike shook his head,

"I don't remember seeing anything glowing luv."

"We didn't imagine it, did we…some sort of collective dream thing?"
"No…that's not possible…different brains…. or is it?"
"It was there…. they didn't see it though…and I don't know what it is either…so don't ask," Dawn said quickly, to stop more questions.

"I'll enter it in my book and put question marks around it then," Giles said as he did so.

"I have one for you, Giles."

"What is it Dawn?"

"I can hear better…much better than usual…and I'm sure Buffy can too."

"What do you mean?"
"Their hearing is about the same as a vamps now."

"So that's how you heard the attackers last night."

Buffy nodded and then added,

"And we can see better in the night."

"Do you mean you can see in the dark?"
"Yeah… kind of…"

"Just like a cat," Xander said.

Buffy laughed.

"At least it's not a rat again."

Spike looked confused.

"A rat?"

"I'll fill you in later."

Spike nodded while Buffy, Cordelia, Xander, Willow, and Giles chuckled, remembering the episode from when Xander had cast his 'love' spell.

"I've got one," Anya said.

"Yes An?"

"Well…when Buffy and Spike were sparring for hours…their fighting seemed to increase their ability to fight…instead of decreasing it.  Now what's that called again…oh yeah, their endurance…." Anya trailed off and looked at Spike once again for a long second before saying.

"I bet your endurance…stamina is really high…I bet you could go for hours…. and hours…and then some… if I ever become free…can you promise me you'll show me…."

Angel clapped a hand over her mouth to stop her from saying anything more.

Anya pulled her hand away and looked up at him.

"Don't be jealous… I think your not bad looking either… when I said you were large and glowerly last year, it didn't mean that I didn't find you very attractive. It's just that I know all about your happiness clause…and the last thing I need after having been orgasmically satisfied is to be brutally tortured and either killed or turned into a soulless vampire.  The whole death thing very much outweighs the possibility of such endurance and stamina that you might have…" Anya was quiet for a moment as she stared at Angel before continuing, "especially after you've had to bottle it up for so very long…all that time…no woman to satisfy you…you might be just about…"

Angel's hand once more covered her mouth.

"No. More. Please."

Buffy was blushing furiously as well as laughing, hard.

Spike was grinning wickedly.

Dawn was giggling, hard.

Xander had his hands over his ears, trying hard to stop Anya's words from circling round and round in his mind.

Most of the others were laughing, some, so hard that they were clutching their stomachs in pain…but some just couldn't stop laughing.

Giles had one hand pinching the bridge of his nose, the other one holding his glasses loosely, while he chuckled hard, so hard a tear came rolling down his right cheek.

When he could speak again, after he had wiped the tear away, he said,

"I think that's all for right now…any more of this…and I don't think we'll be able to last the night.  I say we all go see that movie you were talking about Buffy."

"Yes… lets," Buffy said, hopping up and pulling Spike up with her, before running into the kitchen to get the paper off the counter.  It wasn't until Spike looked at the date of the paper that they realized that it was at least a week old.

As they re-entered the living room, they decided on just going to town and seeing what was going on.

Everyone dressed up and headed out into the night…

Long minutes later, strolling through downtown Sunnydale, they were all trying to decide what to do first, dinner or movie.

Buffy and Spike were watching the discussion between Cordelia and Wesley when someone tapped Buffy on the shoulder.

Buffy turned to encounter an ordinary woman with red hair stuck in a ponytail.

"Yes?"
"You're from earlier today."

"Excuse me?"
"You were in April Fair, and the Gap this morning, right?"
"Yes?'

"I thought I recognized you."

Buffy's expression said that she clearly did not remember.

"I waited on you…you and your husband and your little sister? Although first I had to admit that I thought it was your daughter, even though you're both way too young to have a teenage daughter..."

Buffy's expression seemed even more puzzled.

"I remembered you because you and your husband were joking a lot…remember…I helped you with the tear-away pants for him and the tear-away skirt for you."

"Oh…right.  I'm sorry…I don't remember your name."
"Angela."

"Right…Angela. Oh…and he's not my husband."
"Really? You too seemed just like an old married couple…well…not that old, obviously."

"We've been together a long time," Buffy said.  She was trying hard not to burst out laughing.  The stories she, Spike, and Dawn had told this woman were threatening to choke her. 

And why am I suffering alone, she thought?  No good reason that I can think of…hmm… who to call…. I know… Spike. Spike can keep me company.

And with that thought, she called him over,

"William?"

Spike looked over at her questioningly and then came over to her,

"Yes dear?"
"Remember Angela, from the mall?"

"I'm sorry…I don't." Spike said, using his best Giles sounding accent.

Buffy almost choked, as it was, she faked it by making a coughing sound before saying,

"Remember…she helped us choose the tear-away pants…that you could use when you and your team play a rough game of rugby?"

"Oh…right…hello again Angela, thanks for the pants…they worked a fair treat."

"Don't tell me you had a meet so soon?"
"No…but I did have another function that I had to attend where I had to change quickly and those pants worked brilliantly."

Buffy's eyes were watering, this holding in her laughter was going to be the death of her; she was sure.  Slayer called…blah blah; great protector, blah blah; scary battles, not a problem…how did she die…by laughter.

Spike, who knew just what she was thinking, winked at her, before turning back to Angela,

"Sorry to have to push off so soon after meeting you again, Angela, but our guests have decided what they want to do for the night, so we have to bid you adieu."

"Oh…sure…sorry to hold up your time…but it was such a delight serving you both…and I just hope you come back and do some more shopping sometime soon."

"We'll be sure to do that," Spike said, gushing charm at her, causing the poor girl to blush hotly.

She grinned and waved before rushing off in the opposite direction.

After she was gone, Buffy told him,

"You are so full of it sometime, you know that right?"
"Yeah, yeah…come on…they decided to eat first…Fred, Dawn, and Gunn declared that they were way too hungry to go see a movie first."

Buffy laughed and they trooped back over to the rest of the group, before going into the restaurant they had decided was good enough to house all of their tastes.  It was a secluded demon/human restaurant…located in an obscure part of town, somewhat close to the center… somewhere where everyone could go.  It was one of the few that the gang had found and hadn't killed off, mostly because of the no- violence inside barrier that the owner had installed.

As the group of them ate, they decided on what movie to go see.

Fred had picked up a more current edition of the Sunnydale Times so they could see what was playing tonight.

Their choices were huge because, even though Sunnydale was, as Cordelia had once described it, a one Starbuck town, its Sunnydale Sun Cinema 15 was known far and wide as the most popular Sunnydale hangout place.  It could hold it's own up against other cinemas in the surrounding larger cities.

Probably because it was so dark inside, demons and humans could relax together for at least a couple of hours, without blood being shed.  This was due, in large part, to an unbreakable glamour on the inside in which everyone appeared to be human.  

The Scooby gang had found this out about a year ago when they had left the theater together, during some down time, out one of it's side exits, and had watched in disbelief as at least ten different people seemed to morph into demons, directly in front of them, as they passed the outer wall of the theater.

Afterwards, Giles had done some researching and had told them what had happened.

They had been there a couple of times since, giving Giles the excuse that what better place to catch some sort of demon on a less than pleasant day than at the only place where they could merge in with humans.

Giles wasn't a fool, but at times when they were driving him crazy, he would pretend to believe their lame excuse and send them to the movies to look for demons, earning himself some much needed 'me' time.

Looking through the paper, they read their possible choices: Sweet November, Planet of the Apes, Valentine, Scary Movie2, Josie and the Pussycats, K-PAX, Thir13een Ghosts, Atlantis: The Lost Empire, Jeepers Creepers, Laura Croft-Tomb Raider, Brotherhood of the Wolf, Anti-Trust, Embrace the Darkness II, From Hell, and The Forsaken.

"Wow…looks like their going all out this month.  New movies and a few old ones all mixed up together."

"That's the way this place works…that's why people flock to our lovely town: decent food, wonderful cinema, and possible chance of a vicious death."

They shook their heads…after looking a bit closer at the paper in front of him, Xander said,

"Awww… I thought that movie with Jet Li…you know…the kick-ass karate guy…"

"The guy from that other movie?"
"Yeah…what's his other new movie called?"

"The One?"
"Yeah…that's it.  How could they not being showing that one this week…and here I was all defending how the Sunnydale Sun Cin was the best in the surrounding cow counties…I am so very disappointed."

The group laughed.

"My poor sweet Xander," Anya said, patting his shoulder comfortingly.

Xander winked at her and she grinned at him.

Then she said, turning back to the group,

"First things first, no weird alien movies & no children movies…sorry Dawn."

"About what?" Dawn asked, giving Anya a weird look.

"About the no children movie rule…I just don't want to be bored for a couple of hours when I could be scared or pretend to be scared so I could grab parts of Xander, in the dark, without censor from all of you or anyone else who might see what I was doing."

The entire group, minus Anya, who didn't think there was anything wrong with her statement, & Dru, who wasn't really paying them all that much attention anyway, closed their eyes.

As they opened them again, Gunn said,

"I move that we give Xander & Anya a whole section, to themselves, at the movies…all agree?"
"Here, here." "God yes." "Hell yes." "Good idea," were only some of the replies uttered.

Gunn laughed right before Dawn said,

"First of all…I'd like to say that you all are the reason I will be forever scarred for life.  Second, I don't want to se some kids show…I'm a teenager…say it with me Anya…TEEN-AGER."

Before Dawn could get heated up about Anya's reluctance to treat her like an 'almost' grown up, Buffy interrupted with,

"Alright…but that now brings our grand total of movie choices down to 13.  Any other 'lets miss this' requests?"

"Yeah…I got one…no vampire movies."

"Why the bloody hell not, Whelp?"
"We deal with the blood sucking evil undead, present 'fang club' included, just about ever day…why should we have to see them on the screen too?"

Spike rolled his eyes.

As a few other members of the Scoobies and LA crew made less obnoxious comments about skipping vampire movies as well, Buffy asked Spike

Spike…you don't really want to see them either…didn't you tell me they were nothing but poncy posers masquerading around & pretending to be children of darkness & evil…and that they had no clue about being a vampire?  Why are you pretending that you do?

Cause it drives Harris crazy…you had to question that?  I thought you knew me better than that luv.

I was trying to give you the benefit of the doubt, apparently I had more faith in you, in this instance, than you deserve.

Spike laughed, his internal conversation with Buffy entertaining enough for him to give in to Buffy, & allow Harris his way, for the moment.

"Alright Harris…we can skip the vamp movies today."

"Buffy told you off…. didn't she?"

Spike looked at him, "No…I was trying to give you a brake…but…however…if you want me to be…"

"No, no…thank you…that's fine…any other 'not to be seen' requests…please…lets get the ball rolling people."

The group laughed.

As they looked over the remaining titles once again,

"Jeez…has anyone else noticed that the horror and sci-fi movies out show all the other movies here…I wonder why?"
"Xander…. it's the Hellmouth.  Besides, how many demons you know want to see a bunch of kiddie movies, romances, and feel good movies?  Face it…this town of ours may look sweet, idyllic and picturesque, but we all know it's not."

The Sunnydale crew nodded along with Willow, agreeing with her.

Angel spoke up next, getting them back on the which-movie-to-pick track,

"I'm not really in the mood for watching a comedy."

"Surprise, surprise," Xander muttered.

At the glare he received, he pretended being busy looking around for something.

"Okay…so no comedies…we're starting to lean into horror-Ville guys."

"Well I, for one, would put in a vote to see the movie Valentine…but I saw the preview…and I have to say it right turned me off it.  So let's put that in the group of those we miss, eh?"
"What was it about?"

"Some bloke & some bint…and a kinda obsessed serial killer/mystery thing."

"I thought you liked those."

"Sometimes I do."

"Than how come you don't' want to see it…is it cause your with us?"

"Bite your tongue Bit…I love you being here…and you know it."

"Yes…"

Spike didn't say anything, but he did give Angel a quick glance.

"Well Spike…how come."
"Cause in the previews…the main bloke…he could be a dead ringer for Peaches here.  I don't really like staring directly at him for too long now…damn sure I don't want to watch some Nancy that looks like him prance about the screen for a while."

Angel rolled his eyes, but the rest of them burst out laughing.

"For the first time I can think of…well not…really…but…. anyway…. I agree with you...who would want to watch a Captain Fang look alike for a couple hours?  I say, not me."

Angel took a menacing step toward Xander and Xander in turn, jumped behind Spike.

Spike gave him a look.

"Am I supposed to protect you?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Cause you're supposed to be all champion-ish… and Buffy would want you to."

Spike laughed, but merely turned back to Angel and pulled a face at him.

Angel just glared at them both, while the rest of the group chuckled.

"How about we go see Josie and the…"

"No," was almost shouted from most of the group.

Dawn and Tara rolled their eyes.

"No need to bite our heads off for suggesting it," she muttered.

"Brotherhood of the Wolf looks neat…the previews make it look all Matrix-y."

"I thought it was about a giant wolf, like a werewolf with steel fangs, or something like it?"
"That's what I heard too."

"Right…and if we're skipping vampire movies…I'm here to say I wanna skip the werewolf movies as well."

"Bad experience with werewolves, Gunn?"
"Naw…just not in the mood for watching something hairy run across the screen."

"That means Planet of the Apes is off the list as well."

They all nodded…although for the most part, a good deal of the guys were up for that one…it kept them out of the chick flick section.

"What about Jeepers Creepers?"

"Eww…I saw a preview and that thing looks like that disgusting mucus spewing demon that we caught in the sewer before I was sucked into Pylea."

"How about Thir13een Ghosts?"

"No…no ghost horror movies… we agreed, remember?"

"Bugger."

"Does anyone remember what Anti-Trust was about?"

"I'm guessing not trusting."

"Ha ha…very funny."

"I thought so."

Wesley rolled his eyes, causing the rest of them to laugh a little.

"Well how about we skip that movie then?"
"Sure…why not."

"Isn't From Hell horror too?"
"Not really…it's more mystery sort of thing…kind of who is doing the murders and such."

"So that means it stays a choice, right?"

They nodded.

"Okay guys…that brings our total down to three…I say we stop there."
"But we still haven't decided which movie to watch."

"Well out of the three remaining…it shouldn't be that hard to pick one."

"What are our choices again?"
"Sweet November, From Hell, and Laura Croft: Tomb Raider."

"We are so gonna watch a chick flick," Xander muttered.

Spike & Angel & Gunn, who were standing close enough to hear his muttering, all nodded sadly.

Dawn & Buffy, due to their advance hearing, heard them and grinned wickedly at each other.

"Let's finish eating and head over there…we'll buy the tickets."

Everyone agreed, so they did just that.

About thirty or so minutes later, they were ready for their movie.  Luckily for them, their three choices all started within a few minutes of each other…so whichever one they chose…they wouldn't have to wait for a long while to see it.

The men in the group were less than thrilled, pretty sure that the next hour or so was going to be beyond boring for them.

The girls laughed, they'd watch and like the movie they choose…. well, at least they'd watch it.

Cordelia, Fred, Anya, Buffy, Dawn, Willow & Tara all made the guys stand out of earshot…which meant that they were stuck across the street from the theater and Buffy and Dawn were using their extra senses to block Spike from attempting to find out their choice telepathically.

The girls all stood in a circle to figure out which movie to see.  They took a vote to choose.  When they had figured out which one…they waved Giles over who handed Buffy his credit card and then was shooed back across the street.

Buffy went up to the ticket counter to pay for their choice.

The man looked at the card… "I don't think you're really Mr. Rupert Giles," he said, reading the credit card and looking at Buffy.

"He's my step-father," she told him.

At the man's skeptic look, she waved across the street.

"He's right over there…he'd be over here paying for it but we're surprising him with which movie we're going to see…now you don't want to spoil it, would you?"
 

The man looked at the group of men all looking and waiting for the girls across the street and decided that he didn't care.

He gave her the tickets and let her sign for them.

"Thanks," she muttered, walking away.

They called the guys over and Dawn said, "Alright…let's go…our movie's starting in 10 minutes and you still have to buy us goodies."

"Didn't you just eat?"
"Its tradition Spike…you want us to appear normal, don't you?"

Spike rolled his eyes at Dawn, causing her to giggle.

During their conversation, Xander was trying to wheedle info out of Willow:

"Come on Will…just a hint…why won't you tell me which movie we're seeing?"

'It's a secret…you'll find out in a few minutes anyway."

"You're supposed to be my best friend, my bud, my girl amigo, come on Willow…"
"Don't make me give you the resolve face again Xander."

Xander sighed,

"We are so seeing Sweet November…why don't we ever have demon attacks when you want them?"

The group laughed.

"Come on," Anya said pushing him forward.

Xander moved reluctantly, and looking around, saw a reluctant Spike & Giles being pulled by both Buffy& Dawn, a very reluctant Angel being pushed by Cordelia, a reluctant Wesley being herded by Fred, and a wary Gunn being pulled by both Willow and Tara.  Dru, however, was walking merrily behind them.

"Do you know what we're going to see Dru?"

Dru nodded happily.

"Well…come on…give us a hint."

Dru leaned forward and told him,

"It's a secret."
"Yes…I know that…that's why I want you to tell me."

Dru giggled before saying,

"The stars whisper your answer to me…. they tell of the fun to be had through the night. They tell of the fun the golden warrior will have with her companion."

"Aww come on Dru…no riddles…what movie are we going to see tonight?"
 

Dru looked at him strangely.

"You do know what a movie is, right?"

Dru, in a lucid phase, rolled her eyes at him.

Then she told him simply,

"You won't get any help from me…I promised them…and unfortunately I have to keep my promise…but keep bothering me and I'll promise to take a nip from your pretty little neck."

"Drusilla!"

Dru looked up to see Angel's menacing expression.

"I wasn't going to kill him…just a nip…it won't hurt him… much… I want a real meal…please?"

Spike watched this with a fascination before turning toward Buffy.

She nodded.

Spike stepped over to Dru,

"Princess… I'll make him get you some real good blood, alright?"
"From a child?"
"I don't know about all that…but I'll send him down to Willy's first thing after the movie, alright?  Come on then, we're gonna have us a good time, I hope."

Dawn walked up to Dru and grabbed her hand,

"Come on Dru…you can sit with me."

Dru's expression showed, fleetingly, 'oh joy, oh rapture'.

"Not another step Slayer…what bloody movie are we going to see?"

Buffy didn't say a word, just turned him around and headed him to their designated theater doors.  When she reached them, she stopped and pointed up to the marquee displaying the movie title.

Spike gave a joyous shout.

"Hell yeah."

He then turned around and called back to the others,

"It's alright…they chose Tomb Raider."

The other guys sighed with obvious relief, and then grabbed the women who had seconds before been pushing them in, rushing to get in and find a seat.

The girls shook their heads and followed their guys.

As before stated, they made Xander and Anya sit away from them…a whole couple of rows away from them, for their sanity.

Buffy and Dawn surrounded Spike.

Cordelia sat next to Angel.

Gunn, Fred, Willow & Tara all sat together.

Dru sat on the other side of Dawn and next to Angel.

Wesley and Giles sat down together somewhat close to the rest.

They talked softly until the movie started and then all were quiet, minus laughter, 'awwing' and 'oohing' until the movie finished.

After the movie, they were all heading back to Buffy's house.

"Anyone up for a quick patrol on the way home?"
"I'm up for it."
"Can I stake something too?  I mean, since I'm all connected now and all."

At Buffy's look,

"Aww…come one. I'm all connected to you and some great power…not to mention…. original and ancient key power here.  Spike…talk so sense into her."
"Spike…sense…those are not mix-y things Dawn."

Spike and Dawn gave Xander a look.

"What…I'm helping."

They rolled their eyes.

"Alright I'm hindering…but I'm annoying Spike and that's always fun and helpful for me," he said with a huge grin.

Buffy shook her head, laughing, and then turned back to Spike.

Together they had an internal conversation that the rest of the group were not privy to.

At the end of it, they must have reached some agreement, for Dawn was grinning happily, Buffy looked resolved, if not happy, and Spike…well Spike looked the same as usual, but he did have a smile in his eyes.

"Well?"
"We're off…let's go to Restfield cemetery."

As they walked through the gates, Buffy, Spike, and Dawn's head's went up, their eyes momentarily flashing violet.  As if one, their heads swivled left and then right and then they slid down into crouching stance, waiting for whatever they sensed to come forward and attempt an attack.

"What the hell is up with…" Xander's question was stopped by Angel, who covered his mouth, like he had done earlier with Anya.  At Xander's look he tilted his head, telling him without words to be quiet and rejoin the rest of the group.

Xander remembered from past experience that it meant soemone was coming, so he quickly returned to the group.

Moment's later, about twenty-25 vampires came forward from just about everywhere until the group of them were encircled.

Their group looked around as Buffy, Spike, and Dawn stood back up, and almost casually stretched to loosen out their muscles.

The leader of the vampire pack spoke up, after glancing at Buffy and Spike,

"Well look what we have here, boys…. the slayer and her wonder vamp.  Looks like it's not your day, Slayer… my boys and I seem to have all the advantages…"

"Normally I'd agree…but," she said as her eyes and Spike's eyes began to glow emerald, seconds before they moved so fast it appeared that they had disappeared; only to reappear within striking distance from the lead vampire.   

"As you can see…it's a whole different ballgame now."

TBC