Dear Reader:
IT'S FINALLY HERE!! Well I have reached the pivotal point in my story and for a warning to everyone; twelve years in my story have past since the last (so things will have changed for William and the crew at Wolfram & Hart). I wanted to show the struggle of teenage years and what 'comes' with it for the rest of the story. One new character will join the 'cast' and a few other minor characters will be added as well. I hope that I will not disappoint any readers with the changes to come, also the genre of the story will become Humor/Supernatural/Angst. * Later *
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Chapter Nine ~ Joyous and Disastrous Occasions
July 23rd, 2015 - Midsummer's Day
"Happy Birthday William!"
"Thanks Win"
"So blow out the candles"
"Aren't I a little too old for that"
"You are only sixteen young man, so you blow out those candles"
"Yes ma'am!"
William hurriedly blew out the sixteen candles that sat upon the top of the large chocolate cake. Such were all the fun of these family get togethers (Fred forcing William to do what he's told). At least he was only sixteen and he could bug Angel about being nearly two hundred and sixty with gray hair (he had personally bestowed those through irreversible magic to the broody vampire).
"William, would you come over here please"
That caught his attention. It was Angel calling him and the vampire hardly ever used the word 'please' in a sentence directed to him. Absently shrugging his shoulders, he went to go find out what was so important.
"I am beginning to believe that you are old enough for 'this' responsibility," Angel started as the boy arrived. "And I know you have been pestering me for years about 'this', so - I've finally given in"
"You don't mean it. Your pulling my strings, aren't you?" William breath seemed to have been sucked right out of his throat with disbelief.
"I do and it's yours. Happy birthday William" Angel smirked, tossing a pair of keys to the befuddled teen.
"OH MY GOD! Thank you, thank you, and thank you! You're the greatest! I'll try not to bug you for a month"
Everyone watched the ecstatic teen bouncing up and down with glee as he rushed around the office to show everyone what Angel gave him for his birthday. Wesley walked over to Angel and with the critical look of a parent, demanded to know what it was.
"What did you give him?"
"The Viper" Angel replied mildly.
"You have got to be kidding me! He's only sixteen and you go and give him a car for his birthday? What were you thinking!?"
"Wes, I thought you knew that it wasn't in Angel's genetic makeup to kid around" Gunn interjected. "And I thought that getting him that Dingo's C.D. would be his favorite present, go figure"
Angel purposely ignored Gunn's comment and calmly answered the gaping ex-watcher "Thinking that know I have his undying gratitude and if he pesters me, I can take it away" he snickered at his own thoughts of pulling the wool over William's eyes with this one.
Suddenly a loud commotion from the elevators caught the attention of the room's occupants.
"MOM YOU CAN'T DO THIS TO ME!"
"You'll do as I say young man and don't you make me get out the leash, because I will"
A blond woman was trying to drag a young strawberry-blond boy out of the elevator, but the kid was holding on to the door for dear life.
"But dad's concert starts in an hour and when you start talking to 'old' friends, it lasts forever!"
"I'm going to give you till the count of ten. 1, 2, 3 -"
The boy let go of the door and was dragged into the room.
"Oh yes, anything for you oh great and mighty Slayer" he dropped to his knees and preformed a mock bow in front of her, before she grabbed him by the scruff the neck and hauled him over t were Angel and the others were standing.
"Sorry about the excess baggage" she apologized and turning to Angel "Hello Angel, long time no see"
Angel was stunned speechless by the entrance of the woman and her son and the fact that she was the only woman he had ever really loved.
"Oh so 'this' is Buffy!? Excellent, I finally get to meet the Slayer that whipped the great poofter into submission!"
Buffy was currently looking all over the room for the source of the familiar voice that had greeted them, while Angel groaned at the unpleasant return entry William back into the office. She was completely caught off guard when the feline boy gripped her in an unexpected hug. She threw him off a split second later, sending the changeling teen across the room to land neatly on his feet and to grin lopsidedly at her.
"Always pick the sassy ones, Angel old boy?" William snickered. "I can't believe you survived this one, oh wait she did kill you once though!"
Angrily Buffy grabbed him by the shirtfront and hauled him off his feet.
"Who are you?" she demanded.
"Down girl! I am William Lancaster, at your lady's service" he pulled himself from her grip and delicately kissed her hand.
"What are you?"
"Went me to be specific or not? I am a magic induced changeling child, minor scientist, linguist, guitarist, and hereditary watcher. Oh and did I mention that I was also a mage?"
Buffy stared at the boy as if she was waiting for him to continue and she was about to say something when Knox came bursting in that the conversation got destructed.
Glaring at the teen, the disheveled scientist shouted "Are you trying to burn the inter building down? That damned concoction you have on the Bunsen burner is going to go up in flames any minute now if you don't go and tend to it!"
Snarling, he turned and left the room. William however had a look of almost pure horror written across his face.
"My potion!" William took off in a run towards the lab, pushing people aside as he went.
As he left, Buffy's son went after him, yelling "Don't leave me with her! You have no idea how bad she is!" as he went.
After a few moments of silence, Angel cleared his throat and turned his attention to Buffy.
"So what are you doing here Buffy?"
"What, not even a hello in return? I know it's been nearly thirteen years since I last saw you, but don't you think that's a little shallow?"
"No Buffy, I was just surprised to see you. Having that every birthday William has brings some kind of supernatural force to Wolfram & Hart"
"So who is he any way" the Slayer asked.
"Well that matter is complicated. Fred adopted him and the five of use raised him. Any way, why don't you come to my office so we can finish this conversation in peace"
* Inside Angel's office *
"So you have a child of your own now"
"Oh yes, Darcy. He's a handful"
"He smelt strange"
"Okay, gross to the smelling thing and of course he would smell strange to a vampire, he's a werewolf"
"How?"
"Hereditary" she replied simply. "I married Oz"
"You married Oz!?"
"Yes. Going on eleven years now. But that's history, what about you?"
Angel squirmed just enough at that question for Buffy to notice.
"What?" she demanded.
"Well things have just been strange" he tried to weasel out of this one, but he knew that Buffy wouldn't drop the subject.
"Like adopting a mortal child that's half cat?"
"He wasn't always mortal"
* Oops *
"What's that suppose to mean?"
"Nothing"
Buffy stood up fast from her armchair and turned to glare right at Angel and if looks could kill, Angel would be bursting into flames.
"Don't you dare try to pull one over on me Angel. Now I want to know what's dirty little secret you have that you wont tell me"
"Fine. Spike came back" he finally relented to the angry Slayer.
She stood there in front of him silent. Disbelieving of the words that had just come out of the vampire's mouth. She just could not process.
"What - what did you say?" she managed to stutter.
"I said he came back, but isn't the same person anymore. He was reborn" that wasn't exactly the truth but Angel knew she would fall for it.
"Tell me everything"
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"What is that stuff?"
William paced back and forth, waiting impatiently from the liquid to cool in the glass beaker. This boy, the Slayer's son wasn't bad company and actually thought he has sort of funny.
"It's an appearance altering potion. If consumed by someone that is either not human or does not look human will gain the appearance of a human. Not to say that you could make yourself look like a someone famous, but just what you would look like if you yourself were human" he replied, stopping to add gentle cooling charm around the beaker.
"Cool. So what's it like to be a cat?" the boy asked with curiosity.
"What's it like to be a werewolf?" William countered.
The boy gapped and stuttered "How - how did you know that?"
"Dog aren't the only animal with an excellent sense of smell mate"
"Oh sorry, forgot about that"
"No problem. Well I'm William as you know, so would you care to tell me your name?"
"I'm Darcy Osbourne"
"Nice to meet you, well anyway this potion in cool enough so I'll be saying good bye to you because I am going to cruse L.A in my new car!" William smirked and picked up the beaker.
"Take me with you! You can't leave me with my mother and her ex!" Darcy cried. "Wait if you get me out of here and take me to the Dingo's concert, I can get you in for free because my dad's the drummer!"
William nearly dropped the beaker. He slowly turned to stare at him, not believing what had just left the boy's mouth.
"Your joking aren't you mate? You mean if I take you to the concert, you'll get me in free?" he whispered.
"Never with a five mile radius of my mother. No I really do mean it"
"Then you're on mate!"
William brought the beaker up to his lips and downed it in one gulp. A pins and needles sensation shot through him. He felt his body 'ripple' as the change started. He could feel everything. First his hair receded, then his teeth shrank, his claws dulled, his ears rounded, his tail vanished and his eyes swirled and became natural human orbs.
He quick brushed Darcy aside and went strait from his mother's office that contained a full-length mirror. What he saw amazed him. Standing before him was a normal looking teenage boy. He was tall (about 5`11) with lightly tanned skin, high cheekbones, unruly tawny hair, ice blue eyes and beheld the thick jagged scar that ran through his left eye that he got when he was four. He smirked at his image, he was a good-looking human, not that he didn't look good as a cat, but this just seemed right.
"So how do I look?"
William knew that Darcy was standing behind without even looking.
"Disturbingly normal"
"It that suppose to be a good thing or a bad thing?"
"Well how am I suppose to know!" Darcy replied dimly.
William started to head towards the exit, but had to stop and motion for Darcy to follow him.
"Well come on! We will have to tell the 'elders' where we are going or they'll freak, well I know they freak if I disappear"
Darcy snickered and started to follow the older boy. "Your right, my mom would have a bird"
They left and started out to find Angel and they knew that Buffy would be with him. After checking a few places, William figured it would be the most obvious place: Angel's office.
* Enter Angle's Office *
"Tell me everything"
They had just barged in on the middle of Buffy and Angel's conversation. The two adults turned at the sound of the disturbance and stopped dead.
"Hey Soul Boy, Slayer! The wolfboy and I are going to the Dingo's concert and don't worry, well be on our best behavior" William flashed a dashing smile at them from the door.
Darcy ran over to his mother and gave her a kiss on the cheek.
"Love ya mom!"
Then as suddenly as the duo had arrived in the office, they were gone. Angel was left speechless for having seen just seen William looking normal, human and like a younger Spike, while Buffy, startled both from the kiss from Darcy and the boy that looked like Spike, Having taken too much shock for one day, the slayer fell backwards into a dead faint.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
For the next three minutes Angel knelt fanning Buffy with a case file, trying desperately to wake the unconscious Slayer. Angel cursed his bad luck, as she remained unresponsive. Giving up, he stood just as she opened her eyes. On instinct, her foot lashed out, catching his and toppling him to the floor beside her. Grumpily groaning, Buffy forced herself back up and to glare at Angel, how was rubbing a painful spot on the back of his head from the fall.
"Who was that?" the Slayer whispered dangerously.
"Umm, well that was William" he replied.
"That can not be William! William looks like a bloody cat, for heaven's sake that was Spike!" she snarled back.
"Yes and that is it in a nutshell Buffy. William 'is' Spike"
Angel really regretted having to saying it so bluntly to her. The look on her expression was unreadable, but her face paled drastically it compassion to her summer tan.
"Tell me" she asked
"It's a long story"
"Then make it short"
"After the destruction of Sunnydale, Spike ended up here with as a ghost. After a few months of being everyone's favorite poltergeist, he became corporeal. A few months after that, well that was my fault. We had a vengeance demon here and Spike tried to warn me to make sure nobody made any wishes, but I thought he was only there to annoy me so I said some things that ended having a misinterpreted wish and Spike becoming a child" Angel began.
"Anyway we've had to deal with William for twelve years now, ever since he was four. Things were so out of hand but we managed starting with me adopting him and when that got to be to much, giving over the adoption rights to Fred. I'm sorry I didn't end up telling you sooner," he concluded.
"I should stake you, you know that" she sighed sitting heavily into her armchair.
"I know, but I only ask one thing from you. Don't tell him the truth. We are waiting for the right time and this isn't it"
"Fine" Buffy put her head in her hands and looked towards the door. "I just hope he doesn't get ---- into too much trouble"
"He will" Angel laughed. "Trouble is his specialty"
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
William and Darcy sat listening to music as they headed through the crowded streets of Los Angeles in William's Viper. The concert was going to be a blast, tickets had been sold out months ago and there was well over a thousand people there to see it, the normal and the supernatural. It was easy for Darcy to smuggle the both of them past the guard and back stage to the band. Darcy was enthusiastic about introducing his new friend to his father and William was also ecstatic about getting to meet his favorite band. But when they got there, things were far from all right.
Oz was slumped into a chair, speaking on his cell phone. The rest of the band was gathered around look rather confused at Oz's distress and were waiting patiently for him to finish the call. When he was finished, he sighed and turned to all of them and shock his head.
"We are going to have to cancel" he muuterd
"What!" everybody in the band cried out in unison, horrified by the announcement.
"Why dad?" Darcy asked, asserting himself into the group to let his father know he was there.
Oz whirled around to stare down at his son.
"Darcy, what are you doing here? I thought you were with your mother?"
"I was dad, but - " Darcy began.
"You didn't run off on her did you? You know she'll ground you till your thirty if you did"
"Well I - " the boy stuttered in front of his father.
"Did you or didn't you?" Oz demanded.
"I brought him sir and yes his mother knows he's are here" William quickly piped up, stepping in to bail his new friend out of trouble.
Now when Oz turned to look at William, the teen had to jump backwards because of the expression that crossed over the elder werewolf's face - a look of pure undiluted hatred and William had never seen anyone look upon him like that in is inter life. Not even glares from Angel or Gunn could rival that.
"Umm, I did something wrong didn't I?" he stammered, continuing to move away.
Oz took only taken one menacing step towards the startled teen when Darcy lunged between his father and his friend.
"Dad what is wrong with you!" he yelled.
"But he's." Oz started with a growl, his voice full of malice.
"You must have me mistaken from someone else sir" William gulped. "You did sort of meet me once when I was seven, but I look a completely different at the time. I'm William, William Lancaster"
When Oz didn't respond, William tried some more.
"I was the cat boy with Lorne in the Entertainment Department at Wolfram & Hart! Winifred Burkle is my adoptive mother!"
Oz stopped and looked William over critically then nodded.
"Well you sure do smell like a cat and the same child I did meet years ago, so I'm dreadful sorry I made the accusation against you. It's only that you look near identical to a someone that tried to kill me and my friend when I was in high school"
"Well that's kinda a stretch dad, he's only sixteen. He wouldn't even have been alive then"
"He was a vampire"
"Oh"
They were quite from a few more moments, before Darcy broke the silence.
"So why do you have to cancel the concert dad?"
The band agreed with the boy wholly, shouting out for confirmation.
"Robby was in a car accident a few hours ago, he's in stable condition" Oz confirmed.
"So no lead guitarist right?" Darcy muttered.
"Yes and we don't have anyone else that knows how to play his parts" Devon added for Oz.
"I know how to play those parts"
Everyone turned to William and looked at him all differently with varied looks of shock, confusion and relief.
"And you know them how?" Oz asked.
"Bloody hell, you guys are my favorite band! And when you have mage craft at your own disposal, you use it. I used it to get the cords and lyrics so I could play the songs. Oh and the guitar has always been my chief instrument anyway" directly William told them.
"Well them you take Robby's part. We are on in ten"
They all left William in shocked astonishment to prepare for the show. Darcy had to shake him a couple times before he actually woke back up to the world. He turned to the boy and smiled weakly, panic already beginning to bubble up to the surface of his demeanor. Never in his life had he ever had to stand in front of so many people and to make worse on live television!
"Don't worry" Darcy encouraged him. "You'll do great!"
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
William stood on the stage with the rest of the Dingo's, his fingers nervously plucking at the strings of his guitar. The roar of the crowd was making his heart pound and his pounding heart was making him dizzy. He felt like he was going to faint, but when Oz gave him a thumbs up for support, it eased slightly. So many people. If he screwed up, he thought he might just die of embarrassment.
Then he got the signal from Oz and instinctively started to play. It seemed like 'magic', it was magic far greater then his mage gift. It was magic. The crowd cheered, not caring that someone new was playing the part of the lead guitarist, they loved it. Then the song actually started.
"Please don't fear me darling, its only the pain I feel inside. I don't know how to tell you baby, it's so hard to see you like this.
Wild at heart, I'm so wild that I cry, please don't take the pain away; it's the only thing that makes me real.
I'd give up the world to see your face, smiling back on me. I know I'll never gain your trust, but trust me just this once. I'm wild at heart, oh I'm wild at heart, don't know how, but it makes me feel; it makes me feels for you"
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* ~*~*~*~*~*~*
Orlando, Florida
Xander Harris sat in front of his big-screen TV, ready to watch Oz's concert live. Longing back on his couch, the thought of not 'being' there irked him big time. He hated his string of bad luck at late; having not been able to buy a ticket on time before they were all sold out. Although it's not like he would have been able to see much of Buffy anyway, who was going to be visiting Angel for the first time in years. But there was always Darcy to hang out with. The kid was cool.
Silently Xander watch the cameras go in for a close-up of the band and he saw something that just didn't fit the picture. There was a teenager playing Robby's position perfectly. It just didn't make sense; Robby never let anyone play his parts. Looking more closely at the screen, Xander nearly choked on his drink. The teenager on TV had a face that he so well remembered.
"Oh My God"
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Bath, England
It had happened by mistake that on the other side of the world that Rupert Giles had started watching the television. Having just finished reading one of his favorite Jules Vern books for the millionth time, he had thrown it down onto the table. The book had inadvertently struck the remote control, turning on the TV.
It hadn't really been the fact that the Dingo's concert was on that certain channel, but the person that the camera was focused on. He seemed to blend right in and stick out like a sore thumb at the same time. It was then that Rupert swore, recognizing the boy playing the guitar with the band.
"Bloody Hell!"
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Paris, France
Dawn Summers thought that experiencing a Paris collage was the best thing ever. Also being over a thousand miles apart from her over-fretting sister was a bonus too (knowing that Buffy would never be prepared to let her grow up, even though she had her own child to worry about!)
Some of her new dorm friends had invited her to a party that was supposed to be killer. It surprised her that they also planed to watch a concert on the television. Laughing her gut out only made them confused until she told them that her brother in law was the band's drummer. Bragging rights all round.
But it was until one of the girls, Gretchen, had told them that there was some cute young guy on guitar that brought them all to attention. While the other girls just stood there and slobbered, Dawn sat silently staring at the screen. So many memories that one face held for her. It was only a soft whisper of a name that seemed to confirm it for her.
"Spike?"
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Dublin, Ireland
Willow Rosenberg had once again been experimenting with astral travel. It didn't really matter where she ended up, only that she didn't strain herself to stay in a place longer then her powers would allow. It shocked her that the one place she would end up would be at the ex's/best friend's husband's concert. She was glad that Oz wouldn't know she was here, as that would have caused a whole heap load of problems.
But her magic sensors went of the charts. Major mojo here tonight. There was someone here at the concert that whiled some really powerful magic. Searching through the unknowing crowds, Willow worked her way up to the stage. She felt thing, knew things. She heard a voice on stage that sounded so familiar and it wasn't any one of her old friends. Something new, but also old. Turning Willow saw what nearly stopped her heart.
Waking up back in her bed thousands of miles away, Willow was panting for breath. Shock at what she had just saw and experienced.
"Oh My Goddess"
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Los Angeles, California, U.S.A
The dark figure dance in circles of joy, as if celebrating some wonderful event. She sang with a voice like shattering glass and the chiming of bells. Dressed in gothic funeral black with scarlet and silver trim, Drusilla stared up at the stars and smiled. They told her things, things that were unknown to the rest of the world.
Giggling madly, she started walking. Knowing that she could find some pathetic little mortal to take her to her destination and then eat them as a snack. Her prize awaited her on the other side of the city and she would have to go and claim it now before it ran away on her. Humming a tune, Drusilla whispered to herself of what was to come.
"Soon you'll be mine, my sweet little William. You made mommy wait twelve years, but we'll make up for that. Don't you worry, when mommy finds you again, we'll be together forever"
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* ~*~*~*~*~*~*
When the concert was over, William had managed to slip out the back before any of his new 'fans' were able to get a hold of him. He had ran into Darcy on the way out who told him how excellent he was up there, like he belonged (and also about how many girls had been giggling about who cute he was). It was worth it.
But now it was time to get home because it was already after dark and everything that goes bump in the night would be out by now. Although it wasn't like he didn't know how defend himself. He had learned martial arts with Angel and Gunn along with his magic practice with Wesley, the sciences with Winnie and guitar lessons with Lorne. Though nothing could have prepared him for the shadow that followed him.
William could feel the unnatural eyes burning into him, although he didn't know where they were. He heard a laugh from behind him and when her turned around, no one was there. When he turned back though, he almost screamed to find himself staring face to face with his worst nightmare.
Cloaked in black and red Drusilla stood before him, smiling that insane little smile that he so well remembered from that night all those years ago.
"Hello sweet William. You didn't think I would forget about you? I told you that the stars this day would come. Oh my sweet little boy"
William was backing away from the crazy vampire. All those horrid nightmares of her were coming back to him full force. He looked in all directions and seen that there was nobody around and didn't think that any of the Dingoes would be coming out the back any time soon.
Drusilla moved towards him with her super speed and grabbed his arm. William had to think quickly and do a flip around fast to brake her grip. While he wasn't prepared for her next attack, she was able to snare him from behind and lock one arm firmly around his chest. When he tried to use his magic however, he found that it just frizzled and zapped uselessly as though she had found a way to become immune to its power.
"Oh poor little thing" she cooed petting his hair. "You look so handsome when you're scared"
He struggled to escape, but she held on crushingly tight. Then he felt a strange tingling sensation and realized that he was converting back to his feline body. Drusilla was unfazed by the teen's transformation and actually watched with fascination as the fur rippled out over his body, his ears elongate, fangs, claws and whiskers grow in and the tail protrude out below his waist.
"So the little kitty is back, me precious kitty" she giggled.
"Let me go you crazy loon" William finally growled.
"Why would I want to do that? I've waited long enough to get my present, my prize. You're old enough now for me to take you. So hold still, this will only hurt for a second" her cold non-existents breathe on the side his neck.
William knew instantly what Drusilla had planed for him and struggled ever harder. He was just about to brake free of her when she sunk her fangs into his throat.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Cliffhanger! Well I hope it was worth the wait. I am so happy that I was able to write out my longest chapter yet! I might have run on a little, but all of it had to go into this chapter because the next contains other things of vital importance. Oh and I'm sorry if I spelt some things wrong too.
I would like to thank all the fans of this fiction, but especially to Angelfirenze for some ideas back in chapter six and to Tia for giving me the inspiration to keep writing. Please review! *Later*
IT'S FINALLY HERE!! Well I have reached the pivotal point in my story and for a warning to everyone; twelve years in my story have past since the last (so things will have changed for William and the crew at Wolfram & Hart). I wanted to show the struggle of teenage years and what 'comes' with it for the rest of the story. One new character will join the 'cast' and a few other minor characters will be added as well. I hope that I will not disappoint any readers with the changes to come, also the genre of the story will become Humor/Supernatural/Angst. * Later *
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Chapter Nine ~ Joyous and Disastrous Occasions
July 23rd, 2015 - Midsummer's Day
"Happy Birthday William!"
"Thanks Win"
"So blow out the candles"
"Aren't I a little too old for that"
"You are only sixteen young man, so you blow out those candles"
"Yes ma'am!"
William hurriedly blew out the sixteen candles that sat upon the top of the large chocolate cake. Such were all the fun of these family get togethers (Fred forcing William to do what he's told). At least he was only sixteen and he could bug Angel about being nearly two hundred and sixty with gray hair (he had personally bestowed those through irreversible magic to the broody vampire).
"William, would you come over here please"
That caught his attention. It was Angel calling him and the vampire hardly ever used the word 'please' in a sentence directed to him. Absently shrugging his shoulders, he went to go find out what was so important.
"I am beginning to believe that you are old enough for 'this' responsibility," Angel started as the boy arrived. "And I know you have been pestering me for years about 'this', so - I've finally given in"
"You don't mean it. Your pulling my strings, aren't you?" William breath seemed to have been sucked right out of his throat with disbelief.
"I do and it's yours. Happy birthday William" Angel smirked, tossing a pair of keys to the befuddled teen.
"OH MY GOD! Thank you, thank you, and thank you! You're the greatest! I'll try not to bug you for a month"
Everyone watched the ecstatic teen bouncing up and down with glee as he rushed around the office to show everyone what Angel gave him for his birthday. Wesley walked over to Angel and with the critical look of a parent, demanded to know what it was.
"What did you give him?"
"The Viper" Angel replied mildly.
"You have got to be kidding me! He's only sixteen and you go and give him a car for his birthday? What were you thinking!?"
"Wes, I thought you knew that it wasn't in Angel's genetic makeup to kid around" Gunn interjected. "And I thought that getting him that Dingo's C.D. would be his favorite present, go figure"
Angel purposely ignored Gunn's comment and calmly answered the gaping ex-watcher "Thinking that know I have his undying gratitude and if he pesters me, I can take it away" he snickered at his own thoughts of pulling the wool over William's eyes with this one.
Suddenly a loud commotion from the elevators caught the attention of the room's occupants.
"MOM YOU CAN'T DO THIS TO ME!"
"You'll do as I say young man and don't you make me get out the leash, because I will"
A blond woman was trying to drag a young strawberry-blond boy out of the elevator, but the kid was holding on to the door for dear life.
"But dad's concert starts in an hour and when you start talking to 'old' friends, it lasts forever!"
"I'm going to give you till the count of ten. 1, 2, 3 -"
The boy let go of the door and was dragged into the room.
"Oh yes, anything for you oh great and mighty Slayer" he dropped to his knees and preformed a mock bow in front of her, before she grabbed him by the scruff the neck and hauled him over t were Angel and the others were standing.
"Sorry about the excess baggage" she apologized and turning to Angel "Hello Angel, long time no see"
Angel was stunned speechless by the entrance of the woman and her son and the fact that she was the only woman he had ever really loved.
"Oh so 'this' is Buffy!? Excellent, I finally get to meet the Slayer that whipped the great poofter into submission!"
Buffy was currently looking all over the room for the source of the familiar voice that had greeted them, while Angel groaned at the unpleasant return entry William back into the office. She was completely caught off guard when the feline boy gripped her in an unexpected hug. She threw him off a split second later, sending the changeling teen across the room to land neatly on his feet and to grin lopsidedly at her.
"Always pick the sassy ones, Angel old boy?" William snickered. "I can't believe you survived this one, oh wait she did kill you once though!"
Angrily Buffy grabbed him by the shirtfront and hauled him off his feet.
"Who are you?" she demanded.
"Down girl! I am William Lancaster, at your lady's service" he pulled himself from her grip and delicately kissed her hand.
"What are you?"
"Went me to be specific or not? I am a magic induced changeling child, minor scientist, linguist, guitarist, and hereditary watcher. Oh and did I mention that I was also a mage?"
Buffy stared at the boy as if she was waiting for him to continue and she was about to say something when Knox came bursting in that the conversation got destructed.
Glaring at the teen, the disheveled scientist shouted "Are you trying to burn the inter building down? That damned concoction you have on the Bunsen burner is going to go up in flames any minute now if you don't go and tend to it!"
Snarling, he turned and left the room. William however had a look of almost pure horror written across his face.
"My potion!" William took off in a run towards the lab, pushing people aside as he went.
As he left, Buffy's son went after him, yelling "Don't leave me with her! You have no idea how bad she is!" as he went.
After a few moments of silence, Angel cleared his throat and turned his attention to Buffy.
"So what are you doing here Buffy?"
"What, not even a hello in return? I know it's been nearly thirteen years since I last saw you, but don't you think that's a little shallow?"
"No Buffy, I was just surprised to see you. Having that every birthday William has brings some kind of supernatural force to Wolfram & Hart"
"So who is he any way" the Slayer asked.
"Well that matter is complicated. Fred adopted him and the five of use raised him. Any way, why don't you come to my office so we can finish this conversation in peace"
* Inside Angel's office *
"So you have a child of your own now"
"Oh yes, Darcy. He's a handful"
"He smelt strange"
"Okay, gross to the smelling thing and of course he would smell strange to a vampire, he's a werewolf"
"How?"
"Hereditary" she replied simply. "I married Oz"
"You married Oz!?"
"Yes. Going on eleven years now. But that's history, what about you?"
Angel squirmed just enough at that question for Buffy to notice.
"What?" she demanded.
"Well things have just been strange" he tried to weasel out of this one, but he knew that Buffy wouldn't drop the subject.
"Like adopting a mortal child that's half cat?"
"He wasn't always mortal"
* Oops *
"What's that suppose to mean?"
"Nothing"
Buffy stood up fast from her armchair and turned to glare right at Angel and if looks could kill, Angel would be bursting into flames.
"Don't you dare try to pull one over on me Angel. Now I want to know what's dirty little secret you have that you wont tell me"
"Fine. Spike came back" he finally relented to the angry Slayer.
She stood there in front of him silent. Disbelieving of the words that had just come out of the vampire's mouth. She just could not process.
"What - what did you say?" she managed to stutter.
"I said he came back, but isn't the same person anymore. He was reborn" that wasn't exactly the truth but Angel knew she would fall for it.
"Tell me everything"
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"What is that stuff?"
William paced back and forth, waiting impatiently from the liquid to cool in the glass beaker. This boy, the Slayer's son wasn't bad company and actually thought he has sort of funny.
"It's an appearance altering potion. If consumed by someone that is either not human or does not look human will gain the appearance of a human. Not to say that you could make yourself look like a someone famous, but just what you would look like if you yourself were human" he replied, stopping to add gentle cooling charm around the beaker.
"Cool. So what's it like to be a cat?" the boy asked with curiosity.
"What's it like to be a werewolf?" William countered.
The boy gapped and stuttered "How - how did you know that?"
"Dog aren't the only animal with an excellent sense of smell mate"
"Oh sorry, forgot about that"
"No problem. Well I'm William as you know, so would you care to tell me your name?"
"I'm Darcy Osbourne"
"Nice to meet you, well anyway this potion in cool enough so I'll be saying good bye to you because I am going to cruse L.A in my new car!" William smirked and picked up the beaker.
"Take me with you! You can't leave me with my mother and her ex!" Darcy cried. "Wait if you get me out of here and take me to the Dingo's concert, I can get you in for free because my dad's the drummer!"
William nearly dropped the beaker. He slowly turned to stare at him, not believing what had just left the boy's mouth.
"Your joking aren't you mate? You mean if I take you to the concert, you'll get me in free?" he whispered.
"Never with a five mile radius of my mother. No I really do mean it"
"Then you're on mate!"
William brought the beaker up to his lips and downed it in one gulp. A pins and needles sensation shot through him. He felt his body 'ripple' as the change started. He could feel everything. First his hair receded, then his teeth shrank, his claws dulled, his ears rounded, his tail vanished and his eyes swirled and became natural human orbs.
He quick brushed Darcy aside and went strait from his mother's office that contained a full-length mirror. What he saw amazed him. Standing before him was a normal looking teenage boy. He was tall (about 5`11) with lightly tanned skin, high cheekbones, unruly tawny hair, ice blue eyes and beheld the thick jagged scar that ran through his left eye that he got when he was four. He smirked at his image, he was a good-looking human, not that he didn't look good as a cat, but this just seemed right.
"So how do I look?"
William knew that Darcy was standing behind without even looking.
"Disturbingly normal"
"It that suppose to be a good thing or a bad thing?"
"Well how am I suppose to know!" Darcy replied dimly.
William started to head towards the exit, but had to stop and motion for Darcy to follow him.
"Well come on! We will have to tell the 'elders' where we are going or they'll freak, well I know they freak if I disappear"
Darcy snickered and started to follow the older boy. "Your right, my mom would have a bird"
They left and started out to find Angel and they knew that Buffy would be with him. After checking a few places, William figured it would be the most obvious place: Angel's office.
* Enter Angle's Office *
"Tell me everything"
They had just barged in on the middle of Buffy and Angel's conversation. The two adults turned at the sound of the disturbance and stopped dead.
"Hey Soul Boy, Slayer! The wolfboy and I are going to the Dingo's concert and don't worry, well be on our best behavior" William flashed a dashing smile at them from the door.
Darcy ran over to his mother and gave her a kiss on the cheek.
"Love ya mom!"
Then as suddenly as the duo had arrived in the office, they were gone. Angel was left speechless for having seen just seen William looking normal, human and like a younger Spike, while Buffy, startled both from the kiss from Darcy and the boy that looked like Spike, Having taken too much shock for one day, the slayer fell backwards into a dead faint.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
For the next three minutes Angel knelt fanning Buffy with a case file, trying desperately to wake the unconscious Slayer. Angel cursed his bad luck, as she remained unresponsive. Giving up, he stood just as she opened her eyes. On instinct, her foot lashed out, catching his and toppling him to the floor beside her. Grumpily groaning, Buffy forced herself back up and to glare at Angel, how was rubbing a painful spot on the back of his head from the fall.
"Who was that?" the Slayer whispered dangerously.
"Umm, well that was William" he replied.
"That can not be William! William looks like a bloody cat, for heaven's sake that was Spike!" she snarled back.
"Yes and that is it in a nutshell Buffy. William 'is' Spike"
Angel really regretted having to saying it so bluntly to her. The look on her expression was unreadable, but her face paled drastically it compassion to her summer tan.
"Tell me" she asked
"It's a long story"
"Then make it short"
"After the destruction of Sunnydale, Spike ended up here with as a ghost. After a few months of being everyone's favorite poltergeist, he became corporeal. A few months after that, well that was my fault. We had a vengeance demon here and Spike tried to warn me to make sure nobody made any wishes, but I thought he was only there to annoy me so I said some things that ended having a misinterpreted wish and Spike becoming a child" Angel began.
"Anyway we've had to deal with William for twelve years now, ever since he was four. Things were so out of hand but we managed starting with me adopting him and when that got to be to much, giving over the adoption rights to Fred. I'm sorry I didn't end up telling you sooner," he concluded.
"I should stake you, you know that" she sighed sitting heavily into her armchair.
"I know, but I only ask one thing from you. Don't tell him the truth. We are waiting for the right time and this isn't it"
"Fine" Buffy put her head in her hands and looked towards the door. "I just hope he doesn't get ---- into too much trouble"
"He will" Angel laughed. "Trouble is his specialty"
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
William and Darcy sat listening to music as they headed through the crowded streets of Los Angeles in William's Viper. The concert was going to be a blast, tickets had been sold out months ago and there was well over a thousand people there to see it, the normal and the supernatural. It was easy for Darcy to smuggle the both of them past the guard and back stage to the band. Darcy was enthusiastic about introducing his new friend to his father and William was also ecstatic about getting to meet his favorite band. But when they got there, things were far from all right.
Oz was slumped into a chair, speaking on his cell phone. The rest of the band was gathered around look rather confused at Oz's distress and were waiting patiently for him to finish the call. When he was finished, he sighed and turned to all of them and shock his head.
"We are going to have to cancel" he muuterd
"What!" everybody in the band cried out in unison, horrified by the announcement.
"Why dad?" Darcy asked, asserting himself into the group to let his father know he was there.
Oz whirled around to stare down at his son.
"Darcy, what are you doing here? I thought you were with your mother?"
"I was dad, but - " Darcy began.
"You didn't run off on her did you? You know she'll ground you till your thirty if you did"
"Well I - " the boy stuttered in front of his father.
"Did you or didn't you?" Oz demanded.
"I brought him sir and yes his mother knows he's are here" William quickly piped up, stepping in to bail his new friend out of trouble.
Now when Oz turned to look at William, the teen had to jump backwards because of the expression that crossed over the elder werewolf's face - a look of pure undiluted hatred and William had never seen anyone look upon him like that in is inter life. Not even glares from Angel or Gunn could rival that.
"Umm, I did something wrong didn't I?" he stammered, continuing to move away.
Oz took only taken one menacing step towards the startled teen when Darcy lunged between his father and his friend.
"Dad what is wrong with you!" he yelled.
"But he's." Oz started with a growl, his voice full of malice.
"You must have me mistaken from someone else sir" William gulped. "You did sort of meet me once when I was seven, but I look a completely different at the time. I'm William, William Lancaster"
When Oz didn't respond, William tried some more.
"I was the cat boy with Lorne in the Entertainment Department at Wolfram & Hart! Winifred Burkle is my adoptive mother!"
Oz stopped and looked William over critically then nodded.
"Well you sure do smell like a cat and the same child I did meet years ago, so I'm dreadful sorry I made the accusation against you. It's only that you look near identical to a someone that tried to kill me and my friend when I was in high school"
"Well that's kinda a stretch dad, he's only sixteen. He wouldn't even have been alive then"
"He was a vampire"
"Oh"
They were quite from a few more moments, before Darcy broke the silence.
"So why do you have to cancel the concert dad?"
The band agreed with the boy wholly, shouting out for confirmation.
"Robby was in a car accident a few hours ago, he's in stable condition" Oz confirmed.
"So no lead guitarist right?" Darcy muttered.
"Yes and we don't have anyone else that knows how to play his parts" Devon added for Oz.
"I know how to play those parts"
Everyone turned to William and looked at him all differently with varied looks of shock, confusion and relief.
"And you know them how?" Oz asked.
"Bloody hell, you guys are my favorite band! And when you have mage craft at your own disposal, you use it. I used it to get the cords and lyrics so I could play the songs. Oh and the guitar has always been my chief instrument anyway" directly William told them.
"Well them you take Robby's part. We are on in ten"
They all left William in shocked astonishment to prepare for the show. Darcy had to shake him a couple times before he actually woke back up to the world. He turned to the boy and smiled weakly, panic already beginning to bubble up to the surface of his demeanor. Never in his life had he ever had to stand in front of so many people and to make worse on live television!
"Don't worry" Darcy encouraged him. "You'll do great!"
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
William stood on the stage with the rest of the Dingo's, his fingers nervously plucking at the strings of his guitar. The roar of the crowd was making his heart pound and his pounding heart was making him dizzy. He felt like he was going to faint, but when Oz gave him a thumbs up for support, it eased slightly. So many people. If he screwed up, he thought he might just die of embarrassment.
Then he got the signal from Oz and instinctively started to play. It seemed like 'magic', it was magic far greater then his mage gift. It was magic. The crowd cheered, not caring that someone new was playing the part of the lead guitarist, they loved it. Then the song actually started.
"Please don't fear me darling, its only the pain I feel inside. I don't know how to tell you baby, it's so hard to see you like this.
Wild at heart, I'm so wild that I cry, please don't take the pain away; it's the only thing that makes me real.
I'd give up the world to see your face, smiling back on me. I know I'll never gain your trust, but trust me just this once. I'm wild at heart, oh I'm wild at heart, don't know how, but it makes me feel; it makes me feels for you"
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* ~*~*~*~*~*~*
Orlando, Florida
Xander Harris sat in front of his big-screen TV, ready to watch Oz's concert live. Longing back on his couch, the thought of not 'being' there irked him big time. He hated his string of bad luck at late; having not been able to buy a ticket on time before they were all sold out. Although it's not like he would have been able to see much of Buffy anyway, who was going to be visiting Angel for the first time in years. But there was always Darcy to hang out with. The kid was cool.
Silently Xander watch the cameras go in for a close-up of the band and he saw something that just didn't fit the picture. There was a teenager playing Robby's position perfectly. It just didn't make sense; Robby never let anyone play his parts. Looking more closely at the screen, Xander nearly choked on his drink. The teenager on TV had a face that he so well remembered.
"Oh My God"
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Bath, England
It had happened by mistake that on the other side of the world that Rupert Giles had started watching the television. Having just finished reading one of his favorite Jules Vern books for the millionth time, he had thrown it down onto the table. The book had inadvertently struck the remote control, turning on the TV.
It hadn't really been the fact that the Dingo's concert was on that certain channel, but the person that the camera was focused on. He seemed to blend right in and stick out like a sore thumb at the same time. It was then that Rupert swore, recognizing the boy playing the guitar with the band.
"Bloody Hell!"
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Paris, France
Dawn Summers thought that experiencing a Paris collage was the best thing ever. Also being over a thousand miles apart from her over-fretting sister was a bonus too (knowing that Buffy would never be prepared to let her grow up, even though she had her own child to worry about!)
Some of her new dorm friends had invited her to a party that was supposed to be killer. It surprised her that they also planed to watch a concert on the television. Laughing her gut out only made them confused until she told them that her brother in law was the band's drummer. Bragging rights all round.
But it was until one of the girls, Gretchen, had told them that there was some cute young guy on guitar that brought them all to attention. While the other girls just stood there and slobbered, Dawn sat silently staring at the screen. So many memories that one face held for her. It was only a soft whisper of a name that seemed to confirm it for her.
"Spike?"
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Dublin, Ireland
Willow Rosenberg had once again been experimenting with astral travel. It didn't really matter where she ended up, only that she didn't strain herself to stay in a place longer then her powers would allow. It shocked her that the one place she would end up would be at the ex's/best friend's husband's concert. She was glad that Oz wouldn't know she was here, as that would have caused a whole heap load of problems.
But her magic sensors went of the charts. Major mojo here tonight. There was someone here at the concert that whiled some really powerful magic. Searching through the unknowing crowds, Willow worked her way up to the stage. She felt thing, knew things. She heard a voice on stage that sounded so familiar and it wasn't any one of her old friends. Something new, but also old. Turning Willow saw what nearly stopped her heart.
Waking up back in her bed thousands of miles away, Willow was panting for breath. Shock at what she had just saw and experienced.
"Oh My Goddess"
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Los Angeles, California, U.S.A
The dark figure dance in circles of joy, as if celebrating some wonderful event. She sang with a voice like shattering glass and the chiming of bells. Dressed in gothic funeral black with scarlet and silver trim, Drusilla stared up at the stars and smiled. They told her things, things that were unknown to the rest of the world.
Giggling madly, she started walking. Knowing that she could find some pathetic little mortal to take her to her destination and then eat them as a snack. Her prize awaited her on the other side of the city and she would have to go and claim it now before it ran away on her. Humming a tune, Drusilla whispered to herself of what was to come.
"Soon you'll be mine, my sweet little William. You made mommy wait twelve years, but we'll make up for that. Don't you worry, when mommy finds you again, we'll be together forever"
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* ~*~*~*~*~*~*
When the concert was over, William had managed to slip out the back before any of his new 'fans' were able to get a hold of him. He had ran into Darcy on the way out who told him how excellent he was up there, like he belonged (and also about how many girls had been giggling about who cute he was). It was worth it.
But now it was time to get home because it was already after dark and everything that goes bump in the night would be out by now. Although it wasn't like he didn't know how defend himself. He had learned martial arts with Angel and Gunn along with his magic practice with Wesley, the sciences with Winnie and guitar lessons with Lorne. Though nothing could have prepared him for the shadow that followed him.
William could feel the unnatural eyes burning into him, although he didn't know where they were. He heard a laugh from behind him and when her turned around, no one was there. When he turned back though, he almost screamed to find himself staring face to face with his worst nightmare.
Cloaked in black and red Drusilla stood before him, smiling that insane little smile that he so well remembered from that night all those years ago.
"Hello sweet William. You didn't think I would forget about you? I told you that the stars this day would come. Oh my sweet little boy"
William was backing away from the crazy vampire. All those horrid nightmares of her were coming back to him full force. He looked in all directions and seen that there was nobody around and didn't think that any of the Dingoes would be coming out the back any time soon.
Drusilla moved towards him with her super speed and grabbed his arm. William had to think quickly and do a flip around fast to brake her grip. While he wasn't prepared for her next attack, she was able to snare him from behind and lock one arm firmly around his chest. When he tried to use his magic however, he found that it just frizzled and zapped uselessly as though she had found a way to become immune to its power.
"Oh poor little thing" she cooed petting his hair. "You look so handsome when you're scared"
He struggled to escape, but she held on crushingly tight. Then he felt a strange tingling sensation and realized that he was converting back to his feline body. Drusilla was unfazed by the teen's transformation and actually watched with fascination as the fur rippled out over his body, his ears elongate, fangs, claws and whiskers grow in and the tail protrude out below his waist.
"So the little kitty is back, me precious kitty" she giggled.
"Let me go you crazy loon" William finally growled.
"Why would I want to do that? I've waited long enough to get my present, my prize. You're old enough now for me to take you. So hold still, this will only hurt for a second" her cold non-existents breathe on the side his neck.
William knew instantly what Drusilla had planed for him and struggled ever harder. He was just about to brake free of her when she sunk her fangs into his throat.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Cliffhanger! Well I hope it was worth the wait. I am so happy that I was able to write out my longest chapter yet! I might have run on a little, but all of it had to go into this chapter because the next contains other things of vital importance. Oh and I'm sorry if I spelt some things wrong too.
I would like to thank all the fans of this fiction, but especially to Angelfirenze for some ideas back in chapter six and to Tia for giving me the inspiration to keep writing. Please review! *Later*