Pretty Dollies: Our Girl

Part 6

Author's Note: Just saw Van Helsing this weekend. Loved it!!! I would definitely recommend it for the great action (if not for the less-than-stellar script)

            "So what's the diagnosis Dr. Will?" Xander asked.  He had come over to apologize and hopefully make Buffy less mad at him.  Now he was huddled with the other Scoobies on one side of the basement.  Willow walked over from the other side where Spike sat on Guindeviere's bed, the still trembling child unconscious in his arms.

            "Far as I can tell, she's violently claustrophobic.  Somehow she got shut in the closet and had some kind of panic attack.  Poor Gwinnie…"

            Buffy nodded slightly and glanced over at Spike and Gwinnie.  He was stroking her hair tenderly and murmuring something to her.  She convulsed, wrenching away from him, but he held her close to him, keeping her from jerking around too much.  He looked so worried…

            "Will she be okay?"

            "I think so…she's just traumatized, there isn't really any physical damage."  They all nodded slightly, and almost on cue, Gwinnie sat up with a start.

            "Daddy? Daddy?!"

            "I'm here precious, right here, 's alright, I'm here," he kissed her forehead and she clung to him tightly.

            "I was frightened.  I thought when I woke up you might not be here…like last time…"

            "Last time?"  Everyone stared at the small child.

            "Spike?" Buffy shifted her gaze, staring at him now, eyes full of questions.  He sighed slightly.

            He sighed and put out his cigarette with some regret.  Nothing good was going to come of this.  Stirring up the locals, obvious murders, he didn't know what Drusilla was thinking.  She was just begging for a mob to come after them.  Of course, it was entirely likely she was doing just that.  She found mobs exciting and invigorating…even when they were after her.  He didn't usually mind, he could protect Drusilla if need be, and she was perfectly capable of protecting herself.  But it was different now.  They had her with them.  And he wasn't going to let his little girl get hurt.  He turned his head and called back to the dawdling girl.

            "Come on, luv.  Just a bit farther."

            "Where are you taking me Daddy?" she giggled and skipped over the streets.  He allowed himself a small smile at her antics, but continued to hurry  her along.  If a mob started, he wanted his Gwinnie in a perfectly safe place.

            "It's a surprise, ducky."

            "So you drugged her and locked her in a basement?" Buffy asked, disgust and horror clear on her pretty features.  Spike growled quietly.

            "You're making it sound worse than it was!  I didn't think she would be there for more than a few days, maybe hours.  Just until those crazy townsfolk settled down.  It's not like I was trying to hurt her, I was trying to keep her safe!"

            "She's claustrophobic!"
            "Well I didn't bleedin' know that!" He roared furiously.  Buffy stepped back instinctively.  Spike hung his head and massaged his temples gently.

            "I'm sorry, Buffy.  I lost my temper."

            "That's all right," she replied somewhat cautiously.  Spike looked back at her, hurt etched onto his face.

            "Not you Buffy…not you too.  All your wretched Scoobies are scared; think I'm some kind of sodding time bomb.  Don't you go thinking it too."

            "I don't," she said too quickly.  She looked at him guiltily and saw that he knew she was lying too.

            "You didn't have to do this, not with all that's happened today," Willow protested as everyone filed into the Summers' living room with their colorful gifts.

            "No complaining.  It's your birthday, and you are going to celebrate it," Buffy said firmly, setting her present down rather forcefully.  It clanked loudly and she winced.

            "Might as well celebrate all birthdays that don't end in widespread mayhem," Spike earned himself a whack and ducked away, "Just an observation."  Willow laughed and the opening began.

            "Mine first!" Anya shoved her gift towards Willow who picked up the card.

            "'Have a very happy commemoration ceremony of your day of birth! Toodles, Anya.'  Oh…slug candles.  How sweet."  Anya beamed.

            "My turn, my turn!" Buffy cried happily as Willow unwrapped hers.

            "'Happy Birthday Wills, UR A QT! Kisses, Buffy' Oh cool, an incense burner! Thanks Buffy!"

            "Me next," Xander presented his present with flourish.

            "'For my friend on her happy day…Xandman P.S I know An is getting you slug candles, so here's something extra special '  This is really big, it's, oh Xander you didn't!!" Willow squealed with delight as she discovered a hand-crafted altar for her bedroom.  Xander grinned as he was hugged furiously.

            "I-I have one too."  Willow carefully took the package from Tara's hands and nervously unwrapped it.  They hadn't really been on speaking terms since she had revealed the memory-spell she did.  A lovely rose-quartz shaped into a heart fell into her lap.  It was looped onto a thin piece of string; a necklace.

            "Oh, Tara…it's gorgeous, I love it," She fumbled with the wrapping paper before leaning over and shyly kissed Tara's cheek.  Tara blushed, but smiled back.  Willow felt a swell of happiness.  This was the best birthday ever!  She unwrapped Spike's present (A T-shirt that read "Wicca Bitch" in ancient runes) and Dawn's (Some crystals) without paying much attention.  Tara loved her again!  The bad time was over! She wouldn't lose her!
            "I have a present too." Gwinnie jumped down from her protected place on Spike's lap and set her gift down in front of Willow.  Willow opened it, curious as to what could be inside.  It was a shiny, hard-cover book with loopy script emblazing a title across the rosy cover: The Magic of Passion (Spells for Lovers).  She stared down at it, bewildered for a moment.  She knew…a voice in Willow's head whispered.  She knew this whole time…knew that Tara forgave you.  That's impossible! Willow shouted back at herself how could she know? Unless she had a part in it…the voice replied slyly.  Is she manipulating us?  Messing with our relationships…what's the plan here?

That would be all for the moment. RRR!!