Chapter Three – Hints

"James, stop being an ass and get out here now!"

"No, I'm making a list on the top ten things that'll pester a girl I know at school"

"You like her or something?"

"Hell no! She's an outright bloody awful lil bint"

Spike waited impatiently for his brother the get out of his 'cellar bedroom' under his crypt. Finally James came out grinning and waved the list in front of Spike's face.

"I'm out William" he snickered. "You want to read it?"

Spike grabbed the sheet of paper from the teen's hand and started to read. After only a few lines, he started to laugh himself.

James Castles's Annoyance Tips

1. Follow her everywhere because she can't stand you
2. Embarrass her in front of her friends
3. Spread nasty rumors about her
4. 'Just be yourself'

"Don't you think you've overdone it this time?" Spike asked the brown haired teen.

James just replied with their trademark smirk and grabbed his coat.

"So, you help the slayer? How the mighty have fallen" James stopped and considered something for a moment before looking back at his brother. "You want to go kill something?"

"Hell yes, I've had to deal with you lately haven't I?"

"Oh yes, laugh it up"

They walked thought the cemetery, keeping their eyes and ears open for any sign of demons. It happened a few minutes later when James spotted a Drogarth demon and they tagged teamed it, killing it in less then two minutes top. It was then that James remembered most of what happened at school earlier that day.

"Hey William, guess what?"

"You're a pain in the arse?"

"No you ponce, I found out at damned school today that one of your poems was published"

Spike stopped in his tracks and stared at James incredulously.

"You're kidding me right?"

"No I'm not and the ditzy professor had to piss on my bonfire when I laughed out. I couldn't help it, it was just so funny!"

"Buffy! Why can't you just listen to me for once?"

They stooped at the sound of one very irate voice coming from the other side of the cemetery wall. Seconds later they slayer stormed in with Dawn hot on her heals. James grimaced at the sight of the slayer's kid sister and Spike felt positively in the wrong place at the wrong time, seen as Buffy had only kissed him just a little more then two hours ago. The second that the two Summers girls saw them, they ceased bickering and went silent... well Buffy did anyway.

"You! Why do where ever I go you have to be there too?" Dawn shrieked with pent up anger, shooting daggers at her new arch nemesis

"Same to you too luv!" James retorted hotly. "You think I really want to associated with a wet nosed school girl that cant seem to keep her mouth shut!"

"Me!? You were the one that started all of this!"

"Because of Sunday night? Oh how rich of you, I only asked you why you would be stupid enough to prance about at night!"

Buffy and Spike looked at each other as if the other knew what had provoked this sudden outburst of rage from both parties. Seeing that neither of them had a clue, they knew that they would have to do something before any blood was spilt.

"So, you two have meet?" Buffy asked feeling odd now that she was stand with the two teens that made up the same mystical energy force.

"Its apparent, isn't it pet?" Spike frowned.

But the two teens were oblivious to the comments of their elders, both letting off a colorful string of curses at each other.

"Moron!"

"Cabbage head!"

"Ugly!"

"Bint!"

"Impotent prick!"

Dawn had earned a low blow, but James was able to come back with the ultimate comeback.

"Whore!"

The curses hit a stand still after that one. Dawn's mouth hung open and James literately had fire in his eyes. The cold blue of his eyes flashed a feral gold and then a strange glowing green and was gone. James glowered at her was an anger so fierce that even he had a hard time controlling it. Sensing this Buffy grabbed a hold of Dawn and dragged the girl back. Spike noted that his brother must have been tapping into his soulless rage, which could sometimes leap over to the younger Castles when infuriation was at its peak. So then He too took a hold of James and dragged him back also.

"Well this was a nice meeting don't you think?"

"Buffy" Dawn whispered and gestured to the two. "What are they doing here together?"

Buffy sighed and went on to tell her sister that Spike and James were brothers. At the same time, Spike was telling James that Dawn was Buffy's sister. It was almost funny to see the looks of absolute horror and disgust flash across their faces that the same time.

"What you mean that bint is the slayer's sister?" James asked turning green.

"I think would be best if you two just set that aside for now and we all head over to the Magic Box" Buffy suggested, trying to force a smile.

"Buffy..." Spike said warningly.

"What? I'm not doing anything wrong" she protested at the steel in the blond vampire's voice.

"What is up with the both of you?" Dawn asked, now interested in Buffy and Spike's unease.

"OCS" James snickered crossing his arms over his chest.

"OCS?"

"The Odd Couples Syndrome pet"

James lay on one of the tables in the Magic Box, absently tossing a ball up into the air. Boredom had hit him the second he met Rupert Giles. The aging watcher was more boring then stale bread, but at least he was more interesting then Dawn Summers. The endless string of questions had run to a trickle and the conversations came to an end. It had only been when he was leaving that he heard something that left him uneasy.

Spike had gone back to his crypt and Buffy and Giles where at the back of the shop having a conversation of their own that filled him with foreboding. Silently, he crept up and listened in without them noticing him.

"But Giles, how will we protect them from her?"

"I'm not sure. The book gives us limited information on both the Key and Glory. I think we should do our best to keep the both of them separated, then Glory will never find the both of them in order to open a portal"

"But what about during the day – we can't keep track of them every second of the day"

"We do have Spike"

"No, I don't want to get him involved in this"

"He does have a right to know Buffy... he is just as much a part off all this as you are. The both of you are the champions the book speaks about"

"How can you be so sure?"

"Because of logic. You need logic sometimes, you know. They Key of Darkness wouldn't have gone to anyone completely pure, so it makes sense. Please understand"

"I'll try Giles, I really will. But lets finish this later, when we have more information. Now I'm going to get Dawn and go home, it's been a long night"

"So it has. Good night Buffy"

"Good night Giles"

Thinking quickly James knelt down behind a bookcase as the slayer passed. He sighed knowing that Dawn hadn't seen him or he would have been screwed. They left and know all he had to worry about was getting out without Giles noticing him still here. He managed to slink away to the front door, pry it open noiselessly and slipped out. That conversation between the slayer and her watcher gave him the creeps and him getting even semi frightened was rare. So many thins... Glory, the Key, the Key of Darkness and what was it that they didn't want to tell William?

Dawn... they slayer's sister had something to do with this. He knew that it was only a matter of time before he found out and it would be the hard way...
See I do have the power! So how was it? Good I hope. To anyone who thinks this story will end up as Dawn/James, sorry do disappoint you, but they really do hate each other like siblings – which in a weird way they are. But I do plan to make is a Spike/Buffy, so bare with me. As for the language I used early, it was a given and I had to use it... my first real naught word in a story. Later!