Things Change
Chapter Seven

Author's Note: Again with the flashbacks. Like last time, I've signposted it all to make it clearer.

26 years previously (10 years before Grave)

He sat back and surveyed the vampire couple. The female was beautiful, flirtatious, and mad as the proverbial hatter. The male whose lap she was snuggled in had a smug grin on his face; his entire demeanour was that of charisma, intelligence and viciousness. He knew of them, in fact they had interested him for a while. He had a knack for seeing the big picture and a vampire with the Sight and another who had killed two Slayers already could only be good for his cause. The only problem was getting them to co-operate. The female was flighty - although that wasn't entirely her fault - and the male was notoriously stubborn and didn't like taking orders.

But Edward had his ways.

He also had the most modern instruments of torture. As well as the older ones, the classics - when you're immortal, you tend to pile them up a little. And Edward had a tendency to grow attached to his favourite implements.

"So," the male vampire began. "You're the Jackal, are you, mate?"

"I prefer Edward," he answered, lacing his fingers and smirking. "And, may I remind you, I am not your mate."

"No," the female vampire murmured. "He has no mates, my sweet Spike, he is so alone," she stood up and danced toward Edward. "The darkness engulfs them. Psst, psst, psst. It calls to me, a deadly dance. May I dance, Spike, can I please?"

"You can that, Drusilla, pet," Spike answered. "First I want to know what Jack 'ere wants."

"Jackal," Edward told him coldly. "Or Edward. Though, Spike, I would prefer Master."

"Huh," Spike snorted. "Me an' my Princess don't call anyone Master, no matter what nasty rumours we've been hearing."

"Rumours?" Edward asked. "Intriguing. I'd like to know more, but now I'm more interested in the recruitment."

"Recruitment?" Drusilla asked. "Will there be a party afterwards? With lots of naughty games and tasty things to eat?"

"Only if you join me," Edward replied. "If not, you are on the menu, my dear."

"I don't like your tone, Edward," Spike snapped as he stood up and pushed Drusilla behind him. "You're the human here, me and me lady could take you apart."

Edward grinned and stood up slowly, studying Spike's deadly, confident and - to any other person - sinister stance.

Spike barely even knew Edward had moved before his back was pressed painfully into the wall. Edward smiled maniacally and gave a little shove against Spike's neck with the hand that pinned him to the wall. He could hear Drusilla humming wildly in the background and threw his arm out in a punch as she launched herself at him in an effort to save her lover. She stumbled backward and cupped her face; rocking and murmuring insanities to herself.

Spike snarled and slipped into game face. He kneed Edward hard in the crotch and pushed him away. He pinned him to the opposite wall in the same way Edward had pinned him.

"You're strong," Edward gasped through the pressure Spike held over his throat. "But not strong enough."

With a hard shove, Spike was on the floor, staring in disbelief at the impossibly strong and fast human. He was stronger and faster than the Slayers he had faced and they had been good. He wasn't -

"Human?" Edward asked, pacing in front of the vampires. "No, not quite. You see, I needed your help. I am my lady's only chance. I cannot help her yet, the magicks do not allow me - her most faithful and strong servant - to aid her just yet. I needed your help when - in a few years time - I shall go to the Hellmouth. A prophecy states I need certain things to bring my lady to full strength. It seems you will not co-operate. I could kill you, but I do so enjoy hearing of your antics. I believe you infiltrated the Watchers' Council. I shall do the same, only in a more undercover capacity, and this will aid my cause. So, I shan't kill you. But you really must forget your meeting with the Jackal, do you understand, Spike?"

"Bugger off," he snapped.

"Very well," Edward dragged Drusilla from the floor and held her head tightly between his hands. "You forget this, commit it to daydreams, or I twist your lover's head off."

"Don't. You. Dare."

"You can't stop me, try and I'll kill her. Do you agree to forget?"

Spike glared. He wasn't accustomed to being told what to do, but when Drusilla was in danger…

"Fine," he said and caught a distressed Drusilla as Edward tossed her towards him. "I never saw you, I've never even heard of the Jackal."

"Good man," Edward nodded, opening the door and smiling graciously. "You will never know how much I enjoyed this time together. If only we could do it again sometime."

Spike didn't answer as he swept Drusilla into his arms and strode out, cooing promises of a cruel hunt to reassure her.

Present day (16 years after Grave)

"It means you're accepted," Buffy smiled.

"She said I look underfed," Spike muttered.

"Then she gave you blood," Willow said, putting a box of cereal away, frowning at Dawn, who always seemed to slip back into being a teenager when she was in Sunnydale. That usually meant cereal at a time that isn't breakfast and not putting the box away.

"Which means she cares," Dawn said, slurping milk from her spoon.

"But I'm actually a world more comfortable with Chrissy hating Spike," Xander said eagerly. "Can we go back to that? It gave me warm fuzzies."

"Whelp's right," Spike murmured. "She hates me. Bet even Todd hates me."

"You'll find Todd's the generous type," Willow told him. "Chrissy's more…."

"Hostile to everyone but those she's known all her life," Xander finished.

"Shut up, Xander," Dawn poked him. "Hey, where's Ed?"

"Upstairs, I guess," Buffy frowned. "Anyone else see how weird he acted?"

"I thought it was normal," Xander shrugged.

Spike stood up abruptly and shoved his hands in his pockets.

"I'll uh, be going then."

"Leaving?" Dawn yelped. "Now? As in, out of town?"

"No, just somewhere to stay."

"You could stay here," Buffy offered quietly.

Xander gaped at her and Willow and Dawn exchanged excited glances. Dawn only just contained her squeal of delight and was mentally reminding herself to make sure she got Josh to come here to meet Spike.

Willow was pleased that Buffy was giving him a chance. She knew what he had done and she had hated him along with Xander and Dawn. Xander had almost delighted in presenting the evidence for Spike's evilness with a smug "I told you so." She only hated Spike until she realised it wasn't fair because hadn't she done something just as bad? Worse, because she had a soul and therefore no excuse?

But they had forgiven her and accepted her back into the group. She had known Buffy and Xander wouldn't want him back and she had worried that even Dawn had turned on him, that was until she had babysat Dawn and she revealed her concerns.

"I hate him for what he tried to do," Dawn had admitted. "But I still love him and I really miss him. Willow, will he ever come back?"

Willow had said yes he would and for years she had believed it, over time the belief had turned into hope and prayers that he would come back to see what he had waiting for him. Right now, she wasn't shocked by Dawn's happiness at seeing him or Xander's obvious aggression towards him, but she was amazed at how Buffy was acting around him. To tell the truth, Willow had been amazed at the change she had seen in Buffy over the last sixteen years. She had put it down to her demon-ness and motherhood, but she had never thought it would cause Buffy to accept Spike again.

Xander was pissed. He had never liked Spike. In fact, he had hated him, he thought he hated him more when he found out he had slept with Anya. But then he found out what he had tried to do to Buffy and that was when he truly knew what hate was and the awe consuming rage of it was directed solely at Spike. He had been reassured by the fact Buffy never spoke of him, to him that meant she never thought about him, never missed him.

But as he glared at Spike and saw the happy faces of Willow and Dawn and Buffy's soft expression toward her would be rapist, he remembered something….

"Aaahhh!" she screamed, "God!"

Xander panicked and cupped her hand in his, desperately trying to calm her down a little.

"Can't you do anything?" he screeched to the doctor.

"This is perfectly natural," the nurse told him over Buffy's yells.

Willow smiled at him from where she stood on Buffy's other side, smoothing her hair back and muttering reassurances that it would be over soon.

"Xander, you can go, I'll stay with her. Go and tell Giles and Dawn everything's fine."

"What if Dawn wants to come in?" Xander asked, closing his ears to Buffy's pain filled screams, cursing himself for saying she'd need a man there.

"She can, I guess," Willow said absently as she gritted her teeth when Buffy clenched her fist around Willow's hand.

Xander nodded and tugged his hand away as gently as possible before hurrying towards the doors. They swung open as another nurse came in and he caught a glimpse of Giles and Dawn sitting outside. He was just outside the doors and walking over to Giles and Dawn when he heard Buffy's tear filled moan of "Spike."

That memory, coupled with the revelation he received from Willow that Buffy had missed Spike for sixteen years, was all that kept his mouth shut.

"Really?" Spike raised his eyebrows. "Er, thanks, pet. I'll go on the sofa, you don't have to bother with anything, I'll be fine."

"No, I'll get some pillows and a blanket," Buffy said. "Mom always made up the couch when we had anyone to stay, she always said you should even if someone said they didn't need to."

They smiled gently at each other. The smiles were identical, but different from how they used to smile at each other. Spike had always smirked at her and Buffy couldn't remember ever smiling at him. It was new and somehow… it felt nice.

Spike sat on the couch and listened as Buffy and Dawn argued quietly upstairs over which sheets to use. Dawn was all for the floral ones.

"C'mon, Buffy, it'll be funny!"

Buffy on the other hand, thought the plain would be better.

"Ok, Dawn. We'll give Spike the floral and when Josh comes, I'll make sure to give him the floral ones too, or maybe the butterfly ones."

"Huh, like Josh would sleep on the couch."

"I have my ways," Buffy warned. "He can have the blue, ok? It's girlie blue, that better?"

"I guess."

Spike chuckled and shook his head. They really hadn't changed much, except the squabbles seemed friendlier than the ones he used to hear. He heard Buffy pull the sheets from the cupboard and walk down the hall to the stairs. There was a pause and the sound of a door being pushed open slightly. A groggy voice muttered goodnight and he heard Buffy return it. Dawn came downstairs first; smiling and bobbing like a young girl.

"Where're you sleepin'?" Spike asked, wondering if he had forced her onto the floor or something. He briefly thought she'd have her old room, but then he realised that was probably where Edward slept.

"Oh, me and Buffy share I room when I come to stay. It's fun, we can chat and stuff, it's like being a kid again."

He smiled; to him, she was still a kid, still his L'il Bit.

"So, when's your bloke showing up?"

"Josh?" Buffy asked, coming down the stairs. "You were gonna call him in the morning, weren't you, Dawn?"

"Yep," Dawn said, an obvious note of pride in her voice. "He just has to come now you're here, Spike. He knows all about you."

"All?" Spike asked.

"Oh, Josh knows about vampires and Slayers. I kinda had to fill him in when he found me kicking serious demon ass in a New York alley."

"Don't start now, Dawn," Buffy groaned as she waved Spike off the couch and began to place the pillows down and shake out the sheets. "You're as bad as Xander when you get going."

"Fine," Dawn huffed. She leaned over and kissed Spike's cheek, wrapping her arms around him. He was surprised, but held her tightly, rocking her a little. She pulled away and smiled. "Goodnight."

"Night, Niblet."

She rolled her eyes at the name and climbed the stairs to bed. Buffy chuckled and reached out to tug his coat from his shoulders. They jumped at the touch and looked away from each other.

"Your, uh, coat," Buffy said and he struggled out of it.

She took it and went to hang it in the closet where hers, Todd's and Chrissy's were. Her fingers brushed leather and she tugged it from beneath the heavy coats. Spike's latest leather jacket fell to the floor as she held the infamous duster. She swallowed as she took it into the living room and handed it to him. He jumped when it landed in his lap.

"What -"

"You left it here," she answered quietly. "I kept it, in case you…."

"Thanks, pet," Spike smiled. "That was…"

"Yeah."

"Yeah."

She nodded and hurried toward the stairs. He watched her go and then looked down at the jacket. Lydia would have loved to have seen him in this. When he thought this, loss swirled within him; he missed her so much. He wished she were here to give him some advice. He sighed and lay back, punching the pillows that his head rested on.

Yeah, he could have used some advice.

His mind was full of Buffy, Dawn, Chrissy and Todd. But something loomed in the sleepy daze that filled his mind as he dozed off.

It was Edward Thorpe.

Edward sneaked down the stairs, skipping the fifth stair because it creaked. For once, he wished he hadn't given his power, confidence and his ability to strike fear into the hearts of man, demon and Slayer with only a glance. Though his appearance - his lighter hair and eyes - was more charming, less sinister than when he had been the Jackal, he had none of the charisma he had once possessed.

He prayed that tonight his lady would say it was time and would hand his power back to him. He doubted it, after he had saved her almost seventeen years ago and willingly given her his power, she still was too weak to give it back.

But she would soon, she assured him of it.

Spike heard him creep to the door and twisted his head around to see who it was. He saw Edward pull on his long overcoat on and reach out to the door and sick realisation of who this man was hit him. He jumped up and grabbed him from behind, twisting him around and pushing him against the wall, steeling himself for the easy pain the Jackal would give him. None came and he continued to stare into the wide eyes of an ordinary man.

But it was the Jackal, lighter hair and eyes and his entire demeanour had changed, he no longer exuded power and insanity, he was just… normal.

"Jackal?" he asked in disbelief.

Edward stared at him. He had been found out. He had to leave, get away, his only chance was to get his power from his lady and wait for the correct time for the ritual to restore her. He drew himself up and glared at Spike, the shame he felt at his terror masked it slightly.

"I used to be," he snapped, knowing denial wouldn't work.

"What're you doin' here, you bastard?" Spike hissed. "With Buffy, Dawn and my children?"

"I came to help Buffy and the twins," he answered. "I know I used to be evil, Spike, but I swear I was stripped of my powers long ago. I wish them no harm, I swear it."

Spike growled and wrapped his hands around his neck.

He tried to snap it, but found he couldn't. He couldn't take a life, not even when it was a guy who had been the stuff of evil legend. He couldn't kill him, not now he was a not even a shadow of the man he had been.

The moment stretched as they stared at each other. Spike pulled his hands away and punched him, knocking him to the floor. Edward jumped up and punched his back, his anger overtaking the knowledge he was human, and his only power being his immortality.

They brawled, Edward not doing so well. Spike didn't even know why he was doing this, why he didn't just kill him, he could, he had no chip, it had been deactivated at the same time he had received his soul. But he knew he wanted to teach him a lesson, to make sure that Edward wouldn't touch his family, that he would get worse than this if he ever tried to hurt them. He kicked him hard in the stomach and Edward groaned. Spike pulled his foot back to kick him again, but he stopped. He grabbed Edward's arm and yanked him up.

"I don't care who you used to be," he told him in a low voice he hadn't used since the days before he acquired his soul. "And the only reason I don't kill you is because of this bloody soul. But if you ever come back here again, I will kill you, but it won't be quick. I'll kill you slowly, so slowly you'll beg for death. Angelus taught me a thing or two, so I know what I'm doing. Now go, get out of town, if I see you in California, I will kill you. And like I said before, it will be slow, Lydia always said I needed a hobby and you'll be it for a good long while if you don't leave now, understand?"

Edward nodded and Spike yanked the door open, kicking him outside.

Edward sat up and smirked at the closed door.

"Letting me live, Spike, was the biggest mistake you ever made."

"Hey, sweetie."

Edward smiled at the beautiful woman and stepped into the apartment.

"How are you settling in, sweetheart?" he asked.

"Great," she answered and frowned, touching the bruise on his cheekbone. "What happened to your face?"

"Nothing I can't handle."

She grinned and sidled up to him, running a hand over his chest.

"Are we ready?" she whispered in his ear, her fingers now running over his temples.

"Not yet, but soon, my lady, soon."

She sighed and walked away from him.

"I get so sick of waiting!" she cried. "If you were a halfway decent servant, I'd be ruling right now. You freed me, you gave me your life force, you're living like I used to. Not that I care, but don't you want your life force back anytime soon? 'Cause I want my own."

Edward frowned at her. He worshipped her, it was true, and for years, he had known the Slayer would defeat her. He had bided his time and when the Slayer was dead, he found the body of the male and released her, happily handing his life force to her. It was greatly diminished by the fact she used so much of it to heal. He grabbed a writhing man from the floor and held him steady.

"Feed," he said.

"Don't order me! You worship me, remember?" she snapped, but placed her fingers against the man's head and sucked the brain from him in a flash of white light.

She smiled at him as he tossed the body of the now insane man into the room with the flesh-eating demon he had tamed over half a century ago in preparation for just this purpose. The screams of the man where quelled by the soundproofed walls.

"There's been a change of plan," he told her.

"I don't like this," she warned him.

"The kids' dad turned up, he's Spike, a vampire."

"Spike?" she asked, then recognition dawned on her face. "Oh! I had fun with that one, if I hadn't needed his info so much, I might have had some more," Edward frowned at her again and she laughed. She turned to the mirror to smooth her red satin dress. "Don't be jealous, Eddie, you know you'll be my Prince."

"He recognised me."

She froze and stared at him in the mirror.

"He did that to your face?" she asked, turning and walking towards him, jabbing sharply at the bruise on his chin.

"Yes," Edward grimaced. "Which is why I need it back."

"Your life-force?" she asked. "Why?"

"Because then I can easily fend him off. He let me go now because he's got a soul, but I don't think he will again. If we are to succeed, I need it back. He would have killed me if he knew of our plan, if he knew I served you. But he didn't, we were lucky, we may not be again."

"What about me?" she cried. "Why does no one think about me? My pain! I was trapped for years in that male body, then I was made to live as a mere human for the past sixteen years, my only power is sucking the brains from the disgusting things you bring me!"

"But I am thinking of you!" he protested. "I love you, my lady, you know I do. I want nothing more than to turn this world into a Hell to rival the one you were banished from with myself ruling beside you. But to do this I need to become the Jackal again, I am able to wield the power better than you -"

"Better?" she interrupted in a low cold voice, shooting him an angrily incredulous look.

"Nothing I can do is better than what you can do, my lady," he amended quickly. "But I am able to use the power to a greater extent because of my lesser being status. But I need to power to protect you! If we are to succeed, you must make me the Jackal again."

She studied him and then approached slowly.

"You'll take care of me?" she asked.

"Yes, I always will."

"You'll lay down your life for me?"

"Yes, you know I would."

She pressed her fingers to his head and a black shadow passed down her arms into him, causing them to shriek in intense agony. They were thrown to opposite ends of the room but Edward stood almost immediately.

He gave himself a shake, as though he were getting more comfortable in his body. His light brown hair and eyes had darkened the friendly look his face had worn now wore a mask of cruelty. He looked at the crumpled form of his mistress and grabbed yet another person - a woman this time - from the bench pressed against wall. He lifted the woman as though she were a feather and seated her in front of his mistress. He helped his mistress sit up and guided her hands to the head of the terrified young woman.

When she had fed, he didn't bother to throw the woman to the beast in the next room, but studied his Goddess intently. She looked up at him and smiled.

"Jackal," she said weakly. "Oh yes, you and me, baby, we're gonna rock this world."

"We'll do more than rock it," he smirked and lifted her up, carrying her into her lavish bedroom. "You and I, Glory, will tear this world apart and make it scream. The Slayer will pay, her children will die, her friends will suffer and the vampire will burn."