wicked-angel3: Yes, everyone does hate her, don't they? I didn't mean to make them hate her, cause I liked Nina sorta... But who really cares, lol. And if you read this story, before my other one, go to my story "Undercover Slayers" cause I have reviews for your stories there cause my computer won't let me review. K?
Buffy looked down at the plate of food that lay before her. Darla had really planned this out to go well, although Buffy knew the likelyness of that happening, was very low. The people who sat around the table just didn't get along, and nothing, not even a nice meal, could change that.
As they all began to dig into their food, Nina spoke up. "Isn't anyone going to say grace?"
Hank looked up just as he was about to put a fork full of food into his mouth. He sighed, and put it back down on his plate.
Angel looked over to his girlfriend and smiled. "We aren't that... We don't do that sort of thing here."
"Oh..." Nina said. "Sorry then, continue."
"Why is she even here?" Dawn asked, not looking up from her plate.
Buffy scolded her sister over the table. "Dawn, that isn't very nice," she said in an angry whisper.
"Well everyone's thinking it. I just had the guts to say it," she argued. "She doesn't even eat food the way we do."
"Dawn," Buffy said, a bit more sternly. "She's Angel's girlfriend, she has a right to be here."
Dawn sighed and gave up, looking down at her food. Buffy rolled her eyes and looked over at Angel apologetically.
"Anyone else have any comments to make?" Hank asked. "We should get them all out before desert comes along. Spike, how about you? You're always full of rude things to say."
"Hank," Darla said. "Can't we just sit down and have a peaceful meal?"
"Darla's right," Spike said. "'s Christmas. We should be happy and cheery, not angry and fighting."
Sighs filled the table, and everyone nodded their heads, and mumbled something in agreement. Spike nodded, feeling like he'd accomplished something. He looked over to Buffy sitting next to him. She was sipping on her water when she caught him staring.
"Yes?" she said, slowly turning her face to lock eyes with him.
"See what I did luv," he said.
"Don't be too cocky," she said. "You didn't accomplish world peace. Just silence at the Summers' dinner table. Silence that will end as soon as all the food is gone."
Spike frowned. "Can't even let me feel special for one moment, can you luv?"
"You know me, I love to strip you of your happiness," she said, smiling at him.
"Are they dating?" Nina asked Angel, looking over at the blonde couple, then back to him. "I thought Spike was your cousin, and Buffy your..."
"She's not," he said simply, not looking up at her.
"Why are you mad? Did I do something?"
He sighed, and laid his napkin down beside his plate. "No. I'm just... Well I..."
"Is it about your old girlfriend?" she asked, tilting her head.
He looked up at her. "I told you Nina, it's over. I'm with you now. And if you think I still have feelings for her, then..."
"Then maybe we shouldn't be together?" she asked, cutting him off.
"You don't want that," he said.
"I know I don't... But, do you?"
He was silent, he was screaming at himself to tell her no, but for some reason, the words just didn't come out. She stood up, and politely excused herself before quickly leaving the room.
Dawn looked up from her plate with a grin on her face. "Did you break up with her?"
Angel glared at Dawn before standing up and leaving in the direction Nina had. Dawn looked from one person to the other, and shrugged.
"I was only asking," Dawn said. "You were all wondering."
"You are quite the rude twelve year old Bit," Spike said, smirking at her.
Dawn's grin only grew. "You're not helping," Buffy said. "She takes that as a compliment, not an insult."
"Well, Dawn, why don't you help me with the dishes, Buffy, could you and Spike take Connor up to his crib? I'd really appreciate it," Darla said, standing.
"Of course," Buffy said, nodding. She stood up as well, and picked Connor up out of his high chair. "Who's a cute boy?" she said, in the kind of voice you speak to entertain a baby.
"C'mon luv," Spike said, heading for the stairs. "I'll lead the way."
Buffy smiled at him and followed him up the stairs and into the room she had once used for herself. They had transformed it from Spike's old bedroom, into a baby room. Buffy hadn't stayed long enough to redecorate. She hadn't realized just how big the room was.
The walls were now sky blue, with clouds painted on the ceiling. A crib sat in the far left corner of the room, and a changing table in the right. In the middle space was a sort of play area, covered with a bunch of baby toys, and a big chair that sat over to the side. And by the window, was a rocking chair which Darla used to put Connor to sleep.
Buffy walked over to the crib and gently placed the tired baby inside. She kissed him lightly on the forehead, before turning to Spike who took her in his arms.
They stayed there like that, and he started to talk. "Dinner went better then expected," he said.
"Yeah, it did. Aside from the Nina parts," Buffy said. "I feel bad for her. I guess Angel didn't tell her about Faith."
"'S that obvious?" he laughed. "He probably just wasn't ready yet. I don't even think he's ready to face her death."
"I thought he was improving," Buffy said, as Spike sat down in the chair. She fell onto his lap, and rested the back of her head on his chest, while he wrapped his arms around her. "He actually moved on, but the look of sadness is still on his face from when she had first jumped in the portal. I don't think it's changed."
"Guess mums' don't lie when they say 'if you keep making that face, one day it won't go away'," Spike said, laughing slightly.
Buffy thanked him for that. He always made her smile, even if his jokes were bad, and were inappropriate for the conversation, they still made her smile. And she needed that.
"How are you dealing with him moving on?" Spike asked, looking down at her in his arms. "You seemed quite stunned when she first appeared."
"I was," she said softly. "I know it's odd, cause I should want him to move on, and I do. But I just have this feeling... Some people say that everyone has one soul mate, and one soul mate only, so what happens when your soul mate dies? Do you have back up? And where's that back up's soul mate? I don't want Angel to die a lonely man, that's not what I'm saying. But, him and Faith were just so..."
"I know what you mean luv," he said, kissing the top of her head. "But she's gone. And maybe he won't find another true love, but he could just be a player for the rest of his life."
Buffy smiled. "Then I'd have to beat him."
"Buffy! Spike! Get down here, now!" Hank yelled from the bottom of the stairs.
Buffy rolled her eyes, and stood up, Spike right behind her. She started to walk to the door, when Spike grabbed her by the waist, and pulled her close to him, kissing her.
"I love you," he said, pulling away.
"I love you too," she said, staring into his eyes.
"Buffy! Sp..."
"We're coming!" Buffy yelled, cutting him off.
Spike laughed before taking her hand and following her downstairs.
Hank stood at the bottom of the stairs, and looked away when she saw the two coming down hand in hand. Buffy stopped on the last time and looked at her father angrily.
"You'll wake Connor up, what's the emergency?" she asked.
"Your friend called... That British fool," Hank said. "He told me to tell you and Spike to get over there now. Stupid idiot, ruining our Christmas."
"No Hank, you do that all on your own," Spike said, as he and Buffy grabbed their jackets and headed out.
"Tell Dawnie I'll be back for her!" Buffy yelled before slamming the door.
Spike opened the door to Giles' apartment and walked in, Buffy behind him. Giles was in the kitchen, making tea, and Olivia was sitting down on a stool beside him.
They both looked at the door when they heard it open. "Buffy, Spike," Giles said, walking out of the kitchen. "Good good. You got my message I see."
"Yes, Hank delivered it. Probably not the way you would've... But we got it," Buffy said, throwing her jacket on the desk chair. "What's up?"
Her attention turned to the hallway beside the kitchen when she heard someone enter. A dark haired girl appeared, dressed in black from head to toe. She was tall, around 5'8 and had no expression on her face.
"Buffy, this is Raven," Giles said. "The new Slayer."
Buffy looked down at the plate of food that lay before her. Darla had really planned this out to go well, although Buffy knew the likelyness of that happening, was very low. The people who sat around the table just didn't get along, and nothing, not even a nice meal, could change that.
As they all began to dig into their food, Nina spoke up. "Isn't anyone going to say grace?"
Hank looked up just as he was about to put a fork full of food into his mouth. He sighed, and put it back down on his plate.
Angel looked over to his girlfriend and smiled. "We aren't that... We don't do that sort of thing here."
"Oh..." Nina said. "Sorry then, continue."
"Why is she even here?" Dawn asked, not looking up from her plate.
Buffy scolded her sister over the table. "Dawn, that isn't very nice," she said in an angry whisper.
"Well everyone's thinking it. I just had the guts to say it," she argued. "She doesn't even eat food the way we do."
"Dawn," Buffy said, a bit more sternly. "She's Angel's girlfriend, she has a right to be here."
Dawn sighed and gave up, looking down at her food. Buffy rolled her eyes and looked over at Angel apologetically.
"Anyone else have any comments to make?" Hank asked. "We should get them all out before desert comes along. Spike, how about you? You're always full of rude things to say."
"Hank," Darla said. "Can't we just sit down and have a peaceful meal?"
"Darla's right," Spike said. "'s Christmas. We should be happy and cheery, not angry and fighting."
Sighs filled the table, and everyone nodded their heads, and mumbled something in agreement. Spike nodded, feeling like he'd accomplished something. He looked over to Buffy sitting next to him. She was sipping on her water when she caught him staring.
"Yes?" she said, slowly turning her face to lock eyes with him.
"See what I did luv," he said.
"Don't be too cocky," she said. "You didn't accomplish world peace. Just silence at the Summers' dinner table. Silence that will end as soon as all the food is gone."
Spike frowned. "Can't even let me feel special for one moment, can you luv?"
"You know me, I love to strip you of your happiness," she said, smiling at him.
"Are they dating?" Nina asked Angel, looking over at the blonde couple, then back to him. "I thought Spike was your cousin, and Buffy your..."
"She's not," he said simply, not looking up at her.
"Why are you mad? Did I do something?"
He sighed, and laid his napkin down beside his plate. "No. I'm just... Well I..."
"Is it about your old girlfriend?" she asked, tilting her head.
He looked up at her. "I told you Nina, it's over. I'm with you now. And if you think I still have feelings for her, then..."
"Then maybe we shouldn't be together?" she asked, cutting him off.
"You don't want that," he said.
"I know I don't... But, do you?"
He was silent, he was screaming at himself to tell her no, but for some reason, the words just didn't come out. She stood up, and politely excused herself before quickly leaving the room.
Dawn looked up from her plate with a grin on her face. "Did you break up with her?"
Angel glared at Dawn before standing up and leaving in the direction Nina had. Dawn looked from one person to the other, and shrugged.
"I was only asking," Dawn said. "You were all wondering."
"You are quite the rude twelve year old Bit," Spike said, smirking at her.
Dawn's grin only grew. "You're not helping," Buffy said. "She takes that as a compliment, not an insult."
"Well, Dawn, why don't you help me with the dishes, Buffy, could you and Spike take Connor up to his crib? I'd really appreciate it," Darla said, standing.
"Of course," Buffy said, nodding. She stood up as well, and picked Connor up out of his high chair. "Who's a cute boy?" she said, in the kind of voice you speak to entertain a baby.
"C'mon luv," Spike said, heading for the stairs. "I'll lead the way."
Buffy smiled at him and followed him up the stairs and into the room she had once used for herself. They had transformed it from Spike's old bedroom, into a baby room. Buffy hadn't stayed long enough to redecorate. She hadn't realized just how big the room was.
The walls were now sky blue, with clouds painted on the ceiling. A crib sat in the far left corner of the room, and a changing table in the right. In the middle space was a sort of play area, covered with a bunch of baby toys, and a big chair that sat over to the side. And by the window, was a rocking chair which Darla used to put Connor to sleep.
Buffy walked over to the crib and gently placed the tired baby inside. She kissed him lightly on the forehead, before turning to Spike who took her in his arms.
They stayed there like that, and he started to talk. "Dinner went better then expected," he said.
"Yeah, it did. Aside from the Nina parts," Buffy said. "I feel bad for her. I guess Angel didn't tell her about Faith."
"'S that obvious?" he laughed. "He probably just wasn't ready yet. I don't even think he's ready to face her death."
"I thought he was improving," Buffy said, as Spike sat down in the chair. She fell onto his lap, and rested the back of her head on his chest, while he wrapped his arms around her. "He actually moved on, but the look of sadness is still on his face from when she had first jumped in the portal. I don't think it's changed."
"Guess mums' don't lie when they say 'if you keep making that face, one day it won't go away'," Spike said, laughing slightly.
Buffy thanked him for that. He always made her smile, even if his jokes were bad, and were inappropriate for the conversation, they still made her smile. And she needed that.
"How are you dealing with him moving on?" Spike asked, looking down at her in his arms. "You seemed quite stunned when she first appeared."
"I was," she said softly. "I know it's odd, cause I should want him to move on, and I do. But I just have this feeling... Some people say that everyone has one soul mate, and one soul mate only, so what happens when your soul mate dies? Do you have back up? And where's that back up's soul mate? I don't want Angel to die a lonely man, that's not what I'm saying. But, him and Faith were just so..."
"I know what you mean luv," he said, kissing the top of her head. "But she's gone. And maybe he won't find another true love, but he could just be a player for the rest of his life."
Buffy smiled. "Then I'd have to beat him."
"Buffy! Spike! Get down here, now!" Hank yelled from the bottom of the stairs.
Buffy rolled her eyes, and stood up, Spike right behind her. She started to walk to the door, when Spike grabbed her by the waist, and pulled her close to him, kissing her.
"I love you," he said, pulling away.
"I love you too," she said, staring into his eyes.
"Buffy! Sp..."
"We're coming!" Buffy yelled, cutting him off.
Spike laughed before taking her hand and following her downstairs.
Hank stood at the bottom of the stairs, and looked away when she saw the two coming down hand in hand. Buffy stopped on the last time and looked at her father angrily.
"You'll wake Connor up, what's the emergency?" she asked.
"Your friend called... That British fool," Hank said. "He told me to tell you and Spike to get over there now. Stupid idiot, ruining our Christmas."
"No Hank, you do that all on your own," Spike said, as he and Buffy grabbed their jackets and headed out.
"Tell Dawnie I'll be back for her!" Buffy yelled before slamming the door.
Spike opened the door to Giles' apartment and walked in, Buffy behind him. Giles was in the kitchen, making tea, and Olivia was sitting down on a stool beside him.
They both looked at the door when they heard it open. "Buffy, Spike," Giles said, walking out of the kitchen. "Good good. You got my message I see."
"Yes, Hank delivered it. Probably not the way you would've... But we got it," Buffy said, throwing her jacket on the desk chair. "What's up?"
Her attention turned to the hallway beside the kitchen when she heard someone enter. A dark haired girl appeared, dressed in black from head to toe. She was tall, around 5'8 and had no expression on her face.
"Buffy, this is Raven," Giles said. "The new Slayer."