The Preparations
Emily found the house practically the way she left it, however Wesley had moved into the library and Gunn and Angel were sparing in the work out room as Spike and Cordelia watched peacefully. She watched for a few moments as Angel finished the match by sweeping Gunn's legs out from underneath him.
"Very good." She congratulated the couple; Gunn smiled, for a demon thing she was good company. "Cordelia, would you and your human companions wish to go shopping today?" She asked seer. Cordelia hopped up and walked to the door taking her to the library.
Emily stopped and looked at Cordelia. "I know you do not particularly like William, and I know you would rather go home, however I will give you money and you may buy whatever you wish," She paused. "I have only two requests, you buy an outfit for the party tomorrow night, and a gift for William. That goes for you and the others." She looked at the brunette thoughtfully. "Can you do me that favour?"
The girl shrugged. "Sure."
Emily smiled and walked to a chest; she unlocked the lid and opened the trunk to reveal a huge amount of notes. She grabbed a chunk and handed it to Cordelia; her eyes bulged and Emily smiled softly. "There's about five thousand dollars there, keep the change." Emily carefully locked the chest and walked away.
Emily slept peacefully until a loud crash sounded down stairs. Emily blinked as she bolted upright in bed, "What was that?" She asked the darkness of her room.
Slowly she padded down the stairs; angry that her sleep had been disturbed she waltzed into the living room.
Angel and Spike were cleaning up the shattered remains of the vase they had destroyed. Emily fumed, "What is the meaning of this?" Her voice boomed into the room startling the vampires away from the remains of the vase.
"It was an accident," Angel insisted, backing away from the elder. "Spike pushed it off." Angel changed tactics blaming the younger vampire.
"I did not!" The blond retorted looking from the red head with worry.
"William!" She interrupted. "Go into the study, wait for me there. Break anything." She stressed pointedly. "And be prepared to face the consequences." The vampire nodded and left the room, he knew he was in trouble.
Angel had a smug smile plastered over his face as he watched the blond retreating, he didn't notice Emily watching him until it was too late.
"I wound not be inclined to smile if I were in your position." She stated with false calm. Angel froze.
She walked forward and punched him square in the face, "That was for breaking my vase." She kneed him in the crotch and he doubled over. "That was for forgetting William's birthday." She powerfully kicked his ankle and he fell to the floor with a thud. "That was for lying, I advise you not to do it in future." She turned and left; her silk dressing gown billowing behind her. Angel lay paralyzed from pain of the floor.
Spike sat quietly contemplating what Emily was going to do to him. He had been witness to a couple of her punishments but never on the receiving end. It looked painful from what he could remember from when she had last punished Angelus; he'd challenged her and lost; much to his horror.
Spike shivered to his himself at the image running through his mind. "Penny for your thoughts." A sweet voice rang through his mind; Spike looked up to see Emily smiling sadly at him. Spike looked at her with fear and it hurt Emily to think her baby boy feared her, at all. "What is the matter?" She stepped forward.
Spike fought the urges to step away from her, knowing it would only make his beating worse. So he answered truthfully. "I'm afraid." He said barely above a whisper.
She tilted her head and looked at him tenderly. "And why would that be?" She asked taking another step closer to him. He remained firm but looked past her and onto the far wall not wanting her to know he was weak.
"I remember what you did to Angelus," He told her more firmly. "And now you think I-" Her soft voice cut off his speech and he frowned at her.
"How do you know what I think?" She questioned quietly. "When I do not? I cannot remember whose thoughts I have; I can't remember who I used to be, so how do you know?" She asked softly, stepping up to him so she was mere inches away. "I wish to find out who I was, did I have a child? A Husband? A life? Friends? But I know none of it because it isn't written down anywhere." She told him, "To most I'm an illusion, a story to children to scare them, but you open any demonology book and your name appears. I don't know who I am, or who I was, but I do know who you are William and no matter what you do or don't do, or the way you dress, you will always be sweet honest William inside," She looked down at the floor. "And if one day you are forgotten in records deep down you will always remember who you are, even if you don't know who you were, but I'll be there to always remind you." She looked up into his deep ocean like eyes and saw adoration and love shining through them and couldn't resist the temptation.
She slowly leant up and brushed her lips against his in a brief kiss. Uncertain emerald looked up into a wash of sapphire eyes, Spike looked at her in awe, and after the shock wore off he captured her lips in a deep passionate kiss.
Cordelia, Gunn and Wesley moved swiftly through the mall looking for gifts for themselves and the birthday-vamp. "Cordelia, I must insist we go back." Wesley complained. "We've been here three hours!"
"I gotta agree with English." Gunn added dogging a group of teenagers.
"Come on guys." Cordelia pleaded, "Just one more store." She dragged them into an old antics shop and the ex-watcher and gang leader were stunned into silence. The old walls were decorated in polished weapons and books and trinkets ordained the shelves. "Welcome to the most expensive store here in Sunnydale." She introduced.
After nearly half an hour of searching each walked out with perfect gifts for the vampire, Gunn held a sword and was playing with it childishly, Wesley held a book of nineteenth century horror and was reading it with a mixture of disgust and amazement at the visions it sent to him. Cordelia had hidden her purchase and claimed it was a surprise.
Walking down the high street Cordelia spotted landmarks that were bringing back old memories, good and bad. She spotted something new in the small street and pointed it out to her male companions.
"The Magic Box?" Gunn read above the door as they stood before it. "Should we go in?" He suggested.
Cordelia snorted as she walked in. "Some stuffy old guy with glasses probably owns it." She giggled, her mouth dropped open in shock as she saw Giles and Buffy sitting at the research table shoulder high in books. "Giles!!!" She yelled shrilly.
The shop owner blinked at her and was quickly engulfed in a hug. "Cordelia," He wheezed she released him and he slowly noticed Wesley and another taller than average man standing beside him. "What are you doing here?" He asked with all the politeness he could muster in his shock educed state.
"Some weird chick turned up in L.A and dragged us down here." She summarised walking over to Buffy. "Hello." She greeted casually. Buffy nodded and there was a cool silence.
"Hello Rupert." Wesley smiled walking up to the watcher and extending his hand, Giles shook it in a watcher-like manner with a polite nod.
"Wesley."
"This is my associate Charles Gunn." Wesley introduced, Gunn walked forward and there was another long silence.
Cordelia shuffled. "Where is everybody?" She blurted eventually.
"Shopping." Buffy scowled. Cordelia raised an eyebrow and the slayer elaborated. "Some woman called Emily came to town, she's throwing a party and invited us, they took her credit card, but she's evil how can they even consider going to a party?" The slayer raged rhetorically.
Cordelia scoffed, "She's quiet nice when you get to know her," The ex-cheerleader commented. "We've been staying with her and-"
"Where?" The blonde ordered standing in front of Cordelia.
After a huge argument, and nearly a fight between Cordelia and Buffy, the Scooby's arrived in the nick of time to stop the first blow.
It was eventually agreed that they would all go to the manor and action would be taken after a vote.
They walked into the lounge and found Angel gingerly sitting on the sofa, a large black eye and a nose bleed covered his face. "Angel!" Cordelia shrieked darting to the vampire's side. "What happened?"
Buffy looked at the wounds coldly. "She will die."
The Slayer stormed up stairs against the calls of her friends. She open the first bedroom door, stake in hand, it was empty, she moved to next door along and threw the door open, it was also vacant, so she came to the third door and kicked it open.
Spike and Emily lay entangled in the sheets asleep. The room smelt of sex as Buffy moved towards the pair, "Slayer go down stairs I'll be there in a moment." Emily said moving away from Spike slowly she kissed his temple softly and climbed out of his embrace. Buffy left reluctantly and within minuets Emily strolled down the stairs and into the kitchen ignoring the people in her lounge. She re-entered with two mugs of blood and handed one to Angel before sitting down in 'her' chair. "You'll heal in no time." She told the vampire.
She looked at the group waiting for one to start. "What did you do to Angel, missy?" Cordelia started harshly, Emily raised an eyebrow at the choice of name.
"He broke my vase." She stated simply. "Then lied." The room looked at her in shock. "It was Warka, perfect condition," She looked at the shards that remained on the floor. "Or it was." She sighed, Wesley and Giles eyes bulged then the pair turned to glare at the vampire.
"I'm going back to bed." She sighed as she stood. "I do not care what you do, just be at the mansion at eight o'clock." Emily stopped at the door and looked at Angel curiously. "What were you arguing about?"
"Nothing." Angel stammered, Emily's eyes narrowed at him and he shrank back.
Emily relented and looked at the group. "Anybody wakes me up and be prepared to face the consequences," Buffy held back a snort. "Answers will be given later." She went back upstairs and climbed into Spike's arms and nestled into his embrace before slipping into a deep dreamless sleep.
"William," Emily sing-songed into his ear, he groaned and cracked an eye open. "We have to get ready." She told him as she slipped off the bed.
Spike slowly got to his feet; he stumbled over to approximately where he had left his clothes and found nothing. He turned to her questioningly, and she looked at him pleadingly. "What have you done with my clothed?" He asked suspiciously.
"Would you wear this?" She handed him some clothes. "For me?" She asked.
"If I like them." He answered then he saw her face falter slightly. "Fine." He sighed, she giggled and through her arms around him she kissed him lightly, she pulled away but he pulled her back into a deep kiss.
"William," She breathed pushing him away slightly. "We need to be ready, and if we keep going we won't be." She looked at him meaningfully, he stepped back. "I'll meet you downstairs." He nodded with a suggestive smiled and left the room. Emily chuckled softly to herself and continued to look for a gown.
Spike paced the living room, making everyone dizzy, he'd been waiting restlessly for half an hour and she was yet to make an appearance. He was about to storm up stairs and get her when she slowly descended the stairs; the vampire's mouth went dry at the sight.
The black knee length cocktail dress clung to her figure attractively and it made her seem taller. She stopped at the bottom of the stairs and looked at the blonde and smiled. "I didn't know what to wear." She blushed looking at her stiletto heels. He stepped forward and gently brushed a hand up her arm.
"You look beautiful." He whispered quietly, he ducked down and kissed her softly.
Emily pulled back and looked at him, he was wearing the leather jeans and a blue polo neck sweater that brought out his eyes, he'd left his hair ungelled and the curly tresses of his hair made her run her hand through his locks. "And you are so handsome, my baby boy." She whispered, they were locked in each others gaze and never noticed Angel walk in.
He cleared his throat angrily. "What are you doing?" He fumed at the red head.
Emily looked at Angel nonchalantly. "What does it look like I'm doing?" She continued to run her fingers through the youngest vampire's hair.
Angel smiled smugly. "You aren't allowed a consort." He spat jealously. He was the Scourge of Europe if she should be running her fingers through anyone's hair it should be his!
"Say's who?" She challenged, annoyed at his arrogance.
Angel sneered at the fallen look on Spike's face. "The head of the Demon council."
"I don't remember saying that." She told him, he looked at her confused. "Seen as I am the leader of the demon council." She smiled then turned her back and walked back to Spike. "You're just jealous I chose William over you."
"No!" He denied ardently, so what if he was, he wasn't going to admit it. Especially with Spike smiling like that.
She rolled her eyes and turned to the living room. "Ladies and Gentleman, we must be on our way, grab your gifts and leave."
A/N 1: Ok this is the longest chapter yet! The next chapter will be the last so watch out for it.
A/N 2: Thanks toeminemangelxb and Aurora Perkins for reviewing!!!