Disclaimer: Since my name is not Joss Whedon, 'Buffy: The Vampire Slayer' and the amazing characters associated with the show belong to someone who isn't me. I also don't own the story line - that is taken from gidgetgirl's Before She Was Turned Challenge (details below). Lacey belongs to me.
The Before She Was Turned Challenge
Unbeknownst to the others, there was more to Harmony Kendall than met the eye. Two years before she was turned at graduation, Harmony actually gave birth to a child. When the child is turned, it's up to the scoobies to take care of him/her while soulless Harmony wreaks havoc.
Requirements:
Harmony's soul must somehow be tied to the little one.
The little one must be oddly quiet and shy for a Harmony child.
Someone snuggling with the child.
A skinned knee.
Bonus:
Harmony retaining some of her humanity, and the child taking on some vampiric traits...
Author's Note I: To gidgetgirl – You've pretty much hit the nail on the head. Because Lacey was turned out of love, pure motives, etc., without any desire to hurt on Harmony's part, some of the rules that govern vampires don't apply to her – you may remember that she was able to enter Buffy's house without an invitation a few chapters ago. When she's with Harmony, Lacey's soul rubs off on her, giving Harmony a soul-by-proxy – like Darla's when she was pregnant with Connor.
Author's Note II: To dawn-roberts - No reason we can't both take the challenge. Let me know if you do, I'd like to read someone else's interpretation.
Chapter 4
The next evening.
"No way!"
"Not a chance."
Spike and Xander refused simultaneously. There were some things that a guy justshouldn't have to do, and playing 'Princesses' was one of them.
"How about some cartoons?" Xander suggested coaxingly.
"Or we could use the boy for target practice."
"Hey!" Xander scowled.
"Please." Lacey's tone was soft, and that was all she said, but it was enough.
They could have held out against coaxing, screaming or even a full fledged temper tantrum but they were helpless when faced with the quiet toddler's softly worded request.
"Fine." Spike muttered through gritted teeth. "But you tell nobody about this, understand?"
Lacey nodded solemnly, favouring them with a smile that could have won anybody over.
'Princesses' was her and Mommy's favourite game.
She hoped that they'd be able to play it together again soon.
As Sunnydale was built on a Hellmouth, it was pretty much a given that patrols would rarely, if ever be quiet affairs, but, with four out of four vampires dusted in as many minutes, Buffy had a feeling that this was going to be a busy night.
/Don't these guys ever learn/
Sadly for her, they hadn't even had the decency to stick to their own hunting grounds and attack her individually, and even more sadly for them, they also lacked the intelligence to avoid her.
This group, rather than running the other way at her approach, had attacked in unison, luckily with far more enthusiasm than skill.
The fight - if one could dignify it with that term - had been over in less than five minutes.
Despite their lack of fighting prowess, however, one or two of them had managed to strike some fairly decent blows.
/That one's going to leave a bruise. / The Slayer winced as she examined her tender shoulder. /I guess someone sent them. / She mused. /Although whoever did can't be the brightest crayon in the box if they thought that lot. . ./ The penny dropped. /Harmony/
With a pale pink bedsheet wrapped around him toga style and another for a skirt, not to mention a blanket for a cloak and a paper crown, Princess Xander of Fairyland looked almost as ridiculous as he felt.
Although little Lacey had been able to outfit herself with one of Dawn's dresses and a plastic tiara used as part of a costume several Halloweens ago, none of the items in either of the Summers girls' closets had come close to fitting their Royal Highnesses Princesses Xander and Spike, so while the former had purloined the bedclothes, the latter had been reduced to wearing a garment composed of the living room curtains.
/Like the family Von sodding Trapp. / Spike snorted in derision, holding his long skirts stiffly as Lacey patiently instructed them in the art of the perfect curtsey.
"Very good." The tiny vampire smiled approvingly. "Now we can have our tea party. Princesses have to have tea parties, you know." She informed them knowledgeably.
"I've got an idea, pet." Spike suggested, desperate to get out of his costume before somebody - namely Buffy - saw him. "How about I be a prince instead of a princess? Wouldn't that be better?"
"Uh-huh." Lacey looked enchanted by the idea. "Then you can marry Princess Xander and live happily ever after."
What Spike thought of that idea was not fit for little ears to hear.
"Tea?" Xander offered him a cup of apple juice.
"Please." The blond vampire all but snatched the cup from his hand.
From the doorway Dawn giggled, enjoying the show.
"You two are so whipped!"
She hadn't expected to find Spike at the house, much less playing 'Princesses'.
Lacey had still been human during their time together, and she had nottold her Blondie Bear about her baby, half-afraid that if he knew of the bond that had still existed between them, he would dump her, or worse, turn her child into a snack.
She couldn't keep from smiling as she watched her little girl carefully straighten the blond vampire's crown before sitting down, daintily arranging her long skirt.
Who would have thought that Spikewould besuch a softie?
Engrossed in the scene, she didn't hear the approaching footsteps or sense the presence of another person until she felt a tap on her shoulder.
"Hello Harmony."
TBC.
