Ch. 7
"Well, congratulations, Buffy. That's great news." Lorraine said enthusiastically to the young woman sitting across from her. Buffy didn't feel guilty in the least bit for lying to Lorraine. Buffy's little fib about just finding out about her pregnancy had staved off her firing for another day. "You're so lucky your exposure to those toxins didn't hurt the baby. Yes, we were very lucky." Buffy admitted sincerely. "The baby is fine. The doctor says she's healthy, that we both are."
Lorraine wasn't a bad boss. Buffy just hated working here, not like Doublemeat was her dream job. "Let me know when you need to go to part-time. I remember my first pregnancy…" Lorraine was saying before the phone rang, cutting her off. Buffy looked heavenward and said a silent thanks. She waved and mouthed 'see ya later, and backed out of the room, shutting the door behind her. She leaned against the door, and breathed a sigh of relief. Looking down at her day-glow orange uniform and stupid cow/chicken hat, she sighed. "I gave up sex with Spike for this!"
Spike sat up when he saw Buffy come to the register. She'd been inside at least a half-hour, and there'd been no sign of her. Since then, he had tried to stamp down the fear he felt for her and their child. "This is bloody ridiculous." He said to himself. Spike leaned over the steering wheel, staring at the tiny woman who had captured his dead heart. Silly chit had insisted on coming to work. He tried everything in his extensive repertoire to convince her to stay and play. He knew Buffy was more than capable of taking care of herself, but he just got her back. Maybe, one day, this desire, this need to be near her would wane. Yeah, right. If he were honest, he never wanted it to end, that thrill he got each and every time he saw her, touched her. Scanning the area one last time, Spike grabbed the book he'd swiped from the library, "Dr. Spock's Guide to Good Parenting."
Warren and company were also watching Doublemeat and from their vantage points they could clearly see Spike's car. They knew he watched the restaurant, but that was okay. As long as Spike was here, he wouldn't be watching their real target: Dawn. Once they had the Slayer's sister, they would have her. Buffy wouldn't hesitate to trade her life for her baby sister's. The time for them to attack was near, and it was only a matter of time before the Slayer was dead.
Anya turned as the bell above the door jingled. "Ah, here's my not-so-trusty assistant. Dawn, you're late. Don't you know it's important to be punctual when you're in business?" Anya counted the last of the money out before replacing it in the register.
"I know, Anya, but I had to talk to my guidance counselor after school."
"Hallie?" Ayna wondered what game Hallie was playing now with Dawn. Buffy would be very angry and probably homicidal if Hallie granted Dawn anymore wishes. Oh, well, she shrugged.
"No, my real guidance counselor. I've learned my lesson, Anya." Dawn said a bit hurt. Dawn removed her book bag, and stowed it behind the counter. She picked up the duster, and began to move the familiar pattern around the store. She dusted the skulls and other novelties first, then hit the books and herbs. Same thing, everyday. Nothing different. Anya chatted away about any and everything. She never mentioned Xander or the wedding, but there were moments when she'd get really quite, and Dawn knew she was thinking about him.
"So, Anya, since I'm slowly regaining your trust, do you think I can run the register next week?" From the jaw-dropped look on Anya's face, Dawn supposed not.
"Dawn, the money machine is for me only. I'm the manager. I deserve to play with the money. You don't. It's not that I don't trust you, it's just, well, I don't trust anyone." Anya blinked to keep the tears in check. "I trusted Xander and look where that got me."
Dawn put the feather duster down, and walked over to Anya. She awkwardly patted her on the back. Dawn's presence surprisingly cheered Anya. It seemed like the rest of them were on Xander's side, even Buffy who'd been dumped by three men in her short life. You'd think she'd be a bit more understanding. Anya thought. She liked Dawn, in an annoying sort of way. The girl had spunk. She hoped she never let anyone try to change her.
"Well, let's get back to work. I got a new shipment in last night, so we've got some inventory to do." Anya pulled a huge notebook, labeled 'Shipments' out from under the counter. "Okay, the shipping manifest says we got in a lot of the herbs we were running low on, a couple of magic books from old Persia, animal feet, and oh, who ordered that?" Anya pulled a box with customer special order forms out, and began flipping through them. "Oh, Tara. Why would Tara order a book on fertility? Do you think she has a new lover? Maybe, they want to have a baby like that singer. That's nice, in a non-conventional, no fun with a male, sort of way."
Dawn, who had been half-listening to Anya, suddenly straightened up. "Ah, who knows? Maybe, it's for a class or something?" Dawn said nervously. Please don't put two and two together. She thought frantically. Too late.
"That's the second book she's ordered. Anya crossed her arms over her chest, her brow furrowed in concentration. "First, the book on prophecies and now this book on fertility."
"Anya, shouldn't we get to the inventory. You know Buffy likes for me to work, work, work, since I was bad, bad, bad." Dawn was babbling, and in Anya's book that meant something was up. Anya stared at Dawn, who was becoming increasing uncomfortable under the ex-demon's scrutiny. "Dawn, this wouldn't have anything to do with Buffy being pregnant, would it?" Anya figured she had her answer when all the color left Dawn's face.
Dawn tried to play cool, unaware her ashen face gave her away. "What are you talking about? Buffy's not pregnant. That's ridiculous. I'm mean she's not involved with anybody."
Anya was on a roll, so she gambled again. "She's seeing Spike, isn't she? I'm not so much out of the loop, I don't know that little fact. So, Spike got Buffy pregnant. Interesting. Not entirely impossible. It has happened before."
"What?!" Dawn felt faint. She was absolutely shocked by Anya's statement. She grabbed Anya by the arms. "What has happened before?" She shrieked.
"Hands off, Dawn. Gee, for a mystical key, you've got a strong grip, there." Anya sat down at the research table, and waited patiently for Dawn to take her seat.
"Let's see, I was in Paris cursing that philandering duke. Had to be before the French Revolution, of course." Anya tapped her finger against her lip, trying to remember the exact year.
"Anya, could we skip the history lesson? What do you know?" Dawn was anxious to hear the story. Anya tsked tsked. "So rude." She commented, but held up her hand to halt any further protest. "Okay, there was a Slayer, a young French girl, who was rumored to be shacking up with a vamp. Rumor further had it that she was pregnant by her lover. I left France shortly after that story came out, so I don't know what happened to her." Anya crossed her arms over her chest. "So, Buffy really is pregnant." She said incredulously.
"You knew. You said you knew." Dawn said, panicked. If Buffy found out, she'd let it slip, she'd surely kill her. "Look, Dawn, I tricked you. I suspected a few weeks ago when she was sick that she might have been pregnant. We'll tell Buffy I figured it out on my own, which is the truth, just not the entire truth." Anya patted Dawn's hand to reassure her.
"I need a drink." Dawn said, and Anya agreed. "I need one, too. Let's go down to the Java Hut. You can have some non-alcoholic drink and I'll have a double expresso." Dawn knew Buffy didn't want her on the streets alone, but going with Anya wasn't against the rules. Besides, the Java Hut was just a few blocks down. She grabbed some money out of her bag, and stood at the door waiting for Anya. They locked up and walked amiably down the street.
"Anya, I know you don't come over anymore because of Xander, but we could really use your help with the research. You've been alive longer than any of us, well, except me, but I don't know anything."
Anya twisted her ring finger, the absence of her engagement ring still a shock after all this time. "I'll do anything I can to help, Dawn, but I'm not ready to be a member of the Scooby gang again." Dawn was sad to hear that. She had truly missed Anya's unique brand of support. Straightforward and to the point. That was Anya, and Dawn liked that. She and Spike were very much alike. Good thing, they weren't attracted to each other or Buffy would be in trouble.
Warren turned the van onto Main Street. The Magic Box was up ahead. He slowed the van to a crawl, wanting to take a good look inside before pulling around back. Imagine his surprise, when Anya and Dawn walked out. They didn't notice the van that stalked their movements. They were deeply engrossed in their conversation.
"This is perfect. We can grab Buffy's little sis, and no one will be the wiser. We may have to get rid of Xander's ex, but she shouldn't be too hard to get out of the way." Warren licked his lips, thinking about what he had planned for Buffy. She would suffer. Oh, she would suffer for humiliating him, for taking Katrina away from him the first time. How dare she spoil his plans! He was ten times smarter than Buffy. She would pay. He couldn't wait.
"Warren, are you sure?" Andrew asked timidly. Ever since, Katrina's death, he'd been Warren's lap dog. He followed him around, moronically obedient. Jonathan rolled his eyes at them in disgust. He hoped Buffy kicked their asses. He included himself in that ass-kicking because he should have never gotten involved with them in the first place.
"Yes, Andrew. Now, there's a side street next to the Java Hut. I'll park there. As they get closer, demon boy will jump out scare the other patrons, and I'll grab Dawn. Andrew, you make sure, Dawn is separated from Anya. Now, can you do this without botching things up?"
Xander told himself he wasn't spying on Anya, just making sure she was okay. He had done this several times over the last two weeks, driving by the Magic Shop to watch her as she dusted or chatted with clients. He made sure she never saw him. Her message to him was clear: Stay out of my life. He hated what he'd done to their relationship. He had royally fucked it up. She didn't even want to be friends. He could understand that, but it didn't stop him from caring about her. These weeks alone had been a wake-up call to him. He needed her. He missed her laughter, her outrageousness. He missed hearing her opinion on everything. He had been a royal ass where Anya was concerned. He'd tried to mold Anya in Buffy and Willow's images, and that was unfair to her. Xander parked his truck near the Java Hut and got out. If he saw Anya, he could explain that he was just getting some coffee, nothing more.
As he walked down the street, his mind kept replaying the scene in Buffy's room. As usual, he hadn't knocked, just walked into Buffy's house. He called her name, but she didn't appear. So when he heard noises coming from upstairs, he went on up, assuming, wrongly, that Buffy was in the house alone. It seemed as if he were watching things in slow motion. The Buffy he thought he knew was laughing seductively as she straddled Spike, his hands caressing her butt. It hit him like a ton of bricks. The crypt wasn't just a one-time fling. All the insults and fighting had led to this. They were lovers, in every sense of the word. They had a familiarity he recognized from his relationship with Anya. It was shocking in its vividness. In that moment, he knew Spike and Anya were right. He had been harboring some unresolved feelings for Buffy. He did love her, but Buffy was never going to look at him the way she looked at Spike. She was never going to consider him as being the one, the guy. The realization nearly knocked him to his knees.
"Oh, God." He moaned, and jumped back as a pair of blue and green eyes speared him to the floor. Buffy scrambled off of Spike, her face bright red with embarrassment. Spike cursed him through clenched teeth. His momentary shock was pushed aside by the anger he felt. It was the last straw for him. He snapped and called her a demon lover. Told her how disappointed and ashamed he was of her. Buffy sat there with her chin held high and tears in her eyes. She made no move to defend herself, but kept her hand on Spike's arm to restrain him. Xander saw the gesture and cursed. He wanted Spike to attack him, needed him to, but he didn't.
"Spike, would you give us a minute?" Buffy implored with a weariness Xander recognized. "Are you sure, Pet? You don't have to listen to this wanker." She smiled at that, and then to Spike and Xander's utter amazement, leaned over and kissed Spike on the lips. Brief, though, the kiss was, it spoke volumes to both men. Spike stood, his blue eyes ablaze with contempt, and stomped out of the room.
"Tell me why you're rolling around like a dog in heat with the undead, Buffy. Tell me why you would let Spike touch you." Xander demanded.
"I don't owe you any explanation, Xander. I'm an adult. You don't get to make my decisions for me. I want to be with Spike. I am with Spike. We're..we're dating now." Buffy continued to stare at him, daring him to continue his verbal assault.
"That's just perfect, Buffy. You're supposed to fight evil, not date it. Didn't you learn how dangerous it is to play with vampires? Wasn't Angel's betrayal enough?" Buffy heard Spike's 'bloody hell' from downstairs.
"Don't bring Angel into this. This is not about him. This is about Spike and me." She stood up, straightening her shirt. "Spike has done a lot for me, for all of us." She pointed out. "I shouldn't have to tell you that he's changed. Hell, you worked with him while I was dead. You let him watch after Dawn. He must not have been that evil if you trusted the well-being of my sister to him. So, why now are you acting like this?" Buffy rubbed her stomach. She hated getting upset, knowing that the baby would be exposed to her bad vibes. Which was a bit of an irony to Buffy considering what she did for fun.
"Listen, Xander, this is my life. I'm not asking your permission. I love you. You're my best friend, but you don't get to dictate who I date. I'm with Spike. Deal with it." And with that, she got up and went downstairs to him, leaving Xander rooted to the ground wondering what had just happened.
Xander shook himself from his reverie. He crossed the alley and stopped. A familiar black van was parked behind the dumpster. Warren. Xander was immediately wary. He searched the street in vain looking for Warren and his counterparts. What were they doing here? He looked up and his stomach dropped. Anya and Dawn were coming down the street, apparently headed to the Java Hut. He went to call out to them, when he felt a presence behind him. He only had a second to defend himself before Warren attacked. Xander fell to the ground unconscious. Warren dragged Xander back into the alley.
Anya stopped suddenly a few feet from the front door of the café.
"What's wrong, Anya?" Anya looked around, perplexed. "I thought I saw Xander." Dawn looked around, but didn't see him. "I don't see him. Maybe, he ducked into another store." She offered helpfully.
"Yeah, maybe." Anya continued to stare down the street. "Come on, let's get inside."
Warren gave Jonathan the prearranged signal to attack. Jonathan ran straight for the patio and started throwing chairs and tables around, scattering the Java Hut's customers. Dawn and Anya were caught up in the rush of screaming people. Anya grabbed Dawn's hand, and held it tightly. "Don't let go." She ordered. Andrew pushed through the crowd, till he was directly behind the cowering girls. He ran towards them, knocking Anya to the ground. Dawn felt a hand grasped her arm tightly, wrenching a startled scream from the young girl. She looked frantically for Anya, but couldn't find her. "Let me go! Anya! Anya!" Dawn got a glimpse of the person dragging her to the back of the café. "Someone help me! Get your hands off me, Warren! Buffy's going to kick your ass!" Warren cuffed her and told her to shut her trap. He pushed his way through the kitchen. Dawn knew she had to get away. She couldn't let him take her. Once outside, Dawn kicked and clawed at Warren, who wasn't expecting the younger Summers to fight back. He thought she'd be too terrified to do anything, but he was mistaken. Warren punched Dawn hard, knocking the young girl out. He picked her up and carried her the short distance to the van.
Anya raised herself off the floor, and scanned the now empty restaurant for Dawn. She saw her being dragged out the back. A nerdy blond guy stood next to her, seemingly paralyzed with fear. Anya stood on shaky legs, and went to follow Dawn and her captor. The young man grabbed her.
"Ah, you can't go back there. Warre… oops! I mean it's dangerous." Anya's eyes widened. Andrew cried out in pain as Anya's tiny foot greeted his groin. Anya watched in mild amusement as he sunk to the ground, clutching his crotch. "That'll teach you to mess with a former vengeance demon." She yelled over her shoulder as she raced to save Dawn.
The shouting brought Xander back to consciousness. The last thing he remembered was the black van, Anya and Dawn, then blackness. "Dawn." He scrambled to his feet, willing his head to stop spinning. Dawn was hitting and attempting to scratch Warren's eyes out. Xander shouted when he saw Warren viciously punch Dawn in the face, knocking her out.
Warren hopped in the back, and secured Dawn's wrists. He was too preoccupied congratulating himself on the success of his plan, so he never saw Xander approaching the van. Anya halted when she saw Xander. "Xander," She said relieved. "Warren's got Dawn."
"I know. He hit me over the head right before the attack. His van is up ahead." Xander and Anya cautiously made their way towards the van, making sure to stay out of Warren's view. They had a plan and could only hope it would work. Anya would yank the van door open, and Xander would grab Dawn. Warren jumped in the front, starting the van, unaware Xander and Anya were next to him. He yelped as the side door suddenly opened. "No!" He screamed before Xander sucker punched him in the gut. Xander grabbed Dawn, and pulled her to safety. Warren, clutching his stomach, attempted to jump over the seat after them when he heard the sirens.
"Shit!" Andrew and Jonathan, now back in human form, waved at him from the street. Warren threw the vehicle into drive, and burned rubber as he flew by the three dazed friends. Anya and Xander helped Dawn to her feet, sheltering the frightened girl in their arms. "Dawnie, you're safe. He's not going to hurt you."
Dawn was still a little woozy, and could only nod slightly. She clung tightly to them. "I don't know what would have happened if you guys hadn't gotten to me." She said, her voice shaky. Anya stroked her hair, trying to calm Dawn down, while thanking the gods for keeping her safe.
"Hey, we're okay. We've faced tougher demons that those three." Anya said confidently, though, her insides were jello. She felt Xander's hand resting between her shoulder blades, and leaned into his body, grateful for his strength.
"Are you folks okay?" Three pairs of startled eyes looked at the policeman. "Were any of you injured in the melee?" They all shook their heads. The cop saw Dawn's bloodied lip, and immediately became suspicious. "What happened here?" They were all hesitant to get the police involved, but Warren was too dangerous. Besides, the police could be on the lookout for the van.
"Some guy tried to mug me. My friends were able to stop him before he…" Dawn dissolved into tears. The terror she'd felt moments earlier coming back in full force.
"Okay, let's get you down to the station. We need to contact your parents."
"My mother's dead. My sister is my guardian. She's at work."
"I'll call Buffy, Dawn. You go with the policeman. Anya will stay with you. I'll bring Buffy to you. Okay?" Xander cupped Dawn's face. Dawn nodded, sniffling. Anya held her hand as they were led to the squad car.
Willow and Tara were just coming out of their English Literature class when Tara's cell phone rang. It was Xander, calling to tell them about the nerds' attempted kidnapping of Dawn. Xander reassured them Dawn and Anya were safe, only suffering a few bumps and bruises. They were at police headquarters giving their statements.
"I'm going to get Buffy, and take her to the police station. We'll meet up later." Xander hung up quickly. He had to get to Buffy. Dawn needed her.
Spike paced back and forth in front of the door, anxiously awaiting Buffy and Dawn. He should have gone with her to the police station. Shouldn't have let her convince me to come here. He thought again for the hundredth time. She was right of, course, but that didn't stop him from second guessing himself. Those bastards had actually tried to steal the Bit, in broad daylight, no less. Spike's fists clenched thinking of Warren's grubby hands on Dawn.
"Spike, why don't you try to relax. Xander called. They'll be here shortly." Willow implored, though her skin itched with the need to make Warren pay for harming Dawn. Tara watched Willow carefully. She had felt the dark aura settle over Willow back at school, but she'd said nothing, preferring to keep her own counsel. Willow had to learn to control her anger on her own. Tara was just as angry and worried about Dawn as Spike and Willow, but she also knew nothing would be accomplish in resorting to violence.
Spike yanked the door open, as he heard Xander's truck pull up. Dawn had her arm wrapped around Buffy's waist, her face partially hidden by her hair. When she saw Spike, she broke away from Buffy, and ran into his waiting arms. Spike reached out a hand to Buffy, and she grabbed it. Xander watched the scene before him, and couldn't help, but feel a twinge of jealousy.
"Hey, how's my Bit?" Spike said as pushed Dawn's hair out of her face. When he saw the bruise on her cheek, he swore. "Bastard." Dawn covered her cheek with her hand, somewhat ashamed. "I'm so sorry, he did this to you." Dawn saw Tara and Willow, and with one last smile for Spike, allowed the witches to lead her upstairs.
"Where's Anya?" Spike inquired, trying to gauge Buffy's emotional state. Buffy had pulled her jacket off and was sitting stone-faced on the sofa. She seemed in shock.
"She went back to the Magic Box. She said she was fine, nothing she hadn't faced before." Xander answered. He had noticed Buffy's strange reaction too.
Spike sat next to Buffy on the sofa, and reached for her hand. She jumped, as if suddenly remembering he was there. Xander sat in the chair across from them. "What is it, Buff?"
"Dawn. Because of me, my baby sister was terrorized and hurt. Hasn't she been through enough?" She said, squeezing Spike's hand. "She's totally innocent."
"Don't tell me you're blaming yourself for this, Buffy? Fuck, you are not responsible for the actions of some loony wanker. Warren is the culprit here, not you. Not Dawn. Hell, not any of you." Spike stood up, his hands patting his pockets for his cigarettes. Damnit, he hadn't had a cigarette in weeks. Now, this poser was causing him to crave nicotine again.
"Spike's right, Buffy. Warren has some serious issues. There was no way you could have known he would go after Dawn." Xander offered, scooting over to sit next to Buffy on the couch. Spike growled his displeasure, but settled for leaning against the wall, his eyes darting up the stairs.
"We'll get Warren, Pet. He's a stupid git. Going after Dawn in broad daylight was insane, but typical for him. Has to make a big show of things. He can't settle for being subtle. He'll trip up, and we'll be there to finish this once and for all." Buffy stroked her stomach, fear for her child and Dawn causing her to cramp.
"Are you feeling okay, Buffy? You're not sick again, are you?" Buffy looked up, startled.
"Wh..why do you ask?" She asked, exchanging a look with Spike, who merely shrugged.
"Oh, well, it's nothing. You've just been rubbing your stomach a lot lately. I'm concerned, Buff, that's all." Buffy laughed, slightly relieved, though still on edge. "Thanks, Xand, but I'm alright."
Willow's appearance at the foot of the stairs, allowed Buffy to switch topics. "How is she? Do I need to go up there?"
Willow plopped down in Xander's vacated seat. "No, she's fine. A little worried about the bruise on her chin, but Tara told her she'd do a glamour spell for school tomorrow. She said she wanted to take a shower, then call Anya."
"Good." Buffy stood up and walked over to Spike. It was still a shock to see Buffy and Spike so touchy, feely with each other. Willow averted her eyes, wincing when she heard Xander curse. Buffy didn't care. This was something they were going to have to get used to. She needed Spike's strength. Needed his level head to keep her from going out and killing Warren. Spike pulled her closer, kneading the knots out of her shoulders. Buffy sighed and leaned gratefully into his strong body.
"He went after her. He went after Dawn to get to me." She said softly, knowing the others couldn't hear them. "What will he do..?" She didn't finish. She didn't have to. Spike knew she was worried how far Warren would go to hurt Buffy. Would the bastard go after their child when he found out she was pregnant?
"I know, luv. It'll never happen. I'll die before I let him harm a hair on the tyke's head."
Buffy stilled his hand with hers, leaning her head on their clasped hands. "We won't let it get that far." She whispered. No one was dying. No one was going to be sacrificed. Not this time.
"What do you want to do, Buff?" Xander asked, interrupting.
"I want Anya to stay here with us. Tara, too. If he'll go after Dawn, he'll go after them. I don't want to take any chances with their safety." Buffy answered, pulling away from Spike.
"Tara said she'd stay tonight." Willow interjected. "We need to find out where they are staying. I'll check the rental offices again, but to be honest, I don't think that will help."
"They could be in any number of caves or abandoned houses around here." Spike added.
"So, that's where we start. We can pretty much eliminate the cemeteries. We've patrolled there every night for the last two weeks. We would have stumbled onto them by now." Buffy rubbed her head.
"You know who might be able to help us?" Spike offered. "Willie. He knows most of what's going on in this town, and Warren definitely used a demon to contact that bloke that attacked you." Spike massaged the muscles at the base of Buffy's neck. She had to restrain herself from moaning out loud.
"Okay, so I'll go beat the info out of Willie and do a quick patrol. Xander, do you think you can convince Anya to stay here tonight?"
Xander leaned forward, his elbows resting on his knees. "I don't know, Buffy." He said skeptically. "Anya barely talked to me at the police station. She might listen to reason, but who knows?"
"Anya's coming by here after work." A freshly-showered Dawn announced as she walked into the den.
"Feeling better?" Buffy asked. Dawn nodded and smiled happily, as she stood between the two people she loved the most.
"Willow, you stay here with Tara and Dawn. Do some more research. Spike, check out the warehouses downtown. Warren will need someplace big to set up his lair." Buffy said, snickering, putting lair in air quotes. "I'll go to Willie's."
"I'm going with you." Spike told her.
"No you're not. I can handle this by myself." Buffy argued.
"What part of "they want you dead' didn't you understand? Do you think you can take them on by yourself with their stupid gadgets and demon-shifting?" Spike growled. He wasn't going to let her go off by herself, and that was final.
"You don't get a say, Spike." Buffy said, bristling at his tone. How dare he tell her what to do!
"Like hell, I don't. If you've forgotten, that's my.." Buffy glared him into silence. "I haven't forgotten anything, but this is my job. I'm the Slayer."
"Spike's right, Buffy." All eyes shifted to Dawn. "This isn't just about you anymore." Tara silently agreed, but knew her opinion would not be appreciated at the moment.
"I'll be careful. But you've got to understand, I'm always in danger. This time is no different."
Spike, who'd been quietly seething, shouted. "This time is very different, Buffy! If you don't understand that, then I have to wonder if you really want it." He never saw her fist as it landed and threw him across the room. He landed in a heap by fireplace. Buffy stood over him, her entire body shaking with anger. "How dare you? I would never put her in danger!"
Xander almost danced a jig, he was so happy to see Buffy put Spike in his place. Willow, though, was in shock. Something wasn't right here. Were they talking about Dawn?
Buffy and Spike continued to glare at each other. Spike picked himself off the floor, absently wiping the blood from his lip. "Really. Well, you seem awful eager to go running blindly into danger. You don't have to be a fucking martyr all of the time! Let me help you." He could strangle her. He could absolutely kill her when she was like this. He knew she was scared, and she should be, but now wasn't the time to play Wonder Woman.
"Hey, guys, come on. Stop this. It isn't helping." Tara said, being the voice of reason. Willow fell back onto the sofa, her minds whirling in disbelief. Slowly the pieces were starting to fall into place. Spike and Buffy. Buffy's sudden interest in prophecies and spells. Buffy's bouts of nausea and fatigue. Spike's over-over-protectiveness. Oh, my goddess!
"You're both right. Buffy, Warren wants you dead for some strange reason. All Spike wants is for you to be safe. You know he cares." Tara stroked Buffy's arm, trying to get her to relax. "This is a dangerous time for you, for all of us. We don't know what Warren is planning. You don't know who he's enlisted to help him. Walking into Willie's alone, could be very dangerous. Let's not do anything rash."
"Now, here's what I propose. Willow will do some hacking. Maybe, she can pick up Warren's trail. Spike will go to Willie's. The demons will probably be more cooperative if the Slayer's not there. You and Xander search the warehouses, then drop by the Magic Box for Anya." Tara quietly stated her plan, then sat down. It was a good plan and Buffy knew it. She was still smarting from Spike's harsh words, though.
Dawn pulled her aside. "Please, Buffy. I'd feel much better if you weren't out there by yourself." Dawn pleaded. "I know you think it's your duty to protect us, but there's someone else you have to consider in all of this." Dawn's clear blue eyes settled on Spike. He looked tense, like he was ready to explode at any minute. Dawn actually felt sorry for the demons out tonight. The Big Bad was bristling for a fight. "Don't be mad at Spike. He didn't mean it. He's just worried, that's all."
Buffy looked over Dawn's shoulder and found Spike staring at them. "I know he's worried, but you know I'd never do anything to harm my baby." Dawn nodded.
"I know, but give him a break, Buffy. This is new to him, too." Buffy couldn't forgive him, not yet. It hurt. After this morning, how could he doubt how much she wanted this child?
"Come on, Xander, let's go. We won't be gone long." She assured Dawn. Buffy stubbornly ignored Spike.
Spike snorted. She wants to leave things like this? Fine with me. Spike stalked out of house, nearly throwing Xander to the ground in his haste to be away from Buffy. Buffy watched him go, her heart screaming at her to talk to him. If that's the way he wants this to go down, fine by me.
"Buffy?" Willow said, trying to get her attention. "When you get back, we need to talk."
"Um, okay, sure. Will, is it important? Cause we can talk now." Buffy tried to see if there was anything in Willow's eyes that would give her a clue as to what she needed to talk about, but Willow's face was devoid of anything other than her usual concern and love.
"No, it can wait till you come back."
"Ok. See ya in a few." Buffy closed the door behind her and headed to Xander's truck.
Willow waited till Dawn and Tara were seated and asked, "Buffy's pregnant, isn't she?"
"Well, congratulations, Buffy. That's great news." Lorraine said enthusiastically to the young woman sitting across from her. Buffy didn't feel guilty in the least bit for lying to Lorraine. Buffy's little fib about just finding out about her pregnancy had staved off her firing for another day. "You're so lucky your exposure to those toxins didn't hurt the baby. Yes, we were very lucky." Buffy admitted sincerely. "The baby is fine. The doctor says she's healthy, that we both are."
Lorraine wasn't a bad boss. Buffy just hated working here, not like Doublemeat was her dream job. "Let me know when you need to go to part-time. I remember my first pregnancy…" Lorraine was saying before the phone rang, cutting her off. Buffy looked heavenward and said a silent thanks. She waved and mouthed 'see ya later, and backed out of the room, shutting the door behind her. She leaned against the door, and breathed a sigh of relief. Looking down at her day-glow orange uniform and stupid cow/chicken hat, she sighed. "I gave up sex with Spike for this!"
Spike sat up when he saw Buffy come to the register. She'd been inside at least a half-hour, and there'd been no sign of her. Since then, he had tried to stamp down the fear he felt for her and their child. "This is bloody ridiculous." He said to himself. Spike leaned over the steering wheel, staring at the tiny woman who had captured his dead heart. Silly chit had insisted on coming to work. He tried everything in his extensive repertoire to convince her to stay and play. He knew Buffy was more than capable of taking care of herself, but he just got her back. Maybe, one day, this desire, this need to be near her would wane. Yeah, right. If he were honest, he never wanted it to end, that thrill he got each and every time he saw her, touched her. Scanning the area one last time, Spike grabbed the book he'd swiped from the library, "Dr. Spock's Guide to Good Parenting."
Warren and company were also watching Doublemeat and from their vantage points they could clearly see Spike's car. They knew he watched the restaurant, but that was okay. As long as Spike was here, he wouldn't be watching their real target: Dawn. Once they had the Slayer's sister, they would have her. Buffy wouldn't hesitate to trade her life for her baby sister's. The time for them to attack was near, and it was only a matter of time before the Slayer was dead.
Anya turned as the bell above the door jingled. "Ah, here's my not-so-trusty assistant. Dawn, you're late. Don't you know it's important to be punctual when you're in business?" Anya counted the last of the money out before replacing it in the register.
"I know, Anya, but I had to talk to my guidance counselor after school."
"Hallie?" Ayna wondered what game Hallie was playing now with Dawn. Buffy would be very angry and probably homicidal if Hallie granted Dawn anymore wishes. Oh, well, she shrugged.
"No, my real guidance counselor. I've learned my lesson, Anya." Dawn said a bit hurt. Dawn removed her book bag, and stowed it behind the counter. She picked up the duster, and began to move the familiar pattern around the store. She dusted the skulls and other novelties first, then hit the books and herbs. Same thing, everyday. Nothing different. Anya chatted away about any and everything. She never mentioned Xander or the wedding, but there were moments when she'd get really quite, and Dawn knew she was thinking about him.
"So, Anya, since I'm slowly regaining your trust, do you think I can run the register next week?" From the jaw-dropped look on Anya's face, Dawn supposed not.
"Dawn, the money machine is for me only. I'm the manager. I deserve to play with the money. You don't. It's not that I don't trust you, it's just, well, I don't trust anyone." Anya blinked to keep the tears in check. "I trusted Xander and look where that got me."
Dawn put the feather duster down, and walked over to Anya. She awkwardly patted her on the back. Dawn's presence surprisingly cheered Anya. It seemed like the rest of them were on Xander's side, even Buffy who'd been dumped by three men in her short life. You'd think she'd be a bit more understanding. Anya thought. She liked Dawn, in an annoying sort of way. The girl had spunk. She hoped she never let anyone try to change her.
"Well, let's get back to work. I got a new shipment in last night, so we've got some inventory to do." Anya pulled a huge notebook, labeled 'Shipments' out from under the counter. "Okay, the shipping manifest says we got in a lot of the herbs we were running low on, a couple of magic books from old Persia, animal feet, and oh, who ordered that?" Anya pulled a box with customer special order forms out, and began flipping through them. "Oh, Tara. Why would Tara order a book on fertility? Do you think she has a new lover? Maybe, they want to have a baby like that singer. That's nice, in a non-conventional, no fun with a male, sort of way."
Dawn, who had been half-listening to Anya, suddenly straightened up. "Ah, who knows? Maybe, it's for a class or something?" Dawn said nervously. Please don't put two and two together. She thought frantically. Too late.
"That's the second book she's ordered. Anya crossed her arms over her chest, her brow furrowed in concentration. "First, the book on prophecies and now this book on fertility."
"Anya, shouldn't we get to the inventory. You know Buffy likes for me to work, work, work, since I was bad, bad, bad." Dawn was babbling, and in Anya's book that meant something was up. Anya stared at Dawn, who was becoming increasing uncomfortable under the ex-demon's scrutiny. "Dawn, this wouldn't have anything to do with Buffy being pregnant, would it?" Anya figured she had her answer when all the color left Dawn's face.
Dawn tried to play cool, unaware her ashen face gave her away. "What are you talking about? Buffy's not pregnant. That's ridiculous. I'm mean she's not involved with anybody."
Anya was on a roll, so she gambled again. "She's seeing Spike, isn't she? I'm not so much out of the loop, I don't know that little fact. So, Spike got Buffy pregnant. Interesting. Not entirely impossible. It has happened before."
"What?!" Dawn felt faint. She was absolutely shocked by Anya's statement. She grabbed Anya by the arms. "What has happened before?" She shrieked.
"Hands off, Dawn. Gee, for a mystical key, you've got a strong grip, there." Anya sat down at the research table, and waited patiently for Dawn to take her seat.
"Let's see, I was in Paris cursing that philandering duke. Had to be before the French Revolution, of course." Anya tapped her finger against her lip, trying to remember the exact year.
"Anya, could we skip the history lesson? What do you know?" Dawn was anxious to hear the story. Anya tsked tsked. "So rude." She commented, but held up her hand to halt any further protest. "Okay, there was a Slayer, a young French girl, who was rumored to be shacking up with a vamp. Rumor further had it that she was pregnant by her lover. I left France shortly after that story came out, so I don't know what happened to her." Anya crossed her arms over her chest. "So, Buffy really is pregnant." She said incredulously.
"You knew. You said you knew." Dawn said, panicked. If Buffy found out, she'd let it slip, she'd surely kill her. "Look, Dawn, I tricked you. I suspected a few weeks ago when she was sick that she might have been pregnant. We'll tell Buffy I figured it out on my own, which is the truth, just not the entire truth." Anya patted Dawn's hand to reassure her.
"I need a drink." Dawn said, and Anya agreed. "I need one, too. Let's go down to the Java Hut. You can have some non-alcoholic drink and I'll have a double expresso." Dawn knew Buffy didn't want her on the streets alone, but going with Anya wasn't against the rules. Besides, the Java Hut was just a few blocks down. She grabbed some money out of her bag, and stood at the door waiting for Anya. They locked up and walked amiably down the street.
"Anya, I know you don't come over anymore because of Xander, but we could really use your help with the research. You've been alive longer than any of us, well, except me, but I don't know anything."
Anya twisted her ring finger, the absence of her engagement ring still a shock after all this time. "I'll do anything I can to help, Dawn, but I'm not ready to be a member of the Scooby gang again." Dawn was sad to hear that. She had truly missed Anya's unique brand of support. Straightforward and to the point. That was Anya, and Dawn liked that. She and Spike were very much alike. Good thing, they weren't attracted to each other or Buffy would be in trouble.
Warren turned the van onto Main Street. The Magic Box was up ahead. He slowed the van to a crawl, wanting to take a good look inside before pulling around back. Imagine his surprise, when Anya and Dawn walked out. They didn't notice the van that stalked their movements. They were deeply engrossed in their conversation.
"This is perfect. We can grab Buffy's little sis, and no one will be the wiser. We may have to get rid of Xander's ex, but she shouldn't be too hard to get out of the way." Warren licked his lips, thinking about what he had planned for Buffy. She would suffer. Oh, she would suffer for humiliating him, for taking Katrina away from him the first time. How dare she spoil his plans! He was ten times smarter than Buffy. She would pay. He couldn't wait.
"Warren, are you sure?" Andrew asked timidly. Ever since, Katrina's death, he'd been Warren's lap dog. He followed him around, moronically obedient. Jonathan rolled his eyes at them in disgust. He hoped Buffy kicked their asses. He included himself in that ass-kicking because he should have never gotten involved with them in the first place.
"Yes, Andrew. Now, there's a side street next to the Java Hut. I'll park there. As they get closer, demon boy will jump out scare the other patrons, and I'll grab Dawn. Andrew, you make sure, Dawn is separated from Anya. Now, can you do this without botching things up?"
Xander told himself he wasn't spying on Anya, just making sure she was okay. He had done this several times over the last two weeks, driving by the Magic Shop to watch her as she dusted or chatted with clients. He made sure she never saw him. Her message to him was clear: Stay out of my life. He hated what he'd done to their relationship. He had royally fucked it up. She didn't even want to be friends. He could understand that, but it didn't stop him from caring about her. These weeks alone had been a wake-up call to him. He needed her. He missed her laughter, her outrageousness. He missed hearing her opinion on everything. He had been a royal ass where Anya was concerned. He'd tried to mold Anya in Buffy and Willow's images, and that was unfair to her. Xander parked his truck near the Java Hut and got out. If he saw Anya, he could explain that he was just getting some coffee, nothing more.
As he walked down the street, his mind kept replaying the scene in Buffy's room. As usual, he hadn't knocked, just walked into Buffy's house. He called her name, but she didn't appear. So when he heard noises coming from upstairs, he went on up, assuming, wrongly, that Buffy was in the house alone. It seemed as if he were watching things in slow motion. The Buffy he thought he knew was laughing seductively as she straddled Spike, his hands caressing her butt. It hit him like a ton of bricks. The crypt wasn't just a one-time fling. All the insults and fighting had led to this. They were lovers, in every sense of the word. They had a familiarity he recognized from his relationship with Anya. It was shocking in its vividness. In that moment, he knew Spike and Anya were right. He had been harboring some unresolved feelings for Buffy. He did love her, but Buffy was never going to look at him the way she looked at Spike. She was never going to consider him as being the one, the guy. The realization nearly knocked him to his knees.
"Oh, God." He moaned, and jumped back as a pair of blue and green eyes speared him to the floor. Buffy scrambled off of Spike, her face bright red with embarrassment. Spike cursed him through clenched teeth. His momentary shock was pushed aside by the anger he felt. It was the last straw for him. He snapped and called her a demon lover. Told her how disappointed and ashamed he was of her. Buffy sat there with her chin held high and tears in her eyes. She made no move to defend herself, but kept her hand on Spike's arm to restrain him. Xander saw the gesture and cursed. He wanted Spike to attack him, needed him to, but he didn't.
"Spike, would you give us a minute?" Buffy implored with a weariness Xander recognized. "Are you sure, Pet? You don't have to listen to this wanker." She smiled at that, and then to Spike and Xander's utter amazement, leaned over and kissed Spike on the lips. Brief, though, the kiss was, it spoke volumes to both men. Spike stood, his blue eyes ablaze with contempt, and stomped out of the room.
"Tell me why you're rolling around like a dog in heat with the undead, Buffy. Tell me why you would let Spike touch you." Xander demanded.
"I don't owe you any explanation, Xander. I'm an adult. You don't get to make my decisions for me. I want to be with Spike. I am with Spike. We're..we're dating now." Buffy continued to stare at him, daring him to continue his verbal assault.
"That's just perfect, Buffy. You're supposed to fight evil, not date it. Didn't you learn how dangerous it is to play with vampires? Wasn't Angel's betrayal enough?" Buffy heard Spike's 'bloody hell' from downstairs.
"Don't bring Angel into this. This is not about him. This is about Spike and me." She stood up, straightening her shirt. "Spike has done a lot for me, for all of us." She pointed out. "I shouldn't have to tell you that he's changed. Hell, you worked with him while I was dead. You let him watch after Dawn. He must not have been that evil if you trusted the well-being of my sister to him. So, why now are you acting like this?" Buffy rubbed her stomach. She hated getting upset, knowing that the baby would be exposed to her bad vibes. Which was a bit of an irony to Buffy considering what she did for fun.
"Listen, Xander, this is my life. I'm not asking your permission. I love you. You're my best friend, but you don't get to dictate who I date. I'm with Spike. Deal with it." And with that, she got up and went downstairs to him, leaving Xander rooted to the ground wondering what had just happened.
Xander shook himself from his reverie. He crossed the alley and stopped. A familiar black van was parked behind the dumpster. Warren. Xander was immediately wary. He searched the street in vain looking for Warren and his counterparts. What were they doing here? He looked up and his stomach dropped. Anya and Dawn were coming down the street, apparently headed to the Java Hut. He went to call out to them, when he felt a presence behind him. He only had a second to defend himself before Warren attacked. Xander fell to the ground unconscious. Warren dragged Xander back into the alley.
Anya stopped suddenly a few feet from the front door of the café.
"What's wrong, Anya?" Anya looked around, perplexed. "I thought I saw Xander." Dawn looked around, but didn't see him. "I don't see him. Maybe, he ducked into another store." She offered helpfully.
"Yeah, maybe." Anya continued to stare down the street. "Come on, let's get inside."
Warren gave Jonathan the prearranged signal to attack. Jonathan ran straight for the patio and started throwing chairs and tables around, scattering the Java Hut's customers. Dawn and Anya were caught up in the rush of screaming people. Anya grabbed Dawn's hand, and held it tightly. "Don't let go." She ordered. Andrew pushed through the crowd, till he was directly behind the cowering girls. He ran towards them, knocking Anya to the ground. Dawn felt a hand grasped her arm tightly, wrenching a startled scream from the young girl. She looked frantically for Anya, but couldn't find her. "Let me go! Anya! Anya!" Dawn got a glimpse of the person dragging her to the back of the café. "Someone help me! Get your hands off me, Warren! Buffy's going to kick your ass!" Warren cuffed her and told her to shut her trap. He pushed his way through the kitchen. Dawn knew she had to get away. She couldn't let him take her. Once outside, Dawn kicked and clawed at Warren, who wasn't expecting the younger Summers to fight back. He thought she'd be too terrified to do anything, but he was mistaken. Warren punched Dawn hard, knocking the young girl out. He picked her up and carried her the short distance to the van.
Anya raised herself off the floor, and scanned the now empty restaurant for Dawn. She saw her being dragged out the back. A nerdy blond guy stood next to her, seemingly paralyzed with fear. Anya stood on shaky legs, and went to follow Dawn and her captor. The young man grabbed her.
"Ah, you can't go back there. Warre… oops! I mean it's dangerous." Anya's eyes widened. Andrew cried out in pain as Anya's tiny foot greeted his groin. Anya watched in mild amusement as he sunk to the ground, clutching his crotch. "That'll teach you to mess with a former vengeance demon." She yelled over her shoulder as she raced to save Dawn.
The shouting brought Xander back to consciousness. The last thing he remembered was the black van, Anya and Dawn, then blackness. "Dawn." He scrambled to his feet, willing his head to stop spinning. Dawn was hitting and attempting to scratch Warren's eyes out. Xander shouted when he saw Warren viciously punch Dawn in the face, knocking her out.
Warren hopped in the back, and secured Dawn's wrists. He was too preoccupied congratulating himself on the success of his plan, so he never saw Xander approaching the van. Anya halted when she saw Xander. "Xander," She said relieved. "Warren's got Dawn."
"I know. He hit me over the head right before the attack. His van is up ahead." Xander and Anya cautiously made their way towards the van, making sure to stay out of Warren's view. They had a plan and could only hope it would work. Anya would yank the van door open, and Xander would grab Dawn. Warren jumped in the front, starting the van, unaware Xander and Anya were next to him. He yelped as the side door suddenly opened. "No!" He screamed before Xander sucker punched him in the gut. Xander grabbed Dawn, and pulled her to safety. Warren, clutching his stomach, attempted to jump over the seat after them when he heard the sirens.
"Shit!" Andrew and Jonathan, now back in human form, waved at him from the street. Warren threw the vehicle into drive, and burned rubber as he flew by the three dazed friends. Anya and Xander helped Dawn to her feet, sheltering the frightened girl in their arms. "Dawnie, you're safe. He's not going to hurt you."
Dawn was still a little woozy, and could only nod slightly. She clung tightly to them. "I don't know what would have happened if you guys hadn't gotten to me." She said, her voice shaky. Anya stroked her hair, trying to calm Dawn down, while thanking the gods for keeping her safe.
"Hey, we're okay. We've faced tougher demons that those three." Anya said confidently, though, her insides were jello. She felt Xander's hand resting between her shoulder blades, and leaned into his body, grateful for his strength.
"Are you folks okay?" Three pairs of startled eyes looked at the policeman. "Were any of you injured in the melee?" They all shook their heads. The cop saw Dawn's bloodied lip, and immediately became suspicious. "What happened here?" They were all hesitant to get the police involved, but Warren was too dangerous. Besides, the police could be on the lookout for the van.
"Some guy tried to mug me. My friends were able to stop him before he…" Dawn dissolved into tears. The terror she'd felt moments earlier coming back in full force.
"Okay, let's get you down to the station. We need to contact your parents."
"My mother's dead. My sister is my guardian. She's at work."
"I'll call Buffy, Dawn. You go with the policeman. Anya will stay with you. I'll bring Buffy to you. Okay?" Xander cupped Dawn's face. Dawn nodded, sniffling. Anya held her hand as they were led to the squad car.
Willow and Tara were just coming out of their English Literature class when Tara's cell phone rang. It was Xander, calling to tell them about the nerds' attempted kidnapping of Dawn. Xander reassured them Dawn and Anya were safe, only suffering a few bumps and bruises. They were at police headquarters giving their statements.
"I'm going to get Buffy, and take her to the police station. We'll meet up later." Xander hung up quickly. He had to get to Buffy. Dawn needed her.
Spike paced back and forth in front of the door, anxiously awaiting Buffy and Dawn. He should have gone with her to the police station. Shouldn't have let her convince me to come here. He thought again for the hundredth time. She was right of, course, but that didn't stop him from second guessing himself. Those bastards had actually tried to steal the Bit, in broad daylight, no less. Spike's fists clenched thinking of Warren's grubby hands on Dawn.
"Spike, why don't you try to relax. Xander called. They'll be here shortly." Willow implored, though her skin itched with the need to make Warren pay for harming Dawn. Tara watched Willow carefully. She had felt the dark aura settle over Willow back at school, but she'd said nothing, preferring to keep her own counsel. Willow had to learn to control her anger on her own. Tara was just as angry and worried about Dawn as Spike and Willow, but she also knew nothing would be accomplish in resorting to violence.
Spike yanked the door open, as he heard Xander's truck pull up. Dawn had her arm wrapped around Buffy's waist, her face partially hidden by her hair. When she saw Spike, she broke away from Buffy, and ran into his waiting arms. Spike reached out a hand to Buffy, and she grabbed it. Xander watched the scene before him, and couldn't help, but feel a twinge of jealousy.
"Hey, how's my Bit?" Spike said as pushed Dawn's hair out of her face. When he saw the bruise on her cheek, he swore. "Bastard." Dawn covered her cheek with her hand, somewhat ashamed. "I'm so sorry, he did this to you." Dawn saw Tara and Willow, and with one last smile for Spike, allowed the witches to lead her upstairs.
"Where's Anya?" Spike inquired, trying to gauge Buffy's emotional state. Buffy had pulled her jacket off and was sitting stone-faced on the sofa. She seemed in shock.
"She went back to the Magic Box. She said she was fine, nothing she hadn't faced before." Xander answered. He had noticed Buffy's strange reaction too.
Spike sat next to Buffy on the sofa, and reached for her hand. She jumped, as if suddenly remembering he was there. Xander sat in the chair across from them. "What is it, Buff?"
"Dawn. Because of me, my baby sister was terrorized and hurt. Hasn't she been through enough?" She said, squeezing Spike's hand. "She's totally innocent."
"Don't tell me you're blaming yourself for this, Buffy? Fuck, you are not responsible for the actions of some loony wanker. Warren is the culprit here, not you. Not Dawn. Hell, not any of you." Spike stood up, his hands patting his pockets for his cigarettes. Damnit, he hadn't had a cigarette in weeks. Now, this poser was causing him to crave nicotine again.
"Spike's right, Buffy. Warren has some serious issues. There was no way you could have known he would go after Dawn." Xander offered, scooting over to sit next to Buffy on the couch. Spike growled his displeasure, but settled for leaning against the wall, his eyes darting up the stairs.
"We'll get Warren, Pet. He's a stupid git. Going after Dawn in broad daylight was insane, but typical for him. Has to make a big show of things. He can't settle for being subtle. He'll trip up, and we'll be there to finish this once and for all." Buffy stroked her stomach, fear for her child and Dawn causing her to cramp.
"Are you feeling okay, Buffy? You're not sick again, are you?" Buffy looked up, startled.
"Wh..why do you ask?" She asked, exchanging a look with Spike, who merely shrugged.
"Oh, well, it's nothing. You've just been rubbing your stomach a lot lately. I'm concerned, Buff, that's all." Buffy laughed, slightly relieved, though still on edge. "Thanks, Xand, but I'm alright."
Willow's appearance at the foot of the stairs, allowed Buffy to switch topics. "How is she? Do I need to go up there?"
Willow plopped down in Xander's vacated seat. "No, she's fine. A little worried about the bruise on her chin, but Tara told her she'd do a glamour spell for school tomorrow. She said she wanted to take a shower, then call Anya."
"Good." Buffy stood up and walked over to Spike. It was still a shock to see Buffy and Spike so touchy, feely with each other. Willow averted her eyes, wincing when she heard Xander curse. Buffy didn't care. This was something they were going to have to get used to. She needed Spike's strength. Needed his level head to keep her from going out and killing Warren. Spike pulled her closer, kneading the knots out of her shoulders. Buffy sighed and leaned gratefully into his strong body.
"He went after her. He went after Dawn to get to me." She said softly, knowing the others couldn't hear them. "What will he do..?" She didn't finish. She didn't have to. Spike knew she was worried how far Warren would go to hurt Buffy. Would the bastard go after their child when he found out she was pregnant?
"I know, luv. It'll never happen. I'll die before I let him harm a hair on the tyke's head."
Buffy stilled his hand with hers, leaning her head on their clasped hands. "We won't let it get that far." She whispered. No one was dying. No one was going to be sacrificed. Not this time.
"What do you want to do, Buff?" Xander asked, interrupting.
"I want Anya to stay here with us. Tara, too. If he'll go after Dawn, he'll go after them. I don't want to take any chances with their safety." Buffy answered, pulling away from Spike.
"Tara said she'd stay tonight." Willow interjected. "We need to find out where they are staying. I'll check the rental offices again, but to be honest, I don't think that will help."
"They could be in any number of caves or abandoned houses around here." Spike added.
"So, that's where we start. We can pretty much eliminate the cemeteries. We've patrolled there every night for the last two weeks. We would have stumbled onto them by now." Buffy rubbed her head.
"You know who might be able to help us?" Spike offered. "Willie. He knows most of what's going on in this town, and Warren definitely used a demon to contact that bloke that attacked you." Spike massaged the muscles at the base of Buffy's neck. She had to restrain herself from moaning out loud.
"Okay, so I'll go beat the info out of Willie and do a quick patrol. Xander, do you think you can convince Anya to stay here tonight?"
Xander leaned forward, his elbows resting on his knees. "I don't know, Buffy." He said skeptically. "Anya barely talked to me at the police station. She might listen to reason, but who knows?"
"Anya's coming by here after work." A freshly-showered Dawn announced as she walked into the den.
"Feeling better?" Buffy asked. Dawn nodded and smiled happily, as she stood between the two people she loved the most.
"Willow, you stay here with Tara and Dawn. Do some more research. Spike, check out the warehouses downtown. Warren will need someplace big to set up his lair." Buffy said, snickering, putting lair in air quotes. "I'll go to Willie's."
"I'm going with you." Spike told her.
"No you're not. I can handle this by myself." Buffy argued.
"What part of "they want you dead' didn't you understand? Do you think you can take them on by yourself with their stupid gadgets and demon-shifting?" Spike growled. He wasn't going to let her go off by herself, and that was final.
"You don't get a say, Spike." Buffy said, bristling at his tone. How dare he tell her what to do!
"Like hell, I don't. If you've forgotten, that's my.." Buffy glared him into silence. "I haven't forgotten anything, but this is my job. I'm the Slayer."
"Spike's right, Buffy." All eyes shifted to Dawn. "This isn't just about you anymore." Tara silently agreed, but knew her opinion would not be appreciated at the moment.
"I'll be careful. But you've got to understand, I'm always in danger. This time is no different."
Spike, who'd been quietly seething, shouted. "This time is very different, Buffy! If you don't understand that, then I have to wonder if you really want it." He never saw her fist as it landed and threw him across the room. He landed in a heap by fireplace. Buffy stood over him, her entire body shaking with anger. "How dare you? I would never put her in danger!"
Xander almost danced a jig, he was so happy to see Buffy put Spike in his place. Willow, though, was in shock. Something wasn't right here. Were they talking about Dawn?
Buffy and Spike continued to glare at each other. Spike picked himself off the floor, absently wiping the blood from his lip. "Really. Well, you seem awful eager to go running blindly into danger. You don't have to be a fucking martyr all of the time! Let me help you." He could strangle her. He could absolutely kill her when she was like this. He knew she was scared, and she should be, but now wasn't the time to play Wonder Woman.
"Hey, guys, come on. Stop this. It isn't helping." Tara said, being the voice of reason. Willow fell back onto the sofa, her minds whirling in disbelief. Slowly the pieces were starting to fall into place. Spike and Buffy. Buffy's sudden interest in prophecies and spells. Buffy's bouts of nausea and fatigue. Spike's over-over-protectiveness. Oh, my goddess!
"You're both right. Buffy, Warren wants you dead for some strange reason. All Spike wants is for you to be safe. You know he cares." Tara stroked Buffy's arm, trying to get her to relax. "This is a dangerous time for you, for all of us. We don't know what Warren is planning. You don't know who he's enlisted to help him. Walking into Willie's alone, could be very dangerous. Let's not do anything rash."
"Now, here's what I propose. Willow will do some hacking. Maybe, she can pick up Warren's trail. Spike will go to Willie's. The demons will probably be more cooperative if the Slayer's not there. You and Xander search the warehouses, then drop by the Magic Box for Anya." Tara quietly stated her plan, then sat down. It was a good plan and Buffy knew it. She was still smarting from Spike's harsh words, though.
Dawn pulled her aside. "Please, Buffy. I'd feel much better if you weren't out there by yourself." Dawn pleaded. "I know you think it's your duty to protect us, but there's someone else you have to consider in all of this." Dawn's clear blue eyes settled on Spike. He looked tense, like he was ready to explode at any minute. Dawn actually felt sorry for the demons out tonight. The Big Bad was bristling for a fight. "Don't be mad at Spike. He didn't mean it. He's just worried, that's all."
Buffy looked over Dawn's shoulder and found Spike staring at them. "I know he's worried, but you know I'd never do anything to harm my baby." Dawn nodded.
"I know, but give him a break, Buffy. This is new to him, too." Buffy couldn't forgive him, not yet. It hurt. After this morning, how could he doubt how much she wanted this child?
"Come on, Xander, let's go. We won't be gone long." She assured Dawn. Buffy stubbornly ignored Spike.
Spike snorted. She wants to leave things like this? Fine with me. Spike stalked out of house, nearly throwing Xander to the ground in his haste to be away from Buffy. Buffy watched him go, her heart screaming at her to talk to him. If that's the way he wants this to go down, fine by me.
"Buffy?" Willow said, trying to get her attention. "When you get back, we need to talk."
"Um, okay, sure. Will, is it important? Cause we can talk now." Buffy tried to see if there was anything in Willow's eyes that would give her a clue as to what she needed to talk about, but Willow's face was devoid of anything other than her usual concern and love.
"No, it can wait till you come back."
"Ok. See ya in a few." Buffy closed the door behind her and headed to Xander's truck.
Willow waited till Dawn and Tara were seated and asked, "Buffy's pregnant, isn't she?"
