A/N : So many reviews, I am just overwhelmed by the great response this fic gets on each and every chapter. Thanx so much to; hisluvpet, freezyboncoolipants, zanthinegirl, Slayergirl1212, spikeswife1, kargrif, julz, spuffy4eva, GoldenAngl99, Charmed-angel4, libraflyter, Enema, Faint Hate, Rhonda, jobe, Redluxx, Xtremely-Canadian, Moonjava, Tithe16, June, Alliegirl, Angelique, Bridge, Crazy4mySpike, spikespet2002, MaidenRo, ayruh, Ape18, spikes-slayer29590, spuffy4eva, wigi, Rowan Rice, sheilamarie, pixiecorn, for the latest reviews. Hope you like this chapter just as much as the last one. I just love writing this fic and it's so great to know you all enjoy reading it.
(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)

Chapter 9

"Mommy" Buffy said with a yawn as Joyce got her out of her clothes and into another over-sized shirt to sleep in, "I'm not tired, why can't I help Giles to research?"

"Buffy" her mother smiled fondly at her as she tucked her into the bed beside Spike who was already changed and hidden beneath the covers, "You have to get some rest, sweetheart, and Mr Giles and me and Anya can manage with the research by ourselves, it's okay"

"But you don't know so much about demons, Mum" Spike chipped in, "We know loads of stuff, me and the Slayer"

"Well, if you two are good and go to sleep now like I asked, maybe tomorrow you can help with the research, okay?" she told the pair who nodded their agreement, both yawning once again and proving all previous claims of lack of tiredness to be lies.

"Good night kids" Joyce smiled as she went over to the door and turned out the light before leaving them to join Giles and Anya in the living room.

She was startled to hear the man's raised voice as she came down the stairs.

"...and I am quite aware of what a burden I am, and no use what-so-ever in helping Buffy as I should, but I do not need to hear your infernal jabbering on the subject!" he immediately regretted his outburst when he heard the footsteps of Joyce re-entering the room.

"Rupert, you're not a burden at all" she told him as she came to sit beside him on the couch, "What's happened is unfortunate but we'll figure it out" she assured him, putting a reassuring hand on his arm.

"I don't see how you sending away Xander helped at all" Anya piped up, "The demons will probably catch him and kill him and I'll never see him again thanks to you!" she said somewhat angrily and Joyce narrowed her eyes at the ex-demon.

"Anya, why don't you go home and get some rest. You can come back in the morning if you want to, when you're feeling calmer" she suggested, anything to get the obnoxious girl out of the house.

What a nice boy like Xander saw in her she really couldn't imagine and when she'd asked Buffy a couple of weeks ago she'd just turned very quiet. It was such a relief when Anya left without too much of a fuss.

"Joyce, I am terribly sorry..." Giles began to say but she interrupted him immediately.

"Rupert, I want no more apologies from you" she told him firmly, "Now I'm going to get us both a stiff drink, I think perhaps we both deserve one, and then we'll discuss how we might find Willow to reverse this spell"

"That sounds like an excellent plan" he smiled in her general direction, putting his hand over hers where it rested on his arm, "I am very grateful for your assistance"

Joyce didn't answer just smiled as she moved to pour them a brandy each. She placed the glasses on the coffee table and guided Giles hand to one of them so he knew where it was.

"Oh, there is something else I needed to ask you about" Joyce suddenly remembered before explaining to the ex-Watcher how Buffy appeared to be having flashes of memories from a couple of years ago.

"I don't know if it was the only one she'd had, it was the only one she told me about because it scared her so much" she said worriedly, "She can't make sense of it because in some ways it hasn't happened yet"

Giles looked thoughtful.

"Putting Buffy, and indeed Spike, back into five year old bodies has pushed their memories into a pattern that just won't fit" he surmised, "Buffy remembers myself and her friends, despite the fact she did not know us at the age of five, and she recalls being the Slayer" he went on with his theory, "However, her recollection of fighting demons, in fact her entire time growing up from ages five to almost nineteen, they're still present in her mind but repressed to a certain degree because they will not fit in the timeline"

"So why is she suddenly remembering a demon she fought two years ago?" Joyce frowned.

"I believe it may work in a similar way to bad memories that one would sooner forget" Giles told her, "You can try to put it out of your head and over time it becomes something you barely recall, but once in a while something with trigger off the memory, a particular item, a room, a smell, an action, suddenly the memory rushes back to the surface almost as vivid as the day it occurred"

"It must be so confusing for them" Joyce sighed, "but they seem to bear it well. They lean on each other a lot"

"Yes, they do" Giles didn't sound pleased about it but it appeared Joyce didn't notice as she picked up a book entitled simply Witchcraft and began flicking the pages.

"Really it amazes me how Willow understands all these spells" she said a few minutes later, "Even the simpler things, basic glamours, floating objects, locator spells..."

"Locator spells!" Giles echoed with a triumphant tone, "Of course, we can use a locator spell to find Willow. Why on Earth we didn't think of it before I have no idea!"

"Can you do it?" Joyce asked him and his smile turned into a frown.

"Not at present, no" he admitted, "Without my sight it is too dangerous to attempt and with Willow away, I fear the only person that would know what to do may very well be the one we sent away"

"Anya" Joyce realised with a sigh.

"Indeed" Giles nodded, "Plus of course we'd need ingredients and an item belonging to Willow"

"Well" Joyce tried to stifle a yawn, "I think perhaps tomorrow morning will be soon enough for all this" she said, closing the book she'd been reading, "I really could use a few hours sleep if I have to deal with all this plus two five year olds again tomorrow" she smiled, "and it's already close to midnight"

"Is it really so late?" Giles looked astonished, "Oh I should trespass on your hospitality no longer" he made to get up but Joyce's hand caught him arm and prevented it.

"Nonsense, Rupert" she said firmly, "You're staying right here. You're in no position to argue so I suggest you don't try"

"If you are certain Joyce, I would be most grateful if I might make use of your spare room" he told her as she tidied up the books and brandy glasses.

"The bed's already made" she told him, "I did it earlier when I was putting the kids down for the night"

A few minutes later, Joyce helped Giles up the stairs and into the spare room, sitting him down on the edge of the bed.

"Do you need help undressing?" she asked him, causing him to blush.

"Er, no, thankyou" he said awkwardly, "I'm quite certain I shall cope very well"

Joyce tried not to laugh at his words and expression combined.

"You forget, Rupert" she said as she walked back over to the door, "You have very little that I haven't seen before" she reminded him, a smirk on her face to rival Spike's own.

The ex-Watcher only blushed harder as the Slayer's mother said goodnight and left the room. Giles was fairly certain that whilst he couldn't see the look in Joyce's eyes when she spoke to him just then, he could picture it very well in his mind. He quite decided then, as he heard the door click shut, that it might be wise to sleep with his clothes on tonight.

- - - - - - -

There is screaming and shouting all through the streets of Sunnydale, and demonic children chase more normal looking beings across the town. A soldier and a ghostly figure cower near a tree, hiding a girl that smells familiar to the vampire that spots them. Still, something is not right...

"Kill her for princess" Drusilla's words ring in his ears and he remembers his promise to bring down the Slayer. It is then it strikes him, why the sight and scent of the girl in the long dress is familiar. Someone has reeked havoc with this spell of theirs, turning all that wear Halloween costumes into that they masqueraded as, but he has helped Spike. The Slayer is weak and can now be easily killed, a murder he will take such great pleasure in committing...

Spike sat bolt upright in the bed, breathing erratically despite the fact he did not need the oxygen at all. His small hands gripped the sheets so tight he almost tore them and he glanced over at Buffy's sleeping form not a foot from him.

He'd wanted to kill her, the girl in the dress and somehow he knew that was the same girl that lay beside him now, but what he didn't understand was why he'd ever want to hurt her that way.

As if she sensed his looking at her, or perhaps just the fact he was awake, Buffy opened her eyes and looked up at Spike through the gloom.

"Spikey?" she said sleepily rubbing her eyes, "What's the matter?"

"I didn't meant to" he said shakily, "I don't know why..." he trailed off, looking around like the world was an unfamiliar place suddenly. Buffy frowned and pulled herself up beside him.

"Did you have a nightmare, Spikey?" she asked him, "Were there monsters?" she checked but he shook his head and sniffed.

"I...I don't want to hurt you Buffy" he said solemnly, "I think I did before and I'm sorry"

The little Slayer was surprised to see that her friend was almost in tears, something she was fairly certain she'd never seen before. She found she didn't like it much.

"I forgive you" she assured him, "Whatever you did, you probably didn't mean to"

Spike was fairly sure that he had meant it when he'd made threats and thrown punches at the girl he now saw as his best friend really, but she was willing to forgive him his sins and for that he was grateful.

"Y'know, you're my favourite Fang-face boy" Buffy grinned, hoping to cheer him up. He smirked at her words but his frown soon returned.

"There was a girl...I think I used to like her" he said, trying desperately to make sense of some rather disturbing images he held in his mind. A dark-haired woman with sharp nails that pierced his skin whilst she whispered that she loved him. He shook his head hoping to dislodge the thoughts and concentrated on looking down at Buffy who was still smiling and hoping he'd soon do the same.

"But you are my favourite Slayer-bint" he promised her, finally managing a smile, "and I will marry you one day"

Buffy giggled at that, glad to see her friend looking a little happier as they snuggled down beneath the covers once again.

"We'll be best friends forever" the little girl reassured him when he looked a little uneasy. He nodded as he took hold of her hand and put a tiny object in it. She held it up to see what it was and smiled at the sight of one of his rings between her fingers.

"Forever" he told her softly as she pushed the ring onto her finger, grinning widely.

They fell asleep then, curled together in the middle of the bed. They would stay that way until morning, with no more nightmares to disturb them tonight.

To Be Continued...

A/N2 : If you still like it then review and let me know as always, and I'll try to update as soon as I can, but please bear with me as I am trying to write four fics at once!