A/N : Hey gang, I finally have more kiddy-fic fun for you! Thanx so much to everyone who reviewed the previous chapter; libraflyter, Slayergirl1212, Freezyboncoolipants, Time Rowanwood, Courtney37, Bridge, Angelique, sheilamarie, kargrif, Redluxx, spikes-slayer29590, jobe, zanthinegirl, Squirlyspike, Spuffyfan4eva, Moluvsnumber17, Xtremely-Canadian, Demonica Mills, GoldenAngl99, hisluvpet, hmm, Rowan Rice, spikes4everangel, MaidenRo, Alliegirl, spuffy4eva, katie, reesa, pixiecorn, Charmed-angel4, yarrow, Moonjava, Ape18, velja, Lady Nightspike. I am just stunned by how popular this story is, it amazes me. I'm trying to include the ideas you're throwing at me and I'm glad you're all enjoying the story.
(For disclaimer, etc. see chapter 1)

Chapter 10

It was late in the morning and Joyce had just got off the phone from calling Anya. Thankfully Buffy had the ex-demon's number in a place where her mother could find it easily and after half an hour of apologising and convincing, Joyce had managed to get Anya to agree to come to Revello Drive and sit with the children whilst she went out to get them some more clothes, and then help them to perform a locator spell to find Willow. Whilst the girl agreed, she made it abundantly clear that she was only helping them because she wanted Xander back a soon as possible for graphically explained reasons that Joyce never wanted to hear again as long as she lived!

Giles was hating being stuck on the couch, unable to be of any assistance with research or baby-sitting, though the latter Joyce was sure he was heartily grateful for. Buffy and Spike were a bit of handful to say the least, but Mrs Summers couldn't help but love having her daughter all young, carefree and dependant upon her again. She even found that she loved little Spike to the point where she'd happily adopt him if only he were to stay this way. As awful as it was, Joyce couldn't help thinking how nice it might be to keep the kids this way and not turn them back.

"Can I get you anything Rupert?" she asked him and he smiled at her concern.

"No, thankyou, I'm quite alright" Giles told her, "well, perhaps that is the wrong phrase" he considered, "There's nothing I need unless you suddenly have the ability to return my sight" he sighed, rubbing tired eyes that were of no use to him right now.

"I wish it were so simple" Joyce felt bad for him as she came to sit at his side, a hand landing on his knee as she did so, "I hate knowing there's nothing I can do for you"

"I could say the same thing" he reminded her, "I am of little or no use to you either, not with the children or with the spell..."

"That doesn't matter" Joyce assured him, "You take care of Buffy all the time, and the others. They all turn to you and you're always there for them. Now it's my turn to help them out and you too"

Giles smiled at that.

"I do assure you Joyce your help is most appreciated" he told her, his hand finding hers and taking hold of it, "Indeed I have no idea how we would have coped without you"

That brought a smile to her face too. She really did like helping as she was, being part of the team so to speak, and more than that she found she particularly enjoyed Rupert's company.

-

"They're doing it again" Buffy giggled from underneath the table. She and Spike decided it was a good place to play and Buffy was spying on her mother and Giles from there, and finding it most amusing when they started holding hands.

"Doin' what?" Spike asked, looking up from the drawing he was doing and peeking out from their hiding place.

"Holding hands" the little Slayer rolled her eyes, "and Giles stayed over last night...I'll bet they really are gonna get married and have babies" she decided, picking up a crayon and helping Spike to colour in his picture.

"Think we should tell 'em that we're getting married too?" he asked her with a tilt of his head. She considered it for a moment before shaking her head, sending her pigtails swinging wildly.

"Nuh-uh" she decided against it, "They might say we're not allowed, y'know like how I'm not allowed cookies before lunch"

"No-one can stop us from getting married" Spike said firmly, "They can take your cookies away but they won't take you away from me!" he was getting quite irate about it as he coloured in his picture a little too roughly, snapping the crayon in two.

"Bugger" he complained, and Buffy shoved him.

"Spikey, that's a bad word" she reminded him, "If Mommy heared you you'd be in big trouble"

"Don't give a sod" he challenged, making the Slayer gasp.

"Mommy!" she yelled as she scurried out from beneath the table and ran into the living room, but her mother was gone, "Giles, where's Mommy?" she asked her Watcher.

"She's answering the door, Buffy" he told her, "Anya is here"

The little Slayer gasped, changing her mind about telling tales on Spike and bolting back to the table. She got underneath as fast as she could and her little friend was surprised to see her back so fast.

"Anya's here" she said in explanation, "She'll tie us up again!

"Don't fret, luv" Spike told her, sensing some fear that he was not used to from Buffy, "You're my special Slayer-bint" he reminded her, giving her a hug, "If Anya does anything bad, I'll bite her for you" he grinned, making the little girl feel a whole lot better.

-

"Anya, thankyou for coming back" Joyce smiled, even though being polite to the girl was less than easy.

"Yes, you should be thanking me" the ex-demon nodded as she came into the house, "I could have been at home right now worrying about Xander, or if you hadn't have sent him away I could be having good orgasms right now"

Joyce cringed at the phrasing but knew she couldn't get mad at the girl, she needed her to perform the locator spell to find Willow. Then Xander could bring the witch home, the original spell could be reversed and all would be well. At least that was the plan.

"Please, go through and sit down" Mrs Summers urged her, "If you could just keep Giles company and make sure the kids don't run riot I'll go out to the store for some clothes for Buffy and Spike, and then to the magic shop"

"Sure, fine, whatever" Anya sighed, dropping herself into the armchair and pulling a magazine from the coffee table. She began flipping pages and looked heartily disinterested in everything she found on them. Joyce was a little taken aback and stood staring for a moment.

"You can go now" Anya told her and the older woman blinked.

"Thankyou" she replied, sarcasm duly added, "I won't be long, Rupert" she said turning to the man on the couch, "You're sure that I have everything on this list that you need from the magic shop?" she verified, reeling off a few ingredients he'd mentioned before.

"Yes, quite sure" he confirmed, catching her arm (by luck more than judgement) as she turned to leave, "Don't be long" he almost begged of her and she smiled, glancing at the already-bored Anya.

"I won't be" she promised, squeezing his hand before going into the hall, pulling on her coat.

"Buffy! Spike!" she called and they both came scurrying out from their hiding place.

"Now kids, I have to go out for a while, so Anya and Giles are going to take care of you til I get back" she told them. Buffy pouted.

"Can't we come with you?"

"Please Mum" Spike added his plea to his friends for good measure, and the sight of the two of them looking so sad to be left behind almost made her cave, but she held firm.

"I'm sorry babies" she said, crouching down to their level, "but I have to be as fast as I can and it's light outside, we don't want to risk Spike getting hurt now do we?"

"Nuh-uh" Buffy shook her head in the negative, and the little vampire did the same.

"Then you stay here and be good" Joyce told them, "and when I get back I might just have a nice surprise for you"

"Yay, surprises!" Buffy squealed, jumping up and down excitedly, encouraging Spike to do the same. Their enthusiasm soon died when Joyce gave them both a kiss and left the house.

Beyond the door Joyce let out a breath she didn't know she'd been holding. She really hated to leave the kids, especially when they looked so upset about her going. Add to that the fact she'd left them in the care of a very kind but nevertheless blind man, and an unstable girl who used to be some kind of demon, Joyce was determined to hurry around the shops and get back as soon as she could.

-

It was just two hours later that Joyce arrive back at 1630 Revello Drive. The first thing she noticed as she got to the front door was the silence, and that worried her immensely. Children, especially five year old throwbacks of a Slayer and vampire, should never be so quiet, and if they were that meant one of two things. Either Anya had them bound and gagged by now, in which case spell or no spell she would feel the wrath of Mother Joyce, or it was the children who were up to no good...

"Buffy? Spike?" she called cautiously as she came through the front door.

"Hey Mom" the little Slayer called back from her position on the floor. She was laying on her front with her legs kicking in the air, her hands supporting her chin whilst she watched TV. Spike sat up fairly sensibly beside her.

"Hello Mum" he smiled too politely before turning back to the cartoon he and Buffy were watching.

"Where is Anya?" she asked suspiciously, looking to Giles who turned in her general direction.

"I'm not entirely certain" he admitted, "Under the circumstances, I didn't like to ask, but the children have been good as gold since she...disappeared" he told her, "I've been listening to their quiet conversation and the general gabble of the television for quite some time"

Joyce smiled at that, pleased nothing awful had happened to either of the children or Rupert but where on earth was Anya? With a frown she walked through to the kitchen, dumping her bags there and then ventured out of the other door.

"Oh good heavens" she gasped when she found the girl she'd been looking for.

Anya was bound by her ankles and wrists to one of the dining room chairs by various rope-like items. One of Joyce's dish towels had been fastened across her mouth so that speech was impossible, but if looks could kill the older woman was sure she'd be dead in an instant. She rushed forward to remove the gag and begin untying the bonds that held Anya captive.

"It's about time!" she complained, "I cannot believe those little brats!" she yelled, her rants turning into shouts of over-exaggerated pain as Joyce pulled at the knots in the various household items that held her to the furniture.

"How on earth did they manage to do this?" Buffy's mother asked, desperately trying not to laugh. She was shocked and somewhat appalled by Buffy and Spike's behaviour but she couldn't help thinking what a great idea it was to have such a young woman as this bound and gagged on most occasions.

"They're little monsters!" Anya continued to complained, "And they still have their super-strength even in these strange little bodies!"

Her yelling prompted both children to appear in the doorway, biting their lips so as not to giggle as Anya finally got to her feet and rubbed her wrists and ankles where she'd been tied up.

"Buffy, Spike" Joyce said in a decidedly angry mother tone, "Tell me what happened"

"She was being mean, Mommy" the little girl pouted, "She said if Spikey didn't be quiet she was gonna make him go poof" she explained, holding his hand tightly in hers.

"Go poof?" Joyce echoed quietly to herself , before realising what her daughter meant, "Oh, really?" she looked to Anya for an explanation, making her feel very much like the little kid on trial here.

"I wouldn't actually have staked him" she said as if it were obvious, but Joyce wasn't buying it.

"What else happened?" she asked, turning back to the kids, but it was Anya that answered this time.

"The little demon-spawn bit me...again!" she cursed as she uncovered her ankle to reveal a set of teeth marks that barely showed, except for the little fang holes, "I probably need some kind of shot now" the ex-demon complained.

Spike didn't look happy about anything she was saying, and neither did Buffy. Actually, Joyce didn't look too thrilled either.

"Anya, they're just children, and I was only gone two hours" she snapped, feeling so protective not just over her daughter but over Spike too. She stood in front of them when Anya started to look altogether too violently at them.

"I suggest you go through to the kitchen and get the spell ingredients" she advised the younger girl, "You can start setting up in the living room, whilst I take the kids upstairs and talk to them"

"Talk to them!" Anya yelled, "They need to be punished" she said adamantly, "Whatever happened to strict parents with belts to hit their children with, or canes..."

"Anya!" Joyce snapped, shocking not just her but the children too, "This is my house and these are my children, or at least my responsibility, and I will decide what punishment, if any, needs to be given" she explained sternly, "You are here to perform a spell, and that is all"

With that she took hold of the kids by the hands and stormed off towards the stairs, encouraging them up there when they reached the bottom. She promised to follow in two minutes, and went to fetch the new clothes she'd bought from where she'd abandoned her bags.

"You really think your Mum's gonna punish us?" Spike asked as he and Buffy waited for her upstairs.

"I dunno" the little Slayer shrugged, just as Joyce appeared at the top of the stairs. She took them through to the bedroom and sat down on the bed with them.

"Now, I think we need to talk about what happened with Anya..." she began, and immediately Buffy interrupted.

"She was mean, Mommy, we had to do it!" she protested.

"It's true, Mum" Spike threw in, "I thought she was going to hit Buffy and then she was calling me stuff, so we had to"

Joyce couldn't help but smile at their innocent little faces and pleading voices. If Anya had been horrible to them she could hardly blame them for what they'd done. After all there were times when she herself could quite like to at least gag the girl for the sake of everyone's sanity.

"I won't leave you with her again" she said, "I promise"

"And you're not going to punish us" the little Slayer checked.

"No, honey, I'm not" her mother told her and Spike, "What you did wasn't very nice but...neither is Anya really" she smiled, making both children giggle.

"That doesn't mean to say you can go doing that to just anybody" she clarified, "It was naughty and dangerous. Do you understand?" she told them much more seriously, both of them nodding solemnly in response.

She hugged them both to her, glad they understood and that they'd got through this whole debacle without any tears or tantrums, unless you counted Anya's ranting. Next came something Joyce was less able to deal with, spells and magic, but she had one more motherly duty to perform before that. She'd got new clothes for the kids, probably more than she should have given it was likely they'd be adult sized again within the week, but before she put them in clean clothes, she thought it was about time the pair of them took a bath.

To Be Continued...

A/N2 : More coming soon, and whoever suggested the whole mini-Spike and mini-Buffy in the bath thing, see, I finally got to that...or I will do next chapter! In the meantime, reviews would be great please!