A/N : Well, I finally made this chapter work. I wrote about half then decided I didn't like some of it and then found myself in writer's blockville when I tried to start over! Never fear though, it's starting to look like I'm back on track with this story and I thnkyou all for your patience, and even more so for the fantabulous reviews on the previous chapter.
Daniel Wesley Rydell, midnightPixie13, Moonjava, lil-leti, vanillagigglez, chanel 5, demonica mills, Spuffy6, Torrchy, Freezyboncoolipants, Anyanka0705, EMBER91, spuffy4eva, Hellmouth2, Brunettepet, Moluvsnumber17, and Arisluv, you guys are all just awesome for taking the time to review.
Here's hoping this new chapter does not disappoint, as the Season 5 Buffyverse kids crossover with those in the Season 2 Angelverse!
(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)

Chapter 10

"The ants came marching six by six, hurrah, hurrah!" Dawn led the next verse of the kids song that should be helping the long car trip to fly past. All they were actually succeeding in doing it seemed was to drive the adults to the point of insanity, Spike most especially who was huddled at the back of the hired mini bus, trying to avoid all shafts of light as the sun had yet to fully set.

Somehow the kids were just as awake now as they had been when the road trip to LA began. Though the occasional yawn was noticed, the children seemed so determined to stay awake for the whole excursion, most especially Buffy who was looking far too pleased with herself in Spike's opinion.

It was now almost twenty four hours since Giles had spoken with Cordelia and discovered that Angel and Wesley had also been turned into much younger versions of themselves much as the Scoobies had. As soon as the kids found out thatSpike, and possibly Giles, were planning a trip to Los Angeles they all decided they wanted to go too, though the adults correctly guessed the mini Slayer had started the trouble. She made no secret of the fact she wanted Spike with her always, if he was going on a trip, she was going too, and that was quite simply that. Xander was not going to allow her to go alone with him, Anya would not be left without her man, and Willow and Tara preferred to have all the group together. Unwilling to upset so many little ones and just desperate to be solving the problems that were increasing all the time, Giles, Joyce and Spike all agreed that everyone would make the trip to Los Angeles, and a mini bus was quickly hired by the Watcher.

"The ants came marching ten by ten, hurrah, hurrah!" the group of overly-chirpy voices continued as Giles rolled his eyes from his position behind the wheel.

"Any more bloody ants march by me and I swear to God I'll..." Spike began his threat only to be snapped at by Joyce about his language.

"What song do you want us to sing, Spikey?" Buffy asked too sweetly, "I don't think I know any about vampires..." she frowned as she considered it.

"I don't wanna sing about vampires" Xander said firmly, "They're bad and evil"

"I-I d-don't think that S-Spike is evil" Tara said quietly to Willow who nodded that she agreed, though no-one else paid attention if they even heard the softly spoken words.

Spike heard of course with his heightened vampire hearing and appreciated it a lot. He knew the Wiccas liked him well enough on an normal day, but to know they trusted him even as little bits, that was somehow even more special.

"Left here, Rupert" Joyce told Giles as they came to a junction and she followed the LA street map that rested on her knee, "Then right at the next turn and we should be just a little way from the hotel" she smiled, secretly very glad this trip was almost over. As much fun as it was playing Mom to the little versions of the children for a while, trapped in a min bus with them for hours, constantly singing a variety of highly annoying road trip songs was starting to try her patience.

"Ah, here we are" Giles was smiling to as he pulled the vehicle up outside the old Hyperion Hotel and switched off the engine. Before they were even out of the minibus, Cordelia was on the doorstep looking decidedly flustered and more unkempt than anyone had ever seen her.

"Giles, oh thank God" the young woman exclaimed as she ran at him and hugged the man tight, surprising him greatly.

"Er, hello Cordelia" he said awkwardly patting her back, "We came as soon as we could but with all the, er, well, children to consider, as well as Spike..." he explained as Joyce helped the kids get unbuckled from their seatbelts and out of the vehicle.

"Oh my God" Cordy gasped once again as she caught sight of her ex-boyfriend as a six year old, closely followed by little Willow, Anya, and another girl she assumed must be Tara.

Buffy was frowning as she followed her friends off the bus.

"Mommy" she said urgently, "I think there's a demon in there" she pointed into the hotel, looking both wary and yet ready for a smack down.

"Course there's a bloody demon in there" Spike rolled his eyes as he hopped down from the bus beside her, "Little BroodBoy himself, ain't it?" he smirked, hating the idea of encountering his sire again, but loving the fact he'd been reduced to a kid much like the rest of the Scoobies - now that was something he was going to enjoy.

"Spike" Cordelia greeted him curtly.

"Cordelia" he replied, still smirking as his eyes raked over her form, "Still using that fantastic gym of yours I see" he said, making reference to the last time he'd been in LA almost a year ago.

"Save it, BleachBoy" the ex-cheerleader rolled her eyes, not the least bit put off by his compliments anymore. She was a different person to when they'd last met.

"Right then, er, shall we get everyone inside" Giles suggested as he pulled a large pile of books from the minibus and locked it up. Joyce and Dawn ferried all the kids towards the front door.

"Attack!" said a little voice as they entered the building and it's owner was soon running at the group, making a couple of the girls scream. A mini version of Angel came barrelling across the floor, a half-sized sword clutched in his hands and his vamp face firmly on his features.

"Bugger that" Spike said simply as he stepped between the kids and the little Poofter, easily dodging a couple of swings at his lower body before taking the sword out of the boys hand and with one light push knocking the kid on his butt.

"Tell me, Cordelia" the bleached blond smirked at her, "You often leave weapons lyin' about where kids can lay their hands on them?" he asked her, smirk turning into a much more severe look as he walked over to the counter and threw the bladed instrument onto it.

"Aargh!" a squeaky little voice screamed and the assembled group really expected a girl to come running out from behind the counter. Instead it was a frightened little Wesley that emerged.

By this time Angel was back on his feet and about to take another run at Spike who seemed very amused by the whole idea.

"I'm gonna kill you" the little vamp said firmly and the taller of the two smirked.

"Yeah, right" he smirked, "Give it your best shot, you little bugger"

"Hey!" Buffy yelled as she came up behind Angel and got his attention. The second he turned to look at her she spun and kicked him square in the chest sending him flying several feet back. He landed in a heap on the floor, unmoving.

"Buffy!" Joyce sounded none too pleased as she got hold of her daughter and looked sternly at her, "What did you think you were doing?" she asked her as Cordy rushed to the little vampire and checked he was okay.

"I-I was saving Spikey" Buffy told her mother, unsure now as to whether she'd done the right thing at all, "I'm the Slayer, I'm supposed to kill the demons, they're bad"

"Angel's not bad" Cordy snapped, "You know that. Care Bear with fangs, remember?"

"I don't..." the little Slayer began, truly at a loss. Angel seemed familiar somehow and maybe she shouldn't have hurt him without asking Mommy or Giles or Spike if she should first, "I'm sorry" she said, looking shame-faced as Wes ran over to see what had happened to his friend.

"Are we going home now?" Anya suddenly yelled from the back of the crowd, "I'm tired and want to sleep"

"Me too" Willow admitted, as a large yawn escaped.

"We're not going home tonight, guys" Dawn reminded them as she crouched down to their level, "But it'll be fun to stay here, right? At the hotel?" she said, hoping they'd agree. As much fun as these children were some of the time, when they got upset and/or whiney Dawn just couldn't deal.

"There are rooms on the second floor you can use" Cordy called across to Giles, "They're not entirely ready for you, I mean, I kinda had my hands full here with dumb and dumbest but..."

"That's quite alright, Cordelia" the Watcher smiled, "I'm certain we can make do with whatever you have to offer"

Dawn steered the kids on up the stairs, all except Buffy who ran over to where Spike stared amusedly at the bruised and snarling mini-Angel that Cordy was checking over.

"I'm sorry, Spike" the little Slayer said solemnly, tugging on the bottom of his leather coat to make sure she got his attention, "I was trying to save you from the little monster"

"'S alright, little luv" the vampire assured her as he crouched down to her level, "I know you were only doin' what instinct told you to, but..." he paused glancing at Joyce before continuing, "You see, pet, as much as it pains me to say this, Angel's on the side of good. He's not a bad vampire and so you don't go attacking him for fun, alright?"

"I promise" Buffy nodded, diving at Spike before he had a chance to move and hugging him tight around the neck, "but no matter how nice he is, you'll always be my favourite vampire" she promised him.

"Should think so too" he smirked as she let go of him and smiled brightly, "Now get along with you, go with your Mum and get tucked up in bed. Reckon all you lot need some kip by now"

"Okay" Buffy obediently complied and scampered over to the stairs where Joyce waited. She led the little girl up to the second floor, glancing down at Spike over the bannister rail and smiling at him gratefully for what he'd said. He might just as easily have encouraged Buffy's violence towards Angel, after all he and his grand-sire were not exactly the best of friends. Still, he'd been a sensible adult and done the right thing, Joyce was prestigiously proud of him for that.

"Little sod still griping is he?" Spike smirked as he strode over to the other side of the room where Cordy was still checking Angel for injuries and telling him it was okay.

"Hello, he got attacked by a Slayer" Cordelia snapped, "You remember having a big laugh when Buffy was kicking your butt?" she asked the bleached blond who rolled his eyes.

"She barely touched him" he defended his girl, "'Sides kids get bruised from time to time, playing daft games and such. 'S how they learn"

"Be that as it may, Spike" Giles chimed in as he locked up the weapons cabinet, having just put away the sword Angel had previously been using as his weapon of choice, "I am grateful for your words to Buffy" the Watcher admitted, "The less fighting amongst the, er, children, the better I believe"

"Get this soddin' spell reversed and it won't be an issue" Spike pointed out, glossing over the fact Giles had just more-or-less complimented him on his previous actions since it made him uncomfortable.

"Ah, spells!" little Wesley cried suddenly, pelting across the room and into one of the offices. The others waited a few moments and then watched him come running back out again with a book in his arms that was at least half the size of the poor child himself and apparently a little too heavy for him, "Will this be of use, sir?" he asked, looking up at Giles hopefully as he held the book aloft, his little arms shaking with the exertion of supporting a tome too heavy for him to cope with.

"Er, thank you, Wesley" the Watcher stumbled over his words, finding it even more strange to see his ex-colleague as a child than he had when it was the Scoobies running around his feet, "Yes, indeed, I'm sure this will be most useful" he lied as he turned over the book entitled 'Transmographication of Inanimate Objects, Volume Two, Latin translation'.

"Maybe I should get Giles-Wannabe and Captain Courageous here upstairs before the major league mojo gets started up" Cordy realised, getting a hold of Angel's hand and then Wesley's as she moved across the foyer.

"Can I stake him tomorrow?" the little vamp asked her, shooting a nasty look at his much larger grand-childe. Cordelia followed his gaze and smirked.

"Maybe" she half-joked as she took the children upstairs to put them to bed. No doubt Angel would make a fuss again since he was a vamp and by instinct preferred to sleep in the day. Still, it'd be easier if he followed the same pattern as the other kids for now.

"So, where do we go from here?" Spike asked Giles as they were left alone in the hotel lobby.

"To be quite honest with you, Spike, I'm not entirely certain" the Watcher sighed, removing his glasses and rubbing his tired eyes, "Although it would make sense to continue research into the Vengeance Demon world whilst the children are quiet and out of the way, I confess I do not believe my eyes will stay open much longer"

"Must be gettin' old, Rupes" Spike smirked as he spotted a small refrigerator behind the counter and swung around to see if there was any blood in there, he could really use a drink right about now.

"Says he who was born in the nineteenth century" Giles shot back but Spike continued to smirk. It was all good-natured banter between the two of them these days, nothing malicious... well, not usually anyway.

"Tell you what" the bleached blond said, smiling triumphantly as he pulled a container of blood from the fridge and popped off the lid, "You go grab some shut eye with dear old Joyce" he told Giles, "I'll see what I can find in the Poofters book collection about the Vengeance crowd, alright?"

"Thank you, Spike" Giles said warily. Though he was used to the whole gang, including the vampire, working together regularly, it amazed him that in the absence of Buffy, Joyce, and Dawn, those Spike cared for and would actively seek to impress, he would still offer his help when it was needed.Giles didn't have the energy to wonder too much about that now. He quickly said goodnight and trudged up the stairs to find his girlfriend and get some much needed sleep.

Spike chugged down half the container of pigs blood as he walked through to the office and ran a finger along the book shelf as he read the titles.

"Summoning of the Ancient Orders" he read aloud, pulling the volume from the shelf. Vengeance Demons had been around for centuries, even millennia, must qualify as ancient enough an order to be in the book, Spike reckoned. If he was wrong there were plenty more tomes he could have a flick through.

"Tonight's gonna be so exciting" he said sarcastically to himself as he sat down in Angel's chair and propped his feet up on the desk. At least the peace and quiet was refreshing, for as long as it lasted.

To Be Continued...