A/N : Thanx to; vanillagigglez, Ape18, funkydevil206, Brunettepet, SiriusSpikeLover, Moluvsnumber17, Anyanka0705, nikstarr, Torrchy, Freezyboncoolipants, EMBER91, Lori, lil-leti, Daniel Wesley Rydell, kim, spuffy4eva, and Arisluv, for all the mega reviews. Not far to go with this fic now, just a few more chapters I reckon.
(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)

Chapter 13

William the Bloody had a hell of a reputation for violence and blood-shed, as his name might suggest. First he tortured and murdered humans, and lately demons felt his wrath, but today was one of the few in which he was far from proud of his achievement. He'd fought another demon, no shame in that, especially after what she'd done to his woman and her mates. The problem was she whom he had beaten down was far from a stranger, or random adversary, she was in essence the first woman he ever loved.

The irony was not lost on Spike that Cecily, now known as the Vengeance Demon Halfrek, would be one of the few to know the truth behind his originally Bloody handle. Now she was the one covered in the red stuff that kept so many alive. He could've killed her, and it was more than just Giles words of warning that stopped him. The sight of the beaten and bruised face of one who he held so dear a life time ago still stung his heart, the image burned on his retinas as he sat now in the hotel bedroom, staring into space.

So lost in thought was Spike, he didn't acknowledge Dawn's presence in the room despite the fact he was aware she was standing beside him.

"I thought you might need some blood" she said, holding out a mug to him, "I heated it and everything" the littlest Summers said proudly when he looked at her, "98.6" she grinned.

"Thanks, Bit" Spike forced a smile as he took the mug from her. He glanced at the contents and then put the mug down on the floor by his feet, "No offence, pet, but I'll leave it for now. Don't have much of an appetite" he admitted.

"I thought you would, after the fight" Dawn frowned, leaning on the table across from the bed where he sat, "You showed that demon girl who was boss, you so totally whaled on her. She's still out cold" she smiled, but Spike didn't.

"Yeah, I did a great job" he sighed and the teenager shook her head not understanding what his problem was.

"I don't get it" she admitted, "You totally showed her who's boss, and when she comes around she'll have to change the gang back..."

"'S not the issue, Nibblet" Spike interrupted, "She's more than just the demon that granted your stupid bloody wish" he said, looking over at her, "She's the reason I exist, luv"

Dawn shook her head, frowning because she still didn't know what he was trying to say and Spike sighed before he explained.

"I'll tell you this, pet, but only cos I know it goes no further" he said firmly and she nodded he was right, she would never betray his confidence, "It was a long time ago, back when I was still human. Her name was Cecily and, and she was my world. I loved her, and I told her that, but she was too good for me. Told me so too, told me I didn't mean anything to her, and that bloody hurts to hear" he winced even now at the memory of how much pain it had caused him to be told he was beneath the woman he adored. Clearing his throat he continued his tale, "Anyway long story short, I was hurt, left this party we'd been at so as I could be alone, lick my wounds and what not, and that's when Dru found me"

"And turned you?" Dawn asked a little nervously. Spike talked about the past, but usually it was horror stories of blood and mayhem. To hear how someone had hurt the human him, and that had led to him being turned into a vampire, it was strange and kind of intense. Dawn wasn't sure whether she was about to see her friend cry or just smash up the room, and either option seemed pretty scary right now.

"She did" Spike nodded, "She made me a monster that night, somethin' I still would be now, if not for your sister" he smiled, "See, she did the high and mighty thing pretty well too, but with our little trip to kids-ville last year, kind of evened things out as you might say, put us on a level footing"

"But now you and Halfrek or Cecily or whatever, now you're better than her, stronger and stuff" Dawn told him, "Shouldn't that feel good"

"Probably should, Bit" Spike agreed, "Not so sure it does though" he realised, putting his face in his hands and sighing.

"Does Buffy know" Dawn suddenly asked, "I mean, about how come you got turned and everything"

"Not exactly" Spike shook his head as he looked up at her, "Things get mentioned over time but she never asked and I never told her. 'S not a nice thing to talk about is it? How your other half got vamped"

"I dunno" the girl shrugged, "I don't understand the whole evil thing so well. I mean, Angel had a soul but when he lost it he couldn't love Buffy anymore. You're supposed to be soulless but you love her just fine, maybe even more than Angel did. She sure cries a lot less now she's with you" she smiled, "You make her happy, and I like having you around" she told him, blushing a little when he grinned at her confession.

"You're a good girl, Bit" Spike told her, putting at arm around her shoulders, hugging her to him and kissing the top of her head, "Other than your sister, you're the only one I'd trust with what I just told you" he said, "You can keep a secret, right?"

"Oh sure" Dawn nodded madly, almost clocking him in the chin as she moved away a little, "Cross my heart, and hope to..."

"No, pet" Spike stopped her, "Not here and now, not with wish granting demons about. You be careful what you say" he warned her, "Simple promise'll do just fine"

"Okay" she nodded, "I promise, I won't tell, not ever"

"I know you won't, sweetheart" Spike smiled, reaching for the mug of blood she'd brought up for him, "Know I can trust you, that's why I told you. You're more of a grown up than you realise, you know that?"

That got a grin out of Dawn as her vampire friend drank down his blood, finishing just as the door swung open to reveal Joyce.

"Hey, what are you two hiding up here for?" she asked them.

"Spike was just... telling me a story" Dawn smiled, it was only a half-lie since it was a story, just a true one, "Is she awake yet?" she asked, enquiring after Halfrek and Joyce nodded.

"That's why I came to find you" she agreed, "Spike, Rupert thinks they might need you if she gets loose at all"

"Get's loose?" the vampire frowned, as he got to his feet with Dawn still by his side.

"Well she seemed so violent and dangerous, we thought we should tie her up" she explained, "It made a good game for the kids too, although I'm not certain duck-tape the demon to a chair is a usual party favourite" she considered.

"Never know, might take over from pin the tail on the donkey" Spike smirked as he came out of the room with Dawn and the three of them headed down stairs, "Give it a little Helmouth twist and all that"

"Ah, Spike, Dawn, we wondered where you'd got to" Giles greeted them as they descended the stairs.

"Spikey!" Buffy came barrelling at him, "They wouldn't let me come find you" she told him, shaking her head and making her pig-tails swing violently, "They said they needed someone strong to guard the demon, so I had to do that"

"Bet you did a bloody good job too" Spike smiled, as she hugged his legs, "Want me to take over now?"

Buffy looked thoughtful before she answered.

"We can both do it, together" she grinned, "That'd be cool"

Spike couldn't be bothered to argue with her, and he certainly didn't want to upset her. He let her stand with him near where Halfrek was bound to the pouffe seat in the Hyperion lobby by so many yards of silver-coloured duck-tape that the kids had a great time binding her with. The little Wiccas and mini-Watcher seemed to have disappeared somewhere, Spike noticed as Anya and Xander sat in the corner together and Angel looked daggers at him across the room. It would seem he'd been Buffy's friend whilst Spike himself was otherwise engaged, and now her 'boyfriend' was back she had no use for the little brooding one. As daft as it was that made Spike smile, the mini vamp with the soul looked so pissed at him right now, and at three feet tall there was little to nothing he could do to his grand-childe.

A groan from Halfrek startled him from his thoughts and not really knowing how strong she would be, how able to break free from her bonds, Spike went for the weapons cabinet and pulled out an axe, striding back over to where his one-time love was now stirring.

"You feeling like reversing some wishes yet, bitch?" Spike asked her nastily, his foot on the seat next to her and axe within view.

"William" she sighed, wincing slightly from her injuries, "You think the attempts of a mere vampire to injure me would make me take back what I've done?" she laughed despite the fact it hurt a great deal to do so, "The pain D'Hoffryn inflicts on those that do not make their quota... even you, the great William the Bloody, could not understand"

"This D'Hoffryn you speak of" Giles asked, approaching the demon carefully, "He is your leader, yes?"

"He is the head of our household" Halfrek nodded, "He rules over us, and loves us all"

"Loves you?" Spike scoffed, "Yeah, course he does" he said sarcastically. Halfrek turned to look at him once again, not at all pleased.

"You thought you were the only demon that could love?" she checked, knowing even now she could push his buttons all too easily.

"Shut your gob" the vampire told her angrily and whilst Giles had no idea what the exact situation was between these two, he really had no wish to find out. He knew how violent Spike could become and if Halfrek were to be accidentally killed the Scoobies, plus Angel and Wesley, might never be anything but the little children they now were.

"I disagree, Spike" he said carefully, "I would rather our friend here did some talking, preferably casting a spell to reverse the wishes she granted for Dawn and indeed Cordelia"

"I've explained, I can't" Halfrek told him sharply, "Dawn's wish made up my numbers for this month and without it... I won't face consequences of that magnitude for you or anybody" she said looking at the Watcher and then at Spike, "As for your friend, Cordelia, that was not my doing"

"Hey, what's that about?" Spike frowned.

"Yeah, what the hell is that?" Cordy asked as she overhead what was being said and stormed over to the demon-woman, "You granted that wish, you had to have"

"I really didn't, honey" Halfrek smiled, "These days I work strictly for the little ones, and you don't fit the bill"

"Is she lying?" Cordy asked Spike who shook his head.

"Could be, luv" he admitted, "Dunno for sure"

"I do" said a little voice suddenly and the group of adults turned to see Anya behind them, with Xander permananetly stuck to her side like always, "See, Vengeance Demons have certain jobs, and they can grant wishes to anyone but they don't usually. I dealt mostly with scorned women, Hallie has a thing against bad parents"

"So is there like a Vengeance against Bosses and stuff kind of a demon?" Cordelia asked the general group of people around her, feeling a little weird if she stared at mini Xander too long - she used to date him after all.

"Um..." Little Anya looked thoughtful before suddenly grinning and yelling up at the ceiling, "Isadora! Hey, Isadora, get down here now!"

There was a crash like thunder throughout the lobby, then a blinding flash followed by a haze of smoke that eventually cleared to reveal a young dark-skinned woman with her arms folded across her chest.

"What do you think y'all doin' calling me when I'm busy tryin' to make my quota?" she complained, "Oh my God" she gasped a the the sight before her, "Halfrek, honey, is that you under all that tape and bruising" she laughed, apparently amused by the situation.

"Oh great" Spike sighed, "Two of them to contend with" he said as the Vengeance demons glared at each other, "This is going to be interesting"

To Be Continued...

A/N : I invented the character of Isadora, she actually belongs to me and not Joss... You think he would trade for Spike? ;-)