A/N : Muchos gracias to my wonderful reviewers; spike dragon, spuffy4eva, Brunettepet, Hellmouth2, Daniel Wesley Rydell, Ember91, Ape18, Becomingwhaturmeanttobe, PltnmDancer, screaminheathen69, SiriusSpikeLover, vanillagigglez, sirc, Freezyboncoolipants, nikstarr, Moluvsnumber17, and Lifes-Slayer. All of you rock entirely! Here is the (almost) end to this story, I really hope you all like it!
(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)
Chapter 15
"We're ready" Willow nodded, holding tight onto Tara's hand.
They were standing in the centre of the Hyperion lobby, in front of the still bound Isadora, and Halfrek who had been released from the tape that held her and was now tied by only magical ropes too. Spike stayed close with a sword in his hand just in case something went wrong. Buffy and Angel were so desperate for a good brawl but the adults had decided against letting them help, it was too risky even with their extra strength.
Joyce, Giles, Dawn and Cordelia were up on the landing/balcony overlooking the scene with Xander, Anya, Buffy, and a rather disgruntled Wesley peeking around them to see what was happening. The little Watcher had hoped to be a part of this spell as he was the previous one, but the mini Wiccas didn't actually need him for it and it was deemed equally as dangerous for him to take part in this as the other children.
Besides, Spike couldn't protect everybody if something went wrong, it was responsibility enough watching the backs of the two remaining children, against a pair of Vengeance Demons. If they got free and fancied to rip him a new one, even Spike himself wasn't one hundred percent certain he could take them, but being the only adult present with powers, he daren't tell anyone else that.
"Go for it then, Little One" the vampire told Willow, who glanced at the nervous Tara and offered a reassuring smile. They seemed to communicate without the need for words and then their eyes turned from each other to the still bound demon women whose mouths had been taped shut for the foreseeable. Their complaining and threat-making had got on everybody's nerves.
A string of Latin words fell from Tara's lips. It was a little strange to hear her voice alone in the room and louder than ever before. Spike knew why of course. At age six Willow had known nothing of magic and her abilities with it, whilst her girlfriend was born into the arts. It was a while back the blonde Wicca had confessed to Spike she might be part demon, something she felt safer telling him than the others. He'd proven her theory to be wrong of course, one simple smack up the back of the head that made her merely wince but caused him to double over with intense pain. His chip fired, she as was human as her friends, case closed. Still she knew of spells and the power of magicks from the youngest of ages, something the whole group were grateful for now.
A light mist seemed to form above the heads of Halfrek and Isadora, like a black cloud focused only on them, though the droplets that first appeared to be falling from the cloud soon showed themselves to be moving against gravity. It was as if something were being sucked out of the demons, something dark and angry in shades of deep red and grey that was almost black. The cloud crackled with dark energy and power and Spike heard movement on the balcony as Xander hid behind Buffy, worried by what was occurring.
"Be gone!" Willow yelled suddenly, clapping her hands together.
With a crash like thunder the cloud burst in a flash of light and was indeed gone as the witch had instructed.
"Er, that it then?" Spike asked a moment later as he glanced between the still bound demons and the kid-witches. Nothing looked any different than it had before the spell, but the light show proved something had occurred.
"They'll do anything you want now" Willow grinned happily, "They can't lie or cheat or be bad if you tell them not to" she explained, "but just for now. The spell won't last forever"
"How long we got?" Spike checked, lowering his sword to his side now it seemed there was to be no danger.
"U-until the s-s-sun s-sets" Tara muttered, her big loud spell-doing voice all gone away, leaving the shy little whisper of hers behind.
"Right then" Spike smirked, looking up at the group standing on the balcony, "You lot wanna come down here and we'll do some spell reversing?"
Both Isadora and Halfrek gasped in air as the tape was removed from their mouths. The kids had been kept back, away from them til Spike was sure the spell had worked. Now satisfied it had he released their binds before ordering them to sit down which of course they obediently did. Spike smirked, loving the power he had and finding it almost amusing as the kids did when he ordered the demon women to stand and sit and hop on one leg.
"Spike, I think that's enough" Giles told the vampire, although he too found the situation a little humorous.
"What happens now?" Buffy asked as she hurried to her vampire's side. She hated having to be the whole ten feet away from him for the past few minutes. Of course it wasn't simple telling a child you were about to do a spell on her and her mates to turn them into adults. As far as the mini Slayer was concerned she was supposed to be this height and this age, despite the fact she had some memory of her time as a grow-up.
"Er, Watcher" the vampire said awkwardly, deciding a change of plan was in order, "Reckon this'll work even if the, er, subjects are elsewhere?" he asked, with a look that Giles thankfully picked up on.
"Oh, um, oh, yes" he said after a moment, "After all it did work last time and it might be less distressing if they're kept away so..."
Joyce watched her boyfriend dither a moment before stepping in.
"Okay, kids, upstairs" she said ushering them towards the stairs once again, "Anya, Xander!" she called as they made to run off together.
"Can't I stay with Spike?" Buffy pouted, "Pleeeaaase" she stretched the last word out to at least three times the length it ought to have been and Spike rolled his eyes as he crouched down to her height.
"Listen here, little pet" he told her, "You go with your Mum now, be a good girl, and when I'm all done with these... ladies here" he said with a look, "you and me can spend as much time as you want together, yeah?"
"Yay!" Buffy squealed delightedly at the prospect of spending all her time glued to Spike's side. She flung her arms around the vampire's neck and squeezed tightly, glad when he hugged her back before releasing her and telling her to go with Joyce, Dawn, and Cordy. She scampered off and Spike watched her go with an amused smile. She was a cute kid, and in some strange way he would miss her when all this was over, but he knew his gladness to have his woman back in his arms would far out-weigh that.
Soon there was just Giles and Spike left alone with Halfrek and Isadora.
"Right then, ladies" the vampire said sarcastically, turning to the two Vengeance Demons who did not look at all amused, "Reckon we've got some wish reversing to do"
"I should go and check that it's worked I supposed before we allow them to leave" Giles said after the wishes had been taken back by first Halfrek and then Isadora. Spike nodded, knowing he wanted a word with Halfrek, or Cecily as he knew her, anyway. He didn't actually need the Watcher to go and check on the gang, he knew the spells had worked.
By the time Giles had put one foot on the stairs, Spike could sense the shift in both Buffy's essence and that of his grand-sire to whom he would always be connected, no matter how much he wished he wasn't. He'd sent Rupert away so he could speak to Cecily, there was something he needed to know and in this state she had no choice but to tell him the truth.
"You can piss off now, Isadora" he told the other demon, "and since you have to do as you're told I know you won't ever come back here again, you'll leave me and mine alone for the rest of eternity, got it?" he asked and she dutifully nodded, seething inside but unable to show it, "Right then, get away with you" he snapped and in a flourish she was gone.
"As for you, Cecily" he said looking down on her where she sat, "Got a question for you. How long you been a demon, pet?" he asked and she glanced away when she replied.
"Almost as long as you have been a vampire" she admitted, sounding much more like her original English self right now, "It was within a month of your death that D'Hoffryn came to me and offered me this life"
"You were human when I... when I cared about you?" he said, leaving love out of the equation right now. It wasn't as if it should really matter anymore. He no longer loved Cecily, his heart belonged to Buffy and always would, but these things would only play on his mind if he did not sort them out now.
"I was human when you knew me" he confirmed, "but William... I confess it was because of you I turned to vengeance" she said, looking almost ashamed of herself for it, "My father forbade me to return your affection, however much I wished too"
"Your father... forbade...?" he echoed the beginning of her sentence trying to take in what she was saying. Spell be damned he only had to look into her eyes to know it was true, but he was so stunned. Cecily had cared for him, he wasn't beneath her at all, at least not in her eyes, just in her father's opinion.
"Your Dad didn't think I was good enough for you?" he checked, just to be sure and Halfrek nodded.
"I was to marry someone of wealth and status" she told him, "We were not as rich as many perceived us to be, and though I cared for you I could not have confessed it. When news of your death came to light I felt wretched. Some said it must've been suicide after my refusal of you, and I blamed first myself and then my father" she admitted, "He was so unfeeling, the whole affair meant little or nothing to him. He had me courted by rich men from whom I was to choose a husband, and all this when I wished to be left alone to grieve a man I cared so much for"
Spike was reeling from her words and sat in shocked silence for a few moments. Cecily had actually had feelings for him of some kind all those years ago. It was quite strange to realise that if only she had told him of her real emotions back then, William might never have died at the hands of Drusilla and become the vampire he was now. He might have lived a rather happy if uneventful life with a wife and kids, all the normal stuff that happened to regular people that were not turned in barns by crazy vampire women.
"Ironic really, ain't it?" he smirked suddenly as he looked at her, "If not for your refusal of me, I might have lived, might never have been the demon I am now, and if I'd not died, you wouldn't have got your scorn on and become what you are either"
"Things could have been very different" Halfrek nodded, and Spike almost thought he saw tears in her eyes, "Still, you are happy now. Even without a truth spell I see in your eyes the love you hold for the Slayer"
"True enough" Spike smiled, looking towards the stairs that he had no doubt Buffy would come down at any second, his woman, his Slayer, his one true love.
"She is more worthy of you than I might've been, William" Halfrek told him, putting her hand on his arm. He would've accused her of lying if he did not know that was impossible right now.
"You were a hell of a woman, Cecily" he replied, putting his hand over hers for a second, "but you and me, wasn't destined to happen, pet" he told her, "Fates saw fit to keep us both in the world longer than mortality should allow. I found my purpose, you found yours, all's right with the world"
She smiled and nodded her head, agreeing with what he said.
Back in the day, they might've made a match and been happy, but it hadn't happened and life went on. She adored her job, had no real need for the constant companionship of a man. He had Buffy, and a good cause to fight for. As Spike said, all was right with the world.
"Off you pop then, luv" he said suddenly releasing her hand and giving her a little shove, "No use you hangin' around now. Not unless you fancy a bunch of recently switched back Scoobies chopping you into messes"
"Goodbye, William" Halfrek said softly, before muttering an incantation and disappearing from sight.
"See ya, pet" he said to the empty space beside him, glad to have things sorted out with the silly bint he'd once adored. Now he had a new love in his life, one he'd missed terribly these past few days. He felt her presence long before her hand landed on his shoulder, but it was only when she spoke that he turned, swept her into his arms and kissed her senseless.
"I was gonna ask if you were okay" Buffy gasped when he finally ended up his assault on her lips, "but you didn't exactly give me a chance to breathe" she smiled, not in any way disliking the greeting.
"'M more than okay, luv" Spike told her, holding her impossibly close and tucking her hair behind her ear as he drank in the face he'd missed so much, "'M bloody thrilled to have you back like this" he said, moving in to kiss her once again.
"Glad to be back" she said breathlessly when they broke apart again, smiling as they sat down together where Spike and Halfrek had been just a moment ago, though all thoughts of the Vengeance Demon had left his head right now.
"I missed you so bloody much, pet" he sighed, grinning like an idiot as he kept a hold of her still, "Bloody torture havin' to baby-sit the little kid version of you, when I knew if only that soddin' wish hadn't got granted I could have the real you"
"The wish" Buffy sighed, "Yeah, Dawn is so gonna get yelled at for that"
"Don't be so hard on her, luv" Spike shook his head, "The Bit made a mistake, she knows it, but she suffered because of it too. Reckon she hated playin' Big Sis. Might even have given her an appreciation for how tough it is for you, lookin' out for her all the time"
"Maybe" Buffy shrugged, not entirely convinced, "Giles said you knew the demon that did this" she said suddenly remembering the gabbled explanations of her Watcher in the few minutes between her transformation back to her adult self and coming downstairs to find Spike.
"Yeah" Spike smirked, "Funny story, even loved her once" he admitted, making Buffy frown, "but that was a life time ago, pet" he assured her, hand cupping her cheek, "Got you now, and I love you so much, I couldn't ask for anymore, wouldn't even want to" he told her, kissing her softly and resting his forehead against hers, "God, I missed you" he repeated, actually quite surprised by how hard it had really been, and what a heavenly relief it was to have her back here with him now.
"Me too" she smiled, leaning into his touch, "It was so weird, I mean, I was six years old and everything but somehow it was like the real me, the grown up me was in there too, she just couldn't figure out how to get out"
"I remember the feeling" he nodded, "Bein' a kid had it's upsides once before though, if memory serves" he smirked, referencing their adventures as five year olds last year under Willows botched spell, "Got us two together, didn't it?"
"It might've been more fun if you'd got changed this time too" Buffy told him, "Angel was okay but I'd rather have been chasing you" she said, eyes sparkling with fun as she kissed him again. They pulled apart abruptly when they realised they were being watched.
"Hey" Dawn smiled nervously, offering a little wave as she looked at her sister, "You're not gonna slay me are you?" she checked as Buffy got to her feet, finally breaking contact with Spike, just for a little while.
"No, I'm not" the Slayer admitted, hugging her little sister, "but if I ever hear you say that four letter word with the W again I might just" she warned as they pulled apart.
"I'm sorry, Buffy" Dawn apologised looking suitably shame faced, her eyes going to the floor, "I just wanted to... I don't know, it's just, you have these friends and this way important job, and like the best boyfriend ever" she smiled somewhat shyly at Spike, "and sometimes I feel like I'm just this annoying kid who doesn't even matter" she admitted in a small voice, making Buffy frown.
"Dawnie, of course you matter" the Slayer assured her, pulling her into another hug to reinforce her point, "You're my sister and I love you"
"I love you too" the younger girl replied, "and I get it now" she nodded, "Spike helped"
"You did?" Buffy looked strangely at her boyfriend who shrugged, not understanding what exactly he'd done.
"You trusted me" Dawn remained him, "told me stuff, talked to me like I was important, maybe even as important as Buffy"
"You are, pet" Spike told her, getting to his feet and putting an arm each around Dawn and Buffy's shoulder, "You both mean the world to me" he assured them, "just in different ways is all"
"I get it, I do" Dawn smiled, as the vampire placed a kiss on her forehead, "And I won't be wishing for anything else any time soon, I swear" she promised faithfully as the rest of the gang filtered down the stairs to join them.
"That's a good thing" Buffy smiled as they broke apart and turned to the rest of the gang.
"Well, look at you lot" Spike smirked, before turning to Giles and Joyce with a smirk on his face, "Don't they grown up fast these days?"
The End... but there's still a sweet Spuffy epilogue to go!
A/N2 : Hope the ending didn't disappoint, although like I said there is an Epilogue still to go. I should have that ready to post tomorrow, and I have another chapter of 'My Girl' on the way for those of you that are interested. I just can't stop writing lately!