Author's Notes: Set four years after 'Becoming' part two. Buffy ran away, and didn't come back. Now, four years later, she's about to be reminded of who and what she really is.

Rating: PG-13. Language and strong themes. Sorry, kiddies.

Disclaimer: Nothing you recognise is mine. Don't sue, please.

Feedback: Very welcome. Constructive criticism is welcome; flames will be used to help me toast marshmallows.

Chapter Notes: I'm so sorry for the long wait, everyone. I had an exam in college, and then my mum cracked a rib, and it all just got rather hectic! Thanks for all the reviews.

Chapter Eighteen: Family

Max yawned and slouched even more in his chair. "What time is it?" he asked the room in general, glancing around the shop.

"Nine twenty," Jake answered after checking his watch. "Charlie, could you call again?"

Charlotte made a face. "Don't call me that," she admonished, getting to her feet. "I only called five minutes ago, you know." She went to the phone never the less and dialled her mother's number. She was informed – for the eighth time – that the phone was switched off. She muttered a curse under her breath. She dialled another number – Ella's – to check that the children were all right.

"She'll be fine," Dawn put in, tilting her chair back. "She's probably still at the hospital. You know what doctors are like." She glanced at Spike anxiously, all the same. Of all of them, the vampire was probably the most worried. She thought she had an inkling of why, but she'd wait until she'd had a long talk with Buffy before laying her theories out. "Xander, Tara, have you guys found anything yet?"

The two Scoobies shrugged.

"There's nothing here," Xander told her, faintly disgusted at the books. "Just a load of useless words."

"Words aren't useless," Dawn rebuked him, lifting an eyebrow. "Tara, anything?"

Tara frowned slightly. "The problem is, Dawnie, that she's never really been written about. She cannot be named – she pre-dates the written word – but even after man started writing, there are only allusions to her."

"People were too scared to write about her," Angel put in from his spot, watching out of the front windows. "It's happened for other demons, other terrors." He didn't look at them.

"Not him, though," Spike couldn't resist saying. "He wasn't too scary – right, Angelus?"

"Shut up, Spike," was all the reply he got. For once Spike did so – the bonds of family and blood sometimes meant something, even to him.

Charlotte put the phone down and turned to Max and Jake with an angry expression. "Max, she should be back by now."

Max shrugged. "You can't keep tabs on her, Charlotte. You know what she's like."

"She should be here by now!" Charlotte snapped. "There's a hell goddess out there gunning for her, she should be here doing research with the rest of us, not gallivanting off somewhere, probably fucking someone as we speak!"

Max's mouth thinned. "Charlotte, would you care to retract that?"

Charlotte struck a defensive pose. "No." She lifted her chin in a Buffy-esque manner. "I don't. It's true, and you know it."

"You don't know what you're talking about, Charlie," Jake murmured wearily. "Just shut up, please, before you dig yourself into trouble."

"She's already in trouble," Ethan commented from behind the counter. "Two mates and a lover here, not to mention her sister?" He shook his head, staring at Charlotte with something akin to regret. "Stupid move, Charlotte."

"Does it look like I give a damn?" Charlotte retorted. "My mother is missing, we don't know where she is, and she ought to damn well be here." She started pacing. "The last time Mom did this she was –"

"What?" Max cut in with a great deal of bitterness. "Fucking someone? Grow up, Charlotte. She was with Dave. Are you blind?"

Charlotte stopped, stunned. "She was what?"

Jake was likewise startled. "She was with Dave last time? Not voluntarily?"

"No, of course not," Ethan said after a moment when it appeared that Max was not going to answer. "You know she would never harm Dave, for Hattie's sake."

"She'd never kill the father of her child again," Max added. "Not after what killing Alex did to you." He looked seriously at her for a moment, then turned to look at his son. "Jake, would you and Charlotte go for snacks, please? I could do with a caffeine boost right about now."

"Yes, fine," Jake said quickly before his half-sister could object. "If Mom shows up – "

"We'll give her hugs and kisses," Spike broke in, thoroughly bored. "Get donuts." Angel rolled his eyes. "What? I'm up for a bit of sugar."

"Me too," came Buffy's quiet voice from the back door. Her saddened gaze told everyone that she'd caught the exchange between her family. She ignored them, however, and looked at Willow as Jake pulled Charlotte out of the door swiftly. "Any luck in the research department?"

"Uh, no," Willow said slowly. "Not really."

Buffy nodded calmly. "Alright. Faith is patrolling, I presume?" Giles answered in the affirmative. "Then I'll go out too. If she comes back here, tell her…tell her that I'm still working on that thing I told her about yesterday." She glanced around. "Keep working on it."

"Buffy, are you –"

Buffy interrupted her sister. "I'm fine, Dawn. You just…work on leading with your left, alright?" She glanced at Max. "Maybe Max or Angel will help you," she suggested.

"Are you alright to patrol?" Ethan inquired quietly.

"'Cos you look all with the broken arm," Anya offered cheerfully. A reluctant smile tugged at Buffy's lips.

"I'm fine," she assured them. "Spike'll be with." She turned her eyes onto the bleached vampire, who hadn't looked away from her since she'd entered. "Right?" He nodded silently. "Good. And then, um, Max, could you…" She faltered, glancing at the door.

"I'll talk to them," Max nodded. "Jake'll be alright, but Charlotte…"

Buffy gave a wistful smile. "She's too much like Alex," she commented. She wanted to be able to stretch her arm, but the cast prevented it. She'd have it off within a few hours, she predicted. "Spike, are you ready?"

"Sure thing, pet," Spike nodded, stepping close to her and inspecting her carefully. "Your arm alright?"

She nodded. "It's fine. I'm fine." She looked up at him, eyes widened expectantly, and with a smirk he delivered the expected kiss. "Better now."

"Then let's get going."

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Coming next chapter:

Spike asks some questions.