A/N : Thanx so much to my latest reviewers; spuffy-monica, Hellmouth2, Brunettepet, Spuffy2008, razzar, KelleyTheSelfToastablePopTart, funkydevil206, Ember91, and xpoisonedxangelx. You're all wonderful! So glad you're enjoying the X/I thing. It just kind of starting happening all by itself and it's a relief to know I'm not the only one that thinks it works! So who is the Big Bad? Is Davy evil? And who just bust into the warehouse interrupting Dawn's spell? All (well, actually only some) shall be revealed in the newest chapter of TMTD!
(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)

Chapter 18

"Oh my God" Buffy gasped as she looked over at the figure in the doorway, bright light fading around her, "Oh, Willow!" she cried as she scrambled to her feet and hurried over to her best friend.

"Hey Buff" the red-head smiled, hugging the Slayer tight, "It's been too long" she said, not yet releasing her friend as tears came to both their eyes.

"I can't believe you're here" Buffy shook her head as they finally pulled apart, "Nobody knew where you were"

"Oh come on" Willow smiled, "You thought you could have a Scooby reunion without me?"

"Wouldn't dream of it, Red" Spike told her as he stepped up behind Buffy.

"Spike" she greeted him with a grin and more surprisingly to him a hug, "I heard you were back. It's so good to see you"

"You too, Wicca" he said, still a little startled by her sudden wish to greet him quite so physically.

Dawn, Giles, and Andrew were soon taking turns at hugging the witch and then Buffy had a question.

"Not that it's not great to see you Will, but how come you're suddenly here? I mean, how did you know we were even here?"

"Got me some friends in the high places these days y'know" her friend told her proudly, "The witches at the coven in England that Giles took me to before was just the beginning" she explained, "That coven is connected to others, so many powerful women, witches and seers... I met up with some in Brazil when I was there with... well, when I was there" she said, looking momentarily pained before continuing, "I realised there was still so much I could learn, and I was a little lost after Sunnydale, trying to find my purpose. Anyway" she said, "long story short I was studying in the Himalayas, trying out some theories about astral projection, when I came down I got word that Angel was trying to call me"

"About Fred" Spike nodded as he recalled it.

"Yeah" Willow nodded sadly, "I felt awful when I realised what had happened. Some of the ladies from the coven knew about Illyria's resurrection, they explained it all to me... I also know she's not evil now, what the Powers did for her and you, Spike"

"Know a bloody lot for absentee-girl" he smirked and Willow smiled back at him.

"I wasn't so absent" she told him and the rest of the gang too, "It's all connected, right, Giles?" she glanced at the Watcher, "I learnt a little something from the Seer's I was hangin' with and they helped me. I pretty much know the whole sitch"

"Everything?" Buffy asked, looking a little worried. Since Xander was here already, that only left Will not knowing about her children.

"Oh you mean your two little mini-Buffys?" Willow smiled, "Uh-huh, I know. I also know that demon boy here tried to take them from you and would have succeeded if not for Spike and your new pal Illyria"

"Speaking of" Dawn said, noticing the ex-goddess approaching. She swung her axe as she came through the door, aiming for Willow's back.

"Lyri, no!" Spike yelled, but he was too late. The witch however had faster reactions.

"Obrigesco!" she commanded, throwing an arm around. The axe froze in place though Illyria was still free to move and did so, going to the floor and rolling back onto her feet, giving Willow a scathing look.

"Nice entrance" the red-head told her, "but y'know throwing axes at your fight partner's girlfriend's best friend, kinda not a good first impression from here"

"I do not understand" Illyria said, glancing at Spike and Buffy then back at Willow, not yet shifting from her fighting stance.

"Illyria, this is Willow" Giles introduced the two women, "She is a good friend of ours, and also a witch as you may have noticed"

"Willow" the ex-god echoed as she relaxed a little, "Your friends have spoken of you, you are a valuable asset to many I believe"

"I like to think so" Willow grinned, "And I hear we kinda need to get with the magicky goodness with your new demon buddy over here, right?"

She walked over to the still demon by the opposite wall and Dawn, Andrew and Giles joined her. Buffy and Spike held back as Illyria stared after the other three.

"You alright, luv?" the ex-vamp asked his friend as she tilted her head in her own strange manner.

"I do not understand" she admitted, "I received a vision, a bright light here, and then a figure of evil" she explained, "I arrived and attacked as I felt I should, and yet there was no danger, only your friend, the witch"

"That is weird" Buffy frowned, "There's gotta be a rational explanation for that though, right? I mean Will isn't evil again, I would totally be able to tell"

"If she's bloody evil I'm the Queen of England" Spike scoffed.

"He's right" Buffy nodded, barely containing a smile "He'd look awful in a tiara"

"Cheeky bint" he shot at her, though he was smiling too.

"I believe someone is playing with me" Illyria told them, interrupting their sweet bantery moment, "The vision was more painful that it should have been and I cannot go back" she frowned. Buffy glanced at Spike not understanding.

"When she has a vision it's sort of like a little movie in her head" he explained, "But after, for a while at least, she can concentrate and pull still pictures back into her mind... That not happenin' this time, pet?" he checked with Illyria who shook her head in confusion.

"Er, guys?" Willow called across to them, "Dawnie was fillin' me in on the whole spell deal. Want me to try it?"

"Sure, Will, that'd be good" Buffy answered absently, "Maybe the demon knows why your visions are going all wonky too?" she suggested to Illyria, "Could be all connected?"

"You find out" Spike nodded, "I'm going back to the apartment. If somethin' other than the Powers wanted you here, could be a trap. Not leavin'our kids to get... Not leavin' them" he told Buffy, kissing her cheek before leaving in a hurry.

"I should follow him" Illyria considered, but Buffy's hand on her arm prevented it.

"You don't look like you should be fighting right now" the Slayer pointed out, "You feel okay?"

"Not entirely" the other woman admitted, "My head still spins a little, my legs do not feel quite adequate to hold me but that may be because... Is this a normal reaction when one you desire kisses you?"

"Er, I don't..." Buffy mumbled, "Did you...?"

"Xander and I, we tested out a theory that I had" Illyria explained, "I believe we have feelings for each other that require to be explored"

"Huh" was all Buffy could find to say in response. That was really not what she'd been expecting, though considering Xander's track record with both demons/ex-demons and also out-spoken women, it should not be so wholly surprising that he and Illyria might have feelings for each other.

"It bothers you, perhaps?" the girl with the blue streaked hair challenged.

"No way, nuh-huh, whole world of not" Buffy assured her overly much, "It's just not what I expected, I guess"

Illyria glanced over at the four people gathered around the motionless demon on the ground.

"We have more important things to attend to" she realised, "Do you wish me to stay, or follow Spike?"

"Whatever you wanna do is fine with me" Buffy told her, "and for the record, all I want for Xander is happiness. You think you two could have something, it's all good"

"Thankyou, Buffy" Illyria smiled, "I have often told Spike that I wish him to be happy too. I knew this would not happen until he found you" she said as she turned to leave, "I shall see you later, I am sure"

"You will" the Slayer called behind her before walking back across the room to her friends, "So, what's the what?" she asked them.

"I'm gonna try a little hyped up version of the spell" Willow told her, "Not that Dawnie didn't do a great job but..."

"But you'll do better" the younger Summers rolled her eyes and smiled, "Don't worry Willow, I'm not offended. You're the real Wiccan WonderWoman, I'm just the magically-challenged Diana Prince Wannabe" she sighed, as Andrew squeezed her hand and grinned at her comic book reference. Buffy shuddered involuntarily - that was just disturbing.

"Okay, so spell time" Willow announced, preparing herself for the magick moment. She began to incant something a little more complex than Dawn had used, her eyes getting darker as she concentrated on the demon at her feet. All going well, he'd be telling them everything he knew and more within moments.

The knock on the door made Xander jump. Illyria had inadvertently taken his only weapon and how he was going to protect the kids should anyone or anything attack was beyond him.

"Oi Xander!" Spike called through the door, "Let me the hell in, Whelp!" he told him as he knocked for a third time, becoming increasingly impatient.

"Oh, it's you" the brunette sighed as he opened the door and let the ex-vamp in.

"You were expecting, who? The bleedin' tooth fairy?" Spike smirked, "You get any jumpier mate, you'll hit the ceiling. How are the Little Bits?" he checked next.

"They're good, sleeping mostly" Xander told him "although I doubt that'll last too much longer. What happened with the demon?"

"Not much yet" Spike explained, "Though you might like to know your little red witch is in town"

"Wills is here?" the boy grinned stupidly and Spike almost laughed.

"Yeah, whippin' up a little mojo to get demon boy talkin'" he explained, "Seems someone's messing with Lyri's head though. That vision she had of us being attacked was a fake, the only grand entrance was Willow"

"Is she okay?" Xander checked, "Illyria, I mean?"

"I am fine" she answered from the still open door, "Though your concern is appreciated" she smiled at him and Spike saw a look pass between them.

"I, er, reckon I'll check on the kids" he smirked, heading in the direction of the bedroom, "Leave you two to be alone"

Illyria waited until he was gone before speaking again.

"I believe he knows what we have done" she told Xander as he came across the room towards her.

"What exactly have we done?" he wanted to know, "I mean yeah, there was kissage and that's great but... that something you see us doing again sometime?"

"No" he was stunned by her answer and very disappointed until a smirk tugged at the corners of her mouth and she continued, "Not sometime" she told him, "With such dangers at every turn, I believe we should repeat our pleasure now" she smiled, pulling him forward by his shirt and putting her lips to his.

Spike smirked from this spot behind the bedroom door.

"Seems Uncle Xander and Aunt Lyri have found a new game to play kids" he told the two babies as their stirred in their cribs, "'S not exactly what I expected to happen when I came here, but then you two have to have been my biggest surprise" he sighed, "Gotta say though, not hating the idea of fatherhood. Your Mum and me, well it's complicated between us at best, but as soon as we figure out why some nasty bugg...person is after you" he amended, trying not to curse in front of the kids, "and I promise that we will, I'm gonna do my best to make things work with the Slayer" he assured them, "I want this, the family thing, I want Buffy so much it hurts, and you two... you're my icing on the cake, Sweet Bits" he smiled, leaning over Ellie's crib to straighten the covers over her.

Whatever else happened everything was going to work out here, Spike didn't just want it to be true, he knew it was. He felt it deep inside him, like instinct or something. He belonged with Buffy and the kids, and nobody was going to take that destiny away from him.

"Tell us what we want to know, from your lips only truth must flow" Willow ended the English part of her chant and the demon at her feet stared at her with steely eyes.

"Ask it what you want to know" the witch told Buffy, "He can't lie, and the answer will come so you understand it"

"Tell us who your Master is" the Slayer said to the still demon.

"Her name is never spoken" said an English speaking voice, clearly coming from the demon, though it's lips never moved, "I know her only as The True Chosen" he answered.

"Why does she want my kids?" Buffy asked next, trying to keep her emotions in check as she spoke of her babies who's lives were apparently in danger.

"Their blood is potent, it holds great power" the demon went on, "Power that my Master believes should be her own"

"What does all this have to do with Davy?" Buffy asked with a shake in her voice. The danger she and Spike and the children were in was the biggest deal but they could handle all that, she was sure of it, they always did. She still needed to know if a man she had some feelings for at least had betrayed her and never really loved her at all.

"You speak of The Instrument" the demon realised, "That is all he was. He fulfilled his function, almost completely. He is no longer of use to my Master"

"What does that mean?" Dawn asked glancing at her sister, her eyes going wide as Buffy brought her sword down on the demons head, splitting it in two. Tears welled in the Slayers eyes as she looked at her shocked friends.

"It means he never really loved me" she said flatly, "and that he's probably dead"

To Be Continued...