Chapter Sixteen

Eighteen years later

Life in LA hadn't changed much in eighteen years. Buffy had given up on the teaching job, seeing as she couldn't bear to leave baby Shannon alone for long. She had instead taken a position with the council, training potential slayers. Whilst she and Faith were still the only two, the potentials still made a powerful task force against any evil doings in the world.

Spike had taken a job as a bouncer at various different nightclubs. It was only part time but it got him out of the house and allowed him a little violence towards humans. The ones that deserved it anyway.

Dawn had met and married a rich lawyer after a whirlwind romance but the guy was kind enough and knew about all the weird things that went on in the city. Buffy and Spike had been wary at first of any remaining Wolfram and Hart business but had been assured that he was of no association to them whatsoever.

Baby Shannon was all grown up now, or at least she tried to be, which was hard under the watchful eye of a very protective Spike. She was at college, training to be a computer programmer. She resembled her parents in almost every sense, long dark blonde hair and sparkling blue eyes and the tendency for extreme violence. She had a very dark sense of humour and like her dad, could be incredibly filthy at times.

Angel still lived at the Hyperion. He was alone apart from Illyria, a creature that had invaded and killed Fred and now walked around in her body, wearing it like a suit, except for the fact that she was blue. Wesley had died in a car crash shortly after Fred's death, unable to cope with it and spiralling into an alcohol dependant existence, which had ultimately destroyed him. Gunn had left the hotel to start a family and, whilst he still helped out occasionally, was not around as much. Cordelia had died fourteen years previously, a loss that Angel still felt very deeply. She had never woken up from the mystical coma she was in.

Giles had moved to LA shortly after the arrival of Shannon, and had suddenly announced that he had a girlfriend, she was pregnant and it was due in less than two months. He had a son named Ryan. Spike had told the old watcher that he was a dark horse, and afterwards, the two had a remarkable bond like they hadn't done before. Spike had still maintained a certain distrust of the guy after the incident with Woods but other than that they chatted like two old friends from the old country.

Unfortunately, Giles had died two years previous, when Ryan had just turned sixteen. His mother followed a few months later and Ryan now resided with the Summers family in their house in the suburbs. Spike had bought it after deciding that an apartment was not good enough for his girls and so had invested in a large house that mostly went unused.

Willow had also made the transition to LA, mainly to help with Illyria. She lived in a room in the Summers household, preferring to be near in case of any trouble. Xander had moved to New York to start a business and as far as the others knew, was happy at work with a new family of his own.

Unfortunately, in the world of vampires, demons and whatnot, the happiness and quiet never lasted long.

Ryan was in the study as usual, pouring over his many books when he had summoned all them for a quick chat. In a way that reminded them all of his father, he looked seriously comical as he dropped the bad news.

'I've found something that suggests another apocalyptic event heading our way…with the added implication of another prophecy.'

Spike's reaction was well timed and apt to the current situation.

'Oh, bollocks.'

Buffy suppressed a giggle and attempted a serious face as she looked at the young Giles. 'So, what's the up?'

'Well, it mentions the warrior child, which obviously indicates you, Shannon.' The girl frowned and looked to her father who scoffed.

'It's probably nothing we can't be, platelet. We've beaten everything so far.' Dawn made a funny noise from her position by the door.

'Yeah. You almost died three times this year alone. And it's only May.' Buffy nodded in agreement and Spike threw her a dirty look. Ryan coughed and looked round at all of them and then he glanced down at his papers.

'It mentions a fight to the death and something about only one of the souls being able to pass and seal the gates of hell for all eternity.' Silence greeted that revelation. Spike scowled and stood up.

'One of us is safe then. Shannon, you're grounded.'

'Dad, I'm eighteen. There is no way you can keep me in this house.' The teenager made a move to storm off before Buffy grabbed her arm and stopped her.

'Look, there is no reason for this. For one, Spike had died enough times for this cause and the rest of us really don't have to worry. I mean, come on Shannon, both of your parents have returned from beyond the grave a number of times, so I hardly think you are incapable of it.' Shannon broke a smile at her mother's joking tone of voice and nodded.

Ryan shut the book, making Buffy jump. 'I'm going to do some more research on this, see if there are any more details. Shannon, would you care to join me?' She nodded and Spike noted the shy look on the young lads face. The affection between the two was clear and Spike hoped they stopped beating around the bush and got on with it. Ryan was one of the few boys he actually approved of to make a move near his daughter.

'Well, I'm going to go out for a patrol if I'm not needed elsewhere.' The platinum blonde vampire announced, heading for the door. Buffy followed.

'I'll join you.' She said and with a quick glance and goodbye, they both disappeared out of the door.

Buffy and Spike walked hand in hand through the dark cemetery, taking out the few minor fledglings hanging around. Buffy was still surprised by the dim-witted people that vampires tended to turn, wondering when someone with a brain was actually going to realise that they will die most likely on their first night.

The second cemetery revealed a lack of vampire activity until they located Angel perched on a gravestone. He looked depressed and was brooding, which had been of the norm for nearly thirty years so the Slayer didn't know why she was at all surprised by his actions. Spike approached the other vampire, leaving her side.

'You alright, mate?' He asked and Angel looked at him, with that haunted look in his eyes.

'Anniversary of Cordelia…dying…' He said, quietly. Spike frowned.

'Need some company?' He asked. Buffy watched the situation carefully. She felt bad about what had happened with Cordelia. But she also found the relationship between the two vampires amusing. Ask either of them and they will say that they hate each other with unrivalled passion. But really, neither of the two men had anything closer to a best friend. Spike was often going over to see Angel and they always patrolled together. Then again, Angel didn't have many people left in his life and he was cooped up with that god awful blue demon most of the time.

Angel shook his head in response to Spike's question and the blonde pair made their way out of the graveyard, leaving the brunette to mourn another lost love. Silence hit them both and Buffy was thinking about the question that she frequently asked her lover.

She breached the subject for the thousandth time with him. 'Spike…what happened to you…when you died.' She said it quietly. Spike stopped in his tracks and turned to her.

'Buffy, I tell you every time you ask me this…the only thing I remember is wanting to get back to you, to be with you.' He started walking again, at a slightly agitated pace and Buffy ran to keep up with him.

She knew he was lying, trying to protect her from the truth again. But he didn't want to upset her and she knew that as much as she wondered and asked him about it…she couldn't get the truth out of him.

She probably never would.