Chapter 55:

Oleander was lying back in bed, his naked body experiencing a welcome chill from the room. Beads of sweat were rolling from his toned chest. He twisted the signet ring on his finger as he thought deeply.

A woman lay in bed beside him, her hair silky and blonde. She was flushed, lying on her side and gazing at him adoringly. Sister Mary-Beth. She had been waiting for this moment since she joined the order, working hard to spread the light that hatred brought to become his second-in-command. He felt her obsession and decided she would be the flavour of the week.

He ran a hand along the length of her naked body, staring at her, enjoying her moan of pleasure he could illicit by the lightest touch. She was obsessed with him and he knew she was the perfect second-in-command. She wouldn't try to tell him not to hurt the bitch. She would just listen and repeat his words back to her. Her personality was whoever she was closest too in the moment, and that happened to be him. It was so beautiful he could cry. But he never cried. Not anymore.

He wondered how Saffron would feel under his hand. How Spike would. He shook himself out of that particular rabbit hole. Trying to keep his eye on the prize. He hated her, fucking her would taint him, he was sure of it. That vampire, however…

No. He had anyone he wanted right here. Any number of delectable disciples to mould to feed his eclectic sexual appetite. His thoughts, much like most he thought at the moment, brought him back to his shadow self. He knew Saffron had started to share more of his memories since last time they met. It pained him. Royally pissed him off.

His anger spiked and Sister Mary-Beth flinched slightly as she felt it. They were all connected, after all. Saff was so much stronger than he thought.

He feels it all. The world's anger the hate. Poison, that's what they all are. The chosen few, my disciples will be the only ones saved when the purge commences. Only thing in my way is that girl. Naivety in its purest form. Purge the girl, purge the world of its childlike hope. As he thought this, somewhere on the other side of Sunnydale a woman stirred beside her vampire. His words echoing around her mind.

"But our plan this time is full proof, my L-"

"Shut it, darling. She's slippery. Like an eel. A snake. A… give me another slippery animal" He stated, clicking his fingers at her to hurry her reply, "Quickly now!"

"Uh, like a… You know… a…" she really didn't know so she just said the first animal Saff reminded her of, "A fox! A- a greasy fox?"

"Hm, well, you're not the top of the class, but you were at least in the right ball park, sweets" He shrugged before shouting, "Brother Anderson! Brother-!" He paused his voice now sing-songing, "Broth-er An-der-soooon!"

Instantly, the named member ran in, almost out of breath so as not to disappoint the man that he held above him as a God. He knew he could be running head first to his death, but this man was ready. Fully. To be any part of the movement. In death or otherwise. And this is what kept him alive.

"My Light?" He asked, covering his eyes and bowing before moving his hands back to his side.

"Progress report?" He said, as if it were obvious. He stood, his naked body barely making the follower blink. Most had seen him intimately before, "Oh, yes, my Light, It will hold her long enough" He explained, reaching into his pouch where he had been protecting the item. It was his sacred job. He then held up this swirly orb type object.

"And are we any closer to this or are you bullshitting me, dear?" He said lazily as he wrapped a robe around himself.

"Oh, no, O Leander! I-"

"I was just yanking your chain" He rolled his eyes and "But until it is time, you need to be starting on the portal yes? We have steps that need a-taking"

"It is in order. It is lucky that she escaped, then, my Light, or we would not have been able to hurt her this way" Brother Anderson offered cautiously. Oleander glared at him, a warning. But continued as he stalked through the corridors, calling behind him as he went.

"I want her on her knees, metaphorically, literally, fucking spiritually before the midsummer full moon!"

As Oleander was talking to his followers, Saffron was lying in bed with her vampire lying against her, pulling her close. She ran a hand along his bare skin, leaving a path of adoration in her wake with just the lightest touch. He loved the feeling of her skin on his, in all forms. He was addicted to it.

She tried to be present with Spike, she knew how important it was to savour every second they could have together. But her mind had other ideas. She clung onto Spike almost desperately, hiding her face in his side as if this would remove any lingering anxiety. But it was no use. She moved to land a kiss on his lips before lying flat on her back in bed.

To give you a whistle-stop tour of the many things on Saff's mind:

Saffron had been with Buffy to shop for outfits for her birthday party. Buffy had been in her head, staring at a dress in the window. Saffron grinned, and had secretly bought it, and presented Buffy with it. It was a cute, deep red strapless dress. Buffy took it, but didn't seem pleased at the prospect of wearing it. Saff was really worried about her cousin, maybe a party was exactly what she needed.

During the party planning, Tara had reflected Saff's concern by telling her to keep an eye on Buffy. She said that Buffy 'needs it'. Saffron was getting worried, trying to get Tara to explain, but the girl just shook her head, citing it not being her place (What Saff didn't know was that Tara and Buffy had met in the Doublemeat and Buffy had confided exactly what had been going on to her).

Dawn was feeling strange. There was something she was missing she was sure of it. Distant and lonely. The poor girl was overly attached to Angie and was spending a lot of time alone.

And, well, we won't even go into the impending doom of an apocalypse with a man that was her supposed equal at the forefront who appeared to have a good decade of experience on her. There was no reasoning with him either. No influence. No anything. She felt as if she was always playing catch up to him. She was… learning from him almost. It concerned her.

"Your face is doing that thing again, Honeysuckle" Spike had switched positions onto his side so he could watch her. He leaned in and mumbled into her hair as her brow continued to furrow.

"What?"

"That stubborn bloody frown that's gonna get stuck when the wind changes direction. What's going on in there?" Spike lazily gestured at her head before closing his eyes again. She explained her worries, knowing Spike was listening despite his eyes being closed. He tried to reassure her where he could, but knew it would be a losing battle what with how deeply she felt everything.

Spike slipped into sleep through the afternoon, with Saff trying to read. She hadn't been able to relax properly though, she had been on the same page for the last hour. She landed a kiss every so often on her vampire, not able to pull herself away from his side. Spike eventually woke up when the cat had jumped on top of him to get to Saffron. He screeched, almost rolling off the bed in shock and Saffron failed at stifling her giggle as he shot death glares at the cat. Angie settled between the pair, soaking up Saffron's body heat and closing her eyes. She hugged the cat into her chest, stroking her softly and kissing the top of her head. She adjusted her pretty pink collar that she had bought at the mall when she had been with Buffy to look for outfits. Spike started grumbling about her getting more love when he was the one viciously attacked by the evil little fluffball.

"Don't be jealous, William, it isn't becoming" She teased, slipping out of bed and pressing a kiss to his lips before turning and leaving out some cat biscuits and milk. She stroked Angie who purred softly as Saff walked back over to the bed where Spike was now sat up.

"Don't bloody start talking of that prat!" He pointed at her mock-threateningly.

"Hey! It's all you and I love you!" She said, taking his hand and kissing the back of it and curtseying as if she was in the time period he was from.

"Yeah, well, you wouldn't have lasted a minute back then" He said, smiling at her in that way he only did at her. Her theatrics amused him and he loved lazy days like this.

"Really? Why? Am I too promiscuous? Would I have caused a scandal?" She wiggled her eyebrows.

"No, love…"

"Too outspoken?

"No, mother would have loved you, actually. She liked a woman with a strong opinion, she would have particularly approved of the way you care for me" he said, eyes watery as he mentioned his mother. She instantly moved to sit in bed by his side, she had never asked about his parents he had never wanted to talk about it. She rested her forehead on his, they rested there, staring into the others eyes. He didn't have to say anything, she was going to support him anyway.

He wrapped his arms around her middle, closing his eyes at how intimate it was. She moved her hand to rest her hand on his cheek, flashing sky blue nail varnish. He leaned and caught her lips, pulling her into him. He cherished her, his lips moving against her with such tender adoration. Every kiss another promise. His lips caressed her, moving against her deepening with every second.

She kissed back with fervour. Enthusiastic and willing. Enjoying feel him so intimately. His hand started to wonder, sliding down the waistband of her pyjama pants. He wanted her. In all forms. But she stopped him, pulling his hand back. As much as she wanted him, they had things they needed to do today. If they started they would end up in bed all day.

"So, why wouldn't I last long back then?" she asked, trying her best to ignore his pout. He paused for a moment, watching her as she got out of bed and started to collect some of her makeup and items to get ready for their day.

"You can't be confined, Saffron. Can't be tamed, not that I haven't bloody tried" He teased before becoming more serious, "You're too good to be trapped back there. Stuck in the timeframe, it was so supressing. You are a strong, beautiful woman. They laughed, they would hurt you. I would never want you hurt. You're too important" He shrugged as if he hadn't just said such a meaningful and loving commentary on the way he viewed her. He didn't wish to control or mould her. He wanted who she was at her very essence, with every flaw it came with.

Saffron's eyes watered. At his sentiment and through part of his speech she remembered the way he was ridiculed. She moved back to him, rubbing his shoulder comfortingly. She felt it then. His mind cast back. It bit deep for both of them, she wished she could have been back there with him, able to defend him. Take care of him. But that was a part of his life, it informed the way he was now. He was still soft, with Saff at least, which proved that he had overcome those horrible words.

They couldn't dwell. Couldn't marinate in the past. In the beauty of their love. In the anxiety of the future. They had to just live for this moment.

They had to get ready for the party. Buffy's Birthday. Spike played a record loud while they did. They danced about the crypt getting dressed and Saffron did her makeup while spike tried his very best to distract her.

xoxoxo

They made it just before the party was officially starting. Spike slinked off to go and annoy Dawn. Saff hugged her older cousin but was a bit disappointed to notice that Buffy was wearing yet another turtleneck, with a jacket over it with jeans. It was as if she was going for the record for most layers worn in one night. It wasn't like her at all.

But, like always, it didn't feel like the right moment to say something to Buffy. It was her Birthday, after all.

Saff, after hugging her cousin, went upstairs with Willow. Angie followed them up, slinking around their legs and almost tripping them up as they made their way to Willow's room. Willow fusses over Angie, smiling and hugging her to her chest. Spike walked in, evidently bored of annoying Dawn as he asked if the witch minded. She shook her head, too distracted by the kitten.

"She's a little Angel! What a sweetheart!" she gushed. Saff smiled as Willow did, it was nice seeing her in a good mood. She could feel it, the will to do better. To recover.

"Told you, it's the perfect name" Saff hissed at Spike who rolled his eyes. Bloody evil little mite.

"How you feeling, you know, about T coming?" Saff asked Will cautiously as Spike's eyes bugged at the direct question, he wasn't sure if he wanted to be here for the touchy feely crap. He still wasn't keen on the way Willow had treated Terror.

"Y-you know, fear, nervy-ness… re-evaluating life choices" Willow offered rushing her words so that they crashed into each other.

"Hey, if it's meant to happen it'll happen. Try to relax, okay?" Saff offered as Spike stayed silent, "I'll be around if you need to talk" She offered and Willow thanked her before turning back to fuss over her outfit in her full-length mirror.

The lovers left Willow to check over her outfit for the millionth time. They walked into the hall beside the front door and Willow had followed them down. Just as Tara arrived and had been in a whispered conversation with Buffy.

The five of them stood for a moment. Buffy, Saff and Spike spoke over each other awkwardly when she saw the way the two witches were looking at each other. Buffy pretended that someone was calling them into the living room. Saffron and Buffy giggled as Saff tugged on Spike's wrist and brought him too, leaving them to it.

Saff overbalanced stumbling into Clem who helped her rom falling which she grinned at him for.

"Hey Clem!" She smiled, hugging him warmly before she turned to the rest of the room and introduced him to everyone. Saff had invited him, thinking he would enjoy a human party. The reception was mixed, with some cautious but friendly looks. Saff and Spike chat to him for a while and Saffron finds out that he's smitten about someone. A woman.

"Why didn't you bring her?"

"Uh, she's a bit… shy" Clem said, looking over at Buffy. Saff nodded her understanding, patting him on the back. She's a demon then.

Saff and Spike smiled as Clem eventually went over to speak with Anya, both appeared to already know each other had some great stories to share. As the pair watched Clem mingle, Dawn joined them and Saff notices something.

"Hey Dawn, wow is that perfume new?" Saffron smelt it as soon as she walked over, it was very strong. Spike had to turn away slightly so as not to hurt the kid but putting his hand over his nose to mask the smell. It was very flowery. Dawn wouldn't tell anyone, but she was worried that everyone else could smell old pennies when she was around.

Saff noted she felt self-conscious but decided to wait for her to bring it up herself. Dawn seemed lonely, even when she was with Saff and Spike she felt like a spare part.

Sensing this, Saff turned to Spike, knowing one thing that Dawn would love to hear about. Gossip. She asked Spike if Clem's girlfriend was actually real and Spike shrugged. Dawn's eyes lit up at the topic change.

"Never met the bird, but he never shuts up about her. L-something? Lily? Linda?" Spike said, looking into the distance trying to recall the name of Clem's girlfriend despite the fact he mentioned her to him all the time.

"So she must be a demon right?" Dawn asked, glancing at Clem not-so-subtly as they spoke.

"A demon named Linda?" Saffron raised her eyebrows.

"But how- his face is-" Dawn pulls a face.

"Hey, don't" Saff warned Dawn, knowing she was only young and luckily for Clem beauty was highly subjective.

Instead, they decided to make a game out of it. Partly to distract Dawn but mostly because Spike and Saffron were a little competitive. In a healthy way, of course. They very creatively called their new game, Guess-the-demon-girlfriend. Dawn tried to supress hushed giggles when Clem walked by. Every so often through the party one of the three would come over to the other, drop their voice and discuss a new theory. They had fun with it, Dawn's most recent guess being a regurgitating frovalox demon.

It was later on in the evening and Saff convinced Buffy to dance with her. Buffy laughed when Saffron remarked she would only ever dance to sugary pop music for her cousin. Dawn soon joined in as soon as she saw them. They laughed and danced almost completely carefree. It was refreshing. They were enjoying themselves so much. Buffy and Saff caught each other's eye and smiled wide. The feeling around them was so good. No misery. No worry. The whole party was going so well.

Eventually, after Dawn wouldn't stop bugging everyone, it was time for presents and after Buffy thanked Spike and Saff for their joint gift of an axe and a gift card to her favourite store. No guesses for who picked which item. Buffy seemed genuinely pleased with what the pair had given her, although Saffron could never be completely sure.

It was then time for Dawn to present her gift for her older sister. Saff was interested to see what she had bought too, considering she hadn't had any time to take Dawn anywhere to buy presents. Buffy opened her gift to find a beautiful jacket that suited Buffy perfectly. However, all three of the sisters faces dropped as they saw the tag attached. Saff and Buffy noticed the tag left on the jacket and Dawn's subsequent deceptive emotions.

But they were quickly Interrupted by Xander and Anya rolling her new weapons chest into the room. Buffy lands the box back on Dawn's lap and ignores the present she was just given for her new ornately carved one. A Xander original.

Buffy's friend from work, Sophie or something, then arrived and Saffron took the opportunity to pull Dawn to the side to ask her what was up. Hoping that Spike would behave himself and not scare Buffy's new friend too early in the evening.

Saff tried to gesture to talk to her outside. But Dawn refused, "Not now, Saff."

"What's going on with you Dawny?"

"It's, like, nothing important" She said softly.

"Don't lie, Dawn" Saff scrutinised her face.

"Don't ruin the party, Saff" Dawn said, not looking at her in the eye.

"Okay, sorry I guess" Saffron murmured, shrugging. Not entirely sure what to do. Dawn wasn't usually this blunt with her and she could tell she was conflicted over snapping. But she shrugged, leaving it be. Deciding instead to enjoy the party.

Earlier on in the evening, Anya and Xander made Buffy introduce herself to a new man. Richard. Seeing as she hasn't been with anyone since Riley – everyone was starting to worry about her. They remarked that she needed an 'adult-friend'. Buffy seemed to be distant, cold with him when saffron had seen them interact. After a few conversations like that, he got bored of Buffy and turned his attention elsewhere.

"Drink?" The man offered Saffron, holding a second cup of beer towards her. Now, she knew the drill by this point and telling people she had an alcohol problem seemed to rain on the whole party mood. So she was working on some excuses.

"Oh, no, that's okay I'm the… designated driver" She smiled, twisting the rings on her finger and looking around for somebody to save her from the conversation. Everyone had broken off into their own conversations and she couldn't see Spike.

"Don't you live here?" He looked puzzled, but when he realised she really wouldn't take the cup he shrugged and downed both before putting them on the side.

"Gotta get Dawn and Buff to their rooms safely… unless, uh, you fancied doing that for Buffy?" Maybe she could slip in a few good words for Buffy, get her laid. Maybe that was exactly what she needed to release some of the tension she had been storing up since they became alive again.

"Nah, I'm digging the present company" He grinned as if he was the smoothest man on earth.

"Thanks, that's kind but I'm kinda boring. Run-of-the-mill typa girl making a steady paycheck, nothing to dig. Buffy's totally the special one"

"That can't be right, I can tell you have an edge" His eyes lit up as if he thought he was being sexy, but she felt like patting him on the head and sending him to the bathroom to have a cold shower. She was trying this new thing where she didn't ruin Buffy's fun and embarrass her though, she smiled and kept standing next to the man. She was hoping Spike would saunter in sometime soon and give her a reason to leave, "I totally play bass in a band" Richard continued, trying to impress her. Saffron could tell he thought that this little exchange was going well.

"Oh. Buffy likes music"

"But I bet we can make some sweet music together" He said, winking at her. Saffron couldn't help pulling a disgusted face as Spike walked up as if out of nowhere, slinging an arm around Saff and glaring at the man. He could hear everything, thanks to the vamp hearing but Clem had been talking his ear off and even he had struggled to get away. Saffron was about to tell Richard, quietly so not to make a scene on Buffy's birthday, where he could shove his bass but Spike cut in bluntly.

"Fuck off"

"Hey, I don't think we've met" Offers a hand to Spike despite having been so blatantly sleazy to his girl. The man didn't seem fazed though.

"It's Dick. I heard"

"Uh, it's Richard, actually, my friends call me Rich" The guy started to wink in Saffron's direction and Spike felt her anger starting to match his own.

"I heard the first time, Dick" Spike repeated, glaring for good measure.

"Well, actually me and Saffron were having a cool talk"

"Mate, listen, I was being polite okay? Buffy's birthday and all I didn't want to knock you through the windows – we've just had them replaced" She explained, wishing she had just punched him on the nose and sent him on his way.

"You don't gotta play coy, we were speaking the language of love" He smiled, maybe the beer was going to his head. Spiek had heard the conversation and the man's description angered him. His grip started to tighten because he knew that tone of Saffron's voice during their chat – uncomfortable and about to be properly pissed.

"No, you were leering at my girl like a piece of bloody meat, plying her with booze and chatting bollocks to try and get in her knickers! She's not interested, bloody fuck off will you?!" Spike was holding himself back, also knowing he could get himself uninvited and he didn't want to embarrass Saff. His grip around Saffron's shoulders tightened as he raised his voice for the last sentence and the rest of the room looked up, leaving the man reddening and walking off to the bathroom. Perhaps for a cold shower.

Spike steers her clear of him. Not a year ago, Spike would have been uncomfortably jealous, thinking that Saffron was about to jump on him despite her obvious discomfort, but he had slowly been becoming better at handling men coming onto her. He was always going to be insecure, his past told her that. He had always been scared someone would take her from him. But more recently he had been able to see that it was their fault, not hers. He had never felt so secure in a relationship. Although, he still took great delight when a demon tried anything because it meant he could rip their sorry heads off (when Saffron wasn't around, that is).

"I could have handled it, babe"

"Yeah, too bloody right!" He said and she smiled at the way he took pride in the fact she could handle herself around idiots like that, "I just know you and you would have tried to keep the peace long after big cuz had blown out the candles"

"I love you" She said, seemingly out of nowhere. He looked at her for a moment, eyebrows furrowed, it wasn't as if they hadn't experienced something like that before. He was wondering if there was some left over truth-telling from that curse Oleander gave to the witch. Seeing his look she explained, "You just- you're always there and I… love you" She shrugged. He leant in, kissing her slowly, making sure she could feel his love for her. It was intimate and soft, their lips gliding over each others as they stood in the middle of the living room. They felt as if they were the only people in the room. That was, until they heard the half-hearted complaints from their display of affection.

"Hello, gag central!"

"Yeah you're putting me off my chips!"

"Then you really wouldn't want to bloody know what we've done on that couch you're sittin on" Spike shrugged, an evil grin for Xander as he brought her to the hall away from the others as the complaints got louder and Xander almost choked on a chip.

Saffron started to walk towards her room but Spike had other ideas. He couldn't wait as he pressed his lips hotly to hers. Pushing her into the wall in the hallway rather than waiting for the stairs. He took her hand, guiding it towards the bulge forming in his pants. She smiled against his lips.

She was his. The situation, namely his jealousy, had heightened his need to reclaim his love for her. His need for her to be bound to him. He wished to take her right here, up against the wall. Even with all of the people in the next room. Only divided by the thin plaster.

Something in the back of his mind told him to bite. The passion. The instinct. To have her with him for eternity. The way that he had always wanted. He was addicted. All of his thoughts were full of her. He wanted nothing more than to turn her. To have her in every conceivable way.

His face changed, his fangs elongated. He started to bite into her flesh without warning. But instead of his jaw wrapping around her neck, he just nicked her skin rather than doing what he had intended. It had taken all of his strength to stop there. He knew he may never forgive him if he had just gone ahead this way in the moment of passion.

She moaned at the sensation of his tongue on the scratches his fangs had made, making him have to cover her mouth with his hand because he was now all too aware where they were. What he was about to do. He couldn't help himself sucking on the small cut, his face turning back to his usual form.

"You are… everything." He mumbled into her open mouth, his hand moved from her mouth and now pawing her breast through her dress. She mumbled something incoherent back. They both knew what she meant. They were so caught up again that they forgot where they were, Spike's hands appeared to be everywhere all at once and she felt as if she was high. Or drunk. Drunk on his love. His mouth was latched onto her neck again, kissing her and enjoying the taste of her.

xoxoxo

Buffy, Dawn, Richard and Anya were playing monopoly and Dawn had convinced Buffy to turn the party into a sleepover, seeing as it was already 2am and all. The lovers had returned, both in a daze. Nobody commented although everyone knew what they had been doing.

The others were playing poker at the table on the far side of the room. Saffron was playing (and cleaning up), they were betting for pretzel pieces and she had a large pile. She was allowing Spike to have some when he got low every now and again as long as he paid her in a kiss here and there. He was happy to oblige; it was a win win for him. Tara was actually surprisingly good at the game, Saffron noted as she took another card and decided what to do with it. To the casual observer Tara's bluffing was outstanding, but Saffron could still detect it.

"Why don't we make it interesting? Strip poker?" Xander offered, seeing as he thought he had a winning hand. Saffron knew he felt this, but she was pretty sure of herself too.

"Not unless you want Saff here to strip you naked" Spike said sullenly, remembering the most recent time they played, then remembered who he was talking to and snapped his eyes up from his cards to look at Xander, "That wasn't a bloody offer, eyes up here" Spike said, using his fingers to gesture from Xander to his own eyes, as if even looking at Saff was a biteable offence.

"Aw, don't be so hard on yourself, you managed to get to my bra last time" Saffron teased Spike who put his two fingers up at her without looking up from his hand. She laughed and a slight twitch of his mouth said he hadn't quite mastered his poker face, never for her anyway. He was always vulnerable with her.

"Uh, not that you all wouldn't be… lovely naked, but I don't think it's appropriate what with Dawn and all" Tara said.

"Here we go! Terror's at it again, in the pits of depravity with the rest of us – will you behave!" Spike joked as Tara rolled her eyes. She knew Spike liked her because of everything she had done for Saff, so she didn't mind so much about his teasing.

"Um, I don't think my girl would like it if I started to join in that game. Not without her anyway" Clem said, picking up another card as Dawn looked up from her game of monopoly to catch Saff's eye. She stifled a giggle and went back to buying her house.

"That's okay anyway, I've got lucky number three of a kind!" She exclaimed, laying her cards for them to see. They all groaned chucking their played hand to the centre as Saff collected her pretzels with glee.

After a moment, Saffron had been told to sit a few hands out to make it more interesting for the others. Tara had folded her hand and joined her in the kitchen. Both of the women were increasingly noticing how it was harder to stay in the room together for longer periods of time. Both women were getting more exhausted, their energy draining when they were around each other.

"Hey sweetie"

"I'm not sneaking a shot, don't worry, T" Saffron muttered rubbing her head, knowing well that people watched her with eagle-eyes when there was some kind of party. She understood it was well-intentioned, but it did still annoy her.

"I trust you, Saffy"

"You should allow Will a bit of that trust too" Saff said softly and Tara thought on this, pouring herself some punch. She took a sip and Saffron's legs almost buckled under her as Tara was closer than she had been in the other room. She leaned against the kitchen counter and waved Tara away when she looked concerned. Saff always seemed to bare the brunt of their feeling.

"It's so cold it almost burns. We're connected, there's some kind of plan but there is nothing written about it. I'm sorry Saffy, I've looked everywhere. Almost as if it has never happened before" Tara explained slowly

"I'll be okay in a moment, I've been practicing. If I focus on the ring and trust in its power it can help me bear you being in the room… no offence, of course" She muttered smiling, "I actually wanted to ask you something. I overheard you and Buffy in the hall, what's going on with her? Did she say why she wasn't wearing the dress I bought?"

Tara looked away, not sure how to explain. She eventually landed on insisting she spoke to Buffy herself. She wasn't comfortable telling Saff, Buffy hadn't told her for a reason.

It was now the following morning and everyone was lounging around in the living room. Sophie and Willow were sleeping on the sofa with Xander, Dawn and Clem sitting on the floor in front of them watching cartoons. Buffy was shuffling the playing cards, slightly away from the others.

Saffron and Spike were sat on the floor against the wall beside the door, with Spike sleeping softly leaning against Saff and holding her middle protectively as if he was scared somebody would snatch her from under him. She softly rubbed the arm that was wrapped around her, clutching her waist as she glanced towards the tv that was playing cartoons.

"I have a shift… I really need the money but I just can't bring myself to leave" Saffron said, frowning at herself. The others all nodded along, staring at the tv as well.

"Yeah, work starts in a few minutes" Richard walked in and directed to Xander and Spike instinctively gripped Saffron tighter as he heard the man's voice.

Eventually the others started trying to get up and leave too, but nobody could move to leave. People started to panic and Saffron was sure she would have passed out from the collective feeling from the room if it wasn't for her ring.

"Spike, babe, wake up… there's something Hellmouth-y going on" She hissed, "Spike-!"

"I'm up, I'm bloody up!" He grumbled, his eyes still half-closed. The rest of the room was now all sat in silence, frowns reflecting off almost every face.

"There's something trying to keep us in this house"

"Or someone"

"Has everyone tried to get out?"

"What if we just, as a group just got up and threw ourselves at the door?" Willow suggested. Spike was awake properly now and everyone tried it, with no success. People started to talk about where they had to be, with Sophie saying she would rather be there than at the Doublemeat. With others agreeing they would be okay staying too.

"I'm okay here too, say Saff, your room's up and running again aint it? Bed in good working order? Maybe we should check" Spike started to grab Saff's hand as she laughed and happily followed him as he started towards her basement.

Buffy stopped them in the doorway, blocking them off, "No. we stick together"

"It's probably Dr-bloody-evil having another shot at Saff" He said bitterly, pulling her into his side as he spoke as if he could protect her.

"Uh, I don't actually think it is… he likes to gloat and, well, my head's been totally gloat-less since the party started" Saff noted before adding, "We gotta do something. We can't all stay here for always and forever"

"I know, we all have places that we would rather be" Buffy stated and Spike muttered, "Things we would rather be doing" lowly in Saff's ear as she rolled her eyes.

"Sure, of course you all wanna leave. 'Cause being stuck here with me, that would really suck right?" Willow tried to reassure Dawn but this made her feel worse, leading to her storming off up to her room.

Everyone followed her, finding her lying on her bed clinging to Angie the cat. Buffy asked if she had done something. Nobody knew she had made a wish to her new school counsellor. A wish that people would stop leaving her. Everyone, including Saff tried to ask her what she had done to which she screamed at them to leave her alone. Which, they did. Saff knowing she needed to cool off.

"We need another way" Tara muttered, which opened up the discussion to using magic to try and help them leave.

"We don't have any magic in the house, we got rid of everything" Buffy explained as Saffron looked away quickly to hide her guilt. She and Dawn had smuggled plenty of magical items and locked them away downstairs. She thought she was about to be rumbled until Willow spoke up.

"Actually… not everything" Willow admitted. Shit, had Willow found her stash? No, she had kept items of her own.

"Bring me what you have, but then I'm doing this alone. I can't believe I had started to trust you… you need to stay away from it" Tara said firmly. Saff winced as Willow did, feeling her emotions and her own feelings mixed in.

Tara and Saffron worked together to do the magic as Buffy and Xander watched. Spike and the others waited by the door, waiting to try and leave again. Saffron muttered some words from the opposite side of the counter from Tara, thankful they didn't have to hold hands for this spell as Tara crushed and set their intentions for the spell.

"Release" Tara finished as Saff finished speaking.

"Try the door!" Saff shouted but rather than being able to leave, they had allowed a demon to be released from the sword Buffy had taken home from her most recent patrol.

The house was in pandemonium as the monster charged at them, wielding the sword. Richard was sliced as he was caught off-guard. The people in the doorway screamed and started to run as Spike stared intently at the figure charging towards him.

Saff and Buffy shared a look before running into the fight. Buffy tackled the monster but he quickly melded into the ground leaving the three that had run into the fight just staring at the ground. This kept happening, the demon kept re-appearing, fighting and then vanishing again.

xoxoxo

Night fell and they were no closer to leaving the house. Everyone was nervous and Spike snapped that Buffy should try not celebrating her Birthday. Willow and Tara tended to a wounded Richard as the others congregated downstairs.

"What's that noise? It's in the walls isn't it" Dawn asked, clearly unnerved. As was the rest of the room. She had been brought to sit with everyone, so that they could protect her from the threat. The continued creaking and groaning coming from the walls made the room almost unbearable and Saff would be lying if she wasn't a little creeped out herself. It was the fear of the unknown.

"Fucking shut up, you stupid little bitch!" Saffron shouted, kicking the walls of the dining room hard with her heavy boot, almost going through the plaster. Now, Saff had a reputation for being quick-tempered but she was more irritated than usual. Her and Spike had been almost crawling up the wall. They needed a smoke. It had been almost twenty-four hours and nobody would let them smoke inside.

Saff caught Buffy as she made another lap of the house trying to hunt down the demon, "Buffy, my favourite slightly older cousin-"

"No way" Buffy cut her off instantly.

"Buffy! Please!"

"Go on, Slayer, we're dying here"

"You're dead and you should know better" Buffy said, pointing at Saff for the latter part.

"Buffy, if I don't have a fag in the next minute I'm going to literally die!" She exclaimed, before adding, "…Again!"

"You can't smoke in the house, period!" Buffy said and the pair scowled at her. The slayer started to turn away as they whispered insults, mostly out of agitation that they hadn't had a smoke in a while, but she bumped into Dawn who was returning to the pair. She frowned at Buffy too when she saw her.

"Are you okay Dawn?" Buffy asked.

"Do you actually wanna know?"

"Fine just stay close to Spike and Saff"

"At least they care" She muttered, even if they were always working or having sex, she added silently. Dawn slumped into a chair beside Saff and Spike.

"You know, the Slayer's a bitch-" Spike started, flicking his lighter on and off, clearly wanting to light a cigarette. Spike had started to comfort the younger girl in his way, but Saff cut in.

"She's not, she's trying and she's having to play Mom, Dad and Slayer-sister at the same time… maybe you should talk to her Dawny?"

"You're supposed to be on my side!"

"I am, you know I am, but Buffy does a lot for us…" Saff said, dialling up the guilt just a little.

"Fine! But only 'cause I want those sneakers you promised to buy me" Dawn muttered and went to find Buffy. But she was cut off as the demon returned. Xander had been to get some water for Anya, who had been freaking out way beyond anything Saff could calm down. Spike ran at the demon as did Saff but both got thrown off into a tangle on the floor as Buffy joined the fight. He disappeared again and Buffy moved to ask Dawn if she was okay leading to them having a conversation.

Later on, just as Buffy and Dawn were finishing their conversation in Dawn's room, the others were trying to come up with a plan. Anya was on the other side of the room looking almost as agitated as the lovers who weren't allowed to smoke. Willow, Tara and Xander stood with Anya and the lovers.

Anya started to snap at Willow. Saying she wouldn't try to use her magic. That it was her fault that she had gotten too much in her system. That she should at least try to do a spell.

"Look-" Spike started saying angrily, he was starting to have enough of the blame game, holier than thou bollocks that appeared whenever there was a tight spot. He was especially sore about it being addiction, his girl had to face their judgement and it still hurt her to this day. Saffron had confided in him as recently as the other night that the way she felt their blame, the shame, the accusation still stung. The expectation that this was exactly where they thought she would end up, that she was doing this on purpose. That she could easily just stop if she tried just that little bit harder.

"Hey- don't you fucking dare! She can't! Would you say that to me? Would you?" Saff needled Anya, "What, if it would save us you'd want me to drink? Be a what was it you all called me, An? 'A drunk' an 'alcoholic bitch'? Just because it suited you!?" She shouted. Spike wrapped a hand around her waist, sharing a look with Anya as he started to haul her away into the adjoining room. It looked as if she was about to do something she would regret to Anya. Her hand was balled into a fist and she was looking to thump something.

Anya rounded back onto Willow, trying to force her into using her magic as Spike stroked his girl softly trying to get her to calm down the best he knew how. Tara stepped out in defence of Willow getting her to step down. However, Anya had other ideas and stalked upstairs.

While the argument was happening in the dining room, Buffy and Dawn were having a heart-to-heart. About how alone the young girl had felt. Buffy stroked Angel (the cat) as she thought about her younger sister's words.

"Dawn, the most important job I have is looking out for you"

Buffy soon realised that Dawn had been caught up in wishing in front of a vengeance demon, or her guidance counsellor as she had been introduced to her as. They were sat on Dawn's bed with Angie mewing at the wall as Anya came rushing in pulling Dawn's room apart.

"Hey!"

"Half of this stuff is from my Magic Box!"

"You said you stopped!"

Dawn ran down into the living room. Everyone from the other rooms were following her as well now.

"I work hard at that store! And I helped you… took care of you!" Anya shouted. Which was true, when Dawn had nobody home, she had been with Anya and she had allowed her to train at the store against her better judgement.

"Nobody notices! Nobody cares! And I needed them! Saff said it's okay when you need it!" Dawn screamed as the rest of the room caught up on what had gone on. Buffy realised that Dawn had stolen her birthday present.

"And you needed to steal Buffy's birthday gift? I could have given you some more allowance, Dawn heist" Saffron said pointedly, trying to do the parent thing.

"But you work hard for that money and I wanted the sneakers and it's-it's-"

"Fun? A thrill? Something to help you forget about everything?" Saff said, feeling it. Dawn nodded, wiping her eyes. Saff sent some calm over the girl as Buffy started to defend her to the others.

"Anya, you can take it out of my wages, but most of it is here" Saffron checked over the stock Dawn had been hiding in her bedroom. Saff knew the list like the back of her hand and could tell Dawn seemed to just be hoarding it all instead of selling it on, so she knew Spike hadn't known about it either. He would have told her to sell it and split the take with her.

"You can't keep covering for her! She needs to learn about reparations and responsibilities" Anya shouted before turning and angrily pointing at Dawn, "How can we trust that this had nothing to do with you?!"

"Anya, wait, I don't think it's all her fault. There was a guidance counsellor, or someone pretending to be a guidance counsellor who made her make a wish"

Anya stopped and thought this over and then shouts, "Halfrek!" She explained that only she could break her own spell, "Hallie get your ass down here!"

Halfrek appeared just as the demon reappeared and stabbed her. The demon then turned to the others and Spike and Saff ran in to help fight. Spike gets punched in the face making him kick out wildly sending the demon towards Buffy. Saff snatches the demon's own sword from him and throws it so Buffy could expertly catch it. However, Saff gets flung across the room, cracking the window and swearing loudly as she went for her trouble. With some help from Spike, Buffy finally manages to stab it with it's own sword and traps it there before snapping it in half.

Anya runs to get the pendant from her vengeance demon friend but finds out that it was only a flesh wound as she gets to her feet. Halfrek starts to berate her old friend Anyanka before Spike caught her eye, "William?" she asked, fixing her hair.

"Hey… wait a minute"

"You two know each other?" Buffy asked, but Saff was staring the vengeance demon down. She recognised her.

"Hey, babe, anybody ever told you that you look effulgent?" Saffron spat at her from her position on the floor in front of the window with Spike was crouched beside her, checking her over.

At her words, Spike shook his head, almost pleading her not to say any more. He didn't want these people to know. He felt Saff's anger as she felt his embarrassment. Saff looked at this woman with hatred, she was the start of his insecurity. But hey, she's had centuries to change. Change into someone who took delight in exploiting Dawn's misery.

In Saff's mind she had not only fucked over her and her friends but she had also made Spike feel the most indescribable sadness. A sadness she had felt herself in his memory. Saff started to stalk towards the woman, hoping to land a punch before the others reacted, but Spike knew her too well, tugging her back beside him. Where she belonged. Halfrek looked between the pair, pausing, noticing they were together, looking Saffron over and pulling a face before shrugging and turning back to the room.

"I haven't heard that word in an age… Uh, ancient history now" She smiled as Anya started to get annoyed at her old friend. Halfrek then launched into her explanation, "You can all throw as many barbs at me as you like, it doesn't change the fact that this girl was in pain and none of you could see it, or didn't want to see it" She added as Saff hung her head slightly, "You people deserve to be cursed"

Upon trying to make an extravagant exit, she realised she was also cursed to stay in the house. She sighed and lifted the wish, allowing them all to finally leave the house as she left them to it.

The four of them watched everyone walk into the cool night, savouring being let out of the house. Saffron and Spike had lit up from the doorway and Buffy was complaining as Dawn pretended she was smoking too with her breath in the cold night. Everybody turned back and waved, a smile on their faces.

It wasn't long before Saffron was straddling Spike on the couch. His head was tilted back on the headrest as she cleaned up the split on his brow-bone and tried to reduce the swelling of his eye that got punched in the fight. She pressed the frozen peas gently to his eye, hating it when he winced. It would turn into a black eye but it wasn't the worst injury she had had to patch up for him. She left a soft kiss on his eyelid and then his brow bone, wishing it better and then righting herself, knowing better to wish after everything. She hoped, instead.

Saff slid off Spike's lap and sat beside him, making sure he kept the peas pressed to his face. Dawn came and sat beside them.

"You have to talk to us, you can come by my shift anytime if you need to get out of the house. I wanna hear from you, Dawny" Saffron explained as Spike nodded his agreement.

"You mean it? I won't be in the way?"

"'Course not"

"And you can pick the next group adventure, how does that sound platelet?"

"How about-"

"Not mini golf!" Spike and Saff said at the same time and the three of them smiled as Buffy came into the room after closing the front door.

"Anyone want hot coco?" Buffy asked, it was aimed at Dawn really because she felt bad Dawn had been feeling so left out. She wanted to make her sister feel better and their Mom had always known the power of a warm beverage.

"You got any of those little marshmallows?" Spike asked, taking full advantage of Buffy asking the room. Buffy nodded at the vampire warily. Everyone said yes and Buffy set to work.

Buffy returned with four steaming cups on a tray, setting it on the coffee table. "Here you go" she said as everyone passed theirs around.

"Come on Slayer, bit stingy with the marshmallows" Spike complained, swishing his mug about. Saff whispered in his ear to just be grateful but the glint in his eye said he was enjoying the slayer treating him like a guest. Buffy sat down and hugged her mug with her hands, savouring the warmth.

"So, we could do something at the weekend together, Dawn" Buffy offered, ignoring Spike's comment.

"Spike and Saff are taking me to the Bowl-o-rama on Saturday!"

"Oh, that's my only night off…"

"Hey, why don't we all go?"

"Oh, bloody he-" Saff elbowed him. Saff had told him that Tara had mentioned that something wasn't right. He reluctantly agreed, "Yeah, more the merrier Buffy" he said and Buffy stared as she felt something so close to sincerity it was creepy from the vampire.

She shrugged, resigning herself to it. Maybe it would be something they could all look forward to. A sort-of family outing.