Chapter 26

The Academy had a maximum classroom capacity of 1000 students. It could house up to 300 in the school building, and plans for a secondary dormitory had been included in the placement of the school building and gymnasium, leaving plenty of room on the property should they need to expand. With half the children under the age of ten, the staff soon realized that they needed to hire additional caretakers for the girls. Offering a very generous incentive package, Sebastian was able to lure some of his former staff to California on short notice. They were there exclusively to give the young ones more of a sense of a normal home, making sure they were bathed, fed, and entertained. This gave the teachers the proper time they needed to keep up with lessons each week.

As Christmas approached, the problem with what to do over the two weeks classes would be out of session arose.

"Okay, everyone. The holiday break is fast approaching. How do we proceed?" Sebastian asked at the staff meeting.

"Well, we could offer to let the girls that were close to their foster families visit them for the two weeks. I mean, if it was me, I'd want to be around the familiar at Christmas," Willow suggested.

"We have to have a tree in the dining hall," Michael added. "It's a must."

"We also have to think about the girls that have no outside ties. They'll need presents like new clothes and things. We can't forget about providing care for those who are officially our wards now," Tara insisted. "We're going to have at least half of these girls until they're 18."

"I'm sure a Giving Tree could be set up at Council Headquarters," Ms. Carling suggested. "It is easy to get others to send a gift or two at this time of year. It makes them feel good to have donated something at Christmas."

"That's a good idea, Rebecca. I'll pose the idea to Reginald when I call on Saturday," Sebastian replied. "And you're very right, Tara. Talk to the girls and find out if there is one thing, or two things, they would really want Santa to bring them."

"I know it's a ways off, but where will these girls go for the summer?" Ruby asked.

"To be honest, I haven't worked that out, yet. If they stay here, we'll have to make sure their time is productive…the Council really doesn't need to be picking up these girls so young anymore…just another policy change we need to encourage. Would it be reasonable to take no more wards under the age of ten? I'd like us to vote on it," Sebastian responded.

"As representative for the Guardians, I support it," Willow replied.

"Second," Ms. Carling said.

"The Potentials should have the chance at a normal childhood, so if you can get them to agree, I'll support it," Tara added.

"Whatever you think is best, sir. I'm still learning about this side of things," Michael said.

"Thank you for your honesty, Michael. Ruby?"

"Aye, for both selfish and unselfish reasons, sir. I'd rather not be doin' that many loads of laundry for the rest of my life," she replied. The others laughed in agreement.

"Alright, it's settled. I'll send official notice tomorrow. I'm really proud of you all. This has gone better than I could have hoped to expect for such an ambitious venture," Sebastian said. "Go enjoy your evenings."

Of course, being the Council of Watchers, they hemmed and hawed at change, but agreed to Sebastian's request of sending no more extremely young girls. Without being able to foist these charges on someone else, they had to learn that maybe it was better to work with the girls openly, with consent from their families, instead of trying to secret them away before they could develop minds of their own. Giles helped argue for the case, citing how successful his Slayer had been because she was still able to improvise and think independently. For the first time since the Council had started actively looking for Potentials, the girls and their families, if they had them, were given the full, educated choice to embrace their possible destiny, or not.

"Rupert, I was thinking that we could take a few of the girls from the school for the Christmas break," Joyce proposed.

"The whole two weeks?"

"Oh, don't look so scared. You don't have a problem around the other children."

"That's because we can send them home at night. A totally different situation to two whole weeks, dear."

"I just think that we should offer to take a couple of the girls that have nowhere to go. The school is nice, of course, but it's not a home."

"Dear, I'd love to come home to some peace and quiet after dealing with all those shoppers at the shop this time of year…"

"Well, I won't stop you from locking yourself in the bedroom when you come home," she replied sweetly.

"I'm not winning this argument, am I?" he asked, resigned.

"Nope, but I promise to reward you for your patience and understanding," Joyce replied, sitting on his lap. She brought her arms up around his neck and played with the hair at his nape.

"I see…you are a very persuasive woman, my love."

"Where do you think Buffy and Dawn got it from?"

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"Poor Giles. Mom's insisting that they take in a couple of the girls for Christmas," Dawn said to Buffy, over the phone. Licorice, her cat, curled up on her lap as she sat on the sofa.

"Really? Well, I'm glad we'll have a few less mouths to feed. Hey, you don't think this is going to cut into our present quantity, do you?"

"Buffy! That's really shallow! Besides, Mom does all her shopping in November. We're totally safe. So…how's the baby-making coming?"

"It's not. We've been trying for a full year. I just don't get it – I've even timed our sex life to go along with those ovulation kit thingies."

"Well, I guess babies just come when they're meant to. Maybe you've been too stressed out, with the school-related business…"

"Maybe…Dawnie, what if something's wrong with me, or him? I've been thinking about going to a doctor, but I'm scared to know…and yet, I really want to know!"

"Have you talked to Sebastian about it?"

"Not yet…he's been too busy to sit down and chat lately. I never expected to be married to a principal," Buffy groused.

"He prefers the term 'headmaster'," Dawn giggled.

"Yeah…sometimes he is just so old!" Dawn could imagine her sister's nose wrinkling up as she said that.

"Speaking of the man, tell him to send my young and hot boyfriend home early Friday. We have a date, and I plan to make up for lost time," the 22-year-old stated.

"Okay, I still find the thought of you having sex totally gross. Please don't mention things like that!" Buffy pleaded.

"Oh, please. It's not like I ever talk about stuff like you do, or Kara and Spike, or Anya and Xander, or even Mom. I'm practically a paragon of virtue, so you have no right to bitch. Oh, crap…the editor is waving for me. Gotta go – love you, bye!"

Buffy set down the phone, amused at her sister's bluntness, and looked around. Now, what was she going to do? She realized that she didn't know what to do with herself when she had free time alone. Huh…

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Christmas dinner was at the Harris' this time. The place was packed, with the extra children that had been brought along. They had two 5-year-olds, one 9-year-old, and two teens. Ruby had taken a few more of the girls to England with her to visit with her family, too. Ms. Carling had been surprisingly adept at arranging for the rest to visit their former Watchers, if they didn't have some family to contact.

One of the 5-year-olds was Chinese, with only a very basic grasp of English, but she and Tara had developed communication through gestures, and the intelligent little girl was usually quick to get her point across. Sebastian surprised everyone by speaking with her in fluent Mandarin.

"You speak Chinese? I didn't know you speak Chinese!" Buffy exclaimed.

"You never asked," he teased.

"What else do you know?"

He tilted his head, considering. "I'm not sure. I lost count a long time ago. It's just the way of a world traveler, dear. You pick up things as you go. I'm sure Anya understands more languages than I do."

"Well, I did as a demon. Vengeance Demons don't need translation, as long as the call for vengeance is in someone's heart."

"You were a Vengeance Demon?" one of the teens exclaimed in shock.

"Oh, yes. I'm over 1100 years old. Giles, well, an alternate Giles, smashed my pendant years ago, and here I am, married to a carpenter. I used to strike terror in the hearts of men," she sighed wistfully.

"What other demons can become human?" the other teen asked.

"Girls, it's Christmas Day. You'll have plenty of opportunity to learn about demons in class," Sebastian said.

"Yes, Mr. Pierce."

"Can we go play outside?" Thomas asked.

"Sure, buddy," Xander replied. "But stay in the backyard, and watch your sisters."

"Okay!" The younger kids escaped outside en masse, wanting to escape the grown-up talk.

"Pie?" Anya offered.

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Two days later, Buffy cried tears of frustration in the bathroom over another negative pregnancy test.

"Buffy? Are you alright?" Sebastian called through the door.

She hastily wiped her eyes and nose with some tissue. "Yeah! I'll be out in a minute."

"Okay…" he replied, unsure.

When she stepped out, his heightened senses could tell immediately she was upset. "You've been crying. What's wrong, sweetheart?"

"I'm fine. It's just another failed pregnancy test."

Sebastian gathered her in his arms. "Oh, baby…these things take time, sometimes. It will happen for us eventually. You'll see."

"What if we need help? What if one of us is…?" Broken, she left unsaid.

"We can talk to your doctor, if that will make you feel better. Do you have a regular doctor?"

"No…" she admitted. "I'm never sick, and I just went to the clinic for birth control, before…"

"I don't think only trying for a year is cause to panic that we're infertile, but if you find a doctor you're comfortable with, then we'll go and try to put your mind at ease."

"Thank you. For being so understanding…"

"I love you, Buffy. It's not a hardship," he teased, trying to get her to smile.

"Yeah, I guess I do give you some pretty cool perks," she quipped.

"That you do, darling. I wouldn't trade any of it for the world."

"Now you're just trying to get into my pants."

"And you're complaining?"

"Never," she murmured huskily, and wrapped her arms around his neck as he picked her up to head for the bedroom.

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February 2nd, 2009…

"Daddy, wake up! It's our birthday!" the twins said excitedly, as they pounced on Spike in bed that Monday morning.

Spike shot up out of a deep sleep, game face at the fore, ready to defend his family. The girls shrieked, surprised at his sudden movement. Anastasia pointed at him with wide eyes.

"Daddy, your face!"

"Wha'? Oh, sorry, Bit." He shook off the face of his demon, human countenance returning. "Where's Lillian?"

Ana turned her head to the left. "She was right here."

Spike knew from the sound of two rapid heartbeats that she was still in the room, somewhere. "Lilli? Come out, sweetheart. You just surprised me, is all."

"I'm right here, Daddy!" she said in her best 'duh' voice.

"Very funny, Bit, but I can't see you."

'Huh?' she thought.

"Oh, I know! Lilli's imbisible!" Ana exclaimed.

"Invisible, pet," Spike automatically corrected. "Wait, what did you say?"

"Lilli's invisible?"

"Lillian, could you grab your da's hand, please?" Spike felt a little hand clasp onto his fingers. "Bloody hell…" he gasped.

"Daddy, you said bad words," Ana giggled.

"Ana, could you go get your mother, please?"

"Okay!" She scrambled off the bed and ran down to the kitchen.

"Lillian, sweetness…we can't see you. You made yourself disappear when I spooked you. Can you try to make yourself visible again?"

"Okay." She thought hard about being seen. "Hi, Daddy."

Spike brushed the curls out of her face and cupped her cheek. "Hey, princess. You need to be careful with this new power, alright? Mum and Da' need to be able to find you."

"What's the emergency? Ana said I needed to come right away?" Kara asked anxiously.

"Not an emergency, luv…just a new turn of events. Lillian phased herself out of sight when she got startled."

"But I made myself bisible again, Mommy!"

"That you did, Lilli. Maybe we should keep her home today and work on controlling this?"

"I guess we have to. We can't take the risk of her going invisible on the playground. I'll take Ana to school and make an excuse to the office. Lillian, you'll do your schoolwork at home today," Kara replied.

"Okay…am I in trouble, Mommy?"

"No, sweetie. We just need to practice your new ability before you're around other people again. I'll be back in about 20 minutes."

"Alright, luv. I'll stay up with the Bit until you get home." Spike was tired, since he'd only had a few hours sleep, but he could hold out another half hour.

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"The mail was here, already," Kara said, when she came back home. "Including birthday packages for little girls."

"Oooo, lemme see! Let me see!" Lillian exclaimed, bouncing.

"Who're they from, luv?"

"Uh…there are two boxes from New York, and one from Ohio, so that should be Yavanna, and Mel. This one box doesn't have a return address, though, just the postmark…"

"Can I open mine now, Mommy? Pleeeease!"

Kara looked to her mate, who just shrugged his shoulders. "I guess we can arrange that. Let me cut the tape, and then you can see what's inside." She went to the kitchen to slice the tape open with a knife, then came back and set the box on the coffee table in front of Lillian.

There was a smaller box inside, surrounded by packing material, and more tissue inside the smaller box. Lillian finally got through all the layers to reveal an iridescent glass ball, the type with a rainbow of colors. It came with a little stand to set the ball in on a desk or table.

"Wow…it's so pretty!" she said in an awed whisper. "This is from Aunt Vana?"

"I guess so. It came from a New York post office," Kara replied.

"It'd be just her style to send glass to a six-year-old. You need to be very careful with that, Lillian. It's very breakable."

"Can you help me put it in my room, Daddy?"

"'Course, sweetling. Your da's ready to head back to bed, anyway." Spike picked up Lillian and the ball, and headed upstairs. Kara disposed of the packing material, then opened the other two packages in the kitchen and placed the gifts on the center island. The girls could open them later.

Their birthday party was planned for Saturday, so they would be getting most everything then. It was their first party with a bunch of school friends coming, so Kara had arranged for someone to make balloon animals for the kids, and games would be set out on the lawn. It was going to be quite an experience.

Lillian had decided to set the glass ball on her nightstand, right next to her bed. She fell asleep gazing at the pretty colors reflecting from the moonlight coming in the window, and had fanciful dreams.