Author's note: here is the next part of the story. I've been cooped up at home all day so i typed it all up. tell me how you like it.

Chapter XXVII - Something About Spike

"Spike?"

Buffy noticed the look on the vampire's face.

"What's wrong?"

Spike didn't answer. He just shook his head. He was staring at something over Buffy's head. she was worried he was looking at some huge demon looking for either William or Alex.

"Bu-ffy!" this was Alex her voice was sort of high. As if she was utterly surprised. The slayer turned her attention to the girl. Alex pointed to something over the fire place.

Buffy looked up to see a portrait. It looked like a picture that was blown up to look like that but Buffy could somehow tell it was a painting. Antique obviously worth something, but what really was surprising was what was in the painting.

There was a man in the painting, an old fashioned nobleman. He looked rather somber. Beside him was a handsome woman high cheek bones and clear blue eyes. She was somber as well, but her eyes were smiling. There was a girl next to the woman, she had dark curls piled up at the top of her head and an innocent smiled on her face but it was next to her that Buffy found the shock. There, eyes shinning with intelligence, a somber smile and a pair of glasses was...

"Spike?"

The vampire looked down. His hand flexed reflexively like he wanted a cigarette. He had quit those all the way back in Prague. Alex had showed him, she grabbed the cigarette out of his mouth so fast he didn't even notice it, that was of course until he tried to light it, and almost set his nose on fire.

"Spike?"

The vampire in question looked up to see two questioning girls look at him even William lifted his blond head to see what was the tension about.

There was silence for a few minutes.

"Spike?" Buffy repeated. "Why are you in the painting?"

He didn't answer at first,

"I'm surprised watcher didn't find it out when he read up on me. Would have thought he would've found out everything he could." Spike answered lowly. For once, Spike looked almost embarrassed.

"He did, he only found stuff from the old watcher's diaries." Buffy replied.

Spike rolled his eyes.

"They never say anything." he said rather scornfully. "Least not much 'bout vampires." he nodded towards the painting. "My name was Lord William Wescott." he slowly walked closer to the fire his eyes fixed on the picture.

"That's my father, Alexander. My mother, Jocelyn and my sister, Camilla." he said absently, only Buffy noticed the tears in his eyes. Alex was too busy realizing the importance of her second name.

"Alright, Spike," Buffy said waving her arms around dismissively. "Let's get back to the realness here, how did Cortenay airbrush you into the painting? i mean, that's pretty drastic, huh? Its probably priceless or whatever."

"He didn't, Slayer." he replied.

She looked at him skeptically.

"I was... a... a Duke in what you would probably call 'the Victorian era'. This place, Wescottshire was my property." Spike shook his head. "i didn't realize just how much I've missed it."

Buffy could've tripped on her jaw. Alex wasn't much of an improvement.

"Actually, your grace, if I may be so bold as to correct you, these lands are your property." a voice said suddenly.

Spike recognized it now.

"Marian." he said. "But should-"

"My name is Rosemary Bruin-Hayes. Mary Anne the woman you know as Marian-your housekeeper-was my grand mother." she said simply. "I believe that you deserve an explanation."

"Darn right we do." Buffy said rather indignantly, snapping out of her reverie when she heard the word explanation. "Make with the 'splaining."

"Sit down, Lord William, Lady Elizabeth," Rosemary requested.

Both complied, Buffy however cringed at the use of her whole name.

"Uh, it's just Buffy." she replied.

Rosemary glanced at her rather sharply.

"Sit down, Lady Elizabeth."

Buffy immediately complied feeling as though she had been scolded, Alex followed her example. Spike though reached down and scooped up William before sinking into an arm chair.

Rosemary took a deep breath.

"Lord Henry, when he died, he named Edward Cortenay as his successor." she had to pause to wave away Spike's protests. "Your sister was married by this time, your grace, to Cortenay, as it was which is why he was named successor." she said in response to Spike's look. Then after a short pause, she continued. "My grandmother, she knew of what was to come. She had a mild form of the gift, you see, and she said you would return to claim your land. The Cortenay's initially ignored her but as soon as you saved Lord Charles' life, the family immediately turned their attentions to it. They have been keeping your estates since." she nodded deeply. "We have long awaited your return, Lord William."

Spike nodded.

Buffy was eyeing him with complete astonishment. Even then, the height of Spike's bad years he had saved a life. Someone ho had meant something to him when he was a human. Angel killed everyone that meant something to him when he was a human. Could Spike be so very different from any other vampire?

Oh God, what was she thinking? One life did not absolve him of all his-now she was beginning to sound like Giles, or even Jonathan, oh God, she needed a bed right now. Wait, the scary Rosemary person was still talking.

"-and you all must get to bed." Rosemary was saying, as Buffy tuned back in. "come on."

"Wait a second, what's our cover here?" Buffy asked. "I mean, does everyone here know Spike's all grr and how are going to explain Alex and William?"

Everyone stared at her.

"The staff is aware of His grace's predicament and i thought that it would be quite obvious how we are going to explain the presence of the children."

Buffy's eyes got as big as saucers.

"I don't have to sleep with him do i?"

Spike looked like he wanted to laugh.

"You say that like its a bad thing." he said playfully.

Buffy glared.

"it is a bad thing."

"No, your grace, you will not have to er," Rosemary replied stiffly. "Sleep with him."

"You called me 'your grace'?" she went on. "I'm going to be a lady?"

She paused, already knowing the answer. it was written all over Rosemary's face.

"Are you completely out of your little, little minds?" she demanded. "I have no clothing; no possessions NOTHING even relatively elegant and you are expecting me to be a lady? Do I look like a lady to you? I can't make with the princess walking and dancing and soufflé-eating and that's all just a little too corny-Disney-movie-nice-dad's-take-their-daughters-to for me, okay?"

Rosemary didn't bat an eyelash at the slayer's out burst. She simply stood up, grabbed the slayer's arm in surprising vice-like grip and steered her upstairs, apparently Buffy was too tired to protest much because she allowed herself to be lead. Spike, Alex and William followed after her.