Help

When Spike woke up he walked into the living room area to find that Connor was still sleeping. This was pretty much something that he expected. It was already early afternoon but the boy was young and homeless. He probably wasn't used to something as good as a couch to sleep on. Spike expected he would sleep for a while.

He walked into the kitchen area and opened the fridge. He was about to grab some blood when he realized how strange that might be if Connor woke up to find him preparing, or even worse drinking, a mug of blood. He was pretty hungry but he closed the fridge and decided he would just find time later. The boy was pretty dirty looking so Spike figured that he could offer him a shower and have his blood while Connor freshened up. At least then he would just have to make sure to be done by the time he got out.

While Spike waited for Connor to wake up he tried to plan out just what he was going to do. He knew that he couldn't just let this kid go knowing that tonight he would become a werewolf. Spike could already tell that this boy had been through too much in his life and now there was just going to be one more thing on top of it all. He knew that he had to help Connor, he just didn't know how.

About an hour or so after Spike woke up he sensed Connor also beginning to wake up. He was still sitting in the kitchen area when Connor rose from the couch. "How long have I been out?" Connor asked groggily as he joined Spike in the kitchen.

Spike looked up at the clock he had on the wall. "Well its 1:30," Spike answered.

"Wow," Connor said with a shocked look on his face. "I haven't slept that late in…well I can't really remember the last time I slept that late."

"That's alright mate," Spike responded. "I went to the store this morning. I didn't have much money but I got a few things. Some pop-tarts, a small thing of juice, some donuts, stuff like that." Last night Spike couldn't fall asleep so he took a walk to a small 24 hour story and got a few little things for Connor. "There over there on the counter," Spike pointed out.

Connor smiled at his new friend. "Thanks!" He almost ran over to the counter and grabbed a little bit of everything. The wheat-a-bix were a nice gesture and more food then he was used to but they didn't fill his hunger. Even though most of the stuff that Spike got him was junk food at least it would fill him up.

"So," Spike started, "Not to be rude or anything mate but when you're done eating feel free to use the shower."

Connor laughed a little. "It's ok…I can take a hint. I don't exactly find places to shower very often living on the streets and all." Spike just nodded his head and Connor continued eating.

After Connor ate enough to finally fill his stomach he went into the bathroom to take a shower. Almost as soon as he walked into the bathroom Spike went for the fridge and started making himself a warm cup of blood. He figured that since he had such good hearing all he had to do was listen for the shower to be turned off and make sure he was done and cleaned up before Connor came out.

When his blood was all set up he took it into the living room and turned on the TV. When he was finished eating he walked into the kitchen and cleaned out the mug. Just as he walked back into the living room he heard the shower turn off. 'Just in time,' he thought to himself.

Connor came out of the bathroom a few moments later. Once he was neat and clean the boy actually looked half way decent, especially with Spike's shirt on. "Thanks a lot Spike," Connor said with a giant smile. "I feel so much better."

"Not a problem mate," Spike responded. He got up off the couch and walked towards his bedroom. "Well I think it's my turn now. You can…eat some more if you want or watch the telie or something. I've only got basic cable so there's only like twelve channels or so."

"Cool," Connor responded as he sat on the couch and turned on the TV.

"By the way how's the arm?" Spike asked.

"Not too bad actually," Connor responded. "I think it's gonna be ok."

"Right then," Spike said. When he was sure that Connor was content he went into his room, got some clean cloths and went into the bathroom.

Connor flipped through the channels for a little while but didn't really find anything interesting since it was the middle of the day on a weekday. Finally he settled on a talk show, it was the best he could find. After watching for a little while he got up to get something to eat.

When he walked into the kitchen he went strait for the pop-tarts. Spike had gotten the smores kind and Connor just loved those. He started eating and heard the shower turn off. He was glad it did. He was getting kind of bored and he was anxious to see what Spike might offer him next.

After taking a few bites of his pop-tart he realized he was thirsty. He looked around through the mostly empty cupboards and found a few mugs. He took one out and went for the fridge where he thought the juice was.

Spike thought he had been smart. He left the juice out but the problem was that it wasn't in plain view and most people usually keep the juice in the fridge. When he looked in the fridge he couldn't believe what he saw. The only thing in the whole fridge was a few pints of blood. "What the…" Connor said with a shocked look on his face.

This was just too weird and he wasn't about to hang around to find out what this was about. Just as he was about to close the fridge Spike walked out of the bathroom. "Hey listen mate I was thinking…" he started to say. He stopped when he saw the look on Connor's face and realized that he was looking in the fridge. "Wait a second now don't get your panties in a bunch. I can explain…" Spike tried to say but it was too late.

Connor closed the fridge, grabbed the box of pop-tarts and bolted out the door. Spike tried to fallow him but by the time he got upstairs it was no use. It would be day for about another four hours or so and there was no way he could fallow him. "Bloody hell," he said to himself with frustration.

He had no idea where this kid was going to go but he knew that come sun down he was going to turn into a monster and Spike would have to find him. He wouldn't know what was happening to him or what to do.

The vampire's soul wouldn't let this just go away. But the city was big and unfamiliar for him, as much as it pained him to think about it, he knew what he had to do.

XXXXXXX

Back at the hotel the girls were trying to find something to do. They weren't used to just doing nothing and taking it easy, especially not Buffy and Faith. They were slayers and they needed to be out there fighting the good fight. It was driving them crazy that they couldn't.

The boys were all out for the day. They usually were since having eight hormonal pregnant women in the house wasn't exactly their idea of fun. Xander and Gunn were both at work, Lorne was visiting a friend, and Angel, Wesley and Giles were out on a case.

Faith was also out. She hated being cooped up in the hotel all day so she went for a short walk. Short because the doctors said to start taking it easy and for once she was actually listening. It was strange and foreign to her but she liked it. For the first time in her life she actually cared. She knew that she didn't want to make the same mistakes that her parents made with her. She was determined to do whatever it would take to be the best mother this child could have. Truth be told she was scared to death…but still determined.

The rest of the girls were in research mode for the current case. Since they weren't supposed to over exert themselves in any other way this was their way of contributing to the fight. Everyone except for Buffy and Willow were in the office or behind the counter with their books. Buffy and Willow were on the couch in the lobby.

The two friends were also doing research but Buffy was getting a little too annoyed. She slammed her book closed and groaned. "I hate this part. I'm supposed to be the one out saving the world. I'm not research gal," she said to her friend in a pouty voice.

Willow took her head out of her book and looked at her friend sympathetically. "I'm sorry Buff. I know it must be hard to be stuck here with us research bums but in a few more months you'll be able to get back out there and fight the good fight with the others," Willow comforted.

"Yeah I guess your right," Buffy admitted. "I'm kind of scared though…to go back to the slaying. I mean before I knew I was risking my life every day but it was just my life I had to worry about. I knew that Dawn would be taken care of if I was gone but now…now I'll have a child. Slayers have short lives…but I want to be around to raise my son."

"Buffy you will," Willow reasoned. "You're not like other slayers. You're different, special. Plus you have something that pretty much no other slayer ever had."

"Oh yeah and what's that?" Buffy asked with a hint of sarcasm in her voice.

Willow smiled mischievously. "Us. You've got friends and family. You've got the slayeretts. You've got Angel." The last part of what Willow said made Buffy cringe a little. Willow could tell that something was up. "Buffy what is it?"

"What…oh nothing," Buffy said sharply. "Just got a chill is all."

Willow gave her the look. "Buffy is there something you're not telling me? By the rule of best friends you have to tell me everything…so spill."

"It's nothing really. I just…Angel and I had a little…talk last night," Buffy said as she looked down at the ground in what appeared to be sadness.

Willow looked at her friend sympathetically. "From the look on your face I'm going to go out on a limb and say it didn't go well."

Buffy forced a smile. "He just wanted to make sure that things weren't weird between us. He said he had been meaning to talk to me about it sooner but things kept coming up and there were always people around. I guess he just wanted to make sure that I didn't still have feelings for him or something."

"I don't know Buffy…I've seen the way he looks at you. If anything…I would have guessed that he was the one who still had feeling for you."

"Well…even if he does…he made it pretty clear last night that nothing can happen," Buffy said sadly. "I guess he has a point. I mean he's still a vampire with a soul and a curse. Any kind of pure happiness and he's back to captain ass hole."

Willow just started at her friend will a sad face. She could tell that Buffy still had feelings for him and that he still had feelings for her. But there was nothing she could do or say to help.

"I don't know…I guess I just wish things were different," the slayer added dejectedly.

Before either one could say anything else Angel, Wesley and Giles walked in the door. "Well I must say…that was odd," Wesley said.

"I have to agree," Giles added. "I've never seen rats that big."

"Giant rats or regular sized rats that women should have called an exterminator instead of wasting our time," Angel said with slight frustration.

"Well…at least we got paid," Wesley pointed out.

As the boys walked into the lobby, the door opened. Everyone looked to see who it was and when they did they couldn't believe their eyes.

"Spike!" Angel said with surprise.

"Spike?" Buffy said with a look of shock.

And then Spike said something that shocked them even more, "I need your help."

XXXXXXX

The cave was pitch dark. There was only visibility when they walked in with the torches. The four of them walked into the center of the cave with their torches in hand. They were cloaked in black and their faces were covered.

They kneeled down. "Sabasis…we bow down to you," they chanted in unison.

Then one of them stood up alone. "We have news for you oh great one," she said.

A very tall dark figure moved towards them. "What is your news?" it asked in a deep raspy voice.

"We know the sex of the prophet children," she said as she pulled down her hood. It was Dr. Miller. Just then the other three women stood up and unmasked themselves as well. Along with Dr. Miller were also Doctors Parker, Carter and Matthews. "It is as you suspected…four girls and four boys."

"Excellent," the dark figure responded. "Everything is going just as it is set to go."

"Is there anything else you need us to do for you oh great one?" Dr. Parker asked.

"Not yet," the figure responded. "Nothing can be done until they are born. Just make sure that the births go well. Then when they are born…they will be mine."

The doctor smiled. "Yes master…they will be."