A/N: I own nothing of the Whedonverse nor any fairytales and I am not profiting from this work.

Chapter 18

Previously on Buffy the Vampire Slayer

I'm dangerous

I met another witch

Hey where's Oz?

Slowly Xander, Anya and Willow all left for the night promising to bring various side dishes the next afternoon. Joyce convinced Dawn to go up to bed with a promise that she could watch the parade instead of helping in the morning. That left Giles dozing on the couch and the three vampires standing on the lawn. The explanations had been carried out and Angel had been forced to see that the Sunnydale group had everything well covered.

"I'm sorry that I can't," He looked down at the door of his rental car. "I."

"I know. What you're trying to say. Angel, I don't think we were ever actually friends." Buffy pressed her lips in one of those conciliatory smiles.

Angel looked from her to Spike. "Yeah, we went from strangers to dating."

Buffy gave a light laugh. "What can I say? I was young. But in those moments when it felt I was cursed to be the Slayer you made the weirdness a strange kind of bearable."

"Thank you." The answer was drawn out through the elder vamp's confusion.

"Sorry, I was never much with words unless the world is ending. A...crisis speaker or...just thanks. For having been there as you." She walked up to the porch to give the other two some space. She wouldn't even focus on hearing what they said. See? Mature.

"Listen, Spike-" Angel opened the car door.

"I know. I'll watch out for her. Not that she needs it. But if she wants it? I'm her vamp."

"If you hurt-"

"Let me stop you there Angel Eyes. 'M not gonna hurt the girl. Misery was always your forte, Maestro." His playful smile did a little in assuring his Grandsire who shook his head and moved to get in.

"Don't make me regret leaving you here."

"Pack of wild dogs couldn't drag me away." Spike patted the door and Angel started the car.

"Hey wait," They both turned to watch the Slayer run up to them. "If anything weird happens in L.A., like apocalypse weird?"

"I'll call and let you know." He shifted into gear. "And if anything happens we can help."

"Yeah? All three of you?" Buffy stepped back from the curb.

"Hey Cordelia has a ghost. That's four." The three were smiling as Angel rolled up his window and started the drive back to L.A.

"To the Angel-mobile away!" Spike said sotto voce. Buffy cast an amused-confused glance. Spike shook his head as if to say it didn't really matter. "Come on. We better head in and get some rest if we don't want to miss the Underdog balloon."

"What?" She seemed far too disbelieving that he would care.

"Yeah. I was there when they introduced him. 1965 parade." He seemed very proud of that fact as he opened the door for her.

"It was daylight." She entered and toed off her shoes. It had been muddy from the sprinklers. Mom would not like muddy.

"It was New York." As though that explained everything.

She laughed a little and went toward the stairs. "Good night, Spike."

"Good night, Buffy." She paused on the top step and realized that was the first time he had addressed her by her name. Not Slayer. Not luv. Not pet. Buffy. And so she fell asleep with a smile on her face on Thanksgiving Eve.