New chapter of Vampire's Daughter! I hope you enjoy it! Please let me know what you thought!

To Old For You

"So, what's goin' on?" Aisling said as she jumped onto the bed she snapped her phone shut as she did so.

"That woman on screen is… is she dying?" Xander asked.

"I think she's… singing," Buffy said.

"To a telephone in Hindi." Xander said while they all stared at the movie on the TV, "Now that's entertainment, why is she singing?"

"Cause it's a musical?" Aisling said with a question eyebrow raised.

Xander rolled his eyes, "I'm not that stupid, Ash. What are they singing?"

Aisling chucked as she took a sip of her coke. "You made it too easy, Xan."

Willow rattled off the plot of the film which Aisling only half understood.

"That's her lover?" Buffy said her eyes focused on the tv screen. "I thought that was her chiropractor?"

"No. That thing with her feet was clearly personal." Aisling said.

Willow turned to Aisling looking a little miffed that Aisling had explained before she could. "You're good with body language, Aren't you?"

"Have to be when you spend a year in the presence of a woman whose sanity came and went as easily as one eats chocolate," Aisling said. She took another sip of coke and turned to Buffy. "Speaking of thanks for letting me sleep over."

"No problem. You deserve some normal human interaction." Buffy said. "How's you're father anyway?"

"He's fine. Getting' annoyed with my constant callin'"

"Must be odd being raised by a vampire." Buffy said idly.

Aisling rolled her eyes. "Being raised by a vampire is not horrible." She said, her head focused on the tv show. "It's just… different."

"How can a vampire be as good as being raised by human parents. Even human parents aren't always so good." Xander said.

Aisling shrugged her shoulders. "Love, kindness, and a fair bit of compromise," Aisling said, she sat on the floor. "He helped me in ways a human parent couldn't. He helped me in ways humans didn't." Aisling said.

"Sure, but that doesn't mean-"

"Xander." Aisling cut in. "I'm not being abused. I'm not hurt, or scared. I'm not just saying these things because I'm afraid my dad is going to suck me dry later. Please. Please drop it."

Xander went silent for a moment or two before he gave a grin. "And we thought this would be a lacklustre evening."

Aisling rolled her eyes and turned back to the screen, Buffy nudged her a little and gave her a smile. Aisling nudged back and gave a small smile of her own.

"We could go to the bronze and smuggle in our tea bags and ask for hot water," Willow said eagerly.

Aisling chuckled.

"Hop off the outlaw train Will before you land us all in Jail," Xander said with good-natured sarcasm.

"I, for one, am giddy and up," Buffy said while she played with Willow's hair. "There's a kind of hush all over Sunnydale. No demons or vampires to slay. I'm here with my friends." She turned back to the screen and tilted her head confused. "So how does the water buffalo fit in again?"

Aisling looked outside worriedly and took another sip of her Coke. "Quiet demon activity tends to mean that something's brewin'," Aisling said.

"So, you think I should be training, Like Giles does," Buffy said sounding sour.

Aisling rested her head on her hands. "If you had any idea what the demons were planning, I'd say to get on top of that, before the demons are ready. But since you don't-" Aisling shrugged. "- enjoy the downtime, before things get bad again."

"You dreamed about Angel again?"

Aisling looked up at the ceiling pretending she couldn't hear this conversation. It didn't stop their conversation from leaking through, but at the very least the ceiling was interesting.

"Third Night in a row," Buffy said

"What did he do?" Willow asked while Aisling counted the ceiling tiles.

"Stuff," Buffy said, a smile playing on her lips.

Aisling sighed as she heard Willow becoming giddy. "Oh, Stuff." Then she became excited. "Was it one of those vivid dreams, where you could feel his lips and smell his hair?"

"It had surround sound," Buffy said sounding frustrated like she was close to combusting.

"I'm just thinking about him so much lately," Buffy said.

"You two are so right for each other," Willow said while Aisling idly wondered why she thought walking with them to class was a good idea. If she'd known Buffy was going to talk about Angel she'd have walked alone.

"What about you?" Buffy asked turning to Aisling. "Any boy your crushing on."

Aisling gives a half smile, definitely should have chosen to walk alone. "Want me to talk about the one I killed that led to the death of a friendship. Or the one I speak to every week?"

Buffy and Willow looked hesitant when she spoke about her dead ex-crush but the idea of more gossip had the two of them leaning forward curious. "The one you still talk to obviously! Did you and he ever…"

"What…" Aisling asked. "Take it to the next level?" she shook her head. "No. There are complications that we don't really know how to work around… yet."

"Like what?"

"Like being in another city for one," Aisling said with a half smile. "And… the fact that I haven't… necessarily… told him," Aisling said.

Buffy and Willow stared at Aisling.

"You haven't said anything?" Willow said. "This boy is out there, probably thinking it's ok to just date whoever he wants because you haven't told him?"

"Last time I had a crush on a boy I then had to stake after he was turned into a vampire." Aisling said, "Forgive me for being cautious about dating someone else from Los Vegas. A place, need I remind you, is nearly as bad as Sunnydale in the demon department."

"Come on." Buffy said, "Invite him into town." Buffy said, "For coffee or something."

"Ooh yeah, Coffee that's a good idea. For you as well Buffy. A very non-romantic drink, a casual thing. I mean sure it's bitter like relationships can be but."

"What can be like relationships?" Xander asked stepping in behind them.

"Xander hey," Aisling said, "Never thought I'd be happy to have you interrupt this conversation."

"Oh yeah? What were you talking about?"

"Coffee," Buffy said as they walked past Cordelia.

"There's really no comparison, between College men and Highschool boys," Cordelia said to her redheaded friend while she flipped through a magazine. Xander stopped to get in his weekly dose of barbs. Cordelia's eyes flicked at Xander before turning back to her magazine. "I mean, look at that."

Aisling hung back curious as to how this would go.

"So, Cor, you're dating college guys now?" Xander said.

"Well, not that it's any of your business but I happen to be dating a Delta Zeta Kappa."

"Ooh, cradle robbin'," Aisling said. "Exactly what I look for in a boyfriend."

Cordelia turned to glare at me. "I'm mature enough for it."

"They're not if they're going for a high school girl," Aisling said.

Xander chuckled, "Ooh, guess dating a college boy isn't all it's cracked up to be."

"Yeah. Why'd they go for you when they can have a woman, their own age?" Aisling said.

Xander laughed as the two of them walked away to catch up to Buffy. They'd just walked back up to her when the bell rang and Buffy groaned. "Ooh. I told Giles I'd meet him in the library 10 minutes ago." She said. She waved it off. "He won't be upset." She looked at Aisling. "As you said, if I can't have any way of knowing what's going on I should take the downtime to just relax right?"

Aisling nod, "But is Giles really the type of person to just let it slide?"

Buffy thought about it, "Maybe?" She said hopefully. "I'm doomed, aren't I?"

"Want me to come?" Aisling said. "You could spar with me? Break my bones."

"Ha, ha, ha," Buffy said sarcastically. "No. Head on home after school. As fun as being your guard is… I want to start and end my patrol early tonight."

When Buffy and Aisling had uneasily made up, Spike had spoken to Buffy on the phone about watching out for Aisling when she was out after dark. Buffy had agreed, but unfortunately, it meant that Aisling's time outside after dark was at Buffy's discretion.

Normally it wasn't an issue, Aisling preferred to stay home in case something happened to Spike. Still having a guardian, the same age as her rankled in ways that Spike hadn't understood.

Aisling rolled her eyes. "Aye." She said giving the three a mock salute. "See you three later." Aisling said before she made her way to class."

"Boy, what a long day," Xander said as Aisling, Willow and Xander made their way out of class.

"And you skipped three classes." Willow teased.

"And of course, they flew by," Xander said as the found Buffy sitting on the railing of the stairs in the quad.

"Hey, Buffy." Aisling said, "Didn't you say Giles wanted you in the library?"

"I'm dawdling," Buffy said wrapping an arm around, Xander, "With my friends."

"I don't really understand your hatred of sparrin'," Aisling said. "I love sparring it's a great way to get the blood pumping."

Buffy shrugged, "If I was sparring against Angel, it would be fine, but… Giles isn't really up to my speed."

"So… why not ask Angel to train with you?" Aisling asked even as the words tasted sour in her mouth. "You'd get a workout that caters to your strength and Giles wouldn't be breaking bones trying to teach you."

"Hey, I thought you didn't like Angel," Xander said looking a bit betrayed.

"I don't." Aisling said, "But Buffy does need someone who can keep up with her or her trainin' is going to stagnate. Angel is the only person I can think of who can probably fight with Buffy and still walk away after." Aisling gave a small grin to Buffy. "But I'm not gonna complain if you accidentally break a rib or two of his."

"There's your dad?" Buffy said.

"Don't spar with my dad until he's better," Aisling said, her tone extremely protective.

"Speaking of." Buffy started. "Giles did some research on Spike after you started talking to me again. What he found…"

"So, you know he used to be known as the Slayer of Slayers?" Aisling asked while Buffy slowly nodded, "Is that going to be a problem?"

Buffy hesitated for a moment. "He has a soul?" She clarified.

Aisling rolled her eyes. "Yes, Buffy." She said. "There's a soul there."

"A vampire who's killed slayers would be a good person to talk to," Buffy mused. "Figure out how to avoid the same fate."

"No," Aisling said. "Want to talk demons? Fine? Battle strategies? Good. Leave the people he killed out of your conversations with him."

"But-"

"No," Aisling said firmly. "You are not traumatizing my Da' any more than you have to."

"Then… can you tell me about them?"

"Xin Rong and Nikki Wood." Aisling rattled the names off. "One durin' the Boxer rebellion and one in New York during the 70s. That's all I know."

"Oh, come on," Xander said. "You expect us to believe that a vampire never bragged about killing slayers?"

"Oh, he did," Aisling said. "But that was before he adopted me," Aisling said turning back to Buffy. "I find you've pushed this with my father, and you will regret it, Buffy." She hurried downstairs just as Cordelia hurried up the stairs. "Trust me, Buffy. The last people that dared to hurt my father definitely did." She said.

Aisling had no idea if they responded to her words, given she was too far away to hear any possible retort they could have given.

"Bit?" Spike asked leaning against the wall, "What's wrong?"

Aisling couldn't blame him for sounding surprised. It wasn't often that she chose to head straight to the punching bag without even stopping by to say hi.

"Nothing." Aisling, as she punched the bag again. "Had a completely utterly normal -" At the word 'normal' she punched the bag extra hard "- day at school. Why would anything be wrong?"

Spike stared at the bag, the way it swung with every hit. Looked at her face, the anger and hurt that lined every inch of her face and took a step forward. "Bit-"

"People can be so inconsiderate," Aisling said. "Like, trauma is a thing. Could you please learn tact?"

"I take it something happened," Spike said it wasn't really necessary given how obvious it was.

Aisling glared at him. "Leave it alone." She said. "I haven't sparred in a while that's all."

Spike sighed, hating this vulnerability he had. When Aisling was young and just getting back on her feet after being kidnapped and tortured (and then the 6 months in the psychiatric facility) teaching her how to spar helped her feel better. Helped her feel more in control, and less weak.

"Aisling. Sweetheart..."

"What?" Aisling said.

Spike nodded toward the sofa, "Come. Sit. Talk to me."

Aisling looked as though she wanted to argue like she wanted to keep hitting the punching bag instead of talk.

Had this been any other situation, Spike was sure Aisling would have argued and would have kept punching the bag until Spike had to drag her away before she severely hurt herself. But given his injuries and his incapability of literally dragging her away (and the likelihood of injury should he try), she just sighed and moved away from the bag. "I don't want to talk about it."

"Are you sure?" Spike said.

Aisling glared at Spike, and she huffed. "Buffy can be tactless at times." She said.

"What did she say?"

Aisling crossed her arms and looked away.

Slowly Spike put a hand on her shoulder, Aisling looked down. With his other hand, he cupped her cheek. "Bit. You can tell me anything."

"I don't want to hurt you." She whispered.

"Oh, Sweetheart," Spike said reaching out to pull her in. "I'm not as easily undone with my emotions as you think."

"I know." Aisling said, "But there's upsettin' you, and then askin' you about your kills."

Spike tensed and Aisling closed her eyes and cursed in Irish before she looked up at her father. "I'm sorry, I didn't-"

Spike kissed her on the forehead. "I'm not upset."

"Liar." Aisling said, "You're just sayin' that, so I won't worry."

"I'm not." Spike insisted. "I mean… sure, being reminded hurt, but I'm not that person anymore," Spike said, but Aisling, though she may have only known him for less than a decade, she knew that Spike was still haunted by that time.

"Did I ever thank you?" Aisling asked.

Spike looked down at his adopted daughter and tilted his head confused. "Thank me?" He asked blankly.

Aisling traced the scars on her arm. "For patchin' me up afterwards."

"You shouldn't have had to." Spike said, "You should never have been in that situation in the first place."

"No," Aisling said, "But you could have chosen to do nothin'. You could have chosen to let the hunger overwhelm you. You didn't. You didn't even look tempted just desperate to get the bleedin' to stop." She looked up at Spike. "Thank you."

Spike's grip on her tightened, as his emotions swelled. Had he been at his usual strength he'd have been concerned that he was hurting her. But given his injuries, his strength was at an all-time low, so he could hold her as tightly as he wanted or needed without risking hurting her.

It was one of the very few perks of this whole thing, his ability to hurt Aisling was so much lower.

"Míle buíochas," Aisling said.

"You're welcome," Spike said in English. "You're a good girl." He said. "Are you sure you're human? Perhaps an angel instead?"

Aisling laughed, "Who knows? Maybe the PTB put me on earth for the sole purpose of bumpin' into you." She said. "Maybe I was supposed to set you on the path of you getting your soul back."

Spike rolled his eyes, "You're not funny,"

"Excuse you," Aisling said flipping her hair over her shoulder, "I am the most hilarious person in this apartment thank you."

Spike rolled his eyes, "I think that title belongs to me. Bit."

Aisling laughed. "If you say so." She mused, her expression filled with amusement.

Spike chuckled and hugged her tightly, "Are you feelin' better."

Aisling thought about it for a moment or two longer before she nodded. "Yeah." She said nodding. "I'm feelin' much better." She said.

Spike nodded, "Good. Try to do some homework tonight?"

Aisling sighed, "Aye, aye." She said standing up. She turned back to him and smiled. "Help me with my history?"

Spike rolled his eyes and stood, he closed his eyes at the sudden dizziness that hit when he stood up too quickly. He felt Aisling clasp his shoulders, trying to help steady him.

When the dizziness passed, he opened his eyes and stared down at Aisling.

"Are you alright?" She asked her eyes wide with worry.

"I'm fine." He said. "Stood up too quickly," He leaned on her slightly.

Aisling's expression didn't change. "Maybe…" She started. "I can do my homework on my own." She finally said. "When was the last time you ate?"

"Ash."

"Da'" Aisling said in the exact same annoyed tone Spike gave her. She stood and headed to the kitchen. "Stove or Microwave?" She called from the kitchen as she opened the fridge.

"Microwave," Spike said.

For a moment there was silence before he heard her footsteps, the sound of cupboards opening, and a mug being pulled from the kitchen cabinet.

"Want herbs or spices, or Weetabix added to the blood?" Aisling called out.

Any other human would have been weirded out by the mere suggestion of adding flavouring to blood, but Aisling just took every oddity about her father in stride.

"Do we still have burba weed?"

"Hold on," Aisling said Spike waited listing to the sound of cupboard doors opening and closing. "Yeah." She said.

Spike smiled, "Spicy blood would be nice to have."

"I hate spicy," Aisling muttered while he heard the sound of liquid being poured into a meg. "Spiciest thing I can handle is salt."

After a few more seconds he heard the sound of the microwave door being opened and shut, and then the beeps as she pressed the buttons for the preferred amount of time to heat the blood.

"Think other vampires who bag it, also add things to give it texture or spice?" Aisling asked.

Anyone else would have been saying that mockingly but Spike had known her long enough to know that she was just curious. Spike thought about it for a moment. "I don't know 'A leanbh"

Aisling gave a soft smile at hearing her father use Irish terms. "You've gotten better at the pronunciations."

"Once I realized that it's a different Alphabet, and the letters have different sounds. It got a bit easier."

"Still," Aisling said. "Thanks." She thought about it for a moment. "Think Angel is like that? I mean you've told me how blood tastes different depending on if it's fresh from the artery or been sitting in a blood bag for two days."

"It is," Spike said. "Some vampires don't like their blood messed with. Others for some ungodly reason *like* the preservatives they add to human blood to make it last longer."

Aisling rolled her eyes, it was one of the arguments he used whenever she went to by human blood. That bagged human blood tasted awful compared to pigs' blood.

Aisling had never bought it, not for a second.

The microwave beeped. There was the sound of the microwave opening and closing and then footsteps before Aisling appeared in the living room.

"Thanks, Sweetie," Spike said taking a sip of blood. "burba weed. Thanks."

Aisling grinned, "If you need anything, I'll be in my room doing homework," Then she turned around grabbed her backpack and went to do her homework.

"What's wrong?" Aisling asked as she saw Buffy walk past her with Willow in tow. "Patrol go poorly?"

"I think I should have brought you along." Buffy huffed, "Having a buffer there would have been nice.

Aisling looked at Willow confused. "What?"

"Angel was there." Willow explained, "He… kind of… rejected her."

"It was more than 'kind of,' Will," Buffy said. "He told me that he didn't see a future with me." Buffy huffed. "Typical."

"There are other fish in the sea," Aisling said.

"Yeah, like Tom," Willow said nudging Buffy's arm.

Aisling furrowed her brow, "Tom?"

"Oh yeah, you left before I was introduced," Buffy said, "Tom's this really cute, really sweet senior in college."

"College?" Aisling said. "Little old for you, isn't he?"

"I mean so was Angel." Buffy defended.

"You act like I was for you dating Angel," Aisling said bluntly.

"Oh yeah, you don't like him," Buffy said, "Don't you think you're a little biased? I mean Angel says Spike and him never really got along. Even when they were soulless"

"I am biased," Aisling said. "100%. I have every reason to be. And not just because Dad doesn't like him."

"You've never met him."

"I have," Aisling said. "And besides he's responsible for my pain." She said before she turned around and walked off to class before Buffy could think of a reply.

"Buffy!" Cordelia said entering the classroom just as it ended "Did you lose weight, and your hair…" She floundered for about half a second before giving up on saying anything nice about it. "Alright, I respect you too much to be dishonest." She said, "The hair's a little…" She started almost sounding like she was genuinely trying to help before realizing that insulting Buffy's hair was a bad idea. "Well that really isn't the point here, is it?" She said.

Aisling bit her lip to keep from laughing as she packed her bag. "Why did you think insultin' her hair was a good idea?"

"I didn't." Cordelia pouted as she eyed Aisling's hair for a moment or two, "Your hair is great though."

Aisling tilted her head at Cordelia, as though trying to determine if Cordelia was lying to her or telling the truth. She'd tied her dark curls back in a ponytail today. It had been difficult to tame, as curls often were, but when it was done, she'd enjoyed the way her curls looked hanging off her ponytail. She tugged a bit at the end of her high ponytail. "Thanks, Cordy, I know." She said with a grin. "Now, why did you need to compliment Buffy?"

"Right." Cordelia turned back to Buffy, "The Zeta Kappa's have to have a certain balance at their party, and Richard explained it all to me, but I was so busy really listening that I didn't hear much."

Aisling snorted but kept listening. "This will be good."

Cordelia rolled her eyes at Aisling before she turned back to Buffy. "Anyway, the deal is they need you to go. And if you don't go. I can't." Cordelia looked close to tears. "And I'm talking about Richard Anderson, Ok? As in Anderson Farms. Anderson Aeronautics and Anderson Cosmetics." She put her hand to her face as she cried for a second.

Aisling rolled her eyes. "Cordy…" She said disappointment in her tone.

"You see why I have to go." She said.

"I see why you think you have to go," Aisling muttered under her breath. "I never thought I'd be so happy to have a father who's injured," Aisling said.

"These men are rich," Cordy said. "And I'm not being shallow."

Aisling doubted that but decided to hear the rest of this out.

"Think of all the poor people I could help with all my money."

"I'll go," Buffy said. Aisling turned to Buffy surprised but didn't say anything to counter her.

"You'll go?" Cordelia said surprised before she smiled. "Great! I'll drive!" She stared at Buffy her face lit up. "Oh, Buffy it's like we're sisters, with really different hair." She said before she turned and left the classroom.

Aisling turned to Buffy who had a 'What did I just do look?"

"Are you sure that was a good idea?" Aisling said.

"It'll be fine," Buffy said.

"We live on a Hellmouth," Aisling said. "Don't say that."

Buffy huffed. "Have you ever even lived on Hellmouth before?"

"Cleveland," Aisling said immediately. "Lived there for about 6 months when I was 12 before we packed up and left."

Buffy stared at Aisling in surprise. "Really?"

Aisling nodded, "Hellmouth are their own different levels of demonic. I was kidnapped twice - the last time I broke bones. That was when Da' packed our bags and moved us away from there. If it wasn't for his injury, we wouldn't be in Sunnydale now."

"Why?" Buffy asked. "Why does his injury make Sunnydale the obvious choice."

"Hellmouth energy strengthens demonic creatures," Aisling said. "It was hoped that he might heal if we brought him here. But to be honest it seems to just make him only marginally stronger than before. He still can't stand for too long."

"Maybe if he was actually over the Hellmouth," Buffy said thoughtfully. "It would help."

"Perhaps," Aisling said she thought of it for a moment. "He did seem more energetic on Parent Teacher Night…" Aisling sighed. "Still, sneaking into the school at night is tricky. Especially since I'm not allowed out at night."

"If you have a Slayer by your side," Buffy said nudging her slightly.

Aisling tilted her head. "Why are you so eager to help?" She said narrowing her eyes.

Buffy stared at Aisling wide-eyed. "You care about your dad," Buffy said. "I want to help."

Aisling shook her head. "I swear if your plan is to try and traumatize him further…" Aisling shook her head. "He's not some specimen that needs to be studied. He's a sick person who needs help."

"No. I know." Buffy said. "But…" Buffy sighed. "I've never met a vampire who's willingly taken a soul before. I didn't even know they were capable of it."

Aisling shrugged. "Love is important to Dad." She said. "Even while Soulless."

"Vampires can't love," Buffy said automatically.

Aisling pulled up her sleeve a little to reveal her scar a little. "When She got so angry, she gave me these scars. Spike worked tirelessly through the night to bandage up the scars. Two days later he fought her grabbed me and ran. All while having no soul."

"It had to have been for a purpose," Buffy said.

"Why are you eager to believe the worst in every Vampire…?" Aisling asked. She thought about it before her eyes widened. "Because you're the slayer. You need to believe every vampire is evil otherwise you'll double-guess every single vampire you stake and double guessing-"

"Will get me killed," Buffy said. "Yeah."

"If it's any consolation," Aisling started. "Most vampires will eat first, ask questions never. Dad was like that most of the time. Ironically Drusilla saved me from being eaten the day she kidnapped me."

Buffy looked at Aisling confused. "How so?"

"Drusilla wanted a daughter," Aisling said. "The plan had been to keep me until I was older, and in the meantime, I'd be moulded into her little dolly." Aisling gave a wry smile. "Spike hadn't planned on growing a heart in the between time. She gave a bit of a nostalgic smile. "Sometimes when she was sleeping, Dad would play games with me until the sun went down."

She looked down. "One of those games is what led to Drusilla hurting me." I touched my arm. "Normally when she wanted to hurt me, she would go for mind games. Making me relieve that the night of the fire was her favourite. But sometimes I would anger her, and she would reach out to physically hurt me. Spike often stopped her – distracted her before she could – but that day…" Aisling looked away. "That day, she saw a playin' card that Spike had accidentally left behind." Tears came to her eyes. "Da' was too late to react and before he could stop her, she attacked me."

Buffy stared at Aisling wide-eyed.

Aisling smiled "Fortunately she only managed to scratch my arm before Da' could get her off of me.

"You never really think about how sharp vampire's nails are," Aisling said. "But they are quite sharp and quite durable. A quick slice against your neck and your dead." Aisling laughed bitterly messaging her throat. "Mix that in with her hypnotizing abilities, and you have quite the formidable opponent."

"But she's insane right?" Buffy said.

"That just makes her even more terrifying," Aisling said. "She has her lucid moments, Buffy. Moments where she's painfully aware of everything that's happenin'. Those are the moments you have to watch out for."

Buffy nodded once eyes wide with fear before Aisling pulled along to class

Hope you enjoyed it! Please let me know what you thought.