HEY! Sorry, about the long wait. I'll try not to make the next wait take so long.

New chapter! Hope you enjoy it. Please feel free to let me know what you thought


Chapter 6 part 1: Multicultural Week part 1.

Aisling looked up at Buffy and the rest of the gang. "I've told you everything I know." She argued.

"But it makes no sense." Angel said, "Spike is a vampire, he shouldn't want a soul."

"You always did call him different." Aisling hissed. "Things changed. You have not been around him for nearly a century, what makes you think you know anything about him?"

"Vampires don't change."

"Well, Spike did." Aisling said defensively, "He sought out a demon that could do it, completed his trials and won back his soul."

"Yes." Giles said stepping in, "But why you?" He asked. "You must have been 7 or 8 at the time."

"8 and a 1/2," Aisling said unimpressed. "We'd just entered New York when he realized the magnitude of what he was trying to accomplish."

"What, kidnap a child?" Buffy asked rolling her eyes. "If what you say is true. He didn't get his soul until after he met you."

"To any government that would look into it, legally, I am Spike's daughter."

"I find that hard to believe," Giles said.

Aisling shrugged. "Believe it or don't." She said, standing up and leaving.

"We're not done," Buffy said moving to stop her.

Aisling gave a cruel grin. "Oh, I think you'll find I am," Aisling said, she looked at Buffy. "You come after me and mine again, and you'll find just how much my father has taught me."

Buffy narrowed her eyes and leaned toward her threateningly. "Is that a threat?"

"Yes," Aisling said, "It is. It 100% is a threat. I was taught and raised by the most loyal vampire in history. You do not want to find out what that means when the people I love are threatened."

"Buffy's the Slayer," Willow said. "What can you do against her?

"And yet I was able to wound her, to stop her from hurting my father," Aisling said. "Try me." Aisling put her on the door leading out of the Library, "I fucking dare you."


"So, surprised you're not hanging with Buffy and her gang," Devon said standing beside her as they walked through the Incan exhibit.

Most of the 11th-grade class was on a school field trip to view the Incan Exhibit and the Museum. It was cool, and the artifacts were interesting. The jewelry especially (What little they had anyway) was especially gorgeous.

"We had an argument," Aisling said. Thinking of what happened on Parent Teacher Night "So… I'm just sitting on my own."

"Hmm," Devon said. "So… are you and your dad hosting a foreign exchange student?"

As part of Multicultural Week, the school had set up a foreign exchange program. Many families had decided to partake and host a foreign student for two weeks.

Given Spike's injury, and his creature of night issues. Both Spike and Aisling had elected to not host a foreign exchange student for two weeks.

"No." Aisling shook her head, "Da's still weak from what happened in the summer, it wouldn't be good to have another teen underfoot while Da's still recovering."

"Yeah, I heard something about that," Devon said. "He seemed fine on Parent Teacher Night." He mused.

"If he rests the majority of the time, he has enough energy to be up and about for a couple of hours, but it still takes a lot out of him. And especially after what happened during Parent Teacher Night…" Aisling trailed off, but Devon didn't need her to finish.

"Ahh," Devon said and nodded. "That's… fair. I think."


Aisling walked deliberately into the Library, on the one hand, she wanted absolutely nothing to do with the Scooby-gang. On the other hand, she needed to get a book for an essay.

She groaned and made her way into the library, she barely blinked at Buffy and Giles training and just walked right past them to the aisle she needed.

"Hey, Ash." Xander said, "How's your bloodsucking father?"

"Drop off the nearest bridge Harris," Aisling said. She looked around the shelves. Before she picked up the civil war textbook she needed.

"Just... how can a vampire even be a good father? What with all the bloodsucking?"

"Same way a human who drinks can be a decent parent, it's about control and knowing when and how much you drink."

"Yeah, but you're like a walking talking burger for Spike."

"Thanks, Xander," Aisling said sarcastically while she made her way to the front desk. "For proving to me you know absolutely nothing about Vampires."

"Xander drop it." Buffy said, "If what she says is true then the fact that he has a soul should temper those urgers."

"Spike being Spike tempers those urges." Aisling shot back. "The soul just makes you feel guilty about giving in. If Spike didn't have as strong a will as he does, it would have taken longer for him to change his feeding habits."

"That's not true." Buffy said, "Angel told me that he stopped drinking when he got his soul."

"Which means he always could do it. The lack of a soul just meant he had no reason to." Aisling said. "For once Buffy, use your brain."


"They don't have to talk."

"Wow," Aisling said unimpressed.

Devon turned and smiled at Aisling, he put an arm around her. Aisling indiscreetly removed his arm. "Hey Oz, this is the girl I was telling you about. From music class."

Aisling smiled and held her hand out to OZ, "Aisling Pratt. But you can call me Ash."

"Daniel Osbourne" Oz, said shaking her hand. "But you can call me Oz."

"Duly noted." She turned to Devon. "Now, what do you want?" She asked.

"Aww come on, don't be like that." Devon asked, "Thought it'd be cool if you and I did a duet together. At the multicultural dance."

"I know none of your songs," Aisling said. "Like none. Besides I doubt Cordelia would be happy to watch you on stage playing with another girl."

"She's got a point." OZ interjected, "Cordelia isn't really the most understanding when it comes to girls sliding in on her man."

Devon shook his head, "Oh she'll be fine."

"Sorry, Devon." Aisling said taking a step back, "The dance is set to last until well past Sundown, Da's sent a new strict curfew after Parent Teacher Night. I have to be at home before sundown."

"No way." Devon said pouting, "You're dad seemed like such a cool guy. What happened?"

"Parent-Teacher Night." Aisling said, "I just said that."

"Fair enough," Oz interjected nodding. He turned to Aisling and gave a commiserating pat on the arm. "Sorry, you can't be there."

"I could probably make it for a few dances," Aisling said. "But not the entire night."

Devon sighed, "Pity the dance will be a darker place without you."

"I'm sure." Aisling said sarcastically, "I have class. See you in choir?"

Devon rolled his eyes. "Duh, I'd hate to miss the class I actually enjoy."

Aisling chuckled before she turned around and hurried back to class.


"Hello, sweetie.

Aisling smiled as she walked through the door. "Hey, Da'" She said, she put her backpack down on the floor. "You eat?"

"Uh…" Spike said, "I thought I'd wait until you get home, that way you and I could eat together."

Aisling rolled her eyes. "Uh-huh. She turned to the fridge and looked inside. "When you're sick, you don't have to wait for me you know."

"It's polite."

"Please through your manners out the window when it comes to your health," Aisling said. "Seriously, I'm not 10 anymore I honestly do not mind."

Spike rolled his eyes. "Alright, alright."

"Think the whole Prague thing, brought William to the forefront?" Aisling thought about it for a moment, "I mean more so than usual?"

Spike rolled his eyes. "Go do homework."

Aisling didn't move for a moment. "What about food?"

Spike scoffed and made his way to the kitchen himself. "I was making your dinners for years. I can handle one day."

"Yeah, when you were at full strength," Aisling argued back.

Spike narrowed his eyes. And crossed his arms in front of his chest and bent down to better look her in the eye, "Oi, just for that I'm cooking your meals for the next week, little missy."

Aisling rolled her eyes. "You're strength decreases, and you turn to dust, I'm laughin' at you and tap dancin' on your ashes."

Spike gave a wry grin. "No, ya won't."

Aisling's smile fell and she looked down at her toes. "No." She sighed. "I won't." She whispered; she looked back at him, her expression desperate. "So please be careful."

That was cheating. Aisling knew that Spike was powerless against the tears streaming down her face. Any time her tears rolled down her cheeks, he found his dead heart twinging in his chest, desperate to find a way to make it right.

Even when he'd been soulless, and still together with Drusilla. After Drusilla had… brought her back to where they were staying. He'd never been able to stomach the thought of Aisling's tears. Of her in pain.

Spike looked at her arm, the sleeve of her leather jacket covered the scars, but he still remembered the hours he spent trying to bandage her arm. How Aisling's blood dripped down her arm, all the while tempting him, begging him to rip her arm off, or just bite down hard and have his fill.

He had no idea how he'd managed to avoid taking a bite out of her, while he was soulless. All he remembered was feeling his heart in his throat, as he tried to save her arm and her consequently – her life.

The phone rang pulling both of them out of their reverie, Aisling looked at the landline confused before she walked to the phone and picked it up.


"Hello?"

"Ash." A familiar far too familiar voice said on the other end.

"How the fuck did you get my number?" Aisling hissed into her phone.

"That's not important," Angel said.

"Did Willow hack into the school's system? Again?" Aisling said engaged. "That is a gross invasion of privacy."

"I had to talk to you, and you don't come out at night."

"Yes, 'cause going out at night when a vampire, who's capable of hypnotizing me into doing something could get me killed, is out and about is such a good idea," Aisling said. "What do you want Angel?"

Spike straightened his back, his eyes darkening and narrowing into slights, as he heard what Aisling had said. "What does he want?" He mouthed.

Aisling shrugged her shoulders, "I just asked." she mouthed back.

"Is Spike there?" Angel asked. "I can hear your lips moving. Ash."

"Don't call me that." Aisling hissed while she turned her attention back to the phone call. "Only my friends get to call me that."

Angel sighed on the other end and sighed, "Ash. You have to understand…"

"You tried to kill my father," Aisling said with barely concealed rage. "I don't have to understand a single solitary thing."

There was a pause on the other end of the line. "He's not your dad Ash. Vampires can't-"

"You really are the most idiotic vampire I've ever had the displeasure of meeting," Aisling said dryly. "He's my adopted father."

"Still." Angel tried. "It's not like he-"

"No. Not still. He stepped in and took care of me when everyone else just thought I'd gone insane after my parents died."

"By kidnapping you."

Aisling rolled her eyes, "For fuck's sake Angel. He's my legal guardian grow up." she said, then she slammed the phone down on the receiver and walked away.

Aisling was shaking, ok so 'legal' was stretching it considering the magic used in making him her adopted father, but even still for Angel to dare say that just because he wasn't her biological daughter meant that he wasn't really her dad…

It made her want to spit.

"Aisling." Spike said, "Are you ok? What did Angel want?"

She'd hung up before he could tell her why he called. "I don't know." She said. "I don't care. He's an arse, who doesn't deserve my time."

Spike rubbed her hair and gave her a kiss on her forehead. "That's my girl." He said, "Don't let anyone, least of all Great Forehead, be rude to you. If they can't word their thoughts in a kind and mature way, then they don't deserve your time."

Aisling bobbed her head up and down. "I will. Now head on off to bed. While I make dinner."

Spike snorted and messed up her hair. "Nice try, Ash. I said what I meant, and I meant what I said. I'm making dinner tonight. To start your homework"

"Yes, Doctor Suess," Aisling said rolling her eyes. Horton hears a Who had been a favourite book of hers when she was a child. After she'd been pulled out of the psychiatric facility Spike had taken to reading that book every day for a year. A way to help her feel connected to her parents.

She carried her backpack to her bedroom door. "If you need my help…" She started looking back at her father.

Spike rolled his eyes, "I'll call you. Ash, I've been doing this for years. You've been doing your best to take care of me, let me at least try to return the favour. Go, do your homework, I promise I'll make something easy. Like hotdogs or something – alright?"

Aisling gave a small smile; Spike could still see the worry. The haunted look in her eyes was reminiscent of the look on her face when she came upon him in the torture chamber.

"Hey," He said putting a hand on her shoulder Aisling hesitated for a moment before she looked back up at her father, "I'm not there anymore. I got out. You got me out."

Aisling looked down and she took a deep shuddering breath. "Yeah. Ok." She squared her shoulders. "Therapy's going to be fun."

"Speaking of, how did it go last week?"

"After the parent-teacher night from hell?" She asked with a grin. "She took off her glasses. Twice."

Spike snorted. "It was a surprising night."

Aisling laughed darkly. A trick taught to her by her father. "Thank you." She said before she stepped into her room. She left the door open, and he saw her sit on the bed and open her books.

He smiled at watching her work then he turned to the kitchen.


"Any ideas for Multicultural night."

"I can't go." Aisling reminded him. "You know, evil former abductor. My own personal Angelus out there, ready, and willing to use me as her pawn just to invite her into the apartment?"

Spike blinked, "Right night."

Aisling rolled her eyes, "Not that it matters, but I was asked by the Dingoes ate my Baby-"

Spike snorted at the name. Aisling gave a half glare as she took a bite of her hotdog bun. "Sorry," Spike said. "Continue."

"Anyway. I was asked by their lead singer Devon if I could sing, but I told them that I wasn't allowed out at night. So, I couldn't."

Spike pursed his lips. "I'm sorry, sweetie but…"

Aisling rolled her eyes. "I get it."

"Yes, because you want to stay in and take care of me. If the situation was different, I would be insisting you go out."

"If the situation were different, we wouldn't be here."

Spike sighed, neither he nor Aisling could deny that.


It was humbling, in a way. To see the man who you'd previously thought as indestructible, this man of incredible strength, who never ever lost, brought down so easily, by an ignorant mob. When she'd gone searching for him, she never once entertained the notion that he'd have been that weak.

She'd known he wasn't perfect of course. She's known that he had guilt. That he had a past filled with unspeakable horrors and pain (many of which he had caused) Had seen that guilt firsthand when he'd first gotten his soul, and had been wracked almost immobile by the guilt, yet even then he'd always forced himself to get up. For her. Always for her.

Now it was her turn to do anything and everything she could for him.

She could tell that Spike was lost in thought regarding the dance, but she honestly didn't mind. Spike had taken her in, loved her, and gotten a soul for her. The least she could do was miss one stupid dance.


Spike stared at the phone in his hand, he hated the very thought of doing this. Of asking the Great Forehead for anything, but… if Angelus –Angel – did have a soul…

Then he remembered what Aisling had told him. About how Angelus had stalked her, had refused to listen when Aisling told her to leave her alone, his face twisted in anger and put the phone back on the cradle.

He couldn't have Angel refusing to listen to his daughter, couldn't have Angel thinking that she wasn't worth listening to. Doing so would only put Aisling in more danger in the long run.

Still… she deserved her fun.

He stared at the phone for a longer moment and sighed and pulled out the phone book and searched for the number he wanted before he took the phone off the cradle again and dialed a number, he never thought he'd have to.

"Hello?"

"Hello, Cecily," Spike said.

The tone immediately brightened. "Oh, William! How are you doing? Little Ash is doing well I hope?"

Not so little anymore. "She's doing well… listen. I need a favour."

"Of course, need another wish? I don't feel any resentment or pain from Aisling right now (outside of some slight annoyance), but I can always make an exception for my two-favourite people." Cecily said.

Spike was tempted but decided against it. He knew full well how out of control vengeance demon wishes could be. How twisted they could get. As much as Cecily had helped them out in the past… it wasn't worth the risk of an unplanned wish going wrong. "As much as a wish would probably solve our problems… that's not why I'm calling. I'd as Kat, but she's in New York right now."

"What do you need?"

"Aisling has a dance coming up. She claims she doesn't want to go but…"

"But you think she's hiding."

"I don't want her out after dark," Spike said. "Not with … her in town."

Cecily was silent for a long moment when she spoke again, her tone was practically spitting. "She found you."

"Yes."

"Son of a…" Cecily bit back a retort. "Why not ask the Slayer to help you?"

"…"

"Something happened."

"That is the understatement of the bloody century. Aisling will very likely want absolutely nothing to do with her after, and Buffy is probably not too fond of her either."

"So, you want me to take her."

"Even if you don't grant any wishes. Your still capable of making sure a vampire doesn't get a taste for her blood… or any malevolent demon for that matter."

"That is true." Cecily mused; he could almost hear her biting her lip. "Do me a favour? Run this past Aisling first? Hate to show up on the day of the dance and have her angry cause she wasn't expecting it. Give me an answer the morning of the dance, alright?"

"Obviously," Spike said rolling her eyes. "I know how to handle my daughter. Ces."

Cecily chuckled. "You'd be surprised, William."


Spike knocked on the door.

"Come in."

Spike opened the door, "Hey sweetheart." she said leaning against the door frame, "I just got off the phone with Cecily."

"Hallie?" Aisling said. "I haven't seen her in an age. How is she doing?"

"She's doing well from what I could hear," Spike said.

Aisling nodded relieved, "I'm glad."

Spike walked forward and sat on her bed. "I asked her for a favour."

"Oh yeah?" Aisling said returning to her homework – history given what the textbook she looking her answers up in was showing. "What kind?"

"Going to ask her to take you to the dance."

Aisling looked up at Spike. "You don't have to do that. I am content with staying at home."

"I know." Spike said, "But you deserve to be a kid, not have to spend all day every day taking care of your old man."

"Oh, trust me the moment I'm better, I'm reclaiming the days I lost with a vengeance." Aisling said, "But what if something happens to you while I'm gone?"

"Nothing's going to happen to me," Spike said. "Just… Cecily is willing if you want to go. Have fun. And be a teenager for a day."

Anne sighed, "I don't know…" I said.

"I'll be fine alone." Spike said, "Besides the dance is during my meeting with my therapist. So, I don't want you in the house anyway."

Aisling tilted her head in thought. "That is true…" She sighed. "I'll think about it alright?" She conceded. "When does she need my answer."

"The morning of the dance," Spike said.

Aisling said. "Alright." She said, "I have history homework."

Spike stared at it, "Need my help? What historic period are you learning about?"

"World War I," I said, flipping through the text. "Any memory of it?"

"Yes, sweetie," Spike said rolling his eyes. "It was one of the biggest wars for its time ergo the name-"

"The war to end all wars." Aisling finished for him while nodding, "I know."


Hey! Part 1 of AU version of Inca Mummy Girl. I hope you enjoyed it! Please let me know what you thought. Next parts already written, it just needs to be edited over a little bit more, as I'm not Quite happy with it yet. Little bit more of Aisling and Spike's past together is hinted at here. If not outright revealed.