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Multiculteral Week Part 2.

"So… are you going to be there?" Jackson said as his and Aisling's weekly late-night phone call commenced.

"I don't know." Aisling sighed, "What do you think?"

"I think… your only a kid once. That you haven't been to a dance since your father was badly injured. And you deserve to have fun." Jackson said his tone nothing but sympathetic.

"He's injured." Aisling sighed, "What if something happened?"

"You have a cellphone." Jackson said, "He can call you."

"He could." Aisling huffed. "He won't. He'll insist that he deal with his pain all alone and then I'll come how to ashes instead of my dad." She sighed.

"Ash," Jackson said softly. "… Do you want us to visit?"

Aisling huffed. "I doubt Crystal wants to see me. Hasn't over the past year." Aisling looked out the window. "Not that I blame her."

"He was going to kill you," Jackson said,

Aisling sighed, "I would have come back a couple of days later."

"As a vampire." Jackson said, "Which you didn't want. Even Spike told you that you made a good call, and he would know given that he's a vampire and all. You have to forgive yourself."

"We're working on it."

He was going to kill you. You had to make a choice.

I'd have come back.

You know there would have been changes.

There are ways to get my soul back.

That is true. But Aisling… did you want to be a vampire?

And that was the true question, wasn't it? Aisling did not want to be stuck as a teenager forever. Never able to feel sunlight again. To never have a child of her own.

No, she didn't want to be a vampire. The things she wanted in life weren't sympatico with that life

"Good," Jackson said. "Are you ok? Or do you need to talk more?"

Aisling looked at the clock and winced. "I have school tomorrow. I'll talk to you tomorrow."

"Goodnight Ash." Jackson. "You deserve fun. Have fun at the school dance? At least contemplate it?"

"I'll sleep on it," Ash said, "Goodnight" before hanging the phone up.


"Da'" Aisling said from the threshold of the bedroom. He backpack was slung over her shoulder, and she was wearing her signature black leather jacket, over a white blouse and blue jeans.

"Yes, love?" Spike said, from his spot on the bed. He was typing away on the laptop a fresh cup of warm blood resting on the bedside table.

"Is Hally still free?"

Spike looked up at Aisling and gave a smile. "I believe she is. I'll call her as soon as I'm finished with the latest chapter."

Aisling nodded in relief. "Thank you Da'" "I should get to school, I hope you have a good day."

"Sweetie?" Spike called his adoptive daughter. "I'm glad you're going. I hope you have a good day."

Aisling nodded and stepped away, and repositioned her backpack. "I'll try to restock on the blood before I leave for the dance."

"You don't have to." Spike said, "We have enough."

Aisling leaned against the door. "Are you sure?" She asked. "I don't mind."

"You bought enough blood to keep an entire hoard happy," Spike said. "Trust me, sweetheart. It's fine."

Aisling took a deep breath and nodded. "If… if you are sure." She said softly.

Spike reached out his hand and Aisling hesitated for a moment before she stumbled forward and sat down on his bed.

"You are a smart, fiery, brilliant child," Spike told her. "You don't have to take care of me. You don't have to be me either. You can just be a girl who goes to school, hangs out with her friends, and comes home at curfew. And goes to therapy twice a week"

Aisling looked down, "Doing that is what got you taken in the first place."

Spike shook his head, "No, my being careless is what got me taken. You had nothing to do with that."

Aisling looked down,

Spike stared at her, and smiled, "You weren't responsible for Tyler, and you aren't responsible for what happened to me. Alright?"

Aisling took a deep shuddering breath and nodded. "Ok Da'" She said softly.


"Auntie Hally!" Aisling laughed as she gave her a hug. "It's great to see you."

Hally chuckled and ruffled Aisling hair's just as she used to do when she was a child. "Nice to see that some things never change." She took in Aisling's outfit. It looked like the Irish tap dancing outfit she used to wear, only elongated and stretched to better fit her. "Nice outfit."

Aisling looked down, "Thanks." She said she did a little tap dancing bit for Hally. "Can you tell?"

"Nice to see it still fits."

Aisling rolled her eyes, "Da' called Nanny Kat in for help on how to get it elongated." She said It took a few tries to get it just right. The wig couldn't be salvaged, unfortunately. Ergo why she'd curled her hair instead.

"You look wonderful Ash. I heard you're also singing for the band."

Aisling smiled and nodded, "Yeah, I spent all night practicing. I hope I'm good."

"Of course you are."

"Still." Aisling said, "I should get there as early as I can. Get some last-minute practice in before I'm on stage."

"Very well." Hally said, She gave a smile to SPike, "I'll have her back home by…" She trailed off looking at Spike wondering what her curfew was.

"11," Spike said.

Hally smiled at Spike, "Very well." She said, She wrapped her arm around Aisling. "We shall see you then." Spike nodded once. He gave his daughter a hug.

"Thank you, Auntie." Aisling said, "Really. It's… thank you."

"No problem. It's nice to see a child, doing well after one of my wishes." Hally said.

"Is D'hoffryn upset? It didn't end up chaotic… for the most part."

Hally rolled her eyes. "You are a human, being raised by a vampire. Trust me. It's chaotic. He found the idea hilarious."

"I'm just glad it's theoretically legal." Aisling said, "Even if magic was involved. Less of a chance of being taken from him… y'know legally."

"I take it that Slayer… Buffy found out?"

Aisling shrugged her shoulders. "I've been giving them the biggest berth I possibly can."

Hally stopped and looked down At Aisling, "Need some help?"

Aisling shook her head, "I can handle it."

"Yes. But you shouldn't have to." Hally told her.

Aisling huffed and looked down.

Hally looked down at her and looked away. "Why don't you sing the song that that band with the ridiculous name wants you to sing tonight?"

Aisling rolled her eyes, "Yeah, alright, fine." She said.

She opened her mouth and began to sing.


Aisling approached The Bronze early. "Still need me?" I asked Devon as they were setting up?

Devon turned and smiled and hugged Aisling tightly. "Hey! Glad you could make it!" HE looked up at Hally, "Hello, Miss…?"

"Adams." Hally said, "I'm Cecily Adams. I've been acquainted with the Pratts for what seems like forever."

Aisling bit her lip to hide a laugh.

"Are you a singer too?"

"Oh heavens no. I sing and the world collapses around me." Hally laughed, "No. I leave the singing to Asiling and her father."

"Your dad can sing?"

"You should hear him sing the Ramones," Aisling said "In the shower loud as possible. Honestly, I'm surprised our neighbours haven't complained about it yet."

"I thought he was a Billy Idol fan. He looks so much like him."

Aisling laughed, "Ha! No. Can't stand the guy. He just happens to like the bleach-blond look." The last time Aisling had made the mistake of comparing Spike to Billy Idol, she'd been subjected to a two-hour rant about how Billy Idol stole his look, and that he'd been so lucky that Spike and... her were in another country otherwise that 'stupid arse of punk rocker' would have been drained faster then he could have blinked.

Really, soulful Da'

I didn't have a soul back then it's fine.

Uh-huh, whatever helps you sleep at night.

"Cool, cool, not letting your dislike of people not turn you off from your style." I turned to see Oz tuning his guitar. "I can get behind that."

Aisling chuckled, "Can you get behind emulating someone you admire." She said pulling on her black leather jacket that she was pulling on.

"That's why you're wearing a leather jacket over your Irish tap dancing outfit?" OZ asked.

Aisling blushed and looked down. "I used to take it when I was younger. Fortunately, I was able to find one in my size in time for the dance." She said with a grin. "As for the leather jacket… yeah. My da' likes leather jackets and I don't know wearing them… it makes me feel strong like him."

There was silence, at Aisling's speech, before Devon decided to ruin it.

"Still remember any moves from your tap dancing days?" Devon asked with a grin,

"Down boy." Aisling said, "Your dating someone else remember?"

Hally hand tensed on Aisling, Aisling turned to Hally, "Why don't you… go take a look around?" She asked softly. "I'll be fine with them."

Hally looked down at Aisling before she gave the girl a giant hug, "I'll pick you up at around 10:30 alright?"

"Yeah," Aisling said.


Aisling nodded her head, to the song as she sang with Devon. "I've been living here/In the red/ I've been feeling I'm/dead again." She sang with Devon.

It felt nice to sing in a band. Terrifying given that she'd only had a day, but singing along with someone who knew what they were doing helped a little.

"We've been bored before" Devon sang shooting her a decent smile.

"I've never felt/So alone," Aisling said.

She watched the people dancing on stage, watched Willow in her Inuit costume, had Aisling been on speaking terms with Buffy's friends she would have started up a conversation before the band started playing with the shy red-head, but as it was she was giving them all wide berth.

Xander came in with Buffy's foreign exchange roommate, looking wonderful. "

"We'll be bored again/We've been bored before and again." Aisling sang.


She knew things were going to go wrong when she noticed that Hally was watching Ampata suspiciously, though it wasn't like Aisling could just leave the stage in the middle of a song.

She trusted Hally to take care of it before going back to singing. She was a justice demon who protected children or so she claimed if anyone could stop, a potentially dangerous person from hurting someone it would be Hally.

Still, it would be nice to be able to send an email through the phone she had so she could contact Buffy.

"Hey," Oz said, during a lull in the song.

Aisling and Devon turned to Oz, to hear what he had to say. "That girl, who is she?"

Devon and Aisling looked over to where he was staring, where Ampata and Willow and Xander were standing. "She's an exchange student. I think she's from South America.

"No not her. The girl in the Inuit costume."

"Willow," Aisling said while Devon shrugs and goes back to singing. "Her name is Willow Rosenberg."

Then it was her line and she went back to singing.

"Who was she?" She heard Cordelia shout, "Why were you singing with… some Irish knockoff."

Knockoff? Aisling thought to herself, she shook her head and turned to Oz, "What are you going to do?"

Oz nodded to Willow, "Gonna see if I can talk to her."

"She's a good choice." Aisling said, "Kind, if a bit shy."

Oz nodded, "Maybe you could…introduce us?"

"No," Aisling said shaking her head. "Sorry, not on speaking terms."

"Didn't you just say she was kind?" Oz asked, "So…?"

"Ok, Willow specifically I don't have a problem with. It's more her friends I have an issue with, and I want as little to do with them as possible."

"Did Willow specifically do anything?"

Outside of standing by while Buffy and Co interrogated me about things that have nothing to do with them? Aisling said, "It's complicated." Aisling said. "Point is, No. Introduce yourself."

Oz looked at Willow and then back at Aisling. "Was it bad?"

Aisling smiled, "It's… understandable why they reacted that way," She said. "But still stung."

Oz stared at her non-judgementally, and Aisling looked down. "She's very smart." Aisling said, "But I've only known her for a few months. So I don't know her that well. Very good on a computer."

Oz stared at Willow. "How's she feel about cheese?"

Aisling chuckled, "I don't know. Perhaps just keep it simple. "Hey?"

OZ looked at Willow again, "Alright. I'm going."

Aisling patted him on the shoulder. "Good luck, Oz."

Unfortunately by the time Oz had shown up Buffy had arrived, spoke to Willow and had hurried off. Aisling saw Hally speaking to a group of teens. Aisling rolled her eyes and pulled Hally away.

"Please don't give the slayer a reason to come after you," Aisling said. "I thought you were off duty tonight?"

"I wasn't working." Hally said, "I was asking about Ampata."

Aisling nodded, "Yeah I saw you staring at her. Why?"

"She's… something about her screams not human. Or like she used to be human but isn't anymore. I was asking to see how long she'd been going to the school."

Aisling bit her lip, "You know… now that I think about it. I thought the foreign exchange student that Buffy was supposed to be hosting was a boy. I thought it was a mix-up… but… do you think?"

Hally and Aisling stared at each other. Then Aisling eyes widened as the reality hit her and she hurried through the crowd to follow where Buffy and Willow hurried off.


Hally followed behind her as they rushed into a classroom where Buffy and Willow were helping Xander up.

"What happened?" Aisling asked.

"I…" Buffy looked at Hally. "We don't have time to explain." She said. "Who's that?"

"My… guard," Aisling said. "What happened Xander looks half out of it."

"Man that was so kiss," Xander said.

"We don't have time for this," Buffy said. "We need to get to Giles now." Buffy looked at Aisling and Hally. "We don't have time to explain."

"Ampata's a mummy who escaped from her concealment," Hally said rolling her eyes. "The seal was broken somehow."

She can sense all that? Aisling thought to herself before she turned to Buffy. "She killed the real Ampata I take it?"

Buffy nodded, "Are you coming." She asked annoyed. "Yes or no?"

"You gonna try and separate me from my father?" Aisling said as she followed Buffy out of the classroom.

"I…" Buffy stopped. "The scars on your arms where are they from?"

"Drusilla." Aisling was surprised that she was able to say the name at all let alone without stuttering. She made a mental note to mention it to her therapist the next time she went in to see her. "Happy?"

Buffy rolled her eyes, "I need more than that."

Aisling shrugged. "Too bad. The only person who deserves any more info is my therapist."

"Aisling. I'm the slayer I need to know that-"

"You are not privy to my past," Aisling said exasperated. "Spike has a soul. Spike is not a danger. Whatever happened before that. Is not your business and not your concern."

"We don't have time for this." Willow huffs. "Buffy, she's still alive, and outside of the scars on her arm, there is no evidence that she's being abused. And the scars on her arms are years old."

Buffy sighed, "We'll discuss this later."

"Right," Aisling said, And they hurried off.

Aisling and the rest showed up to see Giles being attacked by a mummy. Aisling didn't understand what was happening, Buffy hurried to handle the mummy but Aisling, Willow and Xander and Hally went to help Giles.

They fight. Ampata tried to kill Willow, but Xander stopped them begging Ampata to kill him instead. That killing Willow was not an option, could never be an option.

It was ugly and unpleasant and Aisling knew that something will need to change and soon.

"I wish…" Aisling whispers.

Hally looks at Aisling, "Are you sure…?"

Aisling nods at Hally. "I trust you." She told Hally. Hally gave a soft smile and nodded at Aisling. Aisling took a deep breath and voiced her wish. "I wish Ampata couldn't hurt a single living or non-living creature ever again."

HAlly nods and her face for a brief moment flashes into its demon mask. "Wish Granted."

Ampata hesitates for a moment before she turns to dust.

Hally's face is already back to normal when they turn to stare at Aisling and Hally.

"Huh. I guess she ran out of time?" Aisling said.

No one looked as though they wanted to question their luck. Everyone went to Xander who looked a little shell-shocked and helped him out of the room.


Aisling walked into class, watching Xander and Buffy talk for a moment, then Buffy gave him a hug, and said something else. She turned and saw Aisling, and with a final word to Xander hurried to Aisling.

"What do you want."

Buffy looked a little affronted at the attitude before she sighed. "I… look I'm dating Angel it's not like I don't understand that things happen and vampires get souls… but… it's strange." She said. "Vampires aren't supposed to want souls."

Aisling shrugged. "Da' didn't really want his either," Aisling admitted. "He just… didn't think that he could be what I needed him to be without it."

"Even still." Buffy said, "It's… impossible to believe."

Aisling sighed, "He… after he got his soul back… neither of us was in a good state to help each other, but Spike pulled himself out of it and helped me."

"What… changed?"

Aisling tapped her arm, "It's when he realized that he had to get me out of there."

"and yet he didn't kill Drusilla."

Aisling smiled sadly. "He loved her."

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

Aisling resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Baby steps. Baby steps. "They can. Not wisely perhaps… but…" Aisling shrugged. "They are selfish. And Cruel. And Dangerous. But they are capable of affection. And care. Without the soul… I don't know. They don't… it's not grounded in anything. Their logic and feelings aren't grounded in right and wrong. So it's… warped. But it's real."

"That doesn't make sense."

Aisling sighed, "I know. It's… complicated. And I understand that you need to believe otherwise. Given your occupation. But… demonology is complicated, and you should change your view on it. Otherwise, innocents are going to get hurt." Aisling said.

"How long were you… under Drusilla's control before Spike got you out?"

"A year," Aisling said. "She found me after my house burned down." Aisling looked distant. "My parents were dead, and it was chaotic, and the adults weren't watching me as well as they should have been." Aisling shrugged. "Drusilla can be quite hypnotic. I followed her to their hideout before I even realized what happened I was locked away."

"When did you meet Spike."

"The next day. He didn't warm up to me until a month later."

Buffy shook her head. "None of this makes sense. Angel said…"

"Angel has a habit of stalking even with a soul," Aisling said. "Every Vampire is different. Just as every human is different." Aisling heard the bell ring. "I have to go. Think about what I said, alright?"

Buffy nodded at her before Aisling hurried off to class, hoping that maybe. Just maybe. Buffy learned a little bit more from the conversation than when she entered.


Hope you enjoyed seeing Hally!