BtVS || Spuffy || BtVS || Spuffy || Keeping Up With the Scoobies || Spuffy || BtVS || Spuffy || BtVS

Title: Keeping Up With the Scoobies – The Long Way Home

Fandom: Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Disclaimer: All rights reserved to Joss Whedon. This fanfiction on the other hand is entirely mine. No money is made with this, though reviews are more than welcomed.

Tags: m/f, f/f, hurt/comfort, survivor's guilt, fluff, found family

Main Pairing: Spike/Buffy

Side Pairings: Tara/Willow, Xander/Renee, Robin/Faith, Connor/Dawn, Dowling/Dylan, Angel/Cordelia, Wesley/Fred, Gunn/Anne, Oz/Bay, Buffy/Satsu (briefly), Willow/Kennedy (briefly)

Buffy Characters: William 'Spike' Pratt, Buffy Summers, Dawn Summers, Rupert Giles, Willow Rosenberg, Alexander 'Xander' Harris, Andrew Wells, Tara Maclay, Renee, Faith Lehane, Robin Wood, Robert Dowling, Dylan Turner, Satsu, Kennedy, Daniel 'Oz' Osbourne, Bayarmaa 'Bay'

Angel Characters: Angel, Cordelia Chase, Connor Angel, Harmony Kendall, Winifred 'Fred' Burkle, Wesley Wyndam Pryce, Charles Gunn, Lorne, Anne Steele

Summary: Buffy shared her powers with all potential Slayers. But that was only the beginning. Now, she has to deal with all the new Slayers, with the aftermath of LA going to hell – and coming back. The world knows about the supernatural, there's no going back.

Keeping Up With the Scoobies

The Long Way Home

12. Forging a Future

Dawn smiled and took a deep breath. She felt like there were ants crawling under her skin, but like in a really good way. This was it, this was the start of her life. No more little sister of the Slayer, no more living in the shadow of the Scoobies. Even though she had gained perspective on what it meant to be the little sister of the Slayer and even though she loved the Scoobies, it was time to start the first chapter of her own story.

"Are you sure you will be fine? I could totally stay for a little while, if you need me to-"

Dawn rolled her eyes and turned toward her big sister. "I'm fine, Buffy. Thanks for driving me here, but I will be absolutely and totally fine. This is university, not a hell-dimension."

Buffy huffed and crossed her arms over her chest. "Not too much of a difference, in my experience. My old university had a secret military facility under the surface and while I was in high school, me and Cordelia met these frat boys who sacrificed people in the basement of their frat house."

"Bu—uffy," Dawn groaned and fully faced her, grabbing her by the shoulders. "By that logic, I would not be allowed to do absolutely anything because in our life, there is evil hiding in every shadow. I can't hide out in the headquarters for forever."

"I know, I know," Buffy openly pouted at her. "But we all... We only just moved in together. I thought we'd have a bit more time with each other... And I worry. You'll be all on your own."

"Not entirely on her own, if you... don't mind."

Dawn's eyes widened and she turned around to face the guy who'd just spoken up. He was cute. A bit older than her, with dark hair and a cute smile. Who was this?

"And who do you think you are?" asked Buffy, laying heavy on the protective big sister.

"Connor Reilley, ma'am," the boy stepped forward and offered a hand. "Spike called me."

"Spike did what now?" Buffy looked as confused as Dawn felt.

"I'm... Angel's son. I'm a student here. After he heard where your sister was going to study, he gave me a call and asked me to keep an eye on her. So I thought I'd... introduce myself and assure you that if your sister runs into any trouble, there's someone who got her back"

Dawn deflated a little bit at that. So he was here to babysit her? No, she had wanted to step out of that shadow and not have the son of Buffy's ex keep an eye on her. Even if he was cute.

"Okay," Buffy still sounded a bit reluctant. "Okay. Be good, Dawnie. Call, regularly, if you even miss just one call, I will come here because I'll assume you were abducted by a cult, yeah?"

"That's fair," Dawn sighed and rolled her eyes as she hugged her sister.

She waved and watched as Buffy drove off again. Hopefully she was going to make it back home safely; Buffy wasn't entirely the best driver. Still, the Summers sisters had decided to make this a road-trip for just them, not even Xander or Willow tagging along. Dawn had said her goodbyes to everyone before leaving. When she turned back, Connor was still standing there.

"So Spike sent you to babysit me?" asked Dawn as she headed toward the dorms.

"I wouldn't say that," offered Connor casually. "Quite honestly, I'd appreciate having someone close by who knows... the truth. The world is in an uproar because of Los Angeles' disappearance and its reappearance with all of the witness accounts on where they were, it forces humans to confront the fact that there's more to this world. They're all in a frenzy right now, fear-mongering about demons, not applying any... nuance to it. It'd be nice to talk to someone who knows that demons, vampires, witches, they're all real but they're not all evil. Someone who understands."

Dawn's cheeks flushed as she tucked her hair behind her ear. "I do. I mean, I totally know that there is nuance. And just for the record, I also totally don't need protection. I've been training with the Potentials before they became Slayers. I can hold my own."

Connor turned to grin at her. "I'm sure you can. How about I give you a tour of the campus?"

"Yes!" Dawn smiled pleased. "I'd like that very much."

/break\

"You... asked Angel's son to keep an eye on Dawn?"

Spike frowned annoyed at that. "I thought the brat would keep his mouth shut and just do it."

"No. He very politely introduced himself to us," Buffy grinned as she sat down next to Spike. "Thank you for that. I have been... worried about Dawnie, I just... She's never been out of my sight like that. Away from home and without any of the Scoobies to watch out for her."

Leaning in, she kissed his cheek. He wasn't used to that yet. To the casual and gentle gestures they shared. Yes, their relationship had turned softer after he had returned with a soul. But even then, they hadn't been in a romantic relationship. Things were different now. This was like a whole new level and one he was unfamiliar with. They'd been enemies, they'd been unwilling allies, they'd been lovers, they'd been friends. Yet there had never been romance between them.

"Okay, so. I was thinking..." Buffy wrapped her arms around Spike's neck, playing with the soft hair in the back of his neck. "How about we go out for dinner tonight?"

Spike paused and leaned away enough to look at her. "Din... What?"

"Dinner. You know. Where someone in a penguin suit brings us food to a table, there may or may not be a candle on that table, we eat and talk like civilized adults... A date, you could say."

It was cute how she was wiggling her nose and not looking at him. Like she was nervous. Nervous, about asking him on a date. Okay, okay Spike really needed to start wrapping his head around the fact that she was serious about this, she really was in this, as much as he was. Wow.

"I... Yeah. I'd like that. Fancying ourselves up a bit, going out for dinner. On a date. Yeah."

"Okay," Buffy grinned at him and kissed the corner of his mouth. "I made a reservation for eight tonight, hoping you'd say yes. So... I'll see you at twenty to eight?"

/break\

"-welcoming a rising star to our show tonight, Harmony Kendall, the starlet of hell!"

"You're not busy. That is amazing, so you have time to help me out! Come, come, come!"

Tara and Renee had been in the middle of watching a talk show. The news had been filled with the reappearance of Los Angeles, interviews with those who had been in hell, followed by people all over the world speaking up about the supernatural encounters they always ignored or never spoke up about before in fear of what others might be thinking. Everybody was talking about the supernatural and while many feared, others were absolutely hyping it up. Including the quick rise of Harmony, whose show was now airing on national television. Tara had generally been absorbing news to learn more about this new world she was living in, while Renee kept track of where the conversation about the supernatural was leaning right now, because this directly affected the Slayer network. So the two of them met every evening in front of the TV, catching up. It had become a bit of a bonding moment for them and they were developing a friendship with each other, both feeling more on the outside compared to all the others and that too bonded them.

"Buffy...?" Tara turned down the volume on the TV. "What kind of help do you need?"

"I have a date," Buffy gestured around a little, pacing in a circle. "I have no idea what to wear, I own not a single piece of clothing that seems good. He said we fancy ourselves up some, I've never fancied myself up for a date, I mean look at my dating history! I was dating Angel in high school, there's no fancying up in high school, the fanciest I was was my prom dress and I died in that. And then Riley at college and like most our dates were... hunting. We never went to a fancy restaurant."

"Buffy. Buffy, slow down," Renee got up and walked over to her to stop her from pacing. "Okay, so you need help... picking an outfit? We... uh, I'm sure we can totally do that."

Her eyes found Tara, asking for guidance or confirmation. The witch smiled and nodded. After turning the TV off completely, Tara got up to join them. Buffy took a few deep breaths before leading the way back upstairs and to her and Spike's bedroom.

"I just... Spike and I, we've done everything in the completely wrong order," explained Buffy frustrated. "We had sex first and only really bonded emotionally after we weren't together anymore. And now we're... in this... completely new relationship. And this time, I want things to be right."

"I get that," assured Tara with a kind smile. "I feel... a bit all over the place with Willow too? We have moments, where we just... slot together like we've always been together, but then we... remember the things we've been through in recent years, without the other. And it feels like we have to start all over again and it's frustrating and quite confusing."

"Yes! That!" Buffy nodded wildly and pointed at Tara. "Exactly that is the problem. We have history but this is... supposed to be all new, but you can't forget the history. But picking up where you left off isn't going to work either because that's just... not right."

"And I thought my relationship with Xander would be complicated because he was my superior," muttered Renee beneath her breath. "You people don't do anything the easy way, do you?"

"At least your problem was easily solved," argued Buffy with a small pout. "He's not your superior anymore. You're equally ranked now and no longer work directly together."

Which was true. Renee had taken over training the squad ever since she came to San Francisco, while Xander had done such a great job coordinating between squads during that time that he took this on as his permanent job now. He coordinated with all squad-leaders, including Renee, but he was no longer her trainer the way he had been at the beginning.

"Okay, let's start simple: Where are you going? What kind of restaurant is it? And from there, we pick an outfit that fits the ambient," suggested Tara patiently. "Show us your options, mh?"

That seemed to relax Buffy a little bit as she stepped up to her closet. Tara wondered if Buffy had called upon them because they were the only ones here – Willow was having a meeting with the local coven, Dawn was away for college now – or if she was really trying to tie Tara and Renee more into these things. Make them feel more at home here, more like a part of this.

/break\

Spike felt oddly naked without his leather coat, but he gathered it didn't fit into the restaurant. Instead, he wore a black button-up shirt and proper dress pants. He'd even let Andrew talk him into a vest. He didn't know about that one, but Andrew swore that it highlighted his waist, whatever that meant. There were fine silver pine-stripes on the vest.

"Slayer... you clean up nice," Spike's voice was a soft, awe-filled whisper.

Her dress was a light lavender color that fell down to her ankles and faded into white toward the bottom, it was held up by a silver collar with sparkly stones all around it in three rows. Her hair was slightly curled, but two thin braids held the curls back. She was like a vision. She ducked her head and smiled, though her eyes were on him, wandering up and down.

"You do too. I didn't even know you owned dress pants or shirts that aren't painted on."

"Wells helped," admitted Spike reluctantly, rubbing his neck.

"Really?" Buffy laughed, though she also looked relieved. "Tara and Renee helped me."

It helped knowing she'd been as indecisive about this as he had. Yet another reminder that right here, right now, they actually were on the same page. Trying to find their footing with their relationship, neither having a clear plan but wanting this.

Spike straightened and offered her his arm. "Okay, let's go inside then, pet."

The two confirmed their reservation and let themselves be led to a table. This place really was fancy all things considered. Spike looked around curiously, even as they were handed their menus. The silence between them was okay at first, because both were reading and deciding on what to eat and drink. Only after placing their orders did it become more awkward. They had never really done much small-talk. Either they jumped right to the sex, or to the fighting. Or the world was falling apart around them and they could talk battle strategy.

"Fred's texted me," said Spike suddenly, making Buffy look at him. "Says her and Wes got settled in well at the Watchers Headquarters. Honestly didn't expect Giles to give that up so easily."

"I think he mostly did it because it was Wesley, because he's one of the few trained Watchers we have left and probably the only other one that we can... more or less trust. A lot happened since he was a fledgling Watcher," Buffy furrowed her brows and tapped her fingers against her water glass.

"I think he's ready. I think it's what he needs," offered Spike.

"What he needs, huh," echoed Buffy with a wondrous look on her face.

When they were brought their wine, he asked. "What's on your mind, love?"

"Everything's changing," replied Buffy, her fingers tracing the rim of the wine-glass now. "Everything already changed when Sunnydale sank into a hole and I was suddenly in charge of all of these new Slayers, but right now? The move back to the states. Tara being back. You being back. Dawn moving out to go to college. Xander has a new girlfriend who's a Slayer. Faith has a baby."

"Everything keeps changing, it's the way of the world, love."

"I know that," she glared at him just a little bit. "I just... wonder how far we have to change."

Spike leaned back in his chair, tilting his head at her. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"The world is currently changing in a manner it never has before. Look at the news. People in Sunnydale knew and ignored the supernatural, I'm sure people in other parts of the world did too. But there is no more ignoring it. Harmony makes her rounds through talk-shows, accompanied by her green-skinned, red-eyed, horned demon agent. On live television. We're having a big conversation here, right now, about demons and magic and how humans fit into it."

"You're right," conceded Spike after a moment. "But what are you worried about specifically?"

"Our place in this new world. The Slayers, I mean," Buffy sighed and rubbed her forehead. "I just, protecting them in the dark was one thing, but now... It feels like Slayers need to step into the light now, because right now, people are terrified, worried about demons. Harmony is, honestly, doing wonders on vampires' reputation – something I never expected to say, believe me – but vampires had always... held a certain appeal to people. The dark, the seduction."

"Yeah we do," Spike smirked teasingly at her, making her laugh.

"But at the core, vampires still look mostly human, if you don't vamp-face. Others? Like Lorne or Clem, they're currently facing prejudices solely based on their appearance, because they look demonic, different," Buffy paused when their food was served and both took their first bites. "Oh, this is good. This is really good. But you see, the thing is, I fear that vampires are going to lure innocent humans into a false sense of security, tempted by the dark. Dying at the fangs of vampires who aren't funny, sparkly starlets or besouled heroes. While demons, good demons who have just been a part of our society, are going to face a backlash out of fear and a lack of understanding."

"So how do you see Slayers fit in there?" asked Spike curiously.

"A... reassurance. For the people. That there is someone who will defend them from the real monsters in the night. But... perhaps, there is also an element of... education to our role in this world. To teach humans about the supernatural. I just don't know how yet."

"You do know that it's not all resting on your shoulders, right?" Spike's voice was gentle and he reached a hand out to take hers. "Talk to the team about this. Let's brainstorm potential approaches together. And maybe – and now I can't believe I am saying that – ask Harmony for help. She now has connections and perhaps a Slayer coming onto the telly with a vampire to answer questions might reach a broader audience and be... a starting point?"

That caused Buffy to make a face, because honestly, how had they ended up in the timeline where Harmony Kendall was a nation-wide known starlet? Terrifying thought. And then she smiled at him. Because this was good. They could talk. She could voice the thoughts in her head that hadn't been fully formed yet. She'd always been able to talk to him in a way she couldn't with others.

/break\

"Buffy! Willow! It is just so great to see you guys again! It's been weeks, how are you?"

How had Harmony gone from being their wannabe bully to being a minor inconvenience trying to be a villain to now hugging them happily as they reunited? Then again, she had always been rather simple when it came to these things. It was simple to her, because now they were on the same side, apparently. Buffy smiled as she hugged Harmony and then watched her and Willow hug.

"Thanks for arranging this for us, Harm. I think it's important the people hear... other perspectives."

"I hope what you have to say is going to help, Slayer," noted Lorne curiously as he checked their appearances over. "Because both, my clients as well as my death-threats, have increased."

"I can't believe you're making me talk on live television about witchcraft," Willow pouted, looking absolutely miserable. "You know I have stage-fright."

"You're the most badass witch on the planet, who would be a better fit for this?"

Buffy grinned and hip-checked Willow, before the two followed Lorne and Harmony out to the set of the talk show. After her night out with Spike, she had spent days discussing this with everyone else at the house and they came to an agreement. The world needed to know about Slayers, from the Slayer's mouth before someone else was going to give them a bad reputation.

"Tonight, we have some even more special guests! Friends of Harmony Kendall. Buffy Summers, the self-proclaimed vampire slayer, and Willow Rosenberg, a witch. Welcome, ladies!"

"Thank you for having us, April," Buffy offered her most polite smile as she shook hands with the hostess before all of them sat down. "And just for the record, it's not self-proclaimed. Being a Slayer is a... blood-linage. Passed down through generations. A higher calling."

"And it comes with superpowers," added Harmony, looking very excited. "She's like Supergirl, only that she can't fly. Wait. You can't fly, right, Slayer?"

"No, I can't fly. Super-strength, healing, faster reflexes."

"Still sounds pretty superhero-y to me," argued April Andrews. "Now, how does that fit together? A vampire and a vampire slayer? Sounds like mortal enemies, not like friends."

"Well, our relationship is a bit more complicated and had a wild journey," admitted Buffy, very careful in the choice of her words. "But being a Slayer is a title. It means I slay evil. Demons are not inherently evil. Neither are vampires. Harmony? She chose good, she hasn't fed on a human in years at this point, she is an upstanding citizen. Me? I take care of rogue vampires, the kind that lurk in the darkness of the night and kill innocent people. A Slayer is a protector of the innocent."

"Which includes me," chimed Harmony in at that. "Like, while LA was in hell? The Slayers in LA protected us, the innocent, including me. A Slayer totally saved my life."

"Exactly. We protect the innocent. And... innocent doesn't just equate human. There are bad humans, that's nothing new. Humans who kill and hurt others. It's just the same. Demon doesn't equate evil. They too have a choice to do good, be our everyday neighbors, our friends."

Smiling, she turned toward Harmony and rested a hand on Harmony's armrest. Harmony returned her smile and rested her hand atop of Buffy's. The two weren't exactly close friends, but Buffy knew that Harmony was good now, had worked very hard to be good. Spike had told her all about that. And Buffy knew first hand that vampires could be good. This right here, this could go a long way in helping normalize demons and Slayers alike. Hopefully. Her eyes wandered over to Willow as the redhead launched into a passionate speech about witches, their prosecution and the good they did.


Author's note: Totally had to remove the 'Xander is squad leader and Renee works under him' angle because I am super not into superiors dating the people working under them, it's a hell of an iffy dynamic. Also had to involve Renee and Tara more; it always bothers me how much the love interests feel more like add-ons than like fully integrated Scoobies.

And while I LOVE seasons 9 to 11 of the comics, I really disliked that one plotline that had Buffy working for Kennedy and just go and blindly attack demons and KENNEDY being the Slayer to teach BUFFY that not all demons are evil like holy shit what the fuck Buffy Anne Summers, who dated Angel and was in the comics currently dating Spike, who was friends with Anya and Clem, KNOWS that not every demon is automatically evil that was such a bad, bad take. Nope, MY Buffy, the real Buffy, knows this and she will be the one to educate others

Next chapter is going to see the introduction to my two other favorite comic addition characters - aside from Renee - and I'm very much looking forward to that!