Chapter 6: Thanksgiving in Hell
******Where We Left Off*****
Buffy looked at Spike and closed her eyes a moment. How the hell was she going to explain him?
"Hey, Spike!" Dawn called out. "Come meet our family from Montana."
Buffy gave her sister a glare.
"I'll be happy to," he said, giving her a knowing smirk.
Buffy watched in dread as Spike actually shook hands with her grandfather and uncles. Then the annoying ass lifted Beth's hand up to his mouth, and she couldn't take it. "Okay, that's enough. What do you want, Spike?"
"I just wanted to tell you about some bad blokes causing some trouble," he said. "I didn't know you had family in town 'cause no one tells me anything." Of course, that was a lie. He very well knew they were in town and was dying to meet them.
"That's not true," Dawn said. "I told you last week."
Spike shrugged and grinned. "Guess I forgot," he said.
"Is this your boyfriend?" Beth asked, fascinated by the way her niece was acting. She had never seen Buffy so clearly irritated and off balance.
"No!" Buffy exclaimed.
"She wishes," Spike claimed.
"No, you do," Dawn said, snickering.
"I'm going inside. It's been a long day," John said. "I don't know why your "not boyfriend" is telling you about bad blokes, but he can do it inside."
John went inside with Beth smirking at her and then following after him. Jamie did also, but Kayce sensed the guy was dangerous and waited for Dawn to go in.
"Are you coming?" he asked Buffy.
"Give me a minute," she said.
"Are you sure?" Kayce asked.
"It's fine. Spike is harmless," she said.
"He doesn't look harmless to me," Kayce said, eyeing Spike, who smirked at Buffy.
"I beat him up a lot, and he likes it," Buffy said. "He comes back for more. Sometimes, he and I get rid of unsavory people in this town."
"You haven't told them?" Spike asked.
"Told us what?" Kayce asked.
"Who she is," Spike said, grinning. "She's the thing monsters fear, so you don't need to worry none about her."
"I'll come out in two hours, so come back then. If it's a nest, go tell Xander and Willow to come," Buffy said.
Kayce waited until Spike left and asked, "Nest of what? Are you doing pest control as a part-time job?"
Buffy laughed. "That's one way of looking at what I do," she said. "Listen, Uncle Kayce, I think you're probably the best able to handle what I do and who I am. So how about you not say anything? In two hours, you'll tell Grandpa that you're going downstairs to call Monica. If Jamie notices, tell him the same thing and go onto the porch. I'll climb out the bedroom window and meet you outside."
Kayce realized that something serious was going on. "What's happening, Buffy? You know you can tell Dad anything. There's nothing that man can't handle," he assured her.
"I'm not so sure about that," Buffy said. "I hope so. I know that you know him better, and I'll let you decide if he can handle the real truth about my life and why I can't just easily move away from this town and my friends."
Kayce was beginning to feel very unsettled and put his hand on her shoulder, giving it a squeeze as he opened the door to go inside.
Jamie and Buffy worked out details for the dinner the next day. He laid out all the ingredients for the stuffing and set the alarm, so he could get up early and put the turkey in after stuffing it. He put the turkey in the sink in some water to make sure it was completely thawed.
"I'm going to go to bed since I have to get up and put in the turkey around four," Jamie said.
"That early?" Buffy said in surprise.
"A stuffed turkey this large is going to take about eight hours to cook, which will put it done around two if I pull it out a few times to baste it," he explained.
"Okay," Buffy said. "I'll set my alarm, too, so there's no oversleeping."
They had decided on a late lunch, so leftovers can be eaten for dinner, too. Xander was going to bring donuts for breakfast.
John said goodnight and hugged her. "I enjoyed meeting your friends," he told her.
"I'm glad, Grandpa," she said, smiling. "They were very excited to meet you. All their grandpas are dead."
John felt a bit sorry for them and glad that he was there and able to learn about her life.
Beth gave her a knowing look after John left. "So I want the dish on the hot Brit," she demanded. "I saw the way he looked at you. Don't give me the bullshit you gave Dad."
"Spike and I are nothing—less than nothing," Buffy said with a shudder.
"He's in love with Buffy," Dawn added with a glee.
"Shut up, Dawn!" Buffy ordered. "He's obsessed with me because he likes pain. I beat him up a lot."
"Oooh, he's a sadist. Don't tell that to Dad," Beth said with a snicker.
"You're sick. Goodnight. I'm going to bed. I promise that Spike will never be my boyfriend or lover," Buffy vowed. Just the thought was a reason to leave the hellmouth. She went up to bed, getting changed into a better outfit for slaying.
"Can I come?" Dawn asked as she came into her room without knocking.
"How about you learn to knock," Buffy said.
"I'm staying in this room, so I don't have to," Dawn said with a smirk.
"It's best if you stay here in case Grandpa discovers Kayce and I are gone," Buffy said. "You'll have to cover for us. Say that Monica upset Kayce, and he wanted to go for a walk. I went with him since he didn't know the area."
"I can't believe you're actually going to let Uncle Kayce know the truth," Dawn said excitedly.
"Let's hope he handles it okay," Buffy said.
"He's a Navy Seal," Dawn said. "He'll be okay."
"War is one thing. This is hell, Dawn. Actual hell," she pointed out. She looked at her watch. "I gotta go." She grabbed some stakes and Mr. Pointy.
"Good luck," Dawn said. "Shouldn't you take a sword for Uncle Kayce?"
"Probably should," she said, reaching under her bed for her weapons trunk. She grabbed a sword.
A few minutes later, Kayce was standing on the porch a bit surprised to see a sword drop onto the grass, and then his niece came in behind it.
"Damn, Buffy. What's with the sword?" Kayce asked.
"It's for you," she said.
"Why would I need a sword?" he asked.
"I'd feel better if you had a weapon of some kind," she said.
"You should've told us to come armed to your town. Dad would've found a way to do so," he said.
"Guns are useless against what I fight," Buffy told him.
Kayce felt like he was Alice about to fall down a very violent rabbit hole. He could tell by the look on her face that this was not some elaborate prank. When her British wanna-be boyfriend appeared and some of her friends, he knew it wasn't.
"Hey," Buffy said. "Where's Anya?" They began walking behind the Brit.
"She said that if it was just a nest of vampires, her presence was not actually needed, but sleep was," Xander said with a grin.
"Vampires? We're hunting vampires?" Kayce asked, looking confused. Was it a joke? They seemed very serious.
"Let's walk, and I'll try to explain," Buffy said. "I know it's going to sound crazy, but you're going to see proof. I hope you'll withhold judgment until then."
"I told you that your niece was the thing that monsters fear," Spike said, looking back at him. "I wasn't jokin'."
Kayce felt unsettled as his niece seemed nervous and braced herself for his rejection—he could see it in her eyes. As a man who never felt quite right after the war, he reached out and touched her arm. "I'm not going anywhere," he assured her.
Buffy's relief was obvious, and Willow exchanged a smile with Tara. Buffy's family was really cool.
"I knew you were the brave one," Xander said, slapping him on the back. "See this town is on what is called a hellmouth. A literal gateway to a hell dimension. The actual entrance was under the old high school library. The former mayor was a warlock, who tried to ascend into a forty-foot demon snake at our high school graduation. Buffy had to arm the senior class. Mayor Wilkins actually ate our principal. So I guess it's more accurate to say he did ascend into a forty-foot demon snake!"
"Eating Snyder was a public service," Willow muttered. Then she glanced at Tara, looking guilty. "Sorry. He was a real bully."
"Why Buffy? Why is this Buffy's responsibility?" Kayce asked, knowing he was missing something.
"Because she's the slayer," Spike told as they approached the cemetery.
"Slayer of what?" Kayce asked.
"Vampires. The Chosen One called to fight the forces of darkness. Empowered to fight creatures much stronger than I am," Buffy shared. "I was called at fifteen and have spent the last five years fighting. When I die, another slayer is called. I died once when I was sixteen, but Xander revived me. That's how we have two slayers. They don't usually last long. If not for my friends, I would be dead."
Kayce tried to take in what she was saying, trying to believe it. Her friends clearly believed it. "How do you know you're empowered?" he asked.
"Because I have superstrength and superior fighting skills," she said.
"Buffy let you win that fight," Xander told him.
"It was sweet," Willow added.
Kayce frowned, not sure they were right, but then they were at a large crypt.
"It's there," Spike said.
"We really should've come at sunrise," Tara said.
"How would I have explained that?" Buffy pointed out.
"Good point," Willow said.
"Will, can you provide some light when we get in there?" Buffy asked.
"Sure," she said.
"I don't see a flashlight," Kayce said.
"I don't need one of those," Willow said.
"She's a witch," Xander said with a grin.
"You guys weren't joking about that?" Kayce asked, remembering what was said at the Magic Box.
"No. Magic is real," Willow said. Then she conjured a glowing light ball.
Kayce's eyes widened. "Wow. Okay. That's unexpected," he admitted.
"Are we killing things or what?" Spike asked impatiently.
"We're not stopping you. Go," Xander said, waving his hand dismissively.
Spike kicked in the door, and Kayce realized that the guy wasn't exactly normal either.
Willow threw in her light ball, and Buffy went in after Spike. Xander was carrying a crossbow and shot a vampire.
Kayce watched it turn to dust, freaked out at what he saw. His niece was really fighting monsters. She moved with a speed and ferocity that she hadn't displayed when sparring with him. It was obvious that they hadn't lied. She had been holding back with him. When she threw something at one of the vampires, it dissolved. Then she hit another.
"Watch out!" Xander called as one jumped out in front of Kayce.
Instinctively, Kayce stabbed the creature in the stomach with the sword. The vampire snarled in pain and grabbed the sword with one hand and reached for Kayce with the other.
"You have to cut off their head with a sword. Only wood in the heart works," Xander told him. He shot another arrow, hitting the vampire before it could harm Kayce.
"Thanks," Kayce said.
Then it was over. They were all dead.
"Nothing like a brush with death to make you really thankful to be alive before Thanksgiving!" Xander said with a grin.
"I can't believe that just happened," Kayce remarked, looking around the room for bodies. There was none.
He did, however, notice that Spike looked exactly like the creatures they just killed. "What the fuck is going on, Buffy? He's a vampire!" he exclaimed pointing at Spike.
"We know," Buffy said. "But he's on our side."
"I can't hurt humans," Spike said. "Got this chip in my head that electrocutes me if I even think of harming a human." He didn't see a point in mentioning that he could hurt the slayer.
"So it's true. All of it?" Kayce asked as they stepped out of the crypt.
"Yes," Buffy said, looking at him. "My life is insane. Faith, the other slayer, is in prison for accidentally killing a human and going off the rails. We aren't hardwired to hurt humans, only monsters and truly evil creatures. We're going to try to get her out, so she can come back to the hellmouth. But I can't leave the hellmouth without a slayer. It's too dangerous. People die every night if I don't patrol."
"Every night you fight monsters," he said, trying to wrap her mind around it.
"I do," Buffy said. "With the help of my friends, I'm one of the oldest surviving slayers." She didn't see a point in bringing up her deaths.
Kayce looked at her friends. "Thank you," he said to them. He held out his hand to Xander.
At first, Xander was confused and then realized that Kayce wanted to shake his hand. "Oh, well, it's what we do. Buffy saved our lives the first week she was in town our sophomore year," Xander said.
"I couldn't save their best friend, Jesse, though," Buffy said, looking sad.
"You can't save everyone," Willow told her, reaching out to squeeze her hand.
"Should I tell Grandpa?" Buffy asked.
Kayce was silent a long moment as they walked back toward her house. He considered the question. He finally said, "Well, he will drag Dawn out of her in a heartbeat. No doubt. I want to do that myself. He'll be incredibly proud of you, however."
"The thing is, Uncle Kayce, my blood will always draw the supernatural. Demons especially will come hunting me wherever I am," Buffy shared.
"We're not cowards, Buffy. Even Beth would stand and fight to protect you from anything," he told her.
"Okay, then," Buffy said. "Before they leave, I'll tell them. We'll let the chips fall where they may."
Her friends were happy for her and said goodnight before parting ways.
Kayce hugged her. "Your dad would be really proud of you, Buffy," he said, looking down at her.
Buffy's eyes filled with tears. "Thanks, Uncle Kayce. I love you," she told him.
"I love you, too," he said. "Goodnight. I think I'm going to call Monica and wish her goodnight."
"Okay," Buffy said, happy things had gone so well.
Kayce, though, was rattled and needed to see his wife's beautiful face even if he didn't want to tell her what he'd witnessed. He knew she would be asleep, but he had to call her anyway.
"Kayce, what's wrong?" she asked, blinking and shoving her hair out of her face.
He loved her looking like that, bed tousled.
"I just needed to see your sweet face," he told her. She and their son Tate was all that was good in his world. He didn't want to think about monsters and vampires.
*****The Next Day******
Buffy was relieved that all the dinner preparations went off exactly like planned. Of course, she hated to think about how things would've gone without Jamie. He taught her, though, how to make a really excellent turkey. Her friends showed up at different times. Xander and Anya arrived around ten with donuts and their Thanksgiving offerings. An hour later, Willow and Tara showed. Giles around noon.
The men had a football game on, and Xander pretended he knew what was going on. He was just excited to have men around.
"Isn't this great, Giles? We're not the minority anymore. There's other men folk here!" Xander announced with a wide grin.
Giles smiled as John looked at Xander and chuckled. "I guess it probably is a nice change for you," he said.
"Speak for yourself," Beth said. "I've always been the only woman on a ranch full of men or in a board meeting of men. It's fascinating that my niece found a best friend that is a guy, but she's never slept with him."
Xander could hear the question in her voice and shook his head. "No, Buffy, Will, and I have never been involved," he said. "I crushed hard on Buffy when she came to town, but she never looked at me that way. Will was always crushing on me, but I only ever saw her as a sister."
Willow came in and heard the comment. "Except for the fluke—we kissed once or twice senior year," she said. "Enough to break him and his long-term girlfriend up. Luckily, my boyfriend forgave the slip."
"Cordelia wanted my balls," Xander said, grinning at the memory.
"Well, in her defense, she did fall in a hole after seeing us kiss and get impaled," Willow said.
"Really?" Beth asked.
"This town is cursed," Xander said.
"All the more reason for Dawn to move to Montana," John said with a grin.
Kayce nodded. "Tate would love that," he said.
The front door opened, and a figure came in holding a smoking blanket.
"Spike? What the hell are you doing?" Xander asked.
"Dawn invited me for dinner," he said.
"Why is your blanket smoking?" Beth asked.
"I have an extreme sun allergy," Spike said with a smirk.
Dawn groaned as her Dutton family exchanged looks of incredulity. Only Uncle Kayce didn't look shocked at his lame excuse.
"Spike?" Buffy said, coming into the living room.
"Slayer," he said in greeting.
John frowned. "Why does he call you that?" John asked.
"Because that's who she is," Spike said, putting his blanket on the coat rack.
Buffy glared at Spike while her grandpa waited for her to explain.
The doorbell rang, interrupting. Buffy went to the door and opened it. Clem stood there.
"Hey, Buffy. I made a sweet potato casserole for dinner," he said with a smile as he held up a covered dish.
Buffy groaned. "Clem, I didn't know you were coming," she said.
"Oh, Anya invited me two weeks ago, and then Dawn told me about her grandpa coming into town and how she'd love for me to meet him," Clem said, smiling.
Buffy sighed. Dawn probably did say that, not thinking about how Clem would take that offhand remark. "Well, come on in, and I'll just introduce you," she said. "I haven't really told him about Sunnydale and the supernatural yet. My Uncle Kayce knows, though."
"Who's at the door?" John called out.
"One last guest, a friend," Buffy said. She wondered if she should just tell him the truth and ruin the dinner or make up a skin condition.
*****To Be Continued*****