Adult-FanFiction.org : Buffy

Resolutions	By : All4Spike Category: > Buffy/Spike(William) > Buffy/Spike(William) Views: 2844 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Buffy the Vampire Slayer (BtVS), nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 1
- 2
- 3
Chapter 2
Spike watched over Dawn�s shoulder as she concentrated on the last couple of pages in her Turkish spell book. She was following the Etruscan words printed there with a long forefinger tipped with an improbable shade of purple polish carefully overpainted with a dainty little daisy. With frequent references to the chart he had drawn for her of the unique angular symbols the language used paired with the more familiar roman letters and sounds they represented, she was haltingly reading passages out loud.
A few minutes before, he had reluctantly admitted to himself that while he could decipher the written language with some degree of accuracy he hadn�t got a clue about correct pronunciation and so had no idea whether Dawn�s accent was even close to being authentic. He wondered whether he ought to confess this. He decided not to, he suspected the news might not be well received.
He allowed his attention to stray to survey the Summers� living room.
It was now fully dark outside and the new lamps filled the space with a soft light that added a cosy warmth to the almost bare room. Buffy lay on her stomach on the thick rug, her blue denim clad legs crossed at the ankles and her booted feet waving about in the air as she traced streets on a map of Sunnydale with a piece of string. She was following the route she had taken for her run in preparation for measuring the distance she had covered with a ruler that lay at her side. She had caught her tongue between her teeth and the pink tip peeked out of her mouth adorably as she concentrated.
His gaze crossed to Tara who was seated in a bean bag directly under one of the lamps, her sewing basket by her side as she took up the hem of a long floral print skirt she had just bought from a thrift shop. It seemed that with no additional parental financial support for her studies her student loan didn�t stretch to providing fashionable new clothing, which Spike thought to himself, explained a lot. Then he chastised himself for being so uncharitable. Then he rolled his eyes at himself as he recognised how foreign the sentiment was to his vampiric nature. Why on earth was he worried about his attitude to Tara�s fashion sense or lack thereof? Why was he even concerning himself about how she dressed at all?
His mouth curled into a self-mocking grimace as he recognised yet another result of the Bond he had with Buffy. He had reluctantly been forced to recognise that her empathy with her fellow humans was affecting him. He actually cared about hurting their feelings now. How twisted was that? He shuddered. If he wasn�t careful he�d start feeling obliged to be polite to complete strangers next.
He huffed irritably. He was turning into a right nancy boy. He�d thought he was becoming pathetic before? Now look at him, sitting quite contentedly in a friendly domestic setting surrounded by a bunch of human women he had no intention of eating, and even more improbably considered to be his family.
He let his fangs drop for a second. Yup, still a vampire.
His ruminations were interrupted by a knock on the front door. Buffy didn�t look up from the map as she asked, �Spike, get that would you? I expect it�s Giles coming to pick us up to go meet Old Perpalla. I�m nearly done here.�
�Spike.� Giles nodded in greeting as he walked into the house to be met with a feminine chorus of �Hi, Giles.� He approached Dawn and held out a couple of well worn leather-bound books. �Buffy said you were trying your luck with Etruscan, Dawn. I thought these might be of some use to you. One is a lexicon of all the most common known words and their usage, the other is a text. Quite boring I�m afraid, it�s a description of a rather obscure religious rite of divination from the entrails of a sacrificed goat and a variety of interpretations of different findings, but there is a reasonably accurate translation into Latin in the back which might help you as a guide.�
While Buffy scrunched up her nose in disgust at the subject matter and murmured, �Ew, gross.� Dawn pounced eagerly.
�Oooooh thank you Giles! It�s been really hard to get started with just these silly little spells to work on.�
Spike craned his neck to look at the books and pointed to the lexicon. �This what you used to translate the portal prophecy then, Watcher?�
�Yes, Spike. It is the best reference for Etruscan I�ve found.�
Dawn looked up, intrigued. �Our prophecy? That was in Etruscan? Can I see?�
Giles shook his head. �I�m afraid that book is very fragile, Dawn.�
Dawn pouted and whined, �But it�s about me. If it tells about the Key and what I can do I think I have a right to see it.� She looked to her sister for support.
Buffy nodded at her Watcher. �She has a point, Giles. It can�t hurt can it?�
He shrugged defensively. �The relevant pages are almost illegible as it is, the ink has faded so much.�
Tara raised her head from her sewing. �That can be fixed, Giles. Willow has scanned several faded old documents into her computer while researching spells. She has software that can bring up even the faintest writing as clear as anything. I�m sure she�d be only too glad to help if you asked her.�
Dawn brought out the puppy dog eyes. �Pleeeease, Giles?�
Faced with twin pleading looks from the Summers sisters, the Englishman didn�t have a chance. He sighed in resignation. �Oh all right then. I�ll mention it to Willow the next time I see her.� He nodded thoughtfully. �Come to think of it, it would actually be interesting to see your take on it to compare with mine, Dawn.�
All eyes abruptly turned to Buffy when she cried in disbelief, �That can�t be right!� She looked up in confusion and explained, �According to this piece of string my run this afternoon was just over twelve miles! I hardly took any longer than the five miles I covered last time. It certainly didn�t feel any harder!� She frowned back down at her map and so missed the intense look between Giles and Spike.
Giles asked hesitantly, �Are you sure you�re using the correct scale, Buffy. Perhaps it should be six miles? Or is the map perhaps in kilometres?�
Buffy shook her head slowly. �Nah ha. I wiggled my piece of string around all the roads I ran along and marked the full distance on it with a pen. Look, here�s the blob. Then I laid it out along the ruler. I didn�t even stretch it.� She pointed at the corner of the map. �Look, here�s the scale, one mile to the inch, and my piece of string is just a little bit longer than Dawn�s school ruler.� She held it up for them to see.
Giles was fascinated. �I have an idea, Buffy. I think that in the next few days I shall work out a circuit for you without telling you the distance involved and then when you run it I shall time you. That way we�ll obtain a true reading of your speed and stamina. I�d like to compare it with the statistics Wesley compiled when you did the assessment tests for him in High School.� Buffy nodded her compliance. �I�m sure you�re aware you�re far fitter now that ever before, even more so that when you trained so hard with me before the whole Glory episode, but I have no doubt the Claim must have had an effect too. I would dearly like to quantify your improvement.�
He turned to Spike. Actually, I think I�d like you to run the same route, Spike, just as a comparison.� He added hastily, �At night, of course�� He looked back and forth between the two blondes. ��because I�d prefer you to run separately. I don�t want to force you into a race. Rather I want to assess what each of you considers to be a comfortable running speed.�
Spike considered briefly then shrugged. �Why not? Been a science experiment once already, at least you had the decency to give me the option to refuse.� He waggled an accusing finger. �Not gonna get me into any of those sissy little running shorts, mind, Rupert. My jeans will do me just fine.� He thought for a few seconds and mused, �Might get myself some of those superduper running shoes like Buffy�s though. My Doc�s are perfect for a fight, but even I can�t claim they�re the best thing for running distances.�
While Buffy folded up her map and went upstairs to prepare for the meeting with the demon and Dawn lost herself in the intricacies of a dead language Giles slipped a black flat case out from under his arm. �Uh� I wonder, Spike.� He looked hesitantly at the vampire. �I find I need to request your assistance.�
Spike grinned and sniggered wickedly. �Ooh I bet that hurt, Rupes old man!�
Giles rolled his eyes, �Well� yes, Spike. Quite.� He sighed. �Be that as it may� a while ago you made a very telling point about the Slayer Handbook being inaccurate in places, and since I have reluctantly come to agree with you I examined my copy and found that the most recent edition was produced in 1822. This is clearly an unsatisfactory state of affairs. Since you appear to have so much free time on your hands, and being a vampire with an� expert� knowledge of Slayers I wonder if you would see your way clear to reading it and noting any amendments that you feel need to be made.� He held out the flat case. �This is a laptop computer.� He withdrew it slightly and hesitantly asked, �Uh� please tell me you do know how to operate one of these� contraptions?�
Spike huffed irritably. �Better than you no doubt, you old technophobe you!�
Giles cleared his throat in embarrassment. �Oh good. Yes� well� in that case perhaps you would be so kind as to make notes on the machine. The Handbook isn�t um� recorded on it, but Willow has assured me she has contrived a way for you to access the main uh� database at Council Headquarters via the Interwebnet thing. It won�t be complete by any means but there are increasing numbers of volumes being stored electronically.� He hurriedly went on, �Of course if they discover what you�re doing I know nothing about it�� He slipped a chunky little burgundy leather bound book from his jacket pocket and passed it over with the laptop. �Here is my copy of the Handbook. Please look after it. Only one is issued to each Watcher who is Watching an active Slayer or training a Potential, and if I should be unable to produce it upon request a rather hefty fine would be imposed.�
Spike looked down at the items in his hands then smirked up at the Watcher�s hopeful expression. �So� what sort of consultancy fee can I expect then, Watcher? A labourer�s worthy of his hire and all that rot.�
Giles removed his glasses and flailed around with his handkerchief. He spluttered, �Well, really. I would have thought��
�Thought what?� Spike demanded indignantly. �That I would be only too glad to spend my valuable time doing your job for you for nothing? Just how stupid do you think I am?� Seeing a calculated look appear in Giles� eyes Spike quickly held up a finger to forestall a reply. �Don�t answer that!� When Giles gave an exasperated snort he rolled his eyes and reminded the Watcher, �Evil soulless vampire... ring any bells? If you ask me, you�re developing a bad habit of forgetting that.�
Buffy�s amused voice drifted from the stairs she was descending. �The vamp doth protest too much, methinks!�
Giles sniggered. �Yes, Spike. You�ve spent a long time trying to prove to us you can be trusted to be� well� mostly good. It�s a bit late to start trying to convince us you�re still wholly evil.� He made a big show of considering the horrified vampire. �Hmmm� let�s see� I think I�ll accept� slightly mischievous.�
Spike was speechless with indignation until Buffy slid a comforting arm around his waist and squeezed. �Aaw, don�t worry, Spike. You�re still my Big Bad.� She checked the title of the book he held and squealed. �The Slayer Handbook? How come Spike qualifies for a copy when I didn�t get one?� She reached for it, only to have Spike�s hand shoot in and shield it from her. �Hey!�
�I�ve warned you already about those grabby little paws of yours, Slayer! I am impressed by your knowledge of Hamlet, though. Perhaps the American education system isn�t totally useless after all.�
�Hamlet? Isn�t that the guy who kills his wife �cos he thinks she slept with his friend?�
Spike shook his head slowly in hopeless amusement. �No, Buffy. That would be Othello. Different play altogether.�
Giles seized the chance to recruit an ally. �Well now, there�s an idea. Perhaps you could go through the Handbook together and recommend the changes you can both agree upon? What a wonderful opportunity to get the opinions of a mature active Slayer and a Master Vampire working together! Unique, even!�
Buffy looked up at her Watcher and with wide innocent eyes and a dazzling grin asked eagerly, �Ooooh, so do I get a consultancy fee too then?� She winked conspiratorially at Spike who tried not to laugh.
Giles pinched the bridge of his nose and gave a deep resigned sigh. �I�ll see what I can do.� He pointed at them accusingly. �I can�t promise anything. The Council is likely to insist that Buffy is already being paid handsomely and this task would be part of her duty as the Slayer, but I�ll try to get some sort of concession for you.�
Buffy fought a cheeky smile as she sheepishly said, �Thank you Giles.�
Looking at his watch Giles said, �Anya will be over in a few minutes with the account books to keep Tara and Dawn company while we�re interviewing Old Perpalla. She is having trouble concentrating on them. Xander keeps turning up at the shop or the house every five minutes attempting to rekindle their relationship. The stupid boy will persist in spouting that ridiculous drivel about how now that she�s human she shouldn�t want to talk about her former life as a demon however, so she�s becoming more and more disenchanted with him. She�s hoping he won�t trouble her here with two other girls to back her up.� He gestured towards the door. �Ready to go then?
Spike went to grab his duster from the coatrack by the door, although Buffy suggested, �We�ve just a couple of things to do first, Giles, why don�t you get the car and we�ll be out in a moment?�
As soon as the door had closed behind him Buffy turned to Spike and flipped her hair away from her neck. �Time for your BuffyDessert, Spike. No matter how many times you try to get out of it I am not going to let it go!�
Dawn chuckled as she passed them to go up the stairs. She patted Spike on the arm and murmured sympathetically, �You are so busted, Spike! You know she�s gonna out-stubborn you every time.�
Resigned yet again to honouring his agreement to feed from Buffy at least once a day Spike muttered, �Bloody bossy women. The light of my life� er� unlife, and the bane of my existence.� With a sigh he placed the laptop on the dining table and slipped the Handbook into his duster pocket. Then when Buffy gripped the lapels of his coat he wrapped his arms around her shoulders and nuzzled into her proffered throat. He kissed and nibbled his mark until she was quivering against him then vamped out and gently sank his fangs into her flesh.
Once the blood was flowing freely he resumed his human face and sucked until he had swallowed two delicious mouthfuls seasoned with love, then tenderly sealed the twin wounds with his tongue. His demon half didn�t clamour for more, he had become accustomed to and welcomed the daily ritual as a confirmation and strengthening of his Bond with his Mate.
By the time Spike released her and stepped back Buffy was flushed, panting and slightly unsteady on her feet. He smirked with wicked satisfaction that she would be making the trip to the hotel in a fully aroused state. She narrowed her eyes as she shifted uncomfortably and glared up at him, promising ominously, �Oh, I�m so gonna get you for that!�
He curled his tongue behind his teeth, cocked one eyebrow and rumbled seductively, �Mmmm� promises, promises��
They looked around at a soft sound from the living room to see Tara staring, wide-eyed. When she realised she�d been caught watching the intimate moment she shyly commented, �I�m sorry� it�s just� I know what you said, Buffy, and I even understand the reasoning behind it, but I don�t think I�m ever going to get used to seeing you do that.�
Buffy reassured her, �I didn�t expect you to get used to it, Tara. It�s more than enough that you aren�t totally freaking out about it.�
Tara giggled nervously, �Just a minor freaking, Buffy. Perhaps a four point one on the Richter freakage scale? No permanent damage.�
Smiling gratefully, Buffy checked, �You�ll be all right while we�re out, Tara? Try to get Dawn to at least look at her homework instead of spending all her time in musty pre-Roman Italy.�
Tara shooed them towards the door. �We�ll be just fine, Buffy. We�ll have Anya here for entertainment value soon anyway.� She smirked slyly. �I promise to stop her from telling Dawnie the worst of her inappropriate sex and vengeance stories.�
Buffy yelled up the stairs, �We�re off now, Dawn. We�ll be home late. Don�t wait up! Remember it�s a school day tomorrow!�
She received the traditional, �Yeah� whatever�� response.
Then she turned to Spike and asked, �Have you got your cellphone?�
Spike patted his duster pockets and finding the telltale bulge pulled the phone out to show her. �Yeah.�
She smirked and asked, �Did you remember to charge it?�
Spike rolled his eyes. �You�re never gonna let me live that down, are you?�
Buffy giggled, �Nope. The sight of you running away like a great big scaredyvamp while swearing at your phone because you couldn�t call for backup �cos your battery was flat when a whole clan of horny Pri-Mart demons attacked you is just too funny to forget.�
Spike rolled his eyes, �Not horny, Slayer, horned� and not Pri-Mart, Prio Motu.� With a sullen shrug he added defensively, �And I wasn�t running away, I was� falling back to a more defensible position.�
Buffy giggled again. �Yeah� right. You�re just lucky I was close enough to hear your cursing. I still don�t know what some of those words meant� and I�m not sure I ever want to!�
Setting his jaw stubbornly and ignoring her teasing he got back on topic by assuring her �It�s fully charged.� When Buffy opened her mouth to comment further he forestalled her by saying sarcastically, �Yes dear, I promise that from now on I�ll remember always to put it back in the charging thing when I come in.� He frowned down at his shiny black and red cellphone and grumbled crossly under his breath, �Just wish I could figure out how to get rid of this bloody Abba ringtone Willow stuck me with.�
They finally managed to get out of the door. Buffy�s chuckling faded away as they walked down the path to where Giles had the SUV idling at the kerb. As they climbed in, Buffy beside Giles and Spike in the back, she asked anxiously, �We�re meeting Clem there, aren�t we?�
�Yeah, Slayer. S�posed to be. I just hope he�s gonna show and I don�t have to go looking for him. He stammered and stuttered and hesitated so much before I finally got him to agree I think he�s even more nervous about seeing his auntie than you are!�
Giles checked they were both settled before pulling away. �Did he give any indication of why he was so nervous, Spike?�
�Not really. He kept mumbling that he was too young. No idea what he was too young for though.�
After a few minutes Buffy asked, �Giles, you said Xander has been hanging around trying to talk to Anya. You don�t suppose he�d blow off morgue duty tonight to keep after her do you? There were two �animal attack� victims to check on tonight.�
Giles sighed. �I really don�t know, Buffy. He really is being quite unreasonable. I just wish he�d leave the poor girl alone for a while. She needs time to figure out her priorities and make major decisions that will affect the rest of her life. The more he pesters her the less likely it is she will take him back. I just wish he could see that.�
Buffy chewed her bottom lip thoughtfully. �Perhaps I should just check�� She produced her own silver cellphone and hit the appropriate buttons. After a few seconds she hastily pulled the phone away and looked at it in mute shock. Hesitantly bringing it back to her ear she asked, �Are you all right, Xan?� ..�. �Really? Why are you having a heart attack?� She rolled her eyes and clamped her lips between her teeth to stifle a laugh.
After a few moments she managed to speak, �Xander, why would you have the Star Wars theme ringtone set to full volume when you�re making with the sneaky in the morgue?� She nodded slowly, still struggling not to laugh. �Yes, finding the vibrate function would be of the good.� �. �Well, I just wanted to ask... um� how you�re doing?� She rolled her eyes again. �No Xan, I haven�t seen her for a few days except when I pass through the Magic Box to the training room. She�s usually busy with customers so we can�t stop to chat.� �� Well, why would she want to see you? She broke up with you, remember?� �� Xan� Xan� She cancelled the wedding and moved out. You can�t get more broken up than that!� �� Well perhaps loving her isn�t enough, Xan.�
She looked around into Spike�s eyes and smiled. Softly she added, �Perhaps you have to really listen to her and try to understand her too.� Her eyes widened and she hurriedly said, �Yes, you�d better get out of there. Have you�?� �... �Oh good, what about Mrs Sanderson?� �... �Crap. Do you think you can get into Bourne and Frobisher�s or should I try later on?� �... �Okay Xander, see you soon.�
Flipping her phone closed she explained, �Would you believe one of them actually is the victim of an animal attack? The other has already been moved to a Funeral Home. Xander�s going to see if he can get in the back entrance, we�ve been there before.� She chuckled, �He heard someone coming so he had to get out quickly. Someone must have heard his phone and decided to investigate the Star Wars haunting.�
Spike snorted, �Star Wars, eh? Why am I not surprised?�
Buffy chuckled, �I know� he said he needed something loud and distinctive so he would always hear it when he�s working on the site.�
�At least it�s better than my soddin� Abba. She couldn�t have found something more annoying than Angel bloody eyes?� Spike sat forward to lean against the front seats and reached over to prod Giles� shoulder. �What did the little witch set you up with then, Rupert?�
The watcher stopped chuckling at the thought of Spike having to listen to a reminder of his grandsire every time someone called him and frowned warily, �I don�t actually know, Spike. I have managed to use it to ring a couple of people but I haven�t had call to answer it yet.�
Buffy winked at Spike and her thumb danced over her phone again.
The vehicle swerved wildly as Giles cried, �Bloody hell, what�s that?�
The first few bars of the �Stripper� theme blasted around the confined space and Buffy and Spike both dissolved into hysterical laughter. Giles pulled over and scrabbled in his pockets for his phone. After desperately pressing random buttons he finally gave up and thrust it at Buffy. �For pity�s sake make it stop!� He sat back in his seat gasping and holding his hand over his heart.
Once he had got his breath back there was an echo of Ripper in Giles� voice when he threatened, �Just wait until I get my hands on that little�� He seemed to remember where he was, cleared his throat in embarrassment, removed his glasses and scrubbed his face with his hand.
Through her giggles Buffy gently offered, �Would you like me to change your ringtone, Giles?�
Heaving a huge sigh as he got the car going again he said, �Thank you Buffy. Something a little less startling please. Perhaps something by Cream, or The Who� or maybe the Bay City Rollers.�
Spike sniggered, �You a Rollers fan, Rupert? I�d never have thought it of you. Got the cut off tartan trimmed trousers and scarf have you then? Now that�s a sight I�d�� He shuddered at the thought. �Never want to see.� He nudged Buffy�s shoulder. �Give him something from The Who.� He thought for a second. �I know, give him �Who are you?� I know that cop show nicked it for their theme, but that�s only �cos it�s a right proper bit of classic rock.� He turned to Giles who was fuming in offended silence over the Bay City Rollers comment. �That do you, mate?�
Almost snarling, Giles said. �As a matter of fact that would be quite acceptable, Spike.� After a beat he added, �And don�t call me �mate�.�
Buffy slipped Giles� phone into the side pocket of his jacket and told him, �I�ll come into the shop tomorrow and do it for you, Giles. Or if you can�t wait I expect Anya could do it for you. She�s better with a computer than I am. She turned to Spike. �Should I do yours for you, Spike, honey? It was funny at first but the whining every time your phone rings is beginning to grate.�
Spike clenched his jaws. �I. Do. Not. Whine.� He took a deep breath and said. �The Ramones, please. �I wanna be sedated� if poss.�
�I�ll see to it when we get home.� She grinned excitedly, �I�ll be able to use your new laptop!� Then she sighed and her mood deflated as she asked, �How is Willow doing, Giles? We haven�t seen her for so long.�
The Watcher glanced at her before hesitantly answering. �I think she�s afraid you�re still angry with her, Buffy, and doesn�t want to force her presence upon you.�
Spike snorted and murmured under his breath, �More like... doesn�t want to have to face up to her mistakes and end up feeling guilty all over again��
Buffy sighed and looked up to gaze out into the night. Sadly she admitted, �I was angry, Giles, so very angry. Not just because she got Dawnie hurt or because she blew up the house, at least she apologised for that, but for not realising I would be in Heaven and dragging me out of there.� Spike reached over the seat, rested his hand on her shoulder and squeezed gently in silent support. She raised a hand to pat him in thanks and continued, �Couldn�t she have done some sort of locator spell to find out where I was and whether I even needed to be rescued? She obviously didn�t. Then when she found out what she�d done, what did she do? Did she come to me and apologise? Did she try to help me come to terms with being back, help me through the adjustment? No� of course not. She just did another spell so that I�d forget all about being in Heaven so I wouldn�t be upset with her and she could stop feeling guilty.�
She turned shining tear-filled eyes to her Watcher and said, �She still hasn�t apologised, you know.� She twisted in her seat to see Spike�s concerned frown. �I�m not angry any more. If anything I�m grateful. I got to have another chance to be happy. �She smiled a watery smile. �And I am. It�s been so hard, but at long last I�m happy.� She lifted Spike�s hand from her shoulder, pressed his palm to her cheek and then kissed it before releasing it and turning back to Giles. �So� do you think Althanea is really helping her?�
Giles explained the Wiccan ethics Willow was learning along with the basic exercises she should have mastered long before progressing to the more complex spells she had seized upon so enthusiastically with no thought for the consequences. He summed up, �In the end Althanea can only do so much. She can guide Willow onto the right path but it�s all up to Willow herself as to whether she stays the course and overcomes her magic dependency and emotional control issues.�
After a few minutes thought Buffy mused, �Perhaps we should�ve�� She broke off and turned abruptly to Spike. �We�ve got all the decorating stuff now, haven�t we?�
Spike shrugged, �Guess so. Just gotta get organised with the painting and such now.�
Buffy nodded determinedly. �Right. So what if we have a painting party then? Get all of us together the way we used to be, working as a team. We don�t want to let everyone get really isolated again the way we did that first year at college.�
Spike cleared his throat and looked away awkwardly as he remembered his plan to split the Scoobies up in an attempt to help Adam. He had recognised too late how stupid he had been. He should never have trusted the insane demon hybrid to keep its word the way the Slayer would.
Buffy waved a hand airily at him. �Don�t worry, Spike. That wasn�t all your fault. You only took advantage of the distance that had already developed between us. It wasn�t even that hard was it? It�s not as if you had to come up with lots of lies, everything you said was very close to the truth that�s why it was so effective. Besides, I know now that you wouldn�t even have tried if we hadn�t been so mean to you.�
She turned excitedly to Giles. �Do you think Althanea would let Willow come? You could tell her she�d be welcome too.� She relaxed back into her seat thoughtfully. �We could get some food and drinks and make a whole day of it� get all the decorating done in one go so the room�s all ready by the time the furniture arrives. Perhaps we could even get Xander and Anya talking sensibly too��
By the time they drew into the staff parking area at the Buena Vista hotel she had allotted all the various tasks she could think of and was planning the menu for the party, which she had decided would take place on the first day everyone had free, which would probably mean the following Sunday.
They got out of the car and looked around as they walked towards the staff entrance. �Can either of you see Clem?�
Buffy shrugged and shook her head while Spike said, �Can�t see him, but he�s here.� When Giles looked questioningly at him he explained, �Can smell him.�
Buffy nodded in understanding, �I don�t know his scent well enough yet. I haven�t really been around him much since the new Claim.�
Spike smiled proudly, �You�re learning, Slayer. An individual�s scent is even more evocative than their face or voice. I know you have trouble remembering people�s names, but the scent memory is foolproof. You should take in a deep breath close to him while concentrating on his face and his name. Once you�ve got the scent memorised you�ll always recognise even the slightest whiff of it and his identity will flash up in your mind.� He called towards the shadowed area behind a couple of dumpsters. �Come on out, mate. Don�t you remember? Your auntie won�t see us unless you�re with us.�
The baggy skinned demon emerged slowly into the light cast by the lamps above the entrance. He nodded in greeting, �Spike, Buffy, Mr Watcher��
Spike strolled over to him and asked, �What�s the problem mate? You�re not scared of your own auntie are you?�
Clem shook his head enthusiastically, setting his ears flapping wildly, and gabbled, �Oh no, not scared. Nothing to be scared of. Great Aunt P is really sweet�.�
There was clearly something he wasn�t telling them though, so Spike pushed a bit harder. �So why the jitters then, old man. You�re quivering like a blancmange in an earthquake!�
Clem turned wide anxious eyes to him. �It�s just� I�m too young, Spike. I�m the last one from my litter, you know? She�s already got to all the others so she�s got all the time in the world to come after me. I thought I could get away from her by moving to the Hellmouth, but what does she do? As soon as she finds out where I am, here she is working just down the road!� He shrugged helplessly. �I�ve been avoiding her, but now� She knows I wouldn�t let you down so she�s found a way to get her mandibles into me at last.�
Buffy stepped up and laid her hand sympathetically on his arm. �What is it she�s trying to do to you Clem? You know we�re not going to let her hurt you, don�t you?�
Clem gave a short nervous laugh. �Oh she doesn�t want to hurt me. It�s just� She�s the clan matchmaker and she�s going to insist on finding me a Mate. She�s going to start parading all sorts of demon girls in front of me until she�s worn me down and I just can�t resist any more, and then before I know it she�ll have me settled down with a full nest of my own.� He protested desperately, �She�s obsessed with getting us all Mated and breeding. I�m only eighty six, Spike! I�m too young to settle down! I don�t even think I�m the settling down type��
His plaintive voice trailed off as Buffy, Spike and Giles all struggled not to laugh at the dismayed demon.
Spike patted him amiably on the shoulder as he steered him towards the entrance and reassured him, �Being Mated, �s�not all bad you know, Clem old chap. I know you�d be tied down but there�s benefits too. Look at me. I gotta comfy home with a warm snuggly bed with a warm snuggly Slayer in it and a family to care for and to care for me in return.� He glanced over at Buffy�s smiling face. �In fact it�s the best thing that�s happened to me since I was turned!�
Clem didn�t appear to be convinced. He sighed, �I really don�t think I�m the settling down type however many girls she introduces me to, and you don�t know Great Aunt P. She�s never going to take no for an answer.�
Suspecting the cause of his friend�s unease Spike leant over and whispered, �You could always ask her to introduce you to some handsome demon boys instead, buddy, if that�s what floats your boat.�
The ears went flapping again as Clem grabbed Spike�s arm in horror and brought them up short just inside the door leaving Buffy and Giles to go on ahead. He glanced furtively about to check they couldn�t be overheard. �No!� He gasped, and hissed desperately, �You can�t give Great Aunt P that idea! You don�t know how traditional she is, it would make her even more determined! Promise you won�t say anything, Spike!�
Spike nodded reassuringly, �Don�t worry, mate. My lips are sealed.�
Clem heaved a resigned sigh and his shoulders slumped as he declared sadly, �I�ll just have to stall as long as I can and then when I can�t resist any longer try to pair off with a girl who is just as uninterested as me. Then once Great Aunt P is happy and has gone off to work on the next generation we can go our separate ways.�
The two demons were forced to abandon the exchange and catch up to the others when a young woman appeared and guided the four of them towards the staff lounge where she assured them Old Perpalla would be waiting for them.
Spike paused just inside the door to the large well furnished sitting room and blinked. There was a giant orange nestled in a huge comfy chair. He chuckled inwardly. Now there was something you don�t see every day.
Then the orange moved and stood up and he blinked again.
The tiny demoness stepped forward and gestured towards the other four chairs arranged around a large low table. In a slightly accented husky contralto she eagerly urged them, �Please, please, come in and sit down. I�m so glad you came. I�ll just prepare the tea.�
They glanced sideways at each other and shrugged, edging towards the indicated chairs as Giles murmured, �Thank you for agreeing to see us. As you have probably guessed, we have many questions.�
The young woman who had ushered them in cleared her throat and hesitantly said, �I�ll make sure you�re not interrupted, Perpalla. Just give me a nod if you need anything?�
Their hostess glanced up with a smile, �Thank you, Shannon.� When the door closed behind the woman she commented quietly, �Such a sweet girl, for a human.�
While Buffy, Spike, Clem and Giles made themselves comfortable she turned to a side table, reached up for the shiny teapot sitting on top of a huge silver samovar then worked the tap on the samovar�s side to fill it with boiling water. Carefully securing its lid she placed the teapot on a cork mat on the central table which was covered with a blindingly white linen tablecloth with an intricate lacy border.
Already upon the table were a stack of matching white linen napkins, five tea glasses in decorative silver holders, a little pile of delicate floral china plates, small jugs of cream and milk, little bowls of jam, honey, sugarlumps and lemon slices and several large plates holding a wide variety of very tempting looking cakes and pastries.
When she straightened up again and looked around at her visitors, nervously brushing down her dress, Spike got a proper look at her. Yes, she was clearly a demon, although he wouldn�t have automatically known she was of the same species as Clem as she was tiny and almost spherical in shape. She did however have similar floppy ears, even larger than Clem�s, adorned with several gold and jewelled earrings and her face, arms and exposed neck were also creased and wrinkled in the same manner as Clem�s.
She wore a bright orange muu-muu dress patterned with big yellow sunflowers, and elegant red court shoes. She had neatly arranged jet black hair that curled behind her ears and, possibly the most incongruous aspect of her appearance; she wore cherry red lipstick and bright blue eyeshadow in the folds above her animated red eyes.
Giving a little bob of a curtsey before perching on the edge of her chair, Perpalla addressed Buffy, �Welcome, Master Slayer. And not only a Master Slayer but the Senior Slayer.� She wriggled back into the chair, her feet ending up over a foot from the floor, and continued, �I�ve been following your Calling with great interest.� She let out a brief high pitched excited giggle. �I can�t believe I�m meeting you at last. It�s been such a very long time since I met a Slayer, and she was just a baby compared to you.�
Buffy frowned at her, �Master Slayer? Senior Slayer?� She looked across at Giles, expecting him to be able to dispel her confusion as he so often did. She was answered with a bewildered shrug and the customary ritual Polishing of the Glasses. Turning back to Perpalla to ask for clarification she found that the demoness� attention had moved on.
�And you�re this incredible young woman�s Watcher, Mr Giles. The first Watcher to guide a Slayer to becoming a Master for over a century. Watcher of only the second Senior Slayer I�ve heard of, and not only that but also the first Slayer since the seventeenth century to have fulfilled her destiny and found her vampire Mate.� Her eyelashes fluttered girlishly and she fiddled absently with her hair. �You must be so proud.�
Giles gaped at her then cleared his throat and hurriedly rummaged in his briefcase to retrieve his notebook and the papers he had received from her after Buffy and Spike�s stay at the hotel.
Spike covered an amused snort with his hand and received an equally amused glare from Buffy for his pains. The tiny demoness was actually flirting with the flustered Watcher!
Giles surfaced again and asked hesitantly, �I wonder if you could clarify a few things for us? Why do you refer to Buffy as both a �Master Slayer� and a �Senior Slayer�? These are not terms I�m familiar with.�
Perpalla�s eyes widened in surprise. �Are you not a member of the Council of Watchers? How can you not know?�
Giles grimaced in irritation. �Madam, I�m beginning to understand that the Council has become most lax in its training methods. They appear to withhold a great deal of information that would be of immense value to an active Watcher and Slayer, only letting it out in dribs and drabs when requested.� He shrugged ruefully. �Of course if you�re not aware of its existence you don�t know to request it��
Perpalla nodded wisely, �Of course, I was aware that the focus of the Council had shifted from its original purpose of following the Slayer�s orders in assisting her with research and training. I hadn�t realised that things had got so bad.� She regarded Buffy thoughtfully. �They haven�t been of much help to you then have they, Slayer?�
Buffy shook her head. �I haven�t really had much contact with them, Perpalla. I certainly don�t trust them.� She shot an apologetic glance to her Watcher, �Apart from Giles, of course. Every time they pop up they seem either to be trying to kill me or to convince me they control me!�
The ancient demon grinned mischievously. �It wasn�t always that way, you know. After they created the First Slayer the shamans tried to give her orders, but she was very primitive and her Slayer demon was very powerful in her. Her primal instincts led her to do what she considered to be the right thing and she totally ignored them, as I believe you have become accustomed to doing. When they realised they had no further purpose they took on the role of chroniclers, recording her actions for posterity. Later, when the Slayer demon was less overpowering in subsequent Slayers, their descendents assisted her with information and magic as she required. Thus was formed the Council of Watchers.�
Her attention shifted back to Giles. �You will have realised, of course, that Watchers are completely redundant unless they have a Slayer to Watch��
Giles smiled proudly over at Buffy. �Yes, madam, that fact was impressed upon all of us last year.� He smirked at the memory of the confrontation in the Magic Box when Buffy had put Quentin Travers and his lackeys so firmly in their place. �Of course some of us took the realisation better than others.� He took a deep breath, held his pen poised over his notebook and asked, �Now then, if you would be so kind��
Perpalla held up a hand and interrupted, �I�ll tell you all I can, of course, but first let�s make ourselves comfortable.� She leant over and began to pour dark tea into the waiting glasses. �I don�t know how you like your tea, it is such an individual thing, so please help yourselves to honey or whatever else you might like, and of course you must try some of my �specials�.� She gestured at the array of sweet goodies laid out. �Don�t be shy, dig in as we talk.�
She glanced up at Spike with a teasing smile. �I have heard you enjoy human food, Master William. Please help yourself. It all tastes so much better since the Mating, doesn�t it?�
Spike chuckled, �Yeah, does that, Duchess. Ta, love.� He took the proffered glass of tea and added a drop of milk and then loaded up one of the little plates with sugary delicacies. He took a bite out of an iced spice cake and moaned with pleasure. �Mmm� I remember liking pryaniki when I was in Russia. These are so much better.�
Preening at the compliment Perpalla watched her nephew fill his own plate. She shook her head at him and gave a disappointed sigh. �And Clement. It took your friend the vampire to bring you to see me when we�ve lived in the same town for more than a year? What would your mother say? You know she raised you to pay more respect to your elders than that!� She wagged a warning finger at him and added, �I�ll need to speak to you about your cousin Pavel later. His Mate Miranda misses him dreadfully and he hasn�t been home since he came to visit you a couple of years ago.� She shook her head crossly and muttered to herself, �He hasn�t been to see me either! Tsk� the young these days��
Spluttering around a mouthful of a sticky nutty confection Clem protested, �Pavel? But Great Aunt P, I haven�t seen him since I left home��
Perpalla held up that imperious hand again and said, �When the Slayer�s questions have been answered, Clement. We�ll discuss it then.� She added a large spoonful of jam to her own tea and settled back into her chair as she stirred it.
�Now then� First of all I�ll explain the way I addressed you, Slayer.�
Buffy quickly put in, �Please call me Buffy.�
�Why, thank you my dear, I�m honoured.� After taking a second to savour the gesture she continued, �You became the �Senior Slayer� when you died and were revived, and the mantle of Slayer was passed on, Buffy. You no longer had a responsibility to continue your Slaying duties, but to your credit you chose to do so. The child who was Called to replace you, should now be correctly addressed as the Slayer. The Slayer line now passes through her. Another Slayer will not be Called upon your own eventual...�
Giles butted in with an incredulous, �But you said Buffy is the second Senior Slayer! When we discovered that a new Slayer had been called after Buffy�s brief death at the hands of the Master causing there to be two active Slayers, I was told that it was an unprecedented situation��
Perpalla shook her head in disapproval. �Tsk, those Watchers. Just because they don�t like to remember a failure they take care to hide the awkward facts. They really have become corrupted by their own hubris.� She looked up at the ceiling thoughtfully. �Now let me see� the case I know of was in sixteen� no, I�m wrong, it was in the seventeen forties. The Slayer and her Watcher were in the Old Country.� At Buffy�s questioning look she clarified, �Russia, my dear. It all happened not far from where I grew up, that�s how I know about it.� She took a deep breath and continued, �They had been tracking a clan of vampires that had been hunting as they travelled. Whole villages had been wiped out because of course at that latitude in the winter it was dark almost all day, perfect for a vampire to travel long distances, and the locals� customary hospitality was easily abused.�
Realising she was rambling, the demoness brought herself sharply back to the point. �The Slayer and her Watcher were travelling by pony sled, and of course before the railways the easiest winter route through the forest was always along frozen rivers. What they didn�t realise was that the vampires had noticed they were being followed and had set a trap for them. The pony came trotting merrily around a bend in the river and went straight through a patch of ice the vampires had smashed up and covered with fresh snow. Pony, sled, Watcher and Slayer went into the freezing water and were swept under the ice.�
She smiled, �Of course the vampires scuttled off, certain they�d seen the last of the Slayer, but what they didn�t know was that they�d been seen. A young man who was out hunting and had hidden from the dangerous looking strangers ran along keeping track of the bodies as the current took them and when he got to the next settlement he called for help. The villagers smashed through the ice and got the Slayer out. Even though the poor girl had been in the river under the ice for nearly an hour they were able to revive her. They knew from experience that when someone falls into such cold water the human system shuts down so quickly it goes into a sort of hibernation and if the proper care is taken the frozen person can be thawed out and revived. Unfortunately they couldn�t retrieve the Watcher or any of their possessions.�
Giles nodded in growing comprehension. �And of course when the girl�s heart stopped beating she was technically dead, and then the Council�s seers told them a new Slayer had been called. When the Watcher never checked in with his diaries they didn�t know what had happened but they naturally assumed he had perished with his Slayer.�
Perpalla smiled brightly at him. �Exactly, Mr Giles. The poor girl stayed recuperating in the village for the rest of the winter, and when spring came she continued with her mission alone, not realising that nobody knew she was still Slaying. It was over a year before she got back to St Petersburg and was able to contact the Council to ask for a new Watcher, and by then she had grown up and become confident and self-reliant and was impossible for the Council to control.�
She chuckled, �Of course being reborn, so to speak, she had been Chosen twice over and had a double dose of Slayer demon spirit, so she was really strong physically as well as strong willed. If what I heard is correct she went through four Watchers before they gave up trying to make her follow orders, gave her the title �Senior Slayer� and ceded her the official independence for her to set her own assignments while they concentrated on controlling her successor. They sent a trainee Watcher in the end, just to do her research and record her achievements without trying to interfere with her actions.�
She nodded at Giles, �Of course they wouldn�t like to be reminded that they abandoned her on a false assumption. They certainly wouldn�t want future Slayers to know about it! That would explain why the diaries of her various Watchers aren�t readily available, although she was remarkably successful.�
She cocked her head to one side and regarded Buffy thoughtfully. �I expect she was a lot like you, Buffy my dear.� She leant forward and whispered in a conspiratorial manner, �Your strength and independence weren�t forged by such a dramatic tragedy, of course, it�s just a result of being a typical young American woman growing up with a strong positive feminine role model rather than being snatched from your family as a small child to be raised as an obedient automaton, as so many Potential Slayers are.�
Feeling humbled by the tale of her predecessor, Buffy murmured, �Poor girl� so alone. She must have been terrified.� She picked up on one point Perpalla had made and exclaimed excitedly, �Oh! I felt stronger when Xander brought me back after The Master killed me� does that mean I have a double dose of Slayer too?�
Perpalla nodded. �Of course, my dear.�
With wide anxious eyes Buffy continued, �And last summer� When I was brought back again� Do I have a triple dose now then?� She looked pleadingly over at her Watcher. �Could it be� Is that why I�ve been struggling so with the darkness in me? Why I�ve been so� detached, so� violent?� She clutched once more at Spike�s extended hand and squeezed it in mute apology.
After heaving a huge sad sigh she looked up and asked hesitantly, �And Master Slayer? What does that mean?�
Perpalla smiled indulgently at her. �Oh that one�s easy to explain, Buffy. You passed the Cruciamentum. The test where the Council pits you unarmed against a newly risen vampire with none of your Slayer powers and expects you to Slay or die. You survived the challenge and automatically became a Master Slayer. It happens far less often that you might imagine. Not many Slayers make it to their eighteenth birthday to even take the test. Far fewer survive it.�
Buffy frowned at her in confusion. �But I didn�t face a newly risen vampire. He was an insane monster� so strong��
Spike snarled at Giles, �You put her through that? How could you? I thought��
Giles cleared his throat again. �I did what I thought I had to do, Spike. When I discovered the test had gone wrong I went to face Kralik myself,� He turned his proud gaze to his Slayer, �But of course when I arrived Buffy had already Slain him.�
Spike was incandescent with fury. He surged to his feet, scattering crumbs everywhere as his plate fell to the floor. He roared, �Kralik? Zachary Kralik? You set her up with that murdering lunatic, you bastard?� With his fists raised he took a step towards the Watcher who cringed back in his seat at the sight of the enraged Master Vampire. With his eyes flickering ominously between gold and blue Spike ground out, �I should rip your lungs out�..�
He was quelled by a warm hand coming to rest on his fist and a quiet voice. �It�s all right, Spike. I managed to save mom, and Giles did change his mind. When he found out it had gone wrong he warned me and then he came to help us. It�s when the Council fired him for loving me instead of being all formal and remote as a �proper� Watcher should be. I forgave him long ago.�
Spike took a deep breath to force himself to calm down and turned to her in appalled disbelief. �Your mum? That nutter had your lovely mum?�
Buffy smiled a bleak determined smile, �Nobody messes with my family and gets away with it, Spike. You should know that better than most.�
Keeping hold of her hand to ground himself, Spike sat back down and considered what he had just learned. He regarded the shaken demoness with a frown. �You say it should always be a newly risen vamp?�
She nodded hesitantly. �That was always the tradition as I knew it, Master William. It�s been over a century since the last Master Slayer, though. I�ve wondered why there hasn�t been another for so long. Perhaps they�ve changed the system?�
Giles put in doubtfully, �The way you speak it�s as if you think they deliberately set the girls up to fail.�
Spike rolled his eyes impatiently, �Well of course they do, Watcher. Think about it! They like to control their little girls. Nowadays once they reach eighteen they�re adults. They�ve got rights and can tell the sodding Council to go screw themselves.�
He pondered for a few moments as he figured out how it must work. �A nice biddable girl gets to face a baby vamp. Needless to say not many nice biddable girls have the imagination to Slay when they have no powers and no weapons, so all but the best die. The Council convinces those that survive they need more training so they stay nice biddable girls, and no doubt die shortly after because their confidence has been broken.�
He gestured at Buffy. �Now the brightest and the best, the girls with skill and flair, they�ve come into their own by the time they�re eighteen. They�re strong and they know it and they start to assert their independence like Buffy here. The Council wankers want to bring them back under their thumbs or get rid of them, so they throw them against a big strong vampire. The poor girls either get killed then and there or they have the stuffing knocked out of them so badly they crumble and get themselves killed soon after. Either way another scared little girl gets Called for the Council to control.�
Giles shook his head in confusion. �But Buffy can�t be the only Slayer to have survived the test in the last century. Nikki Wood in the seventies, she was older. She even had a son when she was killed.� He glanced accusingly at Spike who cleared his throat and looked away awkwardly.
Old Perpalla held up a reproving finger. �Ah, you are speaking about the Slayer in New York?� When Giles nodded she added, �But that Slayer was already eighteen and a mother when she was Called. Her Watcher chose not to put her through the test, and then when she was just twenty...� She gestured helplessly at Spike who again looked away.
He hadn�t known that Slayer had been a mother. Thinking back he remembered a small dark figure nearby that had distracted him with a noise during one of their encounters, but he had thought it was a stray dog. Could it have been a child? If so would the knowledge have changed his actions? He gave a mental shrug. No, the Slayer knew the way the game was played. She wouldn�t have expected him to do anything different.
Buffy looked over at her Watcher again in disbelief. �A Slayer had a child? Slayers can have children? Why didn�t I know this?�
Giles looked guilty as he stammered, �Well� it wasn�t a topic that came up in discussion, Buffy.� He shrugged, �Besides, as Perpalla said, Nikki had her baby before she was Called. I�ve never heard of a serving Slayer giving birth.� He looked at Perpalla for confirmation.
She shrugged and shook her head to show she hadn�t either.
After a moment Spike gathered his thoughts and turned his calculating gaze to his Slayer and mused aloud, �And the wankers really gave you Zachary Kralik to face with none of your Slayer powers, as a test?� He breathed, �My God, they really wanted to get rid of you, didn�t they, Slayer?�
TBC

A/N:
I am ignoring any backstory for Spike and Nikki (and everyone else for that matter) that might previously have been published in comics or books related to the series. I know that there is at least one book about Nikki and several featuring Spike but since Joss hasn�t declared them �canon� (and I haven�t read them) I am sticking to what we learned from the actual TV series, and adding my own embellishments to that to fit with my plot.
- 1
- 2
- 3
You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.
Report Story

Resolutions