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No such thing as coincidences	By : All4Spike Category: AtS/BtVS Crossovers > Threesomes/Moresomes > Angel(us)/Buffy/Spike(William) > Angel(us)/Buffy/Spike(William) Views: 6097 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 1
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
- 7
- 8
- 9
Chapter eight.

Spike woke to a loud knock at his door, which he found strangely disturbing. People never knocked for him, they always came bursting in to wherever he was, either threatening him or making demands. He sat up, cautiously called “Come in” and an eyebrow went up in surprise when Giles poked his head around the door.

“Spike…” Giles began, and immediately took his glasses off to give them a thorough polish. Not a good sign.

“What’s up Rupert?” He asked, rather nervously. “Come in mate, take the weight off.”

Giles came into the room closing the door behind him, and took the armchair indicated. “I’ve been asking around among my Council contacts, about one of your irritatingly intriguing questions, concerning how other Slayers have earned their living. As far as I can tell none of the previous Slayers have had to do so.” Giles at last replaced his glasses on his nose and looked Spike in the eye. “To be honest it’s not something that had ever crossed my mind before. In today’s economy you just take for granted that once someone reaches maturity they go out and earn their living. From what my friends have found in the diaries, it has become clear that previous Slayers have been supported either by their families or by their Watchers. Buffy, as usual, has managed to become unique. She is the only Slayer who has lived long enough and become so highly skilled that not only has she become independent of her Watcher, but has also become a householder in her own right with domestic responsibilities and a dependent of her own... Dawn.”

Spike frowned, “So the Council of Wankers have no rules that cover her situation, no precedent for how to help her. Which means they aren’t going to help her, doesn’t it?”

“I’m afraid so Spike. When Buffy’s mother died I tried to get Quentin Travers to agree to some sort of allowance for her, at least sufficient to cover the expenses of the house, and food and clothing for the pair of them, but he kept saying ‘The Council does not pay the Slayer, that is not our custom’, and he would not be shifted from that position.”

Spike jumped out of bed, pulled on his jeans and started pacing furiously back and forth, head down nibbling at his nails. “Bear with me Giles, I have an idea that’s trying to get through to me.” He scrubbed his hands through his hair a couple of times and once he punched a wall leaving a dent in the plaster when he came a bit too close to it before turning to retrace his steps across the room. He muttered continually under his breath, Giles caught snatches as Spike passed close to him. “I know I thought of something… no, that won’t work… she shouldn’t have to beg…. The girl’s died twice for them!... Bloody Council of Sodding Wankers… she’s been at this since she was fifteen for heaven’s sake… she deserves some reward… there must be something… what was it…”

All at once he stopped, turned towards the former Watcher, and a delighted grin spread across his face. “I think I’ve got it Giles, I really think I’ve got the Council where we want them!” He sat on the corner of the bed, hands nervously twisting the covers between his spread legs. “As I understand it the Council claims to employ the Slayer to do a job for them, yes?”

Giles nodded, “Yes, they consider it to be a contract, sealed at the moment the Chosen One is called. She accepts her duty then her designated Watcher takes over as her trainer and guardian, not legally of course, just figuratively. Usually a Potential Slayer will be located in time for a Watcher to be assigned to begin her training years before any possible calling, then if she never receives the call her Watcher gets reassigned. It’s not uncommon for the redundant Potential to take up a post with the Council. It so happens that Buffy was one of the few Potentials who was not identified as such before she was called, so her training was all ‘on the job’ as you might say, which might explain some of her more… er… independent traits.”

“Right Rupert, I’m not going to explain my idea to you, you’ll have a wiggins, but I need you to get old Quentin on the phone and let me speak to him. I may need to pass you the phone at some point, but by then you’ll understand where I’m coming from and be able to play along.”

Spike put a T shirt on and then led the way down to the partially cleaned lobby. All the bodies had gone, but there was still a lot of scrubbing to be done. He took a seat at the desk in the reception area while Giles picked up the phone. Before he had finished dialling, Spike pressed his finger on the button that disconnected the line. “Just a moment, I’m going off half-cocked again as usual. I need a name, who am I? William will do, it’s what I’m used to, but there’s no way I’m using my former surname. I need a new one. English, nothing too common, nothing too unusual, just sort of respectable.”

They both racked their brains in vain for several minutes. “How about just picking one at random from the phone book?” Giles finally suggested.

“I don’t know about that, I think I’d rather have one that says something about me, sneakily though, so nobody who doesn’t know the real me would make the connection.” Spike grinned, “it’s fun having a joke on someone when they don’t even know it!”

“All right, let’s see, you are the Protector of the Key, but I’ve never seen Protector used as a surname, have you?”

Spike shook his head, “I can’t really be William Vampire either, and William Blood has been used and could be too memorable… do you think I dare be William Aurelius?”

Giles pondered a few seconds, “It isn’t really an English name is it? And I think it might be too obvious. What about William Knight, as you are Buffy’s Pale Knight, as mentioned in the prophecy, or even William Champion if you are to become her Champion?”

“You might be on to something there,” Spike frowned slightly as he considered, “I’d feel a bit cheeky picking Champion, I don’t think I’m fit for that yet, not before I’ve got the soul, but William Knight… that could be right.” He repeated the name to himself several times, getting the feel of it. “Yes, I think that’s me, William Knight, it sort of fits.” He grinned up at Giles. “Off we go again then!”

Giles once more began dialling Quentin Travers’s number, and when he heard the ringing tone he handed Spike the receiver. Spike gestured frantically, “Quick Rupert, give me your specs, I need to be William again, and he was blind as a bat, always playing with his sodding specs when he was concentrating!”

Putting Giles glasses on, Spike spoke into the phone, “Good day to you sir, am I speaking to Mr Travers, Mr Quentin Travers?”........... “I have been told you are the person I need to speak to about a Miss… let me see… oh yes, Miss Summers, Miss Buffy Summers of Sunnydale, California. Really what outlandish names these Americans give their children, I had assumed her given name was Elizabeth, but it seems not.”

Giles gaped at Spike, his usual coarse North London tones had completely vanished, to be replaced by a well educated upper class English accent.

“My name, Travers, is William Knight, currently residing in Los Angeles, California, for my sins. The young lady has assured me that she is under contract to you for some unspecified services that prevent her from taking up the post I have offered her. I would like to know the specifics of this contract please; she seems unable to furnish me with any details at all. She claims it came into force when she was a minor, aged only fifteen, and therefore she has never seen any records pertaining to her conditions of employment, and has never personally signed anything connected with the contract. I have offered her a lucrative position for which she is ideally suited, which would require her relocation, with her dependent sister of course, to San Francisco. I really don’t understand why she should refuse as her financial situation is so precarious. She seems to feel she is compelled to remain in Sunnydale.”

Spike winked at Giles, who was beginning to grasp Spike’s line of thought as shown by the smile that was tweaking at the corners of his mouth.

“So let me understand you Travers, there is no written contract?”……. “So how is her salary and benefits package calculated then? I have offered her a six figure annual income, with health and dental insurance plus clothing allowance, sufficient to keep her and her sister in relative comfort and compensate them for relocation and the necessary transfers from their respective schools. As her financial difficulties will soon force her to give up her house and make it necessary for her and her sister to move in with her father in Los Angeles, I fail to understand her loyalty to this position with you that she is under no legal obligation to fulfil.”

Giles was desperately trying not to laugh as Spike’s proposition became more and more outrageous.

Spike himself was having trouble keeping a straight face, and was forced to turn away from the spluttering Giles to keep his focus, twirling the Watcher’s glasses by one arm as he did so. “Travers, this is incomprehensible. You are trying to tell me that you have no legal contract with Miss Summers, and do not compensate her for these unnamed services she provides, yet you have some kind of hold over her which makes her feel obliged to allow herself and her young sister to become homeless and destitute before she will consent to move away from that ghastly little town?”

Spike put the glasses back on his nose and flapped his hand over his shoulder to try and make Giles stop giggling, briefly holding his other hand over the mouthpiece as he gave in to a little chuckle himself.

“Very well Travers, I shall simply have to increase my offer to the young lady in increments until she accepts. I value her unique skills that highly. I expect you will be hearing from her or her representative within a few hours to tender her resignation. I understand she has been in difficulties with the Social Services regarding her suitability to be guardian to her sister, and I have no doubt that her duty of care will eventually force her to concede that a secure well paid position such as I am offering can only provide a better life for her sister and herself that your nebulous contract. Good day Travers.”

Spike hung up, took off Giles’s glasses again and curled up in the chair, giggling wildly. When he was able to speak again he said, “Just wait Rupert, the phone is going to start ringing any minute now and that tosser Quentin is going to cave in. Don’t forget to act surprised he’s changed his mind, you’ve forgotten you asked for an allowance for the Slayer at all. You don’t know about Mr Knight’s offer, but if he mentions it you should suggest Quentin makes his final figure high enough to remove any possibility the Slayer might be tempted. Don’t forget the high turnover of clothing ruined through Slayage, and the cost of repairs and replacements when demons get in the house. Got it?”

“Got it Spike.” Giles grinned. Spike handed him back his glasses, which he polished thoroughly to remove Spike’s finger marks, and they settled down to wait for the phone to ring. Sure enough, less than five minutes later it did so.

Wesley looked out of the office on the third ring, “Isn’t either of you going to answer that?”

“No hurry.” Spike replied, “Would you pick it up please Wes? Although odds are that it’ll be for Rupert here.”

“Angel Investigations, we help the helpless.” Wesley turned to Giles and said, “Yes Mr Travers, I saw him just now, hold on a moment please.”

He passed the receiver over, and Giles counted to twenty, slowly, before speaking. “Hello?”…… “Ah Quentin, good to hear from you, thanks for the material you have sent us, we’re only just beginning to sort through it. Was there something you wanted to add?”……… “A job offer? No Quentin, I’m sorry Buffy hasn’t said anything to me about that, although I can certainly understand how she might be tempted. Her work in the fast food place is truly distasteful to her and really doesn’t pay enough to keep body and soul together, besides considerably cutting into the time she has available for her Slayer duties.” ……… “Really? A six figure sum plus benefits? Very tempting I’m sure. Do you intend to manoeuvre Faith out of jail to take Buffy’s place at the Hellmouth when she leaves?” ……… “Well wouldn’t you prefer a comfortable well paid position to a dangerous and thankless task such as guarding the Hellmouth at the same time as flipping disgusting burgers fifteen hours a day?”……… “Oh yes, I seem to remember suggesting something along those lines last year, I thought you said it wasn’t Council policy?”……… “That doesn’t sound a very good offer to put beside a six figure sum Quentin, particularly when you factor in how much the Slayer needs to lay out on replacing clothing that gets ruined on a weekly basis and repairs that regularly need to be done to the property when it gets damaged by demons.”……… “Now that sounds a lot more acceptable. Do you think you might want to add in a contribution to a college fund for each of the sisters? We mustn’t forget that due to last year’s Hellgod activity Buffy had to interrupt her education, and Dawn has no financial expectations whatsoever to prepare for hers.” ……… “I think that would be quite acceptable Quentin. Should I tell Buffy how soon the funds will become available, or would you like to?”……… “Thank you Quentin, I’ll tell her to expect your written communication with the details of her allowance, and of the account you’ll be setting up for her. Perhaps it could be opened with a lump sum to ease her out of her current difficulties?”……… “An excellent idea. Thank you Quentin, goodbye.”

Giles got up and did a little jig around the desk, thumping a grinning Spike on the shoulder as he went past, and twirling an astonished Wesley into a pirouette. “I can’t believe it, it worked! Well done Spike, we’ve got Buffy a very comfortable allowance, a guaranteed monthly income to cover all the bills plus clothing and house maintenance costs, and even contributions to college funds for both girls. Your suggestion of a six figure sum really stung Quentin, and that’s just about what we’ve got!” He got a bit puffed and sat down again. “Would you like to tell Buffy she can quit the Doublemeat Spike, or should I?”

“Go on Giles, you know you want to, you can give her the details. No need to mention my William Knight impression, but it might be as well to tell her about the fictional job offer in case Quentin goes on at her about it.”

Giles went off wearing a silly grin to look for Buffy, and Spike took his leave of Wesley and returned to his room to resume his interrupted sleep. Because of his unusual activities over the past few days, culminating with the battle that had sapped his energy so much, he was off his normal sleep and feed schedule. He had no idea what the time was, all he knew was that it was daylight, and he should be asleep. He couldn’t decide whether he was really tired or just hungry, he was simply aware of feeling slightly out of sorts. The choice became academic when he saw a large flask on the bedside table. He drank down the warm blood it contained, stripped off again and flopped spread-eagled prone on his bed. He was asleep within seconds.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The next time Spike woke, it was a gradual process. He felt that he had slept as long as he needed to. He was feeling warm and comfortable and was reluctant to move. Without opening his eyes he could sense it was around sunset, so he was relieved to know he was back to his natural nocturnal rhythm. He stretched luxuriously, feeling his muscles align themselves, and his joints pop and release their underlying tension. He gave his body the mental once-over, and knew that he had no injuries left to heal. He took a deep breath in preparation for a satisfied sigh… and smelled the fresh scent of his Slayer. He concentrated, heard her breathing and heartbeat, and realised she was in the room with him. “Enjoying the view love?” He asked, hearing the smile in his own voice.

Buffy gave an irritated sigh, and said “How did you… oh, my scent?”

“That, and I can hear you breathing and your heartbeat.” He smirked, “came to say good morning did you Buffy? I preferred the wake-up call you used last time…” He rolled over and opened his eyes. “Cm’ere …” he reached out a hand towards her.

“No… that’s not why… Oh Spike…” She took a deep breath and started again. “Angel said you’d be waking up about now so I…” She was standing just inside the door, and she was shifting from foot to foot, obviously feeling very nervous about something. Disappointed, he sat up and pulled the sheet up to his waist.

“So… no wake-up shag on the menu today then. Shame. Oh well… What can I do for you Slayer?”

“It’s just… we’re thinking about going home tomorrow, and I need to know…” She stopped, as always finding it hard to put what she wanted to say into words.

“Need to know what? Whether your pet vampire is going to be a good boy and follow along? You know I will…” He sighed sadly, it looked as if the holiday was over and they’d be going back to the awkwardness that had existed before he’d left. “Something I need to know too Slayer. I’ve been thinking. How seriously do you want me to take this ‘Protector of the Key’ thing? I don’t know if you’ve figured out whether those nasties were after Dawnie, but if they were we can assume they’ll be after her in Sunnydale too. I need to know what you expect of me. I’m not going to be able to watch her all the time, ’specially not when she’s out and about during the day.”

“The general feeling is that they must have been after Dawn, or you wouldn’t have felt any warning, it’s probably something to do with you being her ‘Protector’ and your connection to that sword. Giles and Fred have been working on why they were invisible and they think it was probably because they came from a different dimension and were sort of out of phase with us. The point is Spike, we have to take it seriously, but I don’t know how we’re going to work it. We can still use the back room of the Magic Box for training, but I don’t know how that’s going to fit in with my regular patrolling, and looking after Dawn… and sorting out her new training regime… and getting her to and from school…and is she even going to be safe at school?…” She smiled suddenly, “At least I don’t have to worry about working at the Doublemeat any more, I wanted to thank you for your part in that by the way…” The smile faded and she frowned, “Most of all I don’t know what to do about you.”

“So word has got out already hmmm? That means we’ve got to work out an arrangement now then, right? Should I come over at sunset and take the night shift? I can be at the house while you patrol and Niblet does her homework, then sit up on watch overnight and go back to the crypt before dawn. You can do the school runs and watch her at lunchtime and after school until sunset...” He paused to think, “But that doesn’t work ’cos it doesn’t leave time for training… and if I’m your ‘Pale Knight’ too I must keep watching your back so I should patrol with you… and what happens if there are demons after her who go about in daylight...? Or even humans…? I won’t be much use then…” He considered for a moment, “This is going to be complicated isn’t it?”

“Exactly.” Buffy agreed, edging over to the armchair to sit down, “I think we can assume the danger to Dawn is real, and we mustn’t forget that whoever or whatever might be after Dawn will need the two of us as well, so it’s not just her we have to take care of, we mustn’t take unnecessary risks ourselves either.”

“Will we be safer separate or together? What does the Watcher say?” Spike asked.
“Giles isn’t sure Spike, it’s all too new. He hasn’t got all the stuff from Wes’s dad sorted out yet, there’s a lot to go through. At the moment he thinks we’d probably be safer if we all stick together, and keep the Portal artefacts handy, but not actually on us.”

Spike heard a slight noise outside the door, a scuffling and a small impatient ‘humph’. He raised one eyebrow at Buffy and nodded towards the door, “Niblet’s eavesdropping,” he whispered. He received a resigned smile and shrug in response. He threw the sheet back, slid silently off the bed and grabbed his jeans. When he had fastened them he crossed to the door and jerked it open, causing a crouching Dawn to fall into the room. “Did you want something Dawnie?” He grinned down at her.

“Well it’s not fair!” Dawn muttered sulkily as she got up, “We’re supposed to be a team, the three of us, and nobody’s including me in anything. I want to know what’s going on!”
“Dawnie…” Buffy started in a warning tone, then she paused and considered. Sighing, she continued, “You’re right, we should include you. We’ll all be safer if you understand what’s happening.”

Wearing a delighted grin Dawn punched the air in triumph, “Oh Right!” She settled cross-legged on the foot of the bed, “So… have you decided anything yet?”

Spike closed the door and drew on a T shirt, then settled back on the bed sitting up against the pillows and crossing his stretched legs at the ankles. “We’re trying to figure out what to do to keep you safe once we’re back in Sunnydale, Bit. It’s complicated.”

“No it isn’t. You’ve got your Vampire strength and your magic sword, Buffy’s got all sorts of weapons and Superstrength and stuff too. Tara can do an early warning thingy spell around the house like Willow and Tara did at the Magic Box last year… What’s complicated about that?”

“There’s your school to consider, getting you there and back safely, and we don’t really know if you’ll be safe there at all, and then there’s patrolling, and there’s both my training schedule and your new training schedule to work out, and Spike can’t get about very well during the day, so he can only easily come and go between the house and his crypt and the Magic Box when it’s dark, and we…”

Dawn looked at Buffy in puzzled amazement, “Are you trying to make this all difficult on purpose Buffy? Why are you going on about Spike coming and going from his crypt? He has to move in with us! That’s the only thing that makes any sense!” She raised her voice over the feeble protests from both sides of her, “It’s not as if you need to boink in secret any more. We all know you’re together, and it would make everything so much simpler if Spike just moved in as your proper boyfriend.” She grinned happily, “I can tell all my friends he’s my bodyguard… It’ll be so cool!”

Spike opened his mouth, realised he hadn’t got a clue what to say… and closed it again. He watched Buffy helplessly, certain that she would ridicule the idea and protest that no way was he going to move in, that he wasn’t her boyfriend at all and was never going to be.

“As a matter of fact…” Buffy began, hesitantly… and then stalled, finding herself unable to express herself again.

Spike just raised a questioning eyebrow, tilted his head to one side and waited.
Dawn wasn’t as restrained, “Well go on, don’t tell me you hadn’t thought of it yourself Buffy!”

Unable to look him in the eye Buffy mumbled, “I didn’t know whether Spike would want to leave his crypt, he’s got it all comfy now…”

If Spike’s heart was beating it would have missed a beat. She didn’t mean…. Did she…? She couldn’t… Could she…? “Whatever you decide, Slayer,” He said quietly, “Here to help.”
Buffy spoke slowly, as if she was thinking aloud, “You are aren’t you? I mean you really are. I don’t think it registered properly before, but you’ve done nothing but try to help for ages. Of course sometimes it’s all gone spectacularly wrong, but that doesn’t mean you weren’t trying.” She closed her eyes and frowned for a few moments.

“She’s really considering it…” thought Spike in wonderment, and he waited nervously.
She finally said to Dawn, “We’re going to have to do some serious laying down of ground rules, but I think that Spike moving in might be of the good.” She turned to face him, “Is that all right with you Spike?”

“Never been much of a one for rules, love,” He smirked, “but I’ll be there when you need me.” He was so taken aback by her decision his mouth started running on autopilot, “Of course you haven’t said where you need me… am I gonna be the boyfriend in your bed or the bodyguard in your basement?” Spike heard what he’d just said and could have cut his own tongue out. Had he just ruined everything with his stupid smart mouth? He closed his eyes and tensed every muscle in his body, waiting for the explosion.

Instead he got giggles. Dawn’s giggles though, so the Slayer jury was still out.
After a few seconds Buffy very quietly said “I really… don’t... know.”

Dawn jumped up and gave her sister a quick hug before heading for the door. “I’ll leave you two to sort that out between you… I’m just so happy Spike’ll be moving in. All my homework will be so much easier now I won’t have to keep sneaking out to the cemetery every time I need some help. Plus... you know… cool bodyguard!”

The door closed behind her, and vampire and Slayer were left alone to regard each other in silence. As usual, Spike couldn’t keep quiet for long. “What I just said… I didn’t mean to…” He just couldn’t shut himself up, “You know... Slayer… just tell me what you want of me and I’ll accept it. You know I’ll never leave you whatever you decide, not until I’m dust. Just make sure it’s what you want… not just what you think everyone else would approve of… and then you’ve got to stick to it. ’Cos I don’t think I can take any more of your little games… being mucked about like that… not any more… not after…” He finally managed to close his mouth and wait.

“What I want. Yes...” Buffy mused, “What do I want? That’s the question.” She looked down at her hands, clasped so tightly together in her lap that her knuckles were white. “I know what I don’t want. I don’t want to be alone. You’re always there for me when I need you. I don’t want everyone to keep pretending that I never died, and that everything should be the same as before. You never do that. I don’t want everyone to keep saying what they think I want to hear to try and make me happy. You don’t do that, you always tell me exactly what you’re thinking. I don’t want someone who keeps thinking I need them to save me, who makes me feel weak. You don’t do that either, you accept me for exactly what I am, and everything you do and say makes me feel stronger.”

She closed her eyes and frowned. “I want someone who can be honest with me. I think you will be. I want someone I can trust to keep Dawn safe. I know you’ll do everything you can to protect her. I want someone to watch my back and work with me without question… well… except when I do something stupid when I expect them to tell me so. I really know you can do that.” She blushed, still not looking at him, “And I want the way you make me feel, I’ve never felt like that before. Since I came back I sometimes feel dead inside, you always take that feeling away and it’s wonderful.”

She managed to look up at him at last, eyes moist with emotion. “I can’t love you while you have no soul, I simply couldn’t trust you enough for that, but when you said you’d be willing to seek out your soul just to make me feel better… I don’t think you can possibly realise how much that meant to me.” She wiped a single tear from her cheek. “Perhaps it’ll be different if you can get your soul, but until then… I know you love me. I understand that now, although I’m not certain I deserve it…” Spike started to protest, but Buffy held up a single forefinger warningly, “Let me finish, if I don’t get this out now I’ve started, I’ll never be able to.”

She took a deep breath and continued, “What you said before about family? You’ve become part of the family. Dawn loves you for everything you did for her while I was gone, I know that. I trust her judgment. It’s part of why I have come to accept that I want you… need you to be with me. I’ve decided. Please move in and be the boyfriend in my bed.” She watched him nervously, waiting for his reaction.

Spike was speechless. His mouth kept opening to say something, and then closing again when it couldn’t find any words. It wasn’t a phenomenon he was familiar with, and he wasn’t quite sure what to do about it. Then something clicked, a barrier that had been raising itself inside him to protect him against the rejection he had expected collapsed, and it all became very easy. He got up from the bed and walked slowly over to the chair where Buffy was sitting. He took both her hands in his and raised her to stand in front of him, and then he wrapped his arms around her and crushed her to him, burying his face in her hair. “Oh Buffy….” He whispered, and that was enough. It said everything he needed to say.

He was brought back to earth when small strong fists started beating on his back. He loosened his grip slightly, and heard a gasping, “Need to breathe here!”

He chuckled happily and stood back slightly, cupping his panting Slayer’s face in his hands and gazing into her beautiful eyes. A moment of doubt struck him. Usually when things felt too good to be true... they were. “Are you sure about this Buffy? No more games… please… I couldn’t stand it if you were teasing me…”

Buffy smiled gently up at him, “I’m sure, I really mean it.”

“Cm’ere,” Spike immediately proceeded to cut off her air supply again with a thorough kiss. The next few minutes lasted forever. When the hands that had been touching clothes started fondling skin Buffy gently broke the embrace, but she held on to him as her knees had turned to jelly and she was in danger of collapsing in a heap.

“We can’t… not now…” She gasped, “No time… Things have been happening while you were asleep. Do you realise you’d been sleeping for nearly twenty four hours? Giles and Wesley will be waiting for us to come down so they can do the whole explanation thing for everyone.

Spike warily asked, “You gonna tell ’em? You know Harris… his head’ll explode…”

“Do you know what Spike? I’m fed up of trying to please everybody else. You were right, we’re going to do this because it’s what I want…” She grinned mischievously, “and I know you want it too! Giles has told us it’s acceptable for Slayers and vampires to be together and that’s good enough for me. If they don’t like it…”

“Good for you love, I’ve got your back as always. If they don’t like it just point me at ’em. All I have to do is pick up my magic sword and I can take ’em out for you, one by one until they fall into line.” He sniggered, and was rewarded with a thump in the ribs.

They straightened their clothes, Spike put his boots on and Buffy ran her fingers through her tousled hair, and then they made their way down to the lobby which was now completely cleaned of the remains of the battle. Everyone was gathered at the end of the room where the red sofa seating area had had extra chairs added. All eyes turned to them as they approached. Spike glanced at Dawn who was sitting between Tara and Willow on one of the sofas, and when she met his eyes he raised his scarred eyebrow at her and gave her the merest nod. She let out a little ‘eep’ and clapped both hands over her mouth, wriggling in her seat, unable to contain her glee. Spike had to struggle to keep his own face from blazing out his happiness in a wide grin in return.

Buffy sat in one of the vacant chairs, and Spike took his place standing behind her, one hand lightly resting on her shoulder. Giles regarded them with a slight frown, then took a deep breath and began to speak. “All of you know something of what has been happening over the past few days, but now we’ve discovered enough to let you all know what we’ve uncovered before we prepare to leave for Sunnydale tomorrow morning. We’ve been working together to decipher three distinct prophecies, all of which impact upon the people in this room.”

He took his glasses off, polished them, and as he put them back on again he picked up a sheaf of papers from the small table at his side. “We’ll take one prophecy at a time. The one I came back to work on was one I found about Dawn still being the Key to opening transdimentional Portals. I discovered that as part of a team consisting of ‘The Key’, ‘The Holder of The Key’ and ‘The Protector of The Key’, she can create and control portals to any dimension she chooses. To facilitate the creation of Portals each of them should possess an artefact. For Dawn that is the Bracelet that Spike found on a demon he had killed. For Spike it is the sword that we have all seen him use so effectively, that was just sitting there in Angel’s weapons cabinet. And for Buffy it’s the unique necklace that we have just located. Xander, perhaps you’d explain its discovery for those who haven’t yet heard?”

“Well it was all a bit of an accident really,” Xander said as he stood up and looked around at his audience, “I was scanning the latest version of that double damned seating chart to send to Anya by email, with a few other bits and pieces I thought she’d be interested in, and I must have accidentally included that sketch Angel and Spike drew of Buffy’s emerald necklace. I soon got a phone call from her asking me how I’d got a picture of the necklace she’d just bought on ebay to wear with her wedding dress! She was not happy! I wasn’t supposed to know what she was going to be wearing, and if I knew what necklace she had did I know what her dress was going to be like and if so how and had I cheated and looked at the bridesmaids…”

“Xander!” Giles interrupted loudly, “get back to the point!”

“Oh… sorry Giles… yes… anyway she sent me the link to the ebay listing, and we looked and it’s definitely the same necklace as in the sketch, except it doesn’t look like silver, it’s all black, but it does have the three big green crystals. I expect nobody realised they were real emeralds… if they had, the price it finally went for would have been far higher… It should be arriving at the Magic Box in the mail in a couple of days so we can stop looking for it now.”

Spike muttered “Another bloody coincidence.”

Giles had heard him, “Yes Spike, another coincidence. However I am coming to realise that nothing concerning this prophecy is coincidental. I think we can safely assume that someone or something is manipulating events to ensure this prophecy will be fulfilled. First there’s the fact that I found the prophecy at all, hand written in the back of a very old and very obscure book, and that Spike and I were able to translate it together without difficulty. Then there was the curious fact that Spike knew of a book that would explain how the whole procedure should work, and that it had belonged to Wesley’s great-grandfather so we knew where to look for it. The fact that I am familiar with the three individuals mentioned, enabling me immediately to recognise who was being described is another. We have Dawn, Buffy the Slayer, and Spike a vampire of… er… unusual character, all of whom are vital to the process who have come together in what can only be an unique situation. Then we found a sketch identifying the three artefacts. Then there is the unbelievable way the three emerald artefacts themselves have been found so easily, as if they were just waiting around for us.”

Spike spoke again, “Not to mention that your ‘vampire of unusual character’ can, as far as he knows, only bite one person in the whole bleedin’ world, and that is the person who he’ll need to bite to make the Portals close, and that one person is just about the only person in the world who would be even remotely likely to trust him enough to allow him to bite her in the first place, and that she’s one of only a very few people who he would never even think of trying to kill. This is all getting far too weird for comfort.”

Giles looked astonished. “Do you know Spike? That aspect had never even occurred to me!”

“I’m not going to be happy about this whole Portal Prophecy thing until I know who’s pulling our strings Giles!” Spike added.

“No, I can see that it might be rather disturbing, in fact I’m more than a little concerned myself.” Giles admitted, “I think we’re going to have to proceed very cautiously. The first priority for now is making sure the three of you remain safe while we finish working out what you’ll all need to do to create and control the portals. I gather you had an idea you thought might help with that, Buffy?”

Buffy flushed, and answered very quietly, “Yes Giles. Spike is going to be moving in with us. That is... with me. We’ll be far stronger together than apart.”

Giles nodded resignedly. “I suspected as much. I can’t say I’m totally happy with it Buffy, but as always I trust you to know what’s best regarding matters of the heart.” He lifted his gaze to Spike, “I think you know how much trust she’s putting in you? I can only hope that trust is not misplaced.”

Spike managed to restrain himself from making a snide remark, and just nodded in acknowledgement of the Watcher’s acceptance.

There were quiet murmurings and smiles from most of the people in the room, but Xander just couldn’t resist bursting out with his objection. “He’s moving in with you? Spike? How can you…” His angry voice was drowned by Buffy’s reprimand.

“Don’t even!” She spoke sharply, holding up an imperious finger. “Xander, we are doing this. You have no right to dictate to me how I live my life, so just stop now before one of us says something we can’t take back! Not only is Spike part of this prophecy, but the other one too, and both Dawn and I are going to have to rely on him. It makes sense for us all to be together, and apart from all that I want him there with me!” She took a deep breath, and Spike could feel her trembling, so he gave her shoulder a gentle squeeze of encouragement. She lifted her hand to cover his, grateful for the gesture. “If you can’t accept that, Xander, you aren’t the kind and generous man I thought you were.”

The angry young man subsided, but could be seen frowning and heard muttering under his breath for some time afterwards. Giles continued, “I’ll let Wesley describe the other prophecies.”

“Thank you Giles,” Wes began, “A little while ago we came into possession of a prophecy called The Nyazian Scrolls. It foretold the coming of a child of two vampires, and said, ‘For surely in that time, when the sky opens and the heavens weep, there will be no birth, only death.’ Connor wasn’t born in the accepted meaning of the term, he came into being as a result of Darla’s death, she staked herself to allow her child to live, in an alley in a pouring rainstorm. There was a disturbing phrase in the copy we had, which has since been stolen, that translated as ‘The father will kill the son’ which gave me cause for concern for Connor’s wellbeing. Another of those coincidences that have been happening around here recently brought another vampire here,” he nodded to Spike, “who was able to tell that the supplies of blood Angel had been consuming had been tainted with Connor’s blood, to ensure he would become accustomed to the taste and begin to become comfortable with the thought of his own son being food. This made us doubt the veracity of the prophecy, as it seemed that Angel was being manipulated.”

Wesley paused, and removed his glasses to polish, and everyone smiled at the familiar gesture being performed by another Watcher. “Yet another of those coincidences we’ve been talking about brought us Giles and his book that contained a hidden parchment. On one side it bore the sketches of the artefacts needed for the operation of Portals, and on the reverse it bore some indecipherable writing. Upon a suggestion from Spike, we sent a copy of this writing to the Council on the off chance that somebody there might be able to translate it. They have just sent us the result of their efforts, and it’s fascinating. It is a full transcription of the Nyazian Scrolls, identical with the one we had except for one important factor. The section which in my copy read ‘The father will kill the son’, in this copy reads, ‘The one sired by the vampire with a soul will grow to manhood and kill Sahjhan.’ Now we don’t know which version is correct, but it throws even more doubt upon the assumption that Angel will harm Connor, which I was always very reluctant to believe. We’ve been trying to discover who or what this ‘Sahjhan’ is but have so far had no luck. We’ll continue with our research, and meanwhile keep a close eye on both father and son!”

Wesley continued to explain the third prophecy. “Angel and the crowd from Sunnydale have already heard this, but it bears repeating. While trying to find more information about the Nyazian Scrolls I came across another prophecy, which I have been able to positively relate to Spike and Buffy. This is it…” He read from his notes.

‘The Champion of the Summer Slayer, her Pale Aurelian Knight, will fight by her side and guard her back. For love of his Lady he will, in the time of the greatest Evil, give his Life and Soul in a pillar of Golden Fire and Sunlight, as together they destroy the Mouth of Hell. After his Sacrifice he will become a shining Champion of Light and will stand with an Angel to oppose the Hordes of Hell.’

“The significance of this is clear. Spike will one day be returned his soul, something he has already expressed an interest in achieving, and this will enable Buffy and Spike to work together at some point to destroy the Hellmouth. In the process Spike will die, only to come back as a Champion of Light similar to Angel, to stand with him in his fight against evil. There’s not really anything much to add to that, but it gives us all hope for the future. A Sunnydale without a Hellmouth would be wonderful.”

Giles stood again and swept the gathering with his eyes. “After the excitement of the past few days I suggest we all have a quiet evening and an early night in preparation for setting out for Sunnydale first thing in the morning.”

The group broke up with people wandering off in all directions, and Buffy led Spike to sit on the vacated red sofa opposite Willow Tara and Dawn. “Phew!” She exclaimed. “That went better than I expected!”

“Except for Xander,” Dawn retorted. “He can be such a jer…”

“Dawn!” Buffy leaned forward and put her hand out to her sister, “Xander will just need some time to get used to the idea of Spike and me being together.”

“And about time too!” Tara grinned at Buffy, rising out of her seat to reach across and give her a hug. She then bent over Spike and lifted his chin to give him a smacking kiss on the mouth. “Thank goodness you’ve got your act together at last! I was getting really fed up of being the only person who knew. I’m so happy for you both.” She sat down again reaching across Dawn to take Willow’s hand and give it a fond squeeze. Giggling madly she added, “It might be a good idea to soundproof your room though…”

Spike smiled sheepishly in embarrassment and dropped his head forward, rubbing the back of his neck as he turned to see Buffy’s reaction. “It’s always the quiet ones…” He mumbled. Buffy grinned back at him, apparently enjoying his discomfort. He relaxed back into the cushions of the sofa and put an arm around her shoulders as she leaned against him.

Willow looked from person to person in bewilderment, “Am I the only person apart from Xander who didn’t know before we got here? Did it look as if I was going to be Judgmental Willow instead of Supporto Willow? If I can date a werewolf guitarist and then a gay witch, and Xander can fancy a homicidal Bug Lady Teacher, date an Inca Mummy girl and then a Cordelia and then actually marry an ex vengeance demon I don’t see why Buffy shouldn’t have another vampire boyfriend if that’s what she wants! Spike’s OK! He could have bitten me and he didn’t.”

“I still could Red, if you’d like,” Spike joked, “That offer to turn you is still open you know, I really do think you’d make an outstanding vampire.”

“I know! I did… although the leather dominatrix look… not so much.” She shook her head doubtfully.

Spike’s eyebrow went up in astonishment and he made a mental note to ask her later what she was talking about, as Dawn spoke. “I didn’t know,” she said with a sly smile, “but I knew there had to be something going on… their bickering was becoming so much more fun!” She got up and crossed over to sit the other side of Spike from her sister, snuggling against him and kissing his cheek. Delighted, Spike put his other arm around her shoulders and kissed the top of her head.

Buffy reassured her friend, “I was going to tell you Will, but it was the day you deratted Amy and I couldn’t tell you when she was there, and then you were going through a bad time with the dark magic and I just couldn’t… I only told Tara by accident when I asked her to check the spell you used to bring me back. I needed to know why Spike could hit me without his chip going off because I thought I’d come back wrong.”

Spike turned to her apologetically, “That was all my fault, making you scared you’d come back wrong with demon inside you. I should have realised that as you’d been in heaven you’d come back with angel inside you instead.” He looked around in confusion when all the girls started giggling.

Buffy took his hand and patted it, gently explaining, “I didn’t have Angel inside me when I came back Spike.”

He caught the joke and chuckled wickedly, “No… you had Spi…”

Buffy thumped him on the chest and flushed, “Shhhh!” and there were more gales of feminine laughter surrounding him. He felt wonderful, the girls had all accepted him as part of Buffy’s life. The problem of Xander could wait for another time.

After everyone had enjoyed a takeaway meal, the rest of the evening was spent chatting and generally relaxing, and it wasn’t long before everyone except Angel and Spike had retired for the night.
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No such thing as coincidences