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Chapter 15

Spike could hear the pandemonium inside the house on Revello drive as he drew near. Their panic as they hypothesized what might have happened to the Slayer ringing loud and clear in his ears. Why he was even putting himself at risk like this was anyone’s guess. But, after witnessing firsthand the Slayer’s mum’s anguish, he didn’t think he could contribute to it anymore by keeping the location of her daughter a secret.

As he rang the doorbell, he heard the sounds within quiet down, then someone move away from the group in the living room and towards the door.

It opened, and Spike stood face to face with the woman that had beamed him in the noggin with an axe.

“Yes?”

“I’m sorry to bother you, ma’am,” he told her, trying to affect an American accent. “It’s just– my car died, and I was wondering if I might use your phone to call a tow truck?”

Her gruff exterior melted in the face of his boyish charm and she uttered the words Giles had told her repeatedly never to say after dark.

“Certainly. Please. Come in. The phone is in the kitchen.”

Spike smiled and stepped across the threshold. Now, if he could just get her alone.

Seeing the kitchen through the dining room, he moved off in that direction, completely avoiding having to pass in front of the living room – where the Slayer’s mates were gathered – and down the hallway. Joyce seemed slightly startled at his move, and he threw a boyish grin over his shoulder. “This way?”

She shook off her hesitation and smiled, nodding as she motioned him towards the kitchen.

“Who is it, Joyce?” Giles called out from the living room a minute later. His voice was getting louder as he spoke, like he was walking towards the kitchen. Fuck! This wasn’t going to work. In the dark, his disguise might fool the watcher. But, in the bright lights of the kitchen, the observant man would easily discern his identity.

“Sorry, Joyce,” he apologized just before he snaked an arm around her neck and drew her body as a shield in front of his chest. She let out a gasp of shock, which seemed to bring the watcher into the room even faster.

~*~*~*~*~

Giles rushed into the kitchen and ground to a halt at the sight before him. A well-dressed man had Joyce held captive in front of him. He didn’t appear threatening, if you discounted the whole hostage scenario. It was more like the man was just waiting to see what he was going to do.

A moment later, Willow and Xander bumped into his back, peeking over his shoulder to see inside the room.

“You– you let her go! Y-you mean person, you,” Willow bravely demanded from her place behind Giles.

“Ahhh, Red. Still as feisty as ever, I see,” Spike remarked, his eyes never leaving the watcher’s. He waited as the older man slowly realized whom it was that held Joyce captive. How he tried to tamp down his fear and put on a brave front for the others.

“What do you want?” Giles ground out.

“The Slayer’s mum here. Me and her are gonna take a li’l walk. Have us a nice chat.”

“Over my dead body!”

Spike cocked his head to the side as he regarded the man. The Slayer’s friends hadn’t caught on yet who he was, but it was only a matter of time. “Much as I might wish it were so, I promised the Slayer I’d behave.”

That statement had Joyce angling her head back to look at the man holding her. “Buffy? You’ve seen my daughter?” she demanded anxiously.

The vampire spared her a quick glance, giving her a slight nod before his eyes returned to where the watcher was trying to shift closer to them.

“Ah. Ah. Ah. That’s far enough. I’d hate to have to go back on my promise.”

Giles stopped.

“My daughter? She’s okay? She’s–?” Joyce asked, struggling to remain calm as equal parts of fear and elation threatened to overwhelm her.

“She’s fine. Li’l worse for wear, given the situation. But she’ll be right as rain in no time a’tal.”

“Oh thank god!” She seemed to slump with relief in his arms, and Spike found himself having to tighten his grip around her waist to keep her upright.  

He leaned down and whispered in her ear.

“If you want to see her, meet me at the school in an hour. Come alone.”

Then, Spike shoved her into the waiting arms of the watcher and was out the kitchen door the next moment.

~*~*~*~*~

“What did he say?” Giles asked as he caught Joyce in his arms.

“He– I–” In a move perfected by women centuries before when trying to avoid answering a question, Joyce affected a faint. Ignoring her conscience that told her to come clean with Rupert, she allowed herself to be half-led, half-carried, to the couch in the living room. He’d said come alone. Now all she had to do was get rid of the small group huddled around her so that she could do just that.

“I’m sorry,” she mumbled. “I-It’s just– finding Buffy in the hospital, and then going back to find that she’d been taken– it’s taken its toll. Now I have some strange man barging into my house.”

“That was no man,” Giles told her. “That was Spike– a vampire.”

“Spike?!” gasped Xander.

“What?” eeped Willow at the same time.

“What would a vampire be doing here, in my home?” Joyce questioned.

“He’s always had a fascination with slayers and has been credited with killing two of them; one in China, back when he was first turned, the other in New York during the seventies. Why he’s back now is anyone’s guess,” the watcher replied. “It’s safe to say that whatever his reasons, they can’t be good. And now he’s got an open invitation to your home.”

Joyce responded to the censorious tone.

“I’m sorry, Rupert. I wasn’t thinking.” And, truthfully, she hadn’t been. The seemingly nice, well-dressed young man standing outside her door had looked like the furthest thing from a monster. There’d been something in his eyes, too. A grudging respect, maybe. Although, thinking on it now, she must have been mistaken.  

“Yes, well– maybe you should stay at a hotel for the night. At least until we can see about a disinvite spell. We’ll have to let Kendra know.”

“I’ll just go pack an overnight bag,” Joyce told him as she gained her feet.

Giles nodded. “I’ll wait here for you, then drive Xander and Willow home. You’ll get something for Kendra?”

“Certainly.”

Ten minutes later, the small group left the house. Willow and Xander went with Giles towards his small, light blue relic; Joyce climbed into her Jeep. She’d told the watcher that she would book two rooms at the hotel downtown and leave word with the night clerk that Kendra would be by later to pick up her room key.

“Very good. I’ll drop the children off and see if I can catch up with Kendra on patrol.”

Joyce waved goodbye then hurried off to reserve her rooms. She figured she’d have just enough time to do that before she had to be at the school.

~*~*~*~*~

The vampire seemed to materialize out of thin air as she pulled into the high school parking lot. She unlocked the door to allow him entry, praying on the fact that if he had wanted to kill her, he would have already done so.

“We’ve gotta make a stop first,” he told her as he slid into the passenger seat. “Slayer’s hungry, and I wasn’t quite sure what to get her.”

Joyce nodded, unable to speak, the tears of joy flooding her eyes making it difficult for her to navigate.

“She’s really okay?”

“Yeah…”

~*~*~*~*~

“I’ll wait here,” he told her when she pulled into a grocery store parking lot. “You’ve got ten minutes, or I’m gone.”

“I’ll hurry.”

She was back in eight, and would have been back sooner, if it weren’t for the shift change. Her arms were loaded with all types of food, his warning making her grab just about anything that she came across as she hurried down the aisles.

For the next twenty minutes, Joyce felt like she was driving in circles until she was about to brave telling the vampire to quit yanking her chain.

“Pull in here.”

Joyce did as he asked, and when she parked the car, she realized that she was in one of the less savory areas of Sunnydale. Her body tensed with fear that she’d been so gullible.

“I said I’m not going to hurt you,” he growled, sensing her growing agitation. “Jus’ had to make sure we weren’t bein’ followed. Now, come on. Your car should be fine here.”

He climbed out of the vehicle and she did the same, her eyes widening in shock when he grabbed the two bags of food out of the back seat.

‘A vampire with manners?’

“This way,and stay close.”

Another ten minutes spent watching their back and Spike finally led the Slayer’s mother to their room.

~*~*~*~*~

“It’s about time—!”

Buffy’s rant died off as she watched her mom walk in behind Spike.

“Mommy?” The little girl whisper had Joyce flying across the room with no regard to the vampire.

“Buffy! Oh, my baby!”

“Mommy!”

Spike calmly shut and locked the door as the two women embraced, laughing and crying together.

“Oh, Buffy. I was so worried. When I got the news you’d been hurt– and then– and then you’d been taken from me again.” The elder woman was openly weeping now.

“It’s okay, mom.” she soothed. “Spike– he was just protecting me. I guess I kinda panicked when I came to after surgery and he wasn’t there. But, I’m fine now. See?” Buffy leaned away from her mother to show her the gaping wound that had closed completely and was just a red puckered scar. “In a few days, you won’t even be able to see that.” 

“Not if you don’t eat,” Spike grumbled.

“Oh! What kind of mother am I? You must be starving!”

“Maybe just a little bit…” Ravenous was more like it, hence the gripe that the vampire had taken so long. But, a few hunger pangs were worth it to have her mother here with her right now.

Joyce stood up and grabbed one of the two bags that Spike had placed on the bureau. “I wasn’t sure what you might want, so I got a bit of everything.”

“Anything’s fine,” Buffy told her. She watched as her mom reached into the bag and pulled out a can of soup. “That works.”

Spike was by the Slayer’s side and had taken the can from Joyce’s hand before she could even stand up. He walked to the small kitchenette and set about putting the soup in a bowl to microwave.

Buffy just shrugged off his behavior. To explain their relationship would take more time and energy than she had right now. Out of the corner of her eye she caught him stiffen, his eyes narrowed on the door.  

“Mom, can you go get my hairbrush out of the bathroom,” Buffy asked, trying to get her mother out of the way. Whatever it was that was out there, it would have to get through her first.

“Sure, honey,” she replied, completely oblivious to the undertones in the room.

Joyce was halfway to the bathroom when Spike ground out, “Oh bloody hell.”

Buffy looked at him confused.

Spike stormed over to the door and unbolted the locks, throwing the door wide. He vamped and growled at the cross that was suddenly thrust in his face by Buffy’s watcher.

“Rupert!” Joyce gasped upon seeing their visitor.

Confused, Giles glanced around the brassed off vampire to see Buffy’s mother staring at him guiltily. His distraction cost him, and he thought he was going to meet his maker when Spike quickly disarmed him and dragged him inside the room.

“Giles?” Buffy called from the bed.

“Buffy? Buffy! You’re alright!”

“Of course I am!”

Spike rolled his eyes and secured the door once more before returning to the microwave.

“I’m sorry for lying to you, Rupert,” Joyce apologized as she sat on the opposite side of the bed. “But, he told me I could only see her if I came alone. How, uh, how did you know where I was?”

“I hate to say this, Joyce, but you’re a rather horrible liar. I followed you after I saw Xander and Willow home. Almost missed you at the hotel you were checked in so fast.”

Giles pulled off his glasses and collapsed in a chair beside Buffy’s bed. His mind refused to touch the fact that there was only one bed. The whole situation was too surreal to contemplate. Here he was, his slayer lying in bed, evidently healing just fine. Her mother was sitting on the far edge of the bed, eyes barely leaving her daughter. And in the corner was Spike. Evil, soulless, killed-two-Slayers-working-on-my-third Spike.

To top it off, he was making dinner– for Buffy.

The watcher felt like he’d stepped into the twilight zone.

“Would somebody mind explaining to me just what the bloody hell is going on?” Giles demanded rather flabbergasted.

Buffy looked at her watcher and started laughing, which caused the man to blush three shades of red at losing his composure.

 ~*~*~*~*~

“I knew it was you,” Giles murmured some time later, pride evident in his voice. “I just didn’t think you had any help. How did you get him in?”

“I invited him.”

The owlish blink brought forth a chuckle from the vampire. Spike hadn’t said a word while the Slayer told them all that they’d done the previous month, starting with their both being targeted by the Order, up until last night’s final confrontation with the few that had been lurking around Sunnydale.

Giles had listened intently throughout, sometimes murmuring a soft compliment at their fortuitousness. Joyce was near tears by the end, especially when she explained in a monotone voice the details of the battle.  

“Invited him?” Giles asked incredulous. “All you had to do was invite him in?”

“Always thought the Council of Wankers was a bit arrogant in their thinking,” Spike commented.

Giles turned and glared at the smug vampire before he remembered that Spike was evil and soulless and could easily have him for a light snack. Spike just cocked a brow and dared the man to deny his claim. Realizing the futility of engaging in a battle of wits against Spike, he turned back to his slayer.

“And the books?”

“In our bags,” she told him. “We’re narrowing down the list of possibilities as to the location of their stronghold.”

“Wait!” Joyce interrupted. “You mean last night– that wasn’t the end of it.”

“No.”

“But…”

“I’m sorry, mom,” Buffy told her. “I can’t stay. I wouldn’t even be back now if it weren’t for the threat against you guys.”

“Slayer’s right. They’re just going to keep coming at us until either we’re dead, or they are,” Spike told her matter-of-factly.

“Oh Buffy!”

“There has to be a way—” Giles began, only to be cut off by Buffy.

“There is. I leave.” She glanced at her mom, hardening herself to the emotion she saw churning in the elder woman’s eyes. “I can’t stay. If I do, I’m only putting you all in danger, and I couldn’t live with myself if that happened.”

“But where will you go? What will you do?” Joyce just couldn’t process the fact that she was going to have to give up her daughter all over again.

“Wherever we have to and whatever we need to,” she stated.

“When will you—?”

“Tomorrow night, the day after at the latest. We need to take care of a few things before we leave…” She turned to Giles. “…and I was hoping that you could look over the notes we’ve made so far on the location of the Order. See if we’re not missing something.”

Giles nodded somberly.

Buffy glanced at Spike and he could see how tired she was, how emotionally drained.

“Much as I’ve enjoyed this little reunion of sorts, it’s time for the Slayer’s bedtime. We’ll see you at Joyce’s just before sunup. Rupes, I’ll trust you to see the Slayer’s mum to her car?”

“Yes, of course.”

“But how will you—?” Joyce began. She grabbed her purse, fumbling in one of the pockets for her keys. “Here,” she told Spike as she handed the vampire her keys. “Take these and drive over later. I’ll have Rupert run me home.”

Joyce returned to her daughter’s side and brushed a quick kiss to her brow, telling her to get some sleep.

“I’ll see you soon.”

Buffy just nodded. If they didn’t leave soon, she was going to break down and cry in front of them.

Spike saw them to the door.

“Don’t tell the hospital that she’s been located,” he told them quietly. “Better for us to disappear if she’s never found, yeah?”

They both nodded and waved farewell.

Spike managed to shed his clothes and climb into bed before the Slayer burst into tears. Dinner – that had been cooling as she retold her story – was forgotten as she poured out her grief at the thought of never seeing her mother or friends again. Spike held her while she cried, mindful of her injuries. Eventually, she managed to drift off, lulled by the soothing rumble of his chest and the soft caress of his touch.

About an hour before dawn, Spike woke her by lifting her into his arms for the short walk to where Joyce had parked her car; he’d already loaded their stuff beforehand. In half the time as it took last night, Spike was pulling into the driveway on Revello Drive.

Neither Joyce nor the watcher must have slept because both of them were standing outside the vehicle before he could even turn off the engine. Spike opened the door and exited the Jeep, pocketing the keys before walking around to the other side and lifting a dozing Slayer in his arms.

Minutes later, Spike was lowering her onto the bed in her room with the instruction to go back to sleep. Buffy mumbled something that sounded like an agreement before rolling to her side and drifting off. He pulled the covers over her body and quietly exited the room.

At the bottom of the stairs, he greeted both Joyce and the watcher as they came in with their belongings.

“I’ve got a cot fixed up for you in the basement,” she told him.

“That’s fine.” He grabbed the stuff out of her hands, hints of the manners he’d shed long ago suddenly resurfacing. “Thanks. Well, I’ll just be off.”

“I think Spike has the right of it,” Giles murmured after the vampire had disappeared below. “You should get some rest, Joyce.”

She nodded. “You’ll be alright on the couch?”

It had been decided that he’d stay here, keep Kendra calm once she woke to find a vampire in the house and thought to stake first and ask questions later – they’d searched the cemeteries but hadn’t been able to find her, and once returning home, noticed that she was in bed asleep.

“I’ll be fine.”

She nodded at him, her eyes suddenly sad.

“I’m going to have to give her up, aren’t I?”

He moved closer, his hand lifting to stroke her face.

“A slayer’s life is destined to be a short one. At least, maybe with Spike at her side, she’ll last a bit longer.”

“It’s just— I’d hoped—”

Giles wrapped his arms around her and drew her head to his shoulder.

“Shhhh. I know.”

He held Joyce while silent sobs wracked her body, allowing her to cry the tears that he couldn’t shed. When she was spent, he guided her up the stairs to her bedroom and over to her bed. He didn’t speak as he pulled off her shoes and helped her slip beneath the covers, just performed the motions as a father would a child. Afterwards, he leaned over her and kissed her cheek.

“Get some sleep, Joyce.”

Then he straightened and quietly left the room.

~*~*~*~*~

Buffy woke not thirty minutes later. She knew Spike was near, the tingles on her neck were there, just not as concentrated as usual when she slept. With the sun beginning to peek through her curtains, she figured out where he was and hastily gained her feet to hurry to the basement.

She’d gotten used to sleeping with the vampire, and if she stayed in her own bed, all she’d do was toss and turn.

As quiet as she could be with her cracked ribs and healing wounds, she descended the staircase and made a sharp turn into the kitchen. A moment later she opened the basement door and walked down another flight of stairs.

Spike was waiting for her, stretched out on his side on the cot, his arm holding the covers away from his body so she could ease in next to him.

Buffy did just that and sighed in contentment as she cuddled close and went back to sleep.

In the darkened corner of the basement, the Slayer curled up next to him, Spike finally allowed himself to sleep.

~*~*~*~*~

Giles watched his slayer make her way down the stairs and toward the kitchen. There was no doubt in his mind of her destination. The two had obviously formed a bond this past month, one that defied everything that he’d been taught as a watcher-in-training.

That Spike hadn’t killed her, or them, baffled him just as much as it amazed him. Their behavior was definitely due a long write-up in his diary.

But not now.

Now he needed to sleep, and later he had to help his slayer.

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