ALL MANNER OF MONSTERS



Disclaimer: All of the characters in this fiction (except for the random few who I created) belong to…..Joss Whedon, ME, and the cast that portrayed them, so wonderfully on BTVS and ATS.





Summary and Prologue:



“There are all manner of monsters in the world; most of them are human…” A quote by Cynthia, circa 2005.


Summary: Buffy Summers is the mistress of Riley Finn, a well known, ruthless head of a sect of the Irish mob. Although the couple resides in the rich ‘Hill’s of Los Angeles, California? Buffy was born, raised and schooled in the smaller town of Sunnydale, up north of LA.

Buffy was destined, even before she was seventeen-years-old, to become the property of Riley Finn, eventually. Thanks to her shady father, Hank Summers and his allegiance to Finn, Buffy was promised to Riley before she had any choice in the matter.

Although Buffy showed a natural gift for art, like her mother, Joyce, her destiny was all mapped out for her by her father and Riley. Something happened, or, I should say, ‘someone’ happened, on a Spring day, back when Buffy was not quite seventeen-years old. Buffy met a young brilliant British man, who would change her fate, eventually.


I suck, big time at summaries, never trying to give too much away from the start. I’ll probably change the title of this story ten times before it’s over!

Of course, the ‘someone’ is Spike and his part in this little drama is huge, just as his impact on Buffy’s future will be.

Riley is a dickhead in this story (alert the media, huh?!?)…ruthless, more then bordering on evil monster territory. Buffy will start out by looking like a misleading, lying even, little spoiled brat who evolves into a gold digging trophy ‘mistress’ for Riley. I’ll tell you readers this…she’s not any of these things, she’s actually a pawn in this whole mess.

Spike is a hero, kind of, but he has his own agenda, in the present, too, so please, keep that in mind. When Buffy and Spike first meet, he’s twenty and she’s not quite seventeen. They meet in a vacation type atmosphere and sparks fly, immediately between them. Unfortunately, Buffy is who she is and Spike really doesn’t know exactly ‘who’ that is, back then anyway. Confusing, yes, sorry, but hopefully through the flashbacks in the plot line, I can clear up the past between Buffy and Spike.

Years after their ‘meeting’ and brief affair, Spike and Buffy will be thrown back together again. Since it was Buffy that ‘ran’ away from Spike (big news there, huh?) our bleached blond anti-hero, William ‘Spike’ Giles, is still carrying resentment for Buffy. Along with that fiery torch of love that he’ll always carry for her, too.

When they meet, under the most ‘unsavory’ circumstances in the present, Spike and Buffy will have to face the fact that they are still in love with each other. No matter who Buffy is living with now and how dangerous that man is.

Nothing is what it seems in this story, just as no one is what ‘they’ seem to be. There are many reasons for the things Buffy does and our heroine is harboring a very big secret of her own that will lead her and Spike into danger.

Please give this a shot, like I said before, I suck at summaries and will probably change this one hundred times before it’s over!


Prologue:

Spike Sinclair, aka William Giles, sat in the bar, in LA, drinking his whiskey. For an FBI agent, one of the youngest, Spike could hold his alcohol better then most veterans of the Agency. Certainly better then his partner, Xander Harris, who was at this time, calling his girlfriend, Cordelia on the cell phone.

Chuckling to himself, Spike had to pity poor Xander. His girl was going to go ballistic when she found out about this newest assignment of theirs. Working undercover as gangsters in the world of notorious Riley Finn and his lackies.

By the look on Xander’s face, Spike had called this one pretty well. Poor Xander looked as if he was going to have to go undercover, himself, again once this case was over. Just to get away from Cordelia Chase, his fiance. From Xander’s descriptions, Cordelia could get pretty ugly about these FBI cases that her future husband was assigned to. She could go pretty ballistic, at any given time and poor Xander always was on the receiving end of his girl’s anger.

‘Thank God I’ve never loved anybody like that,’ Spike thought silently. ‘At least not somebody I can have,’ he added bitterly.

Oh, there was a ‘somebody’ that Spike loved, no question. He had for over seven years. But the problems was, that somebody was not in Spike’s life, at least, she hadn’t been. Up until now that is.

Now, Buffy Summers would definitely be in Spike’s life again, no matter how fucked up the reason was. Buffy being Riley Finn’s mistress was well known, to just about everyone, everywhere and of course, Spike would soon come face to face with his ghost from the past.

In fact, Buffy Summers was precisely the reason that Spike had volunteered for this assignment. The only reason he bothered to return to California at all. If he, Spike, could get close to Buffy, finally, then he could have her in his grasp, once again. This time, he would not let her slip out of it. No matter what happened out of it, Buffy would be his, once more.

Spike got up and slipped some change into the old jukebox that sat in the corner of the bar. He chose a song he actually liked and hit the input code to select it.

For some reason, this song always reminded both William Giles and his alter ego, Spike Sinclair, of his Golden Goddess, Buffy Summers. Which was really fucked up, in itself. Buffy had been William’s muse, his light in the darkness. That Spike would think of Buffy when he heard this song, never ceased to amaze or confuse him, totally.


‘On The Dark Side’


‘The dark side’s callin’ now nothin’ is real
She’ll never know just how I feel
From out of the shadows, she walks like a dream
Makes me feel crazy, makes me feel so mean

‘Ain’t nothin’ gonna’ save you from a love that’s blind
When you slip to the dark side, you cross that line…
On the dark side, oh yeah,
On the dark side, oh yeah’


A/N: Well, there it is, such as it is. In the next chapter, we get to meet the present day Buffy and her ‘patron’ Riley Finn (sorry, it’s a must for the plot, Riley I mean).

The song is from ‘Eddie and the Crusiers’ the movie.


Thank you for reading and please review. Luv, Spuf

ALL MANNER OF MONSTERS




Chapter 1:

A/N: Thank you to everyone who is reading this new fiction of mine. Thank you for the lovely reviews.

Summary: We meet Riley Finn, ruthless asshole that he is and his mistress, Buffy Summers. A flashback will provide some insight to Spike and Buffy’s past together.


Riley Finn watched his two most trusted ‘men’ Graham and Forrest half walk, half drag Warren Meers into his office. Meers must have been onto Riley, the head honcho surmised. Seeing as how the fucking little maggot, Meers, looked about him, in terror. Especially, when the traitorous little worm noticed the plastic covering that lay beneath his feet, on Riley’s pristine office floor.

“You’ve betrayed me, asshole. Big mistake, Meers,” Riley stated evenly, never letting his steely stare break from Warren’s. “You gave the wrong people, the wrong information, you little prick,” Riley continued calmly. “The problem is?” Finn raised his dark right brow at Warren Meers. “Is that you fucked the wrong person, Warren,” Riley hissed, pointing his own meaty right index finger at himself.

After a firm, quick nod at Graham, Riley watched as his favorite henchman drew his revolver and put a bullet into Warren Meer’s worthless fat head. Riley grimaced, briefly, watching as Meer’s brains splattered all over the plastic that Forrest had so carefully laid there, earlier.

“Clean this shit up!” Riley barked at Graham and Forrest, harshly. “Buffy is meeting me, in less then an hour for lunch. Can’t have my gorgeous girl see this crap mucking up the place, now can I?”

Ocean and Vine Restaurant, in Santa Monica, was the newest, chicest place that Riley could think to take his Buffy. His Golden Girl, his Queen. At least, Riley wanted Buffy for his Queen that is. Until now, the head honcho of the LA based Irish Mob faction could only ‘convince’ Buffy Summers to be his mistress, not yet his wife.

Buffy sipped her chardonnay, carefully, and scanned the beachfront view outside of the restaurant’s huge, panoramic window. She had met Riley, her uhm ‘boyfriend’ a while earlier. In his office, and although everything there had seemed kosher? Something, Buffy just knew it, was off. Something sinister had just taken place in Riley’s LA office, Buffy could sense it.

“Good, Baby?” Riley purred as he stroked Buffy’s tiny little hand with his own larger one. “The wine I mean?” he asked, with his boyish Irish charm.

“Uh huh,” Buffy shrugged, almost indifferently at her ‘boyfriend’ of almost six years. She flipped her long golden hair back from her face and continued to stare out of the huge window.

Buffy nervously sipped at her wine, continuously, trying to avoid Riley’s scrutinizing gaze at her. Her guy’s glare, kind or not, always seemed to unnerve Buffy, no matter how hard she tried not to let it.

“I was thinking,” Riley murmered, his lips pursed, his brows scrunched together in thought. “What do you think of Catalina Island? For a wedding site, Baby,” this intimidating man stared his mistress down, formidibly, that is.

“Wedding?” Buffy mumbled, anxiously. “Whose wedding?” she asked, gulping down her second glass of wine quickly.

“Why ours, sweetheart,” Riley chuckled softly. The one thing about Riley? His laugh or chuckle as the case may be? It could be deceptively kind, gentle or wicked on any given day.

“Riley,” Buffy sighed, her voice very soft and weak, “I’ve told you, time and again that I feel that I’m too young to marry, right now anyway. At this time that is and…”

“For fuck’s sake, Buffy,” Riley growled, tossing his expensive napkin on the little table between them. “You’re twenty-fucking four years old! You’re more then old enough to marry me and start popping out kids. Even ‘you’ should know that, right?”

Buffy cringed, slightly, at Riley’s glare and harsh tone. She leaned back into her chair, averting her huge green eyes from Riley’s brown ones and focused on the people walking past the restaurant, on the boardwalk outside.

“Besides,” the huge man continued harshly, “I’m thirty-two, sweetheart. Not exactly a kid you know. I’d like to start a family before I’m forty, at least!” He grumbled at the finish, alerting Buffy that her ‘guy’ was getting more and more exasperated with her.

“Well, yes,” Buffy muttered, her voice strained and suddenly tired for some reason. “I know I am old enough to marry, Riley,” she reasoned verbally, “but ‘I’ just don’t feel old enough to. Not yet anyway. I wish you’d respect this, Riley,” Buffy continued, weakly, still avoiding her guy’s brutal stare. “Just because I’m old enough, doesn’t make me ready to commit like that. I’d think you’d be happy to just have me, on the present terms. Cant’ you?” She finally looked into Riley’s deep brown eyes, hopefully.

“Christ,” Riley groaned in frustration, “I guess, Buff,” he continued, gulping down his beer. “Have you I do,” he added, smugly. “Forever, I guess, so yeah,” Riley sighed, “I can wait for you to come to your senses and finally say ‘I do’ to me. Just don’t make it ‘too’ long of a wait, Baby Doll,” Riley warned her with a deceptive grin. “Or I’ll have to take measures to speed things up a bit, won’t I?”

Spike and Xander headed into the LA office of the FBI, up in Santa Monica that is. For some reason, Spike was extrememly nervous about seeing the head man, out here in LA, to be briefed about this new case. The Riley Finn case.

Then again, Spike should have known just why he was so nervous about talking to this particular head agent, about this particular case. Shouldn’t he?

Once Spike and Xander had been ‘scanned’ by the electronic devices protecting the inner sanctum office, they proceeded to the main office. Their destination was the Rupert Giles’ office, the head of the bureau, at least in LA, for now.

“Hello Mr. Giles,” Xander greeted the distinguished looking older man, Rupert Giles, warily.

“Hello, Dad,” Spike muttered, under his breath, not meeting his dady’s blue-eyed gaze.

“Harris,” Giles replied, evenly, “son,” he drawled, eyeing his only child, William, cautiously.

“Sit down, boys,” Rupert Giles offered, politely as he pulled various folders out of his desk drawers. “I’ve got your paperwork here, your covers, so to speak. Some more information on Riley Finn and ‘those’ planets that revolve around him,” Rupert glared at Spike, momentarily.

For some reason, which Spike knew, of course, Rupert tossed the second biggest file of all at him. The one marked ‘Elizabeth ‘Buffy’ Summers’ fell right in front of Spike, on the desk that is.

Spike opened the huge file on Buffy, pulling the very top paper in it, out. It was a recent photograph of her, Buffy Summers and it caused that old familiar ache to rise up in Spike’s chest, up to his throat.

Rupert Giles watched his son, carefully, as the younger man scanned the photo of Miss Summers, Riley Finn’s mistress. His own heart ached for William, his son, knowing that he truly did love this young woman, Buffy. It was why William, aka Spike Sinclair, had taken this assignment, no, he had volunteered for it, to be exact.

“She appears to be very unhappy, son,” Rupert stated, gently, noting the ‘hopeful’ look in William’s blue eyes. “Miss Summers’ reasons for ‘being with’ Riley Finn seem to be varied,” he continued evenly. “It’s apparent that her relationship with Mr. Finn has little to do with true affection, love, as it were. There is something else keeping Elizabeth Summers involved with a man like Riley Finn, William.”

When Rupert had finished his little psychoanalyzing, Spike shrugged his shoulders and tossed the file back on the desk. “She looks pretty God damned ‘happy’ to me,” he snorted, sarcastically. “But then why shouldn’t the beautiful bitch be happy? Finn must keep her in furs, jewels, new cars and that mansion in Beverly Hills. All’s she has to do is ‘pretend’ to love him and spread those long legs of hers and…”

Xander gawaffed loudly at Spike’s crassness, but Rupert just looked shocked, and a little angry.

“There’s no need for crudity, boy,” Rupert rasped, his own blue eyes glared at his son, harshly.

Spike noticed a hint of the old ‘Ripper’ flit across his old man’s hard face. It warned him to shut the fuck up and just listen, for once. Ripper, his father’s alter ego from the past, was not a ‘person’ to be fucking around with or get smart arse with. Not at all and if Spike wasn’t careful? He knew his father had the authority to pull his arse off this case, immediately. Nothing, nothing in the world could take Spike away from ‘this’ particular case. Not now, when he was so close to Buffy again. No matter how fucked up the whole ‘reunion’ might be.

The bleached blond younger Giles hung his head, sheepishly, “Sorry Dad,” Spike muttered, “It’s just that…”

It’s just that you have ‘feelings’ for Miss Summers,” Rupert finished his son’s sentence for him. “Which is why I was against you taking this case in the first place, son,” he added with a note of frustration.

Xander, who had been fairly quiet during all this, for once, finally spoke up. In Spike’s defense, as usual.

“Mr. Giles,” the dark haired man looked at Rupert, his dark eyes unusually serious for once. “Spike’ll put his duty ahead of his own feelings, you know that, sir,” Xander tried to assure the older man. “Yes, he cares for Miss Summers, we all know that, but your son has always put his all into his job, first. I know, for certain, that I can trust Spike to back me up, no matter what. And I’d do the same for him, of course.” Xander finished with a stoic nod of his dark head.

Nodding his own head, Rupert Giles picked up Finn’s file and opened it, quickly. “I suppose,” the older man mumbled as he leafed through the huge mound of paperwork.

“Let’s get this started, shall we?” Rupert almost sighed the question out as he handed both of the other men the information they would need for their new, very dangerous assignment.


‘Flashback…seven years earlier/Spike’s POV’


“Tell me again, Scott, why I let you talk me into this ‘party’ tonight?” William Giles grumbled at his best friend in irritation.

“Because, asshole,” Scott Hope replied good-naturedly, “you need to get your mind off your troubles. Jesus, Giles, this is Spring Break you know? We ‘are’ in San Diego and we’re sure as hell not down here for Shamu and Sea World, right?”

“Well, yeah, you’re right about that, mate,” William chuckled softly and ran his hand through his fair brown hair. He looked about the huge bar, situated right in the middle of the huge hotel they were staying at. Spring Break, in San Diego California, wasn’t about Sea World, the Zoo or even just the huge waves on the ocean, Scott was right. It was about pretty girls, getting piss assed drunk, getting laid, having fun, getting laid, partying and oh yeah, getting laid.

“You worry too much, friend,” Scott Hope, twenty-year-old William Giles’ best friend, continued, matter-of-factly. “You need to chill out, Giles,” the young man laughed roughly. “Find some pretty piece of ass and get laid, that’ll calm you down, somewhat,” the tall, football player burst into laughter.

“Yeah, you are right,” William laughed himself as he scanned crowed bar, looking at every pretty girl in sight. There certainly were a lot to choose from and William Giles never had any problem in ‘that’ department. He kept himself unfettered by love, yes, but he never wanted for female company.

William continued to look around at the pretty faces in the crowd, sipping his beer as he did. Suddenly, his blue eyes fell on a tiny, golden figure, dancing in the middle of the barroom floor. The little ‘nymph’ was dancing seductively, laughing and flipping her long golden hair about her shoulders while three or four or five, even, blokes surrounded her. The fools were vying for the young woman’s attention, but William could tell that she was just interested in dancing, nothing else.

Something about ‘this’ girl drew William to her, and mesmerized, he nearly stumbled over to the little group. Even as this blond dream continued to dance away, oblivious to him or anything else around her, apparently.

‘Oh bloody hell,’ William realized, just before he broke through the circle of idiots surrounding his target. ‘I’m going all William the Poet here,’ he chastized himself. ‘Nymph?!? Where the fuck did that come from?!’ But, instead of just turning and ‘running’ like hell in the opposite direction, William stayed on his steady course. He pushed past the neanderthal that was closest to ‘Goldielocks’ as he had just nicknamed the unknown beauty.

“Excuse me,” William purred as he placed himself right in front of the still dancing girl. “I was wondering,” he began to stammer, for some reason, starting to lose his confidence. Probably because Goldielocks here was smiling up at him (she really was a tiny little thing), her gorgeous, huge green eyes gleaming merrily up at him.

“Wondering what?” the mysterious girl whispered, never missing a step in her dance.

The song playing was outdated and pretty weird for this little ‘angel’ to be dancing to, but William blocked it out. Rebel/Rebel by David Bowie seemed a little strange for Goldielocks to be shaking around to, but William had always like the song, felt kind of a kindred spirit to it.

Ignoring the bitter mutterings of the male idiots who had been there first, William took another sip of his beer. He took a deep breath and gazed, seductively (he hoped) into the blond’s amazing emerald eyes.

“I was wondering,” William repeated, “if you’d like to, uhm, you know, uhm, ‘dance’ with me?”

‘Oh, Christ!’ William Giles groaned, almost audibly, ‘real smooth, Will! That was the most bent, fucked up pick up line anyone’s ever…’

“Sure,” Goldielock replied, simply, with a radiant smile that just melted William’s cynical heart.

“By the way, I’m Buffy,” William’s object of desire introduced herself as he just stood there, opened mouth and looking like a complete fool, no doubt.

“William, uhm, Will, I mean,” he almost stuttered in response, taking ‘Buffy’s’ petite hand in his. Before he could stop himelf, William brought her little hand up to his lips and kissed it, tenderly.

‘Oh fuck, Giles!’ he immediately berated himself, ‘this just gets better! You bloody idiot, she’ll probably bolt like…’

“Wow!” Buffy giggled, a delightful sound to William, “that’s pretty impressive, William, I mean, uhm, Will!” She grinned up at the blushing young man, another mischieveous gleam in her bright green eyes.


‘Present Day’

Buffy Summers drove her new, 2005 midnight blue Corvette, down Muholland Drive, quickly. Heading ‘home’ to the big, beautful mansion that she shared with her ‘man’ Riley, Buffy couldn’t help but sigh, sadly.

‘I can’t keep putting Riley off,’ Buffy sighed, inwardly, turning up the volume on the CD player. ‘He’s going to really start pushing this marriage issue,’ she warned herself. ‘I’m just going to have to do something, something to placate everyone. And soon.’

Switching the stations on the CD player, Buffy ran across a song playing. One she hadn’t heard, or allowed herself to listen to in years.

“Oh, God,” Buffy moaned, softly as she pulled over to the nearest curb. “Will…..our song,” she murmered sadly, fighting the traitorous tears that began to fall from her green eyes. Even while David Bowie’s Rebel/Rebel blared from her speakers.


A/N: Well, what do you think? So far? Thank you to everyone who has read and those of you who have reviewed the first part of this story. It’s probably going to be a long one.

Thanks again, luv Spuf

ALL MANNER OF MONSTERS




Chapter 2: ‘Never Tear Us Apart’


“This way,” Graham grunted at the two ‘new’ guys, Spike Sinclair and Alec Harrington. Graham had frisked the two men, carefully, checking for any guns, knives, etc. that might endanger their boss, Riley Finn.

Of course, Spike and Alec had been cleared, by Riley himself, long before they ever made an appearance here, at the Finn Mansion, in the Hills of Beverly, that is. However, Graham was Riley’s oldest, best friend, his right hand man, so to speak. There was no way that Graham would make a slip up, or be careless, not where Riley was concerned.

“Nice place,” Alec (Xander) stated, simply, his dark eyes taking in the lush surroundings.

“Yeah,” Spike (oh yeah baby!) agreed, with a shrug. Although, it was a bit too posh for his taste.

‘Buffy must really ‘hate’ living here,’ Spike mused to him, sarcastically.

Spike was more interested in meeting Finn himself, at this point. That and coming face to face with Buffy, finally.

Riley Finn swept into the front living room of his big, beautiful mansion (can a guy ‘sweep’ into anywhere?).

‘He’s not so fucking big or intimidating,’ Spike told himself, pulling himself up to his full 5’10” height.

‘He’s fucking huge!’ Xander (aka Alec) groaned, nervously, as he eyed the formidable Riley Finn. Which was saying something, since Xander was not small in frame himself?

“Hey dudes,” Riley greeted his new ‘men’ warmly.

‘Oh, Christ! Dudes!’ Spike grunted in disgust, ‘Finn’s a wanna’ be surfer?’

“Mr. Finn,” Alec nodded at the new ‘boss’ friendly enough.

“Finn,” Spike held out his left hand to shake his nemesis’ hand.

“You guys come highly recommended,” Riley gushed, eagerly, motioning the two men further into his home.

“After that fucked up mess, with Meers,” Riley began with a scowl, “I need some ‘good’ men around me,” Riley continued. “Men I can trust and you two come with the highest kudos,” Finn laughed loudly. “My man, Angel O’Connor, made sure that you two came highly recommended. I couldn’t buy a better man then O’Connor. Believe me, I’ve tried,” Riley finished with a deep chuckle.

Xander looked over at Spike and rolled his dark brown eyes.

‘Is this guy for real?’ Xander mouthed behind Riley’s wide, bulky back.

Spike shrugged, indifferently. Indifferently, that is, until he noticed the tiny, golden haired figure at the top of Riley Finn’s grand staircase.

‘Buffy,’ Spike gasped, inwardly; as he watched the girl he’d allowed to slip away, years before, descending down the long stairway. She glided, Spike noticed, like an angel with wings and…

‘Jesus,’ Spike chided himself, ‘she’s a fucking woman, not an angel. She’s Riley Finn’s bitch. His whore and a fucking deceitful little…’

“Here’s my baby,” Riley gushed, proudly, as the four men watched Buffy Summers glide down the stairs.

Buffy was wearing a short, simple black cocktail dress. Very basic, very deadly, Buffy's whole look was. Especially since the back of the dress appeared to be nonexistent, all the way to her tiny waist. Her long, golden hair fell down about her shoulders. All the men, present at the bottom of the stairs were immediately mesmerized by Buffy.

‘She could be a runway model, for as much as anyone knows. But nope, she’s not, she’s Riley Finn’s mistress, his whore and probably his future wife and the mother of his children.’ Spike tried not to allow his bitter thoughts to show.


“Buffy,” Riley greeted his girl warmly, “there’s a couple of guys. I want you to meet them,” the big man grinned as he held out his huge hand to escort his woman down the last few steps.

“Okay,” Buffy murmured, shyly, keeping her green eyes focused on the floor beneath them.

“This is Alec Harrington,” Riley pointed at Xander. “This is Spike Sinclair. Guys,” Finn continued with a smug, proud grin, “this is my girl, Buffy Summers.”

“Nice to meet you, Buffy,” Alec stammered, glancing at his partner, Spike, warily.

“Pleasure,” Spike mumbled, automatically lifting Buffy’s tiny hand with his and placing it against his lips. His blue-eyed gaze never left Buffy’s face

Stunned, momentarily, Buffy stared, wide-eyed at this cheeky newcomer, Spike Sinclair. Her green eyes widened, even more, in shock, when she ‘recognized’ the man before her.

‘William!’ she gasped, silently, ‘oh dear God!’ Even beneath the unfamiliar bleached blond hair of this Spike Sinclair? Buffy recognized her William. He was there, hidden underneath this tough, thug like exterior.


‘Flashback…seven years earlier/Buffy’s POV’


“So, your name is William, huh?” Buffy asked the stranger who held her in his arms.

“That would be me,” this curly haired hunk replied, a slight smirk on his handsome face.

“Buffy, eh?” William asked, his left brow rose, slightly. He truly tried not to smirk at her rather odd moniker.

“Blame my mother,” Buffy giggled brightly. “She’s got a weird sense of humor, sometimes anyway.” Buffy’s expression suddenly turned quite ‘sad’ William noticed.

They, William and Buffy, were dancing to ‘Never Tear Us Apart’ by INXS. It was kind of weird, really, their technique of dancing. Not that the song was really rock, or wild, or punk or anything that could be construed as ‘fast’ dancing music. However, it was a song that William had picked, on the jukebox, overriding everyone else’s choice of music.

So, they danced, slowly, to the song that William had chosen for them. Even if the other party might be a bit put off by the slowness of the tune, or the heart stirring words.


‘Never Tear Us Apart’ (by INXS)


‘Don’t ask me
What you know is true
Don’t have to tell you
I love your precious heart


I,
I was standing
You were there
Two worlds colliding
And they could never tear ups apart…’

William held Buffy flush up to his body, his long arms tightly wrapped about her tiny waist and slim shoulder. The little red sundress she wore made it possible for him to ‘feel’ a lot of her silky, smooth skin. He certainly was taking advantage of that and his access to her long, gorgeous golden hair.

‘You’re falling way too hard, way to fast, mate,’ William warned himself. ‘Don’t be a fucking ponce, you bloody idiot and…’


“We better get something straight, Mr. William,” Buffy whispered into this Brit’s ear. “I am so not going to sleep with you, understood?” She had ‘felt’ the way William was touching the exposed skin of her arms, neck and back. That and the way he gently twirled her hair in his fingers.

William reared back from his little ‘treasure’ he held in his arms. He couldn’t help himself; he broke into a huge grin. Running his left hand down this Buffy’s warm cheek, and chuckling softly, he smirked, wickedly.

“Sleep is not exactly what ‘I’ had in mind, Buffy,” he murmured, even as he caught her green-eyed gaze with his. He tried very hard not to reveal his disappointment, at this revelation that the little minx in his arms had just spouted.

“You know what I mean,” Buffy giggled, saucily. “I mean I won’t be ‘shagging’ with you, at any time, well, at least anytime too soon that is. Shagging? Isn’t that what you Brits call, well, you know what I mean?” She finished, with her own version of a coy little smile.

“I see,” William sighed, dramatically, “but there ‘may’ be shagging, or uhm, fucking, between us? In the near future that is?” he finished with another raise of his left brow.

“Pig,” Buffy spat, with a scowl, but then giggled again. She made it clear that she liked this ‘naughty’ side of William.

“Oink,” William replied, smugly. He made it clear that he liked the fact that Buffy liked this naughty side of him.

“Okay, let’s get something straight,” the young man continued, seriously. “If I wanted to get a shag, a fuck a lay or whatever? I could, pretty easily,” William grunted, with confidence.

“Oh, I’m sure you could,” Buffy replied evenly, “but then again. So could I,” she finished with a naughty wink at him.

“Oh Christ,” William huffed, “I mean it, Buffy. If getting laid is all I wanted, I could. Just as you could, no doubt, but I think we both want a little something more here, right? At least, I guess I got these vibes, from you and…”

“Well,” Buffy hesitated, her lush lips in a cute little pout, “I’d say you are probably pretty right about ‘that’ Mr. William. About those ‘vibes’ as you called them,” She burst out into laughter, causing William to join in with her.


‘Never Tear Us Apart’ (continued)


‘We could live
For a thousand years
But if I hurt you
I’d make wine from your tears


I told you
That we could fly
Cause we all have wings
But some of us don’t know why…

I,
I was standing
You were there
Two worlds collided
And they could never, ever, tear us apart’


‘Present Day’


Riley eyed his ‘girlfriend’ carefully, a somewhat puzzled expression on his huge face.

“Uh, you two know each other, Buff?” Riley mumbled, stiffly at his lover. Even as he glanced, warily, at Spike.

“NO!” Buffy gasped, wildly, as she pulled her tiny hand from Spike’s. “Not at all,” she shook her head quickly, a slight frown on her pretty mouth.

“I kind of got thrown off, by Mr. Sinclair’s accent and when he kissed my hand,” Buffy’s voice trailed off.

“Sorry, Miss Summers,” Spike muttered, sheepishly, “didn’t mean to scare you and…”

Buffy shot William a ‘grateful’ look. A kind of silent thank you, for his discretion that is.

“Oh, I’m not scared,” Buffy interrupted him, “just a little unused to hand kissing stuff. In greeting someone, I mean,” she mumbled softly. She could feel a deep, hot blush creep up her neck, into her face.

Spike never took his eyes off of Buffy, just stood there, like a fool. Watching the love of his life try and cover her tracks, in front of her current lover, that is.

‘You don’t owe the prick a fucking explanation, luv,’ Spike silently told Buffy. With his eyes, that is.

“Not that you don’t look gorgeous, baby,” Riley began carefully, as he spoke to Buffy, but glared at Spike. “But for dinner in, with these two guys? You’re a little overdressed, sweetheart.”

Buffy flinched, visibly, but caught herself. “Dinner in?” she asked, somewhat confused herself. “I’m meeting Tara and Willow, at the Gallery,” she continued with a scowl. “Tara’s previewing her new show, remember? Willow begged me to come tonight, for the opening. Its cocktails and buffet,” Buffy explained, shyly to Alec and Spike.

“I promised by best friend, Willow, that I’d be at the opening, for her girlfriend, Tara’s sake. It means so much, to both of them,” she finished, weakly.

“Geez, babe,” Riley sighed heavily, “I know this ‘dinner’ here was kind of sudden, but I really need you around tonight. To entertain these two guys. They’ve come all the way from the East Coast. Can’t just leave them here, with me and Graham. Us? We're clueless at entertaining. You know what a moron I am at entertaining, without you by my side anyway. Can’t you call, beg off from the show?”

Spike began to feel very uncomfortable, for Buffy that is. He noticed that Xander looked pretty bloody uncomfortable too.

“Its okay, Riley,” Alec spoke up quickly, “Miss Summers doesn’t have to stick around, entertain us. We’ll be fine and if she promised…”

“Thank you, Mr. Harrington,” Buffy smiled at Xander, graciously. “But if Riley thinks I should stick around, help out here? I will,” she finished with a sad smile and a shrug.

“I’ll go change,” Buffy offered, half-heartedly. “Give Willow a call and be back in a second. First I’ll stop in and find out what the cook can whip up,” she half-smiled at Riley. “See you in a few moments, gentlemen,” Buffy mumbled, nervously.

After she had left their presence, Xander piped up, abruptly, “beautiful woman, Riley. Miss Summers, I mean. You are a lucky man.”

“Yes, I am,” Riley chuckled smugly. “Don’t you agree, Sinclair?”

“Of course,” Spike nodded his agreement. “You’re a real lucky man, Finn. Your girl seems to be a real treasure, mate.”

‘Asshole,’ Spike seethed inwardly. ‘Not that I wanted Buffy to go anywhere at all. But what a fucking bastard you are, Finn. You made her change her plans, for you. Selfish son-of-a-bitch!’

Later at supper, things got even worse for Buffy. She tried to just stay out of the conversation, between Riley, Alec and Spike, but found herself drawn into it. Time and again.

Over the filet mignon, Buffy finally broke down and looked at William, or Spike, or whatever the hell his name was now.

“Is your supper okay, Mr. Sinclair,” she asked, in an almost indifferent, polite tone.

“Please, call me Spike, Miss Summers,” he replied, curtly. “Yes, its fine,” he added quickly, without even glancing at Buffy.

“Please, call me Buffy, you too Mr. Harrington,” Buffy whispered softly.

“I’m Alec, Buffy,” Xander responded, hastily.

Buffy sipped her wine, slowly, careful not to look at William. Careful not to alert Riley to anything odd at all.

She realized that William was being just as careful as she was, at ignoring each other, politely that is. However, something was nagging at Buffy. In the back of her mind, that is.

‘If William is so ‘into’ this world of Riley’s,’ she thought, with a slight frown. ‘Then he must have known I was in Riley’s life. Who I am to Riley, what I am? So,’ she continued her silent musings, ‘can I assume that one of the reasons Will’s here, in spite of me? Is ‘because’ of me.’

Or maybe, just maybe, she, Buffy Summers, was being totally egotistical. Maybe William was here, now, for purely business reasons and not because of her at all.

‘I hope so,’ Buffy thought, sadly. ‘I hope he’s here, for exactly the reason he claims. To help Riley in his business. At least, I think that’s what I hope,’ she reasoned, wistfully.

Buffy’s inner thoughts were disrupted, by the ringing of a cell phone. The theme from ‘The Godfather’ played out, in two full verses.

“Sorry,” Alec Harrington blurted out, embarrassed. “I have to take this. It’s my fiance,” he explained, briefly.

Alec excused himself from the dinner table and hurried out onto the first floor patio.

“He’s whipped,” Spike chuckled, snarkily. He watched his partner scurry onto the patio. “Nothing will ever tear Alec and his girl apart,” Spike added, almost glaring at Buffy.

“Aren’t we all?” Riley responded with a loud laugh. “And happily,” he added, warmly as he gazed at Buffy.

“Not me,” Spike snorted in reply to Riley. However, the blond male’s gaze fell on Buffy, also.

“I think it’s kind of sweet,” Buffy sighed softly. “I mean, that Alec is so attached to his fiancé that is. It’s refreshing, you know? To find a man that really connects with his woman?”

“I connect to you, baby. Don’t I?” Riley murmured, silkily, as he took Buffy’s little hand in his.

“Yes,” Buffy responded, a little too abruptly. She smiled at Riley, yes, but it seemed a bit false to Spike.

‘Christ,’ Spike groaned silently, ‘I think I’m going to throw up!’

“My Buffy is a real Renaissance woman,” Riley stated, the affection in his voice reaffirmed Spike’s need to hurl.

“She is artsy, that’s for certain. All culture and class, that’s my baby,” Riley gushed, “a real treasure. I’m lucky to have her,” Finn repeated his earlier statement, staring straight at Spike.

“That you are,” Spike whispered in reply, trying to keep the resentment in his voice from showing.

“Sorry,” Alec rejoined the small group at the huge dining table. “My fiancé, Cordelia? She gets a little antsy when I’m away, for too long that is,” the dark haired man finished with an embarrassed shrug of his massive shoulders.

“I think it’s nice,” Buffy said, her voice quiet and subdued. “That you and your girl are so close, I mean,” she added quickly.

“Yeah,” Alec (Xander) blushed bright red, “that’s Cordy and me, all right. We…”

Suddenly, the sound of another cell phone, Riley’s this time, interrupted the conversation.

“Yeah, what?” Riley answered the cell, gruffly.

“Shit!” Finn cried, causing Buffy to flinch, while Alec and Spike glanced at each other.

“Okay,” Riley shouted into the cell phone.

After clicking it off, Riley looked at Buffy, with true remorse.

“Gotta’ go, babe,” he sighed heavily. “There’s an issue, at the office. I have to take Graham, get down there.”

“Andrew!” Riley bellowed.

A slight, but good looking young man hurried out of the kitchen, into the dining area.

“Yes?” Andrew asked, nervously, of his boss.

“I’ve got to leave, for a while. Make sure that Sinclair and Harrington are taken care of. Drink wise and all. I’ll be back, later. Baby?” Riley gazed at Buffy, his dark brow raised.

“You’ll be okay, right? For a while?” Finn smiled, charmingly at his mistress.

“I’ll be fine, Riley,” Buffy replied meekly. “Just fine.”



A/N: Okay, so…I wanted to write a heck of a lot more into this chapter, but thought I’d better let up, for now. Next chapter? Spike and Buffy ‘will’ talk, privately, believe me. (Why do you think Alec/Xander got that convenient phone call???)

Thanks for reading, please review. I need reviews, desperately. Luv, Spuf

ALL MANNER OF MONSTERS


Chapter 3: ‘Tell Me Why’


Summary: Buffy explains some of her lies to Spike away. But, not all of them believe me.


Buffy tapped the side of her wine glass, nervously. She had managed to keep up the talk, at the dinner table, going, rather smoothly. However, after Riley had only been gone for maybe twenty minutes or so, Buffy found herself ‘lost’ as to how to keep up the polite conversation. Especially since William, or Spike as he was now going by, kept staring at her. She did so not like that look on his face, either.

‘He looks like the cat that ate the canary,’ Buffy thought, anxiously. This ‘look’ by William, had instigated Buffy’s nervous tapping on her wine glass, which in turn alerted Andrew that things were not quite right here.

“How’s your fiancé?” Spike mumbled to Alec, even as he kept his gaze on Buffy. Buffy noticed that William’s whole demeanor was almost, indifferent?

“Fine,” Alec (Xander) muttered in reply, “just fine.”

Buffy noticed the tension between all of them now, and decided to use Alec’s phone call. If nothing else, to lighten up the conversation, break the tension in the room.

“How long have you known your girl, Alec?” Buffy asked, trying to direct the conversation onto Mr. Harrington. The blond woman smiled brightly and tried to look really interested in Mr. Harrington’s personal life.

“Years,” Alec responded, quickly, apparently quite on to the high anxiety level in the room. He then smiled, warmly at Buffy and sighed deeply. "A very long, long time, Miss Summers." Alec promptly took a large gulp of his wine and focused on the nearest window.

William said nothing, just continued to ‘gaze’ at Buffy,
He had the oddest look on his handsome face. This proved to be Buffy’s complete undoing.



“I need some fresh air,” Buffy blurted out, suddenly. “I’m stepping out to the patio balcony. I hope that’s okay with you two gentlemen,” she said, shyly. “If you need anything, guys? Andrew can help you.”

Buffy tossed her fine linen napkin onto the table and hurried out of the dining area. She disappeared outside, onto the patio balcony.

“I think this is your cue, man,” Xander whispered to Spike.

“For once, I think you’re right,” Spike hissed. The blond man quickly tossed his own napkin onto the table and strode, out onto the patio, after Buffy.

“I’ll just clean things up,” Andrew muttered, nervously. He had not missed a thing between Spike Sinclair and his employer’s mistress. The epitome of discretion, however, Andrew made the appearance of being more interested in cleaning up the table.

“Got any scotch?” Xander asked Andrew, amicably. Apparently, Mr. Harrington had noticed the tension between Buffy and Mr. Sinclair, also, Andrew reasoned.

“Only the best, sir,” Andrew smiled at the dark haired Mr. Harrington. “Mr. Finn keeps only the finest liquor in ‘this’ house,” the young man added, proudly.


Spike found her, his Buffy, leaning over the patio balcony railing, staring out at the view. The valley below was lit up, illuminated by various lights all up and down the coast of the Pacific Ocean. Malibu Canyon was just a huge, dark area, dotted here and there with lights of its own.

However, she wasn’t ‘his’ Buffy anymore, was she? If she ever had been at all that is. Spike peered at his blond Goddess, trying to decipher her very thoughts.

Buffy seemed to be just that, deep in thought, but Spike knew she had felt him join her. Unable to help himself, the bleached blond man leaned over the railing, right next to her.

“Very clever,” Spike chuckled, sarcastically as he scrutinized Buffy’s lovely profile and broke the silence between them. “The play on the four seasons that is,” he continued, “your using the name Winters? As an alias, I mean. Instead of your real last name of Summers? Real smooth, Buffy,” he mumbled through gritted teeth.

Buffy felt the resentment just radiate off of William, but she kept staring out. Concentrating instead on the almost magical, panoramic scene below both of them.


Suddenly, Buffy spun about, to face her ex-lover and nearly growled, “Why are you here? Why the hell are you here, William? For me? To spy on me somehow?” She didn’t mean for the question to come out so harsh, or so very vain.

“Don’t flatter yourself, Princess,” Spike grumbled back in reply. “I’m here on business, nothing more.” He did avoid her ‘glare’ though, by staring out at the view from the balcony. Wouldn’t do any good to let Buffy know exactly how much he, Spike, was here for her.

“Oh,” Buffy murmured, softly with a bright blush on her pretty face. “I see,” she sighed as she stepped past William and headed for the sliding glass door. “Just as well,” she mumbled, somewhat disappointed that William hadn’t sought her out.

“Buffy,” Spike called out to her in desperation, “don’t go in yet, please,” he pleaded. He hurried to catch her, grabbing her slim arm, gently in his hand.

She halted her escape and turned to face him once again. “Why shouldn’t I? Like you said, this is strictly business, right? You don’t give a damn about me, right?” Buffy whispered the question, almost afraid of the answer, while she felt the sting of unshed tears in her eyes.

“Like I said,” Spike repeated, “strictly business. But then again,” he continued softly, “I’m most likely lying about that, aren’t I? You don’t have a corner on the lying market, sweetheart. I guarantee it”

Spike reached out and tenderly lifted Buffy’s little chin up, so her green eyes could meet his blue-eyed gaze. He watched Buffy’s lovely face, carefully, as he clocked her reaction to his own questions.

“True,” Buffy sighed, sadly, “after all, you did tell me your name was Giles, didn’t you? Back then, I mean. Apparently, you did a little fudging with names yourself, right?” She pulled her face away from his tender hand and tried to walk past him, yet again.

“You’ve got me there,” Spike sighed, sadly. Spike grasped Buffy again, even less harder then before. He could not let Buffy know who he really was. Not at this time, anyway. But maybe someday he could tell her everything.

“You, you are here, for me, aren’t you?” Buffy whispered in a raspy voice. The tone in her voice made it sound like she’d had a major epiphany or something. Her green eyes were wide in stunned realization of the truth.

“You’ve come here to what,” she continued gruffly. “Take me away from Riley? Save me? Just ‘how’ have you come here for me, William?” She tilted her head to one side, her green eyes wide with curiosity and maybe a little fear.

“I’m not going to lie to you, anymore, Buffy,” Spike sighed heavily. “I did come here, on business, but I wouldn’t have even considered it at all. Not if you weren’t part of the deal here. Understand?”

“Understand. I think I do anyway,” Buffy murmured softly, as she slowly walked back to the railing. Spike joined her quickly, again and pulled a cigarette out of his pocket.

“You didn’t used to smoke, did you?” Buffy asked, confused by the offending cigarette.

“Nope, not until about five years ago,” Spike responded as he lit the smoke. “Lousy habit,” he continued, “but I like to smoke, I’m afraid. My one weakness, I guess. Except for you, that is,” he finished with a sarcastic chuckle.

After taking a long, hard drag on the cigarette, Spike looked again at Buffy. “Why did you disappear on me, Buffy,” he questioned her, gently. “Why did you just take off back then? I thought we had something special and you just…”

Buffy turned and faced him. That’s when Spike noticed, really noticed how fearful her beautiful green eyes were.

“I’m twenty-four-years-old, Will,” Buffy spat at him. Then she looked out over the view again, ashamed at herself for using such a harsh tone with him.

“I know that,” Spike countered, evenly. “I did my homework before Alec and I got here. I know all about you, now, and your sick fuck of a boyfriend.” He didn’t even try to apologize for the profanity he used.

“That’s rich,” Buffy snorted, “my boyfriend is sick? What about you and your buddy in there?” She pointed at her dining room, through the sliding glass door, presumably at Xander.

“You two aren’t exactly boy scouts, now are you?” She asked, defiantly. Only after crossing her arms over her ample chest, tightly. She felt it gave the whole thing a touch of drama, at least.

“You have no idea,” Spike mumbled, almost whispered really.

“So, you know I’m twenty-four, you did your homework, right?” Buffy continued sarcastically. William just nodded, silently, but never looked away from her.

“Then do the math, genius,” Buffy said gruffly, “that means I was barely seventeen when you and I met, right?”

“Right,” Spike whispered sheepishly. He suddenly felt very ridiculous standing there, confronting Buffy in her own house.

“Can you spell ‘jail bait’ William Giles?” Buffy spat, but smirked wickedly. “Or should I say, Spike Sinclair?”

“You lied to me, about that, too. Remember?” Spike replied, defensively. He kept her gaze with his, not letting up on his scrutinizing of her wide, green eyes. The anger inside of him began to melt away, slowly. Especially, after she gave him that ‘deer in the headlights’ look of hers. The one he remembered so well from seven years ago.

“You told me that you were nineteen, Buffy. Guess you lied about more then your last name, huh?” He felt the old familiar ache begin to gnaw at his throat and chest. The one that almost consumed him, totally. Every time he remembered San Diego and spring break. Just exactly how Buffy deserted him there. How she broke his heart.

‘Oh, just bloody great!’ he chided himself. ‘I’m such a fucking ponce. If I cry, I’ll…’

“What about you?” Buffy interrupted Spike’s inner conversation in his head. “You told me your name was Giles and that you were going to be the next big famous journalist or some such shit as that!”

She offered him a smug, victorious grin, just for good measure. After all, William ‘had’ told her that his last name was Giles and that he attended Berkeley U. as a journalist major. What about that line of bullshit?

“I was a journalist major, Buffy,” Spike sighed heavily and glanced out at the beautiful night scene before them. “Decided to go into the family business and all,” his deep voice trailed off, nearly to a whisper.

‘At least that’s mostly the truth,’ Spike reasoned with himself.

“What about you,” he countered her question with one of his own. “What happened to the art thing? Thought you were gonna’ take the art world by storm?” When Spike saw that crestfallen look in Buffy’s gorgeous eyes, and the sad frown on her pretty mouth? He felt like the scum of the earth for asking ‘it’ that way.

“I was,” Buffy replied in a timid, almost shy voice. “I guess, like you,” She continued meekly, “that I’d decide to go into the family business too.”

Spike felt his heart skip a beat, realizing for not the first time, that Buffy’s ‘family’ had a lot to do with what and where she was now.

Henry ‘Hank’ Summers, Buffy’s father, had been connected with the Finn Family for years. Even probably before Buffy was ever born or thought of at all. Her mother, Joyce, was a big shot artsy type, with a nice little gallery in Sunnydale, California.

‘What’s she saying?’ Spike wondered silently. ‘That daddy and mommy set her up with Riley Finn? That…’

“Was ‘he’ in the picture, Buffy? Say, even back then?” Spike didn’t have to say the name of Riley Finn. They both knew exactly who he was talking about.

“Is that why you left, Princess?” Spike continued, almost sorry that his words sounded so damn harsh. “Mommy and Daddy would be too pissed off, if you ended up with a loser like me? Wanted their baby girl to marry some low life, mob boss who kills people without a second thought?”

“Christ, Will,” Buffy hissed angrily, turning away from him once again. “You have no room to talk here, let’s face it. I’m sure your slate isn’t exactly spotless. Yours or your partner’s out there?”

She glared at Spike, her little face bright red with anger and something else that he could not quite name.

Without thinking, Spike reached out and clasped Buffy. He pulled her, roughly, to his body and leaned in to kiss her lush little mouth.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” Buffy cried in shock.


“I…” Spike stammered, suddenly very unsure of himself. He hated the way this tiny slip of a girl could make him feel. But, he couldn’t help himself; he loved her and had for years.

“I was planning on kissing you,” he finally admitted, quietly.

“Right here, in my boyfriend’s house?” Buffy gasped in indignation.

“Well, technically,” Spike began with an evil smirk, “we’re outside of his house and…”

Oh, God,” Buffy hissed in frustration. Instead of running from him, or turning away from him, she faced him, head on.

“I want you to understand something, William, or Spike or whatever the hell your name is. I think it’s time you understand the past, then maybe you can face the future. Maybe we both can,” she added wistfully.

“Go on,” Spike muttered, evenly and lit another cigarette. He watched Buffy through narrowed blue eyes.

“I ‘deserted’ you, seven years ago for more then one reason. None of them, not one, had anything to do with Riley Finn. Okay?” Buffy matched William’s narrowed blue eyes with her green ones.

“Okay,” Spike shrugged, “so Captain Cardboard wasn’t in the picture, just yet. Then, why? Why did you leave me, alone, in San Diego after the most fantastic two weeks of my life?” His voice just dripped with heartbreak and resentment.

Buffy rolled her green eyes, especially at that ‘Captain Cardboard’ remark of his.

“I left you, in San Diego, yes, after the most wonderful two weeks of ‘my’ life, Will. However, certainly not because of Riley. I had no idea of my parents’ plans for me, where Riley Finn was concerned. At least, not at that time.”

Spike flinched, visibly and whispered, “Then why did you lie to me?” His voice was raw with pain.

“Because I was only seventeen William,” Buffy choked out the answer. “I was only seventeen and you were twenty. You were twenty, right?”

“Right,” he replied, simply.

“Okay, I was seventeen and yes, I wanted to be an art student, more then anything in the world. I was, actually, just not at Santa Barbara State. I was in high school, Will,” she sighed sadly. “I was a junior in Sunnydale High School who was on the run that spring. I was running from my overbearing, controlling parents and everything being the daughter of Hank Summers meant.”

Buffy began to weep, softly, and Spike so wanted to take her in his arms and console her. However, he controlled the urge to comfort and just stood, stoically in front of her.

“My parents had no idea that I had run off from them to San Diego. They thought I was at my cousin Faith’s, in Los Angeles. She covered for me, Faith that is. Instead, my best friend, Willow Rosenberg and me flitted off to San Diego and hit up the best ‘break’ parties. False ID’s, highlights in our hair. We did it all to pass ourselves off as older girls.”

“It worked,” Spike murmured. “I really believed you were nineteen, Buffy,” he added sadly.

“I know,” Buffy nodded, miserably. “I wish I had of been, just so I wouldn’t have to run off from you later. Do you know what my old man would have done had he’d found out what you and I did together?”

‘Of course,’ she thought, bitterly, ‘daddy did find out, later, but then again? He had no idea who ‘you’ were, Will. Did he?’

“Besides,” Buffy continued in a sorrowful tone, “if you ever knew who I really was? How old I was? Who my folks were? Come on William, you? Being a journalist major? Eventually, you would figure out who my father was? Who he was even connected with?"

“I wouldn’t have cared,” Spike hissed stubbornly. “I wouldn’t have given a bloody fuck who the hell you really were or how old you were. I loved you. Love you still and…”

“I think you better leave now, William,” Buffy stated abruptly. Her demeanor and stance turned cold, suddenly. “Go on back to your hotel, with your buddy Alec and forget that we ever had this talk, huh?”

“I don’t want to leave. God dammit Buffy, don’t walk off from me, not again!” Spike grabbed at her, but she slipped past him and hurried into the house.

Spike waited, a few moments, tried to get his emotions under control, somewhat. Then he entered his nemesis’ house, slowly.

Andrew was waiting, in the dining area, when Spike entered a few moments later.

“Where’s Buffy?” Spike asked the butler (?) gruffly.

“Miss Summers offers her apologies, Mr. Sinclair,” Andrew mumbled quickly. “She has a headache and retired for the evening. Miss Summers hopes that her behavior is excusable and…”

“Its fine, Andrew,” Spike replied with a raspy sigh.

“Andrew?” Spike turned to face the young man again. “Do I and Miss Summers a favor, please?”

Andrew nodded, but said nothing.

“Please do not mention this incident, our being on the patio alone together? To Mr. Finn that is?” Spike gave Andrew a kind of warning look and was stunned when the young man grinned in response.

“Oh, no sir,” Andrew nodded warmly. “I may ‘work’ for Mr. Finn, Mr. Sinclair,” he continued amicably. “But my loyalty lies with Miss Summers, first and foremost.”


‘Tell My Why’ (by The Beatles)


‘Tell me why you cried, and why you lied to me;
Tell me why you cried, and why you lied to me.

Well I gave you everything I had,
But you left me sitting on my own.
Did you have to treat me oh so bad,
All I do is hang my head and moan.

Tell me why you cried, and why you lied to me;
Tell me why you cried, and why you lied to me.

If there’s something that I did or said,
Tell me what and I’ll apologize.
If you don’t, I really can’t go on,
Holding back these tears in my eyes.

Tell me why you cried, and why you lied to me;
Tell me why you cried, and why you lied to me.

Well I beg you on my bended knees,
If you’ll only listen to my pleas,
Is there anything that I can do,
‘Cos I really can’t stand it, I’m so in love with you.


Tell me why you cried, and why you lied to me;
Tell me why you cried, and why you lied to me.’



A/N: Well, I’ve pounded out another chapter this weekend. My oldest daughter took my youngest daughter out to see Star Wars and I’m alone to write.

Now, this chapter in now way explained all of Spike and Buffy’s past with each other. I know. Don’t worry, that will all be revealed, eventually.


Anyway, thank you for reading and please review. Luv, Spuf

ALL MANNER OF MONSTERS


Chapter 4: ‘ I’m Still In Love With You’


Spike sat out on the hotel suite’s balcony, a scotch in one hand, cigarette in the other. Between ‘gulps’ of his drink, he took drags on the smoke. Xander had hit the sack, in his room, an hour before, but Spike just could not sleep.

God knows, he had tried, but Buffy’s lovely face kept hovering before him. The vision of Buffy's lovely face appeared before him, haunting him.


‘Flashback Spike’s POV’


“So have you fucked that hot little honey yet, Giles?” Scott asked with a wicked smirk.

“If you’re asking me, if I’ve made love with Buffy yet? Nope,” William responded, almost proudly. “We just met, Scott, for Christ’s sake. I’m not interested in a one night stand with this girl, okay? Want something more here and so does she. At least, I think she does,” William hesitated in thought, a slight scowl on his face.

“Whipped,” Scott Hope groaned with a shake of his dark head, “you are so whipped dude. And after only a few nights of knowing her? You poor slob, I’ve seen this before you know. Guy thinks he’s met ‘the’ girl and at first sight? Falls like a fucking rock from a cliff and…”

“Oh bloody hell,” William muttered, impatiently, “will you just drop it. I don’t want Buffy to think I’m just interested in getting’ in her pants, okay? This girl ‘is’ the one for me, so get over it. I know the right one, when I meet her and this is her. Besides, I’m gonna’ be late, to meet Buffy, if I spend any more time here, gabbin’ with the likes of you.”

William grabbed his car keys and headed out of the hotel room, quickly. Buffy was waiting for him, hopefully, at her own hotel, in the lobby. In fact, even after four days and nights of ‘seeing’ each other?

His Buffy had not even invited him up to see her room, or be alone with her there. He had written that off to the fact that she, Buffy, wanted something more then just a one night stand or anything. That being alone in her hotel room, together, might lead to other things she was not ready for. Even if he was more then ready for Buffy.

He had been totally up front with his best friend, Scott Hope, William had. There was no way that he was going to run Buffy off by pushing, too soon, for a sexual relationship with her.

When William stepped into the Hotel Del Coronado’s lobby, he spied his Buffy, right off. She was, he noted with irritation, surrounded by a bunch of eager blokes. Without hesitation, William strode right over to the little group and elbowed his way into the middle of it.

“There’s a great party, at the Hilton,” one of the non-descript idiots was gushing at Buffy. “I know of a better one, at the Kings Row and…”

“Thanks for watching ‘my’ girl,” William greeted the five young men that had swarmed Buffy. “I’ll take over from here, mates,” he grinned at them and clasped Buffy’s arm, possessively.

“Yes,” Buffy giggled innocently, “thank you, boys.” She allowed Will to escort her away from the group of stunned men and out of the lobby. The blond couple totally ignored the mutters and grumbles of the five young men left behind.

“Nice save, Giles,” Buffy giggled mischievously as she slipped her free arm into William’s. “I thought I’d never get away from those guys,” she added with another short laugh.

“Yeah,” Will muttered through gritted teeth, “I can see how hard you were trying to there, Buff.” He finished with a warm smile, telling Buffy that he knew who she was with. She was with him, Will Giles.

“So, where to, Princess,” William asked Buffy. He hoped she would say something like the beach? A movie, his hotel or back up to her room? Hopefully, the wistful expression on his face, along with his pout, would give her a hint?

“Art galleries,” Buffy exclaimed, a slight smile on her pretty mouth. “I’ve got a whole list of the best, top notch galleries in the entire San Diego area,” she continued, proudly.

“Oh, and don’t worry,” Buffy added when she noted Will’s confused, disappointed look on his handsome mouth. “I got maps and directions, to all of them!” She giggled softly when her date scowled, slightly.

“Oh, okay, Buffy,” William sighed heavily. “I suppose when you’re seeing an art major, you need to expect galleries, huh?” He tried not to sound too disappointed as he didn’t want to make her unhappy.

“Well, I am a freshman, at SBSU,” she responded with a little chuckle. “So, yeah, I’d expect to face a few galleries, Will, if I were you.” Buffy began to laugh, merrily, especially when Will shrugged in defeat and helped her into his black Camaro.

After they finally finished with the art gallery tours, Spike and Buffy noticed it was almost 7:00 PM at night. They had just finished with the Del Coronado Art Gallery, the smallest of the group and William knew Buffy had to be starved for food.

‘She eats like a truck driver,’ Will reason with a silent chuckle. For some reason, it delighted him to see her healthy appetite. “Don’t know how the tiny little thing stays so, well, tiny,’ he wondered to himself in awe.

“What about dinner, Princess?” William blurted out as they, thankfully, left the Coronado Gallery’s parking lot. “Seafood?” he asked Buffy hopeful.

“Pizza,” Buffy replied firmly.

“Oh, okay,” Will responded, trying not to show the disappointment he was feeling in his voice. “Just would like to take you to some swanky place, you know,” he continued, shyly. “Thought maybe you’d like to…”

“I was thinking,” Buffy murmured, softly. “That maybe we could order a pizza? From the Del Coronado Hotel’s room service?” She shot Will a coy little look, from the corner of her green eyes.

“Oh,” William rasped in a near-like whisper. “You mean in your hotel room?” Now, he tried not to let Buffy hear the excitement and hope in his tone.

“I was kind of thinking that way,” Buffy giggled merrily. “My spring break buddy, Willow, is off with her ‘friend’ Tara. At San Diego State University, that is. Tara is an art major there. That’s the real reason that Wills came with me,” Buffy added with a blush. “Tara is twenty-one and Willow is nineteen, like me,” she murmured under her breath.

“Anyway,” Buffy continued, with a little more conviction. “If it’s all okay with you, Will? I’d like to order some pizza, from room service and watch cable? Is that okay Will?” she asked, almost shyly. “I mean, if you’d rather go out, with your friends and party? It’s okay, I understand and all…”

Buffy tried not to sound too eager in all this, but she was, really. The truth was, Buffy found William Giles to be quite irresistible and she knew he felt the same way about her. He did, really, she just knew it.

“I’d rather be eating pizza and watching some chick flick on cable with you, Buffy,” William sighed in relief, “then at any bloody party, anywhere. I really mean that,” he finished, sincerely.

They were at a stop light and William gazed, lovingly, at Buffy. He was delighted to see that ‘his girl’ was gazing back at him. In just the same way.


‘Present Day’


Spike’s cell phone rang, loudly. He did not have some silly ringtone playing on his. His ringtone was a simple ‘ring’ like an old fashioned one, that is. When he checked the caller ID, Spike saw that it was his dad’s number flashing there.

“Hey Dad,” Spike answered the phone, reluctantly.

“Son?” Rupert Giles greeted his only child, carefully. “How are things going?” the older man asked.

‘Business, right to the end, eh Dad?’ Spike thought to himself.

“Okay,” the younger man replied, cautiously. He had always been cautious, with and around his father, that is. Spike had always been in awe of Rupert Giles, no matter how many times he reminded himself that his Dad was like any other man. A simple, mere male mortal being?

“Your mother called, from Maryland, son,” Rupert offered, casually enough. “Said to take care and all,” the father added, quickly.

“How’s Mum,” Spike asked, politely, realizing right off that this was just a ruse for Rupert Giles to check up on his son, himself.

“Fine,” Rupert replied simply. “As always. Jennifer is a fine woman, son. And a wonderful mother,” the older man needlessly reminded his son. Although why his father had to remind William of all this? He had no idea. Who knew?

‘Is this a warning?’ Spike wondered to himself, just a little resentful.

“I know what a wonderful mother that Mum is,” Spike sighed in response to his father. “She’s always been the best mum in the world and…”

“About Finn,” Rupert changed the subject, quickly. “How are things going there?” he asked, cagily.

“Good as can be expected, Dad,” Spike countered, equally as cagily. “Xander and me, we got in the Finn mansion, easily. Met up with the fucker himself and had dinner with his fine lady. We…”

“Profanity is not necessary, son,” Rupert reminded William, frostily. “Just because you are dealing with the scum of the earth here? You need not speak like them,” Spike’s father sounded very distant and cold at the moment.

“Right,” Spike mumbled in reply. ‘Dad better not be referring to Buffy as the scum of the earth,’ the younger man clenched his jaw, tightly.

“There’s something holding Buffy to Finn,” Spike blurted out, suddenly. “I talked to her, alone and she seems almost frightened of the ponce. What could that be?” Spike had asked himself that question, even more then his father.

“I don’t know, son,” Rupert stammered in reply. “It might have something to do with her family? Perhaps it's about her parents and her little sister, Dawn? Buffy Summers appears to be quite family oriented and may feel the need to protect her loved ones, in some warped way?”

“After all, son,” Rupert continued, almost matter-of-factly, “Hank and Joyce Summers seem to have almost abandoned the youngest Summers girl, Dawn. Sequestering her in that Catholic private school of hers, near Sunnydale, the way they have? So they can gallivant about the world, touring as it were?”

“Perhaps Buffy feels a sense of duty to the poor child. Taking up the mantel of guardianship and all? Buffy does seem quite compassionate that way.” Rupert sounded quite sympathetic to the Summers’ daughters himself, Spike noted.

“Maybe,” Spike replied softly. “I’m not sure but if I didn’t know better? I’d think that Riley Finn is almost holding my Buffy hostage somehow.” The two men sat, in silence on their own end of the phone lines.

“Son?” Rupert finally broke the silence between them. “It might just be that you still harbor so many feelings for Miss Summers that it’s clouding your judgment?”

“Yes, maybe,” Spike stammered, unconvinced himself.

“You know son,” Rupert began, carefully; “you and Miss Summers were very young. When you met and fell in love with each other. It must have been hard for the girl, to feel like she had to lie, about her age and everything?” Spike could tell his father was trying to be very, very tactful with him.

“I know,” Spike nodded into the phone, “she was young Dad, very young. But Buffy knew what she was doing, just as Mum did, with you. After all, Dad,” he reminded his father, “Mum was only seventeen when you and her met and fell in love with each other. So, where’s the difference?”

Rupert Giles sighed, heavily, “none really, I suppose,” he replied. “However, your mum and I met in England, William. Seventeen is over the age of consent there and…”

“Don’t give a rat’s arse,” Spike growled lowly into the phone. “Buffy knew was she was about, what she wanted. So did I. I still do, Dad,” he assured Rupert.

“I won’t lie to you Dad,” Spike countered, in total honesty, and a sense of loss. “I still love Buffy Summers and I always will.”


‘I’m Still In Love With You’ (by Al Green)


‘Spending my day, thinkin’ about you girl
Being here with you, being near with you
I can’t explain myself,
Why I feel like I do…
Though it hurts me so to let you know that I
Look in your eyes to let me know
How you feel
Let me know that love is really real
And it seems to me
That I’m wrapped up in your love

Don’t you know? That I’m
Still in love, sure enough in love with you

And I look on your eyes
And all the years I see
Me lovin’ you and you lovin’ me
Well it seems to me
That I’m wrapped up in our love

Don’t you know that I’m
Still in love, sure enough in love with you

Hey, ahh, ahh, ah ahhh
Don’t you know that I’m
Still in love, sure enough in love
With you…
Say I’ll try it if you want,
If you still want me to,
Oh ahh, ahh ahh ahh…


A/N: Sigh…it’s hammer time!

Thanks for reading, please review??? Luv, Spuf

ALL MANNER OF MONSTERS


Chapter 5: ‘The Key’


A/N: This chapter is all over the place, but with good reason. It’s one of those chapters that seem unimportant now, but might prove to be very important later.


It had been three days since William had come crashing back into Buffy Summers’ life. Three, excruciatingly long days had passed since her past had finally caught up to her present.

Saturday was here, the day Buffy traveled up to Sunnydale, by car, to visit with her little Dawnie. This Saturday ritual had been constant, since Buffy’s parents, Hank and Joyce had insisted on placing Dawnie in the private school. Although the Sisters of The Sacred Heart were an excellent educational institution, Buffy always felt guilty that little Dawn had been sequestered there. Unfortunately, at the here and now? The present? This seemed to be the only safe, happy habitat for Dawn Michelle Summers.

Buffy watched the passing scenery, in the back of the 2005 Jaguar that Riley had provided, just for this purpose. For her weekly visit to Dawn at the school.

Andrew, who Buffy still had not quite figured out, at all, was driving, as usual. The young man never said a word to Buffy, as they rode along, as usual. He just drove, safely and soundly, his only job here to provide safe passage for Buffy. Up to Sunnydale and to Dawn Summers.

Finally, by the time they had pulled up in front of Dawn’s gated school, Andrew stopped the car and turned to face his employer.

“I will drive about Sunnydale, as usual, Miss Summers,” Andrew stated, simply. “While you visit with Miss Dawn that is," he added. There is a movie I would like to catch, he added with a wry smile. The last installment of Star Wars is out and I would so love to see it. It’s the beginning of Darth Vadar and everything!” Andrew gushed, trying hard to curb his enthusiasm.

“That’s fine, Andrew,” Buffy smiled, softly, at the eager young man. She supposed that the vivacious Andrew had stayed up all the night before, anxiously awaiting a chance to see the movie.

“By the time I speak with the superiors at the school, visit and eat lunch with Dawn? There should plenty of time to see your showing, Andrew. And thank you,” Buffy added, sincerely. “For everything,” she finished with a weak smile.

Now, usually, Buffy would scurry to find Dawn, herself, at her studies or playing at the school. However, today, the young woman decided to pay a visit to the headmaster Priest, Father Johnathan first. Buffy had many things to discuss with Father Johnathan Levech. The foremost thing, being the appearance of one William Giles, back into her life.


Buffy slipped into the inner sanctum of Father Johnathan’s office, quietly. The diminutive priest was busy, studying some important document or other.

“Hello, Father,” Buffy greeted her old friend, shyly.

“Elizabeth!” Father Johnathan exclaimed in delight. “How good it is to see you!" Have you seen Dawnie yet?” he asked, eagerly.

“No,” Buffy shook her blond head, gently. “I thought I would talk to you first, today,” she continued, a little unsure of herself. “There are some things I need to discuss with you, Father,” she added. “Will you hear my confession? First, I mean, before I see Dawnie?”

“Of course,” the priest replied eagerly. “I am always at your service Elizabeth, you know that,” he chided gently. “Let me fetch you some tea, then, and I will hear your confession. I’ve a feeling, Elizabeth, that there is something troubling you? Something much more then usual? Am I right about this?”

“Yes, Father,” Buffy murmured, softly. “William has come back into my life and stirred up all kinds of old feelings and fears,” she whispered in a shaky voice.

“I see,” Father Jonathan stated, simply. “Does he know? Your William? I mean does this William know that Finn keeps you close to him by monstrous methods? Feeds on your fears and that of your parents?” The priest frowned in disgust, at the thought of Riley Finn.

Father Johnathan watched Buffy, intently, with his dark brown eyes. In his day, Father Johnny, as he was known then, was quite the young boxer in the Golden Gloves. He had been a champion in the bantam weight division and still maintained the cocky attitude of a light, but sturdy fighter. The best way to describe Father Johnathan Levech was ‘scrappy’ when need be.

“No,” Buffy rasped, her head hung low. “Will has no idea how Riley holds me to him,” she continued, shakily as tiny tears welled up in her eyes. She was too proud to let even Father Johnathan discover those traitorous tears in her green eyes, so she avoided the holy man’s gaze.

“I see,” Father Johnathan muttered, deep in thought. “Perhaps, dear Elizabeth,” the priest began, cautiously, “it’s time for you to tell me everything there is to tell. About your past with your William and how it has now come back to haunt you.”

He leaned onto his desk, head in hand and stared, soulfully, into Elizabeth ‘Buffy’ Summers emerald green eyes.


Spike and Xander followed Riley Finn into his massive den area, on the lower floor of his mansion. Outside of the spotless sliding glass door, lay a huge, shiny pool.

‘Christ,’ Spike mumbled under his breath, ‘this place is a fucking palace!’

The blond man scanned the outside area, quickly, hoping to find Buffy out there by the pool. He was sadly disappointed when he did not spy her out there. It was such a beautiful Southern California day that Spike had hoped Buffy might be sunning by the pool. No such luck.

Finn was rambling on about something, but only Xander, it seemed, was listening to the idiot. Spike was more concerned with ‘finding’ his Buffy, somewhere about the huge Finn house.

Spike noticed Xander staring at some ‘family’ photos, place strategically on the large fireplace mantel in Finn’s den. Xander was eyeing one photo in particular.

“Cute kid,” Xander noted verbally, as he pointed at a large photo on the shelf of the mantel. “Yours?” the dark haired man asked Riley with a raised brow.

“Nope,” Riley muttered in response after he figured out which photo Harrington was talking about. “That’s Buffy’s little sister, Dawn Summers,” Riley continued, uneasily.

Spike walked over to stand beside Xander/Alec and peered at the subject of the photo.

He saw a cute, smart looking young girl child, grinning back at him from the gold frame.

“She is a little cutie,” Spike grinned, unable to help himself. “Looks a bit like her big sis, too,” he added without thinking.

“She’s a little brat,” Riley snorted in disgust. “Thank God she’s stashed up in a private school, way up north. Sunnydale is the place it’s located,” Finn continued, matter-of-factly. “In fact, that’s exactly where Buffy is this morning, up there in SunnyD. Up seeing the little brat at her fancy school. My girl, Buffy, she grew up there. Her folks, worthless as they were, enrolled Dawn in the school, a while back. When she finally turned five.”

Riley stared at the photo of Dawn Summers, thoughtfully. “You’ll have to forgive me,” he grunted in a subdued voice. “I just feel that if it weren’t for Dawn Summers, Buffy would have married me and popped out a couple of our own kids by now. I love Buffy,” Riley continued, bitterly, “but she’s too God damned tied up with that brat sister of hers and her folks, in general.”


Spike heard the resentment in Riley’s voice and his opinion of the man dropped even more. He could see Xander’s shocked expression from where he stood.

“The bright side though?” Riley grinned maliciously, “is that at least with Dawn up at the school, she isn’t living with Buffy and me. Thank God for that!” Finn chuckled wickedly. “One of these days,” Riley continued, “I’m going to pull the Dawn card out and pressure Buffy to marry me, once and for all.” He finished with a hearty laugh.

‘What an incredible fuckhead,’ Xander mouthed, silently to Spike behind Finn’s back.

Spike just rolled his blue eyes and changed the subject to business. By this time, Spike was so enraged at Finn, that he could barely trust himself to be civil to the man.

‘Cover it, Giles,’ Spike ordered himself firmly. ‘Don’t let the fucking asshole see your true feelings.’


“Elizabeth,” Father Johnathan murmured, “I usually don’t interfere in matters such as these but I feel in this case? I must.”

Buffy flinched, guiltily, when she heard the priest’s particular tone of voice.

“Father?” she asked, carefully.

“Dawn is a wonderful child, Elizabeth,” Father Johnathan began, carefully. “I know that you and your parents love the girl, very much. She’s a delight to have as a student and as a resident here at Sacred Hearts. However,” the priest paused briefly, deep in thought. “As much as the Sisters and myself adore little Dawnie, I truly believe she belongs in her home. With her family, on a permanent living basis, that is.”

“That is simply not possible at this time, Father,” Buffy whispered, sadly. She shook her blond head, slowly, and tried to fight back her tears.

“I know that, Elizabeth,” Father Johnathan sighed, heavily. “I am fully aware of the problems with your parents and your living situation at this time. I guess I had just hoped that…” He left the sentence unfinished.

Buffy hurried out of Father Johnathan’s office and out into the large grassy knoll. Dawn was out there playing with some friends. A game of kickball, Buffy noted happily, when she spied the dark haired little girl.

“Dawn!” Buffy called out to the child in anticipation.

“Buffy!” Dawn Summers squealed in delight when she saw the older woman just yards from her.

Dawn left her game of kickball and her friends to rush into Buffy’s outstretched arms. Buffy picked the girl up, in a bear hug. This in itself was no little feat, considering the fact that Dawn would probably soon be taller then Buffy herself.

“I have a new picture I drew for you, Buffy,” Dawn gushed, gleefully. The youngster squirmed about in Buffy’s arms, excitedly.

“Can’t wait to see it, Dawnie,” Buffy murmured, truthfully. “Let’s go to your room and just have the longest talk, huh?” She stood her ‘little sister’ back on the grass and took her hand in hers.
“There’s so much I need to tell you!” Buffy gushed at Dawn as she led her to her room.

“Daddy and Mommy sent me some real, real art supplies, from Italy, Buffy,” Dawn informed her ‘older sister’ happily.

Buffy flinched, visibly, when Dawn mentioned their parents, but quickly shook off the familiar painful ache their names caused her.

“That’s wonderful, baby,” Buffy purred to the precocious six-year-old. “Did you draw the new picture with the new supplies?”

“Uh huh,” Dawn replied proudly. “There’s this new color of pencil, in the kit,” the little girl exclaimed. “It’s called indigo blue. It’s my new favorite color, Buffy,” Dawn rambled on. The younger childe never noticed the pain, or the tears in the older woman’s eyes.


Later, at the hotel, Spike stood out on his room’s balcony, surveying the view from out there. Xander sauntered up, a beer bottle in his big hand.

“It’s the kid,” Xander mumbled as he joined his friend and partner, Spike, in scanning the horizon. “Dawn’s the reason Buffy is with Riley, you know that? Right man?”

Spike took a long drink from his whiskey glass and nodded, reluctantly in response to Xander’s epiphany.

“I’m thinkin’ you’re right on the money with that one,” Spike muttered softly. “Riley’s using the poor kid as a pawn, somehow,” he sighed. “But how?” Spike turned and looked at Xander, puzzled.

“Threatened to hurt the poor little thing? Probably had Buffy’s folks put their youngest in that school to get her out of the way? For whatever reason he had. Since Hank and Joyce Summers are always flying around the world, doing God knows what.” Xander shrugged, half-heartedly. “Something, that’s for sure. What a fucking prick Finn is,” Harris hissed in disgust.

“Yeah, he’s that all right,” Spike lit a cigarette and stared at the scenery below them, thoughtfully. It broke Spike’s heart to think of Buffy having to sequester that adorable, precious little sister of hers in that school. For what? To protect Dawn Summers from the likes of Riley Finn?

“You really think that Finn would hurt the little girl? Buffy’s little sis? I mean to secure Buffy to him?” Spike’s tone was harsh and raspy. Just thinking about Riley Finn made him physically ill.

“I don’t know about that,” Xander sighed in frustration. “But,” he continued, “I do know this. Dawn Summers is the ‘key’ to the power that Riley Finn has over Buffy. She’s got to be.”


A/N: I wanted to do a flashback scene that showed Spike and Buffy’s first time together, sexually. That will definitely be in the next chapter, promise!!!

Thanks for reading and please review. Luv, Spuf

ALL MANNER OF MONSTERS


Chapter 6: ‘The First Time’


A/N: Sigh…we come to a point in spufette’s writing that is always difficult for her. Sex scenes…

I am now taking a ‘shot’ of courage from my wine glass (a nice Australian cabernet) and hopefully this will be ‘pleasant’.

Summary: Riley puts his full court ‘pressure’ on to ensure Buffy’s agreement to marry him.

Buffy has a flashback sequence (Spuffy first time) and by the end of the chapter? Well, we might find out just how connected Buffy and Spike really are.


Chapter 6:


“I thought we’d go to the Club, about 9:00 or so, tonight,” Riley was saying, although Buffy only half heard him. “Have a drink dance?” he asked, hopefully.

Buffy had been back, from Sunnydale, for a few hours now. She had tried to avoid Riley, like always after her trip up north. However, he, Riley, had insisted that they have a light supper together and then go out to the club he owned.

“Uhm,” Buffy mumbled. “I don’t think so, Riley,” she continued, meekly. “I’m really bushed and…”

“Jesus fucking Christ, Buff,” Riley bellowed as he slammed his wine glass onto the dining room table. He almost cracked the fine crystal goblet's stem. “You go up to see that little brat and now you don’t have time or energy for me?”

Buffy sat, frozen in her chair; the wine glass in her hand shook, visibly. She tried very hard not to show her boyfriend the rage his cruel words were evoking from her.

“Do not ever, ever call Dawn a brat, Riley,” Buffy hissed through gritted teeth. Her green eyes were narrowed slits and filled with fiery rage.

“Buffy,” Riley sighed, much more calmly now, “I’m sorry. It’s just that I can’t see how you and I are ever going to have a family- type future together. When you’re so wrapped up in Dawn and all?”

Riley finished with a pout, no doubt thinking his girlfriend would consider it ‘charming’ and innocent enough. Buffy noted, in disgust, that it simply was childish and not near as cute as Will’s pout.


‘Flashback…Buffy’s POV’


“So, what’s on the telly then?” William sat on the couch that was in the middle of Buffy’s hotel room. Apparently, Buffy had been here, for days, alone, as this Willow person was off at SDSU with her girlfriend.

Buffy slipped onto the couch, next to William and grabbed the television remote. “Oh,” she purred, “lots of things, especially ‘chick flicks’ as you put it, earlier.” The blond girl grinned, wickedly, at her guest.

“Hmmm, let’s see,” Buffy murmured, as she scanned the ‘guide’ that the hotel had offered. “There’s ‘My Best Friend’s Wedding! That’s fairly recent,” she continued as she noted the horrified look on Will’s handsome face. “Oh, ‘Titanic’ is playing, again and there’s this totally British movie… ‘Mrs. Brown’ is playing. You should just love that, Will,” Buffy gushed.

Buffy glanced at her William, from the corner of her right eye. When she saw that lost, bewildered look on his face, Buffy lost it and began to roar with laughter.

“What?” Will asked her, a confused look on his face.

‘Oh, that pout of his,’ Buffy thought, warmly to herself. ‘It’s going to be the end of me, for sure.’

“You,” Buffy giggled, uncontrollably, “and your terrified expression,” she finished with an unladylike snort.

“Maybe we could watch something older?” Buffy chuckled. “Like ‘An Affair to Remember’ or ‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s’ or…”

“Okay, Buffy,” William muttered, red faced, “that’s quite enough.” He reached over and clasped the object of his obsession to his body, tightly.

“Maybe we could just skip the movies and move onto the good stuff?” William whispered, huskily into Buffy’s ear.

He began to run his warm tongue over her lush lips and then to her silky neck. Although she didn’t seem to resist, William could tell that something was definitely distracting her. Her little body was so tense that she felt like she might snap in two.

“Buffy,” William murmured in a hushed, shameful tone, “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have grabbed you like that. Pushed you beyond what you wanted and…”

“It’s okay Will,” Buffy sighed. “I want this too, I promise. It’s just that I’m a little unsure and all,” she added, sheepishly.

“Unsure?” Will asked her, his fair head tilted to one side, an expression of total confusion on his face. She could tell he was completely puzzled by her bizarre, skittish behavior. When he reached over and placed his finger, underneath her chin, tenderly, Buffy felt like a complete idiot.

‘God I’m such a freakin’ child,’ Buffy chided herself, angrily. ‘William is a God, at least as far as I’m concerned. Here I am, running from him like a scared kitten!’

He raised her chin up, so that their eyes met in a heated gaze, causing Buffy to feel even more anxious.

“What is it?” William asked her, in a hushed, reverent voice. His indigo blue eyes held her green eyes in a soulful gaze.

“I,” Buffy began, carefully. She tried to avoid his gaze, but something brought her back to him, immediately.

“First off. I want you to know that I’m not a virgin, okay?” Buffy felt like she might throw up from embarrassment, but she held her own.

“I gathered that,” William replied in a gentle voice. “You are nineteen, luv,” he added. “Not thinkin’ a lovely little treasure like you would be, well, you know? Untried?”

Buffy fought the urge to yell at him, truly. For some reason, that remark of his left her feeling rather ‘cold’ and insulted.

“No,” she continued, a little harshly, “not untried, true. But, not really experienced, either,” she finished with a hot blush.

‘I’m going to just die of fucking embarrassment and shame, right here!’ she assured herself. ‘I wish I could crawl under the couch and wait until Will leaves and…’

“Okay,” William whispered. Buffy noticed that he still seemed to search her eyes, with his, looking for something.

“So, you’re not exactly experienced? Is that a problem?” he asked quietly. His eyes still held that puzzled look in them, but his mouth was turned up, slightly, in a soft smile.

“No,” Buffy blurted out, with a shake of her blond head. “No, not at all. No problem here,” she continued, nervously. Try as she might, Buffy could not keep from meeting Will’s intense gaze.

“It’s just that because I’m not exactly ‘free’ with myself?” Buffy whimpered this time, ashamed of her meekness. “What I’m trying to say,” she stumbled on. “Okay, I mean that because I’m not sexually active? I don’t use any methods of regular birth control. No pills, shots, yada yada,” she finished, almost resentfully.

“Oh,” William replied, evenly. “So, what you’re saying is that I need to use a rubber?” He asked the question, so matter-of-factly, that for some reason it kind of pissed Buffy off.

“Well, yeah!” she replied, in a semi-hostile manner. “You’d have to do that, now wouldn’t you,” she muttered. “Of course,” she continued, coolly, “I’d want you to use one ‘anyway’ because who knows where ‘that’ thing has been and all!”

Buffy glared at Will’s denim covered cock, defiantly. She immediately felt like a number one bitch, however.

“Buffy,” William whispered as he pulled her to him again. “I don’t have a problem with using a condom, I swear to God. And, for the record? I’m not all ‘that’ free with my body, myself.” He blushed, bright red at the admission. “At least not like some guys, okay?”

Buffy buried her head into Will’s strong chest and began to tremble, slightly in his arms. She again, felt like a number one bitchface.

“I just don’t want you to think that I’m some naïve little schoolgirl, Will,” she whispered, mortified. “Or that I’m some casual slut that sleeps with any guy that happens down the pike. Understood?” She stared into Will’s blue eyes, searching them for some sign that he did truly understand.

“I understand,” he murmured, lovingly, as he leaned in and kissed her lips, tenderly. He then began to stroke her slim arms with his warm hands. His brows were scrunched up in thought.

“Besides,” William sighed in gentle frustration, “I don’t have any condoms on me. So, the point is rather moot, I’m afraid.” He actually began to chuckle, softly, probably at the irony of the whole ridiculous situation.

‘Oh, there’s that pout again,’ Buffy noted. ‘Let’s see if we can change it into a nice smile?’

“Not a problem,” Buffy mumbled into his chest. She could feel her hot blush creep back up her neck, into her face again.

William reared his head back and looked into her eyes, even more confused, apparently. “I don’t understand,” he murmured, softly with a puzzled expression.

“When I ordered the pizza from room service, I ordered those rubber things, too,” Buffy blurted out quickly. Then, she immediately buried her face back into Will’s chest. Buffy fought the overwhelming urge to cry, out of embarrassment.

Buffy was even further mortified when Will began to chuckle softly, deep in his chest.

“What’s so damn funny?” Buffy hissed at her so called ‘boyfriend’ with a fiery glower.

“Nothing, baby,” William quit laughing and cuddled her into his strong arms. “I knew from day one that you were a smart little thing,” he continued in a melodic voice. “But now? I just realized that you’re bloody brilliant!”

“So, so, you’ll have sex with me?” Buffy whispered the question. She actually got the courage up to look into Will’s deep blue eyes. Even if she just knew her own green eyes were filled with insecurity and slight fear.

“No,” Will murmured, huskily. He leaned in and kissed her lips, tenderly then added quickly. “But I will make love to you.”

Somehow, Buffy and William had stumbled to the big bed in the hotel room. They had kissed and caressed each other all the way. Buffy was amazed to find that they somehow had become totally naked before they fell onto the bed together.

“You are beautiful,” Will moaned in desire as he perused Buffy’s naked body.

“So are you, Will,” Buffy replied, shyly. She bravely reached out and ran her tiny hand over his taut chest and tummy.

William pulled Buffy up to him and began to kiss her passionately. He ran his hands down her arms and sides until he reached her hips. Then, she felt it. He was doing the most delicious things with that fine hand of his, to her wet center.

“Jesus Buffy,” Will rasped, “you’re soaking wet here.” He slipped another finger inside her wet heat and began to pump it, slowly.

“Oh, Will!” Buffy gasped as she bucked against his long fingers, sharply. “That feels so good, baby,” she moaned into his mouth.

“Gonna’ make you feel like a queen, sweet,” he groaned in reply. Buffy felt his erection press against her tummy and realized something important.

‘He’s huge!’ she gasped silently. ‘How’s that thing gonna’ fit into me?’ Then, she grinned mischievously, at the thought. ‘Yeah! He’s huge,’ she reminded herself. ‘Yummy!’

Will continued with his onslaught of her mouth with his. By the time he’d ran his lips down her neck, to her left breast, Buffy was ready to cum at any time.

“Get inside of me, Will,” she ordered him in a deep, lustful voice. “Please, get inside of me, now.”

“Anything for you Buffy,” William moaned as he ripped open the condom package and slipped the rubber on himself.

William positioned himself between Buffy’s wet thighs and pushed into her, gently.

“Oh!” they cried out in breathy pants together. Between kisses.

Buffy wrapped her arms around Will’s back and thrust up with her hips to meet his thrusts into her. She was rewarded with his groans of physical pleasure. This made her very, very happy, yes, but there was something more here. Something bigger at play, however, she couldn’t quite figure out just what it was.

They moved together, in the age old dance. William’s kisses rocketed from gentle to passionate. He continued to conquer her mouth, jaw and neck with his warm mouth.

“Oh, God Buffy,” Will moan into her mouth, “feels so fucking good. So right,” he continued as he placed kitten kisses on her lips. “Like I’m finally home,” he gazed into her eyes, soulfully before capturing her mouth with his, once more.

Buffy felt tiny tears form at the corner of eyes and before she could stop them? They slipped out and slid down her already damp cheeks.

‘That’s it,’ Buffy realized in surprise. ‘That’s the something bigger at play. I feel like I’m home, too.’ She never felt so safe in her entire life before this. It was likely that she never would, again.

William noticed the tears and halted his movements, quickly. “What’s wrong,” he asked anxiously. “Did I hurt you?” he almost looked frightened to Buffy.

“No,” Buffy responded in a whisper, “it’s just that I feel the same way you do, Will. Like this ‘is’ right and I am finally home too.”


‘End flashback’

Riley still set across the dining table from Buffy, but now his mouth was twisted in a nasty frown. He glared at his girlfriend, not even trying to cover his escalating anger.

“I’m going to bed,” Buffy snapped at him as she tossed her napkin on the table. “Preferably alone,” she added maliciously. “Why don’t you go to the club and get drunk or something useful for once,” she finished with a growl.

“Buffy!” Riley called out loudly as she strode to the closed dining room doors.

“I’ve got a proposal for you,” he blurted out as he stood and closed the gap between Buffy and himself.

“What would that be?” Buffy sighed in exasperation. She did not try and hide the sarcasm in her tone. However, she didn’t turn around to face Riley, either, even when he wrapped his huge arms about her.

“It’s about us, you, and me and yeah, even Dawn,” Riley murmured into Buffy’s right ear. “I’ve got an offer for you, babe, something I know you’ll like. Won’t you even face me and hear me out?”

Buffy reluctantly turned around and glared up into her lover’s brown eyes. Her curiosity had gotten the better of her, once again.

“What about Dawn?” Buffy asked him, gruffly, her jaw clenched tightly.

“Just thought of a way that maybe you and me, little Dawnie can all be together? Here?” Riley must have thought that he was coming across as compassionate and coy. Buffy thought he looked like a cunning jackal at the moment.

“Riley,” Buffy began, evenly, trying now to mask her inner rage at this man. “You can’t stand Dawn, you know that and so do I. She will always be an unpleasant reminder to you. How many times have you told me that?”

Buffy looked away from Riley and focused on the crystal chandelier that hung over the dining table. She tried so hard not to cry, especially in front of Riley.

“It’s true,” Riley sighed in frustration, “Dawn has always been an ‘unpleasant’ reminder to me. Where you’re concerned that is. And, yeah, it pisses me off, a lot,” he added in a tight voice.

She noticed that his jaw was now clenched tightly and his brown eyes were filled with jealousy and insecurity. Buffy flinched slightly, in fear and hatred of this man.

“But,” Riley began, hesitantly, as if considering every word he was about to say. “I’m willing to get over all that past shit. I mean all of my resentment and jealousy regarding your bad judgment back then. After all,” he shrugged, “you were just a kid and couldn’t help being led down the garden path. Just wish I knew who the fuck was that…”

“This is not helping, Riley,” Buffy hissed as she glared at him again, defiantly.

“Okay, okay,” he cut her off with a firm nod of his big head. “What I’m proposing is this, Buff, and I think you better take me up on it. Understood?”

Buffy didn’t respond, just stood there, glaring up at her so called lover.

“If you marry me, pronto, that is,” Riley grinned down at her. “If you marry me, like next week? Agree to start shelling out little Riley’s and Buffy’s, right away? I’ll go up to Sunnydale, pack up Dawn and her stuff and move her into this house the next day.” He finished with an arrogant smile to Buffy.

‘He’s so damned proud of himself,’ Buffy thought with resentment. ‘So sure I’ll take his offer and…’ A sinking feeling started in the middle of her tummy and her throat began to close up from terror and confusion.

“I’ll, I’ll think about it,” Buffy mumbled softly. She pulled out of Riley’s arms and fled out of the dining room. Riley, she assumed, just stood there, staring after her with that patent dumbass look on his face.

Buffy slammed out of the dining room, literally. She ran smack dab into Andrew, who apparently had been lurking about the door.

“Did you hear that?” Buffy snapped at the terrified looking young man, angrily.

“Some of it, Miss Summers,” Andrew replied in a shaky voice. “I’m sorry, I was just coming in to tell you I’d be happy to drive you to Mass tomorrow morning. Wouldn’t hurt me to attend, either,” he added quickly.

Buffy felt like she was going to be ill; terribly, terribly ill by this time. All this pain, all this drama was just too much for her.

“I’m so sorry, for snapping at you Andrew,” Buffy began to weep softly. “It’s just that…”

“No, it’s me that’s sorry, Miss Buffy,” Andrew sighed miserably. He shook his fair head, sadly. “I’m sorry for you, Miss Dawnie, everyone involved in this.”

Buffy halted her weeping and just stared at Andrew in shock. “How long have you known, Andrew,” Buffy asked in a hoarse whisper.

“For a while now,” Andrew replied, bashfully. “At least I suspected for some time who Miss Dawn really is,” he finished with another sigh. His little boy face was bright red in embarrassment by this time.

“Oh God,” Buffy groaned, her hand placed over her mouth. It muffled her words completely.

“Did Riley tell…” she started to ask Andrew.

“No Miss,” Andrew shook his head firmly. “About six or seven months ago,” he explained weakly. “I accidentally overheard an argument between you and Mr. Finn that is. Mr. Riley wasn’t exactly quiet or discreet that afternoon and that’s when I began to realize who Miss Dawn really was. I’m sorry,” he repeated sadly, “I really never meant to overhear and…”

“It’s all right, Andrew,” Buffy sighed in defeat. She began to walk, slowly away from the anxious young man.

“Miss Buffy,” Andrew hurried to catch up to her. He touched her arm, gently and continued to speak in a soothing manner.

“Your secret is safe with me, Miss,” he assured her. “It’s none of my business what I suspect. Please believe me.”

He looked so earnest and kind that Buffy just had to ask him the next question.

“Suspect?” she asked, slightly confused. “Suspect what, Andrew?”

“Well,” Andrew stammered with a bright red face. “I only suspected the true identity of Miss Dawn, even since that day. You know when I overheard you and Mr. Riley?”

He looked as if he was going to faint dead away by this time. Buffy nodded at him, “go on,” she encouraged Andrew.

“I suspected the truth,” Andrew continued shyly. “However, when Mr. Sinclair appeared here, just a few days ago? I knew it was true, Miss Buffy.”

Buffy felt her heart stop beating and she suddenly wondered if she was going to drop dead. Right there at the bottom of the staircase in Riley Finn’s house. She stared into Andrew’s kind eyes, fearfully, but said nothing.

“Miss Dawn,” Andrew repeated the child’s name with affection. “She has her father’s beautiful indigo blue eyes.”


A/N: Well, that was a longish chapter, huh? Even for me. Hope it was okay, the sex stuff and all!

Anyway, please read and review and thanks for sticking with the story! Luv, Spuf

“

ALL MANNER OF MONSTERS


Chapter 7: ‘Found Out About You’


“Oh God,” Buffy moaned into her hand. “Oh dear God,” she repeated in anguish. Her heart felt like it was breaking, or at least cracking in two.

“No, Miss Summers,” Andrew almost whimpered, “don’t be afraid. Like I said, your secret is safe with me. I promise, honest,” the earnest young man mumbled. His fair blue eyes were sympathetic and seem to glisten with remorseful tears.

“Riley,” Buffy gasped in fear. “If you have figured out whom Dawn’s father is? Then Riley will surely be able to put two and two together and…”

“No Miss,” Andrew shook his fair head. “Although the photographs of Miss Dawn are of very high quality? A picture doesn’t always capture the essence, the very soul of the subject. Even a fine photograph of Miss Dawn could not capture her soulful blue eyes. I am the only member of this household, or Mr. Finn’s employ, I believe, that has ever seen Miss Dawnie up close and in person.”

Andrew was trying to reassure his employer’s girlfriend that Riley Finn had not caught the resemblance between Mr. Spike Sinclair and Buffy’s mystery daughter. Buffy looked as if she was going to faint dead away at any moment.

As he patted Buffy’s arm, gently in comfort, Andrew tried to explain Mr. Finn’s ignorance to the truth. Riley Finn may have been a savvy ‘business’ man, but he was no real genius. Not instinctive at all, really. There was no way that Mr. Riley could catch the connection between Dawn and Spike Sinclair.

“Mr. Finn has never really met Miss Dawn, correct?” Andrew asked Buffy. “Not in person anyway, right?” His voice was a low, secretive whisper.

“No,” Buffy replied in a raspy voice. “Riley detests the thought of my poor daughter,” Buffy hissed, her green eyes were wide in fear and Andrew felt horrible for even exposing his suspicions.

“I think that a person would have to actually ‘see’ Miss Dawn. I mean to really notice the connection between her and Mr. Sinclair. I’m sure that Mr. Finn has no idea who his ‘guest’ in Los Angeles truly is to you.”

“If Riley ever even suspected who ‘Spike’ really is, Andrew?” Buffy murmured fearfully. “He’d kill him without a second thought. Then he would go after my baby, Dawn, in some awful way. Riley would do that,” Buffy’s tone was desperate and strained, her green eyes wild with terror. “You know that, right?”

“Yes, Miss,” Andrew mumbled in reply, his blue eyes focused on the expensive hardwood floor beneath them. “Mr. Finn is a certainly ‘that’ manner of a monster. He would hurt you, out of revenge and certainly he would harm Mr. Sinclair. However,” Andrew stammered, then seemed to think better of it and changed the subject.

“Why don’t you go on up to bed, Miss Buffy,” Andrew advised his employer, gently. “You’ve had such a hard day and maybe some sleep will help things look a bit ‘clearer’ in the morning?”

Buffy was less then reassured by the time she and Andrew had finished their revealing conversation. However, she hurried up to the master bedroom and readied for bed. She lay in the king sized bed, tossing and turning for hours, before she finally took a sleeping pill to somewhat relax. Riley had done as she asked and left the mansion, presumably to go to his club, alone.

“I hope the miserable fuck passes out drunk at that stupid club of his,” Buffy hissed into the empty bedroom. Her tummy was tied up in knots as she thought of her captor, Riley Finn with hatred.

“I’ve got to ‘talk’ with Father Donatelli, tomorrow at confession,” she told herself. “I have to be completely honest with him and really listen to his advice. No matter how difficult it might be to hear.” The sleeping pill Buffy had popped, minutes before, finally took affect and she fell into a fitful sleep.

Spike sat in his rented car, a Cadillac for fuck’s sake! He hated these bloody cars, truly. Only because he was more of a renaissance man at heart. His beloved, classic DeSoto was on blocks, in storage, back in Maryland.

Right now, Spike was staring, sullenly of course, at Riley Finn’s huge mansion. The stupid fuck, Finn, had left the house, over two hours ago. Without his girlfriend and driven by that fuck Graham, for some reason. Spike knew that Buffy was completely alone in the huge, ugly house. Well, alone except for the goons that Riley hired to watch the place. Servants, including Andrew were in there, this much Spike knew for sure. It was Andrew, the gofer guy, that had called him, Spike, on his cell phone only an hour or so before this.

“Mr. Sinclair,” Andrew had greeted Spike nervously. “I hope it’s all right, that I called you on your cell phone number that you left with me? I wanted to let you know that Miss Summers will be attending early Mass tomorrow, and confession. I’ll be driving her myself and…”

Spike was a little surprised at this Andrew bloke. He seemed a little ‘out there’ to the undercover FBI agent. Andrew’s loyalty lay with Buffy, that was more then apparent, but why? There was no doubt in Spike’s mind that Andrew had no romantic interest in Buffy Summers. What was it that Andrew had told Spike, just days before, when the younger man had made it clear that he was on Buffy’s side?

“When I see the portrait of a lovely young woman, or a sculpture of Venus herself?” Andrew had tried to explain to Spike. “I appreciate the innate, creative beauty of the piece. However,” Andrew had continued, “let me gaze at Michelangelo’s sculpture of ‘David’ or scan a picture of Tom Cruise? Well, my heart stands still and I feel a passion that even I cannot describe.”

Andrew was, Spike had realized, the real ‘go to’ guy at Riley Finn’s huge house. Spike had immediately decided that this Andrew was not only trustworthy, but that he would probably cut of his right arm for Buffy and her little sis.

Spike watched the Finn mansion with mixed feelings. He hated the fact that Buffy was ensconced in that huge mausoleum of a house, but…

‘Why doesn’t she leave the bloody pillock?’ Spike asked himself as he lit another cigarette. ‘I mean, if she’s so fucking miserable here? Isn’t in love with this asshole, Finn? Even Andrew hints that Buffy is unhappy and well trapped in this relationship. But why does she live with him, then?’

It was a fucking mystery, even to Spike why Buffy stayed with Riley Finn. Or, for that matter, why the fuck did she ever get with him in the first place. If it wasn’t for his love; money or even his status and prestige? Then why was his Buffy with Riley Finn? Did Riley Finn hold some all encompassing power over Buffy? If he did, then what was it and did it have to do with that poor little sister of hers?

‘Flashback…Spike’s POV’


As soon as William woke up, in Buffy’s bed, he realized two very important things.

One: He was falling in love with Buffy Winters, quickly, crazily and completely.

Two: He wanted them to be together from now on, constantly and totally.

This meant that William would either talk Buffy into staying with him at his hotel, or he’d stay here with her. Which, in truth, probably meant the latter.

‘Buffy is not going to leave this joint for a downgrade like Scott’s and my hotel room,’ he reasoned.

“Why are you scowling mister?” Buffy whispered with a slight smirk.

William had been so deep in thought that he missed seeing his angel wake up from her sleep. Buffy was now staring at him, her green eyes wide in wonder and her lush mouth tilted up at the corners.

“Was it that bad?” Buffy asked breathily, but gave herself away with a tiny giggle.

“Hell no!” William gasped in shock at the thought that his golden goddess would even consider such an absurd idea.

“Our love making was incredible, baby,” William gushed, a little calmer now as he snuggled Buffy to him.

“Then why with the frowny face, Will?” Buffy asked him in a coy little voice.

He felt her wriggle her naked front side against his and moaned in pleasure from it.

“Just plotting,” William grinned down at her radiant face. “That and thinkin’ about how beautiful you are and wondering what the bloody hell you’re doing a bum like me?”

Buffy slapped at his bare chest, playfully and sighed. “You are so not a bum, William Giles,” she giggled again. “And what do you mean by ‘plotting’ sir?”

William chuckled at the ‘confused’ expression that now adorned his lovely Buffy’s face. He decided to just come out and say it, right off.

“I’m plotting a way to get you to stay with me, somehow, for the rest of spring break, luv,” he admitted. He felt his face grow hot from a blush as his insecurities began to overwhelm him.

He chided himself. ‘What if she doesn’t really care for me and…’

“That’s simple,” Buffy broke into his nervous inner conversation. “Move in here, with me.” She gave her slim shoulders a quick shrug, but her green eyes beamed with excitement. Her smile was dazzling to William.

“You sure?” William asked Buffy, anxiously. “I mean, I want to be with you, 24/7 and all, but I don’t want to invade your space and…” he was rambling, almost incoherently. Buffy must have understood what he meant, however, because she broke out into bright laughter.

“Yes, Will,” she sigh in contentment, “I’m very, very sure. I don’t think you could invade my space and since you have a roomie at your hotel? Well, we don’t want to inconvenience him, right? Willow will be with Tara the entire time we’re here so it makes more sense, right. For you to move in here, huh?”

“Right, it does,” William sighed in relief as he cuddled Buffy even closer to his body. A body, which had become quite ‘awake’ at the moment. Especially his cock, which once again, was at full attention.

“Buffy,” William whispered into her warm little ear. He desperately tried to ignore his erection, for a moment anyway, while he tried to tell her how he felt.

“I’m going to be straight with you, Princess,” he began hesitantly. He then seemed to gain confidence as he continued.

“This thing we have, you and me?” He lifted her little chin and tenderly brought her green-eyed gaze up to meet his.

Buffy’s eyes looked like huge, gorgeous green emeralds at the moment. William suddenly felt very unsure and nervous about his next words, but he soldiered on, bravely. Buffy’s expression was a bit unsure and confused at present.

“I think, no, I know I’m falling in love with you Buffy,” William managed to mumble out his feelings. No mere feat considering he’d never said that to any girl, ever. His heart was beating so hard and fast, that William was concerned it might just break his chest.

Buffy, he noticed, didn’t look too very shocked, upset or worried at this life-altering revelation of his. In fact, he noted, she looked almost relieved.

Now it was William Giles turn to be ‘confused’ at the turn of events. He gazed at her, his blue eyes wide in puzzlement and just waited for his Buffy to say something in response.

“Well?” He finally mumbled the question with a raised left brow.

“Well what,” Buffy murmured back, stroking his chest, tenderly, with her long fingers.

“Bloody hell, Buffy,” William groaned in exasperation. “A bloke lays here, stark arse naked in bed with you and says he loves you! Can’t you say something in response? You can't say anything at all?” He realized, immediately, that he was babbling like a complete idiot. This was so very important to him, though and here she was, the little minx, lying there. Looking like a goddess and…

Buffy sighed, heavily, causing William to feel extremely nervous again. He steeled himself for the big ‘disappointment’ that he was sure was coming at him.

“I was just thinking,” Buffy sighed once more as she snaked her long arm about his lower back. Her tiny left hand rested on his bare ass and she gave it an affectionate little squeeze.

“It certainly took you long enough to tell ‘that’ to me, William Giles. I guess it took me seducing you into my bed to get you to admit it to me, huh?” Buffy burst out into delightful laughter and slapped his bare bottom playfully with her open palm. Her emerald eyes danced in delight.

“You little minx,” William growled loudly, but he laughed just as loud, too. As he rolled Buffy onto her back and pinned her down with his body, he began to pepper her face and neck with hot, passionate kisses.

“Don’t you want me to say something back, Will,” Buffy squealed through musical laughter.

“When you’re ready to, Princess,” William murmured, huskily, into her ear. “You will. I know it.”

‘She does care for me,’ William assured himself as thrust into her sweet cunny with his very hard cock.

‘We’ll be together, from now on. Inseparable, even after this break thing is over.’ William had no doubt that all of his thoughts would turn out to be true.

As it turned out, however, he had been wrong on all counts.


‘End flashback’


Spike sat, staring at the huge, rather ugly house that belonged to Riley Finn. His mood had swung, in the last three hours, from melancholy to angry. Then back to melancholy again and straight down to depressed.

The arrival of Finn’s huge black car alerted Spike of the master’s return home. Spike felt like leaping out of his own car and throwing himself on Riley’s fucking limo as it pulled slowly into the long driveway.

“A limo, for Christ’s sake,” Spike hissed in contempt. “This guy is a real pompous arse and a fucking moron. And…..,” he continued to growl as he slumped down in the front seat.

Once Finn’s car had disappeared into the back of the mansion property, Spike raised up and glared, once more at the huge house.
His depressed state suddenly change back into angry mode, fueled no doubt, by the thoughts of Finn and Buffy. They're up there, together. The both of them, up there in bed together. Upstairs, in ‘their’ cozy little bedroom.

Spike gripped the steering wheel so tightly with his hands that they turned whiter then usual. He took some calming breaths and then lit another cigarette.

“What manner of monster are ‘you’ Buffy? What inner demon keeps you with him?” He inquired of the empty night air as he stared at the upper floor of the house. “Why would you live with a man like Riley Finn?”

Of course, Spike had no idea of where Buffy’s bedroom was located in this huge monstrosity of house. However, he didn’t have to possess too much of an imagination to figure out where Riley headed right to. Once he got inside the house.

The thought of Buffy sharing a bed with that evil, fuckhead of a monster Riley Finn made Spike physically ill. Buffy, Spike’s golden goddess was sleeping with the devil himself.

“Why? How could you do this, baby?” Spike asked the question again as silent tears slipped down his cheek.
The other night, when Spike had confronted Buffy on the patio of Finn’s fine palace, he knew something was off with her. She wasn’t just nervous or embarrassed by being confronted by an ex-lover. No, Buffy was terrified, Spike could sense that. Spike had a growing bad feeling in the pit of his gut that Buffy was there, in Finn Manor, because she was forced into it. Not because she wanted to be.

“I’ll find out why, Princess,” Spike whispered at the LA night air outside of his rented car window. “If it kills me, I’ll figure out why you stay with this fucking monster. I will find you out, Buffy Summers.”


‘Found Out About You’


(By the Gin Blossoms)

‘All last summer in case you don’t recall
I was yours and you were mine, forget it all
Is there a line that I could write
Sad enough to make you cry
All the lines you wrote to me, they were lies

The months roll past the love that you struck dead
Did you love me only in my head?
Things you said and did to me
Seemed to come so easily
The love I thought I’d won you give for free

Whispers in the bus stop
I heard about nights out in the school yard
I found out about you

Rumors follow everywhere you go
Like when you left and I was last to know
You’re famous now and there’s no doubt
In all the places you hang out
They know your name and know what you’re about

Street lights blink on through the car window
I get the time too often on AM radio
You know it’s all I think about
I write your name, drive past your house
Your boyfriend’s over I watch your light go out

Whispers at the bus stop
I heard about nights out in the school yard
I found out about you
I found out about you
I found out about you’


A/N: I hope readers like the way I’m writing Andrew in this fiction. He ‘is’ very important to the plot and a true ally of Buffy’s. I know he’s a bit prim and proper, the way I’m writing him, but I enjoyed his character so much on the show and he just seemed so old school to me sometimes.

Anyway, next chapter…the Spuffy meeting at confession.

Thanks for reading and please review. Luv, Spuf

ALL MANNER OF MONSTERS


Chapter 8: ‘You May Be Right’


A/N: I’m going to try and update tonight, tomorrow or Sunday? I’m leaving for vacation on Wednesday and will be gone for a while. Anyway, please read and review.


Buffy woke up first on Sunday morning. Thank God! She rolled over to find her so called boyfriend asleep with his back to her.

Somewhere, in the back of her brain, Buffy remembered alot. Buffy remembered that Riley had come home, about 1:00 AM and tried to rouse her from her sleep. To get her into some sex for the night, no doubt.

Fortunately, since she had popped a sleeping pill, Buffy had the excuse that she just could not wake up and perform on demand. That in itself was a true blessing.

‘Speaking of blessings,’ Buffy reminded herself. ‘Mass begins in less then ninety minutes and I have to get ready.’

After her shower, which Buffy took quickly and quietly, she dressed in a nearby guest room. She did not want wake the sleeping giant in the master bedroom.

Buffy made no great effort to doll up for Mass, of course. However, she did choose a rather chic, understated appropriate dress for the occasion. Her heels were only three inches high and she wore the minimal amount of make-up.

This trip to church was not about impressing anyone, except maybe God. Oh, and Father Donatelli, of course. Buffy adored the priest at St. Joseph’s of the Immortal Cathedral in nearby Bel Aire. She had been attending the Mass held by the middle aged priest for a few years now. Well, sporadically, that is and not so frequently.

Andrew was waiting to whisk his passenger off to morning Mass. The young man seemed overly eager to Buffy and that was quite odd. That was when she remembered that Andrew had never shown any interest in the Church before. Nor had he ever expressed his devotion to the Catholic faith.

As they rode along, Buffy stared out the Lincoln’s tinted backseat window. She thought about William and everything that her ex-lover ‘did not’ really know about her. Or anything of the daughter they shared together.

‘Why the heck does Riley own so many damned cars?’ Buffy asked herself in disgust. She was quite surprised at this sudden thought, but passed it off as a defense mechanism on her part.


‘Flashback, Buffy’s POV; Sunnydale, California circa May, 1998’


Hank Summers was mad. No, make that furious, enraged and downright terrifying at this moment.

The Summers’ patriarch was in the midst of his tenth tirade of that evening. He was, at the moment, storming up and down in front of his only child, Buffy, and screaming at the top of his lungs.

“How in the hell did this happen!” Hank screeched for the hundredth time that day. “How do you come here, you little brat, and tell me you’re pregnant with some unknown punk’s bastard!”

“Hank, please,” Joyce Summers whined. “This isn’t helping one bit. If the young man lied to Buffy and…”

“Lied to her? Now, just how did he lie? Joyce?” Hank barked at his wife, even though his heated glare was directed straight at Buffy. “How did he lie, Buffy?” The older man asked his trembling seventeen-year-old daughter, point blank.

“He didn’t,” Buffy whispered with her green eyes were focused on her pink toenails. “I just didn’t get his last name,” she lied easily enough. “His first name is William, I think anyway and…”

“She thinks!” Hank roared loud enough to shake the rafters of their fine house. “Joyce, did you hear that? Our beautiful, brilliant teenaged daughter thinks that this spring break Romeo’s real name ‘is’ William? How nice, don’t you think? It’s lucky for him that you don’t know his last name, Buffy,” Hank growled his final warning. “If I knew who he really was? Or better yet? If Riley Finn, my future son-in-law knew who he was? This little William bastard’s life wouldn’t be worth a fuck.”

“Hank!” Joyce gasped at her husband’s profanity.

“Dad,” Buffy began in her toughest little voice. “I don’t give a damn what Riley Finn thinks and I assure you. He will never ever be your son-in-law. At least not through me or by marriage to me! I can’t stand that arrogant stick-up- his-ass monster and…”

“You’re not making the rules here anymore Buffy,” Hank hissed as he grasped his daughter by her slim arm. He pulled her up, roughly, from the sofa and ignoring his wife’s pleas, pulled her behind him into the dining room.

“Joyce,” Hank barked back at his ashen faced wife, “tomorrow, you call your doctor. We’re going to get a referral, for an OB/GYN, to get rid of this little spawn from hell. Some random little punk in San Diego is not going to screw up our plans for Buffy. Riley Finn is going to marry our daughter and give her everything she needs and could want, forever. Some little bastard growing in her belly isn’t going to ruin this. Riley’s wanted Buffy for over a year and my boss is going to get what he wants!”

“Mommy!” Buffy cried in anguish as her father dragged her up the back stairs of the kitchen. Buffy frantically scanned behind her to find her mother standing in the kitchen doorway, her skin pale as a ghost. Joyce’s blue eyes were filled with fear and pain.

“I’m not getting rid of this baby,” Buffy screamed defiantly.

“Yes you are!” Hank retorted as he dragged Buffy into her upstairs bedroom and flung her inside. Before he slammed and locked her door, from the outside, he glared at his only, darling daughter.

“You will have an abortion young lady,” the angry father roared at the young girl. “Riley Finn ‘is’ your future and you should be damned thankful for that. Do you have any idea what Finn will do if he finds out that you’re ruined now? He’s a proud man, Buffy,” Hank warned, menacingly. “If he ever found out that you whored around and got knocked up? He’d kill the fuck who did this and then he’d make our lives a living hell!”

Hank slammed the door shut and Buffy heard the click of the lock’s key. She pulled herself up off the floor and crawled up onto her queen sized bed. The pink, frilly comforter was inviting, but not very comforting after all. When Buffy heard the sound of her father’s receding footsteps, down the hallway? It was then she buried her face into her pillow and began to weep, uncontrollably.

“Oh, God, Will,” Buffy sobbed into the pillow. “I’m so sorry that I lied about you. Or that I misled you. What hurts most of all? The fact that I ever left you in the first place. I should have stayed, told you the whole sordid truth. You would have accepted me, I know it. You did love me, I know you did, as I love you,” Buffy cried pitifully. “Now it’s too late. Everything is ruined! I ruined it all!”


‘Present day’


Mass had droned on for what seemed like days that morning, but Buffy tried to be patient. She had arranged to speak with Father Donatelli first thing, after the service. Now was the time, Buffy realized, to be completely honest with the wonderful priest and tell him everything. Including the latest development in her screwed up life. The return of William Giles, or was that Spike Sinclair? Even Buffy wasn’t sure just what to call the father of her child anymore.

Andrew had made himself scarce somewhere, as usual, so Buffy felt no need to hurry with her confession to her beloved priest. She took her time, in the little room that Father Donatelli set aside to ‘chat’ with his closest parishioners. Buffy repeated her whole past to the priest and brought him up to date on the present events in her life.

Father Donatelli listened with a sympathetic ear and merely ‘hemmed, or hummed’ once in a while. He was listening, Buffy was sure, but his face was like a stone as he digested her ramblings. The holy man never once divulged his inner thoughts to her, at least not visually.

“And what of this William? He’s here? Now?” Father Donatelli asked Buffy with a raised brow behind his thick glasses.

“Yes, Father,” Buffy mumbled lowly. Her face was bright red with a hot blush and she was totally mortified at the things she’d told her priest.

Even though Buffy had been pretty honest with Father Donatelli before, she had left out some information that might have helped him advise her. Especially the ‘hold’ that Riley had over her and how he kept her to him.

“You must tell William, immediately, Elizabeth,” Father Donatelli stated with authority. “The man deserves to know that he has a daughter with you and…”

“I can’t!” Buffy exclaimed. “If Riley found out who Spike really is to me? He’d kill him! Then he’d go after my child and my parents! You don’t know Riley Finn, Father,” Buffy gasped in fear. “He is truly a monster!”

“That he may be, Elizabeth,” the priest admonished her, “however, this Sinclair fellow is your daughter’s father and he has the right to know. Perhaps he could help you somehow? It sounds as if the man still harbors feelings for you. Deep feelings and this may prove to be your salvation. If you went to the young man and told him of Dawn’s true identity? I believe he would help you escape Finn and…”

“I believe that my poet, William, has become the equal of the monster that Riley Finn is,” Buffy offered sadly. “How can I go to one monster, to save my child and myself from another monster?”

“This is a dilemma, Elizabeth, I won’t deceive you. However,” the priest scrunched his dark brows together. “Perhaps there is an answer, somewhere to be found here. I know you are unhappy my dear,” Father Donatelli gazed at Buffy with sympathy. “This is an unjust and horrid situation. A bad situation, that simply must be rectified, and soon.”

“I should go,” Buffy blurted out abruptly as she stood up and turned to leave the priest. “Riley expects me home for early supper together. Company is coming,” she trailed off, meekly. She was fully aware of who ‘that’ company was supposed to be for Sunday dinner.

“Keep in touch with me, Elizabeth,” Father Donatelli ordered her, gently. “I expect a call from you, each morning or evening. Keep be abreast of what is going on and how I can help. Remember, Elizabeth,” he continued, “your daughter needs you and her father. I know this seems impossible at the moment, but soon, perhaps, things will become clearer and happier for all of you. I will pray for you.”


Buffy stumbled to the Lincoln and did not even wait for Andrew to seat her in the passenger car. She flung the door open and flopped down onto the back seat, totally frustrated and miserable.

‘That was no real help,’ Buffy groaned to herself as she barely looked up from the car floor.

“Andrew, just drive me home, huh? Riley expects me back for early supper and…”

“I’m thinkin’ that we’ll drive around for a while,” came a distinct British voice from the driver’s seat.

Buffy glanced up to find William’s handsome face, smiling back at her from Andrew’s position in the car.

“What the hell are you doing here?” Buffy gasped in shock as she frantically looked outside the car.

“I’m driving you around for a while,” Spike stated matter-of-factly. “Gonna’ take you for a spin in this fancy car of Riley’s and have a little chat with you. We’ll start,” Spike continued as he turned on the ignition key and gunned the motor. “With a deep, truthful conversation as to why you are with Riley Finn in the first place. Then we’ll discuss exactly what it is that the prick has on you and your family. The thing that keeps you tied to him?”

Spike began to slowly drive off from the church parking area. He was careful not to divert his eyes from the road, but he did check the rear view mirror every few seconds. Frankly, Spike didn’t know whether to cringe, cry or laugh at the confused, shocked expression on his beloved Buffy’s pixie face.

Buffy sat in the backseat of her lover’s Lincoln, a shocked expression on her face. Of that she was sure.

Somehow, William had found Mullholland Drive and slowly crept up the windy road. They made it to the top of the dry, but green hillside and Will parked the car.

“Can I ask you something?” Buffy finally inquired of her former lover.

“What would that be?” Spike turned of the ignition and spun around to face the object of his obsession.

“Are you absolutely crazy?” Buffy gasped in wide-eyed wonder at this handsome, blue-eyed wonder of a man in the seat before her. Even if the guy was a bit off his rocker that is.

“Do you have any idea what Riley would do if he ever found out about this, Will? I mean, you are technically kidnapping me here.” She dropped her eyes to focus on the floor of the backseat.

“Don’t really give a fuck, sweetheart,” Spike chuckled wickedly. “I mean, about what your so called boyfriend thinks of me. Or what I’m doing here with you. Let’s get something straight, Buffy,” Spike continued, more seriously now. “We, as in you and me, are going to sit here, at the top of Mullholland Drive and discuss just why you’re with a fucking monster like Riley Finn.”

Buffy slumped back into the seat of the car and raised her green eyes to meet Will’s blue-eyed gaze. She was completely taken aback by this whole insane situation that was unfolding.

“You really are crazy, you know that William Giles. Or should I call you Spike Sinclair?” Buffy asked the question with a sad sigh.

Spike felt like a real prick, but he shrugged off his guilty feelings and glared at the woman he truly loved. Through narrowed eyes, Spike leaned over the front seat and hissed in a raspy voice, “I just may be crazy Buffy, it’s true. But I’ll never give up on you, or us, so it would benefit everyone if you just tell me why you’re with Riley Finn. Oh,” he continued evenly, “don’t even try and give me the old ‘I love him’ routine, precious. It’s a crock of shit and you know it. So do I!”


‘You May Be Right’

(by Billy Joel)


‘Friday night I crashed your party
Saturday I said I’m sorry
Sunday came and trashed me out again
I was only having fun
Wasn’t hurting any one
And we all enjoyed the weekend for a change

I’ve been stranded in the combat zone
I walked through Bedford Stuy alone
Even rode my motorcycle in the rain
And you told me not to drive
But I made it home alive
So you said that only proves that I’m insane

You may be right
I may be crazy
But it just may be a lunatic you’re looking for
Turn out the light
Don’t try to save me
You may be wrong for all I know
But you may be right

Remember how I found you there
Alone in your electric chair
I told you dirty jokes until you smiled
You were lonely for a man
I said, take me as I am
Cause you might enjoy some madness for a while

Now think of all the years you tried to
Find someone to satisfy you
I might be as crazy as you say
If I’m crazy then it’s true
That it’s all because of you
And you wouldn’t want me any other way

You may be right
I may be crazy
But it just may be a lunatic you’re looking for
It’s too late to fight
It’s too late to change me
You may be wrong for all I know
But you may be right!’


A/N: I had to use this song in a fiction. Love this song! It seemed right for this chapter and all.

Thank you for reading this. I hope it’s interesting enough to keep you all reading! Please review! Luv, Spuf

ALL MANNER OF MONSTERS


Chapter 9: ‘Tell Me!’


The lull in the ‘conversation’ gave Buffy the ultimate opportunity to bolt from the back seat of the Lincoln. Good thing the car was completely stopped at the time. It afforded her the chance to make her escape on foot, or at least try to anyway.

Buffy had not gone more then a few yards when she felt herself being grabbed from behind. William had caught up to her and at the moment, he had her virtually hog tied. Well, at least he had her human-tied with his strong hands and arms. William had stopped the car close to some kind of picnic area near the top of Mullholland Drive.


“Get your damned hands off of me!” Buffy hissed as she struggled to pull away from William.

Make me,” Spike spat back with an evil smirk. He pulled her up closer to his body and held onto her, even tighter then before. His blue eyes burned yellow with fire.

“Tell me,” he ordered harshly. “What’s the hold that Riley Finn has on you Buffy? What keeps you with him? Is it your little sister, Dawn?”

Buffy flinched at the mention of her baby’s name, but she held her chin up high and glared back at William in defiance.

“Why are you here?” she snarled at him.

“Business, I told you that,” he hissed back at her, tightening his hold on her even more. “That and you, of course,” he growled as he clasped her arms roughly.

“No, you idiot!” Buffy spat, “I mean what you are doing here, with me, today?”

“Andrew phoned me, told me you’d be at Mass and I rather traded places with him. In the driver’s seat that is,” Spike chuckled softly with a bemused grin.

Buffy trembled, visibly and bit her bottom lip. She tried not to let her innate fear show to William.

‘Oh, God,’ Buffy gasped silently, ‘what else did Andrew tell you Will?’

“Well,” Buffy sighed heavily, as if she had the weight of the world on her shoulders. “I guess Andrew meant well,” she finished sorrowfully. She allowed one lone tear to slip down her flushed cheek.

Spike felt a tug of guilt at his hardened heart. He realized he had truly scared his Buffy by coming here and pulling this stunt today.

‘Jesus Giles,’ he chided himself in disgust, ‘you are a right true prick sometimes.’

“Buffy,” Spike murmured, finally, to break the tense silence between them, “please tell me. Does Riley Finn hold you to him by using your little sister? Or do you really love him?”

Buffy gazed into Will’s beautiful blue eyes and read the sad, insecure emotions that flickered in their depths. She owed him the truth, she realized that now. Father Donatelli’s words echoed in her mind: ‘This William deserves to know that you have a daughter together, Elizabeth. Maybe he can help you?’

Instead of the full on truth, however, Buffy immediately opted for a half-truth of sorts. As she lowered her gaze away from Will, Buffy mumbled her response. She knew her daughter’s father could barely hear her answer.

“I detest Riley Finn,” Buffy whispered in a raspy, teary voice. “He holds me by using my Dawnie, my little ‘sister’ against me. It’s complicated, Will,” she added with another cringe at her half lie.

Spike placed his left index finger underneath Buffy’s little chin and lifted it up, tenderly. He forced her, gently this time, to gaze directly into his eyes with her emerald orbs.

“I’ll help you, Princess,” Spike offered sincerely. “I’ll help you and your little sis to get away from Finn. Please believe me when…”

“How?” Buffy asked with a tilt of her honey blond head. “Aren’t you as bad as Riley?” she inquired with a bitter tone. Her eyes were wide in disbelief. “You’re just like him now, right, Will? Or should I say, Spike?”

Spike cringed at the verbal slap that his beautiful Buffy had delivered to him. Her harsh comparison and the bitterness in her tone broke his heart all over again. How could he tell her who he really was? If he did, it might jeopardize the whole operation against Riley Finn and put Xander and himself in mortal danger.

Instead, Spike opted for a half-truth, at least at the present. He swallowed hard, took a deep breath and answered Buffy’s question as best as he could.

“Buffy,” he began carefully, “I do want to help you and your little sister. Not just because I’m being noble or some such bullshit. I want to help you because of what we shared in San Diego. I love you Buffy, still, and I want you to be happy and safe.”

Buffy looked up at William with tear filled green eyes. She tried to say something, but the words wouldn’t come. Heck, she could barely breathe at the moment.

“I’m not going to lie to you, sweetheart,” Spike murmured as he stroked her cheek with his left hand, tenderly. “I wouldn’t be helping you for any grand or noble reasons. Mostly, I’d help you because I want you more then anything in the world and always will. It’s my curse to want and love you so much, more then ever before. I’ve waited, set back and watched you and plotted for seven years, Buffy. Just to come here, to this point in our lives. When this is all said and done, Princess? I intend on taking you out of here, with me, and away from Riley Finn forever.”

Buffy’s lush little mouth was formed in a stunned, perfect ‘O’ for ‘say what’? Just how was she supposed to answer that one? William had just announced that he intended on ‘saving’ her from Riley Finn, along with her so called little sister. What the hell was she supposed to say and do now?

“Will, I couldn’t…” she began, but he cut her off by slamming his mouth into hers in a bruising, passionate kiss.

Once their lips connected, forcefully, Buffy immediately realized two very important things.

‘One: She should be pulling away from Will, not returning his kisses like she was.’

‘Two: She should be utterly terrified by this onslaught of his affection, but she wasn’t a bit frightened. She was thrilled because she felt safer then she had felt in over seven years.’


‘Oh, and three: Wait a minute, nobody said anything about a three did they?’

Buffy pulled her lips away from William’s long enough to give him her ‘doe in the forest look’ and pant “Will’ or something equally as simple. Before she could say another word, William pulled her head back up so he could reach her lips again with his. After that? Things really got crazy!

Spike practically swept Buffy off of her feet and wrapped her long legs around his waist. The simple, proper skirt she wore slid up around her thighs as he maneuvered her, backwards, onto an empty picnic table.


Fortunately, or unfortunately, it depended on how one looked at it; the entire picnic area was still completely empty. Will and Buffy were the only people there. The local squirrels, chipmunks and possums aside? The couple was the only humans within miles, apparently.
Which really was just as well in the long run.

“Buffy,” Spike groaned lustfully into her little, warm ear. He had loved those ears, they were a part of Buffy and he loved every inch of her. From her golden tresses to her painted pink toenails, Spike had loved, still loved every part of his Buffy.

Spike pressed Buffy’s tiny frame back into the hard wood of the table and ground his hips into her lower body. He was rewarded with a slight, breathy moan from his girl. They kissed each other as if Armageddon was coming and only they knew it.

Without waiting for permission from her, Spike slid his curious left hand up under Buffy’s skirt. He fumbled about with her scanty knickers until he found his target. Her sweet warm and wet cunny would always truly belong only to him.

For her part, Buffy seemed mesmerized by Spike’s heat seeking fingers that sought out her wet core, desperately. She moaned and murmured his name as she writhed underneath his hands and body. All the while, he devoured Buffy’s lips, jaw line and neck as if they were a banquet for a starving man. Of course, Spike was starving for Buffy, as he had been for years.

“Oh, God, Buffy,” Spike groaned huskily, “I’ve waited so long for this. Waited to hold you in my arms again and have you in mine.”

“Will,” Buffy gasped loudly when he slipped another finger into her wet center. “I…” her voice trailed off to silence when William began to pump his fingers into her wetness.

Buffy’s senses were on overload and she felt herself drowning in this glorious memory of her past. Except this was happening in the here and now. This was the present and it was magnificent. William was here with her and all seemed right with the world to Buffy.

‘Home,’ Buffy began to chant, dreamily, in her head as Will’s warm, sweet tongue dueled with hers. ‘This is home,’ she realized with a soft moan. ‘My happy and safe, warm home.’

“Home!” Buffy gasped suddenly as she snapped back into the reality of the present. Her heart broke, instantly, into a thousand pieces.

‘Riley’s home is my house,’ Buffy thought sadly. ‘But, as long as I live with him and under his roof?' I’m chatteled to him like a piece of property.’

Buffy pulled back from William’s sweet kisses, reluctantly. She looked into his open, honest indigo blue eyes with sorrow.

“Home,” Buffy whispered sadly, “I have got to go home, Will.”

“You are home,” Spike growled stubbornly. He had not let go of his tight, vice-like grip on her slim arms. “Your home is with me,” he stated vehemently.

“Not as long as I live with Riley Finn. I can’t do this, Will,” she whimpered. “I can’t make love with you and go back home to sleep with that…” Buffy cringed at the thought of Riley’s name. “I’ll never be home as long as I live with that monster of man,” she finished with a sad sigh.

Spike gazed into Buffy’s soulful green eyes as he pondered his next words. The defeated, anguished look in her eyes nearly killed him inside.

“All right, Princess,” he sighed sorrowfully, “we’ll stop this. For now that is. But I meant what I said,” Spike glared into Buffy’s gorgeous emerald orbs, somberly. “When I leave this fucking hell hole that’s LA? I’m taking you with me. If you want to bring your little sister, then so be it. I swear to God, Buffy,” Spike hissed as he gazed heatedly into her huge, green eyes, “I will not leave this place without you. No matter what it takes, I will save you and anyone you want me to. From Riley Finn that is.”


Buffy scurried back down to the Lincoln, only to be followed by William. They drove back to the Church in complete silence, knowing that they would see each other again at supper in Finn’s house.

Spike watched as Andrew drove Buffy off from the fine Catholic Church. His heart was heavy with the thought of what had not happened on that wooden table in the middle of an empty picnic area.


Buffy and he had come so close to recapturing that wonderful time in San Diego. It killed Spike to know that she was being whisked back to that fucking prison she lived in with Finn.

“I’ll have you with me,” Spike whispered with conviction as he watched the Lincoln disappear from his sight. “You and me will be together Buffy. I promise you that.”


‘Flashback; Spike’s POV’


“Three more fun-filled days of spring break,” Buffy was rambling on. Meanwhile, William’s heart was breaking.

‘Three more bloody magnificent days, and then what?’ He asked himself. ‘Buffy goes back to Santa Barbara and me up to Berkeley? We act like this never happened?’

William Giles was in a complete quandary here. There was no way he was going to let his golden goddess, Buffy, get away from him. Not now, not ever. He loved her with all of his heart and that was that.

‘There’s gotta’ be a way for us to be together. Forever from now on and…’

“Buffy,” William whispered into his girl’s warm little ear. They were lying, naked in their shared bed, sated from their afternoon of love-making. Buffy was still in quasi-sleep, apparently spent from their afternoon passion together.

‘Poor little thing’s worn out,’ William thought, quite proudly that is. ‘I’ve done her in with my passion,’ his poetic side chortled in glee.

“Buffy,” William murmured again into her dear little ear.

“Hmmm,” Buffy purred like a little kitten and snuggled in closer to his naked body.

‘She feels like pure silk,’ William thought happily. He wasn’t the least bit surprised when his cock stood up to attention once again at his Buffy’s pleasant movements against his body.

“Wake up, luv,” William coaxed Buffy from her half-sleep and cuddled her lush little bottom with his hands. “I’ve something to ask you,” he continued in a soft, unsure voice.

“What?” Buffy asked as she stretched and yawned at the same time. This afforded William a better ‘feel’ of her bottom and her whole, sweet little body.

“I’ve been thinking,” he sighed as he nuzzled her forehead with his lips. “When we go back? You and me? After break and all. What do you say that I transfer, down to Santa Barbara University? To be closer to you?”

William was a bit more then surprised when Buffy seemed to flinch, briefly. He was suddenly very insecure and unsure of just what all this time together had meant to her.

“I couldn’t ask you to give up your scholarships to Berkeley, Will,” Buffy whispered softly. “To move closer to me and everything. It wouldn’t be fair to you and…”

“Then transfer to Berkeley,” William stated, anxiously. “Come up and live with me, Buffy. I can’t bear to lose you and even though your school is only a couple of hundred miles from mine? I think I’ll just die of wanting you close and…”

“You do love me, don’t you Will?” Buffy gazed up at him like he was a fucking God or something. “You really do, don’t you?” Her little mouth was formed in a perfect ‘O’ and William found this completely delightful.

“Of course I do, baby,” he murmured gently. “I’d hoped that maybe you love me too and we could maybe live together and…”

“Yes,” Buffy blurted, so softly and suddenly that William thought he’d heard wrong.

“What?” he asked incredulously.

“I said yes,” Buffy giggled quickly and buried her face into his chest. “To everything,” came her muffled reply. “To your hope, that I ‘do’ love you. To moving to Berkeley and living together. I say a great, huge, happy ‘yes’ of course!”

“Oh Buffy!” William squealed in his high-pitched excited tone. “I love you! I’ll always love you!”


‘Present day’


Buffy sat, nervously tapping her wine glass, as Riley rambled on about some business crap. She noted that she was doing a lot of that lately. Nervous tapping of her glass, her right foot and yes, even popping sleeping pills frequently, had become a constant habit for Buffy.

‘Why the hell would Riley discuss business at the dinner table,’ she asked herself in disgust. ‘He never did this before, right?’

Even though she tried not to notice, Buffy ‘felt’ Will’s heated gaze on her. She only hoped that Riley didn’t notice it.

“So when are you and the old ball and chain going to tie the knot, Harrington?” Riley asked Xander with a wicked laugh.

Xander, for his part chuckled good-naturedly and shrugged in indifference.

“Whenever Cordy’s mom decides the date,” the dark haired man replied with a hearty laugh. “It’s all up to the mom’s, you know?” He zeroed in on Riley with a raised, black brow.

“True, I guess,” Riley responded quietly as he eyed Buffy. “I’ve been trying to get Buffy to marry me for years. Make an honest man out of me, but…”

“This is really not a good time to discuss our private life, Riley,” Buffy admonished him, meekly.

Spike said nothing, just continued to stare at Buffy. He tried so hard not to show his inner feelings for her or the resentment that he felt for Riley Finn. If he let on, in any way, that he was hiding some deep, unrequited love for Buffy? Finn could suss it out and they’d all be doomed.

“Riley,” Buffy began in a little girl voice. “I’m not feeling too well,” she continued as she focused on her dinner plate. “I’m going to bed now, okay?”

Riley looked a bit put out, but he nodded and stood up to place a chaste kiss on Buffy’s cheek.

Finn did not see or feel the anger that just radiated off of Spike Sinclair at this little display.

“I’m sorry Alex, Spike,” Buffy muttered without looking at either of the men. “I’ve been under the weather lately and I guess I just need some sleep. Goodnight,” she whispered as she fled the dining hall.

Graham had been watching the whole drama and walked over to his boss. He gave Riley a little nudge and winked at him. “Maybe it’s morning sickness, huh,” he asked his boss with a chuckle.

“I wish,” Riley sighed heavily, oblivious to the rage that was building in Spike. The bleached blond was near livid at this discussion of ‘his’ Buffy.

“If only,” Finn sighed again as he sat back down on his chair. “I’d love for Buffy to be pregnant. Right Graham? But,” he shook his head sadly, “I’m sure she’s not. After all, Buffy would know morning sickness and…” Riley stopped short, suddenly.

He glanced at Alex Harrington, who seemed to be more interested in the art deco on the dining room wall, at this time. Sinclair was not paying any attention to what he was saying at all, so Riley felt confident that neither man caught his little slip about Buffy.

‘I’ve got a feeling that Spike Sinclair is about as interested in Buffy, or any woman, as mud,’ Riley thought smugly. He had Sinclair pretty well figured out from the get go and assumed that the man preferred men to women. So, no real harm was done there. Harrington, on the other hand, seemed devoted to this fiancé of his. Neither man caught his slip up about Buffy and her knowledge of morning sickness. Riley was more then sure of that.


Spike watched Riley excuse himself and say he’d be back in a moment. “I’ve got to check on my girl,” Finn mumbled sheepishly before he left the dining room.

Xander stood up, slowly, from his dining chair and shuffled over to the fireplace mantel. Spike eyed Xander with a raised brow as his partner picked up the picture of Buffy’s little sister, Dawn Summers.

With a puzzled look and confused as hell, Spike watched as Xander perused the picture of the little girl. The dark haired Xander scowled, briefly, and then scrutinized Spike. After looking at Dawn’s picture, then back at he, Spike, then back at the picture, Xander replaced the photo on the mantel, just where he’d found it.

Without so much as a by-your-leave, Xander sat back down at the dining room table and completely ignored Spike from then on in. When Riley returned, Xander picked up the conversation, just where they’d left off. Xander just rambled on, all about their so called business together and the window of opportunity that it afforded.


A/N: I’m off to vacation tomorrow, so I wanted to post this tonight. I hope it’s not too confusing.

I wanted to have Spike offer his help to Buffy, him not knowing that Dawn is his daughter with her. It’s important, really, that Spike wants to help for Buffy’s sake alone. Spike is in the FBI and the truth is he could really help Buffy and Dawn by hiding them out. However, Buffy has to want his help first, right?

Oh, and who is the mystery man who is working undercover with the FBI? It’s not Andrew. Okay, Xander, who I always thought was quite intuitive at times, now knows exactly who Dawn really is. Will he tell Spike? Or will Xander allow Buffy to tell him?

Anyway, I’m off to go camping tomorrow, so everyone have a great week and weekend. Happy 4th of July to the Yanks!

Please read and review, thanks. Luv, Spuf

ALL MANNER OF MONSTERS


Chapter 10: ‘What Rainbow?’


A/N: I’m going with a little Xander POV here, at least in the beginning of this chapter. I always felt that Xander was an intuitive young man, a bit mixed up, yes, but he had a lot of heart when he wanted to.

Please give this fiction a chance??? I really enjoy writing it and I hope a lot of you review it.

Summary: In this chapter, all of our beloved characters might be the tiniest mixed up and confused.

Xander reflects on his loyalty to Spike, while Spike plots and plots out his scheme to take Buffy away with him. Buffy, on the other hand, tries to get out of sex with Riley. Hmmm, things are getting really whacky in Buffyverse.


Chapter 10:


Xander Harris, aka Alec Harrington as he was now going by for the assignment was in a difficult quandary. Actually, the dark-haired, open-faced, usually always honest young FBI agent was in a major ass dilemma.

He was a big man; Xander was, with open dark eyes that were never really secretive, and normally could never be. Secrecy, dishonesty and deception were just not part of Xander Harris’ makeup. This open and honest demeanor had almost kept him out of law enforcement, except for the one thing that saved his career in the FBI. Alexander Harris was an exceptional actor.

Which, was great, for a movie star, a criminal and of course, a member of the FBI, as Xander was. However, it made for a lousy friend, which was another thing that Xander was usually very good at. He had always been a good, trustworthy and loyal friend. Especially to William Giles, aka Spike Sinclair, his current partner in the law enforcement game.

Xander Harris now knew the truth about Buffy Summers and the identity of her precious little sister, Dawn. The young girl, Dawnie, as Buffy had called her, was not her sister at all. Dawn Summers was Buffy’s daughter; Riley Finn himself had accidentally confirmed this by the slip of his tongue.

All Xander had to do was carefully re-examine the photo of the adorable Dawnie and he saw everything clearly. Buffy was Dawn’s mother and Spike was her father, no question in Xander’s intuitive mind. Little Dawn Summers had Spike’s blue eyes.

So, here was how it stood, at the present for Xander. He either told his best friend and partner, William, all of his feelings in the matter regarding Buffy and Dawn Summers. That, or he, Xander, aka Alec, would have to withhold his own suspicions in the situation.

Xander was well aware that William, or Spike as he elected to be called, had every intention of taking Buffy away from Riley Finn, when this was all over that is. That was a given, no question, but if his partner knew the real truth, that Dawn was most probably his own flesh and blood?

Yes, if Spike had any idea that Dawn was his ‘daughter’ and not merely Buffy’s pawn of a little sister? Well, that could not only threaten the assignment that he and Spike were on, but also jeopardize all of them. All of them, including Buffy, Dawn, Spike and himself, Xander, would be in grave danger. All of them would be in the gravest danger, as would the case against Riley Finn.

This is when Xander decided to choose the lesser of two evil options and go with the most practical one. Xander would merely sit back, keep an eye on everything and keep his opinions to himself. That would do, for now anyway. Of course, Xander had every intention of dropping all of the hints he could, in front of Spike that is. Hopefully, his partner would catch on and confront Buffy himself about the true identity of Dawn Summers.

Better yet, Xander hoped that Buffy herself would come clean with Spike and tell him the whole truth. At least when this mess was all cleared up and the assignment was over for them. If she did, things might just work out to all of their advantages. If not? Then Xander would definitely tell his friend and partner, Spike, everything that he’d concluded as to Buffy and Dawn Summers.

“So, oh great bleached blond one,” Xander chided his partner on the hotel balcony, “tell me again. Just how long ago was it that ‘you’ yourself met and wooed the lovely Miss Buffy Summers?”

Spike was not in the best of moods that evening. He was on his third whiskey, on his hotel balcony, after having Sunday supper with Riley Finn and a blatantly missing Buffy. His partner, Xander Harris, aka Alec Harrington, was being a pompous pain in the arse and Spike was not jovial enough to put up with any of it.

‘Why the fuck is Xander scrutinizing me so damn much?’ Spike asked himself for the tenth time that night.

“Buffy? You?” Xander inquired again with a raised brow and a raised Bud bottle. Once the dark-haired man had taken a gulp of his beer, Spike felt more inclined to answer the personal and rather touchy question Xander had imposed.

“A little over seven years ago,” Spike mumbled in response as he took a long sip of his own drink. “Buffy and me, we met in San Diego, back in early ‘98’ and all. You know this for God’s sake, Harris,” Spike growled impatiently. “I’ve never made it a secret to you, or my dad. I met Buffy at spring break in San Diego, California. We clicked, or so I thought, and she disappeared on me. Just when I thought we’d…”

“I’m sorry,” Xander whispered, sincerely. “I really didn’t mean to piss you off, Spike,” he added sympathetically. “Just wondered and all. It’s the little girl, Dawn,” Xander continued carefully. “She worries me. It’s pretty clear to me that this Dawn is the ‘key’ to Finn’s hold on Buffy. I know you still love Buffy Summers, Spike,” Xander sighed. “I just don’t want this to cloud your thinking on this case and…”

“It won’t,” Spike spat back, harshly. “But know this Harris,” he continued with a clenched jaw. “I intend on destroying Riley Finn, completely. When I’m done with him? I’m taking Buffy out of here and away, with me, forever.”

“I know,” Xander replied in a hushed, almost fearful tone.

“Buffy and me belong together,” Spike said with conviction. “When this is over, we are going to be together,” he stated, more determined then ever. “If I have to kill Riley Finn with my bare hands to secure Buffy’s freedom? I'll do it. I'll do it Xander. I swear to God, I will," Spike growled harshly.


Buffy lay in her big bed, well, she and Riley’s massive bed, alone, thankfully. She had slipped out of the so called ‘supper’ and away from William and his partner in crime, Alec Harrington.

‘How dare Will assume that I’ll just hand my life over to him and allow him to save me from Riley?’ Buffy shook her blond head, ruefully, and wiped a traitorous tear from her warm cheek.

‘He’s as bad as Riley now,’ she reasoned about her ex-lover, William, her daughter’s father. ‘How dare he think that I’d trade one ruthless, worthless criminal in for another and…’

“Buffy!” Riley’s deep tenor voice broke her reverie.

‘Oh shit!’ Buffy groaned quietly to the darkness about her. ‘I’ll have to really pretend to be asleep now,’ she told herself.

“Baby, you okay?” Riley whispered as he sat down on the bed next to Buffy. He began to stroke her warm little face with his big, meaty hand. Even though Riley had the hands of a heavy weight boxer, he could be oddly gentle and tender with Buffy when he wanted to be.

“I’m okay,” Buffy murmured softly as she tried not to pull away from her lover’s touch. Not too abruptly or noticeably, though.

“I’m going to take a shower and I’ll join you soon,” Riley informed her in his caring voice. He even gave her a naughty little wink with his right, dark eye.

“Kay,” Buffy replied in a strangled voice. She was going for indifference, but only ended up sounding disgusted.

‘Oh, God,’ Buffy thought to herself in disgust. ‘I suppose I can’t get out of sex with him tonight. And after that scene in the park, with my Will,’ she reminded herself, mournfully. ‘I’m such a slut!’


‘Flashback; Buffy’s POV’


“I’m begging you Daddy,” Buffy Summers was pleading with her father, yet again. “Please don’t force me into this abortion. I know you hate me for doing this to you and mom, but please, please, don’t make me give up my child. Your grandchild,” she reminded Hank Summers once more.

‘He’s all I have left of William,’ Buffy thought sadly. She was so sure this was a little boy child and wondered how her own father could so cruelly abandon the baby like this.

“What the hell am I supposed to do?” Hank roared, yet again, down at his tiny, young only child, Buffy. “You sashay up here and inform your mother and me that you’re pregnant and you have no idea who this little fuck, William, truly is? How could you do this, Buffy? How could you be so stupid and behave like such a total slut?”

Buffy cringed at the harshness in her father’s tone and his ugly words. Hank Summers was beginning to get more ugly and scary by the minute and Buffy hated it, truly.

“I told you Daddy,” Buffy whispered in a barely audible voice, “his name is William. I just don’t know his last name,” she lied so easily now. “Just fell for his line and all. But why does that mean I have to get rid of the baby?” Buffy whimpered and gazed at her father with her green, doe-eyed expression.

“Hank,” the usually silent Joyce Summers, Buffy’s mother, chimed in. “I want to speak with Buffy, privately,” the older woman stated with a firm nod of her own golden head. “Now,” Joyce finished with a determined scowl at her husband.

“Oh, okay Joyce,” Hank Summers sighed as he left the room, slowly.

“Buffy,” Joyce Summers’ voice seemed so soothing at the moment that Buffy was almost lulled into a sense of security.

“Why?” Joyce asked evenly. “Why did you lie to your father and me? Tell us you were going to Faith’s, in Los Angeles, and then skip out to San Diego and meet up with this ‘boy’ that got you into this predicament?”

“I wanted some space,” Buffy replied, stubbornly. “No, I desperately needed some space and since my parents didn’t want to give that to me? I took it!”

“Don’t put this on Daddy and me,” Joyce hissed as she stood and began to pace about in front of her only child. “You chose to run off and behave like a slut. Get pregnant with some…”

“Oh, pulease,” Buffy spat at her mother, “like planning to farm me out to someone like Riley Finn? In my book, that’s the same as pimping Mom!”

“I’m not necessarily in agreement with your father about Finn,” Joyce muttered with a groan. “In fact…” she began, but apparently thought different and changed the subject once more.

“Look,” Joyce sighed as she took her daughter’s tiny hand in hers. “I am going to try and talk some sense into your father, but…”

Buffy cringed at the determined but sorrowful look in her mother’s blue eyes. She knew that something major of the bad was about to happen, but exactly what it was, was lost on her.

“I’ll convince your dad to lighten up about the baby,” Joyce assured Buffy. “However,” she continued sadly, “compromises must be made if this happens, Buffy. Compromises, mostly by you I’m afraid.”

“Compromises?” Buffy asked in confusion. “What kind of compromises mom?”

“Your father has already pretty much promised you off to Riley Finn, Buffy,” Joyce mumbled softly. “I don’t agree with it, but I’m powerless to stop it. With the baby? Things might not be so damn rosy around here for a while, but…”

“Jesus Christ Mom!” Buffy screamed in horror, “it’s the fucking 20th century! No father 'gives' his daughter to anyone anymore, not as some kind of chatel! Much less a fucking moron and criminal like Riley Finn!”

“Do not talk like that!” Joyce ordered her daughter, sternly. “There’s no need for profanity Buffy!”

“Besides, there’s more here at play, dear,” Joyce muttered tearfully as she averted her eyes from her daughter’s beautiful green ones. “I’m afraid that Riley Finn basically owns your father, and me,” she finished on a sour note.

“Owns you? How?” Buffy asked in sick shock. “How can anyone own anyone else in this day and age?”

“I can’t explain it, but with the baby in your belly, Buffy? Finn has more power then ever over all of us. Just how do you think that monster of man is going to react when he finds out about this child? His precious, virginal St. Buffy, pregnant with some random boy’s spawn? Daddy will have to think and talk fast to get us all out of this one, dear.” Joyce continued to look at the floor, instead of her daughter.

“Oh Mom,” Buffy groaned miserably. “What happened to you and Daddy?” She stared intently at her mother, her idol for so many years. “Where did all your dreams go? Why do I have to give up mine?”

“We screwed up, baby,” Joyce whispered as she stared out the living room window of their fine house. “Daddy and me, we screwed everything up and messed up big time.”

“So what happens now?” Buffy murmured in a meek voice. “I mean after the baby is born?”

“I don’t know,” Joyce answered abruptly, “but I fear we will all have a terrible price to pay to Mr. Riley Finn. Maybe you and my grandchild most of all. Riley Finn will hold us for the rest of all of our lives and knowing that monster of a man? The trouble he will always invoke in our lives? He’ll never let any of us go, not willingly anyway.”

“You all lied, huh?” Buffy asked in a sick whisper. “About the rainbow and the happily ever after? It was all lies, huh mommy? Daddy and you made it all up, like some twisted bed time story? It was all bullshit, wasn’t it, Mom?”


‘Somewhere Over The Rainbow’ (by Judy Garland)


‘Someplace where there isn’t any trouble…
…do you suppose there is such a place?
There must be, it’s not a place you can get to by a boat, or
A train.
It’s far, far away…
Behind the moon
Beyond the rain

Somewhere over the rainbow, way up high,
There’s a land that I heard of once in a lullaby.

Somewhere over the rainbow, skies are blue,
And the dreams that you dare to dream really do come true.

Someday I’ll wish upon a star
And wake up where the clouds are far behind me.
Where troubles melt like lemon drops
Away above the chimney tops,
That’s where you’ll find me.

Somewhere over the rainbow, bluebirds fly,
Birds fly over the rainbow,
Why then, oh why can’t I?

If happy little bluebirds fly
Beyond the rainbow,
Why, oh why, can’t I?’


‘Present Day’


Riley flopped down onto the huge, king-sized bed he had picked out himself, especially for his Queen, his Buffy. He scooped his lover up into his massive arms and began to pepper her face and neck with his hot, needful kisses.

“Riley,” Buffy interrupted her keeper’s assault on her body and senses, “about what you said, earlier,” she asked timidly.

“Which thing I said,” Riley asked, a little irked at the interruption in his love-making.

“About my marrying you and you accepting Dawn into the family? Did you really mean that?” Buffy looked, soulfully into Riley’s dark eyes and searched for the whole truth there. If he was even capable of that much truth.

“I meant it,” Riley muttered as he began his assault on Buffy’s lips once more. “If you marry me, soon, I’ll not only move Dawn into this house, but I’ll adopt her as my own child.”

Buffy pulled back and gazed once again into her virtual owner’s deep brown eyes. He was telling the truth, she could see that, finally.

‘It’ll be for the best,’ Buffy assured herself as she allowed her lover to continue his seduction of her. ‘When William leaves, as he surely will, and returns to where ever it is he has to go? He’ll never know that Dawn is our child together and it will be for the best. We’ll all be safer and happier for the continued secret.’


Xander watched his partner, the all mighty William ‘Spike’ Giles, as he slept on the hotel balcony’s chair. Spike, for all purposes was passed out drunker then a skunk and Xander felt guilty because of it.

‘I should just tell him,’ Xander told himself. ‘Just tell him what I think and…’ The dark haired man’s inner conversation was interrupted by the shrill ringing of his cell phone.

“Hey, Harris,” came the familiar voice of the ‘other’ inside man from the FBI. “Where’s Giles?” the voice on the other end asked suspiciously.

“Drunk and passed out,” Xander opted for the truth this time. “He’s all mopey over Buffy Summers and…”

“Hey man,” Xander suddenly switched gears and changed the subject abruptly. “Tell me what you know about Buffy’s so called little sister, Dawn Summers?”

There was a dead silence at the other end of the line. Then…

“You know, don’t you Harris?” Angel O’Connor asked Xander quietly.

“Know what?” Xander asked in response. “That Dawn isn’t Buffy’s sister? Well, yeah, I suspect she’s a whole lot fucking closer then that isn’t she? You knew, huh?”

“Suspected,” Angel replied softly. “Always suspected, since the start of all this, really. The kid showed up, out of the blue, and all the pieces of the puzzle fit after that. I guess I thought that Spike would sort of figure it out and everything. I guessed wrong, huh?”

“Maybe,” Xander sighed deeply. “Maybe not. Spike just might be in a kind of denial stage, but sooner or later, he has to figure out the truth. The kid, as you called her, is the replica of him, without the bleached blond hair. I’m shocked that Finn hasn’t noticed the resemblance, but then again, he doesn’t seem too very close to the poor girl.”

“Does Rupert Giles know that he has a granddaughter?” Xander inquired, almost reluctantly. He hated to think that the ‘Old Man’ Giles even suspected that Dawn Summers was his own son’s child.

“He suspects, like I do,” Angel replied quickly. “Look Harris, don’t be too judgmental on the old man. He doesn’t like this anymore then we do, but then again, Rupes didn’t want his only son to take this assignment anyway.”

“I know,” Xander groaned in frustration. “I just hate all this secret agent shit. It’s ludicrous and none of us our really good at it. Not yet anyway.”

“I still hate the Warren Meers mess,” Angel mumbled from the other end of the line. “I can’t help but blame myself for that. If I had been more careful, helped Meers to cover his tracks and all? The poor schmuck might still be alive today and picking out eternity rings with Andrew, Finn’s right hand guy.”

“Too much info there, O’Connor,” Xander mumbled. “Anyway, I’m going to sign off for the night. In the morning, I’ll try and sober up old Spikey there and bring him around to discuss faus business with one Riley Finn. I only hope that Buffy Summers doesn’t cloud out boy Spike’s head. Either of his heads that is,” Xander finished with a chuckle.

When Buffy woke up in the morning, she had decided two things. One: While William was in LA, she would distance herself, as much as possible from him.

Two: Buffy would once and for all accept Riley’s proposal of marriage. It would work out for the best; Buffy had figured it out overnight. Dawn would come to accept Riley as her father, just as Riley would grow to love Dawnie.


Spike woke up from his drunken stupor. During his restless repose, the FBI agent had decided two things.

One: He, Spike, would spirit Buffy away from this monster that she had become a chatel to. Spike would save his Princess Buffy, just like some noble, saintly knight.

Two: If Buffy wanted Dawn, her little sister to come with them? Then so be it. Spike would save both of the Summers girls and be the hero for his Buffy. Once and for all, William ‘Spike’ Giles would come to the rescue and win the heart of his fair lady, Buffy Summers.





A/N: This chapter was mostly about the musings of Xander Harris and where he fits in the story. Now we know that Angel O’Connor is the ‘mole’ in the organization and we can only hope that all of our guys and our girls make it out alive!

Thanks for reading and please review, luv Spuf











‘

ALL MANNER OF MONSTERS

Chapter 11: ‘Her Future’


Summary: Buffy plans a trip to Sunnydale. Spike remembers once upon a time in San Diego. Riley shoots off his big mouth and angers Spike.

Chapter 11:


“I thought we’d catch a flight, to Vegas,” Riley rambled on over their morning coffee together. “Get married in some obscure little chapel. What do you think Babe?” He raised his heavy, dark right eye brow at Buffy, who tried to avoid eye contact with him.

“Uhm,” she stammered nervously, “I don’t know. I thought maybe I should call mom and dad and invite them to some kind of real wedding, Riley.” Buffy’s suggestion ended up as a mere whisper, especially when she dared a glance at her soon to be husband.

Riley was giving Buffy the all over ‘suspicious’ look that he was so good at.

“I would think you’d rather skip the family pleasantries, Buff,” Riley snorted in response just before he gulped down the rest of his coffee. “It’s not as if you and your folks have been all that cozy in the last few years.”

‘Thanks to you,’ Buffy thought, resentfully. ‘You’re the fucking reason I’ve cut my family off, Finn.’ She did not vocalize her anger, but she did frown, frightfully at Riley.

“I do owe them something,” she merely mumbled as she tossed her breakfast napkin on the dining table and stood up. “First off though,” Buffy continued, rather boldly, for her, “I have to go and see Dawn today. She needs to know what’s going on and…”

“Why!?” Riley roared in disbelief. “You finally decided to marry me and the first thing you do is run off to Sunnydale to what? Consult a six-year-old child about it!” Riley seemed incredulous.

“She is my daughter, Riley!” Buffy countered haughtily. “Haven’t you even thought any of this out? My baby has some say in her own future you know!” She hated the fact that her voice sounded like a whiny little girls, but she couldn’t help it.

“Look,” Buffy sighed in obvious frustration, “Dawn is going to have to be let in on the truth, eventually. Especially since you plan to adopt her legally. Am I right? I mean about telling Dawn, carefully of course, that I am her mother, not her sister?”

‘You are so going to adopt her and accept her as yours, Riley Finn,’ Buffy warned her fiancé, silently. ‘You promised you…’

“Yes,” Riley muttered with a pout. “I guess you do need to go tell the little rug rat that her ‘big sis’ is finally going to marry the great Riley Finn.”

‘Oh brother! What an asshole!’ Buffy fought to not roll her green eyes in disgust at this egotistical, overbearing monster. ‘Better get over that,’ she chided herself, ‘you are marrying the moron, aren’t you?’

Oh, how she wished it was William that she was marrying. However, the fact was, Riley held all the cards here and Will was probably as big a monster as he was. The truth was, Buffy did not know William, or Spike as it were, at all.

Just the fact that Riley had called her Dawnie a ‘rug rat’ set ill with Buffy. Coming from anyone else? The term ‘rug rat’ might seem like an endearment, but from Riley? It felt like a hard slap in the face to her.

‘Oh Will,’ she thought sadly, ‘what would you do if you knew Dawn is really our daughter together?’

Now there was a big mystery, Buffy thought ruefully. If William, or Spike, or whatever his name truly was, knew that Dawn was his daughter with Buffy? He’d take names later, only after kicking some major ass. He'd most likely be starting with Buffy’s golden butt, first and foremost. At least, most probably she would be on the end of Spike’s first ass kicking.

Spike sat staring out at the horizon from his hotel’s balcony. He had been doing a lot of that lately, especially since coming to LA and finding Buffy again.

Xander’s sudden appearance was ‘felt’ by Spike immediately and the blond man steeled himself for another round of twenty questions. Spike’s partner, Xander, aka Alec, had seemed to be very curious for the last few days. Especially regarding Spike and Buffy’s past together.

“Hey,” Xander greeted Spike with more of a grunt then an actual ‘good morning.’

“Yeah,” Spike mumbled in reply. Unfortunately, he was suffering through the aftermath of another overindulgence of whiskey, from the night before. This was beginning to become a habit for Spike and he realized, of course, it would have to cease, and soon. It would have to be done, for the sake of the assignment, if for no other reason.

“Oh, you sound thrilled to be alive,” Xander snorted as he pulled up the chair next to Spike’s and sat down with a ‘thump.’

“Life’s a bloody picnic,” Spike muttered under his breath. “Of course I’m thrilled to be invited,” he finished with a note of sarcasm.

“You know,” Xander began evenly, “if you want Buffy Summers so damn much? Why don’t you just march over to Finn’s fine house and carry her out of there? Drag her out if you have to. Shit, I’d at least you’d be doing something somewhat tangible. It would beat the fuck out of watching you sitting around here, brooding and feeling sorry for yourself. It’d certainly be a relief to me because frankly? I’m bored as shit from watching you drinking yourself into a stupor every night.”

Spike glared at his so called friend, sourly. Not surprised in the least that Xander glared back at him in disgust.

“You don’t know shit about Buffy and me,” Spike growled at the dark haired man. “Don’t go there Harris. Just because you have the perfect relationship and…”

“Perfect relationship?” Xander snorted. “Right. Listen friend,” he continued in a patronizing tone. “My fiancé, Cordelia Chase, comes from money and society. Me? I’m the son of a philandering drunk and I’m talking about my own mother here. My dad was a ‘coked’ out wife and child beater who dropped dead of a major heart attack at the age of fifty. That was probably a good thing, since he fell just short of killing mommy dearest with his bare hands only a week before his old ticker went.”

“I chased the lovely Cordelia Chase for a year before I could get her to even go out for a cup of freakin’ coffee with me, okay?” Xander’s dark eyes were clouded with resentment and hurt.

Spike felt like shit for even starting all of this, but when he tried to open his mouth to apologize, Xander shut him down quickly.

“Cordy’s dad hates my guts, you know that,” Xander reminded Spike. “He thinks I’m shit that I come from shit and I’ll always be shit. It’s been an ongoing problem since day one, but Jesus, man. At least I fight for my girl and make sure she knows I’m there for her, no matter what.”

“I know,” Spike mumbled, ashamed of himself for bringing all of poor Xander’s insecurities to light. “It’s just I can’t seem to make any sense of this whole Buffy/Riley thing. Buffy told me herself that she detests Finn and that he has some hold over her, through that poor little sister of hers.”

Xander flinched, visibly, Spike noticed. There it was again, the blond wondered. Every time Dawn Summers was even mentioned in any way, Xander looked pale as a ghost.

“Spike,” Xander changed the subject quickly, “you talked to your dad last night. What did he say?”

‘Now why does Xander act that way when Buffy’s little sis is brought up?’ Spike asked himself in confusion.

“Just wanted to know how everything was going,” Spike stated with a shrug of his shoulders. “The old man wants to know if we’re any closer to getting positive proof that Finn had Meers murdered. Meers and a lot of other blokes offed for that matter,” he finished with a snarl.

‘How can Buffy live with a man like Riley Finn? She has to know what an evil monster he truly is. Then again, my Buffy probably thinks I’m a real evil piece of work too. We’ve done our undercover work well, Xander and me,’ Spike realized sadly.

“I always kind of wondered,” Xander began cautiously, “your dad. He knows about you and Buffy, from the past, right?”

Spike nodded his head slowly.

“How does he really feel? Your dad I mean, about you being on this assignment and how Buffy fits in? I know he wasn’t thrilled about you coming out here with me, but he never really fought it either?”

Exactly what the hell was Xander Harris up to, Spike wondered. This was the tenth time since Sunday that the man had brought up Rupert Giles’ feelings about Spike’s involvement on this case.

“Well, he wasn’t exactly dancin’ in the streets about me taking this case,” Spike offered. “He knows I still love Buffy and how much she figures in all this. On the other hand, he never really tried to dissuade me from taking the case or finding Buffy again.”

“Hmm,” Xander grunted.

The whole thing reminded Spike of a fucking episode of Dr. Phil and frankly, he was getting sick and tired of it. He glared at Xander, giving him the evil eye.

“Hmm! Now what the fuck does that meant, Harris?” Spike hissed in exasperation.

“Just, hmm,” Xander replied in his annoyingly vague way. Then he clammed up like a well…..clam.


‘Flashback; Spike’s POV’


William Giles watched, gleefully, as his girl, Buffy Winters chatted on the hotel room phone with her cousin Faith. Buffy was so animated and looked so happy that it caused a warm, almost fuzzy feeling in William’s heart.

Buffy was rambling on and on about the future and the plans that he and she had made. Her green eyes all aglow with excitement, Buffy grinned over at William even as she explained the whole idea to her cousin in LA.

‘She’s happy, my princess is,’ William thought proudly to himself. ‘I’ve helped her to be so and God knows she’s made me happier then anyone and or anything on this earth!’

“Yes, I’ll be moving to Berkeley, to be with William,” Buffy giggled into the phone’s receiver. “Oh, I don’t know and I certainly don’t care,” Will heard her voice fall two octaves when she said that.

‘Now what’s that about?’ He wondered silently. ‘Oh well,’ he shrugged it off quickly, ‘she’s probably talkin’ about her folks. They don’t seem real interested in her, sad to say.’

William’s own parents were very involved in his life. This did prove to be somewhat unfortunate at times. Or so William felt anyway.

As much as William loved his parents, he detested the idea of the position that his father, Rupert Giles, held with the FBI in Washington D.C. Rupert was a loving husband and father, but a harsh task master at times in the past. No wonder why William, the only Giles’ child, had opted for a career in journalism instead of following the old man’s footsteps in law enforcement.

“I gotta’ go, Faith,” Buffy announced suddenly as she cut the conversation off with her cousin.

Once she had hung up the phone, Buffy scurried back over to the bed where William lay, waiting for her. Actually, the couple had not left the bed for days, only to eat, bathe and catch a couple of movies together.

“Mmmm,” Buffy purred as she snuggled back down into William’s eager arms.

“Indeed,” Will replied in contentment. “I was thinking,” He continued, “housing is scarce in Berkeley, but I think we could manage a studio flat. We'll rent something close to campus to save on gas money and all.”

“I’ll find a job,” Buffy stated matter-of-factly. “I’m not good at much, but maybe at a coffee house or a boutique?” She gave him such a hopeful, loving look that it just tugged at his heart again.

“I want you to concentrate on your degree, baby,” he murmured tenderly. “My job at the Ecology News will more then help out with our expenses. There’s a part time stint at the book store, just waiting for me, if necessary. No worries, okay?”

He had noticed that Buffy flinched a bit when he mentioned ‘her degree’ but he passed it off as being nervousness on her part.

“Will,” Buffy whispered in a muffled voice, no doubt brought on by the fact that her face was still buried in his bare chest.

“Hmm, baby?” he asked gently stroking her golden hair.

“I…” she began in a little girl’s voice, but then hesitated.

“What is it, Princess?” William asked, suddenly concerned with her whole timid demeanor.

“I, I love you,” she whispered softly.

“I love you, so very much,” he replied tenderly as he pulled head up to kiss her soft mouth.


‘Present day’


Spike paced around the living room of Riley Finn’s mansion. Oh, God, how he hated this place and this man.

‘This man’ or Riley Finn as the case may be was rambling on about some business bullshit. Xander, or Alex which was his partner’s cover name, was pretending to listen, intently, to everything Finn had to spit out.

“I’m hoping that the boys back in New York are pleased with my work,” Finn was blathering on and on about Spike and Xander’s supposed employers.

Angel O’Connor, the FBI’s mole in Finn’s operation, must have done an excellent job of implementing Xander and Spike’s cover. Riley Finn seemed oblivious to the true identity of both of the FBI men, just as Buffy seemed to be.

‘I wish I could tell Buffy the truth,’ Spike thought sadly. ‘If I could tell her who I truly am. Make her see how I can help her and her little sister?’

Speak of the ‘devil’ in the blue dress, Buffy made an appearance at that exact moment. Spike noticed was pulling a little overnight case, on wheels, behind her. Buffy wore a simple, but deadly little powder blue sundress that showed off her long, fine legs.

“Riley,” Buffy interrupted the moron, Finn’s, self-indulgent tirade. “I’m ready for Andrew to drive me to Sunnydale now,” she finished in a meek voice.

Spike saw the way Buffy had looked at him when she entered the room. He couldn’t decide if that look of hers was based on hate, fear or revulsion. It shattered his heart to pieces in a matter of seconds.

“Okay, Babe,” Riley sighed, taking Buffy into his mammoth arms. Spike had to fight to keep from throwing up at the whole scene.

“Buffy is off to Sunnydale,” Riley mumbled lowly. “She’s going to ‘chat’ with her little sister. We’ve got some big news for little Dawn, eh Buff?” Riley glanced over at his girlfriend, warily, Spike noticed.

“Yeah, big news,” Buffy replied half-heartedly, trying hard not to look at William as she spoke.

“Big news?” Xander asked curiously.

“Buff’s decided to make an honest man out of me,” Riley joked. “We’re getting married, soon. She needs to go and talk to her little sister about it. You’ll be gone, what? Two, three days, Baby?”

Spike didn’t hear much of the rest of the conversation. He was too busy being livid and trying to control his rage at Riley’s announcement.

‘I’ll fucking murder the prick before he says the words I do,’ Spike roared inwardly.

After taking a few calming breaths and swallowing a number of times, Spike finally got up the nerve to actually look at Buffy. He glared at her, suddenly not caring who noticed his anger or jealousy.

Buffy, Spike noted, looked as shocked, disgusted and miserable as he must have at that very moment. All in all? This confused and puzzled Spike more then ever.


A/N: Okay, I really wanted to have Spike find out that Dawn was his daughter in this chapter. However…I just could not work it into the script. Instead, I decided to do another flashback and try to expose what went on seven years before. To reveal how both Buffy and Spike were totally committed to their relationship.

Also, I wanted to reveal a little more of what makes Xander tick. Andrew will play an important part in bringing our Spuffy couple back together in the next chapter. And, we’ll find out that Andrew and Warren were more then just friends. Which just might be what motivates our ‘go to guy Andrew’ to do what he does to help Spike win back Buffy.

What happened? I might work that, through flashbacks, into the next chapter. I ‘will’ definitely write the chapter in a way that reveals to Spike that Dawn is Buffy’s daughter…and his. Promise.

Anyway, thanks for reading and please review. Spufette!

ALL MANNER OF MONSTERS


Chapter 12: ‘Devil’s Own/An Angel’s Child’


Summary: Buffy runs off to Sunnydale to ‘tell’ Dawn about her upcoming marriage. Andrew places a call to Spike and advises him to take a trip to Sunnydale.

The relationship between Andrew and Warren is explained, somewhat.

Spike finds out the truth about Dawn’s identity and tries to step up to the plate!


Chapter 12:




“Calm the fuck down!” Xander screamed at his partner, William Giles, aka Spike Sinclair. “This isn’t going to do any good man, believe, me!”

Spike was pacing back and forth in front of Xander, aka Alec Harrington, in his hotel room. The blond FBI agent was past livid and sailing into enraged at this point. He had chain smoked at least six cigarettes since leaving Finn’s, the asshole, bloody mansion.

“How can she marry the fucking moron?” Spike roared at poor Xander. “He’s an egotistical control freak; psychopathic murderer and a…”

“He’s Riley Finn,” Xander cut Spike off before he could continue with angry tirade. “Riley is the head of a vicious gang of mobsters, just like your dad, our boss, filled us in on. You wanted this assignment, Spike,” Xander continued evenly. “You knew Buffy was involved and just how she was involved with Finn. In fact, you only took this job to be closer to Buffy and you know it,” Xander finished with a scowl.

“Yeah,” Spike snarled, “and I only took this assignment to wheedle Buffy away from Finn in the first place! How can I help her, or get her away from that fuckhead if I can’t…”

Spike was interrupted by the shrill ring of his cell phone. He let out an exasperated growl, but punched the ‘talk’ button anyway, in case it might be someone about the case.

“Mr. Sinclair?” came Andrew’s meek voice on the other end. “I need to talk to you.”

“Is Buffy all right?” Spike asked frantically. “What’s wrong with Buffy? Besides everything,” he hissed gruffly.

“Miss Summers is fine, well kind of,” Andrew squeaked in response. “I, I need to speak with you Mr. Sinclair. There’s not much time, though. Miss Summers and I, we just arrived in Sunnydale, at her folks place. It’s been closed up for months, but Miss Buffy wanted to stay here while she’s up in Sunnydale. To see Miss Dawn that is.”


“I’m putting you on speaker phone, Andrew,” Spike stated. “Alec Harrington, my business partner is with me. Let’s hear what you have to say. There’s nothing Alec can’t hear and…”

“Yes, that’s fine, Mr. Sinclair. It’s about Miss Summers and her sister, Dawn. It's about the Summers ladies and my ‘friend’ Warren Meers. I know you’re beholding to the same men that Mr. Finn answers to, you and Mr. Harrington. However, there is a part of me that feels that you and Mr. Harrington might be interested in knowing a few things. Especially you Mr. Sinclair.”

“Go on,” Spike mumbled as he hit the speaker button quickly.

“I don’t think Miss Buffy knows the full extent of Mr. Riley’s treachery,” Andrew whispered in the phone. “She’s a lovely woman, Miss Buffy, as her sister Dawn is.”

Spike glanced over at Xander and noted that his partner flinched again, at the mention of Dawn Summers.

“Mr. Finn has always held some ominous sway over Miss Buffy, through her sister. I’m sure of it. This sudden consent by Miss Buffy to marry Mr. Riley worries me. I am afraid that Mr. Finn has pulled a high card from his sleeve and is ‘forcing’ Miss Buffy Summers to marry him. It worries me, especially since I heard Miss Buffy mention something about Mr. Finn adopting Dawn as ‘his’ child?”

“Why the fuck would Riley Finn adopt Dawn Summers? And how could Hank and Joyce Summers allow it? What kind of bloody, cold-hearted monsters are they?” Spike shook his head in total disgust and glared at Xander once more.

“That is not for me to say,” Andrew offered nervously. “However, I think ‘you’ do need to ask yourself some questions Mr. Sinclair. I, myself? I have asked myself several questions since Warren Meers disappeared several weeks ago.”

“What did Finn tell you Andrew?” Xander piped in, finally. “About Meers that is?”

“That Warren had another job offer, back in New York,” Andrew sighed audibly. “The thing is Warren would have told me if he had a job transfer, I’m sure of it. We had a ‘special’ friendship you see. Warren and me.”

“What kind of…” Xander began to ask Andrew, but Spike cut him off. Spike rolled his eyes at Xander as if to say ‘oh grow up Harris, come to the real world!’

“What happened that day,” Spike interrupted the conversation. “What did Warren Meers do and say before he ‘disappeared’ as you said?”

“We spoke, as always, by telephone,” Andrew replied wistfully. “Warren said he and I would meet, for supper later. It was my night off. That was the last time I spoke to Warren, completely. Mr. Finn explained Warren’s abs cense to Miss Buffy and me by saying he took a new assignment. In New York,” Andrew’s squeaky voice trailed off.

“He killed him, didn’t he? Mr. Finn murdered Warren?” Andrew asked in a low strangled voice.

“I don’t know for sure Andrew,” Spike replied in a sympathetic tone.

“Me neither, not for sure,” Xander added reluctantly.

“Mr. Sinclair?” Andrew whispered after a few moments of silence. “I think you should come to Sunnydale, sir. There’s something, or should I say, someone, that you need to see here.”

“Who?” Spike asked in confusion.

“Miss Buffy’s little sister, Dawn,” Andrew replied a little too nervously. “I think you are searching for answers Mr. Sinclair and you just might find some here, in Sunnydale.”

Buffy stared out of her parents’ balcony window. She hated this house, Buffy did, since she was seventeen-years-old. Maybe before that really. Otherwise, why would she have snuck off to spring break, over seven years before. If she had not had, Buffy would never have met William Giles; began her affair with him or had their daughter, Dawn.

The Summers’ abandoned home held so many echoes of memories for Buffy. Sadly, most of them were not of the good, but of the bad. Forgotten, unfortunately, were Buffy’s memories of the happier times when she was a very little girl. Memories of Christmas times, spent under the gigantic fake tree were vague in Buffy’s mind now.

There had been a most special gift, on her tenth birthday, of a pony. Buffy had named the colt Mr. Gordo for some silly reason. However, those memories were far away and it was the more recent ones that haunted Buffy and caused her to make the decisions she had in the past few years.


‘Flashback; Buffy’s POV’


William had gone to make the arrangements for Buffy and his return to Berkeley together. Buffy had made it clear that she had no intention of ever returning to Santa Barbara now. She would just travel back to Berkeley with Will and leave there with him, happily.

As it turned out, they were only a young couple with big dreams. Pipe dreams at that.

Soon after William had been gone from their hotel room, Buffy’s cell phone rang, shrilly. Something in the ‘ring’ of the small phone alerted Buffy not to answer it, but she did.

Looking back, she would always rue the moment she decided to pick up that phone and listen to her cousin, Faith’s, desperate warnings.

“B! It’s Faith,” came Buffy’s cousin’s frantic voice from the other end of the line. “Are you alone there? Where’s lover boy?”

“He’s out, taking care of last minute arrangements for our move to Berkeley. Tomorrow’s the last day of spring break and…”

Before Buffy could finish her sentence, Faith cut her off at the pass.

“Good! My timing is still as great as ever,” her cousin spat. “Listen Blondie,” Faith continued in a somewhat cool tone, “playtime is over down there in San Diego. At least for you and Willie boy. You have to get your little ass, solo that is, back up here to LA and over to our place. ASAP!”

Buffy was stunned by Faith’s anxious, no; make that terrified demeanor on the phone. The dark haired older woman never spoke to Buffy that way, although she had been known to be harsh with other people. That included Faith’s own husband, Jesse.

“I don’t understand Faith,” Buffy finally was able to choke out. “You know I’m going with William, to Berkeley. I’m not coming to your house, or going home to Sunnydale, ever again.”

“There’s no time for fairy tales anymore, B,” Faith interjected harshly. “Shut up and listen to me, little cousin!”

“Kay,” Buffy whimpered as her heart raced in her chest. She knew Will would be back, soon, and she wanted to have this ridiculous, ominous telephone convo over before he returned.

“Your ‘daddy dearest’ my Uncle Hank showed up here, at Jesse and my place,” Faith began with disgust. “About an hour ago. Guess who he had in tow with him?”

Buffy scrunched up her face and asked in a nervous whisper, “who?”

“That fucking moron, Riley Finn, that’s who,” Faith answered roughly. “It seems that your daddy has made some alternate plans for you, B. Apparently they include a future with Finn as the groom? Did you know anything about this B?”

“No!” Buffy gasped in horror. “Nothing. Daddy works for Riley Finn, yes, and the idiot has been to our house for supper, on occasion, but…”

“Well, apparently, dinner at the Casa de Summers was a kind of mating dance for old Riley. He and your dad have this notion that you and Finn are going to be wife and hubby someday. Anyway, that’s not the point, sweet stuff. They were here, demanding to see you. I told them you were at the theatre with a mutual friend and wouldn’t be back until later tonight. That’ll give you enough time to write a note to lover boy, grab your gear and get a bus to LA. I’ll send Jesse down to the station to get you. My hubby’s in on this intrigue we cooked up to get you to San Diego so…”

“You’re crazy!” Buffy screamed into the phone. “I’m not leaving Will! He and I are going to live together, in Berkeley and maybe even get married someday. No way am I going back to Sunnydale or my folks. Or, for that matter, hooking up with Riley Finn. He’s a fucking monster, Faith!”

Faith groaned, audibly, from the other side of the line. “Buffy,” she finally softened her tone a little. “You know what Riley Finn is capable of, right? And your dad? He’s no prince himself sometimes. If I don’t produce you, by later tonight, here in LA? Uncle Hank is going to start tearing up my house, my husband, and then me. Guess who your dad and Finn will go after next, sweetie, and don’t bother to answer that, I know you know it’s this William. I’m sure that’ll just be the start of Riley Finn’s revenge and…”

“Oh, God, Faith,” Buffy gasped in fear. “Don’t you think if I just disappear, with William and move up to Berkeley? Things could work out, right?” Buffy finished in a raspy whine.

“No, sweetie,” Faith replied harshly. “I think your dad and Finn the Ignoramous would find you faster then you can say ‘devil’s own’ and believe me, B. Riley Finn is the devils own.”

Buffy clicked off the phone and placed it, calmly, into her purse. She looked around the hotel room and spied the pad of paper on the dressing table.

Sadly, she shuffled over to the table and picked up the pen that the hotel left there. With a heavy heart, hot, sorrowful tears in her green eyes, Buffy began the goodbye note to her William. She had no choice after all.


‘Present day’

Buffy stared out the window of the Jag that Riley had bought her, especially for the trips to Sunnydale. She sighed heavily and tried to take in the beautiful country scenery that she and Andrew sped past.

Suddenly, and without notice, Andrew swerved the Jag onto an unfamiliar country road. Buffy signaled her driver and friend that he had pulled onto the wrong highway.

Andrew seemed to ignore Buffy’s antics in the back seat as he drove on. Finally, the young man pulled over into a desolate, empty rest spot. The only other vehicle in sight, Buffy noticed, was a large, rather ugly Cadillac that was parked in the only taken parking space.

“Andrew?” Buffy began in an unsure tone, “what’s this about?”

“The truth, Miss Summers,” Andrew mumbled shyly. “The truth about a lot of things Miss.”

Buffy looked over at the Cadillac and was shocked to see Spike step out of the driver’s side. She felt the old familiar ache for him overcome her.

“Oh God Andrew,” Buffy gasped in horror, “what have you done?”

Andrew didn’t answer her, just opened his door and stepped out. Immediately after, Spike yanked Buffy’s car door open and offered her his hand. For some reason, she automatically took it and allowed her William to lead her out of the Jag and over to the Cadillac.

“Andrew?” Buffy asked her friend and employee, skeptically.

“It’s time Miss Buffy,” Andrew replied simply. He looked over at Spike with a grimace, “I think Mr. Spike deserves some answers and you certainly deserve to tell the truth and get some.”

Without another word, Andrew slipped back into the Jag’s driver seat and started the ignition. The young man drove off without a backwards glance.

“Why?” Buffy whispered the question to William, if that was really his name at all. “Why are you here, Will? If that’s really your name at all.”

“Why? Because young Andy there told me that the answers I need are here, in Sunnydale. And I need answers Buffy. Lots of them,” he finished gruffly. “And, for the record? My real is William, Buffy,” he added evenly. “I’m not the one that lied, originally, about my name. You did.”

“Get in,” Spike ordered Buffy roughly. He didn’t wait for her to make a move. He grabbed her slim arm and yanked her into the front passenger seat.

“I’m not driving Miss Daisy here,” he snorted as he jumped into the driver’s seat. “You ride up front, with me.”

Buffy said nothing, just stared straight ahead while William drove the direction of ‘The Sisters of the Sacred Heart’ where Dawn was enrolled.

“You have no idea what you are getting yourself into William,” Buffy whispered in a strangled voice. She kept her sullen gaze straight ahead, on the winding road before them.

“I don’t give a fuck,” Spike hissed as he glared at Buffy out of the corner of his right blue eye. “I’ll take anything they can throw at me.”

“Hope so,” Buffy muttered softly.

Spike and Buffy pulled up in front of the huge gates of The Sisters of the Sacred Hearts. It was close to 5:00 PM, supper time at the school.

Once William had stopped the car, Buffy hopped out of it and nearly ran into the front office. She stumbled, briefly, before she yanked open Father Johnathan’s office door and slipped inside.

“Bloody little brat,” Spike snarled more to himself then anyone as he trailed up behind Buffy. “She’s going to be the fucking death of me and before this is over.”

William stepped inside the cozy, if spartan office of the head priest at Sacred Hearts. He wasn’t surprised to find the Father’s office spartan, yet a little cozy and inviting.

“Who’s this then Elizabeth?” the diminutive priest asked of Buffy warmly. “Mr. Finn?”

Spike resisted the urge to punch the priest in the nose. Instead, he cringed in disgust at being mistaken for Riley Finn.

“No Father Johnathan,” Buffy mumbled softly, “this is my ‘friend’ William Giles.”

Father Johnathan nearly leapt up from his office chair when Buffy announced the identity of this blond mystery man.

“I see,” the priest hummed evenly. “So, you’ve decided to go with the truth then Elizabeth?” Father Johnathan raised a dark brow at Buffy, and then glanced warily at William.

“He doesn’t know everything, yet, Father,” Buffy murmured. She focused her green eyes on the painting of the ‘Crucifixion’ on Father Johnathan’s wall behind his desk.

“Know what?” Spike asked brazenly. “What’s this fucking secrecy then? I swear to God Buffy, I’m getting sick and tired of these code games. What’s going on here and why?”

Buffy’s lower lip quivered a little, but she took a deep breath and nodded at Father Johnathan. “Where’s Dawn?” she asked almost shyly of the priest.

“At supper daughter,” the little priest replied quietly.

“Please have Sister Margaret bring her in here, Father,” Buffy asked. “I think it’s time that the truth is revealed Father, if only between William and me. For the time being that is.”

Father Johnathan nodded somberly and stood up. Buffy and Spike watched him leave the huge office through a back door.

“What’s this about Buffy?” Spike asked suspiciously. “I think I have a right to know everything, right? You left me, Princess. Without a proper explanation and all. You left a note! Just a fucking note on a generic piece of paper! That was over seven years ago.”

Buffy couldn’t bring herself to even look at William. She just continued to stare at the painting of Jesus Christ, being crucified by the Roman legions.

“Here now,” Sister Margaret said cheerfully as she led Dawn into the room. “Look who’s here, little one,” the nun smiled down, warmly at the lovely little girl. “Your sister’s here, on a surprise visit!”

“Buffy!” Dawn cried gleefully. “I didn’t expect you. Not until Saturday, like usual!”

Dawn Summers broke from Sister Margaret and ran to Buffy, flinging herself into the blond woman’s welcoming arms.

“I’ve got a lot to tell you sweetie,” Buffy murmured into Dawn’s sweet, fragrant head. “So much,” she finished with a muffled squeak.

“Who’s that?” Dawn asked her sister when she spied Spike standing next to Buffy.

“A friend,” Buffy mumbled under her breath.

Spike kneeled next to Buffy and peered into Dawn’s elfin little face. He expected, at first, to stare into the eyes of Buffy’s little sister, perhaps the mirror of her grandfather or grandmother’s face? The little girl was the key. The key to all of this ugliness that had enveloped and overwhelmed his Buffy’s life. The reason his Buffy had to sell herself and her soul to Riley Finn.

Instead, when he gazed into the indigo blue eyes of the little six-year-old, Spike got the shock of his life. Literally.

‘Oh Jesus,’ he gasped silently as he stared into Dawn Summers’ lovely blue eyes. ‘Her eyes? They’re my eyes,’ he realized in a moment’s time.

Spike saw himself mirrored in the soulful eyes of this beautiful little girl. He understood, immediately, that this child was no more Buffy’s little sister then he was.

Dawn was Buffy’s daughter, and his, together. This was the physical connection between them, Buffy and him. Their spiritual connection had been bonded seven years ago, in San Diego. But this miracle child? She was the earthly, physical connection that could never be broken or taken away from either one of them.

“What’s wrong mister?” Dawn asked innocently of Spike. “You look like you’ve got a tummy ache.”

The blond man swallowed hard and took a deep, calming breath.

‘My angel, Buffy’s daughter,’ he realized in awe. ‘Her’s and mine.’

“I’m fine, Dawn,” Spike managed to whisper. “Just a little tired and kind of surprised is all.”

“Surprised how?” Dawn asked warily as she looked over at her older sister, Buffy. The little girl did not like the look on her sister’s pretty face. Buffy looked frightened.

“Just surprised that you’re even more pretty then your pictures,” Spike whispered in a strangled voice. “I…”

He stopped and stood up. “I need some air,” he stated calmly. “I’ll be outside Buffy,” Spike informed the still kneeling blond.

“Okay,” Buffy mumbled without looking up at William. “I’ll be out in a moment, kay?”

“Okay,” Spike responded gruffly. Then he turned and strode out of the office door.

“Is everything okay Buffy?” Dawn asked shyly. “That man, Spike? He kind of scares me.”

“Me too,” Buffy whispered in a muffled voice against her daughter’s little shoulder.

“He’s not a bad man, Dawnie,” Buffy assured her little girl. “He’s just a little confused right now, okay?”

“Okay Buffy,” Dawn replied. She rewarded Buffy with a warm, loving grin.

“I’ll be back, tomorrow, baby,” Buffy promised the girl. “Maybe we’ll break you out of here. For a whole afternoon and run over to the Sunnydale Zoo?”

“Can we!” Dawn squealed in delight. “I love the lions!”


“We can,” Buffy said. “We can and we will.”


Spike waited, impatiently, outside the school for Buffy to appear. He had a feeling that he would not have to wait long.

As it turned out, he was right.

Buffy came rushing out of the priest’s office and right past Spike. That is, she tried to, until he caught her by her left arm with his right hand.

“Hold up Princess,” he snarled at her.

“Let me go,” Buffy ordered angrily, even though the tears falling down her face betrayed her.

“No,” Spike growled dangerously. Instead of letting her go, Spike grasped Buffy’s arm even tighter and literally dragged her to the parked Cadillac.

Without any decorum or premise of decorum, Spike yanked open the passenger seat door and flung Buffy inside. He then locked the doors with his key and rushed to the driver’s side of the car.

After letting himself in, Spike turned on the ignition and sped away from the private school as fast as he could, safely that is.

They rode in total silence the tension was thick enough to cut with a knife. Buffy never even looked at William, even though she could feel his cobalt blue eyes on her from time to time.

Spike pulled into the rest stop that he’d met Buffy at a while earlier. Even after he’d turned off the ignition, however, he did not unlock the car doors.

“Just when were you going to tell me?” Spike finally managed to choke the question out, albeit in an angry tone.

“Never,” Buffy replied boldy. “Who the fuck are you ‘Spike’ that I should tell you anything?”

Like a panther, Spike spun about and lunged for Buffy, his strong hands clasped her slim shoulders roughly.

“I’m that precious little girl’s father! That’s who I am,” he roared loudly. “You had no right to keep her from me Buffy! No right! You fucked me over, what? Two, three, or maybe ten times now?”

“I didn’t do anything to you asshole!” Buffy spat back at him. “Nothing that wasn’t to protect you anyway!”

“Protect me?” Spike asked incredulously. “From what? You? Our child together?”

“God you’re such a pompous ass,” Buffy snarled at him. “You’re as bad as Riley, really! You have no idea what I sacrificed to keep my baby, Dawnie, safe. The degrading ways I let Riley use me and blackmail me. To what? Protect Dawn, my parents and you?”

“None of you are worth it! Except my baby, Dawn that is!” She scrunched up her face and began to cry, bitterly.

Spike felt lost and totally worthless at the moment. Then he remembered that is was Buffy that brought this on them. She was the one that had lied, or at least kept their child’s identity from everyone.

“You little bitch!” Spike hissed at her as he shook her, violently. “You can’t cry your way out of this one. You chose to take off, with my kid! Take up with Riley Finn, that worthless piece of shit who’s not good enough to kiss your feet! So you’re going to marry him, huh? Sign over our daughter to him like a piece of property that he can use to bring up whenever you step out of line?”

“He murdered your good friend Andrew’s boyfriend, Warren Meers. Did you know that you little bitch?” Spike hissed.

Spike’s face was contorted in an ugly twist and Buffy was truly frightened. So frightened that she stopped crying suddenly and just stared wide-eyed at the man she thought she had loved once.

“No,” Buffy whispered fearfully. “Not sign her over, just want to protect her,” she whimpered like a small child.

“Are you better then Riley Finn,” Buffy asked William abruptly. “Have you never killed anyone Will,” she asked sincerely. Her green eyes were wide with terror.

Spike could not answer that one, truly. In all honestly, he had killed men, but all in the line of duty of course. Buffy couldn’t know that yet, though, that was for sure. Not that he, William, was one of the white hats in all this.

“I…” he began cautiously.

“That’s what I thought,” she spat at him. “You’re as bad as Riley, aren’t you? If you think you’re going to take my baby, Dawn, away from me? Think again mister!”

Buffy pulled away from Spike and tried to unlock the car door. She did succeed in opening the door itself and stumbling out of the Cadillac. Once her feet hit the open grass, Buffy took off on a run, away from William and the whole ugly truth that had so brutally been exposed that afternoon.

She hadn’t gone a few yards before William’s strong arms clasped her again. He pulled her down, causing them both to tumble onto the grassy knoll of the empty rest area.

“Let me go!” Buffy ordered angrily.

“Never!” Spike hissed in reply as he pinned her down onto the ground below them.

Spike stared intensely into Buffy’s lovely green eyes. “Let me help you,” he pleaded desperately to the woman he loved.

“How?” Buffy countered smugly. “What are you going to do Spike? Spirit me and your daughter away? From Riley Finn? You’re as big a monster as he is I’ll wager. Just what can you do to ‘help’ us?”

“I’m not Riley Finn,” Spike muttered reluctantly. He pressed his forehead to Buffy’s and did not let up on the pressure to her tiny body.

“How so?” Buffy asked sarcastically.

“I’m…” Spike began hesitantly. After taking a deep, calming breath, he began again. “I’m with the FBI, Buffy,” he admitted quietly. “I can take Riley Finn down, in aces and save you and our daughter at the same time.”

Buffy lay underneath her ex-lover, still as death. She blinked once, twice, then three times before she could digest what William had just told her.

“FBI?” she whispered, stunned.

“Yes,” William replied, almost ashamed.

“You fucking bastard!” Buffy screamed wildly as she began to beat on Will’s tee-shirt covered chest.

“You stupid asshole! You fucking, dirty, nasty lying prick!” Buffy continued her onslaught of derogative names.

“You lied!” She spat at William in disgust. “You only came here to use me and my Dawnie! To destroy Riley and…”

“No!” Spike cried in his own defense as he pinned her brutal little hands above her head with his own more powerful hands.

“I only came here ‘because’ of you!” he hissed defensively.

“I only came here because of you,” he repeated, almost in pleadingly. “I never would have even given a fuck about Riley Finn or anything,” Spike continued earnestly. “It was always about you Buffy. From the start I…”

Buffy broke her hands and wrists away from his hold and began to beat on him once again.

“Liar!” she screamed, enraged once more. “You fucking liar!”

Spike grasped her hands and wrists again, gaining the upper hand once more. He used his left hand to hold her wrists together, above her head, while he used his right hand to push the hem of her little blue sundress up over her luscious thighs.

Before Buffy could rage at him again, using her obscene profanities and ugly accusations against him? Spike crashed his lips against hers in a violent, passionate kiss.

Buffy didn’t even try to pull away from Will’s bruising kiss, nor did she care to. She returned his passionate kisses, eagerly.

When William lifted the hem of her sundress up, Buffy didn’t even fight him. Her mind had gone into sexual overdrive and William was in the driver’s seat.

Without a moment’s thought to Riley or the promise to marry him, Buffy thrust her hips up, joyfully, into Will’s hard erection.

Spike didn’t hesitate for a moment as he drove his hard cock into Buffy’s thong covered cunny. He did however, allow Buffy to either consent or reject his carnal overtures.

Once she had thrust her hips up into his, Spike realized that she was more then willing to consummate their passion together. He reached down with his right hand and ripped the tiny thong off of her slim, warm hips. Then he unbuckled his belt and shimmied out of his jeans as fast as he could.

After he had divested himself of his jeans and boxers, Spike wasted no time in plunging into Buffy’s soft, wet and warm welcoming folds. He began to thrust in and pull out, slowly at first.

“Will,” Buffy gasped in pleasure as her beloved slipped his wonderful hard shaft into her depths.

“Buffy,” Spike hissed in pleasure as he pulled out, slowly, and then thrust back into her welcoming wetness.

“Missed you. Missed you so much,” Spike murmured into his Buffy’s warm little ear.

“Me too,” she whispered shyly. “Missed you more then I dare to say.”

They coupled together in the age old dance that true lovers do. Their mouths and lips desperately sought out each others’ most sensitive spots as they made love on the private, grassy spot.

When neither one of them could wait any longer, Spike and Buffy came together in their mutual bliss. They cried each other’s names out as they came.

They lay together, Spike on top of Buffy, careful not to crush her with his weight. Entangled together, the couple lay still, trying to calm their wild heartbeats.

“I love you,” Spike whispered to Buffy. “I’m yours, always,” he added.

“I am yours, always,” Buffy responded in like. “I love you,” she murmured.

Neither one of them said another word for a while. They were too busy weeping together, quietly.


A/N: Hope that wasn’t too corny.

Thanks for reading and please review. Spufette

ALL MANNER OF MONSTERS


Chapter 13: ‘That In Itself’


Summary: Spike and Buffy ‘bond’ in this chapter. I’m afraid there’s not much more to it.


Spike held Buffy’s tiny, damp body to his own sweat slicked body. He paid no attention to the fact that it was not yet sunset and that Buffy and him were in the middle of a deserted picnic area.

Their urgent coupling had been fast, heated and nearly violent in nature. However, neither Spike nor Buffy seemed to mind ‘that’ in the least. They had made love and that, in itself, is all that had mattered.

Buffy’s head was buried into Spike’s shoulder, even as he was careful not to crush her with his weight. He embraced her so tightly that it was hard to say where her body began and his ended.

‘Such a tiny thing,’ he thought lovingly as he breathed in Buffy’s fragrant blond hair. The sweet smell of jasmine and vanilla she used to shampoo her golden locks brought back a jolting memory to Spike.


‘Flashback; Spike’s POV’


William stood, staring at the hastily written note in his hand. Buffy was gone, period, just like that.

Only three hours earlier, Buffy and William had been in bed together, laughing, talking and making plans. They had cuddled up; chatting about the flat they would rent together, in Berkeley. It would turn out to be the one of the happiest memories in William’s miserable life.

‘Oh, Jesus, the room still smells of her special scent,’ William realized. His heart felt like it was shattering at the thought. ‘Vanilla and jasmine,’ he swiped at the threatening tears in his eyes.

Now? Buffy was gone, just like that. Only a quickly written note left behind to explain what? Some stupid and surely false reasons for breaking William’s heart were written hastily.

‘I do love you Will,’ Buffy’s words blared out at him. ‘I think I always will, but…’

“Liar,” William had hissed angrily. “Bloody bitch of a liar,” he growled. He could not help but read the rest of Buffy’s horrible lies, written on a pad of paper provided by the Hilton.

‘It was a wonderful dream, sweet William,’ Buffy continued in her neat, girlish script. ‘But a dream is all it was Will. I have to go now. Please believe that I do love you. Love always, Buffy’

“Fucking bitch!” William had roared wildly at the blasphemous sign off.

“Lying, deceitful bitch!” he muttered, trying to fight the desperate rage in inside of him.

“Buffy!” He wailed like a male banshee and began to break anything he could find in the room. His horrid, mournful wailing and the loud crashes of his destruction eventually brought the hotel’s security to the room. William could have not cared less. ‘She’ was gone. His Buffy had left him behind to wallow in his own self pity and misery.


Of course, William Giles, being the son of Rupert Giles, had searched, non-stop for what seemed like eons. He searched for his Buffy Winters, everywhere he could think of. After that horrific day in the Hilton hotel room that she had abandoned him in.

Santa Barbara had been William’s first stop, and the University there. There was no record of a Buffy Winters anywhere in the college’s files, so William turned his search elsewhere.

He had even called on friends like Scott and Larry, college buddies, to help him search out and find Buffy Winters. After extensive research and countless hours spent on a computer that William hated with a passion? Nothing. Zero. Zilch.

It had been months, nearly a year, actually, since spring break and William sat at a coffee bar, in Berkeley. He was alone, a situation he seemed to prefer these days, and he was leafing through some stupid, inane rag of a magazine.

When he got to the ‘Passages’ section of the current issue; William’s heart stood still. He glared, openly at the picture in the magazine and the caption that followed:

‘LA’s own, Riley Finn is shown here,’ the article’s author gushed, “is shown here, accompanied by the lovely Elizabeth ‘Buffy’ Summers. An old Finn family friend.’

William just stared at the insipid article, stunned beyond words. Here was his, William’s, Buffy. On the arm of one of the most notoriously dangerous men in California, if not the whole of the United States.

“Jesus, Buffy,” William gasped in shock. He dropped the fucking ridiculous magazine and pulled his cell phone from his back pocket.

“Dad,” William greeted his father, Rupert Giles, coolly. “I need to see you, talk to you.”


‘Present day’


Buffy’s moist mouth was buried into Will’s pale skin; her head lounged, lazily against his shoulder. She allowed him to pull her body, closer to his, in a warm embrace.

“Buffy,” she heard him murmur against the top of her head.

“Mmmm,” Buffy mumbled in a muffled purr against his chest.

Spike chuckled softly and tightened his embrace about Buffy’s little body. He nuzzled her hair and cheek with his lips while his left hand drew lazy circles on her back.

“Princess,” he whispered tenderly into her ear, “I think we’d better pull ourselves together and move away from here, huh? I mean I don’t want to leave and all, but it’s nearly sunset and I’m sure if we found this place, then some teens will surely be around soon. The ones that only come out at night that is.”

“Oh, right,” Buffy murmured as she looked up into Will’s blue eyes. The look of utter adoration in them, for her, nearly caused Buffy to cry. It was all just too overwhelming.

“Is Andrew going to be back soon? Is he going to take me back to my folks’ place?” Buffy asked shyly. She was suddenly very aware of just where Will and she were and what they had just done together.

“No, Andrew is not coming back, luv,” Spike whispered gently, placing a tender kiss on Buffy’s funny little nose. “I’m your driver tonight and I am definitely ‘not’ taking you back to your folks’ house, in Sunnydale.”

“Oh,” Buffy whispered again, a little confused. A slight look of uncertainty and possible regret passed over her wide green eyes.

Spike felt a pang of remorse shoot through his heart, when he saw the insecurity in his Buffy’s lovely eyes. However, he shook it off quickly. He had made plans for Buffy tonight, even before their ‘reconciliation’ of sorts and he had no intention of changing them now.

“I’ve rented a hotel room. In Sunnydale, by the ocean,” he confessed in a quiet voice. “I’m taking you there, to my room tonight, Princess.” He searched her emerald eyes for some spark of consent, fearing he’d see rejection again. The look of total trust in Buffy’s eyes nearly overwhelmed Spike and he shivered in anticipation of what they would ‘do’ later on. Buffy still had that affect on him.

“There’s a ton of stuff we need to discuss Princess,” he murmured as he pressed his forehead against hers. “Not to mention a ton of ‘stuff’ we need to do.” Spike finished with a warm, naughty little grin.

Buffy felt her whole body shiver in anticipation at what William had just said. He still had this affect on her, even after seven years of being apart.

She gazed into Will’s beautiful, soulful blue eyes and sought out that adoration she’d noticed earlier. The relief overwhelmed her, when she found what she sought in his indigo eyes.

‘There it is,’ she thought happily when she found the loving gleam in her lover’s expressive orbs.

“Okay Will,” Buffy replied simply, but her warm, tender smile spoke the volumes that Spike needed to hear. Nothing on earth would keep Buffy from William’s strong, tender arms tonight. No matter how risky it might turn out to be.

Spike placed an almost chaste kiss on Buffy’s sweet lips and proceeded to help her straighten her little dress. Buffy was going along with him and he was just a little overwhelmed at the thought. After that, he pulled his jeans up over his hips, zipping them up quickly.

“You’ve got to be famished,” Spike stated more then asked. “What say we stop, get some food and then…”

“Can we get a take out pizza Will?” Buffy asked suddenly, her voice a little shaky. “Have it in your hotel room?

“Our hotel room,” Spike corrected her gently. “I rented the room, for the both of us Buffy. Even before…” he didn’t finish his sentence, verbally. Just leaned in and kissed her perfect little mouth again.

They must have gotten back to the hotel room in record time. Even after ordering and picking up the pizza.

Without any sense of false decorum or propriety, Buffy tore into the pizza box and began to scarf down a huge slice. She had taken only a few bites before she realized that William was not eating at all, just staring at her.

“What?” Buffy asked shyly. Her huge green eyes were the epitome of innocence as she perused Spike’s countenance.

“Nothing sweet,” Spike replied with a soft laugh. He picked up a slice of pizza and tried to seem interested in it.

“No, seriously Will. What's wrong?” Buffy laid down her pizza slice, back in the box, and gazed at William, confused.

“I just…” he began but couldn’t seem to finish. He felt an overwhelming ache inside of him. This had all played out before, seven years ago in San Diego and he suddenly felt so very weak and vulnerable.

‘Oh shit,’ he gasped silently, willing the threatening tears in his eyes away. ‘I’m such a fucking ponce,’ he derided himself.

“Don’t you like the pizza?” Buffy asked in a hushed, childish voice.

“I…” Spike tossed the offensive slice of pepperoni pizza back into the box. He reached over to Buffy and grabbed her by her slim arm and pulled her to him, roughly.

“I don’t give a rat’s arse about the pizza Princess,” he rasped as he placed several kisses on her forehead, then her cheeks and lips. “Only care about you,” he growled, pushing her back against the huge couch.

Once he had covered her little body with his own, Spike began to kiss place soft, tender kisses on her cheeks and mouth.

“Will,” Buffy squeaked in false protest, “my dress is yucky! It’s got grass stains all over it and…”

“Problem solved,” Spike mumbled as he lifted her upper body up and pulled the blue sundress over her chest and head. He threw it next to the couch and continued his assault on her lips, neck and bare chest.

“I’m all pizza’d up, Will,” Buffy whimpered in somewhat mock embarrassment. “I bet I smell like a regular pizzaria!”

“Who gives a fuck,” Spike growled playfully. He took a lovely little pink nipple in his mouth and began to suck on it, greedily.

Buffy giggled wildly, a nice change from earlier when she’d cursed him, and Spike took this as a green light to continue. Without missing a beat, he slipped her wonderful little pink nub from his mouth and began to run his warm, wet tongue between her luscious breasts.

“Stop!” Buffy squealed half-heartedly as she wriggled her slim hips against his. “I’m all yucky, Will, please!” She squeaked in a high-pitched voice.

“Make me,” Spike rasped while he ran his tongue down her tummy, headed to his obvious destination.

“NO!” Buffy yelped giddily, thrusting her whole body up which caused William to roll off the couch, taking Buffy with him. He landed on his back and butt, his left arm clasped about her back and his right around her hips.

“If you wanted to be on top, Princess,” Spike chuckled wickedly, “all’s you had to do was ask.”

“Oh, you,” Buffy muttered with a mock bat at his chest with her hand. She wiggled her hips around until she was sitting upright, on his crotch.

“On second thought,” Buffy giggled again, “I think I like it on top!”

Spike raised up his hips and tore at his belt and zipper. He pulled his jeans down, himself, then pulled Buffy’s little naked bottom down to meet his hard cock.

“I like you on top too,” he moaned, seriously as he directed Buffy’s wet cunny down onto his excited shaft.

“Uhm, oh that’s nice,” Buffy purred even as she slid down onto Will’s beautiful cock. “So very nice,” she finished with a feminine growl.

“Better’n nice,” Spike replied with a purely masculine growl. “Hot and sweet; perfect,” he moaned. “Always perfect for me, Buffy.”

Buffy began to rotate her hips, up and down and around on William. She threw her head back; her long golden mane fell down her naked back.

“Oh, Jesus Buffy,” Spike moaned in pleasure. “Don’t stop that, please!” He tightened his large hands on her petite hips and guided her movements atop him.

“Does that feel good Will?” Buffy asked coyly with half closed eyes. Her smile was a play in slyness.

“You know it feels amazing,” Spike hissed, bucking his hips up to meet hers. “You were always amazing sweet. God, I’ve missed you so much,” he whimpered.

“Missed you,” Buffy whispered rapidly, increasing her hip motion and the friction against his cock and hips.

“I love you,” Spike murmured, reverently. “Always will,” he added with a groan. His hands were busy fondling Buffy’s large, meaty breasts.

‘They’re bigger then before,’ Spike realized, suddenly of Buffy’s plump titties. ‘Must be the baby?’

Spike’s mind returned to the pleasure at hand when he began to feel his building release, deep inside of him. He could tell by Buffy’s short, breathy pants that she was so fucking close, just like he was.

Half sitting, half pulling her upper body down to meet his, Spike began to kiss Buffy’s mouth and neck again.

“That’s my baby,” he rasped. “Cum for me, for your man,” he continued to thrust up even as she pounded down onto him.

They came together, joyfully. Just like they always did once, long ago.

Buffy lay on top of William, collapsed on top of him, actually. Her sleepy eyes were nearly closed in sated sexual bliss.

Spike held her close to his slick body and ran his left hand up and down her bare back. He kept placing little kitten kisses on the top of her soft golden head. It still amazed him that Buffy was here, in his arms. She would never leave him again; he’d make sure of that.

After minutes of comfortable silence together, Buffy suddenly pulled her head up and back and looked into William’s blue eyes.

“Seriously Will,” Buffy whispered suddenly, her green eyes full of confusion. “What ‘will’ I do for clothes here?”

Spike burst out into laughter and pulled her back down into his chest. A part of him wanted to tease her for a while, but the other thought it better to tell her the truth.

“Well,” he began thoughtfully, “I would prefer that you wear nothing at all around here but…”

“Will! I mean it!” Buffy cried in frustration. “What am I going to do for clothes? My dress is near ruined and well, you did rip my panties off. On the grass, at the picnic place."

“Okay baby,” Spike chuckled lowly. “Before I drove up here? I stopped at a mall and bought a few things for you. Had to guess your size but I’m pretty sure I figured it right so, no worries.”

Buffy scrunched up her brows and mouth and looked at him through narrowed eyes. “Pretty sure of yourself, aren’t you,” she asked in an even tone. She threw in a pretty little pout, just for good measure.

“Not really,” Spike shrugged, “but I hoped and well, it did turn out the way I wanted. And you wanted. Right?” He gave her a hopeful look.

“Right,” she sighed in contentment and buried her face back into his snuggly chest once again.

They lay there for a while longer, quietly, until Spike finally spoke up.

“How about a shower?” He raised his left brow, seductively at Buffy and grinned wickedly.

“A shower would be nice,” Buffy giggled against his neck.

“After we finish the pizza,” Buffy added with authority. “I don’t want to smell like garlic when we go to bed. She gave him a mischievous wink and reached to the table for her discarded slice of pepperoni pizza.

“True,” Spike nodded as he reached for his own slice, his right arm still tightly clasped about her slim shoulders.

“After the show,” Spike began matter-of-factly, “we’ll ‘talk’ and such.” He munched on his pizza, but watched Buffy, carefully.

“Talk?” Buffy sounded almost disappointed. This made Spike grin widely.

“Well, talk later,” he added in a non-committed manner. “I think we should eat desert first,” he finished.

“What’s for desert?” Buffy asked innocently as she chewed on her near cold slice of pizza.

“You,” Spike replied.


A/N: Short chapter for me. I wanted to post this before I lost all hope of continuing on.

In the next chapter, Spike will lay the law down about Buffy’s going back to Riley in any way. (Hint: He’s against it!) Shock: She’ll agree and even come up with a plan to avoid Mr. Finn, indefinitely.

Spike and Xander will step up their efforts to bring Riley Finn down.

Buffy and Spike just may bond with Dawn, at the zoo!


Thanks for reading and please review, spufette

ALL MANNER OF MONSTERS


Chapter 14: ‘Family Ties’


Summary: Buffy comes up with a plan to help Spike and a way to stay clear of Riley, herself.

Spike and Buffy bond even more (yum).

Spike and Buffy bond with their daughter, Dawn, even though they are hesitant on enlightening the girl as to her and their true identity.


Chapter 14:


Buffy woke up to the sound of the birds chirping just outside of the hotel window. She stretched slowly and glanced over at her still sleeping lover, William. When she moved, as gently as possible, he flinched, apparently at the loss of her warm body next to his.

“Don’t even think of getting out of this bed,” Spike muttered in a sleepy, raspy morning voice. He grabbed Buffy around the waist and pulled her warm little body back into his. “My eyes may be closed, Princess, but I’m wide awake, believe me.”

“I have no doubt of that,” Buffy giggled when she ‘felt’ the evidence of just how wide awake Will’s long hard shaft was.

Spike buried his face into Buffy’s neck and began to rub his cock against the soft curls between her thighs. As he nibbled his way, with his lips, up Buffy’s sweet neck, he continued to gyrate his shaft against her lovely cunny.

“Time for breakfast,” he growled softly. Without waiting another second, Spike thrust into Buffy.

“Will,” Buffy gasped in pleasure as he slowly pulled out of her, and then pushed back in.

“Feel so good baby,” he whispered into Buffy’s ear. Spike licked and kissed her delicious little lobe and continued to pump in and out of her, agonizingly slowly.

“Love you,” Spike purred into Buffy’s welcoming mouth.

“Love you,” she replied, thrusting her hips up to meet his.

They were rudely interrupted by the sound of Buffy’s cell phone that she had left, carefully, on the nightstand beside the bed.

“Do not even think of answering that,” Spike growled in warning as he plunged back into Buffy’s warm cunny.

“Have to,” Buffy pouted between pants, “it might be…” She stopped short of saying the dreaded name of Riley.

“Fuck!” Spike hissed as he pulled off of her and fell against the bed on his back. He tried not to glare at Buffy, but he did give her an accusing glance or two.

“Hello Riley,” Buffy greeted her so-called fiancé on the cell.

“I’m okay,” Spike heard Buffy whisper softly as he slipped out of the bed and reached for a cigarette. He flopped back down, next to Buffy and lit up his smoke.

“I’m fine, really,” Buffy mumbled into the cell, eyeing Will nervously. “No, I haven’t told Dawnie anything really, not yet. For God’s sake Riley,” Buffy sighed in exasperation, “my daughter is six-years-old! How can I just waltz up here, after all this time, and inform her that I’m her mommy, not her older sister? Jesus Riley, are you really that dense!”

“Now don’t get all mega mas macho on my Finn,” Buffy spat into the phone. “Just because you decide to finally accept my child doesn’t mean that I’m going to traumatize her any more then she has to be. I’ll tell Dawnie the truth, eventually, but not today. By the way,” Buffy added, “I have called mom and dad; told them about our wedding plans and…”

Spike flinched, visibly, and openly glared at Buffy through narrowed eyes. He was surprised when his girl just winked at him and smiled wickedly.

Buffy placed her finger to his lips and silently ordered him to ‘shush’ for a minute. With a shake of her golden head, she went back to the conversation with Finn.

“What I’m trying to say is that mom and dad are so excited about our wedding, Riley. But there’s a hitch here. They want to be around for the ceremony and they would like me to stick around up here, in Sunnydale for a while. Oh, about a week or two? Mom is itching to sell the house and Dad thinks I can whip it into shape in the next couple of weeks. No, Riley, I know you hate Sunnydale and all, so I don’t expect you to show up and stay with me. Visit? Well, yeah, sure, I guess, if you can. In the meantime, it will give me enough time to tell Dawnie the truth and ease her into the whole new family thing, right?”

“You know Andrew is up here, with me, Riley. I’ll be fine. I think a change in scenery will do Andrew good too, you know? He’s still quite distraught over Warren Meers just up and leaving him for New York. Yes, I knew about that, Riley. Andrew is my friend, not just an employee of yours.”

“Yeah, you too,” Buffy whispered softly. Spike knew exactly what she was responded to.

‘Fuck is telling her that he loves her and she’s supposed to jump to and agree. I hate that fucking bastard,’ he cringed as if Buffy’s response to Finn was verbal slap to himself.

Buffy clicked off the cell phone and tossed it on the floor, next to her side of the big bed. She slid down and settled back into William, noticing immediately that his body was rigid and tense.

“I really did call my folks, in Spain, last night,” Buffy mumbled half-heartedly. They’ve wanted to sell the house for years now and…”

“I don’t want that fucking bastard to ever touch you again, Buffy,” Spike hissed without even looking at her. “If he puts his fucking hands on you, in any way I’ll snap his bloody neck in two!”

“Will,” Buffy sighed as she snuggled against him and placed his hands on her own hips. “I don’t want Riley to ever touch me again, that way, either. He’s a monster, I’m more then aware of that, especially now. Don’t you see? I’m buying myself time away from him, by staying here in Sunnydale and using the house as an excuse to.”

Spike turned to face her, pulling her little naked body up closer to his own. “Why can’t I just use my connections, at the Bureau, and hide you and our daughter out? Somewhere safe, where Finn can’t touch either of you?”

Buffy buried her face into Will’s strong chest and tried so very hard not to cry. She had to be brave; for him, for Dawn and for herself.

“Because,” she choked out, “as long as Riley Finn is around? He is a dangerous threat to all of us, Will. Especially to our daughter. You have to take him down, Will. You and Alec. By-the-way,” she asked shyly, “is that really ‘his’ name. Alec’s I mean?”

“No,” Spike replied sheepishly, “it’s actually Alexander, Xander really. He’s a good man and good friend, Buffy. I know you’re right, truly. We need to take Finn down, completely, and destroy him and his empire. None of us will be safe until that’s done. I just can’t stand the thought of him touching you,” he choked out in a strangled voice. “I just…”

“Don’t worry,” Buffy whispered tenderly, stroking his blond curls gently. “Even if Riley decides to show up, out here in Sunnydale? Which I really doubt; he hates my hometown. Anyway,” she continued evenly, “I have a way to keep him away from me, physically that is,” she finished with a blush.

“How?” Spike asked harshly before he took a long drag on his smoke. He did so not like the direction this conversation was going. The very thought of that fucking prick touching his Buffy; taking her and making love to her? It was killing Spike, by inches.

“I’m Catholic, Riley knows that, of course, and even though he and I have been living together, in sin, for years? I have an ace up my sleeve,” she murmured bashfully.

Spike was rubbing her back, tenderly, his hands making small, soothing circles there. He wanted to believe that Buffy could stay away from Finn, just until the FBI could nail the stupid fuck. But that did seem like a lot to hope for.


“All’s Riley cares about now,” Buffy began carefully, “is that I’ve agreed to marry him. If I tell him that I want to wait, for our actual wedding night, to you know, consummate the marriage? He’ll buy into it. I know it. It’s not far from the truth because Riley knows I've been talking to Father Johnathan about things. Like I said,” she nodded her head as if to confirm her own words, “Riley will have to go along with this. If he doesn’t? I can always make him think that I’ll postpone the wedding indefinitely and…”

“Okay,” Spike rasped, “just as long as he doesn’t touch you, ever again. I’ll push up the investigation and try to nail the son-of-a-bitch as soon as possible. We’re more then certain that he killed Warren Meers, or had him murdered. In fact, we’re sure of it. Meers was working with Angel O’Connor. Yeah,” the blond man gazed at a surprised Buffy, “that O’Connor. He’s a mole, Buffy. For the FBI and Meers was working with him to bring Riley down.”

“Will,” Buffy interrupted quietly, “I know you have to make appearances, down in LA? But do you think you could make the trip up here, to Sunnydale, while I am here anyway? As much as possible even if…”

“I’ll drive back every night if I can,” he replied in a husky voice. “God, Buffy, I love you so much. I can’t be away from you anymore. Don’t you see that?”

“I do,” she replied shyly, giggling when he kissed her ticklish place on her neck.

“God, I love you,” he murmured into her neck.

“I love you,” she repeated back to him. “Now,” she began in her most serious Buffy voice, “I believe we were about to have breakfast?”

After they made love, once again, Spike and Buffy lay entwined together. Since they were both sated, already, from the morning’s activities, Buffy found it hard to keep her eyes open. However, she finally got up the nerve to ask William a very important question.

“Will, you’re with the FBI and all, so you have to know something about my dad, right?” Buffy’s voice trailed off weakly. As much as she needed to know about her father’s dealings with Riley and his family; Will’s answers would probably terrify her.

Spike had been afraid of these questions from Buffy and he was no more ready to answer them now then before. He sighed heavily and reached for his cigarettes, laying on the night stand next to the bed.

“Mind if I smoke,” he asked her quietly, relieved when she shook her blond head ‘no’ in reply.

He lit his smoke and took a nice, calming drag on it. With his right arm, he pulled Buffy closer to him, even though he stared up at the ceiling.

“Your dad,” he began hesitantly, “Finn has a lot on him Buffy. It’s why your mom and dad had to flee the country. At least ‘we’ think so anyway.”

“We, meaning the FBI?” Buffy asked cautiously.

“Yes,” Spike answered her, honestly. “Oh God baby,” he murmured, “The Bureau has so much shit on your dad and all. It’s probably what Finn holds over your parents. How the bloody prick coerced your folks into turning you over to him in the first place.”

Spike stubbed out his cigarette and turned to face Buffy again, wrapping both of his arms about her. He felt like shit for having to tell her this, but she did ask and well, Spike really hated Buffy’s father for what he’d done to her; and them.

“Tell me,” Buffy whispered ordered weakly. “I need to know, Will,” she assured him.

“Well, there’s a file, on your dad, about five inches thick. We’re sure that Hank Summers instigated, or maybe even murdered a very important circuit judge, back in New York. I’m sorry baby, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg, where your dad is concerned.”

If he expected Buffy to gasp, cry or act surprised, Spike was sadly disappointed. Instead, his girl just nodded and sighed sadly.

“I thought as much,” she mumbled under her breath. “It had to be big,” she continued. “For Daddy to turn me over to Riley like he did. I always knew that Riley had something big on Daddy, something real big,” she finished with resentment.

“God,” she groaned miserably. “My family is truly fucked up, isn’t it?” When she finally could look at William, she noticed the look of compassion in his lovely blue eyes.

“Probably no more then a lot of peoples’ families, sweetheart,” he whispered, kissing her forehead. “My own isn’t exactly stellar, but at least they legitimate, I guess,” he finished sourly.

Buffy suddenly bolted up from the bed and gasped. “Oh my God!” she cried in realization. “Rupert Giles is you’re what? Father?” It suddenly all came together in Buffy’s naïve mind. William was related to Rupert Giles, the FBI guy that Riley hated with a passion. As far as Riley was concerned, Rupert was his biggest nemesis.

“Yeah, baby,” Spike muttered, “that’s dear old dad I’m afraid. Can’t say he’s the perfect father figure, but he’s…”

“Oh, Will,” Buffy sighed, sinking back down onto the bed and into his arms. “We can’t pick our parents, can we? But, we can choose to love them, if they deserve it that is. I hope your parents deserve you, Will,” she added, snuggling into him. “You are a good man, William, I know that. Now anyway.”

“I want to be, for you and our child,” Spike murmured into her soft, golden hair. “I love you so much Buffy, always have. If you only knew how I searched for you; wanted, no, needed to find you. I can’t lose you again, you hear,” he rasped harshly as he pulled her face up to meet his gaze.

“Never, never leave me again, Buffy,” he ordered. “I mean it,” he finished fiercely. “If you leave me again; take our daughter away from again? I’ll scour every corner of this earth to find you and…”

“I’m not going anywhere, silly,” Buffy stated, trying so hard to be serious. She couldn’t help it; she burst out into laughter at the fierce, serious look on Will’s handsome face.

“Promise,” Spike ordered forcefully.

“I promise,” Buffy giggled. “Oh,” she added cheerfully, “I told Dawn break her out of school today. Said I’d take her to the Sunnydale Zoo. Wanna’ go with?” She asked in a hopeful, childish tone.

“Just try and stop me from going with,” Spike replied. “The only problem we might have is keeping me from shooting off my big mouth. About being Dawn’s father and all,” he added sincerely.

“She’s not ready for that yet,” Buffy sighed in frustration. “Believe me, I wish I could tell Dawnie, everything today. But I can’t. I’m afraid of what it might do to her, emotionally.”

“I know,” Spike said with regret. “But as soon as she’s ready to know,” he continued, “I want to be there. When you tell her everything. She’s mine, Buffy,” he reminded he. “You both are.”


“I love the lions best!” Dawn Summers gushed as she pointed at the great beasts in the exhibit. The Sunnydale Zoo was one of Dawn’s favorite places, especially since the owners made it a point to recreate the animals’ natural habitats as best they could.

A great male lion was sauntering around the wooded enclosure, possibly looking for his mate, Buffy noted gleefully. All the while that she held Dawn’s hand, Buffy watched William from the corner of her eye. He seemed mesmerized by the whole ‘family’ outing thing, even if it was all so new to him.

“He’s looking for his wife,” Dawnie whispered mischievously to Spike. “See how he struts about? That’s his way of showing off for his wife,” she giggled merrily.

“You sure know a lot about lions, Bit,” Spike replied in a hushed voice, not wanting to upset the great maned beast.

“I do,” Dawn responded proudly. “I can draw them, real well too. Buffy says I’m the best drawer there is!”

“She must get it from her father,” Buffy mumbled without thinking clearly.

“Silly, Buffy,” Dawn chuckled, “Daddy can’t draw. You know that,” the small girl laughed at the notion. Hank Summers was a terrible artist, everyone knew that, even Dawn.

“I know,” Buffy whispered with a bright red blush on her face. “I…”

“Let’s go see the monkeys for a while, eh Bit?” Spike interjected, saving Buffy from her faux pas. “Then we’ll come back and see if old Leo the King of the Jungle’s found his mate yet, yeah?”

“Okay Mr. Spike,” Dawn replied quickly. “I’m really glad you came with Buffy,” she added, slipping her hand out of Buffy’s and into Spike’s larger one. “I like you, Spike,” she finished as she walked with the blond man. “I like that you call me ‘Bit’ too,” she giggled shyly.

Buffy watched her lover and their daughter walk just ahead of her, hand-in-hand. She realized that she had never been so happy in her entire life. At least since seven years before, in San Diego.


A/N: A little Spuffy filler before shit hits the fan, back in LA.

Thank you for reading and please review, spufette.

ALL MANNER OF MONSTERS


Chapter 15: ‘Rip/It/Down!’


Summary: I’ll let the chapter speak for itself!


“I don’t want to go back to LA,” Spike was almost whimpering as he held Buffy close to him. They were snuggled up together, in the hotel room’s big, comfy bed.

“I know, and I don’t want you to go back,” Buffy countered evenly, “but you have to. If we want Riley out of all of our lives, forever? Then you have to go back and meet up with your partner, Xander. You have to take Riley out, Will,” Buffy whispered harshly.

“Like I said,” he continued, “I can hook you up with people that can take you, hide you and our daughter out and…”

“And what?” Buffy muttered, “hide out forever? Instead of for a few years, like we have? Will,” she whined as she clutched him to her, “I want to be free. To be with you, our child. You’re so close to nailing Riley and I can’t stand the thought of him slipping through your fingers now.”

Spike sighed, heavily and pulled his little treasure to his naked body. “I know,” he choked out reluctantly. “I just don’t want to go back to LA and leave you here, alone.”

“I won’t be alone,” Buffy smiled against his bare chest. “I’m having Willow and Tara come up, for a week, soon. They’re coming up to help me renovate the house and get it ready to sell,” she giggled. “Tara and Willow can’t stand Riley,” she added mischievously.

“Big club that,” Spike chuckled as he planted a kiss on Buffy’s golden head. “I don’t think Finn has too many fans,” he grunted.

“No, but you do,” Buffy whispered softly. “Me, our daughter. We love you so much, Will.”

“You do, don’t you?” Spike asked in awe. “I mean,” he continued, “even Dawnie. She loves me and she has no idea that I’m her real Da and you’re her Mum. It’s amazing, isn’t it?”

“Yes, it is,” Buffy sighed in contentment. “We’re you’re number one fans William Giles,” Buffy giggled happily.

“I can make my appearances, during the day, for Finn,” Spike mumbled, almost to himself. “Then come up here at night to be with you,” he added, deep in thought.

“I’d love that,” Buffy said shyly, stroking Will’s muscled bicep with her tiny hand. “Dawn thinks you’re neat,” she added with a sweet laugh. “She thinks you’re the coolest. With your bleached blond hair and black clothing? Our daughter thinks you’re the best thing since popcorn!”

“What does her mother think?” Spike asked, a little insecure for some reason.

“Dawn’s mother thinks that you’re the best thing since sex,” Buffy murmured into Spike’s left ear.

“Oh, I’m so definitely going to be back up here each night,” Spike growled as he flipped over to cover Buffy with his naked body.

Spike made love to Buffy for hours after that, careful to fulfill her every need and whim. Just like she fulfilled his.

They lay, later, basking in the afterglow of their lovemaking and Buffy decided to reveal even more information to her lover.

“Will,” she began quietly, “I need to tell you some things,” she murmured softly. “About after I left you in San Diego,” she stuttered.

“We don’t have to go over this again, Princess,” he muttered, reluctant to rehash the whole mess.

“But we do,” Buffy countered in a strangled voice. “It’s about why I didn’t try to find you, after spring break and all. When I found out I was pregnant with Dawn,” she finished with a shiver.

“I understand,” he tried to assure her. “You were young; your folks had bowed to Riley Finn’s threats and…”

“There’s more,” Buffy blurted desperately. “A lot more, Will. About my folks and their ties to Riley; about my cousin Faith and her husband Jesse. You remember them, right? My cousin Faith and her husband?”

“Vaguely,” Spike scowled in the dark of the room. “I remember you telling me that your cousin’s husband was being threatened by Riley and your dad?”

“Yes,” Buffy rasped, “but there was more. After all that in San Diego. It was later, after my folks and Riley found out about me being pregnant,” Buffy mumbled, nervously. She clutched at William, even more desperately now.

“I hadn’t had Dawn yet,” Buffy continued hesitantly, “she wasn’t due for another six weeks. One day, while I was reading in my old bed room, at the Sunnydale house? My mom came to my room and shut the door behind her; almost slammed it. I could tell by the look in Mom’s eyes that something was terribly wrong.”

“What happened,” Spike asked with a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach.

“Mama told me, right there and as matter-of-factly as you please that Jesse and Faith were both dead.” Buffy let the sentence trail off, weakly.

“Dead?” Spike asked, confused.

“Yes,” Buffy answered with a firm not of her head. “Mama said that Jesse was on drugs, PCP I think,” she choked out. “Mama said that Dad told her that Jesse got high and murdered Faith, then killed himself and that there was all kinds of drugs in his body.”

“But you don’t believe that, do you?” Spike asked quietly.

“No. I never did,” Buffy finished with a sob.

“Riley had Jesse and Faith murdered,” Buffy wept to William as he tried to comfort her. “I know it. The news, from Mama, sent me into early delivery with Dawn. Our daughter barely survived, Will,” she admitted sadly. “I prayed, constantly that our little girl would live and grow up to become a better woman then I could ever be.”

“You are a great woman, Princess,” Spike stated, huskily. “You’re the greatest woman I’ve ever known and I love you so much. I can’t stand the fact that you had to face all that shit, all alone,” he spat with a frown. “I’d like to snap Riley Finn’s neck, with my bare hands!” Spike roared angrily, thinking of Buffy at the mercy of that monster. To think that their daughter, precious Dawn, had nearly not made it, due to that selfish, horror of man, Riley Finn.

“How you could know?" Buffy whispered lovingly,” I couldn’t tell you. I couldn’t really seek you out, baby,” she added somberly. “If Riley did what he did to Faith and Jesse, then what would he do to you? The father of ‘my’ child?”

“Still,” Spike groaned in disgust, “if I’d have known I’d have…”

“You’d have swooped down and saved me,” Buffy murmured warmly. “Me and our daughter,” she cooed, stroking Will’s bleached blond curls, tenderly.

“But I had no idea how to find you and you’d been mislead,” she finished callously. “There’s no point in dragging this up again. It’s in the past and we can’t change it. Right?”

“Right,” Spike sighed in frustration. “I wish we could but you’re right, we can’t. However,” he purred, “we can make sure our future is right, can’t we Princess?” He ran his large hands over her naked body, lovingly.

“We can,” Buffy assured him as she purred under his ministrations. “We will,” she promised.

Buffy watched as Tara McClay, Willow’s girlfriend, surveyed the great wreck of the Summers' mansion.

“Well,” Tara began, carefully, “I can’t say it’s my cup of coffee, but…”

“Change it,” Buffy hissed defiantly to the tall blond decorator.

“Change it?” Tara asked, a little more confused then ever.

“Change all of it,” Buffy ordered again. “Rip the whole fucking thing apart if you have to,” she barked. “Destroy everything that’s here and rebuild it, if you must.”

“Buffy,” Tara laughed, nervously, “I didn’t mean that the whole house was a disaster, just some things about it are…”

“I said to rip the fucking place down and start over if you have to,” Buffy growled. “I don’t care if you gut the monstrosity,” she continued, harshly. “I hate this fucking house. If you have to burn it and rebuild out of the ashes, then do it? Then do it,” she repeated firmly.

“Willow,” Tara whispered in shock to her girlfriend, “I think Buffy needs to relax and…”

“Do what she says,” Willow nodded at Tara. “Anything Buffy wants done? Do it. She’s owed,” the red-head whispered as she patted Buffy’ on her slim shoulder.

“Kay,” Tara shrugged in defeat.

Buffy watched the clock in Father Levy’s office, as she read a huge book to her daughter, Dawn. Even if the child did not know that Buffy was her mother, not her sister.

“Why are you watching the clock, Buffy?” Dawn asked, seriously. “You’ve been watching the clock since you got here,” the young girl added, puzzled.

“I just, uhm, well, I…” Buffy stammered, unsure as to how to answer her child.

“Is it Mr. Spike?” Dawnie asked with a sweet giggle. “He’s awfully handsome, isn’t he Buffy?” Again, Dawn giggled loudly at her sister’s blush.

“Yes, he is,” Buffy mumbled bashfully. “Dawnie,” Buffy stammered again, “I need to ask you something. Will you listen to me and answer me. Honestly?”

“Sure,” Dawn replied guilessly.

Buffy pulled her child to her and hugged her tightly. “Mr. Spike, William that is,” Buffy began carefully. “You like him, right?”

“Oh yes,” Dawn giggled in response.

“I know you don’t know Riley too well, but could you say that you like Mr. Spike better then him?” Buffy watched for her daughter’s reaction to her question.

“Oh, yes,” Dawn replied quickly. “I think I would like Mr. Spike much more then stinky old Riley!”

Buffy burst out into laughter at Dawn’s descriptive language and hugged her even tighter to her body. “I knew you’d say that!” she replied happily as she kissed the top of the small girl’s head.

“So you know,” Xander was asking Spike, anxiously, as he clocked his partner’s reactions.

“Yup,” Spike replied, proudly.

“I guess I don’t have to ask how you feel about this?” Xander was thrilled that his friend and partner seemed ecstatic about finding out about his daughter with Buffy.

“Nope,” Spike answered smugly. “I think my smile speaks for itself!”

“Good,” Xander grunted. “I would have told you what I thought but…”

“It’s okay, mate,” Spike assured him, “I understand. You felt that Buffy should be the one to tell me the truth and you were right.”

“Yeah,” Xander sighed in relief. “It’s just that I don’t understand why your father didn’t…”

“My father?” Spike asked, suddenly confused by the turn in the conversation.

Xander gave his friend a dubious look and picked up the hotel room’s phone. He dialed a number, quickly and then handed the receiver to Spike.

“I think you’d better talk to your old man,” Xander advised Spike.


A/N: Just a quick chapter to keep the story going.

Thanks for reading and please review, spufette.

ALL MANNER OF MONSTERS


Chapter 16: ‘Fathers and Sons; Mothers and Daughters’


Spike confronts his father, via telephone. When the truth is out, Spike lowers the boom on Rupert and makes it clear that his Buffy and his daughter will always come first with him.

Father Johnathan tries to convince Buffy to tell Dawn the truth.


“Dad?” Spike nearly choked on the word. “Did you know?” He asked Rupert Giles at the other end of the line. “Did you…”

“I suspected,” Rupert muttered, his deep voice tinged with shame and regret. “I knew enough to know that Buffy was the one pregnant, not her mother. It was obvious, of course, that the dates matched up with what you told us, about your time with Buffy in San Diego…..” He let the sentence trail off weakly.

Spike took a deep breath and swallowed hard before he responded to his father’s admission. This horrible betrayal, by his own father, hurt him almost as much as the pain of missing out on Dawn’s first six years of life. However, at least Spike could understand ‘why’ Buffy hid their child from him. She was terrified and basically terrorized by Riley Finn and her own parents.

“So you thought it was more important to you, the Bureau and all of ‘your’ ideals? That you keep my child’s existence from me?” Spike spat out his accusations against the man who he’d idolized since birth.

“You selfishly allowed the mother of your only grandchild to sell herself off to someone like Riley Finn? Forced her to give up her freedom; her dignity and happiness to what, Dad? Set up the perfect pawn in the Bureau’s game of ‘take down’ Riley Finn?”

“William,” Rupert mumbled in a raspy voice, “I thought it best to…”

“You thought it best to betray me and the woman I love, along with our child together? To allow them to be put into the worst possible danger, so you could what, Dad? Gain another feather in your cap, for your illustrious crime fighting career? To make yourself so fucking important and all mighty in the eyes of the do-gooders all over the world?”

Spike was definitely seeing red now as he choked out the horrible accusations against his own blood. ‘Dawn is my blood too,’ he reminded himself stubbornly, ‘and Buffy is my life.’

“You selfishly and without thought gave up my happiness, along with Buffy’s and your own grandchild’s because it meant a stepping stone to Riley Finn’s downfall? Why? Because ‘you’ only suspected that Dawn Summers might possibly be your son’s daughter? ” Spike spat through gritted teeth at the man he’d worshipped forever.

“We couldn’t be sure, son. There was no guarantee that Buffy had ‘your’ child. After all,” he continued rather smugly, “the daughter of Hank and Joyce Summers? A random affair in San Diego during spring break? Come now, William, are you really sure that Dawn Summers is yours? Come on William, the Summers’ girl could have bedded anyone and…”

“Don’t!” Spike roared over the phone, sending an anxious Xander running from the room. “Don’t even suggest that Buffy slept around or that Dawn isn’t my daughter! You know fucking well that that precious, dear little girl is mine. Have you seen her, Dad? Have you even seen photos of her Dad? Did you ever see her blue eyes or the way she scrunches up her dark brows at lies and half truths? How she smirks without meaning to, just like me and you? Well, I have. Believe me, Dawn is my child and your grandchild, in every sense of the word, old man.”

“William,” Rupert Giles stammered in a pained voice. “We couldn’t be sure, not 100 percent sure that is. Taking Riley Finn out has been the dream of every agent in this bureau. I had to make a snap decision and weigh my options. I’m sorry, my boy, but your feelings in the matter were secondary. Destroying Finn was the utmost priority, even if it meant ignoring the blood ties that the girl and I might have. I couldn’t be sure, as I said, and…”

“You fucking bastard!” Spike hissed, enraged by now. “You heartless old horror of a human being! I thought you were nearly God, did you know that, Rupes? Thought you were the nearest thing to a deity on this earth. But you’re not, are you? You’re a corrupted, power-hungry old man, like so many of them. Not so much better then Riley Finn or his dead, worthless piece of shit father. Without a second thought, you threw away my daughter and her mother, even if they were my salvation. For what? What for, for Christ's sake? A long-shot chance at some worthless fuck like Riley Finn?”

“Newsflash, Pops,” Spike’s voice just dripped with sarcasm. “For every Riley Finn we take out? Another ten will take his place. Or don’t they teach you that at the fucking FBI?”

“William, please,” Rupert rasped.

“I've got news for you old man,” Spike growled, “My Buffy is backing this assignment, all the way. She wants Finn out of all of our lives, especially our daughter, Dawn’s life. I’m going to do my duty, Dad. See this out to the end and get my future wife and our child out of this fucking mess. But I’m giving you notice. When this is finished? I never want to lay eyes on you again. You, the Bureau or anything connected with you. Except Mum. I’m not going punish my poor mother by keeping her grandchild from her. Especially after she’s put up with your bullshit all these years; that and your fucking love affair with the Bureau!”

Rupert didn’t reply, so there was a long silent moment on the phone line. Spike felt like he was going to throw up, he was that miserable by all of this. What he’d said, just moments earlier had been true. His father had always been like a God to Spike, but now?


Spike slammed the phone down and stormed out to the balcony of the hotel room. He didn’t even think twice before he grabbed a bottle from the bar and lit a smoke.

“I swear to God,” he hissed, “if that old bastard comes between Buffy and me? I’ll…”

“Spike, man,” Xander called from the connecting door to his own room. “You okay?”

“Not really,” Spike grumbled, taking a long swig from the whiskey bottle. “I’m not sure I’ll ever be okay again,” he spat angrily.

“I’m sorry, man,” Xander mumbled, sincerely. “I only just got wind of the fact that the old man might know something about Dawn being your daughter, I mean,” he finished with a mutter.

“But,” the dark-haired man continued as he stood next to his partner, and friend. “Look at the bright side, dude. You’ve just found out that the girl you’ve loved for years loves you back. You have a child together and a future together, if you play your cards right. In the meantime, you can take down a monster like Riley Finn and pretty much free your lady and daughter from him. Is that so fucking bad?”

Spike stared out at the view in front of him, smoking his cigarette and taking quick, short sips of the whiskey. After a few moments, he began to chuckle lowly.

“What’s so funny?” Xander asked suspiciously.

“You,” Spike grunted. “You’re a fucking riot, Harris and you know why?”

“No,” Xander shook his head, confused suddenly.

“You’re a fucking riot because, with all of your Bureau rot and to thine country be true bullshit? Deep inside, you’re a fucking genius. A virtual guru of wisdom, mate. And you’re right,” Spike whispered as he stubbed out his smoke.

“Nothing matters now, except Buffy and Dawn, at least to me. I’ll rip Riley Finn to shreds and spirit my true family out of this God forsaken plastic city of LA. Then,” Spike sighed wearily, “I’ll never look back. None of us will.”


Buffy sat in Father John’s office, anxiously watching the ‘Felix the Cat’ clock on his right wall.

‘Why would Father Johnny have a Felix the Cat clock?’ Buffy wondered briefly.

“So,” Father John broke into her quiet musings, “do you think the time has come to tell your daughter the truth then, Elizabeth?”

“I, I don’t know,” Buffy stammered truthfully. “It’s so sudden and…”

“It’s been six years, daughter,” the priest sighed through pursed lips. “What does your William say?” The sly holy man asked with a raised dark brow.

“William would have told Dawn the minute he laid eyes on her and found out the truth for himself,” Buffy murmured. “But it was too soon and I was afraid,” she continued shyly. “I am still afraid,” she finished with regret.

“Fear is the work of Satan himself,” Father John snorted ruefully. “To give into fear, Elizabeth, is to give into the devil and his deceit. Now, I’m not judging, certainly,” he continued with a scowl. “I am just trying to bolster your courage and urge you to come clean with your lovely daughter.”

“And if she rejects me? And William?” Buffy asked in a frightened whisper.

“I don’t believe she will,” Father John replied knowingly. “Elizabeth,” he continued evenly, “your daughter is a beautiful and brilliant soul. She is the combination of your inner and outer beauty and her father’s inner strength, and yes, his outer beauty also. Shall I tell you what she asked Sister Marie today, in Art Class?”

“Yes,” Buffy replied, meeting the priest’s warm gaze.

“Little Dawn asked Sister Marie if she knew why Mr. Spike Giles’ eyes were exactly like hers. Dawn’s that is,” the father grinned wickedly.

“She didn’t,” Buffy gasped, nearly horrified.

“She did,” Father John chuckled heartily. “Elizabeth,” he tsked, “your daughter is a replica of her father and you. A clone if you will. She is smart, instinctive and tenacious. How could she not notice such a glaring resemblance as her eyes to her father’s?”

“We need to tell her, don’t we?” Buffy rasped. “Will and me, we need to tell her the truth. As soon as possible, yes?”

“Yes,” Father John responded with a nod of his head. “I would say the sooner, the better.”


Buffy’s cell phone rang and she excused herself from Father John to answer it.

“Hey,” William’s deep timbre greeted her from the other side. “Just wanted to call and let you know I’m less then thirty-five minutes from Sunnydale.”

“Oh,” Buffy murmured softly, her mind somewhat distracted by the recent discussion with the priest.

“What’s wrong?” Spike asked anxiously, “Baby? What’s wrong? Is it Dawn? Buffy, answer me…”

“Will,” Buffy began carefully, “how do you feel about ‘coming clean’ with Dawn. Right away? Tonight I mean?” She began to play with the hem of her skirt, absent mindedly.

Spike remained silent for about three seconds before he chimed in, “I think I can be there, in Sunnydale, in less then twenty minutes. Is that okay?” He tried to hide the desperate excitement in his voice, but failed miserably.

“Okay,” she replied quietly. “Oh, and Will,” she continued in an intimate whisper, “please, please drive carefully. Come to us, Dawnie and me, safe and sound. I love you, Will,” she murmured softly before she clicked off the cell phone.


A/N: Next chapter, Spike and Buffy tell Dawn the truth, or most of it anyway. Will their daughter accept or reject them both?

And, what about Riley Finn and his gang of misfits? What are they up to and what do they know?

Will Spike really turn his back on his own father? Will Buffy let him?


Thanks for reading and please, please review. I’m trying to wrap up this story and La Cosa Nostra. I have another fic on the burner, but I don’t want to start it until I finish at least one or two of my WIP’s. Thanks again, spufette.

Chapter 17: ‘Confessions Are Good For The Soul’


Summary: Spike and Buffy take Dawn out for supper and finally tell her the truth. How will she take it?


“Can we go to In ‘N’ Out Buffy?” Dawn asked her supposed older sister, eagerly. “It’s my favorite,” the girl added with an excited giggle.

“Sure honey,” Buffy mumbled softly in reply. The dark haired child skipped along, oblivious to the torment in the two blond adults she was with. A trip out like this, for hamburgers with her big sister was a wonderful treat? Dawn just adored Buffy and her friend Mr. William. This was a real treat for Dawn, no question, and she intended on enjoying it to the fullest.

Buffy glanced over at William, who stared back at her; the fear was evident in both of their faces. This was it, for both of them. Dawn deserved the truth and no matter what, she would have it tonight. From both of her parents.

The trio arrived at In ‘N’ Out and placed their orders. Buffy got the regular hamburger meal, but Spike and his daughter ordered the ‘double/double animal style’. When Dawn piped up to place her order, copying Spike’s word for word; the blond man had to smirk in admiration.

‘She’s my kid,’ he crowed silently, proudly. ‘Mine, through and through,’ he finished with a smug grin at Buffy.

Spike realized that Buffy must have read his mind because she smiled back at him, affectionately. Her green eyes betrayed her though; Buffy was terrified at having to tell their daughter the truth. Frankly, so was Spike.

They ate in silence for the first ten minutes or so. Well, Spike and Buffy did that is. Dawn had rambled on for the entire time; chatting up the adults with her activities of the day.

Buffy watched in awe as her daughter chatted, munched fries and sipped soda without seemingly taking a breath. The blond woman gazed at her miracle baby, who tilted her head, to the left as she described her art projects.

‘Just like William,’ Buffy thought warmly. ‘Dawnie tilts her head, to the left, always, just like her father.’

Spike watched his child nibble at another french fry; only after she had doused it in a ton of ketchup, of course.

‘Just like her mum,’ he thought, mesmerized. ‘The Bit dips her fry and looks at it, carefully, before gobbling it up. Just like Buffy.’

“Sister Margaret is my favorite, Mr. Spike,” Dawn was babbling, oblivious to the tension at the table. “She’s wonderful! She has this pretend, invisible leprechaun named Shamus! He watches us whenever Sister Margaret is out of the room. Shamus makes sure we mind when the Sister is gone and…”

“I can’t do this,” Buffy whimpered, suddenly. “Not here,” she added sadly, “not here and now.”

Buffy glanced around at the other patrons of the fast food joint. There were several families; happy and secure, spending their ‘quality’ time together after the long day’s work. Two or three tables were filled with laughing, carefree teens; they had no knowledge of the anguish that Buffy and William were experiencing at this very moment.

“I can’t…” Buffy muttered again before she bolted for the nearest exit door.

“What’s wrong with Buffy?” Dawn asked innocently, as only a naïve child could. The girl truly had no idea of what life altering admissions Spike and Buffy had to verbalize.

“Your big sis,” he began, stumbling on the ‘sis’ part, “she’s a little upset Bit. She…” Spike watched as Buffy ran to the parked Cadillac on the road. His words trailed off, weakly, as he wished, silently, to be able to light a smoke in the burger joint.

“We better go fetch her then,” Dawn sighed dramatically. “We can take our food with us and finish this in the nearest park? Yes?” Her face suddenly lit up with joy at her solution to the ‘disappearing’ Buffy act.

Spike gazed into the blue eyes of his daughter and smiled, slightly, “yes,” he murmured. “I think that’s the best thing.”

“You’re very smart,” Spike stated evenly to his daughter as he led her out of the In ‘N’ Out Burger. Dawn’s little hand was placed securely in his own and at the moment? Spike swore to the Powers That Be that he would never, ever let this tiny, precious girl, or her beautiful mother, slip away from him again.

“Smartest in my classes,” Dawn chirped proudly. “Sister Margaret says I’m a brilliant beauty,” she giggled smugly. “What does that mean, Mr. William? A brilliant beauty?” She scrunched up her face, thoughtfully, as the duo reached the parked car.

“It means you need to ask Buffy, sweet,” Spike mumbled tenderly. “This is something that she can explain and…well, she’ll tell you everything you need to hear, I promise.”

“Kay,” Dawn sighed in reply as she slipped into the front seat, next to her big sister. “Buffy,” the child began carefully, placing her tiny hand on her big sister’s, “what’s wrong?”

Spike started the car and glanced over at Buffy, warily, “Buffy, we need to tell her,” he murmured carefully.

“I know,” Buffy replied in a strained hoarse whisper. She scrunched up her green eyes and held her breath, for just a moment. “Dawn,” she began cautiously…

“Can we finish the burgers in the park,” Dawn asked quietly as she stared out at the passing scenery. “William and me, we brought your leftovers too. We could go to Sunnydale Park and finish our dinner, can’t we?” The little girl looked up at her adored big sister, pleadingly.

“Sure,” Buffy mumbled under her breath. “It’s that way,” she sighed to William, pointing down the street in front of them.

When they got to the park, Spike, Buffy and Dawn headed towards an empty bench. They picked the one right in the middle of the huge green park, located in the center of a man-made rose garden. For some odd reason, especially considering the time of year, the park was nearly empty.

Dawn munched down her burger and fries, quickly, saying nothing. This in itself was pretty unusual for the usually animated, vocal child.

‘She senses something,’ Buffy surmised with dread. ‘Dawn knows that something life-altering is about to happen and she’s putting it off. She’s…’ Buffy shot a desperate look at William, who seemed to be far away in his own deep thoughts.

When the child had finished her food, she took the wrappings, along with Spike and Buffy’s, to the nearest trash bin. Once she joined the two adults on the bench, Dawn wiped at her mouth, quickly, careful to remove any traces of her supper.

“Dawn,” Buffy began in a strangled voice, “I need to tell you something. Something really important, but first,” she hesitated and glanced over at Will, who nodded his support.

“I need to tell you something really important,” Buffy began again, wrapping her slim arm about her daughter’s little shoulders. “But first,” the blond woman continued softly, “I need to explain some things. Some really important things that you need to know.”

Dawn looked up at her sister with wide eyes and a slight frown on her mouth. Buffy had always been Dawn Summers’ idol; her mentor and really, the only family member that seemed to truly be interested in her. Her own parents were gone away most of the time and Buffy had always been there for her, since day one.

“Okay, Buffy,” Dawn whispered, focusing her eyes on her new patent leather shoes she wore. Buffy had bought them, recently, for a present to her.
“First I want you to know,” Buffy started again after a deep breath, “the reasons why ‘I’ did the things I’ve done? Well, Dawnie, they were in your best interest and because I love you so much. I wanted to protect you and…” Buffy began to choke up and felt comforted when William squeezed her hand with his.

“I wanted to protect you,” Buffy murmured, lifting Dawn’s little chin up so their gazes met. “I needed to protect you, so I put you in the convent school, with Father Johnathan and Sister Margaret. I had to,” she whispered defensively, “I had to protect my…”

“But I thought Mommy and Daddy put me in the school,” Dawn whimpered, her blue eyes filled with confusion. “They’re the ones that put me there,” the child insisted. “Father Johnathan told me so. He told me that my mommy put me in the school so I’d be safe and happy. I don’t understand Buffy?”

“I,” Buffy stammered as she continued to stare into her daughter’s blue eyes. “Your mother did put you in the school, honey,” she choked. “I’m your mother, Dawn, not Joyce. Hank’s not your father and…”

Dawn’s blue eyes flew open in shock and her face went white as a ghost’s. Buffy felt her heart begin to race even faster and she pulled the shaking child’s little body to her own trembling form.

“I’m sorry,” Buffy rasped, trying to fight the tears that threatened to spill from her green eyes. “I am so sorry, baby,” she continued, somehow comforted when William buried his face into the back of her own neck. “I wanted to tell you, forever. I was dying to tell you and make you understand. Oh, God, Dawnie. If you hate me now, for this unforgivable lie I’ve lived with you? I will just die, I swear it. I can’t bear to think of you hating me, rejecting me now. Not when I love you more then anything in this world!”

Buffy buried her face into her daughter’s fragrant hair and began to cry, silently. She swore she could feel William’s sobs against her own hair and neck, but oddly, Buffy did not sense Dawn crying at all.

When Buffy pulled back from the girl, she was shocked to see her daughter smiling at her. There was a look of pure adoration on Dawn's lovely face.

“I’m glad Buffy, I mean…Mommy,” Dawn nearly giggled. “I am so glad that you’re my mommy and not Joyce,” she added with a smirk that reflected her father’s.

Buffy just stared, shocked as hell, by her child’s unexpected reaction to this bold admission. “Dawn, I…” she began timidly, as if she were the really six-year-old here.

“You’ve always loved me most, Buffy, I mean Mommy,” Dawn sighed, gently stroking Buffy’s wet cheek with her tiny, soft hand. “I always knew you loved me most of all and I loved you most of all too,” she added simply.

“You still love me, then?” Buffy asked in a childish voice, relieved that Will had wrapped his strong arms about her body. He was now placing soft, tender kisses on the back of her head and neck.

“I’ll always love you, Mommy,” Dawn giggled as if Buffy was the silliest adult in the world. “You’re my mommy and I’m glad it’s you.”

Buffy tightened her hold on Dawn and clutched at her desperately, careful not to squeeze her to hard. ‘She’s so tiny,’ Buffy thought to herself, finally letting the tears stream down her face. ‘She’s so tiny, but so strong and tough. Just like her father. Her father!’ It dawned on Buffy that it was time to really come clean, totally, with this precious, brilliant daughter of hers.

“I never told your daddy, baby,” Buffy whispered, fearfully into Dawn’s little ear. “It’s not his fault at all. He never knew, because I wanted to protect you, him and even Grandma and Grandpa Summers. Riley, he…”

“Riley’s not my daddy, is he?” Dawn gasped, seemingly horrified at the thought.

“No!” Buffy cried quickly, “no. Not at all, honey. But he’s the reason I tried to protect you, your real dad and your grandparents. I know it’s hard to understand, but maybe someday, somehow I can make everything right again. Explain it all and help you to understand why I did this.”

“Okay,” Dawn stated evenly with a slight smile. “We’ll talk it about it later, when I’m older. Is that all right, then, Mommy?”

“Yes,” Buffy choked in relief, “it’s better then all right. It’s perfect, as long as you know how much I love you, Dawnie.”

“I know,” Dawn giggled, “and I love you. But,” she hesitated with a slight scowl. Suddenly, Dawn grinned wickedly, “do you love my daddy, too?”

“I do,” Buffy replied quickly, “so much and…”

“Are you my daddy?” Dawn suddenly blurted out, looking directly at Spike.

The question took both of the blond adults by surprise, but Spike immediately shook off his shock. After swallowing very hard and tightening his hold on Buffy, Spike replied quietly, “yes Bit, I am your daddy.”

Before he could even blink, Spike found himself nearly knocked off the bench by his rambunctious, overjoyed daughter. Dawn wriggled around, positioning both she and her mother into her father’s embrace.

“They come true, you know,” Dawn’s giggles were nearly muffled out since her face was buried in Spike’s chest. “Prayers,” the child repeated happily. “Just like Father Johnathan said, they can come true. I know mine did.”


A/N: Okay, fire up the grill and throw the corn cobs on! Sorry, I just never had to explain something like this myself so it was very hard for me to write. I did need to get that part out of the way, tonight.

Dawn’s prayers and dreams are going to full turn. The next chapter will find our duo already starting a new life for their little family. However…Riley Finn will rear his ugly head, very, very soon and put a wrench in the happy Spuffy family cog.

Some angst ahead, kiddies, so fasten your seat belts. Now, let’s start a pool, shall we? Will Riley Finn be taken out? If so? Who will do it? It might not be who you think…

Thanks for reading and please review, spufette.

Chapter 18: ‘Family Tries’


Summary: Spike and Buffy take their daughter to stay the night with them. Riley ‘calls’ and raises the fear factors again. Spike comes up with a vacation for Dawn and to try and protect his daughter.


A/N: Only a few chapters left of this one, now. Thank you for reading.


Chapter 18:


“I want the Bit to stay with us, tonight at the hotel,” Spike blurted out suddenly. They were still in the Sunnydale Park, the three of them and he was pushing Dawn in a swing. Buffy stood next to him, giggling wildly at the sight of their daughter flying through the air. Dawn was so carefree and happy, oblivious to the danger that still lurked within their fragile lives.

“No,” Buffy whispered quickly, eliciting a stunned, confused look from her lover. “I want Dawn to stay with ‘us’ at my parents’ house, in Sunnydale,” she added with a stubborn smile. “I want at least one happy memory ‘there’ for Dawnie and me. Call it my last big hurrah before the Apocalypse!” She finished with a wicked laugh.

“I think it’s a bloody brilliant plan,” Spike chuckled in an equally wicked manner.

Spike stilled the swing and pulled his lover into his left arm, while he held his daughter in his right. “Your mum has something she wants to ask you, Bit,” Spike whispered lovingly into Dawn’s ear.

“Do you want to stay at the big house tonight, baby?” Buffy asked in an almost shy voice of her child. “Stay over with your daddy and me? We’ll be there all alone, well and with Andrew too,” she added with a warm smile. “Mom and Dad, I mean your grandparents are still in Italy and I thought maybe you’d like to…”

“Oh yes!” Dawn squealed in delight. “I’d love to stay in the big Sunnydale house,” she finished with another squeal of joy.

Buffy felt a hard tug at her full heart, to think that her daughter, her Dawn, would be so excited to actually stay the night in that house. It was the house that Buffy associated with so much fucking misery and sorrow.

Spike watched Buffy, carefully, almost able to read his lover’s thoughts like a book.

‘She’s feeling guilty,’ he thought sadly, making the whole stay over idea a little more then bittersweet. His lover, the mother of his child was full of remorse and guilt that she had just now admitted the truth. Dawn was her daughter, not her sister and he, William Giles was her father.

“Really, baby?” Buffy asked in a childlike tone, unable to look at Dawn. She could only gaze at William with awe.

“Oh, yes,” Dawn replied with another excited giggle. “I’d love to! Can we pop some corn and watch TV together? Like a real family, Buff…I mean Mommy? Do you even have corn to pop at the big house? We don’t have to have it,” Dawn’s face fell just a bit, at the thought of no popcorn with TV.

“We’ll stop and buy corn, Bit,” Spike interjected warmly, tucking a loose dark strand of his daughter’s hair behind her little right ear. “We’ll get a ton of the stuff and pop it all night, if you want, sweet,” he finished with a slight hitch in his voice.

“Okay!” Dawn squealed again, hopping off the swing and pulling her parents towards the parked Cadillac. “Let’s go now,” she ordered firmly, “I want to have time to buy the corn and pop a ton of it, Daddy. We can watch ‘Smallville’ if we hurry. That Tom boy that plays Clark is just so cute!” The six-year-old finished with a happy little giggle.

After a quick stop at the nearest 7/11 store, the trio made their way to the big old Sunnydale house on Revello Drive. Buffy cringed as they neared the place, but quickly pushed aside her own bad memories.

‘Now is the time to make new, happy memories,’ she assured herself again. ‘Here, with my real family; my really for real family.’

Andrew was so excited that there was going to be a ‘houseful’ of people; he nearly fainted when he met them at the door. Apparently, the poor guy had gotten rather lonely in the big old house by himself.

“Can we watch some DVD’s?” Andrew asked, almost as excited as Dawn. “There’s some great DVD’s in the cabinet,” he pointed to a large entertainment center.

“Sure,” Buffy murmured carefully as she glanced around the big, nearly empty front room. Tara McClay and Willow had done some major ‘damage’ control already in the house and renovated the front room first.

“It looks good,” Spike nodded his approval at Buffy, taking her tiny hand in his. “Your friend’s girl has done this, yes?”

“Yeah,” Buffy mumbled under her breath. She was happy with the changes, of course, but wondered if her parents would truly be happy about them?

‘Who gives a fuck,’ Buffy asked herself sternly, as she shook away her sentimental concerns. ‘They think I’m marrying Riley and that I’m selling this dump for them. Well, then let them think it,’ she reasoned coolly. ‘I’ll do what I want to get rid of this nightmare as soon as possible.’

“You okay, Princess?” Spike asked Buffy with subtle concern. He could tell that being in this house unnerved his lover and wondered if this had been a good idea tonight.

“I’m fine,” Buffy quipped abruptly and took Dawn’s hand in hers. “Let’s get you upstairs, to my old room,” she stated evenly to her daughter. “Now, Dawn,” Buffy began with a pause, “I want you to understand that your daddy and me? We’ll be staying in a guest bedroom, together. Is that all right with you?”

“Well where else would you stay, but together?” Dawn snipped with a smirk. “You’re my daddy and mommy. You should stay in the same room. Right Andrew?”

“Right little Miss,” Andrew chuckled affectionately down at the tiny girl.

“Where will you stay Andrew?” Dawn asked suddenly, quite concerned about her friend.

“I’ve been staying in the guest house, Miss,” the young man replied honestly. “I find it nice and quiet and there’s a lovely VCR player in there, with a thirty inch TV to boot!”

Buffy flipped open her cell phone and dialed Dawn’s Catholic school to speak with Father Johnathan.

“So she’ll be staying, with us, here at the house, Father,” Buffy explained to the priest. “We think it would be best and all,” she added, a little overwhelmed by this big turn of events.

“I do too,” Father Johnathan replied quickly. “I believe it’s best for dear little Dawn to feel at home with both of her parents, as rapidly as possible. I’m so glad you decided to tell your daughter the truth, Elizabeth,” he finished with a contented sigh.

“I need a word with you Miss Buffy, Mr. Spike,” Andrew whispered to the couple. “Miss Dawn? How about you get washed up and let me speak with your big sister and…”

“She knows,” Buffy murmured softly to Andrew, watching Dawn carefully. “We told her the truth,” she finished with a relieved sigh.

“Good,” Andrew crowed happily. “I’m sure it’s for the best, Miss Buffy.”

Dawn left to wash up while Buffy and Spike followed Andrew into the dining room and closed the door behind them. Andrew looked ‘concerned’ which began to worry Buffy.

“What is it Andrew?” Buffy asked anxiously.

“It’s Mr. Finn,” Andrew sighed, “he’s called here, a number of times. He claimed that your cell phone was off and he wanted to know what was going on. I told him that you took Miss Dawn out for supper and a movie. I hope that was all right Miss Buffy?” Andrew looked as if he might get ill.

“It’s fine, Andrew,” Spike interjected, taking charge of the situation immediately.

“It’s not a lie, right?” The blond FBI agent added sincerely, “we did take Dawn out for hamburgers and to the park. Close enough, right Princess,” he glanced nervously at Buffy.

“Yeah, right,” Buffy stammered, quite nervous herself by now. As long as Riley Finn was a threat to her family? Buffy would be terrified of him.

“I’ll call him, now,” Buffy muttered resentfully. “I can cover this and get him off our backs for a while longer.” She walked over to the phone and dialed the mansion, nearly missing the right numbers because of her anxiousness.

“It’s me Riley,” Buffy mumbled, glancing over at William who frowned back at her. She noticed he ran his hand through his hair, at least five times while she was on the phone with Riley.

“When are you coming home?” Riley asked her curtly, apparently fed up with Buffy’s time away with Dawn.

“I haven’t told her yet,” Buffy lied easily. “This isn’t something you just blurt out to a six-year-old, Riley and…”

“Well, tell her, and be quick about it!” Riley grunted at Buffy through the phone line. “Quit fucking around here, Buffy. You wanted to come clean with the kid so do it. Christ, tell her I’m her father, if it makes you feel better!”

“I can’t do that!” Buffy cried desperately, “I’ve already lied to her, so much. Kept things from her and…”

“Suit yourself, babe,” Riley spat; Buffy could almost ‘feel’ him shrug with indifference. “But tell her and get home. With or without Dawn, that’s up to you. Where in the hell are you, anyway?”

“At my folks' house,” Buffy replied, coolly. “I brought Dawn home with me, to the house. We’re having a sleep over and…”

“That’s just great,” Riley snorted. “You’re up there, sleeping in a bed without me and trying to play mother, for once, to your illegitimate kid. This is turning into a real circus Buff. We need to resolve this once and for all. I’ll come up there, tomorrow and…”

“NO!” Buffy screamed into the phone, causing Spike to jump and hurry over to her. He took her in his arms and tried to cuddle her as much as he could.

“No,” Buffy repeated, a lot more calmly now. “I’ll, I’ll tell you what, Rile,” she stammered, trying to think of a way out of this mess. “I’ll tell Dawn, tomorrow, for sure. Right here in my folks’ house. Then I’ll take her back to the school and let her adjust to the news? After that? I’ll come home to LA and you; make sure to get everything ready for our wedding and for Dawnie’s move there?”

“Okay,” Riley muttered half-heartedly. “I can live with that,” he added with a bit more confidence. “As long as your home here by the end of this weekend.”

After Buffy and Riley hung up the phone from each other, she turned to William, tiny tears in her green eyes. “If I don’t go home to LA, soon? He’ll come up here and…”

“He will not come up here,” Spike hissed angrily, his jealous nature taking over again. “We’ll work out something, something good for Dawn by tomorrow. Riley is not coming up here, to you, Dawn or this fucking house!” He pulled Buffy into his arms, possessively.

“Look,” Spike began carefully, “Xander and me? We’ve pretty much got Finn nailed for Warren Meirs’ murder, and other crap.”

Andrew perked up at this news and joined the couple by the end table. “You think you can point the finger at Mr. Finn?” Andrew asked hopefully.

“Yes,” Spike muttered, his eyes narrowed into angry slits. “We’ve got enough to nail the fuck and we’re going to. Soon, maybe even within a week. In the meantime,” he looked at Buffy, thoughtfully, “if you go back to that fucking house? In LA? I’ll go over there and rip that fuck’s head off and kick…”

“I’ll stay with Willow and Tara for a while,” Buffy blurted out, suddenly. “I’ve already covered my not sleeping with Riley; pre-wedding superstition and all,” she added quickly. She hated having to say that in front of Andrew, but William most of all. Buffy noted the way Will flinched at the blunt words.

“Okay,” Spike sighed, still unhappy that Buffy would be in the same town as Riley, even if she wasn’t in the same house anymore.

“He’ll buy that explanation, for a while, anyway,” she murmured, nodding her golden head. “It’s just,” she began, then closed her mouth and looked away from William so he wouldn’t see the fear in her green eyes.

“It’s Dawn, isn’t it?” Spike asked her, without having to hear her reply. He knew that Buffy was afraid for their daughter; terrified for her, because, frankly, so was he.

“Yes,” Buffy whispered trying not to cry, but she snuggled into Will’s arms anyway and buried her head in his chest. “I’m afraid that when things go down? Riley, he might go after Dawn and hurt her, Will. I know he’ll try and…”

“He won’t get to her,” Spike stated with determination. “Riley won’t get to our daughter because he won’t be able to find her.”

“What? How? Will, what are we going to do?” Buffy looked up into his open blue eyes and suddenly felt ten times better.

“We’re going to send Dawn somewhere, somewhere safe, Princess,” Spike murmured, nuzzling Buffy’s forehead with his mouth. “Someplace that Riley Finn’s never even dreamed of.”

The family and Andrew watched the second DVD of the night together. Buffy snuggled into Will’s strong embrace, while Dawn sat on the floor at their feet, in front of the couch. Andrew was stationed in a chair, closest to the television set.

“See Dawn,” Andrew exclaimed like a little boy at Christmas. “Little Anakin is going to grow up to be Darth Vadar! Just like I told you!”

“Dawn,” Buffy whispered, stroking her daughter’s soft head, “your daddy and I need to ask you something. We need to kind of run something by you and see if it’s all right with you. Will you be honest with us?”

“Sure,” Dawn shrugged, still focused on a very handsome Obi Wan Kenobi that smiled out from the TV.

“How would you like to take a trip, Bit?” Spike asked in a hushed tone. “To another state of the USA? Way over by another ocean?”

Dawn turned around and looked up at her parents, her blue eyes filled with confusion. “You’re sending me away?” She asked in a hurt tone.

“No,” Buffy and Spike chimed in at the same time.

“Not sending you away, baby,” Buffy whispered with regret. “We’re just trying to give you a little vacation, for a little while. You’d be going to a place called Virginia, honey,” Buffy gave William a pleading look.

“Tell her, please, Will,” Buffy whimpered in the barest of voices. “I don’t think I can,” she finished in a strangled whisper.

Spike pulled his daughter up to sit on his right knee, leaning her head back against his chest. “Your mum and me, well, we thought you might like to take a little trip, Dawn. See where my mum, your Granny Jennifer lives. It’s a farm that my mum lives on, Bit. A real big farm, in the country. In a place called Virginia. Your Grandpa Rupert, my dad,” he choked out the name, “he’s not there, with Granny Jenny right now and she’s a bit lonely. We thought, your mum and I, that you might like to visit and meet Granny Jenny. Would you, Bit? The farm is real nice and full of animals, like a zoo almost and…”

“Are there lions, Daddy?” Dawn asked, suddenly quite interested in the ‘zoo/farm’ of her grandparents.

“No, not lions, exactly,” Spike smirked and tried not to chuckle at his little angel. “But there are bloody big farm cats, Bit, and a big nice old dog, by the name of Micky. He's an Australian Sheep dog. There are lots of horses and a few cows even. Of course you’ll be expected to help, with the chickens and all. I think you’d like it, sweetheart and I know Granny Jenny wants to meet you. She’ll just love you, Bit,”

Spike rasped, trying not to choke up again. “She can’t wait to meet you and your mum and I have a lot of work to do, here in California. If we’re going to…”

“Get rid of Riley Finn from our lives, forever?” Dawn asked her father evenly. Spike was momentarily stunned at his daughter’s perceptiveness.

“Yes,” Buffy answered for her love, “we desperately need to get rid of Riley Finn, forever, baby. Your daddy will do just that, Dawnie, I promise.” Buffy laid her head on William’s shoulder and wrapped her arms about her daughter. Her heart felt like it was breaking all over again, but Buffy knew this was for the best. Dawn ‘had’ to be made completely safe.

‘We have to do this,’ she told herself for the hundredth time. ‘We have to protect Dawn at all costs.’


A/N: So, there you have it…Dawn is going to be sequestered, in safety in Virginia on her grandparents’ farm. I think she’ll like it there, for a while, until she can be reunited with her parents. Don’t you?

Thanks for reading and please review. There are a few chapters left now, spufette.

Chapter 19: ‘Promises’


Summary: Spike and Buffy send Dawn away with trusted friends and family.

Dawn makes a promise to her parents and Spike makes a promise to Buffy.

A/N: Thank you for reading this story. It’s coming to an end (I promise myself!). Maybe three more chapters?




“This is Mr. Charles Gunn, honey,” Buffy was pointing to the tall, good looking African-American gentleman that stood next to William. “The lady is Fred, she’s actually your daddy’s 1st cousin and she’s married to Mr. Gunn.”

“Fred’s a funny name for a lady,” Dawn giggled behind her tiny hand. The child grinned up at the pretty lady and the nice looking man.

“Well, it’s actually short, for Winnefred,” Fred smiled warmly down at the small girl.

“How come you don’t talk like my daddy?” Dawn asked with a confused scowl. “If you’re my daddy’s cousin? How come you don’t have a British accent?”

“My mama is your daddy’s mama’s big sister, sweetie,” Fred continued to explain to the amused little girl. “Aunt Jenny and my mama, her name is Kate, they were born here, in America.”

“Mr. Gunn works with daddy, baby,” Buffy explained carefully. “He and Fred are married to each other. Isn’t that nice?”

“Uh, huh,” Dawn replied quietly, her blue eyes wide with curiosity at the couple.

“Bit,” Spike stammered, trying not to choke up, gazing down into his daughter’s beautiful eyes. “Mr. Gunn and Fred are going to take you back to Virginia with them. They’re going to fly on the big plane with you, to Washington DC first. Then they’re going to drive you down to Granny Jenny’s farm. Would you like that?”

“Oh yes!” Dawn squealed in delight, forgetting, momentarily, that she had to leave her newly discovered parents, immediately. That very day in fact.

“Good girl, baby,” Buffy interjected in a shaky voice; her chin quivered slightly from emotion.

‘I have to be strong for her,’ Buffy admonished herself in her own mind. ‘This is best for Dawn, here and now. Riley will never find her at the farm and…’

“I’ll be a good girl, momma and daddy,” Dawn murmured into her father’s chest. Both Spike and Buffy had their child wrapped tightly in their mutual embrace.

“I promise,” Dawn repeated, her words muffled against her mother’s warm neck.

After Gunn and Fred had left with their child, Buffy fell into William’s arms and bawled like a baby. The thought of her precious daughter going all the way across the country, just so she could be safe? It was killing Buffy by inches.

“I can’t believe I let her go,” Buffy sobbed into Will’s muscled chest. They were sitting on the plush couch in her parents’ front living room.

“How could I let her go?” Buffy wailed in disbelief, more to herself then to her lover. “Everything I have done, for the last seven years has been for Dawn. How could I just let her go like that? With virtual strangers and…”

“Buffy, luv,” Spike whispered in a strained voice. “I trust Gunn and yes, even Fred with my own life. Do you think I would let our daughter go with them if I didn’t think it was for the best?”

“No,” Buffy whimpered softly, snuggling into Will’s body even further. “I just miss her already, Will,” she wept pitifully.

“I know, baby,” he tried to comfort Buffy as best he could. “But when this is all over? When Xander and me have nailed that fucking monster, Finn? It’ll be worth it, sweetheart, I promise.”

Buffy nodded into William’s chest, trying desperately to calm herself down. She realized that although Dawn was now virtually as safe as possible, she herself would have to return to LA, tomorrow at the latest. Riley was expecting her, even if she had convinced him that she wanted to ‘stay’ with Willow and Tara until their wedding day.

That in itself had been a stroke of genius, no question, on Buffy’s part. Buffy was well aware that William would balk, completely at the thought of her staying in Riley’s mansion. Never mind the fact that she had extracted a promise from Riley, or his assurance at least, to wait until their wedding night to touch her again.

Buffy considered it a miracle that she had talked Riley into accepting her living arrangements, with Willow that is, until the wedding. William had been smugly pleased that his girl had pulled off this ruse to keep away from Riley, as much as possible.

‘It’d be impossible for me to be in the same room with Finn hangin’ all over my Buffy, makin’ innuendos,’ Spike sighed in disgust at the thought. At least this way, he knew that Buffy would be going back to Willow and Tara’s place to spend the night. No matter how many days she spent at the mansion.

“We’ll get our daughter back, as soon as possible, baby,” Spike whispered comfortingly, kissing Buffy’s damp right cheek. “Xander and me have to meet with Finn, tomorrow afternoon. That gives you and me tonight, up here in Sunnydale together. Andrew will drive you back to LA tomorrow, right after I leave, okay?”

“Uh huh,” Buffy sniffed softly, her head still buried in William’s chest. “I’ll leave with Andrew, right after you. I’m glad we have tonight together, Will,” she murmured with a hot blush. “And I am relieved that our daughter is going to be safe, completely at your mom’s. Gosh, Dawnie even has FBI watching the farm and…” Buffy stuttered slightly, then broke out into tears again.

“I know,” Spike rasped, trying to control his own emotions. “But I swear to God, Buffy, we’ll get her back soon. I’ll nail Riley Finn to a cross by the end of this next week. Even if I have to hammer the fucking nails into him myself.”

“Riley is hardly Christ-like, Will,” Buffy finally quit crying and giggled, just a bit.

“True,” Spike muttered, joining in his lover’s sudden laughter. “Finn’s more of a bloody demon then a Christ figure, yeah?”

“Yeah,” Buffy whispered softly, snuggling into Will again. “I know you and Xander will take him down, baby,” she sighed. “I guess I’m just praying it will real soon. I’ve never hated anyone like I do Riley,” she finished harshly.”

“It will be soon, Princess,” Spike hissed in determination. “Like I said, I’ll nail Finn’s coffin shut myself. I’ll even use silver nails blessed by a priest, I swear it.”

William insisted on cooking Buffy some dinner at home that night and he opened a nice bottle of wine he’d bought. Buffy was amazed, once again, when Will laid out a feast fit for royalty on her parents' huge dining room table.

“Wow,” Buffy giggled mischievously, “this looks like Thanksgiving, all over again!”

Spike was proud of his culinary skills and this time he’d outdone himself. He had roasted a nice, small turkey, stuffed with traditional dressing and chestnuts. The way his mum used to make the turkey, along with all of the fixings. There was small, parleyed potatoes and gravy for the dressing. On the side, there were baby peas and carrots, and oh, yeah, a special surprise dessert, just for Buffy.

“I’ve got a lot of holidays to make up for Princess,” Spike mumbled with regret and guilt.

“It’s not your fault,” Buffy whispered, taking a bite of the yummy looking potatoes.

“Maybe not, but…” Spike let his sentence trail off as he took a sip of the chardonnay wine.

“It’s not any of our faults, Will,” Buffy continued stubbornly. “It was Riley, all along,” she insisted. “He’s the one that hurt us all, truly. I played into his hands, yes, but…”

“Don’t,” Spike hissed harshly. “I won’t have you blaming yourself anymore, Buffy. I couldn’t stand it.”

“Okay,” Buffy murmured softly. “Let’s talk about something else, shall we?”

“Yeah,” Spike exclaimed in relief. “Let’s talk about where we’ll live when we get married and really settle down, eh?”


“There’s double fudge chocolate ice cream, for dessert, Princess,” Spike grinned at Buffy. “I know it’s your favorite and I bought two gallons of the stuff.”

“You are so trying to make me fat,” Buffy accused William with a saucy little giggle. “You’re making eat all kinds of wicked, fattening food so I balloon up and…”

“Hardly,” Spike chuckled, taking Buffy by her hand and leading her into the kitchen. “I’m just trying to ‘feed’ you something,” he continued with authority. “You’ve not been eating well, I can see that, and before you go all ballistic on me. About my thinking you’re too thin? Don’t bother. You’re perfect for me, sweetheart. In every way. I just don’t want you to go hungry, okay?”

“Okay,” Buffy whispered, a little overwhelmed at the protective nature of this man. Her man.

“Oh, Will!” Buffy gasped in delight as he spooned the delicious chocolate fudge cream into her mouth. “This is the sweetest thing I’ve ever had in my mouth and…”

“Hey,” Spike snorted, a little insulted at Buffy’s statement. “I thought ‘I’ was the sweetest thing you’ve had in your and mouth!”

“Well, you are,” Buffy replied, licking the chocolate ice cream from her lips. “I meant that the ice cream was the second sweetest thing I’ve ever had in my mouth!” She smirked up at him, coyly.

The lovers broke down into fits of laughter and fell into each others arms. Spike pulled Buffy onto his lap and began to kiss her face and mouth with abandon.

“Will, stop it,” Buffy giggled hysterically. “I’m slurping chocolate ice cream all over you! It’s dripping down your neck and chest and all over your tee shirt!”

“Don’t care,” Spike murmured huskily as he ripped Buffy’s shirt open, sending little buttons flying everywhere.

“William!” Buffy squealed in mock anger (but really, she was delighted). “You’ve ruined another one of my best blouses!”

“I’ll buy you five more, just like it,” he rasped even as he buried his face in Buffy’s plump little bare breasts.

“I’ll hold you to that,” Buffy whispered, wriggling on his lap. She was fully aware that they were both getting hotter by the second.

“God, I love you Buffy,” Spike rasped, desperately pulling Buffy’s skirt up about her hips.

“I love you,” she gasped eagerly when William slipped two fingers inside of her and began to pump them.

“So wet and hot for me, sweet,” he murmured in a daze. “My girl,” he mumbled, sucking her right nipple tenderly. He held her in a vice-like grip and used his right hand to rotate her hip so her cunny rubbed on his leg.

Along with Will’s hand action and finger action? Buffy was close to cumming, really quickly.

“Uhhhng, your girl,” Buffy sighed laying her head on his, her arms wrapped about his shoulders. She began to convulse, down there, riding William’s fingers and leg for all it was worth.

“Will!” Buffy screamed out as she came, dripping ice cream, happy tears and sex juices all over his neck, chest and leg.

“That’s my girl,” Spike purred into Buffy’s warm little ear. “That’s my good baby, all wet and cumming for me. I love you so much Buffy,” he whimpered.

“Me too. I mean I love you too, Will,” she moaned as her lips met his.

Suddenly, the shrill ring of the Summers’ phone split the thick air and broke the hazy atmosphere of sex in the kitchen.

“It’s you parents number!” Buffy squealed loudly when she checked caller ID. She was relieved for many reasons, mostly because she knew her daughter had made it to the Giles’ farm.

“Mum,” Spike greeted Jennifer Giles warmly. “Is Dawn there?”

“Of course,” Jenny gushed happily. “I just wanted to call you and let you know she’s here and doing fine. Dawn wanted to speak to the both of you so I won’t keep you, dear. Oh, and William?”

“Yes Mum,” Spike muttered with a blush. His mother could always reduce him to a pandering, ponce of a school boy.

“Call your father, dear, please? For me?” Jennifer sighed as she handed the phone to her only grandchild.

“Daddy!” Dawn exclaimed. “It’s me, Dawn! Oh, Daddy,” she continued excitedly. “The farm’s just like you said! Micky is wonderful and I’ve already got to pet a horse! Granny Jenny says there’s a special pony, in the barn, just for me! I met a little boy goat and his wife and their ‘kids’ Daddy. That’s what you call baby goats, kids!”

“That’s great, Bit,” Spike replied in a shaky voice, eyeing Buffy with concern. He was barely holding on himself and Buffy looked as if she was about to break down and cry again.

“Mr. Gunn and Fred are really cool!” Dawn gushed eagerly. “They’re going to be staying here, with Granny and me. In the guest house though,” she added with a little giggle.

“Can I talk to Buffy, I mean my mama now, Daddy?” Dawn asked in her sweet, childish voice.

“Course, Bit,” Spike whispered in a strained voice. “Your mama would love to talk to you. Dawn,” Spike added softly, “your mother and I love you more then anything in the world.”


A/N: I had to have a Spuffy loving night, just before they head back to LA. I don’t know how many readers are familiar with LA, California, but I was born and raised here. It’s not the wonderland a lot of folks think it is. Spike and Buffy have more reasons for not wanting to come back to LA then most of us so…..

Anyway, there is trouble waiting for Spike and Buffy back in LA. I can’t give away anymore then that for now.

Thanks for reading and please review, spufette.

Chapter 20: ‘Reconciled’


Summary: Buffy faces Riley, then quickly takes off again.
Spike’s mother encourages him to reconcile with his father.

A/N: I felt I had to write this chapter before I got into the really angstsy chapters. Thank you for reading.


“Hello baby,” Riley purred in what he must have thought was a seductive tone. “Welcome home,” he added with a sly wink as he leaned down to kiss Buffy’s lips.

Buffy had just stepped through the mansion door when Riley appeared right in front of her. And, there ‘he’ was, the bane of her existence; the gristle in her meat, just waiting for her to make an appearance.

‘Geez,’ she grumbled, ‘what? Was he staring out the window like a freaking puppy, waiting for his owner to come home? How fucking pathetic!’ She grimaced in complete contempt for this man now holding her in his hot, clammy arms.

She tried, very hard, to accept her so called fiancé’s affection, but it was difficult to say the least. In fact, it pretty much grossed her out.

“I’m just dropping in to visit and pick up some things I’ll need, Rile,” Buffy mumbled. “Tara and Willow are expecting me for dinner and…..”

“So you’re going to stick with the celibacy plan? Until our wedding?” Riley asked in obvious disappointment. “You’re going to stay with the snuggle babes, until our…..”

“Yes,” Buffy quipped abruptly, trying to ignore the snuggle babes remark. “I’ve lived with you for years, Riley,” she sighed, “let me have this ‘time’ to myself, please. At least until we get married. It’s only a few weeks and all. I really don’t think it’s that much to ask for, Rile. So let me have this, please and I can finish plotting our wedding.” Buffy lied so easily it almost scared the hell out of her.

“Dad wants to give me away, for some reason known only to God,” Buffy snorted. ‘Like he didn’t give me away already? Almost six years ago to this monster,’ she reasoned with resentment.

Buffy couldn’t look her fiancé in the eye; she was afraid her tell tale expression would give her away. All’s she needed was for Riley to figure out that he was being played like a Stradivarius. That’s when the shit would hit the proverbial fan and it might even put William and Xander in danger. Not to mention Dawn, Buffy’s parents and herself.

No, it was best to go with the ‘plan’ she’d devised and William had reluctantly gone along with. When the mighty ‘troll hammer’ came down on Mr. Finn? Riley would be the last one to know, while Will and Buffy would be the last ‘ones’ standing. In victory.

“How’d the kid take it,” Riley asked, indifferently. “About you being her mom and not her sister?” He actually tried to look interested, Buffy thought, and it made her feel kind of bad. Well, for a second anyway.

“She was okay with it,” Buffy sighed out her little white lie. What she really wanted to say was that Dawn was ecstatic that she was her mother and William was her father. Buffy wanted so badly to tell this maniac that her daughter detested him, her grandparents and everything connected to Riley Finn.

“I think you should have told her I was her dad and then things might be a little easier. When she comes to live with us I mean,” Riley muttered, brushing a stray strand of Buffy’s hair from her cheek.

If Riley noticed that Buffy cringed at his touch? He didn’t show it and she could only assume she had hidden her repulsion of him pretty well.

“I’m done with lying,” Buffy muttered harshly. ‘Except to you, asshole,’ she added inside her own mind.

“It’s probably for the best,” Riley nodded his big stupid head slowly. “Lies just lead to more lies and, well you know the rest,” he finished with a smug grin.

‘You should know, fuckhead,’ Buffy hissed at him with silent contempt. “You’re a number one lying asshole with a silver bullet, Finn.” She was thinking of Warren Meers and how his murder, at the hands of this man, had broken her good friend, Andrew’s loving heart.

‘I wonder how many others you’ve murdered, Riley?’ She asked him in her own head. ‘I know about Warren, Faith and Jesse, but how many others, Finn? How much more blood is on your hands and that of your men?’


“How are your guests from New York doing?” Buffy asked Riley, suddenly, steering the conversation to another, safer topic.

“You mean Harrington and Spike?” Riley asked with a smirk.

“Yeah,” Buffy shrugged with an air of indifference, she hoped anyway.

“Both of them were here this morning, for a breakfast meet,” he continued absent mindedly. “They’re planning on leaving, sometime next week; headin’ back to New York since their business for O’Connor is almost finished here. I can’t say I’m sorry to see them go,” Riley chuckled. “Harrington is ‘okay’ I guess, but Spike? I think he’s an arrogant son-of-a-bitch.”

‘Oh, and you’re not? You pompous prick,’ Buffy hissed, trying not to verbalize her bitter musings.

“Whatever,” Buffy sighed indifferently. “He seems nice enough to me,” she finished with a slight shrug of her slim shoulders.

She pulled away from Riley and headed up the stairs to ‘their’ bedroom. It had taken all of Buffy’s acting skills to bite her tongue and not tear into Riley for his harsh words about her lover.

Just fifteen minutes or so, and Buffy would be packed and free of this tomb. This pre-wedding stay at Willow and Tara’s would give her an excuse to break free of Riley for a few weeks.

Hopefully, by next week? William and Xander would have enough on Riley to bring him to his knees and destroy him completely.

“Can Andrew drive me to Willow’s?” Buffy nearly skipped down the staircase and by Riley; who still stood, somewhat dumbfounded by the front door.

“I’ll take you, Buffy,” Riley murmured in his little boy lost voice. The one that Buffy detested well beyond normal human endurance.

“I…..” Buffy began cautiously, weighing her next words carefully. “I know you don’t much care for Willow or Tara, Riley,” she mumbled under her breath. “I guess I thought you wouldn’t want to drive me and…..”

“I don’t want you to go at all,” Riley whined like a small child. “Why don’t you rethink this, babe and stay here. If you’re intent on having the whole ‘wait until the wedding night’ thing? You can move into a guest room, or I will.” His dark eyes pleaded in silent desperation with Buffy. She remained unmoved however.

“No,” she stammered, avoiding his earnest gaze. “It’s best for me to stay with Willow and Tara. After all,” she continued, “it might be too tempting. You know, with me here, in the house and all?”

‘Yeah, too tempting for me to stake your worthless heart in the middle of the night, you miserable loss.’ Buffy tried not to smirk, opting instead for a false look of sincere compassion for her soon to be ex.


“Call your father, William,” Jennifer Giles admonished her son and only child. “He is not the complete monster you think he is, I promise.”

“He hid my child from me, Mum,” Spike whispered into the cell phone. “Dad knew that Dawn was mine, he had to of and he…..”

“He’s a mere mortal man, dear,” Jennifer sighed deeply. “Believe me, he’s all man and mostly mortal, even if he thinks he’s God-like sometimes.” Spike’s mother chuckled lowly, causing him to smile at the lovely sound of it.

“Oh, I know he’s a bit pompous, overbearing and well, pretty much all over a know-it-all, but, I still love him, William. He loves you, you know and when he meets our grandchild? He’ll fall in love with her too, I’m betting on it. I have already convinced your father that our Dawnie is the best thing since fish and chips,” she laughed.

“Okay, Mum,” Spike mumbled in defeat, “I’ll call dad, as soon as I’m off the phone with you. Thanks, Mum,” he added warmly, “for watching my daughter. It means more to me, and Buffy then you could know.”

“I think I know, pretty much what it means, William,” Jennifer murmured.


“So, you’re gonna’ call the old man, huh?” Xander was sipping a beer and watching some American excuse for football on the television.

“Yeah,” Spike drawled, still unsure of his position in this matter. He wanted to speak with his imposing father, yet…..

“I’d call him,” Xander grunted indifferently, “just to let him know that everything is jake. After all, he’s the head honcho on this case and you can always use the excuse of ‘business’ to give him a call, right?”

“Yeah,” Spike drawled once again, somberly staring at the cell phone in his hand.

“Well?” Xander asked simply, his head tilted to one side. “Are you gonna’ call the old man or…..”

“I’m calling!” Spike growled impatiently, hitting the speed dial button on his phone.

“Hello, William,” Rupert Giles mumbled his greeting to his only child. Thanking God for modern technology and caller ID.

“Dad,” Spike spat curtly. “I wanted to check in and give you the run down, on the case and all.” He tried not to let any enthusiasm seep into his voice; tried to keep it all professional.

“Before you give me the rundown, son,” Giles interjected in a soft tone, “I’d like to tell you that your mother has been in contact with me. She’s informed me that your daughter, yours and Buffys daughter that is, is a delight to have around. Thank you, William,” he continued carefully. “Thank you for letting your mum take care of our grandchild. It means so much to me and your mum that…” Rupert’s voice trailed off.

‘Jesus,’ Spike gasped to himself, ‘the old man is choked up with emotion!’

“I, well, I know I’ve mucked up everything, boy,” Giles continued again, his words were broken up here and there. “I’m so bloody sorry, more sorry then I could ever express.”

“I never meant to hurt you or lie to you, William,” he continued sincerely. “I’ve made horrible mistakes that I’m sure I’ll pay for the rest of my life, but, I wish you’d allow me to be a part of ‘your’ life. Yours, Buffy’s and Dawns. It would mean so much to me, William. Maybe I can make up for my stupidity and wrongness, somehow?”



Spike sat, staring at the cell phone, still in shock at his omnipresent father’s heartfelt words. Never in his life had Spike heard his father so emotional or apologize, for anything, not like this.

“Dad, I…..” Spike began, brokenly. “I don’t know what to say, Dad,” he stumbled on, unsure how to word his feelings. It had always been like this between Rupert and William Giles; father and son. The son never seemed to measure up to the dad, but now? Maybe Spike had been blind somehow. Maybe, Rupert Giles had never felt he had measured up to his son’s expectations?

“I cannot wait to meet Dawn, William,” Rupert blurted, suddenly, smoothly changing the tone of the conversation. “Mum says she’s just delightful and I’d…” There was another uncomfortable silence and Spike felt as if ‘he’ needed to rescue the situation.

“I want you to meet Buffy first, Dad,” Spike stated. “She’s amazing, Dad and I know you’ll love her too.”

“I think I will,” Rupert sighed his words in relief, happy, it seemed that his son was willing to call a truce. “She sounds marvelous, son. Your mother can’t say enough good things about her and here she’s never met her. Of course, Dawn’s a wonderful ambassador for her mother and all. I wonder though,” Rupert hesitated briefly.

“Wonder what Dad?” Spike asked in a strained voice. ‘Oh, fuck, here it comes,’ he reasoned bitterly.

“I wondered why you did not send Buffy to the farm, with Dawn? Wouldn’t she have been safer there? Until this is all over?” Giles seemed perplexed by this turn of events.

“Dad,” Spike began evenly, “I wanted to send Buffy to the farm, with our daughter, but she wouldn’t hear of it. She’s a bloody stubborn chit, my Buffy is,” he added with a smile.

“Buffy was worried that if she left the picture, too soon that our whole case against Finn might be compromised. My girl wants Riley Finn taken down as much as ‘we’ do, Dad. She feels that by her staying on the scene, Xander and I will have a better chance of nailing Finn. Buffy doesn’t want to raise any unnecessary suspicions on Riley’s part.”

Spike could just see his father’s smirk, even from this end of the phone line. He could also envision the legal wheels in his father’s head turning, quickly.

‘A woman after my own heart,’ Spike could almost hear his father say, proudly. ‘A tough, committed little spitfire that’s perfect for you, William.’

“Buffy is amazing, Dad, like I said,” Spike repeated once again. “She’s everything to me, Dad. Dawn and Buffy will always be everything to me. And Dad?” He swallowed hard and took a deep breath, “when this is over? I’m done, Dad. With the Bureau, that is. This is my last assignment with the FBI. I’m sorry, Dad, but…..”

“It’s okay, William. I understand, completely. I’m just glad that this brought you, Buffy and Dawn back together again. If you need to move on, with your family? Then so be it.”


“We’re popping some corn and having beer for dinner tonight!” Willow Rosenberg nearly skipped about her apartment.

Buffy watched, smiling warmly, as her best friend nearly squealed in excitement. It did her heart good to be here, with Willow and Tara in their apartment. She missed William, of course, but…..

“We can watch movies, all night!” Willow exclaimed gleefully. “ Tara and I don’t have to go to work tomorrow so we can play all night!”

As if on cue, Tara came out of the kitchen carrying a tray with a huge bowl of popped corn on it. “The beers are on the sink, Wills,” the tall blond grinned at her partner.

When Willow scurried off to the kitchen, Buffy snorted, “Willow is more excited then me,” she giggled.

“Yeah,” Tara stammered shyly, “Wills is thrilled that you’re here with us. She knows how unhappy you’ve been, with Riley and all…..” Tara’s soft voice trailed off.

“That’s going to be resolved,” Buffy replied with determination. “Soon,” she finished with a grin.

“I’m glad,” Tara nodded, setting the tray down. “Oh,” she continued seriously, “I gave your William our E-Mail here. He can E you anytime and a special notice will pop up for you. Why don’t you go check the computer now? I’m sure….”

Before Tara could say another word, Buffy was at the computer and logging on. She noticed right away that there was a message for her from a cryptic moniker of WlovesB.

‘I miss you Princess.’ The E mail began. ‘I can’t wait to hold you again and show you how much I miss you.’

Buffy giggled and blushed at this promise!

‘I’m planning on coming to the apartment in a day or so, when the birds will be at work. Then you and I can, well, you know.’

Again, Buffy giggled at Will’s genteel wording.

‘Until then, I’m sending you a poem I wrote you; once upon a time, some seven years ago. Please don’t be sad by it, because it is truly what I felt ‘then’ but now, we’re back together; reconciled, and I know we’ll never be parted again.

I hope you like it, Princess, love you desperately, W.

“I tear my heart open,
I sew myself shut.
I feel so broken,
And so cut.
My heart is waiting,
I’m anticipating,
For you.

Set my soul free,
Or just leave me be.
My spirits frozen,
This heart has grown old.
My love for you is old,
Yet you’ve torn me apart
And broken my heart.
Leave me be, or…..
Bring me back to peace.
We were two of a kind,
Bring me back to my peace
Of mind.
Let our love live again and
Let me rest in peace…..
With you.”


‘Remember, I love you and you love me. That poem was written when I was in a dark, unholy place. Now I’m in heaven again, with you. I love you, W.’


Buffy sat at the computer, crying uncontrollably. This time however, the tears were not from sadness; but from joy.


A/N: Hope that wasn’t too sappy. The poem was written by someone very special to me, my daughter, Monique. She’s only 14 and I was proud of this poem and she told me I could use it in one of my stories.

Thanks for reading and please review, spufette.

Chapter 21: ‘The Cat’s Out Of The Bag!’


Summary: Spike and Buffy tryst in LA. Riley gets a call from Hank Summers and gets suspicious. Buffy and Spike are in danger and they don’t even know it.




“I’ve missed you,” Spike whispered into Buffy’s warm little ear as he thrust into her body. “Missed you more then I can say,” he added sincerely. “I love you Buffy,” he added with a whimper.

“I missed you too,” Buffy murmured, thrusting up to meet his hips with hers. “And don’t worry, I know how ‘much’ we’ve missed each other,” she paused briefly from her movements to giggle softly.

“You little minx,” Spike gasped again, pushing into her wildly, a wicked grin on his mouth. “You will be the death of me,” he added huskily.

“Demon lover,” Buffy chuckled saucily, again thrusting her hips up to meet his. “You’ll be the damnation of me. But, I don’t care, I love you,” she finished with another gasp of pleasure.

They had been making love for hours that day, in Willow and Tara’s apartment. The two women who leased the place were discreetly out of town for a night, allowing Buffy and Spike to be alone together. They were alone, unobserved and totally free to express their love for each other.

Afterwards, as they lay, cuddling in the afterglow, Spike and Buffy whispered together. They made their future plans and talked of their daughter, Dawn. Everything was perfect, as far as they were concerned. However, the couple was oblivious as to what was transpiring on the other side of the City of Angels.

In the rolling Hills of Beverly, Riley Finn was sitting in his study; in his great mansion. He was alone and brooding about Buffy and why she wasn’t with him tonight.

“It’s nearly midnight,” Riley muttered with resentment, “and Buffy’s probably asleep, at the two bitch’s place. All sound asleep and not missing me at all, I’ll bet,” he grumbled in self-pity.

Suddenly, the phone in his study rang shrilly, breaking into his morose self-pity party.

‘Probably Buffy’s fucking, worthless parents,’ he surmised as he checked the caller ID. The phone call was from some Italian number and since the Summers were there, summering….

Riley had to giggle, wickedly at his little pun and he fumbled with the phone receiver when he grabbed for it. ‘Just what I need,’ he grumped, ‘Hank or Joyce fucking with me tonight when Buffy’s gone. Christ, I hope I don’t have to explain her absence!’

“Yeah,” Riley slurred curtly, feeling the effects of all the whiskey he’d drank that evening.

“Riley, it is Hank,” came the deep timbre of Buffy’s father’s voice.

‘No shit,’ Riley thought more then a little put out that his future father-in-law was intruding on his solitude.

“Yeah, what’s up, Hank,” Riley mumbled under his breath. “It’s just after midnight, Hank, what do you want?”

“I want to know what the fuck is going on over there!” Hank cried. “My wife called Dawn’s school, earlier and talked to some lackey of Father Johnathan’s. He informed us that our granddaughter has been removed, permanently from the school. Is Dawn there? With you and Buffy? I thought…..”

“What!” Riley gasped. That sobered him up, instantly. “What the fuck do you mean? Of course Dawn’s there, at the school. Buffy just came home, two days ago from Sunnydale, after tellin’ Dawn that she was her mother.” Riley was completely blown away by now and totally confused.

“Let me talk to Buffy,” Hank spat the order.

“I, I can’t,” Riley stammered in a strangled voice. “She decided to spend the rest of the pre-wedding time at her friends’ place. Buffy,” he continued weakly, “she wanted to make the wedding night special and…..”

“You mean to tell me that my daughter is not with you? At your house and that she’s taken Dawn out of the school without your knowledge? Jesus Christ, Riley, what the hell is going on! Don’t you have any control over my daughter at all!” Hank screamed over the phone, barely able to keep control over himself.

“I don’t know,” Riley whined, hating himself for his weakness. “But I sure as fuck plan to find out what the fuck is going on,” he added menacingly. “Let me handle this, Hank,” he finished with a growl. “Buffy’s been acting really weird lately and I passed it off as pre-wedding jitters but now? Just let me handle this, right? I’ll fix everything.”

Riley hung up his phone and picked up his whiskey tumbler. He took a good long drink before he hit the intercom button that would connect him to Graham’s room in the mansion.

“Graham,” Riley barked to his minion, “get your ass out of bed. I need you to go over to Tara and Willow’s place and stake it out. No, don’t ask questions, just go. I don’t care if Sarah Michelle Gellar is in bed with you, herself, got it! Just go, now and stake the apartment out. I want to know what the fuck is going on there!”


“I’ll miss you, even more now,” Spike whispered sadly as he got dressed. The clock on the mantel of the bedroom struck 5:00 AM and he knew he had to leave before he wasn’t able to.

“I know,” Buffy murmured, wistfully. “But soon we’ll all be together again, right Will?” She asked with huge, hopeful green eyes.

“Oh yeah,” he chuckled in reply, leaping back onto the bed to join Buffy once again. He rolled over onto his back, pulling her on top of him.

“You had really better go,” Buffy sighed reluctantly, placing a tender kiss on his lips. She pulled away from him and slipped out of the bed.

“I know,” Spike repeated her words from just a moment earlier. He finished pulling his clothes on and grabbed Buffy by her tiny waist.

Buffy walked William to the door of the apartment, their arms entwined together. Her heart was heavy, but she knew, truly, that this was only a temporary situation for them. Soon, they would be together; her, William and their daughter Dawn. The rest of the world be damned for all she cared.

“I’m due at Finn’s,” Spike muttered with resentment, “around noon today,” he finished with a frown. “I’ll be glad to see you, baby,” he added with a slight smile. “I just wish it wasn’t there at the mansion.”

“I know, but we’ll have to behave there, Will,” Buffy answered, deep in thought. “The more we play our parts? The sooner we take that moron down and we can start our new life together.”

“Too right,” Spike whispered, leaning down to kiss his Buffy’s lush little mouth. “I’ll see you later then, sweet,” he called as he strode out to his rented car.


Neither Spike nor Buffy noticed the dark, gray van that set across the street and down a house or two. They did not see Graham, who slouched down in the driver seat of the van, either.

With dark, menacing eyes, Graham watched as Spike Sinclair left that bitch, Buffy’s, best friends’ apartment. He had mixed emotions about this turn of events, however.

On one hand, Graham detested Buffy Summers and wished for nothing more then her demise in some way from his employer’s life. Graham felt that Buffy made Riley Finn weak in a number of ways and he hated her for that. However, on the other hand? Riley’s minion hated to have to break the news of Summers’ betrayal to his beloved boss.

After waiting until Spike drove off in the rented Cadillac, Graham pulled his cell phone out of his pocket and speed dialed his superior.

“Hey, Riley,” Graham stuttered a bit, unsure just exactly how to tell his boss that he’d been cuckolded.

“Well,” Riley grumbled, obviously the man had not slept all night, that was for sure.


“Riley, I’m not sure how to put this,” Graham stammered, suddenly a little apprehensive at being put in this position.

“Spit it out, man!” Riley barked impatiently.

“It’s Spike Sinclair, boss,” Graham began carefully. “He just left the two broad’s place. Buffy saw him off at the door and Riley, I have to tell you……Sinclair had the biggest shit eating grin on his face that I’ve ever seen.”

“Riley?” Graham spoke his master’s name cautiously. “Riley,” he repeated quietly, “What do you want me to do? I could follow Sinclair and kick his arrogant worthless ass if you want. I’d love to…..”

“No!” Riley roared in response. “Don’t do a fucking thing, Graham. Just come back here, to the mansion. I’ve got to think this out, carefully. I plan to maneuver Buffy over here anyway, today, and this just gives me more incentive to do it. I’ve got a plan in motion, already, for that deceitful little cunt! But Sinclair? That’s another matter entirely. I want to make that fucker squirm for this. He touched what’s mine and I plan to make him suffer for it, even if I have to torture him myself!”


A/N: Well, cat’s out of the bag, eh? This was a short chapter, but the catalyst for the angst that’s about to come. Riley is enraged, while Spike and Buffy are clueless to it at this point. Things are coming to a head, I promise.

Thanks for reading and please review, spufette.

“

Chapter 22: ‘Something Is Off’

A/N: Sadly, I think the ‘something off’ is with me. I’m losing interest in writing again; maybe it’s writers block? I’m going to go ahead and finish this fiction first, before my others, and go on with my new fic ‘To Know The Human Heart.’

Thanks for keeping with this story, it is winding down, promise.


Summary: Riley ‘tricks’ Buffy into coming to the mansion. Buffy realizes, too late, that both she and Spike are in great danger.


Buffy answered her cell phone, after checking the caller ID. ‘Crap,’ she sighed in frustration, ‘Riley.’

“Baby,” Riley’s tone seemed somewhat colder then usual, Buffy noted. “I’ve got some bad news,” he continued evenly.

“What is it?” Buffy asked with a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach. “What is it, Riley?” She inquired again, trying to keep the panic out of her voice.

“Your dad, Hank, he called me, just a minute ago. Buffy I don’t know how to tell you this but your mother is extremely ill. She’s in a hospital, in Tuscany and…..”

“Oh God, Riley!” Buffy gasped in shock. “Why? What, how? I mean what is it? What happened to my mother? Why didn’t dad call me?”

“I guess he tried but he couldn’t get you,” Riley muttered. “He says he tried and tried all night, but…..”

Buffy felt like she was going to be sick. Indeed, she had turned off her cell phone, all night. Just so William and she could be alone, completely, undisturbed. Will had left his cell phone on, just in case his mother might call regarding Dawn.

“You’d better get over here, Babe,” Riley sighed heavily. “Your dad is kind of using the mansion as a central call station. I’m thinking that if you’re here, then there won’t be lost time playing phone tag. You can make arrangements, to get to Italy that is, from here. It’s serious, baby, and I’ll send Graham over to drive you home.”

“No,” Buffy cried in response. “I’ll grab a quick shower and drive myself over there. I can’t imagine why Daddy called and bothered you,” she continued, perplexed. “I’ve had the cell on; can’t imagine why…..” her voice trailed off, meekly, at her easy lie.

‘Lying bitch,’ Riley roared inside his own head. ‘You fucking little whore! I’ll rip you apart myself, with my bare hands for this betrayal!’


Buffy rushed into the mansion after parking her car in the huge, circular driveway. She swept past Graham who was looking at her, rather oddly, really.

“Has Dad called again?” Buffy exclaimed excitedly after she sought out Riley and found him in his study. “I’ve called and called him, for an hour since you called, but…..”

Buffy froze; stalk still, in her tracks when she saw the cold, murderous look in Riley’s dark eyes. Suddenly, she was not so sure why she was here, now. Or, why that sinking feeling in her tummy suddenly seemed like an abyss of terror. Fear seeped up from Buffy’s stomach and seemed to clutch at her throat with its cold icy tendrils.

“What is it?” Buffy rasped, ashamed of the insecurity in her voice. “Is it mom? Is she worse,” she inquired, trying to keep her panic under control.

“As far as I know,” Riley began coolly, “your mother is fine as wine. Since your father called me ‘last night’ and told me they were having the time of their lives in Tuscany? I’m assuming that’s exactly what it is. Oh, except Hank was a little confused as to where Dawn is now.”

Buffy felt her stomach drop, immediately, as her mind scrambled to digest this bit of information. ‘Game over,’ her brain registered automatically.

‘He lied,’ she thought, almost shocked, though why she should be? ‘Riley lied about Mom. Oh shit! He knows Summers. He knows about Dawn; my motives and probably even about William and me.’ Buffy felt like someone had kicked her in the head because she couldn’t quite put more then two thoughts together at present.

“I’m leaving,” Buffy suddenly blurted bravely as she turned to flee Riley’s study. When she turned the door handle, however, she found the door locked from the outside.

‘Graham,’ Buffy surmised silently. Turning around to face off with Riley, she was surprised to find that he’d stealthily closed the gap between them. At the moment, Riley Finn was less then a foot away from her; close enough for Buffy to see the pain, and rage in his deep brown eyes.

“How long?” Riley growled as he reached out to grab Buffy’s slim arms with his huge hands.

Buffy raised her fair right brow and asked silently ‘how long what?’

“How long; you and Sinclair, Buffy? How long have you been fucking him? And maybe more importantly, why are you fucking him?” Riley asked the question evenly enough, but Buffy could hear the pain of betrayal in his tone. For some reason, it hurt her.

“Riley,” Buffy began carefully, “let me go,” she ordered quietly. He didn’t.

“Riley,” she began again, trying to keep from angering him even more. “Please, Riley, let me go. Let me leave here. You seem to know about Will, I mean Spike and me, so…..”

“Doubtful,” Riley grunted with a smirk, “about the letting you leave shit.” With that, Finn flung Buffy against a nearby wall, causing her to hit her head. She lost consciousness as she slid to the cold black and white tiled floor of the study.

Buffy woke up, slowly, and found herself lying on the cold black leather couch in Riley’s study. Riley himself was sitting on the matching leather chair, across from her. His dark eyes; calculating and cold were trained on her; causing a chill to run up and down her spine.

“Happy wake up, Sleeping Beauty,” Riley mumbled sarcastically, taking a long drink from a tumbler of some kind of alcohol.

‘God, only morning and he’s already drinking?’ Buffy thought, a little surprised by this. Riley had usually been careful with his drinking habits. Suddenly, a sobering thought hit Buffy and she glanced at the huge clock over the stone fireplace mantel.

“Yeah, it’s nearly noon, sweetheart,” Riley chuckled wickedly. “I guess you know that lover boy is due here any minute, huh?”

“Riley…..” Buffy stammered dryly, her throat and mouth felt like an arid desert.

“Don’t even start, Buffy,” Riley barked abruptly. “No matter how innocent you pretend to be in this? Spike Sinclair knew from the start that you were mine and…..”

“I’ve never been yours,” Buffy retorted with a low, soft growl of her own. “You’ve held me hostage for nearly seven years, Riley. You are an evil, inhuman monster; nothing more. You used my family, my child and even my friends as ransom to keep me with you. That doesn’t make me your lover, Finn,” she spat with disgust. “It makes me your captive. One that detests the sight of you!”

“Pretty fucking brave words, bitch!” Riley grunted, standing up and slamming his tumbler on the end table next to the chair. “Sad part is that you’re in no position for bravery and when your fuck buddy gets here? You’ll both be at my mercy, now won’t you?”

He shot her a sly, drunken grin and Buffy felt a tremor of terror shoot through her sore body. Buffy could see the hurt in his angry dark eyes. Her ugly words had cut him, no matter how much macho bravado he tried to show.

“What the fuck would ‘you’ know about mercy, Finn,” Buffy spat back at him. “You wouldn’t know mercy or compassion if they came up and bit you on your pompous ass!”

Spike followed Graham into Finn’s study, an odd feeling in the pit of his stomach. He had seen Buffy’s car, parked in front of the mansion and thought it weird that she had not called him and told him she’d be there.

‘Something’s off,’ Spike reasoned, the hairs on the back of his neck stood up. His sense of eminent danger was on high alert, but he knew he had to go inside; see Riley, and Buffy.

When Spike entered the study, he was met with a horrific scene. Riley hovered over Buffy, who was lying on a black leather couch. From where he stood at the door, Spike could tell something was wrong here, especially with his Buffy.

“Buffy?” Spike gasped in shock, rushing to her side before he could stop himself.

“Will,” Buffy whispered in desperation, “get out of here! He knows, Will,” she rasped, still groggy from being passed out. “Riley knows all about us.”


A/N: I’ll probably update this as soon as possible. It’s gotten too long as it is and I’m trying to concentrate on the fics I have out there.

Thanks for reading and please review, spufette.

Chapter 23: ‘Who’s Behind Door #1’


Summary: Spike and Buffy are in dire danger! So is Xander for that matter when Spike tries to make a deal with Riley, to save Buffy, but will he take it?

The title might make some sense by the end of this chapter.

A/N: I’m hoping this chapter gives you readers a bit of a surprise!!!


“Riley knows all about us, Will,” Buffy whispered desperately into her lover’s ear. Spike felt the tremor of fear rush through her body and saw the terror in her eyes.

Spike turned and faced his nemesis, Riley Finn, with a murderous glare. “Let her go, Finn,” he roared loudly. “Let her go and I’ll…..”

Riley began to laugh, maniacally, and spat, “you’re in no fucking position to make demands, Sinclair. In fact, you’re in deeper shit then my Buffy is!”

“She’s ‘my’ Buffy, Finn,” Spike growled, still clutching Buffy’s hand in his. “In fact,” the blond agent mimicked Riley’s snarky tone, “she can’t stand the fucking sight of you mate. Buffy figured out what a bloody monster you really are, years ago.”

“You’re not my mate, asshole,” Riley replied coldly through clenched teeth. “As for Buffy,” he continued smugly, “she’ll do what she’s told. Yeah, I’ve got a lot of persuasion over our girl there,” the dark haired thug smirked at Buffy who still lay on the couch.

“The fact is, Sinclair,” Finn continued as he pushed the intercom button on the wall. “Buffy is pretty simple, really,” he chuckled sarcastically. “Kind of like a little puppy,” he chuckled evilly. Riley winked at Buffy smugly.

Spike’s jaw clenched and he clasped on to Buffy’s little hand, tightly. “Buffy is not your puppy, Finn. She’s her own woman and…..”

“Buffy does what she’s told and obeys all of her master’s commands. Since I’m her master? She’ll come back around when I find that little bitch she’s hidden and…..” Riley’s voice trailed off and his face scrunched up in thought.

“You’re not my master, Riley,” Buffy retorted haughtily. “You’ll never be my master again. As for my daughter? You won’t find her, ever, not in a million years!” Buffy nestled into William’s strong arms and glared at Riley with daggers in her green eyes.

Riley hit the intercom button and spoke quickly, “Graham, Forrest, get in here,” he ordered. “Now,” he added gruffly. The two men entered the study and stood guard by the door.

“You know,” Riley began again in a quiet, deadly tone, “I just thought of something,” he hissed. The huge dark man closed in on Spike and Buffy, staring into Buffy’s fearful green eyes.

“Buffy there,” he pointed at his so called fiancé, “she’s simple, sometimes, and naïve, most of the time? The girl can make some major fucking mistakes, but she’s not a true slut, by nature that is. There’s no way little saintly Buffy Summers would have jumped into bed with ‘you’ so quickly unless….” He paused and gazed at Buffy again, then turned his angry glare on Spike.

“That tells me something super important,” Riley pursed his lips and glared back at Buffy. He rested his weak chin into his meaty right hand and his brown eyes were narrowed into slits.

“Super?” Spike inquired with a raised left eyebrow. “Tell me, Finn, did you study at Julliard to learn how to ‘talk’ like a real surfer dude or….”

“That tells me that ‘my’ Buffy knew you before, even before you came here. And that,” Finn rasped harshly, completely ignoring Spike’s slap at him. “Now that I think about it,” he continued in a gravelly voice, “Buffy did act fucking weird from day one of your arrival, Sinclair. “I think there may be a good chance that…..”

“So you’re actually ‘thinking’ now, Finn,” Spike retorted with a smirk. “Don’t let the pain of it hurt your bloody head,” he finished with a snort.

Spike glanced at Buffy, who was white as a ghost and his heart seemed to stop beating in his chest.

‘Oh, Jesus, Buffy’s terrified,’ he confirmed to himself. Buffy looked as if she was staring at death itself. Spike scrambled, mentally, to think of some way out of this mess, at least for her. He then glared back up at Finn who looked nearly as pale as Buffy for some reason.

“Jesus Christ!” Finn exclaimed wildly, as if he’d found the cure for cancer. “You’re the fucking sperm donor for the little bitch, Dawn, aren’t you?”

“Don’t bloody talk about Buffy and our daughter like that!” Spike barked angrily, lunging at Riley. He was caught, mid-air, by Graham and Forrest, who captured Spike in their vice-like grips.

“Tie this fuck up,” Riley roared his order at his men. Graham held Spike in a chair while Forrest tied him with a heavy rope.

“What? You keep rope sittin’ around, Finn? I mean, just for occasions like this?” Spike snarked, trying to cover his fear for Buffy’s and his own safety.

“Riley, please don’t do this,” Buffy whimpered, rising from the couch, shakily. “Just let us go, please,” she continued, “why do you care, really? I don’t love you; I never have. Why try to hold me or punish us,” she pointed at Will then herself. “Why hold me to you, Riley, when I don’t love you and you’ve always known that?”

“Love’s highly over-rated, babe,” Riley hissed as he watched his minions tie up Spike Sinclair, to an easy chair.

‘Easy chair,’ Riley chuckled to himself sardonically. ‘There’s nothing going to be ‘easy’ for you Sinclair,’ he reasoned with a wicked gleam in his dark eyes.

“Riley, please…” Buffy began again, but Riley pushed her back down on the couch.

Spike tried to leap out of the chair, but it was no use, he was secured too well in it. With a cry of rage, Spike pulled at the ropes that bound him to the plush chair.

“Leave Buffy alone!” Spike roared like a lion, protecting his mate. “I swear to God, Finn, when I get out of here…..”


“Don’t be such an ungrateful fucking prick,” Riley snorted, flopping his ass down next to Buffy on the couch. “That chair you’re tied to costs more then most dudes make in a year. As I see it, I’m being pretty fucking gracious, Sinclair. I could just have your ass thrown on the floor while my guys there beat the shit out of you. Damn, man, be thankful that I have some class!”

“There isn’t an inch of class in your sorry ass, Riley,” Buffy hissed from her place on the couch. “Spike has more class in his left ball then you have in your whole worthless body,” she spat in disgust.

“I’d be careful if I were you little girl,” Riley hissed, his voice was venomous and hateful. “If you’re a good little well behaved cunt? Maybe at least ‘you’ can get out of this, still intact and still my bitch.” Finn reached over and ran his hand down Buffy’s pale face, obviously stung when she cringed at his touch.

“Don’t touch her!” Spike growled through gritted teeth.

“I’ll do as I fucking please, asshole,” Riley hissed, grabbing Buffy around her shoulders and pulling her to him, roughly.

“Like I said, Sinclair,” Finn rasped, “you have no control here, at all. Buffy belongs to me; she always has and she always will!”

“Over my dead body,” Spike hissed angrily.

“That’ll be arranged,” Riley quipped as he placed a sloppy kiss on the top of Buffy’s golden head.

“Don’t touch me, asshole,” Buffy barked, trying to pull away from Riley. “I’ll never let you touch me again, you fucking moron,” she finished by biting Riley’s meaty hand.

“Fucking bitch!” Riley cried, clasping his in pain. “You drew blood, you little cunt!” He roared and then slapped her, hard, across her face.

Buffy fell back against the couch, whimpering in pain herself. Spike bellowed like a bull and tried again to escape from the ropes he was tied with. To no avail.

“I doubt you’ll be getting out of there too soon, alive that is,” Graham laughed wickedly. Forrest held Spike down in the chair, as if he needed to.

Spike gazed at Buffy, his blue eyes filled with sorrow for her. He took a deep calming breath and glared back at Riley. After he swallowed hard, Spike spoke, quietly:

“Let Buffy go, Finn. Let her go and I see to it that you don’t suffer too much, in prison that is.”

“Will,” Buffy whimpered, “no!”



Riley looked at Spike as if he’d grown two heads. “What the fuck! I thought your real name was Randalph or some such shit, Sinclair.” He asked in shock; his mouth was gaped open like a hooked fish.

“I’m with the FBI, Finn,” Spike stated evenly, “I’m an undercover agent and you’re my target. If you let Buffy go, now? I’ll make sure that things will go easier for you, in court I mean. You know it’s over, Finn; it’s been over for you for years. All’s you’ve been doing is marking time, staying one step ahead of the law. When you murdered Meers, among others, you sealed your fate.”



Riley just stood, frozen in place, still in shock apparently. The huge man just stood and listened in disbelief as Spike rambled on.

“We’ve had you cornered for a long time, Finn,” Spike continued. “Think about it; if I could go undercover, infiltrate your organization and get this close to you? My real name is William Giles, sound familiar? I scammed Harrington and your monkey boys back east, everyone. I’m good at what I do and my father is Rupert Giles, who, by the way, I called before I got here today. I knew something was off, Finn, so I called my old man and he’s probably on the way, even now. You’re truly fucked, Riley. “

Spike couldn’t help but shoot Riley a sadistic smirk, just before Graham belted him in the jaw with his fist. The blond felt his jawbone crack and the searing pain that accompanied it.

“Graham,” Riley rasped, his dark eyes never left Spike’s. “You and Forrest go pay that little worm, Alec Harrington a visit. I don’t believe Giles here for a minute. Even if Spikey is tellin’ the truth? Harrington is no loss to us. Go take him out, just in case,” Riley barked harshly. Then he turned his hate-filled gaze to Buffy who still lay on the couch, her face already dark with a bruise from his slap.

Buffy felt physically sicker then even before. She could not get the vision of the man she’d come to know as Alec Harrington out of her mind’s eye. All Buffy could envision was the kind-hearted FBI agent, William’s friend and partner in the law. The thought of Riley’s men murdering the poor clueless man broke Buffy’s heart. That and the thought of Xander’s devastated fiancé made Buffy want to scream, desperate for air.

“You knew, didn’t you?” Riley asked Buffy in a deadly calm tone. “You knew who Sinclair really was and you fucked him anyway, didn’t you!” Finn nearly leapt back onto the couch and grabbed Buffy. He shook her, hard, and slapped her again, in the same spot on her face.

“Riley,” Buffy screamed as she flinched away from him. “I…..” she began, but William cut her off.

“Buffy didn’t know anything about me, Finn,” Spike exclaimed. “She had no idea what I’d become, not until after…..”

“Until what, Giles? Until you had already fucked her?” Riley growled with bared teeth. He still had Buffy by the arms and was tightening his vice-like grip on her.

‘Jesus,’ Spike thought in horror, ‘the fuck will snap Buffy’s little arms like twigs if he squeezes any harder.’

“Boss, are you sure you want us to go?” Graham stuttered, just a bit unsure of himself or the situation, suddenly.

“Get the fuck out and do what you’re told!” Riley roared like a lion. “Now!” He screamed wildly.

Graham and Forrest hurried out of the study and slammed the door behind them. Riley turned his enraged glare back at Buffy.

“You’ll make it out of here today, baby, alive that is,” Riley hissed into Buffy’s ashen face. “But lover boy over there is dead for sure. Do you understand what you’ve done, bitch? You’ve betrayed me, Riley Finn and served your fuck toy up on a silver platter to me. I don’t share what’s mine, Buffy and ‘you’ of all people should have known better!”

“I’m gonna’ give you a break though, sweetheart,” Finn grunted, pulling Buffy up from the couch as he stood. He strode over to where Spike was tied up, dragging Buffy with him.

“Let’s say I actually believe asshole here,” he nodded at Spike just before he kicked the bound man in his groin. Spike let out a groan of pain.

“Oh, Will,” Buffy whimpered in sympathy, trying to reach out for him. “I’m so sorry,” she cried.

“Let’s say I really buy the ‘she didn’t know who I was, really’ bullshit,” Riley continued smugly, ignoring the lovers’ agony.

“Well, maybe I just will force myself to buy into his crap and after he’s out of the picture? You and me ‘will’ get married and go on, just as planned. Understood, Princess?” Riley clenched his jaw and held Buffy up, her feet dangling above the floor so he could face her at eye level.

Buffy began to shake her head, slowly, back and forth. “No,” she whispered under her breath. “I’ll never let you touch me again, and for the record? Will being an FBI agent just made our love making together that much better, Riley! Every time he fucked me; I thought about him taking you down and came immediately!” Buffy grinned evilly at Riley, then spit directly into his smug face.

Riley shoved Buffy down on the floor then placed his booted foot into her chest to hold her down. “Suppose I fuck you, right here and now, sweetheart? Do you think lover boy there could ever look at you the same if I did that, right in front of him?”

Buffy tried to slide away from under Riley’s boot but to no avail. The huge man was just too heavy and strong for her to escape.

“God damn you, Finn,” Spike hissed at Riley’s back, the pain in his voice betraying him. “Get the fuck away from her you idiot. She’s no harm to you. Why can’t you…..”

Suddenly, the study door flew open and Andrew burst inside. In his hand he carried what appeared to be a 357 magnum.

“Get the hell away from Miss Summers, Finn,” Andrew roared at Riley, cocking the gun and pointing right at Riley’s head.


A/N: Okay, so I hope this was kind of a surprising twist. I’m not really happy with this chapter, but I couldn’t seem to write it in any other way.

Next chapter? What will happen to our Spuffy couple; Andrew, Xander and yes, even Riley? Stay tuned.

Thanks for reading and please review, spufette.

Chapter 24: ‘Retribution’


Summary: Retribution is explained in the dictionary as: Something given; in most cases as just punishment or repayment/recompense.

Riley just may get what’s coming to him!

A/N: This is almost done now; I hope you read and enjoy. Thanks, spufette.





“You’ve got to be fucking kidding!” Riley laughed loudly; a nasty smirk on his mouth. He directed his sarcasm at Andrew, his gofer, who now pointed a Magnum 357 at his head.

“When did you get some balls, Andy?” Riley asked as he took a step closer to the young man at the study door.

“Move away from Miss Summers, Mr. Finn,” Andrew rasped, his pale eyes scanned the situation as he challenged Riley with his stern glare. As always, Andrew’s demeanor was polite etiquette, to the end.

“Please, Mr. Finn, I will ask you again to remove your foot from Miss Summers’ chest and move away from her,” Andrew ordered his employer again.

“As for my balls?” Andrew stammered with a bright red blush. “I’ve always had them,” he finished with a frown. “I’m just good at hiding them from time to time,” the fair-haired man smirked at his employer. “Right now, I’ve decided to show them in public.”

“Right,” Riley drawled as he finally removed his booted foot from Buffy’s chest. “What? You’re full of piss and vinegar because you have a magnum Andy? That makes you a real man, right?” Riley chuckled and began to close the gap between Andrew and himself.

“Please Mr. Finn,” Andrew rasped as he pointed his gun at Riley’s right kneecap. “I’ll ask you to not step any closer to myself or Miss Summers and Mr. Giles.” Andrew tried to look as menacing as possible, even though his hand that held the gun gave his inner fear away. Andrew’s gun hand trembled, visibly.

“So even you know who this fuck really is,” Riley growled at Andrew, his glare was directed at Spike.

“I do,” Andrew admitted with a nod of his fair head. “I’m rather proud to say that I had a hand in Mr. Giles’ and Miss Buffy’s reunion. In fact, I instigated it,” Andrew finished smugly, his gun now pointed, again at Riley’s big head.

“This is bullshit,” Riley snarled as he pulled out a cell phone from his pant’s pocket. He hit a speed dial button and held the phone up to his ear, carefully watching Andrew while he did.

“You’ll be sorry you were ever born Andrew,” Riley grumbled.

“If you’re planning on calling Graham or Forrest, Mr. Finn, don't bother. I wouldn’t bother,” Andrew stated evenly. Andrew pulled a cell phone out of his own pocket and held it up for everyone to see.

“What the fuck,” Riley muttered when he heard Graham’s cell ringtone; White Zombie’s Astrocreep, play out of the phone in Andrew’s hand.

“Let’s just say Graham and Forrest are ‘indisposed’ at the moment,” Andrew chuckled, tossing the useless phone on a nearby table.

“What the fuck did you do to Graham and…..” Riley asked in total shock. “What the fuck is this!” Finn roared, totally unprepared for this turn of events.

“This is retribution, Mr. Finn,” Andrew replied evenly. “This is pay back to you, for all of the monstrous acts you’ve committed. As for your men?”

“I stopped them from doing their master’s bidding, this time,” Andrew rasped. “At least this time I ‘could’ stop them,” he added sadly. “It’s too late for Warren, but…..”

“What did you do, Andrew?” Buffy asked softly, almost afraid to hear the answer. She gazed at William who surprisingly, did not seem all that surprised by this nuclear Andrew who stood before them.

“They’re locked up, in the parlor, Miss Summers,” Andrew grinned proudly at Buffy, then Spike. “I, shall we say, took the two men by surprise and delivered my own brand of a Vulcan death grip, simultaneously on them both.” Andrew beamed smugly at Riley who looked as if he was about to drop dead of a heart attack.

Spike was not in the least bit surprised by Andrew’s new sense of bravado. ‘It’s always the quiet, unassuming ones,’ Spike thought to himself. ‘They always turn out to be the heroes,’ he nearly laughed out loud at this ironic realization.

“Mr. Harris, that’s Mr. Harrington’s true name, Finn,” Andrew began. “I rang him and told him what was going on. He and your father’s men should be here soon, Mr. Spike.”

“Why?” Riley muttered harshly. “I hired you,” he stammered, still shocked by this turn of events. “I took you into this house and gave you a good living. How could you turn against me Andrew?” Riley looked as if he was at death’s door (he has no idea!).

“You murdered Warren you monster,” Andrew whispered. “You may not have pulled the trigger but you ordered your minions to do it. I loved him,” the young man wailed, “and you killed him without a second thought!”

“You fucking little maggot,” Riley spat viciously at Andrew, ignoring the gun in his shaky hand. “You’d betray me for a loser like Warren Meers? And them?” He pointed at Spike and Buffy who just sat, gazing at each other, lovingly.

“Betray you! You fucking piece of shit!” Andrew gasped just before he broke out into derisive laughter. “Me betray you? After what you’ve done, you can call ‘me’ a maggot? You stupid asshole! You murdered the man I loved; held Miss Summers hostage by threatening Miss Dawn and you have the fucking gall to say ‘I’ betrayed you?”

Andrew cocked the magnum and steadied his aim to directly between Riley’s eyes. “Say your prayers, Finn,” Andrew hissed; his defiant blue eyes held Riley’s brown ones.

“Don’t do this, Andrew, please,” Buffy whimpered softly from her position on the couch. “If you shoot Riley? They’ll consider it murder and…..” She looked to her lover, William, begging him silently with her green eyes.

“Do something. Talk Andrew out of this, Will, please,” she murmured evenly.

“Andrew, boy, don’t do this,” Spike ordered the young man, gently. “Finn’s not worth it and Buffy is right. If you kill him? You’ll go to trial and…..”

“And if I don’t?” Andrew asked with a tilt of his head, his eyes never leaving Riley’s. “Say I just tie him up; free you two and let the so called law take its course? What then? Riley here gets a hot shot lawyer to shorten a mandatory sentence and he’s out of Federal prison in a few years. Then what?”

“Then what!” Andrew roared angrily. “Do you think that any of our lives will be worth spit when this miserable fuck gets out of jail? Miss Buffy? What do you say?”

“I…..” Buffy began defensively but she couldn’t finish; Andrew’s truthful words hit home too hard for her.

“Andrew,” Spike interjected, “Finn’s not worth it,” he repeated. “I swear to God, he’ll go to jail for a long, long time and ‘if’ he ever gets out? He probably won’t even remember any of us.”

Spike watched Andrew, carefully, trying to clock his next move. The FBI agent’s stomach sunk when he read the hatred in Andrew’s face and realized that he’d never be able to talk the man out of anything now.

“I’m going to give you something you probably never gave anyone, Finn,” Andrew muttered gruffly.

“What would that be, boy?” Riley asked roughly, his brown eyes full of unusual fear.

“I’m going to let you pray to your God before I blow your head off, asshole,” Andrew replied calmly. “You’ve got until the count of ten, Mr. Finn,” he added with a leer. “Starting now.”

“One…” Andrew began quietly, his gun still aimed at Riley’s head.

“Andrew, please,” Buffy whispered, her face was white as a ghost’s.

“Two…” Andrew said calmly.

“Don’t do this Andrew; let the law take care of it and….” Spike pleaded with him. Even though he was gazing at Buffy, lovingly, trying to reassure her.

“Three…” Andrew continued evenly, “you’d better start praying for your immortal soul, Finn,” he advised. “You’ve got a lot to beg forgiveness for and…..”

“You fucking little prick,” Riley interrupted in a high-pitched voice. Riley suddenly seemed very nervous. “Like you have the balls to shoot me? You’re as weak as your boyfriend, Meers! You don’t have the fucking nuts to kill a flea you…..”

“Ten…” Andrew stated evenly as he pulled the trigger of the magnum.

Buffy heard the gunshot; heard William’s gruff curse of ‘oh bloody Christ’ and heard the gun hit the floor with a loud thump.

When she felt the warm, wet rush of Riley’s blood and brains splatter all over her pretty dress and the expensive couch? Buffy began to scream uncontrollably.


A/N: This fiction has gone on way way longer then I had planned and I apologize. There is one more chapter and perhaps an epilogue left.

Thanks for reading and please, please review, spufette.

ALL MANNER OF MONSTERS


Chapter 25: ‘Head Of The Monster’


Summary: The aftermath of the violent end to Riley Finn!


Chapter 25:


“Buffy!” Spike cried wildly, “Buffy, please, baby, calm down!” He begged his lover as she continued to scream uncontrollably.

‘Oh, Jesus,’ Spike groaned, ‘Finn’s blood and brains, all over Buffy’s pretty dress.’ Spike dared to look at what was left of Riley Finn’s face and felt a rush of physical sickness overwhelm him.

“Buffy,” Spike rasped, “please, please baby, calm down. For me, please,” he pleaded again, unable to reach her with his bound hands. Andrew had still neglected to untie either Spike or Buffy; which made sense really. The poor kid was standing, frozen in shock at the horror of just what he had done.

Buffy heard William’s pleas and forced herself to really listen to them. She knew she ‘had’ to calm down and get hold of herself, especially before the law actually arrived at the Finn mansion.

“Oh God, Oh God, Oh God,” Buffy began to wail mournfully, unable to really look at her dead ex-lover on the floor of his own study. “Cover him up,” she begged Andrew, her gaze was still focused on the bloodied hem of her dress. “Please Andrew,” Buffy cried again, “cover his head and face at least,” she wailed desperately.

Andrew seemed to have heard Buffy’s desperate pleas, finally coming out of his shell-shocked daze. The young man shook his fair head and slowly walked over to a recliner that had an afghan cover on it. He slipped the cover off of the chair and placed it, carefully over Riley’s bullet mangled face.

“I…” Andrew sputtered the first words from his mouth since he had shot Finn. “I don’t know what…” he choked out, a glazed look of shock in his blue eyes.

“Untie me, Andrew,” Spike ordered the stunned young man in a fairly calm voice. “Now, Andrew,” he stated evenly, his indigo eyes kept watch on Buffy. He saw that she, at least, had controlled herself enough to stop her mournful wailing and chanting.

“Andrew,” Spike hissed harshly at the young man, afraid he was losing him. “Untie me at least. I’ll take it from here, okay,” he added.

“Okay, Mr. Giles,” Andrew mumbled. He stumbled over to where Spike was tied into the chair and began to work the ropes that bound him.

“I’m sorry Mr. Giles,” Andrew rambled remorsefully, “I should have untied you, much sooner but…there,” he grunted when he had loosened that final knot.

Spike tossed the loose ropes from his arms and hurried to the couch, to Buffy. He kneeled in front of her and took her hands in his.

“Please, baby,” he murmured softly, tenderly stroking her blood splattered tiny hands. “I love you so much. You have to stay somewhat calm here, for me,” he finished by kissing taking her in his embrace.

“I, I can do it. I can stay calm, baby,” Buffy stammered harshly as she glanced over at Riley’s covered body. The blood from Riley’s death wound was now seeping into the afghan, spreading in both directions from his face.

“We have to think fast and clearly, Princess,” Spike murmured. He was still holding on to her so tightly it was a wonder she could take a breath.

“I can hear sirens now, sweetheart,” Spike whispered into her ear. “We have to act, quickly, to help out Andrew. Understand?”

Buffy pulled back and looked into William’s blue eyes. She could see the worry and yes, even the horror in his eyes. It made her body tremble all over again.

“I love you too,” she murmured, cupping Will’s chiseled face with her hands. “What can we do, to help Andrew,” she asked in a shaky voice.

Spike barked ‘Andrew’ at the young man gruffly as he turned to face him. The FBI agent could see that the poor kid was absolutely frozen horror now.

‘It’s finally hitting him,’ Spike surmised correctly. ‘Andrew’s just figured out what he’s truly done and what the repercussions might be.’

“Andrew,” Buffy gently called to her friend. “Please listen to William, okay? Will’s going to help you, Andrew, but you have to pay attention and follow his instructions. Okay?” She pleaded in a low, raspy tone.

“O…okay Miss Summers,” Andrew mumbled hoarsely, his eyes wide with fear. “But that’s ‘my’ gun,” the young man pointed his shaking finer at the offensive piece of metal on the floor in front of them.

“This is what we’re going to do and say to the others when they get here, understood?” Spike stood up and walked over to Andrew quickly, taking his hand and placing it on the young’s man’s trembling shoulder. This forced Andrew to look directly into Spike’s hard eyes.

Andrew just nodded his head while Buffy whispered a quick ‘yes’ from her place on the couch. Spike frowned, briefly, then began to speak in an even, authoritive voice:

“You realized what was happening Andrew and you grabbed your gun, the one you use for protection. You then coerced Graham and Forrest into a room and locked them in. Right?”

“Right Mr. Giles,” Andrew replied in a slow mumble.

“After you’d secured them, Finn’s minions, you burst your way into this study and ordered Mr. Finn, at gunpoint to release me and get away from Buffy. Correct?”

“Yes, Mr. Giles,” Andrew responded mechanically.

Spike continued:

“Riley balked and threatened ‘you’ then he made a move towards you. You, Andrew, fired a warning shot at the ceiling.” Spike leaned down, grabbed the gun and with both hands, shot the ceiling himself.

“But, Mr. Giles,” Andrew whimpered in terror, “I didn’t shoot the ceiling and……”

“That’ll explain why ‘you’ have gun powder on your hands, Andrew,” Spike explained calmly.

“After that, Riley got your point and untied me,” Spike began again. “You then turned your gun over to me and I went to check on Buffy. Riley started for us; you cried out a warning to me and I turned and shot Finn in self defense.”

“But, but I shot Riley,” Andrew sputtered in a half-hearted voice. “He was a monster, he had Warren murdered and…..”

“And dozens of others,” Buffy interjected in an unusually harsh tone. She stood up, ignoring the blood on her dress and the body on the floor.

“Riley murdered more people then we’ll ever know.” Buffy rasped as she welcomed William’s embrace about her shoulders. “He ‘was’ a monster, Riley was,” Buffy continued sadly. “He deserved everything he got and then some.”

“If you take the fall for Finn’s death, Andrew,” Spike began, “you’ll have to be tried. In the Federal courts, I'm afraid, Andrew. Do you have any idea what that means?”

“I…I,” Andrew hissed, his face as white as a ghosts.

“It’ll mean that the best you can hope for is a manslaughter charge, Andrew,” Spike answered for him. “It’ll mean that at the least and maybe even a second degree homicide charge. You’re a good bloke, Andrew. But the courts and laws are made for men like Riley Finn. Think about this; could you possibly make it in a county jail? How about Federal prison, mate? How long…..” Spike was interrupted by Buffy.

“You wouldn’t last a day, Andrew,” Buffy whispered sympathetically. “Not even an hour, honey,” she finished with a sniff.

“I can’t let you take the blame, Mr. Giles,” Andrew began carefully. “I couldn’t live with myself if……”

“Personally, I think you deserve a fucking medal, Andrew,” Spike snorted. “But like I said, the courts won’t look at it that way. This way, if I say ‘I’ shot Finn? It’ll be in the line of duty and you’re home clear.”

Andrew looked at the ground, then at Riley’s already cold body. “I’m not a coward Miss Summers, Mr. Giles. I just…..”

“Accept it, Andrew,” Buffy whispered as she pulled the young man in for a hug. “Please,” she whispered into his ear, “for me?”


Before Andrew could answer, the study doors flew open and at least twenty or more various law enforcement personnel burst inside. Led, unsurprisingly enough; by Rupert Giles and Xander Harris.

“Okay, Mr. Giles,” Andrew hissed fearfully. “I’ll back your story,” he squeaked.

“Son!” Rupert Giles cried with relief when he spied his only child standing next to Buffy Summers. Rupert was silently thrilled that both his son and the mother of his granddaughter seemed all right.

“Dad,” Spike responded in confusion, unused to this emotional persona of his usually calm father. Actually, he had never been so damned happy to see his formidable father in his life. The blond FBI agent was never so shocked before in his life, either. Not so much as when the usually stoic Rupert Giles grasped his son and pulled him to his body.

“Oh Jesus, William,” Rupert rasped emotionally; barely able to conceal his tears of joy. “I thought I’d lost you,” he finished with another sigh of relief.

“Not that lucky, Pops,” Spike chuckled sarcastically with a smirk. “You know you’ll never lose me, Old Man,” he added affectionately, allowing old Rupert to hug him tightly.

Rupert pulled back, finally and glanced over at the young, tiny blond woman who stood, smiling next to his son. The older man smiled weakly and mumbled, “you must be Buffy, eh?” He gave his future daughter-in-law a warm, loving grin.


“Is that Finn?” Xander grunted, pointing to the still body on the floor. Harris grimaced as he noted the large amounts of blood that pooled around the huge body.

“Yeah,” Spike replied evenly. “After Andrew here saved the day? Finn went for Buffy and me. You know the old saying, Xander,” he grumbled, “cut off the head of the monster? The whole body dies.”

“Okay,” Xander grunted again with an indifferent shrug. “I guess the mighty do fall, huh?”

“They do,” Buffy whispered softly. She had left William’s side and now stood over Riley’s body.

“The mighty do fall, don’t they,” Buffy repeated Xander’s question.

Andrew stumbled over to Buffy and took her by the hand. “I’m sorry Miss Buffy,” he mumbled evenly, “but I…..”

“No,” Buffy sighed sadly. “You don’t need to be sorry, Andrew,” she whispered in response, squeezing his hand gently.

“Riley Finn ‘was’ a monster,” she continued mechanically. “He made his life and lived it by the blood and misery of others. Riley sealed his fate years ago and this was the only conclusion for him,” she finished in a strained voice.

Buffy looked down at the lifeless body of the man who had controlled Dawn’s life and her own for so many years. Riley had held Buffy, Dawn, Joyce and Hank, William and so many others hostage for so long. Now? He was dead and hopefully, everyone under his vicious thumb would be free forever more.


“It’s like you said Andrew,” Buffy murmured, “Riley ‘was’ a monster and this was his preordained fate from day one.”

She gazed down, almost indifferent to the sight of her dead captor. An old poem, something from an old tome came to Buffy’s mind:



“All manner of monsters,
They rule this world;
Through fear, control
And their lethal lies.


When heroes arise and
Their bravery unfurled?
They cut off the monster’s head,
And It’s cruel body dies”


A/N: Well, that’s basically the last chapter, folks. I’m definitely going to write another chapter or at least an epilogue (a long one!) to finish this story.

Thank you for reading and please review, spufette.

Epilogue:


Summary: This last installment of All Manner of Monsters takes place approximately three years after the last chapter. Life for Spike and Buffy, and their children (!) are considerably different now.


“Grandpa,” Dawn Giles called out excitedly as she skipped along the narrow farm path. “It’s nearly time for the baby colt to be born,” she insisted impatiently, tugging her Grandfather Giles’ strong hand.

“Patience little one,” Rupert Giles tsked affectionately to his only granddaughter. “We’ll get to the barn in time for the pony to born. We need to stop in at the house and pick up your father. Don’t you want your Da and baby William to see the miracle?”

“Sure I do,” the animated nine-year-old Dawn whined. “But my little brother’s probably pooped his pants again and needs a change. He’ll only hold us up, Gramps. Oh, I hope daddy and Will are ready to go to the barn. I just know we’ll miss the pony’s birth and…..”

“There now,” Rupert soothed the impatient child, “we’ll just stop, right quick at the house and gather up dad and the little sprog. Your mum is probably more then ready to take a break. Grandma Jenny has cake and tea for them, so they can have a real ladies’ social while we tend to Missy and her foal, eh?”

“Okay,” Dawn muttered reluctantly. “I guess we can ‘gather’ up daddy and Will.”

Dawn scrambled into her grandparent’s farm house, only to find her father, mother and little William in the kitchen. Grandma Jennifer was no where to be found.

“Where’s Gran Jenny?” Dawn bellowed loudly, scanning the kitchen for the older woman.

“She’s upstairs, Bit,” Spike informed his daughter patiently. “Mum’s here, on the phone with Grandma Joyce and…..”

For some reason, Dawn cringed a bit when her father had mentioned her Grandmother Summers. The young girl could hear her mother speaking in her low, soft tone with her own mother.

“I know Mom,” Buffy mumbled into the cordless phone receiver. “Yes, I know,” she repeated patiently, “but like I said, the ball is in your court and it’s you and dad that need to come to terms with it.” Buffy smiled lovingly at Dawn’s father, then at her.

Daddy held little William, Dawn’s baby brother on his lap even while he watched her very carefully. Dawn noticed that her father flinched, just a bit, from time to time, while her mother spoke on the phone.

“Like I told you Mom,” Buffy began again with a frustrated sigh. “You need to make the first move and offer the olive branch. I’m not going to even try and pretend that the last ten years have meant nothing to me, Mom. I will not pretend that I haven’t felt betrayed by you and dad. However, I do want you to really know your grandchildren and I am willing to allow some relationship between you, dad and ‘our’ children.”

Dawn watched, anxiously, as her mother tried to soothe her grandmother, at least somewhat. She had heard this before, Dawn had, at least a dozen times that she could remember. For some reason, it never bothered the girl for too very long; this mini-battle that went on between her mother, father and the rest of the Summers’family.

Buffy finally hung up the phone and flopped down by her husband at the kitchen table. “I give up,” she sighed in exasperation.

“Now, don’t do that sweetheart,” Spike murmured, stroking her arm with his free hand. “They ‘are’ your folks after all and……”

“They kind of gave up that right, didn’t they? A long time ago?” Buffy asked seriously, glancing at her blue-eyed daughter with concern.

“Family ‘is’ family, darling,” Spike continued somberly. “Someday, it’ll matter to our Bit and young Handsome here,” he grinned down at his half-sleeping son. “It’ll matter that they know both their sets of grandparents,” he finished with a sigh.

“I know, but……” Buffy began quietly, only to be interrupted by a very animated Dawnie.

“The colt’s going to be born Daddy! We won’t be there if we don’t go now,” Dawn whined impatiently.

“That’s right Bit,” Spike cooed at his only daughter. “We’d best be off, sweet,” he called over his shoulder at his wife, who hung about the kitchen table.

“Okay, but please don’t hang out too long there,” Buffy pleaded at her wild Giles/Summers brood. “Jenny’s made a lovely supper and I don’t want it ruined,” she warned lovingly.

“Won’t be,” Spike, Dawn and Giles chimed in. Baby William said nothing of course; he was only six months old.

“I’ve got that article, due in two days anyway,” Spike reminded his wife. “You’ve got that review of the new art show, at the MET, by next week,” he then reminded Buffy.

After the clan had departed, Jennifer Giles sat down next to her daughter-in-law at the kitchen table. She took Buffy’s hand in hers and squeezed it gently.

“Does he know yet?” Jennifer asked Buffy with a wry grin.

“Nope,” Buffy giggled in contentment. “I’m telling him, maybe tomorrow,” the blond added, patting her tummy tenderly.

“Boy or girl?” Jennifer asked slyly, gazing at her daughter-in-law’s flat tummy.

“I don’t know, yet, and I don’t care,” Buffy said with a satisfied smile. “We Summers/Giles pop out the best of the best; girls or boys,” she finished with a hearty laugh.

“That you do,” Jennifer chortled in reply.

“If it’s a girl? What will you name her do you think?” Jenny asked in a wistful tone.

“I’m thinking Jennifer,” Buffy murmured through sleepy eyes. “Or do you think that…..”

Jennifer broke in, excitedly, “I’d love it! I mean if it’s what you and my son really want. I’d just adore it!”

“Jennifer for a girl then,” Buffy giggled, “and I would have liked Alexander, for a boy,” she added with slight scowl. “For Will’s ex-partner from the FBI,” she continued. “But, Xander and Cordelia are expecting their first child, any day now and it’s definitely going to be a boy. Cordy would have my head on a platter if I mimicked her and named my son Alexander, so, I thought maybe Alec. The aka that Xander used for the case……” Buffy let her sentence trail off.

“Do you ever hear from ‘any’ of them?” Jennifer asked seriously.

“As a matter of fact,” Buffy replied with a smile, “I just got an E-Mail, from Andrew, just the other day. He loves the job at the Smithson eon. It’s right up his alley, he says. From what he writes, he’s found someone special and thinks he’s going to settle down with him.”

“Good,” Jennifer intoned, taking Buffy’s hand in hers. “How about that nice Mr. Angel O’Connor? How’s he doing?”

“We don’t hear too much from him,” Buffy sighed. “Of course, I never really met him anyway, but I guess Will knew him pretty well. After the mess in LA, with Riley? Angel moved over to Europe and set up his base of operations there. Since William has quit the Bureau and Dad (Rupert) has retired? Well, we don’t keep in touch with too many of the ‘guys’ and all.”

Buffy shrugged, almost non-chalantly and sipped her non-caffeine iced tea.

“I want to thank you again, Jenny,” Buffy stammered, “for encouraging Will in his career as a journalist. If it hadn’t been for you…..”

“Nonsense!” Jennifer Giles cried. “My son has always been cut out for a newspaper career, not some old stinky FBI job! That was for Rupert, well, for a while anyway,” the older woman grinned. “I always knew that I could eventually woo him away from the Bureau,” she finished with a wicked laugh.

“I love him,” Buffy stated out of the blue. “Will. I love him more then life itself,” she added quietly.

“I know,” Jenny replied evenly. “So does he,” the older woman added, “I mean the way he loves you; your children and how I know he’ll love this little one,” she finished with a tender pat of Buffy’s tummy.

“I miss my mom,” Buffy sighed wistfully. “She is my mom after all and……”

“And she will come around,” Jennifer finished the sentence for her lovely daughter-in-law. “Both your dad and mom will come around, Buffy, I promise.”

“I hope so,” Buffy murmured softly. “Until then,” she continued, “I have you, Dad Giles, my wonderful husband and two, no make that three great kids to see me through!”

“You do have that,” Jenny chuckled happily. “You’re a strong, amazing woman Buffy. I’m so glad my son loves you and you love him.”

“I’ve come to realize something, Jenny,” Buffy whispered. She focused her gaze and thoughts with the people she loved down at the barn.

“There are all manner of monsters in the world, Jenny,” Buffy murmured thoughtfully as she rubbed her tummy affectionately.

“However,” she added quickly, “there are all manner of true heroes and heroines to thwart them. It is the good, after all, that overcomes the evil.”




Finis


A/N: Thank you to everyone who has read this story and will read it. I tried my best and I hope you all enjoyed it; spufette.