The Map By LoobyLoo

Third story in the ‘Further Adventures of’ series
Pairings Buffy and Spike, Willow and Sam –
Rating eventually NC17
Disclaimer: This is just for fun, I own nothing and no characters, I just use them for my own selfish needs.




Chapter 1 - Homecoming

Sam paced the tiny arrivals lounge at Cornwall’s airport. It may only have one runway, but it was good enough to be bringing ‘his baby’ back to him, from Heathrow anyway – Where Willow had originally landed the day before from America.

Looking out Sam saw the plane come into land, and knew that Willow didn’t have any heavy luggage, that had been sent on to Oxford for Giles to look after until Willow got herself sorted out at the university in Exeter.

No customs to clear either, that meant she’d be off the plane any minute now it had stopped…THERE SHE WAS!

Grinning like an idiot, he waited at the barrier, Willow’s step quickened as soon as she saw the tiny terminal building – craning her neck to see if she could see…

At 10 yards from him she dropped her flight-bag and ran into Sam’s wide open arms, giggling he picked her up and swung her around, before giving her a huge kiss! People around them were smiling – the couple obviously in love and having missed each other.

“Oh god I missed you! I missed you so MUCH!”

“I know baby, I thought I’d go mad with not seeing you”

Willow gave him a big squeeze and another kiss

“Did the presents come, and my one case? I Fed-Ex’ed them hoping they’d be here on time!”

“They did, and they’re in the back of the van – now, come on Kitten, let’s get you home – to Buffy and Spike’s.”

***************

“……………We can then take the children out and do some shopping” Buffy said, flicking her duster over the small hall table. Spike looked puzzled

“Why, they’ll be another hour yet, and that’s only if the traffic’s clear around the by-pass – so why can’t we go now?” Spike reasoned Buffy rolled her eyes

“Because!”

“Because why?”

“Because, they’ll want a little time to themselves, you know to...well do what comes naturally – they haven’t seen each other for nearly seven weeks!”

Spike grinned

“Well, a few more hours won’t hurt them then – Izzie won’t forgive you to see her favourite aunty for just half an hour, then to whisk her off shopping you know! Let them wait!”

“Let them wait? – Am I hearing right, ‘let them wait’? – This (Buffy prodded Spike in the tummy) is coming from the man who after being away from me overnight at a book signing in London, actually pouted – POUTED like a spoilt child because the morning you got back we couldn’t ‘do anything’ as you put it, because I’d kept Izzie off from playschool with a cold – that was one night! We’re talking about seven weeks of no nookie for them!”

They were both grinning now

“That was different!”

“Oh get away with you! Different” Izzie wandered in from the garden

“Mommy”

“Yes baby?”

“What time does aunty Willow get here?”

“About lunch time”

“Aren’t you glad we only told her this morning that aunty Willow was coming back!”

“Dad…can you look at my homework now please, I’ve finished it” Billy called downstairs

“Okay son, be there I a minute. Is the room already for them, pet?”

“Yes it is, so no going in and moving things!”

“As if!”

“Or making ‘apple-pie beds’ or whatever!”

“Spoilsport!”

“I’ll spoilsport you in a minute…might make YOU wait seven weeks…” Buffy said with a grin

As Spike went up the stairs he scoffed

“Yeah, right, as if!”

****************************



“Aunty Willow – Aunty Willow – look what I drawed for you – it’s a picture of you coming here on the airplane!” Izzie ran down the path, carrying her wax-crayoned picture, and Willow picked her up and planted a smacker of a kiss on Izzie’s cheek

“Hello Izzie, my I swear you’ve grown! You drew that for me – wow, aren’t you a clever girl!”

When she got into the house everybody else greeted her with hugs and kisses, Spike put the kettle on.

After tea Buffy told Izzie and Billy to get into the car

“Where are we going mommy?” Izzie asked

Buffy whispered into Izzie ear and she hared straight off to the car

“Well that was easy, whaddya say to her?” Spike asked, impressed

“I told her we were getting aunty Willow a surprise”

“Which is?”

“Well, that’s for you to think of, I can’t think of everything!”

“Oh thanks…come on then Billy” Billy made his way out too, and Spike turned to Sam and Willow and said,

“ Okay now listen you two, be good, we’ll be gone about two hours, behave while were out, and don’t do anything we wouldn’t do!” with a wink he left the two of them giggling and they’d gone red too!

Buffy laughing hustled Spike out of the front door.

************************


Sam propped his head up and looked down into the face of his ladylove.

“It was very good of them to make themselves scarce, wasn’t it!”

Willow smiled a lazy smile and pulled Sam down for another kiss

“It sure was…how long have we got before they get back?”

“Spike’ll give us two rings when they get to Lower Nether…but we’ve got another hour yet…why?”

“Because…” Willow’s hands hadn’t been idle, and she pushed him onto his back.

Smiling at her, Sam let Willow dictate the pace this time………


**************

“Okay then Iz, what’s this surprise we’re going to get for aunty Willow?” Spike asked his daughter as they waited at the T-junction

“New knickers” Izzie said

“New knickers – we can’t buy aunty Willow new knickers!

“Not for aunty Willow, for me, these have got a hole in them!”

“Oh I see. But that’s hardly a surprise for her, is it?”

Izzie thought hard for a minute and then said

“Ice cream?”

“Hmm…how about a new lampshade for the bedroom, the other one is all lop-sided and coming apart?” Spike suggested

“Yeah!”

“Good, that’s settled then…anything you want to buy love?”

“Apparently, new knickers for Izzie!” Buffy said frowning, and then she added

“I don’t know what you keep doing to your underwear Izzie…I suppose it’s all the sitting on the floor you do – well you need more, I’m down to your last dozen pairs!

“Okay then, I’ll park in the mall car park”


**************************


“I said I’d give them two rings when we got to Lower Nether” Spike whispered to Buffy,

Buffy nodded and took Spike’s mobile phone.

They finished their coffees and the children finished their milkshakes and they left the café. Buffy had bought Izzie some new knickers, Billy some socks and they’d bought the lampshade for the bedroom. Billy had, not surprisingly had bought a book.

***************************


“That’s the signal, time to get up!”

“I’ll jump in the shower” Willow said

“Help me tidy the bed first, and I can start unpacking things for you” Sam said

“Okay, are the presents still in the van?”

“Yes, do you want me to bring them in?”

“No, not yet, not until they’re back”

*******************


“………And some new knickers, coz these have a hole in them, look!”

“Izzie! Don’t show me up!” Buffy laughed at her daughter

“Do you like the lampshade?”

“Oh yes poppet, it’s very nice, my favourite shade of pink too!” Willow tousled Izzie’s mop of long curls.

“Right then…is everybody comfortable?” Willow asked and the children nodded seriously

“Okay then Sam, you can bring in the presents now”

“Presents mommy! We’ve got presents!” Izzie got excited

“Calm down honey!”

Sam bought in the box, and Willow opened it, with the help of Sam’s car-keys and the children pulling at the strong tape.

“There now, let me see…that ones for mom – her you go Buffy”

Buffy opened a three-pack of ‘Hudsucker’s Original’ chocolate sauce, her very favourite from America, something she couldn’t get unless she went to London – and she missed it!

“Oh wow, and I wish to state here and now, this isn’t going to be shared – it’s ALL mine!!!

“Where are we…ah, this ones for dad…there you go Spike”

Willow handed Spike a bottle of 40-year-old Irish whiskey

“Ooh thanks! Er, can I just repeat what the Mrs just said, about not sharing!”

“Whose next?”

“Me – me!” Little Izzie piped up

Laughing Willow dipped into the box again

“What have we here, hmm – there, there’s that one…open it”

Izzie pulled off the paper and found a beautiful rag doll, in her favourite book character, Princess Twinkletoes

“Oh mommy look! Princess Twinkletoes!”

“Where on earth did you find that – I thought it wasn’t made?” Buffy asked admiring the doll

“Ah, got it made especially, and there you go honey, the latest, not available over here yet until next year!”

Willow handed Izzie three wrapped books, Princess Twinkletoes and the Friendly Dragon, Princess Twinkletoes goes shopping, and Princess Twinkletoes and the Enchanted Garden

“Hey Will, spot on – aren’t you a lucky little girl hmm? – What do you say to your aunty?” Spike encouraged

“Thankyou aunty Willow, it’s the bestest presents ever!”

Laughing Willow kissed Izzie and then winked at Billy

“Hmm…wonder if there’s something in here for you………ah yes – here you go!”

Billy carefully took the big brown paper wrapped box off Willow, it was quite heavy, saying ‘Thankyou’, and he sat back and opened it carefully.

The box said: ‘Young Explorer’s Kit’

“Oh wow! Look dad, mom!” Billy took off the lid and was overjoyed to see a small microscope, with spare glass slides, a telescope, a large magnifying glass, a notebook and a book on everything from seeds and insects to fossils and rocks, to maps of the stars and planets – everything a young lad could possibly want to study with his new equipment.

“Got to hand it to you Red, you really thought about that one – he’s been hankering after a telescope and he’s always looking at something under the tiny little magnifying glass we’ve got!”

“This is brilliant Aunty, thankyou so much!” Billy gave his aunty a hug

“Come on then folks, let’s get all this paper thrown into the box and tidy up, then we can have something to eat” Buffy announced

“Hold on…what’s this aunty Willow?”

“What’s what, sweetie?”

Billy lent into the box and bought out a scroll

“This?” Willow frowned

“I have no idea…let’s look” Billy handed her the bulky roll and checking that there was nothing else in the box, he began to fill it with the discarded wrapping paper.

“What is it, love?” Sam asked

“Some sort of ancient map – look”

Willow spread it out on the table

“It looks very old – where did it come from do you think?”

“I have absolutely NO idea where it came from – I certainly didn’t put it in the box!”

Spike came and looked over Willow’s shoulder

“What is it Red - Oh a map”

“Can I see – oh golly, it looks old! – See what is say there?” Billy asked, worming his way between Sam and Willow

“What’s that pet?”

“There, look, where China is, it says, ‘There be Dragons!’”

Squinting the three adults moved in closer on the map and saw that young Billy was right

“He’s right you know, it does – and well done for knowing that was China, son!”

Billy beamed up at the trio, he’d got a feeling they were going to have a real adventure with this map………

Chapter 2


“More tea, dear – another scone? – Or can I get you some cake?”

“No thanks Peggy…ahhhh – huh – oh please excuse me!” Willow tried (unsuccessfully) to stifle a yawn

“I quite understand dear – jet lag!”

“Yes!”

As if on cue, Sam put his head around the door from seeing to his pigs

“I’m just going to have a quick shower babe, then I’ll get you um…well, you’ll see!”

Both Peggy and Willow smiled at him. When he went upstairs, Peggy said,

“I know he’d go mad at me for saying this, but he’s been counting the days until you came back – literally counting them off on the calendar he was!”

Willow ducked her head smiling

“Well, I really missed him too – I didn’t realise how much until I’d been home a couple of days…it felt like something was missing”

Peggy beamed, and then she said

“How long is it before your new term starts?”

“Well, it should be the same term time as everybody else, but I know my main tutor, Professor Rayne won’t be back from Egypt until mid-September, he’s on a special archaeological dig in the Valley of the Kings”

“Fascinating! I’ve always loved Egyptology – Sam bought me a set of videos – factual mind, not some made-up stuff, about King Tutankhamun, Nefertiti, and a few others – I think I nearly wore them out!”

Willow smiled

“It IS such a fascinating subject, and the way they are still discovering tombs to this day – well!”

“Even after thousands of years!”

“Yes!”

“Have you ever been out there?”

“Me? – No, not yet, I mean, I’d love to – I’ll have to see how it goes. I’ve handled pieces from digs out there though, not the mummies though, those are a speciality”

“What’s a speciality? – One of aunt Peg’s cakes?” Sam asked coming into the lounge rubbing his hair vigorously with a towel

“Mummies – Egyptian ones, I was just saying, I’ve handled one or two pieces from archaeological Egyptian digs, but not mummies – they’re a speciality”

“Oh I see. Well um…aunt Peg, are you sure you don’t mind doing the…”

Aunt Peg put her hand up –

“Just you carry on, I’ll manage, Colin the postie said he’d take Ada’s and Mrs Gillespie’s orders for me, Mrs Fothergill’s on holiday, Mrs Weaver’s son will pick up her order, Julie will take hers and Gwen’s order when she’s dropped the twins off at her mother’s before she goes to work and Spike said he’d pick up any stragglers for me, so you can run along with a clear conscience, nobody will be left without their orders in the morning, don’t worry”

“Good – come on then princess…I’m taking you out!”

“Out, but it’s nearly half past nine…I’m not dressed for the pub, well not really!” Willow said standing up

“Who said anything about the pub? – Night aunty, sleep tight, and thanks!”

“You’re welcome, be safe, bye Willow!”

“Bye…where are we going? Willow asked Sam bemusedly

“You’ll see – come on!”

Sam drove down to the quay, the tide was in, and the boats bobbed in the harbour

“Thought I’d take you night fishing…gives us a chance to have some time on our own!”

Willow grinned, felt herself blushing slightly when she wondered just how much actual ‘fishing’ would be done………

“Come on, she’s been all spruced up since you last saw her, I’ve painted her, given her an new name, aunt Peg ran me up some new curtains and that…”

Willow smiled and held Sam’s hand as they strode towards the boat along the quayside.

Unlocking the cabin, Sam stood back allowing Willow to go in first. Waiting for them was a bottle of Champagne on ice, the downstairs cabin looked all cosy with new cushions and throws.

“I better let Buffy know I won’t be home tonight, else she’ll-“

“Already knows! As long as we take them a nice crab or lobster she said. So…champagne?”

“Love some…but you know, you don’t have to get me drunk!”
Grinning, Willow sat and held the glasses while Sam poured the bubbly.

“I’ll just steer her out of the harbour and set a course for my lobster spot, make yourself comfy”

Willow did just that, slipping her shoes off, and pulling the bed out, getting undressed and slipping beneath the covers. The moon was high and full, the sky clear and the sea was like glass, smooth and calm. The slow lazy chug-chug of the boat as she sailed out of the harbour was soothing, lulling her to sleep.

She opened her eyes when she felt Sam slide in next to her.

“I’m going to be really popular in the morning, I don’t think!”

Willow smile/frowned and asked

“Why’s that?”

“I forgot to bring the lobster pots…Spike won’t let me forget this when I tell him!”

Willow propped herself up on her elbow and said grinning ear to ear,

“You mean, we’ve come out fishing, and you’ve forgotten to bring the fishing gear?”

“Well…not completely…the tackle is in the van…only problem is, the van is eight miles that way!”

Willow began to giggle, her forehead rested on Sam’s.

“Well, I’m sure we can think of something to pass the time!” Willow said kissing him

“Sure you’re not too tired?”

“Sure I’m sure………”

*************************

9.30am the following morning, Buffy and Spike’s cottage

“You randy git!” Spike said, grinning

“I didn’t do it on purpose!”

“Oh no course not…only far too occupied with thoughts of getting –“

“Watch it!” Sam warned, laughing

“You had no intention of fishing, you just went and dangled your maggot!”

“I said to Will you’d ever let me forget this!”

“Too bloody right I won’t, you randy little sod, how are you going to break it to my daughter, that she can’t have her favourite crab mayonnaise sandwich for lunch now?”

“Don’t worry, I thought of that…here”

“What’s this?”

“One I bought quayside this morning, so she won’t be disappointed!”

Sam held out a plastic carrier bag with a fresh crab in it

Meanwhile, in the kitchen…Willow was talking to Buffy………

“Champagne eh? – Then what happened?” Buffy was grinning

“Well, he steered the boat out of the harbour…I must have dropped off because the next thing I know, he’s getting into bed, telling me he’s forgotten the fishing tackle!” they both snorted a giggle

“But you found something to do to pass the time though, I’ll bet!”

“Thanks for doing the orders for me earlier, Spike”

“Only did the one, to the pub, the postie took a couple extra. I only had to take three dozen crusty rolls and four loaves, a box of tomatoes, six lettuces two cucumbers and three Spanish onions to the pub for the lunches, along with a big block of cheese and 3lb of boiled ham, no problem. And talking of the pub, are we doing nets tonight, don’t forget we’ve got that grudge match with Darrington next week, an we could all do with the practice”

Sam closed his eyes and said

“Oh hell, cricket practice, I totally forgot about it”

“Steve phoned me last night about it” Spike said

“We could do it, and the girls could meet us in the pub after, aunt Peg would baby sit for you”

“See what Buffy says…BUFFY, love”

“Yes?”

“We’ve got nets, you know, cricket practice tonight, fancy meeting us in the pub after?”

“Aunt Peg will baby sit, you know she loves to” Sam added

Buffy looked at Willow, who nodded

“Good, I’ll bring her over straight after tea then” Billy wandered into the room from the garden

“Uncle Sam”

“Yes Billy?”

“When are you going to show us your boat now it’s all been painted, you promised?”

“ I did, didn’t I?! Tell you what, how about if I take us all to Lundy Island for the day”

“Oh yes – that would be great!” Billy beamed with excitement.

“What’s at Lundy then?” Willow asked

“Well…nothing really! A few cows…some Puffins…the Marisco Tavern, a lighthouse and weather station, a few tiny stone cottages and that’s it really, but it’s a nice sail out on a calm day, we could take a picnic” Sam suggested

“Hmm. Okay then, but it would HAVE to be a calm day for me…I got sea-sick watching that film…what was it?” Buffy frowned clicking her fingers

“Titanic?” Willow suggested

“No, that one with the punch happy New Zealander actor…Commander something”

NB. (Before anybody tries to correct me, Russell Crowe was born in Wellington, NZ, he’s NOT Australian!!!)

“Oh, you mean Russell Crowe, Master and Commander” Sam said

“That’s it! Honestly, I stood up from watching that and my legs felt all wobbly!”

“When can we go Sam?” Billy asked

“Well, I’ll listen to the shipping forecast, and when I know it’s going to be calm, I’ll let you know for the next day, okay?”

“Yeah!”

“So, have you been using your presents Willow bought you?”

“Oh yes…come and look at these spores I’ve got under the microscope, they look just like snowflakes”

Sam followed Billy out into the garden

“Well if we’re going sailing, I’m going into town, I want some proper deck shoes so I don’t slip when I’m on board…want to come Will?” Buffy asked

“Sure, I’ll get some too”

“We’ll bring Izzie, that okay by you Spike, will you have Billy, I know he won’t want to come shopping with us – he hates shopping, typical man!”

“Fine, I’ll be up on the computer typing, he can amuse himself he’s a good lad”

“Come on then Izzie, we’re taking Aunty Willow into town” Buffy called, and Izzie didn’t need telling twice!

Chapter 3


“I thought you were just buying deck shoes!” Spike said with a grin, he could see the sea of carrier bags at the two exhausted looking ladies feet.

“Put the kettle on babe, we’re parching!”

“So how much has this little shopping trip cost me then, huh?”

Buffy, still lying back in the chair, eyes closed said casually

“Oh…about £150 or so”

Spike came into the lounge grinning with his hands on his hips

“Well then it’s lucky for me I had a phone call while you were out, from my publisher”

Buffy opened her eyes and sat up smiling

“Oh yes, what does he want?”

“She, they’ve changed, I got a she now, and she wants, or rather the company like those books on Edwardian England I did so much, they’ve commissioned me to do a second series of three”

“Oh baby, that’s WONDERFUL news – you are SO clever!”

“Is Sam here?” Willow asked looking out into the back garden

“No, he left about ten minutes after you, he said he better go and help Peggy, show a bit of willing as she’s being so good about letting him off things coz you’re here!”

“I feel guilty!”

“Don’t, honestly Red, she likes you very much, she’s happy for Sam too – well there’s the kettle, tea ladies?”

“Please”

“Please Spike. I will say this Buffy, you’ve got him well trained!” Willow and Buffy exchanged grins.

********************************


“And then this tape, you’ve got to run it on one hour, and then there’s the latest ER from last night, okay?” Buffy put the two videotapes on top of the TV for Peggy

“Thanks love, you run along now, I’ll be fine, I’ve got everything I need!” The children were safely tucked up asleep in bed, Buffy smiled. Aunt Peggy had her flask of tea, a nip of brandy, her box of chocolates and her knitting, she eased herself into the comfy chair and picked up the TV remote control.

********************


……………”Only went and forgot the gear, didn’t he!” There was a roar of male laughter and Sam sauntered into the changing room from the cricket pitch, grinning

“I knew you’d tell everyone – thanks mate!” Sam said, but he was laughing

Spike was grinning too, but most of the younger lads agreed, that if they had a girlfriend who looked like Willow, they’d have ‘forgotten’ to take the fishing gear as well!

“Coming to the pub Spike, Sam?”

“Yes Steve, we’re meeting the girls there”

“Can I cadge a lift?”

“Sure”

“So, Spike, that young lad of yours, tells me he’s got a telescope and he’s been looking at the moon when I spoke to him on the phone last night”

Sam pulled onto the car park of the pub

“He has, he’s always studying something or other, got his nose in a book!”

“Huh…I wish he’d come and show my three what studying is…they’re either on the Internet or at the Xbox, my Mrs goes mad, they couldn’t pass an exam between them – okay then right, what are you having?” All three of them strode into the lounge of the pub

“Er, don’t worry Steve, we’ve got the girls, so you carry on on your own”

“Okay, if you’re sure, thanks for the lift!”

Steve carried on into the snug bar, looking for his father-in-law and a game of dominoes.

“Hey gorgeous…wanna buy me a drink?”

Spike swivelled around to see Buffy grinning behind him

“I sure do beautiful, what do you want?” Spike’s eyes danced as he looked at the new top she was wearing, very nice!

“I’m yours for half a lager!”

“Is that so?!” Buffy giggled and gave him a kiss.

“Yep, that’s so – how was practice?”

“Don’t ask…Sam’s away with the bloody fairies I think, he’s got this silly grin that’s never off his face…have you – OI – The Hill’s Have Eyes, come here!” Buffy and Willow hooted with laughter at what Spike called Sam, who came up to them trying to look indignant

“I’ll give you bloody Hill’s Have Eyes…cheeky sod!”

“Hey, love…fancy coming fishing with me…I could always leave the tackle in the back of the van?” One of the young lads asked Willow, giving her a big cheeky wink, and she immediately went blood red

“Oh my god you TOLD them!”

“Not me princess, big mouth here!” Sam poked Spike in the back

They had a great night full of cheeky banter and much laughter, and the girls trouncing them at darts too!

************************


Sam turned off the radio in the van having listened to the midnight shipping forecast and said,

“Well that’s it, tell Buffy to be ready Thursday morning, the sea will be calm, we’re off to Lundy”

“Okay then, I’ll tell her, night baby”

“One more kiss…”

“You said that about five kisses back!” Willow said smiling

“I know…but I’ll miss you…nobody to cuddle in bed”

Willow smiled and indulged him with a pretty big kiss

“And now I have to go, the lounge light has just gone off, they’ll be wanting to get to bed, and you’ve got to be up at six”

“I know, but JUST one more kiss before I go, please?” Sam asked grinning………

************************

“Sam said Thursday for Lundy okay?”

“’Kay Red, night”

“Night Spike” Spike locked up, through the front door glass he could see the red taillights of the van disappear down the lane.

Willow met Buffy in the hallway en route from bathroom to bedroom

“Sam said Thursday for Lundy, we just listened to the shipping forecast in the van”

“Okay, that’s fine – I’ll cook a chicken and get some ham…I’ll get some extra stuff when I give my order in at the shop tomorrow – night Will”

“Night Buffy”


**********************


“Mommy, where’s aunty Willow?”

“Still in bed asleep poppet, she’s tired”

“Can I go I the garden and play?”

“Yes honey, but don’t make too much noise will you?” Izzie shook her head and got down from the table

“Billy, eat your toast, and what have I told you about reading at the table!”

“Sorry mom!” Billy put his book down and Buffy ruffled his hair

“I’m sorry love, I shouldn’t tell you off for reading I suppose, it’s just your breakfast has gone cold”

Billy smiled

“Don’t worry mom, I like it like that!”

Buffy homed in and rubbed noses with her son saying,

“That’s because you never eat it any other way!” She kissed him on his forehead and ruffled his hair again.

“Oh, and by the way Billy, Sam said we can go to Lundy tomorrow”

Spike came downstairs holding some papers in his hand

“Oh great – dad, did you hear that, Lundy tomorrow!”

“Yes son, I know – now while the ladies do things like get picnics ready and stuff, how would you fancy coming out with your old dad in the car, huh?”

“Where to?”

“Well, you know this I man I see about the books I write, he provides me with the photographs”

Billy nodded, Spike continued

“Well, he’s got a shop now, selling memorabilia, antiques, books, maps all sorts of stuff, just the sort of place you like”

“Oh yes! I’ll just go get dressed and clean my teeth”

“Good lad”

Spike sat down and poured himself some coffee

“That’s nice babe!”

“Oh I know he’ll love it, and Dalton won’t mind a bit he knows Billy will be careful”

Izzie came in from the garden, saw her daddy and clambered up on his lap.

“Hello Bubbles…what have you been doing?” Spike blew a ‘raspberry’ on her cheek before kissing it

“Playing in the garden, but quiet coz aunty Willow is still in bed”

Buffy had begun to ferry things into the kitchen to wash up, and she smiled indulgently at her daughter definitely a ‘daddies girl!’

“We’ll be back by lunchtime”

“Where are you going daddy, can I come?”

“To see the man about my books…do you want to come? – You can, but I think you’ll be bored”

Izzie frowned and asked

“Are there toys for me to play with?”

“Nuh uh, no toys pet” Spike said smiling

“Well…I’ll stay and wait for aunty Willow to play with me then”

“Okay poppet, you do that” Spike gave her another kiss and she got down off his lap.

Billy came down the stairs, ready to go.

Spike looked up and winked at his son and said,

“Ready?”

Billy nodded, so Spike drained his coffee cup and stood up

“We’ll be off now then pet, will you be in when we get back?”

“I should think so, I want to get things ready for tomorrow…will jeans and sweatshirts be okay do you think, it’s bound to be a bit windy”

“Fine pet”

**********************


The mobile phone on the nightstand tinkled and trilled, and willow woke from about six layers of sleep.

She groped for the phone and said sleepily,

“Hello?”

“Busy babe?” Sam asked brightly

“Er, um, wha –“ turning her head to look at the clock, she saw it was twenty past ten and sat up wide awake

“Oh, er, goodness, is that the time!”

Sam looked at his watch

“Twenty one minutes past ten I make it…are you okay kitten, you sound a bit ‘throaty’, not getting a cold are you pet?”

“Me, no, no…I um, I just woke up!” she got out of bed and went over to the window. She could see Buffy pegging out washing, and Izzie jumping up and down trying to catch butterflies…

“I’m sorry babe, I should have thought, jet-lag – I’m an idiot!”

“Hey, no – they let me sleep over that’s all…anyway, you were asking if I was busy?” Smiling Willow turned away from the window and sat on the bed again

“Well, I finish here at the shop at twelve, I wondered if you wanted to come to the sailing shop with me, there are one or two things I have to get for the boat before we sail tomorrow, then we could pick up lunch for everyone from that new pasty shop"
“Sounds great”

“Sure you’re not too tired?”

“Sure I’m sure, nothing a quick shower and a dose of caffeine won’t cure!”

“Okay baby, see you at quarter past twelve then”

“Bye “

“Bye baby”

***************

After a quick shower and getting dressed, Willow went downstairs into the kitchen she picked up the kettle and filled it, putting it on the hob, then she opened the back door. Buffy was squatting on the grass pulling weeds from the border, Izzie was playing with her doll.

“Aunty Willow!”

Izzie ran and gave her aunty a big hug like she hadn’t seen her in ages!

“Hello poppet!”

“Mommy said I was to be quiet and not to wake you so I was a good girl!”

“You were a very good girl!” Willow kissed her cheek and gave her a hug then put her down. Buffy stood squinting into the house

“Is the kettle on?”

“Yup…coffee?” Willow asked

“Love some…I’ll just go wash up, my hands are filthy…don’t know a way to keep the slugs away from my lettuce do you…tried everything...pellets, sandpaper around them…gravel…sunken pots of beer…they STILL munch away!”

**********************


The shop to Billy was like an Aladdin’s cave of treasures. Although not actually open for trade that day, Dalton let them into the shop when Spike knocked on the window.

After shaking hands with young Billy Dalton said,

“Your dad tells me you’re interested in loads of different things, right?”

“Oh yes!”

“Well, I’ve set aside some things for you to read, but feel free to wander around and look at things, I know you’ll be careful”

“Oh I will, thanks!”

“Right then, shall we crack on Spike, I’ve got those photographs, they’re mostly set in the big cities, London, Birmingham, Liverpool, Manchester, showing the ever increasing industrial revolution………” Spike winked at Billy and followed Dalton to the next floor that overlooked the ground floor via a balcony.

Billy wandered around looking at the objects, knick-knacks and antiques that were for sale before settling down with a couple of interesting books.


**********************


“Flares?”

“Yup, as in distress flares…have to have them by law, I’ve got four...another two should do it…right…oh god I know what I meant to ask you...” Sam said pulling a face

“What’s that?”

“How tall are Izzie and Billy, I need to hire life jackets for them – again it’s a requirement by law, every person on board should have a life jacket see”

“Um, well Izzie comes up to about here…and Billy comes to here on me” Willow indicated waist and almost shoulder height

“Great – got to get one for you and Buffy too - pass me one of those please”

“The first aid box?”

“Yup…(Sam read on the outside of the box) plasters, various bandages, anti-septic cream – that’ll do…now all I want is another fresh water container, a two galloner and were all done here, then it’s onto the pasty shop…hungry?”

“Starving, I missed breakfast!”

**********************


Spike came down the stairs of the shop carrying a folder, Dalton behind him. Billy had his nose in a book, Dalton smiled

“I forgot your son was here, he’s been so quiet!”

“Hey, heads up son…what’s so interesting?”

Billy looked up and smiled

“This book on tropical plants, it’s ever so interesting”

“Hey Billy, what do you think of my latest acquisition?” Dalton loving ran his hands over a beautiful inlaid box with a sloping lid.

“It’s a secretaire, or writing box!” Billy said smiling

“That’s right!” Dalton said

“Can you open it?” Billy asked

“Sure, I’ve been messing with it this morning, got the key somewhere in one of my pockets….here!”

Dalton opened out the box, flipping the sloping bit carefully, and then opening out the sides to reveal little drawers for paper, blotting paper and envelopes. There were tiny draws for pen-nibs and such like. The whole box had been inlaid with mother-of-pearl and silver, and it was lined with velvet, but that had now faded with time, but it was still very pretty

“Have you found the secret drawer yet?” Billy asked with a grin

“Secret…no, er, I haven’t!”

Billy went over to the box, moved the inkwell out of the way, opened the bottom draw and wriggled his fingers until he found the little button, he pressed it and a small drawer shot open at the side

“There – oh, there’ something in it!”

Dalton took out two faded letters tied with red ribbon

“Oh Billy….they’re love letters………” Dalton flipped his specs down off his head and began to read

“Oh – Do you know what you’ve done?” Dalton asked with a grin
Billy shook his head

“Only just found out who this belonged to – it’ll be worth five times what I was going to ask for it too – you are a clever lad – spike son to be proud of there, you can bring him anytime!” Grinning Spike ruffled his son’s hair

“I AM very proud of my son, he’s a good boy – well come on then Billy-boy, shall we go get some lunch, I’m starving – we could go to that new pasty shop”

“Great! Er Dad, could you lend me three pounds until we get home, I want to buy that book, and I’ve only got £1.50 on me”

“Sure son”

“I wouldn’t dream of it! What is it you want Billy?”

“This…Culpeper’s herbal on tropical plants”

“Well you can have it as a gift…and um…you can have your pick from that table there too”

Dalton said grinning

“You’ll spoil him” Spike said grinning

“Nonsense…this box…royalty” Dalton said, patting the secretaire

“Really oh well done!”

“Can sell it at five times what I was going to ask, so I’m indebted to Billy, least I can do!”

Billy chose another book on plants, called ‘Wild food for free’ it showed you how to identify edible mushrooms and plants that grew in the wild. It also showed you what to avoid too, toadstools and poisonous plants.

“Can I have this one?”

Dalton nodded without looking at the title

“Course you can! Well it’s been very nice meeting you young Billy, and I mean it, you can come here anytime!”

“Thankyou!” Billy shook his hand again grinning

“Come on son, lunch – bye Dalton, and thanks!”

“Thankyou, bye!”


**********************

“Oh – both had the same idea then did we?” Spike said, putting ANOTHER bag full of pasties on the kitchen table

“Don’t worry, they can be part of the picnic tomorrow, delicious cold as well as hot!” Buffy said

Chapter 4

http://www.lundyisland.co.uk/ (For those of you who are interested!)






“………………I bought them in a sale after Christmas, now they’re too short for him, look!”

“What’s that love?” Spike watched as Billy tried to pull the jeans down to meet his sandals, or then pull them up from his hips, and it was no good – they were too short for him

“Those jeans of Billy’s, the bottoms look like they’ve had an argument with his socks he’s growing so fast!”

“Well, rip ‘em off at the knee, take the socks off, he doesn’t need them, he can look like a proper pirate, he won’t mind especially if I wear my cut offs too. Has he got a stripy tee shirt? – He’ll look the business, like a pirate and love it – won’t you son?!”

“Yeah!”

“See – go on, don’t worry, leave it to me, you see to Izzie”

“Are you sure the weather will be calm?” Buffy asked with some trepidation

“Honestly love, like glass – there’s no need to worry!”

Buffy had everything ready for their trip to Lundy, the picnic was made up in the fridge ready to be packed into the cool boxes. Cold chicken, crusty ham cobs, sausage rolls, cheese and onion quiche, mixed garden salad, and the surplus Cornish pasties from the day before, there were also various cakes, fruit and potato chips to fill up on, and several bottles of pop to drink.

Despite only being just gone 8.00am, the sun was high in a cloudless blue sky, on what promised to be a scorcher of a day. Buffy made sure she bought sun-cream and had already lathered the children with it to be on the safe side.

“Just toast for breakfast, that okay with you?” Buffy asked

“Fine, we can pig-out later!” The phone rang, it was Sam

“Hi Sam – you okay?”

“Fine, are you nearly ready?”

“Sure!”

“Good, I’ll come and pick you up then – is Willow okay?” Spike grinned

“She’s fine, don’t worry!” Spike ended the call and shouted up the stairs,

“Sam’s on his way…Billy”

“Yes dad?”

“Bring your telescope would you, it’ll be useful”

“Great – can I bring a book to read on the boat dad?”

Spike smiled

“Sure”

“Daddy...can I bring Princess Twinkletoes?”

“Better not honey-bunny, she might get dirty, but I know, how about if you bring one of her books instead, hmm?”

“Okay”

“Good girl, go and fetch one then”

“Did you say that was Sam?” Buffy asked coming out of the bathroom

Spike nodded and then frowned as he watched Buffy pop a tablet

“Got a headache?”

“No, it’s a ‘Quells’ – a sea-sickness tablet, just in case”

“Oh right”

***************


“Budge up a bit…there, um oh, the picnic boxes have got to be put in yet, we can’t go with out the grub, can we…erm…tell you what Iz, come and sit on my lap pet”

Spike plucked his daughter up and sat her on his lap, shifted further down the van and Sam slid in the cool boxes, along with the basket of goodies aunt Peggy had prepared.

Buffy had her arm around Billy, who was really pleased with his new ‘cut-off’ jeans. He was also got his special ‘book-bag’ he’d bought his two latest books and his magnifying glass as well, he wanted to do some ‘exploring’ while he was there.

Sam carefully drove down to the quayside, where he gave Willow the cabin keys so that she and Buffy and the children could go on board while he and Spike bought the food and checked the supplies.

Ten minutes later they were off, Sam letting Billy and Izzie take it in turns to press the horn to signal they were leaving port – the fisherman were ending their day, mostly they’d sold their catches and were checking their nets in the bright sunshine. They waved to the newly named ‘Redwillow’s crew as she chugged slowly out of the harbour.

Despite it being a hot morning, it was windy up on deck and the children went down into the cabin, both of them sitting and reading.

Willow and Buffy chatted, Buffy was amazed how big and cosy the cabin was.

“That bench seat pulls out and makes a proper double bed” Willow explained to Buffy, pointing to where the children were sitting

“I see!” Buffy said grinning

The sea was like glass, smooth, hardly a ripple on the surface and they sailed out into the Bristol Channel, heading for Lundy Island.

******************

“With a risk of sounding like one of the kids, how long will it take us to get there, any idea?” Buffy asked Willow

“Erm, I think Sam said something about around two hours...want some coffee?”

Willow went over to the little Calor-gas stove and put the kettle on after filling it from one of the fresh water containers

Spike put his head down the hatch and called Billy.

“Want to come and see this big cruise-liner out in the Atlantic?”

Billy climbed the six stairs and went up on deck.

They all sipped coffee as the boat merrily chugged along, the kids loving it, even Buffy began to relax.

Taking the empty coffee mugs back down into the cabin, Buffy said

“I don’t know why I’m so nervous, I think it’s because of what Xander did that one time, in the boating lake…told me it was bottomless and was larking about, he nearly over-turned the boat and after I’d been, (she then dropped her voice and mouthed ‘drowned by the master’ , so the children wouldn’t hear,) I’ve always been a bit nervous around water”

“It’s understandable – but today is calm” as soon as Willow said that, the boat bobbed

“Whoa!” Billy and Izzie looked up from reading and smiled, the sensation from that small swell was akin to the quick rush you got from an elevator or a slide.

Buffy looked at Willow, but said nothing

Willow rinsed the coffee mugs and slotted them back in their holders in the tiny cupboard. No sooner as she’d done that, the boat ‘bobbed’ again, this time more steeply

“Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee---it’s like a roller coaster!” Billy said grinning, holding one hand on his tummy

Buffy didn’t look quite so happy the boat bobbed again, and again, and they all suddenly noticed that it was like a light had been switched off, it had got suddenly dark as the sun disappeared.

“Mommy, I don’t like it!” Izzie looked worriedly at her mother

“Don’t worry honey, it’s okay – uncle Sam knows what he’s doing” She pulled Izzie onto her lap and the boat pitched again, it landed with almost a bang, ‘belly-flopping’ in the water, and all of a sudden the noise of rain, or hail, like marbles hitting a tin-bucket could be heard.

“So much for being calm!” Buffy said

The boat was being tossed around, and Willow was just going to go up the steps to the top cabin where Spike and Sam were, when the hatch opened, and a load of seawater slopped in, Spike quickly came down the stairs soaked, followed by Sam, who slammed the hatch door and bolted it, he too looked like a drowned rat.

“I thought you said - - WWWWWWWWWWWHHHHHHHOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAA! It would be calm!” Willow said

“I…honestly………don’t know where this has…come from………sit down…everybody, and hold on, careful not to fall………” Sam went to a cupboard and opened it up, and switched on the radio, one linked to the one in the cabin up on deck, but like the one up there, this one too only gave out static noises as he twiddled the knobs.

“Mommy, I’m frightened!” Izzie began to cry, and Billy too began to get a little worried

“Don’t fret everyone, this’ll be over before we know it!” Sam said with a grin, trying desperately to get something other than static crackle out of the radio.

The pitching and tossing suddenly stopped as soon as it started and Izzie stopped crying
Billy turned and knelt on his seat, looking out of the porthole

“What can you see, son?” Spike asked, struggling to stand up on the wet floor

“Nothing…it’s all foggy”

Turning up the volume to full blast, all Sam could get was static crackle from the radio, so he switched off

“Spike, I’m going up to the top cabin, lock the hatch after me”

“Sam – be careful!” Willow said, not wanting him to go

“I’ll be okay love” Sam snatched a quick kiss and went up, Spike said,

“I’m going too Willow, lock the hatch after me”

“Be careful Spike” Buffy called Spike went up after Sam. All they could see through the cabin window was a thick wispy white misty fog swirling around

“What’s up Sam?” Spike frowned, Sam too was frowning

“Buggered if I know, and the gods alone know where that storm came from, there wasn’t a bloody cloud in the sky………the girls will kill me, I promised them it was going to be like glass, with no rough weather – but there was nothing on the shipping forecast!” Running his hands through his wet hair to stop it dripping in his eyes, Sam continued

“Radio’s on the blink – she’s just had a major overhaul, this is a new bloody radio! – All I can get is static!”

“Er Sam…have you seen this – I’m no sailor, but that can’t be right, can it?”

Sam came over to where Spike was standing by the binnacle, to see the compass needle spinning round freely

“Oh my god – fu-jeez- look at my watch too!” Sam noticed that the hands on his watch were spinning round and round too. Spike looked over Sam’s shoulder out of the window, it seemed to be getting lighter, and the misty fog began to clear

Sam turned and tried the radio again, but again he only got static noises

“The fog, it’s clearing – look, blue sky!” Spike said the relief in his voice

After another thirty seconds or so, the mist had cleared completely, and calm sea and blue sky had returned

Spike went to turn to go down to the others in the bottom cabin when Sam said

“Oh my god!”

Spike quickly turned and looked worriedly at Sam,

“What, WHAT –What is – oh bloody hell!” Spike and Sam stared at each other round eyed, they couldn’t believe what they saw in front of them………

Chapter 5


A boat gave a lurch, and then there was a horrible grating crunch. It shook them both from looking at the island

“Oh god, I don’t like the sound of that! – Sounds as if we’ve hit some rocks!”

Sam quickly went up on deck to look over the side to survey the damage, and sure enough, the prow of the boat was out of the water, up on some rocky outcrop.

The thing was, they could see just how shallow the water was, as it was clear.

“What was that, have we hit something?” Willow’s voice came from down in the lower cabin

“Yes, some rocks…it’s safe to come up” Sam said, before adding,

“I don’t know where the hell we are though – the only thing I know, where ever we are, it isn’t Lundy, THAT’S for sure!”

Willow came up the steps, rapidly followed by Billy, Izzie and Buffy bought up the rear.

Billy looked towards the island, and said in a surprised voice,

“Palm trees?”

“Wow…it looks like a tropical island…palm trees…look how clear and blue the sea looks!” Buffy said with a grin

“This isn’t right – what the hell is going on?” Sam scratched his head

“Well, while you try and work things out…can I suggest that Buffy and I take the kids and make our way to that gorgeous looking white-sandy beach – you men can carry the picnic”

Willow climbed over the side and down the ladder, the water came mid-calf deep. Buffy let Billy climb down next, and then swinging Izzie up on her shoulders in a piggyback, she climbed down into the warm clear seawater. They waded to the beach.

“I’ll um…I’ll get the grub…you’ve honestly no idea where we are mate?” Spike asked poised at the top of the stairs that led to the lower cabin.

Sam switched on the radio again, but still all he got was static hissing.

“Not one bloody clue…”

A few minutes later, Spike joined the others on the beach, having bought the two cool boxes out to them

“Where’s Sam, what’s he doing?”

“Inspecting the damage of the boat, he’s worried that the rocks could have ripped a whole in the hull”

Buffy squinted and raised her hand to her forehead, slipping down her dark glasses

“He’s coming now, look”

Willow looked up to see Sam making his way towards them.

“Any damage?”

“Not that I can see, thank god, just scraped a few barnacles off and scratched the paintwork a bit – but there’s no damage”

“Chicken leg?” Buffy held out a Tupperware box towards Sam, who picked up a plate and helped himself…

“Oh…don’t mind if I do, ta!”

Half an hour spent eating, and they all lay back stuffed and tired. Buffy smothered more sun-cream on the children and Spike; Willow did the same to herself and Sam

“Gods, I am SO hot!” Buffy rested her chin on hunched up knees, and eventually she said,

“It’s like a tropical island, and I know my geography isn’t all that it could be, BUT that isn’t the Atlantic, is it?”

On receiving no reply, Buffy looked at her companions. They were all fast asleep.

***************************


“Dad…Dad…Uncle Sam!” Billy shook the shoulders of the two adults

“Huh, um, wha- er- oh!” Sam woke and looked around bewildered for a second, blinking at Billy

“Uncle Sam!”

“What’s up mate?” Sam yawned and stretched

“The sea, it’s coming in fast…I’m worried that the boat might be floated off the rocks”

Sam stood quickly

“Good thinking…Spike come with me!” Sam pulled up a still yawning Spike, and they both strode into the sea towards the boat.

“Mommy, I want a drink” Izzie rubbed her eyes

“Spike, bring some water back, will you?” Buffy called

“Mom, can I go as far as those rocks over there please?” Buffy looked up to where Billy was pointing, to some rocks about 50 yards away.

“All right, but if you see anything weird, come back immediately okay – oh, and don’t touch anything you’re not sure about”

“I won’t!” Billy went haring off. Buffy began to shake bits out of the food containers and began to stack them back into the cool box. Willow sat up

“I wonder where we are – I mean this sort of stuff, kinda used to it, the supernatural with you and Spike – but Sam and the kids involved…it’s weird!”

“The kids have been involved before, remember I told you about that haunting we had, and Hepsibar and those devil worshippers in our cellar and all that”

“Oh yeah…still, weird though…look, the guys have reached the boat” Buffy looked out to see Spike just climbing on board.

*****

“I’ll get some water”

“I’m going to try the radio again – (the boat gave a slight swell as the tide came in and the scraping could be heard again) oh, um...no, I’m going to drop anchor first, don’t want to wear away the keel!”

Spike went down into the lower cabin to where the fresh water containers were. He filled two large empty pop bottles and was just going back up when he heard an almighty thud. Quickening his steps he came up and asked worriedly,

“What in the hells name was – “

“Don’t panic, it was just the anchor……hello this is the Redwillow…the Redwillow, calling Lundy, over………………come in Lundy, over” Sam flicked the switch from send to receive, on the radio transmitter, but all he could hear was static crackle. Switching back he said again,

“Lundy Island, are you receiving me, this is the Redwillow, over”

“Nothing?” Spike asked

“You can hear for yourself, nothing but static” Sam switched off the set

“Any idea of the time? – My watch says twenty to ten”

“Huh mine says five past eleven…neither of them is right………how long do you reckon we were asleep?”

“I’ve got no idea…come on, let’s get back to the girls”

********************

“Here you go…where’s Billy?”

“Gone off to explore those rocks over there”

“You let him go alone?”

“We can see him, and I told him if there was anything weird he was to come straight back – and he knows not to touch anything he’s not sure about!” Buffy said defensively

“Don’t worry Spike, he’s a sensible lad, he’ll be okay” Willow said before taking a long swig out of one of the water bottles.

“I know that, he is my son after all, but we don’t know where we are – or what this place is. Anything could happen!” Spike said frowning

Buffy stood

“Okay, I see your point, I’ll go and-“

“No, I’LL go…you stay here” Spike strode off

“Mommy…where are we?”

“We’re on an island, baby” Buffy gave Izzie a reassuring little squeeze

“Hey, Bubbles…look what I’ve got…fancy a game?”

She looked at her ‘uncle’ who was holding up a florescent pink Frisbee. Without a word she looked at her mom, who smiled and relinquished her hold so she could stand up to go play.

“Will…if we don’t know where we are………then how in the hell are we going to get back?”

“I was wondering that…perhaps – I don’t know, perhaps we’re here for a reason? – And once we’ve sorted it or dealt with it or whatever, then we can get back home”

“But…what about home, aunt Peggy, she’ll be panicking and-“

“Buffy, I’m like you, totally in the dark, I don’t have any of the answers – I’m just surmising that all will be revealed in time”

************************

“Dad! Look at this – it’s amazing!”

“What’s that son?” Spike reached the rocks where Billy was lying down looking into a rock pool. Next to him on the racks was his book-bag

“See that there, it’s a Tiger Striped Spiny sea-urchin, but they’re only usually found in tropical seas like the Indian ocean!”

“Really – fascinating” Spike smiled at his son. He felt a bit guilty for being short with Buffy just, but it was just them not knowing where they were that un-nerved him.

“What time is it by your watch Billy?”

“Don’t know dad, the battery must have gone, look” Instead of digital numbers, all Spike could see was a blank little grey screen.

“Never mind, don’t suppose it matters”

“We should really get back to the others, we need to find shelter before it gets dark”

“Shelter? – We’ll just go back to the boat” Spike said

“Er, no dad………the boat is cut off from us now, the tide is well in”

“What – oh!” Spike looked up and out to sea, and the boat although it could be seen DID look rather a long way off from the shore now…

“Come on the, lets get back to the others” Billy sat up, picked up his bag and went to put his magnifying glass in it’s case when he stopped and slowly drew out the map that he’d originally found in the present box that Willow had bought to the cottage

“Oh dad, look!”

“What’s that – is that that old map?”

“Uh huh!”

“What made you bring that?”

“I didn’t! Honestly dad, I really didn’t – I just put my two books and my magnifying glass in here, I don’t know how it got in here – it wasn’t here when I took this out earlier!” Billy looked at his dad with a mixture of wide-eyed surprise and innocence. Spike ruffled his son’s hair and smiled

“Don’t worry Billy, I believe you, after all that’s happened today, it’s just one more weird occurrence!”

***************

“They ARE coming back, don’t worry, look!” Willow said pointing to Spike and Billy trudging through the sand

“But how could it have got SO far away so quickly – one minute those rocks the boat was on seemed so close, and NOW………!”

“We’ll just have to spend the night on the island, that’s all, and go first thing in the morning” Sam said, hoping is aunt Peggy wouldn’t be having a fit by then.

When they got within hearing distance Buffy said

“Have you seen how far the boat is out now, there’s no way we can get back there tonight?”

“I know” Spike said flopping down on the blanket

“Billy pointed it out to me………and another thing” Spike said. Willow, Sam and Buffy looked at Spike expectantly

“What?”

“Show them Billy” Billy put his hand in his bag and drew out the map.

“What did you bring that for?” Buffy asked

“That’s just the point mom, I didn’t!”

“That looks like our reason then” Willow said quietly, and Buffy concurred

Billy looked up to the sky and said

“It’s getting dark, we should look for shelter…is there any food left – and we should try and look for water too, clean drinking water”

“Just how long are you planning on staying here?” Sam asked

“Long as it takes…come on,”

“Look, it’s silly all of us going…why don’t you and Willow stay here with Izzie and Billy and Sam and I will-“

“I’m coming with you dad, you might get into trouble and need me…now I reckon that you need to get up onto those rocks mom…the sea won’t come any higher than there”

“How do you know?”

“Because look…here’s the line where the algae, seaweed and limpets stop – the water comes just above them, but no higher else they’d be limpets and stuff all over the rocks”

Billy’s logic made sense and they began to pack things up and carry them up to relative safety

“Try not to be too long” Willow said

Billy, Sam and Spike set off into the lush looking green undergrowth to find shelter………

Chapter 6



“This looks promising, clear enough for us to build a fire, we could make us a shelter with the beach-blankets and towels…dad, you go back and get mom, uncle Sam, can you find us some dry material to make a fire?”

Spike followed the flattened trail and called out to the girls, who clambered down from the rocks and followed him. They left the cool-boxes on the rocks, figuring nobody or nothing would touch them overnight.

Spike carried the blankets and the bottled water.

Meanwhile, Billy went over to a tree with a long thin vine hanging down. He reached for it, gave it a sharp tug and a piece about thirty foot long broke off.

“Brilliant!” pleased with himself, he saw Sam drop a load of sticks and long dried looking fronds on the ground.

“Want anymore?”

“Much as you can find, we need the fire to be in all night” Billy said, winding up the vine.

Ten minutes later, with the aid of the vine being used to tie some of the blankets to some trees, they had a three-quarters closed in shelter, the open side looking out to the fire.

“Get some of those big branches with the long leaves, they can make the roof” Billy said. And Spike and Sam went off again

“Mommy…I don’t like it, I’m frightened!”

Buffy picked up Izzie and cuddled her

“Don’t be frightened baby, I’m here, daddy’s here, and aunty Willow and Uncle Sam and Billy too, there’s nothing to be frightened of”

Spike came back and looked concerned, and frowned

“Is she alright?” he mouthed

Buffy soothing her daughter nodded and whispered back

“She’s tired, that’s all” Spike nodded

“Dad…have you got your lighter?”

“My Lighter, no, why?”

“To start the fire…no matter I’ve seen this done loads of times…I need a knife – a penknife will do”

“Hold on Billy… I’ve got a book of matches here somewhere – here you go” Willow fished them out of her pocket

“You, with matches?” Buffy looked surprised and smiled

“I just put them in my pocket this morning, while I was making coffee on the boat – lucky I did!”

“Mommy…I’m sleepy…when can we go home?” Izzie began to wriggle on her mother’s lap

“What’s up poppet?” Spike asked

“I want…I want to go!” Izzie said, with a petulant pout

“We leave in the morning sweetie, you go to sleep now, sooner you sleep, the sooner morning comes”

“No daddy… I want to…GO!” She wriggled

“Oh, you mean –“

“I want a wee!”

“Oh…um…” Buffy made her stand and she stood too.

“I’ll come with you – I need to go too!” Willow said, and the three girls went off.

“Bring some more dry stuff back to burn” Sam called, and Buffy raised her hand

Five minutes later, the men had a nice fire going, and the girls came back with their arms full of dry leaves for burning.

“We found a waterfall, it’s beautiful!” Buffy said, dropping her pile on the floor.

“It’s getting dark – we can look in the morning…now Izzie, look what your clever brother has made for you – a hammock!”

Izzie eyed the fabric slung between the two trees – she wasn’t impressed as she was tired and irritable

“I don’t like it!”

“Izzie – don’t be mean, Billy made it specially for you!”

Buffy picked her up and put her in it. Wriggling so it swung, Izzie held her arms up to her mother and gave a worried cry

“Mom-my, I don’t - ahhhh!…”

“Now look…lie down…that’s it……… see, it’s nice you can swing gently” Lying her down, Buffy made the hammock swing very gently. She could see her daughter’s eyelids drooping

“But mommy…I don’t………” Izzie yawned, tiredness overcoming any misgivings she had about her impromptu sleeping arrangements, eyes closing, she went fast to sleep.

Sam held his hand out to Willow

“Come with me”

Willow smiled and asked

“Where to?”

Sam gave her a look, and she grinned, allowing herself to be pulled up off the sand

“Be back later, don’t wait up!” Sam said, striding off in the direction the girls had taken earlier.

“I expect uncle Sam wants a shower in that waterfall” Billy said, feeding the fire some more fuel

“That’ll be it!” Spike said grinning

“Yes, that’ll be it!” Buffy said, glancing at Spike.


************************

“There…alone at last!” Sam wound his arms around Willow and leant her back against a convenient tree!

“And why do you want us to be alone, hmm? – Could be dangerous around here…we could fall down a ravine” Willow said, and then Sam kissed her.

“…Hmm…or um…or we could get totally lost…” Sam homed in for another kiss

Willow smiled and then she continued…

“There could be all manner of wild beasties around here just waiting to eat us up!” Willow’s eyes began to roll…Sam continued kissing her, moving from her mouth to her neck, making her shiver with delight…

“Or…oh, or there c-could be s-sn-snakes - ahh!”

“The only…snake around here………is that………of the trouser variety…here, feel!” Sam took Willow’s hand from his waist and put it on his hard-on!

Willow giggled and gently gripped him, rubbing her hand up and down, before allowing herself to be pulled to the soft sand beneath them………

They returned to Buffy and Spike about an hour later

“Golly, you dried out quick” Billy said

Sam and Willow noticed that the pile of fuel had grown

“Sorry, dried out?” Sam looked confused

“Billy reckoned you’d gone for a shower in that waterfall” Buffy said

“Oh right, um…no - actually we, well I was looking at the stars” This was true, but only when they were walking back to ‘camp’!

“Did you…um, find anything interesting?” Spike asked with a grin

“Yeah…sand gets everywhere!” Willow said quietly, and Buffy stifled a giggle and winced.

Billy yawned

“Come on son…there’s room for you with Izzie, if you lie top to tail” Buffy stood and Billy slipped his sandals off and Buffy helped him into the hammock. Izzie didn’t even move.

“Right, who’s for coffee – it’ll have to be black no sugar, but hey?” Buffy asked

“Coffee? – But how?”

“Well, we have clean water, one of aunty Peggy’s cake tins, Spike went back and fetched the cool boxes so we have tumblers to drink out of, and I noticed earlier that by mistake I’d bought a jar of instant coffee in one of the food bags, I grabbed it out of the cupboard at home this morning, thinking it was a jar relish”

“Great!”

They poured some water into the tin to boil, Buffy tipped a little of the coffee granules into each tumbler

They sat around the fire, it was quite cosy, it was a warm dry night, a little noisy at first when the cicada’s started chirruping, and the birds started calling, but it soon died down.

“I was thinking, I’ll stay awake and keep watch – keep the fire in and that” Spike said

“We’ll take it in turns if you like, we’ll just drink the coffee first” Sam said, then he yawned

“Well okay, you two go get some sleep, and I’ll come and wake you at…”Spike looked at his wristwatch out of sheer habit

“Oh! God knows – I forgot my watch has stopped…tell you what, when the moon reaches that dark shape over there, I reckon that’ll take about four-five hours” Everybody looked up to where Spike was pointing

“Billy’s watch might be working, it’s digital” Buffy said

Spike shook his head

“No, he showed me this afternoon when we were at those rock pools, it was just a blank little screen”

Buffy stretched and leaned back, her hand rested on Billy’s book-bag.

She sat up and pulled it round, taking out the map – it could clearly be seen by the firelight as she unrolled it. After studying it for a few minutes she said,

“Hey…look at this”

“Look at what?”

“This…I reckon…that bit there, on the left hand side, is the beach…” (She turned the map so the scroll was top to bottom, rather than left to right)

“See, beach, okay - and then that’s the waterfall Willow and I found earlier, and that dark shape Spike just pointed to over there…is that bit there…it says, hold on…Dragon’s…………I can’t…” Picking up the map and squinting closely Buffy said

“I think it says Dragon’s Breath mountain – its Dragon’s something anyway” She put the map back on the sand.

“We better not go East” Willow said over Buffy’s shoulder

“Why not?”

“Look………Pit of Hellfire…” Willow, Spike and Buffy all exchanged glances, their old lives rearing its ugly head and making them shiver

“Look there…Caves of what? – Next to the pit, Caves of…the 7 Sirens” Spike said, leaning in on Buffy’s left.

“Siren’s? – Aren’t they supposed to lure sailors with their songs, and their boats get dashed on the rocks and that?” Buffy said

“Something like that…we could do with Giles being here, he knows all about these legends and that”

“Well, you can tell him when we get home tomorrow - now, I know I need some serious shut-eye, I’m knackered!” Sam lay down, and Willow went over and lay by him.

Spike and Buffy unrolled the map a little further to see what else they could find out………

Chapter 7

Buffy woke with a start, and lifted her head from Spike’s lap

“Huh wha-what was that?”

Spike stayed completely still, and they both heard the noise again, like something quite heavy walking carefully through the undergrowth

Buffy sat up slowly looking in the direction of the noise

“Can you see anything?” she whispered

Spike glanced across to the children, and then Sam and Willow to check that at least Sam was asleep, then he looked at Buffy, circled in front of his face with his finger, and Buffy understood what he was going to do.

Spike allowed his demon to come to the fore, and Buffy saw the ridges and his golden eyes as he shifted – he hadn’t done this in over a year, and it felt strange………

Scanning the immediate vicinity, Spike stood slowly and walked to the edge of the undergrowth and walked slowly about, but he could see nothing – whatever it was, had gone

Spike sat down exhausted.

Buffy knew he would need blood now; he always did after a ‘change’.

“Here baby” Buffy had cut her wrist with the penknife Billy didn’t need earlier and had let her blood drip into one of the tumblers. The cut would be nothing more than a scratch by morning.

Spike took the blood and gulped it down, he rinsed the tumbler and said

“There was nothing – at least it had gone when I went to look………good job I can still change at night huh?”

Buffy nodded and shuddered

“Cold pet – here, I’ll put more leaves on the-“

Buffy shook her head, but cuddled up to Spike, who put his arm around her.

“I think I’m with Izzie on this…I don’t like it!”

“I know pet…seems too much like the past...Dragon’s Breath Mountain…Pit of Hellfire”

“Yeah, just a bit…shall I go and wake Sam, the moon is well past that shape”

“Nah, leave him to sleep, I’m okay, I can grab a few hours during the daylight – I’m much better use to everyone during the night hours, just in case – you go back to sleep now, I’m going to have another coffee”

Buffy lay back down, dozing. Through the undergrowth towards the beach she could see the first colour changes in the sky indicating that dawn was near. She felt a slight shudder go through Spike and she sat up and gently rubbed Spike’s back

“You okay baby?”

“Me- yeah I’m fine…huh, psychological that’s all – seeing the dawn. Sunrise was one thing I thought I’d never see again at one time” Spike turned and smiled at her, giving her a light kiss

Buffy leant her head against his shoulder

“Hey…you didn’t wake me!”

“Morning Sam…no, you two looked like babes in the wood, we didn’t have the heart to!”

“You’ve been awake all night?”

“Spike has, I’ve dozed”

“Mom…help me out please”

Buffy went over to the hammock and lifted Billy out.

The fire was almost out, all the fuel consumed by the greedy flames.

“Any problems?” Sam asked stretching

“Well, we thought we heard something – I had a quick scout around but (Spike shrugged) nothing”

“Quick scout around – huh you wouldn’t have seen my ar-er hi Billy, you okay mate?”

Billy came back from behind a tree, yawning

“Try and get another couple of hours sleep baby, it’s still very early yet” Buffy helped him back into the hammock

“Have we got anything to drink – I’m parching” Sam asked

“Half a bottle of water – unless you fancy going to the waterfall and fetching more, and then we could all have coffee” Buffy suggested

“Here, I’ll show you where it is” Willow took the bottles and she led Sam off

“Is there any grub left, I’m starving?” Spike rubbed his tummy

“Er…let’s see…there’s one Cornish pastie…a chicken leg………a piece of carrot cake…half a cheese sandwich, an apple and a banana and two of aunt Peggy’s chocolate brownies”

“I could do with something sweet – energy you know”

“Here, but don’t tell the others!” Buffy gave him the two brownies

Spike ate them, he’d just finished when Willow and Sam returned

“Here, I’ll make the coffee” Sam pored the water into the cake tin to boil, and got the tumblers ready.

“Is there anything to eat left?”

“I think there was a brownie I didn’t eat!” Willow said and Buffy and Spike exchanged a look

“Um…there was…sorry, I ate it, needed the energy I was flagging at about three o’clock this morning!”

“Oh, is your watch working?”

“What – oh no, when I say three o’clock…I’m surmising, you know”

“Here, do you mind if I leave the carrot cake for Izzie, and the fruit for Billy, you can have the rest” Buffy passed over the food boxes

“Have you had anything?”

“I’m not hungry, really” Buffy gave Willow a reassuring nod and Willow took the boxes off her.


*****************************

“Mommy – wait for me!” Izzie put down her piece of cake and scampered after her mom.

“I’m only here poppet, I’m not running off”

Buffy had taken off Izzie’s tee shirt and had rinsed it out, draping it over some bushes to dry. All the others had gone off exploring.

Then suddenly Izzie heard voices

“Well I hope Spike and Billy have done better than us – oh hi”

“No joy?” Buffy asked

“Just these…but they’re not ripe” Sam held up four small green bananas.

Sam sat in their makeshift ‘camp’ and saw the piece of carrot cake, and couldn’t resist it.

“Izzie…do you want this pet?”

Izzie shook her head no.

Sam ate it, and Izzie came back saying

“I lick-ted all the frosting off it…but I don’t like the cake!”

Sam frowned then smiled, laughing he hauled her over to sit between his legs

“What are those?” Izzie asked, pointing the small green fruits

“Hmm…they’re bananas, but they’re not ripe so they won’t taste very nice”

Excited shouts made them both look up, to see Billy and Spike staggering into the camp carrying a ‘tray’ made out of banana leaves. The tray was heaped with huge juicy looking pineapples, mangoes, coconuts and some brown furry-looking pods

“Oh wow – you DID have more luck than us!”

Grinning, Spike and Billy set their haul down on the sand

“I swear to you, it’s the sweetest, juiciest pineapple you’ve ever tasted!” Spike said

Quickly opening his penknife, Sam cut the leaves off several of the large juicy fruits and then cut them into quarters, handing them out, the sweet juice dripping through his fingers

Everybody ate with relish, and agreed, a tastier pineapple they’d never had! After a quick dip in the waterfall to get rid of the stickiness, they went back to their haul

“What are these then Billy?” Buffy picked up one of the longish fat brown furry pods

“Ah, smack two together…like this” He demonstrated, and bits of shell broke off and putting the one pod down carefully, Billy peeled back the broken bits of shell to reveal pale yellow spongy type seeds closely packed. They looked like the polystyrene shapes that are sometimes packed around delicate goods for transportation.

Billy picked out one of the seeds and put it between his teeth, taking off the spongy yellow bit. It tasted a lot like lemon sorbet, delicious!

“And see this, the black seed inside, don’t throw it, it can be washed and dried and then ground up it makes a kind of nutty porridge”

“And how come you know so much – what is it anyway?” Buffy asked copying what her son had done.

“Fruit of the Baobab tree…I read it in my book!”

“Hmm…that’s really nice…bit like…um freeze dried lemon ice-cream! Willow said

“That pineapple though – I’ve never had better!” Buffy stated

“So, what did you find uncle Sam?” Billy asked

Izzie held up the four sorry looking bananas, and everybody giggled

“We can have the mangoes and coconuts for lunch”

“Hopefully we’ll back on the boat then” Sam said, and suddenly it went dark

Frowning everybody looked up to see a huge grey/black cloud cover the sun, suddenly there was an almighty clap of thunder and the rain began to fall – in torrents.

Quickly they all squeezed into the camp shelter, pulling the fruit in also. The banana leaf roof did an amazing job of keeping the rain off them – and suddenly Buffy broke camp and ran out in it, shrieking and laughing, holding her arms up in the air – Willow joined her and Izzie, leaving the men thinking they’d gone slightly mad! – But they were laughing too!

The rain eventually stopped, leaving everything steaming and dripping wet, but a thick mist prevailed so even when they stood on the beach, they couldn’t even see the boat

“Doesn’t look like we’ll be leaving anytime soon…come on” Spike and Sam went back to their camp.

“Is the boat alright?” Willow asked worriedly

“Dunno, we could barely make it out through the mist…it’ll lift soon enough, no doubt” Sam said, looking up into the greyness

Spike yawned

“I’m going for a few hours shut-eye, I’m knackered” Spike announced, yawning again

“Me too daddy, I want to come with you” Izzie announced.

“Okay princess, but no wriggling okay, daddy wants to sleep” Izzie nodded solemnly and held her arms up to her beloved daddy. Spike scooped her up, blew a raspberry on her tummy and made her giggle.

After making sure the hammock would hold him and Izzie, Spike climbed onto the swinging bed and pulled Izzie up to join him. Izzie immediately cuddled up to her daddy, who put his arm around her protectively. Izzie closed her eyes and they were both soon fast asleep.

Buffy said she’d stay by the camp, while Willow, Billy and Sam went off exploring

Chapter 8


A couple of hours later, Izzie woke and called to her mother as quietly as she could.

Buffy had been bashing open the coconuts.

Spike stirred as Buffy lifted her daughter down from the hammock, but Spike stayed asleep.

“What are you doing mommy?”

“Trying to open these nuts here…but I’m not having much success”

“When’s Billy and the others coming back?”

“I don’t know baby, but soon, don’t worry, now can you hold this for me while I…there! That’s better!” Buffy twisted the pieces of shell with the coconut on, and the nut came away, Buffy put it on a banana leaf, and the shell she threw on a pile for burning later.

*********************


“I don’t think we should go much further, we’ve been walking for ages and it’s getting back, we don’t want to end up getting lost” Billy said

Sam stopped slashing and striding

“Hmm, perhaps you’re right…we haven’t found anything though, have we, except thick jungle – although it DOES look like it’s thinning out just ahead” Willow said

“Maybe there’s nothing to be found”

Sam said, but he didn’t believe that, he KNEW that they must be there for a reason.

“Okay, just to where you said it gets thinner, then we turn back”

“Stand back…there!” Sam hacked a particularly thick over-hang of vines, to reveal a clearing – and what looked like the ruins of some sort of building

“Oh wow!………I KNEW there must be something here………” On a squared off piece of carved stone, about the size of a decent sarcophagus were strange pictograms, an eye in a triangle, three dots over what looked like a rising sun, a tree with wiggly lines emanating from it…

Billy immediately went over to it

“Be careful lad…” Sam warned, looking around – noticing the stones around the big stone were set in a circle.

“Oh look…they’ve carved the shape of a person on top of the stone…” Billy said, also noticing that there was a strange ‘channel’ running from the ‘neck’ of the carving to the edge of the stone

Willow frowned and said

“I don’t like the look of that, it looks – “

Remembering that Billy was only a child she stopped herself short of saying it looked like a sacrificial altar, the channel being for the blood to run down from the sacrificial victim.

“Aunty Willow…do you think this channel was…well…could it be for blood – look, it’s coming from the neck part of the carving”

Willow frowned and held her hand out towards Billy

“It might be honey…come on, lets get back shall we – this place is giving me the wiggins”

They turned back the way they came, and in just under an hour they were back at the camp.

**********************


“Daddy…I want to go home”

“Me too pet, we will soon, I promise, just as soon as the weather gets better”

“When will that be daddy?”

“I don’t know poppet…it should be very soon”

“Tomorrow?”

“Maybe”

“I hope so…I don’t like Lundy Island”

“This isn’t Lundy pet…not sure where it is, but this isn’t Lundy Island”

“But you said we were-!”

“Izzie, want some mango?”

“No! I WANT to go home!” she began to cry, Spike picked her up and carried her off a little way, trying to soothe her down

Buffy sighed and said quietly,

“I must admit, I’m with her!”

Willow looked up from gnawing around a mango stone and nodded in agreement

“Buffy – I’m taking her to cool off, she’s a little bit hot” Spike said and strode off towards the waterfall

“Hope she doesn’t get sick – that’s all we need”


************************


It was so hot and humid, everybody just lay down, staring upwards towards the canopy of the forest. Somebody’s stomach gave a loud growl…

“You know what I could just eat now – a steak. A big, thick, juicy steak, with mushrooms, onion rings, and – “

“Oh, will you SHUT UP!” Willow said, rubbing her tummy

“I was just saying!” Sam said, with a hint of apology in his voice.

“Chicken me. Barbecued chicken, all sticky and spicy” Spike said

“You’re just as bad – be quiet!”

“Sausages! Got to be uncle Sam’s sausages though…the spicy ones – with ketchup and fries!” Billy said

“Mommy, I want fries and sausages too!” Izzie piped up

“Now look what you’ve done…honey, you can’t have fries and sausages, we haven’t got any”

“But mommy…I want… I…” Spike picked her up and hauled her onto his lap.

“Oh come on pet, don’t cry hmm? Be a big brave girl for daddy, and I promise you, when we get home, you can have sausages and fries, okay?” Spike tried to placate his fractious daughter.

Izzie sniffed and rubbed her face against Spike’s chest.

It had been three hours since they’d eaten the last of the mango, coconut and pineapple. There were still quite a few baobab pods – but they seemed fiddly and hardly worth the effort………

“Tell you what, Sam – you stay here with the children, and Buffy Willow and I will go off and see what we can find huh – get a nice fire going you never know”

Sam raised his brows, but nodded

“Right then ladies, follow me!” Spike strode out in the direction that Sam and the others had taken earlier – and when he was out of earshot of the children and Sam, he turned to Willow and asked

“Will – can YOU do something?”

“Such as?”

“Conjure up a couple of chickens, or a turkey or something?”

“Or even some decent weather so we could go home?” Buffy asked hopefully…

“I know, I’ve been thinking that myself – but I need stuff”

“Stuff? - What kind of stuff?”

“Herbs...candles, an offering…a bowl – I”

“Well look around, some of this stuff is bound to be herb – we can check in Billy’s book”



*******************

“Is this it?” Buffy asked hopefully, indicating a thick, bushy plant.

“No…can’t you smell it – that’s wild garlic”

“Poo! Now you come to mention it………so it’s no good then” Buffy wrinkled her nose at the pungent smell that suddenly permeated the air

“Well, not really – I need something like sage”

All three of them walked on a little further, when Spike shushed the two girls.

They both looked at him, he was frowning

“What is it?” Buffy whispered

“I thought I heard some - there! – I heard it again, listen” Spike said

Straining to hear, both Buffy and Willow even held their breath. Buffy was just about to say she couldn’t hear anything, when there was a distinct sound of something moving around in the bushes ahead of them. Spike waved his hand up and down, and crouched, Buffy and Willow followed suit, crouching in the undergrowth. Squinting in the distance to see if they could see anything, all they could really see were jungle plants.

A full minute later, Spike stood after nothing more had been heard. Slowly Buffy and Willow stood too.

“I don’t think it was anything to worry about, whatever it was, has g-oh!” Buffy was just about to say the word ‘gone’, when an arrow whizzed past her face and stuck in a tree four yards to her right

“What the - !” Buffy began, wide-eyed with shock

“DOWN!” Spike hissed and the three dropped to the ground as one

“Well we know one thing now, we’re not alone on this god-forsaken island, and the natives definitely aren’t friendly!” Spike went to the tree and retrieved the arrow; the feathered end was sticking up at an angle. After pulling it out of the tree, he sniffed it.

“As I thought…it’s been dipped in poison”

“POISON!”

“Shh!…Now…let me see, we heard a noise ahead of us, but the arrow came from the left of us, and it was at an angle………so I reckon the bowman must be in that tree over…there”

Spike crept over to the tree and gave it a good shake, then motioned for the other two to help him.

Ten seconds later, not being able to hang on any longer, the bowman fell out of the tree with a thump and a yell

“All-right sonny-Jim…I’ve got you now…I think I’ll take those, thankyou very much, and that” Spike took the quiver of arrows and the bow off the now terrified native, and gave them to Buffy

“And I’m going to teach you not to start shooting at people, it’s dangerous – somebody could get hurt!” Spike had the hapless native by the scruff of the neck. Frowning after he’d taken a better look, he realised that the native was really only a teenager – couldn’t have been more than 14-15 years old at the most.

“That arrow could have hit my wife, or my friend, or even me – do you understand?” The young man blinked terrified at Spike.

“I think you’ve scared him Spike” Buffy said

“Really? – Coz I haven’t started yet, now just you listen here, mate, when…oh” Spike looked up

The bushes that were in front of them suddenly rustled, and Spike, Willow and Buffy all stood looking at at least 10 more natives, some carrying spears, some with bows and arrows. All were covered in a random white substance, just daubed haphazardly over their faces, chest and torso. They all wore an animal skin loincloths.

Spike blew out his cheeks, and let the boy out of his grasp

“I was just telling laddo here how it isn’t polite to fire arrows at people, could get hurt”

Nothing. No response whatsoever from the group standing in front of them.

“Do you reckon we could ‘take’ them…I’m wary of the spears, in case they have that poison on them, but I reckon we could-“ Buffy whispered, trying not to move her lips. Suddenly one of the natives, the biggest one in the front pointed his spear at Buffy and shouted out,

“SILENCE!”

“Oh, you DO speak English then, good. I was just saying to the lad here that going around and firing ar-“

“Enough! You will kneel for the arrival of our God and King, Liama”

Buffy, Willow and Spike looked as the bushes shook, and through them came a rather large white man, he had on a multi-coloured robe, and a fancy headdress on – he was also the spitting image of Angel!

“I SAID KNEEL before our God and King!” The native said, brandishing his spear

Spike’s reaction? His brows dropped from being surprised and his whole face changed to a snarl

“Kneel? – Like FUCK I will!”

Chapter 9

Aware that there was movement behind them, they all turned their heads to see that they were now surrounded by spear carrying natives.

Somebody to Spike’s right prodded him with his spear and said

“You were told, KNEEL before our- arrrrrrrrrrggggggggghhhhhh - oooff!”

Without looking, Spike lashed out with his right arm, grabbing the spear, which he quickly transferred to his left hand, and before the native knew what had hit him, he found himself sailing towards a tree, he landed with a sickening thud.

“Okay, so just YOU be told, the next person to jab me with ANYTHING, will get it shoved up their arse, do YOU understand that?” Spike raised his knee, and broke the spear shaft in two, and threw the pieces down with disgust

As one, the natives went to move towards the trio, but the ‘king’ said

“Follow me” he turned and began to walk through the bushes.

After a few steps he realised that the three weren’t following him, so with an evil smile, he turned his head to the right, but without looking at them he said over his shoulder,

“You WILL follow me, we already have your children and the other man”

“WHAT – Now just you – “ Buffy furiously went to charge at the man, but Spike caught her around the waist, she struggled against her husband at first but he placated her by whispering

“Save it until we know they’re safe love” Buffy looked at him for a few seconds, and then she nodded and stopped struggling – it made sense – but she did say

“If you’ve harmed one hair on their heads, I’ll kill the LOT of you”

************

Izzie spied her mother as they all entered the clearing, and despite a native trying to bar her path with his spear, unperturbed she ducked under the ‘stick’ and ran to her mother. Buffy scooped her up

“Mommy! I didn’t cry, Billy told me not to!”

“Good girl…are you alright?” Buffy quickly scanned both the children, but they were unharmed, as was Sam.

“I’m sorry Buffy, but they-“

“You don’t have to apologise Sam, we know – and it’s not your fault” Buffy patted him on the shoulder.

“ENOUGH of the chatter, you will LISTEN to what is said to you!” The chief native said

Spike watched closely as Buffy checked the children over, and could see for himself that they were all right.

“Why are you here?” demanded the chief

“Actually – no idea, mate – we set sail for Lundy, got caught in a storm that wasn’t predicted, ended up here – wherever here is – where are we exactly anyway?”

“YOU LIE! You came here to steal our treasure!”

“No, like I told you, we didn’t come here by choi-er… – what treasure is that then, exactly?” Spike asked frowning

Suddenly the ground shook slightly beneath them, and in the distance, the volcano shot out a cloud of dust and ashes.

“Sire! SIRE! - The fire-mountain needs to be appeased, we must offer a sacrifice to please it!”

The ‘king’ didn’t say anything, he just nodded his head.

Four natives made towards Izzie – and to their cost, they found out they’d made a grave mistake. Billy pulled her gently towards him, and Buffy was a blur – she’d punched two out and dropped to the ground, ‘dolly-rolled’ with legs akimbo and deposited the two others straight on their backs, groaning as they were winded they suddenly found themselves tethered to the ground by their hair, Buffy had ‘staked’ each one to the ground via their spear through their hair, each native was petrified – they knew she could have easily taken them and killed them with their own weapons.

“Anybody else who makes a move towards me or mine will find me in not-so a generous mood next time, because if there IS a next time, it won’t be their hair anchoring them to the ground…I’ll go through flesh” She fixed each native with a stare that brooked no argument, and they believed her, because at least two dozen ran away…

The king looked worried. Buffy put her arm around the shoulders of her children and lead them over to Spike, Willow and Sam joined them too.

One of the natives said something in a foreign language to the ‘king’, who replied back in the same language - the native ran off and returned a few seconds later with a young pig, who was struggling and squealing.

“Oh this is ridiculous! – You can’t stop a volcano from erupting by killing a pig! – Let it go!” Buffy snatched the piglet off the native and put it down on the ground, where it wasted no time in scurrying off through the undergrowth.

The native that had been holding the pig didn’t know what to do, he had seen for himself how strong the woman was, so he decided against challenging her, even with his weapon, so he did the only thing he really could do, and that was take off after the pig.

“Mommy…I’m hungry!” Izzie announced in a loud voice

“I know baby, me too – we’ll get something soon” Buffy cuddled her daughter up tightly to her.

“Mom…that king, he looks, well remember when I had my adventure at Blackmore Hall, well he looks exactly like that evil Sir Jasper!” Billy said frowning

“Does he now, well he looks like somebody Willow, your dad and me know too…”

A native came running through the bushes towards the king and trying to bow, catch his breath and speak at the same time managed to pant out,

“Sire – Sire – your garden has been plundered! The fruits that were ready have gone!”

The king didn’t know what to do. The people were obviously not scared of him or the natives. He suspected that it was they who had plundered his fruit garden – but he knew that none of the natives would mete out any punishment he thought fit…

“God, I’m knackered...this heat, let’s sit down, shall we?” Buffy went over to the fallen tree that Sam had been sitting on, and the others followed.

“Stand up! Stand up in front of the king!”

“Stand up, kneel – you want to make your minds up – not that it’ll do you any good mind, we do what we want”

Spike said, and then turned to Buffy

“You should have kept hold of that pig pet, we could have had a bit of roast pork!”

“Oh yeah…I didn’t think…oh look, they’re going!”

“Well bloody good riddance!” Sam said

“Yes, bloody riddance!” Izzie shouted after the departing king and his minions

“Hey, naughty girl!” Buffy touched Izzie’s lips

“But uncle Sam said it!”

“Well uncle Sam’s naughty!” Willow said, but everyone was smiling.

“Can you…(sniff) can anybody smell that?” Spike continued to sniff again

“What?”

“It smells like uncle Sam sometimes…when he’s been doing the pigs!” Billy said grinning

“You…come with me!” Spike tapped Sam in the chest with the back of his hand and walked off, Sam followed. Ten minutes later, they reappeared with two pigs, Sam had cut their throats, cut them open and had cleaned them out in a pool

“Let’s get a good fire going – roast pork for dinner!”

“Where did you get them?” Buffy asked criss-crossing sticks to build a fire

“At the edge of the village, they were kept in a pen…nobody saw us!”

“Village?”

“Well, a few mud huts, where those natives live I presume”

“Do you think they’ll smell it as it cooks?”

“Suppose, don’t know, don’t care – they’re not taking it off us, my children are hungry” Spike said matter-of-factly!

Soon the fire was blazing, and the pigs had been set on long sticks, and were roasting nicely – a delicious smell filled the air making everyone hungry.

********************

“Careful now baby, it’s hot!” Buffy put some meat pulled from the leg onto a banana leaf ‘plate’ they’d made while waiting for the meat to cook. Izzie tucked in regardless!

Everybody ate with relish – it was delicious!

“Hmm…not bad at all!” Sam patted his stomach

“I wonder what they meant, about us stealing their treasure?” Spike mused, building up the fire

“I don’t know…I wish we’d got our stuff…the towels and that” Buffy said toeing the ground

“Coz I don’t fancy lying down on the bare ground, too many creepy-crawlies!”

Creepy-crawlies obviously weren’t on Billy’s mind as he lay down on his stomach, studying the map.

Chapter 10





“You know love, I was just thinking” Spike said, toeing the dirt on the ground, squishing a bug

“What’s that then?”

“Well…that was too easy” he looked at her

“What?”

“The natives and Angel”

“It wasn’t Angel!”

“Well, you KNOW who I mean, it looked damn well near enough to be his identical twin!”

“You think they might come back and try something in the night?” Buffy asked

“I thinks that’s a given, I wouldn’t put it passed them to-“

“Mommy – I’m sleepy!” Izzie yawned pulling at her mother’s hand.

“Okay honey” she ruffled her hair

“I’ll…” She motioned her head downwards towards Izzie, and Spike nodded

Sam came wondering over to Spike.

“I think they might come back when it’s dark, they went too easily”

“That’s what I just said to Buffy…I think them returning is a given…especially as they’ve probably noticed that not only did we plunder his lordship’s garden of fruit, we’ve also stolen piglets too”

“Well I shall stay awake with you tonight, it’s only fair!”

Spike smiled and nodded

“Dad…did you notice this before?” Billy piped up. He was still lying on the ground, looking at the map.

“Notice what son?”

“This cross on the map…I was thinking, those natives mentioned treasure, and in all the stories I’ve ever ready about treasure and maps...well, ‘X’ marks the spot!” Billy grinned up at his father.

“Let me look………you might be right there son, Sam, look at this, what do you think, reckon that’s where the treasure is?”

~Both adults were squatted on the ground looking at the map~

“Could well be!”

“Sam…I want a shower, and Buffy said it isn’t wise to go off on my own…” Willow looked shyly at Sam

Sam stood

“Sure babe, be right with you!”

He turned to Spike

“I’m um..”

“Sure, you carry on… come on Billy, come and sit here” Spike sat on the ground with his legs open and Billy sat between them, his back to his father’s chest. They began to scrutinize the map together.

Briefly Spike looked up to see Buffy cradling a sleeping Izzie like a baby, rocking backwards and forwards gently.

***********************

“Uh – huh, hmm, wha-what?” Sam woke with a start, Spike had put his hand over his mouth. As Spike’s features came into focus, Spike put his finger to his lips. Sam nodded and Spike removed his hand from Sam’s mouth. Putting his mouth right next to Sam’s ear he whispered,

“There was some definite movement over there in those bushes, you go and be with Willow and the kids”

Sam drew breath and was just about to protest when Spike pulled him closer and said,

“Remember Buffy’s a martial arts expert – she’s more use to me in a fight”

Sam relented and nodded, and crawled off towards the others.

Buffy was beside Spike in a flash, and Spike silently pointed towards the bushes. Buffy nodded and stared hard.

All manner of noises could be heard, howler monkeys in the distance, insects and birds, but nearer to them was most definitely the sound of rustling bushes.

Sleek and swift as a cat, Spike stood and in almost the same movement lashed out with his right arm, grabbing a native around the neck, pulling him to the ground. At the same time Buffy darted to the left, just in time to see a dart hit the tree she’d had her back against, and fall to the ground. Swivelling around with her one leg out, there was a loud thud, a groan of somebody winded as she’d taken the native’s legs from beneath him, quick as a flash she had him around the neck.

Spike quickly had the two hapless natives lashed together with the strong jungle vines. He bound them hands and feet, and covered their mouths with torn up tee shirt so they couldn’t shout out. He then threw the loose end of vine over a tall branch to haul them upside down. He hauled them so far, so that they were at head height with him, and grabbed them each by the chin. Calmly he turned game face. Both natives went wide- eyed in sheer terror tried to wriggle but it was useless

“Now just listen up…you go back to your village, and tell that big poncy head honcho of yours that anymore of not playing fair, and I’ll be forced to wipe out your whole village, do you understand? EVERY LAST ONE OF YOU” Terrified, the naives tried to arch their bodies away from Spike, who flashed them his fangs and his golden eyes. He turned and shook away his demon and went back to his waiting wife.

“There...that should hold them for a while. Now what have we here………hmm, as I thought, poison” he’d picked up the dart that had hit the tree, and sniffed it. The point was coated in a thick, tarry black substance that smelt oily.

“So…they want to step up the fight do they?”

“Spike, I’m worried – if we hadn’t got Billy and Izzie here, I-“ Although she was whispering, Spike stayed her talking with a hand on her arm.

“Shh…(gently he pulled her down) and mouthed, ‘over there’”

Buffy looked to where Spike pointed, but they both relaxed when smallish wild pig came snuffling through the undergrowth.

“Oh look, breakfast!” Before the pig knew what had hit it, Spike had grabbed it and broke it’s neck.

“Keep ‘em peeled pet, I’ll just take this to Sam” On the way, Spike bit into the animal’s neck and fed on the warm blood as he’d turned game face earlier.

*******

When dawn broke Spike yawned. Buffy was already asleep

“Babe…come on pet, wake up”

Buffy woke and stretched, she ached all over and felt dirty, sweaty and grimy.

“Sorry, I’m not a very good look-out, am I? Oh…I’d love a nice hot bath” she said through a yawn

“Me too pet, but we’ll have to settle for a cold shower…come on” he hauled his weary wife up to standing position and they walked to where Willow and Sam had built a kind of make-shift shelter for the children

“Morning – last of the coffee I’m afraid, but breakfast won’t be long” Sam said, poking the flames of the fire they’d got going

“Smells good, we’re just going for a shower”

*************

“Dad…there’s a path that leads to the volcano, look”

Billy laid the map out and traced a line on it with his finger

Spike blinked and said,

“Is it? Sure it isn’t a crease, the map is very old”

“No, I thought that at first, but it’s definitely a path, it shows the stream that runs to make the waterfall, and those rocks over there behind those trees”

Spike yawned and took a closer look

“You know son, I do believe you’re right!”

“Oh gosh – who are they dad!” Billy had just noticed the two hung-upside down natives.

“Oh, just a couple of spoilsports we found last night, nothing to worry about”

“What SHALL we do with them though?” Buffy asked draining her coffee from the folded banana leaf cup.

“I was thinking of letting them go”

“But they tried to – “ Buffy stopped herself short of saying ‘kill us’ so as not to frighten the children.

“I’ll just cut them down…AFTER I’d had a word with them”

Hauling their shoulders downwards, first one then the other native dropped to the ground. Still bound, they wriggled and tried to get away from the man-monster as they thought of Spike.

“Now lads…just remember what I told you…leave us alone…(he leant in close) or it’ll be the whole village wiped out, okay?” he smiled broadly at them and walked back to ‘camp’.

*****************


They cleared the fire away and carried the remains of the pig with them. They decided to walk towards the volcano, and the terrain had changed. No longer jungle, they walked across a rocky outcrop in a desert-like area.

“Poo…can you smell that, it stinks!”

“It’s the sulphur…smells like rotten eggs!” Buffy wrinkled her nose

“Hold on dad…can I look at the map, those rocks just up ahead look familiar to me”

Everybody sat, welcomed the break

“Can I hear water?” Buffy asked, wiping her sweating brow with the back of her wrist

“Yes mom, it’s the stream that runs to the waterfall, just down there” Billy pointed

Buffy, Izzie and Willow took off to get a drink

“See, that formation of three rocks, I knew I’d seen them on here” Billy said with a smile.

“Yes…and that means, that the ‘X’ on the map is about…well, less than a mile away!”

Father and son grinned at each other, and they went for a drink with Sam when the girls came back.

******************

“So much for your less than a mile, dad!” They’d been walking for a good hour

“Well give or take, anyway, we’re here now…and this is ‘X’, I presume” Spike put his hand on a square-ish shaped piece of carved black rock. It sparkled as the fine pieces of quartz in it caught the sunlight.

“Doesn’t look much to me” Sam said

Billy went up to the stone and began to clear the sand away from the base. A step could be seen, and Sam and Spike joined in. Soon they had three steps up to the rock cleared, it was a definite plinth, with symbols carved on it.

“Right, I’ve got the key on the back of the map………” Billy turned the map over

“Stand in front there…now 6” Billy said

“Six? Six what?” Sam asked

“Six steps, I presume”

Sam walked to the right six paces, and asked

“Now what?”

“Um…I’m not sure…it looks like there’s something sticking up out of the rock in my picture…”

Sam turned and said

“Well, you saw me, I took six paces…perhaps it wasn’t six paces after all, perhaps it was six something – oh!”

Sam jumped as a lizard scurried past his foot and he stepped back.

Everybody heard a stone-against-stone grating sound, and a large piece of Quartz rose up from the centre of the rock

“Looks like your steps were a bit small – now what son?” Spike said grinning

“Erm…it’s got three wavy lines and a picture of somebody with a big jug pouring something over the quartz”

“Wavy lines usually mean water – Buffy, can you go get us some?”

“Er yeah…what shall I carry it in?”

“LOOK!” Willow said excitedly – There, on the step, there’s a jug!”

Buffy got the jug and ran to the steam.

Five minutes later she was back

“Okay, now what?”

“Well, let’s pour on the water and see what happens” Willow suggested

Buffy shrugged and began to tip the jug when Billy suddenly shouted

“WAIT!”

Buffy stopped

“I think you’ve got to say these words while you’re pouring it”

“Hmm…okay, Will can you say them while I pour?”

“Sure…” Billy gave her the map

“Where are we? – Right okay, ready: Spiritus ecanum lacrimata, aquarainus libratae Aurus”

The sky suddenly went very dark as clouds gathered and a monsoon broke

“Oh hell…was that supposed to happen?”

All of them ran to the rocky overhang to try and shelter from the torrential downpour.

The ground shook, the volcano let of a huge belch of smoke, and for a second or two everyone thought that they’d had it!

The carved square-ish shaped rock fell forward and the quartz retracted, as soon as it touched the sand, the rain stopped and the sun came out.

Spike went over to the rock and looked down the hole and he beamed

“Oh you MUST come and see this!”

Quickly they all ran over and looked………


*******************



“Um, mom...dad…we’ve got company, look” Billy said

Everybody looked up to see a semi-circle of natives, kneeling and bowing to them, about 30 yards away.

“Aye up…here comes the ponce himself!” Spike said in a whisper, and Buffy frowned.

The tribe leader, the one who looked like Angel stood in front of the natives, and held out his spear, then planted it firmly in the ground.

“I think the head honcho wants a pow-pow with us!” Sam said quietly. Above them there was a loud-ish rumble, and the volcano belched out a cloud of dark smoke.

“Sam, you take the ladies, son, you come with me”

“Where are we going dad?”

“To get this treasure, come on”

“But – “ Buffy began to protest

“Look, if his lordship decides to kick off, you’d be better placed to defend Willow and Izzie, I can take care of Billy” Spike said, and Buffy nodded, and began to follow Sam walking towards the natives.

“Come on then son…let’s go”

The square shaped rock, still lying on the sand had revealed an underground chamber, with steps down leading to it.

Spike turned and walked backwards down the steps, quickly followed by Billy.

When they got to the bottom, Spike went over to this huge chest full of gold coins, cups, plates and chalices.

“Wow…have you ever seen so much gold dad?” Billy stood, eyes round in wonderment

Spike grinned

“Sure is a few quid’s worth here son, that’s a fact!!!”

“We can’t keep it though dad, can we?” Billy said, touching one of the plates

“No son…it doesn’t belong to us”

**********************

Meanwhile, outside Buffy went over towards the natives, and sat down on the ground. Izzie, Sam and Willow followed suit.

After some minutes, William stuck his head out of the opening and called

“Would somebody come and give us a hand, it’s heavy!”

Buffy looked at the chief, who in turn picked up his staff and pointed to four of his people.

They stood and looking wide eyed and scared, slowly made their way to the plinth.

Several times they looked back to their chief, who without emotion waved them on.

“Okay then mate………you grab this…and those” Spike piled the treasure high in the native’s arms.
The native for his part looked even more wide eyed in surprise

“Okay, whose next – right you can carry that…and those ………and um………that, there you go” Spike gave the second native a small box, a large plate and several chalices.

“You take those, (he handed the third native a stack of plates as large as trays) and the last bloke, you come with me” Spike disappeared down the hole.

Gingerly, the native peeped down the hole, not knowing what to expect.

“Well come on, I won’t bite, Billy, time for you to go and sit with the others now, okay son!” Spike said and carefully the native climbed down the steps. Billy did as he was told.

“You grab that end………now heave………and HEAVE!” With as much strength as they could muster between them, they hauled the huge chest out from the sand.

“Go and get a couple of your buddies, we’ll never do this with just the two of us” Spike said.

Without a word, the native climbed the steps and beckoned to some to come forward.

After half an hour of heaving, pushing and shoving, they eventually got the huge chest through the hole and out into the open.

The chief had already scrutinized the treasures that Spike had already sent out, and came striding over when the chest appeared. He was grinning broadly

Spike appeared at the top of the hole, dusting himself off

“Well that’s about it mate, there’s nothing left down – uh-oh………” The ground gave an ominous wobble, and sand fell into the hole. Spike quickly jumped out and made his way over to the others

“I think we better shift ourselves”

There was a roar and the volcano belched out another cloud of black smoke, and the ground gave an even more violent shake, and the large square stone disappeared into the sand – the tremor stopped.

“Mommy – I‘m frightened!” Spike heard Izzie say.

He turned and saw Buffy trying to reassure her

“My bestest little girl frightened – never…come on…on my shoulders eh, daddy’ll keep you safe”

Buffy smiled as Izzie eagerly ran to her daddy and climbed on his back while he squatted down for her.

“Any idea where we’re going?” Sam asked

“Nope…but I should hope now we’ve found this little lot, and not tried to make off with it, we SHOULD by rights have earned ourselves some brownie points………mind your eyes with those overhanging leaves, Pet” Spike said

They came to the village and the chief turned to them, and motioned them to sit, which they did. He clapped his hands, and some women came out of the huts, bearing pitchers and cups made out of coconut halves.

Food came next, masses of fruit, fish, chicken, suckling pig and a type of flat bread that was still quite hot, across from them they could see an old lady turning them on a stone over a fire.

Everybody tucked in, and it was absolutely delicious.

When everybody had eaten their fill, Spike said,

“Well, as much as we like it here…I think we ought to be getting back”

The chief said nothing, but went to the chest and took out a trinket, and gave it to Billy

Billy smiled and said ‘thankyou’. The chief suddenly pulled Spike into a bear-hug, and did this to each adult in turn. He then turned to his tribe and waved his spear in the air. This signalled for them to start chanting and dancing

Leaving them to their merry-making, Spike and co quickly made their way back through the jungle. Despite the time it should have been, it was still broad daylight, and they found the beach they had washed up originally on. The boat looked very near to the water, and the tide was quite low, they were able to walk out to it, Sam carrying Billy the last few feet while Spike carried Izzie on his shoulders still.

“Oh boy, am I glad to be back on board!” Willow said.

When everybody was ready, Sam raised the anchor, started the engine and turned the boat away from the island………he tried the radio but still all he got was static crackle. Sighing he stared out to the blue horizon, and noticed that black clouds were gathering……………………………


“Billy…Billy, come on Son, wakey-wakey, shake a leg – today’s the day we go to Lundy!” Billy woke and yawned, and saw his dad’s head around the door grinning at him

“There you are – what time did you read till last night?” Spike asked noticing the still-open book on Billy’s bed.

“It was quite late – but the story I was reading was so good! And then when we went to the tropical island, and nearly had a fight with the natives, and then there was this gold treasure and – “

“Fight with the natives huh, well never mind that now, you go and have a wash, we’re only having toast for breakfast coz your mum’s got loads of stuff for a picnic when we get to Lundy”

“Okay dad” Billy threw the bedclothes back, but before he got out of bed, he opened his bedside drawer, but was surprised to find it empty. He thought he might find a little gold trinket…maybe it was just a dream after all…………………


**********************


“What have you got in your book bag Billy?”

Willow asked when they were all safely aboard Sam’s boat. Billy had watched with a feeling of De ja vu the loading of the picnics and water.

“Er…the books I bought yesterday”

“Let me look” Willow asked, smiling

Billy put his hand into the bag, and his fingers closed around something small, and cold…he drew it out, and it was bright shiny gold in colour

“Where did you get that?” Buffy asked frown/smiling

“Um…I think it must have fallen out of my Boy’s Own Adventure Island book, I was reading when I fell asleep last night…”

“You and your books!” Buffy ruffled his hair, and then she gave Sam a stern look

“Now Sam, it BETTER be a smooth crossing to Lundy, or else!”

“Don’t worry, it’ll be like glass, all the way, look – not a cloud in the sky………………”


The End