Disclaimer: As always I own nothing.
AU with some guest appearances.
Some names are put in for humor but are not really about the person or characters they resemble
(Will make sense once you read)
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The office was quiet in the early morning light. A phone
began to ring just as the door was being unlocked. “Bloody
‘ell, can’t they wait till we’re open.” Said the man opening
the door. He sat down his briefcase and morning paper
before answering the phone. “Urban Investigation call back
during office hours of 9 to 5” he said and hung the phone up.
“Really honey you could have been a little nicer.” Said a
woman. .

The man leered at the woman and said “Some one keep me
up all night. Not that I’m complaining Luv but I get cranky
when I don’t get my beauty sleep.” He pulled the woman
into an embrace and kissed her neck. “Will you two cut it out
this is a business and I should not have to see your PDA here.”
Said a young woman who walked in the door and headed
to her own desk. The phone rang again. “Bloody ‘ell” the
man shouted but this time the younger woman answered it,
“Hello Urban Investigations, yes…. Yes……sorry but we don’t
open till…..yes I understand……I do apologize can you come
by around 10 and we can…..yes….okay ….see you then.” .

“Well who was it that was so bloody impatient.” The man
growled as the woman in his arms tried to calm him down.
“He didn’t say” the young woman said as she turned on her
computer and began typing before continuing, “he
sounded British and ….yep just as I thought he’s from the
Council. I guess they still think they have the right to tell us
what to do Sis. Boy is this kid in for a surprise. You would think
after dieing three times for those losers and kicking their elite
squad’s assets they would know better.” She finished with a
snort. “Well they tend to forget things that inconvenience
them after a century or two.” The older woman responded.
They all took their seats and began their daily paperwork,
reports on the last case, notes on current cases, research,
bills, etc..

About 9:30 the door opened. A middle-aged man of
medium build entered. He had brown hair and eyes very
general description. The only thing that stood out was that he
was wearing tweed. Walter Wordsworth looked around the
offices he had just entered. It was small but well kept with
nice furnishings and some rather nice art work by artist he did
not recognize. .

A young brunette set behind the reception desk and two
blondes at the other desk.. The women looked up at him as
he entered and the man was busing himself with paperwork.
“Welcome to Urban Investigations can I help you?” the
young woman asked in a polite but detached manner like
she would rather do anything but help him. “Yes my name is
Walter Wordsworth. I’m looking for Ms Dawn Summers and
Ms. Buffy Summers.” Walter answered the woman. His voice
was condescending like the rest of the Council as if he was
being polite to a mere servant who should not even bother
speaking to him. .

“So you want to hire us to find these women?” Dawn asked
acting for the entire world like she did not know who he was
referring to. The blonde man shuffled some papers to hide his
laugh at the man’s enraged look. Walter was shocked. No
one had ever spoken to him like that before, but he would
not be dissuaded. “I was told they could be found here. They
work for Urban Investigations. My organization has confirmed
they are here.” Water sputtered. .

The blonde man walked forward menacingly and asked,
“What does you “organization” want with these girls”. Walter
gulped, “We have a situation that requires their assistance in
London. I was instructed to come here find them and bring
them back.” He said his voice no more than a shaky whisper.
.
The blonde woman stepped forward and put a hand on the
man’s arm. They looking into each other’s eyes and seemed
to have a silent conversation before she turned back to
Walter, “Mr. Wordsworth. The Summers woman died a long
time ago. If you tell us the situation maybe we can help. It is
what we do, but know one thing. My family does not belong
to or owe your “Organization” anything so IF we decide to
go to London and help you we will not be under your control
or orders. We will handle the situation the way we need to so
the job gets done and my family gets home. We also get
paid for our services so this will not be pro bono either. Now
sit down and tell me what the problem is, “ She said with a
note of finality. .

Walter was a bit shocked when his mind registered that this
tiny woman was the scariest thing he ever saw and for
someone whom studies demonology and trains to help take
demons out that is saying something. They sat down as
Walter began to tell them what was going on, “Ms…I’m sorry
I don’t know your names.” The woman smiled and
introduced her family to the man.
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More to come..................What do you think? Feedback
always nice. Just don't blast anything until you know why I did
it or ask why there is always a method to my madness..........
I just misplace it sometimes.

HISTORY LESSON

Buffy Summers was born a normal little girl…normal until she
turned fifteen and found out about demons, Vampire to be
exact, it was just before she learned about a little thing
called the Slayer. The one girl in all the world chosen to fight
the forces of darkness…blah,blah,blah. .


She has since then saved the world countless times with the
help of her friends and died three time in the cause. The first
time was when she was only 16 at the hands of a Master
Vampire, who drained her almost dry and left her in a puddle
to drown. Her friend Xander had performed CPR and brought
her back. If her life was not complicated enough then some
monks decided to have her guard a mystical key, which they
put in the form of a baby sister complete with memories of
growing up with her and all. .


Her second death was to close a portal started by her sister,
Dawn’s blood, her blood, Summers blood, Slayers blood. Her
friends thinking she was in a hell did a spell to resurrect her
and unknowingly pulled her out of heaven. The third time
was all Angel’s fault. The once love of her life was a souled
vampire. He did what he could to help those in need to
make up for the crimes his demon committed. The last thing
he did was try and take on the Senior Partners of Wolfram
and Hart, a law firm ran by some of the old ones. He took on
the most powerful demons able to enter this plane of
existence and turned LA into a war zone. Buffy and her
Slayers arrived to help after the coven in England told them
what they saw happening. By the end of the battle both
champions of good and evil lay dead on the streets. .


Spike himself had also died a number of times. He was turned
in the late 1800’s then his real journey began over a hundred
years later when he met the little blonde slayer. He had been
the slayer of slayers, the only one being to have killed two
and lived to tell about it. Something about Buffy changed
things. He had finally met his equal in every way and fell
instantly in love with her. They both fought the connection
between them but it was destined to be. .


He regained his soul for her and gave his life to close the
hellmouth on which they lived. She mourned him deeply,
more so than anyone ever knew. Then he was brought back
by Wolfram and Hart, who had hoped it would be Angel in
their debt. When they found out it was Spike they hoped to
use him to get rid of Angel. Instead he joined Angel and for a
while tried to give up Buffy. .


He was afraid that his sacrifice would mean nothing now that
he has back again and that she would take back the last
words she had said to him before he burned in the hellmouth,
“I love you”. He had waited so long to hear her admit it. He
verbal dismissed her claim to make her leave before she was
trapped with him. His long dead heart however gave one
last beat at her words. .


During the final battle in LA he was beaten and bloody but
giving everything he had left to the fight with one thing in
mind, it was one less thing to come after his beloved after he
died again. He was in shock to see the little blonde, who held
his heart in her hands for so long, jump over his head and
engage the demon in front of him in battle. She yelled as she
began punching and slashing it with her sword. Her words will
be ingrained in his memory for ever, “GET OFF OF MY BOYFRIEND”.


Angel had turned hearing her voice. His heart broke when
he realized she was saving Spike and claiming him as her
love. In that moment the lizard demon he was fighting got
the upper hand, his teeth sank into the middle of the
vampire. Spike felt his Sire in trouble and took off knowing
that Buffy could handle it. He jumped up and brought his
sword down on the creature neck with enough force to
cleave its head from its body. Angel lay there still caught in
the creature jaws as his blood flowed out of him. Spike
looked at him with a tear in his eye. For as much as he hated
Angel he was still his Sire and the loss hurt more than he
thought it would. .


Angel smiled up at him, “My beautiful boy. Take her and get
out of here. Take care of each other. I see now she was
never mine. Never meant to be mine, but yours all along.
Love her for me. I see you both standing in the sun. Live for
me William.” Angel said as his life slipped away.


“Hey now peaches your sounding like Dru. I got the girl but
you will always have a part of her I can’t touch. You know
that. Now don’t think you're going to dust on me yet you
bloody poof. We can get you somewhere safe until we can
get some blood in you. You’ll have a long recovery but you’ll
be fine and fighting in no time.” Spike cried as he looked at
his Sire wishing his words could be true. .


“No me boy, my time here is over. I was destined for nothing
more than to bring you two together. I know that now. T’is my
damned Irish pride that finally killed me.” He said his brogue
becoming more pronounced as he motioned to the chaos
around them. .


Buffy came running up at that moment. “Oh Spike” she said
as she flung her arms around his neck. Noticing that he pulled
back and put distance between them she looked down and
finally saw Angel laying there dieing again. “Oh my God,
Angel. Spike lets get him up and out of here. There is more
coming and my girls can’t hold them for long. I’m sorry Angel
the rest of you crew is dead.” She brushed back his hair from
his face tenderly like a mother to a child. .


“I’m sorry Buffy. My pride did this. I got more blood on my
hands. Leave me. You and Spike get out. Live for me. Love
my Childe like you where meant to. He’s never had someone
who could match him in every way. Never had someone
who could love him and much as he loves. I’m sorry for all the
pain I caused you both.” Angel said his voice shaking from
lack of blood and overwhelming emotions. .


Angel let out a scream as the lizard like demon bit down
harder before it began to burst into flame. Spike was thrown
back before the fire could touch him as Buffy tried to put it
out or remove Angel from the flaming death that was
already consuming him. “No Angel don’t leave us. I can’t
lose someone else.” Buffy screamed. .


Angel looked up at her as the flames engulfed him. She had
to step back from the heat of the fire. “Buffy take care of my
sweet William. I will be seeing ye again soon girl. Promise.”
Angel said before his body was nothing more than ashes. This
was the second time she had to watch him die. He may not
be the love of her life but he was her first love and there is
spot in her heart that was only Angel’s. Spike understood
because he to had a place that only his Sire could fill. .


He wrapped his arms around Buffy as they both cried over
the loss of someone dear to both of them. A scream brought
them back to reality. Without a word the two fell in to sync
like they had all those times on patrol and battling the first
and it’s minions. They moved like one being. Each an
extension of the other, protecting each other and helping
each other, knowing what was needed without saying a
word. They caught up with the Slayers and the remaining
Scoobies. .


Willow and Xander watched the blonde pair enter the battle.
Dawn smiled as she turned back to fighting the vampires
before her. Willow began casting spells again and Xander
swung his ax into the demon he was fighting. A few of the
Slayers watched the two enter the battle. One or two of the
girls also had the ability to see auras. They had to look away
from the two as they shone brighter than the sun. .


Even without the sight one could see these two were
connected as they moved with purpose and determination.
In the end the two were covered in blood, some their own,
some each others, but most of it belonged to the enemy
they had slain. They collapse with the last of the Slayers. All
the demons that where sent after them where dead, but
most of their friends where as well. Only a handful remained
and they where all fading fast as exhaustion and blood lose
caught up to them. They sat back to back but holding on to
each other as they gave their last breaths dieing with a smile
knowing they had won this battle. .


By some miracle some of the fallen where given a choice to
come back. They were granted immortality until such a time
as the world did not need them or others arose to take their
place. Of those that took the offer only Spike, Buffy, and
Dawn decided to stay in LA and clean up the mess left
behind. After a few decades people forgot about what
happened and the demons went back to being myths and
legends along with the saviors who were praised by some
and feared by others and hated by some who knew what
had happened. .


That had been nearly three hundred years ago. The Council
had gone back to it’s old ways. Buffy, Dawn, and Spike quit
having anything to do with them. Xander was the only other
one of their friends who decided to come back. He came
around every so often to see how they were doing but mostly
he hunted. He now knew that not all demons are evil just as
not all humans are good. So he is not a demon hunter but he
hunts evil. He even hooked up with Riley and a few others
who left the military after one to many Maggie Walshes. .


Riley came to terms with Buffy and Spike and became a
friend again. Andrew had continued to try and make the
Council what Giles had wanted it to be until his death.
Unfortunately they had another Quentin Travers running the
place now. Urban Investigations tried to find the Slayer when
they could. After so many died in LA it returned to being one
born into every generation. .


If Buffy and the group found a potential or a current Slayer
they told her what she really needed to know about Slayers
and Demons and offered support when they needed it. This
pissed the Council off to no end as they wanted to get
control of the Slayer again. Due to Buffy’s help many of them
lived into their thirties. It was found that once a Slayer
reached 30 another would then be called and the old Slayer
could resume a “normal” life. .


They did not lose all their power but they only had their
heighten senses and a little extra strength. Once this was
discovered Buffy had also set up a group so they could help
each other adjust to their new status. Before long a new
system was started. Watchers now trained potentials, Older
Slayers prepared the next for life after Slaying and they
trained the new Slayer for life as the Slayer. It all worked out
fine until the newest Travers tried to change things back to
the old ways. .

Buffy told them under no uncertain terms that the American
Slayer where hers and the Council was not allowed to
interfere in the states or they would be considered a threat to
her family. She also told them that if they did not know what
that meant they needed to reread her history. .


The trio had taken on different names and pretended to die
every so often so no one asked why they were alive still.
Dawn had taken a husband or two over the years but had
yet to find what she was looking for. Part of her still hoped
Xander would realize that she was in love with him and had
been since she was created. .

real introductions

“Mr. Wordsworth, my name is Joyce and this is my husband
William Masters and that is my sister Anne Harrison.” They had
all taken names or variations of names of people who meant
something to them, a family member or fallen comrade. It
felt as if they where remembered that way, never forgotten.
Some of their clients even named their children after them so
the names lived on even after they no longer used them. .
Every thirty years or so their “heirs” took over their affairs and
the group dropped out of site for a decade before opening
up the “family business” again. Spike had years of practice
with this before and they had gotten really good at it over
the years. Each now had computer skills that would have
made Willow look like an armature and would have made
Ms. Calendar proud. .


Buffy again turned her attention to the man sitting in front of
her. “Well Mrs. Masters, it is truly a pleasure to meet you all”
Walter said as he opened his brief case and handed her a
file. In the file was document from the current watcher of
their Slayer. The new Slayer had been called in England and
as per their agreement they had let the Council handle her.
According to the papers in front of her all communication
with the Slayer and her watcher ended a month ago and no
new Slayer had been called so it was presumed they are
alive some where. .


Buffy handed the file to Dawn who nodded and began
typing into her computer. Walter was surprised at how fast
the young woman’s fingers flew across the keys. “As you can
see Mrs. Masters we have a problem. We have tried location
spells and sent out agents to try and find them. We even
contacted some of our demon contacts but no one has
turned up anything. We were hoping that your team could
help us find them.” Water said. .


“Please call me Joyce, Mr. Wordsworth. This is a Council
matter. With all the resources you have you have not been
able to find them? What makes you think that we could?
Why should we when you Mr. Travers has made it clear we
are not needed or wanted in Europe?” Buffy asked. .


The Council had fought them and got in the way of
everything they tried to help with in any situation outside of
the states. “Joyce, call me Walter. Not all of us share Mr.
Travers views. Many of us respected and studied the
teachings of Mr. Giles before Mr. Travers banished them. My
mother was a descendant of his and taught me about him
as a child. I grew up with stories of Sunnydale and the great
warriors who came out of the hellmouth. I also believe the
stories about how Ms. Summers worked to extend the lives of
the current Slayers. Mother had some of the old journals in
her possession and I read what it was like in the days when
the Council “owned” the Slayer. How they were cut off from
everything and expected to fight for a world they could not
be part of.” Walter shuttered at some of the darker things
they had done in those days. .


“Many of us meet in secret and discuses what we know
about the old days and the times of Mr. Giles and Ms.
Summers. More and more of us have even begun to question
the sanity of Mr. Travers. He seems to blame Ms. Summers
and Mr. Giles for his families loss in statues and fortune. From
what I have read it was his ancestor that rejected Ms.
Summers and refused to help her. I cannot blame her for not
helping them when they would not give her knowledge she
needed to do so. He seems to blame them for The First killing
the old Travers when it attacked the Council. Old Travers
himself left a journal saying he was wrong and should have
let them know when the bringers started going after the
potentials.” Walter sat back in his seat. He had learned a lot
over the years about the true history of the Watchers and
Slayers, as well as those from Sunnydale. .


It made him angry and it showed. “I’m sorry Joyce to get so
emotional but I just get so mad at those close minded
pillocks.” Spike smirked and leaned over to whisper to Buffy,
“Bit of the Ripper in that one.” Buffy giggled. “It’s alright
Walter. I understand and may I say I can tell you are truly a
Giles no matter what you last name is. We agree with you
about the Council and Mr. Travers. Although this is the first
time I have heard of Old Travers admitting he was wrong.”
Buffy smiled. .


“I am honored that you would consider me a Giles but I do
not think I could live up to the family name. I don’t think any
one person could. Lord Giles seemed to be two different
people at times.” Walter blushed. Dawn decided to add her
two cents worth, “I wish I could get my hands on that Price
fellow who sold the stories to that producer guy. They so got
everything wrong on most of it. I was told they changed a
few things because no one would believe them. I guess they
were right considering the history books called the battle in
LA a terrorist attack and blamed the whole Middle East.
What a load of crap. Kinda like Vampires being gangs on
PCP right Joyce.” .


Buffy laughed. “Anne it never ceases to amaze me how the
human mind handles things it does not want to understand.
Even after ALL these years. I had a vamp victim the other
day. She’s there and sees that Vamp sucking on her
boyfriend go poof to dust. Has one putting the chomp or her
that William dusted and what does she say? Not what was
that?, where did they go?, or anything she asked to go to the
hospital to make sure he did not infect her with something
when he shoved the needles in her neck. Holes I could put
my pinky in and she thinks it was needles. I had to bite my
tongue not to laugh at her.” .


Spike chuckled and added, “What about the woman with
they house full of Brownies who thought they were rats from
some government lab. My favorite was the one who picked
up an Azeman thinking it was a hooker. Lucky for him he
knocked over the box of rice and we happened to be near
by. Even in the form of a house cat it would have sucked him
dry. Yet he assumed she was part of a magic show and he
was mad that the cops arrested him for trying to pick up a
hooker. If he had not been carrying a concealed weapon
and a couple grams of crack they might have taken pity on
him. The cops are the only ones around here who know what
really happens but are smart enough to let the professionals
handle it” .


Walter watched as they shared stories. He knew enough
about them to know they were the trio in the legends. With
all he knew it did not surprise him they were still alive. The
question he always had was how did a Vampire, a Slayer,
and a Mystical Key all die and choose to return to this life
and fight forever? Dawn looked at Walter and he began to
squirm in his seat. It looked like she was looking right into his
soul. “Because Walter, someone needed to and we could”
she answered his question. .


After a moment his eyes widened and he sputtered, “What,
how did, what are?” he took a deep breath. “I see you can
read minds now Dawn! Any thing else I should know about
you, Buffy and Spike before we continue!” Walter asked
trying to put a confidence in his voice that he surely did not
feel. Spike smirked and Buffy laughed, as Dawn looked mad
at herself for giving away one of her advantages. .


“Yup! He’s one of Ripper’s that’s for sure,” Spike said with a
laugh at his Nibbled. He looked her in the eye to let her know
it was okay. “I’m sorry Walter but I hope you can understand
the need to keep some things private. As for my abilities….
well I was learning magic before the battle with the First and
one can learn a lot in a little over 300 years. There are more
powerful witches out there but not more knowledgeable. The
monks not only made me out of Summer’s blood but they
also added a bit of Spike so he would protect me as well. I
guess you could say I’m technically their child even those I
was given memories of being raised as a sister. So I kinda got
Spike’s near photographic memory, even if he is more
selective in what he chooses to remember.” Dawn said as
she stuck her tongue out at Spike who gave her a mock
glare. .


“As for me mate, I got cured of the need for blood and the
sun allergy thing but everything else is much the same.” Spike
admitted. Buffy sighed “I got the extended life insurance and
all the knowledge of my predecessors. I also can still feel not
only vamps but if a demon is evil or not and potential Slayers,
each with their own signature so to speak.” Buffy smiled. .


Walter sat in shock not only at their admissions to him but that
he was talking with the legendary warriors themselves and
being treated like a what…a friend? They showed him
enough trust to tell him these things….he would definitely
give them anything they needed to help find the missing
Slayer and her Watcher. After that he would help when he
could and would continue trying to change the Council
back into what it needed to be, as resource for the Slayer
and not her master. Dawn smiled at him letting him know she
heard his mental vow. .


Buffy took over her normal roll of leader. “Walter you can us
my phone call you contacts at the Council get any new
information you can, Dawn get cracking with the hacking,
Spike honey you got tack pack, I’ll go over what we got here
make my contacts and get things ready to head out. Dawn
you may want to call X in on this one. Let’s go.” Everyone
nodded and went to work. .


Dawn cracked in to the Watcher files, and what was left of
the Initiative and Wolfram and Hart databases. The groups
were now helping non-violent demons find safe places to
live, kinda like the MIB of the demon world and in return they
let them do non-harmful test on them. Dawn also sent out a
coded message to Xander to see if he would be able to
meet them in the morning for the flight to London. .


Spike went in to another room in the office they used for
training. Hitting a button on the wall and reveled a small
armory. They each had bags packed and ready to go with
their personal symbol on it. There were three bags. Red ones
if they had to fake a death, blue ones if they had to
disappear for a while but not “die” and black one for
missions. The symbols made the bag recognizable to its
owner yet unidentifiable to anyone else. .


Personal possession that could not be replaced where kept
in a vault on an Island they owned. It was protected by some
demon friends they allowed to live there so they would not
have to leave them behind if they moved quickly or “died”.
Spike grabbed the black bags and made sure they where
packed. They had special magic’s that concealed the
contents but did not draw attention to the magic, kind of a
‘don’t look at me spell’. Change of cloths CHECK, weapons
CHECK, papers CHECK. Spike grabbed the bags and took
them into the office.


Walter called his friend Winfred Wyndam-Pryce, she had
been named after the ex-Watcher turn demon hunter and
the woman he loved until his death. Winnie told him that
nothing had changed and she would give his report to
Travers. In code she let him know she would tell the
underground he had found the warriors and they were alive
and willing to help.


Buffy found out some black mages had reported having a
valuable object to sell at a private auction. A few more calls
and she had an invite to said auction. It was not much but it
was a lead. She made a mental note that they would need
supplies for disguise spells. After a few more calls she told
Walter to go back to his hotel and get his stuff. He was to stay
with them and they would meet a private jet in the morning.


Dawn was excited that she got a text from Xander saying he
was in. Spike made arrangements for the flight and secured
a bag for Xander and some stuff for Walter. A call was made
to their current back up team and they would be there soon
to take over the agency in the owner's absence. Carin, one
of Dawn’s step grand daughters walked through the door
and greeted, "Hey Grams. I got here as soon as I could. Dean
will be her soon with Jenson. Clark and Sammy will be on call
if anything comes up." The young girl reported. "Carin, I have
told you to use my name. What will people think when some
one who looks my age calls ME Grams?" Dawn asked with a
sigh. Carin shrugged, "But you are my Grandmother and your
like three hundred years older than me no matter what age
you look like."


Just then two men who to Walter looked like twins walked in.
"Dean, Jenson, good to see you both. Here are the case files
we are currently working. Get an okay from Eyeball before
taking new cases. Be careful with those and don't get killed."
Spike said with a smile before making sure they would all be at dinner that evening.

Taking the job
Warning: This Chapter does not go into detail but it does talk
about rape and abuse of an underage child as well as
introduces a homosexual couple. If these things bother you
don not read any further.
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Now that everything was in place the group took Walter to
their home. He was very understanding when Dawn said they
had to put him to sleep so he would not know how to get
there. They also took out some equipment he had never seen
before and scanned him. Dawn assured him it would be
okay. They were gifts from their friend Eyeball. They checked
for tracers both electronic and magical. Dawn didn’t tell him
it also broke any magical spells on the person and
neutralized any location spells. He was lead to the car and
once inside she put him to sleep.

When Walter awoke he found himself and his belongings in a
room. On the dresser was a black bag like he had seen the
others carry and a note:

Guess you needed your rest. In this bag you will find some
equipment you will need to put it on and come down stairs.
You can leave the vest off but bring it with you. After we eat
we will explain more.

It was not signed, it was typed on a computer, and from the
looks it was untraceable. Walter sighed thinking **damn they
are good. Hate to be on the wrong side**. He opened the
bag and began pulling out what he found there. Black
pants, socks, boots, underwear, belt, and tee shirt and a
button up over shirt. He put them on surprised they all fit
perfectly and were in a style he liked as well. He also found a
small necklace, a pair of sunglasses, and a wristband. He put
them on as instructed and placed the glasses in his pocket.
When he was ready he headed down stairs.

“Wow” Dawn exclaimed. “Now he looks like a Giles. The UI
looks much better on you that the Watcher tweed. If you
check out on this mission we may have to offer you a position
as one of our US Watchers.” Walter blushed. “Oi, come have
a seat mate. After we eat we will talk about the equipment
you will be brining while with us and see to some training.”
Spike told the stunned watcher.

“Wha…What do you mean? Come with you? I’m to take you
back to London that is all.” Walter exclaimed. “Walter, you
remind me very much of Giles at your age. You are the only
one we trust at the moment so you will come with us. You will
help us find the Watcher and Slayer the council miss placed.
We need you to be our liaison to the Watchers and when we
find the missing watcher and his charge you will be a familiar
face to them. They may not trust us and I hate having to
dominate a Slayer because of miss information.” Buffy said.
Her tone had a finality to it like this was how it was to be and
she would not hear any argument.

The back up crew from UI showed up with the food and the
next half hour was spent setting up plates and getting seated
at the large round dinning table. Dawn giggled as she
caught Walter musing over the fact that they had their own
“Round Table”. After everyone was seated and the meal
started they all talked like friends and family at a dinner
party. Walter was introduced to everyone and gladly told
what ever he wanted to know. The group trusted him
because Buffy trusted him enough to bring him home.

“So Carin, I caught that you are some how Dawn’s
Granddaughter but can you tell me how you and your
husband got mixed up in this line of work?” Walter asked.
Carin looked at Buffy who gave a slight nod. The girl
beamed. She loved telling people about her true life, as she
called it.

“Well Dawn was Grandpa’s second wife. Most people
thought she was a gold digger being so much “younger” but
Grandpa was a hunter and to him she was just right. He had
a son with his first wife before she died while trying to have
their second child. The child didn’t make it either. They
shared the painful experience of loss as well as knowing what
lurks in the dark.“ She paused for a moment and was pleased
to see Walter listening intently.

Carin continued, “Father grew up knowing the family secrets.
It was kinda hard not to know when we had to lie all the time
about them. I mean Grandpa was fifty, Father was in high
school, and his step mom LOOKED twenty at best and that is
because they found a way to age her past seventeen.”

Dawn interrupted, “I had to do something. I was over a
hundred and still carded for beer. Not to mention the times
pour Harold almost got arrested for being seen kissing me.
When he got called back to active duty it was worst.” She
shook her head.

Carin knew she still missed him but she also knew that no one
held the place in her heart that Xander did. Carin hoped her
Uncle Xander would wake up one day. “Anyway” Carin
brought the attention back to herself so she could finish her
story. “Father saved Mother from a demon one night at
college and a year later they married and a year after that
they had me. Mother went to school to be a lawyer and
Father is a doctor. He got plenty of practice patching up his
parents. I am going for my Psychology degree. ‘Cause the
Powers know we can use a shrink ‘round here.” She finished
and gave Dean a dirty look as he smacked her shoulder.

“I guess this is where I should fill in how I got roped into this
crazy family.” Dean said earning a glare from all three
women at the table and a grin from the men. “My Mom was
killed by a demon who was trying to get my baby brother.
Dad started hunting. He met others who hunted and joined
into their network. He taught me all he learned and had me
watch my brother. We eventually caught up to the demon
that killed Mom. It took out Dad and my brother killed it, but
not before it wounded him beyond saving. I ended up here
in town and everyone started calling me Jenson. I finally
tracked down this Jenson fella and was going to have a little
talk with him. That was until I saw this vision sitting at the table
with him. Manners firmly in place I introduced myself and
asked if there was somewhere we could go talk. To my
surprise and delight she came with. We ended up in the
library of all places. Later when I learned of Lord Giles I
understood the family’s fascination with libraries. We got to
talking and found out his Mother was my mom’s twin sister.
We all hung out for a few weeks like normal kids and then
Carin introduced us to the family. I felt like I was playing a
scene from one of those old movies about mobsters. Dawn
read my thoughts and decided to let me in on the family
secrets. Jenson caught us fighting a demon one night and
demanded to be let in as he was family after all.” Jenson
punched Dean in the shoulder.

Clark and Sammy had been quiet most of this time. Walter
turned to them expectantly. Sammy looked at his hands
nervously. Clark rubbed his back and smiled, “Sammy and I
were out on campus one night and headed back to our
dorm after a party. We got attacked by vampires. We fought
them off the best we could, but we were losing. Then this little
red headed girl no older then fifteen or so jump through the
bushes and stakes ‘em. She gave us a card and
disappeared. A few weeks later we joined the team. I finally
asked about the girl who gave us the card and was told she
died later that night taking out a big nasty. We fight because
we know what is out there. We fight because we can, and
we fight for Maggie and all the Slayers like her who fought
alone and died.” Sammy teared up thinking about the lost
slayer to whom they owed their lives. Clark pulled him into his
arms and rocked him slowly. He tenderly kissed his forehead
and whispered southing things to him. Sammy managed to
speak up then, “After almost loosing our lives we admitted to
the connection between us and have been together ever
since.” Walter took all of this information in a tried to process
it.

Walter remembered part of their story and frowned. “I
remember Maggie.” He said as he thought of what he
wanted to say, “The council said she was killed by a gang of
vampires and her watcher along side of her. How could you
have met her. She was trained at the council and never left
England?” he asked still trying to figure it all out. Buffy sighed,
“Walter what did you know of her watcher?” she asked.
Walter thought for a moment, “Morton was an odd sort but
he seemed like a good watcher. He cared about his pupil
and that is more than I can say for most.”

Spikes eyes darkened with anger, “M o r t o n! cared all right.
That thing was worst than a demon. The things he did to that
child would make Angelus’s stomach turn. He was the one
who took her from her family as a toddler. He raised her to be
dependant on him and to feel alone. She was six when he
had her cleaning his home and cooking for him and only
eight when he took her to his bed and raped her. I can not
even tell you some of the other stuff that twisted waste of a
human did to that poor child. When she was called he
managed to stay her watcher as she was so messed up she
couldn’t live without him. She was fourteen when she was
called and not long after she found out she was pregnant.
He had told her if that happened the council would kill her,
the baby and himself. She told him and he hit her.” Spike
took a deep breath calming himself before continuing.

Spike grinned in spite of the horrible nature of his story,
“Maggie’s Slayer finally took over. The broken little girl she
once had been hid in a corner as the Slayer emerged in full.
Most take years learning to bring their true slayer forward and
control it. Maggie could not fight back the slayer as it stood
up for her. She hit Morton and sent him flying across the
room. As you should know the pure slayer is kin to the
vampire. She drained her tormentor, ransacked the house,
some how managed to save a few precious belongings and
took any money she could find and left. She managed to get
a flight to the states and found us. We did what we could to
help her but she lost the baby and what was left of her mind
cracked. She made Dru look sane. We thought we had
gotten through to her and were helping her. She started
going out with us and was helping patrol. That night she went
looking for death as many slayers do and found it. I should
have seen it. That’s how I was able to kill two of them when I
was a vampire.” Buffy hugged Spike to her as his tears fell. He
hated to cry in front of others but he took the loss of Maggie
very personally.

“Walter, you know our history with the council and now you
know more of the darkness that exist in it. Can you blame us
for being cautious about dealing with them?” Buffy asked.
Walter just shook his head. He could not believe what he was
hearing. Had they slipped that far back into the old ways?

Dawn looked at Walter, “Spike did not tell you all of it and I
think you should know. Maggie went looking for death and
would have found it. What he didn’t tell you is that it found
her. The council sent a team to take care of a rogue Slayer.
We know what happened do to our equipment and the fact
that we have various parts of town wired and bugged. The
team came in and she told them she was with us now. She
told them she would talk with us and set a meeting so they
could discus what happened. One of the team members
told her they know what happened , she went rogue and
killed her watcher. She yelled at them that the bastard was
raping her and one of them laughed. It was enough to set off
the Slayer. She hit him and the others tried to subdue her. She
fought them off and they drugged her. They then took turns
doing what that bastard had done to her for years. Due to
our help she was able to shake off the effects of the drugs
and fought back. She killed the one on top of her and taking
him by surprise. The others pulled guns this time. They shot her.
She managed to take out another one and they shot her
again. One of the four had not touched her. He was too
scared of the others to stop them but he would have no part
of it. He was the only on standing when she died. He brought
her to us. She had twenty-eight gun shot wounds in her chest.
He had fourteen in his clip. We reported all the team and the
slayer as dead. We found a use for this fourth man and he is
now a trusted part of our growing family.” Dawn concluded
her tale. Walter sat back. It was too much for him to take in
one night.

He said he needed to air and went out side. He took out a
cigarette and searched for a lighter before remembering it
was with his stuff and he was wearing their gear. Out of
nowhere a flame caught is attention. Walter looked up to
see Spike lighting a cig of his own and offering him a light.

“I know it’s a lot to take it Walter, but you’re a good kid. I
think you can handle it. I wanted to explain the gear before
you go to you room for the night. We got a long day ahead.”
Spike said as he started telling Walter about all the magical
and technological enhancements to the clothing and such
he had been provided. After a while the two men went
inside and everyone went to bed for the night.