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Author's Chapter Notes:
I know, I'm a bad author, but here is the penultimate chapter, I hope you enjoy
Buffy and the rest of the Slayers entered the new Sunnydale with awe and wonder. The glowing doorway that had opened had led them straight to the library where Andrew sat looking through piles of paperwork. He looked up to see Buffy and Dawn headed straight for him, his hero behind them swaggering through the entrance as though a vampire in heaven was a normal occurrence. Andrew grinned to himself and managed to get round the desk before the last of the slayers and Willow had made it through the gate.


Buffy and Dawn ran forward and hugged him closely: they had missed his charm and particular view of the world. And it was just so good to see him obviously happy and healthy. He grinned as he was soon enveloped in hugs from all the girls that had made their way through the portal. Spike even held out a hand and when Andrew went to shake it the blond man pulled him into a bear hug, slapping him on the shoulders.

‘It’s good to see you, nerd,’ he said, but Buffy, Willow and Dawn knew him well enough to hear his voice breaking with emotion. Andrew just stared up at his hero and gave a great sigh. It felt good to be in his arms.

Spike could smell the arousal coming off of the young man and from the look on Buffy’s face, so could she. He let his arms drop from Andrew’s arms and stepped closer to his mate.

‘Getting jealous?’ He whispered to her.

‘You wish,’ she replied, slapping him gently on the arm as she made her way to one of the seats that surrounded the table Andrew had been working at. Spike rubbed his arm and looked for sympathy, but found none in the faces of those in the room. Spike just grinned and pulled up a chair. He rested his Doc Martins on the polished wood of the desk and reached into his pocket and pulled out a cigarette. Before he could light it, the cigarette was blown to pieces in front of him.

‘Not in front of the baby,’ Willow chided before turning her concentration back to Andrew. Buffy gave him an old look that told Spike he was in trouble again. Spike shrugged his shoulders; he knew that he was likely to spend the next nine months in trouble over something.

Buffy looked at the huge map of Sunnydale that dominated the table. It was different from the place she had known. Restfield cemetery was there, but the others were all parks or open spaces…

‘Only one cemetery? She asked Andrew as he took his place opposite her.

‘Yep, just one, it’s not like you’ll need any more, but the Boss thought you and Spike might like to keep the crypt he had there…’ Andrew smiled as he watched Buffy’s cheeks turn bright red.

‘These are the houses we’ve sorted out for you all: if you don’t like anything, all you have to do is let me know and I’ll fix any problems.’

‘You?’ Dawn didn’t want to sound insulting, but she couldn’t help it.

‘Yes me, I’ve been given the job of librarian; and Wes, you remember Wes?’

Buffy nodded.

‘Well, he and Septamus will be your Watchers’ liason: it’ll be up to you to appoint the Council of Watchers when you’re ready.

‘We will also keep a list of any dimensional hotspots that need your attention, and there will be a hall of portals where you can come and go as you please. It’ll have a magical sort of passport control and anyone coming here will need an invite to get through. You will be able to leave a person’s name there if you want them to be admitted. The town will be populated with slayers and invited demons: Clem has already applied for a gateway to be put in from their town, and one of his friends wants to open a pizza place here.’ He pointed to the mall marked on the map. ‘And a lot of the big name stores are already asking for space. We refused WolfRam and Hart,’ he added with a grin.

Spike was tapping his foot up and down to some rhythm he could hear only in his own head. Dawn wondered yet again if he had some sort of ADHD as she watched him fiddle with everything in sight. Buffy grabbed his hands and held them still, smiling as she did so; Spike gave her an apologetic grin, then calmed a little.

Andrew picked up the scattered envelopes and started searching through them. He sorted out one and handed it to Dawn.

‘The deeds to an apartment in the big block here,’ he pointed at the map. ‘It’s got a concierge, underground parking, the keys for your car are in the key safe in the hall, and there is a maid service once a week.’

He handed Willow and Kennedy a similar envelope. ‘I’ve put two cars in your place, and there is a pool as well as a cared for garden. Willow, I have set up an account at the magic supply shop, Anya will be running it, and anything you need for business will automatically be paid for by the Watcher’s Council.

‘Buffy: the mansion has various cars and bikes, and Spike, we’ve put the DeSoto into the garage for you as well as the Viper from Angel’s collection.’

Spike’s grin got bigger: he had won everything and his late unlamented sire had nothing, at least he thought he had nothing.

‘What happened to Angel?’ He asked, not really wanting the answer - but he had to know.

‘He is working in the sewers in another dimension, a hell dimension, and there is no hair gel there. No darkness either and he’s not immune to daylight like some vampires we know.’

Buffy looked at Spike: he was shaking from head to toe. She tried to ‘feel’ his emotions: what had upset him so much?? She could see the tears rolling down his face; Buffy moved closer in to Spike, trying to give him the reassurance he obviously needed. She had always thought he hated Angel, but to see him so upset about his Grandsire’s fate broke her heart. She touched him gently on his arm to get his attention, but when he turned those incredible blue eyes onto her there was no pain in them, just laughter. Spike was shaking with laughter.

‘I thought you were upset…’ she started to say.

‘Not upset pet, I think its bloody hilarious! He never took to the sewers unless he had to, then he complained about the smell, and now he’s got to clean them… back to eating rats for peaches!’ The howls of laughter reverberated around the building, making everyone stare at them. ‘Peaches in the sewers, Peaches stuck in the sewers forever!’ he sang loudly.

‘Not quite forever, but until he learns his lesson; then he’s going to be handed over to Cordelia to train.’

That brought a new wave of laughter out of the vampire. The thought of Angel being at the cheerleader’s beck and call warmed his heart.

‘Both Anne and Joyce have taken houses on Rodello Drive,’ Andrew went on. ‘Xander, we have given you and Anya the apartment you loved so much; the deeds to the Magic Box as well as the ones to your own construction company are lodged with Lamb and Son. They have opened up a branch in the centre of town, and they have contacted a bank that has dealt with The Powers before, and they’ve agreed to, like, come and take over all your accounts and stuff. You’ll need it with the amount that will be going in.’

‘Money?’ Buffy understood that bit.

‘Lots,’ answered Andrew with a wide grin.

As all the slayers had collected their keys for the various houses and apartments that had been set up for them, Buffy and Spike headed off to explore their new home. She had been handed a bundle of papers by Andrew and hadn’t really looked through them, but one thing had caught her eye: the black American Express card. Now that was something she could put to excellent use, if they had shoe shops in this place.

Spike and Buffy wandered slowly through the streets to where the mansion had originally been in Sunnydale. In its place stood a huge modern house with large windows overlooking a garden and a pool. There was a building at the bottom of the garden that looked like it should be the poolhouse, but on closer inspection turned out to be a studio, filled with the best quality paints and brushes.

‘I didn’t know you painted, pet,’ Spike could feel his mate’s delight at all the supplies.

‘I don’t, I’ve never had the time. But I always wanted to.’

‘Now you can.’ He nuzzled the claim mark on her neck and Buffy felt her knees go weak. He turned around with an evil grin.

‘How about we christen the new place before we get all the furniture in? There’s six bedrooms in there according to the blurb that Andrew gave me, as well as a study and a library and a rumpus room and a kitchen and a breakfast room…’ Spike kept listing all the rooms as he led his beloved mate into their new home and their future.


Chapter End Notes:
thanks for sticking with me



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