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Author's Chapter Notes:
As before, sorry for the terrible delay.
Roots of the Slayer

Spike walked out of the bedroom, and peeked into the bathroom. "I'll take it."

"Wonderful," the woman showing him the apartment sang.

He pulled out his wallet and tossed down several bills. "That should cover first and last, and I'd like to move in immediately."

Her eyes bulged at the cash. "Of course, Mr. Worthington. When?"

"Now."

She picked up the cash. "There is some paperwork..."

Spike paced around the sunlit living room. "Fine. I'll be back in a couple of hours. I'll see you in the office?"

The woman gathered up her clipboard. "I believe that will give me enough time to get things in order." She held out a slender hand. "Welcome to Bryan Estates."

Spike looked away from the skylight, and shook her hand gently. "Glad to be 'ere."

As he strode out and past the woman, he thought about how little time had passed. He'd stayed at the crypt for longer than he'd intended, but the tidbits he'd gotten from Clem and eavesdropping on Buffy's nightly visits had been worth it.

Unfortunately that left him mere days to get his life set up. This apartment was one thing he needed. The account he'd opened was another. Now the life of William Worthington was as normal as any other human's. At least by the measure of a former vampire.

He straddled his motorcycle, and took off to the lot holding his DeSoto.

England

Giles just stared as Willow gathered her purse.

"Where are you going?"

The red head flopped onto the couch. " I dunno. Anywhere. I've been cooped up in your apartment forever."

Giles sat up in his chair in the living room. "It's only been a week."

"I feel like a trapped rat."

"We need to be sure you're well enough to.."

"To what? Walk?" She stood up and demonstrated her amazing ability to walk. "I'm a lot better Giles. No more crying. No more whining. And believe me, the whole magic thing...well it's hard. But it's even harder to know I've been in England for more than 2 months, and haven't even gone outside."

Giles sighed, and stood up. "Very well. Where would you like to go?"

Willow squealed. "Really??" She leapt up and threw her arms around his waist. "Thanks, Giles."

She took a step back, and Giles straightened out his shirt.

"First I want to see Big Ben. Oh, and then Westminster Abby. OH! And London Bridge, the Globe Theatre..."

His head was spinning as Willow randomly named every tourist spot she wanted to see. In his mind, he was quickly trying to formulate the best route to take so she could see most of the things on her list.

Sunnydale, CA: a few days later

Dawn, Xander, Buffy and Anya stood in the doorway of the rebuilt magic shop. The banner hanging across the ceiling read "Grand Re-Opening".

"You guys really outdid yourselves, Xander," Buffy complimented.

Xander smiled. "Yeah, well. Were a talented bunch of guys. What can I say?"

Anya clapped childishly. "It's perfect."

The demon skipped down the steps from the newly stocked loft. "You'd never guess a possessed witch destroyed this very room." She stood in the center of the Magic Box and turned back to the group still standing on the landing. "Thanks you guys. Thanks so much for helping." Then she looked at Xander. "I mean it."

Xander was dumbstruck. "You're welcome, An."

She gave him a small smile, and walked behind the counter.

The Summers girls watched silently, giving each other a 'did you see that' look.

"Well," Buffy said. "Final test is tonight. "

Xander was pulled from his thoughts and turned to her. "That's right. Officer Buffy will soon be walking the streets."

"And you get to stop wearing that dorky training uniform," Dawn added.

Buffy frowned. "Dorky?" She looked over her clothes. "I think I look... okay, dorky."

Dawn giggled.

"Don't laugh too much, sister. You start school next Monday."

Dawn was quiet.

Anya came out from behind the counter. "But you'll all be here tomorrow, won't you? I'm expecting many old customers to return."

"Wouldn't miss it." Buffy said. I only have to go to class tomorrow night to find out my score. Today was the last day of the physical stuff."

Dawn, who didn't have enough time to work off her debt to Anya before the store was destroyed, had promised to start working as soon as the store re- opened. It would figure she'd have the store up and running just before school started. She just knew she'd be Anya's prisoner the whole day Friday, and Saturday.

Xander would be on site, but had promised to stop in and help as soon as the crew was done for the day on Friday, then he'd be there all day Saturday as well.

He and Anya were on uneasy speaking terms. She knew that she had hurt him, and he knew he'd hurt her, and in their own way, they had apologized to each other. The smile she had given him was sincere, and he hoped that she still held feelings for him, because as much that had happened, he still loved her.

~~`~~

That night

Buffy came up from the lower level of the crypt still talking about that evening's final. "Oh, and I swear some of them were trick questions. I mean, how often is an officer threatened with a squirt gun? I mean, really?"

"Well, it sounds like you did okay." Clem sat on his chair.

He hadn't changed anything in the crypt. He liked the dark dank look. "What about your detective friend?"

"Oh. He walked me out of the building again. And told me not to get hurt, like he does now. Pretty much the same ol' same ol'."

"No date yet?"

"No. But here's to hoping." She tied her hair into a ponytail. "See ya' Clem."

"Later Buffy." He picked up his plate of hot wings and began munching.

A few minutes later Spike came in dressed in his familiar black jeans and black T.

"So?"

"No. I think she said before he couldn't ask until she graduated, or something."

Spike gave him a quick nod. "Well, I'm off. Got to kill some nasties."

"I just can't get over you being a Slayer."

Spike's brows went up. "You can't get over it? I'm the one with the bleedin callin'. Got to think of another title though. Slayer sound a bit girly."

"To you too?" Clem took another bite of his snack as Spike left.

~~`~~

Buffy walked through the cemetery talking to herself. She could sense the few vampires getting ready to rise from below the ground. "I mean really. It's just fine if I go out with someone. It's not like I have anyone to upset. No one else is asking. Everyone else just ran off."

She kicked one of the newly erected head stones, toppling it over. "Oops. Sorry."

She bent down, and straightened it. "See. Now I'm even apologizing to the headstones. Next thing you know, I'll start talking to myself."

Then she stopped in her steps. "Way to go, Buffy. You're crazy." She threw her arms up in the air. "Yay me."

"You're not talking to yourself. I'm listening."

She turned around quickly to see a bulky brunette pale vampire. "That would still mean I'm talking to dead people. Not really an improvement."

"You're one of the Slayers."

Buffy slipped the stake out from her sleeve. "Yup. And your one of the vampires I'm supposed to slay."

She jumped forward, ready to strike, but he swung his leg, causing her feet to go out from under her.

"Oh, an actual fight. Well, I guess I have the time." She jumped up, and her fists came up swinging. He ducked and blocked a roundhouse Soon came an uppercut, then jab. Then, he was hit squarely in the nose by her foot. She continued her assault, unrelentingly.

Once he was on the ground, she pulled her stake back ready to plunge it in his unbeating heart.

"My master is watching you two. You will both die."

She stopped short. "Master? What master?"

Despite the vampire's obviously bad position, he laughed at her. "The Master."

"No, no, no ,no. I'm afraid the Master is long gone," Buffy quipped. "Trust me."

The vampire continued his laughter. "You believe there is but one line? There are several, and he is the oldest to still walk the earth."

Buffy's jaw fell. "Line? A different line."

Then she remembered the vampire she had killed was the Master of the line of Aurelius.

"Another Master?"

Anger filled her, and she pressed the stake through the first layer of skin. "What line? Who am I dealing with here."

His laughter quieted. "The line that brought her forth. The line that began the first line of the Slayers." Buffy's face twisted in confusion.

"Huh?"

The vampire became smug. "You do not know where you come from. Who you are."

"Are you here with Dracula?" Buffy looked around, keeping her grip on the Vamp tight. "Cause I thought I made it pretty clear last time..."

"My master is older than Dracula, older than the Master you killed, and more powerful than any demon you have ever come across."

She still didn't have a name. "So, what line?"

The vampire said nothing.

"Have it your way." She plunged the stake through his heart, and was left sitting above a small pile of dust.

"I knew the summer was too quiet." She stood up and continued her walk through the cemetery. "Well, at least he said he was stronger than the demons, those I can handle. It's the hell gods that give me trouble."

In the distance, a shape moved, and the hidden figure stood up.

"That's one." She spoke allowed and sprinted towards another of the twelve Sunnydale graveyards.

~~`~~

Spike walked cautiously through the cemetery. He had managed to miss Buffy each night. It wasn't hard since he had patrolled along with her enough to know her most generally used route. He still couldn't believe that in less than 4 days he'd be in front of a room of children.

"What the hell have I gotten myself into?" He asked the tombstones.

There was that now familiar tingle of a Vampire's presence. It was different than the embedded Demon detector he had as a Vampire. This sensation gave him an immediate rush of adrenaline.

He stood stock still, and turned around. "Come on out. I know you're there."

From behind a tall angelic statue came a scruffy looking Vampire. He was easily a foot taller than Spike, and his black shaggy hair came down to his shoulders.

"Right. On with the fight then?" Spike spoke casually.

"I'm expected to give you a message, and die for it."

Spike walked up to him. "So what's the message?" He held the stake in his hand.

"My master is here to kill you and the other Slayer."

Spike smiled widely. "Really? Well, that's just flattering, but I'm afraid I'm going to have to disappoint your master. See, I'm just getting used to this whole living thing. 'Ave to say it's a right nice way to be. And as far as the other Slayer goes..." He moved with preternatural speed pushing the larger vamp against the statue, using his stake to hold him by the neck. "...no one touches her."

The Vampire was stunned from this new Slayer's actions. "H-he will kill you. Both of you will die before he leaves this town."

"Does your master think he can kill the same person who has taken two Slayers himself?"

"He feels it is fitting. He was the cause of the Slayer, now he will stop it before another line can begin."

Spike brought the stake up from the demon's throat. "'E's too late." And soon dust fell to his feet. Spike brushed the dust off of his pants.

"So, 'nother master in town 'eh?" Spike walked forward to his new apartment talking to himself again.

"The cause of the Slayer." He rolled the sentence in his head for awhile. "The cause...the...?" It hit him. "He's the vampire that turned the leader's daughter."

Spike looked at the starry sky. "That would make him..." Spike tried to figure out how old he could be. All he could come up with was. "Fuckin' old."

He started to sprint as he made his way home. If there was one time ever he wish he could call on the Scooby gang, this would be it. Now he had to try to figure out exactly which line he was dealing with alone. Each had it's own strengths and weaknesses, and if he was going to protect Buffy, he'd have to work fast.

The figure hiding in the brush once again stood up. The other had been as strong and fast. He, however, seemed to know more of the Slayer's origins.

The figure ran quickly through alleys, past shops and homes, straight through town and to an old house on the edge of town. It was almost cabin- like in its simplicity. The unpainted wood structure was dilapidated, but had several rooms above ground. Below it was a vast cave with twists and turns leading to its center.

After entering the house, he moved to the door in the back wall that lead to the caves. Once below he maneuvered his way inside to the largest cave holding his master.

The vampire Master sat regally among many minions all at his whim. The vampire himself had taken a new form over the centuries. His pointed ears and brow ridges were constant, although his skin had never grayed. It was the familiar paleness all vampires had.

"Sir, they have both been made aware of your presence. The male had more knowledge than we believed he would."

The Master nodded. "And what did he know?" His voice had a forcefulness to it.

"He knew how the first Slayer was born. Although he did not seem to know you're name, he knew that when Justin referred to you, that you had been the one to turn the girl."

"Hmm." The Master stood up. "Leave us," he bellowed.

Soon the cave was empty except for the vampire who had watched, and the Master. "Now we must prepare. I will end the new line before it can begin."

He walked down the small slope so that he was facing the younger vampire. "Jon, I want as much information on the two's daylight lives that you can find."

The trusted childe nodded and headed out of the cave, leaving the elder vampire alone.

"I will stop it. My retribution for beginning the first," he said into the empty cave.





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