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Author's Chapter Notes:
Sorry I didn't have this up Friday. Mad homework amounts had me busy. I'll be updating Deserving now as well though.
Of Vampires and Ex's

Dawn approached the cemetery at the edge of the woods. If she kept walking in that general direction she'd eventually end up on Revello Drive. She knew Tara and Buffy were only a few paces behind her, which was why when she heard the scream coming from further in the cemetery, she ran towards it.

Buffy and Tara took one look at each other and sprinted past the markers of the buried as they followed Dawn to the sounds of fighting.

When they found the brawl, Xander was punching a vampire, Faith was in mid- kick and Anya was haphazardly hurling the small vials at two vampires that slowly advanced on her.

Without breaking her pace, Buffy ran towards the two going for Anya.

She stopped just in front of them. "C'mon, guys. You should know by now not to mess with my friends. Besides, don't you like a little fight as an appetizer?" She stood in fight stance, watching to see which would move first.

The taller vampire looked at her, then cocked his head as he took in the scent of the Slayer. His eyes widened, and he put his hands up in a sign of surrender. "We didn't know. These are yours?" He motioned to the group of humans they'd come upon and attacked, knowing one was a Slayer.

The smaller one looked at his companion angrily. "What the… she's a Slayer, too. Rich blood, tasty aphrodisiac. We drink her, kill the boy and take the girls."

The larger glared at the smaller. "Nick, are you nuts? Take her in."

The smaller one looked back at Buffy who wondered why there were words instead of fists being thrown back and forth.

"Guys, if you don't mind? There's this whole dusting thing.." Buffy was bored.

Apparently Nick caught on to whatever it was that was bothering the big vamp, because he too threw his hands up in surrender. He turned up to his fighting partner. "How's that possible? She's human."

Buffy was getting tired of the banter. She'd have dusted them earlier if she hadn't seen Anya run to help Xander, and Faith's foe was dusted almost the moment this little round about started.

"Doesn't matter if it's possible." the larger answered. "You know the rules, no snacking on Halloween, no taking the claimed."

"It's not Halloween," Buffy said, then realized what they must have been sensing as far as a claim. Spike hadn't said much except that being human would make it impossible for demons to tell. The rules, whatever they were, shouldn't apply to two demons that exchanged blood, but then were made human. The demon blood would be merged with the human, and the human would overpower the vibrations given off by the demon inside.

But, then again, her eyes shouldn't be golden on occasion either.

Spike had gained a certain amount of respect from the demons in this town after running with the Slayer and her Scoobies for a few years now. Even with the knowledge that he was chipped--although he still hadn't tested that aspect of his life since they'd gotten back from England--the fact still remained that he could punish any demon, including vampires, if he saw fit.

Somehow the claim that Spike had on her affected these vampires. She also knew that not all would fear the claim like this. Only those who were, or had been, associated with the peroxide blonde.

"Look," she finally said, "you can either stand there and let me stake you, or you can fight. Claim or not, I'm still a Slayer, and per job description I am bound to kill you." She stood, now slightly relaxed. Which is why when the smaller one moved to kick her feet out from under her, she fell hard.

"Ok, fight it is." She jumped up and punched first with a right, then a left, knocking the smaller one back. Then she moved sideways and kicked up, sending the larger flying off the ground and back down, flat on his back. He kicked at her feet, but she jumped easily over him and landed on her feet, dusting him in one motion.

The small one grabbed her from behind, but before Buffy had a chance to react, the weight was gone and dust was falling from above. She turned to see Faith smiling, a stake comfortably held in her hand. "I thought you guys were going to talk all night."

"Sorry. More of those 'beanie' side effects. They could smell Spike. Gave 'em a wiggins."

"I really don't want to know what they smell of Spike," Xander said as he and Anya walked up to join them. Dawn stood beside Buffy, water gun in hand. Tara walked up to them; the thoughts on the demon aspects coming through Buffy and Spike were renewed.

"Either way, those weren't the ones," Faith said. "Definitely not the perfume types." She said scrunching her nose at the rank odor left by the vampires.

"No. We didn't find anything on the newest big bads, either. But we got in a few stakings, so not a total loss." Buffy shrugged. "Was this the last cemetery on your patrol?"

"Yeah," Xander said. "We were going to head back to town, see if Willow and Spike found anything."

"Good idea," Buffy said. They all went towards town, hoping to catch the roaming ex-vampire and the hacker with him.

~~`~~

Spike hadn't said a word, just walked into the nearest elevator, made sure Willow was safely inside, pressed the button for the floor directly above and stood quietly. When the doors opened, Willow was prepared to follow him out, but he stood and stared down the hallway, letting the doors close and pressed the button for the next floor. This had continued for five levels.

Willow was silent, figuring that Spike had to 'feel' for the correct area in the hospital.

When the doors opened this time, Willow became concerned. The sign above read 'Labor and Delivery' in large letters with a miniature arrow pointing the way. Spike stepped off of the lift and proceeded in the direction of the arrow.

"Spike?" Willow barely mustered.

"Not now, Will. Just stay behind me."

Willow did as she was told. She'd been scared with Spike before, several times because of him. She'd also been saved by him on more than one occasion. He'd been in hundreds of un-dead or death situations and was still here, now alive. Which made her even more scared, because in all the times she'd seen him worried, she'd never seen this look on his face. Complete fear.

He walked slowly, looking around for something. He scanned the rooms whose doors were open. He looked past the waiting area filled with nervous family members of those here to give birth and those happily celebrating a new arrival.

When he stopped, Willow nearly ran into him. She couldn't see from behind his duster, and peeked past him to see a woman, a nurse, pushing a hospital bassinet.

"Well crap," Harmony stopped and kept hold of the bassinet with one hand. She placed the other on her hip. "You aren't supposed to be here. We're not ready yet."

Spike looked at her, a bit confused. This was not who he'd expected to find. The feeling had been different when he first detected it, but he had been sure Drusilla was here. He scanned Harmony, trying to understand why she felt like the vampire that had been his Dark Queen for a hundred years.

Harmony had never been much to him, simply something to pass the time, in truth, and was most definitely not Drusilla. He decided to play it off. Cool and Spike-like.

"Harm." He let his stance relax. "See you're dining out tonight." He lifted his hand, placing it on the thin outside rail of the bassinet.

"Oh, it's not for me it's… Hey!"

Spike pulled the sleeping infant's bed towards him. Harmony was caught off guard as she was speaking, and lost the treat she had been fetching for her pup. "That's mine. Get your own."

Willow scrunched her face and stuck out her tongue from behind Spike. "Eew," she whispered.

"Who's that?" Harmony knew someone was behind her ex and tried to tune in her senses the way Dru had shown her. She was sure the person behind Spike was familiar, but even more interesting was the fact that Spike had a heartbeat. And smelled human. She looked at him intensely, she sensed something else, but most importantly, "You're alive?"

"Lately," was his only response as he shrugged, still keeping hold of the rolling bed of the baby. He still couldn't figure how his senses could recognize this vampire as Dru.

Harmony was curious. Dru hadn't mentioned that he'd be alive. God, she didn't want that. Then he'd get old and, ewe, wrinkled. "Oh, well. I'll just turn him back," she thought to herself.

"So how'd that happen?" she said, trying to find the best way to get the baby back and not attract too much attention.

"Long story." He switched gears. "Listen, Harmony. I don't think you'll be taking this babe here. Not today."

Willow knew confrontation was next, and with Spike, that could mean fighting. Actually, fighting was pretty much guaranteed. She wasn't sure that this, the maternity ward, was the best place for it. Quickly, she tried to think of a way to avoid it.

Harmony crossed her arms. "You're going to tell me not to eat. Please, Spike. If I could count the times you showed me where to get a meal-"

"Times have changed, Harm. You know I won't let you out of here without a fight. When my mind's made, it's made." He pulled the cart closer.

"Fine. Make a scene. I'm the one with a badge. You're just some wacko off the street."

Spike could feel himself getting angrier by the second. She'd grated his nerves before. How he'd put up with it, he'd never know. Didn't she understand she'd never get out of here with the baby? He may get into trouble himself, but she'd either get run out empty handed, or have one hell of a time explaining to the security guards why she looked very little like her badge’s picture. Either way, no baby.

Willow took the silent moment and stepped out holding a tiny glowing vial. "Harmony."

The blonde looked at the redhead. "Willow. I knew it was someone I knew. How ya been?"

"Fine." She breathed out, then lifted the bottle of glowing orange liquid so that the vampiress could see it. "If you leave now, I won't use this."

Harmony eyed her hand. She wasn't sure what it was, but she was sure Willow was a witch and could do real magic. "God!” She complained exasperated. “Fine. I'll go. But you two take all the fun out of being a vampire."

She stomped off, pouting about the slayer's friends and mean ex-boyfriends. Nothing was fair.

Spike watched Harmony walk away and shook his head at possibly the worst vampire he'd ever met. Not as in evil, as in improper. Then he saw Willow mimicking his motions.

"Good thinkin', Red. Don't fancy going to jail for causing problems in the hospital. 'Specially for doing something 'elpful."

Willow placed the vial back in her bag. "No big. Just thought it was better than you two dukin' it out." She looked down at the tiny form still sleeping soundly. She pulled away the blanket and saw the unharmed infant. "We better get her back in the nursery."

They walked the baby back and quickly explained that a woman had the baby. She had a false I.D with the wrong picture. The head nurse quickly thanked the couple, saying how bad it was these days. Why one woman would want to hurt another by taking her baby was beyond her.

A few minutes later, Spike and Willow were in the elevator, leaving. The feeling that Dru was near was still strong. He couldn't think of any reason why that would be, save one.
And he just didn't want to believe that.

They walked out on the main floor. Spike was unusually quiet, and if there was one thing Willow had always been good at, it was knowing when one of her friends was worried or upset. "So?" she asked.

"So what?"

They walked out of the hospital and down the lamp-lit streets. "So you gonna tell me what's up? Why you were all with the silent searching? And don't tell me it was Harmony. Even I know you had bad taste back then."

A short chuckle came from the ex-vampire. "Some." He knew he'd have to say something. Willow would tell Buffy and he'd have to share anyway. "I think Drusilla's in town. Probably the one we're after."

Willow kept walking beside him, her eyes now wide. She avoided looking at him, not wanting him to see the new worry on her face. None of this could be good. Buffy would want Dru dead this time. No doubt or question about that. Exactly what would Spike say, or do? They passed dark stores and abandoned buildings, walking in the silence of the streets.

~~`~~

"Oh," she finally said. "And then Willow came out of nowhere and threatened me. With magic!" Harmony explained the incident in detail to her mistress while strolling through a residential neighborhood full of suburban houses and local parks. "I really hate Willow," she said as Dru gave the puppy some attention. He was getting hungry.

"Naughty witch. We'll have to see to her punishment." Dru set the puppy back on the ground, then handed the ribbon to the pup's sire.

Harmony walked beside the dark vampires, the two looking every bit as though they were taking their dog out for a walk. "What about Spike? I mean, can I change him?"

Dru eyed the young childe, then reached under the wide ribbon circling her waist. She lifted her hand again; a dark green crystal was sitting in her palm. "There won't be a need, my lovely. We have all we require to make it right. But first, I must have my prize. The secret is in the strength."

The crystal sparkled slightly under the lamps that lit the streets of Sunnydale. "Ok, what is your prize?"

Dru smiled wickedly and caressed the powerful item in her hand. "Pure. The Pure energy will flip the switch."

"Where do we get it?" Harmony asked as they strode through Sunnydale.

"The Slayer."

"Oh, great." Harmony frowned.

~~`~~

Xander and Anya lead the group, walking hand in hand. Buffy and Dawn followed with Faith and Tara bringing up the rear. They followed the route Buffy used generally, knowing Spike would likely use it to patrol with Willow. It was quiet for the downtown area; even The Bronze was too dead for the vampires.

As they headed towards the hospital, one of the last stops on her nightly patrol, two sensations came at her.

One was Spike up ahead. He was headed in their direction. The other was to her left, further away. She only caught it for a moment but knew it was strong. Similar to the vampire warning she'd gotten from Spike before their changes.

Unfortunately, Buffy was smart enough to know that the sensation meant someone from the same line as Spike had to be in town, which brought her back to her earlier worry: Drusilla.

Things were not shaping up favorably.

"You ok?" she heard.

Dawn was giving her a worried look.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Buffy lied.

"You sure?"

"Yeah, just some thinking." She smiled at her sister, then looked ahead of her. "I think Spike and Willow are just up ahead." She informed the group.

Moments later Willow's long skirt and Spike's duster were seen silhouetted against the streetlights.

"Well?" Faith asked Spike when they all met in the center of the sidewalk.

Willow looked up at Spike, wondering what he'd say.

With a heavy sigh, he decided. "Saw Harm. Looks like her tastes in meals have gotten pickier."

"Harmony?" Buffy stifled a giggle. "I'm sorry, it's just… Harmony?"

"It's not funny, Buff. She was taking a baby, or at least trying to, right out of the nursery," Willow explained, still a put off by the whole idea.

"What, like the Mayor tried to have done?" Buffy asked.

"Yes. Well, no. She just walked in dressed like a nurse and only took one. Not four." The redhead looked back at Spike again. If he didn't say something, she would.

"Something else, too, Buffy," Spike said, looking serious. "I think she's running with Dru." He watched her face.

Xander jumped in. "Drusilla? As in the loony undead?"

"S'the one," Spike confirmed. "The worst part-"

"There's a worst part?" Buffy asked.

Spike tried to smile reassuringly. Unfortunately, it didn't work. "I think Dru's adopted her."

"Adopted?" Faith and Dawn both asked.

Anya looked back. "Yes. Vampires, only childer, can be adopted into clans, or specific lines. Most vampires don't tend to do this because then the childe has the traits of two sires. They can get fairly powerful quite quickly, and are often difficult to control."
Everyone stared at her. "What?"

"You know about it then?" Spike asked. Anya nodded quietly. "How much?"

"You mean that that's how you became Angel's childe after Dru turned you?" she said, almost too quickly. She knew this 'tact' thing everyone kept telling her about was not her strong suit, so she resorted to speaking quickly in the hopes that only the one she wanted to hear the words would. It didn't work.

"So that's how…" Willow started. "Sorry," she said to Spike.

"S'ok. Had to do with Dru more than me. Supposed to have told me a few things and didn't. Punishment for her was to take me as his adopted childe. Part of the reason she always tried to get him back. Win back his approval."

He looked back at all of them. No one said a word, just let him speak. "I didn't care. S'long as I could stay with Dru, it didn't matter." He began walking and they followed. "It was after he told me about you." He looked at Buffy, who walked beside him.

Buffy watched him. She hurt more for him than anything else. Somehow this was a shame to him. Not that he'd ever tell anyone why.

"Or the Slayer, rather. That an' Akoshta and a few rules we follow. Things that Dru had neglected to tell me. He decided she made a bad sire, and he took me away from her.

Thing was, Dru didn't really understand it all then. She might not have a grasp on it any better now. Harmony probably has no idea what she's capable of. If she did, she wouldn't have given up so easily."

Buffy stayed quiet. He'd confessed, in more ways than one. She had to at least admit she had suspicions. "Spike?"

He looked back at her. She was staring ahead, then looked up at him. "Yeah, luv?"

She took a breath. "I thought Dru might be the one. The one who thrashed the pet store."

The Scoobs were still quiet. They were heading back towards the residential part of town and home.

"Probably was."

"I'm going to have to kill her."

Spike said nothing. They walked on past the last store and across another cemetery. .

"I know."


Chapter End Notes:
And another element of the adventure is added.



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