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Chapter 64: Come and Get Her

At about three in the morning, Buffy woke, having not slept terribly well whatsoever. Spike was sleeping next to her, his hand resting on her stomach. She slowly moved his hand away from her and slipped out of bed. Her heart was hammering in her chest, so it was only a matter of seconds before Spike sat up.

“S’wrong?” he wondered, staring at her as she turned the doorknob.

“Can’t sleep.”

“Can I do something?”

“It’s ok. I’m just gonna go check on Dana.”

“Faith’s with her.”

“I know,” Buffy whispered. “I just…I wanna see that everything’s ok. I need to check.”

“Buffy, don’t worry…”

“Go back to sleep, Spike. I’ll be back in a minute.” Spike watched her leave the room, and he sighed heavily, pulling himself out of bed and slipping into a pair of black sweatpants. He went without his shirt and followed after her down the stairs.

The living room light was on, and he frowned, heading in that direction to see what was going on. Hank Summers was sitting on the couch watching television. Spike ran his fingers through his hair and stepped into sight.

“Is the volume too loud? I can turn it down,” Hank offered.

“S’alright. Didn’t bother me. Shouldn’t you be sleeping or…”

“I couldn’t sleep,” he admitted. “I’m still trying to process everything Buffy told me tonight.”

“Yeah, well, welcome to Sunnydale,” Spike muttered. He felt his stomach grumble, and he turned and headed into the kitchen. The basement door was ajar, and he figured Buffy was down there discussing Slayer stuff with Faith. Funny how she’d gone from being practically enemies with the girl to being allies. Then again, the same thing had happened between the both of them, and now they were married and expecting a baby in five months.

Spike pulled his favorite mug out of the cabinet, opened up a tub of pig’s blood, and poured himself a nice, big drink. After thirty three seconds in the microwave, his blood was a delicious 98.6 degrees.

When he turned, taking a sip, he saw Hank standing across the counter from him. He jumped a little and put the mug down.

“That’s…blood?”

“Yeah?”

“It’s…it’s not…”

“It’s pig’s blood, mate,” Spike pointed out. “I’m off humans.”

“But if you wanted to? You could just…”

“If I wanted to, yeah, but I don’t fancy the guilt that comes with biting unwilling victims.” He smirked and took another sip.

“Guilt? Vampires feel guilty?”

“Well, if they have a soul, they do.”

“You…you have a soul?” Spike shrugged at that. “The way Buffy explained it...”

“I sought out my soul for her. Didn’t want her to have to explain her reasons for wanting to be with me. It’s easier if she just tells ‘em I’ve got a soul.” He shook his head. “She loved me before I had one, though. Don’t know why or how, but she did. Your daughter…she’s a special one.”

“Yeah, she is. Always has been.” Hank sat down at one of the stools. “She seems very happy with you. I mean, she wasn’t very happy tonight, given the circumstances, but…when you were together in L.A….I could tell you were good for her.” Spike seemed surprised at that. “I remember her calling me on the phone, upset about that Angel fella. He wasn’t right for her.”

“Hate to tell you, mate, but Angel was a vampire too. Had a soul.” He scoffed. “’Course, he got cursed with it. Didn’t have a choice in the matter.” Hank looked dumbfounded.

“Don’t get me wrong. Your daughter’s dated more than just the undead. Had a pretty-boy army-type bloke for a while, but he just snuffed out the fire in her. Only time I ever saw that spark in her eyes was when she was threatening to kill me.” Again, Hank was speechless. “Not to worry. She never came close to making good on that threat. I don’t know how many times I threatened her. Just couldn’t bring myself to do it. I guess I liked the banter too much.”

“Why are you telling me this?”

“Don’t really know,” Spike shrugged. “It’s just…I fell in love with her. Don’t know exactly when it happened, but I did, and she…well, I think it sickened her. But when her Mum died, she didn’t…she didn’t have a lot of people to…and there was so much going on that…” Spike cleared his throat. “I just tried to be there for her. Didn’t know what I could do. Just wanted to see her smile again. Hell, a few serious threats against my immortality would’ve been better than the state she was in when Joyce died.” Hank looked down.

“I’m glad she has you, Spike. I just hope that this…this fella that’s after you doesn’t make good on his threats.”

“He won’t. I won’t let him near her. He’d be my exception to the no killing humans rule. Would rip his heart out before he could even touch Buffy.” Hank eyed Spike for a moment. Spike took the brief silence to think about this unusual happening. This wasn’t the first time he was meeting Buffy’s father, but it was the first time that he actually felt like a son-in-law speaking to his father-in-law.

“I’m grateful she has you, Spike. She and Dawn and the baby…they need you.”

“Yeah,” Spike said quietly, “I don’t plan on going anywhere. All that matters is protecting my family. I’ll do whatever it takes to do that, even if it means…” His voice trailed off, and he wondered if he could even find it in himself to kill again. Years ago, it had been ritual. Like waking up and brushing your teeth. Only, before the teeth brushing came the biting and tearing and drinking and murdering. But now, the thought of taking a human life, even the life of a worthless power-hungry bloke like Quentin Travers.

The basement door creaked the rest of the way open, and Faith stepped out. Spike and Hank turned toward her.

“Where’s Buffy?”

“She said she’d take a turn watching Dana. Told me to get some sleep.” Faith rubbed her arms, shivering a little. “Don’t think I can sleep though. Won’t be able to rest easy until I know those drugs are out of her system.” Spike glanced at the bag she had strapped over her shoulder.

Faith placed it on the counter and emptied the contents. There were three vials, which would probably be able three to four weeks of dosages. Spike couldn’t help but shiver, realizing that Dana’s plan had probably been to get her job done and get out of Sunnydale before then. Thank God Faith had captured her first.

“What should we do with it?” Faith wondered.

“That’s the stuff she was gonna put in you?” Spike asked.

“Yeah. I’m guessing it’s the same juice she uses for herself.”

“If that’s what’s causing her to go after Buffy, shouldn’t’ we destroy it?” Hank wondered.

“Maybe,” Faith mumbled.

“Or maybe not,” Spike commented, an idea forming.

“What’s up?” Faith wondered, eyes narrowing.

“The witch,” Spike muttered.

“Witch?” Hank asked. “What witch?” Faith ignored Buffy’s dad, and a gleam in her eyes accompanied a half-smile.

“Willow was always pretty book smart. Think she might be able to tell us what’s in this?”

“Couldn’t hurt to ask.”

“Alright. We’ll call first thing in the morning,” Faith said matter-of-factly. “I’ll put this someplace safe.” Faith headed off with Dana’s supplies, and Spike turned to Hank who looked as if somebody had just revealed to his eight year old self that Santa wasn’t real.

“What?”

“Buffy’s friend Willow’s a witch?” Spike couldn’t help but chuckle.

“Oh, there are so many things you two have to catch up on. But I think it’d be best to try to get some sleep.” Hank nodded, shaking his head that seemed to be spinning.

“You’re probably right. Just…you’re sure the baby’s human?”

“Yeah. She’s all girl, like her mum.”

“Good,” Hank said quietly, shuffling out of the room. “I’m not sure I could handle it if she came out with tentacles or…”

“Worst case scenario?” Spike offered, “she might need a bit of sun and some serious orthodontia when she’s older.” Hank furrowed his brows, but the realization that his son-in-law had made a small joke occurred to him, and he chuckled softly, shaking his head, wondering if this day could get any stranger.

***

Spike fidgeted with the carousel that had been sent to the house earlier. It wasn’t from Hank, so the only thing he could possibly think was that it was a way for Travers to keep tabs on Buffy’s pregnancy and on the baby.

“No bloody way,” Spike muttered, taking the carousel down the stairs and into the kitchen. He was just about to toss it in the trashcan when a voice from behind him startled him, and he silently cursed to himself. Since when did vampires startle easily?

“What’re you doing?”

“Thought I might get rid of this sodding thing. Isn’t from your dad, and something tells me it’s not from a secret admirer. Plus, doesn’t exactly have Angel written all over it. He’s more the black funeral shroud and the gloom and doom. Wouldn’t be surprised if he sent an insurance policy just in case we…”

“Spike,” Buffy yawned. “I’m too tired to listen to you complaining about Angel.”

“Haven’t filled my quota this month. How about this afternoon then?”

“Fine,” she muttered. “You think it’s from Travers?”

“Who else?” Spike wondered.

“Well, if that’s the case, then he wanted us to have it for a reason.” Buffy frowned and took the carousel into her hands. She turned it every which way, trying to figure out what it was about the thing. And by a stroke of luck, the top moved every-so-slightly beneath her hand. Buffy’s eyes met Spike’s, and he looked up at her with surprise.

Slowly, she turned the top until she was able to remove it. Inside was a series of wires with a very distinctive lens fit into one of the eyes of a carved horse on the carousel.

“What the sodding hell is that?”

“It’s a camera. He was going to spy on us.”

“Think he can hear?”

“I don’t know, but I don’t really care. Mr. Travers, I hope you know your little plan failed. Want to see your precious puppet? Well, follow me.” She turned around, fitting the lid back on the carousel. She started down the stairs with Spike right behind her.

“Careful, pet. You’re starting to sound a lot like me.”

“Yeah, well, it’s like dogs and their owners. You know? How they say that after so long, they start to look alike?”

“Alright, which one am I in that little comparison, luv? The dog or the owner?” Buffy shushed him and turned on the basement light.

They made it down the stairs, and Buffy placed the carousel directly in front of the cot that Dana was laying on, hands raised up a little, caught in the shackles.

“Come and get her, Travers.”


Chapter End Notes:
I know...short chapter. I'll try to write a little more later. Let me know what you thought! Thanks!



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