Chapter 68: Keeping Shop
“And you haven’t heard from them since?”
“I tried Buffy’s cell, but she’s not picking up,” Spike explained, trying to mask the anxiety in his voice. Giles removed his glasses, cleaned them, and put them back on. “Look, Rupert, I can man the store if you want to go help them.”
“You don’t know anything about business, Spike,” Giles muttered, pacing behind the counter.
“How hard is it to sell some magic junk to a bunch of wannabe Wiccans? C’mon. Anya’ll be in soon, yeah?”
“Not for another hour.”
“I think I can deal with the store for an hour.”
“You’re offering to help me?”
“When my pregnant wife is out there looking for a crazed Slayer, yeah, I am. Go on, Rupert. I’ll watch out for shoplifters, and I won’t nick anything myself. Scout’s honor.”
“You were never a Scout. Scouts weren’t even around when you were born.” At Spike’s eye roll, Giles decided that he’d feel better if he went after Faith and Buffy. Waiting around just didn’t feel right when the hunted was a Slayer, and one of the hunters was pregnant and being hunted herself.
“Fine. But if you break anything, that money’s coming right out of your pocket.”
“Go on, Rupert. I’ll be fine.” Spike stood up straight, ran his fingers through his hair and moved to stand behind the counter like a proper store keeper. Giles eyed him warily, but soon, he was leaving the shop, saying a silent prayer to whomever that his livelihood would not be in ruins by the time he returned.
***
“What is that?”
“What’s what?” Dawn asked, stepping off the foot of the stairs.
“That’s outfit.”
“It’s Buffy’s, Dad,” Dawn said slowly. “She hates it when I borrow her clothes, but c’mon, she won’t be home before I get home from school. It’s no big.”
“It is a big deal!” Hank pointed out. “You’re fifteen.” Dawn rolled her eyes.
“Yeah?”
“That’s not…appropriate for school.”
“Dad. Really? We’re gonna do this.”
“I know what teenaged boys are like, and…”
“Dad, so do I. I’m dating one.” The blood slowly drained from Hank Summers’ face. “Though I’m pretty sure he comes over here to oogle Buffy. Ever since the trip to L.A. he’s totally into her.” Dawn made a face.
“Oh.”
“Don’t worry. I’m gonna break up with him.”
“And then you’ll be ripe for the picking. All those grubby hands will be all over you like…”
“Dad. This isn’t some really bad teen movie. It’s my life. I’ve never had grubby boy hands all over me. Well, until Jake, that is.” Her eyes widened at her own words. “I mean…” Hank held his hands up.
“I don’t wanna hear it. Just…please.”
“Ok,” Dawn shrugged.
“Will you please go change? You look beautiful, but…if you wear it, I’ll be forced to tell your sister about your borrowing her clothes.”
“Dad! This sucks.”
“You’re not leaving the house like that, young lady.”
“Don’t young lady me. That’s so not cool.”
“Dawn.”
“Oh, fine. But you have to drive me to school, because I’m so going to be late now.”
“Fine. Just…go change. Please. I’d rather you not kill your father with a heart attack. I’m still pretty young, you know.”
“Yeah, but you gotta face it, Dad. I’m not a kid anymore. Just…try not to be too surprised, ok?” Hank muttered something under his breath but shuffled off to the kitchen to make him and Dawn breakfast sandwiches to take on the way to the school. Dawn headed back up the stairs and into her room to change.
As Hank stepped into the kitchen, he noticed the back door cracked open just slightly. Furrowing his brows, he moved to close it, thinking perhaps Faith hadn’t closed it on her way out to find Dana this morning. But, as soon as his hand touched the doorknob, he noticed a reflection in the glass. Someone was standing behind him.
He turned slowly to face an older man who looked neither violent nor unpleasant. But considering the man was in the house without invitation, there had to be some unkind reason for his presence.
“Who…”
“I think you’re aware of who I am, Mr. Summers. But if you need some clarification, I am Quentin Travers.” Hank froze in his place. “I’m sure your daughter has informed you of my intentions.”
“Of your intentions? You mean to kill my grandchild? Yeah, I think your intentions are pretty clear.”
“Mr. Summers. I’m sure your daughter has told you about her…”
“I know about her being the Slayer. I know the baby she’s carrying isn’t supposed to exist. I also know that it’s got a heartbeat, and it’s a girl, and I know that anything my daughter could ever give birth to couldn’t possibly be anything awful.”
“The fact that the child exists…”
“I know.”
“It’s an abomination.”
“It’s a baby. A human baby. Maybe I don’t know much about demons or…or vampires. But I know that my daughter is a bright young woman, and she wouldn’t let anything come into this world if she thought it would be a danger to anybody. The baby’s nothing more than human, Mr. Travers.”
“Nothing born to a Slayer and a Vampire is ‘nothing more than human,’ Mr. Summers. The child must be destroyed.”
“Why are you telling me this?”
“Because this is your daughter’s last warning. The next time I come here, I will not be alone. She and the vampire have played happy family long enough. This stops tomorrow night.”
***
“Dad? School’s the other way.”
“You’re not going to school today.”
“What?! Not that I’m complaining, but…”
“Mr. Travers paid me a little visit this morning.”
“What?! He was…”
“He got into the house. When you were upstairs changing, he confronted me in the kitchen.” Dawn’s jaw dropped.
“Buffy’s gonna be so pissed. What’d he say?”
“He pretty much said he’s sick of waiting around for Buffy to do the ‘right’ thing according to him. He says it stops tomorrow night.”
“What does?” At Hank’s glance, Dawn’s face paled.
“Oh my God. So…”
“So I called the school and told them you’re sick. Until Travers is out of town, I want to know my kids are safe. You got that?”
“Fine with me,” Dawn said with a shrug. “Didn’t want to take that history test anyway. I don’t think you have to worry, Dad. Buffy’s pretty good at keeping everybody safe.”
“Yeah, but she’s got the baby to worry about. One moment’s hesitation, and…” Dawn flinched when her father tightened his hands on the steering wheel. “Maybe I can’t do much against the…dark forces or whatever. But I’m still your father, and I’m going to do what I can to protect you and Buffy.”
“It’s ok, Dad. Really. Buffy’s gonna get this figured out. Travers is going down. You’ll see.” Despite his daughter’s assurances, Hank Summers pressed a little harder on the gas.
***
“Whoa. B, are you ok?” Faith wondered, helping Buffy up from the floor of the seventh crypt they’d checked that morning. Buffy groaned and dusted her hands off on the sides of her pants.
“Yeah. I’m ok. Just lost my balance. Apparently even Slayers get clumsy when they’re pregnant.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.” Buffy eyed Faith.
“What? Are you making plans?”
“Me? No. But you know, accidents happen.” Buffy raised an eyebrow. “What? C’mon, you can’t tell me this was planned. I mean, vampires are supposed to be shooting blanks, you know.”
“Yeah, well, it was a welcome accident,” Buffy pointed out. “I mean, sure, we were freaked at first. But when we found out our baby wouldn’t be coming out breathing fire or biting its way through my uterus, we chilled a little. It’s exciting. And scary.”
“Still. Kids? I don’t think I have the patience. Hell. Being a Slayer doesn’t exactly give me time to do the mommy thing anyway. Good thing you’ve got the Scoobies, B. I mean, have you thought about how much time you’re gonna be away from your kid?” Buffy frowned.
“Yeah,” she said quietly. “But it’ll work out, you know? I work at night, mostly. Spike can take care of the baby while I’m patrolling, and…”
“And what if you get hurt?”
“What are you doing?” Buffy wondered. Faith shrugged.
“I dunno. I guess I’m just trying to get used to the fact that you’ve made it long enough to get knocked up, what with those fighting skills.” Buffy rolled her eyes.
“Ha. Ha. Thanks, Faith.” Buffy rubbed her rounding tummy. “I never thought I’d be a mom. Before I was called, I didn’t even really think about kids that much. I mean, I was young. I was interested in boys and hanging out with my friends. I didn’t have time to think about the future before I started dusting vamps. Then I came to Sunnydale and realized that my destiny was to die protecting the world. Well, that doesn’t exactly make one think about fat grand children.”
Buffy and Faith exited the crypt and squinted into the bright light of the morning.
“Ok, where to next?” Faith wondered, looking around. “Sewers?”
“Maybe not,” Buffy murmured, catching a glimpse of someone running right toward them. That someone was her Watcher. “Giles?!” Giles, breathing heavily, made his way over to the two Slayers.
“Thank God. There you are.”
“Giles?”
“What are you thinking going after Dana?” Buffy realized he was only talking to her.
“Um, I was thinking that I was doing my job. What…”
“Dana is very dangerous.”
“Giles, she’s not trying to kill me.”
“No, but she’s very strong…”
“And confused,” Faith added.
“And you shouldn’t be going after her like this. Fighting demons is one thing. You have an advantage. But Dana is almost as strong, and she’s unpredictable.” Buffy looked down at her stomach.
“I know what I’m doing, Giles.”
“Yes, I know you do.” Buffy sighed heavily.
“You know, I’m doing fine being a Slayer and being pregnant. I don’t need…”
“You need to take care of yourself, first and foremost. Faith and I will look for Dana. I need you to go back to the Magic Box and make sure Spike hasn’t run my business into the ground.”
“You’re serious?”
“I’m very serious, Buffy. With Quentin Travers God knows where, I think it’d be best if you and Faith split up. And you’ll only hear me say this once: I’d prefer it if you were with Spike right now. He’s just as strong as you are, and he has the advantage of having his own weapons ready at a moment’s notice.” Giles pointed at his own face, letting Buffy know he meant that Spike would kill to protect her without hesitation, something she already knew.
“Fine. I’ll go.” Without another word, she turned and stormed off toward the Magic Box. It wasn’t that she was angry at Giles, per se. It was that she was upset that she was being treated like this just because she was pregnant. Yes, she needed to be careful. She knew that. But that didn’t mean she was going to break like an old man’s hip the moment she came into contact with an opponent either.
Stuffing her hands in her pockets, she made her way across town, hoping that seeing Spike would bring her out of her foul mood.
***
“You don’t have any newt eyes?” the young man asked as he skimmed the shelves at the Magic Box. Spike groaned, wondering when this guy was going to get the hell out already. He’d been browsing the shelves for the past half hour, asking questions that Spike had no idea how to answer.
“Sorry. All out.” Actually, there was a fresh shipment of them down in the basement, but he didn’t have to know that. Besides, if he were to disappear downstairs for only a minute, the guy could run off with something. That would just be bad shop keeping, Spike had convinced himself.
“Well, that’s alright. I’ll just take this monkey’s paw.”
“Pfft. Amateur,” Spike muttered under his breath, as the guy carried his purchase across the room.
“Excuse me?”
“Nothing,” Spike replied. “Four fifty, mate.” The guy handed him a five. Spike gave him his change. “Thanks. Come again.” The man nodded and headed off to do only God knew what with that poorly preserved charm. And when the door opened again, he groaned outwardly. “Now what?”
“Hey Spike,” Dawn said, as she made her way into the store with her father right behind her.
“Oh. Aren’t you supposed to be in school?”
“Nope. I’m sick. Cough, cough.” Spike raised an eyebrow and glanced at Hank.
“Why isn’t she in school?”
“Because I pulled her out for the day. Maybe longer. There’s trouble.” His voice was shaky, and Spike immediately felt a lump in his throat.
“Is it Buffy? Is she…”
“Quentin Travers paid me a visit this morning.” Spike immediately clenched his fists at his side.
“Bloody hell. What’d he say?” Hank looked at Dawn who nodded toward him.
“Well…you might want to sit down. You’re not gonna like this one bit.”
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Chapter End Notes:
The story's almost over. I'm probably ending at Chapter 70 or a little after. Lemme know what you think!