Buffy took Spike’s hand for support as she exclaimed, “I have been claimed by Angel.”
Joyce frowned and admitted, “I saw him here today. He was acting crazy insisting he needed to come into the house and wanting to see you. He didn’t like it when I said you were at the Bronze with your friends. I didn’t mention William as I figured that wouldn’t go over well with a crazy ex-boyfriend. He was saying you guys slept together and that he loved you and….did you two really sleep together?”
Buffy looked ashamed as she nodded and Joyce frowned, “I was hoping it wasn’t true that my baby is growing up.”
She let out a gentle breath as she turned towards Giles and then back to Buffy explaining, “I had heard the doorbell and he was leaving the box that is…where is the box?”
Buffy frowned, “It was full of worms.”
Joyce didn’t understand but said, “They must have liked the smell of flowers but anyway, I heard the doorbell and he was leaving the box of what I assume was flowers on the front door. When I finally got away from him and went inside he hit some kind of weird barrier unable to come inside and started shouting for me to get you. He said you killed vampires and were probably laying somewhere dead and that I should come out and find you. I didn’t know to listen or not. Then he said, ‘You should call Giles to have him look with you.’ I remembered you mentioning your librarian’s name was Giles so I called Willow. She wasn’t there so I called Xander who gave me Giles’s number worried for your safety. Then Giles started filling me in on all sorts of things about vampires and demons and what you do at night…. it was horrifying.”
Buffy looked sympathetic to her mother as Giles interrupted, “You never did explain yourself. Why are you with an unsouled vampire and how is he going to ‘save’ you?”
He made the save you part with air quotes and looked very unhappy as he stared at the two on the couch. Buffy glanced at Spike as Giles stated, “Don’t glance at Spike for help. I want you to explain it to me. Angel claimed you. He doesn’t know yet and yet you have come up with some plan to fix this? I’m guessing this plan includes Spike or he wouldn’t be here.”
Buffy nodded biting her lower lip as Spike tried to explain, “Watcher, yes Buffy is claimed and the only way to fix it is for someone in his family, in the Aurelius family line, to challenge him and win therefore freeing Buffy.”
He paused running a hand through his hair wishing he had a cigarette but instead settled for a sip of hot cocoa, which tasted good. He tipped his glass towards Joyce with a gentle smile, “Mum, that’s a mighty fine cuppa you make and I especially like the mini marshmallows.”
Joyce smiled, “Thank you William”
Giles rolled his eyes raising his voice, “His name is Spike and he got his name by ramming railroad spikes through his victim’s heads.”
Spike shook his head, “One victim, one head, back in 1890 to earn Angel’s respect so I could continue to exist on this planet even as a vampire.”
Giles took off his glasses again cleaning them as he let out a deep sigh trying to calm his nerves. Buffy spoke up trying to defuse the situation, “I made a deal with Spike.”
She moved her hand to gesture towards him as she explained, “He was in a wheelchair and couldn’t fight the battle for me and I knew I could heal him so I made….”
Giles cut her off standing up and glaring at her, “You made a deal with a soulless vampire and fed him your blood to heal him? What is wrong with you Buffy? Did I not teach you anything?”
Buffy stood up putting her hands on her hips, “I did the best I could to get rid of this claim. Would you rather I just let Angelus turn me into a vampire? Would you rather I live out my life as a claimed slayer who has to deal with Angelus everyday of my life? Would you perhaps want me dead because he killed me due to the claim? What do you want from me Giles? I’m doing the best I can.”
Tears were pouring down her face as she continued, “Spike didn’t want to help me but I needed his help. No one else could do this. Willow and I spent two days of researching and that was the best we could come up with. Spike had done lots of research about claims during his 120 years as a vampire and THIS WAS the ONLY way to fix the claim. I made a mistake, a bad one that might cost me my life and instead of giving up and dying or involving you, I took things upon myself as an ADULT should and asked Spike for his help. I agreed to feed him so that he would get better and in exchange, he would fight for my freedom from Angel and would disappear with Dru never to be in Sunnydale again.”
Giles found himself rubbing his glasses as he questioned in a quieter voice, “Would you have to be claimed by Spike?”
Spike shook his head pulling Buffy down to sit next to him hoping to calm her down some, “No, she can be free if she would like. I would never claim someone who didn’t want me and wouldn’t return it. I couldn’t live with myself like that.”
Giles sighed as he sat back in his chair asking, “What are your plans then?”
Buffy leaned back on Spike’s arm as she linked her hand with Spike’s again, “As you can see, my blood is doing the trick and he is getting stronger everyday. In a few days, he will be strong enough to fight Angelus and win. Then I will be free from Angelus who will be dust and Spike can choose to leave or stay but the deal will be complete.”
Giles nodded looking straight at Spike as though to tell if he was lying, “Spike, what are your plans?”
Spike shrugged, “Honestly watcher, I don’t rightly know but rest assured I will never do anything to harm your slayer and instead will protect her from the big poof at all costs.”
Giles nodded putting back on his glasses turning towards Joyce who simply stated, “I believe you and trust you William. You’re a good man.”
Spike answered, “Vampire.”
Joyce frowned, “Vampire.”
Spike nodded satisfied as he said, “I need to use your shower before I go Joyce. Is that a problem?”
Joyce looked at Spike confused as he waved his hands as he tried to explain, “I’m living still with Dru and Angel so neither suspect anything. The goal was to take them completely by surprise. Vampires have heightened senses and your daughter smells of vanilla and strawberries and I don’t want Angel to catch that scent on me. So each night I have been using your shower or kitchen sink to clean up, changing my clothes in a crypt in order to return to them scent free so they would never know I was with your daughter.”
Giles looked impressed as he stated, “You’ve been going through all this trouble for Buffy?”
Spike nodded then shrugged gently, “Tis nothing.”
Giles didn’t agree but chose not to speak out loud. Joyce waved her hand offering, “You are welcome to use anything in the house you need William. While he showers, Buffy I’d like a word with you.”
Joyce picked up her tea cup and Giles’s, then lifted the tray that had both Spike’s and Buffy’s empty mugs and took them out to the kitchen as Spike leaned over giving Buffy a gentle kiss promising, “I’ll see you when I’m done but remember no touching me when I’m done.”
Buffy frowned but nodded. She had wanted to spend the night with him again but it wasn’t meant to be. It was already 3 am and she was exhausted.
She turned towards Giles when Spike had left the room and he looked disappointed but mostly impressed. She went to sit on the chair arm and asked nervously, “Are you disappointed in me?”
Giles replied solemnly, “Mildly but mostly I realize you are growing up. You made a mature decision, risky but mature and you seem to be lucky that you picked Spike as your choice instead of some other vampire.”
He paused as he spoke softer, “What are your plans with Spike when this is all over? Will you ask him to stay? Ask him to claim you?”
He looked into Buffy’s eyes and saw what he dreaded. Buffy had a look in her eyes that spoke of her feelings towards the soulless vampire. Buffy only said, “I will leave it up to Spike if he stays or leaves. I have no right to ask anything more of him than I already have. I made a deal with him and part of the deal was allowing him to take Dru and disappear from Sunnydale and I won’t go back on my word no matter how much I care about him. As for asking him to claim me, he will probably leave with Dru and I don’t know what happens if two people are claimed for forever and apart. So I don’t plan on that either.”
Giles nodded feeling satisfied with the answer as he requested, “Come see me tomorrow Buffy if you can but if not I’ll see you in school on Monday.”
Buffy nodded and watched Giles to the door and he waved towards Joyce apologizing sincerely, “I’m sorry I kept a secret from you Joyce. You are a nice lady and I’m glad we met.”
Joyce smiled at him and said, “You are welcome at any time.” She closed the door as he left and turned to face Buffy.