Taking his only child, his precious daughter, around the neighborhood to do some simple trick-o-treating.
The bleached vampire knew this was ridiculous to be uneasy about this, his loving wife and mate Buffy told him she was stunned that he was nervous about it. It stunned him too, he was the big bad, but his reasoning was justified in his head. Or maybe it was paranoia as the Niblet claimed. Nope! Any concerned parent, especially one who knew what truly went bump in the night in Sunnyhell would certainly not let their child roam the streets even for bloody Halloween.
It was their daughter’s second year on the neighborhood, at her young age of turning three last year they had agreed to take her true trick-o-treating since she would actually be able to understand the meaning of it all. Even with the year before Spike had protested – finally relenting, though it had been Buffy to voyage with their daughter last year. This year Emily, having experienced it fully wanted it to do it enthusiastically and this time she demanded her daddy.
“Spike! You’re being ridiculous!” Buffy exasperated as she folded the last of the load of laundry she had been dealing with. It was October 31st, the grand old Hallows Eve and only two in the afternoon. Emily would be due to be home within 15 minutes, her Auntie Dawn having gone to pick her up. Buffy chose this time to tell her husband, her loving mate of 7 years that he would be escorting their four year old miracle child around tonight.
“’M not being blood ridiculous on this luv! You rightly knew how I felt about it last year!”
Buffy huffed, her eyes flaring their bright green color and she tossed the washcloth she was folding onto their bed next to Spike where he was sitting. “You were worried because of the baddies attacking, which is ridiculous since Halloween is the night they take off, which you should know Mr. Undead.”
“That’s bollocks, goldilocks! What day did you and the scooby’s turn into your costumes? How about our second year being mated, you were the one convinced something was brewing, and look who goes chasing after Dawn cuz’ her and her mate got caught up with boy vamps.”
Buffy rolled her eyes. “And let’s see…the following five years we have never had an incident on Halloween since, including Emily’s first time last year.” She pressed her hands on her hips as she stood in front of him, regarding him carefully. “What’s the real reason? Because I honestly doubt Ethan is going to blow into town and change our little girl and everyone else in town into their costumes.”
Spike ducked his head, avoiding Buffy’s stubborn stare. He was the Big Bad, reformed and slayer loving, but he still had his pride. As much as he was wrapped around Emily’s fingers and would do anything for their daughter, his fluffy thoughts would have him be the laughing stock at kitten poker.
“Well?” Buffy tapped her foot on the floor.
“What if I can’t protect her, what if you’re bloody wrong and some wanker don’t take true to the supernatural word? We never even take her out after dark, ever since I got the gem from Peaches, if we go out for dinner its well before sundown, and she’s always guarded while we’re out patrolin’. Not every supernatural being is going to follow that rule, even with just one guy screwin’ it up? You should remember our confrontation when Ethan changed the town, I and every other demon was taking advantage of it. Now you’re telling me I have to walk my little girl in the night, Sunnyhell’s scariest time, it’s like walking with a big target. I can’t protect her properly if things go down.” Buffy listened, and at his explanation her shoulders sagged as she saw what he was truly worried about. “Sunnyhell may not be bright and ignore all that has bumpies, but they know to stay in at night…most of the time. And we’re the biggest advocates for it.”
His mate came to stand before him, stepping between his parted legs as she wrapped her arms around his neck allowing him to grasp her waist and pull her close to him. “I know you’re worried sweetie, but you’re letting it stop you from experiencing normal things and allowing Emily to do so. Remember when we found out about Emily, we vowed to keep her safe, but let her live a normal life. Sheltering her from something like this isn’t doing that. Normal children go out and fill pillowcases with candy, and then we tell her not to eat too much. We worry more about her candy being tainted and our home being egged by idiot teens.” Spike opened his mouth about to speak but Buffy covered his mouth lightly with her hand. “Halloween is this night where we can safely take our child and let her experience the night. Besides she wants her Daddy, her lovable father to walk her to every door and get candy. Before you know it she won’t want to go out with either of us and she’ll be chasing boys at parties.” Spike growled deep in his throat, he refused to believe Emily would age past her innocent four years old and stay young just like her parents, but her aging wouldn’t end until she reached Buffy’s age. “You’ll keep her safe, because you’re a great father, a wonderful man who would sacrifice himself for her if she simply had a spider in her room. Am I wrong?”
Spike’s chest puffed with pride and he shook his head. “You’re right luv.” He stood up and gave a light peck to her soft lips. “And what do you plan on doing while we tour the neighborhood?”
Buffy shrugged, “Pass out candy, yell at Dawn not to do something stupid at her party…oh and tempt those teenage boys that try and still get candy out of the houses even though they’re too old.” At that Spike growled and crushed her to him. He sought out her mating marks that he had brandished on her neck with his fangs over six years ago. Nipping at it with his blunt teeth, to show her just how much she was wrong in saying that, he prided in hearing her instant rising mewls.
“Now, what’s your new answer?”
Buffy giggled. “Getting ready in my own special costume I picked out for you, for after you come back with taking Emily out.”
“Buffy? Spike?” Dawn shouted as her and Emily came barreling into the house. Spike gaped and before he knew it Buffy was sashaying out of their bedroom giggling as she went. He craved to chase her, his equal, his other half, and mate for eternity but instead he settled on trying to calm the hard on she had caused before he went down to greet his daughter and sister-in-law.
He pondered what Buffy had said, knowing she was right. The vampire was letting fear get ahead of him. Spike had vowed to sacrifice his very un-life for Emily when Buffy had told him a little over four years ago that she was pregnant. Their bundle of joy was a gift to them from the Powers that Be. However imbedded in their gift was a source of power that would eventually defeat an all out apocalypse. Emily would live to be immortal like her parents and together they’d protect the world against its worst, siphoning her great power through her parents; Buffy’s light and the darkness of Spike’s demon. Until then, though Spike would shield Emily from the evil of the world, giving all his might for their little girl to have a normal childhood until duty called if at all. And, tonight that meant running his princess around the neighborhood.
That’s when he heard them. The pitter-patter of her feet across the carpet of the staircase and racing heartbeat echoed in her ears. Her shadow danced across the hallway way as she came down towards him.
“DADDY!” Her harmonic voice called for him as she stood in the doorway of his and Buffy’s bedroom. She bound further in, and like every afternoon threw her into his arms, something he would never tire of. Emily was a mess of light brown hair, with a natural and beautiful wave to it. Spike insisted on never cutting her hair, which Buffy allowed, and it stopped just at her waist. Her complexion was fair, only slightly sun kissed from living in the sunny state of California. She held a young expression in her face, something she got from Buffy but the slayer was convinced she’d lose the baby fat and take on more prominent features like Spike; Emily already inherited her father’s striking blue eyes.
Spike let out a mock groan as he pulled her up close. “Princess I believe you weigh a ton more than you did yesterday.” She pressed a wet kiss to his cheek giggling as she shook her head.
“I’m still the same daddy!”
“If you say so.” Spike teased, “Why don’t we go back downstairs and see if Mommy is putting together a snack, eh?” Spike listened carefully to Emily explain her day as they descended to the downstairs of the house and walk into the kitchen where Dawn was animatedly relaying her day to her older sister over the kitchen. Buffy stood, cutting up a pb&j sandwich into small squares without the crust; just how Emily liked it. Spike gently deposited Emily in her seat on a stool at the counter, walking to the fridge to grab her a glass of milk, ruffling Dawn’s long brown hair on the way.
Dawn looked to her niece, “Did you tell mommy and daddy what everyone said about your costume?”
Emily smiled, her gap of one of her front teeth becoming apparent, she spoke up happily while showing off her costume to her father who for the first time took notice. “They said I was a very pretty princess!”
Spike overlooked Emily’s prink dress, embroidered with little red roses and puffy in the skirt from the tulle underneath. On the counter was the cliché pointed hat with a flowing piece of silk draped from the top. The year before Emily had insisted on dressing up as a little witch and this year when Buffy had taken her costume shopping she took one look at the princess costume and knew just what she wanted to be.
“You’re always my pretty princess, pet.” Spike said as he placed her glass of milk on it. Emily smiles grew bigger which made her parents heart melt. “Though how come you wore your costume to school?”
“They do a little parade throughout the school for the costumes.” Buffy explained, giving Emily her snack. “Sweetie, do you still want to go trick-or-treating tonight?”
“Yep!” Emily exclaimed with a mouthful of her sandwich.
“Well Daddy agreed to take you.”
Emily’s eyes opened wide, her whole expression becoming full of joy at what Buffy had just told her. Spike stood back and realized seeing the excitement on Emily’s face was worth enduring the paranoia of taking her out for Halloween.
Spike stood at the edge of the driveway, his eyes watching his daughter like a hawk as she waddled up the walkway to the last house they had yet to hit for the night. A group of boys all dressed in horror night costumes were coming back from the door overlooking the possible treats they had just received. Emily skittered around them, being sure none of them tripped over the edge of her costume, all night she had been mindful. Spike’s arm was loaded with the heavy pillow case that Buffy had given him to transfer the candy when Emily’s little pumpkin carrier became full. Apparently the younger the child was, the more candy they got. Spike could just envision the nightmare it came to when sorting the candy later. Emily had taken upon the last few months to be very orderly. Buffy and Spike had rarely ever had to tell her to pick up her toys and everything in her room had its place according to Emily’s system, Spike had no doubt she’d have one for her candy. She was a ball full of OCD, he was sure of it.
They had been roaming the neighborhood for 2 hours now, having covered every house in the neighborhood for a quarter of a mile radius of Revello Drive.
Spike decked out in his normal attire, black clothing and his long black leather duster had pretty much escorted his daughter all the way to every door, Emily clinging to him if the decorations were beyond the normal spooky nature. However this house Emily had told him he could wait for her at the edge of the drive, something that was making Spike antsy as he lost sight of her over the taller height of the boys. Her could just barely see the top of her cone princess hat, which was bobbing with each step, and she appeared to be unharmed but Spike would not be put at ease until she was back at his side, and her hand firmly rested in his. Spike rolled his eyes at the over protective side but still ignored it.
The demon which Spike mostly had control over, recognized the second Emily had been brought into the world as his, taking possessive instincts just as it had with Buffy and Dawn, and anyone who showed love and kindness to his own. When he had first fallen in love with Buffy well before her mum had passed, the demon still refused knowing it was going against nature but soon it recognized Buffy as his equal and nothing else would match it, finally it pulled it’s ass out of the denial river. Things had been easier, and the need to strike out in an evil manner had sated, the demon inside Spike adapted to its new life especially when it embraced the mating bond between him and Buffy. Spike rarely lost control, and mostly it was only against those that had wronged his. The last time had been a little over a year ago when he and Buffy had been patrolling and a demon had gotten the upper hand on his mate. The sight of her knocked out with the beast standing over her, ready to go for the kill, had made Spike see red and he hadn’t stopped until every single limb was torn apart.
Suddenly, he heard it, the heavy beating pounding ringing in his ears. Blood pumping quicker than it should. His head shot up, the group of boys had already begun their way down the sidewalk bypassed him, and now he had a clear view of Emily, but this time she was running as fast as she could down the pathway, bypassing the driveway and straight through the grass before she hurled himself into his waiting arms. He captured her up, bringing her close and trying to detect what had brought on the fear that she was covered in. It took strength to keep his vampire visage from coming out as he regarded the dark porch she had just come from that only had flashes due to strobe light. He hated that lighting affect, something that could even alter his vampire sight, as he could barely make out the lit pumpkin on the street.
Emily shook in his arms, and she breathed deeply as if trying to calm herself down. “What happened pumpkin?” Spike stroked her long hair and he adjusted her in his arms so she was easier to carry with both the pillowcase and her trick-o-treating pail.
“I got up there and they gave me candy!” Emily exasperated with her slight lisp. Spike look bewildered trying to register what in this could have caused the fright. “And when I was walking back a big fake spider dropped down. IT SCARED ME!”
Spike, now relieved he didn’t have to massacre something, almost chuckled at her awed expression even through the fright that the Halloween decoration had caused her. He kissed her temple before he began to walk back down the street heading in the direction of home.
Before long they arrived at their Revello drive home and Spike continued to carry Emily all the way up the porch before he set her down to open the door. Just as they entered the warmth of the house, Buffy stepped around from the dining room, opening her arms to greet their now happily excited four year old. Spike shrugged out of his duster and rested on its normal spot across the staircase banister.
“Mommy! I got so much candy!” She held up her pail, which was full and pointed to the pillowcase that Spike still held onto.
Buffy looked on, admiring the treasure Emily had procured. “Did you have fun?” The four year old nodded her head enthusiastically.
“Can I sort it?” Emily asked which Buffy nodded to. She turned to Spike who gave Emily her pillowcase full and scampered off to the living room.
“No eating any though, it’s late!” Spike warned as he followed Buffy into the kitchen. He got an okay, which was muffled by the sound of Emily pouring everything out onto the floor.
Buffy went to the kitchen sink, where she was finishing in washing dishes. Spike, admiring the beauty of his mate, and the desire to be close to her, came to stand behind her where he wrapped his arms about her waist and rested his chin against her shoulder. She hummed happily, also sating the need that would always burn inside her for Spike. They stood there for a while in silence as Buffy transferred the scrubbed dishes to the full sink of rinsing water. They listened to the mutterings of Emily as she organized her candy, and the quiet night of Halloween outside.
“So I’m guessing there was no decapitating or killing?” Buffy asked through a giggle. “You’ve come back unscathed I might add.”
“Cheeky minx,” He observed as he nipped at her shoulder. “If you must know, things went fine. I guess you’re going to gloat about that, huh?”
Buffy turned around, wrapping her arms around his neck, minding her soapy hands. “Just slightly. But aren’t you glad you didn’t pass this opportunity up?”
Spike only nodded his head before he leaned down to kiss her gently. They continued on standing at the sink, Buffy finishing up the dishes before they walked back into the living room. The sight that they met melted their hearts.
Emily lay curled up on the floor next to various piles of candy, having passed out into a deep sleep. Quietly Spike knelt down to pick her up into his arms and carry her to her room while Buffy went to bring the pumpkin in and finish locking the house up.
They had converted Buffy’s former room into Emily’s, having painted it a pale pink as her nursery, Spike and Buffy had taken Joyce’s former room while Dawn stayed in her own, as she lived off campus at home, now her second year of college, having chosen UC Sunnydale. He walked into her room to lay her down on the bed while he went about getting her pajamas to change her into.
Finally changed and tucked in Spike turned away, turning off her light and replacing it with her nightlight. Just as he was about to walk out and close her door he heard her voice.
“Daddy?”
“Yes Pumpkin?” He looked over at her, her eyes squinted at him, the lids heavy and droopy for sleep.
“Thank you for taking me trick-o-treating.”
“Anything for you, precious. Now…sleep tight.” Her eyes dropped closed and from the sound of her steady heartbeat she was practically fully sleep again. Spike closed the door quietly and turned only to stop dead in his tracks. His mouth went dry and if it could his heart would beat faster.
Standing before him in the doorway of their bedroom, Buffy leant against the doorjamb eyeing him coquettishly.
“Trick-Or-Treat.”
She was donned in her tight leather pencil skirt, and the blood red corset she had bought him for the occasion of last year’s anniversary. She looked as delicious as she had just for that occasion. Her hair now, loose from it’s ‘mommy ponytail’ fell around her shoulders in luscious waves. His goldilocks. Adorning her feet were one of her many ‘come-fuck-me-heels’, this particular pair black shiny pleather with thin stiletto heels of five inches.
“Dawn is staying at Janice’s dorm after the party and we both know Emily sleeps like the dead.” Buffy said as she beckoned him with a crook finger. Spike slowly walked down the hall towards her, his stride and look turning predatory as he drank in the sight of his mate. “We can play your favorite…”
Spike’s eyebrow arched up and his lips turned into a smirk. “Did I ever tell you how much I love this holiday?” He asked as he came to stand before her.
She giggled, pulling him by the collar of his t-shirt into their bedroom. “Happy Halloween, baby.”