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Chapter Twenty-Six - School Hard: The Next Generation, Part II

Chapter Twenty-Six - School Hard: The Next Generation, Part II

Spike sat in the wood paneled antechamber of the Holland House Headmistress’s office trying not to fidget. He fought to keep his face neutral and avoided any thoughts on the state of his Docs. His nose itched where a pair of the unfamiliar glasses were perched--Raj’s idea to make him look a little less threatening--they were his human pair, the pair that he had worn as William Pratt. That he was wearing them again, again as WIlliam Pratt appealed to his sense of poetry. They made practical sense too as apparently his eyes kept flashing golden.

It wasn’t his damn fault. Buffy was still in the clutches of that woman and while he desperately wanted to have her to help him deal with this, it couldn’t wait--and she probably didn't need the stress. Thankfully, the sun was low enough now that he could make it to Holland House without going up in smoke and technically he was Alex’s legal guardian--so he was William again, in a situation he would have never expected for himself.

He stalked through the doors so tense the mousey assistant had gotten even stutterier. She managed to get out that Alexis has been caught in a fight. Spike felt his insides clench, Alex knew the stakes. She would not be making waves unless it was life or death. She was usually clever about this kind of thing. So it had been important. She couldn't be too badly hurt, though, that fact made him relax just a little. If someone had managed to spill her blood, he would be able to smell that the instant he walked through the Holland House gate.

He forced himself to still, to look like a harried, busy older brother. He tried to translate petrified into annoyed. This wasn’t life or death to most people--the assistant probably thought she had interrupted a meeting. She bleated something about Alex telling her to call.

He was unsure how to play this, he had cultivated an Artful Dodger-esque reputation over the last century,but all that was predicated on his vampiric nature. It was easy to wriggle out of a tight spot when he could--and he usually did--just eat the other party and move on.

That was not an option here.

The assistant stammered on about Alexis being unharmed and the headmistress would see him in a minute. He tried to press her further, turning on the charm to see if he could flirt his way into more information. He was a good-looking bloke and he knew that. It was a weapon he had never had before he was Spike. But even at his most charmingly awkward and pleasant he was only making the assistant more nervous.

So he sat and waited as patiently as he could. Maybe he should have listened to Buffy when she told him to buy smarter shoes.

It felt like hours before the heavy mahogany door opened and the assistant barely had enough time to chirp that the headmistress would see him before he was pushing past her into the room drawn unerringly to his daughter. She looked fine pissed as hell, but fine. He pulled her into a tight hug.

“Minion, what the bloody hell is going on?” He hissed too lowly for any of the humans in the room to hear.

“Brunette is a vengeance demon.” Alex whispered back. “She tried to kill a friend.”

Spike surveyed the room over Alex’s shoulder two girls were sitting facing the desk.

“Blondie looks fine.”

“No. The friend is in the nurse’s office. What’s with the glasses?”

Spike released her. He turned to the person he assumed was the headmistress. She was a dark-skinned woman with short, iron gray hair. the plaque on her desk read: Jhumpa Botwin.

“Good Afternoon, you must be Alexis’s older brother.”

Spike pushed his glasses up on the bridge of his nose and flashed her an eager, charming smile. Alex shot him a weird look which he ignored.

“Yes,” he said. “William Pratt.”

It rolled off his tongue easily. It was rusty from disuse, but oddly Spike found it fit like an old tailored jacket: familiar but tighter than he remembered.

“I’m Jhumpa Botwin, the Headmistress here at Holland House.”

“I’m sorry, Ms. Botwin,” He said his vowels perfectly Oxford posh. “but what exactly is going on? Why has my sister been suspended?”

“That, Mr. Pratt, is what we are trying to ascertain.” she said with a tight smile. “your sister was found destroying another student’s property and fighting.”

“She was attacked.” The blonde said. She looked sullen but unafraid, her arms were crossed across her chest.

Spike wondered who she was to be able to speak to the headmistress so imperiously. He studied both her and the other brunette more carefully. The Blonde's posture was defiant and proud and not in the least bit afriad. The alleged vengeance demon was openly weeping into her hands.

“Ms. Worley-Donahugh, do be quiet and wait for your grandparents to arrive.”

The blonde ignored her.

“Gemma Stirling is at the nurse’s office--she’s alive right now because of Alex Pratt and I.” She insisted. “Ms. Ward just had no idea how to bloody well deal with the situation.”

“And what situation was that exactly, Ms. Worley-Donahugh?”

“It was the--uh dancing plague. It's from...Papua New Guinea"

She managed to say it with a straight face but Spike could smell that bullshit a mile away and it looked like the headmistress was not convinced. Alex glanced at her incredulously.

“Ms. Worley-Donahugh, be silent or I will employ additional discipline.”

“This is utter rubbish.” Replied the blonde, clearly unaffected by the threat. The chit had to be a noble--the proper kind with family estates and land. He had rubbed shoulders with girls like this when he was human. There was a sense of innate confidence in herself there was that was impossible to miss. “We’ve already told you what happened. It’s not our fault.”

“That will be two extra days to your suspension, Ms. Worley-Donahugh.” The headmistress snapped. She turned to Spike, her tight-lipped smile firmly in place. “Mr. Pratt, you may take your sister and go. She will be expected back in two days.”

Spike didn’t move. This would be on some sort of record he was sure of it. Records of Alex may help them, may make her seem more believable as a greiving girl who had just lost her father, but something had ocurred to him. The cuffs and collars crowd had changed little in a century, he knew how they operated, perhaps he could use that to his advantage.

“Ms. Worley-Donahugh,” He said thoughtfully. He turned to lock eyes first with Alex and then with the blonde. “Any relation to Tug Worley?”

Blondie stared at him uncomprehendingly for a second until the minion rolled her eyes and kicked her. To her credit, Blondie didn't complain.

“He is my, uh, my grandfather.”

Spike smiled approvingly.

“Is that so? What a coincidence, we belong to the same club!” Spike said conversationally. Now he wished he had foregone the glasses, threats usually landed better when she could flash some fang or a golden eye--even if it had to be subtle. “Say, has he finally been promoted to that position he kept talking about?”

“Yes, sir. Commander of Regional Forces at Land Command.” she said just a smige louder than she needed to.

Spike smirked. Blondie was catching on.

“Be sure to pass on my congratulations.” Spike said. "Ms. Botwin, I think--and I’m sure that Tug will as well--that it is very peculiar indeed that you are completely disregarding his granddaughter, who is here telling you exactly what happened.”

"Especially considering her past conduct and involvement in the school." Alex added.

“Mr. Pratt, the circumstances are quite bit more complicated.” The Headmistress said ignoring Alex.

"Ms. Botwin, I understand my sister has no past performance here at this school, but I must ask. Has Ms. Worley-Donahugh ever given you a reason to doubt her word?"

"No. But-"

"And considering her grandfather's position this school has enjoyed considerable prestige."

"Mr. Pratt--"

There was a low growling noise. Spike's aura of danger emerged around him like a cloak. The headmistress eyes widened.

"Ms. Botwin, I think that if you were to maintain this stand of ignoring the testimony of a student with a considerable reputation, perhaps Alexis's education should continue elsewhere. I am sure Tug Worley will agree with me."

“Mr Pratt, her explanation of Dancing plague?” The headmistress bleated lamely. “We don’t know what--”

“You don’t know?” Spike snarled. “You don’t know the specifics of the goings on of your school and yet suspend my sister because she helped a fellow student in need? This Gemma that Ms.Worley was talking about? Was it horrible? Were there accounts of terrified students?"

"Yes, but--"

Spike continued right over the headmistress's reply.

"And now, after my sister’s intervention, tell me, how is her condition?”

Ms. Botwin didn’t reply--which was, of course, a reply it and of itself. She deflated just a smidgen. But he was looking for it. Spike’s grin was predatory. He looked every inch an Aurealian Master without shifting into game-face, all the pleasant bumbling was gone.

“Mr, Pratt, Ms. Ward--”

“Yes, this Ms. Ward, How did she handle the situation?" Spike asked, his voice deceptively calm. "Let me see this Ms. Ward. I would very much like to speak with her.”

Jhumpa Botwin looked panicked. She began to spout things about probation and and fighting when Spike, out of the corner of his eye saw a flash of blonde hair shift closer to the brunette girl. He heard the blonde whisper "I hope you enjoy being human, Hannah." And there was a sudden enraged scream. The former vengeance demon threw herself at Alex who was able to hold her off with minimal harm.

“I’m going to kill you! I’m going to burn you with the fire of D’Hoffryn!” the girl, Hannah, exclaimed.

Spike eyed the scuffle unconcerned, while the headmistress lunged past him to try and pull the wailing girl off of Alex. He took only a second of scuffle before Ms.Botwin was able to separate them, clearly with his Minion's help.

The former demon collapsed in a heap of tears.

“Humans are so weak!” she moaned.

Ms.Botwin stood and wiped her palms on her knees. Spike didn’t threaten her further, he let the moment land.

“Go, Mr. Pratt.” THe headmistress said tiredly.

The vampire nodded and gestured for Alex to preceed him.

“About the suspension--” Alex wanted to know ignoring Spike’s urgent hints forher to just bolt.

“Please,” Ms.Botwin said, her voice small and squeaky. “leave, I will see you both tomorrow.”


*****


Once they were out of the Headmistress’s office, Spike pushed Alex into a deserted class room so that he could check her injuries more carefully for any erstwhile damage. There was a bruise or two, but any scrapes were already healed over. After a few moments he released her. He then stepped back and arched an expectant eyebrow.

“Nibblet, what the bloody fuck is going on?”

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry! I tried to do it without alerting anyone, but I couldn’t find her necklace! I destroyed everything she was wearing but I forgot it was probably the victim who was going to wear it. I messed up, I'm so sorry!”

Spike often forgot just how young she was, but at this moment it was not hard to remember that she was still a teenager. She looked so disappointed in herself that he couldn't help it. He softened immediately. She had tried to help her friend, she had probably saved that girl's life and now she was devastated because she was unable to hide it from her school-master. The school-master who was supposed to be the one who took care of her. No wonder she hadn't wanted to go to school.

He realized this must have been what his slayer had to go through as well. Yet another insight into Buffy and her trust issues.

“I’m sure you tried, love.” He said soothingly he pulled Alex into a tight hug.

He felt rather than saw her nod

“I’m sorry that I got you involved.” she said in the smallest voice he had ever heard her use. If anything would get to him, that voice would. Spike was about to try and comfort her more when she seemed to shake off her guilt, and try and deflect from her misstep. "It won't happen again."

He released her than, with every intention of giving her a stern talking to, none of this was her fault. And she shouldn't think of it that way.

"Nib--"

“How did you do that in there? How did you know about the club?”

“There’s always a club, pet, and there's always a cheeky nickname like Coco or Tub or that rot.” he answered trying not to sound smug.

“And the last name?” she asked curiously. “ How did you know to use Worley?”

“Donahugh is Scottish,” Spike said by way of explanation. “A Scottsman would not be the noble.” he paused. “Probably.”

“Who the fuck are you people?”

Blondie had followed them into the room. She stood with her arms akimbo and her eyes wide, she was looking from one to the other, clearly comparing features.

“Is he really your brother?”

Spike hesitated. He didn’t like being called Alex’s brother, it felt like a demotion.

“Something like that.” Alex replied. "You shouldn't be here."

Mag’s eyes narrowed and he air around her went electric and charged and suddenly the room was full of a high sharp screech that made Spike feel like someone had shoved a sword through his skull.

He would have probably been on the floor in a second but Alex cried out and at the sound of her voice Spike saw red. He threw himself across the room, grabbed the blonde by the neck, and slammed her into the wall--it wasn’t enough force to trigger a response from the chip but it issued a warning jolt which Spike ignored.

The noise vanished as quickly as it came.

“Try that again, Blondie, and I will find some very creative ways to make your ears bleed.” He warned seriously.

Blondie was petrified, he could see that. He could hear her pulse pounding and she grabbed at his hands, but her struggles were less than ineffective. A strong hand however pulled him back.

“Spike, stand down!” Alex exclaimed.

He released the girl, but maintained his proximity as a warning.

“He’s a vampire!” She choked out.

“No shit, Sherlock." Alex replied rolling her eyes. She reached out to help the blonde to her feet.

“Alex, why is your brother a vampire?”

“The usual reason.” Alex snapped back. “Listen, Mags, thanks for saving our asses in there but we should go.”

Mags’s wide eyes were fixed on Spike. It was actually quite fun to scare the witch. It was a pleasant reminder that he was still something to be scared off. He glared at her pointedly and play lunged. She flinched back. He laughed.

Blondie backed up into the wall eyeing him warily.

"He's not going to hurt you." Alex told her.

"I don't believe you." She shot back her voice was high and still petrified.

Spike had to admit, the girl had moxie. She had never faced a vamprie before, that was clear. She was also scared out of her mind, but she had still tried to neutralize him.

"If you kill me I-I-I know people who will come after you!"

Spike chuckled and turned his back, unconcerned. He slipped a cigarette between his lips and made to light it.

“You shouldn’t smoke in here.” Alex said automatically grabbing the lighter out of his hand.

“Evil, bit!” Spike said turning with preternatural reflexes to grab at it. "Oi, Give it back!"

The blonde, Mags, was looking from one to the other and she seemed to finally put it together.

“Vampire. half-vampire, is he your Father? Is that a thing that can happen?”

Spike felt an odd thrill that someone was able to guess at it just from looking at him next to Alexis. He arched an eyebrow at Alex.

"Blondies a sharp one. Want me to eat her?"

The girl flinched but Alex, clearly saw through him. She rolled her eyes and turned to her school-mate.

“Listen, witch-bitch, we’re the good guys. We keep away the monsters,” She said seriously. "Don't tell anyone."

Spike smirked and added.

"And if you do I will kill everyone you've ever met. In the most inventive ways I can think of. And I've been around for a long time." He vamped out and grinned as the Blonde uttered a horrified whimper and fled.



*****


"You didn't have to scare her half to death." Alex said as they pushed out into the London gray a few minutes later. "She would not have told anyone. Probably."

“What’s the fun in that, sweet bit?”

Alex rolled her eyes. Spike was unwinding an unfamilliar grey scarf from around his neck. He was also wearing actual trousers and a blue sweater. He looked like a completely different person. Right now, with his human guise firmly in place and wearing smarter clothes than Alex had ever seen him wear, he looked almost respectable. At least until he opened his mouth.

“And besides,” he said his voice went full vamp for a second again. “She hurt you, and you know what does to me.”

Alex fought the stupid dopey smile that threatened to spread across her face. Stupid, protective vampire.

“What’s with the get up?” She asked changing the subject.

“It was Prasad’s idea.” Spike said grumpily. “Said it would make me look less threatening. This sweater itches and I keep having to push up these bloody things.”

He was, of course, referring to his glasses which were still perched on his nose. He threw his duster on and then carefully folded them up before placing them in his pocket.

“Yeah, have I made fun of those yet?”

Spike glared at her.

“I can still eat you, delinquent.” he growled.

It was half past four and already dark. They were both grateful for the amount of sunlesshours that that the English winter afforded them. Spike swept down the block toward No.9, moving at an almost supernatural speed. Alex had to almost jog to keep up. She wondered for a second why Spike was hurrying. He looked distracted, she almost asked him what was up but then it hit her and she felt like a total idiot. She had taken him away from Buffy when she probably needed him.

They stopped at an intersection and waited for a few cars to pass.

“Spike, How is the exam going?” Alex asked tentatively.

Spike kept going. He exhaled blue-gray smoke and shook his head.

“Last I saw her she was with--” He paused. “That woman.”

“What woman?”

“That would be the midwife Prasad’s dug up.” he shuddered unconsciously. “Mrs. Cho.”

Alex stopped dead in her tracks. She tried to imagine someone that could scare Spike but whom he would allow anywhere near Buffy. She was coming up blank.

“She was in the middle of the exam when I left,” he said. He dug around in his pockets for his phone and checked it without slowing. It seemed that nothing was amiss as he pocket it again and came up with his pack of cigarettes. ”Should be just about done now abouts.”

His tone was carefully neutral but Alex caught the note of disappointment and she felt her chest go tight. He had to give up seeing his own child to come and pick her up from school because she had been suspended. Because she had been caught.

And he had to come bail her out. She fucked up.

“Shit, I’m sorry.” she hated how small her voice sounded; but lots of things were occurring to her at once She had not just fucked up with school she had put them all in danger. She jeopardized their cover. They might have to go on the run again-- this time without the resources. And on top of all of that, she had taken him away from Buffy who was probably petrified and going through her exam without him. And she maybe just robbed him on his chance to see his own child. Her cheeks went hot and she redoubled her efforts.

Spike seemed to only just notice that she had fallen behind, but she had started moving again, this time she had streaked passed him.

“Minion?”

“It hasn’t been that long, we might be able to make it if we run. I mean those things go for a while and there are tons of tests and stuff right?” she said. “C’mon!”

Spike jogged up to her.

“Nibblet--”

“Also they have to set up the machine so that would take some time too. I’m really sorry we can be there in no time at all.”

Spike whirled her around.

“Nib, what’s going on?” he asked. “What are you sorry for?”

“I fucked up.” She said. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have called you."

“You saved a girl's life today, Alexis!”

“I know but--”

“No buts! There should not be a but!”

“Spike, we’re supposed to laying low, people are after us we need to be flying under the radar.” She made to shrug off his grasp but he held fast. She stopped struggling. “And Buffy's ultrasound--I took you away from that. This is your kid.”

Spike cocked his head to one side, and studied her with laser bright eyes.

“You are my kid.”

Alex felt herself flush. She wasn’t sure what to say to that. She started to say something quippy but Spike cut her off.

“Alexis, sweetheart, you are my heart and you are my miracle.” he said holding her by the shoulders. “Bloody hell, Nib, I’m the one that fucked up. I didn’t mean to make you feel like you were some sort of burden--You aren’t taking me away from anything. I shouldn't have let you think for one second that you shouldn't call me. I will always come for you.”

Alex was avoiding his eyes. She smirked. “With bells on maybe?”

“I’m being serious, nibblet. Do you have any idea how frustrating it was to be called your bloody brother in there?” he continued. “but I can’t correct her. I can correct you. You are my daughter. and just because there is a new one coming doesn’t change anything about that.”

Alex bit her lip and allowed herself to be pulled into a tight hug. She had wanted to hear this from him all her life. Hearing it now, it felt like too much good. Like somehow she had asked for it. She suddenly felt guilty. Could she have been a better slayer or was she subconsciously doing less that she could so that her father would have to come and rescue her?

Spike released her and allowed her a few seconds to recover. He lit a cigarette and brushed ash and tears off the front of his shirt. The latter of which he mercifully did not mention.

“Thanks, Dad.” she said as she brushed passed him and hurried down the sidewalk.

Spike caught up to her, he had a wide dopey grin spread across his face. Alex ignored it. She preceded him down Wilton Crescent and held open the door for him. Downstairs, Raj, Buffy and another young man with almond shaped eyes were all sitting around the kitchen table with Chinese food. The second they crossed the threshold into the kitchen and Buffy stood up and turned around.

“Alexis Christine Angelique Veronica Summers Pratt!” She bellowed. She looked halfway between livid and petrified.

Alex stopped short.

“Who?”

Buffy waved her hand dismissively somewhat diminishing the gravitas of her fury.

“You have too many middle names, Lex.” She said. “Now, imagine my surprise when I come out of my exam to find out that you’ve gone all rebel with out a cause. And Spike had to go pick you up from the principal's office!”

Alex turned to glare at Raj.

“You blabber mouth!”

Raj looked affronted.

“You try saying no to her!” he shot back.

“You spineless little worm!”

“He is not on trial here, young lady!”

That made Alex pause.

“Young lady?” she demanded.

Buffy ignored her.

“You got suspended? You’ve been there for a month! What the hell could you get suspended for?”

Alex turned to face Buffy. She matched the older girl’s stance inch for inch. Alex lifted her chin. She was a hair’s breadth taller than Buffy.

“Slaying.” She said.

“Slaying?” Buffy repeated. Her eyes went wide as she realized what Alex had meant by that. Her entire highschool career suddenly came crashing down on her. “Slaying!”

Spike, who had been hanging back to watch the uproar, curled his tongue behind his teeth to smirk at his slayer, clearly amused.

“Spike took care of it.” She said.

Buffy arched an eyebrow and looked from her to Spike. The vampire was leaning against the door jamb. He looked on with amused non-chalance.

“She slayed a vengeance demon.” he explained patiently.

“She slayed a vengeance demon?” Buffy repeated, She turned to look at Alex more softly now. Alex wondered how often Buffy had had to slay something under the parental radar.

“You didn’t eat her did you? The vengeance demon?” Raj asked Spike tentatively. “Because my family has known this school for generations.”

Spike rolled his eyes and shook his head, "Wasn't worth the head ache."

Raj rolled his eyes good naturedly but looked relieved nonetheless. Buffy looked at him in askance.

“Shouldn’t this be a thing we worry about?"

“I’m not.” He said. “these schools keep all sorts of shit under wraps, pregnancies, royal scandals, all kinds of crap gets swept under the rug in the name of discretion at these places. S’why I picked it. POSH toff factories always keep secrets.”

“Didn’t you go to Eton?” a voice spoke up. The Asian newbie was leaning on the counter at the other side of the room.

“S’why I know about the discretion pact.” Raj said sagely.

“You got her out of it?” Buffy asked turning to Spike. “And hey! Non-violent conflict resolution, who even are you?”

“Didn’t kill the bird, didn’t mean I didn’t want to.” Spike said and then changed the topic abruptly. He strained very hard to keep his tone neutral but Alex grinned at him encouragingly. He took a step toward Buffy and hesitated. “How did the test go? How’s the sprog?”

Buffy shrugged. “I haven’t seen it yet. I was going to call in Simon when Raj told me about Lex and I wanted to wait for you--”

Spike cut her off, by cupping the back of her head and bring her in for a long kiss. Buffy looked shocked for a second but then melted and kissed him back. When they broke apart, her eyes were very bright. They had been sleeping together for ages but this was the first open show of affection they had displayed. Alex and Raj exchanged looks.

The vampire and slayer were murmuring to each other in low tones.

There was an Asian guy who had stood when they entered but as of yet had not said anything just looked befuddled until Alex took pity on him. She assumed he was the Simon Buffy was talking about.

“Best take them in now.” she whispered. “else we are going to have to clear out of here.”

Simon looked at her like she had grown a second head. Thankfully a second later Spike managed to pull himself out of his Buffy-stupor.

“But the woman had left, yeah?” Spike had raised his voice to indicate he was talking to the people n the room.

“I’ve never seen her at night.” Simon said straightfaced.

“She did give me a whole ton of that tea though, so nothing to worry about there.”

Spike pulled away from Buffy but kept his hand on the small of her back.

“C’mon, love, let’s take the sprog's first picture, yeah?”

"It is not a 'sprog', Spike. It's a fetus."

The Asian guy cleared them out of the room with assurances that they would be right back.

“Tea?” She questioned of Raj as they left.

Raj handed Alex a cup of tea.

“You don’t want to be in there with them?” He asked pointedly.

Alex was smiling after them. She shook her head.

“Let them bond.” She said. “I’ve seen pictures of myself before.”

Raj slung his arm around her shoulders.

“Are you okay?”

“Not really.” Alex said. “The first actual friend I met a Holland House and she’s a vengeance demon. Starting to feel just a tiny bit cursed.”

“You’ll make friends eventually, Lex.” Raj said. “Drink your tea.”

Alex nodded distractedly and took a deep draught of her cup and promptly spat it on the floor.

"Who made tea out of a dead raccoon and ketchup?"


****


The next morning when Alex got to Holland House the whispers behind people’s hands had doubled. And some of them weren’t even really bothering with the whole behind the hands part. Alex mentally congratulated herself for correctly predicting this was going to happen and tried desperately not to be affected by it.

It started as soon as she entered and didn’t let up as she crossed to her first period. As soon as she stepped through the door, the classroom would go silent and then quickly erupt into little hissed whispers. It happened before every class. Thankfully, the teachers seemed to be unaffected by the rumours or were given strict orders to ignore them.

Gemma was conspicuously absent, as was Hannah. But the others in their little group closed ranks. Then stared her down as she walked passed them and took her seat at the far corner of the room. She tried not to take it personally. She was not entirely successful, but she didn’t push the issue.

At lunchtime she walked passed their table and did her best not to be disheartened when the girls all heaved a collective sigh of relief that she hadn’t tried to come and join them as if nothing had happened. She, instead, sat alone and tried to remind herself that she was living with her long dead parents and she had her own friends. And this would build character.

She had packed a particular favorite book to ease the sting of being shunned. She had just gotten to her favorite part when to her surprise she was interrupted by a clatter of a lunch tray across from her.

“Pride and Prejudice? A bit cliched, don’t you think, Alex?”

Alex looked up to see Mags Worley-Donahugh looking at her expectantly.

“Wh-Where’s the rest of your posse?” Alex asked dumbly, she was a bit more than floored to see the witch join her.

“Usual place.” Mags said carelessly gesturing over her shoulder to the table she usually occupied. The rest of the poshy-posse was staring at her in askance. “I’m sitting here, I think.”

ALex just stared at her until Mags rolled her eyes and reached over to close her book for her.

“Put the book away,” she said. “Didn’t anyone teach you it’s not okay to ignore your friends?”

Alex put the book away.

There are some things you can’t get out of without somehow becoming friends. Apparently battling a vengeance demon was one of those things.



*****



Author's note: So sorry this is so late! But I've just moved! Exciting! I'm working ont he next few chapters as we speak and the next one will be out way sooner. I promise. Send me reviews, they egg on the muse!





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