Chapter 1

“Lighter!” Buffy clicked her fingers and then waggled them at Spike, who handed over his precious Zippo lighter. Buffy lit the one blue candle on the cake and carefully began to walk in the lounge carrying it.

“All ready, Xander?” She looked up and Xander had the video camera to his eye trained on Billy.

“Here we go then! Happy Birth-“ ‘DING-DONG!’ Everybody stopped singing and looked at the front door, and as Willow was the nearest, she answered it

“Not too late am I?”

Angel quickly stepped over the threshold and threw down the smoking blanket.

“Who invited him?” Spike asked no one in particular

“Buffy just lit the candle on the cake” Willow explained

“Ready – okay ready with the camera Xander, after 3, sing everybody, 1,2,3 - Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday dear Billy, Happy Birthday to you-oooooooooooooooo!” Buffy blew out the candle on her son’s behalf, and everybody cheered.

Young Billy was sitting in his high-chair, ever happy to be center of attention, gave a toothy grin, clapped his chubby hands and then continued trying to bite the leg off Mr Ted, his favourite soft toy.

“Who invited him – did you invite him, coz I certainly didn’t invite the ponce!” Spike said to Buffy, frowning at Angel

“No, I didn’t, he just turned up”

“Well I don’t like it – not one little bit”

“Well don’t blame me!” Buffy hissed, exasperated.

“Are you sure you didn’t say, ‘Oh, and we’re having a birthday party for Billy on Friday, something like that, when you were chatting on the phone to him, which, incidentally, is ANOTHER thing I don’t like, hmm?” Spike followed Buffy into the kitchen

“Ah, um………well…” Buffy bit her lip and Spike rolled his eyes

“Oh terrific!”

“Oh come on Spike, it IS Billy’s birthday!” Buffy opened the cutlery draw searching for a suitable knife with which to cut the cake

“When he turns up, or we have to go to ‘Wanker’s ‘R’ Us in LA, there’s ALWAYS trouble, and now we’ve got Munchkin in there, we don’t DO trouble!”

“Don’t jump to conclusions! He might have just turned up to see Billy on his birthday, that’s all” Buffy said, side-stepping Spike and going back into the lounge calling out

“Okay then, who’s for cake?”

The ‘camaraderie’ that Spike and Angel had had on the night Billy was born had soon evaporated, and each went back to his own mutual loathing as soon as Angel was back in LA.

“Spike can you bring me some more plates in please” Buffy’s disembodied voice called out, and Spike opened the cupboard and reached in picking up a stack of six

When he got in the lounge with them, he saw Angel talking to Giles

“Where’s Billy’s bib, else he’ll cover himself in it…” Buffy sorted her son out, putting several bite-sized pieces of frosted sponge in front of the baby

“Hmm, Buffy, this is lovely cake, did you make it?”

“Me – haha! I don’t think! Bernice, Willow’s mom made it” Buffy said smiling and wiping Billy’s mouth

“Billy…Billy…look at uncle Xander…look… I’ve got Mr Ted…look at the camera Billy…”

“Um, Xander, Billy’s got cake…and when Billy has food, NOTHING takes precedent over it!” Buffy said smiling, and then her smile turned to a slight frown, as she could see Angel and Giles involved in what looked like a deep and serious conversation. She turned away quickly and asked

“More cake anyone, who wants tea, anybody? – Spike, put the kettle on please”

“Tea be buggered! We’ve got Champagne in the fridge; it’s our son’s first birthday nothing’s more important than that! We can’t have tea - so who’s for a drop of Champers…Red? – Bernice?” Spike said rubbing his hands striding towards the kitchen

Both ladies eagerly grinned and nodded and Spike went into the kitchen and busied himself getting the champagne opened.

“Try not to waste any!” Buffy called as she came into the kitchen

“I won’t, told you my method was foolproof, you take the foil off first, then the wire cage, wrap the bottle in a tea-cloth, (Spike was doing these things as he spoke) and then you just HOLD the cork, and twist the BOTTLE, that’s how the professionals do it, see!” with a loud pop the bottle was opened, and the only thing that came out was a slight vapour.

Buffy smiled as Spike began to pour the bubbling amber liquid into the glasses, and she began handing them round. When she got to Giles and Angel, Giles said,

“Er Buffy, when you’ve got a moment, there’s something rather urgent I’d, - (he glanced at Angel) we’d like to discuss with you”

Spike stood in the archway between the lounge and the kitchen, watching like a hawk as he sipped his drink

He didn’t have to say anything; Buffy could almost FEEL the ‘I told you so’ vibes coming off Spike………

“Spike, Giles and Angel want to-“

“No”

“But”

“No buts pet, the answer, is no, you know the deal, we don’t do danger now we’ve got Billy, simple as that – blimey there are enough slayers at Cleveland Central” Buffy nodded, and resignedly and went to get more champagne for her neighbour

Spike wasn’t very happy – not only had his grand-sire turned up unannounced and uninvited, but it seemed like there was an ulterior motive behind the visit too, and he couldn’t work out which annoyed him more

**********************


“Okay Buffy, see you tomorrow, bye!”

“Bye Red, Bernice, drive carefully”

“Yes bye – oh and thanks for making the cake Bernice, it was lovely!”

Buffy and Spike stood on the doorstep waving until they were out of site. Buffy knew what was coming next and she wasn’t looking forward to it.

Spike locked up. Billy was fast asleep tucked up in his cot, being passed around like a parcel and jiggled up and down all afternoon between various ‘aunties’ ‘uncles’ and neighbours instead of his usual nap, and it had tired him out.

Spike surprised Buffy by saying,

“If you want to go on and have a bath pet, I’ll tidy up down here,” instead of what she THOUGHT he was going to say, ‘okay, out with it, what did Angel want?’

“Oh – really – um great, are you sure? – I could load the dishwasher and-“

“No, no – you’ve done enough today, go and relax, I’ll sort down here”

“Right, er, thanks!” Buffy quickly went upstairs. She HAD been expecting the third degree from Spike, as she’d stood talking to Giles after Angel had left for a good quarter of an hour, and it was only when Spike came over and told her that her cousin was leaving did she leave Giles’ side. All the time she’d been talking/listening to Giles, Buffy could feel Spike’s eyes on her.

Thankfully Angel had picked up on the frosty reception from Spike and had gone about ten minutes after his glass of Champagne, and leaving Billy a present.

Spike now went around the lounge holding a bin-bag in his hand throwing away wrapping paper, paper plates and half eaten sandwiches. He was half tempted to throw away Billy’s present from Angel un-opened, but then he knew Buffy would berate him for being childish.

**********************


Buffy raised one leg out of the scented water and soaped it, before rinsing and doing the other, thinking all the time what Giles had told her. She’d have to find someway to get Spike to agree to let her go to Wolfram and Hart.

Spike was going to bide his time, she’d HAVE to tell him sooner rather than later, especially if it involved going to LA, because she’d want to take Billy – and Spike wasn’t about to give in on THAT one any time soon…

Chapter 2

Buffy got into bed, and she looked at her husband before she turned off the lamp.

“I’m not asleep, if that’s what you were wondering”

“No, I wasn’t!” Buffy lied, and began to try and get comfy.

Spike didn’t say anything else he thought he’d let her talk if she wanted to………

Three forty one by the clock, it was no good, she couldn’t sleep, so she made a move to throw the bedclothes back, when Spike’s voice made her jump

“Can’t sleep pet, got something on your mind?”

Buffy sighed…she’d have to come out with it, it was no good carrying on like this, she not wanting to tell Spike and Spike just waiting for whatever bombshell she was going to drop………

“When Giles and I were talking…how can I put this…”?

“Go on pet, I’m safe in the knowledge that you love Billy and me, and aren’t going to put yourself in any danger, not for the Watcher, OR especially not for the wanker, or are you about to tell me I’m wrong?”

Buffy got up angrily and looked out of the window and said

“You KNOW I love you and Billy more than anything else in the world!”

Spike said calmly,

“So why do I feel there’s a ‘but’ coming, hmm?”

Buffy agonized and looked out of the window

“It’s something I need to do”

“Tell me…” Spike sat up and looked at her; Buffy stared resolutely out of the window

“Tell me, Spike began again, what’s SO important, it’s worth risking our marriage and motherhood for, hmm?”

“What do you mean?”

“Well it’s a simple enough question Buffy!” Spike using her name instead of one of the myriad of pet-names he had for her jolted her, she knew he was being serious

“I won’t be in any danger”

“Guarantee that, can you?”

“I’ve always won before…”

Spike crossed his wrists; leaning on is knees and said quietly

“So if it’s an easy job, why can’t one of the other slayers take it, hmm – it’s not as if they’re still just potentials now is it?”

“Angel said-“

Spike leapt out of bed and hissed angrily,

“I DO NOT want to hear that wanker’s name, okay, but I’ll tell you this, you go and do this, this thing whatever it is, and I swear you’ll come back to an empty house”

“What?” Buffy asked tremulously

“You heard, the house will be empty, coz Billy and I won’t be here when you get back, IF you get back that is!”

Spike snatched his robe off the back of the door and left the room.


*************************


“What am I going to do Will?”

Willow looked at Buffy, and said quite clearly

“You should do what you promised to Spike, and that is, until Billy is old enough to understand what you both are, you don’t do the dangerous stuff. Where did Spike go in the end?”

“He slept in the spare bedroom. By the time I got up, he’d given Billy his breakfast, washed and dressed him and had him ready to go out”

“Did he speak to you at all?”

“Sort of mumbled…oh Will – I HATE this – I hate falling out with him, it makes my stomach go funny, and I can’t concentrate!”

“Well that doesn’t bode well then, does it? – You not being able to concentrate. Do you think he meant what he said, about you coming home to an empty house?”

Buffy didn’t get time to answer her friends question as the phone rang.

“Oh, hello Giles………no, no I haven’t, not properly – he knows there’s something, but we argued, well no, strictly that’s not true, he knows there’s something, he shouted and said if I did it, I’d come back to an empty house, he’d take Billy and go…………………I DON’T KNOW!…Okay, okay, I’m sorry for shouting, but if I knew where he’d take Billy, it wouldn’t be much of a threat then, would it………okay then, bye”


Giles put the phone down, and suddenly aware of a ‘presence’, he whirled around.

“Spike – what can I - eerkkkkkkkkk – you’re…. Strang…ling… me!”

“And I’ll do MUCH worse than that if you don’t tell me this minute what’s SO fuckin’ important that you’re having Buffy risk everything she’s got”

Spike released his vice-like grip on the watcher’s windpipe.

Giles stood up straight rubbing his throat. He coughed a couple of times and said,

“Angel came to me and-“

“ I KNEW IT – I BLOODY FUCKING WELL KNEW IT! I KNEW that wanker had some ulterior motive coming to the house………well what ever it is, tell him to go fuck himself”

“I’m afraid it’s not as simple as that, Spike”

“Oh isn’t it – why not – how hard is it to say ‘Angel, go fuck yourself’ – I’ll show you how bloody easy it is, just give me the number of Wanker’s ‘R’ Us – I’ll sure as hell soddin’ well tell him!”

Giles took of his glasses and began to clean them

“Yes, I’m sure you would. But like I say…(he slipped the glasses back on again) it isn’t as simple as that”

Spike glared at Giles, who moved towards the kitchenette

“Tea?”

Spike frowned

“I did NOT come here for tea and bleedin’ sympathy! – I want some answers!”

The phone rang and Giles answered it, he looked at Spike and said, ‘ yes, he is’ and handed Spike the receiver.

“What?” Spike snapped

“Spike…please come home, I’ll tell you everything” Buffy said miserably

“Yes well, it’s not before time, either” Spike still snapped at her practically throwing the receiver down.

Giles wandered out from putting the kettle on to see Spike disappear under a swirl of blanket out of the back door, he closed his eyes, rubbed the back of his neck and sighed

“Oh dear lord…”

******************************


“Well…I’m waiting!” Spike sat at the dining table as Buffy paced around, wringing her hands

“Spike PLEASE – this isn’t easy…it’s a prophecy”

“Oh, I see, one of those, is it? And?”

“It’s to do with the Sanshu”

Spike looked at his wife steadily.

“Angel said, well, you see, the thing is…um, it’s something that Wesley found, and if it’s true, there could be trouble”

“Trouble? – What kind of trouble – and what does this have to do with you? – The Sanshu is for an ensouled vampire, nothing to do with slayers”

Buffy sat sideways on a chair opposite Spike.

“The thing is…this prophecy………one of you gets to Sanshu, the other, well…they just cease to exist – poof, cloud of dust”

“I see, well, we’ll just have to make sure it’s me that wins and not go ‘poof’, won’t we”

“SPIKE!”

“What – what are you saying you want Angel to Sanshu and ME to go poof? – Can be arranged, in fact, if that’s what you want, (leaning with his hands on the table, Spike made to stand up) I’ll save you the wait and the bother, why don’t I just walk out there now, into the bright warm – OW! Bloody hell!”

Spike held his now stinging cheek.

Buffy said through tears,

“That’s NOT what I want as you very well know it!”

Spike sat down again looking at his hands

“Well pet, what DO you want? It’s you that said it was one or the other of us, not me”

“Part of the prophecy is missing…it needs to be found. Angel came here actually to warn me”

“WARN you? About what?”

“The senior partners at Wolfram and Hart already know about the missing piece and are looking for it - he told me that they might try and use some legal-ese to make it so HE won the Sanshu, whether it was his to win or not…”

Spike’s brows shot up

“You mean to tell me, that Peaches wants this as a fair fight?”

“Well he came here and told me about it, didn’t he?”

Spike looked incredulous

“Bollocks! There’s something else behind his motive, you mark my words”

“You don’t trust him then?”

“About as far as I can throw the great poof………”

*************************


“……………But that’s just it Giles, in spite of what Angel told me, Spike doesn’t trust him!”

“Well, I can understand that Buffy, there has been if you’ll pardon the pun, bad blood between him and Angel for nigh on a century or more now”

Buffy picked miserably at the threads at the knee of her jeans

“I know…what if…” Buffy’s voice left her and a lump stuck in her throat

Giles looked at her

“You mean what if it IS Angel’s prophecy to Sanshu and not Spike’s?” Buffy just nodded, tears dripping down her face

“We’ll just have to find our way around it – make it so neither of them has to cease to exist. But don’t ask me how, because I don’t know – yet”

Buffy sniffed and wiped her eyes, not convinced.


*********************************



“Spike? – I’m surprised to say the least!”

“Yeah well, don’t get your knickers in a bunch just yet Peaches, all I wanted to say was, tell your bunch of cronies not to work too hard on this Sanshu thing trying to get it to be you, coz I’ve read it before see, and it says, the one that’ll Sanshu, has a son. That’s me, I’M the one with a son – so no hard feelings mate, but there you have it”

“Spike”

“Sorry and all that, but well…”

“Spike”

“That’s the way the cookie - ”

“SPIKE”

“Ow, fuck me…gone bleedin’ deaf now, WHAT?!”

“Sorry to burst your bubble…but *I* have a son too”

“You? – Yeah right!”

“Sorry Spike, but I do”

“Yeah, yeah, pull the other one, it’s got bells and Santa on it! Look mate, I’m sorry n’all that, but – “

“His name is Connor”

“Connor? What, is this some sprog you dropped when you were both underage and living in the old country before you were turned, because by son, I don’t think they mean a pile of dusty bones somewhere in a family grave, they mean a real, live walking talking child” Spike said gleefully

“Spike, Connor is alive…he was –“

“Bollocks – who’d be dumb enough to want to share rude bits with you, let alone get preggers?!”

“Actually, it was Darla”

“Darla?” Spike broke out into uncontrollable giggles…………………


**************************************

Spike slapped the Watchers diary closed and said to Wesley,

“Okay, so if I DO believe you and granddad DOES have a legit son – how is this Sanshu thing going to be resolved?”

“That is the sixty-four thousand dollar question – we just don’t know yet. You said you read this prophecy Spike, where and when did you read it?”

“How the bleedin’ hell should………I don’t know, it was years and years ago, way back when I was with Dru- mean to say, hardly likely to be interested back then, was I?”

“Why not”

“Well for the simple reason is, when I read it, I didn’t have my soul for one, two, I didn’t have Billy, and never thought in the reign of pig’s puddin’ would I ever procreate given my circumstances – and even though I knew Peaches had his soul, he was in the same predicament as me as regards having a sprog – I thought this Sanshu thing was just another camp-fire legend”

“When you read it, can you remember what it was written on?”

“No”

“Please Spike, try and think, it’s important”

Spike frowned………bleedin’ ‘ell…………

“It’s vital that you remember Spike, it could mean the difference between living and…well, you know the consequences”

“Well, shurrup then – gi’us a chance to bleedin’ well think will ya!” Spike screwed his face up…………

Wesley left him in peace to think. Spike pictured himself unrolling a scroll – that was it, it was a scroll – moth-eaten old thing it was too, dirty big holes in it in parts, and it was written in ancient Sumerian, of which Spike knew a smattering……in his minds eye he could picture Dru swanning around ‘dancing’ with one of her dolls…she was saying something…*Come on Spikey …think, THINK* what was she saying……a present – a present – that’s it - A PRESENT it was something to do with the First – they were going to a party and the First was going to be there, and Dru was whittering on about what should they take him as a present, and Spike let the scroll roll up and he said to her, ‘Well if you can get in the family way by him lets give him this, it tells of a way to become human via something called a Sanshu or something’ Dru stopped dancing and gave him a ‘look’ and Spike just threw the thing inside the chest that was by the fire. He also remembered that Dru had taken to putting cushions or dolls up her dresses and ‘giving birth’ for the next few weeks, and wanting to eat babies for a while – it sickened Spike even back then, he couldn’t abide eating babies or kids, anybody under 14 it just sickened him……Darla, Dru and Angelus used to delight in tormenting him with the little corpses when they ‘went through’ a maternity hospital or orphanage – personally he wouldn’t join in, his demon wanted to revel in it like the others – maybe it was a residual of humanity that he wouldn’t allow himself to indulge…………………

Spike got up from the chair and opened the door that lead to the shop. Giles was talking to Wesley

“Had time to think?” Wes asked

“Yeah……it got burned”

“Burned, are you sure?”

“Course I’m bleedin’ sure – it was in a box that was next to the fire, anything it is we used to burn. I remember Dru once hanged me for three days just coz I threw one of her stupid bleedin’ dolls on the fire – it had got a broken face for fuck’s sake – but no, I’d ‘killed’ Miss Evangeline and was to be punished”

“I see – so the translation in the Ars Demonicus is all we have then Giles”

“Seems like it”

“So what happens now – when is this thing s’pose to happen?” Spike asked

“All Souls Day, or H’-“

“Hallowe’en” Spike interrupted. Then quickly doing a rough mental calculation he continued,

“That’s the end of next month – so I’ve got just over four weeks to find a way of getting rid of Angel then”

“It isn’t a matter of you ‘getting rid’ as you put it Spike, there will be a test – a quest of some sort, and the one that triumphs… - well you know the rest” Giles stated.

“So where does my Mrs come in all this? – Why is she needed when it’s between me and the Poof?”

“Ah, you see we need to consult the Oracles – The Powers that Be, no mere mortal can look upon them, they will decide everything – the Quest, who lives and who dies…………”

“Why can’t *I* go myself?”

“Self interest, not allowed, you might gain unfair advantage if say, one of the goddesses favoured you” Giles said. Spike grinned

“So all I’d have to do is turn on the old charm, and-“

“Hold your horses there Spike, it COULD go the other way too, one of them might instantly dislike you and – POOF the rest is history”

The smile left his face, and then looking at both men he said,

“But why my Buffy – couldn’t they say that there’s a conflict of interest there too, I mean, she’s bound to want me to win over the P- um Angel, I’m her husband after all, we have a child together”

“Yes, we thought about that spike, but she was once in love with Angel too”

“WAS – PAST TENSE MATE!” Spike said angrily……………………………………………

Chapter 3


“There you go, who’s a nice clean boy now, hmm?” Spike picked up Billy from the changing mat and rested on his head on his shoulder. Billy’s eyelids began to droop as Spike crooned softly to him while he carried him upstairs. He kissed his son softly on the forehead and lay him down in his cot.

“Night-night son, sweet dreams” Spike put the nite-lite on and left the nursery door ajar and went back downstairs. Buffy came bounding in the back door, but Spike put his fingers to his lips.

“Oh…he’s in bed already?” Buffy said disappointedly.

“He couldn’t keep awake, I’ve just put him down, he’s fast asleep”

Buffy put a folder on the kitchen counter

“I’m sorry, but it took longer at Willow’s than I thought. Tea?” Buffy grabbed the kettle and filled it from the tap.

“Not for me, thanks” Spike moved off into the lounge. Buffy bit her bottom lip. Things were still strained between them.

She went into the lounge carrying her herbal tea and the folder.

“Wesley faxed over the prophecy they’ve got from the Ars Demonicus – there a lot missing though”

“I see” Spike said disinterestedly, he was reading the TV listings magazine. Buffy was exasperated by his behaviour and she said,

“Well you don’t seem awfully bothered!”

“I’ve decided not to fret about it, pet”

“Well bully for you, excuse me if *I* happen to care!!” she could feel the tears stinging the back of her eyes.

Spike put the listings mag down and beckoned her over. Eagerly she went to him, straddled his thighs and sat on his lap.

“I couldn’t bear it if………I just want you and Billy safe, and I’ll do ANYTHING to make that happen” the tears began to fall and Spike gently moved the hair out of her eyes and cupped her face in his hands.

“I know pet…and I’m sorry………it’s just…well…it’s HIM, AGAIN isn’t it, hmm? Any bleedin’ fly in the ointment as regards us or what we do always seems to come down to him and his bleedin’ cronies and stuff…come on now sweets, don’t cry” He gave her a soft kiss and Buffy wound her arms around his neck and began to kiss him with mounting passion.

She could feel what she was doing to him and she wiggled her bottom against his hardness. Spike’s hands moved from her face, and he quickly snaked one on her back and one under her bottom to support her while he stood up

“BUFFY – BUF- ah Buffy, there you are, Willow said to come and give you…oh er sorry!” Xander came bounding through the front door without so much as a ‘bye-your leave’

“Bloody hell whelp – heard of knocking?” Spike turned to Xander angrily, his fists clenched as they dropped to the sofa cushions.

“Xand, shush, you’ll wake Billy!” Buffy clambered off Spike’s lap and took the sheets of paper he was holding out to her.

“Well, is that it whelp?” Spike demanded

“Er, yup. Oh no, um, Willow said to be sure to phone her in the morning”

“Will do” Buffy said, glancing up from looking over the new papers.

“”Well, I’ll be-“

“Yes Whelp, don’t let us keep you, bye!” Spike stood and went over to the front door holding it open.

Xander gave Buffy a quick smile, which fell from his face as he turned and left. As the door was closing he heard Buffy say,

“Really Spike, do you HAVE to be so rude to him?”

o0OO0o


Spike, Buffy, Willow, Xander and Giles were sitting around the table at the Magic box. There were books open on the table, and a notepad with writing on next to Buffy. William was in his playpen, all his toys however, were not. They were all out on the shop floor where he’d tossed them, and now not having anything more to throw, he began to get cranky.

“MA!”

“Shush Billy, you be a good boy for mommy” Buffy said absent mindedly.

“Da! Dad, Dad, Dad-dee!” William shouted

“Whassup son – oh….look at you!” Spike got up and went over to the playpen where he began to throw all of Billy’s toys back into the pen

“It’s all just, well stupid really, isn’t it?” Willow said, absently doodling on her notebook.

“What is?” Giles asked

Willow sat up straight and said,

“This Sanshu thing, I mean, why can’t there be two vampires with souls? – It’s not as if it’s doing any harm is it?”

Everybody nodded, Willow carried on….

“I mean, it’s not as if you can go round blessing vampires to make them good, or, or, or, it’s not as if the Hellmouth is going to explode if everything stays the same…”

“What’s your point, Red?” Spike asked, and then added,

“Not that I don’t agree with you…”

“I don’t know really, I just think it’s…well silly! Two vamps with souls, why does it affect the cosmos and all that’s in it?

“There you go son….now don’t you go throwing them – hey Billy – no…Billy – BILLY!”

One word from his dad, and Billy did as he wanted, and began to throw all his toys out of the playpen again.

“Why you little-“ Spike began

“SPIKE!...Just….just take him home now, will you, please?” Buffy closed her eyes and rubbed her temples, she was getting a headache.

Spike looked at his wife and nodded, glancing outside he could see that the sun was well low in the sky now, safe enough for him to leave.

“Dad..DAD-DEE!!!! William began to beat a tattoo on the playpen with Mr Ted, then he stuck the teddy in his mouth and tried to pull the leg off!

Spike grinned at his son’s antics, scooped him up out of the playpen and said;

“Come on then Billy-boy, let’s get you home eh? I bet you’re hungry, well daddy’s going to cook you some pasta, hmm? Would you like that eh? Would you like some pasta?” Spike kissed his son’s cheek. Billy pulled the teddy bear’s leg out of his mouth and said,

“Dada!” Billy said beaming. Spike’s heart melted and he kissed his son’s cheek again, then blowing a raspberry on it making his son giggle.

Addressing the others seriously Spike said,

“Something isn’t right here, something is way off, and I wish I knew what, BUT I’ll tell you something I DO know, I’m not leaving this earth, this plain or this time – I’ve got too much at stake, if you’ll pardon the pun, but I’m not leaving my Buffy or my son, for ANYTHING!”


ooOOoo


“Are they fighting each other yet?” The demon, who called himself ‘Steve’ cloaked in a pleasing human form turned on his seat to face his blonde companion.

Harmony shifted on her barstool and said,

“Well, they always fight, I mean they always have – they fight over everything, especially Dru, coz like, she was Spike’s girlfriend, but Angel was with her first, then Spike came along and was all like soulful, well not soulful, being a vamp an ‘ all, but-“

“HARM-ony!” The demon stopped her prattling with a tight little squeeze on her forearm.

“Ow! Harmony frowned and rubbed her arm Don’t be so rough! I bruise easily!” Still frowning she sucked on the straws of her cocktail, draining it noisily.

“Okay, look I’m sorry – I need something to tell the boss…like are they taking this ‘Sanshu’ thing seriously?”

Harmony put the martini glass down and nodded towards it

“I’ll have another…”

“Harmony…” Steve began

“Look, Steve…what’s the rush, hmm?” She turned to face him fully, putting her hand on his cheek. She continued,

“We have all night – we can have a few more drinks here, then I thought we could maybe go on to a club…pick ourselves somebody to eat…go back to my place…” Steve removed her hand from his face and said,

“Please Harmony, give me something to tell the boss”

“Then can we do as I suggested?”

“Yeah, sure anything you say!” – Wondering how she’d take it when he showed her his real form and wanted to put his reproductive organ where her ear was………

“Good….make this one a large one!”

Chapter 4

“Please baby…for me… hmm?” Buffy cajoled, at the same time sliding her hand down his tight torso to his huge hard-on. Gently she folded her fingers around him and began to pump slowly. Spike’s eyes fluttered and closed, rolling back in his head.

“After all…you know it makes sense…” She leaned over and covered his lips with hers. Immediately Spike’s tongue began to duel with hers. While this was going on Buffy swiftly rose up and threw a leg over his slim hips, straddling him, her hot wet centre sliding the length of his dick… Before he could do anything she raised herself on one knee, put him at her entrance and sank down on him, shuddering at the cold invasion to her heat. Spike gasped – always surprised at her vice like grip of him.

Spike opened his eyes and pulled her down, devouring her mouth once more, and just as quickly he flipped them over so his beloved Buffy, his wife, his chosen mate, was on her back. He began to thrust hard and fast, chanting after every tooth rattling thrust,

“You…are mine!”

“Oh yeah baby, yeah, yours!” Buffy agreed, arching her back

“You…belong to me!”

“I do…Oh gods I do my love!” Buffy rasped out

“I’m going nowhere!”

“No...you’re staying…with me – oh gods…oh yeah, don’t stop!” Buffy clutched his butt with her hot hands, her nails sinking into tender flesh, trying to pull him inside her a little more…

This spurred Spike to thrust even faster and harder at her, pushing hard into her cervix– he could feel himself reaching the point of no return…

Buffy felt him swell inside her stretching her that little bit more and she cried out as she felt the first involuntary clutch of her orgasm…

“Mine! You’re Mine!” Mine….mine, mine, mine! Spike sank his fangs into her neck, and Buffy felt the pull on her blood and it increased her enjoyment ten-fold.

Both panting, they lay there until Spike gently moved off her and to the side, lying next to her.

After a little while Buffy turned and said sleepily,

“So it’s agreed, we all go to Wolfram and Hart’s?”

Spike turned and kissed her nose and said,

“Yes pet…if the wanker’s legal eagles are up to anything, at least I’ll know straight away”

“Good…night babe...love you” Buffy turned on her side and went to sleep.

ooOOoo


“WHAT?” Harmony grimaced and looked at Fred

“I said, when is Angel and co due back?”

“I’VE NO IDEA…OH HOLD ON…THERE’S SOMETHING HERE…” Harmony looked at her desk, she turned back to Fred and said,

“OH, ACCORDING TO THIS, LATER ON TO-WHAT?”

“Harm, stop shouting!” Fred grimaced at her.

“I’M NOT SHOUTING!”

Fred grabbed Harmony’s chin and made her look at her

“Yes you are shouting, what’s the matter?”

Embarrassed beyond all reason, she couldn’t possibly tell Fred what the trouble was with her new ‘beau’…Harmony put her finger in her ear and waggled it

“I’ve got an ear infection I think!”

Fred rolled her eyes and said,

“Harm…you’re a vampire…and vampire’s don’t get infections!”

“We don’t – oh right we don’t um…SWIMMING! THAT’S IT, I WENT SWIM-“

Fred waved her hand at her and walked away saying

“Yeah okay, okay, don’t want to know…” she’d got the info she wanted

ooOOoo


“Well?”

“Master…my sources say that trouble is definitely brewing between the two vampires!”

“Trouble? – I don’t want trouble, trouble is not enough! Trouble, of the very serious kind is what YOU’LL be in, if you don’t get me something better than TROUBLE! So what have you said, huh? – What have you done to cause this…this so called trouble, hmm?” ‘Steve’ wasn’t worried, he had a trump card to play, so he wasn’t all that concerned for his welfare once he’d played the Ace card…

“Ah, now master, an ancient prophecy, the Sanshu, I let it be known that there can’t be two vampires with souls! – They will have to prove themselves deserving and the one that doesn’t goes ‘poof’ “ ‘Steve’ said grinning

“So why aren’t they tearing each other to bits as we speak, hmm?!” The master asked ‘Steve’

“Because…”(Steve paused for dramatic effect, this was his trump card, but this only served to irritate the master more)

“Come on, out with it!” ‘Steve’ startled into words blurted,

“Because of their relationship with the slayer!” From a scowling face, the master raised a sardonic eyebrow, and fixed ‘Steve’ with a look that could melt rock…

“Relationship?”

Steve nodded vigorously and rambled,

“Oh yes Masterful one, the slayer has a son with one of them!”

“A son – A SON? – What kind of imbecile do you think I am? – A VAMPIRE cannot reproduce! I would have had hundreds of sons by now, thousands!”

“But it’s TRUE sire – and that’s not all, the other one, the other vampire with a soul, well he’s in love with her also, and she used to love him!!” the Master moved menacingly towards him, and Steve found it hard to keep human form, and reverted back to type and slimed everywhere. Quickly trying to look human again, Steve’s body metamorphosed between his own species and that of human, in some strange combinations, each time oozing slime when he changed back to his own kind, his voice changing from panicked human to a guttural gurgling and whining.

“Eugh…get out of my sight…..NOW!” the Master said with disgust

“(Gurgle bllluuupppgrrl,) yes sire, sure, (gurgle gurgle) oh gurlllllllup grullup…I’m going sire!”

The Master raised one sticky foot distastefully, grimaced, and with difficulty moved off, slowly he made his way back to his lair to think on what his lacky had just told him. The slayer having had a ‘relationship’ with one of the en-souled vampires, and was now with the other, was going to make his job far easier than he thought – the only two beings that could open the gates of hell were an en-souled vampire and a slayer…so what better way to keep the gates of hell open was a slayer, her child and TWO en-souled vampires

ooOOoo

“OW! What, who’s – (holding the phone an arms length away from his head, Angel frowned and said) for goodness’ sake Harmony stop SHOUTING! Now, tell me who’s here agai – oh don’t bother, I know!” Angel threw the receiver down and looked up as the door had opened.

“And what are you doing he – oh hi Buffy!”

“Never mind what am I doing here, I just am, well, we just are, okay – don’t trust you or your lot far as I could bleedin’ well throw them not to be cookin’ something up to make this Sanshu bollocks yours when it’s so rightfully mine, and – “ Spike began, waving his arm in the air.

“Just a minute, just a MINUTE NOW!” Angel stood up indignantly and said,

“ I came to you in good faith wanting this to be a fair fight, remember?”

“Yeah, so YOU say – but what’s to stop – “ Spike trailed off as Wesley Wyndham Price walked through the door without looking up and seeing Angel’s visitors…………

“Ahh Angel, good, I’ve found something here in the Watcher’s Diary, apparently Spike’s soul was given to him by a demon, so we might have him on a technic –what – oh OH! Um…ahem, er, haha, right…hello Spike, Buffy” At least he had the decency to look embarrassed as he swiftly hid the said ‘Watcher’s diary’ behind his back while stuttering a greeting

Spike narrowed his eyes and said

“Never mind ‘Hello’ - see! I knew it! I bloody knew one of your bloody lackys would be trying to cheat me, and Mr double-barrel-poncey-twat-face here has just bleeding well proved it!”

“I say! There’s absolutely no need for that!” Wesley began

“There’s EVERY bleedin’ need mate! – Do you think for one split second I’m going to leave My Buffy and Billy on this earth here alone?”

“Well, they wouldn’t BE alone, Angel would – “ Wesley began, with a smile which quickly disappeared as Spike turned ‘Game Face’

“That is…what I mean to say, er – “

“Spike! Stoppit, Buffy pulled her husband’s forearm – this is getting us nowhere!” With a snarl, Spike let his demon drop.

“Mam!” Billy shouted and waved his arms in the air.

“Now look, Billy’s hungry, we’re all tired and under stress, let’s get settled in and we can meet later put our ideas together see where they lead us hmm?”

Angel addressed Buffy and said,

“Yes, okay fine. You can have the room next to mine on the top floor…come down at eight o’clock, we can talk then”

Buffy nodded and gently pulled Spike out of Angel’s office.