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David Sands was still trying to make sense of what had happened tonight. He had only wanted to take his wife somewhere to get her mind off of the florist's mix up. Talitha liked karaoke, at least she had when they were dating. They used to go to "Caritas" on a weekly basis. That is, until it closed for repairs and then never opened again. So, when Lorne Green opened a new place, David thought it would be the perfect way to brighten his wife's mood, maybe make her feel like everything was going to be okay and that she didn't need to be scared.

But then he and Talitha got up to sing a few bars of that sappy little elephant lullaby that she loved so much, in honor of their unborn child, and everything went crazy.

Before they knew what was happening, they were being whisked off, like they were in the witness protection program, to somewhere they didn't know, to be protected by people they didn't know from something that they couldn't see.

If this was a prank, Joe was going to have some explaining to do at the office about the shiner he was going to have on Monday morning.

Talitha, however, seemed to be in her element here. She even seemed to know who the girl who greeted them at the door was. This was just another example of just how mysterious Talitha could be. She never said much about her life before they'd begun dating. But somehow David knew that these people held the answers to some of the riddle his wife was to him.
***********************

Dawn opened the door to let the couple in. She fully expected to have to make up some outrageous cover story to explain Lorne's otherworldly appearance to them, but when Lorne told her that they'd been regulars, at least separately, at his other club, she knew that she might not need to explain as much as she might have otherwise.

She opened the door and saw a face she knew well from her days of rounding up Slayers after the Hellmouth was closed in Sunnydale, "Talitha Littleton?" she asked, hugging the girl, "How long has it been?"

"Hello Dawn," Talitha said, "It's been almost two years. And it's Sands now," she said as she nodded to the man who stood at her side, trying to take in everything.

"Oh," Dawn extended her hand in greeting, "How do you do? My name is Dawn Summers. Your wife and I used to," she looked at Talitha to get a feel of just how much of a lie she should spin for this man. Talitha's eyes told her to spin big. Her eyes returned to him, "go to gymnastics school together," she winced a little for his benefit, "Believe me, it's not as much fun when your sister's an instructor. But we managed," she said with a smile while she extended her hand.

"David Sands," he said, but refused to take the hand she offered to him, "Mr. Green told us to meet someone here. Someone named Dustin?"

Dawn kept smiling, even though she thought the man was being rude. Maybe he was just not used to meeting new people. She decided to give him the benefit of the doubt, until he confirmed otherwise, "Then you've got the right place. They'll be down in just a few minutes," Dawn tried to make small talk, "So," she asked Talitha, "is this handsome guy the reason you left the Academy?"

"No," Talitha glanced down, unable to meet Dawn's eyes, "Remember my..." she searched for the right words to let Dawn know just why she'd left the Slayer training facility, without letting her husband find out, "insomnia? Made it hard to train?" she nodded, hoping Dawn would catch on.

She did. Dawn knew why Talitha left. Talitha left for the same reason she came. She was having dreams of Spike. It was hard to go out and hunt vampires because they were evil, when one that was so clearly not, haunted your dreams.

The dreams had haunted Talitha Littleton so much, that she took a bus, all the way from Kansas to Los Angeles to find Buffy and train with her. That was right before they'd pulled up stakes and moved the whole Academy to Rome.

"Oh," Dawn's eyes widened as she remembered who was upstairs, "That can be a problem," she said as she backed toward the staircase, "Do you still have that problem?" she saw Talitha nod, "Oh, I see. Well then... um I think I'd better get Buffy first." Dawn said as she raced up the stairs.

"Buffy!" she called out, as she ran.
**************************

The pounding on the door was so loud it even made Spike nervous, "Hold your knickers on, Bit. We've still got five minutes."

Dawn's voice was a tense whisper, "Buffy, that visitor you've got, the ones that Lorne sent over? One of them you know already."

"Who is it?"

There was a sigh from behind the door, "Talitha Littleton. You remember her? She had those dreams... about Spike?"

Buffy tried to discern Spike's mood by his eyes. She honestly didn't know whether he was shocked or flattered, or a bit of both. He nodded, "And let me guess. She doesn't know I've come back from the 'Great Beyond,' yet?"

"No, she doesn't. That's why I thought that it would be better if Buffy came down to meet her, you know, first."

"Okay, Dawn. I'll be right down."

Spike could see from Buffy's eyes that she did not want to leave him, "It's okay, Pet. I'll stay up here until you give the, 'all clear.' Don't want to frighten the poor thing, or the little tot she's carrying."

Buffy was surprised at that, "She's pregnant?"

He raised an eyebrow in response, "Yeah. Heard the little thing the minute our guests came through the door. That one's strong. A real scrapper."

"How did you know?" Buffy asked.

"Simple Love," he said as he kissed her, "I can count. There are five, living breathing, human beings in this dojo. Downstairs and up; but there are six heartbeats."

"Wow."

He shrugged, "Just a little something we vamps are good at."
**********************

Buffy hugged Talitha, "It's good to see you," she looked at the freckle-faced man standing next to her, "Although I do wish it were under different circumstances. Dawn said that Lorne sent you, and that you need our help, is that right?"

David bristled. Lorne Green had said that these people would help them. But so far all he'd seen was a secretary and a teenage girl. And the more his wife talked to these people the more cagey she seemed. He didn't like it, not one bit, "Excuse me, Miss..."

"Misses," Buffy corrected, "Dustin. Buffy Dustin."

"Oh," Talitha exclaimed, reaching for her left hand to see the ring she wore, "You got married?"

"Uh huh. So did you."

Talitha nodded, "Yes. I did. But, I didn't think you would after..."

Buffy rolled her eyes in excitement, "Oh believe me, I've had a weird year!"

David Sands couldn't take it any more. He tried to lie to himself about the flowers. He tried to explain away the strange little gifts that had been appearing on their doorstep, every day for the past month, but he couldn't explain it away. Some psychopath was frightening his wife and child, and the people who were supposed to help them wanted to talk about wedding rings and china patterns? This was ridiculous, "Excuse me," he said, "but we came to you for help. Some weird guy is leaving dead birds and flowers on our doorstep! He's been doing it every night for the past month. We want him to stop. If you can't help, I'll find someone who can!"

Buffy tried to calm him, "Take it easy, Mister..."

"Sands!" his face was getting red from the exertion, and if he yelled any louder, Buffy was sure Spike would come bounding down the stairs in full game face, "Just like I told your little girl over there!"

"Sands," Buffy said calmly, "My husband and I are very good at this type of thing. If we weren't, Lorne wouldn't have told you to come here. It's just that, my husband is an old friend of Talitha's and it might be a bit," Buffy looked at Talitha, begging her to catch on and follow her lead, "awkward for her to see him after all this time."

Buffy could see the light of recognition in her eyes. She always had been a quick learner. The best of her class as a matter of fact. Talitha would have made a good Slayer. If only the dreams hadn't introduced her to the enigma that was Spike.

She nodded slowly, taking the silent information that Buffy was sending her, "Oh... really? Isn't that nice," Talitha took the first seat she could find, "I think...I'd better sit down?" she nodded to Buffy with her eyes wide.

"I think that would be a good idea. Just to be on the safe side," Buffy agreed, "And Dawn can bring you a glass of water," she looked at Dawn, "Would you?"

"Sure," Dawn said, taking a Dixie cup into the ladies restroom, and filling it with water.

When Buffy was sure Talitha and David were sufficiently calm, she called out, "William, you can come down now."

"Coming, Love."

Talitha had only heard that voice in dreams. But now it was attached to an actual someone. Talitha had been curious what he really looked like. And it seemed she was about to find out.

As Spike came down the stairs, he caught sight of a girl. Well, to him she was a girl, but she was of childbearing age, that was obvious from the tiny flutter of a heartbeat that beat just under her own. And for some reason, it seemed to pick up speed as he got closer. The girl had features he recognized somehow.

But, there was one feature that was unmistakable. The birthmark on her cheek shaped like a bird in flight.

He walked slowly over to the couple, "Hello," he said, nodding to the husband first. His eyes lingered a fraction longer on the woman he'd seen in his dreams, "I think we can help," he knelt down to take Talitha's hand, fully aware of the watchful eyes of her husband, "My name is William Dustin," he could see recognition and admiration in the woman's eyes. She knew him. She hadn't seen him before, but she knew him. He was looking into the eyes of a Slayer, and he knew it, "Your wife, and some others may know me better by a nickname I picked up when I was a bit younger. I was a bit of a ruffian and I made quite a name for myself," his eyes flashed at Buffy and at Talitha, "People in certain circles used to call me, 'William The Bloody.' Some people still call me that. Or they call me, 'Spike.' I assure you that I'm not nearly the cad I used to be. But, if someone is stalking you, Lorne was right to send you here. I heard some of the conversation my wife and you were having Mr. Sands. And, I think I know who this person is. I have had run ins with him, and his type before," he stretched to his full height and spoke to the husband again, "This would go so much smoother if we all had our cards on the table," he could hear Buffy's breath hitch. She didn't want him to tell this man anything he wasn't ready to hear, so he would not. It was only a simple question to see how far he would be permitted to go, in the man's presence, "Don't worry, Mr. and Mrs. Sands. We'll find this," he looked at Talitha. She knew what he knew. She knew exactly who was toying with her, he'd done it for centuries. The question was, how much did he know, "Person," he continued, "And, we'll make certain that everyone," his eyes flashed toward the unborn child in her womb. The child he had yet to be told existed, "Is safe here. I only have one question sir."

"What is that?"

"What would you do to keep your loved ones safe?"

"Anything I had to."

"I assume, then, that you will allow my wife and I to do whatever we have to do, to keep you safe?"

"Yes, of course."

"Good. Buffy and Dawn will set up some cots in the locker room for you to use tonight," Spike turned to Buffy, and saw her nod, "It's not much. But, it'll keep you safe, and warm, for the night. Tomorrow, we start looking for your stalker."





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