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Jenny Carpenter put a few things in to an overnight bag. She'd just hung up from her uncle, telling him she wouldn't be over to visit the family later. Her Aunt Stella had wanted to read her cards before going, saying she felt trouble coming. From what Ethan had told her, she gathered this wasn't going to be an easy case.

She still remembered how Ethan had come back from Sunnydale some time ago after a bad murder case. Her friend was devastated, angry, and exhausted. The police still sought him out for counseling over that young girl's horrible death. Something told her this visit and that case was connected in some way.

Hitting the speed dial she waited for Ethan to answer. "Have a good run?" He asked.

"Matter fact I did." She replied, worried at how tired he sounded over the phone.

"Do you remember the case of the murdered 13 year old about 18 or so months ago?"

She sighed as she answered, "Yes, I remember it quite well, in fact. I believe you wanted to string up a certain father for not letting you at least talk to the family."

"Well, it's come up again. They've found the man who did it, after he kidnapped the middle daughter. I don't have all the specifics of why he did what he did. I've not really had a chance to talk with Buffy yet."

"Who is it you wish me to work with?" Jenny asked, wondering just how bad things had gotten in the dead girl's family.

"It's Buffy's oldest sister who will be in need of your care and support. I have a feeling she's not led a pleasant life before coming to live with her father. I'm trying to think of anyone close I can get Mr. and Mrs. Summers to work with."

Jenny thought for a moment and then suggested, "How about Hallie Murphy? She's not too far away, and she's great with marriage counseling."

"Maybe you could go with me to talk to her? See if she'd mind helping them and then still work with us with putting together some family meetings."

"I can do that." Jenny answered, "Does Buffy's sister have a name?"

"Drusilla is her name."

"Give me your address and I'll see you in a few. I'll pull the directions up on yahoo."

"The address here is 11000 Watcher Overlook."

"I'll call you when I hit the city limits." Jenny told him, while typing the address in the map directions on her computer.

"Drive carefully and I'll see you when you get in."

"Will do." She replied before hanging up the phone, smiling at the fact they never really ever said goodbye.

Ethan sighed as he walked back into the kitchen, having stepped outside to take the phone call. No one needed to know what he was doing for the entire Summers family. It was imperative he kept their lives as private as he could. Once the news of what a principal of a high school did, the media would make the Summers family a living hell.

Walking back into the kitchen he noticed he was alone. Faith must have gone back upstairs when he answered the phone and stepped away. She had waved him on when he indicated he needed to take the call in private. He had a few hours before Jenny arrived, and hoped he'd be able to spend some time with William before hand.

*******

Joyce smiled at Dru once breakfast was over and asked, "Care to help me with the dishes?"

Dru's eyes grew large as she shook her head yes and started to gather the dishes off the table. The last thing she expected was Joyce showing any concern toward her, let alone trying to include her in things that required them spending time together.

"Drusilla, you are a part of this family. I'm just sorry it took something like this to open my eyes to what being a family really means. I just hope and pray that both you and Buffy can forgive me for not being there." Joyce decided she would do what she could to save them and keep them together. "I refuse to let that evil man win."

"How can we do that?" Dru asked, as she looked between Joyce and her father. "You both should hate me. I know Buffy does."

Joyce reached over and lightly placed her hand on the side of Dru's face and said, "Buffy doesn't hate you, and neither do I or your father. We all make mistakes, and we made a few big ones. I refuse to believe we can't learn from them and not be able to make this family whole again. It will never be the same without Dawn, but it doesn't mean we can't be a family again. It will take a lot of hard work and commitment to make it work, but I'm willing to try if everyone else is."

"I agree. I've done some terrible things that I'm not even sure I can forgive myself for." Hank backed up his wife as he took a deep breath and went on to explain. "I would understand if you or Buffy had nothing to do with me. I failed you both."

"No, you never failed me." Dru disagreed.

"Yes, I did. I should've listened to the counselors back when you first came to live with us. I let my pride prevent me from doing better for you. Then, with how I've treated Buffy, I just pray I get a chance to work things out with my girls." He stated, as he gave his wife a tearful smile. "I prevented this family from getting help after Dawn's death."

"We can't let our past mistakes hold us back," Joyce said as she gave her husband a serious look. "I think we need to learn from them and build a foundation of love, trust, and forgiveness, and with Dr. Rayne's help we can do that."

"So, you think Buffy can forgive me?" Hank asked.

"I think that is something you and Buffy will have to work out, and I believe if you both want it bad enough it can and will happen." Joyce offered.

Hank took a moment to think about the things he thought about last night before he said, "If you don't mind, I'm going to go in my office and have a nice talk with myself."

He knew he needed some time alone so he could start working on the letter to Buffy. The more he thought about it, the more it sounded like a great beginning on getting his middle daughter's respect and love back. The letter would be written and he'd ask Dr. Rayne about it first, even let the man read it if he had to. No longer would his pride or pain come before his family again. He was just sorry he hadn't learned that lesson with Dawn's tragic death.

"Yes, go do man work while us women slave." Joyce teased, knowing her husband had a lot to work through with how he'd treated Buffy since Dawn was taken from them.

Hank smiled softly at his wife as he reached over and took her hand in his, "I missed this, baby. I missed my family."

Joyce returned the squeeze as she replied, "I missed it too."

Dru watched her father and Joyce and felt encouraged at how they appeared to love each other so much. It gave her hope that things would work out. Maybe today she'd take the time to think about how she too would try and approach Buffy and tell her how sorry she was. For the first time in a long time she didn't feel burdened by the darkness of her past.

"Let me know what Dr. Rayne says when you call him to check up on Buffy." Hank asked, as he stood from the table.

"I will." Joyce told him as she stood to go over to the sink. "Dru, will you rake the plates while I get the dishwasher ready, and get the dishwater ready for the skillet."

Hank stood in the doorway and watched as two of his girls worked together. Deep down he regretted not bringing Buffy home last night, but his inner gut told him that would've been a big mistake. It just would've wedged them further apart. He just had to be patient and give her time to heal and trust him again.

*******

Spike felt groggy at first, then smiled when he heard a giggle. Cracking one eye open he noticed a very wide awake Buffy watching him with bemused expression on her face. Her lovely green eyes sparkling with mischief made him feel like the happiest man on earth right now.

"Been watching me long?" He asked, as he tried to fight off a yawn.

"Long enough to know your nose twitches like rabbit when you're waking up." She teased.

"Really?"

"Yep, my personal Spike Bunny."

"Lord, woman, I'm no rabbit." He playfully growled as he began to tickle her.

Buffy laughed as she begged, "Stop, please, I'm going to pee my pants."

Spike chuckled as he stopped and said, "Can't have that now can we."

"Nope, Buffy wetting self is not a happy event." She agreed as she shooed him to let her up.

Spike managed to scramble over her without letting her see or feel his arousal. "Be gone with you before you spring a leak or explode."

"I'll be right back." She promised as she quickly ran to the bathroom, not realizing how sexy she looked.

Spike fought back a moan as he watched her sweet little bottom sway as she ran. Never had anyone affected him this way before. The thought of when and if he'd ever get a taste of her made it close to impossible for him to check his libido at the door. But for her he'd do his best not to scare her with his reaction to being close to her.

"I've a feeling it will be just as bad when all I do is think of her and how she makes me feel." He sighed and then looked down between his legs and said, "And we don't need you making things more difficult."

Lying back he sighed as he thought of all the things that were non Buffy related trying to distract his other head. The thought of anyone having sex with his one professor, who was old as sin, and had that ancient smell about the poor woman, did the trick. He kept his eyes downcast as Buffy returned to the alcove.

"Scoot over." Buffy told him, wanting to get back under the covers. "The air conditioner is really cranking out the cold."

Spike did as she told him and held up the covers so she could join him. Once she was in he tucked the blankets around her as she snuggled close to him. The fact she showed no fear with him, touched him greatly as he rested his chin on the top of her head.

"I want this to work between us" he whispered softly.

"So do I," she replied. "I just hope you can hang with all the bull that will be coming with what happened."

Spike pulled her closer as he assured her, "I'm not going anywhere unless you tell me to go, and that's only if you mean that you don't love me anymore."

Buffy hugged him closer as she reassured him, "I can't see me ever asking you to go."

"Then that pretty much settles it then. Except I do have to make it official with Dru that we're no longer together. I hope you can handle the fact I used to date your sister."

"Do you think she's in love with you?" Buffy asked, realizing for the first time they never really talked about Dru.

"No, I don't think she is. I think she was in love with the fact I was going to be a doctor. But I don't think she was ever in love with me." He explained.

"I don't care if you became a soulless vampire, I'd still love you." Buffy exclaimed, making Spike laugh and say in return, "you'd be my soul, Buffy."

"I guess we should get up and start the day, even if I don't want too. I just want to lay here with you all day and just talk more about us."

Spike leaned down and kissed the top of her head and agreed, "Me too, Luv, but we both know we must move on. We have things we have to do. I have to deal with Dru, and you have to deal with your family and what's happened over the last eighteen months on top of last night."

"Knowing you'll be here makes it feel less scary. I mean I had Faith and the others, but with you, it feels different."

"'Cause I'm the one. You for me, and me for you," he told her, "And I can wait as long as you need me too."

Buffy pulled back so she could look up at him and said, "I really haven't been with anyone. I just want you to know that."

"I told you once before Kitten, I know. I just wish I could say the same to you." He sighed as he leaned his forehead against hers. "I promise that for me there will be no other."

Buffy leaned up and chastely kissed his lips before she suggested, "I think the sooner you talk to Dru the sooner I can talk to your uncle. Then we can work on getting me together so we can work on us. If any of that makes sense, I mean, it does to me and all."

"It must be love, since I understood what you just rattled off." He teased her, but before he could give her a real kiss he heard someone clear their throat.

"I think someone wants our attention," Buffy snickered as she turned to greet her best friend, "Good morning, Faith."

"Yeah, it is." Faith replied with a smirk, "Anya wants us to come for brunch, including you handsome, so you'd both better get cleaned up and dressed."

"How are we going to get there?" Buffy asked.

"She's at Giles' place."

"They should get married." Buffy sighed.

Faith snorted, "It might ruin a good thing. Not everyone wants or needs marriage to commit to a relationship forever."

Buffy nodded, "I guess you're right about that."

"You go get freshened up, and I'll meet you downstairs," Spike suggested, before he gently kissed her cheek. "Love you."

Buffy blushed as she tucked her hair behind her ears and gave him a shy look while she said, "I love you too."

Spike watched as his girl hurried to her room, feeling chilled from her leaving his side. He watched as Faith turned to him with a serious expression on her face as she looked him straight in the eyes. He knew without a doubt he was going to get a warning from Buffy's friend.

Faith thought for a minute before saying, "If you hurt her, I'll hunt you down and have Angel hold you down while I beat the living crap out of you."

"I wouldn't expect anything less." Spike replied and then jokingly asked, "What if she hurts me?"

"I will have to seriously wonder if she's alright in the head, or question if you'd done something to deserve it." Faith replied as she gave him a wink and then turned to join Buffy.

Spike knew things with Buffy had a chance of going from bad to worse. Once he talked to Dru, it could really put pressure on their new-found relationship. Then there were the parents, and he couldn't help but wonder if they'd ever accept him and Buffy together. Joyce, he was sure, could be won over, but Hank was a totally different problem. The only thing he could do was talk to his uncle, and then take one day, one step, at a time.

*******





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