She could not believe her eyes. For Halloween they had all decided to dress like the D&D characters they portray when they play the game. Buffy stood with her hair loose in a cream-colored tunic, green breeches, gray traveling cloak and boots. She had a green belt around her waist, a quiver of arrows and a long bow over a shoulder.
On her hips she wore a short curved sword, a dagger, a whip, and had several stakes attached to her belt. Her torso, upper legs and lower arms were armored in leather. Her character was a half-elven fighter.
Buffy rounded the corner to the sitting room and stood there in stunned silence as she took in the site before her. Black leather boots and various throwing knifes and such stashed in the multitude of pockets and hiding places along the leather armored legs.
Most would go unnoticed by anyone who did not know his body the way she did. He wore a short black tunic and black breeches under the armor. He wore a black hooded cloak and had the hood pulled up over his white blond hair. At this viewpoint she could see a crossbow attached at on hip and a short sword at the other.
In his far hand he held his trusty double bladed axe. Even taking a relaxed stance he still looked like a Black Panther ready to pounce on his prey. Wonder of all wonders his character is a human rouge / bard.
Buffy let out a whistle of appreciation. Spike had been so intent on his own thoughts he had not noticed her there until then. When the intense blue of his eyes met the soft green of hers, he smiled. Buffy’s knees went weak and she placed a hand on the doorframe to steady herself. *He may not have that thrall thing but with looks like that he never needed it* Buffy thought as she crossed the floor to where he stood.
Spike lifted a bit of her hair and let it run through his fingers. She had let is grow out and now even up in her pony tail it still hung to her waist like a layer of golden silk. He looked her over appraising what he saw. “Nice” he said as he circled her.
His tongue flicked out like a snakes and touched her ear. Buffy shivered. “MMmmmm, Very nice. Why is it we are not just staying home this year.” Spike said as he breathed in her scent. Buffy took a minute to find her words. “You promised Xander and Willow we would have to this party. You promised me you would help me hunt for that thing for Giles.”
Spike raised his scared eyebrow “I did, bullocks, to hell with ’em that was before I knew how shaggable this outfit looks on you. Not going any where but back to bed.” He said. He was just about to throw her over his shoulder when Willow and Xander knocked at the door still arguing on weather or not the blond ones would be joining them.
Buffy let them in and for the next several minutes they all oohed and ahhed over the others outfits. Willow was of course a Elvin wizard. She wore a red velvet dress that was very Celtic looking. She held a bag containing a few actual spellbooks and wore a belt pouch containing various components. She also wore a black cloak and had glamored her hair white gold.
Xander was a half Orc barbarian fighter and looked very much the part. Willow had glamored his nose and teeth to look the part. He wore a little bit of makeup to put a greenish gray color to his skin and had added theatrical hair here and there on his face. He had weapons tied to his arms and legs, cared an axe he in no way could lift without magical help. He wore a tattered tunic, a few stripes of hide leather and several bone jewelry pieces.
Everyone froze when Elizabeth entered the room She was dressed from shoulders to feet in hide leather. The soft skins of deep brown, golden tan, and ashy grays fit like a second skin. Her hair was long and white blond. She had antlers twisted into the hair on top of her head and a few small braids weaved from the top. She wore a cloak of wolf fur trimmed with feathers. She had jewelry of animal teeth and her shield and weaponry were made from wood, animal hides, and bone. She carried a bow and quiver of arrows across her back.
Willow was very impressed. Elizabeth seemed to have a great amount of natural magical ability like willow, but she had a reverence and respect regarding magic that reminded them all of Tara. Elizabeth was portraying an Elvin druid.
She smiled shyly as Willow marveled over the glamories Elizabeth had cast on herself. Elizabeth blushed when Willow whispered that later they would see what was under the spell. Andrew had decided to be a Gnome sorcerer. He wore a very klingon looking outfit and carried a jeweled staff.
Collecting up a few more Slayers on the way out to the limo before they all piled in as, carefully as they could, to go to the party at the club. Spike and Buffy had bought the place before Spike’s first book made a hit on the stands. It was now an exclusive club and only the privilege elite could get in.
Most had personal invitation cards or a VIP card from Spike or Buffy. Others where allowed in as guest of a Slayer. Tonight was the big Halloween ball. Exclusive list of guest and all must be in costume as an characters from D&D. Non violence spells that Loren had used in LA where up in place and a heavy guard was placed outside. Some of the LA gang had even flown out to join in the party.
Buffy and company sat at their usual booth while Spike took care of some business. A waitress told Buffy she was needed at the door. She told the girl to get Spike ASAP and headed to the door.
The bouncer explained that there was a man at the door who insisted he see her and it was an emergency. About that time Spike showed up behind her. Hand and hand they headed for the door. A man stood with his back to them.
He had been pacing and looked as if he was trying to decide if he should wait, run, or pace some more. “Oi! What do you want with my wife mate?” Spike asked as he stepped in front of Buffy. Buffy obviously did not know who this was but at one look Spike knew. Buffy wondered what was wrong with Spike.
They had been married a month ago but she had not seen him act like this before. It made the hair on her neck stand up. The man stiffened at the sound of that familiar accent. He needed her help, he thought what he heard had all been rumors about her and Spike. He had not let himself believe the girl he once loved could ever be with a thing like that.
Buffy gasp as the man turned around to look at Spike. “I asked you a question Finn!” Spike barked at the man. Before the man could even breathe people surrounded him. He looked around and saw Xander, and Willow. He recognized their names and faces but little else. “Riley?” Buffy asked her voice little more than a whisper. His eyes held hers for a moment. It was the same with her and with Spike if he cared to admit it. He knew the faces and names but they where all strangers. “Buffy, I need your help” was all he said as he looked down at his feet.
Riley looked up slightly and saw Spike make a few hand signals. With in second the crowd began to move. Riley was ushered down around to the back of the building by the girls as they simple said come. Buffy and Spike walked back inside with the others. Spike issued a few orders and left Xander in charge of getting them if anything else important came up.
Buffy and Spike went into a private room where the Slayers had placed Riley. Two stood at the door and the rest had returned to their positions at the party. “Okay Riley you got two minutes before I give you to my Slayers.” Spike ordered as he entered the room.
Buffy was letting him handle this. She did not trust herself not to kill Riley. Irony is a few years ago it was her keeping Spike from killing him and vise versa. Buffy stood behind her husband. “I want to talk to Buffy” Riley ground out between clinched teeth. “So talk” Buffy said. “Alone” Riley replied. “Like bloody hell who….” Spike started but Buffy stopped him.
She gave him a look and nodded her head. Spike grabbed her a kissed her hard on the mouth. He turned to Riley, “Five minutes” he snarled. Spike reached out and turned Riley’s face to him so he was nose to nose with the man. “and please do something to make me hurt you. I already owe you a few soldier boy” he whispered before walking out of the room with his cape flowing behind him.
“Buffy I need you help but I have to ask again, how can you be with that soulless creature and don’t give me the he’s changed line. He said his Slayers, did he make super vamps or something. I don’t understand what is going on.” Riley looked at the end of his rope. Buffy felt sorry for him but surely he must have heard what has been happening for the last few years.
“Riley, Spike has had his soul back for years and he has changed in several ways. He is human and Slayer now. Slayers are no longer the chosen ONE. We are a pack, a family, a clan, a force the no one will cross. We are bonded closer to one another by a singular purpose than any blood bond ever made. You want my help you accept the help of my family. That includes my husband!” Buffy said patiently.
Riley still had no idea what all he missed but there would be time to talk more later, he hoped. “It’s Sam.” Riley started with a sigh. “She was working undercover and some how I think they did something to her. Remember the time you where…infected…with that demon or I heard that at one time Cordilla was made part demon to deal with her visions. I think something like that happened to Sam. I can’t find her. I am worried about her. I have a tracker on her but if you…and the Slayers could help me find her and get her out then you would never have to hear from me again. I will even set you up with a doctor who can take the chip out of Spikes head before it does permanent damage. We found several subjects whose brains turned to mush. Anything you want just help me find my wife.” Riley looked seriously distraught.
Buffy sat down in the chair across from him. “Riley, I will talk with Giles and we will find out what we can. I will try to help you but you do not owe me anything. I will do it because it is right and I know how I would feel if it was Spike missing. I want you to listen to me while I tell you the short version of what has happened. A lot has happened in the last few years. I figured with your military connections you would know almost as much as me by now but since they seem to have been keeping you under a rock I will enlighten you.”
Spike came back into the room about that time and offered Riley a drink. Riley stared at him for a moment. He looked at the tan on Spike’s skin and at the ring on his left hand. One look into his eyes and Spike ordered him a Bourbon and Coke.
Spike rubbed Buffy’s shoulders, “Juice or Milk for you tonight love.” Spike asked softly. “I’ll take milk and a Willow special.” Buffy smiled at him as she made a face and patted her stomach. “Is there anything else you need love?” Spike asked gentle. Buffy shook her head no. Spike said something to one of the girls out side and in less than a minute he had the drinks and Buffy’s snack on the table.
Buffy began to tell Riley about the battle with The First. Spike actually attempted to be modest about the event surrounding him. Riley half listened in disbelief and half watched the way Buffy leaned in to Spike and how Spike cooed over her like a mother with a cub. He noted the slight differences that proved parts of their story to be true. He even gave Riley an autographed copy of his third book. Told him to read it for more on what happened. Riley was given a ride back to the school with the gang.
He was blind folded by Xander so he would not see their entrance or the codes used. Riley allowed all this to happen and keep telling himself it was all for Sam. He had to rescue Sam. When he was sat into a chair and the blind fold removed Riley felt like he was back at the magic box for a Scooby meeting. Several of the original gang and a few new ones hovered around tables piled with books. Giles stood there cleaning his glasses. He had never cared much for Riley Finn if for no other reason than the work the initiative did in Sunnydale and that was only the work they knew of.
When Giles saw Buffy and Spike he smiled. Buffy walked up and gave him a hug that he returned like a father to a daughter. “I heard good news.” Giles whispered into her hair “We will talk later.” Spike walked up and was given a similar if not briefer greeting. “How long until you’re due in LA again?” Giles asked. “When I decide to go. My agent understands about….” Spike paused, “The situation and has given me all the time I need. Well deserved if I do say so myself. Besides the next two books are almost written and I have some translating to get to here.” Giles seemed very pleased.
“Buffy mind telling the rest of us why soldier boy is here and why we had to leave the party because of said soldier boy.” Xander asked. Buffy gave Xander a look then slipped into her chair. Everyone else settled a bit and waited. “We need to help him find his wife. She was undercover and he thinks while there she, for lack of better term was infected with a demon. Kind of like me that one time and Cordy for her visions and such.” Buffy said.
Giles turned to Riley, “We can try to help you. I need you to give all the information you can to a research team.” Giles looked around, “Mara, Bridget, pick your teams. Clare, set up a secure room for our guest and get him a kit. Riley, Bridget will take down any information you can supply. If you require anything to eat or drink ask Clare. Clare your team will look after our guest during his stay here. Riley sorry that we have to turn this over to the Slayer teams but the Scoobies all have other matters to attend to at the present. When the girls know something they will report and then we will have a meeting and plan the retrieval of your wife. Mara remember to check with Angel over at the law firm to see if he has any info or can get any out of the local branch. I seem to remember him working with the head of the Rome branch recently. Not that I expect much from Wolfram and Heart but it is worth a shot. Scooby meeting in the family room. We do not want to be disturbed unless there is a threatening apocalypse.” With that Giles left and the Scoobies followed after.
Buffy and Spike stayed behind for a moment. “We know what your going through mate.” Spike said softly. “Trust the girls. I do with my life and so does Buffy. They have gotten us through a lot over the past year.” “Sleep well Riley. We will talk more tomorrow” Buffy said with a sigh.
Buffy and Spike made their way to the family room. Everyone was there waiting. Buffy looked at Spike who was grinning from ear to ear. She smiled and shook her head as they entered the room.
Buffy began, “Before all the questions. Yes I am, about two months, and they can tell already because it’s twins, everything is fine, got vitamins, got exercise restrictions, ect….No not taking chances, no not made of glass, yes going to see the doctor regularly, yes Spike’s the Father and yes we will be getting our own place set up soon. Did I miss anything?” Buffy asked.
“Yeah who gets to tell Angel?” Xander asked. “Do you believe Finn and do you think he knows somehow about the babies?” Willow asked. Spike answered this time, “Me, and don’t know yet and don’t bloody think so. If we kept it from you lot for a few days how can captain cardboard know anything?” he smirked at the girls who in turn just giggled.
After a bit more talk about Buffy and Spike and the expected twins, and Riley they all said good night and went to bed.
Riley sat in his room. It was a nice place. He had been in much worst. He knew it was still a cell no matter how nice. He was able to get cleaned up. Put on the clean clothes they had brought him. He really wanted to check in with his superiors.
That they had been keeping things from him he knew, yet he had no idea how much they had keep from him. He wondered how much they actually knew about Buffy and Spike and how much of what he had been told was true. It was obvious that Spike had been through some kind of a change.
He just hoped that he could keep up the act and that they could help him find Sam. She was not part of this mission but he missed his wife and worried about what they had gotten her into. He knew her drive to get the job done no matter what and worried what she might do to complete her mission.
He also had to find a way to retire them both before they became subjects for research like others had. He took out his book from his pack and wrote down what he had learned from the new counsel and leafed trough the book Spike had given him and jotted down notes. Before sleep finally over took him he was beginning to believe more of what the Counsel said than his own organization.
Spike awoke in a sweat. One of the things he still was not quite use to. He had a dream he was back in the Iniative being poked and prodded by the doctors again. Buffy sat up sensing his mood and began rubbing his back. He had been having dreams for months now.
Buffy and Giles though it might be connected to his becoming human again and being Slayer like. The best they can figure it is like the Slayer dreams with a mix of Dru’s prophetic visions. Lately they had gotten more intense and frequent.
Giles has the research teams working on the prophecies to find out what was going on. Everyone was starting to feel that something big was about to happen. After a few minutes Spike settled back down. Holding Buffy fiercely he fell back to sleep.
As soon as he did a second dream started. In this dream he saw his children fighting a great evil and watched himself, and the LA gang all fighting evil hordes in an alley way. He saw most of them where dead or dieing from a previous battle.
It was down to him, Angel, some old evil in Fred’s body and a dying Gunn. A new horde of evil entered the alley as they prepared to fight again. *Was that a dragon?*Spike sat bolt up right in the bed. He looked at Buffy who was staring at him. Due to their connections to each other she actually saw parts of his dreams some times.
Angel opened the bedroom door seconds later. He was in town for the night with Gunn and Lorne. “What was that?” Angel said once the door closed behind him.
Buffy and Spike looked at him in shock. “What was what?” Buffy said. “Dragon?” Angel questioned. Buffy and Spike looked at each other as Angel came and sat on the bed with them. The three of them discussed what they had dreamed and Buffy took down notes to give to Giles.
They all lay back down together and held each other needing the comfort of the bond between them. They sleep a few more hours and then all went to the meeting with Giles.
Giles sat in his office after the first morning meetings. He went over the list in from of him.
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Author's Chapter Notes:
Disclaimers: I obviously do not own or claim to own any of the people, places or events written for BTVS or Angel. I do own all original people, places, and events in my stories. If I borrow from another writer I claim no ownership they own what I borrow and will have credit for it. I think that covers it.