Chapter 4

Summary: Spike and Giles do a little British bonding.

Disclaimer: Joss Whedon owns Buffy the Vampire Slayer and I don’t, basically.

Spike woke up to the early morning birds chirping. Fortunately always a warning that the sun is about to rise. In a slight sleepy daze, Spike went to lift himself up from his bed when the sound of chains rattling and the sudden tug of metal against his wrists reminded him that he’d been bunking up with his mortal enemy.

Alone in the Summer’s basement Spike took a good look around the dank environment he had to sleep in, but he had to admit it was no more depressing than his new crypt (until he does it up a bit. You know, a touch of paint, new decor, the expensive type of course, maybe even an afghan throw rug). Spike was grinning to himself when Buffy barged down the creaky stairs yelling at him to get off his lazy ass and make breakfast.

"Ah bugger off Slayer, I just got up! It’s hard adjusting to human hours ya know… plus your forgetting something here? Not like you " Spike held up his chained wrists shaking them in front of her sleep filled eyes.

Sighing, Buffy pulled the rusty key out from her pink sweats and reached over to unlock Spike, unfortunately. She liked seeing Spike chained up and vulnerable, in a way it kinda turned her on, an evil vamp reliant on the living, especially a slayer, a female slayer at that!

‘God, I should really stop having evil Buffy thoughts’ Buffy noted to herself, scowling.

"Hurry up luv, haven’t got all day" Spike said, noticing Buffy struggling to unlock the second cuff. Her hair was slightly tangled and the slight crease marks on the side of her face indicated that she too had just awoken. Spike realised how cute she looked, he had never seen her in the early morning light, so young and soft, her skin felt like silk as she rubbed up against his arm, cursing the key that wouldn’t fit into the hole. Spike then remembered, ‘she’s not so cute when she opens her big mouth though.’

Finally, Buffy yanked open the last cuff, "There now, get dressed and I’ll meet you in the kitchen."

Buffy stood up, wiping imaginary dirt off her white, cotton singlet.

"Um luv, hate to break it to you but I am dressed" Spike stood up and slowly spun around, revealing his exquisite attire, black jeans and the classic black, abb hugging t-shirt.

"Ooookay than" Buffy said dragging out her o’s "Just meet me upstairs then" Shaking her head at the annoyance of the blonde vamp, she hurried upstairs.

Spike sat back down on the tiny cot and heaved on his combat boots, "Bossy Bitch" He announced out loud.

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In the kitchen the blinds had been drawn to shield out the sun. Buffy was fussing around in the open fridge, humming to herself, completely oblivious to Spike’s presence.

"Slayer senses failing on you today pet?" Spike smirked, leaning against the Kitchen Island. Buffy jumped slightly, knocking her elbow against the fridge door. "Ow" she cringed rubbing her elbow, "Don’t sneak up on me like that"

"Sorry" Spike mouthed mockingly

"I guess nothing gets in the way of the slayer and her food?" Spike smiled reaching for the bacon about to drop from her hand.

"One tug of the blind Spike and your dust. Watch your words round me and keep in minimal contact and we shouldn’t have a problem with the sun light accidentally seeping past the shades."

She continued, "There’s a list from mom of ‘things to do’ on the fridge, I’m gonna take a quick shower and get ready to go shopping. Willow and I have planned a much needed retail therapy day so no trouble from you ok?"

"Yes mam" Spike saluted, rolling his eyes as Buffy brushed past ‘accidentally’ elbowing him in the gut.

Spike winced but kept his position against the island "Be thinking bout you luv!" Spike yelled but Buffy had already slammed the bathroom door on the second floor.

The list on the fridge, held up by a pineapple magnet, was printed in bold as Spike removed it and scanned over the excruciating painful tasks that were to come.

Suddenly the doorbell rang and Spike looked around, not knowing what the sound indicated, he hadn’t been in a modern house for quite some time. After a couple of seconds it rung again. "Ah" said Spike he finally linked the sound to someone present at the front door.

"Hold your horses," he yelled as he unhooked the latch and swung the door open, hastily jumping back from the streams of sunlight suddenly filling the hallway.

"Spike" Giles removed his glasses and stepped into the house, his eyes searching for Buffy.

" Watcher…." Spike folded his arms "Not surprised to see me here then?" he muttered.

"Not at all. I had a word with Buffy last night and she fortunately filled me in on the little arrangement you had with her mother."

"Well then, glad you heard right, I reckon her mom’s got it sweet on me, might be able to work her a little bit, get out of some of the chores she expects me to do. Bloody slave driver she is" Spike waved the list in front of Giles’ face.

Giles was silent for a moment as he placed his glasses back on to his nose and strolled into the living room, placing himself on the sofa’s arm.

"Yea, well make yourself comfy there Rupert and I’ll let the Slayer know you’re here" Spike pointed out, slightly uncomfortable about being in the room alone with the Watcher.

"Ah…. actually Spike I’ve come here to specifically talk to you. You see, I have a proposal for you to consider" Giles said, wringing his hands nervously, trying to catch a reaction on Spike’s face.

Spike, not moving an inch of his body replied, "Do you now Watcher? What’s it to be then? Or more importantly, hand over the dosh first"

Sidling over to meet Giles’ glaring eyes, Spike continued, "I never thought the day would come when a Watcher would ask for the help of ‘William the Bloody.’

"Anyway…" Giles choose to ignore the comment, "As I was saying, the Council recently informed me of an impending apocalypse and as we all know the Slayer is the only one who can cease it’s activation"

"Naturally" Spike sarcastically responded.

"The manuscripts require the Slayer to pass on her genetic material when she reaches the age of 19 in order to pass on the Slayer lineage" Giles said, as he stood and began pacing in front of the vampire.

"Come again Rupert, not quite getting the gist here…" Spike said.

"Buffy. Has. To. Have . A. Baby" Giles spelled out.

"Riiight…. I get that part but what’s it got to do with me?" Spike questioned, hesitant as to where the conversation was leading.

"Naturally, we would prefer the Slayer to conceive the child with a man of her choice but that’s just not possible. We need someone who can match her physical and emotional strength." Giles continued, glancing at Spike’s eyebrows beginning to twitch.

"Originally, I thought of Angel to be the most likely candidate as his physical strength matches that of Buffy’s but it came to my attention that without a soul, Angel, or rather Angelus, has no emotional willpower against his demon. You, on the other hand…. well let’s just say I know you are capable of some sort of emotions other than, well I guess you’d say ‘evil’" Giles ran his hand through his thinning hair and waited for a response.

"Well I’m touched" Spike placed his palm on his chest, across his unbeating heart "Tell you what, nice of you to think of me after what we’ve been through. Fancy watching Manchester vs Leeds on cable tonight? Almost like having front row seats!" Spike grinned, pointing at Buffy’s TV.

Spike never really had anyone to watch the British Football with, he needed a footy mate, even if it had to be a poncy, old bugger who spends a phenomenal amount of his free time dusting grubby, old books.

"Just because I’m asking you to help Spike, doesn’t mean that we are to become best mates. I find you incredibly annoying and you nick all my food! Plus….I have a reputation to uphold" Giles stammered with his poor excuses. He wouldn’t mind getting back into the old footy but Spike would be the last person he would ever watch anything with.

Hearing the water from the shower switch off, Spike leaned in closer with his arms crossed "Don’t think I can help you out with your little proposal there mate."

He continued, "For one…" Spike held up his index finger, "My little buddies down there aren’t really alive and two….. I don’t fancy banging the slayer up while Soldier Boy’s probably watching on, making sure she doesn’t enjoy it too much, not that I mind an audience of course but I think I’d prefer it to be a bunch of Playboy Chick’s instead."

"For one" Giles swiped away Spike’s two fingers propped in front of his face, "You are not under any circumstances required to have sex with Buffy and two….." Giles had become agitated with the lack of progression the conversation had taken, "We have medical specialists within the Council who will inject a substantial amount of various hormones into your body to get them alive and kicking and then you ‘fill the cup’ in private."

"You mean ‘toss myself off’ to a bunch of plastic women faking orgasms?" Spike smirked.

"I guess if that’s what you call it than yes, that is all you have to do and you can get back to being Joyce’s slave driver" Giles sniggered and retrieved a bunch of notes from his shirt pocket.

"Here" Giles handed the wad of money over to Spike who raised his left eyebrow in surprise.

"Hopefully this may assist you in your decision."

Spike meticulously counted each note separately, "$5000, not bad mate, I guess that means a ‘yes’ then…I’m in" He folded the notes up and shoved them into his duster pocket.

Suddenly, a thought occurred to him, "What happens to Buffy?"

Giles noticed the concern in Spike’s voice and watched how the vampire’s eyes softened at the mention of her name.

"She is to never know about your contribution ok? I’ll tell her it was shipped over by the Council, only they know who it belongs to. Our specialists will then artificially inseminate her egg, hopefully succeeding. It’s a very complicated procedure and if it fails we won’t have much time to try again."

"Does she know yet?" Spike’s voice softened once again.

"Not yet, tonight I’ll tell her so keep your trap shut if that’s possible" Giles said as he moved over to the hallway and opened the front door, allowing a stream of light to pass through.

"Hey watch it" Spike jumped back automatically, his hand slightly singed.

"Oh sorry bout that, nearly forgot!……Tonight 9.30, meet me at the front of the hospital and I’ll show you where to go from there" Giles whispered as he quietly shut the door behind him.

‘What have I gotten myself into?’ Spike thought to himself, pressing his hands into his face.

"Spike?" Buffy shouted from the top of the staircase. She was now fully dressed, rubbing her wet hair with a towel, "Who you talking to down there? I thought I heard voices"

"Just talking to myself luv, you know how it is" Spike looked up at her, focusing on her bare, tanned legs emphasised by her white, denim skirt.

"Typical….You gotta get yourself a girlfriend Spike, sounds like you need someone to talk to" Buffy span on her tiptoes and marched back into the bedroom.

All Spike could do was sigh.

TBC