CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Three months after Joy’s birth, things back at the Watchers Council in London were far from idyllic. Dawn was due to start her university course and Willow was frantically trying to find a replacement even a quarter as good. Not only was Dawn a whiz at research but she now was more than capable of doing basic spells, such as locators, which took some of the work load from Willow.
“I was hoping one of the slayers would step in to fill Dawnie’s shoes but I think the words slayer and research are just unmixey things,” moaned Willow to Giles as she yet again drew a blank in her interviews.
“It must be programmed into them,” laughed Giles.
Andrew walked into the room looking grave.
“Had another report of trouble in LA.”
“Another?” exclaimed Giles, “How many is that now?”
“It takes it up to fifteen over the past couple of weeks. The feeling out there is that something’s searching for someone or something.”
“What kind of nasty are we dealing with? What sort of demon?” asked Willow.
“Preliminary reports indicate that it’s most likely vampires but there’s a level of organisation behind them that’s unusual. The office over there is worried something big is brewing,” answered Andrew.
“I think we need to get someone out there,” said Giles, “They haven’t really had any field work experience yet.”
“No, things have been pretty quiet since we upped the slayer numbers,” added Willow.
“But evil’s resilient and is obviously adapting to the new numbers of slayers,” said Giles, “Andrew, I think you’d better contact Xander and get him to go and investigate. We can’t spare anyone from here.”
“I’ll e-mail him right away,” Andrew replied.
“Ooh! Get him to call in here first before he goes to LA Buffy’s bringing Joy up for a visit and I’m sure he’d love to see her,” said Willow.
“Good idea. Plus we can get him up to speed on what we know before he gets on site,” said Giles.
“Is Spike coming with Buffy and Joy?” asked Andrew, as ever keen to see him.
“Yes, but not for the first few days. Buffy has finally gotten him to agree to allow them come up first. I think she needs a bit of space,” answered Willow.
“Problems?” asked Giles.
“No, not at all. It’s just Spike’s being so super helpful it’s making her feel a little smothered, but she loves him to death, no fear of that changing,” said Willow firmly, “Think she just needs a little adventure and bringing Joy up will be that. Spike’s going to come on the train at the weekend and drive back home with them.”
“When are they arriving?” asked Andrew.
“Monday,” replied Willow.
“Let’s not mention the troubles in LA to Buffy just yet. When you e-mail Xander tell him just to say he’s going over there to sort out their training techniques if she asks,” said Giles.
“Good idea, don’t want to stress her out,” agreed Willow.
Ooooooooooo
The morning of Buffy and Joy’s departure arrived, Spike sulkily helping to pack the car for their stay.
“Bloody fought a sodding apocalypse with less stuff than this,” he grumbled as he carried out what seemed to be the hundredth bag.
“Oh, stop being so bad moody,” said Buffy, “You’re going to upset Joy.” She smiled to herself as he immediately stopped his moaning and made sure Joy’s travel cradle was securely fitted.
“Works every time,” she said to herself.
The thing that had made it easier for Spike to let them go without him was the fact Xander would be there for a couple of days. He and Xander had never been exactly friendly and Spike felt uncomfortable knowing that Xander still remembered much of the bad he’d done in his vampire pre-soul days; not the least the attack on Buffy, which he still keenly felt with horror even though the girl in question had quite obviously forgiven it.
“No, I won’t miss seeing Xander.”
Finally everything was packed into the car, including little Joy. He walked with Buffy to the car door, kissed her passionately and told her to ring him the instant she arrived.
“Course I will,” Buffy hugged him, got in the car and drove away.
“Everything I love in the world is in that car,” he thought as it disappeared round a corner and he dispiritedly walked back into the cottage.
He went into the kitchen and poured himself a large measure of whiskey, not caring that it was only 11am.
“Everything’s so perfect, just can’t help thinking it’s too good to be true,” Spike thought as he downed the drink in one swallow, grimacing as it burned its way down his throat.
“Don’t be so bloody maudlin,” he scolded himself.
He’d see them again on Saturday and so decided he’d just better make the best of it. He went out into the garden and started to tend to the plants, trimming off the dead blooms and weeding, finding as always that it calmed him down and cheered him up.
Oooooooooo
Buffy pulled up outside the Council’s offices and hoped there’d be someone to help lug all her stuff up the three flights of stairs to Giles’ apartment. She needn’t have worried - within seconds of her turning off the ignition the gang was there. One advantage of having a witch as a best friend was that she always knew when you arrived.
“Xander!” cried Buffy, hugging him so hard he had to tell her to stop.
“Hey, Buffster, I know you’re not big with the slaying these days but you kinda still got that old super strength thing going,” he laughed.
“Oh God! Sorry, sorry. It’s just I haven’t seen you since…” she hesitated.
“Yeah, since Spike announced his return, like a phoenix from the ashes,” finished Xander.
“Where’s my niece?” asked Dawn. She looked in the front seat where Joy, true to form, was fast asleep in her cradle, all strapped in and secure.
They got Joy and all the bags, most of which it has to be said were hers, and trekked upstairs.
“I don’t know how Mom used to cope with us,” said Buffy when they were sitting together having lunch, “I get tired out and I’m a slayer!”
They all laughed.
“Shit!” exclaimed Buffy, “I haven’t phoned Spike!”
She pulled out her phone and called him. He picked it up on the first ring.
“Hi, we’re here safe and sound.”
“Was getting worried. Did you get caught in traffic?”
“Just a little,” lied Buffy, not wanting to let him know she’d gotten so caught up in showing off Joy that she’d forgotten.
“Well, glad you’re there okay, pet. Enjoy your stay and I’ll be on the train that gets into Paddington Station at 10.45 on Saturday morning. Give Joy a kiss and cuddle from me, love you.”
He hung up without waiting for her reply. Buffy knew he wasn’t being grumpy, she could hear the catch in his voice as he spoke. He really was ruled by his emotions; mind you he always had been even when he was a vampire.
That done she turned her attention back to her friends and sister, everyone taking turns in holding Joy, who seemed to enjoy all the attention.
“A big flirt just like her mom,” joked Xander.
Ooooooooooooo
That night Xander and Giles were alone in the library, everyone else had gone to bed.
“What’s the lowdown on the situation in LA, Giles? Do we know anymore than Andrew e-mailed me last week?” asked Xander.
“We’re still not sure. The attacks haven’t been proven to be connected but after so little activity over there since the fall of Wolfram & Hart’s branch it doesn’t seem prudent to think it’s just coincidence,” replied Giles, and he went on to outline the attacks.
“They’ve all taken place within a few blocks of the site of Wolfram & Hart. It’s not all on humans either, by any means, it’s mostly demons that have been reported dead. And they showed signs of torture, and when demons take on demons…….” said Giles.
“It’s not usually of the good,” supplied Xander.
The human casualties have been women; they’d been violently assaulted but no evidence of torture found on them. The local Watchers seem to think that it’s two groups working the town but I’m inclined to think it’s all part of the same thing.”
“I think the same,” agreed Xander. “We’ll know more soon enough when I get over there.”
He was due to leave for LA on Wednesday morning which gave him a full day tomorrow in the company of his three favourite ladies Willow, Buffy and Dawn. No wait, four favourites, adding Joy to the list.
Oooooooooooo
Spike got up at his usual early time and set off for his run. He was wearing shorts, no longer worried about how scarred his leg was, secure in the knowledge he’d gotten the girl of his dreams. He pushed himself a little harder today and went a little further, just wanting to fill up the day. Ironically there wasn’t any work for him this week as the new intake of slayers didn’t arrive until the week after.
‘Looks like a lot of gardening,’ he thought to himself as he ran.
“God, this is boring,” he said to himself later as he stopped for lunch. Even putting on a Sex Pistols album didn’t alleviate it. He hadn’t realised how little there was for him to do if the girls weren’t there with him.
After his evening run and a shower he wandered restlessly about, unable to settle. He decided to go to the pub where he and Buffy often stopped when out with Joy.
“Least I’ll get someone to talk to.”
He walked quickly down to the pub, found an empty stool at the bar and sat down, helping himself to a few peanuts from the bowl on the bar.
“Jack Daniels, please,” he said to the barman.
“Alone tonight?” queried the barman, “I don’t think I’ve seen you without your wife and baby.”
Spike didn’t correct him regarding the marriage thing as both he and Buffy considered what they had as a marriage and a piece of legal paper wouldn’t change that.
“Yeah, they’re away for a few days, visiting friends. I’m going up at the weekend,” replied Spike, glad it wasn’t busy so the barman, Eddy, could stay chatting.
“Funny how bar staff could get away with asking questions that would seem a bit off from anyone else,” thought Spike, as Eddy asked him about his injuries - the scar on his face and the limp.
“Car wreck,” he replied, opting for the easiest possible response, chuckling inwardly at what Eddy would make of the truth. “‘See, I was a vampire, got into a fight, big demon cut me with a sword, wall fell on me, woke up human!’ Just might get me kicked out of the place.”
“Must have been a bad one.”
“Yeah, lucky to be alive,” replied Spike, still enjoying his private joke.
There was an old man sitting at a table near the fireplace, a box of dominoes in front of him.
Eddy saw Spike glance over at him.
“That’s Ned, good ole boy, comes in every night, has couple of halves of mild and toddles off home. Usually tries to get a game of dominoes in if he can.”
“That right?” said Spike, “Think I might just go over and see if he wants a game.” He got off his stool and crossed the bar to Ned.
“Mind if I join you?” he asked, sitting down as the old man nodded.
“My name’s Spike,” he said, “Eddy said you’d give me a game of dominoes?”
“What sort of bloody name is Spike?” asked Ned rudely.
Spike looked back to see Eddy laughing.
“Well it’s…er… a nickname.”
“What’s your proper name then?” insisted Ned.
“William.”
“Right then, William let’s get on with our game. I’m a bit thirsty, mind. A drink wouldn’t go amiss.”
Before Spike could get up, Eddy arrived with another JD for Spike and a half pint of mild for Ned. He took Spike’s money with a wink and went back behind the bar.
A couple of hours later and having lost every game they’d played Spike decided to call it a night and went out to head for home. He opened the door and was greeted by darkness. He looked at his watch - it was later than he’d thought. He still, irrationally perhaps, feared the dark but he took a deep breath, raised his chin and stepped outside, pride not allowing him to call for a taxi for so short a distance. He walked as fast as he could, refusing to give in to the urge to run, knowing that if he did it would end in panic. He was relieved to see the cottage when it appeared through the gloom. He hurriedly opened the door, went inside and switched on a few lights.
“Nothing to worry about, Spike.” he thought ruefully, deciding that this avoiding of the dark must end. “Can’t have Joy having a Dad that’s scared of the dark.” He decided to go to the pub each evening, “Better a bit of a brisk walk in the dark than sitting here alone.”
To be continued...
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