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Chapter 6

"It seems almost anti-climatic that you'll be able to rid us of the demons with just a thought." Giles stared at the bright green crystal heart that Spike and Buffy had fought so hard to retrieve.

"Yep, kinda like the end Red's 'Thy Will Be Done' spell." Spike smirked at the blank looks. "Guess you all missed that little doozy. No freaking out over dogboy leaving you here?"

"Well, get rid of the hordes first. Then, you can tell us all about it," Faith replied. "I gotta hear this one."

Spike and Buffy grinned. Together they touched the Crystal Heart, shared the same thoughts on what they wanted to happen, and they sent the Senior Partners' demons to a hell dimension. The entire gathering gave a sigh of relief that things were back to normal. Well, normal for Sunnydale that is.

"Now tell us about Will's spell," Faith said. "It sounds like it might have been fun."

Buffy laughed. Then, she and Spike took turns telling the Scoobies, Illyria, and Gunn all about their faux engagement at the hands of the red-haired witch. Buffy even speculated that the reason this Willow never went as dark or as controlling was because she had never had to reensoul Angel. After they all had a good laugh, Giles decided to approach the subject of Joyce Summers.

"Buffy," Giles started. "I know you said that your mother passed away in your dimension, but here she still runs the art gallery here in Sunnydale."

"Mommy?" Buffy whispered. Her eyes filled with tears. She looked up at Spike, and they shared a look of longing for the woman that they'd both lost several years before. "But does she know about the whole Slayer gig?" She couldn't help remembering how her mother had reacted last time she had been told about Buffy's Chosen status.

"Yes. After our Buffy's death we told her the whole truth," Willow answered in a soft voice. "We even had Angel do a demonstration."

"Oh, that went well," Xander scoffed with an eye roll. "She was ever so thrilled to find out her sixteen year old daughter was hanging out with a 240 year old vamp."

"Didn't go over too well at home either," Buffy replied.

"She liked me well enough." Spike wiggled his eyebrows at Buffy. He'd always enjoyed the fact that Joyce Summers didn't mind him as a vampire, but she hated Angel.

"Only because you didn't brag that you deflowered her daughter." Buffy sighed. "I'd love to see Mom, if she wouldn't freak out. I don't want to cause her pain because I'm dead to her."

"We'll talk to her," Giles assured the petite blond Slayer. "Are you planning on going home soon?"

"Nothing there I need to get back for." Buffy shrugged a bit too nonchalantly. "Things went kinda sour after Sunnydale collapsed. The gang treated Spike's sacrifice like it was nothing."

"I don't have anything to go back to either." Spike put his arm around Buffy's shoulders. After all their recent talks, he knew how bad it had been for the Slayer after the Hellmouth collapsed. "Everyhing I want is right here." He hugged her tightly in support of whatever Buffy's choice would be.

"Ah, that's so sweet," Hope cooed. "Where can I find a boyfriend just like Spike?"

"What about R.J.?" Faith glanced at her sister in confusion. Last she had heard her younger sister was totally infatuated with the young football player.

"Isn't that the git with the woman-stealing letterman jacket?" Spike whispered to Buffy, and she nodded in embarrassment.

"R.J. left for Michigan State University." Hope pouted. "Besides he was never that..." She pointed at Spike and Buffy. "... glad to be around me." The dark-haired girl watched the happy Slayer and vampire.

"Why don't you two relax and enjoy yourselves for a while here?" Faith told Spike and Buffy. "You both absolutely deserve it." The dark Slayer thought about the stressful trials the other Slayer and her boy toy had endured. If anyone deserved a vacation it was those two.

"Yes, we'll send Joyce around in a few days if she feels that she can meet with you," Giles said.

"Okay." Buffy nodded before she turned to Spike. "So, fang face, wanna rent a movie and get some hot wings?"

"Sounds delish." Spike pulled Buffy towards the door as he whispered lewd nothings in her ear.

"Bye, guys." Buffy's giggling voice wafted back to the Scoobies.

"I think I'm going to spend the night in my office." Giles turned away with a grimace. "Those two need a house in the country with no neighbors to disturb with their antics." He shuddered as he remembered the reunion sexathon that had happen a few short weeks before in his apartment building.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Two days later, Spike was watching Passions when there was a knock at the door. He rose to his feet to answer, and he wasn't surprised to find the Slayer's mother on the other side. Spike was pleased to see how healthy Joyce looked. "Mrs. Summers," he greeted the woman. "It's a pleasure to see you."

"Hi." Joyce shifted nervously under Spike's bright blue gaze. "I got a garbled story about Buffy from Xander Harris and Rupert Giles." She stared at the bleached blond man.

"Hey, Slayer," Spike called over his shoulder. "Your mum's here."

"Mom!" Buffy rushed into the living room. "It's been so long!" Then, she stopped, unsure if Joyce would welcome any affection from a virtual stranger. She wasn't sure that it would matter how much said virtual stranger looked like her long dead daughter.

"Buffy, is it really you?" Joyce stepped into the apartment.

"Yeah, it's me." Buffy smiled showed her hesitation. She glanced at Spike. "Well, a version of me, for sure."

"My baby is alive!" Joyce threw her arms around Buffy. "I don't care if you're not 'my' Buffy. I've missed you so much."

"Me too, Mom," Buffy whispered. "We lost you where I was." Her eyes closed as a look of utter happiness settled on the Slayer's face.

Joyce stared at the bleached blond man from over Buffy's shoulder. Questions raced through her mind. Who was he? What did he have to do with her daughter? After a few moments, Buffy loosened her hold on Joyce, and the elder Summers woman was able to inquire about Spike's identity. "Who's your friend, Buffy?"

"Oh, Mom, this is Spike. You two got along really well back where we were." Buffy gave the vampire a loving smile. She moved to his side, and she took his hand. "And ... well ... we're not in a band together."

Joyce watched as the two blonds shared a secret smile.

Spike chuckled. "She can't play the drums, but she's not a half-bad singer." He hummed a tune that Joyce didn't recognize.

"Don't let him kid you, Mom." Buffy giggled. "Singing and Buffy is like one of many other things in my life, including driving."

"Totally unmixy," Buffy and Spike said together.

Joyce realized this must be a long standing joke for Buffy. She smiled at how close Buffy was to Spike and how happy they seemed to be. "So, how'd you two meet?"

Buffy gestured towards the couch. As the three of them sat down, she said, "There's something about Spike you need to know."

"Yes, Xander took great joy in telling me that Spike's a vampire." Joyce had a disgusted look on her face that concerned both Spike and Buffy.

"I love him, and he loves me." Buffy's jaw jutted out as she waited for Joyce's condemning words. She'd fought with all the Scoobies over her love for Spike. Her mother was the one person that had never argued against her about Spike's good qualities. Maybe it is fate that one side always has to be in disagreement, she thought sadly to herself.

"I can see that. It's all right. I won't fight it." Joyce put up a hand. "Mr. Giles explained everything after Xander left. That young man really needs some serious anger management classes."

Spike and Buffy looked at each other, and they said together, "He really does."

"Guess some things don't completely change, Slayer?" Spike questioned.

Buffy shook her head back and forth. "Guess not."

"How did you meet?" Joyce asked again.

"He was giving out death threats." Buffy giggled.

"You're the Slayer, and I was evil. What did you expect?" Spike winked at Buffy. "Our introduction was less painful than the one with your mum, luv."

"Oh yeah." Buffy clapped a hand over her mouth as she giggled. "It really was. Kerwhack! 'Keep your hands off my daughter!'" She brought her hands down as if holding on to something and smacked Spike in the back of the head.

"You're right handy with a fire axe, Joyce." Spike rubbed the back of his head in remembered pain.

"And the band story?" Joyce asked.

"Oh, that was eight or nine months later when we were trying to come to a truce during an apocalypse." Buffy squeezed Spike's hand. "The band story didn't work out too well. We had to dust a vampire in front of you. Kinda hard to hide the secret identity after that."

"Is that when you became involved?" Joyce was glad that Buffy had found someone that really cared for her.

"Oh no, that took years." Buffy launched into the tale of her life with Spike injecting comments when he felt the need. Finally, hours later, Buffy concluded with, "Then, we banished the demon hordes from this plane of existence."

"When are you returning home?" Joyce wanted to know. She hoped that they would stay for awhile. She really did miss her daughter a lot, and this Buffy was better than no Buffy at all. This Buffy was so much happier with herself and others than her Buffy had been.

Both Spike and Buffy shrugged. "Don't know," Buffy said. "You're dead. Dawn and the others aren't in my life any more. Hell, they even have some blond bimbo pretending to be me." She snorted in disgust.

"My everything is right here." Spike smiled at Buffy while he echoed the words he had told the Scoobies just days before. "If she's happy, I'm happy." The vampire tapped his leg for a moment. "Although, I wouldn't mind going back for your birthday presents though. If they're still there."

"Please stay," Joyce pleaded. "I'm sure Faith wouldn't mind the help. Please."

"I guess we could stay for awhile," Buffy said softly. "It'll be nice to be wanted for a change."

"I'll always want you, Slayer," Spike whispered into Buffy's ear. "You're the one. I love you."

"So are you, Spike. I've seen your worst and your best. You're one hell of a man." Buffy cupped Spike's cheek. "I love you, too."

On a shelf in the Magic Box, the Crystal Heart glowed brightly before it disappeared back to the Crystal Tower. It went back to where it would wait for the next Slayer and the vampire who loved her to come searching for it. As it was Buffy Summers and William the Bloody would be legendary. Their adventures were far from over! If they needed the Heart again, all they would have to do was call for it, and it would go to them.





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