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Buffy and Spike - over coffee


"So, I've just dusted the vamp - not my most challenging work, obviously; when this... this..."

"Tight-arsed bitch?" Spike supplied, smirking.

"YES!! Tight -arsed bitch. Gwendolyn Post (Mrs.) - sloppy slaying indeed; I'd like to see her do it." A puzzled look crossed Buffy's face, interrupting her rant, "How'd you know?"

"Oh, I have my sources. She checking up on Rupert, then?"

"Well, that's what she SAID: 'The watcher's council are concerned that your reports are sparse and Americanised.'" Buffy savagely mimicked Mrs. Post's prim, patronizing words. "She had the nerve to say that my slaying wasn't as 'efficient' as Kendra's and that Giles' library was inadequate!"

"Bet that went down well."

"Oh, yeah. But THAT was her undoing, see; Giles phones someone called Travers, in England and finds out that Bitch Post (Mrs.) has actually gone rogue and is in Sunnydale to find something called the Glove of Myhnegon, before a demon called Lagos, who's also after it."

"Don't tell me; she wanted YOU to kill Lagos and get the glove, so that SHE could take over the world."

"In one. It's amazing, the way you so readily grasp the workings of an evil mind."

"Innit though," He smiled, leaning across the table to kiss her, his face a picture of innocence.

"Anyway, the council sends a 'retrieval team' for her - all black clothes and attitude - and they take her away. I guess those watchers can be a bit dangerous."

"Bunch of pansies but I wouldn't underestimate them. Another coffee, pet?"

"Yeah, please. So, I kill this Lagos and Giles destroys the glove - living flame is just sooo weird - which really pisses off the black sweater brigade, coz they wanted it. 'Research purposes'."

"Yeah, I'll just bet."

"Spike?" Buffy asked, sipping her coffee, thoughtfully, "What were you like, before?"

"What's brought this on?"

"I've been wondering, for a while. The first time we came here, you told me about Angel but you never said what YOU were like."

"I wouldn't have, not then."

"Is it very bad? I know you were 'William the Bloody', before..."

"I was a pillock." He said, with a sigh. "My defining characteristic was 'love's bitch'. Still is."

"I don't get it, where did 'William the Blood..."

"Because I wrote bloody awful poetry. To women."

"You were a romantic, then?"

"A pillock. The night I died, the subject of my affections, rejected me. At a party, in front of everyone. Earlier, they'd all been talking about mysterious disappearances, speculating as to the cause. Ironic, as it turned out. I stormed off outside, met Dru and disappeared."

"She was behind the disappearances?"

"Yeah. Not by herself but, yeah."

"And 'Spike'?"

"One of the men at the party said he'd rather have a railroad spike driven through his head, than listen to my poetry. He was wrong, though." His voice was flat, emotionless; Buffy reached across and took his hand.

"I don't hold it against you - how can I? I knew what you were when I fell in love with you."

"Oh, Buffy, the things I've done..."

"But you're not like that now..."

"I could be, right circumstances, I could be; 'f anything happened to you..."

"Retribution would be swift and bloody?"

"Too right it would."

"Good to know."

"The violence impressed Dru, my not killing humans impresses you, I change to suit the circumstances - love's bitch."

"No, it's more than that. When I touch you it's like..."

"Coming home. I know. I've never felt this way about anyone else, ever."

* * * * *

Willow and Xander - lab scene: 'Lover's Walk'

Willow rechecked her ingredients, while she waited for Xander to arrive. This spell HAD to work. She had to stay faithful to Oz. This thing, with Xander, was so wrong and so right. She'd loved him her whole life and he'd never looked at her, that way. Then, there they were, dressing for the Homecoming dance and he'd kissed her. He wanted her, she wanted him - had always wanted him but she loved Oz. Dear, sweet Oz, who loved her and didn't deserve any of this.

"Smells like church," Xander said, sniffing the air, "Evil church."

"Just chemistry." Willow replied.

"No it's not," Xander said, noticing the spell book, "You're doing a love spell!"

"No. It's just a de-lusting spell, for us, to stop us...it's the only way."

"Only way? Willow, we don't need magic for that. We just...stop."

"Then why haven't we?"

"We stop RIGHT now," He said, sweeping her ingredients off the desk and into a bin he'd picked up from the corner of the room. "Cordelia has pictures of ME, in her LOCKER!"

"Huh?"

"A hot, beautiful girl, who can have pretty much whoever she wants, has pictures of ME in her locker. I think Cordelia loves me, I'm pretty sure I love her; we don't need magic to screw that up."

"How will it screw things up?"

"Remember MY love spell? The whole town wanting me and then wanting to kill me. You included. Remember how that felt? You wanted to KILL ME. Could you control yourself? No. If someone had told you it was just a spell, you still couldn't have stopped. Remember how Cordy and me ended up hiding out at Buffy's house? Her MOM came on to me! Magic is dangerous, Will. It messes with your head. Say you do this? What if we end up hating each other? What if it goes wrong and makes everyone in town hate us? You can't use magic to screw with people's feelings. You're not God."

"Not God? Where did THAT come from?"

"Forcing people to feel or not feel, changing our emotions to suit you. You want to use magic instead of will power."

"But we can't stop..."

"What if.... could you stand it if Oz suddenly, magically, hated you?"

"No. But he'll hate me if he finds out about us, I just want to..."

"There is no us. Magic is not the answer, Will. We are just friends and we WILL be faithful to the people we love. Now, let's go bowling."

* * * * *

Buffy and Spike - 'Amends'

"...So, with my test results, I could actually go away to college and both Mom and Giles say I should."

"What about the hellmouth? Aren't you meant to be guarding it?"

"Giles says he'll get Kendra here."

"So, where would you like to go?"

"Well, Willow wants to go to Oxford and I thought it might be fun to go with her but I wanted to talk to you, first."

"Oxford in England?" Spike asked, "THAT Oxford?"

"Yeah, that's the one and I wondered if you'd come with me, assuming I get in. Coz you know England and I wouldn't be so nervous about being in a strange country, if you were there. And I'd miss you so much if you didn't come and I think, away from Giles and Xander, that Willow would probably understand about us. Oh and my mom wants you to come over and eat with us, Christmas eve."

"Fine by me, pet." Spike said, with a smile. He'd had no idea that Buffy could talk for so long without breathing.

"Which bit?"

"All of it. I'd love to show you England or go with you, wherever you end up going and tell your mum, I'd be honoured to spend Christmas eve with you both."


Buffy and her mom had just finished trimming the Christmas tree, when Spike knocked on the door. He had a small, beautifully wrapped parcel in his hand and a wicker hamper, on the porch in front of him. Buffy opened the door. Spike handed her the parcel and then carried the hamper inside.

"Happy Christmas, Mrs. Summers." He said, putting the hamper down on the table. "This is for you."

"Please, William, call me Joyce. Is that what I think it is?"

"It's a Harrods food hamper, all the way from London. It's mostly chocolates, biscuits...er, I mean cookies and preserves, though. They won't deliver perishables this far away."

"I'm sure it will be wonderful, William; that's so thoughtful of you."

"Wow. How did you get it?" Buffy asked.

"I ordered it off the internet. What, did you think I popped back to England for the weekend?"

They all laughed.

"Can I open this now or do I wait 'til tomorrow?" Buffy asked, looking longingly at her present.

"You can open it whenever you want, love."

Smirking, Buffy tore the paper off. Inside, was a black velvet box. Buffy opened it and gazed at what was inside. A beautiful pair of ear rings: white gold studs with green stones that matched Buffy's eyes and large dazzlingly white diamonds.

"Spike.." She breathed, "They're so beautiful."

He tenderly slipped them on her and stood back to look.

"Good, they suit you."

"What would you have done if they hadn't?" Buffy asked, mischievously.

"Taken them back and got you something else, of course."

"I need to see them." She went to find a mirror.

"They look real." Joyce said, "That was very generous of you, William."

"It's not like I'm short of the readies. Before he died, my father made a lot of good investments." He didn't mention that a certain law firm had made it possible for the trust fund his father had set up for him, while he was still a baby, to be paying him a healthy income, even now.

"Buffy's been talking about going to school in England. I think she should."

"She needs to get away from the hellmouth."

"I agree. If she went, would you go with her? Keep her safe?"

"Of course."

"It was such a shock to find out about the monsters being real. I need to know she'll be OK."

"I will always do my best to keep her safe. I love her."

"I know. I can see it."

Buffy came back down, holding a gift box for Spike. Inside was a heavy, silver, chain bracelet.

"I love it, Buffy." He said, fastening it around his right wrist.


They had a lovely, relaxed evening, nibbling at buffet food and snuggling on the sofa to watch Bing Crosby in 'White Christmas'. It was quite late when Spike left and Buffy went up to bed, feeling like a normal girl for a change. As she drifted off to sleep, she couldn't help thinking that this was the nicest Christmas she'd had, since they'd come to Sunnydale.

To make the holiday atmosphere complete, just before dawn, a freak cold weather front caused snow to fall in L.A.....

* * * * *


'Gingerbread'
(Day one)

"You're trembling, pet. I think you need to forgo the coffee, tonight; have hot chocolate instead."

"Not tea?" Buffy replied, her voice shaking.

"Not in America, love." He said, firmly, "They don't know how to make it."

He smiled, beckoned the waitress and whispered in her ear. The waitress smiled and went to get their order. When she came back, she put a large hot chocolate down in front of Buffy. A hot chocolate with whipped cream on top, covered with chocolate sprinkles and a hint of ground nutmeg.

"Now, love, two big mouthfuls of that, then talk to me."

Buffy complied.

"Wow, that's great."

"So, what's up?"

"It's my mom."

"She sick?"

"No. She turned up on patrol. With a flask and sandwiches, she was trying to be all supportive. Just in time to watch me stake Mr. Sanderson, from the bank.

Spike winced at the image but sensed that there was to be more bad.

"Then, she wanders into the park and finds two little kids. Dead. She's completely traumatized and there's nothing I can do to make it better. Oh, I can kill whatever did it but that won't bring them back..."


(Day two)

"...It was unbelievable, Spike. She'd got the whole town together at city hall, the Mayor made a speech and then Mom got up and completely dissed the town. Saying it was just a haven for monsters and slayers..."

"She actually said that?"

"Yes." Buffy had tears in her eyes. "And Giles says that the symbol I saw, painted on the kid's hand, was used in witchcraft and it was probably humans that killed them. I'm not supposed to kill humans and Mom said that everone just ignores the goings on in Sunnydale and can she really not see a difference between me and the monsters?"


(Day three)

"...Now, she's formed this action group - Mothers Opposed to the Occult - M.O.O. It'd be funny, if it wasn't so crazy. They opened all the lockers at school, Willow and a few others are in trouble for having 'witch stuff' and they've taken Giles' books, so we can't even look stuff up."

"That's why we're meeting here, instead of going for coffee." Spike said. "I went to the park, earlier, to see if I could find anything. There was loads of flowers and stuff but no scent of dead children."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. There was a strong demon scent, though."

"But the children... Mom said my being the slayer was fruitless if I couldn't prevent things from happening. It seems I just react to stuff and no matter how many things I kill, it never gets any better."

"Buffy, there never were any children."

"Huh? But they're dead, I saw the bodies, there are pictures."

"What about they're parents, their names?"

"Tell me."

He led her over to a desk in the corner of his bedroom, where he had his computer.

"It's all here, on the net. Every fifty years, going back to 1649. Two dead children, followed by a town going into meltdown. Angry mobs persecuting innocent people, usually for alleged witchcraft - public stonings, burnings, hangings - you name it. No trials, just accusations followed by execution."

Buffy looked at the computer screen.

"Hansel and Gretel?"

"I think they're entities that feed off hatred, fear and death."

"I have to talk to Giles."

She phoned the school library. After a few moments, she hung up.

"That was Xander, they've been on the net, too; Giles has already left for my house. Willow might be in trouble, so Xander and Oz are going there."

"We'll go find your mum."

"Giles seeing you, will complicate things."

"Can't be helped, pet."

As it turned out, Giles was unconscious on the hallway floor and Buffy's mom had helpers. Buffy was quickly subdued with chloroform and Spike was whacked over the head. He made a snap decision and pretended to be knocked out; he was fairly certain Buffy wouldn't want him to hit her mum or her mum's friends. As Buffy was carried out the front door, he sneaked out the back and watched as she was put in one of the cars.

He slunk stealthily to his car and followed the car with Buffy in it.

At city hall, the car stopped and he parked out of sight and watched as Buffy's mom went inside. The two men were preparing to drag Buffy off the backseat of the car when Spike ran at them. His face was pure demon and he was roaring as though he were capable of swallowing a man whole.

One of the men pulled a gun and fired a couple of times but Spike kept coming. The two men left Buffy and fled inside.

"Buffy?" Spike said, stroking her cheek. He knew she was coming round, he could hear her heart speeding up.

"Spike?"

"You're OK, love." His voice was hoarse with pain.

"My mom?"

"She's inside. Buffy...I can't help you."

"Huh?"

"I got shot."

"Spike!" Buffy sat up, her head spinning from the chloroform. Blood was soaking down the right leg of Spike's jeans.

"Got my kneecap, I can hardly walk, let alone fight. I'm sorry."

"Can you make it to your car?"

Yeah."

"Wait for me there."

Reluctantly, Spike complied.


Buffy ran into the building, following the sound of shouting, until she found them. What she saw in the room, chilled her to the bone.

Willow and Amy were tied to wooden stakes, piles of 'forbidden' books, at their feet, waiting to be burned. There was a third stake which had been meant for Buffy. Stapled to it was a photo of her, which her mom usually carried in her purse. Her mom was at the front of the mob, which was mostly made up of irate parents; Willow's mom was right next to her. The two dead children who Buffy had glimpsed at her house, just as she lost consciousness, were egging on the crowd with pitiful pleas to 'kill the bad girls'.

"Buffy! You're not in hell." Buffy's mom shouted, as some of the men grabbed Buffy and pulled her towards the front.

"Huh?" Buffy said, as she lashed out at the men, knocking the gun from the hand of the one nearest her.

"I was told that the devil came and dragged you to hell. That's why I had to purify you in effigy, instead." Buffy's mom sounded so reasonable, as she gestured to the wooden stake with Buffy's picture on it. "Fire is the only solution to your problem."

"THEY'RE my problem!" Buffy shouted, kicking and punching her way through the crowd and pointing at the two 'children'. "Dead people are talking to you, do the math."

Someone had lit the fire and Willow was yelling at her mom to help her. Strange lights had started to swirl around Amy, who seemed to vanish, leaving her clothes behind.

"Burn the witches." The crowd began to chant, as, unnoticed, Amy the rat, slipped out from her clothes and scampered away from the flames.

Giles and Codelia burst into the room and, while Buffy struggled to reach Willow, Giles performed the spell to reveal the hidden demon. As Cordelia turned a fire hose on everything but the fire, the two manipulative dead children, embraced, melted together and elongated upwards to become a single and truly ugly, creature.

The men struggling with Buffy, abruptly let go and shrank away from the demon.

"Kill the bad girls." It growled but no one was convinced. Buffy hit it in the face, almost cutting her hand on its teeth.

"How do I kill it?" She shouted to Giles.

"How the bloody hell should I know? You're lucky I managed this much." He was staring at his books. The ones that weren't partially burned, were soaking wet and he knew how hard it would be to restore them.

Buffy shrugged and continued pummelling the demon, who had scored at least one hit; slashing her upper arm with its claws. She could feel blood running down and hoped it wasn't too bad. She was vaguely aware that Willow was being untied by Oz and Xander, as she finally managed to get the demon down and, with a burst of savage strength, twisted its head until she heard and felt the satisfying crack of its neck snapping. The creature went limp.

"You wanna burn something?" She shouted at her mom, "Burn that." Without another word, she walked away.


Spike was sprawled across the back seat of his car, sucking human blood from a hospital pack. Dalton was in the front, waiting to drive Spike and Buffy back to the factory.

"How's the leg?" Buffy asked, carefully climbing in, next to Spike, as Dalton drove them away.

"Better than it was. Blood helps."

He had phoned Dalton as soon as Buffy had left him and the faithful minion had rushed to the blood bank and then to Spike.

"You're bleeding, pet."

"Demon scratched me. It's toast."

"Can I...?" Spike leaned closer, the scent of Buffy's blood pulling him.

"Of course." She murmured, stroking his hair as he tenderly ran his tongue over her wound. She moaned and squirmed in his arms as he began to gently pull blood from her. "So good," She groaned, as his fingers slid under the fabric of her top and began to caress her breasts. "Oooh Spike, I can't wait to get home."

"Hmmm?"

"Your home, I mean." She realized that she no longer thought of her mother's house as home. When had that happened? When her mom drugged her or when she had seen a photograph of herself about to be burned at the stake? Her mom had been under the influence of a demon, she couldn't be blamed but even so, Buffy no longer trusted her.

"Was it very bad?" Spike asked, gently. He had felt Buffy's change of mood and realized what had caused it.

"I've been in worse fights," Buffy said, uncertainly, "But not against my mom. She'd nailed a photo of me to a stake. They'd tied Willow and Amy to stakes and the third one had been for me but they didn't have me. Mom said the men bringing me told her the devil dragged me to hell."

Spike raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah, I guess that'd be you. I think seeing my picture nailed up was worse than if I HAD been tied. They had all Giles' books and they were going to burn everything."

"Indoors? Bloody amateurs."

"Yeah." Buffy agreed, with a short, humourless laugh.

* * * * *

"Can I spend the night?" Buffy asked, uncertainly, when they got back to the factory.

"Of course but won't your mum worry about you?"

Buffy made a sort choking sound and Spike realized that she was crying. He picked her up and limped towards the bed.

"Your knee." Buffy protested, between sobs.

"Isn't as bad, now. Dalton dug the bullet out, while we were waiting for you and I've had plenty of blood."

He sat down on his bed and held her in his arms, while she sobbed into his chest.

"That's it, love; let it all out."

"She was going to kill me. I know she was being influenced by an evil demon but I can't help the way I feel. I don't trust her and I'm not sure I can face her."

"You will, just not yet." Spike said, soothingly; stroking her hair. "My guess is, she feels bad too and is probably thinking that she can't face you yet, either."

"You can't imagine what it's like, having your mom go evil."

"Yeah, I can." Spike said, softly.

Buffy looked up into his eyes and saw something she had never seen in them before. Shame.

"Tell me." She whispered.

"Don't look at me... I can't if you're looking."

Buffy put her head back down on the damp patch on his chest and he began to speak.

"My mum was dying of TB. There was nothing the doctors could do, back then and I had to watch the person I loved more than anyone else in the world, cough blood, lose all her energy and her looks; waste away before my eyes. I felt so helpless, Buffy. I had to pretend that everything was alright, for her sake; pretend that I thought she'd get well, that the sight of her growing weaker each day, wasn't killing me. I knew how much she wanted me to be happy, so I went to parties, wrote my poetry and hoped that she could see me married, before she died.

"When Dru sired me, I went home to Mother. I didn't feel any different to how I felt when I was alive. I wanted to help her. I sired her, Buffy."

Buffy could feel his tears in her hair but his voice stayed steady. She didn't interrupt.

"When she rose, she was so beautiful. She looked younger, the way I remembered her from before but more so; she was glowing. For a moment, I actually believed that we'd be together and happy, forever." He sighed and for a couple of heartbeats, Buffy thought he wouldn't continue.

"She told me that more than anything, she wished to be free of me; that she had always hated me. She said that she wished she had murdered me at birth. Then she..." His voice started to catch and Buffy held him tighter.

"She said that she knew I had always wanted her... sexually and she tried to...touch..... I staked her, Buffy. She had transformed into her demon face and she looked hideous... I was responsible for that... I had wanted to save her and instead I had murdered her and polluted her with evil. In the instant before she dusted, she was her old self, again. It was like those old vampire films, where they stake the girl and she goes from being a ravening slut beast, to a corpse with the face of an angel. That's when I knew that I was truly evil and I should stake myself. Then Dru came into the room and I pretended that everything was all right.

"I was so empty inside and I so wanted to impress Dru, especially once I found out how much she loved Angelus. It was like a contest, who could be the most evil. I never looked back."

He looked down at Buffy and smiled through his tears.

"Until now." He said. "Your mum couldn't help herself, any more than mine could. At least your mum's still alive."

"Thank you. I know what it must have cost you, to tell me that."

"Actually, I feel better. That's been weighing on me for over a century and for the first time, I've realized that it wasn't her, telling me those awful things, it was just some demon."

"Maybe, tomorrow, I'll feel better about facing Mom."

"You will. Now, let's get some sleep."





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