Author's Chapter Notes:
I haven't disappeared off the face of the earth. I've been bust.
Disclaimer: Sadly I own none of these characters or the universe.
I didn't drop off the face of the earth but I have just been busy. This story will be finished I can promise you. Thanks to every one who has been reading and following. I'm so sorry about the delay.

Special thanks to Ginar369 for the beta. Any remaining mistakes are my own.

Chapter 14

Spike was feeling a little smug that Buffy had apologised in her own way especially as Angel was sulking and didn’t stay very long leaving the others to the books. Getting one up on the old grandsire was always fun. His chipper mood was worn away pretty quickly as he was given an armful of books. Shit. Now that Buffy and he were back to normal more or less any shirking of their duties was non-negotiable. Dawn was looking curiously through a number of books, still blissfully unaware of the fact that she was the Key. Spike went back on forth on the idea of whether she should or shouldn’t know. Sometimes, he thought it would be safer and she had the right to know, then other times he imagined the sucker punch finding out you’re a magical ball of mystical energy would be. Perhaps, Joyce and Buffy had the right of it. It was too much for anyone, let alone a teenage hormone bomb.



The night passed in a blur of research. The more tired Spike and Buffy got the less help they were and couldn’t help sniping at one another rather than reading the material.

Buffy sighed loudly and slammed her book down on the table. She pouted and looked at Giles with a pleading expression, “My eyes are sore. I’m a hit things kind of girl.”

Spike snorted from behind a particularly boring tome. “My nose had learned that lesson well. Good job I have supernatural healing. Broke my nose often enough.”

Buffy glared at him and the vampire responded with a two fingered salute. A snigger from Dawn reminded him who was in the room and he was met with a disapproving look from Joyce.

“Sorry, Joyce,” he said with a sheepish grin.

He wasn’t quite sure why he was apologising. He shouldn’t really; he was a bad, rude vampire and apologising about offending the sensibilities of a lady was unnatural. He didn’t think he could blame the spell for that; that secret would dust with him. The Summers’ women had a way of getting under his skin and reminding him he was a man once.

Joyce yawned, “It’s past midnight. I think Dawn and I will head to bed.”

“Mom?” her youngest protested. “I don’t have school in the morning.”

Spike smirked at her objection. The little brat had been yawning and rubbing at her eyes for the past hour. Dawn got to her feet reluctantly unwilling to test the stony expression on her mother’s face.



Two hours later and the only people left were Buffy and Spike. The two witches and the Watcher left shortly after one. As the clock struck two Spike turned to the Slayer.

“Going to go get some rest, Slayer?”

“I can’t. Dawn’s upstairs in her bed and we still haven’t figured out how to get rid of Glory. What about you?”

Spike laughed, “Creature of the night, remember?”

The pair lapsed into silence, resenting the research but both united over their determination to make sure no harm would come to Dawn.

After several moments, Buffy spoke again. “Do you really think we can beat a hell god?”

“If anyone can you can. You Scooby’s have thwarted all my evil plans.”

Buffy snorted, “You’re hardly in the same league.”

Spike put his hand on his heart. “That hurts, Slayer. I’ll have you know I’m as evil as that skank, not quite as strong but just as sneaky if not sneakier.”

Buffy’s lip quirked into a smile.







The next morning Spike and Buffy were both looking a little peaky as they had no sleep. That wasn’t the only thing they had none of.

“All that book time and nada,” Buffy moaned to her mother mid bites of pancakes.

Spike was savouring his own delicious pancakes dipped in blood. He raised his head as he heard the front door open and close. Red burst into the kitchen looking excited and the good witch was right behind her girlfriend.

“I just made breakfast,” Joyce said. “We have plenty to spare. Would you girls like some?”

“Yes – please.” Red was almost bouncing on her feet and clearly was dying to tell them something.

Tara sat on Spike’s left and gave him a little smile. “Thank you, Joyce.”

“Spill, Red, before you spontaneously burst.”

“I had an idea,” she explained. “Remember that spell we did to put Xander back together after Toth’s magic laser?”

Buffy and Spike nodded at a loss where the witch was going with this.

“Tara and I think we know how to know how to manipulate that spell to separate Ben from Glory and we were thinking if we could separate that we might be able to kill her. If she needs Ben’s to survive and his body is her prison then…”

“She’s weak,” Spike finished.

He could see the cogs running in the Slayer’s brain as she caught up what her friend was saying. That was an ambitious task. Would the witches really be able to accomplish that?

Buffy seemed to have no such qualms about her friends’ magical ability. “What would I do without you?”

Willow beamed. “Tara and I are trying to rework the spell but we think we are nearly there.”

Buffy threw her arms around her friend. “Will, you’re a genius.”

Spike smirked. “Oi Glinda. The Slayer is making a move on your honey.”

“Shut up, Spike,” Willow and Buffy said in unison.

“You’re a pig, Spike,” Buffy had to add.

Buffy rolled her eyes at Spike’s satisfied smile.

“You coming on to my Willow?” Tara asked with her trademark lop sided smile. “I’d be okay with that if we could make it a threesome.”

Spike’s mouth dropped open and the three women started to laugh. Joyce rolled her eyes, although she couldn’t hide the upward turn of her mouth.

Spike chortled. “Been around a long time. Should have remembered it’s always the quiet ones you have to watch out for.”

Joyce looked at her watch, “I’m going to work. Make sure that Dawn doesn’t stay in bed too late.”

“Bye Mom!”

Joyce made as far as the door, before stopping and saying over her shoulder, “Keep me updated, okay.”

“Sure, I promise.”

Buffy sent a reassuring smile her mother’s way as she left, but no sooner did the door close behind Joyce the smile disappeared and she was wearing that expression of single minded determination.

“Let’s get back to the Glory situation.”

Willow nodded and continued, “We can tweak the spell so that the strongest part comes out being Glory.”

Buffy bit her lip, “Do you really think you could do it? I mean it would mean we wouldn’t have to hurt Ben and we would be done with Glory.”

Spike snorted. “Don’t be so naive, Slayer. That’s a serious amount of witch power and there’s always a price. Not sure if the boy could survive all that.”

Buffy’s face fell.

“But what choice do we have?” Willow argued.

“You’re right there, Red. No point hiding from the truth. We’re buggered and I don’t see any way out of it. I happen to like the Little Bit. Better than the rest of you lot any road.” He watched Buffy’s face for a reaction. “Except for Joyce. She’s a fine lady.”

Buffy scrunched her nose, “Eww! Have you got the hots for my Mom?”

“No!” Spike looked sick at the thought. “She reminds me of me Mum is all.”

He looked up in horror at the fact he had admitted that out loud. Buffy looked away and she had a little smirk on her face. Spike knew if he was human he would be blushing. But it was true, Joyce did remind him of his gentle mother not the demon that had inhabited her body after he turned her. He shuddered at the memory and shoved it back into the deeper recesses of his mind.



Shortly after breakfast Giles, Harris and his girl arrived. Buffy had rung them the minute she had finished her breakfast. She was still excited about the idea that Red and Glinda had. Spike was a little more cautious. He could understand that she was desperate to find a way to defeat a seemingly unbeatable enemy and she was anxious to do it without hurting a human, but this was a lot of mojo that Red was looking at conjuring. He couldn’t help but notice that Glinda looked a little apprehensive too. He was glad someone else other than him was aware of the danger of invoking magic.

Spike watched the reaction of the Watcher as Red explained her plan. Giles’ frown deepened as he heard the plan but he remained silent until she had finished.

“That’s quite ambitious, Willow.”

“Don’t you think I can do it?”

“I have no doubt of your ability, however I have to admit that I think we need to do a bit more research before we can proceed.”

“What if we don’t have time?” Buffy asked softly.

“It’s better to be safe than sorry,” the Watcher replied.

“Just don’t wait too long,” Spike said, “Sometimes, all the research in the world can’t save you...”

Giles glared at him and Spike rolled his eyes. “I agree with you. Red needs to be sure of what she is doing, just we have to the realistic. Glory could skip in here any minute and whale on us. Best be ready but let’s be quick about it.”





Spike went into the kitchen to get another cup of blood. Ever since he had been living here in Revello Drive Joyce was always good enough to make sure the curtains were pulled as much as possible in the kitchen and the living room. He went to the freezer and pulled out a bag of blood. He tore a hole in the top with his teeth and poured the contents into what was now his designated mug and put it into the microwave.

Glinda followed him into the kitchen. She smiled shyly and made her way over to the sink to wash her cup.

“Are you as confident as Red about this spell?” Spike asked.

Tara turned from her place at the sink and looked at him. She bit her lip. “I’d be lying if I said I was entirely comfortable. But if anyone can make it happen Willow can.”

“Be careful, pet. Red can get a little carried away at times. The Slayer would be very upset if anything happened any of you lot.”

The look that Tara gave him told him she could see right through him, however, she said nothing allowing him his pretence. She turned back to the sink and continued to rinse her cup.

“How does it feel to be back in your adult body?”

“About bleedin’ time, pet. If I had I had to wear any more of the ridiculous outfits I’d have had to stake myself or walk in the sun.”

He had to admit there had been benefits, among them the time he spent in Buffy’s company when she was happy to have him around and being mothered by Joyce and truth be told Tara.

“Thank you,” he said before he could stop himself. “I’ll bite you if you tell anyone,” he added.

“Sure you will,” she said.

“Couldn’t you at least pretend to be a little frightened of me? Give a bloke a little ego boost if you will.”

She threw her arms around a surprised Spike and squeezed him. He went ramrod straight for a moment, before returning the hug.

“Just had to do that one last time before you’re fully back to your Big Bad self,” she whispered in his ear. “This little slip can be our little secret.”

Spike chuckled, “You might look like a lamb, but there’s a tiger underneath there. You’ve got fire in there, pet.”

The pair returned to the sitting room, where the gang were getting ready to hit the books.





Several boring hours later the gang were exhausted and in truth none the wiser. It was enough to fray even the most even of tempers. Joyce had checked in a few times throughout the day for any news. Apparently, she was stuck doing a double shift as one of the staff let her down. Spike was squashed between Glinda and Dawn on the couch. He was dying for a smoke, but he daren’t move as Nibblet’s head was lolling on his shoulder and she was snoring lightly. He didn’t want to wake her. Buffy, Giles and Willow were sitting at the table surrounded by books. Anya and Xander had managed to escape what Buffy had dubbed the snooze-a-thon with their work commitments. The Bit begin to stir and her lolling head jerked up.

“I’m not sleeping,” she mumbled.

“Sure you weren’t, Bit. I just imagined the wet patch on my shirt.”

Dawn stuck out her tongue. “Asshole.”

“Careful, pet. Your Mum might decide to kick me out for being a bad influence.”

Tara snorted to his right. She was saved form a snarky remark when the vampire was distracted by a sudden noise.

“What’s that?”

Spike peered out the window spotting the Great Forehead wandering up the drive. Grudgingly, he opened the door for his grandsire.

“Hullo, Peaches. Bring the rain clouds with you?”

Angel gave him a withering glare. Spike couldn’t help but chuckle at his expression.

Giles waved Angel over to him and the two started talking animatedly about Red’s proposed plan. Spike smirked as Buffy smothered a yawn.

“How are you going, Slayer?”

“Not.” She pursed her lips and slammed down her book. “I give up! I’m going to go on a quick patrol. I think I need some air…and some violence.”

She turned to Angel, “Will you stay here while I head out for a bit?”

Spike felt a little put out that she was asking the other vampire when he was the one that had been here all the time and Peaches was only just after waltzing in.

“Of course, Buffy,” Angel replied.

She gave her ex a smile that made Spike’s stomach curdle. Before he could utter a word of dissent, Buffy jumped up from her seat with grin. “So, are you coming or what, Spike?”

She didn’t need to say it twice.



To be continued...


Chapter End Notes:
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