[Reviews - 327]
-
Table of Contents [Report This]
Microsoft Word Chapter or Story | ePub eBook Chapter or Story | Printer Chapter or Story

Has been viewed 4379 times

- Text Size +




The Protectors

By Heather Martin

Rated – R

Summary- The monks gave Buffy and Spike one night of fake memories. That would have been enough to change their lives. But when you add a glowing key in the form of an unborn baby, well . . . things wouldn’t just change, they would be turned completely upside-down

Disclaimer- Joss Whedon owns Spike’s eyebrow scar, his bleached hair, his crystal blue eyes, his manly arms, his muscular chest, his tight . . . *cough* Too bad isn’t it? But a girl can dream, right?

Spoilers- Starts during Out of My Mind. The entire Season 5, although I changed it tremendously to suit my own purpose




Chapter 13

He must have heard wrong. Maybe his ears were being affected by some kind of spell, like when Willow made Giles go blind. There just wasn’t any way that . . . The whole world would have tilted off its axes if. . . He couldn’t even think it.

Xander watched Spike exit the hospital room. He should have thrown the vampire against the wall and demanded answers. It wasn’t like the bleached menace could fight back. Instead he stayed put, waiting until Spike walked out of sight. He was just in too much stunned shock.

“Oh, Xander, I didn’t know you were here.”

Xander turned to face the pleasant voice. He forced a smile at Mrs. Summers. He had always liked Joyce. She made him feel welcome in her house at all times, unlike his actual residence.
“Why don’t you go visit Buffy? I can wait,” Joyce offered.

He shook his head. “No, I couldn’t possibly.”

“I insist. I’ll be here for hours anyway.”

So that was how Xander ended up in Buffy’s room right after Spike. He could have asked Joyce if what she had said was correct; but why when he could ask his friend directly. He knew that his fears were nonsense fabrications. There just wasn’t any chance that . . . She’d laugh at him for his foolishness. Maybe it was even a joke. Joyce had a sense of humor, same as her daughter. Get back at funny Xander for always doing the teasing.

Buffy lay in bed, small except for the bulge over her stomach. Her hand rested over the blanket covering the rise. He swallowed hard at the sight. Oh God, there could be a demon spawn inside there. How could Buffy possibly . . .? Evil images invaded his brain. Snyder in a tutu, Snyder in a tutu.

A bright grin came to Buffy’s lips. How could she be so cheerful when . . .? No. It wasn’t true, so she could smile. The smile was a good thing, keep smiling, Buffy.

“Hey.”

Did she say something? She’s waiting for a reply. Um . . .

“Did you and Spike have sex?” Oh my God! Did he just blurt that out!?

The grin disappeared. The slayer looked around for an escape. There was none, seeing as she was incapacitated.

“Did Spike tell you we . . . ?” Buffy demanded.

“I overheard your mom . . . She said Spike was the . . . “ He still couldn’t get it out.

“No.” She paused. “Spike and I haven’t had sex.”

He let out a sigh of relief. He knew it. This whole thing was some works of his overactive imagination. Joyce must have said something that rhymes with father. What rhymes with father? Lather. Rather. That didn’t make sense.

“I’m sorry, Buffy. I really thought I heard . . .” Buffy spoke at the same time. He stopped when he heard her say the word father followed by Spike.

“We haven’t. . . had sex. But Spike is the father.”

“I know about the birds and the bees. Last time I checked, Buff, sex was a given when a baby is involved.”

Buffy let out a fit of manic laughter. She couldn’t stop. She kept it up until tears accompanied it.

“Gotta get used to it, I guess. Common knowledge goes kablooey on the hellmouth. Some monks decided I’m the perfect vessel for some mystical key thing that opens doors. They combined Spike and my DNA to form a little girl out of it.” This seemed to make Buffy laugh harder.

People often say things make them sick. Xander’s stomach twisted up in knots. He literally felt like tossing his cookies over the situation. He averted his gaze from his best friend. He heard her laughter cease, and all he heard were choking sobs.

“Please don’t be mad at me,” she pleaded. “That’s why I lied about Riley. I knew you’d do this. You can’t even look at me now.”

The thing was he wasn’t mad. Not at her anyway. He forced his eyes back. He stared at her crumpled face and he understood. She hadn’t planned this, she had been thrown into it against her will. Poor Buffy. What she must be going through.

“I’m sorry,” Xander whispered. She probably thought he was apologizing for his actions. But he was sorry for the monks doing this to her. He was sorry for her being pregnant. He was sorry for Riley dying. He was sorry for her having a part of Spike inside her. Mostly he was sorry for the fact that he could look in her eyes, but he couldn’t look down at her baby.

Buffy reached out to him. He hugged her gently.

+ + +

Willow stared from her bed in silence as Xander ranted. She knew he needed to get this out without interruption.

“I can’t believe this! Spike! ‘Spike’! The vampire that tried to kill us is the father of Buffy’s kid! How could God, or whatever is up there, do this to Buffy?”

The witch opened her mouth. Xander continued to pace frantically in front of her seat.

“She’s going to have to look upon the face of a monster every time she kisses her daughter.”

Okay, now that was a little too much. Willow stood up. She took a step toward him. “Xander, I don’t think –“

“No, Will! That is exactly what is going to happen. Buffy saved the world countless times and the damn Holy Spirit is repaying her by impregnating her with evil.”

Oh, Goddess, please give me strength. She had to force herself not to use her powers in order to get him to sit down and calm himself. He was being irrational and overdramatic.

“Xander. . .” She spoke softly and slowly. “The powers only interfere when it is necessary. This must be the best thing for Buffy otherwise they’d do something. Or, maybe Buffy wants this. Ever think of that?”

He didn’t seem to hear her. He turned to face her. “We can do something! ‘You’ can do something. You’re a witch. All you have to do is a spell.”

Willow shook her head. Huh? Where was Tara when you needed her? Tara had a calming affect on people. Or Giles. Giles would be good.

“You could-could take the thing out of her. You don’t have to destroy it. Transform it into something else. If the monks could do it you can.”

He stepped over to stand near the door. “There has to be a book at the Magic Shop. Or-or, on the net. Come on, we need to do research.”

Willow held up her right hand. “Hey. Hey, hold on a minute!” This was getting out of control. “I’m going to go talk to Buffy about this first. We’re not doing anything until we get her permission.”

Nodding, Xander said in a rush, “Yeah, all right.”

“Why don’t you stay here?” Willow gestured to Tara’s and her dorm room. “I’ll-I’ll be back in a jiffy.”

Willow left him, wishing she had a lock on the outside of the door. He was in no state to venture out into the public. She hurried off in the direction of Sunnydale Memorial. Please, Buffy, be the slayer and know how to handle this situation.

Finally she arrived at Buffy’s hospital room. She wished she had a car. It took more time than she wished to get there. She took a deep breath and walked in. Buffy sat on the bed, flipping through daytime television. Apparently soap-operas and talk shows didn’t satisfy her needs. Buffy pushed the power button and the screen went black.

“Will, thank God! I’m so totally bored. The doctors won’t let me leave even though I feel fine. Stupid hospitals,” Buffy said in greeting. “So, tell me about the outside world of the healthy. Where I belong, by the way.” The last part had an edge of bitterness.

Willow fidgeted. She didn’t want to burden Buffy with Xander-troubles. The young woman had just recovered from a traumatic encounter with a Hell God. Buffy might insist that she was fine but Willow knew that doctors knew best.

The slayer sat up straighter. “Willow, you have a ‘something is wrong’ face. Please spit it out.”

“It’s Xander. He’s acting crazy,” Willow spilled.

“Evil possessed crazy? Or Dracula control crazy?”

Shaking her head, the red-head said, “No. ‘Spike is the father of Buffy’s baby, and Buffy needs to be saved’ crazy.”

Buffy banged her bead backwards against the wall. “You know then?”

“Oh yeah, definite yes. Xander repeated it over and over again. Then he pleaded denial, then went off about how the ‘thing’ had to be disposed of for your own good,” Willow explained with a frown.

Before Willow knew it, Buffy moved over to the side of the mattress. She swung her legs over the side and then stood up.

“Where’d they stash my clothes?”

“Hey, Buffy, what are you doing?”

“Leaving,” she said simply. She glanced around in search of her garments. She let out a frustrated sound when she couldn’t find them. “Think you could magic something? Something nice but sill fits?”

The exact spell that was needed popped into Willow’s mind. She felt her fingers tingle with energy. She took in a calming breath to squash the powerful flow.

“This isn’t such a good idea. The doctors told you to stay a little longer,” Willow said. She felt like her high-school self again. The ever faithful and common-sense Willow.

“I feel fine. Slayer recovery, remember. . . I have to leave. I can’t take the chance . . .”

Just then footsteps neared and a moment later a nurse made her presence known. The nurse’ smile vanished as she took in the sight of an empty bed and Buffy standing next to it.

“Miss Summers, you really should lay down and rest.”

Buffy reluctantly did as requested. What else could she do? Knock the woman unconscious? Even though Willow suspected her best friend was tempted to do so.

+ + +

What was taking Willow so long? He couldn’t wait for her. Something needed to be done NOW. He couldn’t let Buffy live with that ‘thing’ inside her any longer.

He went over to the phone and picked it up. He dialed the only one who would understand the urgent need.

“Giles, meet me at the magic shop. It’s concerning Buffy.”

______________________________________________________





You must login (register) to review.