September 22, 2007 3:42 PM
The backyard was bustling with activities as the family set up for Raven’s
birthday party. Spike and Buffy had considered having the party catered but
everyone offered to pitch in. So now they were all working and regretting their
decision as they hustled to get everything ready for the teenagers and neighbors
that were going to show in less than four hours. Giles and Connor were trying
to get the dance floor set up while the women were arranging the tables.
Spike was perched on top of a ladder trying to attach lanterns to a pole while Xander directed him.
“Pull it a little further. It needs to be tighter.” Xander called up to him. “Otherwise someone is going to get their head caught on it.”
“It won’t pull anymore,” Spike told him as he stretched it toward the pole. Suddenly it was pulled out of his hands when Raven snagged the wire with a table she was carrying over her head. “Bloody hell, I am sick of this.”
Raven watched as her father jumped from the ladder onto the wall and then into the cemetery beyond. Guilt tugged at her for upsetting him when it had started off as a bad day for him and now she had only made it worse. It was her birthday party and she was almost at the point she didn’t even want it anymore because it was causing so much trouble for her family.
“It’s not your fault and he’s not mad at you,” Buffy soothingly said as she also watched Spike take off. “Run, go get your bag and catch up with him. He needs you.”
Raven didn’t stop to ask but ran into the kitchen grabbed her weapons bag and took off after her father. If Buffy said he needed her then most likely he did. Once she reached the cemetery she stopped momentarily to locate Spike then took off after him when she saw him coming out of a crypt carrying some stakes.
“Wait up,” Raven called.
Spike turned and started to walk back toward her. “Go home.”
“No, where are you going? Mum told me to follow you.”
“Well, of course she did, can’t leave me alone for even a second today.” Spike sighed as he looked down at his daughter. “I just need a few by myself.”
“Mum told me to bring the bag. You after vamps or something because if you are, I am the Slayer and should be with you. You know to protect you and all.”
Raven was relieved when he laughed instead of giving her a lecture.
Spike looked around them as if he was trying to make a decision then back down at her, “Come on, Princess.” He started off again and asked over his shoulder. “Haven’t dealt with a nest before, have you?”
“Nope.”
“First time for everything then.”
He was moving swiftly and Raven had to practically trot to keep up with him but she didn’t ask him to slow down. It would have been a sign of weakness because as he would tell her, no vampire or demon would give you a moment to get it together so suck it up and make it work. When Spike abruptly stopped, Raven took a deep breath and allowed her senses to take over then she pointed to a crypt to the right of them. As her hand went to her belly she knew from the sharp cramp that there had to be more just a couple.
Spike smiled approvingly. “I’m going to go in first, see how many there are, then I give a signal and you come in and rescue me.”
“What signal?”
“Figure it out.”
Spike left her right outside the door and stealthily moved inside. There were some scuffling sounds and then someone came hurtling through the door and out into the sunlight. The creature screamed as it caught fire and quickly turned to dust.
“Guess that’s the signal,” she muttered as she moved in.
There were four more and they had Spike surrounded as he taunted them. When he saw her he pointed at her, “She’s the one you want. Being the Slayer and all.”
They growled and turned toward her and Raven felt a short moment of panic before moving in for the closet one. Spike grabbed one of the other ones and the fight was on. This was the first time that Raven had encountered so many vamps at one time in such an enclosed space. Her patrols were still strictly guarded while Spike usually took out these things. It was confusing with so much going on at one time and she found herself pinned against a wall with a vamp hand around her throat. She struggled and tried to breath then remembered Mrs. Armstrong telling her to use what she had and as she pulled her knee up, Spike had pulled the guy off of her.
“I was getting it,” she defended herself as she punched the vamp. And this is why Mum always wore boots with three inch heels, Raven thought because she couldn’t quite get the wallop she needed in flat sandals. Okay, wear said boots at all times. No more sandals. Then she staked him.
“That felt really good,” Spike said as he grinned at her and rolled his shoulders. “Didn’t that just take the edge off the tension?”
“Oh, yeah,” Raven agreed even as her hands were feeling her neck. “Am I bruised? Because if I’m bruised Mum is going to get both our hides.”
They moved outside where Spike inspected his daughter’s neck. “Nope, not a mark on ya.” He moved to sit on a gravestone and started patting his pockets.
“No cigarettes, remember.” Raven remarked as she sat on the grass in front of him. “And by the way you’re still in vamp face.”
Spike shook his human guise back into place as he stared down at his daughter.
“I’m sorry about the lights.” She said.
“That’s okay. Wasn’t mad at you. Just frustrated. Standing up on that ladder, pulling on lights for a birthday party for my daughter so my pregnant wife won’t yell at me for the fifth time today and I was like, ‘What the hell am I doing? I’m a bleeding vampire. An evil creature of the night and this is someone else’s nightmare’.”
“Not exactly anymore and you and Mum shouldn’t have let me go so far with this party. It’s a bit much for even me.”
“Now, you tell me. I was just trying to make her happy who was trying to make you happy.”
“And you’re the parents and should set limits.”
Spike grinned as once again he got discipline lessons from his daughter. “I don’t know, Raven. I think that we had better not tell Buffy about this because she won’t take it so well that neither one of us is into this thing.”
“Whipped.”
“Am not.”
“Yes, you are. ‘Yes, Buffy’, ‘whatever you want, pet’, ‘do you need anything else?’, sometimes it’s a little nauseating.”
“Can’t help it. She’s got me by the short hairs and is leading me around by them.” A smile crossed his face as he thought of Buffy. “We need to get home.”
Raven sighed as she saw her father’s expression soften when he thought of his wife. If only Connor would look at her like that just once.
~~~~~~~
Buffy watched wistfully as Raven took off running after Spike. Her hand covered
her lower belly to remind herself why she wasn’t in the fight anymore.
It was funny when you thought about it. All those years of complaining about
being the Slayer and now it was driving her crazy not to be out there in the
middle of things.
She had sent Raven after him because she knew Spike was going to the nest of vamps that Clem had told them about. She also knew why, it was to let off some steam. He needed it. This day had started off bad with a phone call from his publisher and she had been dumping on him all day.
Shaking her head she went over to help Xander with the lights. He had climbed up on the ladder and she handed him the wire when he indicated.
“What’s Spike’s deal?” He asked as he stretched the wire tight.
“Too much pressure. Too much going on, that’s all.”
“Is he going to be okay?”
“Yeah, he’ll be fine. Went off to take care of some vampires. He’ll blow off some steam.”
“Hope he doesn’t blow the wrong way and take off on you again,” Anya said as she came over to join them.
“He’s not going to go anywhere. If I am remember correctly when you were pregnant with Jessy, you and Xander were fighting about the garage door opener not working and Xander decided to fix it by driving through the door. So, same thing. Spike will be fine.”
“Maybe if you gave him sex, it would help.”
“Anya,” Xander warned.
“No, it would help both of them. I heard you talking with Spike about their lack of sex and Buffy was talking to Willow and I about the lack of activity. So, if you would have sex, he would blow off steam and you would work off the excess energy that you’re not burning with patrolling.”
Xander rolled his eyes as he finished fastening the wire and began to climb down.
“Anya, you may be right. Now, if I actually wanted to be touched it might help.” Buffy said while laughing at her friend’s suggestion.
“Well, I could recommend some things that might get you back to wanting to have orgasms again.”
Buffy’s eyes lit up, “Actually, that sounds good and it would definitely make Spike happy again.”
“Okay. We’ll talk tonight but now, if you don’t mind I’m going to take Xander home and put the children down for a nap so that we can have some sex before tonight.”
As her friends moved off, Buffy looked over the backyard that was finally ready for Raven’s party. From the lanterns strung across the yard, to the dance floor and small stage and finally to the tables for the food. My God, what was I thinking? This party is going to be a three ring circus, Buffy thought as the evening ahead threatened to overwhelm her.
“Breathe deep, Buffy,” Willow said as she came over to join her friend. “It’s all going to be fine.”
“Do I have panic face? I shouldn’t have panic face but a ‘what have I done?’ face.”
“Actually you have both. Like I said it’s going to be fine. We are all aware of everything and we are all going to help to maintain peace and order.” Willow assured her.
“Thank you.” Buffy breathed deeply in and then out. “It will be fine.”
Willow laughed and hugged her quickly. “I heard you say that Spike was having a bad day. Is it baby stuff or marriage stuff or something else stuff?”
Buffy expression turned serious. “It’s actually writer stuff. Barney, his publisher, called. Apparently they have been receiving some fan letters to him from this woman who claims to be his vampire lover and saying that he belongs in the night with her. At first it was all harmless stuff but the latest letter was pretty threatening and they turned it over to the police.”
“Buffy, that doesn’t sound good. Do they have any idea who it might be?”
“No, they don’t. The only thing they know is that the letters are postmarked from Atlanta. Barney said that most of this time it’s harmless but they sent it to the police as part of policy.” She sighed heavily as she hoped that it was just a prank and nothing more serious.
“Who’s that?” Willow asked.
Buffy followed her friend’s gaze to the driveway where a young man was standing. She quickly took in his appearance. He wasn’t very tall with a thin build; dark skinned and long, fine brown hair. As soon as he saw the two women he smiled and started toward them. Upon closer inspection, Buffy saw that he had large bright eyes with a small pug nose and over one shoulder he carried a duffel bag.
“I don’t know who he is but I think we are going to find out,” Buffy commented as he strode toward them.
On the front porch Connor and Giles stood and walked down the steps to see who the stranger was and to help if it was needed. Just at that moment the back gate opened and Spike and Raven stepped into the backyard. The young man stopped and looked around at everyone that almost seemed to surround him.
“Oh, my God, Sean,” Raven screamed after recognizing him and took of running toward him. He dropped his bag and started to run toward her as she screamed his name again. Then she was in his arms and he was hugging her tightly against him.
“Sean? Isn’t that, well, isn’t he the one that,” Willow asked.
“Yep, he’s her best friend and the one that she had sex with,” Buffy replied as her eyes turned to Spike watching with murderous intent as his daughter greeted the boy. Then her eyes turned toward Connor who had the same expression and she laughed. “Well, I think we just found Spike’s and Connor’s common ground.”
“Oh, boy, I take back the guarantee on peace tonight.” Willow stated.
And at that Spike and Connor both headed toward the two teenagers and Buffy hurried over with Willow to join them. When he realized that he was being surrounded again, Sean was the one to break the embrace. Raven unaware of the apprehension of the other two males in her life smiled and turned toward Spike and Buffy first.
“Mum, Dad, this is Sean. Sean, these are my parents.”
“It’s good to meet you both.”
Spike only nodded but Buffy smiled and shook his hand.
“And this is Connor, Willow and Giles and Tara are over there on the porch.”
“Hello, everyone.” Sean greeted them.
“What are you?” Connor asked. “You look human but not quite.”
“Connor, that’s rude.” Raven reprimanded.
Sean laughed though, “Its okay. I’m Lankasha like Raven but my family has strong Brownie background.”
“Sean, Sean,” Elijah just awake from his nap came running through the back door. He launched himself at Sean and was promptly swung around in a big hug.
“Hey, little buddy, how are you?”
“Just woke up. Raven’s party’s tonight. You coming?”
“I hope so.” Sean put Elijah back on his feet but kept his hand clasped in the little boy’s. “Actually,” he ducked his head and danced his foot back and forth. Then he looked back up at Raven. “I want to move in and help Raven out.”
“Like bloody hell,” Spike exclaimed.
“You’re going to move in? That is so totally cool,” Raven said. “We are going to have so much fun.”
“Wait a minute.” Buffy interrupted. “What about your parents and how exactly did you get here?”
“I flew in then took a taxi here. My parents gave their consent.” Sean knelt down and reached into the pocket of his bag and pulled out an envelope which he handed to Buffy. “This is a notarized letter from them giving you and Mr. Blood permission to enroll me in school and medical release forms along with my insurance card.”
“I know it may not be my business but wouldn’t it have been a good idea to discuss this with Raven’s parents first?” Giles asked as he joined them.
“I didn’t think it would be a problem. Raven said there was always someone staying here and that the house was big enough.”
“I don’t think it’s whether there is room or not but the other, you know.” Willow said.
“What, you know?” Sean asked.
“I told Mum about the hike and the curiosity and the you know,” Raven explained as a delicate blush covered her cheeks and her eyes remained glued to the ground.
“Oh, that you know.” Sean said then turned his attention from Raven to her parents. “I wouldn’t worry about that happening again. I’m betrothed to another and will take her for my wife after I finish high school.”
“You’re engaged? Aren’t you like fifteen?” Tara asked.
“I’m sixteen. In my village we are considered of age then. It is only in the attempt to live by human rules that we finish your high school and marry afterwards if we are lucky enough to find someone. My intended is Elise and I have known her since we were children like Raven and I.”
“Is there is something wrong with Raven that you don’t want to marry her?” Connor asked.
“No, of course not except Raven and I know that we are not compatible except as friends.”
“Yeah, now that you tried the other.” Spike muttered.
“Hey, I am right here and I don’t like this personal stuff being talked about.” Raven said. “So, can we move on to other things like guests that are going to be here in a few hours and there is still a ton of things to do. Dad, Mum can Sean just stay here tonight and tomorrow we can figure this out.”
“Yeah, that’s fine. But he’s not sleeping here. He can spend the night with someone else,” Buffy said trying to please both Spike and Raven.
“Me. Is that okay, Tara?” Willow turned to her wife and after receiving a nod looked back at Sean. “After the party you can come home with us and stay the night then tomorrow you all can sit down and talk this out.”
“Thank you. I’ll be honored to be your guest.”
“See, Buffy, still working on the peace tonight issue,” Willow whispered to her friend.
“Thanks, Will, now I am going to go lie down for about an hour. Spike, wanna join me?” Buffy said as she took Spike’s hand and headed for the house. “Raven, watch Eli for us. Thanks.”
Giles and the witches turned to head home for a little while before they would return for the party. Raven started to ask questions about her former home and the people she had left behind as she led Sean toward the house. Connor looked at Elijah, shrugged his shoulders and after taking the boy’s hand followed Raven into the house.
