August 5, 2007 8:15 PM

The radio barely contained the music that blasted from the ancient speakers. Spike sang along with Poison’s ‘Every Rose Has Its Thorn’ as he hurried back home. Xander and he had spent the rainy afternoon driving around looking for the car that Penelope had seen last night. None of them were comfortable just leaving it in the police’s hands and had decided to do some investigating themselves. Besides he had wanted out of the house, Angel and company had arrived en masse last night and although they were helping the best way they could, Spike was feeling suffocated by their presence.

He turned to pull into his driveway glancing down to turn the radio below thundering volume but as his eyes darted back up, he saw a small curly haired boy dashing across the driveway in front of him. Fear clutched at his heart as instincts kicked in and he slammed on the brakes. The heavy car screeched out its disapproval as it tried to stop but continued to slide a few more feet on the wet asphalt. Spike kept waiting for the sound of impact but was thrown into the steering wheel as the Desoto stopped almost turning on its nose from the suddenness.

Jumping from the car, panic pushing him to hurry, Spike dashed around the front of the vehicle. Elijah stood wide eyed staring at the grill of the car only an inch from him. His small hand held up as he detained the monster that seemed to want to devour him. His father snatched him up in a crushing hug and the car settled down into itself.

“You stopped the car, are you okay? You stopped the car. Oh, God, are you sure you’re all right?” Spike’s hands ran over his son as his mouth repeated his litany.

Elijah came back to himself once he knew that he was now safe in Daddy’s arms. His small arms a vice around the vampire’s neck and his face was buried against his neck.

“Don’t leave us. Pwease don’t leave us. Mummy didn’t mean to be bad with Max,” the child began to cry in great terrified gulps.

At that moment the front door of the house flew open and Buffy followed by Raven and Max ran toward the pair.

“Spike, what happened? We heard the car. Oh, my God, is he all right?” Buffy reached them holding her arms out to take her son as she realized what had almost happened.

Elijah wrapped his legs around Spike’s torso and clung even tighter as he pulled away from Buffy.

“No, you were bad. Make Daddy go away. I don’t want Daddy to go away,” the child wailed as his tears soaked his father’s neck.

Spike stroked his son’s back gently while kissing his small cheek, “Shhh, Daddy’s not going anywhere. It’s okay. I’m here.”

He looked at Buffy’s hurt and frightened face, and then at the wariness on Max’s, finally he turned to Raven and found what he was looking for. Guilt.

“What’s going on, Raven?”

“How would I know?” The girl took a step back knowing that this time she would pay. That by scaring Elijah enough to run outside that she would probably be packing her bags this time and now she was afraid that she would be going without her brother.

Spike walked across the driveway still holding Eli with Buffy matching him step by step afraid to let them out of her sight. Max stepped back some out of the way.

“Because you know. Tell me why Elijah thinks I am leaving.”

Raven just looked at the ground afraid to do anything else but remain silent.

“Mummy was bad with Max. You going to leave,” Elijah answered for her.

“I’m not leaving,” Spike reassured his son again. He turned to look at Buffy seeing the confusion in her eyes at the pronouncement that she was bad.

“What’s been going on?”

Buffy was quickly going over the events of the last hour or so trying to figure out what had happened that would make Elijah think she was bad enough for Spike to leave. Then realization dawned on her and she looked at Max guiltily before looking at her husband.

“Max was holding me,” she told her husband softly.

“Why?” Spike asked just as softly. When Buffy looked flustered and her hands begun to wring together he sighed, “Buffy, just tell me, please. All I want to know is why my son almost died.”

“Our son,” Buffy snapped at him. “I was upset about everything and started to cry. Max held me while I did. That’s all.”

Spike reached his hand out and pulled Buffy to him by the back of her neck. He kissed her gently on the cheek and rested his forehead against hers for a moment. “You okay now?” His quiet request for reassurance that she was okay now made the tears return. When she whispered that she was fine, he released her. “Elijah, go to your mother. Everything is okay, I promise. I’m not going anywhere and Mummy wasn’t bad.”

The boy looked at both of his parents and knew they weren’t mad at each other and all was going to be fine so he reached his arms out to allow his mother to hold him.

Spike slowly turned back to Raven knowing that she was the root of this current family drama. “Now, are you going to tell me what happened or do you get to see how pissed I can be?” Spike had started the question off slowly but by the end was screaming at the girl. Buffy’s hand came out to clutch at his arm to tell him to go easy on her but the fury was rampaging his senses at how they could be having a second funeral tomorrow and he sincerely wanted someone to pay.

Raven began to cry herself as she started to back away, all she wanted was to get away from them and she turned to start to run but only found herself clutched in the embrace of her father. She was held against him and even using the moves she had learned couldn’t free herself.

“Stop it now. I’m not going to hurt you but you are not leaving.” Spike turned and dropped the girl in the middle of them. Raven forced herself to stand again. Her eyes looked from her mother on one side, Max on the other, and Spike behind her. “Nobody is fucking leaving. Do you understand me? No one else is getting lost,” Spike roared at them. All of them. The thought of another person being lost or gone or dead was too much for him. He had yet to take the time to mourn the brunette that had stolen part of his heart because he had been trying to hold everyone else together and do something productive and it was beginning to catch up to him. “Raven, damn it, just tell me what the hell is going on?”

Raven knew that she had no choice but to confess and take the punishment. She turned on trembling legs to face her seriously pissed off father. “I…I was up that night that you all fought about Max. About them being in the motel together. When Buffy started crying, he was holding her and I thought they had started something. That you would leave us.”

“So, you told Elijah.”

“Yes, he has to know that this place is only temporary.”

Spike’s hands went to his hips knowing that part of the problem was him and his temper. The one that at this moment was telling him to let loose but he looked at Buffy and told himself to calm down. He had to calm down before causing irreparable damage to Raven’s heart.

“First, I am upset because Max was holding Buffy,” Spike glanced up at his wife quickly after hearing her gasp of protest. “But not because of what you think. I’m upset because you weren’t. Where were you when she was crying? Watching? Thinking about you? You should have been there, Rav, you’re not a child as you keep reminding me. We take care of each other around here. At least we are going to from now on. And second, why do you think this is temporary?”

“Because you didn’t really want us. Elijah and I are just substitutes for the babies that you haven’t had. I heard you that night too, talking to Tara and Willow about trying to have a baby again. Once you do, you won’t want us around anymore.” Raven looked down at the ground waiting for the affirmation to her worst fear. The words to tell her that it was time for her to pack her stuff and go that they didn’t really want her.

“Eavesdropping is never going to give you the truth, pet,” Spike came to Raven wrapping his arms around her. Spike looked over at his wife seeing the anger and confusion at the announcement that they were trying to have a baby again. “Can we talk about that part after the kids are settled?” She nodded her head relieved that he was so willing to talk things out. After receiving Buffy’s affirmation Spike returned his attention to the girl in his arms. “I love you. Nothing is going to take that away. You are a part of me, of us, for now and forever. Understand?”

The girl didn’t respond. She stood allowing Spike to embrace her without returning it. Buffy came to stand closer to them and Spike released their daughter so Buffy could talk to her. Buffy’s hand came to pull up the girl’s chin, “Listen to me, Raven. Even if I had already been pregnant or if we had already had a child, you and Elijah would have been welcome here. And if we have a dozen babies or adopt more children, you two will always be our first children. There will be no division or favoritism, because you all will be ours. It’s as if we were meant to be together. As bad as this has been, us adjusting, it will get better.”

“We don’t have to leave?” Elijah asked.

“Never,” Buffy emphatically told her son.

“Really?” Raven asked in wonder. “We don’t ever have to leave? Even if there are other kids?”

“Yes, really,” Spike answered. He pulled the girl against him again as Buffy and Elijah cuddled into his other side. “Just keep remembering this because I am sure there are going to be times when we all want to run.”

Spike looked up to find Max still standing there watching them.

“I know this isn’t going to sound manly but you might want to join us because I think this family now includes you.”

“Aww, shucks, I’m an honorary Blood.” Max joked as he walked over to throw his arms around the family. It might have been said as a joke but as he was included in the family hug he felt a sense of homecoming, that this was where he belonged too.

August 5, 2007 11:51 PM

“Spike?” Buffy’s voice was soft as she entered the study. He was hiding again. Like in a lot of ways he had been since Faith’s death. Hiding literally as he was now or hiding by being constantly busy taking care of business.

“I was wondering how long it would take you to come find me.”

He didn’t turn around to see her and Buffy made her way to him. She laid her hand against the back of his neck, her thumb caressing the nape right where his hair ended.

“You said we’d talk and I would like to do that.”

Spike nodded as his hands dropped from his keyboard to rest in his lap. “I’m sorry. No, I’m not. I went to Willow and Tara and asked them to make me the fertility tea. I did it because I love you and I want you to have everything that you want to be happy.” There was a slight twinge of defiance in his voice as he told her what he had done.

“I appreciate the gesture, Spike.” She moved around so that she could sit on his lap. “Thank you for wanting to make me happy. But it’s something that we need to discuss first.”

“You don’t want a baby anymore?” Spike asked incredulous.

“Yes, I want more children whether I give birth to them or whether we adopt more. But everything right now is chaotic and dangerous and I’m okay if it doesn’t happen right away. We’ve been blessed with two other children and they need to be our focus, to make sure that they are happy and taken care of. Then we’ll try again which ever way we feel is the best way to precede with the matter. Okay?”

He nodded. Relief wound its way through him that she wasn’t angry at his deception and happy that she was okay with what they had been given.

“You’re right. I guess I was being rash again.”

“Yeah, you were but it was based on good intentions and makes me love you a little more.”

Buffy leaned down to kiss him but then something occurred to her, “Is this why you haven’t made love to me in days?”

“Yep, you’re ovulating so tonight you would have gotten some.”

“Yeah, so do I still get some or are you going to make me attack your ass?” She joked as she wiggled around on his lap until he growled low in his throat.

“You might get pregnant, it’s the right time and I have been taking the tea.” Spike told her seriously though hoping she wouldn’t back out now but was surprised when Buffy threw her head back and laughed.

“We can borrow a condom from Raven if you’re worried about it.”

“Like bloody hell I am wearing a fucking raincoat,” He groused as he picked her up and laid her down on the desk. His shirt landed on the floor before he leaned over to kiss her.

“Here on the desk, why Mr. Blood you are getting awfully risqué,” Buffy laughed again and he froze pulling back from her. “What’s wrong?’

“It’s not right, us doing this, Faith…” Spike started to stand when Buffy pulled on his belt.

“Yes, it is. Faith is probably smiling and watching to get an answer to her question.”

“What question is that?”

“If vamps are better than humans.”

Spike laughed and leaned over his wife again. “Then I guess we had better give her a damn good show, huh?”

“I hope so because I’ve been horny for days.” Buffy giggled again as her hands ran along Spike’s chest.

“Wanton slut.” Spike whispered to her before proceeding to put on the best show he could.

August 6, 2007 9:25 PM

The family formed a circle around the grave as a preacher who had never met Faith said the last words over her body. It had taken some talking and asking around before they found someone who was willing to perform the service at night. Buffy knew that to leave anyone out of the ceremony would have been unfair. Spike had told her that the family had held her service in the afternoon and neither he nor Angel had been able to attend which had seriously pissed her off when she had found out. It definitely topped the anger she felt at the ugly dress they had buried her in. A brief smile crossed her face as she thought of the jeans, low cut top and boots that Faith wore for her final outfit. The thought of putting the vibrant woman in a dress that she never would have worn alive had sickened Buffy and made her fight for the clothes too.

At the head of the coffin stood Spike and Buffy with Elijah between them and Angel and Cordelia stood next to them. The two couples that headed the family took their ranking place as the others scattered around them. Clem stood directly to the side closet to where her heart was. Max, Fred, Lorne and Wesley stood as a small group together. Gunn and his wife, Carley, stood on the other side with the rest of everyone from Sunnydale. At the corner stood Raven with Connor, his arm protectively over her shoulder.

When the preacher was done with his words, Lorne sang ‘Amazing Grace’ with everyone slowly joining in. Then it was over. They walked slowly by laying hands on the coffin or just whispering good-bye. As Buffy lifted her hand from the coffin to turn back to Spike, she saw him standing only a few yards away.

Riley. Alone and wearing an expression of mourning. Anger filled her at the thought of him being here and she walked over to him. The rest of the family saw and followed her over.

“What are you doing here?”

“I came to pay my last respects.”

“Why?’

“Buffy, I knew Faith. I felt for her.”

“No, you didn’t. You didn’t know Faith at all. What you fucked her while she was in my body and you think it made an impression on her? What is it with you men? You think you have to be with a girl only once and she remembers you forever.”

“Buffy, there isn’t any reason to be angry. Or is this what living with a demon does to you? Makes you cold and ugly?”

“Don’t insult my wife.” Spike said.

“Yes, I did hear that you two got married. Finally decided to sink all the way into the gutter and married him and I heard you had children too.”

“This isn’t the place or the time for this.” Fred spoke up. It looked like if it wasn’t settled there was going to be a fight.

“No, it isn’t. I’m sorry.” Buffy agreed. “So, how did you hear about Faith or for that matter about Spike and the children?”

“I just know some people and other than paying my respects I came to warn you.”

“Warn me?”

“Yes,” Riley looked around at the people in front of him. “Marrying a demon and adopting those children has made you some pretty serious enemies. Enemies who will do whatever they have to do to protect the natural order of life. I said I would try to talk to you.”

“Natural order of life? Protect? Is that what Faith died for, their screwed up idea of what is right or wrong?”

“Buffy it isn’t natural for a woman like yourself to marry something like him. He’s an evil monster that is only halfway tamed because of the chip in his head.”

“I’d watch what you said there.” Angel spoke up as he made his way to stand next to Spike before Spike had a chance to respond. “There are a lot of demons surrounding you and you seem to be alone.”

“Standing up for him? I thought you didn’t like him either or him marrying her.”

“You sure do know an awful lot for such an ignorant ass. You’re right, I don’t particularly like him or the fact that they married but you know what, he’s family, that gives me the right to say what I want but you aren’t, family that is, so that doesn’t give you the privilege of licking the bottom of his shoe.”

Riley laughed as he stared at the people in front of him. He had never really understood Buffy’s way of life or the people that filled it. For awhile there it had almost made sense the demons and human living together but he had seen more since leaving Sunnydale. Things that only reinforced his first beliefs that demons should never be allowed to live. Even the ones, who walked, talked and looked human.

“I don’t like him, Daddy,” Elijah said while holding his arms up to be picked up. Once settled in his father’s arms he laid his head on his shoulder.

“I don’t like him either,” Spike whispered.

“What happened to you Riley? When did you become such a bigot again?” Buffy asked saddened by the regression of the man in front of her.

“Villages destroyed by demons, vampires that have left families destroyed, little children run through by creatures with no conscience, that‘s what did it.”

“And what about the demons who fight for the good of the world, who only want the right to live a life without worrying about it all being taken away just because they are a demon or not quite human. Like Spike, Angel, Lorne and Clem.”

“And me,” Cordelia spoke up.

“And me.” Anya said, “Well, used to be demon.”

“And me,” Connor said.

“And me,” Raven spoke up.

“Go back, Riley, go back to these enemies that I supposedly made and tell them that are now my enemies and I don’t lose. Haven’t yet. Not even to death. Go back and tell them we won’t rest until they are found and brought to justice for my children’s parents and for Faith. And if you are part of them I will bring you down too.” Buffy warned her former boyfriend before turning and heading back toward home.

Slowly the others followed her. Raven walked up to Riley and spat on his shoe. “Go to hell,” she whispered vehemently before walking away.

Angel caught up to Spike and threw an arm around his shoulder, “What I said back there, don’t ever repeat it because I’ll deny it to the end.”

“Sure, Grandpa, you really love me and you know it.”

“That’s Grandfather to you, sonny boy.”

As soon as Riley was out of hearing range, Max made a phone call to one of his men who was watching the proceedings, “There is a causacion male leaving the cemetery on the north side, follow him, he’s got connections to the SoL.”

Then he turned to follow the rest of the family home.

TBC
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