June 14, 2007 2:35 AM
Shocked silence filled the room after Donna asked if Buffy and Spike would adopt
the children. They could only stand there attempting to absorb the magnitude
of the question, not yet able to comprehend the ramifications of such a decision.
But before either could even look at the other to gauge their feeling or even
utter the question as to why them, the objects of their mutual stupefaction
returned to the room.
They stood hesitantly in the doorway waiting for someone to show them what to do. Their eyes were filled with curiosity as they looked first at Buffy and Spike then the room around them. While they were taking everything in, their perusal was returned by their potential new parents.
The girl was tiny, about an inch or so shorter than Buffy, with the same delicate bone structure. Her hair flowed around her in riot of red that was so dark that it was almost black. It was her eyes that defined her though, huge in the alabaster of her skin, shined in an almost supernatural color of indigo blue. Her anger and defiance at the world was clearly evident in the clothes that she wore as armour around her. The t-shirt, three sizes too big and knotted around her waist, proclaimed her allegiance to the current music scourge while her jeans worn almost to the point of being nothing but threads hung low on her hips. Her feet were encased in a pair of old sneakers with a worn spot where her big toe peeked out of.
The boy kept one arm wrapped around his sister’s leg and his face against her hip in an effort to give him the allure of being safe. He also had delicate bone structure while his dark hair curled tightly against his head. Whatever had happened to bring them to this place in their life had clearly marked him as his thumb was being worried vigorously by his mouth. His eyes, unlike his sister’s, were a very human shade of gray. After looking at everything in the room his gaze came to remain fixated on Spike who returned his fascination.
Buffy followed the child’s eyes to Spike who stood beside her finding them in a mutual admiration society. She smiled as she turned back to look at Raven only to have that smile wiped from her face as she was the recipient of the girl’s venomous gaze. A shiver ran down Buffy’s spine as the hatred from Raven was like a black cloud intent on swallowing the slayer whole. She forced herself to look away into the eyes of Donna who seemed to look upon her with pity. Every instinct she had as a Slayer went on alert as the feelings of being threatened in her home rose in her.
“Maybe we should get the children settled into a room then the rest of us can talk.” Spike said as he finally broke gaze from the boy to look at the others in the room. The brother and sister looked about ready to fall asleep where they were standing. His concern for them rose unbidden through his being like something that had always been there, dormant, waiting for the chance to be used.
“I’m not a child.” Raven declared her focus temporarily removed from Buffy so she could glare at Spike.
“Sing another tune, princess, I’m not listening.” Spike told her in a voice meant to brook no protests from the girl. Their eyes met in a mutual understanding of who was in authority causing her to smile shyly at him. She was glad that he was the one in charge not the woman who was chosen to kill demons. This situation that she and her brother found them in was not what she wanted. To live with a Slayer would make her hated among her kind.
“Actually that sounds like a good idea.” Donna seconded Spike’s decision leaving Buffy to feel even further out of the situation even though she had been asked to be the mother of these two.
“Come on, I’ll make sure the sheets and things are clean.” Buffy finally spoke up not liking the feeling of being left out of her own home and more importantly out of sorts with Spike. Especially with this woman here that was ready to take her place.
The two children as well as Donna and Spike looked at her in surprise. Buffy jutted her chin out in defiance as she looked back at them in determination. This was her man, her home and these new people were not going to usurp her place. As the others looked away Buffy met Max’s eyes who looked at her in support and she felt some of the tension slip away. Someone understood her dilemma and didn’t think she should back down.
Spike moved across the room toward the children coming to squat in front of the boy.
“Hi, I’m Spike. What’s your name?” He inquired.
“I’m Elijah.” The response was given around the thumb still in his mouth.
“I bet you’re tired. Would you like to go to bed?”
Spike held his arms out to the child who after contemplating the request for a moment, nodded his head, detached himself from his sister and stepped into the waiting arms. Once Spike had the child settled on his hip he stood looking for a moment at Buffy before turning toward the door. Raven followed reluctantly behind not really wanting to go but knowing that her brother wouldn’t sleep unless she was there beside him. Buffy trailed behind the small parade that made its way up to the second floor. Spike stepped aside so that she could move into the guest room to turn down the covers. After she had pulled back the sheets, Buffy excused herself to get pajamas for Raven and a t-shirt for Elijah to wear to bed.
Raven had told her that their things were in the back of the car but in need of being washed. She had reluctantly agreed to Buffy’s offer of clean things to sleep in but there was a small glimmer of thankfulness in her eyes at the generosity shown her.
Max came upstairs carrying their suitcases just as Raven was moving toward the bathroom to change. Surprisingly she only grabbed her toothbrush then headed for the bathroom still clutching the borrowed pajamas. Elijah also clung to his borrowed nightclothes knowing that they belonged to the man who was helping him change into them. After Raven returned to the room she found her brother’s toothbrush and held a hand out to him but he refused by shaking his head at her.
“I want Spike.” He insisted grasping his hand in Spike’s.
Buffy watched in fascination as the vampire she loved became mush under this child’s admiration. He took Elijah to the bathroom to help him brush his teeth. Her eyes closed as the tears threatened because this had been a fantasy replayed a million times in her head with their child. A child that came from her body. Then as a cold feeling came over her she opened her eyes to find Raven glaring at her again. She smiled at her trying to reach through this hatred she didn’t understand but it seemed to have no effect.
After the two siblings were finally curled into one another, the boy already more asleep than awake and the girl pressing her nose into his back, the adults turned the lights off. Then while Max headed downstairs Buffy and Spike went to their room to change into more appropriate clothing. Buffy changed from her pajamas to a pair of jeans and a shirt while Spike pulled a t-shirt on over his jeans. There were only glances between them as they changed both too lost in their own thoughts to want to share them yet.
When they returned to the kitchen Donna and Max were sitting at the table with
cups of coffee in front of them.
“I hope you don’t mind that I made coffee. It’s been a long
night.” Donna remarked gesturing toward the pot of made caffeine.
“That’s okay, pet.” Spike reassured her with a smile.
Buffy looked from one to the other as she poured herself a cup of the rich smelling coffee. After she fixed it to her liking she joined the others at the table where Spike reached over and took a sip of her coffee. He had never developed a liking for the stuff but it seemed like it might be needed through the rest of the night.
“So, who are they? And why did you bring them here?” He asked as curiosity filled him about the children who were already important to him.
“They are here because I know that the two of you can accept them and protect them.” Donna started before being interrupted by Spike.
“How did you know the two of us are together? And who are they in danger from?”
“A vampire who seeks out his soul in order to fight on the side of good is a bit unusual. The Guardians have kept a distanced watch on you.” Donna smiled at him.
“What right do they have to watch him or us? I thought, you people, were there for good demons in need of help. Demons like Spike, not to spy on them.” Buffy interjected angrily. The thought of someone they didn’t know chronicling them pushed against every privacy button she had. The Council had encroached on her life enough to hate every organization that felt they had the right to interfere in her life.
“Like I said it was a distanced watch not an all the time kind of thing. Spike is very unusual and the fact that he is with a Slayer is even more cause for curiosity. It’s just a check every once in a while to find how he is doing and stuff.” Donna explained as her voice got smaller with every word until at the end she looked down into her coffee cup which clued Buffy into what had really been going on.
“It wasn’t the Guardians checking on him, it was you.” Buffy announced as the signs clicked together.
Buffy’s suspicions were confirmed as a flush slowly crept over Donna’s
face but then she mustered her dignity and raised her eyes to meet Buffy’s
gaze directly.
“Yeah, it was me.” Donna confirmed. “But it was to make sure
he was okay. That he was happy.”
The two men looked away from them as they silently made an understanding about Spike. That he belonged to Buffy but that she had to understood that Donna would always be there if he needed her or if Buffy ever left him alone.
“So, back to the children?” Buffy asked to get them back to where the conversation should be.
“Their parents were killed three months ago by demon hunters. We have been hiding out since then as a vacationing family. But they need stability and when I thought of the two of you we headed west.”
“They’re demons?” Spike asked.
“Their father was human and their mother was Lankasha. A race of mystical creatures…” Donna started.
“Bastard race of fairies.” Spike finished for her.
“Huh? Lankawhat? Fairies?” Buffy asked in confusion not letting the soft laughter of the others bother her. She had dealt with a lot of things as a Slayer but fairies so far had been off the table. Spike looked at her with a smile.
“Lank-a-sha. Quite a few centuries ago a female fairy and a male elf decided they wanted to be together which wasn’t allowed by the fairy court. Their union made them outcasts. They left in disfavor followed by others who were tired of the old rules. Rumor has it they have an enchanted village in the Appalachian Mountains. That place has become a refuge for others like them and the different branches have been so pooled together that the individual races can’t even be distinguished anymore.” Spike explained to her. “So, now they are known as the Lankasha, the mixed ones.”
“You’re telling me that fairies and elves and stuff actually exist?’ Buffy squeaked out.
“Yes, Love. And so do vampires and demons and werewolves.” Spike joked.
Buffy swatted him on the shoulder exchanging a look with him shared only by two people who have loved each other for a long time. Breaking the gaze, she turned back to Donna.
“So, these Lankasha, are they evil?”
“No, they’re not. Actually to have one live near you is rumored to bring good luck because of all the different magicks that are running through their blood.”
“Why would demon hunters want to kill them? I mean if they don’t do evil, why would anyone want to harm them.” Buffy was slowly shifting into Slayer mode again not only because of the children and the situation but for those that were hunting them.
Donna and Max shared a weary look then Max picked up the tale.
“In the past year or so a faction of demon hunters has appeared calling themselves the Soldiers of Light. They are attacking and killing anyone that is not pure bred human in their eyes. Also on their list as expendable are humans that choose to love and be with non-humans.” Max looked between Buffy and Spike to make sure that they understood that not only Spike would be on their list but so would Buffy for loving him.
“And when they kill humans, like their father, why is no one making arrests or anything?” Anger coursed through Buffy as she thought of these humans judging other beings by their own warped sense of what was right or wrong.
“The problem is that they are highly trained soldiers use to covert operations. Most of them were once part of a government operation to control demons and local police can’t compete with them.”
“The Initiative.” Buffy and Spike said in unison exchanging a look of frustration that it might have lived on in another more dangerous form.
“Riley.” Buffy’s hand went to cover her mouth as the thought that he might be involved in something so vile. She hadn’t heard from him since his last stop in Sunnydale with his perfect little wife in tow and had no clue where he might be. Or what he might be up to.
“Then you know about these people?” Max asked. “But who’s Riley?”
“Yeah, we know the Initiative. They are the ones who put the bloody chip in my head. And Riley was her ex.” Spike answered hating to have to even utter the other man’s name. In a way he hoped he was involved in this group so that he might have a chance to bring Captain Cardboard down. And hopefully humiliate the man in front of those that used to think he was so wonderful.
“We haven’t heard of any Riley in their group.” Donna offered.
Spike turned to look at Buffy noticing the relief on her face and a twinge of jealousy moved through him at the thought that she might still care for him. But this wasn’t the time for selfish motives and he turned back to Donna and Max.
“So, you think these guys are eventually going to catch up with them?”
“Yes, hopefully not for a while but eventually I would say yes. Raven saw her parents murdered and can identify several of them. Donna felt that if they were with you two, they would be understood for their blood and protected by you also.” Max explained.
“Do they know who we are?” Buffy asked. “That Spike is a vampire and I’m the Slayer?”
“We told Raven everything and Eli as much as we felt he could handle.”
Donna said.
“That’s why Raven has some hostility toward you, Buffy, because
you’re the slayer. She doesn’t understand the whole concept of what
you do and doesn’t fully trust that you won’t hurt her.”
The conversation turned somber as the four spent the next couple of hours discussing the children, what had happened to their parents and what they had gone through since it had happened. If the children stayed where they were, every scrap of information was needed so that Buffy and Spike could help them adjust and most importantly protect them. It was almost six when Donna finally stretched her arms behind her and yawned while looking out the window.
“It’s going to be light soon and we really need to be on the road. So, after everything, do you want to take them in?” She looked from one to the other and waited for a response.
“Yes, they are staying with us but how, I mean, Buffy and I aren’t married and the whole legal thing.”
Donna fished a card out of her bag and slid it across the table toward Spike.
“Call Morgana Langley.” She nodded her head toward the card. “She’s a family lawyer that does a lot of work for us and will be able to help the two of you out. Your call will be expected. She has all the contacts that you will need to get this legalized.”
Spike picked the card up and slid it into the pocket of his shirt.
“So, we are going to get married?” Buffy squeaked out in disbelief that Spike was making these decisions so calmly.
“Looks like it.” Spike chuckled at the look on Buffy’s face.
Buffy not quite being able to adjust to everything as quickly as Spike seemed too stood and walked across the kitchen where she came to rest with one hip against the counter. She stared contemplatively at Spike as she pondered that he not only wanted to adopt the children but was also willing to marry her to do it. All the things he said he didn’t want as a vampire and the reason that she had once turned to Richard for them he was now going to do. His decisions tonight were contradicting everything that he had stood by in their relationship.
Her thoughts were interrupted as she realized that Max was standing beside her. His hand came to rest on her shoulder and he looked at her with concern in his eyes.
“Are you okay with this, Buffy? If this is too much for you say so.” He gently asked her. “No one is going to blame you for not jumping on this with open arms. It is quite a bit to handle.”
Spike turned to look at her meeting the curiosity of her gaze. In his eyes she could see the jealousy that Max’s closeness to her was causing but it was overshadowed by the warning that he was giving her, the one that let her know if she turned the children away that he might not be able to forgive her for it.
“It’s fine, Max. The children stay.” She smiled at him hesitantly then turned to look defiantly at Spike and Donna. There was a voice inside telling her that Donna would end up as Spike’s wife if she didn’t agree. If she wanted to keep him that she would have to learn to share him with the two sleeping upstairs that for some reason had taken his heart.
Donna and Max slipped upstairs to say goodbye to Raven and Eli while Buffy and Spike waited downstairs for the two to return in silence. Buffy busied herself with washing the coffee cups and the pot while Spike sat the table checking his hands for only he knew what. As it was earlier there were quick glances between them but the time wasn’t ready for them to talk.
The sun was just beginning to peek over the horizon when Donna and Max finally left with hugs and promises of keeping in touch. The new parents made their way upstairs where they checked on the sleeping pair before heading to their own room. Buffy grabbed her discarded pajamas before she turned to go to the bathroom to brush her teeth and change. When she returned to the bedroom Spike was rustling through one of his drawers looking for something.
“Why, Spike? Explain to me so that I understand why you didn’t want a child of ours but you want to take these two in.” Buffy asked not able to restrain her curiosity any longer.
He laughed derisively leaning on his forearms against the top of the tall dresser.
“You really don’t see, do you? Think about it, pet. The boy, he’s shy and scared of everything but just wants to be loved…”
“He’s the William part of you.” Buffy was quickly catching on.
“Raven, defiant, feels she doesn’t belong so she reacts with anger…”
“You, right after you got the chip.” Buffy finished knowing him more than he thought she did. He turned to look at her in surprise and wonder that she might actually understand after all.
To him the children were like an answer to his earlier prayer. His inner turmoil might be calmed by helping these two that were like little reminders of him. If he could help them then maybe he could learn to help himself.
Spike turned from the dresser to head for the other side of the room while he tried to convince himself to talk to Buffy. Before he could formulate the words she started to speak to him. Her words making the fear rise in him again.
“We are just going to be an instant family and everything is going to be just hunky dory. This is decided only hours after you are telling me that I don’t love you. Hours after you seem ready to kick me out or something.”
She folded her arms across her middle as she stared at the wall keeping him behind her. All she wanted was answers. Reassurances from him that she was still important to him. His footsteps told her of his approach behind her but she refused to turn around to face him. His hands slipped around her waist while his lips trailed across her shoulder.
“Oh, Buffy, I never said you don’t love me. You love me if for no other reason than you know I will always be here.” His arms squeezed her as she stiffened from his words unsure of his meaning. Not knowing if it was said in love or in sarcasm. He kissed her on that patch of skin behind her ear then came to whisper in it. “Face it, love, you belong to me and I will never let you go.”
Normally his possessive words would give her the reassurance that they were meant to be but tonight there was a difference in his voice. The fear was curling in her belly again as his voice showed he had never learned to talk without a lisp in his present face.
Buffy slowly pulled from his arms needing to verify what she already knew. She turned to look up into the smiling face of Spike’s demon. His hand slowly came out to caress her face.
“And from now on things are going to go the way I want them to.”
