TITLE: Life After Sunnydale

 

AUTHOR: persistenceofmemory

 

DISCLAIMER:  As usual, Joss owns all (Except Alex, she's mine.) I'm just borrowing his people.

RATING: R

PAIRINGS: A/S

Part 1

Alex sat perfectly still, she was kneeling in the middle of the lobby on the pentagram that after fifteen years still hadn't washed away. Her eyes were closed, she listened to Robin breath as he circled around her.

"You ready?" Robin asked her. He was standing a few feet away from her holding a broad sword.

"I was born ready." She smiled that evil Alex smile that she did so well, her grip on her sword tightening.

"Okay then." Robin smiled back.

"Lets do this." Alex swung around, blocking Robin's attack as he attempted to bring the sword down on her head. They fought, matching blow for blow with each other. Alex caught Robin off guard and pushed him back onto a couch, about to take her sword to his throat when Spike's voice echoed through the lobby.

"Alex!" He shouted. "Light a fire under it lovely! You're going to be late for your first day of school."

"I don't want to go." Alex whined, lowering her sword and extending a hand to help Robin up.

"You know." He panted. "I would have won." He grabbed her hand and she lifted him off the couch

"Just keep tellin' yer self that mate." Alex laughed, her slight cockney accent showing through as she ran up the stairs to get dressed for school.

It had been nearly fifteen years since Alex was born and she had grown into a highly intelligent, very powerful witch, one of the most powerful in the world she was second only to Willow. Xander had fixed up the attic room of the hotel for her so it wouldn't collapse, that's where she had her own little apartment. When the visions started to develop beyond her control, Angel and Spike sent her to England to attend school at the coven that Willow was now Matriarch of. Once Willow and Giles had deemed her ready she returned to L.A. She took the first month of school off to get used to things again but now she had to go. She was a sophomore now and today was her first official day at Buffy's old school. It was also the school where Robin was principal, he had been for as long as she could remember.

Faith and Buffy were the oldest living slayers at thirty-seven and thirty- five. Faith and Robin had twin boys who had just started middle school. Buffy and Xander had been married for seven years now and they couldn't have been happier. Fred and Wesley had been married for thirteen years and had a twelve-year-old girl. Gunn and Dawn had hooked up a few years back and were now engaged.

Alex came tromping down the stairs a moment later, shoulder bag swung laxly over her arm. She was wearing Angel's old duster and Spike's old steel toed boots. The boots were a little big but it didn't bother her. She wore a pair of baggy black pants that were covered with zippers and a blood red tank top. A slightly tarnished silver chain hung at her right hip, it was attached to her leather wallet in her back pocket that had a flaming skull on it. Her long dark brown hair was pulled back into a neat French braid, which had been carefully placed so it covered the tattoo going down her neck to her lower back. The collar of the duster was also flipped up to hide the mark as well.

"Common kid, hustle." Robin called from over by the door, he had changed into his work clothes. He wore a nice pressed gray suit and a red tie.

"Not without breakfast." Spike said kissing Alex on the cheek as he handed her a coffee mug filled with pig's blood, also handing her an additional thermos full. She tucked the thermos in her bag for lunch and ran out the door and into Robin's car.

When they were driving to the school she slipped her heavily tinted sunglasses on, this was because her eyes were jet black with a little tinge of red and tended to draw people's notice. "You know." Robin said glancing over at her. "You wont be allowed to wear those in class."

She held up a slip of paper with a slight smile. "Doctor's note. Lists my various ailments."

Robin looked at the note and began to read from it. "Allowed to wear sunglasses in class due to eye sensitivity to light." He rolled his eyes and skimmed the rest of the note. His eyes flashed to the signature. "Giles signed this? I should have known." He handed the note back to her and shook his head.

"What do you want me to tell them?" Alex asked popping her gum loudly. "Sorry I have to wear my glasses because my eyes are black with red glowing shit right in the middle. Or how about this one, eats a special diet of pig's blood 'cuz her two dads are vampires."

"Alright I see your point." Robin sighed as he pulled into the faculty parking lot. "So you know where your locker is?" He asked as they both got out of the car.

"Yes."

"You know where your classes are?" Robin asked as they walked up to the building.

"Yes."

"And you know where my office is in case you need anything?"

"Yes!" She sighed. They were in front of Alex's locker now. "Uncle Robin, I know what to do. It's not like I've never been to a public school before. Now go, be the principal and let me be the new chick alright?"

"Alright." He sighed giving her a kiss on the cheek. Robin started walking towards his office then called back to Alex. "Come to my office for lunch okay?"

"Okay." She called back then turned to open her locker. She had hardly noticed the stares she was getting from the people in the hall.

When she was just about to close her locker a boy came up behind her and gave her a tap on the shoulder. "Dude." He said in the classic California, surfer boy drawl. "I heard that you just kissed Principal Wood. Is that true?"

Alex didn't answer, she just stared at him blankly. She then shut her locker and walked off to her first class leaving the boy behind her. "Pathetic, worthless humans." She muttered under her breath and rolled her eyes behind her glasses.

The bell had just rung as she took a seat in the back of her first class, math. The teacher was standing at the board, writing an equation. She had short red, slightly curly hair and wore a plain light blue flowered dress. She didn't look much taller than Buffy.

When the bell rang she called over her shoulder. "Alright everybody take your seats." She turned around with a bright smile on her face as she rubbed her hands together, ridding them of chalk dust. "Okay guys we have a new student today." She looked down at her attendance sheet. "Alexandra Idol." She looked to the back of the room at Alex. "Would you like to come up and introduce your self?"

Alex knew it wasn't a request so she got up and walked to the front of the room, her duster swaying behind her. "So Alexandra, why don't you tell us where you're from and something about yourself." The teacher smiled.

"I grew up in L.A. but I've been in school in England for the past four and a half years." Alex started tried to continue but was interrupted by the blonde in the front row.

"Well that explains the clothes." She giggled. Everyone laughed.

"This is why the British don't understand you bloody colonials." Alex said. "You laugh at the oddest things."

The girl opened her mouth to say something further but the teacher interrupted. "So Alexandra, what kinds of things do you like to do?"

"First it's Alex." She said, the teacher nodded. "And I like working with my dads. They run a detective agency so I help out with filing and that sort of thing." Alex lied. What was she supposed to tell them? Oh ya I get visions from higher powers that tell my dads who needs their help. Sure. Then they could put her in the nice padded room in the nice white jacket.

"Dads?" The girl sniffed. "You have two dads?"

"Ya." Alex shrugged. "They're perfectly normal as parents go. They probably act the same way your parents do."

"My parents are some of the richest people in this city, I highly doubt that your dads are anything like my mother and father." She rolled her eyes like she was the smart one.

"So." The teacher interrupted again. "Does anyone else have questions for Alex?"

A boy in the back raised his hand. Alex looked at him, he was the same boy who spoke to her in the hall. He put his hand down and started to speak. "Ya I heard someone say that you kissed Principal Wood. That true?" The whole class fell silent, waiting to see what Alex was going to say.

"Well on the cheek ya." The class gave one of those group gasps.

"Dude, he's like sixty." The boy said in shock.

"Try forty five. And plus he's my uncle."

"But your not even the same color." The girl in the front said.

"Well not my blood uncle. His wife, my aunt Faith works with my dads and he was one of the people who helped raise me so he's a bit like an uncle." Alex rolled her eyes even though no one noticed through the glasses.

"Well, Alex we better start with class now so why don't you take your seat and we'll get going." The teacher smiled. Alex walked back to her seat but before she could sit down the teacher called back to her. "And Alex, you can't wear those glasses in class take them off please."

Alex sat in her seat then looked up at the teacher. "I have a doctors note. My eyes are extra sensitive to light. I have to wear them." The teacher nodded then started to teach.

Alex's next class was study hall where she got the third degree from those kids as well. By the time lunch rolled around Alex had been asked the same stupid questions about six times, once in each stupid class. She now knew why her dads didn't want her to go to a public school, she was smarter than everyone there, even the teachers. Alex walked into Robin's office and slumped down in one of the chairs.

Robin walked in a moment later. He took one look at her and sighed. "Rough day?"

"You have no idea." Alex groaned as she unscrewed the cap of her thermos and took a big gulp then set down again. "I mean I'm smarter than my damn teachers!"

"Alex, you have to take into account that not a lot of people on this planet are smarter than you." Robin said, rubbing her arm comfortingly. "I mean you speak like twenty human languages and a dozen other demon languages. You probably could have gone to Oxford when you were three." Alex smiled slightly. "Just give it time."

"I don't know uncle Robin." She sighed, taking another gulp of the blood. "The more I stay here the more I miss England."

"Do you know how hurt your dads were when they had to send you away?" Robin asked. Alex shook her head. "Spike was crying for three weeks and Angel could hardly pick up a sword for damn near a month. Do you want to put them go through that again?"

"No." Alex said quietly. They sat in silence for the rest of the lunch period. When the bell finally rang Alex stuffed her now empty thermos back into her bag and gathered up her things.

"Meet me at the car at the end of school okay?" Robin called after her as she walked out the door.

"Got it." Alex called back.

Her remaining two classes went by just as the first six had and by the end of school Alex felt like the sun in a room full of black lights. Robin pulled the car up to the sidewalk and she hopped in. The car ride home was silent, Robin recognized when Alex didn't want to be bothered so he didn't push his luck by talking to her.

When they pulled into the Hyperon's parking lot Alex ran out of the car so fast that she almost ripped the door off its hinges. Angel and Spike were sitting at the front counter kissing, when she bolted through the door they sprang apart. Angel leapt over the counter and ran towards Alex, enveloping her in a tight hug. Spike was right behind him. They stood there in the middle of the lobby for a few minutes before they let go of their daughter.

Spike was the first one to speak. "I take it that didn't go well."

Alex smiled slightly then pulled five crumpled up pieces of paper out of her pocket, they were threatening notes from her new classmates. "And those are just from my first three classes." She sighed as Spike and Angel read the notes.

"Who are these from?" Angel growled, trying to hide the anger in his voice but failing miserably.

"Smart kids mostly. Apparently I'm to smart and I'm stealing their spotlight." Alex grunted. "But this one here is my favorite." She pointed to a note that was written on pink scented paper in purple gel pen. "Some cheerleader that's taken a liking to directing lame insults at me. Apparently she's the most popular girl in school and no one messes with her or some other shit like that."

"Sounds like Cordy." Angel laughed slightly.

"Ya well. The funniest part is she thinks that her parents are richer than you two." They all laughed at this. Spike and Angel were master vampires and masters always have a billion or so in liquid assets and at least a million in cold cash at their disposal 24/ 7. Angel and Spike's fortunes combined could cover the world in hundred dollar bills a trillion times over.

Spike walked behind the counter and reemerged with a metal wastebasket. He pulled his lighter out of his pocket and tossed the threatening notes in the trashcan. Spike then handed the lighter to Alex. "Here."

Alex emptied the other notes out of her pockets and into the trashcan. Then she took the lighter, lit the corner of the pink scented one and tossed it in with the rest. "Thanks daddy." She smiled slightly.

"Any time lovely." Spike smiled back pulling her into a tight hug.

There was a loud bang as the door swung open and Faith and Robin walked in as their two bouncy eleven-year-old boys ran inside ahead of them. Slade and Danny ran straight towards Alex and tackled her to the ground.

"Okay, okay you two win." Alex laughed.

"Why do you let them win when I get nearly my head sliced off?" Robin asked from over by the doorway where he and Faith were standing.

"Well for one thing they're cuter than you." Faith laughed as she walked over to Alex and pulled Slade off her.

"Thanks aunt Faith." Alex said as she stood up and swung Danny over her shoulder. She may look weak but she had inherited both her fathers' strength.

"Hey no fair!" Slade wined.

"You have super powers we don't!" Danny laughed as Alex gave him a poke in the ribs.

"Such as life." Alex said as she moved Danny onto her back so she could hold him easier. She started to juggle the boy up and down but stopped suddenly. "Aunt Faith." Faith looked over at her from her spot on the floor where she was tickling Slade. "Take Danny. Now." Faith ran over to her and lifted Danny off her back.

Alex staggered forward as her eyes began to cloud over with that familiar glowing white film. She rested a hand against the couch to brace herself as the vision took her over. Alex was suddenly standing in the middle of a graveyard, one from Sunnydale, her hand was on a gravestone. There was a tomb that looked like a mini pyramid, she walked towards it and looked inside. Buffy was there and she had the scythe, she was fighting some guy dressed like a preacher. There was a small noise behind her and Alex turned sharply to see the same man Buffy was fighting only dressed differently.

"Why hello." He said in a thick southern drawl.

"Your Caleb." Alex said quietly.

"In a manner of speaking."

"What do you want?" She stared to move slowly away from him as her eyes darted around the graveyard for a weapon.

He was suddenly in front of her. "All I want little missy is to rid the world of slayers."

"You tried that." She half growled. "You didn't exactly live through it now did you."

"Maybe not then." He smiled. "But that doesn't matter now because I'm back and I'm going to rid the world of you dirty girls. I will carry out the First's noble mission." He chuckled slightly. "Now it's time for you to go back to your dirty friends."

Alex's head snapped back and she was suddenly in the lobby again.

Alex staggered forward and her hand grabbed onto the couch. Angel and Spike darted over to her but didn't touch her, last time they did that during a vision they got thrown across the room.

Alex started to speak. "Graveyard. Some where in Sunnydale." Her head snapped up and her eyes fixed onto one of the walls. "There's a tomb, it looks like a pyramid." She walked towards the wall then stopped. "Inside, it's Buffy fighting a guy dressed like a preacher."

"Caleb." Faith whispered under her breath.

Alex turned around sharply and her eyes widened in shock. "Your Caleb." She said quietly. "What do you want?" She asked as she started to move back slightly, her eyes darted around the room. "You tried that." She half growled. "You didn't exactly live through that now did you?" She stopped moving, her eyes now fixed on the wall. Her head snapped back again and she looked around the lobby, taking in where she was.

Her knees gave out and she was falling to the floor. She would have fallen except she was caught by Angel and Spike, who lifted her onto the couch. Spike pulled her into a tight hug, she was still a little dazed from her vision. Angle sprang up and ran to the kitchen to get her some blood.

Spike pulled away from Alex, but kept his strong hands wrapped around her slightly shaking shoulders. "Lovely, what did Caleb say to you?"

Alex opened her mouth to speak but no words came out. "Spike, give her a second." Angel said as he walked back into the lobby and handed Spike a glass of blood to give to Alex. "You know how much the visions drain her."

"Trust me love I know, I had one when I was pregnant with her remember?" Spike said as he held the glass while Alex took a sip.

"Is Alex okay?" Slade asked, the worry clear in his voice.

"Is she?" Danny asked.

"She's fine boys." Faith said giving both boys a squeeze. She then turned to Robin and whispered in his ear. "Why don't you take the boys up to the training room. Keep them occupied."

"Right." He whispered back then turned to the boys. "Hey guys why don't you two go up to the training room, play some video games or something."

Slade and Danny exchanged looks then looked back at their parents. "Okay." They said together. They trotted up the stairs but Danny stopped in the middle of the staircase. "Feel better Alex." He then continued up after his brother.

Back on the couch Alex had lost the dazed look and could hold herself up now without help from Spike or Angel. She finished off her blood and began to speak again. "C-Caleb said that h-he wanted to rid the world of slayers."

"But he already tried that, and failed miserably." Faith said as she came over and sat next to Alex. "Also he's dead."

"He said that he was back." She sighed slightly as Faith's hand moved to rest of her back supporting her, she was still very drained. "H-he said that he would carry out the First's noble work."

Spike, Angel, Faith and Robin exchanged glances. "Robin, you'd better call the guys." Faith said.

"No." Alex said shaking her head weakly. "Not just the people here call every one. Even Giles and Willow. We need every one who was here when the First attacked last time. Every one left anyways."

"Alright you got it." Faith sat up and walked over to Robin. "Tell Buffy to call all the slayers that were there. You call Giles and Willow. I'll get Wes, Fred and the others."

"Right." He nodded. They both walked off to their respective tasks.

"How are you feeling baby doll?" Angel asked, calling Alex by his pet name for her.

"Tired." She said, smiling slightly. "Also, in my vision, it didn't feel like Caleb."

"What do you mean?" Spike asked sitting next to her on the couch.

"I've seen the scythe, and I felt the essence of every thing it's killed. I've felt Caleb's essence and that wasn't it." Alex sighed, leaning her head on Spike's shoulder. "It was someone new."

"Well maybe the vision distorted the way he felt." Angel was trying to rationalize to no avail.

"No." She shook her head. "It wasn't him. It was someone completely different."

"How do you know that?" Spike asked, getting just as lost as Angel.

"I didn't just see the graveyard as it was that night, I was in the grave yard on that night. And that man was there as well." Alex stood up and started to pace despite her fatigue.

"You mean to tell me that there are two Calebs?" Spike cocked an eyebrow up in confusion.

"Two Calebs?" Faith asked as she walked back from the office. "And here I'm thinkin' that one is enough."

Angel looked up from his seat. "You reach every one okay?"

"Ya." Faith nodded. "Buffy, Xander, Fred, Wes, Dawn and Gunn should be here soon."

"What about Harm and Lorne?" Spike asked. "Shouldn't we call them too?"

"No." Angel shook his head. "We are not going to interrupt their second honeymoon. Remember when we interrupted the first one?"

"Ya, Harm almost had my head on a stake." Spike grunted. "Best not to disturb them."

Part 2

A few minutes later Buffy, Xander, Gunn, Dawn, Wesley, Fred and Annie, Fred and Wesley's daughter, walked in. "Annie go up to the training room." Fred commanded.

"Aww." She wined. "I never get to stay for the meetings. Why does Alex get to stay? She's only three years older than me."

"Tell ya what Annie." Alex called from the couch. "When you start havin' the energy sucking, life draining, skull cracking visions, you can help." Annie just stuck her tongue out at the other girl and tromped up the stairs to the training room. "Lovely girl you've raised there aunt Fred." Alex smiled up at Fred.

"Hey, she gets that from Wesley's side." Fred said throwing her hands up and sitting on Wesley's lap with a slight sigh.

Just then Robin walked in. "Willow, Giles and every one else will be here around eight or so. Apparently they got the jets at the Watchers Council magically upgraded, they can make the trip in four hours." He said sitting down next to Faith and wrapping an arm around her.

"Good." Spike nodded then looked over at Alex. "How you feelin'?"

"I've been better." She said rubbing the back of her neck. She went to say something else but stopped and looked over at Robin her eyes slightly covered with white film which then receded. "Bless you." She said quietly.

"What..." Robin started to ask then stopped and sneezed. "Thank you." He said getting up and grabbing a tissue from the desk.

"Wow. Your getting good Alex." Dawn smiled.

"Ya. It's only the big ones that zap my strength." She shrugged.

For the next few hours the gang stayed down stairs and brain stormed. Fred had gotten up to order pizza for the kids and Chinese for them. Alex like her fathers didn't need to eat human food but liked to every once and a while, but unlike her dads she could fully taste the food. Giles, Willow, Andrew, and Kennedy showed up an hour or so later with fifteen slayers, the fifteen original slayers that survived the First's previous attacks.

"Sorry we couldn't come sooner." Giles said, setting down his bags and leaning against the counter.

"Giles!" Alex said excitedly running over and hugging him.

"Hello Alex." He smiled hugging her back then releasing her.

"Wow Giles." Angel laughed.

"What is so funny?" Giles asked, his arm still draped around Alex's shoulder.

"Nothing it's just you look great for seventy." Angel smiled getting up to hug the man as well.

"Well you look bad for two hundred and sixty four." Giles smiled at the other man.

Once every one was settled and had exchanged greetings they all sat in the lobby piled onto the various pieces of furniture as well as the floor. They began to talk strategy if Caleb truly was back when the front door slamming alerted them to an unwanted presence.

"Well, well, well." Caleb's cold voice echoed in the lobby as he stood by the now broken door. He wasn't wearing his traditional black preacher's outfit but blue jeans and a red flannel shirt. "Isn't this just ever so touching?" He smiled evilly. "A reunion!"

Buffy was the first to speak. "You can't be here. I killed you." She said harshly. "Cut you in half remember?"

"Oh I'm sorry you're confusing me with my brother Caleb. My name is Abner. It's a whole Cain and Able thing if you think about it." He smiled again as he started to descend the front stairs. As he did the other slayers stood up to join Buffy, blocking him from the others. "Hey now. There's no need to get physical with this." He said backing up slightly with his hands in the air. "I just came to collect the little girl over yonder." He pointed to Alex.

Angel and Spike sprang up in game face. Angel gave a loud snarl and Spike moved in front of Alex. "Touch her and you will join you brother in hell." Angel growled.

"Oh common now." Abner laughed slightly. "Do you honestly think that I need to be near her to get her away from you folk?" He stopped laughing and extended his hand out towards the group. "Common." He said quietly.

Behind Spike Alex stood up and started to walk towards him. When Spike tried to stop her he was thrown across the room and knocked unconscious when his head connected with the back wall. Alex was having a vision, or so it seamed. Her eyes were clouded over with that familiar glowing white film as she walked slowly towards Abner.

"Don't touch her." Angel commanded to the others as he ran over to where Spike lay.

"That's right." Abner smiled. "Let your precious little girl go. Your boy friend is more important anyways." When she was over by his side he placed a hand on her shoulder and stroked her cheek lightly with the other. "I don't think you know what you got here." He smiled. Abner laid a hand on the top of her head and closed his eyes. "Lets just take a look see shall we?"

Alex's eyes fluttered closed then open again. When she opened them again she was still in the lobby but it was light out. "Daddy! Daddy!" A little girl squealed as she ran from the garden into Spike's open arms, tears staining her smooth pail face.

"What's wrong lovely?" Spike asked as he pulled her off the floor and hugged her close to his chest.

The little girl wore a white flowered sundress and no shoes. She couldn't have been any older than two. Her long dark curls hung loosely around her back, the tattoo on her back barely visible through the mass of hair.

"Tell daddy what's wrong." Spike said again as his hand started to gently rub her back. She shook her head and buried it in the crook of his neck. "Why not?"

"The mean lady will come and get me." She cried.

"What mean lady?" Spike asked gently. He began to rock back and forth trying to calm her down.

"The mean lady in park." She sniffed. "By the swingies. She hurt the baby. Took him away from his momma."

Spike's eyes widened when he realized what had happened. She had a vision. The powers said that as soon as she was old enough to tell them about her visions she would start having them. "What did the mean lady look like lovely?" Spike asked quietly, continuing to rock her.

"She had bumpies like you and daddy." She sniffed, picking her head up off Spike's shoulder to look at him. "And pointy teeth."

Spike sighed slightly as he brought a large hand to the girl's face. He used his thumb to wipe away the tear tracks on her pail cheeks. "It's alright." He smiled. "Me and daddy are going to take care of the bad lady, make sure she doesn't hurt the baby. Okay?"

"Okay." She sniffed, rubbing her nose with the back of her hand.

"Do you remember this?" Abner asked Alex.

"Yes." She sighed. "It was my first vision. I was so scared."

"How old were you?"

"I had just turned two, about three months before."

"Right then." He nodded. "Shall we go?" His hand glided to the small of her back and he ushered her out the door and into the street. It was night again as they walked to a tan pick up truck and speed away.

Abner placed a hand on top of Alex's head and her eyes closed then opened again. Every one watched as Abner's face twisted into a smile. "You really don't know what you have here." He chuckled. "She is the most powerful thing to walk this or any other dimension. But I'd bet that you didn't know that."

He paused for a moment then continued on. "Now Angel, that boy you have, the child of two vampires, he's special but her." He shivered slightly. "She is the child of two male vampires with souls. Now that is a prize! It's amazing that you've managed to keep her a secrete in this city for, what fifteen years?" He shook his head slightly. "Amazing. She is the child that was never supposed to be born. Did you know that?" He didn't wait for an answer. "No of coarse you didn't. Well let me fill you in."

He smiled, taking his hand off of Alex and walking over so he was nose to nose with Angel. "Six thousand years ago when the first slayer was created, the watchers stumbled upon a cave that had all sorts of prophecies in it. Now it took them years and years to translate all of them. They were just about finished when my dear brother, God rest his soul, blew them to hell." He chuckled slightly.

One of the slayers started to inch towards the door, trying to grab Alex. "I wouldn't do that missy." He called over his shoulder then continued to talk to Angel. "Now where was I? Oh yes. Any ways one bit of the cave talked of a vampire, cursed with a soul, that would be you." He pointed to Angel with a slight smile. "And another section said somethin' about another vampire who would win his soul from a demon, that would be him." He pointed at Spike's unconscious form. "Together they would create a child, a child of unlimited power." Abner stood up and walked back to Alex.

"It said that they would merely be the vessels to bring the child to earth." He looked at Alex and smiled then looked back at the group. "It said that this must never be allowed to happen for the child will not be theirs but belong to what they were before the souls." Angel's eyes widened in horror.

"She's Angelus and William the Bloody's?" He said, his throat tight from shock.

"That she is." Abner nodded. "And she shall be born and met him and they shall end the world in the name of the First. Right then." He nodded. "Shall we go?" He smiled as his hand glided down to the small of Alex's back. He walked her outside and into an old tan pick up truck.

Back in the hotel Spike was just coming to. He sat up suddenly and tried to run towards the door but was stopped by Angel. "We'll get her back Spike." He whispered. "We'll get her back."

"No." Spike sobbed into Angel's shoulder. "She can't be gone."

"She's not." Angel shushed the other man. "We will find her. We all will okay?"

"No we won't." Giles said quietly. Everyone turned to look at him, looks of horror on every face.

"Giles." Buffy hissed in outrage.

"I'm sorry Buffy but as head of the New Watchers Council of England I can't allow any one of my slayers to go near that girl." He said coldly.

"That girl is our daughter!" Angel shouted. "And one of your students. You're just going to abandon her?"

"Did I ever tell you what the first rule of the Council is?" He asked quietly standing up from his seat so he could be seen by everyone.

"I don't think this is the time for rules." Willow said in a harsh tone that was alien to the kind redhead.

"The first rule is when you find that girl, she is to be dealt with and no, absolutely no slayer is to go near her." Giles half shouted. "She was never supposed to be brought into existence and I should have killed her the instant she was born!"

"I will rip your throat out if you say another word against her!" Angel shouted from over by Spike.

"The reason I didn't is because I thought that if she grew up with you two that she wouldn't turn evil but now that he's got her..." Giles stopped to take a breath, obviously holding back tears. "Now that the First's got her the earth is doomed. Absolutely, utterly, doomed."

Everyone in the room began to argue with Giles. Spike however just sat against the wall, silent tears streaming down his smooth face. He finally stood up and morphed into game face. He snarled as loud as he could. "Quiet!" The room was instantly quiet. "I knew about who Alex was." He said quietly, his face shifting back to normal. "Giles never told me, when I was about five months along I went right to the source. The cave he was talking about was the cave where I got my soul." He sniffed as he wiped the remnants of tears off his face. "There's a portion of the cave that's never been translated but I managed. It said that if she was left with us she would feed off our souls." He said looking at Angel. "As long as we have our souls, she will have hers. And as long as she has hers she can't hurt humans."

"Spike how do you know this?" Angel asked quietly walking over to Spike.

"Angel love." He smiled putting a cool hand on Angel's face. "She lived inside me for nine months, I felt her soul growing. That's not something that you forget." Angel nodded. "I know that girl better than anyone on this planet, and I know that she will come back to us."

"The prophecy said that she wouldn't have a soul." Giles said quietly from the other side of the room.

"The prophecy was wrong." Spike said simply. "She had a soul and it is one of the purest things that I have ever felt."

"Oh my God it's her!" Rona said suddenly.

"Her who?" Vi, who was sitting next to her asked.

"On the night Alex was born I found a nest of vamps in a London graveyard." She said every one's eyes fixed on her. "They stole a bunch of stuff from a crypt. They had this book that they found in a reliquary. It looked old I mean older than old like, the first book ever. The book was talking about two people that are born once every thousand years, one boy and one girl. It said that the boy would be born without a soul, and he would walk the earth as empty as a vampire."

"Wait." Angel stopped her. "I've met this kid. He was possessed by a demon a few years before Alex was born, Ryan I think his name was. When we took the demon out he said that the boy was the blackest hell he had ever known."

"Sounds like the guy." Rona nodded. "Anyways it also said that the girl will be so pure that she will bring light to the very darkest places, I think that might be Alex."

"So what your saying is that Alex is the miracle child of two prophecies?" Giles asked, taking his glasses off to clean them.

"Pretty much ya." Rona nodded again.

"Wow, that's gotta suck." Buffy mused. "No wonder she's so powerful."

"And I thought our destinies were screwed up." Angel grunted to Spike.

"Ya." He grunted back. "So what are we going to do?"

Part 3

Alex felt cold, her head was throbbing, she was so drained she didn't think she could open her eyes and she didn't know where she was. She opened her eyes halfway and looked around. She sprang up when she realized where she was. Alex was in the crater that used to be Sunnydale.

"Well, Sleeping Beauty finally woke up." Abner said from somewhere. Alex looked around but couldn't find him.

"You sure this is her?" Buffy's voice asked. Alex kept looking but couldn't find anyone.

"Yes." His voice said again.

"Alright." Alex shouted. "I'm gettin' bloody sick of this crap so you'd better show yourself so I can kill you and go home!"

"Now why would you want to do that?" He laughed. "When we are gonna have such fun."

Alex felt her body being pulled into a vision and she fell to the ground. She was back in the Hyperion in her dads' room. Angel was on top of Spike when he suddenly rolled off of him. A small figure stood at the doorway quietly biting her first finger. Her pail pink lips were slightly parted to show her two pointed canine teeth.

"Dads?" She asked softly. "I had a bad dream can I sleep with you?"

Spike sighed slightly and pulled back the covers, she slid in between the two cold forms as Spike tucked her in between him and Angel. "Wanna tell us about your dream lovely?" He asked gently kissing her forehead.

"Angelus and William the Bloody were back." She said quietly. "They killed everyone while they were sleeping." She sniffed, on the verge of tears. "I had to kill them."

"It was just a dream baby doll." Angel shushed her, as he pulled her into a hug.

"That's the worst part." She sniffed, tears starting to roll down her cheeks. "It might have been a vision. I can barely tell them apart anymore"

Alex was pulled back to where she was. She fell back onto the ground and began to cry. "Aww common it wasn't that bad." Abner said, she still couldn't see him. "What memory was that?"

"That was when they had to send me to England, the visions were getting out of control. I was barely the twins' age." She sniffed, whipping the tears off her face. "I was getting so many visions I couldn't tell them apart from nightmares." When she had calmed herself down she slipped back into big bad mode. "Alright. Now get your ass down here so I can kick it or I'm just gonna leave." She stood up and brushed herself off as she waited for an answer.

"I'm sorry girl." Abner laughed. "But you can't leave."

"Oh really?" She rolled her eyes. "Watch me." Alex turned around and came face to face with him. "Good. I really didn't want to leave with out a proper fight." She swung a fist at his jaw, the strongest right hook she had. He lifted his hand up to block it but missed and went tumbling to the ground, holding his mouth. "Gotta say, you really don't live up to your brother's reputation. Kinda a let down really." She gave him a hard kick to the ribs, hearing a few crack. She smiled. "Oh sorry 'bout that mate." She giggled. "Did I hurt you?"

"Stupid girl." He coughed, spitting blood into the dirt.

"I'm the stupid one?" She laughed then kicked him again. "You're the one who brought me into the middle of the fucking desert and gave me lots of places to hide your body after I kill you."

"And that is why you're the stupid one." He laughed, dodging Alex's next kick he rolled away. "You little lady are the only person on the planet who can kill me. But low and behold, if you kill so much as one human, however evil they are you'll turn evil yourself. Life's funny that way." He laughed again.

It had been three hours since Abner had left with Alex and everyone was still arguing about how to find her. Most of all everyone was mad at Giles for even thinking much less actually suggesting that they not rescue Alex. Angel and Spike sat in silence on the love seat, entwined in each other's arms, silently comforting one another. A moment later it hit them both at the same time. "Quiet!" They snarled together and the room fell deadly silent.

"Do you think this is it?" Angel asked Spike quietly.

"Think so." Spike nodded.

They began to converse quietly with each other leaving everyone else clueless. Finally Buffy spoke up. "Think this is what?" She asked.

Angel and Spike nodded to each other then Angel started to speak. "You remember the Shanshu prophecy?" The others nodded. "Well it said that the vampire with a soul would play an important role in the apocalypse."

"Since there's two of us, it might have gotten changed slightly." Spike continued. "Our important role might have been to bring Alex into the world so she can either start or stop the apocalypse."

"This kid just keeps getting more screwed up by the second." Gunn rolled his eyes.

Alex stood frozen in the middle of the crater. She was about to run but caught something in the air, a very faint scent. She sniffed the air trying to figure out what it was and then it hit her. Her eyes lit up and she smiled evilly. "If I'm the only one who can kill you then how come you're a vampire?"

"Oh damn." He stomped his foot into the dirt. "You know, you said that you'd fixed that whole smell thing." He called to the air.

"I did." Buffy's voice answered back. "All you had to do was keep from bleeding to much and she wouldn't have noticed! You screwed up not me." The voice went silent again.

"Well thanks for the heads up." Abner snapped.

"Don't you yell at me!" Buffy's voice shrieked. "I'm the ultimate evil! No one yells at me! You know at least Caleb had some respect for me."

"If you say one more thing about my damn brother!" He shouted back.

They continued to argue and Alex just stood there. Finally Abner turned his back to her and her hand flew to the emergency stake she kept in her boot. She ran up behind him and shoved it through his heart. The words he was yelling were caught in his throat.

"You see, the thing about killing humans." Alex smirked. "Your not a human so I won't go evil if you die." She gave the stake a twist and he howled in pain. "Also considering that you're not a living thing." He collapsed into a pile of dust, hardly distinguishable from the dirt in the crater. She brushed her hands off then turned to where he was facing. "If that's all you've got left then the stories the slayers tell about you are extremely fabricated."

"I'm the most powerful thing in the world! You can't talk to me like that!" The First yelled.

"Ya well the way the prophecies tell it is that the instant I was conceived I was the most powerful thing in any dimension. I think I win this round." Alex yelled. "Now you are gong to leave. The age of slayers has begun and will continue until the world really does end, the way it was supposed to end not you destroying it."

"I will end the world." She said coldly. "And you can't stop me."

"You don't even have corporeal form!" Alex half laughed. "You don't even have non corporeal form! You just a voice, Buffy's voice." Alex turned and began to walk to the edge of the crater then stopped. "And your only minion just got dusted by a little girl." She started to climb up the wall of the crater, the First yelling at her all the while. When she reached the road she began walking towards L.A. just as the sun began to peek over the horizon.

Part 4

Saturday morning. The sun was just rising at the Hyperion and nearly everyone was passed out in the lobby on the various chairs and couches. Slade was cuddled next to Faith while Robin had his arm around Danny. Annie had her head leaning against Fred's shoulder. Everyone else was cuddled against their friends and family, sleeping lightly waiting for Alex to come back through the front door, which Xander was now fixing. Spike and Angel had retreated to their room, they couldn't stand to be around everyone right now.

Angel lay awake, his arm draped around Spike's middle. "Angel." Spike said quietly.

"What?" Angel replied, snuggling closer to his childe.

"You asleep?"

"No."

"Me neither." Spike sighed then rolled over to face Angel. "Angel."

"Yes?"

"Do you think we could...?" He stopped. "Never mind..." Spike started to say when Angel's mouth came down on his.

Angel broke away. "Yes, we can." Angel smiled then began to kiss Spike again.

Angel pushed the covers down to his waist and rolled on top of Spike, pinning the smaller man's arms at his sides. He straddled Spike's thin body and deepened the kiss, Spike's arms springing up and wrapping themselves around Angel's neck.

Angel started moving down Spike's body, nipping and licking as he went, leaving little glistening trails of cold saliva down Spike's neck and chest. He finally came to Spike's belly button and gave it a soft kiss, Spike smiled at the tickling sensation. He wrapped his legs around Angle's waist as Angel's hand went out to search for lube. Spike caught it and shook his head.

"No." Spike said simply.

"But Spike..." Angel protested.

"No." He shook his head again. "I need to feel something, make me feel something." Angel nodded sadly and poised himself to enter Spike. He tried to lubricate his hard member with pre cum but it didn't help much. "Do it." Spike commanded softly.

Angel pressed two spit-lubricated fingers into Spike to widen him then slid his sex in replacing his fingers. Spike dug his nails into Angel's back as the barely lubricated hardness pushed it's way in agonizingly slow. Angel saw Spike's eyes squeeze shut in pain and stopped. "No." Spike shook his head. "Don't stop." He opened his eyes to look at Angel. Spike lifted his hand to wipe away the tears rolling down his sire's cheeks. "I need this." Angel nodded slightly and continued to push in. He didn't stop until he was full sheathed inside his boy. He could smell Spike's blood as he began to move slowly. In and out, in and out. "Faster love." Spike commanded, his face calm despite the pain Angel knew he was in.

"I don't want to hurt you." Angel said quietly, he picked up the pace regardless.

Spike began to whimper in pain at first and then he started to moan in pleasure as Angel's thrusts got faster and faster. Angel's hands were on either side of Spike's shoulders, he moved one behind his head to cradle it so it wouldn't slam against the headboard. Spike hissed, he breathed in sharply as Angel's member raked across that wonderful spot inside him, over and over again creating the most beautiful mix of pain and pleasure that only a vampire could love.

Angel steadied himself, determined to let Spike come first. Spike was making it quite difficult for Angel though, the sounds that used to drive Angelus wild were spilling out of his childe like blood out of an open wound and he could barely stand it. He held himself back as he picked up the pace, wrenching more moans and other delicious sounds from Spike.

Angel could feel his demon relishing every moan and whimper that was escaping Spike's pail lips. The smell of their mixing blood and pleaser was intoxicating and Angel didn't think he could hold out much longer. As if on cue Spike's eyes fluttered shut as he came hard onto his and Angel's stomachs, moaning in pleasure as his cold, dead seed flowed between them. After Spike's orgasm hit Angel couldn't hold back any longer, he came inside his childe, Spike gave another satisfied moan as his sire filled him to the brim with ice cold cum.

Angel collapsed onto Spike, both breathing heavily even though they didn't need to. Angel lifted his head up and kissed Spike softly. "I love you." He whispered hoarsely.

"Love you too." Spike said quietly.

Angel sat up and uncurled Spike's legs from around his waist. He slowly pulled out of Spike's tight opening drawing a long hiss from his childe. When he was out he collapsed onto the bed beside Spike, panting heavily. He curled his fingers around Spike's and they just lied there for what seamed like hours, breathing in each other's scent. Angel glanced over at the clock, eight thirty in the morning.

"Spike." He said softly. Spike grunted in response. "We need to get cleaned up." Spike grunted again. "Did you stop bleeding?"

"Y-yes." Spike shuddered slightly.

"You okay?" Angel asked, worry seeping through his voice.

Spike gave a slight chuckle. "Best I've ever felt, considering the circumstances." He propped himself up on his elbow and looked over at Angel. "How are you feelin'?"

"Same as you." He smiled weakly. He looked at Spike then himself. "We'd better get cleaned up." He said again, Spike nodded. "Then we'd better get back to the others." Spike nodded again.

When Angel didn't move Spike sat up and pulled himself out of bed. He walked over to Angel's side and extended his hand to the exhausted vampire. Angel reached up and grabbed Spike's hand. Spike pulled him out of bed, as he did Angel got a good look at what he had done to his childe. Spike's stomach and chest was covered with dried cum and from the waste down, dry blood. Angel looked over to Spike's side of the bed and saw a giant bloodstain going through the sheets and well through the mattress.

Spike saw the look of horror in Angel's eyes and pulled him into a tight hug. "It's alright love. Vampire remember? The pain gets me off. And it's not like you've never taken me dry before."

"I never did." Angel shook his head, his eyes glistening with unshed tears. "Angelus did. You promised me that you'd never let me do that to you again." He sniffed, burring his head into Spike's shoulder.

"You didn't do it." Spike said soothingly. "I wanted it done. I'm not saying that I'm tryin' to dredge up old kinks. It was just something I needed to feel again. I'm over it now." Angel lifted his head off Spike's shoulder. "Now we need a shower." Spike smiled. They walked to the bathroom, Spike's arm still wrapped around Angel's shoulders.

Alex walked along the desert highway, the sun beating down on her. She stopped and sat down. "This is the bad thing about wearing black during the three days of the full moon." She said to herself. "You get kidnapped and can't use your magic to get back home so your forced to walk through the brunin' desert." She sighed. "I miss England." Alex stood up, brushed herself off and continued to walk. "England was nice. Not all that hot, lots of rain." She continued to talk to herself as she walked.

Angel and Spike walked down the stairs and into the lobby. They were met with warm smiles from everyone who was awake. They walked over to the empty love seat and sat down. Spike winced, as he did it caused Angel to go back into the twenty questions routine.

"You sure you're okay?" He asked, his eyes searching Spike for other signs of pain or renewed bleeding.

"I told you love, I'm fine." Spike smiled then winced again as he sank deeper into the couch.

"Man what were you two doing?" Faith joked.

"Seriously." Giles added shifting in the armchair. "This is hardly the time to be kinky."

"Giles." Buffy gasped jokingly. "I didn't think that you knew those kinds of words."

"Yes Buffy, how very droll of you." Giles rolled his eyes.

Robin woke up, rubbed the sleep from his eyes then looked at his watch. "Well Alex certainly does have very good timing. She got kidnapped on a Friday so she doesn't need to be back for school until Sunday night." He joked trying to lighten the mood.

"Girl always did have good timing." Faith added trying to wrench a smile from either Spike or Angel. "Okay not at that stage yet." She said quietly leaning back into Robin's arms and giving the sleeping boys a slight squeeze.

"It's to bad that her magic doesn't work during the full moon or I'd be able to do a locator spell." Willow sighed sadly.

"It's alright Wills." Buffy said, rubbing her arm comfortingly. "Alex is strong, she'll find a way back after she stops the apocalypse."

"How many has she stopped on her own again?" Faith asked looking over at Buffy.

"On her own?" Buffy stopped to count. "At least ten but with the rest of us, three more or so."

"Wow." Faith chuckled. "Some great protectors of the world we are. She does all the work and we get all the credit."

"Who else feels guilty?" Willow whimpered. She looked over at Spike who was lost in thought. "Spike. You okay? You've been kinda quiet."

"What?" Spike said snapping out of his daze. "Oh I'm fine red, well as fine as to be expected." He gave a halfhearted chuckle then fell silent again.

"Do you need anything?" Willow asked sweetly.

"No." He shook his head. "Actually ya. I'm gonna go get some blood from the fridge."

"You want me to come with you babe?" Angel asked sitting up slightly.

"I'm not an invalid love." Spike said softly. "I can feel myself, I've been doin' it for a hundred and forty five years."

When Spike was out of earshot Faith gave a slight shudder. "Wow, moody much. You sure you didn't knock him up again?"

"Faith, be nice." Robin said giving her a squeeze. "If we lost one of the boys I'm sure we'd act the same way."

"Well then why isn't Angel making with the broody? Aint that what he's good at?" Faith asked, trying to be quiet but Angel heard her.

"Because, I didn't have her." Angel said harshly. "She wasn't inside me for nine months, I didn't share a soul with her." He growled

"Sorry Angel." Faith said in shock, scooting away from the vampire.

"It's okay." He said softly. "It's just that Alex is like an extension of Spike. Sure she looks like me but they've always had more in common. I mean have you ever seen them together? They're like carbon copies of each other. Sometimes I think that she loves him more."

"Angel, don't say that." Buffy said kindly. "She loves you both the same, if not she certainly loves you more than all of us anyways."

"True." Faith snorted. They sat in silence for a while until Spike came back. "So what were you two doing up there?" Faith asked. "I mean we heard some pretty funky noises."

"Like Giles said." Spike smiled slightly. "Being kinky."

"I hate being right all the time." Giles rolled his eyes.

The next few hours passed slowly. Every one was now awake and trying to keep themselves as well as Angel and Spike occupied. Willow had tried to do a locator spell but Alex was off the L.A. map. Even if she was on the map they wouldn't have been able to find her on the account of her magic going wonky during the full moon.

At noon the slayers went out to do a sweep of the city and the kids were up in the training room leaving the original Sunnydale gang alone. The guy from the deli had just delivered the sandwiches and blood and they had begun to eat.

Spike spoke for the first time in hours. "Angel love." He said quietly taking a sip of blood.

"Wha?" Angel mumbled, his mouth full of sandwich.

"Have you been fellin' a bit buzzed for the past few hours?" Spike asked.

Angel swallowed. "Now that you mentioned it kinda ya. Actually it started around dawn right before we..." He trailed off a slight smirk ghosting across his lips.

"Ya me too." Spike said suppressing a slight smirk. "Feels like a master died doesn't it?"

"Um... guys?" Buffy asked as she took a bite from he sandwich. "What you talkin' 'bout?" She mumbled.

"Well you know how the first thing you watcher teaches you is that a slayer is her own greatest enemy?" Spike said. Buffy and Faith nodded.

"I thought it was just that mystic crap about how only you can stop your own success." Faith said taking a drink from her soda.

"Well that's what they say." Spike smirked. "It's really because the strength of every vamp you dust gets divided amongst the remaining vampires. So really you killin' vamps makes the remaining ones stronger."

"Since we're masters we get a good bulk of the energy." Angel added. "It gives you a nice buzz but not for this long if it's just a regular vamp. Most times you don't even notice it."

"Ya." Spike nodded. "Someone must have dusted a master to get this kind of power." He shivered slightly.

"That's why we're so horny." Angel smiled.

"And with earlier, yep explains a lot." Spike winked at Angel.

"Okay, really didn't need the trip down kinky vampire memory lane. I'm eating!" Gunn shuddered taking a bite from his sandwich. Angel and Spike just laughed.

Alex could see the city skyline in the distance, she was almost there. She glanced down at her watch, half past noon. If she was lucky she would be home in time for an early dinner, that's assuming that she doesn't die of heatstroke first.

Alex slumped down on the side of the road. "This is the first and hopefully last time I curse my sense of style." She moaned, shedding her black duster. "This is the time that I wish I dressed like Buffy. Nice bright white cloths... good gods did I just say that?" She shuddered in horror. "I need to get out of here."

She stood up heavily, folding her duster over her arm and continued to walk. Ten minutes later she saw what looked like Robin and Faith's SUV driving towards her. "Bloody hell, now the mirages start." She moaned then kept walking. When she got closer and the car started to slow she realized that it was A. real and B. being driven by some of the slayers back at the hotel. "Oh thank the gods." She breathed as Rona and Vi jumped out of the back door.

They ran over to her just as her knees gave out. They caught her and pulled her into the car. "Alex." Rona said. "Are you okay?"

"Stupid question Rona." Vi said sarcastically.

"No shit Sherlock." Alex coughed.

"Okay here's a stupider one." Rona said, shooting a dirty look at Vi then holding up three fingers in front of Alex's face. "How many fingers?"

"Three." Alex sighed. "And to save you the trouble of asking me every other stupid question you can think of, the year is two thousand nineteen, the president is some republican jack ass, my name is Alexandra Idol, I'm fifteen and your checking for heat stroke not a concussion!"

"She's as well as is to be expected." Rona nodded. "Shannon drive!" She commanded to the slayer in the driver's seat.

Alex felt the car lurch foreword then make a U- turn. She slipped in and out of consciousness all the way back to the hotel. When the car stopped and the engine gave one final groan then stopped as well Alex was in a haze. All she really felt was a figure pulling her up out of the seat then another opening the back door for them. Two pairs of arms snaked their way around her own. She then felt the dull sensation of being carried, Alex looked over lazily and say Rona and what looked like Vi carrying her. Alex's arms were wrapped around their shoulders as Shannon opened the now fixed door into the hotel.

When they were in the hotel Alex saw a dozen or so blurry faces and heard the sound of furniture creaking as people stood up quickly. Then only face she could see clearly was that of Angel, who rushed over and took her from Rona and Vi.

Alex took a sniff of the air around her then rolled her eyes as he laid her down on the couch. "You were gettin' kinky with daddy while I was missing?" She said dully. "Can't say I'm surprised really." Alex chuckled then looked over at Faith and Robin. "You were too I see."

Robin flushed slightly and Faith smirked. "Wha' d you expect us to do?" She said giving Robin's ass a squeeze.

Angel rolled his eyes and focused on Alex. "How you fellin'?"

"Why does everyone keep askin' me that?" She said groggily. "I've been out in the hot sun, in the burnin' desert for..." She lifted her arm slightly and looked at her watch. "Nearly seven hours. Where's daddy?"

Angel sighed slightly, thankfully no one heard him. "He's upstairs. He wasn't feeling well." Angel smiled.

"Seams to be goin' around. Can I see him?" Alex whispered as she started to lose consciousness but pulled herself back.

"Yes baby doll." Angel lifted her off the couch and began to carry her up the stairs leaving the others in the lobby. Angel stopped on the balcony and looked back at everyone. "Call the slayers back, tell them we found her." With that he continued up the stairs.

He walked up to Alex's room, on the very top floor of the hotel. He set her down on the bed and began to remove her watch, rings and anything metal on her body. Angel then covered her with a blanket. She stirred and began to mumble. "Where's daddy? You said I could see him."

"In a minute." Angel smiled sadly he hated seeing his baby girl like this. "Right now you need blood." He slid an arm under Alex's shoulders and sat her up. Angel tilted his head to the side, exposing his neck. "Here, drink."

She shook her head weakly. "No. Daddy can do it."

"We don't have time for that." Angel pulled her closer to his neck. "Just drink." She shook her head again but before she had a chance to speak Angel wrapped his other hand around the back of her head and forced her to his throat.

Before she knew what she was doing Alex had slid her fangs into her father's neck and was now drinking deeply from the wound. She released his neck a moment later after draining nearly all his blood. Angel eased her back onto the bed and slid his arm out from under her. He moved off the bed and collapsed on the floor beside it.

After a few minutes of silence Angel finally spoke. "Why do you love Spike more than me?"

Alex sighed sadly. "I don't love daddy more."

"Then why do you prefer him to me? Why did you ask for him to feed you?" Angel asked quietly.

"Because I don't like to hurt you." She choked out, coughing slightly. "Believe it or not I'm more deeply connected to you and Angelus than daddy and William the Bloody. I don't like to see you in pain." She sniffed. "I am very fond of him because I lived inside him for nine months but I love you both the same."

Angel reached an arm up onto the bed and snaked his fingers around hers. "Thanks baby doll." He smiled.

"Glad we got past that." Alex chuckled weakly. "Can I see daddy now?"

"Sure." Angel heaved himself off the floor and walked to the door. "You stay right here okay?"

"Where would I go?" She smiled.

An instant later Spike shot through the door and lunged at the bed, wrapping his arms around his daughter. "I thought you were lost lovely." He sniffed, tears of joy rolling down his cheeks.

"Daddy, how many times have I nearly died and actually gone through with it?" She joked wrapping her arms around her father.

"Good point." Spike chuckled.

Alex managed to partially squeeze her way out of Spike's vice grip to look over at Angel, who was standing at the door. "Will you get your ass over here already?" She giggled.

Not needing to be asked twice Angel took a flying leap onto the bed making Spike and Alex squeal. "Hey you asked for it." He laughed squeezing his daughter and his childe.

He rolled off them and Alex snuggled in between the cold figures. They all fell asleep and sweet dreams filled Alex's head as the two cold bodies next to her slowly warmed. She smiled as two other heartbeats joined her own. Alex snuggled closer to Angel and as she did she realized that this wasn't a dream. Her hand absently fell to her side, across Spike's chest, she felt his heart beating and her smile grew wider. Shanshu at last.

Fin

R&R please! And thanks to all the people who reviewed for Family, all two of you.

 

 

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