| CHAPTER 7 |
|
Smiling gently to offset the harshness of her words, Buffy continued.
�You and I will discuss the sword, and perhaps my life, at a later date Mr.
Giles. None of us has the time for such a venture currently.� Giles cleared his throat and opened his mouth to start arguing when Joyce jabbed him in the ribs with her finger. �She said later, Rupert. Don�t start on her or you won�t like the consequences!� Glancing sheepishly at Joyce, Giles sighed and nodded. �Yes dear. I�ll try and curb my curiosity.� Anya started laughing and remarked, �That is something I�d never thought I�d ever see. Giles not allowed to be asking questions!� The rest of the gang snickered and giggled as Giles stammered and began to furiously polish his glasses. �Right, just you wait. I�ll save up some particularly embarrassing ones for later. At least one for each of you sniggering prats.� Buffy watched the goings on with an indulgent smile on her face. Then she happened to glance at Spike, and found herself drowning in his crystalline blue eyes. The burning heat she found in his gaze lit a fire within her, startling her. With a great deal of effort Buffy tore her gaze from Spike�s and cleared her throat. Spike noticed the startlement in Buffy�s gaze and realized he had allowed at least some of his thoughts to show in his eyes. Smirking to himself he thought, �oh yeah, I still have it.� Everyone glanced back at Buffy when she cleared her throat, the laughter dying on their lips when they saw the determination and hardness within her eyes. Anya was the first to find her voice. �Oh, I bet I know what you want Elizabeth . You want to know what�s going on here, who we are, and what we are doing. Am I right?� �Close Anya, very close. The personal histories of you and your friends can wait for a better time. However, there are two things I must know immediately, before I tell you why I am here.� Buffy stated in a soft, yet compelling tone. Deliberately keeping his voice low and smoky, Spike asked, �And what would those two things be, Luv?� Darting a glance sideways at Spike, Buffy replied, �First, I want to know who Rupert Giles is, and why he keeps calling Joyce dear and darling.� She speared Giles with a glance, her green eyes seeming to pin him in place, and Giles felt as though he was her prey. �Uhh, yes. Right. Well umm�� Giles began to stutter and glance around as if looking for help. With a devilish glint in her eyes, Dawn piped up. �He�s dating Mom. Always making with the puppy eyes and kissy faces at her. It�s utterly revolting.� �DAWN!� Joyce exclaimed, her eyes wide and darting from Dawn, to Giles and then to Buffy, and back to Dawn again. �Somehow I don�t think that�s quite what she meant.� �No, Joyce. That�s exactly what I meant. I failed you when it came to Hank Summers, I won�t fail you again.� Everyone heard the implied threat in Buffy�s voice, and even Spike shuddered at what it might mean for the Watcher. �Right then. I suppose I should explain myself and my intentions towards your daughter.� Giles� voice took on the inflections of his a polite Englishman. �Madam, I love Joyce with all my being, and would do anything to keep both her and Dawn safe.� �Even if that means letting them go?� Buffy queried softly. �Whatever do you mean� Giles asked. �If it was in their best interests to leave Sunnydale, go somewhere safer, away from you, would you let them leave? Despite how much you might want them to stay?� Everyone could see the honesty and concern in Buffy�s eyes. Giles whipped his glasses off his face and jabbed them in Buffy�s direction. �Now see here young lady, I have tried to get Joyce to take Dawn and leave town. She refuses to do so. What would you have me do, force them at gun point to board the bus out of town?� Buffy�s eyes narrowed piercingly at Giles, her entire focus centered on him. Almost as one the people in the room gasped as her pupils narrowed, becoming catlike slits. Giles felt himself pale and wondered if he�d survive the encounter. Joyce jumped to her feet, placing herself between Giles and Buffy. �Now Mother...� she began, only to start laughing as Buffy herself started to chuckle her entire body relaxing in the chair. �You all look like I was about to eat him. Trust me, I find English food rather� bland.� Buffy giggled. After giving Giles a few moments to compose himself, Buffy continued, �I like you, despite the Watcherness I sense in you. Want to explain that part to me? Cause I got to say, dying of curiosity here.� Before Giles could say anything, Willow and Tara stood up, looking sheepish. �Tara and I have classes in the morning, so we�d better go. It was nice to meet you Buffy, and I hope you�ll stick around long enough go to the Bronze with us.� Tara smiled shyly. �I enjoyed meeting you too, Buffy.� Nodding to the two witches, Buffy told them she�d be around for a while, and she looked forward to seeing the Bronze. Taking a cue from the girls, Xander stood up and dragged Anya with him. �Ahn and I had better go too. I have work tomorrow and Anya has to open the shop. Remember Ahn? That place where you talk the nice people into giving you their money?� �Oh yes, I must get some rest so I can work and make money. But don�t think I�m going to let you go to sleep without giving me at least 3 orgasms, Xander.� Anya�s voice trailed off as Xander pulled her out the door. �I see Anyanka hasn�t changed in the past century,� Buffy remarked quietly to herself. �Money and sex, its all she ever did think about, really.� Turning her attention back to the others, she regarded Giles with a steady expression. �So, Watcher. Are you going to explain the details of your posting here in Sunnydale? Or am I going to have to take a stab at it?� |
| CHAPTER 8 |
| �When you say �stab�, do you mean actually stabbing him? Cause that could
be quite� neat,� Spike said with a smirk. As Buffy snickered softly, both Joyce and Giles glared at Spike. �That is really not funny Spike, considering what we have seen her do to Angel. Really not funny at all.� �Okay people, enough with the making of the funny. I require information as to who Mr. Giles is, and why he is in Sunnydale.� Buffy spoke with absolutely no humor in her voice. Giles stood up, and began to pace slowly back and forth in front of those assembled in the living room. �Right, well as you�ve surmised I am a Watcher. I was sent here by the Council to keep an eye on the Hellmouth here in Sunnydale. They suspected that it was active but didn�t think it was serious enough to warrant a Slayer being stationed here. In the 3 years I have been here, I have come to believe otherwise, but the Council feels that my reports are exaggerated somewhat and refuse to even consider sending a Slayer here.� Buffy broke into Giles� speech, �You are aware that they have a Slayer stationed in Cleveland then?� �Yes, I am quite aware of this. I was told that if something of apocalyptic nature appeared, I was to ask for assistance �through the proper channels�. By which they, of course, mean contacting the Council, who would then contact the Slayer and her Watcher.� �By which time, the bleeding apocalypse would have occurred and the whole world would have gone to hell in a hand basket. Right Giles?� Spike snarked. �Indeed, Spike. It would appear as if the Council has ulterior motives, but they are very set in their ways and these things must be done according to tradition,� Giles said. �Tradition my ass. More like they just don�t want to move off their fat asses and actually concern themselves with something other than the proper brewing of a cup of tea,� Joyce exclaimed. �Rupert, you, Spike and the kids risk your lives on a daily basis and those morons you work for couldn�t give a damn. Some days I think they would prefer it if you were dead!� �Come now Joyce, it�s not as bad as all that. They just don�t feel the situation here warrants the attentions of a Slayer,� Giles spoke soothingly. �So, the Harvest, which by the way almost cost you your life, Watcher, the Master�s rising, the Anointed One, Drusilla showing up and trying to de-soul the poof, not to mention her attempt to open that damned hunk of rock, aren�t considered serious?� Spike ranted at Giles. Turning to Buffy he clarified, �Any one of those things I mentioned could have had disastrous consequences for this town, if not the entire world.� Buffy looked at Spike. �Wait a sec; did you say �The Master�? As in Heinrich NEST?� �Yup, that�s the one. Old bat-face himself. Why? You know him?� Spike asked. �Heard of him. Nasty piece of work, that one. And the Council didn�t think that him breaking free of his prison warranted a Slayer�s involvement?� Buffy asked with a deep note of incredulity in her voice. �Nope, in fact, as I recall, they told the Watcher that one old vampire couldn�t be all that bad,� Spike responded. Buffy dropped her head into her hands, in an attempt to muffle her screams of frustration. After a few moments, she raised her head, pinning Giles where he stood with a single glance. �Go on, I know there is more to this than you are telling me. You were sent here to watch the hellmouth. I get that. Where do those kids, and my family fall into this whole mess?� �I met Joyce shortly after she moved to Sunnydale. Oddly enough it was Willow who introduced us. Joyce had posted a notice at the high school looking for a babysitter for Dawn a couple of nights a week,� Giles began. Joyce interrupted, �Only for the nights I had to work late at the gallery. I figured I could find a responsible girl at the high school. And it worked.� �Yes, well, at any rate, Willow asked me if I would be willing to give her a character recommendation. Tell Joyce what a good girl she was and all that. Joyce came to the library at the high school, and well�� Giles paused, clearly embarrassed. �What the Watcher won�t tell you Love, is that he made a complete ass out of himself when he saw Joyce. Kept stumbling over his words and all that. Made a right prat outta himself.� Spike informed Buffy. Giles glared at Spike. �Thank you Spike, I had almost forgotten that. How kind of you to remind me,� Giles said with a sarcastic twist to his lips. Spike winked at Buffy and replied cheekily, �You are welcome.� Giles groaned and looked imploringly at Joyce. �Please tell me that I can stake him? I know he�s a relative and all, but� PLEASE! He�s getting annoying, more so than usual.� �Now Rupert, you know you can�t do that. Besides, you can be just as annoying.� Joyce snickered, and then looked at Buffy. �It must be a family trait.� �Wait a sec, relative? These two are related? As in more than just the whole both being British thing?� Buffy inquired. �Yup, he�s the great great nephew of my older sister. Guess that makes me his uncle, of a sort.� Spike said. Buffy blinked twice, and then looked back and forth between the two men, peering at each of them with an unwavering gaze. This caused Giles to blush and fidget, while furiously cleaning his glasses, and caused Spike to smirk at her, while he curled his tongue against his upper teeth. �Something tells me this is gonna be a good one. So, onto my second question. Spike, who are you and what are you doing in Sunnydale, and what are you doing NOT causing death and destruction like all evil vampires should?� |
| CHAPTER 9 |
| �Well, who I am is a simple answer, the rest is a little more complicated��
Spike trailed off, rubbing the back of his neck with one hand. �I have all the time in the world, Spike. So spill the beans. Start with the easy part and work your way into the hardness of it.� Buffy raised one eyebrow at Spike while poking him with one finger. Spike smirked and whispered in Buffy�s ear, �You can check out my hardness anytime you want love.� He pulled back chuckling as Buffy tried to push him off his chair. �Since both Joyce and I know this story, I think we�ll head off to bed.� Realizing how that sounded, Giles started to stammer, � I mean, Joyce will go to bed and I�ll go to bed, at my house, which isn�t here, obviously, and oh Lord someone slap me I�m starting to sound like Harris.� �C�mon Rupert, carry Dawn upstairs for me. I think it would be safer if she was in my bed this evening, just in case that idiot Angel comes back,� Joyce said. Both Buffy and Spike watched as Giles picked up Dawn, and headed for the stairs. Quietly wishing them both a goodnight, Joyce followed behind. Turning to Spike, Buffy poked him once more with a slender index finger. �So, get on with the explainy bits then.� �Right then. � Spike stood up and took two steps away from Buffy. Bowing slightly at the waist, he spoke in a softly cultured voice, far different from his usual tone. �Allow me to introduce myself, my lady. I am William Edward Pratt, eldest and only son and second child of my parents, Lady Anne Essex-Pratt and Lord Edward Richard Pratt, 6th Earl of Keswick. I have an elder sister, Victoria Elizabeth, married to Viscount Robert Henry Pryce and a younger sister, Mary Anne Pratt, who perished of a childhood disease shortly before her 9th birthday. I myself have never been married, nor even engaged. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance Miss Buffy.� With a gentle smile Buffy replied, �Indeed sir, the pleasure is all mine.� Laughing softly Spike quipped, �Oh love, I can indeed ensure the pleasure is mutual!� Buffy blushed furiously at his innuendo and couldn�t look him in the eye. �Sorry love didn�t mean to embarrass you.� Spike said, looking like he meant it, until one saw the glint in his eyes. �Uh huh, and pigs fly.� Buffy snarked back. Spike leaned over Buffy, bracing his hands on the arms of her chair, effectively trapping her. �Sorry pet, but I�ve just got to know, it�s been driving me nuts for the past few hours.� �Know what Spike?� Buffy asked as he leaned closer. �How your lips taste...� he murmured, right before capturing her mouth with his in a gentle yet heated kiss. Buffy gasped at the feel of his soft, cool lips on her own, and this gave Spike the perfect opportunity to deepen the kiss, as his tongue gently slid between her parted lips, to tangle with her own tongue. Spike rumbled softly deep in his chest as he heard Buffy�s low moan, and had to fight to keep his hands to himself. After a few moments, which seem liked eons, Spike drew back slowly, allowing Buffy to breathe, while still nipping at her lips with his own. �Like honey, and sunshine, and soft spring rains�� he whispered against her slightly swollen lips. �And so addictive�� Buffy�s eyes drifted shut, lost in the hazy pleasure that Spike was giving her with his soft, nibbling kisses. �Spike�� she whispered. �What love?� he murmured as he traced the tip of his tongue across her lips, before allowing it to dive back between her parted lips, into the warmth of her mouth. Lifting one hand off the chair, he cupped the back of her head, holding her in place as he deepened the kiss. Changing the angle slightly, his kisses went from gentle and sweet, to hard and demanding as he plundered her warm, wet mouth with his agile tongue. Placing both her hands on his chest, Buffy pushed gently, then harder when Spike refused to back off. Breaking free of his heated kiss, she gasped, �Spike, stop� please.� Giving in to her soft plea, Spike released the back of her head, resting his forehead against hers, panting softly. �Sorry pet, but as I said� so damned addictive. I won�t apologize for kissing you, and chances are I will do it as often as you let me. Just don�t shut me out.� Buffy placed a gentle hand on his cheek. �I won�t shut you out Spike. Just don�t try and force me to do anything. Okay?� �Never love, I would never force you to do anything you didn�t want to do. Not that I think I could anyway.� Spike said with a small smirk. �I have the feeling you could and would break me in half if I tried.� �Now that we have that settled. And you are so right by the way. I could break you in half, or at least into teeny tiny pieces.� Buffy said with a soft chuckle. �I really do need to know why you aren�t out there trying to hurt, kill, or any of the other things vampires do to keep themselves amused.� Standing up, Spike looked down at Buffy, a serious expression on his face. �Okay love, I�ll try and explain to you, but it�s a little difficult. At times I don�t understand it myself.� He bent over and slipped his hands underneath Buffy, effectively scooping her into his arms. �However, before I begin, let�s get comfy.� At this, he turned around and sat in the chair that Buffy had just been in, settling her on his lap. He looked at Buffy, his eyes dropping to her lips and he groaned softly. �One last kiss, and then I�ll start�� he murmured as he gently dropped a soft kiss on her lips, licking and nipping at them. �God love, you taste so good. I could do this forever.� Pulling away slightly, Buffy placed a hand on his chest. �Okay Kissy-face, spill. No more smoochies till you explain to me the enigma that is you.� Spike laughed, and started to talk. |
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