Title: One Night, Nine Months, & Two Years 11/?
Author: DeeBeth
Feedback: there are worse things in life then flames, and not many better things than praise, but I'll settle for professional criticism.
Disclaimer: all characters, except the few I will make up as the story progresses, belong to UPN, The WB, Mutant Enemy, and of course Joss Whedon, not to mention the countless others that I don't know or have never heard of. The only thing I know for sure is that the shows (BtVS & AtS) aren't mine and I have no control over what the characters do, no matter how hard I wish, pray, and dream!
"Okay that better be the last crate, because I don’t think we have enough room in the house for one more and us, you know the occupants of the house." Buffy said as she and Wesley sat down the fourth crate that arrived at the house in a rather big truck, not long they got home from the bus station. "I believe that is the last of them. And I am truly grateful that you let me have all this delivered here, I’m sorry if it is any inconvenience." Wesley said following Buffy into the kitchen to hopefully get a nice refreshing cold beverage. "Its fine Wesley, I should be thanking you for up rooting your life and coming here to help me get a life." Buffy chuckled at her intentional pun. "But really Wesley why the move, why do you want to leave LA, is everything okay there?" Buffy asked nervously awaiting his answer. "If you don’t mind Buffy I would much rather wait to tell everyone at once that way I will not have to go through it numerous times." Wesley said as he carried two cups of orange juice over to the table where Buffy was now sitting. "I understand perfectly," Buffy answered looking at the clock it was 5:17 PM.
"Hey, where’s Dawn? She should have been back from school hours ago. And it’ll be sunset in an hour…oh no she better not be…" Buffy trailed off as she got up and ran for her coat and was heading for the back door, when Wesley caught her by the arm. "Whoa, slow down, where is Dawn not suppose to be and where are you going?" he asked clearly confused. "Spike’s crypt, I saw her leaving there this morning when I went over to talk slaying with Spike. I never got to ask her what she was doing there and now with the not showing up. She so better not be there…" Buffy said opening the door and walking out at a fast pace. Wesley grabbed his leather jacket and locked the front door and then the back knowing that if Buffy didn’t have a key, Willow or Tara would.
He had to run to catch up with the Slayer; they walked very fast in silence until they reached the cemetery. "Buffy do you mind me asking why you’re so worried about Dawn hanging out with Spike I mean he is harmless still isn’t he?" Wesley inquired hoping he was not prying too deeply. "Yeah he is harmless in one sense but he is a male, and I know how attractive a vampire working on the good side can be, I just don’t want Dawn around him alone, she is about the same age I was when Angel… "Buffy trailed off as they came into hearing range of the crypt that was Spikes home.
"Ah, no fair I can’t fight back, stop! Hey Nibblet I said stop!" They heard from inside. Buffy and Wesley took off running toward the crypt, as Buffy opened the door, the sun was low enough not to cause bodily harm to the vampire, but Dawn was already taking care of that, sort of. The sight before them was not one either expected to find. It appeared as though Spike was teaching Dawn how to fight, and she was actually pretty good at it. "What’s going on here!" Buffy yelled as she made her way inside with Wesley close at her heals. "Uh, hey Buffy, whacha doin’ here?" Dawn asked trying to act natural as she slowly put down her right leg that was about to make contact with a head that belonged to Spike. "What am I doing here? Finding my fifteen-year-old sister, with a 128-year-old man…uh vampire that’s what I’m doing here!" Buffy stormed across the room to gather up Dawn’s schoolbooks that were strewn across the sarcophagus that Spike morbidly used for anything from a table to a bed.
"Buffy I’m just teaching the bit to defend herself, and living on the Hellmouth she will most likely need to know…" Spike trailed off at the look that Buffy was giving him. "Buffy it’s not like he could hurt me, and I’m getting pretty good. The more trained fighters we have in the Scooby Gang the faster the badies go down." Dawn attempted to appeal to the Slayer’s common sense. Unfortunately that part of her brain was on hold at the moment. "Dawn there is no way I will ever let you fight anything that could fight you back. You’re my little sister I’m suppose to protect you from the things that go bump in the night. Not send you out to fight them. And before you say that I do, remember me slayer, you normal teenage girl." Buffy added quickly seeing the look on her sister’s face. "But I’m not a ‘normal’ teenager I am the Key remember, for all we know I have some kind of powers and I already know that I can fight good enough to beat Spike even when he’s defending himself." Dawn said as she looked over at the vampire who’s expression went from proud to annoyed, that his student could beat him at his own game. "Now Nibblet you know that if I could fight back it would be a different story entirely." Spike said taking a few steps closer to the girl. "Yeah I know but I thought that Buffy might get an idea of how far I’ve come from being the little girl that screams and hides behind things." Dawn said smiling as she too took a step closer to Spike.
"Hey, hello, I’m still in the room, crypt, whatever…
Dawn get your sweater, we’re leaving." Buffy said striding past a much-amused Wesley who had stayed out of the conversation, feeling that didn’t have a right to say any thing. Especially since he disagreed with Buffy, which was never a good thing to do, he thought it was a good idea to have an extra fighter on their team and having a vampire training her, Dawn would be good, maybe even amazing.
As Dawn grabbed her red sweater she shared a look with Spike that meant something but Wesley wasn’t sure what, or if he wanted to know. "See ya tomorrow Nibblet." Spike said softly. "Don’t bet on it!" Buffy hollered from outside, she was pacing crazily then stopped and handed Wesley Dawn’s book bag as he came out of the crypt Dawn at his heels. "Bye Spike, I’ll come by once I get Buffy to think straight," she said knowing full well that Buffy could hear her, Dawn smiled at the vampire and winked. Spike knobbed his head getting that she meant as soon as she could sneak out. He shut the heavy door easily, thinking as he walked to his recliner, at least she caught us sparing and not…’sparing’.