maryperk73703 | No Place Like Home chapter 11

Spike and Buffy talk to Riley, Willow accepts a mentor.

Chapter 11

On Giles' suggestion they had removed the child's bones from the crypt that the Vahrall demons had needed in the original timeline. They had also put the Word of Valios pendant from Giles' knick knack collection into a lock box at RoseSeri's law firm. Spike and Buffy hoped that would deter that little mess.

Buffy still hoped that Willow and Xander would come around. She really missed her friends. She was glad to have an opportunity to get to know Anya and Tara better. They had discussed setting Spike's old crypt up as a triage and weapon's cache. They talked to Giles and Anya about purchasing the Magic Box early. Everything was falling into place.

Spike and Buffy walked through Restfield Cemetery, and a voice interrupted their discussion.

"Buffy, can I talk to you?" Riley stepped out of the shadows. He eyed Spike with suspicion.

"Hey, Riley." Buffy gave the man a little salute. "Where's your commando friends?"

"What? What are you talking about?" Riley tried not to look surprised, but he failed miserably.

"It's not all that hard to figure out." Buffy shrugged. "I mean, the paint ball excuse was so lame."

"Is that the excuse he used?" Spike asked with a chuckle.

"Just the one time," Buffy answered. "Now you tell Professor Walsh that Sunnydale is my town, and I don't appreciate Frankenstein type monsters running around." The Guardians' identity would remain a secret for the time being. God only knew what Walsh would do with them if she got her hands on any of them.

"You're just a college student," Riley said. "Not a very good one either." He had no idea what Buffy meant by a Frankenstein monster, but he was still upset about her strange behavior outside the bridal shop.

"He's got you there, luv," Spike gave Buffy a smirk.

"Hey, you're supposed to be on my side," Buffy protested. She stuck her tongue out at the bleached blond vampire.

Watch that tongue, Slayer. It's givin' me all kinds of naughty ideas.

That's what I like to hear.

Buffy turned her attention back to Riley. "Look, that whole Room 314 is a really bad idea. Much badness comes from demon-cyborg-Frankenstein monster thingies. As to who I am? I'm the vampire Slayer. I'm the reason you're not vamp food for the Master, in hell because of a big rock, or bowing down to a great big snake."

Riley looked at Buffy like he didn't even recognize her. He had thought Buffy was really normal, but the longer he stood there talking to her the less normal she seemed to be. Not to mention, he was pretty sure he recognized her companion. Then it hit him.

"Hostile 17," Riley almost growled.

"No. Spike," Buffy said. "His name is Spike."

"You said, you're a vampire Slayer. He's a vampire. Slay him," Riley said.

Buffy glanced at Spike. "Spike's special. He's always been special, even when I didn't want him to be. Now you get on your little walkie-talkie thing and tell Walsh if you people don't leave my town, I'll be pissed off."

"Yeah, whatever," Riley scoffed.

"You'll think whatever when that chip in your heart gets activated," Buffy grumbled. "Let's go, Spike." The Slayer walked away from the commando.

Spike could tell Buffy wasn't as casual as she appeared. He gave the boy a smirk before he sauntered off after his mate.

Riley shook his head in disbelief. That girl is delusional. There's no such thing as a Slayer. Not to mention, hanging out with a vampire. She's just asking to be munched on. He walked off in the direction that he knew Forrest and Graham were patrolling with the rest of the troop.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Willow stood outside Giles' apartment gathering up the courage to go speak to the Watcher. She had thought long and hard about everything Buffy had said to her. After a spectacular rant by Xander on the subject of Buffy's tendency to knock boots with the undead, the red-haired witch realized just how much Xander and she tried to dictate Buffy's life.

"You might as well come in, Willow." Giles walked up behind the young woman.

"Oh, h-hi Giles," Willow stuttered. "How are you?" She shifted from foot to foot with nervous energy.

"I'm fine, but we have much to talk about." Giles ushered Willow into his home after he unlocked the door. He waited for her to be seated before he continued, "When you returned Angel's soul, I should have made sure you had a mentor."

"Giles, I don't need a mentor. I have control," Willow protested. "I really do. "The 'Will be done' spell was just a little blip."

"No, Willow, you have power, not control." Giles sat down in one of his armchairs. "And, you can't control others with magic either." The Watcher thought about the memory loss spell that Spike and Buffy had told him might happen in a few years.

"But, I wouldn't do that!" Willow looked troubled by the very idea.

"You have already, Willow," Giles said softly. "In the future, you might do worse." He suddenly stood and started to pace. "There's something about Spike and Buffy I need to tell you."

"Oh, that they're weirded out and think they're really in love?" Willow asked sarcastically. "Think we got the memo." She temporarily forgot her recent understanding of her interference in Buffy's life.

"I don't appreciate the sarcasm, Willow." Giles stopped pacing to give Willow a hard glare. "Yes, both Buffy and Spike are different now, but it is because the Powers That Be wish for things to go differently."

"Huh?" Willow looked at Giles as if he was speaking a different language.

Giles sighed. He wondered why the usually bright girl was being so obtuse. Really of Buffy's friends, he had thought Willow would be the most understanding. The explanations had gone so much easier in his mind.

"What kind of things differently?" Willow asked, after she had processed Giles' words.

"They fought in a terrible apocalypse perpetuated by a resurrection," Giles replied vaguely.

"Who would do a resurrection? ... Oh!..." Willow's eyes widened. "I would never do that."

"You did though." Giles closed his eyes. "Worse, the person you resurrected was in heaven, Willow."

"In heaven?" Willow didn't notice the apartment door opening behind her. "How long was this person in heaven?"

"147 days!" Buffy's voice filled the apartment.

Willow craned her head around to see Spike, Buffy, and two women she didn't recognized standing in the doorway. She watched as the vampire took each female's coat, and he carefully escorted Buffy and the younger of the strangers to chairs.

"Anya, will you join us?" Giles called out. He was rewarded by the woman's presence.

"Certainly, Giles," Anya said happily. "Oh, I'm sure the Magic Box's grand reopening can be planned for next weekend."

"That's great, Anya," Buffy replied. "Just remember Buffy and retail are unmixy." She shuddered as she remembered the creepy mummy hand that had been part of her last retail experience. She didn't count the Halloween sale as an experience since it had been so mundane.

"That's okay, Buffy." Anya smiled brightly. "Tara and Serina are going to help. They have some excellent ideas to help with the sales."

"Oh, Thank God." The Slayer's relief was palpable.

"Now, I was just telling Willow about the First Evil." Giles got the back on track. "Willow, this is Serina. She's from the coven in England. I've asked her to help you with your control issues." He knew he had to be ruthless with Willow, despite caring for the girl as if she were his own child. If Willow didn't agree to being mentored, he had no qualms about binding her powers.

"Really?" Willow looked at the older woman with interest. Serina appeared to be in her late thirties with auburn colored hair and bright blue eyes. Willow shivered when it felt like the older woman read her mind.

"Buffy's right. You are powerful. Will you accept my tutelage?" Serina lifted one perfect eyebrow while she waited for Willow's answer.

Willow realized that the others were all looking at her expectantly. She glanced at Spike and Buffy. He was nonchalant while she nervously bit on her lip, but they were holding hands. Giles appeared cool and collected while Anya looked bored.

Slowly Willow nodded. "I accept your tutelage."

"That's so great." Buffy rushed forward to hug Willow. "I was so worried you hated the thought of me and Spike together."

"N-no, Spike's okay, really." Willow hugged Buffy in return. "H-he's been really pretty nice the couple of times he's tried to kill me. He's not as scary as Angelus."

"Oi, damage a bloke's rep, why don't you!"

"I think you did that when you fell in love with a Slayer and got a soul," Buffy teased.

"A soul?" Willow's jaw dropped. "Who cursed you?"

"What is it with you people and curses?" Spike grumbled. "You really think the Slayer would settle for a second-rate soul like the Poofter's? Only the best for m'girl."

Buffy smirked. "Oh yeah, he's always been bad. William's a poetry butcher."

"Slayer! Let a man have some dignity," Spike muttered.

Willow was surprised when the bleached blond vampire allowed Buffy to cuddle up to his side despite the fact that she had just insulted him. The Spike she knew would have never allowed that.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Outside Giles' apartment Xander eavesdropped on the entire conversation. He had been trailing Buffy and Spike for most of the evening, and he wasn't pleased with what he had heard.

Anya was obviously a demon again. So, how could she be one of the Scoobies? Demons equal slayage.

Willow had somehow fallen under whatever spell the others were apparently still under. How could she have changed her mind about Spike? That whole thing with the soul was a lie. It just had to be.

Xander grew angrier the more he thought about the whole situation. Something wasn't right. It hadn't been right since Willow's stupid spell. Buffy wasn't supposed to fall for another vampire. She was supposed to finally realize that he, Xander Harris, was right for her.

Xander decided he needed to confront Buffy and Spike. He was sure that the vampire still had a chip that wouldn't allow him to hunt humans. If he could just stake Spike, Xander was sure that whatever spell was in affect would be cancelled. Then, Buffy would be sure to be grateful.

Xander was glad he carried a stake. He slipped back into the shadows. As soon as Buffy and Spike were alone, he'd strike.