Christmas Comes Late, Chapter 3/4
Jan. 13th, 2012 05:43 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
maryperk73703Chapter 3
Chapter 3
Giles looked up from the book he had spent all night reading. “Willow, I’m so glad you’re here early. Could you get on that blasted contraption and research a person for me?” He gestured towards the computer on the research table.
“Sure thing, Giles,” Willow said with a smile. “What’s the name of the person?”
“William Jamison, Lord Chesterfield.”
Willow nodded before she crossed the room to the computer. She sat down, fired up the computer, and found herself a search engine. After entering the information she leaned back to wait. In a few seconds a series of links popped up on the screen. Clicking on the first one, Willow started to read.
“Giles, come look at this.” Willow waved the librarian over to the table. “It says here that the last William Jamison, Lord Chesterfield, disappeared in 1880.”
Giles moved to Willow’s side where he adjusted his glasses to study the computer. “Unsolved Mysteries of the 19th Century,” he read across the top of the screen. “In 1880, William Jamison, Lord Chesterfield also known as the Baron Winters, so called because of his mother’s lineage, disappeared along with his mother. No trace of either was ever found. In other news of the day, several members of peerage were found dead with railroad spikes driven through their heads.” Giles paused for a moment to think before he asked, “Are there any pictures of this missing Lord?”
Willow clicked on a link and immediately the page changed to an old-fashioned black and white photo of a young man in an ascot, glasses, and darkish hair that surrounded his face in bushy curls. “Wow, kinda cute in that geeky British way,” she commented.
“Quite,” Giles replied. “We must figure out what happened to young Lord Chesterfield. Either someone is using his identity, or he wasn’t what he seemed.”
“Could be he was exactly like he seemed but something changed him,” Willow said. “It wouldn’t be the first time.”
Giles peered at the teenager over the top of his glasses. “You are quite right, my dear.” He went to his desk, and he pulled several sheets of paper off his desk. “Can you do another favor for me, and check out the Celestial Council and Wolfram and Hart?”
“Sure.” Willow started to type away. “Whatever the Celestial Council is there’s a branch right here in Sunnydale.”
Giles’ jaw dropped in surprise, and he cleared his throat. “There is?”
“Yeah, it’s that big shiny building at the end of Celesta Ave past the Baptist church,” Willow said.
“Any idea what they do there?”
Willow continued to type away at her computer for a few more seconds. “I do now. Apparently, they’re lawyers.” She tapped the screen with one finger, and she gave a little high pitched sound when a spark zapped her finger. “What was that?” she asked.
“Are you okay?” Giles hurried to Willow’s side.
“Yeah, but when I touched the screen things got sparky, and this new page opened.” Willow peered at the screen. “They’re inte-rdimensional lawyers for the Light.”
“What about Wolfram and Hart?”
“Hmmm.” Willow entered the name into the search engine. “They’re also firm of lawyers. I’m so not touching the screen this time. I get some really bad vibes from their website.”
Buffy burst into the library. “You will never guess what I got for my birthday yesterday.” She pulled out the ornate box containing the jewelry out of her purse, and she placed it on the table in front of Giles and Willow. “Here’s the letter that came with it.” Then, she drew an envelope from the depths of her handbag, which she handed to Giles.
Willow opened the box while Giles scanned the letter’s contents. “Wow, Buffy,” Willow gasped. “This is a nice gift.”
Giles handed the letter to Willow while he studied the jewelry in the box. He had no idea what to think about Buffy’s new admirer. “Can you get that picture back, Willow?” he asked.
Willow laid the papers down on the table. “Uh, sure.” With a few clicks of the keys, the picture of William Jamison appeared on the computer screen.
Giles turned Willow’s laptop around, and he pointed to the picture. “That’s William Jamison, Lord Chesterfield. Do you know him?”
Buffy squinted at the picture. “I don’t know. He looks kinda like Spike but with old-fashioned clothes and darker hair. Kinda cute … nerdy … but cute.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*
Spike looked up when Dalton entered the room. “You find out anything on that demon in Africa, mate?”
“Not much, I’m afraid.” Dalton shook his head. “I know where I can get more information, but it’s going to be difficult.”
“Difficult?”
Dalton sighed. “We have two choices. We can contact Wolfram and Hart, but they usually require some kind of payment exchange. There’s also the Celestial Council, but they would never deal with the likes of us.”
“We’ll try the Celestial Council first,” Spike replied. “Make an appointment.”
“Right, boss.”
Spike arched an eyebrow at Dalton. “Boss?”
Dalton shrugged. He shifted out of game face. “You didn’t want me to call you Master. It’s the best I could come up with.”
“Make the call.” Spike wheeled over to his bed. He knew he was going to have to leave the Sunnydale area when he went to get the soul, and he really didn’t want to. Angelus was on the loose, and Drusilla was healed all due to his actions. If it had been any other pair of vampires he wouldn’t be worried, but he knew how hard it was to destroy a creature with a beloved countenance.
After taking off his duster, Spike leveraged himself onto the bed where he laid back against the pillows to think about how much his life had changed in the past few weeks.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*
Not many things surprised RoseSeri Hassib. She had lived on the Hellmouth for several years, and she was a Penhuibin Angel, a creature that lived very similar to the way vampires did. However Penhuibin’s lived in harmony with their hosts rather than supplanting the host.
The two vampires in the outer waiting room of RoseSeri’s office were a shocker. The dark haired one looked around the office in a nervous manner, but the punk like vampire slouched in his wheelchair in a leisurely manner. RoseSeri wondered who would turn a paraplegic into a vampire.
RoseSeri pressed the call button on her phone. “Petra, send in my next appointment.”
“Yes, Mrs. Hassib,” Petra responded. The receptionist turned to the waiting vampires. ‘You may go in, Mr. Dalton and Mr. Jamison.”
Dalton nervously rose to his feet. He really did expect for the wrath of God to strike him down at any second. He pushed Spike’s wheelchair into the inner office with dread in his heart.
“Mr. Jamison, I’m RoseSeri Hassib,” the lawyer greeted her potential client. “I was surprised to see you here. We don’t get many of your species here at the Celestial Council.”
Spike chuckled. “I bet you don’t, pet, but it was you or Wolfram and Hart. I don’t think they’d be too happy to part with the information I wanted, especially since I was needin’ it for wooin’ the Slayer.”
“Well, there is the little matter of my fee,” RoseSeri replied. “Vampires aren’t known for their saving habits.”
“No, not really.” Spike pulled a card from his duster pocket, and he handed it to Dalton while directing the other vampire to give it to RoseSeri. “With that you should be able to access my human accounts.”
RoseSeri took the card, and she glanced at the account name and number. “Oh my,” she gasped. “You’re …”
“Yes, yes.” Spike waved a hand in the air. “I know who I am.”
RoseSeri laid the card on her desk. She leaned on her elbows, folded her hands in front of her face, and she cleared her throat. The handicapped vampire’s real identity put a completely different spin on things. “What can I do for you, Lord Chesterfield?”
“I need my soul.”
RoseSeri fought the instinct to drop her jaw. A vampire wanting a soul was completely unprecedented. Everyone who was anyone in the demon world knew about Angelus getting cursed with one. That was old news.
“I had a dream,” Spike continued to explain. “I met my children.”
“Uh, you don’t need a soul to turn someone into a vampire,” RoseSeri said to clarify her thought process.
Spike shook her head. “No, you don’t. Take my word for it when I tell you that turnin’ a vamp while ensouled doesn’t turn out good. Knew there was something wrong with that Lawson fellow right from the start. Besides, wasn’t talkin’ about fledges. I meant real, live, baby sprogs.”
“B-babies?” RoseSeri stammered.
“Mmm.” Spike nodded. “Apparently, a willing ensouled vamp and a Slayer that’s died but lives can have children. The Spike in the dream with us loved her, and she loved him. I want that.”
RoseSeri closed her eyes. “A soul and babies with a Slayer. I’m not sure how I can be of help. What information are you hoping I’ll provide for you?”
“I need to find a demon in Africa that, after enduring tests, will grant the impossible,” Spike said. “Clearly making me the way I was before falls onto that side of the fence.” He held up a hand. “I know vengeance demons are probably capable of doin’ the deed, but I’m not sure it qualifies for bein’ willin’.”
“Oh, of course,” RoseSeri replied. She studied Spike while she tried to assess his sincerity. After a few moments, she smiled. Being a Penhuibin had certain advantages that were perfect for her profession. “I’d be happy to help with such a history making, momentous occasion.”
“Not tryin’ to be a footnote in history,” Spike grumbled.
RoseSeri laughed. “Don’t worry, you won’t be.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*
January bled into February the way it did every year. A werewolf hunter came to Sunnydale looking for prey, and it was discovered that Oz was that prey. Luckily for him, Buffy proved that the recent deaths were NOT done by a wild animal but instead by her ex-beau Angel. She was able to threaten the hunter into leaving.
Each week, she received a new gift from her secret admirer. The Scoobies continued to speculate about the mysterious Lord Chesterfield’s identity. Willow made an appointment with RoseSeri Hassib, but all she really discovered was that she wanted to be a lawyer when she got older.
Valentine’s Day staggered into Sunnydale leaving Xander distraught at the thought of Cordelia’s indifference. He talked Amy into doing a love spell for him that turned out completely disastrous. Buffy’s present turned out to be a completely catered meal for her and her mother at the most expensive restaurant in town.
Giles finally got his hand on Little Known Vampire Legends. The gang discussed using some of the techniques between the pages to do something about their problem. It was just the point of which one to use.
Angelus killed Jenny Calendar, and he left her dead body in Giles’ bed. A reference from RoseSeri to Willow led the young woman to the proper spell to disinvite Angelus from their homes. It was during this time that Buffy and Giles learned that Spike no longer resided with the Unholy Duo of Angelus and Drusilla. A quick tour of the demonic snitches proved futile on his whereabouts.
Buffy had her suspicions about her secret admirer’s identity, not that she told anyone her thoughts. She was fairly certain some of her friends would freak the heck out. Buffy returned to the picture of the late Lord Chesterfield several times over the months. There was no mistaking those cheekbones or lips.
Spike was the Lord Chesterfield in the portrait.
Buffy just couldn’t figure out why he wanted to court her. The gifts she received ranged from the practical (a hand carved stake) to the luxurious (a sweater so soft and light Buffy felt like she was wearing a cloud).
After a bout with the flu and trip to the hospital where she slayed a supernatural child killer, Angelus attacked. His minions were disappearing under very mysterious circumstances. Angelus blamed Buffy and the Scoobies, but the Slayer knew it wasn’t her or her friends. Buffy had her own notions on who was behind the minions’ vanishing numbers.
Chapter 3
Giles looked up from the book he had spent all night reading. “Willow, I’m so glad you’re here early. Could you get on that blasted contraption and research a person for me?” He gestured towards the computer on the research table.
“Sure thing, Giles,” Willow said with a smile. “What’s the name of the person?”
“William Jamison, Lord Chesterfield.”
Willow nodded before she crossed the room to the computer. She sat down, fired up the computer, and found herself a search engine. After entering the information she leaned back to wait. In a few seconds a series of links popped up on the screen. Clicking on the first one, Willow started to read.
“Giles, come look at this.” Willow waved the librarian over to the table. “It says here that the last William Jamison, Lord Chesterfield, disappeared in 1880.”
Giles moved to Willow’s side where he adjusted his glasses to study the computer. “Unsolved Mysteries of the 19th Century,” he read across the top of the screen. “In 1880, William Jamison, Lord Chesterfield also known as the Baron Winters, so called because of his mother’s lineage, disappeared along with his mother. No trace of either was ever found. In other news of the day, several members of peerage were found dead with railroad spikes driven through their heads.” Giles paused for a moment to think before he asked, “Are there any pictures of this missing Lord?”
Willow clicked on a link and immediately the page changed to an old-fashioned black and white photo of a young man in an ascot, glasses, and darkish hair that surrounded his face in bushy curls. “Wow, kinda cute in that geeky British way,” she commented.
“Quite,” Giles replied. “We must figure out what happened to young Lord Chesterfield. Either someone is using his identity, or he wasn’t what he seemed.”
“Could be he was exactly like he seemed but something changed him,” Willow said. “It wouldn’t be the first time.”
Giles peered at the teenager over the top of his glasses. “You are quite right, my dear.” He went to his desk, and he pulled several sheets of paper off his desk. “Can you do another favor for me, and check out the Celestial Council and Wolfram and Hart?”
“Sure.” Willow started to type away. “Whatever the Celestial Council is there’s a branch right here in Sunnydale.”
Giles’ jaw dropped in surprise, and he cleared his throat. “There is?”
“Yeah, it’s that big shiny building at the end of Celesta Ave past the Baptist church,” Willow said.
“Any idea what they do there?”
Willow continued to type away at her computer for a few more seconds. “I do now. Apparently, they’re lawyers.” She tapped the screen with one finger, and she gave a little high pitched sound when a spark zapped her finger. “What was that?” she asked.
“Are you okay?” Giles hurried to Willow’s side.
“Yeah, but when I touched the screen things got sparky, and this new page opened.” Willow peered at the screen. “They’re inte-rdimensional lawyers for the Light.”
“What about Wolfram and Hart?”
“Hmmm.” Willow entered the name into the search engine. “They’re also firm of lawyers. I’m so not touching the screen this time. I get some really bad vibes from their website.”
Buffy burst into the library. “You will never guess what I got for my birthday yesterday.” She pulled out the ornate box containing the jewelry out of her purse, and she placed it on the table in front of Giles and Willow. “Here’s the letter that came with it.” Then, she drew an envelope from the depths of her handbag, which she handed to Giles.
Willow opened the box while Giles scanned the letter’s contents. “Wow, Buffy,” Willow gasped. “This is a nice gift.”
Giles handed the letter to Willow while he studied the jewelry in the box. He had no idea what to think about Buffy’s new admirer. “Can you get that picture back, Willow?” he asked.
Willow laid the papers down on the table. “Uh, sure.” With a few clicks of the keys, the picture of William Jamison appeared on the computer screen.
Giles turned Willow’s laptop around, and he pointed to the picture. “That’s William Jamison, Lord Chesterfield. Do you know him?”
Buffy squinted at the picture. “I don’t know. He looks kinda like Spike but with old-fashioned clothes and darker hair. Kinda cute … nerdy … but cute.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*
Spike looked up when Dalton entered the room. “You find out anything on that demon in Africa, mate?”
“Not much, I’m afraid.” Dalton shook his head. “I know where I can get more information, but it’s going to be difficult.”
“Difficult?”
Dalton sighed. “We have two choices. We can contact Wolfram and Hart, but they usually require some kind of payment exchange. There’s also the Celestial Council, but they would never deal with the likes of us.”
“We’ll try the Celestial Council first,” Spike replied. “Make an appointment.”
“Right, boss.”
Spike arched an eyebrow at Dalton. “Boss?”
Dalton shrugged. He shifted out of game face. “You didn’t want me to call you Master. It’s the best I could come up with.”
“Make the call.” Spike wheeled over to his bed. He knew he was going to have to leave the Sunnydale area when he went to get the soul, and he really didn’t want to. Angelus was on the loose, and Drusilla was healed all due to his actions. If it had been any other pair of vampires he wouldn’t be worried, but he knew how hard it was to destroy a creature with a beloved countenance.
After taking off his duster, Spike leveraged himself onto the bed where he laid back against the pillows to think about how much his life had changed in the past few weeks.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*
Not many things surprised RoseSeri Hassib. She had lived on the Hellmouth for several years, and she was a Penhuibin Angel, a creature that lived very similar to the way vampires did. However Penhuibin’s lived in harmony with their hosts rather than supplanting the host.
The two vampires in the outer waiting room of RoseSeri’s office were a shocker. The dark haired one looked around the office in a nervous manner, but the punk like vampire slouched in his wheelchair in a leisurely manner. RoseSeri wondered who would turn a paraplegic into a vampire.
RoseSeri pressed the call button on her phone. “Petra, send in my next appointment.”
“Yes, Mrs. Hassib,” Petra responded. The receptionist turned to the waiting vampires. ‘You may go in, Mr. Dalton and Mr. Jamison.”
Dalton nervously rose to his feet. He really did expect for the wrath of God to strike him down at any second. He pushed Spike’s wheelchair into the inner office with dread in his heart.
“Mr. Jamison, I’m RoseSeri Hassib,” the lawyer greeted her potential client. “I was surprised to see you here. We don’t get many of your species here at the Celestial Council.”
Spike chuckled. “I bet you don’t, pet, but it was you or Wolfram and Hart. I don’t think they’d be too happy to part with the information I wanted, especially since I was needin’ it for wooin’ the Slayer.”
“Well, there is the little matter of my fee,” RoseSeri replied. “Vampires aren’t known for their saving habits.”
“No, not really.” Spike pulled a card from his duster pocket, and he handed it to Dalton while directing the other vampire to give it to RoseSeri. “With that you should be able to access my human accounts.”
RoseSeri took the card, and she glanced at the account name and number. “Oh my,” she gasped. “You’re …”
“Yes, yes.” Spike waved a hand in the air. “I know who I am.”
RoseSeri laid the card on her desk. She leaned on her elbows, folded her hands in front of her face, and she cleared her throat. The handicapped vampire’s real identity put a completely different spin on things. “What can I do for you, Lord Chesterfield?”
“I need my soul.”
RoseSeri fought the instinct to drop her jaw. A vampire wanting a soul was completely unprecedented. Everyone who was anyone in the demon world knew about Angelus getting cursed with one. That was old news.
“I had a dream,” Spike continued to explain. “I met my children.”
“Uh, you don’t need a soul to turn someone into a vampire,” RoseSeri said to clarify her thought process.
Spike shook her head. “No, you don’t. Take my word for it when I tell you that turnin’ a vamp while ensouled doesn’t turn out good. Knew there was something wrong with that Lawson fellow right from the start. Besides, wasn’t talkin’ about fledges. I meant real, live, baby sprogs.”
“B-babies?” RoseSeri stammered.
“Mmm.” Spike nodded. “Apparently, a willing ensouled vamp and a Slayer that’s died but lives can have children. The Spike in the dream with us loved her, and she loved him. I want that.”
RoseSeri closed her eyes. “A soul and babies with a Slayer. I’m not sure how I can be of help. What information are you hoping I’ll provide for you?”
“I need to find a demon in Africa that, after enduring tests, will grant the impossible,” Spike said. “Clearly making me the way I was before falls onto that side of the fence.” He held up a hand. “I know vengeance demons are probably capable of doin’ the deed, but I’m not sure it qualifies for bein’ willin’.”
“Oh, of course,” RoseSeri replied. She studied Spike while she tried to assess his sincerity. After a few moments, she smiled. Being a Penhuibin had certain advantages that were perfect for her profession. “I’d be happy to help with such a history making, momentous occasion.”
“Not tryin’ to be a footnote in history,” Spike grumbled.
RoseSeri laughed. “Don’t worry, you won’t be.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*
January bled into February the way it did every year. A werewolf hunter came to Sunnydale looking for prey, and it was discovered that Oz was that prey. Luckily for him, Buffy proved that the recent deaths were NOT done by a wild animal but instead by her ex-beau Angel. She was able to threaten the hunter into leaving.
Each week, she received a new gift from her secret admirer. The Scoobies continued to speculate about the mysterious Lord Chesterfield’s identity. Willow made an appointment with RoseSeri Hassib, but all she really discovered was that she wanted to be a lawyer when she got older.
Valentine’s Day staggered into Sunnydale leaving Xander distraught at the thought of Cordelia’s indifference. He talked Amy into doing a love spell for him that turned out completely disastrous. Buffy’s present turned out to be a completely catered meal for her and her mother at the most expensive restaurant in town.
Giles finally got his hand on Little Known Vampire Legends. The gang discussed using some of the techniques between the pages to do something about their problem. It was just the point of which one to use.
Angelus killed Jenny Calendar, and he left her dead body in Giles’ bed. A reference from RoseSeri to Willow led the young woman to the proper spell to disinvite Angelus from their homes. It was during this time that Buffy and Giles learned that Spike no longer resided with the Unholy Duo of Angelus and Drusilla. A quick tour of the demonic snitches proved futile on his whereabouts.
Buffy had her suspicions about her secret admirer’s identity, not that she told anyone her thoughts. She was fairly certain some of her friends would freak the heck out. Buffy returned to the picture of the late Lord Chesterfield several times over the months. There was no mistaking those cheekbones or lips.
Spike was the Lord Chesterfield in the portrait.
Buffy just couldn’t figure out why he wanted to court her. The gifts she received ranged from the practical (a hand carved stake) to the luxurious (a sweater so soft and light Buffy felt like she was wearing a cloud).
After a bout with the flu and trip to the hospital where she slayed a supernatural child killer, Angelus attacked. His minions were disappearing under very mysterious circumstances. Angelus blamed Buffy and the Scoobies, but the Slayer knew it wasn’t her or her friends. Buffy had her own notions on who was behind the minions’ vanishing numbers.
