A/N Betad by seapealsh and dawnofme
Banner by dawnofme

This is my first fanficion - posted Aug 07 on ff.net and elsewhere. I thought I'd dust it off and post it here. Third chapter today! Make sure you haven't missed any.


Chapter Twenty-Eight


Good As New



Not surprisingly, Spike didn’t want to return to live at the cottage, and so it was decided that Buffy, Giles and Andrew would go and pack up their belongings and bring everything back to London. They’d use their current room for now. They had joked with Xander that he was only leaving to get out of helping with the move. He had left for L.A. the day before. He was going to join the staff at the L.A. branch of the Watchers Council.


Spike had tried to use some of the gym equipment in the training room in an effort to get fitter but the wound to his back had left him with weakened strength in his back and legs. Add to that, the further damage that he’d suffered to his left leg and he knew that he wouldn’t be running anywhere again. He hated not being strong. He knew he was lucky to be alive, lucky to have Buffy and Joy, and lucky to have regained his vision, but he wanted more.


An idea that he’d had for a while turned into a plan when he knew that Buffy, Giles and Andrew were going to be away for a few days at the cottage. He approached Willow, who took some convincing, but finally agreed to help.


Dawn wasn’t included in Spike’s plan, so he and Willow made up a cover story of important research that explained why they were huddled together in the library. It was mostly true anyway as before Spike put his plan into action, he needed Willow’s expertise to make sure that they knew exactly what would happen and what they needed.


“Spike, I need that volume of Lantes Compendium from the end bookcase. Can you get it for me please? I just want to finish this bit I’m working on first,” said Willow.


“Yeah, no worries.”


Spike got up and went to get it. Willow, seeing him limp slowly over to the other side of the room, could understand why he was willing to take the risk. He’d always been so athletic, even with carrying the limp in his left leg since being made human. But the damage The Immortal had done, meant his gait now resembled that of a very old man, which technically he was, but it pained her to see him like that, and she knew how frustrating he found it. She wished her spells would have worked but despite trying again when Spike first approached her with his plan, they still had no effect.


Finally, they were ready. Spike and Willow armed themselves with weapons and went on the hunt.


“It’s the first time I’ve patrolled since being made human,” said Spike.


They walked along, knowing that Spike’s slow limping gait and Willow being female made them good bait for the trap that they were setting, but equally they had to be careful that they did manage not just to end up as victims.


Hearts racing they walked along the dark alley, eyes scanning for trouble. Suddenly a vampire leapt out in front of them. He wasn’t particularly tall and was of slight build, probably in his late teens when he was turned. Perfect, as long as he was alone.


The vampire seemed a bit put out that neither Willow nor Spike had screamed when they saw him, so he tried a growl and lunged for Willow. Spike, crossbow at the ready, fired a bolt into the vampire’s leg.


“Ow!” he cried. “What the hell?”


He looked at Willow, who was holding a stake, pointing it at him with as much malice as she could muster. He started to back off, not liking the odds of two well-armed people against just him.


“Oh no you don’t, mate,” said Spike, raising the crossbow again, this time pointing it at the vampire’s heart. “Another step and you’re dust. Got a little proposition for you. It does mean you have to come with us but since the alternative is me letting Red, here, loose with her pointy stick I think you’ll agree to it,” said Spike with a sneer.


“No way am I coming with you,” said the vamp, preferring to take his chances by running away.


He hadn’t gone more than a few steps when he was showered with a glittery green powder that Willow threw on him. He collapsed unconscious.


“Useful stuff,” said Spike dryly.


The pair dragged the vampire to the van parked just around the corner.


“Thank God that he wasn’t any bigger,” gasped Willow as they heaved him in the back.


Back at the Council they drove the van into the underground car park and manhandled the vampire into one of the cells - something all Watchers Council buildings have, just in case. They chained him to the wall by his wrists and Willow showered him again with the powder to reverse the spell.


He came to his senses quickly, he leapt to his feet and tugged at the chains but he soon realised that he was trapped.


“So what’s the proposition then?” he asked, guessing if they’d wanted to kill him they would have done by now.


“Thing is we want you to bite me,” said Spike. “You’re going to turn me into a vampire and then you can go.”


“Why would I do that?” replied the vampire.


“Simple,” said Willow. “You either do it or you die and we find someone else who will.”


“Don’t tell me you haven’t sired anyone before? Just my bleeding luck to pick up a sodding virgin,” jeered Spike.


“Oh, yeah? What do you know about it anyway?” asked the vampire.


“Ever heard of William the Bloody?” asked Spike.


“Yeah, what vampire hasn’t? He’s a hero, well was ‘til he got dusted in L.A. a while back. Why?”


“You’re looking at him,” said Willow, indulging Spike in his bragging.


“No way! What do you think I am? He’s bloody human!”


“Yeah, well see, therein lies my problem. I didn’t get dusted, I got turned human instead. I’m a bit bored of it now so I want to get back to how I should be. How many have you sired then?”


“Ten, at least ten,” said the vampire.


Willow and Spike just stared at him.


“Okay, okay. Four, all right?”


Willow and Spike looked at each other. Spike gave a small nod indicating that this one would do. It had been important not to have someone who hadn’t done this before, as it’s a fine line between draining enough blood for someone to turn and killing them outright.


Willow approached the vampire with a needle and syringe.


“What’s that for?” he asked in alarm.


“We need some of your blood in case you change your mind halfway through and just try to kill him. Then I’ll have to stake you,” said Willow. “Now hold still or I’ll have to use another spell.”


“No way will I try to kill him! The chance to re-sire Spike, the legend that is William the Bloody! As long as you’ll let me be in your gang, God, it’ll be an honour.”


“Still,” said Spike, “humour the little witch for me. She likes to be methodical. Course you’ll be in my gang! Sire’s privileges and all.”


Getting blood out of someone whose heart doesn’t beat isn’t that easy but Willow managed to get enough after a few attempts.


“Hope you’re feeling peckish,” said Spike, approaching the vampire and turning his head to expose his jugular vein.


The vamp hesitated for a second then put on his vampire face and sank his teeth into Spike with relish.


Christ, thought Spike. That sodding hurts!


He started to lose consciousness. The vampire lowered himself down, still drinking Spike’s blood as his body reached the floor. At the crucial time he bit his own wrist and put it to Spike’s lips. Spike swallowed some of the vampire’s blood before passing out completely - well, dying would be more accurate.


The vampire stood up and looked at Spike as he lay on the ground.


“So what now? Do we wait for him to turn and then get out of here?”


“No, you’re getting out of here now,” said Willow.


“But he said I could be in his gang,” protested the vampire.


“Thing is, William the Bloody always lies." Willow rammed her stake into his heart.


She choked slightly on the dust and felt guilty since he’d done what they had asked, but there was no way that he could be released. She looked down at Spike. She knelt by his body and felt for a pulse – none. She put the chains on his wrists and went out of the cell, locking the door behind her.


“I hope this bit works as planned,” she muttered to herself. She’d know by morning.


*~*~*~*


At six a.m. Willow was back at the cell, coming down before Dawn or Joy surfaced. She pulled back the observation shutter and peered in. Spike was lying exactly as she’d left him.


“God no! It didn’t work. He’s dead!”


She opened the door as quickly as she could and bent down to reach out to touch Spike. He suddenly jumped up snarling in full vamp mode. Willow squealed and fell backwards landing on her butt.


“Shite! Sorry, Red. I just couldn’t resist,” said Spike, offering a hand to help her up, his grin a bit toothier than normal as he still had his vamp face on.


She took his hand, got up and then kicked him, hard.


“Not funny!” she yelled.


Spike de-vamped his face.


“Sorry. I heard you coming for ages, could smell you. I’ve been pretty bored and it seemed a good idea when I thought it,” said Spike sincerely.


“’S okay, suppose it was kinda funny,” agreed Willow.


Part one was complete. Spike was now back to being a vampire with a soul. Willow had double checked the prophecy and found, as Andrew had, that Spike’s soul was safe. Her expert digging had turned up something that Andrew hadn’t found. The fact that if Spike was bitten by his original sire, Drusilla, then the prophecy would be forfeit and his soul and humanity lost. Other than that, the prophecy appeared to be a perpetual one, basically insisting that Spike keeps his soul and stays human. According to Willow’s calculations that part would kick in soon, and Spike would revert to being human within a few days.


The tricky part now was not to let Dawn know that Spike was a vampire and they both hoped that the prophecy would kick in before the others returned, as neither fancied facing Buffy’s reaction if it hadn’t.


Spike held his hands out for Willow to unlock the chains. She hesitated for a moment before she did, checking psychically that his soul was intact. It was, so she released him.


“So how do you feel?” she asked.


“Absolutely terrific and I’m starving! You did remember the blood, didn’t you?” said Spike gleefully.


The power he could feel coursing through him – God, he’d forgotten how good it felt to be a vampire.


“Ew! Yes, I remembered. It’s in the fridge in the kitchen near your room,” she replied. “But what I meant was, how’s your leg? Your back? Did it work?”


Spike took a few steps. There was no sign of a limp and he could feel no pain or weakness in his back. He went out of the cell and ran along the corridor as fast as he could. He ran back to Willow and picked her up, spinning her round and round until they both collapsed laughing. It had worked.


So far so good. Luckily the day was one of those particularly grey and dull days that London can have in the fall so Spike didn’t have too much trouble avoiding sunlight when Dawn was about. He made sure to not let her see that his limp was gone. He helped with Joy, delighting in her. All at once there was a sharp stab of pain in his head.


“Ow, ow!” He put Joy down fearing that he’d drop her.


Willow was there in an instant. Was something going wrong?”


“Bleeding hell,” said Spike, wondering where that had come from, then they hit him - all the locked away memories of Joy, her birth, the first time he’d held her, taking her home, they all came flooding back. It was one side effect that they’d never even thought about.


“I can remember her, Red, from before. The memories have come back.”


“That’s fantastic!” said Willow, smiling broadly at him.


*~*~*~*


The next morning Spike woke and walked into the bathroom, a quick glance at the mirror confirmed what he already knew. No reflection, still a vampire.


Oh well, least if I stay a vampire I’m strong enough to protect my girls their whole lives.


Later that day Buffy phoned to say they’d be back that evening rather than the next day as planned as the work was done and she was missing Spike and Joy like mad.


“Looks like we might have to face the music, Red,” said Spike as he told her the news.


“You can do the talking and I’ll just do the standing behind you nodding part,” said Willow, wondering what Buffy would think.


*~*~*~*


Spike thought that he’d better have that night’s ration of pigs’ blood before Buffy and the others got home. Funny how it looks disgusting when human but delicious when a vamp, he thought with a chuckle.


He’d just washed the cup up when he heard them pull up outside in the van. He ran along the corridor and had the front door open before they’d even got out of it, another plus for enhanced vampire senses.


“Spike,” called Buffy. “Did you see us coming?”


“Yeah,” he lied as he walked over to the van where Buffy, Giles and Andrew were starting to unload boxes. Intent on their tasks no one noticed Spike as he walked towards them. Buffy turned to put a heavy box on the floor and almost dropped it. Spike caught it.


“Here, let me get it,” he said.


“But Spike, it’s too heavy for you. Your back,” said Buffy, then she stood there open mouthed as he effortlessly took it from her and carried it up the steps and into the hall.


He put it down and looked at Buffy, smiling broadly, head tilted slightly to one side.


“Spike, your limp? What’s happened?”


“I’ll give you the details later, love, but I’m cured! Limp’s gone. I even got my memories of Joy back!”


He ran down the steps, hugged her tight and kissed her.


“Hey!” she cried. “You’re cold.” She pulled herself out of his grip. “What the hell is going on?”


So much for having Red’s back up,thought Spike, Willow, wisely, was nowhere to be seen.


“Well, thing is, to get better, first I had to get worse,” he said, changing into his vampire face as he spoke. “Bloody hell, woman!” he added as Buffy punched him in the face.


He looked up to see Giles and Andrew brandishing stakes.


“He’s gone evil!” yelled Andrew.


“No, I bleeding haven’t!” Spike yelled back but not convincing him as he forgot he was still in vamp mode and accidentally did growl a bit. “I’ve still got my soul,” he added sheepishly.


All three of them stood looking at him. He de-vamped and said to them, “I’m sorry, bit of fun is all.”


“Not the best idea you’ve ever had,” replied Buffy primly.


Spike looked at her, his remorse was written all over his face.


“Okay, so you’re not evil but when I left you were human, and now you sure aren’t,” she said sternly. “Let’s get inside and then you owe us all some answers.”


They decided to leave the rest of the stuff in the van for now so Giles drove it to the garage and Buffy, Andrew and Spike went in. Spike noticed that Andrew still held his stake.


“Andrew, I’m really sorry, mate, especially after you helped me get out from The Immortal’s place. Bad move. I’ll watch your Farscape DVDs with you if you like?”


Andrew’s face lit up at that. Usually only Xander would watch his favourite shows with him.


“It’s okay,” he said. “But you bring the snacks.”


They went up to the sitting room and waited until everyone was gathered there before Spike told them what he and Willow had done. Dawn was furious to have been kept in the dark but did realise it’d been done to protect her just in case anything had gone wrong.


“We were just hoping it would’ve kicked in by now and I’d be back to being human before you got back,” he finished.


“Spike, you know I didn’t love you any less for being injured like you were, don’t you?” said Buffy.


“Yeah, I know, Buffy, sweetheart, but to be honest I did it for me. I hated not being able to run, to lift you up or the thought of not being able to play with Joy when she’s older. I need to know I can protect my family whether you want me to or not.”


“So when will it happen? What if it doesn’t?”


“I’m not sure. You may have to get used to having a younger looking man in your life when you’ve gotten old,” joked Spike.


He got a glare in return. He looked over at Willow with a ‘help me out here’ look on his face. She duly obliged.


“Buffy, it will happen, certainly within the next couple of days. I triple checked everything before we went ahead. When do I ever get research wrong?” she said, realising now wasn’t the time to be modest.


“It better,” said Buffy seriously.


She looked at Spike.


“I prefer my lovers more than room temperature these days.” Then she grinned at him. She couldn’t stay mad at him for long.


To make up for scaring them, Spike cooked everyone dinner.


*~*~*~*


It was two nights later when it happened. Spike and Buffy were asleep. Spike woke up. Something felt very strange, very wrong. He felt he was suffocating, which was weird since vampires don’t need to breathe. He sat up, hands at his throat, panic rising in him.


Suddenly he felt a sort of thump in his chest and felt his heart start to beat, literally feeling the blood start to course through his veins. He gasped, as he took in a deep lungful of air as he started to breathe. He felt a bit nauseous and light headed. He was glad he’d been unconscious the first time this had happened, as it was a most peculiar feeling even when he knew what must be happening.


But had the plan worked? Was his body still healed? His back was hurting. “Damn!” Then he realised that he’d been holding himself rigid throughout the transformation. He relaxed and the pain disappeared. He swung his legs over the side of the bed and stood up. A couple of steps later and he had his answer. It had worked - his injuries were no more!


He no longer felt as powerful as he had as a vampire. He knew that he wouldn’t but as he stood there in the bathroom looking at his reflection, he felt stronger than he ever had as a human and that was more than good enough.


Smiling, he walked back and got into bed. He’d pulled some of the covers off Buffy as he’d got up and in her sleep, she was trying to find them. Spike snuggled up to her, pulling the covers over both of them.


“Mm, you’re nice and warm,” said Buffy sleepily.


“Yeah, I am, pet,” said Spike.


She woke up properly as she realised that she’d felt his warm breath on her cheek, something she’d missed these last couple of nights.


“It happened,” she said.


“It happened,” he agreed.


Joy woke up and started to cry. Spike got out of bed and picked her up. After a few seconds she stopped crying -she always was a daddy’s girl. He took her back to the big bed and as he sat there, arms round each of his girls he thought that things couldn’t get better.


Once Joy was back to sleep, he gently placed her back in her cot and rejoined Buffy in bed.


“We’re a proper family, Buffy,” he said, kissing her passionately.


“It’s just perfect,” said Buffy, responding to her lover’s kisses ardently.


Spike pulled Buffy under the covers to show her how fit a human he really was!



*~*~*~*



A train pulled up at London’s King’s Cross station. It was the last train of the night and few passengers got off. A tall striking dark haired woman dressed unusually in a long flowing blood red dress and black coat stepped down from the furthest carriage. She carried a small doll under her arm.


“Well, Miss Edith,” said Drusilla. “Home Sweet Home.”


THE END


Thank you for reading - check out the sequel Dangerous - coming soon on here or see my lj or other archives. http://mabel-marsters.livejournal.com