Chapter 12



The gang had finished getting the basement ready for Spike and Rebecca to move into and were now congregated in the living room waiting for the pizza to arrive.

No ‘noise’ had been heard from upstairs for some time and Buffy was debating on whether she should go and hurry the couple along.

The others were watching with amusement as Buffy stared at the ceiling, rose from her seat to walk to the stairs, stopped and muttered to herself, shaking her head as she would return to her seat to once again to stare at the ceiling.

She had done this five times so far and even Xander was softly chuckling at his friend’s antics. Buffy, of course, was completely oblivious to what she was doing.

Tara eventually took pity on her friend “I’ll just go get them shall I?”

Buffy looked at her startled “What?” she frowned back up at the ceiling “Maybe someone should go get those two?” Buffy gave the gang a confused look as they all started to laugh loudly.

Tara had almost reached the stairs when the doorbell rang “Pizza’s here guys” she laughed as she heard Dawn and Xander racing each other to get to the door first.

Tara reached the bedroom door and listened carefully. She could hear soft voices inside so she knocked once before opening the door and poking her head in.

Rebecca sat on the edge of the bed, eyes closed as Spike knelt behind her brushing her hair. Both looked freshly showered and Tara took a moment to watch Spike gently tend to his wife. “It’s nearly time to go. There’s pizza downstairs if you’re hungry.”

Rebecca’s stomach growled loudly “I’m starving.”

“ ‘m not” announced Spike as he pulled Rebecca’s hair back and leaned down to kiss a neat bite mark on her neck. He watched Tara ’s reaction carefully.

Tara’s eyes flicked from the bite to Spike’s neck. He grinned and pulled the neck of his shirt away slightly to expose a matching human bite. Tara simply smiled before turning to leave “Oh and I think Xander reached the pizza first, so if you want to actually get any I’d hurry.”

Downstairs Dawn and Xander were in a competition to see who could stuff the most pizza into their mouth. Giles was beginning to turn green at the sight, especially as the pair were attempting to taunt each other in the process.

Xander began to choke as Dawn triumphantly stuffed another slice into her mouth “Imf wfin”.

Dawn began a little victory dance as she attempted to now chew and swallow the contents of her mouth. As she danced around the chair she noticed Rebecca’s look of horror as she spoke to Spike “That’s not how you’re supposed to eat that is it?”

Xander jumped up and pulled Rebecca forward to sit before the pizza. He then proceeded to instruct her on the intricacies of pizza consumption.

Rebecca eyed Xander warily as he rambled on about flipping, folding and other dubious concepts.

Buffy rolled her eyes and leant down to scoop up a slice “Here like this” she smiled at the Rebecca’s expression as she had her first taste.

Rebecca still looked uncertain “It’s different” she took another bite her face scrunched slightly as she contemplated the taste “it’s quite enjoyable though.”


***********************************************************************************


The remains of the day darkened into evening as the group finished their meal. Dawn gathered up the remnants of their meal as the others armed themselves for their evening’s excursion.

They were soon on their way towards the cemetery, Buffy and Rebecca in the lead, Dawn, Willow, Tara and Xander following closely. Spike and Giles trailed some distance behind.

Giles cleared his throat a little before beginning to speak “I noticed the marks on Rebecca’s neck earlier”

“Yeah what of it”

“I assume that this means that you have renewed your bond with each other via a claiming.”

“You’d be assuming correctly then watcher” Spike straightened defensively waiting for words of condemnation to begin.

“I think that was a very wise decision”

Spike stared at him in amazement

“You should be able to sense any changes in Rebecca’s essence, an early warning system so to speak” Giles clasped Spike on the shoulder “It would be helpful if you could strengthen your bond as much as possible.”

Spike looked at Giles in shock “Watcher, did you just tell me to bite my wife more?”

Giles fiddled with his sleeve cuff ‘Damn he missed his glasses right now’ “Yes well, Rebecca will need to ...umm…reciprocate as well, to keep the claiming bond at its maximum effectiveness.” He began to tug at his cuffs earnestly “You will of course keep me apprised of any changes you detect in Rebecca’s essence.”

“No probs Rupes old man” Spike strode off to catch up with his wife, coming up behind her and lifting her from the ground and over his shoulder as she squealed at him to put her back down.

The trip to the appointed meeting place was uneventful, as it was still too early in the evening for much demon activity. The group stood and stared at the huge structure that stood before them.

“You’d have thought with all the years of patrolling I would have noticed this hulking big mausoleum before?” Buffy stood hands on hips as she surveyed it.

“That’s because it’s usually cloaked” Anya stepped out of the doorway. “If you’re all ready” she held the door open and ushered them through “right this way.”

They gathered in the centre of the mausoleum and looked around. It was amazingly clean with no dust or cobwebs noticeable.

Anya shut the door firmly behind them, as she turned to face them the door faded away to be replaced by stone. “Please remember that this is a peaceful community. There will be no slaying, and as some of the inhabitants human than other do not” she looked pointedly at Xander “You will treat them ALL with respect.”


Anya seemed to remember something then and she moved to a nearby sarcophagus and withdrew a brown cloak. She handed it to Spike “It will be daylight but this should protect you until we get indoors. It was specially made for use by vampires so it should provide you with better protection than a blanket.”

Spike nodded his thanks and donned the robe, drawing the hood low over his face.

Anya then moved to the back wall, as she extended her hand a door materialized. Anya swung it open “Welcome to Midian”.


*********************************************************************************

The group stepped through the door to be met with brilliant sunlight and lush forest. A path wound its way from the steps of the mausoleum into the forest, the sound of running water met their ears and as they moved down the path a small stream came into view.

As they rounded a bend they saw the village, the houses seemed to sprout from the trees themselves. Dawn gasped “it looks like something from a fairytale.”

“In a way it is” Anya smiled as several small children ran past on their way for a swim. “The Midian forest is a place of magic. It expands and retracts to accommodate those who reside here” She moved to stand before one of the massive trunks. “Do you all want to stay together?”

The group nodded their assent.

“Alright you will all need to place your palms on the trunk for a moment.”

They moved to stand around the trunk, palms touching the rough bark. The surface seemed to pulse beneath their touch, almost like a heartbeat. Anya motioned for them to move away. They all watched in awe as the giant began to shift.

The trunk pulsed and shimmered, branches moved and began to entwine. Leaves as big as a person formed shaded veranda’s as windows and doors began appearing; eventually a door began to form at the base.

Anya smiled at the expressions on their faces “Amazing isn’t it.” She moved to the door placing her hand upon the bark once more “Thank you my friend.” She turned back to the others “The tree changes its form to accommodate those who it will protect. The first time you enter you must thank the spirit of the tree.”

As each member moved forward and gave their thanks the tree seemed to pulse and glow once more. They moved into the heart of the tree and found themselves standing in the centre of a large bare room.

Anya proudly began to explain how the tree would adapt for them “The tree has taken an imprint of your essence, when you leave Midian the tree will revert to its original form. However, if you return it will sense you as soon as you step through the door and be ready by the time you reach the village. Each room is designed to adapt to your needs.” Anya moved to one side “For example if you want to sit” a large sofa began to rise from the floor, lush green leaves spring up as padding “A seat will appear.” She sank gracefully down onto the chair “All the rooms are the same.”

Dawn jumped onto the sofa beside Anya “Wow this is better then the one we have at home.” She bounced a few times to emphasis her point.

Anya stood “The elders will be ready for you in a few hours, so I suggest you have a look around before the meetings start.” She grabbed Giles’s hand and pulled him towards the stairs that spiraled around the inner trunk. “Let me show you to your room Rupie”

Xander watched the couple move up the stairs “I might go and have a look around outside, anyone want to come with?”

The others declined each wanting to explore their new lodgings more fully.

********************************************************************************

Xander stepped back outside squinting slightly at the bright sunlight. He surveyed the village before him; beside the fact that all the buildings were formed from trees it looked like an old English country village. People moved about tending to their daily business, there were some demons that he’d never seen before but all of them offered him a wave and a nod or a friendly hello as they passed.

Xander set of in the direction of the stream; he heard a large roar and turned to see a fierce looking demon bearing down on a small human looking child. The creature’s massive mouth was lined with razor sharp teeth which it was snapping hungrily at the little girl.

Xander ran forward trying to reach the girl before the monster. The creature had just swooped up the screaming child when Xander realize that the child was in fact giggling as the creature tickled her mercilessly. He pulled himself up self-consciously as he realized that the girl was in no danger.

The creature put the girl down and she was off running once again “Come catch me again Unca Drew” she ran past Xander squealing with laughter. The huge demon lumbered past giving Xander a wink as he once again chased his laughing niece.

Xander smiled to himself as he turned back towards the stream ‘Gotta remember. Demons good here. Demons good’ It was then that he saw her. She was leaning against a tree at the edge of the village watching him. She was wearing a white sundress that seemed to float around her. Her long black hair fell to her waist in thick curls and she looked up at him with the prettiest brown eyes he’d ever seen.

The girl smiled softly at him before moving forward “Hi, you must be one of the Slayers friends” she offered a hand “I’m Bo, short for Isabo.”

Xander stared at her his mind blank, Bo laughed and grabbed his hand “And your name is?”

“Harris” He shook his head slightly “Alexander Harris. Xander for short, although its not that much shorter” Xander knew he was babbling but couldn’t help himself.

Bo laughed again as she extricated her hand “Hello Xander, so my little niece gave you a bit of a fright?”

Xander’s face started to colour “Yeah um sorry about that, just used to, you know, demons being the bad guys.”

“That’s ok Xander” Bo turned to watch her niece once again “Sometimes I think Isabella can scream loud enough to wake the dead.” She smiled back up at him again. “So where were you headed?”

“I uhh thought I might go find the stream”

“Do you want some company” Bo looked up at him coyly

Xander felt heat suffuse his face again “Sure, if you want” they began to walk towards the stream. “So that guy back there?” he left the question hanging.

“Drew? He’s Issy’s dad’s brother.” Bo went on “Mathew, Issy’s dad, is a Shartala demon and her mum is human.”

“Oh ok” Xander couldn’t imagine any human wanting to be married to a demon like that.

“I remember when Katie first met Mathew” Bo smiled at her memories “We were all quite surprised when she bought him home. We all thought he was far too good for her.”

Bo bumped her shoulder against him and Xander realized that she knew what he was thinking. “Sorry it’s just, not used to it is all.”

“It’s alright Xander; Katie grew up here, so what someone looks like on the outside doesn’t even register.”

“What about you, did you grow up here?”

Bo shook her head “No I didn’t, but I’ve lived here most of my adult life.” She sat down beneath a tree on the edge of the stream, one of its large leaves moving to shade her.

Xander settled down beside her “So what, that’s been a few years then”

Bo settled back and smiled secretly “A few”

Xander watched in appreciation as Bo lifted the hem of her dress slightly and let the sun dance over her legs. “So what do people do here? Do you have jobs? Things like that.”

“Yes Xander. Midian is like any other village, we have shops and churches and schools. The people here are just a little different.”

“Do you work?” Xander watched as Bo stood and moved stand in the stream the sunlight dancing on the water around her.

“I’m a teacher actually”

“A teacher, wow” Xander sat forward and let his eyes run over her “I wish my teachers had looked like you.”

Bo laughed as she splashed him “Come in the waters great” with that she fell backwards under the water. Xander's breath caught in his throat as Bo stood up her dress clinging to her in all the right places. “What’s the matter Xander” she gave him an evil smile “You afraid of a little water.”

Xander was not one to let a challenge pass so he sprung up and grabbed Bo by the shoulders as he pulled her back into the water with him.