***
Chapter 8
***
 
"Thanks, love, for speakin' up for me with your boy."  Spike had a tender look on his face, as if he were so unused to kindness that he was disarmed in face of a small, earned bit of it.
 
"Xander needs to get over his knee-jerk reactions, especially when it comes to my choices in life.  I don't tell him who he should let into his life and he needs to respect me the same way."  Buffy shook her head.  "He means well.  He's seen me hurt more than once and gets overprotective.  Still..."
 
"Can't fault him for that at least."  Spike snorted out a laugh, "And if you tell him I said that, I'll have to bite you."
 
Buffy laughed.  Amazing how far they had come to be able to joke about such a thing.  One thing Buffy had decided having watched this vampire around her family for nearly the past year was that he really wouldn't harm those she cared about even if his chip stopped working.  Against all she had been taught and all she had believed, she had seen at least some echo of the ability to feel true emotion in him.  He truly loved her mom and he treated Dawnie like a beloved little sister.  He had some caring for her too; she could see it in how he helped out.  She knew her good opinion of him mattered.
 
"So what do you think about this clown car of teenage defenders of the innocent?"  Buffy scoffed.
 
"I think too many people with too much fear is never a good thing.  Seen my share of pitchfork-wieldin' torch carriers in my day.  It never ends well," Spike looked suddenly very sober, "for anyone.
 
"Slayer, I think it'd be a good idea for me to show you lot what I was talkin' about with the bolt holes.  Never know when or who might need 'em."
 
"You might be right.  You can practically taste the fear in the air.  I doubt things will be getting back to normal any time soon."  Buffy sighed.  "Sure you want to face the idea of going into hiding with Xander as a roomie?"  She teased.
 
"Had to live with the berk once before and barely knew him then," Spike smiled. "Suppose it's the devil I know this go-round."  He motioned for Buffy to lead the way back towards his crypt.  "Likely never come to it, but better safe like they say."
 
"Who'd have ever thought back then that you'd be coming up with ways to help us all on your own?  You're not planning to tie any of us to chairs and taunt us, are you?"  She teased back.
 
Spike smirked and raised an eyebrow in amusement.  "Got some chains, pet, but not nearly enough to go around."
 
Buffy shook her head, "I don't EVEN want to know," and put her hands over her ears in mock horror.
 
"Wouldn't chain you, love,” He looked startled then shook his head to clear out the tempting vision he'd had, "not unless you asked, of course."
 
"Like that would ever happen!"
 
Spike looked mildly disappointed, "Yeah.  Didn't think so.  Gotta say the demon's a mite disappointed.  Kinda the vampire version of chocolates and flowers."
 
Buffy laughed at what she thought was his joke.  "You saying your demon wants a date?"
 
Spike stopped walking and looked at her with his heart in his eyes and swallowed.  "Likely not the best time for grand gestures--or layin' cards on the table, for that matter--but the demon's not the only part of me that can dream."
 
Buffy turned to look at Spike in a bit of shock.  Yeah, he clearly loved her mom and Dawn and was even decent enough to her lately. She had started to think of him as a....maybe not a friend exactly, but certainly not an enemy.  "What?"
 
"Look, Slayer, now's not the time," he laughed ruefully, "maybe never be the time," he muttered.  He closed his eyes, not wanting to feel the lasers he expected to have shooting at him from her deer-caught-in-the-headlights eyes.  "Can't control where the heart chooses to love."
 
She fought the urge to run.  This could not be happening.  The whole world was upside-down and headed straight to hell and Spike chose this moment to make some misguided declaration of love?  "No!"  She turned and walked briskly towards Restview.
 
"No as in...what?  No, a person can't control who they love?  No, I don't love you?  No, you don't want to hear it?"  Spike rushed to keep up with her.
 
"D.  All of the above," Buffy answered harshly, then stopped dead in her tracks.  "Look," she took a deep breath and closed her eyes, "I really don't want this conversation with you...not right now.  Too much is happening to....   Look, Spike, I don't hate you.  I even enjoy your company ...and I can't believe I'm even saying that.  I just broke up with Riley, Mom's been sick and the whole world has suddenly decided to do my job, only without having the skills.  You were right in the beginning.  It's not the time."
 
Spike looked stricken, but suddenly brightened, "Does that mean there might be a time later?"  He looked so bloody hopeful.
 
"Yes.  No.  I don't know."  Buffy turned and started walking again.  "Can we just hit rewind and forget we even started this conversation for now?"
 
Spike was silent as he kept pace with her near trot through the cemetery.  "Won't promise never to hit the play button though."
 
Buffy turned to him in front of the crypt door and with a sigh she nearly whispered, "Fair enough.  Now show me this maze of hiding places you've been working on."
 
***

"...  not answering questions about his broadcast blaming this January's earthquakes in El Salvador that killed hundreds followed by the quake in Gujarat, India that killed 20,000.  Pat Robertsonhas not retracted his assertion that these disasters were caused by the surge of demonic activity now being seen all over the world.  Calls for repentance and right living were repeated in last night’s press conference.  Now back to you, Brian."
 
Brian Williams cleared his throat and looked full into the camera, "This just in from Washington.  Senator Proctor, formerly ranking member on the Judiciary Committee and vocal opponent of the newest measures passed against non-human and sub-human entities and any human found aiding or abetting them has been detained for questioning on accusations of his own involvement in the so-called resistance movement.  The new laws against the demon terror threat have been cited as justification for his being held with what he is calling illegal detainment with no proper due process.  For more on the legal implications for Senator Proctor, we go to our senior legal correspondent, Craig Melvin.  Craig..."

 
Angel angrily turned off the small TV set and turned to the more-green-than-usual demon nervously pacing in front of the counter.  "Lorne, I think even L.A. is not going to stay safe much longer.  Are you sure you shouldn't think about just opening another portal and going back home till this blows over?  You kind of stick out a bit."
 
Lorne took a deep drink of his Sea Breeze and frowned.  "I have to side with Anne Frank on this one, Angelcakes.  '’In spite of everything, I still believe that people are really good at heart.'  I am thinking of taking up an offer to do a show in Vegas though.  It's a revue and I'll just look like I'm in makeup.  A musical send-up of all the demon panic...some song and dance, good for the soul."
 
"Cordy and I have been talking about taking the baby and heading towards the Cascades before everything gets too crazy here.  She's been having some pretty nasty visions; it's not looking good."  Angel glowered and ran his hand through his spiked hair.  "Don't want Connor to grow up in some hell environment. Better the back of nowhere than that."
 
"The little prince will do just fine no matter where you raise him, crumbcake," Lorne reassured the dour vampire.  "Kiddo's a miracle!  I can't see the Powers going to all that trouble letting two vampires have a baby, writing a prophecy about the little bundle and then let him be harmed during this little hiccup in human history."
 
"I got that family Buffy sent me up there safely enough.  I'm thinking it might be a good place to lay low for a while.  Cordy's a city girl, but she's game for it if it means keeping Connor safe."  He flipped the TV back on and headed to his office to brood about the situation.
 
"And in local news, another shooting that appears to be unrelated to demon activity. A Canoga Park woman is in critical condition after being shot in the chest and abdomen. The gunman is described as an ex-boyfriend of the victim.  The man shot and critically wounded the woman in the front yard of her home Monday and then shot himself to death as the limousine driver he hired looked on, police said.
 
The woman, identified as Sherry Schwartz, 54, an IRS auditor, was shot once in the chest and once in the abdomen, police and medical officials said.  Again, this does not appear to have any connection to the rash of murders and mayhem attributed to demons and other non and sub-human sources.........."
 
***
 
"Turn that up!" Max bellowed over the sounds of his crew busily hammering away.  "Important stuff happening in the world, don't want to be left in the dark," he laughed bitterly.
 
Xander rolled his eyes and went back to finishing a cabinet he was sanding before installation.  He was so sick of everyone with their TVs and radios blaring nonsense about things he'd been dealing with quietly since he was just a kid.  All this focus on demons had only made it harder for the people who were supposed to be dealing with this 'important stuff' to get the job done.
 
"Today's Coops Scoop for you human heroes goes out to our brave folks in that hotbed of demon activity.  Yes, that's you, L.A..  Don't think we haven't seen the signs over the years with your decadence and filth!  Seems this guy Travers that's been a big help to our government in their fight against the unnatural handed over a truckload of files on known demons living right among us pure humans!  One of these sick freaks even runs a so-called detective agency right there in your City of Angels.  Even has the nerve to call himself that...Angel."  The radio jock's voice held a sneer.  "That's right.  Nothing like calling yourself something good and decent and hiding in plain sight."
 
Xander nearly dropped the sander he was using and tried not to draw attention to himself as he listened to the ratings hit 'Charlie Cooper Hour'.  Personally he thought ol’ Charlie was nothing but a shill ginning up hatred and fear at painful decibels, but the show was mother’s milk to Max and his ilk.  'Gotta find a way to call Buffy.  See if she's heard this.  Sounds like Angel's been outed.'  He didn't have to strain to hear the show as it continued loud and clear.
 
"That's right.  Seems this piece of filth was part of a whole quartet of monsters who've lived longer than dirt.  Two females and two males, including this Angel," his voice lingered on the name mockingly, "the most vicious blood-sucker acted as their leader for ages.  Made quite a name for themselves over cross the Pond back in the day. Pack of 'em running free, doing their evil and corruptin' our women."
 
Well, Xander couldn't argue that part if pressed.  'Got to agree with some of what Charlie says.'  Angel hadn't been the best thing that ever happened to Buffy. 
 
'Spike's been helpful lately though.  Wonder if they'll out him?'  They had all been given the grand tour of the tunnels and hiding places that Spike had been working on in case any or all of them eventually had to do a strategic retreat from the madness that was sweeping the world in its wake.  'Hope Evil Dead, Jr. isn't thinking of helping himself to anything skeezy along the way.'  Xander still didn't trust Spike any further than he could throw him, but Buffy had been clear that the vampire was part of the group now.
 
"Damn it, Wally, you cut the plank too short!  Think we can make a decent profit having to toss good lumber?"  Max was fuming.  Really, listening to the talk show hadn't helped his temper one bit. Since he became one of Charlies 'Human Heroes',his blood pressure looked about to be the next thing to top the charts.
 
***
Buffy juggled the Doublemeat sacks and fumbled with the door.  It wasn't the kind of wholesome meal her mom always provided, but at least her mother wouldn't have to cook lunch today.  "Mom!  I come bearing greasy goodness from the people that bring us stylish cow hats!  Hope you're hungry."
 
"Mom?"
 
"Mom?  Where are you?"
 
"Mom....Mommy?"
 
Buffy didn't even feel the bags slip from her fingers to land on the carpet.  The only thing she could process was the sight of her mother lying on the sofa, eyes wide open but seeing nothing.  In her short life, Buffy had seen enough of death to recognize the pose. 
 
***
"This wasn't supposed to happen.  She was getting better.  The doctors all said she came through the surgery perfectly.  She's been taking it easy, Dawn and I have been helping...."  Buffy was distraught and deathly pale herself.
 
Giles enfolded the girl in his arms and tried to offer what comfort he could.  "Life is rarely fair, my dear."
 
The ambulance had just left with Joyce's body, long past revival, moments before.  The EMT suspected an aneurysm and had said it sometimes happened after brain surgery.  He had assured the grieving girl that her mother likely hadn’t felt a thing, that it had been quick and probably not painful.
 
He was wrong.  It was painful.  It was painful beyond the bearing.
 
For the first time, Giles wished vampires could be about in sunlight because Spike would be a handy bit of help once Dawn was told of this tragedy.  He could barely believe that thought had actually formed in his mind, but it was true.
 
"Do you wish for me to go with you to collect Dawn, to tell her?"  Giles wasn't sure how to deal with the bundle of weeping girl he already held, much less a second one that would also need comfort soon.
 
"I'll tell her, but I'm not sure I can drive," Buffy choked back on a startled laugh.  'Why am I able to laugh?  Mom's dead and I can laugh?  What's wrong with me?'  Her furrowed brow was a beacon to Giles that he should say something, but he had no clue what.
 
"Of course.  I'll just pull the car around," the unnerved Watcher hurried to the task, grateful to be doing SOMETHING.  He felt so powerless under the circumstances.
 
"Giles,” He stopped halfway to the car. Buffy's voice was so soft he barely heard her.  She'd never looked so young and lost, not even in the early days when Giles had first met her.  "I don't know what I'm supposed to do."  She bit her lip to try to stop the trembling as tears continued to run rivers down her face.  "Mom…Mom always took care of everything important."  She turned wide, wet eyes to her father figure.  "Who's going to take care of us now?"
 
Giles swallowed back his own grief and gathered her back into his arms.  "We'll take care of each other, my dear."