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Guardians of The Median by emmee
 
CHAPTER ELEVEN
 
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Disclaimer: The characters from Buffy the Vampire Slayer are owned by Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, and Fox studios. This story is not meant to infringe upon anyone's rights, only to entertain.

Author's Note: Thanks to Ria! You're an awesome beta, huge, mondo, supersized thanks to you sista! Thanks for all the reviews guys! You have no idea what they do for me! Keep 'em coming! Next update shouldn't take too terribly long! .


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CHAPTER ELEVEN-



The scene as Buffy, Dawn and Xander entered the Magic Box was much like it had been the days before she'd jumped from the tower. Books were spread on every surface available, coffee cups were placed sporadically throughout, and the other members of the Scooby Gang were perched over their respective research devices. Giles was in front of the bookcase that housed the books not for purchase, searching for even more to add to the ever growing piles. Tara and Willow were seated at the table, sitting closely together. Tara was pouring over several large tomes all at once while Willow searched the web with her fingers crossed. Anya was standing guard over the cash register in the event that a customer came through the door, but had a book on the counter she was 'skimming' over at the same time. And Spike had already lit a cigarette and was walking back and forth between the humans, glancing over shoulders and asking questions.


Dawn and Xander both broke away from Buffy as they made it through the door. Xander headed straight for his fiancé for a 'hello' kiss and Dawn joined Tara and Willow at the table, reaching for the closest book with much enthusiasm. Buffy took a moment to absorb her surroundings. She'd actually missed this. She noticed Spike's actions and smiled, remembering that she'd seen him do this exact thing while she was watching 'SunnyD TV' in Summerland with her mom and Whistler.


"Greetings fellow Scoobs! I come bearing gifts of Krispy Kreme-y goodness." Xander called as he walked towards Anya and quickly kissed her.


Giles looked up from his perusal of the 'Daggarnthor Codex'. "Ooh, did you get any jellies?"


"But of course." Xander answered in an awful French accent as he moved towards Giles and dramatically presented the Watcher with the box housing the jelly and custard filled pastries.


"And powdery?" Willow asked from her spot, hope evident in her voice.


"How could I possibly forget my Willow's favorite?" He asked as he presented her with the other box containing the plain and powdered sugar pastries.


"Mmm. Nummies for our tummies." Willow proclaimed, grabbing a donut from the box with a smile.


Tara gave her girlfriend a sideways glance and commented. "Sweets for the sweet, right?" Willow blessed her with a smile and put her forehead against the blonde's.


"I am not offended by Xander calling you 'his Willow', Willow." Anya called from the counter. "Just so you don't worry."


Willow looked at the blonde capitalist strangely. "Yeah. Thanks for clearing that up. 'Cuz I was so worried there for a sec."


Spike took a look around the shop at the younglings going about their everyday business and quipping, and then turned his eyes to his Slayer, whom had still gone unnoticed, standing on the steps. "Well, hello Buffy! How are you feelin' today pet?" He said in a loud, booming voice, trying to catch the attention of the others. When they all looked up with surprised faces he glared and added, "How quickly they forget." They all turned, in unison, and gave the Slayer sheepish looks.


There was a chorus of 'Sorry Buffy's and 'Hey's from the members of the group that hadn't been in the car with the Slayer.


She simply shrugged her shoulders and walked fully into the shop. "Hey guys." She reached the table and took a seat, everyone seeming to gravitate there in her wake. "Don't go actin' all wiggy on account of me. Go about your days as you have been. There's no need to treat me any differently than before." She graced them all with a dazzling smile.


A smile which made Spike look on in amazement. One, it was Buffy and he loved to see her smile. Two, it just went to show how much the girl could actually handle being thrown at her. Who knew so much strength and resilience could be contained in one tiny little girl? Gods I love that girl.

And that directed his thoughts to this new prophecy brewing. So far, they had nothing. But he knew there was something. There was so much Buffy didn't say in what she said the night before. Dependin' on these gits to find out what’s up'll be a ruckus and a half. Prob'ly hafta crack open a book or two m'self if I wanna find anything soon. He knew the Slayer and her friends could find out anything when they wanted to. Just tends to take 'em longer 'cuz they spend so much time gabbin' with each other instead of keepin' their beaks in the books like they should.


Buffy looked collectively at the group gathered in the shop. "So, what do we have? Anything?"


Giles took his glasses off of his face and began to polish them. "We've been doing our best to research since you first mentioned the prophecy to Willow and Spike, but until last night, we hadn't much to go on."


"I'm sure we'll find something Buffy." Willow tried to reassure the Slayer. "Especially since you gave us some new info last night." She smiled at her best friend, hoping it was as encouraging as she wanted it to be.


"What they're trying to say is, we've got nothing. A big fat, heapin' bowl of nothing," Anya offered from behind Xander's seated form.


Everyone's shoulders slumped, save Buffy and Spike, when Anya spoke the truth. There wasn't much point in trying to reassure the Slayer when she would find out that they had nothing soon enough anyway.


"Yeah," Xander agreed. "We've got nada. Zip. Zilch. We've got empty omelets. Enchiladas with no meat or cheese. We don't even have air, 'cuz air is at least something.”


"I'm not worried." Buffy said, turning the tables and trying to reassure her friends. "We always find what we need to find. And this time'll be no different than the others. We'll find what we need to find when we find it."


Again, Spike could do nothing but look at her in amazement. She just happened to glance up at him this time. Catching his soft eyes and small smile she felt a blush creeping up. God she thought exasperated. Can we quit with the high school girl act please?

She was keeping the hope alive that one day soon, a simple glance from Spike wouldn't cause quite this big a chemical reaction within her, as it had been doing since her return. I mean, it can't last forever. Right? She broke the gaze with the vampire when she heard her Watcher speaking to her.


"Buffy, I don't suppose you would go over, again, what Whistler said to you? Concerning this," he glanced at a piece of paper on the table and read from it. “'Chosen twice returned' and 'child twice reverted' bit, would you?" He finished glancing over at her.


She shrugged. "I can try, but I honestly don't know anything else." Her eyes darted in Spike's direction for a fraction a second, but no one seemed to notice. Except Spike, since he very rarely ever took his eyes off the Slayer when in her presence, but he kept quiet.


"Well, the first thing we have to figure out is whether or not the prophecy is talking about a child or a Childe." Anya offered in an off handed manner while idly flipping through a random book.


Everyone stopped what they were doing and looked at her, expecting her to continue. When she, instead, continued to flip through the book, Xander cleared his throat. "Ahn?"


She looked up with a bored look painted across her face. "Hm?"


He turned sideways to face her fully, placing an arm on the table. "Whadya mean, honey?"


Anya shrugged. "Is it about a child or Childe? That's what we need to figure out first, then we can go from there."


"And there's a difference?" Xander asked leading.


"Sure."


Everyone continued to stare at the ex-demon. She looked back down at the book continued to flip pages.


"And that is?" Willow asked.


Anya finally brought her attention away from the book and looked at each person at the table. "You can't be serious." When they continued to look at her blankly, save Spike and Giles, she snorted rather unlady-like. "You've all been fighting vampires for how long? And you don't have a clue what I'm talking about?"


"Of course." Giles breathed as he got up from the table and headed towards the bookshelf. "How could I have overlooked that?"


Anya shrugged. "Seems rather obvious to me. You weren't thinking. Some Watcher you are."


Giles shot her a glare but otherwise ignored her.


"Okay, for those of us still in 'The Land of Huh?'... What're you guys talking about?" Xander asked befuddled.


"They're talking about a Childe, dimwit," Spike snarked.


"Yeah, okay, not helping," Xander grumbled.


"A Childe? With an 'e'?" Spike asked with his eyebrow arched. "Have any of the lot of you, aside from the Watcher, ever actually researched the things you kill every night?"


Willow spoke up defensively at that. "Of course we have. Why would you-"


Spike snorted. "You obviously haven't." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a cigarette. He stuck it in his mouth and lit it then resumed speaking. "In the vampire family you have Sires, Childer, Fledglings and Minions."


"Okay... And?" Xander prompted for more information.


Spike rolled his eyes and blew out a big puff of smoke, sighing loudly, "Okay, I'll break it down for the lack brains that are present." He began ticking off on his fingers as he spoke. "The Master sired Darla; she was his Childe. Darla sired Angelus; he was her Childe. Angelus sired Dru; she is his Childe. Dru sired me, but because of her mental instability she didn't quite perform the blood bond properly, so I'm her Childe and I'm also Angelus' because he finished up the job. Although, technically, I'm his Grand-Childe." He took a hit off his cigarette and inhaled deeply before continuing. "Childer, when sired, are given more of their sire's blood. It creates a stronger bond, a blood bond, 'tween the two, and in 'ffect the entire family. Fledglings are simply newly risen vamps, not Childer, not Minions, and they usually don't last long. Minions are lackey vamps. Sired simply for grunt work, so they last longer because the Sire dunn't wanna be troubled with makin' even more gophers. But Childers are completely different."


"Yes," Anya agreed. "Childers and Sires have a 'link' between them also. A result of the blood bond. It allows Sires to sense when something is wrong with one of their Childer. And there are usually only a few Childers in a family, like Spike's, because they're the 'special' ones." She made air quotation marks. "They're held in high regard."


Willow swung her gaze from Anya to Spike. "You have a link with Angel?" She asked curious.


"That's gotta suck a septic tank," Xander offered Spike, with a hint of sympathy in his voice.


"Yeh." Spike snorted. "Much as it pains me to be linked with the Wonder Vamp, 'Ve got one." He shrugged his shoulders. "Good thing 'bout it though? The strength of the link lessons over the years if you don't use it, so it's not so strong between us. After he got all souled up and broody, he didn't want anything to do with any of us."


"So you don't have a link with King Mopey then?" Xander asked.


Spike rolled his eyes. "I have a link, it's jus' not strong."


"Still sucks one," Xander said, shrugging, to which Spike nodded.


"And Dru?" Willow asked.


Spike looked at her and nodded. "Yeah."


Xander's eyes got wide, "Wow. You have links with Angie and Psycho? That sucks way more than a big one."


Buffy finally spoke up. "Can you guys please stop calling Angel names? What are you guys? Ten?" The sternness in her voice was belied by the small smile she couldn't hide.


"Anyway," Dawn said in a loud voice causing the four members of the group involved in the conversation to look properly chastised. "Okay," She said. "So how would a Childe have anything to do with Buffy's prophecy?" She asked from her perch on the loft stairs, in an attempt to get everyone back on track. She rolled her eyes when she realized what she said, "Well, okay, aside from the obvious; a Childe being a vamp and her being the Slayer. What else?"


"Yeah, I mean, how are we supposed to know where to find out what type of child, er Childe, whatever it's referring to? How do we know if it has anything to do with vamps or babies?" Willow asked Giles.


"Extreme amounts of research?" He offered.


"At least we can keep an eye out for either? Make it a little easier. Maybe?" Tara gently offered trying to keep the optimism in the group.


Suddenly the idea of extreme amounts of research didn't excite Willow, or any one else for that matter. Even Dawn was feeling the weight of the unknown.


Buffy, who had kept quiet for the most part during the entire exchange between the others, began to wonder if there was even more than the more, when it came to her mom and Whistler being so curious about her feelings towards a certain blond vampire. Doesn't mean anything. Just because it might be talking about a Childe, as in vamp type, that doesn't mean it has anything to do with Spike. Nothing. Not even a dollop. I mean, how many vamp kids are there anyway? Doesn't mean its him just cuz mom and Whistler were large with me being nice to Spike. Buffy was trying to rationalize the whole thing inside her head and even to her it sounded weak. She looked across the room and caught Spike's eye. He seemed to see straight through her and she had a feeling that he might know there was a more.


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Buffy looked up from the book she was reading and squeezed her eyes shut tight. She opened them and tried to focus on something, anything, inside the Magic Box. They’d all been reading and researching for what felt like days. The fact that she was reading and researching at all, much less for this long was strange in itself. Not being one of the Research Team, her eyes weren’t used to looking at words on paper for near this long. She was action girl, not reading girl. She blinked a couple more times and closed the book, placing it on the table. She sat up straight in her chair and languidly stretched her muscles. She reached over to Giles’ watch next to her and saw the time. I’ve been doing this for how many hours? No wonder my eyes are broken. She glanced up at the window and took note of the setting sun. Heaving an inward sigh of relief, she stood and cleared her throat causing everyone in the room to look up. “I think I’m gonna go patrol. All this bookworm stuff is making my eyes dizzy.”


Spike, who had been leaning back in a chair next to the wall slammed the front to legs of the chair down at her statement. His book shut with a thud and he jumped up, “Company?” He walked to the table and placed the book on top of a few others. “Could use a bout of fisticuffs and death to take the edge off.”


She seemed almost hesitant at first. But the hesitancy didn’t have the usual sense of disdain in it. “Uh… Sure?” She responded almost questioning.


Spike noticed the strange look in her eyes when she answered. He tilted his head to the side and regarded her with a look of confusion. He had thought that, after their little heart to heart last night, she wouldn’t mind him being around. He had thought that maybe they’d be able to start over and move past the whole mortal enemy thing. Then he began to wonder if she was acting this way because her mates were in attendance. ’Course. Shoulda known as soon as the Scoobs are 'round all will change.


Buffy saw Spike’s jaw muscles clench and his fists flex. What she couldn’t see was what she’d done to cause it, and she knew it had to be her, no one else had spoken to him. She hadn't meant anything by her hesitancy; she was just trying to adjust to all the new stuff piled on top of her plus the friendly type relationship she was forming with Spike. She cleared her throat and spoke. “Yeah. I… mean, sure. Why not? An extra hand is better than no extra.” She shrugged her shoulders trying to appear nonchalant. “I’m just gonna go get some weapons out of the training room.”


“Right.” The confusion disappeared and Spike nodded. “Grab a bloke and axe. Will ya?”


She walked past him and nodded. “Sure.”


The others in the room had looked up at Buffy’s proclamation and consequentially the conversation between to the two blondes. Thinking nothing else of it though, they turned back to their tasks.


The sound of Spike clapping his hands together caused them all to look up again. “Looks like ole Spike gets to do some fun stuff now kiddies.” He said rubbing his hands together and smiling.


“If it means you’re not here sharing second hand smelly-ness with us, I won’t argue,” Xander comment from his seat next to Anya. He waved his hands in front of his nose, as if to emphasize his point. "Smoking may not kill you, but secondhand smoke kills us. Not to mention the less than great smell that permeates."


Spike chose not to respond to Xander and instead met the Slayer coming out of the training room. He grabbed the axe she held out to him and they started walking to the door, in step with each other.


"Kay, so we'll be back in a few hours guys!" Buffy called from the door. "Giles? Don't let Dawn research anything too, too scary, okay?"


"Have fun guys!" Dawn called back smiling.


"Yeah. Have fun and don't get dead again!" Anya added as they stepped closer to the door.


"Thanks Anya," Buffy dryly responded.


"Bye guys," Tara and Willow said in unison.


Giles looked up from the book he was studying. "Do be careful Buffy, there's been a bit of an influx of late."


"We'll be fine Giles." Buffy assured him.


"Yeah, Watcher Man. We'll be fine." Spike added. And then in a quiet voice, so that only Buffy could hear, "I got her back this time."


Buffy gave him a soft look, but then quickly turned back to the gang and nodded with a smile. "See ya." And with that, they were out the door.


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Buffy and Spike were walking through one of the many cemeteries in Sunnydale in a companionable silence. Neither felt the pressing need to speak, so it was a comfortable patrol they found themselves on.


This was the third cemetery they had been through and they had spotted three vampires so far. Buffy got two; Spike got one. He was hanging back, letting Buffy have her fun and do her thing. The only reason he had gotten one kill was because a gangster wannabe vamp had tried sneaking up on her while she was taking out his buddy.


One of his favorite past times had always been watching the Slayer in motion. Ever since he had one of his minions videotape her all those years ago, he loved watching her kick ass. She tended to get a look of invigoration on her flushed face when she was in the thick of it. Her eyes would sparkle and her hair would fan out around her face- she was art in motion. Such was the case on this night, only more so. Slayer's havin' a ball.


And that she was. In the past, the fight had always gotten Buffy's blood pumping and adrenaline flowing. Now? She was feeling it like she never had before. She had hardly put any effort into dispatching her two vamps, but that's because she had not needed to. Every jab, kick, parry and hook she dealt came as easy to her as breathing. And can I mention just exactly how much I'm loving the fact that Spike is letting me have my fun? Good. 'Cuz I'm gonna. Even when they had been enemies, he had never had a problem admitting that she was good. There was the one time he'd tried to 'protect' her and that had been when they were being attacked by Xander-honed demons. Other than that? He never once made Buffy feel like she couldn't handle her own.


Not like Angel and Riley had.


To Angel, she had always been a porcelain schoolgirl capable of shattering at any moment. The only time he hadn't treated her like a girly-girl had been during his stint as Angelus. And then he'd just wanted her dead. But he never passed up a chance to still talk to her like she was an idiot in the process. He was all about the protecting of the poor fragile girl and all about the leaving for her own good so she could have a normal life. Pfft. Normal. Slayer here buddy! Normal ain't exactly in the cards for me regardless of whether or not you're here.


Then there was Riley. Mr. Joe Normal by day; Sgt. Joe Rambo by night. And not the cool defender-y type Rambo. The 'he worked for a top secret demon hunting military organization that captured, experimented and neutered the demons' type Rambo. First he was all 'fumble-y, shy and boy next door-ish' guy. Then he was all 'impressed, we're both fry cooks' guy. And finally, he was all 'your wickedly abnormal strength, weekly apocalypse and independence are just too much for me' guy. Although, ya can't really blame the guy for leaving. Aside from being ten times stronger and twice as short as him; ya didn't really give him much there in the end, did ya? She quickly told the voice in her head that sounded strangely like Cordelia to shut up and moved onto the next subject.


Spike.


With Spike she never had to worry about any of that. It had been one of two ways for him, since the beginning. He either hated her, wanted her dead and didn't care whether she got beaten or not; OR, he loved her, wanted her alive and knew she could handle herself so he didn't have to worry much about her getting beaten. It wasn't very often when Spike had to step in and save her. Actually, now that I think about it, I've saved his British butt quite a few times. There's just something backwards about that.


Buffy was brought out of her inner discussion by the appearance of four rather smelly vampires. "God, Spike. Did anyone slay anything while I was gone? That's like seven within the last hour or two!" She commented in an off hand manner.


"Oi Slayer! 'Ll have you know, I got busted up plenty o' times over the summer trying to keep the streets of Sunnydale safe for the idiots that live here. What were you doing? Oh yea, you were enjoying a two month lay about in limbo," Spike shot back.


"I was dead you tard."


"Oh, how convenient is that, then?"


Somehow, in the midst of their banter and the nearing of the vampires, they gravitated towards each other, standing with their backs together, ready for an attack.


"Well, lookey here boys. Seems the Slayer ain't gone after all. She's takin' her pet puppy out for his evenin' constitutional." A red headed vampire with a green trucker's hat said with a sneer.


"You bring him out without no leash all the time?" Another, shorter, vampire asked.


"Only when I've been a good boy, does she," Spike answered in place of Buffy.


Trucker vamp started to say something else, but was interrupted by the Slayer. "Um? Hello? Can we fight now? Or do you want to continue spitting out unfunny one-liners?"


"Well, ma'am, as a homegrown Texas boy, how can I refuse a lady her request?" As soon as he had spoken the last word, he and his buddies lunged.


Spike dusted the first with no effort at all. He simply lifted his axe and Stupid ran up and basically beheaded himself, Spike just had to stand there. His buddy, seeing what happened, decided to hang back and take his time with the hopes that he wouldn't suffer the same fate as his buddy quite so soon.


Buffy still had both of her opponents, but not from lack of breaking a sweat or trying. She was dragging it out, toying with them and getting as much of a work out as she possibly could.


Spike took care of his vampire when he lunged towards him. Spike sidestepped him and then swept his right leg to the side and back, knocking the newbie flat on his back. He swung his axe in a downward motion and cleanly took the head off. He straightened up and pulled a cigarette out of his pocket with his right hand while hefting the axe to his shoulder with his left. He lit his cigarette and took a seat on a nearby sarcophagus so he could enjoy the show.


Buffy played with them a few moments longer and then finally grew bored. They were both standing in front of her; one to the left, the other to the right. She grabbed hold of one left hand and one right hand, and then using their arms for leverage and the force of pulling them towards her for momentum, she flipped over their heads. When she landed she staked them in the backs before they had even realized where she had gone.


When she was finished she was panting, her breaths coming in big huffs from exhilaration. All the sudden, she heard Spike clapping from behind her. She whipped her head around and saw him walking out of a more shadowy area, still clapping. She was hit with a sense of nostalgia; this scene highly reminiscent of their first meeting.


Spike lit another cigarette as he got closer. "Good show, pet. 'S nice to see you didn't lose your touch up there. Bein' lazy and all." He commented with a smirk.


Buffy arched her right eyebrow and put her right hand on her hip. "'Scuse me? Were you brain dead when I said Whistler said I was going to be stronger? 'Cuz I think I remember me saying that? Wouldn't matter what I did, whether I was lazy or not, I'd still be stronger."


"No I wasn't bloody brain dead. I heard." They once again fell into step with each other. "Seems he was right too. Took care of 'em right quick you did. When you weren't playin' anyway."


A self satisfied look appeared on Buffy's face. "I did, didn't I?" She nodded a couple of times and then did a little skipping step so that she was ahead of him and then stepped in front of him, walking backwards. "And- totally had a blasty-blast."


Spike smiled at her statement and the adopted a serious look coming to the conclusion that now would be as good a time as any to see if could get anymore info out of her concerning recent and soon to be events. "'S good to see you having fun, hell, it's good to see you period, but definitely good to see you havin' fun." He saw her smile at his comment, but what he said next wiped it right off her face. "What, with the whole coming back from the dead to fulfill a prophecy and face an apocalypse."


"Hmm," was her only reply. But the fact that she stopped bouncing as she walked and returned to his side was answer enough for him.


He glanced at her out of the corner of his eye and took note of the tight line her lips formed. "Eh, but who knows?" He shrugged. "Maybe there won't be an apocalypse this time. They're not always synonymous with prophecies." He stopped and seemed to consider his words. "Wait, yeah, they usually are- forget I said anything."


The Slayer simply nodded and kept walking.


Spike stopped walking and placed a hand on Buffy's arm to halt her. "Luv, what's with you?"


Buffy gave him a strange look. "With me? There's nothing with me. What's with you?"


"No, don't do that; don't turn it around on me. There's something up with you. Every time anyone brings up what’s happenin' you clam up."


A look of indignation crossed her face. "I so do not. I don't clam. There's no clamming. Clams aren't even an issue."


"Oh, I think they are. There's something you're not tellin' your mates." He broke eye contact with her and started pacing. "The thing that I can figure is why? You're not sharing something and it might come back and bite you in the arse. And not might- prob'ly will. And it won't bite just you either." He stopped pacing and looked at her again. "What if you're holdin' back is important and 'cuz you didn't share, somethin' bad happens to you?" His voice held an almost panicked tinge to it.


The second realization hit her, Buffy's eyes got wide. He was worried something else was going to happen to her, as in, bad. She shook her head, "Won't happen. Whistler said I wasn't gonna die again. So, no deadness for Buffy this time."


"Doesn't matter. Anything could happen." Spike heaved a sigh. "I couldn't bear it luv."


Buffy thought she heard his voice crack as he said the last and she suddenly had the urge to comfort him. "Spike, it'll be fine. I swear it. Nothing is gonna happen to me."


He sniffed and jutted his chin out. "Yeah, well, I still think you're holdin' out."


Nothing else was said as they made their way out of the cemetery and into another. But Buffy's brain wasn't quite as quiet. She was trying to work out if maybe she should share some tid-bits with everyone, just in case. It might be important. Spike couldbe right. For once.


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tbc...


Please let me know what you think!! Thanx!!


 
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