Disclaimer: I blame Kennedy on Joss.

Author’s note: Some Dialogue from “Story Teller”
_________________________
Chapter 42: The Truth

Dawn thundered down the stairs.

“You so have to come upstairs, they are interrogating the nerd! Should be exciting!“ she exclaimed, her gaze directed to the two beings lying on their cot in the Summers’ basement.

Buffy just rolled her eyes. She’d had enough of the nerd. Andrew was annoying beyond all belief and she didn’t like the way he was making eyes at Dawn. But Spike got up. Only waiting for Dawn to go back up the stairs before pulling on his pants and shirt before heading up to the main level. Stretching out on the cot, Buffy wiggled her fingers.

The training of the potentials, was dull. Buffy was fully convinced that they didn’t need her here at all. Spike was loving it though. She could see that. She was happy for him, that he was happy. She wasn’t though. The potentials, they were cannon fodder. There was no way that they’d ever make difference in the grand scheme of things.

The fighting of the Turok Hans was bracing, yes, when ever she got into the fray, which admittedly was not often and only when Spike, Dawn or Liz were in danger.

“Buffy!“ yelled Dawn from the stairs encouraging her to come up.

Buffy exhaled loudly and sat up, looking for something to put on that was clean. She’d had to move most of her stuff into the basement, as Liz was worried that too many inter dimensional jumps would undermine the wards put on the house. Buffy didn’t believe that for a moment. Liz was afraid that her new demon fighter would find out that she was harbouring not only a vampire but also a vengeance demon. It was hard enough to keep Anya under wraps.

Pulling on the closest thing, Buffy stumbled upstairs not happy with yet another day of pointlessness. In the living room Andrew was sitting on the sofa, everyone crowded around him. Willow was standing in front of him and Buffy could tell that there was a spell in the air,

“I don’t want to do this anymore. Everyone’s staring at me,” Andrew whined.

“Just focus on the charm,” ordered Willow. “You have to focus on the charm to pull the memories out.”

“Tell us about the seal,” Robin intoned.

Buffy’s head perked up at Robin’s voice. Fantastic. He’s here, again.

“But it tickles and I’m all tense. Can’t I have a cool refreshing Zima?” asked the nerd.

“No Zima!” shouted Liz.

“Shut your face about the Zima. Just talk,” said Spike menacingly.

“You were the first person to uncover it and feed it blood. How did you know it was there? How did you know what to do?” questioned Xander.

Buffy looked over the proceedings with a sceptical eye, the witch’s power drawing her attention more than she liked. From across the room another set of eyes that was observing the scene before them cast a glance towards her, then to Spike. Robin Wood was suspicious. How could he not be?

Buffy watched him out of the corner of her eye. He glared at Spike, hatred in his gaze. Yep, he’d found out just which vampire had killed his mother all right. He was observing her too though.

Every once in a while a puzzled look crossed his face as his eye travelled from Liz to Buffy, confusion as he contemplated the two girls. He’d figure it out soon, Buffy concluded. Either someone will tell him that she wasn’t Liz’s twin sister or he’ll discover the secret on his own.

She wasn’t looking forward to that at all. But it would break up the monotony of the boredom here.

“We need to see that knife. There’s something there,” said Willow, as Buffy came back into the conversation.

“Kennedy, search his stuff. Find the knife,” Liz ordered.

“It’s not in my stuff. It’s in the kitchen, in the cutlery drawer. You didn’t have any steak knives,” complained Andrew.

As the nasty potential left the room in search of the knife there were squeals from the remaining potentials.

“You put your old murder weapon in with our utensils?” asked a shocked Willow.

“I washed it,” said the nerd defensively.
_________________________
“I’m bored,” Buffy complained to Anya. “I feel useless and well, bored.”

Anya nodded and sipped her coffee. “I can see that. I was bored too when I was turned human. Of course I had to endure high school. That was no walk in the park let me tell you.”

“I’m not human though, Anya, “ Buffy muttered, her voice low as to not attract attention in from the Espresso Pump patrons.

“No, but everyone around you treats you like one. And they expect you to behave like one.”

“But I’m bored!” whined Buffy. “I wanna answer calls for vengeance.”

“No!” ordered Anya seriously. “Do you have any idea what that will do to Liz and Dawn?”

“Oh, please. They knew what I am...”

“Yes, they do. But they really don’t need the Immortal showing do they?”

Buffy’s eyes went wide.

“You’d forgotten about him...”

“No, I’d though he’d forgotten about us.”

“Nope. The only thing keeping him from discovering you’re secret is the fact that you haven’t granted any wishes in a while. If you want to keep them safe, no wishes for you.”

“Well that’s not fair.”

“But necessary. Find something else to do. You know, like train with the little slayer wannabes or you know, contribute? I’m doing a lecture on the ubervamps...it’s gonna be fun.”

“I’m not taking off the pendant though,” said Buffy resolutely.

“I don’t blame you...” Anya stirred her beverage a few times as the two vengeance demons sat in quiet silence. ”I slept with Xander.”

Buffy did a double take. “When did this happen?”

“Last night when they were all ‘Andrew fix the seal’ and you were all elsewhere with the brooding.”

“I do not brood!”

“Oh you do! It’s annoying and you’ve been no fun! I wanted to talk about me and Xander having sex on your bed in the basement and all you can talk about is how you are in denial about the brooding. Get over it! Embrace the slayerness. You were a Slayer once... I know that didn’t go so well for you. Maybe this time you won’t be the attempted murder victim.”

“Here’s hoping.”
_________________________

“Embrace the slayerness,” Anya had said. Buffy hoped that it would make life easier or more fun. She’d even go for less boring at this point. Straightening her shoulders Buffy walked through the front door of 1630 Revello Dr and into the living room expecting to find, Liz or Giles or Spike or someone to confess her new resolution.

All she met was Wood.

His face lit up as she entered. “Dawn told me that you’d taken the potentials out patrolling,” he started, casually sitting on the arm of the couch.

“Nope. Not this time,” she said calmly, really not wanting to speak with him at all.

Since Anya’s wish she’d been extremely uncomfortable around him.

“Well that’s good then, I need to talk to you, about Spike,” he said gravely.

“About Spike?” Buffy asked.

“He’s a killer. Slayer of Slayers right? I told you that my mother was a Slayer in New York and you knew that Spike killed her didn’t you? How can you just let him live in this house? I don’t care if your sister is sleeping with him.”

The pieces started to fall into place.

“Well it took a while to put the pieces together,” Buffy answered truthfully. “I’m a little slow sometimes.”

He glared back at her.

“Look, it isn’t up to you to decide who is worthy to help the slayer out. Spike’s helping. He’s out there right now patrolling, what are you doing that’s helpful?” she continued.

“Helpful? He’s here cause your sister’s got him by a short leash. He’s a dog with a choke chain on with that chip,” ranted the principal.

“Chip shmip. He could be bad if he wanted to. He just got used to the whole good guys motto,” she continued on, strangely oblivious to the hatred that was bubbling inside the principal. “What?”

Fortunately at that moment the front door opened and in streamed the potentials followed by Liz and Spike, freshly coated with some sort of demon goo. As they passed the potentials were all a buzz with their latest training session. Spike make short work of the distance between himself and his mate, and covered her mouth with his in a passionate kiss. Buffy smiled at his enthusiasm and allowed herself to be caught up in his strong arms.

Suddenly she was being carried fireman style out of the living room and down the basement steps. She smiled coyly at Wood as understanding passed over his face.

Down in the basement Buffy found herself thrown on the cot and peppered by Spike’s kisses.

“I think someone’s all hot and bothered from fighting demons...” Buffy said into the darkness of the basement.

“Bloody well got that right,” he said tearing her shirt off of her body revealing a red satin bra.

She giggled happily. “I like it when you’re all possessive and growly.” Buffy bit down on his neck playfully making him deepen his growl.

Pants were torn open and with little foreplay Spike was poised at her dripping entrance. With a slowness that was so unlike what had come before he entered her, inch by inch filling her to capacity. They lay there intertwined for a moment before the urge to move consumed them both. They began slowly, rocking against each other, battling for dominance, pelvises thrusting against the other. Spike slid his member out of her warm channel pumping in and out, even as they could hear the yelling from upstairs. His cock rubbed inside of her, bringing her nearer to completion.

Buffy let her tongue lave a trail from his mouth to his neck and the marks she’d made on it, the marks that made him hers. And she bit down.

“Mine,” she whispered, moaning in pleasure.

Spike thrust deeper into her once more, then bringing his fangs out, he bit down deep into her skin.

“Mine,” he replied, his seed flooding her insides as they both roared, making even the arguing demon hunters upstairs pause their fight.

Spike gulped down her blood before sealing the wound closed and rolled off of her happily.

“Really need a shower now,” he said softly.

“I should be mad at you for getting me covered in demon goo,” Buffy replied. “I find, however, that I’m completely exhausted,” she continued batting her eyelashes.

“Really?” he asked.

“By Anyanka, no!” she said smiling. “But I think that if we did it again, there would be some very cutting remarks from everyone upstairs.”

Spike nodded and listened to the argument that was resuming upstairs. Wood wasn’t happy about being tricked.

“I need him here!” shouted Liz upstairs. “I don’t care about your vampire issues. I need every demon fighter I can get my hands on!”

“He killed my mother!” Wood shouted at last, bringing the argument to an end.

“Well that’s that then,” Spike noted, tightening his hold on Buffy’s body.

“Seems like,” Buffy answered. “He just has to figure out who I am before he’s got everything sorted out.”

“He was evil then!” came Dawn’s voice from upstairs. “He’s not evil anymore.”

“Cause your sister has him wrapped around her little finger,” continued Robin.

“Oh, Buffy’s more evil than Spike is,” added Kennedy. “Vengeance demon.”

“I knew I didn’t like her,” said Buffy angrily from the basement. “Can I hit her?” Buffy asked her mate.

“Be my guest, love.”

With a smile Buffy threw on some non ripped clothes and marched up the basement steps. She stepped squarely up to Kennedy and punched her in the nose.

“Being evil is fun.”
_________________________
“Not that I don’t think she deserved it,” started Liz, over breakfast the next day, a very early breakfast, the only time people could get any alone time in that house. “But maybe it wasn’t a good idea to piss off the one potential who had rich parents. I can’t support this travelling circus for long, you know.”

Buffy laughed. “You think I wouldn’t take care of my girls?” the vengeance demon asked.

“I don’t know why you would,” confessed Liz. “Why didn’t you tell me that Spike killed Robin’s mom?”

“We didn’t realise it until just recently. After that...just how were we suppose to go about telling you?”

“Oh I don’t know, how about a, ‘hey Liz, Spike killed Robin’s mom’. Or maybe you could have written it down in your diary.”

“It is written down in my diary. You just didn’t read that far ahead.”

“It’s written in your diary? Why? Where you stalking Spike?”

“Hardly. He was in New York, tracking the Slayer. I was in New York, granting wishes. I granted Robin’s wish. He was maybe four or five...”

“He wished for his mom to be killed?” asked Liz incredulously.

“Well no, not exactly. He wished for the mission to be over. There is only one way to have a slayer stop fulfilling her mission. Spike was the one to carry it out for me.”

“Oh that’s classy. Blaming Robin for his mother’s death,” complained Liz.

“I’m not blaming anyone. It was an ingenious wish. D’Hoffryn was very impressed with it. It’s too bad I didn’t like what it meant. Niki Wood was a slayer, like me. I’d never been the cause of a slayer’s death before.”

“He’s not going to be happy about that,” continued Liz. “Robin, that is.”

“Probably. Hence the punching of Kennedy. Are you sure that Willow...? Never mind, not my business.”

“You aren’t going to take Spike and run away because of this?” Liz asked.

“What part of taking care of my girls didn’t you understand?” Buffy retorted.
_________________________
tbc...