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*Banner By Ariel Dawn*
Thanks AD! Hugs~Opal

Story Dedicated to Meli!
Thanks for being a great Beta. Hugs~Opal

I appreciate all the very kind reviews from the last chappie. Good news is that you won't have to wait as long as the next few chapters are already written and with Meli to Beta. Big round of applause to Meli who has just been fantastic with betaing this fic.

*hugs* to all of you again whom have continued to stick by this. Real life has been so hectic, that it has been very difficult to write. I truly appreciate each of you who leave such kind words.

This chappie is a bit of a destresser before the big tearjerker so be warned! :)

*hugs* opal


Single Quotes = thoughts to oneself or between Buffy & Spike


36 - Protecting Those We Love




Buffy, Spike and William flew out of Buffy’s bedroom almost simultaneously, the doorway was only wide enough for a petite blond and one vampire to fit through – not all three of them. Buffy managed to edge herself out in front of the two male vampires whom were hot on her heels down the stairs.

Buffy had expected to see infant William on the couch, in the middle of being changed. She did not expect to see Dawn holding a little fluff ball with four legs.

“When Buffy comes down here, we are going to be in so much trouble!” Dawn squealed.

“You already are. Need I ask where you got the puppy from Dawnie?”

Dawn knew that she might be dealing with bitchy Buffy, but if she could get William and Spike on her side then perhaps she would be able to keep the new addition to the family.

“Janice stopped by. Her mom wouldn’t let her keep the puppy, so she brought him to me to keep. Come on Buffy; please don’t make me give him away. You have Spike and William, and what do I have? I’m too young for a boyfriend, definitely too young for a baby."

“Damn right you’re too young for a baby Nibblet.” Spike emphatically responded.

Buffy could see right through her sisters pleas, even though they made sense, she was not going to be snowballed easily.

“Dawnie, you help care for baby William too. It will be really hard for you...”

Dawn did not let Buffy finish her sentence. She knew damn well that if Buffy had the opportunity to put her foot down, Dawn would lose her fight.

“But William belongs to you and Spike, but Trouble would belong to me.” Dawn cried as she held the puppy closer to her.

William stepped over to Dawn and took the dog out of her hands. He held it up and cuddled the little fluff ball to his face. He laughed as the puppy’s pink tongue gave him kisses on the cheek.

“Aw, such a good boy you are. Dawn, do you promise to let me play with the pup too as I grow up?”

Dawn looked up to William, and gave him her best 100-watt smile. “Of course I would. “

William turned around to Buffy, “Mom, if I could ask for just one thing? Please, please, please can Dawn keep the puppy?”

Then William turned Buffy’s best weapon against her. He did the patented Summers’ pout.

“Ok. The puppy stays.” Buffy affirmed, causing both William and Dawn to pull her into a hug. “On one condition though. Trouble will be our family dog, and we are all responsible for his well being, which includes protecting him from things that go bump in the night.”

William continued to hold the pup, and brought it to the kitchen and Dawn tagged along behind while Buffy and Spike stayed in the living room with the remainder of the Scoobies.

Spike turned to Buffy, “William had a good plan up there but he forgot to cover who would take my place in our little scheme. So luv, don’t argue with me when I tell you this, but I want you to stay here and protect our home, the pup, Nibblet, and our William. I will go with them to meet with Travers as we planned.”

“But...” Buffy began before she was swiftly silenced.

“No ‘buts.’ Things are going to get scary and complicated.”

“He’s right Buffy,” Willow added, “I can only maintain the glamour on William and Harmony along with the protection on the house simultaneously for so long. It’s the best thing to do.”

Buffy was not pleased that her friends and family were trying to stop her from participating in the showdown. Spike could sense he irritation, and was afraid that she would try to do something rash. He looked to Willow, whom had also noticed Buffy’s agitation.

Willow softly spoke, “Serenity and sleep, so mote it be.”

Buffy yawned and fell back into her mate’s arms.

****

In the kitchen, Dawn and William were providing a much-needed bath to Trouble. The puppy was having fun splashing around the sink. William noticed that Dawn had a solemn expression on her face when she should have been giggling from the pup’s antics.

“Dawn, what is bothering you?”

“What Buffy said earlier, what if we can’t protect Trouble from demons?”

William pondered for a moment, and then he had an idea.

“Dawn, what do you know about demonic bonds?”

“Oh, like claims? Like Buffy and Spike?”

“Sort of, but different. There are different kinds of claims, but one is a protective, family claim. If the claim is made with the right magicks, it is almost always respected by other demons.”

Dawn smiled, with the weight of the world clearly rolling off her shoulders.

“That sounds great William, although I was worried you were going to suggested doing a mating claim on the dog.”

William laughed. “There are a lot of things for you to learn. After this is over with, I want you to sneak up to the Watcher’s secret stash of books. There are two books up there that you need to look for, one is the Elements of Demonic Rituals and the second is called the Nature of Demons. In the second book, there is a rather lengthy section on the transdimensional keys. “

Dawn scrunched her face for a moment, clearly lost in thought. “If they had a book that explained what I am, then why wouldn’t they share it with me,” she asked.

“Because the Watcher forgot the books were up there and he didn’t associate transdimensional key with actually being a demon. Unfortunately, that Watcher of mum’s still sees the world as ‘demons bad’; but we all know better. Well, mum is still coming around. But these books you should take and keep for yourself.”

As Dawn thought about William’s request, she lifted the wet puppy out of the sink and wrapped him in a big, fluffy white towel. “Giles will know they are missing and if not him, then Anya will.”

“Trust me Dawn; it will be good for our family to have a reference library on hand in the home. So, let’s take care of this protection claim real quick, while I’ve got you both here.”

“Do I get a big bite mark on my neck?“

William grabbed her wrist and lifted it to his mouth. “No, it is just a quick bite here. On the pup, it will be a quick one on her paw. Then I’ll mumble a few words, and presto.”

It sounded okay to Dawn, but she was still a bit nervous. “Will it hurt?”

“Actually, no. It may pinch, but it won’t hurt. But you can turn away and not look if you want.”

Dawn did exactly that. Within moments, she felt a quick pinch, and then heard a small whimper from Trouble. Then she heard William whisper the words, “Always family, always protected. Mine. So mote it be.”

“Thank You."

“You’re welcome,” William replied as he pulled her into his embrace. “I’m going to miss you, even though we only spent a little bit of time together.”

The teen looked up at him with tears in her eyes, “You’re going back tonight aren’t you?”

“I believe I am. “

“It was fun, while it lasted. Thanks for sticking up for me with Buffy. I don’t think she really understood…”

“How lonely you are?”

“Yeah. It’s not that I blame her, she’s fighting her own battles.”

William gave Dawn one final embrace and kissed her head.

“Sounds like the Watcher just got here.”

Dawn pulled back and wiped the tears from her eyes. “I’m going to be the bestest auntie to you.”

“I bet you will be. You’re going to be the cool aunt, I can tell. C’mon let’s go join the others in the living room.”

William opened the door and led Dawn out to the living room. Despite the look he got from his Dad, the lecture that he expected never came.

“Why’s Buffy sleeping at a time like this?” Dawn asked.

“Because Nibblet, you know big sis – she was set and determined to go join the good fight.”

“That was the plan, wasn’t it,” she questioned as she continued to pet the sleeping dog on her lap.

Giles rather than Spike saw fit to answer the younger Summers’ question. Amazingly, he accomplished it without polishing his glasses. “It seems that William realized that his whole family being onsite would put his family at risk, so Buffy is to stay here with you, Anya, Tara, and Willow. Angel and Dru are already in the car waiting to go. Harmony has been tied and gagged; Willow is out there now performing the glamour spell.”

“Xander, Spike, and William will be coming with me. Either William or Spike will have a glamour spell to appear as Willow. Travers is aware of the discomfort that Buffy’s friends went through the last time she had a vamp boyfriend, so by having them with me it will add to Travers perception that I am doing this with good intentions.”

Willow walked back into the house, and turned to Spike and William, “So who wants to be me for a day?”

William spoke, “Let it be me, sides I can do the glamour myself. Just the way you taught me.”

Spike walked over to Buffy and placed a gentle kiss on her head. He stood up and walked over to the door. “C’mon Watcher, let’s go be heroes.”