Chapter 2: God Save the Queen
“Is he here yet?” Dawn asked excitedly as she bounded down the stairs two at a time.
“Calm down Nibblet, I’m sure his flight just got delayed. He’ll be here.” Spike ruffled her hair playfully and led her to sit on the living room couch.
Buffy was running around the house, straightening things up nervously, while Spike tailed after her, trying to convince her that the house was already spot-less.
“Love, come on, it’s just Giles, not the bloody Queen of England.” Spike said.
“I know, I know, I’m just nervous.” Buffy fidgeted as Spike sat her down on the couch next to Dawn.
“Welcome to the couch of over-excitement. Population: us.” Dawn said pouting.
The front door opened, and Willow and Tara came in, their arms loaded with grocery bags.
“Hey, we come bringing party favors!” Willow announced as they brought the bags into the living room.
“Thank God you’re here Red.” Spike said. “They’re driving me up a bloody wall.” Spike leaned in and whispered so the Summer’s girls wouldn’t hear.
“I heard that.” The two girls chimed in at the same time.
“You have any alcohol in those bags?” Spike asked, rolling his eyes at the Summers’ women.
“Nope, sorry.” Willow shrugged apologetically.
“But I do.” Xander exclaimed cheerfully as he entered the house carrying another paper bag, Anya trailing behind him.
“Harris! I think this is the first time I’m actually glad to see you.” Spike commented wryly as Xander passed off the bag to him. Spike immediately inspected the contents of the bag.
“Yeah, other then when you’re stealing my money at pool.” Xander scowled as Spike tossed him a beer.
“So, when is Sir Poof-a lot going to get here?” Xander asked as he popped the tab on his beer. Spike chuckled.
“In a couple of hours. Peaches wanted to make his grand entrance at high noon like the prancing nancy-boy that he is.”
“Xander are you gonna complain about Angel, or are you gonna help us set up?” Willow asked, raising the “welcome home” banner out of the bag.
“Banner duty calls.” Xander sighed and went to help her.
“Arrg!” Buffy suddenly jumped off the couch and started straightening up things again in an attempt to calm her nerves.
“Bloody hell, here we go again.” Spike sighed and chased after her. He cornered her in the Dinning room as she started cleaning the window with Windex for the second time.
“Love, what are you so stressed about?”
“I’m not stressed! I may have to take care of Dawn, find a job, pay my bills, face Giles again, deal with Angel and the fact that he has a *son*, face the inquisition about our relationship and be….God all-mighty!”
“Well no wonder you’re stressed, you have a whole universe to run.” Spike deadpanned.
“Hide Dawn, NOW!” Buffy commanded in full Slayer mode.
Spike glanced out the Dinning room window at where Buffy was looking and saw Doc standing out on the front yard in the afternoon sun, gazing in at them with a strange smile on his face while waving at them.
“Bloody fucking Hell!!” Spike shouted. “It’s Doc!”
* * *
Giles arrived in a taxi in front of Buffy’s house and could hardly believe his eyes.
“Dear Lord!”
“Jesus. Hey buddy, you want me to call the cops?” The taxi driver asked Giles.
“Wha-? Oh, no, no, I’ll take care of it, thank you.” Giles said as he paid the driver and quickly got out of the cab. He left his suitcases on the sidewalk as he ran up to the battle playing out on the front lawn.
“Spike?!?” Giles exclaimed in shock, seeing the vampire fighting in broad daylight.
“Giles!” Buffy turned, dropping her guard for a second, but quickly had to block another sword thrust. That is when Giles noticed whom they were fighting.
“Doc!!”
“Watcher!” Spike grunted, throwing him an extra sword while he blocked a parry from Doc. The demon stood calm as could be with one sword, blocking both Buffy and Spike’s blows.
“He’s after Dawn!” Buffy shouted to Giles as he entered the fight.
Doc realized that he wasn’t going to retrieve the Key this time. He was out numbered. The sun glinted off of Spike’s amulet and Doc smiled maliciously, recognizing its purpose. He feigned to the left with his sword and punched Spike in the nose with his right, grabbed the amulet and yanked it from Spike’s neck.
“NOW!” Doc shouted, turned and ran.
Hidden behind a hedge, Warren pulled the trigger on the freeze ray, aiming it at Buffy, Spike and Giles, but just then Jonathan fell and bumped into him, sending the beam up a tree and onto half of the house before it shut off.
“Ow! You idiot! Look what you did!” Warren yelled at Jonathan, pointing at the frozen trees and house.
“Sorry.” Jonathan said lamely.
“Just get in the van.” Warren snapped and the three nerds jumped into the van where Doc was already waiting, and sped off.
“Bloody hell!!” Spike shouted as he started to sizzle in the sun.
“SPIKE!” Buffy shouted and grabbed his arm, dragging him to the safety of the shade on the front porch where they collapsed. He started to catch on fire and Buffy immediately started patting out the smoldering clothing.
Giles was still outside looking down the street as the black van disappeared around the corner, with a perplexed look on his face. He walked up to the house where Buffy was still patting out the smoldering spots on Spike. Giles looked on curiously at Buffy’s apparent show of tenderness, something she never showed Spike before.
“Hi Giles.” Buffy smiled up at him.
“Giles!!” Dawn squealed from inside the house and next thing Giles knew, he was bowled over by an over-enthusiastic Dawn.
“Oh bloody hell.” Giles gasped. “What have you been eating?” He asked Dawn.
“Hey.” Dawn said, offended.
“Same bloody thing I said.” Spike mumbled.
“Buffy, what has been going on here?” Giles asked, stunned.
“You want the long version, or the longer version, mate?” Spike sighed as he stood up and helped Buffy to her feet.
“Lets get inside.” Buffy said as she dusted herself off. They went inside and Giles glanced around the living room where the “Welcome home” banner and streamers were half hung up.
“Uh, Surprise.” Willow shrugged and blew on her party horn, then threw it over her shoulder.
* * *
“So, you’re telling me that The First Evil came back…to torture Spike.” Giles said with raised eyebrows as he cleaned his glasses. When no one said anything he continued.
“Then she removed Spike’s chip, and according to Buffy, went ‘poof’.”
“After she bored me to death with her “I’m all important” speech, then she said my *favorite* line.” Buffy grumbled.
“Favorite line?” Giles furrowed his brows.
“I haven’t even begun, blah, blah, blah.”
“Oh. Right then.” Giles said as he put his glasses back on. “Then… correct me if I’m wrong, Willow and Tara gave Spike the amulet of Bytanor…”
“He is a part of the gang now.” Willow said.
“Yeah, I got a member card an’ everything.” Spike said and Willow chuckled.
“…Then Buffy gets a call from Cordelia,” Giles continued, “to tell you that Angel has a son, and is now back in Sunnydale to help because Cordelia had a vision about Doc and …those three I saw outside, whom were from Sunnydale High school. I’m sure one of them was Jonathan, and I think the other was Warren… I’m not sure who the third was.”
“Jonathan? Warren? Are you kidding?” Buffy raised her eyebrows.
“Wasn’t Jonathan the one from ‘the Matrix’?” Xander asked, but then shook his head. “Sorry, must be left over from the spell.”
“Oh! Hey, do you think they had something to do with the diamond theft and the frozen guard?” Willow asked.
“Three nerds making a freeze-ray gun sounds more plausible than a frost monster.” Xander shrugged.
“Frost monster?” Giles furrowed his brows.
“Ugh, don’t ask. One of our more lamer theories.” Buffy groaned.
Just then there was an urgent knock on the door. Buffy got up and opened the door, only to be greeted by a figure covered in a black blanket rushing inside, followed by Connor and Lorne.
“Hey Angel. Guys.” Buffy ushered the two of them in and then her jaw dropped in shock. “Cordelia??”
“Hi Buffy.” Cordy walked in like she owned the place.
“Hi… Angel, you didn’t tell me Cordelia was here.”
“She wasn’t until last night….” Angel started to say, but Cordelia cut him off.
“I wanted to help, so I came. Besides, home sweet hell-mouth right? It’s not like this place holds some of my worst nightma-Aaaahh!!” Cordelia yelped when she saw Spike sitting in the living room. “That’s Spike!!”
“Yeah, all six feet and four inches of me.” Spike smirked and gestured to himself, stretched out in his favorite chair.
“Oh you are so not six foot four! More like six foot two, shorty!” Buffy challenged him.
“Oh like you can talk midget girl.”
“I am not a midget!!”
“You’re the smallest slayer I’ve ever seen. Face it love, you’re a midget. Even the Nibblet’s taller than you.”
“Uh guys?” Willow said.
“She is not! She’s just…stretchy.” Buffy said lamely.
“Oh please!” Spike scoffed.
“GUYS!” Willow raised her voice.
“WHAT??” Buffy and Spike yelled in unison.
“Uh, does the word “guests” ring a bell?” Willow gestured around the full living room of amused spectators.
“So you two are an item?” Cordelia asked out of the blue.
“Hu?” Buffy said.
“Oh come on. Banter like that only happens between boyfriend and girlfriend.” Cordelia said with her hands on her hips.
“Oh no, they always fight. It’s been like this for years.” Giles said, oblivious to the inner core of the Scooby group shifting uncomfortably.
“Uh, right. Yeah. We’ve hated each other since we first met, right Spike?”
“Uh, yeah. Right.” Spike said, a little disappointed she didn’t admit their’ relationship.
“So cats and kitties, aren’t we at this wonderful reunion for a reason?” Lorne asked to change the subject.
“Ah yes, getting to the matter at hand…” Giles said, taking the lead.
* * *
“You’re such an idiot!!” Warren shouted.
“I said I was sorry!” Jonathan said.
“And now because of you we have to go to plan B!” Warren ignored him.
“Good idea. Let’s do plan B…..do we have a plan B?” Andrew asked. The three nerds looked at each other expectantly, and when no one said anything Warren sighed.
“I have *got* to be cursed with the worst side-kicks in the world!” He said, grabbing his hair in fistfuls.
“Nu-uh! What about the villain’s sidekicks from the old Batman? Like the Penguin and the Joker...talk about lame.” Andrew said. Warren smacked the back of his head.
“Those weren’t sidekicks, those were minions you moron!”
“Gentlemen….if you don’t mind, I have another plan to get the key.” Doc smiled.
* * *
“So is everyone caught up then?” Giles took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes.
“Looks like we’re dealing with Doc again. Joy.” Buffy sighed and glanced at Spike. He had a grave look on his face, but said nothing. “Well we should probably get to the Magic Box to do some research.” Buffy said and everyone stood up to leave.
Xander was going to take Giles, Dawn, Willow and Tara in his car, while Cordelia, Connor and Lorne were going to ride in the Angel-mobile, and Buffy planned on her and Spike going on Spike’s motorcycle.
When Spike tossed her the keys she gave him a strange look.
“Lizard man took my amulet Love. No more walks in the sun for me. Looks like Angel and I are sewer buddies.” Spike grimaced.
“We’ll get it back,” Buffy said, but then pouted. “I was just starting to get used to you with a tan.”
Spike chuckled and brushed a piece of hair out of her face, tucking it behind her ear.
“Don’t fret my pet. I’ll kill him good and proper this time.” Spike said with as much bravado as he could muster, but his voice cracked on ‘this time’. Buffy smiled.
“*Ahem*” Cordelia cleared her voice from the doorway. “Not a couple hu? Right.” She rolled her eyes and then walked out the door. Buffy and Spike shared a nervous glance.
Everyone was outside in their’ designated cars waiting. Angel stood on the front porch in the shade with SPF blanket draped over his head. Spike grimaced.
“Bloody hell I hate those things.”
* * *
A little while later the entire group was researching every book the shop owned that was relevant, while the two youngest of the group, Dawn and Connor looked bored.
Spike walked over to Dawn and sat next to her on the stairs.
“Hey nibblet. How’s it going?”
“I’ve had more fun watching glaciers form. Or paint dry…or-“
“I get the idea, Bit.” Spike chuckled. “Why don’t you talk to the kid over there? He looks kinda lonely.”
“I donno..”
“What’s wrong? Don’t think he’s cute? I admit, he’s got Peaches’ hair, but that’s no reason to-“
“Spike! It’s not that! Geez!” She pushed him playfully.
“What? Oh. I get it. You *do* think he’s cute.”
“I do not!”
“Ah! Denial. The first sign.”
“Oh hell, fine. I’ll go talk to him!” Dawn sighed.
“That'a girl.” Spike said and pushed her in Connor’s general direction.
Connor was sitting in the pillowed corner of the bookshelf, flipping through a magic book for beginners.
“Uh, hi.” Dawn said awkwardly and sat next to him. “What are you reading?”
“I’m not really reading it… I’m just looking at the pictures. I don’t read so good.” He said, putting the book down.
“I just started learning this stuff, you know. I can float a pencil and light something on fire. I’ve been practicing other stuff, but with not so good results.”
“I don’t use magic…I’m good at hunting though.”
“Hunting?”
“Yeah. I’m good at tracking and killing things. My fath-…I mean.. Holtz told me it was because I have the senses of a vampire. I have heightened hearing, eyesight, speed and sense of smell. I’m a freak of nature.”
“So am I. I’m not even a real girl. I’m an inter-dimensional key thingy. It’s not so bad, you know.” Dawn said. She noticed that Connor didn’t look that convinced. “You know, Spike told me something once that really helped. He said that it doesn’t matter where you start out in life. It matters where you end up.”
Connor looked up at her. “I get that.” He said, a genuine smile crossing his face.
The two sat there in silence for a few minutes.
“Come on. I’m hungry. I’ll show you the all the merits of going on a donut run.” She said as she stood.
* * *
The over-extended group was still sitting around the round table in the Magic Box researching when Dawn and Connor entered the store, back from the donut run.
“Wow, twelve’s a crowd.” Dawn said as she walked up to the group and placed the donut box on the table. When no one laughed and just gave her a funny look she sighed. “You know, instead of three’s a crowd? Oh never mind. It’s not funny if I have to explain it.” She mumbled and leaned against the wall since there were no chairs available. Spike noticed that Connor stood next to her but not close enough to be considered anything special.
The donut box was practically emptied the moment it hit the table. Giles smiled appreciatively when Dawn remembered to get him a jelly.
“So what’s up guys?” Dawn asked, nibbling on her maple bar. She passed Connor a chocolate covered one, and the kid looked at it apprehensively, but followed Dawn’s example. The donut was gone in seconds.
“Oh you know, the apocalypse, as usual. OW!!!” Xander yelped as he got three kicks in the shin, from Buffy, Willow and Anya. “What is it with you girls and my poor defenseless shins?” He said, rubbing his leg.
“Oh. Doc, right?” Dawn said, looking crestfallen.
“Yeah Nibblet. Looks like.” Spike sighed. The two shared a look of empathy.
Buffy got up from her chair to pace nervously, leaving it open for Dawn to steal.
“We need a plan. Doc’s going to strike again, and he seems to have no problem with doing it in daylight. That takes Angel and Spike out of the fight, since Doc got Spike’s amulet.”
“Bastard!” Dawn said.
“Dawn! Language!”
“Nibblet! Language!” Buffy and Spike both said at the same time. They both ignored it, but the rest of the group did double takes. Buffy stopped pacing, and when she saw that Dawn stole her chair, without thinking she sat on Spike’s lap. Then she realized what she did and jumped off him like he was a hot potato.
“I was right!” Cordelia said. “They *are* dating!”
Giles nearly choked on his donut.
“I beg you’re pardon?”
“Uh oh.” Dawn said. All was quiet in the room for a few very uncomfortable seconds.
“Uh…Giles… I’m dating Spike.”
“WHAT?”
“WHAT?” Both Giles and Angel said at the same time.
“Not good…” Dawn said under her breath.
“Tell me this is a spell. Willow!” Giles pointed a finger accusingly at her.
“No, of course not.” Willow shook her head.
“You knew about this? You all knew and you didn’t tell me?” Giles said.
“When were we supposed to tell you? During the sword fight, or after when we were discussing the coming apocalypse? I think apocalypse rates higher on the importance scale than telling you who I’m dating!” Buffy said.
“It’s SPIKE!” Giles shouted.
“Giles, a lot has happened since you left. Things are different.” Willow said.
“I can bloody well see that! Things have gone to hell here! I left so that you would take responsibility Buffy, not get involved with another demon.” Giles said.
“Hey! Watch what you say Watcher. You don’t know what you’re talking about.” Spike said standing, raising a finger at him.
“I know that you are an evil, soul-less thing that is not a good influence on Buffy or Dawn.” Giles said.
“I’m the best thing that has ever happened to them, you pillock. You have no idea what I’ve gone through for them, and you have no right to come prancing in here like the Bloody Queen of England! You left Rupert. You left her when she needed you the most. You wanted her to grow up and make her own decisions? Well she has.” Spike said, seething with anger.
“And she chose you?! You’re a demon Spike. A vampire! What’s to stop you from turning on us? On them?” Giles said, pointing at the Summers’ girls.
“Love!” Dawn shouted at him.
“What?” Giles turned to her.
“He loves us! You have no right to come back here and judge them! Spike went through hell when The First Evil tortured him! She tried to make him kill us, but he wouldn’t do it!” Dawn shouted.
“The First Evil?” Angel asked surprised. Everyone ignored him.
“Dawn…”Giles started to say, but she cut him off. She was getting good at that.
“No! Don’t you dare say he’s an evil, soul-less demon again! He’s not! How many Evil vampires do you know that read poetry?”
“Nibblet!” Spike said, embarrassed.
“Poetry?” Giles furrowed his brows. Spike covered his face with his hands in desperation, knowing she wouldn’t stop there.
“Yeah, and you know what else? When Spike found out the chip didn’t work anymore, he left to go find the Initiative so they’d put another chip in his head! He thought that was the only way we’d trust him! And now you come back here and act all high and mighty passing down judgment? If that’s the way you’re going to act, why don’t you go back to England? I don’t want you here!” Dawn said, glaring at Giles as she stomped off into the training room. An uncomfortable silence filled the room for what seemed like minutes.
“Well…that went well.” Buffy said to Spike.
Giles stood there for a moment, fiddling with his glasses in his hands.
“It seems…I owe you both an apology.” He said, putting his glasses back on. “I was rash, and I over-reacted…and I’m sorry.” He said with his head down.
“Giles…” Buffy started to say, but Dawn’s shrill scream from the back room cut her off.
“BUFFYYYYY!!!”
“Dawn!”
“Nibblet!!” Buffy and Spike both sprang into action, racing through the training room doors, the rest of the gang right behind them. Buffy and Spike arrived in the training room just in time to see Warren and Andrew pulling Dawn out the back door into the alleyway.
“SPIIIIKEE!!” Dawn yelled as the nerd duo dragged her to the end of the alleyway where Jonathan sat in the driver’s seat of the black van, looking nervous.
“DAWN!” Spike ran after them, into the sunlight. Warren and Andrew pulled Dawn into the van, slamming the door practically in Spike’s face, shouting for Jonathan to step on it. As the van sped off, Spike continued to chase it down the street yelling “NIBBLET!!”
He didn’t even notice when his skin started to sizzle.
“SPIKE! Get out of the sun!!” Buffy yelled as she pulled him toward the shade, but he wasn’t going easily.
“SPIKE!!” Buffy shouted again, but he didn’t respond. “Guys! Help me!” She shouted to the group that had stood back in they alleyway. Willow, Tara, Xander, Anya and Giles stepped forward and started pulling on Spike.
“Bloody hell man! Get it together!” Giles yelled at him and punched him in the nose. That shocked Spike enough to realize he was starting to burn.
“Bloody hell!!” He yelled as he stumbled into the shadows. It took them a few minutes to pat out his smoldering clothes. But as soon as the danger was over he was on his feet again ready to go. “We have to find Nibblet.”
“You won’t do us any good if you’re a big pile of dust! Snap out of it Spike! Dawn needs you. You almost burned yourself to a crisp, and you didn’t even notice! I know you want her back, but bloody hell man, you need to keep a level head about this.” Giles said.
Spike looked down the alleyway again where the bright sunlight prevented him from setting foot outside the shadows. He nodded reluctantly and looked directly into Buffy’s worried eyes.
“I’ll get her back. I swear I will.” He said, his mind already reeling with plans on how to kill Doc and the bot-guy in the most painful way.
* * *
“Ow! You’re hurting me! Let go!” Dawn said as she struggled against Warren and Andrew as they started to tie her hands and feet with rope.
“That’s the idea princess.” Warren said as he tied the ropes tighter.
“Ow! Stop it!” Dawn said and kicked out at him with her tied feet, catching him in the ribs. Warren went flying back into one of the built in shelves, holding various odds and ends of equipment.
“You’re going to pay for that little girl.” Warren glared at her.
“Guys, I don’t know about this…” Jonathan said from the driver’s seat.
“Shut up and drive you moron.” Warren snapped.
“I mean, this is kidnapping. We could go to jail for this.” Jonathan continued, ignoring him.
“We could also go to jail for stealing the diamond you idiot.” Warren said.
“So that was you guys!” Dawn said.
“Shut up.” Warren glared at her.
“The slayer’s going to find us. Dude, that’s her little sister. We just opened up a big-ol' can of Slayer whoop-ass.” Jonathan said.
“Will you shut up?! Stop being such a sissy and drive! You said you wanted to be villains and take over Sunnydale, so stop whining!” Warren said, taking the bucket seat.
“Buffy and Spike are so gonna kick you’re asses!” Dawn said.
“Spike?!” Jonathan practically swerved off the road.
“Dude that’s so cool.” Andrew said.
“Oh shut up Andrew! Spike’s going to tear our heads off and Buffy’s not gonna stop him.” Jonathan panicked.
“Will you two girls stop it? Spike’s a vampire, Buffy’s the vampire Slayer. There’s no way Buffy would let Spike kill us.” Warren rolled his eyes.
“Want to bet?” Dawn glared at Warren.
“I’ve had enough of you.” Warren pointed at her, then grabbed a rag from behind a shelf and gagged Dawn with it.
“Mmphhm!”
“What? I’m sorry, I can’t hear you’re annoying voice through the gag. Oh wait, that was the point.” Warren smiled sarcastically. Dawn growled at him and glared.
“We’re here.” Jonathan sighed and put the van into ‘park’.
“Alright ladies, everybody out.” Warren said as he opened the sliding side door, then grabbed Dawn and pulled her out. Dawn struggled against her bonds as Andrew and Warren dragged her inside the abandoned warehouse.
“Mmmphmmhp!!”
“Ah there she is. What pretty, little green energy girl.” Doc said, stepping out of the shadows. Dawn froze, paralyzed with fear.
“Oh don’t worry little girl. I don’t have a knife on me this time,” Doc smiled and walked closer to her so he could whisper into her ear.
“Yet.”