Chapter 3 pt. 3

Spike leaned against the building beside him, carefully sticking to the shadows as he surveyed the brightly lit hotel across the street. At first, he'd been sure that the information he'd purchased at the local equivalent to Willie's Bar had been wrong, and Spike had spared a moment to regret snacking on the informant so he couldn't go back and torture him for lying. After all, the Madison Park was a posh place, and from what Spike knew of the Slayer, there was no way she could afford the place. Yet, moments before, Buffy herself had slipped out of the hotel, all togged out to go hunting. Spike had immediately frozen in place, not wanting to attract her attention when he still had the flush of a recent feed on his face. He certainly didn't want to hand her proof that, blackmail or no, he still hunted human; the council would not just go after his Dru. They had threatened him with the return of his soul. The last thing Spike wanted was to end up like Angel; it was bad enough that he had to carry messages and help out.

Spike watched carefully as the Slayer slipped into the darkness without glancing in his direction, amused to see she'd taken his advice and dyed her hair back to blond. Even when she was out of sight, Spike waited silently for several minutes to be sure Buffy was out of his way. While he stood hidden in the shadows, Spike painstakingly liked at his lips and teeth, making sure there was no evidence of his indiscretion. Then, popping a few breath mints into his mouth, Spike buttoned up his long leather duster to cover his ragged T-shirt and crossed the street. He smiled cheerfully at the courteous doorman that held the door for him, repressing the evil chuckle that tried to erupt. When this whole deal with the Watcher's council was over, maybe he would bring Druscilla here to have some fun. Spike shook his thoughts away from the imagined carnage that would result, reminding himself that he was there to talk to a Watcher and a Slayer. Mayhem would have to wait for another time, when it would be less likely to get him killed.

Soon enough, Spike found himself studying the door to an elegant suite, and again idly wondering where a Slayer and Watcher that were still on the outs with the council found the money for this kind of style. Spike shrugged and knocked smartly on the door. He was looking forward to the opportunity to rattle the Slayer when she found him in her hotel room upon her return. Spike was momentarily confused when his enhanced hearing picked up the rushed, light footsteps of a child before remembering that Buffy had a child. The door swung open to reveal the bright, curious gaze of a delicious looking little girl in a nightgown. A wicked grin stole across Spike's face at the sight of the child. A good portion of the vampires in the country was looking for this little sprite, and there she was, standing innocently in front of him. Spike shook his head in annoyance, realizing that he couldn't do a thing about it, and reminding himself that it wasn't a good idea to go after the Slayer's family. She tended to take it personally, and Spike knew Buffy was just looking for an excuse to hunt down his dark princess. Spike heaved a heavy sigh, before pulling out the charm and saying cajolingly, "Hullo there little one. I'm here to see your Mum. Can I come in?"

Spike was somewhat surprised when she didn't do as he asked, but merely tipped her head to one side and continued to study him carefully. He frowned in confusion; his charm worked on nearly ever female he'd ever met, no matter her age, and he wasn't about to let this little girl defeat him. "Come on luv," he wheedled. "Let me in so I can talk to your Mum or the Watcher."

"You able?" Spike stared at the girl's solemn face with irritation, a low growl starting to resonate in his chest. While she did take a hasty step away from the door in response, the child still made no move to invite him in, and Spike forced himself to reassess her. Obviously, she had been taught well. Innocent in appearance she may be, but this girl was still the Slayer's child, and there was an air of...something around her. She didn't feel like a Slayer, but she still radiated an aura of threat. He was ready to try out right intimidation when one of the bedroom doors opened to reveal Joyce Summers. Spike grinned; now *there* was a female he could charm. "'Lo Joyce!" he called, coming as close to the invisible barrier as he could. "I've come to pass along some news to the Slayer."

Spike smiled at her innocently and, after a startled look in his direction, Joyce smiled and said the magic words. "Spike! What a surprise! Buffy's not here right now, so why don't you come in and wait?" Joyce came to meet him at the door, pausing when her granddaughter emitted a screech and scuttled for one of the other bedrooms. "Erin?" Joyce muttered quietly in confusion before turning her attention back to Spike. He followed her into the sitting area and made himself at home in a chair that gave him a clear shot of the door while Joyce turned towards the small kitchenette in the corner. "I could make some hot chocolate while we wait?" she offered politely, her movements a little stilted.

Spike wondered at her barely restrained frustration, but before he could respond to her question, there was a loud bang. The door Erin had disappeared through was flung open and Rupert Giles emerged, crossbow in hand and pointed right at Spike. The vampire stiffened in his chair, watching Giles warily and scowling at the little girl that hovered behind the Watcher. "Spike," Giles growled as he entered the room, careful to keep his crossbow aimed steady at the vampire's heart. Spike nodded slowly in greeting, not making any sudden moves that would cause the Watcher to loose an arrow in his direction.

Joyce spun around, startled, and Spike was gratified to see that she glared at Giles in irritation. "What do you think you're doing?" she demanded, ready to let loose when she saw her granddaughter peeking at her from behind Giles' legs. "How dare you have that thing out when Erin's in the room?" she snapped. "It's dangerous, and she could get hurt!"

"How dare you invite a vampire into this room," Giles retorted, his eyes never leaving Spike, who was avidly watching their conversation. It was evident to him that this was the continuation of a previous argument, and he settled back to enjoy the show. "Erin knew better than to invite him in, but you had no problem with it? And you ripped into Buffy for the mere idea that Erin would spend any time around Angel." Giles voice was now dripping with scorn, and had a hard edge that Spike had never heard before. "You questioned your own daughter's concern for Erin's safety and then turned around and invited a soulless killer into her home."

Though he was enjoying this opportunity to witness dissension in the enemies ranks, Spike felt he should intervene when he noticed the little girl staring up at the adults, confusion and hurt in her eyes. Demon he may be, and he may joke about orphanages and liking his victims young, but Spike didn't have a taste for humans *that* young. Besides, rattling the Slayer with his presence would be good for a laugh, but traumatizing her daughter would get him staked. "Hey now," he said, standing carefully. "As fascinating as this all is, are you sure you want...Erin is it...to hear all this?" Joyce and Giles stared at him in confusion, and Spike rolled his eyes and gestured at the wide eyed child. "She may not understand everything you just said, but she understood enough."

"As much as it sickens me to say this, Spike's right. Again." Spike froze in shock as Joyce and Giles swiveled their heads to face the Slayer. Buffy was standing in the doorway, scooping up Erin who had dashed for her mother. Spike hadn't known Buffy was there. Rattled, Spike stood and began pacing in front of the doors leading to the balcony, muttering about going soft and wondering what Druscilla would say. He was trying to figure out how he'd missed Buffy's entrance, only listening with half an ear as Buffy chewed Giles our for forgetting Erin was in the room, and then Joyce for inviting a "murderous, blood sucking fiend into our hotel room after everything you just said to me!" Spike turned to stare at the Slayer, surprised by her outburst. 'Obviously, the Slayer was not having a good day,' Spike mused. She glared at him when Spike raised a curious eyebrow in her direction. "Oh please," Buffy snapped. "Like you haven't been snacking. When I left, you were trying too hard to hide. You must have been up to something. I think the council and my mother are the only ones you've got fooled."

"If you're so sure, why haven't you turned me in?" Spike asked curiously, interested in the answer. If she was that sure he'd been hunting, Buffy could have easily turned him in for violating the terms of their deal. Spike waited patiently as Buffy handed Erin off to Giles in exchange for the crossbow, and started anointing various doorknobs with Holy Water as she kept a careful eye on him. He waved Joyce's questions off, murmuring that he'd talk to her in a minute, more interested in what the Slayer had to say.

"Because you at least tend towards the dregs of humanity, and you aren't actively trying to end the world. I'm not saying I condone it, or that I'll let you get away with it, but I've got other things to worry about right now." Buffy paused, and then smiled cruelly at him. "Frankly Spike, right now I've got bigger fish to fry." Spike scowled at her, earning a laugh in response. "You *do* help Spike, and right now I need that." Buffy frowned thoughtfully, her eyes going distant for a minute. "Something's happening, soon, and I have the feeling I'll need every bit of help I can get. And that includes you." Spike opened his mouth, anger sparking in his eyes, a gold tinge entering them as he started to retort, but Buffy waved him off, allowing him to see the roiling anger and pain in her eyes. "I'm not really up to dealing with you tonight. I'll pass you off to Mom; give her the message." Buffy moved to the room Giles had disappeared into, pausing at the door before opening it. "Oh, and don't go getting any ideas about bringing Dru here for a party. We'll uninvite you when we leave."

Spike glared at the door closing behind the Slayer as he tried to calculate how much of a head start he'd need from Angel if he killed Buffy. He finally decided that it wasn't worth running for the next century or two, so he flopped into an easy chair. Things really weren't going his way.

Joyce perched on the couch nearby and asked anxiously, "Murderous, blood sucking fiend?" She swallowed hard, continuing. "I don't understand. You've never tried to attack me, and you help her out. Why doesn't Buffy trust you?"

Spike shook his head and rose, going to the mini bar and pouring himself a shot of vodka. He'd always figured that Buffy's merry band had been exaggerating when they said that Mrs. Summers was even more obtuse now that she knew about slaying than she had been before she learned Buffy's secret. The vampire swallowed the shot quickly, and poured himself another, pausing briefly before pouring a glass of scotch for Joyce and returning to his seat. "She's right you know. Not to trust me, I mean. I *am* a murderous fiend." Spike let his face morph, continuing through his fangs. "I'm a demon Joyce. And maybe you don't want to see it, but I've tried to kill her dozens of times."

"I've seen you fight with each other, but I thought you were playing, blowing off steam," Joyce said, sipping her Scotch.

"Recently. But before...Hell, the first time you saw me you beaned me with an axe to protect her." Spike watched Joyce ponder this and decided to get straight to the point. The evening had pretty much been a bust, and he wanted to curl up with a nice, friendly bottle of vodka. "Look, I've got an 'official' message from the council. If you'll just pass it along, I can leave. Here we go: they've found the new girl, think she's going to be trouble, and want your girl to break her in, show her the ropes as it were. It's all right here in the letter." Spike searched through his pockets briefly, tossing the wrinkled missive on the coffee table as he stood to leave.

Joyce's voice reached him when he was halfway to the door. "Spike, why haven't you tried to kill me?"

Spike snorted at the question; one he'd often asked himself in the years since he'd gained entrance to Buffy's home. The answer he gave Joyce was the same one he always arrived at himself. "I like walking around. Do you have any idea what she would do to me if I touched you?" Spike shuddered at the thought. "*If* I'm lucky she'll let me die before Angel gets a chance to give her any ideas. After all this time, he's likely looking for a way to get rid of a lot of frustration. He'd probably have lots of fun ideas about torture."

"I don't doubt it," Joyce mumbled under her breath, anger shouting in every motion as she tossed back the rest of her drink, jumped to her feet, stalked to the bar, and poured herself another drink. Spike stared at her in surprise as she practically growled, "I could believe anything of that one. I don't see how Buffy can stand to let him anywhere near her, much less consider letting him near Erin." Spike watched her down her scotch and pour yet another before pacing in front of the windows, as he considered the intelligence of what he was about to do.

"Joyce, let it go, or let her explain," Spike finally said, stepping back towards the room. He kept his voice calm and looked her straight in the eye, letting her see how much what he hated what he was doing. "I can see hating Peaches; makes me sick to think that the demon that taught me everything about hunting and killing is little more than the Slayer's lapdog. 'Course, I'm a demon. But the fact of the matter is this; he's Buffy's only real shot at happiness."

Joyce tried to interrupt, but Spike held up a hand to forestall her outburst and continued. "I'll tell you what I told them, and maybe *you'll* get it better than they did. Love isn't brains, it's blood. Don't ever think they planned this, that they wanted to fall in love with a mortal enemy, or to have their relationship end up this way. But it's too late now. The damage was done a long time ago, before I came to town for sure. Angel and Buffy will love each other 'til it kills them both. No matter what they can't have with each other, no matter how badly they hurt each other, hell, no matter how much they hate each other, no one else will ever make them feel more. I know you met Angel's demon, and he scared you, but you might want to get to know the man. Because Angel has broken sacred vampire laws to kill 'family,' broken his own heart, and literally been sent to Hell, by her hand, for hundreds of years, all to protect your little girl. Through it all he loved her and forgave her everything, no matter what it cost him, and probably still does."

Spike moved to the door again, thinking that if nothing else went right about the evening, at least he'd get the last word. "Angel already knows about her calling, and truly understands the dangers involved. He's strong enough to help her out and watch her back. How many of those 'normal' boys you want her with can say that? Angel will kill or die to protect Buffy, and I figure that once he meets her, it'll take Erin about five seconds to have him wrapped around her little finger, earning her the same devotion. No one will ever love them more, it's not possible. Think about it."

For the second time in a month Spike left a Summers woman with those words, staring after him in hurt confusion. He stalked down the hall, lighting a cigarette in defiance of the posted no smoking signs, muttering to himself. "Cor, I've gone all soft and gooey. I'd better go find some mischief to get into before Dru starts getting any ideas." Whistling, Spike sauntered off, pleasing thoughts of mayhem gradually overriding the sense of failure that surrounded his discourse with the slayer and family. It was time to stop pussyfooting around, and have some fun.