Thanks to everyone for being so patient with my updates! I really appreciate all the reviews I've received. I'd like to thank Meli for being an awesome beta.

Extra thanks to Bloody Tears of Life and Ariel Dawn keeping me on my toes.

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*Single Quotes = thoughts to oneself or between Buffy & Spike

Chapter 20 - Appearances

Willow slowly opened up her eyes as she stretched out on the bed. As soon as she heard the baby crying, she sat up and looked around the unfamiliar room to find its source. She slid off the bed and walked over to the crib on the other side of the bedroom. Cautiously, she leaned into the crib and picked the whimpering little boy up.

“It’s okay William. Auntie Willow’s here now, wherever here is.”

She placed a gentle kiss on his soft forehead. Before she could turn around and continue to explore the new surroundings she found herself in, a familiar voice caught her attention.

“Willow! It’s about time you woke up.” Cordelia exclaimed.

“Um, yeah hello to you too Cordelia. Where are we?” Willow asked.

“No time for formalities now. You are still in the hotel, but this is a safe room. Look you’re needed down in the basement. You have to go down there and stop Buffy.”

“Why?”

“I don’t know why. Look Willow, I get these visions. It’s the Powers that Be's way of sending me an instant message. The last one I got told me you need to go downstairs, pronto!” Cordelia hastily explained as she took William from Willow’s arms and pushed her out of the bedroom, into a very luxurious living area.

“Wow. This placed is just…Wow.” Willow said, as she looked around, amazed at the posh surroundings.

“Damn it Willow,” Cordelia exclaimed, “Go now, gawk later!”

Cordelia lead her to the door and then instructed her to take the elevator to the lower level. The red headed witch thanked her and ran to the nearest set of elevators. As she stepped into the empty elevator, she pondered what had just happened. She pressed the lower level button and leaned against the back wall. She quickly moved one of her hands away from the brass bar she was holding on to in order to push her hair out of her face. She had ten floors to figure out how she was going to stop Buffy, but she was puzzled at what and why she was supposed to be stopping her best friend who was on the same side as the good guys.

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Spike’s demon was overjoyed that his mate had approved of the violence about to take place. After giving his demon a few moments to gloat, he let some rational thoughts finally slip into his head. ‘Maybe it isn’t a good idea for her to stay around for this,’ he thought.

Buffy noticed the pensive look on her mate’s face. She knew that Spike was not much of a thinker, more of a doer, so this was a sign that perhaps he had some hesitation in letting her be here. Impatient with him and itching to exact revenge against the man who sought to destroy their son, she quickly turned around, her blond locks whirling around as she moved...

“Damn it, if you two aren’t going to do anything than I am.”

Reaching back into her waistband, she pulled out a stake and angrily walked her way towards Riley and Drusilla. Drusilla smiled with glee to see the Slayer so willing to participate in the torture and death of a human.

“Goody! Baby wants to play.” Dru said as she clapped her hands.

Any thoughts of hesitation that Buffy should not participate in this disappeared from Spike. Both Spike and Angel focused on seeking revenge against the soldier that had wronged their bloodline. They were both so intensely focused, that they had not noticed another set of blue eyes watching them from the shadows. As the being stepped from the shadows into the light, everyone else had been distracted by the ding of the elevator.

Everyone except for Buffy. She was closing in on Riley, with her arm poised to throw the stake directly into the shaking man’s chest. She had several more stakes on her, and she intended to use every one of them to bring pain. The final one would be the one to finish the bastard off. With an evil grin on her face, she looked Riley right in the eye.

“You are evil. Look at you. You have the look of blood lust on your face,” Riley whispered, “I knew I should have killed you right away.”

“Too late now.” Buffy replied.

Willow stepped off the elevator, hurrying into the room, looking at the sight before her. She saw Riley, with blood dripping down his body, and Buffy ready to impale him with her stake. She also saw another man, besides the vampires, with brown hair and piercing blue eyes. Apparently, the others did not realize he was here, because they were shocked when they heard him speak.

“Aunt Willow. Stop her now!”

Willow did not question it. She just knew by instinct that this is what had to be done. It was as if the words she needed were whispered into her ears as she spoke them.

“Suspended. Fall. Sleep.”

The stake that had that had just been released into the air stopped midstream and fell to the floor, along with Buffy whom was caught in the arms of the handsome stranger.

Spike growled possessively as he began to rush over to save his mate.

“Dad, would you stop being all growly for a second. Auntie Willow, could you bring mum back up to the room with Aunty Cordy?”

The mysterious young man placed a gentle kiss on the top of Buffy’s head. He looked up to see everyone in the room, including Riley, staring at him. Either they did not hear him address Spike as “Dad” or they had suddenly gone mute.

“Well, I guess I should explain stuff.”

Spike took a moment to focus on the man in front of him, the man that had just called him dad, the man with the same blue eyes and natural brown hair as he, the man who had his mate’s smile. Slowly Spike walked up to him, and gently placed one hand on his mate, and another around the man’s neck.

“I certainly think you should William.”

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Opal ducts from Wulfie's projectiles being thrown because the torture hasn't started yet.....

Ok...I've started writing the next chappie already. This has what you've all been waiting so patiently for. I would have posted as one big chappie with this one, but my muse cut out...well actually real life cut into it.

I'll be working on my other fics once I've finished up with this.

:)

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