Soul Survivors
Chapter Two: Family Dinner


“You’re late,” Dawn told Buffy and Spike as they came through the door she was holding open.

“Yeah, well, blame your sister,” Spike said dryly while rubbing his backside.

Buffy snorted, but wisely kept her mouth shut as Faith came into the entry hall.

“Hey. You guys hungry? I’ve got blood.”

Spike watched as Buffy shook her head and said, “No thanks. We already ate.”

“I can see that you have,” Faith said with a smirk.

Faith walked towards them, stopped in front of Spike and tilted her head to the side. He groaned inwardly. He should have turned his collar up or kept his coat closer to his neck. His eyes widened and he leaned back as Faith reached up to touch Buffy’s marks on his neck. Then everything happened so fast, he could barely register it all. Buffy vamped out and rushed at Faith, tackling her up against the wall. The mirror and silk plant next to them rattled and shook with the force.

Faith had the decency to look scared and stared at Buffy with wide eyes.

Buffy growled low. “Don’t you ever touch what is mine, again,” she said through gritted teeth.

Relaxing, Faith took a deep breath and released it slowly while checking out Buffy’s features. “Damn, B, your vamp face is fug ugly!”

Dawn snorted behind them, but before she could comment, the front door opened. Xander came in with his arms full of pizza boxes, got a glimpse of Buffy in her angry state and yelped. Spike was there to catch the boxes before they could tumble to the floor.

Willow pushed past Xander and gazed at Buffy in wonder. “Wow. What happened here?”

“Don’t flirt with Spike,” Faith said as she pushed Buffy away from her and frowned. “Oh, and what ever you do, don’t touch him. That’s all I’m saying.”

When everyone just stared at her in shock, she pointed in the direction of the kitchen. “I’ll just go finish tossing the salad.”

Spike caught a slight movement out of the corner of his eye and turned his head just enough to see Giles lingering on the steps. He glanced back at Buffy, who was now in obvious distress. She was having trouble switching back to her more human visage, her gold eyes wide and scared.

“Shake it off, pet. Like we talked about.”

As her sister and friends watched in fascination, she inhaled a deep breath and shook her head quickly, morphing her features right before their eyes.

“That’s just cool.” Dawn came up and Buffy stayed still as the younger girl touched her now smooth face.

Buffy held Spike’s gaze. “I’m sorry about that. I don’t know what came over me.”

“’S alright. I do. Truth be told, it gave me the warm fuzzies.” He rested an open palm over his stomach and leered at her.

They smiled at each other and Xander groaned.

“I, for one, did not get any warm fuzzies, and I do solemnly swear not to flirt with Spike or touch him in any way.”

Buffy let out a relieved laugh as Xander smiled warmly at her until Spike shoved the pizza boxes back at him. Dawn quickly stepped in and grabbed the boxes from them both.

“I’ll just take these into the kitchen.”

“I’ll come with you,” Willow said going past the others, holding up a paper bucket. “We got hot wings for Spike.”

Xander stood with his hands in his pockets for a second before stepping towards the living room. “Well, let’s see what’s on TV.”

Buffy followed him, leaving Spike by the foot of the stairs.

“You plan on joining us, Watcher?” His voice was low and deep, but Spike knew he got his point across when Giles stopped his ascent and changed directions.

“Well, yes. For a little while, at least. I have a lot of loose ends to tie up before my resignation goes into effect in a few days.”

Spike let the man pass him and watched as he walked slowly into the living room. He hadn’t had a chance to get Giles alone since the evening that Willow returned. Buffy and Spike had walked home after the movie and hadn’t gone out much at all, until Dawn had passed along Faith’s invitation to come for dinner tonight. They both had wanted to say no, having thoroughly enjoyed their time alone. Except for the few hours that Dawn joined them on the weekdays after school, they‘d had each other to themselves. Dawn had begged and pleaded until they gave in and agreed to come. Now, he was glad that they had. Spike determined to get Giles alone before the night was out.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Spike felt awkward, sitting at the table with all these people. He looked down at his plate of wings and picked at one. Buffy sat quietly beside him with her hands in her lap. She’d tried a bite of the one wing she’d put on her plate and screwed up her face in distaste.

Some vampires kept a bit of their taste buds and could enjoy really spicy foods now and then, just for a change. Because it was considered an odd behavior, most vamps with a taste for human food rarely indulged unless they were alone or in the process of trying to appear human around people. Spike had hoped that Buffy would be like him and enjoy a spicy taste now and then, but he guessed that wasn’t going to happen.

“Do I have to eat the salad?” whined Dawn.

Faith glared at her. “Eat it.”

Dawn began protesting and the others groaned. Buffy slapped a hand on the white lace covered table, causing plates and utensils to clink together.

She closed her eyes for a second and then looked sheepishly at her friends. “Sorry.“ Then to Dawn, she said, “Do as you’re told and stop giving Faith a hard time. It’s not like we’re asking you to eat snails. It’s just some lettuce.”

Spike had to suppress his grin at the look Dawn threw back at Buffy before she did a boarding house reach for the dressing. She dumped three helpings of the white goop onto her lettuce and began shoving it in.

“I got a job today,” Faith said quietly.

Giles perked up at that. “That’s great.”

“Let me guess,” Xander just had to say. “Bouncer, at the Bronze?”

Willow and Dawn snickered at the same time.

“No, you idiot. I can’t work a night job.” She paused, looking sheepish. “I’ll be working Tuesday thru Saturday from ten to two at Hayley’s Diner.”

“You’re going to be a waitress at the place next to the movie theater?” Xander asked in shock before leaning back and folding his arms across his chest. “That won’t last long. The first time you deck a rude customer, you’ll be fired.”

“Do you ever shut up?” Faith asked him with a frown. Spike popped a chicken wing in his mouth and stared at a flustered Xander, wanting to know the answer to that question himself.

Faith continued. “I’m going to be a short order cook.”

“Oh, God. I’m never eating there again.” Xander took a huge bite of his pizza and chewed like a cow with sauce oozing out of one side of his mouth. Spike cringed. And they all thought it was sick to watch him drink blood.

“Hey! I’ve got mad skills in the kitchen, buster. It’s what I did in prison every day. Besides, Joe, the owner, has agreed to pay me cash and not ask for any identification.”

“Why would he do that?” Willow asked.

“I saved his butt a few years back when I took out a Plekx demon trying to make a snack out of him and his daughter one night as they closed up shop.” She shrugged. “He remembered me.”

Giles set his fork down and wiped his mouth with a napkin. “That will work out nicely then. You’ll be working while Dawn’s in school, but not so early to interfere with your sleep. A slayer must always be fresh when patrolling.”

“That, and I’ll be able to earn my keep here and pay some rent. It’s not much, but it’s the best I could do without identification and skill.”

Willow looked pointedly at Giles. “I still think the Watcher’s Council should be paying their Slayer. Look at how hard things were for Buffy last year, having to work and watch over the hellmouth. Now Faith is going through the same thing and it isn’t right.”

Faith’s warm smile was lost on Willow as she focused on an uncomfortable looking Giles.

“I agree with you, but I have never had any clout with the Council. At this point, with the way they tried to assassinate both of them, and the fact that I have resigned, I doubt they would listen to me.” He stood up and pushed his chair in, leaning on it. “I’m still waiting for the insurance money to come in so that Anya and I can reopen the Magic Box. Until then, I’m doing what I can. I have applications in at both the college library and the city one. I hope to hear something soon.”

Xander was quiet, but his questioning eyes searched out the older man.

Glancing from Xander to Giles, Buffy spoke up. “You’ve kept in contact with Anya?”

“We’ve spoken many times since I’ve been back. She‘s come to her senses and convinced D’ Hoffryn to release her from her vengeance duties. She is once again, just human, and has been handling all the details with the insurance company. We expect the first check to arrive within the week.” Giles refused to look at Xander or Buffy. “I have some work to do. I’ll be up in my room.”

“Wait!” Faith said. “Can you come sit down for a minute? I have something I want to discuss with everyone.”

Giles slowly went to his seat and when he was settled, Faith stared across the table at Buffy and Spike. “I invited the two of you over tonight because I wanted to ask you something.”

“Okay.” Buffy shoved her plate forward and leaned her elbows on the table.

“I was down in the basement, doing laundry the other day and I looked around and realized that the space down there is pretty big. I think it would be best if you two moved in down there.”

Buffy glanced at Spike.

He shrugged. “I go where you go, pet. Doesn’t matter to me where we sleep.”

“Dawn was telling me that the lower level of the crypt is still pretty messed up. And, anyway, anything can come in there while you’re sleeping and cause havoc.”

Spike and Buffy shared a secret smile, both thinking about all the havoc Clem had caused earlier.

“True,” Spike agreed.

“Also, I think it would be better for Dawn to be able to come straight home after school. I know you guys are feeding her those awful TV dinners. She can’t eat them every night, she’ll get sick.”

“I can, too. I like them.”

“Dawn,” Faith said in a low tone, meaning to sound patient, but not quiet reaching that level in her exasperation, “didn’t you tell me that you’d love it if they moved in downstairs?”

Dawn’s eyes widened in understanding and she sat up straighter. “Oh, yeah,” she said before looking across the table at the vampires again. “Please, guys. It would be so great if we could all live together.”

Spike watched Buffy struggle with what to say. He was ready to say ‘yes‘. Anything to make Dawn happy.

“There isn’t much privacy down there. We can’t move the washer and dryer upstairs, so every one would be in and out of our space all the time.”

“That’s why I invited Xander here.” Faith spread her hands, like a model on a game show, displaying a prize, out towards the man still stuffing his face with pizza at the other end of the table.

He swallowed and took a quick drink. “What do you need me for?”

“You’re a carpenter, right? I was thinking we could put up a wall against the staircase and add a locked door to it. With the washer and dryer right at the foot of the steps, we would have room to do our laundry and the two of them could have plenty of space and privacy.”

“Well, it is possible. I would need to draw up some plans. It’s a two man job at least and, I know none of us can afford to pay for labor on top of supplies,” Xander’s voice was laced with hope, thinking that they could scrap the idea.

Spike smirked at him. “I’m good with a hammer and I’m strong. We wouldn’t have to hire a second man.”

Buffy’s soft gaze settled on Giles. “What do you think?”

Giles got up again. “Well, I, uh…I think it would make Dawn happy. If you will excuse me now, I must get back to my work.”

The rest of gang stayed silent until Giles went out of sight.

“Say ‘yes‘, Buffy,” Dawn pleaded.

“Let me think about it and talk with Spike first.”

Dawn looked down and moved the remaining lettuce around on her plate. “Okay.”

Spike stood up. “I’m going to go have a smoke on the back porch.” He gazed at Buffy while patting his jacket down, looking for his lighter. “You coming with?”

“Sure.”

Dawn watched them go with sad eyes.

“Say, Dawn,” Xander asked cheerfully, “Do you still have your Playstation 2?”

“Yes,” the girl answered without much enthusiasm.

“Are you up for some Twisted Metal: Black?”

“Sure,” she said with a smile. “I haven’t played that in a long time.”

They got up together and left for the living room taking about clowns and weapons. Faith sighed and leaned back, watching Willow.

Getting more and more unnerved by the Slayer’s stare, Willow pushed her chair back and jumped up, saying cheerfully, “I guess we’re stuck with the clean up.”

“I’ll wash, you dry?”

Out on the back porch, Buffy leaned into Spike’s side, his arm across her shoulder. Looking out at the yard, he focused on the wooden fence and shivered remembering the moment he’d realized that his love was a vampire. He looked down at her under his arm and reminded himself never to take the time they had together for granted. They could have years stretching out before them, or one of them could be dust in the heat of a battle. Spike squeezed a little tighter, wishing he could keep her in his arms for all eternity.

Her sad words vibrated off his chest when she said, “Is it just me, or is Giles really avoiding me?” She pulled back and gazed at him, wanting an answer.

“I don’t know what’s going on with the man, but it’s not just you.”

She stared down at her feet, fighting the tears that were forming. “I know I’ve disappointed him by getting turned. I should have been more aware of my surroundings; I should’ve found a way to get free before Dru could do her damage.”

Anger swelled inside him and he wanted to march up the steps, tear the door off its hinges and then tear the head off a certain British man. He warred with his demon and fought to control his emotions. No one…NO ONE… upset his Buffy like that.

Shaking his head, Spike told her, “I have no idea what’s going on in that soddin' brain of his, but there’s no way he blames you for what’s happened.”

“Then why won’t he look me in the eye or talk to me? I always thought that he cared for me, not just as a slayer, but also like a daughter.”

“I know he cares about you. I’m sorry he’s being a bloody pillock. You want me to go knock some sense into him?”

She smiled at him and his stomach clenched. His heart felt as if it was being gripped tightly by an unseen fist. All he’d ever gone through in his life, to get to this point, was worth this one moment, just to see that loving, trusting smile directed his way.

“No, don’t do anything like that. You could kiss me though. That might make it--”

Softly, he pressed his lips to hers, effectively cutting off her words. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him closer and deeper into the kiss. She was always just as hungry as he was and he marveled at how perfectly matched they were.

The door opened behind them and Willow let out a short “eep” sound. “I’m sorry. I’ll come out later.”

As she turned to go back in, Spike stood up. “No, stay. I’ve got to ask Dawn something.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~


Spike trod through the kitchen with purpose and passed Dawn and Xander in the living room, who were oblivious to their surroundings. Not looking back, he continued to the stairs and stomped up each step, playing out the scenario he’d imagined just a few minutes before.

Disappointment washed over him like cold water when he arrived at Giles’ door to find it partially open. He would have really loved to tear the door apart. Soundlessly, he pushed it open further and took two steps into the room.

With his back turned to Spike, Giles sat hunched over his desk writing furiously. The only light in the shadow-filled room coming from a small desk lamp directed towards what ever it was he was writing in.

The vampire took a wide stance and crossed his arms over his chest, letting the leather of his coat creak with the movement. Giles continued to write, irritating Spike further. He cleared his throat and narrowed his eyes at the man when he stopped writing and slammed a book shut before turning around.

“Spike?”

“You gonna tell me why you’ve been avoiding Buffy, or do I have to go through that bloody diary of yours to find out?”