Days in the Sun
February 2nd, 2022 - Calling
The phone rang only once before Spike took the call, mentally cursing, ready to give a piece of his mind to the insane person who was calling at 2 am. He had not been sleeping, but the other occupants of the house were, and he felt it was his duty to watch over their sleep.
“Whoever you are,” he growled, “you better have a good reason to call at this hour.”
A joyful laugh answered him. “Or what, Daddy ? You gonna get fangy on me ?”
His first reaction was to be pleased to hear his eldest. The second
was to worry.
“Lisa ? Is something wrong?”
Absently, he started scribbling on his notebook. Nights like this one, when he couldn’t sleep, were the times he did most of his writing.
“Everything is fine, Dad. Really great, actually. I just had to tell you something!”
“Go ahead, luv, I’m all ears.”
He smiled inwardly. She had probably not even realized it was so late in California. But come to think of it, it was only early morning in New York State. What was she doing up so early ?
“Dad, I had the most amazing night ever ! It was incredible !”
A sudden thought came to his mind. If she was going to tell him about her love life, he was hanging up right now. There was a limit to their father-daughter complicity !
“I was out with some friends, and when I was coming back I was attacked. By a vamp ! I staked him, Dad ! Well, we fought of course, but it really was over before it even started, he didn’t have a chance !”
Spike stared at the broken pencil in his hand, his mind completely numb.
“And when I staked him, I realized something. I can do this. I am good at this. So I walked around the cemeteries and I got three more of them ! All like a breeze ! I can even feel them, Dad. Kinda like I can feel you. I thought it was because you’re my father, but I think it’s because you’re one too. So it made it easier to find them once I got the hang of it.”
Still, Spike was silent. Lisa finally realized it, and asked, a touch of concern in her voice : “Daddy ? What’s wrong ? Are you… disappointed in me ?”
Blinking, he shook himself out of his torpor and forced the words out of his tight throat.
“I’m not disappointed, baby. I’ll never be disappointed in you. I’m worried, that’s all. You didn’t get hurt, did you ?”
“No, I’m fine, I promise. I was taught how to fight by the best, you know.”
The barest smile came to his lips. “No, luv. Your mother is better.”
God, what is Buffy going to say ?
“You’re not going to tell her, are you ?”
At the worried tone in his daughter’s voice, Spike knew that she just had the same thought as him. Buffy was going to freak out when she learned about her daughter’s adventure.
“Lisa, you can’t ask me that. You know I have to tell her.”
“But Dad, you know she’s not going to like it. She will just get upset, and it will be for nothing, because whatever she says I’m not going to stop.”
Again, his mind threatened to stop responding, and he had to shake himself to keep talking.
“What do you mean, you’re not going to stop ? This is not a game, nibblet. You’ve been lucky. Very lucky. You probably found only fledgings…”
“Dad. How many people do you think I saved tonight ?”
“What ?”
“How many people won’t die today, tomorrow, and the nights after that, just because I dusted four vampires tonight ?”
This was insane. His daughter was insane. And he was probably insane too, because all he said was : “If you’re going to do this, be careful. Always take several stakes with you. Take holy water. Wear your cross. Don’t go after more than one. Fight to stake, don’t play with them. And call me to tell me how you’re doing.”
What else could he tell her ? “No, you can’t do it, you’re my little princess, just a child, and I don’t care that I taught you how to fight, I don’t care than a prophecy says you’re a Slayer, you’ll just always be my baby.” If he said anything like that now, he knew she’d be hurt. And she would still do whatever she pleased, except she wouldn’t tell him about it any more.
“Thank you Dad.” He could hear the smile in her voice, and see it in his mind.
“One thing, baby, you’re there first to study. If you spend all your nights…”
“Don’t worry,” she interrupted. “I’ll make sure I get my beauty rest. But you know I don’t need much sleep.”
He let out an involuntary and unnecessary sigh. “Expect a call from your mother tomorrow night.”
“Come on, Dad, please…”
That pleading voice had gotten her out of trouble often. Very often. But this was too serious for him to fall for it now.
“Lisa, you know your mother. If I don’t tell her now, she’ll stake me when she finally hears about it. And you know she will hear about it eventually.”
The girl – no, the young woman – made some kind of agreeing noise.
“I’ll go get some sleep now Dad. You should too.”
As if he was going to be able to sleep now !
“Love you, nibblet.”
“I love you Daddy. Bye”
For hours, he just sat in his study, playing mindlessly with the broken pencil. He had often thought about the day this would happen, knowing that it would, sooner or later. Yet, he wasn’t sure how he felt about it, conflicting emotions playing in his mind. First and foremost, he was worried to know his little girl was planning to walk alone in dark places, in the hope of finding demons. Just thinking about what could happen to her made him want to run there and bring her back to Sunnyhell. At the same time, he was proud of her. Proud that she had been able to use what she had learned and dust four vamps on her first night. But also proud, and it felt really strange, that she had decided by herself to be a Slayer. Him, the Big Bad, happy that his kid was a creature of the Light ! It was almost comical. Of course, he hadn’t played the Big Bad in a long time, but he still could become one again if he ever wanted to. That he was choosing not to made no difference. He was also amused at the excitement Lisa’s voice had conveyed. She had had fun doing her impromptu patrol. Daddy’s little girl…
As the sun was rising above the horizon, he slipped back into bed, spooning against the warmth of his wife. In a few hours, he would tell her. He needed some time to think of the best way to break the news. In the meantime, her ignorance was his bliss.
As soon as she came into the house, Buffy kicked her shoes off with a sigh of pleasure. Who would have thought it could be more difficult to take care of a few kids than to prevent an apocalypse ? And who would believe her if she tried to tell anyone ?
“Hello ? Anyone home ?”
“In the kitchen, luv,” was the only reply.
Joining Spike, she encircled his waist with her arms and leaned against his back, observing the cook in action over his shoulder.
“Hey there Big Bad.”
He turned his head to her for a brief kiss. “How was your day Slayer ?”
“Always something new with the little demons,” she sighed. “Today’s challenge was who can eat the most crayons before recess.”
He gave her a brief laugh, all the while continuing to get dinner ready.
“How about you go take a nice bath while I finish that ? I sent the kids out for a movie, so the evening is ours.”
“Hmm nice idea. You’re the greatest.”
His grin widened as he said cockily “ I know.”
With a giggle, she kissed his neck and nipped at it playfully. Leaving him to his preparations, she climbed to the master bedroom. She paused at the bathroom door, her eyes taking in the scene he had prepared for her. The tub was filled with bubbles, a dozen candles lit the room softly, her robe was ready for after her bath, her favorite CD was playing softly from the bedroom, and a heart had been scribbled with lipstick on the mirror, something resembling a stake going through its center. Shaking her head and laughing softly, she shed her clothes and slipped into the deliciously warm water, letting it relax her completely, her mind drifting with the music.
Half an hour later she was coming down to the kitchen, wrapped in her fluffy robe. Roses and candles on the table, special occasion dinnerware only confirmed her doubts. She sat at her place as the vampire served both their plates.
“Go ahead, Spike. I’m ready. What’s the bad news ?”
He froze, a brief look of deer caught in headlights flashing on his face before the usual smirk resurfaced. Sitting down, he shook his head.
“I overdid it, didn’t I ?”
She reached for his hand across the table, squeezing it briefly. “Who broke what ?” she asked playfully.
He tilted his head, his fingers weaving with hers. “Well… Lisa… I suppose you could say she broke some vamps.”
Buffy’s eyes widened, her heart skipping a beat. “ She did WHAT ?”
Very softly, Spike explained what his daughter had told him the night before. When he was done, Buffy was speechless.
“We knew it would happen, luv,” he said quietly. “It was just a question of time.”
“But I did not want it to happen,” she protested, tears in her voice. “She should have a normal life.”
“What we want is not always what we get. Especially when bloody prophecies are involved.”
Rising from his chair, he walked around the table and knelt next to his wife, his arms encircling her waist. “You were much younger when you became a Slayer, Buffy. And you were Chosen for it. She is the one choosing today, no one is forcing her to do anything.”
“But she’s my baby…”
“Yes, she’s your daughter. And my bet is she wants to make you proud.”
Using a napkin to dry the Slayer’s eyes, Spike kissed both her eyelids before returning to his chair.
“Lets eat, pet. And later you can call her.”
Buffy only nodded, taking a bite of food. After a couple minutes of silence, Spike poured wine for both of them and raised his glass. “To the new Slayer ?” he proposed softly.
Her hand slightly shaking, Buffy touched her glass to his. “Yes. To our baby.”
The characters and names used in these stories do not belong to me. All copyrights remain with Fox and Mutant Enemy. No profit is made from this fanfiction.