Vindicated

A/N: Here's a little background just so everyone has an idea of what Buffy's been up to for the last three months before the real story gets started in the next chapter. So just bear with me. Thanks to everyone who reviewed. Keep it coming.



“So long sweet summer,
I stumbled upon you and gratefully basked in your rays.
So long sweet slumber.
I fell into you now you're gracefully falling away.”

-Dashboard Confessional, “Age Six Racer”


Prague, 3 Months later…

Spike looked around the nightclub and sighed. They’d only been there for two hours and already he’d had enough. He came up behind Drusilla and whispered in her ear.
“I’ll be right back love.” If she hadn’t been a vampire he was sure that she wouldn’t have been able to hear him over the loud techno song that he could swear had been on repeat for the last twenty minutes.

Drusilla withdrew her fangs from the guy that she was feeding off of and morphed her face back to its human guise. “Going to find precious?”

Spike no his his head and gave her a quick kiss before walking off to locate his sister.

He wasn’t a big fan of raves, but Buffy liked going to them, and has her big brother he liked to keep an eye on her. Even though she’d proven to be stronger and more promising than any vampire that he’d ever met she was still young and had a tendency to be a bit rambunctious at times.

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He’d tried to be a hardass her first few days as a vampire. Treat her not as harshly as Angelus had treated him, but still be firm. Young vampires needed to learn the ropes and know what they could and couldn’t do. Being a vampire didn’t mean that there were no rules. They needed to have a certain amount of finesse in order to survive and not draw to much attention to themselves. But his attempts at being the strong father figure where pretty much given up on within days of turning Buffy.

On the third day after Buffy had been turned they reached Prague. They stayed at a hotel that first day and checked in just before the sun came up. Buffy hadn’t gotten a chance to eat a lot the night before which had been her first night to feed so she was feeling kind of hungry. Ok hungry might be putting it lightly, she was starving. It was to the point where her own veins were starting to look good.

She had wanted to eat the room service guys but Spike wouldn’t let her because the sun was up and they couldn’t get out of the building if someone noticed and made the connection to them.

So when Drusilla and Spike fell asleep she grabbed Dru’s dog Sunshine and ate him. It had seemed like a good idea at the time but after she did it she kind of freaked. She had never experienced the wrath of Drusilla and she really didn’t want to.

She quietly crept over to Spike and Dru’s bed and shook Spike until he woke up. The vampire groaned and untangled his naked body from Drua’s.a’s. He sat up and rubbed his eyes. “What is it?” he sleepily asked.

Buffy looked near tears. “Spike, you’re my brother right?”

Spike gave a tired half nod. “Yeah little bit I’m your brother… that’s me, big brother Spike… God I’m old.” He muttered.

“And you’d protect me against anyone right, no matter what?”

Spike got his eyes in focus and looked at the worried little vampire. “What’s this all about?”

“I have to show you something.”

Buffy walked over to the bathroom and waited for Spike. The older vampire grabbed his pants off the floor and slipped them on before joining her. “You promise you won’t tell?”

“Tell what? Buffy I don’t have the slightest clue what you’re talking about.”

Buffy opened the bathroom door and flicked on the light.

“Bloody hell Buffy you ate the dog! You couldn’t wait a few hours until the sun went down you had to go snack on Dru’s mutt?”

Buffy lowered her head and started crying. “She’s gonna kill me isn’t she?”

Spike softened. “No, she not gonna--I mean we can just… bloody hell Buffy you ate the dog.”

“I know… but I was hungry and you wouldn’t let me go hunt.”

Spike sighed. “Buffy the sun is up I explained this to you already.”

“You’re gonna tell her aren’t you? And then she’s gonna stake me… no she’ll probably torture me first… then stake me.” Buffy said in between sobs.

Spike wanted to laugh at how scared she was, but couldn’t *because* she was that scared. He put his hand under her chin and urged her to look at him. “I’m not going to tell your mum about this.”

Buffy sniffled and wiped at her tears. “Really?”

Spike laughed a little, she sounded like such a kid. “Yeah, really.”

“Why?”

Spike cocked his head and brushed a few stray tears off of her cheeks with his thumb. “Because I’m your big brother Buffy, and I’d protect you against anyone, no matter what.”

Spike cleaned up the mess in the bathroom and got rid of the dog. And when Dru woke up he told her that it was the oddest thing, a group of little elves had broken into their room and stolen Sunshine. That he’d tried to fend them off but there were just too many and there stout little hearts where set on the little mutt for some sort of ritual sacrifice that would bring their canine god to life.

Dru was genuinely upset for about five minutes, but then noticed some burning baby fish swimming around his head and forgot about the whole thing.

After that things between Spike and Buffy changed. They’d bonded. Sure he was still the authority figure when it came down to it. He had been the one to take her out and teach her how to hunt and survive. He was the one who’d insisted that she continued her education, even if it was only by him. And he was the one who would chastise her when she stepped out of line, but they now had a trust and loyalty between them that only two siblings could have.

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Spike made his way through the crowd of people until he spotted Buffy out on the dance floor. She looked like she was having more than a good time gyrating between a stunning brunette and a tall well built guy with black hair.

Spike considered walking out there and getting her, but thought better of it and decided to let her come to him.

It didn’t take her long to realize that he was near. Her movements slowed slightly and her eyes began inconspicuously scanning the crowd.

Spike saw that she was looking in his direction and moved behind a group of people. It was a game that they used to play when she was younger. He’d wanted her to be able to make the distinction between his presence and other vamps. So he would take her out to demon infested grave yards, blind fold her, and make her find him.

The first couple of times didn’t go so well, she ran into trees and tripped over headstones, and one time even mistook Spike for a newly risen female vamp. But by her forth attempt she’d learned how to become in tuned to her senses and aware of the different vibe that vampires of her own bloodline gave off.

Buffy’s eyes stopped on the crowd of people Spike was standing behind. She smiled and walked around the group.

Spike grinned when he saw her. “Only took you thirty seconds this time, that’s an improvement.”

Buffy smirked. “Aren’t I a little old for us to still be playing that game?”

Spike laughed. “Old? You haven’t even hit vampire puberty yet.”

Buffy frowned at that. “So what’s the what?”

“Dru and I are ready to leave. You coming along, or do you wanna stay a bit longer?”

Buffy turned and looked back at the two people she’d left out on the dance floor. The girl spotted her and winked suggestively. “I huh, think I’ll stay.”

Spike gave her a knowing look. “Alright go on then. Just be back before sunrise.”

Buffy grinned and walked back onto the dance floor. The tables in her head where turning. She had definite plans for tonight.

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Buffy came stumbling into the mansion on shaky limbs the next morning and went straight to the kitchen. She was insanely thirsty. Her mouth felt like it had been stuffed with cotton. She went to the sink and tried to put her mouth under the running water, but after a few minutes of trying to get the water to go into her mouth instead of down the side of her face she got dizzy and fell to the floor.

“There you are. My god, do you have even the slightest idea what time it is?” Spike looked at her. She was lying face down on the kitchen floor and he had no clue why. But he would get to that in a minute. “I told you to be home before sunrise. How did you even make it into the house?”

Buffy tried to keep a straight face, she could tell that he was genuinely pissed, but it was hard to be serious when she was still feeling the effects of sucking the life out of two people who’d had some pretty strong chemicals in their systems. “I don’t know… I think I ran.”

Spike frowned. “You *think* you ran?”

“Yeah… it’s all kind of a blur.” Buffy lifted her head off the floor and looked up at him. “One minute I was fucking these two--”

“Spare me the details would you, I don’t need a visual of my little sis getting it on with one person, let alone two.”

“Sorry, I huh… huh… she’d have said that.” Buffy said before dropping her head back on the floor producing a small ‘thump.’

Spike furrowed his brow not sure if he’d heard her right. “Did you just say she’d have said that?”

Buffy thought about it a minute but couldn’t remember. “I’m not sure… maybe.”

Spike bent down and rolled her over onto her back so he could see her eyes. “Are you high?”

Buffy shook her head. “No—ok, yes I am… but it’s not my fault.”

Spike laughed. “Oh really and how’s that work?”

Buffy took about ten seconds to think of a way to explain what had happened without going into graphic detail but her explanation still came out a mess of unfinished sentences. “Well there were these two… and we were… and then I… and then this…” she pointed at herself.

Smiling, Spike looked up at the ceiling and shook his head. “You know I would get on you about this, but I’m no hypocrite. These things happen. When I was at Woodstock I fed off a flower person and spent the next six hours watchin my hand move… weird gig that was.” He shrugged and offered Buffy his hand. “On your feet then.”

Buffy hopped up onto the counter while Spike grabbed her a glass of water. “Here.” He said handing it to her.

“Thanks.” She chugged the water down and then handed it back to him for a refill.

He handed the freshly filled glass back to her and intentionally waited until she was drinking to speak. “You know we’re supposed to be leaving today. You really should get packed.”

Buffy choked on the water she was drinking. She couldn’t believe what he’d just said. “Leaving, packing? What the hell I’m gone for one night and you guys decide that we’re moving. Don’t I get a say in this?” She was suddenly feeling very sober.

“I wish you did little druggie of mine. I wish I did for that matter, but we don’t. Dru says we go, so we go.”

Buffy put her head in her hands. She could feel a major headache coming on. “Can you save the mocking for later Spike? I know how much you hate Prague, you don’t have to pretend to care on my account.”

“I’m not mocking. Believe me Buffy, I consider Prague a beautiful paradise compared to where we’re going. I’m not looking forward to leaving any more than you are.”

This sounded serious. As far as Buffy knew Spike hated Prague more than any place in the world. This was the town that had put a mob together to kill him and Dru. What could be worse than that?

Buffy uncovered her face and looked at her brother. “Where are we going?”

Spike inhaled a deep un-needed breath. “Um, we should go talk to your mum. I think you’re going to be wanting more than a one word answer. And since I’m not too clear on the ins and outs of the whole thing myself she should probably be the one to explain it.”

Drusilla was in the ‘sanctuary’ as she called it which was on the other side of the mansion. The room was really just an indoor garden with a skylight in the ceiling that Spike had had customized with an electronic switch that they could hit to cover it during the day. That way they could be in there when ever they wanted without running the risk of being dusted.

Dru would spend hours in there at night staring up at the stars, ‘listening to them.’ She’d done the same in the garden at Angel’s mansion in Sunnydale.

“Ow.” Drusilla was cutting a flower from one of the rose bushes and a thorn had caught her finger.

“What’s the matter love?” Spike asked as he walked into the room.

Dru stared at her finger and the drop of blood that was forming where the puncture was. “The mean little thorn has pricked my finger.”

“Rose bushes, nasty little buggers they are.” Spike took Dru’s hand and kissed the hurt finger. He licked off the blood then sucked a little taking some more. Dru growled playfully liking the attention.

Buffy leaned against the door frame and quietly watched her sires. She didn’t want to interrupt their intimate moment.

“Does precious want some of mummy’s milk?”

Buffy smiled. She loved how Dru always knew when she was near. She walked over and placed a kiss on her cheek. “None for me mum, I’ve eaten about all I can stomach for one night.”

“Later then...”

“Sorry I came home so late. I drank some bad blood and lost track of the time.”

Drusilla twirled a strand of Buffy’s hair between her fingers. “No need for apologies… should we clean your insides, is the dirty blood making you ill?”

Spike grinned. He could tell Buffy didn’t like the sound of that.

“That’s not necessary mum. Really, I’m good.”

Drusilla leaned in and smelled the lock of golden hair that she was playing with. “Sex and blood… with a tea spoon of sugar, such a pretty scent you have.”

“Sugar? Huh, I didn’t have any last night.”

“Oh, it comes naturally. Sweetness covers your skin, hiding the bitter taste beneath.”

Buffy smirked. “Like grand-dad and his angelic face.”

“Yes, like daddy.” Dru let go of Buffy’s hair and stroked her cheek. “My precious is restless… A change of scenery will do you well.”

“So I’ve heard. Spike tells me we’re leaving Prague.”

“Is precious cross?”

Buffy shook her head. “No, of course not, it’s just--”

“You like it here.” Buffy nodded.

Spike grinned and nipped on Dru’s neck. “Of course she likes it here. She has a quarter of the city’s population in her stomach, and the respect of every demon in this town.”

Drusilla gently caressed Buffy’s face with the back of her hand while she spoke to Spike. “But it leaves her empty, the kill already a bore. She’s been running about, searching high and low, but for what she doesn’t know.”

Dru was right. Buffy liked this city, but she had seen it all. There was nothing new here. She had made a name for herself, she’d maimed and killed, she’d experimented with different tactics of execution, seduction, torture, stalking, fists and fangs… she’d done it all but it left her unsatisfied. Nothing was a challenge anymore. She was tired of fights that she knew she was going to win.

“So I’m going to find this thing I’ve been looking for where we’re going?”

Drusilla smiled and tapped Buffy playfully on the end of her nose. “Perhaps…”

“And where is this potential thing located?”

“Where the sun shines bright, not a cloud in the sky, and the monsters hide beneath the little children.”

Spike pulled out two cigarettes. He lit them both and handed one to Buffy. By the look on her face she knew what that meant and wasn’t taking it so well. “Like I said, not looking forward to it anymore than you are.”

Dru stood between her two children and placed a hand on each of their faces. “So much fun we will have… mummy promises.”

Buffy and Spike smiled at her. Neither was happy about this but they would at least pretend to be ok with it. It wasn’t like they had a choice in the matter.

Spike may have been the leader of their pack, but Drusilla could pull rank if she wanted to. They were her children after all not the other way around.

“Buffy, go get some sleep, pack your things, do whatever you need to. We’re leaving tonight as soon as the sun goes down.”

Buffy nodded at Spike and gave Dru a kiss before leaving to gather up her stuff. ‘At least my last night in Prague was memorable… Except that I can’t remember most of it.’


TBC…