His Gift

Thank you so much for the reviews, they keep me a slave to my computer.

Bloodshedbaby_Starshine I LOVE your fic, Seed born of blood...It's awesome, if anyone hasn't read it PLEASE DO, and don't forget to review. I guess it's kinda the same idea, but my Buffy isn't dead...lol. Hope you continue to enjoy...Az


His Gift_2


“There is no reason for me to stay…my slayer is gone…” Giles said, tears slowly descending the haggard planes of his face. “I can’t…be here without her.”

“You can’t leave watcher. They need you…Dawn needs you…” Spike said softly blinking back tears. He lifted the bottle to his lips and took another swig.

“The council needs me to complete my records.” Giles took the bottle offered by the blond vampire. Taking a long swallow he handed the bottle back.

“So…fine you go…but you come back…I can’t raise Dawn on my own, take care of everything for her…the others…they have things in their lives, school, jobs…my bit needs…” Spike’s face crumpled as he let out a howl of rage followed by blinding tears. ‘She need’s her big sis. Needs Buffy. Like I do.’

“I’ll certainly consider it…I confess she hasn’t been my top priority…” Giles said honestly. “I’ve been consumed by my grief for the last week. I can’t even tell you if she’s eaten…if she’s been to school…where she is right now…”

“She’s at school…” Spike whispered. “I’ve been there every day since…since…” Spike felt the hot tears running down his cheeks. “M’ goin’ back soon as the sun sets…”

“I think it would be wise if I stopped in there tonight…” Giles said softly. “See how she’s holding up…”

“That’d be…she’d appreciate it…” Spike glanced at the watcher and noticed him staring. “Wot?” He almost growled.

“Why are you here Spike? I mean you have nothing tying you here…you could just…leave…”

Spike shook his head venomously. “Never leavin’. My bit needs me. Not gonna leave her…ever.” Spike stared defiantly into Giles eyes. “Sides she’s gonna be out of school for the summer soon, needs someone there for ‘er”

“Ok. So you’re not leaving. Spike you’re a vampire…why do you care? How can you care?” He asked sizing him up.

“Always cared about Dawn. Always, even when I was evil, fore the shoved this sodden chip in m’ head, I couldn’t stand the thought of anyone hurtin’ my bit…then I fell in love with Buffy…promised her…that night…that I’d protect Dawn. F’ I’d done that she’d still be with us.” Spike took another swig from the bottle and handed it to Giles again.

“You’ve got to stop beating yourself up over that Spike, I mean you were not fully healed from Glory’s assault on you.” Giles sighed. “I understand, your reason’s for being here though and as remarkable as it is I do honestly believe that you loved her.” Giles glanced at him again. “I don’t believe you could possibly fake grief like this…and I know that your grief is real…it’s real.”

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Feeling lightheaded and weak Buffy slowly opened her eyes. She glanced around the darkened space. Closing her eyes she hardened her resolve and rose to her feet. Every muscle in her body ached, burned and felt raw.

Hearing a distant scream she made her way towards it, hiding in the dense foliage she found herself enclosed in.

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“Dawn…how are you?”

“Giles…” She said coolly turning from him and leaving the front door open she went into the kitchen.

Giles entered the kitchen a few moments later. “I’m sorry Dawn.” He spoke softly.

She glared up at him. Turning to Spike she said softly. “I’m going to my room to finish my homework. Can you call me when dinner’s ready?” She asked.

“I think you should sit and hear what the watcher has to say.” Spike placed a gentle hand on her arm. “Side’s who’s gonna sneak bit’s and pieces ‘fore dinner’s ready if not you?” He asked trying to lighten the mood.

“Fine. Talk watcher-man.” She said angrily. She crossed her arms over her chest and glared at him.

“I know I deserve your anger Dawn…I am truly sorry…I let my own grief get in the way of everything else.” Giles apologized.

“Uhuh…” Dawn said rolling her eyes.

“Niblet…” Spike said warningly.

She glanced at the vampire, shooting him an apologetic shrug. “Sorry.” She mumbled under her breath.

Giles was watching the interaction between the two with great interest.

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Buffy walked with a purposeful stride, head held high, determination in her step. She looked awesomely powerful, despite her ragged clothing and greasy stringy hair. Inside she was trembling. She still hurt all over, even though slayer healing should have kicked in by now.

‘It must be almost a year already.’ She took a deep breath, pushing down her fear and turning it to anger. ‘Can’t think about them. My friends. Can’t wonder if they’re worried about me…definitely can’t think about him Spike.’ Turning off her thoughts she kept walking.

She caught it out of the corner of her eye. Tossing the war hammer with deadly accuracy it crushed the skull of the rabbit looking thingy she spotted. Scooping it up she carried it back to the makeshift cave she found.

Her stomach was growling. She was ravenous, for some reason the smell of fresh blood made her even hungrier. She had discovered in the first few days she was there that the only things to eat were these creatures and things that kind of resembled and tasted like strawberries back home.

It wasn’t the most pleasant thing that had happened to Buffy Anne Summers since she woke up in this hell dimension. ‘So if these are the only things I’ve been eating for what feels like a year why am I getting a paunch?’ She wondered absently rubbing her stomach.

‘It’s not like I don’t work out, fight for my life a thousand times a day, night whatever.’ Ripping the flesh of ‘peter cottontail’ with bare hands she bit in to it hungrily.

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“I can’t believe you’re leaving.” Dawn pouted. With Spike’s encouragement she had forgiven Giles for his absence.

“It’s not for long Dawn. I promise, two weeks…three at the most…the council needs me over in London to go over a few details.” Giles said wrapping a protective arm around the trembling girl.

“But what’s gonna happen to me when Spike’s patrolling?” She pouted again.

“I’ve talked to the other’s. They’ll take turns watching you…” Giles said sympathetically, realizing he said the wrong thing moments after the words left his mouth.

Dawn got up from the couch and glared at him. “I’m not a baby! I don’t need a babysitter!” She shouted angrily.

“I…I didn’t mean it like that Dawn…” Giles said softly.

Dawn glared at him and ran upstairs to her room to sulk.

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“Rupes…” Spike greeted as he entered the house. “Where’s Dawn?”

“Upstairs, she and I had an argument…well not really, the council called me. They need me in England for a while…I’m leaving in the morning. I’ll be back in about three weeks…”

“Now?” Spike asked incredulously.

“It’s been two months Spike. We knew this was coming…”

“Yeah…but…just didn’t expect…” Spike sighed. “Ok. We’ll do what we have to do…I guess the rest of ‘em…”

“I already talked to them. They are all willing to help.” Giles said softly. “The sooner I go, the sooner I’ll be back…”

“I know…”

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The first week Giles was gone flew by quickly. It was the first night of the second week that someone didn’t show up to hang out with the teen.

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“I don’t see why we couldn’t have gone over this on the phone.” Giles said angrily tossing his journals on Quentin’s desk.

Travers brought his hands together and smirked at the watcher before him. “You are a fool if you think I would call you all this way just to discuss your journals Rupert.”

“Well why the bloody hell am I here? Dawn is back there and she needs me…” Giles roared angrily.

“There hasn’t been another Slayer called.” Quentin said quietly.

That took the wind out of Giles’ sails. Instant watcher mode. “Have you researched? I don’t…why wouldn’t…”

“It’s Faith…She is the one who was called the most recently, and it wasn’t her who died…”

“What do you propose we do?” Giles asked, his whole body rigid with tension.

“I trust the hellmouth is secure?” Quentin inquired.

“Yes Quite.” Giles nodded.

“Then I propose we do nothing, give it a little more time. If activity increases there…if there is need…we will decide what to do then…”

Giles nodded. “So I am free to go back then?” He asked.

“I would like you to stay for one week. Then yes, you can go back.”

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“I'm not leaving you here by yourself, so forget it.”

”Well, I'm just saying…I know you need to patrol…”

Spike slammed the cards down hard on the table. “No. I'm not leaving you ... to get hurt.” He growled. Taking a calming breath he spoke again softly. “Not again.” He pointed to the cards. “Now deal.”
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Buffy was fighting for her life yet again. She growled, smashing the demon in the face with the hammer. The demon flew to the ground and tried to get up.

Bringing the hammer down on its stomach she was stunned when she felt reverberations up her arms instead of the stomach smashing in. ‘What the?’ She brought it down on its head with a sickening thud. Its skull cracked open and she let out a growl. “That’ll teach you to mess with me.”

She leaned down and touched the dead demon’s stomach. It was hard. Really hard. She noticed four neat holes in what looked like a protective covering, on the sides, out of normal vision when you face off with an opponent, but now, this close she could clearly see it had been tied there with leather bands. Looking up she noticed the creature was a female. Turning her over Buffy undid the leather bands and pulled it from the demon, giving her one last vicious, but very satisfying kick.

She turned it over in her hands. It looked like a big turtle shell, hollowed out in the middle, like someone with a beer gut could place over their tummy to protect it. ‘Hmmm’

She took one last glance at the demon and noticed it’s bulging stomach. Shrugging she tucked her newly acquired possession under her arm, picking up her hammer she continued her hunt for food.

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She was laying on the ground, trying to sleep. Since she had eaten earlier in the evening she couldn’t get comfortable. She felt gassy and a little nauseous.

Rubbing her hand absently on her stomach she closed her eyes again. Suddenly she bolted up, crawled a few feet away from her makeshift bed and tossed her cookies. “Uhhhh…” Wiping her mouth on the back of her hand she once again crawled towards bed.

She was hungry again, after emptying her stomach. ‘I am not going out there again tonight.’ She thought angrily. Picking up a few of the almost strawberries she quickly ate them. She picked up her makeshift decanter. She really surprised herself when she made it.

It had been shortly after she arrived. She found a mini spring in the foliage, but with nothing to carry water in she had to go there several times a day. One of the creatures that inhibited this place came rushing at her when she was sitting by the water contemplating it. She annihilated it with her hammer, not knowing what possessed her she leaned over its inert form and cut open it’s stomach with the sharp stone she found by the water. Pulling out its stomach lining all in one piece she carried it down to the water and washed it off.

Tying one end off she took it with her to her cave. Drying it out, she then used it to store water. She was still patting herself on the back for her ingenious idea.

She had recently taken one of the leather strips she found and tied the makeshift water decanter with her when she went out to hunt.

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Spike dreamt about her every night. his Buffy. But tonight it was different. He could feel her. It felt like she was calling to him through the claim, begging him to find her. Spike awoke with a star, tears streaming down his face, her name on his lips.

“Spike?” Dawn called out from the top of the stairs. “You ok?”

“Yeah bit. Just…dreamin’” He replied, his voice hoarse with emotion.

Dawn descended a few stairs and sat down, so she could see him. “I dream about her too…” She said softly.

“I’m sorry bit…didn’t mean to wake you…” He apologized.

“I couldn’t sleep…” She whispered. “I miss her so much…”

“Why don’t you go and get into bed. I’ll get dressed and come sit with you till you fall asleep…”

Dawn nodded. She was used to it. It had become routine, if she couldn’t sleep she’d go wake Spike and he would hangout with her until she fell asleep. It made her feel safe, and it made him feel needed.

Once Dawn left he pulled on his one and only pair of black sweat pants and one of his numerous black t-shirts, he sat on the edge of his bed for a few moments gathering himself. Then he felt it. Panic. Fear. Buffy.

It was coming loud and clear from the claim he placed on her. For the first time in his unlife Spike was stunned.

He didn’t even hear Dawn come downstairs again until she spoke. “I thought you were coming up…Spike…are you ok?” She asked placing her hand on his arm.

“Yeah…I…I guess the dream I had affected me mor’n I thought it did.” He said softly, getting up from the bed. ‘Can’t tell the bit about it just yet. Not till I know what’s going on.’ Determinedly he put it out of his mind, concentrating on taking care of Dawn.

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She was dreaming. About him. Spike. He was walking away from her.

NO! Spike…No…I’m here…don’t leave…please…I need you…we need you…she cried out rubbing her bulging stomach.

Buffy awoke trembling and panicking. ‘NO! I can’t be. NO!”

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