A Place Called Home ( Switch 2)

Introduction :- Continuation of Switch.
Buffy and Spike swap bodies with each other and have to travel to another dimension to retrieve the staff from a demon that will swap them back. Whilst in the others body , they become at ease with each other and find themselves drawn to each other. The Initiative set up base in Sunnydale and capture Buffy and they experiment on her and Spike gets chipped. Between them , they bring the Initiative and Maggie Walsh down. They send Riley, Harmony and Maggie to the dimensional zoo as exhibits.
Darla arrives with a surprise for Angel , just as Buffy and Spike are due to get married. Holtz and a demon called Sahjhon send Connor through the portal, Groo acts as his protector and goes through the rift after him.
Buffy is shot by Holtz shortly before Angel kills Holtz as his act of revenge for sending Connor through the dimensional rift to Quor'toth and also Buffy's death.

This story picks up from the last paragraph.


Welcome Home

Six Months Later

"Spike?!" her voice yelled through the house "Get your lazy vamp ass outta bed, Angels on the phone"

"Fuck sake, can' I get a bloody minutes peace, what's the great lummox want now?"

"I dunno, not like I want to talk to him is it?"

Spike threw the covers back and stumbled down the stairs and into the kitchen, scratching through his hair and rousing his curls to fall around his face. He grabbed the phone from Dawn and frowned at her, which she returned with a tongue poking out and a smile on her lips.

"Whatever it is better be bloody important, I was up all night killing a nest of vamps, so make it quick you git"

"It's Connor, he's back"

"Good for you now is that all?"

"Nope, he came back with a couple of hitch hikers"

"So, send them on their merry way , unless they're hell beasts, in which case I find a bloody flame thrower works"

"It's Buffy and she's not alone"

The phone hung from it's wire and the front door was wide open, Dawn and Joyce stood at the foot of the stairs staring as a car sped from the drive way.


The journey to L.A was taking far too long as far as Spike was concerned. His cell phone had been turned off and tossed into the rear of the car. Joyce had been ringing him constantly since he had left , and whilst he loved the woman, now was not the time to be having the ' are you there yet ' conversation. Not when Spike was doing over a ton down the freeway .

Spike approached the slip road for L.A fast and his tyres screeched their disapproval and the speed in which he took it. Now he just had to get to the Hotel and get his girl back.


Angel stood staring at Groo, Buffy and his son, who was now a young lad of sixteen. It appeared time ran at a different rate in Quor'toth. Buffy was an attractive thirty something and Groo, well he didn't age, something that had benefits from being from Pylea.What had astounded Angel was the child beside Buffy.

"I don't like that man, he keeps staring at me"
"Ignore him if it bothers you that much, but he won't hurt you I promise" Buffy told the small child.

Connor picked the child up and tickled him under the arm, making the child giggle infectiously.
Angel thought that they looked like a family from out of town. Buffy and Groo stood side by side, Connor and the small child hugging and stood beside Buffy. Jealousy ate at Angel, not only had his ex been there to bring up his son, but so had Groo. Connor seemed a very well adjusted and happy young man.

Angel had wanted to talk to Buffy alone and find out how she had ended up in the dimension with them. Not that he wasn't glad that she was alive, but it would throw a curve ball at them all.

Connor hugged Buffy and then retired to the room that he had been given earlier, the small child went to follow , but Buffy called him back to her side , the child obeyed . Groo sat with the child on his lap while Angel motioned for Buffy to come into his office so that they could talk. Huffing, Buffy followed .

"What the hell has been going on?" Angel asked . He turned his back to her and scratched at his forehead. "Is that child yours and if so, is it Groo's, cos I'm pretty sure Spike will rip his head off when he finds out"
"Will you quit already, first of all, I came through the portal two hours ago and my head is swimming , second , no the child isn't Groo's, he's a gift from the Powers, I had a choice, I took it"
"Wait, what do you mean?"
Buffy slumped into a chair "I'd rather tell it once Spike gets here, which should be around about ....... now"

Spike slammed open the doors and ran down the few stairs in the foyer. He spotted Groo playing with the child and assumed it was Connor , he stopped beside them as Buffy came running and stopped dead as she saw Spike. He squinted and took in her new appearance. Tears fell and then he rushed her. Sweeping her up into his arms and burrowing his head into her neck and hair and smothering her face and neck in kisses.

"How?" was all he could say through his tears

Connor had heard the commotion and stood at the top of the stairs watching as his surrogate Mum was reunited with her Husband .

"I was given a choice and I took it, I'm starting to think I can't die or stay dead"
"Works for me sweetheart " Spike whispered as his throat choked

"Hate to interrupt but I think it's time a certain someone went to bed" Angel pointed to Groo and the young child that had fallen asleep. "You can stay over, there are a few rooms upstairs that are still habitable"
"Thanks " Buffy replied and she picked up the young bundle.

Buffy carried the boy up and placed him in the huge bed. He squirmed and sucked his thumb as he snuggled down. Buffy watched him and then settled next to him, patting the bed for Spike to join her.
Spike frowned but then shrugged off his duster. He spooned behind Buffy and kissed her shoulder.

"You gonna spill an' tell me who this li'l guy is?"
"He was a gift. Like I said downstairs , I had a choice. The Powers that Be needed another warrior as Quor'toth was hard and Groo was fighting twenty four seven. It was hard and whilst he fought the demons in that realm, there was nobody to take care of, or to protect Connor. I agreed and as a reward, the Powers granted me a gift. I chose him" she stroked the child's head and he sighed in his sleep.
"That answers some of what I wanna know pet, but is he yours?"
"Not exactly Spike..... he's ours"
Spikes eyes grew wide and for once Spike was gobsmacked.

Joyce paced the lounge as she waited for Spike to bring Buffy home. Willow and Xander sat on the couch with Dawn . Willow chewed on her fingers , Xander tapped a tune out on his thighs and Dawn just sat watching the t.v, but wasn't taking any of it in. Giles was in London and had tried to get a flight , but Heathrow was under a blanket of fog and his flight was delayed, Bloody typical!


Spike drove home slowly as his son, who Buffy had named after his Father, had never been in a car and had promptly hid behind Buffy thinking it was a demon. Once sat in his new car seat the three year old was happy. He watched as the other cars sped past and disappeared ahead of them. Spike held Buffy's hand, scared that if he let her go , she would disappear. They still hadn't discussed everything , but Buffy had been less than forth coming with any information regarding her inter dimensional trip in front of Angel. She had Groo had told Angel the parts that mattered with regard to Connor, but that was all. Angel of course, wanted to know all about young William and how he had come to be. A part of it stemmed from the fact that he wasn't the only ensouled vampire, and now he wasn't the only one that had a son. Spike was certainly treading on his toes, not just following in his footsteps.
Jealousy ate at the brooding vampire. Connor had settled in and was comfortable around Angel. He had told him that Groo and Buffy had both bought him up knowing that Angel was his real Father and that he had been borne to two vampires. Connor often wanted to train and Angel had been impressed with his fighting technique, which of course stung once Connor had said that Groo and Buffy had trained him once they considered him old enough.
At night, Angel and his team would take Connor out and watch him take on and kill several vampires and demons on at the same time , and come out victorious every time. Angel and the team at A.I were impressed . Groo and Cordy would hug and make a fuss of Connor after his fights, leaving Angel to watch from the side lines.
Connor loved Groo but couldn't see what his connection was to the brunette, she was far too superficial in his opinion . After knowing and loving Buffy , he found Cordelia too much hard work. He tolerated her for Groo's sake. Connor wished that Angel would make more of an effort with him, instead of sitting back and watching.


Buffy sat in the car staring at the house. Nerves had never been something she had really suffered from, but then again, it seemed years since she died and was sent to Quor'toth. Spike watched her as it seemed a million emotions played across her face .

"What's up pet? You not worried bout what they think?"

Buffy looked back at William, his soft blonde curls and crystal eyes blinked in confusion and the young boy frowned. "We not going to see Narnar and your friends?"
"Of course we are sweety, Momma's just.... come on then" Buffy got out and opened the rear door.

Spike watched as young William held onto Buffy's hand and looked up at the house, his head tilting to one side.

"There's a magic doer in there, she won't send me back will she Momma, I don't wanna go back" he clung to her tightly
"No, Will, Willow is a good witch, she wouldn't hurt you, Mom and Dad wouldn't let her"
"S'right, she won' bloody touch you, that's for sure" Spike said his eyes shone gold for a second, making William snigger.
He tugged on Buffy's arm and she bent down to his level , he cupped his hand round his mouth and whispered into her ear, whilst looking at Spike "Does Daddy always do the eye thingy and does he go all bumpy face all the time?"
Buffy laughed and swept William up in her arms "No, not all the time, just when he's protecting family, friends or if he's fighting a big bad"
"Oh" he said and frowned as Spike showed his demon to the young boy, Who poked his tongue out and then buried his face into Buffy's neck.

Finally Buffy walked towards the door. Joyce swung the door open as she approached it and stopped dead. Joyce smiled, tears hung in her eyes and she threw her arms around her daughter and grandson.

Willow, Xander and Spike held back, giving the two women space to reconnect. Finally the little boy poked his head round Buffy and smiled sweetly at Joyce.
"Your my Narnar, I'm William" he held his hand out.
The gesture bought tears to Joyce's eyes and she hiccuped a laugh, taking his hand and shaking it .
"Nice to meet you William" she smiled and bent down to his eye level "Would you like to come in and have some chocolate milk?"
"And cookies, Mom says you make the best ones" he marched into the kitchen and climbed onto a stool, waiting for everyone else to catch him up.
Joyce motioned for everyone to join them and as the front door shut she whispered to Buffy "Welcome Home baby"