slayers_desire | recovering from an ordeal

Clark looks up, and tilts his head slightly in invitation. "You're not interrupting, don't worry." Not that Spike necessarily would... but it seems the polite thing to say.

"One good thing for that..." Spike sat on the edge of the bed. "I wanted to apologize for you both."

"I should have been in touch sooner about this whole mess."

"Oh dad..." April whispered.

"You probably should've," Clark agrees. "But we won't hold it against you."

"I really didn't know how to say the girl I loved screwed up our world, and April's effort were for naught." Spike grumbled.

"Dad... what happened?"

"Buffy deactivated the other Slayers."

"How? And... why?" He can't imagine it was on purpose, and if it was... she must have thought she was doing the right thing. Right?

"She destroyed the Seed of Wonder. Broke all magic in this world. All vampires created since then have been mindless and feral. Potential Slayers can't access their powers."

"And it is a mess. A bloody mess." Spike whispered.

"Dad... we could have helped."

"Why did she do it?" He's not sure if Spike is refusing to answer the question or if he just forgot.

"Because she was angry. Giles... Giles got killed." Spike knows it is not a good answer. But that answer isn't an easy one to give.

"You said she left. Where is she?"

"With Angel. They are back together."

"Giles is dead..." It's a shock to hear that. Clark had only met him a few times, but he genuinely liked the man. He seemed to act as Buffy's Chloe, giving her guidance along the way. Without him...

"She didn't come back when the world went to hell?"

"She didn't want to. She wanted to... be on her own and live her own life. And is now living it with Angel."

"Oh Father... this sounds all horrible."

"So she broke the world and went off to live in denial instead of fixing the problem?" Buffy may not be a superhero in name, or held to the same standards that he holds himself, but the idea is anathema to Clark. Even if you don't choose to take on the burden of doing what you can, you have to clean up your own messes. And you certainly don't doom the world so you can run off and ignore it.

"She has done it before mate." Spike went for a cigarette. April coughed, gesturing to her pregnant bump, and he put it away.

"But Willow says there is a way to grow a new Seed. So we have hope."

"That can make all the difference," April smiles softly.

"That doesn't make it right." If he knew where Buffy was, and if he was willing to leave April's side, he'd want to go and give her a piece of his mind for this. But he doesn't, and he isn't, so he's going to stay here.

"Do you know how?"

"Willow only said that 'the Scythe was the key to restoring magic'. She is trying to find more information." Spike replied. "And we fight the good fight."

April reached across the bed and touched Spike's hand gently.

"I guess that's all you can do..."

Clark isn't sure they'll ever take him up on it, but he has to make the offer. "If you ever need backup, you can give the League a call."

((bedtime))

"I will be more deligent with ensuring you know what is going on here." Spike promised.

"That is all we ask father." April squeezed his hand.

Clark nods a little. "Now that we've gotten that out of the way... I guess it's a little too late to announce that you're going to be a grandfather."

Spike smiles softly. He reaches out to April, "May I?" She nods, and Spike places his hand on her stomach.

"A grandfather hey? I feel too young to believe it."

"Father, you are centuries old."

Clark's pleased that Spike is taking the news well, given his reaction earlier when he found out. April's never really had a close relationship with her parents, and while Spike is the only one she can connect with now, he's been more distant than she'd like. Maybe, Clark hopes, this can help bring them closer together. "We honestly were going to tell you earlier."

"We are both to blame for that." Spike admits with a soft grumble.

April took Clark's hand. Then with the spirit of open communication with her father, said, "I had a vision of mother during one of my doctor appointments. It scared me. A lot."

"It was her own birth," Clark adds, for Spike's benefit. And he gives April's hand a little squeeze.

Spike frowned. "I wasn't around for that. Why did it scare you pet?"

"Mother... hurt herself. Multiple times. And the hunger for blood... the blood of newborn me was very distinct too." April's voice broke a few times as she tried to vocalize the words.

Clark can do little but be here for her, but be here he is indeed. And tries to lend her strength through the bond, just by him sitting at her side. "Us being in a hospital at the time probably didn't help."

"Dru... Dru was never stable love. Besides, she didn't have any support. You do." Spike pointed out. "The hunger might happen. But you are strong pet. You always have been."

"I wish there was someone who went through this, a vampire, that I could talk to." April sighed. Spike nodded, knowing that was something he couldn't change.

"I wish you could too." He's been helping search for someone she can relate to, another vampire with similar struggles, but even in the Nexus they're hard to come by.

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