Title: Afterglow31-2/57 NOT a work in progress

Author: T. Claybourne  (t.claybourne@yahoo.com)

Rating: Rated R most chapters for violence and Language, some are NC- 17 for sexual content

A/N I'd like to thank my Beta Reader Hawera And muses Michelle Branch, Robbie Williams and Evanescence

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Afterglow Chapter 31 Part 2 Singing Swords

Mia was waiting for Giles the next morning. She had brought her sword and was really looking forward to running drills with it. Giles came in, wearing a dark blue tracksuit. He went into the weapons locker and took a sword. They went over a few drills and then they began the practice fight.

Mia was parrying quickly and blocking, then thrusting. Giles did the same, but after a bit he had to say:

"Mia, please slow down a bit. I don't have your speed."

"Oh, sorry."

They went on, Giles working up a sweat. The swords clinked and clanked and made that magical sound that swords fighting do.

Spike found them that way, moving back and forth, up and down the room.

"Enough, Mia," called Giles and dropped is sword. "I'm spent."

"Look what you did to poor Rupert. Mia, he looks like a wet rag."

"Thank you ever so, Spike."

Spike went off to the office. Mia ran after him and came back with a towel.

Giles wiped his face. "I think the training was quite successful."

"Yes, I picked up several moves. Can we do this again?"

"Buffy is quite good with a sword and may be able to keep up with you better."

"I'm sorry about that, but I still think I could learn more from you."

He squeezed her shoulder and she flinched just slightly. "Are you injured from today's training?"

"No," Mia smiled. "I'm just a little tender where I dislocated that last night; it's fine, though."

"I saw the facial bruising, and then bruising on Spike as well, so I assume this was between the two of you."

"Just some friendly sparring, Giles."

"Yes, well, I hope you and I never get that friendly."

"Alright, we'll refrain from the rough stuff," smiled Mia. "Anytime you want it, though, you can just give me a holler.

Giles blushed.

"Please Giles, I'm sorry, that was very.... I didn't mean it like it sounded. I'm so just going to shut up now."

"Well then, I'll call it a day. Enjoy your classes." He gave her a slight smile as he turned and left.

Mia watched him walk out.

Spike came around the corner. "Embarrassed the old man, did you?"

"He blushed, actually blushed. I didn't know he could do that."

Spike chuckled, "I'm just wondering if he'll ever call you."

"It's probably a good thing I don't feed on humans seeing as I have my foot in my mouth. There'd be no room to fit a neck."

Spike walked over and picked up her hand. "Nice sword. Chinese?"

"Yes."

"When?"

"Late Ming Dynasty."

"No, when did you get it?"

"Oh, while I was in Bath."

"They have them just lying around there, do they?"

"It was a gift."

"Bloody hell, do I have to drag every word out of you, woman, or are you going to tell me about this pretty new plaything?"

"Angel sent it. He was worried about me being depressed and thought it would encourage me to stay in the fight."

"Angel. Inn't that just so sweet."

"You're just jealous."

"Please."

"Well, face it. I have this awesome sword and you have.... what was it Angel sent you? Oh right.... nothing."

"You just think you are so bloody damn special, don't you."

Mia grinned, "Think, sweetie ? I know it, and so do you."

"What I know is..." Spike used two fingers and shoved them into her already injured shoulder. Mia held her grin and didn't flinch, but countered with a thrust to his side. Spike sucked in his breath.

"Grow up, Spike. If you play nice I'll let you touch and even play with my new toy." Mia picked up the scabbard, placed her sword in it and walked to the office.

She sat behind the desk lighting a cigarette.

Spike leaned in the door.

"How the bleeding hell do you do that?"

"What? I light it and suck the air through it, drawing the delicious smoke in, then..."

"No, you twit. What you just did. You manage to piss me off and make a fool of me when moments before I was laughing at something you said."

"It's not always that order. Sometimes I make a fool out of you first, then you get mad and then I make you laugh or..."

"Will you shut it?" His eyes narrowed.

Mia grinned and threw him the pack of smokes and then the lighter. "I just told you, Spike, I'm special."

He shook his head. "I don't understand why I let you do it."

"You love me in a sick vampire kindred way"

"Not that bloody much."

"Oh, please, admit that on some level you enjoy it. Your life would be less interesting without me to irritate you, and mine wouldn't be as much fun if I couldn't oblige. Want to play with my sword now?"

"As if that's going to make it all better."

"I'll let you see how sharp it is on my arm, draw blood."

Spike's eyebrow went up. "You're just teasing me."

"Have I ever teased about something involving blood?"

Mia handed him the sword and he pulled it from the scabbard. "It's nice: well balanced."

He examined the blade, "It's strangely familiar."

Mia stuck her arm out. "Go, let's see some blood."

Spike made a quick swipe, leaving a shallow cut down her forearm. The blood beaded up and dropped down. Mia used her finger and wiped some of it up. She showed it to Spike. "Better?"

"Alright, you are," he said flatly.

"What?"

Spike smiled, "I'll only say it this once and then even if you torture me I'll never say it again."

Mia cocked her head.

"Special... no one, but you would have known that would make me feel better."

Mia gave a short laugh and put her bloody finger in her mouth. "It's just that I'm a vampire that lived with you: I'm not that special, I just have a good memory."

"Such a bloody contradiction you are. No wonder you keep that boy's attention. That and other bits of you."

"We talk about those bits, we'll talk about yours as well."

"I thought you started on those yesterday, pet," Spike said, sitting opposite her and putting his feet up on the desk.

"Oh, listen. I hear students. It's class time." She stood up and smacked his feet. "Let's go teach some Slayers how to kill our kind, big guy."

~ ~ ~

"You bleeding threw that elbowing into the move on purpose, just to put me on the mat in front of all the girls." Spike walked in the office and sat down. "I did not, it just happened."

"You know very well I haven't shown them that part of the move yet."

Mia sat behind her desk, emptied the ashtray and put it between them.

"You're mad because you hit the mat? Please, you do that all the time."

"Not in front of them. You sodding do it again and you can stay at the back of the class. I won't use you to demonstrate."

Mia snorted, "Sure, we'll just let Stephanie demonstrate instead, and when she puts your ass to the mat it'll be much less embarrassing."

Spike lit a cigarette and took a drag. His eyes narrowed. "Have you been working with Stephanie on her own?"

"Suspicious, much? Please and duh...when? But think about it. You trained her and she's smart. She's good, Spike, really good." Mia lit her cigarette up.

"She is, isn't she?" Spike grinned.

"Can you picture the vampire that runs into her? It thinks, "Hey, look at this tiny but tasty little snack," and then... POW! Dusty bits all over the ground."

"I'd love to see the bleeding look on its face, the shock and dismay," Spike closed his eyes briefly. "It hit me just then how very much I've changed sides. I've jumped off the bloody cliff, haven't I?"

Mia smiled. She opened a desk drawer and handed him a faded black book with a faded red spine. It was worn and had no dust cover. There was a Celtic design in red surrounding the title and the author's name.

~~~ Morte d' Arthur ~ by Sir Thomas Malory ~~~

"What's this?" he asked

"It was my Grandma's; she gave it to me before I went to college in Los Angeles. She used to read to me from it when I was a little girl. Do you remember, I wrote a paper on Knightly love? Some of what I read here inspired that. It's one of the few things I took when I left L.A. after I became a vampire. I want you to have it."

Spike just stared at her. "Mia..." He tilted his head slightly to the left. "I can't take something your Grandma gave you: you don't have much from left from either of your grandparents."

"I have plenty of memories: besides I already inscribed it."

Spike opened the book. She had written:

Spike,

The knights of today no longer fight to protect those they love , but at least there are a few champions that still do, I am lucky enough to know one, just in case you didn't figure it out, that's you.

With Love, M

Spike looked up at her. His eyes looked into hers as if searching for something.

Mia just smiled at him. "Wood sent me back the coat. I have my piece, and now you have yours."

Spike didn't say anything: he just continued to stare at her. This woman knew him way too well. It was almost frightening how she could see into him.

Mia's brow went up. "We aren't going to get all emotional here, are we?"

Spike smiled back at her, shaking his head. "No. Wood sent you the coat?"

"Yes, while I was in Bath. Everyone was very worried about me."

"You have that effect on people."

"I know. It's a Mary Sue thing."

"A what?"

"Never mind."

"No, I think I will mind. I left the goofy side kick comment alone last time you said it, but this time I think I'll push you for an explanation."

"The goofy side kick comment?"

"On your birthday. You said something about me not trying to be one."

"And you talk about me having a good memory." Mia said with a smile.

They stood looking at one another for a moment.

"Go on then, explain."

"You're kidding. It's just a little nonsense thing."

"Then it'll be no bother to explain."

Mia shook her head. "It's nothing, really."

Spike raised his eyebrow.

"OK, there is something called Fan Fiction. It's a form of fiction writing surrounding different television programs, sometimes movies or even books and their characters. And before you ask about it, no I don't read it, I don't really have time, I know about it because I did research for a paper in college. A Mary Sue is the nickname given to a character that isn't one of the original characters of the program or what have you. It's a character that the Fan Fiction author has created and that usually is very well loved by everyone in the story, who tends to solve all the problems and is .....

" Perfect."

Mia nodded, "Yes exactly."

"I recall you used to think you were too perfect. You said something about trying to screw up but somehow it always turned out fine. I thought maybe you changed your mind once you became a vamp."

"For a while I did, but now look at me. I steal a car from a guy; he buys me a beautiful sword. I throw a guy against the wall and break him; he sends me that beautiful leather coat."

"Trust me Em you are not perfect. I of all people know that, but this," Spike picked up the book, "just proves my point from yesterday, that you are a contradiction."

Mia grinned and shrugged. "Vampire with a soul: can't get much more contradictory. You should try it some time."

Spike gave a short chuckle. "You should shut it."

"What? I meant you should try the vampire side of it."

"And you were bleeding worried about it getting emotional in here."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Mia was drinking some blood and smoking a quick cigarette before her Watchers' class on Thursday. Things were going well. She trained with the Slayers, then taught the Watchers' class that followed. Every night she'd go home and shortly thereafter she'd be in bed with Xander. Mia was feeling pretty good about her life. She took a final drag and put out the cigarette just as Spike came to the back. Her phone rang.

"Hey," said Xander

"Hey, honey."

"Got some news just now. Seems Willow has invited everyone over for pizza, beer and videos tonight."

"Oh."

"Yeah, I think this may be her way of telling us she is tired of us rushing off to bed the minute you get home."

Mia gave a short laugh. "Maybe. We have been kind of inconsiderate that way. "

"Sure, but I like it: not the inconsiderate part, the rest though."

"Yes, but I guess we can't live forever on your sandwiches, my pigs' blood and sex alone."

"I'm willing to try."

"I know you are. So, who is everyone?"

"Buffy, Giles, Dawn and probably that thing Buffy dates."

"Thing? I could take offense at that, dear."

"I know you could, but you won't, will you? Because then I'd have to try all these different ways to make it up to you. Wait, go ahead. Take offense."

"Oh. Please stop it. Do you know the kind of ways I'm thinking of how you'll be making it up to me? And now we have to spend the evening with everyone Xander." She bit her bottom lip.

"Oh, bloody hell. If you are going to go on like that, at least go in the weapons' locker." Said Spike from across the room.

Xander chuckled. "I forgot it has good hearing."

Mia smiled glancing Spikes direction. "I didn't."

Xander laughed then. "You are very bad, very very bad, you will be punished: start thinking of those ways. See ya baby."

"Bye."

Mia pointed her finger at Spike. "Say one word and I'll make you tell the Watchers' class the definition of effulgent."

"I never told you about that."

Mia stood and cocked her head, and her brows came together. "You didn't?"

Spike shook his head. "No."

"Then how do I know?... My heart it grows a...." Mia rubbed her forehead. She was seeing a Victorian sitting room and Spike with dark sandy colored hair; then it was dark outside and she saw him again, but in tears.

"They hurt you....No, it was her; she had brown hair and tight curls. She said you were beneath her... William."

Spike watched as Mia seemed to be seeing his past flit before her mind's eye.

"Oh no ... Drusilla!" Mia fell back against the desk and closed her eyes for a moment.

"Mia?" Spike touched her shoulder. She drew back from him.

"You asked for it? You never told me that. You asked. I always thought she forced it on you, like she did me."

"How can you sodding tell someone something like that? You shouldn't have been able to read that, see that, we are of the same blood."

"So I transcend the bond of blood. Drusilla did. She had visions of Angel all the time. Of course, she had the sight before she was turned, but none of this preternatural stuff is predictable. I can hear my students. I have to go."

"You're steady enough to teach?"

"I'm a fucking rock. It's your past, not mine."

~ ~ ~

Mia came back to the office after class to find Spike with a drink in one hand and a cigarette in the other.

"Spike?"

"We have to talk."

"About my vision? No we don't, I'm OK with it."

"It was the most pivotal night of my life and you're bleeding OK with it?"

Mia rolled her eyes. "How much of that have you had to drink?"

Spike closed his eyes slowly and then reopened them.

"Listen, Spike, I have no idea what you want to get out of our talking about this, but I want to tell you something. You told me that you used to care for your mother, that you loved her so much that you sired her after you became a vampire. You told me that you wrote bad poetry and read it to her. That was the extent of what I knew about your life before you were a vampire. Today I learned a lot more. I learned that William was a loving, caring, creative ..."

"Poof"

"Shut up, I'm talking.... Man. He took a risk. It didn't pay off, but he took it. I have a feeling you hated the humanness of William so much all those evil bloody years that it's gotten to be habit for you to forget his finer points. Perhaps William wasn't realistic about his love. Well, neither were you a few years back. Maybe if he'd been as persistent as you are, well, who knows? It helped me, seeing that those parts of William that are still in you, just like some parts of Emma are still in me. I don't know why I had the vision. I know I won't share with anyone. I figure it's the type of thing you would prefer to keep private."

"Maybe I should have told you, told Emma."

"Sometimes there are things we need to keep private: we need preserve a piece of ourselves for just ourselves. There were things I didn't share completely with you back then."

"Just what did you keep back?"

"The first time we had sex, I planned that. I wasn't anywhere near as drunk as you thought. And that next morning I told myself I'd better not mess up our situation by saying or doing anything wrong because I wanted to have a lot more sex with you. I knew after that night you were the only one who would ever be able to keep up with me."

Spike just stared at her a moment. "Bloody hell! You can't just stand there now and say something like that." Spike crossed his arms over his chest as he looked to the ceiling briefly then back at her. "And look at you, you are."

Mia grinned and flicked her eyebrows up once.

"You know you bloody well did it just to piss me off?"

"Maybe, but it is the absolute truth. So, how are you feeling now about what happened earlier? Come on, let's go."

Spike put his cigarette out and moved his drink aside.

"I don't know how, but I forgot how bloody smart you are....How you could do that, how you would do that. Say something and make me get distracted about..., course never said something to brass me off but.... His eyes softened as he spoke.

"You're welcome. Now, come on. Very shortly your girlfriend will be telling you that the two of you are coming to a pizza night at our house. Not like I'll be enjoying any pepperoni anytime soon but ...."

"Why's that, pet?" he smiled at her change in subject. He knew sometimes the past was too near for her as well.

"No solids: isn't it like that for all new baby vampires?"

Spike stood. "Listen up, grasshopper, there is a trick to the solid thing. You need to get blood in the system shortly before eating. That gets the stomach and other organs doing their stuff, lets the solids break down correctly."

"So that's it, blood. Oh god, Mc Donald's French fries, Chocolate and Fish and Chips, here I come."

Spike chuckled, "You might have to go a little slowly at first, quantity wise, and hold off mixing those things together."

Mia gave a little laugh, " OK, chocolate will be first, then the fries, then much later the fish and chips. Well, fish and chips at all only because that's what you are supposed to eat when you come here to England."

Spike grinned, " You know what we're supposed to eat but it's off limits due to the soul."

"Sole, fish and chips...... I am so confused. I'm going home now to tell my boyfriend how I am planning on eating my first piece of pizza since I was sired."

He chuckled, "You know Mia I forgot how sodding cute you could be."

She looked at him with her eyebrow raised. " I am a vampire, Spike. We are anything but cute, as you yourself know. I think you must have me confused with someone else."

With a smile he said, "Yes, right, my chocolate-McDonalds-French Fries-here-I-come vampire. I had you totally confused with someone else."

"You know, I'm in such a good mood now I know how to eat solid food that I'm not going to hit you. See you later." She walked past him and on out the door.

~ ~ ~ ~

Willow gathered up the pizza boxes and Mia the paper plates and napkins, and they headed down to the kitchen.

"You're not mad are you?" asked the redhead.

"About everyone being here, no it's fun."

"You're not just saying that ? I mean, I know I was with the sneaky, what with you and Xander being all ..."

"Senior citizen bedtime like."

"Time wise, not action, right?" grinned Willow.

'"Have to admit after I made us wait so long, I want to catch up."

"I get that, I do, but I've been a little lonely, I missed you too."

"I wasn't so sure, Willow. I mean you were pretty angry with me."

"Cause, cause you hurt Xander, which now I realize he knew might happen, you warned him."

"I'll make you a deal; Xander and I will try and have dinner with you, maybe stick around until say nine, that sound reasonable?"

"Very, and how about you, with the eating a whole piece of pizza, so when you say eat dinner, maybe you actually will."

"Yes, the great white haired sensei told me how to accomplish that."

Willow and Mia started upstairs and reached the top just as Xander pulled the leather package that held the sword papers out of the drawer of the special rosewood table that he and Mia had picked out to display her sword. He handed them to Giles.

"Xander!" exclaimed Mia

"What?"

She looked at the papers, then at Spike.

"Giles wanted to see the authentication."

Mia took a deep breath and moved over to the stairs. She sat down. She was hidden a bit by the banister and spindles.

The origin of the sword and the fact that it involved Spike was interesting, but she hadn't really wanted anyone else but Xander to know. Angel had gotten it for her, and the connection to Spike was a special, for her. Spike wouldn't see it that way; in fact, it probably would go over like a lead balloon. Every time she held the sword she felt it, this sword had touched Spike. It had a power to it that she couldn't explain to anyone.

Over the general conversation she heard Giles say "Oh my."

The others were crowding around him but Mia stayed put, watching through the spindles as the paper was handed to Spike.

Mia stood up but didn't move.

It all seemed to happen in slow motion: Spike turned, handed the paper to Buffy and stared at Mia. He walked across the room towards her. Mia had no idea what to say to him, so she said in a quiet voice that only his vampire hearing would pick up the first thing that popped into her head.

"I always thought that scar was sexy."

Spike stared at her for a long time, his eyes narrowed. Mia walked down the stairs and stood next to him.

Everyone went quiet.

"You didn't say a bleeding word about this when you had it in at work."

"I know. It was hard to bring up."

"Angel's insult."

"The sword is meant to connect me to something."

Mia went and took the sword from its stand then taking the leather folder of papers as well she walked over and put the sword with the documents in Spike's hands.

"You should have it. Take it."

Spike stood silently, eyes angry, staring at it for several moments; he ran his hand up and down the scabbard. He pulled the sword from the scabbard and stared at the blade. Then he sheathed it again and looked back at Mia. His eyes had softened.

"I took enough from that Slayer. It's yours now." He handed it all back to Mia.

Buffy watched as Mia put it back on the stand.

"I get why it's that sword: it's got a power to it, what with that other Slayer carrying it. What I don't get is why Angel would go to all that trouble. Does Angel know something about you that we don't? Something we should?"

Spike put his hand on Buffy. "Buffy?"

"What's that supposed to mean?" asked Xander

Mia turned to Buffy.

"Probably the same thing Spike knows about me. Living as a vampire in a human world, toting a soul around, battling my own demon daily, is a tough and lonely way to live. It's a struggle to keep your humanity when the people you have sworn to protect are filled with the very thing that promotes your life. Angel knows that the nightmare of draining someone you love could actually happen if your demon took over, if your humanity was stripped from you and/ or you lost control. I believe it's actually happened to him once. He knew I was contemplating leaving everything and everyone behind, and with it the fight. So... he sent that sword with a note. It said, "Don't give up". Is that a good enough explanation for you, Buffy, or do you need more?"

"Come on, Buffy," Spike said, drawing Buffy away.

Xander took Mia's hand. "You alright?"

"Just fine. Funny how jealous she got that Angel sent it."

"What?"

"Yeah, you didn't get that?"

"I got how things are for you."

"Things are easier with you in my life, Xander, a lot easier." She kissed him.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

They drove to Spike's apartment in silence. It wasn't until they were sitting on the couch that either of them spoke. Buffy held her knees pulled up under her chin. Spike slid her over to him and under his arm.

"Are you going to say anything, love?"

"I'm confused about myself. How could I say something like that to her?"

Spike chuckled.

"It's not funny Spike. I as much as accused her of..."

"Conspiring with Angel about a secret mission?"

"But I was so rude, and it wasn't like she bought the sword, it was a gift."

"From Angel: you were jealous he gave it to her."

"No I wasn't."

"No, okay then, you're jealous because she has the attention of both your vampires."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"Means you like to keep us to yourself and that sword was big proof you can't."

"That's so stupid."

"OK, you tell me why you were upset."

"That sword is the one that..."

Spike lifted the eyebrow the sword had scarred. "You don't think it's sexy?"

Buffy smiled, "Maybe."

"You know Angel owes her a lot, not just because she was turned that day, but because she is the one that went in there and made sure The Master didn't rise in him. He could have sent sodding flowers, but he put a lot of thought into what might actually do her some good. Don't ever tell the poof, but his getting this exact sword for her actually impresses me."

"You're kidding, Angel impressed you. Did I wake up in a different dimension this morning?"

Spike kissed her and Buffy responded. He drew back and looked at her. "Feel better?"

"What she said about the loneliness and the struggle... is it true?"

"I can't speak for Angel, but for me, yes. Having you helps, but yes." He didn't want to tell Buffy that having Mia around also made it a little different, a little easier now. Like he'd told Mia once, they were two birds of a feather. He wondered if Mia felt the same.

"You've never said?"

"How do you say something like that. You were lonely as The Slayer, but could you put it into words and explain it to the ones you cared for?"

"No. She said something about draining someone, could she do that to Xander?"

"Bloody hell ... Buffy she was near bloodless in Amsterdam and didn't drink but a smallest amount from his wrist. Mia loves him she wouldn't do anything to harm him, just like I couldn't hurt you.

"But could she hurt someone else?"

Spike gently pushed her aside and stood. He was getting upset with this line of questioning. He was angered by her distrust of Mia, but what was worse was that he felt this showed a lack of trust in him as well.

"Yes! She could: she could probably bloody well kill 'em..."

Buffy looked up at him with surprise.

"... if they'd hurt Xander, or Willow, Giles, Dawn, you or me or anyone else she cared about. I would do the same. It's in our nature. You saw how she threw Wood into that wall. That wasn't just because he threw Faith the stake, it was because she'd warned him to stay clear of me. She was protecting me. It made me feel like a nancy boy poofter but she didn't care. Do you know what I would have done to Wood if that bleeding stake hadn't been plastic and she'd stepped in front of it? I can see in your eyes that you do. So why would you ask a bloody stupid question like that?"

"You still love her."

Spike groaned. "Bloody hell Buffy, just like you still love Angel. Have I asked you to change that?" "No."

" Right then. I'm tired of all this type of talk. Let's kiss and make up, and have a right good shag to forget all of it."

"Could we?"

"We could." Spike pulled her to her feet. "You lead, and start losing those sodding clothes along the way."

He watched as she went. Spike knew without a doubt that Xander Harris had no problem with the fact Angel had sent the sword, or with the connection it had to Spike himself. He envied Mia just a little for that. But then he saw his naked Slayer and that distracted him.