Unknown Factors (Book One)

Ch.85: Mr. Sandman, bring me a dream

  "It's, uh, extraordinary good luck. And-And training." Pops explained while telling us how he took out the Bringer that nearly killed him. "Years of training. Chao-Ahn, keep up. You're new here, Chao-Ahn, take notes. Remember about training. But, I honestly feel the largest part of it is instinct. Instinct and-and reflexes. It's a sort of wary watchfulness I've come into over the years." Following him through the graveyard, I just raised my brow at him, clearly able to tell he was bullshitting about almost everything he was saying. "It's like another sense-"

  And he was suddenly tackled.

  "Pops!" I stepped forward, then saw who had taken him down. "Spike?!"

  "Hey!" The two men said as they looked at each other.

  "You're not in pain."

  "You're not The First." They were talking at the same time.

  "What?"

  "Anya said you were The First." Spike looked a bit confused. "Said you were evil. You're supposed to be all....go-through-able." The vampire got to his feet while gesturing at Pops.

  "Then why the Hell would you tackle me, you bird?! What was that supposed to do?" The human male stood while dusting himself off, and Spike got this look on his face while I snorted.

  "I, uh....I didn't think of that."

  "More importantly, you just hit me! Why didn't your chip go off?"

  "Yeah, well...."

  "Well, uh....when we were at the Initiative-" Buffy spoke up while waving her hands.

  "There was a choice."

  "Right. Either repair the chip or-or to remove it."

  "You had it removed? You had it removed?!" Pops shifted on his feet while looking at Buffy. "The chip?!"

  "....Yeah."

  "Had to make a choice."

  "It really is okay, though, Pops." I waved my hand.

  "What's a 'chip'?" Amanda asked.

  "They removed a 'chip'?" Kennedy questioned, and the new girl said something in her native tongue that I couldn't understand a lick of.

~

  "Aud, we need to talk." I looked up from the jar of peanut butter I was digging into with a knife to see Pops walking into the kitchen.

  "About?"

  "Spike." And I raised a brow to encourage him to continue. "I believe Buffy's decision was heavily influenced by you, and your feelings for him are-are coloring your judgment." I lowered the peanut butter to the counter as Pops leaned on the island in front of me. "That-That life leads to a future full of pain, and I don't want that for you."

  "I-" Sighing, I placed my hands on the counter, not realizing I was exhibiting the same posture as my father. "It's different now. Has been since he got back."

  "It doesn't matter if you aren't physical with each other anymore, there is a connection. You rely on him, and he relies on you- that's what is affecting your judgment, and it's even affecting Buffy because she does care about you and your feelings." I swallowed while briefly averting my eyes to the counter, and I felt Pops's gaze change. "Wait- Aud....are you-are you sleeping with him again?"

  "I thought that was rather obvious, to be honest. Everyone else knew." I mumbled. "But that's not 'coloring my judgment', Pops. I can't speak on Buffy's behalf, but I believe she made her decision based on what she saw in Spike like I saw. He honestly is different." I said, watching as his expression shifted. "That chip was no different than a muzzle on a dog, and you know how I feel about those. It was wrong. I mean, none of us even know what kind of man he was before losing his soul, but now that he has it back...." I sighed again while shaking my head. "He's a good man, Pops. Just give him a chance to prove that. He's aware of the things he did wrong, and he feels guilty and remorseful about it every day."