Summary - Buffy Summers meets the Doyle family under terrifying circumstances that ultimately change her whole life. But what of the youngest sibling William? How does his life intertwine with hers, and how far will he eldest brother Liam go to destroy her? Fantasy story, with only humans, and much spuffiness!

Disclaimer - I do not own any of the characters in this story, obviously, and I cannot lay claim to the plot outline either, as it comes from a book I read recently which I thought would make a really good Spuffy story, so here goes!

Distribution - If you want it, you are welcome to it, just tell me where it's going so I can check out your site, and read some stuff there too!

Prologue - Outskirts of London, 1902.

The snow lay thick on the ground as the five men trudged through the woods, following the half-filled footprints of the man they were looking for. Liam Angelus Doyle surged ahead of his four younger brothers, the expression on his face a strange mixture of anger, hate, and excitement. The twins, Jonathan and Andrew, hurried to keep up with the long stride of the brother they feared, while Alexander, the second eldest, held back next to his youngest brother, William.

"Are you alright Spike?" The boy in question rolled his eyes at the use of his nick-name, given to him by his father when his hair wouldn't stay flat as a child. He couldn't seem to shake the name.

"I'm alright Xander."

"You don't have to pretend with me you know." Xander spoke quietly to his young brother, trying to see past the mask that the fourteen-year-old always had in place to hide any emotion. Xander was well aware of the beatings William had received at the hands of his eldest brother for showing emotion, and for his desire to go his own way and not that of his bullying brother; although William always claimed his bruises were the results of some schoolyard scuffle.

Spike sighed. "I'm just feeling a bit strange about this whole thing. I like John."

"Me too, but we're just going to have a word with him, for Drusilla's sake, just a word."

"It won't be just a word if *he* has anything to do with it." Spike muttered resentfully, but Xander picked up on what Spike said, and couldn't help worrying that what he'd said was true.

Ten minutes later they'd reached a large clearing in the woods, through which ran a narrow road. Liam led his brothers down the road to the right, heading down towards the tiny cottage that could just be seen through the fast falling snow. Arriving at the cottage Liam walked right up to the door and hammered on it.

"John Clementine! Get yourself out here right now you piece of scum! Leave your whore alone and get out here!" Liam screamed, making the twins jump, Xander grabbed a hold of a shaking William, and the cottage door slammed open, and then shut again as the man in question stepped out of the cottage.

"Keep your voice down Angelus, and tell exactly what the hell you are doing at this house."

"I am here to take you back to your wife, my sister!"

John sighed as he looked past Angelus to the four men behind him. The twins were quiet, but would follow where Angelus led, not having the gumption to go against him. Xander and Spike he liked. They were both good men, even Spike at the age of fourteen was more of a man than Liam at twenty-five. His hope lay with these two brothers that took after the kind heart of their father.

"Look Angelus."

"No, you look you piece of filth! Get your feet movin' and follow us back home to your wife. You can leave your whore and your brat behind!"

In a flash John had leapt forward and had a hold of Liam by the collar of his winter jacket. He was too shocked to struggle, and William was sure he could see a quick gleam of fear in his brother's eyes.

"Don't you ever speak of them like that, ever!" John hissed in Liam's face, practically nose to nose with this man he despised. "And don't you come here pretending you're here because you care for you sister! The other perhaps, but not you. You're only here because your witch of a mother insisted on it! If your father knew about this he'd throttle you, just as he wished to throttle his wife when he discovered that she had tricked me into marrying his insane daughter!"

With a roar Liam shoved his arms up in between John's and thrust him off, punching him hard enough to knock him down and in an instant was reigning blows on the fallen man, calling on his brothers to join in his ferocious attack. The twins joined in, kicking with such fierceness that Xander and Spike both stepped forward as one to pull them off. They stepped back, shouting at Angelus to stop his beating of the man who had only spoken the truth, but as the four brothers stepped forward to stop the savagery, a light was thrown upon them as the cottage door was flung open, revealing a heavily pregnant woman and her small daughter. Xander quickly took hold of the mother, even as she began to scream, trying to get her out of the way and into the safety of her house, as Spike grabbed a hold of the small girl as she tried to barrel out the door, sobbing and screaming for Liam to stop hitting her Uncle John.

The twins finally managed to stop the attack, and everyone, except for Liam who was panting heavily, stared in shock at the prone and bloody form on the ground. The woman and her child began to sob again, and inside the cottage the crying of a younger child could be heard. The woman looked at Liam.

"You will pay for this Liam Doyle! If you've killed my John I'll make you pay!" She spat in his direction, still held back by Xander, who quickly took charge of the situation.

"Andrew, Jonathan, and you Angelus, take John back to the house, and call him a doctor. Now!" Xander glared at his eldest brother, who surprisingly did as he was bid, helping the twins to lift the prone form and heading back the way they had come not twenty minutes before. Xander quickly ushered the woman back into the cottage, gesturing to William to follow with the weeping child he still held on to.

Back inside Xander pushed the woman into a chair, the girl leaving Spike's arms as soon as she entered the house and running to the side of her crying sister, who was on the lap of her grandmother. Xander spoke.

"I am sorry for this Joyce. It was never meant to happen like this. We just came to persuade him back to his wife. That's all."

"You knew that your eldest brother would 'persuade' him with his fists, and don't tell me you didn't. And shame on all of you for bringing the boy with you. He may look old, but he's too young to be a part of such dealings." Joyce spoke in an eerily quiet and calm voice, the anger evident when she spoke. Spike didn't notice her reference to him, he was still watching the blonde girl as she spoke to her sister.

"Ssh, Dawn. It's alright. Buffy's here. Ssh." The girl, Buffy, stroked the dark hair of her baby sister, and Spike was mesmerised by the movement. He couldn't help but speak.

"How old are you, Buffy?"

She looked at him sharply.

"I'm ten years old, and only my family and friends call me Buffy, something which you will never be. I'll never forgive your family for this, so don't you dare address me as if we know each other."

Spike was shocked, both by the fierce look in her eyes, and that such a small and skinny thing could be ten years old. Before he could muster an apology he felt his brother pull on his arm.

"C'mon Spike. We have to go. I'm sorry again Mrs Summers, and all of you. I hope you can understand what really happened." Only two words were spoken in reply to Xander's apology, but not by Joyce as he would have expected, it was the blonde child who spoke.

"Get out."

They had no choice but to leave, both men feeling confused, guilty, and responsible for something that was outwith their control, and neither could shake the feeling that more was going to happen between this family and their own.

TBC

A/N Well there we have it. The Prologue. There's loads to come, and loads of twists and turns involved, but I ain't writing it unless you tell me too, so let me know what you thought. Ta. Fitheach x