023--dictated/outside the castle filter;

[breakmychest]

[Spike is unaware of his open journal. He's too busy playing outside with little Annie Frye, his daughter, to think about it.]

Do the funny face, Daddy! Go grrrr!

[Spike chuckles.]

You sure? It's a bit scary, love.

[The girl giggles.]

Not scary! Funny!

[Spike watches her for a moment, then shrugs and puts his gameface on. Annie beams and

Comments

[my_bff_trevor]

That's the cutest slaying I've ever witnessed.

[breakmychest]

Huh? [Spike glances up, and Annie takes advantage to hammer her hands against his shoulders.]

Up, Daddy, Up!

[He rolls off of the girl and smiles.]

Yeah, she's a sweet little monster killer.

[Annie grins and swings her pencil around.]

[my_bff_trevor]

A returning child from last year?

[breakmychest]

No. Not as far as I know, anyway. I wasn't here last year.

[demonologist]

[Wes has been taking his baby for a walk outside. He watches Spike playing with the little girl and can't help but smile widely. He's never seen Spike like this and it's quite the eye opener.]

[breakmychest]

[It takes Spike a few moments to notice that Wesley is there. Apparently his normally sharp senses get dulled by exposure to little girl. When he does notice, he rolls over and waves.]

[demonologist]

[Wes waves back and approaches them both. The little girl seems a bundle of energy and cute as a button.

You'd better watch out Spike, I think your days are numbered.

[breakmychest]

I'm a Slayer! [Annie jumps up and starts running around with her arms outstretched, the pencil still in her hand.] A Slayer in space! Vroooooom!

[Spike looks after the girl with a smile, then stands up.]

Yeah, I'll have to start sleeping with an eye open.

[vivatsomnum]

Fascinating.

[breakmychest]

What is?

[vivatsomnum]

Your offspring.

[breakmychest]

She's pretty brilliant, yeah. What of it?

[onemanshort]

[she's coming back with a pair of ice cream cones in hand, when she stops to watch this, grinning at the two of them]

[breakmychest]

[Unfortunately, the siren call of ice cream is enough to stop the fun and games pretty quickly.]

Mommy's got ice cream!

[She wriggles out from under Spike and runs over to Kaylee. Spike sits up and looks over as well with a smile.]

Hey, love.

[onemanshort]

Here you go, *Bao-bei. [passing the ice cream cone to the little girl, she'll ruffle her hair before plopping down to sit comfortably beside them both on the grass, leaning back on one hand] Don't go eatin' it too quick though, or you'll go givin' yourself a headache.

[smiling at Spike as the girl becomes occupied with her treat (strawberry, of course)] Seems like you two ain't havin' no trouble.

*Sweetheart

[breakmychest]

Xie xie*! [Annie takes the ice cream with a smile.] Daddy became a vampire! But I slayed him before he could eat me.

[Spike looks amused.]

Yeah, that she did.

*thank you