The voice coming from the shadows between the house and garage caused Joyce to drop her bag of groceries to the ground and do a serious backpedal toward her car. Trying not to panic she fumbled with her keys for what seemed like an eternity finally finding the correct one to unlock the door.

"Luv! You broke your jar of mustard."

She turned to find Spike picking through the sack, carefully removing the broken jar.

Gingerly holding the jar aloft, Spike gave a nod toward the trash can. "I'll go ahead and toss it in the rubbish, if that's all right with you."

"Aaah, yes. That's fine S-s-spike." She answered nervously as she opened her car door.

The vampire returned still holding one hand in the air and carrying a white shopping bag in the other. "Do you have a tissue?"

Joyce slid into the car and locked the doors the action causing Spike to look a bit hurt. She caught the 'kicked puppy dog' expression and sighed. Rolling the window down an inch, she dug a Kleenex out of her purse and poked it through the opening.

The vampire smiled and gently pulled the offering free and began to wipe the smear of mustard off his fingers. "So Joyce, how have you been?"

"What do you want Spike?"

"Oh nothing really. Haven't popped to see you in awhile."

"I'm out of hot chocolate." She interrupted while covertly putting her hand on the ignition key.

"That's all right, luv. It's too bloody hot for that anyway. Do you have any lemonade?"

With a tone that conveyed her irritation she asked. "Spike, why are you here?"

"Oh, I just got back into town. What happened over at the high school? There's just a bloody big 'ole in the ground where it was. I couldn't believe it. Then I tried to look up some of my old mates, but you know what..."

Joyce found herself blinking incredulously at Spike as he rambled on about the missing school and his missing buddies and the fact that he really missed the good old days when everything was so much easier. Finally she tapped on the glass to shut him up and for the third time asked what he was doing at her home.

Spike turned his head and shifted on his feet for a second, looking quite embarrassed. He held the shopping bag up and mumbled. "Happy birthday, Joyce."

Rolling the window down another inch she peered out at the smiling vampire. "How did you know it was my birthday?"

Looking for the world like a 5 year old caught in the cookie jar Spike just shrugged.

"Spike.... answer me."

"Well, I overheard it was your birthday."

Joyce pursed her lips for a second over this bit of information. "From who Spike? I am now at the age where I don't tell anyone it's my birthday."

"Willow and Buffy."

"They told you?" Joyce's voice got shrill. "What were they doing... what were 'you' doing..."

Spike shook his head and launched into an explanation. "No... no... they didn't really tell me. I was eavesdropping on them while they walked by the other night. I was hiding behind a tombstone while they did that patrol thing they do through the cemetery and I heard them...." He stopped for a moment and brightened. "You know we vampires have very good hearing. We're not just all blood and torture and all that. And... and that's why I brought you this."

The logo on the sack was that of a local Hallmark.

"So you went an bought me a present? That was sweet, I guess." Joyce frowned and thought for a moment. "You did 'buy' it didn't you?"

"I mostly paid for it. I got a sack now didn't I?"

"How do you 'mostly' purchase something?"

"Was two dollars short but I showed the shop clerk a toothy smile and she left." Spike explained, then seeing a look of horror cross Joyce's face he added. "No, no, luv. She left the store, not left this existence."

"On a dead run I suppose?" Joyce interjected.

Spike chuckled. "More of a quite lively sprint. But I did leave wot money I had on the counter."

The humor in the situation was beginning to make Joyce feel a bit more at ease. And logically, if Spike had been there to harm her he would not have announced his presence, so maybe this vampire was on the up and up. She rolled the car window down three quarters and held her hand out. "Well, as long as it was 'mostly' paid for and you went to all this trouble.... what is it?"

"It's a surprise! Open it!" Spike was almost jumping up and down over her acceptance of the gift.

Joyce took the sack and placed it on her lap. "Only in Sunnydale." She whispered to herself as she began to open the bag. The human suddenly stopped as a thought crossed her mind. "Spike? Surprise? Sunnydale?"

"Well, open it Joyce! Sunrise is in nine hours and if you don't hurry I'll have to spend the day in your closet."

She crumpled the bag top back down. "What kind of surprise is in here Spike?"

"It's a good one."

"That's what I'm afraid of."

Spike rolled his eyes heavenward. "Try to be nice." He made a "X" over his chest and looked as sincere as a vampire possibly can. "Cross my 'art luv, it's a nicey-nice. Remember, I don't know those curse, hex and magic things. If I did I wouldn't have had to kidnap the witch. And they don't sell imps or tokoloshe or anything bad at the Hellmark..."

"To-ko-what?"

"Ah, they're South African goblins that take people in the middle of the night. All you have to do to keep them away is put bricks under your bed. I hired a pack of them once to bring me a tasty little bit..."

"Spike! I don't want to know." Joyce interrupted.

"Oh, guess you wouldn't, eah?" He rubbed his hand back through his hair. "So, you going to open it?"

Joyce steadied herself and sighed before cautiously opening a corner of the bag. In the bottom lay a mass of tissue paper. After, checking Spike's location out of the corner of her eye she hesitantly pulled the wad out and began to peel the layers back.

On hearing the rustle of the paper Spike shot forward and stuck his head into the car. "Do you like it? Well do you?"

"Let me finish unwrapping it." She answered while sliding away to the center of the seat. Spike took this move as an invitation. Reaching in he unlocked the door and hopped in beside her. Joyce moved over another foot and nervously kept digging through the tissue paper.

"Oh!" Joyce held the suncatcher up and smiled. "Moon and stars."

"Do you like it?"

"Yes Spike, it's beautiful. Thank you."

Spike smiled and planted a quick kiss on Joyce's cheek. "Happy birthday." Before Joyce could react the vampire had left the car and was ten steps down the driveway. She scrambled out of the vehicle and called after him. "Spike! Wait a minute."

"I really have to go, Joyce. If Buffy comes back she would get all upset and stakie..."

"No she won't. I'll just explain that you came by to wish me a happy birthday and drop off a present." Joyce pointed toward the kitchen door. "So would you like some lemonade?"

"Your house is still open to me?" Spike asked.

"No, Mr. Giles and Willow put some kind of spell on it after you were here; but all I have to do is invite..."

"Don't do that!" Spike barked as he trotted back up to her. "Never, luv.... never invite me or any other vampire in. Promise?"

Joyce nodded. "All right, I promise."

Spike continued to get more agitated. "I mean, tonight I'm fine. But you know I drinks a bit...."

"A bit?" Joyce asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Oh sod it! Yes, I drink like a fish!" He began to wave his hands around. "So you never know wot I got in my head. I don't think when I'm drunk...."

"Nobody does." She pointed out.

The vampire took Joyce's hand in both of his. "No invite, understand?"

"I understand." She answered with a nod to the front steps. "Why don't you sit over there on the front porch. I'll bring it outside."

Spike half smiled "I would like that."

Joyce entered her kitchen and quickly put away the groceries. Pulling two tall glasses out of the cabinet she stood there holding them as the stupidity of what she was doing sunk in. "I'm going to drink lemonade on my front porch with a vampire?" She glanced over at the suncatcher on the counter. "A vampire who just brought me a present?" Her attention went to the pile of stakes on the top of the refrigerator. "And my daughter is a vampire slayer and Spike has killed slayers." She bit her lip for a moment and considered telling him to leave. Looking at her reflection in the kitchen window she shook her head at the idea. "That might make him mad." She pointed at her image and wagged a finger. "Well, Joyce let's see what is going on here."

Spike sat on the steps looking up and down the street for any sign of Buffy. "Oh, she would understand. I'll just explain that I'm on a social call and then she'll say that is a bag of shit and then I'll say that her mum is a fine lady and then she'll' say keep away from my mum and then I'll tell her to put a cork in it and mind her own business and then she'll pull out that stake and then..." A faint noise from within the house stopped him mid-speculation. Spike turned and saw Joyce attaching the suncatcher to one of the front windows. He was still smiling when she came through the door with a pitcher and two glasses. He rose and took the pitcher and motioned for her to go ahead and sit the glasses down on the railing. "I'll pour. You go ahead and get comfy."

"Thank you, Spike." She sat down on the step and waited on Spike to serve the refreshment. As soon as he handed her the glass she took a sip and simply asked. "Why?"

"Why not?"

"Couldn't you get kicked out of the vampire brotherhood for this?"

Spike shrugged. "I'm my own man and I'll do what I bloody well please."

Joyce tapped her nails on the glass. "Uh-huh."

"And if I want to bring you a present, there ain't a wanker around that better say anything about it."

"Uh-huh."

"August first is a fine day to be born on so why not celebrate?"

A sly smile crossed Joyce's face. "Is today your birthday too? Is that why..."

"No, that's not it. I was born on either November twenty-ninth or thirtieth." Spike interrupted.

"You don't know for sure?"

"It was the middle of the night and by the time the midwife sobered up to hear the steeple clock it was two in the morning." He shrugged. "We never had the money to buy a clock." The vampire took a sip of lemonade. "We never had money for much of anything. My father was a merchant seaman and the pay never seemed to make it past the pubs and the East dock whores." Spike went silent and stared into his glass.

"I'm sorry to hear that." Joyce reached over and patted his arm.

"Ah, don't be. When I was ten he got his reward. Fell into the Thames, pissed as a newt, went straight to the bottom." The vampire clinked his glass against Joyce's in a cold toast to the memory of his father. "And the little fishes had a feast."

"I take it you didn't care for him." Joyce said softly.

Spike's game face appeared. "I hated him."

Joyce stiffened at the stark reminder of what her companion really was. Oblivious to her discomfort Spike slid closer and took hold of her shoulder. "I hated him, pet. Hated him with a passion. For what he did to us, for the position he put us in, for taking thirty years off of my mum's life." He shut his eyes and hissed. "She worked herself to death for a pittance. Caught the TB in that damned textile mill just so I could have a chance in the world....." Spike's voice trailed off as he noticed the rising fear in Joyce's eyes. He released his hold and quickly stood. "Sorry...." He mumbled handing her the glass back. "....I better go."

"Maybe that's a good idea. Buffy will be home soon." Joyce cautiously agreed.

Spike regained both his human face and his composure. "Well, you have a good rest of your special day." He gave her a half wave and turned to leave.

"Thank you for the present." She called after him.

"You're most welcome." He answered form the sidewalk. "And happy birthday, Joyce." Spike watched her reenter her home. Before he slipped away he looked up at the stars and acknowledged them with a nod. "And happy birthday to you mum."