Chapter 15: Demons

Spikes stood frozen in place, shaking as she stared with wide eyes at the face she had only seen in her nightmares.

Takado swallowed taking a step towards her, beginning to reach his hand out.

Spikes shook her head back.

A million thoughts raced through her head, all clouded with disbelief.

This couldn't be her brother. 

She'd watched him die. He could not possibly be standing before her.

This couldn't be her brother.

Spikes snarled, lunging at Takado. She slammed into him, throwing him against the wall.

The whole house shook from the force of his fall.

"How the hell did you get my brother's face?" Spikes screamed, forcing back tears. She pushed him back once again.

"What are you a shifter?"

She watched his lips curl into a snarl as he lifted her off the ground and threw her into the bookshelf.

She ignored Kitty's yelling and lunged at him once more only to find herself being thrown across the room again.

After the third try she weakly stood up. She grabbed the book case to balance herself as she watched him step towards her. 

"Are you done?" He barked.

Spikes looked into his eyes, and felt as though she were a child once more.

"Are you done?" Takado grumbled. He rolled his eyes as he lifted Carissa to her feet.

"No." She yipped, slapping his hands away.

"You're never going to beat me." He laughed, patting the small girl's head.

"Quit being so stubborn."

"Shut up! I'll beat you one day, just wait!"

"No!" Spikes growled, kicking his feet out from under him. She quickly got to her feet, placing a foot at his neck.

"I told you I'd beat you!"

Takado's features softened as Spikes finally began to let tears fall from her eyes.

He exhaled slowly, a smirk forming across his lips.

He grabbed her ankle, quickly flipping her onto the ground and pulling her into a headlock.

He held her steady until she stopped fighting his hold.

He loosened his grip on her, lump forming in his throat as their eyes met.

She'd changed so much, grown so much in his absence.

The resemblance she bore to their mother uncanny.

"Carissa..." Takado sighed, rubbing her cheek with his palm.

"I've miss you! I've miss you so much!" Spikes whimpered, falling into his arms.

Takado smiled softly, petting his sister's hair as she cried against his shoulder.

Almost as if they were children once again.

Kitty shuffled anxiously beside Xander and Damon, unsure of what to do as they watched the two siblings.

Xander glanced down at the cat, raising a brow at her fidgeting.

He'd known her long enough to know she didn't handle serious situations too well.

"Why don't you just say something instead of giving yourself a damn anxiety attack?" Xander whispered, his voice annoyed as always.

"Leave me alone okay?" Kitty hissed at him.

"I don't want to ruin this moment for them."

"Okay, well don't you think someone should interrupt their awkwardly long hug before David and Nadine get here?" Xander growled under his breath.

"You're fucking stupid. That's her previously dead brother." Kitty slapped his arm. She crossed her arms, shifting her weight as she glanced back at the siblings.

"They should be here soon so I guess you're right."

Kitty smiled, bending over to look at Damon. "Oh Damon, who's a good boy?"

The dog took a step back, tail between his legs.

"Oh quit worrying. I just want you to go jump on Spikes, okay?"

Damon Barked, his ears perking up before her charged at Spikes, easily knocking her to the ground.

"Damon get off me you overgrown pup!" Spikes laughed, trying to push the dog off of herself as he struggled to continue to lick her face.

"Your dog I take it?" Takado chuckled as he helped pull Damon off of her.

"Yeah, this is my boy Damon." Spikes grinned, wrapping an arm around the dog.

"Damon this is your uncle, say hi."

Damon turned around, barking happily as his tail wagged.

Takado grinned, reaching over to pat the dog's head.

"Not to break this up or anything, it is great seeing my hard work pay off, but we do have a schedule to keep to." Kitty teased as she approached the siblings. She glanced briefly at Takado before focusing her attention on Spikes.

"What do you mean, your hard work?" Spikes questioned, glancing between her brother and best friend.

"Did you... did you have something to do with his return?"

"Of course I did, anyways-"

"Do you have any idea how stupid you are?" Spikes growled at the cat, grabbing her by the shoulders.

"Do you have any idea the cost of something like this?"

"Spikes relax." Kitty said gently, moving her hands from her shoulders.

"I met your mom's ghost, and she gave me a 'gift'."

"A gift?" Spikes eyes her suspiciously.

Kitty opened her mouth to speak, to be honest. Her eyes met Takado's briefly, pulling away instantly.

"A gift for you. She gave me the ability to bring your brother back, as an apology for her death." Kitty lied smoothly, grinning at her best friend.

"She said you two needed one another."

Spikes's expression softened as she wrapped her arm's around Kitty. She hesitated briefly before returning the embrace.

"Thank you." Spikes whispered, wiping a few more tears away.

"This is... This is the most amazing thing I ever could have imagined."

Kitty pulled away from Spikes at the sound of the doorbell. She brushed aside a tear from her cheek before trotting to the front door. 

"You both made it with perfect timing!" Kitty grinned, opening the door for Nadine and David to step through.

"Nadine why didn't you bring you fiance?" 

"They... they're not really in town." Nadine responded nervously, hugging Kitty briefly before walking past her towards the living room.

"Still no girlfriend I see?" Kitty tried to tease David, playfully batting at his arm.

"It's not like you're one to talk." David glared at her as he walked past.

Kitty inhaled sharply, her eyes following David as he stepped into the living room. She'd known they weren't on the best of terms, she just hadn't thought it might effect the way they interacted tonight.

"My old art teacher is pretty cute, huh?" Spikes joked with Takado upon introducing Nadine to him just before Kitty entered the room. Takado's face contorted with disgust as Spikes winked at him.

"What? You don't agree?"

"Dude, she's engaged." Kitty cut in, her voice thick with annoyance.

"Oh yeah... Whoops, I just forget since we've never met the mystery man." Spikes laughed.

"Engaged or not, she's a cat. I don't lay with their kind." Takado growled, shaking his head.

"What the fuck is that supposed to mean?" Kitty hissed, stepping closer to him.

"It means I don't waste my time on feline's." Takado snarled. His eyes met his sister's and he quickly calmed himself for her.

"And what do you mean cat? Nadine isn't... Are you?" Spikes barked, her eyes wide as she looked at their former teacher.

"Carissa, use your nose, she wreaks of feline." Takado sighed heavily.

"And if that's not enough, when was the last time you saw a human with natural crimson red eyes?"

Kitty rolled her eyes, stepping away into the kitchen as everyone else made their way to the living room.

"Kitty." His voice alone me her cringe.

"We need to talk."

"What do you want to talk about?" Kitty hissed through a smile as she turned to face him.

"I want to talk about what happened yesterday, and why the hell that asshole is here." David's glare was ice cold. Kitty took a step back, her eyes on the ground.

"Is he your boyfriend or something?"

"We are not doing this now David." Kitty hissed, her pupils shifting to slits.

"Why? Afraid your boyfriend will get upset?"

"He is not my boyfriend." Kitty rolled her eyes, grumbling under her breath.

"Quit acting like such a high-schooler."

Kitty sighed softly, her eyes drifting to Takado in his seat beside Spikes.

She wasn't even sure they were friends, wasn't sure she'd even want him as a friend.

She groaned loudly, finally tuning in to David's complaining she'd been ignoring.

"David, shut up!" Kitty hissed, grabbing the front of his shirt.

"You are in a house filled with demons, all of whom adore me. So if you want to keep breathing I suggest you put on a smile, say happy birthday and eat some goddamn cake."

David gulped, rubbing his arm once Kitty released him. She turned and continued to make her way into the kitchen and David turned around to join everyone else in the living room.

Spikes sat in between Takado and Xander, laughing as they swapped stories of their childhood. Spikes finally visiting the memories she'd left behind because they'd hurt too much.

"I can't believe you got into a fight with an actual dog." Nadine laughed, nearly choking on the glass of water she'd been drinking.

"The worst part is she lost." Takado grinned, pulling his sister into a headlock and ruffling her hair.

"How could you lose to an actual dog?" Xander laughed. He grunted slightly when she punched his arm, her cheeks burning red.

"I was still just a pup okay?" Spikes responded defensively.

"I just preferred being a dog in those days."

"That must have been adorable to watch you pretend to be a dog as a child." David chuckled, feebly attempting to join the conversation.

The four demons in the room stopped laughing, staring at David as Kitty walked back into the room.

She instantly glared at him, sensing the sudden tension in the room.

"What did the idiot human do now?" Kitty groaned, shaking her head.

"I didn't do anything." David responded defensively. 

"I just said it must have been cute to see Spikes pretend to be a dog."

David looked up at Kitty, trying to imitate a sad puppy's face himself. A smile began to tug at the corner of her lips.

Half because he was stupid, half because at least he was trying to be social.

"Come on guys, give him a break." Kitty chuckled, patting David's head before taking a seat in between David and Takado.

"He doesn't know anything about demons, or sub-types."

"I'm so used to speaking with those like us that I forget how ignorant humans are on the matter." Nadine giggled.

"No offense of course."

"None taken." David laughed, nodding in agreement with her.

"Sub-types?" Spikes questioned, glancing around the group.

Everyone turned to glance at Spikes, her ears turning bright red with embarrassment. 

"Takado did you not teach her?" Nadine questioned, her gaze falling on his own.

"I planned on teaching her when she turned ten, but I... died before that was possible, so no." Takado responded, his own eyes falling to the floor.

"I thought she may have learned over the years, but it wouldn't appear to be the case."

"Maybe you guys can teach both of us." David grinned at Spikes, who smiled reluctantly back at him.

"There's several different sub-types of demons. Elemental demons, succubi, animal demons which is us, and many more." Kitty explained, smiling as she relaxed in her seat.

"Animal types are categorized by the ability to shift into the respective animal as well as carrying similar traits to them.

Example: As a demon I naturally have better sight than a human, but as a cat demon my sight is even better than that of those dogs."

"I'm actually a direwolf, and so is Carissa." Takado rolled his eyes as Kitty gestured to the tree canines on the couch.

"What?!" Spikes barked as she jumped off of the couch. Everyone turned to look at Takado, and he shifted uncomfortably under their gaze.

"Our father and mother were direwolves, this really isn't that big of a deal," Takado shrugged his shoulders, his eyes falling to his feet.

"I thought direwolves went extinct when the sabertooths did during the war 500 years ago," Katherine whispered. Takado looked up at her, surprise coloring his jade eyes.

"They nearly did. Between the war with Sabertooth, and internal struggles between packs..." Takado inhaled deeply, fidgeting with his hands in his lap.

"My father said he searched for 450 years approximately before he found my mother, who was only 150 years old at the time. It's pretty likely that they were the last two, so they were married and now there's Carissa and I."

Spikes stared at her brother, eyes wide as she shook. She sat back down beside him, eyes pleading for him to continue speaking of the family she'd never known.

"It's very likely that Carissa and I are the last two pure direwolves in existence," Takado's voice shook as he spoke. He hung his head, his tawny hair falling over his eyes. Spikes stared at her brother for a moment before turning to look at everyone else preseant.

"I'm... I'm a direwolf," Spikes hestitated as she spoke. She looked down at her hands, turning them over as if somehow the new information hand changed them. She looked back up at Xander, a wild grin on her lips. "That's so fucking cool!"

Xander, Nadine and David began laughing, but Kitty stared at Takado, still hunched over. His shoulders moved slowly with each breath he took. She reached over, barely touching his elbow. His head shot up and his eyes focused in on hers.

'Are you okay?' she mouthed. Takado glared at her, taking a deep breath he turned and began engaging in the conversation as he had before. Kitty sighed softly, rubbing her arm with her hand. Everyone else was speaking too excitedly to notice the exchange between the two, and it almost made her wonder if it had actually happened.

"What else can you guys do?" David chimed in. Kitty smiled briefly at his enthusiasm.

"Aside from shifting to our given animal states, most demons also have some sort of ability, gift, affinity or whatever else you might prefer to call it." Nadine smiled, opening her palm.

David, Spikes and Kitty gasped as a small flame appeared in her hand.

"For example, I can create and manipulate fire."

"That's so cool." David commented. Kitty and Spikes both trying to hide their excitement.

"What can you do?" Spikes asked, turning to her brother. Her grin so wide it almost made him uncomfortable.

"I don't have anything that cool." Takado responded, almost hesitantly.

"I have energy manipulation, which means I can copy a persons energy or aura, mask my own or those around me. It's a nice defensive ability."

"What do you mean defensive?" David asked, his face stern as he met Takado's eyes.

"My ability helps me hide from hunters or other demons, whereas an ability like Nadine's is better for attacking."

Kitty's stomach lurched at the brief mention of hunters. Takado's eyes instantly found her, watching her as she calmed herself outside of anyone else's notice.

"No more learning!" Kitty cheered, hoping to escape Takado's gaze.

"We have a cake to eat and a birthday to celebrate!"

"Alright, alright." Xander groaned, standing from the couch as Kitty stood, bouncing around the group. Takado's eyes narrowed, unsure of what to make of her reactions. He sighed, returning his attention to his younger sister.

They stepped into the dinning room, everyone gathered around Spikes who was forced to sit at the head of the table. 

Kitty brought in the cake, excitedly encouraging everyone to sing happy birthday.

"Make a wish!" Kitty called out, smiling down at Spikes's beet read face.

"Call me cliche, but there's really nothing more I could wish for." Spikes smiled. She looked up at her brother, Kitty and Xander. She reached up, wiping a tear from her eye.

"I've had the most amazing birthday imaginable. But I can think of something so I can eat this cake."

Everyone laughed as Spikes paused for another moment before blowing out the candles and everyone cheered, Kitty throwing her arms around her before they all sat down to eat cake.

Spikes smiled more than she had in years, for once truly enjoying her birthday.

... 

Kitty sighed, dropping the plates into the sink while everyone else had retreated into the living room once again.

She was surprised to find Takado staring at the coffee machine with confusion as she turned around.

She inhaled deeply before walking up to him, lightly touching his arm.

"What do you want, Princess?" Takado growled, turning to face her.

"I wanted to thank you for being civil and even nice to me today. I didn't expect it after the last time we spoke." Kitty kept her voice down. She smiled weakly at Takado, fidgeting with her hands.

"I'm not going to ruin my sister's birthday." He responded curtly, moving to turn back around.

"And I want to apologize for my outburst yesterday." Takado paused, once again turning to look at her. 

"I was angry, but what I did was completely out of line and I'm really sorry. I hope you can forgive me, and maybe we can be friends?"

Takado smiled sweetly down at her. Kitty shoulder's relaxed slightly just before his smile turned cruel.

"Friends? Seriously? Do you really think any apology you give me will ever make up for you threatening to keep my sister from me?" Takado began to laugh as he stepped toward Kitty. 

She stepped back, running into the kitchen's island. He leaned over her, his face inches from hers.

"If you ever try to take her from me again and I will have you begging for death. I will leave you completely alone, you will have nothing and no one, do you understand me?"

Kitty nodded briefly, struggling against the tears that were forming in her eyes.

"Good." He scoffed, straightening himself.

"Time for you to grow up, and leave me the fuck alone."

Kitty watched him step out of the kitchen, her legs giving out from beneath her once he'd left her sight.

Her heart was racing and tears still threatened to fall from her eyes.

She hadn't realized how deeply she'd hurt him, how deeply she'd likely hurt many others before him.

He'd frightened her, that was inescapable. But what scared her even more, was he was right.

It was time to grow up. 

Chapter 14: Second Star On The Right

Kitty wept openly once she'd made her decision.

She would never see her father again, but Spikes would finally have some semblance of a family.

Spikes need her brother more than Kitty needed her father.

It was still hard for Kitty to forced herself to turn away.

"I'm sorry Daddy." Kitty whimpered through her tears as she stood up. 

Once more she gently ran her hands across the cool stone.

"Goodbye."

Her stomach was in knots as she stepped away. It was harder than she'd realized to walk away while she held the power to bring him with her.

But she continued to walk, force herself to stick to the decision she'd made.

Kitty had walked a few feet away when new tears sprung from her eyes.

She turned once more to glance back at her father's grave, blurred from her tears.

"I love you Daddy. Don't ever forget that okay?" Kitty called out through her tears, waiting a few moments longer before she turned and ran away from his grave, unable to hear the voice of a man long gone.

"I love you too Sweetheart," Curtis whispered sadly as he watched his little girl walk away.

She'd never know he watched her closely, she's never know she hadn't needed to travel so far to speak to him.

"You raised her well during your lifetime, Curtis." Her voice carried softly through the wind.

"Of course I did." He murmured, watching Kitty leave his sight before turning to face Demonia.

"Are you cross with me?" Her tone was almost sarcastic in its playfulness

"Why her Demonia? She's just a kid and you've given her such a heavy burden to bear." Curtis's voice began to rise as he spoke.

"You didn't even warn her of the repercussions this supposed gift of yours might have."

"Your daughter is a lot stronger than you give her credit for."

"It's not about her strength. Why did you do this?"

"Katherine has a very important choice to make." Demonia responded, hanging her head slightly.

"And what choice is that?" Curtis crossed his arms over his chest, his rusty eyes never leaving her amethyst ones.

"The choice between her past, and her future."

...

"So now that I'm here, what the hell am I supposed to do?" Kitty groaned, throwing her arms up to the air.

"Demonia said something about harnessing the soul... except she never told me how to."

She ran a hand through her ebony hair, pulling her phone out to scour the internet for ideas.

She'd already exhausted all her television related resources, and she was not a single step closer to bringing Takado back from the grave.

She threw her phone onto the ground when it was incapable of giving her any new information.

She bit down on her lip to the point of drawing blood. She was at a complete loss.

She'd begun to wonder if Demonia had lied to her, if this whole thing had just ended up being a stupid joke that only she would be stupid enough to fall for.

"A little help would be nice here, Takado." Kitty hissed, kicking his tombstone from frustration.

Kitty closed her eyes and tried to focus on what it was she wanted to achieve.

Maybe it was more simple than she was making it.

She ignored the warm breeze that blew past her, and the rustling of near by plants.

She just needed to keep her eyes closed and stay focused.

Kitty groaned loudly as a coyote's howl interrupted her thoughts. 

Her eyes flew open before she sighed, resting her head against her knee.

For a moment she contemplated going home.

That it had all been an elaborate prank after all.

Kitty winced as a reflection of light bounced off of her bracelet into her eye.

Kitty sighed, ignoring it until she realized she was alone at night in a cemetery.

Kitty turned her head, eyes wide at the sight of a small glowing orb a few feet away, hovering just above the ground.

She was breathless. Her eyes fixed on the small light, disbelief written clearly on her face.

She couldn't help but wonder if something she'd done had worked, or if she had merely been hallucinating.

She didn't even know what the ball of light might possibly be.

Her breath caught in her throat.

"Takado?" 

Her voice was just above a whisper but the light bobbed in response.

Cautiously she reached her hand out, flinching as it ebbed closer to her.

She inhaled deeply and reached her hand out once more, staying perfectly still as the light seemed to settle into her hand.

She pulled her hand in close, examining the light with awe.

It was weightless, the only confirmation Kitty had that there was something in her hand at all was the slight heat that radiated from it.

"I hope you know I have no idea what I'm doing, and I'm sorry if you come out... messed up." Kitty chuckled nervously.

The small orb turned over in her hand and a smile found it's way across her lips despite herself.

"Here goes nothing."

Kitty release the orb and watched with awe as it floated to the tombstone and then began to sink into the ground.

Kitty squirmed backwards, unsure of whatever may happen next.

Her heart raced for excitement, and fear that filled her as soon as the the orb of light ceased illuminating the small potion of the graveyard.

The sense of peace she usually felt at Takado's grave was gone and replaced my dread, but she stayed still.

She waited for whatever would happen next.

She didn't wait long when a hand emerged from the ground, clawing at the surface and struggling to pull the rest of the body up with it.

Kitty sat perfectly still as she watched Takado pull himself out of the ground, unsure if she should help him or not.

He was on his hands and knees panting and coughing as though he were trying to expel dust from his lungs.

Kitty covered her mouth to supress a small laugh as she stayed still and watched.

Kitty continued to sit in silence until his breathing began to even out.

"Takado?" Her voice was a hoarse whisper.

Instantly his head shot up and his jade eyes locked onto her sapphire ones.

They stayed silent.

Takado trying to catch his breath, and Kitty trying to decide what to say.

Takado refused to break eye contact, even when Kitty backed away slightly.

"How do you know my name?" He coughed, his voice dry and raspy.

"I know your sister, Carissa." Kitty inhaled deeply, trying to slow her racing heart.

"Where's my sister?" Takado snarled. His eyes narrowed, and teeth bared as he straightened himself.

"She's at my house." Kitty responded cautiously. 

"She lives with me."

"Why the fuck is she living with you? Who are you? You wreak of feline."

Kitty sighed, sitting up straight.

"My name is Katherine, you can call me Kitty. Spikes has been living with me for the last year and a half. I'm a cat demon."

Kitty frowned as his face contorted with disgust at her mention of being a cat.

"That's not possible. Carissa was with me just yesterday, and I certainly don't remember living with a cat for a year of our lives."

"I need to ask you something." Kitty said gently, waiting for him to nod slightly before continuing.

"What do you remember?"

"I... I remember getting hurt." Takado's voice rose just above a whisper. He lifted his hand to his chest, his fingertips ghosting over where he'd sworn he'd been badly injured.

"I remember seeing Carissa... She was scared, I was trying to tell her... not to cry."

Takado reared back away from Kitty, glaring at her.

Surprised with himself for actually talking to her.

"What does it matter to you? You don't know me, and clearly not my sister either." He barked. He attempted to stand but quickly found his legs not strong enough to hold his weight yet.

"I have a lot of explaining to do then." Kitty said softly, reaching out to touch his hand.

Takado growled, retracting his hand away from her grasp.

"Please just hear me out? You've missed a lot."

Much to his own surprise, Takado relented and agreed to hear the cat out.

...

"How do you expect me to believe that I've been dead for nine years?" Takado rolled his eyes. His voice was thick with sarcasm. 

"No." Kitty admitted.

"It's a lot to take in, I don't expect you to believe it, but it's true.

Your sister is turning eighteen and your mother is the person who gave me the ability to bring you back."

Takado leaned back against the tombstone, taking a moment to think.

To breathe.

The cat seemed sincere enough, but he wasn't one to trust.

"Why did you bring me back? Was there no other option that would benefit you more?" 

Kitty's eyes widened before dropping to her lap.

Her thoughts filled with her father's undisturbed grave in Starlight Shores.

"No." Kitty lied smoothly.

"Demonia specified that this would only work for you."

Takado nodded curtly. 

Her story was a difficult one to believe.

He couldn't imagine having been dead to suddenly return.

"So what is it you want from me?"

"I want you to wait a week before you reunite with your sister." Kitty grinned and inched closer to him.

"And why would I do that?" Takado growled.

"Because her birthday is in a week and I'd love to make it special for her." Kitty's smile only grew as she explained.

Takado chuckled, smiling for only a second.

It was almost amusing how simplistic the cat was.

"I've already made hotel arrangements for you. I'll meet with you everyday so we can plan out her very small surprise party."

"Alright." Takado sighed as he stood from the ground.

"You mean you'll do it?" Kitty beamed with excitement as she stood with him.

"I don't have much of a choice if I want to see me sister again do I?" Takado glared at Kitty, crossing his arms over his chest.

Kitty took a step back biting down on her lip.

"I can take you to see her now if you really want. I just want to try to do something special for her birthday."

Takado's shoulders relaxed. He reached up, scratching his head for a moment.

"No longer than a week though, do you understand?"

Kitty smiled again and Takado smiled briefly in response, listening to her rant about all the preparations for Spikes's Birthday.

"I know you still aren't sure if you believe me or not." Kitty spoke as she rummaged through her pocket.

Kitty quickly pulled out her phone and went through her photos to find a good picture of herself with Spikes.

"Here." Kitty announced as she turned her phone around, placing it in Takado's hands.

"What is this?"

"It's a picture of me and Spike- Carissa, I mean." Kitty quickly corrected herself.

Takado glanced at the image, for a moment thinking nothing of it until he was the contrasting golden and amethyst eyes.

His face softened as he lifted his hand.

His fingertips gently brushed against the phone's surface.

"That's her. You were telling the truth."

Kitty frowned, unable to read his tone of voice as he spoke.

"Come on. Let's get you to the hotel." Kitty smiled at him, taking her phone from his hand.

Kitty walked quickly, anxious to put space between herself and the cemetery.

Takado followed behind her quietly, wondering if there was more to the cat than she was letting on.

...

Kitty sighed softly as she trailed behind Spikes throughout the library.

Typically it was Spikes trying to keep up with Kitty, but the cat had too much on her mind as it was to really think about books.

It has already been four days since Kitty had assisted in Takado's resurrection.

They'd made progress on planning for Spikes birthday, though Kitty felt the urge to strangle him at times.

Spikes paused in the middle of the aisle, resting her hand on the bookshelf as she turned to face Kitty.

"Okay what is going on with you?" Spikes whispered harshly.

Kitty peered at Spikes through her hair, biting the inside of her cheek as she tried to think of what to say.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Kitty responded flatly. She turned around and pretended to be reading book titles.

"I am pretty tired I guess, but nothing else."

"It's not just today though Kitty." Spikes sighed, dropping her hand to her side.

She took a step closer to Kitty.

"It's like the last four days you've been really out of it, and you keep vanishing in the middle of the day."

"Have I? I didn't even notice." Kitty turned to smile at Spikes, before returning her attention to the books before her.

Spikes lightly hit the top of Kitty's head with one of the books in her hand, smiling gently at her.

"Are you sure you're alright?"

"Spikes I promise I'm fine." Kitty laughed. She took a step past Spikes, trying to think of how to best distract the dog.

"Other than having a best friend who doesn't like Star Wars."

"Will you just let it go Kitty?" Spikes groaned and followed behind her.

Kitty smirked as Spikes continued to complain.

She hadn't expected the distraction to work quite that well, but it was better for her that it did.

"Anyways we should probably head home, it's almost 1:30."

"Is it already?" Kitty sighed, glancing at the phone on her clock.

"I'll meet you at the house later okay?"

"Vanishing on me again? Just like I said you've been doing." Spikes frowned and leaned against one of the book shelves.

"It's a doctor's appointment Spikes. I'm hardly disappearing." Kitty smiled and avoided eye contact.

"Fine. Stay safe." Spikes sighed as Kitty began to walk off.

"You'll tell me what you're actually up to one of these days, won't you?"

Kitty hesitated before turning the corning.

She briefly met Spikes's eyes, and vanished.

...

"Kitty?"

She groaned the moment she heard his voice. She was already late and irritable from the high chance of rain.

David was not going to help any of that.

"Hey Kitty." David lightly tapped on her arm.

Kitty spun to face him, taking a few steps back before acknowledging his presence.

"Oh David... I didn't see you there."

"I know. That's why I walked over." He grinned at her, rocking on his heels.

"So what are you doing here?"

"Nothing, just picking up food and going home." Kitty forced a smile back.

"It was nice to see you, but I really have to go."

"I'll come with you." David offered, he quickly caught up to her as she tried to walk away.

He smiled as he tried to slip his hand into hers as they made their way to the doors.

"Don't touch me!" Kitty hissed. She snapped her hand out of David's much larger ones.

For a moment she stood still, listening to her heart race before she ran out the door.

"Kitty what's wrong?" David called out as he chased after her.

"Nothing. I just want to go home and rest." Kitty sighed, hoping the lie was convincing.

"I just need some time to myself right now."

"Are you mad at me?" 

Kitty groaned, turning around to glare at David. His face easily resembled a wounded puppy.

"I'm starting to be."

"What did I do? Can I make it up to you?" David stepped closer, reaching for her hands once more.

"I told you not to touch me!"

She was definitely going to be late.

...

"Why the fuck are you at a hotel?"

His voice both surprised, and infuriated her. She groaned as she turned around.

"What are you my stalker now? Did you not get the hint that I don't want to fucking be near you right now?"

"I'm just trying to understand what the hell is wrong with you right now." David responded.

He walked over to her, staring down at her as though he were some form of concerned parent.

"Nothing is wrong with me, okay? Just please go home." Kitty sighed.

She was already thirty minutes late after fighting with him outside the restaurant and now she would be even later.

"Not until you tell me why you're here." David crossed his arms and leaned against a nearby wall.

"It's none of your business, David."

"You'd better believe it's my business." David shouted, pushing himself off of the wall and stepping closer to her.

"I care about your safety, and randomly going to a hotel hardly seems like safe behavior."

"And you think just because you care about me entitles you to know every detail of my life?" Kitty hissed, her pupils quickly changing to slits.

"That's not what I said Kitty, calm down." David spoke more quietly, but continued to step towards Kitty.

"No, but that's what you're acting like."

Kitty pushed back on his shoulders when he got too close.

"Go home, David."

Takado growled, leaned against the elevator wall with his foot tapping impatiently on the floor.

He didn't care that the cat was over an hour late.

The only reason he was bothering to leave to look for her was because she was the only known link to his sister.

The cat herself didn't matter.

That's what he kept telling himself as the elevator continued its slow descent.

"I'm you best friend. I'm just trying to look out for you." David began to plead with her.

"Actually Spikes is my best friend." Kitty retorted harshly, turning away from his.

David's shoulders slumped, and pain swelled in his hazel eyes.

She'd hurt him, and she didn't care at all.

"No. You're just saying that because you're upset." David took a step back, talking to himself more than he was to Kitty.

"You say things to hurt people when you're upset even if it's not true."

"Are you really that stupid?" Takado could hear Kitty almost laugh as he exited the elevator.

He took a step back, eyes wide as he stared at her in disbelief.

He'd argued with her plenty of times in their short time together, but he'd never seen her like this.

Then his eyes fell on the target of her assault and he could feel his blood boil.

"No. You didn't mean it. You can't mean it." David began to shout.

"We're always been best friends. Ever since we were kids we've been best friends."

"You are nothing to me." Kitty hissed, taking another step towards David.

"Now get out."

"No! No I'm not leaving you!" David shouted, grabbing her hands and pulling her towards himself.

"Don't fucking touch me." Kitty shouted as she struggled to pull her hands out of his grip.

"No. No I'm not letting go until you listen to me-"

David was abruptly cut off by Takado lifting him by his throat and throwing him into a nearby wall.

Kitty stood motionless, staring at Takado with disbelief.

The room was silent outside her breath and the low growl in Takado's throat.

Kitty sighed with relief as David's breathing joined the room's sounds.

Kitty sidestepped Takado to look at David.

He held a hand gingerly to his throat while the other hand helped steady himself where he sat on the floor.

His eyes burned like fire as he glared up at Takado.

"You keep your fucking hands off of her, do you understand me?" Takado snarled, his eyes beginning to glow.

"And just who the hell are you?" David turned his glare briefly to Kitty before returning it to Takado.

David struggled to stand and face the man that stood between himself and Kitty.

The man that had to be at least 6'9" and had just thrown him into the wall.

The man whose sheer presence seemed to have calmed Kitty.

"Someone you don't want to mess with." Takado continued to snarl, taking a step closer to Kitty, blocking David's view of her.

"So I suggest you turn around and go home."

"Kitty, what is this?" David asked, wondering if the brute before him would even let her respond.

"Just go home David." Came her quite sigh.

"Kitty please-"

"You heard her. Now get lost." Takado took a step closer to David, and he took three back.

Takado may not care for the cat, but he would never tolerate a man putting his hands on a woman.

That's how he rationalized it.

"David please just go." Kitty stepped out from behind Takado.

Her voice wasn't pleading or angry like it had been before.

Her voice was warning him.

"I'm not leaving you here alone with this-"

"David, I promise you I am perfectly safe. You are not." Kitty's voice grew quieter.

"Please."

"Kitty I can't... I can't just leave you here." David glared at the man who was acting almost like Kitty's guard dog.

"I'm not leaving without you."

"Then I guess you're leaving in a body bag." Takado grinned, taking another step closer to David.

"Takado!" Kitty grabbed his arm, halting his steps towards David.

"Don't please. Let me take care of this."

Takado paused, glancing down at her.

His shoulder relaxed slightly as his eyes met her sapphire gaze.

"Fine." Takado relented, taking a step back. He turned his gaze to David.

"He lays another finger on you though and he dies."

Kitty nodded. She quickly walked around Takado and up to David.

"This is Spikes's brother, Takado. A bunch of magic demon stuff happened and he's not dead anymore so I've been meeting with him to prepare for Spikes's birthday." Kitty explained quietly and quickly.

"He may not like me much, but he's not going to hurt me. If for no other reason than I'm his only link to Spikes right now, okay?"

"Kitty, I don't like this." David sighed, reaching out towards her arm.

He stopped at the sound of Takado's growling coming from behind Kitty.

"It doesn't matter how you feel David. You cannot do anything about it." Kitty responded.

"Go home. I'll see you at Spikes's party tomorrow, and we can talk more then if you insist, okay?"

David hesitantly nodded and turned to leave.

Pausing only to glare at Takado before he stepped out of the hotel.

Kitty sighed with relief, turning to glare at Takado as he chuckled.

"Is something about this funny to you?" Kitty snapped at him.

"What?"

"Nevermind, let's just go upstairs, okay?" Kitty hissed, pushing past him as she made her way to the elevator.

Takado rolled his eyes and followed Kitty into the elevator.

He ignored her as she yammered on about her appreciation for his help, and something about not being so violent.

Takado was grateful to her of course for restoring his life, but he'd grown impatient with the cat.

As soon as he was reunited with his sister he planned on getting her away from the feline.

He hated other demons, and none more than cats.

Takado's mind continued to wander as he followed Kitty down the hall and into the suite he'd been staying in.

Continued to ignore the ramblings coming from the feline's lips.

Those delicate, perfectly shaped lips...

Takado quickly growled and shook his head, banishing the thought from his mind.

However it hadn't escaped Kitty's notice.

"What the hell is your problem?" Kitty hissed as she spun on her heel and glared up at him.

Takado stayed silent, his eyes never leaving her hers.

He smirked slightly as her cheeks flushed.

Cute.

That didn't change that she couldn't be trusted as far as she could be thrown.

Takado almost laughed.

He actually could probably throw the small cat pretty far.

"Your constant chatter is my problem." Takado chuckled in an effort to conceal a growl.

"Seriously do you ever shut up?"

"Excuse you?" Kitty hissed, taking a step toward him.

"This may come as a surprise to you, Princess. But not everyone wants to listen to everything you have to say, or bend over backwards to please you."

Kitty stood in stunned silence for a moment, trying to understand Takado's outburst.

"What the fuck is wrong with you?" Kitty shouted, her pupils once again shifting to slits.

"What makes you think you can talk to me like that after everything I've done for you and your sister."

"Get the fuck over it, Princess." Takado barked.

He wasn't one to deal with her type.

She was spoiled, privileged, and acted as if the world owed her something.

She'd never known what it was like to suffer. To starve, to be afraid for your life, to lose the people you love.

She'd known none of it.

"I'm not asking you to be over backwards for me." Kitty stomped her foot on the ground, fists clenched at her sides.

"I just want to get along with you, but you go out of your way to be an ass to me! You'd think you would be a little nicer given I brought you back from the dead."

"Too fucking bad. You chose to bring me back, now you get to deal with the repercussions of it." Takado growled, taking a step towards her.

"I didn't ask for this so don't try to hold it over my head. Grow up instead of being such a stuck up little bitch."

Takado nearly fell against the wall, blinking in shock staring at Kitty who stood over him, breathing heavily from the shot she'd taken to his jaw.

He lifted his hand to where she'd hit him in the jaw, surprised by the force she'd put behind it and certain it would hurt him later.

"So that's how you wanna play?" Takado snarled, getting up on his feet.

He spat some blood from his mouth as he cracked his knuckles.

He didn't believe in hitting women.

Unless they could handle their own, and to his surprise, Kitty could.

"You'd better be ready to fight me after a swing like that." Takado almost laughed as he started to swing for Kitty's face.

"Lay a finger on me, and you will never see your sister again." Kitty hissed darkly, taking a step closer to Takado.

Takado's fist stopped an inch from her face.

Her words hit harder than the strike to his jaw.

He snarled swinging his fist around into the wall, his fist easily going through it.

For a moment he stood motionless, breathing with his fist still in the wall.

All he could think was he needed to reach his sister, and get rid of the cat standing in the way.

He pulled his fist out, pulling debris with it.

"I don't know what my sister sees in a person like you." Takado snarled.

He walked past her, making his way to the suite's bedroom.

He'd been annoyed by the cat before, but now.

Now if she crossed him again he might just kill her.

Kitty watched him walk away, her eyes still slits until she heard the bedroom door slam shut.

Finally realizing what it was she'd said.

Kitty sunk to the ground, desperately wiping away at the tears that fell from her eyes.

She hadn't mean it.

She would never keep Takado from Spikes, no matter what he did to her.

She was more ashamed of herself than she had been in a long time.

She knew she had to make this right, but she didn't know how to.

Takado had proven he was not an easy person to please.

Kitty rubbed at her eyes once again before standing from her seat on the ground.

She couldn't go home upset, or Spikes would be out for blood.

Kitty chuckled at the thought of Spikes finding her brother that way.

Kitty sighed and pulled her wallet out of her pocket.

She quickly placed a hundred dollars on the coffee table before walking up to the bedroom door of the suite.

She knocked on it lightly, sighing when there was no response.

"Look I don't expect you to talk to me, but please listen." Kitty spoke quietly. "I left a hundred dollars for you on the coffee table so you can get a hair cut and take a taxi to my house tomorrow."

Kitty turned to walk away, but paused for a moment.

She looked back at the door, wishing Takado would say something.

"I'm really sorry about what I said... I didn't mean it." Kitty whispered before walking down the hall and out the door.

...

"I'm not sure I trust you being home alone." Spikes's eyes narrowed as she stared at Kitty.

"What's the worst Jinx and I could possibly do Spikes?" Kitty chuckled nervously, gesturing toward her cat.

"We did live alone for six months before you moved in, remember?"

"Yeah, but I'm not convinced you actually gave up on the birthday thing." Spikes took a step closer to Kitty, attempting to look into her eyes.

"Honestly Spikes. I already know you don't want to do anything, and I already gave you your present." Kitty responded, rolling her eyes.

"Besides who's going to help me set up? Jinx? I couldn't do all that alone."

Spikes opened her mouth to speak, only to finder herself interrupted by Xander.

"Come on Spikes, it's already noon and her majesty clearly wants some alone time." He smiled briefly, wrapping his arm around Spikes's waist.

"Let's go okay?"

He began to pull her towards the door, but Spikes kept looking back at Kitty.

Finally she sighed, relenting as she whistled for Damon so that they could leave.

"Have fun!" Kitty cheered, instantly regretting it when Spikes eyed her suspiciously.

Spikes pulled away from Xander. She walked over and hugged Kitty briefly before letting her go.

"Please don't do anything too crazy." Spikes sighed as she walked back to Xander's side.

"We should be back around five. I'll see you then."

"You worry too much. What's the worst two cats can do?" Kitty grinned as Spikes, Xander and Damon walked outside.

Kitty ran to the window, watching them pile into the car and held her breath until they were out of sight.

She sighed with relief when a yellow taxi came down the road ten minutes later.

Takado walked up to the door, frowning as Kitty ran to open it for him.

"Thank goodness you got here when you did, Tako!" Kitty exclaimed closing the door as he stepped inside.

He stayed silent as he took in the size of the place Kitty called home.

"Spikes only just left fifteen minutes ago and I was really worried you'd get here before she left." Kitty explained as she twirled with excitement.

"So you ready to get everything set up for your sister's birthday?"

"I guess." He responded quietly.

"You know..." Kitty hesitated as she stepped into the living room.

"You're actually kind of handsome when you're cleaned up."

Kitty smiled and vanished behind the door.

Takado blinked and followed after her, wondering what the slight warmth in his cheeks was.

...

"We're over an hour earlier than we said we'd be, don't you think we should have called?" Xander groaned as he stepped out of the car.

"I don't see why." Spikes said, almost grinning. 

"Unless of course, she were trying to do something to surprise me an hour from now."

Xander sighed, shoving his hands into his pockets as he waited for Spikes to let Damon out of the care.

Damon bounced alongside Spikes and Xander, chewing on his new toy as they walked.

Both Xander and Spikes jumped slightly when Damon suddenly began to growl.

"Damon?" Spikes turned around, surprised to find her dog growling as he sniffed the air. 

"What's wrong?" Xander asked as he continued to walk to the door.

"I don't know yet." Spikes said softly.

She leaned over Damon, about to stroke his head when he started snarling and ran for the front door.

"Damon!" Spikes called out after him. 

She stood frozen in place, unsure of how to respond to her dog's out burst.

"Spikes, what is happening?" Xander asked, grabbing her arm.

"I honestly don't know-" She paused as soon as it caught her attention.

There was someone else in the house, someone whose scent she couldn't recognize.

"Goddamnit." Spikes growled and ran after Damon, leaving Xander to catch up.

"You realize she's going to hate this right?" Takado raised an eyebrow at Kitty as he glanced at all the decor in the room. 

"You realize she's going to be too distracted by you to care right?" Kitty grinned as she put up another balloon stand.

"Carissa has never been one for this kind of stuff."

"I've lived with her for two years. You really think I don't know that?" Kitty sighed dramatically.

"I think this is fun, and this time she'll let me get away with it because the only thing she is going to care about is you."

Kitty's grin was quickly wiped away by the sound of very loud, very angry barking.

Damon quickly made his way into the living room after clawing at the living room door for a few seconds. 

He ran straight to Takado, snarling and ready to bite if Takado moved at all.

"Kitty!" Kitty groaned at the sound of Spikes calling for her.

Takado tried to step forward, but found himself blocked by Damon nipping at his ankles.

"Kitty! Damon and I could smell someone else's scent and are ok-" Spikes burst through the door, falling silent as he eyes landed on him. 

All the adrenaline and protective rage drained from her body in an instant.

It wasn't possible. She shook her head, taking a step backward.

Takado was dead.

He couldn't possibly be standing next to Kitty looking almost exactly as he had nine years ago.

Could he?

"Well shit..." Kitty muttered under her breath.