| Needlework by Holly |
| Chapter #15 - A Moving Target |
A Moving Target Giles didn’t know when they had stopped asking about Buffy. In the beginning, she was all they could talk about. The source of heated debates and hot tempers. Of anger and bewilderment, and everything in between. No one knew exactly what to expect from her anymore; when or if they would see her again. Making suppositions for the future was dangerous, though, and the Watcher knew it. Only days had passed since the platinum vampire visited him and dropped the bombshell of the Slayer’s change. Only days, and yet it felt as though years had gone by since he’d seen Buffy’s face or heard her casually berating him for some British habit that he refused to sacrifice to American culture. Nightmares had only plagued him the first restless night. Every night thereafter was spent under terrible speculation of what Spike was doing to her. There were times, though few and far between, when he would admit the inner struggle waned a little with a softer resolution that the master vampire was perhaps the best link they could have hoped to find Buffy in the hours following her transformation. Times when he needed peace above everything else, and his mind offered some comfort in knowing that Spike’s behavior had to be monitored based on what he knew the Scoobies would do to him if he tried to hurt her. Then again, the thought of hurting a sired Slayer was blatantly preposterous. Comfort was his default position whenever she haunted his thoughts. Most days and nights were spent agonizing over what was happening to her. If Spike’s bloodlust for Slayers had won over what little humanity he had. If he had staked Buffy as she slept, then high-tailed it out of town before anyone could know a damn thing about it. That seemed a little ridiculous, though. Even to one that trusted vampires as little as the Watcher did. At the same time, Giles was convinced that Spike would honor his threat to leave Sunnydale with Buffy if anyone attempted to approach him. Furthermore, the fact that Buffy had yet to show up on his doorstep only soothed his raging conscience in that staying away was the best thing he could do. That Spike had spoken the truth the night he told him that Buffy wanted nothing to do with any of them. Not now. That she needed the help of a vampire, and that placing her in the same room as humans was the most dangerous, damaging thing anyone could ask of her right now. It just didn’t seem right that Buffy wouldn’t have gone to Angel. Angel had a soul. Angel loved her and would do whatever he could to help her. Angel wouldn’t be the danger to her that Spike was. It wasn’t as though Giles liked Angel—he didn’t, and he would never pretend otherwise. But as far as trusting vampires, he knew where his Slayer’s former boyfriend stood. Spike had no motive other than money to help Buffy adapt to her new life. He had yet to ask for money. He had yet to ask for anything. The reaction from her friends went as expected. Willow had panicked. Anya had shrugged. Tara had stuttered but refrained from saying much. Xander had gone crazy and demanded they storm the bloodsucker’s crypt and save their friend, as she had obviously been brainwashed. Riley hadn’t said much at all, which surprised everyone. He had sat silent for a few minutes as chaotic debate exploded around him, a distant look on his face. Somewhere between rage and apathy. A twist of something not many could touch. As though he was not as much surprised as he was disappointed, but angry with himself at his own verdict. In the few days that had passed, temperament among her friends had dwindled from casual discussion to begrudged acceptance. Willow and Tara came to the conclusion that, if sired Slayers truly did keep their souls, then Buffy had to have gone to Spike of her own accord. And if Buffy wanted to be elsewhere, she would be. Right now she wanted to be with Spike, and they were in no position to deny what she needed. Even Xander had come around—not completely, but he said the other day that if Buffy felt she needed to be with Spike to get through whatever she was going through, then he would support her. They had no way of gauging how this was affecting her, and to presume they knew what was best was as ignorant as it was callous. Perhaps it was Joyce’s reaction that had calmed everyone down. So much like his own. Horror, then outrage, then relief, then acceptance. Her daughter was not dead, nor was she a monster. And after Giles explained the terms that Spike had set out, Joyce was determined to keep her daughter’s friends away from the cemetery. She trusted Spike for reasons beyond everyone, and she honored what Buffy wanted. If Buffy needed Spike right now, she said, no one was in the position to deny her that. They were nearing on the end of a week, though, without any word. Only a week. The longest week of Giles’s life. His living room was filled with the expected crowd. Willow and Tara were chatting about some spell they had finally nailed the night before. Anya was on Xander’s lap, trying to persuade him to sneak off with her upstairs so they could get in a pre-Scooby meeting orgasm before she had to be bored for an hour and a half. Riley was sitting by himself, not engaged or even paying attention to the world around him. He looked as though life itself had been drained, and that nothing would ever make him happy again. Giles sighed and removed his glasses. He didn’t particularly want to see the facial reactions to what he was about to say. “I have decided,” he declared loudly, slicing through the mingled conversations around him, “to phone Angel.” There was a brief silence at that; everyone stared. “Phone Angel?” Willow finally asked. “Why?” “He deserves to know what has happened,” the Watcher replied. “Furthermore, I’m not entirely sure that Buffy’s judgment has been…well, obviously, we can’t know what’s going through her mind, but I am getting worried, as I’m sure you are, as well. She’s been with Spike for nearly a week now, and we have no idea what he’s doing to her.” Tara’s eyes went wide at that. “D-d-doing to her?” she stammered. “What do you mean?” “Spike wouldn’t have the gall to do anything to her,” Xander agreed. “She’d stake him so fast, he’d see his own dust.” “I don’t trust him,” Giles said firmly. “Buffy wouldn’t have left us without word from her this long. Not a phone call. Not a letter. Not even a stop by her mother’s.” “But we all decided,” Willow argued. “Spike said she was having trouble coping…you know, with the fangy thing? Being around people equals bad? And if she wanted Angel to help her, don’t you think she would’ve said so?” “Do we really trust Spike to have told the truth in that regard?” Xander frowned. “Not to be coming to Captain Peroxide’s defense, because hey, that’s so not happening, but…why would he not tell the truth? That just doesn’t make sense, G-Man. Like he wants a live-in houseguest for god-knows-how-long? Especially in Buffy-form? This is the guy that—” “Kills Slayers,” the Watcher finished coldly. “Yes, Xander, I am perfectly aware of who we’re talking about. Which is all the more reason to intervene before something happens that we’re incapable of stopping.” There was a pause, and he sighed. “I’m not about to forcibly remove Buffy from where she feels comfortable,” he clarified. “I just…I have yet to hear from her, and that worries me. The idea that she wouldn’t have gone to Angel, or at least tried to, simply doesn’t make sense. He’s the one with a soul. He’s the one she…” His eyes caught Riley’s in the corner, and he flushed brightly and glanced away. “I’m not sure Buffy has actually weighed in an opinion, and I’m simply tired of taking all of this on faith from a vampire that has attempted to kill us all more than once, especially knowing that he has a particular agenda when it comes to slaughtering Slayers. Perhaps Buffy realized that she couldn’t get to Angel in time, and went to Spike as a fallback under the provision that he help her to Los Angeles.” “If killing Buffy was his intention, don’t you think it would have been a little easier to have not come and told you that she was staying with him?” Anya intervened, looking bored and unimpressed. “One would assume that he would have found her, killed her, and not said a word to anyone. Spike’s been around for a hundred years or more. He might be thickheaded, but he’s not stupid. What is it with you people and constantly searching for hidden motives, especially where demons are involved? Especially ones that make absolutely no sense?” “Because demons often have hidden motives, sweetie,” Xander said, patting her back. A look of pure agitation flashed across the blonde’s face. “You just don’t understand me at all, do you, Xander?” Willow’s eyes narrowed. “Okay, I’m about to do something kinda crazy here, but I agree with Anya.” “Thank you,” the former demon said, smiling proudly. “I’ll admit, you do raise a good point,” Giles conceded. “However, under the circumstances…especially while we know so little…I believe that we should contact Angel. If Buffy truly wants to stay with Spike, that’s fine. I would simply rather hear it from a vampire whose last life’s conquest was not in the Slayer’s death.” “He doesn’t want her dead,” Riley murmured, his eyes glued to the window. The entire room froze and turned to look at him. “How do you know?” Giles asked. “He doesn’t want her dead,” he repeated, turning to face them. “He just wants her.” Xander’s eyes bulged. “Say that again? That sounds like the sort of sense that…you know, doesn’t make any.” “He wants her.” “Spike?” Willow forced a small laugh. “Spike hates Buffy. Why in the world would you think he—” “Because I…” He released a short breath and glanced down. “The other night…when we were all at the Bronze…Buffy was there.” The five faces surrounding him went slack with disbelief. “She was?” Xander asked, voice quivering. “Why didn’t you say anything?” “I was going to, but then Spike showed up. She looked very…she wasn’t happy.” He paused. “She looked like she was in pain, or something. Like she was…she just looked bad. But I only saw her for a few seconds, and then Spike showed up and she was fine.” Willow heaved a deep sigh. “Well, then, that doesn’t mean he…he wants her or anything. He was just there and—” “She grabbed him,” Riley said shortly. “And kissed him. And they practically had sex on the balcony. That’s why I didn’t say anything. Buffy’s with Spike because she wants to be, and Spike doesn’t want her dead. He just wants her.” He turned his eyes to the ground. “Makes sense, I guess. He’s killed so many…why not want one…to have?” The room fell deathly silent. “Buffy…” Xander was shaking his head violently. “No. No, she wouldn’t do that.” “She’s a vampire,” Riley replied. “Why not?” “She has a soul!” He pointed at the Watcher. “He promised us that sired Slayers keep their souls! Why would she…with Spike? That’s…that’s just…” Anya shrugged. “Well,” she said, “it’s about time she got some sexual gratification.” Xander and Riley glared at her. “What?” the former demon asked, genuinely confused. “Buffy’s been needing a good orgasm for months. I would have thought you,” she glanced to the Slayer’s boyfriend, “would have noticed that. After all, you were the designated orgasm provider. If she wasn’t satisfied, it makes sense that she would have turned to a vampire to fulfill her sexual needs. They have amazing stamina.” Riley looked angry enough to throw her through the window, with or without Xander attached. He pointed to himself irately. “I have amazing stamina!” he whined. “You’re human,” Anya retorted. “Humans don’t have amazing stamina.” “Ahn.” Harris was bright red. “Now’s not exactly the time—” “Buffy always said—” Willow threw up her hands in a desperate call for neutrality. “Okay!” she quipped, tossing her girlfriend an apologetic glance. “This is really approaching the line of TMI.” “Approaching? Oh no,” Giles muttered, “look behind you.” “There’s no way Buffy would ever…with Spike,” Xander declared, making a face. “You saw wrong.” “I didn’t see wrong. You think I like this? My girlfriend’s a vampire; she went to a vampire because she didn’t trust any of us not to stake her on sight, and now she’s sleeping with Spike.” Riley shook his head in disgust. “Trust me, if there was a way to see it wrong, I would’ve spun it by now. There wasn’t. Buffy was there. She molested Spike on the balcony, and he really, really didn’t mind. And they left in a hurry, so where they were going with what intention really leaves little to the imagination.” “And you really kept all of this to yourself?” Giles shook his head in outrage. “You selfish, stupid boy.” The farm boy glared at him. “You have something to say to me? I didn’t want…I don’t know…” “If what you’re saying is true, you should have told us from the beginning. But you didn’t. To spare your broken ego, you kept your mouth shut. And now Buffy is…” He broke off with a muttered curse. “If she really is…with Spike like that, I’m sure there’s a reason.” “She’s a vampire, he’s a vampire, I guess they hit it off.” The entire room turned to glare at Xander. “I was just kidding,” he said, holding his hands up, his eyes distant and confused. “Look, I know I’m the last person in the world to say this, and obviously the prospect doesn’t make me want to leap to my feet and do interpretive dance, but…Buffy is…if she feels she can trust Spike…and if he’s what she needs, I guess…” Willow’s brows perked. “And just a few seconds ago, you were about ready to declare war on the thought.” “A man can’t grow in a few seconds?” Xander shrugged. “Don’t get me wrong, nothing—and I mean nothing—gives me a bigger case of the wiggins than thinking of Buffy and Spike and anything to do with…” He glanced to Anya dismally. “Orgasms?” she provided. “Yeah.” He heaved a sigh. “That’s just…but she’s…she’s going through something, you know? She has to be going through something. She went to Spike, and…” He made another face. “Gah, this entire conversation is just wrong.” “You have no idea,” Riley all but growled. “Well, that settles it,” Giles said. “I’m calling Angel.” Willow’s eyes went wide. “Why? Color me stupid, but throwing Angel into the mix…especially if Buffy’s involved with Spike…like that…isn’t that like, a bad idea?” “Not any worse than Buffy sleeping with Spike,” Riley retorted. “B-but,” Tara interjected, glancing down shyly. “I-i-if Buffy is w-w-with Spike, doesn’t it st-stand to reason that she w-wants to be? She’s a v-vampire now, right? A-and Spike’s there for her, s-s-so…m-maybe we should trust that she knows what she’s doing.” “Or maybe he’s brainwashed her,” the shunned boyfriend muttered. “Into sleeping with him? Buffy doesn’t get brainwashed.” Xander paused. “Except for the entire ‘allowing Drac to lure her to his castle and vamp her’ thing.” Giles released a hard sigh. “We don’t know anything,” he said. “This is all pure speculation. However, if Buffy and Spike have developed a…physical relationship, as Riley’s testimony seems to suggest, I do believe that calling Angel is essential.” He held up a hand. “To make sure…no one has ever been able to reach her like Angel did. If what she’s…doing with Spike is nothing more than a side-effect of her turning, Angel should be able to reach her.” He paused. “If Spike has taken advantage of her…” “You really think that might be it?” Riley asked, shades of hope crossing his face. “I don’t know. It might be.” “But if it’s not, we’re just creating a whole new problem,” Willow said. “If Angel’s here, and Buffy’s all naked and groiny with Spike, don’t you think he might, you know…go to the Dark Side?” Giles rolled his eyes. “Willow, it takes a moment of pure happiness to make Angel…go to the Dark Side.” He stopped almost disdainfully at his own recitation of her words. “I rather doubt knowing that Buffy and Spike have engaged in a…physical relationship will give him any emotion remotely connected to happiness.” “Yeah, but…” The redhead shook her head dispassionately. “Angel’s all…with the temper? You know. He came here and practically beat the crap out of Riley. And Riley’s all…human.” “He did not beat the crap out of me,” the former soldier reneged. “Children, please.” Giles placed his glasses on the bridge of his nose. “We’ll deal with that when it happens,” he told Willow. “Right now, Buffy is our priority.” “Yeah, and if she gets pissed and runs off with Spike, we might never see her again,” Xander retorted. “Say this thing she’s doing right now is legit. She’s not going to be happy that you called Angel.” The redhead tossed him a wary glance. “You really need to stop doing that.” “What?” “Acting all logical and sense-like.” “I know. It’s kinda creeping me out, too.” Giles smiled humorlessly. “Well,” he said. “If it…comes to that, hopefully she will have the foresight to acknowledge that we were acting in a way that we thought served her well being. I simply cannot…my Slayer is out there, turned, possibly involving herself with another vampire—be it voluntarily or not, and I have to know…she’s my daughter.” He earned another roomful of stunned glances. “Figuratively,” he clarified. “She’s my Slayer. My daughter. If she’s with Spike because she wants to be…I will try to find it within myself to not stake him and lock her in a room until she realizes what she’s doing. But if she isn’t…if she wants to be with us, or heaven forbid, Angel, we need to know.” A short pause. “I can’t keep waking up every day, worrying about her like I do. It’s killing me.” Those three conclusive words sent a cold shudder through the room, and effectively killed any rebuttal waiting to be fired in his direction. Riley turned back to the window, taciturn and displeased. Xander exchanged a long look with Willow, then nodded when they reached a silent accordance. “I’ll make the call,” Willow said, slipping off the couch. “No,” Giles said shortly. “Leave that to me.” “You ready to pack it in?” Spike glanced up, wiping dust from his hands, a slow grin spreading across his face. “Three vamps?” he retorted, tossing his stake to the ground. “You’re ready to pack it in with jus’ three vamps?” “Well…” Buffy’s eyes fell bashfully to the side, raising a hand to fondle the leather of his duster lovingly. “You looked really hot doing that.” “I look really hot doin’ anythin’.” She smirked. “Wow, have I stroked your ego one too many times?” “Feel free to stroke anythin’ of mine that tickles your fancy.” Spike dipped his head to suckle tenderly at the proud bite mark on her throat. His hand captured her wrist and guided her touch to his crotch. “Anythin’ tickle your fancy?” “Well…it doesn’t really tickle.” She gave his erection a fond squeeze, eliciting a long, ardent rumble from his lips. Spike threw his head back with a long whimper, then took one look at her smirking face, scowled, grabbed her hand and began storming back to the crypt with a fury. “What’s gotten into you?” “Nothin’,” he retorted. “But something’s gonna be in you in about five minutes.” “Oh, someone’s feisty.” “Not feisty.” He nearly growled as he turned and tugged her into his arms, ravaging her mouth with a hungry kiss. “Horny.” Another kiss. “Want you…but not here.” “Have you already lost your sense of adventure?” she replied teasingly as he renewed his mission to get her to the crypt. “In a town full of wankers who want me dead? More over, who want you dead?” He shook his head. “Never. Jus’ don’ fancy sharin’ you with the whole bloody world. You’re all mine.” “Am I, now?” “Better bloody believe it.” He turned to her again, his expression softening. “I love you.” She smiled. “I love you, too.” “You are mine, you know.” Buffy kissed him again, smiling still. “This ownership thing goes both ways, right?” she asked teasingly. “’Cause if you’re mine, I won’t need another Christmas present as long as I live.” “That’s quite a long time, pet.” “I knew it when I said it.” He scoffed. “Like I’m gonna let one bloody day go by without showerin’ you with gifts.” “Well, just wanted to let you know that I’ll still love you if you don’t.” Spike grinned and they continued walking. Their fingers entwined. Like lovers taking a moonlight walk on the beach. Not the beach, but damn close. God, he loved her so much. And she was his. It was only a matter of time before he made it official. To be continued in Chapter Sixteen: A Softer Place To Land… |