Chapter Twelve: Into the Shadows
Spike was going out of his mind. Hours had passed and the sun was about an hour away from rising. He’d thought they would pick up where they’d left off next to the mausoleum, but Buffy had barely spoken to him since. He’d spent the entire time building up the courage to say something to her about their almost-coupling in the graveyard, but still couldn’t bring himself to say the words. Now, as they returned to the watcher’s apartment, he moved his mouth to speak but no words came out.
As he was about to vocalize his thoughts and feelings, Buffy opened the door to her own sanctuary. In this apartment she could pretend she didn’t have feelings towards Spike. She could ignore him and focus on anything besides her attraction to the vampire. It was one department she knew her friends would help her in.
"How did everything go?" Giles asked with a yawn. He took a gulp of the strong cup of tea he’d made to help him stay awake.
"Things were a little hard," Spike told him smirking at Buffy. Gone was the lovesick vampire, replaced with everyone’s favorite pain in the ass. "But I rose to the occasion and Buffy lent a hand."
Buffy’s eyes bulged out of their sockets. Hopefully her friends were either sleeping or too engrossed by Willow’s findings to notice.
Giles turned his attention to them briefly. "Yes, well, it looks as though everything turned out alright."
"I wouldn’t say that," Spike muttered under his breath, earning his an elbow in the stomach from Buffy.
"Yep, everything’s great!" Buffy covered with a toothy smile. "So, you guys find anything?"
Spike threw himself into the nearest chair, bringing a cigarette to his lips. He seemed to be frustrated with himself for something, but she didn’t have the time to sort out his ordeals.
Willow handed her the notepad she had been writing on. "I managed to decode the file, after like a gazillion goes . It was a little hard to understand, but Xander helped a lot with that." She motioned over to where he was sleeping on the floor, since Faith was still occupying the couch. "He’s a little pooped from all the research." Willow bounced in her seat as she spoke, and Buffy noted the several empty cups of coffee in front of her friend.
"It seems as though 314 is Professor Walsh’s project," Giles started. "She was planning on building a line of soldiers."
"Out of what?" Buffy asked in disgust.
"Both human and demon parts. They would be virtually undefeatable."
"So what’s the big deal? Professor Walsh is dead, it’s not like she’s going to be able to finish the project now."
"She already finished one of them before she died," Willow told her. "She called it ‘Adam’."
"And if our research is correct, Adam is responsible for Professor Walsh’s murder," Giles said, covering up another yawn with his hand.
"Let me guess, is this thing part Polgara?"
Willow nodded. "Skewers for arms. Well, one of them at least. We’ve been researching the other demon parts noted in the file, and it looks like she made a real killing machine."
"So why isn’t it out, ya know, killing things?"
"Well, it’s also part human. I’m assuming the human part is the brain, so Adam could quite possibly be strategizing," Giles responded with a frown. "He doesn’t seem to be an immediate danger, but when he’s ready to strike we must be ready for him."
"And we will be," Buffy assured them. "Until then, we all need some much deserved rest." She looked out the window where the sun would soon be rising. "Spike, you better leave before your carriage turns into a pumpkin."
Spike and Giles both looked confused. Giles scratched the top of his head while he was deciphering whether his slayer had gone mad or not.
"Oh, come on! Cinderella? A Disney movie?" Buffy looked at Willow for help. The witch simply grinned and shrugged her shoulders.
"Ah, yes. The one where she loses her glass slipper," Giles said triumphantly.
Buffy and Willow giggled at his knowledge of the children’s movie, and quickly gathered their things. The walk back to campus seemed longer than usual, both girls wanting nothing more than to be in the comfort of their own beds.
"How about we Bronze tonight and unwind a little," Willow suggested as they entered their dorm.
"I don’t know, Wils. This Adam guy seems pretty serious."
They took the stairs, dragging their tired bodies up to their floor. "Come on, you heard what Giles said. Not an immediate danger. Plenty of time to have a little fun." She took her key out of her purse when they reached their room. "Plus, we’ve been over at Giles’ a lot this past week. I think it’d be good for him to have some quiet grown up alone time."
"Maybe you’re right," Buffy replied with a yawn. She threw herself down onto her bed, only taking the time to remove her boots. As she snuggled into her pillow a fun night at the Bronze sounded better and better.
***
"See, I told you this would be a good idea!" Willow exclaimed, nodding her head in time with the music. She smiled at Tara who was getting drinks at the bar. "And this way you guys can get to know Tara better."
"Yeah, I do kinda owe her a lot for risking her life to save me," Buffy replied smiling as the Wicca joined them. They were seated off to the side on various couches and chairs watching while Anya and Xander moved on the dance floor.
"I hope it’s okay that I invited Faith tonight," Willow started looking nervous. "I mean, I ran into her at Giles’ and you know me and my big mouth. Plus, don’t you think she deserves to have a little down time? She’s been helping just as much as the rest of us."
Buffy laughed taking a sip of her soda. "It’s fine, Will."
"Isn’t that her over there with Spike?" Tara asked looking at the entrance of the club.
Sure enough, Faith and Spike were just entering the establishment. Buffy frowned, wondering if they had planned on coming together. Why would Spike be out on a date with one of her friends the very same day they’d...done what they had?
"I swear, I didn’t invite Spike!" Willow promised, noticing the angry look on Buffy’s face and misreading the reason behind it.
Spotting the Scoobies, Faith lead Spike over to where they were sitting. "Hey, guys," she greeted taking a seat on the couch that had been vacated by Xander and Anya.
Spike stopped at the bar first, ordering a beer and hot wings before joining them. He sat down next to Faith and when he looked up he had Buffy glaring daggers at him. He hadn’t even said a word to her yet, and he’d already managed to piss her off.
"What are you doing here?" she asked.
Spike chuckled. "Oh, I see. You all get to relax and have a bit of fun, but not the evil vampire?"
"That sounds right."
"I saw him on the way here and invited him along," Faith admitted. "I didn’t think it would be a big deal since he’s always with Buffy anyway."
Spike smirked, settling into his seat and taking a bite from one of his wings, while Buffy blushed. "What? He is not always with me!"Buffy cried, realizing too late how high her voice was. She sat back against her chair, putting on a carefree expression. "I mean, whatever it’s not a big deal."
***
Buffy made her way back to the ladies’ room of the club, hoping there wouldn’t be a line. She’d had too many sodas and her bladder was about ready to burst. As she turned the corner towards the restroom, someone grabbed her arm and pulled her into a setback doorway.
"Spike," Buffy whined softly, not making an attempt to push him away.
Spike’s only response was to cup the back of her neck, pulling her face towards his. She responded immediately, opening her mouth to allow his tongue entrance. Her arms snaked themselves around his neck, holding onto him because she was sure she wouldn’t be able to stand on her own, as his hands traveled lower on her body. He caressed her breast through the thin material of her top before leaning down to take the hardened bud into his mouth.
Buffy let out a soft moan, pulling his head back up to meet hers. Knowing they could be walked in on at any moment stopped her from going as far as she had in the empty cemetery. A part of her was glad for it, losing control to Spike was the last thing she should be doing.
His hand ventured further south, over her flat stomach, around to cup her firm ass and finally to the hem of her skirt, his hand sliding underneath as he pulled it up her thigh. Slowly her brain began to function again, telling her to stop. When she felt him tugging at her panties, she pushed him away so hard he hit the wall behind him.
It didn’t phase him, as he strode up to her like the predator he was. She backed up against the wall as he placed his hand next to her head and leaned towards her. "Whatsa matter, pet? Not up for a repeat of last night?" he asked, his lips brushing against the shell of her ear sending tingles down her spine.
"Right here? I don’t think so," she replied managing to put a little conviction in her tone.
Spike pulled back, looking disappointed. "And why not?"
"Because my friends are here!" she exclaimed as if it were the most obvious answer in the world. "They could come back here and see us!"
Spike’s expression turned dark and she could tell he was angry. "Fine," he bit out, pushing away from the wall roughly and stalking away from her.
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