Out of Sight

"Ah, ah, not nice to play dirty." Spike plucked the knife out of the air and with a nonchalant back hander, smacked Marcie away from the small blonde who was acting like bait.

"I still don't get why I had to be the one with the target on my back saying stab me. If she'd gotten you with the pointy sharp thing, then less with the certain death and gushing of arterial blood!" Buffy grumbled and straightened up. She dusted the knees of her black jeans clean with an absent hand and then frowned around the crawl space. "Can you tell if she is out?"

"Yeah, her breathing is slow and she isn't moving." Spike leaned over and helped Buffy to her feet.

"So why did we have to come back for her?" Buffy pouted up at her comrade at arms. "I don't get it.  There has to have been more supernatural stuff going on here after I left, but Willow calls to say something weird's going on and you do a handbrake turn and head straight back here?" Buffy gestured at the crawlspace where Marcie had made herself a nest.  

She and Willow had managed to meet up at her place the night before when they'd sloped back into Sunnydale. It had been by silent mutual agreement that Giles wasn't to know about the return of his Slayer. As far as he was concerned she was still in Los Angeles visiting with her dad. So it had been cloak and dagger time since they'd snuck back into town yesterday evening. Less chance of any awkward questions or meetings or Xander spotting, though from what Willow said the other night, he was kinda not around.  Something about therapy cos of a clown problem? Buffy shook her head at that and then refocused on the situation. Being back was giving her a serious case of the wiggins.  Luckily Spike had made sure they were flying low on the radar, but she did not want to see Giles anytime soon.  If he saw her then he'd think she was back from her holiday and that so didn't fit in with any of their plans.

"We came back cos she might be useful," Spike interrupted her thoughts and jerked a thumb at the area where he'd knocked the invisible girl.

"What, Inviso-Girl? How can she help? Except to freak me out with the not knowing where she is!" Buffy exclaimed. She sat back down on the crumpled mattress and fluffed her much shorter hair; it was streaked with white blonde and just brushing her shoulders. Her clothes were very much different from the light fluffy outfits she'd worn before. The diminutive blonde was now wearing black jeans, a silky scarlet tank top and a soft black leather jacket that brushed the tops of her thighs.  Unconsciously mimicking Spike's style, gone were the naïve teen fashions.  In their place was a darker more sophisticated look.  Her clothes and hair were only outward changes. It was the internal changes that were more telling; her hazel eyes were harder and more seasoned. Since her mother's murder, the countless betrayals by the Council and her subsequent escape from the Hellmouth with her unlikely vampiric partner, Buffy had done some growing up. It hadn't been easy, but she was getting there.

"She can get into places we can't, get papers, layouts…hell even dosh when we need it," Spike explained patiently. “Also looks like she needs a friend or two.” He shrugged bashfully at Buffy’s the look of approval. He hadn't really wanted to come back, but when Red had called to give them her flight plans she'd dropped a mention of someone invisible going around beating the crap out of jocks and some bint called Cordy, and he'd been fascinated. All it had taken was a call to his newest minion in London and she'd leapt onto the phone and gotten more that enough intriguing info out of the Librarian. Spike's face split with a genuine grin. 'Wonder what Watcher boy'd make of what he'd been chatting up.'

"So what do we do now?" Buffy frowned over at the meagre pile of belongings and then back in the direction of where he'd sent Marcie Cross. Her heart ached for the girl; there was something so poignant about her hiding away in the crawlspace of the school with her teddy, some clothes and her flute and it pulled at her heart. Why hadn't her parents noticed she was missing? Why hadn't someone at school, a teacher or even the counsellor? Buffy felt sick for the girl and in that moment realised that if she let them, then Marcie had two new friends. Well one and a weird ass vampire that seemed to have some serious issues with making friends with his food and not playing with it. LOL! Buffy smiled wryly at Spike, who cautiously returned it. "Well, what do we do?"

"We ask her real nice if she wants to help out and come on a road trip to London with us.” Spike refrained from adding that if she didn’t then he’d turn her and make her come. Somehow he didn’t think the Slayer’d go for that though. “Anything has to be better than squatting on school property taking pot-shots at dickheads who don’t deserve the attention, no matter how much they deserve a good kicking." Exactly right. Spike squatted down next to where Marcie had fallen, reached into his bag and sprinkled some herbs over her slumped form. "Not nice to play possum now, is it?" He cocked his head and then muttered under his breath. There was a shimmer of light, small sparkles of pink and green and they coalesced into the shape of a teenaged girl. "There you are, sweets.  Can see you now."

"Whoa, where did you get that?" Buffy pointed at the small brown silk drawstring pack he pocketed quickly.

"Something from London, got it couriered over yesterday. Lyd...one of my minions thought it might help."

"Okay, cryptic much? And also minions as in plural? How many have you got? And how come I can see her now?" Buffy crossed her arms over her chest and waited for Spike to explain himself. She was getting sick of the muffled phone calls to someone in London and then him all 'ohhh I have minions at my beck and call mwahahahaha'. First thing she'd be doing when they hit London was going on a little vamp hunt. No minions hanging around her, nu-uh.  There were limits to her patience and he was working on her last nerve with the mysterious whispers and sudden magical doodads appearing outta nowhere. 

Spike's shoulders hunched slightly, he hadn't wanted to have this convo so soon. He had two minions, one who'd been with him for a good while and the other newly turned. He had a feeling the latter one was the one the Slayer was going to have the most problems with. He looked over at the steaming girl and sighed. "Not now, Slayer.  We've got company." Their chat would need privacy and some time and a place preferably where they could have a little spar to get the anger out..

Buffy's eyes narrowed.  She was so getting the brush off here, but he was right.  Now wasn't the time. Now was recruiting time.  She plastered a sunny smile on her face. "Hey, Marcie. I'm Buffy." She thrust out a hand and waited for the bemused girl to take it. She did, cautiously, gave it a quick shake and then stopped and stared down at their linked hands.

"The Slayer.  Yeah, I know. But who's he and how come you can see me?" Marcie grumbled and fingered the bruise that was developing on her jaw. She levered herself up onto her elbows and frowned at Spike; him she didn't know, but the blonde she did. She'd followed her around long enough, but then one day she was gone. Nothing had been said, not even by the crusty old guy in the library who'd been her Watcher. Willow and Xander had stopped talking to each other, and now this. All she'd wanted to do was make Cordelia suffer for ignoring her and being mean, but now she had these two smiling at her. It was weird, and why was her skin all sparkly.

"Whoa! Hey, how did you know? God so much for having a secret in this town." Buffy shook her head and grimaced. "Guess I really wasn't stealth gal, was I?"

"No, but then again, I was." For the first time in a long while Marcie smiled. It felt weird on her face, but the warmth in her stomach spread through her body.

"Ohh hey, not anymore though. Cos I can see you now." Buffy waved at her. Marcie smiled again.  It felt good that someone cared enough to find her; the same someone she'd been ready to knife.  Her smile faltered.

"Err, sorry about the…you know." She pantomimed a knifing motion with her hand and then stared at her feet, waiting for something nasty to be said. She was used to it, so Marcie guessed it wouldn't hurt, that much.

"Nah, don't worry.” Buffy waved a hand dismissively and gave the confused teen a reassuring smile. “You know how many times someone's tried to kill me? It's a Slayerly job hazard." Buffy shook her head. "So the sparklies? What's that about, Spike?"

"Something to help us see the Twinkles here."  Spike nodded at Marcie and waited a beat.

"You can see me? God, I thought I was going to be all see through forever," Marcie gasped. As much fun as it had been to be able to move around without being noticed, it had been lonely.  This was the first time in weeks she's spoken to anyone, and she kinda liked it.

"Yeah, nifty trick that.  You know there's a way to control it, right? Heard somewhere that the government have a training centre," Spike interjected and reached over and helped her up. "How's about we move this convo somewhere more comfy?" he added, realising he didn’t want to reveal just yet where he was getting so much inside information.  He didn’t want the Slayer to kick his arse from here to kingdom come.

"Control it?" Marcie's voice wavered in shock. "You mean I can switch it on and off?"  

Spike nodded, his blue eyes gleaming with humour and compassion; there was something about this girl. Something that reminded himself of William and it made him start to care for her.

"Yeah, less time spent here at school the better! I sooo don't want to run into Giles or Xander. Can we get out of here?" Buffy bounced to her feet. "Shall I help you pack, cos sleeping here," she wrinkled her nose, "sooo not of the fun.”

"I…err…" Marcie watched bemused as the dynamic blonde began to pack all her things up, chattering all the while. She glanced over at the pale guy who'd made her visible and he shrugged at her.

"Best let the Slayer get on with it.  Not much you can say to change her mind once she's set on something."

Marcie frowned; there was a tender look in his eyes which both of the blonds seemed to be oblivious to She wondered what the hell she was getting herself into by letting them into her life.

"Ready?" Buffy lifted the tile and peeked through.

"Wait, everyone will see me." Marcie crossed her arms protectively around her waist. "I dunno if I can do this, not after so long."

Spike's head snapped around and he reached out and clumsily patted her on the shoulder. "Nope, only me and the Slayer, we'll have to work on you being able to switch it on and off." Spike scratched the back of his head thoughtfully. "Not sure how, but we'll work on it, yeah?"

Marcie took a deep breath and nodded. "Yeah."

~~~~~~~~~~~

"She's back?"

"Yeah, someone spotted her going into the high school."

"Have you got a tracker on her?"

"Yes, several.  They're going to report back in an hour or so."

"Are you sure that it is her? We cannot risk exposure for another mistake."

"There are some differences, but no, I'm sure it's her."

"Good, it's about time. He's been waiting for her."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Wills, you there?" Buffy hissed as she scratched at the balcony window. Behind her she could hear Spike and Marcie whispering.

"Buffy?" Willow's bright head popped out and a welcoming smile painted across her face. "Ohh, and Spike, come on in, guys." She pushed the door away from her shoulder and gestured them in. "Sorry about the boxes but everything's being shipped tomorrow, yay!" As she chattered she accidentally pushed the door shut in Marcie's face.

"Err, Wills, you kinda locked Marcie out." Buffy pulled the door open and made an apologetic face at her new friend. "Sorry about that."

"Oh, oh…god, I am so sorry." Willow's face creased with guilt as she spoke to the wall, her back to Marcie. "Please come on in and take a seat."

"Red, she's behind you," Spike chuckled as he flopped down on the small double bed and tucked his hands behind his head. He tried not to laugh at the mortified look on the redhead's face, knowing that she was trying to be welcoming to the new girl.

Willow twisted around with an ‘eep’ and waved her hands around until she accidentally smacked the invisible girl in the ear. With a sigh of relief, she grabbed hold and was awarded with a yelp of pain.

"Oww.  God, can't you guys do the same thing with the herbs so she can see me and not turn me into Van Gogh?" Marcie twisted free and rubbed her abused ear, then gazed balefully at a chuckling Spike. Willow flushed even redder and wrung her hands worriedly.

"Spike, do something." Buffy reached over and took one of Willow's hands, and then one of Marcie's and made them hold hands. She gave Spike a look mixed with exasperation and fondness.

"Right." He straightened and then fumbled in his duster; pulling out the bag, he tossed a smidge of the herbs into Willow's face. She sneezed, then blinked and then her eyes widened with surprise at the slightly shimmering girl who had been revealed to her.

"Ohhhh," she squealed. "There you are!" Willow pumped Marcie's hand enthusiastically. "So how weird is this? Are you really that pissed at Cordy? Cos you know, not really big on the Cordelia Chase train of love here either. Xan…Xander and I even had a 'We Hate Cordy Club', back from Kindergarten, but—" Willow frowned. "We…uhh…never tried to kill her, much."

Marcie ducked her head and stared at the weird green snake that the redhead had draped over her headboard. 

“Hey, its okay, we all get crabby.” Willow realised that her babbling was reversing any good work Buffy had done on the way here. She glanced at the two blondes, wondering if maybe she had made a mistake getting them involved.  What if this girl stabbed them all in their beds of something. So far she’d beaten the crap out of a varsity football player and gone medieval on Cordelia. Maybe she was unhinged or something? The worried redhead stepped away from the quiet girl and backed into Spike and then shrieked. 

“Red, breathe for Christ sake. And stop that or you’ll wake your parents, and make my ears bleed.” Willow squeaked and ricocheted off Spike and into Buffy, who grabbed her and tried to calm her now freaked friend down. Willow made incomprehensible noises and flapped her hands at all of them. 

“That’s Willowspeak for no parents in, I think.” Buffy grabbed her flustered friend’s hands and gripped them. “Seriously, chill, you’re starting to freak out the vampire.”   

Spike snorted and sat down at Willow’s tidy desk and began to flip through a book. Marcie sat down on the bed and stared at her hands, knowing all too well why Willow was flipping out.  She didn’t like her and it made Marcie feel bad. “Maybe I should go.” 

“No!” Buffy shook her head at Marcie and then shook Willow. “Calm down.  You’ve made Spike all weird; he’s reading poetry.” Nothing escaped the eagle eye of a vampire slayer and that gem was sooo worth a tease or two.  She filed it away for later useage. Spike slammed the book shut and tossed it on the desk with a glare at the blonde bint. 

Willow looked at her copy of Donne and blinked. ‘Huh, Spike likes poetry…’ Somehow knowing that calmed her down.  It made him less freaky and a bit geeky, and that made her giggle and relax. 

“Oi, was just looking,” Spike tried to shrug but his shoulders were hunched defensively. He’d been enjoying a trip down memory lane, not that he would ever admit to that. He ran a restless hand through his hair, dislodging the cemented down curls, giving him a rakish air.  

“Sorry,” Willow squeaked and then took a deep breath and sat down bravely next to Marcie. “So invisible huh, bet that’s weird, right?” Marcie stared at her cautiously, hesitant, but the warm smile on the girl next to her made the invisible girl relax her guard slightly and she began to talk. After so long it was good to talk and the words tumbled over themselves to be heard.  

Slowly bonds of friendship where forged between them, most of them so unlikely that it seemed surreal. The geek, the ignored, the slayer/prom queen and the poet/vampire all coming together under the cover of night to become a single cohesive unit.  All the ties of friendship being fashioned would slowly become indivisible.

The three girls and the vampire chatted into the night.  Outside, silent observers watched the exchange through the window, the sheer curtains not hiding much from view.  Intrigued, intent, they took notes and wondered how best to bide their time before they could capture their prize. 

Patience.

~~~~~~~~~~

"She seems alright, doesn’t she?"

"Gahh, knock much, Spike?" Buffy wrapped the dressing gown she'd been pulling on after her shower around her body and peered over her shoulder at the unrepentantly smirking vampire lounging in the doorway. Somehow he'd managed to pick the lock on the connecting motel room doors and was now staring at her blankly and licking his lips. "I put your cooler of blood in your room." She stared past him at the thing and wondered why he was looking at her as if she were lunch.

"Wot?" Spike refocused on her confused face. He'd been miles away, and if he could've he would've blushed bright read. 'Caught napping on the job, ruddy humiliating.  ‘M going soft.'  Part of him curled up with shame for the thoughts he was having.  He felt unfaithful to his lamented sire, but another part of him was slowly starting to accept that there was something between them.  

Heat, fire - feelings that developed in the work place.  It was something that he was slowly beginning to accept, but he wasn't about to balls up a very new friendship by declaring all and then making a git of himself. Not yet anyway, but he was getting there. First, he’d had to mourn his Princess, only then, when the time was right, could he make any interest he had in his slayer known to her. 

"Red stuff, you know…go eat and stop staring at me as if I were a blooming onion or spicy wings."

"Not hungry." He looked at her bare feet and tried not to notice how soft and vulnerable they looked.  'Well, not hungry for food at any rate.' He watched with a half smile as she curled her toes into the carpet and shifted uncomfortably; he tried to remind himself that those feet could kick seven bells out of him in an instant..

Buffy glanced down at her feet and realised he was staring at her toes.  God she needed a pedicure stat if Spike was staring at them like that. "All right? I think she's real sweet. It's not fair what happened to her," she babbled, trying to distract Spike from staring at her feet. 'God, what  is with him? Stop staring at me, Spike!' That was it; she was going to the nail bar first thing in the morning. Her gnarly old toenails were so going to be a thing of the past. 

 "Yeah, but now she has us, right? You think she might want to come with?" Spike's confidence wavered at the frown line appearing between Buffy's brows.

"Huh? Yeah I think so. She said she did."

Buffy wondered if she could risk a visit to the nail bar or would someone see her. Someone Giles-shaped or Xander-shaped, cos that would not be of the good. The last thing she needed was one of them grabbing her and lecturing her on the evils of being away from the Hellmouth, though she kinda doubted that Xander would. Not from what Willow had said earlier.  Apparently something had happened a week ago, something about dreams and nightmares. Xander had been chased by a killer clown and was now being treated by a therapist.  She’d tried hard not to giggle when Spike had commented that the whelp was one who needed a shrink, and failed. Willow’s reproachful looks hadn’t stifled it either. Xander had been an ass just walking out on her when her mom had been killed, so not much with the loyalty from her, nu uh. She wondered what the hell kind of phobia clown fear was anyway. It was kinda pathetic really.  

Part of her ached, though.  She did miss Giles a small bit. He'd been good to her, helping with the house and her mom's estate. But another angrier element of her was unforgiving of his complicity in covering up for the Council. No, she and Giles were just too different and their paths, though having met for a short while, were now going off in very different directions. Her and Spike’s plans for Travers and the Council would make sure of that.

Spike tore his eyes away from her pretty little feet and slender legs, as he flopped onto her bed.  Getting nice and comfy he reached for the remote flicked the TV on. This was their usual pattern, spending time together watching crap telly and poking fun at the actors. It was something that had rapidly become a habit for them and he cherished each moment. Her presence went a long way in reminding him that he was not alone in the world, that he had someone. Maybe not Dru, but Buffy was his to care for, to cherish and to fight with. He hazarded a soft smile at her, his blue eyes softening when she returned it as she snuggled down under the covers and rested her head on his shoulder. He shook his head at the irony of it all.  Here he was, a master vampire, and he had the killer of his kind kittenishly curled up against him.

"So, what's wrong with your room?" Buffy asked archly and prodded him in the ribs.

"Nothing." His unvoiced words of ‘well, you're not in it,’ hung around them like a gentle blanket as the Slayer and her vampire snuggled down to watch an old film. An incongruous pair, but somehow they worked.

As time would tell.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

"So did you try those exercises Spike found?" Buffy chattered excitedly as she swung shut the door to her room and turned to face Marcie.

"Yeah, but I think it's something that's a work in progress." Marcie grumbled as she leant against the wall. She held her hands out in front of her and stared at them. "See, still with the sparklies, so I guess that means no one else can seem me yet. I did manage it for like, oh, all of three seconds when I was brushing my teeth earlier."

Buffy looked over at the shimmering outline of her newfound friend and shrugged. "I wish I could help more but I think it's kinda something you have to do on your own? Like a Jedi mind thingie like Willow said."  She coloured bright red. "God, did I just go major geek on us?"

Marcie nodded. "Yeah, a bit. But I forgive you. Do you forgive me?" she asked breathlessly. She waited nervously.  No one had mentioned the whole trying to stab the Slayer in the back incident, or any of the other violent things she'd done. Part of her wasn't sorry about Mitch or Cordy, but she was genuinely sorry about Buffy. The blonde girl and the others had been nothing but kind to her. Firstly finding her, then showing her that she could control what had happened to her and then offering friendship and the chance to get away from Sunnydale. Marcie'd been too embarrassed to ask earlier, but now in the sunlight it all seemed so different, a world away from the darkness she'd descended into and Marcie realised she wanted forgiveness. Otherwise she might get eaten away with guilt and disappear forever.

"Marcie, of course I do. We all make mistakes.  Trust me, I have, and as for vamp boy in there, less said the better. Cos you know grey hairs are sooo not the look this season," Buffy added sombrely. "All we can do is try and do better, make a difference, so don't worry. Okay?" And with those words she and Marcie moved a step closer in their friendship.

"Where were you last year when I needed a friend?" Marcie muttered wryly.

Buffy smiled impishly and tapped a finger to her lips. "Gee, let's see…oh yeah, burning down a gym full of vamped high schoolers and getting expelled! See I have sooo done bad things too," the small blonde winked. Neither girl noticed the unnatural shadows that swirled against the wall in direct sunlight, both so caught up in their confessions and bonding. A swirling mist detached from the wall and solidified into a hand and reached for Buffy's shoulder.

"Hey!" Buffy jerked back suddenly as the cold grip of the shadow being tightened on her exposed skin.  The contact sent a frisson of cold through her and her skin began to change colour before Marcie's horrified eyes. "Ow, that hurts." The creeping discoloration spread up her neck and curled onto her cheek. She reached behind her and tried to grab hold of her attacker, but he deliberately made sure he was formless, so her hand passed through his arm.

"Buffy?" Marcie stepped forward, confused at the sight of her newfound friend's skin turning a silvery grey colour. "Oh my god!" she exclaimed and grabbed hold of Buffy's waist and pulled as hard as she could.

"Hurts," Buffy whispered as her lips turned blue and then she growled angrily and began to struggle. Another two shadows detached from the wall and took shape, together reaching for the blonde girl. The two girls were so intent on the attack that they failed to notice the snarl of anger from the room Buffy had just left.  

Spike growled as he pulled on his t-shirt. Something was wrong; he could hear the girls fighting and his slayer was in pain. He’d been fast asleep and then yanked to awareness within a split second. A cold crystalline clarity had doused him, as if he’d been hosed down with icy water. She was in trouble; not giving himself a moment to consider how he knew or why it had happened, the peroxided vampire launched himself from her bed and slid towards the window. 

Risking a peek throw the curtains, he growled at the sight of Buffy’s skin and the three shadow demons attacking her. Part of him registered the new girl determinedly pulling on the slayer’s waist and trying to get her free. ‘Bit of alright, that one,’ he mused as he reached for a blanket and the Desoto keys.  

“Balls, they’ve got her,” he snarled as his game face slid over his features. Spike suppressed the feeling of panic at the sight of her being grabbed; he didn’t have time to examine it. Maybe later when he had her back and her kidnapper’s broken spines were hanging from the ceiling.  

“Not on my bloody watch.”   

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Buffy threw her head back; the black sack that had been thrown over her head and tied off around her elbows was slowly suffocating her. She howled angrily and kicked out as her captor lifted her off her feet. She couldn't tell who or what he was. Wriggling like a fish on a hook, she tried to slither out of his implacable grip. "Let me go!" she growled and managed to fling her head back. There was a resounding thud as her skull impacted with something granite-like and darkness fell as she slumped unconscious.

The three amorphous forms that had managed to grab her moved quickly to secure her in the trunk of the battered car they'd stolen to facilitate their abduction of the slayer for their employer. They quickly checked their perimeters, trying to make sure that the attack had gone unnoticed and then quickly got into the car. The engine fired after several attempts and then the car barrelled out of the motel car park with a screech of rubber and into the early morning traffic. Unaware of the extra passenger in the trunk, who was terrified but determined to help Buffy, as that was what friends did.

Even if said friend was scared to death by the freakiness of it all.

Marcie had held her breath as they attacked.  She had wanted to scream for Spike but had realised it was too sunny and he'd burn to ashes before he could save Buffy. So instead, she gritted her teeth and tried to pull Buffy free—she was her friend and Buffy needed her help. The sight of the weird shadowy forms attacking the Slayer had filled her with terror; her knees were knocking as she slipped into the confined space and tried to curl around Buffy as best she could.

"Buffy? Can you hear me?" she whispered, praying the sound of the engine would mask her voice. Her fingers were busy on the ropes that had been wrapped around the Slayer, anchoring her arms to her sides. "God, please wake up. I'm getting kinda freaked." The invisible girl wished she'd managed to grab her knife after Spike had disarmed her yesterday; it'd have made things a lot easier.

Sweat poured down between her shoulder blades and her fingers slipped off the knot as the car hit a pothole and sent the two girls rolling around in the confined dark space. "Come on, come on," she chanted under her breath as slowly her dextrous fingers worked one knot free and she moved onto the other. 

She had no way of knowing that her efforts were already too late. 

Under her clothes and the sack that had been thrown over her head, Buffy’s skin had taken a silvery hue. She was a flexible statue, her skin still warm and malleable, but her vocal cords were frozen. She was trapped within her own body, a living sculpture and she was very scared. Marcie’s voice was distant as the frantic pounding of her heart filled her ears. Buffy could feel her new friend untying all the ropes that bound her; it was futile though as she was still bound. Enslaved within her own body, those demons had made her a prisoner in her own mind.  

Buffy tried to open her mouth to scream, but her body failed her. Instead she screamed over and over in her mind as she felt Marcie pull the rope off her and at the same time, the car shuddered to a halt. 

~~~~~~~~~ 

The three amorphous shadow demons went about their business as a black vintage car pulled up behind a small stand of trees. They were intent on getting their trophy out of the trunk and handing her over to the one who had commissioned them to retrieve such a treasure. Despite their earlier hostile behaviour, they treated Buffy’s supine form with reverence and gentleness. None of them noticed the missing ropes that Marcie had tucked away underneath her.   

“Ow, balls!” Spike exclaimed as a stray ray of sunlight caught the back of his hand and set fire to his skin. Spike ducked down slightly and tried not to growl too loudly as he was positive he was starting to sound like a demented Rottweiller. He’d caught himself howling at one point as he followed the crappy car carrying his slayer and Sparkles. The three shadowy bastards had nabbed his slayer and twinkles, not a good move in his book; they would have to die for laying hands on the girls. The worried vampire wondered if he could get his fangs into the bastards and have a good chew before offing them. His eyes narrowed at the sight of them pulling out the limp form of his girl. Spike snarled and then his fangs descended as he vamped out at the vision of lax silvery limbs.

“What the hell have they done to you?” His entire body lurched forward as he watched Sparkles hesitantly climb out of the trunk and look around for help. Behind her a small portal had opened and the three kidnappers were going through. The worried lines on her face softened at the sight of the Desoto lurking inconspicuously behind the small group of trees. She waved then turned around to see where Buffy had been carried off. Her body jolted in shock and then after a second of hesitation she ran after them.

“Clever, brave girl.” Spike nodded in approval as Marcie stepped into the portal and stopped halfway. Her actions forced the vortex to remain open; the three demons carrying the Slayer were gone and obviously unaware that they were being followed. He gunned the accelerator and drove as close as he could to where Marcie stood, her body acting as a doorstopper.  She waited patiently with her arms wrapped around her waist.  

He cranked down the window to call to her, “Hang on, pet. I’m coming.” Spike wrapped the blanket around his head and grabbed hold of the axe he’d shoved under the driver’s seat for emergencies. Gritting his teeth, he kicked the door open and dove across the intervening space between the car and the portal, one long arm reaching out to gather her to his side as his smouldering body shot past her. The two figures hit the ground with a thud. Spike rolled, trying to take the brunt of the impact. His head cracked back onto the granite flagstone floor with a resounding thud and he felt his fangs rattle in his noggin.

“Ow.”

~~~~~~~~~

“Good, you brought her. Unwrap my prize. I want to see Slayer.” The voice was deep and booming, very obviously male, but there was a certain ethereal quality to it that made it apparent that the owner was definitely not mortal. There was a rustle of robes as the demon stood and stared down at the latest addition to his collection. He was delighted. A Slayer, she would be the pinnacle of his collecting days. The irony wasn’t lost on him, a slayer incarcerated amongst many of the beings it was her calling to destroy. But now she was on a level playing field, trapped and alone and there for his viewing pleasure.

“Our leader, where is he?” The Shadow demon’s voice was papery thin and scratchy. They pulled off the sack revealing Buffy’s still features.  Only her eyes were moving as they looked around the room she was in as best she could. Her silver skin was a still canvas as she stood trapped amongst her captors-- a helpless victim.

“My goodness, you are a demanding species.” There was a tinge of amusement to the resonating voice. “That will not do at all!” With that there was a crackle of lightening, a reedy scream and then the scent of burning mildew. “Either of you want to make any more demands of me?”

There was a soft whispered negative response. They’d noticed the missing bonds but didn’t mention it.

“Good, now step aside and let me see her… Ahh, she is a beauty.  Small but absolutely something I can add stature to my collection with. Put her into that case over there and make yourselves scarce until I need you, or I will destroy you.”

Spike and Marcie crept closer and the sight that greeted their eyes was unlike anything they had expected. The room was filled with display cabinets and lined with shelves filled with collectables. But what was ensnared in the cases sent a chill down the vampire’s spine. That and all the goods collected were to do with the occult and connected to the demonic underworld. The books, pots, urns and magical ephemera that were crammed onto the shelves were undoubtedly worth several fortunes, but it was what was in the life size cases that were scattered around the cavernous room that filled him with anger.

“God, it’s like a creepy old museum,” Marcie hissed into his ear as she took in the unusual surroundings. “Are those waxworks?” She pointed at the nearest case that held what looked like a Mohra demon in it.

Spike shook his head absently. “No, looks like the real deal.” He mentally catalogued the various beings that seemed to be held in stasis within each ornate case. There were various demons that he recognised: Flaarl, Gorshak and N’halls to name a few. But there were also harmless sprites, imps and glowing fairies that were added to the horrific collection. Even from this distance he could see that they were very much awake and aware of their situation, despite being trapped in their frozen bodies and the cases. It made him sick to his stomach; in the distance he saw a flash of blonde hair as the two remaining demons carefully placed the Slayer into her own case.

“Grrrrowww!”

Marcie reeled backwards as the berserker vampire next to her shot across the torch light room, swirling his battleaxe over his head. “Spike, no,” she whispered. “Crap, now what do I do?” She tried to keep up with him but failed, so instead moved to the edge of the room and began to make her way around as quietly as possible.

“Well, well, well. What do we have here?” The deep voice sounded amused and not at all fearful at the sight of Spike charging towards him. The collector stood.  His tall thick body was heavily muscled despite his chosen academic profession; it was obvious that he was a fighter and not just a scholar.

“Grrrrargh!” Spike howled as he swung his axe at the ponce’s head.  It rebounded off an invisible protective barrier. He twisted around, letting the force of the rebound pull him away from the demon for a brief moment before he slithered back to face Dominicus with a feral snarl. Spike tossed the axe from one had to the other and swirled it around, his glistening amber eyes focused on the soon to be chomped upon git who thought it was a lark to nick girls in broad daylight.

The two remaining demons that had captured Buffy drifted backwards towards an empty case as if drawn to it. The same ornate one that had once contained their leader who’d been captured a few weeks ago.  They stood nervously in front of it, unsure about what the vampire would do to them. They had no idea where Dominicus had moved their King, but they were determined to free him despite the danger the vampire presented.

Their captive leader was the sole reason that they had entered into an unholy alliance with Dominicus the Acquirer, as he was known throughout several dimensions. Usually they were a passive species who never involved themselves within the battles between good and evil, but once their leader had been ‘collected,’ the species had no choice but to do something. The repugnant request of acquiring the one girl whom the Powers had chosen to fight had filled them all with horror, but they had no choice. The Slayer for their leader, and here they stood, betrayed and alone and still without the head of their clan.

“Good lord, is that who I think it is?” Dominicus held up a hand and Spike rebounded off a shield of protection, the impact shocking him out of his game face. Snarling, he scrabbled to his feet and bounced forward only to be thrown backwards again. He kept at it, flying backwards over and over, his entire focus on getting through to Buffy. Soon there were cuts and bruises blooming all over his body as he swung and hit at the protective barrier. All sense of reason had gone at the sight of Buffy’s petite form encased in a crystal box, her hazel eyes fixed on him in supplication as she stood frozen.

“Oh it is! This is magnificent. I’ve always wanted one of the Scourge to add to my collection and it’s you!” There was more than a hint of fan worship in the tall demon’s voice as he rubbed his hands together in glee. “And the Slayer of Slayers, even better. I am going to be the envy of the entire society.  Hell, of the dimension.”

Spike snorted and then snapped his fangs at Dominicus, all reason gone now has he operated on instinct – protect the girl and kill the bad demon. He staggered to his feet and ran forwards, game face in place and axe ready, his duster a whirlwind of black leather behind him.

“What I don’t understand is why you want to rescue her? She kills your kind. Hell, from what I have read about you…William the Bloody has slaughtered two of her kind.” Dominicus stepped over to where Buffy was trapped like a fly in amber and stared at her delicate features. “I’m guessing you want to kill her for yourself? That’s why you have broken into my home and are rather pathetically trying to attack me? I robbed you of another Slayer kill?” Then he paused as realisation dawned. “Oh, you are here to save her because you care for her…how fascinating. William the Bloody in love with a slayer…poignant. I love it!” 

Spike roared and then leapt forward at The Collector.  There was a popping sound and then an ornate heavily carved obsidian case appeared in his path. Before he could stop himself the vampire barrelled into it and jets of pale green smoke erupted from the top and bottom, freezing him in his tracks. He was a sight to behold; game face in place, axe raised above his head as he snarled rebelliously. Spike was a figure of myth and legend, frozen in time with his duster mid-whirl around his lean form. The axe glinted brightly in the light that filled the display case from above, the same light that highlighted his high cheekbones and cast his cheeks into shadows of sharp relief.

“Now that was just so excitingly easy; two wonderful additions to my collection in one day.” Dominicus circled around Spike’s immobile form, his eyes not missing a detail. “Such savagery and yet so devoted to her. What a dichotomy. I shall have to investigate this and write a paper to present at the Society’s next gathering.” He turned to the Shadow demons and gestured them over. “You two, move him to face the Slayer. I want them to be face to face for all eternity. So close and yet so far.” He chuckled and then disappeared in a puff of smoke.

“Oh god…oh god…oh god.” Marcie stared as the box containing Spike was wheeled over to face Buffy’s case by the two demons. “What do I do now?” Unaware of her surroundings, she moved closer to where her two friends were and she ducked down beside a large corked glass bottle tucked away in an alcove, one that contained a puff of smoke and shadows. She rested her forehead against the cold glass and sighed, unaware that her breathing was casting a small cloud of condensation on the glass.

“What are you?” a sibilant voice whispered against the glass. “I cannot see you, but there is something there.” The smoke roiled against its gourd shaped prison, a tendril tracing the condensation that Marcie’s breath had left behind.

“Me?” she squeaked. Marcie looked over her shoulder at the two shadowy things that grabbed Buffy and then back at the clear glass bottle. “Wait! Are you the guy those two are looking for?” Her mother may have forgotten her now, but she hadn’t raised a fool in Marcie.

“Indeed, now where are you hiding?” The voice sounded almost amused.

Marcie gritted her teeth and tried to focus her concentration.  Nothing happened. “God, I really I am here, just have a case of invisibleitus.” She puffed on the cool glass and then wrote her name on the bottle. “See, here I am.”

“Indeed you are, now I believe it is time we tried to stop that demon and his wicked ways. Can you assist me?” The Shadow King’s voice was calm and measured as it lodged its plea with the obviously shocked teenager. “Your friends are also trapped, I believe?”

“Yeah, no thanks to your creepy associates,” Marcie replied tartly. Her eyes darted over to Spike and Buffy. “They’re the reason we’re here. So why should I help you?”

“I am a victim just as they are, just as my followers are.  They were forced to assist that beast in return for my freedom.”

“Well that went well,” she replied sarcastically. “What’s to stop me from just sneaking over there and breaking Spike and Buffy out?” Marcie asked as she rocked back on her heels to get up and do just that, wondering why she hadn’t thought of it to start with.

“Unless you use the right sequence of buttons to release the hidden door then all you will do is destroy their bodies. The Collector created the cases with a failsafe installed for just this sort of occasion. If you attempt to break the glass or pry open the side, then they will be incinerated.”

Marcie froze and then sank back down to her knees. “How do I know you aren’t lying to me?” she hissed angrily.

“You don’t,” the Shadow King replied with a calm tone. “But why risk it when we can all get what we want?”

“I don’t trust you, not after how your guys did the freaky ‘turn my buddy to silver and hand her over to some pervert demon who sticks her in a glass box!’” Marcie frowned and then spared another glance over to see where the two remaining demons were. They were in quiet conversation next to Buffy and Spike’s cases.

“But I and my followers are the only ones who can free them,” he replied implacably. Marcie sighed.  She knew when she was beat, this was so far out of her comfort zone. “Only we have witnessed the release sequence and are able to free your friends.”

“If you do anything to hurt them, I will follow you back to whatever rock you live under and haunt you for all the days I have left in my life,” Marcie threatened as she reached for the cork.

“Such a devoted friend, I salute you. But please, take my word for it when I say that your friends will be freed unharmed.”

An inspired thought hit her as she began to pry the stopper loose. “Hey, do those cases work on the asshole that made them?” Marcie asked as she pulled the large cork free.

“Hmmm, I do like the way you think,” the Shadow King chuckled as he floated free of his prison, coalesced into a human form and stood. “M’lady.” He bowed and reached out, waiting for her to take his hand and stand. Marcie eyed it suspiciously, tempted to spit in it and hesitated. “I swear on all my ancestors that you will not come to harm,” he promised with a smile.

“Yeah, yeah, if I see anything but sparkles on my skin I will scream so loudly that the freaky ass collector dude will come back, and dump you into your bottle again.” Marcie gingerly put her hand in his and let him help her to her feet. In a swift and surprisingly gentlemanly move, he tucked her hand in the crook of his arm and escorted her over to his two followers.

“Irius and Danarr, help me release those two.”

“Your Highness?” Both the demons sank to their knees. “You’re free, I don’t understand.” Irius glanced up at his leader, relief evident in his entire being.

“Not now, we must free those two and then we can talk.” The Shadow King nodded in Marcie’s general direction and then stepped over to Buffy’s case and began to feel along the seams of one of the joins.

“But he will kill us!” Irius whimpered and cringed at the sight of Spike’s frozen form. “We took her from him. Did you not witness the ferocity of his attacks?”

“No, he won’t, not if I’m here and Buffy is free.” Marcie resisted the urge to kick the idiot in the head. She wasn’t sure how long this détente would last, but if it got Buffy and Spike back to her, then she was going to go along with it.

“Ah, there we are.” There was a series of clicks and a blast of green smoke and the door on Buffy’s prison swung open. Marcie leapt forward and grabbed hold of Buffy and pulled her out.

“Hey. She’s still with the statue impersonation, do something, please.” She brushed Buffy’s fair hair off her silvery face and patted her cheeks trying to get a response.

“Hush child, let me touch her.” The Shadow King reached over and brushed his fingers over Buffy’s soft lips. As he did, the silvery pallor to her skin began to dissipate and she sagged into Marcie’s cradling arms with a deep sob. Her body shivering uncontrollably as her teeth chattered, she clung to Marcie and stared frenziedly at Spike.

Buffy raised one shaking hand and placed it on the glass barrier separating her from Spike. “Please, let him out.” All the while she’d been stuck in her own body Buffy had silently screamed out to Spike. Watching him throw himself over and over at the mystical shield trying to get at the weirdo who had stuck her in a freaky ass museum for the ubericky, her heart had been in her mouth. Spike had been fighting fang and nail to get her free.  Something warm had expanded in her stomach as her eyes followed his black clad form bouncing around the room like a whiffle ball; he cared about her. “Please.”

“Fascinating, a Slayer begging for the freedom of a vampire.” Dominicus’s voice filled the room. Unnoticed by the others, he had returned just as Buffy had fallen free of her crystal prison and into her invisible friend’s arms. He stepped off the podium that ran across the end of the room and began to stride towards the group. “You should have left him behind; all of you might have had a chance at escape. But not now...”

“Hurry, get Spike out of there,” Marcie whispered as Buffy tried to stand up straight.
The Shadow King nodded to Danarr and then turned to face the demon that was approaching.

“Really, Dominicus, such a pontificating arse as per usual.  Do you have any idea how dull my visit has been? Listening to you practise you speeches and read aloud from your latest treatise? I imagine your captives are the only ones who ever remain in one place to listen?” The Shadow King taunted the Collector as he paced towards them, determined to give his followers enough time to free the vampire.  His word was his bond.

“Marcie, what the hell is going on?” Buffy slurred as she watched one of her attackers fiddling with Spike’s case. She was freezing cold and her body felt like it had been run over by a steam roller, even her hair follicles hurt.

“That freak over there wanted to add you and Spike to his collection.  The shadowy things were forced to work for him. I rescued that one and he’s helping us get Spike out.”

“Okay, but why was Spike all Cro-Magnon?” She lay noodle-like in Marcie’s arms, her body shivering intermittently as she watched one of her former attackers fiddle some more with Spike’s case.

“He saw them stick you in there and the plan we had went poof.” Marcie hefted Buffy and managed to get her arm around the Slayer’s slim waist and one of Buffy’s arms over her shoulder. “There, now you can stand.  Well, kinda…how come it’s taking so long?” she shouted over at Danarr.

“Sorry…sorry, my fingers are sweaty,” he moaned and fumbled with the case some more.

“Maan, even frozen like a Spikesicle he looks pissed at that guy.” Buffy shivered again and then gulped. Spike’s eyes were still a deep ochre as they glared down at the shadow demon. “I can almost hear him cussing that slowpoke out.”

“I really wish you hadn’t released my pet slayer.” Dominicus stalked even closer to the Shadow King; he kept out of arms reach, all too aware that he could be frozen. “Very inconvenient, however, I am intrigued as to how you got out of your bottle.”

“A little help from a friend,” the Shadow King replied enigmatically.  He moved slightly to the right, forcing Dominicus to move as well and unwittingly placing himself in front of the recently vacated case.

Dominicus opened his mouth to reply, only to be interrupted.

“Got it!” Danarr yelped, interrupting the showdown in his excitement. He pressed the final button and there was a resounding clicking noise that filled the cavern with its ominous intent. There was a rush of gas and then the hinges creaked slightly as the door opened.

Spike lunged forward as the box released him and he grabbed hold of Dominicus’s shoulders and shoved him unceremoniously into Buffy’s former prison. Marcie kicked the door shut with a triumphant shout; there was a hammering sound as the collector became the collected. Marcie knew he couldn’t see her but couldn’t resist sticking her tongue out as the green gases filled the small space freezing the demon into place.

“Spike,” Buffy squeaked and staggered into his open arms.

“Bloody hell.” The axe clattered to the floor as he weakly swept her into his arms. He buried his nose in her hair as he gulped down her sweet scent. “Next time you decide to get a sodding pedicure, I’m going with you!”  

The End 

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