Tempus de Muto

by Schehrezade

Disclaimer: They ain't mine but I gets to play with them!!
Feedback: As a first time writer, I would love input. It's a drug that I could become addicted to! Drop me a note at
schehrezade_1@hotmail.com
Rating: PG15 for now will vary from chapter to chapter. Will always put in a warning.
Dedications: To Tales, cos I wouldn't be writing without her prodding. You're my muse girl!! Madame Draco my Beta. Thank you for all the hard work and patience. A true gem!

Chapter 16
 
"New York!" Buffy whispered. "How?"
 
"Rack," Anya answered bluntly. "He must have brokered a deal with a demon. The broken amulet he left was a token. We haven't identified it yet, but we will," Anya promised. Tara huddled into herself. She wrapped her arms tightly around her stomach, trying to stop herself from puking.
 
Spike frowned. He shifted Buffy away from him and sank to his knees in front of Tara, hesitantly reaching out a hand. Tara released her tight grip from her waist and grabbed hold of his hand with both of hers. "Columba?" Spike titled his head to one side and watched her, concern colouring his eyes.
 
Tara shook her head. "I just realised that the Willow I loved is gone..." She trailed off as tears filled her eyes.
 
Anya flung her arm around the grieving girl's shoulders and hugged her hard. "I am sorry, Tara," she whispered, showing a surprising amount of concern for the grieving Wicca.
 
"Tara, we'll get her back," Buffy promised.
 
"I...I don't know if we can," Tara mumbled, dropping her head, her fair hair obscuring her face.
 
Wesley glanced over at Groo and sighed worriedly. "We may have no choice."
 
"What do you mean?" Buffy asked.
 
"Well, from the small amount I have managed to research and translate, we will need Willow if we are indeed going to attempt to restore Dawn. She...well, she has some of Dawn's essence." Wesley shuffled through his notes and re-read them to confirm his suspicions. He nodded and then handed his notes to Spike.
 
Spike shifted and stood as he read Wesley's small and crabbed handwriting, nodding and muttering under his breath. Buffy had stood as well and watched the blond vampire anxiously. He looked up and nodded at his concerned lover.
 
"Yeah, looks like we're gonna have to go get the witch." He handed the notes back to Wesley. Running his long fingers through his hair, Spike began to pace as he thought. Eventually, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a pack of crumpled cigarettes. "I need a fag. Back in a sec..." He disappeared out of the front door.
 
*********
 
"Spike?" Buffy's concerned voice made the silent vampire jump. He flicked away his half-smoked cigarette and turned to face his love.
 
"S'alright, luv. Just pondering." He grabbed her hand and pulled her into his side. Buffy sighed and snuggled her head into the curve of his neck.
 
"The others are brainstorming inside. I didn't want to interrupt. Wesley wanted to contact the Council and get them to pick up Willow..." She trailed off and frowned. "But Anya talked him outta that dumb idea."
 
"How's Glinda?" Spike asked quietly.
 
"Not of the good. She's real quiet. I think that maybe she's realised that she and Willow are really over now. Before, I guess she was hoping that they might have sorted something out."
 
"Luv. Maybe if we can get to Red, the turtledoves can try again..." Spike shook his head. "Christ, what am I sayin'?"
 
"Spike, don't get pissed, but you really are a softie!" Buffy giggled at the expression of shock on Spike's face. She tucked her head back under his chin and pressed a soft kiss to his Adam's apple. "What I mean is, you are the eternal romantic."
 
"Love's Bitch more like," Spike interjected. He hugged his Slayer even closer.
 
"No...well, yes. What I mean is, you are always hoping that love will win out," Buffy tried to explain.
 
Spike pressed his lips to the top of her head, his lips lingering in the softness of her hair. "I get it pet."
 
Buffy pulled back slightly and gazed solemnly. "You know, we are going to have to go get her, don't you?"
 
Spike sighed. He had dreamt of taking Buffy away for a break, but not on a chase after a fallen Wiccan and a sick fuck. "Yeah, I know. We'd better sort ourselves out, book flights and pack. Think that lot'll manage the Hellmouth alright?"
 
"I think the four of them will mange okay."
 
"Three. I'm coming with you." Tara's stepped out of the house and stood framed in the doorway.
 
Spike looked over at the determined girl. "Not happening, Columba. You don't need the grief." Buffy nodded in agreement.
 
"I am coming. There is nothing either of you can say to change my mind." Tara turned and walked back into the dining room, joining the others. "You'll need me..." Her voice faded away as she disappeared.
 
Spike grimaced. "She's right. I don't like it, but she's right. We'll need someone who can pack a bitta mojo. If we're going up against those two..."
 
Buffy sighed. "I know...but I don't want Tara to be hurt anymore than she has been."
 
"We'll protect her." Spike tenderly cradled Buffy's face in his strong hands. "I'll protect you both. I promise."
 
Buffy's eyes filled with tears at the tenderness and devotion in his bright blue eyes. She wrapped her small hands around his wrists and leant into his hands, drawing comfort from his strength. They stood there for a long moment before breaking apart and re-joining the others in the house.
 
*********
 
Xander lay in his ward and counted the cracks on the ceiling. He was exhausted, but couldn't sleep. His mind was whirling. All Xander could see when he closed his eyes was Willow and her dark eyes. She turned towards him and smiled mockingly, daring him to save the day, but he knew that whatever he did would still result in her complete corruption and Dawnie's destruction. He had failed all of them.
 
"Mr Harris? You need anything?" A dark-skinned nurse leant over his bed and peered at Xander.
 
"Water," he rasped. His mouth was dry from all the meds that had been pumped into him.
 
A straw appeared in front of his mouth. "Sip slowly."
 
Carefully, Xander sipped the lukewarm water. It was like fine champagne to the parched invalid. Coughing slightly, he nodded his thanks.
 
"You need something to help you sleep?" the nurse asked.
 
"No, thanks," Xander tried to smile, but it hurt. He had managed to control the pain during Buffy and Anya's visit earlier, but now he was too tried to erect a façade of good cheer.
 
"Okay. I'm just going to check on Miss Madison across the hall."
 
"Madison? Amy? Brunette girl my age?" Xander blinked his eyes and tried to sit up, only to fall back groaning in pain. His broken legs throbbed from his attempt to sit up.
 
"Hey, keep still!" The nurse gently pushed him back. "You know her?"
 
"Yeah, we are school friends. She okay?" Xander asked worriedly.
 
"Well, I can't really divulge too much. Patient confidentiality," the nurse offered.
 
"But, is she going to be okay?"
 
The nurse glanced over his shoulder and then leaned forward. "She's not good. Coma, the doctors can't work it out."
 
"Can I see her?" Xander asked.
 
"Well." The nurse eyed Xander's legs and then the door. "I guess we could wheel your bed into her room. It might help if there was someone there, talking to her. Let me go check and see if that's alright." The nurse's shoes squeaked as he disappeared out of the ward.
 
Xander tried to relax his aching muscles whilst he waited for the man to return. 'I may not be able to help with the Slayage, but, maybe I can do something for Amy. Little steps.' He grimaced at the stupidity of his final thought. He really doubted he would be walking anytime soon.
 
"Hi, Xander."
 
Xander froze. The familiar voice, which usually brought him pleasure, now chilled him to the core.
 
He turned to face his visitor. "Willow. What you doing here?"
 
His dark-haired friend stepped forward into the pool of light around his hospital bed. Xander shuddered at the sight of the black veins that pulsated across her pale cheeks. Her cupid bow lips were dark and chapped, his eyes wandered to them as Willow licked them.
 
"I slipped back to see you. Didn't you miss me?" Willow asked in a mock cheerful tone.
 
Xander swallowed nervously, his hand wrapped around the nurse's alarm. But then he let it go; knowing that if he called for help, Willow would probably hurt them. "Slipped back from where, Willow?" he asked nervously.
 
Willow rolled her eyes at his nervousness. She trailed her hand up the cast on his left leg. "Not telling. But I can't stay long. Someone's waiting for me."
 
"Well. What do you want?" Xander asked cautiously. He shifted slightly and then gasped in pain.
 
Willow watched Xander's pale face as he rode out the pain. Pain she had caused.
 
"To help you," she answered quietly.
 
"How? You gonna fix me like you did Dawnie. Remember her?" Xander muttered, wishing Buffy was here to save him. 'Hell, I'd be happy to see Spike right now!'
 
Willow frowned angrily. "Don't mention that name!"
 
"What, Dawn?" Xander could resist asking. He hoped that Willow's conscience would return with a reminder of the teen.
 
Willow stepped closer and glared at him. She pushed the tiny residue of guilt over Dawn to the furthest reaches of her mind. 'I was not going to feel bad. What's done is done.' Nothing she could do would change the events of the last few days. 'Well, there is one thing I can do.'  Willow put her hands on Xander's plaster encased legs.
 
"Hey! Don't touch me, Willow. You've done enough!" Xander shifted as best he could. He nearly passed out from the pain of the bones in his legs grinding together. Beads of sweat broke out along his hairline. "Willow. Don't try and fix me! Please..." he begged, terrified that he would disappear in a flash of light, too. "I don't wanna end up like Dawnie!"
 
Willow's black eyes snapped to his face. "Well, you whine like she did!" Willow snarled angrily.
 
"Wills, don't. You loved her too..." Xander's voice trailed off at the look of complete indifference on her face. "What? You've forgotten how much you cared about her? Come on, Willow, remember how you looked after her when Buffy was..."
 
"Dead?" Willow interrupted. "So I was doing the Jewish guilt thing for a while. But come on, little Dawn must gotten on your last nerve, too. With the whining, sulking and yelling. 'Waaaa... waaa... waaa... I'm the Key! No one understands my angst!' Combined with all the fake teen hormones, little Dawnie's voice could hit supersonic pitches!!" She shuddered dramatically.
 
Xander lay there and stared in astonishment at the complete transformation of Willow from a sweet, nice girl to, well, a mega bitch. "You don't mean that!"
 
Willow laughed cruelly. "Oh, come on, it's not like you didn't think the same stuff!"
 
"No, I loved her like a little sis!" Xander shouted back.
 
"Don't you mean like the monks made you love her? Cos maybe the false memories and shit really did a number on us! How do you know that things might not have been better without that cuckoo in our lives?"
 
Xander blinked at Willow, aghast at the vitriol pouring out of her.
 
"Nothing to say? Well think about this. If Dawn hadn't been shoehorned into our lives, Buffy would never have died. She would have been happier and healthier." Going for the jugular, Willow smiled evilly. "Hell, she may never have hooked up with Spike." Willow smirked savagely at the expression of horror on her oldest friend's face. She had planted a seed, and maybe with a little nurturing, it would flower. "Xander, you know you hate Spike! Maybe if Buffy had not had to kill herself cos of that brat, she wouldn't have hooked up with another animated corpse. I mean, she's now into the whole 'poor me I had to crawl outta my grave. Like a vamp! So maybe Spike will understand my pain'."
 
Willow watched the myriad emotions cross Xander's face. "Stop it!" Xander begged, hating that Willow was voicing his own angry thoughts. They sounded petty and cruel to him when said aloud. Shame crawled in his gut.
 
"Stop what?" Willow asked innocently. "Stop with the whole maybe Buffy only turned to Spike cos he was offering a bit of cold comfort? Don't you think that maybe she is only with him cos of her rebirth? She probably thinks she's the living dead now! And why would she think that?" Willow tapped a finger to her chapped lips, pretending to think. "Oh, I know! She's the way she is cos of dying for Dawn! Maybe Dawn was the one who shoulda jumped. It could have been her destiny!"
 
Xander lay there in shock. He shook his head. Before he could say anything, he felt Willow push into his mind and scan his memories. He fought as best he could from the mental rape, but she was too strong.
 
Willow started to laugh. "Oh, my goddess! You thought she would notice you?" She giggled. "This is too much! Man you must hate her for picking a vampire over you. Twice!"
 
Tears began to pour down Xander's face, he felt violated. Shaking his head, he closed his eyes. "Go away."
 
Willow pouted. "Why? I'm having sooo much fun!" She eyed the sobbing man on the narrow hospital bed. 'And planting some nice ideas in your weak little brain. Should keep them all off our backs for a while.' She yawned. "Okay, bored now..."
 
"Well get gone then!" Xander growled.
 
"Yeah, in a minute, just need to do this." With that, Willow grabbed hold of Xander's plaster clad legs. He yelped in anguish, her jostling had started the throbbing in his legs. Crackles of black lightening shot out of Willow fingers, soaking into the Plaster of Paris and then into his legs.
 
Xander panted, the pain was lessening and he could feel the shattered bones shifting and healing under Willow's none too gentle ministration.
 
"There you go, all better now." Willow dusted her hands together.
 
"Why? Why help me, Wills?" Xander whispered.
 
For a few seconds her hair lightened to the bright red he remembered and the black veins on her face receded. She looked up with clear green eyes. "Because I had to. It was my fault you were hurt." Gradually the darkness seeped back into her hair and eyes. "Now I have to go. Rack and his buddy are waiting for me!"
 
"What? How? Why?" Xander's mind recoiled from the images of Willow and two guys. "Wills, are they making you do something you don't wanna do?"
 
Willow grinned and ran her hands over her breasts, knowing exactly what he was intimating. "Oooh, Xander, the things they do to my body and mind are amazing! It's just such a blast! Okay gotta go." She pulled out a token and snapped it in half, vanishing in the blink of an eye and leaving her grieving friend huddled in his bed, his mind filled with horror. The broken halves of the token lay on his blanket, shimmering dully.
 
**********

"So what's the plan?" Buffy leant over and began to look at the piles of paper and books on the dining table. Spike vanished into the kitchen to grab drinks and food.

"Well, we're still working on this." Wesley pointed at the small leather book that Whistler had given Tara. "It's slow work, but I think that I am getting there." Tara looked up from a sheaf of photocopied papers and nodded in agreement.

"Unfortunately there is not much I can assist you at the moment," Groo commented from the other room, where he sat sharpening some of Buffy's weapons. "So I am occupying myself with these."

Buffy walked over and picked up a dagger that Groo had set aside. She eyed the blade with a professional eye. "It looks good, thanks. I haven't had much time to sort through these." She tentatively patted Groo on the shoulder. "Just being here is more than enough. Also, when you are ready, there's always patrolling."

"I would be honoured to assist." Groo smiled broadly, then turned back to the quiver of arrows that he had been checking the fletching on.

Spike reappeared with more sandwiches, a pot of cocoa and mugs. He silently set the tray on the table. The vampire grabbed a mug and sipped it carefully. Groo set aside the quiver and, with Buffy, rejoined the others at the table as they drank and ate.

Anya flipped through some paperwork from the bank that Buffy had dumped on the dining table earlier. She looked over at the others as they researched and ate. "Buffy, have you mentioned this to everyone yet?" Anya waved the sheaf of papers in her hand and the blonde girl.

"What's that Anya?" Wesley took the papers and began reading. He glanced over at Buffy in surprise.

Buffy flushed, slightly uncomfortable at all the attention being directed towards her. Spike nudged her in the arm. "Luv, what you been up to?"  He nodded over at Wesley.

Buffy nibbled her lip. "Well, it was both of us." She pointed at Anya. "It's just when I saw the full balance, I realised that I could pay us all wages and have an emergency fund just from the interest!"

Spike snagged the bank account details and skimmed over to the new balance. He drew in an un-needed breath. "Bloody hell, you're loaded! The old skinflint had all this dosh and never shared? Bloody Irish git!" Spike flicked through the rest of the paperwork, he paused for a second and scanned the separate account that Buffy had opened with a large sum from her own. Spike nodded in approval. "Sound idea, pet. A Scooby account. So what needs doing, a few John Hancock's and bob's your uncle?"

"Yes." Anya reached over and began distributing the relevant forms. "Sign these and I can get everything sorted." Spike stared in surprise at the form she pushed in front of him. He hadn't thought that Buffy would have considered him one of the Scoobies, despite everything that had happened in the past few days. He gazed at the piece of paper as if it were soaked in Holy Water, his mind working overtime. He shifted uncomfortably in his seat; unsettled at the direction his overactive imagination was taking him. He glanced over at Buffy, his eyes narrowed.

Anya looked over at Buffy for a moment and tilted her head in question. Buffy smiled and nodded. "Right," Anya placed her hands flat on the table, her manicured nails tapping a gentle rhythm. "Buffy and I were going to discuss this all with you tomorrow. She has asked me to be in charge of the accounts, all of you will be given an $8000.00 wage, paid first day of the month. I will arrange transfers into your respective accounts. Groo," Anya turned to the silent Pylean, "we weren't sure if you had the correct paperwork or even a bank account. So if you haven't, we need to get you sorted."

"I have nothing but what I brought with me, Anyanka," Groo answered.

Anya made a few notes. "It's okay. I know a good demon forger, he can have everything done in a week or so."

Before Anya could continue, Wesley interrupted her with an apologetic glance, "Cordelia didn't get anything organised for you?" he asked, surprised.

"Well, no. I never realised such things were necessary. Where I came from, well, you were there..." Groo trailed off at Wes's nod of understanding.

"Okay, Groo? Can you come with me to the shop in the morning? We can get started on making a paper trail for you. Until then, I'll pay you cash." Anya made a few more notes.

"Good call, pet," Spike whispered into Buffy's ear. His cool breath tickled and made her squirm with budding desire. "Demon girl is right smart with money! I bet by the time we get Dawn back, she'll have made you richer than Bill Gates!" He suppressed the niggling irritation that he felt; the vampire knew deep down he was making mountains out of molehills.

Buffy rolled her eyes at him. "She wants your bank stuff as well." She grinned at the worried look on the vampire's face. "What, William, worried that everyone'll find out what your surname is?"

"Why my details?" he hissed, ignoring the bit about his surname.

"Well, to transfer funds of course." Buffy blinked innocently over at her lover.

"No need, the Grandpops gave me my allowance," Spike snapped at her as he pushed the paperwork away from his hand, eyeing it distastefully. "I don't need to be kept by my woman!" He glared at Buffy. Standing abruptly, the chair he sat in clattered to the floor as he stalked out of the room, into the kitchen. Buffy winced as she heard his muttered words. "Not a bloody gigolo that needs a tip for services rendered!"

Buffy sighed and then smiled apologetically at the frozen figures of her four friends and associates. She hadn't even considered that Spike might take it the wrong way. 'I was only trying to help. Crap! Mr. Moodypants.' Buffy stood. "Umm, I'll just go talk with Spike. You guys keep going." Buffy grinned apologetically and scurried off after Spike.

"Well, were was I?" Anya tried not to roll her eyes at the fine display of the male ego at work. She sighed and put down the papers she was holding. "Really, he is really quite sensitive! All we were trying to do was make life easier for all of us. It's not like the Powers or the Council are reaching into their pockets to help out their first line of defence!"

"Anya, I think Spike is just tired, worried and grieving." Tara leant over and smiled tentatively at the frustrated ex-demon. "He probably just needs to go hit something. You know how he gets." Tara and Anya exchanged a knowing look.

"What?" Wesley asked, his curiosity overwhelming him.

"Spike was miserable when they first put that chip in him." Anya paused for a moment. "It really was quite funny, a bit like Pavlov's dog! If he even got an evil fangy related thought, the chip would twinge." Tara nodded in agreement. "I sometimes think Xander just says stuff to get Spike mad."

Wesley stared in shock at Anya. "Xander would deliberately provoke a Master Vampire to hurt him? Is the boy dim or something? Isn't he worried that Spike won't find a way to remove the chip?"

"Umm. Well, Xander isn't one for forward planning." Anya shrugged. "Now, I want these all signed now." She tapped her hand impatiently on the dining table.

The phone rang.

***********

"Spike wait!" Buffy chased after his black clad form. Twisting and weaving around the crumbling tombstones, she tripped over a small cherub statue that sat guard over a child's grave. Before she could hit the ground, a pair of hands wrapped around her waist and threw her hard against a dilapidated Mausoleum. She grunted as her head made contact with the marble. "Spike," she whispered as the darkness claimed her. A large form stepped over her small slumped body, its hands clenched into large fists.

Spike stormed through the oldest Sunnydale cemetery, ignoring Buffy's calls. Too caught up in his bad mood, he failed to sense the demon that attacked Buffy. It was only when he heard Buffy whisper his name that he froze in his tracks. Spinning abruptly, Spike gasped, all he could see was the back of a massive Chirago demon standing over Buffy's slumped form. He sniffed the air, 'Buffy's hurt!' Spike's eyes narrowed in pure fury and shifted from blue to gold as his game face slid into place. He gauged the distance between himself and the mountain of demon flesh.

The Chirago grunted as Spike impacted against his back. It turned slowly to face the irate vampire.

"You filthy son of a bitch! You touched my girl!" Spike snarled and launched himself at the behemoth. With a flurry of blows, he began to methodically rearrange its pig-like features. Spike's guilt spurred him on. He knew that Buffy was hurt because she had been distracted chasing after him. Trying to make un-needed amends to him, for his perceived insult to his manhood. 'She was excited and wanted to share her good fortune, you nit. And what do you do? Get pissy with her, act like the Whelp and run away! Now she's hurt and bleeding.' Spike rammed his fists into the Chirago's throat. He relished the exhaled yelp of pain. The beserker vampire's clawed nails tore into the small eyes of his opponents. 'Ooops! Big no no!' Spike thought as the Chirago heaved its arms upwards and tossed Spike off with the ease of swatting a fly. 'Okay, new plan, punching not working.' Spike flipped himself upright and bounced on the balls of his feet.

The Chirago had turned back to the unconscious girl, intent on its meal. It leant over and reached for Buffy's head. Before it could tear it off, Spike wrapped his arms around the demon's neck and began to squeeze. The demon grunted as it tried to pull the determined vampire of its back. Gradually, Spike's throttling began to work and the massive demon fell face forwards, unconscious. Growling, Spike flipped Buffy's attacker over, and, with great relish, twisted its head abruptly. With a resounding crack, the Chirago's neck snapped. Not even pausing to check the carcass, Spike threw himself over to the tiny slumped form of the slayer. Her fair hair was over her face.

"Buffy? Luv, wake up." Spike gently pulled her lax form into his arms and smoothed her hair away from her still features. "Come on, pet. Open those lovely eyes of yours," he begged. Carefully, he ran his fingers over a cut that ran along her hairline, it was rapidly closing. "Oh, my heart. I am a bad rude man! I am so sorry." Spike cradled her face to his throat.

"You are also very hormonal,  you sure you aren't a girl?" Buffy muttered into his pale skin. She licked her lips and tilted her head to eye Spike balefully. "My head hurts cos of you and the sulkage!" She pouted.

"Oh, my heart, my love! I am so sorry." Spike carefully traced the wound with his lips, pressing small kisses along it. "And, oi! Not a girl here!" Spike laughed. "As you well know."

"You feel better for the rough and tumble?" Buffy mumbled.

"Wot? Oh yeah, but not about my lady getting hurt cos I was a git." Spike kissed her soft lips, lingering over them and inhaling her breath.

"It's okay, I'll be fine. But can we go back? Cos there's a lot to do." Buffy asked.

Spike rose, cradling her in his arms. "You sure you're okay?"

"Yeah, take me home," Buffy ordered imperiously.

"Right. I'm sorry, luv." Spike looked sheepishly at the dead lump of rapidly decomposing demon flesh. "It's good when they clear up after themselves isn't it?"

"Uh huh, let's go, the others are waiting." Buffy snuggled her head into Spike's throat and closed her eyes.

*********

"Good Lord, what happened?" Wesley exclaimed. All of them stood at the sight of a Buffy cradled protectively in Spike's arms.

"Chirago, blindsided her," Spike explained tersely as he gently laid Buffy on the couch. "Wake up, pet, we're home." He gently rubbed his fingers over her cheek.

"Hmmm." Buffy's eyes fluttered open and she nuzzled her cheek against Spike's palm.

Tara and Anya pushed Spike aside, anxiously checking Buffy for other injuries. "How many fingers?" Anya waved her hand in front of Buffy's face.

"A lot!" she joked. "I'm fine, guys, really!" Buffy pushed herself up from the couch and swung her legs over the edge. "Spike, stop looking so worried. It was an accident." She smiled reassuringly at the agitated vampire, who now sat next to her.

"You sure?" he asked anxiously.

"Yes. So what's the plan, Scoobies?" she asked, turning to the four other who stood in a semi circle around her and Spike.

Tara stepped forward. "We need to find Willow. We also need to keep working on the translation of Whistler's book as well as work out the spell for Dawnie."

Buffy sighed tiredly and rubbed her face. "Okay, so we need to get to New York and track Willow down." She squinted up at Tara. "Can you work on the book and spell on the plane?"

"Yes. Wesley is going to keep on the translations at this end, as well. Anya photocopied the text."

"You need a laptop," Anya interrupted.

"Umm, why?" Spike frowned in confusion.

"We can email anything to you and visa versa, it'll speed things up. You'll need to set up hotmail accounts and Wesley can use the shop PC," Anya suggested. She grinned at the Wesley's nod of approval. "But before you guys go anywhere, we need to spring Xander from the hospital. He called and, well, he was a bit upset and said we'd understand when we got there."

"Spike, can you get a laptop?" Buffy asked.

"Won't be legit, but yeah, can do." He looked hesitantly at Buffy. "Um, now?" he asked tentatively.

"Yeah, take Groo with you and show him around, hot spots and all that, 'kay?" Buffy stood. "I'm gonna clean up a bit. Anya, we'll got the hospital and get Xander."

The ex-demon nodded. "Okay. I have all the paperwork. Spike," She turned to the silent vampire who stood next to Buffy. "Stop being a baby, sign the papers and then I can get everything organised."

Tara pulled on Wes's arm. "Could you come with me to my dorm? I can show you the campus and then pack for the trip." The ex-Watcher nodded his assent.

"Guys, be back here as soon as you can, okay?" Buffy called after Tara and Wesley as they left. She then turned back to Groo, "So, you any good looking after cats and kittens?"

Groo frowned. "What are they? Demons of some sort?"

Buffy laughed. "Nope, come on, I'll show you. Cos I guess you'll be staying here while we are in New York." She pulled the puzzled Pylean into the kitchen to introduce him to Miss Kitty and her charges.

"Here you go." Spike handed over the bank paperwork to Anya.

She tucked them into a folder. "I am glad you decided not to be an idiot over this. Really, men are just big babies." She flounced out, leaving the bemused vamp staring at her in surprise. "Tell Buffy I'll be in the car."

"It will be my honour to care for your pets." Groo smiled reassuringly down at the small Slayer. "I will guard them with my life."

Buffy patted the tall man on his elbow. "Just make sure they are fed, that they behave themselves and I'll be happy."

"Demon girl's in the car waiting for you, pet." Spike jerked a thumb over his shoulder.

She stood on her tiptoes and pecked Spike on the cheek. "I'll see you later, honey." With that, she trotted out of the house, making a mental note to finish cleaning up when she got back.

"Honey?" Groo asked.

"Not a word, Conan," Spike snarled. "Come on, time for a bit of B & E."

**********

"Um, Xander, how come you're standing up?" Buffy eyed the brunette in surprise.

Anya fluttered around Xander. "I don't understand, did the doctors get it wrong?" She turned to Buffy. "Doctors are supposed to always be right! How could they get this so wrong? I don't understand!"

"Ahn, calm down." Xander shifted uncomfortably.

Buffy eyed him suspiciously. "Xander, what are you hiding?" she asked firmly.

"Well, I..." Xander avoided their concerned eyes.

"Spit it out, Xander," Anya ordered.

"Willow."

"Oh, she fixed you." Buffy ran her hands worriedly over his bulky frame. "You okay? No weird side effects?" she asked.

"No...Well..." Xander hesitated over mentioning the mental rape he had endured from his best friend.

"Xander, what did she do?" Anya caught his chin and forced him to look at her.

"She got into my head. It was awful, felt dirty. I feel violated," Xander whispered. He looked over at Buffy. "It's so not Willow..."

Buffy shrugged, her fury over Willow's earlier actions hadn't dissipated. "Xander, I think that maybe the Willow we knew is gone." She turned her head away from Xander and fiddled with her purse strap, unwilling and unable to offer any trite comforting words. She was nowhere near ready to forgive Willow for hurting all of them and also for vaporising Dawn.

"No, don't say that! We have to get her back," Xander argued weakly.

"And then what? Send her to rehab?" Buffy asked impassively. Anya wrung her hands anxiously, watching the heated exchange between the two.

"We have to help her, I can't let Willow go..." Xander trailed off.

"Oh, hunny." Anya hugged him close, her anger over Willow's behaviour suppressing her negative feelings for Xander briefly. She tried to comfort him.

Xander shook her off of him, unwilling to be touched by anyone after his experiences over the last hour. Ignoring both girls' surprised gasps, he reached into his jeans pocket and pulled out a token. "She used this to get away." He handed the two pieces over to Anya. He refrained from elaborating, he was disgusted with Willow for allowing herself to be used and didn't want any of the others knowing what was happening, particularly Tara.

"Hey, this is the same as the one Rack used in the store." Anya tucked the two halves into her pocket. "I'll put them with the others and research them tomorrow morning. I'll call you, Buffy, with any information I get on the pieces." Buffy nodded her thanks.

"Call? Why? Aren't you gonna be helping with the books? Or are you going to be too busy with Spike to do your Slayer duties?" Xander grumbled, he noticed both the girls glaring at him. "What?"

"For your information, Xander, Spike, Tara and I are going after Willow. I need her back, she has taken part of Dawnie with her," Buffy informed him coolly. "Anya, I'll be in the car waiting, okay?" With that, Buffy turned and left the waiting room, anger suffusing every slender line of her body.

"Oh..." Xander shifted uncomfortably/ "Hey! Why is Spike going?"

Anya rolled her eyes at his stupidity. "Because he needs to," she answered cryptically.

"Needs to? So they are gonna be bringing Willow back?" The image of his raven-haired schoolmate flickered into his mind and he tried to repress a shudder of horror.

"I don't know. I guess it'll depend on whether or not she wants to be brought back, doesn't it?" Anya pulled Xander from the room and headed over to the nurse's station.

"I guess." Xander doubted that Willow would be happy to see Buffy and Spike. Let alone Tara. He glnced over at Any's room, promising himself that he would visit her later.

*********

"Alright, mate?" Spike sauntered into the demon bar, his thumbs hooked into his jeans pockets. Scanning the room for troublemakers, the vampire was a study of power and grace. Groo stood slightly behind and was openly scanning the entire bar, his face a cross between curiosity and wariness. Spike had explained to him on their various stops in the demon bars and meeting points that he couldn't go in mace a-swinging, but had to exercise a bit of patience. Groo was unaware that Spike's comments about patience in connection with himself, would have caused the Scoobies to fall about with laughter. They would never have believed that the vampire could be anything but impulsive!   Groo had solemnly taken Spike's advice on board and was now learning the finer points of having a network of contacts in Sunnydale. The vampire had introduced him to a couple of demons and had, in essence, provided some invaluable contacts for the newbie.

"Hey Spike," The floppy skinned demon that the vampire had addressed waved enthusiastically at the duo, his loose skin flopping rather energetically as he gestured for them to join him. "Beer? Nachos?" Clem pushed over some glasses and a half-filled pitcher of beer. "Hey Spike, who's the big guy?"

"Clem, this is Groo. He's a mate." Spike leant over and snagged a couple of cheese covered corn chips and ate them with relish.

"Hi!" Clem reached over and grabbed Groo's large hand and pumped it up and down. "Nice to meet another friend of Spike's. So you know the Slayer, too?" The disingenuous demon grinned happily at the Pylean Champion.

Groo glanced over at Spike, who shrugged nonchalantly at him as he sipped his beer. "Um, I do know her?" Spike nodded, silently indicating to Groo that Clem could be trusted.

"She's a peach, that one." Clem turned to Spike. "So did she and Dawn like the kittens? How did Buffy cook them up?" Clem grinned at Spike, showing a row of surprisingly sharp teeth. Spike repressed a shudder at the thought of those teeth tearing into a cat.

Spike blinked at Clem, surprised at how openly the loose-skinned demon praised the slayer and secondly revolted at the idea of roasting the two hairballs that Buffy and his Nibblet have fallen in love with. His eyes briefly filled with guilt over his two girls. 'Oh, Christ! I let Mini Slayer down.' Spike tried to also suppress the scent memory of his Golden girl's blood from earlier this evening. Buffy had told him to not worry, but she had been hurt because of him. Spike made a mental note to make amends to his Slayer.  Shaking himself out of his revere, he answered, "Oh no, mate, she's kept them as pets." Spike left it at that, unwilling to have to try and explain again that humans didn't eat felines.

Groo shifted slightly in his seat, he leant forward. "Do you eat small cats?" he queried.

Clem's face lit up. "Oh yeah! They are so tasty, bit of garlic and some nice shallots..." he trailed off at the expression on the Pylean's face. The amiable demon realised that he was treading on thin ice and swiftly changed the subject. "Well, I guess we better get down to business." Reaching behind him, he pulled a large box over to the table. "I think I have everything that you wanted."

Spike stood and hefted the box and quickly checked through the contents. There were three brand new top of the line laptops. "So they're the best?"

"Oh yeah, my brother-in-law totally flipped when I went over and asked for top of the line laptops and not to worry about how much they cost!" Clem dug through his pockets and pulled out a receipt. "Here you go." He handed it over to Spike.

Spike's eye widened at the amount scribbled on the receipt, it was into six digits. Muttering under his breath, he pulled out a roll of notes and handed them to Clem with a nod of thanks. The vampire carefully sat the box under the table and resumed his seat, downing the last of his beer, he sighed. "Needed that! Thanks mate for coming through for me so quickly."

Clem shrugged, sending a rippling motion through his folds. "Hey, no problem buddy. If there are any problems, my brother-in-law put his number on the receipt; call him and he can pretty much talk you through anything that could happen with the PCs."

Spike nodded his thanks. He leant forward. "Look, mate, can you do me a favour?"

"Sure thing, Spike." Clem grinned. "What?"

"I'm heading outta town for a bit, and, well, Groo here is gonna be minding the store." Spike jerked a thumb and the slightly inebriated Pylean, who had been quietly sipping at his beer and was light-headed from consuming alcohol for the first time in his life. Groo widened his eyes, trying to focus on the two Spikes who were now frowning at him.

Clem looked over at the slightly swaying Pylean. "Um, sure? I'll keep an eye on him." He patted Groo's hand. "You okay there, pal?"

"I think I have been poisoned," Groo slurred. He pushed the empty glass away. "My head feels funny and for some reason you appear to have a twin! What manner of poison is this?"

Spike chuckled at him. "No, Conan, not poisoned just pissed. You never had alcohol before?" The vampire tilted his head at the Pylean.

"Alcohol? What is that?" Groo shook his head, trying to clear his senses.

"Hey, Spike, is that a normal colour for him to be?" Clem eyed the grey-faced Champion worriedly.

"Crap, better get the lightweight home before he pukes on us!" Spike stood tucking his new purchases under one arm and helped up the now groaning Groosalaug. "You alright?" Groo shook his head, his lips a fine slash as he tried to stop himself from vomiting.

"Hey Spike, I don't think he's too well. You better get him home. Give him my mobile and pager numbers." Clem patted Groo comfortingly on the shoulder. "Hey, get better! Also, call me if you feel like hanging out."

*********

Spike crept into Buffy's room. He could hear her soft, even breathing. "Bollocks!" The normally agile vampire tripped and fell, knocking his head against the bedside table.

"Hey, Mr. Stealthypants!" Buffy leaned over the side of the bed and eyed her rumpled lover. "What yah doing?" she chirped at him.

"Nothin', just checking under the bed for dust bunnies." Spike pushed himself up and flopped onto the mattress. "So now you're laying traps to catch me?" Spike eyed the two large rucksacks that he had tripped over. "Them for us?"

"Yeah, Anya helped me pack. I think I've got everything." Buffy frowned anxiously. "Only thing I'm worried about is getting blood for you." She worried at her bottom lip with her teeth.

"Don't worry, pet, there's butchers in New York." Spike ran a tentative finger down the pink scar that followed her hairline. "Sorry, pet..."

Before he could say anything else, Buffy pressed her fingers to his lips. "No need, it was my bad too. No, get some rest, we have to get to LA tomorrow."

Spike kicked off his boots and then curled himself around his love's warm body. 

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