Come Back to Me

by Spikesdeb

Chapter 16

“Well, Red…isn’t that the billion dollar question…” 

Willow stared at her friend, cuddled up and cosy on the suddenly solid vampire’s lap. 

“Want to tell me what happened because – HELLO!! – recently a goddess here and I need to be big with the knowledge.” 

“Make what you can of it, Red.  I’m zapped back from nowhere still ghostly, and then Niblet here comes round for a while – chatting away she was, perky as anything.  Next thing it’s lightshow time and the Bit and yours truly get fried with blue fireworks – then she’s in the coma again and I’ve got my body back.  Think you can explain that lot?” 

“Actually…yes I can, Spike,” she stared at him meaningfully.  

“Oh.  Right.  Good then.” 

“But not until later, ok?  Buffy, we have to talk.  Some serious stuff’s come up that you’re not going to like and I need you to listen to me.  Really listen.     

Buffy untwined herself from Spike and stood, “What is it, Will, you’re scaring me.” 

“Do you trust me?” 

“You know I do.” 

“Come with me then.  Spike – can you stay with Dawn?” 

“Yeah, Red.  Be a pleasure.  Go.” 

Spike nodded to Willow; by the looks of things they’d sussed out enough of Angel’s scheme to justify telling Buffy.  Truth be told, it was better he wouldn’t be there when she found out, that way she wouldn’t be torn by divided loyalties.   She had loved Angel first.  And no matter how completely she loved him now –he still thrummed with the emotions he sensed through the claim – that would always be special.   

Or maybe not, once she found out how he’d been playing with her and those she loved. 

A soft kiss on Dawn’s forehead and a lingering “love you…” on Spike’s lips, then Buffy turned from her whole world inside the hospital room and went with Willow to face what was so difficult to hear.   

Spike settled back in the chair, contemplating the turmoil to come.  It’d be a cruel blow to Buffy, to have her trust in Angel shattered this way, but it had to be done.  Watching Dawn sleep, the slow rise and fall of her breathing, cheeks slightly flushed and the steady beat of the pulse at her neck, he felt an icy fury spread through him.  What right had anybody to use this innocent in sick and twisted games?  The cat and mouse torment was pure Angelus.  If this was all down to him, Angel was going to pay.   

Talking of, he wondered what had happened since he’d blipped out in the conference room leaving Angel mid gloat.  He’d been kinda busy since he materialised and it would seem the watchers had too.  Red as good as gave him a thumbs up, didn’t she.  No matter, he’d find out soon enough. 

And as for the question of his link to Dawn… it kept trying to worm its way through his ‘don’t wanna know’ wall, only to be resolutely quashed.  If he asked himself the question aloud, he’d have to answer it.  And he was scared that he already knew what the answer would be.  For now he preferred to stay in blissful ignorance, and started humming “I Wanna Be Sedated.” 

++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 

Willow led Buffy along the corridor, chatting away to forestall any searching questions.  She was taking her to meet up with Giles who had the scroll and, more importantly, backup to help deliver the bad news.   

“So, Dawnie came round?” 

“Yeah.  She was a little groggy at first but then… she was just Dawn, you know?  God, Willow, I was so happy – and when she saw Spike!!  I wish I’d had a camera…the look on her face!  As for Mr I’m So bad…more like Mr I’m So Whupped.  He loves her so much, loves me so much…” Buffy’s voice trailed off, her eyes tearing up. 

Willow stopped, hand on Buffy’s arm.   “Buffy.  I…I’m sorry that you felt you couldn’t tell me about Spike.  You must have been so lonely.  I wish I’d been a better friend.” 

Buffy smiled.  “No, Willow.  I blame myself.  It wasn’t until I lost him that I found out I really was in love.  The time I wasted…I should have – hell, he stayed by me through everything.  He even put Faith on her butt, didn’t he?” 

Willow giggled.  “Yeah.  That was another one for the family album!  I mean…I know she’s part of the group now and great!  But there’s a lot of history there with the old Faith, how she played us all when she did the body switch.  How she played with Tara…” 

It was Willow’s turn to stop talking, the rush of memories of her gentle lover still painful to her.  Buffy simply hugged her.  They’d both suffered the loss of somebody they loved.  But Buffy had been given a second chance to make things right. 

“Willow.  This thing you need to talk to me about…is it Spike?  Because the only thing I’m not going to like hearing is that that I’ve got to lose him again.” 

“Yes…and no.  Buffy, you said you trusted me.  You saw what we did, what we all did in the Hellmouth, what we’re capable of.  We can fix this.  You won’t lose him.  I promise.”  Buffy fixed her with wide hazel eyes.  Willow just hoped her rash promise wouldn’t be back to haunt her. 

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 

Angel grunted as he hit the corridor to the hospital wing.  Going right would take him to Buffy, his true love and the object of his obsession.  Going left would lead him to the woman he’d grown to have strong feelings for and whose absence in his life had left a huge void.  Two hospital rooms, two dark-haired girls.  Two comas.  Both mystical in origin.  One he’d been helpless to prevent and the other one he’d moved heaven and earth to cause.  Well… hardly that.  With a smirk, he turned left and started whistling. 

Angel paused at the door to her room.  He’d waited for this moment for so long and now…he felt strangely conflicted.  The last time he’d held her, she’d already been in a coma.  Jasmine had them all fooled until Fred was able to free their minds, and Connor…no, he couldn’t think about Connor.  Connor’s future was the reason he was here, deep in the bowels of the mighty Wolfram and Hart and public face of their corporate identity.  But he felt a pang of shame.  Would Cordy think he’d done well?  Would she be able to look him in the eye and tell him it was the right thing to do?  Would she love him?  Only one way to find out… 

He pushed open the door to find a composed and radiant Cordelia sitting up, propped against pillows, and gazing at him. 

“Angel…” 

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 

Kennedy hung back as Fred handed Lorne the amulet specifically keyed to his aura.  She was still uncomfortable around demons, around Willow, actually, when she was in Wicca mode, not that she let it show.  Comprehension soon flashed across the recipient’s features and they moved off to find Gunn.  It wasn’t long before the whole LA Fang Gang was up to speed with what was happening.   

Suddenly nervous as she weighed the final crystal in her hand, Kennedy wondered how her fellow Slayer would react.  Faith had nearly combusted when Angel was giving his Oscar-winning performance as the bestest buddy ever, so bearing the good tidings that he really was messing with them – well, let’s just say she’d rather face the hordes at the Hellmouth again.   

Faith hadn’t disappointed.  Her rage at the betrayal of them all was incandescent and pretty much what Kennedy expected.  The room was trashed, no doubt about it.  Fred just prayed that Angel’s surveillance was busy elsewhere.  As it was it took the combined strength of Kennedy and Gunn to restrain her and the gentle reassurances of the scientist to calm her.   

“Bastard!” Faith spat out.  “Fucking asshole!  Jerking us around to get what he wants - he’s just loving it!  After all we’ve done…” Her words tailed off as she sagged down on the floor, back to the wall. 

“Sweetheart, I know it’s hard to take, but we knew something was going down.  At least now we have a chance to put it right.” 

Faith snapped at Lorne, unwilling to listen to reason.  “Yeah?  Well I’ve got a solution – me Slayer – Angel vampire.  Just gimme a pointy stick and I’ll put it right, no problem.” 

Fred’s eyes widened, her mouth failing to form the words bubbling inside her head.  She was shocked that something was up with Angel, but staking him?  Talk about shoot first and ask questions later!  Gunn also looked concerned and about to speak but Lorne beat them both to it. 

“Listen, cherie, Uncle Lorney here is as dazed and confused as the rest of you, but dusty Angel?  Don’t you think it’s a little early in the game to be playing our trump card?  There must be something else we can do.  The librarian, the witch and the watcher are knee deep in theories right now and heading off to the back of the wardrobe to work some major mojo.” 

“Huh?” 

“Don’t tell me you’ve never heard of Narnia?  Aslan the lion?  There’s a noble feline who knows how to gussy up!” 

“Lorne.  Might be a good idea to run that one by me again – but in an actual language this time ‘cause I have no clue what you are saying.” 

Lorne smiled.  Faith had come off the boil, just as he’d planned.  She didn’t really want to stake Angel but left without a distraction she was volatile and likely to lash out at someone – anyone.  Much better to befuddle her mind for a little while, maybe a medicinal Seabreeze.   

“Well, chickadee – what do you say I give you the low-down on that wardrobe over a deliciously sticky drink or two?”  

The empathic demon gently ushered the unusually bemused Slayer away to his own office, leaving the others to their thoughts.  It was hard to take in.  Each one of them was well aware of what Angelus was capable of, but the reality that it was Angel doing evil was not something they wanted to face again.  One by one they drifted away, minds too full to speak. 

+++++++++++++++++++++++ 

It was time.  Willow swallowed nervously as they reached the library where she knew she’d find Giles, and hopefully Wesley.  Buffy was right behind her and she knew she couldn’t put it off any longer.  She pulled down on the handle and went inside. 

The fake prophecy was unrolled on the table but both men were engrossed in volumes that had nothing to do with the words on the scroll.  They had their heads together over a huge tome, oblivious to their visitors until Willow coughed.  Giles looked up, seemingly startled to see her there.  She’d seen that look before. 

“Look, Buffy, Giles has library face.  Hey, Giles…we’re here…you know, so we can talk about that thing.” 

“Buffy.  Hello.  That thing?” 

“The thing Giles.  You know…from before?” 

The puzzled look disappeared as realisation dawned.  Oh, that thing.  He looked apprehensively to Wesley, unconsciously drawing strength from his compatriot. 

“Ah…yes.  Please, won’t you sit down, both of you.” 

Willow slid into a seat to the side of the table leaving Buffy to take the one opposite Giles.  Nobody spoke, the library silent save for the relentless tapping of Buffy’s fingers on the tabletop.   

“Look, Giles, Willow’s already given me the gloom alert on the way here.  I know you’ve got to tell me what you’ve found out, and it’s bad.  So spill.  We’ll deal - and I can get back to Spike and Dawn.” 

“Me?  I should tell you?  Willow…” 

“Hey, she obviously wants to hear it from you.  I’m here, I’ll fill in the gaps.”  Willow hoped Buffy still saw a trace of a father figure in Giles.  He’d be way better at explaining the facts clearly since she always waffled when she was nervous; she’d be the supportive friend rather than the deliverer of bad tidings. 

“Oh, very well.  Buffy…I’m sure you must have realised that there’s a link between Dawn’s condition and Spike’s…well, arrival, for want of a better word.  You heard what Angel said.” 

Buffy nodded, the pounding of her heart was making her feel nauseous.  She knew what was coming; she just didn’t want to have to deal with it.  Give her something real that she could pummel any day. 

“The prophecy…” Giles gestured to the vellum lying on the table. 

“Yes…what does it say?  Angel thought it would help…” 

Wesley, Giles and Willow exchanged a look.  Now or never…. 

“Angel didn’t give us the prophecy to help us, Buffy.  The prophecy isn’t real at all, it’s a complete fabrication concocted to force your hand.” 

“Force my hand?  I don’t understand.  Force my hand how?  And who gave it to Angel?” 

Giles removed his glasses; he really would prefer not to see her face when he carried on.   

“Nobody did, Buffy.  The thing is… Angel - it’s his doing.  He’s found a way to ensure that you stay here with him – by placing Dawn in a mystical coma.” 

Buffy gaped at them.  “Angel?  Are you serious?  Why the hell would he do something like that?  He’s got a soul!  He wouldn’t hurt an innocent – and he’d never deliberately hurt me.” 

“You’re very sure of that, Buffy.”  Wesley looked grim, “But remember, I’ve worked alongside Angel for years now and believe me, I know exactly what he’s capable of, more so than you, actually.  Angel – not Angelus – Angel himself.  I had to fight for my life when he tried to smother me as I lay in a hospital bed.  I stress – Angel, not Angelus.  He had his reasons, although can’t seem to remember what they were, but still.  Having a soul didn’t hinder him then.” 

Buffy flinched at Wesley’s harsh and clipped tones, closely followed by gasps from both Willow and Giles.  This was the first they’d heard of it. 

“So you see…he will do what is necessary to achieve his goal.”  Wesley was shaking; the traumas when Angel had become a bloody-minded thug were not something he cared to dwell on.  Just to make it even more disquieting, whatever he’d done to set Angel off was a complete blank.  He did remember Angel Investigations being taken over by himself, Cordelia and Gunn and a penitent Angel slowly winning back their trust.  Didn’t make it any the less horrifying for him now that it looked like evil Angel was back. 

In the face of Wes’s obvious sincerity, none of them were in any doubt that he spoke the truth; Buffy sagged back into her chair.  Could it be true? 

“You’re all completely sure he’s not Angelus?” 

One by one they nodded.  “I’m sorry, Buffy, but it is Angel.  I’ve spoken to Althenea and I’ve sensed him myself.”  Willow ached for her friend, one blow after another…. 

“But…why?  I don’t get why he would want to make me unhappy?” 

Willow continued.  “He doesn’t want you unhappy, he just wants you here.  Angel’s just got his hands on this superpowerful Evil Incorporated; imagine the resources!  He can have anything he wants. You were talking about leaving, making a new life for yourself and Dawn away from all this.  Plus the fact of you being all cut up about Spike – he must have just flipped.” 

“Spike?  Is he doing something to Spike?”  Buffy jumped to her feet, eyes wide and pleading.  It was almost a relief to know what was wrong with Dawn, although the Angel part hadn’t ’sunk in yet.  But then there was Spike… “He can’t…not when I’ve only just found him again.” 

Giles’ hesitant voice filled the tense silence.  “Ah, well there’s where we hit a snag.  We don’t know.  As near as we can tell, Spike’s presence in this world was unexpected.  Angel must have thought he was home and free – in his eyes, Spike is the only obstacle on his path to you – so the last thing he’d do would be to resurrect him.  However, as he is here – we believe that Angel is now using it to his advantage.” 

“And that means?” 

“He’s forcing you to make a choice, Buffy.  Dawn or Spike – you can’t have both.” 

Buffy’s throat tightened.  Not again.  She couldn’t be here again, forced to choose between people she loved.  Last time it had been a choice between her sister and the rest of the world, Spike had been just a part of the world along with her friends.  At the time, she hadn’t given him any special thought, save for feeling at peace when she’d removed the barrier preventing him from entering her home, a warm feeling of near contentment as he’d turned his expressive blue eyes on her and muttered ‘hey presto’.  That night he’d sworn to protect Dawn to the end of the world.  And he tried, would have given his existence to save his Niblet. 

And he would again.  Buffy knew that if it came down to it, he’d never let her make that decision, the impossible situation she would be in.  So he would choose for her. 

That was not going to happen. 

It was the Slayer who spoke next.  “Well we’ll just have to find a way out of this.  I am not being manipulated by anyone ever again.  I am not losing Dawn and I am not losing Spike.  So – research guys – hit the books, hit the Internet, hell, hit the staff – just get me some answers.  I’m going to kick some vampire ass.” 

“No!  Buffy – it’s imperative that Angel believes we’re convinced by his playacting.  Not until we know exactly what the plan is.  Doubtless he has mystics working round the clock to keep up the pressure with regards to Spike, and we don’t know enough to work out our next move.  We have to let Angel go on thinking that he’s in charge, that we buy the fake prophecy.” 

Giles wiped his brow with his handkerchief, continuing quietly. 

“Buffy, I know I’ve never been Spike’s biggest supporter but even with my questionable eyesight I can see that you both have very strong feelings for each other.  Nor can I overlook the fact that not only did he fight for his soul, he willingly sacrificed himself to save a world that to all intents and purposes cared nothing for him.  I can’t forget that.  And I want you to know that if there’s a way to do this and save Spike, we’ll find it.” 

Buffy was across the table and clinging to Giles in a heartbeat, the Slayer gone and a woman in fear for the lives of her lover and her sister in her place.  Giles wrapped his arms around her, hugging her close.  He knew exactly what it felt like to lose a loved one and then have them brought back.  It felt wonderful.  He wouldn’t let Buffy be robbed of that feeling. 

“And there’s another thing.”  Willow hated to break the moment, but Buffy had to know it all.  “Althanea told me that the coven’s detected a huge power surge centred on LA.  Centred on Wolfram & Hart specifically.  There’s only one explanation for that much energy; it means that The Powers That Be are messing around with us too.” 

+++++++++++++++++ 

Angel rushed to Cordelia’s side, enveloping her in a bear hug until she beat on his back to let go.   

“Hey, is that any way to treat the patient?” 

Smiling broadly, Angel released his grip while still keeping one hand on her arm and moving her hair aside to look at her face.  He’d missed her.  Under different circumstances, Cordy and he may have made a go of it.  As it was, Buffy’s little ‘cookie dough’ speech followed by the huge challenge of ousting Spike from her affections had taken a good grip of him and he would deem it a failure if he didn’t make her want him.   

Still, just because he had Buffy didn’t mean he had to let Cordy go, did it?  Shouldn’t be difficult to keep the two apart, after all he was CEO of Wolfram & Hart, LA Branch.  His smile turned calculating, eyes glinting almost black with malice.   

He didn’t notice Cordy’s eyes turn milky white, nor her sad smile as she prepared to play her part in the plan The Powers That Be had set in motion to counteract Angel’s misbegotten magic.

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