Crushed
Written by: Desire
Author's Website
Summary: Set in season 5. Ever wondered what it would be like if Buffy was the one to
realize she had feelings for Spike instead of the other way around? No,
okay…just me then ;D. This product of my diluted mind answers that question and
in a lot of ways is a re-w
Disclaimer: The show Buffy the Vampire Slayer and all of it's characters belong to Joss,
Mutant Enemy, & Fox Prod.
Feedback: evildesire182@hotmail.com
Chapter Four
Damn dreams…
A frustrated sigh escaped her lips as Buffy threw the
covers back, swinging her legs over the side of the bed. Despite the fact her
mother was still in the hospital for more tests, and Dawn was out drooling over
Xander when Anya wasn’t looking, she still made Riley leave, coming up with
every excuse in the book.
Not wanting to hurt his male pride, she told
him he had simply worn her out, cause saying ‘my dreams were better than that
fifteen minutes and thirty seconds’, was a little too harsh.
This had to
stop! She had other things to focus on, the most important figuring out what
spell was being used to make her mother sick and gleefully beating the shit out
of who or whatever was doing it.
She yawned widely as she grabbed the
brown paper bag off of the dresser, dumping its contents on the bed. This spell
was too dire to wait another day to do, and since she was officially never
sleeping again, now was as good a time to do this as any.
The incense was
lit, the conjuring powder poured in a circle (counter-clockwise) as Buffy sat
cross-legged in the center, her hands on her knees, her eyes slowly closing as
she began meditating. A peaceful, calming silence surrounded her as she slipped
further and further into the trance…
“What are you doing?”
That
same peaceful, calming silence was quickly blown to hell by the sound of Dawn’s
voice on the other side of the door and the loud knocking that accompanied
it.
Buffy’s eyes opened reluctantly as she let out another frustrated
sigh, rolling her eyes. “My boyfriend!”
“Liar!” Dawn called back.
“You’re doing magick aren’t you? I can smell the stinky incense out in the
hall…”
“No I’m not!” Buffy yelled, scrambling to her feet, searching the
room for something to put under the crack of the door.
“Can I
watch?”
“No you can’t!” Perfect! Buffy picked up a discarded towel from
underneath her bed, tossing it down in front of the door to block the incense
smell. “And what are you doing here, I thought you guys were doing the late
movie thing?”
“We were,” Dawn sighed, “but Anya got us kicked out of the
theater cause the popcorn was ‘grotesquely overpriced’, and she wouldn’t shut up
about it. So, can I watch you? Please, pretty, pretty,
please…”
“No!”
***************************
Her eyes snapped
open as the trance deepened, and Buffy slowly climbed to her feet, leaving her
room. This was it, if there was something in this house making her mom sick, she
was about to find out.
She slightly shook her head, closing her eyes a
moment to adjust to the grainy sepia-toned look the spell had given the reality
around her. She eased open the door to Joyce’s bedroom, taking in the sight
around her, studying everything carefully…
Nothing.
There’s
nothing here, nothing remotely out of the ordinary or abnormal. With a heavy
sigh, Buffy’s gaze fell upon the picture of Joyce, Dawn, and she that sat on the
nightstand. A nice reminder of a lazy day spent at the beach, collecting shells,
and letting Dawn do dives from her shoulders…
“What the…” her voice
trailed off as she inspected the picture closely. Dawns image seemed to flicker
in and out of the photo like a television with bad reception.
It’s the
spell, it’s just the spell playing strange tricks.
“Buffy? Buffy.”
Dawn stood behind her, arms crossed in a look of annoyance that mirrored
her own. “I’m making a couple of sandwiches and if you’re done with the black
arts, I figured you might want.”
Buffy closed her eyes briefly, trying
hard to make the image before her go away. Dawn who stood before her as plain as
day, seemed to flicker in and out just like the picture…
“What are you?”
Buffy asked, coming closer.
Dawn gave her a goofy grin, flipping her
hair. “A pretty cheesed-off Master Chef. Do you want a sandwich or not? Peanut
butter and jelly with a big honking glob of my spit maybe…”
“You’re not
my sister.”
Dawn pulled her lips tight, fighting back the tears that
stung at the corners of her eyes. How could Buffy say something like that? Sure,
she almost lived to get on her older sisters nerves, but she loved her dearly,
and looked up to her more than anyone else in this world…not that she would ever
tell her that.
“Good,” Dawn sniffed. “See I-I had this theory ever since
I was like three that mom and dad rescued you from a pack of vicious wolves…Ow!”
the younger girl cried out as Buffy seized her by the arm.
“What are
you?!” Buffy growled. “What are you doing to my mom?!”
“Let me go, Buffy,
you’re hurting me! What’s wrong with you?! I’m so telling mom…”
“You stay
away from my mother!” Buffy tightened her grip on the girl, her gaze never
wavering. Dawn could only stare wide-eyed at her sister, trying hard to keep her
trembling to a minimum. It had to be the spell making Buffy act like a psycho
freak…
The shrill sound of the phone ringing broke the tension in the
air. Buffy slowly released her hold, giving Dawn a warning of ‘don’t move’, as
she made her way to the phone.
“What?” she answered in a harsh tone.
“Buffy? Oh, I’m glad I caught you,” Giles said, breathing a sigh of
relief. “We’ve uncovered more than expected about this
orb…”
**************************
A small cry escaped his lips as
he hit the ground, his breath came in short bursts, trying hard to fight off the
pain that coursed through his body. The heels appeared in the corner of his eye,
tapping impatiently, mockingly. She was surprised he had managed to survive a
week of this, but she rapidly growing tired of this game.
“Monky, Monky…”
she began a devious smile, curling her lips. “I must say I’m impressed, really,
who would have pegged you to last this long?”
She sighed loudly as she
paced, the sound of tiny grains in the concrete factory floor crunching softly
under her shoes. “See, back home, I wouldn’t have put up with this. The second
you refused to tell me what I wanted to hear, it would have been ‘off with his
head’, you know what I’m saying?”
She grinned, drawing her finger across
her neck for emphasis. “But that’s the thing, Holy Man, I need you. I need you
to stop keeping secrets from me. I know you know where my key is so why don’t we
make nice and tell each other everything.”
He slowly lifted his head, the
sight of her smiling form kneeling next to him making him sick. The desire to
tell was strong, he couldn’t lie, but he would not jeopardize this world to save
his own life.
“Whaddya say, Monky?” she began, “If you tell me where my
key is, I’ll let you read my diary…”
He opened his mouth to speak, the
words falling from his lips in sharp gasps. “I. Will. Tell. You.
Nothing.”
Glory frowned, her eyes narrowing into slits as she wrapped her
hand around his neck.
“Not the answer I was looking
for.”
*****************************
Buffy was half way across the
lawn when she sensed it. That distinctive tingle in every fiber of her being,
that always seemed to heighten only at his presence…
“Spike,” she
muttered, reaching behind the tree and yanking him out into the yard. She
repressed the sudden twinge of excitement that sprung up at the sight of him,
for one she really didn’t have time to dwell on that fact, and instead opted on
giving him a glare.
“Slayer,” he said with a glare of his own. “You can
let go of the merchandise any time you know.”
Buffy rolled her eyes,
dropping her hand from his coat. “What the hell are you doing
here?”
“Just passing through,” he grinned, lighting his cigarette. “Saw
your light on and I just couldn’t resist the urge to stand outside of your
window and plot your death using every letter of the alphabet. I was just on
I…”
“I don’t have time for this,” she sighed.
“Ooh, iron maiden!
Give me one for J…”
“I need your help,” Buffy stated simply, narrowing
her eyes at him.
“Then I’m gonna need your money, pet.”
“I am not
going to pay you.”
“Then what? I’m supposed to help you out of the
blackness of my heart?” Spike snickered, taking a drag off of the cigarette. “I
don’t bloody think so,” he reached into the pocket of his duster, removing the
fairly crumpled pack of Marlboro Reds. “I seem to be a little low on fags
tonight. Tell you what, ducks, you buy me a brand new pack…”
“Deal,”
Buffy said in a clipped voice, turning on her heels, heading in the other
direction.
“Good. Looks like you get my lovely company for the
evening.”
******************************
“What are we looking for
exactly?”
“Who or whatever planted the Dagon Sphere…” Buffy said,
clicking on her flashlight. They walked slowly through the musty corridors of
the abandoned factory exploring the space around them.
“Right, just look
for the bloke with the ‘I planted the Dagon Sphere, ask me why’ button,” Spike
rolled his eyes, shaking his head at her.
“Or the semi-conscious monk
tied to the chair…”
“Or the what?!”
Buffy ran up ahead and
through the remains of the blast door with Spike on her heels, kneeling down
beside the ailing man, quickly working to free him from his
restraints.
“It was you who planted the Dagon Sphere, right?” she asked
as she worked on the ropes. “Don’t worry, I got it. Spike, quit standing there
like a bleached lump and help me with these.”
Spike snorted at her
comment as he dropped to his knees, helping her untie the knots. “What nasty did
this to you, mate?” he asked, becoming annoyed when he got no response. “Hello?
Holy Man, I believe I asked you a bloody question here…”
Buffy shot Spike
a look, quickly ripping the duct tape from the monk’s mouth, holding it up for
the vampire to see.
“Oh,” Spike smiled sheepishly.
The monk
strained, his words coming out in a pained whisper. “The Beast.”
“The
Beast?”
“That’s my name,” Glory smiled, seizing the Slayer by the back
of the neck. She chuckled as she hurled Buffy across the room, sending her
smacking into the cement wall. Spike scrambled to his feet, wincing briefly in
Buffy’s direction.
“Sorry, forgot to give you the heads up!” he called to
Buffy as he moved around to face Glory. “Alright, bitch, it’s time for you to
get a good old fashioned…”
Glory sent him a withering glance, backhanding
Spike, sending him flying against the opposite wall.
“Who the hell are
you people and what do you think you’re doing with my monky?!” She strode
towards Buffy, effectively pinning the Slayer against the wall as she climbed to
her feet. “I don’t like crashers…”
“Spike!” Buffy yelled, “Get him out of
here!” Buffy slammed her head into Glory’s face, sending her staggering back in
pain.
Spike dashed for the dying man, scooping him up. He scanned the
room franticly, sighing loudly as he realized what he had to do…
“You hit
me?!” she cried out in shock, grabbing Buffy by the neck. “What the hell is
wrong with you?! You can’t go around hitting people!” Glory turned catching a
glimpse of Spike as he ran towards the window. “Hey! Hands off my Holy
Man!”
She quickly let Buffy go, charging towards the window but it was
too late; Spike and the monk crashed through, tumbling to the ground below.
Glory stumbled to a halt, glowering down at the broken heel on her
shoe.
“God damn it!” she muttered, slipping it off in
frustration.
***************************
“Stop, please,” the monk
panted as he and Spike made their way across the parking lot. They stumbled
across the lot, stopping at the chain-link fence that surrounded the property.
Spike released his hold, letting him slump against it.
“Rest for a bit,
mate, but I think we need to keep going…” Spike began, his voice trailing off at
the sight of Buffy running up beside him. “Slayer, how’d you get
out?”
“While she was pouting over a broken heel, I slipped out the door,”
she gave him a look as she kneeled down beside the monk. “There was a door Mr.
Big-Dramatic-Exit.”
The monk gasped, struggling to speak. “My journey’s
done, I think.”
“No, don’t get metaphory on me. We’re going,” she made an
attempt to lift him, but he stopped her.
“You have to…protect the
Key…”
“Fine, mate, we’ll all protect your key, but I think we should do
the protecting far away from here…”
“More will die if you don’t…”
“How?” Buffy asked, sending a worried glance in Spike’s direction. “What
is this thing?”
“The Key is energy. It opens the door…for centuries it
had no form at all. My brethren, its only keepers.” He gasped, taking in sharp
breaths. “Then the abomination found us. We had to hide the Key, gave it form,
molded it flesh... made it human and sent it to you.”
Buffy’s eyes
widened as the realization hit her. No, it was impossible…
“What?” Spike
asked. “What the hell is it?”
“Dawn,” she muttered.
Chapter Five
He hurried to her side, falling in step despite her brisk pace. Spike stole a
glance at Buffy, taking in the steely, focused look of her features, the way her
golden hair flowed behind her in the breeze as she walked…
He felt an
overwhelming need to tell her everything would be okay, that he would never let
anything happen to Dawn, but he quickly squashed that. Just the mere thought he
might actually care what happened to the Slayer and anyone else in her lot
caused a thick bile to form in his throat that could only be taken care of with
a cigarette.
He deftly reached into his pocket, pulling out his pack,
removing the last one.
“If you tell anyone, I’ll kill you.”
Her
voice was harsh as it always seemed to be when speaking to him, but this time he
could tell she was deathly serious. Spike stopped suddenly, taking the cigarette
from his lips as he slowly looked to his right where Buffy stood.
He
nodded, his eyes meeting hers in a seemingly burning glance.
“I
know.”
The sound of a lighter flicking filled in the heavy silence
between the two, his gaze had never left hers for what seemed like an eternity,
but what could have only been a minute. Buffy usually let herself be crushed
under the intensity of a gaze like that, but this time she didn’t shy away from
it or the massive feelings it stirred up inside of her…
They weren’t
stupid dreams. They hadn’t been meaningless or dumb, or the product of bad
Mexican like the one about Giles and the strip club, they had been prophetic and
telling.
The dreams had been right all along.
“You’ll save the
day,” he gave her a meek but reassuring smile. “It’s what you
do.”
************************
“So it was the spell making you act
like a bitch monster?”
Buffy’s eyes widened at her little sister’s choice
of words. Okay, so maybe she had acted a tiny bit irrational and downright
scary, but in no way was she ever a bitch monster and when did Dawn learn that
word?!
“What?” Dawn began, giving her a look. “You were acting like a
b…”
“I know,” Buffy sighed, cutting her off. “Say it one more time and
I’m scrubbing your mouth out with Ajax.”
Dawn grinned sheepishly,
mumbling an apology. “Well you were.”
“I know, and I can’t tell you how
sorry I am. Dawnie, if I had known what that spell would do…” her voice trailed
off quietly. A soft smile graced her lips as Buffy ran her fingers through the
length of Dawn’s hair, the way she always had. “I love you. I know I don’t say
it nearly enough but it’s important to me that you never forget that, no matter
what happens.”
Dawn gave her a soft smile of her own, moving into
position to crawl under the covers. “I never thought you were raised by wolves,
you know,” she said as Buffy stood, preparing to leave.
“Is that
so?”
“My original theory was spider
monkeys.”
*********************
It had to be the most adorable
thing she’d ever seen.
Spike fidgeted on the living room couch, the
remote in one hand. He seemed so uncomfortable, the Summers home had never
exactly been a place for neutral territory in the past, and it seemed like he
half expected Joyce to come charging at him with an axe.
Buffy fought
back a smile and the butterfly feelings rumbling in her stomach as she took a
seat next to him.
“How’s the Bit?” he asked turning off the
television.
“Blissfully clueless,” she sighed heavily. “Just the way I
like it.”
“You’re going to keep this from her?!”
“I have to, to
keep her safe. She thinks she’s my kid sister, Spike, she’s never known any
different and I’m not going to take that away from her,” Buffy’s eyes met his
for the second time that night, searching for the trust and reassurance she
desperately needed from him.
“You’re secret’s safe with me, Slayer,” he
smiled, that foreign ‘uncomfortable’ look crossing his face again. “Did that
sound as bloody stupid to you as it did to me?”
She laughed softly,
nodding her head. “Yep. Wanna hear something else stupid?”
“Sure,
luv.”
“I believe you.”
Spike gave her a look, joining her in quiet
laughter. “Gotta be something in the sodding water…”
“Oh
yeah.”
******************
Willow shivered, pulling her sweater
tightly around her.
Hospital’s had never creeped her out or made her
jittery, but today, it seemed like she couldn’t shake those feelings. Maybe it
was all of the waiting they had been doing, they had been here all morning
waiting until the doctors gave Joyce the ‘Ok’ to go home.
All morning
spent staring at a clock to take her mind off her own fears for her best friend,
and the woman who had become like a mother to her. A quiet constant presence
that was always there…
She sighed, turning back around in her seat.
Stupid slow moving clock.
Tara gave Willow a warm smile, the
comfort smile it seemed only she could do, taking her hand. "They’ve got blue
icy’s in the cafeteria."
"You don’t mind?" Willow asked, a hopeful smile
crossing her lips.
Tara gently kissed her, rising to her feet. "Not at
all. Hey, Dawnie," she called, "why don’t you come with me?"
Buffy
nodded, giving the young girl the ‘OK’ to leave, letting out a long, tired sigh
once she was gone. She’d probably had a good two hours sleep, and they had all
been in the hospital waiting room since seven that morning. Xander, Anya, and
Giles included, though their work duties had required them to leave.
She’d had all of the moral support and love the gang could provide, but
something was deeply missing. She needed that look only he could give her, the
one that said ‘everything’s gonna be fine’, she
needed…
"Riley?!"
Though a bit startled, Buffy stood up to greet
him, wincing a little as he pulled her into a tight hug.
"Why didn’t you
tell me? I would have been here a lot sooner…"
"Things, things were
hectic. Between rushing to get here and answering Dawn’s never-ending questions,
I guess calling you slipped my mind."
He breathed in deeply, a thin smile
masking the sting her statement had given him. ‘Slipped her mind’? How could she
forget to tell him about something this important?! If there was ever a time
Buffy needed him by her side it was now, and the thought of her seemingly
forgetting he even existed in her life, hurt him deeply.
Riley planted a
loving kiss on her forehead, tightening his arms around her.
"I’m here
now, that’s what’s important."
Chapter Six
Buffy was terrified.
In nearly five years she had faced hundreds of
unspeakable things; the Master, having to kill Angel, the SATs…but never was she
more scared than at this very moment.
“Are you sure you’re okay mom?
C-can I get you something, do you wanna lay down…?”
Joyce smiled warmly
at her two daughters, gently easing herself out of their grasp. She understood
their concern, and their fears, but she wouldn’t have them waiting on her hand
and foot…well, only if it were absolutely necessary.
“I’m fine,
sweetheart.”
She sat down on the couch with a heavy sigh, propping her
feet up. She was so happy to be back in her own home, on her own couch, and in
her own clothes, she was sure she had flashed more than a few of the doctors in
that paper-thin hospital gown they forced her to wear.
“Are you sure
mom?” Dawn asked, forcing a cheerful smile on her face. “Cause this is like your
‘get out of jail free card’. All willing to wait on you hand and foot
here.”
“We both are,” Buffy chimed in.
Joyce chuckled softly,
bringing a hand to her head. Well….as long as they were willing…
“I could
really use something to make the little man with the hammer stop pounding in my
head,” she said with a smile.
“No problem. Is the hospital pharmacy still
open?”
“It—it should be.”
“I’ll be back in fifteen minutes.”
“Oh and Buffy!” Joyce called, stopping her daughter at the door. “I’ve
had nothing but hospital food for a solid week, please come back with something
fattening, cheesy, and burger like.”
The Slayer smiled, a real smile for
the first time that night, finally pushing away all of the images of her mother
in that hospital bed. She was sounding like mom again, everything was going to
be okay.
“Check, one order of hammer man killing medicine, and a
Doublemeat Medley with cheese coming right
up.”
***********************
“Hi, welcome to the Doublemeat
Palace, may I help you?”
Buffy’s gaze traveled from the menu to the
dazed looking, pimply-faced kid staring at her from behind the cash register.
She stifled a laugh as she looked at the pylon colored uniforms these poor souls
were forced to wear, along with the animal hybrid caps. The Doublemeat was
obviously the forerunner in making their employees look like tools.
She’d
rather toss herself in a pit full vamps than to ever work in a place like this.
The kid handed her the bag full of combo meal number five, and Buffy
mouthed a quick ‘Thanks’ turning and heading out of the door.
“Doublemeat it’s double sweet…” She sang softly as she made her way down
the restaurant’s back ally. It seemed like every time she set foot in that
place, that annoying TV jingle popped into her head. Buffy stopped suddenly,
gripping the bag tightly, there it was, that unmistakable tingle in every fiber
of her being….
She sighed heavily, rolling her eyes as she set the bag
down. “I don’t have time for this, show yourself.”
He stepped out of the
shadows, snarling, game face on and charged at her full speed, but was stopped
cold by a swift backhand.
“Come on, you gotta try harder than that,”
Buffy snickered as he scrambled to his feet. He made another attempt to lunge at
her and was just as quickly sent flying against the hard brick wall. Buffy
grinned as she whipped out her stake, preparing to strike the final
blow…
“It’s like the forces of darkness aren’t even trying…Oh!” she
called out as the vamp seized her arm, grabbing a hold of the stake. He deftly
plunged it into her abdomen, relishing in the scream of pain she
made.
Buffy staggered backwards, the sight of the stake in her gut
combined with the blinding pain had left everything in a haze, and she didn’t
noticed when her attacker was plowed to the ground.
“Slayer?! Slayer are
you alright?”
Buffy squinted, barely able to make out his form as she
collapsed into his arms.
“Slayer….Slayer, come on wake up!” Spike said,
lightly slapping her face. He sighed deeply as he gently set her down against
the wall. “Slay—Buffy. Wake up Buffy.”
He smiled briefly as her eyes
fluttered open, and wrapped his hands around the stake protruding from her body.
“Take a deep breath, luv.”
“Spike…ow!” Buffy cried out as he yanked out
the stake. She clutched the wound, gasping lightly. “The vamp…?”
“Dust,”
he stated simply, removing a stake from the inner pocket of his duster. “I’m not
on the best of terms with other demons nowadays, can’t be too careful.”
Buffy winced. “What are you doing here?”
“Once in a while, a
bloke wants something other than O-neg for dinner” Spike grinned, holding up a
bag from the Doublemeat. “Now, let’s get you to a doctor…”
“No! No
doctor…I’ve got to get that stuff to my mom…”
“Right then, I’ll just let
you and your gaping stab wound walk home, I’m sure she’ll love that,” he rolled
his eyes, gently scooping her up in his arms. “If you don’t want a doctor, I’m
taking you to my crypt. Can’t have you going home and bleeding all over Joyce’s
plush carpets now can we?”
******************************
“You
didn’t have to do this,” Buffy smiled softly at Spike as he finished dressing
the wound.
“Yeah I did, couldn’t just leave you there to
die.”
She gave him a look, cocking an eyebrow.
“Okay, I could have
and not really feel that bad about it…”
“Gee, thanks…” she deadpanned,
rolling her eyes.
“But when you go out, it shouldn’t be by the hands of a
poncy little bugger like that…” Spike sighed, rolling the sweater down for her.
“It was just the one poncy bugger, right…?”
“Yep,” Buffy said in a
clipped voice, her eyes narrowing at him.
“Just making sure, luv, no need
to get testy.”
Buffy watched as Spike begun to pack away the gauze and
alcohol, a smile lightly playing on her lips. He was taking care of her. Spike,
who had been the captain of the ‘Kill Buffy’ pep-squad had actually saved her
life. The mere notion that he could have one iota of feeling for her sent
bat-size butterflies fluttering in her stomach.
“I still think you should
see a real doctor.”
“That would put me in the real hospital which would
get my real mom really freaked out,” she smiled. “I can’t do it. Thank the
powers for accelerated Slayer healing…” Buffy dipped her head slightly as a
blush crept over her features. “ And unlikely hero vampires,” she
added.
Spike chuckled softly as he headed towards his ‘kitchen’. “Don’t
be fooled, ducks, I still want you good and dead.”
“Wouldn’t have it any
other way.”
*************************
Anya sighed loudly as she
looked through the endless pile of receipts. Boring, boring, boring…
While
she loved being apart of this giant capitalist rat race, she hated anything that
didn’t deal with the money directly…
She grumbled again as she began
looking through a new pile of the slips of paper. She had specifically told
Giles to wave her of any task that didn’t require her to look at pictures of
Washington, Lincoln, and Franklin.
Anya suddenly stopped cold, staring
at a receipt. “Hey!” she shouted, a look of panic sweeping her face.
“Hey!”
She frantically waved the receipt in Giles’ face, as the other’s
rushed over to her side.
“What are you a moron?!” she screamed at Giles,
continuing to shove the receipt at him.
“Allow me to answer that question
with a firing…” he glared, removing his glasses.
Xander chuckled
nervously, slowly easing her away from Giles. “Giles, she didn’t mean
it…”
“I most certainly did!”
“Honey, we talked about this,
remember? Employee-employer no-no’s, rule number five of which you are
breaking….”
“You sold someone a Khul's amulet and a Sobekian bloodstone,”
Anya shoved the receipt in the older man’s hands.
“Yes, I believe I
did.”
“Giles, you should never sell those things together…” Tara began,
taking the receipt from him.
“Damn straight!” Anya chimed
in.
“Don’t you know about the Sobekites?”
“Oh! I do,” Willow
piped up, smiling brightly “It was an ancient Egyptian cult, heavy into dark
magic.” Tara nodded, giving her girlfriend a brief loving smile.“ And the Khul's
amulet, wasn't that a transmogrification conduit?”
Anya smiled and
clapped her hands. “Bingo!”
“Wow,” Will beamed, rocking back on the
balls of her feet. “Do I get a cookie?”
“Be that as it may, I still see
no reason for concern,” Giles stated, sending a pointed look in the former
demon’s direction, removing his glasses “I mean, the-the Sobekian
transmogrification spells were lost thousands of years ago. And besides, the
young woman to whom I sold them would have to have had enormous power…”
The Watcher’s voice trailed off as the realization of what he had done
hit him. Oh god…
“Oh god…”
“A young woman?” Willow asked meekly.
“You-you sold that stuff to a young woman?”
“Not a young woman!” Xander
shouted, a panicked look sweeping across his face. “Wait…what? Why is that a bad
thing again?”
Anya smiled at her boyfriend patronizingly, giving him a
pat on the back. “The thing that kicked Buffy’s ass the other night was a young
woman, only evil with super powers.”
“Oh…” he nodded knowingly. “Oh god!
Giles you moron!” Xander cowered away from Giles, chuckling nervously off the
look he was getting. “And I meant that in the nicest possible way,
G-man.”
“Where’s Buffy, she should know about this right
away…”
“That’s a good question,” Riley sighed as he shut the door to the
Magic Box behind him, heading towards the others. “I’ve been looking for her all
night.”
****************************************
“A lifetime of
no.”
Buffy shook her head stoically, shoving away the shot of Jack
Daniels Spike had not-so stealthily eased in her direction.
“It’ll dull
the pain.”
“Along with everything else…”
Spike grinned, downing
his own shot. “There in lies the fun.”
Buffy stared hard at the tiny
glass, the dark liquor seemingly glistening. Hell, she had almost died tonight,
what’s a little bit of drunkenness between mortal enemy’s…
She sent him a
quick smile, knocking back the drink. Immediately she made a face, gagging at
the horrible taste of it and the way it burned everything on the way
down.
“One vamp…” she chuckled bitterly, “I’m in the best shape of my
life and one pitiful ass vamp…”
“All it takes is one,” Spike cut her off.
“Just one, and it would do you good to remember that.”
Buffy shivered and
made a face as she took another drink, quickly pouring her glass full again.
“How’d you do it?”
“Do what, pet?”
“Kill them.”
Spike
laughed softly as he poured another drink. “It’s a long story…”
“I got
time.”
***********************
“She was only supposed to be gone
for fifteen minutes!” Joyce worriedly paced back and forth. Xander placed a
sympathetic hand on her shoulder, finally getting her to stop.
“Joyce,
you should sit down, really, don’t get yourself worked up,” he said, easing her
down on the couch.
“See, I told you Buffy was irresponsible!” Dawn piped
up, flopping down next to her mom. “You should have let me go out for you mom,
she’s probably half-way to Mexico by now in a fruit truck with some guy named
Manuel…”
The other’s simultaneously shot her looks.
“Or not,” Dawn
mumbled.
Riley sighed heavily, wringing his hands. It just wasn’t like
Buffy to disappear for so long, without a single word. Something had to have
happened… “I’m thinking she ran into vamp trouble. Knowing Buffy, she probably
decided the ally behind the Doublemeat was the best route for
travel.”
“After living in Sunnydale for so long you’d think she’d know
better by now,” Willow shook her head. “And yet…”
“Willow, Tara, and
Xander, I want you guys to check the allies, I’ll do a sweep of the cemeteries
just in case.” Riley climbed to his feet, exhaustion and worry playing over his
features. “We’ll find her, and god help whatever creature she’s
with.”
*************************
“And you just let Dru suck the
life right out of you…?!”
“Bloody right I did! She was offering me
something far greater than I would have ever accomplished in my miserable,
pathetic human existence,” Spike smiled as he took a swig from the bottle, a
faraway look forming in his eyes. “Delivered me from mediocrity, she did.”
Buffy snickered, snatching the bottle out of his hands. She could never
understand why such a raving, loony hoe-bag like Dru could be so important to
him…
“What?” he asked, taking the bottle back.
“What,
what?”
“That little snort you just gave me? Disapprove of my decision,
Slayer?”
“I just don’t understand how you could have such regard for a
woman who never really appreciated you….” Buffy shrugged, mumbling “I dunno…”
under her breath.
Spike cocked an eyebrow at her, letting out a snicker
of his own. “I think you’re letting the Jack do the talking for you,
luv.”
“While hearing about your getting turned has been a big thrill, can
we get back to the topic at hand. Two Slayers. Dead. Tell me how you did
it.”
Spike grinned lazily, taking out his pack of cigarettes. “There are
no maps, luv. No fancy parlor tricks I can show you. Just had me a good day, is
all,” he climbed to his feet, tossing the pack aside. “Sod the smokes, come on,
Slayer, on your feet.”
“What?”
“You wanna lesson, right?” he
grinned, stepping away from the coffin. “I’m giving it to you.”
Buffy
eased herself down to the floor, wincing slightly at a tiny jolt of pain. She
squared off with Spike, though the Jack gave her a bit of a wobble.
“I’m
hurt… possibly drunk, are you sure you wanna do this now?”
“Yeah,” his
grin widened. “I can’t touch you, you know that. You’ve got nothing to worry
about.” He slowly made his way towards her, each of his movements predator like
despite the large amount of alcohol swimming in his system.
“Give it to
me.”
Spike lashed out at her but Buffy managed duck his blows, then
wrapped her hand around his throat, pinning him against the crypt wall.
“You hold your alcohol very well,” he laughed. “It’s not how did I win,
it’s why did they loose.”
“What’s the difference?”
“There’s a big
difference, luv,” Spike smiled, breaking her hold. He lunged at her once more
but Buffy quickly grabbed a hold of him, flipping him over onto the ground. The
Slayer landed on top of him, whipping out a stake.
“Where do you hide
those things?” he quipped, seizing her hand before she could plunge it into his
chest. “The first was all business but the second, she had a touch of your
style. She was cunning, resourceful... oh, did I mention? Hot. I could have
danced all night with that one.”
“You think we’re dancing?” Buffy asked,
swallowing the giant sized lump that had formed in her throat. She shut her eyes
briefly trying desperately to concentrate on anything but the way it felt to
have him beneath her…
“That’s all we’ve ever done,” Spike smiled up at
her. “The only reason you've lasted as long as you have is you've got ties to
the world... your mum, your brat kid sister, the Scoobies. They all tie you here
but you're just putting off the inevitable…” Spike propped himself up on his
elbows, his eyes locking with hers. “But sooner or later…you’re gonna want
it.
Buffy could feel her heart slamming painfully against her chest and
her breath quicken with every intake. With each word he spoke, her passion arose
a little more…
“Want what?” she asked, nearly
breathless.
“Death.”
Spike’s eyes suddenly widened as his nostrils
flared. It couldn’t be…his sense of smell must be playing tricks on
him…
Buffy’s face grew red hot as she scrambled off of him. That knowing
look in his eyes had told her that he could smell her arousal as clear as
day.
Without another word she rushed out of the door, slamming it in her
wake.
CONTINUED...
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