Sunnydale.

"Toth"

Buffy turned to Spike

"He called you a Toth.  It means like moron or something." "Oi!"

Giles lowered his glasses and glared at his Slayer

"Buffy that joke wasn't funny the first time, kindly pay attention to the matter in hand."

The small blonde grinned unrepentantly

"Sorry, couldn't resist."

Giles sniffed and pushed his glasses up his nose ignoring Spike's outraged expression

"As I was saying, Toth.  I take it you remember the demon that separated Xander two years ago?"

Anya nodded enthusiastically

"Yes, that was most exciting."

Five pairs of eyes swung round to stare at her and she shrugged unembarrassed

"What? I found it most enjoyable, although Giles was most unsympathetic when I requested delaying their reintegration.  I believe he cost me a most entertaining night."

Buffy and Dawn sniggered as Giles and Xander blushed a fiery red and Spike looked disgusted

"Hey, demon-girl, just fed.  Watch it with the visuals."

Xander glared at the blonde vampire

"Hey, I'm a nummy treat remember?"

Spike looked even more offended and groaned

"Do you mind?"

Giles slammed a heavy book against the wooden table

"I believe that's my line.  When you've all quite finished can we please get back to the matter of three missing girls and the dangerous and bloodthirsty people pursuing them?"

A silence fell around the table and Giles continued

"Thank you.  And I hardly think this is appropriate conversation when a young child is in the room."

Dawn grinned

"Don't mind me."

Giles gave her a withering look and cleared his throat pointedly

"Well, as I was saying, Toth succeeded in separating Xander with the aid of the P'rulajemina device.  Xander suggested an idea to me earlier and I believe it has some merit.  With certain modifications I believe we can use the device to cast a separation spell on a small group and allow the unknown curse to cling to the doubles allowing the original individuals to leave undetected and find Willow and the others."

Buffy's mouth fell open

"Xander thought of that?"

Xander nodded proudly

"All by my little Zeppo self."

Buffy exchanged an impressed look with Dawn and Anya

"Whoa, go Xan.  Way to brainstorm."

She turned back to Giles and her voice hardened as she said seriously

"When do I leave?"

LA.

Connor took a deep breath and, for the second time in a day, knocked on a door he'd really rather never open.  Unlike Wesley's, however, this one remained firmly shut.  He bit his lip and looked along the corridor where Lorne nodded encouragingly and raised his hand to knock again

"Dad? It's me. Connor."

The silence stretched and Lorne grunted in annoyance at Angel's continuing stubbornness

"Sweetie, just go in."

Connor's eyes widened and he shook his head firmly.  No way was he going in there.  It had already taken everything he had to come up and knock in the first place, ignoring his father's obvious desire for alone time and busting in on him uninvited was not high on his to do list.  He had turned and started back down the corridor towards Lorne when he heard Angel's low voice

"Come in."

Lorne gave the boy a thumbs up and a wide grin and then made tracks back downstairs and away from the angst fest.  Connor watched him go and, for a moment, was half tempted to follow him, then he remembered he was The Destroyer and he didn't run from anything and reluctantly turned back towards Angel's room.

Angel was seated in his favourite chair staring down at a picture in his lap as Connor entered.  His body was slumped in the chair and his entire posture screamed defeat and misery

"What is it?"

Connor winced and hovered by the door uncertain of how to proceed. Even when Angel had finally broken free of his watery tomb and set eyes on his son for the first time in three long months his voice had never sounded this cold or distant.  The teenager edged closer into the room and said quietly

"I wanted to see how you were."

Angel shrugged

"Fine.  I'll see you later."

Connor nodded and half turned away and then stopped and burst out

"You know this isn't easy for me either."

Angel looked up and eyed him disinterestedly

"Oh yeah? What?"

Connor waved his arms helplessly

"All this.  You, this place, those people. I didn't choose this you know."

Angel shut his eyes and leaned his head back in exhaustion

"Yeah, well, that makes two of us."

Connor nearly growled in frustration

"Don't you want Cordelia back?"

Angel kept his eyes shut and shrugged

"You know, Connor I really don't know anymore."

Angel's son took a shocked step back and stared wordlessly at the being that had helped create him.  Perfect face, good strong body, average hair..and a self-pity streak a mile wide that you could use for an extra freeway.

"What is the matter with you?"

Angel opened his eyes at the shout of frustration and watched as his cool, calm son lost it all over his bedroom floor

"You've sulked for a month that Cordelia left you and then when you find out that she's been forced in some way you stamp about growling and shouting and when I bring you someone who may be able to help us you try to kill him!  You're arrogant and selfish and so self centred I'm amazed you can keep your balance long enough to walk across a room without falling over."

He gasped for breath and waved his arms wildly around him

"And look at this place.  Four bare walls and a bed.  This isn't a home, it's a cell.  I lived for all those years in a wooden shack with nothing more than my father and some furs on the floor and I never felt like it wasn't home."

Angel sprang up and clenched his fists

"Don't call him that."

Connor raised his chin too angry to heed the warning tone in Angel's voice

"What?  Father? He was, more than you'll ever be."

He ducked as Angel seized the chair he had been sitting on and threw it into the wall and roared

"I AM YOUR FATHER."

The boy straightened and looked the enraged vampire in the eye

"Then act like it."

Crummy Motel No 2.

Lindsey nodded his thanks as Fred released his wrists and grimaced as he rubbed the feeling back into them.  The dark haired girl backed away from him and joined Cordelia and Willow on the bed to watch him warily.  Lindsey tried a small smile

"This is nice."

Cordelia followed his gaze around the room.  Damp walls, two sagging double beds, a ripped and scuffed chair and a virulent orange carpet.

Ladies and gentlemen welcome to the Bangkok Hilton

"It's all we can afford."

She caught Willow's eye and raised an eyebrow in query, the ex-witch looked at Lindsey for a moment and then nodded.  Cordelia sighed

"Look, Ambiguity Guy, I want to try something on you.  Will you let me?"

Lindsey looked at her apprehensively

"Try what?"

Cordy pushed herself to her feet with a sigh and walked slowly over and sank down beside him

"It's similar to Lorne's trick but more..."

Fred smiled as she trailed off and said brightly

"Showy?"

Cordy grinned and nodded

"Showy.  That's it exactly."

She met Lindsey's eyes and he frowned as he realised how tired and worn she looked.  Her skin had no glow, her hair hung limp and with ragged ends against her face and he traced a still healing gash along her collarbone with a finger.  Cordelia flinched back and glared

"Watch it, Mr Feely."

Lindsey gave her a quick grin and eyed the slightly puffy skin around the cut

"Looks like it isn't healing that well.  What happened?"

Cordelia folded her arms and said stubbornly

"I'm sorry that's your business because?"

The man shrugged unconcerned, folded his own arms casually and leaned back against the slightly sticky wall

"It's not, just want to be able to let know Lorne know what happened when you drop dead of blood poisoning."

Cordelia's eyes narrowed and her mouth opened but fortunately Willow got in first

"There will be no telling of anyone anything is that clear?"

Lindsey turned and looked at the slender red head and shrugged noncommittally causing Willow's resolve face to drop down like a steel trap

"I said, there will be no telling anyone of anything is that clear?"

Lindsey met her resolve face with one of his own

"I'm here for Lorne..."

Fred opened her mouth and said hesitantly

"And y'all wanna keep him alive, right?"

The dark haired man looked startled at the soft question

"What?  What's that supposed to mean?"

Cordelia glared at Fred

"Nothing.  She didn't mean anything." "Like hell, what's all this got to do with Lorne?"

The three girls were silent for a moment and then Cordelia said firmly

"Let me do my thing and then, if you're on the level, we'll tell you everything."

Willow gasped

"Cor, no!"

The Seer ignored her and kept her eyes on Lindsey's face

"Well?"

He nodded and said firmly

"Do it."

Sunnydale.

"Why can't I go?"

Spike gritted his teeth as the Slayer's incessant whining and wondered not for the first time what his demon had ever seen in her. Apart from the shining blonde hair, lithe body and ability to fuck like a rabbit of course.  He blinked as everyone stared at him and then frowned

"Did I just say that out loud?"

Buffy scowled at him and said tightly

"Yes."

Spike grinned and said unrepentantly

"Ooops."

Buffy opened her mouth and then abruptly swung back to Giles

"Why can't I go?  I'm the obvious choice."

Giles forced his mind away from Spike's remark and focused on his Slayer

"Buffy, you are the Chosen One. One as in the singular and we don't have a spare.." "But we will, that's the crux of the plan remember?  Having a spare!"

He blinked as an entirely inappropriate image rose in his mind.  Two Buffys and...

Like a rabbit?  Good Lord, really?

He shook his head and focused on the protector of the world and the rather adorable pout she had on her face

"Buffy, when we use the spell the double will only have the curse and the original's form not any of their intelligence or personality.  We can, perhaps, add a modicum of fighting ability but that's all, we can't have a sub standard Slayer running around the Hellmouth for any length of time."

His voice gentled and he gave her a small smile

"It didn't exactly work last time."

Buffy blinked and then slumped back into her chair in defeat

"Ok, fine, but who is going to go?  Gunn and Angel have to, obviously, but we can't just leave them to go their merry slayin' way without a Scoob to back them up."

Xander raised his hand slowly

"I'll go."

Giles shook his head

"No Xander, it's out of the question, I'm sorry."

The brunette frowned and eyed Giles unhappily

"I'm sorry what?  Will's my best bud, I'm going, end of story."

Giles folded his arms and said firmly

"No, you are not.  You are needed here and we have no idea how long this will take.  You have your job, your apartment and your commitment to Buffy to consider.  We simply cannot spare you."

The younger man looked torn between surprised gratification at his surrogate father's words and anger at his refusal

"G-man, it's not your decision to make..."

Spike shut his eyes as the table erupted into a fierce argument and, not for the first time, cursed the decision ever to come to this crappy little town.  He frowned and reached a decision and thumped his hand down on the table

"I'll bloody do it."

He looked at the stunned faces around him and then lingered for a moment on Dawn's.  The young girl stood frozen in surprise and then slowly a wide, thankful grin stole across her face, Spike nodded in acknowledgement and repeated himself firmly

"I'll do it."

LA.

Angel stood and watched the hunched figure that sat on the bench in the courtyard for a few minutes.  This wasn't the Wesley he remembered.  His Wesley was, ok not the most coordinated guy in the world, but self-assured and confident in his abilities and his place in the world. This Wesley was a sad lost figure who started at shadows and watched others with an uneasy eye as though waiting for the next blow to fall.

The vampire stepped out into the moonlight and cleared his throat and watched his former friend flinch so hard he fell off his uneasy perch on the bench.  Angel waited until two suspicious eyes came up over the wooden surface and then said firmly

"We need to talk."

The eyes widened and then Wesley nodded his head briefly, wincing in pain and embarrassment as his nose bounced off the seat.  Angel nodded and walked down the steps towards him and in the hotel lobby Gunn grinned admiringly at Connor

"Kid, you got game."

Connor gave a somewhat confused smile and nodded back

"Thanks."

I think.

Crummy Motel No 2.

Lindsey stared at the floor with his head in his hands and tried to get his head round the last thirty minutes.  Cordelia glowing, her reading of him and the soothing of his troubled soul and then for the grand finale the revelations on why he couldn't go to Lorne and call in the cavalry.

Goddamn you, Lilah!

He raised his head and looked at the three girls on the opposite bed with new respect and admiration

"And you've been running ever since?"

Cordelia looked offended and said snootily

"Not running, more...exploring our options."

Lindsey grinned at her tone and then, after a few seconds, was rewarded with a reluctant smile from the Seer

"I see.  Well, where do I start?" "What do you mean?"

Lindsey stood and brushed down his pants and then stretched his tired muscles

"If you think I've chased across the country, dumped my job, gotten tied up, interrogated and then driven for two hours in the trunk of my own car to end up in a motel I wouldn't stable a horse in just to throw in the towel and let Lilah win you've got another think coming."

Willow looked confused

"What are you saying?"

Lindsey shook his head and screwed up his face in mock-horror

"Against my better judgement I want to help and.."

He looked pained and swallowed before saying through gritted teeth

"I want to help save Angel."

Cordelia snorted

"No you don't."

Lindsey grinned as Willow and Fred giggled into their hands and shrugged

"Ok, I don't.  But I do want to help save Lorne and the rest and I really think you could use another pair of hands on your side."

Fred looked hopefully at her two friends and then laughed with relief when they nodded and Cordelia stood to offer him her hand

"Ok, welcome to Hell.  Screw up or betray us and I'll smack your teeth so far down your throat you'll have to stick a toothbrush up your ass to clean them."

Lindsey grinned and took her smaller hand in his, saying dryly

"I'm looking forward to working with you too, Cordy."

~~~*~~~

Wesley perched uncomfortably on the wooden bench and stared down at the stone floor beneath his feet, stealing occasional glances at the tense figure next to him.  He felt slightly queasy and certainly a bit shaky but all in all his head was clearer than it had been in months.  He started as Angel said bitterly

"I can't forgive you."

Wes closed his eyes and nodded

"I know."

Angel made an impatient sound and jumped to his feet pacing angrily around the small courtyard

"I can't forget what you did."

Wesley blinked back self-pitying tears and bowed his head even further, remaining silent.  Angel glared at the top of his head and snapped

"Goddamn you, at least have the courage to look me in the eye."

Wesley took a deep breath and raised his head to look in the furious tortured eyes above him.  Angel shook his head and said in disgust

"Look at the state of you.  You're pathetic."

The Englishmen held the revolted gaze silently and waited calmly for the next attack.  Angel snorted

"You're just going to sit there and take it? Take everything I can throw at you and not make a move to defend yourself?"

Wesley shrugged

"What would be the point?  Everything you say is true.  I'm everything you believe and more."

Angel stared at his former friend wordlessly and then spun away with another low growl

"Above everyone I believed you would be the one I could trust to do the right thing.  I valued your opinion above everyone's, even Cordy's.  Why did you do it?  How could you take my child and give him to that…that…thing? How?"

Wesley swallowed at the anguished voice and his eyes blurred with tears as he whispered

"I panicked.  I never had any intention of giving Connor to them, I wanted back up if I couldn't get Connor to safety myself.  There's no excuse for what happened but I want you to know that it was never my intention to give your son to Holtz, I would have given my life to protect him."

Angel stared down at the floor and clenched his big hands into fists

"Is that meant to make it all better?  Am I meant to say `There, there, Wes.  Don't worry about it, it's all ok now' and just move on?  Because I can't, I can't let it go."

Wes pushed himself unsteadily to his feet and swayed for a moment before straightening his shoulders and saying firmly

"No, we can't forget this happened.  Ever.  I'll have to live with my stupidity for the rest of my days and with what it cost me."

He took a deep breath as Angel turned slowly and stared at him with burning eyes, continuing in a low, sincere voice

"I cost you your son, someone you love, and for that I can never be forgiven.  I'm asking you to let me help you now and not to let my past actions cost you someone else you love.  When we have Cordelia and the others back I'll go and you'll never see me again but until that time I'm asking you to give me the chance to help you one last time."

Angel shook his head slowly

"I can't let you in, Wes.  You betrayed us all, you thought I could hurt my son and then you destroyed all our lives.  I can't let you do it again."

Wesley's face crumpled slightly and his eyes grew shadowed

"Of course.  I should never have come." "Why did you?  Why now, after all these months? You must have known we'd needed you before."

The Englishman sighed and fought to control the tremor in his exhausted and abused body

"Connor.  He came to me and demanded I help.  He seemed to think I was needed and that you required every assistance you could find. He's a fine young man, Angel, you should be proud."

Angel growled and his eyes flashed gold

"No thanks to you or me.  He's what Holtz made him."

Wesley flinched and then shook his head.  If nothing else he could give his former friend this

"No, I saw nothing of Holtz in him.  I saw you and Darla, even Cordelia, god help him, but nothing of that man.  Connor is courageous, humorous and perhaps a little rigid at times but he has none of Holtz's hardness in him.  None of his hate."

Angel flicked a quick glance towards the lobby

"He did.  When he came back he was filled with it."

Wesley nodded

"He told me, what happened I mean.  And he also told me how you were released and came for him and how you fought for his acceptance and love and not once did you blame him for what happened to you.  And in his eyes I could see the wonder of having your unconditional love and your steadfast, unquestioning loyalty.  You gave him something he's never had and for that he loves you."

Angel stared in wonder at Wesley and then he shook his head slowly

"Damn you. Damn you, Wesley."

He closed his eyes and rubbed the palms of his hands over his face in a gesture filled with pain and uncertainty

"Stay, for Connor.  Help us find Cordelia and stop whatever's happening and then get the hell out.  Don't come back when this is finished."

Wes nodded

"You have my word."

Angel turned and walked away, shoulders bent under the impossible weight of Connor's faith in him and then he paused at the top of the steps leading into the lobby.  He didn't turn but his voice reached Wesley clearly all the same

"If you do anything, anything, to hurt us again, I will kill you. Nothing could stop me again."

He walked through the doors without waiting for a reply and Wesley watched his departing figure and whispered

"I know."

Sunnydale.

"Stand still."

Spike eyed Giles as he pointed the harmless looking stick at him. His eyebrows shot up as he spotted the scotch tape wrapped around the wooded object

"Hey! What the bleedin' hell is that? Is it broken?"

He dodged behind the shop counter and made ready to duck if Giles so much as looked like he was starting any mystical majiggy.  The watcher lowered his stick and peered disapprovingly over his glasses at the suspicious demon

"No it's not broken.  It was slightly damaged when Toth was killed and Xander very kindly repaired it." "The whelp did it? Oh that makes me feel SO much better.  Nothing can possibly go wrong then, can it?"

Spike hooked his thumbs into his jeans pockets and scowled belligerently

"Piss off and don't point that thing at me or I'll ram it right up your ar…." "SPIKE!"

Buffy and Giles yelled simultaneously and pointed at Dawn who sat giggling at the vampire's protests.  Spike shut his mouth with a snap and looked sheepishly at the amused teenager

"Sorry Nibblet."

His eyes narrowed as he looked back at Giles

"But if you think for one second I'm lettin' you blast me with that thing, you ponce, you've been conked on the head one time too many."

He folded his arms across his chest and scowled fiercely at the room in general.  Xander pushed away from the metal stairs where he had been seated during the whole process and said impatiently

"I knew he was all talk.  Giles, just let me go with Angel.  I'm not a big fraidy cat like some demons I could mention.  Come on, I'm ready. Duplicate me, Spock."

Giles rolled his eyes as Spike rose predictably to the bait

"Oi, I'm not scared Whelp!  That's rich coming from you, Whimper Boy." "Wuss." "Ponce." "Jerk." "Twat." "Girl."

Buffy, Anya and Dawn scowled in annoyance

"Hey!"

Xander glanced over at them

"Sorry."

Spike hooked his thumbs into his jeans and glared at Xander

"I'm not scared.  Watcher, do it."

Giles nodded and pointed the P'rulajemina stick at the vampire and glanced at the notes in his hand.  He swallowed and muttered a chant under his breath, there was a brilliant flash of light and then two Spikes were laid out on the floor.  Anya was the first to move

"Oh god, is it ok?"

Xander's face crumpled with hurt as she raced across the room towards Spike and then smoothed into a loving grin as she completely bypassed the unconscious vampire to reach for the cash register

"Oh thank the Powers, it survived.  Giles, you fired at the money! How could you?"

Giles rolled his eyes and crossed to Buffy's side swallowing his own jealousy as she cautiously touched first one Spike and then the other.

"I don't know which one's which.  Giles is he…are they…..ok?"

Giles and Xander both frowned at the evident concern in her voice and Buffy gave them a small grin

"Don't call the exorcist just yet, I'm not possessed."

She glanced back down at the demons on the floor and gave a wry smile

"Don't tell him but he kind of grows on you after a while."

Xander scowled

"So does mildew." "Hey, he's given up a lot the past couple of years for us."  Buffy's eyes met Dawn's and the two girls shared a long look as Buffy continued "Maybe it's time to cut the guy some slack."

Spike groaned on the floor

"What the fuckin', bleedin' hell just hit me?"

Dawn sighed with relief and ran to slip an arm around his shoulders as he climbed to his feet

"You're ok!" "I am?  What the hell was that?"  He looked down at the floor  "And who's that ponce?"

Dawn giggled

"That would be you."

Spike looked with disgust at the unconscious form on the floor

"Don't be an idiot, luv, looks nothin' like me.  I'm bigger and my hair isn't so….." "Freakish?" "Stupid?" "Badly cut?"

Spike glared around him "Hey!"

Dawn wrapped a consoling arm around his waist and squeezed

"Spike, you're a hottie, trust me.  It's gonna be a shock to see yourself after a hundred years right?"  The vampire nodded dubiously as she carried on "You look good, very mean and moody."  She led him away from the counter towards the table as he peered back over his shoulder "Now come and sit down and let Giles see if the spell worked."

Spike sat down and kept his eyes on his double  "Don't think it did luv, looks nothing like me.  And why won't it wake up?"

Giles wisely kept his council as he approached Spike and scattered a small helping of dust over the vampire, keeping a straight face at the vampire's increasing horror at his image

"Look at how scrawny he is, no-one's ever gonna believe that's me. And since when do my legs bow out like that?  And there's no way anyone's gonna believe that a pretty boy like that is me!  I'm much rougher looking, much more manly….."

He trailed off as Giles exclaimed in satisfaction and stepped back

"No trace of a curse on him.  Anya, test the double."

The demoness scurried forward and took the powder and spell book from the older man, Giles took his glasses off and sucked the metal arm happily

"Wonderful, we have a plan.  Now, we need to assume that we're being watched.  Buffy have you run the usual security checks to check for unwelcome listeners?"

The Slayer nodded

"Yeah, Willow's system is still holding up after last year.  I'm pretty sure we're clear."

Xander let his eyes wander to Anya and Spike who exchanged stricken looks at the reminder of their brief fling that half of Sunnydale caught on tape thanks to bugs planted by the Troika.  It was rumoured Willie still did brisk business in pirate copies out of the bar but Spike had yet to uncover any proof.

Giles cleared his throat at the sudden tensing of the atmosphere

"Good, has Angel done the same?"

Buffy nodded and stretched up on her toes bowing her spine and pushing her chest out as she worked the kinks out of her tired body. Giles suddenly found himself in need of a large drink

"Yup, apparently they had a similar problem last year.  The green guy checked it over, apparently he can hear them and stuff."

Giles nodded and dragged his eyes away from her body

Bad man! She's a child, a child you've raised as your own.  Bad, bad man!

He took a quick look at Xander and conscious Spike to check their reactions and frowned worriedly.  Spike was still arguing with Dawn about his resemblance to his `double' and Xander's eyes were following Anya as she moved around the still prone body on the floor performing the spell, neither of them were paying Buffy the attention they normally did.  His frown lightened as he realised what was happening

Of course, it must be a side effect of the spell!  These feelings aren't real, just another result of the unknown curse.  Thank god.

Much happier, he gave Anya a beaming smile as she called across the room to him

"Giles, this one still has the curse."

They all stared at the `Spike' on the floor as he glowed purple and once again his hair turned a violent pink

"Bloody hell!!!"

Dawn looked at the horrified vampire and laughed at the expression on his face

"It's ok, it'll wear off soon." She frowned " Giles, shouldn't it be awake now?" "Hmm? Oh, no, I don't think so.  After all when the same thing happened to Xander, his weaker half took a good few hours to regain his senses.  I think the best thing we can do is get our Spike off to Angel tonight and let them know it worked and it's safe to work the spell."

Spike's mouth fell open in outrage

"You weren't sure it would work?  You bastards!" "Now, now Spike, there's no need for that kind of language.  We felt we should try it on someone that we were equipped to deal with if it went badly wrong."

Everyone jumped as a loud clatter interrupted him and Buffy flushed and kicked `Mr Pointy' under a chair

"Sorry, it slipped." "You were going to STAKE me?"

For a moment Giles felt a twinge of something akin to guilt as he looked at the expression of hurt disbelief on Spike's face.  The vampire looked like he had been the victim of the worst kind of betrayal as he looked around at them.  The only Scoob that met his eyes was Dawn, then she rounded on the rest of them

"You were going to stake him?"

Her voice was low and angry as she stared at their uncomfortable faces.  She let her eyes rest on her sister's face for long moments and then turned to Giles

"Give me the stick." "Dawn, I rea……." "I don't care what you think. Give me that stick!"

Her voice rose in a shout at the end of the sentence and rather than wait for Giles to move she snatched it out of his hand and then crossed the shop dragging Spike behind her

"Anya, get the hell out of the way." "Dawnie, I…" "Don't you speak to me."  Dawn shook with anger spinning around on Buffy as the Slayer reached for her "Just don't you fucking speak to me!  After all that he's done, all that he's willing to do for us, you set him up as some kind of fucking lab rat.  You said you'd lay off, treat him respect and at the first hurdle there you are throwing him to the fucking wolves."

She turned her back on Buffy as the older girl opened her mouth to reply and looked into Spike's wide blue eyes

"I'm sorry.  They were stupid and selfish and they don't deserve what you offered them.  I'll work the re-joining spell and you can get the fuck out of here."

Spike swallowed at her words and lifted a hand to cup the side of her face gently

"Language `Bit.

Dawn gave a shaky laugh and turned her face into his cool touch

"Fuck my language." "There's my girl."  Spike leaned forward as pressed his lips to her forehead, meeting Buffy's eyes over the top of Dawn's head.  Blue met hazel for a moment and then Spike pulled back and slipped the P'rulajemina device out of her hand and laid it on the counter-top and laid a finger over Dawn's lips to silence her protest

"Ssh, s'alright `Bit.  S'done now and we may as well go through with it." He gave her a cocky grin " S'good to know one of you notices how important I am round here."

Dawn stepped forward and slipped her arms round his neck, whispering

"I always have."

The tiny words nearly undid him but he managed to hold it together somehow and settled for pulling her close and burying his face in her neck.  Buffy looked around at her friends, all of them, even Xander, were flushed with shame and guilt.  She shook her head and stepped forward as Dawn released Spike and moved to stand protectively to one side of him

"I'm sorry."

Spike nodded dismissively

"S'alright."

Buffy looked at Dawn's face and then back at Spike "No, it's really not.  We, I, should have told you of the risks and of the possible consequences.  I'm sorry, Spike." She took a deep breath "Dawn's right, I treated you badly and you deserve more than that.  I'd like you to forgive me."

Spike looked stunned at her words and if he'd actually had a pulse he was sure he'd being bearing a stunning resemblance to a tomato right about now.  He looked at the floor and muttered

"It's alright I said.  I understand. It's Red."

Buffy nodded, "Yes it is, but that doesn't excuse sacrificing one member of this team for another."  She pretended not to notice as his head snapped up and a dumbfounded expression stole across his face "You're an important member of the group and what we did was inexcusable." She flicked a quick look at Dawn and finished "You're a member of this team, and our friend, we had no right to treat you that way."

Dawn bit back a yelp as Spike's hand clenched on hers at Buffy's words and clutched his hand back as tightly as she could.  Out of all of them she was the only one who could possibly understand how much Buffy's words would mean to the vampire and she felt his hand tremble lightly as he took on board he finally had somewhere to belong.  She stepped forward and drew attention away from Spike as he pulled himself together

"Thanks Buff." "You were right, we were wrong.  It needed saying."

Buffy shrugged uncomfortably and Dawn rewarded her with a beaming smile

"Sorry, I thought I heard you say something about being wrong there. Could you just repeat it again?"

Buffy laughed

"Not a chance."  She cleared he throat and slipped an arm around Dawn's waist, saying brightly "Right, now we've babied Bleach boy out of his lickle tantrum can we move this along please?"

She gave Spike a grin as she spoke and blinked at the radiant smile he shot back.  Just for a moment she saw what she had seen in him over those long, tortuous months when she'd been pulled out of heaven.  Acceptance, understanding but most of all loyalty and the willingness to go the wall for those he held dear.  She held his gaze for another moment and then turned to Giles

"Ok, how do you want to play this?"

LA, three hours later.

Spike watched with interest the men of Angel investigations as they milled around the lobby of the hotel.  There seemed to be none of the camaraderie of the Scoobs evident here.  Wesley sat uncomfortably to one side ignoring, and being ignored by, those around him.  Angel's son sat beside Gunn watching his father with a peculiar mix of suspicion and longing as the vampire talked quietly with the green skinned demon that had started the whole thing in the first place. There was an air of desperation and hopelessness about the place that seemed to weigh down on all of them.  Mistrust and unhappiness was so thick that Spike could almost taste it.  He put the thoughts of his own family out of his head, family, imagine that, and pushed away from the wall he had been slouching against

"Any chance we can get this show on the road sometime before next Christmas Peaches? We can pick up your poofy hair gel on the road y'know, they stock it everywhere."

Angel flicked an annoyed glance at his grandchilde and said bitingly

"Shut up, Spike. I have responsibilities here and I need to make sure they're taken care of.  Unlike some people."  His eyes drifted to Connor for a moment then he turned back to Lorne.  Spike grinned at the words and felt his dead heart swell with pride as he relied

"So did I, but I got my dead-ass in gear and sorted them in no time flat when I knew my mate was in trouble.  Shake your booty, gorgeous, and let's make tracks."

His grin widened, I've got a friend. Friends. Me, William the Bloody, friends with the white hats. I'm such a poof.

He hooked his thumbs into his jeans pockets and sauntered across to where Connor and Gunn sat on the lobby sofa.  Ignoring the stiffening of their bodies as he threw himself down beside them, he nodded cordially

"He's still as much fun as a bath in holy water then?"

Connor frowned and said defensively

"He's had a lot on his mind."

Spike snorted

"I've told him to lay off the hair care but will he listen?" "I sure am glad this is so entertaining for you."

Spike smirked at Gunn as the bigger man moved forward to block his view of Connor and flexed his muscles warningly

"Peaches is always good for a laugh, mate, whatever the circumstances." "Look man, these are our girls we're talkin' about. If you just joined up to take shots at Angel……….."

Spike's face lost the look of amusement and he said seriously

"And Willow's MY girl.  She's one of the Scoobs and they're mine through and through, even the Whelp, and I'm going to personally rip the face off anyone that's touched her, don't you worry about that."

He looked across at Angel and wasn't altogether surprised to see the older vampire watching him as he listened to his words.  He kept his eyes steady as he said clearly

"I'm on board with whatever it takes to get them home."

Angel nodded shortly and turned back to Lorne only to glare back in annoyance as Spike concluded with a grin

"Doesn't mean I'm going to stop taking the piss outta Soulboy though.  Way too much opportunity there to let it go to waste."

Connor leaned round Gunn

"How can you be so casual about his soul? It's what makes him who he is."

Spike eyed the young boy and weighed his words carefully before he spoke

"No, the soul doesn't make him who he is mate, he does.  Souls don't mean you turn into Mary bloddy Poppins overnight they just give you more chances to fuck up.  All the decisions that you wouldn't think twice about without one, all become much more important when you have that nagging little voice inside you screaming the consequences every time you move."

His eyes drifted to Wes and he said slowly

"Souls don't stop you making bad choices and they don't stop evil coming out of you if that's what you have there in the first place, they just make bad choices harder to live with and the next choice that much harder to make.  You've got to admire anyone that can live with a bad choice and then still have the balls to make a good one next time around."

Connor stared at Spike for a minute and then his eyes rested thoughtfully on his father

"I never thought of it like that."

Angel turned from Lorne and purposefully avoided looking at Wesley as he called out

"Ok, we're ready.  Gunn, Lorne's ready to do the spell now, you're up.  Spike I need a word" He gestured to his office and waited until the smaller man passed through the door before nodding to Lorne "Do it. I'll be out in a minute."

He followed Spike through the door and shut it softly behind him. Spike watched as he stalked behind his desk and leaned on the wooden top

"I need you at full strength for this if we're going to do it.  I've called in a favour and I can have the chip taken out if that's what you want."

Spike's mouth fell open in surprise

"What?" "I can get rid of the chip. Do you want that?"

Angel watched the other man's reaction calmly as Spike sank into a chair staring incredulously at him

"Why? You're the last bloke on earth I'd expect to offer me that."

Angel kept his voice low and deliberately ignored all the painful, blood-soaked memories that Spike's tone implied

"We don't know what's going on and what we'll face.  Cordelia and the others are too important to me to ignore the fact that with the chip you're fifty percent useless."

Spike grinned at the insult and nodded "Ok.  When do we do it?" "Before we leave town.  It should only take a little while and Gunn can drive through the day while we shelter in back."

He walked to the door and held it open for Spike, who paused and said slowly

"What do you want in return? This is a big thing, Peaches. What do you want back from me?"

Angel paused and his head turned slowly to stare unseeingly down at Spike

"When the time comes and we find whoever did this to them, and us, I want you to show no mercy. Just kill them."

Spike swallowed at the blank look of hatred on the handsome face

"Ok. That I can do."

Angel turned and walked out of the office leaving Spike still in the chair

"Well, this should be a laugh a minute trip."

Two Months Down The Road.

The three men pulled into the car lot and ignored the appreciative looks from a group of girls that stood at the doorway to the club. Spike stared around him and nudged Angel in the ribs

"Peaches."

Angel followed his gaze and his eyes narrowed as he saw a truck matching the description of the one the girls were driving.  They stalked across the asphalt floor and Spike leaned in to sniff the vehicle

"It's them.  I can smell the witch."

Gunn closed his eyes and sent up a silent prayer of gratitude. They'd been on the road for so long tracking the girls as they zigged and zagged across the country he was being to doubt they'd ever catch up to them.  The only reason they'd managed to finally pin them down was that they'd stayed in the area for more than a few hours this time.  He looked around him and frowned at the thought of his Fred being here on her own for three days.  Drunken figures weaved in and out of the parked cars and unless he was very much mistaken there were some hookers of intermediate species plying their trade at the side of the club.  He turned as Angel gave a low growl, realising the vampire's thoughts had been running parallel to his own

"Gunn, you stay outside in case they spot us and make a run for it. Spike can come inside with me and help sniff them out."

Gunn nodded in agreement, knowing the other's enhanced senses would mean a greater chance of the girls being found quickly.  They moved off towards the club, falling naturally into the formation that they'd established in the long months on the road.  Angel front and centre, Gunn, to his right and Spike to his left.  The two vampires went ahead with a nod as Gunn stopped outside the door and disappeared into the dark, noisy club.   Gunn folded his arms and spread his legs, settling down for the wait.

~Part: 7~

Title: Over The Next Horizon Author: Karen Email: karen@klewis91.fsnet.co.uk Disclaimer:  Not mine and never will be.  Just the story I'm afraid. Feedback:  Yes please. Pairing: A/C, W/S, Fr/Gu, Timeline: After season six Spoilers:  Seasons 5/6, Angel 2/3 Archiving: If you want it take it just tell me where it ends up. Synopsis:  Cordelia, Fred and Willow are on the run with Lindsey in a race against time to save the Scoobs and the Batpack from a horrible death.  The others have finally figured out something's up and are on the case.  Much annoyance and shouting ensues. Angel is NOT seeing the funny side. Rating: Overall an R I think? Summary: Humour, Angst, Romance and lots of bloody bits of other people's bodies if Spike gets his way. (Let's face it he will.  Who could refuse that man anything?)

Dedications:  As always to Jen, the woman works her socks off to get the work back to me quickly and never a word of condemnation has passed her lips over the length of time it takes me to complete episodes.  This is as much her baby as it is mine ad I'm very thankful for all the effort she puts in on my behalf.  Mel and Ina, always there with the f/b and the poking.  The rest of the crew, Wic, Lady, TW, Scribe and Danel and all the others on list that make the net such a fun place to hang out.  Guys, we REALLY need to start getting a life!

A/N : It may seem like there are huge chunks of scenes missing, I can explain.  There are.  Flashbacks and explanations will come I promise. < > =thoughts.

Part 7.

Angel and Spike walked into the club every sense on alert for any sign of their runaway girls.  Spike glanced around the packed room and then flicked a wary glance at his companion

"You alright, mate?"

The taller vampire nodded as he stared around him at the laughing and dancing people.  Somewhere in here was Cordelia.  His body was tense with anticipation at the thought of finally having her before him after their long months of separation.  His nostrils flared as he tried to catch her scent, he growled with frustration as he realised the impossibility of the task in the crowded room.  His head weaved from side to side and Spike found himself uneasily picturing a big cat on the hunt as his grandsire's eyes narrowed and his nostrils flared once more

"Take it easy, Angel.  Don't want to give the chits a scare, do we?"

Angel gave the blonde vampire an unreadable look and then nodded to the right hand side of the club

"We need to split up.  Go that way."

He stalked off into the crowd and Spike watched him for a moment before plunging into the crowd on his own side of the room suddenly really wanting to find the girls before Angel did.  He pictured the grim look on his grandsire's face again and picked up his pace considerably, almost knocking over a dark haired man over in his hurry to find the girls first.

Lindsey swore and tightened his grip on his beer as the blonde haired man crashed into him

"Hey, asshole! Watch it!"

He caught his breath as the man spared him a brief glance over his shoulder before moving on without a word.  That looked like………Lindsey began to shove his own way through the crowd to where he'd left Fred and Willow, cursing as people didn't move out of his way fast enough.  Shit, shit, shit!  If he was here then the chances were that……..Shit!  Where the hell were the girls?

Fred sipped at her soda and let her gaze drift casually around the packed club as Willow exchanged pleasantries with the young barman. They had met up with Lindsey earlier that night and now were waiting for Cordelia to conclude her dealings with the witch that owned the club before bedding down for the night in a nearby motel.  She smiled as she saw Lindsey head towards them and then her face gradually creased with concern as she saw the look on his face.  That couldn't be good.  She nudged Willow with her elbow as Lindsey pulled up breathlessly before them

"We need to get out of here.  I've seen Spike."

Fred felt the blood drain from her face and turned to stare wordlessly at Willow at Lindsey's breathless announcement.  Lindsey slammed his beer on the bar top and grabbed hold of their wrists, tugging impatiently

"Go! I'll find Cordy."

Willow shook her head and stuttered

"Bu….but Spike wouldn't be here.  He….he's in Sunnydale."

Lindsey gave them an impatient shove towards the door as he stared anxiously around them

"Run now, discuss later.  Get going and stay low, we don't know who else is here."

Fred froze suddenly

"Yes we do.  There's Angel!"

Lindsey spun and followed her shaking finger as she pointed at the far side of the dance floor.  He cursed and shoved them again

"Go!"

He paused only to make sure they began to head for the exit before he ducked behind a pillar and peered casually round it.  Yep, no doubt about it, that was the Broodmeister.  He pulled his head back as Angel glanced his way and tried to think of a way to get to Cordy without being spotted, which would, of course, lead to his bloody, beaten body being found in a ditch somewhere and then Cordelia and the others trussed up like virgin sacrifices on their unwilling way back to California.  He took a brief moment to chuckle at the thought of anyone using the word virgin and Cordelia in the same sentence and then applied his mind to the problem in hand.

<Think, McDonald, think!>

Cordelia eyed the woman before her with disbelief and drawled

"Say that again?"

The blonde woman who looked to be in her mid-forties sighed and placed her hands on her slim hips

"My name is Glinda.  I'm the witch."

Cordy fought to keep a straight face

"Yeah, that's what I thought you said.  So, how's things? Dropped a house on anyone lately?"

The witch rolled her eyes and turned away to walk around her desk and sink gracefully into her big leather armchair

"You know, those references just never get old."

Cordelia shrugged and took a seat before the desk, giving her own sigh as the ache in her lower back began to ease

"Sorry, too good to resist."

Glinda nodded and opened a plain file before her, glancing down at the top sheet

"I was incredibly flattered when Mr Baum initially decided to base his good witch on me but after hearing the same lame jokes decade after decade I'd happily drop a few farm houses on him.  And for the record it was that stupid kid that did the dropping, I just happened to be there."

Cordelia opened her mouth to reply and then shook her head impatiently

"Whatever, look I need your help."

The witch nodded briefly and reached into the top drawer of her desk to pull out two tumblers and a bottle of Jim Beam, eyes still on the page on front of her

"So I hear.  Drink?"

Cordelia shook her head and watched as the woman filled the deep glass three quarters full and quickly drained the contents and then refilled the glass once more.  Her eyebrows rose in disbelief as the second glass quickly followed the first and then the glass was once more refilled

"Bad day?"

The older woman shook her head and looked up to meet Cordelia's eyes ruefully

"Not yet, but it's about to get that way."

She shook back her blonde hair and leaned back in her chair to look at the Seer appraisingly

"But we have about three minutes before the shit hits the fan, so tell me why I should tell you about the Light."

Cordelia frowned uneasily and flicked a quick glance over her shoulder at the closed office door

"Is there trouble?"

She thought worriedly of Willow and Fred downstairs in the bar and gripped the arms of the chair as though to rise.  Glinda leaned forward and placed her glass down on the desk with a small clink

"Isn't there always?  Your friends are fine.  Tell me why I should help you.  What makes you so special?"

Cordelia gritted her teeth at the woman's mocking tone and her eyes flashed as she tore them away from the door and refocused on the witch

"Nothing makes me special.  I got a link to the Powers by default and I get to play hero for the rest of my life.  Aside from never needing to visit a gym again because I get a regular work out battling the forces of darkness, I can't think of a single thing that marks me out from the rest of the planet."

Glinda laughed and made a show of examining her long red finger nails

"Really?  What about being a higher being, being in love with a vampire with a soul and fighting evil for years before you ever heard of the Powers?  That makes you pretty unique in my book."

Cordelia glared and folded her arms saying coolly

"Everyone needs a hobby.  I'm from Sunnydale, it's either dust vamps and kill demons or spend your life drinking coffee and shopping in the same five shops over and over again."

The other woman was silent for a moment and then threw back her head and laughed out loud.  Cordelia glared harder and reminded herself they were on the same side, there would be no butchering of the good witch.  Unfortunately.

<No one said maiming isn't allowed though>

She shook the thought out of her head and instead settled for maintaining a dignified expression and saying in a voice you could fine chop diamonds with

"Something funny?"

The witch wiped her eyes and said with a grin

"Yes.  Let me ask you something.  Do you actually believe that claptrap?"

Cordelia scowled in confusion

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Glinda sobered and took another long sip of her drink and fixed her eyes on Cordelia saying seriously

"You actually believe you fight the fight because you got bored and there was nothing better to do?  Please, you live for this.  Knowing that you make a difference with every breath you take, that every time you go into battle you make the world a better place."

Cordelia stayed silent for a moment and stared at the carpet and then raised her eyes to the woman across the desk

"I can't think like that.  If I did, there'd come a day when I start to believe it and then before you know it I'd be making judgements and decisions I had no business making.  I'd be no better than the things I fight.  Everyone on this miserable little planet makes a difference, every day, and if I believe for one moment that I'm more important in the scheme of things than they are then I wreck lives. They'll always be warriors and heroes, what this world needs are the ordinary people, going about their business and doing what they do. I just make sure they have the opportunity to do that."

Glinda nodded

"Good answer.  The Light can't be carried and cannot be contained. You'll take out of its home exactly what you take in.  Go to this address and ask for Mike, he'll take you to the portal."

Cordelia watched as the woman scribbled a few words on a piece of paper and held it out to her.  She took the small scrap and stared disbelievingly over the desk

"That's it?"

Glinda swigged back the last of her whisky and grabbed the bottle to upend it once more

"That's it.  You've still got a way to go and a hard path to tread but you'll make it.  Mainly because it's never going to occur to you that you can't.  You've got balls and I like that in a woman, now get out of here and get gone.  Things are about to get dicey."

Cordelia jumped as a loud crash came from downstairs and then was on her feet and moving, yelling over her shoulder a brief  "Thanks!" as she flung open the door and raced down the staircase.

Glinda shook her head as the door banged shut and muttered under her breath

"There was a phone right next to him, he could've just called up. Bruce Willis has a lot to answer for.  `Die Hard' my milky white ass."

Fred and Willow burst through the club doors and then came to a screeching halt as they came face to face with Gunn.  Willow cursed loudly and thrust Fred behind her

"Get out of our way!"

Gunn scowled and stepped forward

"Not gonna happen.  Just calm down and stay there.  Fred, get out here."

The dark haired girl shook with nerves and reached under Willow's jacket to pull out the long dagger the redhead kept strapped to her back.  She slid it from the sheath and slipped it into Willow's hand as the red head gave her a shove, pushing the girl far to the side and out of immediate harm's way

"Fred, get the truck."

Willow's voice was calm and betrayed none of her nerves or fear.  She stepped forward as Gunn tensed to lunge for her friend

"Don't move."

Gunn looked at the wicked looking blade in her hand and the confident way she faced off at him.  He knew she couldn't use magic thanks to the information Spike had given him but he also knew that she could hold her own in a one on one takedown.  He moved his gaze to Fred

"Baby, please….."

The dark haired girl stared at him for a long moment and then gave Willow a shaky smile

"Watch your back."

She turned and ran off into the dark leaving Gunn staring incredulously after her

"FRED!!!" "Whoa, big fella, just take a breath there."

Gunn re-focused on the slender redhead holding him at knifepoint

"Look…Willow, right?"  She gave a small nod  "Look Willow, we've been looking for you for months.  We know there's a big problem and we want to help.  Now put that damn fool thing down and quit playing around."

Willow ignored the sick feeling in her stomach at his words

"Who's `we'?"

Gunn scowled with impatience as he tried to see into the darkness beyond her to where Fred had disappeared

"All of us.  The whole team."

Willow squeaked in alarm and Gunn narrowed his eyes speculatively on her bone-white face

"Yep, me and the boys and the Slayer and the whole kit and caboodle all down here lookin' for our girls.  Man, they're pissed with you guys."

Willow felt fear twist in her stomach and bowels and backed up two steps shaking her head, tears being to pool in her expressive eyes

"No, they aren't here, they can't be here."

Gunn frowned at her obvious distress and took a step closer only to swear and stumble back as she slashed wildly at him with the knife

"STAY AWAY FROM ME!" "Ok, ok, just calm down, alright?"

He held his hands out loosely to the sides and kept his voice soothing and calm.  Willow shook fiercely as she stared at him and tried to think what to do.  They'd only dispatched the last lot of bounty hunters that night and she shuddered as she realised that spies from Wolfram and Hart could be watching them even now and reporting back to Lilah.  She paled as she thought of the incredible danger her friends were all in and the risks they were unknowingly running. Her eyes widened further as she was suddenly struck by the thought that at any moment one of her friends could appear and touch her, triggering the curse.

Gunn watched the fast play of emotion across Willow's face and mentally reviewed his options 1.      Make a lunge for her and get stabbed 2.      Wait for Angel and Spike to find Cordelia and drag her out, make a lunge for Willow, *then* get stabbed

The door behind the witch flew open and she span around in surprise, conveniently pointing the knife at the new threat

<Or, 3, wait till her back's turned and THEN make a sneaky play for her>

Gunn shot forward and wrapped two long arms around the redhead.  He ignored her scream of terror and caught hold of the hand that held the knife and squeezed. Hard.

"Drop it!"

Willow yelled in panic as she tried to twist away from him, her one thought to prevent the curse from activating.  She sobbed as his arms tightened around her and her hand burned under the pressure from his larger one, Gunn ignored the pitiful sobbing breaths and dragged her into the shadows at the side of the building, away from the people that were screaming out into the night

<What the…..?>

"A gun, he's got a gun!" "Call 911!" "Somebody's been shot!"

Willow froze for a second as she realised that the large man holding her wasn't bursting into flames, she sagged in relief

<The bitch said it would be different; she must be controlling the activation. Oh thank the goddess!>

Gunn shook Willow's limp hand and the knife skittered away under a nearby car.  He took a firm grip on her arm and then quickly changed their positions so Willow was pressed up against the wall of the club and he loomed over her, cutting off all avenues of escape

"Let's try this again.  What the hell is up with you three?"

Inside the club Cordelia ran down the stairs from Glinda's office to a scene of total pandemonium.  Everywhere she looked people were screaming, running and fighting each other in a panic to suddenly be elsewhere.  She stared intensely around her, searching for a sign of Fred, Willow or Lindsey

<Where the hell are they?>

She jumped down the remaining three steps and started to head toward the bar, grunting as a large body appeared in front of her.  "Excuse me."  She made to push past and then froze in sheer horror as a strong, cool hand gripped her forearm

"Cordelia"

<No! It can't be!>

She tried to tug her arm free, even as her appalled eyes met two very pissed brown ones

"Angel!"

Her fist swung out and she kicked at his kneecap at the same time. Angel pivoted and moved behind her to twist her arm sharply up her back, wincing at her gasp of pain

"Nice moves, shame I taught you them." "Angel, let me go! You don't understand!"

The vampire slipped his other arm around Cordy's waist and heaved the writhing girl off her feet

"Yeah? On the upside you're about to get a lot of time to explain it to me." "Nooo!"

Cordelia gave a sobbing breath and then screamed as a huge flash blinded her.  She lost her breath as she crashed to the floor, tears streaming from her eyes when she thought the flash she had seen was the triggering of the curse.  She shoved away from Angel, rolling to her knees and then gasped in a mixture of relief and horror as she stared into an enraged, blood-soaked face that wasn't the least bit on fire as far as she could see.  She pushed to her feet as she realised that the vampire had been shot and she was wasting precious seconds of running away time.

<Oh, thank you Powers!>

Cordy turned away from Angel and plunged into the now hysterical crowd, screaming as someone grabbed her hand, dragging her towards the exit.  Lindsey shoved his way through the crowd ruthlessly and yelled over his shoulder

"It's ok, it's me!" "You SHOT him?"

Lindsey punched the back of a man's head and dragged Cordelia over the fallen body without breaking stride

"What you'd prefer I go up to him and ask him nicely to let you go? CHRIST! Will you people MOVE!"

He threw himself forward and rammed people forcefully out of the way and then they were out the door and stumbling onto the asphalt of the car lot.  He gave Cordelia a shove to keep her moving

"Get to the truck and get out of here! I'll catch you up. GO!"

Cordy nodded and whirled around as Lindsey sprinted to his own car, then gasped as she caught sight of a very familiar baldhead

"Gunn!"

The black man's head snapped round as he heard his name and he met Cordelia's eyes

"Cordy! Stay right th……..Ooof!"

His eyes went wide as Willow's knee crashed with unerring accuracy into his groin and he folded over onto the floor

"Sorry! I'm so sorry!"

Willow leapt his body and ran to Cordelia's side, " We need to go, all the others are here." "Shit, where's Fred?"

Willow opened her mouth to reply as she glanced over Cordelias' shoulder and her eyes went wide with shock

"ANGEL!"

Cordelia didn't look back, "Run!"  The two girls took off across the parking lot, dodging through the hysterical mob from the club.  They looked round as they heard a loud, insistent horn and then threw themselves to the side as the truck, with Fred at the wheel, screeched to a halt

"Get in!"

They flung themselves into the cab and slammed the door shut as Fred floored it, Willow looked back through the rear window

"Angel's coming!"

Cordelia spun in her seat, staring with wild eyes at the vampire jumping from car to car to beat them to the exit.  His entire left shoulder was covered with blood and as he jumped in and out of the streetlights she saw his bloodsoaked face in furious, stark relief. Willow swallowed

"He looks pissed." "Ya think? Fred, keep your foot down.  Willow, weapons!" The redhead dropped to the floor and rummaged frantically until she came up with a solid wooden bat and an axe.  Cordelia grasped the axe and said grimly

"Do whatever it takes short of killing him."

She kneeled on her seat and stuck her head, shoulders and arms out the window

"INCOMING!"

Willow screamed as a hefty thump on the roof of the truck signalled the arrival of one very annoyed vampire and then followed Cordy's example, popping through the window to swing her bat as best she could at Angel's legs.  Fred risked a quick glance at the rear mirror and was reassured that no-one else seemed to be on their tail.  She flinched as Cordelia yelled in terror and scrabbled for a hold to prevent herself being dragged bodily through the window and then Fred saw it. Their salvation.

"HOLD ON TO SOMETHING!"

Cordelia barely heard Fred's yell as she was too busy trying to breath against the stranglehold that Angel had on the back of her jacket.  She rolled her eyes upward and caught a glimpse of his face, her hands let go of his and she threw herself backwards as hard as she could whilst taking a death grip on the inside door handle. There was a loud bang, a sickening moment of unbelievable pressure and then she was falling back into the truck.

"What…did you…..do?"

Cordy rubbed her hand over her sore neck and gasped the words out as Fred swung the truck onto the road and pressed her foot to the floor once more.  The dark haired girl stared into the mirror and satisfied they weren't being followed flicked a glance at her friend

"There was a low branch on a tree.  Y'all couldn't have fought him off when he's that angry so I drove at it and kerplooie!"

Willow sank in a trembling mass against the seat and echoed weakly

"Kerplooie?" "Uh-huh.  Angel road kill."

Cordelia gave a shaky laugh

"Kerplooie, gotta remember that. What the hell happened back there? Willow?"

Willow shook her head and twisted trembling fingers into a knot

"We were at the bar and Lindsey told us he'd seen Spike so we left and then saw Gunn.  Then the screaming started."

Fred gripped the steering wheel and said quietly

"He was mad." "Hun, I think we can safely say they were all pretty annoyed.  Will, Angel touched me and he didn't die."

Willow nodded and tried desperately to get her thoughts in order

"I..I think that the curse is being controlled by Lilah, she said it'd work differently, I think it's only got the juice to be used once over so many people.  Gunn touched me too."  She frowned as Fred gasped and said firmly "He's ok. Well, I had to hit him and he might be a bit bruised, but he's ok."

The Texan sagged in relief

"Thank god."

Cordelia rubbed her sore neck again

"Don't thank him just yet, we still have to make sure we lose them for good.  Any thoughts?" "Just keep driving.  Gunn told me everyone's here, we can't risk them finding us again." "Shit. Everyone?" "That's what the man said."

Cordelia leaned her head wearily against the seat back

"Fred, just keep going."

Spike had missed most of the fun.  As soon as he'd realised that the first gunshot into the mirror behind the bar had probably been a diversion he'd run for the back exit and the car lot.  He'd missed Angel being shot and Gunn's humiliating defeat by Willow but he'd managed a ringside seat for Angel being squashed like a bug by a low hanging branch.  Ignoring the terrified, yelling humans he'd made for a row of motorbikes and ripped the guard chain from a powerful looking hog.  Making short work of hotwiring it, he'd leapt on board and roared over to his grandsire as he lay stunned on the floor

"Going to follow them. I'll give you a call when we stop."

Angel raised his head as Spike tore out of the lot in a cloud of dust and rubber, yelling over his shoulder

"Keep your bloody phone on!"

The older vampire let his head fall back and stared up at the night sky as he thought of Cordelia and Willow beating at him with their weapons and, in particular, of Cordy as she's attacked him in the club

"I'm going to kill her."

He rolled painfully to his feet and hobbled off to find Gunn, unaware of the pair of worried eyes watching him leave.  Lindsey waited in the cab of his truck until the Angelmobile had roared past him with a grim-faced Angel and Gunn in it and then turned over his own engine and swung out onto the road.

<Gotta find the girls>

They kept going all through the night and all the next day, taking turns behind the wheel and doubling back on themselves until they were convinced nothing short of god himself could have tracked them. Cordelia groaned as she swung off the road and into the lot of a shabby looking motel.

"Ok, end of the line.  If I don't pee soon it's there's gonna be a pressing need for Noah and his Ark in here."

Willow summoned up a half-hearted giggle

"Nice picture." "Let's get checked in."

They tumbled out of the truck and sucked in grateful lungfuls of fresh air.  Fred stretched and moaned as her joints popped and snapped

"I'm thinking the next time I go on the run with you guys we get a Winnebago.  That truck just isn't made for the long term running in panic."

Cordelia rolled her eyes and gave a huff of impatient breath

"I keep telling you guys, we aren't running in panic we're…." "Exploring our options."

Willow and Fred finished her sentence and laughed softly.  Cordy gave them a grin

"See, now you're getting it.  Grab your bags girls and let's go get us some shut eye."

Willow passed her bag to Fred and climbed back into the driver's seat

"I'm gonna go park around back. Just in case."

Cordelia watched the truck disappear around the side of the motel and then motioned for Fred to follow her

"Come on. Shower, food and bed.  In that order."

Angel swung the car to the side of the road and watched as Cordelia and Fred moved out of sight into the Motel lobby.

"Got `em." "Not yet we don't."

Gunn stared grimly out the window and flexed his big hands.  When he got hold of Fred he was gonna…….

"What's the plan, Peaches?"

Spike spoke up from the backseat and heaved a sigh of relief when he saw Willow re-appear from around the back and follow her friends into the building.  All three together and alive, thank the Lo….well, whoever.

He'd followed them the previous night for hours, the lights off on the bike and hanging well back so the noise of the powerful engine wouldn't reach them on the deserted roads they had stuck to.  Gunn and Angel had met him just before dawn and they'd ditched the bike and he and Angel had gone under cover on the back seat as Gun had taken over the tailing of their quarry.

All through the long day on the road Spike had listened to the various threats and promises that had flown back and forth between the other two men as they'd discussed how they would deal with the girls when they got their hands on them.  Angel had definitely been the most vocal whilst his bullet wound had healed.  The raw wound on the side of his neck had slowly closed over during the day until it was finally just a faint red line above his collar when they'd cleaned the blood off.

Spike stared at the entrance to the motel and tried to think of what he'd say to Willow when he saw her.  It was all right for the other two, they had some basis for being angry, what did he have? A tenuous friendship based on years of not quite succeeding in killing her.  Oh yeah, that was gonna cut some ice he could tell.

He blinked and shook off the despondent thoughts as Angel spoke

"Give `em a couple of hours to get settled in and drop their guards, then we'll move in and grab them."

Gunn nodded and shifted on his seat, trying to get comfortable for the long wait.  He glanced at the clock on the dash. Just gone ten, the place would be mostly bedded down for the night about midnight. He gave a feral grin as he stared out into the dark

<All the better to kidnap your ass, my dear>

Willow shifted uncomfortably on the bed and watched as the hands on her travel alarm clock ticked over to midnight.  She sighed and sat up, raking rough hands through her mop of red hair.  She'd gone to bed an hour before but Morpheus obviously had other business tonight because she was still wide-awake and not so much as sniffing at the coat tails of a dream.

<Typically stupid man.  Never there with the good stuff when you need him.>

She swung out of the bed and dragged her clothes back on.  Moving quickly and quietly she slipped out of her room and headed down to the truck to grab the herbal sleeping tablets she kept in the glove box.  Angel stepped out of the small janitors closet he'd pushed the guys into when he'd heard Willow's door open and watched her disappear around the corner

"Spike…." "On it."

The blonde vampire melted down the corridor and vanished after his prey.  Angel sniffed the air in the confined space and pointed to a door a little down from where they were, mouthing silently to Gunn

"That one."

Gunn nodded, checked they were still on their own and then moved quickly into position, the key they'd lifted from the reception desk whilst Angel had distracted the clerk clasped in his hand.  Angel sniffed the air again

<There!>

He stepped in front of the door next to Fred's and nodded at Gunn

"One, two, three…"

He gripped the door handle and twisted sharply, smirking when he heard the lock snap.  Gunn silently turned the key and with a last nod at Angel disappeared into Fred's room.

Cordelia jumped as she heard a sharp crack come from the doorway. She reached for her axe and edged towards the door, coming to a halt just as Angel pushed it open.  For a second they stood staring at each other and then Cordelia spat

"You are SO not invited."

Angel grinned

"Ask me if I care."

Her eyes widened in horror as he stepped across the threshold and into her room.  Angel's grin widened as he winked at her and said jovially

"Public place. Ooops!"

Cordelia gasped as he made a lightening move and snatched the axe from her hand, Angel tossed it casually behind her on the floor and took another step closer, eyes narrowing in satisfaction as she backed up

"Now, where were we before you had me shot? Oh yeah, just about here I think."

He lifted his hands and reached for her as she backed away.

~Part: 8~

Angel slammed the door shut behind him and snarled

"Oh no you don't!"

Cordelia made a desperate break for the window.  She hated herself for the scream that burst from her as his arms closed about her like a steel trap and cursed his enhanced speed and reflexes as she flew through the air and bounced on the bed.  Her breath whooshed out of her as he landed firmly on top and ruthlessly pinned her arms to the mattress on either side of her head

"You. Are. Going. Nowhere!"

She flinched at the furious tone and struggled fruitlessly for a moment before stilling beneath him and glaring up with defiant eyes. Angel glared back and noted at the back of his mind the black circles under her eyes and the dulled colour of her complexion.  Her body felt thinner and more delicate and she carried a new scar on her collarbone that was a livid red against her paled skin.

"What the hell is wrong with you Cordelia?  I've chased you across country twice, been shot at and you and your stupid little friends attack me! What the hell is going on?"

Cordy remained silent and then jumped as a scream echoed through the night.  Fred!

Fred stared in disbelief at Gunn as he stood stock still at the foot of her bed and closed her mouth after her terrified and instinctive scream.  Her mind raced furiously for several tense seconds and then she flung herself at the tall grim faced man

"Charles.  Oh Charles I missed you!"

Gunn stumbled back under her slight weight and then his arms came up to crush her to him.  Whatever reaction he had been expecting after nearly three months chasing his runaway girl it hadn't been this one.  One hand crept up to tangle in her long dark hair and he pulled her head back and brought his lips to hers.  Fred sank into the kiss feeling tears well up at the familiar sensations and slowly brought one small hand up to caress the side of his face as he kissed her with furious hunger and desperation.  He brought his head back with a gasp and stared into her watery eyes.

"Fred what the hell is going on?"

Her mouth trembled briefly and then firmed with resolve

"I'll explain everything.  Let me show you."

She pulled away from him and he let her go slowly and watched her as she crossed to the dresser under the window.  She opened the small toiletries bag there and reached inside to draw a small plastic pouch out.  She turned back to him and whispered

"I'm sorry."

He frowned as she tipped the contents into her palm and then understanding showed on his face and he was moving but far, far too late.  Fred took a deep breath then, as Willow had shown her, flung the powder into his face and shouted

"Sleep!"

The effect was dramatic and instantaneous.  Gunn froze and then with a last accusing look his eyes rolled up into his head and he collapsed to the floor.  Fred's chest heaved as she fought a rising sob and she ran to the bathroom to wash the spelled dust from her hands.  When she was sure the last of the powder had gone she sank to the floor sobbing loudly and rocking in place with her arms wrapped tight around her.  She brought herself under control after a few minutes and gradually her sobs quietened and she began to think again.

If Gunn was here then so were Angel and Spike and god alone knew who else, they might be with her friends now.  She shuddered as she remembered the furious looks on the men's faces when they gave them the night before and was too scared to dwell on what they might be doing to the girls now.   She stood, her slender body firming with purpose.  First things first.

She moved back to the bedroom and began to hurriedly pack her things.  She kept her eyes away from Gunn where he lay on the floor and moved quickly and quietly around the room.  When her small bag was packed she crossed to the window and threw it out to land with a soft thump on the ground below.  She jumped as Gunn moaned quietly and turned to see him weakly try to raise his head from the carpet eyes trying to focus on her.  Without giving herself time to think she grabbed the curtain tie back from beside her and ran to him. With a small grunt she rolled him onto his stomach and pulled his hand behind his back tying them tightly with the velveteen cord. When she had tied the knots off as tight as she could she rolled him over to find furious black eyes desperately trying to focus on her. She reached up onto the bed for the towel she had used earlier and twisted it to make a gag

"Wait…"

The weak whisper stilled her for a moment and she clenched and unclenched her hands on the cloth as she swallowed nervously

"Wherever you go…there's nowhere I can't…"

He swallowed and focused on her intently for a moment

"I'll find you Fred."

Fred whimpered at his words and then she brought the towel around his head and fumbled as she tried to get the thick material to bend into a knot.  His strength was returning quickly but he didn't fight her just kept his eyes on her face the whole while.  Finally she was done and she stood in a jerky movement and crossed to the door.  She paused and then glanced back over her shoulder at the man on the floor

"Don't come after me Charles.  I don't want you and I don't love you.  I don't want that life any more."

She turned so he wouldn't see her face as the tears started to flow and grabbed her knapsack as she hurried out the door to aid Cordy and Willow.

Willow didn't scream.  She jumped and said a filthy word very, very loudly when Spike sprang out in front of her in the darkened motel car lot but she didn't scream.  Then she said the filthy word again. Spike grinned

"Hallo Red.  Long time no see."

Willow, the veteran of a thousand Sunnydale battles, moved into the more open area so she didn't get boxed in and said calmly

"Go away Spike. Now." "Now, now Red.  There's no need to be like that.  Your knights in shining armour are here to take you home."

Willow scowled unimpressed

"Go away Spike and take the others with you.  We don't need rescuing."

Spike raised one sardonic eyebrow and made an exaggerated glance at their surroundings

"I wouldn't say that love, would you?  Not exactly the Beverly Wiltshire is it?"

Willow flexed her fingers at her side and prepared to run

"I don't want to hurt you Spike.  Leave us alone."

He smirked and stared pointedly at her slim body and then flexed his arms

"Well love, can't say I'm overly concerned about that.  What with you being human and a girl and all."

Willow raised her chin and shot forward.  Spike had to admit she was impressive.  If he hadn't have been a vampire and a bit ahead of the game in the old super speed stakes she might have made it.  As it was she got three paces before he snagged her `round the waist and spun her to heave her over his shoulder.

Willow cursed long and loud as he loped into the darkness with her heading for Angel's car and then she gasped as he smacked her firmly on the rear.

"Now, now none of that girlie.  Just you stay nice and quiet and let old Spikey look after you." Willow stared in disbelief at the ground

"That hurt but you're still..still.."

Spike grinned to himself at the shocked tone of her voice and tried to ignore the way her butt cheek rubbed against his face and the warmth of her skin through her skirt

"Bin' fixed.  Peaches knows a guy who knows a girl that owes someone a favour and she got me all de-chipped and all.  Bonus eh!"

Willow groaned and raised her head slightly from where it bounced against his back

"Spike you have no idea what you're doing.  Go home."

Spike ground to a halt by Angel's car and took a moment to let Willow slide slowly down his body until her toes just touched the floor and then he gripped her arms firmly, keeping her from finding her balance, and said seriously

"Tell me.  Explain it to me and I swear I'll help you, Red."

Willow stared into his intent blue eyes and just for a moment she was tempted and then she remembered the danger they were all in

"Spike I don't want you near me.  Any of you.  I have things to work out and I need the time to do that without you all creeping about me like I'm gonna explode if you say the wrong thing.  Go away and stay away."

Spike's face twitched in irritation but when he spoke his voice was mild, almost gentle

"Bullshit.  You think we don't know something's up?  You take off out of the blue with the cheerleader and the human mouse and you thought we'd all just shrug and go about our business?  Please Red, give us some credit."

Willow caught a movement out of the corner of her eye and stared sadly into his comfortingly familiar face

"Apparently I didn't give you enough.  I'm sorry; I won't make that mistake again.  Goodbye Spike."

The vampire frowned and then sensed an abrupt movement behind him and turned allowing Fred to catch him squarely across the temple with a branch as thick as Angel's wrist.  He went down without a sound and Willow stepped back as he fell at her feet.  She stared across his body at Fred who stood with the branch still raised as though he would spring up at any moment

"Way to go batter."

Fred dropped the branch and began to shake

"Y'all think he'll be alright?" Willow gave a halfhearted grin at her friend

"Have a hell of a headache but he'll be fine.  You got anything to tie him up with?"

Fred reached into the car and without taking her eyes from the prone body at her feet tugged out the black holdall she knew Angel kept under his seat

"Always prepared."

Willow rummaged in the bag and finally drew out a pair of black matt handcuffs.  She bent quickly and snapped them on the blonde vampire and then said

"Quick help me roll him under the car before someone sees."

Fred obligingly helped shove Spike awkwardly under the car and then the girls stood and stared back at the motel.  Fred took the holdall from Willow and drew out two tasers.

"Gunn's here, too.  I...I took care of him but I think Angel might be still in there with Cordy."

Willow sent the older girl a sympathetic look and squeezed her hand quickly

" You didn't see any of the others?" Fred shook her head "Let's go get her then and then get the hell out of Dodge."

She reached into her back pocket for the flick knife she was never without these days and moved swiftly around the car puncturing all the tires.

"That ought to hold them for a while.  Let's go."

Cordy lay still pinned under Angel and was torn between sheer terror and white hot fury that he had taken her down so easily.  The vampire glared down at his seer and repeated himself for what felt like the tenth time in as many minutes

"Cordelia what's going on?"

He smirked as she twisted suddenly beneath him and increased the pressure on her wrists just enough to make her gasp

"I'm not letting you go until I find out what's happening."

His voice softened and deepened

"Cordelia, please.  Whatever it is I can help you.  Trust me."

He moved her arms so both wrists were clasped in one large hand and with the other gently stroked the side of her face

"You look so tired.  Just tell me what trouble you're in and I'll make it all go away."

Just for a second Cordelia found herself weakening as she stared into the beloved brown eyes above her and she unconsciously turned her face into his caress and then she remembered the horrible deaths promised to her friends and she stiffened once again

"Angel get the hell off me and get over yourself.  Just because Buffy moped after you for years doesn't mean that a real woman will.  I want my own life without you in it.  Now get off."

She bucked underneath him and Angel felt a shameful tug of lust as her groin unintentionally mashed into his.  The scent she was giving off was intoxifying.  Fear, anger, helplessness; all ambrosia to the seasoned hunter.  He pushed down on her wrists again and pushed his groin into hers as he leant down to whisper in her ear

"Fight me Cordy.  I've been chasing you for months and I really want you to fight me.  I want to watch you trapped and desperate and knowing that you go nowhere unless I say.  Scream and fight and scratch little cat and know that you are mine and I will never, never let you go."

She gasped and froze under him and slowly he leaned back until his eyes and lips were only inches from hers and then he drew his tongue over her lower lip.

"I'm never letting you go again."

And he grinned as she began to tremble.

Willow and Fred took a few precious seconds to stop by Willow's room and bag up her belongings.  With Willow's bag safely dropped out of the window, they headed for Cordelia's room gripping their tazers, their faces set and scared.  They paused outside the door and stared at each other for a few moments and then as one reached for the door handle.  Fred gripped Willow's wrist tightly as a white light shone out from under the door and lit up the hallway with its brightness and Willow shivered as she felt the power crawl over her and then as suddenly as it appeared it was gone.  The two girls froze and then Willow turned the doorknob and pushed the door open.

Cordelia lay on the bed under Angel twisting frantically to free herself from his grip but the vampire stayed still above her, eyes locked forward and muscles rigid with tension.  Cordy turned her head as she heard two simultaneous gasps and her eyes met Fred's and she said frantically

"Help me!  I don't know how long he'll be like this and I can't get free."

The two girls leapt forward and began to pull at Angel's hands.  For a few moments it looked hopeless and then Cordelia felt them give just a little and she wrenched her wrists down.  She pushed at Angel's shoulders and he toppled to lie on the bed beside her

"Cordy what did you do?"

Fred whispered the words as she took in the expression of lust and male satisfaction on her former boss' frozen face

"Not what you're thinking, trust me."

Cordelia spoke harshly as she tried to calm her speeding heart and moved to throw her belongings into her carryall.  She took a quick glance around the room to make sure nothing was left behind and then snatched up her car keys refusing to look at Angel again

"We need to split.  Where are the other two?"

Willow turned away from Angel and grabbed Fred's arm propelling her after Cordelia as she exited the room

"Dealt with.  I don't know how long for though."

Cordelia nodded as she began to run down the hallway

"Then let's pick it up."

Angel blinked and stared for a moment at the ceiling above him and then with a furious growl he sprang off the bed and through the door.  She froze him!  The conniving, devious, cowardly little bitch froze him.  He paused briefly as he caught Gunn's scent and then flung open the door to Fred's room, revealing his friend trussed up like a turkey.  With another low growl he hauled the young man to his feet and ripped through his bindings like they were paper.  Gunn wasted no time in tearing the towel from his mouth

"Less than a minute.  They're making a break for it."

Angel nodded and they ran out into the hallway the vampire easily picking up their scents.

Cordelia flung open the door to the truck and jumped inside hastily jamming the key in the ignition.  She gave a small offering of thanks as the temperamental engine caught first time and then without waiting for Fred to slam the door behind her shoved the car into reverse and stomped on the gas.  Fred and Willow squealed as they went flying in the back seat and Willow managed to grab the wildly swinging door and shut it with a crash

"Jeez Cordy what the…."

She broke off as she stared out the back window and Angel and Gunn pounded out of the hotel

"Step on it!  They're coming!  God, Cordy they're coming!"

Willow's voice pitched into hysteria as she saw the furious looks both men wore as they bore down on the truck.  Fred spun round on the seat and trembled as she saw Gunn only a few feet from the truck, his eyes fixed on her.  Her shaking increased as he scowled and put on an extra burst of speed drawing level with Angel for a few seconds who was nearly brushing the back of the truck with his fingers.

Both girls screamed as they suddenly flew forward when the truck screeched to a halt and the two men following ended up smashing into the passenger side of the car.  They bounced back off and lay on the floor for a few seconds and Cordelia was off again roaring out onto the road and into the night.

Gunn raised his head and stared after the departing taillights and then pushed himself up onto his elbows.

"What the hell just happened?"

Angel sat up beside him groaning

"They hit us with a truck!"

He staggered to his feet and pulled Gunn up with him

"We need to get to the car. Come on."

He stopped as a low pained voice said

"Not a lot of point, Peaches.  The witch took out your tyres."

Angel stared around

"Spike?  Where are you?"

A blonde head slowly appeared over the bonnet of a station wagon and then bit-by-bit shoulders and a body appeared.  Angel blinked

"Where'd your arms go?"

Spike turned and showed his two companions his arms still firmly held behind his back

"Red and the little mouse knocked me out and when I woke up…"

He shrugged good-naturedly

"Ah well it's not the first time it's happened.  Your little girlie's not as fragile as you think mate.  Hell of a swing on her she has."

Gunn's mouth dropped open

"Fred did that?  My Fred?"

Spike grinned and sighed with relief as Angel fished the keys to the cuffs from his pocket and released him

"The one and only.  All eyes and hair yeah?  Swung at me like she was hitting one out of the park."

Angel moved impatiently off towards his car

"We need to follow them.  We need to catch them and we need to…"

His voice trailed off and he scowled blackly at the ground finishing darkly

"We need to find them."

Spike and Gunn exchanged looks and followed him wisely keeping silent but Spike couldn't prevent the grin spreading over his face when he heard Angel cursing at the state of his car.  Gunn huffed an impatient breath at the smile on the vampire's face

"Glad you're having such a good time, Lestat Jr.  They gave us the slip again, took us all out and then ran over us with a truck as they got away.  And we still ain't no closer to figurin' out what's going on."

Spike glanced up into the angry and hurt black eyes

"What did you expect?  They've been on the run for months; we show up and they're going to swoon and throw themselves into our strong manly arms?  Yeah right.  I don't know your little chit but I know the witch and Cordelia.  Those two never back down and they never quit. Whatever they're running from is bad.  Bad enough that they think they need to draw it away from everyone they love and run for the hills.  Whatever it is we'll find it and we'll stop it but first we need to follow the little bints and pin them down this time so they can't get away."

He paused as Angel savagely kicked a flat tyre and then continued

"And just for the record they didn't hit you with a truck.  You two hit their truck with you.  I jumped out in front of Cordelia and she swerved to avoid me and clipped me with the wing.  If it's any consolation they were all very upset as they hightailed it out of here."

Gunn snorted and thought of Fred's white face as she stared at him from the truck seat and said grimly

"They think they're upset now?  Wait till I get my hands on them. I'll make them sorry they ever got born."

Spike grinned

"That's what I like to hear, good old fashioned empty threats!"

They both turned to look at Angel as he came and stood beside them

"I've called for a mechanic he'll be here in an hour."

Spike grinned again as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small black box

"Never fear chaps, Spike is here.  And they won't get far with a tracer on their chassis."

Angel stared down at the beeping device in his childe's hand and a slow cold smile spread across his face

"Spike you never cease to amaze me.  When did you do that?" "Right in between waking up and jumping in front of a fast moving vehicle.  I figured we needed some insurance."

The three men exchanged grim looks and stared along the road their women had disappeared on.  Soon.  Very, very soon.

~Part: 9~

Cordelia kept her foot pressed to the gas and her eyes firmly on the road.  They had been driving for an hour and they had only just started to calm down.  Fred sat huddled on the back seat, eyes fixed to the road behind them alert to any signs of a tail and Willow sat beside Cordelia trying to make sense of the map in her hands.  She gave an impatient huff of breath and threw the map to the floor

"I think we're out of state but I can't be sure."

Cordelia nodded

"Where to now?  We need to get under cover soon."

Willow shrugged and tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ears

"Not another motel that's for sure.  Way too easy to trace."

She glanced behind her at Fred

"What about you Fred, any preferences?"

The dark haired girl spoke without taking her eyes from the road

"I think we ought to pull off the road and into the trees.  They won't be expecting that and might drive on by until sunup.  When sun rise hits we can double back and head in the opposite direction."

Cordelia nodded approvingly

"Good idea.  We'll have at least twelve hours on them by tomorrow night."

She stared ahead of her and saw a dirt road in the headlights of the truck.  She glanced into her rear views and, satisfied no one was behind, her swung the vehicle onto the narrow strip and killed her speed, not keen on taking the bottom off the truck on the uneven surface.  They followed the track in silence for nearly ten minutes and then it opened out suddenly into a clearing and there before them was a log cabin.  Willow blinked

"Jeepers!  Someone must live down here."

Cordelia scanned the area and shook her head

"I don't think so.  It looks pretty wrecked."

Fred stared around as the others leaned forward and had to agree with Cordelia.  Even discounting the state of the road leading to the cabin, the grass around it was growing wild and weeds and creepers flowed unchecked over the house and its windows.  There was an air of neglect and desolation about the place and she shivered suddenly.

"Let's go back up the trail and drive on for a while.  There might be somewhere better." Cordelia gave a short laugh

"Can I draw your attention to us being on the lam?  We're going to spend the night in the woods in our car.  If there's a chance we can do it stretched out on a level surface I'm taking it.  I don't care how Hansel and Gretally the place looks."

Willow gave a nervous giggle

"'Cos we both know how well that worked out last time."

Cordelia paused in jumping from the truck and glared over her shoulder at her friend

"Shut up, Willow."

Willow grinned and then opened her own door

"Cm'on Fred.  Cordy's right, it's not like we have a lot of options right now."

Fred looked out of the windows once again and then opened her door as she saw the other two march confidently up to the cabin and begin peering in the windows

"Hey! Wait up y'all.  Don't leave me here."

She jumped out of the truck and almost stumbled as the wild grass caught and pulled at her legs.  She caught herself on the car door and then her eyes went wide

"Hey, y'all met Hansel and Gretal?  When did that happen?  And why is it a bad thing?"

She slammed the car door and made her way through the grass to her friends

"Why are two kids from a fairy story bad news? Guys?"

~~~*~~~

Angel handed over a wad of cash to the mechanic and nodded his thanks and then headed back to where Spike and Gunn stood sorting through the trunk of the car.  Spike held up a long thin object and looked at it appraisingly

"What do you think?  Will this drop her before she has time to put the whammy on us?"

Gunn rolled his eyes and snatched the tranquilliser gun out of the smaller man's hands

"We are not shooting Cordelia." "The hell we're not!  That little bint has the power to stop us in our tracks anytime we get too close and I am not going to spend the rest of my nights in stop/start mode."

Gunn scowled and opened his mouth to reply but Angel interrupted him before he could speak "Spike's right.  We need to take them down and keep them down and the only way to do it is to take out Cordelia.  She's the wild card."

He took the gun from his outraged friend and turned it in his hands reflectively

"Besides she shot me. Spike, are you sure Willow can't use magic?"

Spike raised an eyebrow

"I don't think the Slayer'll be right happy if you shoot her best mate, Peaches."

Angel looked calmly into his old hunting partner's eyes

"That's not what I asked.  No, Buffy won't be happy if I shoot Willow but she'll be a lot less happy if I let her disappear without a trace or I just send her back Willow's body.  Now, can she use magic?"

Spike stared at the floor for a moment and then said slowly

"She can't channel it but she got right good towards the end there and there's nothing stopping her telling one of the others what to do."

Angel nodded

"Cordelia goes down first and if Willow even looks like she might be coaching Fred in a spell shoot her.  I don't want them giving us the slip again."

Spike stared grimly into Angel's eyes and nodded and then both vampires turned to look at Gunn.  He thought of Fred's white face as they drove away and her frantic arms when she launched herself at him in her hotel room.  He nodded and Angel gave a small grin and drawled in an exaggerated hillbilly accent

"Then let's go hunt us some women."

~~~*~~~

Cordelia sat back on her heels and gave a small cheer as the paper in the grate finally caught and the flames began to lick against the wood piled on top.  She held her hands out, grateful for the small amount of heat and shivered as she remembered Angel's face back at the motel.  In all the time she had known him he had never, ever, spoken to her or treated her that way.  Since their enforced parting over the summer they had trodden carefully around each other and had yet to raise the subject of their feelings.  She admitted she still wanted and loved him and although she had caught him watching her with impenetrable eyes on occasion, she truly believed that he was resigned to leaving their romantic issues unresolved.  She closed her eyes and his face rose up before her, twisted with anger and passion as it had been earlier and she rubbed her wrists where he had gripped her.

No, definitely not resigned to letting sleeping dogs lie. The way he had looked earlier he was not only prepared to wake the sleepy dogs up but kick them round the yard and turn the hose on them too.  She shivered again and stood up, carefully schooling her face into a bright smile as she turned to face the two girls huddled together on the sagging, dusty sofa

"Well, we aren't going to freeze at least.  How's everybody doing?"

Willow smiled at her and flicked concerned eyes towards Fred who sat staring blankly at the floor

"We're good."

Cordelia stared at the dark haired girl for a moment and then said gently

"Fred, honey, are you ok?"

Fred raised sad eyes to the seer and said quietly

"I told Charles I didn't love him."

She raised her fingers to her mouth and nervously began to chew on her nails, a habit Cordelia was sure that she had stopped not long after they brought her back from Pylea

"I threw that dust at him, knocked him out, tied him up and then I told him I didn't love him.  What have I done, y'all?"

Cordelia crossed to her quickly and dropped to her knees, taking the smaller woman's hands in hers

"You did what you had to.  We all did.  Fred, look at me."

She waited until two black pools of misery stared at her and then said firmly

"If you hadn't done what you did, then Gunn's life would have been in danger, it's as simple as that.  I know its tough, but it's better that he's alive and hurting than lying dead somewhere."

She took a deep steadying breath

"I said things to Angel tonight that I didn't want to because I have to keep him safe.  We just have to trust that when we finally beat this thing and we go home they love us enough to listen to our side of things before judging our choices and us.  Ok?"

Fred nodded and straightened bolstered by Cordelia's calmly confident words.  She smiled a little shakily but Cordy could see the renewed resolve in her limpid eyes

"Ok.  We're Scoobies right?  We don't get beaten, we do the beatin'!"

Cordelia laughed and hugged her friends to her tightly

"Damn straight.  Now I think we should see if we have anything worth eating with us then crash and try to get some sleep."

Willow nodded and crossed to where they dumped their bags and began to open them one by one

"Good plan, Cordy.  I'll take first watch.  Just in case."

~~~*~~~

Two hours later and all was silent in the small cabin and Willow stared out into the night and thought of home.  It was coming up to the busiest time of the night for slayage and she wondered how Buffy was doing with the ranks of the Scoobies so severely depleted.  With both herself and Spike on the road that only left Xander, Anya, Giles and Dawn to back Buffy up on the hellmouth and she shivered as she thought of the dangers her friends could be facing without her.  She glanced around the small room behind her taking in the remnants of the broken furniture and the cracked and dusty walls and floor and her two friends huddled together on the floor for warmth on a pile of discoloured tarpaulins.  The fading light of Cordelia's fire sent flickering shadows racing around the room and she felt a bittersweet pang as she thought of a hundred nights spent with Tara just watching a fire dance for them in the grate.  She turned to the window again and turned her face to the heavens briefly

Goodnight love.

She shivered as a breeze blew through the window and she pulled her light jacket more tightly around her and then yelled out and fell off the sill as a huge shadow reared up before her.  The effect on Cordelia and Fred was dramatic. They bolted upright screaming in surprise and then scrambled up as Willow rolled to her feet and scurried to stand with them.  Cordelia's mouth fell open as she watched Gunn drop lightly through the window

"Good evening ladies."

She wasted no more time on surprise and instead spun Willow and Fred `round and pushed them before her heading for the back door. All three ground to a halt at the sight of Angel moving swiftly to block the doorway all but filling it with his large frame.  He folded his arms and fixed his eyes on Cordelia a grim smile playing around his lips.

"Shit!"

Cordelia glanced at Fred as the previously shy scientist spat the curse and raised a surprised eyebrow

Well, well. Pollyanna's all grown up

Her eyes fell on the warped wooden wall running along the back of the house and she took a firm grip on each girl's arm

I'm about to do something really, really dumb or really, really smart.  God I hope it's smart.

She took a deep breath and ran at the wall, pulling Willow and Fred with her.  They realised her intent inches before they hit and all three turned and threw themselves backwards into the rotten wood.

Gunn blinked in surprise and then lit out after them as they crashed through the wall.  As he burst through the hole and saw them scramble to their feet he remembered to yell loudly

"Angel, Spike you're invited. Just in case."

Cordelia gulped in the cool night air and pushed to her feet, dragging Willow and Fred up with her.  She took off towards the trees and then faltered just for a moment as Spike stepped out in front of her and raised one of Angel's tranq guns, she grinned as she remembered his chip and lengthened her stride again.

Willow watched as Cordelia ran at full speed towards Spike and her eyes widened in horror as he pointed a gun at her.  She had forgotten to tell them about the chip and Cordelia thought he was bluffing! She opened her mouth to shout a warning and then screamed in horror as Spike fired with an evil grin.  Fred crashed into her as she froze, memories of the day Tara died flooding over her, immobilising her feet and mind.  Fred was no less horrified as she watched Cordelia drop like a stone but she retained the presence of mind to start moving again.  She grabbed hold of Willow's sleeve

"Come on!"

She pulled Willow after her and fled into the trees ignoring Gunn's angry shout

"Fred stop!  Just stop right there!"

Fred's breath started to hitch as she heard crashing behind her and she knew that with a vampire's enhanced night vision they wouldn't last long.  She stopped and faced Willow

"If we stay together they'll get us.  Run Willow!"

She pushed the red head and Willow stumbled and then whispered

"They shot Cordy."

Fred shoved her again

"Run!"

Not daring to waste another second, she plunged into the trees hoping Willow could get it together enough to follow her example.  Her mind raced as fast as her feet as she plunged through the woodland and she started to list and examine the facts as she had been taught.

They had drugged Cordy, so they had at least one of them. She didn't think they would dare to leave her unattended so drew the conclusion someone, most likely Angel, had stayed behind to guard her.  That left Spike and Gunn.  Gunn would come after her himself if he could. So, assuming Willow hadn't been caught already all she had to worry about was an ordinary human tracking her.  An ordinary city boy human at that.  She smiled grimly as she pushed her way through the scrub and trees, all she had to do was stay ahead of them until daybreak and then Spike and Angel were as good as helpless and she was fairly sure she could come up with a way to secure Gunn.  She ran on into the night whispering Cordelia's words from earlier in the night

"Whatever I have to do, Whatever I have to do."

~~~*~~~

Spike and Gunn hit the spot where the girls had separated seconds after Willow forced herself to move.  Spike gripped the taller man's arm to still him as he sniffed the air and then said

"They've separated.  Your girlie's heading that way."

He gestured east and then nodded in the other direction

"Mine went this way."

Gunn nodded briefly and ran into the darkness, quickly disappearing from sight.  Spike sniffed the air again and grinned to himself. Slipping silently between the trees, he moved quickly after Willow's scent.

~~~*~~~

Angel stared down at the girl on the grass and bent to pull the drugged dart from her arm.  He threw it to the ground and gently slipped his arms under her shoulders and knees and lifted her high against his, chest cradling her like a child.  He frowned as he walked back into the house, uneasy at the dramatic loss of weight that became apparent as he held her close.  Cordy had always been slim but never what you would call skinny but now he could feel her ribs pushing into his and the sharp edge of her hip digging into his palm.

He stooped to lay her on the broken-down sofa and then took off his leather jacket and laid it over her, making sure all her limbs were tucked securely under the heavy coat.  His hand came up slowly and he drew a finger lightly over the contours of her face. As the light from the fire jumped and flickered he cupped her face and rubbed his thumb gently over her slightly slack lips.  His eyes were liquid with emotion as he bent down and brushed his lips over the skin his thumb had gently caressed moments before and then he straightened and bent to tend the fire in preparation for the return of his friends and their prizes.

~~~*~~~

Gunn walked slowly through the woods scanning all around him for any sign of his wayward girlfriend.  His chest still felt tight with hurt and annoyance at the way she had run from him all night, not least because she had drugged him and then hit him with a truck to make her point.  He had calmed down enough where he could consider listening rationally to her explanation before beating the living crap out of her and/or sinking down on his bended knees and begging for a second chance. Whatever worked, he wasn't picky.  He spun as he heard a twig snap behind him and strained to see through the gloom

"Fred?  Is that you?"

He waited a beat and then said softly

"Cm'on baby, you know I ain't gonna hurt you.  Come on out now and let's get back to the others.  Cordy'll be waking up soon and she's gonna be real mad if you ain't there."

Nothing but the sounds of the woods at night greeted his words and he edged towards the general direction of the noise all the while talking in a low, soothing voice

"Fred, honey, come out.  I just want to make sure that you're ok so I can tell your mom and dad. They're worried about you, baby."

He spun again as he heard a muffled noise come from behind him and his eyes narrowed

"Oh I get it, you're playin' me right?  You think that five years roughing it in a demon dimension makes you Davy Crockett or something?"

He stood with his back straight and slowly turned in a circle to glare piercingly all around him

"This is the last chance you get before I go postal on you.  Come out here now and I will listen to what you have to say.  If you make me hunt you down, well, let's just say it ain't gonna be pretty."

He waited as one minute ticked by and then two and then shrugged

"Ok, Fred have it your way."

He walked in long easy strides through the trees and gradually picked up his pace to a graceful run, muttering to himself

"You better be all that and a bit more, Crockett Jr, cos' it's getting serious now."

~~~*~~~

Willow slipped silently through the trees blessing Buffy for six long years on patrols with nothing but the moon and stars to see by.  She used all her Sunnydale skills as she moved, keeping to the shadows and avoiding brushing against anything with a strong perfume that could lead Spike to her.  She stopped and stared up at the sky trying to sight a familiar constellation to give her some bearings and then her nose twitched as a very familiar smell drifted under it.  She whipped round to see Spike standing not two yards from her smoking a cigarette and giving her a smug grin

"Hello pet."

Willow's reflexes kicked in to overdrive before her brain had assimilated the situation and she swiftly bent and grabbed a thick, and above all pointy, stick from the ground and held it loosely at her side

"One move Spike and you'll be blowing in the wind."

The grin slowly disappeared from Spike's face and he straightened and threw his cigarette to one side neglecting to stomp it out.  Willow's eyes followed it and she frowned in disapproval

Hello?  Evil, big bad remember? You're, what, shocked and disappointed?

He narrowed his eyes at the slender red head

"Red, you don't want to do this."

Willow raised her eyebrows at his warning tone and spat

"Spike, you've no idea just how much I want to do this." "Red we're here to help you.  Now just calm the fuck down and give me that soddin' stick before someone gets hurt." "Here to help my ass!  You shot Cordelia!"

Spike cursed as he heard the tremble in her voice and belatedly remembered that she had witnessed her lover shot to death only a few months before.  He spread his hands wide in a conciliatory gesture and took one step forward into a beam of moonlight

"Love, if I hadn't done that she would have bollocksed up our little ambush and we weren't going to let you skip on us again for another round of hide the hotties.  She's not hurt.  She'll wake up in a few having had a nice kip and then she can tell Peaches all about it and we can get it all fixed and take you home."

Willow had a sudden mental image of Tom the cat after Jerry the mouse had lit a candle under his rear end and the steam poring out of his ears as he combusted from the pressure. She realised it wasn't beyond the realms of possibility that she would soon be following his example.  The absolute nerve of the undead sonofabitch!  What was she? Three?  Spike watched her eyes flash and narrow and felt a sliver of unease run through him.  Unpracticing or not she was still a pretty powerful witch and from the looks of things he had just pissed her off mightily

"Come on Red no need to get all up on your dignity.  We just want you where we can keep an eye on you."

Shut up, shut up, shut up!

His inner Spike was battening down the hatches and screaming the place down in an effort to get the suicidal one in control of the mouth to shut up.  He privately wondered that she could still see at all, her eyes had narrowed that much

"I. Am. Not. A. Child." "I know love but you obviously have some major league shit happening here and we want to help."

Willow took a deep breath and then another just for the hell of it, unaware of Spike's eyes flicking in appreciation to the swelling of her breasts at the movement "Is it totally beyond your comprehension that maybe, just maybe, we don't want to come back? That we might actually want something different than endlessly saving the world night after night?"

Spike stifled a smirk at her words and said in a low serious voice

"Red, I'm dead not stupid.  The Slayer and Peaches may have a destiny an' all but you and Princess Perfect have a mission.  There's no way I'm going to buy you walking away from everything you've done these last years because you suddenly have a yen for a chinless wonder and a white fence."

He cocked his head to one side and said appraisingly

"You've got something inside of you that has to save the world and kill all the nasties. All the moonlight flit says to me is that you've got a big one in your sights and for some reason you don't want the rest of the Scoobs pissin' on your parade."

Willow stared back at him and wondered not for the first time how he knew her so well.  He had done everything bar give her the name of the demon to be destroyed and stated it as calmly as he would ask for a pint of blood.  She took another deep breath

"Spike, go home.  I don't want to stake you but I will if it means you finally getting the message."

Spike nodded and his body relaxed into a defensive stance hands curled loosely at his side

"Come on then, Red.  Fight me and let's get this over with.  I'll go easy on you."

Willow's lip curled

"I won't."

~~~*~~~

Fred half stood, half crouched on a thick branch half way up a tree and watched Gunn examining the ground beneath her.  She was amazingly impressed that he'd kept on her tail this long considering she'd stayed one step ahead of the best hunters on Pylea all those years and was hastily re-evaluating the ease with which she expected to ditch him.  He stood slowly and then stared all around him and then just when she thought she had him fooled he tilted his head back and looked straight at her.  She held her breath and resisted the urge to shut her eyes hoping against hope he would miss her amongst the leaves

"Fred, come down I'm done chasing you."

She exhaled slowly and swallowed

"Fred, I ain't gonna tell you again.  Get down here."

She saw his face clearly in the moonlight as the clouds shifted and she redoubled her grip on the tree.  No way was she going down there to face that.  Gunn sighed impatiently and made for the tree, boosting himself into the lower branches with none of the trouble that Fred had ten minutes earlier.  She scrambled upwards, casting anxious looks over her shoulder as his furious face came closer and made for the branches that looked too slender to bear his weight

"Fred!"

Gunn closed his mouth and counted to ten, aware that bellowing like a wounded bull wasn't the best way to convince her to stop climbing and come down.  He tried again

"Fred, whatever it is it can't be that bad.  Talk to me… dammit!"

Fred screamed as he lost his grip for a moment and dangled fifteen feet above the woodland floor and then he swung back into the tree and found his footing again

"Fred, someone's gonna get seriously hurt.  Come down and talk to me and then if you still want me to go I will."

Fred paused and looked down at him.  Sensing an opening, Gunn suppressed a surge of triumph and said in as non threatening tone as he could manage under the circumstances

"Fred, I only ever lied to you that one time.  I promise if you come down I will listen to what you have to say and then I will go if you still want me too.  I promise." "What about Angel and your other friend?  They won't go.  I'm not stupid, Charles."

Gunn wisely kept his opinions on that subject to himself and nodded firmly

"Yes they will if I explain to them.  We'll go and we won't bother you anymore I promise.  Cm'on Fred what are we gonna do? Play hide and go seek all night?"

He laughed shortly and then stared beseechingly up into the tree

"I swear Fred, I'll go and you won't hear from me again, just let me talk to you for five minutes."

He held his breath and just when he was resigning himself to climbing all the way up the goddamn tree, she said quietly

"Alright.  You climb down and I'll follow but just five minutes and then y'all have to leave."

Gunn felt a surge of triumph and nodded

"Ok baby, whatever you say."

He began to ease his way back down the tree scowling as she added

"And don't call me baby."

Back on the ground he watched as she climbed down and then dropped onto the floor before him.  She raised a hand and pushed back a strand of hair from her face eyeing him warily

"Ok Charles, talk.  But remember your promise."

He grinned

"Well Fred, that's the thing about promises.  They're made to be broken."

She cried out as he leapt forward wrapping his arms around her and pinning hers to her side, casually ignoring her frantically kicking feet

"You promised!  You swore you'd leave."

He cuffed her hands behind her back in one of his and raised her face to snarl

"I lied. You trust too easily, Fred.  People will say anything to get what they want."

His heart twisted inside of him as her eyes turned dark with betrayal and she spat bitterly

"I won't make that mistake again." "Fred…"

She looked away and said accusingly

"I trusted you."

He went taut with anger and his fingers convulsed around her wrists making her yelp in surprise

"Yeah?  Well, right back at you.  I didn't see it being a problem for you when you took off without a word and spelled me into lullaby land earlier."

He shook his head and shoved her back only to bend and heave her over his shoulder grabbing one flailing arm and bringing it around his neck so she was held securely in an unbreakable fireman's grip.  Fred twisted and screamed, frantically pounding on his solid back with her one free hand and kicking her legs but Gunn only shifted her higher and set off through the trees

"I'd save your energy, Fred.  You're going to need it."

~~~*~~~

Spike dodged and moved behind Willow as she rushed him again.  He had to admit she was proving to be a lot more capable than he thought. Having worked alongside the Slayer for six years had evidently paid off in spades.

He leaned backwards as her fist shot out and swore in surprise as she hooked one small foot around his ankle and overbalanced him sending him onto his ass.  He yelled as without pausing she followed him down and brought the stake towards him in a smooth arc.  He rolled to the side and sprang up saying indignantly

"Hey, watch it!"

Willow rolled and swiftly got to her feet poised to strike again

"Ok Red, you've made your point.  Very Xena.  Now drop the soddin' stake and stop pissing about."

Willow grinned mirthlessly

"What's the matter, Spike? Bitten off more than you can chew? Again."

Spike scowled

"You're good, witch, I'll give you that, but you're no Slayer.  Give it up before I get bored and you end up getting hurt."

Willow snorted

"I don't think so, Spike."

Spike rolled his eyes and struck, darting behind her once again and twisting her arm up her back with one hand and wrenching her head to the side with the other.  She cried out in anger as he scraped along her exposed artery with blunt teeth

"Bet on it love.  Now be a good girl and come along quietly."

Willow twisted in his grip and Spike gritted his teeth as her butt rubbed across the front of his worn denims causing a sudden unwelcome swelling.  He swore and shoved her away to land on her hands and knees before him

Brilliant, mate, just brilliant.  That's not at all tempting is it?

Willow shoved herself upright and completely disregarded the fact she'd lost her stake to run blindly at him.  Spike stepped neatly to the side only to realise too late that he was nearly flush against a tree.  He winced as she ran head first into the trunk and, with a loud crack, collapsed to the ground.

"Willow?  Are you alright pet?"

He sniffed the air and caught the faintest hint of copper

"Oh for fuck's sake!"

He rolled her over carefully and didn't need his vampire senses to tell him she was deeply unconscious.  A large purple knot was swelling above her right eye as he watched and a trickle of blood ran down the side of her face, disappearing into her hairline.  He sighed and reached out a cautious hand to stroke her strawberry hair strangely amused at the fact he was upset at the sight of her lying there so helpless when at one time in his life he would have been convinced of the existence of Santa Claus to have such a tasty bite spread before him.

He slipped an arm under her, raising her slowly, and then hesitantly dipped his head and brushed a tentative kiss over her forehead.  He inhaled and breathed in the essence of Willow.  Innocence, goodness, natural magic and just a hint of strawberries.  He brushed his lips over her again and then slipped his other arm under her knees and lifted her.  He moved quickly back towards the cabin, frowning uneasily down at the girl in his arms.

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