Of Fact and Fiction 3
* * *
Spike stared at the empty space before him, his mind unable to comprehend the events that had
so swiftly transpired.
One moment - he had her in his arms. She was his, and his alone. He saw love in her eyes - the
one perfect moment...and now she was gone. Vanished like a dream...
A howl of unspeakable pain clawed past his throat, and rent the morning air. A cry filled with
anguish and despair, as he realised that she was no longer his.
Spike stared bewildered. What had happened? He didn't understand - had Buffy gone back
to the real world? Was he now left behind?
A horrible thought crossed his mind - this was the solution for the Scoobies. He would be out
of their lives - permanently.
But Buffy - surely Buffy wouldn't...
But what if she didn't remember? What if she...the thought made him wince in pain....what if she
didn't want him in her life? Didn't want to face the inevitable problems that would come with him
and any relationship between them.
What if...
'Spike...'
He sat back up - hearing her voice.
'Spike...'
He strained his vampiric hearing, struggling to catch the whisper once more - but it was gone.
However those few moments made him realise. Bollocks the self-recrimnations crap.
Buffy needed him.
He didn't know how he knew it - but he did. With love came trust, and he had to trust what
he saw in her eyes. It was all he had.
* * *
"Buffy's gone!"
All of the Scoobies stopped instantly upon hearing Anya's frantic call.
Xander bolted to her side instantly, "What is honey? What did you say?"
Anya brushed away his hands, for once too worried to think about anything other then the
dilemma at hand. "Buffy - she's gone from that world!"
Willow took the book from her hands, "What? What do you mean?"
Without the book, Anya began to wring her hands, "Just that - Spike and Buffy were having
sex, then they were all mushy and then Buffy was gone!"
Xander took a step back, "Whoa! Spike and Buffy did what?!"
He had pretty much guessed that was the case with Anya's comments to Dawn, but hearing it
said...that was different.
Anya too distraught didn't see the shocked expression on her boyfriend's face. "Spike and
Buffy were having sex - but that's not the point Xander!"
Xander collapsed into a chair, looking dazed and confused.
Dawn was delighted, but in light of Buffy's disappearance, couldn't appreciate the developments
between her sister and her best friend.
Willow had been reading the last few passages, and now she looked up, a blush staining her
cheeks. "Umm - well - yes...Buffy is gone."
She had just skimmed over the parts about Spike and Buffy...well...doing stuff - it was too
much like voyeurism for her tastes.
Giles started to pace, he thought to just ignore the revelation. Anya was right, that was not the
most important aspect at the moment. "What do you mean 'gone' Willow?"
Willow took a deep breath in an attempt to steady her self. "From what I could see - something
came over Buffy - it was almost as if she was taken against her will. She's no longer in the same
dimension as Spike. Which means we have no idea what's happening to her."
Anya nodded, frantically, "We have to reach Spike - that's the only way we can help right now."
The others stared at her.
"Reach Spike? What do you mean? How can that possibly help?" Willow asked tentatively.
Anya started to pace, "Spike is the only one left in that dimension. We need to be able to contact
him - he has the best chance of reaching Buffy - we have none." her head snapped up and she
stood still. "You've got to put aside your personal differences with the vampire, and do what has
to be done." She stared right at Xander, who was still sitting half-slumped in the seat.
Xander didn't even raise his head in acknowledgement.
Anya turned to Willow. "Look, you can reach Spike in that other dimension, we just have to focus
on his energy, keeping in mind the inter-dimensional aspect. Can you do that?"
Willow's brow creased as she thought, "It'll be difficult - in fact I think it might be impossible."
Anya waved aside that comment; "Nothing is impossible Willow - if there's even a slight chance
you should do it."
Tara saw Willow's eyes light up, and she didn't like where this was going, "Wait! Willow, this could
be dangerous, trying to breach the barriers between dimensions..."
Willow laid her hand over Tara's shaking ones, "I've got to try Tara, and Anya's got a point. If Buffy is
danger, I have to do whatever I can. From what I read, it seems she is."
Giles nodded slowly, "Then we're agreed - we try to reach Spike in the other dimension."
Willow, Anya and Dawn nodded firmly. Tara seeing the determined expression on Willow's face caved
in - nothing stood in Willow's way once she had made up her mind. Xander was still in a state of
shock.
Tara reached out to squeeze Willow's hand, Willow squeezed back, unable to keep the apprehension
from sneaking into her heart.
* * *
Everything was pitch black; she was effectively blinded.
The last thing Buffy remembered was a cold chill descending on her, and reaching out to Spike in
a desperate attempt to regain coherence.
Buffy struggled to her feet, lost in the darkness. Her senses were heightened with apprehension. She
spun around as she heard footsteps, slow and measured, she couldn't determine from what direction
the sound was coming from, and stopped spinning.
Trying to slow her the racing beat of her heart, Buffy took in a deep breath. Whatever it was, it was
coming for her, and she could wait - she really had no other choice.
The steps slowed.
"Slayer..."
The voice was high-pitched, decidedly female, with a sing-song quality to the word.
Buffy stiffened, she knew that voice, she had heard it a couple of weeks ago - when she was chained
to a wall.
"Drusilla."
A laugh, with the edge of cynicism in it. "Slayer - well met."
Buffy's hands clenched into fists, as she vainly peered into the darkness. "What do you want from me
Drusilla?"
Drusilla laughed again, Buffy could almost see her swaying in the darkness, "What do I always want
Slayer?"
"Spike." His name slipped out before she could stop herself. She had thought to say her death, or
power or some such logical thing.
Again the shrill laughter rang out. "Isn't that wonderful? 'E's always on your mind ain't 'e Slayer? You
just can't get him off your mind. Like little itty bitty bugs, crawling in - nipping here and there...
'e won't always stay you know. No matter wot 'e says, 'e'll always love me - the way no one
loves you."
Drusilla started to sing, as Buffy recoiled from her in denial. She wanted to scream at the vampiress.
To deny the words that danced in the darkness, but she couldn't.
All of them left her.
The singer's voice deepened, to a husky baritone. Then the singing stopped. "Buffy?"
She gasped, taking a stumbling step forward, "Angel?"
"Where are you Buffy? I can't see you - it's so dark in here."
Grateful for a familiar and comforting voice, she cried out again. "I'm here Angel! I'm here!"
"It's so dark - your mind is so dark Buffy."
She stopped, and stood very still, "What?"
"Your mind Buffy - so deliciously dark..."
Suddenly hard hands clamped down on her arms, "Found you at last...lover..."
Buffy's head spun, as she struggled to force back the scream that worked its way up her
throat.
She felt ghostly fingers running through her hair, twisting the strands between fingers.
"Such darkness...I never knew you had it in you lover."
Buffy tried to pull back and was shocked to find the shackles on her arms wouldn't
budge. She heard his ominous laughter.
"See Buffy - see..."
And in a flash, her world became white, and scenes unfolded before her eyes.
* * *
Spike paced the darkened library - there had to be something, anything, to help him
find her.
He felt utterly helpless. Never had he felt such helplessness.
He had spent the day caged in the library, he was effectively driving himself up the wall.
"Ah - Lord William I presume?"
Spike whirled around, and saw Riley standing by the door; logically he knew that
this wasn't the poofter, but logic had nothing to do with this.
In a few swift strides, he was before him, and with the ongoing momentum of his stride,
punched the man in the face.
With a cry Prince Rhys was sent sprawling into the hallway. With a growl, Spike slammed the
door close.
He heard a low laugh; he spun around. Bolstered by the realisation that the damn
chip didn't work in this dimension, he was filled with cocky assurance. He didn't have
to be told who was lurking the darkness.
"How long have you been here?"
Angus chuckled, "Long enough Spike - long enough."
For a moment this man calling him `Spike?threw him then he remembered
that there was another history here working between 'William' and 'Angus'.
"What do you want now?" Spike couldn't bring himself to call him 'Angus' - it just
wouldn't come out.
Angus stepped around a chair, and walked towards him, "Just wanted to congratulate
you my man."
Spike took a step forward, wary of this man. "What for?"
Angus nodded towards the closed door, "Well for one, despatching of that pesky
prince, and..." his dark gaze pinned Spike. "For the acquisition of the lady."
Spike bristled, "It wasn't an 'acquisition'."
Again Angus laughed, "Oh come on! Don't tell me that crap about love William.
Not again...we both know that you don't love her - you're just using her." His eyes
narrowed, "You may have a past with Desdemona, but I have one with Elizabeth."
Spike snorted, "Past is past you poofter - what has that got to do with the present?"
Angus snarled, and took another step forward, but Spike just laughed at him.
"You are such a poof you know that? I had my dark angel, and now I have her - my
light."
Angus snarled, "Light? Creatures such as you deserve no light Spike!" He spat out the
last word, then smiled, his voice changing to a silken purr. "Or have you forgotten?"
He smirked, "And besides, you know you never really had that dark angel. She was
always mine, you were just the pitiful substitute, and you know it."
Spike's hands clenched into fists, as images of Drusilla embracing and adoring her
precious 'daddy' flashed before his eyes.
"You destroyed her."
Angus took a step back, regarding him in a new light, "So you know about that?"
Spike didn't know what he was talking about, but he felt that the past that lay between
'William' and 'Angus' was somehow central to everything. "You bastard, you never
truly had either of them and you know it!"
With a growl Angus launched himself at Spike, pinning him to the ground.
"I loved Desdemona - more then you ever did. She was mine - Mine! Elizabeth is mine
as well!" Each word was punctuated with savage jabs to Spike's body, but his punches
were no where as strong as the Slayer's, and Spike allowed him to ramble.
"You should've seen her Spike - her dark hair - it was all over me, and the way she
screamed and screamed...she was mine! She screamed and begged, and then there
was nothing but blood...."
Spike threw him off, and whirled to his feet, his eyes cold, "You killed her?"
Angus laughed manically, and curled into a ball at Spike's feet. "Bloody and mangled
Spike - you would've liked her like that - she was so so beautiful. But I had to throw
her down the cliff - tragic death and all that! All because she said no." He laughed again,
and stumbled to his knees, his eyes dark, "And now you boy - you..."
Disgusted with him, Spike swiftly hit him on the head, the blow enough to knock him
unconscious.
Too many events lay between 'William' and 'Angus', perhaps as much between Spike
and Angelus.
There was nothing here but the rambles of a madman.
A searing pain, streaked through his head, forcing him to fall to his knees, clasping his
head. The pain was reminiscent of the chip zapping him, but this pain remained...
^Spike? ^
His head snapped up, he forced the pain to the back of his mind "Red?"
He heard a sigh of relief, "Where are you Red?"
^That's not important at the moment Spike - you have to listen...^
"Can you make it a quick one Red? You're splitting my head open..."
He could see her wince in apology, ^Believe me I know, I feel it too. Spike listen.
Buffy's been pulled into another dimension, we can't reach her, but we do know where
she is.^
She paused, and Spike shook his head, ^Uh Red? Spare me the dramatic pauses luv."
^Oh - sorry. No dramatic pauses. Buffy's in the dimension of illusions. We don't know
why she got pulled in, or who did the pulling, but we do know that you can reach her.^
"Me? Why can't you?"
He could see her shake her head, large eyes filled with sorrow, ^It doesn't work like
that Spike, Anya says that the dimension that you're in is closer to the one that Buffy's in.^
Spike absorbed the information, then nodded even though the action caused him more
pain, "Just tell me what to do Red."
* * *
Buffy leaned up to kiss Angel, the sword dangling from a loose grasp. He kissed her back
passionately. She leaned back, and stared up into his dark eyes, before plunging the sword
into his gut.
His eyes blurred with confusion, "Buffy?"
She nonchalantly pushed him into the swirling portal.
Xander and Anya were clasped into each other's embrace, the sword still dangling by her
side, Buffy drew it out, and in one stroke killed both.
She strode straight for Willow and Tara, who sat with books open. They looked up, smiles
wide.
"Hey Buf..." before Willow could finish the sentence, Buffy decapitated her, the sword
continuing its arc to do the same to Tara.
She placed the sword down, and drew out the cross-bow, perhaps one of her favourite
weapons. Swiftly, efficiently she loaded the arrow, before turning to plunge the arrow in
Giles' chest.
Stepping over bodies, she went to Dawn's side. Tenderly she pushed a strand of Dawn's
hair off her shoulder. Dawn looked up smiling adoringly at her sister.
Buffy smiled at her, before snapping her neck.
Buffy was standing before Spike; she caressed his sculpted cheek. He gazed into her eyes
lovingly.
Expression bland, Buffy drew out a stake and plunged it into his heart.
His ice blue eyes widened, before he was dust sprinkling over her. With an irritated sigh,
she dusted it off...
Buffy screamed. She was once more lost in the darkness, tears running down her face.
"No! I'm not...I didn't...I..."
"Ah lover...don't you see? You're killing them all, you can't deny that can you lover?"
His voice was all around her, within her - telling her the damning truth.
And the tears continued to fall, as icy fingers tugged at her soul...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Spike paced the length of the library, caught up in his thoughts.
His head still throbbed with the connection with Red. He had to admire the growth of her powers,
she had managed to contact him through dimensions.
He sensed the poofter stirring, instinct told him to stay in the shadows, and he obeyed without
question.
He watched Angus stagger to his feet, reminding him of Angelus after a night of decadent indulgence.
As if in a drunken haze, Angus stumbled out of the hallway.
Spike followed him carefully, and was startled to see him barge into Danica's room.
Spike paused for a moment, watching as Danica's guardian shuffled out, slipping something in her
skirts. Spike stealthily moved to the doorway.
He stood frozen, as he saw Angus grab Danica's hair and snap her head back to ground what would
have been a kiss, but was so filled with violence and malice that it was an attack.
With a growl, game face slipping on effortlessly with his rage, Spike lunged forward to rip the man
off the trembling girl.
"Des!" Angus cried out, confirming Spike's suspicions.
He attacked ruthlessly, and silently, his rage fuelling the power of the attack.
Throughout the attack Angus called out Desdemona's name. In a flash Spike understood. Angus had
loved Desdemona, but she wouldn't leave her William. Spike felt sick - he knew what it was like to
love someone who loved another with the whole of her being. Drusilla never ever looked at him the
way she looked at Angelus. The difference between Spike and Angus was fundemental - Angus had
the mind of the truly depraved.
The image of Angus attacking Danica running over and over on his mind, then the names shifted - and
now Spike saw Angelus attacking his precious Dawn and the brutality of the attack heightened. He kicked
and punched, driven mindlessly by his need to inflict pain. The only sounds in the room was the dull thud of
cold preternatural flesh hitting soft, mortal skin and the soft whimperings of an abused soul. That small sound
seeped into the red haze that had descended on Spike's mind, and with a silent growl poured more power
behind his punches. The vicious assault continued until the man was reduced to a quivering mass of blood
and torn sinew.
Spike didn't kill him - death was too good for him. Spike considered draining the sick bastard dry,
but the thought of his golden angel made him stop, as well as the thought of having Angus' tainted blood
coursing through his veins, sickened him.
Without giving him another thought, he turned to Danica. She hunkered down in the corner, beautiful
hair mused, blood flowing from the corner of her mouth. Her eyes were wide with fear, and looking
into those depths, Spike wanted to turn back to Angus and rip out his entrails and feed them to the
dogs, and perhaps ram his trademark spikes up the man's head.
"Danica?" he held out his hand to her.
She looked up, and what he saw in her eyes scared him more then anything. She looked at him with
trust and adoration in her eyes. "Spike."
He turned and took the covers from the bed, and wrapped it around her trembling form. He took her
in his arms, and bore her down to the library, his thoughts turning to Dawn, and wondering about her
safety.
* * *
"Dawn!"
Swiftly Xander caught the girl before she hit the ground. He looked up to check that Giles had managed
to catch Willow.
Willow had tried to reach Spike, but something was missing. She had tried linking with Tara, but it wasn't
that her power was lacking it was something else.
Willow had let go of Tara's hand, her shoulder's slumped in defeat, tears welling up in her eyes.
Dawn had grabbed hold of her hand, a determined glint in her eyes. Willow had looked into the girl's
eyes and saw Buffy's strength and determination in the green depths.
Willow had gripped Dawn's hand harder, as Dawn squeezed back.
With Dawn's help, they had transcended dimensions.
Xander now lay Dawn down gently, knowing that if anything happened to her, he would have one angry
Slayer on his hands.
Not to mention one furious vampire.
But Xander wouldn't acknowledge that.
Dawn stirred, a soft moan escaping her lips. "Buffy?"
Xander gently stroked her hair, "No Dawnmiester, it's only me."
Dawn blinked, and then as her head cleared, she sat straight up, "Did we do it? Did we manage to
talk to Spike?!"
Tara nodded, Willow's head resting in her lap. "Yeah, you guys did it, and the connection held out longer
then we expected."
Anya nodded as well, eagerly adding her input, "Yup! Definitely. Not many people can do that you know,
it takes a lot of effort." she glanced at Willow, "I bet ya she'd have the biggest headache when she wakes
up - I don't envy her."
Dawn glanced at Giles, "So what now?"
Giles sat down, taking the book into his hands. He had yet to read the book himself, and now he felt that
he should. He wasn't certain he'd like what was happening, but it was his job. He was the Watcher...well
the Reader...
"Now we wait."
* * *
"Buffy-love?"
Buffy's sobs quietened as she listened to his voice. He kept talking to her, gently urging her out of her
shell.
Buffy looked up into icy-blue eyes, "Come on luv, let it go."
Her sobs eased further until all was left was hiccups, "Spike?"
"Yes luv?"
Flashes of images came back to her mind, she quickly grabbed his hand, "I'm not like that Spike!"
"Hush Buffy-love, course your not." He gently gathered her into his arms.
Buffy buried her head in his chest, inhaling his scent. Then her eyes flew open as she scrambled out of
his grasp.
Spike stared after her, "Buffy?"
She shook her head frantically, "You're not Spike!"
He frowned, "Of course I am luv! What makes you think..."
Buffy shook her head, eyes dilated with fear, "You're not! Where is he? What have you done to him?"
Buffy threw her head back defiantly as she glared at Sp...no...this thing.
He took a step forward, "Buffy-love, it's me...come on luv. Take my hand."
Buffy continued to glare at the thing. How dare he? How dare he use Spike's image to...
She shivered lightly, not wanting to think about what he wanted with her.
"Take my hand Buffy!" His eyes flashing with suppressed rage.
Buffy tossed her head over her shoulder. She hated this.
She hated feeling vulnerable; she hated people toying around with her head.
Wasn't it enough that she messed up her own head just fine on her own?
She settled into a fighting stance, her eyes fixed on the thing.
He stumbled backwards, alarm flashing on his face, "You wouldn't...you love me..."
Buffy rolled her eyes, "Shows what you know."
She whirled around and kicked him in the head. Relentlessly she attacked. Her movements
falling into a regular rhythm of punches and kicks.
Once she began to fight him, she knew without a doubt that this wasn't Spike. She knew how
he moved. He would faultlessly match her, kick for kick, and dive in to strike her whenever
he could.
There was chemistry between them when they fought.
She spun around and delivered a powerful blow to his head. He fell to the ground, and Buffy
didn't pounce on him.
Dispassionately she watched as the bloody figure struggled to pick itself up from the ground.
"How could you?"
The voice had changed; it was no longer Spike's low and sexy rumble. It was a dark whisper.
Buffy's eyes narrowed, "Who are you and what do you want with me?"
He managed to sit up, he wiped the blood from his mouth and glared up at her, "I thought you
said you loved me?"
Buffy rolled her eyes, "Are you still keeping up the act? Haven't you realised that your accent
is slipping?"
He looked startled, before reverting to the venomous glares. "You were weakening!"
She sighed, and cocked an eyebrow at the creature, "You know what? This is getting really
tiring. I suspect you'd been tinkering around my head - I don't really like that you know..."
He laughed, Spike's features melting, then the figure was nothing but a dark pool. "It's too
late Slayer - you're mine!"
With a sinister laugh, the dark pool vanished.
Seeing that he was gone, Buffy let the act of bravado drop.
She trembled, and tried rubbing her arms to gain warmth. The experience had drained her,
physically and emotionally.
But at least now, she was no longer stumbling in the darkness. She wasn't completely lost.
Buffy's strength finally gave out and she collapsed into an undignified heap.
She was baffled at her appalling weakness. She had never felt this drained before, and
that fact frightened her more then anything.
Without her strength, she was at this creature's mercy.
A low whimper escaped her lips, as she rocked back and forth. It was only later that
she realised that she was softly calling Spike's name.
* * *
Spike was pacing. Red's instructions going over and over in his mind.
He had to get this perfectly right, or else his golden girl would be lost to him.
Danica watched him pace up and down. Instinctively, she knew that he was worried about
Buffy.
Danica stood and waited for the vampire to pass her, as he did, she reached out and touched
his arm.
Spike stopped and looked into Danica's green gaze.
"Buffy."
Spike smiled at her gently, "Yes luv, Buffy."
Danica returned the smile, and tugged on his hand.
Obediently, Spike let the sweet bit lead him.
Danica knew exactly what she was doing. She led him straight to her sister's room - now
Buffy's. The place where the Shadow took Buffy.
Danica knew how much Spike loved Buffy, she knew it the moment she had laid eyes on him.
He had saved her from unthinkable horrors, and now was the time to repay him.
When Spike realised where she was leading him, he tried to protest. He did not want to see
that room - that room where Buffy lay in his arms, warm and loving...
"Danica pet, I don't think..."
But Danica's grip on his hand was vice-like as she determinedly tugged on his hand. Spike had
seen that stubborn pout before - on Dawn's lips, and knew that he was powerless against it.
Danica flung open the doors, and strode straight to the bed. The bed that was still rumpled,
the poignant reminder felt like a stab right in his gut.
But Danica ignored him, and manoeuvred him so that he was sitting on the exact spot where
Buffy was before she had vanished before his eyes.
Danica smiled at him gently, passing her hands over his eyes.
She frowned at him, and then repeated the gesture.
Spike had no idea what she wanted.
Exasperated, Danica passed her hand over her eyes, closing her eyes as her hand passed over
them. She repeated the gesture at him.
Getting the idea, he closed his eyes dutifully as her hand passed over his eyes.
The last thing he heard was Danica whispering Buffy's name before an eerie stillness came over
everything.
Cautiously, he opened his eyes, expecting to see an irate Danica standing before him. But as
his eyes opened, there was nothing but darkness.
It was pitch black, not even his preternatural eyes could pick out anything, and then slowly light filtered
in. That was when his eyes focused instantly on a figure hunched over in the ground.
He stood up, walking swiftly to her side. As he got closer, he could hear her softly calling his name.
"Buffy-love?"
She looked up, her eyes wide. Slowly she stood up and stared at him.
"Buffy-love - it's me."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Spike paced the length of the library, caught up in his thoughts.
His head still throbbed with the connection with Red. He had to admire the growth of her powers,
she had managed to contact him through dimensions.
He sensed the poofter stirring, instinct told him to stay in the shadows, and he obeyed without
question.
He watched Angus stagger to his feet, reminding him of Angelus after a night of decadent indulgence.
As if in a drunken haze, Angus stumbled out of the hallway.
Spike followed him carefully, and was startled to see him barge into Danica's room.
Spike paused for a moment, watching as Danica's guardian shuffled out, slipping something in her
skirts. Spike stealthily moved to the doorway.
He stood frozen, as he saw Angus grab Danica's hair and snap her head back to ground what would
have been a kiss, but was so filled with violence and malice that it was an attack.
With a growl, game face slipping on effortlessly with his rage, Spike lunged forward to rip the man
off the trembling girl.
"Des!" Angus cried out, confirming Spike's suspicions.
He attacked ruthlessly, and silently, his rage fuelling the power of the attack.
Throughout the attack Angus called out Desdemona's name. In a flash Spike understood. Angus had
loved Desdemona, but she wouldn't leave her William. Spike felt sick - he knew what it was like to
love someone who loved another with the whole of her being. Drusilla never ever looked at him the
way she looked at Angelus. The difference between Spike and Angus was fundemental - Angus had
the mind of the truly depraved.
The image of Angus attacking Danica running over and over on his mind, then the names shifted - and
now Spike saw Angelus attacking his precious Dawn and the brutality of the attack heightened. He kicked
and punched, driven mindlessly by his need to inflict pain. The only sounds in the room was the dull thud of
cold preternatural flesh hitting soft, mortal skin and the soft whimperings of an abused soul. That small sound
seeped into the red haze that had descended on Spike's mind, and with a silent growl poured more power
behind his punches. The vicious assault continued until the man was reduced to a quivering mass of blood
and torn sinew.
Spike didn't kill him - death was too good for him. Spike considered draining the sick bastard dry,
but the thought of his golden angel made him stop, as well as the thought of having Angus' tainted blood
coursing through his veins, sickened him.
Without giving him another thought, he turned to Danica. She hunkered down in the corner, beautiful
hair mused, blood flowing from the corner of her mouth. Her eyes were wide with fear, and looking
into those depths, Spike wanted to turn back to Angus and rip out his entrails and feed them to the
dogs, and perhaps ram his trademark spikes up the man's head.
"Danica?" he held out his hand to her.
She looked up, and what he saw in her eyes scared him more then anything. She looked at him with
trust and adoration in her eyes. "Spike."
He turned and took the covers from the bed, and wrapped it around her trembling form. He took her
in his arms, and bore her down to the library, his thoughts turning to Dawn, and wondering about her
safety.
* * *
"Dawn!"
Swiftly Xander caught the girl before she hit the ground. He looked up to check that Giles had managed
to catch Willow.
Willow had tried to reach Spike, but something was missing. She had tried linking with Tara, but it wasn't
that her power was lacking it was something else.
Willow had let go of Tara's hand, her shoulder's slumped in defeat, tears welling up in her eyes.
Dawn had grabbed hold of her hand, a determined glint in her eyes. Willow had looked into the girl's
eyes and saw Buffy's strength and determination in the green depths.
Willow had gripped Dawn's hand harder, as Dawn squeezed back.
With Dawn's help, they had transcended dimensions.
Xander now lay Dawn down gently, knowing that if anything happened to her, he would have one angry
Slayer on his hands.
Not to mention one furious vampire.
But Xander wouldn't acknowledge that.
Dawn stirred, a soft moan escaping her lips. "Buffy?"
Xander gently stroked her hair, "No Dawnmiester, it's only me."
Dawn blinked, and then as her head cleared, she sat straight up, "Did we do it? Did we manage to
talk to Spike?!"
Tara nodded, Willow's head resting in her lap. "Yeah, you guys did it, and the connection held out longer
then we expected."
Anya nodded as well, eagerly adding her input, "Yup! Definitely. Not many people can do that you know,
it takes a lot of effort." she glanced at Willow, "I bet ya she'd have the biggest headache when she wakes
up - I don't envy her."
Dawn glanced at Giles, "So what now?"
Giles sat down, taking the book into his hands. He had yet to read the book himself, and now he felt that
he should. He wasn't certain he'd like what was happening, but it was his job. He was the Watcher...well
the Reader...
"Now we wait."
* * *
"Buffy-love?"
Buffy's sobs quietened as she listened to his voice. He kept talking to her, gently urging her out of her
shell.
Buffy looked up into icy-blue eyes, "Come on luv, let it go."
Her sobs eased further until all was left was hiccups, "Spike?"
"Yes luv?"
Flashes of images came back to her mind, she quickly grabbed his hand, "I'm not like that Spike!"
"Hush Buffy-love, course your not." He gently gathered her into his arms.
Buffy buried her head in his chest, inhaling his scent. Then her eyes flew open as she scrambled out of
his grasp.
Spike stared after her, "Buffy?"
She shook her head frantically, "You're not Spike!"
He frowned, "Of course I am luv! What makes you think..."
Buffy shook her head, eyes dilated with fear, "You're not! Where is he? What have you done to him?"
Buffy threw her head back defiantly as she glared at Sp...no...this thing.
He took a step forward, "Buffy-love, it's me...come on luv. Take my hand."
Buffy continued to glare at the thing. How dare he? How dare he use Spike's image to...
She shivered lightly, not wanting to think about what he wanted with her.
"Take my hand Buffy!" His eyes flashing with suppressed rage.
Buffy tossed her head over her shoulder. She hated this.
She hated feeling vulnerable; she hated people toying around with her head.
Wasn't it enough that she messed up her own head just fine on her own?
She settled into a fighting stance, her eyes fixed on the thing.
He stumbled backwards, alarm flashing on his face, "You wouldn't...you love me..."
Buffy rolled her eyes, "Shows what you know."
She whirled around and kicked him in the head. Relentlessly she attacked. Her movements
falling into a regular rhythm of punches and kicks.
Once she began to fight him, she knew without a doubt that this wasn't Spike. She knew how
he moved. He would faultlessly match her, kick for kick, and dive in to strike her whenever
he could.
There was chemistry between them when they fought.
She spun around and delivered a powerful blow to his head. He fell to the ground, and Buffy
didn't pounce on him.
Dispassionately she watched as the bloody figure struggled to pick itself up from the ground.
"How could you?"
The voice had changed; it was no longer Spike's low and sexy rumble. It was a dark whisper.
Buffy's eyes narrowed, "Who are you and what do you want with me?"
He managed to sit up, he wiped the blood from his mouth and glared up at her, "I thought you
said you loved me?"
Buffy rolled her eyes, "Are you still keeping up the act? Haven't you realised that your accent
is slipping?"
He looked startled, before reverting to the venomous glares. "You were weakening!"
She sighed, and cocked an eyebrow at the creature, "You know what? This is getting really
tiring. I suspect you'd been tinkering around my head - I don't really like that you know..."
He laughed, Spike's features melting, then the figure was nothing but a dark pool. "It's too
late Slayer - you're mine!"
With a sinister laugh, the dark pool vanished.
Seeing that he was gone, Buffy let the act of bravado drop.
She trembled, and tried rubbing her arms to gain warmth. The experience had drained her,
physically and emotionally.
But at least now, she was no longer stumbling in the darkness. She wasn't completely lost.
Buffy's strength finally gave out and she collapsed into an undignified heap.
She was baffled at her appalling weakness. She had never felt this drained before, and
that fact frightened her more then anything.
Without her strength, she was at this creature's mercy.
A low whimper escaped her lips, as she rocked back and forth. It was only later that
she realised that she was softly calling Spike's name.
* * *
Spike was pacing. Red's instructions going over and over in his mind.
He had to get this perfectly right, or else his golden girl would be lost to him.
Danica watched him pace up and down. Instinctively, she knew that he was worried about
Buffy.
Danica stood and waited for the vampire to pass her, as he did, she reached out and touched
his arm.
Spike stopped and looked into Danica's green gaze.
"Buffy."
Spike smiled at her gently, "Yes luv, Buffy."
Danica returned the smile, and tugged on his hand.
Obediently, Spike let the sweet bit lead him.
Danica knew exactly what she was doing. She led him straight to her sister's room - now
Buffy's. The place where the Shadow took Buffy.
Danica knew how much Spike loved Buffy, she knew it the moment she had laid eyes on him.
He had saved her from unthinkable horrors, and now was the time to repay him.
When Spike realised where she was leading him, he tried to protest. He did not want to see
that room - that room where Buffy lay in his arms, warm and loving...
"Danica pet, I don't think..."
But Danica's grip on his hand was vice-like as she determinedly tugged on his hand. Spike had
seen that stubborn pout before - on Dawn's lips, and knew that he was powerless against it.
Danica flung open the doors, and strode straight to the bed. The bed that was still rumpled,
the poignant reminder felt like a stab right in his gut.
But Danica ignored him, and manoeuvred him so that he was sitting on the exact spot where
Buffy was before she had vanished before his eyes.
Danica smiled at him gently, passing her hands over his eyes.
She frowned at him, and then repeated the gesture.
Spike had no idea what she wanted.
Exasperated, Danica passed her hand over her eyes, closing her eyes as her hand passed over
them. She repeated the gesture at him.
Getting the idea, he closed his eyes dutifully as her hand passed over his eyes.
The last thing he heard was Danica whispering Buffy's name before an eerie stillness came over
everything.
Cautiously, he opened his eyes, expecting to see an irate Danica standing before him. But as
his eyes opened, there was nothing but darkness.
It was pitch black, not even his preternatural eyes could pick out anything, and then slowly light filtered
in. That was when his eyes focused instantly on a figure hunched over in the ground.
He stood up, walking swiftly to her side. As he got closer, he could hear her softly calling his name.
"Buffy-love?"
She looked up, her eyes wide. Slowly she stood up and stared at him.
"Buffy-love - it's me."
CONTINUE <http://carnalsins.net/temp/factfiction3.htm>
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
He watched as her features hardened, and her eyes hardened to glass.
It was the visage of the Slayer. Swiftly she spun around, landing a
vicious blow to his head...
* * *
Spike fell back, "Bloody hell! Slayer!"
He pressed a hand to the side of his head where the blow landed. He
glared up at her. "What's your bleeding problem?"
Buffy remained silent, eyes fixed on him. She settled into a fighting
stance, one brow cocked in challenge.
When he refused to make a move - Buffy attacked.
Beneath the fury of her assault, Spike sensed a desperation. He could
see tears shining in her eyes. Then she sent him sprawling to the
ground once more.
Bloody hell - how much was a bloke supposed to take?
This time when she launched herself at him, Spike deftly flipped her
over his head, using her own momentum to send her crashing to the
ground.
Buffy's eyes widened, as she looked up.
From beneath the tangle of gold, he could see her eyes flash with
wonder, before she got back up and resumed her relentless attack.
Spike swiftly spun out of her way, "Come on luv - and I thought that
we were beyond this!"
Buffy remained silent, as she rammed her fist into his face.
Spike winced, but followed that with an uppercut. "I see you want to
dance."
They began to move; their movements fluid and graceful. He knew how
she moved, how she fought, and they fell into an incomparable rhythm.
Buffy's eyes widened even more, she moved in to punch him, but Spike
caught her wrist, and pulled her into him. Without hesitation, he
crushed his lips onto hers.
Stunned, Buffy merely stood there, allowing him to kiss her. Then as
the moments ticked by, as his tongue softly coaxed her, she softened.
She started to kiss him back and once more they were caught up in the
hot tangle that was their tongues.
A sob racked her body, and Spike pressed her body closer to his,
wanting to absorb the cry into his very being. Wanting to feel her
pain for her, so she would be left with only happiness.
"Spike..."
He pulled back, and stared into her eyes, "Buffy."
With a cry, she buried her head in his chest, crying his name over
and over again.
Spike tried to soothe her, running his fingers through her hair. He
knew that he wasn't just offering her comfort, he was taking it for
himself.
To feel her in his arms, and never let her go.
Buffy was too drained, she just wanted to curl up and die. If Spike
wasn't holding onto her, she would've bonelessly slid onto the ground
again.
"You were right Spike."
Spike opened his eyes, and looked down at her golden head, "Right
about what luv?"
"I have a death wish."
Spike pulled her back from him, "Buffy-love..."
As he stared into her eyes he was shocked at what he saw. He had only
seen that look twice before, and each time the wearer had died by his
hands.
Buffy threw her head back, offering him her neck, "Do it Spike. I
want it to end."
"Buffy...Slayer..."
Buffy closed her eyes, "Death is my gift Spike, and I'm through
giving it."
Who was this broken creature that he held in his arms? This wasn't
Buffy. It couldn't be. His Slayer didn't have this haunted look in
her eyes. She would never ask for death.
Silently he cursed himself for the words that had come from his own
mouth.
"Slayer, listen to me. Death is not your gift! Have you have any idea
what your death would mean to the everyone? Your damned little Scooby
club would probably fall apart without you! And lil sis? How do you
think she'd handle you up and leaving her?" Spike grabbed hold of
her shoulders and shook her, "Buffy..."
Buffy shook her head, eyes going blank. "I can't do it anymore Spike."
Then her head snapped back. Buffy turned her head slowly, eyes wide
as she looked up at Spike. "What the hell was that for?"
Spike grinned to himself. There was fire in her eyes now as she
cupped her cheek. He knew that he had hurt her, but he just couldn't
stand to see her mope around.
"Luv don't be bloody ridiculous."
Buffy stared at him, still holding her cheek. The blow had hurt. She
told herself it was because she had been unprepared for it
"Spike..."
Spike opened his arms wide, "Come on Slayer, slug me back - make it a
good one."
Buffy saw the twinkle in his eyes, and a small smile formed, "No
Spike I don't' want to hit you back...I..."
But before she could finish the sentence, he had swooped down on her
to devour her lips once more.
She managed to think hazily that no one had ever kissed her the way
Spike did, but soon all thoughts were consumed, as Spike's hands
delved into her hair.
He couldn't help himself. He had to feel her in his arms, to make
absolutely sure that she was really there. Time meant nothing as
Spike lost himself in the magic that was Buffy.
* * *
I cursed her with all my being. She was so close; I could feel the
coursing of power through
her veins.
I looked up and a sound, close to a mortal gasp, hung on the air.
He stood there.
How did he...?
I stopped, and watched as the lovers fought. I now understood why she
was prepared to fight me in my guise as her lover.
He wasn't her weakness - he was her strength, and there lay my
mistake.
No matter. She was falling apart, and it was not possible for a
creature of darkness to be her salvation.
* * *
{Next}