23:

Out of the Frying Pan

"Buffy?" Fred asked, concerned. "Are you all right? You look really pale."

Buffy sat down, eyes wide and grasping for the chair behind her, "I just had a memory," she murmured.

Fred's eyes widened. "A memory? A real one?"

Buffy looked up at her. "As opposed to the fake ones?"

Fred shook her head, "Right, you're right. What was it of? Was it one memory, a big
long memory, a few years worth—what?"

"Pills."

"Excuse me?"

"Pills. I was taking pills. I was in the house—Lindsey's house – and I was upset and
crying. I'd made him upset. I'd made him upset AGAIN. I'd spent too much time at Angel's
and hadn't called to tell him. He told me I was selfish and ungrateful and I didn't love him the way I should. I didn't love him at all, he said. He hit me." Her eyes welled up in tears, the memory strong within her, and the emotions thick. "I was crying because I felt guilty and. . . angry. So angry. . . at him. For doing that. I kept wondering how you could hit someone if you loved them? I knew it was wrong, I knew because my father never did that to my m other so why was I letting it happen? I was on the floor and he took me to the bathroom and sat me on the counter. He took out a bottle of pills, white ones, and told me to take two. He held the glass to my lips and made me take them."

"Then what?"

"That's all I remember. I saw myself taking the pills and then everything else just came
after that," Buffy stared off at the wall, not focusing on anything, not even really thinking
anything, just feeling stuck in rewind over her memory. She hadn't even registered Fred calling
Angel on her phone and telling him he should come as soon as possible.

"Buffy?" Fred called to her after she'd hung up. Buffy stared off still, immobile. "Buffy!"

Buffy's head snapped to Fred, "Yeah?"

"Do you need anything? Water? Do you want to lie down or something?"

"I'm fine, I just. . . I need to call William."

"I just called your brother; he's on his way down. Do you have William's number in
your planner? I'll call him."

Buffy nodded absently, letting herself drift.


"Buffy, baby, are you all right?" Spike asked, concerned, and grabbing her biceps,
gazing at her imploringly. Angel was right next to him, looking worried.

"I-I'm fine. I had a memory," she told them.

"We know honey, that's why we're here. Fred was real worried. She said you haven't
been acting like yourself," Angel told her. "What was the memory about?"

"Lindsey," Buffy answered.

"What was it about? Tell us sweetheart," Spike soothed, smoothing his hands down her
arms to comfort her.

She relayed all she had told Fred about her memory. She trembled as she repeated it. "It
doesn't seem like much at all. . . but it is. Because I feel it in my bones. . . That wasn't it, that
wasn't the only time. I knew there had to be something about our relationship but . . . Why
would I let him do that to me? Why would I let anyone hurt me like that?" She shivered and
Spike wrapped her up in his arms, settling beside her and taking her in his lap.

Angel's eyes welled up and he reached out and stroked her hair. "That bastard hurt
you," he whispered fiercely. "He's going to pay."

"No!" Buffy cried, jumping off of Spike's lap and facing them. "Angel, no. He'll kill you. I can feel his anger toward you. . . I can feel how he hated you. . . You came between us."
She shook her head, "He'll kill you."

"He won't Buffy, he can't do anything to me—he hasn't yet."

"Yet being the operative word. You go after him and he'll do it."

"Buffy, you're scaring me," Spike told her and stood, gathering her in his arms. Stop
talking like that. "

"It's true, I can feel it," she murmured against his chest.

"We're going home," Spike stated.

"Is everything all right? Buffy, are you okay?" Fred asked, coming into the room.

"She's shook up, but she'll be all right. We're taking her home right now," Angel
informed the brunette.

"Of course," Fred nodded, "Take care Buffy."

"I'll see you tonight for our self defense class," Buffy told .

"I don't think so pet," Spike said, looking down at her.

Buffy met his eyes. "I'm going. I need to be prepared."



Spike sat by Buffy as she slept, running his fingers through her hair. Angel had gone
home shortly after Buffy had fallen asleep and Spike sat with her, unwilling to leave her side. The vacant look in her eyes, the tremble in her voice and her ominous words had struck fear in him and set his teeth on edge. It was as if he were looking at her after she'd just been attacked by Lindsey . . . and he knew that was the case. It'd shook her up to remember that. It shook him up too. What had she endured? What else had she gone through and what the fucking hell were those pills? He was willing to bet they were either valium, or, if the bastard was as sick as he thought, then a date rape drug. He had a feeling the bastard wanted a docile, passive Buffy after he'd beaten her. A docile, passive Buffy couldn't stand up for herself, wouldn't leave in the middle of the night.

Tears threatened to spill and his free hand balled the sheet under him in fist as his other hand continued to stroke her hair gently. He needed answers and he needed them fast. What the hell was taking Schreb so long? How was it possible that one man could hide such dastardly deeds for so long? Just hints of illegal actions were not cutting it for him anymore. He needed facts and he needed them soon. He wanted Lindsey McDonald locked up for eternity. He also wanted the chance to beat him to a bloody pulp for ever laying one unworthy finger on his girl.

"Spike?" his angels voice rang out softly through the dusky room.

He slid in next to her wrapping an arm around her as she continued to lay on her belly,
facing him.

"Yeah, baby?" he asked softly.

"Are you all right?"

"Why do you ask?" he furrowed his brow.

She reached out and flicked a finger across his cheek. She held it up. A tear lay on the
pad of her finger. She met his eyes with her own expectantly.

"Didn't realize . . . I was thinking of the look on your face."

"The look on my face?" she asked, turning on her side so that she faced him fully. He
pulled her to him and buried his face in her hair.

"That empty look in your eyes. The one that showed me you weren't quite with us."

"I wasn't," she admitted. "All I kept seeing was him hitting me and me taking it. I saw
myself on the floor wondering how I'd gotten there and being so angry . . . and not being able
to fight back. Even now . . ." she choked back her tears. "I'm so angry."

Spike pulled back and wiped away her tears with the pad of his thumb. He kissed her
sweetly, offering comfort. "Are you scared now Buffy?"

"Yes and no. I fear what he could do because I don't feel it's over. Especially when I
remember the anger that consumed him and just the slightest hint of desperation in his eyes.
Desperation that I'd leave him. He wouldn't just let me go like he seems to have done."

"And me and Angel? Do you think he'd hurt you or us as well."

"I think he'd hurt anyone that got in his way of me."

"Then that's where we're even then, aren't we kitten? Because I'd hurt anyone that got
in my way of you. I'd rip him apart with my bare hands if he ever lay one finger on you again."

Buffy wrapped herself around him, "I love you. I don't know if I told you that today."

"You did, after we made love this morning, but thank you."

"Don't thank me for loving you. It was simply unavoidable."

He smiled and kissed her gently.

"I wish I could have remembered something about you instead of him," Buffy
whispered.

"That'd be nice, wouldn't it?" Spike grinned.

"Spike, promise me you won't go after him."

"Buffy—" How did she always know?

"Promise me. You'll only make him angry," she gazed at him, earnestly.

He sighed heavily. "I promise."

"Thank you."

"What do you want to do Buffy?" he asked her gently, stroking her back.

Without hesitation she answered, "Make him pay."


 

24:
The End?


"Must you go to class tonight, Buffy? You've had quite a day. Can't you just stay home with me?" Spike asked, slightly pouting as Buffy rolled off the bed to get ready for her self-defense class.

Buffy sighed and looked down at him. She grinned when he jut out his lower lip even more.

"We can spar here if you want," he said and waggled his eyebrows.

She giggled, "Yeah, I know what you're hoping will happen."

He gave up the pouting and smiled. "Can't blame a bloke for trying can you? I like to
think of it as celebrating."

Buffy crawled back into bed and allowed herself to be wrapped back up in his arms.
"Oh?"

He nodded. "It's a celebration that we found each other."

"Which time? The first or second?" she teased.

"Both. And today it's a celebration that your safe and free of him. That you got out."

"Yeah . . . I got out all right. At the expense of my memories."

"Let's not focus on that, okay? The fact is, someone was looking out for you."

"Like a guardian angel?" she grinned, resting her chin on his chest and gazing up at
him.

He smiled, "Something like that, yeah."

"I like to think of you as my guardian angel."

"Well, I like to think of you as mine too. Especially when you're so worried about what
Lindsey will do to me."

"It's an equal partnership, Spike. That's the way it has to be. I won't settle for less,
especially considering where I just came from."

"So we both wear the pants?"

"Well. . . " she said grinning as her hand moved to the fly of his jeans. Undoing them
she said, "you don't have to wear pants right now if you don't want to."

He opened his mouth to say something when she released his hardening member and
gave it a lick. His eyes screwed shut and he moaned. "Christ, Buffy."

It was amazing to her how sucking him off could make her so wet. She attributed it to
Spike himself, no way could she imagine this act making her feel the way she did with anyone
else. It was all him. She grinned and suckled teasingly on the head and just when he was about
to beg for more, she took him completely in her mouth and sucked hard. "Fucking hell!" he
shouted and arched his back, nearly hitting the back of her throat with his movement.

Needing him inside her, hard and fast, she lifted the skirt she was wearing, pushed her
panties to the side and slid down him in one swift movement.

His eyes widened and a look of awe—one she'd seen just about every time they made
love, came over his face. It sent tingles down her spine and, if possible, made her wetter than
she already was. That look spoke volumes of how he felt about her, how he loved her. And she
felt it in every part of her how he loved her for she loved him back with the same, if not greater,
intensity.

Placing her palms on his chest, she stared gliding herself up and down him, swiveling
her hips and clenching her muscles. He watched her hotly and placed his hands on her hips
before gliding them up to her tank and shoving it up roughly to expose her breasts. He wasted
no time in leaning up and taking one hard nipple in his mouth and suckling it. The sensation
went straight to her groin and she moved harder on him. Moving his hands back on her hips,
he helped guide her movements and he laved her breasts with his tongue.

"Kiss me," he whispered and she obliged, delving inside his hot cavern and exploring
his mouth. When he started mimicking his cock sliding in and out of her with his tongue, Buffy
felt herself beginning to arrive.

"Ride me hard Buffy, do it. My beautiful angel…ride me…make me see stars," he
goaded her huskily.

Clenching her muscles, she rode him hard and fast, her orgasm coming at her like a
freight train. A second later, he came hard, shooting his spendings inside her and shouting her
name.

Moving slightly against him still as they came back down, she let Spike roll her to their
sides and he nuzzled her neck affectionately.

"Love it when you surprise me," he told her sleepily.

She smiled sleepily, "I love it too. Did you see stars?"

"Bloody right I did," he chuckled.

The phone ringing interrupted their ‘snogging' as Spike so eloquently put it. He was all
set to ignore it, but Buffy told him it could be Angel checking up and he'd worry if there was no
answer.

"Hello?. . . No, why? WHAT?! Hold on, I'll call you back." Spike practically threw the
phone across the room and dived for the remote.

"Spike, what's going on?" Buffy asked, startled, sitting up.

The TV flicked on and the news flickered on.

"Spike!" Buffy exclaimed, feeling panic come over her.

"Buffy, look," Spike pointed to the TV.

"Oh my God," Buffy breathed. They watched in silence as Lindsey was escorted from
his office in downtown Boston and escorted into a police car, in handcuffs. The caption on the
bottom said ‘Lawyer Arrested for Embezzlement'.


 

Chapter 25:

How was it possible? What happened? How—and why? The questions ran in her mind as a constant stream and all she could do was stare at the screen and blink. A commercial came on and still, she stared. Spike had gotten up and was on the phone with his P.I. Like a caged animal he walked around the penthouse, his voice at times heated and then calm. She barely registered him coming in the room. Though when he flicked off the TV, she looked up at him.

"He was caught from the inside," Spike stated grimly. "Schreb is at the police station. Buffy, you're going to be wanted for questioning."

"How did he get caught from the inside?" Buffy asked, bewildered.

Spike sat down next to her. "He got messy. Seems he was desperate."

"Desperate for money? For what? To pay someone off?"

"Buffy," Spike sighed.

Buffy threw up her arms, "Oh great. This oughtta be good. What was he
planning to do? Kidnap me and take me to South America?"

Spike stared at her.

Her jaw dropped. "You're kidding me!"

Spike nodded, "They searched his office. Apparently what happened was
over the years; Lindsey had been taking money from certain fees that
would be charged to the client. For example, if you're doing real estate, you
charge for when you order a title or a municipal lien certificate. Lindsey
would charge the client, but have them make it out to him and not deposit
it to the company. In that way, the company was taking the fall and those
things can add up to quite a bit. Or, if you're doing litigation, there's a fee
for a summons. He was also double invoicing—"

"Spike, get to the part on how he was going to kidnap me," Buffy said impatiently, tapping her foot.

"Right. He took money out of the firms escrow and out of the clients
retainers. They do the books on those items on the fifteenth of every
month. The fifteenth of this month happens to fall"

"On Saturday—tomorrow."

"Right. And usually they wait until after the weekend to do it, but they
decided instead to do it today. That's when they noticed that money was
missing all over the place in these accounts. Then the bank called
requesting Mr. McDonald come sign one of the checks as he'd missed one."

"Oh my God," Buffy shook her head in disbelief. "One slip and he got
caught."

"Exactly. He was caught off guard, he didn't know he'd been caught until
the police were there slapping the cuffs on him. Then they searched his
office and found two passports. His and yours with fake name and two one
way tickets to Brazil."

Buffy shut her eyes, wrapping her arms around herself feeling a wave of
nausea come over her. "How in the hell did he plan on taking me?" she
froze. "The pills."

"What?"

"The pills. The pills I remembered, the ones I saw when I was there
before. . . they were unmarked white pills in his medicine cabinet. But how
was he going to get me alone? I just don't get how—"

"Buffy," Spike stood and took her in his arms. "The man is sick and
twisted. He embezzled an enormous amount of money and planned to be
out of the country with you and didn't think he'd get caught—"

Buffy pushed her way out of his arms. "My cell phone. He must have left a
message on my cell phone." She bolted out the room, running to the kitchen
with Spike calling for her as he bounded after her.

She grabbed her purse and rummaged in her purse and extracted her cell.
It was flashing orange at the top. She flipped it open. "One missed call," she
muttered. "Yes, it's him. That's his number." Dialing in her voice mail
number she pressed it to her ear and met Spike's eyes as she listened.

"Hello Buffy, it's Lindsey. I know you don't want to see me anymore and I
understand that. I have some of your things still and was wondering if you
could at least meet me so I can give them to you. If you could find it in your
heart to let me explain and apologize for how I treated you—"

Buffy snapped her phone shut, "I'm going to be sick," and she ran to the
bathroom.

She emptied the contents of her stomach and slumped down on the floor.
"When are they going to send for me?" Buffy asked softly when Spike came
in and sat down on the floor next to her, pulling her up against his chest and
wrapping his arms around her.

"When they're done collecting evidence. They're going to want to question
you on what you know."

"Which isn't much."

"You have a memory."

She snorted, "A memory. One. One fucking memory. The rest is all just a
bunch of gut feelings. No one is going to incriminate him on any other crime
due to gut feelings. My accident—just me being clumsy, no way to trace it
to him is there? His beating me, drugging me . . . He's going to jail for
embezzling but there's no way to keep him there."

"Buffy, they're going to find everything they can to incriminate him. His
past is catching up with him and if there is a God in Heaven they will find a
way to keep him there for a really long time."

"I want to go to the house."

"Buffy, why—"

"Because I want to know what those pills are. I want to be in that house
until I remember."

Spike held her tighter, "Buffy, calm down."

"I'm just so frustrated. How long was I with and he did all these things to
me and I can't remember them all except for one isolated incident. He was
going to kidnap me and I could have a rap sheet a mile on his behavior
except I CAN'T REMEMBER. What if I knew about the embezzling? What
if I was part of it? What if he drags me down with him? I'm an amnesiac for
Christ's Sake. How many amnesiacs do you know? I'm going to be going to
court on something and have nothing."

"Buffy, he's not taking you down with him. He embezzled money, Buffy. He
was caught red-handed. You don't think his partners are going to fight
tooth and nail to have him put away for a very long time? Especially when
they investigate the leads Schreb has on him. We'll take this one day at a
time okay? I'll be with you every step of the way."

"I want to go to the house. I want to get those pills. I want to find out what
he was giving me."

"Buffy, you don't know if the cops are down there now with a warrant
checking things out. You wouldn't be able to get by."

"The man was going to kidnap me. I think I have precedence here. If I
want to find out about a goddman bottle of pills, then I can find out about a
goddamn bottle of pills. As a matter of fact," she maneuvered her way out
of Spike's arms, "I want to go down to the police station now."

 

Chapter 26:

"Buffy, do you really want to do this now?" Spike asked before they entered the police station.

Buffy nodded, resolute. Spike sighed and opened the door, gesturing for her to enter.

"Are you upset with me?" she asked, turning to face him as he followed
behind her.

"Not upset, per se. More concerned I'd say."

"I wouldn't be able to sleep tonight worrying about this, Spike."

"I know, Buffy. I just . . . I'm not sure I want you to see him. Before we left
the house you just wanted to get the bottle of pills. Now you're wanting to
talk with him? I'm not liking this plan."

"He can't do anything to me."

"It doesn't stop me from worrying."

Reaching up, she cupped the side of his face and gave him a reassuring
smile. "I'll be all right. I want answers, Spike and he's the only one that can
give them to me."

"How do you know he'll give you any?"

"Let me ask you a question."

"Why do I have a feeling I'm not going to like where this is going?"

"Humor me."

"All right, shoot. "

"When I left you in Rhode Island, how did you feel?"

He blinked. "Miserable. Then angry and miserable. Mostly, I felt
desperate—" he stopped and narrowed his eyes at her. He grabbed her arm
and dragged her back outside. "What the hell are you planning on doing?"

"A desperate man who believes himself in love with a woman will do
anything to get her back right? Even kidnap them."

"Buffy, he's a twisted fuck. He ABUSED you. He doesn't love you, he
doesn't know the meaning of the word!"

"But he believes himself in love with me. Enough to kidnap me."

"How do you know he wasn't planning on taking you just to murder you?"
The thought made both of them shiver and Spike grabbed her into his
arms. "Buffy, I don't like this idea—"

"It'll help though. It'll help the cops—"

"He's in sight more trouble than we probably know at this point, Buffy."

"You're a lawyer, you know about head games and how to work people and
read them. You don't think I can get stuff out of him? Let him sit there and
incriminate himself to me. Then they'll have more. They'll have his
confession."

Spike shook his head, "Buffy—"

"Did you take yourself down from the bar?"

"No."

"Good, because I might need representation depending on what he's done."



***************************************************************************************************


"Well, if it isn't the kidnap victim," the police chief said dryly after Buffy had come forward and identified herself. "We were just about to look you up."

"I'll be representing Miss Summers," Spike said, looking at Police Chief
Stuart sternly. Chief Stuart was a slightly pudgy, balding man with graying
hair and a frizzy mustache that did not seem at all impressed with Spike.
His annoyed gaze fell on Buffy.

"So Miss Summers, you up for some questions?"

Buffy nodded.

Chief Stuart looked at Spike. "You can come in the room I suppose. Follow
me." Walking around the counter at which he'd been standing, he led them
to his office, that fact only clear by his name on the door. Opening the door
for them, he stood aside to let them in and then closed the door behind him,
taking a seat in a ratty brown chair overlooking a cluttered gray desk. Buffy
and Spike sat in the matching ratty brown chairs on the other side of the
desk. Buffy placed her hands in her lap and waited with her heart racing,
feeling if she didn't know what Lindsey had said to incriminate her in
something she had no memory or knowledge of, she was going to scream.

"Doughnut? Coffee?" Chief Stuart asked.

Buffy shook her head.

"You're a lot prettier in person than the picture in the passport," he told
her.

"Thanks," Buffy managed to get out, wishing she'd taken him up on the
coffee now. Her throat suddenly felt like the Sahara.

"So," Chief Stuart said, "Tell me what you know about Mr. Money Bags."

Buffy cleared her throat. "See, that's the hard part."

"That's right. On account of the amnesia," Chief Stuart said nodding. "Your
detective that I believe you—" he pointed at Spike "hired, told me. Why
did you hire him? He rip off your firm too or something?"

"Or something," Spike said.

"This just gets better and better. What do you BOTH know?"

"He's a bad man," Buffy said softly.

"Lots of bad men in this city, hell, in this WORLD, Miss Summers. Thing is,
without some concrete facts, you can't put those ‘bad' men away for very
long."

"I think he drugged me," Buffy blurted out.

"You THINK he drugged you. What makes you think that?"

"Buffy—" Spike started.

Buffy placed a hand on Spike's arm. "It's okay, Spike. If I don't tell, they'll
never know. I'LL never know." She looked back to Chief Stuart. "Just
today I had a memory of Lindsey."

"Just today?"

She nodded.

"Isn't that convenient?"

"Miss Summers is NOT on trial here, Chief Stuart. There are also
witnesses at the time this happened and it was well before Mr. McDonald
was arrested," Spike said sternly.

"Relax Romeo," Chief Stuart snapped.

"Spike, please," Buffy told him.

"Miss Summers, please continue," Chief Stuart said kindly to her. "Listen,
you're not in any trouble. Just had a lot of people that seem to be enemies
of Mr. McDonalds and want to see him locked up for a very long time.
Among them, I believe your brother."

Buffy's eyes widened, "My BROTHER was here?"

"Said you, I believe the exact words were ‘suffered at the hands of a
fucking asshole bully and should be locked up with the key thrown out.'"

Buffy couldn't help but laugh, a nervous laugh that had Spike grabbing her
hand and silently advising her not to laugh while having Chief Stuart grin.

"What sorts of people have been coming in against him?" Buffy asked.

"Clients he'd screwed over in one way or another. Couple people he was
blackmailing for money that seemed to think this was a safe time for them
to come out of the woodwork. His co-workers – but then they'd just gotten
ripped off. And, clients whom thought they might have gotten screwed over
by him. It's amazing this guy had a job, but then it sounds as if he wasn't
getting much in the way of work which is why he was embezzling."

Buffy was stunned, "Really?"

Chief Stuart nodded. "I need to hear in your own words Miss Summers
what you know."

"I know that my amnesia was caused by an accident. The accident being
that I fell down the stairs and Lindsey—Mr. McDonald found me. I know
that I was not able to be in that house for long periods of time after my
accident because it made me feel uncomfortable. I know that Mr. McDonald
made me nervous and frightened me when I was in his presence. The
memory I had today attested to why. I remembered an incident today in
which Mr. McDonald beat me and then gave me pills—"

"Pills? What kind of pills?" Chief Stuart asked grimly.

"I don't know. They're in his medicine cabinet. I was there just before I
broke up with him and they were in the medicine cabinet, unmarked white
pills."

"Why were you in his medicine cabinet?"

"Honestly—" Spike jumped in.

"Because," Buffy cut him off. "I was trying to see if I remembered what
was in there. I was playing a game suggested by my doctor to see if I was
able to ‘feel' things out about why I felt so uncomfortable with him."

"Can I have your doctor's name and number?"

"Of course."

Chief Stuart sat back. "Listen, I believe you. The guy's a rat. I can tell. I
can see it on him."

"Has he—has he said anything?" Buffy asked.

"No, and that's the thing. He's digging himself in deeper. He's not saying a
damn word. He's a damn mute. Damn irritating if you ask me. So, listen, I
have to routinely check things out, considering you are the one he was
planning on kidnapping and since you were living with him at one time. I
understand that you have amnesia and don't remember anything, but I still
have to check things out. I understand what you mean, Miss Summers
about following gut feelings. A lot of this job is about that."

"Chief Stuart, do you think it's possible I could talk to him?"

He stared at her. "You want to talk to him?"

"I might be able to get him to talk."

"You think you could get him to talk and incriminate himself?"

"Yes."

"He'll know," Spike said, "He'll know."

Buffy licked her lips. "Not if we lie to him."

"How do you mean?" Chief Stuart demanded and Spike squeezed her
hand.

"If we got him to believe that I bailed him out. You could plant a wire on
me or something. Like they do in the movies. We could set him up to
believe I'm helping him."

Chief Stuart sat back and whistled. "You've got a dark side to you Miss
Summers."

"Buffy, I do NOT like this idea at all," Spike said, shaking his head.
"Absolutely not."

"Well, Attorney SPIKE, I think your little lady might be on to something
here."
 

Chapter 27: Trust Me

“You liked him? You can’t be serious,” Spike said eyeing Buffy warily. He was wound up tight; there was no doubt about that. He was ready to snap. Mostly because Buffy seemed determined to put herself in the Lion’s Den.

“The poor guy has had to deal with Lindsey. How would you feel?” She asked as they waited for Chief Stuart to get back to them on a plan after chatting with the detectives.

“Buffy—“ Spike started, a slight whine to his voice that he did not care for.

“Stop worrying so much,” she admonished him.

“The fact that you’re not worrying worries me even more. This is suicide, Buffy.”

“It’s not. He’ll talk to me. I know he will. I’ll never be free of him if I don’t do something to get him. Look at me, Spike. I have fucking amnesia—“

“Yes, exactly. And now you’re putting yourself in more danger—what is it gonna take for you to see?”

“My memories,” she said softly. “Which he stole from me.”

“You’re not going to get them back by doing this, Buffy, I’m sorry—“

“I know that. I know I won’t get them back, but I will be able to take my life back.”

Spike ran a hand through his hair and glared at her, “Thanks. So what has all this been? Just passing time until you could stick it to Lindsey?”

She glared back, “No, and you know it. This whole time has been about me getting my life back, but also living in fear of what he’d do. I don’t want to do it anymore Spike.”

“Can’t you be satisfied with knowing what he had planned to do?”

“No,” she said defiantly.

“Buffy—“ there was that whine again.

“Maybe one day when you have your memories taken from you after being with someone that you let hurt you on a daily basis, you’ll understand,” she said heatedly, her body shaking from anger. “From all the things I’ve heard, my life was not a peach thanks to that man. Instead of being in love, I was in hell and I was afraid. If the fear that I feel not remembering is anyindication on what he’s done to me, then you’ll have to excuse me if I want to seize this opportunity with both hands. I want him gone. Behind bars, in jail, gone. I want him to rot and suffer and spend the rest of his life remembering what he’s done.”

Spike opened her mouth to speak when Angel came barreling in the room with Chief Stuart right behind him.

“Buffy, don’t do this,” Angel pleaded with her, his eyes wild with fear.

“Yeah, like I haven’t tried that,” Spike said irritably. “Bloody stubborn chit if you ask me. How that psycho ever managed to get one up on you, I’ll never know!”

Buffy couldn’t help but laugh at his outburst and he just shot her a pointed glared.

“Buffy, look, you can’t do this,” Angel started on his plea again.

“So Miss Summers, have you changed your mind?” Chief Stuart asked, looking from Angel to Spike grimly.

She shook her head and stood tall and brave. “Nope.”

The chief grinned, “Good. Look boys,” he started, “It’s gonna be all right. She’s gonna have wires on, she’s going to be protected. I’ve got cruisers from the next two towns on this. They’re lined up at every block. Should he get any funny ideas in that brain of his, we’ll be right there.”

“She’s getting in the car with him?” Spike and Angel exploded at the same time.

“It’s got to be believable,” Chief Stuart said by way of explanation. “If she just goes into his cell to have a heart – to – heart, he won’t talk cause he’ll know we’re all here. If she goes outside this building, he’ll talk. He’ll think he’s alone.”

“How the fucking hell do you know that? He’s . . . he’s a fucking demon. He was going to kidnap her. How do you know he’s not going to hurt her the first chance he gets?” Spike roared.

“Because, Mr. Knightly, Mr. McDonald is well aware of the trouble he’s in. He’s not allowed to leave the country, hell, even this damn city. He knows his goose is cooked right now and he’s not going to do anything to jeopardize that. Especially if he believes he’ll have Miss Summers by his side when this is over.”

“Couldn’t have said it better myself,” Buffy said, smiling, actually smiling at the Chief.

Spike bit back a ‘You’ve lost your bloody mind,’ thinking it wouldn’t get him very far.

“Let’s get you wired up Miss Summers. Can you use your brother’s car?”

Buffy looked at Angel.

“Buffy—“ now he was starting to whine.

“I’m doing this, Angel. If you want that bastard locked up, then you’ll help me right now.”

“You’re so lucky I came down,” he grumbled and dug in his pocket and handed her the car keys.

“Angel!” Spike exclaimed, horrified that Angel had just caved like that.

Angel looked at him apologetically, “I know, I don’t want her to do it either, but she’s not going to quit until she does it.”

“Besides, we just would have let her borrow one of our cars,” the chief supplied.

“Buffy,” Spike said, feeling like ponce because he felt dangerously close to tears. “I don’t want to lose you baby. I almost did once and it killed me. I can’t do it again.”

She walked up to him and placed a hand on his cheek. “You won’t lose me. I promise. He won’t do anything to me, Spike.”

“How do you know?” he asked, and his voice cracked slightly.

“For all the reasons Chief Stuart just said. He doesn’t want to risk this. If he thinks he has me, really has me, he’ll not do a thing to jeopardize that. Besides,” she said with a soft smile, “I know if anything should happen, you’ll rescue me. You already have.”

He shook his head and brought her into his arms, holding onto her tightly and burying his face in her neck. “You rescued me. I need you; I love you.”

She stroked his back soothingly, “I love you too. I’ll be fine.”

“After this, you’re moving in with me, you understand? And we’re getting engaged. I don’t care if it’s too soon and all that rot. You get me?” he demanded urgently, making her look at him.

She nodded, “Yes, yes.”

“I mean it. You’re going to be my wife and you’re never going to leave me.”

She shook her head, “Never.”

“Say it, tell me.”

“I love you Spike. Only you and I will move in with you and we’ll get engaged as soon as this is over,” she recited, tears running down her cheeks.

Growling, he kissed her passionately, unaware and uncaring of the others in the room. She ended the kiss and he held her still.

“Let me go now, Spike,” she whispered. “Have faith in me, please. I need you to have faith in me.”

With a shuddering breath, he let her go.

Giving Angel a hug in which he made one last plea to stop her, she walked out with Chief Stuart.

“We’ll let you know when you can come out. We have to make sure he doesn’t see either of you,” Chief Stuart told them.

Quietly, they could hear him ask Buffy, “Are you sure he’s not abusive?” and then the sound of Buffy’s laughter rang through the halls.
 

Chapter 28: Trust Me II

Buffy watched them put the wire on her with acute interest. It was kind of fascinating. Not because of what they were doing, that was pretty mundane and well, technical, but because she was doing something the required a wire.

How my life has changed, she mused.

After her parent’s death, her and Angel had a pretty normal life. It was just the two of them and they got by just fine. Then she got amnesia and now this. Now she had a psychotic ex boyfriend locked up in jail and she was about to lie to him to get him to confess. No, more than just lie. Act. She was going to have to act her ass off because really, he repulsed her.

Buffy had never considered herself a courageous sort of person. And yet here she was, a cold wire taped to her and about to face off with her …what was he exactly? What would describe Lindsey? Her attacker? Her abusive ex-boyfriend? Her menace? Her nightmare?

All of the above.

“Ready, Miss Summers?” Chief Stuart asked once she was all done.

She nodded mutely.

“You’re not having second thoughts are you?”

She shook her head.

“You’re scared now,” he said matter- of- factly.

She wasn’t pleased to learn that yes, she was now afraid. Would she convince him? Would he see right through her? Her hands involuntarily traveled to her neck.

Chief Stuart cocked his head to the side and regarded her thoughtfully. “You remember him ever strangling you?”

She looked at him strangely, “No, why?”

“You’re holding onto your neck. Did you even realize you did that?”

She looked down to her hands wrapped in a protective manner around her neck. She shook her head, startled, “No, I -- I didn’t.”

Chief Stuart blew air out of his mouth, “Miss Summers, I’m very sorry for what he did to you, but I can guarantee that if you can get him to confess, you will never have to worry about him again.”

Buffy smiled, “Thank you.”

He smiled back. “You’re welcome.”

“My boyfriend doesn’t like you,” she blurted out.

Chief Stuart grinned a toothy grin, “Don’t you mean fiancé?”

She smiled, “Yeah, fiancé.”

He shrugged, “He doesn’t have to like me.”

“I like you though.”

“Is this confessional?”

Buffy laughed, “No, I guess I just . . . I feel better letting you know that I like you.”

“So that I’ll make doubly sure you won’t get hurt?”

She nodded, “I guess that’s right.”

“It’s okay. Even if you hated me, I’d still protect you.”

“Thank you.”

“He won’t hurt you Miss Summers. He has nothing on him and the first sign of distress, we’re there. I have my deputy right around the corner in an unmarked car to follow you as soon as you’ve passed him. Do you know what you’re going to say?”

She shook her head, “Not a clue.”

“Don’t you think you should figure that out? How about starting with asking him if it’s true about the embezzling?”

“I can do it; I have to do it my own way. If I follow a script, I’ll just get nervous that I’m not following it and mess up. I’ve got to . . . “

“Got to what?”

“Follow my gut.”

****************
Standing outside the door to the holding cell, she could see The Menace through the small dirty and blurred window separating them. He was sitting there in his rumpled suit staring at the floor with a blank expression on his face. Oh boy, this was going to be fun.

“You ready?” Chief Stuart asked behind her, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder.

She nodded, “Ready.”

“On the count of three.”

“One.”

“Two.”

“Three . . . Please get my boyfriend out of there!” She exclaimed in a high pitched tone, hoping he could hear her through the door.

“He’s looking up,” the chief muttered, “Keep going, you’re doing great.”

“Please, Mr. Stuart—“

“Chief Stuart, thank you very much.”

She rolled her eyes, “Whatever, just let me in and let me get him.”

Bursting through the door, Buffy rushed to Lindsey’s cell who was looking up at her in a mixture of disbelief and hope. He looked at her as if she were going to vanish and yet really hoping she was really there.

“Lindsey,” she said on a sigh and reached for him through the bars.

I am so going into acting, she thought. But when he reached for her through the bars tentatively and she had to fight back a wince she thought, maybe not.

His fingers delicately touched hers, probably the only delicate touch he’d ever bestowed on her in a long time, she thought. He looked at her questioningly.

“You didn’t think I’d leave you here, did you?” she asked him, forcing herself to smile gently, almost lovingly.

He stared at her in utter disbelief. “Buffy?” he said, his voice hoarse.

That’s what happens when you don’t talk asshole, she thought. She nodded at him, “Who else?”

“You’re really here?”

“You’re touching me, aren’t you?”

“You came for me?”

She nodded. Okay, Remorseful Buffy now. She bit her lip and looked down, “I was wrong. I thought – I listened to the ones that were trying to keep us apart. I was wrong,” she finished on a whisper. “Can you forgive me? If you can’t I understand. I’ll just go and—“

“No!” He reached out and took hold of her hand. “No. Please. Stay with me.”

“I’m with you,” she smiled. Puke, puke, she thought. “I paid your bail.”

His eyes widened, “You paid my—oh baby.” He did something then that Buffy hadn’t expected him to do. He started to cry. Sob, really. Bawl. Like a freaking baby. What the hell?

“Listen, as much as I love to see you two lovebirds reunite, I got shit to do. You want to take this someplace else?” Chief Stuart said, unlocking the cell.

Buffy hesitantly went to Lindsey and placed a hand on his shoulder. He spun to her, startling her and swept her up in his arms. “I’m sorry, I’m so sorry,” he sobbed.

She ran a hand down his back, trying hard not to be stiff. “For what, baby?” Oh god, I’ll never be able to call Spike that again, she thought.

He didn’t answer, just sobbed into her neck.

“Excuse me!” Chief Stuart barked.

“We have to go,” Buffy said firmly, pushing at him slightly. She cupped his face, making him look at her, “Let’s go home okay?”

He nodded, whimpering and grabbed her hand, squeezing tightly as he followed her out.

“You took Angel’s car?” he asked in disbelief as she led him outside.

She grinned, hoping it looked convincing and not forced, “I stole it. You mind?”

He shook his head, “No baby, I don’t mind.”

“Get in.”

She was thankful he didn’t ask to drive because truthfully, she needed something to do other than just sitting there. She needed to have something else to focus on than how sick he made her and how gross she felt having let him touch her. Not to mention the growing fear of having to be back at that house they once shared.

The car ride started out silent. She looked over a few times at him, and he seemed deep in contemplative thought.

“Lindsey, did you do it?” she asked finally.

“Buffy . . . “

“What?”

“What about him?” he nearly snarled out the question.

“Him?” she decided to play dumb. Maybe that way, he’d believe she was over Spike and that he actually meant nothing to her.

“Don’t patronize me!” he shouted, slamming his fist down on the dashboard.

Buffy nearly jumped out of her skin and her heart jumped into her throat. She couldn’t speak, couldn’t do anything except drive. She swallowed hard and could hear her breath coming out heavy.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered, “I didn’t mean to yell like that. It’s been a long day.”

She nodded, “That’s . . . okay. We can just go home and rest okay?”

“Is it over, Buffy?”

“Yes.”

“Why did you leave me?” he asked on a whisper.

“I was . . . scared.”

He looked at her, “Of me?”

Yes. “Of. . . us. Of me. Of our . . .love,” she nearly choked on the word.

“And now?”

“I want to make it up to you,” she said in a breathless rush, hoping he believed her.

He reached out and ran his fingers through her hair, smiling dopily at her, “You will,” he assured her. “You will.”

********
As soon as they entered the house in which Buffy shook all over from the mere sight of it, Lindsey seemed to snap into action. He took her hand and ran up the stairs, leaving her no choice but to follow. She felt bile rise to her throat. Oh God, he didn’t want to . . . please God . . . She simply could not do that.

Letting go of her hand in the bedroom he ran to the closet and started ripping clothes out of it. “Start packing, Buffy.”

She stood, frozen and relieved. “What?”

“Start packing.”

“Why? Where are we going?”

He stopped and turned to her. “London, Mexico, Caribbean, I don’t care at this point, but we’re not staying here.”

“You can’t go anywhere. You leave the country and –“

“If they can’t find me, they can’t do anything to me,” he said, grinning.

“You did it,” she said matter-of-factly. “You embezzled that money.”

He barked out a laugh, an insane laugh that sent chills up her spine and made her wonder where the sniveling man was that had been crying on her shoulder at the police station. Had that been all an act?

“Of course I did. I had to.” He waved his hands around, “How else was I able to pay for your house?”

“My house?”

“This is –was—all yours, my sweet Buffy. Don’t worry. I have funds in places undetected. I’ll get you another home. Just like this one.”

She shook her head, “I don’t want another one. I can barely stand this one,” she told him truthfully. She wanted to kick herself for saying that thought out loud. Was she trying to egg him on?

He glared at her. “You never said that before.”

“Maybe I was afraid to.”

“Oh knock it off, Buffy,” he snapped. “You learn to get all tough from Angel and your stupid little boy toy? Start packing.”

Straightening, she said simply, “No.”

“Yes,” he hissed.

“What are you gonna do if I don’t? Drug me?” she snapped.

“Stop being so damn insolent and pack!”

“Or will you push me down the stairs again?”

He froze, and turned white. “You—“

Go for the gold, Buffy. “Remember? Yeah, I remember.”

His eyes narrowed, “You’re lying.”

“Takes one to know one doesn’t it Lindsey?” she all but snarled at him.

“You never . . . you never just fucking stop!” He stalked over to her and before she knew what was happening, he drew his arm back and snapped her head to the side with the force of his backhand. “Pack,” he said through clenched teeth.

That made her angry. Angry at him for hitting her, angry at herself for having stayed with him for so long, angry for her memories being lost, angry at herself for not being able to remember, angry for living in fear of this disgusting man before her. So incredibly angry. Balling her hands into fists she took a deep breath and hauled off and punched him square in the nose.

He swayed to the side, letting out a yell and clutching his nose. Then with almost preternatural agility, he swayed back up and faced her. If his eyes could glow like a demon, they would be at that moment. “You ungrateful bitch!”

Raising his hand he made to hit her again and she instinctively reached up and caught it in her hand and then, when his eyes widened in surprise, she kneed him in the groin.

“You don’t touch me anymore!” she screamed at him and punched him in the jaw and then kicked him in the stomach. He doubled over and fell to his knees. Having the advantage she started to kick him again when he caught her ankle, causing her to fall. Her mind was screaming Not again! Never again!

He laughed that maniacal laugh and started to lunge, like a cat. “Oh little girl thinks she can one up now does she? Got a taste of freedom and think your shit don’t stink!”

Roaring a battle cry, she kicked up, catching him on the jaw and he went flying backwards on his back. Not again! Never again

Buffy was so caught up in the moment she didn’t hear the police cars swarming the house and them banging in to get to them. He lay on his back, glaring at her. With a growl, he started to get up and go after her. Not again! Never again!She spun into a round house kick and kicked him once more in the stomach and then placed an upper cut under his chin, rattling his teeth. He fell to the ground with a groan.

“Buffy!”

When she felt a hand on her shoulder she spun to attack whoever was behind her and then she saw Spike, right there, and behind him, the men in blue barreling in to detain Lindsey. Promptly, she burst into tears.

Hauling her into his arms, Spike held her tight, Angel rushing in a second later.

“It’s over, Buffy,” he said soothingly, “It’s over now. So proud of my girl. So, so proud of my girl.”

She didn’t even look up to see them taking the bloody mess that was Lindsey away, and she barely heard Chief Stuart come in and pat her on the back for a job well done. All Buffy could do was cry out her anger and her frustration and her relief.

It was finally over.
 

Epilogue:

Lindsey didn’t make it long in jail as it turned out. They’d gotten him not only for embezzling, but for attempted murder for what he had done to Buffy. He claimed temporary insanity as he ‘never wanted to hurt her’, but that notion had been thrown out of court due to his possession of a date rape drug he’d used on Buffy for years – a drug he’d blackmailed a doctor to get. His whole intention on using the drug had been to make Buffy compliant to his whims and to ‘punish her’ when she ‘talked back’ to him.

Hearing the truth had been jarring and disturbing. Buffy still hadn’t gotten her memories back, but she really didn’t want them back at that point either. She didn’t want to have to remember all she’d gone through with Lindsey. She wished that she could remember her time with Spike, but it didn’t matter in the grand scheme of things. They were together now and that was all that mattered.

So, as it turned out, Lindsey had gotten into a fight in jail and had been murdered. He’d only been in the state penitentiary for about four months before it happened.

Buffy felt in some way that she’d gotten gypped out what Lindsey deserved, but she’d made her peace with it, with Spike and her brother’s help, and moved on. It was time to put it to rest along with her amnesia. It was time for new memories to be made.

After the night she’d beat Lindsey up and essentially brought him to justice, Spike had reneged on his demands that she move in and they get engaged. He wanted her to be sure and didn’t want her to feel forced into something like that. She imagined he felt that perhaps demanding her as he had was akin to what Lindsey had done to her and was abhorred at the idea of being anything like the man.

However, Buffy assured him she wanted to do it. She was ready – and not because she was feeling emotional after all that had happened, or because she felt she needed him to take care of her, she could take care of herself just fine she’d realized, but she did not want to waste anymore time with Spike.

It was full speed ahead. That didn’t mean though that she was about to let Spike cart her off to Vegas as he wanted, and marry her. No, she wanted to do it up right and give herself the romantic conclusion that she deserved. She imagined that her old self hadn’t been too keen on getting married to such a man as Lindsey and that the prospect of a wedding hadn’t exactly been a happy subject, however, this Buffy wanted a big wedding. She wanted her friends, and what little family she had, the see her walking down the aisle and joining her life happily to the man that was her future. Though, as much as she wanted the fairy tale wedding, she also did want it done quickly, and her wedding was planned in a short six months.

It had been a glorious day and Angel not only gave her away, but served as Spike’s best man – and managed to be set up with a woman, Cordelia Chase, that Spike taught with at Boston University.

“It’s about time I found a woman of my own,” Angel told her, “Your love life is no longer a worry anymore.”

It was funny because it was true.

Currently the pair was living together and Cordelia was dropping big hints in the form of ring advertisements placed daily on the kitchen table, as to where she saw her future going with Angel. Angel, for his part, enjoyed driving her crazy by pretending not to take the hint though he had a ring already picked out and was waiting for ‘the right time’ to propose.

And now, Buffy was pondering the past few years of her life, and all the memories she’d made, as she was arranging photo’s in the photo album she’d bought on her way home from work.

She’d been leaving work early these days due to her state of pregnancy. Two more months and the little bun in the oven – who would be name Joyce after her and Angel’s mother – would arrive.

“Honey, I’m home!” Spike called throughout their home and she smiled.

“I’m in the dining room,” she called back to him.

He graced the top of her head with a kiss, “What are you doing?” he asked and loosened his tie, whipped it off and then shed his jacket.

She smiled, “I’m putting all these photo’s away so they don’t get lost in the mound of pictures we’ll be taking of Joyce.”

Grinning, Spike sat down next to her and reached out, placing his hand over her belly. “How’s my little girl in there?”

“Enjoying making her mommy have to use the bathroom every five minutes.”

Spike laughed, “So I guess that answers my question on how my big girl is doing.”

She smiled and looked up at him, “And how’s my big boy?”

He grinned mischievously,. “Currently wanting some attention…he knows he might not get a lot when the baby arrives and he wants to save up some while he can. . . “

“My, my, Mr. Knightly, are we feeling randy this afternoon?”

Leering at her, he waggled his brows, “Quite, Mrs. Knightly.”

She frowned then, “I don’t know how you can want to make love to me like this. I feel like I’m all over the place.”

“Buffy, you have to know that you are so sexy like this. Swollen with my child – do you know how hot it gets me?”

She pouted, “No, why don’t you tell me some more?”

Standing up, taking her hand and gently tugging her to her feet, he kissed her sweetly, “How about I show you instead?” he asked huskily.

She started for the bedroom, and he halted her. She looked up at him in question.

“Buffy, my luv,” he told her, nudging her to sit on the table. “You and I have made love all over this penthouse. When the baby comes, we won’t be able to be as adventurous in our lovemaking. So, I say we take full advantage of the freedom now.”

She smiled, “I like the way you think.”

“When you actually listen to me,” he muttered, and grinned when she playfully swatted him.

“Now, you listen – oooh….keep doing that.”