Chapter 10

“What’s the best thing in the world?/June-rose by May-dew impearled;/Sweet south-wind, that means no rain;/Truth, not cruel to a friend;/Pleasure, not in haste to end;/Beauty, not self-decked and curled/Till its pride is over-plain;/Light, that never makes you wink;/ Memory, that gives no pain;/Love, when, so, you’re loved again./What’s the best thing in the world?/—Something out of it, I think.” ~Elizabeth Barrett Browning, “What’s the Best Thing in the World?”

Life being what it was, Buffy was at Faith’s skanky motel room at sundown, instead of at her house, waiting for Spike. She wasn’t real happy about that either, since it was the second time in as many days that she’d had to give Scott Hope the brush off.

She thought she’d managed to salvage this meeting, though. A lie about a family emergency and a promise to talk to him the next day would hopefully tide him over. Buffy really did mean to go out with him. Scott was nice, normal, charming—and most importantly, he had a heartbeat.

Of course, deep down Buffy knew that trying to date a normal guy was futile. She would always have some apocalypse to fight, and you could only make excuses for so long before a boy would get tired of being ditched.

Buffy wanted to try, though. She wanted to get back on the horse, so to speak.

Tonight there was Faith to deal with. Faith, who was even now preparing to run again. “You’re just going to dump this on me?” Buffy demanded.

“You don’t know me,” Faith shot back. “You don’t know what I’ve been through, so don’t try telling me how to handle my problems.”

“Because running is such a good plan.”

“Yeah, well, there isn’t a better one, trust me.”

Buffy shook her head. “Look, why don’t you come with me? We’ll get Spike and figure out how to take this Kakistos guy.”

“You can’t take him, B.” Faith shoved the last of her clothing into her bag. “Why don’t you let me take care of this?”

“Like you took care of your Watcher?”

The question stopped Faith cold, and Buffy knew it had been a low blow. She had to guess that the dark-haired Slayer had had some affection for her Watcher since she was so freaked out. Still, running wasn’t the answer. Buffy knew that much. Slayers didn’t run from the monsters; they killed them.

Even when the monster happened to be your boyfriend.

“Shut up,” Faith said. “You weren’t there.”

“No, I’m here.”

There was a pause, and Buffy thought she might have gotten through, but they were interrupted by a knock on the door. “What now?” Faith muttered as she opened the door.

Buffy could hear the low growl, and she saw the misshapen hand shoot through the doorway to latch onto Faith’s throat. She only had a moment to act, and she managed to shoulder her way in between Kakistos and the other Slayer, slamming the door on the ancient vampire’s hand.

Putting the chain on, Buffy grabbed Faith’s hand. “I just bought us some—” She stopped as the hand ripped through the wood as though it was paper. “—time!”

Faith started screaming, and Buffy kept a tight grip on her. “We don’t have time to scream!”

Pulling Faith along behind her, Buffy just hoped that Spike would get her message from her mom, and that he wouldn’t be too pissed off when she found out they’d slayed Kakistos without him.

~~~~~

“What do you mean she’s not here?” Spike demanded.

Joyce often forgot that he was a vampire these days. He was always so nice to her that she lost sight of the fact that he was supposed to be scary. She took a step back. “William—”

“Sorry, luv,” Spike said quickly, “but I asked Buffy to wait for me. It was important. Did she say where she was going?”

“Buffy called and said to tell you she had to find Faith, that it was important, and that it had to do with someone named Kakistos. Do you know who she’s talking about?” Joyce watched him carefully, hoping that his temper wouldn’t cause him to go off again.

Spike frowned. The name rang a bell, as it had the night before, but the connection escaped him. It wasn’t anyone he had met before, of that much he was certain. “Is everything alright?”

The uneasiness in Joyce’s tone brought Spike out of his thoughts like a dash of cold water to the face. “Sure,” he replied. “It’ll be fine. I just have to find them.”

Spike didn’t wait for her response, hurrying off with a frown of concentration. He didn’t know where the other Slayer was staying, and he wasn’t sure where to start looking. Of course, if Buffy had needed to go out looking for the girl, that indicated that she wasn’t staying with the Watcher or any of the Slayer’s friends.

It took too much time to locate a payphone and call the motels in the area, longer still to settle on the cheap, run-down place off the highway. That was simply guess-work, since no one answered the phone in the office. Spike figured there might be trouble.

By the time he reached the motel—and saw the room with the gaping hole in the door—both the Slayers and whatever was after them were long gone.

Spike cursed, knowing that there was no way to catch up with the girls in time. He could spend all night hunting them down, or he could find Giles and hope for the best. “How the bloody hell does she expect me to keep her alive when she keeps running off?” he snarled, stomping off towards Giles’ flat. “Stupid bint won’t make it through the sodding year if she keeps acting the idiot.”

He hadn’t run out of things to say when he found himself in front of Giles’ door. “Spike,” Giles greeted him. “Where’s Buffy and Faith?”

“How the bloody hell should I know?” Spike demanded, still angry, although he couldn’t have precisely said why. “Told your Slayer to wait for me at her house, and when I get there she was already gone. Tracked them both to that shitty hotel, and they were gone.”

“Gone where?” Giles asked sharply.

“Am I supposed to be psychic now?” Spike snarled. “Dunno. There was a big hole in the door, so I’m assuming that whatever is after them found out where they were. Not much I can do about it when I have no idea where they went.”

Giles would have liked to argue—would, in fact, have liked to insist that Spike go out and find them, but he knew the gesture would be futile. “Well, I’m sure they’ll show up here eventually.”

“What was it?” Spike asked. “Joyce said something about Kakistos, but I don’t think I’ve heard of him.”

“Kakistos is Greek for—”

“Worst of the worst,” Spike said, cutting him off impatiently. “I know that much. Plenty of vampires give themselves silly names to indicate how important they are.”

Giles shook his head. “This name was given to him. Kakistos is a vampire so ancient his hands have become cloven. Apparently, he killed Faith’s Watcher, and now he’s followed her here.”

“And he’s on their tails.” Spike swore again, and his language nearly caused Giles to blush.

“I’m sure two Slayers will be able to handle him,” Giles said with a confidence he did not feel. “Buffy is quite good.”

Spike didn’t respond. “This Faith didn’t tell you what was chasing her or what happened to her Watcher, did she?”

“No, she led us to believe her Watcher was on a retreat. The Council had no idea as to Faith’s whereabouts between the time Miss Felton’s death and her arrival in Sunnydale.” Giles gave Spike a look. “What are you thinking?”

“I’m thinking I have to wonder about a bird who wouldn’t give at least a head’s up when she’s got something this big and bad chasing her down,” Spike replied.

Giles shook his head. “Faith was most likely traumatized by her Watcher’s death. Perhaps—”

“Perhaps you’ve got a loose cannon worth keeping a careful eye on.”

~~~~~

Buffy hadn’t known that she liked Buster Keaton so much. Scott was everything a guy should be: sweet, attentive, charming. She was just glad she’d managed to cover her shock when he’d presented her with the claddagh ring. Buffy was fairly certain that she’d managed to convince him that it hadn’t been about him. “A good friend gave me a ring like that,” she’d said. “He was killed this last spring.”

Of course, she couldn’t tell Scott that her “friend” had turned into a psychotic killer who had killed several people in their class. He’d never believe her anyway.

Scott left her at her front door with a chaste peck on the lips, and Buffy stood inside the door just long enough to be sure he was gone. She needed to see Spike, and she still needed to patrol. There was no getting out of that, even with Faith in town.

Besides, Buffy wasn’t so certain that the other Slayer was as over her issues with Kakistos as she said. You didn’t just move on from something like that, no matter how much you might want to.

When Buffy showed up on his doorstep, Spike’s greeting was less than enthusiastic. “What do you want, Slayer?”

“I came to see if you wanted to patrol with me tonight,” Buffy replied, wondering if he was going to allow her to come inside his house.

He stared at her for a moment before grudgingly moving out of the way. “I thought you had some hot date tonight.”

“I did have a date.” Buffy shrugged. “We went, we saw, he walked me home. Now it’s time to patrol. You did say you wanted to go with me until we figured out what new big bad was in town.”

“You killed the new big bad,” he growled in reply. “And you’re going to listen to me now? What happened to that idea the other night when you were running off to face Kakistos?”

“For the record,” Buffy snapped, annoyed at his tone, “I didn’t go running off to face Kakistos. I went to find Faith, and then he found us.”

“You stood me up.”

“Things got crazy!” Buffy stared at him. “You of all people should know how that works. We got new information, and your little sunlight allergy doesn’t make you daytime friendly.”

“You could have called me,” Spike snarled. “How the bloody hell am I supposed to keep you alive if you go running off everytime something comes up?”

“That’s right, because this is a job,” Buffy said, oddly hurt. “You got paid to protect me, and I’m cramping your style.”

Spike actually growled at her. “It’s not just that. It’s—” Stopping, he turned away from her. “I’ll grab my jacket.”

Buffy grabbed his arm to prevent him from walking away. “No, Spike, what is this?”

“It’s not just about the job, okay?” He wouldn’t look at her. “It’s—I like your mum, and your Watcher is a decent bloke, and your friends are okay, too. Does that answer your question?”

Her hand dropped. “You care.”

“Don’t be making more of it than it is. It’s just about more than the money. That’s all.”

She could tell that even saying that much had cost Spike something. “Okay.” Buffy took a deep breath and added, “I don’t particularly want to see anything happen to you either.”

“I’ll grab my jacket,” Spike repeated, not bothering to respond to her statement.

They completed the first part of their patrol in silence until Spike asked, “What about the other Slayer?”

“She’s sticking around,” Buffy replied. “Giles is going to be her Watcher until they send in a replacement.”

“She staying with you?” Spike asked.

Buffy’s face showed how unlikely that scenario was. “No. I think she’s going to stay at that hotel.”

“Right.” Spike frowned. He’d been in plenty of hellholes, and it was one of the reasons he’d chosen to actually buy a place. While he had no plans to stick around forever, it would be easy enough to either sell the townhome or just shut it up once he did leave. Spike had often thought it would be nice to have a little bolt hole. Sunnydale would do for that as well as anywhere else.

“What’s wrong with that?”

“Not a very nice place, that’s all,” Spike replied.

Buffy raised an eyebrow. “I didn’t think you’d care. You and Faith didn’t exactly hit it off.”

Spike shook his head. “I’ve lived in places like that, luv, that’s all. I know what it’s like.”

Buffy was silent for a moment. “She hasn’t asked for help.”

“That one wouldn’t.” Spike smiled a bit and shook his head. “She thought she could handle that Kakistos, didn’t she?”

Buffy shrugged. “Yeah, I guess.”

There was another long pause. “You okay with her staying?”

“I guess.” She sighed. “Faith’s had it really rough, Spike. I mean, I lost a Watcher, so I know what it’s like. Maybe this will be good for both of us.”

“Maybe,” Spike said, his tone very neutral.

“Are you going to look out for her?”

“Your Watcher asked me to.”

“So are you going to?”

“Figure I will.”

“Then why are you with me?”

“Because you’re still my first priority.”

Spike’s very even tone had Buffy looking over at him, a smile appearing on her face. “You’re a good guy to have around, Spike.”

He didn’t reply to that, but Spike felt a flush of pleasure all the same. It was the first time in over a century that he felt like he had an actual partner.
 

Chapter 11

"I have been one acquainted with the night./I have walked out in rain—and back in rain./I have outwalked the furthest city light...I have stood still and stopped the sound of feet/When far away an interrupted cry/Came over houses from another street,/But not to call me back or say good-by..." ~Robert Frost, "Acquainted With the Night"

Spike woke to find a message waiting for him on his cell phone. Buffy had asked him to meet them at the school library as soon as he possibly could.

He frowned slightly. Spike had patroled with the two Slayers the previous night, but they had been talking about Buffy's new boy-toy. When Faith had said all men were out for one thing, Spike had decided to call it a night.

Maybe he wasn't human, but he was still a guy. He didn't need to stick around for the male-bashing portion of the evening. He didn't particularly care to hear about the wonders of Scott Hope, either.

What kind of a nancy-boy name was that, anyway?

It seemed as though Buffy and Faith had reached some sort of understanding, and the new Slayer appeared to accept the fact that Spike was not to be staked.

Spike had left to pursue his own interests, which had included a couple of beers at the Bronze and hustling a few brain-dead gits at pool. He'd made fifty bucks and killed a couple of vampires. It had been a fairly typical evening.

He might have tried to find Willow or Oz, but he'd remembered that the werewolf was locked up for the evening and the witch had a test the next day. So, after a few hours, he'd called it a night and had gone home.

The message from Buffy was just terse enough to have him taking the sewers to the school, although Spike was careful not to be seen as he navigated the tunnels. There had been a lot of underground activity lately, and he would rather not get caught by anyone.

Keeping a low profile didn't come naturally, and it had been a difficult lesson to learn over the years, but it had stuck.

"What's up?" he asked as he entered the library. The faces that greeted him were grim, and even Oz—who was typically nearly expressionless—didn't look too happy.

Buffy sighed. "It looks like we have a small problem."

"Oz killed a kid." Xander blurted out.

Willow gave him a dirty look. "We don't know that, Xander."

"Slow down." Spike took a seat at the table. "What exactly happened?"

"A student was found mauled to death," Giles explained. "We don't know for certain that it was Oz, but since the window was open, there's no way to be sure it wasn't."

Spike frowned. "I thought somebody usually stayed with you," he said, looking over at the boy.

Oz gave him a grateful look. Even though he understood why they were doing it, he didn't care for the way they were all talking around him. "They do."

"Xander fell asleep," Willow said, still not looking too pleased with her friend.

Xander shrugged, looking extremely guilty. "It was just for a little while."

Spike sighed. "So, what's the plan? You want me to stay here?"

"Could you?" Buffy asked gratefully. "I thought Faith and I could patrol to make sure that there wasn't anything else out there. It could easily be another demon of some kind."

"Besides," Willow added. "You're a vampire, so you won't fall asleep."

Spike shrugged. "Being nocturnal goes with the territory. I don't have a problem sticking around."

"Thanks." It was one word, but Spike could hear the tension in Oz's voice.

"Whatever." Spike shifted uncomfortably. "I still owe you for helping me find a place."

Willow broke the uncomfortable silence that fell. "Okay, well, Xander and I are going to go examine the body, see if we can't find anything there."

"And I've got to meet Faith," Buffy announced. "I'll catch up with the rest of you tomorrow."

A few minutes later, they were all gone. Giles left him directions on where he could find tea if he wanted it, and then left for home. Willow had tried to say goodbye to Oz, but he wasn't in the mood. Spike couldn't blame him. The idea that you'd killed an innocent—it wasn't an easy burden to bear.

Spike would know.

Darkness fell, and Spike was left in the library with a werewolf in a cage. He decided to find a book to read to keep him occupied for the night, since it looked like he was going to be stuck there. Someone had left The Call of the Wild on the central table, and Spike quickly found himself lost in the story.

After a few hours, the growls from Oz tapered off, and all Spike could hear were the sounds of the werewolf whining in his dreams and the dripping of a leaky faucet somewhere in the building.

It wasn't the first time Spike had been asked to guard something—or someone. He generally relished this sort of job as a nice change of pace, even though he enjoyed the thrill of the hunt.

"Spike?" The quiet voice called his attention away from the novel, and he looked up to see Willow watching him. "How are things going?"

He frowned, realizing that he had about an hour before the sun came up. "What are you doing here, Red? There's still a few hours yet before class, yeah?"

"I wanted to be sure you got back home before the sun came up." She came over to sit next to him on the table. "Thanks for staying."

"It wasn't a problem, pet," Spike said gently. "There wasn't any trouble."

She smiled. "He's really upset about this whole thing, you know?"

"Don't blame him," Spike replied. "It's not easy to be out of control, and yet to know you're responsible for any damage you do."

"But he's not responsible!" Willow protested. "Oz can't help what he does while he's the wolf."

Spike shook his head. "You can't draw that line, Red. My guess is that your boy knows that the wolf is with him all the time. It's not something he can get rid of, even if it's only in control three days out of the month."

Willow shook her head, finding it difficult to accept that reasoning. "But—"

"Not saying that he's guilty of killing anybody, just that you can't always draw that line inside your own skull." Spike was quiet for a long moment, unsure if he should share more. "After I got my soul, Angelus would taunt me. He'd try to get me to go back to what I had been. The very idea of killing someone made my stomach turn, and that's not an easy thing for a vampire."

Willow was silent, staring at him in rapt fascination. She seemed to sense what a momentous occasion this was for Spike to be telling this story. "So he starved me. Wouldn't let me feed for weeks until I was so bloody hungry I went a bit mad."

Spike stopped. He didn't want to go on, to remember the expression on the girl's frightened face when he ripped her throat out. It hadn't been the first time that Angelus had done it to him, and Spike had grown better at controlling the hunger for longer periods of time, but a vampire needed blood.

There was always a breaking point, and Angelus had always made certain that they were bleeding when he thrust their bodies into Spike's face.

"That's not your fault either," Willow protested. "You—it was Angel's fault." She fell silent for a moment. "Oh."

"Exactly."

Willow was quiet for a long time. "Will he be okay?"

"From what I've seen of him? Yeah." Spike gave her a smile. Willow had never seen that expression on his face before—it was almost gentle. "He's got you, Red." Spike stood to leave, wanting to get back to his place before the sun came up.

"Spike?"

"Yeah, pet?"

Willow was silent, unable to find the right words to use in a situation like this. She was learning that sometimes there were no words. So she reached out, grabbing his hand and giving it a squeeze.

Spike stared at her for a second before squeezing back.

She couldn't help but think that maybe she'd found the right words after all.

~~~~~

Buffy liked Scott Hope. He was nice. He was sweet. He had a great sense of humor. If she were the kind of girl to make a pros and cons list, his pros would definitely outweigh his cons by a ton. She was totally ready for an undemanding relationship.

That didn't really explain why she couldn't quite feel comfortable with him. There was a slight disconnect there that she was trying really hard to ignore.

Slaying, thankfully, was good for things like that. When in doubt, distract yourself with demon-killing.

It was different when the "demon" in question turned out to be a fellow student and one of your boyfriend's best friends.

When the school counselor's body was found mutilated in the middle of the day, they were all relieved that Oz wasn't the culprit. Of course, that left them with the dilemma of finding out who was responsible.

Finding Debbie in the girls' locker room, trying to cover a black eye with makeup, was definitely a major clue. "It's tricky, covering a fresh shiner like that. You know what works?"

Debbie didn't turn away from the mirror. She just continued to dab on foundation. "What?"

"Don't get hit." There was a small part of Buffy that wanted to sympathize. She knew what it was like to love a guy who treated you like shit. It had taken her a long time before she could get to the point where she could kill Angel.

Of course, that didn't mean that she'd stopped loving him, and Buffy could honestly say that it was a part of herself that she hated. She hated that she'd loved Angel—even after he'd been responsible for Jenny Calendar's death.

Maybe that was why she had very little actual sympathy for Debbie. Buffy had managed to kill the man she loved; Debbie couldn't even tell the truth. The Slayer couldn't afford sympathy when people were dying.

"What's going on, Debbie?" Buffy asked, coming up to stand next to the girl, their eyes meeting in the mirror. "I'll bet the farm you know."

"I don't know what you're talking about," she insisted, turning to leave.

Buffy wasn't about to let that happen. "You know, normally I'd understand needing to keep a secret. In this case, however, people are dying, and I'm betting you know why. So why?"

On the last word, Buffy gave her a little shake and a push, forcing Debbie to sit on one of the benches. Debbie shook her head. "No, it—it's my fault. I make him angry. Pete just does it because he loves me too much."

Willow stared at her. "But Jeff and Mr. Platt were killed by wild animals." There was a pause. "Weren't they?"

Buffy's smile was cold. "Pete's not like other guys, is he, Debbie?"

Debbie tried to stand. "I don't know what you're talking about. I have to go."

The Slayer pushed her back down again. "No, you have to tell us what's going on. We can't help you until you do."

"I didn't ask for your help!" Debbie protested.

Willow looked incredulous. "Well, when were you going to? Because if you wait till Pete kills you, it's pretty much too late."

Debbie just shook her head, her eyes darting around the room, looking for an escape route.

Buffy definitely preferred dealing with demons. At least she got to beat the information out of them.

~~~~~

There were no messages waiting for Spike when he woke the next afternoon, which left him absurdly disappointed. He was planning on meeting the Slayers later for patrol, but he'd hoped that someone would have called him with news of Oz.

Spike dressed and ate, heading out as soon as the sun went down. In the Mustang, the trip to the school only took a few minutes, and he headed inside immediately. Something wasn't sitting right with him.

It was just a hunch, but Spike paid attention to his hunches. His gut rarely led him wrong.

Although there had been a few occasions when his instincts had failed him, and his screw-ups had been spectacular.

Spike was glad he'd come when he saw the chaos in the hallway. Willow was sprawled on the floor, a snarling Oz heading straight for her. Faith had the dart gun, and she managed to shoot the werewolf just as he reached the fallen girl.

"Where's Buffy?" he demanded, knowing that if there was more damage being done, Buffy would be right in the middle of things.

Faith shook her head. "I don't know. She went after Pete."

Spike didn't know who Pete was, and he didn't care. His job was to make sure Buffy didn't die, and that just required finding her.

He caught the scent of blood as he headed back towards the library, and Spike detoured to follow the trail, figuring that there were good odds he'd find the Slayer.

What he found was the body of a dead girl, and the Slayer facing off with a kid about her own age. There was something wrong with the kid, although Spike wasn't exactly sure what it was.

"You're all the same!" The shout was echoed with a backhanded punch that knocked Buffy into a stack of crates.

Spike didn't wait; he waded into the fight, jerking the kid back by the collar and tossing him across the room. "Back off," he warned.

The kid flew at him, swinging wildly, and Spike grappled with him, trying to gain some control. He was prepared to kill, but only if he had to.

Of course, you don't always get what you want.

"He's not human anymore, Spike!"

The sound of Buffy's voice seemed to do something to Pete, who tried to get around Spike to rush her. Spike grabbed his head as he twisted around, letting Pete's own momentum carry him forward.

There was a sharp crack as his neck twisted and broke, and Spike let the body drop to the ground in distaste. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," she replied, pushing herself up. Spike's hand was under her elbow in the next moment, assisting her, making sure she was steady before letting her go. Buffy glanced at Pete's body, then at Debbie's. "He's the one," she murmured. "He killed three people because he loved her." She stared at the twisted body of the girl. "And she loved him so much she let him."

Spike shook his head. Somehow he knew that she wasn't just talking about Debbie and Pete. "I don't think that's the way it works. I don't think you can call that love."

Their eyes met, and Spike stepped aside to let her precede him out the door. They both knew the pain that comes from loving dangerously.

~~~~~

Spike couldn't settle after that. He'd left Buffy with a sympathetic Willow—Oz would sleep for the rest of the night, so there was no need to leave someone in the library. The Slayer would be fine. He'd done his job—she was alive and basically unharmed.

He never had been quite able to wrap his mind around the evil that people inflicted upon each other. Spike understood the lure of lawlessness, of course. He recognized the seductiveness of the dark, the corrosiveness of power—especially when you felt weak yourself.

Such wastefulness, though, death piled upon death—such a twisted kind of love—it didn't quite make sense.

Or perhaps it did, and that's what made him so uncomfortable. Maybe it made too much sense, reminding him too much of Drusilla.

She, too, had a funny way of showing her love.

Needing a good hunt to distract him, and wanting to forget how it had felt to twist that boy's neck, Spike set off to find some trouble. There was very little stirring in Sunnydale, and he was disappointed in the lack of action.

About an hour before dawn, Spike found a couple of fledglings to stake—pathetic creatures who were barely worth the effort.

"I was going to get those," Faith said as he dusted the second.

Spike shrugged. "Have to be faster then."

They stared at one another for a long moment, the silence tense. Suddenly Faith grinned at him. "I hear you had some good moves tonight."

Spike relaxed slightly. He hadn't been sure how Faith would react to him without Buffy around to play mediator. Although it'd be a rush to fight the girl, he didn't trust her not to stake him, not like he'd trusted Buffy. "Wasn't too hard. He was strong, but not much more."

"Still, pretty crazy, huh?" Faith asked conversationally. "I mean, you don't expect the demon to be a kid, right?"

"No, I don't suppose you do," Spike replied, falling into step next to her. "How are things, Slayer?"

Faith gave a casual toss of her head, and the vampire could feel the sensuality coming off her in waves. "Five by five, blondie."

They were standing in front of his car. "You want a ride?"

Faith smirked. "Wouldn't mind."

"Not that kind of ride." Spike's lips twitched, amused.

She gave an appreciative chuckle. "Some other time then."

"We'll see," Spike said, getting in, watching as Faith slid into the passenger side.

Faith ran a hand over the dash. "Car like this'll get a girl hot."

Her eyes offered a challenge Spike was tempted to take. It had been a long time since he'd had a good shag, but there were certain rules that he'd set for himself. He didn't mix business with pleasure on long-term jobs.

And Spike didn't do children. Whatever Faith might think, she was barely more than a kid.

"Then I suppose you'll be taking a cold shower." He softened the words with a wink, and she laughed, recognizing that he wasn't going to take her up on her invitation, at least not tonight.

Faith didn't mind all that much. She loved a good challenge.

Chapter 12

"Time will say nothing but I told you so,/Time only knows the price we have to pay;/If I could tell you I would let you know./

If we should weep when clowns put on their show,/If we should stumble when musicians play,/Time will say nothing but I told you so./

There are no fortunes to be told, although,/Because I love you more than I can say,/If I could tell you I would let you know..." ~W. H. Auden, "If I Could Tell You"

Buffy wasn't all that surprised when Scott came up to her in the hallway at school, telling her that he couldn't be in a relationship with her. She kind of knew that it was coming. It was just another example of how dating and slaying seemed to be mutually exclusive activities.

"You seem distracted a lot," Scott told her. "Before we were going out, you seemed like a force of nature, but now..."

He trailed off, and Buffy sighed. She wished she could tell him that the whole force-of-nature thing was because she was one, and that it pretty much prevented her from giving her full attention to a guy. Especially if he was a guy who couldn't go kill demons with her.

It had been silly to think that it would work. Scott was nice, but Buffy had more in common with Spike than she did with him.

Other than the fact that getting dumped just sucked in general, Scott had been insensitive enough to do it just before Homecoming.

Of course, Buffy was willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. Two of his best friends had just died, and she probably hadn't played the supportive girlfriend the way she ought to have. There had been a rash of vampires in town recently, and patrol had been hopping.

"I'm sorry," Buffy said finally. "I wish it had worked out."

Scott nodded, not meeting her eyes, and hurried off. Buffy sighed, leaning wearily against the lockers.

Her life sucked.

~~~~~

Joyce didn't much like fighting. She'd gotten her fill of that with Hank before their divorce. Although things had become more amicable since that time, it still didn't sit well, especially when her daughter got caught in the middle.

That was why it was both a relief and a letdown when Giles immediately agreed with her. "Of course Buffy needs to spend time preparing for her SAT's," he said. "In fact, I was planning on helping her."

Joyce took the cup of tea he offered her. "Thank you. I had thought—"

"Slaying is important, but so is Buffy's future," Giles said, interpreting her unfinished sentence correctly. "With Faith in Sunnydale, it might be possible for Buffy to go elsewhere for university."

Joyce relaxed further. She had hoped to speak with Giles about Buffy's chances at living a relatively normal life, and he had brought it up without any prodding from her. "I had hoped you would say that," she admitted. "We'll have to see how she does on her tests, of course."

Her dubious tone caused Giles' lips to twitch. "She might surprise you. Buffy often manages to pull a miracle out of her hat."

She gave him a warm smile in return. "Oh, I know. I have faith in her. I'm sure if she didn't have the slaying she would be doing much better in school."

Giles winced reflexively. That wasn't the first time Joyce had made a similar comment. "Yes, well—"

"Oh, I didn't mean it like that!" Joyce hastened to assure him. "School has never been Buffy's highest priority, and saving the world is a very good thing. It's just that sometimes I wish things could have been different."

"That is entirely understandable," Giles replied gently. He couldn't help but think that Joyce was much more resigned to matters now than she had been. This wasn't the first such conversation that they'd had.

Joyce laughed a little. "Oh, ignore me. It's been a difficult week, and I'm feeling sorry for myself."

"Is there anything I can do?" Giles asked.

"No, it was mostly the gallery." She paused. "Plus, this is never an easy time of the year. Hank and I got divorced about this time."

Giles leaned in a little. "Would you like to talk about it, perhaps? Sometimes it helps to have another adult to talk to."

Joyce couldn't help it; her heart leapt a little at that. She hadn't wanted to appear needy, but she so needed someone to talk to. Spike hadn't stopped in yet this week, and so there had been no one to share her burdens with. "I wouldn't want to keep you."

"I didn't have any other plans for the evening." Something in Joyce's eyes gave Giles the courage to say, "Besides, why wouldn't I want to spend time with a beautiful woman?"

~~~~~

"Being that distracted will get you killed, Summers."

Spike's voice came out of nowhere, causing Buffy to jump in surprise and proving his point. She whirled to face him. He stood there, hands in his pockets, his expression somewhere between amused and concerned. "You were sneaking," she accused.

"Vampire," he replied. "What else did you expect? If I'd wanted to kill you, I could have done it about three times by now."

Buffy sighed. "Okay, you're right. Patrol's been dead tonight."

Spike raised an eyebrow. "You okay?"

"I'm good," she said quickly. "Tired, maybe. I should probably just go home."

"Buffy." The single word stopped her, and she met his worried eyes. "You want to tell me what's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong."

"Which is why you didn't even hear me kill two fledges while following you."

She might have accused him of making that up, but Buffy could read the truth in his face. Spike had been watching her back all night, so she supposed she at least owed him an explanation. "Scott dumped me."

Spike hadn't quite been expecting something like that. His relationships tended to run along the lines of one-night stands, and he had little experience comforting others.

He was getting plenty of practice being around Buffy, however.

"Well, I guess that just proves he's a complete idiot, then," Spike said, trying to keep things light. The reluctant smile that crossed Buffy's face indicated that he'd taken the right tack. "So what excuse did he give?"

"That I was distracted, not completely there with him," Buffy replied. "I guess he's got a point. There's been a lot of vampire activity lately, so I've had to pull a lot of patrols, and I've been tired."

Spike hesitated, then offered, "Maybe you're better rid of him, then."

"Maybe," Buffy allowed. "It still sucks, though. We were supposed to go to Homecoming together, and now I'm dateless."

"So get another date," Spike replied. "There have to be dozens of guys who'd love to go with you."

Buffy laughed. "Right. They want to go out with 'that weird chick.' Pretty much, no. Faith suggested we go stag together, but I don't know."

"Why don't I crash this dance of yours?" Spike suggested.

Buffy stared at him in surprise. "What?"

"Major problem with going with another girl is that everyone knows you don't have a date, right?"

Sometimes Spike's understanding of very human matters surprised Buffy. She was fairly certain that Angel wouldn't have gotten that, even though she probably would have been able to rope him into going with her. "Pretty much," she agreed cautiously, wondering what Spike was thinking.

"So I show up, dance with you for a bit, and disappear again," he suggested. "Everybody wonders who the mysterious stranger is, and you can just look superior." Spike grinned at her. "Solves your problem."

Buffy started laughing. "You're insane. You know that, right?"

"What?" he asked, still grinning. "It's a decent plan."

"And it's completely unnecessary," Buffy replied, still smiling and shaking her head. Her face softened and then grew serious. "Thank you, though, for offering. That was nice."

Spike mock-scowled. "I've told you, Slayer. I'm not a nice man."

"Sure you aren't," she agreed, a touch of sarcasm in her voice.

He stood. "I'll walk you home. Probably a good idea for you to catch up on your beauty sleep."

Buffy glared at him. "Was that a hint?"

"Could be," he replied with a smirk. They argued good naturedly all the way to her house. Spike prevented Buffy from going inside immediately by putting a hand on her arm. "Look, Slayer, keep an eye out. I've been hearing some rumors about some game a vampire is running. I don't have enough information just yet, but—"

"I'll keep my eyes peeled," Buffy promised. She had her hand on the doorknob, but she wasn't moving. Spike's eyes were on hers, and the moment had taken on a tension that made her go still.

"I have to go," Spike said, heading out into the night.

Buffy didn't call him back even though she wanted to. She'd never thought she would be friends with a vampire before, but somehow that was exactly what had happened.

~~~~~

Not that Spike liked to admit it, but his soft spot for Buffy was growing. What had been strictly business was turning into something else entirely. He thought—maybe—they might even be friends. He didn't remember ever having friends in the past.

There had been Anouk, but their relationship had been based on a common purpose. Buffy reminded him of the French woman at times. They were both focused, both warriors. At the end of the war, Spike had bid her goodbye and hadn't looked back.

Anouk had never regarded the time they spent together as anything more than a diversion from the horrors of war. Spike had been careful to do the same. Although he'd cared for her, he had never loved her.

There was nothing diversionary about Buffy, however. She was the Slayer. She'd dated his bastard of a grandsire. Spike had no desire to get any closer than he already was.

Still, protecting her wasn't just a job anymore. It was becoming a calling.

"Bloody hell," Spike muttered, pushing the matter out of his mind. It wasn't as if he had to make any kind of decision yet. Keeping Buffy alive was turning into a full time job all by itself.

Especially with Slayerfest going on.

Spike scanned the faces in the school gym. He could see Willow, Oz, Xander and Cordelia, but there was no sign of Buffy or Faith. Picking his way through the crowd, he ignored the looks he was getting from the students. Some of the girls were regarding him with interest, but most of the teens were suspicious.

"Where's Buffy?" he demanded as soon as he made his way to Willow.

Willow frowned, worried. "I don't know. The limo was supposed to pick up Faith and Buffy first, and then come for us, but it never showed."

Spike didn't like the sound of that. "At least Faith's with her," he muttered. "Is Giles here?"

Willow shrugged helplessly. "Somewhere around here. He's supposed to be chaperoning."

The vampire took off, looking for the Watcher in the crowd, finally spotting him near the punch. "Rupert, we need to talk."

Giles stared at him. "Spike? Is everything alright?"

"Do you think I'd be here if it was?" Spike tugged on his arm, pulling him to one side of the room, as far away from prying ears as he could get. "I've got some information. Seems like a vampire in town put a price on the Slayers' heads."

Giles' eyes widened. "Are you certain?"

"As certain as I can be," Spike replied. "I'd heard something big was coming, but didn't have any of the details. Willow tells me the Slayers never showed."

He frowned. "They didn't? I had assumed they were coming separately."

Willow and Xander had sidled up next to them. "What's going on?" Xander asked, sounding more than a little nervous.

"You didn't tell me that Buffy and Faith never arrived," Giles said.

Xander and Willow exchanged a guilty look. "There's been a lot going on tonight," Willow said. "We thought that maybe they decided not to come."

"Xander! Why aren't we dancing?" Cordelia asked. "What's going on? Is the world ending again, because it can't end before I get crowned."

Spike stared at her, then decided ignoring the girl was his best option. "Why didn't you say anything about the limo not coming?"

"Oz ended up having to come early," Willow explained. "I decided it would be better to stick close to him."

Spike's eyes narrowed. There was something she wasn't telling him. She and Xander were lying about something. He could smell it. "What about you two?" he asked, looking at Xander and Cordelia.

"When the limo was late, I drove," Cordelia explained. "There was no way I was going to miss my big night."

The vampire rolled his eyes. "Some friends you lot turned out to be."

"What would you suggest?" Giles asked.

Spike sighed. "Dunno. They could be anywhere at this point, and neither one of them has a cell phone." He glanced around the room. "Only thing I can think of is to sit tight. They're probably together at least."

"Let's go back to the library," Giles suggested. "If Buffy can call, that's probably where."

Spike nodded shortly, following the Watcher out of the crowded room. Willow and Xander were on Spike's heels. "What should we do?"

"Stay put," he ordered brusquely. "It's better if you're safe here than out where we've got to worry about you."

He marched off, leaving the two teens looking rather disconsolate. "They wouldn't have to worry about us," Willow protested. "We can take care of ourselves."

They looked at each other, and Xander sidled away. "I need to get back to Cordy," he said quickly, hurrying back into the gym.

Willow leaned up against the wall, hardly believing what they'd done. She'd kissed Xander. He'd kissed her. Once upon a time, it would have been a dream come true, and now it was her worst nightmare. She had never wanted to cheat on Oz.

Willow had no idea how she was going to fix this one.

~~~~~

This was why Faith didn't normally wear dresses. It was a pain in the ass to fight in one.

"What have we got?" Buffy asked, glancing out the window of the cabin.

Faith held up the phone in triumph. "Who do you want to call?"

"Call Spike's cell," Buffy said. "I don't know if Giles will be in the library or not."

"You have his number?"

Buffy ran over, dialing from memory. "Spike?"

"Slayer? Where the hell are you?"

"A cabin in Miller's Woods," Buffy replied. "We've got people hunting us."

"I know. Look, can you sit tight? I can be there in a few minutes."

"We'll try," she said. "No promises, though, I—" Buffy threw the handset down. "Dammit!"

"What?" Faith gave her a look.

Buffy shook her head. "The line went dead."

"Shit," Faith muttered. "What about the vamp? He going to be here?"

Buffy sighed. "I don't know. He's supposed to be. Spike said to sit tight, and he's going to come get us."

Faith gave her a grudging nod. "Might be a good idea to wait for transportation." She stripped the corsage off her wrist. "Wish I'd gone butch and worn pants tonight."

"I hear you," Buffy replied. "I certainly won't be wearing this dress again." She pulled her corsage off too, then paused, seeing the transmitter hidden in the arrangement. "Faith. This is how they were tracking us."

Faith looked at her own corsage. "Son of a bitch. What now?"

"I think it's time to change the rules." Buffy tossed the arrangement on the floor, stomping on it hard. "Let's go."

"What about Spike?" Faith asked.

Buffy just grinned. "If I know Spike, he'll still manage to find us."

Chapter 13

 
"A heavy heart, Beloved, have I borne/From year to year until I saw thy face,/And sorrow after sorrow took the place/Of all those natural joys as lightly worn/As the stringed pearls, each lifted in its turn/By a beating heart at dance-time. Hopes apace/Were changed to long despairs, till God's own grace/Could scarcely lift above the world forlorn/My heavy heart. Then thou didst bid me bring/And let it drop adown thy calmly great/Deep being!..." ~Elizabeth Barrett Browning, "Sonnett XXV"

Once again, Spike followed the scent of blood, soon locating a man frantically trying to get his leg out of a bear trap. "What have we here?"

"You have to help me," the man said. "These girls—they're crazy. They just left me here."

Spike's face shifted. "You wouldn't be talking about the Slayers, would you?"

The hunter's face hardened. "Good luck finding them," he snarled. "They'll dust you so fast—"

"You don't understand," Spike replied. "I'm on their side." In another moment, Spike had made certain that the man wouldn't be hurting anyone ever again. He figured that anyone who'd hunt a couple of teenage girls for money didn't deserve a second chance.

That, and he was hungry.

He kept hunting, following the faint scent of Buffy's perfume. Spike heard the creak of a branch above him right before a heavy weight landed on his back. He hit the ground face first. "Oof!"

"Spike." Buffy scrambled off of him. "You came."

"Yeah. Told you I would," he said, pushing himself off the ground and brushing himself off. "Where's your partner in crime?"

"Killing me a demon. Where else?" Faith asked, emerging from the shadows. She held a nasty looking blade. "Grabbed a knife from the yellow-skinned guy."

"How many others?" Spike asked, glancing around.

Buffy shook her head. "The guy in the bear trap said there were two Germans who were working together and a vampire couple." She gave Spike an apologetic look. "I thought you were the vampire."

"Well, yeah, but not the one trying to kill you," Spike said sarcastically. He glanced around the deep shadows of the woods. "I'm thinking we might want to get back to the school. Being out here gives them the advantage."

Faith shrugged. "Might not be a bad idea," she allowed. "Nature gives me the wiggins."

"Let's go," Buffy agreed, falling into step behind Spike as he led the way back to his car. "How did you find us?"

"You found me," he replied, smirking at her over his shoulder. When Buffy gave him a dirty look, Spike shrugged. "I ran into that bear trap fellow. Not hard to follow your scent from there, and then you dropped down on me."

"Where were you when I called?" Buffy asked.

"At the school," Spike replied absently. "Heard about this thing at the last minute, and I wanted to find you, make sure you were okay."

Buffy frowned. "What about everybody else? I figured they'd freak when the limo didn't show up."

"They were probably too busy necking with each other," Faith cut in.

Spike snorted. "You might not be too far off. Turns out Willow decided to head over to the school early with Oz, and Cordelia wasn't about to be late for her big night."

"Please," Buffy said. "She was buying her votes."

Spike smiled at her. "You didn't run?"

"When do I have time for that?" Buffy asked. "Please. I'm so above that." Faith and Spike stared at her. "Okay, I'm not above it. It just didn't seem worth it. At least I got my picture in the yearbook."

Spike slid in behind the wheel, waiting until the Slayers closed the car doors before he roared off. "We'll get some weapons and then see what we can do about hunting the bastards down, yeah?"

"Sounds like a plan," Faith said. "I'm ready for a good fight."

~~~~~

The good fight Faith was expecting turned out to be pretty disappointing. Lyle and Candy Gorch, the vampire couple the Slayers had been warned about, were ridiculously easy to take care of. Spike didn't plan on letting Giles forget that they had caught him unawares any time soon.

Unfortunately, even without the tracking devices in the corsages, the Germans proved capable of following the Slayers back to the school. After the first shot was fired, Spike ordered the Slayers to remain in the library.

"Are you kidding?" Buffy demanded. "They're out there, and—"

"They're human," Spike said flatly. "Are either of you ready to take down an armed man with a gun?" There was a long silence. "That's what I thought. Stay put."

Spike didn't mind living off of pigs' blood. When he could manage it, he liked getting the spare bags from the hospital. Blood just past its use-by date wasn't too bad, although it was never quite as good as getting it from the source.

That was why he relished taking it straight from the tap.

Spike had long ago decided that some humans didn't deserve to live. He didn't actively hunt humans these days, simply because he wasn't about to appoint himself judge, jury and executioner. He had no trouble eating someone in self-defense, however.

This was how he'd made his living the last hundred years. He had hunted men—and women—who had made it their business to kill others. Spike's job, a lot of the time, was to kill them first.

Spike was very good at his job.

The Germans were so reliant upon technology, they didn't notice the vampire sneaking up behind them. Spike had his teeth buried in the first one's throat before the man knew anything was there. The second one went down just as quickly, and he dragged both of the bodies outside and stuffed them in a dumpster.

Giles was conscious by the time Spike made it back to the library. "What did you do with them?"

"I took care of it," Spike replied. "They won't be doing any big-game hunting again."

Giles frowned. "Spike—"

"They were hunting two adolescent girls," Spike said patiently. "Did you want me to slap them on the wrist?"

"Never mind," Giles replied with a sigh, recognizing that the vampire might be right in this situation.

"Where are the Slayers?" Spike asked.

Giles nodded towards the door. "They went to see the coronation. I think they wanted to be there for Cordelia."

Spike nodded, suddenly feeling the distance. They were children, and they still belonged to this world.

He didn't, and he couldn't fool himself into thinking that he did.

"I should get going," he said.

Giles felt a pang. "Wait, Spike. Thank you. That little mess could have turned out much worse."

"Just doing my job," Spike replied, shrugging his shoulders.

"Would you like a drink?"

Spike hesitated, then turned. "Didn't think you kept alcohol here."

"It's a special occasion," Giles replied.

"What's that then?"

Giles shrugged. "Well, if Cordelia has won, that would suffice. If she hasn't, that would probably mark the first time in the history of the world that she hasn't gotten what she wanted."

Spike chuckled. "Yeah. I could use a drink." He had long ago learned to take the moments of respite where they came, moments of camaraderie when you could.

They were rare in the sort of life he led.

~~~~~

Mayor Wilkins finished off his well-balanced snack and meticulously cleaned his desk of any stray crumbs, brushing them into the wastebasket. He then took out a moist towelette and wiped off his hands. The working environment was very important.

Cleanliness was next to godliness.

Well, in his case, it wasn't, but that was hardly the point. The point was that he had quite a bit to get done in the next few months, goals to reach, and a structured working environment was the best way to stay on track.

The Mayor leaned back in his chair, considering his options. Mr. Trick had proven himself quite creative. SlayerFest, even though it hadn't been successful, had certainly kept those girls hopping. He needed another diversion, and it looked as though the dapper vampire might be capable of providing it.

Those Slayers weren't his only problem, however. Mayor Wilkins was well aware of Spike's presence and his reputation. Had this not been an Ascension year, the Mayor would have left well enough alone. An element such as Spike provided was usually good for business.

Angel, now, he wouldn't have been so bad to have around. That vampire was so besotted with the blonde Slayer that he was either following her around like a big dog or trying to kill her. Spike showed no indication of having the good taste to do the same.

Mayor Wilkins folded his hands in front of his face, thinking deeply. It wasn't critical to get the blond vampire out of his way as of yet. An operation like this needed to be done carefully. If it was unsuccessful, the Mayor knew he would tip his hand early, which wasn't what he wanted at all.

At least, not before everything was in place.

~~~~~

"Come on, Spike."

"I've been warned about you, Slayer."

"You've never seen me!"

"Your mum tipped me off."

"She didn't!" Buffy protested, then frowned. "She totally did, didn't she?"

Spike shrugged. "Did you really think I was going to let you drive my car?" he asked. "You could be Mario Andretti, and I still wouldn't let you get behind the wheel of my baby."

They were approaching Buffy's house at this point, having been arguing all the way from the cemetery. Buffy was determined to find someone to teach her how to drive; Spike was equally determined not to be that someone.

Buffy knew a good opening when she saw it. "You love your car more than me."

"Well, yeah," Spike shot back. "The car didn't nearly get me killed tonight."

"That totally wasn't my fault," Buffy pouted. "I told you to duck."

"After that crossbow came within an inch of ending my unlife," Spike said, opening the door for her without thinking about it.

Buffy gave him an odd look, but decided not to question Spike's good manners. "I already told you I was sorry."

"That's not the point. The point is that a crossbow is much easier to operate than a car, and I'm not letting you operate mine." Spike saw Joyce. "Back me up here."

Joyce looked at her daughter with a silent apology. "Sorry, sweetheart. If Spike won't let you drive his car, you're out of luck."

"I'm old enough," Buffy replied. "I'm responsible."

"You failed the written test," Joyce pointed out. "They wouldn't even let you take the driving test." She frowned. "I thought you were studying this evening."

Buffy plopped down in one of the kitchen chairs. "I did study. For hours. Then Spike came and rescued me so I could go on patrol."

"What about Faith?"

"Who knows where Faith is?" Buffy asked. "She disappears occasionally. This is one of those occasions."

Spike smiled at Joyce, turning on the charm. "If it makes you feel any better, I'm fairly certain I saved Rupert from an early death. Your daughter looked like she was about ready to implode and take the library with her."

"Totally," Buffy agreed. "I told you Spike rescued me."

"And Rupert."

The emphasis that Spike placed on the Watcher's name had Joyce giving him a sharp look. It wasn't as though they were hiding the fact that they got together occasionally to discuss Buffy—among other things. It simply hadn't come up in conversation.

Joyce was fairly certain that it wasn't a discussion she wanted to have with her daughter. In Buffy's words, she would "totally wig."

Spike just smiled. The older woman decided to let it go. "Would you two like something to drink?"

The vampire shook his head. "I don't want to put you to any trouble."

"Sit," Joyce replied. "It's no trouble."

Spike listened as Joyce and Buffy bantered back and forth about the upcoming test and the possibility of attempting to get a driver's license. Times like this made him forget that he didn't here.

Not that it bothered him to forget. Spike had long ago discovered that not remembering was sometimes for the best.

~~~~~

"So how many candy bars did Buffy con you into buying?" Joyce asked the next night when Giles arrived.

He smiled ruefully. "The rest of the box. She pointed out that selling the band candy took away vital patrol and study time. You?"

"The same," Joyce replied. "And for virtually the same reasons." She offered him half a bar. "They really are very good, however."

Giles took the chocolate and started munching on it. "Oh, indeed. I think I'll get my money's worth. Besides, I'm always willing to help Buffy with Snyder."

"He's such an awful little man," Joyce agreed. "I hope Buffy sold hers faster than anyone else. I know he has it in for her."

Giles let his hand rest casually on Joyce's thigh. He wasn't sure where his courage was coming from, but he wasn't in the mood to question it.

Nor did he wish to question the fact that she shifted just a little bit closer to him.

"You know what they say about power," Giles said, letting his hand creep up her leg another couple of inches.

"What's that?"

What was turning into a very nice moment was interrupted by the sound of the front door slamming. "Okay, I'm done studying for tonight," Buffy announced without preamble. "Willow pronounced me sufficiently smart."

"Really?" Giles asked, his eyebrows raised as Buffy entered the living room.

Buffy frowned at the sight of her mom and her Watcher sitting so close together on the couch, but then decided to ignore it. There were some things it was just better not to look at too closely. "Well, she said we couldn't really do any more because I wasn't focusing," Buffy admitted. "But, hey, that was hours worth of prep right there."

"And patrol?" Joyce asked.

Buffy stared at her. "You asked Spike to take it for me until the SAT is over with," she reminded her mom. "Last night."

"Oh, that's right," Joyce said. "That was just my age talking."

Buffy's eyes narrowed. "Is everything okay?"

"Everything is fine, sweetie," Joyce replied.

The Slayer felt like something was up, but she had no idea what it was. "I'm going to go to bed," she announced, eyeing the two of them. "Good night." Buffy almost added an admonition to be good, but she thought that might be overdoing it.

Come on. It was her mom and her Watcher. That would just be too weird for words.

Chapter 14

"'Tis true, 'tis day; what though it be?/O wilt thou therefore rise from me?/Why should we rise because 'tis light?/Did we lie down because 'twas night?/Love, which in spite of darkness brought us hither,/Should in despite of light keep us together...Must business thee from hence remove?/O, that's the worst disease of love./The poor, the foul, the false, love can/Admit, but not the busied man./He which hath business, and makes love, doth do/Such wrong, as when a married man doth woo." ~John Donne, "Break of Day"

Buffy's sense of wrongness only increased the following day. Not only did Giles not show up for study hall—a sure sign that hell was freezing over—but Mrs. Barton was acting like one of her students.

As weird as it was, though, Buffy wasn't sure she ought to complain. After all, they had managed to get out of study hall early, and no Giles meant no training. And that meant lots of time to hang out with her friends.

Still, it was a Slayer's duty to make sure her Watcher wasn't dead or sick or possessed by an evil demon, so she headed over to Giles' apartment right after Mrs. Barton released them for the day.

Her unease only increased when she found her mom there with him.

"Giles, where were you?" Buffy demanded. "You never pull no-shows. And why is my mom here?"

Joyce waved innocently. "Oh, hello, honey. How was your day?"

"Fine, but—"

"Your mother wanted to discuss your training with me," Giles explained smoothly. "She's concerned about how you're doing, of course."

 

Buffy frowned. It sounded perfectly logical.

Joyce smiled. "I'm just trying to get to know more about your life, sweetie."

"Right," Buffy replied. "So you're hanging out with my Watcher?"

"We've been spending time together for a while now," Giles replied. "Joyce wants to learn more about what the Slayer is and does."

Buffy nodded slowly. Something was up. She knew something was up.

And then Joyce dangled the car keys in front of Buffy's nose. "Why don't you take the car?" she suggested. "Mr. Giles can drive me home."

All thoughts of weirdness flew out of Buffy's mind. She was seventeen, after all, and the opportunity to have the car pushed everything else aside. In fact, she was suddenly very much in a hurry to leave, just in case her mom changed her mind. "Okay! Thanks! Have fun!"

Giles and Joyce gave twin sighs of relief as the door closed behind Buffy. "Finally," Giles muttered, pulling out a cigarette and lighting up.

"Do you think she noticed anything?" Joyce asked, tipping a bottle back and taking a few quick swallows.

Giles smirked. "No way."

~~~~~

Spike twisted around, looking at a passel of businessmen who were acting like monkeys. Or schoolboys just let loose for the summer holidays. All around him, there were adults running amok, acting like—like children.

"And not particularly well-behaved children, at that," he muttered, his eyes narrowing. Amusement was warring with annoyance, and Spike wasn't quite sure what he ought to be doing about the incipient chaos. Something was obviously going on, and things were beginning to get out of hand. People were out wandering the streets after dark, leaving themselves open to attack by enterprising vampires. He stood, undecided, for a few moments before heading towards the Bronze.

In a situation like this, Spike wasn't certain that he needed to interfere, but he figured the Slayer would have more information. If Buffy wasn't at the Bronze, he'd try to find her at home.

The Bronze was packed to the gills with people of all ages. Spike noticed that the majority of the people seemed to be older. The club was usually full of adolescents and college students, not their parents.

Spike spotted Oz coming out from the back. "Oz."

"Hey, man," the boy greeted him, his eyes taking in the scene.

"You know what's going on?"

"I'd say they're all acting like teenagers," Oz observed. "It's quite sobering."

Spike snorted. "This isn't normal, even for the Hellmouth."

"Won't argue with you there," Oz replied, leading the way over to the spot where Willow and Buffy were taking in the sight of the town's adults making out, dancing wildly, and drinking like frat boys.

"This is disturbing," Willow said. "I don't like this."

Oz put a comforting hand on her arm. "It's a little mixed up."

"It's more than a little mixed up," Buffy commented, looking at Spike. "What about you? You're not feeling the urge to start acting sixteen, are you?"

If Spike could have blushed, he probably would have. As it was, his expression was very sheepish. "Bloody hell, I hope not," he replied. "I wouldn't be any use at all."

Buffy gave him a curious look, but Spike refused to meet her eyes. "Let's get out of here. This place is giving me the wiggins."

They were making their way out when a voice called out behind them, "Hey! Wait for me!"

 

"Who's that?" Spike asked, glancing behind him to see a short, bald man frantically trying to follow them.

"Principal Snyder," Willow explained.

Buffy grimaced. "That's probably the creepiest thing I've seen tonight."

"It explains a lot, though," Oz observed.

The sound of "Louie, Louie" being tortured followed them out the door, and Spike winced. "Don't think my ears could stand much more of that."

"Right there with you," Buffy replied. She took out the keys to her mom's Jeep. "Okay—"

"No."

The Slayer stared at Spike. "What?"

"You're not driving. Give me the keys."

"Spike, my mom—"

"Was probably operating under the same stupid spell or whatever it is that the rest of them are under," Spike replied, holding out his hand for the keys. "If she'd been in her right mind, she wouldn't have let you drive."

"That's so totally not fair!"

"Why don't we let Spike drive?" Willow chirped. "He's a really good driver." At Buffy's glare, Willow gulped. "Not that you aren't."

Buffy scowled but handed the keys to the vampire. "I can so drive."

"If you can find a car to learn on, I'll take you out driving," Spike said. "But we're doing it where you can't kill yourself or anyone else."

Buffy pouted. "Fine."

"Where are we going?" Spike asked.

"Giles might know what's going on," Willow said hopefully.

Buffy frowned. "Unless he's sweet sixteen again," she replied, buckling up.

"Hey! I told you guys to wait up!" Snyder was standing outside the passenger window, glaring at them.

"Sorry, Snyder," Buffy said sweetly. "No more room in the inn. Beat it."

Spike took that as his signal to start driving, leaving Snyder in the dust. Oz took up the conversation where they'd left off. "Even if Giles is sixteen again, he's still Giles, right?"

"Not exactly," Buffy hedged.

"What?" Oz asked.

Buffy sighed. "When Giles was sixteen he was more Rebel Without a Cause."

"Buffy, he's with your mom," Willow pointed out.

"Rupert and Joyce are together?" Spike asked, an eyebrow raised.

Buffy glared at him. "Don't say it."

"Wasn't going to."

Willow looked from one to the other from her spot in the backseat. "What?"

"Just saying that if you leave two teenagers alone together, things can happen," Spike said.

Willow's eyes widened. "Things?" she squeaked.

"Don't go there!" Buffy ordered. "You're going to damage me for life."

Spike frowned and whipped the car around.

"What are you doing?" she demanded impatiently. "We need to get to Giles' place."

"Giles won't be there," Spike replied. "Look around, Slayer. Nobody's at home. Everyone's out on the streets." He pulled over to the side of the street and parked. "Finding your Watcher isn't going to do anyone any good. It looks like every adult in Sunnydale has been affected by this."

Oz nodded slowly. "Spike's right."

"Then what do you suggest?" Buffy asked, an edge to her voice. "We can't just sit around."

"Not saying that we do," Spike returned. "I'm thinking Red and Oz head to the library, find out what they can, while we try to locate the source."

"How are you going to do that?" Willow asked. "We don't even know where to start!"

Spike shrugged. "This sort of thing is always the same. You find out what changed in the last few days. There has to be some kind of catalyst."

They looked out the windows of the car, watching a group of men ogle a couple of passing women. Every single one of them was munching on a chocolate bar.

"The chocolate," Buffy said in sudden realization. "My mom and Giles!"

"My parents ate a ton of them, too," Oz said.

Spike frowned. "Not to mention that there are no vampires out. Haven't seen a single one tonight. That's not typical, especially when you've got so many free meals walking around."

"But where is the chocolate coming from?" Willow asked.

Buffy groaned. "Snyder would know."

"We'll drop you two off by the school, then find Snyder," Spike said. He glanced at Buffy. "That sound good to you, Slayer?"

"Fine."

~~~~~

Buffy was feeling rather relieved that Spike was the one driving by the time they made it back to the Bronze. It was only his quick reflexes that saved them from at least two accidents. Buffy was treated to some of Spike's more colorful curses as he slammed on the brakes to avoid hitting a car going through a stop sign.

Luckily, not only was Snyder still at the Bronze, but he knew where the chocolate bars were being manufactured. Spike followed Snyder's directions, pulling up in front of the factory just in time to prevent Giles and Joyce from engaging in indecent exposure. "Mom! Giles!" Buffy hurried over to them and yanked them apart. "Spike, help me!"

Spike decided that laughing would probably be bad form, even though he was highly amused. "Later, mate," he murmured to Giles, pulling him away slightly. "Wait till the Slayer doesn't have her eye on you, yeah?"

Buffy, hearing Spike's admonition, turned to stare at him. "Spike! Don't encourage them."

"Don't think they need any encouragement, Slayer," Spike pointed out.

She glared at him. "Help me keep them separated. We need to get inside and figure out who's behind this." Buffy turned her evil eye on Giles. "Are you going to help me or not?"

"Might be a bit of a rumble," Spike pointed out.

Giles brightened up at that. "I like a good rumble."

"Good man," Spike said, clapping him on the shoulder and steering him inside the factory.

Buffy didn't entirely approve of his tactics, but Spike was getting the job done. Giles seemed to be following him docilely enough. Joyce was whining about being interrupted, and Buffy wondered if that's how she sounded to her mom sometimes.

It was a sobering thought.

Once inside the factory, it didn't take them long to find Ethan Rayne, right in the middle of it all. Buffy wasn't all that surprised. Between the three of them—Buffy, Spike and Giles—they soon managed to corner the magician, leaving Joyce and Snyder waiting at the entrance.

"What's going on, Ethan?" Buffy demanded.

Giles sneered. "Hit him."

"I've got a better idea," Spike said, his face shifting.

Ethan's eyes got wide. "Buffy! You wouldn't let me get eaten, would you? You're one of the good guys."

"Which seems to indicate that I kill the bad guys," Buffy mused aloud. She sighed. "And Spike does have a tendency to get hungry when he's kept waiting."

 

Ethan held up his hands. "This wasn't my idea!" he protested.

"What are you talking about?" Spike demanded, shaking him.

"It's Trick you want!" Ethan said. "He just wanted a distraction so he could make a tribute to a demon."

Giles glared at him. "He's lying. Hit him!"

"I don't think he is," Buffy said. "Now be quiet. What demon, Ethan?"

Ethan shook his head. "I don't remember."

"Spike? Would you like a snack?" Buffy inquired sweetly.

Spike grinned, showing his teeth. "It would be my pleasure."

His teeth were mere fractions of an inch from Ethan's throat when the man blurted out, "Lurconis! The demon's name is Lurconis!"

Spike's eyes narrowed. "You sodding bastard."

Buffy stared at him. "What is it?"

"We need to blow this joint, Slayer," Spike said. "I know what kind of a tribute this demon demands."

Buffy turned to Giles. "Can I trust you to take care of Ethan without killing him?"

Giles' chest puffed out. "'Course you can."

Buffy sighed and rolled her eyes. "Oh, brother. Okay, Spike, let's split."

She marched off, but Spike spared a moment to grab Giles by the shirt. "Don't let me find out you got distracted and let this prat go."

"I can take care of it," Giles responded indignantly.

Spike cocked an eyebrow, snorted, and then raced off after Buffy.

~~~~~

Spike ambled to the front door to answer the knock. He'd been sleeping for the last twelve hours, which wasn't surprising, given the events of the day before. They'd been running around till nearly dawn, between hunting down Lurconis in the sewers and returning the infants to the maternity ward where they belonged.

Then they'd had to hunt down Giles and Joyce, who'd managed to get distracted after all. By the time Spike and Buffy had found them, Ethan was long gone.

Spike just wished he'd gotten a picture of Buffy's face when they'd found her mom and Watcher. It was obvious to his senses what had been going on—all night, if he wasn't mistaken—but Buffy insisted that she'd found them before they'd actually been able to do anything since they were both still clothed.

Hey, Spike didn't care if the Slayer wanted to live in the land of denial.

Buffy had ordered him to take Giles home and to make sure he stayed there. Spike had acceded to her demand, but had left Giles at his apartment. He figured that since Buffy was with her mom, there really wasn't any more damage that the Watcher could do.

Besides, Spike wanted his shower and his bed, in that order.

Buffy stood framed in the doorway. "Did I wake you up?"

He shrugged. "Yeah, but I was about ready to get up anyway." Spike stepped aside to allow her to enter. "What's up, pet?"

"I just thought I'd come see how you were doing," she replied. "Thanks for taking care of Giles last night."

"Not a big deal," Spike replied. He headed towards the kitchen. "Too bad about that prat Rayne getting away, though."

She sighed. "And somehow I have the feeling we're going to be seeing him again."

"That wasn't the first time you had to deal with him," Spike said.

She shook her head. "Last Halloween he came to town and turned everybody into their costumes. It got pretty ugly."

"I can imagine," Spike murmured, heating his blood up in the microwave. "So, you need my help with something tonight, or did you just come by for patrol?"

"Neither," Buffy replied. "I was hoping you could teach me how to drive."

"Not in my car," Spike responded automatically.

Buffy pouted. "You promised."

"Not in my car," Spike repeated. "What about your mum's vehicle?"

Buffy shrugged. "If you asked, Mom would probably let you teach me. You really will?"

Spike regarded her for a moment, his steady gaze making her fidget a bit. "Thought that was usually the job of the parents."

"I took the class," Buffy replied defensively. Then she shrugged. "Mom doesn't have the time, and Dad—" She broke off, unwilling to continue.

Spike sighed. "I'll teach you, but you have to promise to listen to me."

"I swear," Buffy said, holding up her right hand in what she thought was the girl scout salute.

Spike snorted. "That's the boy scout salute, luv." He shook his head. "I'm going to die. Again," he muttered.

Buffy scowled. "I heard that."

~~~~~

"Joyce." Giles stood on her front steps, fidgeting like a boy on his first date.

She blushed, thankful that Buffy had gone to patrol with Spike. "Rupert. It's—how are you feeling?"

"Much more like my usual self, I can assure you," he said, looking anywhere but at her. "How, uh, how are you?"

"Good," she replied, her voice sounding almost squeaky.

They stared at each other for a long time, their eyes finally meeting. "I hope we're still friends," Giles blurted out.

"Of course," she said quickly. "Why don't you come in? I'll make tea."

Giles followed her inside, closing the door behind him, suddenly filled with new resolve. Even though the events of the previous evening made things awkward between them, Giles had enjoyed himself.

Of course, he didn't really want to break any store windows again. The rest of it had been nice, however. Giles hadn't felt that alive in years.

"Joyce," he called, once they were in the kitchen. She turned, and he was so close to her that there was no space between them. Giles took his opportunity, pulling her to him, kissing her soundly.

Ripper never really was all that far from the surface.

She pulled back for air, staring at him with such shock that he immediately backed off. "I'm sorry, I—" Joyce pulled his head down for another kiss.

"We don't have to tell Buffy," she whispered when they came up for air a second time. "She wouldn't understand."

"I daresay she wouldn't," Giles replied. Their lips met again. "I do like you, you know."

"Same here," Joyce gasped out in between kisses. "We're probably moving too fast."

Giles didn't let her go. "Do you care?"

"No."

They necked like the teenagers they weren't in the middle of the kitchen, because sometimes it felt good not to be a grownup.

And sometimes you just needed to feel alive.

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