A/N: For those that are sticking with it… a little Spuffiness in this chapter. And to make up for Ch 13, this will be a long chapter.

Buffy spent the morning checking her email through her laptop and high-speed connection through the hotel. Most of her messages were SPAM messages promoting ways to increase her penis size. Buffy chuckled and threw those away. She didn’t need them and Spike definitely didn’t need them. Spike. The bleached blonde kept running through her mind. She spent all last night stuck in her room, waiting for him to call, but he hadn’t. She was beginning to worry so she tried calling the Radisson again. He still didn’t answer. Damn Vampire! The sun was out without a cloud in the sky. She wondered where he had gotten to. Dawn hadn’t heard from him, either. At times she thought she felt him in the distance, but when ever she went to look out her window all she saw was the night. Sighing, Buffy went down to the workout room to expend some of her pent up energy. She bandaged up her hand and went to work on the punching bag. She could go over to the Radisson and try to reason with him, but the ball was in his court. Suddenly a thought entered her mind. Damn the court and whose side the ball was in! She quickly disposed of the tape around her knuckles and ran up to her room.

Clean, refreshed, and on a mission, Buffy ran down the steps, refusing to wait for the slow elevator. She ran to her car and jumped in. “I’m coming, baby,” she repeated her mantra all the way to the Radisson. She stopped at the front desk to get a spare key, luckily the attendant remembered her from when they first checked in. She wound her way to the room and knocked three times on the door, listening for movement. No movement. She unlocked the door and stepped inside. Spike was sprawled half naked on the floor near the bed with at least five empty Jack Daniels bottles around him. Her face turned downwards as she watched him in his alcohol-induced coma. Stepping over him, she picked up the bottles and trash. She knelt down beside him and pushed at his shoulder. “Spike, baby, wake up.” No movement except his nostrils flaring. “Come on, sweetie, time to get up.” She really didn’t want to pick him up, but he was giving her no other choice. Reaching down, she managed to get her arm under his thighs and the other under his neck. This wasn’t the best hold to pick him up, but she really didn’t have a choice. Luckily the bed was only a couple feet away. Laying him down, she noticed his skin felt warmer than usual. Going into the bathroom to get a wet washcloth, she noticed the mirror had been shattered with two fist-sized holes starting the many fissures. Shaking her head, Buffy continued getting the damp washcloth and returning to the main room. Spike was still sprawled on the bed where she left him. Buffy sat down next to him and bathed his face with the cool washcloth. His nose twitched as she ran over it. His legs twitched as she ran the cloth over his abdomen. She got up to rewet the cloth and ring it out. Spike opened his eyes as she moved away from the bed. The pain searing through his head and the belief he was dreaming of his girl made him close his eyes once more. She sat back down and began to wash his arms and hands. His body moved to its side and jean-clad legs moved to cradle her form. He was almost balled up in a fetal position around her as she bathed the tender cuts from the mirror on his knuckles.

After she finished her task, she patted his head and moved a stray curl from his forehead. He moaned and snuggled closer to her body. She threw the washcloth on the nightstand and pushed Spike away. He growled as she tried to pry his body from her, but she continued to try to push him so she could lay down next to him. His hand came out and clamped down on her wrist and yanked on it. She tumbled over his body and he moved so he was laying on top of her. His nose nuzzled her throat as he began to purr like he does after sex. She ran her hands down his back in a soothing manner. His tongue snaked out and licked her tender neck flesh and his hold tightened. She wiggled, trying to get comfortable and his purring turned into a loud growl. His forehead turned bumpy and she felt his teeth elongate. Her muscles went stiff, waiting for him to make his move. Buffy laid there wondering if he had any control over the demon and if he was going to bite her.

Instead of piercing her skin, His mouth grazed her jugular and his teeth rested on her neck. He moved his head a little and the sharp teeth lightly cut her skin. At the smell of her blood he began to lap the red liquid up, but not making a move to bite her. Contented that her cuts were clean and healing, his face reverted back to human and began to purr again. “Spike?” She nudged his shoulder. She had slayer strength and all, but the way his body was position, she was getting uncomfortable. “Baby?” He nuzzled her neck deeper. “Honey, why did you get drunk?” She patted his head, playing with the curls at the top.

“Left me,” he mumbled. His body shifted a little, relieving some pressure on Buffy. She sighed and nuzzled his cheek. She looked over at the phone and noticed the light indicating a voice mail message was lit up.

“Why didn’t you check the phone messages?”

“No one loves Spike. No one calls.” He drowsily answered.

“I did, too. I love you Spike.”

“No one loves Spike. He’s evil.” The messages from his brain were starting to get through the alcohol-induced haze.

“I do, too. Spike, wake up!”

“No, Buffy leave Spike if he wakes up.” He shifted again and she finally noticed his erection.

“Stop talking about yourself in third person and wake the fuck up.” She shoved at his shoulder but he held on to her.

“No one loves Spike. They all leave. My Buffy left.”

“Spike, baby, wake up! I can’t talk to you like this,” Buffy pleaded, hoping he would wake up.

“Spike wake up and Buffy go bye bye. No wanna wake up. Spike love Buffy. My Buffy.” He curled his body around her again.

Giving up, Buffy decides to talk to him in the same language that he is talking in. “Buffy needs to talk to Spike or Buffy leaves your dream.”

“No, leave. Buffy no love Spike anymore.” Frustrated and angry at the drunken vampire that kept babbling about no love. She tickled his side, making him giggle like a little child. He rolled over trying to protect his side. Taking the opportunity she rolled the other way, getting away from him.

“Spike, please wake up. Buffy promises not to leave if Spike wakes up.” Spike’s face distorted into a confused way, wondering why her voice moved positions and there was no warm body near him anymore. His arm reached for her, but she evaded it. “Spike, wake up you stupid vampire.”

“Buffy leave, no love Spike.”

“Yes, I do! I need to speak with Spike, baby wake up!” Her answer was nothing. His body relaxed back into a deep sleep. She shook her head and went over to the desk. She wrote a small note: Check the Voice Mail! And set it by the phone. She went back over to the bed and tucked Spike’s body under the covers. Buffy picked up his dirty clothes and went down to the laundry room to wash them. Having put them in the washer, she went back to the room to straighten up a little more. She went into the bathroom and picked up the glass that happened to come down when he punched the mirror. She went back to the laundry room to switch his clothes from washer to the dryer. Satisfied, Buffy got into her rental car and headed to the butchers for some blood.

Coming back, she checked on his clothes and brought the dry ones back. Setting the blood and clothes down, she filled the ice bucket with ice to keep the blood fresh. She folded his jeans and shirts and stacked them on the dresser. Hopefully he would remember his ‘dream’ and know she was the one that helped him out. Shaking her head once more, she left the room

~*~*~

Across the street and under the protection of the ally, a dark figure watched as she ran around the hotel. He followed her from her hotel. He watched her from the lobby of the hotel as she pounded on the bag exerting her excess energy when she stopped and got a funny look on her face. She raced up the stairs near the workout room and raced down them a couple minutes later. He knew where she was going, whom she was going to, but he was powerless to stop her without revealing his position. He could only watch as she entered his room. Now, she was leaving, he knew it.

~*~*~

That night, still no word from Spike. Buffy wondered if all those bottles were from the night before. Sitting on the open windowsill with the phone next to her and chatting with some journalist friends online, Buffy heard a knock at the door. She checked her inner voice and knew it wasn’t a vampire, more specifically: not her vampire. Dragging her tired body to the door she peaked out. Sam was beaming in front of her. “What’s up, Buttercup?” She opened the door and let him in. He looked around at all the flowers and made a low wolf whistle. “Looks like home, what’s the deal?”

“Spike, he sent them.” Buffy shrugged, not wanting to go into it. Sam was like an older brother and very protective of Buffy. She knew if he got wind that Spike and her had a falling out, she was sure he would try to take matters in his own hands.

“Ah, yes. The jealous mea aloha (beloved).” He shook his head and sat down on the couch.

“How.. how did you know?” She sat next to him, comfortable with his presence.

“Psychic, you know… Comes with being a big kahuna on the island.” He tapped his forehead and smiled.

“Sha, big kahuna, my ass. More like big pain in the ass.” He scowled at her tormenting. “So why the happy face?”

“Can’t a guy be happy to see his girl?”

“Um, yeah… except I don’t see Jenna here. Seriously, SPILL.” Angry, jealous eyes peered up into her room seeing Buffy and Sam together. A low growl was heard by anyone that might happen to pass. She swatted his shoulder and he dove to tickle her. She squirmed and yelped until she got the upper hand and held him at bay. “For being a big kahuna you don’t seem to have much control. Spill.” He shrugged. “Oh my god…. You have the kissy face. Who have you been kissing?”

“Umbubua,” Sam mumbled. Buffy strained her ear to hear his

“Dawn? Oh you Casanova!” She giggled and bounced on his lap. “I can’t believe you two finally got together!”

“It was nice, you know?” She got off his lap and let go of his wrists to sit back down.

“No, I don’t want to know if it was nice kissing my sister.” She pouted. Down on the street another figure joined the first. The two growl at each other and morph into their true nature. Fangs are bared fists start flying.

“Seems like she likes to keep one on the side, huh, Spikey?”

“Shut up, Angelus!”

Angel sniffs the air, “And human, too.” Spike growled and launched himself at his sire. Angel stepped aside and Spike flew past.

“Not drunk, tonight, bloody poof. Come and get me.” Spike was dancing on the tips of his toes, waiting for Angel to strike.

“You know.” Angel launched himself at Spike. “She should be with a human.” Punch to Spike’s gut. “Walk in the sunlight.” Kick to the legs. “Eat together.” Spike went into a barrel roll. “Get married.” Punch to Spike’s head. “Have babies.” A quick succession of punched to Spike’s stomach. “You know, everything you can’t do. Everything normal.” Angel backed off a little, getting ready for another barrage of hurtful words and fists when Spike launched his own body toward his Sire.

Spike kicked Angel’s feet out from underneath him. He straddled the large body and started to punch Angel’s face. “She isn’t normal you twit.” He pounded down on Angel’s chest. “She doesn’t want to be normal.” Angel struggled under the intensity of Spike’s attack. “She just wants to be happy.” Angel bucked his hips, throwing Spike off balance and ending his tirade of punches. “Why can’t you blokes see that?”

“Happy with you, my boy?” Angel moved over to Spike to continue his attack. “Who would be happy with you? A pathetic excuse for a vampire, I’d say. I should have left you to die when Drusilla couldn’t finish your turning. Neutered by a chip, forced to be the Slayer’s toy.” Angel laughed before he continued his punches. “Falls in love with the Slayer and follows her around like a lost puppy dog. But didn’t you do that before? Yeah, you followed Dru around, too. Lost little lamb, she used to call you, wasn’t it?” Spike threw Angel off for just a second so he could attack back. Spike rammed his whole body into Angel’s gut, propelling both about five feet away. “She’ll never be happy with you, Spike.” Angel punched Spike’s jaw hard, throwing him off. “They never are happy with you.” Angel hopped up and went over to Spike and kicked his prone body on the ground. “You aren’t good enough.” Another hard kick to Spike’s abdomen. “They always come back to me.” Angel grabbed a fist full of Spike’s hair and punched, knocking Spike out. The last thought Spike had before blackness took him was of Buffy in the sand.

Chapter 15: Revelations

Dawn knew something was going on. Willow hasn’t called or stopped by in days. Anya hasn’t called for a quick baby sitter lately. Dawn knew something was going on, she smelled a rat and thy name is Xander. Dawn was sitting in class trying to pay attention to the lecture, but she found her thoughts were turning more and more towards Xander and his unhealthy obsession with Spike hating. The professor wrapped up the class and dismissed everyone thirty minutes early. Most of the class went to work on their senior projects, but Dawn decided to do some reconnaissance. She flung her backpack into her car and sped away towards the Magic Box. If anyone was going to crack it would be Anya, and Anya wouldn’t even know she was talking before she spilled the beans. Dawn smiled slyly as she parked the car outside and headed towards the shop. The bell rang indicating a new customer and Anya looked up from her current customer. Anya smiled and waved and went back to collecting her precious money. After the customer left Dawn spoke up, “Hey ya, Anya!”

“Good afternoon, Dawn. Can I interest you in a monkey’s paw?” Anya seemed jumpy, not quite comfortable.

Dawn shook her head and sat down at the table near the back. No other customers were in the shop, so Anya came over. “How’s the kid?”

“Doing great, but is a drain on finances. Are you sure you don’t want a monkey’s paw? Some believe they grant wishes. Only thirty dollars, a real bargain for wishes.”

Dawn snorted, “Yeah, wishes like vengeance demons. I read the book, the wishes never come out like the wisher wants.”

“Oh, too bad.” Anya shrugged and started to straighten some of the shelves.

“Where’s Giles?” Dawn wanted to make Anya comfortable.

“Spending the day researching. He’s worried it’s been to quiet. First there was that influx and then nothing. He was researching here until I told him I wasn’t paying him to do research.”

“You don’t pay him.”

“He said that, too. But it’s my store. He signed papers.” Dawn shrugged. It was an old argument. The shop was Anya’s but Giles still had privileges. Whenever Anya got a little defensive, she would send him away. “Why are you here, don’t you have class?”

“My 2 o’clock was canceled and I was let out early for my morning class. I was just wondering if I did something wrong, you haven’t had me watch the squirt lately.”

“Oh, that. No, you didn’t do anything wrong. We’ve just been… busy. You know how that goes.”

“Yeah, with all the money making and all the shaking.”

“No shaking. No orgasms. Am I ugly?” Dawn thought: Woe, change of subject and mood awfully quick.

“What?”

“Xander, he hasn’t touched me since she came back to town. I haven’t had any Xander induced orgasms. What is it with him and Buffy?” Dawn shrugged. “She hasn’t given him a hint she ever wanted more than friendship. Why is he obsessed with her?” Dawn got up and patted Anya’s shoulder. “Yeah, she’s hot. Really hot. Have you noticed she doesn’t look as old as us? I bet she still gets carded. I mean, Xander has gray hair. I bet Willow would too, if she didn’t do Miss Clairol every other month.” Dawn shook her head at the ex-vengeance demon ranting. “You are even beginning to look older than her. Face it Dawn, we are getting old.”

“Speak for yourself, my breasts are still perky!” Dawn gasped and put her hand over her mouth, not believing what just flew out of it.

Anya looked irritated for a second and then her face changed back to discontentment. “Yeah, I also am a mother that breast fed. After you pop out one or two we will see your perky breasts.”

Dawn snickered, thinking of ways to get her back on Xander’s obsession with Buffy. That topic seemed more interesting than perky breasts. “So, been a while? What does Xander have to say about this?”

“Nothing, he’s too busy with his stupid plan.” Anya’s eyes got really big when she realized what she just said.

“Anya, what is Xander planning?”

“For work, you know.”

“Uh huh, sure. He gave up sex with you for plans at work? I don’t think so. Spill.”

“It’s stupid, really.” She thought about telling Dawn about the plan to get Spike away from Buffy for a minute or so. “Actually, it probably would be good for you to know so you can stop him and I can have my orgasms again. Promise not to tell him I told you?” Dawn nodded her head. Now, she was getting somewhere. “He called Quiten Travers.” Dawn gasped. “A sweeper team was sent here.”

“Like the one they sent after Faith/Buffy? Are they going to kill him?”

“I think so, but… they are going to bring him to England.”

“What?”

“From what Xander said, the council has taken some pointers from the imitative.”

“You got to be kidding me!” Dawn was dumb founded. In all her ‘few’ years on this plane of existence she never heard of something so wrong. “So Xander set it up so they take Spike and experiment on him?”

“Yeah. Actually there is more.” Anya looked sheepish. “He is going to make it look like Buffy set it up.”

“What?” Anya went on about the details of Xander’s plan. “And you and Willow are helping him?”

“At first, when it was just to protect Buffy, but now… it’s different. I think he’s gone off the deep end. That’s why I am telling you,” Anya confessed. “you’ve got to tell Buffy.”

~*~*~

Spike was coming into consciousness. His head hurt. The first thing he knew was that he was on something soft. Spike tried to think of the previous night. He was with his friend, Jack Daniels There were many Jacks around the previous night. Spike groaned and flipped over onto his back. He could have sworn that he passed out on the floor, but then he had the dream about her. Since Buffy left, Spike has taken to sleeping anywhere BUT the big bed in the middle of the room. Breathing in sharply out of habit, Spike smelled her. She was close. As fast as his partially inebriated body would allow, Spike stood -up and looked around. The place was clean once again. All the bottles that he consumed were in the trash. On the dresser, his clothes were clean and folded. Spike went into the bathroom and looked around. The mirror was still broken from where he punched it last night in a fit of rage. His attempt at romancing Buffy didn’t work. In fact, she ignored his efforts. The glass on the floor and counter were cleaned up, she must have been here a long time and taken great care to straighten up.

Spike walked back into the main room and noticed an ice bucket with packets of blood. Going over, he noticed the ice barely melted. She was just here and he missed it and it wasn’t a dream. Sighing, Spike sat on the bed in resignation until something caught his vision. The phone had a red light and a piece of paper in front of it. He read the note and smiled. Spike picked up the phone to access the messages. “Spike,” he could hear the smile in her voice, “I love you.” Ah, such a sweet sound. “ Since you must know where I am at, please call me.” After a pause, “ I miss you, baby.” She did call. The voice mail person said she called right after the flowers and letter were supposed to be delivered. He made himself out to be a sodding wanker last night for nothing and she came here in hopes of reconciliation. Boy, did he blow it. Spike groaned in loathing for himself, he flopped down in bed, staring at the ceiling. “You are such a sodding wanker! She was here, you git!” Spike hopped up with a plan forming in his head. He couldn’t wait until sunset.

Spike groaned again, not in hatred but in pain. The first thing he noticed was that he couldn’t move his arms or legs. Second thing he discovered was that he was vertical and leaning against a hard surface. Third thing was the reason he couldn’t move his arms and legs was because he was chained to a wall. Spike was afraid to open his eyes in fear of what he would see. Who he would see. But, being difficult like he was, Spike did open his eyes and immediately closed them.

Angel was standing in front of him with a wicked grin on his face. “Let’s get this started, boy.”

~*~*~

“He is what?” Buffy was outraged. Dawn took the phone away from her ear when Buffy screamed.

“Anya said that there is a sweeper team in Sunnydale looking for Spike to take him back to England for experiments.”

“And why would Anya supply this information?”

“She’s mad at him. He hasn’t performed… his… husbandly duties since this all came up… you know how Anya thinks.”

“Uh, yeah. And he wanted to set me up so it looks like I set him up?”

“That is the gist.”

“So if he ever escaped he would go after me?” Buffy rubbed her forehead in an attempt to stave off a headache that was forming.

“And then you would dust him. Leave it to Xander.” Dawn shrugged. Xander definitely went to far this time.

“Oh, I am going to kill him!”

Chapter 16: There’s something about Spike

A/N: FYI LONG important chapter.

Buffy pounded on the door. It shook and shook like it was going to break. “Come out you piece of worm shit!” In the back of her mind, Buffy knew he probably wasn’t home, but she was mad. Spike was missing. She stopped by the hotel and he was nowhere to be seen. The voice mail was picked up since the red light was now not lit and the blood was consumed. Buffy resigned herself and left the hotel in search of the bleached vampire.

Next stop: Xander’s work. She stepped on the work site with the obligatory hard hat in search of the worm shit. She recognized some of the workers from her half-day stint as construction queen. They ignored her as she continued her search. After two trips around the work site, Buffy’s anger increased. Xander was not there. Huffing, she headed to the Magic Box.

Kicking the door open, Buffy entered with her usual grace. Anya jumped and searched for a place to hide. “Where is that piece of worm shit that you call your husband?” Anya looked at the customers running to the door, eager to leave.

She sighed, “I haven’t seen him since last night.”

“I think you have. Why are protecting that fucking asshole?” Anya raised her eyebrows. Buffy never used to talk this way.

“I’m not, that’s why I told Dawn. I wish I wasn’t involved.”

Buffy gasped, “You wish huh? That’s interesting. Where is he?” Buffy stalked over to the counter Anya was behind.

“I don’t know. Really, I don’t.” Buffy turned around and left the Magic Box through the front door. Just then, Xander was entering the Magic Box through the back.

~*~*~

“Sweeper team? Are you sure?” Giles rubbed his glasses with his handkerchief.

“That’s the story I got. You haven’t heard this yet?”

“No… Xander… did not inform me… I sincerely did not know.”

“Relax, Giles. I believe you. Anya said it was Willow, her, and Xander planning. Xander mostly. Do you know where a sweeper team might hold up?”

“An unassuming hotel maybe. Abandoned building? If they have Spike, they probably drugged him.”

“Giles, what am I going to do?” Buffy slumped on the couch with her head in her hands.

“Can you feel him?”

“Huh?”

“Can you feel him? He mentioned something about you being a mate?” Giles sat down next to Buffy.

“Um, well. We discussed it. We decided we weren’t ready, yet.”

Giles pushed out the breath he was holding. “Good, good.”

“Why is it good?”

“The situation gets, uh… sticky.”

“What do you mean?”

“Let’s not discuss… this… now. When we find Spike we can discuss it.”

“OK, why did you ask if I could feel him?”

“Part of the mating, feeling each others emotions and thoughts.”

“Huh, really?” Buffy feigned ignorance, but she actually read about vampire mating recently on the Internet. She deduced a lot of it was speculation and exaggeration. “Back on topic. Where would a sweeper team keep Spike?”

“I don’t know. Are you sure they have him?”

“All I know is that they rolled into town yesterday and now he is missing.”

~*~*~

He slowly came into consciousness again. The burns on his chest were healing into a reddish pink scar. His ribs ached, all but a few broken with mistreatment. There were three holes in his gut where Angel bored metal rods into his body. Spike’s legs no longer had the strength to carry his weight. His arms were stretched taunt from the manacles attached to the wall. His shoulders ached. Barely able to open his eyes, Spike saw his sire whittling a piece of wood into a stake. “Who are you, boy?”

Spike opened his mouth, but no sound came out. Angel crushed his Spike’s windpipe a couple hours ago when Spike didn’t answer the way Angel wanted him to. Instead of sound, Spike breathed, “No one.”

“Do you deserve her?” Angel got up from the chair and stalked over to bloodied and beaten body of Spike. The prisoner shook his head negatively. “Do you want her?” The head nodded and Angel growled. Throwing a punch at Spike’s head, Angel also kneed Spike between the legs. “She doesn’t want you. Doesn’t need you. She hates you. You are a monster. Beneath her.” The words were falling on deaf ears, Spike lost consciousness once more.

~*~*~

Buffy crept along the deserted building. The night sky held no stars or moon. It was devoid of any light or miracle. The night air felt heavy and made it hard for Buffy to breathe. She went through the cemeteries, beating and killing any unfortunate demon that crossed her path and didn’t know anything about the whereabouts of Spike. She was surprised that Angel didn’t follow her. She knew he had been hanging around lately.

Buffy smiled at the irony that Angel tried to stay far enough away from her so she wouldn’t feel his presence, but knowing that as she got older she also got stronger. Her first discovery of the fact was when she lived in New York. She could run faster and jump twice as high as she used it. Buffy called Giles immediately to tell him of her discovery. Giles made a trip to New York on the premise to visit but it really was to test her new powers. It turned out every anniversary of her being chosen she gained stronger powers. At the present time, she was doubly as strong as she was when she was 15. Her slayer/spidey sense now included other varieties of harmful demons and increased its range by three fold. She never shared this information with anyone but Giles. Even the council has no idea of her increased abilities.

She received a tip that someone or something was being tortured in an abandoned building down by the docks. And the tip came from the ultimate snitch… Willy. He even provided the information without payment: monetary or fist wise. She continued to lurk around the building trying to hear noises. Coming to the front entrance she felt it. Felt HIM. Strongly. Suddenly afraid for him, she burst through the door. She ran to where she knew he was. Weaving around crates of old cargo, Buffy made her way to the back.

Nothing could have prepared her for the image she ran into. At least ten times worse than what Glory left him with. His face was barely recognizable as a face. His hair was matted with blood and a dark substance like grease or oil. His eyes were swollen shut. His nose was at least twice as large with a big bump on his bridge. His lips were cut and bloodied. He vamped out as soon as she neared him. The formation of ridges on his swollen head made him grown, but the elongation of his teeth made him howl in pain.

He was straining from the wall, trying to break the bonds that held him semi-upright. He growled a deep warning as she neared. His arms were red with blood leaking from where the manacle held him. His chest didn’t move like he usually made it move. His legs tried to make him stand, but they failed.

Buffy moved closer and his growl intensified. “Shhh, baby. I’m here.” His growl continued. “Buffy’s here, Spike. I’m going to take care of you.” His growl deepened, yet was not as loud as it was. “Shh, I’m here. I’ll take care of you.” She stepped forward and his growl decreased in volume. “God, what did they do to you?” His growl intensified. She was so busy trying to figure out how to help him, she didn’t hear the front door opening or feel the demon that entered. “Ok, baby. I’m here. They wont hurt you anymore.” She dug out her cell phone. “Yeah, it’s me. I found him. Not of the good. We need blood, lots of it. Human preferably… the hospital… I don’t care, steal it… O Neg is his favorite, but any will do… You don’t want to know… trust me, it isn’t pretty… Thanks, Dawn.” Buffy hung up the phone. Spike’s growls became louder the longer she was on the phone. “Shh, baby. Let’s get you out of this.” She moved closer to inspect the chairs that held him. Spike moved his head towards her and tried to reach out his head, snapping his teeth at her arm. “Spike, stop it. I’m trying to get you free.” She reached up, careful of his teeth still trying to nip at her. She tugged the chain and it let go of his right hand. She silently thanked the powers for her increased power. She moved over to the other one and Spike roared. Buffy stepped back, but his noises were still becoming louder and fiercer.

“I think he wants you to go away.” A dark voice from the shadows announced.

Buffy turned around at the sound of the voice and strained her eyes to see. “Who are you, what have you done to him?”

“Nothing he didn’t deserve, isn’t that right, boy?” Spike’s growl increased again. His free arm tugging on the chains that held his other.

“Angel?” Buffy remembered that voice. It sounded more like Angelus. He used the same voice when he visited her at her hotel. “How could you?” Spike gave up trying to free his arm when he heard her voice again, instead, he blindly reached for her. Coming up empty he growled and continued his search for her being.

“He took what was mine.” Angel stepped out of the shadows into the light. He was covered in blood and Buffy suspected it was Spike’s blood.

“Yours?” She sidestepped Spike’s latest attempt to grab her. “What the hell did he take? Your tinker toy?”

Angel roared with laughter. “You, my precious girl, are the most naive one I have ever met. You are mine, always and forever. He chose to disregard my claim and therefore he is paying for that insolence.”

“Oh my god, do you listen to yourself or do you let the shit just fly out of your mouth. I told you I am not property and if I was I am not your property.” Spike growled as Angel moved closer.

“Oh yes, you are, my dear. And I will show you that fact, just like I showed Spikey.” Angel moved closer.

“Stay away, Angel. I am going to take Spike and we are leaving.” She looked up into Angel’s cold eyes. The life that used to flicker underneath his lashes was gone. She only saw darkness and evil.

“I love you, Buffy.” He moved closer and Spike roared.

“I loved you, but I am not in love with you. Please just walk away.” Angel was now only a few feet from her.

“Tsk, tsk, my dear girl. You will see.” She stared into his eyes, knowing what he was about to do but unable to move. “Now, be a good girl and come here.” She was helpless to not do what he said. She slowly moved closer to him. “See, you are my girl.” He smiled and changed into his demon form. “No move your hair off your neck and tilt.” Spike roared angrily as Buffy did as Angel commanded. With renewed strength, Spike desperately fought against the last chain holding him in place. Angel moved in and kissed her neck tenderly. Tears escaped Buffy’s eyes. Ever since she was chosen, her greatest fear was turning into a vampire and now Angel meant to make her one. Angel took one last look at Spike and his actions of trying to escape and sneered. “See, she wants me boy, not you. You are nothing. Nobody. Beneath us.” Angel went back to Buffy’s neck and kissed her again. Her body was racked with sobs. “Shhh, Buff, I’ll take care of you. Give you all that you deserve.” Her skin began to give way to his sharp teeth.

Spike managed to grab the back of Buffy and pull her away just as Angel started to bite. He growled and brought Buffy closer to his body. He was wearing the demon visage as he encircled her waist and hugged her. He ripped his bound arm down, breaking the links of the chain. His head went down to the marks Angel barely made. His tongue snaked out and licked her wound. He growled and pushed Buffy away. She flew through the air and landed soundless about thirty feet away in dark shadows of the cargo. She looked back and saw Spike had Angel by the neck. The next thing she knew was dust floating around Spike and Angel disappearing. He grunted and looked around for her. She stood up and faced him as he crept towards her position.

Spike fell to his knees in front of her. His arms encircled her waist. She stood there with the brutally beaten vampire holding on to her like a lifeline. She petted the top of his head, careful to miss the bruises. The wounds on his torso were still bleeding quite heavily and her pants were getting bloody because of it. She looked down and tried to comfort him. Spike looked up at his saving angel and sunk his teeth into her belly, drinking her comfort.

A/N: Shew… That was kinda gory… I’m ready to write Spuffy, now.

A/N: FYI: A violent scene is coming up

Somehow Buffy got Spike out of the warehouse. Every time she tried to extricate herself from his tight grasp he would howl, growl, or whimper. He had long since stopped drinking her blood, and just content to lick and nuzzle his bite marks. Spike still hadn’t said a word and was still in his demon face. She resigned herself to carrying his body to safety as dawn was approaching in the next hour. She made her way to his hotel room, thinking less people would see and care that she was carrying a growling vampire into a room. She set Spike down so she could unlock the door, but he growled like an animal at her. He slid down to the floor and grabbed her legs, toppling her over. Passer bys got a memorable image with Buffy sprawled face first with ass sticking straight up over Spike’s bloody clothes and body. Spike in turn was stopped growling as he held Buffy down.

Pushing on her arms, Buffy straightened herself up, but still was captured by Spike’s strong arms. “Alright, you vamp. Had your fun, now let me up.” He released her and started his low growl again. She scooted away on her knees and unlocked the door. Once again, Spike grabbed Buffy around the waist and brought her down on his lap. He hissed as she rubbed against his injuries that now were healing a little bit. “Alright, Spike. Let me up again.” He didn’t release her. “Baby, please. We need to get you inside.” He looked at her questioning and his growl increased. “Please?” She puffed out her lips in a pout. His growling decreased and let go of her waist. She grabbed his hand and dragged him inside of the room and closed the door.

Immediatley Spike began to increase his growl. She looked around and then at him, not understanding. “What is it, baby?” His growls began to turn into howls and he walked over to the night stand. He picked up the phone and threw it against the wall. Buffy stood there, unbelieving the pissed off vampires actions. Liking the destruction, Spike continued to destroy any object he could get his hands on. “Come on, Spike, stop it.” She tugged at his arm as he reached for the table lamp, trying to get him to stop. “Baby, put the lamp down.” He shrugged her off and continued the carnage. He upturned the table and chairs as Buffy approached again. “OK, this is getting old.” She grabbed his arms in a bear hug, trying to restrain him. His wounds on his torso opened up again. Walking up, Dawn heard the noises coming from the room and wondered what was happening, she knocked when it got quieter. “Dawn?” Buffy struggled with the pissed off vampire in her arms.

“Yeah, it’s me and I got the stuff.” Dawn stood outside the hotel room moving her weight from foot to foot in anticipation. Buffy told her Spike needed lots of blood, which meant that he was seriously injured.

“Um, I can’t come to the door right now. Just open it and come in. Oh and be careful… there’s a mess.”

Dawn opened the door and saw a messed up Buffy holding an equally messed up Spike. He started to growl loudly at Dawn as she opened the door and came in. She had a tight grip around Spike as he struggled to get free. He teeth were bared with his eyes cold and calculating, yet he was reaching for Dawn. “What… what is going on?”

“I don’t know. All I know is Spike here is all growl-y and once we got in here he started to throw any object he got his hands on.”

“Why is he hissing like that?”

“I don’t know, maybe the blood?” She indicated with a nod of her head at the microwave. “Please… he’s lost a lot of blood, I don’t know how much more he can loose.”

Dawn nodded and went over to the microwave to heat some bags she stole from the blood bank in the hospital. Spike growled fiercely as Dawn moved around the room, preparing his meal. Once heated, she opened the bag and dumped it in a mug next to the little kitchenette. Buffy dragged Spike back and got a more secure hold. “Grab a straw, Dawn, I don’t want your hands near his fangs. I don’t know what is going on in Spike’s head. But I don’t think it is of the good.” Dawn nodded and grabbed a straw. She walked over to the couple and Spike’s growls became louder. He raised his upper lip in a sneer as Dawn neared. When she was within three feet, Spike began to buck and twist trying to get free. “Shhh, Baby. Shhh. It’s alright. Dawn wont hurt you.” Buffy tried to soothe Spike and it seemed to work. His struggling and growl decreased at her voice. Dawn came forward and offered the straw to Spike.

~*~*~

Dawn left shortly after his first feeding because Spike started to get agitated when she would step any closer to him than five feet. Buffy spent the day trying to get Spike to not tear the hotel room apart. She held him in a bear hug a lot. At times she had to straddle him on the floor until his fit of anger finished. Buffy realized that Spike was acting similar to the way Angel acted when he came back from the hell dimension. His noises were more gutteral and animalistic than Angels, but he still was incoherent and territorial. She also realized he was not growling at her, but the situation or trying to hurt her. Except for when he bit her stomach and barely drank from her, he had not attempted to bite her again. She was surprised at that revelation because if anything would make him heal, it would be her enhanced blood, yet after a tiny taste he had not attempted to drink her blood.

Ten empty blood bags later and a very messy bath, Spike fell into a fitful sleep. Buffy sat on the bed with Spike’s head pillowed on her stomach. She was running her hands through his now soft and clean hair that seemed to soothe him during his worst tatrums. She looked down at his beaten face. His body started to heal after the third blood bag, but the bruises were evident and the wounds on his torso closed up and no longer bleeding.

Buffy looked around at the mess and decided that this was not the place to keep Spike. She had no idea what Angel did to him, but she intended to fix him. Buffy reached over to the phone and called Dawn. “Yeah, it’s me… I don’t know… he isn’t growling anymore… since about noon… I don’t think this is a good place for him… too many things he can throw… yes, he is still throwing objects… sleeping right now… can you clean out the basement?… I will pay for all your roommates to get rooms at the Sunsetter if you want… Please?… I am not going to play the ‘I pay for the mortgage’ card, but I do, you know… Thanks, Dawnie… Oh, can you pick up more blood from the bank?… I know we can’t take too much, but he still needs it to heal. I don’t know what Angel did… I guess I will become the bank then… I am not asking you to do it… I am sure he will appreciate it when he comes to… he will come too… thanks, I will be over there shortly after sunset.” Buffy hung up and called a different number. “It’s me… I found him this morning… Sorry to worry you, but this is the first time I have gotten the opportunity to call… Angel… I know… I couldn’t believe it either… Giles?… He’s bad off… like Angel from Hell only worse… No, he isn’t trying to hurt me… he seems to be comforted when I touch him when he gets agitated… I am going to move him to the house… he’s destroyed almost the whole place. He even kicked the TV, luckily that didn’t break… Could you get some blood? I think he needs human and Dawn already got a bunch from the blood bank. She pretty much wiped them out… Yeah, I am going to get him over there and settled then come over here and settle up the bill… I guess over two thou of damage… Don’t worry, he can afford it…Yes, it turns out he has some money, that pig... Thanks… Bye.” Buffy hung up the phone for the second time and looked down at the quiet vampire. Instead of seeing his peaceful, yet bruised face, she saw two very confused, very intelligent, and very vibrant blue eyes. She blinked and sighed, “Spike, I know you are in there. Please, baby come back to me. I need you.” She smiled slightly, trying to make him more at ease. The vampire blinked at her words, trying to decifer what she said. He gave his trademark grin like he understood and cooed. Buffy was shocked, never, not even when they were having their illicit love affair did he ever make a sound that even resembled a coo. It was nothing like his purr, but she figured it symbolized something similar.

Spike brought his hand up to her face, brushing his fingers against her cheek in a soothing manner. She smiled into his palm and he cooed some more, happy that he was giving his saving angel some comfort. She smiled down and brushed her fingers across the plains of his face. He breathed in, taking in her familiar scent. Something about her scent made his mind less muddled and feel at peace, and sometimes it stopped the voices in his head. At first in the warehouse, the voices were quite quiet. He was strung up by his arms and badly beaten by the devil, they just whispered in the back of his head. Every once in a while they would scream, “Nothing, no one, beneath her.” Then his saving angel swooped down and freed his arm from the confines. The devil came and grabbed his saving angel, meaning to do her harm. He knew that he had to save the angel or he would never be saved. The voices got louder after he was freed an in the safe arms of his saving angel and as day break approached. “You don’t deserve love.” When they got into the room the voices got overwhelming, causing great pain in his head. He tried everything to make them stop. “You are nothing, boy. Do you really think she loves you? You don’t deserve her love, monster.” His angel tried to hold him down. Get him to stop throwing things, but he needed to throw things. It made the voices quieter. She was saying something. Her mouth was moving, yet he only heard incoherent noise. She smiled sweetly and he felt his chest constrict with need. He needed her to smile, to be happy. Now she was moving. The voices in his head started up again. “Monster!” He whimpered and she stopped moving and look down at him. He turned towards her and hugged her waist. The voices quieted down again as he settled his head against her soft stomach.

Buffy stopped moving off the bed when she heard his strangled whimper. He immediately wrapped his arms around her torso and buried his head in her stomach. She drew her fingers threw his hair. He settled down and she sat back. “Spike, we have to get up and go to the house. This isn’t a good place for us right now.” He nuzzled her belly button, just like he used to while making love. Buffy felt the familiar stirrings in her lower regions, but tried to squash the desire. Spike sniffed and a low purr started. He moved his head closer to the source of the intoxicating smell. Buffy clamped her thighs together willing the intense feelings away, but Spike had other ideas. She felt his growing erection against her leg and she said, “Even like this, its all he thinks about.” Buffy chuckled and his head popped up from breathing in her aroused scent. She looked down into those questioning eyes and shook her head. He growled deep and she shook her head again. This wasn’t the time to be intimate. She moved away, holding Spike in his place on the bed. “No, Spike, we can’t. We have to get to the house. Come on, let’s go.” He growled again. “No, Spike. Come on, behave.” He shook his head and reached for her. He grabbed her waist and brought her back to the bed.

She let him pull her back just because she didn’t want to make him upset. With his wounds healing, he was also becoming stronger. She didn’t want to have to fight him to get him to the house. Hopefully she could persuade him. He was nuzzling her stomach and crotch, bringing her desire forward. She gasped as she felt his cold tongue running around and inside her belly button. Buffy squirmed, trying to extricate herself from the bed, but Spike’s arms were encircling her. She reached down and cupped his chin, bringing his head towards hers. She brought his mouth down to hers. Fireworks exploded behind her eyes as their lips touched. His lips crashed down after the initial contact. His cock strained against the fabric of his jeans, begging for release. Blindly, he moved his kisses to cover her face, trying to consume her beauty.

He ground his pelvis against hers, driving both bodies insane. “Spike, we shouldn’t,” she was speaking again and he had no idea or any want to understand her communication at the moment. His hands moved up and down her body with want. “We should wait until you are better.” He stopped his sloppy kisses to peer down at his saving angel. Even though he didn’t understand her words, he saw it in her eyes: worry, want, wonton desire, all rolled up into one. He nodded his head and went back to her mouth. His tongue violently plunged down into hers making her cry out. His hands found her breasts and he squeezed the sensitive globes fiercely. His cock grew longer as precum oozed out of his slit, coating his dickhead and jeans. Trying to find the friction he knew would bring him release he started to dry hump Buffy’s leg. “Ahhh, stop!” Spike raised his face again to look at her. He saw in her eyes fear and confusion. Spike nuzzled Buffy’s face trying to figure out why the change of moods. His pelvis was moving on it’s own volition, up and down, grinding hard and harder.

Buffy grabbed the back of Spike’s head trying to get his attention. He looked up again and his humping slowed down. “Spike, please, baby.” He titled his head to the side and looked questioning. His lower region told him to continue with his task to make him feel better, yet something in his head told him to stop. His body responded to the mix signals and slowed down. Buffy took his hand off her breast and kissed his palm. “Sweetie, I get that you want me, Mr. Big Bad,” She raised her hips to come in contact with what she was talking about, “is making that loud and clear, but sweetie slow down.” It occurred to Buffy that at this point, Spike wasn’t going anywhere until he finished with his mission and gave totally in. She moved his hand back to her breast and moved his hand in a gentle circular way. “See, no need to grab.” He nipple started to bud, pressing itself into his hand. Spike felt the difference and looked down at the breast. He took his hand away and looked at the harden pebble on top of her breast. He moved to the other and duplicated the movement she showed him. To his pleasure, he got the same response.

Spike brought his mouth down to the unoccupied, yet clothed, breast and began to lick and suck at the peak. A deep moan came from Buffy as Spike’s tongue encircled her sensitive peak, his hand massaged her other breast and his lower region was dry humping hers. She flipped them over and towered above him. Spike whimpered at the loss of his new suck toy, but stared up as she took her shirt totally off. His hands flew to her bra-covered breasts and began to knead them again. Her hips started to undulate on their own accord, grinding down on his desire. She mewed as his hands squeezed her breasts and his pelvis thrusted up. She looked down at his almost perfect face, barely any evidence of the previous night’s torture. His wide blue eyes looked up at her with such love and devotion, she almost forgot that he was broken. Buffy lean down to capture his mouth. He let go of her breast and brought his hand to the back of her head, holding it to his. Their tongues parried with each other as his need grew. She pulled away slightly to give the indication of taking off the rest of their clothing, but Spike misinterpreted her action and growled. “Shh, baby. Gotta take off the rest.” His tongue snaked out and licked her cheek from chin to eyebrow. “Oh my god, baby, I want you so much… never be without you again.” She knew she was babbling, but the things he was doing with his mouth and tongue was driving her over the edge.

Buffy managed to unbutton and unzip both their pants before she tried to wiggle out of hers. He watched as she took both the pants and underwear off in one action. He breathed in her intoxicating scent and his body took over again. He grabbed her as she was finishing taking off her bra, throwing her to the bed, but he missed. She fell on the dirty floor, littered with the product of his angry tantrums. He quickly shimmied out of his own pants and mounted her on the floor. She opened her legs as he approached and arched her back as he entered. His long length slid in and her muscles welcomed his cock. Spike pulled back and thrusted hard again. His hard rhythm continued, driving Buffy hard into the floor next to the bed. She arched up, changing the penetration angle. Spike looked down with his stormy blue eyes and watched as her body responded to his. Her eyes closed with sweat beading on her forehead. Her mouth was forming a perfect O and her breathe coming out ragged and fast. Her neck arched up with perspiration pooling in the little indentation near her collarbone. Her breasts bounced up and down every time her slide in and out of her wet, hot passage. Spike grinned, knowing her was making her body respond. His head dipped down, licking up the sweat on her neck. Buffy’s body tightened up as she felt him move towards her neck. She remembered the discussion near the pool about sex and biting. She thought to herself: is this it? Is the demon in charge? Will it hurt? Will she be able to move him to the house? What if a maid came in tomorrow and she was incapacitated? Would Spike attack, trying to protect himself and me? All the thoughts entered her brain at the same time, making her stiffen. Spike felt the change of her body and stopped lapping up the sweet sweat. He looked up into her eyes and saw the confusion and fear. Drawing up, he stopped thrusting, confused at her expression and fear.

Spike cocked his head to the side as he looked down. Buffy opened her eyes, looking up at her lover’s face. She reached up and caressed his face. Spike nuzzled her hand as she moved it down to his cheek. Both reassured, Spike brought up his pelvis and Buffy wrapped her legs around his. Her feet rested on his butt as he went back down slowly. Spike dipped his face back down and peppered her face with light kisses. Buffy, in turn, nuzzled his neck, breathing in his unique scent. “God, baby, the things you do to me. You make me burn for you.” Spike stopped his worship of her face to look down at her. She arched up when he found her special spot and smiled as her orgasm neared. “So near, baby. Give me more. Make me come.” Spike smirked and increased his pace, hitting her g-spot, sending her over the edge. With her muscles spasming, Spike quickly thrusted himself over his edge, sending his cool semen into her womb. Coming down from her euphoric daze, Buffy felt Spike go into his and triggering another one for her.

They lay on the floor for minutes, each coming down from their daze. Spike moved first by nuzzling Buffy’s ear. She stroked his back and he began to purr in contentment. Right when Buffy was ready to try to move out from under Spike, she felt him tense. He thrusted up further inside her and filled her again with his seed. She looked at him, questioning. He never had just come like that. He looked down and whispered something she couldn’t quite get. “Honey, what was that?” He growled as she moved. His hands held her down on the floor as she tried to get up. His growl turned constant as she struggled to free herself. “Spike, let go! I mean it.” His growling stopped, but his hands held her underneath him. Buffy pushed up with all her might and disengaged him, penis and all, from her body.

She rose and reached for her clothes. Spike stood up and stalked over to the busy woman. She whipped around at the last minute and held up her hand. “Hold it, Mr., you are going to get dressed and we are going to pack the car and then we are going to go over to the house.” He continued to stalk close to her, ready to capture his woman and deposit his scent on her again. “Get dressed, bleach blond.” If Spike was in there, somewhere in this demon, she knew that the nickname would draw him out. His eyes cleared, almost as they were in a haze, and he backed off for a moment. “Now, Spike, listen. I know you are in there and I am going to get you out, baby. Just stick with me. I’ll take care of you.” She grabbed his shoulders and kissed him hard on his mouth. “We have to get to the house. Okay? This place… not safe, the maid… can walk in any moment. We are going to get dressed and head over there. Are you with me?” He nodded his head numbly. “Good, get dressed.” He did as she commanded; almost like he was a marionette she was pulling his strings.

Spike followed Buffy’s directions perfectly. He helped her pack the bags with his stuff. She got him into the car through the driver’s side because he refused to get in another door and be away from her. She drove them to the house on Revello and got him into the house. Dawn was in the kitchen, cooking some dinner when they arrived.

“What took you so long?” Dawn came out of the kitchen. Spike growled as she neared. Dawn put her arms up, “Hey, remember me, Spike. I’m your nibblet. I fed you today.” Dawn stopped where she was standing when Spike growled fiercely.

He lunged towards her, but Buffy was quicker. She ran in between the two to stop Spike from getting to Dawn. He cried out as he collided with her body and they fell to the ground. “Spike, it’s Dawn. She is your friend. We do not hurt out friends, remember?” Spike looked at Buffy’s face, looking for signs of hurting her. Whimpering, Spike buried his head into Buffy’s lap. “Shh, it’s OK, baby. Everything will be fine.” She patted his head and looked at Dawn. “Sorry, he’s sorta acting like, kinda in between, Tara when Glory brain sucked her and me when I came back, ya know? Kinda not sure who everyone is and not able to talk.” Dawn nodded watching Spike. “Let’s get him to the basement… I think he needs to lay down.” Buffy indicated to Spike to get up and follow her.

Spike struggled against his bonds that his lover was putting on him. She patted his head lovingly and shook hers as she continued to bind him to the basement wall. “I’m sorry, Spike. I hate doing this. I love you. You didn’t give us any other choice.” The first straw was when she took him down to the basement; he just followed her back up to the kitchen. The second straw was when she locked the basement door and he howled through the wood; he pounded and kicked against it. The third was him yanking Buffy through the door and causing her to fall down the steps to the floor with him following on top of her. The last straw was when he growled and snapped his jaws at Dawn when they were trying to get him back into the basement. He whimpered as Buffy headed up the steps and she walked back to his body. “Baby, please understand. I have to go back to the hotel and settle the bill before they see the room. I’ll be back as soon as I can.” The chains and manacles hindered his movement, but he still managed to grab Buffy and pull her into his lap. His face came down and nuzzled her cheek while cooing again. She took this as a sign he understood and would behave.

“You know having a non-communicative overly protective vampire boyfriend can be very dangerous and very tiring.” Buffy announced as she came into the living room.

“I bet. So is he going to be OK?” Dawn knew if push came to shove Spike wouldn’t harm her, but she didn’t want to be pushed or shoved anytime soon.

“Yeah, he seemed to understand that I had to go but I would be back. You know it’s strange… one minute he is docile like a kitten and the next he is roaring like a lion.” Buffy looked out the bay window.

“I wonder what is going on in his head?”

“I have no clue, Dawnie, but I think we should be careful with who sees Spike and who he sees.” Buffy shivered.

“Yeah, what did Angel do to him anyways?” Dawn looked through the window, trying to see what Buffy was staring at.

“Broke him or something. He said something about him not being worthy or some sort of shit… Look Dawn, I need to go to the hotel and settle the bill before he gets to anxious down there. You think you will be alright?” Dawn nodded. Buffy went over to her sister and hugged her, “I’ll be back as soon as I can. In the mean time try not to move much, I think he can hear the creeks and squeaks downstairs and he may become more restless.” With that request Buffy was out the door.

~*~*~

And hour and a half later Buffy was walking down the steps into the basement. Spike woke up with her scent drifting towards him. He let out a small growl as she reached him and undid his bonds. “Sorry, baby, but I had to go back to the hotel. Do you know how much you destroyed?” She tried to laugh as she freed his second arm. His arms reached around her to bring her closer so he could re-acquaint himself with her neck and smells. A small purr rumbled from his chest yet again. “OK, baby. I heard you were a good boy and deserve a treat.” His eyes lit up, almost in recognition of past events, and nodded his head. “Come on, it’s food time.” She preceded him up the stairs and into the empty kitchen. She went about heating up his dinner as he stood near the kitchen island. She finished heating up the last of the blood bags that Dawn ‘borrowed’ from the blood bank and gave him the mug. Spiked looked down at the warm liquid then up to Buffy and then down again. He gave a shrug and downed the mug in a couple gulps.

KNOCK

Buffy left the kitchen to get the front door. Sam stepped through just as Spike followed his missing love. A loud piercing shrieking growl was heard for a mile as Spike lunged towards the embracing friends. Sam found himself thrown down the front steps and landing hard on the concrete. Spike followed in a flying leap, landing on his feet in front of Sam. Buffy ran out still dazed from the blow Spike delivered between her and Sam.

Spike was kicking Sam’s prone body, growling and sneering. His face was vamped and his claws digged into Sam’s arms. Buffy grabbed Spike’s shoulder, trying to get his attention, but he shrugged her off. She fell backwards watching her lover beat up her best friend. “Spike stop it!” He looked back, but continued his assault. She jumped up and jumped onto Spike’s back. He stumbled back with the weight on his back. They rammed in, back first, into one of the pillars on the front porch. “Ahhhhhhhh!” The shock jolted Buffy and she let go. Spike turned around, ready to attack his own attacker. His face softened and changed back into his human guise. She looked up from where she was laying, hurt and unable to move for the time being. “Spike, please,” she whispered. He dropped down to his knees between her and Sam’s unconscious body. “Please Spike.” Tears ran down his face staring at his love hurt on the ground. Snapping out of his stupor he picked he slid his hand under her knees and her back to pick her up. He carried her into the house and down to the basement, the only place he knew. He gently laid her down on the worn out old mattress near where she initially bound him to the wall. He went about cooing and smoothing her hair, trying to figure out how to help. “Spike, get Dawn.” He didn’t move. “Please, Spike… Go get Dawn.”

Racing up the stairs, Spike found Dawn asleep on her bed. Stalking over, he grabbed the sleeping woman and carried her down to Buffy. She woke up almost immediately and screamed. Spike just walked faster down stairs. “Buffy?” Dawn said as Spike put her down next to his love. He motioned for Dawn to help. “What happened?”

“I’ll be fine… just need to rest a little… Sam… he’s outside” Dawn gasped. “… I don’t know how hurt he is.” Dawn backed up, but Spike was right behind her and shoved her back towards Buffy. “Spike… he attacked us… I don’t know what happened, I was in a…. daze for the most part.” Spike sat down, looking at Dawn motioning for her to help Buffy. “Spike, sweetie, I am OK. Dawn is going to help Sam.” Spike growled and his face changed. “No, Spike… come here.” She opened her arms for him to crawl into. “Go, Dawn while I am holding him. Get Sam to the hospital.” With that, Dawn ran up the stairs like Satan himself was on her heals.

They arrived at the hospital ten minutes later. Sam woke up in the car but was still badly injured. The doctors patched up his scratch marks from both claws and teeth. They couldn’t give him a transfusion because mysteriously the blood bank was having a shortage. He refused to stay the night for observation and they let him go.

Meanwhile down in the basement, Buffy held onto Spike. “I will find a way to make you better, Spike… I will.”

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