Chapter Six

Dawn threw the front door open and called out, "Buffy, I’m home!"

As she stepped into the living room, she was shocked to see her sister, curled up with a man who was definitely not Riley.

"Buffy?"

Both Buffy’s and Spike’s eyes flew open.

"Dawn?"

With a hint of sarcasm, Dawn said, "Good morning."

"Um Dawn, this is Spike. Spike, my little sister, Dawn."

Dawn nodded at the blonde man, "Nice to meet you."

Spike nodded back at Dawn, "Little bit."

The youngest Summers asked her sister, "Are we going to the hospital? Visiting hours start soon."

"Yeah," Buffy answered. "Take your stuff upstairs, then we’ll go." She watched her sister flee up the stairs and then turned her attention to the vampire. "I’ve trapped you here."

Spike rubbed reassuring circles on her back and promised, "S’alright, I’ll watch the telly. Go visit your mom"

***

The Watcher was quite cheerful when he arrived at the hospital. After a night of research he had found something significant. Giles pulled Buffy out of her mother’s room to talk. Dawn, curious or nosy, depending on the point of view, followed.

"Buffy, I have found a reference in the Watcher’s diaries about a vampire aiding the French resistance and the Slayer during the Nazi occupation…"

"It’s Spike." Buffy stated.

Dawn asked, "Spike?"

Buffy ignored her and told Giles, "The vampire on a mission of redemption is Spike. Oh and by the way, thanks for telling me that Anastasia was a Slayer."

"Spike’s a vampire?"

Giles also ignored Dawn, "It didn’t seem important…"

"No but it was way cool."

Dawn said louder, "The guy that spent the night on our couch is a vampire?"

This got Giles’s attention.

"Good! Good vampire," Buffy insisted.

"He spent the night in your home? Buffy…"

"I know," the Slayer sighed, "You urge me to use caution."

"That was quite reckless of you. There was no way that you could know that he was the one we were looking for."

"I knew. Giles, I’ve seen him do things, heroic things. And I’m right, aren’t I?"

"Well, yes," he conceded. "The diaries of Gabrielle’s watcher mention his name. William. Even so, he could very well backslide. Or are you forgetting that he has killed a Slayer fairly recently?"

"Nineteen seventy-seven, I know. He won’t talk about it."

"I don’t doubt it."

"He killed a Slayer?" Dawn asked.

Buffy continued, "There’s more to it then just vampire versus Slayer, Giles. I know it."

"Buffy, please try to remember that he is, by definition, a monster."

She shook her head, "He’s no monster."

***

"Yeah, she is a special girl…You can be here tomorrow, then?… I can’t thank you enough, luv…."

Spike hung up the phone and turned to the man that he knew was glaring at him from the doorway. He was refined looking, older than Buffy, he wasn’t the boyfriend. That left, "You must be the Watcher."

With a more well-bred accent then Spike’s own, the Watcher said, "And you must be William the Bloody."

Spike reached into the pocket of his duster, which lay across a kitchen stool, to extract a stack of business cards wrapped in a rubber band. He slipped the card he had been holding into the stack. To the Watcher he said, "The Slayer isn’t here. She’s…"

"Yes I know where Buffy is." The Watcher placed a brown paper bag on the counter and told Spike, "I’m here to see you. I brought you…"

Spike glanced into the bag and smiled at the container of blood. He pulled off the lid and tasted it with his finger. "Mmm. Thanks mate. I really prefer pig to cow, but then beggars can’t be choosers, can they?" He smirked at the gentleman and asked, "Afraid I was gonna get hungry and snack on the Slayer?"

Giles chose to ignore him and gestured to the pile of business cards. "Are all those…?"

Spike grabbed the cards, shrugged, and placed them back in his pocket, "People that owe me favors."

"Tell me about New York." The Watcher demanded.

Spike suppressed a snarl. Turning his back to the Watcher while he prepared his meal in the microwave. "I don’t want to talk about that."

Giles persisted, "I need to know what happened, if I am to allow Buffy…"

"Allow Buffy?" Spike chuckled. "I don’t imagine Buffy’s very good at taking orders."

The Watcher took off his glasses and began to wipe them with his handkerchief. His nervous habit was his way of ignoring the vampire’s last comment. "You killed her. I need to know why."

Trying to hide his feelings, Spike acidly said, "Its what vampires do innit?" The memories of that Slayer flooded over him and he sighed, "I had no choice."

Giles asserted, "If you harm one hair on Buffy’s head…"

"I’d rather drive a stake into my own chest, mate."

***

Buffy and Dawn rose from their mother’s bedside when Dr. Isaacs entered the room. He was relaxed and looked like he had good news to share, "Joyce, girls, I have some news. I’m not going to be performing the procedure tomorrow."

Buffy worriedly asked, "Is there a problem?"

"Quite the contrary. I have very good news. I’m not sure how, but Dr. Christine Edwards has shown an interest in your mother’s case. She’s one of the finest neurosurgeons in the country. She’s flying in from New York as we speak."

Joyce stammered, "I don’t understand. I… I don’t know what to say."

Dr. Isaacs smiled and said, "You must have some friends in high places Mrs. Summers."

***

Buffy and Dawn stayed at the hospital all day. As they came up the walk to their front door, Spike opened the front door and stepped out.

"Are you leaving?" Buffy asked, not wanting him to go.

Spike tenderly tucked a stray piece of Buffy’s blonde hair behind her ear and explained, "Thought you’d be tired. Was going to give you the night off."

The Slayer was both shocked and touched, "You were going to patrol for me?"

"Unless you don’t want me too."

Buffy allowed a unfettered laugh to escape her lips, "Are you kidding? Jeez where have you been the last five years?"

Dawn meanwhile, had been quietly studying Spike. "Are you really a vampire?"

Spike smiled at the girl and answered, "Yeah Little Bit, I’m really a vampire." To Buffy he added, "Put your feet up and relax, Slayer. You’ve had a rough couple of days."

The Summers sisters watched as the vampire walked down their sidewalk.

Buffy called out, "Spike?"

He cocked his head toward her and asked, "Yeah, luv?"

She wanted to say something else. She wanted to ask him to come back. Instead she said, "Be careful."

The smile on his face at her request was his promise that he would.

***

Spike drove the demon’s own sword into his chest and watched as pink goo oozed out of the wound. The demon dropped to the ground and melted away.

Out of the shadows, Spike heard a familiar voice. "Another Slayer’s pet pony."

"Angelus." Spike snarled.

He stepped closer to Spike and asked, "Does she have you doing any other tricks? Maybe jumping through hoops?"

"What do you want?"

Angelus stepped closer to Spike and punched him in the gut. As Spike doubled over Angelus casually continued his taunting, "I really had hoped, William, that I could turn you around. I thought, maybe if you had some kind of incentive…"

The dark vampire kicked his former companion in the jaw. Spike fell backwards onto the ground. A trickle of blood escaped the corner of his mouth.

"I offered you the most intoxicating creature alive. Well, not alive…" Another kick to the gut. "And instead, you chose the Slayer. Again. I’m beginning to think there is something wrong with you."

Angelus tried another kick but Spike caught it and threw him off balance. Angelus sprawled in the grass while Spike leaped to his feet. "I don’t want her. Take her and Darla and get the hell out of town."

"You’d give up Drusilla?" Angelus asked incredulously as he hauled himself to his feet.

"She was never mine to give up. She only wanted me when you were otherwise occupied." Spike landed a punch to Angelus’s right eye.

"Poor little Spikey."

Spike grabbed his nemesis around the throat. Angelus promised, "I’m going to kill your Slayer."

Spike pushed him away. "You won’t be able to get close to her. She knows all about you now."

As Angelus backed away, retreating, once again to the shadows, he promised, "Her family. Her friends. I’ll see that you watch them all die, William."

***

"He’s kind of sexy," commented Dawn.

She and Buffy were curled up on the couch, watching television.

"The Energizer bunny?" Buffy asked confused.

"Duh," Dawn rolled her eyes at her sister while the pink rabbit drifted across their television screen. "Spike."

"Oh." Buffy didn’t comment. She kept her eyes on the screen. "He’s too old for you."

"How old is he?"

Buffy thought, "Um, a hundred twenty… seven, I think."

Before Dawn could reply something came crashing through their window. Dawn screamed and Buffy shoved her sister behind her for protection.

The giant snake twisted around the sisters, once again facing Dawn. The snake then let out a shriek and slithered back out the window.

"Stay here!" Buffy yelled and took off after the predator.

It headed down the street, with Buffy in pursuit. The snake came face to face with Spike, who was returning to Revello drive.

"Spike! Stop it. You have to stop it."

The vampire grabbed hold of the snake as it attempted to slither by. He desperately held it for Buffy. When she caught up she snapped its neck.

He breathlessly asked the Slayer, "Are you all right?"

She nodded and then noticed, "You’re hurt."

He wiped the blood away with the back of his hand. The corner of his mouth had begun to bleed again. "Met up with an old friend."

***

Spike boarded up the broken window. Buffy handed him a mug full of the blood Giles had brought.

She told Spike, "Dawn’s asleep."

As he took the cup, he asked, "Mind telling me what that was all about?"

Buffy paced the living room before sitting on the couch. Spike sat across from her on the coffee table.

"Long story." She explained. His unwavering blue eyes remained focused on her.

She told him everything about Glory, keeping her voice down so Dawn wouldn’t awaken and over hear.

"Who knows this?" he asked.

"Just Giles."

He sighed and affirmed, "Cor, Slayer. You are having a bad time of it."

Spike?" she asked quietly.

"Yeah?"

"Call me Buffy."

Moved, he simply nodded in acknowledgment of her request. He picked up his duster and put it on. "I’ll be back, luv."

"Where are you going?"

"To see what I can find out about this Glory bird."

Buffy looked unsettled. Spike assured her with a gentle kiss on the forehead. "I’ll be back before sunrise, luv. I promise."

***

Just as his informant had suggested, Spike could smell the demon following him. He headed down an alley and then quickly hid in the doorway. As he expected, the demon walked right by.

Spike jumped out and grabbed the brown clad demon from behind.

"You’re following me. You work for Glory?" Spike snarled.

"Yes," stammered Jinx.

"Good." Spike tightened his grip on the little toad, "You’re going to tell me everything you know about Glory and the Key."

"And then?" Jinx whined.

"Then I’m going to kill you for making the Slayer’s life miserable."

****

Spike found the Slayer staring out her bedroom window. Listening to her radio.He leaned against the door frame and said, "I’ve got some information Buffy."

"How? We’ve been looking for weeks."

"In the wrong places, luv. Found a demon who pointed me towards a little toadie who works for the bint."

"You told him about Dawn?" Buffy asked anxiously.

"Not exactly. Don’t worry, luv. He won’t be talking to anyone again. Ever. Unfortunately, Glory already has it in her head that the Key is human."

Buffy looked stricken. "Tell me some good news." She begged as she sat down on the edge of her bed.

Spike raised his eyebrows at her, an indication that the rest of the news wasn’t good at all.

"You don’t need another invite do you?" She asked, since he hadn’t come into the room.

"Wouldn’t hurt."

She patted the spot next to her. "Sit down."

He strolled over to her and sat next to her on the bed. "This Glory bird wants to open a portal to her own dimension."

"That doesn’t sound so bad." Buffy said hopefully.

"The longer the portal stays open, the more nasties will come out. Eventually we’re talking end of the world."

"Okay. That’s bad. So we keep her from opening the portal."

"All right," Spike concurred.

"And if she succeeds? How do we close it?"

"It closes when the energy stops flowing. Blood in this case, I’m guessing. Which wouldn’t be so bad except that the key is…"

"Dawn."

"She can’t exactly do without her blood." They sat in absolute silence for several minutes before Spike reluctantly spoke up, "Well now that I know all of your dirty little secrets, I suppose I should tell you mine."

She knew what he was speaking of. New York. "You don’t have to."

"S’alright. You deserve to know what happened."

End chapter six

Chapter Seven

New York 1977

"Come out, come out wherever you are."

Spike opened one bathroom stall after the other. Slamming each one dramatically. He smiled malignantly at the last remaining closed door.

"You are a very bad man." He taunted. "Nice men don’t do those kinds of things with little boys."

Abruptly the door swung open, momentarily knocking Spike back. His prey ran out of the bathroom and into the deserted subway station.

"Run then." Spike said to the empty bathroom. "Makes it all the more fun for me."

Spike exited the bathroom in time to see the man enter the silver subway car. He raced to the closing doors. Just in time he squeezed into an adjoining car.

He stalked through the empty cars, hunting his prey.

He found the man cowering in the corner of the first car.

"Now, now." Soothed Spike, "Not gonna kill you." He vamped out and promised, "Just a taste, to teach you a lesson."

As Spike reached out for the terrified man, a painful blow hit him from behind.

She screamed as she hit him.

Spike fell to his knees as his prey escaped. When he rose, he turned to his attacker. "And you must be the Slayer."

She said nothing. She simply attacked.

Spike had the Slayer pinned on her back. His hand around her throat.

"Go ahead," she taunted, her dark eyes blazing with hate, "Do it."

"What’s your name, Slayer?"

As a response, she spit in his face. With his free hand, he wiped it away. "My name is William. Have your Watcher read Gabrielle’s Watcher’s diaries. I’ll be right here tomorrow night."

The Slayer’s eyes were wide and disbelieving.

Spike added, "Can’t have you following me with that stake of yours though."

With a quick blow, he knocked her unconscious.

"How can I be sure you are who you say you are?"

"Didn’t kill you, did I, Slayer? Could have."

"What do you want from me?" she crammed her hands into her leather duster, no doubt clenching a stake hidden in the pocket.

"A little quid pro quo, luv. I help you, you help me."

"What makes you think I would help you?" she spat.

"You’re here, aren’t you?" Spike handed her a manila folder. "Been doing some research on the .44 caliber killer. Help me find him, help me kill him, I’ll help you kill all the nasties here in old New York."

She reluctantly took the folder from his hands and perused it. "You betray me…"

"And you’ll stake me good and proper. Sounds fair." He took in the beautiful Slayer, "You got a name, luv, or should I just call you Slayer?"

"Nikki."

They killed the demon together. Nikki was panting with exhaustion. Spike stood there, over the demon, holding the stake in his hand.

Impulsively , the Slayer grabbed the chain around his neck and pulled the vampire in for a kiss.

He pushed her away, in shock.

Nikki touched her lips and commented, "Your lips are cold."

Shamed, Spike hung his head.

She took his face in her hands and smiled. "Lets see if I can warm them up."

"Luv, I have to go." He fingered the leather on her duster.

"I know. You haven’t eaten yet." She knew that Spike refused to eat in front if her, even if it was just sewer rats.

"Tomorrow night?" He touched her bottom lip with his thumb.

"Tomorrow night."

"Welcome home, William."

Angelus stood with Dru and Darla on each side of him. Something was up.

"Angelus, what’s going on?"

"We have a surprise for you. A couple of surprises as a matter of fact."

Angelus led his childe into their back bedroom. Chained to the bed was the Slayer.

Spike pinned Angelus to the wall. "I’m going to kill you."

Darla pulled him off of his sire and threw him to the floor. Dru merely watched from the doorway.

"Did you think we’d let you get away with it William?" Angelus asked, rubbing his neck where Spike had grabbed him. "You’ve got a choice to make now."

"What? You or her?"

Angelus smiled and nodded at Darla, who pulled a young girl from the closet. "Her." Angelus indicated Nikki, "Or her." He caressed the child’s cheek.

"William." Nikki croaked. Spike sat at her bedside, and allowed tears to well up in his eyes. "You have to."

"I can’t."

"You have to save the child." She insisted through her swollen and bloodied lips.

"He’s going to kill her anyway."

"Oh, now that’s just unfair." Laughed Angelus.

Nikki pleaded with her eyes, "Do it."

***

Spike’s eyes were wet with tears. Several escaped and slid down his pale face. "All I have left of her is a damned leather jacket."

"You killed her."

Spike nodded.

Buffy took his face in her hands and looked deep into his blue eyes. Gently, she placed her warm lips on his.

The radio on her desk played a tender melody.

"Buffy, maybe we shouldn’t."

"Don’t." Touching his lips she insisted, "Just kiss me."

Buffy lifted his shirt over his head and tossed it on the floor. She pushed him back onto the bed and kissed her way down his muscular chest.

His hands ran over her body masterfully, shedding her clothes for her. He gave her a questioning look as he reached for her white cotton panties. Buffy nodded her consent.

Spike’s fingers slid against her warm center. Lightly and quickly. Buffy muffled a cry of pleasure.

The vampire growled, "Don’t hold back, Buffy."

They slid, cool skin against warm, beneath the sheets

Spike and Buffy were joined in the most intimate way. As they moved together, he reached for her hand. Their fingers intertwined.

In unison with the rest of their bodies, their hands tightened and then relaxed.

Satiated and soothed, and absolved of his sins, Spike held the girl in his arms as she drifted off to sleep.

*****

He had hoped she’d sleep longer, but Buffy awakened only a few hours after she had fallen asleep.

He caressed the soft skin of her arms and settled against her back as she spoke.

"Maybe I should just run. Take Mom & Dawn, and just get out of town."

His response was a light kiss on her shoulder.

"I can’t do this, Spike. Glory, Angelus. I can’t do it alone."

"Shh, luv. You aren’t alone."

*****

End chapter seven

Chapter Eight

Buffy dressed quietly, sitting on the edge of her bed. She felt the mattress shift beneath her and strong arms encircle her waist.

Spike pressed his lips to her neck and asked, "Where are you going?"

"The hospital. Giles is picking us up soon."

"Thas right, your Mom’s operation is today, innit?"

She nodded a worried affirmative. Buffy leaned back into his embrace.

"You want me to go with you?" he inquired.

"Yes." She admitted. "But there’s no way that Giles would understand. He doesn’t quite trust you yet."

"Do you?" he asked, his eyes shaded by his dark eyelashes.

She turned in his arms and took his beautiful face in her hands. "I trust you." Buffy drew strength from certainty that she was not the first Slayer to trust, or love, this vampire.

"Can I ask you something?" she asked.

"Hmm?" he asked humming into her neck.

"When I met Angelus, I felt something. A pull."

"A thrall." He explained. "Dru taught him. Theoretically, everyone in our order has the ability."

"Can you?"

"Never learned."

***

Buffy was dying to crawl back into bed with Spike. He was once again sleeping peacefully in her room. She was a ball of nerves, watching out the window for Giles to pick her and Dawn up.

Her little sister came down the stairs noisily.

"Shh," Buffy admonished, "You’ll wake up Spike."

Dawn glanced at the couch. "And where is Spike?" she accused.

Buffy foolishly realized what she had done.

Dawn smiled shrugged, and bragged, "I totally saw that coming."

"Don’t tell Giles," Buffy begged. "He would completely wig."

Conspiratorially, Dawn asked, "Tell Giles what?"

***

Ten hours.

Buffy glanced at the clock again to be sure. Yes, ten hours since they had taken her mother into surgery. Giles sat next to Dawn, his arm reassuringly around her shoulder. Jenny was on the other side of Buffy’s little sister, holding her hand.

Willow and Tara sat side by side, Tara had placed her hand on Willow’s arm.

Buffy wished that she had taken Spike up on his offer. His presence would certainly be worth any trouble that it might cause.

Buffy stood and paced the waiting room. Soon, she felt her best friend’s comforting presence at her side. Willow communicated with her expressive eyes that she was there for Buffy. No words were really necessary but Buff felt compelled to say, "Thanks Will."

Dr. Christine Edwards pulled off her surgical cap as she entered the waiting room. Willow’s arm wound around Buffy’s back, generously supporting her friend.

The Doctor’s smile was all Buffy needed. Relief coursed through her. "It went very well. We were able to completely visualize and excise the tumor. We’ll need to keep her here for a few days, watch for any signs of trouble. But I’d say her prognosis is very good."

"Buffy," Willow bubbled, "Did you hear that? Very good is, well very good."

Buffy extended her hand toward the Doctor. "I can’t thank you enough, Doctor."

"Well when William told me about your mother’s case, I couldn’t refuse. I owe him everything." She glanced around, "I was really hoping to see him today."

Giles surmised, "It was you I heard him talking to."

"I don’t understand." Buffy stated simply.

"My daughter was kidnapped when she was four years old. It was William that found her and returned her to me. The police had looked everywhere. I had nearly given up hope. Then there he was, like an angel. That was, God, twenty some years ago."

"Nineteen seventy seven." Buffy said with certainty.

***

Buffy rounded the hospital corridor and felt a cold hand clasp over her mouth and pull her back. She tensed, ready for a fight, until she heard a familiar voice, "Shh, luv, its me."

She revolved in his grip, facing him. Buffy threw her arms around his neck and demanded, "What are you doing here?"

"Came as soon as the sun went down. How’s your mum?"

"Fine, thanks to you." She ran her fingers across the back of his neck.

"Don’t know what you’re talking about, Buffy." He smirked at her, knowing exactly what she meant.

"Don’t play coy with me, you know what I’m talking about."

Spike shrugged. "Just called in a favor is all."

"You impressed the hell out of Giles," she proclaimed. Quietly and with utter sincerity, Buffy said, "Thank you," before she claimed his lips.

When she pulled away, she told him, "You should say hi to Dr. Edwards. She really wanted to see you."

Spike chuckled, "She’s expecting to see a bloke who’s about twenty years older. I think I’ll stay out of sight."

"I’m glad you came." Buffy lightly kissed Spike.

"Well if it isn’t the Slayer, making out with my Key."

Buffy revolved to face her adversary, unconsciously guarding Spike with her body.

"It’s true, then." Glory voiced. "Jinx said you were concerned for his well-being. So you must be…" The God sniffed the air and finished, "A vampire?" She twirled a handful of her blonde curls and stated, "Okay, now I’m confused."

"Buffy," Spike insisted, "get out of here. Run."

"I’m not leaving you." She asserted.

"I want my Key!" Glory smacked Buffy, sending her flying down the hallway.

"Can’t be you. You’re a vampire. Impure. Your blood isn’t even yours." She regarded Spike thoughtfully before digging her fingers into his chest. She felt around his entrails as he screamed. "It must be in there somewhere."

He vaguely noticed Buffy’s Watcher, sister and friends assemble in the hallway where Glory was searching his insides. A familiar voice declared, "Eximete!"

Spike felt relief when Glory’s fingers were forcibly extracted from his body. He sank to the floor, in total agony. Glory sprawled on the ground in front of him.

He glanced up to see Buffy’s friend, his friend. The sweet face of the girl from the other night.

"I owe you one," he told her as she helped him to his feet.

Tara responded with, "I think this makes us even."

"You little witch…" Glory threatened as she crawled to her feet.

"And I’m the big witch…" A voice threatened, "Excudo." The redhead sent Glory flying down the hallway towards Buffy.

Buffy pounded Glory, straddling the hell god’s prone figure. With alternating right and left punches she pummeled her until Glory threw her off into the wall. Buffy’s head knocked into the plaster with a sickening crack.

"Buffy!" Willow cried.

"That! Hurt!" Glory yelled at Buffy, who had slipped into unconsciousness.

"Okay," Willow said, her eyes glowing black, "Now I’m pissed! Discede!"

Glory suddenly disappeared in a burst of red light.

Willow turned to survey her friends. Buffy was coming to. Dawn, staying out of the line of fire, clung to Giles. Tara supported Spike as she helped him to his feet. "Is everybody okay?" Willow asked sweetly, her eyes once again a glorious green.

***

"A teleportation spell. Very impressive Willow." Buffy said as she tended Spike’s Glory inflicted wounds.

Willow smiled at the Slayer from behind the bloodied Kleenex that she held to her nose. Flattered and embarrassed she insisted, "It was nothing."

"Wasn’t nothing." Spike declared firmly, resting comfortably on Buffy’s couch.

Tara emerged from the Summers’ kitchen with a glass of water and some aspirin for her lover. "Here you go sweetie."

"Where’d you send her?" Buffy asked

"I have no idea," admitted the witch.

"Spike, you should have let one of the doctors look at this." Buffy told him tenderly.

He winced as she poured antiseptic on his lacerations. "And when they couldn’t take my pulse?" He asked.

"Right," Buffy admitted, "Forgot about that."

Giles entered the room from the stairway. Spike asked him, "How’s the Little Bit?"

"Asleep," Giles assured him. "And very confused."

"We all are," Willow said with a sly look at Buffy, who was gently running her fingers over the areas of Spike’s skin that she hadn’t covered with bandages.

Buffy wasn’t listening to Willow. She was silently communicating with her Watcher. It was time to come clean with her friends about Dawn. "I didn’t expect Glory to threaten you guys, but since she has, I guess I owe you an explanation about what the Key really is."

***

Willow paced the room, her headache threatening to come raging back. "I can’t believe she’s not your sister…I remember…"

"I know Will, me too." Buffy sympathized her best friend.

Willow asked, "My memories aren’t real?"

Buffy asserted, "They are real. They’re real to us. In every way that matters."

Spike instructed the witch. "You love the girl? You keep loving her."

Tara touched her girlfriend’s arm, "She’s still Buffy’s sister to us."

Giles nodded. "Now we have to find a way to protect her."

***

Giles was easy to fool. Dawn pretended to sleep, breathing deeply, until she was sure the Watcher had gone downstairs to join the others. Then she sat at the top of the stairs, eavesdropping on their conversation.

Willow. "I can’t believe she’s not your sister."

Dawn had heard plenty. She skulked back to her room and slid her slim body out the window and down the side of the house.

She sped up when she hit the sidewalk. With anxiety, she glanced back to make sure she hadn’t been noticed and ran into something solid.

"Running away?"

Dawn backed up a few steps. The gnarled figure in the brown cloak stepped closer to her.

She was terrified. So scared that she was unable to scream.

Then, a blur of a man stepped out and grabbed the demon that was threatening Dawn. He quickly snapped its neck and tossed it into the nearby bushes.

His eyes were full of concern when he asked Dawn, "Are you all right?"

She nodded, incapable of speech.

"You’re Buffy’s sister aren’t you?"

Dawn allowed the feelings of indignation to bubble up to the surface. "I’m not her sister."

She and her rescuer walked a few steps before Dawn asked, "You know Buffy?"

Angelus smiled, "Oh, I know her."

***

End Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Buffy said her good byes to her friends and closed her front door.

Spike was still there, she could feel his presence behind her. She closed her eyes, turned, and succumbed to the refuge of his embrace. "Stay with me tonight?"

"Of course, luv."

She reluctantly left the security of his arms and told him, "I should check on Dawn."

***

Buffy masked her desire to become hysterical. She hid it with pure, blind, fury. "She better have been kidnapped, because if she ran away, I’m going to kill her. Doesn’t she realize what kind of danger she’s put herself in? Glory has her. I know it. I just know it."

"Shh." Spike looked around the house, picking up something.

"Don’t shush me! I’m upset! I have every right to be upset!"

Spike clamped his hand over Buffy’s mouth and looked at her sternly. "I hear something," he growled.

Buffy heard it too. A whimper from the nearby bushes. Spike hauled the robed demon from the foliage. "One of Glory’s toadies," he explained. "Where’s the Slayers sis?" He shook the demon like a ragdoll.

"Spike? He’s hurt."

Spike gave her a so-what look.

"Lets take him inside." She suggested.

The vampire countered with, "Let’s find out what he knows and then put him out of his misery."

Buffy shook her head. "I can’t kill something that harmless."

Spike shot her a look of complete disbelief.

"Besides," she rationalized, "You catch more flies with honey, right?"

***

Dawn whimpered and pulled against the chains that held her arms over her head.

The brunette vampire circled her menacingly, "Such lovely green light. Glowing. Glowing. Glowing. Can I keep her?" Dru asked Angelus.

A voice from the hallway answered, "She belongs to me!"

"Buffy!" screamed Dawn.

The two female vampires charged Buffy and Spike. Angelus laughed and watched while his women battled his enemies.

Buffy matched Drusilla blow for blow.

Spike was having more trouble with Darla. The girl fought dirty.

Angelus was distracting to them both. His sinister laugh echoed through the mansion. Then his voice asked, "You don’t mind if I have a taste do you, little one?"

Buffy glanced up to see Angelus sink his teeth into Dawn’s jugular. She screamed "No!"

Angelus’s ploy backfired. It distracted Buffy, but it also distracted Darla, who paused to gloat. Spike took advantage and was able to plunge a stake into her chest. He watched in fascination as Darla exploded into a cloud of dust. Then Spike pounced on Angelus, pulling him forcibly off of the Slayer’s sister.

Dawn hung limply on the chains. Drained of too much blood to remain conscious.

Spike had the element of surprise in his favor. Angelus was on the ground with Spike hovering over him. He had the stake poised to plunge into Angelus’s chest when a body hurled itself on top of him.

Drusilla. She had abandoned her fight with the Slayer to protect her sire.

Spike fought them both, horribly overmatched, while Buffy freed her sister.

"Get her out of here!" he demanded.

Buffy paused, knowing that Spike would not survive on his own. Dawn was clearly near death, she wouldn’t last much longer without medical attention.

Spike made her decision for her. "Go!"

Buffy fled the mansion.

Spike made the tactical mistake of watching her go. While he was distracted, a blow knocked him unconscious.

Angelus picked up the stake that Spike had used to kill Darla. He held it over Spike’s chest. A cool, delicate hand stopped him. "Daddy, can I play with him?"

***

The ER doctor emerged from the room where Dawn was being treated.

Giles placed a comforting hand on the small of Buffy’s back, supporting her.

The doctor explained, "She lost a lot of blood…"

Buffy finished, "But she’s going to be all right though, right?"

The doctor nodded. "She’s not out of the woods, but she’s young and strong. She needs her rest. Why don’t you go home and get some too. We’ll call if anything changes."

Once the doctor had retreated back into the ER, Buffy turned to Giles. With determination she told him, "I’m going back for Spike."

Giles shook his head. "You shouldn’t take Angelus and Drusilla on alone."

His advice was lost on Buffy, who was already down the hall. "I’m not going alone."

***

The rope that tied his hands dug into Spike’s wrists. Drusilla hovered over him, illuminated by candlelight, dripping holy water onto his bare flesh. "Miss Edith says that you’ve been a very naughty puppy, my Spike."

Spike screamed as the water scalded his skin. His right eye was swollen shut. Borrowed blood seeped from more wounds than he could count.

Angelus entered the bedroom, and Drusilla withdrew from Spike’s beaten body. "My Angel. You’re glowing."

"Girl’s blood was quite tasty. You think she’s alive, Spikey?"

Spike ignored him.

"I hope the Slayer was worth it, William." Angelus flopped onto the bed beside Spike. "Wanna share all the filthy details? Is she a screamer? A moaner? A virgin?"

"Virgins are your thing." Spike mumbled through his swollen lips.

"True. I like ‘em fresh. They taste better that way."

Spike turned his head so he could not see Angelus any more.

"What’s wrong, Spikey?"

"Nothing, just didn’t want to look at your big old Neanderthal forehead any more."

Angelus grabbed Spike’s chin and growled, "Shut up."

"Oh that’s clever, you come up with that one all on your own or…?" Spike was stopped with a punch to the face.

As Angelus stalked out of the room, he instructed Dru, "Be sure and finish him off when you’re done playing, Drusilla."

***

Murk approached Glory, who was lounging on her circular bed. "Your worshipfulness, the Slayer…"

Buffy unceremoniously flung upon the door and dropped Plook on a nearby chaise lounge. Without preamble she stated, "I know who the Key is."

Glory dropped the stem of the strawberry she had been eating onto the bed and said, "Well DUH!"

Buffy asked, "Its the blood you need, right? To open the portal to your dimension?"

"And the Slayer gets a gold star."

Buffy ignored her sarcasm. "What if a vampire drank from the Key? Would that work?"

"What a nifty skippy idea. Yours?"

"The opportunity has presented itself."

"Recently?" Glory asked.

"An hour or two ago." Buffy struck a bargain with the hell god. "I’ll open the portal for you…as long as the vampire dies."

Glory smiled, "If you want the portal to close behind me, then yeah, the vampire has to die."

"That’s just what I wanted to hear."

***

"Baby has been a very bad dog."

Drusilla ran the candles flame over Spike’s feet, letting the flame lick his bare skin.

"Dru?" Spike asked.

"Yes pet?" She answered, madness flitting across her eyes.

"Forgive me?"

"Whatever for?" she asked as she stood.

"For this." With strength he didn’t know he had, Spike kicked his former mate into the candelabra that stood behind her. Ignoring the pain in his burned feet, he leapt up and pressed his hand over her mouth, suppressing her screams of pain until the fire that consumed her came close enough to threaten him. Then he stood back and watched her collapse into a pile of ashes.

Footsteps echoed down the hallway. Angelus was coming.

With his last remaining bit of strength, he threw himself out the second story window.

Angelus threw the door open. "Dru? Where are you dear?" He noticed the pile of ash on the floor. Laughing, Angelus picked up a handful and shoved it in his pocket. "Poor little Spikey."

***

Buffy entered the mansion with vehemence, slamming the door open dramatically.

Angelus regarded her thoughtfully. "Hello Buffy."

"Where’s Spike?" she asked, flipping the ax she held in her hands over.

The vampire reached into his pocket and tossed the ash at her.

Buffy choked back a sob. She was not going to show this monster any weakness.

"A Slayer in love with a vampire?" He taunted. "It would be funny if it wasn’t so sad. But my Spike always did have a thing for Slayers." He paused and looked her over from head to toe. "Aren’t you going to say it?"

"Say what?" she asked.

"Something about killing me? Really, Buffy as Slayers go, you’re kind of a disappointment."

"I’m not going to kill you…"

"At least not until I’ve used you all up." A blonde woman about Buffy’s age stood in the doorway. "Ooh," Glory said as she took in Angelus. "He’s kind of sexy for a vampire."

"He’s all yours." Buffy promised.

Angelus laughed at the women. "Who’s this? One of your little friends?"

Glory rushed the vampire and lifted him up by the neck. "I am a God."

End Chapter Nine

Chapter 10

Spike lay battered on the ground. The fall from the window had broken his back. Combining that with the injuries sustained in the fight and at Drusilla’s hands… he couldn’t move.

A long forgotten voice echoed in his head.

Paris, Friday August 18, 1944

"Bloody hell woman! That hurts!" Spike bellowed as the Slayer pulled the bullets from his back as he lay on his stomach.

"Well, if you had been more careful and not gotten shot!" She retorted, blue eyes blazing.

"A little gratitude, chere, is that too much to ask? I used my body as a bloody shield."

"Yes." She giggled as she poured peroxide onto his wounds. "Merci beaucoup, mon ami, for protecting me."

"Ungrateful…"

She slapped the back of his head. "I said thank you."

"You’re infuriating." He grumbled.

"And you, I should have staked a long time ago, vampire. But for the love of France…" she sighed.

"That’s not all you love." He said as he sat up.

"What is that supposed to mean?" She asked, a crimson blush spreading across her porcelain cheeks.

"I mean," he explained, not noticing her flushed state, "That you enjoy fighting the Nazis."

"Well," she said, relieved, "I am the Slayer. Its in my nature."

"It’s in your nature to fight monsters."

"They are monsters," she explained, tucking her strawberry blonde hair behind her ears. "Of the human variety." After a pause she told him, "Colonel Rol is calling for an insurrection. All over Paris."

"Funny, that’s I thought that’s what we’ve been doing." Spike stretched his sore muscles as Gabrielle averted her eyes from the sight of his bare chest. "They should wait for the Allies. What’s the communiqué say?"

"Occupation of the Prefecture of Police will begin tomorrow." Gabrielle was giddy with the thought of the impending uprising.

"Gabrielle." Spike took the Slayer’s arms and gave her a gentle shake. "Stay of the streets tomorrow. You’ve done enough for the resistance. You have a higher calling."

She looked as if she were about to protest, but the look of concern in his eyes told her not to. "Bien sur, William. I’ll see you tomorrow night then?"

He nodded as he put his blood stained shirt back on. "Gabby, promise me. Stay off the streets."

"Je vous le promets."

***

Spike took the pocket watch out of his breast pocket and checked it again. She was late.

Steady footsteps approached him. They were too light, but he asked anyway, "Gabrielle?"

Out of the darkness, a boy approached him. "Monsieur William?"

"Yes?" He answered with uneasiness.

"A letter sir." The boy handed him a slip of paper and fled into the night.

"You promised." Choked Spike. "You promised."

He slipped back into oblivious unconsciousness.

***

Buffy surveyed her surroundings. She stood at the top of a scaffold which jutted high into the Sunnydale sky. Angelus stood before her, chained in place. Buffy commented to Glory. "Nice place. Not at all noticeable."

Glory glanced at her watch, ignoring the Slayer. "Its almost time."

Angelus snarled at Buffy, "You think you meant anything to him? He collects Slayers. That’s what he does."

"So I should be glad you killed him and let you go?" Buffy asked, her voice dripping with sarcasm, "I don’t think so."

Glory announced, "It’s time."

Buffy gave a small smile as she plunged a sword deep into Angelus’s abdomen.

With a crackle and a flash of lightning, the portal opened. It glowed a brilliant blue.

"Its been real." Glory said just before she dived into the portal.

Buffy yanked the sword from the vampire and then swung it at his neck. His head fell into the portal, the rest of his body collapsed into dust. The portal had closed as swiftly as it had opened.

The sun began to peek over the horizon and Buffy was left on the scaffolding. Alone.

Whistler approached the body lying prone on the ground. "Aw, jeez. You poor kid, they really worked you over good."

Spike, unconscious, did not reply.

Whistler looked up to see the sun’s young rays approaching Spike’s body. "Wait a minute," he complained, "It can’t end like this."

He looked up to the sky and yelled, "It can’t end like this!"

Buffy walked home in the early light of dawn. The streets were painted an eerie gray. A lone tear escaped and splattered against the sidewalk.

At the Bronze that night, Tara and Willow danced to the slow song, clinging to each other the way young lovers do.

Tara glanced at Buffy, sitting at their table nursing a drink. "Maybe we should have let her stay home."

Willow shook her head, her red hair kissing her shoulders, "No, I didn’t want her to be alone at the house. Dawn and her mom will be home tomorrow. She’ll be all right then."

Buffy sat at the table, playing with the straw in her Coke. A celebration, Willow had said. For getting rid of Glory and defeating Angelus.

She didn’t feel at all like celebrating.

She glanced up at Willow and Tara, so in love. A rustle of black leather across the room caught her eye.

I say a prayer that someday you will be with me

Buffy treaded lightly toward him, afraid that it was all an illusion.

Her hands touched his face. He was real.

Spike inhaled her scent when she threw her arms around his neck and pulled him close.

She pulled back in shock. She had felt it, the warm rhythm pounding deep in his chest. Her eyes asked if it was real. They asked how.

His smile answered, ‘Does it matter?’

Her tears told him that it didn’t.

Their warm lips pressed together in a promise that they would hold nothing back for the rest of their lives.

End

The elements I left out or fudged on are in parenthesis- Larilyn

Given by:Super Girl

Requirements: AU: Angel never got his soul back, he is still Angelus & the old gang is still together when they come to Sunnydale for the first time.

Pick a season: 1, 2, or 3 (I fudged and went with Season Five)

Must Have All:

- Angelus/Dru/Spike love triangle;

- Spike & Angelus competing over who can kill Buffy first;

- Angelus & Spike beating the crap out of each other at least once;

- Spike lusting after Buffy in a physical sense;

- Buffy and/or one or more members of the Scooby Gang in chains