*********************************TRAppED*********************************

Forty-Four: The Final Decision

By Annie

2003-07-08

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Day Thirty-Seven.

5.03 a.m.

Spike snapped the remaining sheet up and around his waist as he got to his feet, meeting the demonoid who was coming storming into the crypt with his eyes glowing clear hatred. He glared at the vampire and then stopped short, not far from the armchair. The chest of the larger one was heaving with deep and angered breaths as he seemed to struggle to get a hold on himself.

Spike stared at him, questioning and grateful that his heart was inapt to beat. He was sure it would have given Buffy and him away by now if it had been able.

"You seem upset," he then remarked to the monster before him, keeping the growing tension out of his voice and putting on a trying smirk. "Or are you having a particularly bad day?" There was no answer and Spike gave a small shrug, securing the sheet by one hip and then walking passed the other and into the kitchen area to get some blood. "Can't say I'm surprised," he went on, bringing out a pitcher and smelling the contents before nodding approvingly and turning around to grab one of the cleaned glasses from the counter. Filling it he elaborated his previous statement with: "Dealing with the Slayer isn't exactly a walk in the park - but then again, I TOLD you that. Buggering bitch always sticks her head in where it doesn't belong..." Spike glanced over at the sarcophagus and couldn't hold back a smile as he put the pitcher down and walked back into the closer vicinity of Adam. "For some reason my plans have never panned out whenever I've been in this bleeding town," the former muttered, bringing the glass to his lips and then Adam suddenly let hear a loud growl before he took a step forward.

Spike gulped against his better judgment, removing the glass and involuntarily recoiling.

"I am not upset!" Adam exclaimed, his deep voice seemingly even deeper as he looked around the crypt with staring eyes. "I am... ENRAGED! She sent him away! She did it! He has left! The final phase of my plan is incomplete because of HER!"

Spike lost every attempt at playing it cool when this revelation reached his ears, but the crazed Big Bad didn't even seem to notice it in the slightest as he began to pace with large and hard steps across the floor before the bleached blonde.

Spike cocked an eyebrow, watching small pieces of the cement loosen.

"Could you... stop that?" he then asked with a small point with one finger to the flooring's slow destruction. "I have to live here, you know?" he added as Adam paused and gave him a questioning leer.

The latter then ignored the request and began to pace once more, shaking his thick head as he drew breath upon breath.

"Who could possibly be so bloody important?" Spike huffed, rather enjoying witnessing the state of the former.

"My brother," Adam replied, suddenly growing silent as he came to a slow stop. "My very kin..."

Spike raised both eyebrows at that, incredulously.

"YOU have family?" he asked, but the sarcasm of that question seemed to also slip by the others attention span as he turned his face to one of the windows and grew thoughtful.

"He was to sit beside me," Adam grumbled. "He was to be my right hand once the transformation was completed and we had our army. And now... he is gone."

Buffy, still huddled behind the large object of stone now to Adam's left, bit her lower lip hard so that she wouldn't draw a sharp breath when she realized of whom Adam was speaking.

Spike, however, was still awfully confused; and upon that he was growing seriously curious.

"Demons cling to old ways and ancient feuds, and they're hopeless with technology," Adam said, still having his gaze far away before he turned his head to look at Spike. "Unworthy," the former added and Spike tilted his head barely noticeably to one side before he asked:

"Figure that out all by yourself, or did someone feed it to you while they were still stitching on parts?"

A light of something dangerous flickered on in Adam's eyes and Spike had a second of being absolutely positive that he had gone too far with that one. But then the light dimmed and Adam once more turned his eyes on the window.

"Disappointed by demon kind we turned to humans," Adam continued, not discouraged, and Spike thought it best to simply listen. "Smart, adaptive... but emotional and weak," the former stated, turning to fully face the vampire who had a chill down his spine at the last four words, thinking that it was Adam's way of declaring how well he knew of the Slayer and the Vamp's escapades. However, he was once more proven wrong since Adam merely proceeded with his speech: "Blind," he added to what he had just proclaimed. "There is imperfection everywhere. Something must be done. Who will deliver us?" Spike raised his eyebrows, signaling that he had no way of answering that inquiry; and so Adam did it for him. "Mother," the latter said and Spike blinked, even more confused, but rather unwilling to lead it on. "She saw our future," Adam now continued. "My brother's and my own... She saw that he was necessary... And now, now he's GONE! I want the Slayer in the Initiative when the time comes, Spike. I want her down there and I want her shredded. In bits! I'll make a pretty bride out of her and I'll have her dance by my hand for the rest of her pathetic existence!"

Spike ground his teeth, having to promote a picture of nails going through his feet, pinning him safely to the floor, in order of not moving up to the other demon and once more try his luck at thrashing him thoroughly.

"Sound good enough," he then gritted out, clearing his throat before he bent down and picked up his pants. Pulling them on he let the sheet slide to the floor and then he buttoned the former as he added: "And here's some delightful news: I did what you wanted. She's separated from her friends. They want nothing to do with her. She's all alone."

Adam's stiff posture seemed to loosen itself up a little at this disclosure and he eyed the vampire for a few moments before he replied:

"That's HOW I want her. Where I want her is a different matter all together, isn't it? I want her dead, but not before she has performed her task. She will ensure that as many demons die as humans. She will achieve maximum carnage before she's too weak to go on." He paused and Spike fought hard not to show the disgust he felt at that moment with what stood before him. Then the former slowly asked: "You say you've completed one step of your setout mission... What about the second? The disk's?"

"Yeah, gave 'em to the little witch last night..." Spike answered, bringing forth a casual tone as he hooked his thumbs by the buckle of his belt, adding: "So, she'll give the Slayer the info and 'pop' - Alice heads back down the rabbit hole."

"The witch?" Adam asked.

"Ah, Willow," Spike nodded, holding one hand up somewhere near his shoulder as he added: "About so high... perky, good with math. It's a natural choice."

"Her friend?" Adam asked and Spike nodded a second time. "One of the friend's from whom you've so efficiently separated her?"

"Damn right I did," Spike smirked, feeling rather assured in the fact that Adam was swallowing the story hook, line and sinker he continued: "You should've seen 'em. They won't be talking to each other for a long, long..." Trailing off he then paused himself, blinking as he realized where Adam's subtle question had been meant to lead him. "Hang on," the bleached said. "I think I've detected a small flaw."

"So - you've failed?" Adam spoke up and Spike's eyes widened slightly before he huffed.

"Well, you're supposed to be so smart and you let ME plan this whole thing!" he then countered and Adam looked as though he was about to raise his non-existing eyebrows. Spike needed a new approach and so he changed tactics into: "Okay, let's not argue 'bout who failed who. The important thing is making sure the Slayer is where we want h-..."

"Yes," Adam interrupted. "And if you fail me again..."

The demon didn't finish his sentence, merely gave Spike a glance which seemed to speak a thousand times louder than words before the former walked up to the door. Stopping by it he placed one hand on the knob before he turned his head back to the vampire with an almost sympathetic look on his features, then he said:

"And you needn't hide the fact that you are not alone, Spike. The scent of your sexual activities are like a thick blanket hovering somewhere below the ceiling... Let her get off the floor." He pulled the door open, about to step through it when he once again paused and looked at Spike before adding: "We should never behave thoughtlessly. I hear her heart beat. She could catch her death of cold."

With that word of very odd advice he moved forward and the door was closed behind him.

Spike stared at it for nearly thirty seconds, stunned, and then the slow sound of Buffy standing up made him snap out of it and he turned to her.

"He's a green, psycho-bot-man-thing-y with delusions of grandeur and world domination and I really, REALLY don't like him," she stated, coming around the sarcophagus to join Spike by the armchair.

"Mh, got him all marked and put in the appropriate box now, have you, Slayer?" he asked and she smiled a little before she stepped into him and wrapped her arms around his waist.

He held her back, closing his eyes before he sighed.

"What?" she asked and he shrugged, then grumbled:

"He never told me who his 'brother' is."

Buffy bit her lower lip and then she pulled away so that she could look up at him.

"With everything that happened last night I forgot to tell you," she mumbled and Spike arched one eyebrow, waiting. "I met Riley. We said good- bye," she added and Spike now furrowed his brow, uncomprehendingly. "He's left," she elaborated and Spike looked at her with disbelief etching his blue eyes.

"HE'S the brother?!" he nearly exclaimed and Buffy's eyes grew a notch at the outburst. He let her go and she had no choice but to do the same as he began to pace before her. "Mr. Good-goodie-two-shoes, Mr. Clean-and- Wholesome-Full-bread-American-Boy-Next-Door, Mr. Captain-Sodding-Cardboard is brother to that... thing?!" he then spluttered and Buffy observed him keenly now. "How on God's damaged Earth is that even bloody possible?"

"I don't know," Buffy replied calmly. "All I know is that the person Adam refers to as 'Mother' has to be Professor Walsh. And she had Riley as a favourite above all... maybe she... did something to him," she added, voice growing rather low. "I mean, apart from the whole feeding-him-supernatural- steroids and all that," she finished and Spike shook his head.

"Unbe-buggering-lievable," he muttered. "Hey, what if the G.I. Joe was actually a demon? Wouldn't that be ironic?" he added; the sarcasm in his voice not going by unnoticed by Buffy and she smiled a small smile.

"No, he was human," she then assured, voice even more quiet and as their eyes met they held each others gazes for a few short moments before they both looked away.

Suddenly Buffy couldn't suppress a yawn and Spike didn't say anything, merely took her by the hand and lead her to the sarcophagus. Facing her he took a step forward before he leaned down to kiss her softly on the lips. She returned it gently and then she looked up at him with a smile which eased the sudden rush of anxiety which had travelled up his spine as their largest obstacle had been nearly brought into the light of conversation.

"Go to bed," he now instructed and her smile widened ever so slightly before she asked:

"You coming?"

He looked at her for a few seconds, and then he replied:

"Soon."

She looked back at him before nodding and feeling how tired she was she crawled onto the mattress and tugged the sheet she had still had been covered with off to have it settle over her. Meeting Spike's eyes where he still stood by her feet she then closed her own and began to drift off practically at once.

Spike turned and walked up to where the rest of his clothes lie, picking up his black T and then his duster. Pulling both of them on he silently exited the crypt, heading out into the night and wishing for the first time since he was turned that he could stay up to watch the sunrise - and not burn.

***

8.05 a.m.

Buffy woke slowly. The room grew from blurred into focused as she eased her eyes open and rested them directly in Spike's - who was sitting by the side of the sarcophagus on a chair. He had his hands locked together under his chin, resting the latter against his knuckles as he let a small smile of welcome grace his lips.

"Morning," he said and she returned the smile as she stretched.

"Morning," she then agreed, relaxing as her face grew wondering. "What are ya doing way over there?" she pouted and he smirked, letting his hands fall from his chin still in a united fist as he eyed her.

"I've been thinking," he began, but her moaning cut him off, and then she said:

"Honey! What have I said about that?! You shouldn't even try!"

He gave her a look, but her face merely split into a bright smile and he had to chuckle at her quip.

Then she suddenly dulled her cheerfulness, because the seriousness resting somewhere in his gaze made her understand that what he had on his mind wasn't remotely linked to something of the happy.

"What's wrong?" she therefore asked, sitting up and he bit his lower lip as he seemed to choose his words carefully.

"This morning was a close call," he then began. "If Adam had seen you... or heard us... Safe to say we wouldn't be around to bloody discuss it, would we? He's strong, Buffy. Stronger than anything you've had to encounter before and I don't think it's a good idea for you to get off on a wrong start with the killing of him... You need to stay focused, or he'll be the one killing YOU."

She watched him as he spoke, then moved to sit on the edge of the mattress so that she could better face him. She was about to make her case clear when he continued.

"Maybe it'd be better if we took a break from all of... this," he murmured and now she ogled him; she had been suspecting this was where he was going, but she was surprised nonetheless. "'Til Adam's outta the sodding way," Spike added, meeting her gaze firmly. "Think about it, Buffy! For you to deal with everything that bloody comes with a new... and on top of that hiding it from your friends and having to fret over them finding out... As WELL as fighting the buggering Terminator! I can't let you do that, love."

She observed him, then asked:

"Didn't you say as early as a few hours ago that you wouldn't ever let me stand alone?"

He ground his teeth, then stood and she did the same, stopping him from removing himself out of her reach by placing her hands lightly on his lower arms, forcing him to meet her gaze again.

"We can't keep doing this," she said. "We can't hold onto each other one minute and then push as hard as we can the next. We have to make the decision now."

He looked down at her and she could see the struggle he was having with himself. She knew that he wanted to do what was right. Now she had to convince him of what actually was. He kept comparing himself to Angel. Even if it was subconsciously she was certain that he did. She had once said that Angel had done the noble thing, he had walked away. He had loved her enough to let go, but now...

"I need you to love me enough to stay," she stated and Spike seemed to grow attentive to her every motion as he eyed her closely. "I won't push anymore."

He raised one hand and ran it softly through her tangled locks before he placed it by her cheek, still silent.

"I'll deal with whatever comes," she promised. "And Adam... We can take him down, but only as a team. HE'S the one who wants to split me up from the ones I care for, remember? I'm stronger with you, than without you. And I won't have to fret over how to keep this from the Gang," she finally concluded as she slid one hand down over his wrist, entwining their fingers as she added: "We're telling them today."

He blinked at that, no longer able to resist a smile. She immediately smiled back and then squeezed his hand encouragingly.

"Are you sure 'bout this?" he asked.

"Yes," she replied with no hesitation whatsoever. "They'll cope. They'll have to. I'm not giving you up, Spike. Not now."

He smiled wider, about to say something when her eyebrows suddenly rose and she exclaimed:

"What time is it?!"

He furrowed his brow questioningly as she tore her hand from his and ran up to her pile of clothes, beginning to furiously pull them on.

"Close to eight-thirty, I think..." he then answered her question. "What's the...?"

"The exam I've been studying for!" she replied before he could finish his sentence. "It's today and... I'm late and..." She tugged her sweater down over her head and then spun around in search for her pocketbook. Finding it she quickly looked through it to see if everything she needed was there before she rushed back up to him, giving him a quick kiss on the mouth she then once again turned and sprinted up to the door. "See you later!" she yelled as she disappeared through it and he rolled his eyes, sitting down on the chair again.

So this was actually real, then? They were at the beginning of something - together. And she was serious enough to want to admit him to her friends and someone who was almost like her father. What would the old poof say? What if he refused to accept it? What if all of them did?

He suddenly remembered the visit he had had from Willow the other day... Did she already know? She sure had been acting like it. But then again, there was no way of actually determining that, was there. In the end Buffy with a character such as him just might be too much, even for Ms. Embodiment-of-Understanding.

He supposed the whelp was the biggest concern since Spike was positive that particular mortal wouldn't take too kindly to the scenario. Would he 'cope'?

The first swarm of nervous butterflies attacked him the second after that thought had fluttered through his mind and he drew an unnecessary breath as he leaned back on the chair.

He was in for one hell of a ride; that was for sure.

He gambled. He loved to. He had done it for as long as he could remember - well, since he was turned anyway. He craved the thrill of not knowing whether he was about to win big or lose even bigger. And he had never backed out of a wager. But come this afternoon all bets were off; and he didn't like it.

He didn't like it one bit.

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*********************************TRAppED******************************

Forty-Five: It's Always the Quiet Ones

By Annie

2003-07-10

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Day Thirty-Seven.

11.00 a.m.

Buffy huffed as she slung her back pack over one shoulder. Looking around at the quickly scurrying population of her class she caught the gaze of Willow, who was seemingly waiting for her by the doors of the large classroom. The Slayer got herself moving in that direction and the two friends joined in a uni-walk down the hallway.

Willow looked interested and Buffy knew that she was expecting a detailed page-by-page recap of the exam, down to juiciest need for sharpening of writing tools. However, the Slayer had begun to bite the inside of her lip, trying to decide whether she should spill her promise to Spike and beg for the redhead's advice on a good approach with Giles and Xander - or whether she should keep her mouth shut and take the crucial moment as it presented itself; therefore there wasn't much room for retelling the easier, versus the un-answerable, questions.

That crucial moment, though...

Well, there would be teeth grinding together. And sour expressions. A few curses. Of course one or two stunned expressions right before the yelling and spitting and demanding of an explanation began... But apart from expecting all that Buffy had no idea what she should say.

Should she go "Hey, everybody" and then drag Spike into clear sight with his arms around her? Or should she walk in first, calm the stampede and then let the vampire in? Or maybe the safest way to do it would be to have one-on-one conversations and ease the fact of Spike into the two men's minds? Or...

"Buffy?" Willow asked, making the namesake turn her head to the former with a questioning frown before it quickly wore off and the blonde smiled dismissively.

"Sorry," she murmured and Willow smiled back, shaking her head.

"No need. My head's usually too full after a test to do much talking, too," she then stated and Buffy laughed half-heartedly before she cleared her throat.

"Yeah," she mumbled.

"It feels like I haven't seen you in days," Willow said, hooking her arm with Buffy's as they exited the building they had inhabited and crossed the lawn leading to their dormitory. "How was L.A.?" she added and Buffy searched for the right answer, then gave it in form of a:

"Intense."

Willow nodded empathetically.

"Did it.disconfuse anything? Regarding... Bleachy?" she inquired and Buffy giggled at that choice of nickname before she pushed open the heavy door to the building in which their shared home was situated and they both stepped inside.

"Yes," she then replied; stopping and facing Willow as their arms fell to their sides instead. "Yeah, it really disconfused things. All of the things... I think."

"Tell me more," Willow encouraged and Buffy smiled rather embarrassed.

Spike was like no other man. He was hard to describe and even more difficult was it to try and put into words what it was about him that buried itself within and refused to let her go. How could she rightfully pinpoint what it was that had her falling for him, and hard at that? It might have scared her, if not for the knowledge of him inevitably being there to catch her before she hit the ground; before she got hurt. In what way could she clarify why she needed him, and wanted him, and craved him, and longed for him? Because of course he had the bod of a god going for him, and he had the touch of an angel combined with the kiss of something fiercely resembling a devil as it took over and, if she didn't watch herself, could easily become an obsession. But that deeper notion of something else... how could she make that understandable?

She couldn't tell of the way he made her laugh, how he made her feel special and cared for and loved - safe; more so than ever before in her life. She couldn't tell of it because it couldn't do the emotions justice.

So, she thought decisively. I'll have no choice but to show them, all of them.

"...but Tara didn't think that was a really good idea and so I just pushed another button and when I lifted my finger all the mumbo turned into jumbo for a second or two, and then it was almost like it 'dinged' itself ready and all the information just flooded the screen. I thought 'yay, Willow: one, computer: zero' - 'til I figured the computer actually did all the work since it didn't happen while I was tapping into anything, but when I was pausing... Or I guess it was the disk. Then again, Spike did say that it was bogus and that I probably shouldn't spend hours in front of it. Which I completely discarded 'cause I thought he could be really wrong, Adam's not so stupid that he doesn't make it hard for us. Plus - it was way too fun to not fool around with it for a while...or a day... Anyways, it's done," the Wicca finished while Buffy stared at her, rather uncomprehending and still not very eager to have her friend repeat the flow of words she had just let stream from her mouth.

"Oh..." she therefore said. "Great, Will. That's...terrific."

Willow smirked, throwing her bag on her bed before she said:

"Don't worry, face-like-a-question-mark lady. We're meeting up at Giles' around five and then I'll give you a not so thorough low down."

Buffy smiled as well, letting her backpack fall to the floor before she sunk down on her bed.

"Do you think Spike is all evil?" she then asked before she managed to completely realize what she was saying.

She raised her gaze to Willow's, who observed her in silence for a short while before she answered:

"No. I don't think I do. I mean... I've seen what you've meant, with the whole kinda fluffy Spike, you know? Kinda like 'Hey, here's the disk's, bloody well crack 'em fast, Red - or whatever...'" Her previous smirk widened at Buffy keeping her giggles back at the formers impression of the vampire, then the redhead slowly added: "'I know you can do it'. He said that, right before he was about to leave. Just like that. 'I know you can do it'. I was really... surprised. And - as mentioned - fluffy Spike."

Buffy smiled widely now, her eyes glittering with a cheerfulness Willow hadn't seen in those green orbs in far too long and she returned the smile with a mixture of relief and growing worry. Buffy was in love, Willow was as sure of it as of the A she was getting on the math pop-quiz she had been taking an hour earlier. Buffy had fallen for a vampire, but this time there was no soul, this time there was only the frailty of faith, this time the Slayer might get seriously injured. A cut so deep it might bleed her of her trust...

Then Willow shook her head and followed Buffy's example - the blonde now splayed out across the bed opposite the redhead's. Willow looked up at the ceiling with a sudden gush of determination.

She knew what she had to do.

***

4.36 p.m.

Spike turned to Buffy when she entered the crypt. He returned the smile she directed at him and then she came to stand before him. She seemed almost as nervous as he felt, though she kept a cool exterior. Her heart was beating irregularly and the look in her eyes told him more about what was going on inside her than her posture ever could.

"Your day was...?" he began, but she filled it in before he finished with a quick:

"Good. Day was good... Yours?"

"Oh, just... usual. Lotta... sleeping going on."

She smirked.

"Liar," she then replied and he put on an innocent expression, which still didn't quite fit onto his features, before he gave a small shrug.

"Okay, so I've pretty much been waiting for you since you bloody left," he muttered and then he smiled a crooked smile as he glanced up at her and the smile she bore widened.

"You been standing up the whole time too?" she inquired teasingly and he reached out one hand and grabbed her waist, pulling her to him as she giggled, putting her arms up and around his neck.

Looking up at him with a tender expression in her eyes she then closed them and met his kiss. They deepened it and he pulled her hard to him. She was the one to break it, softly, and the trace of a pout glided over his lower lip - making her attack his mouth again. He seemed more than content with that. Finally she pulled away slightly, shaking her head and drawing a breath.

"There's a Scooby meeting at five," she stated, amazed at how casual her voice actually sounded. "I don't wanna be late."

He seemed to be put on pause as he more or less stared at her, and then he nodded.

"So - this is really it, huh?" he asked and she looked at him before she let another smile draw over her lips.

"Guess so," she replied and he had to smirk.

They took the tunnels as far as they would take them and then went above ground, stalking in the deeper shadows and running through the patches of sun. Buffy couldn't help but giggle at the smoke rising around him and he scowled at her, making the giggles all the more apparent as she teased him with no remorse.

Once they reached Giles' apartment they were holding hands and had been able to walk in the shadow of the building long enough to start up a conversation.

"How did you do on the exam?" Spike inquired as they rounded the corner leading them to Giles' front door.

"I don't think I aced it," she sighed. "But I did well enough, I hope," she added and he turned his head to her as he said:

"I never really got why you should go learn a buncha stuff, when half of it you don't remember while you're still bloody IN school and the other half you won't use once you're outta there."

She smiled at that, shaking her head as they stopped and faced each other in front of said front door.

"I think you KNOW that's not how it is," she replied and he cocked an eyebrow. "Besides, I wouldn't think you'd understand what it's like. 'Go where I want, take what I need' ring any bells?" she asked meaningfully and he smirked. "With a motto like that you don't need an education, do you? And. that head of yours is kinda bright, though I kinda don't wanna admit it - now I'll have to see it all bloat-y and icky 'cause I'm sure those words 'll rise right up and into it."

Spike laughed quietly at that, taking a step forward and sliding his hands over her hips, letting them travel further to the small of her back as he got himself close to her. She sighed.

"I wonder if this'll ever stop affecting me the way it does," she grumbled as his face drew closer, his eyes suddenly bearing a dangerous glint when he asked:

"And how is that?"

She didn't reply, merely glided her hands up his arms and to his neck before she kissed him deeply.

A small voice somewhere inside of her was stating matter-of-factly that they couldn't stand there, making out in broad day light. But she ignored it with ease. Because why couldn't they? Anything to prolong the few moments before she had to pronounce what she knew would shock most of those close to her was something to be savoured.

Though she did want her pursuit of something more with Spike to be official, because he was right; she couldn't take on Adam with lies and deceit hanging in the air between her and the ones she would have to depend on. And she couldn't start something new with Spike if it was to be based on secrets and going into hiding. It would be ridiculous to even attempt such a thing.

Her emotions were building towards him, and she was not about to simply tear them down.

So be it, she thought. Now I just have to figure out a way of actually telling all this to...

The sound of the door opening to her left made her slowly open her eyes, lips still to Spike's, and his gaze met hers as he had obviously just done what she had. They ended the kiss almost cautiously and then pulled apart a few inches, arms still around each other, before they slowly turned their heads to the origin of the sound.

Giles stared at them, his mouth slightly agape and his brow just a tad furrowed. Buffy didn't think she had ever seen that look on his face. He looked so disbelieving that she felt like she needed to clap her hands hard and bring him out of it.

Then she directed her gaze to the spot right above his right shoulder, where - in the background - she could catch Xander's face. She had seen that look before, though. It was practically a perfect replica of how he had looked when...

"Willow!" he suddenly exclaimed. "What did you do THIS time?!"

***

4.59 p.m.

Willow came, slightly confused, in from the kitchen and when she saw the now parting Slayer and Vamp outside the open door everything quickly fell into place. She looked back at Xander before replying:

"I didn't do anything."

"Wills, it's all right. Whatever it was - we'll fix. But we need to get on it 'cause," he made a gesture to the two blondes carefully making their way passed Giles and into the room, their hands once more locked in a firm grip, "look at that."

Willow smiled a small smile as she did what her best friend instructed and had her first view of the couple. They produced an air of strength around them which the Wicca didn't think she had ever experienced before, and when both of them returned her smile she had to admit it - they were beautiful together.

"Hi," the redhead greeted Buffy, who gave a nod and then replied the same. "Want some tea? Tara's making some."

Buffy shook her head before she threw Spike a questioning look and he shook his head as well.

Xander was having a quizzical frown grow onto his features as he stared at the young woman who he took pride in knowing fully, and the vampire whom he had had more than a few disagreements with, acting much too comfortable around each other. He had NEVER seen them stand so close without pummelling each other with either fists or well-aimed quips.

"Willow," he murmured as she turned to walk back into the kitchen.

"This isn't my mess," she merely stated, proceeding on her way out of the room and leaving the five still in it to deal with the situation at hand.

The quiet was sinking through the atmosphere as though it was dew that stuck to everything. It left an eerie sense of growing questions and rueful answers and in between them was the thickening confusion.

Buffy felt Spike's fingers nervously stroke the ones of hers belonging to the hand which he was holding and she looked at him with a calming expression.

Spike barely knew where to look. He had never felt this insecure in the company of her people before. He supposed right now the most intimidating of them all was Giles. The vamp could almost feel the Watcher's gaze burning a hole in his shoulder, as the former stood slightly turned away from the latter. The blonde felt like walking around, but didn't want to disturb the stillness any more than he wanted to leave the safety of being at Buffy's side.

Anya was the only one actually moving as she turned her head to look from one to the next.

"So, Buffy's with Spike," she finally cut through the silence. "What's the big deal? He's a nice looking vampire and she's dealt with those before. Are we all supposed to be shocked here or something? It's not like it hasn't been coming."

"Coming?!" Xander demanded, baffled. "Since when?"

"Well, it's not that long ago that they were sucking face like two about to get married," she remarked with a roll of her eyes and Xander, who seemed to have moved out of the first stage of hypnosis, stared at his girlfriend.

"That was because of a SPELL," he then reminded. "They would never have done that if Willow hadn't..."

"Oh, please," Anya shook her head. "All that tension rising for years and years? Suppressed urges always come out as anger, that's basic vengeance knowledge. Though I've taken advantage of it more times than one. I remember a girl in Vienna who claimed her best friend - a MAN, of course - had done her the most horrid wrong and she wanted me to throw a curse on him... which I did. Turns out she simply hadn't realized how much she loved him and so she had made up an excuse to... punish him for not showing her that he returned her affections."

"Anya!" Xander exclaimed. "We're not talking love here."

"Well, sexual frustration comes out as anger too," she said matter-of- factly, looking at the couple who listened to the exchange with no chance to get a word in before she continued: "Attraction can be SO misleading, you know? And when you think that you're not supposed to feel it, you try to suppress it... I would've put my money on you two killing each other, but I suppose you can't be right all the time, can you? I never could've thought that Buffy would actually give in. Well, it just comes to show how true it is what they say - it's always the quiet ones."

Buffy raised her eyebrows at that, but Anya merely turned back around on the couch where she was seated and grabbed a magazine she had yet to flip through.

Xander was looking as though in need of hyper ventilating as he once again locked gazes with Buffy.

"When? And how? And when?" he stuttered and she released Spike's hand to approach her friend.

"Does it really matter?" she asked gently, stopping before him and Xander swallowed, the frown deepening.

"I thought you were in a relationship already," Giles spoke up and she turned to him.

"I was," she replied. "But I realized it wasn't the right one."

"And this.?" Giles asked, flailing one hand a little in a gesture to her and then to Spike. "This is your definition of right?"

She blinked, the hurt look which drew over her face made the Watcher feel a need to bite his tongue, but he recuperated quickly and continued:

"I always trusted you to have a keen insight when it came to certain aspects of your life. Your heart seemed to blend well with your mind - and your use of both as the Slayer has helped you stay alive. But now I have to say I am in doubt, Buffy, as to how far you think you can go."

"What is that supposed to mean?" she asked, taking a step forward and facing him with a glow of incensed self-assurance. "I'm not with him to push the limits of the Slayer 'code', or whatever the hell you wanna call it," she stated, Xander letting out a small huff of air at the words 'with- him'. It didn't discourage her as she continued: "I'm with him 'cause he stood by me when he didn't have to, he earned my trust as well as my respect. I'm with him 'cause he's one of the best men I've ever known and because I'm..." She paused, hesitated but one second longer and then filled in: "Because I'm falling in love with him."

She could hear the low thud when Xander's back connected to the wall behind it as he leaned heavily against it. But she didn't take her eyes out of Giles' for even one moment, and the gaze in those eyes showed her how completely unexpected this whole thing was. He looked searching for a clue to how serious she was, and when he seemed to find it the expression changed into questioning; further into wondering; and into something which was hard to define. A part of him seemed angered while another seemed all together in defeat. Shock and surprise and pure disbelief were mixing with something close to understanding.

"I guess I should take you aside and tell you of all the things your chosen companion has done throughout his existence," Giles finally spoke and Buffy seemed to straighten her posture slightly at those words, right before Giles added: "But something tells me you already know it. In fact, I'm rather certain you know more than I do at this point. This is your choice, Buffy. I can do nothing but stand aside."

"What?!" Xander exclaimed. "You can't be serious! Buffy," he said, turning to her with a pleading look in his brown eyes, "please, don't do this. Don't do this to yourself. Look at him! There's nothing there even resembling a future!"

Before Buffy could stop him Spike had moved the few steps forward and grabbed Xander by the shirt, pushing him harshly up against the wall he had previously been leaning against the vampire hissed:

"I'd love it if you'd bloody say that again."

"Is THIS what you wanna be with?" Xander asked Buffy, who stared at them both in growing annoyance. "Is this what you wanna be sleeping next to for the rest of your life?!"

At that Spike let go of his grip with his right hand and clenched it into a fist, drawing it back he was about to throw the punch when warm fingers stopped his movement.

"Enough," Buffy said, giving him a look.

It was all he needed and he directed his gaze in Xander's for a few seconds, giving him a cold glare before releasing him.

"At least you've tamed the beast," Xander murmured and Buffy barely had time to flinch before Spike's fist this time connected with Xander's jaw.

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*********************************TRAppED********************************

Forty-Six: Conflicts Postponed

By Annie

2003-07-13

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

Day Thirty-Seven.

5.10 a.m.

"No!"

Buffy took a step forward at the same time that Spike took three back with his hands flying to his temples and a scream of enraged pain rising out of his throat. Xander put one hand where the fist had connected, moving his aching jaw as he glared at the vampire.

"That all you got?" the mortal taunted, shaking his head.

"You really don't wanna try my patience," Spike grumbled, the searing ache retracting and he looked up at the other as he squared his shoulders; Xander smirked.

"Are you gonna take me down in front of your 'girlfriend'?" he inquired, taking a step forward and Spike doing the same until they were face-to-face once more. "Think she'd let you?" he added and Spike made a face.

"You always have to hide behind her, don't you?" he asked back.

Xander's posture stiffened, but there was no reply and Spike looked much too pleased for it to go by unnoticed by the human.

"I give it a month," Xander murmured, his nose now so close to the vampire's their tips almost touched as he added: "And then she'll come to her senses and drop you like the bag of nothing that you are."

"Xander," Buffy said, her tone sharp, but Spike was quicker as he pushed the other man to stumble backwards again.

He ignored the jolt of pain running down his spine and spreading up the back of his skull. All he focused on in that second was making himself perfectly clear to the whelp before him. He slammed his hand hard into the wall to the side of Xander's left ear and then he began to speak, tone low but unmistakable in its edgy intonation.

"I know you're protective, I know you like to play big brother and I know you watch her back and have been doing so for the past four years. Thank you. I owe you. But if you think that you can bloody judge my feelings for that lady over there based on my past..." He trailed off, the hardening expression in his steel blue eyes putting the final point to his words before he continued: "You don't know me." He turned his head to Buffy, and then back to Xander. "SHE does. You do NOT live her life, you don't sodding affect her choices... and you don't tell her what to do. No one does. She's her own woman, and she's chosen me..." Suddenly the steel softened into something lighter and the vampire backed off as he turned to his Slayer. "I'm proud to stand by her side," he said, meeting Buffy's gaze and then looking over her shoulder at her Watcher. "I WILL stand by her side."

"I don't believe this," Xander muttered, massaging his jaw again.

Spike turned his head back to him.

"No kidding, tunaboy?" he asked and Xander glared at him for a second time before huffing and then murmuring something; making Spike turn to fully face him, incredulous look taking its place on his features before he asked:

"What did you just call me?"

Xander looked up at him, furrowing his brow questioningly before he realized that Spike had slightly more advanced hearing than the average thug and so he had just heard every last muttered word of slander.

Hesitating for but a moment the younger then replied:

"I called you a hopeless, misplaced, greedy, selfish, ugly, sickening, good- for-nothing bastard."

"That's what I thought," Spike nodded, moving forward again, but having two hands grab his shoulders and pull him back so harshly that he lost his balance and tumbled backwards onto the floor.

Buffy towered over him and he gave her an impatient, meaningful glare before he looked away; declaring himself beaten.

Tamed, the beast within him howled in agony; but he ignored the voice of it and kept his eyes on the Watcher's feet, which he could see through the legs of the table and chairs to his right.

Buffy turned to Xander.

"Please," she merely said.

He clenched his jaws together hard and then did what Spike had done moments before - looked away from her.

Tara came into the room with two cups of tea in her hands, giving Buffy a quick smile before she walked up to the couch and handed one of the cups to Anya. Then she sat down beside the latter and turned her head to Willow, who had entered the room shortly after her. The redhead was standing beside her childhood friend, trying to find something soothing to say.

Spike had sat up and was now rising to his feet, correcting the fall of the duster with rather harsh movements and still refusing to look at Xander, or Buffy, for that matter.

"Let's begin," Giles said, coming further into the room with his glasses off as he polished them carefully. "These news are quite loaded," he added at the surprised looks he received from Willow and Xander, as well as the wondering gaze Buffy turned to him with, "but so is the situation with Adam and if Willow has news which may help us take him out... I don't think I have to underline the critical way in which this affects us all."

"No," Buffy agreed. "You don't have to."

Turning to Spike she gave him a small smile and he finally rested his eyes in hers, returning the smile with a likeness of relaxation coming over him which calmed whatever small doubt there had been in the back of her head that he was done with the arguments. For now, at least.

"Willow," Giles said, gesturing to her laptop which was sitting on the table and she nodded, walking up to it and sitting down before it.

Slowly the others rose or moved forward to come and stand behind her as she began to work the keys.

"Well," she said as the contents of the disk came up on the screen. "There was mostly this," she added, scrolling down and showing a large quantity of text. "A bunch of stuff we already know on 3:14. But then there's information about Adam's final phase... and the whole slaughter, body-parts securing, demon against soldiers bomb that he's set to detonate... as soon as you get down there," she finished, turning her head to look up at Buffy, who gritted her teeth and turned to Spike.

"Is there anything else?" she asked and he met her gaze before shaking his head.

"He's lying," Xander murmured and Spike's eyes went to him as they began to turn a darker shade of blue from clear indignation and rising fury.

"Do you trust me?" Buffy asked before her lover could open his mouth and Xander looked from the latter to the former with a quizzical expression. "Do you trust me?" she repeated and he nodded a little. "Then stop it with the accusations already. It's not only attacking Spike, it's attacking me as well."

At that Xander seemed to grow self-conscious and he wanted to apologize to her, but couldn't quite bring himself to it.

Buffy felt Spike's hand slide into hers and she held his back.

"I have to go," Anya said, kissing Xander on the cheek and grabbing her pocketbook on the way to the front door. "Magic doesn't sell itself," she added with a smile and Xander smiled back as she opened the door and stepped through it. "Don't get into any trouble while I'm gone, honey!" she called as she closed the door and he shook his head a little at her.

"I-I should get going too," Tara mumbled to Willow, who looked up at her and then smiled a small smile.

"You sure?" she asked and Tara nodded.

"I have homework and this... seems to be official Scooby work. I'm safer outta the way," she replied, smiling as well and then squeezing Willow's shoulder before leaving the group as she followed in Anya's footsteps. "Be careful," she said as she paused in the doorway, then she proceeded through it and the five still in the room looked from one to the other before Willow asked:

"What now?"

"Now," Buffy answered, "we figure out how to follow Adam's plan. I need to get into the Initiative."

***

5.48 p.m.

"We're certainly in a lack of supplies... Wish I knew which ones would kill Adam," Giles sighed, sitting down on the armrest of the couch.

Willow was seated to his left and Xander was on his feet behind him. Buffy was on the floor, carving a rather large piece of wood into a rather large stake. Spike was on a chair behind her back, looking both intrigued and bored at the same time.

"Well, the little I know from... sources," Buffy said, continuing: "Adam's power source is a core of uranium imbedded somewhere in his chest. Probably near the spine."

"Great," Xander chimed in sarcastically. "So we'll just ask him to lie down quietly while we do some exploratory surgery."

Spike couldn't hide a smirk, though he stripped it quick enough. The others merely raised one corner of their mouth in acknowledgement of the joke - all too familiar with the Scoobs need for them when nervous or stressed out to actually pay too much heed to the actual words.

"What about magic?" Willow asked suggestively. "Some kinda... I don't know... uranium extracting spell?" The quiet looks she received had her know how well met that idea was and she made a small frown before she added grouchily: "I know. I'm reaching."

"Perhaps a paralyzing spell?" Giles said, rising to his feet and walking the few steps taking him up to one of the bookcases, where he retrieved one of those and began to look through it as he mumbled: "Only I can't perform the incantation of this..."

"Right, don't you have to speak it in Sumerian or something?" Willow asked and he turned his head to her, answering:

"Oh, I do speak Sumerian. It's not that. Only an experienced witch can incant it and you'd have to be within striking distance of the subject."

"See what you get for taking French instead of Sumerian?" Xander quipped, turned to Buffy.

"What was I thinking?" she muttered, receiving a comforting rub on her back from Spike, which made her smile and turn her head to look back and up at him.

Xander noticed the movement and stared at them with growing abhor before he said:

"And what about you?" making Spike turn his head to him instead. "Yeah, you, king of all that is bleached," Xander nodded. "You've spent more time with the man himself...bad choice of words, but we all know what I mean...than any of us put together. Can't you tell us ANYTHING more useful than 'He's really, really strong'?"

Spike tilted his head slightly to one side, then smiled a sugary smile before he replied:

"He's damn near invincible - that'd be good enough for you?"

Xander shook his head.

"Useless," he muttered.

"I don't see you being the one sodding connection you have on the inside, now do I?" Spike grumbled. "If I hadn't given you the bloody information on Adam you'd be nowhere at all, as supposed to halfway there. So stop using that buggering word on me! ...I don't deserve it."

Xander blinked. Had what he said actually just had some sort of an impact on the un-impactable? Amazing. Though he thought the word with as much sarcasm as he could muster, he still had to acknowledge the slight twirl of triumph which it brought with it.

"Okay... Adam - invincible," he now said slowly, then he shrugged. "So all we need is combo-Buffy. Her with Slayer strength, Giles' multi-lingual know how and Willow's witch-y power." Giles raised his head at that, practically staring at him and he added: "Yeah, don't tell me: I'm just full of 'helpful' suggestions."

"As a matter of fact - you are," Giles replied, having everybody's attention be set on him.

***

6.03 p.m.

Spike braced himself before he strolled into the part of the Initiative where Adam was keeping office. Buffy was on her breeching security through the elevator shaft, with Xander, Willow and Giles by her side; and he wished he could've been there too. But there should be no cause for suspicion just yet, and so he had reluctantly agreed when Buffy had clarified how important it was that he went to see Adam one last time.

He stopped when he entered the small room where the latter had set up his surveillance system. The demon in question seated before it, watching the black-and-white pictures of the TV-screen showing marching soldiers, heavily armed.

"Spike," Adam said, not taking his eyes off the object before him. "I was hoping you would come. There is something I want you to see." Spike raised his eyebrows questioningly. "Come," Adam said, waving for him to approach.

Having his senses set on alert Spike cautiously did what the other asked.

"What?" the blonde wondered, then halted as Adam's left arm raised swiftly, showing the sharp blade of a scalpel.

Adam rose, turning around to face the vamp, who now had every nerve ending in his entire body demanding of him to turn and get himself as far away from the maniac before him that his legs would carry him. Something was wrong.

"The chip," Adam now said simply. "You want it removed, do you not?"

Spike stared at the glistening instrument in the demon's large hand, and then he took a step back.

"Thought you wanted the merchendise delivered first," he then replied meaningfully with a nod to the black-and-white TV-screen still showing a lot of empty hallway and occasional soldier boy, but lacking in the young Slayer department.

Adam merely twisted the scalpel slightly, with a just as meaningful expression in his eyes and Spike swallowed.

"Don't you need to... sedate me? Have a team of surgeons? Some gauze?" he inquired and Adam smiled a humorless smile as he took a step forward.

"Would you believe me if I answered 'no'?" he wondered and Spike blinked, then his eyes fell on the screen, where a new set of characters had made their entrance.

Adam saw the expression in the vampire's eyes and turned around.

"Ah," he said with a small nod. "She has arrived, and with perfect timing, of course. As always."

Spike nodded as well, feeling the insecurity begin to drape itself over his shoulders as he watched the soldiers surrounding the Slayer and her friends, escorting them through the hallways; something which Adam seemed to have counted on.

"Yeah," Spike then murmured as a response to the demon's comment.

Adam suddenly became rigid, and then he slowly turned around to face the vampire.

"She is not alone," the former remarked and the clear dissatisfaction in his tone made Spike realize that had there not been trouble brewing earlier, it had just begun to boil over with this revelation. "You've failed me again," the demon added and Spike stared at him, then he bit his jaws together and shook his head as he came to understand exactly why he had sensed tension in the air all around him.

Fixing his gaze in Adam's he didn't hesitate before he let all pretences fall. A part of this game was more than surely over and he regretted to have to admit that he stood as the loser.

"How long have you known?" he therefore murmured, already knowing the answer, and Adam observed him closely for a few moments, then answered:

"Since I visited your crypt. I fought her, I know her scent... I must say I was surprised at first. The two of you batting on the same team? You seemed to hold such unmasked hatred for her. You played your part well," he commented and Spike ground his teeth together.

"So do you," he murmured and Adam smiled again, this time with more feeling before he pointed out:

"This is my life, not my role."

"We all play roles," Spike shot and Adam's smile widened before he made a small gesture with one hand, having four strong hands grab a hold on either of Spike's arms and the latter immediately tried to get loose - to no avail.

"You'll play the one of mindless drone perfectly, I'm sure," Adam nodded, turning his eyes on the screen where the soldiers stopped with Buffy before a door, the others not far behind. "As will she."

Spike tried once more to tear free, but there was no use and he felt the panic close at hand as he understood that it had all been one giant trap.

"Do you love her?" Adam asked and Spike glared at him as a reply, making Adam shake his head. "She has blinded you, then. I will make you whole again; I will make you a part of something so powerful."

He trialed off; then nodded to the two already-made-whole soldiers to take the vampire away.

Turning his gaze on the screen once more a smile began to spread over his mouth, and this time there was nothing behind it but self-assured evil.

"Soon," he murmured gently, watching Buffy be brought into the room behind the door before which she had been made to wait. "When all your allies are done with, when all your friends have been killed. then you will seek me out and greet the death in store. Not much longer now, my pretty."

Sinking down on the chair he leaned back and closed his eyes.

Everything was working out perfectly.

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********************************TRAppED*******************************

Forty-Seven: The Strength Within

By Annie

2003-07-16

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

Day Thirty-Seven.

6.35 p.m.

"Colonel!" Buffy tried again, standing surrounded by Initiative soldiers before their leader; who was currently opening up the backpack filled with weapons and magic supplies that she had brought with her.

"Shut up," he snapped, the irritation on him becoming even clearer in his voice as he kept un-strapping and then unzipping the bag before him, giving her an impatient glare. Looking back down he shook his head and added: "You've got some nerve, lady."

"You HAVE to listen to us," she stated, but the man before her paid no attention to her words as he began to pull out the contents of the backpack; starting with a stake, which he stared at as he spoke up once more:

"You think you and your friends can just keep waltzing into a government instillation, brandishing weapons like." Pulling out a large, pear-shaped, hollow object with a thick wick on top he frowned. "Like." he said, seemingly struggling to find a word fitting enough, but unable to.

"It's a gord," Willow offered helpfully, giving a small nod when the colonel turned his gaze from the foreign thing in his hands and to the redheaded woman standing a few feet away.

"It's a magic gord," Giles filed in, looking just a bit sheepish at the other man's clearly skeptical expression, before it changed into cool disbelief as he looked from one to the other.

"What kinda freaks are you people?" he asked, sounding truly astounded that four - by the looks of it - adult humans would even think the word magic, much less utter it in a room full of strangers.

With guns and ability to lock them in a padded cell for the rest of their lives.

It was truly astonishing.

"Adam is here, colonel, IN the Initiative," Buffy merely replied.

"Nice try," he grumbled; having put the gord down he came around the table by which he had been standing, to face her.

"Those overcrowded containment houses of yours - courtesy of Adam," she now said firmly. "He's pulling a Trojan horse on you. He's just waiting."

"Every INCH," the colonel cut her off, "of this instillation is under constant, twenty-four hour surveillance."

"Including the secret lab?" Willow wondered innocently.

"Including everything!" the colonel replied sharply, looking incredibly convinced of it for a few seconds before he looked at Buffy, regretful to have to ask - but knowing that he did - he said: "What secret lab?"

"The one Adam's been using," she answered. "The one built for the final phase of the three-fourteen project." The colonel now looked utterly perplexed and Buffy sighed. "And you have no idea what I'm talking about," she then added.

"I know everything that goes on around here," the colonel assured, though the Slayer looked all but convinced and he continued: "A tick on a mouse couldn't get in without my knowing it. And if Adam wants to try, we're ready for him!"

"Jolly good," Giles said, taking of his glasses and rubbing his eyes tiredly before he added: "How exactly do you plan to get close enough to Adam to remove his power-source?"

Buffy raised her eyebrows questioningly and the colonel wavered for a short moment, then replied:

"Hit him simultaneously with multiple tazer-blasters. Incapacitate him with as much voltage as we can muster."

"Great plan," Xander nodded. "That's right up there with duck-and-cover."

"I've seen Adam hit with tazer-blasts," Buffy stated. "He feeds on it. And now you're gonna provide him with an all-you-can-eat buffet?"

"Are you telling me my business?" the colonel demanded, incredulously; but that made the young blonde take a step forward as she answered with a voice chilled with rising impatience:

"This is NOT your business; it's MINE. You, the Initiative, the boys at the Pentagon - you're all in way over your heads, messing with primeval forces you have absolutely no comprehension of."

"And you do?" the colonel asked with a trace of humor in his voice that got on her nerves more than anything the narrow-minded excuse for a human standing before her had said or done so far.

"I'm the Slayer," she replied. "You're playing on MY turf."

The colonel huffed.

"Up there, maybe," he then said. "But down here I'm the one who's in control."

There was the sound of a blaring warning signal as the lights went out.

The final phase was in obviously just put into progress.

Buffy felt her heart skip a beat.

Spike.

Where was he?

***

6.48 p.m

Spike swam out of unconsciousness with effort. Bright lights stung his eyes and he felt that his wrists were tied to the arms of the hard chair he was seated in. It was made of steel. The room slowly grew focused and he stared at the two beings working at some sort of table with some sort of. He blinked, resting his head back and trying to stay awake. Everything was pounding. His thoughts, his throat, his heart.

He opened his eyes and stared up at the ceiling.

Something was terribly wrong.

He could feel a pulse, steadily making its way through the veins of his whole body. He could feel it because his vampire senses told him of it, he could hear the throb of the muscle in his chest as clearly as though he had his ear to the skin and flesh and nerves covering it.

Impossible.

He couldn't be alive and dead at the same time.

He still had his supernatural sense of smell, of instinct and of hearing. He could hear the brawl going on somewhere outside the thick concrete walls which surrounded him.

He tried to speak, but couldn't.

A wave of panic rose from some shadowed corner and he drew an unnecessary breath as the two beings turned their heads to him.

Zombies. Clearly zombies. Or something not far from it.

He swallowed, looking around him for some way of getting out of his bonds, but his body wouldn't work with him.

"What have you.?"

He had to produce every last ounce of willpower to be able to say those three words, his voice so strained that it broke from the effort and one of the zombies, the female, slowly approached him with a rather emotionless smile on her lips.

Her eyes were white and he thought he recognized the unclear features of her face, but he couldn't place her.

"It won't be long now," she said. "He'll be here soon and then."

Trailing off she backed away again and Spike stared at her.

"Spike!"

Buffy? He tried to turn his head to her, but couldn't, and soon enough she was at his side.

Buffy didn't think she'd ever been so relieved in her life.

"Are you okay?" she asked and he met her gaze, fighting to speak, but failing. "What happened? Spike?"

He moved his eyes in the direction of the two zombies and Buffy turned her head that way, staring at them with growing disgust as she immediately recognized her former patroness and slight idol, Professor Walsh. Buffy couldn't understand how she had ever been as foolish as to have such high regards of someone who had seen to the birth of the threat she was about to face. There was no time to dwell and so she merely shook her head before turning her gaze back in Spike's.

"Tell me how to get you loose," she said, leaning forward slightly and observing the contraption to which he was fastened. "Spike? Why won't you answer me?"

"Because he can't," Adam's voice replied and she straightened her back as she whipped her head his way.

He was coming from across the room, seemingly having appeared through a large hole serving as a door - a wall now slowly sliding back to its original position covering it.

I recognize that, Buffy thought, remembering the place where she had spent a few nights on a mattress.

She must have also looked quizzical because Adam un-bashfully went on with his explanation to her previous question.

"He's at the first stage of transformation. He can't do much of anything right now."

Buffy furrowed her brow and then looked down at Spike. There was a tube sticking out of his right shoulder and it was pumping red liquid into him. Blood.

"What are you doing to him?" she asked, voice trembling with ill-hidden worry and Adam smiled.

"Improving him. You see, he was too strong - in the uncontrollable way - and so I thought I'd make him into something more my taste. The blood weakens him gradually, you see. His being isn't supposed to have it running through him like that. His old heart. who knows what might happen to it? He will be part of my plan, he is worthy enough. as you would have been."

Buffy shook her head at him.

"Well, sorry, but I don't jump through hoops at command. And I'm afraid you'll find out just how little my friend here appreciates that kinda leisure as well," she stated, glancing at Spike as her self-confidence seemed to be returning. It would be all right, just as soon as she could get him out of there. Looking back at Adam she finished: "I've never really been one to toe the line."

Adam watched her for a moment then replied:

"Oh," before he made a small nod with his head, adding: "Kill her."

Someone grabbed her from behind in a tight grip and she realized who it was. Forest. Her heart sank as she felt the strength in him amplified by a hundred since he now was part demon.

"I thought you'd never ask," the previous soldier growled as Buffy began to struggle to get loose.

Adam left the room with one final - seemingly very pleased - look around.

Spike closed his eyes, braced himself and then concentrated every last shred of his power to get his wrists freed from their bonds. His eyes shot open when he heard the unmistakable noise of some sort of machinery being turned on and judging by the situation they found themselves in he was willing to bet is was not a device used for good or healing. He was right. The female zombie had picked up a hand-sized saw, its blade was now rotating furiously on a direct impact course with Buffy's forehead.

However, as the zombie came closer Buffy was finally able to maneuver her out of the way by kicking her feet up and hitting the former on the chin, making her drop the saw before she stumbled backwards. Hitting one of the tables behind her back-first she fell to the floor in a heap.

Forest was next in line. Spike observed the scene for a few more seconds and then remembered why he still wasn't doing anything else but that of acting as the unwilling audience. Closing his eyes again he was on the verge of praying for a miracle when he felt a jolt of energy surge through him and before he knew it he had broken the clasps of the steel bars holding him down. He blinked as the fatigue following this event quickly overcame him and as he tried to stand up he once more found himself failing.

Buffy fought the demonoid with a skill Spike thought he had rarely witnessed in her. He understood, suddenly, that she could bring herself into even deeper focus than when she fought simple vamp fledglings or a stray monster. It was like a light had flicked on somewhere in the back of his brain as he felt as though he witnessed her fight for the very first time.

Or maybe, something remarked, you haven't wanted to recognize it before this moment. Maybe her clear power has always shaken you up, Spike. Because hers is a heritage, hers is the essence of her very self. Your strength is stolen. and with the tip of anything sharp it can end just as quickly as it began.

So can hers, he replied, watching her be thrown mercilessly to the floor.

He clenched his jaws together, took a very small breath and when three of the longest seconds he had ever experienced expired his work paid off as he scooted forward on the seat of the chair and suddenly he fell through the air, landing with a thud on the floor and feeling the pumping of his heart gently coming to a stop.

He saw flickering dots in front of his eyes and he couldn't move, lying sprawled on his right side he couldn't see what was happening to Buffy either.

Right then she was thrown onto one of the operating tables by Forest.

She only knew of one more moment facing a fiend when she had felt as helpless - and that had been when the Master sunk his teeth into her neck.

Okay, Buffy, don't let it take over; you have to keep a clear head. No need to panic, just.

But then the chilly hands of Professor Walsh and her helper grabbed her legs and arms and she felt like she couldn't breathe anymore. So this was it? Was this the death of a Slayer? Not even eye to eye with real competition?

"Is that it?" Forest taunted, his stinking breath slithering across her nostrils and she glared up at him. "Is that all you got?" he added.

"No," Spike replied for her and she felt a small smile spread across her lips, "she's got me," he added and Professor Walsh and the goon were torn away.

"Vampire looking to play hero," Forest murmured, letting Buffy go. "How original."

Just as he was about to advance Buffy sat up and easily directed a well- aimed kick to his head. Getting him out of the way for a few moments she jumped off the table and ran up to Spike.

"I need to get to Adam, like, NOW," she said and he nodded. "Are you able?" she added and he smirked.

It was answer enough for her and she practically sprinted the way Adam had left.

***

7.19 p.m.

The power coursing through her was nearly painful as it linked her with the Slayer's who had walked the Earth before her.

She was barely aware of what she was doing as she spoke words she knew the meaning of, but of which she could not speak the language. Her voice was shared with her kin through the ages and she saw flashes of their faces before her eyes.

Adam was now facing her, and she showed him exactly what it was he was up against. No weapon in the world could, in that moment, have frightened her. As he fired his she once more spoke and the bullets were caught in the shield those words produced before her, rippling the air with waves as though it was actually water.

Adam changed from machinegun into a small missile launcher, but with one wave of her hand the threat turned into three white doves, splitting up and flying in different directions.

She felt the calm sail through her easily and she knew what she was supposed to do.

Making the arm which Adam had so demonstratively turned into a weapon retract to being simply his hand again she faced the demon and as he tried to hit home with his punches she avoided them as though he was doing them in slow motion. Then she retaliated. It seemed as everything in one moment was pacing almost excruciatingly sluggishly to in the next second be flashing passed her.

Adam stared up at her.

"How can you.?" he began, but she cut him off, grabbing a tighter hold on his throat as well as the one of his wrists that had been lifted to deliver a strike, and answering:

"You can never hope to grasp the source of our power."

There was a moment of time standing still, she was sure of it, and then the scene had changed as she buried her fingers deep inside the monster's chest, touching the spine before she felt the heat of his artificial life. Clasping it tightly she ripped it out of him and it glowed in light green as she let it rest on her palm.

"But yours is right here," she added to her previous sentence, Adam making a small noise as he crumbled to the side.

Dead.

A hundred voices whispered her name, a hundred voices called to her over the barriers which separated her from them; they touched her from the other side.

Raising her eyes as the uranium flowed up in the air her mouth once more spoke with the joined voices of what constituted her ancestors and then the core folded in on itself shining with bright, white light and was in the next second swallowed by the air.

It was over.

Sister, a voice said gently. Sister, we are waiting for you. Buffy, you will be welcomed. You will be resting with us. When the sun rises, sister. When it rises.

"Buffy."

His voice was coming from far away and then his fingers gently slid into her locks and rested against her cheek, the way it had so many times before, and she was ushered back to reality as the bond with those passed was broken and she was alone in her body once more.

She fell forward, and he caught her.

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