Interlude the Fourth: An extension of Step Forward
Written by Nebula
Occurs between Chapters 27 and 28 of Step Forward
A PG-13 overall
Xander is traveling around the United States, gathering Potentials.
These are his adventures.
NN: So, so sorry this has been so long in coming. RL just hasn't
been going very well lately, and the writer's block didn't help.
But it's gone now, and RL seems to be giving me a break.
This can be also found at my LiveJournal, with the correct html, and
at my site:
http://authoressnebula.livejournal.com
http://www.geocities.com/nebula_authoress
All thoughts, emphasized words, and italics are found 'in these'.
< --- >
I:4 - You Can't Win Every Battle
The car that had been chasing them had exploded almost half an
hour earlier. They'd reached the interstate not five minutes ago.
Both were wonderful reasons to cheer. So they cheered for their
victory. Everyone, that is, except for the driver.
Xander kept his eyes on the road, listening to the girls happily
chattering about being in a real car chase, and did that stuff
happen all the time, and if it did...
"Are you okay?"
And there was the question, right on schedule. "It's just that
you haven't been, you know, rejoicing over getting away," Jennifer
continued. "We made it, right? I'm not just imagining that?"
Xander sighed. "No, you didn't imagine it."
"Then why no..."
"Celebration dance? No whoops of joy?" Xander finished for
her. "Because...you have to understand that through the years,
nothing's ever gone perfectly for us. Not ever. There's always a
catch, or repercussions waiting to happen. And I've got this really
bad feeling that things are about to go downhill."
"Way to stay positive," Jennifer muttered.
Xander threw her a glare. "I'm serious. We Scoobies have the
worst luck ever."
"Scoobies?" Jennifer questioned, eyebrows raised. Rona and
Jillian heard her and turned towards the front.
"I like Scooby-Doo!" Jillian said, her enthusiastic nod sending
curls flying. "He's neat. D'you like him too?"
Xander and Rona both smiled and nodded. "Scooby's cool," Rona
said, then frowned. "What exactly does a cartoon dog have to do
with your friends?"
"Uh, it's just what we call ourselves. The Scoobies. We take out
the monsters, who would've gotten away with it if it hadn't..."
"Been for those meddling kids," everyone chorused, before laughing.
"How many of you are there?" Jennifer asked. "I've talked to
Willow, but I know there's more."
Xander took a deep breath. "Ho boy. Um, let's tally it all up.
Buffy, Dawn, Willow, Anya, Tara, Spike, Andrew, Jonathan, Cassie,
Amanda, and myself. Oh, and Giles."
"That's twelve!" Jillian said proudly, holding up her hands for
counting.
"Jilly, that's only ten," her sister said, rolling her eyes.
Jillian frowned, examining her fingers. "Oh," she said, her face
falling. Suddenly she was smiling again, and she raised her hands
once more, lifting her feet as well.
The others gave her odd looks. "Ten fingers and two feetsies,"
Jillian explained.
As they laughed, Xander finally allowed himself to relax. Maybe
it 'was' just his attitude, like Jennifer had suggested. Maybe he
was just being Sunnydale paranoid.
'It pays to be paranoid in Sunnydale,' an inner voice persisted,
but he firmly shoved it down. They were on their way to South
Carolina, and they'd be fine.
They rolled into the designated town in South Carolina an hour
before sunrise and immediately began searching for the right house.
It took Xander another half an hour to sort the directions, and by
then, the sky was beginning to glow. "Pretty," Rona said with a
yawn, forcing her eyes open.
"Almost there guys," Xander said in a hushed voice. "Jillian
still asleep?"
Jennifer and Rona both turned to see the little one fast asleep,
her head resting against the seat. "She's still out of it,"
Jennifer said with a grin. "She'll be out for another good hour, I
think. What's the house number?"
"21089," Xander quoted, turning into a suburb division.
"Slow down, slow down!" Rona hissed, pointing down a street. "You
gotta turn right. It's down there."
Xander slowed the car before turning to glance back at Rona with
wide eyes. "How did you know that?" he asked quietly.
Rona rolled her eyes. "I'm not psychic or anything; I was just
paying attention. Number 20093 is visible on the left, and number
21045 is visible on the right. You with me?"
"Okay, yeah, I'm with you," Xander said, breathing a sigh of
relief. "Don't scare me like that," he muttered.
Rona narrowed her eyes, and Jennifer grinned at him as he turned
down the street. The neighborhood was quiet as they made their way
down to the house.
Xander parked across from it, frowning as he glanced around. "NOW
what?" Jennifer asked.
"Look around at the other houses," Xander said quietly. "The
lights are on, indicating that someone is getting ready for work,
right?"
"And?" Jennifer prompted.
"There's two cars in the driveway of the house we're supposed to
be looking for," Xander continued. "But no lights on. That doesn't
strike you as odd?"
Rona gave a soft groan. "Don't 'say' stuff like that," she
said. "Now I've got goosebumps."
"Well, we're not gonna find out by looking around here," Jennifer
said, reaching to unbuckle herself. "Let's go."
"Whoa, whoa, where do you think you're going?" Xander said, giving
her a pointed look. "You're staying here."
"What? Why?"
Both Xander and Rona shushed her. "Because someone has to keep an
eye on Jillian," he explained. Rona rolled her eyes and reached to
undo her seatbelt. "That would be you as well," Xander told her,
his eyes never leaving Jennifer's.
"You're gonna go in there ALONE?!" Rona hissed. "You're insane!"
Xander was already reaching for something under the seat. He
pulled out two axes, handing one to each girl. "If I'm not out in
ten minutes, you guys take off," Xander whispered, reaching for his
dagger. He handed the car keys to Jennifer, unlocking the doors.
"No way," Jennifer started, but Xander cut her off.
"Don't argue with me on this. If something's wrong, I'll be right
back out. If something isn't wrong, I'll be back out anyways to let
you know. I'll need you girls to help me talk to the girl, okay?"
Rona sighed but nodded. Jennifer looked miserable and angry.
With a final "Stay here", Xander headed over to the house. He
reached the porch, then knocked lightly on the door. The door
didn't offer much resistance. Xander glanced down at the knob and
paled.
The door was ajar.
"No," he breathed, pushing the door open. He had barely taken two
steps inside when his eyes caught sight of the red carpet in front
of him. He froze, his eyes widening in horror.
A man lay on the ground, blood pooling from his white dress
shirt. His eyes were open, and blood leaked from his mouth.
Not two feet away near the entrance to a bathroom lay a woman, her
work clothes clean and ready for the day. Except, of course, for
the blood that was covering her jacket. Her face was turned the
opposite way, sparing Xander from the sight.
Shaking himself he shut the front door, then advanced into the
house, knife ready and waiting. Cautiously he made his way down a
hallway, glancing up a flight of stairs. Maybe the girl's bedroom
was up there.
He glanced around for Bringers, then began to ascend. He stopped,
however, his eye having caught something. Slowly he turned, his
eyes trained on a patch of red on the otherwise beige carpet. It
was flowing from behind a closed door.
He headed for the door, his heart sinking as he noticed that this
one was slightly open as well. With the toe of his shoe he pushed
the door open.
A blonde girl lay on her side away from him, blood flowing down
her head, her chest, everywhere. "Merciful Zeus," Xander whispered,
swallowing convulsively. He hurried into the room, praying that the
blood wasn't hers. He stepped over her to glance at her face,
taking a sharp breath when he did.
Eyes glassy and unseeing, her mouth open in a silent scream. A
face Xander had seen before. Eve. The girl the First had killed
the first time around. The one it had killed, then had infiltrated
the Summers' house while posing as her.
He closed his eyes, bowing his head. The First had beat them to a
girl. The very same girl they'd lost before. He snorted, not
missing the irony. It had thrown her death back in their faces
again, making sure they knew that their fate wouldn't change. The
girl had died once before, and she was dead again.
Lost in his gruesome thoughts, Xander almost didn't hear the door
open. Almost. He whipped around, then relaxed before aiming glares
at the girls. "I thought I told you guys to take off if I wasn't
back in ten minutes," he said.
Jennifer glared right back at him. "We saw you slip inside really
easily and knew it wasn't good." Her voice was shaky, and her hands
trembled as they held her sleepy sister.
Rona paled at the sight of Eve on the ground. "Oh man," she
mumbled. "I thought the parents out there were bad, but..."
"Did you guys touch anything out there with your hands?" Xander
asked.
Jennifer nodded towards Jillian as explanation. "I had to use my
shoulder to get the door open."
Xander turned to Rona, who showed him the axe he'd given her being
clutched with both hands. "Only thing I touched, and I'm not about
to let go."
"They're not here anymore, I'm sure. Long gone. It'll be awhile
before someone comes looking, but I'd rather not leave prints for
the cops to find."
Jillian yawned, her head still on her sister's shoulders. "We
should go before she wakes up," Jennifer said. Rona eagerly nodded
to that, her eyes stuck on the dead girl. She shook herself,
gulping as she made her way out of the room. Jennifer turned to
leave as well, but stopped when Xander didn't follow. "Xander?" she
called softly.
Xander glanced down at Eve, then back up at Jennifer. He gave a
bitter chuckle even as his eyes filled with tears. "There's always
a catch," he whispered.
Jennifer nodded sadly, and the three followed Rona out of the
death filled house.
Chapter 28:
< --- >
"So, do you have your stake?"
A sigh. "Yes, Spike, I do."
"First Aid kit?"
"This is payback for what I did at the airport, isn't it?"
"I'm just..."
"Worried," Buffy and Spike said together, before she sighed
again. "I know, sweetie. I don't want to leave you guys alone
either, but I..."
"Have to," the two said together once more, this time Spike
finishing for Buffy.
Dawn rolled her eyes. "Are you two almost finished?"
Buffy placed the last sword into the car and nodded. "I'm packed
and ready to go."
"I meant you two being finished with completing each other's
sentences," Dawn said, giving both blondes a look.
Spike glanced over at Buffy, clenching his fists. It was finally
time; she was really leaving. He couldn't go with her, either. He
was stuck here, unable to help her if she needed him.
"I'll be back," she said softly, causing him to look up. She was
smiling at him, but he could see the misery in her eyes. She didn't
want to do this anymore then he wanted her to.
"I want to go with you," he whispered, his voice switching to
William's for a few moments. "Buffy, please, let me..."
Buffy closed the trunk of the car and headed over to him. Taking
both of his hands in hers, she said quietly, "I know you want to
come, but you can't, Spike. 'I' don't want to go. If I do, I want
you to come with me, but..."
"I know," Spike said, hanging his head. He wasn't making this any
easier for her, and that wasn't fair to her. He couldn't stop her
from going. Now he knew how Buffy had felt earlier when he'd left
for Africa.
He looked back up at her, giving her the strongest smile he
could. "Tell Peaches I said hi, eh?"
Buffy gave his hands an extra squeeze, smiling sadly. "I will, I
promise. And I'll be back before you know it."
It seemed like Spike blinked, and she was in the car, giving the
others final goodbyes. He hurried over, ducking to kiss her. His
eyes fluttered closed as she deepened it, and his fingers reached up
to wrap themselves in her hair. She finally pulled away, panting
for breath.
"Be careful on the roads?" he asked, knowing he sounded like a
worried ponce, but he WAS a worried ponce, and he didn't care.
She nodded, her hands going up to meet his. Time seemed to freeze
as they gazed at each other, hands entwined with her hair. Then he
pulled away, giving her another too bright smile. "Give us a ring
when you get there," he said, stepping back further.
She gave him a captain's salute. "Will do, sir." She blew him a
kiss, then began to back out of the driveway.
Spike watched her drive away, watched the car become more blurred
the further away she was. It wasn't until the tears started rolling
down his face that he realized why.
A hand gently touched his shoulder. "Think of it this way,"
Tara's soft voice said to him. "The sooner she gets this done, the
sooner she can come home."
Spike could only nod as the car disappeared from his sight.
Two hours later, Buffy found herself on the outskirts of LA,
wishing she was back with Spike. She really didn't want this
reunion with Angel. As in, REALLY didn't want it. Somehow, she
knew that Angel would know about her and Spike, and while it wasn't
anything she was ashamed of, she didn't want to go into it with him.
She continued to think her problems over until she reached the
hotel. Taking one last deep breath, she headed inside.
Her heels made a 'click' on the tiles as she stepped into the
lobby. "Hello?" she called out tentatively, frowning when she
didn't see anyone.
"Buffy?" a familiar voice said, and a few moments later Cordelia
came in. Her eyes widened, and she gave the blonde a smile. "It is
you. Wow. You look good."
Buffy smiled and went forward to hug the other woman. "You too.
Really like what you've done with the hair. The short look fits
you."
Cordelia rolled her eyes. "Well, it was blonde too, but I guess
that kind of faded after the whole being taken up by the Powers, and
then I haven't really had time to do it with this whole mess now."
Buffy gave her a sympathetic smile. "Bad times for you too?"
"Like you wouldn't believe," Cordelia said, biting her lower
lip. "I just wish there was a way to stop it."
"We'll find it, don't worry," Angel's voice said. Both women
glanced up at the vampire, who was making his way down the stairs.
He stopped abruptly at the sight of Buffy. "Hi," he said, looking
slightly uncomfortable.
Buffy gave him a tight smile, and the three stood in an awkward
silence.
Cordelia finally clapped her hands together and gave a forced
smile. "I'll just show Buffy to her room," she said, guiding Buffy
to the stairs. "Are your bags still in your car?"
Buffy nodded, about to head back to retrieve them. "Don't worry
about it," Cordelia said with a wave of her hand. "Gunn'll take
care of it for you."
"Thanks," the blonde mumbled, avoiding Angel's gaze. He didn't
look pleased, and Buffy seriously hoped it wasn't because of her and
Spike. The girls headed up towards the stairs, but Angel grabbed
Cordelia's arm as she passed him.
"What about Connor?" he asked quietly, clearly worried.
Cordelia smiled, placing her hand on top of his. "Then we'll deal
with him," she whispered. "Don't worry. I'm staying with you guys,
okay?"
'What the hell did I walk into?' Buffy wondered as Angel nodded,
reluctantly letting the ex-cheerleader go.
They'd barely gotten up the stairs and past a few rooms before
Buffy hissed, "Okay, what was that all about? Who's Connor?"
Cordelia winced. "Why don't you ask Angel about that one?" she
suggested, giving the Slayer a nervous smile. Buffy gave her a
look, and Cordelia sighed. "The only thing I'll tell you is what
it's got to do with me. When I came back from a little trip to the
Powers That Be, I didn't remember anything. Who I was, who anyone
was. It was major creepy. Connor...took me in. The others had
tried to hide the vampire stuff from me, and when I found out about
it..."
"Even more creepiness ensued," Buffy finished for her.
Cordelia nodded. "Right. Connor didn't lie to me. He told me
straight out what things were. So I stayed with him instead of with
Angel. It made things difficult between Angel and I because Angel
and Connor...they've got a sort of history," she said uneasily.
"Who doesn't have one with Angel?" Buffy muttered.
Her comment was either ignored or not heard. "But things got
difficult between me and Connor when I remembered things again, and
he started making moves towards me. And I just couldn't do that. I
like him and all, but not like 'that'."
"Is there someone else you like like that?" Buffy teased, her eyes
widening when Cordelia blushed. "There is! Who?"
"Just some guy," Cordelia said brightly. "Oh look, we're almost
at your room!"
"Cordelia..."
"I really didn't want to have this conversation," Cordelia
groaned, halting in the hallway. Buffy stopped as well, arms
folded, waiting for her answer. "First of all, we never intended
for this to happen," she began, biting her lower lip. "And I think
he feels the same way, but I don't know, and we haven't even really
done anything except for that one kiss last year, and that kiss from
my sorta different reality vision thing didn't count, and..."
"You and Angel?" Buffy guessed, bringing Cordelia's babbling to a
complete stop. Cordelia nodded nervously, anxiously awaiting the
Slayer's response.
What she wasn't expecting was what she got, which was a
hug. "You're not...upset?" Cordelia asked uncertainly.
Buffy pulled away, shaking her head. "Nah; you two are cute
together. And I think he really does care about you, too. Besides,
it's not like he's the only one that's moved on."
Cordelia's eyes glittered at the prospect of gossip. "A new beau
for Buffy, huh? So...is he a hunk?"
Buffy laughed as the two resumed their walk. "Most definitely.
My sister calls him 'lickable'."
"Okay, I have to know who it is," Cordelia said, opening the door
to Buffy's room.
The two stepped inside, and Buffy reached for the door. "You
asked for it," she muttered, before the door clicked shut.
Chapter 29:
< --- >
Willow was in the process of making tea when the phone rang.
Quickly she hurried over to answer, ignoring Dawn and Spike as they
yelled, "Don't pick up!"
She grabbed the portable from the charger. "Summers' residence,"
she said, rolling her eyes as the others sighed in exasperation. So
maybe she answered every call; it wasn't the end of the world. At
least, she didn't think it was.
"Willow, how are you?"
Willow immediately broke out in a huge grin. "Giles!" she
exclaimed, and 'that' got everyone's attention. They hurried into
the kitchen, eagerly waiting for a chance to say hi.
"We're fine here on the Hellmouth," Willow continued. "How about
in the mother country?"
"Well, Mr. Travers wanted me to send his gratitude for your note
about the bomb. It's been taken care of, thanks to you."
Willow gave a sigh of relief. "Found the bomb?" Spike asked, and
she nodded.
"We're glad to hear that," Willow told him. "I'll make sure Buffy
hears about that."
"She isn't there?" Giles asked, sounding disappointed.
Willow glanced at Spike, who was glaring miserably at the dirty
dishes in the sink. "No, she isn't," she said softly. "She had a
mission to do. She'll be back soon, though." She wasn't just
trying to tell Giles; she was trying to get through to another
British man.
"A mission?"
When Spike continued to stare at the sink, Willow sighed and
launched into the whole Faith mess. "She left last night," Willow
finished, "so she should be in LA by now. If you really wanted to
talk to her, you could call her cell."
"No, I'm sure she's asleep by now." Giles paused,
frowning. "Have you heard from Xander recently?"
"Just the other night," Willow told him. "He said he's got Rona,
and he's on his way to the girl in South Carolina."
"He had no problems with Rona, then?"
Willow glanced at Spike, who now had raised eyebrows in her
direction. "Just a small, itsy bitsy problem, but he's through it,"
she hedged, causing Spike to grin.
They chatted for awhile longer, then after everyone had gotten a
chance to talk with him, they said their goodbyes, promising to
update him on the Faith and Xander situation. "Just an itsy bitsy
problem?" Tara asked, giving her girlfriend a smirk.
Willow rolled her eyes. "I make 'one' mistake..."
As the others left the room, still laughing, the phone rang in the
witch's hands. She jumped at the unexpected sound, then hurried to
pick up. "Summers' residence," she chirped.
"Hey Wills."
Willow's eyes lit up. "Xan..."
"Not now, Willow. I can't...listen, can you take the phone
somewhere private?"
Willow's smile quickly faded. Xander sounded tired and
troubled. "What's going on?" she whispered.
She heard him sigh. "I'll tell you once you're sure no one can
overhear you."
Willow frowned but headed for the stairs, keeping the phone behind
her. Spike glanced at her oddly, but said nothing.
As soon as she reached the top of the stairs, she bolted in her
bedroom and shut the door. "Okay buster, this better be good.
You're starting to freak me out."
"Buffy's not there, right?"
"No, she left last night. She should be there right now."
Xander gave a muffled laugh, but it made Willow cringe. It
sounded bitter. "Good, then that means you guys get to tell her."
"Tell her what? Xander, what's..."
"We found the girl in South Carolina," Xander said, interrupting
her.
Willow smiled, sitting back. "Having problems with her parents?
I've got a couple good excuses. I think."
"Nope, no problems from her parents."
"The girl?" Willow guessed, puzzled.
"Yeah, the girl," Xander said, and Willow heard him swallow. "It
was Eve. Remember Eve? Girl we thought was alive, then ended up
being very dead?"
Willow was already nodding. "Yeah, blonde, heavy southern
accent? What, she doesn't want to come?"
"No, it's just that things aren't very different from the last
time around."
It took her a few moments to realize what he was saying, and when
she did understand, Willow paled. "She's..."
"Yeah. Her parents, her, geez Wills, I couldn't walk in there
without my shoes stepping in blood. They're all dead."
Willow swallowed. "Don't you get it?" Xander said quietly. "The
First told Buffy that us messing with time wouldn't change anything,
and it was right. Spike still went and got a soul, Eve's dead..."
"Tara's here," Willow argued, but her voice was shaky. "A-And you
have Anya. Things have changed, Xander."
"Maybe, but...dammit Wills, I've never seen so much blood. It was
just...and their eyes, and Eve looked like she'd been screaming
before someone had taken a sword to her..."
Willow closed her eyes, and an image of Warren's flayed body
flashed in her mind. His eyes round with horror, his muscles
exposed to the air, his mouth open in a silent plea or scream...she
shuddered. "I'm scared," Xander whispered. "I just wanna be
home..."
Willow took a deep breath in, before addressing Xander. "Where
are you guys now?"
"A hotel. The girls and I just went downstairs to get the
continental breakfast. They're in the room next to me. I gave the
excuse that I needed to clean the weapons, because the last person
they need to see fall apart..."
"Is you," Willow finished with him. "I get that. Okay, I'll get
the address and directions for the next girl, and I'll call you back
in an hour or so. Until then, just rest, okay? Do that for me?"
She could practically see Xander nodding. "Okay," he said quietly.
"Get some sleep," she advised, before hanging up. She set the
phone down on the bed, her mind conjuring up thousands of
possibilities of what Xander had seen earlier. Bodies scattered
over the household, blood dripping down stairs, drenching the
carpets, and a terrified girl not even knowing why.
"Red?"
The door opened, and Spike stepped in, concern etched on his
face. "Willow?" he tried again.
Willow glanced at the phone, then up at him, unable to keep the
tears at bay. "She was dead before he got there," she finally said,
before she sniffled.
Slowly Spike walked over, taking a seat next to her on the bed.
His arms opened and she dove in, burying her head in his chest
before sobbing.
Robin was sorting through another file when he heard the knock at
the door. He glanced up, then gestured for Dawn to enter. "What
can I do to help?" he asked.
Dawn gave him a tiny smile, but it looked sad. "This isn't about
school, is it?" he guessed, sighing when she shook her head. "Make
sure the door's shut, and take a seat. Fill me in, because you guys
are so much more into this then I am."
"How much did Buffy tell you about what's been going on?" Dawn
asked, taking a seat across from him.
Robin shrugged. "THE ultimate evil, chasing down the slayer
potentials, and raising hell around here. Why?"
"Did she tell you about our friend Xander?" the teen continued.
Robin nodded. "She'd said that he was going around the country
picking them up."
Dawn bit her lip, and Robin knew it wasn't good news. "Um, well,
so far, he's been successful. But earlier this morning, in South
Carolina, he found the next girl."
"He didn't make it in time, did he?" Robin said quietly.
Dawn slowly shook her head. "She'd been dead for hours, it looked
like. It really freaked him out, and this is a guy who's lived on
the Hellmouth for ages. So...yeah. It's not good news."
"I told your sister I'm on your side," he told her. "What do you
guys need me to do?"
"Did she tell you that there's two Potentials in this very
school?" she asked.
Robin's eyes widened. "Apparently not," Dawn said, rolling her
eyes. "Cassie Newton, and Amanda..."
"Amanda she mentioned," he said, cutting her off. "Cassie I
didn't hear about. I take it you'd like me to keep an eye on them?"
Dawn nodded, obviously relieved. "If you wouldn't mind. Buffy
won't be back until towards the weekend, if everything goes well
with Faith. Today is getting all the paperwork and stuff ready, and
then tomorrow morning they make with the escape. She should be back
around Friday morning. But until then, it's just me watching over
them. And since the school's directly over the Hellmouth..."
"I'll keep an eye on them," Robin assured her. "Don't worry about
it."
"Could I ask you to maybe come over later, and meet the others?"
she asked. "I'm sure Spike would want to know how well you can
fight. Buffy'd mentioned that you knew how."
"Spike?" Robin asked, frowning. "There's a name I don't...well,
actually, in this school, I 'have' heard quite a few names like
that."
Dawn giggled. "He's been my friend for awhile. He's really
great. My sister and him are involved."
Robin began to say something, then stopped, his eyes catching
sight of a black clad figure with bleached hair headed towards the
office. His mind flashed back to a rainy night in his childhood,
and automatically he reached for the knife under his desk.
Dawn turned to see what he was staring at and, to Robin's
surprise, broke out into a huge grin. "That's Spike," she
explained, rising to her feet. "He wanted to make sure I got home
okay. So, you'll come by tonight?"
Robin barely nodded, his eyes still locked on the figure. The man
knocked on the door, before letting himself in. "You ready, Bit?"
he asked.
Dawn nodded. "Mr. Wood, I want you to meet my friend Spike.
Spike, this is our principal, Mr. Wood."
"Call me Robin," Robin said, standing and offering his hand.
Spike gave him a friendly smile and reached out. His hand was cold
in Robin's, and the principal could feel no steady thrumming of a
pulse. Robin tried to hide his surprise. A vampire. The slayer
was involved with a vampire.
Spike continued to smile, oblivious to the thoughts running around
Robin's head. "I've got Cassie and Amanda already waitin'," Spike
told Dawn, who nodded.
"I asked Robin to come over tonight, if he could make it," Dawn
said, grinning. "Just to meet the gang."
"Could I maybe make that tomorrow night?" Robin asked suddenly,
forcing a smile when they both turned to him. "I just remembered
some last minute papers I've got to go through before tomorrow." It
was only partially true, but he didn't think he could deal with the
vampire thing just yet.
Spike nodded. "We'll see you tomorrow then. I'd like to see how
well you fight; Buffy's been tellin' me 'bout how you were brought
up by Watchers."
Robin continued to smile, but his hands were clenched
tight. "Yes, after my mother was killed," he managed to reply.
They exchanged a few parting words before Dawn headed out, Spike
right behind her. Robin watched them go, wondering what had
triggered that flash to his memory. What about that vampire had
made him think about the night his mother had died?
Four hours later Robin locked up the school and headed home. He
pulled out the phone to order Chinese, then froze as he caught sight
of a person in front of him. A very familiar person. "You're not
real," he said quietly.
His mother frowned at him. "What a rude thing to say to your
mother. I didn't raise you that way. Come on; where's my kiss
honey?"
"You're not her," Robin said, stepping forward and through her.
He turned around, giving her a sarcastic smile. "I told you."
His mother raised an eyebrow. "I can help you, baby boy. I
promise. And I'm Nikki Wood. I keep my promises."
"You said you'd be back that night, but you didn't come home!"
Robin yelled, then caught himself.
Nikki smile sadly. "I didn't promise. I'm so sorry, Robin. I
know you've been hurting all these years. But," she said, her smile
turning brighter. "I can make it better. I can at least end your
quest for my murderer. I can also answer your questions you had
earlier today."
Robin frowned, before he glanced up at her. "He did it," he said
quietly.
Nikki beamed at him. "I was always so proud of my smart boy.
Yes, it was him. Killed me in the subway car. He's got my coat,
sweetie. He wasn't wearing it today, but he's still got it." Her
smile rapidly disappeared. "And he's still walking this earth, a
menace and danger to other slayers. He's got himself in a nice
position with one right now. Cuddling, sweet talking her, when all
he's preparing to do is drain her, snap her neck. I can help you
baby, but we've got to get him away from the others first. We can
make him pay for all the lives he took. Help me, please?"
Robin stared, before he began to nod. "I promise." His gaze
darkened as Nikki smiled proudly. "I'll take care of him."
< --- >
I:5 - You Don't Have To Be Strong For Me
"Is he gonna be okay?"
Jennifer nodded. "Yeah, he'll be fine. Xander's dealt with
worse. Don't worry."
Rona frowned, not looking convinced. "He looked like a bomb had
gone off in front of him, and he was..."
"Shell-shocked?" Jennifer finished. "I think he's entitled to a
little shell-shocking. I was. That was creepy."
"The empty house with nobodies home?" Jillian asked, biting into
the muffin she'd kept for a snack later.
Jennifer and Rona both nodded. They'd all decided to not tell
Jillian about the house of death, saying instead that the family was
on vacation, and would therefore be safe from the bad guys. Jillian
had bought it.
"Yeah, that was pretty creepy. Don't eat with your mouth full,"
Jennifer scolded, taking a sip of her soda.
Jillian scowled at her sister. "You're not a boss of me!"
Jennifer rolled her eyes. "Maybe someone should check on him?"
Rona asked, trying to stop an impending argument. "Willow called
him about the next girl, I know, but that was hours ago. He's
starting to creep me out."
Jennifer sighed and set down her soda can. "Fine, I'll go check
on him. You guys stay here, and don't spill my pop."
"Pop?" Rona asked, frowning.
"Soda-pop," Jennifer corrected, giving Rona a look. "I forgot you
guys call it soda in the south." She headed over to the door that
connected the two rooms, then knocked softly. "Xander?"
When there was no response, she turned back towards the other two,
who shrugged. "Maybe he's sleepin'," Jillian suggested.
Jennifer bit her lip, then with a wince opened the door. She
hated to do this, but she had no choice. So far, nothing they'd
seen had freaked him out. 'Nothing'. Yet one massacred family had
caused him to shut down.
She glanced into the room and saw Xander laying on the bed, eyes
open and staring at the stucco ceiling. She stepped in quietly,
shutting the door behind her. "Xander?" she called softly.
Xander shook himself, then began to sit up. "Something wrong?" he
asked, then blinked when Jennifer hurried over and shook her head.
"No, nothing's wrong. Except for you." Jennifer clenched her
fists, her gaze wandering around the room. "It's just...I get it
with you being creeped out over the family, because that WAS creepy,
but you've been Mr. Cool about everything so far so...I'm worried,"
she admitted softly, finally landing her gaze on her feet.
"It wasn't just the family," Xander murmured, causing her to look
up. "It was the girl. I knew that there was a possibility of me
reaching dead girls, but I didn't...I just stupidly hoped that I
would be bringing them all home, and it's...it's..." He shuddered,
before his face fell into his hands.
Jennifer's mind thought back to the day in the car where she'd
told her story to Xander, only to break down in his arms. It had
been a wonderful feeling, to collapse completely into someone else's
strong arms. She wondered briefly when Xander had felt that way
last, before kneeling in front of him and pulling him into a hug.
At her touch Xander lost it. He leaned against her and sobbed,
letting her stroke the back of his neck in an attempt to calm him.
Jennifer glanced up at the creaking of the door, then gave the
other two girls a small smile. Rona's face was creased with worry,
and she bit her bottom lip as Xander continued to cry into
Jennifer's shoulder.
Jillian headed straight for him, scurrying onto the bed and
wrapping her tiny arms around his chest. Rona watched the trio for
a few moments, before she said, "What the heck," and headed over to
join them. Soon three pairs of arms held Xander as his tears slowed.
"So much for not falling apart on you guys," he said, snorting.
Rona shrugged. "We kinda figured you were due some fallin' apart
time. Not that we don't appreciate the macho efforts to keep cool
in a crisis, but..."
Xander laughed, wiping the last of his tears away. "Hey, as long
as you guys are okay with driving around the country with a wimpy
guy, we're good."
Jillian shook her head, reaching for his arm. "You're not wimpy,
you're big an' strong! You can keep the bad guys 'way."
"I gotta agree," Jennifer said, giving him a smile when he turned
to her. "You're pretty strong when it comes to...well, anything. I
think we're in good hands."
The smile Xander gave her made her knees go weak. 'Taken, he's
taken,' she told herself. 'Get over it, Jen.'
"Okay," he said softly, his smile never faltering. "Willow gave
me the directions for the next destination, but since we're in such
nice accommodations, how about we stay here for the night and order
room service or something?"
Three cheers were heard, and soon they were ordering Chinese and
pizza and chicken fingers for the little girl who wanted 'none of
that yicky stuff you guys ordereded'. "Where are we headed next?"
Jennifer asked, before swallowing down another piece of pizza.
Xander frowned and made a swipe for a slip of paper on the
nightstand. When he didn't reach it on the first try, he snorted
and sat back. The girls giggled. "Lazy much?" Rona said, reaching
for her drink.
Xander gave her a glare. Jennifer rolled her eyes and stood,
grabbing the paper and handing it to Xander. "Where's that?" she
asked, having spotted a name on the paper.
"The top of Alabama, apparently."
"Do you have her name?" Rona asked.
Xander shook his head, snagging another slice of pizza. "Nope,
but we'll get it when we reach Alabama. We leave tomorrow before
dawn, if we can. Until then, enjoy your stay."
Jillian nodded as she munched on her chicken fingers. "Can I get
some hot choc'late?"
Xander instantly smiled. "There's hot chocolate to be had here?"
Jennifer grinned. "Yeah, it's coffee or cocoa downstairs in the
lobby. Awesome, huh?"
Xander nodded, smiling contentedly. "We can head down as soon as
we're done eating." He began to stand, then stopped, before falling
back into his seat. "Or until we can move again," he groaned, and
he was met with giggles once more.
Chapter 30:
< --- >
Buffy stared at the wallpaper. Her mind raced over the
conversation she'd had a little while ago with Willow. '"Xander
found the parents...floor stained red...girl was dead...it was
Eve..."'
She heard a knock at the door but ignored it. She knew who it
was, and Angel would come in whether he got a response or
not. "Buffy?" she heard him call, and sure enough the door opened.
She felt the bed dip beside her, but she also noticed that his
thigh didn't brush hers like it normally would have. "I'm gonna
guess the phone call didn't bring good news," he said quietly.
Buffy sighed before turning towards him. "They found one of the
girls dead."
Angel clenched his eyes shut. "Are the others all right?" he
asked after a few moments had passed.
Buffy nodded. "Xander's wigging, but I don't blame him. Wills
said it wasn't just the girl, but her family too. And they weren't
just murdered, they were..."
"Mutilated," Angel finished for her. Buffy could only nod, and
the silence returned.
Finally Angel spoke. "Maybe now isn't the best time to bring this
up, but..."
"I love him," she said simply, cutting him off.
Angel sighed and rubbed his face. "I seriously don't think that
Spike is good for you."
'Piss off,' she wanted to tell him, but didn't. Cordelia had
taken the news pretty well, all things considered. Buffy should've
known it wouldn't be that easy with Angel. Maybe she could get him
to understand... "He is, though, and not just good for me, but
good 'to' me. He loves me, and I love him. And don't even start
with me about how good you are, and how evil he is, because it's not
true. He's got a soul, which really doesn't mean all that much if
you think about it. He changed, 'I' changed, Angel. So have you,
if the looks you and Cordelia were sharing earlier were anything to
go by," she said, hoping her slight teasing would ease things up.
He gave her a sheepish grin, and Buffy relaxed. "Point taken.
But you're okay with me and...?"
Buffy snorted. "You two are cute, though you should seriously
make the first move already. She's waiting, you know."
"I know," Angel said with a sigh. "It's just with all the trouble
going on around here, Cordy disappearing and then reappearing with
no memory, the whole Connor thing..."
"Yeah, I want the full story about this Connor guy," Buffy said,
giving him a look.
Angel fidgeted in his seat. "You'll get it, but after the whole
Faith thing, if you don't mind. Speaking of which, we got your
documents and everything to make it all legal. You've got your suit
with you, right?"
Buffy nodded, ignoring his abrupt change in conversation. This
Connor guy was seriously a sore subject around here. "Right."
"Good. We'll leave for the prison around eight; it's an hour
drive there, and by the time we arrive, we'll have half an hour
before regular visiting hours start. Just make sure you've got your
lines down, and we'll be fine."
"The van's good to go, then?"
Angel nodded as he stood. "And ready for inspection, which I'm
sure they'll do. I just hope that the weather forecaster was right
about it being cloudy tomorrow."
"You and me both," Buffy said, yawning. "I think I'll go over my
lines again, and then I'll..."
"Call Spike?" Angel guessed with a small smile, and Buffy couldn't
stop the giggle that bubbled up. "I thought so. There's a phone
over there; it's not connected to the main line, so feel free to
make your calls if you want."
"Thanks," she said, standing. She stepped forward and pulled him
into a hug. "For..." 'For being so good about the Spike thing.
For helping me with the Faith plan when I know you're busy with your
own things. For so many other things I can't name.'
"I know," he said quietly. "You're welcome."
Nine in the morning, and a white van with barred windows slowly
made its way down to the prison. The sun was hidden by the clouds,
and with the forecast given that morning, it wouldn't be reappearing
until probably the weekend.
The van pulled up to the guardhouse, and the driver handed the
guard on duty two slips of paper. "I have a Miss Elizabeth Sremmus
here to see one of the prisoners," the driver said.
The guard looked the papers over, then glanced into the vehicle
past the driver. A young woman in a neat suit sat in the front,
hair done up in a bun, glasses firmly placed on her nose. "She's
here to discuss moving one of the prisoners here to a new prison,
right?" the guard asked, having glanced at the papers.
The woman gave a curt nod, not even glancing his way. The guard
handed the papers back, then pressed a small button. The gates
swung open, and the white van moved forward.
The gates closed behind them, and both Angel and Buffy breathed
sighs of relief. "Nice uptight lawyer act," Angel muttered.
"It was fairly simple, actually: all I had to do was recall the
woman that had overheard my parents' divorce and presto! Instant
lawyer bitch," Buffy said, earning a stifled chuckle from Angel.
They pulled up to the front of the building, sliding into a spot
near the front. "We're not coming out that door," Buffy hissed.
"I know that. It's just that I have to go in with you to file so
I can head for the back entrance."
Buffy nodded, biting her lower lip. "You gonna be okay with
this?" Angel asked, frowning slightly.
Buffy took a deep breath and nodded. "As okay as I'll ever be.
Let's go."
They headed inside, Angel in a one piece mechanic's suit, Buffy in
her business suit. The click of her heels against the tiled floors
made her even more on edge, and she was beginning to think this
wasn't such a good idea. If they got caught or found out, then
Buffy would be behind bars with Faith.
She hid her emotions as she approached the front desk, handing the
papers over stiffly. "We're here to discuss the negotiations of
moving this woman to another institute," she said, keeping a stony
glare fixed on the guard in front of her.
The guard took no offense, apparently having dealt with lawyers
before. "Do you have a capable vehicle to transfer her with?" he
asked.
Angel nodded. "Yeah, me and my boys brought our brightest and
finest."
Buffy swallowed. If they looked for his 'boys', they wouldn't
find any. It was just her and Angel on this mission. "As her new
lawyer, I must speak with her immediately," Buffy said. "She must
be properly informed of the transporting."
"Where can I move the van?" Angel said, sounding bored.
The guard glanced at the papers once more, and Buffy began to
fidget. The other guard hadn't taken this long to look through
them...
He finally handed the papers back and nodded to a guard standing
on duty. "Show him where to take the van," he said, and Buffy
breathed an inward sigh of relief.
"Miss Sremmus, if you'll come with me?"
Buffy nodded curtly and followed the guard down the hall. Why had
she let Angel decide her new last name? It 'sucked'.
The guard said nothing as he lead her down multiple halls, up a
few flights of stairs, and into a solid room with no windows. There
was a table and two chairs, one of which had a metal hook right
below it in the ground. The guard gestured to the chair minus the
hook, and Buffy sat, placing her folder of papers on the table. She
adjusted her glasses, her eyes scanning the room for any devices.
Two cameras, and she seriously hoped they weren't hearing ones. No
matter; if they were, she had a second plan.
"Our conversation will be private; I'm assuming there 'will' be no
recording made of it," Buffy said, pursing her lips together. This
lawyer from hell gig was fun.
The guard glared right back at her. "We understand how lawyers
work, miss. The cameras will record sight, but no noise. If you
have any complaints regarding the prisoner, you'll notify us once
you've left the room."
Buffy had barely nodded when Faith was brought in. Her eyes
landed on Buffy and immediately widened. Buffy fixed her with a
glare as she stood, and Faith wisely kept her mouth shut. "Hello
Faith; I'm your new lawyer, Elizabeth Sremmus," she said, her glare
intensifying as Faith smirked at the last name. She turned to the
guards, giving them short nods.
Nodding back at her, they secured Faith to the chair and floor and
left the room. The door was barely shut before Buffy leaned in
towards Faith and whispered, "Stop smirking at me; we're here to
bust you out."
The smirk disappeared immediately, but not because Buffy asked her
to stop. "What do you mean, bust me out?" Faith hissed. "I'm doin'
my time, B. I'm not signing out 'till I'm done."
"Then you'll be signing out dead," Buffy hissed back. Faith
frowned, but Buffy continued, "Look bored. The cameras are on, but
they're only recording what they can see, not hear." She
straightened, opening her folder and pretending to flick through
it. Faith slouched in her chair, trying to look bored.
"We have a serious situation in Sunnydale," Buffy said, not
looking up from her papers. "Ever heard of the First?"
Faith shrugged. "Not that I recall. What kind of name is 'the
First' anyways?"
"The First Evil, actually, and it lives up to the name," Buffy
said, finally glancing at Faith. Faith frowned but continued to
listen. "The First is older than dirt, and it started the whole
evil on earth thing. Now, it's decided to destroy the Slayer line.
Which means it's gonna start with hundreds of innocent girls that
are lined up to be called, and it's gonna kill them. It's already
taken care of a couple."
Faith's lips tightened. "What's it got to do with me bustin'
out? You've got plenty of friends to help you out. I don't see
where I come into this."
"It's gonna go after the Slayer line, Faith. I can easily defend
myself from their attacks, but for someone behind bars..."
Faith sighed and let her head fall. "Great. So I'm dead in here
or...?"
"Angel and I have got a van set up downstairs to get you out of
here. You're supposed to be transported to another prison. We can
get you out of here, and back to Sunnydale." Buffy paused, before
saying quietly, "I need your help, Faith. I can't do this alone
anymore. I need...I need my sister Slayer," she admitted in a
hushed tone.
Faith glanced up, shocked. She stared at Buffy for a few moments,
before she began to smile. "Okay," she said. "Count me in."
There was a knock at the door, and Buffy headed over to let the
guard in. "Remember, you're going to a new prison," Buffy warned
her.
"And you're my tight ass lawyer 'Sremmus'," Faith said with a grin.
Buffy sighed. It was going to be a long day. Behind her, Faith
snickered.
The guard came in, unlocking Faith from the ground. Buffy
gathered her papers and headed out behind Faith. 'Mission
accomplished,' she thought with an inward grin. She had Faith. She
had her escape vehicle ready. She was all set to go.
A lone guard turned the corner, heading straight for them. Buffy
watched him place his hand near his gun, and she inwardly
groaned. 'Almost' accomplished. Almost. Dammit, when was she
going to learn to stop jinxing herself?
"Miss Sremmus, you're to come with me," he said, continuing to
walk towards her. "We have a question concerning your paperwork."
Buffy began to say something in her defense, then froze as a
bloody line appeared from his shoulder straight across his chest to
his waist. The guard tumbled to the ground, and she found herself
staring at five Bringers.
Yeah, she really needed to learn to stop jinxing herself.
< --- >
And look, Nebula's plot finally thickens. Bwahahah...~_^
Chapter: 31 of ?
Pairings: S/B, X/A, W/T, D/J, Ang/C
Time Period: After the summer following 'Back Track'
Rating: PG-13, with an occasional R or NC-17.
Summary: The sequel to 'Back Track'. The previous year has been
changed, and the Scoobies are ready for the next year. How much has
their 'fixing' messed up the year they're about to enter? They'll
be pleasantly (and unpleasantly) surprised... (A season 7 redo,
following a redo of season 6.)
Disclaimer: My wishlist still consists of those three boys. I own
neither them nor any of Buffy. Joss does, however, and he's so nice
to share.
NN: If you'd like to see this with the actual italics, head on over
to the site (http://www.geocities.com/stepforward_os)
or my
LiveJournal (http://authoressnebula.livejournal.com).
As usual, all emphasized words and thoughts (basically anything that
would be italics) are enclosed in 'these'. Enjoy!
< --- >
The guard escorting Faith immediately pulled out his weapon and
fired. He shot three of the Bringers before the fourth threw a
dagger into his forehead. Buffy quickly disposed of the other two,
then turned to see Faith staring down the hall with wide eyes. "Uh,
B, we got company," she said. Buffy turned and swore as several
more Bringers hurried down towards them.
She reached over and grabbed the keys from the dead guard. Faith
continued to watch the Bringers uneasily as Buffy scrambled to
unlock the hand and ankle cuffs. The chains fell to the floor with
a clatter, and both women turned and started to run.
"Stairs," Buffy panted as they turned down the corridor to their
exit. She quickly shoved Faith back down the main hall when they
ran into even more Bringers blocking their route. "In here!" she
shouted, pushing Faith into a large room.
After they'd locked the door they began to look for exits. "We
can take them," Faith began, but Buffy shook her off.
"Not that many. There's no way. And where the hell are we
anyways?"
"I would guess a pretty big closet. The guards have one attached
to the side of a visiting room usually," Faith supplied, nodding at
a wooden door on the other end of the room. "I'm gonna guess that
that's a visiting room."
Pounding on the door behind them put them in motion. "Think
Angel's having a coronary?" Faith asked, grinning.
Buffy snorted as they tried the door. Locked. "If he could," she
replied, giving the knob an extra twist. The lock shattered under
her strength, and the two ran into the next room.
"Good call," Buffy said, frowning as she glanced around. "Where
are the guards?"
"Visiting hours aren't open yet, so there's no one up here. Plus,
with the creeps in the halls? I'm sure they're havin' a field day."
More pounding could be heard from the other room, and the door
from the hall to the visiting room began to bang as well. Faith
began to glance around for anything they could use as weapons.
Buffy headed over to the glass that usually separated the visitor
from the prisoner. "Think we could break this?" she asked, pointing
at the glass divider.
Faith rolled her eyes. "Mind tellin' me what good that's gonna
do?"
Buffy extended her arm and pointed at the three windows that lay
beyond the divider. The windows that weren't barred and led to the
outside world. Faith turned wide eyes towards her. "You've 'got'
to be kidding me."
"Why not? I've done it before," Buffy said, heading over to grab
a chair. The pounding continued, and both women jumped at the first
dent in the door. "Help please?"
Faith groaned but hurried over, picking up another chair and
hurling it towards the divider. The glass shattered, and shards
were sent flying everywhere. Another dent appeared in the door, and
the sounds from the closet weren't encouraging.
"Hurry!" Buffy hissed, stepping carefully onto the desk and
through the remains of the divider. Faith handed her the other
chair, then hurried through herself. The door in the closet room
gave an extra large bang, and they knew it was down.
Buffy launched the chair at the window, wincing at the loud crash
it gave after she'd done so. Ignoring Faith's muttered curses, she
grabbed the other Slayer's hand and jumped onto the window ledge,
then pushed them both out and into the air.
They landed in the dirt with a solid thud, then hurried away
before the Bringers followed. Buffy gasped as the weight on her
left ankle caused pain to flare up. "I 'so' did not need a sprain,"
she groaned.
"You're lucky a sprain's all you got, B. What the hell'd you wear
those heels for?" Nevertheless Faith held Buffy up as the two
headed towards the back.
The white van turned around the corner in front of them, then slid
to a screeching halt. "Are you both all right?" Angel asked,
hurrying out to help.
Buffy winced as both Faith and Angel helped her limp to the
van. "You're out in the day," Faith said, giving Angel a smile over
Buffy's head. "How's that feel?"
Angel opened the passenger door for the blonde, then shrugged. "I
could get used to it."
"I bet," Buffy said, whimpering as she slid into her seat. "We'd
better hurry. Faith, hop in the back, and dig around in the black
duffel bag. It's all clothes for you."
The doors were barely shut when Angel took off, pushing the gas
pedal as far down as it would go. "Warn me before you do that!"
Faith yelled from the back. "There's no seatbelt back here!"
"As if you'd wear one anyways," Buffy muttered.
Faith tossed her a glare. "I see one shred of pink in this bag,
and I'm headin' back to prison, I swear."
Angel sighed and quietly asked the Powers what horrible crime he'd
committed to be subjected to them. Buffy and Faith exchanged amused
glances.
'Ding-dong.' "I've got it!" Dawn yelled. She opened the door,
then smiled at the man in front of her. "Hi! Welcome to the
Summers' house, home of creepy happenings. You, uh, might want to
get inside before a vampire jumps you."
"He's safe; only vampire 'round here is me, Bit," Spike assured
her, walking into the main hall. He blinked, surprised at the
visitor, but gave a genuine smile as he offered the man his
hand. "Good to see you again, Robin."
"The pleasure's all mine," Robin said, and if his smile was
forced, neither Dawn nor Spike noticed it.
Dawn brought him inside and introduced him to everyone
there. "...and that's my boyfriend Jonathan, and his friend
Andrew," she finished. "Everyone's here except for my sister, but
you know her already, and Xander, and I don't think you've met him
yet."
Robin shook his head, and Dawn continued to babble on about what
they did and then asked how long he'd been fighting and how had he
grown up and he wasn't going to put 'annoying for asking too many
questions' on her school record was he?
Spike watched him, wondering what about the man was ringing alarm
bells in Spike's head. The man was pleasant enough to the girls,
and even nodded and smiled at the two boys. But every single time
those dark eyes landed on him, Spike could feel an immense hatred,
even through the fake smile.
'Probably just 'cause you're a vampire, and his mum was killed by
one,' he thought, shaking it off. He was surprised the man was even
in the same room as him and not threatening to kill him.
"So...you're probably getting really tired of me talking," Dawn
said, grinning sheepishly. "Would you like something to drink?"
"Yes, thank you," Robin said, giving Willow a smile when she
offered him a seat on the sofa. "I had been wondering if later on,
I might spar with Spike," he said suddenly, and Spike's eyebrows
shot into his hairline. The man looked like he hated Spike, yet he
wanted to spar with him?
'Maybe this'll be his way of workin' things out. Work on trustin'
a vampire when one killed his mum.' Spike nodded to himself,
feeling a little more relaxed. He was judging the man, and he
hadn't even met him yet. He was being a ponce. "No problem at all;
we've got plenty of weapons downstairs." He gave the man a smile,
and was pleased to see a genuine one given back.
An hour later found them heading into the basement. Robin had
chatted with the group for awhile, telling them that he was on their
side, and would do whatever it took to take out the evil that they
were up against. Spike just hoped he could hold his own in a fight.
"Impressive," Robin said, glancing around at the setup of
the 'training room'.
Spike shrugged, heading over to one of the shelves. "Not nearly
as big as the Magic Box's, but it's a good place to practice all the
same. We've got the girls trainin' down here, and when they start
learnin' to flip the enemy, we'll take 'em over to the real trainin'
room. There's pads and stuff there so they won't get hurt."
He sorted through various weapons, before giving a triumphant, "Ah
ha!" and picking up two wooden sabers. He turned to Robin, holding
up the sabers. "We'll start easy with..."
Spike fell to the floor, feeling blood flow down his head from the
wound. He glanced up, and even with blurred vision saw Robin heft
the axe up to hit him again. He tried to reach out and stop it, but
the axe hit him again, and his head whipped to the side from the
attack.
"It's your fault," Robin hissed. "You deserve this. It's the
least I can do for her." Another two hits, and Spike was
unconscious on the floor.
Robin pulled out a handkerchief, wiping the bloodied side of the
axe before placing the weapon back where he'd found it. He turned
at the sound of soft clapping, and his mother beamed at him.
"I'm so proud of you, baby boy. So, so proud. Now grab him and
drag him out; the sun's practically gone, and he won't burn."
"Yet," Robin gritted out, and Nikki shook her head.
"I've got other ideas for that monster. Just get him out, all
right?"
Robin nodded and reached down to grab Spike's ankles. He dragged
the vampire up the stairs, then listened as the girls laughed and
walked up the stairs. Quickly he dragged the vampire out the side
door, pulling Spike through the grass to his car parked in the
driveway.
< --- >
Chapter 32:
< --- >
Cassie was writing another poem when she saw it. She sat up
straighter in her chair, eyes widening in horror as an unconscious
Spike was dragged into a basement. His hands were chained to the
wall, his feet tied securely. A boot was seen connecting with
Spike's ribs, and Cassie was surprised to see her principal behind
the kick. Her mind took her back to Spike, and she could see his
face heavily covered in blood. Her stomach rolled as she dropped
her pencil.
Quickly she reached for her phone and dialed the Summers'
house. "Summers' resi..."
"Where's Spike?" Cassie quickly asked, cutting Willow off.
"He's downstairs with Robin, your principal? Spike wanted to see
how well Robin could fight."
"How long have they been down there?" Cassie asked, already
standing and grabbing her coat.
"Ten minutes, max. Why?"
So the vision hadn't happened yet. They still had time. "Get
downstairs and get Spike back upstairs, 'now'," she ordered, biting
her lip. She heard Willow set the phone down, but her mind was
elsewhere. Her vision couldn't be changed, she knew that. Or could
it? And if it had already happened...
There was a 'click' as another phone was picked up. "They're
gone," Willow said breathlessly, and Cassie cringed. "What's going
on?"
"I had a vision thing. Mr. Wood's got Spike unconscious. I think
they were in a basement. Where's Buffy?"
"On her way right now, and I know if I call her and tell her
she'll be breaking every speed limit to get here."
"Then call her," Cassie said grimly. "I'm on my way over there
now."
Buffy had just gotten into the desert area surrounding Sunnydale
when her cell rang. "Don't! I've got it," Faith said when Buffy
tried to reach for it.
Buffy stared at her as the dark haired Slayer reached for the
phone. "You're a real mother hen, you know that?" Buffy said,
grinning.
Faith shrugged as she clicked the on button, but Buffy could see
that she had finally managed to make the darker Slayer
sheepish. "You wrench your ankle anymore and you'll crash us,"
Faith offered, and Buffy's grin widened. Lame, but she'd let it go.
"Hey this is Faith, who's...Will, good to talk to...hold on."
Faith handed the cell to Buffy, frowning. "It's Willow. She
doesn't sound happy. And quit smirking."
Buffy continued to grin as she answered the phone. "What's up?"
"Spike's gone."
Buffy's smile disappeared. "What do you mean..."
"Robin came over to spar, and Cassie just called. She had a
vision thing of Spike unconscious, and we can't find Robin or Spike
now."
Images of Spike out cold flashed through her mind, each with a
different scenario. Spike being beaten. Spike being bled. Spike
being hurt or dusted.
"Buffy?" Willow's voice cut through her thoughts, bringing her
back to the moment.
"Get everyone ready and armed. Call in backup; I'll be home in
fifteen minutes. Be waiting for me," Buffy said, clicking the off
button. She tossed the phone over to Faith, who was frowning.
"You okay B? I'm betting that it's not good news."
"Robin took Spike," Buffy said. Rage began to course through her
veins at the thought of 'her' man being touched, being hurt, because
they thought she wasn't around. That was going to change very
quickly.
"Buffy?" Faith said, her voice unsure.
Buffy gripped the steering wheel tight enough to make her knuckles
white. "I'd hold on if I were you," she said between gritted teeth
before slamming down on the accelerator. Their heads were whipped
back against the seats, and Faith gave a yelp at the sudden change.
Buffy said nothing, managing to drive through the red haze that had
clouded her vision.
"I'm coming, baby," she whispered. "I'm coming."
They pulled up in front of the Summers' house not fifteen minutes
later. The gang was gathered on the front lawn, not bothering to
cover their weapons from prying neighbors' eyes. "Get in!" Buffy
ordered, giving Willow a look. Willow nodded in understanding and
headed for the second car, Jonathan, Andrew, Anya, and Tara right
behind her.
Dawn hurried into the car first, giving her sister a quick hug
before buckling up. "I hope he's okay," she said, biting her lower
lip.
Amanda slid in next, giving both Slayers a small wave. Cassie
quickly got in and closed the door. "Where?" Buffy snapped,
glancing back at the blonde.
Cassie pointed straight down the street, her other fist clenched
tightly with anger. "Robin's got him. I think I know where his
house is."
Dawn's face was as dark as her sister's. "When we get there, I'm
gonna..."
"No you will not," Buffy said, turning back to the road. "I get
first honors," she muttered.
The car shot down the road, with Willow close behind. Cassie
directed them through the streets until they pulled up in front of a
blue house that looked perfectly normal. Robin's car was parked in
the driveway.
Faith came around to Buffy's side, helping the other Slayer
out. "What happened?" Willow asked, stepping out of her own car.
"Sprained her ankle jumpin' out of a window," Faith said simply,
giving her sister Slayer a glare. "Why the 'hell' you wore heels..."
"That suit saved our lives, quit complaining," Buffy said, her
eyes pinned on the house.
"We brought you a weapon," Andrew started, but Amanda shook her
head.
"I don't think she's gonna need it," she told him, watching her
counselor's face tighten with rage.
The troops started forward, Buffy's eyes locked on the house. 'If
you hurt one hair on his bleached head, Robin, I'll break my 'no
killing humans' rule just for you.' Her Spike, her 'William' was in
there with someone she'd trusted. Someone who had betrayed that
trust. Robin was about to find out that that wasn't the best thing
to do.
Silently they made their way to the side door. "Kick it open?"
Buffy asked Faith, standing aside. Faith gave a grin and landed a
hard kick to the door.
They stepped inside, avoiding the mess they'd just made. Just
then, Robin stepped through a door and into the room. His eyes
widened when he saw Buffy, and he'd barely said her name before she
grabbed him by the throat and hoisted him into the
air. "Where...is...he?" she growled, accenting each word by banging
his head into the wall.
Robin glared at her. "You have no idea what that monster has done
or can do. I'm doing you a favor."
"I'd rather you didn't. And I'm perfectly aware of what he's
done. The question is, are you aware of what 'I' can do?," she
asked him, before banging his head once more. "You didn't answer my
question. Where the fuck is my William?!" She tightened her grip,
watching his eyes begin to bulge.
"Why?" he managed to wheeze. "He's...he's killed people. Why
won't you put him down?"
Buffy's eyes widened in rage, and everyone could practically feel
when she snapped. "He's not an animal," she seethed. "He has more
feeling in him then most people have in their tiniest finger.
He 'loves' me, loves me like no one else ever could." For a moment,
her features softened at the thought.
Then she was banging him into the wall again, and her voice was
low and dangerous as she said, "You ever try to take that away
again, and I'll kill you myself. Are we clear?"
She didn't let him answer. She dropped him to the floor, then
headed straight for the door he'd come through. Pain in her ankle
flared up, but she didn't notice. Nothing mattered except getting
to Spike. She flung the door open, then stopped at the sight in
front of her.
Spike was sprawled against a stone wall, wrists hanging limply
from chains. Blood ran down his face, and one eye was swelling
shut. He was still unconscious.
All the fury Buffy'd had disappeared instantly. She hurried down
the stairs, wincing this time at the sprained ankle. She finally
collapsed to her knees in front of him. Hesitantly she reached a
hand towards his face, her fingers lightly brushing his cheek.
"Spike? Sweetie?" She hated how her voice shook, but she
couldn't help it. There was so much blood, too much, and it still
ran down his face. "Spike?" she whispered again, leaning in towards
him.
Nothing. Tears rose unwanted in her eyes, and she brushed them
away angrily before reaching towards him again. "C'mon, wake up
baby. I'm home, see? I'm back, Spike. Please, William, wake up..."
"Wasn't how I'd planned on greetin' you," a croaked voice
whispered. Buffy choked back a sob and smiled through her tears.
Slowly Spike opened his good eye, giving her the faintest of
smiles. "'ello, cutie."
"Hey you," she whispered back, cupping his cheek gently. "I
would've rather have just met you at the house, but I suppose this
works too."
He chuckled, wincing as the motion moved his head. "Yeah. You
find Robin?"
Buffy gave him a tight smile at the mention of the
principal. "He's upstairs probably unconscious. I wasn't sure;
didn't look back. Rather be down here with you."
Spike frowned. "You didn't kill him, did you?"
"No, but I left him upstairs with people who'll probably finish
the job for me," she said brightly, reaching for his chains.
Glancing around, she found a set of keys on a nearby table and
stood, trying not to flinch at the weight on her ankle.
"What happened?" he asked, worry in his voice.
"Just a sprain, no big," she answered, grabbing the keys and
heading back over to Spike. A quick glance down at his eyes told
her that he didn't believe her for a second.
"Buffy..."
"We'll deal with it later. Right now I want you home. Think you
can manage that?"
Spike nodded anxiously, trying not to jar his head wound. "Yeah,
definitely."
< --- >