From Nothing

Part Five

Buffy didn't find a single vampire out on patrol, but that was a normal occurrence after a big mission. The vampires tended to lay low for a few days until the smoke blew over before returning to their usual activities of murder and mayhem. It would only be a matter of time before a new master came to try and take over Sunnydale, drawn by the power of the Hellmouth, and the pattern would repeat itself.

Other demons and supernatural creatures were also a mainstay on the Boca Del Infierno. However, the were quickly dispatched by the tight-knit group of friends, each doing their own ‘job.' Giles was the primary researcher, with Xander backing him up with the book-work. Willow used the more modern technology of the Internet to help gather and record information, and she usually developed the plans for group missions. Cordelia kept them dressed and armed with the specialized weaponry and fatigues, even going as far as attending gun shows and antique auctions to restock their supplies.

The Slayer was still just that -- the Chosen One who fought the forces of darkness. She went on patrol twice a night, slaying what vampires she found, and meeting with her Watcher in between the rounds to check in. At times, when there were no big prophecies to defeat or uprisings to put down, Buffy, Willow, Xander and Cordelia would go to the ‘adult' Bronze-like club they had found just outside of Sunnydale. When Oz was in town, sometimes he would join them, but most times Willow would disappear for several days until the werewolf went on assignment again.

"Hey guys," Buffy greeted, as she came down the basement stairs of the bookstore where HQ, or headquarters, was located. Cordelia was sitting behind a laptop, typing in her mission report. Willow was behind the main PC, entering information into the vampire database. Giles was, as usual, leafing through a book, cup of tea in hand. She bent down to pet Angel, who's tail was wagging so fast, his entire back-half was wiggling. "Anything happening?"

"Just debriefing," Willow replied without looking up from the screen.

"How was patrol?" Giles asked.

"Dead," Buffy said, picking up the local paper to see if there was any mention of the previous night's activities. She found a small article on page seven about the reuniting of the missing people with their families, kidnaped by a "crazed PCP gang." She smiled when she read that. Sunnydale never changed.

"A-And Spike?" Giles said.

"He's dead, too," she replied. "He's almost lifeless. He can't eat, or bathe, or even dress himself. The only responses I get from him is when I give a command he recognizes, just like a dog -- no offense Angel."

The dog yipped upon hearing his name, spinning in a circle in hopes of getting a treat. Buffy rolled her eyes at the animal's antics. "Wills, I think your familiar has a screw loose."

"Ethan's fault," Willow said. "He's been corrupting my dog."

"Now that I'd believe," Giles commented, returning to his book.

"Alright, Slayer," Willow said, getting the debriefing underway. "Report."

Buffy took a seat and began. The Watcher-in-training took both a written report and an oral one for the records. "Six or seven in the entryway, upwards of fourteen in the study. No structural damage except for the front door when I kicked it in. Used up my clip, left several stakes. By the way, Cordy, I like the fifteen-round clip better than the twelve-round."

"As do I," Giles added.

"That's what Xander said, too," Cordelia said. "I'll stick to getting those then."

"Saw a room filled with computer equipment," Buffy continued. "But I think Spike was Santiago's prized possession. He was the only thing under lock and key."

"Then if Santiago is still alive, he may want Spike back," Willow said.

"Jensen not tracking?" Buffy asked.

"Jefe," Giles said. "Is tracking very well, Buffy. He has not attempted to locate Santiago as of yet."

"Anything else?" Willow inquired.

"Nope," the Slayer replied. "That's my story and I'm sticking to it."

"Not you, too," Cordelia said. "Country music is so passe. Old country is even worse."

"It's not that old, Cordy," Buffy said. "Besides, it's not like I listen to country all the time. I just like Collin Raye."

"At least it's better than that-that music you used to listen to during training," Giles pointed out. "And I use the term ‘music' loosely."

"Ha, ha, Watcher-man," she said, making a face at him. She looked back at Willow. "Mind if I do the tear-down?"

"You?" Willow asked, amazed.

"Yeah, me," Buffy scowled. "It's not like I haven't done them before."

"Only when you have been dragged kicking and screaming," Giles muttered.

"I heard that," Buffy said.

"Any reason? It can't be because you've decided you love doing the work...," Willow said.

"There may be some info about Spike," the Slayer answered truthfully. "And since I've become-"

"A statue-sitter?" Cordelia supplied.

Buffy glared at her. "Interested in what happened to him, I want to do a search first-hand."

"Do you want anyone to go with you?" Willow asked, giving her approval as mission leader.

"Nah," she replied. "I'll bring the cell in case I need help."

"Just don't forget the notebook," the redhead instructed.

"Wills, I do more reports for you than I ever did in school," Buffy said, moving in front of the laptop Cordelia had finished with.

"And you'd only get B's and C's for grades from me," Willow murmured.

"What was that?" Buffy asked.

"Nothing, Buff," she replied, giving her best friend an innocent smile.

"Now why don't I believe you?"

"Willow and her stupid forms," Buffy grumbled, turning to a new page in the notebook. She'd been at Santiago's lair for several hours now, cataloging everything in the place. "This is why I hate doing tear-downs." At least she had found Spike's duster and what she assumed were his shoes, they were the only two things in the closet of the room in which he was kept. But she had found nothing more on ‘la estatua vivo' to point her in the direction as to why he was how he was.

The computer beeped, and the Slayer looked up and saw that the disk was full. She popped in another blank cd and hit the mouse so the downloading of the hard drive would continue. Willow would sift through the information contained on the vampire's PC and determine the content's worth. The entire gang had taken a crash course in computers and, under the hackers tutorial, each of them became pretty adept at using them. Even Giles, as much as he loathed to touch the "dread machines."

In the bag on the floor next to her were all the things she deemed important enough to pick up, including spent casings and abandoned stakes. She'd found some of the kidnaped victims' wallets and purses, which she added to the bag to return, and several books that had possible occult value. No sign of any stray vampires or the master, Santiago.

"Buff? You here?" she heard Xander call out.

"Down the hall, third door on the left," Buffy called back. In a moment, the dark-haired man joined her. "What're you doing here?"

"I figured since I lucked out on missing the debriefing, the least I could do was give you a ride home," Xander said, taking a seat next to her. Buffy still didn't possess a driver's license, even after all these years. She had gotten so used to walking, she'd eventually just stopped wanting to drive. "How's the tear-down coming?"

"Almost done," the Slayer replied. "I saved this room for last in order to wait for the computer to download."

"Find anything out about your houseguest?"

"Nothing," Buffy shook her head. "Maybe Willow will have some luck with these cds."

"Just be careful, Buffy," Xander said. "Even though Angel and your hellbeast like him, Spike's still a vampire. One without a soul."

"And here I thought soulful vampires were a common thing," she replied sarcastically. "And Spike's not a hellbeast."

"Which one?" he teased.

"You know, your wife said the same joke earlier," Buffy said.

"What can I say?" Xander shrugged. "Great minds think alike."

"Or you two share a brain," she replied with a grin.

Cos my heart is broken in pieces
Yes my heart is broken in pieces
Since you've been gone

Spike was sitting exactly how she'd left him almost six hours before. The cat had disappeared, probably hiding in her secret weapons closet again, and the vampire was the perfect statue as his new name implied. Buffy sighed sadly, but forced a cheery note in her voice as she took the duster out of the bag.

"Look what I found," she said, holding it up in front of him. "Bet you've been missing this." He gave no reaction. "It's a good thing I found it, too. It's starting to get cold outside. Not that you'd notice. Must be nice not to feel cold or hot."

She walked over to the closet. "I'm going to hang this in here," she said, opening the door. She frowned when she saw all the clothes. "If I can. Jeez, Cordy got you a lot of stuff. I wonder if there's a twelve-step program for shopaholics like her."

Buffy looked at her watch, grimacing at the time. She'd done a second patrol with Xander before he dropped her off at home. "Three o'clock. You know, this is why I'm self-employed. Can you imagine me actually having to get up in a few hours to go to a ‘real' job? I know I did it in high school, but I was young then," she said, then chuckled. "Listen to me, I sound like I'm eighty when I'm only twenty-six."

She went back over to him and pulled the t-shirt over his head. "I think we're going to have to get you a new schedule. This sitting around here by yourself has gotta suck. How about I wake you up when I get up, and you can watch me work? I can guarantee you, it's just as boring as what you did all night. Stand."

Spike stood and the Slayer undid the fastenings on his khakis and let them drop to the floor. "Sit," she instructed. He sat back down and she pulled them over his feet. "Ok, Spike, time to sleep." She waited while he automatically climbed under the covers and was staring blankly up at the ceiling, the same as the night before, then she sat on the edge of the bed, continuing talking to him.

"I didn't find out anything about who did this to you during the tear-down," Buffy said, reaching out to lay her hand on his exposed arm. "Maybe Willow will find something out from what I downloaded off Santiago's computer. I just know that if I can answer at least one question in regards to you, I can bring you back from wherever you are. Then you can go out and kick whoever's ass."

She sat silently for a few minutes, just watching him lay there. She squeezed his arm. "Goodnight, Spike," she said, rising. She shut off the light on her way out the door.

Part Six

"Hi Angel," Buffy said upon opening her front door. Three weeks had passed since she'd taken Spike in, and she had yet to have any sort of response from him. "Come on it."

"Thanks," Angel replied, entering her house. The Slayer closed the door behind him. "How are you?"

"Fine," she answered, picking up her cat, who had come to investigate, and petting him behind the ears. "You?"

"Fine," he said.

"Good," Buffy replied. After a moment of silence, she shook her head. "This is so pathetic. Come on, Spike's in the kitchen keeping me company."

Buffy had done as she had said, altering Spike's schedule so that he got up when she did. She dressed him, then made sure the curtains were closed in her office before she brought him into the room to sit with her while she worked. Once the sun set, she'd have him sit in the kitchen with her while she cooked and ate dinner, then fed and bathed him, before she went out on her first patrol. Then she'd return home and watch tv with him before putting him to bed and going out on her second patrol.

"Is he still as Willow described?" Angel asked, following her into the kitchen.

"Yeah, no change," Buffy answered. She dropped Spike to the ground, and he scampered off after a toy mouse she kicked with her bare foot. When they entered the brightly lit room, she went around the table, set with her dinner, to the blond vampire and tilted his chin up. "Spike, look who came to see you."

She looked over at Angel to see him frozen in the doorway, staring at his childe with a stunned expression on his face. "Freaky, huh? Cordelia's fashion sense hasn't changed," she joked, referring to the clothing she'd dressed Spike in that morning.

The joke brought Angel out of his stupor, and he walked around the table to get a closer look at the other vampire. "Buffy, I've never seen anyone like this before, unless they were in a hospital," he said.

"I know," Buffy replied, brushing Spike's long hair back. She'd left it loose after combing it earlier that morning, although she would tie it before she fed him. "Did Willow tell you he's been like this for at least six years?"

"No, she didn't," he answered.

Buffy looked up at her ex-boyfriend and saw that his eyes reflected sadness and pain. She forced herself not to reach out to comfort him, instead she retook her seat and picked up her fork. "Why don't you sit down so I can finish eating, and I'll tell you what I do know about Spike."

Angel nodded and pulled out a third chair at the square kitchen table, sitting down as asked. "I'm sorry I couldn't get here sooner. Malicious faerie infestation in a theater," he explained.

"It's ok," she waved his apology away. "I've been so busy with work and slaying, time just kinda slips by, especially since Oz came home. Without my morning conversations with Willow, I tend to not even remember what day it is."

"What do you do with Spike all day?" Angel asked.

"I have him sit in the office with me, and I'll talk to him or we'll listen to music," Buffy replied. "If I'm picking, I'll have him follow me around from storage room to storage room, to give him some exercise. Stuff like that."

"He'll follow you under his own power?" he said, studying Spike.

"Yeah, it's one of the commands he knows," she answered with a little sigh. "There are eight of them I've been able to figure out, so far. I just wish one of them was to get him to brush his teeth. That's so not the fun activity."

The cat came flying into the room, flicking the toy mouse with his paws and chasing after it. It rolled near Angel's foot, and Spike used that excuse to claw the dark-haired vampire's leg. "Are you having any trouble getting him to eat?" Angel asked with a grimace, swiftly moving his leg.

"Other than it being kinda messy, no," Buffy replied. "I've been thinking about getting one of those kiddie juice cups. You know, the ones with the lids? But I don't know if the blood will run through the holes that well."

Angel frowned. "How do you do it now?"

"I hold the container from the butcher's shop under his nose until he goes game face, then I tilt his head back and say the command word while basically pouring the blood into his mouth," she answered. "That's why it gets so messy. And blood is not a fun thing to get out of clothes, I know from experience."

"So you pretty much have to force feed him, and he does nothing on his own," he summarized. "I hate to say this, but I think it would be better if we staked him."

"No!" Buffy said sharply, slamming her fork down. "That is something that is not gonna happen." The dark-haired vampire opened his mouth to say something, but she cut him off. "Don't even try to convince me otherwise, Angel. If Spike were human, you'd have no qualms about my helping him. And it's my choice, not yours. I'm a big girl, now. I don't need you to hold my hand anymore."

She stood and began clearing the table, her anger at him including her frustration over having him in her home. They were much more relaxed with each other when they were with their friends. She heard him sigh and took that as the cue that he was about to apologize and leave. Like he always did.

"I'm sorry, Buffy," Angel said. "I just don't want to see you get hurt."

"I know," she said, turning to face him. The ensouled vampire had stood and was hovering in the kitchen doorway. "Do you have any theories?"

"No," he shook his head. "This isn't any sort of vampire dominance reaction, although the use of commands is the same."

"Well, thanks for coming up to take a look at him," Buffy said, her angry gaze softening. "I know its hard for you to get away."

"You know I'll always come if you ask," Angel told her. He turned to leave, but she stopped him.

"Uh, are you going to be sticking around for a day or two?" she asked. "It's Xander's birthday and we were going to celebrate it at Cornerstone's."

Angel gave her a half smile. "I'd love to come. My present to him would be allowing him to make fun of me all night without saying a word."

"Then stop by the bookstore tomorrow night," Buffy said, an echoing smile forming on her face. "I'll meet you there after patrol, then we'll go over to Willow's and try to pry the two lovebird's apart long enough to party."

"I haven't told you the story about Cordy, Xander and Angel yet, have I?" Buffy said an hour later while she was brushing Spike's hair after feeding and bathing him. "If I have, oh well, you get to hear it again. And remind me to wrap Xand's present tomorrow. It's a new figurine I designed of him doing the whole Van Helsing thing, hot out of the fire."

She picked up another small amount of his long, bleached hair and started on the bottom, working any knots out. "Xander joined the Marines right after high school got out. He left for bootcamp at the end of the summer. I guess when he got turned into a soldier because of Ethan that one Halloween, it really effected him," she said.

"Angel had already left for LA, and soon Cordelia followed. She ended up working for him, kinda like what Willow used to do for Giles before we graduated from high school. Well, in one of Will's letters to Xander, she mentioned that Cordelia was working with Angel, and he panicked. You see, he still loved her. So, he wrote a threatening letter to Angel, telling him to keep her safe and all that," Buffy continued, Spike's hair running lightly through her fingers.

"Angel wrote back, reassuring Xander that he'd watch out for Cordy. That's what started the whole thing," she explained. "Xander and Angel kept writing back and forth, each letter about what was going on in Cordelia's life, until one day she found one of Xand's letters. You can pretty much imagine what happened next. She got mad at him for not writing her directly."

Buffy grinned at the memory of Angel's hasty visit to Sunnydale after Cordelia had found out about the letter-writing. "Well, they began to write to each other and fell back in love. Xander's tour of duty ended in 2005, and they eloped the same day he was discharged. Then they moved back to Sunnydale, Xander got a job at the high school library and Cordy opened her boutique, and the rest is fights and closet make-out sessions."

She pushed her cat out of the way so she could shift on the bed, then continued. "I'm glad they got back together. It's funny, but they never blamed you for kidnaping Willow and Xander which caused their breakup. Don't know why. I know I wanted to beat the crap out of you for making Angel and me call it quits, even if it was only for a month or so," she said.

"But that was a long time ago, and right now it's time for good little vampires and Slayers to go to sleep," she said, allowing Spike to follow the command as she quickly climbed off the bed. Her cat immediately made himself comfortable on the vampire's stomach, kneading the blond with his paws.

Buffy set the comb on the night stand, which she finally cleared of the miscellaneous junk that had gathered there, and shut off the small lamp. Then, like she had started to do every night, she brushed her hand against his cheek, said goodnight, and went to bed.

"Well? What do you think?" Buffy asked, holding up the small figurine. "Does it look like Xander?"

Neither Spike answered.

She shook her head at the two, her cat sitting on the vampire's lap in her office, the stereo playing softly in the background. "You two are no help," she said, setting the object into bubble wrap, then putting it in its box. The phone rang and she picked it up, not stopping what she was doing. "Morgana's Wonders."

"Hey Buff!"

"I guess Angel and I don't need to bring the pry bar," Buffy said into the phone.

"Nope," Willow giggled. "Oz is packing, so my lips are free enough to talk. For now."

"When's he leaving?" the Slayer asked, putting her specialty sticker on top of the box.

"Monday morning," the redhead sighed. "Two weeks was definitely not long enough."

"When is it ever?" Buffy replied.

"Yeah, but I try not to think that way," Willow said. "So, I take it Angel finally made it."

"He was here last night," she said. "Faerie problem."

"A three week faerie problem?" Willow said.

"Maybe they were really big faeries," Buffy suggested. "It doesn't really matter. He took one look at Spike and wanted to stake him."

"I bet that went over good," she replied.

"Oh yeah," the Slayer said, carefully wrapping the gift. "But you know how it is when we're alone together. However, I did tell him about Xander's birthday hoo-ha, and he'll be there."

"Good," Willow said. "How's Spike doing? I've been a little...busy lately. Sorry."

"No probs, Will," Buffy told her. "You and Oz need the time together, so I don't mind that my best friend has neglected me for two weeks."

"I think I need a shovel."

Buffy laughed. "Ok, I'm the bad. And Spike's doing just fine, far as I can tell." She glanced over at her silent housemate.

"But no change," Willow said.

"No change," she sighed. Turning back to the wrapped gift, she added a small bow to the top. "And Henny hasn't met up with Santiago, so no luck on that front. It's also been real quiet down at Slayerville without you. No new demons, no threats of world endage, no paperwork."

"Just wait, Buff," the redhead warned. "I'll be back on Monday night, brand new sheaf of paper in hand."

"Swell," Buffy teased. "I guess I'd better let you go and help Oz pack. I have a bunch of stuff I need to do before I can leave. I told Angel to meet me at HQ."

"We'll meet you there, too," Willow said. "See ya!"

"Bye," Buffy said, then hung up. She patted the top of her gaily wrapped birthday present, then turned to the two men currently in her life. Suddenly, something she hadn't thought of doing before came to mind. "Come on, Spike. Let's get you fed and cleaned up. I think it's time we get you out of the house."
 

Part Seven

Not wanting to have him walk behind her, Buffy took Spike's arm, keeping the silent vampire by her side as they headed for the bookstore. Around her wrist she wore the tie for his hair, which she had left loose and was a perfect contrast to the red, long-sleeved t-shirt he wore, paired with a tan pair of khakis. He was also wearing his shoes for the first time since he'd been in her care.

"It's so nice outside," Buffy commented, breathing in the fresh, fall air. "A good night to be out with your honey. Of course, I don't have a honey. But neither do you. So I guess we should stick together."

Out of the corner of her eye, she kept watch for unwanted intruders on her idyllic walk. The vampire population was slowly, but surely, coming back out of the woodwork. Pretty soon, she'd be back to her normal four or five slays per night.

When they got to the back entrance to the bookstore, Buffy paused outside to look Spike over. "Head up," she instructed, one of the more recent commands she'd figured out. The blond vampire raised his head so he was looking straight ahead, his lifeless eyes not really focusing on anything.

"Now, be on your best behavior. No talking back," she teased, opening the back door using the keycode. She took his arm again and led him through the back room to the basement stairs, maneuvering around boxes of new books and cleaning supplies. As they descended, she could hear the voices of her friends getting ready to go out for the evening.

"Hi guys," Buffy greeted. "Guess who decided he wanted to tag along?" As one, the conversation stopped and they all looked at her and Spike. "Jeez, do I have something on my outfit?"

"Buffy, h-has, er, Spike started communicating?" Giles asked, clearly puzzled by the blond vampire's presence.

"If he has, it hasn't been to me," Buffy replied, leading Spike further into the room. "I just figured it was time to get him out of the house. I doubt he's been outside for any of those six years with Santiago. Maybe being around others will do him some good."

"If he doesn't decide to go Cujo on us," Xander said.

"Well, between the seven of us, we should be able to keep a hold on him," Buffy said. She looked at the others, a frown appearing between her brows. "Willow and Oz not here yet?"

"No," Angel replied. "But I called over there a short while ago, threatening them with that pry- bar." He exchanged a smirk with her.

As conversation struck back up about the Rosenbergs, Cordelia walked a full circle around Spike and Buffy, eyeing him. "Good job, Buffy," she said to the Slayer. "I wasn't sure if you could still mix-and-match. He looks presentable."

Buffy rolled her eyes. "I've been dressing him for a month now, I think I know what he looks good wearing."

Cordelia leaned closer to Buffy to whisper, "And not wearing?"

"Cordy!" Buffy replied with a small giggle as the brunette arched her brow.

"Hi guys!" Willow's cheery voice accompanied the clomping of hers and Oz's footsteps down the stairs. A cacophony of returned greetings met the couple as they joined the group in the basement of the bookstore.

"Oz, I don't think you've ever met Spike," Buffy said, gesturing to the silent vampire. "This be he, although he's normally more..."

"Psychotic?" Xander suggested.

"Lively," Buffy finished with a glare at Xander.

"Hey," Oz said to Spike, as if the vampire was normal. "Willow's told me about you. It's nice to put a name to a face."

Buffy smiled at the werewolf, happy that someone else would treat Spike like she did by speaking directly to him. "So, are we all set to go?" she asked, then held up the gift she quickly dug out of her bag. "Or do we give the birthday boy his presents first?"

"Presents!" Xander yelled. Everyone, save Spike, laughed.

"That's the eighth girl that's tried to hit on Spike tonight," Cordelia pointed out, taking a sip of her drink. Cornerstone's, the adult Bronze-like club, was packed. Being regulars, the group of friends saw many people they knew, several of whom stopped by to wish Xander a happy birthday. Buffy, Xander and Cordelia were sitting at a table, enjoying the music and watching Willow and Oz dancing together. Spike sat next to Buffy, as still as the statue his nickname depicted.

"If he wasn't a bloodsucker, I'd feel sorry for the guy," Xander said. "Some of those girls were hot." Cordelia cleared her throat, giving him a pissed-off look. "But none of them hold a match to my Cordy."

"I'll let that slide, since it's your birthday," Cordelia said. Her husband gave her a goofy grin and she shook her head.

"Where did Angel and Giles go?" Buffy asked, looking around the club for them. "It doesn't take that long to get refills...ut-oh."

"By that ut-oh, I assume either the G-man is beating Deadboy to a pulp," Xander said. "Or you've spotted a member of fangs-r-us."

"I'll take fangs-r-us for two hundred, Alex," Buffy replied, rising from her seat. "Watch Spike."

"I doubt he's going anywhere," Cordelia said.

Buffy double-checked to make sure she had a stake, then quickly made her way through the crowd and out the door. Silently, she rounded the corner behind the club, sticking to the shadows with well-practiced ease. Voices reached her ears, and she realized that the two she had followed were not vampire and victim, but two vampires.

"It's him," the taller one was saying.

"How do you know?" the other vampire replied.

"I fucked him at one of Santiago's parties," he bragged.

"You?" the shorter one scoffed. "If you fucked the living statue, I fucked the Slayer."

Tall vamp shrugged. "Believe what you want, it's still him."

"Man, I wonder who had the balls to take him away from Santiago," short guy said.

"I don't recognize any of those he's sitting with," he said. "They must have got him during or after the raid."

"Can you imagine the power you'd have by having Santiago's prized possession?" short guy asked. "I've heard that many have tried to take the living statue over the years, but none succeeded. Having him would be like...killing a Slayer."

Tall guy smiled evilly. "Yeah."

Buffy decided it was time to put an end to the two vampires, before they tried to kidnap Spike. Stepping out of the shadows, she cleared her throat. Both vamps turned to her and she smiled. "Hi, guys. Is this a private party, or can anyone join in?"

"It's her," tall guy said. "One of the one's who has the statue."

"That'd be me," Buffy replied. "And since I don't want you guys even thinking about taking Spike, I'm just going to have to dust you." Her stake appeared in her hand, and she let it fly with an expert flick of her wrist. The wood embedded into the taller vampire's heart, and he exploded in a cloud of ash.

But before the stake even hit the ground, the shorter vampire took off running away from the Slayer. "Shit," Buffy swore, pausing to scoop up the stake as she went after him. She rounded the corner in time to see him re-enter the club, causing her to swear again. "Double-shit with a cherry on top."

By the time she re-entered the club herself, he had disappeared into the crowd.

"So do you think the other vampires will start coming after Spike?" Willow asked a few minutes later. Everyone was back at the table, the Slayer nervously tapping the table with her fingers as she kept an eye out for the runaway vampire.

"Maybe," Buffy replied. "Neither vamp knew that I was the Slayer, they just thought we were a bunch of vampires."

"That's a good thing, right?" Xander said.

"I don't know," she answered.

"On the one hand, it-it means that your identity has not been compromised," Giles pointed out.

"But on the other, it puts everyone in danger," Angel said. "If what Buffy heard was true, Spike is like the golden fleece to those who've heard of him."

"I'm surprised you haven't heard of the living statue before," Oz said to Angel.

"I have," the dark-haired vampire replied. "But only in passing. A vampire's toys never really concerned me unless they were human."

"Spike's not a toy," Buffy scowled.

"But he was," Willow told her.

"Hey, I just thought of something," Xander said.

"Now, that's a miracle," Cordelia teased him.

He stuck his tongue out at her, then continued. "Buff, you said the vamps were talking about Santiago. Did they say if he was still a dead man walking?"

"Excellent question, Xander," Giles said. "Buffy?"

"Don't know," Buffy shrugged. "The one I dusted talked about the raid, but didn't say if Santiago was a casualty or not." She paused, furrowing her brow as she thought. "Come to think of it, neither used past tense when talking about him."

"So we should assume that Santiago is still alive," Giles said.

"And that Jefe didn't want to run back to his master with the news that Spike is with us," Willow added.

"Probably because he didn't want to become ashtray material," Cordelia said. "His job was to take care of Spike, and that more than likely included protecting him with his life."

"My Cordy had an intelligent thought," Xander said, faking amazement. "I'm so proud."

"I can't believe you've stooped to repeating my slams," Cordelia told him. "Your loser-ness is showing again."

"Maybe you can use Spike as bait," Oz suggested. "Flush this Santiago out."

"No," Buffy said. "I'm not going to put him in danger when he can't even protect himself."

"Wow, over-protective much?" Cordelia said.

Everyone stared at Buffy, who started to fidget. "No, I just don't want him to be some vampire's plaything again. It's degrading."

"But still-" Willow began.

"NO," Buffy stated firmly. "I'll just keep my ear to the ground, maybe pay a visit to Willy."

"You can spread the rumor that you're willing to make a deal with Santiago," Angel suggested. "Since the vamps don't seem to know that you're the Slayer."

"That may work," Giles said. "It should, at least, confirm whether or-or not Santiago is alive."

"As long as it doesn't put Spike in danger, I'm game," Buffy replied. She glanced at the silent vampire sitting next to her. His head was down, his long hair hiding his face. She reached out and brushed the soft locks behind his shoulder so she could see him. He was, as usual, staring down at nothing. She didn't notice her friends watching her actions with varying degrees of interest. "I think it's time to be getting home. I still have another patrol to do."

"I'll drive you," Angel volunteered, allowing the others the option of staying at the club.

"Thanks," Buffy replied. Since the former couple had been with their friends the entire night, they were once again comfortable around each other. "See you guys tomorrow."

"I'll keep an ear out for word on Santiago, in case he's left Sunnydale," Angel said as he pulled up outside of Buffy's house.

"If you hear anything, call," Buffy said.

"I will," he told her. "Be careful, alright? And I don't mean just with Santiago."

Buffy nodded, impulsively reaching over to squeeze his arm. "You keep safe, too."

Angel smiled. "Goodnight, Buffy."

"‘Night," she replied, getting out of the car. She opened the back door and got Spike out, then stood there with him until Angel pulled away. With a sigh, she turned and punched the gate code in. "I can never decide if it was good to see him or not," she commented to the blond vampire. "I mean...follow...it still kinda hurts, ya know?"

She opened the front door, leading Spike inside. "Oh well, Angel's going back to LA until another crisis comes up, so it doesn't matter. Come on, let's get you to bed. I gotta go out and introduce a few more vampires to Mr. Pointy."

Part Eight

Ooh now you'll never see,
Ooh now you'll never know,
All the things I had planned for you,
Things for you and me.

The rumor of Spike still being alive spread like wildfire. It was almost as if there was a large billboard somewhere declaring a billion dollars was up for grabs, that was how big the living statue was in the vampire community. However, Santiago had yet to make an appearance to reclaim his toy.

Buffy was glad that the vampires she did overhear didn't seem to know exactly who had Spike, which kept him safe. Not even Willy knew he was living with her, despite her going to him for information concerning the peroxide-blond. The smaller vampire who had escaped at the club hadn't gotten a good look at her, nor had he seen the rest of her friends, leaving their identities a secret. The Slayer did not want to endanger any of them in protecting Spike, nor did she wish to put his life in danger, either. Especially not since the silent vampire had wormed his way under her defenses, causing her to care more for him than she should.

"Alright, Spike," Buffy said late one afternoon, a few weeks after Xander's birthday. The vampire was sitting with her in the room she dubbed as her ‘workshop,' where she had the materials to create new figurines. For the past few days, she'd been working in there in response to the number of requests she'd gotten to create a third pair of Drusilla and Spike figurines. "I want you to be brutal, since you knew her the best."

Giving a final wipe to the six-inch, hand-painted Drusilla prototype, she studied it with a critical eye. Based on information that Angel had given her, the female vampiress figurine was dressed in a long, off-white, Victorian gown. Her arms were up in the air, her head was thrown back with her hair fanning behind her, and she was on her toes. "I call it ‘Dancing Under the Stars,'" she told Spike, satisfied with her work.

"Head up," she said, as she turned towards him. After his head raised, she held up the figurine in front of him. "Well? Give me your honest opinion, don't hold anything back."

She waited a moment, as always, hoping he would answer. When he didn't, she began to lower her arm. "Yeah, I figured...." She blinked and frowned when she thought she saw his arm move. "...you'd..." Her eyes grew round as his left hand slowly raised on its own. "...say..." His hand reached out and closed his fingers around the figurine in her hand. "...that..." Her gaze shot up to his face and saw that he was staring at the object now in his hand.

"Spike?" Buffy said in a trembling voice. "Spike, can you hear me?"

Her heart stopped beating when he raised his eyes and looked at her.

His eyes dropped back down to the figurine in his hand, then back up at her, and she watched in shock as one lone tear traveled down his cheek. As his focus started to go blank again, she snapped out of her stupor and grabbed his shoulders, shaking him roughly. "Spike, don't you dare go away again!" she shouted. "Don't you fucking dare!"

Whether it was her shaking, her swearing, or it was just the right moment in time, she would never know. But none of that mattered as the vampire, who'd been nothing but a living statue for six years, began to cry.

Buffy's response was immediate. She sat next to him on the small couch in the workroom and wrapped her arms around him. One of her legs was tucked under her so she could sit sideways on the couch, enabling her to get closer to him as she held his head to her shoulder and let him cry. "That's it, Spike, go ahead and cry. I'm here, I've got you," she murmured comfortingly, her mind racing.

**Drusilla. Drusilla was the key,** she thought, running her hand lightly over his soft hair. **How could I have been so stupid?! Why didn't anyone think to check the database earlier than six years ago, instead of just concentrating on Santiago?!**

The sounds of his sniffles brought her out of her thoughts, and Spike slowly pulled away from her. He raised his head again, and she was so very happy to see him looking at her, a huge smile crossed her face. "Hi," she said softly, her hand reaching out to brush his hair behind his shoulder.

Spike didn't answer her, but his gaze didn't go blank, either. Buffy tilted her head to one side, studying him. "Do you know who I am?" she asked. He didn't move, but she saw the glimmer of recognition in his eyes. "That's right, it's Buffy. I haven't changed that much since high school."

She gestured with her hand. "You're in my house in Sunnydale," she told him. "You've been here around two months, ever since I rescued you from Santiago's place. Do you know who Santiago is?"

Spike looked down at the figurine clutched in his hand. He opened his fist and used his fingers to trace over Drusilla's child-like face. Those fingers were trembling, along with his lower lip, as silent tears began to fall again.

"Spike? Do you understand me?" Buffy asked him, lowering her head to see his face. "Can you nod yes or no?"

When he ever-so-slightly nodded his head yes, tears filled her own eyes. Unheeded, she let them run down her cheeks. She laid a hand on his thigh and squeezed gently. "Welcome back, Spike," she said. "Welcome back."

"Thank you for calling Book-"

"Drusilla," Buffy said, interrupting Willow. She and Spike had moved to the kitchen, and the blond vampire was at the table, a kiddie cup of blood sitting in front of him. He hadn't touched it, instead he alternated between looking at the Slayer and looking at the figurine still in his hand. "Drusilla is the key. Find out everything you can about what happened between the time Spike left here and when he appeared with Santiago. Do it now."

"Buffy, what is it?" Willow asked, hearing something more than just what Buffy requested. "Did something happen with Spike?"

"Willow, he's back," she replied, feeling her eyes fill with tears once again. "He's back. He's looking at me right now. I mean, really looking at me."

"Oh goddess," Willow breathed. "Oh goddess! Oh goddess, thank you! I'll get right to work. You can count on me. I'll let you know as soon as I find something. Bye!"

"Bye," Buffy said. She hung up the phone, then took a seat next to Spike. "Hey, you're not eating," she said, pushing the bright green cup closer to him. "It's supper-time. Time to feed."

She had said the command word, wondering if he'd obey it. Slowly his hand came up and he took the cup, his head raising to look at her. "Go ahead, it's fresh," she encouraged. She didn't realize she was holding her breath until she let it go when he lifted the cup to his lips and began to drink the blood through the safety-lid. She had purchased the children's cups the weekend after Angel had left, and had found they cut down on the mess of feeding him tremendously.

Spike was watching her warily as he drank, and she tried to give him a reassuring smile. "This is probably really wiggy for you," she said. He nodded. "I guess I should ask you first if you remember anything."

His eyes dropped down to the figurine in his hand as he lowered the now-empty cup to the table. She saw his lower lip start to tremble again, and she quickly reached out and put a reassuring hand on his wrist. His gaze shot up to hers, his eyes reflecting confusion and pain, and she held fast to her emotions which were threatening to overflow again. "Hey, I'm not going to hurt you. Especially not since I've spent the past two months taking care of you," she told him. "Do you remember me taking care of you?"

He tilted his head slightly, as if thinking for a moment, then he nodded. "Do you remember someone else taking care of you before me?" Buffy asked him. He nodded again. "Do you remember Santiago?"

This time he shook his head no, so she clarified the question. "Do you remember being used as a toy by other vampires?" His gaze dropped back down to the figurine in his hand. When he didn't answer after a few moments, she took it as a yes. "It's ok, Spike. I don't think any less of you because of what you've been through."

When he raised his head, she saw slight anger in his eyes. "Are you mad at me? Or those vamps that hurt you?" Buffy said. She watched as he opened his mouth to say something, but nothing came out. Frowning, she asked, "Spike, are you trying to talk?"

Spike closed his mouth and nodded, the anger in his blue eyes changing back into confusion. She realized at that moment that his facial expression never altered. It was like looking at a mask, with only his eyes being alive. "Oh my god, you've forgotten," she gasped. "You haven't talked or moved or done anything other than obeying the command words in so long, you forgot how!"

Spike was confused. He remembered everything that happened over the past years, including Buffy taking care of him, but it was as though he'd been watching his life on television, rather than it really happening. Now it suddenly felt like he'd been given a pair of Three-D glasses, allowing him to interact once again. The trouble was, he didn't know how.

Sitting across the table from Buffy was equally as strange. Why would someone who hated him take the time to care for him? He wanted to ask her that, but when he opened his mouth to say something, nothing came out. He couldn't figure out why.

Then she told him that he had not talked in so long, he'd forgotten how, and he realized she was correct. Speaking was something that had been as natural to him as walking, but when he tried to remember how he did it, he couldn't.

Frustrated, his eyes dropped down to the figurine in his hand. It was Drusilla, his Princess, so perfect it was as if he were looking at her instead of an object only six-inches tall. She was dancing, and he could almost hear her laughter, see her in his mind waving her arms in the air, the moonlight playing over her pale skin. The tears came again, and he let them flow, not caring that he was crying in front of his supposed mortal enemy.

Then he felt Buffy's arms encircle around him, holding his head against her breast, and instead of revulsion, he wanted to sink into her embrace. He wanted her to comfort him.

When the tears dried up, Buffy slowly released Spike, brushing his hair behind his shoulders. "Why don't we go splash some cold water on your face," she suggested. "It'll make you feel better."

Spike nodded and rose, and she led him, without giving the command word, back to the master bathroom. She saw him glance at the large tub. "Would you like to take a bath instead? It's the normal time I'd give you one."

He shook his head no so quickly, she laughed. "Spike, you don't have to be embarrassed. I didn't look," she told him. "Well, not much."

If vampire's could blush, he would have been bright red. As it was, he shifted back and forth on his feet, looking anywhere but at her or the tub. With a final giggle, she said, "If you want to take a bath, I can leave you alone. Only if you promise not to drown."

After a moment, he nodded. "Ok, I'll turn on the tap," she said, moving to do so. "All you have to do to turn it off is push the knob in. To unplug the drain, lift up on this lever, got it?" He nodded again, still not looking at her.

"Soap and shampoo are right here," she pointed out. "Yours is the green towel. Your toothbrush is the black one, toothpaste is in the top right drawer. Do you need anything else?" He shook his head no. "Then I'll leave you alone."

As she went to pass by him, he stepped in front of her. She looked up at him curiously. "Yeah, Spike?"

Spike met her eyes at the same time she felt him take and press the figurine into her hand. "Do you want me to go put this in your room?" she asked. He shook his head no. "Ok. I'll put it with the others then."

Buffy left the bathroom and pulled the door shut behind her, then looked down at the figurine. "Wherever you are, Drusilla, thank you. Thank you for bringing him back."

Part Nine

"After Spike left Sunnydale, he returned to Brazil and got back together with Drusilla," Willow told Buffy over the phone half-an-hour later. Spike was still in the tub, and Buffy had made herself a quick dinner while she waited for him. "It doesn't say how, only that they were really, really close again."

"Well, he did say he was going to torture her until she loved him again," Buffy said. "That's probably what he did. So what happened next?"

"They went around South America, living the vampire high life," the hacker replied. "Then one day, they just disappeared while in Cuba."

"How does this info compare to the living statue info?" Buffy asked.

"Hold on a sec," Willow said. "Um, the first reports of Santiago's la estatua vivo started...uh...it looks like about six months after Spike and Drusilla disappeared."

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" the Slayer said sadly.

"Yeah," Willow replied. "Drusilla died and Spike was devastated."

"Santiago used that to his advantage, and made Spike his plaything," she completed. "If I find that bastard, I'm going to rip his nuts off and make him eat them."

"Um, ouch," Willow said over the line. "But, Santiago deserves it, so not ouch."

"Right on, girl," Buffy told her.

Willow giggled. "You know, maybe Spike would want to be the one who...you know. Chops his dick off and shoves it up his own ass."

"Willow!"

Next