~*~

Chapter Sixteen:

“Congratulations,” it was said with the sincerest of voices. Accompanied by a warm and even friendly smile. If you had been but an observer you would have seen it for a polite and lightly friendly conversation. Yet it sounded rehearsed.

But if you looked closer…

Saw the tenseness of both parties. The coiled muscles ready to strike or retreat. The glint of anger and contempt that clouded their eyes. You would have seen these two were no more friends than a lion and the zebra it fancied for dinner.

Joyce Summers may not have been in the know for long about her daughter’s link to life as the Slayer, but she’d learned fairly quickly. She knew all about evil things be they demon or human. She’d lived to be 39 and had had her share of hard knocks. She imagined Maggie had as well. They had that in common, two women in a world dominated by men.

Joyce hadn’t figured to play on that card at all. Where she liked to think she had an idea about life she hadn’t been prepared. Hadn’t had a clue as to what she was doing. And now…

And now she could only look back and shake her head in disbelief. Marvel at her daughter’s courage and bravery day in day out. She liked to think Buffy got some of that from her but…she was afraid the only thing she had passed onto Buffy was her impulsive nature.

A nature that could very well possible get her killed.

“Thank you,” Joyce finally replied as she rested her hands lightly on her lap. It wouldn’t do to show any form of weakness in front of this woman, she mused with forced calm.

Maggie shifted in her seat opposite Joyce and with a slight grimace she took a sip of her coffee. Coffee Joyce had wisely declined. Maggie had had every intention of spiking it with sleeping pills and getting rid of Mrs. Summers once and for all.

“Now I heard your offer from your errand boy.” Maggie laughed slightly as she met Joyce’s eyes. There was nothing humorous about the situation.

Joyce stiffened slightly at the mention of Xander.

“Then you know that I want this over with as soon as possible. One favor in return for the safety of my daughter and Rupert Giles,” Joyce murmured calmly.

Maggie didn’t quite know what to make of Joyce. Though she’d studied her file on the woman, it was one thing to see it on paper, but then to meet her in person was a whole new ball game. Joyce seemed to be in control and for that Maggie could feel her respect for her rising. But that didn’t mean she wouldn’t use certain things, mainly Buffy to her advantage.

“I’m aware of that and that’s why I chose to meet with you so soon. The sooner we take care of this the better. Tell me what will I get for letting Buffy and her Watcher come home safely? Now Xander told me you had access to Wesley Wyndham-Pryce and he had in his possession…a baby. I’m not inclined to believe things on the word of a boy. Now either show me proof or I’ll have my men pull the trigger over there.”

Maggie gestured casually and Joyce couldn’t help it, as she too glanced over.

Maggie’s commando men had Xander tied to a chair in the corner, his face bruised from what Maggie called accidental roughness.

A gun was pressed firmly to his temple, the man holding it sent Joyce a smirking smile.

“No harm no foul, the boy’s still alive. But not for long if I don’t get what I-” Maggie began coldly.

The door to the small room burst open and a thin man wearing a white lab coat leaned against the door jam trying to catch his breath. He swept a hand through overly long dark hair and behind his glasses his eyes blinked rapidly.

“Dr. Walsh we’ve a problem upstairs. You weren’t answering our page and-“

“What is it….?” Maggie demanded as she rose to her feet. Anger came fast and sharp as she glared at the man. She had told everyone she didn’t want to be interrupted and yet…here he was. Interrupting her!

He cast a fearful look around and swallowed audibly.

“The…inmates are getting restless. They’ve been making noise since about sundown. There have been sightings of what looked like wolves in the woods. Then there’s some guy missing. Your men are getting upset. Oh and there’s been an on going distress signal from London. Apparently something’s-“

Joyce listened with half an ear as he’d rambled, but now she got to her feet and moved swiftly. She knew what was coming.

Maggie’s attention was on the man who’d dared to interrupt. Caught up now in what he was saying she didn’t notice as Joyce moved further back in the room.

However her men did.

“Hey-“one of them started to say but before they could finish an explosion rocked the building. People went sprawling. Joyce stumbled back into the wall.

The earth shook as another small explosion went off.

Maggie fell back hitting her head against the ground as she landed. A moan escaped before she remembered, she mustn’t show any weakness.

“What the hell,” one of the men muttered as he hurried to the door. Soon the other men followed him out as he ran to investigate.

Xander’s eyes met Joyce’s and she nodded slightly before she pushed off the wall and hurried to his side. She yanked at the ropes fruitlessly.

“I meant with the nifty eye contact for you to get out of here,” Xander said through gritted teeth as he tried to pull free of the ropes. He grunted when pain flashed through his wrists and up his arms.

“I know what you meant but you can’t stay here,” Joyce muttered.

“Kinda stuck and we’ve got a job to finish don’t we? I’ll be okay,” Xander assured her as he stopped struggling. He even managed a smile.

“Are you sure?” she asked urgently as she peered at him.

“Positive,” Xander answered cheerfully.

Joyce gave a curt nod before she turned away from him, and ran straight into Maggie who’d gotten to her feet.

“Wait a minute,” Maggie announced.

~*~

Faith hadn’t wasted much time after she’d left Joyce to meet up with that Maggie bitch. She’d hightailed it back to her place and picked up some of the things Xander had managed to confiscate from the rogue army base. Which wasn’t much but it would have to do, Faith thought.

She’d left her place making sure she wasn’t followed. Who knew if Maggie still had them being watched. She knew she could take anyone who came after her but still. She didn’t need the distraction of kicking ass while people she’d come to consider friend’s risked their lives.

So she’d made it all the way to the commando’s secret base through a passageway she’d found a few days prior. Not too clever, but then again not something you would look at and assume it was a trap door of some sort. It was a freshly dug grave in one of the older cemeteries. Vamps didn’t frequent it and neither did the Slayers. It had been by accident Faith had found it.

She’d seen the freshly dug grave while tracking a demon that had led her on a merry chase through good ol Sunnydale. Killing it she’d back tracked to the grave and studied it. Caught up in the stuff going on with B and her mom she hadn’t thought much about it, until Joyce had let her in on there being a secret group of military folks running around.

Didn’t take much brains to put two and two together, and get that there’s a secret trap door they use often by the freshness of the soil.

So while Joyce had filled her in on her plan Faith decided the best way to get into the base was use the trap door. She didn’t bother to have Xander check out if there was security there or not. Why ruin the surprise?

Faith dug through dirt and grinned in silent triumph as she found the handle to the trap door. Tugging it she gave a mighty yank that lifted it from the earth and carelessly she tossed it aside.

A ladder led downward to a dark tunnel. Faith let her senses go as she climbed down the ladder and felt her senses pick up on demon and vamp activity not too far away.

Striding through the pitch black tunnels she used her Slayer sense until it felt like a roaring burning fire in the back of her skull. It grew as she drew closer to the captive demons and vampires Maggie liked to tinker with.

When she found the door that separated her from the demons she gave a sudden shaking sigh and gathered up her ebbing courage. She hadn’t been a fan of this whacked plan of Mrs. S but that didn’t mean she’d let Xander have all the fun. Her hand closed over the door handle and she turned it.

Found it locked.

Her eyes sought out any signs of an alarm light or anything that would cause her pause. Finding none she lifted her foot and thrust it forward. The door went down without a problem.

The light hit her eyes first and blinded her as she stumbled forward. She staggered walking into a wall as she shielded her eyes from the bright white light.

“SHIT,” she yelled as she banged her head. What the hell was this? She wondered as she rubbed furiously at her eyes. Once she was satisfied she could see a little she moved her hands and blinked.

Row after of row of cages lined both walls.

Little black dots danced in her vision as she inspected the one she leaned against. Smiled slightly at the oversized demon staring at her in shock.

Pushing off the plexi glass she pressed a hand to her throbbing head.

“Well hell aint this some shit?” she asked aloud as her eyes adjusted at last and she was able to see clearly. She didn’t know what else to say. The sight was…beholding. Or some such shit. Creepy too.

“Now before you all get rowdy I’ve a little proposition for you,” she told them. Waited to see if they’d understood her. It had come to her attention that most demons understood English. She didn’t question this, it just seemed to be a fact and she figured they’d understand her now. “We’ve a mutual problem. Goes by the name of Dr. Walsh or as I like to call her the Bitch with the power trip. What would you say about a truce? See I’m one of the Slayers and I wanna crush this power trippin’ bitch. You help and you get to go free. How ‘bout it?”

The roar she got caused her to clamp hands to her ears.

She took it to mean yes and with a grin, she pulled out the small key Joyce had taken from Riley. Time to get things started. She just hoped Joyce knew what she was doing.

~*~

Willow was all for skulking in darkness for the pursuit of good over evil. Except she’d forgotten it got cold at night, especially if you’d only a t-shirt and jeans. But then again she’d been out here since this morning, tinkering with things, making sure everything Joyce had planned went off smoothly. It simply hadn’t occurred to her to bring a coat.

She hadn’t complained as Joyce had given out instructions and she’d ended up with all the technical stuff. After all she wasn’t a geek for nothing. She thrived on this. Testing her skills against the Initiative’s computer system had been a treat. Whoever they had working for them was good. But…she was better.

With a flourish she pressed enter on her laptop, letting a system eating virus loose on the Initiative’s entire system. Glancing at her watch she counted slowly and let a minute pass. She knew it took only that long for the computers to begin to shut down. Cameras would go black. Alarms would stop working.

She pulled up another program she’d designed and pondered whether she should use it or not. Sitting in a remote area covered by a magical cloaking spell she had a wonderful view of Sunnydale University. In the middle of the night it was thankfully empty. Most people weren’t concerned for their safety at night, which for Sunnydale natives wasn’t, sadly, an uncommon thing.

She’d been hesitant to start anything while people wandered about below her. But as soon as the sun had set she’d started things rolling. Knowing that Joyce was inside already with Xander and was counting on her.

With a sigh Willow started to run her new program and narrowed her eyes.

This program would lock anything that was of an electrical nature. Close off any access to entering or exiting the Initiative. She knew from Xander’s accountings of the layout that almost everything was controlled by electricity. There would be no way anyone could leave if she did this.

Now all she had to do was pray that Faith had actually found a trap door as she’d boasted earlier. One that wasn’t electrical and made her way to Joyce and Xander without getting herself killed.

Having to rely on Faith grated on Willow’s already raw nerves. But Faith was the best bet as Buffy was stuck in London doing only God knew what.

Willow deftly and emotionlessly downloaded the program into the Initiative’s computer system.

In the distance she heard the howl of a wolf and wondered when it would all end.

~*~

“Don’t give it no mind if’n gets a little bumpy,” Rowan told them as she glanced around at the people beside her.

“We have to hurry,” Buffy spoke firmly and determinedly. She had wasted enough time as it was, she thought darkly. Who knew what could be going on while they were here?

“Buffy…” Angel began but cut himself off as he caught Giles’s warning glare. There was to be no discussion of personal problems. Buffy had said so. Giles was bound and determined to keep it that way.

Angel gave Giles a brief glare before he turned away.

Buffy wasn’t as oblivious as she would have liked to have been. She knew that sooner or later she and Angel would be having a talk that would not be pretty.

Spike bumped is way forward to stand directly next to Buffy as they took their places for Rowan’s spell casting. He was sure that once they got to Sunnydale things would be a little less tense. They’d be- well Buffy would be on her own territory and they’d get Maggie. Take her down and then they could go on from there.

Giles tried his best to keep from staring at how close Spike and Buffy were standing. It was one thing to suspect something, but quite another to see it with your own eyes. He’d seen quite a bit of their affection for one another, he thought with a fierce scowl. Kissing eachother, he thought with a shudder. Probably deluding herself that she was in love with the soulless fiend. It amazed him that Buffy couldn’t see that what she was doing was wrong.

That what was happening between her and Spike would have irrevocable consequences. None he was sure would be for the good. Only bad would come of this. Of that he was certain. And he feared when it all fell apart he may not care enough to help Buffy get through it.

Cowards, Quentin thought with a smirk. Neither the souled vampire nor the girl’s Watcher could bring themselves to say what they were thinking. He had a pretty good guess as to what it would be. There wasn’t much he wasn’t certain on these days.

Like making a deal with that evil Maggie Walsh would turn out to be the biggest mistake of the Council’s two hundred year history. Because he’d been blinded by the thought of eliminating demons, he had failed to see the one underneath his nose. He would not be fooled again.

Buffy had an unusual tendency for falling in love with vampires, a flaw of course, but not one that couldn’t be fixed. There were certain things that could be done… It was just a matter of timing and getting close enough to attack. Quentin had no doubt in his mind that it would be a battle to get Buffy in line. But once he did he knew the future was immeasurable. The things he could accomplish…

Rowan finished her voice trailing off and a portal opened at the end of the alley. She hopped in first followed by Giles, then Angel, and as Buffy started in Spike reached out and clasped her hand in his.

They stepped in together.

Quentin moved away.

“Get in here,” Angel ordered.

Quentin gave a wave as he turned his back on the portal and started out of the alley.

“I said-“

“Be quiet Angel,” Giles snapped out.

“Could you both shut up?” Rowan asked idly.

“Close the portal Rowan,” Buffy ordered her eyes burning into Quentin’s back as he retreated.

Quentin heard the slight hiss and the charge that spread through the air as the portal closed, and he was left alone hurrying up the alley. Grinning in new found spirits he emerged from the alley and was startled to find himself face to face with a demon.

“Oh,” he murmured paling in fear and shock. “Excuse me,” he muttered as he began to brush past the demon.

“Where’s Spike? I can smell ‘im all over you,” the demon growled out.

“I…I…um that’s impossible,” Quentin stammered out.

“He promised us a fight! Said that woman would be there if we went in! Well we did and she wasn’t there- Where is Spike?!” it yelled as it reached out one long clawed arm.

“I…” Quentin could say nothing more than that as he gulped, and a large hand closed around his throat.

“Boys this one reeks of William the Bloody. I know he can tell us where Spike went. I’m gunnin’ for a real scrapper of a fight. How bout you boys?”

Demons emerged from the shadows and soon crowded around the one holding Quentin by the throat.

“Now you’d better talk,” the demon ordered.

~*~

Oz had been the one to suggest this phase of the plan. It wasn’t something he found he couldn’t do. After all, the plan didn’t really call for him to put himself into danger, but he couldn’t let Xander have all the fun now could he?

He’d persuaded Willow into being fine with this. It hadn’t been easy. She was leery about letting him go of into the woods while in werewolf form. He could easily get hurt by the commandos or some random kid. The risks were out there and to be truthful they sent a thrilling rush through Oz when he thought of them.

He hadn’t told Willow that though. If she thought he might actually enjoy what was to come, she would no doubt become guilt ridden. He didn’t want to upset her unnecessarily. So he’d kept his excitement to himself and gotten rid of Riley’s body while he waited for the sun to go down so he could change.

The change was always painful. No one who went through it would say it was anything but pain filled. After all you were exchanging one form for another. Bones had to shift and grow. Some had to disappear. Skin was turned into fur. Teeth turned into canine teeth, fangs and all. Hands into paws, human ears into wolf ears…

But once he’d changed there were no words to describe the feelings that rushed through him as he stretched his newly formed muscles. It was like he’d been reborn, liberated.

He was free and the beast was rearing to go.

He sniffed picking up the scent of Riley whom he’d stashed far, far away. Apparently the man had woken and was now wandering through the woods.

Interesting.

The small part that was humane told him it was a bad idea. But his animal instincts overruled him, and he found himself loping off in the direction Riley’s scent was coming from.

He picked up speed as the scent grew closer.

Abruptly he paused, digging his claws into the dirt; he came to a full stop and tilted his head up. Listened to the distinctive beat of a heart beat. Going too fast. Shallow breathing rent the ear and Oz’s lips peeled back from his teeth and he grinned. As much as a man in wolf form can grin.

A howl rumbled from his throat and erupted into the night air.

Riley let out an unmanly like shriek and began to run.

The hunt was on.

~*~

Xander’s eyes widened as they rested on Maggie who stood toe to toe with Joyce. Things were not going well, he thought with a small shake of his head.

Nope.

Here he was tied to a chair unable to do anything, but stare stupidly as Maggie confronted Buffy’s mom. How fucked up was that? Now he really wished he were in the know about military crap. Like how to get yourself out of being tied to a chair. It wasn’t like in the movies that was for sure.

It wasn’t like he could strain against the ropes, and with his non existent bulging biceps rip them from him. Jump up and with heavily accented English demand that Maggie step back or else.

Nope.

All his straining had gotten him were raw wrists, and what he thought were sprained shoulders, if there was such a thing. No amount of straining was getting him out of here.

Unless he used his brain.

He frowned.

His brain was in his head but it wasn’t much help. He silently agreed with Maggie. She seemed to have the brains in this little trio. Joyce was a novice and couldn’t know much about these situations. Xander hated to admit it but he was something of a pro at being tied up and threatened.

But usually he felt relatively safe, knowing that Buffy was out there. That Buffy would be there to rescue him in a matter of seconds. Come in at the last minute and save the day. Except Buffy wasn’t going to save the day.

“Now you listen to me you little bitch,” Maggie growled as she shoved her face into Joyce’s. “Whatever it is you think you’ve got going for you, you don’t. I am going to say this only once. Tell me where that baby is or I’ll kill you!”

Joyce barely flinched as Maggie practically spat in her face.

“I’m sorry, are you speaking to me? I don’t answer to bitch. Bitch,” Joyce snapped as she lifted her hand and balled it into a fist.

She slammed it into the side of Maggie’s head.

Maggie staggered back and Joyce spun around with the force of her swing.

Both let out gasps of pain.

“Argh,” Maggie screamed as she straightened and rushed Joyce who was holding her aching hand.

They went down in a heap.

Xander eyed them for a moment before gritting his teeth. He took in a deep breath and decided that Buffy would owe him. It didn’t matter how many times she’d saved his life. She would owe him big.

Xander tensed and with a mighty jerk felt his shoulders pop from their sockets and the ropes around him loosen.

Tears of pain slid down his bruised cheeks as he bit his lip until it bled to keep from screaming the pain was so intense. He slowly but eventually managed to get out of the ropes.

He almost fell as he got to his feet but managed to stay upright.

With a grimace of pain he aimed his steel toed boot at the back of Maggie’s head as she tussled with Joyce. Gave it a good solid kick and watched her drop.

“Xander! Are you all right?” Joyce asked as she shoved Maggie off her and she noticed his arms.

“Mmphmf.” Came the closed mouth replied. Talking would take too much effort and he was almost spent. Joyce got to her feet and hurried to him.

A grin lit her face as she peered at him.

“You saved me Xander,” she told him wonderingly.

Xander looked confused.

“There was no way I could have fought Maggie off. That one punch took it all out of me. You saved me. Thank you,” she told him as she pressed a kiss to his forehead, the only part of his face left un bruised. “Now let’s get you out of here.”

Latching onto the front of his shirt Joyce led the way out of the office.

~*~

Willow closed her laptop and shoved it into her backpack as she got to her feet atop a hill that over looked the Sunnydale campus. Stretching she gave herself a pat on the back and congratulated herself. She’d done exactly what she’d set out to do. Whether she’d been successful would remain to be seen.

But as far as she could tell Joyce’s plan had gone off without a hitch.

She slung her backpack onto her back and headed down the hill. She’d felt the faint rumble of explosions from below and wondered what had set them off. She hadn’t set anything that could be deemed dangerous off. She was sure of it.

Frowning slightly as worry tugged at her she hurried along.

She had to get to the meeting point. She needed to see if everyone was okay.

~*~

They tumbled out of the sky and landed as ungracefully as could be. Sprawled out on top of one another Rowan was the only one who managed to be unscathed.

She grinned at the sight the rest made.

“Well don’t just lay there. Needin’ to be lookin’ for the littler one,” she told them scoldingly.

Rudely Spike shoved Giles off him and stepped on Angel’s hand as he got to his feet. He reached down and tugged Buffy out from under Angel, and wrapped a possessive arm around her shoulders.

Getting her breath back Buffy looked around. Narrowed her eyes as she realized they were in the woods, woods she wasn’t used to frequenting during patrols.

“Buffy,” Angel’s tone was sharp and demanding. Her eyes sought his questioningly.

“What?” she demanded as she tried to figure out who would go where.

“Your mom,” Angel muttered sniffing. “I smell your mom. She was here! She wa-“

“What?! Where? Here? Is she still here? What- why would she be in the woods? Oh my God! Maggie has her! I-“breaking off her ramble Buffy turned sharply prepared to run off.

Angel grabbed her arm and Spike stepped in front of her.

“Don’t grab her. What’s this ‘bout her Mum?” he asked carefully. His own senses were working as he detected the faint sounds of running feet. Another scent was prominent as well.

“Listen,” Buffy stepped from behind Spike and looked up at Angel. “Can you, like, follow the trail?” she asked with a frown.

“Yes. Come on,” Angel swallowed a grin as he started forward. One thing he was better at than Spike. He actually knew what Joyce smelled like.

“Spike…I need you to-” Buffy began urgently.

“Find your Mum. I’ll be around,” Spike assured her as he cocked his head to the side, the noise becoming clearer. Absently he rubbed a hand over his still growing hair. Fingered one of the scars at the base of his skull.

He slipped into game face and as soon as Buffy and Angel disappeared, he headed off in the direction the noise was coming from.

“Yes. Leave me here with the frog woman,” Giles mumbled under his breath. Straightening his crooked glasses he peered into the dense woods and shook his head.

“I think it best we find the Watcher,” Rowan stated.

Giles stared at her a moment.

“Excuse me?” he asked coolly.

She pursed her lips and met his stare.

“Figure you heard me Ms. PrissyPiss. I know for a fact Buffy wouldn’t want us to leave him be. Come on,” Rowan ordered as she began to murmur.

Giles felt his back stiffen in response to her tone.

“Ms. PrissyPiss,” he gritted out in outrage. “Well why don’t you hop on that disgusting leg of yours and go?! Leave me be! I can find this Maggie person myself. As it seems I’m the only one who remembers that she’s the reason we’re here!”

Rowan clucked her tongue.

“Buffy wouldn’t want that. Best you come with me,” she muttered.

“I will do no such-“Giles began in indignation. Only to let out a tiny scream as a stream of magic hit him in the chest. He stumbled back. Blinked and soon found himself fading into darkness.

Rowan grinned as she crouched down and picked up Giles’s glasses. She tucked them into her wild nest of hair. She then retrieved the bullfrog that’d appeared in Giles’s place.

“Can’t have you hopping off now can I?”

The response she got was standard for a frog.

A croak and a most Giles like glare.

Rowan hopped off to find Wes and little baby Tate.

~*~

Faith maneuvered her way through the throng of demons and vamps. Most of who were fighting eachother and the men who’d come to handle the situation. It wasn’t beyond her to appreciate the chaos of it all.

And to be truthful she was proud of herself. She had been the cause of all this lovely mayhem. And, oh, how she loved chaos and mayhem.

Running wasn’t an option as the halls were packed in with people and non people. So she settled for shoving and forcing her way through the masses.

It was by chance that she caught a glimpse of Joyce and Xander.

Through a hole she’d placed in the nearest demon she could see Joyce in front of Xander protecting him from the oncoming rush. With a small feral growl Faith pummeled her way to them.

“Long time no see,” she muttered as she peered at Joyce. Frowned as she saw the bruises that had formed on her face and then caught a sight of Xander. “Shit,” she cursed then winced.

“Get us out of here,” Joyce urged.

“Will do,” Faith replied and grabbing her arm began the task of going back the way she’d come.

~*~

It didn’t take long for them to reach ground surprisingly enough. It seemed instead of going out the demons had headed inward. Whether they realized it or not didn’t matter to Joyce. She was happy to be out of there.

“Faith I want you to take Xander to the hospital,” Joyce ordered as soon as they had come far enough away from the trap door.

Faith had seen it necessary to break down a couple of tombstones and placed them over the door. It wouldn’t hold forever, but it would give them some time to regroup she hoped.

“You’re coming with right?” she asked as she took Xander who’d to his utter regret and disgust, passed out on the way out. She hefted him up into her arms and peered at Joyce.

“No. I’ve got to go meet the others,” Joyce told her. She gave her a little nudge. “Hurry. He was very brave in there. I want him taken care of. I’ll meet you at the hospital with the others in a couple of hours. Go. Hurry!”

She waited only briefly as Faith gave a slow reluctant nod and moved off with Xander in her arms.

Turning she glanced at her watch, rolled her eyes when she realized she couldn’t see much of anything. She’d lost her flashlight in the tussle with Maggie.

Squaring her shoulders she realized she’d have to make the walk home in the dark.

She couldn’t help but grin as she hurried along. She’d done it! Maggie wouldn’t be getting her hands on Wesley or Tate anytime soon that was for sure. The demons on the loose would destroy what was left of the Initiative and Buffy would come home to a commando free Sunnydale!

Life was good.

~*~

He was running. Tripping over roots and fallen branches. He’d fallen more times than he could count and was breathing far too fast.

He felt it.

Sensed it and had never felt such terror.

It was different from before.

When he’d woken on the ground in the middle of the deep woods he’d felt a tinge of fear. But he’d known all he had to do was walk out of the woods and he’d be safe. He was after all a military man. There wasn’t anything he couldn’t handle.

He’d joined the military so he’d become the kind of man his father would be proud of. And he’d pressed it further by joining up with the Initiative and becoming Maggie Walsh’s favorite. Up the ladder he climbed. In the endless attempt to make his old man proud of him.

Something he would never be able to do. Not that he would let himself believe it. A Finn never admitted to defeat. If there was anything his father hated more than failure, was giving up. Saying can’t had gotten him a beating he would never forget. Riley knew what it meant to be the strong, the few, and the brave.

He lived this life not for him or those anonymous faces of America, but for his father.

The man who had created him. Shaped him and molded him into a replica of himself. Well almost. Not quite there yet, Riley could admit. There were certain aspects of his character that his father still found wanting.

It wasn’t something Riley did on purpose mind you, but and unconscious act.

He could never learn to keep his mouth shut. Never. Whenever he was near his father his mouth moved automatically. Words would come out and the things he would say!

He’d gotten used to the back of his father’s hand, even now when he went home it was something to be expected.

“Never be good enough boy,” he heard his father’s voice now. Echoing loudly in his ears. Overwhelming him as he raced through the woods. Lost and terrified.

He’d heard the dog shortly after he’d woken and had been naturally cautious. Who knew what was out there? He’d hidden and waited the dog out.

Only it hadn’t been a dog. He’d only ever seen one locked up, never seen a werewolf up close and personal. It had scared the shit out of him. He’d done the only thing he could.

Run.

Knowing that it was the chase that gave the animal the most thrills.

He’d run and run and soon he’d become so lost, and entangled he hadn’t known where he was. But as he’d paused he hadn’t heard a thing. Complete silence surrounded him.

Never a good sign.

Then he heard it.

A shiver of pure terror slithered down his spine.

Not the werewolf, his brain told him. Not any more at least.

Or maybe it was he tried to reason with himself. It was just the werewolf.

Big stupid dog he could take down, and kill if he weren’t half out of his mind with fear.

“What kind of man are you? I’ll tell you what, you aint no man. You’re a boy. A useless quiverin’ bucket of shit,” his father’s voice boomed in the silence and Riley jerked.

Stumbled.

Found himself pitching forward and landing on his face.

“I’m sorry,” he mumbled his brain a puddle of mush.

He managed to roll over his breathing erratic and his lungs working over time, he tried to get a grip as he stared into the darkness. He was a soldier. Not a quivering bucket of shit. He’d served his country for years and no fucking werewolf was going to make him pee his pants!

He closed his eyes a moment as he collected himself.

He opened his eyes, stared into the yellow of a demon’s.

He didn’t even bother to scream he was so spent. He convulsed in terror and horror as he managed to get his hands beneath him and scramble back.

“Now is that any way for a soldier to act?” Spike asked curiously as he smirked. It amused him to no end to see this git so scared. He rested his hands on his hips and took stock.

Riley was still crawling; his eyes wide, his mouth hanging open as he gasped for air that did him no good. He wouldn’t beg, he told himself even as the words fell from his parched lips.

“Please…”

Spike took a step forward, then another, and another, until he was slowly stalking Riley.

“Please… Please don’t hurt me,” Spike mocked coldly. “Please don’t dig around in my brain. Please don’t beat me. Please don’t open up my chest and take my heart. Please don’t pour holy water down my throat. Please don’t burn that cross on my feet. Please don’t take my memories away from me. Please. Please won’t get you anywhere but dead,” he growled as he pounced.

Riley would have screamed. Would have screamed, and screamed, and screamed as he’d never screamed before. Only there was no point.

No need to scream.

Not when his throat had been so nicely torn out.

~*~

There were so many things you had to take into account. Had to think about before you let yourself be fooled into blind acceptance of any simple fact.

Or so it was with Maggie Walsh.

She didn’t trust people as a rule. And she certainly didn’t trust her enemies. Not when they tried not so subtly to insert one of their own into her pride and joy. Not when they thought they were so much smarter than her.

There was one thing Maggie knew without a doubt.

She was one smart lady. Too smart to be out thought by a mere art gallery owner. Joyce Summers was a fool and it was funny really, that such a fool could have Buffy for a daughter.

That girl could be foolish but she was not a fool, she was impulsive and loyal and brave. But she was not a fool and there was no way Buffy would have implemented this plan. Not with the watchful eye of her Watcher or her gut instincts.

Xander had come to her for a reason.

He wanted a deal.

The baby and Wesley for protection against her considerable wrath. He, Joyce and the girl Willow wanted to be left alone. They wanted Buffy back and things to go back to the way they’d been.

They could forget that there was a secret military operation going on below Sunnydale.

In return Maggie would have the super baby and the Watcher Buffy had trusted enough to look out for the demon spawn. Xander’s choice of words had been quite distinct, she thought with a smile.

And so she’d taken Xander with her gaggle of guards and demanded to speak to Joyce. Xander had been very helpful there, told her where to meet Joyce and when. Wesley would be there and so would Tate. It would all be wrapped up nice and neat like.

Wonderful.

Only Maggie Walsh wasn’t a fool.

It was only a matter of time before she had what she wanted. The Slayer, her soulless vampire and little baby Tate. And if she got Angelus along for the ride, then what the hell.

It was a good plan. One she hadn’t expected to fail so completely and utterly.

But she’d forgotten one thing.

She had forgotten how strong love actually was.

She’d forgotten that Spike was in love with Buffy and would never leave her in Maggie’s grasp as long as he walked this earth. It hadn’t occurred to her that staunch and proper Wesley Windham-Pryce would love baby Tate. Would willingly take the baby and go to America while Spike rescued Buffy.

She hadn’t expected Angel to stick around London trying to save Buffy either. She hadn’t known her Watcher would cross the pond to take matters into his own hands.

Some things can’t be foreseen at least for her anyway. She hadn’t known a number of things it seemed.

But Maggie Walsh was no fool.

Though she was a skeptic she’d deigned to have one of her men approach a well known witch and bring her back to HQ. In the little amount of time between her meeting with Xander and having Joyce brought to her, the task had been complete.

Not that the witch had done much complaining considering the gun pressed so enticingly to her temple. One pull of the trigger and you’re dead.

Maggie grinned as she thought of it.

It had taken no time at all for the witch to perform the glamour.

On herself.

And Maggie had been pleasantly pleased when she’d found herself looking at a mirror image.

Well done, she had told the witch. She’d had her marched off with a thorough examination of the glamour that had encompassed her every nuance. And had only stayed long enough to be assured Joyce Summers was in the building.

Then she’d left.

Activated a few strategically placed bombs when she’d been far enough away not to be affected. She knew that there was no hope if Joyce or any of her men got out alive. She’d be killed she knew. And there was no way she could take that chance. No way in hell.

So she’d done what she had to.

It was a shame all those people would have to die.

Maggie Walsh grinned a little as her eyes turned to the man slumped in the seat beside her. Wesley was a nice looking man, she mused with silent contemplation. Very attractive in a bookish way.

Her eyes went to the rearview mirror and landed on the sleeping baby in the back. Buckled up in his car seat Tate, as Wesley had called him, was a wonder. A miracle.

She’d found Wesley sitting on a bus headed for New Mexico and from there who knew. The bus had been all ready to go, but she’d made sure the driver stopped. The easiest hundred she’d ever spent. All she’d done was put on an act that deserved an Academy Award.

He stole my baby, she’d screamed. Tears and hysterical actions was all it took. Oh you big strong man wouldn’t you be a dear, and beat this man half way to death so I can have my precious baby back? Certainly ma’am.

They’d beaten Wes and for that she was saddened. She would have liked to have done it herself.

She braked at a light and returned her eyes to the front of the car. Looking out into the night she couldn’t help but laugh. In pleasure and triumph.

Maggie Walsh was no fool.

Her eyes were attracted to movement coming from across the street. She could see a shadowy figure hurrying along. With mild irritation Maggie wondered why Sunnydale bred such stupid fools. It wasn’t like they weren’t aware that their town wasn’t quite normal. They were and yet they still wandered about after dark. Stupid. Stupid. Stupi-

Her thoughts were cut off as the figure crossed the street directly in the path of Maggie’s headlights.

Her heart tripped in her chest and hissing out a breath Maggie pressed a hand to her pounding heart.

“No,” she murmured with cold ferocity. Unbuckled her seat belt and opened her car door.

Stepped out.

“Joyce,” she called out.

Watched as Joyce froze and then whirled around.

“Well this is an unpleasant surprise,” Maggie remarked. “You would think after all the trouble I went through you’d actually be dead.”

“Maggie?” Joyce asked shocked.

“Yes it is I,” Maggie grumbled as she went to around the car to the passenger door. She gestured to it. “And another little friend of yours. Wesley isn’t it?”

Maggie grinned as she heard Joyce’s gasp of shock.

“And Tate too. He’s adorable. ‘You’d never in a million years believe this was the devil’s spawn.’ Xander’s words not mine. Though accurate to a certain extent.”

She opened the door and reached in. Unbuckled the sleeping baby and brought him to her chest. She rose and turned to face Joyce who stood frozen under the street lights.

“Put the baby down,” Joyce ordered her voice sounding cool and calm.

Maggie narrowed her eyes at that.

“I think,” she began as she bent and replaced Tate in his car seat. She made sure he was buckled before she shut the car door and turned to face Joyce fully. “I’ll send a message to Buffy. Your daughter is one tenacious young woman. When will she learn enough is enough? It’s time to give up? She can’t possibly win against me.”

“Give me that baby,” Joyce yelled as she moved. Jerkily as if she’d forgotten how, she moved forward, ready to attack, to do anything she could to get Tate.

She had to get to Tate.

“And so to bring the message home, it has to be personal. You were a fool if you thought you could take me down Joyce. A fool to think I would fall for it,” Maggie told her as she pulled out her gun.

Joyce’s steps faltered.

“Give me the baby Maggie,” Joyce said once more as she kept coming.

“And there’s one thing you should know. Maggie Walsh is no fool,” Maggie stated as she pulled the trigger.

Watched as the bullet hit Joyce, as she was spun around by the force of it, and fell to the ground.

With raised brows she studied the body before she gave a shrug and turned back to her car. Getting in she buckled her seat belt, cast a glance to check on Tate, and pulled away from the light.

She didn’t smile until she’d passed the You’re Now Leaving Sunnydale sign.

Y’ALL COME BACK NOW, YOU HEAR?

~*~

Running. Running. Running.

She’d always remember the running.

Heart pounding, lungs working over time, breath coming in gasps. Feet pounding the pavement as fast as she could make her legs work.

Running. Running. Running.

The almost silent tread of Angel’s echoing footsteps as he kept pace with her. He’d been her blood hound tonight, led her on a winding path, one her mother had taken earlier in the day and even this night

She noticed dimly when Angel’s feet faltered and stopped completely, as she rounded the corner onto the street over from Revello Dr.

Didn’t bother to look back and check.

This was the way her mom had come. Recently, if Angel’s nose was to be trusted.

It didn’t register right away.

What she was seeing couldn’t be right.

Couldn’t be right.

Couldn’t.

Couldn’t.

Couldn’t.

“Oh God,” she moaned as she ran to her mother’s fallen form. Dropped to her knees beside her and stared. In horror and fear. Such gut clinching, throat closing, body trembling fear, she could barely function.

She couldn’t speak.

Maybe it was shock, or maybe it was the mind numbing pain that slowly bloomed in her chest, and spread throughout her body. But either way, she couldn’t speak.

Not even when she felt Spike’s presence as he dropped down beside her.

Her attention was held, captured, by the stillness of her mother.

By the wide, open, sightless eyes.

“She’s dead,” Angel’s voice was like a stab to the heart.

Only to be twisted in even further by herself as she lifted a shaking hand to touch her mother’s cheek. Only to find it still warm beneath her fingertips.

What came out of her throat then…weren’t words.

Couldn’t be words.

She screamed, and screamed, and screamed.

“NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO…..”

And when Spike silently reached for her and gathered her into his arms, the screams turned to sobs. And when the sobs subsided and numbness took over one thing remained.

Her mother was dead.

Chapter Seventeen:

Bruised and battered, pain was something to be expected. Even in this case, welcomed. It was proof. Proof that he’d accomplished something without the help of the Slayer.

Xander wasn’t much. He knew that and had been resigned to accept that. That is until he’d met Buffy and learned of all the hideous atrocities that went on beneath their noses in Sunnydale. Evil was afoot and he’d been part of the bigger plan. Had helped to defeat it on a number of occasions.

But never on his own.

Now tucked safely in his hospital bed a grin on his lips and a reluctant Faith on hand he was content to be in pain. Because the pain was worth it. The pain was proof that he was something. That he could be something worthwhile.

“Would you quit it?” Faith demanded angrily as she watched him grin just a little harder.

He sent her an innocent look.

“What?” he asked.

“Stop with the creepy grinning Xander! I mean damn you’re actin’ like you actually made it out of the Initiative. ’Cept you didn’t. I had to carry you out, cuz you were passed out,” Faith said with a smirk.

Xander lost a bit of his grin but managed to give Faith a glare.

“Hey! I’ll have you know-“

His hospital door swung open and slammed into the wall with a loud thud as Willow rushed in. She raced to Xander’s side and reached for him.

“Oh Xan are you okay?! What happened? What did you let happen to him?!” she turned angrily to face Faith who’d stepped to the side as Willow had rushed in.

Lifting her hands palms forward Faith shook her head.

“Watch your step there Red. I didn’t do anything. Why don’t you ask superman here. He did this to himself. Hey where are wolf boy and Joyce?”

Willow sent Faith one last glare before she turned her full attention to Xander.

“I don’t know. Joyce didn’t make it to the meeting place. I was worried so I went to Buffy’s house and listened to your message about Xander. Oz well… I don’t know where he’s at. I guess he’s still roaming around.”

Faith scowled as she felt twin pricks of irritation and worry.

“Well that’s just frickin’ great! Have a werewolf roamin’ the streets killing and maiming. And Joyce! Where is she? She said she was meeting you two and then coming back here. I don’t like this. Not at all. Shit-look I’m gonna scout around for her and wolf boy. Sit tight k?”

Before Willow could answer Faith had already ducked out into the hall and strode off.

“Is there anything I can do for you Xander?” Willow asked anxiously.

Xander flashed his puppy dog eyes and nodded slowly.

“Could ya maybe fluff my pillows and turn the channel for me?” he asked softly.

Willow jumped to do his biding.

Xander relaxed with a small smile.

It worked every time.

~*~

Skirting around the people who were milling around the ER waiting room, Faith crossed her arms over her chest and ducked her head.

Hospitals put her off.

She’d didn’t have a logical explanation but they just wigged her out big time. So the quicker she was out of here the better, she thought picking up her pace.

She was nearing the doors when her Slayer senses picked up vampire vibes off to the left and down the hall.

Swearing loudly she brought herself to a stop and debated what she should do. A big part of her wanted to leave and find Joyce and wolf boy. But the Slayer side of her warned a vamp was in the hospital and could prey on all the sick people there.

With an exaggerated sigh she turned and headed down the hall.

She walked fast, the sooner she got this over with the better. She’d dust this vamp and run around town looking for Joyce. A frown lit her face for a moment as she thought of Buffy’s mother. The woman had balls, she’d give her that.

But jeez there had been so many possibilities of things going wrong and all of them ending up dead, so she had to give Joyce props for succeeding her first time out.

Nearing the door where she knew the vamp was, she squared her shoulders and gripped the stake she’d slid from her jacket pocket.

As she reached the door she grabbed the door knob and shoved it open forcefully.

“Angel,” she blinked as she took in the vampire’s disheveled appearance.

Angel glanced over at her, away from the police officer he’d been talking with.

“I need to talk to you,” he said striding forward and grabbing her arm.

“Sir-“the police officer began.

“I’ll be just a minute,” Angel snapped as he guided a surprised and slightly pissed Faith to a corner. “Joyce is dead. Buffy’s in shock and I need your help in killing Spike.”

~*~

Faith’s steps were slow and dragging as she made her way back to Xander’s room. She wasn’t sure as to what exactly it was she was feeling at the moment. Truth was she’d never been close enough to a person to mourn their passing. No not passing, she thought with a bitter taste in her mouth, murder.

Grimacing as she paused outside Xander’s door she wished that she could just walk away. Leave and never come back. But she couldn’t. She’d become close to Joyce in Buffy’s absence and had formed a tentative friendship with Xander if not Willow. And hell Buffy was her sister Slayer. She couldn’t let her handle this all alone.

She opened Xander’s door.

“Stop. Ok turn it. Turn it. Wait. Turn it.”

“Do you want the remote?” Willow asked irritated.

“Jeez Wills my arms are kinda outta operation,” Xander complained. “Ok change the channel. Why’s there nothing on?”

Faith cleared her throat and watched as both Willow and Xander turned their attention to the door.

Xander looked beyond Faith searching for Joyce.

“Where’s Joyce? And Oz? I thought we’d have a party. A little pizza, a little pain medication and I’m set!”

Willow dropped the remote onto Xander’s lap as she took a step closer to Faith.

“Is it Oz?” she asked, her voice trembled with suppressed emotion.

Xander looked at the girls blankly.

Faith bit the inside of her cheek to keep herself from saying something she’d most likely regret.

“No,” she said shortly. “It’s not. As far as I’m aware he’s still wandering around out there. It’s…um…Joyce. Well Joyce, she’s uh- Dammit that bitch killed her!”

~*~

Rowan wasn’t sure what made her head outside of Sunnydale on her search for Tate and Wesley. Compelled she didn’t question how or why the urge had come.

She moved with her hopping gait as fast as she could.

Murmuring spells along the way. She knew that as the baby of two vampires Tate would leave an aura if he’d come this way. And sure enough the further she got from Sunnydale the stronger the trail became.

Until suddenly it stopped.

Frowning in bewilderment she tried a few more spells and when nothing else appeared she gave a few animals a fright with her curses.

“Well that can’t be good,” she muttered to herself before she glanced at the frog perched in her bag. “Listen if I undo my spell will you be a good Watcher and keep your mouth shut?” she asked.

It wasn’t possible for him to respond but Rowan took it to mean he would do as she asked. Quickly and efficiently she undid her spell and Giles fell to the ground on all fours, as naked as the day he was born.

Without bothering to spare him a glance she licked her suddenly dry lips and wandered away.

“Where are you?” she asked aloud. There was no doubt Tate had come this way. But what had happened to the trail? From what Spike had told her, Maggie wasn’t one to indulge in Magik. But this just didn’t make sense.

“Dear Lord where are my clothes?! And my glasses?! I’m naked woman!”

“Be quiet,” Rowan snapped doing a final spell.

As Wes’s aura was entangled with Tate’s, she focused on his, and when the small glowing light leapt from her hand and zoomed off she began to follow it.

Into the woods on the side of the road and deeper still.

Until she came to the prone form of whom she assumed was Wesley.

She crouched down so she could feel his pulse, and gave a relieved sigh as she felt the faint beat of his heart at his throat. She flicked her gaze over the man and then turning slightly, called for Giles.

“Rupert I need your help over here,” she called out.

~*~

A/N: I know this is awfully short but I needed to get this out. The next chapter focuses fully on Buffy and Spike. And in the chapters to come this story will take on a different tone. This is just catching up with everyone. Except Oz. I’ve plans for Oz. skyz.

Next