Chapter 18

The entire room was a frozen tableau.

Spike was eventually the first to move and also the first to break the silence. He spun slowly on his heel to face the bed and the battered teenager who had just dropped the bombshell.

“What did you say, Mini me?” Spike drawled as he pinned Connor with a piercing gaze. Buffy slid her hand into his and held on tight. Behind her she could hear Fred and Lorne gasp in surprise.

“I… I said, I hope they haven’t killed Dad.” Connor rasped as he tried to sit up. Tara’s hands slid around his shoulders as she helped him slide up to lean against the pillows.

“Killed Dad?” Spike quirked his scarred brow in question at Connor.

“Yeah.  I tried to get to him… to help… but there were too many of them…” Connor looked over at Buffy and Spike as tears of frustration filled his eyes.

“Too many of who?” Gunn demanded.

“Humans… they were his followers and I can’t hurt humans… it’s just not right!” Connor picked at the bedcover and tried to avoid looking up at Spike. He was ashamed at how he had let down his father. 

“Okay, enough with the enigmatic he and his. Connor, start from the beginning.”

Buffy pulled Spike along with her as she approached Connor. She and Spike sat down on the end of the bed. Buffy reached over and squeezed Connor’s left ankle reassuringly. Fred, Gunn and Lorne crowded around Buffy, Spike and Connor waiting expectantly.

“First off, Peach Pie, is Angelcakes still singing with Soul?” Lorne asked.

Spike snorted at the nickname the green Pylean had conjured up.

Everyone waited breathlessly for Connor’s reply. Since the moment Angel, Cordy and Connor had vanished and then Connor’s dramatic reappearance, all of them had been positive that Angelus had been unleashed on the unsuspecting LA populace.

Connor frowned up at Lorne, surprised by his question. “Yes. Why did you think that?” Connor gazed down the bed at Buffy and Spike and almost smiled at the expression of complete relief. “What made you think that he had lost his soul?”

“Umm… well, we kinda thought he and Cordy had gotten together.” Fred explained, her cheeks flushing pink with embarrassment. “Lorne kinda thought that maybe they had last night, and well, you know…”

“Yeah, we know Angel gets a happy and Angelus comes out to play with all the nice people.” Spike grumbled. He glanced over at Buffy and tried not to smile in relief, ‘At least it wasn’t my girl giving the brooding nit a happy…’.   Spike scowled at the thought of Buffy and Angel shagging and, in an effort to disperse that blood-chilling image, he began to recall a montage of their own more active moments. He sighed happily and shifted slightly as his cock began to harden and press against his zipper.

“Spike, what are you thinking?” Buffy hissed as she shifted in front of Spike to block everyone’s view of the now massive bulge that had appeared in Spike’s lap. She pinched his inner thigh in an effort to distract her lover and it had the opposite effect. A shiver ran down Spike’s spine as his demon tried to push to the surface, aroused by the brief flash of pain from his Slayer’s hands.

“No.  I don’t think they got together… Dad called me from the bluffs and said to go by Cordy’s place and check she was okay… Cos, well, she hadn’t turned up.” Connor answered Fred’s question, ignoring Spike’s grumbling and his reaction to Buffy’s pinch.

“So, you’re saying Angel got you to go look for Cordelia?” Buffy asked. She frowned in confusion. “How come he didn’t go himself?”

“Luv, cos he was obviously worried if he left then she may turn up and his grand moment would end up as a French farce,” Spike explained, his hand now trailing up and down Buffy’s spine.

“Yeah.  I guess that’s what dad was worried about, you know…missing Cordy… I went to her apartment.  That ghost of hers let me in and she wasn’t there.  Then I headed back to the beach. But I was too late…”

Connor took a breath trying to ease the sad ache in his chest. Tara reached over and patted his hand gently, trying to offer him some kind of reassurance. Connor glanced over at the placid Wiccan and tried to smile.

“Hey kid, care to share?” Gunn interjected. “What happened when you got there?”

“Holtz and his followers.” Connor snarled, bitterness filling his eyes.

“The git came back, too?” Spike shifted slightly and peered over at Connor.

“Yeah.” Connor answered. “He tried to get me to join him and kill Dad a few days ago. But I told him to leave me alone. But he wouldn’t.  Holtz told me I would be dammed like my parents if I didn’t help him. He… he… gave me the address to the motel he was staying in and said he would be back for me.” Connor looked over at Buffy, his eyes filled with fear. “I never told Dad.  Maybe if I had, he would have been on guard and Holtz and his guys wouldn’t have hurt him! It’s all my fault…”

“So, he and his groupies hurt Angel?” Buffy asked worriedly. The blonde girl was acutely aware that the dark haired vampire would have probably barely defended himself against his human attackers.

Spike snorted. “Yeah, probably! And his royal broodiness would’ve thanked them for each thump he got.”

“Huh?” The AI trio all turned to Spike in confusion.

“Cos he’s always felt guilty over chomping on Holtz’s family. Him and Grandmum had a gay ol’time of it rubbing the poor bastard’s face in it…” Spike closed his eyes and cracked his neck. “The old poof told me about the time in Rome when Holtz managed to corner him. Darla saved his sorry arse and then left Holtz alive cos she thought it would add to his torment… said he was like family…nasty bit o’work, Darla.”

Spike glanced over at Connor.  “Sorry about that, kid. I know she’s you Mum and all that…”

Connor gazed solemnly back at Spike and smiled briefly before looking down at his hands. “Thanks…I guess…”

Lorne shifted uncomfortably in the silence that followed. “I don’t get it. Why didn’t Angel just stop them?”

“Peaches probably felt he deserved it…” Spike explained.

“Yeah, but he should’ve fought back…” Gunn trailed off, realising that the souled vampire probably wouldn’t have wanted to hurt Holtz or his followers.

“I tried to get to him but Holtz’s second in command, Justine, just kept hitting Dad with this taser and he just took it.” Connor shifted restlessly in the bed. “I tried to push my way through the others to get to Dad, but they kept hitting me.”

“And just like your git of a Dad you let them beat the stuffing outta you, right?” Spike rolled his eyes, a habit he had picked up from his Summers girls.

“Connor! Man, I can’t believe you let them do this to you, kid.” Gunn gestured at the bruises and cuts that were healing rapidly.

“I… I couldn’t!  And then there was Holtz and he was watching me…calling me all those names again…”

Connor shuddered as he recalled the contempt on the vampire hunter’s face and the virulent words that had poured vitriol into Connor’s young ears. It had started when he was younger and still living in Quortoth when he had refused to call his kidnapper, father. The physical and mental abuse had started and the only respite the young boy had was in his dreams with his mother. Connor had frozen in fear and shock when Holtz had turned with a sneer to the young teen. “He called me Demon scum and well…”

Fred and Tara both reached over and tried to soothe the nearly frantic boy.

“I just couldn’t move… Dad finally started fighting back when Holtz yelled that I should’ve been drowned at birth. I had never seen Dad move so fast or hit so hard. But there were too many of them and they had these weird metal bars and got Dad by the throat and wrists. They sorta pulled his arms away from his body and Justine…Justine…held a tazer against Dad until he passed out.” Connor looked down at his hands and then back up at Buffy, “she just kept laughing.  It was sick…”

“Bloody hell…” Spike whispered. He had leant forward and was gripping Buffy’s shoulder, trying to calm her and anchor himself, as the entire room had listened in stunned silence to Connor.

“Connor, sweetie… how did you get away and what happened to Angel?” Tara asked gently. Her eyes were filled with sparks of green, which swirled angrily, belying her calm voice.

“I tried to fight through to get to them but there were too many and they kept hitting me… I fell over and I could feel their boots… and then it was black…” Connor ran his hand over his temple where one of his opponent’s boots had caught him in the temple.

“So they just left you there?” Lorne asked. The description of the beating that the father and son had received from Holtz and his followers had shaken the usually urbane demon.

“No…” Connor replied.

“No what, kid?” Gunn demanded.

“I woke up at the bottom of the cliff… I think they threw me over, counting on either the fall killing me or the tide coming in and drowning me.” Connor whispered. “ I managed to get up to the top before the sea reached me.”

Buffy and Tara gasped at the callousness displayed by the so-called good guys.

“Jesus,” Gunn muttered under his breath. He rubbed his hand over his mouth, trying to control himself.

“How did you get back?” Fred whispered.

“I drove Dad’s car… they left it behind.” Connor answered.

“You drove? You drive?” Buffy asked incredulously.

Spike poked her in the back and tried successfully not to laugh. ‘Trust my girl to focus on the driving and not the beatings…’

Connor nodded, “I think I might’ve smashed something though… I couldn’t stop it in time… I hit the gates outside.”

“Don’t worry, kid.  I’ll go move it in a minute.” Gunn smiled reassuringly at the worried figure huddled on the bed.

“So, do you think Angel is still alive?” Buffy whispered to Spike as they headed down the massive staircase to the Reception area.

Tara and Lorne had stayed behind to watch over Connor, while the others had headed out to begin tracking Holtz and his followers. Gunn and Fred had headed out in his truck after moving Angel’s convertible around the back. Connor had given them the address of the motel that Holtz had given him.

They were hoping that maybe Holtz would return there. Both of Angel’s friends were armed to the teeth and weren’t going to pull any punches. Gunn had grinned sadistically when he had pulled out his sharpened baseball bat and slapped it in his hand thoughtfully. Fred had grabbed a crossbow and a quiver of arrows, which she then slung over her shoulder.

“I can still feel him… but it’s faint.” Spike could sense his grandsire, but the link was weak and getting weaker.

“So what do you wanna do? Go to the cliff and have a look around?” Buffy reached over and began to scribble their mobile numbers down on a pad.

“Yeah.  Maybe I can sense Peaches more if we get closer to where he last was…” Spike rubbed the back of his head with one hand.

Buffy looked over hopefully.  “Really? You think that might work?”

Spike shrugged. “It’s worth a go, but what other use am I going to be?”

Buffy stopped writing and looked up in surprise. “What do yah mean? Other use?”

“Pet, the bunch of crazies who’ve got Peaches are human.” Spike grumbled in frustration.

“Yeah and? Oh! The chip… Crap…” Buffy reached over and pulled Spike’s head to her shoulder and she pressed a kiss to his temple. “Don’t worry honey.  I’ll give them a punch on the nose from you!” She cradled Spike’s face in her hands and feathered kisses over his forehead and down his nose until she caught his lips in a deep spine tingling kiss. 

Spike kicked the door of the Hyperion open with a sandy booted foot. “Soddin waste of time, I’m not a nature lover!” he growled as he stomped his feet on the marble floor. Depositing a copious amount of sand on the clean surface.

Buffy giggled as she sailed past the disgruntled vampire. “Poor baby!” she grinned as she plopped down on one of the many sofas in the Reception.

“Well… anything?” Lorne appeared on the balcony, his green face wrinkled with concern.

The two blonds looked up and shook their heads in unison.

“It was a bust,” Buffy groaned.

“Load of Angel’s dried blood and some of Junior’s - sand, crabs and ruddy great seagulls who thought I was edible.” Spike rubbed his scratched cheek ruefully.

Lorne sailed down the stairs, disappointment etched on his face. “No big Kahuna?”

Buffy and Spike shook their heads.

“Anything from the lovebirds end?” Spike asked.

“Fred and Gunn?” Lorne asked.

“Yeah.” Spike pulled a cigarette out of his pocket and lit it. He titled his head back and puffed smoke rings at the ceiling. He grinned at the sound of Buffy’s giggle.

“Nope.  They haven’t called in yet,” Lorne replied.

“Connor any better?” Buffy glanced upwards in the direction of the injured boys room.

“He’s fast asleep.  Peach Schnapps is with him.”

Spike and Buffy both smirked at the new nickname the Pylean had given Tara.

“Healing up alright, though?” Spike demanded.

Lorne nodded and smiled at the look of relief on the vampire’s face. “You seem to be worried about Angel’s son.”

Spike twisted on his heels turning his back on the green demon. He tried not to growl at the teasing anagogic demon.

“Spike, you okay?” Buffy frowned curiously at her lover.

“Yeah fine…” he answered shortly.

“Honey, I know you’re worried but Connor’s a tough kid. He’ll be okay.”

Spike growled at Buffy.  “Am not worried…” His shoulder’s slumped. “Oh sod it all.” He whirled and pinned them both with his piercing gaze. “When we get Peaches back not a word about this, right?”

Buffy and Lorne nodded.

“He’s family, that boy… I…I…”

“It’s okay sweetie, we get it.” Buffy stood and walked slowly over to the worried vamp and kissed him softly.

Lorne sighed happily at the two of them wrapped up in their own world.

Fred sat up and watched the activity in the alley behind the motel.

"Gunn…look!" She elbowed the dozing man beside her. "I think it's that Justine girl.  You know… the one who cut Wes's throat?”

Gunn straightened and peered in the direction that Fred was pointing. A flash of red hair caught his eye and he grinned.

“That's the bitch!" He turned to Fred and kissed her firmly on the lips. "Man you have sharp eyes…"

Gunn glanced over and watched Justine climb the stairs and knock on the room that the two of them thought Holtz was hiding in. Their suspicions were confirmed when a much older version of the vampire hunter opened the door and gestured for his protégée to enter.

"We have to call the others and get them to come…" Fred scrabbled in her purse and pulled out her mobile she quickly dialling the hotel's number, Fred sat there rapping her fingers nervously on the dashboard, waiting for the phones to connect.

"They've found him and one of his followers."  Lorne dropped the receiver and turned to Buffy and Spike, who where busy rummaging through Angel's weapons cache. Commenting on the poor selection, the blond vampire then muttered under his breath about how his sword was much bigger than Angel’s, and waggled his eyebrows at his smiling girl.

Buffy's head snapped around and she hoisted a crossbow over her shoulder. "Good, let's get this show on the road."

Spike contributed a feral grin, and a flash of gold crossed his blue eyes. The vampire knew he was there purely for backup as there was nothing he could do against a bunch of deluded humans. 'Effing chip…need to get the bugger out of there if it's going to stop me from helping out the Slayer and Dawn…' Spike pressed his thumb into his temple and rubbed hard, almost as if he were trying to push the chip out of his head. "Let's go rescue the poof, then…"

"Spike? Buffy?" Tara's voice halted the peroxide vampire in his tracks.

"Yeah Glinda, what's up?" Spike spun on his heel, a gentle smile on his face. The couple went over to their friend and they spent several minutes whispering to each other. Tara pressed a brown package into Buffy’s hand and the Slayer nodded grimly.

Lorne had watched them for a while before he cleared his throat impatiently. "Guys? Fred and Gunn are waiting for you. Don't you think maybe you should saddle up?"

The three blondes looked over at the impatient Host.

"Sorry mate, just needed to have a quick natter about something." Spike wrapped his arm around Buffy's shoulder's and the two of them headed over to the tall Pylean. “Some good ideas there, Colomba…” he wrapped his free arm around Tara’s shoulder and squeezed her gently.

"Tara, you sure you want to stay here with Connor and Lorne?" Buffy asked.

"Yeah, I think you guys'll have enough to worry about without trying to protect me. I'm going to head up and look after Connor…Spike, stop frowning.  I'll be okay. Lorne's here to protect me." With that Tara disappeared back upstairs and headed to Connor's room.

Spike eyed the flamboyantly dressed demon with more than a hint of uncertainty in his expressive blue eyes.

"I swear on my Seabreeze's I'll protect her with my life." Lorne languidly covered his heart with one hand.

Spike snorted and raised his scarred eyebrow at the sight of the green demon clutching at his backside. He looked up at the smiling Host. Despite being several inches shorter, he still managed to look intimidating. "Nothing happens to Colomba, right?" Buffy tried not to giggle at the site of the Big Bad staring down a Green Liberace wannabe…

"Come on, Spike.  We need to go…"  She tugged gently on Spike's leather clad arm. Spike blinked once and then turned his attention to the tiny woman next to him. An adoring smile crossed his face and he reach down and ran his fingers along her cheek.

"Ready luv…just wanted to make sure Jolly Green here knows what's what."  He turned back to Lorne. "Right?"

"Oh, sweetcheeks." Lorne fanned himself with a handkerchief. "I will protect that dove with my life, don't worry. Now toddle off and go be heroic."

Buffy and Spike nodded and began to head out of the Hyperion.

"Oh children! Haven't you forgotten something?"

Buffy sighed and turned to Lorne. "What?" she frowned, "a kiss goodbye?" The slayer ignored the quiet growl that erupted from her lover.

"No, the blood." Lorne pointed to the large coolers he had packed with blood for Angel.

"Oh…" Buffy blushed and rushed back down the stairs to retrieve the precious box. She stopped in front of Lorne and, rising to her toes, kissed him on the cheek before whirling and disappearing out of the hotel. Followed by a loudly complaining Spike.

"I don't see why you had to kiss the sod…"

Tara ran a damp cloth over Connor's face and smiled gently at the distraught teen. He lay in his bed under duress. Lorne and the remaining two AI members had all insisted that he rest and stay away from Holtz and his followers. Connor had grudgingly agreed - aware that he was neither up for a fight or able to face the humans who had attacked him and his missing father. So Tara had volunteered to stay behind with Lorne and look after Angel's son, while the others went to rescue him.

The door opened and Lorne's kind green face peered into the room.

"Hey kiddo, want some company?" Connor shrugged and waved for the Pylean to come in. Tara looked up from her ministrations and gave him a lop-sided smile.

"I come bearing food…" Lorne laid the tray of sandwiches and drinks on the bedside table. "Here we go." Lorne handed over a plate to Tara and a steaming cup of Green Tea.

"Thanks," Tara took a huge bite of the sandwich that Lorne had given her. "So have the others all gone?"

"Yeah, I heard them leave a few minutes ago," Connor replied. He shrugged, "Vamp hearing…"

Tara's eye's widened slightly; she took a sip of her tea. "Ah, I see…Well, I guess it's a handy thing to have?"

Connor nodded, "Yeah, it saved my life more times than I can remember in Quortoth."

Lorne reached over and patted Connor on the shoulder in sympathy.

"Eat something half pint, you're gonna need your strength.”

Connor nodded and began to almost inhale several sandwiches; he gulped down several glasses of milk. Finally, he turned to Tara who was delicately picking at the bowl of crisps.

“Why did you lie to everyone?"

Tara choked on a crumb. She coughed and waved off Lorne as he began to pound her on the back. Wiping the water from her eye's, she looked over in puzzlement at Connor. "What do you mean, sweetie? I haven't lied about anything."

Connor shook his head. "No, you're heart rate changed when you said you were meeting that tree girl in New York. I could tell that there was something you were hiding, you and Buffy. Spike I can't tell cos, well, he's dead…"

Lorne watched Tara closely. The demon was intrigued. He could sense something was up with their three visitors, but he couldn't pinpoint it exactly.

The Pylean had already forgotten what he had read when Buffy had initially sung for him; it was the nature of the spell that had created Dawn. Once she had gone all memories and traces of her were gone, except for those who had witnessed Willow's destruction of her best friend's sister.

Tara sighed quietly. She, Buffy and Spike had managed to have a quick word while Lorne had been talking to Fred and Gunn on the phone. Connor’s hearing was more acute than a vamps if he had heard the conversation from his room. They had all decided that they needed to tell the AI gang about Willow, as there might be a chance that the fallen Wiccan could turn up in Los Angeles, and they were worried that she would hurt one of them. So they had decided that once Angel had been rescued that they would come clean about Willow's fall from grace, omitting anything about Dawn as no one would believe them. They had decided to tell the truth about Willow's abuse of magic and how she had run from Sunnydale.  Tell of their plan; that they were going after her to bring her home and try to help purge her dark magicks, while hopefully destroying Rack in the process.

"We were going to wait until Angel was back before we, well…" Tara shrugged and took a sip from her cup. "We're not meeting Willow in New York… we're trying to find her. That's the last place I scryed her in…but with the delay here, she could be anywhere!"

"Dumpling, why are you scrying for her?" Lorne was puzzled as he had heard only good about Willow from Angel over the years. He was positive the girl had been the one to re-soul Angelus a few years back.

"She…she's…her magic… it's turned her into…" Tara took a breath and steadied herself. She hadn't wanted to be the one to tell them about Willow's Dark Phoenix impression. She looked up from her cup and saw Lorne and Connor watching her expectantly. Lorne smiled encouragingly while Connor reached over and patted her gently on the knee.

Taking strength from their support, Tara took a deep breath.

"Willow got involved with a dark magic dealer and she hurt a lot of people. We want to try and get her back and help her before she does anything else." Tara closed her eyes and sighed, finally being able to tell someone else was liberating.

"Uh… well, we're trying to track her…but we don't know about binding her magics…that's not something we know how to…" Tara sighed. She had not wanted to face the fact that she would probably be the one who had to confront her ex-lover. But with Connor's innocent question she realised that she may have to be the one to bind Willow's magics. "I guess I…I will h…have to…but I don't know how, yet…" Tara was devastated that she was the one who had to play Judge, Jury and executioner.

Connor tried not to wince as the blonde’s description of the witch’s fall into darkness reminded him of the darkness that had been growing in Cordelia. He hadn’t wanted to voice his concerns about the now missing Cordelia. But there had been something off about the half Demon and Connor.  Once the initial elation at returning home, he had tried to avoid the woman. The darkness in her had sickened him. But because of his father's genuine affection for the seer Connor had kept quiet. “I understand and I’m really sorry…”

“Is that something which is going to help with getting your friend back?” Lorne pointed at the slim book Tara was holding in her hands.

Tara stared down at the Codex, her mind racing, trying to fit an explanation to the book without having to refer to Dawn or sing for Lorne. "It's something I'm, umm…trying to find a section of location spells to find W…Willow…" Tara tried not to blush at her white lie.

"You need a location spell for your missing witchie woman?" Lorne rubbed his left horn as his mind flipped through his mental Filofax. "I'll be back in a few shakes of a lambs tale…"

Spike and Buffy arrived too late. Justine had already killed Holtz before Gunn and Fred’s horrified eyes. They had not managed to get to the fanatical woman in time. An anguished scream from Justine had managed to gather most of Holtz’s followers from their motel rooms to witness their glorious leaders Martyrdom. The crowd had all stood around the tableau of Holtz’s body and Justine crouched over him, crying. Fred and Gunn stood to one side as they waited for the Slayer and the blond vampire to arrive.

“We got your call; what the hell happened?” Buffy’s breathless voice came from the mouth of the Alley. She and Spike jogged up to the couple. They chatted quietly for a few seconds, working out a plan of action. The four of them all agreed that they needed to guilt the crowd into admitting where Angel was.

“Ready?” Gunn whispered to the three others. They nodded grimly.

“Jesus, you lot are sick bastards,” Gunn shouted as he knelt next to Holtz’s body. The crowd of Holtz’s followers backed away slightly at the young black man’s voice.

“Hold it, love.  You’re not going anywhere,” Spike stood behind Justine as she tried to straighten, blocking her escape route. He sniffed the air around her. “Bloody hell, you reek of his blood.” Buffy and Fred stepped over and eyed the red-haired fanatic curiously.

Justine scrabbled to her feet, climbed over her dead leader’s body and backed away from Spike and Gunn. She took several cautious steps away, towards the angry muttering crowd.

“What do you mean I reek of blood?” Justine asked challengingly.

“Vamp here pet, got the nose for the stuff.” Spike tapped his nose and flashed his game face at the now spluttering woman.

“What? How? It’s daylight, you can’t be a vamp.” Justine frowned.

“What can I say luv, I’m special.”  Spike smirked at the confused vampire hunter.

“She the one you saw punching holes in the old guy?” Buffy nudged Fred to get her attention.

“What? Oh yeah, she put the pick in her pocket,” Fred pointed to the scruffy leather jacket Justine was wearing.

The four heroes could hear the murmurs of anger and denial that erupted from Holtz’s followers, at the tall Texan’s words.

Two of the men stepped forward and started yelling at Spike. Calling him filth and how he deserved nothing more than to be staked. Several of the other followers nodded in agreement. There were a few others who stared aghast at Holtz and Justine. Including a middle-aged African American woman who seemed close to tears. These were the ones Spike spotted. His innate ability to read a person kicked in and he smirked. The vampire had found the weak links. They would need a little prodding and then they’d break.

“So not only do you beat the stuffin’ out of teenage boys, you also murder in cold blood the man who trained you and gave you purpose?” Spike addressed his remarks to the furious Justine, but his sharp eyes were trained on the few of Holtz’s followers who were starting to wonder what they were doing.

The middle aged black woman flinched at the reference to Connor. Gunn spotted her reaction too, he grunted and, standing, he walked over to the woman. She had been the one who had infiltrated the office and sent Fred and himself into a trap.

Justine glared at the blond vampire and spat at him. Gunn stepped over and grabbed her arms before she could attack Spike. He quickly disarmed her of three stakes and a large hunting knife, which he handed to Buffy.

“Ohh shiney…” Buffy exclaimed as she slipped the knife into her waistband.

Gunn’s eyes narrowed as he saw the dark skinned woman begin to edge away. Before she could move another inch he glared at her, his dark eyes pinned her to the spot.

“Hey there, remember me?  The guy you sent to die? That’s my girl over there.” He jerked his head at Fred. “She was nearly eaten, too.” The young street fighter eyed the uncomfortable woman closely. “Man, I’m glad you’re not covering my back in a fight!” Gunn commented idly.

“Yeah mate, she probably woulda tossed you onto the nearest set of fangs to save her own sorry hide,” Spike snorted and he watched Justine’s face colour with anger.

“Demon scum,” she screamed angrily.

“Spike, don’t forget these are the good guys! You know, the ones who fight against evil. That’s why the beat up the only souled vampire in history in front of his son,” Buffy added. She turned to the now uncomfortable crowd.  “You know the baby you helped kidnap and let be taken by that idiot to raise in a Hell dimension.” Buffy crossed her arms over her chest and glared at them.

“Yeah,” Fred turned to face them; “You’re the guys that tried to kill me in the hotel when you tried to steal Connor from us.”

“So lets reiterate…this lot,”  Spike pointed to the now silent crowd of people, “are the good guys?” Fred, Buffy and Gunn nodded, all of them trying not to grin. “But they attack people who are fighting for the PTBs? Kidnap a baby and take him into a hell dimension; attack one of the PTBs Champions and his son? Then kill their own leader?” As Spike recited the list of transgressions he tried not to growl at calling Angel a Champion.  He and Buffy had agreed on the way over that he should say whatever he could to get info on Angel’s location.

Justine struggled, trying to escape Gunn’s firm grasp. She swore and yelled at Spike who stood just out of her range with a smirk on his face. Buffy reached over and pulled out the blood-coated ice pick from her pocket which she had spotted when the incensed woman had tried to wriggle free from Gunn’s tight grip.

“No, that’s mine.  Give it to me…” Justine strained her body towards the small Slayer.

“Buffy luv, lets have a look at that,” Spike called out to his tiny lover.

“Here,” Buffy held out the weapon.

Spike shook his head. “No, it’s okay.  I can scent it from here. It’s definitely the old bugger’s blood.”

“You mean that Justine killed Holtz?” the black woman who Gunn had recognised earlier, hesitantly stepped forward.

“Yeah pet, that’s it…” Spike pointed to the small pick in Buffy’s hand.

“Don’t listen to him.  He’s a vampire -they all lie!” Justine shrieked when she saw the expressions on her soldier’s faces, all of them were coloured with doubt. “Holtz was bitten and drained! Look for yourselves.” She was losing them and the desperation in her voice was obvious.

Fred walked over to the rapidly cooling body. “Drained? Man, this vamp you say ate your boss must have been a messy eater.” With that the young scientist rolled Holtz over revealing the drain Justine had carefully placed the body over, the grate was soaked with blood.

“What?” One of the men who had originally threatened Spike stared in shock at the evidence before them, his eyes darting to the now silent Justine in surprise.

“If it helps, mate, those aren’t fang marks.”  Spike pointed at the two neat holes on the Victorian vampire hunters neck. “Look,” Spike vamped out and casually bit his own arm, aware that the chip offered him no other option. Buffy stepped over and stroked the vampire’s back, surprised at his ingenuity.

As one the crowd stepped closer to examine the wound. It was much deeper and rather than two small holes there were several and two much larger holes where Spike’s fangs have entered his skin. Then in unison their gazes swung to Holtz’s neck and back to stare accusingly at Justine.

The woman paled and slumped defeated in Gunn’s grip under the angry gazes of the rapidly thinning crowd. One by one they left until there was only the African American woman left.

“Is the boy going to be okay?” she asked hesitantly.

“Yeah, no thanks to you lot.”  Spike replied as he wrapped his hand over the rapidly healing bite on his forearm. Buffy reached over and stroked his lean fingers gently.

“Spike,” Buffy chided the angry vampire.

“Sorry luv, I’ll keep my gob shut now.” Spike turned to Holtz’s body and Fred who still knelt there. He and the Texan girl carried the body to the back of Gunn’s truck and covered him with a tarp.

“If it helps the boy, his father…Angel was taken away by them.” The dark skinned woman pointed at the fuming Justine and Holtz’s rapidly cooling body.

“Traitor,” the redhead hissed angrily. She jerked in Gunn’s arms, trying to get to the woman.

“Easy, Tiger.” Spike smirked at the fuming woman. “Go on pet, tell us what you know.”

“She and Holtz took him away on a boat, they were gone for about an hour… I don’t know anymore than that, though.  I’m very sorry. Both for this and for letting them hurt that boy.” With that she turned and ran from the alley.

“So the Slayer wannabe here knows were Peaches is?” Spike sauntered over to Justine and Gunn. “You gonna help us get the git back?” Spike arched his scarred brow at the now defeated red-head.

“I don’t know where he is,” Justine offered weakly.

“Yeah, right!” Buffy scoffed as she glared at the woman. “I just bet you’ve the exact location memorised.”

Fred nodded in agreement as she stepped up next to the diminutive slayer. “Just tell us where Angel is and then all this mess is done with.”

”You all make me sick playing nice with these animals.  Angel is a vampire and so is he.” Justine jerked her head at the non-plussed Spike.

“Why do people have to keep telling me I’m a Vampire…it’s not like I don’t know.  I was there when Dru turned me!” Spike grumbled under his breath. Buffy giggled at his antics and laid her head on his leather-clad shoulder.

Justine glared at Buffy, disgusted that she would voluntarily touch the blond vampire. “They’re demon scum…killers and you work for them?”

“Um…” Buffy smirked, not too unlike Spike. “I don’t work for them, they work for me…and they’re not so shabby in the bedroom either…”

Spike tried not to laugh along with Buffy as he shared her amusement at the pole-axed expression on Justine’s face.

“Sleep, pet? I thought we did a hell of a lot more than that!” Spike ran his tongue suggestively over the back of his teeth. He looped his thumbs over his belt buckle and rocked on his heels.

Buffy rolled her eyes at Spike’s posturing and Gunn’s smiling face.

“Demon whore!” Justine snarled.

Spike growled and leapt in front of the captured red haired vampire hunter. Frustrated at the inhibitive nature of the chip, he vamped out. His golden eyes flashed angrily at the now silent woman. Buffy stepped up and put a calming hand on Spike’s arm. He turned and nuzzled his face into her neck all the while rumbling affectionately.

“Spike honey, don’t let her get to you,” Buffy chided. She eyed the captive woman distastefully, “she’s not worth it…” She was trying to keep the smile his actions had evoked from her face, but failed. She turned to Justine and eyed her carefully. “You’re not going to tell us, are you?”

“Never!” Justine rasped angrily.

Buffy shrugged her slender shoulders. “Okay.  I guess we do this Tara’s way.” The Slayer reached into her pockets and withdrew a handful of powdered Emanuss truth root - Tara had given it to them at the hotel- to use as a last resort. She blew it into Justine’s face. “It’ll take a couple of minutes to work. Gunn, tie her hands and stick her in Spike’s car.  We’ll follow you to the docks.”

Justine’s tried not to inhale any more of the fine glittering powder that clung to her face. “I’ll never tell…”

“Yeah, right.  In a few minutes you’ll be telling me your true weight and real bra size,” Spike mocked as he followed Gunn and the struggling woman to his car.

Fred turned to Buffy, “Weight and Bra size?”

Buffy rolled her eyes at Spike before turning to answer Fred. “Yeah, well, cos it’s the two things a woman’s most likely to lie about…”

“Oh! Well, I guess so…” Fred gazed down at her flat chest and sighed. She flitted a glance down at Spike’s groin and smiled wickedly.  “We also might fib about size not mattering…” she snickered.

Spike blinked at the Texan girl and threw his head back and laughed. He shook his head at Fred and got into the Desoto.

“Come on, Slayer.  Get your sexy arse in here.” Spike bellowed from the driver’s seat.

Buffy huffed out a breath. “Man, he is sooo impatient!”

Fred smiled at Buffy. Gunn came over and hooked his arm through the smiling girl’s arm. “We’ll see you at the docks?”

“Sure, hopefully by then we’ll know exactly where they dumped Angel.” Buffy trotted off and waved at them as she slid into the passenger seat.

“Knock…knock!” Lorne’s cheery voice made Tara jump. She had been engrossed in the Codex, making notes on a pad sitting next to her on the floor by Connor’s bed. She looked up and smiled sweetly at the tall demon who had waltzed excitedly into the room.

“Hey there!”  She put the book down carefully.

Connor snorted and shifted in his sleep. The bruising was practically gone and his breathing was much easier.

“He looks better.” Lorne pointed at the slumbering boy. Relief shone in his crimson eyes.

Tara nodded, “I think he’ll be okay when he wakes up…I just hope the others find Angel soon, otherwise Connor’ll blame himself…”

“He’s like his Dad- takes the worries of the world on his shoulders.” Lorne commented sadly.

Tara nodded in agreement. “I think all Champions are like that. Buffy and Spike they do…” Tara trailed off and frowned in surprise; she hummed under her breath. ‘When did I realise Spike was a Champion?’

“I guess around the time he started patrolling with you when Buffy was dead?” Lorne suggested softly.

“Huh? How did you know that?” Tara’s eyes widened. She had never told anyone about her idea of Spike being a Champion, not even Willow. The original Scoobies would never have agreed with her. Spike was a tool for them to use as a substitute for Buffy- nothing else. Not a being with feelings and emotions.

“You were humming,” Lorne explained.

“Oh, okay…” Tara suddenly realised that as soon as she told herself not to hum, whistle or sing the urge to do any of them was too much.

Lorne tried not to smile at the flustered Wiccan. Taking pity he held out his hands, which were closed. “Pick a hand, luscious. I had a friend whip something up for you and the Spearmint Twins.”

Tara considered Lorne’s big hands carefully. “A present?”

Lorne nodded and bounced up and down on his toes gleefully. “Yeah, come pick a hand!” he exclaimed childishly.

Tara took her time and then put her index finger on Lorne’s right hand. “That one?” Lorne turned his hands over and opened them. Sitting on the palm of his right hand was a clear three-inch crystal ball.

“It’s beautiful,” Tara exclaimed. “I can sense the power…” her hand hovered over the small orb. “What is it?”

Lorne reached into his pocket and pulled out a small purple velvet pouch. “It comes with this.” He handed the pouch to Tara who opened it carefully, a silver chain fell out and hanging from it was a delicate gold circular cage. It was engraved with tiny protective runes and at the bottom of it a small eternity symbol swung from it. “Here, it fits in like this.” Lorne twisted the eternity symbol and the cage popped open. He laid the orb inside the fragile golden cage and clicked it shut. He handed it over to the stunned Wiccan.   

“A friend of mind makes them. They help find that which is lost.” Lorne reached over and brushed Tara’s fair hair from her cheek. “You can use it to find Willow.”

“Really!” Tara looked up from the orb and her eyes were filled with tears of relief. “Oh, thank you!” She leant over and hugged the tall demon. Reaching up she pressed a kiss to his green cheek.

Lorne held her close and patted her back gently. “No more tears, luscious. Come on, I’ll show you how to use it.”

The truck and the black DeSoto pulled up and parked by the docks.

Buffy and Spike leapt out of the car and shook their heads.

“Man, we need to tell Tara she got the dosage wrong!”  Buffy’s face was crimson with embarrassment.

Spike rubbed his hand over his face and shuddered. “I don’t need to know where, when and how the bird lost her vir….”

“Hey guys, any luck?” Fred trotted over to the shuddering couple. “Gunn’s gone to rent a boat and stuff. You got the coolers?”

“Yeah, in the trunk,” Spike tossed the keys to Fred as he eyed the back of his car with horror and backed away pulling Buffy with him.

“What the hell is wrong with you guys?” Fred asked as she swiftly unlocked the trunk and pulled out the four coolers filled with blood that Lorne had packed for Angel. None of them knew what condition the souled vampire would be in and they had agreed to err on the side of caution.

“It’s her!” Buffy pointed at the back of the DeSoto with a snarl of disgust. “She keeps telling us stuff we sooo didn’t want or need to hear.”

“Oh, well…I guess that’s to be expected? She did tell you where Angel was though, right?” Fred tried not to laugh at the look of complete horror on Spike’s face.

“Yeah, here…” Buffy thrust a scrap of paper into the Texan’s hands.

“Coordinates? That’s great!” Fred exclaimed.

Chapter 19

Buffy clutched onto the boat rail and turned a shade greener. Her hand clutched her stomach as she gulped hard. Her tiny frame shook as she retched again. Spike stood behind her trying not to laugh at the mighty Slayer trying to stop herself from tossing up her cookies. He rubbed his hand in a soothing motion on her shaking back.

The boat hit another wave.

“Oh no…” Buffy yelped as she lurched forward and started to heave.

“S’all right pet, just let it go. Better out than in!” Spike whispered soothingly. He smoothed her hair from her face as he supported her with his body.

“Here, this’ll help.” Fred’s hand appeared clutching a bottle of water. “Sip it slowly and look at the horizon.  It’ll settle your stomach.” The skinny brunette smiled encouragingly at Buffy, who sipped the cool water gingerly.

Spike nodded his thanks to Fred. “Any news?”

“Gunn’s keeping an eye on the weird chick,” Fred giggled. “Man it’s cool that there’s someone weirder out there than me! The ship’s captain said it’d be a few more minutes till we are at the co- ordinates.”

“He didn’t want to know why we’re heading there?” Buffy asked curiously.

“Nope…” Fred glanced over her shoulder at the short round man who was manning the vessel. He grinned at the Texan around a short cigar, which was clamped between his discoloured teeth. “I kinda get the impression from him that he does this sort of stuff all the time…”

Buffy and Spike nodded. Buffy clutched her stomach and mouth and whirled towards the railing.

“Bloody hell, luv.  At this rate, you’ll be chucking up you’re toenails!” Spike muttered as he steadied her shaking body.

Fred pulled a face and backed away. “I’ll just go and um…check up on Gunn.”

Connor levered himself up and, with an exhausted sigh, leant against the headboard of his bed.

“You feeling a bit better?” Tara glanced up from the Clavian Codex, which she was still trying to translate. Lorne was dozing in an armchair by the window.

“A bit.  What you got there?” Connor asked.

“This? Oh, it’s the book I told you about.  I’m trying to translate it…” Tara closed the embossed leather book and handed it over to Connor for him to have a look at. She reached up and grasped the small orb that Lorne had given her earlier.

The bruised young man opened it and flipped through the pages. With a shrug he handed it back. “Sorry, not a language I know…but then again I have enough trouble with English.” Connor smiled weakly.

“Would you like to go the High School?” Tara asked cautiously.

Connor nodded. “Yeah, that’d be good…but Dad never offered so I kinda guessed there was a problem…” he trailed off and stared down at the bed covers, unaware the Lorne was awake and watching him through half closed eyes.

“Well, maybe you should talk to someone else? Maybe Lorne or Fred? They could help,” Tara suggested.

Connor’s head snapped up, his blue eyes filled with hope. “You think they would?”

“Of course I will,” Lorne interrupted. “I bet you just want to check out the cheerleaders, huh cupcake?”

Connor frowned. “Cheerleaders?”

“You’ll see and enjoy!” Lorne promised slyly. “They’ll just eat you up…”

“I guess you’d like to make friends your own age and study?” Tara interrupted the excitable green demon.

Connor shrugged. “I guess…”

“Well then, we’ll sort something out.  I think Fred’ll be able to help with creating some sort of educational history for you and also help you catch up studywise…” Lorne nodded enthusiastically. He then frowned, remembering something. “I thought Cordy was gonna register you at the school?”

“She never had time,” Connor explained quickly, not wanting to reveal to the others that he had disliked Cordelia and had avoided her as much as possible.

“Oh…” Lorne shifted uncomfortably in his seat. Tara peered closely at Connor and tried to divine what he was concealing.

“So, what are you reading that for?” Connor changed the subject to the book Tara had cradled in her hands.

“Well, an emissary for the Powers gave it to us to help with Willow.” Tara’s fine features were etched with worry over her erstwhile lover.

“Do you think it’ll help?” Lorne interrupted.

Tara nodded. “I think so.  There are some fascinating passages in here, it’s a question of getting it all in order in my mind. That and making notes.” Her soft lips quirked into a lopsided smile, which entranced both her listeners. “Oh, I need to get my laptop, excuse me for a second.” With that she stood and vanished out of the room.

“She’s nice,” Connor mumbled and flushed slightly at the grin Lorne directed at him. “You think the orb showing her where the Witch is helped?” He had been a silent observer when Lorne and Tara had enchanted the orb to pick up on Willow’s aura. The young man had been beside himself when Tara had started crying when the small globe that Lorne had given her had emitted a beam of light and a map of the world had appeared on the wall. A small red light had hovered over London showing them that Willow was no longer in America.

“Sure, sweet cheeks.  It was a shock, that’s all.  I think that the three of them were hoping to catch up with Willow in New York and be home quickly…but I have a feeling they are gonna be after her for a while.”

“I guess…I just wish she wasn’t so sad. Someone as nice as her should always be happy,” Connor mumbled again, embarrassed at being so open with anyone. His experiences in Quortoth had shaped him into a reserved person. But being exposed to Tara and the others had started to allow the barriers to fall slightly.

Lorne eyed Angel’s son.  It had been an adjustment for him and the others when the baby they had all fawned over had returned as a young teen. But, watching the boy and his concern for the gentle Wiccan, Lorne was pleased at how quickly he had adapted and was developing into a fine person. A true Champion. “You’re turning into a good man, Connor… your father will be proud of you.” He reached over and pulled the slender boy into his arms and hugged him. Unexpectedly, Connor returned the embrace.

“I hope they can get him back,” Connor whispered.

“One thing I can say about Buffy and Spike, when they set their minds to something, they usually achieve it.” Tara stepped back into the room with her laptop in her arms. She tilted her head slightly and grinned.

“Jesus Slayer, stop.  Cos you’re starting to make me feel rough!” Spike’s face paled even more.

Buffy peered miserably over her shoulder. Tears streamed down her face, the pressure from emptying her stomach had made them water. She pressed her hand over her mouth as she turned to Spike. Her skin was clammy with sweat and her shoulders slumped tiredly. “I can’t help it, Spike,” she pouted.

Spike sighed and took in her forlorn stance. “Come ‘ere pet.” He opened his arms and Buffy flew into them. Her tiny hands fisting in his black T-shirt as she nuzzled her face against his chest. Spike tried not to grimace but his sensitive sense of smell was filled with the sour odour of bile. He sighed and pulled her closer. ‘Didn’t matter, she could smell of week old Zhirgo flesh and I’d hold her…’

Buffy hummed happily as she inhaled deeply. “You smell good…” she nuzzled closer to him and wrapped her arms around his waist, tucking her hands into the back pockets of his jeans and squeezing his butt cheeks gently. The tiny blonde sighed happily.

Spike rested his chin on the top of Buffy’s head and sighed happily. “This is the life, my heart.”

Buffy nodded and sighed happily. “Yeah, snuggling with my honey on the boat from hell while searching for a dead guy in a coffin who’s hanging out with Davey Jones in his locker…Yeah, this is the life.” Buffy giggled, looking up at her laughing lover.

Spike kissed her on the forehead. “You, pet,” he kissed her on the nose, “are the funniest, sweetest girl in existence.” He pulled back slightly and looked into her hazel and emerald green eyes. “I love you, my goddess.” With that he kissed her soft lips.

Buffy happily reciprocated, and when she pulled back to catch her breath she grinned impishly. “Hey, I feel better.”

“You do?” Spike arched his scarred brow. “Bout bloody time, was sure I saw your Christmas dinner from ‘96 come up at one point” he teased.

Buffy rolled her eyes at Spike. “Save me from vamps who think they’re comedians.” She brushed her lips along Spike’s pale throat and sighed happily.

“What stopped the vomitorium?” Spike asked curiously.

“You…well your smell…we should bottle it and sell it as a cure-all.” Buffy chirped.

“Eau de Spike. Yeah, like the sound of that.”

“You two done flirting?” The rough voice of their captain interrupted their musing. “Take this,” he handed over a small bottle. “It’ll stop the seasickness for good, something my old Ma mixed up for landlubbers like you.”

Spike intercepted the small brown bottle and opened it gingerly. He sniffed it carefully and then handed it over to Buffy. “Smells alright to me…go on Slayer, it can’t make you any sicker.”

Buffy took the bottle and downed it in one gulp. Her face lit up, “hey, it tastes like Hersheys Syrup! Yum,” she turned to the grizzled sailor. “Thanks, I think it worked!”

Spike eyed her carefully and noticed the interesting green tinge to her skin had vanished and was replaced with her usually healthy glow. “How did you?”

“My ma! She’s a dab hand with the home remedies, vampire,” the captain casually added.

“How did you know?” Fred appeared from the cabin and gazed at the captain suspiciously.

“The nose knows…” the captain tapped his and smiled at them.

Spike stepped closer to the man and sniffed him. “Not so much with the human thing yourself, are you?”

“Nope, part Bracken demon.” With that the captain’s face erupted with blue spikes.

Buffy stepped forward her hand reaching for the stake which was tucked in her waistband.

Spike’s firm grip stopped her. “It’s okay, pet. They’re generally the good guys.”

“Yeah, we are.” With that, the captain shook his head and the spike’s disappeared. “Actually, one of my nephews used to help out a vampire here in LA.”

“Doyle?” Fred asked. Angel and Cordy had talked about their dead friend often.

“You knew the boy?” the sea captain asked.

“No. He died before I met Angel and Cordy.” Fred explained

“Died saving a lot of folk, he was a good boy… did you say you know Angel?” The captain queried.

The three of them nodded.

“Hell, well anyone who’s a friend of Angel’s…” the captain reached into his pocket and handed over the money Gunn had paid him to Fred. “I’m Patrick…my friends call me Paddie, though.”

“Um… thanks Paddie?” Fred shoved the hand-full of cash into her back pocket.

“So, what are you lot salvaging out here?” Paddie gestured to the sea in the distance- the sun was beginning to set, casting an orange glow over the clouds.

“Well, we’re…salvaging Angel…” Buffy explained.

“What? The vampire? How the hell did he end up out here?” Paddie asked.

“She put him out here…” Gunn appeared and pushed Justine to her knees on the rocking deck. “Sorry.  Needed a break, she’s beginning to drive me nuts!”

Paddie reached over and pulled Justine to her feet, he wrapped a large knarled hand around her throat. “You sunk Doyle’s friend down there?” with that he threw the struggling woman overboard.

“Whoa,” Gunn yelled as he leapt after the still bound woman. Fred and Buffy rushed over to the rail and watched anxiously as Gunn dove down after the sinking woman.

“Good one, mate.” Spike slapped Paddie on his shoulder as he sauntered past to watch the excitement. 

“So, you ready to go?” Wesley eyed Xander with a small amount of concern.

The construction worker hefted the small axe from hand to hand. “Sure.  Ready as I’ll ever be.” He tried to smile but the last few day’s events weighed heavily on his mind.

“Are your legs sufficiently healed?” Groo walked over and placed his hand on Xander’s shoulder in concern.

The last of the original Scoobies in Sunnydale shrugged the Pylean’s hand angrily off his shoulder. “Yeah, I’m fine…man, you’d think I’d never patrolled before.”

“Well, it’s been a very long time Xander,” Anya interrupted pertly.

“What do you mean by that?” Xander snapped. He hated how Anya always managed to hone in on a sore point. He was positive that sometimes she could read his mind. He eyed his girl warily, wondering if she had indeed sensed his guilt from the other day when he’d realised that Spike was the only one who regularly helped Buffy on patrol and that her friends had left her to her own devices as they had gone about their lives and relationships.

“Well, you said it yourself to me that you felt bad about leaving Buffy to patrol on her own.  I think finding out that Spike was with her every night protecting her back has made you wonder what sort of friend you are to her.” Anya folded her arms across her chest and waited expectantly for Xander to lose his temper with her- again- for her bluntness.

Wesley and Groo watched the mini confrontation, both of them silently cheering the ex-demon on.

“Ahn, not now…” Xander gritted his teeth. His hands flexed on the axe handle as he tried to keep his temper. Wesley, noticing his actions, stepped to Anya’s side subtly offering his support.

“Whatever, Xander,” Anya snapped.  She ran her hand tiredly through her hair. Lately their arguments had become more frequent and her antipathy for her fiancée was growing. She also felt stronger as a result of the friendship and support from Buffy, Tara and Spike. She was unsure as to why she felt more confrontational. But after the incident in the Magic Box, the small woman was more uncertain as to whether or not the two of them had a future. ‘Now is as good a time as any’ she sighed and then turned to Xander.

“Xander, you need to understand something about Buffy. She needed us, she needed you and we all let her down. The only person who helped her and stood by her, helping her adjust to being yanked out of heaven by her so-called best friends, was Spike. A soulless demon, which has essentially saved her.”

“Don’t Anya, please,” Xander begged. He was humiliated that his girl was ripping into him in front of relative strangers, but what was worse was that she was telling the truth and there was nothing he could say to defend himself. “Lets just drop it for now, we can talk later.” Anya sighed, well aware that Xander was going to bury his head in the sand or more likely a six-pack, rather than face up to the harsh reality that Buffy didn’t need anyone but Spike. 

Groo nodded. “Indeed, let us go find this vampire that is creating all the fledglings. Clem said he had heard that there was several rising in Restvale Cemetery, maybe we can track their Sire and put an end to his reign of terror?”

Xander nodded his head and disappeared out of the house.

“Coming?” Wesley laid his hand gently on Anya’s tense shoulder. Groo stepped in front of her and smiled encouragingly. 

“What? Oh yes, lets go…” Anya turned to leave but then stopped and faced the two men. “I’m sorry that you had to hear that…”

“No, it’s all right, really Anya.” Wesley reached over and gently squeezed her elbow in support. “He is being very unreasonable and rather aggressive.”

“Is this his usual behaviour?” Groo asked curiously.

Anya nodded and sighed. “Yes. He seems to feel the need to be the moral guide for us all, but he can’t seem to accept his own faults. It’s getting harder and harder everyday and after…”

“After what?” Wesley prompted the subdued woman.

“Well he…” Anya hesitated.  She was embarrassed and also unsure as to whether it was fair to involve to relative strangers in her and Xander’s problems.

“Go on, it’s alright,” Groo urged her, his concern for the young woman colouring his eyes.

“Well, he grabbed me and shook me…I feel ridiculous. I was Anyanka, patron of scorned women, and I’m getting upset that the man who supposedly loves me, hurt me…if I had my powers he’d be a steaming pile of entrails by now…” Anya’s eyes filled with tears. “I hate being a weak woman.”

“You’re not!” Wesley’s voice was sharp, his anger over Xander’s behaviour etched sharply on his face. “Look…”

“Tick tock, guys.  There’s a monster awaiting slayage.” Xander voice drifted through the open doorway as he paced on the porch.

Wes and Groo exchanged a brief look and Groo nodded in agreement to the silent conversation.

“Anya?”  He caught her chin with a gentle grasp and urged her to look up from the floor. The Pylean looked deeply into her water-filled eyes. “What he did was wrong. I am very sorry that he felt the need to lay his hands on you, but remember this.  You have the power in the relationship, from the little I have witnessed and have been told, he is very lucky to have you. That is, if you still want him?” Groo added. “Wesley shall remain with you while the boy and I hunt, talk with him.” He took her free hand and kissed her knuckles before heading out.

“What do you mean, it’s just us?” Xander’s voice sounded annoyed as he and Groo headed out into the twilight. “Oh, research for Dawnie, guess that’s okay then…”

“Well, now that we have Xander’s seal of approval, lets get rid of the weapons,” Wesley interjected dryly as he returned the stakes and axe to the weapons trunk. He headed over to the front door and swung it shut and locked it.

“Um, why did you lock the door? Buffy never does.” Anya asked as she curled onto the sofa and reached over and stroked the bundle of white and ginger fur. William and Anne purred happily at the attention.

“It’s safer…” Wesley. “Probably a hangover from living in LA…”

“I guess,” Anya picked up William and plopped him in her lap.

“Tea?” Wesley vanished into the kitchen.

“Beer?” Anya asked hopefully. “And something to eat?”

“No problem.” Wesley smiled briefly and disappeared into the kitchen; as he walked he ran his finger over the faint scar on his throat.

Anya curled her legs up under her and glared at Miss Kitty who had appeared next to the couch and was watching over the sleeping kittens with a propriety expression on her feline face. “I’m not gonna eat them or take them for kitten poker.” Anya huffed as she stroked the small furry bodies next to her.

“Sorry, what did you say?” Wesley stood in the doorway with a perplexed look on his face.

Anya blushed. “Nothing. Just reassuring Miss Kitty that her babies are safe from me.”

“Right.” Wesley handed her a bowl of chips and a bottle of ice-cold beer. “Do you need anything else?”

Anya blinked in surprise and she sniffed. Wesley patted her gently on the shoulder. “Sorry, it’s just the last few days, everyone has been so nice to me and not telling me to be quiet. It’s just been too much.”

Wesley stared at the small woman in surprise. “I…I’m really sorry. If you like, I can be mean to you?” He grinned at Anya and sipped his beer.

Anya laughed. “No, please continue with the niceness.” She waved her hand regally and started to giggle.

Wesley’s grin widened to a smile and for the first time in a long while, he laughed.

“Duck!” Xander yelled as he swung his axe at the fledgling that was trying to sneak up on Groo. He swung his axe and began to cough as he was showered with dust. Groo straightened; he nodded his thanks and spun round to dust another newly risen vampire.

The tall Champion methodically staked another three vampires, as he dusted the final one he turned to Xander. “Well done my friend, let us continue.”

Xander straightened; he pounded his chest, “man I need a dust mask, cos this can’t be good for you!” He cleared his throat again and followed after Groo.

The Pylean paused for a second. His sharp hearing heard a twig snap. He turned on his heel and faced a small wooded copse. Raising one hand he gestured to Xander to come closer. “Something is watching us, over there.” He nodded in the direction he had heard the noise.

“Can we get to him?” Xander whispered. His eyes narrowed as he tried to spot their stalker.

“We can but try.” With that, Groo sprinted off with Xander running after him.

“And you say I’m impulsive?” Spike shook his head at Buffy and leant over the rail watching Gunn drag Justine back to the boat. “Paddie, you’re my kinda people!”

“Gunn…Gunn, are you okay?” Fred called out anxiously as she reached over and pulled Justine up with Buffy’s help.

“I’m fine.” Gunn swung onto the deck and rolled onto his back and tried to get his breath back.

“Keep that poisonous bitch away from me,” Paddie growled as he headed to the aft and dropped anchor.

“Why are we stopping?” Buffy queried.

“This is where Hotlz and I dropped off the demon scum,” Justine replied, still under the control of the truth spell. She clapped her hands over her mouth and glared at all of them. “I hate you all,” she yelled as she tried to twist her hands free of their bindings.

“Feelings mutual, psycho,” Buffy snapped as she pushed Justine aside and peered over the edge of the boat.

Spike, Fred and Gunn joined her, all of them trying to spot Angel.

“You do realise that he’s probably at the bottom of the ocean; you’re not going to be spotting him that easily,” Paddie yelled as he swung the salvage crane over the ocean.

All four of them tried not to look too embarrassed at their naivety.

“Right…” Spike ran his hand over the back of his head as he tugged Buffy away from the edge. “Just admiring the view.”

“Yeah,” Buffy added, a faint flush of red to her cheeks.

“These are the guys who are going to save the vampire?” Justine began to laugh.

“Yes we are, so shut up,” Fred snapped angrily at the bound woman.

“So, who’s going swimming?” Paddie reappeared carrying a wet suit and air tanks.

“Buffy and water are kinda unmixy.” Buffy shuddered delicately at the memory of the brackish water that had filled her lungs and drowned her when the Master had killed her.

“Pet?” Spike cupped her shoulders in his cool hands; his concern filled eyes scanned her strained face.

“The Master drowned me once, haven’t really liked swimming since.” Buffy tried to shrug, but Spike’s hands were pulling her to him. He cradled her against his chest and kissed the top of her fair head.

“I’ll go get Peaches,” Spike offered. Buffy smiled up at him in thanks.

Paddie tossed over the wetsuit and set the tanks on the deck.

“Won’t need the tanks, mate.  No need to breath here.” Spike disappeared below decks to change into the wet suit. “Hey pet, wanna give me a hand?”

“Sure…” Buffy trotted over and followed her vampire.

“So, what kind of container is Angel in, Justine?” Fred turned to the slumped woman.

“Metal coffin, welded shut with a window for him to enjoy the view.” Justine answered, her eyes flashing with anger at her inability to conceal the truth.

“Nice.” Gunn glared at the woman.

“Right! Anyone laughs and I rip their lungs out through their noses.” Spike stepped out onto the deck followed by a smirking Buffy whose hands were firmly gripping Spike’s rubber clad backside.

“Honey, can we keep this? You look really hot in latex!” Buffy giggled as she danced away from Spike’s grasp.

Gunn bit his lip at the expression of embarrassment and anger on the blond vampire’s face. Fred blinked once and then turned bright red.

“Even though you’re a vampire, I’d do you, shit… I hate this spell!” Justine growled and closed her eyes, trying to block out the image of the vampire’s muscles, which were defined by the form-fitting suit.

“In you’re dreams, skanky!” Buffy snapped as she repeatedly ran her hands over Spike’s six-pack.

“Right, as much as I’d love to see a catfight, I think short round here has a date with the ocean.” Paddie tried not to laugh at the expression on Spike’s face. “Here, take this with you, hook it onto the coffin and give it a yank.”

“Right…and then you’ll crank Barnacle Bill up from his watery grave?” Spike asserted.

“That’s the plan,” Paddie replied as he climbed up onto the crane to adjust the locking mechanism.

“Spike!” Buffy’s eyes filled with tears. “Be careful, okay?”

“Always, luv. Got a lot to unlive for, here”. He ran his fingers over Buffy’s lips before leaning in and capturing them in a sweet gentle kiss.

“That’s kinda cute, crap…” Justine clapped her hands over her mouth.

Spike straightened and pulled on his mask. “Need a torch or something?”

“Here,” Paddie tossed down a large torch. “Now get swimming, shorty.”

“Hey!” Buffy and Spike exclaimed simultaneously.

Buffy turned back to Spike; she smoothed her hands over his shoulders. “Be safe.”

“Will do.” With that Spike turned and dove into the icy cold water.

Buffy rushed over to the rail and stood watching the bubbles that were left in the wake of her vampire.

“Kinda weird for yah, ain’t it?” Fred joined Buffy in her vigil.

“Huh?”

“Your current going to rescue your ex?” Fred explained.

Buffy nodded. “Weirder still is, Spike hates Angel…well, I guess he kinda does…” Buffy frowned and watched the choppy waters.

‘Bloody hell, am gonna have to borrow Peaches superhero cape after this… what the bloody hell am I doing this for?” Spike swam downwards swiftly. Buffy’s concerned hazel eyes filled his mind. ‘Oh right, doing it for her and Peaches Jr...’

The dark water was freezing cold- cold enough to register-and Spike’s muscles were beginning to cramp slightly. After almost fifteen minutes of swimming steadily he was beginning to tire.

‘If my balls and dick drop off from frostbite I’m gonna kill the poof, if Buffy doesn’t do it for me! Spike smiled wryly at the image of his girl going medieval on Angel’s ass. He switched on the torch and began to aim it below him. He could feel a tug on his undead heart; his Grandsire was close. He could feel it.

“How long has it been?” Buffy asked anxiously. It had felt like an eternity, but she knew it had only been minutes. The interminable wait was wearing on her. She wanted Spike back and safe in her arms.

“About twenty minutes, wonder what water pressure does to a vamps internal organs?” Justine asked.

“Shut up!” Gunn snarled and he picked up the struggling woman and took her below.

“Good riddance, she is a pain in all of our asses!” Paddie grumbled as he sat with his hand on the rope, waiting to feel the tug when Spike signalled him.

Buffy and Fred nodded in agreement and then turned to face the moonlit ocean.

Spike shuddered as the familial claim became stronger; it was as if icy hooks were pulling on his bones. He swung the waterproof flashlight in an arc and in the distance he could see it. ‘About bloody time!’ With powerful strokes of his arms Spike swam over to the metal coffin. It lay on the sand surrounded by gently waving seaweed.

The blond vampire pushed his face up against the small window. The sight of Angel’s face made him recoil. ‘Sweet Jesus! The effing wankers have really done a number on him.’ Spike patted the window once and then swam to the top of the coffin. ‘Bollocks!’ Spike ran his hands over the smooth top; there was nothing for him to attach the hook onto. Running his numb fingers down the side, Spike found one of the handles. Quickly hooking the rope onto it, Spike reached up and, using all of his vampiric strength, he tugged on the rope.

“He’s found Angel!” felt the rope vibrate under his hand.

“Really?” Fred spun and stared at the rope and a smile broke out over her face as she saw the rope twitch again. “Spike’s found him, Buffy!”

“I know. Was there any doubt?” Buffy smiled serenely at the excited Texan and turned back to watch the ocean.

Her calm face belied the chaotic thoughts that were spinning in her mind. The vigil by the rail of the boat had resulted in Buffy having an epiphany – Spike was hers and she was determined to broach the subject of them claiming each other. She instinctively knew that Spike would be against it – he would say it was too soon after her and Angel’s ritual of un-claiming. But Buffy was determined; one thing she had learned was that her life was too short for delay. She knew it was the right time, now she had to convince the stubborn vamp who was currently deep-sea fishing for his Grandsire.

“Hey, did I hear right? Billy boy found the boss?” Gunn reappeared on deck a broad smile on his face, his delighted exclamation brought Buffy back to the matter in hand.

“Yup.” Buffy smirked over her shoulder at the tall dark skinned man. She turned back and continued her vigil.

There was a roar from the crane as the engine turned over and the pulley began to crank Angel’s coffin up. Smoke billowed out of the exhaust and the noise was deafening.

Spike felt the coffin lurch as the rope began to shorten. He held onto the rope as the coffin began to rise. He could see the sand under the coffin swirl as a vacuum was created, the weight of the coffin shifted suddenly as it broke free. Spike shone the torch downwards and tried to make out what the dark swirls were in the sand. The coffin shifted on its side, dangling from the rope attached to the handle. Spike agilely shifted and stood braced on the coffin’s side. Wrapping one hand around the rope he leant over as far as he could, trying to make out what was trailing out from the coffin’s seams.

‘Bloody buggering hell,’ his blue eyes widened at the stream of blood that poured out from Angel’s coffin. He tugged the rope again, but it was too taut. The blond vampire swung the torch around him, scanning for any unwelcome guests. He reached down and freed the knife that Buffy had insisted he strap to his leg. 

“Um, guys, is that what I think it is?” Buffy pointed at an unmistakable pair of fins that broke the water in the distance and began to circle closer to the boat.

Fred and Gunn joined her at the rail and squinted out over the moonlit sea.

“Paddie, you better get that cranked up to the max,” Gunn yelled over his shoulder.

“Why are they here?” Fred asked anxiously.

“Justine said they had cut Angel up, maybe moving the coffin…” Gunn trailed off.

“Let the blood that was pooled inside spill out of the seams,” Fred finished. Her face paled. “Oh no…”

“Spike,” Buffy whispered, a frisson of fear running through her. She spun on her heel and ran over to Paddie and began to yell at him, her voice muffled by engines. Paddie nodded and pointed over to the aft. Buffy smiled and shot off.

Spike hung onto the rope and scanned the surrounding area. He vamped and his golden eyes gleamed in the darkness; he snarled anxiously. His demon could sense something but he couldn’t tell where. A dark shadow moved above him, Spike spotted it out of the corner of his eye. He shifted his feet and growled. His free hand now gripped the hunting knife Buffy had forced on him, ‘bless you Sunshine!’ A dark form shot past him, the pressure of the water forced Spike to his knees, looking up he snarled showing his fangs at the interloper.

“So…” Wesley shifted and ran his hands through his hair.

Anya watched the ex-watcher closely, wondering what he was going to ask her. The ex-vengeance demon was feeling slightly uncomfortable at his close scrutiny. She had heard the stories of Wesley’s first visit to Sunnydale from Xander. She found it hard to equate the hardened and scarred man with the green Watcher that Buffy, Giles and Faith had run circles around. “So…” she echoed.

“You want to talk about Xander?” Wes asked cautiously. He settled back in the armchair and watched Anya stroke Miss Kitty. “I know we are comparative strangers, but it may help talking to someone who doesn’t have a history with Xander and yourself.” Wesley rubbed the faint scar on his throat as he waited anxiously for Anya to respond.

“I…don’t know where to start,” she replied quietly.

“Would it help if I told you about Fred?” he offered.

“Fred?” Anya’s stomach sank slightly, “oh, is he an ex?”

Wesley chocked on his beer, his pale blue eyes watered slightly and a red flush tinted his cheeks. “No! Fred’s a she…” he looked down and fiddled with the label on his bottle.

“Oh, good!” Anya smiled. She tried to ignore the feeling of relief that flooded her. “If you…well…want to?”

“Right… where to start?” Wesley sat forward. “We first met in Pylea…”

For the next hour, Wesley filled in Anya on the recent turn of events in his life, leading up to Buffy and Spike bringing him to Sunnydale. Anya’s face was a mixture of horror and sympathy. She was surprised at his honesty and in turn she began to talk. It was a cathartic experience for the two of them.

Buffy reappeared clutching a harpoon. Skidding to a halt at the rail next to Gunn and Fred she scanned the water. “There’s only one! Where did the other go?” she asked anxiously.

“It went down,” Fred exclaimed.

“Blondie, can you get the other one?” Gunn’s fingers clenched on the rail as he watched the predator circle.

“Not enough light,” Buffy told him as she squinted down the barrel and tried to take aim. 

Before she could turn to Paddie to ask if he could help out, a massive searchlight flashed on and focused on the shark’s fin. Paddie stood and waved over at Buffy, a cigar clamped between his teeth. “That help?” he yelled over the crane’s noise.

Buffy nodded and shouldered the harpoon. “It’s too far away!” she muttered.

Fred reached over and grabbed hold of the harpoon and wrapped her hand over the tip, puncturing her skin. She held her hand over the rail and let her blood drip into the water.

“Fred? You okay?” Gunn ran his hand over the small of her back.

“Yeah…but OW!” Fred shook her hand scattering drops of blood into the ocean.

“Good thinking, doll,” Paddie yelled as he watched the fin swim towards the boat. “You’ll only get one shot, half pint!” he bellowed down to Buffy.

The petite Slayer braced her legs apart, her finger flexed on the trigger. “Come on…get closer…” she muttered under her breath.

“Shoot!” Gunn hissed as he watched the shark get closer.

“Wait for it,” Buffy hissed. A trickle of sweat ran down her temple. “Now!” she yelled and fired the harpoon.

There was a dull thud at it speared the shark. It began thrashing in the water. Buffy hit the trigger again and began to reel in the wounded shark.

A net dropped to the deck.  Paddie gestured to Gunn to scoop it up.

Gunn grabbed it and for the next few minutes there was the sounds of the three of them wrestling the shark onto the deck. It lay flopping on the soaked deck, its massive mouth gaped open revealing the shark’s sharp teeth opening and closing. Buffy leapt forward and grabbed the harpoon in its side and twisted it down hard, her Slayer strength, pinning the now dead shark to the deck.

“It’s huge!” Fred exclaimed as Gunn wrapped her hand with a length of fabric ripped from his sweat- shirt.

“And it wasn’t alone,” Buffy replied grimly. She stalked over to the rail and gazed apprehensively down. “Its buddy is going after Spike…”

‘Where the bloody hell is it?’ Spike crouched on the lurching coffin as it made its slow ascent to the surface. Before he could swing the torch in another arc, he felt something ram into his side and swim off. He looked down at his side, the wetsuit had torn and his skin looked as if it had been sanded. He pressed his hand to his side and stood shakily, wrapping one of his legs around the rope to keep his hands free to defend himself. The blond vampire growled deep in his chest, his skin felt like it was on fire. Looking up he could see a light on the surface about a hundred feet above him. ‘Almost there mate, just hang on…’

Spike reeled back at the sight of the shark approaching it’s massive jaw open, with his superior vampire vision he could see the rows of sharp teeth. Dropping the torch he braced himself. ‘The bugger’s got bigger nashers than me!’

“Over there!” Gunn pointed to a shape floating to the surface.

“Is it Spike?” Fred squinted out at the dark shape that floated on the choppy water.

“Paddie, swing the light over there!” Buffy yelled and pointed at the dark shape.

The searchlight swung over and illuminated a black form.

Buffy’s hand shot to her mouth as she screamed at the top of her lungs. She climbed onto the rail and tried to dive into the water. Gunn wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her back. “No, don’t. That shark’s still around!” he exclaimed.

“Spike…no!” Buffy yelled as tears streamed down her face – she couldn’t lose him. Not now, not when she had realised that she wanted to him to be hers. Gunn cradled her to his chest as she began to sob.

The crane jolted as the coffin broke the surface.

“Buffy, look!” Fred screamed.

“I can’t, he’s dead…” Buffy mumbled against Gunn’s chest.

“I know that, you dozy bint!”

“Spike?” Buffy wrenched herself from Gunn’s comforting arms and leant over the rail. “Oh god, Spike!”

“Yeah, wot? Give a bloke a hand here, I’m bleeding like a stuck pig.” The blond vampire lay sprawled on his back clutching his side. He grinned up at Buffy’s tearstained face. “Miss me, Sunshine?”

“But how?” Buffy leant over the rail and reached for Spike, their fingers grazed each other. They both felt a jolt go through them at the first touch of their fingers.

“How what, darlin?” Spike asked as the coffin swung over the side.

“The shark… you killed it?” Buffy frowned as she stood on her tiptoes trying to keep sight of Spike. Fred and Gunn joined her.

“Yeah.  Stabbed the bastard in the eye and scrambled his tiny brain around a bit, why?” Spike replied tiredly.

The coffin dropped onto the deck and Buffy carefully eased Spike off.  She wrapped her arms around him and, cradling him to her chest they sank to the deck.

“Angel!” Fred gasped as Gunn lowered the coffin face up and she caught sight of his emaciated face. Gunn rubbed his hand over his mouth at the rictus like visage of their friend. Buffy glanced over for a second and her face darkened angrily. She could see that Holtz and his minions had nearly dusted him. Their surgical cuts all over Angel’s body had allowed for his blood to drain him almost to the point of death – he looked like a famine victim. Buffy regretted not causing some physical damage to the idiots who had allowed Holtz to brainwash them into becoming vigilantes.

“Spike? How did you manage to kill the shark, the chip…” she frowned.

“Chip stops me from hurting humans; guess the Initiative wasn’t worried about fuzzy animals and soddin great sharks that chomp on unsuspecting vamps.” Spike theorised. He ignored the ringing in his ears and the blood he could feel seeping out of them. He didn’t want Buffy to know just now that when he had defended himself against attack, the chip had fired repeatedly, nearly causing him to black out. The only thing that had kept him conscious and fighting was the desire to get back to Buffy.

“Chip?” Fred’s eyebrows shot up into her hairline.

“We’ll natter about that later ducks.  First, someone get these teeth outta me!” Spike  

“Oh god!” Buffy peeled Spike’s pale hand away from his side and her eyes filled with tears at the sight of the wound on her vampire. “I’m so sorry…”

“None of that Goldilocks, just yank em out and strap me up…” Spike paused for a second. “Umm, can you keep them for me?”

“What, the teeth?” Buffy gazed down at the bleeding vampire with a complete lack of surprise.

“Yeah, fancy having a nice necklace made out of the bugger’s nashers,” Spike tried to laugh but winced.

“Here.”  A first-aid kit landed next to Buffy and Spike. Paddie jumped down from the now silent crane and joined Fred and Gunn by the coffin. He swore under his breath at the sight of Angel’s comatose face. “Lets get Spike sorted before we get Angel out of there.  I’m thinking we need to contain the scent of blood here…”

With that the three of them joined Buffy and Spike. Fred reached for the kit; Gunn and Paddie grabbed hold of Spike’s legs, while Buffy wrapped her arms around his chest and cradled him against her torso. Her clothes were soaked with seawater and Spike’s blood.

“This might hurt a bit,” Fred said softly as she reached over and tore the wetsuit exposing the wound. The torn rubber gave easily under her hands, exposing the teeth marks that spanned Spike’s side both front and back.

“Arghhhh…” Spike roared, as Fred began to deftly pull the teeth from the bleeding wound. Gunn and Paddie pressed down hard on Spike’s kicking legs as Buffy held on tight. She pressed kisses to his temple and murmured soothingly to Spike. Her still weak stomach clenched with every bellow that erupted from her vampire. ‘Yup, her vampire,’ she thought as she clutched him closer to her heart. As soon as they had a bit of down time Buffy was determined that they had to have the ‘talk’.

The extraction process lasted for several minutes, Spike’s game face sliding over his features intermittently. Fred heeded Spike’s request, dropping the teeth into the cover of the first- aid box as she extracted them.

Buffy’s eyes began to glow green as she began to get more and more upset over the pain Spike was in.

“I’m sorry, Spike.  I should’ve been the one to go down there.” She cried as Spike whimpered pathetically as Fred daubed the bleeding teeth marks with peroxide.

“Buffy, if you’d gone down there the shark would’ve snapped you in half,” Gunn yelled over Spike’s whimpering as he braced himself on Spike’s still shaking leg.

“Almost done, Spike. Hold on for a few more seconds.” Fred carefully cut around the wetsuit and pulled the top over the wound, which she then bandaged tightly. “There, all done,” she said as she patted Spike on the cheek and straightened. The tall woman rinsed her hands off and then headed over to the coffin. She laid her hand gently on the top. “Can we help Angel now?”

“Give us a sec, luv,” Spike gasped as he nuzzled his head under Buffy’s chin. Paddie and Gunn released his legs and stood. “Thanks, mates.” Spike smiled at the three of them. “Buffy?” He reached up and gently cradled her tearstained cheek with one hand. “Buffy? Sunshine?” he asked as Buffy continued to rock him in her arms. “It’s over, love.  Let me up so we can get Peaches out of his tin can.”

Buffy sniffled and reluctantly released Spike. She stood and pulled Spike up as well.  Gingerly wrapping her arms around him, the blonde woman kissed him gently. “I’m so glad you’re safe…” Her mind balked at the thought that he could have died. Buffy realised she wanted to share more than fighting by his side and curling up around his cool form in bed. She wanted a commitment – she wanted it all.

“Bit nibbled around the edges but safe here in your arms,” Spike whispered against her lips, before kissing her.

“Okay, enough with the mush, we need to get Angel out.” Paddie growled at the blond pair, a smile on his face. He hefted the acetylene torch and began to cut the bolts free. Once the cover was unbolted all five rescuers hefted the heavy metal away from the coffin.

“Bloody hell…” Spike stared down at Angel.

“Oh my…” Fred buried her face in Gunn’s chest while his arms wrapped around her frail shoulders. He glared down at the carved up form of his former boss.

“Sick fucks, and they say we’re the demons…” Paddie rubbed his face tiredly.

“Angel!” Buffy’s hands hovered over the coffin as Spike stepped closer to her and leant over to check out the condition of his grandsire.

Angel’s eyes snapped open. Startling them all.

Paddie grabbed some pliers and clipped the restraining cables away from Angel’s still form.

“Sire?” Spike’s eye’s locked with Angel’s. Before any of them could react Angel’s hand snapped up and pulled Spike to him. His face shifted and clamped down on Spike’s throat.