As You Are
After 'As You Were' Riley and Sam helicoptered off into the night leaving Buffy and Spike to implode. But what happens when The Doctor starts operating again, the Finns come back to Sunnydale and Dawn is the collateral damage?
As You Are
Chapter One: General Orders
Riley Finn waited impatiently outside the General's office. Sam had been summoned in before him with questions concerning their recent Sunnydale assignment. They had been summoned for debriefs before but never when the mission had been a success.
Sam exited the office, her back stiff and eyes forward. She nodded to her husband who stood and moved to take her place in the General's office. It was a large office with basic furniture. The desk filled the space imposingly and housed 2 monitors. There were no photos, no personal items. The wall was shadowed with the ghosts of past frames. The General hadn't replaced them with his own qualifications and honours. There were no frills to him.
The door closed behind him and Riley mimicked his wife's stance; tall and broad, eyes forward.
"Finn," the General said, gesturing for him to sit. The General, despite being in his sixties, was tall and muscular. He was bald with a thick salt and pepper beard. Glasses sat precariously on the end of his nose. He was thick and barrel shaped, exuding strength. His biceps seemed to strain against his shirt even as it sat neatly around his torso.
"Sir," Riley intoned respectfully. He doubted the General was any less dangerous to cross now than he had been in his youth.
"There seem to be some irregularities with your recent Sunnydale assignment." The General looked up from the report on his desk. "I understand you have multiple personal connections there."
"Yes, sir," Riley responded stiffly.
"The Doctor was identified as the vampire…" the General checked paperwork, "Spike? Also known as Hostile 17, is that correct?"
"Yes, sir," Riley answered, "He was identified and neutralized."
"And yet our intelligence tells us that he is responsible for an Faryl attack outside Los Angeles that occurred just 12 hours ago." His voice was deceptively calm.
Riley stared at the General, dumbfounded. "When we left Sunnydale, he was neutralized."
"By The Slayer?"
"Yes, sir," Riley parroted, "She was informed and left in charge of the situation."
"She allowed Hostile 17 to live and he has restarted his operations right under her nose. Thanks to her decision 21 civilians and two of our own are dead."
"Buffy wouldn't-" Riley began, fumbling to her defense.
"I understand you also have a personal relationship to The Slayer?" the General enquired. "A previous romantic relationship?" Riley nodded. "Do you believe that The Slayer will eliminate the threat?"
Riley paused. "As soon as we inform her, Buffy will make sure he is no longer dealing- "
"Answer my question directly, Finn," the General said beginning to lose patience. "Do you believe The Slayer will eliminate Hostile 17?"
Riley swallowed thickly. "No, sir, I do not. But I also don't- "
"That is enough, Finn."
Riley sat silently, waiting to be dismissed. The General was writing something in the file in front of him, the pen moving quickly across the page. He swiveled his chair to face the computer screen on his desk, flicking through a few screens until he found the desired information.
"Now Agent Finn," The General said sternly, his tone brokering no argument. "Can I entrust you with the assignment to bring in Hostile 17 or does your personal connection with The Slayer preclude you?"
"No, Sir," Riley said firmly. "My judgment is clear."
"Good." The General snapped the folder on his desk shut. "Then your orders are to bring Hostile 17 in for questioning if possible. Lethal force is authorized. Dismissed."
Riley stood, saluted and left the office in a daze.
0000000000000000000000000000000000
Dawn stumbled slightly in her borrowed heels and then strutted haughtily in hopes no one had seen. Janice was attached to her latest boyfriend by the lips and Dawn was beginning to get sick of the smacking. She didn't even want to come out tonight, but Janice insisted that Jake and his brother were cool and could get them into bars no problem. So now she was stumbling along a dark Sunnydale street at 10.30 at night, tailing behind Janice and Jake, and Jake's brother Mike and his new girlfriend, Fantasy. Dawn was not convinced that was her real name. Dawn had also clearly overdressed as her shirt had more material than Janice and Fantasy's combined. Why did Buffy still let her hang out with Janice? She was clearly a bad influence. And Buffy had just believed her when Dawn said it was Taco Night! Sometimes she wondered if her sister had suffered one too many blows to the head.
Dawn stumbled again on the uneven street and let out a small, involuntary yelp. Janice detangled herself from Jake long enough to turn around to face Dawn. Fantasy and Mike also detached at the sound. Dawn flushed.
"You right?" Janice asked, her attention already being coaxed away by Jake's arms snaking around her waist.
"Me?" Dawn squeaked. "Oh yeah fine," she played off. "Just these shoes were not made for walking, you know. Are- are we close to the bar?"
"Totally," Janice answered, "Right Jake."
"Yeah, it's around this corner," Jake said, his bloodshot eyes looking up at Dawn with disinterest. "Buddy of mine said it's totally cool and security is super lax. They let anyone in, don't check IDs."
Dawn nodded awkwardly. "Cool, cool," she said. The quartet turned and continued up the street, disappearing around the closest corner. Why couldn't they have just gone to The Bronze? Dawn hurried after them. That was it, first thing Monday she was making better friends.
Dawn followed the others to the bar. She looked up at the flickering neon sign and stilled. "Ah guys," she said unsure, "This is Willy's, it's a demon bar."
Mike scoffed, Jake rolled his eyes and Janice looked at her like she had just said something immensely stupid and was embarrassing her. She tended to look at her like that a lot lately.
Fantasy laughed. "Don't be stupid. Yeah it has bit of a bad rap but demons aren't real."
Dawn looked at them incredulously. "Have you ever been in there?"
Janice puffed up her chest. "There's a first time for everything. That's why we're all together, besides," she said stroking Jake's chest, "I'm sure the boys can protect us from any nasty demons."
They laughed and walked inside. Dawn hesitated. It was Willy's. Sure, she had never been allowed near here before, but she had heard plenty from the Scoobies and Spike about it. Buffy used to beat Willy up for information all the time and usually she only had to pretend to beat him up, so Willy couldn't really be that bad, could he? Dawn steeled herself and pushed the door open. She ignored the weirdly sticky residue now on her hands and joined the foursome. They seemed stunned and were looking around the dingy bar stupidly. A purple demon with tentacles looked over at them and smiled. Dawn saw Janice pushing herself further into Jake's side.
"Guys, come on," Dawn said moving to standing front of them. "We should get out of here."
"But we only just got here," Mike said in what Dawn was sure to be false bravado. "Haven't even had a drink yet."
Dawn looked around and her eyes fell on an empty table. A half-finished beer sad flatly on the stained wood. She picked up the beer and passed it to Mike who took it dumbly. 'There you go. One drink. You came, you drank, now let's leave."
0000000000000000000000000000000000
"Read em' and weep boys," Spike gloated, laying his cards flat on the table. The other demons threw their cards down in disgust. All except Clem who patted him on the shoulder and congratulated him on his good hand.
Spike pulled the pot towards him; jewellery, cash, kittens and a Supermarket gift card (Clem wasn't having a good night) making their way into Spike's possession.
"How about one more round, boys?" Spike rubbed his hands together, "I'm feeling lucky."
He picked up a black and white kitten. It reminded him of the ill-fated Miss Kitty Fantastico. He shrugged and placed the wriggling kitten in the pot.
"I'm telling you boys. Tonight is my night, I can smell it." Spike made a show of inhaling deeply, he stopped and let out a groan. He sniffed the air twice more, concentrating. "Buggering hell." He began to scoop up his winnings, shoving them deep in his pockets. "I'm out."
0000000000000000000000000000000000
Janice pushed away from Jake. "God Dawn," Janice said exasperatedly. "If I'd known you were going to be such a loser about everything we did tonight I wouldn't have invited you." Dawn looked at her hurt. She was about to answer when a commotion drew the group's attention. Demons were spilling out of a back room and yelling after a black clad figure.
"Spike, you can't just leave mid-hand!" one of them yelled.
"Watch me," Spike spat over his shoulder. His coat billowed around him and the demons parted to let him pass.
From her position on the other side of the bar, Dawn squeezed her eyes shut and let out a pitiful groan.
"Dawn," a familiar voice boomed. Dawn flinched and then turned quickly, plastering a grin to her face.
"Hey Spike." She leant forward and punched him lightly on the arm. "Fancy seeing you here. Good night?"
"We are leaving now," he said dangerously. Dawn sighed and nodded lightly.
"Hey man," Jake said, bustling over to them. He was taller than Spike and tried to use that to his advantage. He stood close to Spike and Dawn's eyes widened. "She's with us."
Spike smiled wickedly, and Dawn saw her social life flash before her eyes. "Spike," she pleaded.
Spike ignored her. "Is that so?" Spike questioned.
"Yeah," Mike said, stepping forward and flanking his brother. They looked confident they could win the two on one. Mike stabbed his finger into Spike's chest. "So back off."
"Why don't you," Spike said, slowly twisting boy's wrist and throwing it away from him, "scamper off back to your beds." His face shifted into his demon guise, yellow eyes flicking between the two boys. "Before I get peckish." He let out a low animalistic growl that sent the boys stumbling backwards.
Spike turned and grabbed Dawn by the upper arm and hauled her from the bar.
Dawn stumbled after him, her heels keeping her from keeping pace with him. She slapped at his arm, "Would you stop it, you're hurting me."
"I am not," he retorted, tapping his temple but he let go none the less.
"Well you're embarrassing me," Dawn corrected while straightening her top.
"What in the bleeding hell were you doing in there?"
"I didn't know we were coming here until we got here," Dawn insisted. "I was trying to get them to leave when you came out and made sure my next 700 Saturday nights are free. How did you even know I was there?"
"Smelled you."
"Well that's gross."
Spike rolled his eyes. "Come on," he said. He grabbed her arm again but gently this time. "Let's get you home before The Slayer works out a way to make this my fault. "
0000000000000000000000000000000000
Riley stalked around the upstairs of Spike's crypt, gun raised. Sam dropped down the hole, her foot slipping on the charred remains of the ladder. "Clear," she yelled up. She hauled herself back up and found her husband with a deep scowl etched on his face.
"Not here, not at Buffy's, guess the next place we check is Willy's."
"Willy's?"
"Demon bar across town. Spike likes to play cards there."
"Ok," Sam said with false cheer. "Let's go bag ourselves a vamp."
0000000000000000000000000000000000
"Was that bloody Janice?" Spike asked as they crossed the street. Spike had slowed to Dawn's pace. Her feet hurt and she was beginning to regret borrowing one of Janice's mini-skirts. She had goosebumps across her body and was fighting the urge to rub at her arms for a bit of warmth. "She's a right menace."
"Yep," Dawn replied shortly. She knew it wasn't Spike's fault and she shouldn't be mad at him. She was the one who had lied but there wasn't anyone else around to aim her angst at.
"I thought she was being a right bitch to you and you weren't talking to her anymore."
He steadied her as they mounted the curb and moved towards one of Sunnydale's many cemeteries. The street was dark and shadowed. Many of the street lights had been bent over or smashed. She saw a few demons and the odd human scamper away as Spike came near them. Guess his reputation preceded him. The again, she thought, stealing a glance at his face, he still looked pretty mad. If she didn't know him, she wouldn't want to cross him either. She shivered as a cool breeze blew past them.
"Seem to remember a whole speech about friendship, individuality and anchovies being practiced on me," he added.
She crossed her arms over her chest and rubbed her hands up her arms. "She started being nice again."
"Didn' know that."
"You didn't ask."
They walked for a few more steps when Dawn felt Spike fall a step behind her and heard the rustling of leather. He laid his coat over her shoulder. She hugged it to herself and threaded her arms through the sleeves. She smiled at him.
"Come on," he said gruffly. "Let's cross through the graveyard, get you home before you do permanent damage to your feet. Don't know why you wear those bloody things." Spike ranted, as they weaved through the first row of headstones. "All they do is give you blisters. And do truly horrific things to your ankles. You seen Chinese foot binding at all? Cause I have and it is not pretty where you're headed."
"They make my bum look good," Dawn told him, nonchalantly.
Spike blinked. "Well that's downright disturbing, Niblet." Dawn laughed, and he smiled at her. His smile dropped suddenly and he looked around.
"What?"
"Shhh," he hissed, "I'm trying to listen." He looked around the grave yard, sniffing the air. His face changed and Dawn stood stiffly. He pushed her down behind one of the grave stones without looking at her and moved away from her.
"Spike," she whispered. "What is it?"
He fobbed her off, waving his hand at her. Dawn harumped but burrowed herself into the coat, and pushed close to the grave stone.
"Whatever you are," Spike called into the night. He prowled over the grass, his eyes flicking around. "I might not be able to smell you, but I can hear you and I don't have time for creeping little beasties tonight."
Spike kicked at a headstone and felt it crumble under the force. He picked up a chunk of stone, tossing it up and down in his hand. He stopped and stared at a mausoleum. "I see you, beastie," he growled.
Riley Finn and a woman who he assumed was the infamous Mrs, stepped out from behind the mausoleum, guns raised. Spike relaxed his stance. "Bloody hell, not you again. I haven't fixed up the damage you did last time yet."
"Doctor, by order of the United States Army, you are hereby detained for questioning regarding your illegal dealings," Riley said officially, advancing on Spike.
Spike laughed. "Been detained by your lot before, boy. Don't plan on doing it again. Besides I'm not the bleeding Doctor." He eyed Riley and the woman. He chucked the hunk of stone up in the air one last time before hurling it towards Riley and Mrs. Riley. He had aimed above their heads but his chip still fired and he stumbled slightly. Couldn't even bloody intimidate properly.
Riley dropped to the ground as the stone crashed into the mausoleum and showered them with debris. He rolled, drawing his gun and in one smooth movement fired at where Spike had just been standing. The gun shot echoed around the grave yard, but Spike still heard it. The sharp intake of pained surprise. He turned to see Dawn standing with eyes wide, his jacket flapping slightly in the still cool breeze. The smell of blood assaulted him and then she was falling. Spike caught her before she hit the ground, panic over taking him. She was breathing fast and letting out small pained squeaks as she looked desperately up at him. He pushed on her stomach and felt warm blood coat his hands. She cried out as he pushed on the wound.
Behind him he could hear Riley calling for a medivac, his voice high. "I didn't see her," he repeated to Sam. "I didn't see her."
Spike wasn't about to wait. He lifted her up, shushing her cries and whispering his assurances. Without glance at Finn, Spike took off for the hospital. Spike was over the fence and halfway down the street before Riley realised he was gone.
0000000000000000000000000000000000
Please Review!