Revenge of Spike
"Spike." A familiar face from his past approached him. "It's me."
"Oh Christ!" Spike exclaimed. "Dan! I can't believe I'm seeing you again!"
"Well, you wouldn't be, if I didn't have a good reason for it." he sighed. "Spike, you need help. You're a vampire but… you're killing other demons now. And I know why."
"Yeah." Muttered Spike. "The chip." That fucking chip in his brain, it was the bane of his existence! He hated the initiative so much. He hated EVERYONE associated with the initiative.
"Spike?" Dan got his attention again. "You do remember what I am?"
"Yes." Said Spike. "A vampire. I'm your sire, how could I forget?" Dan shook his head with a smile.
"Not that." He said. "My profession before."
Spike thought for a while. Then it clicked. "Oh you're a doctor."
"Surgeon." Dan corrected him, without any disrespect towards the older vampire. "You know what that means."
"You can…" Spike's eyes were wide, amazed. "get it out?"
"I can and I will." Said Dan. "For you." Respect from a childe to his sire was indeed a remarkable thing.
LATER
Spike had said goodbye to Dan, who had to leave after doing what he had come to do. They had stayed for ages talking afterwards, and then gone out to feed before sunrise. Spike loved it. He was able to kill again! He could take blood from people without a horrible splitting headache! He grinned on his way back to his crypt, face still contorted, fangs stained red. He slept more happily that day than he had done in a long while, and in his dreams plotted his vengeance on those who had put him through so much misery.
NEXT NIGHT
Riley was unhappy. He tried to think of where he could take Buffy, but the ideas just wouldn't come. She had said she wanted to go somewhere fun. Somewhere less boring. But where? Why couldn't she just be happy with the movies and the restaurant? Surely she didn't expect him to be … inventive? And she had called him boring. Well maybe that was just because he wasn't a undead fiend like she was used to, it wasn't his fault. Oh and it might have something to do with the crossword puzzles he liked too. And the taping of Countdown every day so that he wouldn't miss it while he was at college. And the fact that all his clothes were folded and set out in colour-order in his wardrobe. He sighed. Surely those things didn't make him boring though? I mean Countdown… what's more interesting and fun than word and number puzzles? Nothing. Then Riley had an idea. An interesting date? Of course, why hadn't he thought of it before? Bingo night at the Sunnydale town hall! Now surely NOONE could find Bingo boring! He grinned, thinking of this great surprise which would win Buffy back to him for certain.
Buffy walked home with Riley after what had surely been their most boring date ever. Bingo, he'd been having a laugh, surely? But no, he seriously meant it, and they had spent the evening there. Of course, she had excitement in her life already, but only the bad kind. Why couldn't she have the good excitement of an interesting boyfriend? But maybe Riley just couldn't change. Boring initiative half-mutant Countdown fan. Maybe she should - Buffy's thoughts were cut off by the sound of footsteps behind them. Riley clutched her in fear as the shadow approached. He really was pathetic.
All night Spikes head had been flooded with ideas for revenge on the initiative. If only he knew the people to carry it out on! He couldn't march up to their doors and take them all on or he'd be killed. His only hope was to find out where the actual people lived their ordinary lives and get them there. Wait a second… there was one he knew, wasn't there? And he'd never liked that boy much anyway. Victim one, then, would be Riley Finn.
"Well hello there Buffy." Said Spike as he approached, noticing the helpless little initiative boy clinging to her arm. "How are things?"
"Things are just great thank you." She answered sarcastically. "And you?"
"Oh, fine." He said. "I was thinking. Do you have any aspirin? Because I've been getting these awful headaches from killing people. And I can see someone here that I really REALLY would like to kill." He glared angrily at Riley. Riley whimpered, and Buffy patted his shoulder.
"Don't worry Riley." She said. "He can't hurt you. The chip, remember? That you and the initiative put in?" Riley relaxed when he remembered this.
"Oh yeah." He sneered at Spike, stepping forwards from Buffy. "Bring it on Spikey-boy, you cant hurt me!" Spike grinned maliciously.
"No, I can't, you're right Riley." He stepped forwards, casually. "Well, I cant unless I've been cured somehow. Maybe I DID have a few aspirins before coming out tonight."
"Ha!" said Riley. "I cant believe how stupid you are! Aspirin wont do a thing while that chips still in your head!" he shoved Spike in the shoulder. Spike let out a low growl.
"Oh, yes." He answered Riley. "That must be what it is then. The fact that my chip has gone."
Buffy's jaw dropped, and Riley looked slightly confused before he was grabbed by Spike. Buffy leaped forward, but a well-aimed kick from Spike knocked her only stake several metres back. As she went to run and get it, Spike tipped back Riley's head. "Bye bye Riley. Say hi to the rest of your initiative friends when they join you in hell. You're the first of many." And with that, Spike ripped out Riley's throat.
"Noooo!!!" shouted Buffy, but it didn't sound all that convincing. In fact, she seemed to be walking at a slow, sad yet somewhat relieved pace towards where Spike was draining the blood of her boyfriend, the most boring human being on the planet. "Spike, prepare to die!" Spike looked up and grinned at her, and Buffy had to stop herself from laughing. She lifted her stake. Even if she hadn't liked Riley all that much, Spike was a killer again, and she had to kill him. Unfortunately Spike decided he'd had enough of Riley and threw him on top of Buffy while he turned to run away, so she couldn't stake him. Buffy watched him escape, and then decided to just drop Riley's corpse where it was, and go figure out a plan with Giles and the others.
Spike walked home gleefully. If only he knew where the rest of the initiative lived, then he could attack them one by one, individually killing them off. But then he reconsidered. He didn't know where to start looking, and they would probably realise what was going on after the first few victims, and gang up to stop him. Then he would be done for.
He stopped in at Willie's bar where several demons hung out. He'd avoided the place during the last year or so because they'd resented how he would kill their own kind for the Slayer. But things had definitely changed since then. He walked in and sat at the bar, ignoring scowls from other demons.
"Pint of lager." He asked the bartender abruptly. Willie looked at Spike strangely, then gave him the glass.
"Haven't seen you here in a while." He said, in an attempt at politeness.
"Well that could be because I've not BEEN here in a while." Spike replied with sarcasm. A large green demon with black hair walked up to Spike.
"You've got a nerve." He said angrily. "Showing your face here after what you've been doing for that damn Slayer." Spike scowled.
"Shut it." He said. "I didn't exactly have any choice did I? They were feeding me, I couldn't kill. If I didn't do what they asked they'd stop the blood coming."
"So what you here for now?" he asked. "Am I to be your next victim? Cos I'd happily take you on, if you care to step outside." Spike shook his head.
"Nope." He said. "I've already had my share of fighting today. If you can call it that. I'd forgotten how easy a kill humans were."
"Humans?" asked the green demon incredulously. "I thought you couldn't. I mean, the chip thing you had. Or so I heard from him." He pointed to the bartender accusingly.
"True." Said Spike. "I couldn't. But now, that problem is happily over with. The chip's gone."
"So we have the old Spike back." Observed the demon. "That doesn't mean we all automatically forgive you."
"Can I have a little fucking sympathy?" demanded Spike, angered. "This wasn't my fault! It could have happened to ANYONE! Blame that bloody Initiative and their brain chip!"
A few demons overheard and nodded in agreement. He wasn't the only one to have been wronged by the initiative. Several of their kind had been locked up, tortured, tested on, killed at the hands of that organisation. That gave Spike an idea.
"Actually…" he calmed down a little, "the initiative hasn't just hurt me. Its been a blight on all of our lives. Those military fuckers marching around trying to push us about. I say we get back at them, all of us. If we take them on as a group they don't stand a chance.
"Good idea." Agreed the demon. "But how do we know we can trust you Spike? You've been working on the wrong side all this time. You could even be on the initiative's side now."
Spike grinned evilly.
"Not likely." He said. "If I was working for the initiative, I wouldn't have just fed from one of them. The Slayer's little boyfriend, Riley." Demons who had gathered around nodded approval. This proved for certain that not only was he against the initiative as ever, but also against Buffy, the other enemy many of them had faced.
"Oh, well in that case," the demon said, taking a seat next to him and grinning, "lets hear your plan."
The rain was falling hard outside, but it didn't bother Spike tonight, even though it threatened to ruin one of his strongest concerns - the hair which was, as always, slicked back with gel. He was followed by a large number of demons of all kinds, the group mainly consisting of vampires. They all knew their purpose, and stopped for nothing. Any demon met on their way would be recruited to their cause, and any human would be dealt with swiftly. Spike doubted the Slayer would dare to show her face tonight, against this crowd she would be just as helpless as Riley had been in his arms. With them, she could have been of use, but they had more than enough power as they were. The initiative wouldn't know what hit them.
"Where's Riley?" asked a dark haired woman in a lab coat. Since being reemployed in the initiative, Riley had not missed or been late even one day. He'd known better, and had the type of personality which couldn't be too preoccupied with interesting things outside of work. He might be somewhat stupid, but he was reliable.
"Dunno." Replied another man, setting up chemistry equipment on the table in front of him. He didn't care too much, Riley seemed to get in his way more than anything. "What's going on out there?" he heard sounds of people running about upstairs. They decided to go up and see what the fuss was.
"Spike!" the woman exclaimed. "It's Spike, our harmless little bechipped vampiric friend." She smiled at him smugly and pinched his cheek. Spike allowed his expression to drop to a dark glare. The woman may have been taken aback by this, but she knew he couldn't hurt her. She stood her ground. "How've you been Spike?"
"Not bad, considering." He answered. "I had been getting these headaches… but that's more or less dealt with now." The woman frowned. Oh no, did that mean… but she didn't have the chance to run away. Spike grabbed her, his game face showing.
"How… when…" she began, but Spike wasn't in the mood for conversation. He ducked his head, sinking into her neck with ease. Initiative employees ran to her assistance but were stopped by the crowd of demons who ran through the doors after Spike. Soon a full on battle was taking place, and the demons soon out numbered the humans, many of whom took their chance to escape before they were caught up in hand to hand combat. Then Spike hit the control room, and released all the demons who were being held in captivity, adding to their advantage. Soon the initiative had fallen to demon hands, and they proceeded to start destroying the building, until all that remained was a heap of burned, exploded, torn apart rubble within the main framework of the building. The place had been well and truly trashed.
Giles sipped a cup of tea, when Angel came knocking on the door. "Invite me in!" he yelled. Giles stood up and went to the door, inviting Angel in.
"What's the problem?" he asked, concerned at Angel's fearful expression.
"The initiative." Said Angel. "Its down. Destroyed."
"It's what?" asked Giles in disbelief. "How on earth did that happen? I'm sure it's not quite as bad as you make out. It can't be completely destroyed."
"Oh cant it?" asked Angel. "Believe me, the initiative has been brought down, its barely even standing, about 90 percent of the humans have been killed, the others all ran away, all the demons held there are loose, and…" Angel sighed, "they say that Spike was at the head of it."
"Spike?" Giles shook his head. "Surely not. He's not going to be getting anything to eat for a long time if he's even been remotely involved." Angel frowned.
"And what if he doesn't need it?" he suggested. "If he's managed to have his chip removed somehow…"
"Angel, who would be that stupid as to remove a dangerous vampire's safety chip?" Giles doubted that anyone would do such a thing.
"I don't know." Said Angel. "Someone who respected him? Like a childe or something… oh my god… Dan!"
"Dan?" asked Giles sceptically. "And who might this Dan fellow be?"
"A vampire that Spike sired a LONG time ago." Explained Angel. "I thought I'd seen him just the other week, but I couldn't be sure. The problem is, he's a surgeon, or he was in his lifetime."
"Oh." Said Giles. "Well, I think it might be time to hit the library."
"Library?!" Angel didn't believe what he was hearing. "Fuck the library, we know what these vampires are, we need to get Buffy!" Giles shrugged.
"Alright then." He agreed. "And Angel?"
"Yes?"
"Watch your language." Angel rolled his eyes.
"Angel, what is it?" said Buffy when he came to her door. "Is this about Spike?"
"Yes!" said Angel. "You knew and you didn't tell us?"
"Well, sorry." She said. "But this was only a few hours ago. Or quite a lot of hours ago now. I needed to sleep, so sue me!"
"Spike's taken his revenge on the initiative, along with a few friends." Said Angel. "Noone's left there. At all."
"Oh, and Riley works for the initiative, that'll be why Spike killed him." Buffy observed.
"He killed Riley?" asked Angel, trying not to look *too* ecstatic. "Oh god, that's… a shame."
"Yes, but back to the important things." Said Giles. "Spike's on the loose and dangerous again, we cant take any chances, Angel you stay here and watch Buffy and Dawn, and myself, Willow, Xander, Tara and Anya can all stay together in Xander's basement."
"Good plan." Said Buffy. "See ya tomorrow, Giles!"
"I wish you luck." Said Giles in reply, and left.
"Is Dawn asleep?" asked Angel, not seeing her running about. Buffy gave him a look.
"Of course she's asleep, its 5 am! Not all of us are nocturnal, remember?"
"Sorry." Said Angel. "5 am? I'd better close these curtains then, before sunrise and all."
"Ok then." Said Buffy, and helped to close all the curtains and blinds around the place, until the room was completely safe from direct light.
"Buffy?" asked Angel. "Do you miss Riley?" Buffy frowned at him.
"Of course I do." She replied. "He was my boyfriend. But these things happen."
"Really?" he asked, stepping closer. "And would you say that if it had been me that Spike killed?" Buffy paused.
"Oh Angel, don't even say that." She put her arms around him. "Maybe I didn't really love Riley at all, and maybe I don't mind all that much that he's gone. But I would miss you so much if it had been you." Angel smiled.
"I knew you weren't right together." He said. "I still love you Buffy, I always have." They embraced each other, and kissed. Before either of them could stop it, they were in bed together.
"No wait… Buffy…" Angel tried to think straight. "I cant, you know what happened last time."
Buffy closed her eyes, shaking her head sadly.
"I know." She said. "But you know, maybe it doesn't count EVERY time? I mean, the perfect happiness could just be because it was the first time. It might not count anymore, it might be over with." Angel dared to consider this possibility. If there was a chance they could be together, without having to worry about turning evil… but it was a risk.
"I don't know." He said. "It makes sense, but how can we know for certain?" Buffy held him in her arms.
"We might never have this chance again." She pointed out. "I don't think I can let you go, just because there's a chance something bad can happen." Angel nodded.
"True." He said. "But if I become evil, please don't hesitate to kill me, I don't think we need yet another evil vampire running about. And I know just how evil Angelus could be."
"Agreed." Said Buffy, and they kissed again.
Angel held Buffy in his arms after it was over, as they both drifted to sleep. He loved her, he certainly didn't feel evil. They could sleep together, they could be together, the realisation began to hit him fully - they had it all… it was… perfect. He closed his eyes, still in Buffy's arms, and then felt something… oh dear. If only there had been something wrong, something to make this imperfect! He cursed himself for letting this happen again, and tried his best to focus on being Angel, the good vampire, with a soul. But even as he tried he could almost feel the soul slipping away from him. His mind was shifting into a more natural state, older, comfortable. He couldn't fight it, and allowed the personality he had once known come back to him. Then he grinned, the guilt and pain he had held for so long seemed to evaporate, all he felt was the same bright emotion he had felt a hundred years ago. How had he gone for so long with all that pain? How had he accepted it as a good thing? Well that was well and truly over with now. He looked at Buffy, she was lovely. She looked… sweet.
"Buffy?" he shook her awake gently. Buffy looked up at him and smiled. He looked the same as always, and he wasn't trying to attack her. It had worked out.
"You're not evil!" she whispered excitedly. "Angel, this is so great! I love you, and now we can be together!" Angel, or more accurately, Angelus nodded.
"I've been thinking." He said. "I'm not evil. Because I know now what evil is. It's punishing yourself stupidly for the past you cant change, its denying your own nature for the sake of human morals. Its being something you're not."
"What do you mean?" Buffy didn't like the sound of this. It sounded like he was telling her something… something she definitely hadn't wanted to hear. "Angel?" He grinned at her.
"No." he said. "I'm not Angel anymore my darling. I'm Angelus." He launched himself at the skin beneath her chin, but felt himself suddenly thrown across the room. He had forgotten just how strong this Slayer was. Buffy was in tears.
"Please, tell me its not true!" she begged. "I love you. Why do you have to be evil?"
"I'm NOT!" he argued, still smiling. "You have to see. I don't have that soul, that burden, any more. I'm myself again. Why does that make me evil?"
"Well you just tried to kill me." Pointed out Buffy. "I'd call that evil enough."
"But its love." He said. "That's the vampire's love for humans. Wanting you in every possible way. I've had one way, now I want you for what's inside."
"Most people would say that meaning personality." She murmured sadly.
"But I'm not most people." Angelus told her. "I'm not human, and I can't be human just to be with you, it doesn't work, you bring out my true self."
"This is all my fault." Said Buffy. "And you know, before we did this, you told me to kill you if you changed… but…"
"But?" said Angelus, looking at her sweetly.
"I can't." she admitted. "Even though you're evil. I still love you, and I can't help that. You're still you, even without your soul."
"Exactly." He said, standing up and walking back over to her. "Look, I'm sorry about trying to bite you, it was just an instinct. I might be Angelus, but that doesn't mean I want you dead. And to be honest, I don't feel as evil as I was before." Buffy wanted to believe this very badly.
"Not as evil?" she asked. "You won't kill me? Or my friends?"
"No of course not." He said. "I still love you, I couldn't do that to you."
"Oh thank god." She said, holding him tight in her arms. "You ARE less evil. I was so scared."
"Don't be." He said lovingly in her ear as they laid down together. He felt Buffys breathing become more regular as she settled into sleep. Now, he thought to himself, you have a human lying next to you who trusts you implicitly with her life. You're fairly hungry, and going out to feed just now would mean a walk in the sunshine, which wouldn't exactly be a great idea. You don't have a soul. And, despite what you've said, you feel exactly as evil as you did before. He grinned, it would amuse him greatly to kill Buffy, to take her by surprise, and then she would wake up to realise it too… no, he couldn't pass this opportunity up. He lowered his head silently to her neck, and then quickly sank in his teeth. Her eyes flew open, and her expression showed that she knew exactly what was happening, but was too late to stop it happening, as she passed out lifeless and Angelus fed from her.
That afternoon, after school, Willow came over to see Buffy and Angel, who she had been told from Giles, were at Buffy's house. She hoped Spike hadn't given them any more trouble. She knocked on the door, and smiled as Angelus answered, looking more cheerful than his usual brooding self.
"Hey Angel." Said Willow.
"Hello there Willow." He replied. "What can I do for you?"
"I'm just round to see if you and Buffy are okay." She said. "Can I come in?"
"I dunno," said Angelus, "We decided to go out patrolling for Spike last night, and she is pretty tired, she's still in bed I think." He gestured for Willow to come in.
She poked her head around the door and saw the top of Buffy's head peeping out from under the bedcovers.
"Aww, she looks so sweet when she's asleep." Willow giggled. Angelus smiled.
"You want a tea? Or coffee?" offered Angelus. If she stayed, he would probably kill her, he thought to himself.
"No thanks." Said Willow. "I'll have to get back and help out the others. Xander's falling apart back there. He never trusted Spike."
"Ah." Said Angelus. Xander had never trusted him either, if he remembered rightly. Sensible boy. "Ok, bye then Willow."
"See ya." She said, leaving.
"Oh my God." Said Xander, to Tara, Giles and Anya. "I don't even want to think about the initiative. We're alone now! Sure, they weren't exactly helpful all the time, but they were still just about on our side. They were against the demons. Now we're the only ones left against them. Oh god! Where's Buffy?"
"Buffy's at home." Said Giles, annoyed now as they all were with Xander's panicking. "Calm down Xander, you're not helping matters."
"Sorry." He said, and sat down with Anya, quiet but still obviously worried. She put an arm around him to comfort him.
"So does anyone have any kind of plan?" asked Giles. Noone volunteered their thoughts, all looked around blankly at one another.
"Wait until Willow comes back?" suggested Tara. "And Buffy."
"Yes." Said Giles. "Well apart from that, I was thinking that Buffy and Angel should take on Spike, and we could keep back those who would assist him. Unfortunately, he seems to have regained the support of demons who previously mistrusted him because of his work for us."
"We should have killed him when we had the chance." Said Xander angrily. "Now we have to rely on Angel?"
"Come on Xander, he's not done anything evil lately." Said Willow. "Even Giles manages to forgive him, why not you?" Giles felt the unhappy memories returning, but nodded.
"Angel is not… the monster he once was."
"Twice was." Xander pointed out. "But okay. And there's Buffy."
"Yes, now…" Willow walked in quietly. "Ah, Willow, where's Buffy?"
"Still sleeping." She said. "They were after Spike, so she needs her rest now."
"But we need her to help us plan things!" protested Xander.
"She wont be able to do anything if she's exhausted." Said Giles. "Give her time, Spike won't be out until later anyway, he's not one for going out much in the daylight." The others nodded their agreement, and then started to plan and gather together their weapons.
"Hey there Spike." Angelus greeted the vampire in his crypt. Spike was worried. He was alone here, and Angel was a very strong vampire. He wished he'd planned ahead for something like this.
"Hi Angel." He said. "What brings you here?" Angel shrugged.
"You honestly can't think of a reason?" Angelus realised Spike still thought of him as Angel. Well he'd always enjoyed winding up Spike. "Do you have any idea how many innocent lives were lost last night? I know you were involved."
"Oh come of it Angel." Spike replied. "I don't have a soul, you knew this would happen some day. Computer chips aren't a permanent safeguard for anything." Angelus nodded grimly.
"I suppose the only permanent solution…" he said "would be a stake, yeah?"
"Yes, that might work." Said Spike. "But you don't want to do that. Do you? I mean killing me wouldn't solve matters. There's a lot of us."
"That's very true." Said Angelus. "And I suppose you could be useful, if you would be willing to rejoin the good side. Fighting with the Slayer."
"Oh, sure." Said Spike, glad to be given any chance of an escape. He didn't think he could face Angel after all of his exertions the previous night. "I'm bored of evil anyway, I got it out of my system. You won't kill me?" Angelus laughed.
"Spike," he said, walking closer to him, "you have become so… spineless. The first threat from me, and you agree to go running back to Buffy? Oh god, I can't have been the one to teach you this behaviour." Spike looked puzzled.
"Well I wasn't actually GOING to." He said, and then bit his lip. Oh dear, this must have been the reaction Angel had been after. Well it looked like he faced a fight anyway, he might as well stand his ground now. "And you are in NO position to call anyone spineless. You work for them through choice, because you can't face a few bad memories. You won't sleep with your girlfriend because you're scared of becoming normal again. You -" he was cut off by Angelus grabbing him and lifting him an inch off the ground by his throat. Then he let him go. "What's the matter?" asked Spike, angered now. "Can't face the truth?"
"No, I just felt like doing that." Said Angelus. "Now will you please shut up, William?" Spike froze at the use of his old name.
"You… you don't say that." He said, confused. "I'm Spike, not William, and you're Angel." Angelus shook his head, smiling.
"No Spike, I'm not Angel." He replied. Spike's eyes widened.
"Angelus?" he asked, amazed. "You're back!" Angelus patted his shoulder.
"And so are you," he said to Spike, "I know the chip's gone. Was it Dan?"
"Yeah." Said Spike, grinning. "He owed me a favour. So do the others know about your change? Does Buffy know? I'm guessing she's the one at fault for this in the first place."
"Buffy…" said Angelus, "is no longer with us. The others know nothing." Spike had to admit it, this time, he was impressed.
"You killed Buffy?" he asked. "Well this day really couldn't get much better!"
"Yes, our only opposition now are those mortal helpers of the dead Slayer." Angelus said. "I trust we don't have to worry about the initiative." Spike nodded.
"I took care of that one." He said, proud of his work. "But there's one catch. When one Slayer dies, another one takes her place, yes? We need to know who this new Slayer is so we can stop her."
"Right." Said Angelus. "Good point. And we should probably watch out for the others, they're not exactly harmless. Or inexperienced. Or stupid."
"Hey, don't give them TOO much credit!" said Spike. "Their heroine is dead and they don't know, and they've put their lives in the hands of the vampire who killed her. If that's not stupid, what is?"
"Good point." Angelus admitted.
"Hold on a sec." Said Spike. "Where's Dawn?"
"She's back at her house… oh god." Angelus ran to the door and put up the umbrella he had used before, even though it was no longer raining. It wasn't the rain that he worried about.
"Good luck mate." Called Spike after him, and settled down to rest in a comfy dark corner of his crypt.
Angelus walked in to find Dawn weeping at the foot of her sister's bed. Damn, now he had to put up with this irritation. Oh well, here goes.
"What's wrong Dawn?" he asked, feigning concern.
"Buffy…" she said, "Buffy's dead! Look at her neck! She was killed, by a vampire. Its just NOT FAIR!" Dawn launched herself into sobs. Angelus put an arm around her, but she pushed him away. Wow, that was quite strong for a 14 year old girl.
"Hey, I'm trying to help." He said, trying to sound hurt. "I know how hard this must be for you. I'm not exactly a stranger to pain and torment y'know." He tried to show a façade of this 'pain and torment' without laughing out loud. She shook her head.
"I'm sorry Angel." She said. "It's not your fault. But without her, we have nothing. I have no sister, and the world has no saviour. I just miss her so much! Why did it have to be her? Why NOW?" Angelus couldn't take much more of this pathetic grief.
"I'm sorry Dawn, I truly am." He said. "But she knew and accepted the risks of being a Slayer. Not all of them actually live to reach 20. It had to happen someday, she's mortal." Dawn, not comforted in the slightest by these words, wailed and fled the room, absently knocking the door off of its hinges as she went. That wasn't a good sign, thought Angelus grimly. Well it looked as though he had found the new Slayer alright. He made sure that Dawn had gone up to her room (and not to inform the others of Buffy's untimely demise) and then wrapped Buffy's body in the duvet and hid it in the shed outside. Now he had time to kill, so he decided to spend the time choosing items for himself from assorted Slayer weaponry.
Spike came over to Buffy's house as soon as it was dark. "Dawn?" he said to the girl at the door. "Can you invite me in?"
"Sure Spike." She said. Obviously, she hadn't heard the news about Spike's missing chip. That was good. Angelus was already on the sofa, watching a film with Dawn. Spike wondered why he hadn't killed her yet.
"Just a sec Dawn," said Angelus, "I need to discuss things with Spike. He hasn't heard yet."
"Oh god." Said Dawn. "Go on then, you tell him."
"It'll be easier in private." He said, showing an excellent impression of a mournful face. They went into the kitchen, and Angelus closed the door.
"She's the one." He said simply to Spike. "She's the new Slayer, and she doesn't even realise yet. Should we kill her?" Spike shook his head.
"No, we can't risk having a new more capable Slayer in her place. I think I can occupy her for some time though. She likes me, remember? And she's not exactly great at hiding her feelings." Angelus looked incredulous.
"Spike, she's fourteen!" he said. "You can't be serious. Why would you want to?"
"Oh calm down." He said. "I wasn't thinking of that, except for in an emergency. If she's anything like her sister she'll be into all of the romantic crap anyway."
"That's true." Angelus knew this well. "Okay. So you can keep her away from telling the others of her sister's misfortune when they come around?"
"Sure." Said Spike.
"Now try and look a little less gleeful when we go back through, okay?" Angelus told him with a smile.
"Spike, are you alright?" asked Dawn, concerned about the deeply troubled look on his face. She couldn't stand to see him this upset. He nodded, sadly.
"I can't believe she's gone." Spike said. "I mean, I always knew it would happen sometime, but she seemed so strong." Dawn could understand his sadness only too well. He sat next to her on the couch and put an arm around her gently. Dawn felt a small shiver down her spine. Spike had his arm around her! If only he knew how she felt about him. But then he might think less of her. Or… perhaps not? But why did it have to be Buffy's death that brought them together?
Angelus and Spike exchanged a look. Right, he had to get Dawn away, he knew it wouldn't be long before the others came knocking, looking for their Slayer. Spike looked at Dawn.
"I can't just sit here doing nothing." He said. "Do you have any music? That usually helps me to feel better when I'm down." Dawn nodded.
"Sure, I have plenty." She said. "Upstairs in my room." She blushed slightly, hoping that didn't sound too forward.
"Thanks lil' bit." He said, and the two of them went up to Dawn's room.
The selection was remarkable, thought Spike. A whole collection of CDs, and not a single one of them was even slightly decent. That was amazing.
"Oh, back street boys." He said, trying to sound enthusiastic, when he pitied Dawn for never hearing anything worthwhile. "Great." Dawn beamed at him while he picked out the CD, which was one of her favourites. She put it in the player and let the room fill with her sweet pop music sounds. Spike hoped Angelus appreciated what he was going through, and put on a smile. The doorbell rang, and Dawn attempted to go down to answer it, but Spike laid a hand on her arm. "Stay." He said. "Angel can get it."
"Okay." Replied Dawn. Her hopes soared. Maybe he really did like her, he wanted her to stay with him didn't he? She grinned. And he had great taste in music, not a lot of boys liked the same pop bands as her.
"Buffy?" Angelus said at the door to the group of Buffy's helpers. "She already left. She said I should stay to look after Dawn, she's upstairs just now." Giles nodded.
"But she might be in danger." He pointed out. "You're the strong one here, we really need you for this. Xander could look after Dawn." Xander looked a little annoyed at being left to baby-sit, but he understood Giles's point.
"Fine then." Said Xander. "Good luck people!" Angelus smiled.
"Don't go inviting anyone in!" he said to Xander, somewhat pointlessly. He wouldn't have to. The danger was already within those four walls.
"Dawn?" Xander thought he had best go and say hi to the little girl in her room and let her know about the change of plans. Dawn opened her bedroom door.
"Xander, what are you doing here?" she asked.
"Just looking after you while the others go after the bad guy." He said. "You okay in there?"
"Yeah." She said. "But you don't need to worry Xander, Spike's here."
"SPIKE?" Xander asked. Was this some sort of joke? Did she just have an overactive imagination? Or…
"Hello Xander." Said Spike, grinning. "Go back through, Dawn I'll see Xander out." Dawn went back into her room.
"Dawn!" Xander called after her. "Don't listen to him! He's evil!!!" Spike rolled his eyes impatiently and caught Xander by the wrist.
"She wont be able to hear you over that bloody horrible racket." He said. "Now, if you wouldn't mind, we don't need another here." Xander opened his mouth to scream, but Spike flicked back his head, breaking his neck with ease, then dropped his lifeless body over the staircase.
"Right." Said Angelus, in his best attempt to sound Angelish. "We need to check out that crypt where he's been staying first." Willow nodded, and they proceeded to the cemetery. "We cant all go in at once." He said, frowning. We want to take him by surprise, and there's too many of us here. Me and Willow will go first, we'll call if we need you." Willow squeezed Tara's hand before she walked into the crypt with Angelus.
A minute later a scream was heard, and Angel came running out looking panicked. "Hey!" he called. "Spike's got Willow, we need some back up here!" Giles, Tara and Anya came running.
"Where is he?" asked Giles, unable to see in the darkness of the crypt. Anya peered.
"I can see something." She said. "I think. There's someone back there!" She made a move to run forwards.
"Not so fast!" warned Angelus, whispering. "We need to approach carefully." They all crept forwards inside the crypt.
In a second, Angelus tried to attack them all, but felt overpowered. Although they were mortals, they knew how to fight from experience, and they were stronger than they looked. The fact that they all held stakes and believed him to be the evil Spike wasn't exactly encouraging either, and Angelus began to feel overpowered. Was this the end?
Suddenly a cry was heard from Tara, the one furthest away from him. What was going on? He looked carefully, glad he had a better ability than the others to see in the dark. A familiar face greeted him.
"Drucilla!" he greeted the dark haired vampire. "It's you!" She grinned back at him. Giles groaned. This was NOT good news.
"Hello Angelus." she replied. "I didn't expect to see you here, like this." Angelus? It dawned on the others what was going on now.
"Angelus?" said Anya. "Does that mean you're evil again?" Ok, so maybe some of them were still a little slow.
"What do you think?" he grabbed her by the throat and pulled her to his mouth. He fed for a few minutes, while Drucilla caught Giles, casually knocking the stake from his hand.
Spike could tell what Dawn was thinking, as he put his arm around her again. All the mushy music she listened to must have taught her a few things about feelings. However, they didn't ever warn about falling for evil vampires now did they? "Dawn." He said, trying to appear genuine. "I think, I need to tell you something."
"What?" asked Dawn, almost breathless. Would it be what she had hoped for so long?
"I have…" he paused for effect. "feelings, for you." Dawn looked extremely happy now.
"Oh Spike, I'm so glad!" She gushed. "I've been in love with you since… forever! You feel the same?"
"Absolutely." He said. "Dawn, would you mind… if I … kissed you?" Dawn felt faint.
"N-no," she stuttered, "I would love that." Spike kissed her softly on the lips, then pulled his head back.
"Are you sure this isn't too much?" he asked, concerned. Dawn understood why he would feel that, after all, she was a lot younger than him.
"No it's fine." She said, and smiled at him sweetly, then moved closer to him for another kiss. Spike grinned, and at the last moment ducked his head to her neck. She only struggled at the very last moment when she knew what was going on, but was too late. Spike already had himself firmly attached to her throat and was drinking. She passed out in a matter of seconds. After finishing her off, he went back downstairs and heard a knock at the door. Angelus walked in.
"Hello Spike." He called cheerfully. "How's Dawn?" Spike grinned.
"She's asleep." He answered. "I wouldn't expect her to wake up for a good long time."
"Good." Said Angelus. "And I have a surprise for you." He opened the door wider, letting Drucilla step in.
"Hello my love." She said, with a smile, before she and Spike met in the middle of the room and embraced. Angelus closed the door.
THE END
"Spike." A familiar face from his past approached him. "It's me."
"Oh Christ!" Spike exclaimed. "Dan! I can't believe I'm seeing you again!"
"Well, you wouldn't be, if I didn't have a good reason for it." he sighed. "Spike, you need help. You're a vampire but… you're killing other demons now. And I know why."
"Yeah." Muttered Spike. "The chip." That fucking chip in his brain, it was the bane of his existence! He hated the initiative so much. He hated EVERYONE associated with the initiative.
"Spike?" Dan got his attention again. "You do remember what I am?"
"Yes." Said Spike. "A vampire. I'm your sire, how could I forget?" Dan shook his head with a smile.
"Not that." He said. "My profession before."
Spike thought for a while. Then it clicked. "Oh you're a doctor."
"Surgeon." Dan corrected him, without any disrespect towards the older vampire. "You know what that means."
"You can…" Spike's eyes were wide, amazed. "get it out?"
"I can and I will." Said Dan. "For you." Respect from a childe to his sire was indeed a remarkable thing.
LATER
Spike had said goodbye to Dan, who had to leave after doing what he had come to do. They had stayed for ages talking afterwards, and then gone out to feed before sunrise. Spike loved it. He was able to kill again! He could take blood from people without a horrible splitting headache! He grinned on his way back to his crypt, face still contorted, fangs stained red. He slept more happily that day than he had done in a long while, and in his dreams plotted his vengeance on those who had put him through so much misery.
NEXT NIGHT
Riley was unhappy. He tried to think of where he could take Buffy, but the ideas just wouldn't come. She had said she wanted to go somewhere fun. Somewhere less boring. But where? Why couldn't she just be happy with the movies and the restaurant? Surely she didn't expect him to be … inventive? And she had called him boring. Well maybe that was just because he wasn't a undead fiend like she was used to, it wasn't his fault. Oh and it might have something to do with the crossword puzzles he liked too. And the taping of Countdown every day so that he wouldn't miss it while he was at college. And the fact that all his clothes were folded and set out in colour-order in his wardrobe. He sighed. Surely those things didn't make him boring though? I mean Countdown… what's more interesting and fun than word and number puzzles? Nothing. Then Riley had an idea. An interesting date? Of course, why hadn't he thought of it before? Bingo night at the Sunnydale town hall! Now surely NOONE could find Bingo boring! He grinned, thinking of this great surprise which would win Buffy back to him for certain.
Buffy walked home with Riley after what had surely been their most boring date ever. Bingo, he'd been having a laugh, surely? But no, he seriously meant it, and they had spent the evening there. Of course, she had excitement in her life already, but only the bad kind. Why couldn't she have the good excitement of an interesting boyfriend? But maybe Riley just couldn't change. Boring initiative half-mutant Countdown fan. Maybe she should - Buffy's thoughts were cut off by the sound of footsteps behind them. Riley clutched her in fear as the shadow approached. He really was pathetic.
All night Spikes head had been flooded with ideas for revenge on the initiative. If only he knew the people to carry it out on! He couldn't march up to their doors and take them all on or he'd be killed. His only hope was to find out where the actual people lived their ordinary lives and get them there. Wait a second… there was one he knew, wasn't there? And he'd never liked that boy much anyway. Victim one, then, would be Riley Finn.
"Well hello there Buffy." Said Spike as he approached, noticing the helpless little initiative boy clinging to her arm. "How are things?"
"Things are just great thank you." She answered sarcastically. "And you?"
"Oh, fine." He said. "I was thinking. Do you have any aspirin? Because I've been getting these awful headaches from killing people. And I can see someone here that I really REALLY would like to kill." He glared angrily at Riley. Riley whimpered, and Buffy patted his shoulder.
"Don't worry Riley." She said. "He can't hurt you. The chip, remember? That you and the initiative put in?" Riley relaxed when he remembered this.
"Oh yeah." He sneered at Spike, stepping forwards from Buffy. "Bring it on Spikey-boy, you cant hurt me!" Spike grinned maliciously.
"No, I can't, you're right Riley." He stepped forwards, casually. "Well, I cant unless I've been cured somehow. Maybe I DID have a few aspirins before coming out tonight."
"Ha!" said Riley. "I cant believe how stupid you are! Aspirin wont do a thing while that chips still in your head!" he shoved Spike in the shoulder. Spike let out a low growl.
"Oh, yes." He answered Riley. "That must be what it is then. The fact that my chip has gone."
Buffy's jaw dropped, and Riley looked slightly confused before he was grabbed by Spike. Buffy leaped forward, but a well-aimed kick from Spike knocked her only stake several metres back. As she went to run and get it, Spike tipped back Riley's head. "Bye bye Riley. Say hi to the rest of your initiative friends when they join you in hell. You're the first of many." And with that, Spike ripped out Riley's throat.
"Noooo!!!" shouted Buffy, but it didn't sound all that convincing. In fact, she seemed to be walking at a slow, sad yet somewhat relieved pace towards where Spike was draining the blood of her boyfriend, the most boring human being on the planet. "Spike, prepare to die!" Spike looked up and grinned at her, and Buffy had to stop herself from laughing. She lifted her stake. Even if she hadn't liked Riley all that much, Spike was a killer again, and she had to kill him. Unfortunately Spike decided he'd had enough of Riley and threw him on top of Buffy while he turned to run away, so she couldn't stake him. Buffy watched him escape, and then decided to just drop Riley's corpse where it was, and go figure out a plan with Giles and the others.
Spike walked home gleefully. If only he knew where the rest of the initiative lived, then he could attack them one by one, individually killing them off. But then he reconsidered. He didn't know where to start looking, and they would probably realise what was going on after the first few victims, and gang up to stop him. Then he would be done for.
He stopped in at Willie's bar where several demons hung out. He'd avoided the place during the last year or so because they'd resented how he would kill their own kind for the Slayer. But things had definitely changed since then. He walked in and sat at the bar, ignoring scowls from other demons.
"Pint of lager." He asked the bartender abruptly. Willie looked at Spike strangely, then gave him the glass.
"Haven't seen you here in a while." He said, in an attempt at politeness.
"Well that could be because I've not BEEN here in a while." Spike replied with sarcasm. A large green demon with black hair walked up to Spike.
"You've got a nerve." He said angrily. "Showing your face here after what you've been doing for that damn Slayer." Spike scowled.
"Shut it." He said. "I didn't exactly have any choice did I? They were feeding me, I couldn't kill. If I didn't do what they asked they'd stop the blood coming."
"So what you here for now?" he asked. "Am I to be your next victim? Cos I'd happily take you on, if you care to step outside." Spike shook his head.
"Nope." He said. "I've already had my share of fighting today. If you can call it that. I'd forgotten how easy a kill humans were."
"Humans?" asked the green demon incredulously. "I thought you couldn't. I mean, the chip thing you had. Or so I heard from him." He pointed to the bartender accusingly.
"True." Said Spike. "I couldn't. But now, that problem is happily over with. The chip's gone."
"So we have the old Spike back." Observed the demon. "That doesn't mean we all automatically forgive you."
"Can I have a little fucking sympathy?" demanded Spike, angered. "This wasn't my fault! It could have happened to ANYONE! Blame that bloody Initiative and their brain chip!"
A few demons overheard and nodded in agreement. He wasn't the only one to have been wronged by the initiative. Several of their kind had been locked up, tortured, tested on, killed at the hands of that organisation. That gave Spike an idea.
"Actually…" he calmed down a little, "the initiative hasn't just hurt me. Its been a blight on all of our lives. Those military fuckers marching around trying to push us about. I say we get back at them, all of us. If we take them on as a group they don't stand a chance.
"Good idea." Agreed the demon. "But how do we know we can trust you Spike? You've been working on the wrong side all this time. You could even be on the initiative's side now."
Spike grinned evilly.
"Not likely." He said. "If I was working for the initiative, I wouldn't have just fed from one of them. The Slayer's little boyfriend, Riley." Demons who had gathered around nodded approval. This proved for certain that not only was he against the initiative as ever, but also against Buffy, the other enemy many of them had faced.
"Oh, well in that case," the demon said, taking a seat next to him and grinning, "lets hear your plan."
The rain was falling hard outside, but it didn't bother Spike tonight, even though it threatened to ruin one of his strongest concerns - the hair which was, as always, slicked back with gel. He was followed by a large number of demons of all kinds, the group mainly consisting of vampires. They all knew their purpose, and stopped for nothing. Any demon met on their way would be recruited to their cause, and any human would be dealt with swiftly. Spike doubted the Slayer would dare to show her face tonight, against this crowd she would be just as helpless as Riley had been in his arms. With them, she could have been of use, but they had more than enough power as they were. The initiative wouldn't know what hit them.
"Where's Riley?" asked a dark haired woman in a lab coat. Since being reemployed in the initiative, Riley had not missed or been late even one day. He'd known better, and had the type of personality which couldn't be too preoccupied with interesting things outside of work. He might be somewhat stupid, but he was reliable.
"Dunno." Replied another man, setting up chemistry equipment on the table in front of him. He didn't care too much, Riley seemed to get in his way more than anything. "What's going on out there?" he heard sounds of people running about upstairs. They decided to go up and see what the fuss was.
"Spike!" the woman exclaimed. "It's Spike, our harmless little bechipped vampiric friend." She smiled at him smugly and pinched his cheek. Spike allowed his expression to drop to a dark glare. The woman may have been taken aback by this, but she knew he couldn't hurt her. She stood her ground. "How've you been Spike?"
"Not bad, considering." He answered. "I had been getting these headaches… but that's more or less dealt with now." The woman frowned. Oh no, did that mean… but she didn't have the chance to run away. Spike grabbed her, his game face showing.
"How… when…" she began, but Spike wasn't in the mood for conversation. He ducked his head, sinking into her neck with ease. Initiative employees ran to her assistance but were stopped by the crowd of demons who ran through the doors after Spike. Soon a full on battle was taking place, and the demons soon out numbered the humans, many of whom took their chance to escape before they were caught up in hand to hand combat. Then Spike hit the control room, and released all the demons who were being held in captivity, adding to their advantage. Soon the initiative had fallen to demon hands, and they proceeded to start destroying the building, until all that remained was a heap of burned, exploded, torn apart rubble within the main framework of the building. The place had been well and truly trashed.
Giles sipped a cup of tea, when Angel came knocking on the door. "Invite me in!" he yelled. Giles stood up and went to the door, inviting Angel in.
"What's the problem?" he asked, concerned at Angel's fearful expression.
"The initiative." Said Angel. "Its down. Destroyed."
"It's what?" asked Giles in disbelief. "How on earth did that happen? I'm sure it's not quite as bad as you make out. It can't be completely destroyed."
"Oh cant it?" asked Angel. "Believe me, the initiative has been brought down, its barely even standing, about 90 percent of the humans have been killed, the others all ran away, all the demons held there are loose, and…" Angel sighed, "they say that Spike was at the head of it."
"Spike?" Giles shook his head. "Surely not. He's not going to be getting anything to eat for a long time if he's even been remotely involved." Angel frowned.
"And what if he doesn't need it?" he suggested. "If he's managed to have his chip removed somehow…"
"Angel, who would be that stupid as to remove a dangerous vampire's safety chip?" Giles doubted that anyone would do such a thing.
"I don't know." Said Angel. "Someone who respected him? Like a childe or something… oh my god… Dan!"
"Dan?" asked Giles sceptically. "And who might this Dan fellow be?"
"A vampire that Spike sired a LONG time ago." Explained Angel. "I thought I'd seen him just the other week, but I couldn't be sure. The problem is, he's a surgeon, or he was in his lifetime."
"Oh." Said Giles. "Well, I think it might be time to hit the library."
"Library?!" Angel didn't believe what he was hearing. "Fuck the library, we know what these vampires are, we need to get Buffy!" Giles shrugged.
"Alright then." He agreed. "And Angel?"
"Yes?"
"Watch your language." Angel rolled his eyes.
"Angel, what is it?" said Buffy when he came to her door. "Is this about Spike?"
"Yes!" said Angel. "You knew and you didn't tell us?"
"Well, sorry." She said. "But this was only a few hours ago. Or quite a lot of hours ago now. I needed to sleep, so sue me!"
"Spike's taken his revenge on the initiative, along with a few friends." Said Angel. "Noone's left there. At all."
"Oh, and Riley works for the initiative, that'll be why Spike killed him." Buffy observed.
"He killed Riley?" asked Angel, trying not to look *too* ecstatic. "Oh god, that's… a shame."
"Yes, but back to the important things." Said Giles. "Spike's on the loose and dangerous again, we cant take any chances, Angel you stay here and watch Buffy and Dawn, and myself, Willow, Xander, Tara and Anya can all stay together in Xander's basement."
"Good plan." Said Buffy. "See ya tomorrow, Giles!"
"I wish you luck." Said Giles in reply, and left.
"Is Dawn asleep?" asked Angel, not seeing her running about. Buffy gave him a look.
"Of course she's asleep, its 5 am! Not all of us are nocturnal, remember?"
"Sorry." Said Angel. "5 am? I'd better close these curtains then, before sunrise and all."
"Ok then." Said Buffy, and helped to close all the curtains and blinds around the place, until the room was completely safe from direct light.
"Buffy?" asked Angel. "Do you miss Riley?" Buffy frowned at him.
"Of course I do." She replied. "He was my boyfriend. But these things happen."
"Really?" he asked, stepping closer. "And would you say that if it had been me that Spike killed?" Buffy paused.
"Oh Angel, don't even say that." She put her arms around him. "Maybe I didn't really love Riley at all, and maybe I don't mind all that much that he's gone. But I would miss you so much if it had been you." Angel smiled.
"I knew you weren't right together." He said. "I still love you Buffy, I always have." They embraced each other, and kissed. Before either of them could stop it, they were in bed together.
"No wait… Buffy…" Angel tried to think straight. "I cant, you know what happened last time."
Buffy closed her eyes, shaking her head sadly.
"I know." She said. "But you know, maybe it doesn't count EVERY time? I mean, the perfect happiness could just be because it was the first time. It might not count anymore, it might be over with." Angel dared to consider this possibility. If there was a chance they could be together, without having to worry about turning evil… but it was a risk.
"I don't know." He said. "It makes sense, but how can we know for certain?" Buffy held him in her arms.
"We might never have this chance again." She pointed out. "I don't think I can let you go, just because there's a chance something bad can happen." Angel nodded.
"True." He said. "But if I become evil, please don't hesitate to kill me, I don't think we need yet another evil vampire running about. And I know just how evil Angelus could be."
"Agreed." Said Buffy, and they kissed again.
Angel held Buffy in his arms after it was over, as they both drifted to sleep. He loved her, he certainly didn't feel evil. They could sleep together, they could be together, the realisation began to hit him fully - they had it all… it was… perfect. He closed his eyes, still in Buffy's arms, and then felt something… oh dear. If only there had been something wrong, something to make this imperfect! He cursed himself for letting this happen again, and tried his best to focus on being Angel, the good vampire, with a soul. But even as he tried he could almost feel the soul slipping away from him. His mind was shifting into a more natural state, older, comfortable. He couldn't fight it, and allowed the personality he had once known come back to him. Then he grinned, the guilt and pain he had held for so long seemed to evaporate, all he felt was the same bright emotion he had felt a hundred years ago. How had he gone for so long with all that pain? How had he accepted it as a good thing? Well that was well and truly over with now. He looked at Buffy, she was lovely. She looked… sweet.
"Buffy?" he shook her awake gently. Buffy looked up at him and smiled. He looked the same as always, and he wasn't trying to attack her. It had worked out.
"You're not evil!" she whispered excitedly. "Angel, this is so great! I love you, and now we can be together!" Angel, or more accurately, Angelus nodded.
"I've been thinking." He said. "I'm not evil. Because I know now what evil is. It's punishing yourself stupidly for the past you cant change, its denying your own nature for the sake of human morals. Its being something you're not."
"What do you mean?" Buffy didn't like the sound of this. It sounded like he was telling her something… something she definitely hadn't wanted to hear. "Angel?" He grinned at her.
"No." he said. "I'm not Angel anymore my darling. I'm Angelus." He launched himself at the skin beneath her chin, but felt himself suddenly thrown across the room. He had forgotten just how strong this Slayer was. Buffy was in tears.
"Please, tell me its not true!" she begged. "I love you. Why do you have to be evil?"
"I'm NOT!" he argued, still smiling. "You have to see. I don't have that soul, that burden, any more. I'm myself again. Why does that make me evil?"
"Well you just tried to kill me." Pointed out Buffy. "I'd call that evil enough."
"But its love." He said. "That's the vampire's love for humans. Wanting you in every possible way. I've had one way, now I want you for what's inside."
"Most people would say that meaning personality." She murmured sadly.
"But I'm not most people." Angelus told her. "I'm not human, and I can't be human just to be with you, it doesn't work, you bring out my true self."
"This is all my fault." Said Buffy. "And you know, before we did this, you told me to kill you if you changed… but…"
"But?" said Angelus, looking at her sweetly.
"I can't." she admitted. "Even though you're evil. I still love you, and I can't help that. You're still you, even without your soul."
"Exactly." He said, standing up and walking back over to her. "Look, I'm sorry about trying to bite you, it was just an instinct. I might be Angelus, but that doesn't mean I want you dead. And to be honest, I don't feel as evil as I was before." Buffy wanted to believe this very badly.
"Not as evil?" she asked. "You won't kill me? Or my friends?"
"No of course not." He said. "I still love you, I couldn't do that to you."
"Oh thank god." She said, holding him tight in her arms. "You ARE less evil. I was so scared."
"Don't be." He said lovingly in her ear as they laid down together. He felt Buffys breathing become more regular as she settled into sleep. Now, he thought to himself, you have a human lying next to you who trusts you implicitly with her life. You're fairly hungry, and going out to feed just now would mean a walk in the sunshine, which wouldn't exactly be a great idea. You don't have a soul. And, despite what you've said, you feel exactly as evil as you did before. He grinned, it would amuse him greatly to kill Buffy, to take her by surprise, and then she would wake up to realise it too… no, he couldn't pass this opportunity up. He lowered his head silently to her neck, and then quickly sank in his teeth. Her eyes flew open, and her expression showed that she knew exactly what was happening, but was too late to stop it happening, as she passed out lifeless and Angelus fed from her.
That afternoon, after school, Willow came over to see Buffy and Angel, who she had been told from Giles, were at Buffy's house. She hoped Spike hadn't given them any more trouble. She knocked on the door, and smiled as Angelus answered, looking more cheerful than his usual brooding self.
"Hey Angel." Said Willow.
"Hello there Willow." He replied. "What can I do for you?"
"I'm just round to see if you and Buffy are okay." She said. "Can I come in?"
"I dunno," said Angelus, "We decided to go out patrolling for Spike last night, and she is pretty tired, she's still in bed I think." He gestured for Willow to come in.
She poked her head around the door and saw the top of Buffy's head peeping out from under the bedcovers.
"Aww, she looks so sweet when she's asleep." Willow giggled. Angelus smiled.
"You want a tea? Or coffee?" offered Angelus. If she stayed, he would probably kill her, he thought to himself.
"No thanks." Said Willow. "I'll have to get back and help out the others. Xander's falling apart back there. He never trusted Spike."
"Ah." Said Angelus. Xander had never trusted him either, if he remembered rightly. Sensible boy. "Ok, bye then Willow."
"See ya." She said, leaving.
"Oh my God." Said Xander, to Tara, Giles and Anya. "I don't even want to think about the initiative. We're alone now! Sure, they weren't exactly helpful all the time, but they were still just about on our side. They were against the demons. Now we're the only ones left against them. Oh god! Where's Buffy?"
"Buffy's at home." Said Giles, annoyed now as they all were with Xander's panicking. "Calm down Xander, you're not helping matters."
"Sorry." He said, and sat down with Anya, quiet but still obviously worried. She put an arm around him to comfort him.
"So does anyone have any kind of plan?" asked Giles. Noone volunteered their thoughts, all looked around blankly at one another.
"Wait until Willow comes back?" suggested Tara. "And Buffy."
"Yes." Said Giles. "Well apart from that, I was thinking that Buffy and Angel should take on Spike, and we could keep back those who would assist him. Unfortunately, he seems to have regained the support of demons who previously mistrusted him because of his work for us."
"We should have killed him when we had the chance." Said Xander angrily. "Now we have to rely on Angel?"
"Come on Xander, he's not done anything evil lately." Said Willow. "Even Giles manages to forgive him, why not you?" Giles felt the unhappy memories returning, but nodded.
"Angel is not… the monster he once was."
"Twice was." Xander pointed out. "But okay. And there's Buffy."
"Yes, now…" Willow walked in quietly. "Ah, Willow, where's Buffy?"
"Still sleeping." She said. "They were after Spike, so she needs her rest now."
"But we need her to help us plan things!" protested Xander.
"She wont be able to do anything if she's exhausted." Said Giles. "Give her time, Spike won't be out until later anyway, he's not one for going out much in the daylight." The others nodded their agreement, and then started to plan and gather together their weapons.
"Hey there Spike." Angelus greeted the vampire in his crypt. Spike was worried. He was alone here, and Angel was a very strong vampire. He wished he'd planned ahead for something like this.
"Hi Angel." He said. "What brings you here?" Angel shrugged.
"You honestly can't think of a reason?" Angelus realised Spike still thought of him as Angel. Well he'd always enjoyed winding up Spike. "Do you have any idea how many innocent lives were lost last night? I know you were involved."
"Oh come of it Angel." Spike replied. "I don't have a soul, you knew this would happen some day. Computer chips aren't a permanent safeguard for anything." Angelus nodded grimly.
"I suppose the only permanent solution…" he said "would be a stake, yeah?"
"Yes, that might work." Said Spike. "But you don't want to do that. Do you? I mean killing me wouldn't solve matters. There's a lot of us."
"That's very true." Said Angelus. "And I suppose you could be useful, if you would be willing to rejoin the good side. Fighting with the Slayer."
"Oh, sure." Said Spike, glad to be given any chance of an escape. He didn't think he could face Angel after all of his exertions the previous night. "I'm bored of evil anyway, I got it out of my system. You won't kill me?" Angelus laughed.
"Spike," he said, walking closer to him, "you have become so… spineless. The first threat from me, and you agree to go running back to Buffy? Oh god, I can't have been the one to teach you this behaviour." Spike looked puzzled.
"Well I wasn't actually GOING to." He said, and then bit his lip. Oh dear, this must have been the reaction Angel had been after. Well it looked like he faced a fight anyway, he might as well stand his ground now. "And you are in NO position to call anyone spineless. You work for them through choice, because you can't face a few bad memories. You won't sleep with your girlfriend because you're scared of becoming normal again. You -" he was cut off by Angelus grabbing him and lifting him an inch off the ground by his throat. Then he let him go. "What's the matter?" asked Spike, angered now. "Can't face the truth?"
"No, I just felt like doing that." Said Angelus. "Now will you please shut up, William?" Spike froze at the use of his old name.
"You… you don't say that." He said, confused. "I'm Spike, not William, and you're Angel." Angelus shook his head, smiling.
"No Spike, I'm not Angel." He replied. Spike's eyes widened.
"Angelus?" he asked, amazed. "You're back!" Angelus patted his shoulder.
"And so are you," he said to Spike, "I know the chip's gone. Was it Dan?"
"Yeah." Said Spike, grinning. "He owed me a favour. So do the others know about your change? Does Buffy know? I'm guessing she's the one at fault for this in the first place."
"Buffy…" said Angelus, "is no longer with us. The others know nothing." Spike had to admit it, this time, he was impressed.
"You killed Buffy?" he asked. "Well this day really couldn't get much better!"
"Yes, our only opposition now are those mortal helpers of the dead Slayer." Angelus said. "I trust we don't have to worry about the initiative." Spike nodded.
"I took care of that one." He said, proud of his work. "But there's one catch. When one Slayer dies, another one takes her place, yes? We need to know who this new Slayer is so we can stop her."
"Right." Said Angelus. "Good point. And we should probably watch out for the others, they're not exactly harmless. Or inexperienced. Or stupid."
"Hey, don't give them TOO much credit!" said Spike. "Their heroine is dead and they don't know, and they've put their lives in the hands of the vampire who killed her. If that's not stupid, what is?"
"Good point." Angelus admitted.
"Hold on a sec." Said Spike. "Where's Dawn?"
"She's back at her house… oh god." Angelus ran to the door and put up the umbrella he had used before, even though it was no longer raining. It wasn't the rain that he worried about.
"Good luck mate." Called Spike after him, and settled down to rest in a comfy dark corner of his crypt.
Angelus walked in to find Dawn weeping at the foot of her sister's bed. Damn, now he had to put up with this irritation. Oh well, here goes.
"What's wrong Dawn?" he asked, feigning concern.
"Buffy…" she said, "Buffy's dead! Look at her neck! She was killed, by a vampire. Its just NOT FAIR!" Dawn launched herself into sobs. Angelus put an arm around her, but she pushed him away. Wow, that was quite strong for a 14 year old girl.
"Hey, I'm trying to help." He said, trying to sound hurt. "I know how hard this must be for you. I'm not exactly a stranger to pain and torment y'know." He tried to show a façade of this 'pain and torment' without laughing out loud. She shook her head.
"I'm sorry Angel." She said. "It's not your fault. But without her, we have nothing. I have no sister, and the world has no saviour. I just miss her so much! Why did it have to be her? Why NOW?" Angelus couldn't take much more of this pathetic grief.
"I'm sorry Dawn, I truly am." He said. "But she knew and accepted the risks of being a Slayer. Not all of them actually live to reach 20. It had to happen someday, she's mortal." Dawn, not comforted in the slightest by these words, wailed and fled the room, absently knocking the door off of its hinges as she went. That wasn't a good sign, thought Angelus grimly. Well it looked as though he had found the new Slayer alright. He made sure that Dawn had gone up to her room (and not to inform the others of Buffy's untimely demise) and then wrapped Buffy's body in the duvet and hid it in the shed outside. Now he had time to kill, so he decided to spend the time choosing items for himself from assorted Slayer weaponry.
Spike came over to Buffy's house as soon as it was dark. "Dawn?" he said to the girl at the door. "Can you invite me in?"
"Sure Spike." She said. Obviously, she hadn't heard the news about Spike's missing chip. That was good. Angelus was already on the sofa, watching a film with Dawn. Spike wondered why he hadn't killed her yet.
"Just a sec Dawn," said Angelus, "I need to discuss things with Spike. He hasn't heard yet."
"Oh god." Said Dawn. "Go on then, you tell him."
"It'll be easier in private." He said, showing an excellent impression of a mournful face. They went into the kitchen, and Angelus closed the door.
"She's the one." He said simply to Spike. "She's the new Slayer, and she doesn't even realise yet. Should we kill her?" Spike shook his head.
"No, we can't risk having a new more capable Slayer in her place. I think I can occupy her for some time though. She likes me, remember? And she's not exactly great at hiding her feelings." Angelus looked incredulous.
"Spike, she's fourteen!" he said. "You can't be serious. Why would you want to?"
"Oh calm down." He said. "I wasn't thinking of that, except for in an emergency. If she's anything like her sister she'll be into all of the romantic crap anyway."
"That's true." Angelus knew this well. "Okay. So you can keep her away from telling the others of her sister's misfortune when they come around?"
"Sure." Said Spike.
"Now try and look a little less gleeful when we go back through, okay?" Angelus told him with a smile.
"Spike, are you alright?" asked Dawn, concerned about the deeply troubled look on his face. She couldn't stand to see him this upset. He nodded, sadly.
"I can't believe she's gone." Spike said. "I mean, I always knew it would happen sometime, but she seemed so strong." Dawn could understand his sadness only too well. He sat next to her on the couch and put an arm around her gently. Dawn felt a small shiver down her spine. Spike had his arm around her! If only he knew how she felt about him. But then he might think less of her. Or… perhaps not? But why did it have to be Buffy's death that brought them together?
Angelus and Spike exchanged a look. Right, he had to get Dawn away, he knew it wouldn't be long before the others came knocking, looking for their Slayer. Spike looked at Dawn.
"I can't just sit here doing nothing." He said. "Do you have any music? That usually helps me to feel better when I'm down." Dawn nodded.
"Sure, I have plenty." She said. "Upstairs in my room." She blushed slightly, hoping that didn't sound too forward.
"Thanks lil' bit." He said, and the two of them went up to Dawn's room.
The selection was remarkable, thought Spike. A whole collection of CDs, and not a single one of them was even slightly decent. That was amazing.
"Oh, back street boys." He said, trying to sound enthusiastic, when he pitied Dawn for never hearing anything worthwhile. "Great." Dawn beamed at him while he picked out the CD, which was one of her favourites. She put it in the player and let the room fill with her sweet pop music sounds. Spike hoped Angelus appreciated what he was going through, and put on a smile. The doorbell rang, and Dawn attempted to go down to answer it, but Spike laid a hand on her arm. "Stay." He said. "Angel can get it."
"Okay." Replied Dawn. Her hopes soared. Maybe he really did like her, he wanted her to stay with him didn't he? She grinned. And he had great taste in music, not a lot of boys liked the same pop bands as her.
"Buffy?" Angelus said at the door to the group of Buffy's helpers. "She already left. She said I should stay to look after Dawn, she's upstairs just now." Giles nodded.
"But she might be in danger." He pointed out. "You're the strong one here, we really need you for this. Xander could look after Dawn." Xander looked a little annoyed at being left to baby-sit, but he understood Giles's point.
"Fine then." Said Xander. "Good luck people!" Angelus smiled.
"Don't go inviting anyone in!" he said to Xander, somewhat pointlessly. He wouldn't have to. The danger was already within those four walls.
"Dawn?" Xander thought he had best go and say hi to the little girl in her room and let her know about the change of plans. Dawn opened her bedroom door.
"Xander, what are you doing here?" she asked.
"Just looking after you while the others go after the bad guy." He said. "You okay in there?"
"Yeah." She said. "But you don't need to worry Xander, Spike's here."
"SPIKE?" Xander asked. Was this some sort of joke? Did she just have an overactive imagination? Or…
"Hello Xander." Said Spike, grinning. "Go back through, Dawn I'll see Xander out." Dawn went back into her room.
"Dawn!" Xander called after her. "Don't listen to him! He's evil!!!" Spike rolled his eyes impatiently and caught Xander by the wrist.
"She wont be able to hear you over that bloody horrible racket." He said. "Now, if you wouldn't mind, we don't need another here." Xander opened his mouth to scream, but Spike flicked back his head, breaking his neck with ease, then dropped his lifeless body over the staircase.
"Right." Said Angelus, in his best attempt to sound Angelish. "We need to check out that crypt where he's been staying first." Willow nodded, and they proceeded to the cemetery. "We cant all go in at once." He said, frowning. We want to take him by surprise, and there's too many of us here. Me and Willow will go first, we'll call if we need you." Willow squeezed Tara's hand before she walked into the crypt with Angelus.
A minute later a scream was heard, and Angel came running out looking panicked. "Hey!" he called. "Spike's got Willow, we need some back up here!" Giles, Tara and Anya came running.
"Where is he?" asked Giles, unable to see in the darkness of the crypt. Anya peered.
"I can see something." She said. "I think. There's someone back there!" She made a move to run forwards.
"Not so fast!" warned Angelus, whispering. "We need to approach carefully." They all crept forwards inside the crypt.
In a second, Angelus tried to attack them all, but felt overpowered. Although they were mortals, they knew how to fight from experience, and they were stronger than they looked. The fact that they all held stakes and believed him to be the evil Spike wasn't exactly encouraging either, and Angelus began to feel overpowered. Was this the end?
Suddenly a cry was heard from Tara, the one furthest away from him. What was going on? He looked carefully, glad he had a better ability than the others to see in the dark. A familiar face greeted him.
"Drucilla!" he greeted the dark haired vampire. "It's you!" She grinned back at him. Giles groaned. This was NOT good news.
"Hello Angelus." she replied. "I didn't expect to see you here, like this." Angelus? It dawned on the others what was going on now.
"Angelus?" said Anya. "Does that mean you're evil again?" Ok, so maybe some of them were still a little slow.
"What do you think?" he grabbed her by the throat and pulled her to his mouth. He fed for a few minutes, while Drucilla caught Giles, casually knocking the stake from his hand.
Spike could tell what Dawn was thinking, as he put his arm around her again. All the mushy music she listened to must have taught her a few things about feelings. However, they didn't ever warn about falling for evil vampires now did they? "Dawn." He said, trying to appear genuine. "I think, I need to tell you something."
"What?" asked Dawn, almost breathless. Would it be what she had hoped for so long?
"I have…" he paused for effect. "feelings, for you." Dawn looked extremely happy now.
"Oh Spike, I'm so glad!" She gushed. "I've been in love with you since… forever! You feel the same?"
"Absolutely." He said. "Dawn, would you mind… if I … kissed you?" Dawn felt faint.
"N-no," she stuttered, "I would love that." Spike kissed her softly on the lips, then pulled his head back.
"Are you sure this isn't too much?" he asked, concerned. Dawn understood why he would feel that, after all, she was a lot younger than him.
"No it's fine." She said, and smiled at him sweetly, then moved closer to him for another kiss. Spike grinned, and at the last moment ducked his head to her neck. She only struggled at the very last moment when she knew what was going on, but was too late. Spike already had himself firmly attached to her throat and was drinking. She passed out in a matter of seconds. After finishing her off, he went back downstairs and heard a knock at the door. Angelus walked in.
"Hello Spike." He called cheerfully. "How's Dawn?" Spike grinned.
"She's asleep." He answered. "I wouldn't expect her to wake up for a good long time."
"Good." Said Angelus. "And I have a surprise for you." He opened the door wider, letting Drucilla step in.
"Hello my love." She said, with a smile, before she and Spike met in the middle of the room and embraced. Angelus closed the door.
THE END