Mere hours had passed since Willow had retrieved Spike from the hands of Wolfram and Hart. They had managed to secure him in the basement, with Angel standing guard. The younger vampire had reacted badly to all so far – the moment Buffy stepped near him, he would become aggressive, and since there was a large amount of Slayers in the house, they had decided it was the best course of action if they chained him up. Angel had offered his services since he was the only one who could enact a certain degree of control over him. Willow was the only other one the vampire had not acted violently towards, most likely because of the aura of power he could sense around her. She had elected to guard him at the times when Angel needed to feed or sleep.
Buffy had been reluctant to enter the basement, despite her initial joy at seeing his return. She hadn't spoken to anyone except to arrange round the clock attention and to co-ordinate all other activities with Giles. The watcher had asked to inspect the recently resurrected vampire, but had been denied, due to his volatile behaviour. He had agreed to research any known methods of restoring Spike's sanity and memories. He had been locked in the library with a small amount of volunteers since.
The first job on the agenda had been to clean and heal Spike's injuries. Willow had done as much as she could but insisted the rest of the healing had to be done naturally, by Spike's own capabilities. He looked a damn sight better than he had though, cleaned and dressed in a pair of Giles' old slacks and a t-shirt. He had done nothing to fight the job, and afterwards had retreated into the corner, as far as his bindings would allow. He had not moved or said anything since, despite Angel's attempts to the contrary. He could not even persuade the younger vampire to feed, at least not from the provided blood bag.
Willow had watched Angel's attempts to try and get the younger vampire to accept some sustenance and after a few tries, she had left to find Buffy. During the spell, the witch had picked up some unusual vibes, and had concerns about Spike's return.
'I'm not sure but it seems like they've kept something from me. Whether it's his soul, or him in essence, I don't know but it would explain the lack of reaction or recognition on his behalf. The demon is there, that much is clear. But I don't know about the rest of him.'
'So you're saying they have taken what makes Spike, well, Spike?' Giles asked, looking to Buffy, who remained silent in the corner, her arms folded across her chest. She was chewing on her bottom lip thoughtfully and staring at a spot between the witch and the watcher.
'Pretty much. He's only the demon. I can't sense anything else in him. His aura indicates that something is trapped, either within him, or somewhere else. I can't suggest anything to help it.' The witch turned to her friend. 'I don't know what to do now, Buffy.'
The slayer sighed and dropped her arms. 'I guess I'll have to pay a visit to some people who might.' She looked up to Giles, a steely gaze replacing the stare from before. 'You know where the Wolfram and Hart headquarters are in London right?'
'I do, but I'm not so sure that would be a good idea, Buffy.' Giles said quietly, waiting for her rebuke.
'It's our only idea. I know you don't like Spike, but if this prophecy is true, we need him and we need him back in full irritating vampire mode. He's useless to us like this. And god knows how long Angel will be able to control him.' She looked at her watcher imploringly, hoping he could see that this was the only way. Reluctantly he nodded and pulled out an address book.
'Fine. But you are not going alone. You can take Lisa with you. She's the best we have here. And for heavens sake Buffy, be careful.'
-P-
The city was in chaos.
People were screaming, fighting, killing. Demons roamed everywhere and for the first time Buffy was truly grateful for the remote location of the mansion. The others were safe; being in the middle of the city was suicide. Luckily, herself and Lisa had managed to fight their way through without any major injuries and now they were stood in front of the London branch of Wolfram and Hart, seemingly the only untouched building in the area.
Buffy looked at Lisa, who nodded and followed her lead as the older slayer headed into the building. It was surreal. Outside, nightmares reigned and yet inside it was like a bright sunny, normal working day. People bustled to and fro, working like nothing was going on beyond the walls of the building.
A reception desk was ahead of them and Buffy went straight for it, not holding anything back.
'Whoever is in charge here – tell them the slayer has an issue she wants to take up with them.'
The receptionist smiled sweetly and looked up at her. 'Certainly Miss Summers. Mr Roberts has been expecting you.'
Buffy should have been taken aback but she wasn't. Of course they were expecting her. She'd stolen Spike from under their noses. They were probably pissed. She allowed herself and Lisa to be taken up to the top floor of the building, where they were lead into an extravagant office and offered coffee whilst they waited. Buffy had gritted her teeth and tried not to snarl a response at them, but it had failed. Although she had been rewarded with the fear of one employee backing away very quickly and leaving them to wait for the supposed Mr Roberts.
He was definitely not an imposing man, was her first thought as he strode in, dressed smartly in a business suit and with his hair slicked back. He wasn't very tall, and reminded her of Wesley with his looks. He looked plain, very charming, and Buffy knew immediately that her guard was staying up against this man. He might not look like much but he was as evil as they came.
'Miss Summers. I assume you are here about a certain William Pratt?'
She'd almost asked who that was then realised he meant Spike. 'You know damn well I'm here about Spike. I want to know what you have done to him and when you're going to fix it before I rip apart everyone in this building.' She could sense the shock at her words from the other slayer but the younger girl disguised it well, keeping her gaze fixed on the man seated before them.
'What we have done to him?' He laughed, a sound that would have been normal to any other person but something in it hurt Buffy's ears. She wanted to hit him. 'He did this all to himself. We merely kept him where he could not interfere in our plans.'
'Interfere? Seriously?' Buffy asked, narrowing her gaze at the smartly dressed man. 'You knew we would look for him. We know he is needed. You...'
'What we did, Miss Summers, is none of your concern.' He interrupted her, seeming slightly more scary in that moment as his gaze hardened. 'We cannot help you. William is gone. You have to deal with what is left.'
'I don't believe you.' The slayer spat out. Mr Roberts stood and walked around the desk.
'The only way to save that creature now is to get him to unlock whatever he has hidden away. Torture has a habit of doing that. Unfortunately, he was there a lot longer than Angelus and therefore it will be impossible for you to regain the creature you knew as Spike. He is dead. And he did it to himself. Save yourself the trouble and dust him.'
'You'd love that.' Buffy said, not finding him quite so scary now. He'd made her realise one thing. 'Because everything you just said made me realise that he can be brought back. You and your bosses know that and they are terrified it will work and we will bring you down.' She smiled, somewhat threateningly. 'You can tell the senior partners they can't have this world. Not as long as I am in it.' She motioned to Lisa. 'Good day Mr Roberts.' She headed for the door.
'Contrary to what you think Miss Summers...I am not lying. If you did succeed...how do you know it would really be him?' She turned, ready to rip into him but he was gone. Buffy stopped and looked at Lisa, then shrugged and followed the younger girl out of the deceptive building and back into the nightmarish streets of London.
-P-
'How is he?' Willow asked as she entered the room to find Angel trying to get Spike to feed again.
'Like a small child. He's refusing to feed, to even look at me. I don't know how much longer we can keep this up. He's going to starve.' The older vampire looked desperate. He gave it one more go to get Spike to feed but got no where. The blonde was sat with his back to them, huddled in the corner, shaking violently on occasion. 'He screams when he sleeps. Whatever they did to him...' Angel sighed. 'It was worse than what has happened to any of us.'
'He'll get better Angel.' Willow heard the falseness in her own voice. She didn't know that any more that he did.
'There's marks everywhere. When he lets me look...they must have killed him a hundred times or more. Those scars will never fade.' He ran a hand over his face. 'God knows about the psychological ones.'
The witch grimaced and glanced again to the blonde in the corner. She was so lost in her musings about healing him that she didn't notice the door open or sense Buffy's arrival until the slayer spoke.
'I need you to leave. Both of you. I'm going to try something. Something dangerous.'
Angel looked at her and then to the vampire, and then made to object. Buffy looked at him imploringly.
'If we don't get him back, we're dead anyway.'
There was no arguing with her this time. He wouldn't go far though, just in case Spike attacked, The vampire in question had bristled when she entered and was now growling openly in protest at her presence. Angel frowned but dutifully left her, taking Willow with him and leaving the slayer with the irate demon and words to be careful.
Buffy waited a few moments, upset at the visible hostility Spike was showing her, but determined none the less. She knew Angel would be close by but was hoping he was not needed. Spike wouldn't hurt her intentionally. And she was hoping to bring him back to himself before he could hurt her at all.
Her footsteps were cautious as she approached him and his growls only intensified as she did. He backed further into the corner, snarling, almost frothing at the mouth, his yellow eyes boring into her as she kept moving towards him. He stood, his chest heaving, his hands clawed talons at the walls, ripping wallpaper off as she came closer and closer. She reached out one hand and finally made contact with him, feeling that familiar spark as she touched his chest. His growl became exponentially louder and he flung a hand out to break the contact. It was not intended to harm, more to warn her off but seconds later her hand was back on his chest, and he was getting angrier by the second.
'Spike.' Buffy said, softly, wondering if he could hear her over his growls. But there was no response, no recognition. Only anger in those amber depths. She reached up from his chest, tracing the scars on his face. He froze, the growls softening. No one had touched him softly since his return, no one had attempted much besides feeding him and cleaning his wounds. An angry jagged scar ran down the side of his face, and Buffy touched it, whispering his name in almost reverence.
They'd never been this gentle with each other during their time. Only those few fleeting hours before the First had they been tender with each other. She knew he didn't remember but she did and she held those memories close as she willed him to recognise her.
All he was doing was staring at her, confused by the contact. A slayer was touching him and not killing him as his instincts told him she would. His demon was confused and still angry at the confinement in his chains. He pulled at them, wanting to touch her back. He didn't know why but her gentle touch on his skin made him want to do the same.
Buffy looked down, noticing him pulling at his chains. She moved to still him but the sudden movement set him off and the growling began anew. He pushed forward, sending her falling backwards with a yelp. The animal was angry again and she'd done nothing to calm him for long.
Spike snarled and roared, trying to get free. One of the chains was giving slightly, and he pulled at it further. The wall crumbled under his renewed vigour and one chain came free. It connected with Buffy's head as she was getting up from the floor and she found herself flung against the wall, blood running down the side of her temple, matting her hair to her forehead.
Then, silence.
The vampire sniffed the air, smelling the one thing guaranteed to set any vampire off. Slayer blood. Strong slayer blood.
The chains were gone and Buffy found herself being stalked by a hungry demon. She was dizzy – the heavy metal chain had clonked her good. She pulled herself up, using the wall for support and faced Spike. She didn't want to hurt him. But if he attacked she would have to defend herself.
She raised a hand as if to stop him from attacking her, flattening her palm in a "halt" motion. He stopped prowling and cocked his head to the side, and she almost cried at the familiar Spike gesture. Then he reached out and touched her hand. She realised then what he was looking at. The scars on her hand, the burn marks from the cave. He raised his own hand and traced the same scar on his flesh, looking back and forth in confusion.
The slayer hesitated. Then took a step forward. Spike growled almost automatically but was still captivated by the scars on his skin. Buffy reached out a hand and touched his scar, whispering to him as she did so.
'They're the same.'
He looked at her sharply. Then did something that would strike outsiders as unusual if they didn't know he was acting on primal instinct.
He sniffed her.
Like a dog would sniff another dog, except not at her butt, thank god. But he was smelling her. Maybe he was confused still and trying to connect the scent with the scars. But nothing happened. He grew closer, his face almost buried in the crook of her neck. She wasn't worried; she knew she could fight him off. She didn't panic when his fangs slid into her skin, not taking a huge amount of blood, just tasting her, testing her blood. She knew she wouldn't taste like family to him but maybe it would awaken something else.
It obviously had. He pushed her back, against the wall, still not taking any blood from her but his hands were roaming now and Buffy was getting hotter by the second. He was touching her everywhere, pressing into her and she threw her head back, savouring the sensations she thought she would never feel again after Sunnydale.
He wasn't growling anymore. He was almost purring. He pulled at her clothing and she returned the favour by pulling at his. She knew this wasn't wrong, she knew he wouldn't hurt her, and when they finally connected again like they had done so long ago, Buffy felt like a piece of herself had come home. She could finally admit to any one that she loved him and had missed him so much. Hell, she had admitted it to Angel only a few days ago.
Spike was moving now, more urgently. He had pulled his head away from her neck and for the first time, she could see him struggling to get rid of his game face. But it wasn't going. Flashes of blue through amber caught her attention and she kissed him hard, cutting her lips on his fangs. With a roar, he lunged for her neck again, but there wasn't any fear. He sank his teeth in and drew a couple of mouthfuls of her blood. The he growled possessively and fell on top of her.
She didn't move as he shifted and gathered her into his arms. The carpeted floor was surprisingly comfortable in his embrace.
And it didn't take long for him to start purring and lull her into a deep sleep.
-P-
There was fire everywhere. Inside and out burning his flesh away and destroying the precious memories of the past that he held dear. He knew he had been wherever he was for a long time but he could still remember things. Blonde hair, green and hazel flecks in her eyes, her small hands tracing his wounds when he was tortured by...something. He didn't want it to slip away. He didn't want to forget.
More pain stung him, searing his insides again and he screamed, desperately clinging to thoughts or memories. He didn't know which anymore but no longer cared. As long as there was something there. He had to keep it safe, protect it. Chesnut hair. Blonde hair. Sisters. Both dearer to him that his own flesh and blood. Red hair, brown hair. Scoobies. A boy he hated but would protect for her. The longing for acceptance for people that he held closer any vampire should.
Another stab, more fire, hatred from all around him. He was confusing the thoughts now. Losing some of them. This wasn't allowed to happen. He had to hide them from whatever was trying to steal them.
It wasn't as hard as he thought it was be. To hide it, hide inside himself and never let them get it. They couldn't have it. It wasn't his to give to them anymore.
He didn't know when he stopped feeling what they were doing. The torture they inflicted. But he didn't remember anymore. It was safe from them, from him. They couldn't steal anything. They could kill him and bring him back time and time again.
They wouldn't take his memories. And neither would he.
-P-
Buffy sighed, curling further up into a ball within the warm blanket she'd found. She turned up the volume on the tv and smiled as she heard Andrew's rather camp tone filter through the bad amateur video. An image of Xander and Anya appeared and they were arguing about the wedding that wasn't. A pang of sadness at the loss of Anya ran through her and her smile took a sad appearance for a moment and faded altogether when a conversation came on screen.
Andrew was obviously hiding in the bushes, watching Spike and Faith on the doorstep, sharing a cigarette. Her sister slayer was talking non stop about a topic Buffy had avoided with Spike that last year and the vampire had a grim look on his face.
'Funny thing is, I've always been jealous of B, ya know?' The brunette slayer said, flicking ash from the end of her cigarette.
Spike looked at her and piped up for what seemed like the first time in the conversation. 'Why's that?'
'Because of the way you look at her. The way Angel looked at her, or Riley or any goddamn guy for that matter.' Faith sighed and looked up at the sky. 'The guys who love her...they look at her like she is food to a starving man. I look at the way you look at her and...man I'd die for someone to look at me that way.'
The vampire frowned and then sighed, staring at the end of his own cigarette. 'I am a man starved. I once told her that being that close to her and not having all of her...even now I can't tear myself away. I would die a thousand deaths for her. I would suffer an eternity of torment just to see her smile. There is nothing on this earth I wouldn't go through or do to see her, or Dawn or any of those damn scoobies safe. They're part of her. Everything is part of her. I am only here for her. She's what makes the sun shine for me, even though it's killing me.' He stopped, realising who he was talking to. Faith looked at him sideways and then placed her hand on his knee.
'I would give you that.' She said. 'But you wouldn't take it.'
Spike chuckled. 'I wouldn't. You're right.' He turned to the other slayer and smiled. 'Someday, someone will look at you like that. Someone will be for you like I am for her. But do me a favour yeah?' Faith nodded. 'Tell him. Don't be afraid. Don't hesitate.' He stood up and looked up at the sky himself, watching clouds settle in.
'You never know how short life can be.' He whispered.
Static overtook the screen and Buffy realised she was crying. She wiped her eyes and pulled the blanket closer around her, feeling the vampire presence in the room.
Angel approached from the shadows.
'Willow told me what happened.' He said quietly, standing off to the side and placing a hand on the chair as he spoke. 'Between you and Spike. The whole thing.' He sighed and knelt down, brushing a strand of hair from her eyes. 'I know...what I put you through...what you have been through. I can't pretend to understand it...but I know, he will never stop. No matter what he is now, if he never regains what he was...he'll never stop, Buffy. He'll protect you and love you with an undying devotion. With or without a soul. I never wanted to see it, never wanted to let you go. Even when I had moved on, I selfishly thought I could still be the one. But I'm not. He is.'
'I just want him back how he was.' Buffy said quietly, staring at the static on the screen.
'I know. And I think you will get him back. Even if we have to go to hell and back.' The slayer looked up at him and smiled, taking his hand.
'Thank you.'
Angel smiled and rubbed her hand gently. 'Are you going to come down and see him? He woke up a few minutes ago and I think he was confused when you weren't there.'
She nodded and stood, following the older vampire to the basement, where Spike was prowling, unchained and antsy. He looked up as she entered and almost bounded towards her, checking her over as if to make sure she was in one piece. She almost cried again at his actions and he looked panicked before she threw her arms around him.
Angel watched, knowing the younger vampire had a long way to come before he was himself again but confident Buffy was safe with him. As he turned to leave the room he noticed, that for the first time since Willow had brought him back, Spike was no longer in game face.
-P-
Three days had passed. Buffy had spent most of her time in the basement, trying to get Spike to be...well, Spike. Faith and Robin had turned up and were now working with gathering the slayers from their respective parts of the world. Giles and Willow were researching the prophecy, having left Buffy and Dawn to work on the Spike issue. Angel was prowling, gathering information from his sources where he could.
Three days and the world was getting worse. People were roaming the streets in gangs, demons killing randomly and in large numbers. Buffy had given up patrolling, finding many of the supposed foes she met on her patrols to be human corrupted by the coming evil. Television stations had mostly gone off the air, except for a program called Jeremy Kyle, which Giles insisted was the work of the devil anyway.
Nothing they could come up with was going to work. They had narrowed down the possible places of where man was created to three places, all in England, and with mystical connections. The Deeper Well was one, another was where Avalon was supposed to be, in the very heart of Cornwall and the other was a supposed dimension within a dimension in the heart of London, concealed for most of the existence of the human race. Giles had found this supposed location in a book but he was more concerned with the more west country sites, looking further into them. Angel had suggested that it was in the middle east they would need to look but Giles had put him in his place, citing that the focal point of the world going to hell was actually in the English capital. Further research had shown that Wolfram and Hart ran all of their business from a building in London, not their offices, but a building surrounded with more magical energy than six nuclear bombs.
Buffy had shown little or no interest, concerned more with the fact that without Spike, they would not be able to save the world anyway. She had worked with him, showing him photos, videos and trying everything and anything to get him to show more recognition than he did. He still growled at the slayers and only tolerated Angel and herself near him. He had not shown any more physical intimacy towards her, except for the random touches and various actions that she felt were more for his benefit to assure himself she was real.
If only she could convince herself of the same.
It had gone six in the evening and Spike had begun to stir as the sun came down when Dawn entered the room. The vampire had looked up, watching the young girl warily from the corner of the room but not making a sound. She had approached Buffy quietly, watching him back and smiling faintly as he narrowed his eyes.
'Buffy.' Dawn said, touching her shoulder and smiling as her sister looked up and away from Spike. 'Giles says he needs to talk to you. It's important.'
The slayer stood, shaking her head. 'I can't leave him.'
'It will only be for a few moments.' Dawn smiled. 'He hasn't gone for me before, I'm not a slayer so he doesn't care.'
'I just...' Buffy tried to argue but Dawn shook her head.
'Angel is right outside. I'll scream if Spike does anything threatening. Okay?' Buffy chewed her lip, staring at her sister before nodding slowly and leaving the room. Dawn watched her leave and then turned, suddenly finding herself face to face with Spike.
He stared at her and Dawn paled slightly, trying not to let her fear get the best of her. She repeated to herself that Spike would never hurt her, would never harm her in any way. It wasn't really working. She was about a second away from peeing her pants. But still he didn't move. He looked like he was studying her.
Then he reached up, running his hand over her hair, and then pulling it from its loose ponytail. He watched as her hair cascaded over her shoulders and then smiled.
'Chestnut.' He whispered and Dawn's mouth fell open. When he vamped out and pulled her to him, she didn't protest, knowing instinctively that he wouldn't not hurt her, knowing that when his fangs grazed her neck, he was doing what he had done with Buffy. He knew her blood. When he pulled away, blue eyes sparkling with recognition, Dawn started to cry.
Her cries brought Angel into the room. He saw the blood on her neck, but knew Spike hadn't attacked her. He moved over to them, and Spike looked at him and then pointed to Dawn, nodding slightly.
'Dawn.' he whispered, voice hoarse from disuse.
The girl collapsed to the floor and Spike frowned, obviously thinking he had done wrong. Angel was too busy gawping to notice when Buffy came running in, taking in the scene. The youngest vampire retreated back to his corner, repeating Dawn's name over and over again. Buffy pulled Dawn up from the floor and took in the graze on her neck, the pacing Spike and her sisters tearful face.
'What happened?' Buffy asked, worrying about both her sister and the vampire, who had stopped pacing and was watching her carefully. Dawn looked at her sister and smiled widely through her tears.
'He knows me.'
-P-
It kinda hurt. He'd never admit it to anyone but it did. He felt desolate now, cut off and unrecognised. By someone he'd always claimed to hate. Except he didn't. Not really. Spike was his Childe. In all manner of speaking. It had been his blood that brought the innocent and untainted William into his new way of existence. Now he could only elicit the basic reaction from the blonde he would call family. The only reaction the younger vampire could show was that of the submittal to his sire.
He had recognised Buffy and Dawn. He'd tasted their blood, recognised them as his family. When they known him minutes in comparison to the time Angel had spent with him.
Wasn't you though, was it? It was Angelus. Maybe that's why his demon doesn't recognise you properly.
Only he didn't care about the demon. He sat with Buffy for hours, watching the sleeping vampire, watching her comfort him when his screams woke him. Watched her bathing his wounds and trying to encourage him to feed. Except that didn't work when anyone tried it. He refused to feed, almost like he was scared of the blood.
That's what happens when you see too much of it. And if he's been in a dimension of Wolfram & Hart's making, he could have been there for a millennia, seeing nothing but his own blood.
Angel sighed and looked out of the window. It had been four days since they had retrieved Spike and he had made little progress, aside from his recognition of Dawn and Buffy. He refused blood, snarled at anyone who wasn't familiar to him. Well, pretty much everyone. It had also been four days since daylight had shown itself over the world. The clouds covered the sky, never relenting, plunging the human race into darkness. Things were getting ugly out there and there wasn't anything they could do until they had their champion back.
That had been him once, until he signed it away. But he didn't care about that. In the five years he had spent fighting alone, he had come to realise one thing; he not longer wanted his happily ever after. He wanted theirs. He wanted to see the people he loved happy, in their lives...alive and carrying on. And he was going to be the one to stick around to make sure they carried on. He didn't want to dust, didn't want to be human. How could he turn back after everything he had seen? The best way for him to redeem himself was to carry on, make sure his life had purpose in making those he loved safe.
But he needed Spike back to do that.
Giles had found more on the prophecy, cementing the need for the peroxide pest to recover. They were drawing ever closer to the end, and without their best fight back, they weren't going to get anywhere. The world would end. Demons would take over and the wolf, the ram and the hart would win. They would destroy everything.
They needed everyone.
Angel had only one idea left but he had to wait. Buffy had arranged to take a group of slayers out on a hunt, to scope out the buildings in the centre of London, where they suspected it would all go down. They had no idea how it was going to go down, only that there would be trials, challenges and a fight to the death most likely. That was how it normally went down anyway.
Dawn would be left with Spike. He was calm around her. And Angel would have to put her in danger to test his idea. He didn't want to do it and knew Buffy would more than likely kill him for it. But it might bring Spike back to them.
The door downstairs slammed shut and the dark vampire watched as Buffy and a group of seven girls left the property. Now was the time. He only hoped this went right.
-P-
Dawn looked up as the door to the basement opened and Angel slipped in. She had been reading a magazine, whilst Spike watched her from the corner. She had occasionally been talking to him but it had lacked response and she was feeling pretty down about the whole situation. She felt useless, even if he had recognised her the other night. She knew Buffy was upset that the only thing he had said since his return was her name, but he'd only said it once and had seemed to forget it since. But there was definite knowing in those blue eyes. The amount of times in the last few days she had found Buffy curled up with the vampire, meant that he knew both of them. Even if he couldn't voice it.
The older vampire approached her, his face full of regret. She panicked for a moment and dropped the magazine, facing him with concern on her face. When he muttered an apology, she was confused.
Then terrified as his hand locked around her throat. He pulled her flush against his chest so she was facing Spike and then whispered in her ear.
'I'm hoping this works. If it looks like it is going bad, leave the room but don't call for help.' Dawn was stricken and thoroughly wigged out. Especially when Spike rose from his corner, snarling, vamped out and snapping his fangs at them.
Oh god...I am not going to pee my pants...what the hell is Angel doing?
The blonde drew closer and roared at Angel and the older vampire snarled back, his own human guise slipping, and he hoped that the noise didn't bring anyone running. They were used to the vampire's screams, so hopefully they would attribute it to that.
Spike was getting too close now, so Angel pushed Dawn away from him, towards the door and she watched from a safe distance, shaking at the sudden change in the room. The two vampires circled, snarling, hissing at each other, until Angel threw the first punch. He knocked Spike off his feet and Dawn shrieked. Spike looked at her quickly, almost smirking in her direction and she suddenly knew what Angel was doing. She'd read about it before somewhere but couldn't quite grasp how it was going to help.
The younger vampire flew for his Sire, knocking him off balance and to the floor. They scrambled for the upper hand, cutting into each other, biting, clawing and punching, until Angel finally got the upper hand, pinning Spike face down underneath him, his wrists clasped together. Spike struggled, snarled, blood dripping onto the floor from a particularly brutal cut above his eyebrow. Angel looked up to Dawn, his vampire eyes pleading with her. She nodded in silent understanding and left the room, having no need to see anything that happened next. Angel had it under control.
As soon as the lock clicked into place on the door, Angel reared back and sank his fangs into the younger vampire, draining what little blood he had left. Spike cried out and then whimpered, going lax under Angel's weight and assault. He yelped as he felt the last of his strength slipped and Angel let go, rolling the younger over and looking down at him. The human mask was back in place and they were both covered in blood. Angel sat back, straddling the blonde, and for a moment felt himself growing aroused, slipping back into old ways he no longer deemed necessary.
Spike choked a breath out and looked up at Angel. A ghost of knowing flashed in the blue depths of his eyes and the brunette smiled, ripping his own shirt off before making a shallow cut on his neck. He pulled Spike up to his knee, knowing he was too weak to stand. For a second they knelt together, bare chest to bare chest, until Angel nodded an approval and pulled Spike forward, until his lips met the cut on Angel's neck. He had no fight left in him and began to drink to the much needed Sire's blood. After a few seconds, the demon took over again and Angel felt his childe's fang slip into his skin. He allowed Spike to take his fill and revelled in the intimacy he had missed for so many years.
When Spike pulled away, he waited for his Sire to get to his feet, and then followed rank. He stared at the brunette for a good long time, Angel picked up the blood bag, discarded from another attempt at feeding, and drained it, sinking back against the wall. He was tired, usual for a dominating show like that. He wasn't sure if it had worked, but he knew one thing at least now.
Wolfram and Hart didn't keep any part of Spike. He'd buried himself for protection. And Angel had no idea how to make it better.
-P-
Buffy returned from patrol to find a shaken Dawn in the living room, nursing a cup of cocoa. Her attention was grabbing immediately and she ran to her sister.
'What happened? Is Spike okay? Are you okay?'
'I don't know. I left him with Angel...they were doing a vampire thing. A domination ritual. Angel was trying to provoke him, I think to make him remember. But I left them an hour ago and there's been no sound.' Dawn looked up at her sister with pale and drawn features. The slayer looked frightened for a second before her face set into a steely mask of determination. She stormed from the room, ignoring the pack of confused slayers by the front door. In seconds she was downstairs, opening the basement door, not thinking about what she could find.
And totally not expecting what she did.
Angel was shirtless, sat against the wall with his legs out straight. And on his lap was an equally shirtless Spike, curled into the fetal position, sleeping peacefully for the first time in nearly five days. The older vampire looked up, smiling weakly at Buffy, who approached slowly and quietly. She sat down beside them, watching as Angel stroked Spike's hair gently, making the younger vampire purr in his sleep.
I remember when he did that for me. Before I lost him.
She smiled at Angel. 'Does he remember anything?' She whispered, but Angel shook his head.
'I figured out what he did though.' The brunette looked saddened as he glanced down at the sleeping childe. 'He must have been there for so long...so long he buried himself, hid under the demon so that they couldn't hurt him anymore. He's in there. Just...we have no way of bringing him out.'
Buffy's face fell. 'Spells won't do it, will they? It has to be something he does on his own.' Angel nodded, continuing his stroking motion. 'Do you need to go and feed? I can stay here with him.' She whispered, her hand reaching out to ghost over Spike's face. He looked so young when he slept. Angel smiled gratefully and gently shifted. Spike awoke, and looked up, whimpering at the loss of his sire but seemingly satisfied when Buffy took his place. He settled back down straight away. Buffy looked down at him, and then to the retreating back of Angel. 'Did he feed?'
The vampire nodded and turned for a brief moment. 'He won't drink blood bags. He'll drink from me though.' He paused for a moment. 'I wouldn't encourage him to drink from you though, before you get any ideas. He may not know when to stop. It's okay for me, I can take it.' He smiled and left the basement, hearing Buffy talking to the blonde as he made his way up the stairs, deflated in himself for not being about to bring his childe back,.
-P-
Giles looked over the paperwork, frowning at his discoveries. The reconnaissance from the trip to where the battle was supposed to take place had concerned him greatly. It seemed the demons knew it was the pivotal position in the fight and had created a fortress of sorts to keep the "good guys" out. The magicks were strong and they would need more than just Willow to bring their defences down. Buffy and the army of slayer would be facing nightmarish creatures, the likes of which they had never faced before. He had no idea what would happen when they breached the walls and went into the heart of the biggest evil on earth. He could not make any assumptions, and they had no way of researching it.
All he knew was that time was drawing short.
The skies had been dark for days. The sun had gone. London was deserted, the streets littered with the remnants of the humans that had fled. The world was in chaos and the fires of evil were consuming everything they touched. Humans were dying left, right and all over the place, leaving the demons to take everything. Every night for the last week, the house and its occupants had been under attack. They had lost three slayers already and dozens were injured. Allies were arriving all the time. Faith had sent word from Cleveland, before communications completely collapsed, telling them that they were holding their posts and that the Hellmouth was more active than previously seen in Sunnydale.
The world was ending.
And although he knew how to stop it, he knew he would lose almost everyone in the fight.
But it was time. He had to tell Buffy, and the others, what would be needed to seal the gates of Hell forever.
-P-
For a second it was like the old days.
Just a second.
Then the future, or possible lack of, rushed back at them.
Buffy, Angel, Dawn, Xander and Willow sat in Giles' office, reeling from the news he had given them. The news that most of them would most likely die.
He had explained it, making sure every detail was clear to them. The battle strategy was crystal – the slayers fight, the witches destroy the defences and they drive them back. But only Buffy, Spike, Angel and Dawn were to enter the building. It was imperative that only those four went. Xander had protested, making his feelings on the subject clear to all. He wasn't happy about letting them face the danger alone. But Willow had pacified him, saying he was needed for the more important stuff, to keep the slayers and witches going. It would be a long fight, And none of them knew what laid inside the building. All Giles could provide them with was the required joining spell.
Angel had spoken up at this point. He recognised the ritual involved.
'It's a familial claim. Means we have to join together as a clan, and it's not a one time deal. It'll be forever. We'll be linked by blood.' He said, looking purposefully towards Dawn and Buffy. Dawn scrunched her nose up and Buffy looked blankly concerned. The younger Summers grasped her sisters hand.
'There won't be any creepy side effects will there?' Buffy asked, her tone low and even. 'No telekinesis, knowing each other too well and stuff?' Angel shook his head, smiling.
'Fairy tales.' He whispered. 'If anything, this will benefit us all. We'll be able to sense each other, will know if any of us are in danger. Kind of like a radar.'
'Okay.' Dawn said, looking at the vampire and then to her father figure. Giles smiled weakly at her, and folded his hands together.
'Time is of the essence here. This is all supposed to happen soon, so the sooner we get in there and get on with it the better. The world won't wait for us, and Hell certainly won't either. We need to prep the slayers, get the witches ready. Willow, I trust you have the required spells?' The red head nodded.
'I can have the girls ready in the morning.'
'Okay then.' Buffy said, standing up, resuming the position of general that she had taken the year before in Sunnydale. 'Then we're good to go at 0800?' She looked to Giles for confirmation and was glad to see the fatherly pride swell up in him, as it seemed slayer and watcher were finally on the same page once more.
'0800 it is, Buffy.' He stood up.
'What about Spike?' Xander asked. 'If he's intergral and still all looney tunes…'
Angel shook his head. 'I don't think it will be a problem. He already recognised us, and with the….I can control him.'
'He'll protect me at all costs.' Dawn said, 'I know he will.'
'Til the end of the world.' Buffy whispered, and smiled at her younger sister, brushing the hair from her eyes.
-P-
'Do you think we'll make it?' Angel asked, approaching quietly as Buffy sat in the chair and watched a fully healed Spike sleep.
The house was silent, the tension palpable. Dawn had wanted to stay down with her, but Buffy had told her to sleep, no way of knowing what they were going up against the following day. She left her sister sleeping, and had come down to the basement, finding Spike practically comatose, his soft snores making her giggle.
'Why does he snore?' Buffy asked, ignoring the question she didn't have an answer to.
Angel smiled and took the seat next to her. 'He was always a little more human than the rest of us.'
'I want him back Angel.' She missed the flinch in the older vampire's face. It still hurt him. But he knew that above anything, he had left her. They were over, gone, a happy memory in the past….mostly. 'I sit here and watch him, and he's so quiet. Spike was never quiet.' Never a truer word spoken. Angel grimaced and reached over, grasping Buffy's hand in his.
'Whatever we have to face….Spike's too damn stubborn not to fight his way back. Especially for you.' He smiled at her and she smiled back, tears glistening in her eyes. A sudden noise from the vampire in the corner distracted them and they watched as Spike kicked out, fought for a second against an invisible enemy and then curled into a ball, returning to the soft snores. Buffy giggled, a memory coming back to her. Angel looked at her with curiosity in his gaze.
'He's drowning in footwear.' She grinned, not thinking that Angel would get the joke. The giggles turned into sobs and she dropped the brunette's hand, leaning into her palms and crying hard. 'I can't lose either of you. I can't lose Dawn. Giles, Xander, Willow…I just can't. I've lost too many and I'm expected to be so strong.' Her shoulders shook and Angel pulled her from her chair and into his lap as she proceeded to make a large wet patch on his borrowed t-shirt. He put his arms around her and held her, closing his eyes against his own tears for ones he had lost.
He didn't expect fingers to pry her from his grasp as the blond vampire awoke and took Buffy from him, settling back onto the floor with the petite slayer wrapped in his embrace. Buffy snuggled against his chest, and Angel smiled as he looked on, grabbing a blanket and placing it over the entwined couple. Spike watched him, a defiance in his eyes, daring Angel to challenge him. The older vampire knew then.
There was no keeping a bad vamp down.
-P-
The skies were no longer dark, but neither was the sun shining down on the group of slayers and witches advancing on the capital. In the back alleys of London, a large building stood alone in a courtyard of stone. The building itself looked plain, un-awe-inspiring. Until you took into account the hordes of demons surrounding it, the presence of dark magick in the air and the blackness that filled your lungs as you approached the outside. The slayers all felt it, the witches visibly baulked at the taste of the foul evil in the air. Angel vamped out, feeling the evil permeate his bones in an unpleasant manner, tempting him with promises of the future if he switched sides. But he knew his place now, and he knew that this was the right side. Beside Buffy, Dawn and Spike, who was freaking out in a major way as they closed the gap between them and the demons.
The blonde slayer held up her hand, halting the position of the army. She looked to Willow, who nodded, and signalled to the rest of the wiccans, who took their places atop the buildings around the battlefield. The demons, some standing as high as the buildings themselves, all armed to the teeth and looking like something out of the Lord Of The Rings, yelled, made noise, snarled at their opposition. The slayers held their ground, weapons readied.
Buffy looked around at her troops, then stepped out in front of them.
'I'm not making a long speech. You all know what is at stake. The object is to clear the path so we can get into the building. Then we'll stop it.' She looked towards Giles and smiled. The elderly watcher stood next to Andrew, who was doing himself proud for a change and holding himself together. Giles returned her smile and she hefted the scythe into a battle stance.
Then she turned and charged.
(AN: I think I know where I'm going with this now. I don't know when I'll have the next chapter up, but it shouldn't be more than a month. Unfortunately, with Christmas coming up, gotta work two jobs and also Halloween, which is my Christmas, so I'll try my best)