Pathways

Ch 2 – Reacquainting

Drusilla wandered the quiet town of Earth's currently active Hellmouth. She listened to the insects because it was far, far, too late in the morning for people to be stirring. She missed Rio de Janeiro just a little bit right then. That city was always humming with life that she could reach out and crush. She sighed at the breeze that passed through town; even it wasn't gossipy right now.

She realized as she wandered that she didn't know where her boy would be living right now. They'd all stayed together at one time in a dark and gothic factory and had such fun. But that place was mostly burned by that Watcher and being there would bring back bad memories. She thought about the mansion, but hoped that Spike wouldn't be there.

That had been where he'd betrayed her and helped Buffy stop Angel's plan to bring the world into Hell. It would have been so much fun, but silly Spike was too addicted to watching his football and dog racing to allow it. And when she'd tried to help her Angel keep the Slayer at bay, Spike had hit her and not in the sex games way, and then he'd knocked her unconscious. She'd hated him for a long while after that. Not enough to leave him, of course. It wasn't his fault he was still only a child. No, it had been Buffy's spirit hanging around in his head that had driven her away from him. She hoped that she'd be gone by now. If she were really lucky, Buffy would be a dead thing in the ground.

Dru let herself be led by memories toward the high school. That had been where Spike had been going to kill the Slayer for her shortly after their arrival. If only he'd waited for the night of St. Vigeous…maybe things would have gone better. But she didn't blame him for his impetuousness; in fact, it was one of the things she so loved about him. It was Angel she was mad at about that night. He'd been a very big party-pooper.

When she reached the collapsed wreckage that still hadn't been cleaned away, she jumped around in place and clapped her hands. She giggled as she imagined the Slayer and that little red headed girl being crushed under its cinderblocks. She wondered if the boy managed to get out, or if the flames had scorched his pretty face like it had blackened the walls. But no, the dust blowing in the breeze whispered to her a different story; Buffy had done this during a battle. She'd won…and lived, again. It was so disappointing that Dru almost started to cry. She remembered though that she'd soon see her Spike, so she pressed on.

The next stop was Buffy's street. Naturally, Drusilla didn't dare wander down that block. The Slayer could sense things just like she could. And though Dru had managed to kill one Slayer, Buffy was a different beast altogether. She didn't wish to draw the Slayer's attention. She felt a small pang that Buffy was still alive…somebody should have done something about that by now. Of course, the Master had tried, too, and almost succeeded. Dru saw this as well from afar, she'd felt his elation on being free but even before she'd been able to come here and celebrate his victory, she'd felt him disintegrate. Just like Darla, he'd gone away. Poor gran-papa, he didn't get to come back. She sighed and then began her tour of the cemeteries in town. She'd know which one Spike hid in when she found it; she'd feel him.

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Spike sized up the Slayer as she moved with a catlike gracefulness. In her hand, she carried a makeshift club, while he depended only on his fangs and fists. Buffy made a faint in his direction, but didn't follow through and caused a disparaging laugh from him.

"What's the matter, Slayer, afraid?"

"Hah! I could take you with one arm behind my back," she taunted.

Spike gave that a thought, but shook his head no. The real Buffy, or any of the demons he now fought for her wouldn't play such a game.

Buffybot rushed him, moving with a speed that caught him off guard despite himself. She quickly backhanded him twice before bringing the club around toward his head. This he was able to block with a forearm, but pain shot up his arm. Reacting quickly, he leaped up and a heavy boot went crashing into the robot's face, causing her to spin away from him. Before he could capitalize, she was standing in a defensive posture.

"That was a good move, Spike. I'll add that to my database."

"Yeah, well, it's gotten me out of a scrape or two. I'm not sure the other Buffy would have been so easy to knock away, though."

"Does that matter," Buffybot asked, mystified. "I thought that you and my twin were at peace now?"

"I wouldn't go that far, but yeah, we're not so hateful toward one another anymore. But she's still the best fighter I know, next to me. If I can beat her, I can beat anyone. So, come on ducks…give me your best," he smirked. Buffy would have gotten a sour look and then beat his ass for him. Buffybot disappointed by giving him her sincere love-sick smile.

"It would help if I could watch her fight. And possibly, train with Mr. Guyiles."

"I don't fancy the Watcher knowing I had you built. I'm also pretty darn sure Buffy would not be very happy to see you either."

"I don't understand that. I would think she'd be pleased to have a fellow Slayer assist her. According to my programming, Faith is the only other Chosen available, but she is in maximum security in Los Angeles. Is this correct?"

"Far as I know. If Faith busted out, we'd know it. Angel would have already called and Buffy would be throwing a fit. Now, let's have less talk and more fisticuffs!"

Spike launched himself into the air and tackled the 'bot to the ground. With a deft movement, he disarmed her of her club and was just getting annoyed that she wasn't fighting as hard as Buffy when he realized she wasn't trying on purpose. Instead he felt her grab two generous handfuls of his ass.

"Oh, Spike! You've dominated me!"

She continued to grin up at him, causing him to loose a frustrated sigh. Everything always came back to her 'primary programming'. She didn't seem able to grasp the fact that having sex with her wasn't what was on his mind these days.

Spike pulled himself out of her grasping hands and stood with a small growl. Once again, he wished he knew where her off switch was at. The most he'd been able to do so far is tell her to 'regenerate'. That only lasted a few hours though and last time he'd done it, she'd woken up while he was sleeping and went out on another patrol. If he didn't know any better, he'd swear that nerdy bloke that built her did these little things on purpose. He'd also found out that he wasn't able to command her to not patrol. For some reason, her identity as a Slayer overrode her desire to please him as soon as he wasn't standing right next to the bucket of bolts. If he found that guy again he'd...

What? Growl at him, he thought dismissively. Of course, since the dude didn't appear to know about the chip yet, maybe he could scare the twerp into peeing himself. That would at least provide a little satisfaction.

The Buffybot had returned to her feet while he was thinking and she turned on her extra-mega wattage smile. The one that beamed and that he found so insipid.

"I like sparring with you, Spike. You make me a better Slayer," she nodded.

Before he was able to try to go through, again, that he'd like her to not grab him by certain body parts, the door flew open with a bang. He jumped involuntarily and morphed. Whoever had just scared the bejeezus out of him, was about to have a real bad night!

In through the door strode his passionate plum and Spike stood with his mouth agape. Without realizing it, he'd switched back to his William-face and whispered her name.

At his side, Buffybot went berserk before he could stop her.

"A vampire!"

"Buffy!" Dru immediately sprouted her own fangs and heavy brow.

"I'll protect you, Spike," Buffy told him, giving him a hard shove out of the way.

She probably had meant it as a protective gesture, but her mechanically enhanced strength took him completely by surprise. Spike went sailing into one of the sarcophagi, his back striking the cement hard enough to nearly snap his spine.

"Ah! That's gonna leave a mark," he said as he hit the floor, dazed.

In the meantime, sounds of a struggle erupted throughout the small cement bunker as Drusilla and the robot began a fight to the death. He could hear both of them making barely legible growling and grunting noises as the battle moved about him.

He struggled to stand and pins and needles played down his legs. His back was strained, but he'd be good as new in less than an hour. Right now, he needed to stop the conflict raging between his two girls before Dru ended up in a dustbin. The Buffybot was stronger than his wan sire and Dru was being driven back under the onslaught of the 'bot.

"Buffy, stop," he commanded above the din and the robot immediately complied. Though, she did keep her arms in a defensive position as she took a few steps back. He looked to Dru and saw blood running from her lower lip.

Before he could ask her what she was doing there, she grabbed the Buffybot by the face, taking the robot off guard. Even as he rushed to tell Dru that she didn't have who she thought she did, Dru was staring into the robot's eyes.

"Relax, Buffy. Be in my eyes; be in me, dearie," she attempted hypnotizing 'Buffy'.

"I'm sorry," the Buffybot replied with a smile, "I don't know what that means. Spike? Instructions, please? How should I proceed?"

Drusilla stood with a dumbfounded look on her face, before she took a step back. She turned to Spike with a mild smile on her own face, amusement shining in her eyes.

"Spike, you've created a dolly!"

"It's not what you think, baby. I…I'm using her as a practice robot. Y'know, beefing up on my fighting skills, I am. Using her to spar and, uh, strategize and such."

"Fighting skills?" Dru smirked with obvious disbelief. "My poor Spike…companionship with a plastic thing? And you thought the Chaos Demon was a poor choice."

"That guy was a wanker!"

"Well, never mind," Dru said as she peered over the Buffybot. "She's really well done, Spike. It's like a life size doll."

"Well, thank you! I don't believe that you are in my database, however," Buffybot grinned broadly at the compliment.

"Oh, I'm Spike's sire, Dearie. That sort of makes us family," she reached out and stroked the robot's hair.

"Dru? What are you doing here," Spike wanted to know. "And where is the slimy bloke you threw me over for, eh?"

"Oh, Spike, let's not speak of unpleasant things. I've come for you. Those bad people have put a genie in your head, haven't they? I can see it, Spike, making you think you're not an animal anymore. But it lies, sweetie…my Spike is still there and I'm here to help you back to yourself."

"You shouldn't have come here, Dru. It's not safe for you, you know that."

"Oh, shush. Buffy is in bed where bad Slayer's should be. Not very enterprising of her, now is it? Not patrolling…too bad nobody else is out tonight either. It's just so boring."

"Would you like to patrol with me," the Buffybot innocently asked Drusilla. She was struggling to make sense of things. Spike told her to stop fighting, even though this 'Dru' was clearly a vampire. And the way they were speaking seemed to indicate they were acquainted. Maybe she was just like her Spikey? Maybe she was a 'good' vampire, too?

"I have a better idea, sweets," Dru said as she leaned in and gave Buffybot a deep and passionate kiss.

The robot allowed this, but she didn't reciprocate. Her pleasure programming was for Spike's use only.

"She'll be just like the sister I've always wanted, Spike!" Dru beamed at him and hugged the robot close to her bosom. "We'll have ever so much fun playing together!"

Buffybot considered this and then smiled widely. She wasn't allowed to visit her other sisters. Now she had one that she could; it pleased her.

"Dru…I don't think that's a good idea," Spike started. But Drusilla grabbed him and kissed him just as passionately as she had her new gal-pal. Even more so actually and the nearness of his sire caused him to lose his train of thought.

Before he was barely aware of what he was doing, he found himself naked in the downstairs 'apartment' with an equally uncovered robot and female vampire.

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End Chapter 2