Chapter Three: Holy Contractors

Clert didn't want to go talk to The Slayer. He knew who she was now. She was the one who the nurses were whispering about. The one who had been thrown through the air and through a wall, and then stood up like it was nothing. She was the one with blood on her forehead, staring into space.

Podge had no such qualms.

"Buffy Summers," Podge said officially. Buffy looked up at him. She was younger than Clert thought she would be and more tired. He guessed it wasn't fair to judge her on tonight. He searched her face and was shocked when he couldn't find a cut. There was smudged blood but no cut. Buffy stood up at her name. Clert watched her unfurl. She barely reached his shoulder.

"Yes."

"I'm Detective Podgettario, and this is Constable Clert," he motioned to Clert who fought the urge to wave. "We're very sorry to bother you at a time like this but I'm afraid it can't be helped."

Buffy nodded and sat down in acquiescence. Podge sat down next to her and Clert stood awkwardly in front of them.

"Any word on your sister?" Podge began.

"Not yet."

Podge nodded solemnly. "Now firstly, Spike." Buffy's head shot up at Podge's words. "I was under the impression that the government chip meant he couldn't hurt humans but he seems to have done a fine job on the army boy."

Buffy stared at him, her eyes wide. She blinked and seemed to decide just to go with it. "It still does. Tonight was an… exception."

Podge nodded. "If he comes back and makes an exception for someone else…?"

"Then I will deal with it," Buffy assured him. "I didn't realise the police knew who we were."

Podge smiled ruefully. "We only see what we want to," he said cryptically. "And I want to see the truth."

Buffy looked at him but didn't speak. He shifted in his seat uncomfortably not wanting to say the rest. "Buffy," he said slowly. "The Army has taken over your sister's case. I'm afraid it won't be investigated by the usual avenues."

Buffy took a second to process this. "You mean it's NOT going to be investigated, right? Spike was right."

Podge patted her forearm in an attempt at comfort. "I'm sorry we can't do more for you," he said sincerely.

"Story of my life," Buffy said sadly. "Thanks for letting me know."

0000000000000000000000000000000000*

Buffy sat alone in Dawn's room watching her sleep. The pain meds were keeping her pretty out of it and it was giving Buffy the chance to catchup on all the trashy gossip about town. Anya had left to open the Magic Box and it had only taken the first few sentences of a lecture involving the responsibility of money and limited-edition action figures for Xander to rush out after her, and to the site. Willow and Tara had gone back to the house to have a rest and were coming back with lunch and supplies for Buffy and Dawn. Willow had smiled brightly when Tara suggested they go and immediately looked over at Dawn guiltily.

Buffy was glad they had left. She didn't want to be, but she couldn't help the relief that flooded her when it was just her and Dawn. They had all be so concerned about Spike and the chip, and making sure Dawn was ok, that she was ok, and it made her want to scream. She knew that she shouldn't feel like that but she felt so smothered by expectation that she couldn't see anything else. She would deal with Spike if she had to but he wasn't going to hurt anyone, she knew it. She didn't think any whiskey would be safe near him but the chip was working. He was fine.

She was The Slayer and he was a vampire who the others had just realised was capable of chewing through his leash and now they all had ideas about how she should deal with it. Especially Xander. God, sometimes she just wanted to scream at him. Everything was so simple to him, black and white, but her world was technicolour. She didn't have time for black and white, not anymore, she had lost that somewhere between death and resurrection, and no matter how hard she tried she couldn't go back to that.

So instead she sat. Flicking through a magazine, sipping on a coke Anya had bought her before she left. A sugar burst to keep her going. She liked it when it was just her and Dawn. The expectation was still there but it wasn't as harsh. Hell, Dawn would have done cartwheels over her relationship with Spike. Maybe that would have been fun to see. She found it so hard to make people happy these days, it used to come so naturally. Before she was The Slayer.

Dawn began to stir and Buffy stuffed the magazine behind her. It wasn't the first time she had woken up but it was the first time Buffy expected her to be anything resembling lucid. She had murmured something and thrashed about a bit when she first came out of anesthetic but the doctor had told them not to expect too much until the morning.

They said she had been lucky. The main damage the bullet had done was to her liver, and she had lost a lot of blood, but they had been able to repair it. They'd said she was likely to make a full recovery, retain full function of her liver and live a normal life. Buffy had also learnt a fun new fact: healthy livers could regrow lobes.

"Spike?" Dawn whispered. Buffy rushed to stand as Dawn pulled at her oxygen tubes and tried to sit up. Buffy put her hand on Dawn's shoulder gently and pulled Dawn's hand away from face.

"Hey Dawnie," she soothed, "It's Buffy. You're okay. Just gotta leave that be." She smiled down at Dawn and watched as Dawn's eyes focused on her face. She seemed relieved for a moment before panic set in.

"Buffy? Spike?" she looked around wildly. "Buffy, Riley. He was after Spike. Where is he? Spike? He-"

"Hey, hey, sshh," Buffy brushed Dawn's hair back like their mum had when they were sick. "Spike is fine," Buffy assured her and she calmed down, her breathing coming back to normal. "He just had to go home and get some sleep. Creature of the night and all that. He's fine, you're going to be ok."

Dawn nodded at her, believing her sister without question. "O-okay."

Buffy pulled her chair over to the bed and sat down. She grasped Dawn's hand, feeling the gelco of the drip beneath her fingers. "How you feeling?"

Dawn turned her head to look at Buffy. She seemed a little confused. She looked at her hand and then down at her stomach. She seemed to consider touching her hand to her stomach but didn't seem game. "Did Riley shoot me?" Dawn asked.

Buffy nodded. "Apparently he was aiming for Spike."

Dawn thought about it for a second. "He was following us," Dawn said. "Spike couldn't smell them but he could hear them. He made me hide behind a headstone."

Buffy smiled. She tried to sound confident. "Well don't worry, I'm going to talk to the army boys and we're going sort everything out, okay. Nothing for you to worry about."

Dawn nodded. "Buffy, I'm tired."

Buffy stood up and kissed Dawn's forehead. She smoothed down her hair again. "Well you get some sleep."

Dawn closed her eyes and then opened them hastily. "You'll be here when I wake up?" she asked in a small voice.

"Of course I will," Buffy said. "Promise."

Dawn nodded contentedly and closed her eyes. Buffy sat back down and listened intently as Dawn quickly drifted back to sleep. She relaxed back into the chair and rested her head against her arm. She must have dozed off as the next thing she knew there was a knock at the door and a figure with a large hat shadowing their face poked their head in.

"Slayer?"

Buffy jerked awake, her arm crashing out from underneath her. She whirled around to the door and relaxed when she saw Clem standing there laden down with large brown paper bags. He was wearing a large, red women's sunhat to hide his face. Buffy supposed it was his intention to blend in. She couldn't help but smile. He wasn't managing it.

"Can I come in? I heard about Dawn."

Buffy stood up and pulled the door further open. "Come in," she said softly. "Dawn's asleep at the moment but I'm sure she'd be happy you came by."

Clem came in quickly and put the bags down on the table in the corner. He scratched at his ear beneath the floppy hat. "I bought Dawn a few treats," he said. Buffy leaned over and looked in one of the bags. It was filled to the brim with multi-coloured packets of food she had never seen before. Most had Japanese characters over them. She picked one up. It was a green tea flavoured Kit-Kat. Buffy crinkled her nose.

"We were talking about these at your birthday and I thought she might like some of the flavour combinations."

Buffy dropped the Kit-Kat back into the bag with a small laugh. "I'm sure she will love them, and love not having to share," Buffy added quietly.

Clem smiled but was fidgeting awkwardly. He took his hat off and fiddled with the edges, spinning it in his hands.

"You okay, Clem?"

Clem took a deep breath, his skin wobbling. "I don't know if I should tell you this because of Dawn and everything, and I'm sure that he has it all under control," he added hurriedly. He paused and a look of concern passed over his face. "But he's going after them alone and I'm no fighter but I don't think that's a great idea."

Buffy stared at him. He let a deep sigh as if he had released a burden, done his part. "Okay Clem, I'm gonna need a little more to work with. Sleep deprived Buffy is not a quick thinking Buffy."

"Spike," Clem clarified. "He's hunting The Doctor and anyone who works for him."

Buffy stared stupidly at Clem. "I thought Spike was The Doctor."

Clem waved her off. "Nah, just owed him a few kittens. Plus Spike never really goes for the magics trading. Says something always goes wrong."

"Oh," Buffy said inadequately. Spike had been telling the truth. Her shoulders slumped and she flopped back into the chair. She had just believed Riley, she never even considered that Spike might be telling the truth. And then she had…

"Yeah," Clem continued in a rush, "And now he's working his way through all the demons who work for The Doctor to try and find him. Put me right off my dinner and I had just ordered a fresh plate of wings! Plus, I don't think Willy is going to let him back in after the damage he did. Might be easier to put in a second door rather than fix the hole in the wall. Hey, maybe Xander could take the job?" he finished optimistically.

Buffy blinked. Clem was possibly the friendliest person she had ever met. He was looking at her expectantly. "Yeah maybe," she offered. Clem smiled.

"I'm sure Spike will be fine, Clem" Buffy said confidently. "He'll smack a few heads and then be back to his usual self." Buffy smiled brightly. "Trust me."

Clem didn't seem convinced. "It's just, well, and I'm not saying it's your fault exactly, but he doesn't have a very good reputation because he helps you all the time and hunts demons and now, he's killing anything that even might know where The Doctor is. I'm just worried that The Doctor is going to send something really bad after him."

Buffy's smiled faltered.

"And I know that Spike puts on a good show but he really is quite sensitive, and he really cares about Dawn."

Buffy nodded.

"I know he does." Buffy looked over at Dawn's sleeping figure. She had oxygen tubes in her nose and a drip in her arm. She thought she could make out the bump of the bandages around her stomach but she was pretty sure that was her imagination going into overdrive. She'd been so scared and so angry.

I'd do it. If it was the right person- person I loved – I'd do it.

Buffy's stomach dropped, she looked at Clem helplessly. "I can't leave Dawn," she said. "I promised her I'd be here when she woke up." She worried her bottom lip between her teeth. She had never heard of this Doctor before, he'd never popped up on her slayer radar. Surely he couldn't be too much for Spike to handle?

"Oh I know," Clem said apologetically. He rubbed her upper arm awkwardly. "You should stay with her, I just thought you should know."

Buffy nodded again. God, she kept just going along with everything. "No," Buffy said slowly, "I mean yes, yes I appreciate you letting me know." She thought for a moment. "Look he can't do anything till sunset so I'll see what I can do from here and try to get a hold of him."

It would have to do, she thought.

Clem looked relieved. He smiled happily. "I'm glad he has you to look out for him even if you two are…not really two."

Buffy smiled tightly. Clem knew that?

"Anyway," Clem continued. "I should get going. Would you mind if I popped in when she gets home? See if she likes the sweets? I have a chart and I'd really like to get her input."

"That'd be nice."

0000000000000000000000000000000000

Buffy leant against the wall near just outside Dawn's room. She has left the door open just enough that she would be able to see if Dawn woke up. Her phone was warm against her ear and she was regretting this idea. She called Willy for a bit more information, Clem seemed more concerned for Spike's emotional state than confirming any real details, but an incensed blow by blow from Willy wasn't what she was after either. She got it. Spike had punched, kicked, snapped and stabbed everything in Willy's looking for any link to The Doctor he could. The damage was so bad that Willy's closed. Buffy couldn't remember the last time that happened. Usually it was just slower and a different bartender took over. She sighed. She got it; Spike bad.

"And now my nose is broken!" he finished. She imagined he had thrown his arms in the air in frustration at that point. But what he said, that peaked her attention.

"He hit you?"

"Have I ever lied to you?"

"Yes," Buffy said without missing a beat. "Repeatedly and maliciously."

"That hurts, Slayer."

"So he hit you?" Buffy pressed. "His fist, your shattered cartilage."

"Yes!" He paused. "Well no. Not exactly but it was the same result."

Buffy took a deep breath. This was a much easier process when SHE could threaten to break his nose. "How did he break your nose?"

"Smashed a chair over the head of one of my best customers, always gets a meal and top shelf drink. Love the guy. And one of the legs ricocheted and bam! Right on the snoz."

Buffy let out an indelicate snort. "Are you laughin' at me, Slayer? Might I remind you that you're the one who called old Willy for help so I'd watch it with the emasculating throws of hilarity."

Buffy collected herself but was glad Willy couldn't see her expression. "Sorry," she said not at all genuinely.

"What am I meant to do, huh? He's bad for business! Word is he hit Old Man Trinklet's place in broad daylight!"

This was what Buffy liked about Willy the Snitch, he couldn't keep his mouth shut.

"So barricade your sewer entrance," Buffy suggested logically.

"And what about if he just enlists help or hits after dark?"

"I've already said I'll swing by after Dawn falls asleep tonight and Spike's only friend is Clem and I'm, pretty sure even you could take him." Buffy couldn't help the exasperation from creeping into her voice.

"No, Slayer," Willy said emphatically, "I think you've forgotten how it used to be. If Spike was a little less in love with you - and maybe a little better at poker - he'd run the demons in this town. Reputation like his, sometimes all he has to do is raise an eyebrow and demons fall into line. Seen it with my own eyes."

Buffy became sombre at thought. Willy sounded scared. She was used to him sounding scared, he had a reputation for being spineless but he was usually wittier than this, more prone throwing in the occasional insult. Now he wasn't deviating. He was focused. He had asked her to drop by to keep the peace before but that had been between whole clans, not just one vampire with a grudge. Buffy stood up straight.

"I'll be by as soon as Dawn falls asleep tonight," she promised.

"You better," Willy said and promptly hung up on her.

Buffy sighed. When did it let up? And why did everybody keep acting like she had no idea who Spike was. She knew Spike. She definitely knew him better than Willy the friggin' Snitch. She didn't need a lesson in Spike. But then a traitorous part of her, probably the same part of her that always told her 'once more won't hurt', started whispering that maybe she didn't know him. She hadn't even considered Spike wasn't The Doctor. Clem had dismissed it and Willy had outright laughed at the suggestion. Maybe Spike wasn't who she thought he was, after all.

And then there was that. It kept repeating in her head on a loop.

I'd do it. If it was the right person – someone I loved- I'd do it.

What are you going to do, Spike?

0000000000000000000000000000000000

Please review!