No One Is Innocent
By: Tropicwhale
Disclaimer: Not mine. Why would I want it when it's owners won't take care of it properly? Except, you know, plot and original characters are mine. You no use-y.
Dedicated to: the Peanut Gallery.
Warning: Bad language. Stuffy British humor. Turn back now if not your thing
Author Notes: Sillies, like I'd give anything away.
Chapter Four:
Intervene the Associates
So my sado-masochistic vampire of a boyfriend knows how to tie knots. Who knew? They're just tight enough to not cut off circulation but I still couldn't move. Every time I tried the bungee cords would bounce me back. I've never been tied up. I was usually one of the ones doing the tying. I have new respect for Spike and Andrew. Sort of. Well, just Spike anyways. Andrew is sort of, well, Andrew. At least Nicki was gagged and I wasn't!! It was actually Allison who stuck the gag on her with the statement of "I'd never thought I'd ever have to gag you." Spike had brought down the phone and allowed me to talk to Giles; Spike dialed and then held the phone to my ear. The G-man was underway with help. That was about yesterday? The squad and Spike had taken turns guarding Nicki and me. They untied us for bathroom breaks and made sure we were fed. At the moment Allison was on guard duty and the others were upstairs supposedly utilizing that network of theirs to figure out if there was a surge of mystical or magical (apparently they are completely different levels of power, don't ask me how that works, I'm just the donut boy) energy that would allow for mind control over Nicki and myself.
Although, now that I have your attention I would like to say that I don't feel possessed. I don't feel like something went wocky. But you know, I thought the other times nothing was wrong either so I could be wrong. Allison lit up a cigarette. "You know those things can kill you." I said.
"They're damn expensive too." She held the cylinder gently in her mouth and tugged on her ponytail to tighten it. She grabbed the cigarette and exhaled. "But I figure that it's probably a demon that's going to get me long before I can get cancer so what the hell?" I grin.
"Interesting attitude."
"I'm nothing if not practical. It's why I'm Sharesia's second."
"How long have you been in Baltimore?"
"My entire life. Sharesia and I grew up three city blocks from each other. Went to school from 1st to 10th grade together."
"Just tenth?"
"Sharesia dropped out her sophomore year. She got pregnant."
"Oh." I thought about it. "Then where's-?" Allison shrugged.
"First few months after we got tapped a Vamp Kiss (that's what we call their groups around here) started harassing the entire block. Took out Sharesia's mother and her kid. This is her house. First thing Sharesia did when we got back from basic was fire bomb their nest during daylight. Took them all out while they slept. That's why she's leader. Shares is the only slayer I've known to have a mission about this whole thing. It's personal. She doesn't want anyone to deal with the shit she went through."
"Thus the network."
"You got it." Allison pointed at me with her cigarette and then took a drag. "What's your story? You and Spike?"
"He used to try and kill me back in Sunnydale. This secret government institution got a hold of him and a computer chip was placed in his brain. He was registered as impotent and then he fell in love with my best friend and then got a soul, lost the chip, saved the world, disappeared, and showed up last year in Paris. We've been together ever since."
"Wow. The Cliff Notes version."
"I am the king of summing up." I nod in a roundabout head movement.
"So there are probably details in how he goes from wanting to kill you to wanting to fuck you, huh?"
"Isn't there always?"
"Any you want to share?"
"Oooh, kinky! But he better not just in case-well-I don't know. Maybe he wants to sleep on the couch for the next few days." Spike's boots clomped down the wooden stairs. He looked down at Allison who was blocking his way. "Gimme a fag and go. Your shift's up."
"Cool. Sharesia leave yet?" She hands over a cigarette and helps Spike light up.
"Uh-huh. Giles will be here soon. Listen, I already told her and the others but you need to know as well; Giles doesn't know I'm back and I want to keep it that way. I've a charm that keeps him from seeing me and I'll be using it, yeah?"
"Yeah, okay, got it." She heads up and Spike takes her place at the bottom of the stairs. He takes a drag off the cigarette and looks at me.
"You really think that that's wise?" I ask.
"It's not like it can kill me." He thinks I'm talking about the cigarette. He's been trying to quit for awhile because of me. "Besides, it's stressful dating you."
"Oh really?"
"Yeah. I don't want to face the Watcher. You know that."
"Then why did you even dial the phone?" He's so exasperating sometimes.
"Because you were being affected and I care about you, you big dolt." He deadpanned and took another drag.
"Then why not call Willow?"
"'Cause." I smell a rat. A vampire-sized rat.
"Spike." He wouldn't look at me. "Spike!" He looked at me.
"Kennedy's sick. They found something on her Pap. I love you but I don't think whatever is going down is bad enough to drag Red away from her lover's sickbed." He shrugged.
"Oh poor Willow! When I get out of this I'm going to call her, okay?"
"You know you don't have to ask my permission, luv."
"Would you stay by my side if I had cancer?" I ask.
"Yeah. I would." He says without hesitation and I got a good look at his blue eyes. Yeesh, he's intense.
"Would you stay beside me if I started to stalk Reese Witherspoon, wore nothing but pink and acted like Harmony?"
"No. Then I would dump your sorry ass." We grin at each other and totally ignore Nicki attempting to thrash about in her chair. "Shut it you or I'll let you soil yourself."He growled at her. Okay, so I totally ignored her and Spike threatened her. What else is new?
"Why didn't you tell me earlier?" Spike looked at me and tapped away ash against the stair. He shrugs. "Spike?"
"I didn't want you to worry."
"Come here." He gave me this very distrustful look.
"Why?"
"Well I'd come to you but I'm a little tied up here." Duh. He sighed and put out his cigarette and wandered over.
"Yeah?"
"No. Come here." I motion with my head. He looked over at Nicki and gave me this evil smirk. You know that smirk that Spike has when he's being absolutely evil and just having a good time because he's messing with people. Ho-boy. My only hope is that he doesn't take it too far. I would like to keep my clothes on this time. He straddled me, ignoring Nicki's increasingly violent struggles and gagged screamed insults. "Spike, maybe we shouldn't do this in front of her?"
"If she doesn't like it, tough. I'm going to kiss you now." I grin lopsidedly.
"'Kay!" He smiled and he tipped my head back so he kiss me. His arms went around my neck to cushion my head and he settled closer to me so that our torsos to our groins were in contact. I'd wrap my arms around him but they're kinda bound right now. His tongue slips inside my mouth and I close my lips and teeth around it and suck hard. He moans and pulls back to allow me a breathe of air before diving in to nibble at my lower lip. I attempt to use my tongue to get my lower lip back but I fail. He snorts at the attempt and covers my lips with his.
"Love you." He pulls back.
"Love you too, Spike." I lean forward as much as I can and he leans in to meet me in the middle.
"Well this is interesting." A familiar, unexpected voice said from behind Spike. The vampire turns slightly to look behind him and incidentally I get see as well. Faith is standing on the steps with Giles and the rest of the Baltimore core squad. She's wearing a black tank top with one hand on her hip looking bad ass as usual and Giles is wearing a blue polo shirt looking as laid back as I've ever seen him. Or rather he would if he wasn't bright red and polishing his glasses on the hem of his shirt frantically. Faith looked equal parts of curious and smug as I feel my face heating up. Spike was quiet. Which meant he was trying to figure out how to explain his presence; I know better than to think for a second that he's repentant over people catching us making out. That's happened far too often for me to have any delusions over it. But Spike absolutely refuses to allow any of the old gang to know he's back. He doesn't even want to tell Dawn that he's alright. It's like a phobia with him. I would ask about it but he avoids every attempt any time I try. Go figure. It had been Faith who had spoken and she looked ready to wait out any attempt to avoid the explanation of what was going on. Crap. "Long time, no see, Spike. When did you get Xander into bondage?" she said, encapsulating everything that was complicated with the current situation in two short sentences. Giles, who had put his glasses back on, started polishing them again and whispered.
"Oh dear. He-Hello Xander, uh Spike," he pushed his glasses back onto the bridge of his nose "I believe the pair of you have some explaining to do." Oh boy, do we!
"First off, did you find anything out about what's going on with Nicki and Xander?" Spike was a master of avoidance as he directed the question at Sharesia who, along with the rest of her crew, had slipped pass the senior Slayer and Watcher into the basement.
"Actually we dug something up about a slayer that went nuts a few years back. She's in Sheppard Pratt now-" Sharesia started.
"Wait, Sheppard Pratt?" I ask.
"The mental hospital/school here in Baltimore." Allison supplied. I nod in understanding.
"Beatrice lost her parents and brother in the vamp attack a few years ago and lost it. Unfortunately, she has this thing against all Slayers plus vamps and has the magical abilities to pull something like this off. She's probably behind whatever the hell is wrong with Nicki and Xander." The squad leader finished.
"Is this the same attack that you lost your family in?" I ask. She nods and then glares at Allison who shrugs.
"If it's Bea then maybe we can talk to her." The brunette told her friend. "Get her to lay off."
"Now you know she ain't going to hear nothing we got to say, Al."
"It's worth the shot."
"I can talk to her as well. I went through some majorly messed up stuff back in my day. Maybe I can help." Faith added.
"Alright, we can go Monday." Sharesia said. "In the meantime is there a way we can make Nicki and Xander more comfortable? Or reverse whatever Bea's done to them?" Giles stepped forward.
"I believe so." Spike dismounted me and moved to stand behind me. I missed the weight immediately. Giles went first to Nicki and held out his hand. She stopped struggling immediately.
"She'll be out for a few days but you can move her to her room so she'll be more comfortable." Brendon and Kelly stepped forward to untie the girl and carry her up to her room. Giles then turned to me. Spike's hand on my shoulder tightened momentarily, seeking or giving comfort, I couldn't tell. "I've half a mind to leave you tied up until you explain everything but doubt it would be effective." Giles held out his hand, palm toward my face. "There's nothing. Whatever was manipulating Xander is either gone or was natural." Yep, I just went nuts because that bitch said some really cruel things to my boyfriend! I can get violently defensive if I want to!
"So I can untie him?" Spike asked.
"I don't see why not." I was untied within seconds. "What to explain to me what is going on?" my pseudo-father figure asked. I shrugged.
"I came back." Spike offered. "Don't know how or why but I did and would appreciated it if you kept it to yourselves and not tell anyone, especially Buffy. It's the least you could do." He said. Faith nodded.
"Sure, no prob." After a moment Giles nodded as well.
"If that is what you wish-"
"It is. Rupert, please?" Spike looked Giles in his eyes seriously.
"Of course Spike." Giles agreed and I felt the fight go out of Spike beside me. "But I still would like to know, with minimal detail of course, what it is that we just walked in on." I shrug.
"I'm dating Spike?" I ask.
"Apparently we're gay together." Spike adds artlessly. I wish he would stop trying to help.
"Xander, I would like a word. Privately." Giles's tone broke no argument and I found myself falling back into that awkward high school slayerette role that's always been my default and followed my Watcher upstairs.
Author After Notes: uh oh they're in trouble!
Loving reviewers at a friendly distance;
Tropic
