Previously-

Buffy continued to punch the bag. She was happy at Giles concern. And if Riley's became an issue, if need be she could tell him about his appearance this night. Her kicks and punches were now less vicious towards the poor, beaten bag.

Chapter 21- Discussions.

After Buffy had finished training, she headed to the front of the shop. Giles, Anya and Xander were there. Giles and Xander were reading books, while Anya was serving a customer. Buffy sat opposite the round table in the centre of the store, and picked up a book from the pile in front of her.

"What are we looking for?" She asked as Xander looked up.

"Last check on our frost monster." He explained.

"Still? I completely forgot about that." Buffy confessed. There had been way too much going on for her, to remember this tiny insignificant thing.

"Yeah, I know what you mean. There hasn't been any other clues on it either, so that's not helping any." Xander sighed.

"You're right." Buffy nodded. "You know what? I think we should just ignore it, unless it appears again. I mean, I didn't find much at the museum. If something more to do with it happens, then we can get serious and sort it out."

"Sounds good to me!" Xander exclaimed while slamming a book shut.

Giles looked up from his book, "Buffy, you really can't just abandon a case. We need to sort this out before someone else gets hurt."

"I know Giles. But it has been over a week, and no one else has gotten hurt. Besides, they were able to unfreeze that security guard and he's just fine."

"I highly doubt he is 'just fine'. If he was found any later he could have had very serious organ damage. Being in a popular museum gave him the chance to be quickly found. What if an innocent gets frozen in a deserted area? I doubt they will be alright by the time they are found."

Buffy sighed, almost giving up. "Giles. I think we have searched every book in your collection. What do you expect to find?"

Giles looked down at the piles of books in front of him, and then back up at Buffy. "Well, if that is what you want. Just know this Buffy- if an innocent does die, it's on your shoulders." He snapped before walking to the back of the store.

"What's up with him?" Anya asked coming from in the direction in which Giles was entering.

"I don't know." Buffy replied, before she picked up a couple of the books. "Could you help me put these away, please?"

"Sure." Anya said while giving a few books to Xander, who sighed. But after an evil glare from Anya, he picked up the books and followed in Buffy's direction to put them away.

Buffy and Willow were sitting in the lounge room, and Buffy was telling Willow about running into Riley.

"Really?" Willow screeched. "He practically told you the whole 'You're the first women I loved' rant and then this Sam comes up and is all wifey and stuff?"

"Pretty much."

"Gee, that would've been hard."

"Not really. I mean, sure it was. But you know what really got me?"

"What?" Willow asked while leaning further to hear Buffy.

"When she came up, she asked something along the lines of 'Would Spike prefer pigs or cows?'."

"You mean Spike?"

"Well, they didn't deny it."

"What are they doing with him?"

"I almost had to beat it out of Riley. But apparently they are holding him hostage."

"But there isn't anymore Initiative?"

"Not really. But remember when Riley left, how they wanted him back? Whoever they were. Well they obviously are doing the same stuff as the Initiative, and they have him." Buffy sighed.

"What would they want him for?"

"The chip."

"Oh, yeah! Right. His chip... What do they expect to find?"

"Beats me, Willow. But I don't expect it's good."

"I don't believe I'm saying this, Buffy. But I think we should get him out of there. I'm probably one of the last people who would say this, but he has been a great help to us. He is no longer good to us if he looses that chip."

"Or dies..." Buffy sighed.

"Well obviously if he dies, duh! But if they let him free without that chip, then he most defiantly goes straight back to being our enemy."

Probably not our enemy. Buffy thought. But she did want to save him, but where the hell was he? "But we don't even know where this place is."

"Well, somehow, we need to find out."

A/N- HOLIDAYS, HOLIDAYS! FUN, FUN, FUN! AND THAT GIVES YOU MORE CHAPTERS! HORRAY, HORRAY, HORRAY!

So are they going to go rescue Spike? What do you think? How will they find where they are keeping him? Ooohhhh...

Review, review, review. You know you want to. :)