15
The drive was less than an hour, but Jade had run out of steam for asking questions and fallen quiet, a haunted look on her face. Spike'd tried to distract her once or twice, but when Angel had pried himself away from talking to ol' Blue, he'd suggested Spike leave her alone while she remembered. Which actually, was probably a solid plan. Knew he hadn't wanted to see much of anyone after his soul had been put back, and he was damn bloody grateful for the silence as he sorted through over a hundred years of memories, now with his tarnished soul at the helm of it all to re-experience everything.
Still, because it was Angel who said it, of course Spike's retort had to be snappy, hoping to get a rise out of the hulking vampire, and Xander had shouted at them all to shut up a little, because the wanker was feeling safe in the front of his van with a metal grate separating them. However, Spike's fingers were long and he didn't have to worry about silly things like circulation, so he'd managed to jab Xander good once in the shoulder and felt a little more satisfied about that, all the while Jade was sitting like a statue, not moving, except in tandem with the jerks of the van, her eyes closed, hand tight over her soul as if she thought someone else might take it from her. It was hard to tell if she was asleep or not, but he could tell from the winces that passed over her face that she was still conscious, just revisiting.
And yeah, he could give her some time for that. Hell, his time had nearly made him crazy, although living in a basement where the First could get into his head probably hadn't helped matters. There was Angel's shorter stint, when he'd been in LA and took out his soul on purpose so he could figure something or other out, 'course that had taken a detour, because when did anything regarding Angel—soul or no soul—ever go straight without a hitch. Spike hadn't been surprised at all that the great lug had managed to free himself, although it had been an eyebrow raiser to hear that Faith, mainly, had been the one to put him down. And then she'd come in to Sunnydale again, all rehabilitated, and the rest was history. Some he'd been there for. And sometime after he'd left Angel's all-too-fun-gang, Faith'd left the Slayers too and switched to Angel's little group, and now they were close as peas in a sodding pod, and he knew that because Buffy had grumbled about it from time to time, and it had amused Spike. It had also put some hope pumping back into his still heart, that Faith might wrangle the all-virtuous Angel and leave Buffy no-one to turn to but him.
Still, that ship had sailed. Spike didn't know what was going to happen now, but he'd knew that Buffy wasn't going to be jumping back into his arms, that was for bloody certain. And perhaps it'd been a little hasty of him, to humiliate her in front of her charges, 'cause now he knew the sympathy he and Jade would get wouldn't exactly be glorious helpings. Still. He'd done it, no turning from it now. Made his grave and sodding had to be buried in it now, and any other analogies he could think of.
"Quit lookin' at her like you're going to put a stake in her the next time she twitches," Spike warned Illyria, who'd long dropped out of that boring bloody talk she was having with Angel. There was only so much Spike could stand from Angel and his little team, what with their absolute loyalty to him and all, even from the Old God Illyria. Well, she listened to him from time to time, but she liked to pretend she was under no-one's heel. So she'd certainly assume the responsibility to act for the group if she felt she was in the wrong, and Spike wasn't taking that chance.
Illyria raised her chin haughtily. "I will guard her if I so choose."
"Yeah, guard 'er from harm, not be planning it yourself."
"Spike," Angel warned.
"An' where do you get off, huh? Thinkin' she's in anyway any of your responsibilities. S'not your problem to worry about, s' mine, so I'd 'preciate if you all lay off the judging—"
"We're not the ones you have to convince, Spike." Angel snapped back in a hard tone. "I know you feel like you're in a corner, so you have to snap at everybody, but you don't need to push everyone away because you're convinced you're alone. I know asking for help isn't in your nature, but you'll find it makes friends a lot easier than mouthing off all the time."
"Don't need friends," Spike said stubbornly. "'Specially when you got your own interests in mind—"
"I'm not the one you're mad at. You want to blame someone, I know you're blaming yourself, but don't try to lay it on me."
Spike licked his lip, trying to find a reply and finding himself a little short. Damn the Poof for seeing right through him. He was defensive because he was on edge. Worried for Jade, both from herself, and just what followed. Wasn't like he'd ever lost his soul since he got it, no, he was the one who didn't have to worry 'bout it being sucked from his body again. And Angel, well, he always seemed to get off the hook, each time, didn't he? And yet this time, Spike couldn't loathe him for that because he was hoping for the same thing from Jade. She'd forgiven more. She'd also condemned less. A bloody toss-up, that's what it was.
It was uncertain, and he didn't like it. So in the lack of a good reply, he crossed his arms in front of him—at least tried to, remembering his wrist belatedly and grumbled, "Are we bloody there yet?"
"Almost. Passed the bridge. Just a bit further." They were welcome words, ones that bounced off his ears as he looked to Jade again. Still frozen, like a statue. Nothing he could do there either. Just wait and twiddle his sodding thumbs.
"Fort Baker, is it?" Spike asked as they stepped out of the cars and into the slightly misty site. "Yeah, certainly, no-one can bloody find this place. Unknown to the world, it is."
"Shut up, Spike," Xander muttered without much venom. "Entrance is hidden over here. Headquarters are underground."
"'Course they are," Spike muttered to himself, not that he minded, 'cause the sun was soon to come up, and it wasn't nearly cloudy enough to keep too much sunlight from frying them. Was cold, too, being early January, though there wasn't a mite of snow on the site. They slid onto the asphalt, and then dirt, and Jade followed without a word, though Spike noticed Angel was keeping as much of a close eye on her as Spike was. And he didn't like it, not one bit.
Angel fancied himself the bloody redeemer now, with all the experience he had with trying to get the blood off his hands, and Spike wasn't about to let Jade become another one of his projects. She didn't need redeeming, not like the Dark Slayer had, not like Peaches himself. She hadn't done anything wrong. 'Least not on purpose. And she didn't need bloody saving, not unless Spike was doing it.
They left the parking lot, and were about to walk flat into a bunch of trees, and Spike was definitely opening his mouth to say something, when there was a shimmer in the air. Bloody hell. Could recognize a glamour when it was staring him in the bloody face. Xander muttered to himself, looking like he was just reaching out to touch air when there was a click and a visible shimmer, and a doorway appeared. He glanced to make sure Jade was right behind him, and she was, her eyes glazed, the same expression on her face that she'd had the whole way here, as if she wasn't truly there, just carrying out the motions. He'd seen that haunted look a time or two, but it didn't seem like Jade was too willing, or even capable to let him help right now, so he just made sure she was following and he entered in.
Certainly wasn't lavish, that was for bloody sure. Looked more like the places he used to stay in back in the eighteen bloody hundreds, darker and cramped and quite obviously some place to escape to when the Slayers were in a bad way. But most of them should have been fine, since they escaped early, tail between their legs. He'd been told that Buffy only kept the ones with her that wanted to try to take Jade alive, but Spike wasn't sure that he believed it, although thinking clearly right now probably wasn't his forte.
"Belongs to a warlock friend of Willow's," Xander explained to them as they passed through the thin corridors. "He doesn't exactly like visitors, but he's agreed to let us use this place when we need to."
"Yeh, well, wouldn't blame him for hiding away such a jewel," Spike muttered, not lacking for sarcasm, not one bit.
Finally, the bloody hall widened into a large room, and it was good that Spike didn't need to breathe, because the walk had been sodding cramped. It was here that the sight of it changed again, instead of dusty, ancient—alright, old looking, because ancient was bloody relative—halls, it looked clean and furnished. The lobby-like area they stood in now was wider, book cases on the walls, and only two people stood in the middle of it, Faith and Buffy.
"Hey, Boss." Faith smiled at Angel, her intense dark gaze lingering, as Spike noticed it often did, nowadays. Her arm was bandaged up more, now, in a makeshift sling. Red had a lot of mending on her hands to do, which reminded Spike that the Witch was still out of commission, at least he assumed so, since no-one had said a bloody thing about her, and he cursed inwardly. Could use some of the Witch's help right now, since she was respected, and her magic would do a lot of good. Not to mention the fact she had a soft spot for Jade. A soft spot he didn't know if anyone else shared.
"You made it," Buffy spoke to Xander, not without a mote of relief, and Spike held back his snort. What'd they expect. S'barely a half hour, and then the walking came into effect.
"How's everyone doing, Buffy?" Harris responded, like the good lil' soldier he always was.
"Recovering." Buffy's eyes flashed to Jade, and Spike felt the need to be defensive again. They'd fanned out since leaving the corridor, and Jade was to the side of him now, so that he could see the profile of her face, that she didn't notice the Slayer's blazing green eyes on her. "I need to talk to Jade," Buffy said.
"Know how your talks can go," Spike argued, vehemently, and those eyes turned to him instead, hard and adamant. Bloody hell. He knew how arguing with the chit would turn out, and he didn't think he could take much more of a beating. "Just take it easy on her. S'not her fault." Bet he wouldn't have had to be so convincing if it had been Angel again, no the blood Poof always got a free pass, but—
"Stop protecting her," Buffy snapped. "People have died. My Slayers."
"I just know how single-minded you get, pet. Not a lot of sympathy for the fallen." Spike argued.
"At least my single-mind can fill a tea-kettle," Buffy snapped back. "And you're one to talk. Like you ever listen to anyone but yourself—"
"Enough," Jade declared, loud and suddenly. "I get it. I mean, no, I haven't gotten the whole gist of it, but I've gotten pieces, and I'll make do. Buffy, I'd apologize if it'd make a difference, but I don't think it will. So talk. I'll obey. I'm… just tired of everyone talking about me like I'm not here." Her blue gaze snapped to those in the room, Spike, Angel, and then the Slayers. "I'm here, and I did it. I remember. Mostly." Her voice was strong, but Spike could see how her bottom lip trembled, and he knew how she covered her fear with anger. She stepped forward, towards Buffy, and the blonde gazed back impassively, not moving one muscle, but that didn't mean that each muscle of Buffy wasn't tensed and ready for action. The Slayer part of her wasn't something she could turn off.
"Talk." Jade said again, but her tone was soft instead of discordant. "I'm listening."
Buffy looked back at her, gaze flashing like steel. "San Francisco's down. For now. We've been moving most of our Slayers back to the other bases. Couple to Vi in Los Angeles. Most to Chicago to join Rona, some to New York." Her gaze followed to the others, telling them all, and before Spike could accuse her of rambling, her eyes centered on Jade again. "You'll stay here. Until I say otherwise. You won't be alone. Some of us will be staying, and until we decide what to do with you, you'll stay in your room."
Spike bit back a growl. He knew it wasn't most ruthless of terms, but he didn't like the sodding Judge, Jury and Executioner style way this was playing out.
"I understand." Jade said. "Can I go there now? I'm… kinda hungry."
Xander blanched and took a few large steps back, nearly knocking into Faith, who viewed him with a half-amused, half-teasing expression.
"Careful, Xander. You're probably first on the menu." Faith said it with a fearless smirk, while Buffy viewed Jade coldly. "Xander can show you where your room is." At Xander's grimace, Buffy rolled her eyes. "Faith can come with you."
A displeased look crossed the Dark Slayer's face at being ordered about, her dark eyes flickering behind Spike to where Angel lingered. Spike couldn't see what the big lug did, but it was enough to calm the Slayer, so that she gave a disinterested shrug and stepped along with Xander as he pointed towards one of the halls. Jade followed, and Spike made to as well, but the tiny blonde whirlwind was stopping him, one hand on his very sore chest, and he stopped with a grunt.
"You stay, Spike." Buffy commanded in a steel tone, and he skewed his lips, reluctant. Jade glanced back at him over her shoulder as she followed after Droopy and the Dark Slayer, but she knew better than to argue, so he supposed he shouldn't either. If it made it easier for Jade, then…
"Fine," He agreed, petulantly. "All yours, pet." He shrugged his shoulders, not missing the flash of hurt in Buffy's eyes, and he could tell she was holding her tongue, trying to keep the bitterness from seeping out.
"You know what we came here for, Buffy." Angel was saying. "If you haven't come to your decision yet, then Faith and I will head on."
Buffy's mouth tightened at the 'Faith and I' usage. Poor girl. Felt like the ones she could count on were betraying her all at once, and Spike couldn't help the sympathy he felt for her. He hadn't meant to betray her, or break her heart—hell, he was mostly bloody sure that he couldn't even if he tried. Hadn't thought he meant that much to her. Sometimes it was bloody hard to tell.
"You know you needed Willow for it anyway. Just—stay. For a little while longer. Then if I can give you the help you need, I will."
Angel's brow furrowed. "There are other witches—or warlocks in the world, Buffy. I can look—"
"Just a few more days." Buffy said, dropping the commanding tone to go for one that was gentler, pleading. "A lot has happened. Please?"
Angel nodded, while Illyria blinked, looking bored. "Waiting is not what I'm built for," The woman declared loudly, and Spike had to agree. He didn't get their cryptic bollocks and he was tired of not being part of club, at the same time, he wasn't sure if he cared what they were on about. He 'spected some of it might be to make him jealous, and he waited for the sting of seeing Buffy going all googly eyed for her once-lover, and though it was there, it didn't hurt as bad as it would have. If he didn't have someone else to worry about.
Someone he should be seeing to right now, expect he was part of this bloody council meeting or what have you, in which he was missing most of the sodding details.
"Where's Gwen? I should… I should see her."
"Down that hall. Third door on the left. Giles and Aella went back with her. I made them leave while you were searching for Spike and Jade. Gunn's body is in there, still. She wouldn't leave him." In Buffy's gaze there was a modicum of sympathy, as well as her own grief. Been a few Slayers that hadn't made it either. Angel slunk away like a shadow, Illyria following more slowly behind him, leaving just Spike and Buffy in the center of the room.
First time they'd been alone since… well. Seemed like bloody ages, now. And neither of them could stand the stillness, along with the silence.
He wasn't sure who had moved first, but it seemed so natural when suddenly, both of them were moving in a circle, in opposite directions, like two predators circling each other. And they were predators, Vampire and Slayer, and they'd done this dance before so many times before it was automatic now.
"Are you going to let me do my job, or not?" Buffy asked finally, her green gaze holding his.
"Your bloody job, is it? What job would that be?"
"Being a Slayer." She spat out. "Being the Slayer, running an entire organization. I have a lot of people who depend on me, Spike. Girls. Depend on me to keep them safe, and I lost them today."
"Some of them. Bloody hell, a Slayer's life never had the longest life span, and just 'cause there's more of you now doesn't change that fact. There's more Slayers now, but magic has a way of bloody exacting its price and there's more evil to fight now. Bigger, stronger."
"You're right about evil to fight, but stop trying to make excuses. A Slayer's life is supposed to be short," Buffy's voice was mocking. "What kind of crap is that?"
"Sa bloody truth!"
"You'd say anything, wouldn't you? Spike, damn it, is even possible for you to try to be objective? You always see everyone as the bad guy, like we're all out to get you. I tried to help you, don't you see that?"
"Aye." Spike's voice was hoarse. "An' I am thankful. They said that you'd ordered everyone t'go. Only took the ones who weren't in'nerested in killing Jade. Means something."
"Yeah. I did try. Now why don't you try, and step back and stop questioning everything I do. I am not the bad guy here."
"An' Jade is?"
"She's responsible, whether you want to see it or not. She killed people, Spike. My people. And you want her to walk off, free as a bird? You think that's fair to the Slayers she killed? You think she should just be allowed to walk free among them again?"
"Then I'll take her away. Done it before."
"No. That's not a solution either, Spike. Running away to avoid it."
"What d'ya want, then? A bloody trial? Give me a sodding rest."
"Not a trial. But there have to be boundaries. Rules. Something to stop her from doing it again. And there are amends to be made."
"She won't be your puppet."
"I lost people!" Buffy shouted. "Daphne. Grace. Izabella. Zoeica, Faye. Donna. Krystina. Kaitlyn. Jennifer. My Slayers. The witches, Mabel and Claira. Gunn. You want me to just forget it?"
"If it was Angel, you bloody would!" Spike shouted. "If that wanker slaughtered them all, you'd forgive it."
"No. I wouldn't," Buffy replied coldly.
"Y'track record wouldn't quite agree with you."
"This is getting off track," The Slayer hissed, exasperated. "Look. I'm not saying stake her. I know you'd never stand for that."
"Bloody right."
"But there are rules. My rules. And I meant what she said. She's staying in that room until I say otherwise. She doesn't leave, she doesn't go anywhere. And when Willow comes back, whatever measures we see fit are going to happen."
"No."
She broke their unending dance by stepping closer to him, and he stilled, mid-step. "Don't fight me on this, Spike. You can't win."
"Care to test that, pet?"
She gestured at him furiously. "Look at you. Broken wrist. Broken ribs. Bruises all over, bleeding all over. You didn't seem to have most of those before Jade grabbed you."
"I tripped."
She rolled her eyes and shook her head in one fluid motion. "You're unbelievable, Spike."
"Thank you."
"I mean it. This is how it's going to go. She doesn't have to be chained or anything. But she's staying put until I say otherwise. You can agree and I'll let you see her. Much as you want." She said the words slowly, so it was clear how benevolent she was being. "But if you keep pushing me, Spike, I won't." Her gaze was hard, glittering like green steel. "So make your decision now."
He took the step this time, carrying himself towards her. He towered over her, and she gazed back, unflinching, that fire in her eyes. He'd loved that fire. She was like the sun herself, burning everything that was close. And he'd been addicted to it, for so long. Thought there was nothing better. He knew more now. "You need to be fair to her."
"She didn't just go on a random killing spree, Spike, she sought us out. Meant to hurt us."
"No, she sought me out. Didn't want anything else."
"Right. And if you stayed when I asked you to, maybe you could have prevented all the killing by just being there."
He fixed her with a blazing gaze, daring her to look away. "An' would you just have handed me over without so much as a eye-roll?"
She set her teeth firmly and didn't answer. Didn't need to. It was all the answer he needed.
"I am being fair," Buffy said then. "If you could get your head out of—you'd see it."
"Fine," He relented, but his tone wasn't kind. Neither was her answering gaze. "I understand. We won't go anywhere. Be mighty good prisoners. I want to see her, then. Now."
Buffy glanced around briefly, and he hid his smirk. She likely didn't even know she'd done it, glancing about to make sure there wasn't someone else she could pawn this off to. Chosen One had grown up in her big britches, and she never had much shorter of people to order 'round. But seeing as there was no-one else, she relented, and started to take him down the hallway as he asked. Started to, and then there was the clattering of impatient feet on the stony floor, and there the Warlock whelp popped into view.
"Buffy," The man said, and though Spike'd been told his name, he'd forgotten it already. The warlock's concern dissolved into relief. His shoulders rose and fell slightly. Not surprising. Was a skinny looking bloke, and if magicks were his expertise, probably wasn't all that fond of exerting himself. He had considerably dark eyes, made even more so by the likely, with equally near-black hair that flopped in front of his forehead. Boy looked like a nerd more than anything else, like he was likely to be grouped in with the likes of Andrew, and Spike wondered if that was what the connection was. Looked a sight better than he had done back at the Slayer's base, he was no longer as pale or as exhausted look. "I just—just wanted to make sure you got back alright. I didn't think it was really… right to leave you behind."
Buffy smiled, actually smiled back at that twerp, like he was someone important, or 'haps she was just trying to make Spike jealous. "I'm fine, Billy. The danger was done with anyway, and you needed to get some rest. You still do."
"Yeah," Billy nodded his head vigorously. "Yeah, I can now. I'll rest, and start working on those spells for you soon as possible."
"I know," Buffy acknowledged. "Thanks, Billy." It was a dismissal, and the whelp at least realised that much, his dark eyes glancing to Spike briefly behind the rectangular frames on his nose. Bloody spectacles. Spike was sodding gladdened he'd dumped his own so long ago. Had only really needed them for reading, Thank bloody hell for that. Walking around with glasses for the rest of his unlife would have made him look like a right ponce.
"'E's got a thing for you," Spike couldn't help but goad as soon as the man turned tail and disappeared around the corner.
"Shut up, Spike." Buffy said, exasperated.
"Ooh, touchy. 'Fraid little geek might hear me an' want to start crying on your shoulder? Bet it'd be his dream come—"
He earned a punch to the cheek for that, and it bloody hurt. Women and punching him in the face today, been almost more than he could sodding handle.
"He's an old friend of mine, you idiot," Buffy snapped. "I first met him when he was a child. He'd been put in a coma, and he was making nightmares become real by accident."
Spike let out a scoff. "Fancy that," he muttered. "Make your nightmares come true, then? What, did you lose your hairdryer?"
"I became a vampire," Buffy said, not without poignancy. Her gaze was cutting, and Spike found he didn't quite have a reply for that.
"Yeh, well. Least you don't have to live it, then." He muttered finally, but his retort wasn't strong on the venom. "Just a nightmare for you."
He got an indignant glower for his trouble. "I also managed to not eat anyone while I was—"
"Don't," He said in a low warning growl. She looked back at him defiantly.
"Point is, Billy's specialty is that astral project thingy. That's how he got back into our world while he was in a coma. He's here to try to snap Willow out of her own dreamland. And he nearly got turned into a corpse for his troubles, so don't make fun of him."
Spike let out a low whistle. "Defensive of him, are you? Still seein' him like you're big sis? Bet he's happy 'bout that. Coupla years mattered then, don't as much now. Least, I'm sure that's what he's hoping."
Buffy made an exasperated sound. "You're impossible, Spike."
"Been told that."
They turned around the corner and saw Faith standing there, leaning against a wall and investigating her broken arm. "You guys decided to show. Good. Bored out of my mind and it's only been a couple minutes," Faith pushed herself off of the wall.
"Where's Xander?" Buffy asked.
"He went to get some blood. It's feeding time."
"You left her in there alone?" Spike growled. He didn't know if any one actually got along with Faith, excluding Angel's little group, but of the two Slayers he was standing with, he knew which one he trusted to judge Jade a little less, and it was the one giving him an indifferent look.
"Hey man, it's what she asked." Faith shrugged. "She wanted to be alone, so I let her. Don't need to get your 'skivvies' in a twist." She said it in a mocked accent.
"Don't wear any."
"Oh yeah?" She smirked, her eyebrows raising suggestively, while Buffy rolled her eyes.
"You two are worse than teenagers," Buffy complained. "All your comments, all the time."
Faith looked interested. "What, were you getting some 'comments' from Spike just now?"
Buffy scowled and didn't get to answer as Xander came around the corner, a box of clinking jars in hand.
"So we're sure we can trust this Manus guy, right? I just ask because he's one, a demon, two, red all over like again, a demon, three, a warlock, and four, he's just got blood all ready."
"Willow said he could be trusted, so, we trust him," Buffy responded immediately.
"Yeah, no, I'm with Xander on this one," Faith made a face. "Guy gives me the creeps. And I'm supposed to keep Illyria from popping his head like a balloon, like she did to this guy's cousin, or whatever." She noticed Spike's eyebrow raise, and sighed. "You know. The one who killed Wes. Cyvus Vail or whatever. This guy's from the same line of creeps as that one. All warlocky too. Makes me feel all warm inside."
"And again, with the Willow trusting, here." Buffy interrupted. "He's giving us sanctuary. And he probably has ears everywhere, or magic, or whatever, so maybe don't talk about the head popping thing."
Xander skewed his mouth in consternation, checking to make sure there were in fact, not ears everywhere, likely still reeling from the thousand eyes they'd seen when they'd visited Clarity.
"And how is Willow?" Faith asked, narrowing her eyes a bit. "Still off in La La Land?"
Buffy raised her hand as if for reprieve. "I get it. Everyone wants a piece of Willow, for this that or whatever. Me included." She said the last part quietly, under her breath, so that it slipped by the human's ears, but not Spike's. "We're working on it. Now that we don't have to worry about dying in a parking lot," She shot a glare so blazing at Spike, he knew she didn't want a gibe. "Billy's going to try the ritual again, tomorrow. See if we can bring her back."
"Well, I hope it works. I was afraid Kennedy was going to punch someone last time. Namely, me. I'm afraid for myself, here."
"Well, don't worry. Guess you got some over-qualified body guards 'til Angel says otherwise." Faith's dark gaze flitted between Xander and Buffy, and then the Dark Slayer shrugged. "Anyway. I'll leave you to it. Gotta go pay my respects to Gunn, you know? Decent guy. Didn't deserve what happened to him." And though she'd been surprisingly neutral before, she looked pointedly at Spike, and he knew even though she was playing the nonpartisan, keeping Illyria and Gwen from going too far, she wasn't sure to forget anytime soon. And he knew he should follow her example before too long. Had his own respects to pay to Charlie Boy.
Didn't think Gwen would be too bloody happy 'bout seeing him though, so maybe in a few she'd have calmed down a bit and he didn't have to worry about getting jolted to ashes.
Yeah, definitely later.
First, he had someone else to see.
"Give me that, Harris," Spike reached his hands around the box of jars and took it from the one-eyed man. "Sure it's animal blood?"
"Yeah, I mean, I tasted it and I just knew. I don't know, Spike. That's what Mr. Not evil Manus said."
He arched an eyebrow and unscrewed one of the lids, balancing the box as good as he could while not shaking the bloody hell out of his broken wrist. Yeah, he definitely needed something to eat as well. He took a sharp inhale. Yep. Definitely animal blood. And it was labeled, he could see now, looking down. Huh. Pig's blood, Chimp? Otter, some monkeys, he thought. Yeah, least there was a selection, though he'd best stick to something she was familiar with. Pig's blood it would be, even if it wasn't the tastiest of animal bloods. He closed the lid again, then, turning towards the door.
"You can see her, Spike. But remember, she doesn't leave until I say so. And I will post Slayers on the outside." Buffy reiterated firmly.
"Don't need to waste your womanpower," he ground back. "And don't bother us 'less it's a bloody 'mergency or you bring blood. Bird needs time to heal."
Buffy scoffed. "Yeah, as if she's the victim here."
"Jus' as much as the rest of you," Spike said in a low, serious tone, daring the two of them to meet his gaze. Xander couldn't, his one eye flickering off into the unassuming corridor, but Buffy held on longer, until she too shrugged.
"Have fun," Buffy said coldly, although he suspected it was to cover up a measure of hurt, but he thought on it no more, because he was turning the handle to Jade's room and stepping inside. She needed him, and he'd be here. No matter who scoffed at him, no matter what it bloody took.