Disclaimer: All this stuff belongs to Joss not me. ;_;
Author: Minnie-May
Distribution: Please put it places lol! Just contact me and tell me where ya wanna put it.
Notes: Umm not many this time really. I hope there aren't many grammatical errors ^_^ BTW this takes places after The Body, but you knew that.
Feathers- Chapter 1-
Daylight
The wind blew Buffy's blonde hair across her face as she stood in the cemetery. She didn't bother to push it back, at the moment she didn't care how badly she looked. The rest of her friends stood around her as she stared at her mother's casket. It had flowers on it that were every color of the rainbow. Her mom would have liked that. Her mother had always liked flowers.
Dawn stood next to her, a big gob of tissues in her hand. Buffy put her arm protectively around her little sister. Dawn was trying so hard not to cry, Buffy could feel her shaking slightly. Her little sister was trying to be just as brave about everything as Buffy herself was being. She respected Dawn for that because she was more sincere than even Buffy. Though she tried to look like she had everything under control she was still spiral out into nowhere and she felt like she had nothing to grab onto, nothing to hold. Maybe that was why she had went to see Spike last night.
At that thought a huge knot formed in Buffy's stomach. Before the funeral Buffy had quickly excused herself from the rest of the group and went to check on Spike's tomb, to see if he was in it. It only made logical sense that he should be there, the sun was bright and shining and any vampire would be just a charred bit of ash out here in this weather. Buffy pushed Spike out of her mind, resolute to deal with one problem at a time. Even though that wasn't really her strong point.
She looked up from the casket to all the people that surrounded it. All were dressed in dark clothes, which made them look harsh against the bright afternoon sun. It was such a cheery day out it seemed so wrong to have a funeral. Buffy had hoped for descent weather but somewhere inside she had wanted it to rain, wanted the heavens to open up and cry for her mother. Of course nothing ever worked out the way Buffy Summers wanted it to.
The priest finished his speech about loving and memories or something like that. She hadn't been able to concentrate. She became deftly aware that everyone was staring at her, waiting for her to do something. Buffy walked up to the casket and looked down at its surface askewed with those bright flowers. Her mother had liked happy things, bright things but with taste to them. Buffy held her yellow rose in her hand and twisted around between her fingers. She knew that when she put that rose on the casket that her mother would be lowered into the ground. It looked so dark down there, so unpleasant. Her mother would hate it there.
Buffy shook her mind out of the rut and gently placed the rose on the casket. It began to lower. Buffy turned around and walked over to her friends. She stood next to Dawn and Giles put his arm around her like the father he had become to her. Her friends were saying all means of comforting things to her, that it would get better, that the memory of Joyce would live on. Right now all Buffy wanted to do was forget. So she focused her mind on something she could do.
With the funeral finished and condolences heaped upon her by Joyce's friends and co-workers Buffy set off towards Spike's crypt.
"Where exactly are we going again?" Giles asked wearily. He seemed fairly certain that Buffy should be home getting some rest, not showing them something "important".
"We'll be there in a second" Buffy replied absently, navigating her way across the tombstones she knew so well.
"Hey Buffy you know to ME it looks almost like we're heading to-" Xander began but Buffy stopped in front of Spike's crypt and answered his question. "What could be important about Spike?" Xander asked looking the crypt up and down.
Buffy ignored the comment and walked to the door pushing it open and allowing the sunlight to fill the doorway. It wasn't as if Spike was there anyway. Buffy turned in the doorway and signaled for her friends to follow.
"You know Buffy it's not that I don't ya know love talking to Spike and all but really umm what are we doing here?" Willow stuttered nervously. She looked around the place and took in the mess. "Wow it's messy."
"I guess his maid forgot to come out and clean up" Xander remarked sarcastically, picking his way over to Buffy.
"Would you guys just shut up and follow me?" Buffy asked, irritated. Couldn't they ever be quiet for one minute? Buffy realized how mean and unfair she was being but she couldn't take the happy, poking at Spike right now. Especially figuring that Spike could be dead right now, or worse.
Willow and Xander looked hurt but quietly followed after Buffy. Giles walked quickly in front of them and over towards Buffy. He would have to convince her to go back home and rest awhile.
"Hey where's Spike?" Anya asked, stating the obvious. Suddenly everyone became suddenly aware that Spike wasn't there and that the place was totally trashed. Everyone looked over and stared at Anya in shock, trying to figure out where the vampire was.
"What?" Anya asked looking around worriedly. "Now what did I say?"
Xander opened his mouth to answer but was cut off by an outburst from Giles.
"Bloody Hell!" Giles exclaimed looking over at the writing on the wall. The rest of the Scoobys hurried to see what the matter was.
"Eww!" Xander said scrunching up his nose.
"Is that blood?" Tara asked quietly, looking at the messy words painted on the wall in deep red.
Dawn just stood, rooted to the spot. The blood drained from her face and her pale face stared at the wall, her big eyes staring at the words, demanding the key. Demanding her.
"I suspose we're going to have to do something about this" Giles remarked wearily.
***
"I got subs!"
The dark haired girl picked up her head from it's comfortable resting place on her arms and stared blearily at the figure in the doorway. She pulled her folded arms off the table and used one hand to wipe across her sleepy eyes. She must have fallen asleep reading these old occult books, hoping to catch something about how to locate the key. So far the hostage wasn't being too much help.
She stared at the girl in the doorway wearily and arched an eyebrow at her. The girl's golden hair shone around her head like a hallo in the bright afternoon sun and her blue-green eyes sparkled.
"Why?"
The blonde girl sighed as if she was pulling teeth.
"Because, Eva, it's good to eat like these humans do. It gives you strength and energy! It makes you healthy and strong. Maybe you'll even grow," the girl replied in a chipper tone as she place the subs on the small kitchen table and went to the windows.
"Melody, as much as you know I love" Eva spit out the word, "it here on this miserable planet I think it might be good if we got back to work. May I remind you that YOU were the one that got us here, not me. How could you lose the key?" Eva asked, sounding clearly baffled.
"It was an honest mistake" Melody said with sadness in her voice. I didn't mean to lose it, it just happened" she said twisting the fabric of her brightly patterned shirt between her fingers.
"You forget to check in with superiors, you sleep through meetings, THOSE are mistakes. All of which, may I add, you've already done" Eva spit out, Melody hung her head in shame. "But losing the goddamn KEY?! That is not a friggin sodding mistake!" Eva yelled.
Melody hung her head in shame so much that her chin was practically touching her chest. Her eyes peered up from her hung head and she looked at Eva pathetically. "Will you at least eat the sub?" she asked.
"No I will not eat the bloody sub!!!" Eva screamed. She couldn't believe anyone could be so dumb, and then Melody would open her mouth again. She still couldn't believe she had gotten Melody for a partner. Eva was brilliant, attractive, avid a bit short, and ambitious. Who in their right minds would stick her with someone like Melody. The girl was a dead weight, dragging her to the bottom while offering her subs.
She was broken from her own thought by the sound of a shuddering sob. Oh no, she thought looking up at Melody's tear streaked face.
"I was just trying to be nice. I know I screw up a lot and I'm always ruining your plans and and--" Melody stuttered pathetically looking for the right words to berate herself.
Pity stir in the pit of Eva's heart and she picked up the sub and unwrapped in quickly.
"I'll eat the sub. See?" Eva asked taking a huge bite. "Happy? I love it."
"Do you really?" Melody asked sounding doubtful, beginning to cheer up.
"Absolutely love it. You have to show me where you got these" Eva replied taking another big bite. Truth be told they weren't bad, not the best thing she'd had in her life but she could eat these things if the silly girl would stop crying.
"Yay!" Melody let out a happy yip and sat down next to Eva at the crummy looking table and began digging into her sub with a vengeance.
Eva sighed and let her eyes wander over to the room where they were keeping their prisoner. So far he hadn't told them anything they wanted to know. She had figured that since he was close to the Slayer, and the Slayer supposedly had the key, that he would know where it was. And of course she was correct in her assumptions there, she could tell that much. She just hadn't been counting on how stubborn he would be. She figured he would be like most vampires, saying anything to save his skin. Sometimes she hated love, it so got in the way of her goals.
But he'd be telling her where to find the key soon. That you could count on.
***
The street was quiet, empty. Tall buildings stood everywhere down this business street, a testament to their wealth and power. Down this street, the clicking of heels could be heard as loud as shotgun fire in the quite night. Everyone was sleeping and no one was out and about this late at night, especially not on this street. Glory walked right down the center of the street, her demon boy scampering behind her.
"Maybe you should get onto the sidewalk your wonder, just in case a car comes by" the demon suggested humbly. He was hoping to whatever deity there was that looked after the needs of demon folk like himself that Glory's recent good mood would last. There were always glitches working for extremely powerful gods, like the fact that they changed moods at the drop of a hat. Like the fact that they were insane, kissing and praising you one minute, threatening to kill you the next. It was always a rollercoaster ride with Glory, usually the kind that you throw up on too.
"Aww hunny you don't have to worry about little 'ol me. Not since you gave me this wonderful present" Glory said, fingering the key hanging from her neck affectionately. It seemed she was still in a good mood.
"What exactly are we doing out here in the dead of the night your grace?" the demon asked, scampering after his master. He had a feeling that he wasn't going to like what he was about to hear.
"Oh I just want to test out the power in this new little toy of mine" Glory said, giggling gleefully.
It seemed his feelings of dread were justified.
"And how exactly are you planning to do that your beauty?" the demon asked, trepidation forming into his voice.
Suddenly Glory was irritated, since when did she have to report her ever move to this little pest.
"You'll find out soon enough" she snapped walking purposefully towards one of the buildings.
The demon had no choice but to follow silently.
Glory stopped in front of a tall building, three or four stories of pure glass and chrome. The place screamed successful business, it windows gleaming in the lamp light. The demon was smart enough not to ask why they had stopped here. If Glory felt like making a show she would certainly clue him in as to why this building was so important.
"Let's see what my baby can do shall we?" Glory asked no on in particular as she pulled the key over her head. She slowly dropped the chain into her outstretched hand watching the chain turn into a little heap of gold with appreciation. Finally the key followed it's chain and was gently tucked into her hand.
She closed her hand on it's contents and closed her eyes, concentrating on something no one could see or understand. The demon stood there in the silence uncomfortably and wondered what the beautiful god was up to. It was usually no good. He glanced around nervously for anyone walking around that might get suspicious. There were no such persons around, in fact it was startlingly quiet. He couldn't help but suspect that Glory had something to do with that.
Suddenly the hand that held the key began to glow, just a faint glimmer at first. But it steadily increased until it was a blinding light engulfing her hand. The demon took a large gulp of the night air and watch to see what would happen next. He didn't know if he would have to save Glory from herself or not and he had no idea if that light was harmful or not. Now Glory herself was glowing brighter and brighter, the same golden color as her hand. Just when the demon didn't think his eyes could take looking at her anymore or they would go blind the light stopped getting brighter. He squinted at Glory through the blaze to try to make out what was happening.
Glory's eyes flashed open and she pointed her finger at the building in front of her. The light immediately left her body in a flash out of her finger and slammed into the building. The sound of breaking metal and crunching chrome could be heard up and down the street like an explosion. The demon put his hands over his ears to try to stop the ringing that was echoing through his head. Next the windows blew out of the building in a spectacular explosion. Bits of glass flew from the heavens like rain. He looked over at Glory to see her reaction and took in her huge grin with a bit of a shudder.
Glory turned away from the building that was falling down upon it's own foundations and walked smartly over to her lackey. She had looked into this street before the experiment and found out this business was part of a huge worldwide corporation. It was far more expensive than the other buildings on the street and far better built. Looking at it now it was just a smoking pile of rubble, but it had once been a corporate triumphant. Too bad really, it was quite pretty. Glory hummed a song she had heard a long time ago and walked down the street the same way she had come in, right down the middle of the street.
The demon looked nervously from the building to Glory and then back to the building again. He had had some idea that the key was powerful, but you just don't fully understand things until you see them. He shuddered at the thought of her ever using that on him.
"Well are you coming?" Glory asked over her shoulder, the sounds of firetrucks and police sirens sounding off in the distance. The demon scampered up behind Glory and followed her down the street and in the direction of her penthouse.
"We have to get everything ready for the opening" Glory said with satisfaction. "I can hardly wait."
***
Spike awoke to far less pain than the last time. He propped himself up against the wall and stared down at his chest in shock. The hole that little monster had gorged in his chest was gone and not only that, but his broken rib seemed to have healed as well. He had fast healing but this was ridiculous, he had just gotten to major wounds and there was no way they could heal overnight. Spike sighed and gave up searching for an answer to that question. Because, really, would it help his situation any? Not in the slightest.
Spike surveyed the room quickly, looking for an exit. The room was pretty dismal, the walls were painted a dull gray and the only pieces of furniture were a dilapidated old bed and a unsturdy looking wooden chair. His eyes finally came to rest on the door. He was separated from it by the entire width of the room but he still realized that it must be locked. In a regular door that would not have been a problem, Spike could have bowled it over with his eyes shut. This door, however, was made of some kind of metal, the kind that caught the small slat of light that was peeping in through the drabby curtains.
The door opened and the girl from before walked into the room carrying a length of rope. She stretched the rope out in her hand, making very sure that Spike could see what she was bringing. Internally Spike groaned and readied himself for pain, on the outside he just watched her with mild interest.
"I'll give you one more chance to tell us where the key is of your own free will. If not I'll have to get the information out of you" the girl said, now standing in front of him. Spike looked up into her pretty dark brown eyes and smiled.
"Sod off" he stated.
The girls features twisted into an ugly frown and before he could do anything about it she had the rope around his throat and was pulling it tight.
"Any ideas now?" the girl spit out. Eva was truly losing her patience with the vampire. Who knows what that little Slayer was doing with her key.
"Clean...out" Spike gasped tried to pull in air. Black spots covered his vision but he ignored them, fighting to stay conscience. The rope loosened and the girl began dragging him to the chair by the neck.
With practiced ease she fastened his arms and legs to the chair with more rope and then stood back to admire her handy work. Spike struggled fertilely against his bindings for a few moments, checking to see how good of a job the little demon had done. Seemed she had a knack for tying knots.
"Well you've got me tied up now you big poof. What you gonna do to the big bad?" Spike asked, mockingly. The girl only smiled and left the room. When she came back it was with a bag and a friend. The friend smiled and waved at him, handing the bag over to Eva. Melody supposed that now Eva would interrogate him like the police did on those cop shows.
Eva opened the bag and pulled out a long, sharp looking object. Spike couldn't tell exactly what it was but it seemed very familiar to him to some reason. Eva stepped forward into the small shaft of light and the mystery quickly dispersed as the light fell upon the object she was holding. A railroad spike. The irony of the situation was almost too much for Spike. She smiled as she flipped it over leisurely in her hand.
"I thought we'd start with something you'd be comfortable with. You know, to make you feel more at home" the girl stated evilly. Without another word or request she slammed the spike into his heart. Spike gave out an anguished cry and stared at the black metal protruding from his arm. He heard a little yelp and turned his attention to the girl standing in the doorway of his prison. She was staring at the scene with shock and horror. He almost laughed, why was she upset she wasn't the one with a sharp point object through her. He could now appreciate how Angel felt when he tortured him for the ring. This really blew.
"To think that if that had been wood" Eva said grabbing the spike and twisting it, "you would be a pretty pile of dust right about now."
"Very true luv" Spike said, experiencing a great deal of pain. "I didn't forget to thank you did I?" he asked sarcastically.
"I'm beginning to wonder if you like pain" Eva stated, kicking it further in him with her foot. "All I want to know is where the key is. Not a hard question is it?" she asked once more, bringing her face closer to his.
"In your dreams Peaches" Spike spat back. Eva pulled back and stared at Spike for a moment as if deciding something.
"All right, new approach" she said, walking behind his back and pulling the spike from him in one, quick motion. He groaned and tried to shift positions in his chair, when that didn't work he just went back to looking at the girl angrily. The indignity of it all.
"Why don't you just tell me where this Slayer character lives so I can get in touch with her myself?" Eva asked, leaning back against the far wall. Spike stared at her as if she had grown three heads. She presented this idea as if it was better than just telling her where the key was. It would be a bloody cold day in hell before he told her where to find Buffy and the Niblet.
Spike couldn't help himself, he laughed. She was asking him to tell a torture crazed manic where to find the love of his life, or unlife for that matter. He would never tell her where to find Buffy, never.
"Funny vampire?" she asked angrily. Eva spun around and pulled back the shabby curtains so that the sunlight fell onto his feet and legs. Spike screamed in agony as the sun burnt him straight through his clothes. "Feel like sharing now?" Eva asked, smiling cruelly. At the back of the room Melody let out a little whimper and shielded her eyes.
"Yes!" he screamed as a small fire began to spread from his feet to his ankles. Eva grinned and closed the curtains, she had a feeling that would work. "Put out this fire and I'll tell you!" Spike cried in pained alarm as it spread up to his knees. She took her sweet time putting out the fire and then glanced back up at him.
"Well what's the address?" she asked sweetly.
"I can't give you that" Spike stated. Eva could feel the anger again but controlled it enough to ask a question.
"Well then I don't see why not. Why can't you tell me?" she asked.
"I've got an idea so just hear me out. Instead of just barging in the 'ol house and creatin a mess why don't you just send her a lil note. Ask her to meet you somewhere and tell her to bring the key. How's that?" Spike asked. He realized that if she didn't like this answer that he was probably going to die the next time but he had to try something. At least this way she would know that there was another psycho out to get her and she could be prepared.
Eva nodded her head as she considered it. It seemed like a good enough plan. "Ok fine" she snipped impatiently. "So where do I send this challenge?"
Spike let out a relived smile. "You know a place called The Bronze?"
***
Buffy switched positions on the couch and looked over at her friends. They were perched on the other pieces of furniture in her living room. They had all been discussing what to do about the Spike situation. However Buffy looked at it they had a real problem on their hands. But in a way Buffy was relieved that she had something to think about other than her mother's death.
"I really don't think it's a good idea to intervene in this case Buffy I really don't" Giles said with a sigh, leaning forward in his chair. He was worried about how worried Buffy seemed to be. After all it was only Spike, did anyone really care if he was killed?
"So what am I supposed to do, just let Glory torture Spike? And how long do you think he'll hold out anyway?" Buffy snipped. She was so worried that Spike might have spilled the beans about Dawn but there was another worry there that she didn't understand, that she didn't want to.
"I understand your concern about that matter but there's really not much we can do if Spike already spilled the information. In that case it's best just to be prepared for an attack" Giles said tiredly, taking off his glasses and polishing their lens on his sleeve. It had been an impossibly long day.
"But what if he didn't?" Buffy demanded. Before Giles could answer Xander made himself part of the conversation.
"Why wouldn't he? Come on here Buff, this isn't Angel we're talking about here this is Spike. If someone was torturing him don't you think he would tell them everything?" Xander asked as gently yet firmly as possible. He had to put this in a way that Buffy would understand, he still didn't get what Buffy had be doing there last night anyway.
Buffy stared at Xander as if she was trying to think of something to say back to him but couldn't think of anything. Before she could think up an adequate response Willow began speaking.
"I don't want to be mean Buffy but I think Xander's right. I don't think that Spike would really care about anyone else if he was getting tortured or-or you know threatened with Mr. Pointy" Willow said, looking her best friend in the eyes.
"Yea he'd go all Benedict Arnold" Tara said nodding. Everyone looked over at Tara with a confused expression on their faces. Tara glanced around nervously and tried to explain. "You know he was that traitor guy in the American Revolution."
"I know who your talking about" Giles stated, turning back to the subject at hand. "Buffy I don't believe Spike is as brave and" Giles made a unpleasant face, "noble as you think he is. Surely meeting this challenge would just lead you into a trap" Giles stated trying to convince Buffy.
Buffy stared at the faces of her friends that just couldn't understand what she was feeling. How could they just all abandon Spike like that? Sure he wasn't always on their sides and he was certainly a pain in the ass at times. But he had come to the rescue on several occasions. For some reason Buffy just couldn't justify leaving Spike to get killed by that wacko.
Buffy leaped out of the comfort of the couch and glared around at her friends sitting around her. She didn't understand these people who would leave the helpless vampire to die.
"Spike said he loved me right? The way I figure it he'll probably figure out that ratting out my little sister isn't the best way to win me over right?" Buffy asked knowing that she was right about this one. Now if only her friends would listen to her instead of blocking her out.
"I believe he'd be more concerned with his life" Giles stated coldly, staring up at Buffy's disoriented, angry self with confusion.
Buffy shook her head and turned around walking briskly towards the door. She pulled a light coat out of the hallway closet and opened up the door to the fresh air she craved.
"Where are you going?" Xander called out, getting up from his seat.
"The Bronze" Buffy replied airily, pulling the keys to her mother's car out of the pocket and wondering if she risked driving or not. "I need some time to think things over."
Willow shot up from her seat and smiled at Buffy, that 'I'm your best friend' smile. "Want me to come with? Help with the dark and brooding?" Willow asked in a cheery voice, trying to cover up the concern that was hiding in her voice.
"No actually I think I need some time alone" Buffy stated walking out the door and letting it slam behind her on the hurt and surprised faces of her friends. At the moment she didn't really care. She headed off walking towards the Bronze, it was amazing what fresh air could do for a person.
***
About fifteen minutes later Buffy walked into the Bronze and smiled as she was greeted with noise and people. She thought fondly of her plans to sit in a dark corner and think. She certainly had a lot to think about, to sort through.
Buffy made her way towards the bar to get herself a drink before she sat down in an unoccupied table she saw against the back wall. She slid herself onto one of the bar stools and waited for the bartender to notice her. That didn't take long, the bartender turned around and gave her an academy award winning smile. Too bad she wasn't the academy.
"What would you like little missy?" the bartender asked, cleaning out one of the glasses with a rag.
"I'll just have a regular beer" Buffy said watching as the bartender disappeared around another section of the bar. It only took a few minutes for him to return, carrying a beer and something else.
"Here you go. I got you a Samuel Adams and here I forgot about this" the man said, pushing the envelope across the counter. "A couple of your friends came in here earlier and told me to give this to you. Don't know why they couldn't just do it themselves" the bartender said smiling. Buffy stared at the envelope blankly, why would any of her friends send her a letter at the Bronze. "You are Buffy Summers right?" the bartender asked, sounding a little worried.
Buffy looked up and nodded, thanked him for the drinks and then retired to the little table against the back wall where she could read the letter in private. Now it seemed she had even more to think about, like her choice in friends.
Buffy ripped the top of the envelope quickly and pulled out the contents, one letter and a picture. She flipped the picture over and gasped in shock. It was a picture of Spike, tied to a chair. He seemed to be bleeding from many different wounds and his legs and feet looked a little scorched. In the picture he was giving her a little half smile, almost asking her "what can I do?". Buffy turned the picture over shakily and placed in upside down on the table surface. Then she opened up the letter to read. The writer was simple and to the point.
'Go to the pier on Perry Street in two days and bring the Key, otherwise your man dies.' Buffy read on the page of paper that had been stuffed hastily into the envelope. She let go of the letter and allowed it to drift shakily to the table.
For the second time in two days she began to cry.
to be continued
Author: Minnie-May
Distribution: Please put it places lol! Just contact me and tell me where ya wanna put it.
Notes: Umm not many this time really. I hope there aren't many grammatical errors ^_^ BTW this takes places after The Body, but you knew that.
Feathers- Chapter 1-
Daylight
The wind blew Buffy's blonde hair across her face as she stood in the cemetery. She didn't bother to push it back, at the moment she didn't care how badly she looked. The rest of her friends stood around her as she stared at her mother's casket. It had flowers on it that were every color of the rainbow. Her mom would have liked that. Her mother had always liked flowers.
Dawn stood next to her, a big gob of tissues in her hand. Buffy put her arm protectively around her little sister. Dawn was trying so hard not to cry, Buffy could feel her shaking slightly. Her little sister was trying to be just as brave about everything as Buffy herself was being. She respected Dawn for that because she was more sincere than even Buffy. Though she tried to look like she had everything under control she was still spiral out into nowhere and she felt like she had nothing to grab onto, nothing to hold. Maybe that was why she had went to see Spike last night.
At that thought a huge knot formed in Buffy's stomach. Before the funeral Buffy had quickly excused herself from the rest of the group and went to check on Spike's tomb, to see if he was in it. It only made logical sense that he should be there, the sun was bright and shining and any vampire would be just a charred bit of ash out here in this weather. Buffy pushed Spike out of her mind, resolute to deal with one problem at a time. Even though that wasn't really her strong point.
She looked up from the casket to all the people that surrounded it. All were dressed in dark clothes, which made them look harsh against the bright afternoon sun. It was such a cheery day out it seemed so wrong to have a funeral. Buffy had hoped for descent weather but somewhere inside she had wanted it to rain, wanted the heavens to open up and cry for her mother. Of course nothing ever worked out the way Buffy Summers wanted it to.
The priest finished his speech about loving and memories or something like that. She hadn't been able to concentrate. She became deftly aware that everyone was staring at her, waiting for her to do something. Buffy walked up to the casket and looked down at its surface askewed with those bright flowers. Her mother had liked happy things, bright things but with taste to them. Buffy held her yellow rose in her hand and twisted around between her fingers. She knew that when she put that rose on the casket that her mother would be lowered into the ground. It looked so dark down there, so unpleasant. Her mother would hate it there.
Buffy shook her mind out of the rut and gently placed the rose on the casket. It began to lower. Buffy turned around and walked over to her friends. She stood next to Dawn and Giles put his arm around her like the father he had become to her. Her friends were saying all means of comforting things to her, that it would get better, that the memory of Joyce would live on. Right now all Buffy wanted to do was forget. So she focused her mind on something she could do.
With the funeral finished and condolences heaped upon her by Joyce's friends and co-workers Buffy set off towards Spike's crypt.
"Where exactly are we going again?" Giles asked wearily. He seemed fairly certain that Buffy should be home getting some rest, not showing them something "important".
"We'll be there in a second" Buffy replied absently, navigating her way across the tombstones she knew so well.
"Hey Buffy you know to ME it looks almost like we're heading to-" Xander began but Buffy stopped in front of Spike's crypt and answered his question. "What could be important about Spike?" Xander asked looking the crypt up and down.
Buffy ignored the comment and walked to the door pushing it open and allowing the sunlight to fill the doorway. It wasn't as if Spike was there anyway. Buffy turned in the doorway and signaled for her friends to follow.
"You know Buffy it's not that I don't ya know love talking to Spike and all but really umm what are we doing here?" Willow stuttered nervously. She looked around the place and took in the mess. "Wow it's messy."
"I guess his maid forgot to come out and clean up" Xander remarked sarcastically, picking his way over to Buffy.
"Would you guys just shut up and follow me?" Buffy asked, irritated. Couldn't they ever be quiet for one minute? Buffy realized how mean and unfair she was being but she couldn't take the happy, poking at Spike right now. Especially figuring that Spike could be dead right now, or worse.
Willow and Xander looked hurt but quietly followed after Buffy. Giles walked quickly in front of them and over towards Buffy. He would have to convince her to go back home and rest awhile.
"Hey where's Spike?" Anya asked, stating the obvious. Suddenly everyone became suddenly aware that Spike wasn't there and that the place was totally trashed. Everyone looked over and stared at Anya in shock, trying to figure out where the vampire was.
"What?" Anya asked looking around worriedly. "Now what did I say?"
Xander opened his mouth to answer but was cut off by an outburst from Giles.
"Bloody Hell!" Giles exclaimed looking over at the writing on the wall. The rest of the Scoobys hurried to see what the matter was.
"Eww!" Xander said scrunching up his nose.
"Is that blood?" Tara asked quietly, looking at the messy words painted on the wall in deep red.
Dawn just stood, rooted to the spot. The blood drained from her face and her pale face stared at the wall, her big eyes staring at the words, demanding the key. Demanding her.
"I suspose we're going to have to do something about this" Giles remarked wearily.
***
"I got subs!"
The dark haired girl picked up her head from it's comfortable resting place on her arms and stared blearily at the figure in the doorway. She pulled her folded arms off the table and used one hand to wipe across her sleepy eyes. She must have fallen asleep reading these old occult books, hoping to catch something about how to locate the key. So far the hostage wasn't being too much help.
She stared at the girl in the doorway wearily and arched an eyebrow at her. The girl's golden hair shone around her head like a hallo in the bright afternoon sun and her blue-green eyes sparkled.
"Why?"
The blonde girl sighed as if she was pulling teeth.
"Because, Eva, it's good to eat like these humans do. It gives you strength and energy! It makes you healthy and strong. Maybe you'll even grow," the girl replied in a chipper tone as she place the subs on the small kitchen table and went to the windows.
"Melody, as much as you know I love" Eva spit out the word, "it here on this miserable planet I think it might be good if we got back to work. May I remind you that YOU were the one that got us here, not me. How could you lose the key?" Eva asked, sounding clearly baffled.
"It was an honest mistake" Melody said with sadness in her voice. I didn't mean to lose it, it just happened" she said twisting the fabric of her brightly patterned shirt between her fingers.
"You forget to check in with superiors, you sleep through meetings, THOSE are mistakes. All of which, may I add, you've already done" Eva spit out, Melody hung her head in shame. "But losing the goddamn KEY?! That is not a friggin sodding mistake!" Eva yelled.
Melody hung her head in shame so much that her chin was practically touching her chest. Her eyes peered up from her hung head and she looked at Eva pathetically. "Will you at least eat the sub?" she asked.
"No I will not eat the bloody sub!!!" Eva screamed. She couldn't believe anyone could be so dumb, and then Melody would open her mouth again. She still couldn't believe she had gotten Melody for a partner. Eva was brilliant, attractive, avid a bit short, and ambitious. Who in their right minds would stick her with someone like Melody. The girl was a dead weight, dragging her to the bottom while offering her subs.
She was broken from her own thought by the sound of a shuddering sob. Oh no, she thought looking up at Melody's tear streaked face.
"I was just trying to be nice. I know I screw up a lot and I'm always ruining your plans and and--" Melody stuttered pathetically looking for the right words to berate herself.
Pity stir in the pit of Eva's heart and she picked up the sub and unwrapped in quickly.
"I'll eat the sub. See?" Eva asked taking a huge bite. "Happy? I love it."
"Do you really?" Melody asked sounding doubtful, beginning to cheer up.
"Absolutely love it. You have to show me where you got these" Eva replied taking another big bite. Truth be told they weren't bad, not the best thing she'd had in her life but she could eat these things if the silly girl would stop crying.
"Yay!" Melody let out a happy yip and sat down next to Eva at the crummy looking table and began digging into her sub with a vengeance.
Eva sighed and let her eyes wander over to the room where they were keeping their prisoner. So far he hadn't told them anything they wanted to know. She had figured that since he was close to the Slayer, and the Slayer supposedly had the key, that he would know where it was. And of course she was correct in her assumptions there, she could tell that much. She just hadn't been counting on how stubborn he would be. She figured he would be like most vampires, saying anything to save his skin. Sometimes she hated love, it so got in the way of her goals.
But he'd be telling her where to find the key soon. That you could count on.
***
The street was quiet, empty. Tall buildings stood everywhere down this business street, a testament to their wealth and power. Down this street, the clicking of heels could be heard as loud as shotgun fire in the quite night. Everyone was sleeping and no one was out and about this late at night, especially not on this street. Glory walked right down the center of the street, her demon boy scampering behind her.
"Maybe you should get onto the sidewalk your wonder, just in case a car comes by" the demon suggested humbly. He was hoping to whatever deity there was that looked after the needs of demon folk like himself that Glory's recent good mood would last. There were always glitches working for extremely powerful gods, like the fact that they changed moods at the drop of a hat. Like the fact that they were insane, kissing and praising you one minute, threatening to kill you the next. It was always a rollercoaster ride with Glory, usually the kind that you throw up on too.
"Aww hunny you don't have to worry about little 'ol me. Not since you gave me this wonderful present" Glory said, fingering the key hanging from her neck affectionately. It seemed she was still in a good mood.
"What exactly are we doing out here in the dead of the night your grace?" the demon asked, scampering after his master. He had a feeling that he wasn't going to like what he was about to hear.
"Oh I just want to test out the power in this new little toy of mine" Glory said, giggling gleefully.
It seemed his feelings of dread were justified.
"And how exactly are you planning to do that your beauty?" the demon asked, trepidation forming into his voice.
Suddenly Glory was irritated, since when did she have to report her ever move to this little pest.
"You'll find out soon enough" she snapped walking purposefully towards one of the buildings.
The demon had no choice but to follow silently.
Glory stopped in front of a tall building, three or four stories of pure glass and chrome. The place screamed successful business, it windows gleaming in the lamp light. The demon was smart enough not to ask why they had stopped here. If Glory felt like making a show she would certainly clue him in as to why this building was so important.
"Let's see what my baby can do shall we?" Glory asked no on in particular as she pulled the key over her head. She slowly dropped the chain into her outstretched hand watching the chain turn into a little heap of gold with appreciation. Finally the key followed it's chain and was gently tucked into her hand.
She closed her hand on it's contents and closed her eyes, concentrating on something no one could see or understand. The demon stood there in the silence uncomfortably and wondered what the beautiful god was up to. It was usually no good. He glanced around nervously for anyone walking around that might get suspicious. There were no such persons around, in fact it was startlingly quiet. He couldn't help but suspect that Glory had something to do with that.
Suddenly the hand that held the key began to glow, just a faint glimmer at first. But it steadily increased until it was a blinding light engulfing her hand. The demon took a large gulp of the night air and watch to see what would happen next. He didn't know if he would have to save Glory from herself or not and he had no idea if that light was harmful or not. Now Glory herself was glowing brighter and brighter, the same golden color as her hand. Just when the demon didn't think his eyes could take looking at her anymore or they would go blind the light stopped getting brighter. He squinted at Glory through the blaze to try to make out what was happening.
Glory's eyes flashed open and she pointed her finger at the building in front of her. The light immediately left her body in a flash out of her finger and slammed into the building. The sound of breaking metal and crunching chrome could be heard up and down the street like an explosion. The demon put his hands over his ears to try to stop the ringing that was echoing through his head. Next the windows blew out of the building in a spectacular explosion. Bits of glass flew from the heavens like rain. He looked over at Glory to see her reaction and took in her huge grin with a bit of a shudder.
Glory turned away from the building that was falling down upon it's own foundations and walked smartly over to her lackey. She had looked into this street before the experiment and found out this business was part of a huge worldwide corporation. It was far more expensive than the other buildings on the street and far better built. Looking at it now it was just a smoking pile of rubble, but it had once been a corporate triumphant. Too bad really, it was quite pretty. Glory hummed a song she had heard a long time ago and walked down the street the same way she had come in, right down the middle of the street.
The demon looked nervously from the building to Glory and then back to the building again. He had had some idea that the key was powerful, but you just don't fully understand things until you see them. He shuddered at the thought of her ever using that on him.
"Well are you coming?" Glory asked over her shoulder, the sounds of firetrucks and police sirens sounding off in the distance. The demon scampered up behind Glory and followed her down the street and in the direction of her penthouse.
"We have to get everything ready for the opening" Glory said with satisfaction. "I can hardly wait."
***
Spike awoke to far less pain than the last time. He propped himself up against the wall and stared down at his chest in shock. The hole that little monster had gorged in his chest was gone and not only that, but his broken rib seemed to have healed as well. He had fast healing but this was ridiculous, he had just gotten to major wounds and there was no way they could heal overnight. Spike sighed and gave up searching for an answer to that question. Because, really, would it help his situation any? Not in the slightest.
Spike surveyed the room quickly, looking for an exit. The room was pretty dismal, the walls were painted a dull gray and the only pieces of furniture were a dilapidated old bed and a unsturdy looking wooden chair. His eyes finally came to rest on the door. He was separated from it by the entire width of the room but he still realized that it must be locked. In a regular door that would not have been a problem, Spike could have bowled it over with his eyes shut. This door, however, was made of some kind of metal, the kind that caught the small slat of light that was peeping in through the drabby curtains.
The door opened and the girl from before walked into the room carrying a length of rope. She stretched the rope out in her hand, making very sure that Spike could see what she was bringing. Internally Spike groaned and readied himself for pain, on the outside he just watched her with mild interest.
"I'll give you one more chance to tell us where the key is of your own free will. If not I'll have to get the information out of you" the girl said, now standing in front of him. Spike looked up into her pretty dark brown eyes and smiled.
"Sod off" he stated.
The girls features twisted into an ugly frown and before he could do anything about it she had the rope around his throat and was pulling it tight.
"Any ideas now?" the girl spit out. Eva was truly losing her patience with the vampire. Who knows what that little Slayer was doing with her key.
"Clean...out" Spike gasped tried to pull in air. Black spots covered his vision but he ignored them, fighting to stay conscience. The rope loosened and the girl began dragging him to the chair by the neck.
With practiced ease she fastened his arms and legs to the chair with more rope and then stood back to admire her handy work. Spike struggled fertilely against his bindings for a few moments, checking to see how good of a job the little demon had done. Seemed she had a knack for tying knots.
"Well you've got me tied up now you big poof. What you gonna do to the big bad?" Spike asked, mockingly. The girl only smiled and left the room. When she came back it was with a bag and a friend. The friend smiled and waved at him, handing the bag over to Eva. Melody supposed that now Eva would interrogate him like the police did on those cop shows.
Eva opened the bag and pulled out a long, sharp looking object. Spike couldn't tell exactly what it was but it seemed very familiar to him to some reason. Eva stepped forward into the small shaft of light and the mystery quickly dispersed as the light fell upon the object she was holding. A railroad spike. The irony of the situation was almost too much for Spike. She smiled as she flipped it over leisurely in her hand.
"I thought we'd start with something you'd be comfortable with. You know, to make you feel more at home" the girl stated evilly. Without another word or request she slammed the spike into his heart. Spike gave out an anguished cry and stared at the black metal protruding from his arm. He heard a little yelp and turned his attention to the girl standing in the doorway of his prison. She was staring at the scene with shock and horror. He almost laughed, why was she upset she wasn't the one with a sharp point object through her. He could now appreciate how Angel felt when he tortured him for the ring. This really blew.
"To think that if that had been wood" Eva said grabbing the spike and twisting it, "you would be a pretty pile of dust right about now."
"Very true luv" Spike said, experiencing a great deal of pain. "I didn't forget to thank you did I?" he asked sarcastically.
"I'm beginning to wonder if you like pain" Eva stated, kicking it further in him with her foot. "All I want to know is where the key is. Not a hard question is it?" she asked once more, bringing her face closer to his.
"In your dreams Peaches" Spike spat back. Eva pulled back and stared at Spike for a moment as if deciding something.
"All right, new approach" she said, walking behind his back and pulling the spike from him in one, quick motion. He groaned and tried to shift positions in his chair, when that didn't work he just went back to looking at the girl angrily. The indignity of it all.
"Why don't you just tell me where this Slayer character lives so I can get in touch with her myself?" Eva asked, leaning back against the far wall. Spike stared at her as if she had grown three heads. She presented this idea as if it was better than just telling her where the key was. It would be a bloody cold day in hell before he told her where to find Buffy and the Niblet.
Spike couldn't help himself, he laughed. She was asking him to tell a torture crazed manic where to find the love of his life, or unlife for that matter. He would never tell her where to find Buffy, never.
"Funny vampire?" she asked angrily. Eva spun around and pulled back the shabby curtains so that the sunlight fell onto his feet and legs. Spike screamed in agony as the sun burnt him straight through his clothes. "Feel like sharing now?" Eva asked, smiling cruelly. At the back of the room Melody let out a little whimper and shielded her eyes.
"Yes!" he screamed as a small fire began to spread from his feet to his ankles. Eva grinned and closed the curtains, she had a feeling that would work. "Put out this fire and I'll tell you!" Spike cried in pained alarm as it spread up to his knees. She took her sweet time putting out the fire and then glanced back up at him.
"Well what's the address?" she asked sweetly.
"I can't give you that" Spike stated. Eva could feel the anger again but controlled it enough to ask a question.
"Well then I don't see why not. Why can't you tell me?" she asked.
"I've got an idea so just hear me out. Instead of just barging in the 'ol house and creatin a mess why don't you just send her a lil note. Ask her to meet you somewhere and tell her to bring the key. How's that?" Spike asked. He realized that if she didn't like this answer that he was probably going to die the next time but he had to try something. At least this way she would know that there was another psycho out to get her and she could be prepared.
Eva nodded her head as she considered it. It seemed like a good enough plan. "Ok fine" she snipped impatiently. "So where do I send this challenge?"
Spike let out a relived smile. "You know a place called The Bronze?"
***
Buffy switched positions on the couch and looked over at her friends. They were perched on the other pieces of furniture in her living room. They had all been discussing what to do about the Spike situation. However Buffy looked at it they had a real problem on their hands. But in a way Buffy was relieved that she had something to think about other than her mother's death.
"I really don't think it's a good idea to intervene in this case Buffy I really don't" Giles said with a sigh, leaning forward in his chair. He was worried about how worried Buffy seemed to be. After all it was only Spike, did anyone really care if he was killed?
"So what am I supposed to do, just let Glory torture Spike? And how long do you think he'll hold out anyway?" Buffy snipped. She was so worried that Spike might have spilled the beans about Dawn but there was another worry there that she didn't understand, that she didn't want to.
"I understand your concern about that matter but there's really not much we can do if Spike already spilled the information. In that case it's best just to be prepared for an attack" Giles said tiredly, taking off his glasses and polishing their lens on his sleeve. It had been an impossibly long day.
"But what if he didn't?" Buffy demanded. Before Giles could answer Xander made himself part of the conversation.
"Why wouldn't he? Come on here Buff, this isn't Angel we're talking about here this is Spike. If someone was torturing him don't you think he would tell them everything?" Xander asked as gently yet firmly as possible. He had to put this in a way that Buffy would understand, he still didn't get what Buffy had be doing there last night anyway.
Buffy stared at Xander as if she was trying to think of something to say back to him but couldn't think of anything. Before she could think up an adequate response Willow began speaking.
"I don't want to be mean Buffy but I think Xander's right. I don't think that Spike would really care about anyone else if he was getting tortured or-or you know threatened with Mr. Pointy" Willow said, looking her best friend in the eyes.
"Yea he'd go all Benedict Arnold" Tara said nodding. Everyone looked over at Tara with a confused expression on their faces. Tara glanced around nervously and tried to explain. "You know he was that traitor guy in the American Revolution."
"I know who your talking about" Giles stated, turning back to the subject at hand. "Buffy I don't believe Spike is as brave and" Giles made a unpleasant face, "noble as you think he is. Surely meeting this challenge would just lead you into a trap" Giles stated trying to convince Buffy.
Buffy stared at the faces of her friends that just couldn't understand what she was feeling. How could they just all abandon Spike like that? Sure he wasn't always on their sides and he was certainly a pain in the ass at times. But he had come to the rescue on several occasions. For some reason Buffy just couldn't justify leaving Spike to get killed by that wacko.
Buffy leaped out of the comfort of the couch and glared around at her friends sitting around her. She didn't understand these people who would leave the helpless vampire to die.
"Spike said he loved me right? The way I figure it he'll probably figure out that ratting out my little sister isn't the best way to win me over right?" Buffy asked knowing that she was right about this one. Now if only her friends would listen to her instead of blocking her out.
"I believe he'd be more concerned with his life" Giles stated coldly, staring up at Buffy's disoriented, angry self with confusion.
Buffy shook her head and turned around walking briskly towards the door. She pulled a light coat out of the hallway closet and opened up the door to the fresh air she craved.
"Where are you going?" Xander called out, getting up from his seat.
"The Bronze" Buffy replied airily, pulling the keys to her mother's car out of the pocket and wondering if she risked driving or not. "I need some time to think things over."
Willow shot up from her seat and smiled at Buffy, that 'I'm your best friend' smile. "Want me to come with? Help with the dark and brooding?" Willow asked in a cheery voice, trying to cover up the concern that was hiding in her voice.
"No actually I think I need some time alone" Buffy stated walking out the door and letting it slam behind her on the hurt and surprised faces of her friends. At the moment she didn't really care. She headed off walking towards the Bronze, it was amazing what fresh air could do for a person.
***
About fifteen minutes later Buffy walked into the Bronze and smiled as she was greeted with noise and people. She thought fondly of her plans to sit in a dark corner and think. She certainly had a lot to think about, to sort through.
Buffy made her way towards the bar to get herself a drink before she sat down in an unoccupied table she saw against the back wall. She slid herself onto one of the bar stools and waited for the bartender to notice her. That didn't take long, the bartender turned around and gave her an academy award winning smile. Too bad she wasn't the academy.
"What would you like little missy?" the bartender asked, cleaning out one of the glasses with a rag.
"I'll just have a regular beer" Buffy said watching as the bartender disappeared around another section of the bar. It only took a few minutes for him to return, carrying a beer and something else.
"Here you go. I got you a Samuel Adams and here I forgot about this" the man said, pushing the envelope across the counter. "A couple of your friends came in here earlier and told me to give this to you. Don't know why they couldn't just do it themselves" the bartender said smiling. Buffy stared at the envelope blankly, why would any of her friends send her a letter at the Bronze. "You are Buffy Summers right?" the bartender asked, sounding a little worried.
Buffy looked up and nodded, thanked him for the drinks and then retired to the little table against the back wall where she could read the letter in private. Now it seemed she had even more to think about, like her choice in friends.
Buffy ripped the top of the envelope quickly and pulled out the contents, one letter and a picture. She flipped the picture over and gasped in shock. It was a picture of Spike, tied to a chair. He seemed to be bleeding from many different wounds and his legs and feet looked a little scorched. In the picture he was giving her a little half smile, almost asking her "what can I do?". Buffy turned the picture over shakily and placed in upside down on the table surface. Then she opened up the letter to read. The writer was simple and to the point.
'Go to the pier on Perry Street in two days and bring the Key, otherwise your man dies.' Buffy read on the page of paper that had been stuffed hastily into the envelope. She let go of the letter and allowed it to drift shakily to the table.
For the second time in two days she began to cry.
to be continued