TITLE: THE PRIZE 3

TITLE: THE PRIZE 3

AUTHOR: STEPHEN HOWE

E-MAIL: sh01@bigpond.com.au

FEEDBACK: Sure.

DISTRIBUTION: Ask and ye shall receive!

DISCLAIMER: All characters belong to Joss! He created everything! Rated R for violence and adult themes. Set in season 6.B/X pairing Giles is Buffy's watcher who now works for the Council once more. Anya gave her life to save Buffy in the fight against Glory. Dawn is still here and Willow is with Tara. THE AWFUL TRUTH. Giles was forced out of the way as Spike grabbed the attendant pushing him against the petrol pump and gripping his hand in his vice like grip. " Right sport you have two seconds to tell me where he is. " The man panicked and cried out." Where who is? What are you doing this for?" Giles made to move Spike back away from the attendant but Buffy held him back then turned to face the man. " The owner of the Dodge Viper you have hidden in the service bay where is he?" She looks at the nametag on his coveralls and finishes with. " Look Frank we just want to know where he is." Spike fumes." Screw this!" He pulls on one of Frank's fingers and they all hear a snap and Frank's scream." Now you have 9 fingers LEFT before I start on your knees!" Frank yells out." Okay, Okay! My brother James brought the car in this morning he told me he was at the scene of an auto accident and the owner wouldn't need it anymore. " Spike wiggles Frank's index finger the grips it hard. " And this James lives where?" As they drove to James's home Willow looks over at Spike and tries to pick her words. " Um ... How long has the chip been out?" Giles swerves across the road as he looks at Spike's reaction to Willow's frightening statement. " Since just after we defeated Glory.... ******************** FLASHBACK ****************** Spike was the only one capable of being at Xander's hospital bed. Willow was in the Mental ward trying to get Tara released into her custody while Buffy and Giles were recovering from injuries sustained in the fight. The doctor was trying to chat up one of the nurses instead of checking on Xander's condition. Spike watched as the monitors recorded Xander as he silently slipped from the coma and out of this plain. Spike growled and raced over to the doctor and gripped him by the throat. " Listen you dipshit! I don't care if you bang your way through half the hospital but if he dies... You'll pray for your death! " He threw the doctor against the door and he fell through it with Spike following closely behind. The doctor studied the readouts and shrugged. " We told you his chances were slim when he was first admitted and it appears we were right." He glares at Spike." I don't know what you people were playing at but this man had most of his blood drained and had several knife wounds to his chest..." Spike drove his fist into the Doctors stomach then whispered to him. " This 'man' is worth a hundred of you assholes! He had a future and a long life to look forward to but instead he gave it all up so pricks like you could live out your lives without the fear of hell on earth! " Spike cried a single blood tear as he continued." His girlfriend tried to intervene and had her neck snapped at the whim of a God!" He wiped the tear and stared at it in amazement." Now you will bring him back or I'll lay you at his feet like the dog you are!" Buffy was standing at the doorway, supported by Dawn." Spike let him down. And you." She pointed at the Doctor." I've had just about enough of your profession so if you want to live than I suggest you save Xander!" She moved to the foot of the bed as the doctor moved with sudden vigour and Xander's vital signs improved. When the Doctor had left she gripped Xander's hand and held it to her cheek." Xander... You told me a long time ago that you wouldn't leave me please don't break your word to me." His eyes fluttered and his hand moved to her cheek and caressed it before dropping to her side. He moved closer to her, like a child snuggling up to his mother. Spike watched the look in Buffy's eyes and he put on a brave face as he whispered. " Well I'd rather it was him than Peaches!" **************************** END OF FLASHBACK ******************* " When he came around droopy gave me a look and told me some rot about how he had seen everything then he looked me in the eyes and I swear to you if I had a heart beat it would have stopped there and then." Spike watched Buffy for a reaction. " I tell you the look he gave me was straight from Glory! He told me that if I ever looked at a human's neck he would snap my head off and shi..." Willow jolts in her seat. " I think we get the picture Spike." Spike watched as Frank pointed to an old farmhouse and Giles pulled the rented car into the driveway and up to the front door. Buffy is first out as they see the front door had been ripped of its hinges and smashed into the house. Frank called out. " James? James are you all right?" Spike pointed to Frank. " Stay! Willow you make sure the wanker doesn't go anywhere!" Buffy went first followed by Spike and Giles but the carnage in the wooden house was almost complete." What the hell's holding the roof up?" Buffy asked. They followed the destruction through the house, then outside the back door where they found the wreckage of a car. Spike sniffed the car. " There's blood but whoever was taken was still alive." Giles tells them. " I think we should take Frank to the State troopers and let them handle this from here." Buffy shakes her head. " NO! By the time they tromp around this burg we'll never know what happened to Xander." She looks to Spike and he nods. " We will find him and take him back with us to Sunnydale. One way or another Xander will go home." She turns to Spike." Do you think you can track the thing that did this?" Spike nods and moves off waiving his cell phone." If I find anything I'll buzz Ya." " Meanwhile we should start asking questions around town." Buffy says and Giles tells her. " I'll start by asking the Curator of that Museum a few things." He held Buffy by her arm. " Buffy I think the Sheriff and his deputies are involved as well so be careful." Buffy nods her agreement then checks her watch. " I'll check in with Tara and Dawn so they don't worry." She takes out her cell phone and dials the Magic Shop. " Hi Tara just checking in like we said. Any messages?" Hi Buffy tell Xander Dawn says Hi, and so do I. The only messages are for Giles. The Council have been ringing every hour so I think he should call them..." Okay I'll let him know. How's Dawn treating you? Any damage to the shop yet?" ... Buffy hears Dawn's protests as Tara answers. She's okay.. Just worried about you and Xander.. Look give him our love and hurry back okay I got to go Giles the Council's bugging Tara about you phoning them so could you?" Giles nods as he gets in the car. Willow asks. " So what did you find?" Frank demands." Where the hell is my brother?" Buffy holds up her hand. " The place is trashed and it looks like something ripped apart a car to get at him then dragged him off into the woods." Buffy stopped talking as Frank paled and stuttered. " Kattadhin.." He hit his fist against the back of the seat. " Those damned Indians have done it now! As soon Greg finds out he'll kill them all!" Giles pulls the car over." Okay tell us just what you have been doing to the Shamash and what is this Kattadhin?" Frank is about to deny everything when he hears the roar of some large beast coming out of the woods. He is terrified and begs Giles. " Just drive and I'll tell you everything!" END OF 3