CHAPTER SIX (A patrolling we will go)

CHAPTER SIX (A patrolling we will go)

Spike sat on the trunk of the DeSoto smoking a freshly lit cigarette. Willow and Tara Anya were talking quietly to themselves while they waited on Giles and Xander to get their things out of Giles trunk.

"Will you two ponces hurry up? All the demons are gonna be gone by the time you get ready" Spike grumbled.

"Why don't you talk a little louder fang boy, I don't thing the demons on the other side of the cemetery heard you." Xander countered.

"It won't matter because by the time you and the Watcher there" he said pointing "get done shining your stakes they will have all gone home" Spike smirked.

"Will you two stop bickering, we're ready" Giles interrupted as he and Xander approached the Desoto.

"Have fun killing things honey, don't get dead" Anya said to Xander as she gave him a kiss on the cheek and got into the Desoto with Dawn.

"Thanks hon" Xander replied, "don't forget to lock the doors" he shouted to Anya through the passenger's side window. Anya nodded and complied by pressing down the lock on her side and checked the lock on the driver's side. After she had secured the car her and Dawn started flipping through the bridal magazines that Anya had brought along to keep them occupied "Ok, you all know what to do, lets spread out" Xander said as he turned back to the rest of the group.

Willow and Tara headed into the cemetery and towards the large mausoleum in the center. Giles and Xander entered the cemetery with Giles going east and Xander going west. Spike then hopped off the truck of the car and sauntered into the cemetery like he lived there flinging his cigarette to one side and adjusting his duster saying "Here demon, demon, demon" he then smacked himself in the forehead "bloody hell now I'm starting to talk like them"

"This is Arthur, I'm in position on the west side, Morgan and Arcamedis have you reached your 20?"

"That's a big 10-4" giggling in the background is heard "Shhhh, Arcamedis and I are in position, Merlin?"

"Yes, I'm ready on the east. Lancelot?"

"Yeah, yeah I was born ready hopefully this won't take looo BLOODY HELL!" he shouted into his microphone causing the others to grab at the earpieces they all wore.

"Lancelot, is this the black knight we were expecting, or another one of the Knights that say Nee?" Arthur inquired.

"Nee!, won't" smack "be" thump "just a" whack "second. Another one of my many fans, he's all dusty now, not to worry. Morgan, Arcamedis start working your mojo."

At this point Willow and Tara started the spell that would attract the Braathwaate demon who had been causing problems in town the past week and a half. When the spell had been cast Tara transmitted "Morgan and I have sent out the beacon, it shouldn't be long now, Lancelot are you sure you're in position? I can't see you"

"You're not supposed to see me I'm being stealthy you twit"

"No need to get snippy, Lancelot, I'd hate to have to turn you into a little fuzzy bunny" was the reply

"No need for that Morgan didn't mean anything by it luv" Lancelot replied quickly

"I just spotted our black knight" Arthur whispered into the mike.

"Good, just follow, but don't get too close" Lancelot ordered "And Merlin start making your way to the girl's 10-20"

"Already on my way" Merlin replied

"Ok the knight is in my view" Lancelot reported

Just then the demon sensed Xander's presence behind him and spun and pounced on the unexpecting Xander who was crouched behind a tombstone. Xander knocked him upside the head with the side of his battle-axe and screamed but it did little to phase the large monster. The demon then ripped the axe out Xander's hand leaving him defenseless. All Xander could do was close his eyes thinking this was it, the big dirt nap, when all of a sudden the demon was gone. Xander slowly opened one eye and then the other. The then sprang up and saw that Spike had pulled the demon off of him and was now chasing the demon as it was running towards the girls' and Giles' location. Xander grabbed his fallen axe and joined the pursuit while yelling into the microphone "Girls, the knight is headed your way fast"

Spike was only a couple lengths behind the demon when the mausoleum came into view. He yelled to Willow, Tara and Giles to get down. When they hit the ground Spike put forth a burst of speed and launched into the air drop kicking the demon over the trio and into the stone wall behind them, stunning the giant monster for a second. Xander then came into view.

"Willow" Xander yelled getting the witches attention. "Do you're thing" he said as he threw his axe straight up in the air. At that moment Willow reached behind her to grab Tara's hand and squinted at the airborne axe. Willows eyes never left the axe as it spun in the air and hurled it's self towards Spike, the witches and the watcher. The axe flew easily over their heads and cleanly cut off the head of the Braathwaate demon who had temporarily regained his footing behind them. The headless body of the demon then flopped to the ground and it's dislodged head rolled down the mausoleum's stairs to rest against Giles foot.

"Lovely" Giles said lightly kicking the head away from him.

"Another one bites the dust" Xander sang happily.

"Lady of the Lake, Queen Mab, mission has been accomplished" Spike reported over the radio as he was getting up dusting himself off.

"Is my Arthur ok? I heard him scream like a girl" Queen Mab inquired

"I'm just fine my Queen" Xander replied into the mike, "thanks to Spike" he held out his hand for Spike to shake.

"Think nothing of it mate" Spike replied while shaking Xander's hand.

"What happened" Giles inquired as he helped the girls to their feet.

"Oh nothing really, the demon kind of tackled me and tried to rip out my entrails but Spike pulled him off me" Xander replied nonchalantly.

"Oh is that all" Giles said sarcastically

"Way to slaughter Red I'm proud of you, could have used someone like you back in Prague" Spike said to Willow trying to change the subject.

"Thanks it was kinda cool wasn't it?" Willow asked shyly.

"Sure was" he said to her then to the rest of the group he said, "Let's go home, we have research to start tomorrow"

Everyone just nodded as the group headed back to the cars. Xander, Willow and Tara walked in front chatting lightly about the patrolling while Spike and Giles brought up the rear.

"So, you said you had something to discuss with me after patrol" Giles inquired.

"Let's get home, cleaned up and the Nibblet tucked in, then we'll talk" Spike said his mood suddenly becoming far less cheery.