Of Fact and Fiction - Chapter Ten
by Angel Eternal aka Angeline
email: spikes_angel01@yahoo.com
URL: http://www.geocities.com/spikes_angel01/index.html
Rating: R
Distribution: So far? Only at my site "In Dreams and Shadows", and at FF.net but it you want to
archive it go ahead, but just let me know first - I kinda like to know where it's going, and plus I find
out about more S/B shipper sites! g
Disclaimers: Buffy the Vampire Slayer is owned by Joss Whedon, several
companies and God knows who else. One thing is certain - I don't own
any of it! Nothing - zip - nada!
Spike paced the length of the library, caught up in his thoughts.
His head still throbbed with the connection with Red. He had to admire the growth of her powers,
she had managed to contact him through dimensions.
He sensed the poofter stirring, instinct told him to stay in the shadows, and he obeyed without
question.
He watched Angus stagger to his feet, reminding him of Angelus after a night of decadent indulgence.
As if in a drunken haze, Angus stumbled out of the hallway.
Spike followed him carefully, and was startled to see him barge into Danica's room.
Spike paused for a moment, watching as Danica's guardian shuffled out, slipping something in her
skirts. Spike stealthily moved to the doorway.
He stood frozen, as he saw Angus grab Danica's hair and snap her head back to ground what would
have been a kiss, but was so filled with violence and malice that it was an attack.
With a growl, game face slipping on effortlessly with his rage, Spike lunged forward to rip the man
off the trembling girl.
"Des!" Angus cried out, confirming Spike's suspicions.
He attacked ruthlessly, and silently, his rage fuelling the power of the attack.
Throughout the attack Angus called out Desdemona's name. In a flash Spike understood. Angus had
loved Desdemona, but she wouldn't leave her William. Spike felt sick - he knew what it was like to
love someone who loved another with the whole of her being. Drusilla never ever looked at him the
way she looked at Angelus. The difference between Spike and Angus was fundemental - Angus had
the mind of the truly depraved.
The image of Angus attacking Danica running over and over on his mind, then the names shifted - and
now Spike saw Angelus attacking his precious Dawn and the brutality of the attack heightened. He kicked
and punched, driven mindlessly by his need to inflict pain. The only sounds in the room was the dull thud of
cold preternatural flesh hitting soft, mortal skin and the soft whimperings of an abused soul. That small sound
seeped into the red haze that had descended on Spike's mind, and with a silent growl poured more power
behind his punches. The vicious assault continued until the man was reduced to a quivering mass of blood
and torn sinew.
Spike didn't kill him - death was too good for him. Spike considered draining the sick bastard dry,
but the thought of his golden angel made him stop, as well as the thought of having Angus' tainted blood
coursing through his veins, sickened him.
Without giving him another thought, he turned to Danica. She hunkered down in the corner, beautiful
hair mused, blood flowing from the corner of her mouth. Her eyes were wide with fear, and looking
into those depths, Spike wanted to turn back to Angus and rip out his entrails and feed them to the
dogs, and perhaps ram his trademark spikes up the man's head.
"Danica?" he held out his hand to her.
She looked up, and what he saw in her eyes scared him more then anything. She looked at him with
trust and adoration in her eyes. "Spike."
He turned and took the covers from the bed, and wrapped it around her trembling form. He took her
in his arms, and bore her down to the library, his thoughts turning to Dawn, and wondering about her
safety.
* * *
"Dawn!"
Swiftly Xander caught the girl before she hit the ground. He looked up to check that Giles had managed
to catch Willow.
Willow had tried to reach Spike, but something was missing. She had tried linking with Tara, but it wasn't
that her power was lacking it was something else.
Willow had let go of Tara's hand, her shoulder's slumped in defeat, tears welling up in her eyes.
Dawn had grabbed hold of her hand, a determined glint in her eyes. Willow had looked into the girl's
eyes and saw Buffy's strength and determination in the green depths.
Willow had gripped Dawn's hand harder, as Dawn squeezed back.
With Dawn's help, they had transcended dimensions.
Xander now lay Dawn down gently, knowing that if anything happened to her, he would have one angry
Slayer on his hands.
Not to mention one furious vampire.
But Xander wouldn't acknowledge that.
Dawn stirred, a soft moan escaping her lips. "Buffy?"
Xander gently stroked her hair, "No Dawnmiester, it's only me."
Dawn blinked, and then as her head cleared, she sat straight up, "Did we do it? Did we manage to
talk to Spike?!"
Tara nodded, Willow's head resting in her lap. "Yeah, you guys did it, and the connection held out longer
then we expected."
Anya nodded as well, eagerly adding her input, "Yup! Definitely. Not many people can do that you know,
it takes a lot of effort." she glanced at Willow, "I bet ya she'd have the biggest headache when she wakes
up - I don't envy her."
Dawn glanced at Giles, "So what now?"
Giles sat down, taking the book into his hands. He had yet to read the book himself, and now he felt that
he should. He wasn't certain he'd like what was happening, but it was his job. He was the Watcher...well
the Reader...
"Now we wait."
* * *
"Buffy-love?"
Buffy's sobs quietened as she listened to his voice. He kept talking to her, gently urging her out of her
shell.
Buffy looked up into icy-blue eyes, "Come on luv, let it go."
Her sobs eased further until all was left was hiccups, "Spike?"
"Yes luv?"
Flashes of images came back to her mind, she quickly grabbed his hand, "I'm not like that Spike!"
"Hush Buffy-love, course your not." He gently gathered her into his arms.
Buffy buried her head in his chest, inhaling his scent. Then her eyes flew open as she scrambled out of
his grasp.
Spike stared after her, "Buffy?"
She shook her head frantically, "You're not Spike!"
He frowned, "Of course I am luv! What makes you think..."
Buffy shook her head, eyes dilated with fear, "You're not! Where is he? What have you done to him?"
Buffy threw her head back defiantly as she glared at Sp...no...this thing.
He took a step forward, "Buffy-love, it's me...come on luv. Take my hand."
Buffy continued to glare at the thing. How dare he? How dare he use Spike's image to...
She shivered lightly, not wanting to think about what he wanted with her.
"Take my hand Buffy!" His eyes flashing with suppressed rage.
Buffy tossed her head over her shoulder. She hated this.
She hated feeling vulnerable; she hated people toying around with her head.
Wasn't it enough that she messed up her own head just fine on her own?
She settled into a fighting stance, her eyes fixed on the thing.
He stumbled backwards, alarm flashing on his face, "You wouldn't...you love me..."
Buffy rolled her eyes, "Shows what you know."
She whirled around and kicked him in the head. Relentlessly she attacked. Her movements
falling into a regular rhythm of punches and kicks.
Once she began to fight him, she knew without a doubt that this wasn't Spike. She knew how
he moved. He would faultlessly match her, kick for kick, and dive in to strike her whenever
he could.
There was chemistry between them when they fought.
She spun around and delivered a powerful blow to his head. He fell to the ground, and Buffy
didn't pounce on him.
Dispassionately she watched as the bloody figure struggled to pick itself up from the ground.
"How could you?"
The voice had changed; it was no longer Spike's low and sexy rumble. It was a dark whisper.
Buffy's eyes narrowed, "Who are you and what do you want with me?"
He managed to sit up, he wiped the blood from his mouth and glared up at her, "I thought you
said you loved me?"
Buffy rolled her eyes, "Are you still keeping up the act? Haven't you realised that your accent
is slipping?"
He looked startled, before reverting to the venomous glares. "You were weakening!"
She sighed, and cocked an eyebrow at the creature, "You know what? This is getting really
tiring. I suspect you'd been tinkering around my head - I don't really like that you know..."
He laughed, Spike's features melting, then the figure was nothing but a dark pool. "It's too
late Slayer - you're mine!"
With a sinister laugh, the dark pool vanished.
Seeing that he was gone, Buffy let the act of bravado drop.
She trembled, and tried rubbing her arms to gain warmth. The experience had drained her,
physically and emotionally.
But at least now, she was no longer stumbling in the darkness. She wasn't completely lost.
Buffy's strength finally gave out and she collapsed into an undignified heap.
She was baffled at her appalling weakness. She had never felt this drained before, and
that fact frightened her more then anything.
Without her strength, she was at this creature's mercy.
A low whimper escaped her lips, as she rocked back and forth. It was only later that
she realised that she was softly calling Spike's name.
* * *
Spike was pacing. Red's instructions going over and over in his mind.
He had to get this perfectly right, or else his golden girl would be lost to him.
Danica watched him pace up and down. Instinctively, she knew that he was worried about
Buffy.
Danica stood and waited for the vampire to pass her, as he did, she reached out and touched
his arm.
Spike stopped and looked into Danica's green gaze.
"Buffy."
Spike smiled at her gently, "Yes luv, Buffy."
Danica returned the smile, and tugged on his hand.
Obediently, Spike let the sweet bit lead him.
Danica knew exactly what she was doing. She led him straight to her sister's room - now
Buffy's. The place where the Shadow took Buffy.
Danica knew how much Spike loved Buffy, she knew it the moment she had laid eyes on him.
He had saved her from unthinkable horrors, and now was the time to repay him.
When Spike realised where she was leading him, he tried to protest. He did not want to see
that room - that room where Buffy lay in his arms, warm and loving...
"Danica pet, I don't think..."
But Danica's grip on his hand was vice-like as she determinedly tugged on his hand. Spike had
seen that stubborn pout before - on Dawn's lips, and knew that he was powerless against it.
Danica flung open the doors, and strode straight to the bed. The bed that was still rumpled,
the poignant reminder felt like a stab right in his gut.
But Danica ignored him, and manoeuvred him so that he was sitting on the exact spot where
Buffy was before she had vanished before his eyes.
Danica smiled at him gently, passing her hands over his eyes.
She frowned at him, and then repeated the gesture.
Spike had no idea what she wanted.
Exasperated, Danica passed her hand over her eyes, closing her eyes as her hand passed over
them. She repeated the gesture at him.
Getting the idea, he closed his eyes dutifully as her hand passed over his eyes.
The last thing he heard was Danica whispering Buffy's name before an eerie stillness came over
everything.
Cautiously, he opened his eyes, expecting to see an irate Danica standing before him. But as
his eyes opened, there was nothing but darkness.
It was pitch black, not even his preternatural eyes could pick out anything, and then slowly light filtered
in. That was when his eyes focused instantly on a figure hunched over in the ground.
He stood up, walking swiftly to her side. As he got closer, he could hear her softly calling his name.
"Buffy-love?"
She looked up, her eyes wide. Slowly she stood up and stared at him.
"Buffy-love - it's me."
He watched as her features hardened, and her eyes hardened to glass. It was the visage of the
Slayer. Swiftly she spun around, landing a vicious blow to his head...