Chapter 6 – Life Lesson #1: When Portals Give You Super Powered Monsters, Get Ready To Get Your Butt Kicked

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                "Are you sure he's not in there?" Tara asked as they stood in front of his door.

                Buffy knocked. Loudly. "He's not in there." Both girls behind her rolled their eyes.

                "Well hurry up before he comes." Willow said nervously. Buffy nodded and made easy work on the lock on the door.

"I shouldn't be this used to opening in these, should I?" she smirked, opening the door easily. "Come on."

The three walked into the area like they owned it. "Split up—faster we get through this, faster we can leave." Willow said in a whisper.

                "What are we exactly looking for, though?" Tara asked as she began looking through papers.

                "Something like this." Buffy said, opening his closet.

                "It's clothes, so what?" Tara raised a brow.

                "They're all new looking." Willow realized.

                "Yeah, and guess what—they have the same clothing taste." Buffy suddenly pulled out the large black coat that Spike had tried to hide.

                "You know, you could have just waited for me." All three girls twirled around to see Spike standing there, smirking. He wasn't smirking very long.

                "I think we'll just go now." Willow tugged on Tara's sleeve the minute she noticed the two glaring at each other. Tara nodded and both Buffy and Spike watched them leave.

                "Spike." She said, glaring at him. He continued to pretend like he didn't know what she was talking about.

                "Who's Spike?" he asked.

                "Don't even try that bullshit." She glared at him. She held up his coat. "What do you call this?"

                "My coat. What, am I not allowed to have one?" he smirked.

                "I can't believe I was even worried about you!" she tossed her hands up in frustration. Spike slowly felt a frown appear on his face. It was obvious his cover was gone. She walked up to him, so close that he could feel her breath against him. "Look at me." He refused. She pushed his chin up so he did. "Tell me now—who are you?"

                Spike paused. "Bloody hell, Slayer, can't lie to you for a second can I?" The minute he said that he fell to the ground. She had just kicked him in the not-so-nice area.

                "That's for freaking me out you idiot!" she shouted as he winced.

                "Ow." He twitched. "Can't get a break from the violence ever—"

                "I'll stop the violence when you stop doing stupid things!" she responded as he managed to get up. He was still twitching as the pain pulsed through him. "Do you have any idea what your wish has done?"

                "No, but I bet you're going to tell me." He sighed.

                "Yanno that monster that almost kicked your ass? He came out of your wish. And I'm sure other monsters just as strong came out. What do you have to say for yourself?" She was really scolding him now.

                "Um—oops?" he replied, meekly.

                "You are coming with me." She literally pulled him by the ear before he could say anything about it.

                "Ow! Ow! Bloody hell, Slayer, I'm coming I'm coming!" he promised.

                "You are *so* going to be sorry you ever opened that damn portal." She said, not letting go. He actually whimpered a little. "And here I thought you couldn't get worse—"

                He was brought into Willow and Tara's room. She finally let go and he cradled his pained ear. "Yeesh. Nasty little broad, aren't you?"

                "Do not mess with me right now. I have 101 ways to give you physical pain and I'm looking for any reason to use them." He quieted quickly.

                "Where's that book?" Buffy asked Tara, who was watching her handle Spike along with Willow. Buffy let herself be lead, leaving Spike with Willow.

                "Buffy's just a little angry right now." She explained quietly.

                "I've noticed." He replied, smirking.

                "It's only because the way you disappeared sort of made it look like you were staked or something." Willow continued. "She didn't come out and say it, but she was really worried."

                "I can't feel my ear." Spike responded, still rubbing his ear. Willow managed not to chuckle. "What's this portal thing all about?"

                "Oh, your wish opened a portal that let out a few bad guys." She replied simply.

                "Yeah, looks like you were tricked." He looked up to see Tara standing with a book. She cautiously handed it to him and he grudgingly looked.

                "Hey, it's that guy." He realized.

                "Yeah, 'that guy' has the power to do some major damage. And now with the powers you helped him revoke—"

                "Look, I'm sorry." Spike said, shaking his head. "I didn't know."

                "What's important now is that we stop him before he reeks havoc." Tara said quietly. "And whether you like it or not, Buffy, since Sp—William is apart of this, you need to stop trying to kill him for a while because he's the key to all of this."

                "See? Ha!" he beamed.

                "Buffy, Tara and I will go to the library and look more things up about this guy. Why don't you go find Xander and the gang and meet up there?" Willow asked. Spike realized that Willow was actually helping him.

                "And I'll just leave. Bye!" Spike knew Buffy would never let him go off alone, but he decided to pretend not to understand that fact. He started to walk off. He felt her pull him back by the shirt.

                "I don't like you being able to walk around at night, you really think I'm going to let you run amuck in the daylight?" she smirked. "You are coming with me."

                "Come on, Slayer. I'm human now. I won't be for too long. Let me enjoy it." He frowned.

                "You can enjoy being human following me. I am not going to let you go around causing trouble." She took the sleeve of his shirt. "Come on. We'll meet up with you guys later."

                Buffy wasn't looking when she turned around to lead him out, and Spike turned his head to Willow, mouthing 'Thanks'. She just nodded.

                When they left, Tara turned to Willow. "He could have come with us, you know."

                "You heard what he said, he's only going to be human for awhile." Willow shrugged.

                "So?" Tara blinked.

                "Well, I figured if he's ever gotten a chance to get Buffy to like him, it's now. I can't help but feel sorry for him." She explained.

                "Yeah, that following her around is getting a bit pathetic." Tara finally agreed. "But come on, do you honestly think him being human now will be any different?"

                "Who knows? Hey, in my opinion, he's got a heart of gold under a whole bunch of normal blah rocks inside of him." She smiled. "And I think it's sweet that he's in love with her. You never saw them fighting. You'd be thankful they're just poking fun of each other now."

                "Was it that bad?" she asked, curious.

                "Oh yeah." She replied. "I'm surprised they're both still around. Spike was always so 'grr' and the first thing out of Buffy's mouth was 'How are we gonna get rid of him?'. But after a while even I started doubting they'd ever actually finish the job. But that could just be me though." She scratched her head.

                "Your niceness amazes me. Didn't he try to kill you once?" she raised a brow.

                "Yep. But why sweat the little stuff?" she smiled. "Let's go, we have a big scary blue guy to kill."

~~

                "You know, it's bright out here." Spike commented as he walked along side of her.

                "I cannot believe I have to put up with this." She mumbled grumpily. "Tell me, Spike—"

                "It's William now."

                "Tell me SPIKE—what the hell possessed you to just turn yourself into a human again?" she probably knew the answer all ready, and just didn't want to think it. "I thought you were PERFECTLY happy being the jackass big shot vampire. You know what? Don't answer that. I'm sure it'll give me a bigger headache then I all ready have."

                "Whatever you say, pet." He responded casually.

                "Do you purposely try to bug me every single day of my life?" she asked, raising a brow. He was about to respond, but suddenly a scream pierced through the air, which of course abruptly ended their conversation. Without a word between them, they both ran toward the sound.

                "What the bloody hell is this?" Spike's mouth dropped when they got to the spot after dodging a few dozen running people. Buffy staggered back when another wave of people went at them and a few people slammed into her. Spike looked around and quickly pulled her into an alleyway. She nearly fell from the sudden unbalance but he caught her. Buffy blinked, not even realizing that she was more or less in his arms, as she watched everyone running panicked.

                She snapped out of it, and she shoved him away. He took a few steps backwards from the hit. He rubbed his ribs as pain shot through him. The hits seemed so much harder now. "I think we found a new friend you let out."

                "You know what it is?" he asked, raising a brow.

                "Let's go find out, huh?" she grinned. "Unless Mr. Mortal's afraid."

                "Me? Afraid? No way!" he replied, indignant. "I fear nothing!"

                "Right." She replied, her voice taking a flat note. "Well, all clear, let's go save the world."

                "As always." He couldn't help but smirk at the comment. He followed her out into the street, and with a quick run they found their enemy.

                "Buddy number 2." Spike murmured, his body tensing up, ready to fight.

                "Looks just as friendly as the first." She added, making a face.

                The monster twirled around, instantly letting the screaming, crying girl that it had in its grip. The thing was huge—taller then Spike, with green scaly flesh. It sort of look like a lizard, albeit one with big muscles and an almost human face, and it definitely didn't look like a nice and friendly sort of being; actually, it looked more like something that wanted to bite heads off. Even through 200 plus years of life, Spike knew he never saw something exactly like him.

                Suddenly the thing's tongue snapped out, and Spike winced as it actually ate a bug that was flying around it. "Now that's just gross." He made a face. Almost sensing that he was making fun of the big lug, the thing glared right at him and then suddenly he found himself crushed against a wall. His back arched as mind-numbing pain smashed all his senses. He opened an eye and found a fist flying at him. He winced as it smashed into him, and then again, right in the stomach. As he was pummeled, he started to wonder if his idea was very smart to become human and all, since he could really use that fun stipulation of having superhuman qualities and all.

                "Hey Lizard Breath, over here!" Spike felt himself be thrown aside, and he wearily opened his eyes to see Buffy luring the monster away from him. He probably would have thanked her if he didn't feel like his rib cage had collapsed on him. His breaths were short gasps now, but he managed to stay conscious enough to watch the lizard monster start to go after Buffy physically. Even she seemed slow compared to the thing, and while she was able to protect herself, even she couldn't get any offense.

                Spike looked around painfully, suddenly noticing smashed up sharp metal piping that were made probably by the destructive monster. Biting back the pain, he managed to pull himself up, ignoring the taste of blood in his mouth. That used to give him pleasure, but now it was disgusting. He grabbed a piece that was fairly sharp and took a sharp intake of air when pain shot up through him. By that time, the lizard man was gaining the upper hand, and Spike got his bearings back and ran at the monster. Instead of aiming to kill, he slammed the weapon into the monster's tail. Instantly it howled in pain and swung around. The sudden movement took him off guard and the same tail he had just put a hole in knocked him backwards.

                Unable to move anymore, he let himself to fall into unconsciousness, the sweet sound of the thing in terribly pain with the metal still lodged deep into it's tail ringing in his ears.