Stepping into Darkness

Part 5

~~~~~*****~~~~~

"Xander! Duck!"

The stake narrowly grazed his cheek as he fell to the ground.

*Wow, that was close* He looked up to see how the fight was going and was rewarded by a swift kick to the face. He rolled over and onto his feet. Jumping up, he managed to get in a few good punches, then everything went black.

~~~~~*****~~~~~

"Xander...Xander! Wake up." He groaned as he tried to focus. Buffy was leaning over him, concern in her eyes.

"You okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Now if you could kindly ask the purple elephants to stop dancing in my head..." Buffy groaned and he looked at her, "So, did we stop the evil?"

"Well and truly stopped. And all icky, too." Buffy scrunched up her nose and Xander noticed that both Buffy and himself were covered in a thick layer of pink goo.

"Ugh!"

"What, no comment?"

"I think this goes beyond even my wit."

"You have wit?"

"It has been known." Xander looked around, "Where's the Willster?"

"She's over there with Spike." Buffy pointed to a gravestone, where Xander saw Willow sitting, talking with Spike.

"You left her with Deadboy Jr.?"

"Well, it was either that or I left you with him."

"I see the merits of your plan." Buffy helped Xander to his feet and then wiped the goo from her hand onto his top as Xander continued to look at Spike, "So, has he tried any moves on you yet?"

"No." Buffy looked over at him, and Xander still had to remind himself that it really was her, "I trust Spike, he wouldn't do anything."

"I know," Xander said, turning to look at Spike and Willow, "And as much as it pains me to say it, I trust him too." They headed towards the others, Xander clutching his back, "Still doesn't mean I won't annoy the hell out of him."

"'Course not."

~~~~~*****~~~~~

"So, what's with all the dead uglies?"

Giles looked over the top of his book at Buffy, "I...well, I think...I'm..."

"Basically translated as, 'I don't know'"

"Yes, thank you, Xander, because I couldn't have said that myself."

"Then why didn't you?" Xander asked, then smiled weakly as Giles narrowed his eyes at him.

"When you two stop acting like bloody pricks, maybe we could try to find out what the hell's going on."

"Oh, Spike, I didn't know you cared."

"Look, idiot," he turned to Xander, "I couldn't give a damn if the entire demon population tried to kill you. In fact, hats off to them if they did. But, when someone makes a move on the nibblet or me, and makes me look a fool, then I give a damn."

"Oh, is Spikey worried about his big bad vampire image?" Spike clenched his jaw then let out a growl, "You know, I think you kinda lost that when you became impotent in the fang area...or was it in some other area as well?" Spike made a move to lunge at the boy when suddenly he couldn't move.

"Spike! ...play nice. It'll only give you a headache." He turned, or rather tried to turn, to look at the red headed witch, who was, no doubt, the cause of his new found immobility.

"Red," he cast her a warning glance but she remained where she was, and much to Spike's dismay, so did he.

"I'm warning you, Red."

"See this, Spike? This is my resolve face. Now be nice."

"Well, as much as I like watching Willow and fang face have a sparring contest...cause lets face it, that's the only kind of contest he has a chance of winning now that he's impotent..." Spike growled at the boy, "but do we have anything or can we go?"

"Yes, because you must be so impatient to get back to the dungeon."

"Hey! It's a basement. And if you don't watch out, you'll be sleeping in the streets."

"You two sound like an old married couple." Both Xander and Spike whirled round to look at Willow, well, Spike whirled as best he could, being unable to move.

"Or not?" Neither of the two men were happy to be, once again, living in the Harris' basement. But due to Xander's apartment being fumigated and the recent burning down of Spike's crypt by Glory's minions, neither had much of a choice.

Giles sighed and removed his glasses. He rubbed the bridge of his nose and wondered what on earth he'd done to deserve this, because whatever it was, it had to have been worse than anything he had done in this life, "No, we don't have anything. You can all go."

~~~~~*****~~~~~

"Get a life."

"Get a fashion sense."

"Great comeback."

"Ugh."

"You wound me."

"Are you two ever going to do anything but fight?"

Cordelia and Fliq both continued to read their books and replied in unison, "Probably not."

"Well, at least they agree on that."

Angel groaned and sat down as he, Gunn and Wesley exchanged glances, *Just another day at the office* Ever since Fliq had joined them those few weeks ago, the two had refused to get along. Angel, however, had taken to the Slayer. He knew what she was going through, he had more to atone for than he thought anyone could ever imagine. But he had been wrong. This girl had scars that could match his...more in some ways.

They were still no closer to finding out what had happened with Fliq and, regardless of how much he liked the girl, it still pained Angel to look at her. Every time he saw Buffy's face it reminded him that he had let her down, that he hadn't been there for her. Seeing Dawn at the funeral had distraught him more than he cared to admit. Cordelia had even insisted on staying with him for a week, just to make sure that he hadn't done anything stupid, and although he had protested, he had been glad of the company. The fact that she had moved back in now that Fliq was here, had only made him realize how much he had missed her company.

It upset him a little that the two couldn't get along, he wanted Fliq to like Cordelia. If he could get Fliq to accept her as a major part of his life, in a way, he was getting Buffy to accept her, and for some reason, that meant a lot to him.

"Ahh!" Angel was suddenly jerked out of his thoughts as Cordelia collapsed in pain. He was at her side in an instant, Wesley at the other while Gunn crouched in front of her. Fliq glanced up from her book and looked at the scene, slightly concerned that the visions seemed to be getting worse. After a few moments, Cordelia's breathing returned to normal and she opened her watery eyes.

"What is it?" She looked at him but said nothing, and that worried him, "Cordelia, what is it?"

"We have to go to Sunnydale."

~~~~~*****~~~~~

"So, how are you coping?"

Spike frowned at her, "Shouldn't I be the one asking you that?" he asked, smirking slightly.

Buffy smiled, "It's weird being in someone else's body, I still feel like there's something fighting my being here. I think I finally have some idea of how Angel feels having something willing him out of his body."

Spike laughed a little, "You haven't got a clue, have you?" He smiled at her, "Sorry, pet. So why do you ask?"

"Well, you know the girl whose body I'm in. You aren't even a little worried that she's not in here?" Buffy tapped her head.

"No." He placed his hands in his pockets, "Fliq can take care of herself, she's proved that more than once."

"Oh." Buffy looked straight ahead, "So how did you know her? What's she like?"

Spike frowned at her, "Why do you want to know?"

"Call it morbid curiosity."

"Well, she's nothing like you."

"Is that good or bad?"

Spike shrugged, "Neither, she's just different. Doesn't really say much, scowls a lot..."

"She sounds like a real conversationalist."

"You'd be surprised," Spike smirked, "She's just a bit odd."

"Odd?" he nodded and she raised her eyebrows, "That's it?"

"You'd have to meet her, can't really explain her prop'ly"

"Well between us, I hope I do...I want to give her her body back. It's weird looking in the mirror and not seeing my own face. I kinda miss looking at it."

"Me too," Spike smiled as Buffy looked away embarrassed, "Don't worry, Pet, I'm not planning on jumping you any time soon."

"Glad to hear it."

"However in the future..." She smacked his arm lightly and smiled. She was a lot more comfortable around Spike than she ever had been before and she was just as happy about that as Spike was. It meant that there was someone else to protect Dawn and it gave him someplace to go whenever he couldn't stand being in Xander's basement. She didn't understand why he kept refusing just to stay in their spare room, but he did and she didn't push the matter.

"So how well do you know her?"

"Not really something I want to go into. Lets just say it's a long story."

She frowned but said nothing more. Looking up she smiled as she saw Xander approaching, "Hey Xand, what's up?"

"Oh, nothing..." Buffy raised her eyebrows and he sighed, "Anya."

"What happened now?"

"We had a fight."

"What, again?"

"Yeah, thanks Buff, way to make me feel better."

"Sorry, but you two have been fighting a lot lately." Buffy said as they began walking again.

"Yeah, I know, she's gone all funny on me."

"Funny ha ha or..."

"No! There's nothing wrong like that! Why? What's she been saying? Has she been saying it's funny ha ha? or..."

"Woah, Xander. Before you go into detail that could seriously damage my mind with horrible images... that I'm already getting," Buffy shuddered, "she hasn't said anything like that. I just wanted to know what you meant."

"Oh, okay." he shuffled in embarrassment, then cleared his throat, "I guess it's just wedding jitters. So, what're you up to tonight?"

"We were planning on doing another sweep of the graveyards."

"You sure are spending a lot of time in the dark these days, you've hardly left your house." Xander commented as they fell into step.

"I know. But I don't plan on introducing myself back into society...yet, anyway." Buffy sighed, "I'm just afraid I'll slip up, you know? Like I'll start talking to one of the neighbors like I've known them for years or something."

"Yeah," Xander said softly, "Don't worry, we'll figure this out."

Buffy smiled at him, "I know."

~~~~~*****~~~~~

"I still don't see how Deadboy Jr. got to come."

"Because I asked him to." Willow gave Xander a look as if to say, 'be nice' and then turned back to her conversation with Spike. Tara glanced at them and smiled a little before taking a hold of Willow's hand. The group was on their way to the Bronze for a little well deserved relaxation and they had even managed to talk Buffy into leaving Dawn with Giles and accompanying them. Willow smiled back at Tara before letting her gaze shift to Buffy. She seemed to be on edge, she was looking all over the place as if she expected to see someone...but it was almost as if that was what she wanted. Spike, too, was on edge and their conversation was mostly one sided.

Xander looked at Willow and Spike again, "So does that mean the walking corpse is going to be..."

"Xander, shut up." Anya looked at him and frowned.

"What? What did I..." he trailed off as he noticed a figure a few hundred yards in front of them. "Yo Buffster." He nodded at the figure, "Vamp?"

"Well, if it isn't, then that girl needs some fashion tips."

The small group broke into a slow jog a few paces behind the Slayer. They watched as the figure turned the corner into an alley and Buffy motioned the group to fall back a little. Suddenly, Spike and Buffy glanced at each other and broke into a run as their senses kicked in full force.

~~~~~*****~~~~~

END OF PART 5

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