"So this is the place huh?" Spike asked as he pointed to the old abandoned warehouse that the shape shifter had told them to look for Dawn.
"It appears to be." Giles replied. "But lets be cautious alright? There could be anything in there waiting for us." He looked to Spike who nodded and threw his cigarette out. "Lets get on with it shall we?"
"So you have a beef with Giles?" Dawn asked.
"I guess you could call it a beef." Ethan replied. He and Dawn were having quite the conversation.
"So what do you want with me?" the young girl asked.
"Oh you bloody Americans," Ethan began. "You need bait to fish don't you."
"Giles is going to find you....." Dawn said with an angry look in her eyes which quickly vanished when Ethan walked up to her and put his hand on her mouth. "I'm counting on that you little brat. Then you and he will both suffer the same fate. Death." Ethan said as he laughed and walked back into the shadows.
"Why don't you lay off the herbal tea Giles?" Spike commented as he helped Giles up to a window.
"Just shut up and help me." Giles grunted as he tried to get a foothold.
"It's too dark inside, I can't see anything." Giles said as they peered inside. They were now on the second floor fire escape which was so old and dilapidated that Giles thought it would collapse any second.
"So we go in." Spike said as he looked around.
"We don't want to be noticed." came the reply. "There could be anything in there."
"Yeah, and they're in there with Dawn." Spike said as he put his elbow through the glass.
"Oh that's very bloody inconspicuous!" Giles cried.
"After you." Spike smiled as he motioned for Giles to climb in.
The warehouse was engulfed in darkness. Boxes lined the walls and rats scurried about. There was not a sound to be heard. "Spike I can see the flame off your cigarette. You'll give us away. Put it out." Giles ordered. Spike growled softly and obliged.
"I can't see a bloody thi-" Spike cried as a loud crash could be heard.
"Spike!" Giles shouted and started to feel around. He found his companion a few feet away, lying on the cold concrete.
"Tripped over a box." came Spike's voice.
Dawn looked toward the direction of the noise she had heard. "Mr. Giles....? Mr. Giles!!" she shouted at the top of her lungs.
"Dawn!" cried Giles. He began to run toward her voice and soon found her. Spike was quick to follow.
"Get me out of here." Dawn said, starting to cry. "I was so scared."
"Take care of her Watcher," Spike said as he walked away into the shadows. "Gonna see if we're alone."
"Spike don't!' Dawn yelled. But it was too late. Some sort of blast could be heard as Spike's body came flying out of the shadows. He hit the ground and didn't move.
"What the he-" Giles said as he looked into the darkness.
"Good to see you Rupert." came the familiar voice that Giles knew all too well.
"Ethan...."
"Yes. Looks like your friend here can't handle an energy blast." Ethan laughed as he walked into view, carrying some sort of weapon.
"Wh....What did you do to him?" Dawn stammered.
"Just paralysed him that's all. The same thing I'm going to do with you Rupert." Ethan continued, now pointing the weapon at him.
"You son of a bi-"
"Ah ah Rupert. Watch the language, there's a child present." he laughed. "You! Over there." he pointed to Dawn and then to where Spike lay. Dawn obeyed.
"Why? Why did you come back?" Giles asked.
"Oh Ripper, you and all your bloody questions." Ethan smiled. His smile quickly turned to a frown. "You remember when I was here last? When I turned you into that demon.?" Giles nodded yes.
"They put me in that military lockup for two years Ripper! Two years! Do you know what that's like? It's bloody freakin' hell!" Ethan shouted, referring to the Initiative's jail.
"Every night, I dreamt of my revenge. Of seeing your face in terror and pain. You died a thousand deaths while I lived in that cell Ripper. A thousand! But none of those will ever be as sweet as the real thing." Ethan said as he brought the weapon up to his shoulder and pointed it at Giles. "Good bye Rupert."
"Nooooo!" Dawn screamed as she ran at Ethan.
"Dawn don't!" Giles cried.
Ethan saw this foolish attempt and struck out with the weapon. Dawn, like Spike, was now motionless. A small puddle of blood began to form around her head. Giles was quick to capitalize on this and as Ethan's attention was elsewhere, he leapt at him.
The two went down in a heap. The gun, which Ethan had used to dispose of two, now flew from his hands. "No!" he yelled.
Giles was on top of him in an instant. He threw a few punches at Ethan, half of which connected. Ethan wasn't done yet though. He blocked Giles' fists as best he could but secretly went for his small knife, which he had hidden in his pocket. With a short stab Giles was on the ground holding his punctured leg. Ethan jumped up immediately and went for the weapon but Giles was also quick to react. He got up as best he could and tackled Ethan's legs from behind. They both went down and grunts of pain could be heard from each.
It took Ethan three kicks to Giles' face to get free. He ran over to Dawn, who was still out cold.
"Me soddin' head," came Spike as he got up, obviously now awake. "Hey bud, leave the girl alone!" he shouted as he ran toward Ethan.
Ethan smiled and secretly picked up a piece of wood which had fallen off a crate. The blond vampire jumped at Ethan who raised the piece. Spike was impaled. His eyes widened as he realized what had happened and he looked to Giles as his body fell to dust.
"SPIKE!!!" shouted Giles.
Giles forgot about his leg and speared Ethan. He was an enraged man. "You son of a bitch!" he yelled as he pummelled Ethan. But Ethan stuck his thumb in Giles wound. The former Watcher howled in pain and rolled off once more. Ethan ran to the steel stairway which led to the second floor. Giles was quick to follow and soon the two were trading blows on the top. Giles was getting the best of him and soon Ethan was so tired and beaten that he was a mess of blood and sweat and tears. Giles grabbed him by the collar and held him close.
"You! You bastard! You will never hurt me or my friends again. Ever!" He shouted.
Ethan laughed. "What are you gonna do Ripper? Kill me?" he laughed again.
"Yes......." came Giles' cold reply.
Ethan suddenly became frightened. It took one shove from Giles and he was falling down the steel stairs. His body was tossed over and over again. The sounds of bones breaking and soft groans could be heard. But the sounds ceased soon. The body lay broken and battered at the bottom of the stairs. The arms twisted, legs bent out of shape and the most chilling look on the face. There lay Ethan Rayne.
"Hey. Anyone home?" came the soft cheerful voice of Buffy.
"We're in here." Giles replied.
Buffy entered her living room. There on the couch was Giles and Dawn. Dawn was noticeably upset and her head was bandaged up. She was crying into Giles' shoulder. He patted her head and looked to Buffy.
"You should sit down." Giles was quick to say.
"What happened?" Buffy was seemingly getting upset too.
"It's about Spike......."
To Be Continued.....
