PART EIGHT
"That's a lie!" Dawn cried. "Spike wouldn't do that!" She stood up straight, balling her hands into fists at her side.
Spike put a hand on her shoulder, squeezing gently for a moment. "The Nibblet's right. What're you playin' at?" Spike glared at Angel, advancing a step or two before stopping.
"I think maybe we should be asking you that, Spike," Angel said, sneering.
"Spike's good now, Angel," Willow put in. "He doesn't try to kill us. At least, not anymore," she added, smiling sheepishly at Spike.
"Yet," Xander couldn't resist adding. He grinned broadly at the growl Spike directed his way.
"Angel, what's this about? Spike's on our side," Buffy said. She refused to meet Spike's gaze, but she could feel him staring at her.
"We already said. Cordy had a vision."
"Fine. Cordelia, what was this vision of yours?" Buffy stood above Cordelia, hands on her hips.
"I'll tell you when you stop standing over me."
Buffy rolled her eyes. "Whatever." She went to stand next to her sister. "Happy?"
Cordelia ignored her. She looked at Spike. "This is nothing personal. They just come to me. I don't ask for what I see." Spike inclined his head slightly, remaining silent. "They come out real jumbled. But I saw you two clearly," she said, pointing first at Spike, and then at Buffy. "You were fighting. Pretty violent. You were in some sort of old house. You were going at it so hard the house came down around you."
Buffy's eyes widened slightly at this and she shot a furtive glance in Spike's direction. He was struggling to hide a grin. She blushed a little before gaining control of herself and looking away. The interaction was really too fast for anyone to notice. Unless you had been watching closely, as Willow had. Her own eyes narrowed in thought.
"Spike's obviously going to attack you, Buffy. You can't trust him," Angel said.
"What is with that, anyway? Why would you ever trust him in the first place? How many times has he tried to kill you? Kill us all?" Cordelia asked. She still spoke softly so she didn't wake Conner.
"Bloody hell! Nobody told them?"
"Told us what?" Angel asked.
Willow looked thoughtful for a moment. "I could have sworn I did..."
"Figured the whelp would `ave just to `umiliate me!"
"Damn straight I would have," Xander said. "I thought Willow had."
"There's just been so much and I guess I just never thought about it while I was on the phone." She shrugged. "Buffy, you didn't--"
"Nope. Not really top on my list of conversation points."
"Thanks, pet."
"Anytime, Spike," Buffy said, smiling at his wounded pride.
"Prob'ly too busy sucking face with the nancy-boy," he muttered so quietly only Angel could hear.
"Tell us what?" Angel repeated, so confused by their conversation he couldn't even be mad at Spike's comment.
"Spike's neutered," Anya said, beaming.
"Don't say it like that!" Spike said. He lit up another cigarette, taking a long drag.
"But isn't that how you described it, Spikey?" Buffy asked coyly. "Something about going to the vet and not chasing the other puppies anymore?" She laughed outright when he glared at her.
"What are you talking about?" Cordelia asked.
"Long story short. Buffy's ex and his army took Spike and stuck a chip in his head, hoping to fill up the emptiness," Xander said, tapping his finger against his temple. "Boy's bark is definitely worse than his bite now."
"Watch it, Harris."
"Or what? You'll sic Dawn on me?" He raised his hands up. "Please don't."
Dawn narrowed her eyes. "I could hurt you."
Xander nodded, considering. "I'm thinking, yeah, you're probably right."
"That soldier guy? The goofy blond?" Angel asked. "He put a chip in Spike's head?"
Spike groaned. "No, you ponce. He just helped capture me. No we he could take me alone. He had his army boys with him. A big bloody group of `em, too."
"So who put the chip in your head?" Cordelia asked.
"The Initiative," Buffy said. She ran a hand through her hair. "Secret government agency, demon hunters and experimenters. Spike can't harm humans at all."
"Sends shocks through my head."
Angel laughed. "You're kidding, right?"
"Shut up," Spike growled.
"You can't hurt humans? At all?" he asked, smiling.
Dawn stepped forward. "No, he can't. He helps us."
"I don't buy it," Cordelia said.
"We didn't ask you to, Cordelia," Buffy replied, scowling.
Cordelia ignored her. "You can't harm humans, okay. But why join them? You could still plot their demise, or whatever it is you evil conspirators do," she finished, waving her hand vaguely in the air.
"'Cause I can hurt demons. And any type of violence is good violence."
Anya looked at Xander. "Oh, but what about Spike lov--"
"He's been like this for two years now," Buffy broke in before Anya could finish.
"So, you have to be lying. `Cause Spike can't hurt anyone!" Dawn said.
Cordelia shook her head. "The visions have never lied."
"Maybe the chip doesn't work anymore," Anya suggested helpfully.
"It works," Spike said shortly.
"Maybe you should give us a demonstration, hmm?" Xander asked, raising his eyebrows in challenge.
"Don't have to prove myself to you or anyone."
Dawn touched his arm. "Spike, please. Just so they'll see it's not true." She looked up at him.
"Not the eyes, Bit."
"Please?" she pushed.
Spike looked at Buffy, who shrugged. "Okay, fine." He pointed at Xander. "C'mere, whelp."
"Me?"
"Who else would I want to deck first? I can already hit Peaches."
"Go on, Xander. It was your idea," Willow said, smiling.
Anya beamed at him proudly. "It is good of you to volunteer. Don't let him hit you anywhere near...well, you know," she finished, glancing at Dawn.
Xander got to his feet and walked over to where Spike stood. "Make it quick."
Spike assumed a fighting stance. He moved to punch Xander across the jaw when he fell back, clutching his head. "Ow! Bloody hell!"
Angel laughed again. Spike glared at him, head still bowed. "What?" Angel asked. "This is just too good."
"Wouldn't be so good if it were you, wanker."
"No, I guess it wouldn't. But it's not me, is it?" Angel smiled.
"Guys, this still doesn't explain Cordelia's vision," Willow said.
Anya stood and started toward the door out to the magic shop. "I have to go back to work. Lunch hour is over and customers might want to spend money." She left the training room as everyone else was standing up.
Xander stared at the doorway his fiancée had disappeared into, deep in thought. "Cordy? Are you sure they're never wrong?"
"Of course I'm sure."
He turned back to face the others, avoiding Spike's gaze. "Well, what if the chip is going to clunk out? But it hasn't yet?"
"That's probably it," Angel said.
"He still wouldn't hurt Buffy!" Dawn cried.
"He's killed two Slayers before, Dawn. What better way than to get close to one while he's appearing harmless and attack as soon as he's not?"
"Never happen, mate."
"Why not, Spike? It's a perfect plan. Sounds just like you."
Spike made a move to attack but Buffy placed herself between them. "Not now. This won't help."
"Buffy, Angel's right. I can't believe I just said that, but there it is," Xander said, shaking his head in disbelief. "What better way to kill you than get behind your defenses until the opportunity came up? It's what I'd do. If I were still Soldier Guy."
"Spike won't hurt Buffy," Willow said. "You know why, Xand."
"Okay, yeah. That's what he says. It could be an act."
"Xander!" Dawn said, voice raised. "You know it's not an act. He stayed! All summer, without her. He stayed and helped with me, with everything!"
"It doesn't matter, Nibblet. It'll never be enough for them."
"No!" she cried, facing the entire group, body taut with anger. "It is enough! It's more than enough. He almost died! How many times has he almost died for us--for all of us, not just Buffy?"
"Dawn's right," Willow said. "Spike's done a lot of good. And, yeah, a lot of bad before. But so did you, Angel."
"But--"
"I know you have a soul. In a way, you're scarier to me that way than the thought of Spike's chip being no-show guy." Willow glanced at Buffy who was looking down into her clasped hands, no expression on her face. "When you lost your soul, you were worse than Spike's ever been toward any of us." She paused at the hurt and guilty expression on Angel's face, but continued relentlessly. "You hated all of us for making you feel human. You hated Buffy for making her love you."
"Willow--" Xander began, seeing a tear fall down Buffy's cheek.
"No, Xander. Let her finish," Angel said.
"I'm sorry if this is harsh. It needs to be said." Willow walked closer to Spike, putting a hand on his sleeve. "Spike doesn't have a soul. We know that. But Spike has never hated us like that. Yeah, I've been scared of him in the past. He's tried to kill me. But I always thought, somewhere beneath it all, he kind of liked me. Liked us all."
One side of Spike's mouth quirked in his cocky grin. "Almost all," he said, looking at Xander.
"He more than likes some of us," Willow began. She looked at Buffy again, who had finally stopped staring at her hands. She met Willow's gaze for a moment, saw the acceptance there.
Buffy stepped forward, looking Angel in the eyes. "Spike doesn't hate me for making him feel like a man, Angel. He...he loves me."
sB sB sB
TBC
"That's a lie!" Dawn cried. "Spike wouldn't do that!" She stood up straight, balling her hands into fists at her side.
Spike put a hand on her shoulder, squeezing gently for a moment. "The Nibblet's right. What're you playin' at?" Spike glared at Angel, advancing a step or two before stopping.
"I think maybe we should be asking you that, Spike," Angel said, sneering.
"Spike's good now, Angel," Willow put in. "He doesn't try to kill us. At least, not anymore," she added, smiling sheepishly at Spike.
"Yet," Xander couldn't resist adding. He grinned broadly at the growl Spike directed his way.
"Angel, what's this about? Spike's on our side," Buffy said. She refused to meet Spike's gaze, but she could feel him staring at her.
"We already said. Cordy had a vision."
"Fine. Cordelia, what was this vision of yours?" Buffy stood above Cordelia, hands on her hips.
"I'll tell you when you stop standing over me."
Buffy rolled her eyes. "Whatever." She went to stand next to her sister. "Happy?"
Cordelia ignored her. She looked at Spike. "This is nothing personal. They just come to me. I don't ask for what I see." Spike inclined his head slightly, remaining silent. "They come out real jumbled. But I saw you two clearly," she said, pointing first at Spike, and then at Buffy. "You were fighting. Pretty violent. You were in some sort of old house. You were going at it so hard the house came down around you."
Buffy's eyes widened slightly at this and she shot a furtive glance in Spike's direction. He was struggling to hide a grin. She blushed a little before gaining control of herself and looking away. The interaction was really too fast for anyone to notice. Unless you had been watching closely, as Willow had. Her own eyes narrowed in thought.
"Spike's obviously going to attack you, Buffy. You can't trust him," Angel said.
"What is with that, anyway? Why would you ever trust him in the first place? How many times has he tried to kill you? Kill us all?" Cordelia asked. She still spoke softly so she didn't wake Conner.
"Bloody hell! Nobody told them?"
"Told us what?" Angel asked.
Willow looked thoughtful for a moment. "I could have sworn I did..."
"Figured the whelp would `ave just to `umiliate me!"
"Damn straight I would have," Xander said. "I thought Willow had."
"There's just been so much and I guess I just never thought about it while I was on the phone." She shrugged. "Buffy, you didn't--"
"Nope. Not really top on my list of conversation points."
"Thanks, pet."
"Anytime, Spike," Buffy said, smiling at his wounded pride.
"Prob'ly too busy sucking face with the nancy-boy," he muttered so quietly only Angel could hear.
"Tell us what?" Angel repeated, so confused by their conversation he couldn't even be mad at Spike's comment.
"Spike's neutered," Anya said, beaming.
"Don't say it like that!" Spike said. He lit up another cigarette, taking a long drag.
"But isn't that how you described it, Spikey?" Buffy asked coyly. "Something about going to the vet and not chasing the other puppies anymore?" She laughed outright when he glared at her.
"What are you talking about?" Cordelia asked.
"Long story short. Buffy's ex and his army took Spike and stuck a chip in his head, hoping to fill up the emptiness," Xander said, tapping his finger against his temple. "Boy's bark is definitely worse than his bite now."
"Watch it, Harris."
"Or what? You'll sic Dawn on me?" He raised his hands up. "Please don't."
Dawn narrowed her eyes. "I could hurt you."
Xander nodded, considering. "I'm thinking, yeah, you're probably right."
"That soldier guy? The goofy blond?" Angel asked. "He put a chip in Spike's head?"
Spike groaned. "No, you ponce. He just helped capture me. No we he could take me alone. He had his army boys with him. A big bloody group of `em, too."
"So who put the chip in your head?" Cordelia asked.
"The Initiative," Buffy said. She ran a hand through her hair. "Secret government agency, demon hunters and experimenters. Spike can't harm humans at all."
"Sends shocks through my head."
Angel laughed. "You're kidding, right?"
"Shut up," Spike growled.
"You can't hurt humans? At all?" he asked, smiling.
Dawn stepped forward. "No, he can't. He helps us."
"I don't buy it," Cordelia said.
"We didn't ask you to, Cordelia," Buffy replied, scowling.
Cordelia ignored her. "You can't harm humans, okay. But why join them? You could still plot their demise, or whatever it is you evil conspirators do," she finished, waving her hand vaguely in the air.
"'Cause I can hurt demons. And any type of violence is good violence."
Anya looked at Xander. "Oh, but what about Spike lov--"
"He's been like this for two years now," Buffy broke in before Anya could finish.
"So, you have to be lying. `Cause Spike can't hurt anyone!" Dawn said.
Cordelia shook her head. "The visions have never lied."
"Maybe the chip doesn't work anymore," Anya suggested helpfully.
"It works," Spike said shortly.
"Maybe you should give us a demonstration, hmm?" Xander asked, raising his eyebrows in challenge.
"Don't have to prove myself to you or anyone."
Dawn touched his arm. "Spike, please. Just so they'll see it's not true." She looked up at him.
"Not the eyes, Bit."
"Please?" she pushed.
Spike looked at Buffy, who shrugged. "Okay, fine." He pointed at Xander. "C'mere, whelp."
"Me?"
"Who else would I want to deck first? I can already hit Peaches."
"Go on, Xander. It was your idea," Willow said, smiling.
Anya beamed at him proudly. "It is good of you to volunteer. Don't let him hit you anywhere near...well, you know," she finished, glancing at Dawn.
Xander got to his feet and walked over to where Spike stood. "Make it quick."
Spike assumed a fighting stance. He moved to punch Xander across the jaw when he fell back, clutching his head. "Ow! Bloody hell!"
Angel laughed again. Spike glared at him, head still bowed. "What?" Angel asked. "This is just too good."
"Wouldn't be so good if it were you, wanker."
"No, I guess it wouldn't. But it's not me, is it?" Angel smiled.
"Guys, this still doesn't explain Cordelia's vision," Willow said.
Anya stood and started toward the door out to the magic shop. "I have to go back to work. Lunch hour is over and customers might want to spend money." She left the training room as everyone else was standing up.
Xander stared at the doorway his fiancée had disappeared into, deep in thought. "Cordy? Are you sure they're never wrong?"
"Of course I'm sure."
He turned back to face the others, avoiding Spike's gaze. "Well, what if the chip is going to clunk out? But it hasn't yet?"
"That's probably it," Angel said.
"He still wouldn't hurt Buffy!" Dawn cried.
"He's killed two Slayers before, Dawn. What better way than to get close to one while he's appearing harmless and attack as soon as he's not?"
"Never happen, mate."
"Why not, Spike? It's a perfect plan. Sounds just like you."
Spike made a move to attack but Buffy placed herself between them. "Not now. This won't help."
"Buffy, Angel's right. I can't believe I just said that, but there it is," Xander said, shaking his head in disbelief. "What better way to kill you than get behind your defenses until the opportunity came up? It's what I'd do. If I were still Soldier Guy."
"Spike won't hurt Buffy," Willow said. "You know why, Xand."
"Okay, yeah. That's what he says. It could be an act."
"Xander!" Dawn said, voice raised. "You know it's not an act. He stayed! All summer, without her. He stayed and helped with me, with everything!"
"It doesn't matter, Nibblet. It'll never be enough for them."
"No!" she cried, facing the entire group, body taut with anger. "It is enough! It's more than enough. He almost died! How many times has he almost died for us--for all of us, not just Buffy?"
"Dawn's right," Willow said. "Spike's done a lot of good. And, yeah, a lot of bad before. But so did you, Angel."
"But--"
"I know you have a soul. In a way, you're scarier to me that way than the thought of Spike's chip being no-show guy." Willow glanced at Buffy who was looking down into her clasped hands, no expression on her face. "When you lost your soul, you were worse than Spike's ever been toward any of us." She paused at the hurt and guilty expression on Angel's face, but continued relentlessly. "You hated all of us for making you feel human. You hated Buffy for making her love you."
"Willow--" Xander began, seeing a tear fall down Buffy's cheek.
"No, Xander. Let her finish," Angel said.
"I'm sorry if this is harsh. It needs to be said." Willow walked closer to Spike, putting a hand on his sleeve. "Spike doesn't have a soul. We know that. But Spike has never hated us like that. Yeah, I've been scared of him in the past. He's tried to kill me. But I always thought, somewhere beneath it all, he kind of liked me. Liked us all."
One side of Spike's mouth quirked in his cocky grin. "Almost all," he said, looking at Xander.
"He more than likes some of us," Willow began. She looked at Buffy again, who had finally stopped staring at her hands. She met Willow's gaze for a moment, saw the acceptance there.
Buffy stepped forward, looking Angel in the eyes. "Spike doesn't hate me for making him feel like a man, Angel. He...he loves me."
sB sB sB
TBC