Spike watched as Buffy slept, sometime during the night she had turned and
casually lay her arm across his waist. He hadn't moved since not wanting to wake
her. He stared at the arm across his waist, tan and small wristed, the delicate appearance hid such strength, his
duster had hung on her the sleeves too long for these small arms.

He glanced at the duster folded neatly and sitting in the floor next to the cot. Spike
had wanted to ask her why she had kept it, why she had worn it? As much as he wanted
answers to these questions, he realized his priority at the moment was to keep
Buffy safe until they could get out of this mess.

According to the watch on Buffy's wrist it was 6:15. He wondered when Dawn
would miss Buffy? Would she have any clue where Buffy had gone last night?
Buffy moved again, this time opening one eye to look at who was in her bed.
She quickly took her arm from his waist and sat up on the cot looking at Spike and then around at the cell,
"It wasn't a bad dream, huh?"

"Wish it were, pet." Spike answered as he sat up next to her, "And no clues
through the night either, our host has yet to show himself or possibly herself."

"Come on out you coward!" Buffy shouted as she rolled off of the cot over Spike and stood in the middle
of the cell. She walked to the bars and hesitantly shook them remembering the electric shock, nothing happened.

"Buffy, I'm not sure taunting your captor is the way to go." Spike stood up and walked over to her, putting
his hand on her shoulder.

"So we just wait here?" Buffy asked angrily.

"For now, yes." Spike answered softly.

"Since when did you become patience guy?" Buffy rolled her eyes at him.

"I can be patient if I have to be." Spike shook his head at her and sat down once again.

****

"That was quite interesting, she let the vampire lie on the cot beside her. She seems to trust him." Traver's
watched Buffy shaking the bars and then the calming affect that Spike had on her.

"I still don't understand what this whole experiment is about, sir." James sighed from the chair beside
Travers.

"You don't have to understand, James. Just do as your told." Travers turned back to the screen, "Have
Maralee take them their breakfast, don't forget the drug. When they finish, we will separate them."


"Yes sir. Won't it be dangerous to open the cell?" James frowned.

"By then they will be considerably weaker." Travers explained.

**
"Maralee, your Uncle would like for you to take them breakfast."

"Okay, just give me a few minutes." She told him as she pulled eggs from the refrigerator. "How did
they do through the night?"

"Okay, nothing special happened. She fell asleep and he kept watch over her most of the night." James
told he as he poured himself a cup of coffee, "It's odd...I think they care for each other." He shook his
head as she placed the plate with scrambled eggs, toast, an orange with coffee and juice on a tray and
then poured more blood into a mug. He quickly added the drug to the meals and kissed Maralee's cheek,
"Be careful."

She nodded her head and carried the tray down the steps to the cell room. She could hear them talking
quietly as she walked to the barred door.

"So won't Dawn be up and worried about where you are? Surely Willow, Tara and Xander will send out
a search party for you?" Spike was asking Buffy as Maralee sat the tray down.

"Spike, it's different now, Dawn is in LA until next week, she's with dad and is due home the weekend
before school starts." Buffy noticed Maralee as she sat down the tray, "Hello," She said softly, "Umm..
that looks good."

"Thank you, I wasn't sure what you ate for breakfast." Maralee gave a shy half smile.

"I guess I'm not so hard to cook for?" Spike quippped from behind Buffy. Maralee only glared at him.

Buffy turned to Spike and raised her eyebrows at him hoping he would take the hint to be quiet, he did.
"My name is Buffy and that is Spike. It looks like we're going to be here awhile, so maybe we should introduce ourselves.:

"I know who you are." Maralee told her not meeting Buffy's eyes, "You are Buffy Summers."

"Wow, then you are one up on me, who are you?"

"My name is Maralee and thats all I can tell you, enjoy your meal." She quickly left the room leavning Buffy
and Spike alone once more.

"This is so frustrating!" Buffy grumbled as she pulled the tray all the way through the door. She handed
Spike his mug and nibbled at her toast.

"Back to what I was saying, Buffy. The Scoobs will miss you, they'll track you down somehow. Even if
Dawn isn't here right now." Spike took a sip from his mug.

"Spike it's not the same as before you left, Willow, she went over the edge after Tara was.....oh...you don't know."
Buffy sat down her coffee mug and put her hand over her mouth, this was still hard to talk about.

"Know what, pet?" He asked fear nudging at him.

"Warren, he came to the house and he shot me.......and then a shot caught Tara and she didnt' make it."
Buffy's lip was trembling now, "Willow went crazy with the magic."

"You were shot?" Spike stood up off the cot.

"Yes, but Willow came to the hospital and she took the bullet out with magic. I would be dead now if
she hadn't." Buffy shuddered at the memory.

"Dead, I leave and you end up nearly dead again." Spike was suddenly hugging her tightly against him.
"I couldn't have beared it again, if I had come back to find........"

Buffy pulled away from him, "It's okay, I'm okay. But Willow wasn't she..." Buffy told him the whole sordid
story as they ate their breakfast, "So that's why, I'm not sure anyone will be looking for me,,,wait Anya..
we' ve been having lunch every week."

"Anya? How is she?" Spike asked with a guilty look.

"She and Xander are somewhat together again. She might tell Xander if she can't get hold of me." Buffy
sighed as she finished the last of her eggs. "Now it's your turn, where have you been? And what is the news
you needed to tell me."

"Well, it's a long story luv, it starts after I left your house that ...that last night. Buffy I am so sorry about that
night, if I could take it back, I would." Spike lowered his eyes from her and sighed.

"Let's not talk about it now, we can get into that later. Now from there where did you go?"

Spike couldn't believe what he was hearing, she wasnt' angry just matter of fact about it, they would
discuss it later. Looking up at her again, he answered, "Africa, I went to Africa."

"What's in Africa?" Buffy asked curiously.

"Well thats where the story gets complicated, " Spike smiled at her, "You see there was this ..........."
He never got to finish his story as another tranquilizer dart hit him in the chest and he slumped down on
the floor beside Buffy.

"Spike," She shouted kneeling beside him, she turned towards the bars she saw James with the gun, "What did you do to him?"

"He's not hurt, Miss. You have to come with me now." James cautiously unlocked the cell door.

"I don't think so." Buffy took a fighting stance.

"Yes mam and it will be easier if you dont' fight me." James really didn't want to fight with the girl standing
in front of him.

"Easier on you maybe." Buffy charged at him, but he quickly subdued her and held her tight against him, she struggled
against him but could not break free of his grasp.

"What?" Buffy was confused she had taken down much larger men then James, she realized then that
something was very wrong.

"Please Miss." James carried her arms locked around her to one of the cement cells, he opened the door
and shoved her in quickly locking it behind him.

Spike was still out cold when James dragged him into the other cement cell. He doublechecked the locks
on both doors and went to find Quentin.

****

Buffy looked around her new cell slightly panicked. Something was wrong with her, her strength , it was
like when she had turned 18, when she Giles had drugged her for the Council. The Council,,,,,could they
be part of this? But why? She stared at the four cement walls, the only connection to the outside was
a small door in the heavy metal door, she supposed that was for food. She pounded on the walls, and
screamed "Spike!!!" Maybe he could hear her, she needed to know he was okay.

Spike sat up groggily, he could hear someone faintly calling his name. As he sat up he realized he had been
moved and Buffy was gone. As his head cleared his vampiric hearing could hear the voice more clearly,
it was Buffy and she was calling his name. He went to stand by the wall where the voice was coming from,
he called back, "Buffy! Buffy!"

Buffy continued to call his name, "Spike, Spike! Please answer me." It was no use, he couldn't hear her,
she didnt' know where she was, where he was, her strength was fading. She finally sat down on the cot and
let the tears come.

Spike continued to call her name, but it was no use, she couldn't hear him. He fnally heard her call his
name one more time, then shortly after he heard soft sobbing. Slumped against the wall he placed
his hand against the wall, "I hear you, Buffy. I hear you, baby."

Spike stayed close against the cold wall listening to Buffy cry for nearly an hour,
the sobs slowed down to hiccups and then her breathing evened out and he
realized she had cried herself to sleep. How were they going to get out of here?

"It's time to go visit the vampire." Quentin stood up from his chair, "You follow me
with the gun just in case."

"Will the drug work as well on the vampire as it has the Slayer?" James asked
as he walked behind Travers to Spike's cell.

"It should, but I'm not sure if it works as quickly, hence the backup." Travers
unlocked the cell door, Spike took full advantage and leaped on his back. Travers
shook him off and kicked Spike in the chest. Spike was as shocked as Buffy had
been when he realized his strength was weakening. "Now, we can bring the
gun in and drug you again, or you can behave."

"Who are you? Where is Buffy?" Spike demanded as he stood up, wincing slightly
at the pain in his chest where Travers had kicked him.

"I am from the Council, Mr., I'm sorry which do you prefer Spike or William?"

"Doesn't really matter what you call me does it? And I should have known it
was the Council behind this, what do you want with Buffy? Hasn't the girl given up
enough for you lot?" Spike stepped right up to Travers and got in his face, "If
you've hurt her."

Quentin Travers took one look at the angry vampire in front of him and smiled,
"You'll do what? As you can no doubt tell, your strengh is being drained, the
same is true of Buffy's. You are in no position to threaten me."

Spike stepped back and tried to calm himself, think of Buffy. "What are you
going to do with her?"

"I'm not sure, William. You see, I didn't really want Miss Summers, I was more
interested in you." Travers smile broadened as he watch Spike take in this
bit of information.

"Me? Why?"

"You are an interesting case, you seem to care for the Slayer. Willing to risk
your life for her, yet you left her for the entire summer. Left her in a lurch, I'm sure
she could have used your help with the witch." Travers watched as a look of...could that
have been guilt? washed over Spike's face.

"I had to go." Spike replied softly.

" And now you're back. I've always been under the notion that vampires were fairly black and white, my late brother
disagreed thinking that there was a lot of grey areas in there. His views
were causing controversy in the Council. Now I have my very own specimen of
a so called "grey" vampire to study." Travers sat down on the cot.


"So you want to study me? Find out what makes me tick? Fine - but let Buffy go.
You said yourself you didn't want her." Spike tried not to sound anxious, "She can
be a real pain, trust me. It'll be easier to let her go."


" As for Ms. Summers being a .....pain as you put it, I'm quite aware of that. But, I
think I'll keep her for at least a little while." Traver's voice was menacing
as he finished his sentence. "We'll start later today." Walking past Spike he locked
the door behind him.
***

Maralee brought lunch to Buffy and found her sitting on the cot, knees drawn up to her chest.
"Is Spike okay?"

"Pardon me for asking, but why do you care? He is a vampire, you are the Slayer?
It makes no sense to me." Maralee asked shyly.

"No it doesn't make any sense, " Buffy smiled at her, "But I do care and I need to
know."

"Yes, he's fine. I have blood for him too."

"I didn't always care. In fact I spent a good amount of time trying to dust him." Buffy
shook her head at the memories of fighting with Spike.

"How did it come to this then?" Maralee was very curious.

"That's a very long story." Buffy picked up the sandwich and looked suspiciously
at it, "You're drugging my food aren't you?"

"No, I'm not." Maralee answered, she convinced herself it wasn't a lie because she
didn't actually put the drug in the food.

Buffy frowned at her and shoved the food back at the girl, "Who is behind this?"

"I can't tell you. Please eat." Maralee pushed the plate back towards Buffy.

"No thank you. I'm not hungry." Buffy replied stubbornly.

Maralee sighed and took the plate, "I would really like to understand why you can care
for that monster if you wouldn't mind explaining it to me. See my father thought
that not all vampires were alike that there were some who could feel for whatever
reason. His research ended up getting him killed."

"I'm sorry about your father. I lost my mother recently, it's...it's very hard." Buffy
sighed as she sat down on the cot, "I'll try to explain but it's probably better to
start at the beginning. When my parents divorced my mother and sister and I
moved to Sunnydale. I had already been called but I was hoping that with the
move I could forget the slaying. It had caused so much trouble in my life already."

Maralee sat the plate down on the floor and leaned against the door to listen better.
Buffy watched as the girl listened to her tell about meeting Giles and the Scoobies.
Maybe if she gained this girls trust and could make her understand she could be an ally?

"And he was so dark and mysterious, and I think I was almost in love with him by
the time he helped me fight off the three. He was hurt and I took him home and
bandaged him and he stayed in my room that night." Buffy smiled at the long
ago memory.

"He stayed in your room?" Maralee's eyes widened.

"Oh, on the floor. Nothing happened....that night." Buffy grinned at the girl, "That's
another part of the story."

"I had better go back before my uncle misses me.You'll tell me the rest of the
story next time, okay?" Maralee gave Buffy a genuine smile.

"Yes, next time. And when you see Spike ...tell him I'm okay."

"I will, would you please change your mind about eating?" Maralee asked
before picking up the plate holding the uneaten sandwich.

"No, but I will take the juice." Buffy compromised.

Maralee handed her the glass of juice through the door before she shut and locked it.

**
After Travers left, Spike went back to his post of listening for Buffy, he could hear
her talking to the girl Maralee, she had asked her to please tell him that she was
okay. But why wasn't Buffy eating, she was going to need to eat if her strength
was slipping like his was.


She walked to the cell door next door and unlocked the small door, "Here is your
blood."

Spike walked quickly to the door, "You've seen Buffy?"

"Yes, and she says to tell you she is okay." Maralee stepped back and started
to close the door.

"Tell her I'm okay too and that she needs to eat." Spike sighed as the little door
was completely closed.

He looked at the mug of blood sitting on the floor and suddenly he knew how
Buffy felt, he had no appetite either. He could hear the scuffing of Buffy's shoes
on the cement floor, she was pacing. If only she could hear him.

"So William. Are you ready for a few tests?" Quentin asked as he entered the
cell with hand and ankle cuffs. James stood with a tazer gun while Travers
restrained Spike. "Let's go."

Spike was taken to another room, "I'd like to test your healing powers first, I
realize they may be a little slow now but I should still be able to get an idea."

Travers balled up his fist and hit Spike in the face busting his lip. Spike's head
flung back and hit the wall, he made no sound, he wouldn't give this man the
satisfaction. "That would be the natural wound, lets see how that heals in
comparison to an enhanced wound."

James silently handed the bottle of holy water over to Travers. The older man
opened the bottle and rolling up Spike's shirt sleeve dribbled the water down
his exposed arm. Spike bit his tongue to keep from shouting out, the water
sizzled and blistered as it rolled down the arm and off of his fingertips. "This
is the enhanced wound, I'll check later to compare the healing rate. Meanwhile,
I'd like for you to answer some questions."

James watched as the vampire sat through what must be agony, large blisters
appeared up and down his arm. He wasn't sure he had the stomach for this, even
if it was a vampire.

Spike listened as Travers grilled him about Angelus, Darla and Dru. He answered
the questions in his normal smart ass way and ended up with several more bruises
for his trouble. Travers wanted to know why he stayed with Druscilla for over a
hundred years and then left her? Spike was afraid to tell him the full extent of his
feelings for Buffy.......afraid he would use them against him, against Buffy.


"We're done now, James take him back."

"Yes sir." James hauled Spike up from the floor and drug him back to his cell,
Spike attempted to trip James up but in his weakened state James quickly
had the best of him again. He unlocked the cell door and sat Spike on the cot,
"I'm going to unlock these restraints. Please don't make me regret it." James told
Spike as he unlocked the hand and ankle cuffs. "You do care for the Slayer, don't you?
I don't know the whole story but I can tell."

"She's a good fighter, my worthiest opponent." Spike told him as he looked at his
wrist, the water had run under the cuff and cause several large blisters that had been
rubbed open and now left raw spots on his skin. It hurt more then he would ever
admit.

"I think it's more then that." James gave Spike a tentative smile, "I love someone,
I think I can see that in you. I'm not sure how, after all your a vampire!"

"True and someone like me could never love right? Ask Travers about Drusilla,
we were together over a hundred years. I know about love." Spike sighed and
closed his eyes, he just wanted to lie down and sleep for the next week.

"I heard you talk about Druscilla to Quentin, but it was what you didnt' say that convinced
me that you love the Slayer. You carefully avoided questions about her, you don't want
him to know just how much you care."

"So I guess you'll run tell the boss man your theory now?" Spike asked accusingly.

"No, I don't think I will. I'm not sure what all this about, I think it's best to keep my
opinions to myself." James turned and walked out lockng the door once again.

*****
On the fourth day of their captivity, it rained and rained and rained. Buffy's cell
seemed to have a leak, dirty water pooled in the floor, Maralee gave her
towels to sop up the water but it still left the cell damp and dank.

Spike had endured yet another day of torture, this time Quentin Travers decided
to compare holy water to flames, he had burns on both legs now. After Traver's asked
more questions. Spike felt sure he had a hidden agenda that was nothing to do
with his so called experiments.

*****
Anya knocked at the door of the Summer's residence. There was no answer, she
was now officially worried. Buffy had not answered her calls in the past two days
and surely she was not out patrolling in this rain. She knocked once more on the
front door, still no answer, she raised her umbrella and walked to the backdoor,
she tried to peek in but the kitchen was dark. She would call Xander tonight,
she could feel it, something was wrong.

In LA, Dawn Summers had the same feeling, she'd left two messages for her
sister to call her. Hank was bringing her home Friday instead of Saturday. It
was unlike Buffy to not return her calls.

*****

The next day, Quentin Travers decided on a new type of torture. He turned the
heat up in the cells until Buffy was sweating profusely and on the verge of
dehydration. Then turned the air up until it was so cold that she was wrapped
tightly in the thin blanket from her cot. He opened the small door on Spike's cell
and peeked in. Spike's burns were finally healing a bit, he had torn his pants legs
and rolled them up so they didn't irritate his legs. "So William how are you today?"

"I'm fine, Travers. Vampire remember? Temperature doesn't really affect me."
Spike replied nonchalantly not bothering to look at his tormenter.

"Hmm.....I guess that's true. But the poor slayer isn't qutie that fortunate." Traver's closed
the door with a smirk.

"Buffy! What have you done to her?" Spike pounded on the door to no avail.

Buffy sat in her cell shivering, Maralee had finally convinced her to drink some
hot chocolate and to eat something. As she finished the cocoa the cell warmed
up to a reasonable temperature.

Spike listened carefully to Buffy's cell, he could hear her moving around and
she had thanked Maralee for cocoa, she must be okay for now anyway.
Maralee dropped off his blood and assured him that Buffy was okay, it was the
same everyday. No matter how hurt he was, he asked about Buffy first thing.

As she walked away from the cell she thought about the interesting tale Buffy had
been telling her. So far Spike had arrived in Sunnydale with the love of his
life Druscilla and was ready to kill Buffy. That's where Buffy had stopped the
story today, she had been shivering so badly from the cold cell that her teeth
were chattering. Maralee could not believe that the vampire in that cell was the
same one she had described earlier. And as for Druscilla being the love of his
life, she was doubting that too.

****

Buffy woke up early the next morning. She was stuffed up and could feel a cold coming
on. She sneezed twice and wiped her nose on some scratchy toilet tissue. The
temperature was comfortable now but the cell was still damp from the rain. She
began to count back how many days they had been here. "Six, I think it's six."
She said aloud to the empty cell. She needed a way to record it, maybe
Maralee could bring her some paper and a pen?

Spike turned over in his cot and groaned, his burns while healing were still quite
tender and the rough sheets only irritated them. He could not imagine what new
torture today would bring. He rolled over closely to the wall again and put his ear
to it, it was his morning ritual listening to Buffy. He heard her stirring and speaking
to Maralee. She was going to start her story again, he'd only heard bits and pieces
of it so far. He frowned as Buffy sneezed loudly and began to talk.

"So Angel warned us that Spike would not stop until I was dead. He had killed two
slayers before me." Buffy took a sip of coffee and wiped at her nose.

"Two Slayers. I'm really confused now, I can tell that he cares for you, how?"
Maralee asked totally enthralled with the story.

"So he decides to give Dru this gift of this demon called the Judge. And he's in
pieces that have to be put together so we are trying to keep the pieces separated."
Buffy stopped to sneeze again.

"Bless you." Maralee smiled at her.

"Thanks, anyway it was my birthday and we have one piece of the Judge and
we decide Angel is the only one who can get rid of it." Buffy sighed, "So he
takes it and we go to the docks to say goodbye."

"He had to leave on your birthday?" Maralee shook her head, "Thats so sad."

"It gets worse." Buffy closed her eyes at the memory, "We lost the arm to one
of Spike's minions"

Spike closed his eyes at the memory, he remembered feeling like he was on the
top of the world when they retrieved that arm. The world came tumbling back on
top of him as usual though, his throat was tight as he remembered how close
the judge came to taking Buffy that night, then she and Angel had escaped and
well the rest was really bad history. He hated that he had ever been a part of
that, but at the same time realized the past was past. He was going to do everything
he could to keep Buffy safe now..........right you're doing a bang up job of that.


He turned his ear to Buffy again, "So it was pouring rain and we went back to
his place and ..........and....that night we made love. And in the morning we found
we had created a monster, Angelus was back." Buffy's eyes held unshed tears,
"I think thats enough for now."

"Alright, but you will tell me the rest later?"

"Yes. Maralee could you please bring me some paper and a pen. It gets so boring
just sittng here." Buffy pleaded soflty.

"Yes, with your lunch, I can do that." Maralee turned to leave.

"And tell Spike I'm okay." Buffy called after her.

Maralee opened the small door to Spike's cell, she almost couldn't bear to look
at him, his face was bruised and his legs were horrible. The blisters had burst
and the skin was raw and it looked like they had bled in places. She tried not
to think about the cruelty her Uncle was capable of. Yes Spike was a vampire but
she was beginning to think that her father was right, maybe not all vampires are
alike? "Here is your breakfast and Buffy says to tell you she's okay."

"She's really okay?" Spike hobbled over to the door.

"Well I think she has a cold. but she is okay." Maralee gave Spike a half smile,
"How are you?"

The question shocked Spike, Maralee had never shown anything except disdain for
him and rightly so considering her experience with vampires. "I'm managing. I'm
tough." He smiled back at her.

"I just wanted to ask..."

"Maralee." Spike called as she started to close the little door.

"Yes."

"Don't tell her about this..." He pointed towards his legs.

"Okay, I won't." She said as she closed the door. This was not right, none of it.

****
"Anya, I'm sure there is a logical reason why Buffy hasn't called you." Xander
tried to calm his girlfriend as he unlocked Buffy's door. Buffy had given him a
housekey so he could be Mr. Repairman.

"It doesn't look like she's been here for awhile. The mail is piled up and
look...no dirty dishes and look at the answering machine - theres twenty messages
there!" Anya hit the message button and she and Xander listened to them playback.

"Okay, first we have to call Dawn, she's left a dozen messages the last few days
and she'll be here.....tomorrow. Secondly, we never have to eat at the Doublemeat
again, Buffy no longer works there." Xander paused then added in a very serious
tone, "Thirdly we have to find her........you don't think she's taken off do you,
I mean things have been rough and then she's been mostly alone. She's run off
before."

"Xander, she hasn't run off! She showed me her room, she redecorated it. A woman
does not redecorate if shes going to leave. And another thing, I think she has
enjoyed the time alone." Anya told him as she marched up the stairs to Buffy's room.
"See! Totally redcorated, the colors are a bit dark but it looks good. It looks like she went to patrol, she left the weapons chest
open."

"I think you're right, Anya, she didn't take off. But that leads me to an even
scarier thought." Xander sighed and sat down on the end of the bed.

"What?" Anya asked sitting down beside him.

Xander shook his head and sighed, "That she went out on patrol and never made
it home."

tbc