The house looked nondescript. Dilapidated was the word for it. The
windows were boarded up, and the roof was caving in in certain parts. The lawn
was nothing more than a dirt lot; broken glass, glittering in the light of the
nearly full moon, shone like snow across its surface.
Buffy approached slowly, alone. The others had gone around the back of
the house, waiting for her signal before going in. She wasn't risking anyone
else in this.
Her thoughts spun quickly through her head. Jonathan had described the
layout of the underground basement in full detail, including where they were
most likely holding Spike and Willow. It wouldn't be too hard to find them.
What she would do when she did was anyone's guess. In the back of her mind, she
knew that she might have to stake Spike. But thinking about it in depth made
her stomach churn, so she didn't bother. She'd cross that bridge when she got
there.
She crouched low and gently lifted the rotting wooden door that led to
the basement stairs. Pulling a small dagger from her belt, she descended.
////
Spike tensed suddenly, his nerves tingling in the oddest way. He
remembered this, somewhere. It meant something special, that something was
coming....
His head jerked up, calling Warren's attention to him. He watched,
idly twirling a quarter between his fingers, as the vampire's eyes flicked about,
muscles jerking slightly. Spike didn't notice, however. The feeling tugged at
him, calling him, comforting him somehow. The corner of his mouth twitched.
"Spot? Something you wanna share with the rest of the class?"
The vampire wilted immediately, lowering his head and stilling. Warren
chuckled, and flicked the coin at Spike. It bounced off his shoulder and
clanged to the ground.
[Willow. Slayer's here.]
Willow jerked awake, glancing at Spike and then to Warren. She took a
few calming breaths and worked her hands, loosening her bonds somewhat.
A red light suddenly flashed above the door to the stairwell, signaling
that the motion detector had gone off. Warren jumped to his feet, Andrew
hurrying to his side.
"I swear to God, Andrew, if that damn cat set off the alarm again, it's
dead. Spot, defend!" Warren grated.
"It's not MY fault. You're the one who wanted to feed it," grumbled
Andrew, as Spike shot to his feet, facing the door.
The door smashed apart, flying open in a shower of splinters.
Brushing herself off, Buffy stepped in and grinned at the room.
"Wow. You guys having a get-together?" Her eyes roamed the room,
noting everyone's positions. She crossed her arms and flipped her hair. "If
I'd have known, I would have brought punch."
Warren licked his lips nervously, and gestured.
"Spot, kill her. Now!"
Spike took a step forward, clenching his fists tightly at his sides.
His breath was already coming in gasps. She was an angel, standing there, so
confident. He stared at her, transfixed for a moment, until a sharp burst of
pain behind his eyes brought him back to his task.
"Spot! NOW!" Warren shrieked, grabbing Andrew by the arm and backing
away.
Spike staggered slightly, shaking his head quickly, pulled up his fists,
resting lightly on his toes.
Buffy stared at him, terrified for him. She really didn't want to hurt
him. Not again. Not after what he had been through. She had seen the look in
his eyes; she knew he was still there, just being forced into this action. If
she could take him down quickly, and get to Warren and Andrew, this would all
be over.
"Willow, you okay?" she called to her friend, her eyes never leaving
Spike.
"I'm...fine, Buffy." Willow pushed herself to her feet, working
frantically now on the ropes that bound her hands. "Be careful. He's...not
all there."
"I know, Wills," she responded, before jerking her head back to avoid
Spike's first blow, the rush of wind from his fist touching her face. She
counter-attacked on instinct, driving her knee at his stomach. The blow landed
and bent him over, but he recovered quickly, and threw a solid uppercut. She
backstepped, but not quickly enough, and his fist crashed into her chin,
clacking her teeth together painfully and nearly driving her off her feet.
Taking advantage of her momentary stunned state, he whipped his right leg
around in a roundhouse kick, and sent her spiraling to the ground.
Buffy pushed herself up on her hands, and shook her head, quickly
getting back to her feet. It was strangely eerie fighting Spike in silence.
None of the usual banter flowed between them. Otherwise, she might be having
fun. There was nothing fun about the pained and lost look in his eyes. He
kept his gaze on her face, but never met her own. His fighting was normally
passionate and beautiful. Poetry. Now, it was just dead. She needed to end
it, and fast.
"Spike!" she said sternly, moving quickly back toward him. His eyes
snapped up to her own for a second, before finding the floor. She smiled
grimly and pulled her fist back, slamming it hard into the side of his temple,
pouring all of her Slayer strength into the blow. He staggered, and then
collapsed, panting. She raised both eyebrows in respect, at the fact he
wasn't unconscious. But he wasn't getting up for a while either way.
"Sorry, baby." she told him, feeling slightly giddy. It was almost over.
She stepped over him, her eyes burning into the two nerds before her.
Willow finally worked free of her bonds and joined her.
"This is going to be SO much fun..." the Slayer said cheerfully,
stepping toward them.
"Stop! No closer!" Warren shouted, his voice high-pitched in panic.
He held the remote out before him, hand shaking.
Willow grabbed Buffy's arm and stilled her.
"He said if he pushes that button, it'll kill Spike."
Buffy frowned, looking to the vampire who was already struggling to his
feet, and then to Warren. She crossed her arms.
"How?"
Warren, feeling a bit more in control, grinned, happy to explain.
"It'll put the signal on an irreversible loop. Nothing can stop it.
The chip will continue to fire until he's dust."
Buffy paled slightly, but tried to hide behind a scowl.
"What do you want?"
Warren held the control tighter, thumb resting lightly on the red button.
He licked his lips.
"I'll let them both go in exchange for you."
Buffy opened her mouth to respond, but never got the chance to.
"No." came Spike's grated voice from behind her.
There was a sudden rush of air as Spike charged past her growling, and
launched himself at Warren.
"Spike, no!" Buffy screamed, and joined him. Andrew promptly fainted,
taking himself off the somewhat dangerous list.
Spike smashed his forehead into Warren's, knocking the boy out in a
single blow as Buffy reached them. He stood quickly, backing away as if burned,
shaking violently.
The controller buzzed softly in Warren's limp hand, the red button firmly
depressed.
Buffy's world suddenly centered around that little red button. Thoughts
of 'Maybe he was bluffing...' and 'maybe it didn't work...' filtered through her
head. She raised her foot and smashed the controller with the heel of her boot,
grinding it to little bits. 'Maybe it has a delay...'
She turned to her lover, watching him, as he stood there, panting, his
eyes locked on Warren, fists clenching and unclenching. He was shaking still.
"Spike?" she said softly, reaching out a hand to him.
He flinched violently away from her touch, and then gritted his teeth, and
dragged his eyes up to meet hers.
"Love...you..." he gasped out, before he jerked, the chip firing full blast.
He shrieked and collapsed.
windows were boarded up, and the roof was caving in in certain parts. The lawn
was nothing more than a dirt lot; broken glass, glittering in the light of the
nearly full moon, shone like snow across its surface.
Buffy approached slowly, alone. The others had gone around the back of
the house, waiting for her signal before going in. She wasn't risking anyone
else in this.
Her thoughts spun quickly through her head. Jonathan had described the
layout of the underground basement in full detail, including where they were
most likely holding Spike and Willow. It wouldn't be too hard to find them.
What she would do when she did was anyone's guess. In the back of her mind, she
knew that she might have to stake Spike. But thinking about it in depth made
her stomach churn, so she didn't bother. She'd cross that bridge when she got
there.
She crouched low and gently lifted the rotting wooden door that led to
the basement stairs. Pulling a small dagger from her belt, she descended.
////
Spike tensed suddenly, his nerves tingling in the oddest way. He
remembered this, somewhere. It meant something special, that something was
coming....
His head jerked up, calling Warren's attention to him. He watched,
idly twirling a quarter between his fingers, as the vampire's eyes flicked about,
muscles jerking slightly. Spike didn't notice, however. The feeling tugged at
him, calling him, comforting him somehow. The corner of his mouth twitched.
"Spot? Something you wanna share with the rest of the class?"
The vampire wilted immediately, lowering his head and stilling. Warren
chuckled, and flicked the coin at Spike. It bounced off his shoulder and
clanged to the ground.
[Willow. Slayer's here.]
Willow jerked awake, glancing at Spike and then to Warren. She took a
few calming breaths and worked her hands, loosening her bonds somewhat.
A red light suddenly flashed above the door to the stairwell, signaling
that the motion detector had gone off. Warren jumped to his feet, Andrew
hurrying to his side.
"I swear to God, Andrew, if that damn cat set off the alarm again, it's
dead. Spot, defend!" Warren grated.
"It's not MY fault. You're the one who wanted to feed it," grumbled
Andrew, as Spike shot to his feet, facing the door.
The door smashed apart, flying open in a shower of splinters.
Brushing herself off, Buffy stepped in and grinned at the room.
"Wow. You guys having a get-together?" Her eyes roamed the room,
noting everyone's positions. She crossed her arms and flipped her hair. "If
I'd have known, I would have brought punch."
Warren licked his lips nervously, and gestured.
"Spot, kill her. Now!"
Spike took a step forward, clenching his fists tightly at his sides.
His breath was already coming in gasps. She was an angel, standing there, so
confident. He stared at her, transfixed for a moment, until a sharp burst of
pain behind his eyes brought him back to his task.
"Spot! NOW!" Warren shrieked, grabbing Andrew by the arm and backing
away.
Spike staggered slightly, shaking his head quickly, pulled up his fists,
resting lightly on his toes.
Buffy stared at him, terrified for him. She really didn't want to hurt
him. Not again. Not after what he had been through. She had seen the look in
his eyes; she knew he was still there, just being forced into this action. If
she could take him down quickly, and get to Warren and Andrew, this would all
be over.
"Willow, you okay?" she called to her friend, her eyes never leaving
Spike.
"I'm...fine, Buffy." Willow pushed herself to her feet, working
frantically now on the ropes that bound her hands. "Be careful. He's...not
all there."
"I know, Wills," she responded, before jerking her head back to avoid
Spike's first blow, the rush of wind from his fist touching her face. She
counter-attacked on instinct, driving her knee at his stomach. The blow landed
and bent him over, but he recovered quickly, and threw a solid uppercut. She
backstepped, but not quickly enough, and his fist crashed into her chin,
clacking her teeth together painfully and nearly driving her off her feet.
Taking advantage of her momentary stunned state, he whipped his right leg
around in a roundhouse kick, and sent her spiraling to the ground.
Buffy pushed herself up on her hands, and shook her head, quickly
getting back to her feet. It was strangely eerie fighting Spike in silence.
None of the usual banter flowed between them. Otherwise, she might be having
fun. There was nothing fun about the pained and lost look in his eyes. He
kept his gaze on her face, but never met her own. His fighting was normally
passionate and beautiful. Poetry. Now, it was just dead. She needed to end
it, and fast.
"Spike!" she said sternly, moving quickly back toward him. His eyes
snapped up to her own for a second, before finding the floor. She smiled
grimly and pulled her fist back, slamming it hard into the side of his temple,
pouring all of her Slayer strength into the blow. He staggered, and then
collapsed, panting. She raised both eyebrows in respect, at the fact he
wasn't unconscious. But he wasn't getting up for a while either way.
"Sorry, baby." she told him, feeling slightly giddy. It was almost over.
She stepped over him, her eyes burning into the two nerds before her.
Willow finally worked free of her bonds and joined her.
"This is going to be SO much fun..." the Slayer said cheerfully,
stepping toward them.
"Stop! No closer!" Warren shouted, his voice high-pitched in panic.
He held the remote out before him, hand shaking.
Willow grabbed Buffy's arm and stilled her.
"He said if he pushes that button, it'll kill Spike."
Buffy frowned, looking to the vampire who was already struggling to his
feet, and then to Warren. She crossed her arms.
"How?"
Warren, feeling a bit more in control, grinned, happy to explain.
"It'll put the signal on an irreversible loop. Nothing can stop it.
The chip will continue to fire until he's dust."
Buffy paled slightly, but tried to hide behind a scowl.
"What do you want?"
Warren held the control tighter, thumb resting lightly on the red button.
He licked his lips.
"I'll let them both go in exchange for you."
Buffy opened her mouth to respond, but never got the chance to.
"No." came Spike's grated voice from behind her.
There was a sudden rush of air as Spike charged past her growling, and
launched himself at Warren.
"Spike, no!" Buffy screamed, and joined him. Andrew promptly fainted,
taking himself off the somewhat dangerous list.
Spike smashed his forehead into Warren's, knocking the boy out in a
single blow as Buffy reached them. He stood quickly, backing away as if burned,
shaking violently.
The controller buzzed softly in Warren's limp hand, the red button firmly
depressed.
Buffy's world suddenly centered around that little red button. Thoughts
of 'Maybe he was bluffing...' and 'maybe it didn't work...' filtered through her
head. She raised her foot and smashed the controller with the heel of her boot,
grinding it to little bits. 'Maybe it has a delay...'
She turned to her lover, watching him, as he stood there, panting, his
eyes locked on Warren, fists clenching and unclenching. He was shaking still.
"Spike?" she said softly, reaching out a hand to him.
He flinched violently away from her touch, and then gritted his teeth, and
dragged his eyes up to meet hers.
"Love...you..." he gasped out, before he jerked, the chip firing full blast.
He shrieked and collapsed.