Asking Not Receiving

Now he's in another place and I can't reach him
And I feel as though I'm guilty of a crime
I took all he had to give and gave him nothing
And all it would have taken was some time...
Ain't That Just The Way' by Lutricia McNeal

Buffy waited until he was a few steps away from her before bringing her fist back and smashing it into his jaw. He reeled, apparently unprepared for the strike. Why? He'd been the one attacking her after all.

Spike's human visage slid back, revealing his Vampire face, and he squared off against her. She didn't give him much of a chance to get ready though, beginning her attack with a vicious volley of punches and kicks. As he tried to block each blow he was driven backwards into a headstone.

Instead of trying to move, he waited until Buffy threw a hard punch at his face and dodged down wildly. His hands shot out, and with one on her stomach and the other on her shoulder he flipped her over the headstone. Buffy groaned and stood up, rubbing the back of her head.

God, Spike, WWF much?

He was about to add a scathing reply, but she launched back into the attack with a kick to his stomach. He doubled over and backed away from her as he forced down the pain. She ran at him and he felt her boot connect with his jaw, breaking it, in a snap-kick.

A feral grown rose in his throat, but it was a frail warning as she was again advancing on him. Blood slid from a cut in his jaw, the only visible mark of the break she'd inflicted. She landed two punches, one on each side of his head, before he gained control. He danced out of her way and twisted to smack her in the back with a roundhouse kick, she stumbled forward. Before she was able to regain her focus his arm slid around her neck from behind and he pulled her close to him. In a morbidly tender gesture he brushed the golden hair away from her neck.

And to--

Before he could finish he found himself being flipped over her shoulder in one of those self-defence moves, and landing on the ground with unneeded air being knocked out of him.

The Slayer panted for a few seconds, her eyes never leaving the Vampire in case he decided to run. But he seemed immobile, staring up at her silently. Which was new look for him. At some point between the kicking and the punching, his human mask had fluttered back on again. If he thought he was getting out of a good staking with that, then he was mistaken. She glared at him to show her resolve and he glared straight back.

A faint clapping met both of their ears at the same time and a second Vampire walked out from the shadow of a tall tree like a villain in a bad movie. Angelus had watched the whole fight with curiosity and anger mingled together in inactivity. He was sure that the Slayer would best Spike eventually, and he had intended on watching the whole show. But he wasn't much of a pacifist, when there was violence going on he liked to be the one causing it.

Buffy's eyes widened at the sight of Angel. Angelus. Spike sat up and his eyes narrowed angrily as he spotted the older Vampire. Buffy, after taking a deep gathering breath, quipped,

Come to participate in the stakage, I've got a point with your name on it.

Both Spike and Angelus stared at the Slayer for a moment, but chose to ignore her garbled joke. Spike quickly leapt to his feet and moved to a safe distance away from Vampire and Slayer.

Suddenly Buffy was feeling very young, and tired, and scared. Perspiration dribbled down her back and stuck her hair to her face unattractively.

We not playing at being sweethearts anymore? Angelus asked, trying too hard to inject some sentiment into the question and causing it to become overly patronising.

We were never sweethearts Buffy spat, What you are now. The thing you are. You are not my boyfriend.

Well, isn't that just going to keep me up crying at nights. Angelus deadpanned, Good thing I sleep during the day. His gaze slid over to Spike, Or do other things. he added.

Buffy's eyes darted from Angelus to Spike, one-on-one she could probably take either, but together...

Hey, if you want to go at him, go at him. I won't stop you. Spike chipped in conversationally. His night had been getting steadily worse, but now it seemed as if it was going to have a surprise ending.

Buffy eyed Spike, wondering if he thought that she was totally stupid, Excuse me? I'm the only one here who isn't brain dead, literally, and you expect me to fall for that?!

Oh. He won't help. Angelus said smoothly. Though he seemed calm he glared at Spike with every word that he said, You say you're not brain dead, but there must be a problem with your memory...

Why do you--

Repressed it already have you? Such a nasty sight, your boyfriend curled up with some unholy-ho--

Spike's fist smashed into Angelus's face, causing the older Vampire's head to snap back. Though it was probably one of Spike's heavier blows, it was full of rage and little planning, and so had not connected properly, for optimum affect.

Just because I won't help you doesn't mean I won't help her. Spike growled before landing another punch in Angelus's midriff.

Buffy stared at the two Vampire's. How was Spike pummelling Angelus going to help Drusilla? Because that had to be the her' he was talking about. She walked back a few steps, then advanced one. She wasn't sure whether to run and leave them to it, or stake them both and get it over with. Could she really stake Angel? Even if he was no longer in there, could she really destroy his body?

Spike was snarling curses as he punched at Angelus, he knew it was only a matter of time before the more experienced Vampire straightened and beat the crap out of him. But while he had the advantage he was going to use it to the extreme.

Angelus, doubled over, felt another punch to the small of his back. He snapped up, canines showing and growled. His first lash out at Spike dislodged the already broken jaw, causing blood to seep further from the younger Vampire's mouth. His second was blocked, and he began to wish that he had studied Spike's development in skill since the last time he had seen him fight.

Nice to see you out of your chair, Spike, giving your legs a good stretching. Angelus growled before aiming a breaking kick to the back of Spike's left knee. Spike fell to a crouching position for a second of pain before he swung an uppercut at Angelus's jaw.

Well, you miss things sitting down all day. Spike brought his hands together at the back of Angelus's head and the larger Vampire fell to the ground. Spike sprung to his feet, ready for the next attack and nursing his injuries.

Well, you know that anything that missed you I took care of.

Angelus flipped to his feet just in time to block another punch from Spike. But he missed the kick to his side that allowed Spike to move around behind him and mimic the move he had used on Buffy moments before. Reminded of the familiar hold his gaze darted up to the Slayer who was still lingering a few yards away. In a moment of desperation as he felt his grip slipping, he snarled,

Help me.

The Slayer, Buffy, looked at the desperate Vampire's face. A line she'd read it some book, or maybe seen in a movie somewhere popped into her head. United in Hatred. The stake was still gripped in her hand from earlier, and as she watched the two Vampires struggle she tried to come to a decision. Help or leave.

Spike spluttered through the blood that was welling up in his mouth,

Buffy took a step forward, stake raised.

Angelus escaped from the smaller Vampire's grip and smashed his face with two quick blows. He twisted on the spot to eye the Slayer and growled a clichéd line,

Its not over. before taking off into the shadows.

Buffy, her resolve causing her to move further forward, stepped towards the prone form of Spike. He was gripping his jaw with one hand and his nose with the other, blood splashed all over his face and the ground below. Apart from his jaw and nose, there was a nasty gash by his right eye that wept red tears down his face. He saw the Slayer approaching moments before she reached him.

Oh bloody--

She rammed him up against a convenient tree, hand grasping at his bloodied shirt and stake raised. She thrust the point forward but stopped before it touched him, he didn't flinch. Raising the stake again she stared at him.

Spike felt her grip on him lessen, and then become non-existent. She backed away, then turned and stalked off, shooting him a couple of glances over her shoulder. When she reached the cemetery gate she took off at a run.

What the hell..? was all Spike could manage to say before bloodloss and confusion dizzied him into unconsciousness, not caring that the sun would soon rise.

(Author's Note: Ahhh, another chapter done. Sorry for the long wait, but I'm studying a book about someone stealing a lock of hair. Hard study required. I'll try for a couple more over the weekend, perhaps more. Thank you for the reviews. I'll put your e-mails into a randomiser and pick out one who will recieve £100. If you haven't gotten money yet, sorry, wasn't you. Disclaimer - there really was no money, Jaymi used it to pay for her Spikebot, appologies Geeze, I just keep talking don't I? Sorry if the dialogue was a bit crappy in this chapter. I'll shut up now.)