SECOND CHANCES
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters except for the new ones that I created.
CHAPTER 12 -Heartbreak and Heartache, and Otherwise
The walk across the street to the Hyperion didn't take as long as he had anticipated and hoped for; partially because at the time they arrived traffic was light. After a great deal more convincing Giles had finally agreed to the plan, and in the end had forced the rogue watcher and her former watcher to change a few aspects of their plan. Giles had agreed to not tell anyone but in exchange would be kept up to date on anything that happened, so that it would be easier for him to alert the others. Wesley had picked out the costumes well, with the red and blue wigs that they were wearing, along with all of the clown makeup and the baggy clown outfits, no one would be able to even come close to recognizing them until they were good and ready for their identities to be known.
They slipped in easy enough, using the fact that at the time they entered Lorne had dimmed the lights and put on a slow song, and through the low light Giles was surprised to see Angel dancing with Buffy, but was quick to notice the dour form of Spike watching sadly from the wings. Upon closer inspection he was dumbfounded to see that Angel and Buffy were doing more than dancing, in fact they looked like they were kissing. Giles moved closer and discovered that they were indeed kissing, seemingly lost in the moment, a moment that didn't end at the end of the song in which they were dancing to.
When they finally stopped kissing they smiled at each other for a second or two before they began to look around sheepishly, and almost instantly Buffy regretted ever looking around. The look on Spike's face made her feel as if someone had taken a stake and driven it straight through her own heart, and had it just been her and Spike tears might have fallen. She hesitated a second as the smile slipped instantly from her face before she turned back to Angel, who was himself being stared down by a very hurt and angry Cordelia, with an equally angry Connor by her side. Buffy couldn't determine what seemed to hurt Angel more, the look on Cordelia's face or the fact that as she turned and disappeared through one of the many doorways leading out of the lobby that it was Connor seeking to comfort her and not him. As if on cue Lorne brought down the lights again and put on a good, but loud, rock song, hoping to cover up the obvious uncomfortable situation. Just as the light dimmed back down Buffy looked back to where Spike had been sitting only to see a saddened Willow, Xander, and especially Dawn, gazing at a slowly swinging door. As a tear forced itself down her cheek Buffy looked back to Angel but he was gone, rushing towards the doorway that Cordelia and Connor had disappeared through. With a heavy heart she turned away and went in search of Spike.
* * * * * * * *
Walking into the lobby Wesley had all but ignored Giles' actions, save for only a casual glance. Luckily the old watchers attention seemed drawn to a couple dancing and kissing on the dance floor. Wesley was about to not give the couple another thought when the lights came up and he saw who it was. He knew well how Angel still loved Buffy but by personal experience he had also noticed the growing connection between Angel and Cordelia. Instantly he scanned the crowd until he found Cordelia, standing with Connor at her side out in the fringe beside the stairs. He barely had time to look back to Angel and Buffy before out of the corner of his eye he caught sight of Cordelia and Connor quickly leaving the room and Angel's pained reaction. He barely noticed Buffy's seemingly endless moment of indecision. But his suspicions about how deep Angel's feelings for Cordelia went ended when Angel tore off after her, oblivious to those in front of him, even garnering a few coarse reactions and angry looks. A part of him wanted to go and make sure that Cordelia was alright, as there was still that small sliver of his being that loved her as more than just a friend, but a hand on his arm stopped him.
"Hey Wes.B doesn't look so good.maybe I should go talk to her.get her mind off.," Faith said softly as she eyed the people around them to make sure that no one had heard her say his name. He debated it for a second before he turned to her and shook his head.
"I wish you could Faith.but we have more important things to do.did Lilah tell you when the attack was going to begin," he whispered loudly as he led her over to one of the drink tables and poured her a drink, trying to blend into the sea of partygoers.
"No.she didn't trust me enough.all she said was that it'd start at a perfect time.whatever the hell that means.thanks," Faith said slightly shaking her head with a small look of anger on her face before it brightened to an almost shy smile as she accepted the drink he offered her.
"Lilah always did love all that cryptic shit.nothing ever came easy with her.," he said with an angry scowl on his face as she had to stop, with a hand on his arm, him from rubbing some of the paint off of his chin. He smiled innocently and nodded his head slightly before he dropped his hand back to his side. "Thanks.," he said sheepishly shrugging his shoulders.
"Anytime Wes.," she said back with a smile of her own along with a slight nod of her head before she reached up and pushed a stray light brown curl back under the wig.
"Well we can't waste anymore time here making bloody small talk.let's go," he said with a determined look in his eye as he took her hand and led her towards and then up the stairs, all the while making sure that no one had noticed their movements.
* * * * * * * * *
Back outside the hotel the last few mercenary sharpshooters were getting into position. They had fanned out around the old hotel, with their orders being to take out anyone that tried to leave the party until the appointed time, other than the two people of whom they had been shown pictures of, Wesley Wyndham Pryce and Faith. But regardless of their orders this group of mercenaries was known for having hair triggers and a long rap sheet of shooting first and asking questions later. Knowing this Lilah had hoped that the rest of the mercenaries and the magic wielders would do their jobs properly and keep the situation under control. Near her Lilah could feel the warmth of the torches that were intended to be used to start the fire that would force Angel to comply with her plan, whether he wanted to or not. In truth her plan was ingenious and sick at the same time. With a small nod she set the entire plan into motion, with the first wave of mercenaries marching towards the back of the hotel with the intent of slipping in undetected through the unused rooms.
* * * * * * * * *
It didn't take him long to find her, with his heightened vampire hearing Angel could have heard her crying from a great distance. He approached her cautiously, wary of the look of pure hatred on Connor's face. She noticed him in a quick glance up and for a second thought about running again, but in her life she had run enough, so she waved Connor off as politely as she could. For his part Connor seemed to get the idea and very begrudgingly backed off and was soon out of eyesight, but definitely not out of earshot, as he planned on listening to every word of their conversation, and being there for Cordelia if it got out of hand.
"Cordy.I'm sorry.I.," Angel said softly, almost choking on the words, as he sat down beside her and tried to take her hand in his but she fearfully pulled away.
"Angel save it okay.you're not sorry.it's what you wanted right.you and Buffy I mean.it's what you've always wanted.isn't it," Cordelia said shaking slightly as the tears slid down her cheeks and after mixing with her makeup made black and blue rivers stretching from her eyes to her chin.
"Cordelia.I'm sorry okay.it just happened.we were dancing at it just happened.it was an accident.," Angel said desperately trying to come up with the right words to say to not hurt her anymore than he already had.
"Some accident.you didn't look very sorry.you looked like you were enjoying yourself.quite a bit," Cordelia shot back with an almost vindictive scowl on her face as she moved away a bit before settling back down.
"That might have been what it looked like.but it wasn't Cordy.I swear.I love you.not Buffy.you.Buffy and I.we.can never be together.," Angel said slowly and deliberately as if he was saying words that in the end he hoped would never truly be realized. When he had gotten his soul back Buffy was all he could think of.seeing her.holding her in his arms.making love to her. But then the other shoe had dropped and he learned that he could never experience true happiness again, and after that no matter how hard they tried everything with Buffy went farther south than the South Pole. But now he had begun to hope again with a new love.something that he didn't think it was possible for him to do, and he wasn't about to let it just slip away without a fight.
"I wish I could believe you Angel.I do.but you love Buffy.and you always will.I was a fool to think otherwise.," Cordelia moaned back in between sobs that wracked her body. Angel made a move to comfort her but she pulled back as if in fear for her life. "Stay back Angel.please.," she shot back through the tears before she jumped to her feet and took off into the shadows of the hotel with Connor close behind, but only after glaring intensely as Angel.
"Cordy.wait.," Angel yelled out sadly as he leapt to his feet and began to chase after her through the darkened passages of the hotel, all the while not seeing the heavily armed mercenary duo that stepped out of the shadows soon after, each carrying large cans full of gasoline.
* * * * * * * * *
While Angel was searching for Cordelia Buffy was hurriedly beginning a search of her own, but for her she was searching for a vampire that had recently reclaimed his soul instead of a former cheerleader. She hadn't gone to far when she almost tripped over something, and upon reaching down and picking it up she realized that it was the brown coat that Spike had been wearing. With a small sigh she gathered the coat up in her arms and continued on her way, eventually coming to a room that looked kind of like an old kitchen. "Spike.you in here," she called out nervously as she poked her head inside the room and looked around, hoping that she had picked the right room.
"Go away.," she heard Spike say after a muffled sniffle as she saw movement in the far corner of the room.
"Sorry.but you know that I can't do that," Buffy said softly and earnestly as she took a step into the room and quietly shut the door behind her. "Look.we need to talk.," she started again with a sad and nervous look on her face as she began to feel around for the light switch.
"Nothing to talk about luv.to the right a bit," Spike said with such a profound sense of sadness in his voice that it almost made Buffy burst into tears on the spot.
"What do you.oh," Buffy started to ask questioningly before she took his advice and her hand soon bumped into the light switch, and without much fanfare she turned it on. The light took a second to flicker on, and in that second Buffy could see Spike sit down on the floor, with one leg out and his back up against the wall, and hang his head in dismay. She slowly made her way over to him and was about to sit down directly across from him when he picked his head up and gazed deep into her eyes. Buffy's breath caught in her throat when she saw the depth of sadness contained in Spike's eyes, mirrored only by the tears that streamed down his face.
"You shouldn't be here pet, I'm making you miss the party.and all the dancing," Spike muttered sadly as he then lifted his gaze up to the ceiling and fixed his attention on one of the ceiling tiles.
"Look at me.Spike, look at me.please," Buffy started to say with a small hint of anger in her voice as she reached out and laid her hand on Spike's shoulder, and she was slightly relieved when he didn't immediately recoil from her touch as he had done before. For a second she though her words were in vain as he continued to stare up at the ceiling. But as she lifted her other hand and prepared to manually force him to look at her he lowered his head and looked her straight in the eye, but she couldn't look into his eyes and see the pain and self loathing contained within for long before she felt her own tears sliding down her cheeks. "I don't care about the party anymore Spike.I hurt you.," she said as she forced down a sob and squeezed his shoulder slightly.
"It's my fault.I deserved it.," Spike muttered sadly in such a way that made Buffy have to bit her lip to keep from slapping him.
"Stop it.stop it right now.you don't deserve it.no matter what you might think Spike you don't deserve it," Buffy said almost in a yell as she grabbed Spike's other shoulder and gave him a hard shake.
"Doesn't matter now.you n' Peaches.seemed to be.lucky guy," Spike said sadly as he dropped his gaze back down to the floor and slumped his shoulders.
"Spike.Angel and I.we.we got carried away in the moment.that's all it was.we can't be together.the curse on his soul prevents that.you know that," Buffy said with a hopeful yet sad tone to her voice as she hung her head and began to cry for all the lost opportunities with Angel. They stayed like that, slayer and vampire, tears streaming down their cheeks before Buffy felt something cold but soft brush against her cheek. She cautiously lifted her head up and found Spike looking right at her with a worried look on his face.
"Can't have the slayer crying so much.you've done too much of that already.at my expense.can't have you doing that anymore.," Spike said softly and truthfully as he slowly brushed away another tear.
"It's not only at your expense Spike.it's at mine to.every bit as much as being the slayer has been a blessing in my life it's also been a curse, I stonewall the people around me and mistreat those that I love.," Buffy said after swallowing hard and deciding to just spill her guts, and hope for the best.
"It's okay luv.it's helps you fight.keeping everyone away," Spike started to say softly as he leaned forward a bit and was surprised to find Buffy doing the same. By the time he'd finished he discovered that the distance between his face and Buffy's was at best no more than an inch, he felt as if she were to take in a deep breath their noses would touch.
"While I'm fighting maybe.but not when I'm.I'm," Buffy sputtered out through quivering lips as her heart skipped a beat and she stuttered a bit.
"But not when you're.," Spike started to say almost in a whisper before he took an all or nothing gamble and leaned forward just a bit more and pressed his lips up against Buffy's, half expecting her to jerk back and give him a slap across the face. But to his surprise she didn't pull back, in fact she looped an arm around his head and pulled him deeper into the kiss.
Unbeknownst to Spike or Buffy someone had followed them and had been listening to the majority of their conversation as they peeked their head in after slowly opening the door. Dawn at first looked on with her body tense, ready to go to her sister's defense if it were necessary, but when she saw their kiss deepen she suddenly felt the fear and anger that she had felt at first leave her body and a smile forced itself onto her face. With a content sigh she softly closed the door and took a step backwards. She was about to turn around when she was grabbed from behind and dragged into the darkness, with a gloved hand stifling her shouts of alarm.
* * * * * * * *
They had waited at the top of the stairs for a few seconds, expecting someone to come up and investigate as to where they had disappeared to. But after a short time no one came and together they silently made their way up another flight of stairs before they rounded a corner and jumped into a room only seconds before two armed mercenaries walked past, one about Wesley's size and the other about the same size as Faith. Wesley motioned for Faith to be ready before he made his move. "Hey you," Wesley shouted with a nervous look on his face as the two mercenaries instantly turned around. Wesley barely had enough time to step back into the room and give Faith a quick look before the two mercenaries shoved the door open and charged into the room.
The two mercenaries expected to find little resistance but were taken by surprise when they were attacked before they could even get off a shot. Faith quickly rendered the mercenary that charged at her unconscious before she went to help Wesley, who was fighting with the mercenary that had charged him over the mercenary's gun. With both Wesley and Faith attacking the fight was soon over and the two unconscious mercenaries were dragged fully into the room before Wesley cautioned a quick look out in the hall to make sure that no one was there.
By the time he shut the door and turned around he found that Faith had already begun to undress the mercenary that was her size and wiped some of her clown makeup off onto her sleeve. He soon joined her and a few minutes later the mercenaries were drugged, from a syringe that Wesley had carefully attached to his belt, and placed in the bathroom. "That went well," Faith said with a small snicker as she pulled off her wig and wiped off the rest of her makeup.
"Yes well.let's hope our luck holds," Wesley said with a nervous and hurried look on his face as he followed Faith's example and began to wipe the makeup off of his face on his sleeve. Beside him Faith unzipped her clown suit and slipped out of it. He stared at her for a second and eyed her near naked form with a happy smile on his face.
"What are you smiling at," she said quickly with a slightly confused look on her face as she slipped her shoes off while looking back at him over her shoulder.
"Nothing.I thought you were going to wear something more than.well that under your costume," Wesley said with a nervous smile on his face as he looked at Faith, who was wearing only her underwear and a pair of socks, before looking down at the pair of jeans and short sleeved shirt that he was wearing.
"I got hot with all those clothes on; besides the quicker we change the better right.and I know how much you like to see me in my underwear," she said with a small laugh and shrug of her shoulders before she turned her back to him and began to pull on the pants portion of her new costume.
"You know me to well.," he said with an embarrassed smile on his face as he reached over and idly ran a finger up and then slowly down the middle line of her back, an act that sent chills through her body.
"There'll be plenty of time for that later," she forced herself to say as she took a step away from Wesley and turned around to face him.
"And much more," he said with a hopeful smile on his face before he slipped out of his own clothes and began to put on his new costume. It didn't take them long before they were in full mercenary gear, looking close enough that they hoped no one would notice. And with a final check on the two mercenaries in the bathroom they slipped back out of the room and set off down the hall, checking their weapons to make sure that they were loaded and hoping that they wouldn't have to use them.
END OF CHAPTER 12
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters except for the new ones that I created.
CHAPTER 12 -Heartbreak and Heartache, and Otherwise
The walk across the street to the Hyperion didn't take as long as he had anticipated and hoped for; partially because at the time they arrived traffic was light. After a great deal more convincing Giles had finally agreed to the plan, and in the end had forced the rogue watcher and her former watcher to change a few aspects of their plan. Giles had agreed to not tell anyone but in exchange would be kept up to date on anything that happened, so that it would be easier for him to alert the others. Wesley had picked out the costumes well, with the red and blue wigs that they were wearing, along with all of the clown makeup and the baggy clown outfits, no one would be able to even come close to recognizing them until they were good and ready for their identities to be known.
They slipped in easy enough, using the fact that at the time they entered Lorne had dimmed the lights and put on a slow song, and through the low light Giles was surprised to see Angel dancing with Buffy, but was quick to notice the dour form of Spike watching sadly from the wings. Upon closer inspection he was dumbfounded to see that Angel and Buffy were doing more than dancing, in fact they looked like they were kissing. Giles moved closer and discovered that they were indeed kissing, seemingly lost in the moment, a moment that didn't end at the end of the song in which they were dancing to.
When they finally stopped kissing they smiled at each other for a second or two before they began to look around sheepishly, and almost instantly Buffy regretted ever looking around. The look on Spike's face made her feel as if someone had taken a stake and driven it straight through her own heart, and had it just been her and Spike tears might have fallen. She hesitated a second as the smile slipped instantly from her face before she turned back to Angel, who was himself being stared down by a very hurt and angry Cordelia, with an equally angry Connor by her side. Buffy couldn't determine what seemed to hurt Angel more, the look on Cordelia's face or the fact that as she turned and disappeared through one of the many doorways leading out of the lobby that it was Connor seeking to comfort her and not him. As if on cue Lorne brought down the lights again and put on a good, but loud, rock song, hoping to cover up the obvious uncomfortable situation. Just as the light dimmed back down Buffy looked back to where Spike had been sitting only to see a saddened Willow, Xander, and especially Dawn, gazing at a slowly swinging door. As a tear forced itself down her cheek Buffy looked back to Angel but he was gone, rushing towards the doorway that Cordelia and Connor had disappeared through. With a heavy heart she turned away and went in search of Spike.
* * * * * * * *
Walking into the lobby Wesley had all but ignored Giles' actions, save for only a casual glance. Luckily the old watchers attention seemed drawn to a couple dancing and kissing on the dance floor. Wesley was about to not give the couple another thought when the lights came up and he saw who it was. He knew well how Angel still loved Buffy but by personal experience he had also noticed the growing connection between Angel and Cordelia. Instantly he scanned the crowd until he found Cordelia, standing with Connor at her side out in the fringe beside the stairs. He barely had time to look back to Angel and Buffy before out of the corner of his eye he caught sight of Cordelia and Connor quickly leaving the room and Angel's pained reaction. He barely noticed Buffy's seemingly endless moment of indecision. But his suspicions about how deep Angel's feelings for Cordelia went ended when Angel tore off after her, oblivious to those in front of him, even garnering a few coarse reactions and angry looks. A part of him wanted to go and make sure that Cordelia was alright, as there was still that small sliver of his being that loved her as more than just a friend, but a hand on his arm stopped him.
"Hey Wes.B doesn't look so good.maybe I should go talk to her.get her mind off.," Faith said softly as she eyed the people around them to make sure that no one had heard her say his name. He debated it for a second before he turned to her and shook his head.
"I wish you could Faith.but we have more important things to do.did Lilah tell you when the attack was going to begin," he whispered loudly as he led her over to one of the drink tables and poured her a drink, trying to blend into the sea of partygoers.
"No.she didn't trust me enough.all she said was that it'd start at a perfect time.whatever the hell that means.thanks," Faith said slightly shaking her head with a small look of anger on her face before it brightened to an almost shy smile as she accepted the drink he offered her.
"Lilah always did love all that cryptic shit.nothing ever came easy with her.," he said with an angry scowl on his face as she had to stop, with a hand on his arm, him from rubbing some of the paint off of his chin. He smiled innocently and nodded his head slightly before he dropped his hand back to his side. "Thanks.," he said sheepishly shrugging his shoulders.
"Anytime Wes.," she said back with a smile of her own along with a slight nod of her head before she reached up and pushed a stray light brown curl back under the wig.
"Well we can't waste anymore time here making bloody small talk.let's go," he said with a determined look in his eye as he took her hand and led her towards and then up the stairs, all the while making sure that no one had noticed their movements.
* * * * * * * * *
Back outside the hotel the last few mercenary sharpshooters were getting into position. They had fanned out around the old hotel, with their orders being to take out anyone that tried to leave the party until the appointed time, other than the two people of whom they had been shown pictures of, Wesley Wyndham Pryce and Faith. But regardless of their orders this group of mercenaries was known for having hair triggers and a long rap sheet of shooting first and asking questions later. Knowing this Lilah had hoped that the rest of the mercenaries and the magic wielders would do their jobs properly and keep the situation under control. Near her Lilah could feel the warmth of the torches that were intended to be used to start the fire that would force Angel to comply with her plan, whether he wanted to or not. In truth her plan was ingenious and sick at the same time. With a small nod she set the entire plan into motion, with the first wave of mercenaries marching towards the back of the hotel with the intent of slipping in undetected through the unused rooms.
* * * * * * * * *
It didn't take him long to find her, with his heightened vampire hearing Angel could have heard her crying from a great distance. He approached her cautiously, wary of the look of pure hatred on Connor's face. She noticed him in a quick glance up and for a second thought about running again, but in her life she had run enough, so she waved Connor off as politely as she could. For his part Connor seemed to get the idea and very begrudgingly backed off and was soon out of eyesight, but definitely not out of earshot, as he planned on listening to every word of their conversation, and being there for Cordelia if it got out of hand.
"Cordy.I'm sorry.I.," Angel said softly, almost choking on the words, as he sat down beside her and tried to take her hand in his but she fearfully pulled away.
"Angel save it okay.you're not sorry.it's what you wanted right.you and Buffy I mean.it's what you've always wanted.isn't it," Cordelia said shaking slightly as the tears slid down her cheeks and after mixing with her makeup made black and blue rivers stretching from her eyes to her chin.
"Cordelia.I'm sorry okay.it just happened.we were dancing at it just happened.it was an accident.," Angel said desperately trying to come up with the right words to say to not hurt her anymore than he already had.
"Some accident.you didn't look very sorry.you looked like you were enjoying yourself.quite a bit," Cordelia shot back with an almost vindictive scowl on her face as she moved away a bit before settling back down.
"That might have been what it looked like.but it wasn't Cordy.I swear.I love you.not Buffy.you.Buffy and I.we.can never be together.," Angel said slowly and deliberately as if he was saying words that in the end he hoped would never truly be realized. When he had gotten his soul back Buffy was all he could think of.seeing her.holding her in his arms.making love to her. But then the other shoe had dropped and he learned that he could never experience true happiness again, and after that no matter how hard they tried everything with Buffy went farther south than the South Pole. But now he had begun to hope again with a new love.something that he didn't think it was possible for him to do, and he wasn't about to let it just slip away without a fight.
"I wish I could believe you Angel.I do.but you love Buffy.and you always will.I was a fool to think otherwise.," Cordelia moaned back in between sobs that wracked her body. Angel made a move to comfort her but she pulled back as if in fear for her life. "Stay back Angel.please.," she shot back through the tears before she jumped to her feet and took off into the shadows of the hotel with Connor close behind, but only after glaring intensely as Angel.
"Cordy.wait.," Angel yelled out sadly as he leapt to his feet and began to chase after her through the darkened passages of the hotel, all the while not seeing the heavily armed mercenary duo that stepped out of the shadows soon after, each carrying large cans full of gasoline.
* * * * * * * * *
While Angel was searching for Cordelia Buffy was hurriedly beginning a search of her own, but for her she was searching for a vampire that had recently reclaimed his soul instead of a former cheerleader. She hadn't gone to far when she almost tripped over something, and upon reaching down and picking it up she realized that it was the brown coat that Spike had been wearing. With a small sigh she gathered the coat up in her arms and continued on her way, eventually coming to a room that looked kind of like an old kitchen. "Spike.you in here," she called out nervously as she poked her head inside the room and looked around, hoping that she had picked the right room.
"Go away.," she heard Spike say after a muffled sniffle as she saw movement in the far corner of the room.
"Sorry.but you know that I can't do that," Buffy said softly and earnestly as she took a step into the room and quietly shut the door behind her. "Look.we need to talk.," she started again with a sad and nervous look on her face as she began to feel around for the light switch.
"Nothing to talk about luv.to the right a bit," Spike said with such a profound sense of sadness in his voice that it almost made Buffy burst into tears on the spot.
"What do you.oh," Buffy started to ask questioningly before she took his advice and her hand soon bumped into the light switch, and without much fanfare she turned it on. The light took a second to flicker on, and in that second Buffy could see Spike sit down on the floor, with one leg out and his back up against the wall, and hang his head in dismay. She slowly made her way over to him and was about to sit down directly across from him when he picked his head up and gazed deep into her eyes. Buffy's breath caught in her throat when she saw the depth of sadness contained in Spike's eyes, mirrored only by the tears that streamed down his face.
"You shouldn't be here pet, I'm making you miss the party.and all the dancing," Spike muttered sadly as he then lifted his gaze up to the ceiling and fixed his attention on one of the ceiling tiles.
"Look at me.Spike, look at me.please," Buffy started to say with a small hint of anger in her voice as she reached out and laid her hand on Spike's shoulder, and she was slightly relieved when he didn't immediately recoil from her touch as he had done before. For a second she though her words were in vain as he continued to stare up at the ceiling. But as she lifted her other hand and prepared to manually force him to look at her he lowered his head and looked her straight in the eye, but she couldn't look into his eyes and see the pain and self loathing contained within for long before she felt her own tears sliding down her cheeks. "I don't care about the party anymore Spike.I hurt you.," she said as she forced down a sob and squeezed his shoulder slightly.
"It's my fault.I deserved it.," Spike muttered sadly in such a way that made Buffy have to bit her lip to keep from slapping him.
"Stop it.stop it right now.you don't deserve it.no matter what you might think Spike you don't deserve it," Buffy said almost in a yell as she grabbed Spike's other shoulder and gave him a hard shake.
"Doesn't matter now.you n' Peaches.seemed to be.lucky guy," Spike said sadly as he dropped his gaze back down to the floor and slumped his shoulders.
"Spike.Angel and I.we.we got carried away in the moment.that's all it was.we can't be together.the curse on his soul prevents that.you know that," Buffy said with a hopeful yet sad tone to her voice as she hung her head and began to cry for all the lost opportunities with Angel. They stayed like that, slayer and vampire, tears streaming down their cheeks before Buffy felt something cold but soft brush against her cheek. She cautiously lifted her head up and found Spike looking right at her with a worried look on his face.
"Can't have the slayer crying so much.you've done too much of that already.at my expense.can't have you doing that anymore.," Spike said softly and truthfully as he slowly brushed away another tear.
"It's not only at your expense Spike.it's at mine to.every bit as much as being the slayer has been a blessing in my life it's also been a curse, I stonewall the people around me and mistreat those that I love.," Buffy said after swallowing hard and deciding to just spill her guts, and hope for the best.
"It's okay luv.it's helps you fight.keeping everyone away," Spike started to say softly as he leaned forward a bit and was surprised to find Buffy doing the same. By the time he'd finished he discovered that the distance between his face and Buffy's was at best no more than an inch, he felt as if she were to take in a deep breath their noses would touch.
"While I'm fighting maybe.but not when I'm.I'm," Buffy sputtered out through quivering lips as her heart skipped a beat and she stuttered a bit.
"But not when you're.," Spike started to say almost in a whisper before he took an all or nothing gamble and leaned forward just a bit more and pressed his lips up against Buffy's, half expecting her to jerk back and give him a slap across the face. But to his surprise she didn't pull back, in fact she looped an arm around his head and pulled him deeper into the kiss.
Unbeknownst to Spike or Buffy someone had followed them and had been listening to the majority of their conversation as they peeked their head in after slowly opening the door. Dawn at first looked on with her body tense, ready to go to her sister's defense if it were necessary, but when she saw their kiss deepen she suddenly felt the fear and anger that she had felt at first leave her body and a smile forced itself onto her face. With a content sigh she softly closed the door and took a step backwards. She was about to turn around when she was grabbed from behind and dragged into the darkness, with a gloved hand stifling her shouts of alarm.
* * * * * * * *
They had waited at the top of the stairs for a few seconds, expecting someone to come up and investigate as to where they had disappeared to. But after a short time no one came and together they silently made their way up another flight of stairs before they rounded a corner and jumped into a room only seconds before two armed mercenaries walked past, one about Wesley's size and the other about the same size as Faith. Wesley motioned for Faith to be ready before he made his move. "Hey you," Wesley shouted with a nervous look on his face as the two mercenaries instantly turned around. Wesley barely had enough time to step back into the room and give Faith a quick look before the two mercenaries shoved the door open and charged into the room.
The two mercenaries expected to find little resistance but were taken by surprise when they were attacked before they could even get off a shot. Faith quickly rendered the mercenary that charged at her unconscious before she went to help Wesley, who was fighting with the mercenary that had charged him over the mercenary's gun. With both Wesley and Faith attacking the fight was soon over and the two unconscious mercenaries were dragged fully into the room before Wesley cautioned a quick look out in the hall to make sure that no one was there.
By the time he shut the door and turned around he found that Faith had already begun to undress the mercenary that was her size and wiped some of her clown makeup off onto her sleeve. He soon joined her and a few minutes later the mercenaries were drugged, from a syringe that Wesley had carefully attached to his belt, and placed in the bathroom. "That went well," Faith said with a small snicker as she pulled off her wig and wiped off the rest of her makeup.
"Yes well.let's hope our luck holds," Wesley said with a nervous and hurried look on his face as he followed Faith's example and began to wipe the makeup off of his face on his sleeve. Beside him Faith unzipped her clown suit and slipped out of it. He stared at her for a second and eyed her near naked form with a happy smile on his face.
"What are you smiling at," she said quickly with a slightly confused look on her face as she slipped her shoes off while looking back at him over her shoulder.
"Nothing.I thought you were going to wear something more than.well that under your costume," Wesley said with a nervous smile on his face as he looked at Faith, who was wearing only her underwear and a pair of socks, before looking down at the pair of jeans and short sleeved shirt that he was wearing.
"I got hot with all those clothes on; besides the quicker we change the better right.and I know how much you like to see me in my underwear," she said with a small laugh and shrug of her shoulders before she turned her back to him and began to pull on the pants portion of her new costume.
"You know me to well.," he said with an embarrassed smile on his face as he reached over and idly ran a finger up and then slowly down the middle line of her back, an act that sent chills through her body.
"There'll be plenty of time for that later," she forced herself to say as she took a step away from Wesley and turned around to face him.
"And much more," he said with a hopeful smile on his face before he slipped out of his own clothes and began to put on his new costume. It didn't take them long before they were in full mercenary gear, looking close enough that they hoped no one would notice. And with a final check on the two mercenaries in the bathroom they slipped back out of the room and set off down the hall, checking their weapons to make sure that they were loaded and hoping that they wouldn't have to use them.
END OF CHAPTER 12
