Unmoved
By iyaorisha

Timing: AU S7

Pairings: Buffy/Spike (also Xander/Anya)

Summary: Spike has healed, but doesn't want to leave the Summers' house. Buffy struggles with flashbacks from the attempted rape. Meanwhile, Rack's twin sister seeks revenge for his death. Can Willow defend herself without resorting to magick?

("Unmoved" is the sequel to "Look What Love Gave Us" and the second in a series of four linked AU S7 fanfics I wrote in the summer of 2002.)

Rating/Warnings: R. Violence (including suggested domestic violence), language, F/M, M/M flashback, rape flashback, and torture.

Spoilers: None if you've seen up through S6. References to my fanfics "Relating to a Psychopath" and "Look What Love Gave Us".

Feedback: Brutal honesty is best (I enjoy floggings, I really do), but warm fuzzies are accepted as well. You can post a review here or email me at fanfic_by_iyaorisha@yahoo.com

***
Chapter 5

Things were going even better than she had planned, Rack's sister thought as she ground the herbs for more binding powder. She wasn't going to have to work very hard to strain ties between her twin's killer and the others. Willow's friends were doing most of the work for her! Ravesa hadn't lied to the red-headed ex-witch when she said that her friends would force her to choose. By rejecting the person Willow saw as her soulmate, Buffy and the others were loosening their own hold on their friend.

Ravesa smiled. If only they would turn on each other as well.

She stopped. Why not? And, she suspected that she wouldn't even need magicks to accomplish it.

Under the effects of the binding spell, Willow often fell into a hypnotic state. Part of this condition was that Willow's inhibitions were lowered. Rack's killer wasn't even aware that she had aired much of the group's dirty laundry. Spike was not the only member with a dark secret.

All Ravesa needed now was the right opportunity.

***
"I have waited so long for this." Xander said to himself as he contemplated the piece of wood in his hand. His arm fairly ached with the desire to wipe the monstrosity before him from the face of the earth.

"Are you sure this is okay with Buffy?" Anya asked from the doorway.

"I told her I'd do it." He said as he tested his grip.

Anya looked skeptical. "She might be annoyed to come home and find dust all over the place."

"Nah. I'll clean it all up. Besides, she'll be relieved it's done and over with." He shook his head in disbelief. "Two weeks!"

Xander was in his element as he swung the sledgehammer into the wall. The sheetrock shattered in a shower of chips and dust particles. Again and again, he battered the smoke-stained kitchen wall. Soon, Xander could look straight through into the dining room.

The basement door opened and Spike stepped out, only to find his path barred by a beam of sunlight. "Can't a fellow sleep around here?" he complained.

Xander's grip tightened on the handle of the sledgehammer at the sound of the vampire's voice. Every reminder of the bloodsucker's continued presence in the Summers' home raised his blood pressure. Actual face-to-face contact usually had him seeing red. He was struggling to abide by the Buffy-brokered truce of sorts with Spike. "Just until Ravesa leaves town." She pleaded the morning after the fire. Two weeks later, the dark-haired stranger remained in Sunnydale. And Spike had now passed a month under Buffy's roof.

Xander turned around slowly. "Sorry." He managed to grit out. "Gotta work on the kitchen during the day this weekend."

Spike was taken aback by the apology. "Er, good." He paused. "Buffy'll be happy. Do you need help with the hammering and whatnot?"

Why of course. Xander thought wickedly. Why don't you step into the sunny kitchen and give me a hand. "No, Spike."

"Well, carry on then." The vampire said. Then he closed the basement door and thumped back down the stairs.

"That exchange was almost...civil." Anya mused.

"Yeah, well..." Xander wasn't sure what to say. He was saved by the appearance of Willow at the door. "Hey, Will."

"Hey, yourself. Hey, Anya." The redhead replied. "Whatcha doin'?"

"He's demolishing the kitchen." Anya said.

"I'm trying to repair the damage from the fire." Xander corrected his erstwhile fiancée. "You guys can't use the kitchen while it's like this. Besides, I thought it would be a good opportunity to renovate a bit. See," he motioned. "this whole wall has to come down. So, I figured I'd move it back some. In a kitchen this size, even a foot extra is a lot more space." He rubbed his hand together.

"You almost sound like you're glad the fire happened." Willow teased.

"Yes," Anya said brightly. "Xander was very excited about the damage."

The construction worker closed his eyes. A lot of things had changed with Anya's return to demonhood -her habit of saying inappropriate things wasn't one of them. "Not excited about the damage, honey. Just the chance to improve the kitchen."

"Honey?" Willow echoed excitedly. "Does that mean what I think?"

Xander and Anya looked at each other. Then, Anya held out her right hand. The finger that had been bare for months was now adorned by a slim silver ring band carved with the figure-eight symbol for eternity. "It's a promise ring." She said proudly.

Xander's voice was slightly hoarse as he spoke. "We're hoping to replace it with something more substantial eventually."

"You guys are finally really back together!" The redhead grinned. "When did this happen? I mean, I knew you were seeing each other again, but..."

"I guess it's been a couple weeks now." Xander didn't explain that the turning point took place the night of the fire.

"I am so excited for you guys." Willow clapped her hands. "This calls for a celebration."
***

And so they found themselves hours later seated at the Bronze. Everyone held aloft a glass of champagne except for Dawn who was underage. She tried not to look too disappointed with her lemon-lime soda.

"To Xander and Anya" Buffy proposed. "To Xander and Anya." The others chorused. They all sipped at their drinks.

"My congratulations." They all looked up and stopped laughing.

"Ravesa." Buffy said.

She didn't look at all like what Xander anticipated. From Buffy and Dawn's description of an overbearing drama queen, he expected a virago. Instead, a gorgeous, poised woman stood before them.

The dark-haired ex-witch slid in a chair next to Willow. "Thanks for inviting me, Willow." She said softly.

Willow blushed. "You're welcome. Ravesa and I already had plans so I thought she might join us. I hope you don't mind, you guys."

"Well, actually..." Dawn started. "Ouch!" At first, she thought it was Willow who pinched her. Then she caught her sister's eye.

"I love champagne." Ravesa said.

"Oh, I'll go get another glass. Be right back." Willow said. She walked off with obvious reluctance.

The four friends who remained at the table gazed after her, all wishing that they were the ones on the errand.

Ravesa extended a hand to Xander. "Pleased to finally meet you, Alexander." She said in honeyed tones. "I'm Ravesa Kadare." As they shook, she looked straight into his eyes and one of her manicured nails faintly scratched his palm. A little zing shot through Xander and he pulled his hand back. Ravesa smiled at him and he began to feel very warm.

She leaned across the table to shake hands with Anya next. "So you're the lucky girl. Alma isn't it?"

"Anya." Willow, Buffy, and Dawn corrected all at once. The vengeance demon didn't say anything. She was too busy wondering why Xander was suddenly nervous.

Ravesa looked embarrassed. "Sorry, Anya. What a beautiful name!" She leaned over again as she reached out to finger the pendant the other young woman wore around her neck. Anya jerked back.

The brunette newcomer laughed. "I didn't mean to startle you. It's just that's such a beautiful and unusual piece of jewelry. I wish I knew where you got it."

Anya's eyes widened at the word "wish". "It's an heirloom."

"Really?" Ravesa lifted an eyebrow. "I've worked as an antique jewelry appraiser for the last three years and I think I'm pretty well acquainted with most styles. Art Nouveau. Victorian. Directoire. Edwardian. Art Deco. Edwardian. Art Retro." She paused. "I've never seen anything like this."

"It was custom-designed for your great-great-grandmother, wasn't it?" Buffy interjected. Anya shot her a look of gratitude and nodded. Then she tucked her amulet into the bodice of her dress.

Dawn looked at Xander. He was staring at Ravesa. If Dawn didn't know better, she would think that Xander wasn't just staring, but (ew!) checking her out. Willow's new friend was dressed provocatively. She wore a cobalt blue silk top held up by the thinnest of spaghetti straps. No bra, Dawn suspected. Tiny black leather miniskirt. Strappy heels that made her legs seem a mile long.

The teen looked back at her friend. Xander was definitely looking at Ravesa's chest. Dawn's eyes narrowed.

Ravesa turned to Buffy. "Where's your boyfriend tonight?"

The blonde looked puzzled. "Boyfriend?"

"You know. Undead Englishman. Peroxide blond. " Ravesa laughed.

Buffy sputtered. "Spike is not my boyfriend."

"Oh, I'm sorry." Ravesa drawled. "You have to admit it's an easy mistake though. He does live with you. And with all the bickering you two did! Well...it's hard to ignore the sparks."

"Sparks?" Xander said in confusion.

"Sure. There's real chemistry between those two. I'm surprised they haven't hooked up."

For once, even Anya had the tact to be silent.

"Come on. Are you telling me that you never been attracted to Spike?" Ravesa asked Buffy. "Bad boys don't do it for you? Or is it the whole vampire thing?"

The Slayer stood up. "I'm going to see what's taking Willow so long." She said in a strangled voice.

Ravesa seemed unperturbed by the blonde's sudden departure. She swiveled toward Anya. "Spike is sexy, isn't he? I mean would you let the allergy to sunshine stop you?" She paused. "That is, if you weren't already in love with this wonderful guy."

Anya turned stricken eyes toward Xander. Saw that he wasn't even listening. Instead, he was looking across the Bronze to the bar where Buffy stood talking to Willow. He seemed to be mumbling "Sparks?" over and over again.

"I have to go powder my nose." Anya choked out. She hurried away.

Dawn wanted to follow her, but she was afraid to leave Xander alone with Ravesa. Please hurry back, Buffy, she thought.

***

Meanwhile, the older Summers stood at the bar trying to convince Willow not to worry about the extra champagne glass. "But Ravesa wants some."

"Will, look at me!" Buffy snapped. "After you left, your...friend said some things at the table. Things that made me think that you've been talking too much."

"Huh?" Willow was confused.

"Ravesa was fascinated by Anya's amulet. She said that she had never seen anything like it before. And she said that she 'wished' she knew where it came from."

Willow shrugged. "What's strange about that? The amulet is unusual. You don't have to think it's magickal to be interested in it."

Buffy shook her head. "It's not just that. She said Spike and I were a couple. That there were sparks!"

"Anyone could make that mistake, Buffy." The redhead smiled mischievously. "And Buffy, I know you don't want to hear this, but...well, despite everything, there are sparks."

The Slayer didn't know what to say. Just then, Anya ran up to the bar. The vengeance demon grabbed Willow's arm and twisted it. "What did you tell her, Witch?" she snarled.

Willow cried out in pain. Buffy pulled the two girls apart. "Anya, what's this about?"

A tear ran down Anya's face. "How could you? I thought you were happy for us, Willow. Did you set this whole thing up just to humiliate me?" She tried to reach past Buffy to claw at the redhead. Anya was so furious that even with her Slayer strength, the blonde was struggling to keep her away from Willow.

"I don't know what you're talking about..." the ex-witch said.

"Stop lying!" Anya cried. "You told her. You told her about me and Spike."

With those words, Buffy felt sick. It wasn't just her growing unease about Ravesa's knowledge of the Scooby gang's most intimate secrets. Anya's mention of the one-night stand with Spike reopened an old wound. One that she tried very hard to deny even existed.

The pain brought back the memory: Spike and Anya on the table at the Magic Box. Making love. No, it was clear that there was no love in it. They were screwing. Shagging, Spike called it. And the first thought that popped into her head as she stared at the camera -Is this the first time? Or had they been banging each other ever since she ended her own physical relationship with the vampire? It was then that the pain hit her. He said he loved her. If so, why was he having sex with Anya?

It was a question that months later still troubled her.

Buffy pushed the pain down and looked at Willow.

The redhead was shaking her head vehemently. "No. I didn't say anything. I swear it." She looked at her friends. And realized that they didn't believe her. "You guys?" she pleaded. "Why would I do that?"

Buffy spoke slowly. "I don't know how or why Ravesa know these things, Willow. But the only way she could know them is through you."

"No, Buffy." She wrung her hands. "Are you sure, Anya? Anya?"

The vengeance demon was staring across the room. At Ravesa. Dancing with Xander.

***

The music was especially good tonight. Or at least it seemed that way, because he had never felt this comfortable on the dance floor before. Maybe it was his partner. Willow's friend was a great dancer. She moved her body in perfect time with the pounding rhythm. She moved her body against his in a way that made him feel graceful and powerful at the same time.

The Bronze was crowded, but there was a little space around them as if people had drawn away so they could watch Ravesa dance. Not just Ravesa, but the two of them. How stupid he was to have resisted this.

Minutes earlier, when the song started, Ravesa grabbed his hand and started pulling him away from the table. Xander had protested at first. But then, he felt a strange euphoria as the dark-haired girl threw her arms around his neck and began to sway. She was tall. Almost as tall as him, something Xander was unused to in young women. It brought their faces close together and he could smell something incredibly alluring -a spicy perfume maybe. Just as his hands came up to grasp her waist, Ravesa spun away with a giggle and danced out into the middle of the crowd. He hesitated. Then, headed in pursuit of that spot of blue silk disappearing in the heaving throng of bodies.

After all, what could one little dance hurt.

Alexander Harris was about to find out that it could hurt a lot. Especially when your best friend was grinding her two inch-heel in your instep as she pulled your dance partner away. He hopped on the uninjured foot, but suddenly that one was in pain, too. Wait a minute. He knew that shoe. He followed the line of sight from the chocolate lizard pump right up to his girlfriend's really pissed off eyes.

"Hey, An."

She slapped him and burst into tears.

Xander stared at her in shock. "What was that for? I was just..."

"About to mate with that hussy right here on the dance floor?" she hissed.

Ravesa twisted away from Buffy. "We were just dancing." None of the girls except Willow looked at her.

Xander nodded. "Just dancing."

Dawn appeared at Anya's side. The teen held a look of disgust on her face. "Xander, she was rubbing against you. You were rubbing back."

He started to deny it, but suddenly he wasn't sure. Maybe there had been rubbing. It was crowded on the dance floor. Their bodies had touched. No big deal, he started to say. Then, he realized that he was hard. Very hard.

"Oh, God."

Anya turned and fled.

Xander just stood there for a minute, trying to pull down his shirt to hide a now very painful erection. Buffy hit him. "Go after her!"

His mouth worked for a moment. But he didn't know what to say, so he just took off.

Ravesa wanted to laugh out loud. Instead, she contented herself with a smirk as she sauntered back to the table. A very bewildered Willow followed.

Dawn started after them, but her sister pulled her back. "You're going home, Dawn."

"But I want to see you kick her ass!" The teen protested.

Buffy shook her head. "I don't think there will be any ass-kicking. But I do need to straighten out a few things with Willow and her new 'friend'." The Slayer dug in her purse and her cell phone. She handed it to Dawn. "Call Spike. He and Clem have poker plans, but they won't have left yet. Tell Spike to pick you up here and take you straight home. He's not going out tonight."

"But I don't need a babysitter." Dawn complained.

Buffy sighed. " I know you don't. But you do need protection. Any that's why I want you to take this." She pulled a stake from her purse.

Dawn frowned. "Why do I need that? I'll be safe if I'm home with Spike."

Buffy didn't blink or say a word as she pressed the polished length of wood into her sister's hand.

"Oh!" The younger Summers gasped. "No, Buffy. No!" She let the stake drop.

The Slayer caught it before it could fall to the floor. "Listen to me, Dawnie. I think Ravesa can make people do things. I believe that she made Willow tell her our secrets. I think she made Xander dance with her that way. I don't know if that power is limited to humans."

"You think she'll make Spike attack me." Dawn shook her head. "No, he would never do that!"

Her sister closed her eyes. "I don't want to believe that he would, honey. But, I need you to take this anyway."

With obvious reluctance, Dawn accepted the stake. She tucked it into the waist of her jeans and blinked back tears.

"That's my girl." Buffy whispered as she hugged the teen.

She watched Dawn dialing the phone as she walked away.

Then the Slayer squared her shoulders. No more putting this off.

***
Willow sat at the table alone. Miserably, she watched the last of the bubbles vanish from the cheap champagne. The red-headed ex-witch wasn't sure what had just happened.

When she followed her friend back to the table, Wilow had a vague idea that Anya, Buffy, and Dawn believed that Xander and Ravesa were fooling around. But that was ridiculous. Xander was madly in love with Anya. He just gave her a promise ring, hinted that he wanted to slip that diamond back on her finger. Anya was just being insecure. She said as much to Ravesa who shrugged.

Anya is just freaking out that Xander might change his mind again. Willow told herself. That would explain her claim that Ravesa knew about the fling with Spike.

Still, she couldn't quite explain Xander's reaction when they approached him and Ravesa. He acted like a boy with his hand caught in the cookie jar -a situation that she had actually witnessed him in more than one. Willow frowned. Why did Xander look guilty if they were just dancing?

They weren't just dancing, she realized. Xander was coming on to Ravesa. He had rubbed against her. Maybe he was doing it to pay her back for Spike.

So why didn't Ravesa stop him?, the farthest corners of Willow's mind yammered. She decided to ask. When she turned around, her friend stood up.

"I'm going to freshen my makeup," her friend said.

"Wait," Willow pleaded. "I want to ask you something."

"I'll be right back, Silly." Ravesa laughed.

When Willow protested, Ravesa bent and gave her a quick hug to deliver a soothing dose of the binding spell.

The redhead suddenly felt dizzy for a second. When she finally steadied herself, Ravesa was gone and Buffy stood in her place.

"Hey, Buff..."

"Where's Ravesa, Willow?"

"Bathroom, I think."

Buffy looked relieved. "Willow, I want you to go home."

"Why?"

The blonde hesistated. "I think Ravesa is using witchcraft on us. All of us, but especially you."

Willow stared at her best friend. "That's not funny."

"I didn't say it to be funny." Buffy said grimly.

"You know she's in recovery."

"Perhaps she was. But, then maybe when this relative of hers died the grief drove her over the edge."

"Like me when Tara died?" Willow asked bitterly. "Not everyone is as weak as I was."

Buffy shook her head. "That's not what I meant, Will. The situation with Tara was different." She paused, ran her fingers though her hair nervously. "Look, this isn't about you. This has to do with Ravesa..."

"If it has to do with Ravesa, it is about me." Willow stood up. "I finally find someone who understands what I'm going through and you make these terrible accusations about her. How could you, Buffy?"

"How could you tell her about me and Spike?" Buffy exploded. "A stranger. Someone who just walked into our lives two weeks ago and you tell her about all the horrible things that happened last year."

"But I didn't tell her!" Willow insisted.

Buffy shook her head. "She knows. It wasn't just the things she said. It was the way she said them. Willow, she took pleasure in watching us squirm."

"I don't believe it."

"What?" The blonde said in a shocked voice.

"I. Don't. Believe. You." Willow carefully enunciated. "Maybe, somehow she guess those things and wasn't discreet. But I can't believe that she did it to hurt you. What could she possible gain from doing that."

"You. "I think Ravesa wants to break up our friendships. And when you're all alone, she have you to herself."

The two girls stared at each other. Then Willow started laughing. "It's not like that between Ravesa and me."

"I know that, Will. And that's not what I meant." Buffy paused. "Maybe she's looking for another powerful witch."

"Why?"

Buffy thought for a second. "What do you know about this relative who died?"

Willow started to speak and then she realized that she didn't know anything. Not a name, the sex, or the circumstances. She closed her mouth and gave Buffy an embarrassed look.

Buffy nodded. "I thought so." She laid a hand on Willow's. "What if Ravesa can't accept that this person died? Maybe she wants to raise him or her. It would take a pretty powerful witch to do that. You're the most powerful witch she knows."

"But, I'm not practicing anymore." Willow protested. "And, even if I was, I wouldn't help her do that."

"I know that, Will. But Ravesa doesn't. She doesn't know you the way we do."

Willow sighed. "I've got to tell her." She started toward the bathroom.

Buffy stopped her. "She may be angry. Let me go with you"

"No." The redhead smiled wryly. "I feel like this is something I have to do on my own. You...you go see if you can find Xander and Anya. Give them my apologies."

Buffy smiled back. "Actually, I think I'll go on patrol. Maybe stop by Spike's crypt and remove those explosives finally."

"Be careful." Willow called.

The same to you, thought the Slayer.

***
(Continued in Chapter 6)