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 6
Willow entered the ladies' restroom.
Ravesa was applying a fresh coat of lipstick. She leaned back from the mirror and smiled at the redhead's reflection. "Sorry I took so long."
"No problem." Willow said. "Um, there's something I need to talk to you about." She turned bright red.
Ravesa turned around. "What's the matter?"
"You might want to sit down."
The brunette shook her head. "I don't want to sit down, Willow. I want you to tell me what's going on?" she demanded.
Willow hoped that she wasn't about to destroy her relationship with Ravesa. She took a deep breath. "Are you doing magick?"
Rack's twin couldn't stop the smile. So it begins, she thought. "Took you a really long time to figure it out."
"Oh!" Willow exclaimed.
"I put a little spell on your friend, Xander." She laughed. "It didn't take much for him to make a fool of himself over me. Like a dog in rut."
"Why?" Willow cried in confusion.
"Wait, that's not all." Ravesa said cruelly. "For you, there was a binding spell. Made us soulmates, didn't it?" she clasped her hands together and fluttered her eyelashes mockingly.
"No!" Willow.
"Yes. And don't you want to know why?"
"Because of your relative that died," Willow blurted.
Ravesa was taken aback. "What did you say?"
"You came back to Sunnydale because you lost someone you love." She looked sympathetically at the brunette and continued. "You're hurting. I understand that."
"You understand?" Ravesa asked incredulously. "Is that supposed to make me feel better? Do you think that I came back to this godforsaken place that makes my skin crawl so that I could hear you say that you understand?"
"Of course not, Ravesa. I just...I just wanted you to know that I've had my own loss. And what you're trying to do won't work."
The dark-haired witch scoffed. "Won't work? Oh, it'll work."
Willow shook her head. "No, I tried. When Tara died, I used all my powers. But it wasn't meant to happen..."
"But you did anyway." Ravesa interrupted. "Now, it's my turn!"
"No, I know you loved this person. I can feel it. I can't help you raise him or her." pleaded Willow.
Ravesa laughed. "Is that what you think I'm here to do?" She laughed again, a short, bitter sound. "Wow, that's a big misunderstanding." She closed the distance between their bodies in three long-legged steps.
"I'm not here because I want to raise my brother from the dead. If that could be done, I would have accomplished it already." Ravesa took Willow's face in her hands and leaned in close, as if for a kiss. "I'm here to punish his killer and everyone she loves."
***
A twenty-minute mini-patrol that left just one vamp blowing in the wind was all Buffy was willing to risk. Nothing, no baddie was going to keep her from getting Spike out of her house tonight. She felt almost giddy with anticipation as she turned her key in the front door lock.
"I'm home!" She called out.
No answer.
Her elation turned to worry. There was no way that she beat Dawn and Spike home from the Bronze. Not unless they ran into trouble on the way back. Buffy ran to the phone and started pushing buttons before she realized that, like many people, she had never memorized her own cell phone number.
"Oh crap!" she cried. She knew she had it written down somewhere. Maybe in the little address book she hardly ever used. She dumped out her purse to search for it. A crumpled five dollar bill. Half roll of butterscotch Lifesavers. Emergency tampon. Ticket stub from last Saturday's matinee. And a vial of holy water. No address book.
Buffy dialed the first number that came to mind.
"Hel.."
"Xander! What's my cell phone number?"
"Huh?"
"I can't remember my number."
"Okay, look, I don't know it by heart, Buffy. I'll have to look it up on my Palm."
"Great!" she sighed with relief.
"Um, I'll have to get back to you. I can't talk right now." Click.
Buffy stared at the phone in shock. Xander hung up on her. He had never hung up on her before. Maybe it was an accident.
She hit redial.
***
Xander answered before the first ring stopped. "Hello?"
"You hung up on me." Buffy said in an aggrieved voice.
"I know. Sorry. I'm trying to leave the line open in case Anya calls. I've left her three dozen messages."
"Oh, you didn't catch up with her."
A hesitation. "Well, actually I did. But she made some very specific threats to my anatomy if I followed her. Right now, I'm skulking in the hallway outside her apartment, hoping she'll come home soon."
"I'm so sorry, Xan." Buffy consoled her best friend. "I hope she calls you. It was magick you know. Ravesa made you want to act that way with her."
Buffy didn't need to hear Xander sigh to sense his relief through the phone. "I thought it had to be something like that." He said happily. "But why?"
"I figured out that Ravesa was trying to split us all up so she could get Willow to go back to witchcraft."
"Again why?"
"Willow said that Ravesa came back to Sunnydale because a relative died. I think she wanted help in bringing this person back from the dead." Buffy explained. "Willow's going to talk to her, explain why resurrection spells are a bad idea."
"Not always, Buff. Not always." Xander said tenderly. "I know last year was really rough on you, but I'm so glad your back."
" I'm glad you're glad, but I really need you to dig out that Palm Pilot and give me my cell phone number. After you left, I gave Dawn my cell phone and told her to get Spike to take her home. Neither of them were here when I got back."
"Do you think he did something to her?"
Buffy thought about the stake she pressed upon her sister. "No. But I'm worried that they might have run into something nasty on the way home."
Xander retrieved the number and gave it to Buffy. "If you're really worried, maybe I should come over."
"No thanks. I think you're right where you belong. Hope Anya gets home soon so you two can start making up."
They said their goodbyes and Buffy dialed her cell phone number. It rang and rang, then finally picked up. "Dawn!"
Her own recorded voice responded. "Hi! You've reached the cell phone of Buffy Summers. Please leave a message and I'll get back to you."
Buffy hung up the phone. She wanted to believe that Dawn was okay. Surely she would know if her sister was hurt...or worse. But she couldn't help thinking about all the evil that roamed Sunnydale after dark. The knowledge that Dawn was probably with Spike was little comfort. What if Ravesa had placed a spell on the vampire as well? His restored soul had neutralized the chip, allowing him to hurt humans again. Would Dawn have the heart to defend herself against Spike if he turned on her?
Then she heard the motorbike outside her living room window. She jumped up and tore open the front door. Dawn and Spike stepped back in surprise. "Buffy?" The younger Summers gasped.
The Slayer grabbed her sister by the arm and hauled her into the house. "Oww! Buffy, you're hurting me!" Dawn screeched as the blonde forced her onto the sofa.
"Where have you been?" Buffy demanded. "I told you to come straight home."
"We stopped to get something to eat. We even brought you dinner. Show her Spike!"
The vampire was careful to stay out of staking range as he held up a greasy white paper bag. "The Nibblet had a yen for fish tacos."
Buffy looked abashed as she walked over to take the fast food.
"I was really hungry." Dawn explained. "So I asked Spike to stop at Taco Taco. It's only a block away from the Bronze. I didn't think you'd go psycho!"
Buffy dropped the bag of fish tacos on the coffee table and sat down next to Dawn. "I'm sorry, honey. I was just worried about you." She reached out to stroke her sister's hair.
Dawn brushed off the soothing gesture. "If you're so worried, why don't you go grocery shopping some time. I knew that there wouldn't be anything to eat here. There's never anything to eat here anymore now that Willow is spending all her time with Ravesa" The teen complained. "You don't even bring home stuff from the Doublemeat anymore. You just go to work or stay out all night long on patrol. If you're so worried, why do you leave Spike and me to fend for ourselves?"
It was true. Buffy couldn't remember the last time that she had brought home groceries or takeout or fresh pigs' blood. She'd been steering clear of the house at meal times in order to avoid Spike. "Dawnie, I'm sorry." She said. "And I promise that starting right now, things around here are going to change."
The Slayer stood up. "It's moving day, Spike."
***
Fool me once, shame on you. Anya thought. Fool me twice, I find some way to make you cry your eyes out.
A few months ago, when she was newly re-demonized and had tried to curse Xander for leaving her at the altar, Anya had felt powerless. This time around, she decided to take vengeance in some time-honored human fashion.
So what would it be, she mused as she looked around his apartment. She could burn all of his clothes and other personal possessions. Several of her past clients had done that and it seemed to produce copious weeping in their cheating men. But not surprisingly, materialistic Anya couldn't bring herself to torch her lover's belongings.
Okay, well she could show him that what is good for the goose was good for the gander. Or vice versa, since in this case it was the gander who decided to stray. Anya decided she would find one of Xander's friends and give them a lap dance in front of everyone at the Bronze. Yes, he'd cry when it was her doing the bump and grind.
Anya picked up the phone and paused. The only flaw in this plan was that Xander was short on male friends. In fact, she didn't know the name of a single male that her lover was on a first name basis with. Except for Giles. Okay, that's not really a first name basis or he'd call him Rupert. But Giles was in Asia on a month-long buoying trip for the Magic Box. Besides, after she and Giles kissed when Willow made them all have amnesia, Anya swore that she'd never explore that side of their partnership again.
C'mon. Who else could there be? Anya looked around for Xander's address book. Then she remembered. He threw it away when he got that stupid Palm Pilot as a reward for the parking garage coming in under budget and ahead of deadline. Okay, think! There must be someone that it would kill Xander to see me with.
Spike. The name came unbidden and she pushed it back to the furthest corners of her mind. It bounced right back. No one would hurt Xander more than Spike. The look on his face when he confronted them outside the Magic Box. Like she'd ripped his heart out and replaced it with a hot coal. Anya's moment of weakness almost destroyed him and almost all hope for a reconciliation.
And yet, they had reconciled. Just two weeks ago. That's why they were celebrating tonight. Having such a good time before Willow's friend joined them.
Anya froze. Everything had changed once that Ravesa woman came to the table. Buffy and Dawn tensed up. She herself got nervous because of all the questions about her amulet. And then, Ravesa made those awful insinuations about Spike.
Willow swore she didn't tell her friend any of the Scoobies' personal business, yet Anya was sure that Ravesa knew that Buffy and Spike had been lovers. And that she also had slept with the blond vampire.
That left one possibility. "Witchcraft." Anya laughed. "How could I have missed it. She put a spell on Willow to find out our secrets. And then she put a spell on my Xander to make him dance with her."
The vengeance demon's eyes narrowed. "Wait until I find her."
***
Meanwhile, Buffy stood outside her sister's door, knocking worriedly. "Open up, Dawnie!"
"Go away!" The teen shrieked.
"It's for your own good, Dawn. Eventually, you'll realize I'm right. I'm trying to give you a normal life. A vampire living in your basement isn't normal."
"No more abnormal than a witch sleeping in the bedroom down the hall." The younger Summers retorted.
"That's different and you know it." She snapped back. "Willow is my best friend. She's like family. She took care of you while I was dead."
Dawn yanked open the door wide enough to look at her sister. "So did Spike. He's still taking care of me. You asked him to stay until you found out what was up with creepy Ravesa."
Buffy seized on that. "Well, I did. Find out that is. Ravesa was using magick on Willow. Xander too for that matter. Hence the naughty touching."
"Why?"
"She wanted help reviving this dead relative of hers."
"Oh." For the first time, Dawn felt some sympathy for Ravesa. She had tried the same thing when her mother died.
Her sister pressed on. "Willow's going to tell her she can't do it. The danger, if there ever was one is over. Which is why it's time for Spike to leave."
Dawn glared at her sister and slammed her bedroom door shut.
Buffy sighed and headed downstairs.
A Manchester United game on the television. A pair of Doc Martaan's on the coffee table. Spike's white blond head half-hidden behind a magazine.
"You should be packing." She chided.
"Done." He indicated a cardboard box to the side of the couch.
"Good," replied Buffy. "We can leave as soon as I know Willow's on her way home. It'll only take me fifteen or twenty minutes to undo the charges."
The vampire didn't even look at her as he turned the page.
They sat in awkward silence for a couple minutes. Buffy felt that Spike was waiting for her to say something. She picked up the remote and turned the channel. Teeth filled the screen as Sandra Bullock hammed her way through a romantic comedy.
Spike snorted and turned another page.
Buffy felt her blood pressure rising. Before Spike left, she wanted him to prove that he could read that fast.
"About that bet..." she started.
He lowered the magazine and lifted a scarred eyebrow.
The phone rang. Buffy reluctantly answered it. "Hello?"
"Hi! Just wanted to let you know that everything's okay now."
"Willow, that's great." Buffy said with relief. "When you coming home?"
"Um...couple hours maybe. There's still some stuff that I want to talk about with Ravesa."
"Oh." Buffy couldn't hide her disappointment. "I was hoping that you'd be back soon so I could take the charges out of Spike's crypt. He's gotta go tonight, Will!"
Her best friend chuckled. "Okay. I'll head home. But since there's nothing to worry about from Ravesa anymore, can't you leave now?"
Buffy thought about it. "I guess. But hurry home. Dawn's upset and I don't want to leave her alone for long."
"Don't worry, she won't be."
***
Ravesa grinned at her captive. "She bought it."
Willow slumped in her bonds. She had hoped that Buffy wouldn't fall for the glamourie spun by the dark-haired witch. Now, her best friend was going to leave the most vulnerable member of the Scoobie's alone in the house.
***
Spike hefted the bulging box of his belongings. "I'll come back for the motorbike later." He told Buffy as they left for the cemetery.
"Fine. Just don't wake Dawn."
"Oh, you think she'll have cried herself to sleep by then?" he asked sarcastically.
Buffy gave Spike a hard stare. "Don't be so assured that Dawn won't be relieved that you're gone."
"Why? Because you told her that Willow's witchy friend might have put a spell on me, made me want to reconsider that offer of Summers' blood?"
The Slayer froze.
"That is why you gave her the stake, right?"
Buffy squared her shoulders. "Ravesa was putting spells on people. Willow and Xander at least. How could I know she wouldn't try it on you?"
The blond vampire kept walking.
Damn it, why did she feel like she owed him an apology! "I know that you would never intentionally hurt Dawn, but Ravesa made Xander do...things with her. Right in front of Anya and everyone else at the Bronze.
Spike shook his head. "Too bad. Anya's a nice bird."
The Slayer stopped in her tracks at the sound of the vengeance demon's name. It made her feel funny to hear Spike complement Anya. It was clear that he found her attractive. Otherwise, he wouldn't have screwed her on a table at the Magic Box.
Buffy wanted to believe that her resolve about the end of her own affair with Spike would have held even if the vampire hadn't tried to rape her. But, the fact remained that his fling with Anya hurt her badly.
In silence, the Slayer and the Vampire crossed town and headed into the cemetery. When they got twenty yards or so from the crypt, Spike stopped and put the box down.
"Hey! No stalling now!" Buffy protested.
"Shh." Spike put a finger to her lips. "Don't you hear that?"
Buffy listened, but even with her Slayer-enhanced hearing she heard only the normal night sounds. "What is it?" she whispered. "Fledgling digging his way out."
Spike shook his head. "No. Not a vampire. Doesn't matter. Whatever it was, it's gone now." He bent back down for the box and all hell broke loose.
The heat and light from the blast reminded the vampire of the time Dru decided to redecorate their Madrid apartment. She started with the heavy velvet curtains. At two in the afternoon.
As Buffy was thrown backwards by the explosion, her only thought was that Spike had no place to go now that his crypt had blown up. Her cry of frustration was cut short when a chunk of masonry struck her head.
***
(Continued in Chapter 7)
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 6
Willow entered the ladies' restroom.
Ravesa was applying a fresh coat of lipstick. She leaned back from the mirror and smiled at the redhead's reflection. "Sorry I took so long."
"No problem." Willow said. "Um, there's something I need to talk to you about." She turned bright red.
Ravesa turned around. "What's the matter?"
"You might want to sit down."
The brunette shook her head. "I don't want to sit down, Willow. I want you to tell me what's going on?" she demanded.
Willow hoped that she wasn't about to destroy her relationship with Ravesa. She took a deep breath. "Are you doing magick?"
Rack's twin couldn't stop the smile. So it begins, she thought. "Took you a really long time to figure it out."
"Oh!" Willow exclaimed.
"I put a little spell on your friend, Xander." She laughed. "It didn't take much for him to make a fool of himself over me. Like a dog in rut."
"Why?" Willow cried in confusion.
"Wait, that's not all." Ravesa said cruelly. "For you, there was a binding spell. Made us soulmates, didn't it?" she clasped her hands together and fluttered her eyelashes mockingly.
"No!" Willow.
"Yes. And don't you want to know why?"
"Because of your relative that died," Willow blurted.
Ravesa was taken aback. "What did you say?"
"You came back to Sunnydale because you lost someone you love." She looked sympathetically at the brunette and continued. "You're hurting. I understand that."
"You understand?" Ravesa asked incredulously. "Is that supposed to make me feel better? Do you think that I came back to this godforsaken place that makes my skin crawl so that I could hear you say that you understand?"
"Of course not, Ravesa. I just...I just wanted you to know that I've had my own loss. And what you're trying to do won't work."
The dark-haired witch scoffed. "Won't work? Oh, it'll work."
Willow shook her head. "No, I tried. When Tara died, I used all my powers. But it wasn't meant to happen..."
"But you did anyway." Ravesa interrupted. "Now, it's my turn!"
"No, I know you loved this person. I can feel it. I can't help you raise him or her." pleaded Willow.
Ravesa laughed. "Is that what you think I'm here to do?" She laughed again, a short, bitter sound. "Wow, that's a big misunderstanding." She closed the distance between their bodies in three long-legged steps.
"I'm not here because I want to raise my brother from the dead. If that could be done, I would have accomplished it already." Ravesa took Willow's face in her hands and leaned in close, as if for a kiss. "I'm here to punish his killer and everyone she loves."
***
A twenty-minute mini-patrol that left just one vamp blowing in the wind was all Buffy was willing to risk. Nothing, no baddie was going to keep her from getting Spike out of her house tonight. She felt almost giddy with anticipation as she turned her key in the front door lock.
"I'm home!" She called out.
No answer.
Her elation turned to worry. There was no way that she beat Dawn and Spike home from the Bronze. Not unless they ran into trouble on the way back. Buffy ran to the phone and started pushing buttons before she realized that, like many people, she had never memorized her own cell phone number.
"Oh crap!" she cried. She knew she had it written down somewhere. Maybe in the little address book she hardly ever used. She dumped out her purse to search for it. A crumpled five dollar bill. Half roll of butterscotch Lifesavers. Emergency tampon. Ticket stub from last Saturday's matinee. And a vial of holy water. No address book.
Buffy dialed the first number that came to mind.
"Hel.."
"Xander! What's my cell phone number?"
"Huh?"
"I can't remember my number."
"Okay, look, I don't know it by heart, Buffy. I'll have to look it up on my Palm."
"Great!" she sighed with relief.
"Um, I'll have to get back to you. I can't talk right now." Click.
Buffy stared at the phone in shock. Xander hung up on her. He had never hung up on her before. Maybe it was an accident.
She hit redial.
***
Xander answered before the first ring stopped. "Hello?"
"You hung up on me." Buffy said in an aggrieved voice.
"I know. Sorry. I'm trying to leave the line open in case Anya calls. I've left her three dozen messages."
"Oh, you didn't catch up with her."
A hesitation. "Well, actually I did. But she made some very specific threats to my anatomy if I followed her. Right now, I'm skulking in the hallway outside her apartment, hoping she'll come home soon."
"I'm so sorry, Xan." Buffy consoled her best friend. "I hope she calls you. It was magick you know. Ravesa made you want to act that way with her."
Buffy didn't need to hear Xander sigh to sense his relief through the phone. "I thought it had to be something like that." He said happily. "But why?"
"I figured out that Ravesa was trying to split us all up so she could get Willow to go back to witchcraft."
"Again why?"
"Willow said that Ravesa came back to Sunnydale because a relative died. I think she wanted help in bringing this person back from the dead." Buffy explained. "Willow's going to talk to her, explain why resurrection spells are a bad idea."
"Not always, Buff. Not always." Xander said tenderly. "I know last year was really rough on you, but I'm so glad your back."
" I'm glad you're glad, but I really need you to dig out that Palm Pilot and give me my cell phone number. After you left, I gave Dawn my cell phone and told her to get Spike to take her home. Neither of them were here when I got back."
"Do you think he did something to her?"
Buffy thought about the stake she pressed upon her sister. "No. But I'm worried that they might have run into something nasty on the way home."
Xander retrieved the number and gave it to Buffy. "If you're really worried, maybe I should come over."
"No thanks. I think you're right where you belong. Hope Anya gets home soon so you two can start making up."
They said their goodbyes and Buffy dialed her cell phone number. It rang and rang, then finally picked up. "Dawn!"
Her own recorded voice responded. "Hi! You've reached the cell phone of Buffy Summers. Please leave a message and I'll get back to you."
Buffy hung up the phone. She wanted to believe that Dawn was okay. Surely she would know if her sister was hurt...or worse. But she couldn't help thinking about all the evil that roamed Sunnydale after dark. The knowledge that Dawn was probably with Spike was little comfort. What if Ravesa had placed a spell on the vampire as well? His restored soul had neutralized the chip, allowing him to hurt humans again. Would Dawn have the heart to defend herself against Spike if he turned on her?
Then she heard the motorbike outside her living room window. She jumped up and tore open the front door. Dawn and Spike stepped back in surprise. "Buffy?" The younger Summers gasped.
The Slayer grabbed her sister by the arm and hauled her into the house. "Oww! Buffy, you're hurting me!" Dawn screeched as the blonde forced her onto the sofa.
"Where have you been?" Buffy demanded. "I told you to come straight home."
"We stopped to get something to eat. We even brought you dinner. Show her Spike!"
The vampire was careful to stay out of staking range as he held up a greasy white paper bag. "The Nibblet had a yen for fish tacos."
Buffy looked abashed as she walked over to take the fast food.
"I was really hungry." Dawn explained. "So I asked Spike to stop at Taco Taco. It's only a block away from the Bronze. I didn't think you'd go psycho!"
Buffy dropped the bag of fish tacos on the coffee table and sat down next to Dawn. "I'm sorry, honey. I was just worried about you." She reached out to stroke her sister's hair.
Dawn brushed off the soothing gesture. "If you're so worried, why don't you go grocery shopping some time. I knew that there wouldn't be anything to eat here. There's never anything to eat here anymore now that Willow is spending all her time with Ravesa" The teen complained. "You don't even bring home stuff from the Doublemeat anymore. You just go to work or stay out all night long on patrol. If you're so worried, why do you leave Spike and me to fend for ourselves?"
It was true. Buffy couldn't remember the last time that she had brought home groceries or takeout or fresh pigs' blood. She'd been steering clear of the house at meal times in order to avoid Spike. "Dawnie, I'm sorry." She said. "And I promise that starting right now, things around here are going to change."
The Slayer stood up. "It's moving day, Spike."
***
Fool me once, shame on you. Anya thought. Fool me twice, I find some way to make you cry your eyes out.
A few months ago, when she was newly re-demonized and had tried to curse Xander for leaving her at the altar, Anya had felt powerless. This time around, she decided to take vengeance in some time-honored human fashion.
So what would it be, she mused as she looked around his apartment. She could burn all of his clothes and other personal possessions. Several of her past clients had done that and it seemed to produce copious weeping in their cheating men. But not surprisingly, materialistic Anya couldn't bring herself to torch her lover's belongings.
Okay, well she could show him that what is good for the goose was good for the gander. Or vice versa, since in this case it was the gander who decided to stray. Anya decided she would find one of Xander's friends and give them a lap dance in front of everyone at the Bronze. Yes, he'd cry when it was her doing the bump and grind.
Anya picked up the phone and paused. The only flaw in this plan was that Xander was short on male friends. In fact, she didn't know the name of a single male that her lover was on a first name basis with. Except for Giles. Okay, that's not really a first name basis or he'd call him Rupert. But Giles was in Asia on a month-long buoying trip for the Magic Box. Besides, after she and Giles kissed when Willow made them all have amnesia, Anya swore that she'd never explore that side of their partnership again.
C'mon. Who else could there be? Anya looked around for Xander's address book. Then she remembered. He threw it away when he got that stupid Palm Pilot as a reward for the parking garage coming in under budget and ahead of deadline. Okay, think! There must be someone that it would kill Xander to see me with.
Spike. The name came unbidden and she pushed it back to the furthest corners of her mind. It bounced right back. No one would hurt Xander more than Spike. The look on his face when he confronted them outside the Magic Box. Like she'd ripped his heart out and replaced it with a hot coal. Anya's moment of weakness almost destroyed him and almost all hope for a reconciliation.
And yet, they had reconciled. Just two weeks ago. That's why they were celebrating tonight. Having such a good time before Willow's friend joined them.
Anya froze. Everything had changed once that Ravesa woman came to the table. Buffy and Dawn tensed up. She herself got nervous because of all the questions about her amulet. And then, Ravesa made those awful insinuations about Spike.
Willow swore she didn't tell her friend any of the Scoobies' personal business, yet Anya was sure that Ravesa knew that Buffy and Spike had been lovers. And that she also had slept with the blond vampire.
That left one possibility. "Witchcraft." Anya laughed. "How could I have missed it. She put a spell on Willow to find out our secrets. And then she put a spell on my Xander to make him dance with her."
The vengeance demon's eyes narrowed. "Wait until I find her."
***
Meanwhile, Buffy stood outside her sister's door, knocking worriedly. "Open up, Dawnie!"
"Go away!" The teen shrieked.
"It's for your own good, Dawn. Eventually, you'll realize I'm right. I'm trying to give you a normal life. A vampire living in your basement isn't normal."
"No more abnormal than a witch sleeping in the bedroom down the hall." The younger Summers retorted.
"That's different and you know it." She snapped back. "Willow is my best friend. She's like family. She took care of you while I was dead."
Dawn yanked open the door wide enough to look at her sister. "So did Spike. He's still taking care of me. You asked him to stay until you found out what was up with creepy Ravesa."
Buffy seized on that. "Well, I did. Find out that is. Ravesa was using magick on Willow. Xander too for that matter. Hence the naughty touching."
"Why?"
"She wanted help reviving this dead relative of hers."
"Oh." For the first time, Dawn felt some sympathy for Ravesa. She had tried the same thing when her mother died.
Her sister pressed on. "Willow's going to tell her she can't do it. The danger, if there ever was one is over. Which is why it's time for Spike to leave."
Dawn glared at her sister and slammed her bedroom door shut.
Buffy sighed and headed downstairs.
A Manchester United game on the television. A pair of Doc Martaan's on the coffee table. Spike's white blond head half-hidden behind a magazine.
"You should be packing." She chided.
"Done." He indicated a cardboard box to the side of the couch.
"Good," replied Buffy. "We can leave as soon as I know Willow's on her way home. It'll only take me fifteen or twenty minutes to undo the charges."
The vampire didn't even look at her as he turned the page.
They sat in awkward silence for a couple minutes. Buffy felt that Spike was waiting for her to say something. She picked up the remote and turned the channel. Teeth filled the screen as Sandra Bullock hammed her way through a romantic comedy.
Spike snorted and turned another page.
Buffy felt her blood pressure rising. Before Spike left, she wanted him to prove that he could read that fast.
"About that bet..." she started.
He lowered the magazine and lifted a scarred eyebrow.
The phone rang. Buffy reluctantly answered it. "Hello?"
"Hi! Just wanted to let you know that everything's okay now."
"Willow, that's great." Buffy said with relief. "When you coming home?"
"Um...couple hours maybe. There's still some stuff that I want to talk about with Ravesa."
"Oh." Buffy couldn't hide her disappointment. "I was hoping that you'd be back soon so I could take the charges out of Spike's crypt. He's gotta go tonight, Will!"
Her best friend chuckled. "Okay. I'll head home. But since there's nothing to worry about from Ravesa anymore, can't you leave now?"
Buffy thought about it. "I guess. But hurry home. Dawn's upset and I don't want to leave her alone for long."
"Don't worry, she won't be."
***
Ravesa grinned at her captive. "She bought it."
Willow slumped in her bonds. She had hoped that Buffy wouldn't fall for the glamourie spun by the dark-haired witch. Now, her best friend was going to leave the most vulnerable member of the Scoobie's alone in the house.
***
Spike hefted the bulging box of his belongings. "I'll come back for the motorbike later." He told Buffy as they left for the cemetery.
"Fine. Just don't wake Dawn."
"Oh, you think she'll have cried herself to sleep by then?" he asked sarcastically.
Buffy gave Spike a hard stare. "Don't be so assured that Dawn won't be relieved that you're gone."
"Why? Because you told her that Willow's witchy friend might have put a spell on me, made me want to reconsider that offer of Summers' blood?"
The Slayer froze.
"That is why you gave her the stake, right?"
Buffy squared her shoulders. "Ravesa was putting spells on people. Willow and Xander at least. How could I know she wouldn't try it on you?"
The blond vampire kept walking.
Damn it, why did she feel like she owed him an apology! "I know that you would never intentionally hurt Dawn, but Ravesa made Xander do...things with her. Right in front of Anya and everyone else at the Bronze.
Spike shook his head. "Too bad. Anya's a nice bird."
The Slayer stopped in her tracks at the sound of the vengeance demon's name. It made her feel funny to hear Spike complement Anya. It was clear that he found her attractive. Otherwise, he wouldn't have screwed her on a table at the Magic Box.
Buffy wanted to believe that her resolve about the end of her own affair with Spike would have held even if the vampire hadn't tried to rape her. But, the fact remained that his fling with Anya hurt her badly.
In silence, the Slayer and the Vampire crossed town and headed into the cemetery. When they got twenty yards or so from the crypt, Spike stopped and put the box down.
"Hey! No stalling now!" Buffy protested.
"Shh." Spike put a finger to her lips. "Don't you hear that?"
Buffy listened, but even with her Slayer-enhanced hearing she heard only the normal night sounds. "What is it?" she whispered. "Fledgling digging his way out."
Spike shook his head. "No. Not a vampire. Doesn't matter. Whatever it was, it's gone now." He bent back down for the box and all hell broke loose.
The heat and light from the blast reminded the vampire of the time Dru decided to redecorate their Madrid apartment. She started with the heavy velvet curtains. At two in the afternoon.
As Buffy was thrown backwards by the explosion, her only thought was that Spike had no place to go now that his crypt had blown up. Her cry of frustration was cut short when a chunk of masonry struck her head.
***
(Continued in Chapter 7)
