Chapter 20
Buffy sighed and collapsed on the couch. She had fought with Joyce all night, over everything. Joyce didn't want to eat dinner, she didn't want to take a bath, and she wanted to watch music videos like the kids at the day care. She ignored Buffy completely, latching onto Spike and making it clear that she would only listen to him. But to Spike's credit, he did try to help get the child under control.
Finally, at nearly eleven o'clock, she had fallen asleep. Buffy decided to make a doctor's appointment first thing in the morning. Usually Joyce was especially difficult when she had an ear infection, and it wouldn't hurt to go in for a check-up anyway.
Spike had disappeared out the door, away from Joyce's screams and tantrums, at nine. He didn't say he would be back, and she honestly didn't know if she'd see him again. She didn't think he would just run off like that, but what did she know? She also never thought that Spike would hate her, but it appeared that he did now.
She was really tired of the tension between them. He was running hot and cold on her, and she didn't know what to do about it. Should she fight for him, and make him give her another chance? Or should she let him go gracefully? She suspected that Spike didn't want to continue fighting with her, but something was holding him back. Maybe it was the soul.
She felt exhausted, but not tired. She decided to watch some late night movie and try to relax. She wasn't eager to go to sleep. The night before she had the Dream again, the one she hadn't had in years. After they brought her back, she had it every night for nearly three years. It was always the same. The dark, suffocating, cold coffin. Digging her way through mud, but she never could break through. She would dig and dig and dig, but there was always more dirt. In her dreams, Spike wasn't waiting to pull her out and save her. Spike wasn't waiting to carry her home and bandage her..
***
".hands?" Dawn asked. It wasn't the most intelligent question, but she was far too stunned to think of anything else to say. Her sister was very much alive, standing before her, shivering, wet, with her dirty, bloody arms wrapped defensively around her body.
"Bit, go upstairs and start a bath. We'll be right up." Spike's voice was soft, but commanding. It never occurred to Dawn to question him.
"What are you going to do?" Xander demanded. He was nervous and frightened, and as a result, his voice had almost a shrill quality.
"I'm going to take her upstairs and clean her up," Spike said calmly.
"Shouldn't we do that?" Willow asked, "We're her friends."
Spike's voice remained calm, "You've done quite enough for one night." He didn't wait for the witch's response; instead he began helping Buffy up the stairs.
Buffy's eyes were glassy and blank, but she was aware of everything that was going on around her, and she was relieved that Spike was taking care of her. He knew how to be gentle. He knew what she needed. And he saved her from the cold darkness.
"Is there anything else you need me to do?" Dawn asked when they reached the bathroom.
"Find her some clean clothes to sleep in, and get her bed ready," Spike instructed, while he began removing Buffy's wet and filthy clothes.
"Spike?" Dawn asked.
Spike sighed, "Dawn, please go. I'll explain later."
She nodded and went across the hall to Buffy's room, shutting the door behind her. Spike reached over and locked it. He finished undressing her in silence, and then helped her step into the tub, full of hot water. He began gently washing the dirt away without breaking the silence.
"What happened?" She finally asked, when she was clean and relatively warm.
"I don't know," Spike said honestly. "I guess Willow's more powerful than we thought."
"She did this?"
"Willow and the other three. They didn't bother to inform me and Dawn of their plans," Spike said, and she could easily hear the anger in his voice.
"What would you have done if you had known?"
"Stopped them," he said simply. "I would have stopped them."
Spike stood abruptly and grabbed the large, fluffy towel that Dawn had placed on the toilet. He held it open for her, and she stepped out of the tub and into her arms. He wrapped it around her and held her close to his body. "Don't leave me tonight," she whispered.
"Never," he promised. "Come on now, you have to get some..
***
".sleep?" Spike asked.
"Huh?" Buffy asked groggily.
"How long have you been asleep?" Spike repeated, slowly. "Uh, I don't know. What time is it?"
"Around three."
Buffy yawned, "A couple hours. I guess I'll head up to bed. Did you just get in?"
"Yeah, a few minutes ago. Wanted to see if anything had changed."
"Has it?"
"Changed? Well, nobody knows who I am. Guess I have to rebuild my reputation." He smiled at her, "Started tonight by getting a spot of violence in."
"Good, I'm too exhausted to patrol," Buffy said, smiling. He looked and sounded more like the Spike she used to know. She considered this excellent progress. "You going to bed now?"
"Nah, I'm gonna eat something and watch some telly."
"Alright, here, let me pull the shades in case you fall asleep. I don't want to explain the big pile of ashes to Joyce tomorrow."
"I'm smarter than that, Slayer."
She laughed, "Whatever. I'll see you tomorrow."
Before she retired to her own room, she stopped to check on Joyce. From the door, the dark room looked perfectly normal and everything seemed all right. Buffy decided to risk waking her up by getting a closer look at her. Her heart always swelled at the sight of the sleeping girl, and Buffy knew she could watch her sleep for hours.
Buffy pulled the blankets back, and then stood frozen at the sight before her. She blinked her eyes several times, praying that she was still asleep and this was a dream. But every time she opened her eyes, the same thing greeted her.
The bed was empty. Save for a piece of paper and a curly lock of soft, red hair. In the dim light, it looked a little like blood. With a shaking hand, Buffy picked up the piece of paper and read the sparse words. She had to reread it three times before the words made sense.
In a daze, she turned and left the room. She walked down the stairs slowly, clutching the note tightly in her hand. She remembered the last time she felt like this. Over eleven years ago, when Glory stole Dawn, she felt these same feelings of helplessness and loss. She continued her way into the kitchen and sat down on the stool before her legs could give out.
"Buffy? Buffy, what's wrong?" Spike asked.
She dropped the note on the counter. Spike picked it up and scanned it. "Oh bloody hell," he muttered. "Do you know who this is from?"
"It's not signed," she said blankly.
"I know, but is there a new Big Bad in town? Anybody you've been fighting lately?"
"I don't know."
"Buffy, please. We won't find her if you can't help me."
"There's a vampire."
"Ok, who?"
"He's known as Corbett. We don't know for sure if he's in town, we've just heard rumors that he might be."
Spike frowned, "I've heard of him. Ok, is there anybody else."
"I don't know..I'd have to call Giles."
"Is he still around?" Spike asked. He assumed that the Watcher was either in England or dead.
"He's in Bath, but he helps me here when he can. I'll call him."
"How about Dawn and Xander?"
Buffy took a deep breath. "I don't know."
"You can call them tomorrow," Spike said.
"We should do something now."
"You call Giles, and then we'll go look for clues ok?"
"Right."
As she dialed the phone, Spike re-read the short note. Fear clutched him. He shouldn't have left the house. If he was here, nobody would have snuck into the house and stole his little girl.
"Giles? Did I wake you?" Pause. "Oh, right. Giles, I need your help. It's Joyce." Spike began gathering weapons. "Someone took her, we don't know who. We're going looking right now." He carefully avoided the cross in her weapons chest. "It could be Corbett, we don't know." Buffy paused for several minutes, and Spike set all the weapons down on the table. Stakes, a crossbow, and two axes. "Do you want us to meet you there? Dawn can pick you up. Oh no, it won't be a bother..well, if you're sure. Ok, see you then."
Buffy hung up the phone. "He should be here by late tonight."
"We'll find something tonight."
"Yeah," Buffy said, picking up the ax and carefully examining the blade. "Maybe ahead."
Spike read the note one more time before he slipped it into his pocket. He didn't need to though, the words were burned into his head.
I have the little witch. She may be dead by the time you find this note. She's cute though, maybe I'll keep her.
Buffy sighed and collapsed on the couch. She had fought with Joyce all night, over everything. Joyce didn't want to eat dinner, she didn't want to take a bath, and she wanted to watch music videos like the kids at the day care. She ignored Buffy completely, latching onto Spike and making it clear that she would only listen to him. But to Spike's credit, he did try to help get the child under control.
Finally, at nearly eleven o'clock, she had fallen asleep. Buffy decided to make a doctor's appointment first thing in the morning. Usually Joyce was especially difficult when she had an ear infection, and it wouldn't hurt to go in for a check-up anyway.
Spike had disappeared out the door, away from Joyce's screams and tantrums, at nine. He didn't say he would be back, and she honestly didn't know if she'd see him again. She didn't think he would just run off like that, but what did she know? She also never thought that Spike would hate her, but it appeared that he did now.
She was really tired of the tension between them. He was running hot and cold on her, and she didn't know what to do about it. Should she fight for him, and make him give her another chance? Or should she let him go gracefully? She suspected that Spike didn't want to continue fighting with her, but something was holding him back. Maybe it was the soul.
She felt exhausted, but not tired. She decided to watch some late night movie and try to relax. She wasn't eager to go to sleep. The night before she had the Dream again, the one she hadn't had in years. After they brought her back, she had it every night for nearly three years. It was always the same. The dark, suffocating, cold coffin. Digging her way through mud, but she never could break through. She would dig and dig and dig, but there was always more dirt. In her dreams, Spike wasn't waiting to pull her out and save her. Spike wasn't waiting to carry her home and bandage her..
***
".hands?" Dawn asked. It wasn't the most intelligent question, but she was far too stunned to think of anything else to say. Her sister was very much alive, standing before her, shivering, wet, with her dirty, bloody arms wrapped defensively around her body.
"Bit, go upstairs and start a bath. We'll be right up." Spike's voice was soft, but commanding. It never occurred to Dawn to question him.
"What are you going to do?" Xander demanded. He was nervous and frightened, and as a result, his voice had almost a shrill quality.
"I'm going to take her upstairs and clean her up," Spike said calmly.
"Shouldn't we do that?" Willow asked, "We're her friends."
Spike's voice remained calm, "You've done quite enough for one night." He didn't wait for the witch's response; instead he began helping Buffy up the stairs.
Buffy's eyes were glassy and blank, but she was aware of everything that was going on around her, and she was relieved that Spike was taking care of her. He knew how to be gentle. He knew what she needed. And he saved her from the cold darkness.
"Is there anything else you need me to do?" Dawn asked when they reached the bathroom.
"Find her some clean clothes to sleep in, and get her bed ready," Spike instructed, while he began removing Buffy's wet and filthy clothes.
"Spike?" Dawn asked.
Spike sighed, "Dawn, please go. I'll explain later."
She nodded and went across the hall to Buffy's room, shutting the door behind her. Spike reached over and locked it. He finished undressing her in silence, and then helped her step into the tub, full of hot water. He began gently washing the dirt away without breaking the silence.
"What happened?" She finally asked, when she was clean and relatively warm.
"I don't know," Spike said honestly. "I guess Willow's more powerful than we thought."
"She did this?"
"Willow and the other three. They didn't bother to inform me and Dawn of their plans," Spike said, and she could easily hear the anger in his voice.
"What would you have done if you had known?"
"Stopped them," he said simply. "I would have stopped them."
Spike stood abruptly and grabbed the large, fluffy towel that Dawn had placed on the toilet. He held it open for her, and she stepped out of the tub and into her arms. He wrapped it around her and held her close to his body. "Don't leave me tonight," she whispered.
"Never," he promised. "Come on now, you have to get some..
***
".sleep?" Spike asked.
"Huh?" Buffy asked groggily.
"How long have you been asleep?" Spike repeated, slowly. "Uh, I don't know. What time is it?"
"Around three."
Buffy yawned, "A couple hours. I guess I'll head up to bed. Did you just get in?"
"Yeah, a few minutes ago. Wanted to see if anything had changed."
"Has it?"
"Changed? Well, nobody knows who I am. Guess I have to rebuild my reputation." He smiled at her, "Started tonight by getting a spot of violence in."
"Good, I'm too exhausted to patrol," Buffy said, smiling. He looked and sounded more like the Spike she used to know. She considered this excellent progress. "You going to bed now?"
"Nah, I'm gonna eat something and watch some telly."
"Alright, here, let me pull the shades in case you fall asleep. I don't want to explain the big pile of ashes to Joyce tomorrow."
"I'm smarter than that, Slayer."
She laughed, "Whatever. I'll see you tomorrow."
Before she retired to her own room, she stopped to check on Joyce. From the door, the dark room looked perfectly normal and everything seemed all right. Buffy decided to risk waking her up by getting a closer look at her. Her heart always swelled at the sight of the sleeping girl, and Buffy knew she could watch her sleep for hours.
Buffy pulled the blankets back, and then stood frozen at the sight before her. She blinked her eyes several times, praying that she was still asleep and this was a dream. But every time she opened her eyes, the same thing greeted her.
The bed was empty. Save for a piece of paper and a curly lock of soft, red hair. In the dim light, it looked a little like blood. With a shaking hand, Buffy picked up the piece of paper and read the sparse words. She had to reread it three times before the words made sense.
In a daze, she turned and left the room. She walked down the stairs slowly, clutching the note tightly in her hand. She remembered the last time she felt like this. Over eleven years ago, when Glory stole Dawn, she felt these same feelings of helplessness and loss. She continued her way into the kitchen and sat down on the stool before her legs could give out.
"Buffy? Buffy, what's wrong?" Spike asked.
She dropped the note on the counter. Spike picked it up and scanned it. "Oh bloody hell," he muttered. "Do you know who this is from?"
"It's not signed," she said blankly.
"I know, but is there a new Big Bad in town? Anybody you've been fighting lately?"
"I don't know."
"Buffy, please. We won't find her if you can't help me."
"There's a vampire."
"Ok, who?"
"He's known as Corbett. We don't know for sure if he's in town, we've just heard rumors that he might be."
Spike frowned, "I've heard of him. Ok, is there anybody else."
"I don't know..I'd have to call Giles."
"Is he still around?" Spike asked. He assumed that the Watcher was either in England or dead.
"He's in Bath, but he helps me here when he can. I'll call him."
"How about Dawn and Xander?"
Buffy took a deep breath. "I don't know."
"You can call them tomorrow," Spike said.
"We should do something now."
"You call Giles, and then we'll go look for clues ok?"
"Right."
As she dialed the phone, Spike re-read the short note. Fear clutched him. He shouldn't have left the house. If he was here, nobody would have snuck into the house and stole his little girl.
"Giles? Did I wake you?" Pause. "Oh, right. Giles, I need your help. It's Joyce." Spike began gathering weapons. "Someone took her, we don't know who. We're going looking right now." He carefully avoided the cross in her weapons chest. "It could be Corbett, we don't know." Buffy paused for several minutes, and Spike set all the weapons down on the table. Stakes, a crossbow, and two axes. "Do you want us to meet you there? Dawn can pick you up. Oh no, it won't be a bother..well, if you're sure. Ok, see you then."
Buffy hung up the phone. "He should be here by late tonight."
"We'll find something tonight."
"Yeah," Buffy said, picking up the ax and carefully examining the blade. "Maybe ahead."
Spike read the note one more time before he slipped it into his pocket. He didn't need to though, the words were burned into his head.
I have the little witch. She may be dead by the time you find this note. She's cute though, maybe I'll keep her.
