***********************************TRApPeD**********************************
Thirteen: The Scene of the Crime
By Annie
2003-04-01
****************************************************************************
The Following Night - Regular time-frame.
Day Six.
8.45 p.m.
Buffy pulled her jacket together, buttoning it up as the chill of the air was making itself known. She was huddled behind a bush located twenty-or-so yards away from the house in which she had experienced things she would really just love to be able to get out of her head. What bliss if the un- spelling actually would have erased every last scrap of it from her mind. But. no such luck.
She was waiting.
It was payback time and she was certain it was going to be sweet.
The day had been slow, filled with nothing to do but homework and indulging herself in some boyfriend friendly cuddling activities... It was, after all, Saturday. But now it was Saturnight and she had been longing for it. Dying for it. She needed a good slay and though she hated to admit it she felt like she needed to blow off some steam. For various reasons - the operative one being her still lingering disbelief, abhor and anger with herself that she so completely had lost herself, had indulged herself in acts so heinous they weren't fit to even...think about.
She got herself out of the loop her mind constantly kept drifting back into. A loop where his hands and his eyes and his mouth played key rolls. And how she hated him for it. That good-for-nothing...
"Whatcha doin' lurkin' in the sodding shrubs and weeds?"
She swirled around so fast that she lost her balance and sat down in the grass, her gaze in the blue of his and the sudden tease in it made her hands grasp the straws under them, ripping them from their bed of earth carelessly.
"Sorry, love," he smirked, "didn't mean to knock you off your feet."
She glared at him; too annoyed to even think, much less speak. And she had thought this meeting would be awkward. Bah! Looking at him now made her realize why nothing was ever going to happen between him and her again. He was nothing but a... Nothing but a... Once she thought up a word good enough she'd add it to that sentence and thrash his face with it!
"So, you thinking 'bout going back in?" he asked, squatting down before her as he gazed over at the building.
"Are you seriously here to actually try to TALK with me?" she asked, getting on her knees and brushing the back of her coat before she rested her eyes in his. "Let me just give you one tiny hint - don't."
His smirk widened.
"Aw, but in there you were so talkative. Your lips were keeping themselves busy practically twenty-four-bloody-seven..." he replied, his eyes growing rather dangerous as he let them drift to the spoken body part. "You don't remember...?" he then asked and she narrowed her eyes.
Her heart was beginning to be a challenge and she looked away from him, turning her head to the object of her stake-out. Spike observed her profile in silence for a few minutes. When she refused to speak he shrugged, rising, and she turned her head to him again.
"Once the nasties get here you're gonna need back-up," he stated and she furrowed her brow questioningly. "I hear they're a big group of purebred antiSlayer and you'd do bloody well at..."
"Get down!" she hissed, reaching up a hand and pulling him back down.
He ducked his head slightly, trying to see what she seemed to have picked up on, but unable to detect anything out of the ordinary.
"I don't think you came here to help me," she now whispered, keeping her eyes on the building.
"No?" he asked. "And why did I come then, miss know-it-all?"
"You came here to bug the hell outta me so I'll lose my focus and get myself killed," she stated. "And you can nag my ear off - it's not gonna work."
He smiled at that, shaking his head a little at her.
"You know, for someone whom I hate you know me far too well, Slayer," he mumbled and she turned her head to him with a small wrinkle between her eyebrows.
He merely cocked an eyebrow before bringing a cigarette to his lips.
She rolled her eyes at him.
"Those things 'll kill ya," she said and he gave her a look as he brought out his lighter and put the flame by the tip. She met his gaze with her eyebrows raised, then added with a shrug: "Says so on the box."
"No, the box states that smoking is bad for your health, brainiac," he retorted. "Do you think they'd be so bloody stupid as to sodding consent to putting out a marketing campaign where they actually proclaim that smoking kills?"
"They could throw a 'might eventually' into the mix," she replied. "I mean, if it says that something 'might' be lethal in twenty to thirty years I think people tend to think little of it."
"Are you having a profound moment?" he asked.
"I might be, yeah," she nodded, once more looking toward the house.
"Please, spare me."
"Why do you think I started it?" she shot and he arched an eyebrow.
"Touché," he replied with a small smile and she gave him a look before the sound of voices had them both on immediate alert mode and they turned their heads to their right, from where the sound was approaching.
Soon ten vampires came strolling into view - three of them were carrying a body each, slung over one shoulder. They seemed perfectly unaware of what was awaiting them and Buffy smiled to herself, watching them walk across the street.
"That's a large band of brothers," Spike remarked. "You absolutely positive you wanna go in there all by your literally itsy-bitsy self?"
"What's that supposed to mean?" she asked, her gaze impatient as she turned it on him and he tried to look as well-meaning as he could, answering:
"Well, you're not exactly the largest specimen, are you?"
Her eyes grew a shade darker and he tilted his head to one side, observing her with the self-assurance of seeing how he was getting to her evident all over his posture.
"Neither are you," she then retorted and he smirked widely at that comeback before he watched her as she snuck out of the bushes and began to run toward the house, into which the vamps had now disappeared.
Buffy slowed down as she approached the sagging picket-fence - now as sad and worn off in color and texture as the actual building it surrounded - and then carefully made her way through the gap where there once had been a proud, waist-high gate.
She proceeded her sneaking by means of the over-grown walkway leading up to the stairs, in their turn taking her up to the front door. Pressing herself against the wall of the house she started the ascent. Stealthily continuing on her path up to the door she stopped before it, listening.
"Hear any munching?" Spike asked right behind her and she twirled around with a sharp breath in surprise. "Or sucking?" he added and she glared up at him.
"Shut up!" she hissed, turning back around.
"Oh, the re-live of old times past," he sighed. "How I wish it were me - I - down there with them... Feasting."
"If you don't shut up I'll have to get a needle, a thread, and then most happily do the job for you - understand?" she asked, voice low.
"You're making me shiver," he mumbled and she closed her eyes briefly at the slow sound of his voice. "Please, don't stop."
She glanced at him over her shoulder warningly before placing a hand on the doorknob and turning it.
"If you're only gonna be a nuisance: go - away," she demanded and he smiled at that.
"Not a chance in hell," he replied as they both stepped through the door and into the dark hall. "So," he grumbled as she slid the door closed and let the knob go, "back at the scene of the crime."
"You know, I remember this," she said, turning to face him and he cocked an eyebrow, meeting her gaze. "You following, annoying me - this is all very familiar. What I don't remember is what prompted this swipe of personalities," she now added and he blinked. "You're standing awfully close to me, fang boy. Back off or I'll not-accidentally mistake you for one of the others and you can have exactly what you want - to be part of the rest of the happy assembly, and munch dust down in the basement from now 'til the end of eternity."
He gave a small nod as he took a step back.
She gave him a long look, filled with both a threat and something close to a quizzical expression.
He just did something I asked without his mouth going off like it was the cavalry, she thought, rather perplexed. That was really...weird.
Spike followed her as she slowly made her way down the hallway.
"'Fang boy'," he then whispered, looking around him in the same manner that she was. "I like that. It has a nice, super-hero kinda ring to it," he added and she glanced at him disbelievingly.
He merely smirked.
"Stop," she whispered, reaching out an arm to block his way as they could hear shuffling of feet above their heads.
"Why don't we just run up there and take them out?" Spike asked.
"'Cause there's ten of them," she answered him.
"So? I can take five and I'm sure I'd be able to get rid of them fast enough to take on the three left after you do yours," he stated and her eyes flashed with growing impatience.
"Very funny," she muttered. "Okay... Let's just go up there and see what happens."
He eyed her for a second.
"Good plan," he then nodded, the hint of sarcasm not going by unnoticed and she gave him another glare before she began to ascend the stairs.
He waited for a few seconds and then slowly followed.
The first vamp was dust instantly and as the second and third approached her Buffy ducked, swirled around and got rid of those two just as quickly. Spike had just reached the top step of the stairs when three of the seven remaining fiends attacked her. He tilted his head to one side and leaned with one shoulder against the wall to his right, observing the scene.
She was one fast, sleek killing machine when she wanted to be. Wow. He watched the muscles of her legs work as she fought back a dark haired vamp by averting its blow and then kicking her right foot up so high it hit the pained creature in the side of the head. It went down - weakling - and she made no more of it before sinking her weapon through its ribcage.
She turned her head to the bleached one still reluctantly admiring her skill and then she gave him a small smirk.
"So far I've brought down four all by my self," she remarked. "How's that for 'itsy-bitsy'?"
He returned the smirk.
"You trying to prove yourself to me, Slayer?" he asked and her eyes grew hard with irritation right before she was tackled to the floor.
She kneed the red-haired vampire in the groin and then flipped it over her head as though it was made of cardboard. Spike raised his eyebrows, rather impressed. Looking to his left he met the eyes of one of the vamps, standing beside him and Spike came to the conclusion that it must have come up the stairs only moments after he had. It was seemingly also enjoying the show.
"And that was a pretty large chap too," Spike now said and the other vamp smiled widely, nodding.
The bleached one frowned, threw out an arm and pinned the other demon to the wall by its thick neck. Spike's grip was as tight and merciless as a claw and the vampire stared at him with growing disbelief. The former sighed, bringing out a stake from the small of his back and the vamp's eyes grew enormous.
"You cannot be...!" was all it had time to get out before his own kin made him into just another one-liner walk on.
Spike brushed at the ashes as he turned his head back to the fighting.
Buffy was just finishing off her sixth kill and then she turned to the leader who was reading out of a book clearly containing spells.
"Oh, no, you don't!" Buffy stated, running up to the vamp and snatching the book out of its hands. "You've caused enough trouble," she added, twirling around and throwing the book straight into the arms of the approaching Spike.
"There were two more," he said and she nodded.
"Yeah, they split," she replied.
"What?!" Spike exclaimed, incredulous tone in his voice before he shook his head. "You know, you really need to break them in," he added, eyes in the leader's. "You need to make them enjoy pain, you know? Get a kick outta it. Otherwise this is exactly what happens. You're standing in the middle of the battlefield with no one to watch your bloody back! Now, is that good sodding leadership?"
"Spike," Buffy said tiredly. "Just for one second shut up and let me deal with this."
He rolled his eyes to the ceiling, shaking his head once more as he turned away from her. Looking down at the book still in his arms he murmured something incoherent and Buffy once again rested her eyes in that of the leader.
"Are there more?" she asked.
"What?" the vamp asked back, his voice raspy and his gaze cold. "Vampires?"
She smiled with no humor.
"Nests like this one?" she wanted to know and the vamp shook its head.
"You're barking up the wrong tree, Slayer," it spat. "You think I'll rat out those who might eventually kill you?" it then snorted and she narrowed her eyes.
"If you give me information I'll make it quicker," she assured and now Spike chuckled.
She turned her head slowly to him, her eyes foreboding, but he didn't seem to mind.
"You couldn't stomach torturing someone, even if they happened to be a demon," he now stated. "I promise you, mate," he added with a look at the leader, "don't tell her anything, she wouldn't know slow from fast if she so had a bloody manual and a show's-you-how-to-do-it-step-by-step video. You have absolutely nothing at all to worry about."
Her features turned into a shadow-y disbelief and he looked at her fearlessly.
She shook her head at him, her right hand was still holding her stake and now she gripped it before putting it into the chest of the leader without so much as letting Spike's eyes go for the tenth of a second. Stepping away from the settling cloud of dust she stopped before the previous Big Bad with a gaze that could cut straight through stone.
"If you EVER do that again," she said and he smiled.
"That's all you've got though," he retorted. "'If I ever' this, 'if I ever' that... Threats," he shrugged, "never really did it for me."
She took a step closer and he suppressed the small smile in need of growth as he looked down into the thunderclaps of her eyes.
"And what," she began, voice practically shaking with held back anger, "would you say 'does it' for you?"
"Oh, sweetness," he mumbled, reaching up a hand and sliding it to cup her cheek. "Do you really need to ask?"
Her eyes were completely in lack of any emotion as she held his gaze. And after three long seconds she moved one arm and brushed his away, making his hand move as well.
"Don't touch me," she murmured, her jaw tight and her posture rigid.
He couldn't help but smirk as she got herself in motion and walked past him toward the stairs.
Had he done what he just had BEFORE their little imprisonment his hand would be broken in three places by now. Well, she sure as hell wouldn't have let it linger on her skin for those few breathless moments, that was for sure. She did remember. Question was - how hard was she trying to forget?
Stomping down the stairs she proceeded to look for the three bodies and once she found them she felt a sudden rush of helplessness pour through her. Looking down at two young women and an equally young man - they couldn't be over twenty-five either one of them - she felt a searing doubt in herself. In what she was trying to accomplish every night. Was it even worth anything when things like this still happened? People dying...
She disliked having thoughts like that enter her head; but once they did they usually stuck around for a while and she was crying softly to herself as she covered the bodies with old sheets that had been tossed over some of the left behind furniture - now in the same bad state as the whole property seemed to be in. This was when Spike joined her - coming down to stand in the doorway.
He stared at her, the comment he had been about to make got stuck somewhere on the way and he watched her in silence as she finished her work.
She didn't look at him. Seemed barely aware of his presence.
"You...did good up there," he finally got out and she turned her head to him. "Couldn't 've done better myself."
"Obviously," she retorted and he nodded.
"Right. Well."
"Right? Well?" she mimicked and he frowned slightly.
"You need someone to take whatever's bugging you out on?" he wondered and she crossed her arms over her chest, sniffling before she asked:
"Why? You volunteering?"
"Nah. Just saw this other house on the way here and thought it might be worth checking out," he replied and she shook her head, wiping her nose with the back of one hand.
"Don't try to make me feel better," she sighed and his eyebrows rose high.
"I was NOT bloody TRYING!" he disagreed and she gave him a look. "Hey, if I'd tried you'd BE feeling better," he added and she looked disbelieving.
"Something tells me that someone who thinks shoving railroad spikes through people's limbs isn't THAT good at making a person 'feel better'," she muttered, straightening out her jacket and drawing a breath before she squared her shoulders.
"Don't knock it 'til you've tried it," he retorted with a meaningful smirk and her eyes widened just a little before she walked past him into the hall.
"I'm leaving," she stated and he followed.
"Where to? The night's still young. Wanna go check out some cemeteries?"
"Spike, I don't even wanna look at you. You walk that way and I'll walk this way."
"After everything we've been through tonight?!" he gasped, mock-insult in his voice and she put a hand by her forehead with an exasperated look on her face as she descended the stairs of the front porch. "After everything we've been through - period?" he added; grabbing her arm, making her stop and turn around to face him. "I know you know what happened in that basement, Buffy. I know you remember all of it," he stated and she huffed.
"You wish, don't you?" she retorted and one of his eyebrows rose as the cockiness became clear on him.
"Why should I?" he inquired and she smiled sweetly.
"You tell me," she shot. "It just seems like it to little old, itsy-bitsy me. Actually you almost border on desperate... So tell me, Spike," she added, taking a step closer to him and tilting her head back to look up at him. "What happened?"
"Watch it," he mumbled, his face drawing closer to hers and Buffy felt her heart begin to beat harder as he added: "Or I just might."
"Keep wishing," she murmured, pulling away from him, turning and leaving him standing where he was - feeling his eyes on her back as she made her way towards wherever he wasn't.
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Oh, goddie! Thank you all for the marvelous treats! I'm so glad you liked that! Hope you did this too! Luv ya!
Specialty special thanks to Johanna (can't thank you enough for that encouragement!), Night (I was so happy to read that! Great that you like it! And *smile* yeah, real life is so BAD!), charisma1525 (hehe, you make me *grin*), LizDarcy (*snicker* The shake of Buffy - yeah, I recognize that.) ;), shadowschild (wow, thanks a lot for that compliment. So glad you think that!) :), Heather (*wide smile*) ;), Pine (*lol* Seems like no one really likes poor Riley. Why, it just breaks my heart. *LOL*) ;), Falcon- Rider (really? Did you like it then?) :), Captain (oooh, YOU make ME all warm and fuzzy inside! Thank you!), Haley (isn't she just the best? *smirk* Well... hehe, hope you enjoyed this.), Charlie (you'll see and hey, WOW at the compliments here. *fanning herself* Thank you!) and wolf116 (I'm sorry, but yeah, I HAD to! Believe me, I wouldn't have unless his such an annoying part of the show in this frame of time... Hmm, a truck, you say?) ;).
Thank you all so very much from the bottom of my heart for continuing your unbelievable feedback! I'm very humble before you and I really hope you did like this as well...
A.M.L, Annie.
Thirteen: The Scene of the Crime
By Annie
2003-04-01
****************************************************************************
The Following Night - Regular time-frame.
Day Six.
8.45 p.m.
Buffy pulled her jacket together, buttoning it up as the chill of the air was making itself known. She was huddled behind a bush located twenty-or-so yards away from the house in which she had experienced things she would really just love to be able to get out of her head. What bliss if the un- spelling actually would have erased every last scrap of it from her mind. But. no such luck.
She was waiting.
It was payback time and she was certain it was going to be sweet.
The day had been slow, filled with nothing to do but homework and indulging herself in some boyfriend friendly cuddling activities... It was, after all, Saturday. But now it was Saturnight and she had been longing for it. Dying for it. She needed a good slay and though she hated to admit it she felt like she needed to blow off some steam. For various reasons - the operative one being her still lingering disbelief, abhor and anger with herself that she so completely had lost herself, had indulged herself in acts so heinous they weren't fit to even...think about.
She got herself out of the loop her mind constantly kept drifting back into. A loop where his hands and his eyes and his mouth played key rolls. And how she hated him for it. That good-for-nothing...
"Whatcha doin' lurkin' in the sodding shrubs and weeds?"
She swirled around so fast that she lost her balance and sat down in the grass, her gaze in the blue of his and the sudden tease in it made her hands grasp the straws under them, ripping them from their bed of earth carelessly.
"Sorry, love," he smirked, "didn't mean to knock you off your feet."
She glared at him; too annoyed to even think, much less speak. And she had thought this meeting would be awkward. Bah! Looking at him now made her realize why nothing was ever going to happen between him and her again. He was nothing but a... Nothing but a... Once she thought up a word good enough she'd add it to that sentence and thrash his face with it!
"So, you thinking 'bout going back in?" he asked, squatting down before her as he gazed over at the building.
"Are you seriously here to actually try to TALK with me?" she asked, getting on her knees and brushing the back of her coat before she rested her eyes in his. "Let me just give you one tiny hint - don't."
His smirk widened.
"Aw, but in there you were so talkative. Your lips were keeping themselves busy practically twenty-four-bloody-seven..." he replied, his eyes growing rather dangerous as he let them drift to the spoken body part. "You don't remember...?" he then asked and she narrowed her eyes.
Her heart was beginning to be a challenge and she looked away from him, turning her head to the object of her stake-out. Spike observed her profile in silence for a few minutes. When she refused to speak he shrugged, rising, and she turned her head to him again.
"Once the nasties get here you're gonna need back-up," he stated and she furrowed her brow questioningly. "I hear they're a big group of purebred antiSlayer and you'd do bloody well at..."
"Get down!" she hissed, reaching up a hand and pulling him back down.
He ducked his head slightly, trying to see what she seemed to have picked up on, but unable to detect anything out of the ordinary.
"I don't think you came here to help me," she now whispered, keeping her eyes on the building.
"No?" he asked. "And why did I come then, miss know-it-all?"
"You came here to bug the hell outta me so I'll lose my focus and get myself killed," she stated. "And you can nag my ear off - it's not gonna work."
He smiled at that, shaking his head a little at her.
"You know, for someone whom I hate you know me far too well, Slayer," he mumbled and she turned her head to him with a small wrinkle between her eyebrows.
He merely cocked an eyebrow before bringing a cigarette to his lips.
She rolled her eyes at him.
"Those things 'll kill ya," she said and he gave her a look as he brought out his lighter and put the flame by the tip. She met his gaze with her eyebrows raised, then added with a shrug: "Says so on the box."
"No, the box states that smoking is bad for your health, brainiac," he retorted. "Do you think they'd be so bloody stupid as to sodding consent to putting out a marketing campaign where they actually proclaim that smoking kills?"
"They could throw a 'might eventually' into the mix," she replied. "I mean, if it says that something 'might' be lethal in twenty to thirty years I think people tend to think little of it."
"Are you having a profound moment?" he asked.
"I might be, yeah," she nodded, once more looking toward the house.
"Please, spare me."
"Why do you think I started it?" she shot and he arched an eyebrow.
"Touché," he replied with a small smile and she gave him a look before the sound of voices had them both on immediate alert mode and they turned their heads to their right, from where the sound was approaching.
Soon ten vampires came strolling into view - three of them were carrying a body each, slung over one shoulder. They seemed perfectly unaware of what was awaiting them and Buffy smiled to herself, watching them walk across the street.
"That's a large band of brothers," Spike remarked. "You absolutely positive you wanna go in there all by your literally itsy-bitsy self?"
"What's that supposed to mean?" she asked, her gaze impatient as she turned it on him and he tried to look as well-meaning as he could, answering:
"Well, you're not exactly the largest specimen, are you?"
Her eyes grew a shade darker and he tilted his head to one side, observing her with the self-assurance of seeing how he was getting to her evident all over his posture.
"Neither are you," she then retorted and he smirked widely at that comeback before he watched her as she snuck out of the bushes and began to run toward the house, into which the vamps had now disappeared.
Buffy slowed down as she approached the sagging picket-fence - now as sad and worn off in color and texture as the actual building it surrounded - and then carefully made her way through the gap where there once had been a proud, waist-high gate.
She proceeded her sneaking by means of the over-grown walkway leading up to the stairs, in their turn taking her up to the front door. Pressing herself against the wall of the house she started the ascent. Stealthily continuing on her path up to the door she stopped before it, listening.
"Hear any munching?" Spike asked right behind her and she twirled around with a sharp breath in surprise. "Or sucking?" he added and she glared up at him.
"Shut up!" she hissed, turning back around.
"Oh, the re-live of old times past," he sighed. "How I wish it were me - I - down there with them... Feasting."
"If you don't shut up I'll have to get a needle, a thread, and then most happily do the job for you - understand?" she asked, voice low.
"You're making me shiver," he mumbled and she closed her eyes briefly at the slow sound of his voice. "Please, don't stop."
She glanced at him over her shoulder warningly before placing a hand on the doorknob and turning it.
"If you're only gonna be a nuisance: go - away," she demanded and he smiled at that.
"Not a chance in hell," he replied as they both stepped through the door and into the dark hall. "So," he grumbled as she slid the door closed and let the knob go, "back at the scene of the crime."
"You know, I remember this," she said, turning to face him and he cocked an eyebrow, meeting her gaze. "You following, annoying me - this is all very familiar. What I don't remember is what prompted this swipe of personalities," she now added and he blinked. "You're standing awfully close to me, fang boy. Back off or I'll not-accidentally mistake you for one of the others and you can have exactly what you want - to be part of the rest of the happy assembly, and munch dust down in the basement from now 'til the end of eternity."
He gave a small nod as he took a step back.
She gave him a long look, filled with both a threat and something close to a quizzical expression.
He just did something I asked without his mouth going off like it was the cavalry, she thought, rather perplexed. That was really...weird.
Spike followed her as she slowly made her way down the hallway.
"'Fang boy'," he then whispered, looking around him in the same manner that she was. "I like that. It has a nice, super-hero kinda ring to it," he added and she glanced at him disbelievingly.
He merely smirked.
"Stop," she whispered, reaching out an arm to block his way as they could hear shuffling of feet above their heads.
"Why don't we just run up there and take them out?" Spike asked.
"'Cause there's ten of them," she answered him.
"So? I can take five and I'm sure I'd be able to get rid of them fast enough to take on the three left after you do yours," he stated and her eyes flashed with growing impatience.
"Very funny," she muttered. "Okay... Let's just go up there and see what happens."
He eyed her for a second.
"Good plan," he then nodded, the hint of sarcasm not going by unnoticed and she gave him another glare before she began to ascend the stairs.
He waited for a few seconds and then slowly followed.
The first vamp was dust instantly and as the second and third approached her Buffy ducked, swirled around and got rid of those two just as quickly. Spike had just reached the top step of the stairs when three of the seven remaining fiends attacked her. He tilted his head to one side and leaned with one shoulder against the wall to his right, observing the scene.
She was one fast, sleek killing machine when she wanted to be. Wow. He watched the muscles of her legs work as she fought back a dark haired vamp by averting its blow and then kicking her right foot up so high it hit the pained creature in the side of the head. It went down - weakling - and she made no more of it before sinking her weapon through its ribcage.
She turned her head to the bleached one still reluctantly admiring her skill and then she gave him a small smirk.
"So far I've brought down four all by my self," she remarked. "How's that for 'itsy-bitsy'?"
He returned the smirk.
"You trying to prove yourself to me, Slayer?" he asked and her eyes grew hard with irritation right before she was tackled to the floor.
She kneed the red-haired vampire in the groin and then flipped it over her head as though it was made of cardboard. Spike raised his eyebrows, rather impressed. Looking to his left he met the eyes of one of the vamps, standing beside him and Spike came to the conclusion that it must have come up the stairs only moments after he had. It was seemingly also enjoying the show.
"And that was a pretty large chap too," Spike now said and the other vamp smiled widely, nodding.
The bleached one frowned, threw out an arm and pinned the other demon to the wall by its thick neck. Spike's grip was as tight and merciless as a claw and the vampire stared at him with growing disbelief. The former sighed, bringing out a stake from the small of his back and the vamp's eyes grew enormous.
"You cannot be...!" was all it had time to get out before his own kin made him into just another one-liner walk on.
Spike brushed at the ashes as he turned his head back to the fighting.
Buffy was just finishing off her sixth kill and then she turned to the leader who was reading out of a book clearly containing spells.
"Oh, no, you don't!" Buffy stated, running up to the vamp and snatching the book out of its hands. "You've caused enough trouble," she added, twirling around and throwing the book straight into the arms of the approaching Spike.
"There were two more," he said and she nodded.
"Yeah, they split," she replied.
"What?!" Spike exclaimed, incredulous tone in his voice before he shook his head. "You know, you really need to break them in," he added, eyes in the leader's. "You need to make them enjoy pain, you know? Get a kick outta it. Otherwise this is exactly what happens. You're standing in the middle of the battlefield with no one to watch your bloody back! Now, is that good sodding leadership?"
"Spike," Buffy said tiredly. "Just for one second shut up and let me deal with this."
He rolled his eyes to the ceiling, shaking his head once more as he turned away from her. Looking down at the book still in his arms he murmured something incoherent and Buffy once again rested her eyes in that of the leader.
"Are there more?" she asked.
"What?" the vamp asked back, his voice raspy and his gaze cold. "Vampires?"
She smiled with no humor.
"Nests like this one?" she wanted to know and the vamp shook its head.
"You're barking up the wrong tree, Slayer," it spat. "You think I'll rat out those who might eventually kill you?" it then snorted and she narrowed her eyes.
"If you give me information I'll make it quicker," she assured and now Spike chuckled.
She turned her head slowly to him, her eyes foreboding, but he didn't seem to mind.
"You couldn't stomach torturing someone, even if they happened to be a demon," he now stated. "I promise you, mate," he added with a look at the leader, "don't tell her anything, she wouldn't know slow from fast if she so had a bloody manual and a show's-you-how-to-do-it-step-by-step video. You have absolutely nothing at all to worry about."
Her features turned into a shadow-y disbelief and he looked at her fearlessly.
She shook her head at him, her right hand was still holding her stake and now she gripped it before putting it into the chest of the leader without so much as letting Spike's eyes go for the tenth of a second. Stepping away from the settling cloud of dust she stopped before the previous Big Bad with a gaze that could cut straight through stone.
"If you EVER do that again," she said and he smiled.
"That's all you've got though," he retorted. "'If I ever' this, 'if I ever' that... Threats," he shrugged, "never really did it for me."
She took a step closer and he suppressed the small smile in need of growth as he looked down into the thunderclaps of her eyes.
"And what," she began, voice practically shaking with held back anger, "would you say 'does it' for you?"
"Oh, sweetness," he mumbled, reaching up a hand and sliding it to cup her cheek. "Do you really need to ask?"
Her eyes were completely in lack of any emotion as she held his gaze. And after three long seconds she moved one arm and brushed his away, making his hand move as well.
"Don't touch me," she murmured, her jaw tight and her posture rigid.
He couldn't help but smirk as she got herself in motion and walked past him toward the stairs.
Had he done what he just had BEFORE their little imprisonment his hand would be broken in three places by now. Well, she sure as hell wouldn't have let it linger on her skin for those few breathless moments, that was for sure. She did remember. Question was - how hard was she trying to forget?
Stomping down the stairs she proceeded to look for the three bodies and once she found them she felt a sudden rush of helplessness pour through her. Looking down at two young women and an equally young man - they couldn't be over twenty-five either one of them - she felt a searing doubt in herself. In what she was trying to accomplish every night. Was it even worth anything when things like this still happened? People dying...
She disliked having thoughts like that enter her head; but once they did they usually stuck around for a while and she was crying softly to herself as she covered the bodies with old sheets that had been tossed over some of the left behind furniture - now in the same bad state as the whole property seemed to be in. This was when Spike joined her - coming down to stand in the doorway.
He stared at her, the comment he had been about to make got stuck somewhere on the way and he watched her in silence as she finished her work.
She didn't look at him. Seemed barely aware of his presence.
"You...did good up there," he finally got out and she turned her head to him. "Couldn't 've done better myself."
"Obviously," she retorted and he nodded.
"Right. Well."
"Right? Well?" she mimicked and he frowned slightly.
"You need someone to take whatever's bugging you out on?" he wondered and she crossed her arms over her chest, sniffling before she asked:
"Why? You volunteering?"
"Nah. Just saw this other house on the way here and thought it might be worth checking out," he replied and she shook her head, wiping her nose with the back of one hand.
"Don't try to make me feel better," she sighed and his eyebrows rose high.
"I was NOT bloody TRYING!" he disagreed and she gave him a look. "Hey, if I'd tried you'd BE feeling better," he added and she looked disbelieving.
"Something tells me that someone who thinks shoving railroad spikes through people's limbs isn't THAT good at making a person 'feel better'," she muttered, straightening out her jacket and drawing a breath before she squared her shoulders.
"Don't knock it 'til you've tried it," he retorted with a meaningful smirk and her eyes widened just a little before she walked past him into the hall.
"I'm leaving," she stated and he followed.
"Where to? The night's still young. Wanna go check out some cemeteries?"
"Spike, I don't even wanna look at you. You walk that way and I'll walk this way."
"After everything we've been through tonight?!" he gasped, mock-insult in his voice and she put a hand by her forehead with an exasperated look on her face as she descended the stairs of the front porch. "After everything we've been through - period?" he added; grabbing her arm, making her stop and turn around to face him. "I know you know what happened in that basement, Buffy. I know you remember all of it," he stated and she huffed.
"You wish, don't you?" she retorted and one of his eyebrows rose as the cockiness became clear on him.
"Why should I?" he inquired and she smiled sweetly.
"You tell me," she shot. "It just seems like it to little old, itsy-bitsy me. Actually you almost border on desperate... So tell me, Spike," she added, taking a step closer to him and tilting her head back to look up at him. "What happened?"
"Watch it," he mumbled, his face drawing closer to hers and Buffy felt her heart begin to beat harder as he added: "Or I just might."
"Keep wishing," she murmured, pulling away from him, turning and leaving him standing where he was - feeling his eyes on her back as she made her way towards wherever he wasn't.
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Oh, goddie! Thank you all for the marvelous treats! I'm so glad you liked that! Hope you did this too! Luv ya!
Specialty special thanks to Johanna (can't thank you enough for that encouragement!), Night (I was so happy to read that! Great that you like it! And *smile* yeah, real life is so BAD!), charisma1525 (hehe, you make me *grin*), LizDarcy (*snicker* The shake of Buffy - yeah, I recognize that.) ;), shadowschild (wow, thanks a lot for that compliment. So glad you think that!) :), Heather (*wide smile*) ;), Pine (*lol* Seems like no one really likes poor Riley. Why, it just breaks my heart. *LOL*) ;), Falcon- Rider (really? Did you like it then?) :), Captain (oooh, YOU make ME all warm and fuzzy inside! Thank you!), Haley (isn't she just the best? *smirk* Well... hehe, hope you enjoyed this.), Charlie (you'll see and hey, WOW at the compliments here. *fanning herself* Thank you!) and wolf116 (I'm sorry, but yeah, I HAD to! Believe me, I wouldn't have unless his such an annoying part of the show in this frame of time... Hmm, a truck, you say?) ;).
Thank you all so very much from the bottom of my heart for continuing your unbelievable feedback! I'm very humble before you and I really hope you did like this as well...
A.M.L, Annie.