*********************************TRApPeD************************************
Thirty-Eight: The Best of Intentions
By Annie
2003-06-08
**************************************************************************** *
Day Thirty-Four.
8.59 a.m.
Willow looked up from where she was seated on her bed the next morning when Buffy opened, stepped through and then closed the door of the dorm room. The former was squeezing one of her favorite stuffed animals, a big white dog, and she looked rather thoughtful.
"Hey," Buffy said as she closed the door and then approached the foot of the bed.
"Hey," Willow replied. "You okay?" she added at the exasperated expression on her friend's face.
"Yeah," the latter answered, "just..." Trailing off she smiled dismissively before adding: "I don't wanna talk about it... I wanna hear about you and Oz," she continued, putting her bag down on the wooden chest to her left and then removing her jacket as she finished: "You saw him, right?"
Willow nodded a little.
"I was with him all night," she then replied and Buffy's eyes grew slightly.
"All night?!" she repeated, sitting down on the edge of the bed. "Oh, my God! ...Wait... Last night was a wolf moon, right?"
"Yep," Willow confirmed.
"Either you're about to tell me something incredibly kinky or..." Buffy began, but Willow interrupted with a small smile.
"No kink," she said, pausing for a few seconds before she continued: "He didn't change, Buffy. He said he was gonna find a cure and he did. In... Tibet."
"Oh my God!" Buffy once more exclaimed. "I can't believe it! Okay... I'm all with the woo-hoo here, and... you're not," she added, rather wondering, and Willow raised her eyebrows slightly.
"No, there's woo! And hoo," she then assured. "But there's oh-oh, and why now...? And... it's complicated."
Buffy looked at her.
"Why complicated?" she asked, perplexed.
Willow drew a breath, then sighed.
"It's complicated," she answered, "because of Tara."
"You mean Tara has a crush on Oz?!" Buffy wondered, surprised and disbelieving. Then she shook her head a little, adding: "No, you..." Trailing off her eyes widened and she straightened her posture slightly. "Oh!" she said as she came to understand toward where Willow was going. "Oh," she then repeated and got to her feet. "Well, that's great!" she stated, beginning to as casually as possible move about the room though she felt as though her head was about to explode with questions. To keep it from actually doing so she hurried herself into speaking mode, saying: "You know... I mean, I think Tara is a great girl, Will."
"She is!" Willow nodded. "And there's something between us. It wasn't something I was looking for... It's just powerful. And it's totally different from what Oz and I have."
"Well, there you go, I mean... you know, you have to follow your heart, Will," Buffy now stated. "I mean, that's what's important, Will."
"Why do you keep saying my name like that?" Willow asked, furrowing her brow.
"Like what, Will?" Buffy asked back, stopping on the other side of the bed and looking down at her friend who now slowly sat herself up and leaned a little forward before she inquired:
"Are you freaked?"
"What?!" Buffy exclaimed. "No, Will..." She interrupted herself, frowning a little at herself before directing her gaze firmly in Willow's as she continued: "No. Absolutely 'no' to that question." Sitting down before the redhead again she added: "I'm glad you told me... I just can't help but wonder why you didn't...?"
As Buffy trailed off Willow's eyes lit up with realization before she filled in:
"Why I didn't tell you when you told me about Spike?"
"Yeah..." Buffy admitted. "I mean, wouldn't it have been the great opportunity? The window you'd been looking for? Bonding time. I spill my secrets, you spill yours?"
Willow eyed her for a few seconds before she replied:
"Lotta spilling, though."
"Yeah," Buffy agreed, adopting the formers fake-serenity.
"Mopping it up wouldn't have been all that fun," Willow then pointed out and Buffy nodded.
"True."
At that Willow smiled and Buffy returned it. Then they both let the actual seriousness of the conversation take hold again and Willow said:
"I just didn't wanna... you know. I didn't have that overwhelming 'pow' feeling that I should tell you that I'm kinda... with a girl."
Buffy smiled a crooked smile.
"How do we get ourselves into these messes? Well, not that your relationship is abnormal - like mine! But just, perhaps, not as we would have seen ourselves two or so years ago?"
Willow smirked at that.
"We live in Sunnydale; the future is unpredictable; you don't choose who you love..." she then replied before encouraging: "Take your pick."
"I think I need a few more options," Buffy sighed and Willow shook her head.
"Sorry. It's a mark A, B or C with an X sort of deal."
Buffy smiled slightly, then reached out and took one of Willow's hands in her own.
"I'm really glad that you told me," she said again and Willow returned her smile.
"Me too."
Buffy paused, then asked:
"What did you say to Oz?"
"I was gonna tell him..." Willow answered. "But then we just started to hang out and I could feel everything coming back... He's Oz, you know?"
"Yeah," Buffy agreed. "I know."
Willow's expression became rather filled with sadness, streaked with something close to agony. Her hand squeezed the Slayer's tighter as she said:
"I don't wanna hurt anyone, Buffy."
"No matter what," Buffy replied, as soothingly as she could: "somebody's gonna get hurt. And the important thing is: you just have to be honest, or it's gonna be a lot worse..."
Willow nodded and then they embraced in a tight hug.
***
11.06 a.m.
It was natural for her to care about that wishy-washy, bleak and weak excuse for a man. She had, after all, for a brief time allowed herself to feel something for him.
Spike turned onto his back on the sarcophagus, sighing.
What if she still felt it? Something like that didn't just go away. He didn't trust that wanker either. If he could, the bleached was rather certain, the human would try to win her back.
And Spike wasn't sure what she felt for HIM. It wasn't like she had declared them a couple... Or that they were even dating, sort of. All they did was shag, wasn't it? And talk about this and that... sometimes. It wasn't like they were trading life... or un-life stories. Like they knew the other inside and out. It wasn't like she was professing their whatever relationship to the world, or at least HER world... was it?
It's barely been a week, something grumbled in the back of his mind, irritated. A week! And you're already growing paranoid. You ARE insecure. You're so sodding insecure you'd rather have it end on a high note than stick with it. If you leave her...
He shook his head.
She'll leave me...
Stop this! It's bloody madness!
Right. That's right. Thinking that I can provide anything good for her IS downright madness. I'm buggered, I love her, and I can't stop. But I can do the right thing and...
And what?! You're not reasoning with yourself here, you're trying to persuade yourself to do something that every fiber in you screams no to. You're bloody insane!
Exactly. Bloody insane to think that I can prove myself to her. Ever. How could she ever love me back? It's painful to be without her, but being with her without having her completely there is torture!
Imagine her here.
Soft smile, gentle gaze, blonde hair, curves and tanned skin... An image of all that was worth anything. He could imagine her there...
Now watch her be pushed away by YOU, you bleeding fool. Are you gonna let her go? You'll miss her so much it'll be the second and very real death of you. You've gone over this already, remember?
Yes, I remember perfectly well, bloody hell! And I'll go over it a thousand sodding times till I get it right!
What's right is you with her. She's changed you.
No, she hasn't.
Yeah, she has.
No! I don't NEED her! I won't crumple up and disappear if I don't have her with me! She won't ever trust me enough for this to be real! The only reason she's with me now is 'cause I'm leashed!
He clenched his jaws together as he reminded himself of the damn chip infesting his being.
Would she really be all relaxed around him if he was a true threat again?
The noise of slow and extremely thumping steps across the floor to his left made him glide out of his musings and have his vampire senses all be set on immediate alert. Meeting the hand being brought down to strike by the perpetrator, with his own left hand, he kept his eyes closed as he said:
"By the sound of those massive mud-flaps I'd peg you as a demon; which means you're in for a world of..." Opening his eyes and seeing the immense form standing by the side of where he lay he trailed off, stared, and then sat up; finishing: "...pain."
Getting the blanket off of him before removing himself off the sarcophagus he then moved to stand a few feet away from the demon.
Adam.
It had to be.
As Spike rose Adam spoke.
"Spike," he said, voice dark. "I want you to come with me."
Spike eyed him suspiciously as well as hesitantly. He had seen with his own two blues what this guy did to the demons he encountered. Cutting them open like a fish on a stick. That really wasn't the sorta contact he was looking to make, nor did he believe that was what Buffy had intended for him.
Okay, he told himself. Stay sharp. Try his strength.
"Do you?" he therefore asked. "Well, let's go then," he added with a shrug, about to turn away when he swirled back and punched the beast in the stomach.
His knuckles connected with soft tissue and then something he could only class as metal beneath it. It hurt like hell. Adam didn't even flinch.
"Ao," Spike grumbled, facing the other once more.
"Come," Adam now said, taking a step forward and having Spike, in self- preservation, take one back; still eyeing the former, now with a hint of fearful edginess. "You are going to help me with my problem," Adam added and Spike blinked.
"Why's that exactly?" he then asked.
"I'm going to help you with yours," Adam replied.
Ten minutes later the master plan had been unfolded. Spike had to hand it to the scraps-of-humans-and-not-so-muchs: the Initiative had made sure to give him a pretty bloody big brain. He also had to admit that he wasn't sure that he disliked the proposition the other had just placed on the table.
"Well, that sounds like a lotta fun," he now smirked.
"You see my problem, though?" Adam inquired. "Total destruction of the humans doesn't help me. I need heavy casualties on both sides."
"I get that," Spike nodded. "I'm still not sure where the Slayer fits in."
"The humans need a leader," Adam answered him. "A champion. The Slayer can do that."
"Yeah," Spike said slowly. "The thing about the Slayer is: she is a whiny little thing, but when it comes to the fighting she does have a slight tendency to win."
Adam looked at him, stating:
"Then I guess you should be on her side."
Spike let a tentative smile grow onto his features, laced with an irony he was sure the other demon couldn't read before he replied:
"This all goes down, the chip comes out, yeah? No tricks?"
"Scouts honour," Adam assured and Spike gave him an incredulous look at that.
"YOU were a boy scout?" he then asked.
"Parts of me," came the reply.
***
1.22 p.m.
Buffy pulled on a clean sweater and grabbed her brush off the desk by the door. Standing in front of her mirror she quickly began to sort out her tangled locks and got to thinking of five particular days when she hadn't had access to such a device. When her hair had been dusty and completely messed up until... Until a spray of water cleaned it... and caused all hell to break loose.
What AM I doing with him? What future do we have?
She put the brush down just as the door opened and a leather clad form stepped through it.
"Spike," she couldn't help but smile as his eyes met hers.
Toning it down she then turned and walked up to her bed, where she was packing a bag with the most necessary stuff for what she might be on the brink of doing.
She had met Willow in one of the corridors, the latter upset and anxious, explaining what had happened to Oz. The Initiative had him, and Buffy knew that she HAD to get him out of there. Otherwise something terrible was bound to happen to him. Those 'soldier boys' sure didn't seem to care what origin a demon had - as long as some part WAS demon it deserved a slow and painful death.
She wasn't about to let that happen.
"Going into battle?" he asked as he watched her pack her crossbow and then a few stakes.
"Just might be," she nodded, facing him again. "It's daylight..." she added and he smirked.
"Took the tunnels," he replied.
She glanced at him. He knew what was on her mind.
"We okay?" she asked and he smiled a small smile at that, reassuring her that of course, that his display of jealousy earlier hadn't lasted.
"What? No kiss?" he then asked and she felt a butterfly flutter eagerly near her heart before she took the steps up to him and wrapped her arms around his neck.
He blinked, rather surprised. She held onto him so tightly...
"Is something the matter, pet?" he wondered and she shook her head against his shoulder.
"Well, in a way," she then corrected herself, pulling away to look up at him. "Oz has been captured."
Spike frowned.
"Captured? Last night?" he asked and she shook her head.
"Around noon... I think," she answered and his frown deepened.
"But... it's day."
"As said. Something happened... I don't know," she sighed. "I have to go to Giles'. The gang's meeting up there."
She stepped out of his arms and walked back to the bed, returning to what she had been doing. He observed her movements for a few moments, then said:
"I'm actually here on official business."
She turned her head to look at him, quizzical. He smiled a little at her expression, hooking his thumbs in his belt before elaborating:
"Had me a meeting this morning. Mighty interesting fellow too. I think he's been the sodding soar of milady's eye for some time. You can say his name anytime now..."
"Adam?" she breathed and he nodded. "You saw him?!"
"Yeah... the 'had me a meeting' wasn't all part of the hinting for nothing, love," he replied sarcastically and she gave him a look.
"What did he say?" she asked and he shrugged.
"Master plan blah-blah-blah, demon elite blah-blah-blah, carnage and bloodbath blah...blah...and all that," he replied and she stared at him.
"So... he told you about what he's planning?" she asked and he nodded.
"The whole nine yards. Give me a pen and paper and I'll paint you a pretty picture of it," he then said and she smirked.
"This is..." she trailed off, at a loss for words.
"Terrific? Amazing? Bleeding incredible is what it is," he filled in helpfully. "Don't worry, hon, I've got it all locked away up here," he added, tapping one temple with one index finger before continuing: "and once the whole Wolverine issue's buggering dealt with - I'll bring all the juicy details out for you, okay?"
She smiled a little, then nodded.
"You're right, I should get going."
He tilted his head a little to one side, looking questioning. She blinked, then shook her head at herself.
"Sorry, WE should get going," she then stated, grabbing the bag and slinging it over one shoulder before she walked up to him and passed him, grabbing the doorknob and opening the door.
He followed.
"So, where are the tunnels?" she asked and he gave her another look. "Well, I'm not gonna sprint all the way to Giles' just 'cause you burn easily," she added and he smirked widely at that before gesturing to his right, bidding her to take the lead.
She did and they walked toward the stairs leading into the basement.
"Oh no," she grumbled as they stopped before the door to the staircase. "This usually doesn't get me anywhere," she muttered and he slid his hand into hers, making her look up at him and at the expression in his gaze she had to smile. "I take back previous statement," she murmured and he returned her smile before he bent down and kissed her.
They proceeded through the door, down the stairs and further into the large basement. Soon enough they came to a man-sized whole in one wall and Spike stopped before it.
"So, what was the deal?" Buffy asked as she followed him into the tunnel which was to take them into the sewer system and further to Giles' apartment.
"Deal?" Spike wondered, walking quickly with her keeping his pace beside him.
"With Adam," she replied. "Why did he seek you out?"
"He needs my help," Spike answered with a rather large smirk once again growing onto his features as he added: "With you."
She looked up at him; then laughed, shaking her head.
"Perfect," she said. "That's just perfect. We'll have to set our own trap and watch him fall into it," she added and Spike nodded.
They walked on for a while in silence, and then Buffy wondered:
"What did he promise you? I mean, there must be something in it for you, right?"
"Money," he replied, barely without thinking about it. "He'll get me loads and loads of cash."
What are you doing?! a voice piped up in his head. You can't LIE to her about that! Tell her! Tell her the truth! Hurry!
"Seems he knows your deepest desires," Buffy remarked with another smile and he once again returned it.
"Yep," he then agreed. "Seems he really does, doesn't it?"
**************************************************************************** **************************************************************************** **************************************************************************** ******************
This chapter has contained explicit dialogue as spoken in the episode New Moon Rising, BtVS, S4. All rights to writer Marti Noxon.
The cosmic joke's on me. I couldn't post this Tuesday, the site was "experiencing overload". I couldn't post this Wednesday, Thursday, Friday OR Saturday 'cause the Document Manager feature wasn't working! I couldn't upload the chapter at ALL onto the site. I'm incredibly pleased to see that (on my trial upload this time) it worked! You guys are so great, I thank you a lot for your understanding on the last chapter's tardiness. I hope you will grant me that courtesy on this one as well, seeing as this time it was completely out of MY hands! Grr. Phew. Hope I don't EVER have to go through that again! (ff.net management: *hinthint!*) ;)
Special thank yous to Pin (hehe, thanks for the Riley comment. *grin*) ;), qattaca (*lol* and happy you liked, girl!) :), Von (*smiles widely* I can only say that I'm happy to be able to produce that kind of... you know, loathed image for you. 'Cause we should never forget how much we really detested the Riley character! ;) Glad you liked the Spuffy!) :), Mel (hey, girl. Thanks for all the nice comments here! I'm glad you enjoyed the chapter!) :), charisma ("Riley's dumb" - doesn't that sum him up wonderfully? 'Cause in every way he just IS! :D Happy you liked!) :), Rachel (Thanks a lot for those compliments, really happy you think so! And on the chapter part... It's hard to say how many's left, but it shouldn't be more than ten... Again, it could be less, or more. We'll see. Very nice to hear you'd like it to go on though, thanks!) :), vuks (wow, lotta great comments form you, my friend. Every single one makes me really happy! :) Thanks a lot for your positivity, it's really wonderful! *hug*) :), Charlie (I was WORRIED about you! Where've you been?! Happy to hear from you, tho. Glad all is well. And thanks for the review! Happy you're still approving!) :), LizDarcy (That was a really great anecdote, girl. I'm so glad that I could bring a fond memory forth! Thanks for sharing! Glad you liked the chap and I'm sorry Oz didn't figure more in it. This story has sorta been focused on Buffy and Spike from the start, tho. Right? I luv Oz too, but... Well, hope you understand!) :), Pine (For some reason everybody wants that poor soldier dead. That reason simply...eludes me. *snicker* Thanks a lot, girl, for all the support!) :), Leanne (Real happy you're still enjoying! And thanks for that bit of encouragement on the late updates front! I just hate being too late, you know? Anyways, thanks.) :), Maribel (great that you think! I hope you still do!) ;) and Erica (why, thank you! I have to say I really AM so glad that you're sticking with it. Shows that you truly mean what you write, you know? Happy you liked the chapter!) ;) - ALL the support and all the tremendous encouragement you send my way really does mean a lot! Thank you all!!!
I would like to, for the second and last time, ask those of you who may not have or who didn't know to PrettyP-L-E-A-S-E, if you wanna, go and vote for this story as it is nominated for a Spuffy Award. It's in Best General Saga and here's the address: www.
flesh-for-fantasy.com/SpuffyAwards
It's wonderful to be nominated and it would be awesome to win! ;) Again, huge hug to vuks for the nomination! Thank you! :)
A.M.L, Annie,
Thirty-Eight: The Best of Intentions
By Annie
2003-06-08
**************************************************************************** *
Day Thirty-Four.
8.59 a.m.
Willow looked up from where she was seated on her bed the next morning when Buffy opened, stepped through and then closed the door of the dorm room. The former was squeezing one of her favorite stuffed animals, a big white dog, and she looked rather thoughtful.
"Hey," Buffy said as she closed the door and then approached the foot of the bed.
"Hey," Willow replied. "You okay?" she added at the exasperated expression on her friend's face.
"Yeah," the latter answered, "just..." Trailing off she smiled dismissively before adding: "I don't wanna talk about it... I wanna hear about you and Oz," she continued, putting her bag down on the wooden chest to her left and then removing her jacket as she finished: "You saw him, right?"
Willow nodded a little.
"I was with him all night," she then replied and Buffy's eyes grew slightly.
"All night?!" she repeated, sitting down on the edge of the bed. "Oh, my God! ...Wait... Last night was a wolf moon, right?"
"Yep," Willow confirmed.
"Either you're about to tell me something incredibly kinky or..." Buffy began, but Willow interrupted with a small smile.
"No kink," she said, pausing for a few seconds before she continued: "He didn't change, Buffy. He said he was gonna find a cure and he did. In... Tibet."
"Oh my God!" Buffy once more exclaimed. "I can't believe it! Okay... I'm all with the woo-hoo here, and... you're not," she added, rather wondering, and Willow raised her eyebrows slightly.
"No, there's woo! And hoo," she then assured. "But there's oh-oh, and why now...? And... it's complicated."
Buffy looked at her.
"Why complicated?" she asked, perplexed.
Willow drew a breath, then sighed.
"It's complicated," she answered, "because of Tara."
"You mean Tara has a crush on Oz?!" Buffy wondered, surprised and disbelieving. Then she shook her head a little, adding: "No, you..." Trailing off her eyes widened and she straightened her posture slightly. "Oh!" she said as she came to understand toward where Willow was going. "Oh," she then repeated and got to her feet. "Well, that's great!" she stated, beginning to as casually as possible move about the room though she felt as though her head was about to explode with questions. To keep it from actually doing so she hurried herself into speaking mode, saying: "You know... I mean, I think Tara is a great girl, Will."
"She is!" Willow nodded. "And there's something between us. It wasn't something I was looking for... It's just powerful. And it's totally different from what Oz and I have."
"Well, there you go, I mean... you know, you have to follow your heart, Will," Buffy now stated. "I mean, that's what's important, Will."
"Why do you keep saying my name like that?" Willow asked, furrowing her brow.
"Like what, Will?" Buffy asked back, stopping on the other side of the bed and looking down at her friend who now slowly sat herself up and leaned a little forward before she inquired:
"Are you freaked?"
"What?!" Buffy exclaimed. "No, Will..." She interrupted herself, frowning a little at herself before directing her gaze firmly in Willow's as she continued: "No. Absolutely 'no' to that question." Sitting down before the redhead again she added: "I'm glad you told me... I just can't help but wonder why you didn't...?"
As Buffy trailed off Willow's eyes lit up with realization before she filled in:
"Why I didn't tell you when you told me about Spike?"
"Yeah..." Buffy admitted. "I mean, wouldn't it have been the great opportunity? The window you'd been looking for? Bonding time. I spill my secrets, you spill yours?"
Willow eyed her for a few seconds before she replied:
"Lotta spilling, though."
"Yeah," Buffy agreed, adopting the formers fake-serenity.
"Mopping it up wouldn't have been all that fun," Willow then pointed out and Buffy nodded.
"True."
At that Willow smiled and Buffy returned it. Then they both let the actual seriousness of the conversation take hold again and Willow said:
"I just didn't wanna... you know. I didn't have that overwhelming 'pow' feeling that I should tell you that I'm kinda... with a girl."
Buffy smiled a crooked smile.
"How do we get ourselves into these messes? Well, not that your relationship is abnormal - like mine! But just, perhaps, not as we would have seen ourselves two or so years ago?"
Willow smirked at that.
"We live in Sunnydale; the future is unpredictable; you don't choose who you love..." she then replied before encouraging: "Take your pick."
"I think I need a few more options," Buffy sighed and Willow shook her head.
"Sorry. It's a mark A, B or C with an X sort of deal."
Buffy smiled slightly, then reached out and took one of Willow's hands in her own.
"I'm really glad that you told me," she said again and Willow returned her smile.
"Me too."
Buffy paused, then asked:
"What did you say to Oz?"
"I was gonna tell him..." Willow answered. "But then we just started to hang out and I could feel everything coming back... He's Oz, you know?"
"Yeah," Buffy agreed. "I know."
Willow's expression became rather filled with sadness, streaked with something close to agony. Her hand squeezed the Slayer's tighter as she said:
"I don't wanna hurt anyone, Buffy."
"No matter what," Buffy replied, as soothingly as she could: "somebody's gonna get hurt. And the important thing is: you just have to be honest, or it's gonna be a lot worse..."
Willow nodded and then they embraced in a tight hug.
***
11.06 a.m.
It was natural for her to care about that wishy-washy, bleak and weak excuse for a man. She had, after all, for a brief time allowed herself to feel something for him.
Spike turned onto his back on the sarcophagus, sighing.
What if she still felt it? Something like that didn't just go away. He didn't trust that wanker either. If he could, the bleached was rather certain, the human would try to win her back.
And Spike wasn't sure what she felt for HIM. It wasn't like she had declared them a couple... Or that they were even dating, sort of. All they did was shag, wasn't it? And talk about this and that... sometimes. It wasn't like they were trading life... or un-life stories. Like they knew the other inside and out. It wasn't like she was professing their whatever relationship to the world, or at least HER world... was it?
It's barely been a week, something grumbled in the back of his mind, irritated. A week! And you're already growing paranoid. You ARE insecure. You're so sodding insecure you'd rather have it end on a high note than stick with it. If you leave her...
He shook his head.
She'll leave me...
Stop this! It's bloody madness!
Right. That's right. Thinking that I can provide anything good for her IS downright madness. I'm buggered, I love her, and I can't stop. But I can do the right thing and...
And what?! You're not reasoning with yourself here, you're trying to persuade yourself to do something that every fiber in you screams no to. You're bloody insane!
Exactly. Bloody insane to think that I can prove myself to her. Ever. How could she ever love me back? It's painful to be without her, but being with her without having her completely there is torture!
Imagine her here.
Soft smile, gentle gaze, blonde hair, curves and tanned skin... An image of all that was worth anything. He could imagine her there...
Now watch her be pushed away by YOU, you bleeding fool. Are you gonna let her go? You'll miss her so much it'll be the second and very real death of you. You've gone over this already, remember?
Yes, I remember perfectly well, bloody hell! And I'll go over it a thousand sodding times till I get it right!
What's right is you with her. She's changed you.
No, she hasn't.
Yeah, she has.
No! I don't NEED her! I won't crumple up and disappear if I don't have her with me! She won't ever trust me enough for this to be real! The only reason she's with me now is 'cause I'm leashed!
He clenched his jaws together as he reminded himself of the damn chip infesting his being.
Would she really be all relaxed around him if he was a true threat again?
The noise of slow and extremely thumping steps across the floor to his left made him glide out of his musings and have his vampire senses all be set on immediate alert. Meeting the hand being brought down to strike by the perpetrator, with his own left hand, he kept his eyes closed as he said:
"By the sound of those massive mud-flaps I'd peg you as a demon; which means you're in for a world of..." Opening his eyes and seeing the immense form standing by the side of where he lay he trailed off, stared, and then sat up; finishing: "...pain."
Getting the blanket off of him before removing himself off the sarcophagus he then moved to stand a few feet away from the demon.
Adam.
It had to be.
As Spike rose Adam spoke.
"Spike," he said, voice dark. "I want you to come with me."
Spike eyed him suspiciously as well as hesitantly. He had seen with his own two blues what this guy did to the demons he encountered. Cutting them open like a fish on a stick. That really wasn't the sorta contact he was looking to make, nor did he believe that was what Buffy had intended for him.
Okay, he told himself. Stay sharp. Try his strength.
"Do you?" he therefore asked. "Well, let's go then," he added with a shrug, about to turn away when he swirled back and punched the beast in the stomach.
His knuckles connected with soft tissue and then something he could only class as metal beneath it. It hurt like hell. Adam didn't even flinch.
"Ao," Spike grumbled, facing the other once more.
"Come," Adam now said, taking a step forward and having Spike, in self- preservation, take one back; still eyeing the former, now with a hint of fearful edginess. "You are going to help me with my problem," Adam added and Spike blinked.
"Why's that exactly?" he then asked.
"I'm going to help you with yours," Adam replied.
Ten minutes later the master plan had been unfolded. Spike had to hand it to the scraps-of-humans-and-not-so-muchs: the Initiative had made sure to give him a pretty bloody big brain. He also had to admit that he wasn't sure that he disliked the proposition the other had just placed on the table.
"Well, that sounds like a lotta fun," he now smirked.
"You see my problem, though?" Adam inquired. "Total destruction of the humans doesn't help me. I need heavy casualties on both sides."
"I get that," Spike nodded. "I'm still not sure where the Slayer fits in."
"The humans need a leader," Adam answered him. "A champion. The Slayer can do that."
"Yeah," Spike said slowly. "The thing about the Slayer is: she is a whiny little thing, but when it comes to the fighting she does have a slight tendency to win."
Adam looked at him, stating:
"Then I guess you should be on her side."
Spike let a tentative smile grow onto his features, laced with an irony he was sure the other demon couldn't read before he replied:
"This all goes down, the chip comes out, yeah? No tricks?"
"Scouts honour," Adam assured and Spike gave him an incredulous look at that.
"YOU were a boy scout?" he then asked.
"Parts of me," came the reply.
***
1.22 p.m.
Buffy pulled on a clean sweater and grabbed her brush off the desk by the door. Standing in front of her mirror she quickly began to sort out her tangled locks and got to thinking of five particular days when she hadn't had access to such a device. When her hair had been dusty and completely messed up until... Until a spray of water cleaned it... and caused all hell to break loose.
What AM I doing with him? What future do we have?
She put the brush down just as the door opened and a leather clad form stepped through it.
"Spike," she couldn't help but smile as his eyes met hers.
Toning it down she then turned and walked up to her bed, where she was packing a bag with the most necessary stuff for what she might be on the brink of doing.
She had met Willow in one of the corridors, the latter upset and anxious, explaining what had happened to Oz. The Initiative had him, and Buffy knew that she HAD to get him out of there. Otherwise something terrible was bound to happen to him. Those 'soldier boys' sure didn't seem to care what origin a demon had - as long as some part WAS demon it deserved a slow and painful death.
She wasn't about to let that happen.
"Going into battle?" he asked as he watched her pack her crossbow and then a few stakes.
"Just might be," she nodded, facing him again. "It's daylight..." she added and he smirked.
"Took the tunnels," he replied.
She glanced at him. He knew what was on her mind.
"We okay?" she asked and he smiled a small smile at that, reassuring her that of course, that his display of jealousy earlier hadn't lasted.
"What? No kiss?" he then asked and she felt a butterfly flutter eagerly near her heart before she took the steps up to him and wrapped her arms around his neck.
He blinked, rather surprised. She held onto him so tightly...
"Is something the matter, pet?" he wondered and she shook her head against his shoulder.
"Well, in a way," she then corrected herself, pulling away to look up at him. "Oz has been captured."
Spike frowned.
"Captured? Last night?" he asked and she shook her head.
"Around noon... I think," she answered and his frown deepened.
"But... it's day."
"As said. Something happened... I don't know," she sighed. "I have to go to Giles'. The gang's meeting up there."
She stepped out of his arms and walked back to the bed, returning to what she had been doing. He observed her movements for a few moments, then said:
"I'm actually here on official business."
She turned her head to look at him, quizzical. He smiled a little at her expression, hooking his thumbs in his belt before elaborating:
"Had me a meeting this morning. Mighty interesting fellow too. I think he's been the sodding soar of milady's eye for some time. You can say his name anytime now..."
"Adam?" she breathed and he nodded. "You saw him?!"
"Yeah... the 'had me a meeting' wasn't all part of the hinting for nothing, love," he replied sarcastically and she gave him a look.
"What did he say?" she asked and he shrugged.
"Master plan blah-blah-blah, demon elite blah-blah-blah, carnage and bloodbath blah...blah...and all that," he replied and she stared at him.
"So... he told you about what he's planning?" she asked and he nodded.
"The whole nine yards. Give me a pen and paper and I'll paint you a pretty picture of it," he then said and she smirked.
"This is..." she trailed off, at a loss for words.
"Terrific? Amazing? Bleeding incredible is what it is," he filled in helpfully. "Don't worry, hon, I've got it all locked away up here," he added, tapping one temple with one index finger before continuing: "and once the whole Wolverine issue's buggering dealt with - I'll bring all the juicy details out for you, okay?"
She smiled a little, then nodded.
"You're right, I should get going."
He tilted his head a little to one side, looking questioning. She blinked, then shook her head at herself.
"Sorry, WE should get going," she then stated, grabbing the bag and slinging it over one shoulder before she walked up to him and passed him, grabbing the doorknob and opening the door.
He followed.
"So, where are the tunnels?" she asked and he gave her another look. "Well, I'm not gonna sprint all the way to Giles' just 'cause you burn easily," she added and he smirked widely at that before gesturing to his right, bidding her to take the lead.
She did and they walked toward the stairs leading into the basement.
"Oh no," she grumbled as they stopped before the door to the staircase. "This usually doesn't get me anywhere," she muttered and he slid his hand into hers, making her look up at him and at the expression in his gaze she had to smile. "I take back previous statement," she murmured and he returned her smile before he bent down and kissed her.
They proceeded through the door, down the stairs and further into the large basement. Soon enough they came to a man-sized whole in one wall and Spike stopped before it.
"So, what was the deal?" Buffy asked as she followed him into the tunnel which was to take them into the sewer system and further to Giles' apartment.
"Deal?" Spike wondered, walking quickly with her keeping his pace beside him.
"With Adam," she replied. "Why did he seek you out?"
"He needs my help," Spike answered with a rather large smirk once again growing onto his features as he added: "With you."
She looked up at him; then laughed, shaking her head.
"Perfect," she said. "That's just perfect. We'll have to set our own trap and watch him fall into it," she added and Spike nodded.
They walked on for a while in silence, and then Buffy wondered:
"What did he promise you? I mean, there must be something in it for you, right?"
"Money," he replied, barely without thinking about it. "He'll get me loads and loads of cash."
What are you doing?! a voice piped up in his head. You can't LIE to her about that! Tell her! Tell her the truth! Hurry!
"Seems he knows your deepest desires," Buffy remarked with another smile and he once again returned it.
"Yep," he then agreed. "Seems he really does, doesn't it?"
**************************************************************************** **************************************************************************** **************************************************************************** ******************
This chapter has contained explicit dialogue as spoken in the episode New Moon Rising, BtVS, S4. All rights to writer Marti Noxon.
The cosmic joke's on me. I couldn't post this Tuesday, the site was "experiencing overload". I couldn't post this Wednesday, Thursday, Friday OR Saturday 'cause the Document Manager feature wasn't working! I couldn't upload the chapter at ALL onto the site. I'm incredibly pleased to see that (on my trial upload this time) it worked! You guys are so great, I thank you a lot for your understanding on the last chapter's tardiness. I hope you will grant me that courtesy on this one as well, seeing as this time it was completely out of MY hands! Grr. Phew. Hope I don't EVER have to go through that again! (ff.net management: *hinthint!*) ;)
Special thank yous to Pin (hehe, thanks for the Riley comment. *grin*) ;), qattaca (*lol* and happy you liked, girl!) :), Von (*smiles widely* I can only say that I'm happy to be able to produce that kind of... you know, loathed image for you. 'Cause we should never forget how much we really detested the Riley character! ;) Glad you liked the Spuffy!) :), Mel (hey, girl. Thanks for all the nice comments here! I'm glad you enjoyed the chapter!) :), charisma ("Riley's dumb" - doesn't that sum him up wonderfully? 'Cause in every way he just IS! :D Happy you liked!) :), Rachel (Thanks a lot for those compliments, really happy you think so! And on the chapter part... It's hard to say how many's left, but it shouldn't be more than ten... Again, it could be less, or more. We'll see. Very nice to hear you'd like it to go on though, thanks!) :), vuks (wow, lotta great comments form you, my friend. Every single one makes me really happy! :) Thanks a lot for your positivity, it's really wonderful! *hug*) :), Charlie (I was WORRIED about you! Where've you been?! Happy to hear from you, tho. Glad all is well. And thanks for the review! Happy you're still approving!) :), LizDarcy (That was a really great anecdote, girl. I'm so glad that I could bring a fond memory forth! Thanks for sharing! Glad you liked the chap and I'm sorry Oz didn't figure more in it. This story has sorta been focused on Buffy and Spike from the start, tho. Right? I luv Oz too, but... Well, hope you understand!) :), Pine (For some reason everybody wants that poor soldier dead. That reason simply...eludes me. *snicker* Thanks a lot, girl, for all the support!) :), Leanne (Real happy you're still enjoying! And thanks for that bit of encouragement on the late updates front! I just hate being too late, you know? Anyways, thanks.) :), Maribel (great that you think! I hope you still do!) ;) and Erica (why, thank you! I have to say I really AM so glad that you're sticking with it. Shows that you truly mean what you write, you know? Happy you liked the chapter!) ;) - ALL the support and all the tremendous encouragement you send my way really does mean a lot! Thank you all!!!
I would like to, for the second and last time, ask those of you who may not have or who didn't know to PrettyP-L-E-A-S-E, if you wanna, go and vote for this story as it is nominated for a Spuffy Award. It's in Best General Saga and here's the address: www.
flesh-for-fantasy.com/SpuffyAwards
It's wonderful to be nominated and it would be awesome to win! ;) Again, huge hug to vuks for the nomination! Thank you! :)
A.M.L, Annie,