Part Five - Panic

Pain. That was the first sensation he felt. But he had grown familiar to that, being the Slayer's favourite target when it came to practicing new fighting techniques for quite some time now. Although usually, he spent the following hours on his sarcophagus, letting the wounds heal. His current position felt a bit… odd. Unfortunately, it was familiar, too.

A sudden pain that hit his face with a sharp scratch made him flinch in surprise.

"Now, now, what a bad boy. Dozing when the party has already started." Dru.

Spike opened his eyes. His sire was standing right in front of him, smiling. A tight black dress covered her body, leaving little to the imagination. He couldn't help admiring the sight for a moment. She was as beautiful as ever.

And as dangerous.

"Dru. You look stunning in that dress." Her smile widened, and he looked up. Heavy chains locked around his wrists connected him with a crane right underneath the ceiling. Huge machines were standing around them, obviously out of order. Yet not as dirty as those things usually were; no dried oil encrusted in the corners, no metal shavings lying around, only dust, which led him to the conclusion that this had once been a place for precision manufacturing. He managed a smirk, as his eyes turned back to his old love.

"An old factory. Can't say I'm surprised."

Drusilla embraced him, leaning in to him, and with a quick flip of her tongue licked up the blood that ran down his cheek, flowing from the scratch she had caused.

"This place was calling for you. Little white men put together tinker-toys like that in your head. And there's evil… old evil that died not long ago."

"So, you did this for me? I'm moved, but I really got places to be, my love. So if you would just unchain me?" He knew that this wasn't going to work, but he had to try.

She pulled away from him, waving a finger as if dealing with a naughty little child.

"Oh no, my Spike, you're not going anywhere." She stepped back, opened her arms and started to twirl around. Her feet left strange patterns in the dust as she danced, and not for the first time Spike wondered how he could ever have deserved the attention of such a dark beauty. Images of the past rose in front of his eyes as he watched her move. So many balls they had visited, so many parties, but she had never gotten tired of dancing. When he closed his eyes, he could still feel her slender body in his arms. How much he had loved her!

The movement of air next to him told the vampire that his lady was close again. He opened his eyes to take in her excited face.

"Have you wondered why I wear black, my pretty Spike?"

He could imagine, but decided to play along. I need time… and a plan, while we're at it…

"Why, tell me."

Delight spread across her features. "I'm going to have a funeral. A party."

"Yeah? So, where's my bloody urn?" he asked nonchalantly, and Drusilla giggled.

"Pick out the toy first. Make you strong enough to get killed." She giggled again.

"So, the damn chip is doing me a favour after all. Buying me time." Never thought I'd be glad about this thing. "But how're you getting it out? Cut my bloody head open and start looking?" He tugged at his chains experimentally. No good, they were still strong enough to hold him.

"Soldier boy is getting papers. And then he will get the chip."

"Riley? He's getting the plans?" So Initiative-Man was on his merry way. That was no good. With Dru, he could deal. A hundred years of experience gave him a chance against her. But Riley had never liked him, even when the boy was alive. Probably just wanted to see him dead. Not one for play, he was, rather going straight for the kill. And with the chip acting this funny…

"Poor thing," Drusilla suddenly cooed, softly caressing his cheek. "The plastic's changed and there's knots in the wires. She played with the toy because you lied."

Spike looked into her eyes, confused. "Played? Who played? I didn't lie to-" Then it struck him.

"Glory?!"

"She's like you," she said dreamily, leaning her head against his chest.

"Bloody bitch, I should have known! It's just her style: playing around so that her hands don't get dirty!" the peroxide blond vampire cursed, completely ignoring the fact that the god's hands had gotten rather bloody when she had tortured him. "And what the bloody hell d'you mean, she's like me?!"

His sire laughed softly. "She's suppressed by her human side. But he's losing strength, and with the key, she will break him."

He didn't understand a word, but forced himself to be patient. He knew that this was the only way he would get any information out of her. It probably wouldn't help him, but he sure as hell was starting to get curious.

"Care to explain, pet?"

She snuggled closer to him, and he couldn't help feeling kind of comfortable. This was a game they had often played. If Riley didn't turn up the wrong moment, she might even let him go. But then again, you never knew with Dru.

"It's the doctor," she said. "His façade is breaking, and the inside is not nice."

"The doctor? Are you telling me that Glory's not alone in her body?" This was getting interesting.

"Poor little Ben." Drusilla looked up, sympathy written on her face. "He is her prison… but she won't let him go."

Suddenly, her expression changed. Rage filled her dark eyes, and Spike swallowed.

"Like I won't let you go, my naughty Spike. Bury your hopes like I will bury you. And dance on your grave."

She began to twirl again, and all he could do was watch as her black figure danced around him.

***

This has to be it. Buffy had known - and hated - Drusilla for long enough to know how the vampire's mind worked. If she needed a hiding place, or simply a playground, she would choose an old factory, preferably one with chains still hanging from the ceiling. Very comfy with factories, that one. And it had to have been abandoned for at least a few months, so that it would no longer smell of humans. A place like this. CRD, Cadillac's Research and Development. Once one of Sunnydale's largest employers, but closed for almost years now. Bound to have some chains in the prototype assembling halls. And no happy memories around here, Buffy thought with a shudder.

The light shining from one of the factory's windows told her that she'd been right. Of course, it could be just kids seeking adventures in the old building, or strange monks performing even stranger rituals, but her Slayer senses told her different. And since sneaking around could only lead to her early discovery…

"Sorry to interrupt you. I was just passing through and thought I should check."

The heavy steel door hit the wall with a loud bang as she kicked it open to accompany her words, breaking one of the hinges. Two pairs of eyes looked at her in surprise when she entered. But while Spike's blue ones turned to relief, Drusilla's dark orbs were glowing with anger and hatred.

"You!" the vampire snarled. "The pest that infects the blood of every man encountered!"

Buffy smirked. "Just preparing them for you. You should be grateful for that. I hear you like it when they're all covered in boils and stinking slime."

With an inarticulate cry, Drusilla charged. Buffy dodged a series of punches, and answered with a roundhouse kick that sent her opponent to the ground. The vampire's tight black dress wasn't made for fighting, and she knew that. So instead of blocking the Slayer's next attack, she simply avoided it, and raised a finger, waving it in front of the girl's eyes.

"Buffy! Don't look at her!" Spike called, fighting to free himself from the chains that were holding him.

But she was already lost in those dark eyes, falling into a hole that seemed to have no ground. She stared numbly at the white hand in front of her face.

Drusilla giggled in delight. "Be in me," she whispered, weaving her spell's fabric even tighter around the girl, as Spike could only watch in horror.

"Be. In. Me." Her lips curved into a cruel smile.

Suddenly, her eyes went wide. She opened her mouth as if to say something, but the words never escaped her lips. With a sound that had become so familiar to Buffy over the last years, she disintegrated into ashes, little particles of dust that tumbled to the floor.

"Rather have that in you," the Slayer hissed, staring at the remains of her enemy as she shoved the stake back to its usual place at her forearm. Hypnotism doesn't work on a strong will, she thought, pleased with herself.

"Well, now that was something. In fact, I'd clap, but I happen to be chained up here".

Buffy looked up, and her eyes met those of a grinning Spike. New bruises had been added to the ones Glory had caused him. She almost felt a pang of sympathy. Beating Spike seemed to be the game of the hour.

"Come to save your prince, luv?" he asked, ignoring the pain for a moment to lean back nonchalantly and smirk at the angry Slayer.

She snatched the key to his chains out of the dust that had once been Drusilla, and stepped over to him.

"Just so you don't get any funny ideas," she snapped, making him wince in pain as she freed him with more force than necessary, "If it wasn't for Dawn I would have offered a helping hand."

She stepped back, and he rubbed his wrists.

"Would've loved to see that. You helping her to get that bloody chip out of my head."

"She wanted to do what?!"

"Just so that killing me would be more fun." He shrugged, and she wondered how he could stay so calm about his ex-lover trying to end his life. He and Dru had been together for over a hundred years, and now she was dead. Yet he didn't seem to care. That astonished her, after his little speech when he had her chained up. So, she had been right after all: He couldn't love. Not that I give a damn about his feelings, she thought, ignoring the disappointment that accompanied her insight.

"Sorry. Next time I'll wait till your head's open and someone's cutting into your brain." Sarcasm was always the best way to deal with unexpected situations.

He raised an eyebrow. "Next time?"

"Perhaps Harmony gets an inspiration. I'll go tell her to." Buffy turned to leave.

No longer facing the Slayer, Spike could finally drop the mask of mockery and let his sadness rise to the surface, if only for seconds. Goodbye, Dru. We'll meet again in hell. He looked down at the ashes that remained of her, already hardly to distinguish from the dirt that filled the old factory. I'll never stop loving you, my Dark Lady. But in the end, the Slayer won.

For a brief moment, he wondered if he should tell her about Riley, who had been the one to get the plans. He decided not to say a word. Slayer's got enough problems to worry about, even without knowing her boyfriend's turned into a vampire. Better to keep quiet about that.

Realizing that he had not moved to follow her, Buffy stopped at the factory's entrance and turned to face him. Quickly, he changed back to his I-couldn't-care-less attitude. Not quickly enough, though, but she decided not to show him what she had seen. Or the strange satisfaction his grief gave her. So, he's able to feel after all, huh?

"You coming, or what?" Impatience radiated from her voice.

"Coming where?" he asked, already trotting towards her, ignoring the new waves of pain every movement caused him. At least it concerned mostly the same places Glory had already worked on, so handling it had become rather familiar. At the thought of the hell god, it occurred to him that this was the second time in less than a week Buffy had come to save him. Okay, the first time had been more to stake him, but suddenly he was in too good a mood to argue with her. Slayer's come for her pet vampire, no biggie, he told himself. But who could say where the road would lead him if he tried taking it slow? A bloke should take what a bloke can get. Carpe noctem.

"We've got to pick up Dawn. Glory knows that she's the key."

"Wha-? Bloody hell! And you left her alone?"

Buffy ignored his accusing tone as they walked along the sidewalk. "I brought her somewhere safe. You're the only one who is strong enough to stand a chance against Glory except me, so I couldn't let Drusilla kill you."

Spike was bathing in the fact that she trusted him this way. Shame I'll have to disappoint her.

"Sorry, luv. But I'm afraid I won't be any help."

"And why would that be? Spike on strike?" A thought hit her, and she frowned. "Why should it be more fun for Dru to take the chip out first? It didn't affect her."

The vampire sighed. Now, she's got it. "Yes, it did. That's why I can't help you, luv. Little Spike can't hurt anything. Even thinking of violence is enough for a headache, let alone fighting. Sorry."

"Not even demons?" the Slayer asked, startled.

"I wouldn't have gotten into this mess if I had been able to fight back. And I'm just talking about demons. Attacking a human might as well kill me now, 'cause the chip should react stronger to that."

"But how-"

He shrugged. "Dunno. Perhaps the bloody thing got broken when Glory sent me into that wall." Only half lying. Bloody bitch is the cause after all.

Buffy looked at him. "No, I don't think that's it. Remember how often I banged your head against something?"

Spike managed a small smile. "So, even if I'm completely useless, I could still be your punching bag, right?" He regretted his words as soon as they had left his mouth. He hadn't wanted to share his bitterness with her. Yep, that's the Big Bad for you. Helpless against a puppy? So let's go piss off the Slayer! He sighed.

"Listen, Slayer, I-"

"You can still look after her," she interrupted him. As she saw the surprise on his face, she congratulated herself to the decision she'd reached. Bet you didn't expect that, right? As much as she detested the peroxide blond man, she really hated to see him that way. Almost giving up on himself. Even if she didn't know why, she wanted to comfort him. "Maybe you can't fight anymore, but you're still fast. You can get her out of danger."

She watched him search for words, and grinned. "C'mon, let's get Dawn. I'm pretty sure she's safe at the moment, but I don't want to keep her waiting too long."

"She with the witches, then?" Spike had finally found his voice again and decided not to push his luck. This side of her, actually trying to cheer him up, was unknown territory. Dangerous territory. This might not be the right time to explore her feelings for you.

"No. She's at the hospital, with Ben. He's a doctor we met a there. True, Glory's been there before, but I don't think she knows him. Dawn should be safe there."

"Ben?!" Poor little Ben. He is her prison… but she won't let him go. The vampire stopped short. "Are you nuts?!"

"Huh?"

As he broke into a run, the startled Slayer right behind him, a thought crossed his mind.

This might be the right time to panic.