Title: The Wrong Side of the Line
Chapter 15: The Awakening
Author: Rylee Jane
See Chapter 1 for rating, disclaimers and summary
A/N: I know it's been forever, and I hope that ya'll will still be reading this through the finish. I have had some computer problems that we are still trying to sort out, but I think I should be able to update more quickly now. Couldn't possibly go any slower, now could it? Anyway, sorry for the long delay and I hope that you'll like the rest of the story as much as I think you will. So, without further delay....
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Spike woke up in the same cell, his face still pressed to the concrete floor. He rolled over, trying to ignore the pain that shot through his body as he did. No sooner than he opened his eyes, he heard someone talking to him.
"Well, so nice of you to join us. I thought perhaps they'd killed you. Imagine my surprise to find out that you were still a vampire. I was certain that you'd be human by now." A chuckle cut through the cell. "You could have knocked me over with a feather when I kicked you and you moaned. Should have known better I suppose. No pulse doesn't just mean dead human, does it?"
Spike lifted his head slightly, but couldn't hold it up. In a wave of dizziness, he let it fall back again, thumping hard on the floor. "Oww, bugger all," he muttered.
"Well, if you promise to be good, I'll let them bring a chair in for you. Or maybe we could just prop you up against the wall there."
He blinked, trying to stretch his neck. "You turned on me, didn't you?"
Giles laughed. "Oh, come now, William. You know full well that I had to do it. I can't have you or anyone else trying to save those whiny humans. They'll be better off dead anyway. We're doing them a favor."
"Them? You used to be one of them. Tend to switch sides awful easily, don't you?"
Giles stood and walked over to him, standing over his legs. "Really, let's do get you sitting up. It's hurting my neck trying to talk to you like that." He grabbed Spike under the arms and dragged him across the floor to the wall, where he let go. Spike, still somewhat weak from the shock, fell back hard, his head knocking against the wall.
He groaned, rolling his eyes. "That bloody hurt, you ponce."
"Oh, buck up, you pansy," Giles laughed, giving Spike a moderate kick to the side as he walked away. "You have become such a baby since I've been gone." He settled back into his chair, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees. "Now, Spike. What I came here for is to inform you that you have been formally charged with treason, murder, aiding and abetting known fugitives and criminal conspiracy, among other things. You have the right to a trial, if you so choose. If you choose to confess, you will be executed immediately for your crimes. In this case, your execution will be swift and painless. If you choose a trial and are found guilty, your execution will not be, in any way, painless or swift. Do you understand what I have told you?"
Spike let his head roll towards Giles, a sneer on his lips. "You are an arrogant bastard, aren't you? Last time I saw you, I was saving you from your own execution. And now, you march in here and have the nerve to give me that holier-than-thou glower while you tell me about mine."
"Do you understand what I have told you?"
"Do they know the truth? D'you tell them that you were part of this whole thing?"
"Is this a confession that you did indeed have a plan to overthrow this army?"
Spike laughed, a short harsh laugh that burned his throat. "Does that matter? I'm sure you have a written and signed copy of my 'confession' already in your office. I'm sure that you're just waiting for the right time to pull it out and say 'Chop his bloody head off, boys.' Am I right?"
Giles looked a little amused. "Do you understand the charges, General Donovan?"
"What'd you do to Buffy? D'you have her killed already, or are you pretending to give her a fair chance?"
"Do you understand the charges, General Donovan?"
"Is she dead or not? Did you explain to her just why you found it necessary to put both of us to death instead of just me? Why you thought you needed to betray both of us?"
"Do you understand the charges, General?"
"Answer me!" Spike screamed, causing Giles to jump slightly. "Did you at least tell her why you stabbed her in the back?"
Giles sighed. "I told her why she was being held, and what the charges were against her. She knows what she did wrong."
"Does she know what you did wrong? Do you know what you did? Did you look her in the eye and tell her that you're a slimy, rotten bastard who turned her in to save your own ass?"
Giles stood quickly, glowering down at Spike. "I did what I had to do! I was wrong to ever turn my back on this army. I was wrong to think that becoming human was worth being a lousy traitor! I repented and was allowed to come back. Now, do you want me to ask her if she would do the same, because when she says no, it's all over for her! She will be put to death that same day. Is that what you want?" He stalked over to Spike, leaning right down in his face. "And you. I can't give you that choice. The crimes that you've committed against your own kind are beyond forgiveness."
Spike's voice was a low growl when he answered. "I did what I did for you. And for her. Whatever they did to you when they changed you back must have taken away any kindness you ever had in you, because surely you know that I did all of this--- for you."
"I never asked you to," Giles said, a slow grin spreading across his face. "I never once asked you to save humanity. When you came into my cell, I asked you to join her. That was all. I wanted you to have one last moment of happiness, because even then I knew that I was going to work my way back into the upper levels of this army and when I did, I was going to wipe out every last one of those sniveling, disease-infested humans. And I knew that you were going to have to go with them. You set yourself up, William. You put this all on yourself." He knelt across Spike's legs, shaking his head. "When I came to you, I wanted you to go find her and be happy with her for what little time that you had left. I didn't realize you were so far gone that you would give up your life for her. And the sad thing about it is, you won't even get to see her again until your head goes down on that block."
Spike wished more than anything that he could get his hands on Giles' throat. "I trusted you. That's what kills me. I trusted you. You prick!"
Giles nodded. "I know, dear boy. But you must understand, you opened up the only opportunity I had to get back where I belonged. I would have been a fool not to take it."
"I thought you loved being human."
Giles smiled slightly. "I did. God, I really did. But, you know what they say, can't have your cake---. I didn't want to die. So, I had to come back. And imagine my surprise to realize that this really is the better life." He reached out and patted Spike's cheek hard. "Damn shame though, to know that you're caught up in the whole thing. You really are lucky though. I could very easily have you turned now, and then put a stay on your execution. You could be down there with the rest of the captives, seeing what pain really is. But, because I am still fond of you, I'm going to save you the hurt. I'm just going to let you die."
"You're a coward."
Giles laughed, rising to his feet. "Oh, I won't argue with that point. You always were the brave one. But I'm the one who's going to live to see tomorrow."
He turned and walked to the cell door. "Guard!"
As the door opened, he turned back to look at Spike. "Terribly sorry," he said softly. "Damn shame."
The guard stepped inside, and Giles addressed him. "Tell Colonel Harris to prepare the execution decree for tomorrow night. The prisoner is to be handled as dangerous, no one enters or exits without my permission. On second thought, if Harris wishes to visit, he may do so." He glanced over at Spike, a slow smile crawling over his face. "And bring Buffy Summers in here with him." He winked at Spike. "Don't say I never did you any favors."
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So, there it is. The long awaited return of "The Wrong Side". Hope it was worth the wait. I could still use a beta-reader if anyone is interested. E-mail me if you think you would be. Thanks again for your patience. The next chapter should be up within the week.
Chapter 15: The Awakening
Author: Rylee Jane
See Chapter 1 for rating, disclaimers and summary
A/N: I know it's been forever, and I hope that ya'll will still be reading this through the finish. I have had some computer problems that we are still trying to sort out, but I think I should be able to update more quickly now. Couldn't possibly go any slower, now could it? Anyway, sorry for the long delay and I hope that you'll like the rest of the story as much as I think you will. So, without further delay....
**********************************************************************************
Spike woke up in the same cell, his face still pressed to the concrete floor. He rolled over, trying to ignore the pain that shot through his body as he did. No sooner than he opened his eyes, he heard someone talking to him.
"Well, so nice of you to join us. I thought perhaps they'd killed you. Imagine my surprise to find out that you were still a vampire. I was certain that you'd be human by now." A chuckle cut through the cell. "You could have knocked me over with a feather when I kicked you and you moaned. Should have known better I suppose. No pulse doesn't just mean dead human, does it?"
Spike lifted his head slightly, but couldn't hold it up. In a wave of dizziness, he let it fall back again, thumping hard on the floor. "Oww, bugger all," he muttered.
"Well, if you promise to be good, I'll let them bring a chair in for you. Or maybe we could just prop you up against the wall there."
He blinked, trying to stretch his neck. "You turned on me, didn't you?"
Giles laughed. "Oh, come now, William. You know full well that I had to do it. I can't have you or anyone else trying to save those whiny humans. They'll be better off dead anyway. We're doing them a favor."
"Them? You used to be one of them. Tend to switch sides awful easily, don't you?"
Giles stood and walked over to him, standing over his legs. "Really, let's do get you sitting up. It's hurting my neck trying to talk to you like that." He grabbed Spike under the arms and dragged him across the floor to the wall, where he let go. Spike, still somewhat weak from the shock, fell back hard, his head knocking against the wall.
He groaned, rolling his eyes. "That bloody hurt, you ponce."
"Oh, buck up, you pansy," Giles laughed, giving Spike a moderate kick to the side as he walked away. "You have become such a baby since I've been gone." He settled back into his chair, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees. "Now, Spike. What I came here for is to inform you that you have been formally charged with treason, murder, aiding and abetting known fugitives and criminal conspiracy, among other things. You have the right to a trial, if you so choose. If you choose to confess, you will be executed immediately for your crimes. In this case, your execution will be swift and painless. If you choose a trial and are found guilty, your execution will not be, in any way, painless or swift. Do you understand what I have told you?"
Spike let his head roll towards Giles, a sneer on his lips. "You are an arrogant bastard, aren't you? Last time I saw you, I was saving you from your own execution. And now, you march in here and have the nerve to give me that holier-than-thou glower while you tell me about mine."
"Do you understand what I have told you?"
"Do they know the truth? D'you tell them that you were part of this whole thing?"
"Is this a confession that you did indeed have a plan to overthrow this army?"
Spike laughed, a short harsh laugh that burned his throat. "Does that matter? I'm sure you have a written and signed copy of my 'confession' already in your office. I'm sure that you're just waiting for the right time to pull it out and say 'Chop his bloody head off, boys.' Am I right?"
Giles looked a little amused. "Do you understand the charges, General Donovan?"
"What'd you do to Buffy? D'you have her killed already, or are you pretending to give her a fair chance?"
"Do you understand the charges, General Donovan?"
"Is she dead or not? Did you explain to her just why you found it necessary to put both of us to death instead of just me? Why you thought you needed to betray both of us?"
"Do you understand the charges, General?"
"Answer me!" Spike screamed, causing Giles to jump slightly. "Did you at least tell her why you stabbed her in the back?"
Giles sighed. "I told her why she was being held, and what the charges were against her. She knows what she did wrong."
"Does she know what you did wrong? Do you know what you did? Did you look her in the eye and tell her that you're a slimy, rotten bastard who turned her in to save your own ass?"
Giles stood quickly, glowering down at Spike. "I did what I had to do! I was wrong to ever turn my back on this army. I was wrong to think that becoming human was worth being a lousy traitor! I repented and was allowed to come back. Now, do you want me to ask her if she would do the same, because when she says no, it's all over for her! She will be put to death that same day. Is that what you want?" He stalked over to Spike, leaning right down in his face. "And you. I can't give you that choice. The crimes that you've committed against your own kind are beyond forgiveness."
Spike's voice was a low growl when he answered. "I did what I did for you. And for her. Whatever they did to you when they changed you back must have taken away any kindness you ever had in you, because surely you know that I did all of this--- for you."
"I never asked you to," Giles said, a slow grin spreading across his face. "I never once asked you to save humanity. When you came into my cell, I asked you to join her. That was all. I wanted you to have one last moment of happiness, because even then I knew that I was going to work my way back into the upper levels of this army and when I did, I was going to wipe out every last one of those sniveling, disease-infested humans. And I knew that you were going to have to go with them. You set yourself up, William. You put this all on yourself." He knelt across Spike's legs, shaking his head. "When I came to you, I wanted you to go find her and be happy with her for what little time that you had left. I didn't realize you were so far gone that you would give up your life for her. And the sad thing about it is, you won't even get to see her again until your head goes down on that block."
Spike wished more than anything that he could get his hands on Giles' throat. "I trusted you. That's what kills me. I trusted you. You prick!"
Giles nodded. "I know, dear boy. But you must understand, you opened up the only opportunity I had to get back where I belonged. I would have been a fool not to take it."
"I thought you loved being human."
Giles smiled slightly. "I did. God, I really did. But, you know what they say, can't have your cake---. I didn't want to die. So, I had to come back. And imagine my surprise to realize that this really is the better life." He reached out and patted Spike's cheek hard. "Damn shame though, to know that you're caught up in the whole thing. You really are lucky though. I could very easily have you turned now, and then put a stay on your execution. You could be down there with the rest of the captives, seeing what pain really is. But, because I am still fond of you, I'm going to save you the hurt. I'm just going to let you die."
"You're a coward."
Giles laughed, rising to his feet. "Oh, I won't argue with that point. You always were the brave one. But I'm the one who's going to live to see tomorrow."
He turned and walked to the cell door. "Guard!"
As the door opened, he turned back to look at Spike. "Terribly sorry," he said softly. "Damn shame."
The guard stepped inside, and Giles addressed him. "Tell Colonel Harris to prepare the execution decree for tomorrow night. The prisoner is to be handled as dangerous, no one enters or exits without my permission. On second thought, if Harris wishes to visit, he may do so." He glanced over at Spike, a slow smile crawling over his face. "And bring Buffy Summers in here with him." He winked at Spike. "Don't say I never did you any favors."
**********************************************************************
So, there it is. The long awaited return of "The Wrong Side". Hope it was worth the wait. I could still use a beta-reader if anyone is interested. E-mail me if you think you would be. Thanks again for your patience. The next chapter should be up within the week.