A/N: For the previous chapter, it is true that Spike was invincible, of
sorts. I'd like to remind you that in "Harsh Light of Day," Buffy did in
fact stake him. But because of the ring, it immediately closed back up
once the stake was removed. Therefore proving that our invincible vamp is
penetrable. So my "Adam and the needle" thing isn't too farfetched. Even
it was, writer's liberty and all that. Anyway, thank you all for the
lovely feedback, and believe when I say "trust me." There will probably be
lots of questions after this chapter, but let me say it again: trust me.
Have faith in my imagination. It'll work out, promise. Oh, and the ** and
indentation stand for flashback while the ** alone stand for what's
happening elsewhere.
Ciao!
Jill
Chapter 26
Summer's Residence
"Xander, honey! You're back- a helluva lot later than you said you would. Where've you been?" Anya demanded as she bombarded him at the front door. Xander put up his hands as if to say "back off."
"Not now, Ahn. Where's Buffy?"
"Right here, Xand." She announced as she came down the stairs.
"What's up? Where's Spike?" she asked. Andrew non too subtlely looked the other way as Xander hung his head.
"I dunno." he mumbled as he looked at her. Buffy's eyes widened in shock.
"What do you mean you don't know where he is?" Xander nervously began scratching the back of his head.
"Uh, well, ya see, he thought it best if we split up. Though I thoroughly objected. He thought we could cover more area that way." he finished, though he knew it was really to escape Dweebville. Andrew just seemed to bring that out in a person.
"Yeah, I mean it sounded real efficient and wise, the way he said it anyway. We were just, um, following the leader?" Andrew offered rather meekly.
"Well, maybe, maybe he picked up on a lead or something and'll be back soon." Buffy tried to reason. No one said anything, that is until Anya scoffed rather loudly.
"What?" Buffy asked.
"Well, someone is obviously in denial. Meaning you, Buffy." she said pointedly.
"What are you talking about?"
"Oh, come on! It's plain as day. The little runt Jonathan said that Adam and Maggie had 'plans' for Spike. He was captured when he separated himself from the group, which, I might add, was his own dumb fault. Not that my Xander or the boy could of done anything to really stop it, but, still." Anya said in her matter of fact voice, better known as her normal voice. Buffy knew the ex-vengeance demon was more than likely right. So instead of replying, she walked to the dining room to talk to her mom and Giles.
"Giles, mom, we have a big problem. We've run out of time. Warren, Willow and Jonathan have to get it in gear. We have to take out Adam now." she said, her tone leaving no room for arguments. But Giles was the voice of reason, and ranked over his currently irrational charge. Joyce looked on worriedly.
"Buffy, you know as well as I do we can't go into the Initiative, guns ablazing at this very moment. Mainly because we don't have a gun. What happened?" he asked softly as he observed the worry encroaching upon her face.
"Spike, he- I believe Adam has him. I know he has the ring and all, but I know, I can feel it in my gut, that it won't be enough. It won't be-" the sound of her baby crying stopped her from talking. Just before she dashed up the stairs to retrieve her, Giles stopped her briefly with a reassuring hand.
"We'll leave as soon as possible. Everything will be all right, I promise you." he said with kind eyes. Buffy smiled back at him sadly.
"You know I love it when you lie to me." She turned away from him and went upstairs to her room and took her daughter from her second new crib. She looked into her large, blue eyes. Joy almost seemed to have a troubled look in them.
"You feel it too, don't you sweetheart? I promise you, baby, I'm gonna bring your Daddy home. He'll be here. I swear it." she whispered as she cradled her close to her heart. Joy seemed comforted for a moment before she cried out again. It was time for her to be fed. Buffy kissed her on the forehead.
"He'll be home, I promise." she said again as she headed downstairs to get her a bottle. But as she glanced back down at her, Joy's eyes squeezed closed as she cried out, she could've sworn that for a second her baby's blue eyes were golden...
***************
Some time later at the secret Initiative lab....
When Spike came to, he had this terrible, pounding headache. A boom- boom, ba- boom that wouldn't go away. Except, it wasn't exactly in his head, as so much as in his ears... his heart. His heart was fucking beating! God, it hurt like hell. After nearly twelve decades of it being still and silent, he wondered if he'd ever get used to it. God, I hope so he thought. Then he heard heavy footfalls enter the room. Adam.
"Ah, Spike. I see you're finally awake. I've been thinking. Your child would make a nice addition to our family. Naturally half demon and half human. Tell me, is it a boy or girl?" he asked.
"I'm not telling you jack, you sod. You stay away from them." he said as threateningly as he possibly could. His heart beat was a huge distraction to his senses.
"No, really. I think it would truly be an interesting specimen-"
"She is not an it. You talk about her that way again, I swear... bugger." Spike said, accidentally going for the bait.
"A girl, huh? Even better. Perhaps even you and the Slayer could procreate again. A little boy perhaps." he said thoughtfully.
"Never'll happen. You won't lay one of your dirty, surgically attached hands on her. So just forget it. And just because you're gonna try to make me physically like you, I will never be on your side." Spike said.
"Ah, but you will brother. In fact, she's coming now. I can feel it."
"Good on you. Got a bit of prognosticating demon in there, right?" Just then Buffy entered. Her face of determination slightly faltering as she saw her lover strapped to the operating table. She looked at Adam with an extreme coldness in her eyes. She knew she was going to win...
* Once I'm in, barricade the door behind me. Is this place okay to be magic central?"
Buffy asked Giles. He looked around before replying.
"It, uh, should do."
"As long as we don't get blowed up or nuthin." Willow said.
"What are the odds of that happening? Besides, we've all got that good ol' Kamikaze spirit, right?" Xander said.
"How long before the ritual kicks in?" Buffy asked Giles.
"Five minutes, give or take."
"I'll move fast then." Buffy said. Faith gave her a reassuring nod.
"Buffy, I still don't like you going in alone."
"I won't be." She said with a reassuring smile. Buffy mentally prepped herself as Faith
took guard at the door... *
"Slayer, I've been very much looking forward to your arrival. But let me say first that I'm going to give you a choice: either join us or be killed." Adam said.
"Buffy, what are you doing?! Get the hell out of here!" Spike said in a panic. His heart began to beat so hard that it felt like it would pop out of his chest at any second. Buffy ignored his stricken outburst and replied to Adam instead.
"Sorry, but I don't jump through hoops on command. I've never really been one to toe the line."
"Death it is, then." Adam said with a steely glare as he advanced upon her. So the fight began as...
* "By the power of the Slayer and all who wield it. Last to ancient first, we invoke thee. Grant us thy domain and primal strength. Accept us and the powers we possess. Make us mind and heart and spirit joined. Let the hand encompass us. Do thy will..." Willow chanted. *
Buffy was quick on her feet, but Adam's blows were by far stronger. She dodged as much as she could, and attempted to kick him away in the midsection. But of course, the battle couldn't deter her love of banter.
"Fun, isn't it?" she asked as she ducked another on of his blows. Adam, beginning to get bored, let out his retractable demon blade from his arm. Buffy grabbed it and quickly broke the sharp weapon off.
"Broke your arm." she taunted...
* "Spiritus... spirit." Willow said as she placed down a card.
"Animus... the heart." Xander followed.
"Sophus, the mind." Giles said.
"And manus... the hand. We enjoin that we may inhabit the vessel. The hand... daughter of Sineya- First of the ones. We implore thee, admit us..." *
Adam then grabbed Buffy's wrist and jerked her to him. He then placed one massive hand on the side of her face and then the other. He gave her head a quick jerk to the right, relishing in the satisfying crack. Spike's screams of terror could be heard resonating throughout the room. Riley sat still and looked straight ahead.
"Huh, broke your neck." Adam said as he dropped the lifeless slayer to the floor.
* "Bring us to the vessel. Take us now..." Willow finished. *
Ciao!
Jill
Chapter 26
Summer's Residence
"Xander, honey! You're back- a helluva lot later than you said you would. Where've you been?" Anya demanded as she bombarded him at the front door. Xander put up his hands as if to say "back off."
"Not now, Ahn. Where's Buffy?"
"Right here, Xand." She announced as she came down the stairs.
"What's up? Where's Spike?" she asked. Andrew non too subtlely looked the other way as Xander hung his head.
"I dunno." he mumbled as he looked at her. Buffy's eyes widened in shock.
"What do you mean you don't know where he is?" Xander nervously began scratching the back of his head.
"Uh, well, ya see, he thought it best if we split up. Though I thoroughly objected. He thought we could cover more area that way." he finished, though he knew it was really to escape Dweebville. Andrew just seemed to bring that out in a person.
"Yeah, I mean it sounded real efficient and wise, the way he said it anyway. We were just, um, following the leader?" Andrew offered rather meekly.
"Well, maybe, maybe he picked up on a lead or something and'll be back soon." Buffy tried to reason. No one said anything, that is until Anya scoffed rather loudly.
"What?" Buffy asked.
"Well, someone is obviously in denial. Meaning you, Buffy." she said pointedly.
"What are you talking about?"
"Oh, come on! It's plain as day. The little runt Jonathan said that Adam and Maggie had 'plans' for Spike. He was captured when he separated himself from the group, which, I might add, was his own dumb fault. Not that my Xander or the boy could of done anything to really stop it, but, still." Anya said in her matter of fact voice, better known as her normal voice. Buffy knew the ex-vengeance demon was more than likely right. So instead of replying, she walked to the dining room to talk to her mom and Giles.
"Giles, mom, we have a big problem. We've run out of time. Warren, Willow and Jonathan have to get it in gear. We have to take out Adam now." she said, her tone leaving no room for arguments. But Giles was the voice of reason, and ranked over his currently irrational charge. Joyce looked on worriedly.
"Buffy, you know as well as I do we can't go into the Initiative, guns ablazing at this very moment. Mainly because we don't have a gun. What happened?" he asked softly as he observed the worry encroaching upon her face.
"Spike, he- I believe Adam has him. I know he has the ring and all, but I know, I can feel it in my gut, that it won't be enough. It won't be-" the sound of her baby crying stopped her from talking. Just before she dashed up the stairs to retrieve her, Giles stopped her briefly with a reassuring hand.
"We'll leave as soon as possible. Everything will be all right, I promise you." he said with kind eyes. Buffy smiled back at him sadly.
"You know I love it when you lie to me." She turned away from him and went upstairs to her room and took her daughter from her second new crib. She looked into her large, blue eyes. Joy almost seemed to have a troubled look in them.
"You feel it too, don't you sweetheart? I promise you, baby, I'm gonna bring your Daddy home. He'll be here. I swear it." she whispered as she cradled her close to her heart. Joy seemed comforted for a moment before she cried out again. It was time for her to be fed. Buffy kissed her on the forehead.
"He'll be home, I promise." she said again as she headed downstairs to get her a bottle. But as she glanced back down at her, Joy's eyes squeezed closed as she cried out, she could've sworn that for a second her baby's blue eyes were golden...
***************
Some time later at the secret Initiative lab....
When Spike came to, he had this terrible, pounding headache. A boom- boom, ba- boom that wouldn't go away. Except, it wasn't exactly in his head, as so much as in his ears... his heart. His heart was fucking beating! God, it hurt like hell. After nearly twelve decades of it being still and silent, he wondered if he'd ever get used to it. God, I hope so he thought. Then he heard heavy footfalls enter the room. Adam.
"Ah, Spike. I see you're finally awake. I've been thinking. Your child would make a nice addition to our family. Naturally half demon and half human. Tell me, is it a boy or girl?" he asked.
"I'm not telling you jack, you sod. You stay away from them." he said as threateningly as he possibly could. His heart beat was a huge distraction to his senses.
"No, really. I think it would truly be an interesting specimen-"
"She is not an it. You talk about her that way again, I swear... bugger." Spike said, accidentally going for the bait.
"A girl, huh? Even better. Perhaps even you and the Slayer could procreate again. A little boy perhaps." he said thoughtfully.
"Never'll happen. You won't lay one of your dirty, surgically attached hands on her. So just forget it. And just because you're gonna try to make me physically like you, I will never be on your side." Spike said.
"Ah, but you will brother. In fact, she's coming now. I can feel it."
"Good on you. Got a bit of prognosticating demon in there, right?" Just then Buffy entered. Her face of determination slightly faltering as she saw her lover strapped to the operating table. She looked at Adam with an extreme coldness in her eyes. She knew she was going to win...
* Once I'm in, barricade the door behind me. Is this place okay to be magic central?"
Buffy asked Giles. He looked around before replying.
"It, uh, should do."
"As long as we don't get blowed up or nuthin." Willow said.
"What are the odds of that happening? Besides, we've all got that good ol' Kamikaze spirit, right?" Xander said.
"How long before the ritual kicks in?" Buffy asked Giles.
"Five minutes, give or take."
"I'll move fast then." Buffy said. Faith gave her a reassuring nod.
"Buffy, I still don't like you going in alone."
"I won't be." She said with a reassuring smile. Buffy mentally prepped herself as Faith
took guard at the door... *
"Slayer, I've been very much looking forward to your arrival. But let me say first that I'm going to give you a choice: either join us or be killed." Adam said.
"Buffy, what are you doing?! Get the hell out of here!" Spike said in a panic. His heart began to beat so hard that it felt like it would pop out of his chest at any second. Buffy ignored his stricken outburst and replied to Adam instead.
"Sorry, but I don't jump through hoops on command. I've never really been one to toe the line."
"Death it is, then." Adam said with a steely glare as he advanced upon her. So the fight began as...
* "By the power of the Slayer and all who wield it. Last to ancient first, we invoke thee. Grant us thy domain and primal strength. Accept us and the powers we possess. Make us mind and heart and spirit joined. Let the hand encompass us. Do thy will..." Willow chanted. *
Buffy was quick on her feet, but Adam's blows were by far stronger. She dodged as much as she could, and attempted to kick him away in the midsection. But of course, the battle couldn't deter her love of banter.
"Fun, isn't it?" she asked as she ducked another on of his blows. Adam, beginning to get bored, let out his retractable demon blade from his arm. Buffy grabbed it and quickly broke the sharp weapon off.
"Broke your arm." she taunted...
* "Spiritus... spirit." Willow said as she placed down a card.
"Animus... the heart." Xander followed.
"Sophus, the mind." Giles said.
"And manus... the hand. We enjoin that we may inhabit the vessel. The hand... daughter of Sineya- First of the ones. We implore thee, admit us..." *
Adam then grabbed Buffy's wrist and jerked her to him. He then placed one massive hand on the side of her face and then the other. He gave her head a quick jerk to the right, relishing in the satisfying crack. Spike's screams of terror could be heard resonating throughout the room. Riley sat still and looked straight ahead.
"Huh, broke your neck." Adam said as he dropped the lifeless slayer to the floor.
* "Bring us to the vessel. Take us now..." Willow finished. *