Chapter 3

Spike walked through the cemetery looking for Buffy. This was the third one he had been to and still nothing, but the night was still young. Spike had stayed away from Buffy for the last few weeks but he figured it was time to talk. He needed to explain what happened between Anya and himself. Its not like much had happened anyway. Too much alcohol and depression had led to the big mistake. Well little mistake its not like it had lasted long. A couple of minutes, five tops before Spike had pulled away and they had stopped. Trying to imagine Anya was Buffy hadn't worked. It was like comparing human blood to pigs blood. It's the same thing but its not.

Spike was going to talk to Buffy and explain everything. She wouldn't listen and he knew that , that's why he came prepared. He patted the stake in his left pocket, he better remember it was left and not right. He would give Buffy the stake and give her the chance to stake him. Hopefully she wouldn't but just in case the stake in his left pocket was fake.

Spike stopped in the cemetery. He was sure he would find Buffy patrolling but something wasn't right. He couldn't even feel her vibe around anywhere. Maybe she had been hiding out just like he was and hadn't patrolled for few nights. Spike headed towards her house in hopes of finding her there. He had been totally miserable without Buffy and he felt like a wanker for even admitting that to himself.

Spike ran up the steps to the house and banged on the door.

"Slayer open up I áve to talk to you"

Spike looked up at the house and saw there was a light on upstairs.

"Come on Slayer, bloody open up. There's some messed up shit going on in the cemetery"

It couldn't hurt to lie if it meant she would open the door.

Spike began to pound on the door harder.

"Slayer. Bit. Red. Bloody open up"

Spike stopped pounding and looked at the doorknob. He reached his hand to it and winced when it turned.

"Great. Just bloody great" he yelled walking into the house.

"You girls are a bunch of silly bints. An unlocked door wont even keep me out, let alone any other demon that comes looking".

Spike turned on the light in the hall and began searching the lower level of the house. He walked in the kitchen and walked to the back door and looked out. Nothing. Walking past the fridge he paused to close the freezer that was slightly ajar and went to search upstairs.

He turned the light off in Dawns room then went to Buffys. He knew she wasn't there even before he turned the light on. Spike knew he should go out and look for her somewhere else but old habits were hard to break. He walked over to her underwear drawer and opened it. Grabbing a pair he held them to his nose and inhaled deeply. The knickers were clean but her scent still lingered. Spike then froze, something wasn't right. Spike looked down in the drawer and saw the reason why he had picked up that pair of underwear. It was the only pair in there. Spike ran to Buffys cupboard and flung open the door, half of her clothes were missing. Spike began to look around the room frantically and spotted a piece of paper on Buffys bed.

Spike quickly read the letter then threw it down on the bed.

They had to leave

What a lot of shit. Spike ran from Buffys room into Dawns and cringed at the stark reality, they were both gone. Spike ran into Reds room and frowned as he looked around. He hadn't ever been in her room but he knew for she that she hadn't left.

"Freezer" he murmured.

Within seconds Spike was in the kitchen flinging open the frezer door. He cursed when he saw the gap. Spike began to pace around the kitchen. He had known about he freezer money for awhile now. In an act of desperation and starvation Spike had asked Joyce for some money to buy blood. He usually stole it but last time there had been a trap which he barley evaded. He needed the money to pay the butcher. It had been late at night and she didn't have any money on her so she took it from the tin. Joyce explained that the tin was emergency money for Buffy and Dawn. If they every needed to get away, they could do it safely. Spike thought she was daft for supplying her daughters with money to run away with but Joyce didn't. It was the only way to keep her daughters safe.

When Joyce had first gone into hospital she had made Spike promise to look after her girls. He knew the freezer money wouldn't last long so he began adding to it, secretly. Working on the sly for some of the more powerful men of Sunnydale was embarrassing, but money was money. If they wanted to go to charity balls at night and stay safe, he was the man for the job.

Spike rubbed his eyes trying to remember how much exactly was in there. About a year ago he put a false bottom in the tin. Under it he hid large amount of money. Three bundles of hundred dollar bills rolled tightly with a ten dollar bill wrapped around the outside. At first glance it would look like a bundle of tens. Spike began to count in his head. He wasn't sure if all three bundles had three or three and a half thousand. It was a lot of money, he knew that. He had been tempted to keep some of it himself, but he made a promise to a lady and he wasn't going to break it. He knew if Buffy found out that he not only worked for the money but stole it to she would burn it. He only stole from the rich or stupid or sometimes both and Buffy and Dawn deserved more than they did.

Spike began to think. Reds stuff was still in her room and by the looks of the house, it had only been Buffy and Dawn to leave. So where would the witch and the whelp be?. Spike sighed, the only place worth going to, the local watering hole.

Spike shot out the house and ran down the street in a blur. People walking past stopped to look at the unusual event of a man dressed in black running down the street, but that was nothing new for Spike. Dashing into the bronze Spike stopped to gasp for a much unneeded breath than began to look around. He soon spotted Red and her girlfriend out on the floor. He hadn't seen the other witch for a while now but he figured she was his best bet. When the two split with Red going off to the ladies and the other to the bar Spike saw his opening and took it.

"Red been home" he asked taking the seat next to her.

Tara turned to look at Spike surprised. "Umm Spike hi, what are you doing here" she asked nervously.

"Has Red been home?" he asked again.

"Umm yeah why?" she asked confused. Why would he want to know Willows movements for. Tara cringed at the thought of Willow doing something bad.

"Does she know where Buffy and Dawn are" he asked casually.

"Look Spike I knew what was going on between you and Buffy before this while thing with Anya and I do really think you should give her some space.

Spike scoffed. "Some space alright, she's bloody left"

"What?" Tara asked shocked.

"Just been round to their house and they are both gone"

Tara began to stutter "But but there must be some mistake. Did something happen"

Spike shrugged. "Both their rooms were cleaned out and there was a note. We had to leave"

Spike looked at the bar wishing he had time for a good a stiff drink.

"I need your help," he told Tara.

Tara looked at him surprised. "Why would I help you?"

Spike sighed. "If it hadn't been for me you would be back on the farm wondering what kind of demon you are"

Tara sighed. "What do you want?"

"I need to know where she would go"

"Spike if she left, she left for a reason" Tara knew Buffy was having trouble dealing with the whole Spike situation and she didn't want to make I worse.

Spike grew angry. "If she left for a reason it was because your little girlfriend and the bloody whelp were never going to understand about our relationship"

"You never had a relationship Spike, it was just sex" Tara said getting angry that Spike was blaming Willow for Buffys disappearance.

Spike never wanted to kill one of Buffys friends as much as he wanted to kill this one.

"It may have been just sex for her but it was for me. God dam it I love her, and I will find her"

Tara looked at Spike surprised, along with a few other people at the bar who had heard Spikes very loud confession. Tara looked around the Bronze to make sure Willow wasn't coming then turned back to Spike. She could see the love and desperation in his eyes.

"Ok Spike, think about it logically. If you had to run away, where would you go"

Spike thought for a second then smiled. "I went to Sunnydale"

Tara smiled. "Yeah me too"

She thought about it for a second. When you were in trouble you went to a friend or familiar place.

"Does she know anyone out of Sunnydale? Her father, grandparents maybe"

Spike cringed. "She wouldn't go to her grandparents but she would go to mine. The grand poof himself".

Tara looked at Spike confused.

"Angel" he said through gritted teeth.

Tara turned to look over The Bronze once again and saw Willow coming out of the bathroom. She grabbed a pen out of her pursed and grabbed a napkin. She quickly scribbled her phone number on it and handed it to Spike.

"If your or Buffy ever need anything call me ok"

Spike looked at the number then kissed her on the head.

"Thanks luv"

Tara watched as Spike leave and a very angry Willow take his place.

"Why did Spike just kiss you"

Tara looked worried, could she really lie to Willow.

"EHe He wanted money so I gave him some as long as he left Buffy alone"

Willow threw her arms around Tara.

"You're the best you know that"

Tara smiled meekly. "Well you know doing what a can for the group"

Willow looked back in the direction Spike had left. "I knew he would never change. I guess Buffy will be happy he's leaving her alone for a few days. He's a vampire, they don t care"

Tara sighed. She always thought Willow was right about everything. This time she was wrong.

Spike was in his crypt packing everything he owned. His duster his lighter and his cigarettes. He went to leave then remembered something. He carefully made his way to the back of the crypt and began moving things around. He stuck his hand behind an statue and pulled out a cloth bag. He stared at it then shoved it in his pocket. It was time to get Buffy back.

TBC

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