Thanks again for all the reviews! I'm glad you guys are enjoying the
story.
Kori hime: this takes place during season 4 but some things might be slightly off b/c I haven't watched those episodes in a while. Tara wasn't at the meeting b/c I don't think she and Willow were really together at this point.
Anon: I'm glad you like it. Don't worry. Buffy will have some better fights in the coming chapters.
Don't forget to R&R!
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
They arrived at the crypt and Spike pushed open the large wooden door. Inside was eerily dark and quiet, yet it wasn't as unwelcoming as Buffy once remembered. It was sort of...quaint...in a home for dead people kind of way.
Spike took off his leather duster and laid it across a chair. Buffy stood in the doorway a moment and then walked over to another chair and sat down. 'What am I doing here?' she asked herself. 'This is Spike's crypt. Am I crazy?'
She watched as Spike rummaged through a small end table drawer and pulled out some gauze and bandages. "No antiseptic, sorry luv. Don't really need it when you're undead."
He carried the supplies over to Buffy and knelt down next to her. Lifting his hand, he paused. "You're not gonna stake me if I touch your arm now, are you slayer?"
Buffy couldn't help but grin. "You still have my stake, remember?"
"Oh right," replied Spike with a sheepish grin. He had put the stake in his jacket pocket after dusting the vamp. You could never be too careful with a slayer around. "Well you won't need it anyway. Not as long as I've got this bloody chip in my head."
Spike dabbed at her wound with a piece of gauze. Buffy flinched at the slight pain and noticed Spike cringe as well. The chip was clearly confused, thinking that Spike was trying to hurt her. She felt a wave of sympathy for the blond vampire who was suffering for her sake.
"Why are you helping me?" she asked him. Spike finished bandaging her wound and shrugged his shoulders.
"Not like there's much I can do anymore. Bloody chip's seen to that. Besides, it was either this or kitten poker and there's only so much meowing a bloke can take."
Buffy accepted his explanation but still felt uneasy. Even though she and Spike were no longer mortal enemies, she wasn't about to let down her guard. He was still a vampire, a soulless vampire, and she knew the minute his chip stopped working, things would be very different between them.
"Thanks Spike...for everything." She felt she owed him some sort of gratitude. He had after all saved her life.
"It was nothing," Spike mumbled. He thought a moment and added, "But next time you're about to stake me for something, let's not forget about the time the scared, little slayer was rescued by the Big Bad."
Normally Buffy would quip back at him with some clever remark, but she couldn't get his words out of her head. "Next time you're about to stake me..." What if there wasn't a next time? What if her days of staking vamps were finally over? She recalled Anya's chilling words from earlier. "What good is she without her powers?" What good was she?
Buffy put her head in her hands. No. She was not about to break down again.
Spike tilted his head slightly, watching as she covered her face. It looked like she was about to cry again, but why should he care if she did? He should be happy he made her cry. That's what vampires did right? They hurt people and didn't give it a second thought. That's how he used to be, back when things seemed so much simpler. Then he'd met Buffy. 'Bloody slayer,' he thought. 'She's turning me into more of a poof then Peaches ever was.'
Pretending like he didn't care, Spike turned away, but as soon as the first sob escaped from Buffy's lips, he was back at her side.
"Slayer, I didn't mean it. You aren't scared or little. Not that I'm saying you're fat or anything. You're pretty and you have really nice legs...of course I never look at your legs! But you know...when you kick me in the face I sort of have to notice them..."
Buffy wiped away a tear and looked up at the babbling vampire. There was a look of terror in his eyes about what he had just said, and Buffy couldn't help it. She cracked up hysterically.
Spike was stunned a moment but soon he was grinning too. "Glad you're laughing pet. I was worried you were going to stake me instead."
Taking a deep breath, Buffy managed to regain her composure. "I think it's the first time I've laughed all day."
"Now why would that be?" Spike asked, knowing there was something important she was keeping from him. "What's got you so upset that you're here talking to me instead of plotting with your mates some new way to exterminate my kind?"
Buffy glanced up at his face and quickly looked down. She had an urge to tell him the whole story but knew she couldn't. What if he went around to every demon bar in town and told them that the slayer lost her powers? He was still evil. There's was a good chance he would do just that.
Spike put his hand on Buffy's arm and she jumped with surprise. "You can tell me," he said with genuine concern. "If some nasty bugger hurt you then I'll go and rip its head off."
She took a deep breath and looked directly into his eyes. "If I tell you, do you swear not to tell another living soul?" Realizing her error she quickly added, "I mean undead, soulless things too. You can't tell anyone."
Spike nodded. "I won't say a word."
With a sigh Buffy began to explain. "I found out this morning. No one knew it was going to happen, not me, not Giles, just the stupid watcher's council. I hate that stupid council with their stupid rules, and their stupid secrets. Did I mention they're really stupid?"
"They're stupid. Got it slayer." Spike was dying to know what was wrong, but he knew if he rushed her, she might not tell him.
"So then they said they're going to come to Sunnydale and see if they can help," she continued. "But what if they can't help? It's not like they've ever helped me with anything before."
The vampire was doing very well keeping his patience but he didn't know how much longer he could last. "Help you with what pet?"
Buffy paused. "Get my powers back."
Spike didn't think he heard her right. "Get your powers back? You mean...you lost your powers?!"
"Well not exactly lost but yeah...they're gone. They sort of...expired."
For the first time in his unlife, Spike was speechless. A slayer without her powers? That was like...hot chocolate without miniature marshmallows.
"Are...are you sure luv?" he finally asked. He knew it was a dumb question but he was still trying to process this new information.
"Did you see me try to fight that vampire?" she replied indignantly. "Fight is not even the appropriate word. It was more like a struggle to stand up. It was pathetic."
She leaned against the wall and sighed. "I don't know what I'm going to do. If the council can't help me..."
"I'll help you." Spike was surprised at his own words, but he knew they were sincere. He wanted to help her. Though his every instinct told him to stay out of the slayer's problems, he couldn't bear to see her in pain.
"You'll help me?" Buffy repeated his words wanting to make sure she had heard correctly. Spike actually wanted to help her? What kind of crazy dimension had she woken up in?
"Well..." Spike thought for a moment. "You could use some help patrolling. No offense slayer, but you might want someone watching your back."
Buffy knew he was right. If she was going to patrol without her powers, she needed some help, but did she really want that help to be Spike? How did she know he wouldn't just lead her into a trap and leave her there?
"Umm... I don't know Spike..."
Spike cocked his head and grinned. "Come on pet. You know I'm right. Plus I haven't had a good killing in days. This'll be good for the both of us."
Buffy could see he wasn't going to take no for an answer. Plus...she really did need the help.
"Oh alright Spike. You can help me patrol, but if anything goes wrong...," She pulled a stake out of her boot and held it in the air. "...I'll stake you, powers or not."
"Hey!" Spike yelled pointing at the weapon in her hand. "You told me you didn't have another stake."
Buffy smiled. "I said you had one of mine. You didn't ask about any others."
A low growl formed in Spike's throat. "Appreciate the honesty Slayer."
"No problem."
They were interrupted by a loud slam and turned around. A scowling Xander was standing in the doorway of Spike's crypt.
"What did I tell you?!" he shouted. "I knew he was going to try something!"
Willow appeared next to Xander, a look of embarrassment on her face. "It doesn't look like he's hurting her Xander."
"I'm fine," Buffy assured her friends. "Spike and I were just...err...talking." She quickly pulled down the sleeve of her jacket to cover the bandage. No need getting Xander even more upset.
Xander wasn't convinced. "Are you sure the peroxide jerk didn't hurt you?"
"Peroxide jerk standing right here," Spike said raising his hand for emphasis.
"No Xander. I already told you. We were just talking." Buffy walked over to her friends and forced a small smile. "Everything's fine. Come on. Let's go."
She gave Xander a small shove and he reluctantly walked outside with Willow close behind. Before she left, Buffy looked back over her shoulder at the blond vampire.
"Tomorrow night, at sunset."
Spike nodded needing no further explanation. "I'll be waiting for you luv."
Kori hime: this takes place during season 4 but some things might be slightly off b/c I haven't watched those episodes in a while. Tara wasn't at the meeting b/c I don't think she and Willow were really together at this point.
Anon: I'm glad you like it. Don't worry. Buffy will have some better fights in the coming chapters.
Don't forget to R&R!
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
They arrived at the crypt and Spike pushed open the large wooden door. Inside was eerily dark and quiet, yet it wasn't as unwelcoming as Buffy once remembered. It was sort of...quaint...in a home for dead people kind of way.
Spike took off his leather duster and laid it across a chair. Buffy stood in the doorway a moment and then walked over to another chair and sat down. 'What am I doing here?' she asked herself. 'This is Spike's crypt. Am I crazy?'
She watched as Spike rummaged through a small end table drawer and pulled out some gauze and bandages. "No antiseptic, sorry luv. Don't really need it when you're undead."
He carried the supplies over to Buffy and knelt down next to her. Lifting his hand, he paused. "You're not gonna stake me if I touch your arm now, are you slayer?"
Buffy couldn't help but grin. "You still have my stake, remember?"
"Oh right," replied Spike with a sheepish grin. He had put the stake in his jacket pocket after dusting the vamp. You could never be too careful with a slayer around. "Well you won't need it anyway. Not as long as I've got this bloody chip in my head."
Spike dabbed at her wound with a piece of gauze. Buffy flinched at the slight pain and noticed Spike cringe as well. The chip was clearly confused, thinking that Spike was trying to hurt her. She felt a wave of sympathy for the blond vampire who was suffering for her sake.
"Why are you helping me?" she asked him. Spike finished bandaging her wound and shrugged his shoulders.
"Not like there's much I can do anymore. Bloody chip's seen to that. Besides, it was either this or kitten poker and there's only so much meowing a bloke can take."
Buffy accepted his explanation but still felt uneasy. Even though she and Spike were no longer mortal enemies, she wasn't about to let down her guard. He was still a vampire, a soulless vampire, and she knew the minute his chip stopped working, things would be very different between them.
"Thanks Spike...for everything." She felt she owed him some sort of gratitude. He had after all saved her life.
"It was nothing," Spike mumbled. He thought a moment and added, "But next time you're about to stake me for something, let's not forget about the time the scared, little slayer was rescued by the Big Bad."
Normally Buffy would quip back at him with some clever remark, but she couldn't get his words out of her head. "Next time you're about to stake me..." What if there wasn't a next time? What if her days of staking vamps were finally over? She recalled Anya's chilling words from earlier. "What good is she without her powers?" What good was she?
Buffy put her head in her hands. No. She was not about to break down again.
Spike tilted his head slightly, watching as she covered her face. It looked like she was about to cry again, but why should he care if she did? He should be happy he made her cry. That's what vampires did right? They hurt people and didn't give it a second thought. That's how he used to be, back when things seemed so much simpler. Then he'd met Buffy. 'Bloody slayer,' he thought. 'She's turning me into more of a poof then Peaches ever was.'
Pretending like he didn't care, Spike turned away, but as soon as the first sob escaped from Buffy's lips, he was back at her side.
"Slayer, I didn't mean it. You aren't scared or little. Not that I'm saying you're fat or anything. You're pretty and you have really nice legs...of course I never look at your legs! But you know...when you kick me in the face I sort of have to notice them..."
Buffy wiped away a tear and looked up at the babbling vampire. There was a look of terror in his eyes about what he had just said, and Buffy couldn't help it. She cracked up hysterically.
Spike was stunned a moment but soon he was grinning too. "Glad you're laughing pet. I was worried you were going to stake me instead."
Taking a deep breath, Buffy managed to regain her composure. "I think it's the first time I've laughed all day."
"Now why would that be?" Spike asked, knowing there was something important she was keeping from him. "What's got you so upset that you're here talking to me instead of plotting with your mates some new way to exterminate my kind?"
Buffy glanced up at his face and quickly looked down. She had an urge to tell him the whole story but knew she couldn't. What if he went around to every demon bar in town and told them that the slayer lost her powers? He was still evil. There's was a good chance he would do just that.
Spike put his hand on Buffy's arm and she jumped with surprise. "You can tell me," he said with genuine concern. "If some nasty bugger hurt you then I'll go and rip its head off."
She took a deep breath and looked directly into his eyes. "If I tell you, do you swear not to tell another living soul?" Realizing her error she quickly added, "I mean undead, soulless things too. You can't tell anyone."
Spike nodded. "I won't say a word."
With a sigh Buffy began to explain. "I found out this morning. No one knew it was going to happen, not me, not Giles, just the stupid watcher's council. I hate that stupid council with their stupid rules, and their stupid secrets. Did I mention they're really stupid?"
"They're stupid. Got it slayer." Spike was dying to know what was wrong, but he knew if he rushed her, she might not tell him.
"So then they said they're going to come to Sunnydale and see if they can help," she continued. "But what if they can't help? It's not like they've ever helped me with anything before."
The vampire was doing very well keeping his patience but he didn't know how much longer he could last. "Help you with what pet?"
Buffy paused. "Get my powers back."
Spike didn't think he heard her right. "Get your powers back? You mean...you lost your powers?!"
"Well not exactly lost but yeah...they're gone. They sort of...expired."
For the first time in his unlife, Spike was speechless. A slayer without her powers? That was like...hot chocolate without miniature marshmallows.
"Are...are you sure luv?" he finally asked. He knew it was a dumb question but he was still trying to process this new information.
"Did you see me try to fight that vampire?" she replied indignantly. "Fight is not even the appropriate word. It was more like a struggle to stand up. It was pathetic."
She leaned against the wall and sighed. "I don't know what I'm going to do. If the council can't help me..."
"I'll help you." Spike was surprised at his own words, but he knew they were sincere. He wanted to help her. Though his every instinct told him to stay out of the slayer's problems, he couldn't bear to see her in pain.
"You'll help me?" Buffy repeated his words wanting to make sure she had heard correctly. Spike actually wanted to help her? What kind of crazy dimension had she woken up in?
"Well..." Spike thought for a moment. "You could use some help patrolling. No offense slayer, but you might want someone watching your back."
Buffy knew he was right. If she was going to patrol without her powers, she needed some help, but did she really want that help to be Spike? How did she know he wouldn't just lead her into a trap and leave her there?
"Umm... I don't know Spike..."
Spike cocked his head and grinned. "Come on pet. You know I'm right. Plus I haven't had a good killing in days. This'll be good for the both of us."
Buffy could see he wasn't going to take no for an answer. Plus...she really did need the help.
"Oh alright Spike. You can help me patrol, but if anything goes wrong...," She pulled a stake out of her boot and held it in the air. "...I'll stake you, powers or not."
"Hey!" Spike yelled pointing at the weapon in her hand. "You told me you didn't have another stake."
Buffy smiled. "I said you had one of mine. You didn't ask about any others."
A low growl formed in Spike's throat. "Appreciate the honesty Slayer."
"No problem."
They were interrupted by a loud slam and turned around. A scowling Xander was standing in the doorway of Spike's crypt.
"What did I tell you?!" he shouted. "I knew he was going to try something!"
Willow appeared next to Xander, a look of embarrassment on her face. "It doesn't look like he's hurting her Xander."
"I'm fine," Buffy assured her friends. "Spike and I were just...err...talking." She quickly pulled down the sleeve of her jacket to cover the bandage. No need getting Xander even more upset.
Xander wasn't convinced. "Are you sure the peroxide jerk didn't hurt you?"
"Peroxide jerk standing right here," Spike said raising his hand for emphasis.
"No Xander. I already told you. We were just talking." Buffy walked over to her friends and forced a small smile. "Everything's fine. Come on. Let's go."
She gave Xander a small shove and he reluctantly walked outside with Willow close behind. Before she left, Buffy looked back over her shoulder at the blond vampire.
"Tomorrow night, at sunset."
Spike nodded needing no further explanation. "I'll be waiting for you luv."