Part 9
The Summers Residence.
Connor ran into the house like a whirlwind "We have to save them." He yelled
"What..." Giles spluttered almost spilling this tea. "Save who?"
"Angel and Spike." Connor said breathlessly, he had been running the whole time managing to lose the few soldiers sent after him.
"Sit down and tell me what happened." Giles said as the others slowly drifted into the sitting room after hearing the commotion.
"They captured them." Connor stated, expecting everyone to understand.
"Start at the beginning, and slow down." Giles patiently said
"We went to that Initiative place and we were met by that Riley feller, and then Buffy was kissing him and then there was fighting and they captured them."
"They captured Buffy, Spike and Angel?" Giles asked confused
"No, Buffy helped Riley capture Angel and Spike. Spike told me to run take Dawn and get out of Sunnydale. We have to go back and help them." Connor said with desperation.
"Yes, well." Giles removed his glasses and pinched the brow of his nose "We need to move away from here first. That much I know from bitter experience."
"So we heading over to "The Basement" again I'm sure mom and dad won't mind." Xander said sarcastically.
"Thank you Xander but I think this calls for somewhere new. I don't know what's going on but we can't assume anything where the Initiative is concerned as for Buffy, I have no idea what to think." Giles took a deep breath, removed his glasses and put his head in his hands. "Right." Giles stood. "This place is obviously not safe and if the Initiative is back doing whatever it is doing. We can only assume that if they are going to come after us and that here will be the first place they will look. I honestly don't know what Buffy is doing so for the moment we run and hide. Grab weapons and whatever we can carry." He instructed the group.
"Buffy's been acting really weird since she came back from heaven, but why would she turn on Angel and Spike? It doesn't make any sense."
"I don't know Dawn." Giles said pulling her into a hug. "Anyone have any ideas where we can hide preferably where Buffy is unlikely to find us?" Giles was met with a sea of silent blank faces.
"Oh, I know." Dawn said triumphantly "What about the caves where Adam was hiding, you know the ones Spike took me there when we had to fight...well hide from Glory Buffy doesn't know them that well but Spike showed me lots of quick exits and stuff, just in case. I can show you and it's close to the Initiative. Oh and we can look at the stuff that's left over from Adam I think I know where it is Spike showed me once."
"What about Buffy?" Willow asked
"We take a cell phone so that she can contact us" Dawn said
"Right the caves it is. Xander could you see about torches of some description. Willow can you see to food, cooking equipment that sort of thing. Dawn you sort out bedding Girls "to the Potentials Giles said "Could you grab warm cloths and weapons, and you Connor, you and I will talk." everyone moved off to do there tasks. While Connor and Giles went over all that had happened and been said.
In The Caves.
"I don't think Buffy knows how to get here." Dawn said as they entered a large chamber.
"Good" said Xander "I don't think I know how to get here."
"Well this is homey." Willow said with a smile
"Let's set up camp here see about how we are going to get Spike and Angel away from the Initiative." Giles instructed
An hour later they were all gathered around a small fire wrapped in their sleeping bags. Huddling together for warmth.
"God I hope we don't have to stay here long." Giles said with a sigh.
"It's cold" Dawn shivered
"Here." Connor held open his sleeping bag and Dawn snuggled in close, she wasn't really cold but feeling a bit lost after the excitement wore off and reality kicked in. The two most important people in her life were on opposite sides and it was tearing her up inside. Besides Connor was rather nice.
"Willow." Giles said with a smile as he saw Connor and Dawn together. "What can you remember about the Initiative compound? Do we know where the entrance and exits are, any air vents we could use?"
"Not much I'm afraid." Willow said all business like, planning she could cope with, anything to distract from thoughts of what Buffy was up to. "We know the entrance that used to be in the frat house has been demolished, not that that worked last time. There was the entrance that Spike used to escape, but we never really found it. Other than that I'm not sure. We don't know which part of the complex they are being held in. The main part or the part where Buffy faced Adam. Sorry."
"Okay, what do we know?" Giles said thoughtfully "Connor how many soldiers were there?"
"Around twenty and that Riley feller all armed with those taser things."
"And Buffy" Dawn stated shivering. Connor hugged Dawn closer. Both giving and receiving comfort. He was feeling guilty that he left Spike and his Dad to their fates.
"What wrong with her? I mean first she gets orgasms with Angel and from what I've heard that didn't turn out good. Then she gets orgasms with Spike and that didn't turn out too good, is she getting orgasms with Riley again cause that isn't turning out good either, and I thought Spike was the insane one." Anya said brashly.
"Anya honey." Xander said softly.
"I know stop talking before I say something you'll regret." Anya ranted, she was cold hungry and grumpy. "You do realize that if I was still a vengeance demon I could teleport to where Angel and Spike are and help. But no you have to persuade me to turn that stupid human back from being a worm just so Spike can stab him. God I hate my life." The potentials just watched the scene in front of them unfold before them in silent shock, not entirely sure what was going on.
"Thank you Anya for your input, now might I suggest that we all get some sleep and see if tomorrow brings any developments."
They all settled down, quietly contemplating all that had happened the last couple of days and slowly drifting off to sleep.
Connor tossed and turned. Dawn was lying next to him blissfully unaware of his inability to sleep. He kept hearing this tapping. He rose and walked silently to the back of the cave hoping to find the infernal drip that was keeping him awake, instead of finding it the noise got louder. Giles rose and joined him wondering if the young man was all right.
"You alright?" He asked as he drew nearer.
"I'm fine, just can't sleep. Keep hearing this infernal noise like tapping thought it was a drip or something, it's driving me mad."
"I don't hear anything."
"Listen." Connor said and they did
"Go now get me a pen and paper." Giles said urgently.
Connor ran to do as he was bid and returned handed they to Giles who wrote
... --- ... / ... --- ... / ... --- ... / -.-. .- -. / .- -. -.-- / ..-. ..- -.-. -.- . .-. / .... . .- .-. / -- . / ... --- ... / ... --- ... / ... --- ... /
"What's that?" Connor asked when he saw the page of dots and lines.
"That is Morse code one of our earliest ways of communicating."
"What's it say?"
"Um well I think it says "SOS SOS SOS can any fucker hear this SOS SOS SOS " Giles smiles and started tapping back
"What are you two doing?" Asked Dawn as she sleepily approached
"Someone's tapping and talking?" Connor said in confusion.
"Giles?"
"Morse code Dawn, Spike is using Morse code." Giles said happily.
"How do you know its Spike?" Giles showed her the message. "Yep that's him alright." Dawn said smiling.
"Shush there's a message coming back." Giles got his pen ready.
"What did you send?" Dawn asked excited
""Hello Giles here" Well I think I did I'm a bit rusty." Giles started scribbling on the pad again
.- - / .-.. .- ... - / .-- .... .- - / - --- --- -.- / -.-- --- ..- / .-.. --- - / ... --- / .-.. --- -. --. / .- -. -.. / .-- .... .- - / - .... . / .... . .-.. .-.. / .- .-. . / -.-- --- ..- / -.. --- .. -. --. / ... --- / -. . .- .-. / - .... . / -... .-.. --- --- -.. -.-- / .. -. .. - .. .- - .. ...- . --..-- / -.-- --- ..- / ... --- ..- -. -.. / .-.. .. -.- . / .- / .... ..- .-. -.. / --- ..-. / . .-.. . .--. .... .- -. - ... .-.-.- / -. --- .-- / --. . - / ..- ... / - .... . / ..-. ..- -.-. -.- / --- ..- - / --- ..-. / .... . .-. . .-.-.-
"Well what does it say?" Dawn asked impatiently
"Give me a minute to translate it." Giles said distractedly "It says, oh dear, and I quote "At last what took you lot so long and what the hell are you doing so near the bloody Initiative, you sound like a herd of elephants. Now get us the fuck out of here".
"Oops." Dawn said quietly.
"Yes quite, Dawn could you quietly wake the girls and get them ready to move...somewhere not quite so close to the Initiative."
"Sure, Connor could you help?" she asked hopefully
"What about Angel is he with Spike?" Connor asked nervously
"Let's find out." He said reassuringly. Giles tapped a message and then scribbled down the reply "Spike says and I quote "The poof is fine," Connor sighed in relief and Giles continued to read the rest of the message. "Here with me. Now about getting us out of here, been thinking"" Giles groaned as he read this part "" that place where Adam was held up had lots of computer stuff in it get Red there and see if you can unlock the doors in here some how but make sure that she unlocks the quarantine cells 'cause that's where we are. Then get the fuck away from Sunnyhell, and if Connor and Dawn are with you then tell Little Brother he was told to get out and get away from here with Dawn, and he's in trouble for not following orders."
"Sounds like a plan to me." Said Connor.
"Yes indeed." Giles agreed. He tapped a quick message asking about Buffy, and letting them know that both Dawn and Connor were safe. Giles read the response out loud as soon as he had decrypted it. "It says "She joined Riley handed us to him on a plate. Giles get Dawn away from here I think they may want her and get Red away as quick as you can. Something ain't right here."
"Why would they want Dawn?" Connor asked
"Maybe it has to do with her being the key," Giles mused "But to be honest I have no idea, look we don't have time to do this now we are too vulnerable lets move out and we can talk about it later." He tapped a quick message saying that they would see what they could do. After they went to join the others helping them pack up and move again.
The Initiative.
# Thank god he's finally stopped that infernal tapping. Wait he's smiling. This can't be good, he only ever smiles in these situations when he's got a plan, Please whoever's out there let it be a good one. Here goes nothing. #
"Why are you smiling?" Angel asked cautiously from the other side of the room.
Spike smirked "I have a plan." He stated.
Angel groaned inwardly "Tell me."
"Well just talked to Giles and it's all in motion so you just have to sit back and enjoy the ride. Just be ready to fight and don't forget the little box Corn fed Boy has."
"Oh god he's imagining he talking to people." Angel muttered worriedly.
"No I'm not you ponce. Did you learn nothing on that submarine way back when?"
"What?" Angel asked exasperatedly he had trouble keeping up with his childe's mood swings let alone the way his brain worked.
"What? You think I've just been sitting here the whole time?" Spike tilted his head and gave Angel " the are you mad, as if I could sit still that long look." "Why was I tapping?" Spike said as if talking to a child, upon seeing Angels blank look he continued "Morse bloody code!!!"
"Oh" Angel said, then more enthusiastically "Oh, but how did you know Giles would hear you?"
"Oh for fucks sake...Well we already know you are thick but deaf as well I feel sorry for you mate I really do..."
"Spike" Angel growled
"I heard them when they arrived where ever they are...think it must be one of the caves, Connor's with them by the way. Told him to get the hell away from Sunnyhell but as usual no one listens to me. God forbid I might actually be right for once."
"Are they still there?" Angel asked hopefully.
"No told them to move, they were too close." They both sat in silence thinking over the new developments.
"So how do I get these things off?" Angel asked indicating the enchanted chains and cuffs.
"Yeah...I'm working on that." Spike said looking up at the ceiling.
"What do you mean your working on that?" Angel asked testily.
"Just shut up will you and stop having a go. I said I was working on it so leave it at that will ya'" An uncomfortable silence followed
"I'm sorry." Angel said quietly
"For what?" They both knew what for, but neither could put it in to words.
"I told you to trust me."
"Yeah but it was my decision to trust you." Spike looked Angel straight in the eye. "Don't you dare add this to that almighty guilt complex you have. I made a choice and I chose to live, bugger the consequences. There was always a chance of this going bad and we both knew it. So don't go beating yourself up about it, it happened now move on from it and stop bloody brooding. You're giving me a headache just watching. Which is quite impressive seeing as the chip is bloody killing me already."
Angel lowered his head and started playing with his shoelace "How do you do it?"
"Do what?" Spike asked curiously.
Angel sighed trying to work out the best way of putting it. "Let's just say that if half of what had happened to you had happened to me I would probably have killed myself by now." Angel said thoughtfully
"Well it's a bloody good job that it hasn't then innit." Spike said sighed wistfully staring back up at the ceiling. "Tried it once ya' know, tried staking myself... t'was when I was living with Harris," He chuckled at the memory "now that was a low point in my life, managed to shrink my clothes in the wash, I mean wasn't my fault the whelp left the heat settings on high. Ended up wearing one of his ghastly shirts and a pair of knee length shorts, can you imagine, me in shorts?" He said in disbelief, Angel chuckled trying to picture it. "That was the night I found out that I could hurt demons. Life kinda picked up after that. In a round-a-bout kind a way."
"Why didn't you stop him?" Angel asked quietly his head still bowed.
Spike jumped to his feet and started pacing. "What the fuck are you on about Peaches?" Spike asked angrily.
Angel took a beep breath; great back to being peaches again, he lifted his head and looked at Spike. "You and I both know you could have put a stop to this." Angel stated. Spike stood there staring at him. "You could have bought him forth...William The Bloody, could have put a stop to this."
Spike walked straight to Angel with a look of thunder on his face, Angel stood and waited for the blows to fall. Instead as Spike got close he just stood there and stared at him for what felt like hours. Angel could see the emotions flickering behind those deep blue eyes, anger, hurt, loss, pain, uncertainty and love. Spike spun around suddenly leaving his back facing Angel and said stonily. "I can't let him out. Not here."
"Why?" Angel asked quietly.
Spike spun round facing him and spat "'Cause if I do then they would all die, I can't control him in this place. It's hard enough as it is with him, the chip and all the other shit going on in my brain. Don't get me wrong Riley and his soldier boys deserve what's coming." Spike sighed "But Buffy? Something's not right with her, don't know what, but she would die if I let him out, I couldn't do that, so I didn't and paid the price." Angel saw the tears gathering in Spikes eyes he wanted to hold his Boy so badly, hold him tight, taking all the pain into himself and never let him go again, but knew he couldn't. Spike needed to be strong and giving him comfort was a sure way to break the walls he set up around himself. Angelus had found this out by accident.
Flashback
Angelus had left a bloodied and battered Will lying on the basement floor while he'd gone out hunting, whoring and drinking returning a bit worse for wear. Darla and Druscilla were away visiting the Master. Angelus had had fun; spending the whole day tying Will up and torturing him, trying to break him, but his Boy never broke. Angelus chuckled at the thought. His sweet Will still so innocent even after three years of Angelus trying to break him of his hold on humanity. What a disgrace to the bloodline, but what a tight little arse he had.
He had ventured down to the basement and found Will still where he had left him. Angelus felt an unusual prang of sorrow when he saw his Boy still lying there unmoving and silent. Will was never silent and never still it was one of the things that drove Angelus mad, but now it was gone and he missed it. Angelus walked over to him and carefully lifted him into his arms, Will groaned and started struggling.
"Stop It Little One. It's over now."
He stopped and Angelus carefully carried him upstairs and laid him on the master bed. With infinite care Angelus carefully cleaned the wounds, dressed them and placed his boy in the bed. Angelus stood there and looked down at him as he slept so soundly. He stripped off and joined him, holding the smaller vampire close to him.
Will woke a while later and instantly stiffened, in fear. Angelus pretended to still be asleep and pulled him closer, holding him tight, that's when it happened, tears started to fall dampening Angelus' chest and Angelus held him tighter, letting his boy's sorrow and pain wash over him. Angelus pushed him on to his back and with care the younger vampire had never felt before; he licked away the tears as they fell. No words were spoken that night; they just lay together, taking and receiving comfort from one another. It was the last time Angelus was to see his sweet Will for what came after that night was William The Bloody, The Slayer of Slayers and later Spike. Angelus had roared in victory as this vicious manifestation had slowly revealed itself to him, but silently deep inside he cried for the loss of his Sweet Will and the night they had shared together in quiet peace surrounded by each other's arms.