Title: The First Seconded

Author: Falcon-Rider falcon_rider@hotmail.com

Rating: PG-13 for Agnst and ect. And CD

Disclaimer: I own nothing 'cept the plot and Nich.

Authors note: You guys will probably hate me by the time I'm done with this arc but I'm writing what I'm writing for the sake of the overall plot… plus I hate the council… and I have no idea what I'm doing with the LA characters… ((off to watch a few episodes of Angel and try to get Fred and Gunns characters down)) If anyone knows a good fic that characterizes them well please let me know… cause I'm kinda unsure of myself when it comes to using them… Anyway thanks for the reviews everyone! ^_^ I love getting feedback!!!!

 TO THE STORY!

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Part Fourteen

When the sand runs out…

60 days

Tara held her hand over the map and continued the chanting as Willow held a candle before her. The red haired witch chanted with her lover but in a simpler dialect. The twos voices were harmonic creating an eerie melody.

Nich shivered involuntarily as she watched and glanced over to where the oldest member of the group watched with interest. She glanced back at the wiccans as Tara dropped the small stone down toward the map. If she hadn't been able to see in the dark Nich wouldn't have seen what happened next for willow had blown out the candle.

The stone seemed to float in mid air before a spark of green met a spark of dim red and guided it to its resting place. Nich stood up from where she leaned against the wall and waited as Willow and Tara's chanting died off slowly. The seer slipped her hands into her pockets and bit her lip. She may have been privy to magic lessons, and seeing it used… even been apart of it and fought against it… but it still gave her a weird feeling. She hated magic. And had a good reason to.

"Giles would you please turn on the lights?" Tara's voice broke through Nich's thoughts and the seer glanced over to where Giles was and noticed he was standing next to the light switch.

"Of course." He said as he fumbled trying to find the switch.

"A little up and to the left," Nich told him and watched as he flipped the switch on. Nich turned her gaze toward the map that Willow and Tara where bent over.

Giles walked across the room and knelt down next to the witches and frowned. The ex-watcher glanced up and Tara anger shown clearly on his face. "The Watchers council."

"The watchers council?!" Nich stepped away from the wall. "How did they find out?"

Willow brushed of her jeans as she stood and walked over to the seer. "The Council has a lot of contacts… and considering William has been in London fighting vampires almost every night it's no wonder they eventually found out."

"What would they want with him though?" Tara asked frowning she glanced over to Giles.

"He is a Slayer. And if they found out that he is one they may try to bring him in and train… or tell if he is telling the truth of his existence."

Nich paled, the pupils of her eyes narrowed and her jaw clenched, "You mean test him. Make him a guinea pig."

"The council may test his blood and physical strength yes but they'd have no reason to keep him after they've confirmed he is a Slayer, would they?" Willow asked quietly.

"It doesn't matter," Tara walked over to the table that the research books had been strewn across. "We have to get him out of there, he's key to the upcoming apocalypse… all of us are."

"So how are we going to get into the council undetected?" Nich asked after a few minutes of silence.

"There are ways," Giles answered her. "Some that Travers probably doesn't even know about."

"And you know one or two of these ways?"

"Giles here was quite the juvenile delinquent in his day," Willow answered smiling. She glanced down at the map and laughed slightly. "I guess that does come in handy now a days… sometimes anyway."

"Yes, well I can assure you I can get us in safely. I'm not so sure about getting out though."

"Willow and I can handle the getting out part. As long as we're all prepared for some serious fighting," Tara said.

"And maybe some protecting as well," Nich added. She hated the idea of her friend not being the one doing the protecting but it was always a possibility that William may be out of commission. "Who knows what they've done to him… we have to be ready for anything."

*

59 days

"Wakey wakey William darling." Was the first thing Spike heard as his mind cleared and he awoke. At first there was confusion at his whereabouts but the sudden pain in his arm cleared his mind quickly and he jerked up against the restraints. Something was wrong. A wave of nausea passed over him and he choked. His arms ached and he strained against the restraints to no avail.

Emma smiled as she watched him and chuckled. Some days she loved her job. Turning away from him she placed the needle back into its wooden case and tsked as she realized she would have to send for some more of the liquid.

"What did you do to me?" Spike choked out as he watched his 'doctor.' He felt weak and vulnerable, as his muscles seemed to be unresponsive.

"What did I do to you?" She asked sweetly. "Why nothing Willy, just gave you a shot. After all we may never know where you were when you were a vampire. You may have caught some dreadful disease!"

Spikes head swam some how what she said made no sense. Vampires couldn't get diseases. Well none that he knew of anyway. "Couldn't… get sick." He choked out.

"Why of course you could." She laughed at him. "All creatures can get sick. Even Slayers… and it seems that you may have had a bad reaction to your medicine."

Spikes mind swam before it slowly began to clear once more. He managed to focus on the crazy young woman's face before him as she smiled sweetly. "That wasn't medicine."

"Why no it wasn't." the comment was laced with giggles that did not help Spikes foul mood. "Of course not… we can't have you fighting us though. It's a simple muscle relaxant… you would get it if once you turn eighteen anyway. But of course you're probably older than that. What are you 120 years old? Plus about 25 years as a human?" She laughed heartily for a moment before she patted him on the shoulder and held a lollypop in front of his face. "You've been a very good boy."

Spike growled at her as a deep feeling of dread coursed through him. What did they not want him to be able to fight them for? What was going to happen?

*

"Are you sure this will get us in?" Nich asked kneeling in front of a trap door in the London sewer system. She had come to decision after less than a minute after first climbing into the dark murky place that she hated it. Plus there was that smell...

Giles nodded as he raised his flashlight letting it travel across old crumbling bricks and old pipes. "Yes it is up there… I would go first but…"

"I'll go," Nich volunteered slipping the door open. "I'm the one with night vision after all."

"Be careful," Tara called after her in a whisper.

"When am I not?" Came the reply. The three adults glanced at each other worry plain in their eyes.

*

Spike was pushed to his knees by the much bigger guard. He glared at the man who had pushed him down then turned his gaze toward Quentin who stood a few feet in front of him. "Travers." The ex-vampire growled his hate for the man in front of him coating the word harshly.

Travers chuckled. "Yes, I am. And you are William the bloody also known as Spike. You have changed much, last time I heard you were a master Vampire. A slayer of Slayers."

"Yah, well guess I've been upgraded." Spike replied shortly. Travers looked him over and stepped closer.

"Yes, an amazing thing at that." He shook his head. "A vampire becoming a slayer… please tell me how this is possible."

"I would never tell you such a thing." Spike replied shortly. He watched as Travers walked across the room and trailed his fingers across a group of books. After a few minutes he found what he was looking for and crossed the room to his desk. Flipping the book opened he smiled as he found what he had been looking for. "What's that?"

"This?" Travers indicated the book. "A spell used to locate things or people."

Spikes face-hardened and worry laced through him, what if he found Nich or Tara? The witch had been resurrected and Nich was a seer. Both the council could probably find valuable.  "What or who are you looking for?"

Travers nodded to Emma McFowell the doctor walked behind spike and knelt down next to him a smile ever existent on her face. Spike tilted his head toward her his eyes slitted.

"You've been such a good boy William." She patted his head. He growled as she smoothed his hair against his head. "You've been my favorite patient ever." Her smile never failed as she wrapped an arm around his shoulders and half a cloth to his mouth.

Spike struggled against her uselessly. He found himself staring up into Emma's eyes as his brain began to wander… his thoughts were clouded and everything seemed to be in slow motion. The doctor blinked automatically and all throughout what she was doing the same bright smile stayed on her face. "Don't worry dearie it will all be over soon. All the pain will be gone."

Fake, the word rushed into the forefront of his mind as blackness began to descend. Everything about the woman holding the cloth over his face, the woman that was killing him was fake.

He tried to fight but his mind was wandering and he found himself looking into the darkness and welcoming it. It was what he had sought for, a thought drifted into his mind as he fell into the darkness. Words he had said only a few years before.

Part of you is desperate to know...
What's it like? Where does it lead you? That's also a warrior's question.

A warrior's curiosity.


So you see, that's the secret.
Not the punch she didn't throw or the kick she didn't land. She simply wanted it.

Every Slayer has a death wish.

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Author Note: THIS IS NOT THE END!!! And Cliffhanger… something I hate but hey kinda necessary.. Buffy comes in next chap…erm… Don't hurt me? Please? And my computer hasn't been taken! YET!  So that's good at least…

To be continued in: Times up.

As always please review! Any feedback is welcome, along with comments or suggestions!

^_^