A/N: Thanks for all the reviews. I am a cruel tyrant to Spike, I admit it. Strangely, I wrote this fic before "Damage" where Spike got his arms cut off. Which is kind of freaky.
15
Punch. Kick. Punch. Kick. Punch. Punch. Kick. Punch. That was all that ran through Buffy's mind that morning as she stood poised in front of the punch bag down in the basement. She kicked she punched she sweated and she felt a little better. Then the Slayer made her way over to the treadmills and began at a brisk pace.
Angel had returned home before morning to tell them that Willow had a broken leg, Giles minor injuries and Xander had a mild concussion and a few cuts and bruises. She was relieved that on the whole they were okay and that she wouldn't have to worry about them too.
Robin and Faith had stayed at the hospital with them and Kennedy had joined them earlier. Buffy was planning to visit but not just yet, she phoned to make sure they were really all right, just to hear Giles' voice.
Fred was upstairs tending to Spike and the vampire had already healed partially, enough so that his lips were back, ragged but back and his burns had gone from third degree burns to second degree over the course of one night and a little of the morning. Spike was still unconscious and she was glad because she did not want him to wake up and see that his arm was...gone. Buffy knew it had to happen eventually but not yet, god, not yet.
The living room was a blackened mess; the stairs broken and burnt a little and the girls had mostly cleared the ceiling parts that had fallen down away. Buffy didn't know what Angel had done with Spike's arm she only knew that he had disposed of it. She tried not to think about that at all. She had not slept an hour of sleep and she didn't care.
The doors were being repaired as best they could without Xander but the building damage Buffy cared little about.
She jumped off the treadmill and started shadow fighting with the aid of the staff's she had fought Angel with all those nights ago. She twirled and spun all in her own dance of pain, the pain she was promising the demons that had come into her town and messed her life up.
Buffy knew it had to be soon, it had to be soon and it had to be hard and fast. She needed to take the demons by surprise and she needed to kill the remaining ones. They had thinned the herd last night but not enough. There was only the demon Giles, Xander, Spike and Buffy herself but she had never met the demon bitch that had stolen her face. She would do more then meet her soon, she would kill her and then she hoped she might feel better. Somehow, Buffy doubted she would.
Sighing she replaced the weapons and walked up the stairs of the basement to the ground floor. She heard talking, whispering in the dining room and ignored it, she walked over the small remaining bits of dust, plaster and dirt and then turned and strolled up the stairs with the broken railings right to the top. Turning she made her way to her room and stopped outside of the door hearing Fred talking to Spike but she did not know if the vampire was actually conscious or if Fred was just speaking to make herself feel better.
Buffy placed her palm against the door and didn't want to go in.
Unfortunately Fred made the decision for her by yanking the door open at that exact moment and causing Buffy to nearly fall into her. The Texan girl let out a sound of surprise then regained her composure, brushing a strand of hair away from her face.
"Buffy, sorry I didn't know you were there" She said apologetically then lowered her voice "He's been asking for you. Well, really he's out of it most of the time but he keeps saying your name. I think it would do Spike good to have you there. I sent Wesley to buy some blood from the butchers, incase he gets hungry again"
Fred gave her a courteous nod and moved passed the Slayer walking down the hall and then descending the stairs and Buffy watched until she disappeared out of view. Buffy took a deep breath and stepped into her room, which was now dark and dank, closing the door behind her.
She walked over and sat in the chair by the bed and looked at Spike for the first time since last night. The bandages and cellophane would have looked comical if it didn't look like such agony. Fred had thrown a blanket over the bottom half of him, to protect his modesty. His head was now in bandages but his face looked much better, she couldn't see the bones in his face anymore and the skin was mostly just a red/pink colour with a few patches that were slightly worse. The ear that had looked torn and ready to fall of was still partially ripped but not so badly, just a tiny tear and some peeling skin. His lips were bruised and tender, a little peeled but at least they were lips. Buffy noticed a few strands of dark blond/light brown hair sticking out from the bandages on his head and realized it was his natural hair color, his hair was growing back over his pink, scarred head. Spike's chest still looked bad in places but in others he was completely healed and a few patches were pink and looked sore. His remaining arm, from what she could see of it that the bandages didn't cover seemed to be healing well. All this stopped Buffy from looking at his other arm...or lack of one. She braced herself and looked. There was nothing there, just the bed, his arm had been completely severed from the shoulder down. Whereas yesterday the wound had been ragged and bleeding it had now mostly healed up and had started to get a smoother roundness to it as his body adapted. It made her want to cry, knowing the reaction Spike would have.
"Buff..." The voice croaked and wheezed as Spike's chest shuddered, skin flaking.
Buffy reached out to take his hand when she realized it wasn't there so instead she just spoke "I'm here"
His eyelids fluttered as he tried to open his eyes "Buff..."
"Don't wake up. Go back to sleep, you need to rest" She said soothingly.
"Buffy...I..." He groaned "I feel...like...shit"
The Slayer smiled "Really? You look good"
He laughed and it wracked up a terrible cough, more skin falling off in flakes and he wheezed moaning in so much pain "Don't do...that"
"Sorry" She whispered "Get rested"
"I need...bl...bl..."
Buffy picked up one of the packets of blood Wesley had fetched and opened it pouring it into a mug she bought it to the deteriorating vampire's mouth. He took a few deep gulps and rasped harshly then took another before he sighed and passed out. Buffy placed the mug back on the nightstand and stood walking around the room she crossed her arms over her chest to make herself feel better then she let out a little sob and bit her lip to stop herself. She didn't want Spike to wake hearing her cry. The Slayer stepped out of the room and walked to the banister leaning on it and taking a few deep breaths to regain composure.
Then she heard Willow downstairs and turned running down the stairs and saw the redhead hopping through the front doorway with Kennedy following close behind. The witch stopped and gave her a little wave still finding it obviously difficult to maneuver on the crutches.
Buffy jumped the last step and hugged her friend nearly knocking her over "Willow! They let you go?"
"No they kept me prisoner but with the help of my Slayer girlfriend I escaped" Willow grinned sardonically "So, big mess yesterday. Looks clean"
Buffy nodded "What about Xander and Giles?"
"They're saying Giles might be able to come out later today but Xander has to stay in for another night just to be safe"
The Slayer nodded again and Willow nodded the two old friends looked at each other neither one of them wanting to start the conversation. Willow had seen Spike burn and get shot and Buffy didn't know how to talk about it. Kennedy, sensing the tension, quickly excused herself and left.
"How is he?" Willow asked quietly.
"Second degree burns now. Gotta respect the vampire healing system" Buffy cleared her throat.
The witch looked solemn "Can't fix severed limbs though"
"Yeah, that would be the flaw" Buffy sighed "I just...I feel like I don't want him to regain consciousness properly because this will kill him, Willow. Again"
Willow patted her shoulder "Spike's been through a lot in his undead life. I think he might be able to...no, there is no coping here. He's lost an arm"
Buffy ran a hand over her hair "I can't believe I just let it happen. I could have helped him more –"
"Buffy no!" Willow shook her head vigorously "That Spike demon...you couldn't have hurt him"
"I could've made him come after me, distracted him, pushed Spike out of the way of that bottle...then maybe he would have been strong enough to..."
Willow slapped her and Buffy was more shocked then actually hurt by it, Willow gave an apologetic face and looked nervous "Sorry, Buffy, but you were getting kind of hysterically depressed"
"It's a thing I do" The Slayer replied.
"So, is he awake now?"
"Was a couple of minutes ago but I think he needs to rest more" Buffy said, "We on the other hand need to come up with a plan to kill these demons till they are dead"
Willow nodded then stopped "What did you do with the bodies? You know, of Angel and me...I mean the evil us"
"Angel got rid of them, I don't want to know how"
"Oh" Willow seemed a little sad "Maybe we should have buried them"
Buffy looked at her "They were demons, Willow. Not human"
"Yeah but...one of them looked like me"
"Looked like but wasn't"
The witch nodded and the two of them walked slowly, or in Willow's case hobbled, to the dining room where everyone seemed to go a lot quieter when she entered. Dawn waved them over to where she and Andrew were sitting and Buffy wondered if her sister was purposefully spending more time with him.
They made their way over and Andrew shifted uncomfortably.
"Willow, does the leg hurt a lot?" Dawn asked sympathetically.
"Only when I move...or stay still" Willow smiled thinly.
Andrew shifted again "I had a cousin once that had a broken arm, which is almost like a broken leg. Not that I meant to talk about arms. Who needs 'em?"
Dawn elbowed him sharply "Sorry, Andrew tends to forget that speaking with your mouth full is bad"
"My mouth's not full" Andrew frowned.
"It is, your foot is still in there" She rolled her eyes.
Buffy smiled a little "Well, let's get her sat down before she breaks the other leg"
Willow and Buffy sat down on the spare seats and Buffy glared at the other girls who stared at them, gradually they turned back and carried on with their conversations. Dawn, who sat opposite her, looked Buffy in the eyes and nodded her head at her. Buffy nodded back and looked up as Wesley placed a tray of breakfast in front of her, she shook her head but he gave an insistent look.
"Have you found anything yet? On how to kill these demons, remove the spell they're using?" Buffy asked as she half-heartedly sipped the glass of apple juice.
Wesley sighed, looked ashamed "I'm afraid not. These are little know rituals they are using, possibly ancient. As far as I know a situation like this has not arisen for many years although I'm sure there must be better documentation of it somewhere"
"I could help. Reading won't hurt the leg" Willow suggested.
Wesley smiled thinly "Thankyou that would be a lot of help"
Willow struggled up and Wesley took her elbow to help her as he walked with her slowly out of the dining room. Buffy finished her apple juice but pushed the tray of breakfast toward Andrew who smiled and started munching heartily.
Dawn gave her a disapproving look "You should eat something"
"Last thing on my mind" Buffy replied.
"Unfortunately," Fred was suddenly there and she leaned down to talk quietly with the Slayer "It's not the last thing on Spike's mind. I think we're soon gonna need more blood, the more he has the better and quicker he will heal. The less pain he will be in, Buffy"
Buffy stood, businesslike "Okay, I'll go to the butcher's and get some more"
Fred nodded slowly "Not sure cold pig's blood's the best thing. Well, I guess it's all we can offer him since there aren't exactly people lining up to get bitten"
The Slayer looked at the girl "Are you saying with human blood he'd heal faster?"
"Yes, he would" Angel stood in the doorway, barefoot.
Buffy and Fred walked over to him and the three of them convened at the foot of the stairs in a small group.
"What are you saying?" Buffy asked.
"Just that those demons won't wait long before they attack again, Buffy. They'll hit us when we're still weak. We need Spike back in the game as soon as possible" Angel looked at her for a long while.
The Slayer glared at him "You think he'll just be able to pick himself up and carry on anyway? You don't know him very well, Angel. Spike won't just get over this, hell, no one would"
"You're right" The vampire shrugged "But so am I. They will attack and if Spike is at least capable of defending himself then we have a better chance, he has a better chance"
"So what am I supposed to do, huh? Just go out and drag some helpless person off the street so Spike can have a snack?" Buffy clenched her fists.
"No, of course not but there are certain dealers of human blood and –"
"No way, Angel, no way" She shook her head "I am not gonna buy from creeps like that"
Angel nodded "I respect your decision. I'll buy from them"
Buffy couldn't believe him "Have you gone completely wacko? You will not pay guys who kill humans to supply blood to vamps, I won't let you"
"Fine, then what do you suggest we do then?" He looked at her.
"I'm going to the butchers"
She turned on her heel and grabbed her jacket as she walked out of the doorway, which hadn't yet been repaired. Buffy realized she would have to go back and get someone to open the gates then changed her mind and instead just scaled the wall easily and jumped off landing on the other side effortlessly.
Halfway through the journey to the butcher's Buffy suddenly changed her mind again and veered off in the other direction. She was already at the end of the street before she realized she was heading to the demon's lair. As she came closer she crouched down and checking it was secure she ran to the back gate and jumped over then climbed the ladder to the roof again. She walked to the skylight but there were no demons to be seen in the house. Buffy cautiously lifted the catch from the skylight and opened it. She listened for any sound of movement and, hearing none, lowered herself through the skylight and down silently to the dining room table. The Slayer climbed down and looked around at the moderately furnished and decorated house, it looked like any normal family home. Except it housed body-snatching demons.
Stealthily she moved into the kitchen but there was nothing of interest so she made her way back through the dining room and into the hall, she had to choices – the basement or the living room. Knowing demons and their twisted minds Buffy chose the basement door. As quietly as possible she turned the doorknob and opened the door. She descended the creaking stairs and prayed she would not be heard.
Wishing she had brought a flashlight Buffy made it to the bottom and had to wait for her eyesight to adjust. The basement was filled with junk, like mostly everyone's in America. Old paint cans, rags, newspapers. She was about to leave when a tiny sound vibrated through the room. It could have been a mouse but still Buffy had to check it out. Turning and walking deeper into the darkness another sound came and she turned the corner to look under the alcove beneath the stairs.
There sat a young girl, early twenties with long brown hair, blue eyes that glistened with tears and her hands and legs were bound with rope, a gag tied around her mouth. Seeing Buffy the girl began to weep and tried to shift away. For a moment Buffy wondered why she was so freaked out and then she remembered that one of the demons had her face.
Buffy put out her hands in a defenseless gesture "Hey, girl I know who you think I am but I'm not one of those guys"
The girl shook her head vigorously and squeezed her eyes shut.
"I'm human. Well, actually a Slayer but I am not a demon"
"We won't fall for that one" Came an older, wearier voice.
Buffy a little startled looked deeper into the shadows and saw a woman, earlier forties with kind, sad eyes who reminded her a little of her mother. That was when Buffy realized the girl looked like Dawn a little and that these two were about to be the newest recruits of the demons.
"Listen, I'm for real" Buffy noticed the older woman had managed to work her gag off so it hung around her neck "We don't have much time to get out but we have to be really quiet. Please, trust me"
Buffy leaned down toward the girl who tried to push backward; she grabbed the bindings around her wrist and snapped them easily then did the same with the bindings around her feet. The girl looked shocked and as Buffy was freeing the other woman she undid her gag and spoke.
"You're really not her?" The young girl asked.
Buffy shook her head "No, I'm the one she's impersonating"
"How do we know you're not lying?" The other woman asked as she was freed.
"You don't but if you want to get out of here, come with me"
The Slayer stood and motioned them to follow, the women stood and stretched their legs then followed practically on tiptoes after Buffy. They moved slowly and quietly up the stairs and when they reached the top Buffy shut the basement door silently. She used hand motions to show them the way. They got to the dining table and Buffy pointed to the skylight. The younger girl climbed up onto the table followed by a boost onto the roof aided by the Slayer. The older woman looked more worried but Buffy took her hand and helped her up then boosted her through the skylight too.
Then, with her enhanced Slayer hearing she heard the sound of footsteps from upstairs. Buffy whispered up to them to take the ladder down to the ground and stay low. She jumped up and caught the edges of the hole in the ceiling. The sound of a door opening upstairs and then more footsteps, closer. She used her strength to swing in a momentum and pull herself part way through. Footsteps coming down the stairs. She pulled herself up onto the roof and grabbed the lid of the skylight quickly lowering it and placing it silently back. Just then Evil Giles entered the dining room and Buffy rolled out of the view.
The Slayer moved quickly to the ladder and found the two women waiting for her in the backyard. She motioned for them to stay low as she reached the ground and they both crouched. Buffy unlatched the gate and cursed as it squeaked. She went through first and then closed the gate behind them. The three women heard the backdoor of the house opening from the backyard in which they had just been moments before and Buffy ran low and fast, jumped over a clump of bushes and could hear the two women close behind.
They made it to the end of the road and turned the corner before Buffy turned back to them "Do you both have homes?"
"She's my daughter," The older woman said putting her arm around the girl.
"Just incase do you have anywhere else you can stay?"
"My sister's place?"
"Good, go there now"
The two women nodded and thanked her then they ran and Buffy didn't blame them. All these innocent people involved in this because they bared a slight resemblance to her friends and family. It just wasn't right. Soon the demons would find their prisoners gone and they would attack, Buffy needed to warn the other and realized Angel's statements about needing Spike were more evident now then ever before. She ran home all the way asking herself silently What am I gonna do now?
A/N: What will Buffy do? Ooh, ahh!