Title: SAMARITAN
Author: Ivytree
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: All characters belong to Joss Whedon, UPN, Mutant Enemy, etc. Except Wally and Mrs. C. And maybe...
Feedback: Please!
Summary: Sequel to Grandpa; A soul makes everyday demands, and others a little more esoteric... and tougher still.
Setting: The near future; say, September
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
SAMARITAN Pt. 10 Deeds To Be Hid
"Right, here's the gen," Spike said, "This Doctor's been causing a lot of trouble. Rackets, kidnappings, murder, extortion, unexplained disappearances, the lot. And there's out of town badness, too, even international - least that's what I hear. So we're putting a stop to it."
Buffy, Riley and Xander had gathered around Mrs. Caprescu's dining room table, where Spike spread out his augmented map. Buffy felt strangely equivocal; usually HER dining room table was the center of the action. Surprisingly, though, he seemed to know what he was doing, and she decided to listen and not interfere - for now.
"We've got some info about the Doctor," Spike continued. "First, she is in fact a she; second, she's not human - at least not any more. Third, she binds her followers using a sort of thrall. We're trying to get hold of a minion now to see how it works."
"That might be - that might be what happened to Sam," Riley said.
"That's the little woman, is it?" Spike drawled, giving him a sharp glance. "How d'you know whatever it is happened in Sunnydale?"
"We split up for a while when we were here - "
"So I recall," Spike said dryly. Buffy felt herself flushing again, but fortunately no one was looking at her; all eyes were turned to Spike, including Riley's.
"After that, at first she seemed normal, but then - things started happening. She'd disappear for hours with no reason, things like that. Couldn't explain where she'd been. Then suddenly she was gone."
"How'd you know she came here?"
Riley seemed nonplussed by this perfectly reasonable question. "You see, she - I - well, I was tracking her."
Spike's eyes narrowed. "How?"
Riley stared at the map, unblinking; with the fingers of his right hand he turned his wedding ring round and round. "I put a tracer on her."
"One of your crafty little gadgets, eh? Good morning, Mr. Phelps. And she doesn't know?"
"No," Riley acknowledged.
Buffy gaped at him; even Xander looked startled.
"You put a secret tracer on your own WIFE?" she exclaimed.
"Why should he bother to tell her, Slayer?" Spike said, his eyes glinting. "It's not like she's human."
* * * *
"Uh-oh," Clem said.
While Spike had his unscheduled meeting with the humans, the demon conclave was briefly on hold. To pass the time, his mom had provided Abel and Abner with ice-cold root beer in the kitchen (Minotaurs were teetotalers) while he regaled them with suitably edited tales of Spike's exploits. Both young demons had a serious case of hero worship, and were happy to lap up stories about their idol indefinitely.
They were all keeping alert to head off Eddie and Zevra, too, since Spike didn't want either one to unexpectedly come face to face with a roomful of humans, especially a former Initiative soldier. Clem hated to seem inhospitable, but he had to admit he wasn't too happy about having the guy in Pop's house, either.
Nevertheless while he fetched more pretzels from the pantry (Minotaurs also ate a lot), Eddie, with the privilege of an old family friend, had come in the front door and was heading for the dining room unheeding.
"Hey, guys," Clem called out to Abner and Abel, "Spike might need your - "
Then they heard the screaming.
* * * *
"What are you talking about?" Buffy demanded. "I don't believe you! Sam is human; I saw her!"
"Think so?" Spike said, unmoved. "Ask Roger Ranger, there."
"But I met her!" she said. "She was as normal as I - " Then she stopped short. Riley sat looking at the floor, his color heightened, his hands curled into loose fists, not saying a word. Again, he fingered his wedding ring, now with the thumb of his left hand. Buffy felt a little sick; obviously, Spike was right. Was any of Riley's story true? What was his real job? Who was he working for - and why did they have black helicopters?
"So what kind of demon is she?" Spike went on, "Or don't you know?"
"She's a hybrid," Riley said slowly. "Her mother was a Dendron."
"So it works on some hybrids, not on others, this thrall thingy," Spike reflected. "Well, that'll be worth knowing when we go in."
"Go in?" Xander said. "As in delve, reconnoiter, probe, suss out?"
"As in. Our map covers the whole of beautiful Sunnyhell, below ground, and we've pinpointed the likely area for her digs, or lair, or whatever it is. We're going in to scout about."
"I'm coming in with you," Buffy said instantly.
"Sorry, Slayer, I don't think so," Spike replied with finality. "This is demon business, if you don't mind, and my associates wouldn't be too happy working alongside you lot. Especially the colossal Campfire Boy."
"Hey, Buff, is this really our thing?" Xander said. "I mean, Spike seems to have it in hand, here."
"This Doctor is an international, uh, evil-thing dealer, Xander - I think that's our business." Reminding herself to be tolerant, she strove to keep the sharpness out of her voice. She touched Spike's arm lightly.
"We should work together on this," she said. "Sunnydale's my town, too; the Hellmouth is my responsibility. I can't just let you take on the Doctor yourselves."
"Sorry, Slayer, it's no go. Even if - " As he looked past her to the doorway his eyes widened. "Bollocks!" he exclaimed, leaping to his feet just as a low-pitched howl filled the room.
* * * *
Abner and Abel rose as fast as their size allowed, and thundered toward the dining room. Clem ran after them and was just in time to see Eddie charge in through the other door and clamp his hands around the tall soldier's neck, bawling with rage. He saw both the other humans spring up from their chairs and stand back as Spike tackled Eddie, obviously trying not to hurt him - or let him kill anybody.
At first Clem was apprehensive for Eddie's sake, considering who was in the house, but the Slayer made no move to slay anything; she stood there with a peculiar expression on her face. Xander looked like he was just sorry he'd gotten up so quickly, befuddled and a mite queasy. Oh, that's right - Clem remembered he'd been 'sick.' But neither rushed to Riley's defense. He didn't know what to make of it, but it wasn't what he would have expected, he knew that much.
It just went to show Mom was right, as usual, he supposed.
* * * *
"Eddie, no!" Spike bellowed, "Lads, get in here!"
Two Minotaurs appeared out of nowhere, and Spike seized the green demon, whose froglike face wore an expression Buffy could only describe to herself as tormented, pulling him off Riley and across the room. She helped Riley up and then stood irresolute as the two Minotaurs helped Spike wrestle Eddie into a corner.
"Eddie, no - take it easy," she heard Spike say in a low, urgent voice. He stood in front of Eddie, holding his shoulders and blocking his view of Riley. "Come on, mate, go on into the other room with Magda and the boys. They'll be gone soon, don't you worry."
Ultimately, Eddie allowed himself to be led out, Abner and Abel towering on either side. Spike closed the door behind them, and stood for a moment with his head bent.
"What was that all about?" Xander said.
Spike ignored him. "I told you he wasn't welcome here, Slayer."
"I - I don't even know the guy," Riley said, dazedly rubbing his throat.
"No?" Spike said, his eyes like ice. "He knows you, though. Or possibly it's just the uniform. Possibly it wasn't you who dragged his wife out of her cell and cut her to pieces right in front of his eyes. Possibly you were absent that day."
"Oh, my God," Buffy said, sinking into a chair.
"What's the matter, Slayer? Did you think those nice, clean-cut boys only experimented on nasty, evil demons, not the peaceful, likable ones? Sorry to disillusion you."
* * * *
"Holy cow, Eddie, I'm sorry," Clem said. "I meant to warn you."
Eddie sat at the kitchen table, still grimacing and breathing heavily, with the boys standing protectively behind him. Mrs. Caprescu patted his massive shoulder and handed him a glass of Romanian brandy without comment.
"I never thought I'd see any of those soldier types again," Eddie rasped. "It caught me by surprise. I apologize, Magda; he's your guest."
"Well, gosh, it's not like he was invited," Clem said with uncharacteristic resentment. "They just showed up."
"Clem - never mind." Mrs. C responded. "Eddie, for what it's worth, I think they help us this time."
"I don't know why Spike trusts that Slayer girl," Eddie complained, rubbing a hand over his hairless head. "She seems just as human as the rest of them."
Clem exchanged a glance with his mom. He felt rather burdened by his knowledge of Spike's relationship with the Slayer these days.
"Well, she hasn't actually killed him yet," he pointed out.
* * * *
"I'll ask you all to kindly bugger off now," Spike said firmly, shepherding them into the hallway. "I've got some more friends coming by who wouldn't fancy seeing Grunt Boy, here. Unless you WANT him strangled."
It was a tempting offer at this point, but what Buffy really wanted was to go home, have a hot shower, and close her bedroom door on this whole mess; and the sooner she saw the backs of Xander and Riley for tonight, the better, too. Between them, they'd just about grated her last nerve with their really unprecedented mixture of belligerence and whining.
As they reached the front door, she said, "Spike, I wish you'd just - "
"Oh, damn and blast!" he said, looking past her down the long hall to the kitchen. "Slayer, get him out now!"
"What?" she said, following his gaze. She saw a gorgeous black-skinned female demon with a mane of white hair staring at the group by the door, her face bleak. "Who's - ?" Belatedly, she realized that the girl - woman - creature - she-demon - held a spear, and that she was raising it.
"Out, now!" Spike wrenched the door open and thrust Riley out, followed closely by a permanently confused Xander.
Now they were right back where they started, on Mrs. Caprescu's doorstep with Spike holding the door. Riley and Xander turned toward the car, but Buffy stopped for a moment.
"She seemed pretty - well, homicidal," she said. "Are you sure she's not dangerous?"
"She's more dangerous than you can possibly imagine, especially to Finn," he answered, his countenance somber. "And so would any of her sisters be. She's an Amazon, Slayer. Knows how to hold a grudge."
"So what do THEY have against the Initiative?" She was getting tired of being on the wrong side.
He took a deep breath, not looking at her.
"Use your loaf, Slayer; what d'you think happens to a girl like that in a compound full of enemy soldiers?" he said quietly.
She turned stricken eyes to him, but he bowed his head and didn't - couldn't - meet them.
"Are you telling me Riley - ?" She felt she might believe anything at this point.
"I don't know," he said. "No. But he must've known about it. Remember," and now he did look up, "we're only animals to him."
"Spike..." she began sadly, and couldn't think of anything else to say. Why did she feel comforted just being here with him, and dread walking down those steps to join her human companions?
"Spike," she heard Riley say. He'd returned to the bottom of the stoop and looked up at them with haunted eyes. "Please - whatever I did, whatever I've been - it's not Sam's fault. Please. She doesn't deserve this."
"I know," Spike said.
Without waiting for a reply, Riley trudged away to join Xander by the car.
"Meet me round the Magic Box tomorrow, if that's convenient, Slayer," Spike said. "We'll find the girl, all right."
TBC
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
"Thirst of revenge, the powerless will
Still baffled, and yet burning still!
Desire with loathing strangely mixed
On wild or hateful objects fixed.
Fantastic passions! maddening brawl!
And shame and terror over all!
Deeds to be hid which were not hid,
Which all confused I could not know
Whether I suffered, or I did:
For all seemed guilt, remorse or woe,
My own or others still the same
Life-stifling fear, soul-stifling shame."
Samuel Taylor Coleridge
Author: Ivytree
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: All characters belong to Joss Whedon, UPN, Mutant Enemy, etc. Except Wally and Mrs. C. And maybe...
Feedback: Please!
Summary: Sequel to Grandpa; A soul makes everyday demands, and others a little more esoteric... and tougher still.
Setting: The near future; say, September
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
SAMARITAN Pt. 10 Deeds To Be Hid
"Right, here's the gen," Spike said, "This Doctor's been causing a lot of trouble. Rackets, kidnappings, murder, extortion, unexplained disappearances, the lot. And there's out of town badness, too, even international - least that's what I hear. So we're putting a stop to it."
Buffy, Riley and Xander had gathered around Mrs. Caprescu's dining room table, where Spike spread out his augmented map. Buffy felt strangely equivocal; usually HER dining room table was the center of the action. Surprisingly, though, he seemed to know what he was doing, and she decided to listen and not interfere - for now.
"We've got some info about the Doctor," Spike continued. "First, she is in fact a she; second, she's not human - at least not any more. Third, she binds her followers using a sort of thrall. We're trying to get hold of a minion now to see how it works."
"That might be - that might be what happened to Sam," Riley said.
"That's the little woman, is it?" Spike drawled, giving him a sharp glance. "How d'you know whatever it is happened in Sunnydale?"
"We split up for a while when we were here - "
"So I recall," Spike said dryly. Buffy felt herself flushing again, but fortunately no one was looking at her; all eyes were turned to Spike, including Riley's.
"After that, at first she seemed normal, but then - things started happening. She'd disappear for hours with no reason, things like that. Couldn't explain where she'd been. Then suddenly she was gone."
"How'd you know she came here?"
Riley seemed nonplussed by this perfectly reasonable question. "You see, she - I - well, I was tracking her."
Spike's eyes narrowed. "How?"
Riley stared at the map, unblinking; with the fingers of his right hand he turned his wedding ring round and round. "I put a tracer on her."
"One of your crafty little gadgets, eh? Good morning, Mr. Phelps. And she doesn't know?"
"No," Riley acknowledged.
Buffy gaped at him; even Xander looked startled.
"You put a secret tracer on your own WIFE?" she exclaimed.
"Why should he bother to tell her, Slayer?" Spike said, his eyes glinting. "It's not like she's human."
* * * *
"Uh-oh," Clem said.
While Spike had his unscheduled meeting with the humans, the demon conclave was briefly on hold. To pass the time, his mom had provided Abel and Abner with ice-cold root beer in the kitchen (Minotaurs were teetotalers) while he regaled them with suitably edited tales of Spike's exploits. Both young demons had a serious case of hero worship, and were happy to lap up stories about their idol indefinitely.
They were all keeping alert to head off Eddie and Zevra, too, since Spike didn't want either one to unexpectedly come face to face with a roomful of humans, especially a former Initiative soldier. Clem hated to seem inhospitable, but he had to admit he wasn't too happy about having the guy in Pop's house, either.
Nevertheless while he fetched more pretzels from the pantry (Minotaurs also ate a lot), Eddie, with the privilege of an old family friend, had come in the front door and was heading for the dining room unheeding.
"Hey, guys," Clem called out to Abner and Abel, "Spike might need your - "
Then they heard the screaming.
* * * *
"What are you talking about?" Buffy demanded. "I don't believe you! Sam is human; I saw her!"
"Think so?" Spike said, unmoved. "Ask Roger Ranger, there."
"But I met her!" she said. "She was as normal as I - " Then she stopped short. Riley sat looking at the floor, his color heightened, his hands curled into loose fists, not saying a word. Again, he fingered his wedding ring, now with the thumb of his left hand. Buffy felt a little sick; obviously, Spike was right. Was any of Riley's story true? What was his real job? Who was he working for - and why did they have black helicopters?
"So what kind of demon is she?" Spike went on, "Or don't you know?"
"She's a hybrid," Riley said slowly. "Her mother was a Dendron."
"So it works on some hybrids, not on others, this thrall thingy," Spike reflected. "Well, that'll be worth knowing when we go in."
"Go in?" Xander said. "As in delve, reconnoiter, probe, suss out?"
"As in. Our map covers the whole of beautiful Sunnyhell, below ground, and we've pinpointed the likely area for her digs, or lair, or whatever it is. We're going in to scout about."
"I'm coming in with you," Buffy said instantly.
"Sorry, Slayer, I don't think so," Spike replied with finality. "This is demon business, if you don't mind, and my associates wouldn't be too happy working alongside you lot. Especially the colossal Campfire Boy."
"Hey, Buff, is this really our thing?" Xander said. "I mean, Spike seems to have it in hand, here."
"This Doctor is an international, uh, evil-thing dealer, Xander - I think that's our business." Reminding herself to be tolerant, she strove to keep the sharpness out of her voice. She touched Spike's arm lightly.
"We should work together on this," she said. "Sunnydale's my town, too; the Hellmouth is my responsibility. I can't just let you take on the Doctor yourselves."
"Sorry, Slayer, it's no go. Even if - " As he looked past her to the doorway his eyes widened. "Bollocks!" he exclaimed, leaping to his feet just as a low-pitched howl filled the room.
* * * *
Abner and Abel rose as fast as their size allowed, and thundered toward the dining room. Clem ran after them and was just in time to see Eddie charge in through the other door and clamp his hands around the tall soldier's neck, bawling with rage. He saw both the other humans spring up from their chairs and stand back as Spike tackled Eddie, obviously trying not to hurt him - or let him kill anybody.
At first Clem was apprehensive for Eddie's sake, considering who was in the house, but the Slayer made no move to slay anything; she stood there with a peculiar expression on her face. Xander looked like he was just sorry he'd gotten up so quickly, befuddled and a mite queasy. Oh, that's right - Clem remembered he'd been 'sick.' But neither rushed to Riley's defense. He didn't know what to make of it, but it wasn't what he would have expected, he knew that much.
It just went to show Mom was right, as usual, he supposed.
* * * *
"Eddie, no!" Spike bellowed, "Lads, get in here!"
Two Minotaurs appeared out of nowhere, and Spike seized the green demon, whose froglike face wore an expression Buffy could only describe to herself as tormented, pulling him off Riley and across the room. She helped Riley up and then stood irresolute as the two Minotaurs helped Spike wrestle Eddie into a corner.
"Eddie, no - take it easy," she heard Spike say in a low, urgent voice. He stood in front of Eddie, holding his shoulders and blocking his view of Riley. "Come on, mate, go on into the other room with Magda and the boys. They'll be gone soon, don't you worry."
Ultimately, Eddie allowed himself to be led out, Abner and Abel towering on either side. Spike closed the door behind them, and stood for a moment with his head bent.
"What was that all about?" Xander said.
Spike ignored him. "I told you he wasn't welcome here, Slayer."
"I - I don't even know the guy," Riley said, dazedly rubbing his throat.
"No?" Spike said, his eyes like ice. "He knows you, though. Or possibly it's just the uniform. Possibly it wasn't you who dragged his wife out of her cell and cut her to pieces right in front of his eyes. Possibly you were absent that day."
"Oh, my God," Buffy said, sinking into a chair.
"What's the matter, Slayer? Did you think those nice, clean-cut boys only experimented on nasty, evil demons, not the peaceful, likable ones? Sorry to disillusion you."
* * * *
"Holy cow, Eddie, I'm sorry," Clem said. "I meant to warn you."
Eddie sat at the kitchen table, still grimacing and breathing heavily, with the boys standing protectively behind him. Mrs. Caprescu patted his massive shoulder and handed him a glass of Romanian brandy without comment.
"I never thought I'd see any of those soldier types again," Eddie rasped. "It caught me by surprise. I apologize, Magda; he's your guest."
"Well, gosh, it's not like he was invited," Clem said with uncharacteristic resentment. "They just showed up."
"Clem - never mind." Mrs. C responded. "Eddie, for what it's worth, I think they help us this time."
"I don't know why Spike trusts that Slayer girl," Eddie complained, rubbing a hand over his hairless head. "She seems just as human as the rest of them."
Clem exchanged a glance with his mom. He felt rather burdened by his knowledge of Spike's relationship with the Slayer these days.
"Well, she hasn't actually killed him yet," he pointed out.
* * * *
"I'll ask you all to kindly bugger off now," Spike said firmly, shepherding them into the hallway. "I've got some more friends coming by who wouldn't fancy seeing Grunt Boy, here. Unless you WANT him strangled."
It was a tempting offer at this point, but what Buffy really wanted was to go home, have a hot shower, and close her bedroom door on this whole mess; and the sooner she saw the backs of Xander and Riley for tonight, the better, too. Between them, they'd just about grated her last nerve with their really unprecedented mixture of belligerence and whining.
As they reached the front door, she said, "Spike, I wish you'd just - "
"Oh, damn and blast!" he said, looking past her down the long hall to the kitchen. "Slayer, get him out now!"
"What?" she said, following his gaze. She saw a gorgeous black-skinned female demon with a mane of white hair staring at the group by the door, her face bleak. "Who's - ?" Belatedly, she realized that the girl - woman - creature - she-demon - held a spear, and that she was raising it.
"Out, now!" Spike wrenched the door open and thrust Riley out, followed closely by a permanently confused Xander.
Now they were right back where they started, on Mrs. Caprescu's doorstep with Spike holding the door. Riley and Xander turned toward the car, but Buffy stopped for a moment.
"She seemed pretty - well, homicidal," she said. "Are you sure she's not dangerous?"
"She's more dangerous than you can possibly imagine, especially to Finn," he answered, his countenance somber. "And so would any of her sisters be. She's an Amazon, Slayer. Knows how to hold a grudge."
"So what do THEY have against the Initiative?" She was getting tired of being on the wrong side.
He took a deep breath, not looking at her.
"Use your loaf, Slayer; what d'you think happens to a girl like that in a compound full of enemy soldiers?" he said quietly.
She turned stricken eyes to him, but he bowed his head and didn't - couldn't - meet them.
"Are you telling me Riley - ?" She felt she might believe anything at this point.
"I don't know," he said. "No. But he must've known about it. Remember," and now he did look up, "we're only animals to him."
"Spike..." she began sadly, and couldn't think of anything else to say. Why did she feel comforted just being here with him, and dread walking down those steps to join her human companions?
"Spike," she heard Riley say. He'd returned to the bottom of the stoop and looked up at them with haunted eyes. "Please - whatever I did, whatever I've been - it's not Sam's fault. Please. She doesn't deserve this."
"I know," Spike said.
Without waiting for a reply, Riley trudged away to join Xander by the car.
"Meet me round the Magic Box tomorrow, if that's convenient, Slayer," Spike said. "We'll find the girl, all right."
TBC
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
"Thirst of revenge, the powerless will
Still baffled, and yet burning still!
Desire with loathing strangely mixed
On wild or hateful objects fixed.
Fantastic passions! maddening brawl!
And shame and terror over all!
Deeds to be hid which were not hid,
Which all confused I could not know
Whether I suffered, or I did:
For all seemed guilt, remorse or woe,
My own or others still the same
Life-stifling fear, soul-stifling shame."
Samuel Taylor Coleridge