Control Issues

"Spike… Spike…WAKE UP!"

Spike suddenly felt himself torn awake by some incredible force. It felt like a thousands needles were being driven into his eyes and his brain was about to burst. Coughing and gasping, he fell of his bed and hit the cold hard floor of his crypt with a painfully hard thud and a curse - it was almost as bad as when the chip would fire. Looking up he found with both a measure of happiness and annoyance was none other then Buffy Ann Summers.

"Bloody hell Slayer…" he groaned rubbing his head. "What the hell was that for?"

She didn't even answer him immediately, but rather just stood there glaring down at him.

"Where have you been?" she demanded hotly. "I really could have used you help yesterday when Willow went on a magic high and nearly got Dawn killed"

"What are you yammering about? I've been sleeping and yesterday I only just got back from our night together"

"Don't you ever talk about that! I don't ever want to remember that Spike, it was a big mistake" suddenly Buffy paused and looked him over for a second before adding "And what are you talking about yesterday – Spike, that happened over a week ago"

"No it didn't! I'd…"

Spike slowly trailed off with what he was about to say as he slowly remembered his nightly encounter with that robed demon.

"I think Slayer," he began "I might have been subject to one of many happenings"

"Meaning?"

"Meaning that the last thing I did was pester some trespassing demon doing a spell in my cemetery before I got some shut eye – I broke some glowing orb on it so it must have worked some mojo over on me as a punishment"

Buffy simply rolled her eyes in that manger that always said 'do you ever learn?'

"Well that would be typical of you" she sighed. "Now come on, you're coming with me on patrol tonight"

As she turned her back on the bleach blonde, Spike couldn't even protest. He seemed to have no control over his body and began to follow. All the while they were walking Spike was doing his utmost – and failing miserably at it to stop and demand what was going on.

But of course he couldn't even do that either. It seemed that his sole concentration was both focused on following Buffy and trying not to follow Buffy. All the things that she was say as the continued on looking for baddies went in one ear and out the other. It would have gone on that way until Buffy shouted for him to stop.

"What do you think your doing?"

"What does it look like?"

"It looked like you were off in Lala Land or something" the Slayer perceived with and impatient glance.

"Fine – now what?" Spike crossed his arms.

"Do you hear that?" she asked.

"You mean the sounds of crickets, cars and people out for late night strolls, or the distinct sound of vamps getting into mischief?"

"The other one"

Together the duo made their way to stand behind an old Dumpster in an ally outside an electronics store. There was a couple of young vamps passing the goods out a shattered window to another one that was loading out up their stolen escape van. They all looked to be in their teens; one was a tall dark Hispanic, while the other two were pale street thugs of some European background.

"Looters?" Buffy gapped shaking her head "Will I never see more intelligence out of your species"

Spike didn't bother to reply, but rather to push her out from behind the Dumpster and get her into to action.

"Hey guys, it looks like we'll get dinner on the job night" the dark vamp said as he left the television he was holding on the ground and started towards her.

"I think so mate – she'd be stringy. There's not enough meat on her bones to hold enough blood" said the one that was loading the van with an Australian accent.

"Fine more for me"

"I am not stringy – " Buffy growled, miffed at what these vampires thought of her appearance. "But you'll be dust"

Before the vamp could move, Buffy delivered a jump kick to his chest. Crying out in shock, he never even got to hit the ground before Buffy had her stake plunged into his heart. The other tow vamps looked startled as they started at Buffy through the dust that had once been their companion.

"Oh shit, its the Slayer!" the Australian vamp gasped.

"Well we always said that Carlos liked to eat dangerously" the last vamp (that sounded completely British) chuckled.

Then they pounced.

"Hey Spike!" Buffy called over punches. "I brought you along for a reason. You fight your fellow Brit"

For Spike who was still standing behind the Dumpster, that feeling of loss of control suddenly come back. Next thing he found himself pounding on the British vamp with all his strength. It was fairly easy since this vamp had practically no experience at all. But then his friend gave up the fight with Buffy and decided to aid his last remaining friend. Through the punches and kicks, Spike ended giving a nice uppercut to the newcomer.

"Hey! That ain't fair play mate" he hissed. "Hit the Slayer, not me"

Blindly and unable to control his actions, Spike whirled around and punched Buffy right in the face.

"What was that for!?" she yelled as she caught the Brit vamp by the shoulder and staked his cleanly.

"I could stop myself," Spike yelled back angrily, once again back in his own control he also had the last vamp staked a second later.

"Couldn't stop yourself? Spike what about your chip?"

"I didn't work yesterday – err last week remember luv" Spike snapped as he stopped to take an unneeded breath. "But that had nothing to do with the chip. I couldn't control my actions"

"Sure…"

"Bloody hell Buffy, don't you remember. That vamp told me to hit you and not him, and I hit you"

"So are you tell me that he was able to control you?"

"Something like that. Hell you did too! Ever since we left my crypt"

Buffy was silent, Spike's words having rendered her momentarily speechless, but then an evil little glitter came to her eyes.

"Say 'I'm a stupid neutered vamp and Angel is the best'"

Without control, Spike complied.

"I'm a stupid neutered vamp and Angel is the best"

"Wow… it worked!"

"You are despicable Summers" Spike growled dangerously, completely resenting her choice of things to make him say.

"Say 'Buffy Summers is the best of the best'" she grinned wickedly.

"Buffy Summers is the best of the best" Spike repeated blankly before growling at her some more.

Still grinning, Buffy hefted her stake before she threw it about ten feet.

"Go get that for me"

Obediently Spike jogged over to where her stake had landed and retrieved it. Upon returning, Spike was looking extremely pissed off.

"This is just so cool!" Buffy clapped. "Oh you're coming back with me back to my house – Xander is just going to love this!"

Xander sat at the table at Buffy's house sifting through bridal magazines with Anya. Dawn had only just fallen asleep after complaining about Willow and her arm for the whole night, so now it was his time to rest – or as much as he could with all these books being shoved under his nose.

"So when do you think Buffy will be back?" Anya yawned and snuggled closed, that usual look on her face when she wanted something form him.

"Not too sure honey. She said she was off to kicks Spike's ass and make him patrol with her since we haven't seen him in over a week. So that means – " he looked down at his watch. " – about four more hours"

"Do you think that maybe…"

Anya was cut off as the front door suddenly flew open to have Buffy come in dragging Spike along with her.

"Xander you so have to see this" the Slayer laughed excitedly.

"What has Captain Peroxide done now?" Xander sighed rolling his eyes as he looked back and forth between the ecstatic slayer and the grouchy vampire.

"Don't you dare say it Slayer" Spike growled. "You can't do this to me"

"Oh don't be such a baby" she smiled sweetly. "Say 'Xander Harris if far more cooler then me'"

"Umm… Buffy what are…"

But Xander's question was cut off as Spike repeated, although glaring furiously, diligently Buffy's command.

"Xander Harris if far more cooler then me"

The seated couple's eyes widened and a smile more eviler the evil itself spilt dangerously across Xander Harris's face.

Thanks for the reviews. Just for anyone that doesn't know, ReganX of the Chocolate Covered Strawberries created the Spike Enchanted Challenge that I took, so the credit for it goes to her. Please review. Later!