I completely understand if you all never look at this again, its been too long. I'm sorry forgive me. But it's a nice long chapie. :)

Five

Willow's head was pounding.

Blood was rolling in red lines down her face, across her eyes, marring her vision. She saw everything through a tainted crimson. Or maybe the room really was stained red? Where was Xander? Was he ok?

The redheaded witch groaned as she moved, her arms were lashed above her head and every time she moved, veins of pain laced its way over her body. Through her arms and legs. Her mouth was bone dry, would she ever be able to speak again?

"Wake up" a harsh voice echoed in her ears, ringing painfully in her pounding head. Willow turned her blood tinted vision to the man. He wasn't the man who had carried her here. It was a different one, a less powerful one.

"Your kind disgust me" he told her, crouching down beside her. His rough fingers lifting up her head. "Magic" he spat, thrusting her agony filled head away from him.

Willow groaned, her head rolling on her shoulders, she could feel her power growing inside her. Magic; it may disgust her keeper, but he wasn't stupid enough to underestimate her. His hand came and hit her sharply on the head. Willow eye's widened before rolling unconscious into her skull.

"She's ready" he called softly, if the witch was ready then the blonde was ready. He didn't want the slayer to be hurt, she wasn't evil not like the witch. His master would hear him no matter how softly he called. His master knew everything.

"Lir are you ready?" the musical voice sent shivers down his spine. No matter how much he wanted to protect the girl, he wouldn't. Not if his master asked him. Lir looked up suddenly confused.

"Ready? I thought….."

The red eyed man was cut off a coil of black power wrapped around him, pouring in through his eyes and mouth. The master ignored the betrayed screams that his faithful servant cried.

The master watched coldly, first Angelus, then the slayer, the witch and now Lir. They were his four children. His four closest followers. The four who would find the key. They four who would surround the key as it gave itself up to open the Elixir.

Faith felt herself bodily picked up and carried out the white walled hospital. Spike somehow managed to carry her and kill everything that got in his way, all with a smug smile on his face. Faith let herself be carried, she'd lost too much blood and her head was too dizzy too fight.

Dawn and Xander came after them, they were trailing behind, exhausted and worn. The night seemed to never end, both Willow and Buffy were gone and they were trying to get answers from someone who was half dead and messed up, badly.

Finally they reached the doors, Spike pushing his way through the blood splattered doors, the moon lightening their way as they stalked down the streets.

"We have to get into a house!" Spike roared as he beheaded a vampire who had followed them. The ashes fell around his anger filled face. Faith was curled up sleeping in his arms, she looked like a child, her pale face resting against his chest, her hands bunched into his shirt.

"Wake up" Spike growled, the pale face sparked into consciousness, eyes covered with the demons from dreams. Her face was a ugly mask as she glared insanely at them.

Dawn looked worriedly at the dark haired woman in Spike's arms. Dark eyes stared levelly at her, as they continued. To Buffy's house, Dawn almost expected her sister to be there, but she wasn't. The girl felt a moment of despair as they climbed through the wreckage. Spike laid Faith out on the couch, she looked up at them dazed, her eyes unfocused and confused.

"Who are you?" she asked, her head drooping.

"Look around, see if you can find anything" Spike ordered, looking enchanted at Faith's blood soaked neck.

"Do I know you?" the confused woman lay limp and helpless as the vampire picked her gently. He pushed her hair away from her neck an face, his rough fingers trying to be gently.

Faith eyes looked up glazed at the ceiling, "It hurts" she cried, her body stiffening and her finger nails gripping his arms. Spike frowned as she started to talk under her breath. Her head rolling powerlessly over her thin shoulders.

How long had it been since he'd had blood, Spike bent closer to the helpless girl, maybe it would be merciful, just to finish her off. How could anyone live in such torment. She'd be killed anyway. His tongue grazed over the blood, it ran like fire through him.

Faith giggled at the feel of his tongue, her lips curling up almost wickedly, her confused mind unable to grasp what was happening to her. She moved closer to him, resting her head on his shoulder. "I'm glad you're here" she said quietly, "I thought he was a demon, but he wasn't. He tried to tell me about the Elixir,…. Poor Dawn. I found out after. They had me chained up you know, Dawn's the one they wanted. The demon was good really."

Spike only half listened as he sucked gently as her neck, he felt her melting against him, her thin arms wrapping trustingly around his neck. He felt a powerful feeling of love flow through him, as he held her small body. Lust as well, he wanted to kill her, her wanted to hurt her. Her little fingers on the back on his head, made him think she loved him too.

"You know. I have to protect it now. I have to find the key. Angel?"

Spike eye's snapped open suddenly, Angel. He shoved Faith away from, leaping away from her and her blood.

"Spike, Faith?" Dawn's voice trailed off as she looked at him, his blood stained lips, Faith was crying openly. Her body withering on the couch, blood in her hair on her hands.

"I'm sorry, Please don't hurt me."

Dawn glared at the vampire, her eyes burning. "I thought you were trying to help us" she growled her voice low, as her hands gripped the bandages she had found. "I thought you were going to help us find Buffy" her voice rose as she advanced into the room.

She cast a disgusted glance at Faith "She'd ill, she cant even defended herself and your feeding from her! I THOUGHT YOU WERE GOOD"

Spike wiped the blood off his lips, he felt unclean, "I am, it was just a mistake"

"Get out!"

"What?"

"You heard me. GET OUT! Buffy and willow are both gone. Angel's bad and Faith can't form a full sentence. I don't need you to make it worse. So get the hell out of my house!"

Spike glanced helplessly at Dawn. He looked almost begging with his eyes. But the woman gave him a smouldering glance that finally made him leave. The girl watched angrily as he was swallowed into the night, the dark enfolding him almost lovingly.

R+R, I'll write faster if u do