Something Unpredictable

Chapter 3: Tear My Heart Open

By: Rogue-Slayer13

Disclaimer: The characters of Btvs and Ats belong to Joss Whedon, not myself.

Summary: I decided to rewrite this fic. It goes from Not Fade Away onwards and has a few changes that weren't on the show, mainly, Cordelia gets to stay, Lorne doesn't leave, and Wesley doesn't die fighting Vail.

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Spike and Fred looked at each other for another moment before Buffy came up and grabbed Spike by the arm, and drug him into Angel's office.

"What the 'ell?" asked an annoyed Spike as Buffy shut the door behind her.

"I could ask you the same," replied the slayer as she crossed her arms over her chest, a motion that was becoming just as common as Giles cleaning his glasses.

"What the bloody 'ell are you going on about?"

"Don't play dumb with me. You know exactly what this is about."

"No, because if I did, I wouldn't bloody well be asking you, now would I?"

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Xander and the other's gathered outside the office eager to hear what was going on.

"And here I thought we'd decided to start acting civil," said Willow.

"That was just Xander and Spike," said Dawn. "Buffy's a whole different story."

"Somebody's going to get hurt," said Andrew as he pressed his ear against the door.

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"I can't believe the nerve of you," said Buffy raising her voice.

"Oh, so that's what this is about? Me not checking in with you after I came back?" Spike sat on the edge of Angel's desk.

"How could you not tell me? Don't you think I deserved to know?"

"I couldn't use a phone for several months, Buffy. I was a ghost for Christ sakes." Spike was also raising his voice.

"And what about after you got recorporealized?"

"Got busy."

"Bull shit!"

"I don't know if you've noticed or not, but we're smack dab in the middle of an apocalypse! I think that qualifies as being busy!" Both Buffy and Spike were now standing and in full fight mode.

"This hasn't been going on the entire time, Spike! You could've found time to call me or Dawn, or hell, you could've even called Willow, but you didn't! You sat on your ass and fawned over the Texas twig out there!"

Spike's eyes flashed amber at this.

"Leave 'er outta this, Slayer," ground out Spike between clenched teeth. "This has nothing to do with her."

"Oh it doesn't?" Buffy took a step toward Spike.

"No, it doesn't."

"All you've been doing since I got here is fawning over her!" Buffy took another step forward.

"I bloody well have not been fawning over anyone!" Spike also took a step forward.

"Of course you haven't," said Buffy sarcastically.

Spike let out a frustrated growl.

"Ya know what, I don't have to put up with this." Spike turned and left the office and was halfway to the stairs when Buffy stopped him.

"Spike wait!"

"Save it Slayer. We're done 'ere."

Buffy stared in shock as Spike went upstairs. A door could be heard slamming a few seconds later.

"Who wants ice cream?" asked Andrew over enthusiastically as he tried to brighten the mode.

"We don't have ice cream," said Willow.

"Then we'll go get some."

Buffy walked over and sat down on the couch while everyone else discussed ice cream.

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As Fred got closer to the door, she could hear the radio playing. Fred knocked once, but figured Spike couldn't hear her over the music, so she went ahead and walked in. Spike was laying on the bed with his arms folded behind his head like a pillow. Fred turned down the music and went to sit on the bed.

"I hope I haven't caused any problems between you and Buffy."

"Why would you think that, Luv?" Spike turned his head to look at Fred, his anger and frustration disappearing.

"I heard 'Texas Twig' a couple of times and that made me wonder," replied Fred.

"Trust me, Pet. There isn't anything salvageable between the Slayer and I, and you 'ad nothin' to do with that."

"Buffy doesn't seem to feel that way."

"Do worry that pretty lil head of yours over what the Slayer thinks." Spike sat up and leaned against the headboard.

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"I think I might've found something about Fred," said Gunn the next day as he and the others went through the research materials.

"What is it?" asked Wesley.

"Not good," replied Gunn as he handed the book to Wesley.

"It's a ritual using a mortal touched by the unclean," read the ex-Watcher.

"What type of ritual?" asked Angel.

"They need Fred's blood to open a portal to bring the Senior Partners to this realm."

"What happens if they do that?" asked Andrew.

"We all die," replied Cordelia.

Fred, who was sitting next Spike, gripped the armrest of the couch. Spike, seeing this took her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze, which didn't go unnoticed by Buffy.

"I won't let anything get you," whispered Spike, so only Fred could hear.

Fred gave Spike a little smile in return.

"Who's going to open the portal?" asked Angel.

"I believe it's a demon order, but I'll need to translate this text to be sure."

"You do that. We'll see what else we can find," said Angel.

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The group had been in full research mode for several days now. Wesley had discovered that it was a demon order after Fred, and they'd decided that the lack of demonic activity besides the occasional earthquake or freak thunderstorm, was the calm before the storm.

"We should beef up the protection spell on the hotel," said Willow.

"I know a place not far from here where we can get the supplies," said Lorne.

"I'll drive you two over there," offered Wesley.

"We need more weapons too," said Faith.

"You, me, and Spike can get some from his place if it hasn't been picked clean already," said Gunn.

"I think I'm going to hit the streets and see what I can find about this demon order," said Buffy.

"I'll go with you," said Xander.

"Will you guys be okay here?" asked Angel as he looked back at Dawn, Andrew, Giles, Cordelia, and Fred.

"We'll be fine," said Cordelia. "We'll just chill out. Do a little research, watch a movie, it'll be great."

"You sure?" asked Spike.

"Go on," said Fred. "We can manage for a little bit."

Spike gave her one last look before following Faith and Gunn out the door.

"Don't let anybody in," said Angel as he grabbed his coat and walked out with the others.

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"Do you think they'll be okay?" asked Spike as he rode with Faith and Gunn to his apartment.

"We're only going to be gone for a little bit," said Gunn.

"They'll be fine," said Faith from her spot in the passenger seat.

Spike nodded.

"I just have a weird feeling sall," said the vampire.

"It's the impending battle. Gets ya all worked up and on edge," said Gunn.

"Yeah. Makes your nerves itch and get's you all riled up."

Gunn cast a glance over at Faith and then looked back at the road.

"Yeah, all riled up," said the black man.

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"What do you need to pick up?" asked Wesley as he drove down the street.

"Uh, cloves, sage, rose water, I have a list in my bag," replied Willow.

"Make a left." Lorne pointed in the aforementioned direction.

"Is there anything else we should get while we're there?" Wesley made the desired turn.

"It wouldn't hurt, especially if some baddies after Fred. It'd be nice to have a little extra on our side," said Willow from her spot in the backseat.

The car was silent until Wesley spoke again.

"Do you think it was wise for all of us to leave at once?"

"We don't really have any other opportunity to get out," said Willow.

"Yes, but we left our most vulnerable people at the hotel."

"I'm sure they'll be safe," said Lorne. "I mean. Cordy's pretty tough and Giles is a former Watcher. Surely he's picked up a thing or two over the years."

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"Why couldn't we have just driven like everybody else?" asked Buffy as she and Xander followed Angel through the sewers.

"Sewers are safer then the streets," replied the vampire.

"I don't know, I've seen some pretty big rats down here," said Xander. "I think they take your arm off, or at least give you a nasty infection."

"The sewers might be safer, but they take much longer then a car," said Buffy.

"We'll drive next time," compromised Angel as he ducked under a low pipe.

Buffy also ducked, but Xander didn't see it and instead smacked his forehead on it.

"Ow," said a pained Xander as he rubbed his forehead. "That's definitely gonna leave a bruise."

"You should've brought a flashlight," commented Angel as he turned down a slightly smaller tunnel and stopped at a ladder.

He reached out to touch the ladder, but stopped and looked off into the distance instead.

"You okay?" asked Buffy.

Angel snapped out of his daze and looked at Buffy and Xander.

"I'm fine. I just got a weird feeling is all."

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To Be Continued . . .

I'm thinking of going with Wes/Willow and either Buffy/Angel or Angel/Cordelia. I haven't decided yet.

Love it? Hate it? Tell me what you think!