-Exactly where Chapter 8 Left Off-
ANGEL'S P.O.V
It had just occurred to me that we can't exactly tell Buffy what we're doing. She would be out of here so fast, kind of makes me think about what she's going to do when she finds out what we have done to her. I have to stop thinking about that, I'll convince her it was a good thing later. Right now I get to watch her fight. I haven't seen a fight this good in a long time including the one in Sunnydale with the god damn preecher. Buffy's so agile and fluent, watching her fight is like watching the ballet. Damn can she dance. She hadn't lost any of her strength over the years. I swear if I had been locked up the past 5 years and then looked at her again I would still see that 16 year old girl just trying to carry the world. I couldn't help but bring that small half-smile to my face, the one she liked so much.
I was ripped out of my heavenly thoughts when Faith leaned over to me, "You want to take her to your office anytime soon or do you just want to drool over her?"
The smile slid off my face and just as Dana was about to stomp her foot on Buffy's head she tripped her. I smiled then we made ourselves known, "Hey B, there's a little meeting thing going on in Angel's office. Giles is there and everything."
Both Dana and Buffy stood up and Dana walked back to her cage. Buffy stared into the cage, "You don't have to be in here you know, I trust you."
Dana shook her head as Buffy locked the cage, "Control. I don't trust me."
Buffy just nodded and looked at both Faith and I. Faith stared at Dana, "She's almost speaking full sentences, I knew you would be the one to bring her back to life."
Buffy just shook it off, "What are you talking about? I just needed a work out." Faith was right, she's so cold, almost dead inside. "Now let's get to that meeting shall we, I hope I don't have to save the world again because I am so tired."
Faith and I followed her out as she led the way to my office. I couldn't help but start to feel guilty about violating her mind. I guess I had to keep reminding myself it was for her own good. Bufy started getting wobbly a little before we got to my office and as soon as she was about to fall over I caught her...I will always catch her. I carried her the rest of the way to my office without any complaints. I could of sworn she even held onto me. Buffy always curved into me, we just fit so well, like we were suppossed to be there. Her head rested on my shoulder and when I looked down i could see she already had her eyes closed, never had she looked so fragile then she does when she sleeps. I stopped before we went into the door and just watched her like I used to.
Faith had to bring me out of it again, "You okay?"
I just continued to stare at the beautiful blonde in my arms, "Yea I'm fine. She's so innocent, she didnt deserve any of this."
Faith just nodded, "We should bring her in you know. The sooner it starts the sooner it's over."
"I just want to watch her. Just for a few minutes."
Faith nodded but when i heard Giles and Dawn running up I was taken totally out of my little made up reality. Dawn spoke first as she came running up to me, "What did you beet her to get her sleep? She isn't dead is she?"
I smiled finally realizing the small bruise she had coming in on her left cheek and the one she had on her shoulder seen through her ripped jacket. Damn she's going to be mad. I looked at Dawn, "Don't worry, Willow and Spike probably started a little early that's all and the bruises are from her little sparring session with Dana." Dawn and Giles sighed with relief as we finally made out way inside.
I saw Willow and Spike sitting there surrounded by candles. The room smelled a little funny, if I didn't know better I'd say there were stoned. I couldn't help but notice though, Xander wasn't there. I put it out of my mind as I laid Buffy down on the couch set up for her. I could feel all eyes on me but I didn't care. It was Spike's I was worried about, he was just staring at her, I knew his emotions were all mixed up. Last time I had to do this I couldn't stop thinking 'what if I drink too much?' It is defenitely not something you want to go through.
I turned to look back at Spike, "You okay?"
Spike just shook it off, "Yea of course, Done this a million times right. Torture for a hundred years."
"Spike..."
"I'm fine Angel. Since when do you care?" We both were silent knowing this wasn't like anything we've been through together "What happened to her? I just thought it was a sleep thing not a knock her unconsous."
I sighed, "She was training with Dana already. You guys just happened to do the spell a little early."
Willow stood up, "My bad. I lit a candle to early and I had to finish it. Sorry."
I looked down at Buffy then back up to the room, "Where's Xander? We can't do this without him."
Willow smiled, "Don't worry, he'll be here."
As if on cue he walked intot he room. "What why you all looking at me? Do I have something on my face?" I smiled as he started searching his face.
Spike took the initiative, "Are we all ready?"
Willow walked over to Dawn, "Okay in an hour, exactly an hour I want you to wake Spike up. Just slit your finger and wave it in his nose or something." Dawn and Willow laughed
"Hey I take offense to that." Spike spoke up
"Well it works. How do you think we woke you up all those times in Sunnydale?"
Spike just mocked her as he sat next to me by Buffy. "I haven't done this in a while mate."
"Just remember what I taught you a while ago, keep an eye on her heartbeat as soon as it slows down real fast stop. Come on Spike, we were masters at this. I never once thought I would be saying that proudly."
Spike just smiled a little and looked around the room. "Well are we ready?" The room gathered in a line while Dawn took a seat next to Buffy on the other side. Willow had the dagger and the bowl and she sat at the end of the line. I moved after patting Spike on the shoulder. I heard him whisper, "I'm sorry Buffy!"
Then he went into game face. I could almost hear the sound of his teeth go into her. The vampire in me was just dying to get out, I mean another vampire was drinking from my soulmate. I think a part of my non demon side was itching to throw Spike off her and help Buffy some other way. I just closed my eyes and tried to drown out the suckling sounds coming from Spike. The whole room was quiet with all eyes on Buffy and him, Spike was always one for attention. The noises finally stopped and Spike rose from her neck. I concentrated on Buffy's heartbeat from where i was and i knew she would be okay. Spike looked at me and I just nodded as he turned back into his normal face. He took a seat next to me still holding Buffy's hand, no doubt making sure she still had a faint pulse.
Then I looked at Willow, "Could she die in this hour?"
Willow looked down, "It is a possibility but it is a faint one. 90 % chance it won't happen."
Spike looked over at her and growled, "So there's a 10% chance I just killed Buffy. You couldn't of mentioned this you know before I bit her."
Willow looked down and Giles spoke up, "Let's just get it done before that 10% becomes reality."
No one hid the fact that Spike glared at everyone in the room. I heard Willow start to chant something in latin, of course it was latin. The dagger and bowl was in front of Spike and when Willow was done he took the dagger and slit his wrist. I could smell the blood the minute the blade touched him. I guess he could tell because the minute he was done dripping blood into the bowl he passed it to me but he made sure his wrist went by my nose. I could do nothing but glare at him and watch his famous smirk appear as I too slit my wrist with the dagger and emptied the blood into the bowl. Everyone did the same thing except they cut themselves on their palms knowing they'd probably die if they did it over their wrist. I couldn't hide the smirk my face contained and couldn't help but notice the one Spike still had on.
Once the blood was drawn by everyone Willow started talking again this time in english, "Blood of a sister, blood of her soul and blood of her heart. We ask for enterence. Blood of the loyal, blood of the mind and blood of the spirit. We demand access to her mind."
We all held hands so we were connected to Spike as we watched Buffy glow for a little bit. I heard Dawn faintly whisper, "Bring her back." Right before My world went black. I could only guess what had happened, hell was always black. We were in her world, in her mind and I was where I belong once more.
I woke up rubbing the top of my head. I didn't think i would have to fall or hit my head during this. I saw Spike already standing up, but the others were still on the ground. We were on like a rock, a ledge that looked over it all. I walked to where he was standing as gazed where he did. He finally spoke to me, "So this is hell huh?"
"Yea, it's not as fun as a lot of people think."
Spike smirked, "I can't believe she was here." I heard Spike softly say it as a scream in the distance covered his voice.
"Me neither. She didn't deserve this, especially since it was my fault."
"Hey at least now we know which one of us she chose."
"What do you mean?"
"Come on Angel, of all the horror stories and pain that come from hell Buffy chose to go down here...for you. Hell the girl went to hell for you even after seeing everything you did soulless. That girl loves you and as much as it hurts me to say it...She'll never love anyone else. So make sure Cordelia's worth it before you do anything."
I was stunned, was Spike really just giving Buffy up like that? "What about Coredlia, she's in a coma."
"She'll come back. It's mystical of course she'll come back. Just decide soon wheather you're gonna wait for her or take what's in front of you."
I stared him down, "You're just giving her up like that. Right when you had a chance. That's not the Spike I know."
"Really because I thought Spike was the one who only got into fights he knew he would win. I know I'm going to lose here and I am not going to take Buffy and have her wish i was someone else, least of all you. She never loved anyone else peaches, ever. It'll do you good to remember that but if you hurt her again in anyway I will stake you, better yet I'll tie you up and let Xander stake you."
Xander just happened to be already standing behind them listening, "No problem on this end."
Sike and Angel sighed, "Were you there the whole time? I was just being...."
"Noble, to the one person you hate most. Don't worry Spike, your secret dies with me. Maybe Willow too because she knows everything I know. Giles too because Willow will probably tell him."
I saw Spike straining not to hit him and couldn't hide my smile, "Come on Spike, it might do good to let them hear about your nobility."
He just glared at me as we waited for everyone to get up. Everyone was up and staring down at what hell was really like. I just winced at all the torture methods being used, remembering every single time they were used on me.
Willow tapped me on the shoulder as I winced again, "You okay Angel?"
I just nodded, "Yea fine. Let's just find Buffy and get out of here."
They all nodded as we made our way down into hell. It was pretty much as I remember. No one saw as we were just figments of imagination. We were walking as fast as possible and tried almost everywhere i could remember. Then I started thinking how would they punish the the one girl in the world who knew how to fight them back?
My eyes burst open, "They put her in the cage."
Everyone looked at me funny but I didn't care and took off running knowing they would follow me. I stopped a few feet away from the clear windowed cage and waited for everyone. I almost started to cry at what they had done to her. Her body lay almost limp from the lack of food and water. I could still see her chest moving, desperately trying to keep breathing. Shattered clothing and bruises all over her body. I was too into the sight of my love that I hadn't notice Spike swearing behind me. I think I heard Willow crying a little bit into Xander's arms. Faith and Giles were open mouthed, you couldn't see the anger but you knew it was there.
Faith spoke up, "What is this?"
Through the little sobs I was hiding i told them all what they had put Buffy through. "It's the cage. Clear windows so she could watch every last bit of torture being cast around the room knowing she could help them as long as she could get out of the cage. They feed her once a week and one glass of water everyday, just enough for her to stay alive. Around every five hours she is taken out of the box and given her own torture moments. They can't do that to her...."
I faintly felt Faith pat me on the back as i tried to stop the tears coming, "You going to be okay?"
I just nodded as I continued the best i could, "When they're done and she get's to sleep they torment her with dreams and visions. People dying, Her torturing people...her worst fears coming true. Those dreams are so real, and she probably still has them..."
"Every single time my eyes close." A voice rang that made everybody shiver behind them. Everyone was just in shock at the view before them. Buffy was in a cage yet standing in a short red dress with a cape. "What's the matter guys? Oh yea you thought you could get into my mind and watch what happened to me. See what you didn't think about was the fact I could dream and be here too."
Spike looked at me, "Is she really there or is the slayer blood finally kicking in?"
I just nodded and continued to stare as Buffy stared back at me. She finally spoke words, words I never thought I'd hear from her mouth, "Welcome home Angel."
