Title: C9 Combinations
Disclaimer: This is becoming challenging to think of new things to say… Considering what has just happened in this story I don't want to own the characters (I don't think they like me).
Notes: Alternative title was Biology so hopefully that's enough indication to tell what's going to happen in this chapter. The cheese is for Pete and the number of times we've stood in Sainsbury's cheese section whilst trying to find the biggest packet. I don't work in metric because Spike probably wouldn't and doctors still work in imperial (sometimes).
Spike woke, warmed through and completely relaxed. He had Asara back and no-one was ever going to take her away from him again. She was his and Spike silently vowed to be there before she needed him despite the fact that he knew that was like promising a vampire he could safely walk in the sun. Leaning up on his elbow he surveyed Asara, noting how thin she looked but also how peaceful she looked, asleep in his arms. His hand was still resting on her belly, protecting the children from harm, but her hands had risen to her face, like she was hiding from the world. Spike smiled. Asara loved to sleep like this so he knew she was easing back into life.
Rubbing her belly he wondered what his children would be like. Vampire and D'ewain physiology… Spike frowned. He couldn't picture that at all so what would Asara give birth to? Would they be human baby size or… or… Spike pulled away from Asara who whimpered slightly before going back to deep sleep.
Dragging on some jeans Spike padded off to find Juidon and get some answers. He found her in the kitchen, reading her mail and eating so he sat down opposite her and waited for her to look up.
"You ok?" Juidon asked.
"Yeah. It's all better… sort of, on the front," Spike sighed. "Jui what will the children look like?"
"Ah," Juidon said.
Spike raised an eyebrow and Juidon rubbed her eyes.
"Ok look I'm going on best guesses and I'm going to have to talk to Asara to confirm some of this but I'll do my best," Juidon stood up and led him to the study. She pulled out a book and opened it.
"This is what a human pregnancy looks like," she pointed to a cross section diagram of a woman.
"I think I bloody know…" Spike was cut off.
"Gimme a second ok?" Juidon pulled another book from the shelf. "This is what a dog's pregnancy looks like." She pointed to a similar picture before pulling out another book.
"This is a normal D'ewain pregnancy," she laid it in between the others.
"So it's like a combination of human and dog then," Spike eyed the pictures.
"Yes. Now human babies can weigh anything between a couple of pounds to twelve, sometimes more, but D'ewain's normally weigh from between couple pounds to about five so the female can cope with the extra pups," Juidon explained.
"You keep saying normal," Spike pointed out.
"Asara will give what you see but because you were originally born as a human, a baby, you'll still carry that in you but your demon will have some impact on what you contribute to the pups. I don't know what they'll look like or what they'll be able to do," Juidon shrugged. "They should, if we give maths a try, weigh roughly… six or seven pounds each."
Spike's brain calculated the numbers and his eyes widened,
"You mean Asara will be carrying two bloody stone around with her?"
"Something like that," Juidon sighed. "She's undernourished at the moment because of the captivity and it'll detract from her strength. The pups have higher metabolic activity so all the nutrients will pass straight to them not to Asara."
Spike realised that getting Asara pregnant was not the best idea in the world but neither of them knew it was possible and Spike was determined to fatten Asara up a bit. Juidon watched his face and all the emotions that flittered across it.
"Spike?" he looked at her. "You do realise that we have about three months left before the pups arrive."
"What?" Spike stared at her like she'd grown an extra head.
A crash echoed from the kitchen and the pair went to investigate. Asara was half buried in the fridge but she looked out when she heard Spike and Juidon. She had a steak in one hand, cheese in another and a blood bag between her teeth. Spike wondered about the bag before asking,
"Pet what you doing in the bloody fridge?"
Asara frowned and talked round the bag,
"I wass hungerry."
"So you decided to eat my lunch?" Spike raised an eyebrow.
Asara nodded, drained the bag and put the cheese in her mouth. Whilst she chewed she dragged out another bag and threw it at Spike before filling her hand with a chocolate bar. Spike caught the bag, dumped it in a mug and put it in the microwave to heat it. Juidon rolled her eyes at Asara and pulled out a tray to put stuff on so that Asara could get out of the fridge and back to bed. Esster'd wandered in, saw Asara, gaped a little, dash back out and returned with a camera.
"This is classic!" she laughed as she got the pictures.
Asara on the other hand was not pleased about the camera and demonstrated that she had spent too much time round Spike.
"Piss off," she snarled at Esster'd between mouthfuls.
Esster'd merely laughed as she snapped more pictures. Juidon dug food from around Asara before waving the tray under her nose. Asara unfolded out of the fridge and followed it. Spike took the tray off Juidon, Asara caught up with them and stole a sausage. He got moving before she could take anything else, tray in one hand, mug of blood in the other. Esster'd was still taking pictures but now Spike was in the photos.
"This is such good blackmail!" Esster'd grinned.
"What? You better bloody not," Spike warned. "I look like a fucking manservant!"
"Yeah perfect," Esster'd told him.
Spike growled but had no free hands to take the camera as well as not being able to stop because of the voracious Asara following him. Eventually Spike got away from Esster'd and her camera and into their bedroom. After dumping the tray on the bedside table Spike wrestled Asara back into bed. She complained before he promised to feed her and Asara settled down.
Full, quiet and sated she fell asleep an hour later and Spike sat watching her sleep until his legs went numb under him. Standing he swept a lock of hair off her face and kissed her gently, making her squirm slightly and smile which made Spike smile as well. Taking the tray downstairs he dumped it in the kitchen before heading back to Asara. As he walked pass the phone it rang, making him jump then glare at it before he realised it was still ringing.
"'Lo?" he said into the receiver.
"Not your best opener," Xander greeted.
"What the hell you calling for?" Spike asked, surprised.
"I just wanted to see how Asara was doing," Xander replied, not put off by Spike.
Spike sighed. He had spent sometime with Xander since he'd been with Asara and somehow she'd brought them closer together, so they only bantered in jest rather than anger now. He opened the front door and stepped out onto the porch which was shielded from the sun so he could go outside during the day and not worry about bursting into flames.
"She's been better," Spike sat down on the seat the pack had bought for him.
"Well sure. It won't have been fun," Xander answered. "The pair of you really have a lot in common now don't you? The chip and the collar, both of you getting imprisoned against your will."
"Mine's was never as bad as hers."
"What happened?" Xander asked.
"The good or the bad?" Spike needed to talk to another bloke.
"The bad, get it over with," Xander braced himself.
"You are never to tell anyone this," Spike made Xander swear. "The pack doesn't even know yet."
"Yeah Spike I promise," Xander could hear it in Spike's voice, the edge of fear and desperation that could make a man do anything.
"She was raped," Spike said bluntly.
"Fuck!" Xander swore. "Who the hell did it? They're going down."
"Isn't that my line?" Spike smiled slightly.
"Yes but…" Xander waved his hand before realising Spike couldn't see him.
"It was another slave. Asara said they made him do it so we can't hurt him but the slavers are still going to die," Spike had already decided that.
"Aren't they human?"
"Some of them but I don't care. It'll be worth it," Spike couldn't give a shit about the pain.
"Count me in. What's the good?" Xander asked.
Spike really smiled this time,
"She's pregnant."
"You mean…? But how's that good news?" Xander frowned.
"No idiot," Spike shook his head. "I'm the father."
"You're a vampire," Xander told him, like it was big news.
"And you're just realising this?" Spike teased.
Xander could picture the raised eyebrow,
"No moron it's just you're dead…"
"Undead mate."
"Yeah whatever. So how can you father anything?"
"We dunno. Juidon's working on it but it's bloody science, not really my scene," Spike shrugged.
"No it's not is it?" Xander got off a shot.
"Ha! You can talk," Spike settled into the light banter.
"Yes I can. Many words," Xander rejoined.
-
"Asara," Juidon shook her gently.
A mumble issued from the sleeping form.
"I know you're tired but I need to talk to you," Juidon persisted.
"Juidon? What…?" Asara blinked and rubbed at her eyes.
"I want to talk about the pups. I need to work out everything so I can help you through this," Juidon began.
"Hold on. I'm still half asleep," Asara yawned and sat up. "'K fire away."
"Right," Juidon took a deep breath and dived into territory she really didn't want to go into. "When do you think you conceived?"
"Ummm probably three days before the hunt," Asara thought back.
"Why do you think then?" Juidon asked.
"It was kind of intense that night. I wanted Spike… not that I don't normally but… Something inside me," Asara blushed slightly. "Down there was hungry almost like it wanted to eat something."
"And that something was Spike," Juidon eyed her friend as she nodded. "Go on."
"The sex was electrical. Everything seemed to stand on end," Asara frowned. "I think Spike's hair stood up for a moment."
Juidon puzzled this over before moving on,
"What have you felt from the pups? You'll be showing soon so they're well on their way and that'll begin to tell on you."
"Well sometimes my right side feels colder but like all the blood has run there whilst my left feels really hot," Asara admitted. "But only on the inside."
Juidon sat quiet, Asara watching her and she could almost see the clogs whirring inside her head.
"What do you think?" Asara asked after a while.
"On which bit?" Juidon looked up.
"Let's start with what I'm worried about most; the pups."
"I think the pups will be slightly bigger than normal D'ewain's but with human and vampire characteristics," Juidon counted off the facts on her fingers. "The feelings from inside you are probably in connection to which pups are showing the most tendencies, so the ones on the right have a higher percentage of vampire DNA whereas the pups on the right have more D'ewain genes."
"Okay so you reckon I'm going to have two pups of each then?" Asara questioned.
"Probably," Juidon nodded. "My biggest concern is the later pregnancy and birth. You are weaker due to… what happened and so, because the pups are heavier, you'll tire more and then comes the birth. I don't like how the odds play out Asara."
"I'll be alright Jui. Just get me there and get ready," Asara smiled slightly. "Do you know how I conceived?"
"I think so," Juidon explained her theory.
"Gonna share it with Golhan?" Asara asked.
"Asara I wouldn't talk to him again. Not after what he did," Juidon shook her head.
"What if I wanted you to?" Asara cocked her head to gauge her friend's reaction.
"I…" Juidon didn't know what to say.
"What if I said he's the only man we know that can get this collar off me?" Asara continued.
"But you…" Juidon was interrupted.
"What if I said he could take Spike's chip out?" Asara whispered.
"He can?" Juidon was surprised.
"He said it didn't sound so complicated or different to what he did to me," Asara shrugged. "We talked about the Initiative and how he'd like to get his hands on the technology."
"Then I'm going to talk to him and get him to come round to look at some 'data'," Juidon stood.
Asara grimaced,
"Make it sound better than that."
"Of course," Juidon smiled.
"Jui we will have to kill him if he comes here," Asara didn't want her friend to lose a friend but the pack needed its security.
"I know and I can't say he doesn't deserve it," Juidon left her to rest.
Juidon met Spike on the stairs and smiled at him,
"How you doing?"
"Better but I'm worried about Asara," Spike admitted.
"She's doing fine," Juidon patted his arm before carrying on downstairs.
Spike knew Asara hadn't told Juidon and hurried to her. Asara was still sitting up in bed when Spike walked in.
"Hey," she greeted.
"Luv I know you don't want to talk about it but you need to tell the others what happened," Spike sat down next to her.
Asara stiffened before sighing,
"I know. Give me some time."
"Not too long though otherwise you'll never be able to do it," Spike laid his hand over hers.
Asara stared at the hand on hers prior to snuggling up to Spike and letting him hold her. Spike stroked her hair, just letting her be close and still loving every minute of it. After a while Asara raised her head and whispered,
"I've missed you."
"So have I. I've missed holding you, laughing with you, kissing you, everything," Spike gazed at her.
"Yes but I've missed you. I want you," Asara murmured.
She pulled his head down and kissed him. It was a soft, tender thing and Spike returned it, cradling her face between his hands. When Asara's hands dropped to his jeans he pulled back, breaking the kiss and he stared at her, wondering.
"Asara are you sure?"
"More than I've ever been. I need this. I need to forget, move on. I love you and I want this, you, here, now," Asara kissed him again.
Spike didn't hold back because Asara's words had cut straight through him and he knew them so well. He had wanted to say them to her but had restrained himself, fearing to push her after all she had been through. Now Asara had broken down the barriers between them and was now running her fingers along the top of his jeans, dipping slightly below them every so often. Spike couldn't stop the instinctive jerk of his hips towards her fingers and he felt Asara smile into the kiss. She popped the button of his jeans open and slowly pulled the zipper down, freeing him.
Spike moaned when she completely ignored his throbbing ache and just rubbed at the hollows in his hips before tugging at his jeans. Standing he pulled them off then joined her back on the bed, kissing her mouth and rubbing her shoulders but letting her lead the encounter. He deliberately ignored her neck because of the collar but he knew she'd notice because of his fascination with it normally. She laid down, drawing him down with her so he lay propped up on his elbows above her, not wanting to squash her or the babies. Asara ran her hands slowly down his chest and stomach causing Spike to lean into her hands.
Spike was took his time to re-explore her body, remembering everything as well as finding new things like her now showing ribs and the hardness of her belly. He laid four kisses on her stomach before venturing lower, making Asara moan and weave her fingers through his hair, arching up towards his mouth. Spike loved the sounds he could pulled from Asara and was determined to blow her mind, to help he forget like she had asked but he needn't have worried.
Asara had stopped thinking after Spike's mouth had descended over her body and when he'd gone down on her she'd began to babble meaninglessly.
"SpikelikeohgodyesmorewantpleaseSpikerightthereuhhh."
Asara's body began bucking and Spike pinned her hips to the mattress, drawing out her orgasm so she came howling his name. Spike waited until she'd got her breath back before covering her body with his. Asara kissed him hard, relearning how to breathe through her nose, whilst her tongue took an extended tour of his mouth. With Spike already between her legs Asara rolled her hips rubbing herself down his length, causing him to hiss and thrust against her.
Growling he broke from the kiss and stared down into her eyes. A pair of bright blue eyes met his. In them he saw lust, love making them dilate until the blue was almost gone and Asara blinked slowly as if drugged. Spike positioned himself but waited, body shaking, for Asara to tell him it was what she wanted from him.
Asara wrapped her hands round his hips and arched up towards him, begging silently. She felt empty inside and needed him to fill her again. To want him so much did something to her and suddenly the fear that she had carried inside since her capture, her rape, was gone.
Spike saw a change in her, the old confidence was back and he smiled before surging into her. Asara moaned and wrapped her legs around his waist, drawing him deeper and closer. Spike was kissing her again and all he could think was how he could of forgotten how hot she was, how tight and how willing. Thrusting deep but slow Spike took his time but soon he was close and he could tell Asara was too. Dropping his head back to hers he kissed her before breaking free to whisper,
"I love you."
"I love you," Asara got out before her body jerked and clamped down around him.
Spike powered down into her once more as the shudders took him over and he collapsed sideways onto Asara, trying to keep off her but just lacking the strength or coordination to do so. Asara seemed to understand and wrapped her arms around him, stroking his back as he panted needlessly.
"I think," Spike raised his head from her shoulder. "That I've missed you way too much."
"Ditto," Asara grinned. "It's good to be back."
Spike knew what she meant and rolled off her so they could hold each other. Oh ok snuggle. Spike gave up on being the Big Bad when this was so much better than that. Asara made a small noise that sounded incredibly like 'humph' and Spike pulled back slightly to see her,
"Pet what was that?"
"It was a humph," Asara answered.
"I thought as much. What was the humph for?" Spike asked.
"Humph in crossness that I can't make up my mind," Asara was frowning at her fingers.
Spike smoothed her creases flat with his thumb,
"'Bout what luv?"
"Whether to eat, sleep, shower or have sex next," Asara looked up. "I need all four options."
"Well how about we both take a shower now, have hot passionate sex in there, eat then sleep," Spike nibbled at her ear.
"Sounds like the best thing ever, way better than anything I thought of," Asara wrapped her arms round his neck and Spike sat up, pulling her up too. Taking advantage of the free ride on offer Asara wrapped her legs around his waist before Spike shuffled off the bed. He'd taken two steps then Asara attacked. She kissed him hard, her tongue claiming his mouth and Spike stopped, arms going round her waist, blood rushing straight down to his groin. Minutes past and suddenly Asara broke the kiss, making Spike groan.
"Shower remember," she told him.
"No," Spike shook his head, eyes fixed on her swollen bottom lip.
"Walk," Asara instructed.
"Tease," Spike said as he set off. "I'm going to have to punish you."
Asara's eyes glinted,
"Good."
Spike growled and was kissing her again, one hand opening the door. He was moving on autopilot, hoping his legs knew the way well enough not to walk into any walls.
"Guys did you…" Esster'd ground to a halt.
The pair continued past her without registering her presence.
"Shame I put my camera away," Esster'd sighed.
"I don't think that taking pictures now would be a good idea anyway," Juidon answered as she caught the show from her room.
"Damn good blackmail," Esster'd replied.
"I don't they'd see 'em like that," Juidon grinned.
The pair watched Spike fumble with the bathroom door before getting it open and walking inside, still heavily engaged with Asara. The door thumped shut as Spike leant back against it and Esster'd burst into giggles.
"What?" Juidon wanted to know what the joke was.
"I didn't know a bloke's dick could carry a woman all by itself," Esster'd snickered.
"You have a very crude and dirty mind Essy," Juidon told her.
"Yeah I know," Esster'd eyed the bathroom door, listening to the shower door open and shut before the water started up.
How Spike had managed Asara would never know but by the time it registered that they were in the shower Spike was punishing her so she gave up thought and went with sensations. With water running down both of them all that was keeping them up was Spike's braced legs and practice.
"So glad we tried that before now," Asara gasped from the floor when it was over.
"Hell yes," Spike muttered, getting flash backs.
"Washing, soap, water," Asara reminded him as she noticed the dazed look in his eyes.
Spike climbed to his feet and hauled Asara up before passing her the shampoo. She squirted some on her hair before handing him the bottle so he could wash too. Eventually, after a few heated moments, they were clean but Asara's stomach was rumbling like thunder, making Spike's do the same.
"Food?" Asara pleaded.
"Food," Spike agreed.
He opened the door to be greeted by Esster'd who grinned.
"You know it's not nice to ignore people," she told them.
"What the hell are you on about?" Spike growled at her, hunger making him short tempered.
"Earlier when you walked past me without so much as a hello," Esster'd was still grinning.
"They were a little busy," Juidon shook her head. "I warned her not to."
"You saw us?" Spike raised an eyebrow.
"My camera…" Esster'd didn't get to finish as Spike strode towards her.
"What about the bloody camera?" he asked, voice quiet but Esster'd knew he was learning that from Asara.
She squeaked and fled. Spike gave chase.
"Spike!" Asara called after him. "Your clothes!"
"Too late," Juidon sighed.
"It's not that any of us mind. It's just if he answers the door naked one more time I swear no one will deliver us anything," Asara pulled on a camisole and sweats.
"I think the Chinese woman was quite taken with him," Juidon pointed out.
"Yes but I blew that if you remember," Asara set off down the stairs.
"Ah yes. Growling at her wasn't the best idea," Juidon grinned.
"Tarty little slut," Asara muttered.
Juidon sniggered quietly behind her back before Spike appeared carrying Esster'd over his shoulder. She was surprised Esster'd wasn't complaining but as Spike walked past both woman could see Esster'd eyes were fixed on his arse.
"Esster'd," Asara warned.
"Yeah yeah I know but it'd be a shame to waste it," Esster'd answered.
"That's true," Asara agreed, ogling with her until Spike turned round. She kept on staring as Spike asked,
"What the hell are you talking about?"
"Just the perfection that is your body and most particular that of your backside," Esster'd's voice said from behind him.
Spike preened slightly before frowning and dumping Esster'd on the floor. She yelped at the unexpected movement but Spike was gone, up the stairs to put on some jeans. He came back down with an old, worn pair on and they rode low over his hips which, for Asara, wasn't much of an improvement. She glared, he smiled, took her arm and led her into the kitchen where Yimila was standing, hands on hips.
"We've come for food," Spike announced.
"Well you can have some but there's not a lot left for anyone else," Yimila was not happy.
"Yim I'm feeding five mouths here," Asara pleaded, her stomach backing her up.
Yimila sighed,
"We're going to have to go shopping soon and twice as often now."
Juidon grinned,
"Any shopping's good by me."
"Jui calm down. I was just on the phone and Asara has lost her job so there is less money coming in," Yimila told them.
"Crap," Esster'd swore.
"Damn my ex-boss to hell!" Asara joined her. "We needed that money. We're gonna need it even more when the pups are born."
"Right first things first," Esster'd clapped her hands together. "We work out how much less we have to spend, don't buy the fun things and then take away the items we don't need or that can live without and put that towards food."
The rest of the group nodded and set about their respective tasks, Juidon being given the unenviable task of calculating their spending. Spike got food out for Asara and they guiltily decimated the supplies but she was yawning before they'd finished. He been all for going to bed then but remembered what Juidon had said and made her eat everything she could. Asara nodded off on the table as Spike turned to get some more food and ended carrying her back to bed.
-
One week later and Asara was back on form again, looking better and certain had more stamina. Definitely more stamina! Spike grinned. She was also showing her pregnancy a lot more now and he was still stunned at how quickly her belly expanded. Spike had actually asked if it hurt and Asara had said she didn't notice it happening, it just did. They had talked about the pups and she had shyly suggested that Spike named the two with the most vampiric tendencies and she named the other two. Spike had agreed enthusiastically but made Asara agree that they both had to like the name before it was decided. She had also found enough courage to call the pack together to tell them about what had happened.
"I know you're all wondering what this is about," Asara started, standing just in front of Spike, whose hand she was clasping for dear life. "I want to tell you something about what happened to me when I was captured."
The pack was silent. A feeling was telling them that this was serious, that Asara needed to get this over with and they all met her gaze as she looked round them.
Asara took a deep breath, Spike squeezed her hand encouragingly, and said in a quiet but reasonably stable voice,
"I was raped."
Silence reigned for about 0.3 seconds before the pack exploded, demonstrating two reactions. Anger, deep hatred that seem to boil round the room and fear, especially from the younger and new pack members. Asara dropped to her knees and opened her arms. Casve was the first to move, throwing herself into the embrace, crying.
"It's okay now," Asara soothed her.
Casve sniffed and Destch joined her at Asara's side. He looked up and opened his mouth to talk,
"…M…m… mummy?"
Asara burst into tears at that and the pack came to her but as always, Spike had her back. No matter how rough the pack got Spike was always wrapped around her back, never leaving her. Destch was staring at Spike over Asara's shoulder and he summoned up the courage.
"Daddy?"
Spike was stunned. No-one had ever called him that before and he felt utterly lost, unsure of what to say until he saw Destch face fall.
"Kid… Destch I… I am honoured that you think of me like that," Spike answered honestly.
Destch smiled,
"I've never had parents, never been safe but you make me feel safe, happy and wanted."
Casve sniffed before grinning suddenly,
"You'll have competition soon."
"No not competition, more family, brothers and sisters," Destch said firmly.
Asara smiled and twisted to see Spike, who was staring at her with wonder on his face. She kissed him and that wonder was mixed with happiness.
-
Next day
"Asara!" Juidon yelled. "He's here!"
"Who's here?" Spike shouted back.
"Come downstairs and find out!" Juidon bellowed.
Asara watched Spike climb to his feet,
"Coming pet? She did call for you."
"Yeah I know," Asara sighed before following.
Spike could sense the tension rolling off her and wondered who was at the door in the middle of the day. He took her hand and just that touch seemed to strengthen her resolve so she went to meet the guest with a high head.
It all disintegrated when she saw the man standing in her hall. Asara had known this was coming and had tried to prepare herself but now that he was standing here, memories came screaming back in technicolour, leaving her shaken. Spike could smell the fear pouring off Asara in waves and turned to the man who had provoked this reaction from his mate, still unaware of who he was.
At six foot he stood taller than Spike with dark black hair, brown eyes and a case clutched in his hands. Spike sniffed the air and knew the unwelcome man wasn't human but struggled to place him so he glanced at Juidon.
"This is Golhan, a Glozer demon. He's here to remove Asara's collar," Juidon told Spike.
"And how would you know how to do that mate?" Spike asked quietly.
"Because I put it on her," the man answered, putting his foot straight into it.
Spike snarled, features descending, as he grabbed Golhan round the throat and slammed him back against the wall.
"Erghh… If you kill me I can't help Asara," Golhan gasped.
Spike growled, pressing his face into the demon's,
"It's just as well that you're useful cause I have every right and wish to use every organ you possess as some sort of sports equipment."
The demon swallowed, or attempted to, but wisely said nothing more until Spike dropped him.
"Why would a vampire take do much interest in a shifter?" he muttered.
Spike was back into his personal space instantly,
"My mate is nothing to do with you so get on with you job."
Golhan blinked and fumbled,
"So you're the father of her… erk!"
Spike picked him up by the neck again,
"Where do you want this tosser?"
"In the infirmary," Juidon answered before prising him off Golhan.
"Juidon!" Spike hissed.
She wrapped her own fingers around Golhan's neck and glared at Spike,
"You calm down and go to Asara!"
Spike looked over to where Asara was standing, shaking would be more accurate and went straight to her side.
"Luv what's the matter?" Spike crooned, facing slipping back.
"It's all come back… He's back… It…" Asara's eyes were fixed on the door through which Juidon had dragged Golhan.
"Yeah but he'll make it better," Spike reassured her.
"I'm putting myself back into his hands Spike. The hands that did this to me in the first place," Asara whispered.
"If he puts a foot or finger wrong I'll rip his head off and the kids can use it as a source of amusement," Spike promised.
"You won't be able to tell if he's doing it wrong," Asara looked up at him, a ghost of a smile hovering around her lips at the image.
"That's what Juidon's there for," Spike stroked her cheek.
"I know," Asara murmured.
They stood for a few minutes until Asara started and grabbed Spike's hand.
"What is it pet?" Spike asked, startled.
"Here, feel," Asara laid his hand on her belly, just in time for him to feel another kick from one of inhabitants.
Spike gazed down in amazement and Asara smiled before kissing his forehead. Jerking his head up Spike blinked at her, mind having taken a small vacation. It came back in time to kiss her tenderly back so that could face this together. Taking her hand Spike stepped forward, unconsciously shielding her from whatever lay ahead until they came to the door. Asara passed him, glancing at him to tell him she needed it to appear that she was fine with this and that Golhan didn't scare her, and into the room.
Juidon had covered her table and some of the operating equipment she owned was out. Golhan was pulling complicated technology out of his bag and setting them out on a spare table, muttering under his breath as he did so. Asara went to the table, boosted herself up and swivelled her gaze to Golhan.
"How we gonna do this?" she asked.
"Well it would work best if you were unconscious," he looked up.
"Three points. One, drugs don't work on me cause I'm a shifter, two, you are not pumping me full of useless drugs that won't work on me when I'm pregnant and three, I am not being clubbed unconscious," Asara ticked the points off on her fingers.
Golhan sighed and accepted her points before asking her to lay face down on the table. Asara swung her legs up onto the table, Juidon handed her a pillow and she smiled gratefully. It wasn't comfortable to lie face down on her stomach anymore so the pillow went under her to cushion the bump. Resting her forehead on the table Asara waited for Golhan to get on with it, nerves only showing in the tension of her shoulders. He swept her hair off the back of her next and examined his own work, hand going out to a scalpel.
Spike growled,
"You're not just going to cut into her!"
"Spike there is no other way," Juidon explained. "Why do you think I banned the rest from being here?"
Spike rumbled low in his chest, grabbed Asara's hand and pulled up a seat. He rested his head next to hers and could just see the corner of her right eye staring at him through the back swept hair.
"Try and relax," Golhan told her. "This will be easier if you're relaxed."
Asara snorted.
"And most definitely do not move," the scalpel touched the skin.
Spike squeezed her hand and yelped. Everyone looked at him. He shook his head and Golhan continued cutting into Asara's nape. She showed no signs of pain but Spike could feel it travelling down their connection, and it was like a pressure building at the base of his skull. Golhan cleared enough room so he could cut the metal band from her neck and pull it off her. Without warning white flashed before his eyes as Golhan followed some of the thin black wires into her spine.
"Bloody fucking hell!" Spike muttered, knowing it was worse for Asara. "No cutting me off do you hear?"
Asara couldn't answer but the connection stayed open if blurred with pain. Spike watched as Golhan peeled back enough of Asara's skin to get enough access to the main control buried deep inside. Bone showed white through the blood which Juidon was cleaning up so that the worksite didn't drown. Black lines traced their way around the bone and disappeared into the tissue beneath. Golhan snipped them free one by one and pulled them from her, each also drawing forth a scream, muffled by the table and clenched teeth. Almost twenty wires later Golhan set about working the main component free but when he called for Juidon to hold the spine whilst he pulled Spike lost it. Juidon reacted quicker than anyone else and had Spike pinned on a wall a second later but she was struggling to hold him there as he fought her.
"Get a grip or you wait outside!" Juidon reminded him she could pick him up.
Spike subsided quickly and Juidon let him go. She went back to her place at Golhan's side and Spike went back to holding Asara's hand. Asara whimpered as Juidon wrapped her hands around her spine but the whimper turned to a scream that escaped all the muffling as the pair tugged. Nothing budged.
"How did you get it in so deep?" Juidon asked.
"I didn't. It looks like the bone has been trying to grow around it," Golhan probed the opening.
"Spike can you hold her head down and don't let it rise off the table," Juidon instructed as her hands went back to their original place.
Spike placed one hand on each side of Asara's head and gripped it firmly. Golhan curled his fingers around the little cube in her neck and counted them in,
"One, two, heave!"
Asara screamed and there several sharp cracks echoed around the room. A split second after Asara screamed Spike did, hands shooting to his own head as the pain shot down his spine and through his brain like a lightning bolt. Golhan was holding up the control box up and Juidon was patching the now unconscious Asara back together. Spike whimpered before hauling himself up from the floor, where he had sunk to, to hold Asara's hand again and was subjected to a curious stare from Golhan.
"What the bleedin' hell are you staring at?" Spike ground out, still in pain.
"I was wondering why you screamed," Golhan placed the bloody cube down.
"'Cause I felt that! Everything you did to her that hurt I felt, so piss off!" Spike snapped, angry.
Golhan opened his mouth to say more but Asara picked that moment to come round with a groan. Spike gripped her hand tighter and whispered,
"It's ok luv. It's all over, done, finished."
Juidon put the last stitches in, bandaged her neck and slowly helped Spike to roll her over on to her back. Asara blinked before opening her mouth,
"Whsys casn'st Is fesels mys bosdys prsopersly?"
"We fractured your neck getting the collar control box out and that's also why you can't talk properly. Your spine is damaged but I don't know how badly," Juidon answered.
"Will she heal?" Spike asked, worried.
"Yes Asara's had a broken neck before," Juidon pulled Asara into a sitting position.
Her head lolled a bit but otherwise she managed to hold herself fairly upright. Spike scooted her off the table and picked her up to carry her to bed
"Noss," Asara slurred in his ear. "Thes chasirs."
"You have lie down pet," Spike said gently but firmly.
"She wants to stay for your operation Spike," Juidon told him.
"My operation?" Spike frowned.
"You haven't told him?" Juidon asked Asara.
"Wasntesd its tos bes as susrprise," Asara looked a bit guilty.
"I think you managed that," Juidon shook her head before looking at Spike. "Golhan has promised to have a go at taking your chip out."
"What…?" Spike proved to be an expert at impersonating a goldfish.
"Freess," Asara whispered.
"Really?" Spike glanced around the people.
"Yess," Asara tried to kiss his cheek but ended up nose-butting him instead.
Spike gently set Asara down in a chair, propping her against a wall so she didn't slide out the chair by accident. He turned to the table and only then registered what Asara had done to it in her pain. The far end had six holes punched in it from her claws and the head end had a severely crumpled corner where she'd crushed it. Spike tested it by pushing down on it. The table creaked but remained upright and stable so Spike hopped on and stretched out. It reminded him of the time he 'borrowed' the Initiative doctor but he could only hope it this time it ended better. Golhan picked up a needle and syringe and Spike eyed it suspiciously.
"Local anaesthetics work on vampires which I would have thought you'd prefer," Golhan told him.
Spike shot a glance at Asara and agreed whole heartedly. Golhan frowned as he worked out where to stick the needle to numb Spike's head. Eventually he injected the syringes content into Spike's neck.
"You have a fetish with necks," Spike told him.
"Pot. Kettle," Juidon prodded him.
Spike blinked,
"That stuff works quickly."
"Yes wonderful when you add Acain saliva to the mixture," Golhan nodded.
"You stuck saliva in me!?!" his head felt like it was wrapped in cotton wool on another continent.
"Yes now hold still," Golhan began by cutting a patch of his hair away before picking up Juidon's heavy duty drill.
Spike wasn't a wuss but he shut his eyes. There was something about that drill taking pieces of his skull off that just wasn't appealing. Like before he could feel everything going on in his head and he had to say it was still the weirdest experience he'd ever had. Well that and Woodstock. Golhan hummed under breath as he found the small black, penny-like object and Spike frowned as he Golhan pulled on a wire.
"Not meaning to spoil the show but that felt like you were trying to pull my eyeball through my skull," Spike informed the pair.
"Hmmm," Golhan muttered. "We may have to leave the wires in and just take out the main control."
"Wills its stops thes chips froms firings?" Asara asked, sounding a bit better.
"Should do," Golhan picked up some clippers and set about freeing the chip.
Five minutes later Golhan held up a bloody object.
"It's really quite fascinating," he examined it.
"Lovely. Now would you sow up the vampire showing his brain?" Spike asked sarcastically.
"Of course. Just getting to it," Golhan put the chip down and began fixing the piece of skull he had removed back into place before sowing the skin together. Juidon wrapped a bandage round the back of his head and let him sit up and collect his brain that still felt a little lost. Asara smiled at him and he grinned back,
"Now I can kill the bastards that did that to you without having to worry about them being humans."
"Bes carefuls alrights?" Asara looked a little worried.
"Not going alone. Xander wanted in," Spike slid off the table and walked to her.
Asara smiled a sweet little smile that said she was touched by what Xander was offering for her. She tried to stand and discovered that her legs worked fine, it was just her arms and face that didn't obey her. Spike steadied her and she smiled at him, relief clear. They were free again, back to how they used to be, then Asara frowned. She had never met the Spike before the chip and she wondered how different he would be.
Yimila walked in. She had been allowed to stay in the house whereas the rest of the pack had been ordered out but she had to stay away from them until they were done.
"What do you want me to do with him?" Yimila nodded at Golhan.
"The body cannot be found. Nothing left," Juidon answered.
"What?" Golhan hadn't known about his imminent death.
"No we need him," Spike answered.
"For what? You're both fine so…?" Yimila raised her eyebrows.
"There are other families out there with collared relatives. We can be owed a hell of a lot of favours if we make demon doctor here take all the collars off," Spike had met up with some seriously disgruntled demons recently.
"Neat," Juidon nodded. "Yim? Leave you in charge of keeping him safe?"
"Got it," she grabbed Golhan, who was on the verge of panicking.
He panicked.
"What's going on? I thought I was coming here then going back to work," he fought Yimila's grip.
"You'd know where we live so no living," Yimila tightened her grip and lifted him off the floor. "Come on we've got people to see."
Yimila walked out the door still carrying Golhan. Spike helped Asara up the stairs to bed where they both collapsed and slept for the next three hours. Asara only woke up then to eat before going back to bed where Spike was still sleeping undisturbed. Life was looking up and Asara couldn't wait for her neck to heal so that she could take Spike out and celebrate.