A/N: Thank you for all of your reviews. Your cookies are in the mail. Of course, if they don't make it you know it's that cyber mail-man who's been nicking them.

Of course, halfway descended on their downwards journey the elevator ground to a halt. Spike looked at Angel then Buffy. The Kraals had found out about Isaac and obviously were not best pleased. Wordlessly Buffy and Angel grabbed at the elevator doors and yanked them open, the screams of the doors reverberating through the elevator canal.

They had come to rest halfway between two floors, of course. Buffy told Dawn to crawl up and out onto the floor above.

"No way" Dawn protested "I've seen Final Destination 2! Just as I'm part way through the elevator will hurtle down and chop me up!"

"The longer you wait the more likely that is" Spike growled, giving her a small but firm shove "Now get!"

Dawn let out an indignant snort but nevertheless shimmied in between the small gap with the help of a boost from Buffy. Next was Nina, who had slightly more trouble fitting through. Spike turned to Buffy and motioned her out. She shook her head and pointed for him to go. He shook his head.

"One of you, go!" Angel said harshly.

They both turned to him and as one said "You go"

"No –"

"I need someone to protect Dawn and since I'm staying in here till last and Spike isn't moving, being the stubborn bastard that he is, it's got to be you. Please. They could attack them at any minute" Buffy pleaded.

Dawn's voice could be heard floating down to them "Uh, well, thanks. I'm not nervous enough as it is!"

"Buffy," Angel started.

"Go. It's your girlfriend up there too" She replied.

They looked between each other, a few moments passed in silence. Angel nodded and then he jumped up, hauling himself out from between the floor and the elevator. He got stuck half-way what with his broad shoulders and Spike laughed giving him a sharp kick up the ass to heft him through. Angel let out a growl.

"You next, gropey-guy" Buffy pushed him towards the gap.

He looked at her "You know, I had to do that to –"

"We'll talk about it later"

"In other words you'll beat me up?"

"Oh yeah"

Spike smiled, and started to go for the gap when the elevator screeched and slid down a little causing them both to stumble backwards. It did it again. Buffy yelled at him to hurry up but even as she said it the elevator slid down again. Spike turned and looked at her. They were silent for a moment.

Angel yelled down to them "Buffy!"

"Get Dawn out of here!" She cried.

That was when the elevator cable snapped, or was cut, and they went hurtling down. Both Spike and Buffy screamed, although Spike's was more of a long, drawn out swear word. She slammed into the walls of the lift, from side to side and Spike held onto the railing for dear life, his feet slipped out from underneath him but he managed to stay balanced.

She looked at him as she felt gravity about to swallow them whole.

Spike launched himself at her grabbing her in his arm and holding on tight to the railing with the other, she did the same. As if it would make any difference.

They slid down to the floor, Buffy crushed in the corner with Spike covering her as if trying to protect her to the very last.

When they hit the ground, it seemed that all of the bones jarred in both of their bodies. Buffy bit down on her tongue and her head slammed into one wall of the elevator then the other. Spike careened into her, his skull glancing off her chin and knocking a tooth loose. She felt something in her ankle snap and she screamed.

The compartment rattled and shook. Then it went eerily quiet. Buffy was aware of blood running into her eyes, so that she was partly blind, and that she wasn't unconscious or dead. This surprised her. Her head was slumped onto Spike's shoulder and his face was buried against her neck. He was heavy weight upon her. They both had yet to move.

The electrical light from above fell down and landed next to them, as if it was an afterthought. As though it decided this would be a good time to commit fixture suicide. Buffy felt like giggling at that thought then the pain came back and she really did not feel like giggling.

Still, they had to get out of here. Dawn was up there and the Kraals were after them.

"..Sp...Spike..." Buffy rasped, moving her hand up slowly and shaking his shoulder.

He fell to the floor next to her with a loud thud, his eyes were closed.

Buffy tried to move and her ankle shot with pain. She gritted her teeth and whimpered. It was broken. She'd have to deal.

"Spike" She grabbed his lapels and shook him "Wake up! We...we have to get out..."

Her head felt fuzzy.

Spike's eyelids fluttered open; he blinked, looking up at her confused. Then he looked around and tried to sit up way too fast. He must have been in some considerable pain because he yelled out.

"We have to go. Now" Buffy groaned.

"...Right...go...yes" Spike sat up and stood slowly "Second thought...not"

"We have to. Help me. My ankle...it's broken"

Spike's eyes widened.

He leaned down and helped her stand on one leg. The doors were still open and they had reached the ground floor. Where the secretary seemed to have disappeared. Spike started out with her holding onto him and hobbling. Her whole head felt wrong, there were dots swimming before her eyes. The vampire started towards the door.

"No! Dawn...I have to..."

"She's with Angel and Nina" Spike told her "She'll be fine. We need to get you out of here. To safety"

"I am not leaving without her"

Spike grunted and pulled them over to the door "We have to get to safety, then we will call"

"Spike, she's my sister" Buffy looked at him "I'm responsible for her"

"You said it yourself. Angel can take care of her. You are in no fit state to go up against an army of Kraals"

As if on cue the sound of thunderous footsteps came from the stairwell. Spike kicked the door open and forcibly dragged her outside. He started to pull her along but she was lagging due to her leg. Drastic measures were needed. He scooped her up in his arms and ran with her.

"Spike! No!" She grabbed his shirt "I need to get Dawn"

"Right now we need to get out of here"

At that moment several Kraal's came crashing out of the building. Spike ducked down an alley and set Buffy down on her good leg. He reached into his jacket and pulled out a grenade.

Buffy's eyes widened "You have grenades now?"

"Sure as hell beats axes at times like these" He pulled the pin, turned and threw it at the advancing demons then ducked back down the alley.

Moments later the loud explosion trembled the ground and screams were heard, demon screams. Spike peeked his head out as the smoke was clearing. A nice pile of demon bodies. He turned back to Buffy.

"Let's go" Spike said.

"Not yet. Dawn"

Spike sighed, nodded and pulled something else out of his pocket. A cell phone.

Buffy's eyes widened again "You have a cell phone now?"

"Yeah, I've moved into the modern world. Sickening" He handed the phone to her "Angel is speed dial two. You call them while I do some more damage"

He disappeared out of the alleyway and Buffy pressed the button on the phone, holding it against her ear and using her other hand to try and mop some of the blood from out of her eyes.

Angel answered, sounding out of breath which was odd for a vampire "This is a really bad time..."

"Angel! It's me" Buffy sighed in relief.

"Buffy? You're okay?...She's okay!" Angel called and Buffy could hear sounds of footsteps running and voices.

"Is Dawn okay? Angel, is she still...?"

"Yeah, she's fine. Look I can't really talk. We'll meet you back at Wolfram and Hart, okay?"

"Okay" Buffy agreed "How did you get out?"

"Would you be mad if I said I jumped out of the window holding onto both Dawn and Nina?" Angel's voice was strained; the sound of fighting could be heard.

"Yes"

"Then I didn't do that"

"Bye Angel" Buffy rolled her eyes.

"See you at Wolfram and Hart"

He hung up. Buffy slipped the cell phone into her pocket and just as she was about to go hobbling around the corner to help Spike whenthe limo swung down the alley and nearly ran over her. The tires screeched and Spike's head stuck out of the driver's window.

"Get in, m'lady" He grinned.

Buffy hopped over to the back, opened the door and threw herself in wincing at her hurt ankle. She slammed the door shut and the car peeled away again. Buffy heard thumps as things...demons, hit the back of the car.

She closed her eyes, drifted into unconsciousness.

When she awoke again it was in Spike's arms. Not the worst place for a girl to find herself. He leaned down and whispered comforting things into her ear. None of which made sense, they weren't supposed to.

He was carrying her down a hallway and Spike set her down outside a door. She noticed they werebelow ground level of some building. He opened the door with a set of keys and ushered her inside.

Buffy leaned against the wall, her head throbbing. They were in an apartment.

"Is this...yours?" She asked as he closed the door.

"Yeah, courtesy of an evil Texan" Spike shrugged "It's simple but then that suits me just fine. Come on, you need to rest"

"We're meant to be meeting Angel at Wolfram and –"

"I will call him and tell him you need your sleep. Doctors orders"

"Right. I mean you were once The Doctor" Buffy eyed him.

He sighed "Get some sleep"

"Spike, one more thing?"

The vampire turned back to her.

She decked him in the face. He stumbled back into the wall.

Holding his nose, Spike asked "What was that for?"

"That was for my sister," Buffy told him, as she approached in a hobbling manner "This..."

She reached up lighting quick and grabbed him between the legs, squeezing hard. Spike's breath caught in his throat, his mouth open in a silent scream and his eyes bugging.

"...This is for me" She continued, grinning.

Then she let go.

Buffy turned to the sofa, gingerly on her injured leg, and slumped on to it unconscious.

A/N: Spike got his comeuppance for being a skank, Buffy and Spike are "alone" and Angel is nowhere to be seen. All is right with the world. Reviews!