CONSEQUENCES

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters except for the ones that I created like Morgan, Katy, and Michelle.

CHAPTER 25-DANCE, DANCE, DANCE

Faith dunked her head into the spray and let it get her hair good and wet before she turned back to find Wesley sitting on the edge of the tub holding the shampoo, grinning like an idiot, well in her eyes anyway. A very large section of her brain wanted to just scowl and slap him upside the head, but the water cascading down her face and obscuring her vision just enough made that impossible. If she had tried to slap him she decided that she probably would have missed him entirely and stumbled forward, more than likely with her luck crashing into his still very sore ribs and only causing him more pain. She had been careful before, unlike back in the alley, as she had kept herself from squeezing him to hard or putting all of her weight on him. She wondered what was going through his mind as he sat there and watched her lather up the washcloth and begin to take a shower.

He sat there watching her, studying every feature across her body like the surface of a map. His watcher training had made him be incredibly obsessed about detail. He put each scar, mole, and curve of her body into his mental map as he watched her begin her shower. When she glanced back and him he leaned back slightly and wondered what she was thinking. He guessed that she was wanting to make some flippant remark about him sitting naked on the edge of the tub watching her take a shower but since he hadn't taken one since shortly after waking up in the hospital, not a pleasant experience, he decided that he was in need of one as well. The side benefit of catching every moment of a wet, sudsy, and naked Faith only mere inches in front of him did not escape him, however that was something that he would never openly admit to her.

"Are you just going to sit there and stare all day or are you actually going to make yourself useful," Faith asked with a light look of scorn on her face as she leaned forward out of the spray of water and stared down at him.

"Haven't really decided yet, to me I've got the best seat in the house," Wesley replied with a sly grin on his face before Faith flung the washcloth at him, hitting him squarely in the face.

"Jerk," Faith snapped softly with a light tone of anger in her voice as she stepped over and took the offending washcloth out of Wesley's hands and returned to her place under the fountain of water.

"Bitch," Wesley shot back, with one eye open and the other held tightly shut because there was some soap on the eyelid, before he stood up and popped the top on the shampoo bottle.

"Does this make me your bitch," Faith pondered aloud with an almost giddy chuckle as she glanced back over her shoulder expecting him to still be sitting on the side of the tub instead of standing directly behind her.

"Guess so…I'm fine, don't worry," Wesley said at first with a soft laugh before he laid a hand on Faith's bare shoulder in an attempt to calm her worries about his condition.

"Okay…but as long as you're back there get to work," Faith

"Of course…but on what," Wesley whispered huskily into Faith's ear before he began to trail a line of kisses down her neck while his left arm slipped in between her left arm and the side of her body, heading forward.

"Down boy, there's plenty of time for that later…PLENTY of time, we need to get ready so that when Angel and the others get back we can be there," Faith said with a reluctant look in her eyes as she struggled to keep her mind and body on the task at hand and not give in to certain desires that were on the verge of claiming her wholly.

"Bloody…," Wesley mumbled sadly with a defeated pout on his face before Faith turned around and kissed it away.

111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111

"I think this place goes on forever," Dawn said with a look of awe on her face as she peered around another corner.

"It looks that way doesn't it, I've been here for weeks and even I haven't seen all of the rooms," Michelle replied with a similar expression on her face as she limped around the corner and shook her head.

"Well at least it looks like there's a stairs at the end of the hallway, meaning that we get another story to explore," Dawn added with an impatient but subtly excited smile on her face as she began to walk down the hallway, being careful to not bump Michelle as she passed.

"But I don't remember this exit from the basement, there are three others stairways from the basement that I know about, I have no idea where these stairs go," Michelle said with a concerned and unsettled frown on her face as a bit of fear crept into her voice.

"Well then let's find out shall we," Dawn said back with an eager smirk on her face before she raced to the top of the stairs and gazed down into the darkness.

"Lead on," Michelle said with a sheepish grin on her face as she followed Dawn as fast as she could and soon was standing at the top of the stairs and both young women were peering down into the darkness, hoping to spot some kind of light switch.

"Okay…here goes," Dawn said slowly with a nervous look on her face as she hesitantly stepped down onto the first step, and when it didn't immediately give way beneath her weight she slowly began to walk down the steps into the darkness. The two had only gone a short distance down the stairs before they ran into something hard, something hard and slimy.

"Bloody hell," Someone roared out loudly in the darkness, causing both Michelle and Dawn to scream bloody murder and frantically begin flailing at whatever was in front of them.

"Dawn, Michelle no…it's us, Angel and Spike," Angel shouted out as loudly as he could as he rushed up the steps to help Spike pacify the two screaming young women. At first the two kept flailing away at the two vampires lower down on the stairs, but then something clicked in Dawn's mind and she stopped flailing away, just long enough for Spike to almost collapse onto her from exhaustion and because of his injuries.

"Spike," Angel shouted again before the shooting pain in his sides stopped his words as he doubled over and used the wall for support to keep himself upright.

"I'm fine…really," Spike weakly said back in response as Michelle and Dawn did their best to catch their breath while supporting the heavy and very slimy vampire on their shoulders before they helped him up the stairs and back into the light. Behind them they could hear Angel painfully making his way up the stairs behind them, no doubt terribly injured.

"Yeah right, and I'm mother…oh God," Dawn started to say back with the usual amount of Summers sarcasm before they got Spike back into the light and all of the air left her body in an instant. Blood seemed to coat every part of him, from his severely tousled bleached blond hair to the tops of his boots. Dawn fought back the tears as they ushered him away from the stairs.

"David…Willow…help," Michelle screamed out at the top of her lungs rather than faint as she took in what had happened to Spike.

"What happened," Dawn asked very pointedly as she and Michelle guided Spike over to the nearest room and kicked the door open.

"We had a talk with Buffy's new boyfriend…we almost had him, until the army of sabatin demons showed up…then all hell broke loose, we barely made it out," Angel replied with a very pained look on his face before Nina came racing down the hallway in a panic.

"Angel," Nina shrieked in worry and terror before Angel finally let down his guard and winced badly in pain as she did her best to prop him upright as Dawn and Michelle laid Spike down on the couch.

"What happened," Willow asked, going almost white in shock and fear, as she entered the room and took in the appearance of the two injured vampires. While not as bad off as Spike Angel was nowhere near fighting shape and Michelle could probably have taken him out at that moment if she was so inclined.

"Bloody sabatin demons…whole damn army of them," Spike mumbled out weakly before grunting in pain when Michelle slid a pillow underneath his head and did her best to gently peel away what was left of Spike's duster.

"Oh no," Dawn exclaimed with a very worried expression on her face as she knelt down beside Spike and did her best to fight back the urge to vomit at the sight of the large amount of blood and all of his injuries.

"Everyone out…except you Nina, I'll do what I can with my magic but it could take awhile, let's just hope that you two heal fast," Willow said with a very serious and determined look on her face as she hurried everyone out of the room before turning to Angel and Nina and beginning to chant the words to a healing spell.

1111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111

"What is she doing," Gwen asked with an impatient and frustrated scowl on her face as she watched Morgan slowly creeping up on Connor as he stood looking back and forth down the street each way.

"She's going to tell him," Katy whispered back with a very excited, proud, and nervous smile on her face as she grabbed a hold of Groo's upper arm and waited.

"Tell him what," Gwen shot back with an angry glare on her face as she did not appreciated Katy clinging to Groo.

"That she likes him, isn't it great," Katy replied with a sheepish smile on her face before she noticed Gwen's glare and quickly let go of Groo's arm and then backed away.

"Depends, what if he doesn't feel the same," Gwen started to say with an almost vindictive pout on her face as she turned away and stared down the alley at the new slayer and son of a vampire before Katy stepped in.

"Oh he likes her…he's got it bad for her, has ever since he first saw her, it's just taken her awhile to realize that she likes him back," Katy interjected with a slightly amused smirk on her face as she took a hesitant step forward and kept her gaze locked onto the pair at the far end of the alley. The three watched as Morgan finally got to Connor's side and said his name softly. He turned around sharply and Morgan visibly cringed at his sudden action before she seemed to lose the ability to speak. For several moments the two stood a mere foot apart, both to confused and nervous to say anything. Gwen was about to break it up when she saw Morgan finally get some words out. She was to far away to actually hear what she was saying but Gwen could tell that Morgan definitely had Connor's attention. Meanwhile a few feet away Katy was keeping her fingers crossed while trying not to get her hopes up as she watched the exchange between Connor and Morgan. Her breath caught in her throat as she saw the two shuffle their feet, look away and then start to turn to separate. Katy was about to say something when Connor snapped back around, grabbed Morgan by her good arm and pulled her into a kiss that almost made the new slayer's knees buckle.

111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111

Buffy sat silently in the room, with only Lorne keeping her company. Ever since she had met the odd looking demon a small voice in the back of her mind had begun to taunt her ceaselessly, saying over and over again that she was a horrible woman for abandoning those that she had claimed to love. Of course Lorne could not actually hear the soft voice in the back of Buffy's head but thanks to his empathy he could feel her emotions rolling off of her like waves on the seashore.

"Want to talk about it sugarplum," Lorne asked in his kindest voice and with his sincerest smile as he sat down in the only chair in the room and sat back.

"Huh…oh uh no, sorry Lorne, but I highly doubt that talking is what I need right now," Buffy mumbled back with an embarrassed smile on her face as she only barely looked up at the demon sitting across from her.

"You might say that but I haven't felt self deprecating vibes coming off of someone since…well…I promised," Lorne replied at first with a kind and interested look on his face before he seemed to realize what he was about to say and stopped himself.

"I guess it's just that…I don't know, I should have been more trusting, shouldn't have jumped to the conclusion that Angel had gone bad, I should have at least paid him a visit, seen what the situation was for myself…but after losing Sunnydale…and Spike…I…I just couldn't…," Buffy said softly with her lower lip beginning to quiver slightly as she spoke before tears filled her eyes at the end and Lorne could tell that she was fighting back a large amount of tears as she whispered Spike's name.

"Don't beat yourself up over it anymore kid, so you screwed up royally…who hasn't," A familiar, if not annoying, voice called out of the shadows before Whistler stepped out of the bathroom and smiled at Buffy.

"Kayson, what are you doing here," Lorne asked with a surprised and confused look on his face as he sat up in his chair and looked straight at Whistler.

"What," Buffy exclaimed with a completely confused and surprised expression on her face as she looked back and forth between Lorne and Whistler.

"Yeah…I uh, should probably explain that toots, you see I…well you didn't think that I was only bound to this dimension did you, because that would be so…limiting, you see I can jump back and forth between dimensions like J Lo does husbands, and with each new dimension I take a new name…it helps keep me safe," Whistler answered with a sly grin on his face as Buffy tried to make sense of everything in her head while Lorne simply slowly began to nod his head in understanding.

"But you're an immortal demon," Buffy wondered with a confused and frustrated scowl on her face as she stood up and crossed her arms in front of her chest.

"Got that right, except that doesn't mean that I don't have feelings, torture still hurts…and with some of the torture methods in the other dimensions…well let's just say that the you're lucky that you live in this one," Whistler said with a skittish and slightly uneasy look on his face before Lorne spoke up.

"So what are you doing here now, surely the world isn't about to end…again, I don't think that I can take another apocalypse, at least not in this outfit," Lorne asked with a concerned look on his face before he gestured to his dirty and stained suit.

"Sorry pal, but there's an apocalypse coming…headed up by the senior partners of Wolfram and Hart, that is unless you and yours work closely with Angel and his," Whistler answered with a calm look on his face as he cocked his head to one side and stared down at the bed that Buffy had previously vacated before flopping down onto it and lying down on his back, staring up at the ceiling with his hands behind his head.

"Like that's going to happen, besides The Immortal…," Buffy started to say to counter with a frustrated look on her face before Whistler interrupted her.

"Stop right there, sorry honey but you can't trust your boyfriend…he's been lying to you and everyone else from the start, I know what he really is…and trust me, unless you have another like him you do not want to make him mad, and unfortunately the only other one like him that is currently active is not amongst your number," Whistler said with a suddenly very serious scowl on his face as he sat up in bed and stared straight at Buffy, making sure that she heard every one of his words.

"What's that supposed to mean," Buffy asked with a confused look on her face as she shook her head and stepped back towards the bed.

"That you're going to need to find her and then somehow persuade her to help you, she's the only one that can help you, and right now she and your best friend aren't getting along to well," Whistler answered with an almost humorous smirk on his face before he laid back down and stared back up at the ceiling.

"My best friend…Willow, you know where Willow is," Buffy exclaimed after slowly realizing who Whistler was talking about.

"Of course I do, I also know where both Elvis and Jimmy Hoffa are but…that's a story for another time," Whistler replied with a proud and smug grin on his face as he lightly nodded his head and closed his eyes.

"Can you take us to her…is Dawn with her," Buffy continued with a very worried and hurried expression on her face as her fears about Dawn instantly came to the surface.

"Your little sister and best friend are fine, they're safer with Angel than they would be with you, in fact your little sister's currently making up for lost time with an old friend," Whistler said with a happy smile on his face before he slowly waved goodbye and disappeared.

"An old friend…what's that supposed to mean, I hate it when he speaks in riddles," Buffy growled with an angry scowl on her face before she flung the door open and stormed out in search of Xander and Giles.

"If you only knew…William is one lucky son of a bitch," Lorne whispered softly under his breath with the edges of his mouth curled up into a smile after Buffy had gotten far enough away that she would be unable to hear him.

11111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111

Pain filled and clouded his vision as his eyes snapped back open. He instantly surveyed his surroundings, finding a very familiar smell very odd given the circumstances. When he forced himself to glance over he half smiled when he understood instantly what had happened after he had passed out when Willow had begun her spell. He was lying in one of the bigger rooms of the mansion with a very worried, and freshly showered, Dawn sat at his bedside, fast asleep. He smiled at how angelic she looked; figuring out that whoever ended up sweeping her off of her feet would be a lucky man. At that moment Spike made a mental note to have a talk with that man, whenever he would appear. Spike was just about to try and catch up on some sleep when Dawn stirred and slowly opened her eyes.

"Spike," Dawn exclaimed, loudly at first before she quieted down, as she got up and grinned down at him.

"I'm fine Dawn, see," Spike started to say with a confidant expression on his face as he started to sit up, but stopped instantly and growled in pain and clutched at his side, which he found to be heavily bandaged.

"Stop Spike, you're not healed yet," Dawn exclaimed with a very worried look on her face as she pushed Spike back down onto the bed before rushing to the door.

"I'm fine Bit, I don't need Red to cast another healing spell," Spike grumbled with a frustrated and pained scowl on his face as he shifted his weight around a bit.

"Are you sure," Dawn asked with a worried look on her face and a hand on the doorknob as she partially turned back to Spike.

"Of course Dawn, though I could use a spot of blood, David have any in the fridge," Spike said with a tired look on his face as Dawn took her hand off of the doorknob.

"I don't know, I'll go check," Dawn said with an unsure shrug of her shoulders before she gave Spike one last look and left the room.

"Thanks Bit," Spike started to say with a strong voice before weakening just before he shut his eyes and passed out.

END OF CHAPTER 25