"I am alive.
I'm gonna wait 'til the trials of confusion create.
There are times when I feel the way we're about to break.
When there's too much to say ."
The girls drew in a breathe as the vampire stepped onto the cold floor of the kitchen, Buffy in tow. He cocked an eyebrow at them and smiled. Kennedy rolled her eyes.
After a minute of silence, Kennedy got brave.
"So," she crossed her arms and walked forward. Spike couldn't say much for her, except that she had brass. "This is Spike." she looked him up and down as if observing a lab rat.
Buffy quickly cut the tension by walking to the back door and ushering the girls out into the dark. Kennedy stood her ground.
"After you." she motioned, clearly making sure she was in attack position.
Spike sauntered out into the night, happy to feel the cool air on his skin. He'd been in that basement too long. He gave the air a silent taste. It smelled like strawberries and ash. With a smile, he fell into line next to Buffy, drawing his hands into his pockets. They were walking toward the cemetary.
"How are you doing?" she asked softly over the hum of the Potentials' talk. Spike shrugged.
"Better."
"Good. Are you sure about this?"
"Positive."
"Good."
Buffy turned the corner, sauntering through the gates of the enormous cemetary.
"So, where do we start?" Spike sighed, hands in his pockets. But Buffy didn't answer. Instead, she drew back and slammed her fist into his face. Spike stummbled back, taken by surprise. He snarled, vamping out. That was mostly out of reflex.
"What the bloody hell are you doing, Slayer?" he asked, confusion crossing his vampire features. Buffy stood her ground.
"First lesson. Always gain the upper hand." Buffy said, crossing her arms over her chest. Spike snarled and lunged, swiping a fist past her cheek. Buffy leaned back and kicked him as he went by.
Spike fell onto his knees, pain radiating through his back. He sighed, but stayed down. He had no idea what Buffy was getting at.
"If you have to, get them angry. But always...always, gain the upper hand." she preached, handing Rona a stake. Rona shuddered and gave her a frightened look.
"It's O.K." she reasurred the SIT.
Spike snarled, turned around and leapt to his feet. He decided to play along. He ran at Rona, using a weak upper-cut. She screamed and jumped aside. Spike turned around and grabbed her by the arm, expecting her to follow with his motion. Instead, she screamed again and tried to run away.
Spike gripped her arm out of instinct.
His chip fired.
"Ahh!" he screamed, falling to the ground, clutching his head. Buffy quickly ran to his side. "Pet..." he tried, shrugging her off. "I'm fine. Get on with it now." he rubbed his temple once more and then vamped out again.
No one had time to ask questions. Spike charged Rona again.
"Stand your ground!" Buffy called to Rona. Spike prayed she did just that. He wasn't in the mood for a migrane. He charged her.
She held up the stake. He skittered to a stop, dodging it. Rona gritted her teeth and kicked out, slamming him in the stomach. Spike recounted with a high swipe. She ducked, slid her foot between his and pulled her foot left. Spike went down. She jumped on top of him, stake over his chest.
"You wern't trying." she whispered. Spike let his vamp face fall and shook his head. With a smile, he pushed her off.
"No. I wasn't."
Buffy scowled and took the stake from Rona. Spike thought he saw something in her eyes. Disappointment? She walked up to him, scowling again.
She blinked once, then punched him in the face. He took the blow and looked at her again, features unchanged. She punched him again.
"Buffy!" Kennedy called, arms still crossed.
Buffy punched him again. His nose began to bleed. Spike finally clenched his jaw and grabbed her wrist as she went to punch him again.
It was the reaction she was waiting for.
"Stop trying to prove things to me, love. I know what you want." he whispered, too low for the SITs to hear. Buffy nodded and walked back to stand with the girls.
"Alright. Again."