A determined Buffy stood in the library still wearing the shirt Spike had given her with a new, clean pair of jeans. She placed her hands on her hips and glared at everyone in the room, starting at Willow and moving across everyone till her eyes finally landed on Giles who stood, cleaning his glasses with the micro-fiber he had produced from his pocket. "We have to save him! He did so much for me, it's only fair."
"He's a vampire Buffy. A vampire that has tried to kill you to many times before. He's the slayer of slayers. It's unethical and wrong. If he dies at the hands of Angelus, then good riddance! One more vampire I don't have to worry about killing my slayer," Giles stated, staring pointedly at Buffy. She glared at him, walking over and looking him in the eye; her intensity making it seem as if he were the shorter one when in reality it was the other way around.
"If he had wanted to kill me, I would be dead by now. I was chained up in a room with him for more than a week and he didn't hurt me one bit. He helped me escape from Angelus and you're going to condemn him to death because of a little thing like being a vampire?"
"The last vampire we trusted ended up going all evil on us Buffy, so excuse Giles and the rest of us if we're not going to jump on the 'save Spike' bandwagon," Xander stated as he rubbed his arm with his hand, trying to warm his body from the cold glare Buffy directed at him.
"He's different. He's not Angel."
"How can you be so bloody sure, Buffy?" asked Giles, his exasperation with the Slayer evident.
"Because he won't go evil," she whispered, a small smile playing on her lips at the memory of him.
"How do you know that?" Willow asked, looking at her friend with worry. Buffy looked up at them with a grin.
"Because he's already evil."
Spike collapsed on the ground, tired, worn and parched. He rolled over, cringing as his dry skin scraped over the rough hot floor. The mirrors were only adding to the heat and he had still to find the spring that would allow him to escape. The Punjab lasso hung quietly on the branch, inviting. "Too bad it wouldn't kill me," Spike growled. Unless he tied it tight enough to snap off his head fully, all it would do was knock him out for an hour and be very uncomfortable. This was torture no doubt.
He opened his eyes, wondering what time it was, wondering if she was safe and sound, away from harm. He swallowed the non-moisture in his mouth as he sat up and looked at the next panel. Only ten more to go and he'd be done.
But as usual, Fate seemed to have other plans for him. The door above him, which he had been dropped into, popped open, letting in cool air as Mouth stuck his head in before pulling it out immediately at the site of Spike naked. "Put some clothes on man! I don't want to see that!" Spike growled angrily, not bothering to cover himself as Mouth stuck his head back in.
"Did you tell her to stay away?" Mouth smiled nervously, nodding his head.
"I did. I told her exactly what you told me to tell her. But-"
"But what, Mouth!" Spike yelled, glaring up at him as he watched Mouth be pulled back and Buffy's head pop in.
"I wouldn't listen. Angelus and Drusilla are out getting food along with all the other vamps so we took the opportunity to save you!" Buffy stated cheerfully, not noticing the present state of undress that Spike was in. Spike glared up at her angrily.
"And what do you think you're going to do?"
"Mouth says there's something called a Punjab lasso down there. Throw it up. We're going to pull you up through the door here."
"Tell him to put on some clothes first!" Spike heard Mouth call.
"You mean he's down there with no clothes on?" Willow squeaked. Spike rolled his eyes, looking up at Buffy.
"You brought the whole Scooby gang with you?" Spike asked, at which Buffy nodded looking everywhere but at him. A blush graced her features; a sure sign that she had finally noticed the fact that he was naked. Spike grinned, jutting out his hips, proudly showing his manhood. "You didn't mind looking before," he grinned, waggling his eyebrows. Buffy shot a quick glance at him, giggling as she popped her head out of the hole.
"Put some clothes on, Spike." Buffy's voice wafted down to him.
'Cor, if I didn't know any better, I'd almost say she sounded reluctant' Spike thought to himself.
Drusilla dropped the body with a moan as she grasped her head, crying out. Angelus growled against his dinners flesh, licking up with blood and dropping the girl with a thud. He groaned, realizing that the girl was still alive, her heart beating ever so slowly. He rolled his eyes looking over at Drusilla who was huddled on the ground, whimpering. "What is it now Dru? Does this one taste like ashes also?" he growled angrily. He had spent most of the night searching for the perfect "most juiciest, sweetest, ripe, wicked, plum" for her. It had only been till now that he had actually been able to eat.
"No, my sweet daddy. It's the pixies that have come out to play. Oh what naughty pixies they are! Flying about, making a mess of my fun!" she cried, pouting.
"How the hell did Spike put up with you for so long. That boy has no patients," Angelus groused walking over to Drusilla and hauling her up. "What are you going on about? I don't know what your stupid riddles mean."
"A naughty boy my white night has been. Such a naughty boy, hurting my lovely daddy like he did," she cooed, running her fingers along Angelus's blood stained lips. "But you punished the naughty boy. You beat and whipped and pushed and pulled, and round and round and round he went!" she stated, rubbing herself up against him, causing the vampire to groan in pleasure. She stopped, looking into his eyes. "But it seems our naughty white night has called on the pixies to help. The pixies have come and swooped him up and have carried him away to their hiding spot." She backed away from Angelus, swaying back and forth, her eyes closed as if in a trance. "Foiled us. Fooled us. Laugh at us. They're laughing and singing and celebrating for having made a fool of us," she moaned in a low voice.
"Spike," Angelus growled, his hands balling into fists. "So, it seems there has been a change of plans." He growled yet again, louder, more primitive than before as he grabbed Drusilla's hand and began dragging her back to the mansion. "So, Spike wants to play with us, we'll play with him only the rules just changed."
Spike rubbed his ribcage, growling as he looked at Xander who stood with a smile, the Punjab lasso held tightly in his hands. "You can let go now whelp, I'm out of the bloody hole." Xander laughed, smiling as he shook his head.
"Nope! I think I like you in the leash better!" He stated with a laugh at which Willow chuckled nervously. Spike took a menacing step towards Xander who dropped the rope and hid behind Buffy. "Bad puppy! Stay there! I don't want to get rabies!" Buffy rolled her eyes with a small smile as she helped Spike until the rope around him. Mouth stood off to the side, looking at Oz warily. Something is off about that boy, he thought.
Oz squeezed Willows hand as he stood with the same blank expression upon his face. "What is it sweetie," she whispered, looking at her boyfriend.
"Mouth keeps starring at me," Oz stated, hushed and monotone. Willow looked at Mouth, seeing the vampire quickly turn his gaze onto a crack in the wall, looking at it as if it was something amazing. Willow shrugged and Oz returned to his usual task of standing and watching.
"Well, it seems that everything is ready, I do dare say it is time to leave," Giles stated with a small smile.
"You only want to leave because you have a date with Miss Calendar," Xander stated, nudging the watcher and winking.
Oz turned a full circle, his eyes narrowing into slits as he looked about. Mouth watched him with interest, eying the boy strangely. "I think that's a good idea," Oz stated in his monotone voice. Willow grasped his hand, looking at him.
"What is it sweetie?" she asked worriedly. Oz sniffed the air causing both Spike and Mouth to fallow suit. Both caught whiff of what Oz was smelling and started moving. Spike grabbed Buffy's hand and pulled her along as both Mouth and he led the gang down another hallway. "Why are we leaving this way?" Willow asked.
"Oh Buffy! Come out and play!" Angelus's voice boomed, sending shivers down the gangs spine. Spike looked back at her and growled.
"That's why." Mouth stopped causing Spike to bump into him. "What the bloody hell are you doing? Move you idiot!"
"Spike, if Angelus knows she's hear, don't you think he got the place crawling with vamps?" Mouth stated, raising an eyebrow at them. Spike rolled his eyes glaring at Mouth as he pushed him out of the way.
"We can handle a few bloody fledglings. Now let's move it."
TBC