Thirty Six: Reviewing The Situation
"What the…" Dawn said, opening the door for Buffy as she walked through the door, followed by Angel and Clem, carrying an unconscious Spike. Dawn glared at Buffy, "What did you do to him?"
Buffy glared back at her sister. She was in no mood for a fight with Dawn over her treatment of Spike, "Don't start," She warned her sister.
"Is he okay?" Dawn asked.
"He's fine, for now," Buffy said.
"Where did you find him?" Dawn asked.
"In his crypt," Buffy explained.
"How did he get there?" Dawn wondered. "He wouldn't have been able to remember living the crypt, unless," She looked hopefully at Buffy, "Is his memory back?"
"No," Buffy said. "It isn't. Drusilla found him and brought him there."
"Where is she now?" Dawn asked, worried. Growing up on the Hellmouth there weren't a lot of things that scared her but Drusilla was one of the few things that truly scared her. Dawn had had a few run ins with Dru when Dru and Spike had first come to town and Drusilla had made an impression on Dawn.
"Hopefully she's still tied up in Spike's crypt," Angel said.
"She'll get free," Buffy predicted. "She has before. Which means she's going to come after Spike again." She looked at Angel and the Scoobys, who were all in the living room and gestured for them to follow her into the kitchen, leaving Dawn and Clem to watch Spike.
"What's going on?" Willow asked. "Did you find anything about why all this is happening?"
"I think so," Buffy said, handing Willow the papers she brought from the warehouse.
Willow studied them and said incredulously, "Are these guys for real?"
"Yeah," Buffy said. "They are. It looks like they made a trade. Drusilla would turn them into vampires and leave them to rule over Sunnydale and in exchange they would kill me, my baby and turn Spike against all of us."
"How does she plan on doing that?" Anya asked.
"She planned the whole thing," Angel said. "She knew that you guys would try and cure Spike and she knew that the potion you used would erase his memory."
"So what do we do now?" Willow asked.
"We're not untying him again," Angel said.
"I think there are chains in the basement," Xander said. "I'll get everything set up for him down there."
"Spike's not being chained in the basement," Buffy said. "We'll chain him back in my room."
"Oh, I see," Xander said. "Spike escapes, meets up with his ex, tries to kill you and you reward him by giving him your bed."
"I am not chaining him up," Buffy said. "And anyone who has a problem with that can leave." She looked around, waiting for someone to move. When no one did she said, "Good that's settled."
"So what do we do now?" Anya asked. "Is there any way we can help him get his memory back?"
"I don't know," Buffy said. She looked at Willow and Tara, "Are there any spells or magic that could make him remember?"
"I don't know," Willow said. "There might be but the potion that took his memory away is really old magic. I was lucky to find it, finding the spell to bring it back might be nearly impossible."
"How about just trying to refresh his memory," Tara suggested. "Remind him of things that might trigger a memory?"
"I don't think that's a good idea," Buffy said. "If we told him everything that's happened in the past five years he would believe us. He'll think it was some kind of trick."
"But there's evidence to support it," Tara said, gesturing to Buffy's stomach. "He has to have noticed…"
"He has," Buffy admitted. "But he's been so distracted he hasn't noticed the baby's heartbeat." Spike had been able to hear the heartbeat practically from the moment that they had found out that she was pregnant. Most nights after Buffy had fallen asleep he would lay awake with his head resting on or near her stomach, listening. Buffy had lost count of the number of times she'd woken up and seen him in that position. "He just thinks I'm putting on weight."
"Well why don't you tell him the truth," Willow suggested.
"He won't believe it," Buffy said. "Suppose five years ago someone had told all of us what we'd be doing now. Would any of us have believed it?" She looked around. Everyone had shaken their heads. They wouldn't have believed it and Spike wouldn't either.
"He'll believe it if we let him try and bite one of us," Xander suggested. "I think the migraine might convince him that we're telling the truth."
"No," Buffy said. "That wouldn't convince him. Let's wait a few days and see what happens. He might regain his memory on his own," although she doubted that that would happen.
"So you just wait around for him to regain his memory?" Xander said. "You're just going to waste your time waiting around for something to happen that's not going to happen. I'm all for throwing him out and letting him fend for himself." He looked around at the horrified faces, "What? Don't tell him you haven't thought about it. I'm just the only one brave enough to say that we should throw him out and hope he won't come back."
"No one is throwing anyone out," Buffy said. She looked around. "Spike isn't going anywhere. He stays."
"I don't know," Angel said. "For once I agree with Xander, it might be better to let Spike go and let him find his own way back. It might be better for you too. You're not stuck taking care of Spike until and if he gets his memory back."
"I am not sending him out there. He's helpless and he doesn't even know it. He can't kill and if Drusilla finds him then we're never going to see him again."
"And we have a problem with that because….?" Xander asked. Buffy shot him an angry look and he shut up.
"Look, I'll take him back to LA," Angel said. "I can keep him there until he regains his memory. He'll be safe from Dru and you can get on with your life."
"You can't be serious," Buffy said. "Get on with my life? How can you even think that's possible? Look at me. How am I supposed to forget about Spike and move on with my life when I'm carrying his child?"
"I'm am offering you a chance," Angel said. "A chance for a normal life. I tried to give you that before. Now you can have it again."
"Are you out of your mind?" Buffy said. "I am not going to throw Spike out. Sure he's a pain in my ass but he is also the father of my child and I'm not abandoning him."
"Spike just chained you up in his crypt and offered to feed you to Drusilla," Angel said. "You don't owe him anything."
"It isn't the first time that's happened," Buffy snapped.
"He makes a habit of this?" Angel asked, staring at her in disbelief.
"No," Buffy said. "Look, Spike's not himself right now and I am not going to punish him because of what happened to him when he was trying to protect me."
"You're setting yourself up to get hurt," Angel said. "He would turn you over to Drusilla without batting an eye."
"No he won't," Buffy said. "He won't get the chance while he stays in this house."
"Buffy…" Angel started to say.
"Look," Buffy said, her patience finally wearing out. "Spike stays, no argument."
"I just don't think…" Angel tried again.
"He is the father of my child," Buffy stated. "If Darla had survived Connor's birth, would you have thrown her out? I mean she was a soulless vampire too. According to your theory then you should have thrown her out too."
"That was a different situation," Angel said. "Darla was Connor's mother."
"Right," Buffy said. "And Spike is my baby's father. I know you hate that but it's the way it is. Now Spike is staying, no arguments."
Angel, Buffy and Xander glared at each other for a minute until finally Angel let out a sigh of frustration and said, "Fine but Cordelia, Connor and I are staying here until I know you're safe."
"You can stay as long as you want," Buffy said. "But you have your life back in L.A. What about that?"
"They can manage without me," Angel said. "For a few weeks at least."
"So we're staying here then?" Cordelia asked, coming into the kitchen, Connor in her arms. The baby immediately brightened at the sight of his father. Angel picked him up and held him.
"Right," Angel said. "We're going to stay here as long as we need to. At least until Spike gets his memory back."
"How long will that be?" Cordelia asked.
"Soon," Buffy said. "We found a way to save him and that cost him his memory. Now we have to find a way to get it back."
"We will," Willow said. "Tara and I are already looking for a spell that will help."
"Good," Buffy said. Then she looked past Cordelia and saw Dawn standing in the kitchen doorway. "Dawn?" Buffy asked.
"I uh think Spike's waking up," Dawn said.
"What the…" Dawn said, opening the door for Buffy as she walked through the door, followed by Angel and Clem, carrying an unconscious Spike. Dawn glared at Buffy, "What did you do to him?"
Buffy glared back at her sister. She was in no mood for a fight with Dawn over her treatment of Spike, "Don't start," She warned her sister.
"Is he okay?" Dawn asked.
"He's fine, for now," Buffy said.
"Where did you find him?" Dawn asked.
"In his crypt," Buffy explained.
"How did he get there?" Dawn wondered. "He wouldn't have been able to remember living the crypt, unless," She looked hopefully at Buffy, "Is his memory back?"
"No," Buffy said. "It isn't. Drusilla found him and brought him there."
"Where is she now?" Dawn asked, worried. Growing up on the Hellmouth there weren't a lot of things that scared her but Drusilla was one of the few things that truly scared her. Dawn had had a few run ins with Dru when Dru and Spike had first come to town and Drusilla had made an impression on Dawn.
"Hopefully she's still tied up in Spike's crypt," Angel said.
"She'll get free," Buffy predicted. "She has before. Which means she's going to come after Spike again." She looked at Angel and the Scoobys, who were all in the living room and gestured for them to follow her into the kitchen, leaving Dawn and Clem to watch Spike.
"What's going on?" Willow asked. "Did you find anything about why all this is happening?"
"I think so," Buffy said, handing Willow the papers she brought from the warehouse.
Willow studied them and said incredulously, "Are these guys for real?"
"Yeah," Buffy said. "They are. It looks like they made a trade. Drusilla would turn them into vampires and leave them to rule over Sunnydale and in exchange they would kill me, my baby and turn Spike against all of us."
"How does she plan on doing that?" Anya asked.
"She planned the whole thing," Angel said. "She knew that you guys would try and cure Spike and she knew that the potion you used would erase his memory."
"So what do we do now?" Willow asked.
"We're not untying him again," Angel said.
"I think there are chains in the basement," Xander said. "I'll get everything set up for him down there."
"Spike's not being chained in the basement," Buffy said. "We'll chain him back in my room."
"Oh, I see," Xander said. "Spike escapes, meets up with his ex, tries to kill you and you reward him by giving him your bed."
"I am not chaining him up," Buffy said. "And anyone who has a problem with that can leave." She looked around, waiting for someone to move. When no one did she said, "Good that's settled."
"So what do we do now?" Anya asked. "Is there any way we can help him get his memory back?"
"I don't know," Buffy said. She looked at Willow and Tara, "Are there any spells or magic that could make him remember?"
"I don't know," Willow said. "There might be but the potion that took his memory away is really old magic. I was lucky to find it, finding the spell to bring it back might be nearly impossible."
"How about just trying to refresh his memory," Tara suggested. "Remind him of things that might trigger a memory?"
"I don't think that's a good idea," Buffy said. "If we told him everything that's happened in the past five years he would believe us. He'll think it was some kind of trick."
"But there's evidence to support it," Tara said, gesturing to Buffy's stomach. "He has to have noticed…"
"He has," Buffy admitted. "But he's been so distracted he hasn't noticed the baby's heartbeat." Spike had been able to hear the heartbeat practically from the moment that they had found out that she was pregnant. Most nights after Buffy had fallen asleep he would lay awake with his head resting on or near her stomach, listening. Buffy had lost count of the number of times she'd woken up and seen him in that position. "He just thinks I'm putting on weight."
"Well why don't you tell him the truth," Willow suggested.
"He won't believe it," Buffy said. "Suppose five years ago someone had told all of us what we'd be doing now. Would any of us have believed it?" She looked around. Everyone had shaken their heads. They wouldn't have believed it and Spike wouldn't either.
"He'll believe it if we let him try and bite one of us," Xander suggested. "I think the migraine might convince him that we're telling the truth."
"No," Buffy said. "That wouldn't convince him. Let's wait a few days and see what happens. He might regain his memory on his own," although she doubted that that would happen.
"So you just wait around for him to regain his memory?" Xander said. "You're just going to waste your time waiting around for something to happen that's not going to happen. I'm all for throwing him out and letting him fend for himself." He looked around at the horrified faces, "What? Don't tell him you haven't thought about it. I'm just the only one brave enough to say that we should throw him out and hope he won't come back."
"No one is throwing anyone out," Buffy said. She looked around. "Spike isn't going anywhere. He stays."
"I don't know," Angel said. "For once I agree with Xander, it might be better to let Spike go and let him find his own way back. It might be better for you too. You're not stuck taking care of Spike until and if he gets his memory back."
"I am not sending him out there. He's helpless and he doesn't even know it. He can't kill and if Drusilla finds him then we're never going to see him again."
"And we have a problem with that because….?" Xander asked. Buffy shot him an angry look and he shut up.
"Look, I'll take him back to LA," Angel said. "I can keep him there until he regains his memory. He'll be safe from Dru and you can get on with your life."
"You can't be serious," Buffy said. "Get on with my life? How can you even think that's possible? Look at me. How am I supposed to forget about Spike and move on with my life when I'm carrying his child?"
"I'm am offering you a chance," Angel said. "A chance for a normal life. I tried to give you that before. Now you can have it again."
"Are you out of your mind?" Buffy said. "I am not going to throw Spike out. Sure he's a pain in my ass but he is also the father of my child and I'm not abandoning him."
"Spike just chained you up in his crypt and offered to feed you to Drusilla," Angel said. "You don't owe him anything."
"It isn't the first time that's happened," Buffy snapped.
"He makes a habit of this?" Angel asked, staring at her in disbelief.
"No," Buffy said. "Look, Spike's not himself right now and I am not going to punish him because of what happened to him when he was trying to protect me."
"You're setting yourself up to get hurt," Angel said. "He would turn you over to Drusilla without batting an eye."
"No he won't," Buffy said. "He won't get the chance while he stays in this house."
"Buffy…" Angel started to say.
"Look," Buffy said, her patience finally wearing out. "Spike stays, no argument."
"I just don't think…" Angel tried again.
"He is the father of my child," Buffy stated. "If Darla had survived Connor's birth, would you have thrown her out? I mean she was a soulless vampire too. According to your theory then you should have thrown her out too."
"That was a different situation," Angel said. "Darla was Connor's mother."
"Right," Buffy said. "And Spike is my baby's father. I know you hate that but it's the way it is. Now Spike is staying, no arguments."
Angel, Buffy and Xander glared at each other for a minute until finally Angel let out a sigh of frustration and said, "Fine but Cordelia, Connor and I are staying here until I know you're safe."
"You can stay as long as you want," Buffy said. "But you have your life back in L.A. What about that?"
"They can manage without me," Angel said. "For a few weeks at least."
"So we're staying here then?" Cordelia asked, coming into the kitchen, Connor in her arms. The baby immediately brightened at the sight of his father. Angel picked him up and held him.
"Right," Angel said. "We're going to stay here as long as we need to. At least until Spike gets his memory back."
"How long will that be?" Cordelia asked.
"Soon," Buffy said. "We found a way to save him and that cost him his memory. Now we have to find a way to get it back."
"We will," Willow said. "Tara and I are already looking for a spell that will help."
"Good," Buffy said. Then she looked past Cordelia and saw Dawn standing in the kitchen doorway. "Dawn?" Buffy asked.
"I uh think Spike's waking up," Dawn said.