Chapter 18: Real Me

Disclaimer: No ownership. It's so sad… the only things I own are Bryan, Mia, Cassandra and Daniel… and from what you've seen of Bryan and Mia, would you even want to own them?

Rating: I think I'm boring everyone to death repeating the same thing each time. See the first fourteen chapters if you haven't, yet :)

A/N (Thanks a million, Firestar! That review kept me smiling for the rest of the day. And I appreciate your concern. Not going to point any fingers here, but I also do know that there are fics that portray Buffy as a bitch. And I know that the series is called "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and not "Spike the amazing Vampire" for a reason, so yes. But still… Joss? "Spike the amazing Vampire?" Please?

And yes, I'll try to keep going with Buffy and Spike POV parts. I'm glad you're enjoying this: )

Oh, and by the way, I apologize profusely for not updating sooner. I have exams in two weeks, now, so I've been kind of busy. I'll probably be updating a little less frequently, but after exams, I promise loads more!)

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"Not me," the vampire, Brad, snarled. "This night is young, and I want some action."

Spike tapped Brad on the shoulder, and when the fledgling turned, he jabbed him neatly in the face, sending him sprawling in the grass. The other three minions turned.

"Happy to oblige," Spike smirked. "Here I thought it was gonna be a slow night. Step on up, kiddies. Thrashings for all."

The minions started forward. But they were halted with Harmony's cry. "Stop!"

"Well…" Spike tried to get over his surprise. "Hello, Harm."

He waded through the pleasantries and the sarcastic, pure evil replies he knew that they expected. In reality, he didn't feel like this verbal exchange at the moment, especially as he was seriously itching for a fight.

Bloody Chip.

Bloody Slayer.

Bloody Hellmouth.

Bloody Unlife.

He'd fought with them at the tip, even though it wasn't nearly enough to hide his embarrassment at them finding him there in the first place. He felt incensed at himself for even caring about their opinions. And then the Whelp had saved the day and the others had left without a backwards glance or even a 'thankyou for going against your very nature to fight with us even though your base instinct is to rip our heads off and drink from our brainstems'.

No-one had manners these days.

And he'd done more. Gone with them to research the damned thing, learnt about the rod and helped them to stop the Whelp from killing himself. Which was good for a snigger, but then he'd heard that little conversation in the car on the way to the fancy apartment. He'd always known when to be quiet so that people forgot he was there. And it had payed off. He got to listen to the entire thing.

And he didn't know why, but it hurt.

"Riley, do you wish…"

"No."

Spike could almost hear the pout in her voice. "No? You don't even know what I was gonna say."

"Yes, I do," Whitebread had answered. "You wanted to know if I wished you got hit by the ferula-gemina, got split in two."

"Well… you have been kind of rankly about the whole slayer gig. Instead of having slayer Buffy, you could have Buffy Buffy."

Captain Cardboard laughed. "Hey. I have Buffy Buffy. Being the slayer's part of who you are. You keep thinking I don't get that, but..."

"It's just…" Buffy trailed off. "I know how ... un-fun it can be. The bad hours, frequent bruising, cranky monsters..."

Idiot had interrupted. Spike knew it was never good to interrupt a lady in one of these conversations unless in specific circumstances. "Buffy... if you led a perfectly normal life, you wouldn't be half as crazy as you are. I gotta have that. I gotta have it all. I'm talkin' toes, elbows, the whole bad-ice-skating-movie obsession, everything. There's no part of you I'm not in love with."

Liar.

If there was one thing Spike knew he could do, it was reading people. It wasn't difficult. Even in his human years he'd begun the process, shyly hiding behind his poetry and watching at the parties, slowly beginning to see the lies that spun around them all but still helplessly trapped by society's thrall. The demon years had perfected it. History knew William the Bloody, the impetuous, fiery vampire that had done what few fledges could and become a Master in the space of just over one hundred years. With the Aurelius blood running through him, he struck an imposing figure, acting with his blood screaming out to him as he massacred. History knew the Slayer of Slayers, as he'd stalked down and fought in epic battles against the killers of his kind.

But history knew nothing about William the Shadow. Of course, it didn't sound nearly as catchy as the others, but it worked. Melting into the darkness, Spike had heard many things with his finely attuned ears. And as he observed, hunted, and stalked his prey, he'd often gone off onto the wayside as his attention was grasped by something else. No-one ever thought that the arrogant and cocky vampire had more weapons in his arsenal than his fist and fangs.

And he knew that the entire conversation had been fraught with lies and tension and unexplained and un-talked about secrets and ruffles that needed to be smoothed out.

But for some reason, it irked him.

Because he knew that, in spite of the last seven months, Captain Cardboard knew jack-all about the Slayer… and the fact that the bastard thought he did made him so angry that…

Harmony's next words, however, pulled him directly from his thoughts.

"Uh huh. I mean ... shut up! We're gonna kill the slayer."

The words rolled from his mouth so smoothly he didn't have to think about them. Which was all very well. Because he was, indeed, furiously thinking at the moment.
"Singing my song now, are you?" he smirked. "You should pay me royalties for that one, or at least get your own tune."

A few more jibes later, and Harmony's words unwittingly hit him in his undead chest again. "You'll see," she snarked. "Buffy'll be dead by sunrise. I've got a plan."

He switched to autopilot again. "Lemme guess," he chuckled. "Snatch one of her friends, use 'em as bait, lead her into a trap. That sort of thing?"

He could tell she was bluffing as soon as she opened her mouth. "No! Much, much better one."

He did the famous thing with the raised eyebrow and a fitting smirk that he knew pissed everyone off royally.

"I'm not gonna tell you!" she exclaimed.

Spike shrugged, pretending he didn't care. "Thought as much. Best of luck. Let me know how this arch-villain thing works out for you." He turned around and walked off.

"I'll do that!" Harmony shouted after him. "And after Buffy is gone? I'm gonna kill everybody in this town that was ever mean to me ... Spike!"

He waved his hand over his shoulder without even bothering to turn around, knowing it would infuriate her even further. But he stayed close enough to hear her next words drifting on the wind.

"Okay, guys! New plan!"

The itch to fight and his private fuming at Buffy and Riley's conversation forgotten, the vampire sped off into the night, with one thought in his mind. A thought that had leapt there unbidden, and would leap there again many times in the future.

Nibblet.

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Cassandra went after her friend instantly. Daniel, uncomfortable around feminine distress, stayed with Xander and Anya as they awaited the coming of Buffy and Riley.

"It was a mistake," Dawn said quietly. "She was being so mean to Xander. He's changed. You know, I always thought he had the bad side of things. It's one of the reasons I…"

She paused, and Cassandra finished for her. "Have a crush on him?"

"Yeah," Dawn admitted. "I mean, look at the people like Harmony, lording it over the others because they're popular, and in reality, they're the ones with problems. The people who have to cop their stupidity are always stronger…"

Cassandra looked at her friend carefully. The conversation had started because of Dawn inviting Harmony in accidentally she was sure. But now? It seemed to have veered off onto a whole new tangent.

"It's Kirsty, isn't it?" she asked suddenly, realization spreading forth.

Dawn flushed, and looked away, her silence the only answer that the other needed. After a while, she spoke again.

"Was it that obvious?"

"Kirsty's a bitch," Cassandra said matter-of-factly. "And remember, I was there when she started going all arrogant and stuck-up on us."

Dawn gave a hiccuping laugh, and hugged the startled girl. "Oh Cass. I know it's ridiculous. But it's just… everything seems to be so much all of a sudden. And I really didn't mean to invite Harmony in."

"We know you didn't…"

Cassandra stopped abruptly as she heard Buffy's angry words from downstairs. Dawn's eyes widened, and then, before Cassandra could stop her, she dashed out of the room.

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Spike arrived just as Buffy, still fuming, stomped out of the door to find him. He ducked the fist.

"Oi, what's this about?" he demanded, irritated.

"Where's Harmony?" she ground out.

"I came to tell you," he neatly dodged another hit. "She's planning to get one o' your mates 'cos she wants to kill you." He laughed shortly. "Like the bint has any chance of that."

"Where is she?" Buffy asked dangerously. "She's got Dawn!"

Too late.

I was too late.

Spike quickly brushed away what sounded scarily like a conscience and composed himself, even though inside, he was screaming. He didn't want to think what that bastard Mort could do to Nibblet…

"Follow me," he began to turn around into the night, but Buffy hauled him backwards by the collar of his duster.

"Why the hell are you here, anyway?" she looked suspicious.

Spike felt the frustration build up in him. Dammit, he was trying to help them, and he had! Many times now… and they still questioned him. The anger built up, but then he remembered what had brought them together in the first place.

Curiosity reigned, and he reached out a hesitant hand to Buffy's shoulder, and concentrated.

Buffy gasped as Spike's feelings and emotions rolled over her in waves as he showed her the conversation between him and Harmony. He struggled to edit out his thoughts, and was surprised when he succeeded. She looked at him, amazed. One look at her face made his insides almost crumple in relief. He'd done it, somehow. She'd only felt his worry for Dawn… wait…

All too late, he regretted showing her that, and he turned and ran to Harmony's lair, following Dawn's terrified scent. Fear soaked through the air, so strong that he winced.

Buffy was disoriented for a moment, and she almost lost the blonde vampire amidst the darkness as she felt the connectedness again. All of a sudden, she craved it. She needed to sit down with Giles, Xander, Willow, and Spike, and slowly knit the bond together again, to create that feeling of wholeness.

But she had Dawn to save first.

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"T-touch me and m-my sister's gonna kill you," Dawn backed away as they approached. Of course, considering the cave wall was at her back, all she could really do was squirm closer.

Cyrus smirked, and prodded her with a finger. When nothing happened, they laughed, until Cyrus dissolved to dust in front of them.

"Can't say she didn't warn you," Buffy quipped, stake in hand.

"Slayer!"

"Spike!" Harmony shrieked. "You… you betrayed me?"

"Was never on your side, you silly bint," Spike rolled his eyes. "'Sides, it looked like you were having yourself a little mutiny here."

"Shut up!" Harmony spat ineffectually.

"Dawn, close your eyes," Buffy instructed, ignoring the two blonde vampires.

Dawn obeyed instantly, trembling in the chains as she heard the dull sound of flesh connecting with bone beginning to echo around the hall.

Spike was enjoying himself.

"Said you wanted some action tonight, didn't ya?" Spike gleefully punched Brad again. "Wasn't countin' on this, were you?"

He whipped the stake of his duster, and in a graceful spin kick, launched into the air, sending Brad against the cave wall with a sickening crack as bones broke. He let out a howl, but before he could crumple to the ground, his deadly assailant was already there, grasping him by the collar and staring into his eyes.

"Beddy bye," Spike snarled, before he pounded the wood into his heart. The dust drifted away.

No one messes with Nibblet. Or Platelet. Or Junior, for that matter.

He turned around to find the Slayer fighting Mort. He winced as he landed a good one, and she reeled back.

"Ooh, good shot, Mort, I think you got her on the…"

Mort and Spike both turned around to glare at her, and she giggled nervously, before getting the hell out of there.

With that, it was just one overly muscled, overly strong, and overly idiotic vamp against Spike and Buffy. Twin grins plastered themselves over their faces as they baited the lumbering vampire, quick as lightning as they dodged under his steamroller punches. But when Spike tripped over the unicorn, things began to get ugly.

Their synchronized dance interrupted, Mort roared and threw the blonde vamp against the wall where Brad's dust lay. Spike swear he heard something crack as he almost bounced off. Mort charged at him, intent on ripping off his head, but in his murderous rage, he'd forgotten about the Slayer.

Spike and Buffy's eyes met under Mort's broad shoulders, and at the exact moment that Buffy thrust with the unicorn horn, Spike leapt gracefully out of the way. With a salient howl, Mort dissolved.

Buffy heaved Spike up by one hand, and he stumbled, his hand instinctively going to cradle his side. Once he was up, however, Buffy immediately ran over to Dawn.

"You are going to be in sooo much trouble when we get home," Buffy declared, striking at the chains.

Dawn pouted. "Yeah, well ... I'm telling Mom you slayed in front of me."

"Fine," Buffy countered. "I'll just tell her that you ran out of the house in the middle of the night…" she struck the chains again. "That you got Anya hurt…" she broke off a chain. "Invited a vampire in…" started on the other. "Got kidnapped..."

"But…" Dawn tried to interrupt.

"And it looks like you broke a couple of Spike's ribs as well," Buffy commented matter-of-factly.

Dawn gasped, and as soon as she was free, she rushed over and hugged Spike. Spike let out an unmanly yell and stumbled backwards, his body exploding in pain.

"Careful, Nibblet!" he yelped. "Broken ribs, 'ere!"

"I'm sorry Spike," Dawn looked so contrite that he inwardly cursed. "I didn't mean to get you hurt."

He grunted and pushed himself off the wall he was leaning on, staggering as he determinedly and stubbornly kept himself upright. "Yeah, well," he muttered. "Demon girl got hurt worse."

"I'm sorry," she repeated.

"Wasn't your fault, Nibblet. Now, I just have to go back to m'crypt."

The sisters watched in silence as he stalked off into the night, one arm still nestled protectively around his ribs.

"Are you sure he's the same vamp who tried to kill you so many times?" Dawn asked.

A suspicious glint crept its way into Buffy's eyes, tempered by a puzzled one.

"I have no idea," she replied.

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