Energy
by: NefariousImp
Chapter 2
Back in Sunnydale:
Buffy was on her last nerve. It had been two days since Dawn disappeared. There was a knock on the door and Buffy rushed to answer it. A man stood in front of her.
"Can I help you?" she asked frowning.
"Buffy Summers?" she nodded. He handed her the note and left. She opened it up.
Buffy,
Hey, it's me. If you are getting this then you're still alive and obviously so am I. Found Dawn. She was on a ship to China. Caught up with it.
We are gonna hang out in China for a while. It takes about a week to get there so we'll call you in a week or so. But it's international so it'll have to be collect. I'll send some money to pay the bill.
We're fine.
Don't worry. I made a promise and I never break a promise to a lady. So BREATHE. Worry about taking Glory out. I'll worry about protecting the Nibblet.
Tell everyone hi for us.
Spike
Buffy sighed in relief. Dawn wasn't alone anymore. They'd call as soon as they got there. She was actually glad Dawn was out of the way. She could now focus solely on the woman that the council had told her, yesterday, wasn't a demon but a hell-god.
Like fighting a demon wasn't scary enough.
She called the Scoobies and told them that Spike had caught up with her.
Dawn had been smart and had bought a bus ticket in her name making it look like she had gone east to L.A.
Two days after the note from Spike came, Glory attacked the Scoobies. Buffy managed to get her away and Glory was hit by a truck. The Scoobies decided Dawn's idea was a good one.
They took Joyce's SUV and hit the road.
They were several miles away when the Knights of Byzantine attacked them. Giles was injured and they hid in an old convenience store. They managed to convince the knights to let a doctor come and tend to Giles. Buffy called Ben and he came.
He helped Giles and they were about to let Ben leave when he changed into Glory. She beat up Buffy, and Willow released the shield.
The Knights came pouring in and attacked Glory while the Scoobies escaped. By the time Glory had killed all the knights the Scoobies were several miles away heading toward L.A. in the damaged SUV.
They pulled up at Angel investigations and poured into the hotel. There was no one there.
"Where the heck are they?" Xander said.
"Don't know but unless Glory shows, we're staying here till they get back." Buffy said heading for Angel's office. "Everybody find a room and rest up. I'll take first watch and Xander will take second Anya can help him. Willow third. Xander put Giles in the first room upstairs. Anya, can you take care of Giles while I'm on watch?"
They nodded and Buffy went to the phone. She called Dawn's friend Janice.
"Hello?" Janice answered the phone.
"Hi, Janice, this is Dawn's sister Buffy."
"Oh, hey, how's Dawn, haven't seen her at school."
"She's doing okay, she's gone to visit our dad in Europe. I actually called for a favor and you are the only one I could think of. I need you to go to our house and change the message on our answering machine. I'd like to leave a message for Dawn."
"Sure, let me get some paper...Okay. Shoot."
" 'Hi, this is the Summers residence, leave a message. Dawn, if that's you, we had to go on an emergency trip. We're staying at Will's grandpa's house. He's such an angel. I can't believe you're living with dad now and I won't see you till you're twenty. Hope Europe's fun. Tell dad I love him and thank you for taking care of you.' Did you get all of that?"
"Yeah, I'll go do it right now."
"Hey, Janice, make sure it's word for word. It's really important. And if you see anybody in or around our house wait for them to leave and don't let them see you."
"Are you guys in trouble?"
"We've got some mobsters or something after us and they've bought off the police. They think I have something of theirs and I totally don't. They've already hurt two of my friends. So I don't know when I'll be back. If you see a blonde lady at our house with a bad perm run away as fast as you can. She's the one who does the most damage."
"Wow, yeah, I'll be careful, I hope Dawn's okay."
"Yeah, I had to get her far away. Well, I better go. Thanks, Janice. Take care of yourself."
"Will do. Bye." she said and hung up. Buffy checked a couple hours later and the new message was on the machine. She went to check on Giles.
"Hello, Buffy, everyone is safe, correct?"
"As safe as I can make them. Left Dawn a coded message on our machine where we are and to stay away for a long time if we don't talk to each other."
"Well, tonight is the only window for a thousand years and her human host won't live that long. So, does anybody know how she found us in the first place?"
"Ben, it had to be. He was the only one with us when she showed up. And I have a vague recollection of Glory wearing Ben's clothes. I guess he is her host."
"Yes, closer to time the spell to keep her host hidden from everyone breaks down. Has Angel come home yet?" she shook her head no.
"I wonder where they are?" Buffy said leaving the room.
Back on the ship:
"Wake up, Spike!" Dawn shook the vampire. "Land! They've spotted land! Come on!" She pulled him up.
The week was finally over.
Glory's window had passed and they had made it to China. Dawn pulled him from the cabin into the hall to peek out of the door into the sunlight so he could see the landmass on the horizon.
"Bloody hell, you'd think you'd been at sea for a year instead of a week. I'm going back to bed wake me when we dock." he sauntered back to the cabin.
"Party pooper." Dawn yelled at him then ran to the side of the ship to watch the land get closer. They docked just as the sun set. Dawn was just headed to get Spike when his head popped out the door.
"Let's go say good-bye to the Capt'n and get on the move." they found the Captain and he gave them directions on how to get to the main part of the city and then how to get to the monastery.
They thanked him, got their bags and left. They were soon at the city. Spike nicked a cell phone from a guy. He pulled Dawn into an alley and called Buffy. He listened for a few minutes to the message on the answering machine then turned it off.
"Well, looks like Glory got too hot to handle. They took off for Angel's and she said for you to stay here with me. Course it was in code. But nobody of Glory's bunch would have a chance of finding us or them."
He called Angel Investigations. The phone rang three times before he heard a voice say a frantic 'hello'.
"Slayer, how's the poof?"
"Spike! Thank God I was starting to get worried. Is Dawn with you?"
"Yeah, you wouldn't recognize her. The twit cut off all her hair and is dressed like a boy. Listen, the Capt'n on the ship heard our story and he wants to help. He has a friend downriver that is a Master Martial Artist or some such rot. He said he was probably the best in the world. He wants Dawn to train with him. I think it's a good idea, so I'm gonna head there and check the guy out. Chit needs to at least learn to defend herself."
"Okay, can I talk to her?" Spike raised one eyebrow at her easy acceptance. It must have gotten really bad for her to agree to not only Dawn staying away, but training as well. He handed her the phone.
"Hey, sorry I left like that, I couldn't stand to see anyone else hurt because of me."
"I understand. One of the knights threw a spear and it hit Giles but he's going to be ok. We found out Glory's human host is Ben. I'm...I miss you. Take care of yourself. Let me talk to Spike." she handed the phone to him.
"Slayer, I stole this cell phone. I figure one small wrong to help save the world kinda balances out."
"Fine, go see this guy, make sure and get me an address so I can mail you guys and a number I can call if I have to get a hold of you. What's that cell number in case." she asked. Spike looked it up on the phone and told her.
They hung up and left the alley to make preparations to go to the Monastery.
Spike needed blood. He had run out yesterday. It was Thursday night.
Spike asked a man next to them if he knew where to find a butcher. The man said 'fuck off' and walked away.
Spike growled at him. The man stopped and turned around in fear.
"I need blood. You can bloody well tell me where the butcher is or you can give me a donation." the man immediately pointed right across the intersection.
"Two blocks down that way." he said and ran away. Dawn looked at him.
"What did he say, you got pissed. What language was that?"
"Well, we are in China, take a wild guess. I asked him where the butchers was, he said fuck off, I said he could donate if he didn't want to help."
"Where did you learn to speak Chinese?" he raised one eyebrow. "Okay, stupid question, but how many languages do you speak?"
"Roughly three hundred." he replied.
"Holy crap, I didn't even know there were that many languages."
"Course most of them are demon, but I do know all the human languages. Even the ancient ones. When I was human, I studied dead and ancient languages as my major at Oxford. And I was the bloody librarian at the Watcher's Council." he stopped walking and grabbed her arms.
"You ever tell anyone any of that and nobody'll ever find a trace you ever existed." She just looked at him in disbelief.
"I knew... I knew there was more to you. Why didn't you ever help out at the Scooby research parties?"
"Yeah, and have to explain why I know what I know and where I learned it? No bloody way."
"Hello? You're over a hundred years old and have been all over the world. You're smart and clever and quick to pick things up. Not to mention a vampire. There is no explaining. The watcher's council thing is a bit unexpected though. Why were you working there? Were you a watcher?" she asked as they resumed walking.
"Watcher in training. My dad was a Watcher. He died a few years before I did. Ah, here it is." he said.
They went into the butchers and managed to talk the butcher into selling him the leftover blood. He put it in his cooler and they left.
They found a small diner and grabbed Dawn some food. Then, they headed for the train station.
"Last time I was here there wasn't a train out here. We would have had to take the Yellow River. Long trip, not fun." They were almost to the train station when they were surrounded by a group of vampires.
"Why don't we take that little morsel off your hands." one of them told Spike in Chinese. Spike flashed to game face and put an arm around Dawn.
"She's mine."
"I don't see any claiming marks, which means she's still up for grabs." Dawn pulled her taser out of her pocket just in time to hit one of the vamps as they made a grab for her. He screamed and went down in an unconscious heap.
Spike pulled out a stake and Dawn put her back against a brick wall and proceeded to zap every vamp that got in her range.
Within less than a minute all the vamps were either dust or unconscious. Spike staked the remaining vamps and they hurried to the train station.
They got their tickets just in time to catch the train that was about to leave for Xining. They sat in their private little booth with the doors closed and locked.
"They wanted me didn't they." she said solemnly.
"Yeah, they did. Nice work with the taser by the way."
"I figured it would come in handy. If nothing else, I knew I couldn't stake humans. Why did they want me? Did they work for Glory?"
"No, you were just a meal, plaything. They didn't see my mark on you so they thought you were fair game."
"Mark? What kind of mark?"
"One that would make you mine forever. It's a protection thing. If you wear my mark then no other vampire can touch you. Vampire law. If they do, then it means that it's my right to seek retribution any way I see fit. And no one can interfere or seek vengeance upon me."
"Why don't you?"
"Why don't I what?"
"Mark me." he stared at her. "I want you to."
"I want to, but your sister would stake me right quick."
"She's not here. I want it. Do it." he sighed.
"You did understand that I said forever right? Until you die you belong to me. You would never be able to date or even marry. No one but me touches you. Ever."
"I accept." He stared in disbelief into her eyes.
"You bloody Summers women and your stubbornness. Fine. Come sit on my lap." She sat sideways on his lap but her shoulders facing him. She bared her throat to him and he smiled at her acceptance of him.
He couldn't smell fear anywhere on her. He wished for the first time that it was Dawn that he had fallen in love with instead of Buffy. He gently kissed her neck then ran his tongue over her pulse point. She was so relaxed that she didn't even feel his fangs slip into her throat until he removed them.
He took three strong pulls of her blood and whispered 'MINE' she smiled and said 'YOURS' and she felt the bond lock into place.
He ran his tongue over the punctures sealing them and cleaning the excess blood that had leaked out. He pulled back and looked into her eyes.
She smiled at him and leaned forward and gently kissed him on the lips. He looked at her in shock as she pulled back.
"What?" she giggled. "You didn't think I was gonna go through my whole life and not even get to kiss a boy, did you? I'm getting kisses, damn it, even if they're from you." he chuckled.
"Guess that's only fair." he had to get her off of his lap. That kiss had had an effect on him that she didn't need to know about.
He lifted her off his lap and put her beside him. She snuggled into his side and fell asleep. He sighed heavily.
Buffy was gonna kill him.
Back in L.A.:
The Angel investigations crew crashed through the door prompting a squeal from the couple on the couch.
"Xander, what are you doing here?" Angel asked.
"Oh, Hey, Dead boy. We needed a place to lay low for a while. It got pretty intense in Sunnydale. Anya, go wake Buffy please." she nodded and ran up the stairs.
A few seconds later Buffy ran down the stairs. She threw her arms around Angel's neck. He hugged her. Within an hour they had all gotten the story.
"You trust Spike?"
"I trust that he cares a lot for Dawn. He treats her like a little sister. I saw how he was with Drusilla. If any vampire can love it's him. I really do think he'll protect her." Buffy said finally admitting to herself that Spike could love.
"He's in love with me. I can't love him back. Even if he was human I don't think I could love him like that. But I do care for him. Dawn loves him and trusts him. I think they'll be okay."
"I don't trust him but I do agree that if any vampire can love it would be him. He never did conform to a normal vampire personality. Always had to push and break the rules. Did you know that he wasn't even fifteen years turned when he killed his first slayer in all out combat. She was pretty good too. Guess we'll just have to have faith in him. Not much we can do anyway. Well, we're gonna hit the hay. Pylea wore us out." he said and they went upstairs to bed.
Somewhere on a train in N. China:
Dawn woke up and looked at the slumbering vampire she was cuddled up to. She was very happy. She had been in love with Spike since she first saw him. The night Buffy had brought Spike home and her mom found out she was a Slayer.
She was eleven and had snuck out of her room and looked down the stairs into the living room. Buffy and Joyce had gone into the kitchen leaving him alone. Dawn had dashed into the living room and looked at him closely. He had a smirk on his face.
"Well if it isn't bitty-Buffy." she put a defiant look on her face. "How would you like to be mine, pet? You'd be mine forever and ever." She bit her bottom lip.
"Okay. But not yet. Mom says I'm too young to have a boyfriend. But we could keep it a secret till I'm older."
"Deal." he said chuckling. "You better get back to bed. I can hear 'em comin'." she grinned and ran through the back room to double back up the stairs after they had passed.
She sighed at the memory and Spike opened his eyes.
"Morning, Bit."
"Do you remember the first time we met?" he looked down at the floor and thought for a minute. He suddenly smiled as he found the correct memory. "Looks like the secrets out." she smiled.
"Looks like. You know I wanted to take you home as a pet that night. Thought you were the most adorable, spit-fire of a girl. Wanted to take you home and raise you. And when you were old enough I was going to turn you. Make you my Childe."
"What's the difference between a Childe and a minion?"
"Well, a minion is a dime a dozen, only made to be servants and such. When they are turned, their Sire only gives them enough blood to turn them. But a Childe is different. Their Sire gives them as much blood as they can stand to lose so when they awake, they are strong and smart and...and family.
"Minions are dusted and tossed aside without any care, but a Childe is loved. The Sire trains and teaches the Childe to be a perfect predator, the perfect shadow. If the Childe dies or even the Sire, the remaining vampire mourns deeply, sometimes they greet the sun. You know how you felt when your mum died? Imagine that times a hundred."
"I didn't know Drusilla knew how to fight. Every time I've seen her fight it was more of a chick fight thing." he laughed.
"Drusilla was the one who turned me, but Angel took over the role of sire from there."
"Why does Angel hate you so much then?"
"Cause he feels guilty because I'm Angelus's prize pupil. I hate Angel, I could torture him, but I couldn't ever kill him. When I found out he had staked Darla I got mad. Hated the bitch, but if he could dust his own sire then that meant Angelus really was gone."
"But Angelus isn't gone, he's just under the surface waiting for that stupid moment of happiness."
"No, what came last time. That wasn't the Angelus I knew. Sure, he was cruel and stuff, but the Angelus that came was insane. Like he'd spent too many years locked up inside his own head, which is sorta true, except he was locked up inside of someone else's head. I don't know what's worse. But anyway, this Angelus was crazy, tried to end the bloody world, the Wanker. Any sane vampire knows that if you kill off all the humans, there goes your food. If you make too many vampires, they'll eventually outnumber the humans. Once again, looking at extinction of both races. Notice his only helper was an insane vampiress?"
The train whistle blew and the train started to slow. "Looks like we're here. Luckily the sun just set. Took us all day to get here. Come on, Bit." they got off the train. Spike took a look around and found an older man who worked behind a booth.
"How may I help you?" the old man asked in Chinese.
"I'm looking for the main monastery." the man pointed to a large building. "Thank you." they walked to the monastery and knocked on the door.
"Yes." said the monk who opened the door.
"Hi, we are trying to get to the Xioinchi. We need someone to take us there. Can it be arranged?" the man nodded and shut the door. A moment later it reopened and a different man stood there.
"Why do you wish to go to the Xioinchi? You are a vampire. You will not be welcome." Dawn stepped forward.
"He is my guardian, he goes where I go." the man stared at her in awe.
"I didn't know you could speak Chinese, Pet." Spike stared at her.
"Every since we arrived here I've been listening to people all around me. Everything they say and after a while it started making sense like I could understand them. Like I used to know the language a long time a go, but I've forgotten and it's all starting to come back to me." she shrugged.
"The prophecy said... but I never thought I'd live..." the man said softly as if to himself. He gathered himself together. "I will take you to Xioinchi myself. Allow me to get a few provisions. Wait here."
He shut the door and a few minutes later he returned. "We must walk there. We should make it before sunrise if we leave now. It is not friendly terrain, so we cannot take any animals to carry us. Follow me, and keep up." Spike snorted.
"I think we can keep up with an old man." he said but the man began a brisk pace that had Dawn smacking his arm.
"You just had to piss him off didn't you. We can't go all night at that pace." she said scrambling after the man.
He led them to the back of the monastery, to a wall. There was a secret passage in the wall. Instead of coming out the other side they were inside a mountain in the dark. The man lit a torch and motioned for them to follow. The twisted and turned throughout the caves.
Several hours later the suddenly came out of the other side. There was a stream in front of them.
"Get a drink, and eat something, we will rest for ten minutes." They eventually got back up and followed the man again. There was no path, but he led them over several hills and valleys, through a forest and eventually they came to the foot of a small mountain.
"Can't we just go around?" Dawn asked.
"We could but your destination is at the top of the mountain. And we must be quick, the sun will rise shortly. And it will light up the top first."
"Well, lets go. Grab my hand, Nibblet, I'll help you up." Spike said. They climbed all the way up and Spike dashed under the awning of the building just as the sun illuminated the area.
A man came out of the door beside Spike and he almost jumped back out into the sunlight.
"You are the Ring." the older man looked at Spike.
"Uh, no, I'm the Vampire." Spike looked at the man like he was crazy.
"And you are the Key. It is an honor to finally meet you."
"It is my pleasure to meet you, Master Xioquan. Why did you call Spike the Ring?"
"He is the keeper of the Key. If a Key is not on a Key Ring it could get lost. I am glad to see he has locked the Key onto the Ring." he said tilting her head to the side to see Spike's claim mark. "It puts my heart to rest to know the Key is safe. Won't you please come in." he turned and walked inside.
Spike tried to use the cell phone, but there wasn't any signal.
"Do you happen to have a phone around here, or mail service?"
"I'm sorry, we have neither, however if you write a letter, our friend might mail it for you when he returns to Xining." Spike nodded and got Dawn's notebook out of her bag and started writing a letter to Buffy.
Buffy,
We have arrived at our destination, safely. If we were to be attacked we would know, we are on top of a small mountain. The Master guy seems nice, and apparently I'm a part of some Prophecy that names me the Keeper. I have taken on the roll of the Keeper. I can't get to into detail cause you never know who's reading this.
But we are fine.
There is no mail or phone here, but one of the monk guys from the city, a twelve hour walk away, has agreed to deliver our mail for us so the time between letter's will probably be a couple of weeks, but I'll let you know of the progress Will has made.
Will misses you guys, I do too for some bloody reason, Must be turning into a ponce.
Tell, Grandpa I said hi.
Here's Will, he wants to write something...
Hi, it's me, I really miss you. But it is so beautiful here.
Spike almost got fried. We reached the top of the mountain just in time for the sun to light it up. It was funny.
The Master knew who I was and wasn't surprised by either me or Spike. Good sign I guess. Well, I figure it'll be about two weeks from now till the time you get my next letter. Cause it has to get to you, you have to write back, it has to get here, then I write again and it has to get to you.
Please keep me informed about all the stuff going on. And let me know when you guys go to Hell. Heh, heh...
Love,
Will and Spike
P.S. Spike and I have accepted our roles in Destiny.
Spike folded the paper and wrote an address on it. The man promised to mail it to that address and to return as soon as a reply was received. They gave him the Revello address as an alternate address to be looking out for.
"You have traveled a long way and have been awake many hours. We will begin training at Sunset. Spike, you are in need of blood are you not?" Spike nodded. "Lao, come here."
A small boy maybe five years old with a long black braid came into the room. He led the boy over to Spike. "You may drink from my student Lao." Dawn's eyes bugged out and her jaw dropped but Spike bolted across the room to a far corner.
"Are you out of your bloody mind? Even if I could drink from kids, I don't. There's no challenge to a kid, there's no excuse. That was Dru's thing, she loved the taste of innocence, I've never liked it. Dawn, get your stuff we're leaving."
"Spike, the sun's out!" said panicking.
"We'll find a way, even if I have to roll down the bloody mountain in a barrel." he pulled the door open.
"Stop!" Master Xioquan said. "It was a test. I'm not a complete fool to let a vampire in my house. Especially one who until just now didn't realize he was no longer evil."
"What do you mean! I'm evil! I'm the evilest..." he slammed the door shut in defeat. "Bloody Hell!" he looked hopefully to Dawn. She gave him a sympathetic look and smiled sweetly.
"You'll always be my Big Bad." she wrapped her arms around him. He smiled and hugged her back.
"Thanks, Nibblet. I'm such a poofter." she giggled. "Now, do you have any blood that isn't human or at least isn't innocent."
"I'm afraid all I have is human. However, and when put in this cup, as long as you leave a drop in the bottom it will always refill itself." he said holding up a chalice.
"You're telling me I'm looking at the Holy Grail. You got the Ark of The Covenent here too?" Spike said in disbelief.
"No, I do not. But yes, this is the Holy Grail as you Americans call it. There are three properties to this chalice. Inexhaustibility, inspiration, and regeneration. It was the cup Jesus drank from at the Last Supper. It was also the Cup of the Crucifixtion where Joseph caught Jesus' blood into it."
"I'm a vampire, if I drank from that cup it'd be like drinking pure Holy water."
"For any other vampire. You are the Keeper of the Key. You must drink the Key's blood. It is the only other blood that the cup will allow in it."
"Um, you sure God won't like strike me dead for blasphemy or something? Cause, really not looking forward to eternity in a dustpan." Dawn said.
"Not that appealing is it, Niblet?" Spike smirked. She glared at him.
"You are a part of Creation. You are not by any means the Creator himself, but he Created you to have this destiny. This cup was made for this purpose alone." She sighed.
Dawn came forward and cut her wrist, filling the chalice quickly. Spike grabbed her wrist and licked the wound closed glaring at her the whole time.
Dawn was doing her best not to shiver from the feel of Spike tongue sliding sensuously along her wrist. He stopped and took the cup from her hand. Dawn panicked and took the cup and set it down. She put her arms around Spike's neck.
"Just in case this doesn't work." she said and kissed him slowly. He sighed into the kiss and began to kiss her back. She pulled back and looked him in the eyes. "I know you love Buffy, but I want you to know that I...I love you. Always have." He looked at her in shock. "I know you don't love me, but..."
"I do." he simply said. "I love you, maybe not the same way I love Buffy but it's very close. Maybe it's such a difference that one day the way I feel for you will be stronger than what I feel for her. But I know I do love you. You aren't in her shadow, Bit. You're the sun that makes her have shadows." She suddenly couldn't breathe.
"God, that was so romantic. Were you ever a poet?" he looked away shyly and her eyes grew wide. "Oh, my god, please tell me you made that up and didn't just read it somewhere." she smiled sappily at him. He grinned.
"I guess I just needed the right subject to bring out the good poet in me, instead of the Bloody Awful." he kissed her softly and she sighed. A throat cleared itself and they looked up to see the Master and Lao still there. They grinned sheepishly.
"Guess I'll just try this cocktail of everything that should kill me. Crucifix, and Sun blood. What doesn't kill me and all that rot." he said and drained the glass but making sure to leave a few drops in the bottom.
He sat it down and waited for a second. He smiled at Dawn as he realized he wasn't going to blow away in an cloud of ashes. He looked back at the cup to see that it was once again filled. "Don't mind if I do." he said grinning at Dawn as he raised it back to his lips.
Back in L.A.:
"Angel, may I speak to you privately?" Giles said walking slowly into a hotel room and waiting. Angel entered and looked at Giles as he shut the door.
"I'm sure that by now you are aware of the situation with Glory, are you not?" Angel nodded. "Are you aware of Glory's human host; Ben?" Angel nodded.
"Are we in agreement that sometimes one must die for the greater good of all?" Angel, again, nodded.
"Good. I think you and I should head to Sunnydale tonight. Are there any in your company that would agree with us and help our cause?"
"None that will help, but none that will stop us either." Angel replied.
"Good, we will leave in thirty minutes. Tell only one person that you trust. I don't want Buffy showing up trying to stop us."
Later that night in Sunnydale:
Giles and Angel crouched in the bushes outside of the hospital. Angel went inside to ask if Ben was working. They found he was but was just about to go off shift. Angel hurried back outside by Giles and they got into Angel's car.
Moments later Ben crossed the parking lot and got in his car. They followed his car to an apartment on the outskirts of town. Giles realized it was the same one they had rescued Spike from. Ben parked his car on the street and climbed out.
"Ben?" Angel said walking up to him. Ben looked at him and nodded. Only to have his neck broken half-way through the nod. He fell on the ground in a heap. Angel picked him up and was about to drain him when Giles stopped him.
"Angel, if it was anyone else I'd say go ahead, he's already dead. But this body is shared with a God. Who's to say she can't get into you if you drink his blood. Having Angelus and Glory in the same body would eventually drive you insane and you'd probably give control over to them. God knows I wouldn't be strong enough. We should destroy every trace of the body."
Angel nodded and threw Ben over his shoulder. They headed to the Sunnydale morgue. Giles picked the lock and they went to the Crematory room. They threw the body into the fire. They went to the Giles's house and called Buffy and told her what they had done and that it was safe to come home.
She slammed the phone down.
A few hours later the SUV pulled up and the Scoobies piled out. Buffy glared at the two men.
"It's my job to protect the innocent. He was an innocent. I know in your minds that it was the right thing to do. But in mind all I see is someone dying that didn't deserve to. He was also my friend. I went on a date with him. Angel, go home. Thank you for your help. Giles, I just need to be away from you for awhile."
"Actually, I had planned on moving to London at the end of this week." Buffy looked at him with tears in her eyes.
"It's okay, they all leave eventually. Knew you would too one day. Angel, I'm expecting a call or letter from Dawn and Spike, they may have changed their names or something. So if you see a mailing address in China it's them. Just send it to me or tell them to call home." the Scoobies climbed back into the SUV and left.
Angel and Giles looked at each other before without a word Angel got into his car and headed back to L.A.
Back in China:
The next evening at sunset Spike and Dawn were awakened from their naps. Master Xioquan had decided that Spike and Dawn would train together. So Dawn had to change her sleeping habits.
They ate a light meal and met outside on a stone patio. They could see the sky still streaked with all the red's, pink's, orange's, purple's, and blue's from the sunset.
"Please sit with your legs folded." he said sitting Indian style. The sat across from him and beside each other. "Dawn, you are made from energy. A chi is what we call a persons natural energy. Your chi will be much stronger than any humans, including mine. It is also the flow of power a Wiccan uses to strengthen her spell. You do not have to learn spells. You can create them.
"Spells were created many years ago by someone. Anyone can create a spell, but they must use their chi to do so. This evening we are going to get to where you can feel your energy. Maybe even tap into it. Depends on how fast you pick all this up.
"I want you to close your eyes and breathe deeply. With every Breath your energy is moving back and forth like the tides. Picture the energy flowing in your mind." Master Xioquan got up and left them alone for a minute.
Dawn could see it.
She could feel it.
It was green and glowed.
With every breath she could see it moving like liquid fire.
She had once watched a horror movie and a man talked about what fire looked like in zero gravity. She imagined it looked like this. She took a really deep breath to see what would happen.
All the energy drew close around her body.
She held her breath until she just couldn't anymore and she exhaled quickly.
The wall of energy rushed to her outer extremities like a tsunami and at the tips of her fingers the rush was so great that it pushed out past the ends of her fingertips. She and Spike opened their eyes just in time to see green fire streaming from her fingertips like a flame thrower; setting a nearby bush on fire. Green fire.
They sat there astounded.
"How come I don't shoot fire." Spike pouted looking at his fingers. "I think you just officially passed me on the badass scale."
"I'm glad I got out of line of fire." Master Xioquan said smiling as he came back. "I am surprised you had physical results on your first try. Even knowing what you are I would have guessed it would be months before we would have seen anything. I'm glad I was wrong. It means my job is that much easier.
"Now that we have warmed up it's time for your lessons in defense and weapons. Follow me." he said and took them to a room filled with weapons. Please choose two each. These will be the weapons you will train with from now on. And they will be yours to keep. So choose wisely."
Dawn wandered through the aisles of weapons, touching here and there. Her eyes landed on a knife sheath about fifteen inches long but there were two eight inch dark wood handles sticking out of it. She gripped the handles and pulled. Two gleaming daggers came out.
"Those, my dear, are the Twin Elven Daggers. The are not even from this dimension. They were forged by Elves. They will never break, rust, or dissolve. They simply cannot be destroyed. But those are not for you. Put them down and come here."
She sighed and walked away.
She looked back in time to see the daggers come flying at her.
She screamed and threw up her hands. The daggers flew into her palms, her hands instinctively closing around the handles.
Master Xioquan smiled. "I was right those do belong to you. As long as you are alive you can never lose them. They have chosen you as their owner. You need only to will them to you and they shall come."
"The force is strong with this one." Spike walked by and winked at her. She rolled her eyes. He picked up two identical blades. He cried out as the handles grafted themselves into his forearms. The blades were about two foot long.
"I see the weapons like you as well. These are the Angels. Once again you must see them in your mind retracting or expanding." Spike closed his eyes and concentrated on the blades going away.
He opened his eyes to see them lock back into the handle completely hidden from view. He had left his duster in his room. The handles had wrapped leather straps around his forearms.
He had to admit he liked them. He pictured them coming out and they shot out.
"Oh, I could like this." He grinned. "I'm like Wolverine."
"You've been sneaking into Xander's comic book collection haven't you? Oh, hey, and now you have something to remember your grandpa by." Dawn snickered.
Picking up a Quarterstaff she looked it over It looked like it had been made from braided ivory and dyed a light leaf green.
"An excellent choice. That is the Quarterstaff of Jade. it has the power to give you dilated vision. It speed's up your eye perception so it looks like you and everyone around you are going in slow motion and gives you time to prepare for your next move. It also increases your reflexes and if you are injured it speeds up your healing similar to a vampire or Slayer. It also can never be broken or destroyed. None of the weapons here can."
"It's perfect. I'll take ten of them." she laughed. Spike picked up a quarterstaff that had winding grooves from end to end, like snakes. It was black with red grooves. He spun it around.
"The Quarterstaff of Fire. While you carry this you are immune to fire, and as a vampire that includes the sun. This staff was made for a vampire. Those grooves are for blood. A normal hit is doubled in strength, and for a vampire that's pretty strong. But if thrust into a person like a sword, it will draw out their blood and transfer it to you."
"Gross, please don't do that around me. it's bad enough I have to watch you drink it from a glass." Dawn scrunched up her nose.
"Do you have any weapons a slayer could use?"
"I do, but I will not release them until I've met the Slayer and have trained her in the proper way to use them. Not all Slayers are good. And not all Slayers have what it takes to survive for more than a few years. If she dies I do not want that kind of power to fall into the wrong hands, especially not the Council of Watchers. We shall see.
"In the meantime, let us train. Until I feel you are ready, you will not train with these staff's they carry far too much power. Train with these regular quarterstaffs." They went back out to the courtyard where it was now completely dark.
Dawn had strapped her Twin Elven Daggers onto her back and practiced with them a bit. She felt different, more confident.
They finally picked up the practice staffs and began to attack each other. Spike got in a hit and fell to the ground as the chip fired inside his head. Master Xioquan, who had been watching from the side, and giving random instruction, came over.
"What happened?"
"He was captured by a government group called the initiative and they put a microchip in his head that make it so every time he hurts a human it electrocutes his brain."
"Maybe, I could be of assistance." he said taking Spikes head between his palms and closing his eyes. "Hmm. I see it, hold still, this will probably hurt and will more than likely render you unconscious, but it will solve the problem." His hands began to glow a bright blue and Spike screamed and passed out. Master Xioquan had Dawn help him carry Spike inside.
"What did you do to him? He is going to wake up right?" Dawn asked without taking her eyes off of Spike.
"He will be fine. I short-circuited the chip by sending a strong blast directly into the chip's battery cell. He may be out for a day or two but hopefully he will awaken shortly. In the meantime come back out with me. I will teach you my secrets."
Spike woke up shortly before sunset the next night. His head was still throbbing and he was hungry. He took the chalice and drank from it four times.
He grinned as he felt better than he had in years.
He went to Dawn's room. She lay curled up on the makeshift bed. He stroked the hair out of her face. She snuffled into her pillow and sweetly smiled.
Spike stared at her, wondering when she had put the seed in his heart that now had roots through and through. He realized he did love her more than Buffy. But she was still only sixteen, too young to think of starting a relationship with her.
He sighed.
It was a good thing he was immortal. He didn't have the problem of looking older each year. She'd, eventually, catch up.
He made his mind up to pretend he didn't love her as much as he did until she was seventeen.
He could handle one year. He'd already waited a hundred and fifty for someone who loved him as much as he loved them to come along. He found her, but he could wait.
She deserved the time to grow into herself and become a woman.
Dawn woke up to see bright blue eyes staring at her with adoration. She smiled at him.
"It's good to see you're still unliving. What's for breakfast?" They went into the main room to see Lao sitting next to Master Xioquan, They were doing Calligraphy.
"The other day you mentioned a Prophecy. Care to tell us about it?"
Spike asked.
"It is not time yet. I will tell you when you are ready. Be patient."
"Okay Mr. Miagi." Spike said sullenly.
"Uh, Spike, I think in this case Mr. Miagi's just a wannabe. And what did I tell you about pissing people who are helping us off? If he makes us do chores or something tonight I'm so gonna kick your ass."
They settled into a routine. Every evening they would wake and eat as the sun set. Then they would practice focusing their energy, then training with the quarterstaff's, then train to use the Twin Daggers and the Angels.
They would then eat and spend the rest of the night practicing to fight without weapons.
Dawn grumbled about the pluses of leaving the chip active every time Spike got a hit in. And every time she got one in he'd beam proudly at her and call her his 'Lil' Wildcat'.
Which just annoyed Dawn so that she got more hits in.
TBC...
AN: I know I have a lot of references to other movies and stuff, but hello? This is supposed to be real life. Well, with the whole vampire, magic twist. Anyway if we know about a show or something then they do too. Jonathan and the whole Matrix thing ringin a bell? Sorry. Also, any advice in reviews and even criticism is welcome. It's how I learn. This was my first Dawn/Spike story. Actually my first story ever. Thanks.--NefariousImp