Title: Resistance (2/7)
Author: Miz Thang
Characters/Pairing: Ensemble, Illyria/Spike, DS/Angel, WR/OFC, CG/HK, DS/Spike
Rating: FRM
Word Count: 2399
Warnings: Angst. Melodrama. Romance. Character death.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything but the little story's idea. Everything else belongs to who it belongs to.
SummaryLet's pretend, that, for a moment, Illyria's great army isn't dead at the end of Shells, and that she begins a great rise to power, and basically, war breaks out. There's only one group that dares intervene, known as the Resistance.

Notes: This is an ahead-of-time warning. This story only has five chapters, a prologue and an epilogue. This is supposed to tell the end of the struggle against Illyria. If not, it'd be some long drawn out story about the three hundred and fifty years I skipped. It's also quite possible that there could be a sequel. And oh, this story is Spike/Illyria, among other pairings.

One

-2354-

Night had fallen.

The orange-tinted glow that had recently been cast across the sky had faded, turning pinkish, then indigo, and, finally, black as night arrived.

A total of three hundred and fifty years had passed; the world had changed. Whether it be for the good, or the bad, was impossible to determine. But it had changed.

Illyria had risen, as she said she would, and she had taken power. She had many who instantly backed her up, taken her side. Mostly communist countries in the east. Countries had been claimed, fought over, destroyed.

There were eleven that dared outwardly fight against the god king and her kingdom. They had different methods. Some were even fighting the temptation to switch sides as one or two had already decided…

These eleven were seen as insane, were hated, but, by some, they were admired, awed. Theses eleven were fighting for them. Fighting for their freedom, fighting to restore some kind of balance to this half destroyed world.

These eleven were The Resistance.

-

Her hair was this mix of blonde, red, and brown. And he loved it. It was still as long as before the revolution. He loved to play with it, twist it and twirl it in his hands, while she slept.

He held her in his arms as he thought of the way he'd found her. She'd been hungry, searching for someone, anyone, to eat. For newly risen vampire, she'd proven to be strong. She was more than a minion. She'd been sired as a companion, but then abandoned.

Even now, when there were technologies to allow it, she dare not stand in the sun unless she had to. She let her kin pale, become white as snow, mostly keeping from the human activities.

He leaned to kiss her forehead and she smiled in her sleep, mumbling a word. One word that could wipe the smile from his face.

"Spike."

He understood how Spike had felt when he was with Drusilla. Loving her with all your heart, with everything you had, but never being as good as her sire. It was the ultimate payback. But Spike didn't even know that they were together. That he'd fallen in love with her. If he did, it was just that much sweeter for Spike, he bet. If they came face to face, he had no doubt Spike would use the opportunity to rub her true devotion in Angel's face.

She did awake then, and, a master of facial expressions that he was, he hid the broken hearted look he'd worn moments before.

"Hey." she grinned, unknowing of the inner turmoil she'd caused inside of him, even centuries after her momentary defection to the other side.

"Hey yourself." he replied, forgetting about it. It was a minor setback. She was fine. She loved him. They'd been together longer than spike and Drusilla anyway.

"So," she said, snuggling deeper into Angel's embrace. "What's the agenda for tonight?"

"A sect in Southern Fredica." Angel answered, pulling her closer to him.

"Sounds like fun. Gunn's HQ?" Dawn asked sleepily, really wishing she could sink under the covers.

Every instinct told her that she was a traitor. That she should slam a stake in Angel's chest and get the hell out of there, help take out the members of the Resistance.

"Yeah." Angel answered, sliding out of bed then.

She watched his naked body as he walked towards the bathroom. She wanted to do it. There was a stake under her pillow. He wouldn't even know…

But all she could do was smile, nod, and say, "Great."

-

The light flickered, a flame flaring out. He put his cigarette to it, dropping into a seat.

Great thing about Illyria. She knew how to keep a vampire happy. Liquor, cigarettes, human blood, and a good chase after Dawn every once in a while, and he was content.

He put the stick of tobacco to his lips, taking a slow drag off it before watching the smoke billow out, swirling around in the air and disappearing from view.

"Well? Get on with it."

"Oh. Okay." It came from the speaker phone. A female voice. "Southern Fredica. Gunn's HQ." She said, looking around nervously.

"Who?" He asked. Meanwhile, indicating to Gunn that he should go back to his territory and prepare for the attack.

"Canada States, Mexico and Central." She said in code, referring to the lands Harmony, Connor, Dawn and Angel had chosen to protect. "It's a distraction so that the others can try and win most of Aussie back."

"Good." Spike threw the half-used cigarette into the ash tray. "Make sure they don't realize it's you."

"Got it, boss," came the reply, voice bright though nervous.

Spike's look brightened as Illyria stalked inside. He hung up the phone as she raised an eyebrow in interest.

"What has been reported?" she questioned, heading for her suite.

Spike followed her, sprawling himself across their shared bed as she sat down next to him. "Attacking Fredica's HQ. Just a distraction to hit Australia."

"I will name it Willem." She said, turning to face him.

"Has a nice ring to it." He commented as she leaned forward.

"Named after you." Illyria replied before their lips met in a soft kiss. She pulled back, studying him.

It had never once occurred to her that a simple kiss from this vampire could affect her as it did. That it could give her joy, make her feel powerful and cared for. It did all that and more.

"After we take the red-haired one out," she continued.

"After Fredica's okay," he added.

"Yes." Illyria agreed. She pulled him to her, a shadow of a smile crossing her face. "But, at the moment, I am more concerned with personal pleasure that conquering."

"That, I can help with." he said, kissing her once more.

-

Dawn grabbed a crossbow off the shelf, hoping that Spike wouldn't be at the headquarters. That Gunn wouldn't be there. If they were, she'd fail the Resistance. She'd let them go. She'd stop fighting and, more likely than not, she'd join them, leave.

And she didn't want to. Somewhere…deep inside, she knew she loved Angel. Two hundred years they'd been together. Two hundred and still, she couldn't let go of Spike.

Faith stood up when the door burst open. "Shit," she muttered, seeing as Spike entered, followed by Gunn and a few armed soldiers.

"Dawn, run." She said calmly, not even turning towards the twenty-one year old standing behind her.

"But-" Dawn started.

"If anything happened to you, I wouldn't forgive myself. This is for Buffy. Go!" Faith said before charging at the attackers.

Dawn ran.

For three, four years, she'd held onto the hope that the Council would at least try to get him away from the god king. Get to him before it was too late.

But they didn't. They left him. Concentrating on "the bigger picture" was more important. That the hell was the bigger picture?

He was what was holding Illyria together. He was what was letting Buffy only work at half her potential because she didn't want to hurt him. So how wasn't he apart of it? Or did they not care?

Her footsteps thudded in the empty hall, her heels making loud clicking noises. The sounds of fighting, of Faith committing suicide to save her life was fading away slowly with every step, leaving her with only the sound. The sound of her footsteps.

She turned to look behind her as she rounded another corner, trying to see if she was being chased. Her long blonde hair whipped around her and she bumped into something and fell back, hitting the floor.

She pushed her hair out of her face, breathing hard, and it was suddenly caught in her throat. Her breath, she meant.

Se stood before her, perfect as the last time she saw him. A minor cut bled on his forehead as he reached down to pull her to her feet.

She'd heard he was alive. Knew what happened. But she was actually seeing him. She was standing across from him, touching him. "Spike."

"Niblet," he said, a genuinely happy look on his face. "Faith, she told me-"

"You got away?" Dawn asked. She naturally assumed his intentions were good, because he mentioned Faith in such a concerned way.

"You could say that," he murmured, holding her close. "You've changed."

"I'm twenty-one." She answered, holding on to his shoulders to keep her balance. Just seeing him made her feel something akin to anxious…she so wasn't fifteen anymore.

"I noticed."

Her breath caught once more when he was merely an inch away. And then his lips were on hers and she lost herself, forgetting the danger of seconds ago and holding him close. Not thinking. Nope. Not until she felt him. His fangs in her neck.

It felt warm, safe, even as the blood left her body. She held on for dear life as her vision swam and pleasure swirled in the pit of her stomach. She felt like she was flying…

And then a wrist was at her mouth and she took whatever the liquid was being given to her. She held on for dear life, even as she felt like she was slipping away…

Dawn shook off the memory. She pulled her colorful hair back and left her room. Angel and Connor were in the front hall of their main headquarters.

"Where's Harm?"

"Making a phone call." Angel answered.

-

Dawn entered the lair as if she owned it, feeling as if this were a stupid idea. Having her pretend she'd switched sides was stupid. If she died, she was so going to come back and haunt their asses. Not that she thought she was going to die. No, the last thing Spike would do was to kill her.

"Where's Gunn?" She asked, bursting through the front doors.

Outside, at all exits, Angel, Connor, and Harmony were making their ways inside, planning to come to her rescue the moment it became too much and she needed out.

"Who wants to-Phoenix?" Gunn questioned as he looked up from his notes. He stood, a grin widening on his face.

"In the flesh." Dawn said, smiling at the endearment and telling herself that it was an act. She was acting. "Where's everyone else?"

"Canada. Planning to attack there," Gunn lied easily. Not that Dawn could tell.

"Spike too?"

Gunn raised an eyebrow, wondering how long he'd have to keep up this act. "He probably left to-"

"Well, if it isn't Nib!"

Dawn froze as he came from what seemed like nowhere, a smirk curving his lips. A bad feeling formed in the pit of her stomach, even as she felt anticipation of what he'd do. Shit.

"Miss me, pet?" he asked, standing right in front of her. Within reaching distance. Her height. Her match, at least in her mind. Her sire, he was.

She made no move, as he brushed a strand of hair out of her face. Made no move as he pulled her against him, and gave her that smile she'd always loved before her kissed her. And she knew, she knew, she should pull away, get the hell out of there, but…it was Spike, and she had missed him, and having him this close felt so good…

Giving in to her desire, she wrapped and arm around his neck.

Oh, God, help me. This had really been a bad idea.

-

Angel tried to keep his anger in check as Dawn began to return the kiss with more passion, if possible, than Spike. It burned in the corner of his soul and ell he really wanted was the bash Spike's face in. Still, he waited for his cue before bursting through a window and landing on one knee.

Connor and Harmony also rushed in, weapons at ready. Angel stood. "I think Fredica's over, Spike."

Dawn broke away from Spike, her right hand trembling as she held a stake to his chest. "G-game over."

"Not really," Gunn said, as dozens of Illyrian soldiers rushed through the doors. "It's just beginning."

"Put the stake away, Nib." Spike said, though he was only indulging in Dawn's feeling of the upper hand. But then again, from the look on her face and her posture, she didn't feel too self-assured.

"No." She whispered, trying to be strong. She was strong. A strong fighter, witch, researcher. It just all faded away when Spike was around.

"Fine. I guess I'll just have to take it." Unfortunately for her, Spike didn't love her as much as she loved him. He had no problem hitting her in the face with a hard right.

She flew on her back and when she got to her feet, she found Spike and Gunn to be gone. This was exactly what she had thought would happen. She'd failed.

A circle formed around her and she put the stake away, resorting to hand to hand. She blocked a fist, using the attacker's momentum to spin him into two more as another attacked. She spun to kick him in the gut and sent a second high kick to his face. He stumbled back as she was punched in the face by another.

She couldn't see anyone. Not Angel, not Connor, or Harmony. Just a sea of soldiers. They were overpowered, out matched, and out of luck. Without hesitation, she ducked arms and yelled, "Retreat!"

Harmony punched a soldier and ducked a spear. She yanked it out of another's hands, spinning it to stab an attacked. She broke the handle off, and skewered a second attacker.

She punched a demon in the face and nearly screamed as her nail caught onto the fabric of a soldier's clothing and broke. She gasped, horrified. "My nail!"

Now I'm mad, she thought to herself, grabbing a soldier by the shoulders and flinging him halfway across the room. Just then, Dawn's voice rang out and Harmony got out as quickly as she could.

Angel had just put a dent in the soldiers' numbers when Dawn yelled for retreat. He pulled back, seeing a flash of punk and blonde, better known as Harmony, race past and out the door. He followed, Connor and Dawn quickly behind him.

Connor took a deep breath and glared at the others. "I think we can officially call that a failure."