Title: Sanrio Knights

Author: Acerbic

Time: Post Chosen / NFA

Rating: PG-13 (A swear word or two)

Part 2 – Eh Tu?

Gary, Indiana

June 2007

"Go Go Go Go Go!"

I couldn't contain my excitement, which seemed to channel down into my feet, setting my entire body to bouncing up and down in a frantic bunny hop. Only my legs are long, and gorgeous, at least according to the girls. (Not that Blake would ever notice…) So my legs, they sorta shot out all over the place, and it's really amazing that I didn't take a tumble head first down the hill.

On my order, the members of my team stared toward where Peggy, Spike, and the two vampires had gathered in the south cemetery. Sasha and Ling Ling closed from the West and East, respectively, and Blake had to scale the southern wall.

Meanwhile that left Peggy alone down there with three vampires. It'd take my people a minute or so to get to them, and in the middle of combat, a minute equals eternity. But it was a calculated risk – and minimal according to our estimates – that she was in any real danger from any of them.

"Who're you? Get outta here. This is our meal. We have dibs," Fred said, glaring at Spike as he approached.

"Wait! Isn't he-" Barney's revelation would never come. He'd put up a hand, palm out, as if the gesture alone could stop Spike.

"I can't believe how stupid they're making fledges these days," Spike complained as he came in under Barney's outstretched arm, slipping a stake up between his ribs. He strode smoothly through the explosion of ash, emerging just as Fred let loose with a terrible growl.

"Ooohhh, wow! That guy just went POOF! And OH GROSS! I'm covered in DIRT!" Peggy gushed effusively, batting her long lashes while manifesting vapid outrage for her apparel.

Someone on the radio – maybe me – groaned. Total overkill. And Spike isn't stupid at all. Not even remotely. (Well, except maybe when it comes to women and true love, and implementing a plan. And then he's an idiot.)

Spike stopped in his tracks, affixing Peggy with a look of patent disbelief. I leaned so far forward, pressing my face into those binoculars so hard in order to read his expression, that I must've left two dark rings around my eyes.

"What…?" Spike began. Something was rotten in Denmark. His nose twitched, and I could just see the thought – Slayer – registering in his mind. Bright blue eyes narrowed, glaring at Peggy, and so Spike's face walked right into Freddy's punch.

Spike got knocked off his feet, and Peggy instantly dropped the bimbo act, kicking at the back of the burly vampire's knees. Fred felled like a tree, and Peggy stepped up behind him and slammed a stake home.

More dust.

Spike regained his feet with a smooth back push, and squared off across from Peggy. This time his demeanor was cautious and wary. He realized that he'd fallen for the same ruse – pretty dumb girl alone in cemetery – that the other vampires had, even if his motive had been coming to her rescue. He'd still been tricked, and now he was royally pissed.

Spike is pretty when he's pissed. His face sets in that adorable stubborn/determined expression. He's also dangerous, and fast, and good enough to take any one of my slayers. Peggy wouldn't stand a chance if he seriously went after her. Not that I thought for a second he would. But just in case he got angry enough… Well, I'd coached Peggy in all the right names to drop starting with Buffy. And then Buffy in the middle. And Buffy at the end.

"What's this about then?" Spike demanded, circling to Peggy's right. She moved obligingly to the left, keeping hold of her stake.

"Almost there," Sasha announced. As a slayer she moved faster than either Blake or Ling Ling, and would most likely be the first on the scene.

"What do you suppose this is, Spike?" Peggy asked with a cute, perky smile. Ever one to play head games, our Hello Kitty.

"Dunno, don't care. You know me then?" Just a degree of the tension in Spike's expression eased. He thought that he might be facing just one slayer who'd heard of him. Who knows he has a soul.

Peggy opened her mouth to reply, and at just that moment, Blake leapt over the wall, jumping straight down at Spike, attempting to toss a net over the vampire.

Spike dodged to the side and the net missed. Blake hit the ground and Spike whirled. Abruptly, all of his anger and suspicion was back full force. Spike didn't hold back when he punched Blake in the face, eliciting a shriek of fear and outrage from me.

"Oot! My poor honey-boo!" I exclaimed. Then slapped a hand over my big mouth, horrified that Blake might've heard. Even more worried that Spike ruined his beautiful face!

"Grab him! He's going to run!" I shouted. After three failed attempts, this was as close as we'd ever gotten to snaring our prey. If Spike escaped and went to ground this time, he might not be seen again for years.

You'd think that two slayers, a witch, and an Initiative solider were a cinch to capture one vampire, but I wasn't so sure. I threw down my binoculars and ran. I couldn't stand watching anymore. I had to be there, doing something, and so I sprinted pill-mill down that hill, stumbling in the dark the whole way.

"Got him!" Peggy shouted. A grunt and some scuffling sounds later: "Lost him! Ling Ling, he's heading your way!"

"Okay, I see him. Here he comes-"

I lost track of the conversation when I lost my earpiece to some overhanging grabby scratchy branches, which tangled in my hair. I fought my way free and continued to descend the hill, wearing a crown of twigs.

Somehow, amazingly, miraculously, Spike materialized right in front of me, melting out of the night. He was a blur of motion, entirely gray except for that bright swath of hair. I stopped; he stopped. We stared and his jaw dropped.

"Dawnie?" Spike said, caught in the grip of powerful disbelief. Spike always wears his every emotion right there on his exterior, nothing hidden away. Shock and hurt ruled his heart. He couldn't bring himself to believe that I'd betrayed him like this.

"Spike," I chirped, confused and embarrassed. Oh, and SO GUILTY. He made me feel just like I was 14 again. "I can explain."

Only, I couldn't, at least not right then. Because Sasha's taser blast caught Spike from behind, and his eyes rolled back, revealing the whites. He toppled to the ground at my feet.

End Part 2.