Disclaimer: The characters or themes mentioned from Buffy the Vampire Slayer or Angel do not belong to me. I am making no profit from this project.

Summary: Buffy, a vampire with a grudge against the Council, is captured by the Initiative and finds herself dependent on her enemy: Spike the Vampire Slayer and his band of white-hats.

Pairing:Buffy and Spike

Rating:PG-13

Thanks: To justsue for being a great beta, and everyone who's reviewed!

A/N: Sorry about the delay! The story has gone through a bit of a reworking. There are additional scenes in several of the chapters, and some small adjustments made here and there. If you've been following the story, I suggest going back and rereading. (8/26/06)

Chapter 6

Sunnydale, 1999

Riley kept his hands quietly folded in his lap and concentrated on not looking guilty. It was easier said than done. Three pairs of eyes stared hard at him from across the table, taking in his every tick. And Riley was sure there was a hidden camera somewhere in the room.

He had been assured several times that this was not an interrogation—just a friendly questioning—bit it sure felt like one.

"What was Professor Walsh doing while you were in her office?" Colonel Godfrey asked him.

"She was repairing the HST database, sir." Riley wasn't surprised with the thorough questioning he was getting—nothing had ever escaped from the compound before—but the redundancy was tiring. Godfrey should have known that Walsh was repairing the database.

Still, Godfrey kept his calculating gaze on Riley and said, "We recently bought a new server. The database hasn't crashed in weeks."

"Colonel Godfrey," Dr. Angleman interjected, "it is not your job to know what goes on in the science labs." The scientist and the colonel engaged in a silent stare-down.

Riley's brain was trained to asses hostile situations and make snap decisions. Although he was also trained not to question authority, he considered his current situations as hostile territory. So it only took a matter of milliseconds for Riley to realize that not only had Walsh lied to him, she had lied to him about something important. If even Godfrey wasn't authorized to know about it, then Walsh and Angleman were working on something big.

Dr. Angleman broke the staring contest with Godfrey, his body language clearly indicating he had more important things to do than concern himself with a militiaman.

"Agent Finn, it's crucial that we find the vampire that escaped," Colonel Godfrey told him. "Now that it's evaded you once, you'll have a harder time finding it, which is why I want two teams out there scouring the area every night. The vampire won't have gone far, it'll stay near town trying to feed. Find it and kill it."

Dr. Angleman objected, "Actually, this is strictly a tag and bag mission." Godfrey glared at the doctor. "Hostile 17 is of special interest to the science department."

It didn't seem to Riley like they were talking about Buffy. Hostile 17 was just a thing, another mission to complete so the science department could study it and pick it to pieces. They couldn't pick Buffy to pieces…she was Buffy.

"My concerns have been addressed," Dr. Angleman said in way of closing, and got up and left the room.

Colonel Godfrey kept Riley pinned to his chair with a steely glare.

"We're not done with you yet, Agent Finn. As of now, you will work with Staff Sergeant Richardson's squad."

Riley's attention shifted to the young woman sitting next to Colonel Godfrey, Hayes' replacement. Throughout the interview she'd remained silent and observing. She glanced over at Godfrey, and with a slight nod of her head, the Colonel got up and left the room.

Richardson let an uneasy minute tick by, calmly watching Riley try not to squirm in his seat, before she addressed him.

"I understand, Agent Finn, that you have become accustomed to certain privileges here," she began. "Professor Walsh speaks highly of you."

Riley couldn't deny it. All he could do was stare straight ahead and answer, "yes ma'am."

"I've been at the base less than sixteen hours and I've seen how favoritism runs this place. And that's something I don't believe in. Don't expect pats on the back from me, Finn. I'm going to change the way this base is run, and you're going to be the first to see it."

Staff Richardson left him there without a dismissal or demand for confirmation. Riley watched how her tight, black ponytail swished back and forth when she walked. She was quite possibly the scariest thing Riley had ever seen.

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Buffy was having trouble concentrating. She hadn't been able to retract her fangs since all those humans came in and stared at her. She focused on the words that were coming out of the Slayer's mouth and tried not to let her gaze wander to the pulse point in his neck. Staring at his face didn't help much, though, because she could practically feel the rich blood flowing only a meager two feet from her. It was like a thrum that resonated throughout her body and teased her bloodlust.

All blood, regardless of the creature it came from, carried life energy in it. Vampires had to take the life energy of others so that their own bodies could function and repair itself. A Slayer's blood was especially potent. It was revered in the vampiric community as an exquisite delicacy and powerful aphrodisiac, although few had ever tasted it. Buffy could confirm both of those rumors from experience.

She suddenly became aware that Spike was staring right back at her. He wasn't talking anymore. Buffy couldn't remember what he'd said, but she was pretty sure it was her turn to say something. "Maybe," she tried ambiguously.

"Maybe what?" he asked.

"Huh?"

"Why'd you come back to Sunnydale?" Spike asked again in an annoyed snarl.

"I was bored," Buffy snapped back. He didn't believe her.

It was true, though. Buffy had been bored. After the last time she'd left Sunnydale Buffy realized she didn't have anything to do with her life anymore. She knew Spike was going to survive the Cruciamentum test, and Buffy didn't really see the point in killing him after that. She was missionless until Spike died and another Slayer was Called.

Feeling purposeless, she went to the one place where a demon didn't need a purpose: the Hellmouth. Hellmouths were like demon beacons. Demons from all over the world were unwittingly drawn to the supernatural energies that seeped through from the hell dimension. Buffy figured it had something to do with a homey feeling, which was ironic, because most demons in the mortal realm wanted to stay there. Just like humans.

Buffy let herself wander back into Sunnydale and started dropping in on college classes after dark, pretending to be a student. It was fun and made her feel accomplished. She was exploring the opportunities she never had as a human. Her return to Sunnydale had nothing to do with Spike or the Watcher's Council, although she couldn't deny that the thought of running into the Slayer had filled her with a strange excitement.

"If you're not going to talk then I may as well stake you now," Spike threatened.

"It's hard to talk on an empty stomach," Buffy complained. She knew Spike wasn't going to stake her. Well, she was pretty sure.

"You want blood, then?" he asked. She didn't bother answering.

Spike leaned over the bathtub and showed her the underside of his wrist. "Look at that," he taunted, "see that vein there?" She knew he was messing with her, but Buffy still couldn't tear her eyes off the blue vein. He said something else, but Buffy wasn't listening anymore.

Like a moth drawn to a flame, Buffy leaned forward. There was some reason why she shouldn't drink, but at the moment Buffy couldn't remember it. Her lips parted and she took several short reflexive breaths. A scent filled her, although it somehow felt like more of an apparition of a scent than a tangible smell. It reminded Buffy of something from her past, standing in the kitchen with her mother and little sister making spiced apples and eggnog. The snow whirled and rained down terribly outside, but inside she was safe and happy and warm. It was Heaven, Spike smelled like Heaven. Buffy's eyes started to droop as her lips closed around warm flesh.

The next thing she knew, white-hot pain tore through her brain. Buffy's head fell back against the tub while her body rode out the convulsions and the shackles clanged noisily. Oh, right. That's why she wasn't supposed to bite.

Tears prickled Buffy's eyes as she finally realized what this meant. She was helpless. She couldn't feed, couldn't fight, couldn't defend herself. As a vampire, she had no way of taking care of herself in this world. She was completely helpless. Buffy hadn't felt this way for a hundred years.

She didn't look at Spike again, not wanting the see the mocking smirk dancing across his features. Instead, she rested back against the tub and kept her eyes closed. Buffy was hurt enough as it was.

She heard Spike leave the bathroom. He started talking with Giles, and Buffy could hear everything they said with her enhanced senses.

"She's safe," Spike declared.

"I told you not to do anything," Giles scolded half-heartedly. He didn't ask how Spike knew, which Buffy was grateful for. She didn't want to hear it.

"Well, I suppose it's good to know," the older man continued, "because we're going to have to move her out here to do the spell."

Buffy heard the heavy trod of Spike's boots coming back towards the bathroom.

"Oh, and Spike?" Giles called after him, "you can take the shackles off, but the less mobile she is, the better I'll feel."

The Slayer came through the door a moment later, his expression neutral. "Hands," he ordered, and Buffy felt pathetic holding her wrists out for him to unlock. Spike deftly freed her wrists and ankles from the shackles. Buffy immediately scrambled out of the tub and stretched her back

"C'mon, Barbie." Spike took hold of her arm and pulled her into the living room.

"It's Buffy," she bit out angrily and jerked her arm back.

"Get in the chair," he said, and gestured to a dinning chair that was pulled away from the table.

"I'd prefer to stand, thanks," Buffy replied defiantly and raised her chin. She felt pathetic, helpless, and humiliated that the Slayer had seen her cry. If the only power she had was making Spike's life more difficult, then she'd capitalize on every opportunity.

"Get in the chair before I put you there."

"No."

Making true on his threat, Spike swept Buffy off her feet with one arm behind her knees and the other around her shoulders. She scowled as he carried her over to the chair, and then pinched him hard in the ribs.

Once again, Buffy felt pain explode in her brain and her body jerked, although not as intense as before. "Oh come on, I can't even do that?" she whined. Spike dropped her unceremoniously into the chair.

The Slayer left the room for a moment, and then it was just Buffy and Giles. Something occurred to her then. Giles hadn't called the Council. If he'd called before Buffy woke up, operatives would have already arrived and killed her. The Watcher's Council was based in Great Britain, but they always had enough people traveling throughout the world that someone could have reached her within three hours. And Buffy could hear everything that went on in the kitchen and living room from her position in the bathroom, so she knew he hadn't called since she woke up. That was interesting, on top of being a huge relief.

"You aren't Spike's Watcher anymore, are you?" she asked him, remembering what Spike had said to her last year. He's getting a royal whipping from his boss right now.

Giles looked at her for a moment, as if debating whether or not it was safe to talk to her. "No," he conceded finally, "no, I'm not."

"So who is?"

"No one, actually. Spike and I no longer work for the Council."

"What?" she whispered. Buffy got a sudden feeling that the world had been turned upside down, and she wasn't sure if that was good or bad. Slayers didn't work for the Council, they never had. Slayers were owned by the Council. There was no stopping.

"A year ago Spike quit the Council," Giles told her.

"Now we're freelancers," Spike said, coming back into the room with a coil of rope tucked underneath his arm, "don't take orders from the Council of Wankers anymore."

It was a good thing, Buffy decided. She smiled.

"Council of Wankers," she said, trying it out, "I like it." Giles cleared his throat uncomfortably.

Spike knelt in front of Buffy and started tying her ankles to the legs of the chair. "You don't have to do that," she said petulantly.

"For my comfort, he does," Giles remarked. Buffy glared at him and resisted the childish urge to stick out her tongue.

Spike continued to secure her to the chair. He was close to her again, kneeling on the floor while he passed the rope around her torso and arms, and Buffy was again reminded that she hadn't fed in two days. She could faintly detect the heavenly smell of his blood.

There was a knock on the door, and Giles opened it to let Willow, Xander, and the new girl back in. Xander carried a brown grocery bag filled with magic supplies, and Willow had a plastic bag with something dark and red in it. Buffy sniffed the air suspiciously. It was animal blood of some type, probably from a cow or pig. Giles noticed the bag too and asked what it was.

"We stopped by the butcher's to pick up blood," Willow said. "It was Anya's idea."

"Starved vampires are great if you need a mass slaughtering, but with my newly human status, I don't want to be around one," Anya explained.

Buffy noticed her comment and looked at Anya speculatively. She'd figured there was something strange about the girl earlier, but she wasn't sure what. The strange-speaking Anya had residue of otherworldly energies clinging to her, like an oily coating on her skin that would take time to wash off.

"That was good forethought, Anya, we will need to feed her," Giles remarked, and the other girl brightened. His remark made Buffy feel kind of like an unwanted pet. But as long as I'm getting blood…

"Great!" Buffy put on a friendly smile, "so who's gonna untie me?"

Apparently Spike and his merry band of do-gooders were immune to her award winning charm. The Slayer stuck a straw in the plastic container the blood came in and held it under her face. After the second mouthful, Buffy felt her head start to clear and the desperate hunger in her recede. Spike pulled the blood away too soon.

"I wasn't done!" she protested.

"You'll get more after you've told us what we want to know," Spike said.

Willow and Giles had already started setting up for the spell. There were candles to be lit, sand to be poured, Latin incantations to recite, pretty much just the usual. Suddenly, Buffy started to panic. The Watcher's Council didn't know anything about her, something she'd worked hard to ensure. They even had scholars that specialized in analyzing her and theorizing about where she came from. If Giles was curious….Buffy didn't think she could live in a world that knew…

Everyone was startled when they heard a polite knock on the door. Giles glanced around the room at the occupants, and then back to the door. When he went to open it, everyone flocked behind him. Everyone except for Buffy, that is, who was still unhappily tied to the chair.

When the door swung open, all Buffy could see was a head of sandy brown hair.

"Uh, hi," a familiar voice said, "I'm here to, uh, check your crawl space for nests."

"He's an army guy!" Buffy shouted, feeling a surge of anger.

"Buffy?" Riley peered over heads at her.

"Well, I'd say we have more to discuss than rodents," Spike remarked.

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Timeline

January 1, 1900 (America)- "Girl" (pretty sure we all know who it is…) meets Angel

1996 (London)- Spike is Called

1997 (Sunnydale)- Spike and Giles move to Sunnydale

Spike meets Buffy for the first time

December 12, 1998 (Sunnydale)- Spike's birthday and Cruciamentum test

1999 (Sunnydale)- Buffy returns to Sunnydale and is captured by the Initiative

Bolded events haven't been specifically dated in the story.