Chapter Sixteen: Done Talking
The story was done and told, the group had been designated their jobs. Giles was aiding Alan in finding safe passage out of the town. Faith, Angel, Spike and Buffy were heading to the Mayor's offices, hopefully in time to kill him before he finished the ritual to become impervious to harm. That couldn't happen. Buffy really didn't feel like trying to save a whole student body from a giant snake, if Alan's information had been correct.
The night was chilly as the supernatural four stepped out. Faith had picked up a sword and a trusty stake, Buffy armed in the same way. Angel carried an axe, whilst Spike remained weaponless. Apparently, he preferred to go au naturale, a phrase which had made Buffy blush, and Angel roll his eyes.
The short walk to the mayor's office and the building was quiet. Alan had instructed them that Wilkins would be completing his ritual under the building, in a room specially crafted for his "blacker" campaign promises. He had warned that Mayor would most likely have a horde of vampires protecting him during the ritual, and he assured them David would be present.
Buffy wanted rid of David. The guy was creepy and she had the feeling the reason he was here had nothing to do with the Mayor himself. He had been the one engineering the problems in their lives, the band candy and a few other incidents. The vampires she had been steadily slaying every night worked for him. He was the problem now. The Mayor was a side project that would be swiftly dealt with tonight.
Faith and Angel separated from them and headed round the back of the building, looking for an entrance more covert. Spike had voted to take the main entrance and Buffy had quickly partnered herself with him. She knew his habit for getting into trouble and there was no way in hell she was losing him again. The front entrance was, as they suspected, guarded by two vampires. They saw the two blondes coming and rushed forward. Buffy swiftly drew her stake out, killing the first without a fight. Spike landed a quick punch on his adversary, and the creature fell to the ground, a stake was shoved through his heart a second later. Spike looked up, flashing Buffy a grin that was enough to make her melt.
But she'd have to do it later. Right now, the mission was more important. She and Spike could carry on what they started later.
The pair entered the building, alert to any other oncoming attacks. They encountered another vampire in the hall and a quick threatening showed them the way to the basement before the vampire was blowing in the wind. Spike took the lead and they headed for the basement. Chanting filtered through the large door they came to and Spike growled, his game face coming to the fore. It still freaked Buffy out a little bit but she shook it off quickly as Angel and Faith joined them.
'Any trouble?' Buffy asked.
'Couple of vampires.' Faith shrugged and Angel looked at Buffy.
'I'm assuming all the chanting means our fight is behind this door.' The slayer nodded at him and looked to Spike.
'We're on a time frame pet.' The blonde vampire said, his fangs glistening in the dim light. Angel morphed into game face and all four faced the door, prepared and weapons raised.
'Right. One, two, three…' Buffy kicked the door down and the chanting stopped. The four ran into the room and were confronted by about twenty vampires and David. The Mayor sat in the middle of a pentagram, his hands outstretched as he looked at them. An alarm started ringing somewhere in the building and Wilkins tisked as they approached.
'That was just rude.' He nodded to David and the vampires attacked. Buffy ducked an attack by the first, swiftly taking his head off and moving onto the next. Spike kicked his first in the stomach, whilst staking another, snarling as he crudely twisted the head off of the winded vampire that had come for him first. Angel and Faith threw themselves into the fray dusting without a fight. It took minutes to slay the vampires and Buffy realised that however much of a threat David was, the vampires that had been protecting the Mayor were mere fledglings.
David stepped forward as more vampires came from behind and Spike ran forward in a flash for David, snarling as he circled the older vampire. In his peripheral vision he saw Angel and Faith taking the other vampires as Buffy advanced on the Mayor.
'You think this is the end, boy?' David hissed at him and Spike grinned in return.
'No mate. This is just the beginning.' He rushed the vampire, who spun and delivered a perfect kick to his head, pushing the blonde backwards. He then turned and disappeared into the darkness. Spike rolled over, cursing when he realised the vamp had gone and climbed to his feet. Angel and Faith were back to back and their last two opponents dusted in synchronisation. The three turned to Buffy, who had the mayor by the throat, her sword resting at his Adam's apple.
'I really didn't think this would be that easy.' Buffy said and the Mayor smiled.
'You think you can go through with this? People will hunt you down.' Buffy shook her head.
'Really. Do you think the police would believe I did this?'
'Your friends…' The Mayor choked as her grip tightened.
'These friends? Try it.' She smiled. 'Then again…not a lot to try if you're dead.' She pulled the sword back.
'Buffy.' Spike said quietly, his human mask back in place. He came up behind her and stayed her hand.
'Don't talk me out of this, Spike. He got you killed.' Spike shook his head.
'You can kill him all you want. But we need to know about David.' The Mayor looked between them, nervous now.
'David…' Buffy narrowed her eyes. 'What do you know?' The Mayor swallowed and Buffy gripped his throat again. 'I said, what do you know?'
'Only that…he wants him.' The Mayor raised his hand and pointed at Spike. The vampire growled. Buffy shrugged and let go of him. Wilkins rubbed his throat and Buffy looked at Spike for a second, who nodded. She swung the sword and took off the Mayor's head in one swipe. The removed appendage bounced along the floor for a second before rolling to a stop by Angel's feet. The body slumped to the floor and the four fighters looked at each other, triumph and apprehension written across their faces.
Only one question echoed in each of their minds.
Why did David want Spike?
Two weeks had passed since the altercation with the mayor and the gang were still no closer to finding any information on David and his reasons for wanting Spike. The vampire himself had made no appearance and the vampire population as a whole had dwindled. Buffy still patrolled, but her motivation for doing so normally involved an excuse to make out with a certain blonde vampire she was having trouble staying away from. Angel had not joined them for a few days now, not since he had told Buffy he was leaving when the David situation was all sorted.
Buffy could honestly say that whilst she was sad it was completely over and done with Angel and it would be sad to see him go, she knew she had someone else waiting for her; someone who had been waiting for so long she was surprised he wasn't combusting at the few kisses she gave him. She knew Spike wanted more, but also knew he wasn't going to push her for anything she wasn't ready for. Especially since the last time she thought she was ready, her boyfriend had turned into a murderer who wanting her and all of her friends dead.
So tonight, they were taking another step in their fledgling relationship and Spike was coming over for dinner with her mother. Joyce had spent the majority of the day panicking about what vampires eat and Buffy had simply assured her that Spike was still munching down on the foods he had enjoyed as a human, so she could cook his favourite. Joyce had calmed a little at that, seeing as she knew what Spike's favourite food was. He had spent so much time in the house since he and Buffy had met, she could reel off a list of his favourite dishes and drinks, as well as favourite shows. Joyce could honestly say she had never met a young man quite so diverse as Spike, and she couldn't have been any more pleased with her daughter's choice in boyfriends. Even if he had recently died.
The thought was still confusing her somewhat, but Buffy had assured her that the boy hadn't changed much. He had been on edge for a while but in the few months since his turning, he had worked hard to control his bloodlust and had been helping Buffy on several occasions, one of which Joyce had witnessed herself with the crazy vampire in the old boarding house. She had been thankful for his help, but hadn't been able to express her gratitude, as the vampire had performed a disappearing act afterwards. Buffy had explained that he had been wounded and had to recuperate.
In a way, Joyce was glad she knew someone was out there looking out for her daughter. In another way, it gave her a second person to worry about.
The clock chimed it's arrival at eight in the evening and Joyce stood back from her preparations. The table was set and the lasagne was just coming to perfection in the oven. She'd set aside a chocolate fudge cake for dessert and had already put the hot chocolate and marshmallows on the side for after. Spike always loved her hot chocolate, and she knew they would be heading out for patrol afterwards. There was no harm in giving them something to keep them warm. Even if California was one of the warmer states.
The door opened and Joyce looked up, hurrying to greet Buffy. The teenager smiled at her mom as she hung her coat on the door, and Joyce looked past her. Spike was standing in the doorway, looking rather overwhelmed. She knew why, but didn't understand. Joyce always had a soft spot for him, so he was welcome any time, vampire or not.
'Why on earth are you standing in the doorway Spike? Come in. I know you already have an invitation.' Joyce ushered him in and shut the door behind him. Buffy giggled as her mother pushed them both into the dining room. She then turned to face them, smiling. 'Shouldn't be too long.' She smiled and the oven beeped its readiness. Buffy waited for a second and her mom smiled again, turning towards the kitchen. 'I did lasagne, followed by chocolate fudge cake.' Clattering sounds came from the kitchen and Spike looked at Buffy nervously.
'Does your mum usually go barmy when you bring a boyfriend home?' He asked. Buffy shook her head.
'You're the first boyfriend I have brought home. Excluding Angel.' Spike brow furrowed and Buffy backtracked quickly. 'He doesn't count. Mom hated him. She's always loved you. Plus, she knows you're a vampire so no bother there!' She giggled nervously and slid into a seat at the table. Spike joined her and a few seconds later, Joyce came out the kitchen with a large dish full of lasagne.
'I didn't know how hungry you would be, so I did loads. Gotta keep your strength up. If this does anything for your strength, what with you being a…' She trailed off as Buffy looked at her with an embarrassed smile on her face.
'Mom it's just Spike. He's still the same.' Spike nodded in agreement.
'So you still eat a lot then?' Joyce asked, serving up Buffy's first.
'Just cause I'm not strictly supposed to, doesn't mean I'm not gonna eat every bit of your lasagne that I can fit. Always loved your pasta, Joyce.'
'Yeah, like when you and Faith ate pretty much everything in the cupboards.' Buffy commented.
Spike raised an eyebrow. 'I only ate the cookies. She ate everything else.'
'Yeah, but there were four bags of cookies, Spike. That is a bit piggish. And you were human then, so say hello to calories.' Buffy looked at her mom with a jokingly exasperated look as the elder Summers joined them at the table. She served up her own food and watched the two as they began to eat, bickering all the while.
'I never put on any weight though. Musta had a high metabolism or whatever you call it.' He ate another mouthful. 'And anyway, Faith was the pig, not me.' He swallowed hard. 'This is delicious, Joyce.'
Joyce beamed her appreciation, and looked to Buffy. 'How is Faith getting on? I'm assuming you've sorted out your problems with her.'
'Well, she's finally stopped apologising. I don't see her around much, except when Giles wants her for something. We patrolled together last week but I think she's more into solo action.' Buffy shrugged. 'I think she's even considering going to LA with Angel.'
'Really? Think she can take the brooding?' Spike asked, wiggling his eyebrows.
'Angel is leaving?' Joyce asked and Buffy nodded.
'Says I need a normal life. Not like that's going to happen. It pretty much means he's jealous and can't put up with us. So he's leaving.'
'Good riddance.' Spike mumbled. Buffy elbowed him in the ribs.
'Without him, you'd be dead.' Buffy scolded.
Spike shrugged and looked at her pointedly. 'Doesn't mean I have to like him.'
The bickering continued and Joyce listened in contentment, joining in occasionally with the conversation, amazed at the normality of the situation. Her daughter was the Slayer and her boyfriend was a vampire, yet it felt more comfortable than Joyce could have ever thought. She had never recalled seeing Buffy so happy and at ease with herself as she was around the blonde vampire.
Dessert was served and more thanks followed from Spike, who had eaten more than Joyce expected. Obviously a liquid diet wasn't one he could stick too, especially when there was chocolate cake involved. Buffy stuck to one small slice, despite Spike's protests and the hot chocolate came sooner than Joyce had expected.
'So are you two heading out on patrol later?'
'Probably.' Buffy looked at Spike, knowing exactly how that would turn out. He smiled and sipped at his drink as the room fell in silence. A few seconds passed and the telephone rang, making Joyce jump. She smiled politely and got up to answer it. Spike looked over at Buffy.
'Wanna take Restfield first tonight? Then along Main Street?'
'The usual route huh?' Buffy nodded. 'Sounds good.'
Her mother appeared from round the corner of the wall separating the kitchen and the dining room, the hand in her phone. 'Buffy, it's Xander. He wants you to both get to the library as quickly. Apparently Faith has been arrested.'
The two blondes looked at each other and stood, leaving half empty cups on the side. Spike grabbed his coat from the stair banister and waited as Buffy kissed her mother goodbye, and seconds later the house was quiet and empty again. Joyce sighed and went about cleaning up the remnants of the meal, smiling to herself slightly. It might not have been the most standard situation in the world but at least she knew her daughter was happy, loved and safe.