Ring on her Finger

By Nickeltaffy

Disclaimer: I would like to thank Joss for the use of his characters. They are still his and will never be mine. (heavy sigh).

Synopsis: Anyone ever notice that Buffy never returned Spike's ring from when they were engaged? What if Willow's reversal of the Will Be Done spell from the Something Blue episode was not exactly 100% effective? What if Buffy was still under a spell and still considered herself engaged to a horrified Spike?

…

Chapter 10

Buffy was walking around Spike admiring her work. Yep, there would be no way that anyone would associate this apparent doofus with a vampire. Were there vampire dwebs? She would have to ask Spike. Never mind, she would ask him later. Now it was time to finish the disguise.

She stopped in front of Spike and faced him. "We're going to have to do something about your voice."

"What do you mean? My voice? I speak perfectly good Queen's English." Spike said proudly.

"That's the problem. I don't think you should sound like Queen or any other English rock band". Buffy countered.

"I always thought Spike sounded more like those guys in Oasis, myself." Willow piped up.

"Spike, the object is blend in, not sound like you're the snippy judge on American Idol. Of course, right now, I would settle for Dukes of Hazard at this point." Buffy lectured. "That's why I think we need to you to practice sounding like a typical bonehead guy from the campus."

Anya stood up and came over to Spike.

"Yeah, Spike. You really need to embrace this whole new look that includes the language." Anya said enthusiastically. "You need to sound more like a imbecile- wait…an American imbecile.. Xander, come over here and show him how"

Xander stood up and half way over, there realization of what was just said hit him. "Hey?"

"Yeah, Xander. Give me some inside pointers on being a bonehead" Spike said with a nasty smile..

"Guys, we running out night. Spike, you said you would help. Listen to Xander." Buffy commanded.

"Oh, very well. Xander, I am sitting at your feet, Oh master of linguistic stagnation." Spike said with much ceremony. Xander put his hand up in exasperation.

"Okay, Spike. The basic cornerstones of the American Loser terminology is the use of the words Dude and Man." Xander began to lecture.

Hearing this, Giles looked at Xander quizzically.

"I never realized you gave such examination to the American Loser terminology." Giles stated.

"Heck, he's been living and breathing it for the past nineteen years." Willow said, with a wicked smile.

"You know, Xander could just go home now." Xander warned the room.

Spike rolled his eyes and blew out a derisive puff of air.

"Go, go on honey. I know you can do it." Anya said supportively.

Xander tried once more and moved on to the pronunciation phase.

"Repeat after me: Duhuuhde …Maaayn." Xander said to Spike.

"Duude…Mahn." Repeated Spike

"No, no that not right". Anya jumped in. " Spike needs to sound like the loser guys who hand around by the pool tables at the Bronze. Okay, you need motivation. Just think desperation, stale laundry and the over-powering smell of Irish Spring."

After about 15 minutes of drilling, Spike started to pick up some of the nuances of the two word they were drilling on. Finally, Buffy decided it was enough. She told Spike it would be better if he tried to keep his mouth shut around other people while they were out.

Buffy was itching to get out and patrol. She had hated spending the time getting the group together to hunt this 'Diye' guy, but she was committed to it. She managed to get everyone to the door for their final instructions. She decided that Xander, Anya and Willow would be one group. That's when Spike spoke up.

"I want Willow to be in our group." He said as he reached over and gently pulled a flattered Willow over to his side. Everyone looked quizzically at the vampire

"What's goin on, Spike?" Buffy asked, testily. She did not like being challenged in her decisions.

"It's just that Willow and I have been getting along splendidly lately. I think it would be safer for her to be with us." Spike said as he laid his arm across her shoulders

Willow felt a slight flush enter her cheeks due to the special attention she was receiving. Buffy's face clouded.

"Spike we don't have time for games." Buffy warned.

"If Spike really wants me to go with him, it's alright with me." Willow said with more than a little conviction.

"Okay, anything to get this show moving." Buffy said, giving up.

…..

After the two groups looped around the park near the refinery and finding nothing, they all headed toward the college campus. Spike begrudgingly bringing up the rear and pointedly staying away from Buffy. He walked steadily behind Anya and Willow as they were chatting about what had happened or had not happened in the park. It had gotten warmer that evening, and Anya had taken off her sweater and was holding it. She looked down and saw her shoe was untied. She asked Willow to hold her sweater while she tied it. Once it was tied, the girls continued their conversation as they walked along, Willow forgetting she was still holding Anya's sweater.

Once they reached the campus, the two groups decided to split up to circle the perimeter. So far, they hadn't found any evil activity going on. It was just after Xander and Anya had disappeared from sight that Willow realized she was still holding on to Anya's sweater.

"Anya! Hold on a sec!" Willow called and ran after the pair. Spike turned around to see Willow disappear around the corner.

"Will.." was all he got out before he felt Buffy's arm wrap itself around his neck from the back.

"So, are you gonna tell me or what? Just what is this fascination with Willow?" Buffy said with a little hurt creeping into her voice.

She spun him around.

"Tell me! What does she mean to you? Is it the witch thing?" Buffy badgered Spike. "You never seem to want to be with me like that."

"Buffy…wha. Cripes! You are taking this bleedin thing too far." Spike sputtered. " I mean, here of all the bloody places…to start this silly game."

"Silly! You call me silly after I see you throwing yourself all over Willow" Buffy said as she started to circle Spike.

"What are you bloody talking about?" Spike said backing away.

"You think I didn't notice you wrapping yourself around her back at the apartment!" she accused him, pointing a finger into his chest.

"You're delusional. What do you care what I bleedin do?" Spike retorted.

"Care? You're asking me why I care. You don't think that see my fiancée falling all over another woman wouldn't affect me?" Buffy responded with a great deal of hurt in her voice.

"Fiancée? What are you talking about, you crazy bint?" Spike just then remembered the spell "You don't mean that proposal the other night? It was.."

"It was a beautiful moment that I'll always remember. You were so tender, so heartfelt, so.." Buffy announced as she approached him

"Uh huh." Spike looking around looking for an escape as he backed up for every step she took forward. His progress was suddenly halted as he hit a tree behind him, bumping the back of his head. She had him cornered now. She placed her hands on his chest, keeping him imprisoned by the tree. She kept coming closer and closer. Then, they heard the sound of firearms being cocked and they were surrounded by commandoes

Buffy froze for a moment as Spike's eyes widened with fear.

"Eew! You're so stupid!" she said angrily as she pushed Spike away with a vehemence. Just what did that stupid vampire get them into now, she thought. Oh well, better to play it off in normal college drama. She looked around and luckily didn't see anyone she knew among the soldiers. Okay, so much, the better, she thought. "And tell your dumb soldier friends that the whole ninja thing is so lame!"

The soldiers seeing that they had come across a human couple in the middle of an argument, stood down. As the weapons were being lowered and stowed by the soldiers, Buffy stomped heatedly away and then turned around.

"Ugh! Don't you try to follow me. Stay here with your ROTC buddies. I don't want to talk to you. I don't care if I never see your face again." she called back. "Do you hear me?"

Spike stood there with a sick look on his face. His eyes bouncing back to commandoes and back to Buffy. His mouth opened and closed in amazement. He couldn't believe that Buffy was just leaving him to the mercy of these commandoes. Was he supposed to follow her or not, he thought anxiously. One of the commandos put his hand on Spike's shoulder. He tried to hide the jolt of fear that traveled through his body.

"Guy, I don't know what you did, but you're sure in the doghouse now." the soldier laughed.

The other men in the patrol group chuckled in agreement. Spike could hear several of the men making comments to one another and laughing at Spike's predicament. Spike slowly began to realize that they did not immediately recognize him as a vampire. It was only a matter of time, he thought. He had to get out of there without causing suspicion.

"What's with all the Dawson's Creek action?" Another man asked.

All the men looked at Spike for his response. Spike looked around at the men surrounding him, then remembering his lessons from earlier in the evening, said "Maaaynn." as he slowly shook his head, looking down. The commandoes all nodded, commiserating with the position that Spike appeared to be in.

"Hey, we've all been there. You didn't do something too stupid did you?" another man asked.

"Duhuuuude" Spike responded, reaching up and making sure his backwards cap was sitting squarely on his head.

"Women are a trip. I remember one time, my girlfriend…"

It was actually a pretty funny story that the soldier told. Spike enjoyed the camaraderie of the soldiers and the support they gave a guy having trouble with his woman. It wasn't until Buffy reappeared with Willow that Spike remembered that he was still in danger.

"Well…Are you going to walk me home or not.?" Buffy demanded. "Or are you having too much fun with your male bonding activities? Am I too early for dancing around the bonfire in loincloths?"

Spike looked to the soldiers and then at Buffy. Just for an instant, he was torn between the two evils set before him. Talking to the soldiers hadn't been that bad…oh wait, they don't know I'm a vampire…the whole chip business. Okay, Buffy it is! he thought. He brought up the shoulders in an apologetic shrug toward the soldiers and started toward Buffy and Willow.

He heard one of the soldiers cough that sounded disturbingly like "P whipped!".

He turned and gave a look of slight betrayal over his shoulder as he shuffled toward Buffy and Willow. As soon as he got close to Buffy, she grumbled as she grabbed his arm and pulled him with her. The trio were soon away from the soldiers. Once Buffy thought they were sufficiently away, she let go of Spike's arm and spun him around. Willow stood back from the couple, she knew this could get violent.

"Just what were you doing back there, Spike?" Buffy demanded.

"Trying to survive the exact situation I didn't want to be in. Thanks for the rescue by the way, it had all the charm and elegance of a great white shark attack." Spike retaliated.

"Spike, if you think I wasn't tempted to leave you there…" Buffy warned

"Oh please tell me. When does this plane land from this crazy One flew over the Cuckoo's Nest trip you've got me on?" Spike declared dramatically. "First you hate me, then you start playing your nasty little games with me…I can't take it!"

As he said the last sentence, Willow became aware of a hissing voice cutting through the air. It reminded her of the park near the refinery.

"Hey, guys….guys." Willow called over to the arguing pair, but they were too much involved with their current argument to notice. "I really think you guys should listen.."

It was just then that Spike felt the first slight pull. He stopped talking and looked at Buffy, his face filled with dread. Seeing his face, Buffy also stopped talking and reach toward him to shake him. Then, all at once, Spike was on the ground. He pulled at the ground, digging up dirt and grass with his hands to stop the merciless influence that was dragging him away. It did little to slow his progress as he was being pulled toward a a dimly lit area at the corner of the campus.

Buffy ran over and grabbed him, hoping to pull him from the creature's grasp. She could not slow his progress as the two of them were drug another twenty feet. From her crouched position over Spike, Buffy could see the creature drawing them to the dark portal. Willow called out to them and started to move toward them, but Buffy yelled to stay back. As Willow watched, the pair were continued to be dragged unrelentingly toward the creature. Hearing the noise, Xander and Anya came running up and stood by Willow.

Without warning, the ring on Buffy's finger began to glow. The glow became a dark red and began to grow until it surrounded Buffy and Spike. There was a strange hum that came from the glow till everything was reverberating with the hum in the area. Then, all at once, the glow shot off as a huge ball of red light in the direction of the creature. In that instance, the creature and it's portal were gone. No longer feeling the pull, Buffy stood while Spike sat up and looked over at the area where the portal had been. There was nothing there. Spike stood up as Willow, Xander and Anya came running over. None of them knew what happened.