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 18

Spike started directly for the door after he made his statement before anyone could react, but he was only able to get a few steps before Giles stepped in front of him.

"No, Spike. I can't let you leave. We don't know the extent of the power of this spell." Giles said as he abruptly moved to block the path of the vampire. "You may be necessary factor in defeating this creature."

Spike made a quick turn to go around the Watcher, but Giles signaled to Xander. Xander, seeing his cue, also moved forward to block the vampire's escape.

"Where do you think you're goin, you Day-glo Don Juan?" Xander challenged the oncoming vampire, as he took a position to block Spike's progress.

Seeing two of his avenues of escape were blocked, Spike narrowed his eyes at the humans and growled as he backed away. Bouncing on the balls of his feet, Spike swiveled his head swiveling to track the movements of Xander and Giles as they countered his movements.

"Spike, you know you just can't leave. Your participation is vital to defeat this creature." Giles tried to explain to the distressed vampire.

As Giles tried to verbally restrain Spike from bolting, he moved slowly toward the vampire. He stepped around Buffy who was watching the antics of the men with a baffled expression. Huffing and shaking her head, Buffy took a few steps back. Buffy calmly made her way over to the kitchen hallway where Willow who had left the table was now standing, watching the scene evolve between the men.

"Watch me." Spike said as he suddenly vaulted around the other side of the dining table. Xander pursued the vampire on the opposite side of the table. He was a moment behind Spike as the vampire paused to pull the door open. In that instant, Xander was able to grab the collar of Spike's shirt. Spike was so intent on leaving that that he didn't feel the hand as he jumped back to pull open the door. Spike's momentum pulled the collar from Xander's hand, but it also caught a nail on Xander's hand. Xander made a quick inhale with the pain. In the same moment, Spike grabbed his head and arched back as he staggered back into the entry of the apartment. Spike looked over at Xander, who had closed the door and was now standing between the vampire and the door with a slow satisfied smile spreading across his face. Spike bent over and gritting his teeth against the pain in his head, moved toward the door again with dogged determination.

"I told you! I have to leave!" Spike heatedly declared to the room. Willow and Buffy looked at each other with small pained expressions.

Giles motioned to Xander to distract Spike as he slowly came up behind the vampire.

"Really, Spike? You don't think you're going to be allowed to leave?" Xander said in a condescending tone.

"Shut up, Donut boy!"

Just then, Giles reached over to grab Spike from the back, but only succeeded in knocking the vampire to the floor. Giles made an 'oomph' sound as he body collided with Spike's. Spike tightened his hand in the curls as a sound of fresh pain came out of his mouth as he was splayed across the floor. He pulled himself up to his hands and knees, but by that time Giles and Xander had a hold of each of his arms and pulled him to a standing position.

"Listen, you peroxide wonder, you're not going anywhere until we are done with you." Xander said with a threat underlying his voice. "You're all tied up in this somehow."

"Ahem, guys! I hate to break it to you, but you do realize that it is not even close to 5 o'clock in the afternoon? The sun is still up and Spike isn't going anywhere." Willow addressed the men in the room. Buffy was standing beside her wearing an expression that appeared that she was doubting the intelligence level of the men in the room. The women approached the group of men.

"Xander! Was that really necessary?" Anya asked, as she came up beside to him. Then in a lower voice, she added. "Although, it was kinda hot in a Viking sort of way."

"Spike, are you okay?" Buffy asked as she pushed Giles and Xander away from her vampire.

Buffy walked over to vampire who was standing there with a dejected air. She placed her hand alongside his head to smooth his hair and then moved it down over his heart. Spike looked up and into Buffy's eyes. As the ring covered his heart, it suddenly came to life again. The stone glowed a bright crimson, as a vibrant energy seemed to emanate from the stone. This time, the energy seemed to be directed only at Spike. It covered the vampire and then suddenly it went in to him just over his heart. Spike staggered back, as Buffy moved to support him, wrapping her other arm around his waist but still keeping her hand with the ring over his heart. Spike looked down at his chest where the energy had been just a moment before. He looked up at Buffy, he face filled with confusion at feeling nothing. In the next moment, Spike struggled for breath, as he arched his back in a spastic motion. He appeared to be in some sort of seizure as his body seemed to be reacting to the power. Spike's head fell backward as he fought against the force coursing through his body. Then it all stopped. Spike raised his head and looked around the room and then he acted as if he saw something he recognized, bringing his eyebrows together in a look of puzzlement. In the next moment, he collapsed on the floor unconscious.

…..

Spike found himself lying on a stone floor of what looked to be a gigantic stoa. There were large sections of silk hanging between the columns that gently moved without any discernible breeze. Spike slowly lifted his head and looked around with his eyes, trying to determine where he was and how exactly he got to be here. Magic! He grumbled in his head. He got to his feet, while his eyes traveled around the structure. He could not really see that far due to the hangings blocking his view. Spike became very still, listening for anything that might provide him a direction to go. From where he stood, all directions looked the same. Then he heard something, very faintly off in the distance. It began to louder and closer…It was footsteps, as if someone was casually walking towards him. There must be something off in his hearing, he couldn't tell what direction the footsteps were coming from. He became very anxious; he spun around looking for any sign of whatever was coming towards him. He would have vamped out, but he didn't seem to be able to bring forward the demon. It seemed whatever was going to happen, he was not going to have to handle it without the use his vampire skills. He was not about to let whatever was coming know that he was intimidated. He puffed up his chest and lifted his chin, perfecting his expression in a scowl of contempt. He did not notice the still figure standing behind him watching him with an air of calm disinterest.

"Really, William. I would assume you would have been brought up better than that." the individual in Victorian garb addressed him.

Spike spun around and looked at the individual who standing there. It was a woman in high necked Victorian dress, her hands clasped in front of her as she returned in stare with an enigmatic gaze. Spike took a step back as he regarded the woman. She seemed familiar, her hair, her nose, the way she held herself were so familiar. It reminded him of his….No, this wasn't her, but someone like her. He remembered his visit to his grandfather's estate that one dreadful night.

"Aun…Aunt Charlotte?"

"Yes, William. I've been expecting you."