The Big Payback
A/N: I want to apologize to all of you who have asked me to finish this story. I have once again had major computer problems and I lost all of the stories (completed and in progress) that I was recreating from a computer disaster earlier in the year. I don't normally leave stories hanging like this. The Big Payback was completed several months ago and because I have been working on other fics since then, I do not remember the exact original ending. Sorry. Again, I apologize for the delay.
Chapter 7 – And Nobody Believed Her
Part 1
Buffy, Spike and Drusilla stayed with the Pendletons for two days, by which time the vampires were physically completely recovered from their ordeal at the Watchers' Council; emotionally, however, it may have been quite different, but neither of them let it show. Buffy also seemed emotionally healthy, however, even with slayer healing it was obvious that she was not back up to par.
The Pendletons, who were obviously some kind of demon, had taken good care of their guests. Mrs. Pendleton stayed by Buffy's bedside for the entire night and next day after they arrived. She gave instructions to her husband and other members of her household who obeyed immediately; her only concern seemed to be the slayer. She fed, bathed, dressed and generally took care of Buffy as if she was her own daughter. Spike didn't know what kind of concoction she had her family brew up, but Mrs. Pendleton spoon-fed it to Buffy every two hours throughout the next twenty-four hours after they arrived and it did wonders for the slayer's recovery; after the first day he could see color coming back to Buffy's face.
By the end of the second day the slayer could not sit still any longer; she had to get back to California. Mrs. Pendleton was not happy with the decision, but she understood that Buffy had to leave. "You really should continue the treatment for another two days," she told her patient, "but I understand that you are concerned about your friends."
Buffy wondered briefly how she knew that, but she let it slide. With profound thanks and promises to return for a visit, the three guests said their good-byes and were off to the airport with Pendleton.
Part 2
Buffy slept very little during the flight back to the US due to her anxious concerns for her mother and her friends. The plane from London arrived at a private air strip in LA just after sunset where a car was waiting to take Buffy, Spike and Drusilla to Angel's apartment. The apartment was small but clean and neat; with the sofa in the living room, there was enough space for the three of them to sleep, but Buffy had other ideas. After she got no answer at her house, at the Magic Box and at Giles' house when she called, she started to panic.
"Spike, I need to get to Sunnydale as soon as possible. I have to know that my mother and my friends are all right."
"Okay, we can take Angel's car; you and Dru can sleep on the way."
Three hours after arriving in LA from London and after finding no one at her house on Revello Drive, Buffy, Spike and Drusilla were walking up the walkway leading to Giles' house. Buffy rang the door bell. When Giles answered the door, his surprise quickly turned to anger. "What are you doing here? And with them?" His voice reflected the expression on his face.
Before she could answer, she heard Willow's voice ask, "Giles, who is it?"
Without answering he opened the door wide enough for Willow to see. "Why did you come back, Buffy? We thought you were gone for good this time."
"Yeah, Buff, why did you bother coming back at all?"
This came from Xander who had also come to the door. Buffy turned to her watcher. "Giles what is going on here? Aren't you even going to let me in?"
"How do I know you're not a vampire like your friends?" he asked; his face contorted in anger as he pointed to Spike and Drusilla.
"Giles! I'm wearing a cross for goodness sake," Buffy said pointing to the silver cross around her neck.
Obviously embarrassed, Giles stepped aside to let her in.
"You know that Spike and Drusilla need an invitation."
"I'm aware of that."
Xander was livid. "Uh uh, no way. You're lucky he's letting you in; no way are these blood sucking fiends being invited in."
"Surely you don't expect me to invite two vicious vampires into my home."
"Giles, they aren't going to harm anyone; they have their souls."
Tara, who had been quiet until now spoke up and said, "She's right, Mr. Giles. I can read their auras; theirs are cleaner than most human auras."
"Very well. Spike, Drusilla, you may enter."
As the two vampires entered the house Xander retreated to the back of the room and picked up a crossbow. "Just to be on the safe side." he said pointing the weapon at Spike and Dru.
Spike almost laughed out loud as he thought to himself, 'Yeah, right, we're probably safer than you are right now since, from the way you're holding that thing, you obviously do not know how to use it.'
"Now, Buffy, why don't you tell us where you've been all summer; we haven't seen or heard from you since graduation day." This came from Willow who, of Buffy's three friends, had tried hardest of all to find her.
"Yes, Buffy, where were you. We know that you weren't with Angel because he was here with us part of the time helping to protect us from Faith," Giles asked, his bitterness showing clearly on his face and in his voice.
"Faith?"
"Yes. Faith. She awoke from her coma and came here looking to get revenge on you for putting her there; when you weren't here, she sought to take her vengeance out on us. I called Angel for help."
"Look guys, I'm sorry; I had no idea."
"Of course you had no idea," Xander jumped in; "you were probably off somewhere feeling sorry for yourself because your vampire boyfriend left you."
Spike had had enough. "You're supposed to be her friends. At least let her tell you where she's been," he said trying hard to control his temper.
"Go ahead, Buff; tell us where you've been."
"I've been in prison. In London."
They didn't believe her, so she tried to explain.
"When I returned home after we stopped the mayor, there was a council retrieval team in my house. I was drugged and taken to London where I was held prisoner by Quentin Travers until we were rescued a few days ago."
They still didn't believe her.
Spike spoke again. "Look at her. Have you ever seen her look like that before? She looks like she hasn't had a decent meal in months; she hadn't until two days ago. Hell, Travers treated me and Dru better than he treated her."
Giles was so angry he was shaking. "Now I know you are lying," he said gesturing at Spike with his eyeglasses that he held in his hand; "I have been in constant contact with Mr. Travers this summer. He was as concerned about finding the slayer as we were."
"Of course he knew you hadn't found the slayer, because he was holding her prisoner and torturing her in the basement of the Watchers' Council."
Buffy couldn't take any more; her patience was wearing thin and her strength was fading. "Let it go, Spike. It doesn't matter any more what they think. Let's go." Her voice was obviously getting weaker as she spoke. The shock of their reactions had caused her to briefly forget to ask about her mother. "Where is my mother? The house doesn't look as though she is living there; I could see old newspapers in the living room and the front lawn looks like it hasn't been mowed in weeks."
Xander shared a guilty look with Willow before replying. "Mrs. Summers said that she had had enough of your childish behavior; she left town over a month ago. We don't know where she went. If you're going to reclaim your house, you need to wait until Willow and I get our things out of there. There is no way that I am sharing a house with you after this summer." Xander spoke with such venom that Buffy turned to look at him to make sure that it was her former friend that was speaking.
Buffy walked toward the door; she stopped and turned to look at her former friends one last time. "Travers told me that he had captured Willow, Xander and Angel and that neither of you would leave his prison alive. I just wanted to see for myself that you were all okay." She continued out the door with Spike and Drusilla following her.
After hearing Buffy's last words, Willow was no longer so sure that they were not making a mistake. "Xander, maybe we should … "
"Uh uh, no maybe, Will. Let's go."
Willow followed him without another word.
Part 3
Spike dropped Buffy off at her house to collect some of her personal items and then he and Drusilla drove to Willy's where they filled up on O positive as they had many times before. The only difference this time was that they promised to return and pay for what they drank. Willy filled them in on the happenings in Sunnydale over the summer. They learned that Faith did indeed wake up from her coma and briefly cause trouble, but that she was currently in prison for attempted murder of the slayer's watcher and friends and for assaulting the slayer's mother.
Buffy collected what she wanted from her house before Xander and Willow arrived. From her upstairs window she saw Xander's car parked across the street and assumed that they were waiting for her to leave. She took one last look around to make sure that she had everything she wanted from the house before leaving. As she was coming down the stairs she heard Spike's car pull into the driveway.
Spike parked the car, got out and rang the doorbell; he knew that Buffy was weakening and would need help with her bags. He ran up the stairs and returned with the pillows from Buffy's bed. "You'll be more comfortable with these on the drive back to LA," he told her.
As he headed the car down Revello Drive toward the highway, Spike looked briefly into the rear view mirror and saw Xander and Willow crossing the street heading for the Summers' house. He glanced at Buffy on the back seat of the car. She was already asleep.