Guns, Flesh-eaters and Soldiers
"I can't help you Buffy."
Buffy glowered at Riley, her whole body tensing.
"What do you mean you can't help? You did this... You did this to him so you can damn well fix him!"
Riley let out a groan of exasperation.
"Even if I wanted to help – which I don't, where would I even begin?"
"There must be someway Riley..."
Buffy grounded out, her voice deadly; Riley ran a hand through his short hair.
"We need the labs... But it doesn't matter I never operated! I don't have a clue what to do Buffy!"
"Just leave it Pet,"
Spike's tired voice whispered. "That one wasn't as bad as the rest…probably just gonna fade..."
An odd emotion passed over Spike's face before he suddenly clutched the sides of his head and howled out his anguish. Buffy caught him before he collapsed to the ground. She looked up at Riley.
"If you can't help me, then take me to someone who can."
"You mean the underground labs? Buffy I have no idea what's down there!"
"If you don't you're gonna deal with me, and that's more scary than anything that could be down there."
Spike's screaming came to an eventual stop, and he whimpered in her arms, his wide blue eyes were petrified.
"Buffy please! Make it stop! Make it stop please!"
"I will Spike, I promise I will, just hang in there a little longer, I've got you."
Riley made a little gagging sound at the back of his throat, and Buffy gave him a sharp look.
"Just give me a reason Riley; just give me a reason to hit you."
********
"Hurry up Riley, the sooner we get there the quicker we can both move on."
"How can you touch him? How can you bear to touch that?"
Riley snarled at her, pointing at Spike, who was trying his best to use his usual swagger but was evidently still weakened from the latest chip attack as he only managed to limp with Buffy glued to his side.
"That THING!"
Buffy lost it. Moving temporarily from Spike, she punched Riley for the second time in the face sending him reeling towards the ground. Riley howled as his broken ribs bashed against the hard earth.
"You ever call him that again ever and this will feel like child's play."
Riley snorted, and with difficulty, rose to his feet, blood trickling from his battered nose. He swiped it away with the back of hand.
"You're a hypocrite! You treated Spike like the vermin he is for years! You slept with him and then the next minute you blew up his home with him inside it! I bet you didn't even think to wonder if he'd make it out of there!"
Buffy felt a fresh wave of guilt and shame wash over her.
"We haven't got time for this! Get us to the labs!" "You're standing on it."
Riley retorted. Buffy immediately fell down to her knees, as did Spike and with their combined strength, pulled up the fake grass cover clean from the ground.
********
Spike and Buffy jumped elegantly down the hole; whereas Riley fell down like the lump he was and landed on his backside.
"Get up!"
Buffy barked, her Slayer senses were going wild in the vast darkness that surrounded them, they weren't alone. Spike, having recovered from his chip attack turned his flashlight on and led boldly in front, to Riley he appeared to have recovered his arrogant stride, but Buffy knew better, when Spike was scared he liked to take control.
"How much further?"
Buffy moaned to Riley, after they had seemingly walked down half a dozen lightless corridors.
"I'm not sure; everything's different in the dark. It's hard to tell."
"You don't say,"
Spike muttered sarcastically, but he came to an abrupt stop, causing Buffy and Riley to almost fall into him.
"What is it Spike? Don't tell me it's the chip!"
Buffy asked fearfully. The chip firing in Spike was the last thing they needed.
"Something's down here, m' vamp senses going wild down 'ere. Can you feel it Slayer?
"Since we've been down here."
Buffy whispered, the reality of Riley's fragility suddenly came to mind, and she moved protectively in front of him.
"Can you sense where it is?"
Buffy murmured to Spike, though only half-hopeful.
"No, just a blip on the radar..."
Spike suddenly flung his arm out and punched into the darkness, a deafening roar sounded.
"Damn little bugger! Rock hard!"
Spike complained, nurturing the scraped flesh on his knuckles.
"Stay behind us Riley."
Buffy warned, before letting out a flying kick at the rough outline of a troll-like creature. She instantly felt something solid, like armour, when an arm of steel lashed out at her and Spike and sent them tumbling onto the floor, the flashlights falling out of their hands. They leapt to their feet, the outline of the demon barely visible. They fought it with all their might. Spike let out a tremendous battle cry and charged the demon into wall, he was about to wrap his hands around the throat, when he let out a cry of excruciating pain, and collapsed to the ground. The demon shoved Buffy in the opposite direction, and taking Spike's limp legs, dragged Spike across the floor like a broken rag doll.
"SPIKE!"
Buffy screamed, as she leapt to her feet and charged after them, only to trip over Riley, who had lost his footing trying to get out of the demon's way.
"YOU USELESS LUMP!"
Buffy cried in frustration, pulling herself upright once again, and speeding off in their direction, ignoring Riley's pleads to not to leave him.
"SPIKE!"
Buffy screamed again, as she turned a corner to see one of Spike's forearms in the demon's massive hands. The demon looked ready to rip it off, with the quickest charge she had ever made; Buffy propelled the demon to the ground. Seizing the opportunity, she wrapped her hands around his throat, and grunting with effort, snapped it.
"Flesh eater – ew!"
Buffy muttered, unable to stop herself, Spike made a muffled sound and Buffy fell to his side.
"Spike, you with me?"
"Yeah, Buffy what's…"
The room suddenly exploded with lights, the clicking of guns was unmistakable. Buffy raised an eyebrow, as the room revealed a winding spiral staircase leading to balcony filled with armed soldiers.
"…going on?"
Spike finished, half conscious.
"That's no way to treat guests you know."
Buffy told the soldiers dryly. A black soldier, the leading officer lowered his weapon, the rest followed suit.
"Miss Summers, and is that... Hostile Seventeen?!"
"Miss Summers yeah, Hostile Seventeen no, his name is Spike."
"Well, we're at your service."
"Good, we haven't got time to waste, oh and someone should probably go check on Riley, a few flesh-eaters around, might make a nice snack."
*****
Buffy could see, as the soldiers descended from the balcony, fear in Spike's eyes, and a protectiveness formed inside her. What Spike had gone through last time he was here was nothing short of horrendous. And now she had brought him back.
"I understand we are here to help Hostile-"
"SPIKE!"
Buffy cut in furiously.
"It's Spike. You are here to help, you call him that again and I'll show you what hostile means."
The black officer took a few mini steps back.
"I meant no offence miss, um should we help him up and then you can tell me what's going on."
"I don't need a minder Mate, can tell you myself."
The Officer glanced unsure at Spike, unsure as to how he should respond; it only served to irritate Buffy further.
"He's a person, for god sakes just treat him like one!"
Buffy heaved Spike up from the floor, and gave the officer an icy look.
"Lead the way."
*****
"The Chip hm.. well yes I suppose it must be, overdue if you ask me.."
"Well no one did Mate, don't care if it should 'ave happened sooner, how do you bloody fix it?!"
"Well, we have to determine the exactly what we're dealing with-"
"It's obvious isn't it! Spike's chip's broken! I came down this morning and he started screaming, there was blood everywhere!"
A look of anxiety passed through the black officer's eyes.
"Are you- I mean is there a chance that maybe – Are you positive it's the chip?"
Buffy's eyes were glacial.
"He's not making it up if that's what you're getting at."
The officer nodded.
"Ok fine, I'll take your word, but you understand anything Spike may or may not do is entirely at your doorstep."
"I get it, Spike turns psycho my fault – not gonna happen – can we please just get on with it."
The officer nodded, and led them to an operating table, it had cuffs on it.
"Those won't be necessary."
Buffy said firmly.
"No they won't, but Spike will be sedated."
Spike had gone very stiff, very still and very quiet – bad sign Spike was never quiet.
"Come on Spike, it's going to be ok, it's all gonna be over."
"I'm not having... I'm not having them mess me up again! Last time I didn't have a choice-"
"Last time I wasn't here. I'm not gonna let anything happen to you, I promise."
Spike sighed in resignation, and laid himself down on table.
"Just get me out of here Buffy..."
Buffy nodded, as she stroked his hair.
"Shh."
Buffy whispered, Spike's erratic breathing portrayed his fear, and Buffy kept cooing and stroking him, but when the officer came holding a needle, Spike almost bolted.
"I know your scared, but I'm gonna look after you, I'm here Spike. I'm not going anywhere."
Spike felt the needle pierce his skin and a fresh bout of alarm washed over him, his big blue eyes sought Buffy's, the palpable anxiety in them was like a stab to the heart for Buffy. All she ever seemed to do was upset him... but on the outside Buffy smiled reassuringly. She took his closest, now limp, hand into hers, and slowly lifted it to her lips. She kissed it gently. She didn't say anything, she didn't need to, Spike was fading fast with the drug, and in mere moments after her kiss, Spike's eyes closed wearily and he completely relaxed. The black officer approached warily.
"Miss Summers? This is a delicate OP, you can stay if you prefer-"
"No, I can't, I can't just watch you…"
"That's ok Miss Summers, someone will fetch you as soon as we're done, you'll be back before he wakes up, but before you go, since you have accepted responsibility the decision lies with you."
"What decision?"
"The chip. We can either fix it, or remove it."
"There's no question, I won't put him through this again. He has a soul now. He doesn't need a chip."
Hey! So sorry for the huge gap, but I'd rather wait and have it checked by my beta then just submit it and fiddle around with it later, thanks for reading and all reviews welcome lol!