A/N: I own nothing of the Whedonverse nor any fairytales and I am not profiting from this work.

Chapter 8

Previously on Buffy the Vampire Slayer

"She is our friend!"

"She's sad that she can't go inside."

"Only Dru'd be loony 'nough to turn a Slayer."

"Drusilla did not kill me! This is only temporary!" Buffy sat back and glared at her sworn enemy.

"Yeah, a temporary state 'til a sliver of rowan's lodged in your chest." Spike was studying her a bit too closely for anyone's liking.

"Nuh-uh, Buffy is under contract." Willow immediately regretted interjecting when she became the object of the captive vamp's scrutiny.

"Contract? Whadjou mean contract?" He swiveled from the witch, to the whelp, then settled back on the Slayer.

"Gee Will, way to tip our hand, much?" Xander raised his eyebrows in a condemning fashion.

"Buffy already spilled it with the 'temporary'." Willow pouted at Xander as she burrowed into her boyfriend's shoulder. Who, for his part, was taking in everything with a level of analytic mien that was commendable.

"Everyone is talking, but, no one is saying anything. Why doesn't anyone just ask Spike things that would help solve this? No wonder things are always complicated." Everyone just stared at Anya including the plate-stand-supported Giles while Joyce smiled into her cocoa. "Well," Anya looked around, "It's true."

"Anya is quite right," the girl straightened in her seat and beamed at the biblified Watcher, "Spike is still here because, being connected to Dru and the demon underworld for more than a century, he may know a loophole to this whole kerfuffle with CHAOS." Spike perked up at that.

"Bloody hell, Slayer! You're involved with CHAOS? Don't you ever have a slow week?" Oz gave what passed for a smile at that.

"Only summers in Sunnydale could ever be considered slow, Spike." The Slayer settled into her chair and cast a surmising glance over the hostage who was starting to smirk again. She figured out how he was taking that statement and quickly finished the line of questioning. "It sounds like you know the group that's responsible, spill."

Spike clenched his entire body then let himself fall limp against his chair; an air of defeat suffusing his words. "All I know is that they make deals that are nigh impossible to get out of and that they have their dirty little fingers in nearly everyone's pies."

Buffy sighed. "Great! That leaves us in pretty much the same place as Anya's information."

"Sorry I couldn't be of more help ducks." The smile he was sporting was not a nice one.

Buffy glowered at their captive. "Shut up, Spike!" She stood and addressed the rest of the group. "I think we should break off for the evening. Xander, Oz, Anya, and Willow you guys go on home. I'll stay here with mom, Giles, and Spike."

"You can't let Spike stay here!" Xander was mid-departure when that tidbit sounded the alarms.

"Xander," Buffy crossed her arms, "I'm the Slayer and I'm not letting Spike do anything. He's going to be locked up in the basement." She smiled viciously at the vampire in question.

"Like hell I am!" Spike started rocking back and forth in his chair while the rest of the Scooby Gang exited the Summers residence for the night.

"Stop fussing Spike. You're going to hurt yourself." The Slayer came around the table and grabbed the back of his chair.

"What are you doin'?" Buffy had started gently pulling him to the basement door. Joyce stood and walked in front of the door to block her path.

"Buffy Anne Summers! You are not locking a guest of ours in the basement!" Her hands were on her hips in ultimate mother fashion.

"But, Mom?!" Buffy impotently gestured at the restrained vamp.

"We do not imprison people in this house, young lady." Joyce's face was stern and made Buffy feel like a four year old who had drawn on the wall. Again.

"Mom, he's not…"

"What was that?" Her mother's head tilted as she awaited the response.

"Yeah pet," Spike's grin was way too shit-eating for Buffy's liking, "I'm not what?"

Buffy took a deep breath and released it with finality. "Fine Mom, where should we let the vampire stay."

Joyce smiled at her daughter. "Well, since you are staying in your room, why don't we give him the guest room."

Spike smirked up at her as Buffy agreed to lead the vampire to the guest room upstairs. Buffy tightened the rope she was tying around his wrists so he could walk up the stairs on his own after cutting him free of the chair. "I get to stay in the guest room."

"Shut up, Spike!" Both Buffy and Giles said as the Slayer led her mortal enemy to a queen-sized bed while her Watcher stayed downstairs on what he called the tea-table.