Betrayal

Disclaimer: I don't own this universe. I just like to play in it once in a while.

It's late and I'm tired. I apologise for any mistakes.

Chapter 27

Buffy wandered into Giles' office. Giles' secretary Madeline gave her a warm smile. She was a plump dark haired woman with a matronly manner. She was the Watcher's junior by a number of years but you wouldn't think it the way she tended to mother him.

"Hi Buffy," Madeleine said. "You're looking for Mr Giles?"

Buffy nodded. "He's out? I thought he was supposed to be back at work."

Madeleine smiled. "Oh he is." She arched a brow. "He decided to go for a coffee with a lady friend but he should be back shortly. Take a seat. I'm afraid you'll have to entertain yourself as I'm very busy this morning."

There were a bunch of magazines and newspapers on a desk in the corner next to a brown leather armchair. Nabbing a copy of Cosmo she settled back to wait. She took a look at the contents page before putting the magazine down in disgust; there wasn't anything of interest. Her thoughts turned to Alice. I miss her like crazy and she's only been gone one day. It was weird having all this time to herself. Having a child meant there was always something to do, even when they were sleeping. She was free to do what she wanted for the next weeks as Angel had taken Alice to the States on a visit to see Connor. Buffy had been reluctant at being parted from her baby for two weeks but Angel was her father and she couldn't deny him the right to spend time with his son and daughter together. He had wanted to take her with him as well but she had refused not wanting to intrude on his family time. She didn't think it would be appropriate. She and Angel had been getting closer of late, although she only wanted a friendship and she knew he wanted more. She would be lying if she said she never thought about making that move beyond friendship but she didn't feel that same pull to him as she did in the past. Still, it would be easy to fall back into the same pattern and she knew he had strong feelings for her. She couldn't say she felt as strongly about him and for that reason she knew it wasn't fair to go there. She knew the barrier of him being immortal and she not wasn't an obstacle anymore, but there was that niggling knowledge that the same issue that kept her and Angel apart never stopped Spike from pursuing her. Did Angel not love her enough or did he love her too much? Everything seemed to bring her back to Spike, who despite having left her well over a year ago still seemed to hold her back. And it was stupid. She knew there was no chance of reconciliation there but still she waited.

"Hello, Buffy." Giles' cheerful tone interrupted her musings.

She looked in the direction of the voice and saw Giles beaming down at her. She stood up and embraced him. "It's good to see you, Giles."

Madeleine coughed awkwardly and the two pulled apart.

"Sorry to interrupt," she said, "but I got a call from Vi a half an hour ago and she asked that you contact her urgently."

Giles sighed. "That doesn't sound promising." He looked at Madeleine. "Could you please get a coffee for Buffy?"

He headed into his office and Buffy followed him. She made herself at home and sat down on the comfy chair facing Giles' desk as he picked up the phone.

"Hello Vi. You called."

Giles' face paled. "Oh my lord. He took off his glasses and began to wipe them with a tissue from his desk.

Buffy's interest was piqued as she watched the one-sided conversation.

"And Spike?" Giles asked.

"He what?" he exclaimed after a moment.

Buffy's attention was diverted for a moment by the arrival of Madeleine and a frothy latte.

"Thanks," Buffy said, taking the cup.

Madeleine nodded and headed out the door and Buffy turned back to the onesided conversation she was listening to.

"I understand you might be angry. It was terribly foolish of him, but I think it's understandable given their history." He peered up at Buffy with a tight smile.

"It might be best to send over a couple of experienced Slayers," he continued.

Buffy could barely restrain herself from demanding what was going on.

"Alright Vi. Leave it with me and I will get back to you once I have made plans."

He put down the phone and shook his head. "First day back and it is bad news."

"Not an apocalypse?" Buffy quipped.

He laughed, "No- not yet. However, the partnership of Drusilla and Dracula does have a bit of a menacing feeling about it."

Buffy's eyes bugged open. "That's not of the good. Anything I can do?"

"You've more important things to be getting on with at the moment."

"Nuh- uh. I'm completely at a loose end Buffy. Alice is with Angel for the next two weeks. He's taken her to see Connor and his new girlfriend in Los Angeles."

"Why didn't you go?"

"I don't think that would be a good idea. I don't want to lead Angel on. It wouldn't be fair. I've been there, done that and experienced the shit hitting the fan."

He nodded. "I see. I can understand that."

"So what's the plan for Moscow?" Buffy asked.

"Vi needs back enough. They have one than one master vampire to worry about now so they need a couple more slayers – the more experienced the better."

Buffy bit at her lip. "I could go and head up the group. Scope out the place with Vi, make sure the Slayers are settled and come back and fill you in."

The more she thought about it, the better idea it seemed.

She rolled her eyes when she noticed Giles' mournful expression.

"I don't know Buffy. You have Alice to think about."

"I am a Slayer, Giles. I don't plan on taking any stupid risks and I'll just go over for the week or so and be back in time before Angel returns with Alice. Besides, I'm bored to death here right now. I need to be doing something."

Giles wiped his glasses and looked at her resigned. "Are you sure?"

"Yes!"

Giles grimaced. "Do you think you and Spike working together will be a problem?"

Buffy shrugged. "It would be strained, sure. But we're both grown-ups."

"I would prefer give Spike fair warning first. Let me talk to him and I'll get back to you."

"Okay, Giles." There was a little pep in her step at the idea of getting out there and taking on a master vampire. It had been too long. The local patrols she had been on lately usually offered nothing more than your average fledge and the prospect of facing Dracula and Drusilla was mouth-watering. Hopefully, Spike wouldn't have a problem with her coming to Moscow.

It didn't take Giles long to sort out flights for those that were going to Moscow. Two days later Buffy landed in the Moscow airport, butterflies in her stomach. She was nervous about seeing Spike again. This would be the first time they actively had to work together since their relationship ended. The last few times they had met it had been strained but civil, and Buffy hoped they would be able to work together. Buffy knew Giles or Angel weren't happy with her decision to go to Moscow, but slaying was as essential to her as breathing and she had wanted to put an end to Drusilla for a very long time. And of course there was Dracula too. She was still pretty pissed about his dust and reform trick. It would be good to kick his ass. Her blood was coursing with adrenaline and she couldn't wait. Alice had taken most of Buffy's time over the last year and she had been neglecting her slayer duties, something which she suspected the men in her life to be glad about. Spike would have understood; sometimes she thought that he understood the Slayer part of her better than she did herself. There were three other Slayers that accompanied her to Russia and all three were excited as it was their first time travelling to Moscow. One of the girls Lena was seen as very promising although she was quite young, while Denise and Lorraine were among those who survived Sunnydale. All three would be excellent additions to the Moscow cell.

"Hey Buffy!" The voice interrupted her reverie.

Vi was standing at the barrier in arrivals waving at her. Buffy smiled at the young woman and made her way over, the other girls at her hells.

"Hi Vi." She gave the younger Slayer a little smile. She gestured towards the other Slayers, "You remember Lorraine and Denise?"

Vi nodded, "Of course."

"And this is Lena," Buffy said introducing the petite, dark haired girl.

Lena held her hand out to Vi and she took it and shook it firmly.

"Let's go get you guys home." Vi started to walk towards the exit. "The car's not too far."

Buffy quickened her pace and reached Vi's side.

Vi turned to look at her. "It's good to see you Buffy. We could do with all the help we can get. Not that Spike would admit it of course. You're nervous about seeing him again?"

Buffy nodded. "A little, I suppose."

"He probably will be happier to see you than you think," Vi replied. "Given that he's Mr Unpopular at the moment."

"Yeah – I heard about that."

"And how about you?"

"I was pretty pissed," Vi admitted. "But I get it. I mean if you're with someone for a century it's going to be hard to kill them. The problem for me was the lies. So, I am still a little pissed but I know there was no intention to hurt anyone. Not everyone seems to agree though."

Buffy wondered if she would only added to the bad feeling by turning up, but Giles had said he had cleared it with him first. Still, she wondered. It was too late to turn back now after all.

"Don't worry," Vi said as if reading her mind. "Even Spike knows we could use all the help we can get." She pointed at the dark green people carrier in the front of the car park. "Here we are."

There was a warm meal waiting for Buffy and the Slayers when they arrived. The weather was colder than Buffy was used to and she was glad of the soup. Spike had been polite and welcoming when she had arrived, although since they had sat down to eat he barely spoke a word to anyone let alone her. He was sitting at the opposite side of the table in between Vi and Sarah. The conversations among the rest of the occupants of the table were animated with plenty of the girls asking after Alice. Andrew was keeping up a steady drip of questions to Buffy and the other guests about everyone back in the UK. Buffy's gaze drifted to Spike occasionally during the meal when she wasn't conversing with somebody or other. It wasn't like him to be so quiet and she wondered at what Vi had told her about some of the Slayers being mad at him over Dru. She watched as Vi put her hand on his arm and whispered something in his ear and he managed a tiny smile. Buffy wondered at that for a moment. Was there something going on between them? The way which Vi spoke about him was as if they were very familiar with one another. She might have to grill Andrew.

She tore her eyes away and turned to Lena. "So what d'ya think?" she asked conspiratorially. "How does this place measure up to home?"

"It's nice," Lena said, "but personally I can't wait to get stuck in."

"Not sure if there's much to get stuck in with?" Michelle interrupted. "I mean Dracula has had us on the back foot the whole time and now with the addition of Spike's skank ex.."

Buffy raised her eyebrows, "I hope you're about Drusilla and not about me."

Michelle's hand went to her mouth. "Sorry. I didn't mean.. I was talking about her."

Buffy laughed. "Hey relax. I was kidding."

She looked over the other side of the table and noticed Spike and Vi had disappeared. She felt her phone buzz in her pocket.

"Excuse me." She reached in her pocket and pulled out her cell. Angel. "I better take this."

"Hello," she chirped as she walked away from the table and into the next room.

Angel sounded irritated. "Buffy! Someone tells me you're in Moscow of all places."

"Yeah. Um – I'll be back before you'll be back with Alice."

"You could have told me," he replied snidely.

"Are you telling me you wouldn't have tried talking me out of it?"

He sighed. "Maybe I would, but we both know that you're going to do what you want anyway. Besides, you wouldn't be you if you were any different. And I happen to like you just as you are even if sometimes I don't do a good job of it."

Buffy was taken aback for a moment and didn't know what to say. That was sweet and it made her feel childish that she wanted to avoid telling him until she was in Moscow.

"Sorry, Angel."

"That's ok," he said gruffly.

"Tell me how my little girl is?"

"Being spoiled rotten."

Buffy smiled.

Later that evening Buffy volunteered to do some patrolling. Everyone was briefed on the up to date news before Spike suggested that four of them do a sweep of the neighbourhood. Lena, Denise, and Lorraine begged off after all the travel. Kennedy, Michelle or Beata didn't seem eager to patrol with Spike. That left Buffy, Sarah, Vi and Spike.

Vi bit her lip. "I'll take Sarah."

Before Spike or Buffy could utter a word, Vi had grabbed Sarah by the arm and rushed out the door.

Spike glared at the door after Vi and shook his head. He turned back to Buffy, "Sorry about that. Some interfering bints think they know best."

Buffy shrugged. "Best we get it out of the way. I'll be here for the next week. When you put the bandage on, you do it quick do it doesn't hurt."

Spike snorted. "I forgot that you do that."

"What do you mean?"

"Butcher the English language and mix up your metaphors. It's pulling a bandage off, not putting it on."

Buffy giggled. "Well, that makes more sense."

"Bloody Americans," he muttered.

He threw open the door, holding it for her. They walked down the steps onto the street. The lamp in front of the building was flickering and she eyed it nervously. "They'd want to do something about that."

Spike nodded before tapping his foot impatiently. "Let's get going."

"Wait!" Buffy said. "I want to talk to you."

He sighed. "Buffy, let's not get into this right now. We have a job to do."

"I'm sorry, Spike, for everything. You know that, right?"

"Look, pet. I do know that and I forgave you a long time ago."

"You did?" she asked.

"Yes."

"Then why didn't you come back to me?"

His face hardened again. "You still don't get it. I don't trust you, Buffy. When it comes to saving the world and killing the bad guys then I believe in you. But when it comes to me I just don't. You think you're better than me and I believed I wasn't worthy of you for so long and now I know I deserve much better." He took in a deep breath. "Can we just leave it for now? We have some vamps to hunt."

He turned his back to her and started to walk away. She made a decision right there not to avoid the repercussions of her actions no matter how shitty it made her feel. She had to own her mistakes and the pain that she caused. Seeing that Spike was getting far ahead of her and she was in a city she didn't know, she quickly took after him. He was right. Talking could wait.

To be continued..