When Angelus woke up in the evening, he was in a great mood. Things were going his way, and he was sure that bitch and that failure of a grandchilde weren't going to be able to ruin his plans this time. Although, if he were being honest with himself, he might be a little worried too. Not because of The Slayer. Ha, she couldn't scare him if he was chained up and she had a stake to his heart. No, there haven't been many people that have scared Angelus over his centuries of life. He met the most recent one only a few weeks ago, the evil entity that called itself The First. It had almost succeeded in getting that disgraceful, soul-having, version of himself to meet the sun. Well, it sang a different tune once Faith got the soul away from Angelus.
Now The First has come up with a plan to work together, to take over the world. The first step was to end the Slayer line. Faith will be the last Slayer there ever will be. Buffy will be nothing more than a memory by then. That's why Angelus has his minions digging, The First told him of a weapon meant to be used by a slayer. If Faith had it, they'd be unstoppable. Angelus thought about this while still laying in bed between his Drusilla and the Dark Slayer. He had just decided to get up to see how the digging went while he was asleep when Dru woke up laughing.
"What's so funny, princess? Did you have a good dream filled with death and carnage?"
"Oh yes Daddy, but it wasn't just a dream. The pixies promised me something."
"And what's that?" Angelus asked, wishing she'd just spit it out. Drusilla might be his favored child, and his masterpiece of torture, but listening to her ramblings got old really fast. It's why he let her make Spike in the first place. Such a soft-hearted boy could never get tired and leave his sire… or so Angelus thought at the time. Spike finally grew a pair and proved him wrong.
"There will be a fight between the sunshine and my dark prince. If I'm there, and go to him at the right time, I can bring him back into the family. He wants the sunshine, but the sunshine got hurt by the Angel that wears your face so she's scared of it happening again. She'll push Sweet William away, and that's when we can bring him back." Dru says with a big smile and starts humming to herself going off in her own little world like she often does.
'Hmm, I do miss the times we used to have as a family together. If we get him from that bitch's side we can bring him into what we're working on. After he pays for leaving us and disobeying me, of course. As long as we take out the Slayer after he's with us, I'll never have to worry about him leaving Dru without a caretaker again…. Or maybe I should just dust him for going against us and have Dru make a new dolly for herself. Either way, there's no way in hell I'm letting him keep working with the Slayer.' Angelus thought.
He felt Faith pull herself closer and rub her body against him and felt himself growing hard at the contact. He decided he could wait an hour before checking on the minions, he's got two women in his bed that are obviously craving his attention.
Spike came to consciousness confused, something didn't feel right. He knew he wasn't at the Watcher's house before he even opened his eyes, the scents were wrong. He was somewhere old and dusty, dark and cold, and he smelt mildew. Once he learned all he could by smell and feel he decided to open his eyes, and immediately regretted that decision. He barely fluttered his eyes and he realized he had a headache worse than any hangover he's had before. He knows this feeling, somehow, he was knocked unconscious and this is the pain of waking up from it.
He decided to let his eyes rest for a few more seconds to get his bearings so he listened. He's glad he did, there's a human heartbeat not far from him, only about twenty-five feet away. There are also some chains rattling, two sets of them if his ears aren't deceiving him, and they never do. He takes an unneeded breath and tries to open his eyes again, this time he gets them open without much pain. He almost wishes that he didn't because what he sees terrifies him.
Angelus has both Drusilla and Buffy tied up on stakes, like what they used to burn witches on, he has a minion with fire for each of them, and they're looking at Spike helplessly. They can't get themselves free because they are both being held at the stake by chains. Spike hadn't felt this type of fear for a long time, not since the last time Angelus tortured Drusilla to hurt him.
"What the fuck is this, Angelus?"
"Oh Willie me boy, isn't it obvious?"
"It's obvious that this is one of your fucked up games, I don't know what the point of it is though."
"It's quite simple. My men are going to light these two up, they'll burn up really fast. Vampires can survive a lot, but not death by fire. So, you'll only have time to save one. Who will you choose, I wonder?"
"Are you bloody daft? You're willing to risk Drusilla's unlife? I know you don't give a toss about the Slayer, but that's Dru!"
"I'm not worried about that, you might be an embarrassment as a grandchild and a failure as a vampire, but I know you won't let Dru die. You're 'love's bitch' right? Isn't that what you called yourself? Like it's something to be proud of?" Angelus scoffs.
Spike looks between the two and the structures they're on, trying to figure out a way to save them both. He knows he doesn't have long, any second Angelus will give the signal to light the fire. He looks at Dru, and the poor little lamb is enjoying this. He's messed her up so much that this is like foreplay to her. No matter how long or how hard Spike tried, he can't get her to heal. He loves her all the same though, she's his salvation after all.
Then Spike looks at Buffy and he sees… acceptance? She knows that Spike will do whatever he has to, to save Dru, and she's okay with it. He sees no recrimination in her eyes, no anger or sadness, just acceptance. Spike takes a deep breath he doesn't actually need, there's no way to save them both, but he'll keep trying to come up with a way until he runs out of time.
As if Angelus is reading Spike's mind, he gives the signal to his minions and they put fire to the stakes. Spike doesn't think, he just acts on instinct and runs as fast as he can. When he gets to her, the fire has already burnt her a little bit, so he uses his vamp strength to break the wood to get her away from the fire.
"Why, my sweet prince? Why did you forsake Mommy?"
"You know why, you knew before I did. I'm sorry Dru." He says and looks at her, the fire is devouring Dru, and there's no way he can get her down in time. He sees forgiveness, understanding, and love in Drusilla's eyes as she turns to dust. He lets out a choked sob and feels his face wet from what can only be tears but he turns his attention back to getting the chains off of Buffy.
"Are you okay, love? Didn't get burned too bad did you?"
"No. Thank you, Spike. I thought I was going to die. I didn't expect you to save me." He puts his hand on her cheek and makes eye contact with her.
"Of course, I was going to save you, Buffy, I love you. I can't see you in pain."
"Oh Spike, I love you too."
Spike awoke and sat up with a gasp. "Oh, god. What the fuck was that?"
Two hours later, Spike was at the cemetery where Buffy asked to meet him. Restfield he thinks the name is. They decided to do some patrolling before they went to the mansion to see if they'd be able to get Faith away from Angelus and Dru. She isn't supposed to arrive for another half hour but Spike just had to get out of Rupert's after that dream he had. So here he is, pacing back and forth, he just opened his fresh pack of cigarettes when he left the flat and he only has a few left because he's been chain smoking. He knew he cared for the Slayer, but love? Does he love her? He knows he wants to see her happy and safe, which is a bloody barmy way to feel about who is supposed to be your mortal enemy.
No, he loves Dru, always has, and always will. He's never looked at anyone else romantically. He's a one bird type of bloke. He knows that's strange for a vampire but he's spent his whole unlife learning how unusual he is compared to other vampires, so one more thing added to the list didn't surprise him. He knows she's hot, he's known it since he first saw her, dancing in the Bronze, and in every interaction he's had with her since, especially when they dance together. But love? No, he doesn't love her.
But if he doesn't love her, why does he want to be around her all the time? Why did he go against everything he's ever known, the only people he's ever been loyal to, to save her? Why did he leave his dark princess? He's seen many women in the same position she was, being Angelus' plaything, and never batted an eye, but he couldn't do that with Buffy. It hurt seeing her like that. Shit, he's already in too deep. He scoffs out loud. It doesn't even matter if he does love her, she'll never take a chance on another vampire. He's just setting himself up for heartbreak again. Which is par for the course in William the Bloody's life.
'I have to stop soddin' lying to myself, I already know I'm round the bend for her. What's worse, I know she'd never look at me the same way because I don't have a soul. Peaches made sure she believes that you can't love without a soul. Sod it, I can't see her tonight, I'm getting out of here.' Spike thinks.
He's almost at the cemetery's exit when Buffy walks in and Spike winces. He doesn't know how to act around her now, so he looks anywhere but at her and waits for her to say something. After a full minute of silence, he loses his patience and looks at her, confused by her staying quiet. He notices that she's looking anywhere but at him. He thinks that's strange, it's not like she's the one that just realized she was in love with her mortal enemy… right? No, that couldn't be it, he's never had that kind of luck before.
"Uh, so you ready to patrol yet, Slayer?"
"Mhmm, let's go." She says and he notices a little blush on her cheeks. That makes him even more confused but he doesn't say anything about it and starts walking.
Buffy, on the other hand, is mad at herself. She doesn't know why she's acting this way, it was just a dream. It's not like it meant anything. It's not like Spike would ever choose to save her life over Drusilla's. It's just, she's always wanted someone to look at her with such devotion and love like Spike looks at the crazy hoe. And the way he looked at her in the dream. It felt so real though, it's hard to just forget about it.
It didn't quite feel like a Slayer dream, but it definitely wasn't a regular one either. Was it some kind of premonition? She's not ready to be with anyone again, and she might not for a long time. But when she is ready, if she could have someone as devoted as Spike, she could maybe have a shot at having a real relationship.
'No, bad Buffy. You can't think about Spike like that, he doesn't have a soul. Plus he still loves his crazy ex-girlfriend even though she treats him like crap. Much pain and badness would come from growing feelings for him, no matter how hot, caring, and loyal you know he can be.'
"You okay, Buffy?" Spike asked then berated himself, because he had just decided he was going to keep his distance. He should only call her by her title.
"Hmm? Yeah, I'm just dandy. Oh, I have my vamp tinglies going off, there has to be some close. Shhh."
Buffy just hopes a vampire comes soon because she lied about feeling any vamps close. Well, other than Spike anyway, each vamp is unique to her but she doesn't keep them around long enough to learn their tinglies. Spike doesn't feel dangerous to her anymore, it's more comforting now, and she doesn't want to think about why that is. Spike knows there's something strange going on with the Slayer. Normally he'd have fun messing and flirting with her to rile her up or get her to blush more, but right now he's still too unsettled by today's revelations.
After a little while, both calmed down and were able to act normal again. The small gang of vamps they had to take down at the second cemetery did a lot to help loosen them up. By the time they hit the third cemetery, they were back to snarking and enjoying each other's company again. There were even a few laughs, which wasn't the norm for them. Before the snark would be mean and meant to hurt, but now it was different, they weren't trying to hurt each other. Whenever Spike thought Buffy was looking elsewhere, he'd just look at Buffy warmly. Buffy snuck appraising looks at Spike too. Both were caught by the other a time or two.
"This is probably the time to go to the mansion, I'd bet Angelus and Dru are out raising hell. Hopefully, the second Slayer is at the mansion alone." Spike said, Buffy nodded and took the lead.
When they got to the mansion, they kept their distance. Both knew there were quite a few minions around, so they went around the property and systematically took them out quickly and quietly. When they were done they snuck closer to the building and tried to find Faith.
"I don't feel her here, Slayer."
"What do you mean 'feel'?"
"You know how you feel vampires, I feel you. Vampires don't have very many predators to be afraid of so I always know when one is around."
"Is it that way for all vampires, or just you?"
"Don't really know, I've never asked anyone," Spike said looking intrigued at the thought.
"If she's not here, I wonder where she is."
"Do you think she'd go out hunting with them?" Spike didn't know the girl real well, but he didn't think she was really evil. He figured she was acting out or was seduced to the dark side and eventually she'd repent for her wrongdoings. Maybe he was wrong.
"No, I don't think so. I don't think she'd be able to do that. Maybe she's out slaying?"
"What do you wanna do?"
"Let's go look for her."
"Right then. Lead the way, you know her route better than I would."
Almost two hours later they walked back into Giles' house, with Buffy looking forlorn.
"I'm guessing you couldn't get her to come back with you?"
"More like we couldn't find her at all. She wasn't at the mansion, so I thought she might be out slaying because she does it for fun, you know? But she wasn't at any of her usual spots. I guess we'll try again tomorrow."
"Yes, that's a good idea. I had another thought, we should find where and what they're digging for. That will give us a lot of information about what their plan is."
"Yeah, but how do we do that?"
"I could force a minion to show me. They don't know what they're digging for though. At least that's what the blokes I already talked to said."
"Quite right, I forgot about that. We should at least find out where they're working."
Spike shrugs and puts a cigarette between his lips. He reluctantly puts it away when he sees the angry faces of the watcher and the slayer with their hands pointing to the door, telling him to take it outside.
"Sure, why not. It's still too early for a vamp to be in for the night, it's bloody disgraceful is what it is."
Buffy was about to tell him to wait for her because she was still too amped to go to bed. At the last second she decided against it though, she needs some space from Spike right now. She might have gotten over the awkwardness of the dreams but she knows she has some thinking to do. Especially when her first instinct was to go with Spike for no other reason than wanting to hang out with him.
