Promises
Chapter Twenty Two
Connor had been restless ever since Spike left a little over a week ago. He refused to settle and it was beginning to take its toll on Buffy. Connor was missing Spike, she did too.
It was another night of constant screaming and fussing and Dawn had decided to go and sleep at Janice's house, mostly so that she could actually sleep.
Buffy had just put Connor down in his crib and crept across the room heading for the door before he was awake and screaming again. Buffy slid down the door defeated. She knew that being without Spike was going to be hard but she didn't realise how much of a toll it would take on Connor.
"Maybe this is why Angel brought you back" Buffy mused to herself
A light knock on the door made Buffy jump a little
"Buffy it's me" she heard Tara's muffled voice
Buffy rose to her feet and opened the door. Tara saw her tear stained face and pulled her in for a tight hug.
"I suck at this" Buffy cried
"No you don't, he's just missing Spike" said Tara releasing her from the hug "I do have an idea"
"I'll try anything at this point" Buffy sighed
"Do you have a shirt of Spike's?" Tara asked
"Uh yeah…" Buffy looked down at her feet "I've been sleeping with it"
"I read that maybe if Connor can smell him he'll settle down" said Tara
Buffy retrieved the shirt from her bed and placed it in the crib with Connor after a few moments Connor settled down and finally went to sleep.
"Tara" Buffy said excitedly in a very hushed tone "I could kiss you! Thank you!"
Tara stifled a laugh as they retreated out of the room. Buffy closed the door behind them gently
"Thank you for helping" Buffy grinned
"It's okay, Dawn said that he was a little restless… and you? Are you okay?" asked Tara
"Oh my god no but for the purposes of this conversation I'm fine" Buffy smiled
"You've still not heard anything from Spike?"
Buffy sighed heavily "Nope… I figured he would call but… What if he got his soul and was like actually I'm better of without her"
"That would never happen. He's crazy about you Buffy"
"Then why hasn't he called?"
XXXXX
Spike lay on the floor of the cave, his chest was covered in bruises and welts from the trials he had endured a few days ago. At least he thought it was a few days ago, time seemed to slip by as he went over every deadly deed he'd ever done. As soon as his soul was returned the flashbacks happened. He knew that remembering would be the hardest part but he couldn't have prepared himself for the torment that was going on in his head.
He thought that if he was still and didn't move the flashbacks would subside, they didn't though. Mixed with all the bloodshed there was her, Buffy. His sweet Slayer, like a bolt of lightning striking him he remembered sinking his teeth into Xin Rong the Chinese Slayer he killed during the boxer rebellion. Another flash and he saw himself snapping Nikki Wood's neck.
Somehow the memories got jumbled together and he saw himself snap Buffy's neck. Throwing her on to the floor lifeless.
All of his memories of his former life mixed with those of Buffy, Connor, Dawn and the Scoobies. Every time he remembered something else the scene would change and his victim would wear the face of those close to him.
He curled up into a ball and sobbed.
XXXXX
Dawn had just finished school, she opened the front door to the sound of silence which was a welcome relief after the last week of hearing Connor scream.
"Have I gone deaf?" Dawn asked as she entered the kitchen
Buffy was busy chopping vegetables in an attempt to make dinner "Nope, he's sleeping. Finally!"
"Thank god!" Dawn smiled sitting at the kitchen island "What's with the veggies?"
"I'm making dinner" said Buffy "Well trying to at least"
"Spike still hasn't called?" Dawn asked tentatively
"No" said Buffy sadly
"I'm getting worried Buffy, he should be back by now. What if that demon didn't give him his soul back? What if he hurt him? What if they're not friendly over in Africa and what if they hurt him?" Dawn babbled nervously
"I'm sure he's okay…" said Buffy
"You don't know that" Dawn said firmly
"No… I don't but if something was wrong… I'd know, you would too" said Buffy
"My gut is telling me something bad has happened" Dawn whimpered
"He'll call…" said Buffy trying to believe her own words
"I think we need to talk to Tara, he needs us Buffy we can't just leave him" Dawn's eyes sparkled with unshed tears
Buffy saw how distressed her little sister was over this. She knew that Dawn loved Spike like a brother. Truthfully Buffy was worried too, it had been 10 days since Spike left Sunnydale. He told her he'd be a week possibly two and he always kept his promises, Buffy couldn't help but think something was wrong. Maybe Dawn was right something bad had happened.
Buffy put her arm around Dawn and pulled her in close. "Okay, I'll call her. I'll see if there's any way of locating him" said Buffy softly
XXXXX
Buffy called a Scooby meeting for later that night. The gang arrived and Buffy paced in front of them.
"I know you guys aren't exactly Spike's biggest fans but… I think something has happened to him. We need to find him" said Buffy
"I gave him a charm, it was a teleportation spell. If he got into trouble it would've brought him to you" Tara explained
"So he really just doesn't want to come back?" Buffy said fighting tears
"No that's not what I'm saying" said Tara
"You think he's dead?" said Anya
The gang looked at her in shock
"What? Like you all aren't thinking the same thing?! This is Spike we're talking about he wouldn't not just come home to Buffy without a good reason" said Anya
"Maybe he feels bad about everything?" said Willow "maybe his new conscience is preventing him from coming home?"
"That seems more likely" said Tara
"What what do we do?" asked Xander
"I can do a locator spell… I mean Tara can do a locator spell" Willow suggested
"I'm not sure it would help, he's in a different country I've never tried to do a locator spell for anybody outside of Sunnydale… there is one thing we could try" said Tara
"At this point I'll try anything" said Buffy
"There's a spell-" Tara started just as a rock flew threw the living room window missing Willow's head by a few inches then crashing to the floor.
The gang got to their feet to look at who threw it and standing out on the front lawn was Warren.
"C'mon Slayer!" He goaded
Buffy saw red she stomped towards the front door.
"Buffy! You can't go out there!" said Dawn
"It's just Warren! This won't take long!" said Buffy
"Dawn's right. This has trap written all over it" Xander fretted.
Buffy ignored them and flung the front door open. Just as she stepped out of the house four vampires attacked her, grabbing her they managed to incapacitate her and bring her towards Warren who had a devilish smile on his face.
The vampires held her in position as she struggled against them. Warren was practically bouncing with joy at the sight in front of him.
"Aww poor Slayer" he said stroking her face, before backhanding her viciously "Did you think I'd let you do that to me? That I'd let you get away with that?"
He chuckled maniacally "Think again" he said injecting Buffy with a substance "Take her away boys"
The gang raced outside as the four vampires who had hold of Buffy bundled her into the back of a van.
Xander charged at Warren. Warren laughed as he punched Xander sending him flying across the yard. The girls looked on in horror as Warren turned back around in full vamp face.
"Enjoy the show ladies? I'll be back for you and the little brat in there too" said Warren "Once I'm finished with her that is"
Warren chuckled as he got into the van and it sped off.