When Buffy and Spike returned upstairs, they found Giles awake.

They stood at a cautious distance, watching the feral Watcher shackled to the wall. His eyes glowed with a menacing, unnatural light, and he strained against his restraints, growling and snapping at any sudden movement. It seemed as though nothing had changed from the night before.

"We really need to get him down to the cellar," Buffy said, her voice steady but tinged with sadness.

Spike nodded, eyeing Giles warily. "This isn't gonna be easy, Slayer. He's not exactly in a cooperative mood."

Buffy took a moment, gathering her resolve. "I'll try to talk to him. Maybe I can ease him down.

She stepped closer to Giles, who responded with a vicious snarl. Buffy held her ground, speaking softly. "Giles, it's me, Buffy. We're going to help you, but you need to calm down."

Giles' eyes flickered with a hint of curiosity, but the feral rage quickly took over again. He lunged forward, only to be pulled back by the shackles.

"Well, that went well," Spike remarked dryly, lighting a cigarette and leaning against the wall. "Looks like the old 'yes ma'am' days are over,"

Buffy shot him a look. "Not helping, Spike."

Spike shrugged, exhaling a plume of smoke. "Got something else in mind?"

Buffy nodded, turning away from Giles. "Actually, I do have a plan B." She strode to the table and reached into her bag, carefully retrieving a dart gun and a vial of tranquilizer. "I brought this just in case," she explained, loading the dart with a steady hand. "I just hoped I didn't have to use it."

Spike raised an eyebrow. "Good thinking. Let's hope it works."

Buffy took aim and fired. "Sorry," she whispered apologetically. The dart struck Giles' shoulder, and almost immediately, his movements began to slow. His growls softened into low grumbles as the tranquilizer took effect.

"Now's our chance," Buffy said, stepping cautiously toward Giles.

"Let's do this step by step. I'll unlock one shackle at a time, and we'll guide him down together."

Spike took another drag of his cigarette and then stubbed it out. "Right. I'll hold him steady. You go ahead."

Spike moved in beside her, his arms outstretched, ready to support Giles. Buffy reached for the first shackle, her fingers working quickly to unlock it. As soon as it clicked open, Giles tried to lunge, but Spike was ready, his grip firm and unyielding.

Together, they carefully unchained Giles from the wall, taking care not to startle him further. Giles swayed on his feet, his eyes drooping with drowsiness.

"Easy there, Watcher," Spike said while slinging Giles' arm around his shoulders, keeping him steady.

"Now, down to the cellar," Buffy instructed, her voice soothing. They carried Giles across the crypt to the cellar door.

Spike managed to free one hand and pushed the door wide open, once again revealing the steep concrete stairs leading down. "Ladies first," he quipped, his voice laced with sarcasm despite the situation.

Buffy rolled her eyes but didn't waste any time. "Careful now," she whispered as she took the lead, guiding Giles down the steps one at a time. Spike followed, his grip on Giles never faltering.

They reached the bottom, the dim light casting long shadows on the stone walls.

"Welcome to your new digs, Watcher," Spike said as he helped maneuver Giles towards the cage.

Buffy unlocked the cage door and swung it open. "In you go, Giles," she said, her tone reassuring.

With Spike's help, they guided Giles into the cage, making sure he was settled before closing the door gently. Giles' eyelids fluttered as he fought to stay awake.

Buffy locked the cage securely. They stepped back, watching Giles as he finally relaxed into a more peaceful state. He mumbled something unintelligible, stretching his hand towards her just before he fell unconscious. Buffy couldn't shake the feeling that he might have recognized her in that brief moment, but she wasn't sure if her mind was playing tricks on her.

"Well, that was some heavy lifting, wasn't it?" Spike broke the silence, slightly winded from the effort.

Buffy sighed, wiping a strand of hair from her face. "Yeah, we got him down here. That's something."

Spike nodded, stuffing his hands in his pockets. "Nice aim with the dart gun. Didn't think you had it in you."

"Thanks," Buffy managed a faint smile. "I learned it from Giles."

Her gaze towards the sedated man in the cage full of fond memories. "You handled it better than I expected," she countered the compliment.

Spike smirked. "You mean, I didn't drop him on his head? High praise, Slayer."

Buffy shook her head, a small laugh escaping her. She appreciated the attempt at humor despite the gravity of the situation. "Thanks for the help, Spike. Really."

Spike shrugged nonchalantly. "Just doing my part, Slayer."

As they turned to leave, Buffy hesitated. "Spike, you go up. I need some time down here"

Spike raised an eyebrow but didn't argue. "Suit yourself." With one last glance at Giles, he climbed the stairs, leaving Buffy alone in the dimly lit cellar.

The room fell silent, except for Giles' soft, steady breathing. As Buffy stood there, gazing at his sleeping form, a heavy weariness settled over her.

Was Giles still in there somewhere? Could they bring him back from this irrational state? Buffy knelt by the cage, her fingers gripping the cold metal bars. She wanted to believe that Giles was still reachable, that they could reclaim him. But the fear of the unknown gnawed at her.

Her hand slipped through the cage bars, gently caressing his shoulder.

She sighed softly, wiping away a stray tear. "You're usually the one here telling me everything will be okay," she whispered.

Her fingers brushed through his sweat-dampened hair, transporting her back to that dreadful night in the cemetery. "In the cemetery... oh my God," she whispered, her voice trembling with a mix of disbelief and guilt. "Your sword..." She paused, "How did it happen?" The question hung in the air, as if she sought answers from the empty shadows of the cellar. "I'm so sorry," she breathed, her words a fragile admission of remorse as she struggled to make sense of the tragic events that had unfolded.

Buffy took a moment to collect her thoughts, her fingers gently adjusting the collar of his shirt, her eyes catching a sight of Spike's bite marks on his neck. "What we did, Giles... it was crazy, I know. Making Spike turn you instead of letting you go. I know you'd be so angry," she murmured softly, her hand hovering above the bruised marks hesitant to touch them. "You'd probably say it was reckless, and maybe you're right. But I couldn't just stand by and watch you die."

Her voice trembled slightly as she continued, "I hope you can forgive me for this. I hope you can understand..." Buffy's eyes welled with tears, her voice cracking with emotion.

"I... I need you, Giles. Please, come back to me."

End of Chapter 5

Author Notes:

A/N 1:

Hey there! I started crafting this fanfic way back in 2011, and now I'm resurrecting it (much like our favorite vamped Giles)! I hope there are still some readers out there!

A/N 2:

Who out there is cheering for a B/G happy ending? :)

Drop me a line; your feedback keeps me motivated for slaying those chapters!

A/N 3:

If you are enjoying this, feel free to check out my other fanfics—they're way lighter but naughtier than this one. ;-)