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Thank you guys for the great reviews:) You all are the best:) I've also linked to sites where the story is posted, just incase the paragraphs aren't spaced again. Enjoy the chapter *smile*
Archived at: Spuffy Realm

Spike/Buffy Central

Fiction Journal

9

Buffy’s feet ached by time she collapsed on what she knew to be her watcher’s doorstep. It felt like she had been running for hours, her demon desperate to follow the orders her sire had commanded, forcing her to flee to the one place she was still so reluctant to go. There was no telling what Giles was going to do when he found out that she was a vampire now. She dreaded telling him. More tears flooded her eyes as she ran the scene through her head once again. A weakened Spike, fighting to keep her safe, his sapphire eyes pleading with her to listen to him and the flash of regret as he used the power he had over her as her sire to get her to leave him to what punishment Angelus had in mind to deal out. Leaning against the door, she tried to stop crying. She had to get a clear head before sunrise so she could do what was needed to get Spike away from Angelus somehow. She knew it was going to be next to impossible…especially if she didn’t feed from humans. She closed her eyes, realizing that if she was to get Spike back, that was exactly what she was going to have to do. There was no other way. To defeat two master vampires, she was going to have to be at full strength as a vamped slayer. There was no other alternative.

One thing was obvious. If she was going to start feeding from humans for this…she couldn’t stay on Giles’s doorstep. It was probably best that she stay as far away from her watcher and friends as possible. She was about to cross a line, a line where there was going to be no return. In order to save the man she loved…she was going to finally let go of what had been her life. This very night, she was going to let Buffy the slayer die and Buffy the vampire live. She hated it, but this was the way it had to be. She had just found Spike. She couldn’t let him die. Not because of her. She got to her feet and took a step away from the door when the door flew open and a shocked gasp of disbelief drew her attention away from her destination…

“Good Lord. Buffy?” Giles stared at the back of the girl he had trained for over a year now…the girl he had grown to love as a daughter…the girl he had thought to be dead.

Don’t look. That was what she told herself. Don’t turn around and look or you’ll never leave and Spike will be lost to you forever. Besides. You’re not the same Buffy anymore. You’re the thing he hates now. Turn your back and leave. But she couldn’t. The part of her that’s been crying out for her father figure wouldn’t let her. Slowly, she turned around and looked upon Giles with tear-filled eyes. Her mouth opened slightly in devastated grief as she saw how haggard he appeared. He looked the same as he did when Jenny was killed.

“Giles,” She choked on her tears as she found herself rushing into her watcher’s arms, tears of relief and devastation soaking the familiar tweed material of his jacket. This was it. This was home. This was where she belonged.

“My God, Buffy. We’ve been so worried about you, it’s been weeks! Where have you been? What happened? Are you ok? Did they hurt you?” Giles held the girl close, his chest filling up with relief and complete happiness. This was the one thing he had dared not hope for. Buffy, the girl he had sworn total devotion to was back where she belonged, alive and as beautiful as ever.

Buffy sniffed, pushing back the dread that rose in her chest. She didn’t know how she was going to explain all that had happened…being turned, feeding from Spike, discovering that she still held her soul and that she loved Spike beyond anything she had known…how could she tell the man who had trained her the best he could that it hadn’t been enough and she was now what she hunted? She could see it now. His devastation and disappointment that she had allowed such a stupid thing to happen to her.

“Giles…please…can I come in please…I just,” her voice faded as a wave of weakness swept through her. She inwardly cursed as she realized how long it had been since her last feeding and the strength of Spike’s blood was beginning to fade. This was so not of the good. She didn’t feel hungry…she just felt unsteady…weak.

Giles steadied her as he felt her about to slip from his arms. Concerned gripped him The girl seemed to have been weakened. He was just going to have to fix that somehow. He scooped her up in his arms. “Come in and let me fix you up, Buffy. You must be terribly hungry. My Lord, where have you been all this time? We were fearing the worse…”

“Giles…I can’t…my mom. I need my mom. Can you call her?” Buffy asked, wanting to put off explaining what had happened to her as long as possible. All she wanted to do right now is sleep and perhaps dream of a way to rescue Spike. Now that she was somewhere secure and safe…she could plan. Find a way that wouldn’t go against her morals, but at the same time would get Spike to safety.

Giles opened his mouth as if to protest. He wanted to get down to the bottom of what had happened to his slayer as soon as possible, but something told him not to push. Whatever had happened, Buffy will tell him in her own good time. Right now, the important thing was getting her to Joyce. “I’ll do you one better. I’ll take you home. You may be more comfortable in your own room.”

Being sure not to release the girl in his arms, he retrieved the keys from the board on the door and headed for his car. As quickly as possible, he placed Buffy in the car and they were off, destination Summer’s residence. Joyce’s prayers were about to be answered.

~*~

Joyce sat in the dark kitchen, a glass of scotch in hand. She wasn’t really a heavy drinker…well…not before her daughter’s disappearance anyway. Since then, she drowned her worries and grief in the relief the amber liquid offered her. Sometimes she’d forget that she had ever been a mother…but nights like these, when the darkness was unending and thoughts of her little girl ran rampant…she couldn’t help the depression that fell upon her. No amount of alcohol would get rid of the dull ache. It only made it worse.

A sharp knock at the door roused her from her stupor, calling her to unwanted attention. Sighing, Joyce forced herself to her feet. She wondered who was at her door now and what they wanted. She would have just ignored the insistent knock, but her worries that it might be a client from the gallery propelled her forward and to the door. Gripping the cold metal of the knob, she closed her eyes against the wish that it would be her daughter on the other side with a hug and an apology for making her worry so. She had dreamed it so many times…she was praying that perhaps, it would come true. Like one of those prophetic dreams her daughter usually had…what were they called? Oh yes, slayer dreams. Could she have those? Or was that something only a slayer had and not their mothers?

“Joyce! Are you there?” Giles voice called out, a worried tinge to his voice.

Joyce grimaced her distaste. If there was anyone to blame for Buffy’s disappearance, it was Rupert Giles. He had turned her innocent little girl into a warrior with a short life span. True, Buffy had said that he wasn’t her original watcher…but he was her watcher at the time of her disappearance, so full blame fell on his shoulders. If she had her way, she’d have the man jailed for corrupting a minor. Forcing the plastic smile that she used at the gallery, she opened the door just to cry out in shock, happiness, and relief. There, on her doorstep was Rupert Giles, cradling a traumatized Buffy in his arms, his own worry evident in his eyes. Joyce instantly regretted the unkind thoughts she had about the man. He may have been responsible for Buffy’s late night activities, but he was also the one responsible for bringing her back home…at least she that’s how she saw it.

“Oh my god! Buffy!,” She gasped, moving to the side, her eyes not leaving the trembling form in the Englishman’s arms. “Come in! Come in! Oh my…what happened? Where did you find her?”

“My doorstep,” Giles entered, heading for the summer’s living room, placing the slayer on the couch, where he sat on one side of her and Joyce on the other, her glass of scotch forgotten.

“Where was she all this time?” Joyce rubbed her daughter’s arms, worried over how Buffy seemed to be refusing to look at either her or Giles. “My goodness, she’s so cold.”

“I don’t know where she’s been. I haven’t had that much time to question her. She was on my doorstep and she requested to be brought to you,” Giles frowned, trying to convey a sense of strength instead of wallowing in his own worries for his charge. “I fear that she’s been traumatized.”

Joyce just frowned as she examined her daughter for any injuries. She frowned as she saw the puncture wounds the side of Buffy’s neck. That wasn’t right. Those weren’t there when Buffy had left weeks ago, and why was she so pale and cold? What had really happened to her daughter?

“C-can I go to my room?” Buffy asked, feeling overwhelmingly tired. She just wanted to wrap herself in the life she used to have, just for a hour or two. Then she could explain all that had happened to her and make a plan to rescue Spike…if Angelus hadn’t killed him yet. She just couldn’t handle all the questions that the grown-ups in her life had at the moment. She needed time to rest and think. Not more questions. “Please?”

Giles looked as if he was going to argue, but Joyce spoke before a sound could leave his mouth. Her daughter was home and that was all she cared about at the moment. It probably was good for Buffy not to talk about what had happened to her at the moment. She probably needed time to regroup, and that was time that Joyce was determined to give her daughter.

“Of course, baby. Do you need Giles or me to help?” Joyce asked.

“No. I’m good. I just need…I just need sleep. I’ll tell you what happened, I promise…I just need time…”

“I know sweetie. Don’t worry. Just go upstairs and get some sleep. We’ll be here when you’re ready,” Joyce smiled, ignoring the squeak of Giles handkerchief rubbing against glass.

“Thank you,” Buffy hugged her mother, and then gave Giles a quick hug before heading up the stairs, not seeing the worried glance Joyce and Giles shared.

“What’s wrong with my daughter, Mr. Giles?”

“I do wish I had an answer to that question. I’m afraid we’re going to have to wait until Buffy feels up to sharing. I suggest we contact Willow and Xander. They’re going to want to know that she’s safe.”

Joyce just nodded before heading for the kitchen phone and another soothing drink of scotch, being sure to pour Giles a drink as well.

~*~

The clink of chains and Drusilla’s insane chatter was the sounds that brought Spike back to reality. Spike winced as he was reminded of the healing wounds that was the result of the first torture session, thanks to his grandsire. Drusilla sat with pouted lips, taking in the mess her childe was in. She could have felt sorry for William, if he hadn’t been so disobedient.

“Pretty William. All dressed in red,” Dru got up and slinked up to him, her eyes traveling over his body. She dipped a finger in a wound and licked away the blood. “So pretty in red.”

“Sodd off Dru!” Spike growled, trying to hide the pain he was in. That was what they wanted after all. Pain. Well, he’d be damned if he gave it to them.

“Now now, Spike. Is that anyway to talk to the former love of your unlife?” Angelus entered the chambers, walking up behind Dru and pulled her close to his body. “She…did love you so.”

Spike just glared at Angelus. Like he cared anymore for the loony bint. She had dumped him for her daddy after all, besides. He had Buffy, and she loved him. Not only had she told him so, he had seen it in her eyes. Eyes full of emotion that Dru’s had never contained. Giving his life for hers was never a question. Angelus could do anything to him. He didn’t care. Just as long as his slayer was safe and far away from where he was now.

“You think you’re something. Just because you sired a slayer. Just because that slayer is seemingly devoted to you. Well, let me tell you something boy,” Angelus put on leather gloves and then picked up a jeweled cross. “She better not come back here, because I’ll do more than kill her. I’ll rape her, claim her, then kill her. What I’m doing to you…it’ll pale in comparison to what I’m planning to do to her if she even thinks about coming back.” Angelus smiled as he had Dru pour holy water over the cross.

As Spike screamed in pain when Angelus pressed the holy water drenched cross to his side, Spike hoped that Buffy would forget about him. He hoped she stayed away. Angelus was a vamp of his word. If Buffy came back for him, Angelus will make sure that he made her death a slow painful one, and that was something Spike didn’t want. As much as he loved her, he hoped to never see her again. It was the only guaranteed way that she’d live a long unlife.





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