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Chapter Three - The Wisdom of Crocodiles

An appeaser is one who feeds a crocodile, hoping it will eat him last.
-----------Winston Churchill

When I was a boy, I went into the forest and climbed to the top of the tallest tree. Near the top, I slipped, and managed to just grab a branch. It was a long drop. I hung there until the blood in my head pounded in my ears. I can't remember much, but I remember the fear of falling.
------------ Steve Grlscz “The Wisdom of Crocodiles”

It took several days for the effects of the energy ball that hit Dawn to wear off. On the one hand it was quite amusing because it looked like Dawn would grow up to be a funny drunk. On the other hand Buffy started to worry about Dawn’s school attendance, even though there was no way they could get away with sending a semi coherent girl whose hair stood straight up to school without someone noticing who had the authority to take her away from Buffy.

It was no surprise then that Buffy showed obvious relief when it seemed that the effects were wearing off. Little did anyone know, however, that it would be the beginning of their real problems concerning Dawn. A warm sunny weekend mornings, sunbathing and mocha lattes were supposed to be relaxing!

“What do you mean you haven’t seen Spike since before the battle!”

Buffy was confused. She didn’t understand why Dawn was so upset. Spike had often taken long disappearing acts since he’d gotten chipped.

“It never occurred to me to hunt him down after he ran away in the middle of the fight.” Buffy had been extremely hurt when she got home and realized Spike was nowhere to be found. She’d actually believed him when he promised to keep Dawn safe. When would she learn that vampires and trustworthy were unmixy things?

“Did you even look for him? How could he even get up to run away after what Doc did to him?”

Buffy blinked uncomprehendingly at Dawn. “Who’s Doc and what do you think he did to Spike?” Buffy was starting to get a burning feeling deep in her gut and part of her, a large part, didn’t ever want to hear what Dawn was going to say next.

“Doc was the creepy little demon who you threw off the tower! Right before you got there to save me he threw Spike off. If Spike hadn’t been there to stall Doc you probably wouldn’t have been able to keep the portal from opening! How could you just leave him there? He was hurt and it was my fault! Did you even look for him?!”

Buffy’s face was flaming red and she was starting to get angry. “I was busy being worried about you! How was I supposed to know something had happened to Spike?!”

“You could have asked!” Dawn was actively crying now. “Your realize that the sun was coming up? He may have been laying there, helpless in the sunrise!” Neither girl noticed crackling noise that was growing behind them. “Buffy, if Spike’s hurt it’s all my fault! He got hurt trying to save me!” A loud sob escaped from Dawn echoing the one in Buffy’s mind.

Suddenly a loud clap of thunder interrupted their argument as a huge cloud moved to block the sun. Buffy glanced up to look for signs of rain and was shocked when she saw a dragon circle their heads before it headed towards Breaker’s Woods.

~’~,~’~,~’~,~’~,~’~,~’~,~

Spike had no idea how long it had been since he’d woken to the voice of an angry and vengeful Doc demanding Spike wake up so as to not ruin Doc’s plans for torture. However long it had been, Doc had obviously maximized his time. If he could trust his internal clock, Spike reckoned it had to be close to a week and he was extremely confused why the Slayer and her kiddies hadn’t found him yet. It wasn’t until Doc realized what was keeping Spike’s spirits from breaking that Doc filled him in on the Slayer leaving him behind. Spike had actually managed to forget that fact in his delirium.

That had been about 2 days ago and nothing Doc said or did after that revelation had managed to get a response from the vampire. In the mean time, Spike had managed to heal to the point where the felt, given the opportunity, that he’d be able to escape on his own, if only to give the bitch a piece of his mind before he packed up and got out of Sunnyhell once and for all.

Spike might be Love’s Bitch but even he had limits to how much he’d put up with before he moved on. He’d survived Cecily, in all the ways that mattered. Dru hadn’t managed to break him. There was no way that silly slip of a girl was going to finish the Big Bad! He’d show her! If it took the rest of his unnatural life!

“Ah, I see we’re awake again.” Doc’s oily voice came from behind the dentist chair (and how ironic was that?) Spike was chained to. Even his head was strapped down. That was new.

Spike heard movement as Doc came around the front of the chair holding a water pic attached by a long tube to the sink station next to the chair.

Is this where you ask me if it’s safe?” Spike easily managed to sound bored.

“Ahh, but you’re no Dustin Hoffman and I’m certainly much more debonair than Olivier.” Doc smiled, “and unfortunately for you I’m not concerned with anything but vengeance.”

“You with the D’Hoffryn gang or some such?”

“No. Much worse. I’m Sebek, you little worm! I was sworn to protect the goddess Glorificus until you and your precious humans interfered! I am a God! I was worshipped by Cleopatra’s ancestors! How dare you piddling insignificant bugs think you can conquer me!”

“Not to quibble, but they’re not my humans. In fact, given half a chance I’d take out every single one of ‘em except the bit.”

“It’s a shame you’ll never get the chance.” Doc raised the wand in his hand, “Open wide.”

Water sprayed from the nozzle in a tight and powerful stream. Spike actually had a moment to wonder what the hell Doc was thinking shooting him with a souped up water pistol before the burning set in.

He was screaming before the thought ‘holy water’ could actually manifest in his brain.

Doc aimed carefully for Spike face. He had a plan and he needed the vampire incapacitated enough to warrant the Slayer’s compassion but not enough to impinge too much on the vampire’s mobility. As he saw smoke rising from the blonds eyes he smiled to himself.

Everything was going to go swimmingly. He could tell.





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