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Author's Chapter Notes:
This is where the story takes a darker turn. There's nothing graphic or violent in this chapter, so no need to fret whilst reading it. I'll post warnings before anything really bad happens. Thanks to Pet, PhotographyNut, and msspikester for reviewing the last chapter.
Chapter 17: Paradise Lost

(Tuesday)

April 22nd was a bad day for Buffy. She woke up with a bad cold and she thought it was pretty fitting. Her mood was decidedly miserable and not even Spike could cheer her up.

It was the day that her mother had died when she was 14. Joyce had had a tumor in her brain and complications from the surgery had eventually killed her. She and Hank had been separated for a while before that, due to his heavy drinking and quick temper, and Buffy had been living with Joyce in Los Angeles.

After the funeral she’d been forced to move to Sunnydale to live with her father, despite the fact that she didn’t want to. He’d never been there for her when she was growing up, and she’d always hated him for putting alcohol before his family.

The abuse didn’t start until a few months later. She’d caught him looking at her in a sexual way frequently and one night he’d snapped. She’d dealt with the rape for two and a half years before she’d met Spike.

Spike knew about her mother, but he didn’t know much. It was a sore subject and she didn’t like talking about it with anyone. It was one of the few things she hadn’t talked in-depth with him about.

She decided against going to school that day and Spike stayed home with her. Anne cooked them breakfast then Spike offered to drive Buffy up to LA, to visit her mother’s grave. The two-hour drive was made in relative silence and Spike wished there was some way he could help her.

His father had died in a car crash when he was four months old, so he’d never gotten to know the man. There was a sense of disappointment in him, but no great sadness. His uncle Rupert, his mother’s younger brother, had been like a father to him his entire life.

When they reached the cemetery, Spike stood back a little in silent support; just far enough to give her some alone time. When he saw her breaking down he went over to her and pulled her into his arms.

She cried for a while then just stayed wrapped up in his embrace. On the drive home she finally opened up and told him about everything that had happened.

After hearing all that she’d been through Spike was amazed that she’d grown into the wonderful person she was. She very easily could’ve ended up as a head case.

By the time they got back to his house she was sound asleep. He parked the car in his driveway and got out to go open the front door. He then came back to the car and retrieved her from the passenger seat.

He carried her inside and locked everything up behind him. He took her up the stairs to their bedroom and laid her down gently on the bed, careful not to wake her up. It was only mid-afternoon but he knew she was completely exhausted. He lay down next to her and wrapped his arms around her. He kissed her forehead then drifted off with her.

He woke again just before six and smiled as he watched Buffy sleeping. When his brain came fully awake he remembered that he was supposed to pick up a package from the post office that evening.

His grandmother had called that afternoon from England to let him know it would be arriving. He rubbed Buffy’s shoulder gently to wake her up and she stirred slowly.

“I’ve got to pick up the package from my grandmother before the post office closes. I’ll be back soon, kitten.”

She mumbled something incoherent in response and went back to sleep. He kissed her forehead then got out of bed and got dressed.

He drove to the post office as quickly as possible and he groaned in frustration at the long line. Apparently everyone and their mother were rushing to get their packages sent out before closing.

After a boring twenty-minute wait he was finally able to pick up his package. He’d kept himself entertained by watching the TV they had set up in the corner. He’d never really been interested in Law & Order before, but it kept him occupied.

Just as he was almost out the door the show cut off, due to an emergency news alert interrupting it. Spike frowned and held his box under his arm as he watched it.

~ News report ~

Just an hour ago there was a mass breakout from Sunnydale Prison, in which five prisoners escaped. All five men have received life sentences and are to be considered extremely dangerous. If anyone has information on the whereabouts of these criminals, please report it immediately. The police are offering a hefty reward to anyone who aids in their capture.

Each prisoner’s name, picture, and crime were shown on the screen and Spike thought he was going to be sick. All of them were down for rape and two were down for murder.

He felt like his heart was going to explode in fear when he saw Hank Summers come up as the 5th escapee. He ran to his car and broke every speed limit in town trying to get home.

In the meantime Buffy had woken up and taken a shower to refresh herself. When she was getting dressed she realized that she’d left the shirt she wanted at her house.

Since Hank had been locked up she’d gotten the house to herself and it was being paid for with his money. She and Spike had started spending the night there a few times a week to be alone. The last time she’d left her favorite tank top there.

She put on a baggy t-shirt with her mini-skirt and flip-flops, so she could run over and get it. She found it easily in her room and changed into it. She headed into the kitchen to get some water and she knew right away that something was off.

The next thing she knew there was a cloth over her nose and the world was going black around her. She collapsed on the kitchen floor and her attacker tied her up, before dragging her to the garage and shoving her in the trunk of a car.

He made sure no one was watching before he drove off as fast as he could. He went to the far side of town and left the car in the junkyard next to the woods.

He carried Buffy into the mass of trees and walked a mile and a half before setting her down. He moved some leaves at the base of a giant oak tree to reveal a trap door. He pulled it open then grabbed Buffy and descended into darkness.

Spike arrived home only to find that Buffy wasn’t there. He asked his mother where she’d gone, but Anne had no idea. He got a huge knot in his stomach and he felt like he was going to be sick again.

He had a terrible feeling inside that he knew exactly what had happened to her. Without hesitation he grabbed up the phone and dialed 911. Everything came out in a frantic rush and the woman on the other end asked him to calm down and repeat himself.

After taking a deep breath he explained the situation as slowly and coherently as he could manage. His mother hovered next to him with a worried expression on her face.

After ten minutes of explaining the urgency of the situation the woman finally agreed to send an officer out to his house. When he hung up the phone he immediately burst into tears and Anne drew him into her arms.

She comforted him as best as she could, but it didn’t really help. He was almost certain that his fiancé had been kidnapped by the most sadistic bastard he’d ever met.

It took the police fifteen minutes to arrive and every minute was a new level of torture for Spike. Luckily the officers seemed just as concerned as he was and it was treated as an emergency.

A report was made and an alert was sent out, but it still didn’t help Spike calm down any. The police figured that Hank had probably stolen a car and they had no idea where he was. He could be anywhere and there was no telling what he was doing to Buffy.

When the police left he put on his coat and got in his car. He was determined to search every square inch of the city until he found her, even if it killed him.

When Buffy woke up everything was blurry and she had a splitting headache. She moved her arms and frowned when she heard a rattling sound. She blinked until her vision slowly started clearing up.

Her ankles and wrists had shackles around them and she was chained to the bed. She could tell she was in some sort of chamber with stone steps heading upward.

The only lighting provided was by candles and the only other furniture in the room was a wooden table and chair in one corner. There was a large metal bucket in the other corner.

Her gaze came to rest on the brunette chained next to her, who was still unconscious. Her jaw dropped in disbelief.

“Faith…”


Chapter End Notes:
I know you may hate me for bringing back the angst, but it's necessary to keep this plot moving. Please review!



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