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Author's Chapter Notes:
Some of you have left comments saying that they are waiting to hear about the vampire clans. I don't get into those in this chapter a lot, but I will in the future chapters, so don't be disappointed :) Also this is where the story starts to really bend towards AU.
Buffy sat on a coffee table, her hands gripping the edge hard, her face pale in the moonlight that found its way in trough the open windows. "So, what you´re telling me is that, even though these clans don´t usually work together, they might do it for power, honor, a challenge, or—let me see... more power?"
　
Spike sat in an old, battered comfy chair, his fingers dancing on the armrest, almost as if he was listening to some music and tapping along. "Pretty much. Vampires do have a sense of honor, some more than others, so some clans are tighter than others. They have strict rules and a hierarchy." His look clearly told her just how little Spike cared for strict rules. "Me, I don´t care that I´m planning on killing my elders, my sire even, and for most that is one of the biggest no-nos there is. What I do care about is my word. I don´t give it easily, so I tend to do everything in my power to keep it."
　
Buffy gave him a stern look; she trusted him pretty much as far as Willow could throw him. "You better, or you'll end up being dust in the wind." She sighed deeply, still trying to wrap her mind around the fact that the supposed love of her life was in fact planning something colossally nasty. "Now, you say that Angelus wants power. Lots of it. What could he be planning with these other clans in order to get it?"
　
Trying to get more comfortable, Spike sat sideways in the chair, his legs dangling over the armrest he had been tapping his fingers on. "Not sure, as I said. The worst case scenario for humans would be that all vampire clans unite."
　
Frowning slightly, Buffy tried to get why that would be so bad. "So... they form a union? What, do they want better work-hours, or something like that?"
　
Spike let out a deep, rumbling laughter. "I can't believe　you and your ditzy friends ruin my plans time and time again. Embarrassing for me, really." He got more serious when Buffy started to twirl the stake in her hand again. "Look, as it is now, the clans are busy competing against each other and guarding their own territory. Imagine, however, that they unite and focus all their energy, money, and power to overrule humans. Vampires would be masters, and you humans would be, well, slaves. Like cattle, kept alive only to feed and serve vampires."
　
Buffy thought she could actually feel her blood chilling. She felt fear settle inside her heart—fear not only for herself, but for humankind. Could Angelus pull something like that off? How many vampires were there in the world? Would there be wars, or would they just turn a lot of people in a rapid pace, so there wouldn´t be enough of them to fight back? This was just too much. She was only seventeen, for God´s sake! Buffy had always known she was the Chosen One, but in that moment she realized just how alone she was. What could she do against all the monsters there were? How was she supposed to stop all the clans from taking over the world? It was all just too much. Way too much.
　
Spike saw the exact moment she gave up. She was so young, and he had just told her that humans could be heading towards eternal slavery, so it was not a surprise. It bugged him anyway. She was a warrior for light, after all! Did she think that the Powers That Be wouldn´t assist her if the threat was that great? Spike wanted her dead, of course, but he didn´t want it now! He wanted to kill her himself, after the prick-head and that cheating whore were gone. He wanted to mess up Angelus´ plans big time. He wasn´t interested in ruling the world, no. He liked the challenge hunting provided him with. There were so many things in the world that he liked.
　
"Come on, kitten, don´t you dare quit fighting! Do you think that the Powers would have left you to deal with this kind of shit without help?" Seeing her scrunch her nose in thought, he went on. "I can´t believe how little you know! Bloody hell, I know more about this stuff than you do, and I´m supposed to be the enemy here!"
　
Snapping out of her gloomy thoughts, Buffy fixed her gaze on Spike's face again, hoping that she had understood him right. "What do you mean, Spike? What help?"
　
He couldn't believe she really had no idea. He turned to sit properly again, taking a deep, unneeded breath before speaking. "Do you honestly think that one girl could prevent every apocalypse around the world, alone?"
　
Once Spike's words had slowly sunk in, realization hit Buffy so hard, she actually gasped out loud. Of course she couldn´t do that. There was someone or something else besides her that kept the world in order! This was huge, or more like beyond huge. How come Spike knew this and she didn´t? How could she have been so blind, that she hadn´t even thought about it? And what about Giles? He was supposed to be her mentor, help her see things more clearly. Did he know about it? As much as it pained her to admit it, she knew he had to know. The whole situation stank like...
　
"The Council knows. There is only one Slayer, but there are other beings that help. Warriors." Spike knew he had to say these things now that he had started, no matter how painful they might be for Buffy to hear. That was why he kept going when Buffy didn't say anything—or maybe she couldn't. "They don´t want their Slayers to know that. They want you to eventually be convinced of how hopeless the fight is, give up, and get killed. Then the next young, manageable girl will step up."
　
Buffy´s hands felt numb, and her tongue seemed to have given up moving all together. It felt like there was a dull ache all over her body. She was barely able to whisper, "And Giles?"
　
Spike suddenly felt sorry for her. She had been betrayed by someone she had trusted a lot. "He knows, trust me. I believe he honestly likes you; he has fatherly feelings for you. This, however, is something he has been trained to do for God knows how long. His first loyalty is towards them, not you." Buffy looked like she was either going to faint or throw up. For some reason, it felt important to make her feel even a tiny bit better. "For what it´s worth, I´m sorry. I can see how badly you’re hurting, and, even if you are my enemy, I didn´t want that. Nobody deserves to be betrayed by those they love."
　
Buffy lifted her sad, tearful gaze to look him in the eye. And she didn´t see a vicious monster; she saw a man, young man, who had been hurt too many times. He had told her the truth, she was sure of that. She needed to find out what Angelus was planning with the clans. She needed to find out more about this help she could get. Spike seemed to be the only one she could ask. And she wanted to know. She didn´t want to go to Giles; he would probably contact the Council right away, and who knew what they would do? "Can you tell me more? I need to know who can help me. And if Angelus' plan is that worst case scenario, I also need to get that help." She felt so alone that she wasn't above begging her enemy for help. "Please. I know you don´t like me and you only want revenge against Dru and Angelus, but there really is nobody else."
　
Spike tilted his head a bit and studied her face. He had thought that she’d given up, and maybe she had done that, but only for a moment. She still looked beyond sad, hurting, but there were no tears, and he could see determination written all over her features. Buffy was seventeen, felt all alone, heartbroken because of Angelus and her Watcher, but she was a warrior. Spike could see it in all her being: her chin was up, her muscles tensed but in control, and there was fire in her big green eyes. She was someone he could respect, even if she was the enemy. His mind made up, he gave her a smile—a genuine one. "I´ll help. In whichever way I can. I like this world just the way it is. I have no desire to change it, just so you know. Angelus has that huge forehead where these ideas probably come from. I hope other clan-leaders aren´t as stupid as he is."
　
That actually got a smile from Buffy, and she felt some of the tension leave her body. "I really appreciate this, Spike. I know you are going against your nature by working with me, and I want you to know your input is very welcomed, crucial even."
　
That made him feel good, better than he had felt ever since Angelus had come back into the picture. The fact that it was the Slayer making him feel like that was something he didn't want to linger on for too long. He killed Slayers, he didn’t socialize with them. That was what he had to keep in mind. Buffy could think differently, though; that would make killing her easier. He gave her a smirk and stood up. "Yeah, I´ve always been a rebel, so it's okay. I´ll try to get more details about those plans, and I´ll have to pinch a few books, so I can make sure what I tell you is accurate."
　
Why didn't it bother her much when Spike talked so casually about stealing something? Maybe because it was for a good cause... "Steal the books from where? Giles´ library?"
　
Spike had hoped she would let the stealing matter slip this time, and it seemed like she would do just that. "One or two from there, yes. But there´s this bookstore near that Magic shop, and I bet they have what I need. It´s only a matter of knowing where to look."
　
She gave it some thought for just about ten seconds, before nodding her consent. "Okay, but be careful. Make it so Giles doesn´t immediately know there are books missing. I don´t want him to know that I´ve found out about this. Meet me here in a week. If we have that much time?"
　
Quickly calculating things in his head, he nodded. "At least a couple of weeks. After that we must take some action." He moved to the window, that had no glass panel, and turned to look at her one last time. "A week. See you, Slayer."
　
A whirl of leather, and she was alone again. Her heart was heavy, and she longed to talk about it all with someone, like Willow. But that wouldn’t be wise. So she would train hard, in and out of patrol, and maybe take another peek at those Watcher diaries. Maybe there would be something in the older ones.
She felt alone, but she had a mission. That would have to come first.



tbc





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