Chapter 23 – Fighting Back
Storming through the halls of the building on Monday morning, Buffy slammed the door behind her, leaving her stunned boss to stare at her as he paused from taking aim at the computerized images on the screen in front of him.
“I want Angelus.”
“Excuse me?” Giles asked, taking off his glasses to look at her as she walked forward and picked up one of the fake guns, taking aim at one of the targets.
“You heard me,” she replied, determined to put Spike Reed behind her, once and for all, as she pulled the trigger, hitting the computerized man directly in the heart, giving the screen a smug look as he fell over. “I want to go after Angelus. I was the original one on the case- I want to go.”
“Buffy-”
“Don’t try to talk me out of it, Giles. I couldn’t get Spike, and I couldn’t even help to bring in Meers the other night, but I will get Angelus.”
“I wasn’t going to try and talk you out of it,” Giles said, leaning against the wall as she looked over at him. “I know you, Buffy, and even though I think you need a little more of a break, you’re the best one for the job.”
“You were going to give me the case?” she asked, slightly stunned that they were on the same wavelength.
“There are a few conditions,” he continued.
“Okay…”
“You wear a live transmitter, we know where you are at all times, and you are always armed.”
“Alright,” she said, nodding as she turned back to the screen. Taking aim and hitting one of the men in the head, she could feel the adrenaline fading away from her grasp as she continued, “There’s only one little problem that I can’t work out.”
“Such as?”
“I know that I asked for this, and it’s not that I mind doing another undercover assignment, but what are the odds that Angelus and Spike…”
She trailed off, not knowing what to say about the subject since she was the one to bring it up in the first place.
“I know your concerns, Buffy, and I don’t think that they will be a problem. The two of them don’t exactly run in the same circles. But if you feel more comfortable with me assigning someone else to the case, it’s up to you.”
Looking down for a moment, she had a silent debate with herself, rolling her shoulders in irritation before raising the gun and firing at the animated targets.
Giles involuntarily winced when he saw that she hit the computerized man in the crotch.
“I’ll do it,” she said, nodding her head as she turned back to him. “Where is he?”
“Chicago… for the moment.”
“What’s the plan?”
“The same as the original,” Giles said, waiting until Buffy nodded before he walked away.
Slowly nodding, Buffy looked at her boss, taking a deep breath. “I can live with that… when do I leave?”
“How soon can you pack?”
* * * * *
“My flight’s in three hours,” Buffy said, using her shoulder to hold her phone to her ear while she threw a suitcase into the trunk of her car.
“Alright,” Giles said from the other end. “Everything is set up. There will be a colleague of mine who will meet you at your hotel. His name is Wesley Wyndham-Pryce.”
“British?” she asked, walking into her house to get the rest of her luggage.
“Yes,” he replied, listening as Buffy chuckled into the phone.
“You know, with all of you British guys in the Bureau, you’d think Scotland Yard would be calling, wanting some of you to come home.”
“Very funny,” Giles said dryly. “Now, you have everything you need?”
“Yeah,” she murmured, picking up her carry-on bag.
“What’s wrong?”
“Giles, I… I don’t know how Spike found out about me. What if Angelus has the same good fortune?”
“Buffy, with any luck, Angelus will be locked up within a month.”
“Luck hasn’t been with me,” she muttered, taking a deep breath.
“Are you sure you’re up for this?”
“Positive,” she said, forcing the appropriate amount of cheerfulness into her voice. “I better get going. I’ll talk to you when I land.”
“Alright… and Buffy?”
“Yeah, Giles?”
“Be careful.”
“You know me.”
“And that’s why I’m telling you.”
Smiling softly to herself, Buffy took a deep breath. “I can do this.”
“I know you can. Have a good trip.”
“Thanks, Giles.”
Closing the phone to disconnect the call, Buffy hoisted her carry-on higher onto her shoulder as she picked up the case with her laptop. Checking the house once more, she walked out of the front door, locking it behind her.
“Well, well.”
‘Oh God, not now.’
Turning toward the sound of the voice, Buffy visibly paled when she saw Spike standing behind her.
“What do you want now?” she asked through gritted teeth, unsure of why he was there. Their last interaction, he seemed ready to forgive and forget- or at the very least, turn her away from her career and toward more sinister goals.
“Can’t a bloke just stop by and say hello?” he replied, slowly walking up the steps of the porch.
Narrowing her eyes to look at him, Buffy was suddenly wishing that she hadn’t taken a late flight. The shadows of the porch covered both of them, keeping their expressions a secret.
“We’re not friends,” she muttered, pushing past him to walk to her car.
“Didn’t say we were.”
Giving little disregard to her bags, she threw them in her trunk, spinning around to face him, wishing that she could see his eyes as he followed her. “The last two times you’ve seen me, you’ve threatened to kill me or hurt someone I care about,” she said angrily. “And I’m supposed to think you just dropped by to chat?”
“Maybe,” he replied in an infuriatingly calm tone.
Slamming the trunk, she irritably pushed him away, reaching for the door handle. Gritting her teeth when his hand slammed against the door, preventing her from opening it, she spun around to face him. Feeling her stomach clench when he leaned in close to her, Buffy nearly closed her eyes, forgetting that she couldn’t trust him.
“I have to go,” she said in a strong voice.
“Where?”
Tilting her head to study him for a moment, Buffy narrowed her eyes. “Away from here.”
“That’s not an answer.”
“Really?” she asked sarcastically. “Sounded like one to me.”
Shoving him back, Buffy was mildly surprised when she found herself pressed against the car.
“Let go of me,” she said, trying to shake his hands off of her arms.
“Is that really what you want?” he asked, giving her a cold smile.
Freeing one arm, Buffy quickly slammed her fist into his nose, sending him reeling back with the power of the punch. Looking at her in shock for a moment, his expression soon darkened before he backhanded her.
Letting the force of the blow guide her movements, she retaliated, kicking him in the knee. Standing up straight, Buffy glared at him, bringing her hand up to her jaw, gingerly touching it until she winced.
Realizing what happened, Spike’s eyes widened. “Buffy, I-”
“Don’t,” she interrupted in a hard voice. “Don’t even try to make excuses. This is what you wanted, isn’t it?” she asked, breathing heavily. “What are you waiting for?”
Smashing her fist into his jaw, Buffy saw the shock on his face turn to anger.
“Fight back,” she said in a harsh whisper. Hitting him again, her voice rose, “Fight back!”
Slamming her against the car, Spike tried to control her as she wrestled her arms away, hitting him in the chest. Fighting the tears in her eyes, she continued her assault on him, punching his chest and arms until he was forced to move away.
“Is this what you want?” he asked, staring at her while she tried to catch her breath.
Looking at him for a long moment, Buffy didn’t say anything.
“Then give it to me,” he said, raising an eyebrow when she didn’t move. Advancing on her, he placed his hands on the car to each side of her. “Give it to me.”
Avoiding his eyes, Buffy turned away from his penetrating gaze.
“Do you miss me, Buffy?” Spike asked with a slight smile.
“If I say no, will you have me killed?” she replied, looking up at him with an unreadable expression.
“If you say no, I won’t believe you.”
“Then why ask?”
“Curiosity,” he said after a moment.
“No,” she said, gritting her teeth around the word. “I don’t miss you. How could I? You’re beneath me.”
Seeing what she’d wanted all along, the sight of Spike’s features darkening was enough to send a tremor of fear through her.
Grabbing her shoulders in a harsh grip, Spike shook her, slamming her back against the car so hard that her teeth chattered.
“Beneath you,” he growled, thrusting his growing erection against her stomach as he swept the hair away from her neck, exposing the scar of his bite mark that remained before leaning close. “How ‘bout I get you beneath me?” he said in a menacing whisper, his lips closing over the scar.
Buffy struggled in his arms for a moment, and realizing that she was fighting a losing battle, she wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer. Bringing his lips to hers for a brutal kiss, she practically jumped into his arms, craving his touch.
Reaching between them after a moment, Buffy massaged the growing bulge in his pants, hearing him growl against her lips in response. Squeezing her eyes shut as if she was in pain, she slowly pulled away. “Can’t,” she said breathlessly. “Someone might see…”
“Let them see,” Spike said in a low voice, crushing his lips to hers again, reaching beneath her skirt and gently rubbing the damp material of her thong.
Breathing heavily, Buffy clutched at his shoulders, thrusting her hips against his hand, eagerly seeking his touch.
“Spike,” she whispered, becoming lightheaded as he unzipped his pants, brushing her thong out of the way.
Feeling him at her entrance, Buffy whimpered, dropping her head to his shoulder as she clung to him.
Pushing into her slowly, Spike carefully avoided any chance for eye contact, refusing to acknowledge who was in his arms. Neither made a move to kiss as they moved together, each staying detached from the moment.
Pumping into her until the car that she was pressed against was rocking back and forth, Spike’s hold tightened on her arms, nearly bruising her with the force he was holding her. Feeling her muscles clamp around him as she cried out, he followed her over the edge, pressing his forehead against the crook of her neck, squeezing her until she was whimpering in pain.
Quickly letting go, Spike eased her to the ground, unsure of what just happened between them as he looked away, trying to catch his breath.
Each straightened their clothes as an awkward silence settled over them.
Looking around for a moment, Buffy halfheartedly cleared her throat. “I… I need to go,” she said, her voice a strained whisper.
Spike’s eyes narrowed as he looked at her, feeling the need to dismiss her as easily as she was obviously dismissing him. “Fine with me, pet. Got what I wanted.”
Buffy fought the tears in her eyes as Spike turned and walked to his car that was parked in front of the house, never looking at her as he started the engine.
Looking at the ground, Buffy finally let a few tears spill free, quickly wiping them away. She never looked up to see Spike watching her before he drove away.
* * * * *
Standing in his office later that night, Spike stared unseeingly out of the window, hating himself for what he’d said to her and frustrated that he was having second thoughts of hurting a woman’s feelings who was assigned to arrest him.
“Are you alright?”
Turning his head slightly to see Ethan standing in the doorway, Spike stayed quiet as he took a drink of scotch.
“I know this girl was a challenge for you, but you need to move on.”
“What do they have planned for her, Ethan?” he asked, never looking up from his drink.
“Spike, I don’t think it’s a good idea to continually get involved-”
“Tell me!” he yelled, spinning around to face him.
“It’s not as if it’s an easy task, finding out what FBI agents are doing with their time on the job. The most I can tell you is that she’s scheduled to be at the Chicago art gallery that’s opening next weekend.”
Looking at Ethan for a long moment, Spike took a deep breath, trying to control himself as everything seemed to spin out of control. “The same opening that Angelus is scheduled for?”
“The one and only.”
Gritting his teeth as he looked at the floor, Spike slowly nodded. “Looks like we’re going to Chicago.”
Thanks so much to: Cordykitten, rockerbaby, BuffyandSpikeForever, baby spikes, lacey, kassie, DK, Franchesca, carri, Charlene, Denise, Megan, B, Stephanie459, willowmouse, Bluebird, Becky, Tahmoe, Sevvy_O, txjmfan, Caitie & Roz for reviewing!
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