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Chapter 4 – Daddy Dearest


Frantically working on the ropes, Buffy tried to keep her anger firmly in place, battling the tears as she worked. After being locked in the room for hours and battling exhaustion, she was trying her hardest not to let fatigue and hunger weigh her down.

‘I’m not a victim. I’m a survivor. And I’ll be damned if they break me.’

Clenching her jaw when the sound of the locks turning filled the room, she froze when the door opened, not revealing the blonde that she anticipated.

“What the hell do you want?” she asked angrily, tightening her lips when Angel smiled, looking her up and down and letting his gaze rest on the cleavage that the camisole allowed. She really wished she had her sweater.

“Just came to tell you the good news. Your daddy got word that you’re not safe and sound anymore, and apparently there’s going to be a news broadcast in a few minutes.”

“So?”

“So…we figured you might want to come downstairs and watch.”

“Watch my father put on some bullshit show? Sure. What the hell.”

Flinching when Angel approached, she tensed when he easily lifted her up, throwing her over his shoulder.

“I like my women tied up,” he said with a smile in his voice, slapping Buffy on the butt and letting his hand linger there as he carried her into the hallway.

Struggling in his arms, she felt revulsion flood through her body, shuddering at the feeling of him so close to her. “Get your hands off me!” she screeched, crying out in pain when he repeated the motion, leaving her backside stinging with the force of the slap.

Biting back the tears as he carried her down the stairs, she set her jaw in a firm line when he threw her down on the couch. Looking around the room, she took a deep breath, seeing Gunn glance over at Angel before turning back to the TV. Hazarding a glance at Spike, she was surprised to see him with a raised eyebrow as he stared at his friend.

“Problem, mate?” he asked with an edge to his voice.

“No problem,” Angel replied. “Just wanted to show her who’s boss.”

Turning toward her for a moment, Spike seemed to study her before turning back to the television, sitting down next to her on the couch.

“Ready to see Father Dearest?” he asked.

“What difference does it make?” Buffy muttered, staring blankly at the screen. She noted how it was amazing how her stomach could truly tie itself into knots when she saw a family member who could be her only salvation- and she knew that he wouldn’t be.

Watching as he walked out of his office building, unable to tear her eyes away, she swallowed hard, biting her lip.

“Thank you all for coming out today,” he said in a properly somber tone. “I’ve called you here to assist me in a family crisis. I have recently gotten word that my daughter Elizabeth Summers was abducted sometime late last night. We don’t know any details at this time. All we know is that we should be expecting a ransom note later today.”

The screen flashed to her high school picture, showing off a sun-kissed tan and highlighted hair from two years earlier.

“Nice plan, Dad,” she muttered, shaking her head, resisting the sardonic smile that tried to make its way on her lips when she realized just how planned this must have been to have someone give her picture to the news stations.

“What was that?” Gunn asked, looking over at her with a curious expression.

“Most grieving parents hold up a picture of their child,” she said softly. “He doesn’t get that personal.”

Spike raised an eyebrow, but stayed quiet at the observation.

No one spoke as Hank’s image flashed on the screen. “Please…whoever has my baby girl, please bring Lizzie home,” he said, looking into the camera.

“Lizzie?” Angel asked in confusion.

“He never liked the name Buffy,” she murmured, looking away from the screen, not wanting to see the sickening sight of her father playing it up for the cameras. “Lizzie is his own creation.”

“We’re offering a reward for anyone who can lead to the safe return of my daughter.”

“Well, this just got interesting,” Spike said, leaning forward, propping his elbows on his legs with a smile that chilled Buffy. “We could always scrap the idea of a ransom and take the reward,” he continued with a raised eyebrow, looking at his friends.

Looking down at her lap, she shifted uneasily as the ropes bit into her wrists.

“Could be good,” Angel said with a nod.

“I don’t like it,” Gunn spoke up, earning the attention of everyone in the room. “He didn’t specify the amount of money. And what if he’s planning on us doing that and he’s ready to catch us that way?” he said, putting a voice to Buffy’s thoughts- unfortunately.

Her father wasn’t stupid- he wasn’t one to give up his hard earned cash, even if it was for a living, breathing human being whom he happened to be related to. Buffy wanted to defend the idea of trading her for the reward, but what happened when they ended up with nothing and she was still trapped in this house? Would they kill her? Or would she be subjected to some other fate?

“What do you think?” Spike asked, drawing her out of her thoughts.

“I’m not here for my opinions,” Buffy said in a cold voice.

“No, but you could be here for more useful purposes,” Angel said with a smile, perusing her body, causing her to unconsciously shy away from him, even though he was leaning against a wall across the room.

“The show’s over- can I go back to my prison now?” she asked, glaring at each man in the room.

“Sounds like a good idea,” Angel said with a leer, making a move to push away from the wall only to pause when Spike stood up.

“I’ll take her.”

‘Why do I feel relief to hear that the other psycho kidnapper is taking me to a locked room?’ she asked herself.

“Come on, Spike…”

“I’ll take her- you stay with her tonight.”

Turning wide eyes to Spike, panic gripped her heart. Buffy was finding it hard to breathe as she looked into his eyes. Not saying anything when he roughly grabbed her arm, she stumbled to keep up with his pace as he led her up the stairs and back into her room, kicking the door shut behind him.

“Looks like you were wrong, Goldilocks.”

“What?” she asked in irritation.

“Seems to me you have a father who wants you back.”

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” she said, shaking her head. “That’s not what it should have sounded like! That’s not what a parent sounds like when he’s worried about the well-being of his child! That was a heartless asshole, who is looking for nothing more than a little free publicity. And you know what gives even more publicity? Not the cops getting his daughter back, oh no…the most is gained by the cops finding her body in a ditch somewhere. That’ll keep him in business for years to come! He’ll get all this sympathy for something that didn’t happen directly to him because people will buy into the idea that he’s actually affected by it.”

It was all out of her mouth before she realized what she said. Spike stayed quiet through her tirade, obviously unable to think of anything to say.

She could almost hear the thoughts that must have been running through his head, ‘No parent should feel that way about their child.’ But the sad fact of the world is that it’s not always the case.

“Don’t do that,” she whispered, looking away from his strong gaze.

“Don’t do what?” he asked, his brows furrowing in confusion.

“Don’t look at me like you’re sympathetic. We both know you don’t give a damn about me.”

“I don’t care for you, Summers, but in spite of what you may think, I’m not a heartless bastard.”

“You’re not?” she asked, raising an eyebrow in his direction. “Then prove it.”

“Don’t have to prove anything,” he said with an edge to his voice.

“No,” she agreed with a slight shrug. “I guess not.”

Clenching his jaw, she could see that his curiosity got the better of him when he briefly glanced at the ceiling. “Bugger it, what is it?”

“Don’t let Angel stay with me tonight,” she said immediately, looking up at him with a pleading gaze.

“What?”

“You heard me,” she whispered. “You say you’re not a heartless bastard, and whether I believe you or not, I have a better feeling about you than him and…please don’t let him in here.”

“You’ll be fine, Buffy.”

Biting her lip as she looked down at the floor, she rapidly blinked away the tears in her eyes.

“Angel’s all talk…he’s not a bad guy,” Spike continued, the uncertainty obvious in his voice. “You’ll be fine,” he repeated, sounding as if he was convincing himself of that fact.





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