Spike continued to watch Buffy as she slept, using his leg as a pillow. He knew when she was starting to come out of the drugged haze she had been in; by the way she was twitching her nose. He had hoped she would not have awakened until they were settled in at Red's house.
His patience was growing thin, only because he wanted to see the face of the man he was going to make pay for this. The nameless man would not get away, and if it was not him, then he would make a visit to the bartender that was on and see what light he could shed on who drugged Miss Summers.
"We're here," Willow said as she slowed down to turn into the driveway.
At the same time the car stopped, Buffy lifted her head slightly off his leg and weakly asked, "What's going on?"
Spike gently assisted her to sit up all the while reassuring her she was okay. "Its okay, Pet. You're fine, now."
Buffy's voice sounded scared as she replied, "I don't feel okay. My heart is racing like I've run a million miles."
Spike scooted closer and slowly pulled her close as he said, "Let's get you into Willow's and we'll talk. I promise, Buffy, you're going to be okay." He was surprised at how she hugged him back, until he felt how she was trembling. "Let's get you inside, Luv."
All Buffy could do was nod her head yes as she let him assist her out of the backseat of Willow's car. When she attempted to stand her legs felt wobbly, causing her to falter a bit. Before she could say or do anything Spike lifted her into his arms and carried her into the house.
"Why do I feel so funny?" Buffy asked, as she rested her head against his shoulder.
"Someone slipped something in your drink," Spike answered, instinctively tightening his hold, realizing if he had not been there something unmentionable would have happened to her.
"Oh! God!" She gasped as the tears fell down her cheeks.
"Buffy, honey, nothing happened," Willow said trying to help her to relax as Spike moved toward the loveseat.
Spike sat down on the small couch, thankful he had worn the short leather tonight. Keeping Buffy on his lap, he wrapped her in his arms and started to reassure her. "Its okay, baby, let it out. I've got you, now."
Buffy huddled close to his chest as she cried, still feeling out of sorts, confused, and dazed. He seemed to be the only thing that felt right about all of this as she continued to find comfort in his presence.
Tara carried over a quilt and laid it over Buffy, seeing how she was shaking. Spike smiled at her with a look of gratitude as he tucked it around the petite blonde woman on his lap.
Spike was about to question where Angel and Cordy where, when he heard the doorbell. The noise startled Buffy, causing him to hug her tighter. "It's only Peaches and Cream coming to make sure we're okay."
Buffy leaned back just far enough she could see his face. "Peaches and Cream?"
"My best friend, at times, and his lovely wife too," he answered, giving her a wink and hoping she would not want to leave off his lap.
"Oh!"
"I think you'll like Cream; her real name being Cordy," Spike reassured her. "Buffy, they might have a picture of the man who did this."
Again, Buffy became unusually emotional as the tears threatened to fall. "How do we prove it?"
"Let's start with taking one step at a time," Spike suggested, and gently cupped her face in his hand as he swore, "I swear Buffy, if he is the one, he will pay for this."
"Shouldn't I go to the hospital?" she asked, leaning into his touch and finding it comforting to have him so close.
"That's one of the things we have to talk about," he explained. "It's your decision and that's why we didn't take you there before now."
Buffy's weak smile told him they'd done the right thing by her. "Thank you!"
"Cordy and Angel can tell you more about it. They see a lot of this, unfortunately, being in their field of work," Spike explained. "They both were detectives once, and now they work privately."
"I see our Sleeping Beauty has awakened," Cordy said as she came to kneel next to the loveseat. "Hi, I'm Cordy, but I'm sure he called me Cream."
"How did you know?" Buffy asked, finding it hard not to smile at Spike's chuckle.
"Oh, he just a riot at party's," Cordy snorted, as she winked. "I'm sure you have a lot of questions?"
"Yeah," she sighed. "Can they test me and see what was used?"
"I've already made a few calls and set up for your blood to be tested at the forensic lab downtown. We just have to get you to an Emergency Room so you can be medically looked at, and file a police report," Cordy explained, recognizing that look of fear that crossed the young woman's face.
"What if nothing comes up?" Buffy asked, not sure what to do.
"Something will come up, I'm sure of it. I'm suspecting whoever did this used what is known on the streets as Special K. In the medical world it's otherwise known as Ketamine. It has anesthetic properties that make it an ideal, 'date rape,' drug. It can render a person unconscious or delirious up to six hours. I'm suspecting you didn't get a really good dose," Cordy explained. "I recommend taking it easy tomorrow, the effects could make you not feel like yourself for a day or two."
Buffy's normally stoic emotions crumbled as she turned to Spike and asked, "Will you come with me?"
"Take you and bring you back," he promised, seeing another depth of this woman that made him feel all protective of her. "Don't worry, Buffy, you are not in this alone."
"Can you look at these two pictures here, and tell me if you recognize one of them?" Angel asked as he motioned to his wife to show Buffy the pictures she saved on her phone camera.
"Here, look and tell me if you know either of them," Cordy instructed, as she first pulled up the picture of the man who got pissed off when Spike carried Buffy out of the bar.
Buffy turned back toward the dark haired woman, while gripping Spike's hand tightly. The name that fell from her lips alerted them she knew the man in the captured photo. Her words of recognition caused both Willow and Tara to react differently. Where the red head's temper became evident, it was the dark blonde's look of fear that alerted Spike that this was not good.
"Parker!" Buffy gasped, as she practically jumped back from the phone.
Spike reacted instinctively by pulling her closer to him and reassured her yet again. "I'm right here."
"Do you know the man he's talking too here?" Cordy asked, her voice staying soothing and supportive, yet staying with the object of gathering the evidence they would need.
At first, Buffy could not look at the phone until Spike encouraged her by saying, "You can do this, Luv. He can't hurt you now, not while I'm in your life. Take a look and see if you know the man."
She looked closer and said, "He's the bartender that served me my last drink."
"Spike, take her down to Mercy. I have a friend working there tonight who will do right by her," Angel instructed, as he put a plan together in his head. "I'm going to make a few calls to a couple old friends on the force and will let you know more after I talk to them."
"This doctor got a name?" Spike asked as he pulled Buffy closer to his chest, feeling her tremble.
"Charles Gunn," Angel answered. "He's great at this. He's also studying to become a forensic doctor, so he knows how to collect the right evidence," Angel replied, as his smile became scary. "Me and the wife have a bartender to interrogate."
"Oh, honey, I love it when you get all manly and fangy on me," Cordy teased as she turned her attention toward her husband, missing the increased paleness of the blonde woman's face.
"I think I'm going to be sick," Buffy warned as she tried to kick off the quilt and stand.
"I gotcha," Spike said as he untangled her from the blanket and carried her quickly toward the bathroom.
TBC tomorrow....I swear.......really I do.....all teh time since the F word is my favorite word, LOL
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Author's Chapter Notes:
hmmmm, read on....and realize I'm just really learning how to do cliffhangers really well, or not...hmmmm. Actually they are coming to you was they are given back to me, or not...you be the judge....