“Feeling better?” Dawn asked quietly when he began to stir.
“Not really” he grumbled, but his voice was strong enough to tell her he was okay, “feel like someone used my chest for target practice” he opened his eyes and managed a weak grin, “Oh that’s right someone did”
Her eyes twinkled and she gave him an indulgent smile, “You gonna be on your feet for the big briefing this afternoon?” she asked, “You’ve got a couple of hours yet”
“I’ll be there,” he told her, pulling himself up into a sitting position “plans all set then?”
“Willow’s had her head in musty magic books all morning and Giles and Faith have been doing their battle strategy thing. So I’m guessing we’re good to go” she leaned back and looked at the ceiling, “Giles asked if I’d rather Angel do it” she paused looking back at him, “you know the biting” she watched the hurt of rejection flash behind his eyes, and hurried on, “I said no, I wanted you. Is that okay, will you be strong enough?”
He smiled at her affection and pride written on his face. “If you trust me too?” She nodded and he continued with mock offence. “Course I’ll be bloody strong enough, cheeky little chit”
The sound of the door opening interrupted their budding banter. “You’re awake.” Willow sounded surprised as she entered the room, Xander at her heels.
“Er, yeah” the vampire replied looking questioningly at Dawn who just shrugged.
“We, er, we came to, to see if you were. Awake that is” Willow babble. “But not just that, we, er…”
“Good to see you alive and well” Xander came to his friends aid, plopping himself down on the neighbouring bed, “well figuratively speaking of course”
“How are you feeling?” Willow’s brow was creased in genuine concern.
“Been better.” Spike grumbled self consciously, oddly touched by her concern. She was a sweet girl shouldn’t be worrying herself about a monster like him.
He watched curiously as she poked Xander in the ribs with her elbow and gave the young man a pointed look. “Oh yeah” he delved into the bag at his side pulling out a bottle of cheap scotch, “Best the local Quickie Mart could offer” he smiled apologetically.
Spike raised his eyebrows questioningly at the two friends, “Kinda a thank you” Willow clarified, “For saving Xander”
“Oh” Spike expression was delightfully nonplussed, Dawn had to stifle a giggle at his awkward acceptance, “Er thanks. I, er, it was nothing”
“Nothing to you maybe” Xander responded, “But a chest fulla bullets woulda done nothing for my figure” he paused fixing the vampire with a serious look, “I owe you one” he told him sincerely, offering his hand.
Spike leant forward shaking the outstretched hand firmly. “Anytime mate”
…………………………..
“So the slayer still lives?” Marcus asked, not looking up from the map spread out in front of him.
“Yes sire” Solomon responded plainly, he had failed and he would offer no excuses, make no pleas for clemency, he was Vaith. “The witch’s power was greater than I anticipated sire, she undid the cloaking spell in moments.”
He straightened his back, standing to his full height, he remembered his father, a noble and courageous warrior, telling him once that there is no shame in failure, there is only shame in hiding from your failure. Honour, a Vaith’s code, he had pledged his sword to Marcus and he had failed, his life was forfeit, honour demanded.
“Are the preparations made, have the generals they’re orders?” Marcus asked glancing up at his lieutenant.
“Yes sire, all is ready” he replied professional to the last. “The divisions are in position, ready to move on your mark.”
“And the shaman?”
“Arrived not an hour ago, sir” he waited for long moments until it became clear Marcus was not going to speak. “Sire” he began, “my Kimidel. It is time”
Marcus looked up confusion creasing his handsome features, “Kimidel?” he asked. “I’m not familiar with that word”
“Kimidel, sire, is the sacrifice of life, for honour” Solomon’s voice was gravely and solemn. “The price of failure”
Marcus gave an amused chuckle, “you Vaith” he tutted, shaking his head, “so old fashioned. No Kimidel for you I’m afraid Solomon, you’ll just have to live with the failure. I need you to guard the sanctuary during the battle, it’s unlikely but…” he trailed of distracted by his own thoughts
“Sire?” the question drew his attention slowly back to his lieutenant.
“During the alignment, our shaman will be here at the Sanctuary to perform the channelling ritual” he explained, “It’s unlikely that our enemies have any knowledge our lord Velmorick’s power, but we can take no chances, you will retain a small force of my most trusted demons here at to protect the temple”
“As you command sire” Solomon bowed stiffly. He had been granted the opportunity to redeem his warrior’s honour. He swore a silent oath to his ancestors that the temple would not fall to their enemy.
……………………
Buffy was having a really weird dream. In her dream she and Willow where making chocolate chip cookies in Giles’ old house in Sunnydale.
“I think they’re baked” Willow commented looking at the oven. “We should get them out”
“We can’t” her dream self cautioned, “they might not be ready”
Willow laughed at her and picked up a brightly covered oven mitt. “We won’t know till we taste them,” the redhead told her sageously as she opened the door.
“Don’t” Buffy shouted urgently, “they’re not done” But Willow was already placing the delicious smelling biscuits on a cooling plate.
“Careful” Willow warned. “They’re hot”
“I can handle it” Buffy told her confidently as she reached out for a cookie. It was delicious, warm and sweet in her mouth, she smiled to herself, they tasted just like the ones her mom used to make when she and Dawn were little.
“Don’t I get a cookie?” a deep accented voice asked behind her. She leant forward and picked up a cookie, blowing on it to cool it, before turning to offer it to him.
“…sunshine most of the day, temperatures around…” she leant over and slammed her hand down on the radio alarm clock. She sat up and stretched yawning noisily, strange how sleeping in the day always seemed to make her feel even more tired.
Leaning over to see the luminous digits of the clock’s display she noticed the glittering band of diamonds and gold, she reached for the ring, turning it over in her fingers so that it flashed in the late morning light and sighed, she hadn’t corrected Angel, she’d merely nodded and pleaded exhaustion till he left her to sleep.
Had she thrown everything away? A whole new life, a wonderful man? Richard was everything she should want, he was kind and considerate, loyal to a fault and he loved her. Oh how he loved her, he would have given her anything, done anything to please her and she had broken his gentle heart with barely a second thought.
Maybe he’d take her back, she could head back to California, bury her head in the sand and pretend none of this had happened. Pretend Spike hadn’t come crashing back into her life all noise and thunder, pretend she wasn’t helplessly in love with the man that tried to rape her sister.
‘Almost.’ She heard Dawn’s voice in her head, ‘he stopped’. Did it make any difference? The intent was there, rape, violence, murder, just par for the course for a creature like Spike. She flopped back down onto her back, eyes studying the ceiling, her mind drifted to the airport, conjuring images of Spikes body jerking uncontrollably as bullets riddled his chest. He had saved Xander today, without Angel’s blood he could’ve died, was that a monster?
“Uch!” she grunted in frustration, rising from her bed and padding over to desk on the far side of the room. She riffled through the draws until she found a small brown paper envelope. She sealed the ring inside and scribbled an address on the front before dropping it into her bag. No going back now.
…………………..
Slayer central was buzzing with anticipation. Young girls with newly sharpened swords and fresh stakes milled about in the main briefing hall, only half listening to last minute advice from their protective watchers.
Word had spread like wild fire, Buffy Summers had arrived and she was legend. Most of the girls had served with the veteran slayers of Sunnydale, or had heard their story through the grapevine. Buffy Summers, The Slayer, the source, the visionary that had given them the power they now wielded.
“Settle down” Faith’s voice boomed over the chatter, instantly silence descended, tense and expectant.
“Now we know we got a war to fight” she told them, “and we’re ready” She paused for effect, funny how easily she of all people had taken to the role of General in the army of Slayers. “The odds are against us, yeah it’s true. But anyone who was in Sunnydale ‘ll tell you they always are” a murmur of agreement from the veterans.
“But we got ourselves a plan, and we got ourselves some reinforcements” she indicated to the group sharing the raised platform with her. “The original gang from Sunnydale, most of you know Xander” He raised a hand in greeting. “An you’ve all heard of Willow Rosenberg” a excited murmur rippled through the crowd, the witch that had made it all possible, yeah they’d heard of Willow Rosenberg. Faith ignored the interruption and pressed on “and Buffy Summers”
Instantly the crowd quieted, each slayer and watcher studying the petite blonde, such a little thing, most had expected her to be taller, more imposing. But looks can be deceiving, they were all proof of that, the Slayer’s power was not doubted.
“Hi” Buffy greeted, not in the slightest bit unnerved by their awed scrutiny, the Slayer was in charge, and she had work to do.
“Some of you know me, some of you don’t. It doesn’t matter. What matter’s is that we know how to fight Marcus, we know where his power comes from,” She indicated to willow, “and we have the means to fight it”
“What we need from you is…” she was cut off when the door sung open, banging noisily against the wall.
“Starting without me pet?” His voice was honey and fine wine, suggestive and assured as he swaggered across the room towards the stage.
Whispered questions filled the hall, “Who?” young slayers asked they’re mentors, who asked they’re section leaders, who asked the veterans of Sunnydale, “Spike” the reply filtered back, leaving the hall in stunned silence.
Spike. The vampire who had loved the slayer. Whose love had led him on a quest for a human soul, and had eventually burned brighter than the sun to destroy the hellmouth. Their young romantic hearts had embraced his story, embellishing it with each telling.
Buffy Summers was legend, William the Bloody was myth.
…………………….
“Is that really Spike?” Jenna whispered in Rona’s ear, her eyes riveted to the handsome slight built man standing at the blond slayer’s shoulder
“Yeah that’s Spike,” she told the younger girl, “I trained with him back in Sunnydale when I was a potential.” She paused, enjoying the girl’s awed gasp. “Didn’t always see eye to eye with him, none of us did, but Buffy believed in him, and he came through in the end.”
“Meet Spike.” Buffy’s strong voice called the hall to order. “Now you all know who and what he is. Now if anybody has a problem with him being here” she let her eyes travel threateningly over the crowd. “Now’s the time”
She let the implied threat hang in the ensuing silence. “Good” her tone was business like again, “now here’s the plan”
“Marcus wants this war tonight” she told them, “he picks the time, we pick the place” she stepped to the side indicating to the large map projected onto the wall behind her. “Breaker’s Field. It’s easily defended and has good visibility, Faith and the main force of the Slayers, alpha through gamma section, will hold the hill. Vi, your force will take cover in the woods to the left, once they attack the hill you will flank them. That leaves Rona and delta section on the right, the covers not good here so you’ll hold off until you can attack their rear.”
She stopped looking to the section leaders for nods of ascent. “Now here’s the kicker, at midnight an astral alignment will allow Marcus to channel power into his army, making each demon twice as strong and virtually unkillable. Giles, could you” she indicated vaguely at the slayers.
“Of course” he cleared his throat and removed his glasses nervously. “Marcus will channel the power of the demonic god Velmorick through the amulet he wears around his neck, and an effigy of the god housed in an underground temple. Fortunately. Thanks to information provided by, er, Spike.” He nodded awkwardly in the vampire’s direction “We know the location of this temple, Buffy and the elite unit will attack there just before midnight. Once inside Willow will attempt to hijack the magical conduit created during the alignment and use it to destroy or at least severely weaken Marcus’ army. The key to the success of this plan is timing”
“We get there too soon, there’s no channel for us to use, too late and we have an unstoppable demon army to contend with” Buffy explained. “If we succeed you’ll know, if we don’t your only chance is to get to Marcus and destroy the amulet”
“Your section leaders have detailed orders” Giles told them, “we move at sunset”.
A/N Thanks so much fo rhte reviews, guys, writings been really slow this week, can't seem to move the story along, this chapter was a bitch to write, hope it wasn't too anti climatic.
Cali, as alway thanks for the support, kisses and hugs for you.
KMS, no Buffy meltdown, I'mve got that season 7 slayer in my head, all controlled and ambiguous, but pretty soon she's gonna have to face up to her feelings and start making decsions
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