Chapter 40 ~ Rescue
In the back seat of the van, the Inspector whispered to Giles, “What is she saying? Is she praying?”
Arthur was referring to Buffy’s lips moving in a silent mantra. Sitting on the edge of her seat, her face so close to the windshield her breath steamed the window, she scanned the view for the first glimpse of Spike.
Giles sighed and then answered, “I suppose you might call it a prayer. You saw with your own eyes what happens to vampires when they … die.” He was quiet for a moment and then went on, quoting the funereal admonition, “ ‘Remember man that thou art dust and unto dust you shall return.’ Vampires are animated dead flesh until they are beheaded, exposed to sunlight or stabbed through the heart with a wooden stake ... Oh, and they are extremely flammable. If I understood Xander correctly, the blast caused Spike to be impaled by a park bench.”
“Impaled? Well then, he must be dead, er … dust.”
“And that is Buffy’s mantra, ‘Not dust, not dead.’ If the wound didn’t kill him outright, there is a chance that he has only sustained a serious injury. She is clinging to Xander’s words and hoping she’ll get there in time.”
Suddenly, Xander cried out, “There he is!” His finger pointing to the right. On reflex, Xander grabbed Buffy to keep her from jumping out of the van before it stopped.
Carruthers swung the van to the right and slammed the brakes, leaving his headlights directed at Spike. Before alighting from the car, he activated the search light and aimed it in his direction as well.
“Good Lord,” said Giles. Just as Xander had said, Spike was skewered by a park bench. It looked as though the board protruding from his chest was supporting his weight. His arms and legs rested at odd angles and he was no longer pale, but a bluish gray … an exsanguinated corpse.
Carruthers bluntly observed, “He’s dead. He has to be.”
Buffy said, “No, he’s not.” She squared her shoulders and went to him. The others followed. As she got a closer look, she sucked in her breath, overcome by what she saw. With sunken eyes, Spike’s cheekbones were even more prominent with deep hollows beneath. His lips were dry, stained with blood and his mouth slack. Blood pooled in his ear. It had dried where it ran down his neck. The front of his shirt glistened with soaked blood and a jagged two by four with tissue and blood clinging protruded from his chest. A great pool of blood congealed under him.
She fought the urge to run to him. The rest: Giles, Leah, Xander, Dawn, MacGregor, Carruthers, Arthur and members of the tactical squad that had responded to the blast and accompanied the group on Arthur’s orders, waited and watched.
“Slayer,” said Spike.
“I’m here,” she said.
“Caught the villain … Good girl … Smelled the dust in the wind. You OK?” There was agony in his voice as he paused between each phrase.
“Don’t talk, baby.” Buffy said, her voice catching. She realized her folly as soon as the words left her mouth. Spike loved talking, thrived on it.
“Didn’t think I’d … ,” Spike was interrupted by Leah pushing ahead and taking charge.
“Spike, how can we help you?” Leah asked.
His eyes flew open and he raised his brows, “Arrrrgh … Christ, even that hurts.” It was obvious he wanted to yell but didn’t have the strength or breath. “Obvious ain’t it? Get this fucking tree out of my chest!”
Refusing to rise to his sarcasm, Leah replied, “Yes. Any suggestions as to how? Have you any idea of the size of this thing? It’s not your typical stake, Spike.”
“Cheeky bitch ... And it’s splintered. When I try to move, shards rub against my heart. I’m fucking dying in bits.”
Buffy’s hand flew to her mouth. She started to run to Spike.
“NO! Don’t touch me, luv.”
Buffy pulled up short and wailed, “Spike, I’ve got to do something.”
Leah raised her hand as though to gain control of the situation. By this time, the others had gotten over their initial shock and moved in. Eager to help, it started to look like too many cooks … She said, “I’ve looked over the situation and I have an idea. It’s simple, but I really think we have no other choice.”
Spike shifted his eyes to her. He didn’t dare turn his head. “If it has anything to do with shoving kilos of bandage into my chest, like you did with my bits, you can forget it. I’d rather die. Just give me a mo’ to kiss my lady goodbye.”
He gestured with his fingers for Buffy to come to him. The motion of his hand shifted the thing in his chest. Screaming with pain, he lost control of his visage and could no longer control his true face. Shocked, Carruthers and Inspector Arthur stepped back and the squad, acknowledging the danger, stepped forward, raising their weapons.
Giles was dumbfounded. “You fools!” He yelled, “You really think he’s a threat?”
Arthur said, “Stand down.” The soldiers backed away.
Buffy paid no attention to this little side drama. She couldn’t hear anything after Spike said he’d rather die. She stamped her foot and wiped tears and snot from her face and stormed to Spike’s side. “Don’t you DARE, say that. You will NOT give up. How dare you? After all we’ve been through? You would even consider giving up?” Buffy was shaking with anger. “Kiss you? I should stake you myself. God knows it’s not the first time I wanted to.”
The onlookers gasped.
Spike’s lips lifted in a smile, “There’s my girl.”
Giles stepped forward and gently rested his hand against Leah’s back to gain her attention. He merely nodded and she understood it was time for her to explain what must be done.
In her “doctor voice” Leah said, “Right then. MacGregor, you are the strongest of our party so I’ll need…”
Giles spoke up, “I beg your pardon. Buffy ~ The Slayer ~ is the strongest member of this party.’
Spike said, “I’ll second that. Then again, she never could kill me, but that’s a discussion for another time.”
Leah smiled. “I’m impressed with your bravado, Spike, but I have another job in mind for Buffy.” Then she turned cold eyes on Giles and said, “Don’t interrupt me again.”
Shuffling of feet and raised eyebrows signaled unease with the awkward moment.
“MacGregor!” Leah shouted. “Front and center. Buffy, you too. The rest of you, stand by and keep still.” Leah took advantage of the moment of silence to glare at the gathering to ensure control. Giles glared back.
“I told you this was simple. MacGregor, you go behind Spike. You will be pulling the board out. Buffy, you go and take Spike in your arms. Hold onto him as firmly as you can. It is vital that this be done in a fluid motion. Any hesitation is liable to allow a fragment of wood to dislodge. A well placed toothpick can kill a vampire.”
Giles had had enough. “Uh huh. That’s enough. I don’t think it was necessary for you to share that last bit.”
Leah and Buffy spoke together, almost as if rehearsed, “Shut up, Giles.”
“Let’s get this thing done, then. MacGregor, take your position. Don’t touch the board until I tell you to. Buffy, go ahead to Spike. I’m sure I don’t need to tell you to be gentle.” Buffy tried to smile. She wiped away the tears that still flowed silently down her cheeks, nodded and walked to Spike.
“Slayer.”
“Where can I touch you?”
“An odd question, luv.” He smiled through his cracked, dry lips.”
“Spike, this is serious. I can’t believe you are being such a perv at a moment like this.”
“It’s a defense, Buffy. Allow me my survival tools. Now come close. Don’t touch yet. Maybe you could straddle me and put both arms under my arms. When MacGregor pulls, hold tight. Right?”
“That it?”
“Just one more thing….”
Buffy searched his face. “Anything, what is it?”
Spike lifted his eyes and met hers. “ I love you”
A sob caught in her throat, “… and I love you.” It was enough.
Leah, who had been having a “discussion” with Giles, stepped away and said, “All right! Let’s do it. I will say, ‘one, two, three, pull.’ When I say that I will establish a rhythm. You two must hear it and feel it so that when I say it, MacGregor you will pull and Buffy, you will hold tight to keep Spike steady. Do you both understand perfectly? Speak up now, because if you don’t, things might not go smoothly.” She took a breath and looked for the questioning glances or perhaps raised hands.
“We’re good then?”
Buffy and MacGregor nodded. Spike said, “For God’s sake, get on with it. I need a drink.”
Giles huffed, “Quite.”
A low anticipatory growl emanated from Spike’s throat.
“Here we go then. One … Two … Three … PULL!”
MacGregor and Buffy did exactly as they were told. The pulling of the board created a huge sucking sound as it came out of Spike’s chest, with a gush of serum and coagulated blood following. Spike howled a wounded animal sound, awful and sorrowful.
Spike did not burst into dust, but sank to the seat of what was left of the bench while Buffy still held him to her. A cheer went up from the onlookers. A moment later, he wrapped his arms around her. Then to everyone’s horror, he grabbed her hair and brutally pulled her head to the side. In the full glare of headlights and spotlights, Spike roared and buried his fangs in Buffy’s neck.
The attack was terrifying to the uninformed, disturbing to those who understood. Arthur raised his arm and suddenly, the clicking of assault rifles being locked and loaded broke the silence.
Giles ran in front of them, waving his arms, “No! For pity’s sake, stop!
The squad looked to Inspector Arthur whose mouth was hanging open as he stared at the scene before him. He watched as Buffy placed her hand behind Spike’s head and pulled him closer. She was whispering to Spike as he drank her blood. It was ghastly and erotic and seemed to go on forever.
When Giles couldn’t take anymore, he stepped forward and cleared his throat and said, “Ahem, um … Spike, I think it must be alright for you to be moved now, don’t you think?”
Xander and Dawn stepped forward to help. Spike needed to reinforce his “Big Bad” image … there were strangers watching … “Sod off. Do I look like I need help?”
The answer may have been obvious, but no one was willing to say it.
Spike took a moment to carefully inspect the bite marks. He licked them clean and watched for further bleeding while his face shifted. When satisfied he said, “You OK, Slayer?”
Buffy shook her hair out and pulled her collar up around her neck. She answered, “Yeah, you?”
“I’ll do. Let’s go home.”
~~~
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Author's Chapter Notes:
Previously on Goodbye, Mr. Giles: Binnemon has been eliminated due mostly to his own stupidity. The Inspector and Carruthers find Giles’ allegations more believable in light of what they have witnessed. Buffy has learned that Spike has been injured and may be dust.