Chapter 21
As pissed off as Buffy was, she still hadn’t been stupid enough to come without back-up now she wasn’t the Slayer Ford thought.
“What is your plan?” Kendra asked.
“Figure out what Ford’s up to. Make sure no one dies in the process.”
“Are your plans always this vague?”
Buffy shrugged. “I wing it. You usually have to as the Slayer.”
“No wonder you died.”
“Stop saying that. There was a prophecy. Had nothing to do with planning or no planning.”
“If you say so.”
“Just follow my lead, alright?”
They reached the club in the alley. Buffy went in first. Kendra slipped in quietly behind her to a dark corner.
Hearing Ford reassure his friends, Buffy said, “No. It’s really not.”
“It’s kinda drafty in here,” Ford said to Diego.
Buffy started down the stairs. “I’m sorry, Ford. I just couldn’t wait ‘til tonight! I’m rash and impulsive. It’s a flaw.” Rule #1: Lead with sarcasm.
“We all have flaws.”
“I'm still a little fuzzy on exactly what yours is. I think it has to do with being a lying scumbag.”
“Everybody lies.”
“What do you want, Ford? What’s this all about?” she asked.
“I really don’t think you’d understand.”
“I don’t need to understand. I just need to know.”
“I’m gonna be one of them.”
“You wanna be a vampire?” Was he insane?
“I’m going to.”
“You know, vampires are a little picky about who they change ov... You were gonna offer them a trade!” Son of a bitch!
“I don’t think I wanna talk anymore.”
She shoved him against a pillar. “Yeah, well, I still feel awfully chatty! You were gonna give them me! Tonight!”
He nodded. “Yes.”
“You had to know I’d figure it out.”
He smiled. “Actually, I was counting on it.”
Oh, no… She backed away. He coughed, then laughed.
“What’s supposed to happen tonight?” she asked, feeling a pool of dread gather in her stomach.
“This is so cool! It's just like it played in my head. You know that part where you ask me what's supposed to happen? It's already happening.”
Diego swung the inner door shut with a loud clang. Buffy ran up the stairs.
“Rigged up special. Once it’s closed, it can only be opened from the outside. As soon as the sun sets, they’ll be comin’,” Ford said.
They were sitting ducks. “Ford, if these people are still around when they get here--”
“We’ll be changed. All of us,” Diego said.
“We're going to ascend to a new level of consciousness! Become like them. Like the Lonely Ones,” Chanterelle said.
“This is the end, Buffy. No one gets outta here alive,” Ford said.
She hurried back down the stairs. “There’s gotta be another way out of here!”
“This is a bomb shelter, Buffy. I knew I wasn't gonna be able to overpower you. But this is three feet of solid concrete. Trust me when I say we're in for the long haul.”
“At least let the other people go,” she pleaded.
“Why are you fighting this? It's what we want!”
“It's our chance for immortality.”
“This is a beautiful day. Can't you see that?”
“What I see is that, right after the sun goes down, that vampire and all of his friends are going to be pigging out at the all-you-can-eat moron bar,” Buffy said.
“Okay, that's it. I think we should gag her.”
“I think you should try,” Kendra said, stepping in.
Diego pointed at the new girl. “She's an unbeliever. She taints us.”
“We’re trying to save you! You are playing in some serious traffic here! Do you understand that? You're going to die! And the only hope you have of surviving this is to get out of this pit right now, and, my God, could you have a dorkier outfit?”
Diego was offended. Chanterelle smiled.
“I gotta back her up, D. You look like a big ninny.” Ford’s watch alarm went off. “6:27. Sunset.”
****
Spike marched out of the warehouse with his troops. “When we get there, everybody spread out. Two men on the door, first priority’s the Slayer, everything else is fair game, and let’s remember to share, people.” He met Drusilla. “Are you sure you’re up for this?”
“I want a treat. I need a treat.”
“And a special one you’ll have. Lucius!” He held up his keys. “Bring the car around.”
Back at the club, Buffy ran up the stairs again. There had to be a way to escape.
“Hey, you never give up, do you?” Ford asked.
“No, I don’t.” She examined the hinges while Kendra tried to pry the door open.
“That’s a good quality in a person. Too many people, they just lay back and take it, but us--”
She whirled on him. “Us? We have something in common now?”
“More than you think.”
“Yeah, well, let me explain something to you. You're what we call the bad guy.”
“I guess I am!” He chuckled.
“These people aren't gonna get changed, are they? The rest of them, they're just fodder.”
“Technically, yes. But I'm in. I will become immortal.”
“Well, I've got a news flash for you, brain-trust: that's not how it works,” Buffy said.
“You die, a demon takes over your body, and it is not you,” Kendra added.
“It’s better than nothing.”
“Your life is nothing?” Buffy asked. Ford snickered. “Ford, these people don’t deserve to die!”
“Well, neither do I! But apparently no one took that into consideration, 'cause I'm still dying. I look good, don't I? Well, let me tell you something: I've got maybe six months left, and by then what they bury won't even look like me. It'll be bald and shriveled and it'll smell bad. No, I'm not going out that way.”
“Cancer.”
“I'm sorry, Summers. Did I screw up your righteous anger riff? Does the nest of tumors liquefying my brain kinda spoil the fun?”
“I'm sorry. I had no idea. But what you're doing is still very wrong.”
“Okay, well, you try vomiting for twenty-four hours straight because the pain in your head is so intense, and then we'll discuss the concept of right and wrong. These people are sheep. They wanna be vampires 'cause they're lonely, miserable, or bored. I don't have a choice.”
“You have a choice. You don't have a good choice, but you have a choice! You're opting for mass murder here, and nothing you say is gonna make that okay!”
“You think I need to justify myself to you?” Ford asked.
“I think this is all part of your little fantasy drama! Isn't this exactly how you imagined it? You tell me how you've suffered and I feel sorry for you. Well, I do feel sorry for you, and if those vampires come in here and start feeding, I'll kill you myself!”
“You know what, Summers? I really did miss you.”
Buffy could only stare at him. Outside, a car screeched to a halt. “Ford, help me stop this. Please.”
He remained silent. She signaled Kendra to stay by the door.
“People, listen to me! This is not the mother ship, people! This is ugly death come to play!”
Ford backhanded her across the face, and Buffy went tumbling down the stairs.
Kendra struggled between guarding their only exit, and helping her friend. Buffy was not as durable as she used to be and that bastard--
He went down after her and hit her in the back when she tried to get up, sending her to the floor again. They heard the outside door open and looked up.
Chanterelle started up the stairs to meet the vampires.
Ford checked to see Buffy was out cold.
Chanterelle reached the top of the steps as the inner door opened. Spike walked up to her in his game face and smiled. He roared at her and she flinched a bit but didn't back down. He tore the choker off her neck.
She started to cry in fear.
“Take them all. Save the Slayer for me.”
The vampires ran and jumped down the stairs to the people below. Spike grabbed Chanterelle by the neck and violently bit her.
Kendra grabbed Drusilla from behind and held a stake to her chest. “Spike!”
He stopped feeding and looked. “Everybody STOP!”
Drusilla stared at the stake.
Buffy got up. Ford tried to hit her with a crowbar. She grabbed his arm mid-swing and pulled him around; making him hit his head on a concrete pillar. He fell unconscious to the floor.
“Let everyone out now, or your girlfriend fits in an ashtray,” Kendra said.
“Spike?”
“It’s gonna be alright, baby. Let them go!”
The vampires released their victims. People hurried up the stairs and out the open door.
“Down the stairs,” Kendra ordered.
Spike slowly backed down the stairs. She forced Drusilla ahead of her, still holding the stake poised to puncture.
Buffy reached the stop of the stairs. He’d broken their truce in mere days. Why was it so important to not stake him? “You’ll regret this, Spike.”
Kendra shoved Drusilla at him. He caught and steadied her. Buffy and Kendra rushed out the door.
He started to give chase. The door swung shut. He slammed against it, then looked for a way to open it.
“Uh, where’s the doorknob?”
****
Buffy and Kendra found Angel, Willow, and Xander in the alley.
“You guys are just in time.”
“Are there vampires?”
“They're contained. They'll get out eventually, though. We should probably go. We can come back when they're gone,” Buffy said.
“Come back for what?”
“For the body,” Buffy said.
She left Ford behind. Was there any other choice? She couldn’t carry him and Kendra had to hold Drusilla as leverage, or none of them would get out alive, but leaving a human to die…
This wasn’t how her life was supposed to be, not now. Ford was a scared idiot with cancer, but could she forgive Spike? Yeah, soulless, but they had a deal! If he was supposed to be capable of saving the world, couldn’t he have the least bit of honor? Keep his word for the sake of his supposed-to-be-important sire?
She went straight home, locked herself in her room, and wept.
****
Inside the club, the vampire minions banged on the door. Ford woke up and stood, holding his head. Spike comforted Dru.
“What happened?”
“We’re stuck in the basement,” Spike said.
“Buffy?”
“She’s not stuck in the basement.”
“Hey, well, I delivered. I handed her to you.”
“Yes, I suppose you did.”
“So? What about my reward?” Ford asked.
****
The next day, Buffy came back and found the inner door broken and twisted. She descended the stairs and touched Ford’s body. “When can you do it?”
“When he wakes. The soul needs a consciousness to attach to,” Lillian said.
“Do you think this is the right decision?”
“Your friend was a scared child, Buffy. Perhaps with a second chance…”
She sighed. “Nothing’s ever simple anymore. I’m constantly trying to work it out. Who to love or hate. Who to trust. It’s just, like, the more I know, the more confused I get.” She propped his body up against the pillar and started wrapping the chains she brought around him. “Does it ever get easier?”
“No.”
“Not helping.” Didn’t want him attacking anyone before Lillian finished her magic.
“Very well. As an adult, you eventually figure everything out. Your heart will never be broken, choices will be easy, and life is always fair.”
“Liar. But thanks for trying.” With Ford’s body secured, she flopped onto the sofa to catch her breath. “When will he wake up?”
“When the moon rises. You can come back when it’s done, Buffy. I know you didn’t get much sleep.”
“I don’t want him to be alone when it--”
“I’ll call at sunset. He’ll be confused at first. It will be good for you to be here.”
Buffy twisted one of the rings on her finger. “And then what? He can’t go to school. Will be stuck on a blood diet forever…”
“So is Angel.”
“You didn’t call him Angelus.”
Lillian smiled. “I’m trying to be polite.”
Buffy let out a snort. “You were right. He does have issues.”
“No comment.”
“Lillian…I’m glad you’re here. I’d have to stake Ford otherwise and…” She stood and walked to the stairs. “I think I will get some rest, after all.”
“Good plan. Until tonight, Buffy.”
The warm sun did nothing to chase away her grim thoughts. Should she call Ford’s parents? His dad had to be worried, even if Ford left a note. God, the boy had been a selfish brat. Did he think he’d go back to his life once he was a vampire and everything would be all hunky-dory? Maybe the pain or meds made him insane. It was the only thing that made the stupid plan make sense.
The house was quiet with Mom at the gallery, but she wasn’t tired enough to sleep in daylight.
****
Buffy stopped at the butcher’s before going to the club. Ford would be hungry when he woke.
“Buffy? What are you doing here?”
“Angel. What are you doing here?”
“Supplies. Why do you need blood?”
“I don’t have time to explain.” She turned on her heel and hurried out. Hearing his big feet follow her, she sighed.
“Are you trying to be bait? You shouldn’t be out at night alone with blood in a bag.”
“Angel…”
“Does this have to do with that Ford kid?”
“Go away, Angel.”
“No. Tell me you aren’t letting him rise.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
He grabbed the bag out of her arms. “You damn well do! Buffy, he won’t be your friend anymore. I’m sorry for your loss, but you know this! He’ll have no soul.”
She grabbed the bag back. “Not for long.”
“What?” He let her get a couple paces ahead. Would he let her get this done in peace? “Buffy.”
Nope. “Angel, this is none of your concern. Go home and stay out of it.”
“You know I can’t do that.” He stopped in front of her.
“Then stay out of my way.” She was meeting Lillian and nothing would stop her.
To her surprise, he let her go by. Shocking her even more, he followed a step behind without another word. Had she mind-mojoed him without realizing it? When they reached the club, Angel opened the door for her.
“Am I too late?” she called.
“No, it isn’t fully dark, yet,” Lillian said below. She smiled up at Buffy, then her brow furrowed when she saw Angel. “Why is he here?”
“He was at the butcher’s when I stopped in.”
Angel looked at Ford’s body chained to a pillar and the circle of candles on the floor nearby. “What’s going on, Buffy?”
She looked to Lillian. “Help?”
The Guardian sighed, made a gesture with her hands, and Angel disappeared.
“Where’d he go?”
“Don’t get excited. I just sent him home. And fuzzed up his memory a bit.”
“You messed with his mind?”
“No! Just the memory of running into you.”
“Oh. Losing a few minutes won’t hurt him?”
“Not a bit. He’ll think he went to the butcher’s and back home.”
“Thanks, I guess. Do you mess with people’s heads often?”
“Heavens, no. We normally don’t have this much interaction with other people at all.”
“Gosh, I bring on all kinds of trouble, don’t I?”
“Buffy…things happen on a Hellmouth and things happen to Slayers. You can only control your actions. Anything else is up to the nature of the universe. Now, shall we get started?”
“What do you need me to do?”
“Sit quietly somewhere and wait.”
Buffy checked the chains again and moved to a spot out of the way. Lillian stepped into the circle and sat cross-legged on the floor. The candles lit, the flames standing straight up. Buffy felt a change in energy in the room that made her skin prickle up like goose flesh. Lillian began murmuring words Buffy didn’t understand. The flames danced to an unseen breeze. The faint hum of other voices joined in, and she realized the other Guardians were part of the magic.
A ball of light appeared, swirling with orange and gold. The hairs on the back of her neck stood on end. Lillian made a sign in the air and the ball rushed into Ford’s body.
His eyes opened, glowing with the orange light. Then, his head dropped again. His chest moved with unneeded breaths.
“Did it work?” Buffy asked on a whisper. “Ford?”
“He’s not awake, Buffy. Give him time.” The candles went out.
She’d waited for many new vamps to rise when she roamed the cemeteries. It was easy work for a Slayer, and something that eased her conscience. Staking the new ones before they bit anybody helped cancel out the failure of letting them be turned in the first place.
“Maybe I should heat up some blood.” She needed something to do. Staring at her friend’s dead body was too creepy.
“Good idea, Summers. I’m starving.”
She froze. “Ford?”
“He really did it. It was touch-and-go there for a bit after your friend threatened his girl, but he really did it… I’m dead.”
She slowly came around to look at his eyes. “How do you feel?”
“Stronger. Hungry. I’d appreciate it if you turned off the music.”
“Music?”
“Yeah, the drums. Giving me a headache.”
She and Lillian exchanged a look. “You’re hearing heartbeats, Ford.”
“Oh. Cool.”
“Cool? God, you’re still an idiot.”
“Aww, don’t be sore, Buffy. Now I’m healthy, we can hang out.”
“Where, Ford? In basements? You can’t see the sun. Ever. Little pile of dust. Did you even tell your dad you were leaving?”
“I’m eighteen. He couldn’t stop me.”
She flexed her fists. “That doesn’t answer the question.”
He sighed. “Yes, I left a letter. Told him I wanted him to remember me now. Not what the tumor would make me.”
“You should’ve given him the chance to say goodbye.”
“I couldn’t say it, Summers. I couldn’t, alright? I couldn’t stand the looks on all their faces anymore. The pity, the sadness, the hope for a miracle. You don’t know what it’s like to learn you’re terminal at seventeen.”
“Newsflash: you’re not the only one that’s faced death. Hell, I died! Xander brought me back, but I know exactly how it feels to know time is up and it’s no excuse to be cruel to the people that love you.”
“I’m not going back. I put all that behind me, Buffy. That’s why I’m here.”
She looked back at Lillian. “Maybe I should’ve staked him.”
“He still has a chance to do some good.”
“How? Even with a soul, he doesn’t care.”
“You liked him before, yes? In Los Angeles?”
“We were friends, but that was almost--”
“Then I’m sure what you used to see in him is still there. Remind him who he used to be, Buffy.”
“I’m right here. In chains.”
“Shut up,” Buffy said. She went to the kitchen, found a glass, opened a jar of pig’s blood and poured it in, and stuffed the glass in the microwave.
When she put the warm glass under his nose, he vamped out for the first time. She tensed her muscles to not flinch and held the blood for him to drink. He gulped it down like cold Coke on a hot day. So gross.
“Now can you be reasonable?” she asked.
He licked blood off his lips. “Are all Slayers this bossy?”
“Yes. First rule: no snacking on humans or people’s pets. Second rule: stay far away from Slayers. Her name is Kendra. Third rule: you’re going to make amends for being a pain in my ass.”
He eyed the empty glass in her hand. “Can I have more blood?”
She rolled her eyes and held it out to Lillian. “Ford, focus. Is any of this getting through?”
“No snacking, no Slayers.”
“And amends.”
“I don’t regret becoming a vampire.”
“You will, Ford. You’ll miss sunlight and you’ll see anyone you care about grow old and die while you’re stuck like this. You stopped the tumor, but how much have you lost?”
Lillian handed Buffy the full glass of blood. “I’m going to release the chains.”
“What?”
“Keeping him bound isn’t going to help. The soul is in there. He has as much conscience as he did two days ago.”
“Awesome. That almost made me Spike’s breakfast.” When the chains dropped, she moved into a fighting stance. Couldn’t help it—it was still instinctual.
Ford popped to his feet and held out his hand for the glass. Buffy placed it on his hand and stepped back, but he made no offensive move.
“Can I leave after I eat or are you gonna lecture me some more?”
“Why did I ever think you were worth saving?” she said, and stormed up the stairs.
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