Chapter 17
“Knowing that Glory is a god is a good thing, right?” As Buffy spoke, she paced up and down the length of the room. “And the lizard thing, that’s something too. First, there was that giant snake, now a lizard-man is trying to con Spike into giving him the Key? That’s more than a coincidence, that’s major information. Can’t we just cross-reference ‘Glory’ with ‘God’ and ‘is loved by reptiles,’ and let the dots connect themselves?”
“If it were only that easy…” Giles trailed off and sighed deeply. It made Buffy pause. A sigh from her Watcher was never encouraging, especially when he looked so tired and frustrated. He was sitting at her dining room table, surrounded by haphazardly stacked books and weapons.
“Here’s your tea,” Dawn said, coming from the kitchen with Giles’ ‘Kiss the Librarian’ mug in her hands. “Oh, and look who finally decided to join us? Giles, have you told her about the Watcher diaries yet? And about what they didn’t say? Did you ask her about Spike?”
“What about Sp—Watcher diaries? What Watcher diaries?”
“Apparently Watchers have kept diaries for centuries, Buffy. They wrote about training techniques and the different demons they encountered. Some of the guys even sketched the demons. Most Watchers aren’t what I’d consider arty, but the pictures are a hoot to look at.”
“Willow?” Buffy remarked, surprised to see her friend walk into the room mid-explanation. She held an aged book under Buffy’s nose, but Buffy just blinked at her.
“Giles even admitted that he has one all about you, but he won’t show it to us. Me thinks he has it hidden somewhere.”
“Will…when did you even get here?”
“Somewhere between the first and second wave of the ‘Glory is a god and Buffy’s holed up in her room’ hysteria. How did the interrogation go? Did you stick it to him and make Spike sing?”
“Um, uh huh,” Buffy answered, tight lipped.
“You just missed Tara. She had to cram for a test. I called Xander, and at first Anya said he couldn’t be disturbed.” Willow finished the last sentence with an annoyed head bob that made her short red hair float around her head. “We had important—no, significant stuff going down, and Anya only thought about herself? Wow. Color me not-so-shocked. Xander did manage to sneak away though. He was here for a little while, but he left too. I’m the last one standing, well, other than Giles and Dawnie of course.”
“We’ve been having a slumber-slash-research party,” Dawn explained. “I’ve been in charge of drinks, and Willow has had much coffee.”
“I can see that,” Buffy mumbled.
“Do you want something? Coffee, tea, hot chocolate?”
“No, I’ll be leaving soon,” she answered, her mind elsewhere.
They were all down here while Spike and I were…up there. They were researching, talking, drinking coffee, having a Scooby meeting while we were…
She hadn’t felt guilty about being with Spike, but the shame was starting to seep in. Apparently Anya isn’t the only selfish one, she thought.
“Dawn, shouldn’t you be in bed? You have school tomorrow.”
“Giles needs to rest too, but he won’t listen to me,” Willow added. “Tomorrow will be a big day with the Council in town and all. I’ve been trying to get him to at least take a nap in the guestroom, but Dawn said--.”
“Council?” The word came out almost as a squeak. And the selfish Buffy-train just keeps chugging along, she thought, suddenly remembering that Giles’ ex-boss, Quentin Travers, was scheduled to grace them with his presence. He supposedly had information about Glory he wanted to disclose, but he’d only do so in person. Between taking her mom to her doctor’s appointment and everything Spike-related that she’d been dealing with, Buffy had completely forgotten that she had to meet the Council at the Magic Box in the morning. “Well, at least we won’t be entirely at their mercy now. We know she’s a god. We know--.”
“We continue to know hardly anything,” Giles interrupted. He took off his glasses and placed them on the table before pinching the bridge of his nose. “I’ve never heard of a Slayer taking on a god. I don’t know if she’s ever cared to before now. I have no records—no-no documentation of anyone battling such a creature, let alone killing one.”
“What does she really want?” Dawn asked. “Just a dumb Key? What’s so great about it?”
“I’ve been wondering that myself,” Willow chimed in. “You’ve been vague-ing up the details about this Key and I don’t know if that’s such a great idea. Glory’s already been to the Magic Box, you guys. We sold her the supplies she needed to sic that cobra on Sunnydale. We need to know more info so something like that won’t happen again.”
“The more you don’t know, the better.”
“But, Buffy--.”
“No, Willow. Glory nearly killed me without tensing a muscle last week. Spike said she’d come here—to this house—looking for the Key if Doc doesn’t bring it to her. If that happens--.”
“So the Key’s bad news, even I’ve gathered that much.” Dawn crossed her arms over her chest as she did every time she didn’t get her way. “It just really sucks to think that we’re putting our lives on the line for something we know nothing about. And speaking of that, Buffy, does Spike know about the precious Key? They think he does,” Dawn said, gesturing at both Giles and Willow. “They think he’s in cahoots with Doc and Glory.”
“What?” Buffy looked from Willow to Giles. “Spike told me about Glory. He volunteered the information about her. He isn’t cahooting with anyone.”
“Why would this Doc fellow ask Spike to get the Key for him then?” Giles replaced his glasses after rubbing them down with a handkerchief. “How much were you able to, uh, squeeze out of our friend Spike? According to your sister, you were with him for quite a long time this evening. Can you clear his name?”
“Yes, I can. I absolutely can, because I found out a whole lot.”
It wasn’t a complete lie; she had learned a lot that evening. Too bad it mostly boiled down to, “Spike pretty. Buffy likes Spike. Spike makes Buffy feel good.”
“I found out that Glory’s a god, and that Spike is not, under any circumstances, working with her. I also know that--.”
“The Slayer found out I didn’t know a bloody thing and that I continue to know absolutely nothing.”
Spike? Spike’s here?
At the sound of his voice, relief washed through Buffy’s body.
“God, does everyone just walk in and out of my mother’s house now?” she asked, although she had to bite back a smile. She didn’t know if an hour had passed, but he looked exactly like a white knight to her. In fact, he just looked good period. He’d changed his outfit. His hair was slicked back by more hair gel. And he smelled good. Buffy found herself inhaling his scent from across the room. Cigarettes, more cologne and leather from that jacket he seemed to love so much…
“Doc wanted me to get the Key ‘cause I owe him, alright? And before you ask, no, the sodding Key wasn’t discussed beforehand. He did a so-called favor for me without any mention of Glory. He called me tonight, wanting what he thought was due, and went utterly bonkers. Demanding this, demanding that, all for his fucking Glorificus.”
“Glorificus? Is someone writing that down?” Finding it even harder not to grin, feeling almost giddy, Buffy joined Spike in the entryway. “Spike, what’s your relationship to Doc? Certain people think you’re working with Glory.”
“Well, certain people are wrong. Aren’t they, Slayer?” He caught her eye and flicked his tongue in a way that made Buffy feel warm all over. “I met him at the bar,” he continued, turning to address the room with his hands deep in the pockets of his jacket. “I do that from time to time. When I’m short of cash, I make arrangements with other demons. Deals. Your everyday exchange of odd jobs for payment.”
“And you wonder why we thought he might be working with Glory,” Giles mumbled under his breath. “So retrieving the Key was just another odd job?”
“More or less, but it was one job I wasn’t about to do. Ask Buffy, I came straight here and told her what was what.”
“It’s true,” Dawn added brightly, always eager act as Spike’s cheerleader. “He’s telling the truth. Mom was here too. She can totally back him.”
“Does this mean court has settled? Have I proven myself innocent? The Slayer and I got somewhere else to be.” Stepping forward, he picked up a sword from the table. “Are these the toys we’re bringing along with us, love? We’d better take off. The sun’ll be up in a few.”
“He’s right,” Buffy said simply, choosing her own weapon.
“But what did Doc do for you, Spike? What was the favor that put you in his debt?”
At Giles’ question, Spike glanced at Buffy. “If you must know, he helped me get rid of an ex.”
“You mean Harmony, right?” Willow asked.
“Yeah. Couldn’t get rid of that blonde bit of fluff. I’d toss her away and she’d come back like a bad penny.”
“Until Doc helped you? That’s interesting. What did this demon do that you were unable to accomplish on your own?”
“Watcher, why the hell do you care? Why don’t you just come out and say that you don’t believe a word that I’m saying and be done with it? These questions are taking up time we don’t have. Right, Slayer?”
“He is right,” Buffy admitted again. “Come on, cut him a break. Spike’s here to help.”
“How can you be so sure?” Giles asked. “He’s more likely to lead you into a trap. Buffy, with Council members here, you need to think more carefully about the decisions you make--.”
“Why? I don’t work for them anymore.”
“Yes, that’s true, but that won’t stop them from judging you.”
“And what will stop you from judging him?”
“I’ll remind you, Spike has betrayed you before--.”
“Yeah, and I’ll remind you, you holier-than-thou wanker, that I—you know what? Rupert, I don’t give a flying fig what you think. If the Slayer trusts me, that’s all that matters, isn’t it?”
Suddenly all eyes were on her, including Spike’s. She was feeling hot again, but for a different reason.
“Now, Buffy--.”
“God, will you stop? That’s enough,” Buffy said, cutting Giles off with a noticeable bite to her voice. “I’m sorry, but you can be suspicious of him all you want after we leave. Besides—seriously, don’t worry about him. I will handle Spike. I’ll take care of Spike. And that’s period and no matter what happens. Now, is there anything else you’re dying to know before we can get out of here?”
“I didn’t think so,” she answered after a beat. “Be safe. We’ll be back soon.”
She left the house with Spike following at her heels.
***
“Now that, what you said back there, that was amazing. Did you see their faces? Baby, you were brilliant.”
“I don’t feel brilliant,” Buffy mumbled as she stomped down the sidewalk. “I don’t like speaking to Giles that way, but he was getting on my nerves. He isn’t usually like that. Spike, do you think he knew we slept together?”
“First off, we’re sleeping together.”
“Spike.” Speaking softly, she rolled her eyes.
“Sleeping. It suggests—no, it promises that there’s more to come.”
“Fine. Do you think he knew we’re sleeping together?”
“No,” he replied with a snicker. “He’s just hostile towards me. He wouldn’t lay off. He was pushing my buttons. I’m glad you took a crack at him when you did, pet, because I was about to--.”
“What? What would you have done?” She looked at him, her brow raised with more interest than alarm. “Spike, from now on you need to be on your best behavior. You can still be the Big Bad, but you can’t be their enemy.”
“I know that,” he shrugged. He looked almost boyish. “I would’ve just chewed him out, that’s all. You know, with words. Not like I could bite that git even if I wanted to.”
But you bit me, Buffy countered silently. She glanced down the neckline of her top and saw his fang marks nestled in her cleavage, not quite covered by her bra. “But if you could…?”
“I wouldn’t,” he answered. “You got that?”
“Loud and clear.”
“Bet he’d be too tough anyway,” he continued quietly, looking straight ahead again. “Wouldn’t want bits o’ Watcher stuck in my teeth.”
“Yeah, that would be gross.” She made a face, but slipped her free hand into his as they walked side-by-side, bearing their matching weapons.
“So,” she smiled, trying to downplay her reaction to his sudden ‘Buffy’s holding my hand’ googly eyes. “Doc helped you with your girl problems?”
“He did. That slimy bastard even solved them. He got Harm out of my hair and, in a roundabout way, he got me you.”
“Huh?” Buffy froze as Spike lifted their joined hands and brushed a kiss across her knuckles. “Explain. Explain now, please.”
“I was annoyed by Harm, heartsick over you, and drunk off my ass. I was at the bar, rambling my fool head off when Doc overheard me.”
“You were talking about me? In a demon bar?”
“He gathered that you only pay attention to me when I’m—,” he paused to sneer and run his tongue over his teeth, “—weak and pathetic were his exact words. When he said he could do something, I thought it’d be a love spell.”
“A spell? Spike--.”
“You are not under a spell.” He said the words firmly and clearly. “We’re together because we want to be together.” He pulled her close, pushing his body into hers, making her painfully aware of his pending erection. “You want me. I want you. You like me, and I love you. There is no fucking spell this time.”
“Okay,” she swallowed. “That’s…good. So, uh, what did he do?”
“He set up Tuesday night’s festivities with Harmony,” he sighed. “The humans, the gossip that brought you to my cemetery—he did all the heavy-lifting—.”
“And the heavy-thinking too, I bet. Harmony probably just stood there and took the credit.”
“Yes, yes, that’s right.” He released a deep breath and brushed her lips with kisses. “That’s exactly it. You’re getting it, love. Harm was just a pawn. It was all about you, but I didn’t want your Watcher to know that. I didn’t want you to know either ‘cause I didn’t want you to think you were set up. He put us on the right path—it’s ridiculous, I know that, but it’s true. He put everything in motion, but it was your choice to bring me home. It was your choice to be kind and caring to a bad rude man like me.”
“So, Doc’s either really really smart or he got very lucky.”
“Slayer, sod that. We’re the lucky ones.”
“Okay,” Buffy laughed as his kisses trailed into the curve of her neck. “Spike, honey, if anyone got set up, I think it was you. You got the snot beaten out of you--.”
“He didn’t tell me. I had no clue it was coming. That fucking bastard.”
“And he didn’t mention the Key before tonight?”
“No. He said he had planned on practically feeding me to a bloody Gora. That’s how he wanted me to pay my debt before he knew about you and the Key.”
“What’s a Gora?”
“A nasty demon that lays the eggs he needs for his spells. Doc’s into dark magic. He conjures up the dead. He harvests zombies.”
“Oh…goody.”
“I know a guy, who knows a guy, who’s done business with Doc. He accepts house calls. Fuck, Buffy, I’ve even got his address in my jeans. It’s a block from the bar. I was gonna tell your Watcher, but he very-well pissed me off. I could give him Glory’s head on a platter and he’d still be a knob.”
“Spike…” She closed her eyes and hugged him as tightly as she could with a sword still in one of her hands. “God, you’re amazing.”
He pulled back slowly from where he’d been adorning her skin with little licks and kisses. He looked at her skeptically, but with dark lust-filled eyes and said, “You think I’m amazing? Why’s that?”
“Um.” She dug her teeth into her bottom lip. “Maybe I should tell you later?”
“Why?”
“Because…it’d give you something to look forward to?”
“Because you’re afraid I’ll jump you right here. I’ll become crazed and have you on this very sidewalk, in the middle of the suburbs for all to see.”
Buffy nodded, her cheeks flushed. He laughed and kissed her tenderly. Her heart started to pound.
“My girl…my Buffy, she’s a smart one.”
“You wig out if I smile at you, or if I touch you; if I gave you an actual compliment…”
“You’d have a mess on your hands. Or rather in your hands if I truly got my way about it. Your hot, sweet mouth would be even better, but I know I’ll have to wait for that and it’ll be worth it.”
Gasping, she gave him a shove. When he laughed at her, she glared at him.
“Now now, pet.”
“Just shut up.” She found his hand again, entwined their fingers, and with one tug, they were walking again. “You’re vulgar. You’re a pig.”
“You love it.”
“I don’t know. I’ve never had a boyfriend talk openly about sex stuff. So far I’m finding it grating.”
“Never? Has anyone talked dirty to you?”
“No, and I don’t think I’m missing out on much.”
“Slayer--.”
“And don’t you even think about showing me what I’ve been missing! Not now, mister. We’re on a mission here.”
“Later, then?”
“Maybe,” she huffed, eyes downcast. She waited for him to poke fun at her, but it never happened. He just lazily stroked his thumb against the palm of her hand. “There are a lot of things I haven’t really…been exposed to. I mean, just think about my exes. Angel was quietly loving, but hands off. And I stress the quiet and that’s completely hands off. Riley was…um…”
“Buffy, you don’t have to--.”
“Why not? I want to. Why should you be disappointed?”
“Disappointed? Now hang on--.”
“I had to hold back with Riley,” she confessed in a rush. “Most of the time I wouldn’t come—I just couldn’t. I was too worried that I’d hurt him. I knocked the wind out of him once and he looked so crushed, and not just literally. It was the beginning of the end for us.”
“Oh, pet.”
“Don’t laugh,” she demanded, hearing his soft chuckle. “And Parker--.”
“Don’t talk about him. Don’t waste one breath on him.”
“Okay,” she said quietly. “You know what happened anyway.”
“I hate him.”
“Me too.”
“Baby?”
“What?”
They stopped again in the parking lot outside of Doc’s apartment complex.
“What brought that on? You wouldn’t talk about Riley before, and now you’re disclosing it all? And if you say one more word about you disappointing me, I’ll have half a mind to turn you over my knee.”
“There’s been talk of later. The anticipation is…building. You’re eager. You’re already…ready.”
“And you’re not?”
“When later comes,” she continued, ignoring his interruption. “I just don’t want you to expect Buffy-the-Sex-Goddess. I know you think that I’m, um, really great. And you’ve definitely got me perched up super high on a pedestal. What we did earlier, the-the quickie? That was… Okay, I don’t want to talk anymore.”
“Slayer--.”
“She doesn’t exist, okay? Buffy-the-Sex-Goddess—there is no such thing!”
He opened his mouth then closed it. He looked at her as if she’d lost her mind. Then he just looked deeply annoyed. “Then how you explain earlier?” he demanded.
“What do you mean?”
“Earlier. From the time I stepped onto your front porch to the time I climbed out of your bloody window.”
“Well, that was just—.”
“Let’s go back to the night at the mall. You’ve been practically oozing sex appeal since then. And before that? Slayer, I’ve had wet dreams about you since the first time I saw you at the Bronze. You were dancing in that barely-there tank top. My girl has always fancied leaving her bra at home, hasn’t she?”
Buffy’s eyes grew wide. She swallowed as her cheeks burned. “Spike… I think you’re a crazy person.”
“I’m crazy about you. I’ve wanted you, and have thought about you nearly every day for years. You say you aren’t a sex goddess? I’ve been around for a long time, Buffy, and only you affect me this way.”
“Spike, that wasn’t…” She struggled to breathe and was afraid he might make her cry again. He overwhelmed her, embarrassed her and flattered her at the exact same time. “I wasn’t talking about sex appeal.”
“Right. Of course.” Acting quickly, he had her body flush against his before he could finish rolling his eyes heavenward. “Now I’ve got it. You’re feeling insecure. Inexperienced. The sods you’ve dated make you think you’re not good enough. You actually think you won’t please me between the sheets. The quckie was one thing, but now you’re concerned about what’ll happen once we can take our time.”
She wanted to push him away, his frankness was making her sick to her stomach, but she couldn’t. Although his words seemed crass, his eyes were incredibly soft. He was speaking in a low, tender voice as he just held the side of her face.
And everything he was saying was true.
“I...” She looked down as tears welled up in her eyes. For once in her complicated love life she felt completely understood. By Spike. By her enemy-turned-lover-just-a few-short-hours-ago. It baffled her. It made her heart ache. “I know it’s stupid.”
“I don’t want you thinking like that any longer, got it? You will please me. And I’m telling you—no, I’m warning you right now, Slayer, if you ever hold back with me, not only will I know about it, I will make you pay.”
“I’d like to see you try.”
“Don’t push me.”
“Don’t push me either.”
“Buffy.”
“Fine,” she mumbled feeling sheepish. “I’ll stop freaking out. I’ll start thinking myself as Buffy-the-Sex-Goddess from now on even if you have to teach me everything I don’t know, which is just about everything by the way. I won’t hold back. I wasn’t planning on it. Crap, Spike, I don’t think I can. It definitely wasn’t an option before.”
“Good.”
“I guess,” she shrugged. Leaning forward, she kissed his cheek. “Where’s Doc? I really need to kill that guy and quickly because I’ve got to find a rock and hide under it asap.”
“Behind you. First door on your right.” He followed a few steps behind her and continued to stand back as Buffy kicked down the door to Doc’s small apartment. “You should forego hiding and just come home with me, baby.”
“Your place is still wrecked. Is this him?”
“Let’s see, little old man, bald, beady-eyed—Buffy, duck!”
Before she could register his warning, Buffy found herself shoved away. She fell on a cheap wooden coffee table and it crumbled underneath her.
“So sorry, pet, but you’ve got to watch out for the tongue. It almost sliced off your arm.”
Instead of jumping back to her feet, she took Spike’s offered hand and let him pull her up.
“Oh, I see you managed to get the girl. Frankly, I thought the Slayer would have higher standards. Did you bring her here because she has Her Key?” Doc remained seated on the couch, his hands folded calmly together.
“What makes you think I have it?” Buffy asked, tightening the grip on her sword. “You hear it from someone or is it just another guess?”
Doc blinked his reptilian sideways blink and just grinned.
“Spike.”
“On it.”
He charged forward first, giving Doc a target to propel his tongue that. He dodged it with ease, rolling on floor and diving out of the way.
“I thought you smelled differently, vampire. You drank from her. I thought that wasn’t possible.”
“Neither did I,” Spike responded just before receiving a deep cut through his jeans. Yelling a line of curses, he crashed to the floor.
“You won’t win, you know.” Doc turned abruptly to face Buffy as she tried to sneak up behind the couch he was sitting on. He continued to grin, even as she pressed a sword to his neck. “When it comes to Hell gods, you’re up against the best. She can’t be stopped. Glorificus will go home. You won’t stop the ritual.”
“Can it be stopped? Can she be stopped?”
“What makes you think I’d answer questions like that?”
“It never hurts to try, right?”
His tongue shot forward and Buffy pulled her sword away from his neck. Holding it horizontally with two hands, she brought it up, swiftly cutting Doc’s tongue as it made contact with her cheek. Without thinking, she grabbed the remaining bloody appendage and yanked. It slashed into her hand, but she didn’t care.
“Spike, be ready!” she yelled, keeping her eyes on Doc. “Tell me—.”
A head butt sent her flying back with a grunt. She scrambled for her weapon, but Doc already had it against her heart.
“I still can’t get over a Slayer sleeping with a bottom feeder like Spike. He doesn’t have a soul. I can’t smell one on him. Can you really not do any better? He truly is an idiot, you know. I’ve never had someone beg to be pummeled just because the object of his affection likes her men cute and—what was it—kittenish? Does that sound right?”
“Well, he is cute, but I don’t know, does my boyfriend seem kittenish to you?” Buffy asked as Spike’s sword plunged into Doc’s stomach.
“You alright? You want to try to question him some more, love?”
“Where’s the Key?” Grimacing, she stayed on the floor as she opened and closed her bloody hand. She also pulled at her shirt, keeping it away from the cut made from the tip of Doc’s sword.
“You have it.”
“No, I don’t. Why would I?”
“Why wouldn’t you?” Doc’s body twitched in Spike’s hold. “You’re the Slayer, aren’t you?”
“What does it look like?”
Doc coughed and more blood seeped from his mouth. “She knows.”
“What does she know?” Buffy demanded, getting to her feet.
“Monks made it into a person. She knows. I told Her. Before.”
“You’re lying.”
“Guess you won’t find out.”
“Guess not,” Buffy said, picking up her sword. In one graceful motion, she sliced off Doc’s head.
“Buffy, was it just me or did I hear him say the words ‘Hell god’?”
“It wasn’t just you.”
“She wants to use the Key to go home, there’s gonna be a ritual, and the Key’s a--.”
“Is that offer still open? Can I go home with you? My place is crowded.”
“Of course.” He shoved Doc’s body away and hopped to her on one leg.
“You’re hurt again.”
“I’ll heal. But you, it’s my turn to doctor you up.”
With a weak smile, Buffy wrapped an arm around Spike and invited him to rest his weight against her.
***
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