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Buffy watched Drusilla leave the mansion, feeling only a little bit relieved. Yes, the crazy bitch was going to leave her alone for a while, but now Buffy was left helpless, bleeding, and chained up with a bunch of fledgling vampires circling her like vultures in the desert. She saw the hungry looks they were giving her, though they kept at the chores Dru had left for them.

The numerous places on her body where Dru had cut her were hot and stinging, Buffy's left hand was thumping and screaming with pain; she felt like she had a split lip, a black eye, and maybe a few bruised or cracked ribs, too.

Buffy thought her chances of surviving this weren't looking good...

A male vampire with long, brown hair and a Metallica t-shirt was staring at her longer than the other vamps, he was practically drooling, and he was moving closer. Buffy swallowed a lump of fear -- this vamp would've been easy for her to dust under normal circumstances, but being shackled, beaten, and bleeding were far from normal circumstances. It was terrifying to imagine what might come next: he would attack her, and then the others would be spurred into action and jump on her, as well. Buffy remembered a nature film she'd seen once -- a cow had tried crossing a shallow river in the Amazon, only to be enveloped by a school of hungry piranha. There was nothing left of the cow except bones after the piranhas had finished their feeding frenzy... Was that Buffy's fate -- to end up nothing but a manacled skeleton?

"What are you lookin' at?" Buffy asked, trying to sound tough and strong.

"Lunch!" the vampire replied with a laugh.

"Your Mistress left orders that none of you could touch me," Buffy reminded him in as even a voice as she could manage.

He shrugged, still smiling. "Well, she ain't here right now, is she?"

The one Drusilla had called 'Joshua' shoved the other vampire away from Buffy.

"Hey! What the fuck, man?!" Metallica Vamp cried, stumbling. He turned and growled at Joshua.

"You heard Mistress Dru -- no one goes near the Slayer, except me! Stay away from her or I'll dust your sorry ass. I'm serious!" He pulled a stake out of his jacket to show he wasn't joking.

Metallica Vamp pointed at Buffy. "We've got the fuckin' Slayer chained up in the same room with us -- and we're not going to eat her? Are you fuckin' kiddin' me?!"

"Mistress Drusilla said --"

"'Mistress Dru, Mistress Dru'," Metallica Vamp mocked. "You're 'Mistress Dru' whipped, man! You love her so much, why don't you fuckin' marry her!? She treats you like shit, why would you want to follow her orders?"

"If you can't control your bloodlust around the Slayer, then go outside and help guard the house," Joshua said calmly. Being given authority by Dru had made him feel more confident, and even smarter, than he'd ever felt before; he wanted to make her proud of him. He was enjoying being her second-in-command. "I'm in charge, and I say you aren't touching the Slayer. End of story."

"I can't believe this..." Metallica Vamp addressed the other minions, "Are all of you just gonna go along with what 'orders' you were given?! We're vampires! We don't take orders! We can drain the Slayer, and you're gonna pass that up?!"

The others looked tempted, but they were deeply conflicted. But, in the end, they were more afraid of what Drusilla might do to them if they disobeyed her.

"Drusilla ain't even here, and you guys are scared shitless of her? Well, I'm not. I'm gonna have a snack."

Metallica Vamp hadn't taken two steps toward Buffy before Joshua staked him. He looked surprised for a moment, and muttered, "You motherfu-!" and then he burst into a cloud of dust.

Joshua looked at the other minions. "Anyone else want to try snacking on the Slayer?"

They shook their heads and quickly went back to work.

Buffy breathed a sigh of relief. Her fears of being the object of a vampire feeding frenzy faded. It seemed that she'd be 'safe' until Dru returned.

"Don't relax too much, Slayer," Joshua said with an evil smile as he tucked the stake back into his jacket. "By the end of the night, you might only wish we'd killed you before the Mistress came back. And if your friends show up? It'll be a bloodbath. Oh man, that'll be great!"

Buffy just glowered at him. She really wanted to say something quippy and insulting -- but she'd heard Dru say that Joshua was allowed to hit her if he wanted to -- so she was keeping mum for now.

"Hey, Dave," Joshua called to another minion. "Bring me that box of decorations over there, would ya?"

'Dave' brought the box over and set it down on the pile of dust formerly known as 'Metallica Vamp'. On the side of the cardboard box, the word 'SLAYER' was written in black magic marker. It was written in that fancy, old-fashioned script found in many of Giles' books -- Buffy guessed that Drusilla had written it herself.

Buffy thought she recognized Dave from back in high school. He had a mop of shaggy blond hair, was wearing faded blue jeans, and a t-shirt with a yellow smiley face with a bleeding bullet hole in the middle of its forehead. Dave was one of the stoners who hung out on the lawn playing Frisbee and smoking weed, if she wasn't mistaken.

"Dude, you're really gonna... put that stuff on her, huh?" Dave asked, looking in the box.

"The Mistress said it was important." Joshua kneeled down and started going through the decorations.

"You don't think Mistress Dru is kind of..."

Joshua looked sharply up at him. "Don't use the c-word!"

"Huh? No, I was gonna say 'crazy'."

"That is the c-word. Never say that about her... never say the other c-word either. She's been around longer than all of us combined! She's smart, and she's just kind of a... free-spirit, yeah, that's what it's called."

Dave shrugged. "Whatever. Hey, I heard the Slayer has witchy amigos. What if they show up throwing fireballs or something like that at us? That would be a total buzz-kill."

"The Mistress thought of everything." Joshua smiled and took some streamers out of the box. "You remember that weird demon with the purple skin that was here?"

"No way, Dude! You saw it too? I thought I just got hold of some bad 'ludes!"

Joshua rolled his eyes. "He was some kind of guy-witch or wizard or something, whatever they call themselves. Anyway, he put... wards, I think the word was, on the mansion. Anti-magic things. No spells, except for the ones the Mistress allows, will work in or around the property. So we can kill the Slayer's friends real easy while they're trying to conjure their fireballs."

Buffy was more worried now, if being more worried was even possible. If there really were anti-magic wards on the mansion, then a locator spell wouldn't work. And even if her friends did manage to track her down without magic, they would have to face at least ten bloodthirsty vamps (she didn't know how many more could be lurking outside) who were chomping at the bit to kill someone. Buffy's only hope was that Spike would try to help her when Drusilla brought him back with her.

Again, Buffy thought her chances weren't looking good...

She thought about that hallucination or vision (whatever the hell it was) that Drusilla had made her have. The 'Officer and a Gentleman' ending had been weird -- where the hell did that come from? But what was even weirder were the things she thought and felt about Spike in the vision... He'd looked so handsome to her, seemed so brave. She'd cast him as the big hero in her vision -- if only that could be possible in the real world...

Without Dru here interrogating her, Buffy could admit to herself that what she'd felt had been more than simple gratitude toward Spike. Buffy was attracted to him on a physical level, and she sometimes thought if things were different... Illusion Spike might have been capable of love, but that was just a crazy hallucination. Non-hallucinatory soulless vampires still weren't capable of loving anyone. So, that meant that Buffy was up Shit Creek without a paddle -- if Spike didn't love her, he wouldn't care if she died or not.

Why did the thought of him enjoying or taking part in hurting her make her feel so... betrayed? The chip was only holding Spike back, forcing him to make nice with Buffy, her friends, and family. He was like a serial killer in prison -- and it seemed, with Drusilla coming back to him, he'd finally come up for parole. She shouldn't be surprised or feel any sense of betrayal at the thought of Spike wanting to hurt her... he was a soulless fiend, she'd always known this day would come eventually.

Joshua started hanging colorful ribbons and streamers on Buffy's arms and around her neck.

"What the hell are you doing?" Buffy frowned, trying in vain to move away from him.

"Decorating you." He took a big, shiny purple bow and stuck it on top of Buffy's head.

She shook her head, trying to get the bow off.

"Don't do that," Joshua said, smacking her on top of the head, and then fixing the bow. "Next time I'll put your lights out, Slayer."

Buffy glared at him. Unfortunately, looks alone couldn't kill, otherwise he would've been dusty.

Joshua continued sticking colorful bows and hanging streamers all over her, and Buffy just had to stay still or risk getting beaten up.

"You see how crazy Dru is, don't you?" Buffy asked him. She didn't hope to win him over and get him on her side, but she just had to ask why any vampire would hitch their wagon to Dru's crazy-ass star.

"Didn't you hear me before when I said no one was allowed to use the c-word about the Mistress?"

"What's your deal? Do you have a crush on her or something?"

Joshua shrugged and looked away sheepishly.

"Ewww." Buffy grimaced.

"Shut up! She's a lot hotter than you, Slayer!"

"In her dreams maybe," Buffy said. She wasn't conceited, but she thought she was way hotter than Drusilla. Dru was too bony, for one thing.

Dave laughed, admiring how Buffy looked now that she was all decorated. "Totally awesome!"

Joshua stepped back to check his work. "Does she look like a 'bloody rainbow piñata' to you? That's what the Mistress said she wanted her to look like when I was done."

"Did she mean a rainbow piñata that's like bleeding, or did she say 'bloody' like those British dudes say it?" Dave asked.

"Umm... I'm not sure. Mistress Dru wants everything to be perfect for Spike. I hope I don't fuck anything up..." Joshua worried.

"I don't know about that guy... I mean, I totally respect the fact that he's kicked major ass in the past. And coolest of all," he snorted a laugh and looked at Buffy, "he killed two Slayers. But word on the street is that Spike's a traitor to his own kind now. He kills dudes like us just for kicks. And hasn't he helped this chick a few times?" Dave jerked a thumb at Buffy. "That's totally bogus!"

Joshua gave him a warning look. "Don't say anything bad about Spike around Drusilla."

"Hey, I ain't crazy -- I know not to insult Mistress Dru's hunny-bunny right in front of her. But she ain't here. I also heard that Spike's got the hots for the Slayer, it's like he's in love with her or somethin'."

Buffy's eyes went wide. 'Holy shit, does *everyone* think Spike is in love with me?!' she thought, shaking her head in disbelief.

"The Mistress wouldn't have come back here for Spike if she wasn't sure about him. She's, like, brilliant -- and psychic! She knows what she's doing."

Dave regarded Buffy. "Well... Mistress D did do that to the Slayer, so I guess you're right. Drusilla is one bad mamma-jamma."

"Didn't I save your sorry ass a few times in high school?" Buffy asked Dave. "And I tossed your Frisbee back to you once. Do you have enough brain cells left to remember high school?"

"Oh yeah, I remember you, Slayer. You 'saved' me from becoming a vampire... for a while, anyway. But you don't know how awesome it is to be a vampire -- you never get old, you've got super-strength, and you live for-freaking-ever. The only drawback is the no sunlight thing... and you gotta smoke a whole shitload of weed to get a good buzz goin'. Other than that, being a vamp is totally bitchin'. So you weren't doin' me no favors by delaying my turning."

Buffy shook her head. "Yeah, and all you have to do in exchange for all those 'gifts' is lose any trace of your humanity, let a demon set up shop in your body, and murder people in cold blood forever and ever."

"You say that like it's a bad thing!" Dave laughed. He elbowed Joshua who was also laughing.

"You know Drusilla thinks crazy stuff like pixies talk to her, right?" Buffy asked. "She's completely out of her mind -- she could kill any of you at any time for no reason."

Dave stayed silent, looking a little unsettled, like he'd considered that too -- but then, he'd seen pixies a time or two himself; that Maui Wowie was some good, THC-infested shit.

Joshua growled at her. "Shut up, Slayer!"

"Drusilla could kill any one of you on a whim -- like maybe a pixie or a leprechaun will tell her to stake you," Buffy said, raising her voice to let the others hear. "There's not a whole lotta job security working for a crazy bit--"

And that was all Buffy was able to say before Joshua punched her in the face and knocked her out.

"That was fun," he said, and then brought his fist to his mouth and licked the traces of her blood off his knuckles. "Dave, could you program the CD player? The song list is right next to the stereo."





The atmosphere was tense at the Summers' house.

Everyone was getting more worried about Buffy. More time had gone by with no sign of or word from the Slayer. She would have called to at least check in at home by now. They knew that Buffy was concerned about her family (with Glory trying to hunt down the Key), so it was strange that Buffy wouldn't call to see if all was quiet on the home front if she planned on being out late on patrol.

They felt even more discouraged when Willow and Tara's locator spell went wonky -- it showed several possible locations on the map of the city where Buffy could be. One of those spots of light on the map was right about where Spike's crypt was located.

The Scoobies didn't know it, but Drusilla's anti-magic wards were what made the spell go wrong. The spell bounced off the magical barrier at the mansion, and instead of showing Buffy's current location, all of the other places Buffy had been over the last day lit up on the map. The witches couldn't be sure what had caused the spell to go wonky.

Joyce and Dawn went into the kitchen together to make some more of that calming Chamomile tea.

With the Summers women out of earshot, Xander had the chance to pose a frightening, bone chilling question that made him sick to even suggest: Did the multiple locations mean that Buffy could be... in pieces around the city?

But Willow and Tara assured him that the lights on the map wouldn't be so bright if Buffy was dead; the lights would be dim; the brightness of the lights was reassuring. Buffy could be in a place where magic didn't work, or she could be near, or wearing, an object that 'scrambled' spells.

Xander was still convinced that Spike had something to do with Buffy's disappearance. The others agreed that a return visit to the crypt was in order, since the crypt was one of the sites that lit up on the map. This time they would have to insist that Spike let them in; they had to be sure Buffy wasn't there. And if Spike was cleared as a 'suspect', he might prove useful in finding Buffy -- maybe he could track her with his vampire senses.

In the kitchen, Joyce was trying her best not to totally freak out, but it wasn't easy. Spike had told the others that he hadn't even seen Buffy this evening. So... where could she be? As she'd said earlier, Joyce just had a feeling that something was wrong, that Buffy was in danger.

"Why don't I go talk to Spike?" Dawn suggested as she poured a cup of tea for her mother. "He likes me better than the rest of the Scoobies, and I think he trusts me."

"Absolutely not," Joyce said, shaking her head.

"Mom, if they're sure that Spike knows something, I can get him to tell me what it is."

"I already have one missing daughter, I'm not letting you out of this house. You're staying right here where I know you're safe." She put her arms protectively around Dawn and hugged her, kissing the top of her head.

"You don't really think Spike did something to Buffy, do you?" Dawn asked. "I know he wouldn't hurt her, Mom."

Joyce took a breath. "I don't want to believe that he would hurt her... but he is a vampire. And he has tried to kill Buffy before..."

"He has the chip -- he can't hurt her."

"But the others said that Spike was acting suspiciously..." Joyce sat down at the kitchen island.

Dawn shrugged. "It might be about something totally unrelated to Buffy. Xander's always trying to bust Spike's bal... chops about something. And Spike just didn't want to get hassled by Xander for some dumb thing."

Joyce nodded, then glanced at Dawn out of the corner of her eye. "Bust his bal-chops, huh? Nice save, kiddo."

Dawn smiled slightly for a moment, but then got serious again. "I think we should treat Spike as part of the team, not a suspect. He can help us find Buffy."

"You think Spike's in love with Buffy, right?" Joyce asked.

Dawn nodded. She was sure of it, unfortunately. It sucked to be into a guy who only had eyes for your perfect older sister.

"If he cares for her, then why didn't he offer to help look for her when they went to his crypt earlier?" Joyce wondered.

Dawn thought about that for a few seconds. "I guess it could be... because Spike knows how tough Buffy is, and he just wasn't worried about her. He probably thought we were being too overprotective and paranoid. He knows Buffy can take care of herself."

"That does make sense..." If anyone knew how truly tough Buffy was, it was Spike. Buffy had kicked his ass several times, he knew firsthand that Buffy could handle herself. Joyce sighed, but smiled a bit. "How did you get so smart?"

Dawn smiled and shrugged. "It runs in the family."

Dawn was trying to take some advice Spike had given her and focus on who (and what) she was now, and not dwell on what she'd started out as. Dawn always had the best talks with him. Spike was so insightful (as well as incredibly hot). She knew he couldn't have anything to do with Buffy's disappearance. She'd banished that small amount of doubt that Xander's rantings had caused, she was sure again -- Spike would not hurt Buffy. And when the 'Mystery of the Missing Slayer' was solved, and everyone knew for certain that Spike was 'innocent', Dawn would make sure to say 'I told you so' a hundred times to the others who doubted him -- especially Xander.





Spike tapped his fingers on the steering wheel and bopped his head to the beat as he drove through the dark streets of Sunnydale. 'Helter Skelter' by the Beatles was blasting from the DeSoto's speakers. Drusilla was positively beaming and doing the space jam in the passenger seat.

{{

Hear the song at the following YouTube Link:

Helter Skelter - The Beatles

}}

"Ooh, I just love how gruff and growly pretty Paul sounds on this song," Dru said.

"Yeah, it's a bloody brilliant tune, alright. Proves the Beatles could kick some serious ass when they wanted to."

Spike was trying to stay in a Big Bad state of mind, but Buffy's name and face kept popping up in his head. He wondered if the Scoobies had found the Slayer yet. She was probably home by now... It was strange to think he'd never see Buffy again after tonight -- assuming there wouldn't be a violent confrontation before he and Dru hit the road. Buffy had been such a big part of his life for the last few years, she was more important to him than she'd ever suspected. Thoughts of her had dominated his mind since he'd met her, at first wanting to best her in battle, and then he was just head-over-heels in love with her.

'Yeah, and where has that gotten you?' his inner voice asked. 'You've had to redefine pain since you met that bitch. Leave any thoughts of her and any sentiment for her behind. Move the bloody hell on with your unlife. You've got Dru back, she's all you need.'

Spike gripped the steering wheel and swallowed, doing his best to banish all of his doubts and fears. All that bollocks was behind him now. Buffy and Sunnyhell would be just memories after tonight. Lovesick, pitiful, Slayer-whipped Spike was dead and gone -- and it was good-riddance, as far as he was concerned!

Drusilla looked at Spike, slid over in the seat and put her hand on his thigh. He glanced at her, smiled and put his arm around her before focusing back on the road. She could tell her darling boy was in turmoil. It wasn't going to be easy to help Spike find himself again, not after the government crippled him by putting that chip in his head, and that nasty Slayer wormed her way into his brain, too. The pixies and the stars told Drusilla that Spike's fate couldn't be predicted at this time -- he could be his old, beautifully wicked self again, or he could drift further out of Dru's reach, so far away that she wouldn't be able to reach him ever again. Dru intended to make sure it was the former, not the latter.

"Feelin' peckish, pet?" Dru asked with a smirk.

"Hmm? Oh... yeah, I s'pose."

Dru suddenly changed her mind about going to the Bronze, she couldn't take waiting any longer. And, most of all, she wanted Spike to have a big appetite for the main course. "I think I know what you really want to eat. Let's go to my place instead of that club."

"I thought you wanted to go hunting?" Spike felt a rush of guilt because he was relieved that he wouldn't have to hunt so soon. He was afraid the chip would still correct him... and he was afraid that it wouldn't correct him, too. Letting go of the new identity he'd been trying to forge for himself was proving harder than he thought it would.

"Don't want you fillin' up on bread when the main course is so scrumptious." Dru giggled. "I got somethin' special prepared for you. There's nothing like home cooking, is there? I've got some fun surprises at the mansion."

Spike looked at her briefly, excited and anxious. "What kind of surprises?"

"You'll see." She gave his thigh a lusty squeeze. "Drive to the mansion on Crawford Street -- you know the one."

Spike rolled his eyes, groaning loudly. It figured -- the very last place on his list to check was the one he should've gone to first. He hated that bloody mansion... "Don't fancy seeing that place again, Dru... Why'd you have to set up shop there? That's where everything started goin' wrong. Angelus tormenting me, and me bein' stuck in that bloody wheelchair..."

Dru rested her head on his shoulder and rubbed his thigh. "We'll make some happier memories tonight, sweet William."

"Bloody hell..." Spike let out a weary sigh. "Alright..."

Spike reluctantly made a right turn that would take them onto Crawford Street.





Spike and Dru arrived at the mansion within a few minutes. He parked in the driveway, where they were greeted by two of Dru's minions who reported that all was well. There had been no intruders during her absence.

Drusilla took Spike's hand and skipped to the front door. "Close your eyes." She grinned and bounced with excitement.

"Dru, come on, I --"

"Close your pretty eyes, or you won't get your surprise," she sing-songed.

Spike sighed and closed his eyes, smiling slightly. Dru was so full of life, so childlike in her way. He had always found it endearing. "Alright, they're closed."

A minion opened the door for them.

Dru took the extra precaution of covering Spike's eyes with one of her hands as she guided him into the main room.

The minions had colorful party hats on and noisemakers in hand -- they felt stupid, but this is what Dru said they had to do, so they did it. A few lackeys were standing in front of Buffy (as Dru had ordered), so Spike wouldn't be able to see her right away.

The decorations were all hung with care, and the blood punch (made with the blood of some unfortunate humans who had crossed paths with Dru's underlings) was chilled and doctored with vodka and cinnamon (made using Dru's special recipe) and ready to be served.

Drusilla took her hand away from Spike's eyes as she and her minions yelled, "Surprise!"

Spike blinked and looked around, taking in the balloons, streamers, and the big 'Welcome Back, Spike' banner. He smiled and laughed. "What's all this then?"

"It's a party for you, sweet Spike!" Dru exclaimed, throwing her arms around him and hugging him.

Spike hugged her back. "I can't believe you did all this for me, Ducks!" Nobody had done anything like this for him since... well, since the old days when Dru would throw a party for him out of the blue. It made him feel warm inside, and more sure that he'd made the right choice. "Thank you."

Drusilla kissed him, and then pulled back, beaming at him. "I knew you'd be pleased."

"I love it, Dru. But you shouldn't've gone to so much trouble."

"Oh, it wasn't any trouble. It was a delight! My helpers did such a lovely job, don't you think?"

"Yeah, seems like you got hold of some good minions this time 'round, pet." Spike could smell fresh blood in the air. Then he noticed the punch bowl filled with blood and assumed that's what he was smelling. There was so much going on that he didn't focus on the smell of the blood -- if he had concentrated, he would have been able to tell there was more than just common human blood in the room.

Buffy had blinked awake at the sound of the noisemakers and the shouts of "Surprise!" But she kept her head down and pretended to still be unconscious. Her head was ringing and her thoughts were disjointed, it would be best to stay quiet until she could think straight again. She had no idea what was going to happen next.

Spike was here; she could hear him talking. Buffy wasn't usually a praying woman, but now she did pray that Spike would help her get out of here alive. Though it was more likely that Spike was about to pay her back, with interest, for all of the insults, punches, and slights she'd given him since the chipping.

"I've got one more big surprise for you, darling," Drusilla said, leading him by the hand toward Buffy. Dru was excited, but she was still afraid that Spike would choose Buffy. Spike's loyalties were leaning heavily toward Dru at the moment, but that could change in the blink of an eye.

Dru motioned for the minions to step away from the Slayer.

"There's more? Pet, you really shouldn't have. All of this is..." Spike trailed off when he saw the girl chained in the archway. Besides being chained and slashed all over her body, the poor thing had the extra humiliation of being covered in festive streamers and bows. This girl, no doubt, was meant to be his first kill. He tensed, his anxiety about killing was back.

Spike tried psyching himself up again. 'Right, I can do this. I'm a vampire -- killing is what I do. I can do it... just like riding a bike. Not like I've forgotten how. It's just...' His thoughts screeched to a halt when the realization came upon him. He couldn't see the unconscious girl's face, but her scent was unmistakable now that he was closer to her.

"...Buffy," Spike whispered, stunned.

"Do you like your fantastic present? Innit pretty?" Drusilla asked, smiling and studying his reaction. "I got it just for you. It's like Christmas, Boxing Day, and Guy Fawkes Day all rolled into one!"

Seeing Buffy like this did not fill him with the joy it would have when he'd first arrived in Sunnydale... What he was feeling was the opposite of joy. So many questions crowded his mind, he couldn't get one full thought to form. Spike's mouth worked silently, opening and closing a few times.

"I knew you'd be gobsmacked," Dru said. "Are you impressed with me?" She ran her hand up his arm to get his attention.

Spike glanced at Dru, but it was difficult to take his eyes away from Buffy. "Impressed... yeah... that's a word for it. Is she...?" He was afraid to finish the sentence.

"No, she's not dead... yet!" Dru laughed. "I didn't want her to die 'fore you got here, my pet -- that wouldn't have made a very nice present for your homecoming."

"How did you... How'd you manage to do this?"

"I've got my ways..." She smiled, looking very pleased with her successful capture of the Slayer. "A girl's got to keep some mystery. She'll be your third Slayer and my second -- I'm catchin' up to you, my darling, deadly boy." She giggled. "Next Slayer is all yours, I promise."

He wanted to go to Buffy and wake her up, to see if she was even coherent at this point. Someone had obviously been working Buffy over. "Did you let your helpers cut her up?" Spike asked, trying to keep his voice steady.

"Oh no, I wanted that honor for m'self. I cut and slashed her, and had me a few licks of her delectable blood while I was at it. It's soooo good, Spike," Dru moaned, rubbing her stomach. Then she pointed to Buffy's stomach. "Look at the pretty picture I made. Me an' you, happy together again."

"Yeah... it's lovely. So you did that to her, and then you came to talk to me?"

Dru nodded.

"You left her hangin' here with these halfwits 'guarding' her?" Spike swept his hand around the room, indicating her minions. "They could've killed her! It's a bloody miracle they didn't!" The thought of Buffy being tormented by Dru's minions enraged Spike. It was just lucky that they appeared to fear Dru more than they wanted a taste of the Slayer.

"You do worry too much, my love. Oh, here's Joshua!" Dru pulled Joshua over. "Joshua helped me capture the Slayer, and he supervised the decorations. He did the Slayer's pretty ribbons an' bows himself, didn't you?"

Joshua nodded. "I had to punch her and knock her out, Mistress. She was running her mouth. You said it would be okay."

"That's fine, Joshua. I know how irritatin' it is to have her shrill voice nattering away at you."

Joshua extended his hand to Spike. "It's an honor to meet you, Spike. You're legendary!"

Spike clenched his jaw and looked at Joshua's hand, then looked back up into his eyes. All he could think was that this pissant had punched Buffy and hung all that crazy shit on her. He wanted to dust Joshua where he stood.

Joshua lowered his hand when he saw it wasn't going to be shaken.

Drusilla pouted. "Aww, Spike, don't be rude. He's a good boy." Dru patted Joshua on the head like she would a puppy, then she whispered to him, "Spike's just all emotional from the surprise party, don't take it personal-like. Be a pet an' go start the music."

Joshua nodded and went to the CD player.

Spike looked at Buffy again. What was he going to do?

"Look who else is here to celebrate," Dru said, going over to Miss Edith and picking her up. She grinned and held the doll up in front of Spike's face.

He leaned back, away from the doll. "Oh, good... Miss Edith's here."

"And she's chuffed to bits to see you and me together again!" Dru hugged the doll and spun in a circle. "Every girl dreams that her mummy and daddy will reunite." She set Miss Edith back down, making sure the doll had a good view of Buffy. "She's been extra good, so she gets to watch the Slayer suffer."

Buffy raised her head just as Spike looked back at her. They stared at each other for several moments without saying anything.

"Spike... please help me," Buffy whispered plaintively.

He stared at her for a moment, then looked quickly at Dru, and then back to Buffy. His eyes looked shiny with unshed tears, turning a lighter shade of blue. Her beautiful face was scratched and marked. It broke his heart to see her looking so... small and defeated. He whispered, "I'm sorry, Buffy..."

Dru was suddenly there with them, draping her arms over Spike's shoulders from behind and smiling evilly at Buffy; Spike's eyes were glued to the beaten and bruised Slayer, as well, but he wasn't smiling. "Ooh, look who's awake! I'll have one of my boys fetch a sturdy stick. We can whack her with the stick 'til the candy comes spilling out."

"No... no sticks," Spike said, then cleared his throat as he tried to act nonchalant and pry his eyes off Buffy. He began looking everywhere -- anywhere, but at the Slayer that was shackled and hanging in front of him.

Dru walked her fingers up Spike's arms like spiders. "Can't wait to get to the pièce de résistance -- the time for the screams and rivers of blood is always the happiest of all." Dru closed her eyes and cooed when the music started playing.

{{

Hear the song at the following YouTube Link:

Linger - The Cranberries

}}

"Mmmm, such a pretty song, full of love and misery. Dance with me before we feast, my sweet Spike." Dru smiled and pulled him into the center of the room with her.

Spike was hesitant to leave Buffy where she was. "Dru, we need to t--"

"Dance first, then bloodshed."

Buffy closed her eyes and lowered her head. Spike wasn't going to help her. She could tell that he cared about her, she could see it in his eyes when he looked at her, but it seemed that he just didn't care enough. Had she really expected that he'd go against Dru to help her? That image of Spike as the hero of her hallucination flashed in her mind and she felt tears threaten her eyes -- he was a hero, alright -- Dru's hero, not hers. Buffy bit the inside of her cheek to stave off the tears of disappointment... they could kill her, but she'd be damned if she'd give them the satisfaction of seeing her cry.

Dru put her arms around Spike, and he wrapped his arms around her waist. They started slowly swaying to the music. Spike turned his head, his eyes were drawn, as if magnetized, to Buffy. Dru put her hand on his cheek and turned his face back to hers. She kissed him softly, and then closed her eyes and rested her head on his shoulder, touching her hand to the back of his neck as they danced.

Spike screwed his eyes shut and held her in his arms, willing the warring voices in his head to go silent. Tonight proved that God (or whoever it was that was running the show) really did hate Spike.

The music washed over them; the words meant something different to each of them.

For Dru, the song made her think of how she was willing to look past Spike's love for the Slayer. She loved him so much that she couldn't help herself, she had to have him back by her side, even though Spike had betrayed her. His heart and mind were awhirl with the Slayer. In any case, the Slayer, and Spike's feelings for her, would cease to be issues by the end of the night.

Drusilla knew a lot of things, but she was oblivious to just how crushed Spike had been when she'd left him. She still felt that she was the wronged party because she knew he'd fallen for the Slayer. Spike had plotted with Buffy to kill Angelus and break up their happy family -- Spike's loyalty had shifted on that black day. But Dru was about to make everything right again.

Dru turned in his arms, pressing her back against his chest, and holding his arms around her middle. She let her head fall back onto his shoulder and continued swaying with him.

For Spike, the song made him think of how easily he'd let Dru draw him back into her life. He hadn't even put up much resistance, despite how badly she'd hurt him in the past; he hadn't told her how wrong it was of her to completely ignore his suffering when she'd flaunted her relationship with Angelus while Spike was in that wheelchair; he hadn't taken Dru to task for the way she'd so casually discarded him after everything they'd been through together. But how could he possibly turn Dru down when she was offering him everything that had been missing from his life? She was his entire world for such a long time... There was a painful void inside of him ever since the day Drusilla had left him, and that void was finally being filled.

The song also made him think of his feelings for Buffy -- she had him wrapped around her finger, too. No matter how many times she put him down or beat on him, he still loved her. Seeing her bloodied and beaten was like a stake to the heart for him. Spike wished he could take her place in those manacles, and take away her pain...

He was Love's Bitch, and now there were two women with the power to destroy him from the inside out. Spike was well aware that he had a foolish loyalty to the women he loved, but there wasn't much he could do about it, that's just the way he was wired. Only one of those women wanted and loved him back, though... his choice should be clear.

And if Harmony were there, she would have been able to relate to the song too -- big-time. Though Spike had never made any promises to love her and only her, Harm thought that was implied.

Buffy watched them dancing, meeting Spike's eyes whenever they drifted back to her. She stared back at him, trying to figure out what was going through his mind as he looked at her. His face was kind of blank, which was odd for Spike -- his features were usually very expressive.

Buffy hated seeing Spike and Dru together like this... for lots of reasons. Was there a touch of jealousy in the mix, too? She thought there might be. That illusion with him rescuing her had brought some secret longing to the surface. It was so confusing...

But I’m in so deep
You know I’m such a fool for you
You got me wrapped around your finger
Do you have to let it linger
Do you have to, do you have to
Do you have to let it linger

Spike looked at Buffy again. She still couldn't quite decipher his emotions from his expression, but his eyes... his intense, blue eyes were locked onto her. Buffy thought his eyes looked sad -- but was that a good thing or a bad thing for her? Was he sad that he was going to have to kill her, or was he sad that he was going to have to go against Dru's wishes to save Buffy's life?

The song ended, and Dru curtsied as the minions applauded.

"Thank you! You're too kind!" Dru curtsied again to the minions on the other side of the room, and then she took Spike's hand. "I've missed dancing with you, my Spike."

"I missed it too, pet," Spike replied in a soft voice.

"Everyone!" Dru called as she led Spike back to Buffy. "It's time! Keep your distance, we need room to work, but you may observe this momentous occasion."

Buffy gulped as they approached her. Would Spike kill her? Could he kill her? Did Drusilla actually fix it so that the chip wouldn't affect him anymore?

Drusilla turned to Spike. "Start the proceedings, my love. What will it be? You want to play with her with some sharp knives," she gestured to the small table with the cutting implements, "bash and stomp on her, or will you sink your pretty fangs into her?"

"I can't," Spike said faintly, casting his eyes to the floor. When Spike told Buffy he was sorry earlier, he'd meant that he was sorry any of this had happened to her because of him. There was no way in hell he would let Drusilla or anyone else kill Buffy.

Dru narrowed her eyes. She'd been afraid of this... "What?"

He took a breath, looked back up into Dru's eyes, and said louder, "I said, I can't kill her."

"Yes, you can and you will!" Drusilla insisted. "You won't get nasty shocks from the chip. Kill her, Spike. Kill her for your princess. You promised to chop her into messes for me... I'm still waiting for you to keep your promise."

"It's not because of the chip..." He hoped Dru wouldn't make him admit his feelings for Buffy -- especially not right in front of Buffy.

Drusilla kept her eyes trained on Spike, but addressed the minions, "Everyone, get out! I need to have a heart-to-heart with my William."

The minions shrugged and filed out of the room, disappointed that they weren't going to see the Slayer slain. Joshua decided that he (and a few others) should wait right outside the door, just in case the Mistress needed him. It looked like it might get ugly in there...

"Why don't you unchain me so I can leave, too, and give you two kids some privacy?" Buffy quipped, not expecting to be released, but she had to say it. Making smartass comments helped give her at least the illusion that she wasn't completely helpless.

"Shut your festering gob, you dippy little tramp!" Dru spat.

Buffy frowned. "Hey! You are calling me a tramp!? That's funny! You're the one who was --"

"Are you finally ready to tell the truth, Spike?" Dru asked solemnly. "I knew you were in love with her years ago, but you wouldn't admit it. The stars and pixies told me so... and they've never lied to me."

Spike snorted a laugh and tried to look amused. "Oh please, Dru, don't start with that bollocks again. How could I love her?"

Dru arched a feathery eyebrow. "Then why can't you kill her?"

Spike swallowed and tried to think of a good reason. "Her friends... yeah, her friends will be on the warpath when they suss out what's goin' on. There are a couple powerful witches in that group, we shouldn't --"

Drusilla closed her eyes and put her hands to her head, pressing and twisting her knuckles against her temples. "Why must everyone lie!? You're all crying wolf when there is no wolf! The herd will scatter! I cannot abide these fairy tales!"

Spike didn't know what to say -- Dru obviously wasn't buying it.

She opened her eyes again, looking at him sadly. "I know the naughty, awful voice in your head is telling you to free her. I'll help you make that voice fade away to nothing. And we can be together forever and ever. I'll snuff out her flame and then you'll be all mine again. You'll be free."

"Drusilla... pet, I love you. She's nothing to me!" Spike insisted heatedly, waving his arm at Buffy. "Let's just go... leave this cursed town, leave this bloody country!" Spike hoped he could just get Dru and her minions away from Buffy without having to actually fight her, then, first chance he got, he could get word to the Scoobies and they could come help the Slayer.

"We have to get her out of your head, and the only way to do that is to kill her. If she's nothing to you... then you won't mind if I start by plucking out one of her eyes..."

Buffy leaned as far away from Dru as she could, her eyes wide with fear.

Spike seized Dru's wrist before she could touch Buffy. She jerked her head to look at him.

"No," Spike said tightly, his jaw set. "I won't let you hurt her any more."

Dru wrenched her arm out of his grasp. She pouted and backed up a few steps, holding her arm to her chest and rubbing her wrist. "I don't like this, Spike... The band is playing out of tune... the tuba and bassoon have fallen out of step and the castanets are tap-tap-tapping on my brain..."

"I'm sorry. I can't let you do it." Spike stepped in front of Buffy, in case Dru lunged for her again. He'd decided while dancing with Dru that it would be his last dance with her. His choice had really been made the moment he'd seen Buffy chained in the archway. Seeing her like that made it impossible for him to ignore his feelings for her. He knew he had to get her out of this place any way he could. He wouldn't be able to live with himself if Buffy died, either by his hand or Drusilla's. He still loved Dru, but... he realized in that moment that he loved Buffy even more.

Buffy was shocked that Spike was actually doing it; he was trying to protect her.

"And you still claim not to love her!?" Dru shouted accusingly. "You should be popping corn and pulling up a chair to watch the matinee. You should be joining me in the sweet torture!"

Drusilla covered her eyes with her hands and screamed with anguish, making both Spike and Buffy jump. "She's wiggling in your brain like an earthworm! I cut her in half and she grows again!"

Spike hated seeing Drusilla so distressed because of him. He was always the one to calm her, to give her anything she wanted just so she'd smile and be happy again. But he wouldn't be able to do it this time. The women he loved were pulling him apart, pulling his heart apart, and it was excruciating. "Please, pet... don't make me --"

"Admit it, Spike." Dru lowered her hands to her sides and growled. "Say the words. I'll kill her right this second if you don't admit it." She had to make him admit the truth. After all, everyone knows that admitting you have a problem is the first step to recovery.

Spike couldn't look at Buffy... This was going to be humiliating. "Alright! Yes! I..." He forced the words out slowly, "Yes... I do love her. And I can't let you hurt her, Dru. I just... can't."


Chapter End Notes:
'Linger' lyrics by Noel Hogan/Dolores Mary O'Riordan



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