[Reviews - 0]
-
Table of Contents [Report This]
Microsoft Word Chapter or Story | ePub eBook Chapter or Story | Printer Chapter or Story

Has been viewed 49 times

- Text Size +




I hear there's a party at Lake Cove
It's be much easier if I drove
We could check it out
We can go and see
Come on take a ride with me
Therapy? - Diane
~~~***~~~
*Initiative armory*
Giles was getting tired. His ears had a constant ringing in them from all the semiautomatic rounds he’d fired. Perhaps it would have been a wise course of action to employ some earplugs.
The soldiers attempted to assault their position, but the concentrated fire from three determined shooters pushed them back with several casualties. Giles wasn’t sure what was going on in the rest of the house, but he could hear fighting through the walls. All of a sudden, there was an increase in the noise, and he instinctively shot at the movement down the corridor leading to their make-shift position.
The target proved to be a vampire who cursed loudly when he was hit by a couple of bullets. “Stop fucking shooting. We got all of them.”
Giles allowed himself to relax. The battle for Lowell House was over. He looked at his companions. They looked just as harried as he felt. Only half an hour had passed since they’d entered the frat, but he’d aged a decade. “Let’s check on the others, shall we?”
~~~***~~~
*Initiative tunnels*
Faith made her way through the complex. It looked more like a cross between a hospital and a prison, than a military base. She’d taken a peek at some files they’d found in one of the labs and almost threw up at the contents. She thought she’d seen evil before, but the descriptions and photos in there were enough to shake her belief in humanity.
Now she and Wesley were moving from room to room, to find anything that would lead them to Joyce, Buffy, or the bulk of their research.
As they rounded a corner to move into another section they saw a group of people wearing lab-coats being led their way by Maggie Walsh, who looked more disheveled than she did in the picture Faith had seen on Willow’s laptop.
Walsh frowned and pointed a gun at Wesley. “Who are you two? I don’t remember seeing you in the personnel files.”
Faith needed to act fast. “There’s a hostile behind you.”
Walsh hesitated for a split second, but that was long enough. Wesley dropped to the ground, while Faith used the wall to jump on top of Walsh and disarm her. She then used the crowbar she’d armed herself with to knock out three of the scientists before they even realized what was happening.
Walsh tried to hit her, but a punch to the solar plexus put her down. Faith whirled on the rest of the humans, while Wesley trained a loaded crossbow at them. “Who’s gonna tell me where all your research is?” When she got no response, she took a menacing step forward. “I see you’re afraid. I’m guessing you’re also afraid of the ‘hostiles’ coming this way on a warpath.” She dropped her voice and added in a sneer. “I’m what demons are afraid of, so you better answer when I ask you something.”
She smirked when the Initiative people started talking all at once, trying to outdo one another in being more helpful.
~~~***~~~
Spike ran through the corridors ignoring any demons he met and ripping through the soldiers in his path. He didn’t have the time or patience to take stock of what was happening, instead trusted minions would to finish the job of putting the Initiative down for good. He had one priority: get to Buffy.
When he reached the cell block she was supposed to be in she wasn’t there. Blood covered some walls, a few demons he couldn’t be bothered to identify were dead or dying, but the Slayer was gone. He sniffed out trying to find her, but it was difficult due to all the interfering smells. At long last he picked up a smell that enraged and gave him a jolt of hope at the same time: Slayer blood, probably a day old or so. It was centered mostly in one cell, but there wasn’t anyone there.
He went back out in the corridor and tried to focus. He took off to his right, following the more recent trail, thankfully devoid of that new blood smell he was dreading. At least Buffy hadn’t gotten hurt.
He went as fast as he could, stopping at each intersection in the infernal maze of corridors to gauge where she’d gone off to. He could feel the trail getting stronger until he was confident enough to take off at a dead run.
Soon enough he stopped in his tracks. “Bloody hell, what the fuck are you doing here?”
“Now, now, Willie, you really don’t seem to show any respect for your elders. It’s almost as if you’re trying to hurt my feelings.”
Angel was leaning casually with his back against a wall, the Slayer held tightly in his grip, while Dru stood to the side, one of her hands clasped around Buffy’s neck. Her claws were close to piercing the skin and her gaze never left the Slayer’s. Buffy seemed to be out of it, which could only mean she’d been thralled. Spike knew if he moved one more muscle she’d be dead before he reached her.
Maybe he could bait the big lug. “You have something you wanna say to me, Gramps, come here and say it, you don’t need to hide behind a skirt, do you?”
Angelus smirked. “Oh, but I think you can hear me just fine from where I am. As I said last time, I’ve come to collect what’s mine, and she is mine.” He punctuated his words by moving one of his hands over Buffy’s belly.
Spike snorted. “What, you came all the way here to beat me to offing the Slayer?” He cocked his head. “That’s flattering, I guess, but you could have simply waited for the next one to be called. Don’t you like ‘em younger, more… virginal?”
Angelus sneered and straightened his position off the wall, taking Buffy with him and pushing Dru out of the way. “You forget what my darling girl can see, don’t you? I know all about you and your pact with Buff here. Really, joining forces with the Slayer is a new low, even for you.”
“Says the vamp who chased after her skirts for more than a year with nothing to show for it.”
“Oh, don’t worry, by the time I’m done with her, her corpse will show more than enough.”
“Have at it, then. Far be it from me to stop the mighty Angelus from torturing some poor chit who can’t fight back. I’m sure they’ll sing songs about your exploits down at Willie’s.”
“Cut the crap. We both know you have the Gem.” The smile on Angelus’s face was malicious. “Dru told me you’ve actually gone and fallen for another unattainable woman, and since she’s one of mine, as usual, I’ve decided to be magnanimous: I’ll give Buffy to you in exchange for the Gem.”
Spike snorted. “You’re kidding me. You want me to hand over something that’d make you invincible, and expect you to, what, walk off into the sunset? What’s to stop you attacking us once you have it?”
“Us? Oh, boy, are you whipped. You do realize she’s never going to be yours, right? She’s too much for you to handle, she needs a real vamp.” He thrust his hips forward.
“My prince is lost to the Sunshine. Lost, lost, lost.” Dru gave him a pitying look. “You taste like ashes, my Spike.”
“I’m not you Spike anymore, Dru. You and your precious Daddy made damn sure I knew that when you were torturing me six ways to bloody Sunday.”
Buffy’s gaze focused on him, despite her not changing her zoned out countenance. The thrall was over. She’d still be dead in a moment with both Angelus and Dru so close, but at least she was conscious.
“Would you look at that? You can be taught. I’d almost lost all hope. Now it’s time to learn you’re nothing special, just an upstart I should have dusted as soon as he crawled out of the ground Dru put you in.” Angelus barked his next words. “Hand over the Gem, or stand there and watch me take care of Buffy here. Maybe you want to take notes.” Angelus started worming a hand under Buffy’s top.
“Okay, okay, stop. Let her go and I’ll give it to you.”
Angelus laughed. “You think me stupid, boy? Hand over the Gem, and then you get your precious Slayer.”
“Now who’s making assumptions? We trade at the same time.”
“Fine. Come here.”
“I’ll meet you halfway, Peaches.”
Angelus laughed, but pushed Buffy forward. Dru let out a dreamy laugh and started twirling in place. Spike matched Angelus’s steps one at a time, until they were within smacking distance.
Angelus reached a hand out, palm up. “Moment of truth. Give it to me.”
Spike grabbed Buffy’s arm with one hand, while he held the Gem in his other. With a flick of his wrist, he made it sail up through the air. “Catch.” He pulled Buffy to him while Angelus was busy following the Gem’s trajectory with his eyes.
Dru let out a shriek and rushed at him. Spike pushed Buffy out of the way of his maker’s extended claws, getting a deep slash on his forearm for his trouble. He retaliated by punching Dru in the kidneys, which only made her come at him full force.
***
Spike was holding his own against Dru, so Buffy focused on what Angel was doing. No, this wasn’t Angel, it was Angelus, and he was scrambling on the floor, trying to find the Gem. She couldn’t allow him to get it. Spike with the Gem had been a shock. A vampire who seemed more interested in talking with her about her classes, and argued with her about all kinds of subjects over a cup of coffee was one thing. One of the worst sadists in history couldn’t get his hands on something like that. The result could be another Apocalypse, and she so didn’t want to have to figure out how to kill an unkillable vampire.
She didn’t have a stake, but she wasn’t unarmed. She took out the Polagra skewer from where she’d hidden it and lunged. Angelus was distracted and her aim was true, so she staked him right through his heart, but he didn’t turn to dust. He let out a roar and kicked her in the belly, making her fly through the air until she met the corridor wall. She ignored the pain and got up to keep fighting. She needed to stop Angelus.
She was intercepted by a screeching Dru. Buffy could barely hold the vampire back from scratching her eyes out with her nails and yelped in pain when she got bit on the arm instead.
The attack stopped just as suddenly as it started, and Buffy coughed out the dust that got in her mouth. When she raised her gaze she could see Spike frozen in place, his stake-wielding hand still extended in front of him from where he’d dusted Dru.
She wanted to say something, but she didn’t have time, as she saw Angelus grab the ring off the floor. “Crap.”
She sprang forward to stop him, but he managed to slip the gold band on his finger.
She reached him and part of her mind noted his astonished look.
“Why isn’t this healing?” He frowned at where the Polagra spike was still stuck deep in his chest.
She grabbed his hand and managed to wrestle the ring off his finger. He growled and backhanded her, but she refused to let him get it back. They rolled on the floor, each trying to get the upper hand. She saw Spike watching them, and their gazes locked for a moment. She knew what he had to do at that point, and she hoped so did he.
When the stake he threw reached her open palm, she closed her fist around it and plunged it into Angelus’s heart from the back. This time she’d been prepared, so no vamp dust got in her lungs. Still, she felt exhausted and just lay there for a moment.
Spike kneeled next to her, and touched her face. “You okay, love?”
“Yeah, I just need to catch my breath. After three or four freaking days in these cells, I wasn’t exactly ready for a fight to the death with Angelus and Dru.”
“Well, you’re a sight for sore eyes, gotta tell you, winded or not.”
She smiled at him. She hadn’t realized until the moment the thrall had faded away and she saw him across the corridor just how much she’d missed him. She laughed and raised a hand, which he grabbed to help her get off the floor and away from Angelus’s ashes.
“Thank you.” She didn’t mean just for the hand up, but she wasn’t sure how to put everything she felt into words. So instead she kissed him. Not how she’d done in in the crypt, full or passion and adrenaline, but a peck on the lips where she barely lingered. She wanted to linger. Gazing into his eyes, then watching his lips curl up into a smile, she wanted to kiss him, really kiss him. But she shouldn’t.
Of course, that’s when people started coming in from all sides.
First it was her mother and one of Spike’s minions that he’d better not have had a thing with. While Joyce cried and hugged her Faith appeared from the other side, leading a group of guys in lab coats that were tied to each other in a line, with Wesley herding them from behind with a loaded crossbow.
Buffy didn’t get the chance to ask what everyone was doing there, because Spike insisted they all needed to get out of the Initiative, since his men had set up charges to blow up soon. They were shutting it down with a bang, just as Buffy knew they’d have to, so she shrugged and followed Spike towards the escape tunnels, still holding on tight to the Gem of Amara.
Once the Initiative ended, so did the truce, and he would be the enemy. She watched his back as he lead them to safety. There was so much she’d wanted to say to him, so many scenarios she’d gone through in her mind while she’d been caged up like an animal, and now she wasn’t sure she’d get to say anything. Sometimes being a Slayer sucked ass.

Diane lyrics © BMG Rights Management





You must login (register) to review.