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17

“I’m not going to lie to you. It’s going to be hard. It’s going to be dangerous; but we’re going to win,” Buffy paced the platform, while the younger slayers looked on. She was a legend. The greatest slayer of them all, and she was their hero. What Buffy ordered, the girls did. No questions asked. “I haven’t been sure of much since my calling, but there is one thing I am sure of. You. You girls are the best there is and I have complete faith in you.”
Giles stood off near the stairs leading to the upper level of the complex. He watched as Buffy finished her speech and began to train the girls in complicated slayer moves. He sighed in concern. He understood her need to rescue Spike, he just didn’t understand why she was pushing the girls like she was. It wasn’t like she was going up against a army of Ubervamps.
“Amazing,” Wesley came down to stand next to his former colleague.
“Yes she is. She’s extraordinary.”
“But you’re worried about her as well. Ever since she and Angel had returned, she’s been training the girls, nonstop.”
“I don’t think she’s thinking properly at the moment. Perhaps it would be wise to ask Faith to take over the girl’s training until Spike is returned and Buffy is more stable,” Giles thoughtfully stroked his chin as he watched Buffy perform a high-kick. His slayer had been through too much already. He was afraid that this was just the thing to break her for good.
Angel came up to stand with the watchers and happened to hear their concerns. He sometimes couldn’t believe Giles. He had the strongest slayer in history and he was doubting her capability to cope.
“Buffy’s fine. She’s just in slayer mode right now. It’s the only way she’s keeping it together,” Angel explained.
“But this constant training…it’s not good for the girls…or for her. They need rest and nourishment if they’re to be in this battle,” Wesley replied.
“These girls need to be ready if they’re facing off with The Master. Let’s not forget what happened to Buffy when she first faced off with him,” Angel warned. “If Buffy doesn’t prepare them…they’ll die. I don’t think any of us wants to lose any of these girls…especially due to lack of training.”
Wesley and Giles bowed their heads at the very thought of losing Buffy or any of the young people she trained.
“We’re just concerned for her, Angel,” Wesley sighed, feeling as if he had overstepped his bounds. He knew that Angel forgave him for kidnapping Connor, he just didn’t want to do anything else that would cost him Angel’s friendship.
“I know. So am I, but we have to let her be for right now. This is the only way she can cope with the lost of the sire/childe bond she shared with Spike. She has to be the Slayer.”
Giles’s eyes widened in alarm. He had almost forgotten about the bond Buffy shared with Spike. The poor girl must be going through hell right now. Well…if being in slayer mode helped her deal with the pain…so be it, but he wanted the other girls to have a chance to rest and regroup. This may be a job for the resident witch.
“Angel…will you please go to Willow. Tell her that I need her to talk to Buffy. The slayers need to rest.”
“Giles…I really don’t…,” Angel tried to protest, but all words left him as he found himself looking into the cold visage of Ripper.
“Do not argue with me Angel. Just do as I say,” Giles growled through clenched teeth. He was in no mood for disobedience…especially for a vampire that couldn’t seem to hold on to his soul.
Angel just nodded and left to retrieve Willow. Resisting Giles now would just make more trouble for Buffy and he wanted to shield her from as much grief as he possibly could. He at least owed her that much.
~*~
Willow watched as Buffy went through the motions of training the girls for the coming mission. From afar, Buffy seemed normal. The slayer, giving her routine training tips to her best students; But Willow knew better. It was all just a ruse. She could feel Buffy’s pain all the way upstairs in her apartment. She had no idea how she was going to approach her friend and suggest that she take a break before the girls collapsed from pure exhaustion.
Taking a deep breath to steady her nerves, Willow approached Buffy with extreme caution. It was dangerous to startle a training slayer. She had learned that fact the hard way. “Buffy.”
“Oh, hi Willow,” Buffy abruptly came to a stand still, singling the other slayers to continue. She took a needless, yet cleansing breath and stretched her arms, fighting against the sudden wave of despair as she became unoccupied.
“We were wondering where you were. Xander’s here and wants to spend some time with his best friend with the slayer title. So what do you say? Give yourself and the girls a break and come spend some chatty time with us?”
Buffy sighed. She would have liked to do that, under normal circumstances. If it wasn’t for the devastation that wanted to overwhelm her whenever she did stop the training, she would do just that. The despair of Spike’s situation…it immobilized her. It made her want to lay down and die. The pain of losing him was too strong to stop now.
“Willow…I can’t. We have to prepare to rescue Spike.”
“You can’t do Spike any good if both you and the girls are exhausted from over exertion. You may not be tired, but look at the girls. They’re ready to drop.”
Buffy frowned as she watched her girls. Their hair was stringy with sweat, their arms glistened with sweat. Their usually rapid movements were slowing down and their chests rise and fell with each breath that was becoming a struggle. Perhaps Willow was right. It was time for a break.
Buffy clapped her hands, signaling the girls to stop. Her eyes shone with tears of guilt and despair. “That’s enough training for today. Go hit the showers and relax.”
Sighs of relief filled the room as the slayers filtered out of the room. Grateful glances were thrown in Willow’s direction, as if they somehow knew that their resident witch was responsible for this reprieve.
“Happy now?” Buffy asked, not bothering to fight the tears over Spike anymore. Her lips trembled as each wave of despair hit her. “Their not training…and…Spike’s gone!”
“Oh Buffy,” Willow wrapped her arms around the blonde’s trembling shoulders. She felt horrible. She hadn’t meant to make her cry. “He’s not gone forever. We’ll get him back.” She held Buffy close as she cried for Spike, cooing words meant to comfort. It was simply amazing how Buffy had gone from wishing the peroxide vampire away to mourning his possible loss. She had once thought that Angel was Buffy’s soul mate, but she was so wrong in that assessment. It was Spike that Buffy belonged with. He completed her in ways that Angel never could.
“It hurts so much, Will. It’s like there’s a giant, gapping hole where he used to be. She took him from me and I have no idea how to get him back.”
“But we will, Buffy. We’ll find Drusilla, kick her butt to kingdom come, and bring Spike home. Not to mention your enhanced powers now that you’re a vamped slayer. We’re going to win this,” Willow grinned, her faith in Buffy stronger then ever before. “We’ll get him back.”
Buffy pulled away from her friend, wiping away her tears. She was ready to be strong Buffy again. No more useless crying. It was time for action. Thank goodness for Willow. She always seemed to know when Buffy needed her most. “I got your shirt all wet,” Buffy referred to the wet spot her tears had left on the shoulder of Willow’s t-shirt.
“Ah, don’t worry about it. It’ll dry. Now come with me. Xander is waiting for us with two pints of B & J.”
Again, Buffy smiled as she followed Willow out of the training room. She was determined to stop the crying somehow. Maybe if she kept all thoughts of Spike to the back of her mind until she was alone again and could grieve in private. For now, she was just going to visit with her friend and just not think for a bit.
~*~
The night was dark, foreboding, and just right for the taking…or so said Dru, who was determined to have her William join her in the hunt. Spike didn’t dare refuse, even tough the thought of biting anyone made his stomach curl in disgust and guilty emotions. It had been a good many years since he had *willingly* sank his teeth into anyone. Doing so now…it was bound to bring up bad memories of the First’s mind games and the screams from past victims. He really wasn’t in the mood to be tortured by his conscious right now. Damn the powers. They better appreciate all he was willing to do just to get rid of The Master and his ex.
Dru kissed The Master good-bye, promising to bring back treats for him and Ms. Edith as she and William went out to play.
Spike rolled his eyes and followed her out of the lair, wondering if there was a chance of getting a message to Buffy somehow. The option was soon deemed impossible, since Dru made sure that he never left her sight. His ex seemed to feel a bit possessive tonight. She wanted Spike with her at all times.
So far the night hadn’t been too bad. They scared a few patrons at one of the local bars and Spike watched as Dru flirted with a few men that turned out to have girlfriends of their own. He thought of Buffy as he watched the couples leave, their hands linked, unaware of the danger they had just escaped. He remembered the past days, when they went out dancing and Spike had walked her back to the complex, her hand safely nestled in his. He had never been that content in all his unlife.
He had tried to reach Buffy through their bond, but like always, he found the link blocked somehow. Dru must have done it. This made him even more angry and determined to take Dru out and soon. He was not going to be kept away from his childe longer then he absolutely had to be. It was becoming painfully clear…in order to get back to his slayer…he was going to have to stake Dru. A part of him hated the thought of doing such a thing. After all, this was the woman he had once spent a century with. She would always be a part of him in one way or another, but he knew that there was no choice. He couldn’t lose Buffy, not after finally winning her love.
Soon enough, Dru grew tired of the bar, so she decided that it was time for greener pastures. He groaned in displeasure as she led him to the park…the very place where this whole mission began.
“Dru, love. What are we doing here?” Spiked glared at her, wondering what she was playing at. As far as he knew, no one was fool enough to hang out in this park at this time of night.
“Waiting. They will be here soon.”
“Who love?” Spike asked, not loving the vibes he was getting from the situation in general. Something wasn’t right. Dru suddenly seemed…sane, which never bode well for anyone.
Dru just giggled and disappeared into the darkest portion of the park, leaving Spike to stand in the midst of green trees and pale moonlight. Bloody hell!
“Dru!” he called, tempted to take the time alone to escape, but resisted the urge. He wanted to be the one that brought The master down, and this plan would guarantee it.
Sounds of a struggle interrupted the deep silence of the park. Dru had caught herself a victim after all. Spike bit down a gasp of horror as Dru emerged from the darkness, dragging out a girl he recognized as one of Buffy’s slayers. Bloody hell! This was beyond bad.
“I brought my Spike a welcome home gift and prettily wrapped,” the vampiress pushed the trembling girl into his arms, her eyes bright and mischievous. “Feed my love.”
Spike looked at Dru, then back down at the girl…Sally…that was her name. He remembered her standing in the crowd of newly chosen slayers and thinking that she wouldn’t last very long if she didn’t try harder. He hated it, when he was right. Sally’s eyes were wide and pleading. He really had no choice at all here. He was going to have to bite her…Dru would be suspicious if he didn’t. Slayer’s blood had once been his favorite. If he didn’t drink…Dru would be suspicious. Maybe if he didn’t drain her completely…maybe he could trick Dru into thinking that he had returned to his old ways.
The scent of his sire near by made up Spike’s mind. Angel would take care of the girl, once Spike and Dru were gone. There was no more time for doubt. Looking one last time at Dru, he sank his fangs into the girl’s throat.. He felt Angel’s intense glare on his back as he fed. The ponce probably thought we was relishing this and couldn’t wait to run back and tell Buffy that Spike had returned to his evil ways. Well, let him do just that. In the end, they will know the truth anyway.
He forced himself to stop drinking when he felt the girl’s heart begin to slow down and Dru’s hand slipping over his shoulders, signaling that she was ready to go.
“Not daddy is here to spoil our fun. Let’s get away, my pet,” She whispered into his ear, thinking that she was seducing him somehow.
Spike dropped the seemingly lifeless body to the ground and smiled mischievously at the woman that had once been his entire world. “Let’s blow this pop stand, princess. Go back to the lair and report this girl’s demise,” Spike pulled her to him and resisted a cringe as Dru laughed herself, before leading Spike out into the dark night.
Frowning, Angel stepped out from his hiding place, full of disappointment. He had really thought that Spike had changed, but obviously that assessment had been wrong. He was still the same old Spike. A few hours with Dru and his childe was back to his old ways. He hated to tell Buffy and the others. It was going to kill her, but he had no choice. They needed to know that William the Bloody was back…and from what he saw…with a vengeance.





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