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Spike burst into the cabin, relief rolling over him in waves as he saw Buffy. He ran to her, holding her as tightly as he could without crushing her. "You're alive. Buffy, I was so worried…"

Buffy let herself relax in his embrace for only a moment before pulling away. "They took my mom," she said, tears filling her eyes again. "There were so many demons, and I couldn't fight them all, and…and they got her."

Spike remembered what Dejira had said to him before he left. "They're using Joyce as bait—using her to set a trap for you."

Buffy's eyes grew wide. "Is that what you learned tonight?"

"Yeah. I didn't…"

Before Spike could finish, he felt someone grab him, pining him against the wall. Spike looked up at Giles in shock, having been so focused on Buffy that he hadn't realized the other man had come into the room. "You knew what they were going to do to Joyce," Giles accused. "You knew, and you let it happen."

"No! I swear, I didn't! Dejira tricked me, kept me out of the way. She only said something about getting bait for a trap—didn't say it was Joyce—and even that wasn't until the end. Ran back here as soon as she told me what she'd done."

Buffy placed her hand on the Watcher's shoulder. "Let him go, Giles. He didn't sell my mother out. He wouldn't do that."

"Yes, he would! He's evil Buffy."

"He wouldn't, and he didn't. Just let him go so we can save her, all right?" With obvious reluctance, Giles dropped Spike. Buffy nodded. "Good. Now I believe we were going after the demons that took my mother."

"Buffy, I'm afraid in light of what Spike has just told us, I must again protest your rash plan of action. You will be walking into a trap."

"I know I will—but what happens if we don't take the bait? There's a good chance that they've left her alive if they want to lure me with her, but if we don't hurry, they might kill her. We don't have any choice."

"You could also be putting her in more danger this way."

"We don't have time for this!" Buffy turned back to Spike. "Do you have any idea where they may have taken her?"

"I'm not sure, but Dejira brought me somewhere not far from here. Could be a place to start at least. I think I could tell you how to get there. I had to find my way back at least partly by tracking a scent."

"What scent?" Buffy asked.

"Yours."

Buffy blushed at his simple answer. Somehow, the thought that Spike knew her scent that well affected her in ways she hadn't expected. When it had come to Angel, his ability to track someone by their scent had always slightly unnerved her, but this… Buffy shook her head. This was not the time to go there. "Spike, you giving us directions isn't good enough. I need you with me for this."

"Can't. Sun's going to be up soon. Won't do you a lot of good as a pile of dust."

"This place of Dejira's—did it have a lot of windows?"

"No."

"Good. Giles, there's a town a few miles up the road. Go there and get some black paint. We're going to sunproof the car."

"Buffy, this is…"

"Dammit, Watcher, would you knock it off?" Spike yelled. "All your protesting is just wasting time for Joyce."

"But this is insanity! You have to know Buffy is rushing into danger—hell, you probably set it up that way. Besides, all the stores will be closed at this hour—and on Christmas no less."

Buffy rolled her eyes. "Would you quit it with Spike? And if the stores are closed, then just go all Rippery and break in. We don't have time for you to get all moral on me."

"Buffy…"

"Either you go, or I do. Do you have any idea how badly I drive?"

"Right. Well, I'll be back soon then."

"Is he always this much of a git?" Spike asked once Giles had left.

"Sometimes. He can be like a dog with a bone. Especially since he's thinking you're part of the whole trap thing."

"He's not completely daft in that, you know." When Buffy looked at him in surprise, Spike quickly added, "Not that he's right. Just if I were in his position, I'd worry, too. Although I don't think I'd be such a damn broken record about the whole thing."

Buffy threw her arms around Spike suddenly, holding him close. "I know you wouldn't do anything to hurt me. I…I trust you. I know I probably shouldn't, but I do." When she felt Spike stiffen in her arms, Buffy looked up. "Is something wrong? Other than the obvious, I mean."

"No. Sorry. It's just…been a long day."

Buffy pulled away, reaching down to give his hand a lingering squeeze as she did. "I'm going to go heat you up some blood. If things get ugly, I'll need you at full strength."

"Buffy, you don't have to…"

Buffy silenced him with a kiss. "I told you—full strength, gonna need it. I'll be right back."

Spike nodded, letting her go. When she came back, she found him sitting in a corner of the room, avoiding the sun. She handed him the mug, sitting beside him. "You could go in the bedroom, you know."

"I'm fine here."

Buffy rested her head on his shoulder, frowning when he didn't respond to her at all. "Spike, what's wrong? And don't tell me it's nothing, because I know that's a lie."

"I'm worried about Joyce."

"No, it's more than that. What's going on?"

Spike was silent for a moment before he finally responded. "I let you down."

"What?"

"I should've been here, helping you fight those demons. I never should've gone off to meet Dejira. You were right—it was a bad idea."

"Spike, this isn't your fault. There were so many of them, I'm not even sure you being here would've made a difference."

"How many were there?"

"I don't know. Some multiple of three."

"What?"

"Never mind." Buffy kissed his cheek. "Don't blame yourself for this, please. Just help me get her back."

"I will. Your mum will be home for Christmas, Buffy."

"I'm falling in love with you."

Spike coughed. "What?"

Buffy looked down at the floor. "I…I don't think I'm there yet, but I'm…I'm heading that way. I just thought you should know."

Spike smiled and kissed the top of her head. "Thank you. That's…that's the best Christmas present you could have given me."

Buffy nestled against him, taking comfort in his strength as they waited for Giles.

*** *** ***

Buffy surveyed their handiwork, frowning. "I really hope my mom doesn't get all mad 'cause I painted her car windows black."

Giles wiped his brow. "Yes, well, hopefully she'll understand it was done in an attempt to save her life."

"Yeah, that's the outcome I'm hoping for, too. And it'll come off, won't it?"

"With a little work, yes, it should."

'I'm going to go in and get Spike."

"Buffy, I know you won't listen, but…"

"You're right. I won't listen—because I've heard it. Just go with me on this one, okay? And if I'm wrong, well, then we'll end up dead, and you can spend eternity in the afterlife nagging me about it."

Giles chuckled. "Well, I suppose there is some consolation in that."

"Start up the car. I'll be right back."

"How exactly am I supposed to drive with almost the entire windshield black?"

"Carefully?"

"Yes, of course. How silly of me to even ask," Giles replied sarcastically. He sighed at the look on Buffy's face. "I'll go start the car."

"You do that."

A few moments later, Buffy reemerged from the cabin, Spike running beside her with a blanket thrown over him. Once in the car, he threw it to the floorboards, stamping out the small fire that had started. "Well then, he said, smoothing back his hair, "Let's get this show on the road, shall we?"

*** *** ***

Joyce woke to find herself in an unfamiliar room, tied to a chair. A tall, raven haired woman stood in front of her, a glint in her silver eyes. "What is going on?" Joyce demanded.

"Mrs. Summers, I see you are awake. My name is Dejira, and let me welcome you to my home. I am so pleased that you will be spending this holiday here with me, watching me kill your daughter in a slow and painful manner."

Joyce struggled with her bonds, although she knew that she wouldn't be able to loosen the ropes. "You won't stand a chance against Buffy," Joyce said, a hint of motherly pride in her voice.

"Please." Dejira waved her hand. "As if anyone with a name like Buffy would stand a chance against me."

"Hey! I gave her that name!"

"And what a silly woman you are."

Joyce glared. "You obviously don't know my daughter. Buffy is going to kill you."

"And let me guess—her vampire lover will help?" Dejira laughed. "Although he's not really hers at all. He's mine. Do you honestly think he just got lucky in finding me the other night, or that he was actually here for a meeting last night? Please. He's been mine all along, and that pathetic daughter of yours played right into our hands."

"You're lying."

"Believe what you want, Mrs. Summers. You'll be dead soon enough anyway."

Joyce said nothing, only narrowing her eyes. Whoever this woman was, Joyce knew that she had seriously underestimated her daughter.

*** *** ***

"Are you sure this is it?"

Spike peered out the tiny break in the black paint, careful not to let the sunlight hit him directly. "Yes. This is it."

"It was remarkably close to the cabin."

Spike rolled his eyes. "Well, yeah. My thinking is that's on purpose. This bitch has been spying on Buffy—it would make sense that she'd be close enough to do that effectively."

"Right. I guess it would."

"Giles, come with me," Buffy said from the backseat. "I'm going to make sure the door is open before Spike gets out. We don't want him burning up on the doorstep."

"We don't?"

Buffy shot her Watcher a look. "Stop it."

Giles muttered to himself, getting out of the car and following Buffy to the front door. She shook the handle a couple of times before sighing and kicking it in. "Well, I suppose that's one way to open it," Giles said.

"Spike!" Buffy yelled. "Come on!"

"Way to be discreet," Giles said. "I'm sure none of the evil things inside know we're here now."

"Giles, we're here to kill them, not throw a surprise party. The sooner they show up, the sooner I can lop off their heads and save my mother."

Spike ran up then, coming inside and throwing the blanket to the ground. "So we killing nasties now?"

"That was the plan," Buffy said, handing him one of the swords she was carrying. "Let's go save my mother."

"Do you really think he wants to help you?"

Spike sighed heavily as Dejira walked out of the shadows. "Bollocks, you are home. I was sort of hoping you would've thrown yourself in front of a bus since the last time I saw you."

"Darling, is that any way to talk to me after our night of passion?"

Buffy looked up sharply at Spike. "What is she talking about?"

"What, he didn't tell you?" Dejira asked with a smile. "While you were busy with my demons, your vampire was busy with me." She laughed at the stricken look on Buffy's face. "Oh, you poor, naïve little girl. Did you really think you'd be enough to satisfy him?"

"Buffy, I didn't. Please, luv, you have to believe me." Spike grabbed Buffy by the shoulders, looking into her eyes. "I don't know what happened last night, but I know I didn't sleep with her."

Dejira walked to Spike, running her hand along his arm. "Tell her the truth, darling. Tell her how you woke earlier this morning. Was it not in my bed—without your clothes?"

"Balls," Spike muttered under his breath. "Okay, yeah, that happened—but I didn't shag her. She did something to me, drugged me some how. She says that we were drinking, and that's why I didn't remember, but Buffy, I don't even remember drinking, never mind getting drunk enough to want her."

"That's the best you can come up with?" Dejira asked. "That's pathetic." She looked at Buffy. "Please don't tell me you're going to believe that load of rubbish."

Buffy turned on Dejira, a sneer on her face. "Actually, bitch, I am. Because you know, even with Drusilla and Harmony in his past, Spike still has better taste than you. So answer me now before I hack you into tiny, skanky little pieces—Where. Is. My. Mother?"

"Foolish child. You walked into my trap—therefore, you are going to die. It is as simple as that."

Buffy rolled her eyes. "Apparently, you don't know how this works. I'm the Slayer—and I'm gonna win. So we can do this the hard way, or we can do it the easy way. It doesn't really matter to me, because in the end, I'm going to walk away."

"I don't think so." Dejira snapped her fingers and twelve grenbrek demons stepped into the room. "Kill them, boys."

Buffy, Spike, and Giles stood in the center of the room, swords raised as the grenbreks closed in on them. "I told you this was a bad idea," Giles said.

"Yes, but did you have a better one?" Buffy asked.

"Well, um, no."

"Exactly. Now shut up and start killing some demons."

Giles sighed as the fight begun.

*** *** ***

Did you actually think I'd have Spike cheat on Buffy? Oh ye of little faith…

I would like to say a little something to the people that bitched me out—my feelings are a bit hurt. I'm not talking about the people who fell for my little ploy and thought Spike did sleep with Dejira. I mean the few of you that totally wrote off the story. I feel like I have been delivering a fairly good story so far with an obvious love of the spuffiness, and it hurt a bit to see that you would lose all faith in me so quickly. As a writer, I like to feel like I should be able to have plot twists like that without having to fear that people will stop reading in the middle because of one chapter that was in actuality, rather ambiguous. If any of you are still reading, please give me a little more time before you jump on me in the future, okay? I even went as far as to promise fluffiness in the author's note, hinting that things weren't as bad as they seemed, to try to prevent that, and I still got a few cold reviews. Expressing nervousness I understand, but I'd really rather not have my story condemned before it's even finished. After it's done if you still don't like it, flame away if you must, but if you've been enjoying it for this long, don't cut me loose so suddenly. Honestly, I wouldn't want Spike to do that to Buffy anymore than you would… Thanks!

Reviews would be much appreciated.





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