This was the oldest part of the cemetery.
The words carved on the tombstones had mostly worn away, eroded by time and weather. No new burials here. No cadavers that would rise again...to resume an existence as a zombie...a demon...a vampire.
Yet, there was one vampire present- a lethally striking blond in a black leather coat.
Spike leaned back against a tree, fumbling for a cigarette. It was not by accident that he'd gone to the oldest section of the graveyard...'Home Sweet Home.' No one knew he was back in Sunnyhell; and he wanted to keep it that way. At least until he'd figured out what the hell he was doing back in this pathetic town.
He was about to strike a match when he heard a noise. He froze, arm uplifted.
There it was again...a tiny sob, almost like a lost child.
It was coming from a weathered mausoleum. Spike approached steathily; he could see the padlocked door had been breached. He was careful to make no sound, but soon realized it would have made no diffrence to the heartbroken girl sobbing on top of the stone sarcophagous.
With a sense of shock, Spike recognized the Slayer.
He watched her for a moment, puzzled by her condition; and by the fact that he felt no urge to kill her.
She looked to be in bad shape. Her blonde hair was tangled, her face streaked with tears. She wasn't wearing shoes, and her feet were cut and bruised. What's more, she didn't react when he stepped into the crypt.
"Slayer?"
She raised her head...and he had another shock. Her pants had been ripped open, and her shirt was a shredded, stained rag.
Spike's voice changed. "What in sodding hell happened to you?"
Buffy kept sobbing softly.
Impatiently Spike took a step forward, and grasped her arm. She screamed in agony...and his face went vamp as the two scents hit him- blood, and sex.
Realization swept him. "You've been raped. And beaten."
She nodded once, convulsively.
"Who did it, Slayer?" Spike demanded, in a tone he didn't recognize.
Buffy looked at him, tears streaming down her face. "HE did, Spike."
For a minute he didn't understand. "He? You mean...Angel?"
She shook her head.
"Angelus."
Spike could only stare at the Slayer, mind racing as he sought to comprehend what she said.
"Lost his soul again, has he?"
"Yes. The Mayor found a soul-caster to take it away. And then Faith, the other Slayer, she...she's working for the Mayor now, and she...took...him."
Spike frowned, processing this information. "So...they set a trap for you, caught you, and...attacked you?" He found himself reluctant to use the word rape.
"Yes," she whispered.
"Let me see," he ordered, reaching for the rags of her clothes.
"No!" Buffy flinched away from his touch, trying to curl into a fetal position.
"Yes," he insisted. "I promise, I won't hurt you."
Carefully, with a gentleness she never would have expected, he pulled off the torn strips of her clothing until she lay, naked and shaking, in front of him.
"Let me see," he said again, softly.
She made no further protest.
One of them had used a whip...her shoulders, her bottom, the backs of her legs were deeply scored. Spike could see the twin holes of a vampire's bite on her right thigh; there were also the impressions of human teeth on her breasts.
"How did you get away from them?" he asked at last.
"I.."she bit her cracked and swollen lip. "I...pretended to...pretended to..."
"To enjoy it?"
"Yes." Her head sagged in shame. "I did...everything they wanted. To both of them. And then finally...when they were...distracted...I grabbed my clothes and ran."
"Not the safest place for you, pet." Spike indicated the mausoleum.
"Where is safe?" she asked. "There's no place! And now, they're together..."
"And they'll be coming after you," Spike concluded. He stared into space for a long moment. Then, he glanced at her, removed his long coat, and unbuttoned his red silk shirt.
"Put this on," he instructed. After she obeyed him listlessly, he nodded his satisfaction.
"Listen to me, pet. You'll have no chance against a Master vampire teamed with a Slayer; that's a powerful combination. You've got one hope...me."
"You?" Buffy stared at him.
Spike nodded emphatically. "I'm all you've got."
"But...why'd you want to help a Slayer?" Buffy asked uncertainly.
"Because. I hate my sire more than I do you." Spike said coldly. "If I help, you can defeat them and save your friends. And I get my revenge. Well?"
Buffy hesitated. If he hadn't mentioned her friends, she'd have been inclined to refuse. But she had no illusions. What Angelus and his new lover had done to her was tame compared to what they had planned for the others, especially Xander and Willow. Her two closest friends would be primary targets for that vicious pair.
"I agree," she said slowly.
He tilted his head, studying her intently. "You sound rather half-hearted, Slayer. I think...I'll have a guarantee."
"What? What kind of guarantee?" Buffy asked in surprise.
Spike shook out another cigarette and lit it, drawing in a deep breath before he spoke. Then he said something that shocked her so much she was sure she'd misunderstood him.
"Let's get married."
She'd never been here before, and she wasn't likely to see much of the place this trip. It was very different from Sunnydale; could almost have been in another country.
She stole a quick glance at her husband.
She'd been married now for thirty-six minutes; and it was less than an hour until dawn. The facade of their hotel loomed up...she climbed from the car and followed Spike inside.
The events of the night whirled through her head...She'd known immediately that she had no choice but to agree to any conditions Spike set, but still she'd tried to demur.
"Why do we have to be married? Can't we just..."
"No." He cut her off. "No, Slayer. I need to feel sure you're committed to me...that you won't suddenly go back on our deal if one of two things should happen."
"What things?" Buffy asked.
Spike's mouth curled down. "One...Peaches regains his soul. Or two...you decide you can accept him without one."
Her head flared back with a touch of the old defiance. "I won't!"
"I think I believe you," he conceded, "but...I still want that guarantee."
"But what does marriage mean to YOU, anyway?" she objected.
He shrugged. "The point is what it means to you. Quite a bit, I'd say. Yes or no, Slayer?"
And next thing they were at the airport where a helicopter had been hired to fly them directly to Las Vegas. Buffy couldn't even go home to pack; instead, Spike paid a hotel employee a staggering tip to run out and buy her some things.
She stayed in the shower for almost an hour, scrubbing every trace of Angelus and Faith from her skin, closing her mind to the knowledge that her mortal enemy was about to become her husband. She dried herself gently, observing that the welts were no longer bleeding but that her entire body was still stiff and sore.
Spike had insisted on carrying her from the mausoleum to his car..."Makes me feel all manly, pet."
She found him opening packages and strewing the contents all over the enormous bed.
"See anything you fancy, kitten?" he asked. He handed her a bag filled with toothbrush, hairbrush, an assortment of make-up.
She thanked him, surprised by his thoughtfulness, and turned her attention to the clothes. Impulsively she selected a short white eyelet skirt with a matching camisole top...it looked crisp, and clean, and ...innocent. All the things she was sure she'd never be again. Yet she put it on.
"Good choice, pet," Spike nodded his approval.
Buffy had been expecting a tacky Vegas marriage mill, with a ceremony performed by an Elvis impersonator.
Instead Spike had found a place that resembled a little garden, with real climbing roses over a wicker trellis; and the elderly official who conducted the service did so in a simple, dignified way.
Buffy glanced down at her left hand, then at Spike's. The matching rings gleamed in the subdued light.
He noticed the look. "Regrets, luv?" he asked tightly.
"It...it's so...unreal," she said at last.
He scowled darkly. "Think of the Ascension...that's real enough."
He drew the curtains, plunging their room into darkness. "Better get some sleep; we'll return to Sunnyhell right after sundown."
Spike handed Buffy another of his shirts to sleep in. When she emerged from the bathroom, he was already in bed and looked to be asleep.
Timidly, she slid in beside him and stretched out gingerly. Not too bad...another day would see her healed completely.
Exhausted, Buffy closed her eyes.
She kissed the vampire hungrily, positioning her body so that the chained Buffy was forced to watch.
"When Angel is finished with me, he'll turn on you!" Buffy warned.
"Yeah," Angelus grinned, never taking his dark eyes off Buffy. "I probably will."
"Then, we'll just have to make sure we keep you alive for a long time," Faith shrugged carelessly. She lowered the knife away from Buffy's face; and slowly, almost tenderly, sliced down the front of her shirt.
"A long time," echoed Angel, coming up behind Faith. "Let the games begin."
And Faith's head darted forward like a striking snake, teeth closing on Buffy's breast; while Angelus...
"Noooo!" Buffy's screams made her own ears ring; there was a suffocating weight on top of her. Angelus....his once-loved, now hated body...
"Slayer! Slayer, stop! It's a bad dream, that's all. You had a bad dream." The British accent reassured her; Spike's face swam into focus. He removed his hand from over her mouth.
"Sorry," she whispered, through dry lips. "I thought..."
"I know. It's all right."
She shuddered, raising one hand to rub the tears from her eyes.
"Slayer, do you need a doctor?" Spike asked.
"No, I...I'm about healed," she responded.
"I meant...another kind of doctor."
Her hand dropped in astonishment. "You mean...a SHRINK?"
He shrugged. "If it helps..."
Incredibly, she almost laughed. "And how do I explain everything?"
"All you'd have to do is tell about the rape," he said quietly.
"No! I can't...I don't...don't want everyone to know." Buffy hunched her shoulder defensively.
"You'll have to tell your friends." Spike's voice was curiously gentle.
"I know," Buffy whispered. "I told Giles that...that Angelus was back; and he'd teamed up with Faith. But I couldn't...I never said everything that...happened."
"I'll do it," he offered.
She looked at him gratefully. "Thanks." Then, she curled up on her side, facing away from him.
Spike wondered if he should hold her, then decided not to. It would be strictly to comfort her; but after her mistreatment by Angelus and his new whore, he rather thought that Buffy would prefer not to be touched.
He reached out and pulled the sheet up over her shoulders, and as he did, the glint of his new wedding ring caught his eye. What imp of perversity had got into his brain, to cause him to take to wife a Slayer? And one, moreover, who considered him her mortal enemy?
"Sorry," Willow said quickly, "I thought...what with Angel...I mean, I did the 'Vampires Stay Out' ritual."
"Good idea," Buffy said quickly. "Everybody better be extra careful."
"Especially you," Xander put in. "I always SAID Angel would really hurt you one day, and now..."
"Xander." Giles' quiet voice held unmistakeable authority. "Shut up."
There was a stunned silence; but Spike gave the Watcher a look of approval.
Joyce rushed over to them and flung both arms around her daughter. "Buffy, are you all right? How badly did that...that monster hurt you?"
Buffy winced, and gave Spike a look of appeal.
"Why don't you...help your mum make coffee, pet?" he suggested. "While I have a word."
She gave him a speaking look of gratitude, and followed Joyce into the kitchen.
"Who're you to hand out orders?" Xander demanded ferociously. "I know Buffy invited you in, but..."
"Xander!" Once more Giles called the boy to heel.
"What happened to Buffy?" Oz spoke for the first time.
Spike told them.
There was an appalled silence; then everyone spoke at once:
"The insufferable pillock!"
"I'll kill him...Deadboy's going down!"
"Poor Buffy...oohh, I KNEW Faith was trouble!"
"Is she going to be ok?"
"Ewww...that skanky biker babe? How COULD he?"
The clamor died as Buffy and her mother returned. Of the two, it was Joyce who wept; Buffy remained calm. Willow leaped to her feet, flinging her arms around the Slayer- and Xander embraced them both.
"It's ok, guys," Buffy assured them. "I'm all right."
Deliberately Giles detached both Willow and Xander- and then hugged Buffy hard. That's when she let the tears come.
Spike watched as she sobbed against her grim-faced Watcher's shoulder. The tears seemed to bring her relief. Everyone, even the self-contained Oz, was crying by this time, except for Spike. He was waiting for the inevitable reaction when they noticed the gleaming new wedding bands.
Again, everyone spoke at once:
"You insufferable pillock!"
"I'll kill you for taking...taking advantage this way, blood-sucker!"
"Poor Buffy...but...but...married? And to Spike!"
"Are you going to be ok?"
"Ewww, another vampire! How COULD you??"
Amazingly, it was Joyce who came to Spike's defense. "Stop that right now," she ordered. "Buffy needs all the help she can get to deal with Faith and that...that..."
Unable to think of a word bad enough to describe Angel, Joyce spluttered to a halt. "I'm glad Spike is here; I'm glad he's helping Buffy; and I'm glad they're married," Joyce concluded defiantly.
"You're right," Giles concurred. "With Faith, Angel, and the Mayor all against us, we must come up with some sort of plan; but it's necessary to take every precaution. From now on, no one goes anyplace, not even around the corner, alone."
Oz turned to Willow. "You just got a new roommate," he said firmly. "I'm Buffy's replacement."
Cordelia arranged to move in with Joyce for the duration; while Xander opted for bringing a sleeping bag to Giles' apartment- much to the Watcher's chagrin.
Everyone, even the Slayer, seemed to assume that Buffy would be living with Spike.
Carefully, methodically, Giles worked out schedules, making certain everyone was covered. Spike felt a new respect for the Watcher's mental capacity. The man reminded him of Dalton, the bookish vampire whose death Spike frequently regretted.
"We can't keep this up forever," Willow pointed out.
"We don't have to," Giles explained. "The ascension must take place during the night of the blue moon...and the next blue moon will occur in three months and seventeen days. That's when the mayor will once again be vulnerable- and we can kill him! We only have to hold them off until then."
"Only," Willow murmured fearfully.
Oz gave her a reassuring smile. "We can do it, baby." He put his arm over her shoulder.
Buffy looked at them wistfully; it was so much easier when you weren't on your own.
Then Spike reached over and took her hand; and insensibly, she felt better.
"Yeah, Spike got it when we found out how long it'd be until the ascension," Buffy said quietly.
Willow ran up the graceful spiral staircase to the second floor. There were two bedrooms, each with a matching bath...one decorated in soft shades of peach and the other in indigo and cream.
"I love your room, Buffy," Willow enthused. "I guess you and Spike don't...uh...sleep together?"
"Of course not!" Buffy said sharply. "Our marriage is strictly a business deal- you know that!"
It was true, as far as it went...she and Spike didn't share a room. But- that wasn't the whole truth, either. Even though Buffy kept assuring everyone that she was fine, she still had nightmares about that horrifying night with Angel and Faith.
"Think how you'll feel when your boyfriend's cutting into you," Faith would gloat.
And Angel...Buffy cringed to hear him: "But Faith, that's such a waste. Lacks...poetry. I can think of so many things I'd rather do with Buffy."
Faith would sulk, "But what about me?"
Then...Angel laughed. "I wouldn't think of leaving you out, lover." Then, he'd turn to look at Buffy while his laughter died. "We'll both have her."
And Buffy would start screaming. Her screams would wake her...eventually.
But they always woke Spike at once.
She'd come out of her nightmare, sobbing in terror, to find him beside her, stroking her hair.
"All right?" he'd ask, when her tears stopped. She would nod; and he'd slowly withdraw to his own bedroom.
He never touched her at any other time.
But none of this could she tell Willow.
"Buffy?" Willow asked hesitantly, "where do you think they are? Faith and...Angel?"
"I heard they went to New York to get something the mayor needs for the ascension," Buffy said. "I don't care what...I'm just so happy to have a breathing space. I'm SO not looking forward to meeting either one again!"
Willow's heart ached for her best friend; but Buffy seemed unwilling to talk about her ordeal. "I wish she would talk to someone," Willow thought unhappily. "It's not like she could ever talk to Spike!"
But in this she was wrong.
Buffy treated herself to a long, vanilla-scented bath, pulled on some dark blue velour pants and matching tunic that she loved to feel against her skin...then added a thick pair of bright red socks to keep her feet warm. She curled up on the couch to watch television.
Spike, hair still damp from his shower, wandered in to find her.
"What's on, Slayer?"
"Rob Roy. I never saw that movie, did you?"
"No." Spike hesitated; for an instant she thought he was about to sit down beside her; but then he settled on a chair nearby.
They watched with increasing absorbtion- until that harrowing moment when the villain cornered Mary McGregor in her own house, and the vicious rape that followed...
Buffy gasped, as Spike moved swiftly to turn it off. "Don't!"
He paused. "You don't need to see this, pet."
His concern for her touched her; but she shook her head resolutely. She watched the film until the end, tears streaming down her face; while Spike studied her in an agony of indecision.
"Rob Roy killed him," she said intensely, "and I'm glad!"
Spike wished despertely he knew what to do to ease her pain. Instead he said, as he would have to Drusilla, "I'll kill him for you, luv."
"No," she countered, "I want to kill them. I want them to pay for what they...what they...I want them to see that this time, I WILL fight them! I'll fight back!"
Somehow he found himself beside her, clutching her slim shoulders. "Pet...listen to me! You couldn't fight them...not both of them! They would have killed you...don't make any mistake about that."
Her eyes wavered. "Maybe...maybe that would have been better."
He shook her roughly. "I am NOT hearing this! You're lucky you're still alive!"
"Am I?" she asked plaintively.
"Yes, you bloody well are! What's the matter, Slayer? You survived as long as you have by not knowing when you're beaten. Are you going to let that Slayer bitch and my wanker of a sire defeat you...after I couldn't?"
She looked at him, and amazingly her mouth lifted in a minuscule smile. "I wouldn't dare."
He returned her smile. "That's my girl." He leaned forward and brushed his lips lightly against her forehead.
But that night, the nightmares came again.
This time it was Mary McGregor in her stone house, menaced by the evil swordsman...then suddenly Mary turned into Buffy, and Archie into Angel..while Faith watched the punishing assault with a smile that promised furthur humiliation. She woke to find Spike leaning over her, gently shaking her awake.
"Spike! Oh Spike, it...they...were there, they..."
"Shhh." He pulled her into his arms and held her until she calmed.
"I'm okay." She pulled away from him, even though she wanted nothing more than to cling.
"Sure?" he asked.
When she nodded firmly, he said, "Then how about some hot chocolate? I got some of those little marshmallows you like."
Her laughter sounded strange...it had been so long since she'd heard it.
"You mean YOU like them! Would you like some hot chocolate to go with your marshmallows?" she teased.
He grinned as they padded downstairs to the kitchen.
"Know something, pet? It's our anniversary. We've been married a whole month already." Spike handed her one of the mugs of chocolate.
She realized with a sense of shock that he was right. She'd been so busy wallowing in her own misery that she'd had no time to think of anything else. The days had passed in a painful blur. But now...
Somehow she felt, not BETTER, but the way she'd felt when she had been sick as a child; and then started to recover. She felt...convalescent.
Spike sensed the change. He'd spent the past month trying to make himself invisible in the home they shared...giving her space while watching for any small thing he could do for her. Making sure she ate, and slept, and had time to heal. Now he relaxed, confident that she had turned some corner and was no longer consumed with guilt and regret.
She hesitated by the door to her room.
Instantly he was there by her side, anxious to help. "All right, luv?"
"Uh-huh," Buffy smiled shyly at the blond vampire. "Poor Spike, I'll try not to scream the house down anymore."
"Scream as much as you like, pet. I won't mind."
"Thanks." Buffy stood on her toes and softly kissed his cheek. Then she went inside her room and shut the door.
Spike walked down the hall like a zombie. As he lay in his bed, staring up at the ceiling, he tried to analyze why he felt so...strange. So excited and scared, all at the same time.
His bed suddenly seemed very big...and very empty.
Spike had been thinking about it all day long; for some reason he'd found it difficult to sleep.
"Out where?" Buffy asked, with none of the shrinking he'd half expected.
"Choices are a bit limited in Sunnyhell, pet. I guess it will have to be the Bronze."
"Okay," Buffy agreed readily. "Oz's band is playing there, too, so we'll get to see everyone."
His sense of disappointment came as a surprise to him. It was natural she'd want to see her friends; but he would have liked to celebrate all alone, just the two of them. He told himself he was being ridiculous, but that didn't stop the feeling.
Buffy was excited to be going out again. Showered and shampooed, she stood naked in front of her closet, surveying her wardrobe with a critical eye. She made up her mind. One of the outfits selected by the concierge in Vegas had instantly won Buffy's heart, even though it wasn't the thing to get married in.
It was a long, midnight blue silk dress, with thin straps that criss-crossed over her bare back. Buffy pinned her hair up to call attention to the effect; and stepped into high-heeled sandals. "Not bad," she decided , studying her reflection. "Wonder what Spike will say?"
Hesitantly, she made her way downstairs where he waited. He glanced over at her; and his entire body went rigid. He was silent so long she grew upset.
"Don't you like it?" she faltered.
"Yes." Strange that one short word,spoken in just that tone, could ease her into glorious confidence. She smiled at him happily.
"I uh...got you this, kitten." Almost shyly he held out the red velvet box.
Buffy opened it to discver an exquisite pair of diamond and pearl earrings. "Spike," she breathed, "they're gorgeous!"
His sculpted mouth relaxed into a delighted grin. "Fancy them, do you, pet?"
"Oh, yes." Once more Buffy went up on her toes; but this time the soft little kiss landed directly on his mouth. "I definitely fancy them, Spike."
He was left speechless as she fstened them into her small ears. It was hard to know which of them was the more pleased.
Willow, Xander, and Cordelia were sitting at the table where the redhead had saved seats for Buffy and Spike.
"Whoa, Buffy, talk about heavy ammunition tonight!" Xander exclaimed when he saw her.
Spike glowered jealously at him; he was only too aware of the number of males casting lustful glances at Buffy; and he didn't appreciate Xander joining the crowd.
But Buffy merely laughed. Oz's band began to play a slow, languorous song, and Spike reached for her.
"Dance with me, luv?" he suggested.
Uncertainty swept through him; but she stepped easily into his arms and leaned her head trustingly on his shoulder. Startled, Spike tightened his hold. She felt wonderful ...so soft and warm, with the faintest scent of vanilla clinging to her skin.
Spike closed his eyes; and allowed his cheek to rest against her fragrant hair.
When the band finally quit to take a break, Spike and Buffy loosed their hold reluctantly- and faced each other in growing embarrassment. Plus- something else. Something neither of them was prepared to admit.
"Would you...like something to drink, luv?" Spike asked hastily, desperate to stop the silence.
She nodded; and watched with a curious fluttering sensation as his blond head moved toward the bar. She turned to go back to their table; and found herself face to face with Angel...and Faith.
"Hello, lover," Angel smirked.
Buffy felt her throat close.
"Lookin' good, B." Faith licked her lips. "Miss us?"
Buffy's head jerked back and she snapped, "Sure, Faith! About as much as I'd miss bubonic plague."
"Or leprosy, pet?" The cool, clipped English accent had never been so welcome to Buffy's ears.
"Spike." Angel's eyes narrowed meanly. "What are you doing back?"
Spike threw one arm around Buffy's shoulder possessively.
Faith caught the gesture...her eyes brightened with curiousity, and she looked him up and down speculatively. "Let's not be unfriendly, Angel. Maybe Spike wants in on the action."
Spike regarded her with distaste. A biker babe who looked like a session in a steam bath would only improve her...how could Angel ever bring himself to touch her? Soul or no soul, his sire had always craved innocence...
"Is that what you want, Spike?" Angel asked coldly.
"Hardly, peaches," Spike smiled maliciously. "I'm a married man!"
The effect on Angel was extraordinary.
With an enraged growl, he grabbed Spike's arm, forcing it up to examine the gold ring.
"I'll tear your head off for this," he hissed loudly.
"Get some new threats, wanker," Spike sneered, pulling away. "That one's died of old age."
"Any trouble?" The bouncer was standing there frowning.
Faith regained her aplomb. "Hey, we're cool. C'mon Angel." She moved to pace her hand on his shoulder; and he batted her off as casually as a fly. Faith fell heavily to the floor.
"That does it!" The bouncer said angrily. "Get out...right now, or I call the cops!"
Faith jumped to her feet. "It's five by five....I tripped! Let's go, Angel!"
Buffy held her breath, but with a long, smoldering look, Angel allowed himself to be pulled toward the door.
"This isn't over, Buff," he warned. "It's just beginning."
Faith snapped her gum. "Later, B," she promised, following Angel out.
Spike drove them home in grim silence.
Buffy glanced at his rigid profile. "They seem so...so...evil."
Spike's mouth tightened. "That they are, pet. Evil, and deadly."
"He isn't anything like...like the Angel I loved," Buffy said consideringly.
Spike stiffened. He knew, of course, that she had loved his sire...but he hated being reminded of it. "Hardly, luv. And what he's doing with that Slayer... the girl's a slut, and shop-soiled at that. If he still had his soul, he'd be sickened by her."
Buffy gasped. Did he mean...could he mean...that she was a slut, just like Faith; and that he found her sickening? She practically raced down the hall to her own room.
Spike stared after her in astonishment. What had he said? She was upset to meet her attackers again- or...was it seeing Angelus with Faith? Did she still love his sire, in spite of everything?
He clenched his fists and strode to her door. He was about to knock when he heard it...a stifled sob that seemed to reverberate through him. Impulsively he burst in.
Buffy lay face down on the bed, weeping quietly into her pillow. Spike hesitated, then sat down beside her.
"Luv?"
She rolled over, her face streaked with make-up and tears, and stared up at him.
"Oh baby," he breathed, "don't do that. He isn't worth it. Baby...HE ISN'T WORTH IT!" He wanted, so desperately, to take away her pain...he bent and lifted her gently, carrying her down the hall to the bathroom. Carefully he cleaned her face, then urged her to take the pins from her hair and brush her teeth.
But she fumbled so helplessly that Spike took over, undressing her and helping her, not into her own bed, but into his.
"Just for tonight," he murmured, turning away to strip his own clothes off.
Buffy's face fell. She'd felt so much better when Spike had carried her down the hall; but he'd made it clear that this was a one-time thing. Still, when he slid in next to her and put his arms around her, she couldn't help snuggling closer. Maybe this was only for one night...but Buffy decided to enjoy every minute.
Tentatively she reached up and clasped her arms around his neck. She loved the sense of being held like this...she drifted happily to sleep.
Spike stared down at the unconscious Slayer in his arms...he knew she was asleep, but forced himself to wait until her even, regular breathing indicated she'd be unlikely to waken easily. Only then did he allow himself to relax...to stroke her silky hair...to kiss and caress her.
He was almost ashamed of his own actions, but he'd resisted for so long....and he'd never wanted anything so much as the child-woman who'd become his wife.
His wife.
Did Buffy think of herself that way? As his partner, his...mate?
Someday, when he was feeling braver, Spike decided he would find out.
When Buffy finally woke up, she blushed to find herself clinging to Spike's waist. Delicately she disentangled herself and went off to shower.
She stared into the bathroom mirror, and for the first time in over a month she recognized the girl she saw.
She found she was hungry, and fixed herself some soup and crackers, marvelling at the way Spike had carefully stocked the pantry. Buffy was touched by his consideration for her; even if he didn't want Angel's leavings, he still cared enough to supply her needs.
She was remembering (and smiling) over the many times he had brought her ice cream, when she heard the phone ring.
"Hello...oh, Giles? Yes...ok. Right away!"
Buffy slowly replaced the receiver; Giles had said to come at once. Frowning, she went to wake up Spike.
"Faith and Angel decided to steal a mummy?" Xander asked.
"Not a mummy. A Pectoral, with a scarab inset," Giles explained.
"What does it do, Giles?" Willow asked with interest.
"Legend has it...it can bring someone back from the dead," the Watcher replied.
"The Mayor wants to bring someone back?" Buffy was startled.
"His wife. Amelia," Giles said.
"But he said she'd grown old, and senile," Buffy protested.
"Love is...well, it goes beyond the physical condition," Giles said gently. "Word is that the Mayor wants his wife back; apparantly, he truly did love her."
"That's kind of sweet," Willow put in.
"Hardly." Giles was blunt. "He'll need a physical vessel in order to restore her..."
"You mean... a warm body?" Cordelia asked.
"They'll go after someone we know," Buffy said quietly. "It's what Angel- and Faith- would do."
Giles closed his eyes in dread. "Please...be extremely careful."
Not that she wanted to see them. In fact, Cordelia assured herself that she would be only too happy if she never saw any of them again. But after another hour of pretending to have fun, she gave up and started for home.
She never got there.
Cordelia woke up in..a cell?
"That's right, it's a cell." Mayor Wilkins' genial voice was the most unwelcome sound Cordelia had ever heard. "You're in the old jail in the basement of City Hall...hasn't been in use for years, though. Not since we built the new police station in '79. But- the bars still work fine!"
Cordelia sat up on the narrow cot, glaring at the three on the other side of the bars: the Mayor, Faith, and Angel. "If you're using me to get Buffy here..."
"We aren't." It was Angel who spoke. "For once, you're not the bait, Cordelia."
"Then why am I here?"
They told her.
It was Oz who discovered that Cordelia was missing, when he phoned her with Giles' warning.
"We've got to get her back!" Xander clenched his fists. "They'll kill her to use her body for their restoration."
"Yes, I'm afraid they will," Giles said darkly.
"Unless...we get there first," Buffy suggested.
Oz shook his head, "They'll be expecting us."
"Then...let's not disappoint them," Spike murmured.
"Maybe not, Cordy. They're not that fond of you, you know. You're not Buffy."
"Neither are you," Cordelia pointed out coldly.
Faith gave a short bitter laugh. "Oh, I know THAT. If it came to a choice- me or Buffy- I know which one they'd want left standing!"
Cordelia looked at her in disbelief. "Well, duh! Of course. They love her, and they don't care about you."
"Ouch!" Mayor Wilkins winced. "You really believe in calling a spade a spade, young lady!"
Cordelia shrugged. She'd never admit it to Faith...or to the Mayor, but she was terrified. If there was just something she could use as a weapon! Or...a way out?
Spike scowled. "I don't like it..."
"Neither do I," Giles admitted, "but it offers our best chance of saving Cordelia AND stopping Angel and Faith."
Spike grabbed Buffy and yanked her aside. "I think I should stay with you, Slayer. You can't fight Faith and Angel together..."
"I don't intend to. I'm sure Faith will stay close to the Mayor...and the others will need you to save Cordelia."
"While you act as bait for Angel," Spike snapped.
Buffy met his gaze steadily. "He'll come after me, you know. And then...I'll kill him."
"Will you?" Spike raised his eyebrows.
"What do you mean?" Buffy frowned.
"You heard me."
Buffy's eyes widened in dismay. "You CAN'T think that after what he did to me, I'd hesitate to stake him now?"
"You're still pining for him," Spike snarled. "Still wanting him, still...loving him!"
"Noooo..." Buffy whispered.
He laughed harshly. "Oh no? We've been married a full month and you haven't stopped dreaming of him?"
Buffy put both hands on her hips. "Those were NIGHTMARES! You can't think I still want him!"
"Then, why did you never..." his voice trailed off.
But now she was angry. "Never what?" When he didn't answer, she pressed "Never WHAT, Spike?"
"Come to me!" he yelled, enraged.
Her jaw dropped. "You...you didn't want me! You said no one would want Angel's..." she couldn't finish.
It was his turn to be shocked. "Are you crazy? You thought...I was talking about YOU? I meant Faith! I couldn't understand how he could bring himself to touch her, even with no soul."
"Yeah, you called her shop-soiled," Buffy said icily. "Well, what's the difference, Spike? What's the difference between Faith and me?"
His blue eyes hardened. "You'll have to answer that one for yourself, Slayer. But there's a big difference between me and your ex. If...you were mine, really mine...mine to keep...I'd never share you with anyone!"
Spike strode out of the room, leaving her standing in stunned stupefaction.
"Man, he's jealous," Xander commented softly to Oz. "I thought I was the only one who hated Angel that much."
"Prioritize, everyone!" Giles ordered. "This is no time for personal disputes."
They moved out together, a lethal phalanx making their way through the maze of tunnels beneath Sunnydale....
Cordelia brushed the vampire dust off herself, glad they'd left only one guard on duty. They must have felt she was safely locked away- but it had been easy to tempt the guard into entering her cell. All she'd had to do was to lift her hair and display her neck, with a few well-chosen taunts thrown in for good measure.
She'd had to sacrifice her Ferragamo shoes, wrenching off one of the wood heels to use as a stake; but it was better to do that than serve as body donor for the Mayor's wife.
She slid silently out of the cell door....
Oz's arrow took out the last vampire stationed in front.
"There'll be more inside," Xander predicted. "Time to split up!"
The group divided, with Spike, Oz, and Willow heading up to Wilkins' office while Buffy, Giles and Xander made their way down into the basement. They flung the door wide, fanning out....
Only to find a dishevelled Cordelia, clutching a shoe.
"Cordy! You ok?"
"How can you ask that?" countered the brunette tearfully. "I just ruined a pair of three hundred dollar shoes!"
Buffy sighed in relief; then her eyes flew open in alarm. "There's no guards!"
"It's a trap!" Giles was immediately aware of the implications.
"Spike!" Buffy spun around and raced for the stairs.
Giles followed. "Xander, take Cordelia to safety!"
Cordelia met Xander's eyes. "Oh no you don't! SOMEONE is going to pay for those shoes!"
Faith pressed the stake lightly against Spike's chest, grinning broadly.
Angel noticed. "Don't kill him just yet, Faith. I want Buffy to watch!"
"Not man enough to do it yourself, peaches?" Spike sneered. "Or are you just afraid to face me one on one?"
"Cute, Spike," Angel laughed. "Truth is, I don't have time for you right now. We'll just sweep you away like dust; that's all you'll be, once Buffy's back where she belongs! With me."
"You mean, with US, right, Angel?" Faith grinned.
"First things first, everyone," Mayor Wilkins chirped. "We have a suitable vessel for my dear Amelia."
He smiled at a terrified Willow. "Sorry I must kill you, my dear...but your body will live on...as the mortal shell of my beloved wife."
Willow screamed loudly as two vampires forced her down across the Mayor's desk. He smiled and lightly touched her hair in what might have been affection. Then he placed an Egyptian pectoral over her chest.
He nodded at a nearby coffin, and a stawart vampire prised off the lid.
Inside were the mummified remains of Amelia Wilkins.
Buffy hurtled into the Mayor's office, closely followed by Giles and Xander; and the concealed net parachuted neatly down over them.
"Take them alive," Instructed Wilkins, as Buffy was bound and dragged from the net.
"We only need Buffy," Faith smirked, as she pressed the stake closer against Spike's chest.
"Wrong." Mayor Wilkins smiled at her. "I may require some assistance from Mr. Giles; these Egyptian rituals can be confusing."
"But we don't need Spike," Angel grinned. "Go ahead, Faith...make Buffy a widow!"
Buffy strained against her bonds. "What's wrong, Angel? Jealous?"
His dark eyes burned while Faith scoffed, "WHY would Angel be jealous? You think you matter that much to him, B?"
Buffy nodded slowly. "I do. You're the one who doesn't count, Faith. Like always."
"Tell her, Angel!" Faith demanded, shrilly. "It's you and me...she's yesterday's lunch! Tell her!"
Angel smiled, and tilted Faith's head back in a passionate kiss.
Then...he snapped her neck.
"What are you doing?" screamed the Mayor, starting toward him.
Angel shrugged. "Just getting rid of the excess baggage."
He looked a command, and three of his vampire minions closed on the Mayor...
"You can't kill me!" Wilkins yelled. "I'm impervious!"
"Too bad," Angel said softly "I can get rid of you, though."
The minions shoved Wilkins into the coffin with the body of his long-dead wife....and replaced the heavy stone lid. The Mayor kept screaming, but his voice was muffled.
Angel nodded to the vampires. " Take him to the docks and dump him; the hellmouth is mine!"
The trio staggered out with their burden; and the two holding Willow asked, "What about her?"
Angel considered, then made up his mind. "I'll have Buffy, Willow...and Giles," he decided. "But first..." he snatched up the stake that Faith had dropped, "what did I say about the excess baggage?"
Spike regarded him with icy contempt. "Not man enough to fight me, Soulboy?"
Angel laughed in genuine amusement. "Like I said,Spike, I haven't time for you now! I still have Buffy to play with, and Buffy's friends to kill."
His arm came back in a killing blow. "Say goodbye, Spike!"
"Noooo!" Buffy screamed, desperately flinging herself in front of Spike as the stake went in...
"Oops!" Angel grinned.
Silently on her bare feet she crept forward, closing her hand carefully on Xander's discarded crossbow.
Her aim was beginner's luck; but it was very lucky indeed.
Angel's laugh changed to a deep gurgle as the arrow imbedded directly in his chest. He gave the bolt one incredulous look; and exploded into dust.
Then all hell broke loose....
Xander jumped one of the minions holding Willow while Oz pounced on the other. The distraction enabled Giles to grab a ruler from the Mayor's desk and stake them both.
With a roar of fury, Spike flung off both his captors...only to seize their collars and smash their heads together with a resounding crash. They fell; and he leaped over them to grab two more.
Xander and Giles double-teamed to take out yet another vampire, while Oz helped a shaken Willow to her feet.
Spike turned from the last of Angel's minions to find the room had grown quiet..Giles was kneeling beside Buffy while the others pressed close.
With a jolt of fear, the blond vampire hurried toward them. He pushed her friends aside as though they were paper figures; she was the only one he could see. Her eyes were closed and she was lying limply...
He whimpered in terror, not caring that the others could hear.
Her lashes fluttered...with infinite slowness the opal eyes opened.
"Spike?" It was a thread of a whisper; but it went through his heart with the force of a thunderbolt.
"I'm here, baby." He shoved Oz aside to get closer still, indifferent to courtesies.
Giles was holding her; he looked up anxiously. "We must get her to the hospital at once..."
"My van," Oz offered.
"Give her to me." Spike held out his arms.
Giles hesitated, then placed Buffy tenderly into them. With no further look or thought for anyone in the room, the vampire carried the Slayer out the door.
"Stay right where you are, Slayer," Spike ordered from his seat on the windowsill.
"It's only for one night, Buffy," Willow tried to console her.
"Yeah...let that good ol' Slayer healing factor have a chance to work," Xander put in.
"Come on, Willow," Oz grabbed his girlfriend's hand. "Let's let Buffy get some rest."
"Excellent idea, Oz." Giles led the exodus from Buffy's room. "We'll come by tomorrow, Buffy."
Spike was left alone with his wife.
For a long moment neither spoke; then Buffy cleared her throat. "Thanks for...not letting my mother find out that I'm in the hospital. She'd...well."
He nodded. "I know."
Silence again. Buffy wished that he'd say something...anything. "Spike?"
"Yeah, pet?"
"Would...would you...come over by me?"
Wordlessly he got to his feet and crossed the room to stand beside her. She patted the bed, and gingerly he sat down, watching her as if he feared she'd vanish if he looked away.
Buffy made up her mind. She was sick of Spike treating her like she was a fragile piece of china.
"Spike..."
"Buffy..."
They both stopped, staring at one another.
"This is silly. I HAVE to know," Buffy said suddenly. "Spike, are you thinking of putting an end to our marriage?"
Spike's jaw dropped. "Thinking of...bloody hell, Buffy! Are you out of your mind? Of all the sodding, ridiculous..."
Buffy grinned as she listened to him rant. Suddenly she was feeling much better.
"And what's more, if you even THINK about getting rid of me, I'll..."
"Okay, okay!" Buffy interrupted. "I just wondered if that's what you'd want."
"Get it straight, Slayer," he growled. "You married me, you'll stick with me!"
"I got it, Spike," Buffy assured him breathlessly. "It's just...I thought...you really didn't want to...really didn't want me."
Spike closed his eyes in exasperation. "Didn't want you," he repeated, in a deceptively calm voice.
Buffy nodded uncertainly.
"Bloody hell!" He fairly lunged at her, grabbing her shoulders and kissing her ruthlessly.
And Buffy didn't mind a bit, returning his embrace with every bit of strength remaining to her.
"My God!" Spike held her away from him, gazing at her in dawning horror. "Oh luv," he whispered, "please tell me I didn't hurt you!"
She gave him a radiant smile. "You didn't. Don't you know Slayers are tough? In fact, I think I'll feel even better if you kiss me again!"
In answer, he simply climbed onto the hospital bed and slipped both arms around her. Tenderly, he brushed his lips against her forehead.
Buffy pouted. "Call that a kiss?"
Spike grinned. "I'll do better when you're well."
"I'm very well," Buffy insisted, rolling towards him. "I could go home right now."
He gave her the lightest swat, his eyes widening when he realized her hospital gown was backless.
Buffy giggled at the expression on his face. "Promise you'll take me home tomorrow?"
Spike gently brushed back her hair. "I promise. Can't do without my wife for longer than one night, can I?"
She shifted in his arms, pressing soft little kisses across his high cheekbones. "Mmmmm, I like to lie in your arms," she said, sleepily.
"It's where you belong, kitten."
Buffy snuggled closer. "Spike...how come you didn't...I mean, you never tried...uh..."
His mouth twisted ruefully. "Pet...two reasons. I wanted to give you time to...recover from your ordeal. And..."
"And what?" she prompted when he didn't finish.
"I thought that perhaps you still had...feelings...for my sire."
Buffy lifted her head to gaze into his questioning eyes. "I never had feelings for Angelus. For Angel, I did...and I always will...but I know he's gone forever. The man I loved is dead."
His face fell and he quoted softly, "To love a second time represents the triumph of hope over experience."
"Who said that?" she asked.
He shrugged. "Some writer," averting his face to conceal the hurt in his eyes.
Her hand reached up to cup his face, and bring him back to her. "I love you, Spike."
His head reared back, startled... and he gazed at her with the dawning of a wild hope in his blue eyes.
"You...you..." he fought to get the words out, but all he could manage was a harsh rasp. "Did you...just say you love me, Buffy?"
"Uh-huh. And, like Harry told Sally, an 'I love you too' would be nice."
But he couldn't speak, couldn't say anything more...could only clutch her to him, his vampire tears wetting her hair...
"Pet, did you realize it's our anniversary? We've been married one year ago today."
Buffy glanced up from her art history text to smile at her husband. "Of course I did!"
"We ought to celebrate," he insisted. "I have... a big surprise for you, luv!"
She grinned at his boyish eagerness. Whatever it was, it couldn't be bigger than the surprise SHE had for HIM! But, obediently she trotted off to get ready for a night out at the Bronze.
It was late when she was finally dressed, mostly because Spike was determined to 'help' her. And his assistance usually meant that she ended up wearing nothing at all...
But eventually her persistence paid off, and she had the satisfaction of seeing his jaw drop when he saw her new dress of pewter velvet.
"Uh...kitten," he managed, swallowing with visible effort, "maybe we ought to forget the Bronze and just stay home? Maybe an early night..."
Buffy shook her head in amused exasperation. "Not on your life. After all the trouble I've been to, looking everywhere for the perfect dress, I want to show it off." Then, as his face fell, she relented. "But I guess we could leave the Bronze early..."
Spike beamed, then recollected his surprise.
Buffy gasped when she opened the case. "Spike! It's so...it's beautiful!"
Her sea-blue eyes were wide as he slipped the magnificent diamond on her finger. "Well, luv, you never got an engagement ring..."
"Because we were never engaged?" Buffy suggested.
"So I decided you must have one," Spike said firmly, ignoring her comment.
"Now it's time for my surprise...for you," Buffy murmured softly. She took his hand and led him to the closed door of the peach bedroom she'd once occupied.
Spike frowned. He hadn't entered that room in weeks; and thought his wife simply used it for storage. He didn't like being reminded of the early days of their marriage when they'd slept in separate rooms.
Buffy seemed suddenly nervous. "Um, Spike...do you remember you once said..."
"What, pet?"
"That you'd never share me with anyone?"
His face tautened. "I never will."
"Uh...that's just it...you'll have to."
He stared at her. "Buffy, what are you babbling about?"
She smiled impishly, and swung the door wide.
It was then that Spike got the shock of his life.
The walls had been painted with glowing vibrant figures from Mother Goose; Spike recognized the cow jumping over the moon, Little Boy Blue, and Bo-peep with some woolly sheep. In the center stood a gleaming brass cradle...and books and toys had been lovingly arranged on some shelves against the wall.
Spike looked around wildly. "Buffy!" he gasped. He groped for support; and his hand closed around a small brown teddy-bear.
"What...is it?" he implored the bear. "What...is all this?"
Buffy put both hands on her hips. "It's a nursery, of course!"
"Where..." he licked his dry lips. "Where's the baby?"
She smiled at him. "He'll be here, in about seven months."
Spike simply picked her up and held her so tight she finally was moved to protest.
"Oh pet. Oh, Buffy, Buffy I..."
"I know." she placed her fingers gently against his mouth.
He looked at her adoringly, his heart in his eyes. "I love you."
Buffy's smile widened. "I know you do, but Spike...."
"Hmmm?"
"You're still going to have to share!"
End
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