Love Through Touch

Disclaimer: See Part 1
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Spike watched from the shadows. Something he was good at. He knew who the girl was now. That blasted 'favored' ancestor of the Assassin. He could see her from his seat on the top basement step.

She was lying on the couch holding the sleeping slayers hand. Something Buffy would never allow him to do. But something she allowed this 'freak' to do.

Spike knew he was a demon. It was plain and simple. Vampires kill people. They didn't give life. But one had given her life. A life he felt she didn't deserve, and certainly not with the slayer.

He moved stealthily towards them. Buffy was exhausted and didn't stir at all. Hyatt however was awake, a bit disoriented, but she was cognitive.

She turned her head slowly and stared at Spike as he advanced on her.

"Well quasi-demon I see you've weaseled your into the Scooby gang" he sneered at her. His voice was so low Buffy didn't even hear it. But he knew Hyatt could.

"I'm not a demon" Hyatt said simply. She didn't know what the vampire had planed but she knew she wouldn't like it.

"I said quasi, don't you know what that means?" Spike swaggerd up to her, keeping his foot falls light enough that the slayer didn't feel the subtle vibrations they made. Something which took great concentration.

"I'm not half demon either. It was a gift of life. Not unlife" Hyatt said softly. Buffy stirred slightly, but slept on.

"You should be dead. You're cursed fair" Spike moved to light a cig. It flew out of his hand and disappeared into oblivion "So your a little witchy too eh?"

"And your a little dead" Hyatt said firming her mind. She began to concentrate on the cold form of the vampire, hoping to feel his movements before he made them.

"Yeah, but when this is all over, I'll still have the slayer" Spike said cockily.

"You, and Buffy?" Hyatt chuckled "You wouldn't have a chance even if you weren't dead. She's quite a few rungs higher than those cockroaches of women that your prefer. Way out of your league" Hyatt continued.

"Shut up" Spike said growing angry.

"You'll never have a chance. You don't measure up to what she want's or needs. Your so low even the insane don't want you" Hyatt said bitterly "The Seeker would rather be alone than with you, and you think you could possibly land-" her words were cut off.

Spike leapt onto her, uncaring that he roused the slayer in the process.

When his cold hands contacted Hyatt's skin she screamed as if the hounds of hell where tearing the very skin from her body.

Buffy reacted quickly and violently. She grabbed Spike and pulled him off Hyatt's weakly struggling form. She threw the Vampire across the room and back into the basement before following him.

He landed awkwardly on the stairs, his neck at an unnatural angle. But he got up and kept moving. He fled the stairs, Buffy only a few steps behind him.

Willow and Tara had been awakened by the screaming and ran down the stairs at a breakneck speed.

Tara stopped to help Hyatt who continued to scream in pain. Willow moved on to the basment where she could hear sounds of a struggle. She moved to step down into the darkness but Tara's worried voice stopped her.

"Her hearts beating to fast" Tara said panicking. She could barely be heard over the screams. When they stopped abruptly she truly panicked. At least when Hyatt was screaming she knew the girl was breathing. Now she just lay slumped against Tara, as if there was no life left in her.

"Oh my god she's barely breathing Willow, get Buffy here now" Tara commanded in a voice the redhead had never heard. It was hard and full of authority.

"Buffy" Willow flew down the stairs screaming "Hyatt needs you"

There was a crash and a pained yell, Buffy appeared before her seconds later.

"What? What's wrong Willow" Buffy had never heard that tone in her friends voice before.

"She stopped breathing" Dawn's voice set both women into motion.

Buffy made it to the couch before Willow even cleared the 3 feet of hall between the two rooms.

Buffy took Hyatt from Tara's arms ignoring the Wiccan's anguished cries.

"Hyatt" she gathered the girl closer to her "Sweetie please wake up" Buffy pushed the limply held head onto her shoulder and brushed away the hair that had been full and rich when she'd falling asleep. It was now limp and dull "Honey you have to open your eyes" Buffy's eyes filled with tears "Please?"

There was no response.

"She can't be dead" Dawn whined collasping on the floor "We just got her. She can't leave us now. Not so soon"

Buffy wiped her own tears with her free hand "This is all Spikes fault. I'll kill him for this" her voice broke on the last word. She buried her tear stained face in the hollow between Hyatts shoulder and neck.
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Hyatt gasped. She took her first breath in long minutes.

Buffy jerked back and realized her mistake. She scooped Hyatt closer and rushed up the stairs leaving her bewildered sister and friends far behind.

She stumbled into her bedroom and laid Hyatt on her bed. The woman was breathing, barely. The small amounts of air she was taking in wouldn't sustain her long. Buffy began to strip.

Willow rushed in and saw the slayer was undressing "Buffy what?"

"Her skin. I have to touch her skin" Buffy said gasping.

"Oh my god" Willow said when she realized the slayer was right. Love brings life.

Buffy discarded the last of her clothing and started on Hyatt's. The loose shirt was merely torn away, the pants pulled down and off. She scooped her back into her arms.

Willow got the picture and pulled the blankets down.

Buffy settle Hyatt gently in the sheets and got in with her, spooning her from behind.

Willow was quick to hide their nakedness.

After long moments Hyatt began to take longer full breaths. Buffy relaxed a little, but didn't loosen the hold she had.

"It worked Willow” she said in wonder after a few minutes.

The pallor of Hyatt's skin had improved, the breaths didn't seem labored anymore. She seemed to be at rest.

"I hate him for this" Buffy growled.

"No Buffy. Remember? Rage?" Willow said worriedly.

"Oh no." Buffy panicked thinking she might have inadvertently hurt Hyatt because she was angry with Spike.

But the girl slept on comfortably.

"I guess it isn't misdirected" Buffy said slowly.

"Or you love her too much for it to harm her" Willow guessed.

"I'll ask her about it when she wakes up" Buffy said "I think we should let her sleep now. She's been through alot"

Willow smiled and quietly backed out of the room closing the door.

She didn't see Star scurry back into Dawns room.

Tara and Dawn were slowly coming up the steps.

"Why did Buffy do that?" Dawn half whined.

"She knew what to do" Willow said trying to reassure Dawn.

"Is Hyatt ok then?' Dawn wiped her nose on her sleeve.

"Well know when she wakes up" Tara said rubbing the teens back.

'If she wakes up' she thought to herself.
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"Oh no" Drusilla's sad tone immediately brought all attention to her "The light's gettin' dim. Fire's weakened. It's cold" she sat and began to rock herself.

"What? No" the shadows seethed.

"They have to build the fire up again. They need wood. Perhaps a 'spike' will do?" Drusilla picked up the mangled corpse of a cat and began to play patty-cake with it "Run, Spike, run" she chanted "Or the firefly will burn you"
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