Fighting For Love

Author's Note: Warnings: Torture, Extreme Language, Rape/Actual, Sexual Situations, Violence (offending chapters will be noted)

Pairings: Riley/Buffy; Spike/Buffy


Challenge Requirements at the end

Chapter 11



Buffy was lying on the couch watching TV when Riley walked in and sat on the arm of the couch at her feet. “We need to talk,” Riley said softly.



Buffy never looked at him, “I’m not ready to talk to you yet.”




Riley got up and walked over to the TV turning it off, standing in front of it. “Too bad.”



“I’m serious,” Buffy turned toward the cushions of the couch. “Unless you want to fight again?”



“So let’s fight. We need to have this out, Buffy. Right now,” Riley challenged.



Buffy rolled back to face Riley with an annoyed expression. “And say what, Riley? ‘What were you thinking? How long have you been lying to me? Why did you do that after falsely accusing me of the same thing for so long?’ Nothing you say right now is gonna make this better.” Buffy said sadly, turning away from him again.



Riley moved toward her. “I realize that.” Riley grabbed her arm and turned her over to face him again. “I DON’T EXPECT . . . I just need you to hear me out.”



“Fine,” Buffy whispered. “Get your hand off of me.”




Riley let go of her arm, sighed, and walked a few steps away. “I think, when the whole having my blood sucked thing started, it was just some stupid, immature game. I wanted to even the score after you let Dracula bite you.”



Buffy growled, “I did not let Dracula –“



“I know.” Riley was exasperated. “On some level I know that. But I was still spun.” Riley looked at her. “I don’t know, I- I wanted to know what you felt. I wanted to know why Dracula and Angel have so much power over you and why you let Spike live.”



Buffy shook her head. “You so don’t get it.”




“I wanted to get it, Buffy. I wanted to get you.” Riley said adamantly.



“So this is my fault? ‘Hey, gee, Buffy’s so mysterious, I think I’ll go out and almost die.’” Buffy was near tears.



Riley’s temper was rising. “Yes, it was your fault. If you hadn’t have let Angel get a hold of you, and let Spike live, this whole world would be much better off.” But no, she has to keep Spike around. For what reason, he never knew, other than to piss him off.



Buffy got up and got her coat. “I’m not having this out with you.” Buffy flung the door open, walked through it and slammed the door shut again.

**************************



In the lower level of Spike’s crypt, Angelus and Spike were sitting on his four poster bed reading Riley Finn’s medical file from the Initiative. They had to sift through hundreds of pages of statistical and basic information on Finn before getting to the Initiative’s lab work on Super Boy.




“It looks like this Professor had Finn on Anabolic Steroids, among other things. She had been giving it to him in a vitamin with other drugs that made him aggressive,” Spike affirmed.



“Do you know what he’s done to her so far, Spike?” Angelus asked not looking up from the paperwork.



“Brainwashing her to think she’s weak around him, that what your soulful self and Dracula did to her was her fault, beating her, so far the sexual side of things aren’t fairing much better,” Spike recounted.



Angelus nodded. He was about due for some vengeance, and who would be more deserving than Riley. What gave that boy the right to touch Buffy anyway? Just because Angelus turned on Buffy when Angel dated her, Riley thought he could do the same? Angelus didn’t have a soul, he lived for being evil, and he didn’t feed his behavior with his own emotions. It’s what made torture so fun. He didn’t feel anything for or against it. What was Soldier Boy’s excuse? Drugs that made him feel invincible? Angelus figured since the Slayer was made to fight demons by herself, that Riley felt impotent when it came to being her equal in strength. From what Spike had told him, Riley had issues with things Buffy had no control over. As far as Angelus was concerned, Riley was just an overdosed thug with too much time on his hands since his soul-purpose for being in Sunnydale was destroyed in the Initiative War, and the boy was taking out his frustrations with himself on a girl he thought was his.



The two vampires perked up as they heard the door to Spike’s crypt open and shut quietly. Spike set aside the files he was reading and got up. He motioned for Angelus to keep quiet. Spike grabbed a dirk and climbed up the ladder.



When Spike got to the top level he saw Buffy and put the dagger on the nearest sarcophagus. His skin hummed with her nearness. It was getting harder these days to see her and not touch her. Her back was to him. “Buffy?”




Buffy turned and melted inside at the sight of Spike standing before her. She felt a tear slip down her cheek. He was so handsome and sexy to her. He had been so caring to her over the past month. She felt Spike was meant to be around for a better purpose. He showed her through his care of her that he could do well in this world. “Spike.”



Spike walked slowly over to Buffy and wrapped his arms around her. His body sizzled where hers touched him. Her breasts crushed into his chest. He let his head fall back as her vanilla scent assailed him. He growled softly as he felt her nails skim his back.



Buffy melted into Spike’s body gratefully. She felt safe in his arms. His cool body soothed hers. She closed her eyes, pressing her head against his chest and basked in his presence. She looked up into his blue eyes. “I’ve been having dreams, Spike.”



Spike hugged her tighter, sensing no injury tonight from Riley. “Whoa, kitten. First, tell me if Riley did anything tonight, and then tell me of your dreams.”



Buffy shook her head. “Not physically this time. We just argued and I left. About the dreams: They are a repeat of your love and protection. Angelus was in them. He was protecting me this time. From what, I don’t know. I never see that part.”



Spike felt he had to tell her. He wouldn’t keep anything from her now. She had to know Angelus was on her side. That Angelus would seek vengeance for her. Okay, not so much the last part. “Buffy. Angelus is here in Sunnydale. It’s not Angel, it is Angelus. He’s here to help.”




Buffy wanted to cry her relief and tremble in fear from what she remembered of Angelus. Angelus was here. She burrowed into Spike even more at the memories of Angelus waking Acathla and having to send Angel to hell, Angelus killing Willow’s fish; Angelus murdering Jenny Calendar. She tensed with each memory, and looked up at Spike trying to pull herself out of them.



Spike held her tighter in his arms. He leaned closer to her ear. “Buffy. He won’t hurt you. He’s here to protect us. If nothing else, Angelus believes in family honor.”



Buffy grabbed tuffs of his shirt with all her strength, refusing to let go as she grew a bit more fearful. “I’m not part of the Aurealian family, Spike. Angelus spent so much time torturing me, why would he protect me now?”



Spike smiled down at Buffy trying to ease her emotions. “Because I’ll claim you. My mark will protect you from him. You know of my love for you. Between Angelus and me, we’ll protect you from Riley.” Buffy looked surprised at him. “Buffy, you have to have realized that your relationship with Riley isn’t normal. It isn’t healthy. I can’t keep caring for your wounds all the time, Buffy. Not when they are from Riley and knowing that I can’t seek vengeance. I love you too much. So much that I had to call Angelus. He can protect you when I can’t.”



Buffy searched his eyes for the truth and found it. Spike and, for some reason, Angelus would protect her. She saw the depth of emotion in Spike’s eyes: his love, care, and concern for her. She raised her head and pressed her warm mouth against his cool lips. She nipped at his lower lip, tugging on it when she pulled away before releasing it. Her body warmed all over from the mere kiss.




Spike felt little shocks to his nervous system when Buffy pressed her lips against his. If he still had a beating heart, it would have burst from the amount of love that came forth. He had to squeeze his eyes shut to keep from crushing her to him and ravishing her. He pulled her tighter against him, her breasts crushed against his chest. His body heated from the kiss.



In that one small gesture she had permitted him to claim her. In that one kiss she put her trust with him.

Spike felt it to the very depths of his being. When Buffy pulled away, Spike let out an unneeded sigh. They stared at each other for a long moment.



Buffy ran her hands up Spike’s chest and around his neck, pulling his head back down for another kiss. She ran her warm tongue over his flesh until his lips parted on a gasp and licked over his tongue.



Spike felt his insides melt at the feel of her warm tongue in his mouth. He returned the favor, plunging his cool tongue into her warm mouth, licking the inside of her cheek and over her tongue. She purred at the feel of his cool tongue rolling against her flesh.



They pried themselves apart, and Buffy sucked in big gulps of air. “Is it safe to see Angelus now?” She asked tentatively.




Spike saw the uncertainty in Buffy’s eyes. He knew she was remembering the past with Angelus. He nodded down at her, clasping her fingers in his. He turned and led her to the trap door to the lower level, helping her down the ladder.



At the bottom of the ladder, Buffy turned to see Angelus sitting on the end of the four poster bed, leaning against a post. He had Angel’s beautiful features, but she knew it wasn’t Angel. The part of her heart that was claimed by Angel knew Angelus was in residence. “Angelus,” His name came out on a breath.



Spike led her closer to Angelus, but kept himself between the two former adversaries. “Angelus, you remember Buffy.”



Angelus turned to see Spike with Buffy behind him. He stood up and walked closer to Spike. “Hello again, Buffy. How ya been? I heard you got a bit of boy trouble.”



Buffy gulped and huddled a little closer to Spike.“I’ve been surviving, Angelus. Yes, Angel left me to pursue a normal life, but that isn’t going as well as I had hoped.” She tried not to sound nervous around the man that terrorized her for months.



“Well, Angel wasn’t too smart when it came to women.” Angelus shrugged and moved around the bed picking up another folder. “Spike gave me details on your situation, though. Seems Spike wants to claim his slayer. Don’t worry; I gave my word, family honor and all that. I’ll protect you both if need be.”




Spike watched Buffy’s reaction as Angelus talked. Her facial features went from fear to confusion to bewilderment. It shocked the hell out of him when Buffy actually smiled at Angelus. He realized that she was smiling at the idea of two vampires who had laid waste to half of Europe protecting her if she needed it. Her slayer dream came true.



Spike turned to Buffy, hugging her to him. “Buffy, before you stress yourself and get upset, I just want to make sure you’re safe.”



Buffy looked up at Spike. “I know. I appreciate it.”



Angelus watched them for a moment before going back to the files he was reading. Some part of Angelus laughed at Spike’s human side. Even without a soul, Spike still had so much of William in him after all these years. Spike had killed two slayers before, determined to make Buffy his third, but William intervened and fell in love with her. Another part of Angelus rooted for both personas of Spike and William as they seemed to merge around the Slayer. William wanted to love her and Spike wanted to claim her.



Spike led Buffy to the bed. She lay on the empty side of the bed and watched the two vampires pore over files she had no interest in. She watched Angelus wondering why he had agreed to help. She smiled when her eyes set on Spike. Where Angelus was bulk, Spike was lean and defined. After watching them for a while she fell asleep.



Angelus watched Buffy sleep out of the corner of his eye. She was beautiful when she slept. He remembered watching her when he still had a soul. Somewhere deep down he still cared for her, but his demon was like Liam: womanizing, self-absorbed, only caring about the next drink. What was Riley thinking he could take the Vampire Slayer? She was too intertwined into the Aurealian line. What did Riley hope to gain by abusing Buffy? If anyone was going to torment Buffy it was going to be Angelus not some corn-fed hick from Iowa.




Spike gently shook her awake. Buffy opened her big hazel eyes to see Spike watching her. She smiled up at him and sat up against the pillows. She refocused to see Spike and Angelus watching her. “What? Is my hair messed up?” Buffy asked, smoothing her hair self-consciously.



“No, love. You’re as beautiful as ever. You also look like you needed the rest.” Spike smiled at her.



“How long have I been out?” Buffy asked, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.



“A couple of hours,” Angelus provided, not looking up from his reading.



Spike perked up. “Hey, how about we go out, get you something to eat. Are you hungry?”



Buffy smiled as her tummy grumbled. “Yes, I guess I am hungry.” She looked at Angelus. “Are you coming, Angelus?”




Angelus thought for a moment. He wasn’t here to terrorize Sunnydale. He was here for one thing only. Angelus shook his head. “No, you two kids go and have fun.” He looked pointedly at Spike. “Behave, Spike.”



“Always, grandsire,” Spike smirked and helped Buffy up the ladder and they left the crypt.