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Chapter Eleven


Spike was hungry. His stomach growled at him and he felt light headed.He got a bag of pigs blood out of the rooms fridge. He looked at it and sneered. He was chipless, he didn't need this crap now, he could hunt. The demon roared and he smirked, oh yeah , the Big Bad was back!
He stood at the door for a while, staring out at all the people walking around , oblivious to the dangers around them.
"This hick town's not gonna know wha' hit it" he said to himself as he stepped out into the night.

He stood on the balcony and leapt onto the railing. His coat billowed in the breeze and he scanned the area. A woman, late twenties, alone, his next meal.
Spike let himself fall from the railing and took off after the woman. He caught her scent and followed it to an alley. He rolled his eyes , bloody stupid chit, night time and alleys, don't they read the papers or anything here?
He kept to the shadows and watched as the woman turned into the next alley. He looked up and shimmied up the fire escape to the roof. He ran across the roof and jumped down the other side of the building, landing in front of the woman , making her yell out and jump.
"You s..scared me" she cried out
Spike curled his tongue and smirked "Sorry luv, what's a pretty thing like you doin' in this alley?" he looked around to make sure he was alone.
"I.. I ... my way home" she pointed to a dilapidated building. Spike followed her arm and looked back at it.

He lifted his head in a half nod
His face shifted into his demon guise and when he turned back to her, the woman screamed. Spike grabbed her and bent in for the bite, he hesitated for a second, expecting the pain from the chip, he blinked and .....

He couldn't! He bloody well couldn't do it!

The shock made he loosen his grip and the woman ran home sobbing , her legs weak and wobbly, but somehow getting her to her front door.
Spike was in shock. His demon reeled from it.

He ran back to the motel, slamming the door behind him , he leant against it, panting.
Anger rose and Spike yelled and picked up the chair and threw it, the table was kicked into the same space as the broken chair. He flipped the bed, lamps smashed and pictures fell. Spike sunk to his knee's, his duster wrapped around him. His tears slowed and his anger subsided.Realisation hit.

It was his conscience, it was her. She had given him a conscience.

Buffy felt better, til she looked over and saw that goon Riley still sat there.
She rolled her eyes and sighed.

Walsh had tried once again to use the Shaman and find out the essence of the Slayers power. Again, he failed.Willows spell was doing it's job and Buffy remained safe.
She was just bored.
So bored she actually thought about talking to Riley.
He stood up and stretched ,then looked at her.

"What?" he asked as she stared at him
"Nothing, .... okay I was wondering how you ended up doing this?"
"I was in the marines and got sent to Belize, met Walsh, we were attacked by .. demons and we killed them. She knew about them and that's why she was there, to capture one. I managed it with Forrest and a few guys from my troop, she offered us this job"
"They'll come for me, you know that right" Buffy didn't wait for a reply "We will destroy this.. whatever it is"
"Don't be a fool, we're bigger than you think,one uni student and a group of friends won't even touch the place, even if you are a Slayer"
Buffy laughed
"Have you ever seen an apocalypse, an accession? Have you had a god after your ass? Have you defeated said bad guys? No, you fight little demons, the ones that threaten individuals, not the world as we know it, so don't EVER underestimate me!"

Riley was shocked, shaken by her anger, shocked by her proclamation of her power, her strength, and she must have a lot, to defeat a god. H e had to know more. If he knew more he could report it back to Walsh and keep her from harming the girl, or worse, killing her.

"A god?"
"Yep, bad hair and criminal fashion sense but a god no less"
"What did she want?"
"Want? the same thing they all want, to end the world" Buffy grimaced as she thought about how Spike had said that to her once , when Angel was evil and was trying to bring forth Acathla.
" And you won?"
"Always do"
"Full of yourself aren't you?"
"No, I just know my capabilities and get the job done" she smiled "Plus I have the best team watching my back"
"And a vampire apparently" he smirked as he saw Buffy's face drop
She looked up at him and sneered "What do you know about him?"
"Hostile seventeen isn't it?"
"You have all the answers, you tell me" she snapped

He rubbed his neck, she was a trying bitch, his temper was fraying and he wasn't even meant to talk to her, but she was giving him info.
Buffy watched as he rubbed at his neck and she saw the bite mark, and it was fresh.

"I'm not the only one with a vampire problem though am I?"

Riley froze on the spot and turned quickly to face her "What do you mean, I got this out in the field"
Buffy sniggered, how could he be so dumb?

"I'm not stupid Riley, vampires don't leave their meals alive, unless they mean something to them and you have no idea how rare that is" she watched his face as he took in what she had said "I'm the Slayer, I know everything there is to know about vampires and most demons. Is she your girlfriend" she looked at his confusion " It is a she isn't it? I mean not that it has to be, cos vampires pretty much into all sorts "

His face was priceless, was she saying he look gay? That bitch! "I am not gay!" he snarled at her
"Touch a nerve did I? So, who is she then? Someone you can take back to Mummy and live happily ever after on the farm?" she couldn't help the snigger, god Spike would be so proud of me righ now.

"She told me about you, said you and Spike tried helping her"
"Oh My God!!! Harmony?" Buffy clutched at her stomach and laughed, tears the works she laughed so much "I can see you now... match made in heaven, well hell really " another bout of uncontrollable laughter, made even worse as he stormed out of her room.

She was alone. He'd gone and left her unguarded. Buffy tested the bonds that kept her tied to the bed. They gave a little.


Spike had sped out of the hick town, the throttle on the bike round as far as it would go. California wasn't too far from him now and he could see the glow of the city on his horizon. He'd be with her again soon.


Buffy weakened the bonds sufficiently, one more hard tug and she would be free.
Riley came back in and glared at her as he sat down.
They both sighed and ignored each other.

Giles sat , drink of whiskey in hand , listening as the Scoobies argued over who should go into the Initiative and rescue Buffy.
His head throbbed and he thanked god that he hadn't actually had children of his own if this is what it was like.
His mood wasn't made any better by the call he had just taken
It had been Spike.
He was coming back to get her.
Bollocks

He rang Joyce to inform her and she was actually pleased, that damn woman was happy about it, seemed to like him and agree with the whatever it was that Buffy and Spike had! "Bloody idiot woman!"

The bike stopped at the curb , his boots hit the pavement and he stomped out his fag. "Home sweet Home" he smirked "Had to say it, kind of tradition " he sighed "Righ' what's a guy got to do for fun round 'ere? Oh yeah save the bloody Slayer" he spoke to himself and laughed.
He gave a quick scan of the area around him and ran of into the shadows.


Buffy was trying to ignore the asshole in the corner so that she could sleep. He tutted, huffed sighed and sniffed, her nerves were so on edge she was about to snap his neck, human or not.
A fluttering in her stomach pulled Buffy from her thoughts.
A tingle and the tell tale buzzing that thrummed through her veins
He was back
He was there
Buffy strained against the bonds and they gave way. She glanced at Riley and he wasn't taking any notice of her. Spike was close by and she could feel the Slayer in her grow angrier.
Before he knew what had hit him, Buffy had him pinned against the wall, one hand over his mouth

"Here's lesson one in what a Slayer is"

His eyes widened , fear oozed from him, the Slayer revelled in it. All she needed now was her mate and to get the hell out of here.Buffy took his weapons and kept the gun, the rest she stamped on and demolished them.

"Your coming with me" Buffy held him in a grip that would easily break a normal guys arm, one hand wrapped round his throat "You make one sound and the grip cuts off your oxygen supply, got it?"

He nodded and walked forwards and out into the halls.

Her Slayer sense told her that Spike was down the hall to the left, so she headed that way. She breathed a sigh of relief when they hadn't encountered any-one else, yet, in true fashion, she spoke to soon.
Walsh and three of her goons came out of an office and froze. The goons pulled weapons on her and Walsh simply smirked.

"I had expected this, soon or later, I thought sooner but never mind. You won't be leaving the compound Miss Summers, let Agent Finn go"
"How bout ... no"
"Stubbornness won't get you anywhere , we'll take you down"
"Not without endangering your boy here"
"They know what they are getting into before they sign up and know that death is a high risk"
"Like lambs to the slaughter?"
"Precisely, now let him go"
"If he's so expendable why would you be asking me and hesitating?" she looked beyond them , god he's back and here , she stood taller and more determined. Her hand tightened around his throat
"Please" Riley begged " Let her go"

Walsh saw the stalemate, her best and most favoured soldier for her escape.

Spike smiled and winked at her , he leant against the wall and looked at his nails.
How can he be so calm, for god sake, I could die right now and he's acting like he's enjoying it! he thought
Riley spotted him and his eyes grew wider and a goon saw the change in his gaze and that his focus was on something behind them.
Spike must have know, he stretched his arms in front of him, popped his neck and walked toward Walsh, casually.

"Hostile seventeen" Walsh said in an authoritative voice
"Bitch"
"You really are stupid, you can't harm humans, how do you think your going to be helping her to escape?" Walsh smiled , now we have the Slayer and the escapee back I can continue with my experiment, she thought
"True You done me in good an' proper, can't hurt a bleedin' fly " he turned and came face to face with her, the soldier to her right backed off, his weapon aimed at Spike though "That is , until I saw a mate down in Mexico " he grabbed Walsh and morphed , dragging her over so that he stood with Buffy " This interesting little op and a whole lot o' blood an' I'm back to chasing the other puppies again" he winked at Buffy again. He knew he had a lot of explaining to do later.

"You can't removed the chip without it firing and killing you, it's tamper proof" Walsh said proudly

Spike fished in his pocket and held the chip up between his thumb and finger "Oh this little trinket you mean?"

Walsh frowned "How?"
"Now if I told you tha' I'd have to kill you" he sniffed and licked her neck "Probably will anyways " he shrugged

Buffy was getting impatient, she didn't want this confrontation , she didn't want any-one to die, she just wanted to go home. She rolled her eyes and sighed.

"Way out, go!" she pushed Riley to walk in it's direction, Spike followed with Walsh, the soldiers backed off as they passed.

Once they were down the hall and the guards were out of sight , Buffy looked at him and smiled "Welcome home"

He glanced over his shoulder at her and smiled "Where we going with these luv?"
"Giles' I have an idea " she smiled deviously
"You wouldn't? " he raised one brow
"Let's just get out of here alive first , then we'll talk, oh and we gotta pick someone else up on the way"

Spike caught her train of thought and laughed "You are evil Summers any-one ever tell you that?"

Buffy stopped in front of the elevator, she held Riley in front of the retina scanner and the door opened , once inside he placed his hand on the palm scanner and Buffy eased of his throat so he could give the information that it needed.

The door opened into the lobby of the campus house . They walked through and out into the campus. Buffy and Spike rushed across the fields at the back and once they were clear they stopped.

"Car? Where is it?" she clutched her stomach and bent slightly, but keeping her hold on Riley
"About that yeah, I left it 'ere but parked up by the crypt, I came on my bike"
"Bike? Great!"

Spike checked the pockets of Walsh and Riley and found keys on Riley

"Righ' wanker where's your motor?"
Riley pointed to an area just beyond the campus house.They ran to the four by four and Spike drove, Buffy kept the two hostages under control.

Spike pulled up outside Harmony's and rushed in , grabbed her by the hair , dragged her out and dumped her in the back before putting his foot down and headed for Giles'.