Bound

Chapter 14


Dawn sat staring at everyone. The lounge was full and it was a struggle to find somewhere to sit. Giles had arrived and was sat talking to Wesley, typical that the two Watchers would pair off and she bet they were talking about codex's, prophecies and using big English words that nobody else knew what they meant.She wondered if English people made words up willy nilly just so they sounded intelligent. Angel was stood with the rest of his L.A detectives and Darla and Dru,Spike was squishing Buffy , as per usual, she thought they were bad before , but now that they were mated it was worse than ever. They really should get a room she thought.Penn had shown up again, out of all the vamps that were here, he was the only one that made her nervous, but then she knew that if he so much as drooled on her expensive shoes, Buffy would stake his ass and Spike would do it again just for good measure before his dust even hit the carpet.Lawson sat in the kitchen with Faith. Willow and Xander sat at her feet and were playing some weird finger game that made her feel like she was babysitting them. Dawn rolled her eyes and looked up at Buffy. She sighed.
"C'mon Dawnie " she held out her hand.
Spike followed them out onto the deck. They all sat on the stairs, Dawn in the middle. Her and her bodyguards. Or that's how it felt. Would she ever stop being in danger and the cause of apocalypses?
"The paperwork that Faith bought back is about you, but you know that right? We haven't worked it out yet but with everyone working on it around the clock, it shouldn't take too long. "
"Is that what you bought me out here to say? Thanks but I kinda worked that out on my own" she spat.

God she could still be the annoying brat still, hadn't she grown up at all since the Glory incident? Obviously not! "Dawn"

"You don't get to 'Dawn' me. Your not Mum, and I'm so sick of your slaying ruining my life.If you wasn't the Slayer I wouldn't......"
Spike interrupted
"Wouldn't even be you Niblet, if your Sis wasn' the Slayer you wouldn't exist"

Which was true. She would still be some blob of green mystical energy or goo somewhere.Maybe that would be better, at least mystical goo didn't get bored or have a houseful of vamps and ignorant English guys or patronising friends , and it wouldn't have to go to school either.
Dawns life sucked.

"Don't talk like that Dawn, we're working on it and we're gonna keep you safe"

"By surrounding me with vampires and the rest of them in there" she pointed to the back door. "Face it Buffy, I should have jumped off the tower and then this new apocalypse wouldn't even be happening."

Buffy stiffened . "Don't say that"

"Why not, everyone that isn't you or Spike are thinking it. I bet if you listen you'd hear them whispering it now "

Spike concentrated, yep she was right, the vampires were saying just that. Bugger.Spike winked at Buffy and stormed in, going straight to the one he knew carried the most weight within the group and who seemed to be leading the discussion, Spike curled his lip and thumped the wanker and dropped him on his ass, just as Buffy and Dawn came in and saw it.
Poor Angel... oh well, never mind, he deserved that. Just because he had a rough time of it lately, mostly because of Buffy and Spike, and his life sucked majorly, didn't mean he could act like a complete jerk and wish she had died instead of Buffy.If she had died ,no-one would have resurrected her would they?Nope was the answer to that one, hardly a stumper was it.
Now the focus was on Spike and Angel, growls and snarls were heard and lots of shouting from the more human occupants.Faith stood beside Dawn and laughed.

"This is better than a pay per view, glad I came now"
Dawn smiled

Angel swung at Spike and missed, his fist sailed past his face and over his shoulder, hitting Buffy square on the nose and knocking her into the table.Spike instantly by her side, helped her to the couch that was quickly vacated. Angel apologised fanatically,his attack earning him a glare or two from the vampires. Once it was clear that Buffy was fine, Spike vamped out and attacked Angel, each punch steered him closer to the front door. He couldn't remember who opened it but he was grateful. Once outside on the front lawn,Spike let Angel have it all. Months worth if not years worth of pent up anger and animosity vented on the wanker, a smile on Spikes face as he beat the tosser to a pulp. Lesson learnt, no-one touched William the Bloody's mate, not even accidentally, and not even family. Spike swaggered back into the house, licking Angels blood of his knuckles. Job done!

Now that the excitement had died down they started discussing Dawn in a positive way, about time too, she thought.

Buffy sat with Spike, she had to admit, Angel did deserve the ass kicking but, they had more important things to do and discuss and the mood had been tense since. So, Spike was feeling extra chipper and acting cocky and the other vamps were keeping a nice healthy distance.
She eye rolled and coughed, drawing attention to herself.

"Can we get back to the matter at hand and come up with some answers and a possible plan guys? "
Buffy waited til they all shut up and had focused on her before she continued. Angel stood in the doorway nursing his own injuries but he was listening.
"Right, codex , prophecy about Dawn, who here can decipher Latin ? All those that do, go sit at the table and help Willow to translate it. "
Angel swaggered over and sat at the head of the table, pulling the texts towards him. Spike groaned and went over but taking the chair furthest from his elder and grabbing some of the texts and then putting his feet up on the table and giving Angel the two finger salute. Angel just shook his head and then ignored him.Giles and Wesley joined them.

"All those that are left, we need a strategy at defeating this threat once we know who it is or what it is. We need to know who has advanced fighting skills and what weapons you can use, Giles will catalogue you all and pair you up with the non fighty of us and it will be your job to train them up. Now if I have this right, there is a vamp for every human , so it seems the best way to protect ourselves is one human one vamp pairing at all times, except for daylight hours when we have to go outside. We can travel to most places via the sewers so that's what we'll use to get around town. Spike and myself will stay with Dawn at all times . "

Everyone agreed with everything Buffy had said. Spike gloated , his girl was calling all the shots and was now leading an army. Pride didn't even cover what he felt for her now. She had come so far in a short space of time. He sighed.

Giles sat trying to help with the text and watched as Spike scribbled something down and sat back , staring at the translated portion of the text. He motioned for Buffy to join him and he handed her the piece of paper. She sat on his lap and frowned at him.

'You sure this is right?' she asked through the claim
'Gone over it three times pet, m'sure'

Buffy looked back over her shoulder at her sister

'Do we tell her?'
'S'pose we should, Niblet would have a hissy fit if we don't luv'
'I'm scared Spike'
'I know pet , we'll beat it , that's what we do us hero types, an' there's a bloody house full 'ere.'

Buffy smiled at him and kissed his nose "I love you"
"Love you too pet"

Darla was stroking Dawns hair and watching Buffy and Spike, she could tell they were communicating through their claim. She felt a twinge of jealousy. She had never had that kind of connection or depth of love with Angelus/ Angel. Darla looked at Angel next and saw the look on his face. He felt it too and his jealously, although in check, was still there.Darla shook her head and wondered if maybe they could get back what they once had . In her dreams maybe. So, she stroked Dawns hair and watched as the girl listened intently to what everyone was saying, hoping they would give her a hint about her future and the latest threat to her life.
Maybe it was Glory, had she found a way to come back.... nope, Giles killed her when she was Ben , that's right, so not her.

Spike really didn't want to stand up and tell everyone that he had translated the important text and that he knew what was going to happen to his Niblet. Not with her stood there. He thought that she should know first. Buffy and Spike called the girl away and went up to their bedroom. Dawn sat on the edge of the bed and Buffy sat next to her, Spike paced the room stroking his chin, he looked like a scholar or something Dawn thought.

"We know what this prophecy is about now Niblet an' it's not good . Don't get worried though, we can stop it, your Sis n me won't let nothing hurt you. " he smiled to try and put her a little to rest.
"Tell me how, tell me it all. " Dawn gritted her teeth as she spoke, she wasn't angry at them, she was angry at the world, at the prophecy and whoever it was that was threatening her .

Spike looked at Buffy and closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He knelt before his two girls and held their hands.

"There's a Warlock an' he wants to do what Glory tried. I haven't got to the bit of prophecy that says when exactly but I will do in a bit, bit" he frowned at what he had just said and shrugged. "Angel's still working with the Watchers so I doubt it will take too long"
Buffy looked up at Spike"Warlocks are just male witches? "
"Yeah, tha's right"
"And we have a very powerful witch downstairs" she continued "So we just get Willow to do the big mojo and voilà"
"Not gonna get it done , not jus Red pet, needs a bit of muscle too, Warlocks are notorious for having nasty lil demons and hobbits , gremlins too"
Dawn sniggered "Little fluffy things that are scared of lights and stuff, I could so kick their butts"
Spike and Buffy sniggered with her and then Spike sobered "No Niblet, gremlins aren't the cute things from that bloody awful film, no, these ones are all nasty, three foot high mouthful of razor sharp teeth , like piranha's , can strip a body in less than a minute, and they travel in packs . "
Dawn swallowed hard, so this was gonna be tough, tough is what they dealt with every day, they would win, it's what they did. So, why didn't she feel secure in that knowledge?
"Shall we go back downstairs and see what the rest have found out?" Buffy walked to the bedroom door and smiled at Dawn "Don't worry honey, we won't let anything happen to you"
Dawn stood and made her way out of their bedroom muttering "Yeah you keep me safe by jumping off towers and dying yourself and now there's more of you that will sacrifice yourselves for me. It's so not fair!"

They came into the lounge and saw everyone's faces. Obviously a big break through had happened while they were upstairs.
Spike mouthed "What's going on" to Wesley and he nodded towards Angel, who stood up almost crying.
Spike walked over to him, caught his elbow and led him into the garden

"Okay, spill you wanker , wha's with the gloom?"
"How long has Buffy been back?"
"Must be gettin' on for eight months I guess , why?"
"It says that only the reborn holds the power to defeat Raithe"
Spike looked up at Angel and frowned "What the bleedin hell does that mean? " he paused but not long enough for Angel to answer " So the gits names Raithe, have you got that bunch researchin' him ? She can't face a Warlock alone I won't bloody let her"
"Yeah, they're busy finding all they can about him and I won't let that happen either."
They stood looking out across the back yard, both feeling the same way and both trying hard to find a solution to the latest crisis the hellmouth was throwing their way.

Wesley found a passage about the Warlock, it just said that in 1567 he had tried tried to beat an army of Witches and they had banished him to the mouth of hell and trapped him on a rock. The spell would only hold him as long as the rock was whole. If a crack or break appeared,Raithe would be able to drain power and become powerful and free himself once more.

"Bollocks "
Everyone stared at the normally composed Watcher.

"Found something " he said trying to divert attention from the fact that he swore "It's good news shadowed in bad I'm afraid.

The gang focused attention on him, waiting for him to continue.Willow looked over his shoulder at the text.

"It says that an army of Witches trapped him in a rock here at the hellmouth and he would remain trapped until the rock broke , once the rock had been compromised, he could drain magicks and free himself"
Wesley slammed the book shut, causing a small cloud of dust to billow out
Willow patted him on the shoulder and stepped back

"We find the spell and Giles and I will get the convent to work with us, we might be able to put him back, but maybe not near the hellmouth"
"Good idea Will, get on that as soon as you can"
Buffy turned to see Spike stood next to Angel, their faces showed their fears
"What's with you too, you look like the brood twins"
"Buffy" Spike walked to her and hugged her, he held back his tears.
She felt his sadness through the claim and pulled him back from her and stared at his face. She frowned "Tell me"

He looked deep into her eyes and shook his head.She knew it was bad " Oh god , I have to bloody die again don't I?"
His tears fell.
Angel nodded , drew air through his nose and looked away.

Buffy ran.

She didn't care, she was barefooted, in a small tank top and satin pj bottoms and she ran. Trees hit her face and bushes swatted her arms and legs. Her feet hurt from the cuts that they received from the pavement and dirt track, and she ran.

She had ran for what seemed like hours. Finally she stopped.
Her sides hurt and she couldn't get air into her lungs fast enough.
She bent over and heaved. Her stomach finally reacting to the news.
Death , that was her gift.
There was no returns policy that came with it, a gift that she was stuck with.
It sucked.
Would she stay dead this time?
Would her friends let her stay dead this time?

Buffy had control of her body again and she looked up.
The tower.
It was still there.
A new landmark in Sunnydale.
She climbed through a gap in the fence and stood at the base, looking up. She put her hands and feet on the first rung and began climbing.


Angel jumped into his car and Spike jumped in beside him, the cars tyres screeched against the tarmac and they took off at speed, in search of their Slayer.
Spike watched as they passed all her usual haunts, with no sign of her.
He tried to connect with her through the claim but she had shut him out, which added to his pain. She had shut him out.
He was alone.
The last time he felt this alone was after her death.
She jumped through the portal to save Dawn.
She lay in a heap of debris and bricks, her body broken.
Dead.

"I know where she is, turn around"
Angel stared at him and frowned .
"I said turn around now!" he yelled at Angel and vamped out.
Angel pulled the handbrake and the car lurched round , doing a one eighty, Angel slammed the gears and sped off in the direction that Spike pointed out.

It rose high above the rest of Sunnydale. Buffy could see her house, the school, the mall, and even the cemetery she was/had been buried in. She sat with her feet dangling over the edge, they swayed in the breeze.
She saw the black car screech into the yard, smashing through the fence and pulling up underneath her.
She snorted
Her heroes
But they wouldn't save her , just like they couldn't save her last time.

She must have zoned out as she couldn't remember them climbing up, one minute they were stood by the car staring up at her and the next they were behind her. Cautiously they approached her, holding on to the fragile structure.

"Pet, come away from the edge, S'not safe"
Angel hung back
"What does it matter? I jump, I die, I save the world and I get dragged back, alive , to do it all again"
"Buffy, luv, you won't die again, I promise, I'll keep you safe, I'll do all I can to save you"
"Like you did last time?"
That stung, a low blow , he tried to save her and Dawn last time, almost had, but the doc had thrown him off .
"I ... tried"
"And you'll try again, won't help me though, my bloods what closes it"
"We'll find a way, that's what we do, Buffy luv, your scaring me"
She sniggered , "Imagine , a Slayer scaring the Big Bad huh?"
Spike slumped beside her, he reached out and she jerked away, causing the structure to sway.It creaked and a length of scaffolding fell away.
Angel lurched sideways as the tower swayed , he held on tighter "Buffy it's about to collapse , we need to get off before it does"
She shrugged
"You two go"
Spike wiped his tears away, Buffy noticed that he was crying and she reached out to wiped them away, he saw the pain in her eyes, "Don't cry for me, be strong for Dawnie, someone has to be."

He realised she had given up.
He wouldn't let her.
He was stronger than this, always had been.
His anger swelled in his breast and in his throat til it burnt,
"No!" he growled at her "Your not doing this, you bloody selfish cow!"
He grabbed her round her waist and hauled her away from the edge. Angel watched.
Buffy struggled against him and couldn't break his hold, she was too weak to fight him.
She broke down, and fell to her knee's taking Spike with her.
Angel felt uncomfortable and made his descent.
Spike had her.
She had Spike.