Escape

'Am I alive? Am I dead? Am I undead?'


Buffy groaned softly through parted lips as the events of the night rushed through
her head in a flurry of jumbled thoughts. Nothing seemed real, seemed any more
than a distant figment of her imagination. She was sure that if she reached out and
touiched something, anything, her hand would go right through it, and it would disappear
before her eyes. A mere dream.

And yet the bright blue eyes hovering inches from her face seemed uncannily real to her.

"Is - Is it over?" She stammered out weakly.

"It's over, pet."

She wanted to believe him, she really did.

Spike crouched, sliding his arms under her shoulders and knees. But when he
tried to stand up and carry her, she instantly cried out in pain, and he set
her back down quickly, not wanting to aggravate any injuries.

It was only then that he realized her shoulder was dislocated. She clutched
at her arm, wincing and clearly in pain.

"Shhh," He hushed her, his hand cupping the back of her neck as he brushed a
kiss across her forehead. "I know it hurts, pet, but you're gonna have to
trust me."

She hesitated for a brief moment, not having the energy to argue.

"Lean on me," he whispered, his lips at her ear sending shivers down her
spine. And she did. He lifted one hand to stroke his mark on her neck,
igniting a fire inside of her. She closed her eyes, letting the feeling
wash over her, using the one hand to distract her while his other hand snuck
down her injured shoulder, grasping her forearm and very slowly, very
carefully, raising it slightly out at her side.

"I'm sorry."

Then he yanked as hard as he could, the downward thrust sliding her shoulder
joint back into its socket with a sickening popping sound and Buffy screamed
in agony, hot tears springing to her eyes.

"I'm sorry," He repeated, holding her close as she slumped against him. But
she didn't respond. He lifted her in his arms, cradling her head against
his chest, and the world left her once again, letting the inviting blackness consume
her. Her tired, aching head lolled against the hard muscles of his arm, and she felt
a sudden sense of peace as the sensation of floating soothed her.

But the sense of tranquility was short-lived.

She was broken, she knew it. Perhaps beyond repair. How had she managed to
survive? HAD she actually survived, or was she merely suspended in some sort of
limbo, the very state of her being a total mystery to her.

The scent of leather filled her nostrils, and she rubbed her cheek against the soft material.

'But he sure feels real...'

And that's when the sequence of the nights events unfolded in her head, clear as day.

And then she gratefully blacked out.

***


FLASHBACK

Spike flew through the streets of Sunnydale at full speed, the wind hitting him like tiny
bullets lashing against the coldness of his skin and tearing the natural curls of his platinum
head loose from their confining gel. Yet still Spike felt as though he were traveling at a
snail’s pace. No amount of speed in the world seemed fast enough at that moment in time.

’Drive didn’t seem this bloody long the first time!’

The engine of his motorcycle roared loudly as he whipped around turn after turn, barely
even slowing down as he did so and causing him to fish tail and nearly tip over several times.
Yet he couldn’t stop, couldn’t slow down, he had to keep up his pace. He knew the clock
was ticking, and was desperate to reach Giles and find a solution before it was too late.

’Who’d have thought I’d go through all this trouble to save the very chit I’m s’posed to be killing?’

Smirking, Spike shook his head as he made another hairpin turn.

’Unlife’s a bitch, in’nit?’

***

Buffy came to slowly, the throbbing in her skull almost unbearable as she desperately
tried to decipher her surroundings. Blinking once, twice, she winced as her eyes
adjusted to the darkness. Her mind was fuzzy, thoughts garbled. The events of the
night began to return as little shreds in the recesses of her agonizing mind. As she
tried to move, her body protested with an explosion of pain that quickly filled her every
limb, reaching her head with lightning speed and making her almost gasp from the
sheer intensity of it. Thoroughly disoriented, she tenderly reached a hand to touch
her swollen, cracked lip, dried blood already crusting over the angry looking gash.

And suddenly, her memory returned in a rush of pain.

She remembered where she was.

And almost retched at the thought if it.

"Morning, sunshine."

Buffy grimaced at the sound of his voice. It made her physically ill. She could make
out his hulking form in the darkness, a massive silhouette circling her with slow, steady
paces, and Buffy could only shudder. His very presence chilled her to the bone.

"Seeing as you won't be going anywhere for a while, I think now's the perfect time for
me to do my big reveal. So sit tight, lover."

Buffy did a double take.

'Lover?!'

Her mind silently shrieked.

'When she was out, did he try to... Had he...'

The thought was almost too sickening to voice.

Quickly, Buffy shook her head to clear it, the fact that her clothes were still fully in
tact and on her body meant probably nothing had happened.

'He's just fucking with your head...' She assured herself, 'Mind games, it's what he
does best .'

His booming voice cut into her thoughts.

"Oh and wait, you're gonna love it," He chuckled sadistically, rubbing his hands
together gleefully and acting something akin to a kid in a candy store, thorughly
excited by the misery he'd inflicted upon her and her loved ones.

"So," He continued, "Big reveal now... Then, I get to kill you."


A/N: Sorry this is such a short update... and the next few chapters
are going to jump around just a bit, but try to stay with me. (The next few
chappies will be in flashback sequence) Anyway, thanks again so much to everyone
who has been reading and reviewing. You're the best!