Recombination

Spike bit back a groan as he felt cold metal dig into his wrists and ankles. He tried to raise his head and found himself slumping back down and clenching his eyes shut as pain shot through his head. It felt as if someone had rammed a stake right through his head. He bit back another groan as he felt the restraints tighten again and slowly opened his eyes. As his vision stopped blurring and rolling he was able to focus on the dirt ground. He had to wait a few minutes before he could even attempt to lift his head again and relied on his other senses instead.

He couldn’t hear anything because the pain in his head was drumming over his ears but he could still smell. He closed his eyes again, giving his head time to recover as he slowly analyzed the scents. He cursed recognizing the bringers scent. He had only run into them once but it was enough to remember it by. He kept slowly scenting the air, feigning unconsciousness. He couldn’t smell Xander though he wasn’t sure if that was a relief or not. He unconsciously clenched his fists as he worried about his boyfriend, he hoped the Bringers had just got him not Xander too. He scented the air again, no Willow smell, no Buffy, no Giles. He felt relief surge through him until something tugged at his mind. He sniffed again trying to scent it better, it was too far away, too weak but it was drawing closer. He tried to recognize it as the scent grew closer and as his battered head finally placed it his eyes snapped open and he struggled against the restraints.
“No!”

He kept struggling; pulling against the cold metal and feeling it bite into his wrists. The two Bringers either side of him ignored him focused on the thing in front of him, which stood there smiling a strange smile, the First in one of its many forms.
Spike glared at it. “Where is she you bitch?” He spat out, his eyes searching desperately around the large cavern for a trace.

Its smile grew. “Are you looking for daddies pretty baby?” It giggled to itself. “Do you want to know where the sweet one is?” Snapping its teeth, as it grew closer to him, still giggling softly.

Spikes struggles stilled and he stared up at the thing wearing his past-lovers face. “Not even Dru would be insane enough to do something to that wanker’s kid,” he said softly hoping that the First hadn’t hurt Annemarie in any way. Spike wasn’t the kind of person that expressed his feelings all that well but there were some people he truly cared about and wanted to protect; much as he often hated and loathed Annemarie’s father, didn’t mean he didn’t love her. He was getting used to having her around, playing happy families with her and Xander despite the lack of sex he’d been getting.

The First wearing Drusilla’s face giggled wildly. “You hide the baby in with the lions and hope the king will never ever find out,” It murmured sweetly in answer as more Bringers walked in.

Spike looked up as Annemarie’s scent grew stronger, he felt a moment of panic as he scented blood until he realized it was not her own. As the Bringer holding the silent child walked up and held her out as if for the First’s inspection, Spike hid a smirk. The Bringer holding her was covered in bruises and scratches. As far as Spike could see his hands were covered with fang bites and gouges, his face marred with bruises and deep scratches. Spike felt a rush of pride seeing how well she had fought to stop them from taking her. He was extremely worried about what they wanted with her and where her babysitter was. He tried to scent Dawn on any of the bringers and marginally relaxed when he couldn’t.

“Pretty, pretty baby of daddy and grandmum.” The First as Drusilla giggled waving Its fingers in front of the child’s eyes, which promptly snapped at them with her baby fangs. Drusilla giggled in delight. “Pretty baby going to break hearts; going to break daddies’ and the slayer’s and even Spike’s heart.” It shot a smirk back at him. “Going to do as Auntie and mummy says and play with people making them all fall down, boom!” It clapped Its hand and giggled. “Lots of little dead kittens, all lined up whilst the monster eats them, takes their souls and spits them out. Poor little kittens.”

Drusilla giggled again as the child snapped again and then turned Its back on her. “Going to break Spike’s heart, the little baby is. Going to start listening to her mummy and help her bring back the terror.” It giggled swaying slightly and singing an eerie tune.

Spike looked over his shoulder at Annemarie barely suppressing a growl at what he saw. They’d changed Annemarie into white trousers and a white jumper and forced a dark black robe around her; the robes hood was pushed back revealing her face and her arms were pushed through the sleeves. Her feet were bare and still but her hands were bound tightly with some kind of fabric; he looked closely, the reins from her kiddie carrier, he bit his lip and suppressed another growl ignoring Drusilla’s dancing. Half vampire or not no child deserved to be bound, and when someone bound one he cared for, his eyes sought out the Bringers empty sockets, he’d kill them. He tested his restraints seeing Annemarie mimic him and pull on hers as she strained towards him wanting to be held.

He quelled a smile seeing the very adult look of contempt and disdain the child aimed at the First before aiming another bite at the Bringer holding her. Spike was impressed she could contort herself that much and surprised the Bringer didn’t drop her. Instead he held her impassively as she sunk her fangs hard into his hand. She pulled back almost immediately a look of distaste on her face as his blood got into her mouth. Spike smiled slightly seeing her bite down again trying to be dropped down.

Spike’s head rocketed back smashing into the wall; he groaned tasting his own blood as he blinked, things going back into focus. The First had discarded Drusilla’s form and had now taken Darla’s. Its Bringer stepped back into place having dealt Spike the hard blow to the head. Darla glared at him and then very slowly smiled. Spike was more scared of that smile then he’d ever been of the real Darla’s temper. His eyes flicked over to Annemarie briefly, she’d stopped attacking the Bringers hand and was watching him in worry.

“That’s better,” First/Darla murmured taking a step towards Spike. “You think I won’t kill the child? I will. I allowed her existence to occur and I’m more then willing to take it away.” It smirked seeing the disbelief in Spikes eyes. “Didn’t know that did you? Didn’t think maybe I knew about this for a reason did you?” She tossed back her head and laughed stepping closer to Annemarie. “Mummy’s going to take care of you now, she’s going to show you everything and put you back together again, she’s going to make it all better.” Darla smiled seeing the child shrink back slightly even though she knew she couldn’t touch her. “I’m going to make you whole again, into what you could have been. Me and my boy, we’re going to teach you what to do because if you’re a good girl it makes us happy.”
Darla turned towards Spike a smug expression on her face. “Strange how adaptable children are isn’t it? Almost enviable, their stupidity and naiveté, that’s what makes it so easy to break them, turn them into the evil you want. I’m disappointed in you Spike, trying to hide this from me. Did you really think anything happens that I don’t know about, that I don’t have a say in?” She ghosted her hand against Annemarie’s cheek. “She has a purpose and if she lives up to it I’ll let her live, if not…” She smiled slightly. “And least my babies will have a snack when they get here.”

Spike strained against the restraints; completely forgetting Annemarie in the room he began cursing the First’s existence, its lack of imagination and finishing with how badly he was going to kick its arse. He wasn’t willing to believe the child was created because of the First or that it had anything to do with her. It was just messing with him, trying to manipulate him.

Darla smirked. “Finished?”

Spike merely glared at her before looking down at the scared child, he glanced back at the First who’d began issuing orders to the other Bringers. He knew one thing for certain, if the First had been involved in ‘letting’ Annemarie be born it wasn’t the only thing involved. The First seemed convinced she was nothing more then a stupid child who could be molded to suit its purposes. It wasn’t at all aware the child was intelligent and understood at least some of what it had revealed. As the scared eyes fixated on him he managed a slight smile and mouthed the words ‘block it out, they’ll come for us’. He was glad to see he give a tiny nod in response.

He swallowed hard as the First turned back evidently oblivious to their exchange, he felt like smirking and screaming ‘there’s one in the eye to you bitch’ but quashed the feeling as his gaze caught the small face wrapped in misery. He took a deep breath, wincing as he saw the Bringers returning, several implements of torture in their hands.

A nod from the still smirking Darla and the first Bringer stepped forward. The one holding Annemarie plunked her down on a large rock so she was almost on eye level with Spike and held her there firmly. Spike cursed seeming the fear on her face and as their eyes locked he murmured “special place pet,” hoping she would understand and block out what the First wanted her to see.

The bringer stepped forward brandishing a small knife but Spike kept an impassive expression on his face, ignoring the small cuts being administered to his arms. It hurt like hell but Spike had experienced worse, much worse courtesy of Angelus and the real Darla. He watched with an almost clinical detachment as the knife slowly moved over his arms and wondered briefly why they were avoiding his chest. He was sure he wouldn’t like what the First had planned for that area. He ignored the smell of his own blood in the air and glanced at the child. Silent tears were running down her face and he could see she was trying to block it out and go to her happy place but the First was whispering to her. Spike’s supernatural hearing meant he didn’t even have to strain to make out the words.

“See what happens when you’re bad. Spike’s been a bad, bad boy and now he’s going to be punished. You’ve been acting like he’s shown you haven’t you? He shouldn’t have done that. Whenever you act like that I’m going to punish him and make him sorry for being a bad boy. Why don’t you try to be good for mummy then she won’t have to punish Spike anymore….”

“Leave the kid alone.” Spike ground out seeing the tears increasing. Darla’s gaze snapped up and she growled slightly.
“Bring them,” she snapped at the nearest minion who moved quickly to fetch her tools.

Spike stared at Annemarie’s whose scared eyes were fixed on his. “Block it out,” he murmured more instantly swallowing slightly at her “Bad lady” whimper.

Darla growled and stepped forward indicating the minions shouldn’t stop cutting. Spike winced as the cuts resumed but ignored the jibes of the First, focusing instead on the child.

Ignoring her own tears Annemarie took in a shaky breath and bit her lip, her hands trembled but her breathing grew less shaky and her eyes became less focused. Spike smiled inwardly, at least the kid had shut herself off, stopped herself from seeing the horror the First wanted her too. Anyone else would mistake the tense unfocussed gaze to be one of a broken child but Spike knew better, as long as she remained shut off she’d be fine.

He focused back on his own problem as the Firsts special ‘toy’ was revealed. “Bollocks,” he murmured as his mouth was wrenched open and a scream was forced from his throat.