Coo Coo Ca-Choo

Spike was waiting fuffyuffy when she got home, well after midnight, hours after they had parted company earlier. After watching her walk away with Angel, he had opted to go back to her place instead of the dorm. He had a key after all. He sat in the darkness on the sofa. He could make out the time on the wall clock from the moonlight streaming in through the still open blinds. The minutes turned into an hour and then two and then three and so on as Spike became more upset with each passing minute.

Finally he heard the a key in the lock and the front door opened to reveal Buffy. He could see her but she hadn’t noticed him yet. She came in and dumped her purse and jacket on the chair near the phone.
“Did you fuck him?” came a low voice in the darkness behind her and she jumped, spinning around.
“Jesus Christ William! You scared me half to death.” She gasped, her heart racing a mile a minute.

Spike ignored her and repeated his question, “Did you fuck him, Buffy?”
“How can you ask me that?” Buffy sighed.
“Just answer the question” he demanded.
“Would you really believe me anyway? You seem to have already made up your mind” Buffy said in frustration.
“DID YOU FUCK HIM?” Spike almost screamed as he rose from his seat.
“NO, I DIDN’T FUCK HIM YOU JACKASS!” Buffy screamed back and then turned and ran into her bedroom.

Spike breathed a sigh of relief and then followed her. Buffy had curled up in a ball underneath her covers with all her clothes still on. Spike laid down behind her and reached for her.
“Don’t touch me” Buffy shook his hand off her.
“I just want to hold you. That’s all” Spike said softly.
“Are you absolutely insane? You just accuse me of fucking another man and now you want to act like nothing happened and hold me. What the fuck is wrong with you?” Buffy said increduously.
“I’m sorry. Please, Buffy.” Spike pleaded with her.

“I know I’ve hurt you in the past, William. I know there have been times when I deserved your wrath or jealousy but tonight wasn’t one of those times. I didn’t do anything wrong. Angel didn’t do anything wrong. If anyone was wrong, it was YOU. I love you but this irrational jealousy you have has got to stop.” Buffy told him.“I’m“I’m sorry a hundred times over. I can’t help it, Buffy. I just get so crazy and keep thinking about the stuff you did before and that stupid git, Riley and I lose it. Then when you didn’t come home. I mean, where were you? It’s been hours. What was I supposed to think? I don’t know how to stop it....the jealousy. It just takes me over. I know I was a right wanker tonight. Please forgive me? I love you, baby” Spike begged her.

Buffy looked at his face and was lost. She couldn’t stay mad at him if she wanted to. She was addicted to him.
“Come here” she put out her arms and he came into them.
She hugged him to her breast and he clung on to her for dear life. He started to cry and she stroked his hair, “Ssshhhh..baby, It’s O.K. I forgive you. I love you. Angel and I just talked, closed the coffee place down. Most of the talk was about you. I love you so much. I hate fighting with you”
“I love you too. I’m so afraid I’m going to lose you. Please don’t leave me Buffy.” Spike sniffled.
“I’m not going anywhere. I promise, William. Ssshhh....you’re my beautiful boy” she comforted him.

Several weeks went by and Buffy continued going to her meetings but Spike and her decided it was best e ste stayed away. He hated every second she was gone on her meeting night and still seethed at the thought of Angel but he had promised her he would try and control his jealousy so he bit his tongue.

Anya had recovered nicely, though still had the cast on but had been allowed to return to work, on crutches, finally. Xander and her were even more inseperable than Spike and Buffy. When they had finally consummated their relationship, Anya told Spike and Buffy all the details much to their horror and Xander’s beet red face and numerous protests.

Tuesday nights became couples night and either Anya and Xander would come to Buffy’s or Spike and Buffy would go to Anya’s. They would order take out food and play board games or card games. Sometimes they rented movies. The boys barely ever were at their dorm. Gradually each began almost living with their female counterpart. Buffy had to clear out a drawer in her dresser and some space in her closet for Spike’s clothes that kept ending up at her place. Not that she minded.

She had not had a drink as of yet. She had cleaned out her apartment of all beer and liquor, dumping it all down the drain. Her meetings were going well and Angel was a big help in her struggle. They often had coffee after their meetings but she didn’t stay long, knowing Spike was waiting for her at home. She figured if he was willing to compromise then she should not take advantage of fac fact. She knew he was still jealous and uncomfortable about her spending time with Angel but he was trying so hard and she was grateful for that.

She didn’t want to admit to Spike, heck she didn’t even want to admit to herself that there were times when Angel said or did something that make her slightly uneasy. She couldn’t put her finger on it. She thought maybe she was just allowing Spike’s paranoia to rub off on her but still, some part in the back of her mind kept whispering that something just wasn’t quite right. Women’s intuition, perhaps? She should have listened to it but instead she pushed the thoughts away, her pride not wanting to deal with an “I told you so” from Spike.

It was the night of her AA meeting and she had just left Spike and Xander at her place where they were studying for some of their classes. When she got to the meeting, Angel was not there. Not 10 minutes into it her cell phone went off. She went out in the hallway as to not disturb the other members.

“Hello” she answered.
“Buffy...it’s me” came the voice.
“Angel? Is that you?” Buffy inquired.
“Yeah...Oh Buffy...I..I fell off the wagon...I...I need...can you please come over and...talk?” Angel pleaded.
“Oh Angel..of course. What’s your address?” she asked him.

He gave her the address.
“I’ll be there in 15 minutes.” Buffy hung up.
Great, she thought. He’s my sponsor and supposed to be helping ME not fall off and here HE is the one that does. I hope I can do this. I’m new to this sobriety thing. I don’t want to mess him up anymore. Buffy’s mind rambled on and on as she drove to the address he gave her.

She pulled up to a brownstone style home that had been converted into smaller apartments. She found the one that was Angel’s and rang the doorbell. It opened almost immediately and there stood Angel, disheveled and unkept. He was usually always so immaculately groomed.
“You came” Angel said, motioning for her to come inside.
“I told you I would” she smiled.
“Have a seat” he pointed to the sofa in the living room they stood in.
“Thanks” she sat down. “Wanna tell me what happened?” she questioned him.

He came over and sat down next to her, a little too close for her comfort and she moved away a bit to put some space between them.
“I don’t know. I just...had this urge and I couldn’t control it. I just snapped and went down the street to the liquor store and got a bottle of whiskey and....got half of it down before I realized what I was doing and that’s when I called you” he explained to her.
“Did something trigger it? Anything you can remember that happened?” Buffy dug for answers.

Angel slumped over into her and started taking gulping breaths like he was about to cry.
What is it with me and crying men, Buffy thought as Angel proceeded to begin to hug her. She felt kind of awkward at first and stiffened.
“I’m sorry, Buffy. I jueed eed someone to hug. I feel so horrible” Angel sobbed.
Buffy felt sorry for him and tried to comfort him. She hugged him back and told him it was O.K.

His grip on her became tighter and she tried to loosen his hold.
“Angel...” she began.
“No....let me hold you.” He interrupted her.
“Angel, no. I..I’m here for you as a friend to support you but....this is making me uncomfortable” she explained to him.
Angel lifted his head and looked at her briefly before attempting to kiss her on the lips.
“NO, Angel..stop...please. I didn’t come here for this. I have a boyfriend.” Buffy pushed him off her and went to stand up.

“Oh, yes, the little boyfriend. Jesus, Buffy, he is a kid and a punk at that. What a loser” Angel stood up next to her, his voice becoming completely coherant and his eyes and face reflecting no signs of being in distress and crying. He’s not drunk, Buffy’s brain finally registered. I can’t even smell any alcohol on him. And he wasn’t really crying either...Oh God...no..

“He is not a kid or a punk. He is the man I love. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to get home.” Buffy made a move to walk away.
“You’re not going anywhere, you little cock tease” Angel reached out and grabbed her.
“Oh God, please...no..not again.” She cried out.
Angel threw her down onto the couch and flopped his own body down on her pinning her with his weight.

“You think you could just tease me and lead me on week after week and get away with it, didn’t you?” Angel asked her.
“I didn’t lead you on..I didn’t do anything..” Buffy began.
Angel reached his hand out and punched her in the face, splitting her lip.
“You don’t talk unless I tell you to talk. Now, you and I are gonna have a real nice time, aren’t we Buffy?” he grinned down at her.
“No, please..don’t do this, Angel.” Buffy begged and pleaded with him.

Angel grabbed her shirt in the middle and savagely ripped it open, sending buttons flying everywhere. He roughly grabbed a breast and pinched her nipple causing her to cry out in pain.
“Nooo...No” Buffy screamed.
“Shut up you bitch!” Angel began slapping and punching her all about the face and head.
Buffy fought for all she was worth. Using her lower body strength, she bucked him up and off of her and he crashed down into the coffee table.
She scrambled off the sofa and started to run. He grabbed her at the last second and tripped her down onto the floor as she kicked at him. She screamed at the top of her lungs for help, praying a neighbor would hear and come to her rescue. But no one came. She was all alone....and he was going to win...her legs and arms were exhausted from fighting and her face was bloody and swollen and she was so tired....he was going to win...and there was nothing she could do...

Spike and Xander chugged down cokes and pepperoni pizza with extra cheese as they quizzed each other on the Spanish Inquisition.
“Damn. I’m never going to pass this test.” Xander whined.
“If you’d pay half the amount of attention to the book as you are the pizza, you just might” Spike rolled his eyes.
“Hey, just because this shit comes so easily to you Mr. Smarty Pants doesn’t mean it does for everyone” Xander told him.
“Well, you could at least try, mate” Spike said.

Xander got up and went to the kitchen to get another so “He “Hey, man. You guys know you’re outCokeCoke? Or anything else to drink for that matter” Xander yelled out to Spike.
“Really?” Spike looked at his watch. “Hey, it’s just about time for Buffy to get out of her meeting. She’ll be home in a few minutes. I’ll call her and ask her to stop and pick some more up. God knows we’re going to be here all night in order to get you ready for this test.” Spike teased him.

He went over to the phone and dialed Buffy’s cell.

Buffy was still fighting Angel off when her cell rang. The phone was in her jacket pocket she was wearing. As Angel was grabbing on to her ankles and trying to manuever himself farther up her body, she reached down with one hand and felt for her phone, pressing the button she knew was the talk one.

Spike heard the phone come on, on the other end but no one said anything.
“Buffy?” he said into the phone. No answer.
“Buffy? Are you there?” he repeated.
“SPIKE..HELP ME..ANGEL IS TRYING TO...thump thump..slap..crack..” Spike heard from the other end of the line.

His heart dropped to his stomach as he heard Buffy scream for help and then a bunch of thumps and something that sounded like slaps or punches. Fear gripped him as he shouted into the phone, “BUFFYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!” and then the phone went dead on the other end.

Xander came running out from the kitchen hearing Spike screaming. He saw his friend white as a ghost holding the phone in one hand.
“Spike! What’s going on?” he rushed to his side. ffy.ffy...Angel....he’s hurting her....oh God...I don’t know where they are...where he lives...”
Spike reset the phone to a dial tone and called 911.

“911, what’s your emergency?” the operator said.
“My girlfriend....I just called her cell phone and she is screaming that someone is hurting her...the phone clicked off...Oh god..I don’t know where she is at....” Spike yelled into the phone in a panic as Xander paced back and forth behind him.

“Sir...Calm down. Tell me her name and her cell number” the operator asked him.
“It’s Buffy..uhh 555-3975...she said Angel...was hurting her...he’s a guy she knows....fuck! I don’t know where he lives or if they’re even at his place” Spike replied.

“Sir, we’re goingto try and trace her cell phone. We might be able to get a lock on the area she is in from the last call that was made.” The operator informed him.
“Might? MIGHT? Oh my God..I think..I think..he is...he is..rrrraaping her...and you MIGHT be able to trace her?” Spike could barely get the words out.
Xander grabbed the phone from him as he fell to his knees, sobs racking him.
His beautiful Buffy was being hurt....and there was nothing he could do.....

Continued in Chapter 21- Retribution