The Rocky Road to Belonging

Title: The Rocky Road to Belonging
Author: AddictedtoBuffy
Rating: NC17
Pairing: Spike/Lindsey/Oz/Wesley
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters of Buffy the Vampire Slayer or Angel the Series. They are the property of Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy et al. I do not make money from the writing of this, it is purely entertainment. I do not mean any disrespect to the actors who have portrayed these characters. This fic contains explicit Male/Male relationships if you are adverse to this or are under the age of eighteen then please do not read. Thankyou to all the online writers who help keep the Buffyverse alive.
Summary: “My life just couldn’t be any worse at the moment.” Follow the adventures of Spike, Lindsey, Oz, Wesley, Faith, Lorne and Ethan when the initiative interferes in their lives. Set in an AU Season 4 of BtVS.
Series: This is the second story in the Belonging series. The first was “The Watcher and the Wolf” which was Oz/Wesley. You don’t need to read that to understand this all you need to know is that Oz and Wesley are together and Wesley is a werewolf. However, if you do want to read it, it can be found at AFF, Slashaholics Island and ForeverFandom.
Beta: As always the fantastic Bubbysbub offers advice and laughs.
Feedback: PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE I’ll get on my knees and beg for feedback both good and bad
Part: 2/8
Distribution: Anyone I’ve already said yes to, go for it, anyone else, please ask
Warnings: Mild Language Warning for this chapter
Home Page: I have a yahoo group which can be found at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ForeverAngel/
Please Note: Words between / / are conversations sent telepathically

Chapter Two – In the Belly of the Beast

Lindsey’s POV

I am awake but I can’t move. I can’t raise my hand or move my head or even blink my eyelids. My eyes stare unfocused at the ceiling but I cannot move them. I try not to panic but it is a losing battle. I hear voices and I attempt to focus on them to keep the panic out.

“How are you running this experiment?” A familiar business-like female voice asks. It takes me a minute to put a face with the voice. I’m usually much better at this. Wait a minute it’s that monster Maggie Walsh. A younger voice answers and I find myself chilled by the words.

“Well as you know we are testing both the amount of blood and the type of death to assess their impact on vampire turning. Here I have four humans, thankyou for their acquisition. The first subject will be killed by lethal injection and then given a millilitre of blood. The second subject will also be killed by lethal injection but will be given intravenously a litre of blood from Hostile Six. Now we move onto our third subject who will be killed by blood loss. All clean, of course; don’t want blood all over the place.”

“I don’t need all the details, they’re for the report. How much blood does the third subject get?”

“Sorry Dr Walsh, it won’t happen again. The third subject will receive a millilitre of blood. As for the fourth subject death will be in the same way as subject three but instead will be given a litre of Hostile Seventeen’s blood.” They move further away and I can’t hear them anymore. I’m left staring at the ceiling not able to move a muscle. I am going to die and I can’t do anything about it. I always thought I’d go out fighting, not like this. I am only left with two thoughts, ‘which subject am I?’ and ‘will I become a vampire?’ before the world goes black.

*****

Oz’s POV

The first thing I am aware of is yelling.

“What do you mean I have a childe? I’ve never sired a childe, never wanted to! Bloody military, must be them, poking their nosy noses where they shouldn’t.” An irate British voice yells, but I don’t think it’s Wesley. I’m confused and my head hurts, actually my whole body hurts. I don’t want to open my eyes yet but I have no idea where I am. Where’s Wes?

“Wesley?” I ask, but my voice ends up croaking on the second syllable. I start choking and my whole body lets me know how much I ache.

“Easy, easy, just big deep breaths, that’s it, just take it slowly.” A kind voice talks calmly to me while big hands help me to slowly sit up. I cautiously open my eyes and the first thing I notice is whiteness. Then a face swims into view. The face is green with horns and red eyes, but he is watching me anxiously waiting for me to scream.

“Thanks,” I tell him, my voice all raspy as if I’ve been screaming for hours. “Where’s Wesley?” The demon looks at me quizzically before turning and glancing at someone in another cell.

“Don’t look at me mate. I don’t know all his comings and goings.” I turn to look, suddenly recognising the voice. The person I see confirms my suspicions. There across from us in another cell or white box like the one I’m stuck in.

“Spike,” I rasp incredulously. “What the hell are you doing here?”

“Could ask you the same question, pet. Can’t see the Slayer letting one of her precious Scoobies be kidnapped by commandos.”

“She doesn’t know we’re here.” I admit leaning back against the wall and closing my eyes. I feel so old and helpless. If I was a melodramatic person I’d be yelling out ‘we’re doomed, doomed I tell you’. There is no way out of this and they’re just going to come back to torture me again and again until my body gives out. I want to be with Wesley at the end.

“I need to find Wesley,” I state furiously, feeling anger surge through me like a wild fire. I’m not going to let them do this to us. Where is he? How dare they do this, its against the Geneva Convention for a start.

“Bloody Hell, Oz?” Spike questions and I glare over at him, annoyed by the interruption.

“What?” I snarl and it is a snarl, where did that come from? I wonder.

“Look at your hand.” The green guy urges and I glance…Shit, I can’t help but stare in astonishment. I’m looking at a claw. I seem to be wolfing. Now that I’m aware of it I can feel the rest of me wanting to change too. I stare down at the claw, my claw, part of my body. I will it to change back, it takes a couple of minutes but it does. I slouch back exhausted. I wish this were all a bad dream.

“What have they done to you?” Spike questions but I don’t answer, I don’t know. I can only hope that Wesley is okay.

*****

Wesley’s POV

Ow, I hurt all over and I am lying on a flat unyielding surface. Where is Oz?

“Mughwm,” I groan rolling over and hitting something solid, aggravating my aches. Why do I hurt so much? I crack my eyes open and find that I am lying in a white enclosed space. I remember. The initiative. They captured us quickly and I haven’t seen Oz since. All I have seen are nameless scientists who keep sticking things into me. I need to get out of here, I need to find Oz and get us both out of here. I lean up against the wall wishing for some water. I hear footsteps approaching but before I can react a person is pushed into my cell. They lay on the ground unmoving and from here I can’t see their face. Groaning, I crawl over to the man who is too tall to be Oz.

“Can you hear me?” I ask as I collapse next to the unmoving body. I place my hand on his neck but I can’t find a pulse. Why would they drag a corpse in here with me? The answer comes to me almost straight away. He’s a vampire and I’m the food. I scoot back to the wall I was against before. Shit! What am I going to do now? His hand twitches and I stare at it. There is nothing in this room. No furniture, nothing wooden, not even a lighter. I can’t even stand up in my current condition. I am definitely not going to come out of this encounter alive.

“Sire?” I hear him almost whisper but I don’t respond wanting to delay my inevitable death. “Sire?” he queries again and this time sits up, he speaks again and I strain to hear his words.

“It beats and beats, I cannot stop it, so loud in my head. Boom boom, boom boom. Sire, stop it please.” I gasp as I realise he is talking about my heartbeat. He must be a freshly turned vampire. Oh my Lord! The initiative did this to him, did this to a person, turned them into a monster deliberately. At my gasp he turns around and stares at me. Even in game face or true face I still feel a glimmer of empathy for him, but that doesn’t mean I wouldn’t fight him if I could. Given a choice I would rather not die.

“Sire? No, you’re human. I can hear your heart, see the pulse throb through your veins. I am so hungry.” He lunges at me and I cannot do anything. I freeze. The next second he falls backwards, clutching his head and yelling in pain.

“Arrrrrrrggggghhhhh.” He lies there panting for a moment before lunging at me again with the same result.

“Argh, Sire please make it stop,” He pleads and my empathy for him returns full strength. He looks over at me with his deceptively human face, tears falling down his cheeks. Like me he has two faces and I begin to wonder if what I was always taught in the Watchers academy is actually true. Most of what I learnt about werewolves back then has turned out to be false, so is it the same with vampires? He has curled up into a ball twitching and rocking, tears flowing down his face.

“Sire, where are you? It all hurts so bad and I’m so hungry.” I feel sorry for him, I know how disorientating it was when I woke up after my first full moon and I had Oz there. He doesn’t have anyone. He cannot hurt me due to whatever those monsters did to him. I think that in here the only way to survive is if us inmates stick together. With this in mind I crawl over to him. I don’t even know his name. He is facing away from me as I move up behind him. I spoon up against him and wrap my arms around his shaking form.

“Shh, Its okay, you’ll get through this, shh.” I offer him what comfort I can but at the moment it’s not much.

“Sire?” he asks sounding so much like a little child.

“Sorry I don’t know who your Sire is. I’m guessing that whoever it is, they don’t know they’re your Sire either. I’m Wesley, by the way.” He looks over at me and if I didn’t have Oz I’d think he was really cute.

“Thanks, I’m Lindsey. I’m not usually like this but it’s been a really hard day, yanno? What with dying and all.”

“Yeah, I know.” I reply and I really do.

“I’m sorry about before, I’ve read about vampire blood-lust before but I never realised it was so all-consuming. If it wasn’t for the pain I don’t think I could stop from biting you now.” He stiffens as if waiting for me to move away but I continue to hold him. I can’t help but like his honesty.

“It’s okay, if we’re still here during the full moon you’re going to have a fight on your hands.”

*****

Faith’s POV

That stupid fuckin’ army. They gassed me, they actually gassed me. I woke up in a silver lined area with scientists prodding me, strapped down so I couldn’t get at them. I yelled obscenities but they ignored me. Now I’m strapped down screaming at the guards as they move me back to one of the holding cells. I am in a different part of the building than I was before. They stop and I get ready to fight but they punch me a couple of times and before I can get my bearings I am shoved into an occupied cell.

“Bloody fucking grunts, too scared to try and take me on.” I yell at them, one of them flips me off as they casually walk off.

“You tell them love, I reckon the two of us could teach them a few things.” I look around to see a smirking, peroxide blond, leather clad male. I feel a familiar tingle up my spine but I don’t need it to tell me he’s a demon.

“Vampire!” I growl easily falling into fighting stance despite my sore arm. Those scientists cut it open to the bone before stitching it back up. Don’t ask me why.

“Faith!” yells a surprised voice and I turn to look, keeping an eye on the vampire and not letting down my guard. I know that voice.

“Oz.” I move towards the front of the cell and outstretch my hand to touch the glass in between myself and the Scooby. I wonder how pissed off at me he is?

“Oh no you don’t,” the vamp comments behind me and picks me up effortlessly. I don’t wait for the fangs in my neck instead I elbow him in the nose.

“Oh you little…” He lets me go and kicks me in the stomach.

“Argh.” He screams and I watch as he crumples onto the ground clutching his head. I have no idea what’s going on but I’m not going to look a gift horse in the mouth. I go to pounce on him but Oz yells again.

“Faith no, the glass shocks you if you touch it, he was trying to help you, not harm you.” Oh crap I’d totally forgotten about what Lindsey had told me. I look over at Oz in shock. A vampire helping a human, I’d think it was impossible but then I remember myself before the coma. A vampire slayer working for the baddies is supposed to be impossible too.

“Why?” I ask him as he lies on the floor. “Why would you try to help me?”

“Because in here there’s a bigger enemy and if we have a hope of surviving we’re going to have to work together.” He stands up and stretches his neck. “Ow, that hurt like a son of a bitch, what the hell have they done to me?”

“Here turn around, I’ll look through your hair to see if they’ve cut into your skull or something.” I offer; what he said makes sense and after my track record I need every ally I can get.

“Thanks Slayer, its much appreciated.”

“Call me Faith.”

“I’m Spike.”

*****

Ethan’s POV

They gassed me, they caught me unawares. I have no idea what they did to me while I was asleep but I wake up in a larger cell to the one I was in before. The soldiers won’t find me so easy next time. I wish my Ripper was here, between us we would have torn this place apart and danced on the chaos. I stand up and take in my surroundings. There are two blokes spooned against each other opposite. I take them to be lovers until I notice that the one in back is actually restraining the one in front. Something’s not right here, I peer at them again.

“Oh shit, vampire.” I exclaim falling back into the wall. I didn’t want to use my powers until there was a chance of escape in case they have cameras hidden in the cells.

“Lindsey don’t. If you try to attack you’ll only hurt yourself again,” the one further back attempts to reason.

“Lindsey?” I ask surprised, I take a step forward and see that it is the Lindsey I met earlier when he was as human as I am.

“Shit Lindsey, what the hell did they do to you?” I ask sitting in front of them.

“Ethan?” he queries sitting up, his mask falling back into place.

“Yes, we’re reunited again, but without Faith.” I state. The other bloke finally speaks in an upper crust British accent.

“Faith the Slayer?” I look him over and know instantly what he is, I’ve met enough of them in my lifetime.

“You’re a watcher,” it isn’t a question.

“Yes how did… wait a minute, Ethan. You would be Ethan Rayne?” I nod, there is nothing else to add.

“I’m Wesley Wyndham-Pryce.” Ahhh, that explains a lot. I have absolutely no respect for his father though I hadn’t met Wesley before. I go to answer, make some spitting remark but I hear a whoosh that I now associate with knockout gas. Bugger, so soon.

“Shit, I don’t have time to explain but they’re trying to knock us out with gas. Lindsey you’re a vampire don’t breath. Wesley, you know my rep just trust me.” After a second he nods and I immediately imagine the protective bubble around the two of us. I wink at the two of them before falling sideways onto the floor, eyes closed. I hope they catch on or I’m screwed. If only I’d had more time to talk to them. I try not to flinch when I feel a hand on my wrist, I didn’t hear the glass doors, and the soldiers are too quick.

/Ethan?/ a voice queries in my head and I take a mental sigh of relief. It’s Wesley who obviously has some knowledge of magic, but that can’t be that well trained if he needs to touch a person to establish a mental link.

/I’m here, just pretend to be knocked out. Once we’re out of this corridor and back in the one I was in before we can make a run for it/

/Thanks for taking us with you/ He answers mentally. /Lindsey’s starting to panic, maybe you want to reassure him as you’ve known him longer. I’m not that good with the magic’s but if you need power to keep the shield up take mine,/ he offers. I don’t know what to say, I’m usually an every man for himself type of person but here I am taking these two with me, and a Watcher offered me a part of himself. That’s what a person’s magical strength is, it’s a part of them. I’d never thought I’d see this day. Okay, more reflection once we’re free. First things first I concentrate on Lindsey. I can hear his mental babble and he is very close to losing it altogether. He seemed so cool and calm when I met him earlier but then I don’t know how I’d react if I went through what he has today.

/Don’t breath, can’t breath, don’t need to breath, then why do I feel like I’m suffocating. Okay need to calm down, big deep breaths, no, no breaths, not allowed to breathe./ I hear him mentally babble.

/Lindsey, its fine, you’re a vampire, you don’t need to breathe./

/Ethan?/ He sends back, /Keep talking and I should be okay but I can hear their footsteps, they’re coming./

/That’s okay, just don’t move, when they come in start breathing again, the gas dissipates quickly./ I hear the glass door slide open and I concentrate on going limp. I want to fight them but it’s much smarter to wait til we’re near an exit. They pick me up and I want to move my dangling arm but I refrain. Letting them strap me onto a gurney is a challenge, I feel vulnerable but I’m soon strapped on and we’re moving. Now I realise the flaw in my plan. How am I supposed to know where we are when I’m pretending to be unconscious? Bugger!

“Sire!” I hear Lindsey yell and I open my eyes at the startled yells of the guards. Shit, now we’re in trouble.
*****
A/N: Okay, I'm not sure if anyone is reading and enjoying this here so if you are, can you please leave a review so I know its being read, thanks