Never Come Back

Chapter 24

Of all the things that Buffy dreaded was feeling the way she did. Weak and vulnerable was not her, was not in a slayers physique or mentality. Buffy hated it. She turned to see Spike still beside her, one of his arms reached out to her and held her firmly and the other was under his pillow as he laid on his front. His face was turned away from her and Buffy assumed that he was still asleep. She eased out of the bed and went to the bedroom door. As she reached for the knob he turned and sat up.

" Morning pet , looks like a bright and fatally sunny day out there"

Buffy smiled and looked anywhere but at him. Spike frowned and took matters into his own hands. He threw back the covers and walked over to where he had left his t-shirt. He pulled it on and then ran his hands through his unruly hair.

" I've had some awkward morning afters but got to tell ya pet,this is one of the worst. I thought we were past this?"

"We are , it's just , issues you know. I just need time, I told you that ,Spike. Please , just be there."

"You know I will be Buffy, I just , I want to kill him, for what he did to you and I try not to let it get to me, but I can't.I'm a vampire love, some things we just can't help."

He sat on the end of the bed and patted the spot next to him. Buffy sat and listened .

" You're in my blood, you know that, and I'll do all I can now, to protect you, be there just to hold you if that's what you need. Anything, I've always been that way,even with Dru. But it's so much more with you pet, I need you like I need blood and it tears me up inside to know that you don't feel that way about me."

Tears fell from Buffy as he confessed how deeply he loved her. Never before had anyway been so honest and open.She could see it there in his eyes. Buffy thought that Angel had been her 'one' and that he had loved her but what Spike showed her, what he was offering her, was eternal, was unconditional love. So deep in thought, she didn't feel him rise from the bed. As he pulled on his coat ,Buffy looked up.

He looked as distraught as she did. Buffy rushed to him and caught his arm as he reached out for the door handle.

"Wait, please. Look I'm no good at heart felt words or poetic declarations or anything like that , but I do. I do feel that way about you. What happened , he took something from me and I need to find a way to get that back and I know that you're the one to help me Spike. You are the one, you are my one"

Spike tilted his head and smiled .He took a step forward and Buffy stood still, her heart rate increased and she held her breath as he approached her and reached out to touch her cheek. The sensation to pull away was overwhelming but she allowed his feather light touch . As Spike slide his hand round the back of her neck, Buffy leant into it, allowing him to step in closer and to ease his other arm around her waist. Buffy rested her head against his chest and breathed in his scent and felt calm.Her taut muscles relaxed as he rested his chin on the top of her head. They stood there for a while before she felt the first pangs of hunger, as much as Buffy hated to leave his embrace, she needed food, real food and knew that he must be needing to feed too. She pulled away and took his hand as they left the bedroom.

Giles heard the door open , closed his book and placed it on the table.He made his way into the kitchen to make some fresh coffee for himself.

Buffy stood the other side of the breakfast bar and smiled .

"I think we're going to head back to the crypt Giles.Spike and I need more sleep and to talk over some things." she took Giles' hand in hers and gave him a peck on the cheek "Thanks for last night.I'll check in with you later"she picked up an apple and started to eat it .

Giles smiled down at Buffy and saw them both to the door.

"Take care of her Spike"

The threat was clear in his voice and Spike nodded as he left.

Later that night

"Go to sleep if you can, slayer , I'll be back in a bit "
"Where are you going?"

He stroked her hair before he answered "Some beasty is making itself known out there.Thought I'd go and get in a spot of violence before I come back and take care of my girl"

He shrugged on his coat and put a few stakes in his pocket, Spike then opened his weapons chest and picked out a sword. He pecked Buffy on the cheek and then headed back out into the grave yard to confront the demon. He rushed out of the crypt ,eager for the hunt and kill.


He spotted the demon ahead and stealthily crept up until he was within a few yards of it. He stood up and saw that there was at least ten of them. He cursed under his breath for leaving Buffy in bed and for coming out alone. He looked behind him and turned to go back and get her.

The lead demon grunted and spoke something in his demon tongue. All of the demon gurgled something back and all eyes shot to where Spike was hidden. Spike watched as they all raised their heads and gargled something to the sky.

"Bollocks"

Spike took off , running towards the crypt as fast as he could, hoping that the demons were slower than he was.

As it was, Buffy was up and getting dressed. The slayer demon couldn't settle knowing that evil was afoot. She pulled her boots on and grabbed a stake as she past the weapons chest and darted up the ladder. The swung open and Spike stood gasping for air.

"Incoming.... ten... bloody hell!"

He turned as the first demon attacked and found his back to the wall. He roared as his game face fell in place. He elbowed the demon and then launched a series of blows to it's neck and face, successfully knocking it out. He raised his sword and decapitated the being before moving onto the others that had come in through the door. He watched as Buffy pummeled her fists into two demons in succession.Finally staking them both , she took out another by knocking him out and then impaling her stiletto heel through his head.

Spike grimaced and took a hit from the side.He was about to twist the head and break it's neck when he heard a round of applause. Buffy swung an axe that she had found behind the sarcophagus and took another two out. One demon remained by now and she wiped the sweat from her brow as she saw the person behind the applause.

"Quinten, should have known you would make your presence felt soon enough"

"Ms Summers. "

"Cut the bull , what're you doing here?"

"We heard that something unfortunate had transpired here and we thought it would need investigating. With you being the only active slayer at the moment, well , we couldn't ignore the rumors"

"You came you saw, you leave" she said as authoritatively as she could.

Spike backed away from the watcher and stood beside Buffy. He made no moves and watched the exchange, waiting for any possible attack that the watcher might try.

"I assure you that we will leave as soon as we have satisfied ourselves. Ms Summers, it would appear that you have aligned yourself with another vampire. Did you not learn anything from the Angelus debacle?"

Buffy fumed "First of all, Spike is nothing like Angelus" she hissed the name and refused to let Quinten to see the pain the mention of that name bought on.
"Secondly, Spike is doing more good than Angel ever did in his whole existence and I won't allow you to belittle him, or anything else you have in mind" her eyes had caught sight of the stake hidden under his jacket. We protect the hellmouth and slay as usual, what is there to investigate?"

"Are you or are you not half vampire now? Did William the Bloody sire you?"

"Yes... no .... kind of .... it's complicated"

"Hmmm" Quinten smirked "You admit that you are a half breed then Ms ..."

"It's Buffy ..... quit the Ms shit , makes me sound old"

"Old... there's a word... lets focus on that a while. Ms ...Buffy, old is something that no longer applies to you. Neither does illness or death. You will never have a normal life again, never have a family or a husband, is that what you want? You always struck me as the kind of girl that would want those things"

Spike growled in her defense , her hand joined with his to calm him. He glanced down at Buffy and nodded, his features softened back into his human guise.

Quinten smirked, almost amused by the fact that Spike had somehow read her mind and had slipped from his vampire mask to please her.

"Go back to England or whatever rock you crawled from and leave us alone. There is nothing to see other than a slayer doing her job with her friends beside her and her watcher taking care of her. Spike is my lover and he helps, thats all, anything else is of no concern of yours. "

"Unfortunately we can't. It isn't as easy as that. You have become something of an anomoly Ms Summers ,one that the Council cannot allow.If future slayers find out about you and your strength , they could try to reach your status. We cannot allow this. The slayer line itself could be compromised. "

Spike rolled his eyes "So, let me guess? You prats are here to kill her and then what? Remove that possibility? How stupid are you? Rumors , they get around, and after a while they become myths and from then they become legend mate. This woman here, she's legend . Regardless of whether you kill her or not, and I'm thinking not, she will inspire the future slayers. She's single handedly stopped more disasters, averted more apocalypses and fought harder than any other slayer. She's died twice and she's still going strong, and , still fighting on your bloody side. You try and kill her and you take out your only chance of ever defeating evil"

"Be that as it may, William, she still has within her, a demon. A demon born from evil itself and we cannot allow the chance that she may become corrupt in the future"

"Idiot" Spike spat .

"I am not evil, nor do I intend on turning evil" Buffy snapped.

Quinten back up towards the door and stood solidly.

"I will be talking to Mr Giles tomorrow evening and I shall be reading his diaries. Once I have, the Council will be making it's final decision as to what actions we take.I bid you both a good evening"

He backed out of the door and left Buffy and Spike deep in thought.

Spike took her in his arms and held Buffy until she pushed him back gently, wiping away tears that fell silently.

"They'll kill me"

"Not while I'm alive they won't. Not letting those wankers touch a bloody hair on your head pet"

"We have to warn Giles"

Spike agreed and they both set off across the cemetery at speed.


Giles opened the door and watched as Buffy and Spike rushed in through his open door.

Spike gathered Buffy back into his arms as she prepared to tell her watcher what had happened with Quinten Travers.

Giles slumped into his chair and stared at the floor. Nobody spoke for a while. The silence was deafening. Finally Giles bought his gaze up to meet Buffys.Tears stung his eyes as he spoke.

"You have to go, tonight , now. "

He stood up and went to a bureau and retrieved a large box. He took out a thick roll of money and two credit cards. He handed them to Buffy and placed a hand on her shoulders.

"Theres at least fifty thousand in notes and the cards have roughly the same on each. They belong to two accounts that I held for you.In all the time that you have been slayer, I have been putting some money aside for the day that something like this happened .Unfortunately the Council have an issue with longevity and their slayers.I knew that you were special Buffy, and knew this day would come.You managed to avoid it when you faced the Cruciamentum and also when they sent assassins after you in the form of demons .You need to go Buffy, somewhere safe"

Buffy felt the sting of tears falling and yet she smiled at her watcher.

"What about you, Rupert?" Spike asked.

Giles waved his hand to dismiss any danger that might befall him. His worry and his fear was for Buffy.

"Just promise to keep her safe Spike. I'm in no danger so long as I give the Council my notes and diaries. Of course I have the correct notes and such hidden safely ,should we need them , but rest assured ,the Council we not be getting them. "

He held Buffy in his arms and kissed the tp of her head before he pulled back, his arms still on her shoulders.

"Keep a low profile , change your looks so you blend in. Heres a key to a lock up not far from here. In there you will find a car , passports, paperwork for new identities for you both. "

Buffy glanced at the credit cards and noticed the names. Mr W and Mrs E . Lockheart. She frowned.

"I know it's a lot to take in right now, for both of you. You'll be known as William and you as Elisabeth from now on. William, you are 29 and Buffy, you're 24. Married three years . William is a writer of sorts and Buffy you ......"

Willow burst through the door and slammed the door shut behind her. She got her breath back and took her laptop out of her bag.

Spike and Buffy looked at her with blank faces. Everything was happening so fast that they were sure nothing else could possibly sink in.

"I thought you might need me again. I can book you flights out of here tonight if need be. I ....."

Willow looked at Giles worriedly before she continued " I tried a new spell tonight, one to show demons and their locations, and it showed a large group outside your crypt. Anyway, I ran over there and saw what happened. I heard the Council guy and so I ran back to get my laptop and came here. Since you were turned Buffy, Giles and I knew they would come so I put together everything you would need for your new identities"

Buffy hugged her best friend "Thanks Will, I don't know what to say except thank you, so much"

"Yeah, thanks, Red, and you Rupes"

"You'll both find clothing packed in the back of the car .May I suggest finding a room in a hotel somewhere and doing as I suggested, and change your looks"

Buffy nodded and hugged Giles. Her tears fell freely again.

"I'll never forget what you guys have done for me. I'll come back when we know it's safe to"

Giles smiled sadly. He knew that may never happen , the Council would never let them go.

"We'll see you soon. " Buffy said as she hugged Willow. Willow held Buffy firmly as she let her emotions get the better of her. Crying heavily now, both girls parted.

"Where will you go ?"

Buffy looked up at Spike. He frowned but nodded "Angels, I need to put him firmly behind me and in the past if William and Elisabeth are going to stand a chance at a new life"

Everyone understood .

"I can have flights booked on a plane leaving L.A.X tomorrow night. Theres a laptop in the car, just use instant massages to communicate with me and let me know"

Buffy nodded and hugged her best friend .

"What will you tell everyone?"

"We'll tell them that you died" Giles took a while and then cleared his throat " We'll tell your Mum and Xander the truth so that you can contact them as and when it is safe to"

Buffy nodded. "Guess I get to stay dead this time them. Third times a charm"

"I suppose" Giles answered sadly. He shook Spikes hand " You keep her safe or I'll hunt you down myself and stake you "

Spike nodded and turned to Buffy "Time to make tracks kitten, I'll go make sure the coast is clear while you say your goodbyes" He held his hand up as a goodbye and left .

Outside, he lit a cigarette and stared at the tip. This was huge.Regardless of what he wanted, he had to leave Sunnydale, and with the slayer.

Buffy walked out slowly and met his gaze. "You okay?"

"I'm fine pet" he kissed her forehead and took her hand in his.With one last glance back to the open door, they both ran off into the night.

Giles watched the retreating backs of Spike and Buffy , his arms drew Willow in to comfort her.

"Never Come Back".