Never Come Back

A/n :- So sorry it has been so long since I updated ,but crap just kept getting in the way and then my son went and broke my hubbys rib while they were playing. I'd like to thank all those who have reviewed and say that I appreciate each and every one .I hope that you're all still enjoying the story , let me know!
Chapter Twenty six will be posted tomorrow hopefully!


Chapter 25


Spike stood beside the car while Buffy went and booked the hotel room.He lit up and looked around as he blew out a plume of smoke.L.A hadn't held any fascination for him, he hated being here even if it was for just one day .He trod on the cigarette and squashed it with the heel of his boot.Buffy walked out swinging a key round her finger in an idle fashion, her mind on what she would say to Angel and his crew.

"All set then love?"

"Hmm, oh yeah, do you think we're safe here?"
"As safe as we can be I guess" he saw the worry cross her face "Try not to worry pet, we'll soon be on our way and find somewhere we can settle for a while at least"

Buffy held back the tears and grabbed the bags that sat at his feet.Spike grabbed the large hold all and swung it over his shoulder and followed Buffy up the stairs and to their room. Once inside he dropped the bag and sat on the bed. Buffy instantly rummaged through the bags.

"Well do you fancy black hair or brown?"

He rubbed at his blond and sighed.He'd had this look for so long that he felt that the change may in fact be a good thing ."Black I guess"


An hour later and they had both finished their transformations. Buffy had dressed in a long summer dress that had been packed for her. Spike was now dressed in black pants with a blue tight t shirt.His black hair somehow made his ice blue eyes stand out more against his pale skin. She stared at him, making him feel a little self conscious.

"Is it bad Buffy?"

"No, no ... no way. You look so .....Gah... "

"That good huh?"

Buffy nodded. At any other time she would have leaped at him and devoured him, but right now they needed to get everything sorted so they could start a new life somewhere safe.The first thing on that list was Angel and she didn't think that going to see him after sex with Spike would be good.

"You ready to go? Sooner we do this the better pet"

Buffy picked up her purse and keys and looked around the room.

"All set "

Spike opened the door and Buffy walked out into the night.He locked the hotel room door and once they were in the car. he asked Buffy if she was sure she wanted to do this. With a nod, he started the car up and they pulled out of the hotel car park. Buffy sat silently staring out of the window for the journey to the Hyperion. Spike held her hand and glanced a her every now and again. He could see that she was putting on a brave face and that she was dreading coming face to face with Angel again. He understood why she wanted to get the air cleared before they had to go into hiding , he did, it's just that he didn't think it would help her.Angel ? Yes , but not Buffy. She carried enough emotional baggage from that bastard already, he didn't want her to end up feeling more guilt.

He saw the hotel looming in the distance and felt her tense even more than she was already. He pulled up to the curb a few blocks down and turned the engine off.

"You sure you want to do this kitten? It's not too late to turn around and just go."

"I don't want to but I need to Spike.The girl in me wants closure, the slayer wants to bury a stake in his cold, dead heart and the demon wants to reek vengeance on him for everything he did to me. But hearing that he's suffering makes me think that I need to help him as well, god , I'm so conflicted right now.With the Council after us too, it doesn't help things.We need to warn them, tell them to expect the Council at some point as well"

"So long as you're sure Buffy. I'll be there for you, you know that.If he so much as looks at you wrong, he's dust"

Buffy nodded and smiled at him. She knew Spike meant every word, every syllable and it warmed her to know that she had someone who would protect her,even against family.She was also grateful for the silent strength he gave her and that he gave her the strength to make her own decisions without criticism.He pulled back into the L.A traffic and drove the short distance to the hotel.


As he pulled the key from the ignition, both could feel their elders signature at the edge of their subconscious. Buffy stalled.She sat in the car and waited until she was used to the new connection that had formed. She swallowed hard and exited the car.

Angel raised his head from his pillow. He could feel his childe close and could feel his mate, no, not mate, he corrected, his tormentor. She was here again, but why? Was she here to exact some revenge on him? He pulled the reign in on his sanity.It wouldn't be good for her to witness him at his weakest. He was sure she would take pleasure in knowing how pathetic he had become.

He smoothed his bed and rushed to get dressed .He could act as though nothing was wrong , it wasn't going to be for long.Once she saw that he was strong , he knew she would go.There would be no reason for her to stay. He wiped his palms on his trouser fronts as the voices swam around in his head, laughing at him. Angel closed his eyes firmly and gritted his teeth . They lied to him, spoke of the slayer coming to assert her dominance on him again.He blinked hard and swallowed as he felt them walk into the hotel.


Cordelia sat at the desk in the lobby, bored.No calls had been coming in lately, and in a way she was grateful.It wasn't as if Angel was in a demon ass kicking frame of mind of late.She glanced up from her magazine and didn't absorb who it was that had just walked in until she looked up for a second look.

"What are you doing here?And what the hell have you two done to yourselves?"

"Good to see you too , Cordy" Buffy gritted her teeth as she spoke.

"Right, so what are you doing here? "

Cordelia could see the tension in both Buffys and Spikes faces.It was obvious that they really loathed being there, which only made her more insistent on an answer.

"We're here to see Angel"

Giles returned back to his apartment after finding a dead girl that looked very much like Buffy. He hated that he had to do this and he hated the fact that his slayer had to go on the run. He opened the door and closed it before he flicked the switch to the main light.It didn't work.Giles frowned and threw his keys onto the table before turning around.As he did, a lamp beside the couch lit the room, illuminating three of the Councils elite.

Giles sighed.They had arrived a lot sooner than he expected them. It made his plans a little more difficult to put into action, but not impossible.

"I wouldn't try anything Rupert, now, how about we sit down and have a nice cuppa and a chat about a certain girl"

Giles breathed deeply and walked slowly to the couch. " If you're here for Buffy Summers then you'll be sorely disappointed. It so happens that last night,whilst on patrol, she was killed"

The main man, Christian, laughed ,which was shortly followed by the other two laughing. "You think we're ignorant as to what has been happening here?"

Giles grimaced and looked up at Christian "I'm telling you the bloody truth. I just got back from the funeral home where her body is being held "

Christian and the other two men stood. "If that's so, then you won't mind taking us to see her "

The shorter of the other men handed Christian a handful of recent photographs of Buffy, one that showed her fighting along side Spike,a close up photo of her morphed and a close up of her normally. Giles saw the picture and smiled inwardly. It was one that he had taken shortly before the Initiative had captured her. It was also the photo that he had used to find a girl that resembled Buffy. His nerves settled a little,knowing that the watchers wouldn't be able to tell the difference and that they didn't know of her immortal status.Giles wasn't even sure if Buffy would dust upon dying,making it even more obvious that they didn't comprehend the full extent of her turning. He only hoped they had not deployed more watchers to survey Angels hotel.Giles picked up his keys and opened the front door.

"No time like the present then gentlemen"

The watchers followed Giles out and went to their car, ushering him to join them. Giles got in the back with Christian. He gave them directions to the funeral home and sat back, he was deep in thought ,yet he hoped to them it looked as though he was mourning.


Angel snapped his head towards the door as he heard her approach.He was with her too. Angel swallowed hard as Buffy knocked. He pulled himself upright, he walked to the door and opened it slowly. His eyes never met theirs as he let them come in.

Buffy stood in the room , not too far from the door .Spike walked in boldly and slumped in a chair.

"Hows it going Peaches? Way the cheerleader tells it, you're not having a very good time of it"

"Spike" Buffy frowned at him and mouthed "Be nice" to him.

Spike smirked and then shrugged.Fine, he'd be nice , for her. Just as long as he didn't go and do anything threatening.

"How are you? "

Spike rolled his eyes "Think I just asked that love"

Angel shuffled over to the bed and sat down, his eyes remaining downward cast. "I'm okay, coping."

He was a mess.She looked him over, he had lost weight and was paler than usual. He'd been hurting himself ,fresh scars littered his arms and she could see some on his chest from the gape of his shirt. It made her wonder if his team were trying to help him , by the looks of it they hadn't.Where the hell was his support? Guilt hit her again and she closed here eyes and sighed. She sat beside him and took his hand in hers.

Spike watched as she took his hand in hers. He growled. Her eyes met his and she shook her head. Angel stared at their hands.

"I can see that you're not coping Angel, you look a mess"

Angel looked up at her with a frown upon his face. He thought he had covered up that fact well enough.He looked away and held her hand tighter than before.

"It's hard, everyone I ever hurt, all those .... Buffy ,I can't go on with them all in my head, all screaming" Tears started flowing down his cheeks.

Spike watched and raised a brow. 'Oh this is just bloody great!Sod this, I'm not sitting here listening to his self pity and I'm not watching as my girl gives him a shoulder to cry on'. Spike stood up and stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind him.

Buffy ,jumped as the door slammed loudly. Angel looked up at Buffy and smiled weakly."Sorry, seems William doesn't take too kindly to you helping me "

"Let me worry about that, he'll be fine.Angel, I want to talk to you about the dominance claim I put on you before"

Angel touched it with his fingers and closed his eyes as the bite started to throb and itch. Buffy's eyes watched as he grazed it lightly. Her demon came forth ,she closed her eyes until she had it under control. Angel snapped his hand from it, realizing that she wasn't happy with him touching it.

"What about it Buff?"

"We need to stop it, make you unclaimed. I know that you probably hate it anyway ,and any link between me and you, well. Let's just say that now isn't a good time for it and will only cause you trouble. Spike and I are on the run from the watchers council,hence the make overs. If they find out that there's a link between us, they will use it against me, against us. I don't want you going through that and I don't want to have to worry about you or any of your crew"

Angel sat silently for a while before answering her.He took her hand back into his and kissed the back of her palm."I'll do whatever will keep you safe. Have you any idea how to unclaim me" His voice faltered as he spoke of her not wanting the claim to stand.

She was surprised to see that Angel seemed more lucid now.He was acting more stable and ,with guilty realization, she thought that maybe Spike was right and this was just an act.

"We let Spike take over the claim from me"
"No!"

"Wait , what? What do you mean no?"
"Exactly what I said, No.I am not letting that boy claim me"

Buffy felt her demon rise again.His raised voice and demeanor bought out the need to assert herself again.

"Look Angel, you're making it hard for me to control my demon and if you insist on being difficult,I will make you accept the fact that Spike will be making the claim"

Angel stood up and held his ground. "I said no, listen to me before you go off the deep end."

Buffy narrowed her eyes and watched as Angel continued.

"If you and Spike are staying together and the Council know, then you will still be at risk. So you see, he can't do it."

Buffy sighed deeply.He was right, as per usual.

"So how can we do this? A human can't do the claim and all of your friends are human"

"I'm not"

Buffy and Angels heads turned to the door as it closed.Cordy stood in the barely illuminated room smiling.Buffy frowned, how on earth was Cordy a demon? Well, that would explain Cordy in high school, she thought.

"I can claim Angel, and both you and Spike would be safe"

Buffy glanced at Angel and saw the smile that he now wore and then at the twinkle of something that was in Cordelia's eyes. So much for Spikes insecurities, Angel was smitten with Cordy and by the looks of things, Cordy had the hots for Angel.Buffy blew the hair out of her eyes and nodded.

"Great, erm.... do you want me to stay or get Spike or....."
"I thinks it's best you go downstairs Buffy, this could take a while"

Buffy flushed with embarrassment and made her way to the door. Once it shut behind her she breathed a sigh of relief. Now she had to go find her stroppy mate and let him know what was going on.

Spike sat in the garden, sheltered in the shade and smoking. Buffy stood at the top of the steps watching him. Without looking up he smirked "Rude to stare pet."

Buffy came down the stairs and sat beside him.

"Cordy's doing the claim now, how lucky is it that she's half demon.Kinda explains her total bitchiness in high school and how is it I couldn't tell?"

"She wasn't a demon in school love, that's something that's happened since she worked for the git upstairs"

Buffy said nothing more about the subject, just happy to sit for a while.They both knew that this was possibly the last they would see of anyone they knew .At least for a long time.

Spike flicked the fag across the garden and leaned back, pulling Buffy into his side.

"Where'd you fancy going now then pet? Anywhere in specific?"

Buffy looked down at their joined hands and smiled sadly "Home.. "

Spike sat forward and pulled her onto his lap and kissed her tenderly "C'mon , you know what could happen if we go back.I want to too, but face it pet.We go back and we not only risk our lives but those of your friends and family and the watcher too.Do you want that?"

Buffy shook her head and clutched at his t shirt "It's just not fair , that's all. We haven't done anything wrong "

For the umpteenth time, Spike wished he could change the past and end her heartache. "You know what you need to break this mood? A bloody good slaying session pet" He patted her butt and she got off his lap.Spike took her hand and lead her into the foyer.

Gunn stood with his back to the couple with Fred sat between his thighs.Fred blushed and pulled away and hopped off of the counter. Gunn turned and rolled his eyes.

"What you up to ?" he watched suspiciously as Spike grabbed some weapons from the cabinet. He handed Buffy Angels favorite sword and picked a battle ax for himself .

"Catching rabbits, what you bloody think we're doing?"Spike replied

"If you take that sword .Angel will be furious"

"Do I look like I really give a shit? No. Just tell the brooding forehead we're doing his job an' I'm sure he'll be okay with it,Charlie"

Without pause,Spike lead Buffy out into the night for a hunt.


Cordelia rolled off of Angel and pulled the covers up over her shoulders. He kissed the top of her head and moaned deep in his chest. He felt calmer than he had in a long time and for once ,had peace from the soul. He looked down at Cordelia and stroked the bite mark on her neck. She in turn licked his.

"I should really be thinking eww, but seeing that on your neck, it's like a feeling I can't describe.How are you feeling? Not grrr are you, cos I'd hate to have to stake you after this"

Angel laughed for the first time in what seemed forever. "No, you're perfectly safe."

They fell asleep, both content .Angel felt his soul snap back into place and the guilt ease. After the turmoil of the past few weeks he finally felt like his old self.

"Are you going to stake him or are you starting to show your age?"

Spike set his jaw at yet another sarcastic quip from her. He garnered his anger and punched through the vampire in front of him.The vampire gasped and turned to ash before Spike could pull his hand back out of his chest.

"Will you give it a bloody rest woman. He happened to be a big bastard and you giving me verbal,it's bloody off putting "

"Whatever, so, what now?"

Spike looked up at the sky and guessed that they still had a few hours of darkness left. "Fancy a drink? Know a little place just round the corner from here that serves demons."

Buffy shrugged, at that point her mind had wandered back to the hotel and back to Angel. She hoped that the claim was going okay and that Angel would accept Cordelia.

Silence fell over the bar as they walked in. Buffy gripped Spikes hand but showed no other sign of being nervous. He threw a twenty on the bar and ordered a bottle of JD and two glasses. The barman served them and sneered at Buffy. Spike grabbed a handful of shirt and hauled the guy over the counter,

"Something wrong, mate?"
"She reeks of slayer, what the hell are you doing bring her in here?"

Buffy let her demon forth and showed off her fangs. Spike smirked and turned back to the man that was now holding onto his arm for fear of falling.

"Still think she's a slayer? " he let the guy go and pushed him back over the bar.

Hushed whispers circled the bar, all present wondering what Buffy was .She was like no demon they had ever seen before. Spike poured their drinks and swallowed his in one gulp. Buffy grimaced as the bourbon burnt her throat.

"This isn't keeping a low profile Spike.Are you sure we should be doing this? What if the Council did have people watching out for us?"

He leaned forwards and quietly spoke "They did pet" he grabbed Buffy gently to stop her sitting up and looking around "Ones sat at the bar and one is stood by the door. I'd hazard a guess that there's a group in a car parked out back too"

He heard her heart rate pick up to an alarming rate.

"We sit here and have a few drinks and then when I say, you're going to the ladies. "

She frowned and he rolled his eyes.

"One will follow you and you take that bleeder out while I, take out Percy ,his mate ,get me"

Buffy nodded and relaxed a little. There was still the possible group that lay in wait outside though and he hadn't mentioned how they would get away without them following or attacking them.Spike poured them both another shot and downed it as fast as the first. Buffy sipped at hers, not wanting alcohol to cloud her actions. He kissed her free hand and raised his chin towards the bathroom. Buffy nodded and got up. Sure enough, the watcher at the bar got up and followed her.' Percy watched as his colleague left, he turned to watch Spike ad saw nothing but the blur of Spikes fist.

The watcher dropped to the floor unconscious.Demons stirred and growled at the smell of human blood.Spike hauled the unconscious man up and deposited him into the booth he had shared with Buffy.It was then that a crash was heard from the back of the bar and Buffy came out of the bathroom straightening her hair and wiping her hands on her skirt.

Spike took her hand and breathed deep. She had no injuries and they ran out of the bar as fast as they could. Spike lead her down an alley and pulled down a fire ladder, making Buffy climb first.

"Now's the time we check out your new abilities pet. Reckon you can jump from roof to roof?"

"I guess, why are we going to do that though, why not just run back to the hotel?"

"First of all Buffy, we aren't going back,it's being watched and secondly, they're nothing but watchers. They won't be able to follow us.When was the last time you knew of a human that could jump a gap like that one?"

Buffy looked across the alley to the next roof and swallowed hard. The gap was at least ten feet wide. His point made, Spike smiled , the smile that spoke of danger and excitement. She hadn't seen that smirk since they last fought each other and it gave her a rush.It was intoxicating and she felt her whole body respond to it. As he leapt across the divide, his duster billowing silently in the breeze, Buffy knew that she could do this, she would as long as he was there with her. Buffy glanced behind her to make sure she wasn't followed and ran. She cleared the gap and landed softly, crouched low , sword in hand.

"Admit it love, that was fun" he grinned at her in a seductive way.

"It was , now stop looking at me like that and lets get going.The bigger the head start we have on them the better."

Spike looked over her shoulder to check the coast was clear and took her hand. Together they leapt the next few buildings. Now close to the hotel, Spike watched as he stalked along the roof tops. Their car sat below, he was sure no one was watching it.

He took Buffys hand and prepared to step over the edge ,to drop beside the car for a faster get away. As they nodded to each other, a whistling was heard , it was too late, they had committed to the jump and Spike fell to the ground below, Buffy limp beside him.

Spike caught her as he landed and got her in the car.The arrow protruded from her left shoulder. He put his foot down and left in a cloud of smoke and burnt rubber. The watchers car trailing after them.