Bound

Chapter 4 Tempest Of Jealous Nosferatu


Giles waited for Buffy to check in with before her usual nightly patrol. Lately the Hellmouth had been unusually quiet, except for the strange storms that had happened last week.Any research they had done regarding the storms had been useless. There were more mystical storm prophecies , tales of great warriors borne from storms and also , as Willow had pointed out , it could be global warming. Like to see his Slayer combat that he thought.Giles shook his head and poured a whiskey. A knock at his door bought him out of his thoughts, expecting it to be Buffy he casually opened the door and walked away , leaving the door open.
"You have to invite me in , you reversed the invite after my last visit"
"Oh right yes..... what do you want?"
"To come in would be a start"
"Not going to happen..... now try again"
"I have some information on him. The chip in his head has been deactivated by her orders"
"Oh bloody hell "
"My sentiments exactly, could she have come back wrong or even possessed?"
"Doubtful but still a possibility. Did you not sense anything off about her?"
"Haven't been able to get close to her yet. Do you want me to disclose my being back in Sunnydale?"
"I think it's time, yes. If you intend to remove Spike from the situation , then I think your going to have to show yourself to them. Do you have a credible story as to why you are back here?"
"Anything Hellmouthy should do it."
"Can I come in ?"
"Buffy is due at any moment and I do not wish for her to witness us together. That could draw her attention to our plans. She is a very astute young lady and once we remove the problem , it wouldn't take her long to trace it back to us"
"As you wish , I'll report back tomorrow night"

Just as he was leaving a distinct giggle was heard and then an abrupt silence.
"What the bleedin' hell are you doing here?"
"Just here to converse with Giles on a problem I'm having back in L.A. Evening Buffy " He smiled sweetly at her, the one that would have melted her had she of been sixteen again.
His reply was growled out and Spike defensively drew Buffy to his side .
"Bullshit Angel, your the one that was outside the house earlier, should have bloody known it was you."
Buffy looked from Spike to Angel " Was it you?" The look in her eyes was dangerous
"Yes"
A punch smacked him straight on the nose, making Spike laugh. "Makes a change from my nose pet " He dropped a kiss to her lips.
Angel wiped the blood away from his top lip and stared at her . He couldn't believe his girl would hit him like that.
"What the hell has gotten into you Buffy?" He snapped at her
"How about my ex stalking me again, is it going to be like Thanksgiving? Just go will you and save the angst" she turned and fisted her hands into Spikes shirt, leaning into him as his arm came round her shoulder and one wrapped around her waist.
"You heard the lady pillock , sod off"
"I can't not while she is with you"
Another fit of laughter from Spike only increased Angel's anger.A blur shot past Buffy and she found herself on the floor , Angel on Spike with a stake aimed at his chest. It didn't take her two seconds to retaliate and have her stake in Angel's back, ready to finish the job.
"Get off him and put that stake down or I mean it .... I'll stake your sorry ass Angel"
Giles stood just inside his doorway completely gobsmacked by the display in front of him."Buffy , back away now , that's an order!"
She stared at Giles , disbelief written all over her face " Since when did I still take orders from you?"
The situation was going from bad to catastrophic.By now Spike had put two and two together and realised that Giles and the great poofter where in this together, and it was obviously a plan to get rid of him. 'Makes a bloody change I guess ' he thought.
"Always did go after my leftovers didn't you William " Angel laughed , knowingly hitting Spikes buttons and sending him into a fury.
To his astonishment Spike took a deep breath and tutted " You don't get to talk about her like that Angelus, she's not your leftovers. She moved on , get used to the idea" Spike still showed a level of calm, surprising Buffy , the Watcher and Angel.
At the mention of Angelus Buffy froze into Spike's embrace and looked up at him while he spoke. Angel balled his fists waiting for the strike, he was left wanting. Giles rubbed furiously at his glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose.
"Are you still working for the Powers after the lawyer fiasco or did they dump your Irish ass? Is that why your here? Trying to get back what you lost in a sad bid to feel full of your own importance?"
God that made Spike feel good!
"ENOUGH!" Giles couldn't take anymore of this. "Come in all of you" He held the door open and waited while the trio walked in and took their respective corners.
'Seconds out round two' Giles thought to himself.' Good job I got a full bottle of whiskey in' he rubbed his temples, contemplating how best to deal with the situation.
"Sit"
"Rather stand ta"
Angel remained in his tense pose as well .Buffy stood with her back to Spikes chest, his arm curled low on her waist, a smile on his lips.God it felt good to finally have the woman and see 'him' squirm.
Giles cleared his throat and huffed.
"Angel is here as I have been extremely worried about you Buffy. Your behaviour lately has me rather perplexed. Since your return you have picked your fights , ones you knowingly find easy, you have been selective with your choice of demons that you slay .Also your relationship choice , well , leaves alot to be desired" Giles slumped into his couch.
Angels turn to smirk
Buffy stood there dumbstruck. Spike tightened his hold on her, giving her the support and protection she needed right now.
"Have you any idea how it felt for her? To be at rest and then dragged back to this hell? No ? Didn't bloody think so" Spike let out a low growl.
"Buffy was in a hell dimension, trapped and Willow retrieved her " Giles looked up at Spike with disgust
"On who's word was that?" She said in a whisper.Attention was focussed on her, she continued "I wasn't in hell , this is hell , every damn day is hard"
Angel realised , Giles a beat after.
"Oh dear God"
"I assure you he had sod all to do with it Rupert" Spike stroked his girls hair trying to soothe her. " Do you think the Powers would let their Champion go to hell?"
Buffy finally drew courage enough to answer " I was in Heaven. As for my choices regarding slayage, not all demons are evil, some are placid , and Spike is good for me, he keeps me grounded , he doesn't treat me like a child or wrap me in cotton wool. I can be me with him. He has shown me what real love is, not some obsession or trophy" looking straight at Angel she smiled triumphantly.
"Thankyou kitten, couldn't have said it better m'self" Spike dropped his lips to her shoulder, hovering over Angels bite mark. His game face came to the front and he growled into her throat. Buffy closed her eyes and ground her ass into his groin.
Angel gave a possessive growl in protest and Spike looked up , smiling.
"Won't be marked by you much longer you wanker, did you tell the girl what this is, what it meant?" Spike licked it.
"No , he didn't " she replied.
"You gonna or shall I ?"
"Buffy , I didn't mean to do it, when you made me feed from you, I ......." his words failed to come out
"He claimed you , that's why you found it hard to get over him and felt so bloody empty once the wanker left. S'why you couldn't have a relationship with anyone else too"
Buffy's eyes welled up, anger coursed through every fibre of her being. "How could you do that to me?"
"I didn't mean to , I was out of it when I fed from you, the demon in me ....."
"Won't have to worry bout it soon pet, Spikes gonna sort you out, an I won't leave you, never hurt you kitten"
"Such devotion, I wonder, have you thought about that? You don't have the chip now"
"No but I have a soul"
Giles sniggered
"Obviously nothing will be settled whilst we are all at each others throats" Angel said through gritted teeth
Buffy rolled her eyes as Spike laughed at the choice of words
"What do you suggest then?" she sighed, really wanting the night to end so she could go home and snuggle up and hide from Giles and Angel.
"I want to see a copy of the spell Willow performed , I want you to send Spike back to his crypt and I want you to start patrolling alone again" Giles listed off
"I want you to come back to L.A with me and have some tests done, to rule out hypnosis or any black arts" Angel put his demands forward , feeling like they were on a roll.
Spike started to pace the room , Buffy's jaw dropped to the floor.
'Oh my god , do they not listen or something? Do I speak Chinese?' she thought. "Shut up , both of you, I'm not going anywhere, I patrol with Spike, don't care if you like it, I feel safer with him than I did with the whole gang, and I know he can take care of himself.I know he won't leave me"
That was a blow for Angel, just as she had intended it to be. The look on his face was torn, anger , hurt and a touch of regret.Buffy sighed .
"I'm sick of having to do this, explain everything I do and have you all judge me on it. Spikes fought by my side for years now, and hello , not dead, if he wanted to kill me he has had plenty of time and opportunities to do just that. "
"Wouldn't hurt you pet, should know that by now"
"I do but they don't"
There was a strained silence.
"Look, I'm not going anywhere, but I will agree to having tests if it means you will leave me alone and believe that Spike loves me and I love him, no magicks involved"
Angel paced back and forth rubbing his eyes. Hearing it straight from the horses mouth had stung more than he cared to admit. She was supposed to be his. The anger returned and he found himself growling out in possessiveness .
Buffy felt the mark on her shoulder burn and put her hand straight to it. Spike watched as Angel tried to reaffirm his claim on her, and seeing her hand go straight to it made him furious.
"Stop trying to do that you git!"
"Spike, I feel weird, what's he doing to me?"
Giles watched and realised control had been lost and now it was a battle between the two vampires. Which one was worse? The one that had a cursed soul, one that abandonned her years ago, one that she no longer held any affection for, or, Spike. His soul was not a curse, he had stayed regardless of whether or not she loved him, and he fought by her side , keeping her safe. "Bloody hell"Giles stood between the three of them and folded his arms across his chest.
"Angel stop " Giles faced Buffy "I apologise for my actions but it isn't as if you left me much option. If you agree to the tests then come by in the moring. As for you Spike , I suggest you stay away for a few days until this is cleared up" Giles faced Angel " I shall see you tomorrow "
"You should all go now, the sun will be up soon"
Everyone left in silence, just a low growl coming from Spike.
Once the door had shut Angel grabbed hold of Buffys arm , his game face on , an arm shot out and held Spike by his neck. Slowly he bit into Buffys shoulder
"Mine"
Spike yelled out and fought against Angels hold on him. Buffy tried to get away , Angel held her to his chest while he drank. Finally he let her go and laughed.She fell to the floor clutching her neck. Turning his attention to Spike.
"You won't win this William, she is mine again, touch her and I'll dust you" Angel swung his fist and knocked Spike out.
Angel gathered Buffy up in his arms and carried her to the car. He placed the weakened Slayer in the car and drove off.
Spike came round, still in the courtyard. Angel and Buffy had gone . Tears ran down his face and the anger built up in huge tidal waves within him. He looked up at the heavens and roared.

Dawn sat in the lounge watching the television , every now and again she would glance at the clock. It was getting late or well , early in the morning. Normally Buffy and Spike would be back from patrol by now.She was worried now. Worried and extremely nervous. Every noise made her flinch and her nerves were buzzing. She had tried Buffy's cell and she had gotten the voicemail. 'This is not of the good' she thought.
A key turned in the lock and a shuffling of heavy feet in the hall.
"Thank God! Where the hell have you been?" she shot of the couch , taking the clutched cushion with her.
She stopped dead in her tracks when she saw Spike, alone . And in tears.
"Spike?"
"He got her" Sobs racked his system
"Who?"
"The ponce, he took her, made her his , she's gone" he fell to the floor.
Dawn frowned. She hadn't seen Spike this cut up since the tower.
"Who has her Spike and what did he do to her?" her voice pitched and she felt her anger boiling up inside.
"Angel"
"Oh no ... no ..... is he him again?"
Spike shook his head . Dawn sat next to him and gathered him up in her arms and rocked him.
"We'll get her back , I promise "
She looked around the dark house and her eyes fell onto the phone. Willow.

Willow was asleep in her dorm room, laid on her stomach, arms hanging either side of the bed. The sound that was ringing in her ears annoyed her.
"Too early"
The noise continued. She mock growled.
She lent up and wiped her mouth, apparently she drooled .She picked up on the tenth ring
"This better be good!"
"Buffy she's gone. Angel took her and Spike said he made her his"
"Slow down Dawn, when did this happen?"
"Spikes just got home so not long ago, we have to find her "
"I'll be over soon , Don't let Spike go out looking for her , the suns nearly up and he'll kill Angel if he finds them"
She hung up.


Dawn looked down at Spike. He was still sat on the floor , rocking with his arms around his chest , mumbling to himself. Dawn had never seen him so broken.
"Spike?"
No answer, no recognition , nothing.
'How do I do this? The one person that can fix this has gone and Spikes a wreck , he has her. Oh God I need her' And Dawns tears fell. Dawn and Spike clung to each other in grief.