Never Come Back

Chapter Seven

Giles was beside himself with worry now.Willow and Tara hadn't seen Buffy for the past three days , Xander had admitted to being to wrapped up with work and Anya to spend time with anyone.After inquiring at all the local demon bars, Giles learned that Spike was missing too, which raised issues for Giles.He paced his apartment as he waited for the team to meet up and organize a search party for his missing slayer.

Willow arrived first and immediately got her laptop out and powered up. Tara focused on setting up a locater spell that she and Willow would perform . Xander arrived and set the box of do-nuts down on the watchers table and pulled out a seat for Anya and himself. He opened the box and took out a jelly filled confection and then relaxed back into the chair.

"So what's with the Buffsters disappearing act? Any idea's where she could be?"
He bit into the do-nut and the jelly oozed out and fell down his shirt causing him to bolt upright and curse as he wiped at it, making the stain spread across his shirt.
Anya sat back quietly watching and taking in the activity around her. As much as she loved Xander, she knew that she didn't fit in with the small group and so she kept her thoughts and views to herself.It didn't mean that Anya wasn't helpful at times or that she witheld information if she had it.This was one of those times she sat back in quiet contemplation.

Giles sat in a chair at the table and was joined by the two wicca's once they had set up the spell.

"Buffy has been missing for at least three days now and there is a chance that Spike is involved. Spikes reappearance in Sunnydale around the same time as Buffys disappearance leaves little room for any other conclusion.There hasn't been any sightings of the vampire for the same amount of time.I do not consider this a coincidence.But, we also have to consider the commando's and the Initiative as Buffy was actively pursuing them, the last time I saw Buffy , she did say that she was going to try and locate the base an possibly find a way in so that she could investigate them further."

Willow smiled and suggested that they do the locater spell first and see if that gave them a lead as to where the slayer could be. Giles agreed. Willow and Tara moved to the floor and joined hands over a map that was laid out on the rug. They chanted under their breaths and a bright light glowed on the map, close to the campus.

Pleased that it had been easier than he expected, Giles smiled at the witches in silent thanks, the two girls reciprocated and began packing up the spells ingredients before joining him back at the table.

"Of course this means that it's more than likely that Buffy has been captured during her attempt to infiltrate the Initiative. If that is the case then it will not be easy to attempt a rescue. I loathe to admit it but we could do with Spikes help. As I mentioned earlier, he has not been seen since around the same time as Buffy and I have a feeling that the commando's may have captured him as well"

Willow and Xander looked at each other and knew that they shared the same thought,if Spike had been captured, then how were they going to get Buffy back?

Giles slumped into his chair and tore his glasses from his nose and began to clean the lenses with a fury as he thought of a way to mount the slayers rescue. Coming to a conclusion that would probably cause more trouble for the group. Taking a deep breath and clearing his throat,Giles put the idea to the group.

"I'm suggesting that we attempt to kidnap the head of the Initiative. Before Buffy left the last meeting she divulged the fact that the head is in fact her Psychology Professor and that a friend of hers, a Riley Finn, was in fact a member of the commando's. If we can kidnap them then we can offer to trade them for Buffy "

And how do we do that Giles? If this woman is as important as you say she is then surely she'll have guards watching her"

It wasn't Giles that answered Xander, but Willow.

"I'm in her class and she's never missed a lesson.We could try and get her as she leaves at the end of the day.I'm sure Tara and I can come up with a spell or something that can help , maybe a glamor or a cloaking spell. We can talk specifics when we decide we're going to do it, but I think it's our best shot"

Everyone agreed, they just needed to come up with a fool proof plan and decide when they would do it.

Back in the base, Maggie had decided to stop by room 314 and check up on her other experiment. Although pleased with the progress with Buffy and hostile 17, she wanted to know if there were other ways of creating the perfect soldier. Adam laid on his gurney and unactivated. Maggie ran her finger over the metal plate on his chest.

"I have been busy and neglected you, for that mother is sorry, but it was with good reason.I have news.I have created a brother and sister for you and have expanded our family. The three of you will be unstoppable."

The door to 314 opened and halted her 'touching' speech to the Frankenstein monster that lay on the slab before her. As the lackey took notes on the demons progress, Maggie made her way out of the room and back up to the control center. Once there she nodded to Riley and past brief pleasantries with him before she took her place before the monitors.

"Anything of importance happen while I was working?"

Riley smirked "You could say that, seems our hybrid has a few kinks, here watch this"

Riley put the tape of last night into a separate console and hit the play button. Maggie sat back and watched the screen, unable to take her eyes away from the scenes that unfolded before her.Riley smirked as he watched the tape for the third time and cleared his throat and shuffled on his seat as the tape had the same effect on him as it did the first time.He glanced at Maggie and saw the tell tale flush on her face that told him he wasn't alone.

"I think I've seen enough thank you. How long?"

"Three hours,a total of four times.They drank from each other twice and then they fell asleep at approximately five a.m."

"Have they touched any of the blood packs?" she asked

"No, they seem to be feeding from each other"

"Unusual, they can't sustain themselves by doing that, the blood won't be nourishing enough.I ran that experiment before with two hostiles.One dusted due to the blood loss and the other became emaciated and we had to dust it"

Riley looked at her and shrugged "Why do you care if that happens to them, their just hostiles.We can get more"

Maggie turned an angered face to Riley and slammed her fist down on the console in front of her, she raised her voice to him."Because you idiot, I have put a lot of time and effort into these two and she is a hybrid. She didn't become just another hostile, she's special! Whatever bond has occurred between them, while unexpected, is welcomed. The two of them fighting side by side would be a marvel . I want to see what effect her blood has on him, if it effects him at all.My next experiment is scheduled for today and I need them both in separate rooms to carry it out.Now , go and get yourself some rest and be back here for fourteen hundred."

Riley nodded and glanced at his watch as he left the room. He had four hours to get some sleep before Maggie would do whatever she had planned. His mind wondered back to the scenes he had watched the night before and knew that he wouldn't be getting as much sleep as he should. He opened the door to the bunk room and fell onto the cot. His hand wandered across his body and unzipped his combat pants. He sighed as he grasped his hard shaft and visualized the small blond that had been royally fucked the night before.

Curiosity got the better of Maggie and she made her way down to the holding cells. She stood before the room that held Buffy and Spike and watched as the slept curled around each other. Spike could feel eyes watching them and raised his head off the pillow and snarled at the woman that watched them. She stepped back from the glass even though she knew that he could not get to her.
'So hostile 17 seems to be protective of her? This is better than I thought it would be. She locked eyes with the now feral looking vampire and held it for what seemed to be an eternity before she made her way to the lab. Maggie set up the room for what she had planned. With one last look at the second room and the window that had been covered, she made her way back to the first room and waited for Spike to arrive.

Spike laid awake after Maggie had left and wondered what the crazy bint had planned for them next. He looked down at the sleeping slayer and frowned. What the hell was he doing? Sure, the sex had been good and yes, he probably would do it again, but hello? Evil vampire here! Shouldn't he be draining the chit even if she was a vampire? He let out a deep breath. If she was a vampire then why was she so different to him? And why did her blood still taste of the slayers essence? He never thought he would say it, even to himself, but they really needed the watcher.

His mind was distracted by the moan and movement of the object of his thoughts that lay beside him. He reached out to move the hair that had fallen over her face . He realised then that the man and beast that he was, couldn't kill her. Not now. She was his and god help him but now , he was hers too. Yes he was still evil and no, he didn't have a pathetic soul like that ponce Angelus, but he was bound to this girl now, and he knew that his inner William, would do anything that she wanted. Spike slammed his head back down on his pillow and tried to go back to sleep. At least he could still hunt, could still kill, could still be evil in his dreams. Buffy hadn't penetrated him there yet.In his dreams he was still Spike, William the Bloody,Slayer of Slayers , master vampire and damn evil with it.
"God I am such a fucking ponce" was the last thing he said or thought as sleep claimed him again.


Willow ran through the door to the watchers house and called out his name as she slammed the door behind her. Giles appeared from out of the kitchen area , drying his hands on a towel, a perplexed look upon his face.

"Whatever is the matter Willow?"
"Tara and I, we did this spell last night and we found out some stuff"
She fought to catch her breath before she told him the rest of her news.Giles gave her the space in which to do so and waited patiently for her to continue.

"We went to Spikes crypt and used a ring of his to do a location spell and we found him, he's with Buffy, as in with Buffy. We put a t shirt of hers with his ring and they showed up together, as in , right next to each other. Tara expanded the spell and we got this vision, of of them.I don't know how Tara did it but Giles, oh god Giles"

The girl fell into his arms as her tears fell from her eyes.Giles held the red head until she calmed enough to carry on telling him what they saw.

"Buffy, she's changed, I think Spike turned her, I think that's why the Initiative caught her, them."

Giles nodded absently, his mind stayed focused but his heart broke at the thought of his charge being turned by Spike. Deep down he doubted that Spike would do that, he had never sired the slayers he had killed before and he admitted during a brief truce, that he never had the stomach for siring childer, he had always left that to Dru or Angelus.

The fact remained though, Buffy the vampire slayer was dead and now a monster wore her face.Giles swallowed hard and accepted what he had to do. The watcher inside him could do nothing but his duty, it would be the hardest thing he would ever do.
"Our plan should remain the same Willow" he choked out "We get in and find Buffy and Spike and do what we must. Once we're out , we destroy that infernal place once and for all"

Willow wiped her tears from her cheeks and looked up, worry etched at face and the cold tone to his face and the sheer danger that flashed behind his eyes.Willow nodded absently as she made her way to the front door. Giles stood still and didn't notice the girl leave.

Willow walked through the town in a daze and somehow managed to get back to her room on campus.Tara met her at the door and took her into her arms and lead Willow over to her bed. They sat silently for an hour and finally Willow spoke.

"Giles is planning to stake Buffy, he can't do it, we have to find a way to save her or.. or give her her soul, I did it to Angel, I can do it for her.I'll adjust the spell and do it for her.Giles can't stake her then, she'll still be good. Why didn't I think of that earlier?"

Willow started ransacking her room trying to find the transcript.Tara laid a hand on Willows arm and drew her attention from her task. Willow looked up at her with tears staining her cheeks.

"W..Willow you have to s..stop. We can try the s..spell once we get her back.Let's concent..trate on getting her out of there first"

Willow fell into her arms again and both girls sunk to the floor, Willow a wreck and Tara cradling her.