If I Knew Then... CH. 15
Title: If I Knew Then...
Author: Shade
Pairing: S/X
Rating: PG to NC17
Disclaimer: All assorted characters belong to Mutant Enemy and Joss which is fine, because I suspect Buffy's high maintenance anyway.
Summary: AU-The African demon in Grave grants Spike's wish in a way he never planned. Flung back in time, he has to relive the previous three years with all the knowledge of what's to come.
A/N:Beta by the wonderous blinding_sight and lovely 50ftqueenie. Certain bits of dialog are taken from the following BtVS episodes:
4:21: Primeval
Chapter 15: Primeval
Spike hurries toward Adam's crypt. Time is getting short. Giles says that the Scoobies should be ready, but he still hasn't found the spell. Spike's been staying away from the others and hanging out in his crypt. He doesn't want Adam figuring out that he's not one of the bad guys. That thought makes Spike stop dead in his tracks. He curses himself for a few moments before taking an unneeded breath and letting it out. He promises himself that when this is all over, he'll kick a puppy or something to set things right. After he composes himself, Spike swaggers into the cave to see what the tin soldier is up to. He freezes when he sees Riley standing face to face with Adam.
"Bugger," he mutters under his breath, but Adam's enhanced hearing must have picked it up, because he turns to look at Spike.
"I didn't send for you, Spike," he says.
"Yeah, well...I'm not much the being sent for type," Spike responds. "I'd rather have this chip out if you don’t mind."
Riley is standing at attention and not saying a word. His eyes are blazing at Spike when he walks across in front of the man though. Spike frowns.
"What's with Corncob?" he asks.
"I've activated his chip."
"They put a chip in him too?" Spike asks still staring down Riley. "There's some irony for you."
Riley's eyes are threatening murder, but his face is blank. Spike almost feels sorry for him. He continues, "Imagine having a piece of hardware put inside of you against your will. One that prevents you from doing the most natural things that make you...you. That's barbaric, isn't it?"
The fire in Riley's eyes softens a bit. Spike mentally shakes himself. It would be so easy to leave Riley here to Adam's machinations, but it would hurt Buffy. He hates that he still has feelings for her, even after things have changed.
"What of the Slayer?" Adam asks.
"I told you I took care of her friends. She's on her own. Now she doesn't even have the boyfriend thanks to you. I did my part. I want the chip out. Now."
"That wasn't the deal. You were to separate her from her friends and deliver her to the Initiative. We have yet to see her arrive. I need her there to ensure that as many demons die as humans. She will achieve maximum carnage before she's too weak to go on."
Riley's jaw twitches under some strain, he manages to strangle out, "You can't! I knew you were behind this, Spike. There's no way they'd believe-"
"Stop talking," Adam orders.
Spike lets out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. The solider almost gave the whole game away. Adam turns to him in impatience.
Spike says, "You want her in the Initiative. Fine. She'll be there if I have to shove those disks you gave me up her-"
"Then you should go."
Spike grits his teeth. Being ordered around like a servant is not something he's used to, not since Angelus at any rate. How had he not seen the first time that Adam never intended to remove the chip? Spike steps up to Riley as he leaves.
"You should never trust a vampire, mate. They'll double cross you every time," he says slipping the soldier a small knife from his coat. Riley's eyes widen, but Spike turns for the exit in a swirl of leather.
He has plenty of time before the disks are set to decrypt. Giles will only pester him some more about the spell if he goes over there. Spike knows that Buffy would want to know about Finn, but he doesn't want her doing something stupid like rushing in to rescue him before they're ready. So he needs to avoid her as if he wouldn't be doing that already. At a loss for what to do, he remembers that Xander has some things for his crypt so he goes to the basement.
The room is dark, but it's still early evening. There's some horrid country twallop wailing on his cheap CD player. Spike lets himself in and slaps the player off. There's a suspicious lump in the covers. Spike pokes it a bit until it moves. He picks up the covers in order to rip them off, but the sight of a bare flank makes him drop the comforter like it was on fire.
"Oi, get up. I'm here to collect."
There's a muffled mumbling coming from the pillow. Spike sits down on the side of the bed. He gets no reaction.
"Right, what happened?" he asks.
"Gtfbbrd," is the response.
"What?" Spike asks. When a clarification isn't given, he elbows the lump and immediately bends in two, head between his legs as the chip fires merrily. "Argh! That couldn't have hurt him! I didn't even do it that hard!"
The yelling must get Xander's attention, because he rolls over. He pulls the blankets primly over his chest as he sits up.
"You okay?" he asks.
"Lovely. Just lovely," Spike grits out rubbing his forehead with the heel of his hand. "Now tell Uncle Spike what happened while his head turns to mash."
"I got fired."
Spike blinks a few times until his vision clears and asks, "What? From the bike shop?"
"Yeah, the owner couldn't afford having two new employees and since I was the last one he hired, he let me go. Wait, how did you know I was working at the bike shop?"
"S'not important. So why aren't you out looking for another job?"
"Why bother? They don't have anything good, and if I get a job I'll just get fired again. Maybe I should just join the Army like Riley. At least they feed you."
"Yeah and then they shoot you full of drugs and stick chips in your chest."
"What?"
Spike waves him off and lies back on the bed next to Xander. His head is still throbbing. Xander looks uncomfortable for a moment before he lies back too.
"You're supposed to be from the future. Am I always going to be a loser? The whole evil thing means that you'll tell me the truth because it hurts, right?"
"You're not a loser, Xander. You're just a kid. It takes a while before people figure out who they are. I mean do you think I was always the dashingly handsome, bloody cool guy I am today?"
Xander looks over at him and asks, "What were you like when you were human?"
"We're talking about you, not me."
"But you brought it-"
"Shut up! Right, where was I?"
"Dashingly handsome."
"Yes, now all you have to do is find something you're good at. Something you like to do."
Xander looks back at the ceiling and is silent for a few moments. Spike wants to just shove him at the nearest construction site, but Xander won't be any good to himself unless he comes at it on his own.
"I like to fix things. I helped fix Giles' place after he went all demony."
Spike doesn't hide his smile. "Well there you go. Have you looked for jobs where you fix or build stuff?"
"Like a handyman?"
"I suppose that would work, but what about something bigger, something you could make a career of."
"They're always hiring for construction around here, but I could never get a job like that."
"Well why not? It's smacking things with hammers. Doesn't exactly take a college degree, does it? They don't care about things like that. They just want someone dependable that will get the job done. And if there's anyone dependable around here it's you."
"What do you mean? I'm not dependable. I've gotten fired for it, actually."
"Who do your little mates turn to when they have a problem? Who do they know will fix it? They look at you, Xander. You make every stupid Scooby meeting. You're out there every night busting your knackers to keep the idiots of this town safe. If that's not dependable, what is? You've just got to start putting effort like that into the rest of your bloody life and quit feeling sorry for yourself, because, frankly, I'm sick of the whining. I'd eat you just to get a moments peace if I could."
Spike ignores the full on grin that Xander has on his face. It doesn't make his insides feel like jelly at all. Xander rolls on to his side and props his head up on a bent arm. They're very close on the bed and Spike can feel the boy's warmth like a siren call. He stares resolutely at the ceiling.
"Look at you all Advice Vamp."
"Wot? I can't have layers?"
"You're full of oniony goodness."
Spike turns to look at him then.
Xander goes into a full babble. "By onion I mean in the having of layers not in that you stink, because you don't. Well, sometimes you smell like cigarettes, but it's not that bad, and the leather kind of cancels it out. Which is better than smelling like pizza any day, although pizza can smell pretty good and...and..." Xander says winding down at Spike's look. "I'll stop now."
"You do that, pet."
"I just wanted to say thanks."
Feeling silly, Spike says, "I just came because you said you had some stuff for me."
"Right. Of course you did. I'll go and get it," Xander says, but doesn't move. They stare at each other, inches away, for a few moments. "Going. Anytime now."
Spike smiles and since the boy won't, he moves the five inches and presses his lips to Xander's. The kiss is soft because he doesn't want to scare Xander any more than he already has. He's surprised when a hand slides across his chest, takes his shoulder, and pulls him onto his side. They're pressed together from chest to hip. The slight warmth he'd felt before is like an explosion when they touch. Spike pushes his tongue past Xander's lips and runs his hand down the boy's sun kissed back. If it happens to move the ugly comforter off him, well that's just a bonus. Xander wraps around him and moans a bit around Spike's exploring tongue. Spike's hand slides down his hip. Xander gasps softly as if he'd completely forgotten that he was naked under the covers. The night of Lowell House had been dark and fevered. Spike wants to look and take his time. He's moved away from Xander's mouth and has started kissing and sucking at the long throat in earnest when the phone rings like St. Mark's Cathedral in the silent room. They both freeze.
Spike growls, "Ignore it."
"It's probably Willow with an Adam update. I have to."
Spike sighs and rolls away from the boy. Xander sits up and tries to get out of the bed while using the blanket as a cover. He doesn't get very far seeing as how Spike's lying on it and not about to move. After fighting for a second, Xander just blushes and runs for the phone in the buff. Spike ogles the bare backside before Xander grabs a towel to wrap around himself.
"Hello?" he says sounding winded. "No, no you didn't interrupt anything. I was just in bed and had to run for the phone, Willow."
Spike snorts. Xander throws a spatula from the little card table that doubles as his dining room. Spike catches it easily and leers again at Xander while slapping his palm with the spatula suggestively. The colors that the boy turns are very entertaining, and the towel isn't hiding his true feelings very well which makes Spike's leer even bigger. On the phone, Willow tells him that the disks have decrypted and that they're having a Scooby meeting at Giles'. Xander says he'll be there shortly and hangs up. Spike stares at him. Xander's face is a study in conflict. He obviously wants to crawl back into the bed with Spike, but instead, he grabs his clothes and hustles into the bathroom. Spike is waiting for him at the door when he comes out. They walk over to Giles' in silence. When they cross Main Street, Spike steals a copy of the local paper from the coffee shop. He slaps it against Xander's chest with a raised eyebrow. Xander smiles softly and sticks the paper under his arm.
At Giles' Willow and the Watcher are going through spell books again. Buffy is pacing.
"Ah, Xander, I see you brought Spike. Good, I thought I was going to have to go to the crypt to round him up," Giles says.
"Come up with anything yet?" Spike asks and sits in the corner chair across from the couch where Willow is hold up with a lap full of books.
"No, all of Adam's plans were on the disks just as you said they were. Unfortunately, at this point its information we already know thanks to you. There must be some way to stop this thing."
"According to Riley, his power source is a uranium core embedded somewhere inside his chest. Probably near the spine," Buffy says.
"So the magic spell stops that?" Willow asks. "What about some kind of uranium extracting spell?" They all stare at her and she cringes and says, "I know. I'm reaching."
Giles says, "I've been looking at paralyzing spells, but the best choice I can't perform."
"Don't you have to speak Sumerian or something?" Willow asks looking at the book in Giles' hands.
"I do speak Sumerian. It's not only that. Only an experienced witch can incant it, and you'd have to be within striking distance of this object."
Xander smirks and says to Buffy, "See what you get for taking French instead of Sumerian?"
"What was I thinking?" she quips back.
Spike merely shakes his head at them. How do they beat the bad guys when they can't even take themselves seriously?
Xander continues, "So no problem, all we need is combo Buffy-her with Slayer strength, Giles' multi-lingual know how, and Willow's witchy power."
Giles looks at him. Spike sits forward. Xander ducks his head at the scrutiny.
"Yeah," he says, "don't tell me. I'm just full of helpful suggestions."
"As a matter of fact, you are," Giles says. He looks over at Spike who shrugs.
It doesn't take them long at all to get prepared. Buffy leads the way to Lowell House. Giles and Spike take the rear. He's already explained the layout and where they preformed the spell the first go around and about the secret lab. They've gone over it several times, but the kids are still jittering.
"Nervous?" Willow asks.
"No way," Xander replies. "I'm full of that good old kamikaze spirit."
"Xander, just because this is never going to work, there's no need to be negative," Giles says behind them.
Spike shakes his head and says, "Is it too late to switch sides again?"
The others look back at him. They're reflected in the wall sized mirror. He of course doesn't show. There's something symbolic about it that Spike isn't comfortable with.
"Just asking," he says.
Buffy rolls her eyes and kicks in the mirror. They rappel down the shaft, kids first and then Englishmen. By the time he and Giles are at the bottom there's some kind of group hugging going on. Giles gets pulled in and he obviously has no idea what to do about it. They all move as if they're going to include Spike in the loving, but think better about it. He's more relieved than they are. Giles moves awkwardly away and uses a crowbar to get the elevator door open. There are soldiers pointing guns at them before it's even all the way apart. They're escorted to the Colonel's office.
Buffy starts, "Colonel-"
"Shut up. You've got some nerve, lady. You think you and your friends and just keep waltzing into a government installation brandishing weapons like-" the Colonel says pulling out the gourd in Giles' bag.
"It's a gourd," Willow offers.
"Magic gourd," Giles corrects looking a tad embarrassed.
"What kind of freaks are you people? It's bad enough that you're running around with a HST," he says pointing at Spike.
Buffy ignores him and says, "Adam is here, Colonel. In the Initiative."
"The only monster here that shouldn't be is that!"
He makes a gesture and one of the soldiers steps up. Before Spike can react he's hit full force with one of their stun guns. He crumples to his feet in pain as all his muscles start to spasm wildly. Through the thundering in his ears, he thinks he hears Xander and the others yell out. The pain is a hundred times worse than the chip. Two strong hands hook under his arms and he's dragged out the room. He blacks out before they're half way down the hall.
The sounds of klaxons wake him. He's aware of someone going through his pockets. Weakly he strikes out and gets a fist full of fangs. The vampire bent over him falls back on his ass. The room is oppressively white.
"Oh God. Not again," he mumbles rolling over onto his hands and knees. He has the strong urge to vomit, but holds his breath to keep it at bay. He looks around to see he's in one of the Initiative cells, only this time he's sharing it with two other vamps. There are red lights flashing on and off in the hall. The surrounding demons are making a tremendous noise that blend with the sirens to make Spike's head feel like it's going to pop open and spill its candy on the floor.
"Dude, the greens are running all over and I haven't seen a white coat in hours," the vamp by the door says. "Something's going down."
"You think?" Spike says snidely. Slowly he gets to his feet and looks at the panic going on beyond the electrified glass. "Don't worry. We're getting out of here soon."
"How would you know? You're new. I've been in here for a month."
"I know the guy that's trying to take this place down. He's moving tonight. Besides this is not the first time I've been here. Oh, and by the way, shut it!" Spike growls pulling a stake from his coat. The fact that the soldiers didn't search him is unbelievable. It's as if they don't even care anymore. Of course, they have more to worry about now. Spike stakes the vamp on the floor that had been trying to rob him. The one by the door turns with full game face. He makes about two steps before Spike kicks him into the glass. The electricity pops and throws him back further into the room. Spike brings the stake home with a snap. No sooner has the second vamp filtered to the floor than the lights go out. The cell door opens. The hall is full of rampaging demons. Spike follows the wave of bodies. The soldiers are responding at the end of the hall, but there are too many demons for them to hold back. Once they break out into the main floor, Spike starts making his way towards the secret lab. There are guns going off and a few explosions. The crackle of the stun guns and the roars of a hundred different types of demons make it hard to concentrate. He does his best to take out some of the tougher monsters on his way. He gets shot at a few times, but his speed works to his advantage. Half way across the floor, he sees Buffy bashing her way through the crowd. Giles and the others are behind her trying to move fast and not scream target. Spike jumps to the top of some oil drums and flies toward them with a roar. He lands behind a Fyarl that looks surprisingly like Giles had. Spike snaps its neck and stakes a vamp going after Willow.
"Spike!" she yells. "Are you okay?"
"Been better, ducks, now move!"
Buffy takes half a second to look behind her and see that Spike's protecting the others before she pushes ahead toward the lab. They make their way inside 314. Spike helps Buffy barricade the door with a heavy cabinet. He leans against it heavily as she goes to open the access to the secret lab. Giles sits on the floor with Willow and Xander to set up the spell. Buffy looks back over her shoulder at the others with a worried expression. Spike joins her.
"Don't worry about it, Slayer. I've got them. You worry about Adam and your Riley."
"Once I'm in, barricade the door behind me."
"Got it," he says.
She asks Giles, "How long before the ritual kicks in?"
"Five minutes, give or take," Giles replies.
Buffy just nods resolutely and disappears down a small hallway. Spike closes the doors behind her and finds another cabinet to push over the exit. He moves into the corner closest by the door they came in by and crouches down out of the way.
Giles lights a candle. Willow begins to chant.
"The power of the Slayer and all who yield it. Last to ancient first, we invoke thee. Grant us thy domain and primal strength. Accept us in the power we possess. Make us mind and heart and spirit joy. Let the hand encompass us. Do thy will."
She pulls out the tarot cards and places one before her in the center of the circle facing the gourd.
"Spiritus....Spirit," she says.
She hands a card to Xander, which he takes and places in front of him facing the gourd again.
"Animus...Heart," she says.
Giles is handed his card which he also places facing the gourd.
"Sophus...Mind," she says.
The final card is laid for Buffy in the other room.
"And Manus...the Hand."
Spike feels the hairs on his skin stand up as the magic begins to build. He's never been one for the stuff, but it was something that Dru liked to play with. Spike's seen his fair share of spells, but this one is stronger, older and the demon rattles its place inside him. He feels his fangs drop unconsciously.
"We enjoin that we may inhabit the vessel--the hand...daughter of Sineya...first of the ones... We implore thee, admit us, bring us to the vessel, take us now."
There's an upsurge of wind like the breath of god. The other's heads fall back as if they are looking towards the ceiling. Spike can hear a mingle of voices.
"We can. We are forever."
Giles lips start moving but he can hear all the voices as one again speaking Sumerian. He watches entranced when suddenly there is a bash against the door. Cursing, Spike jumps to his feet and leans against the cabinet keeping the door closed.
"Hurry up you lot!"
"Kur," the voices say together.
The door inches in under the constant assault. Spike shoulders the cabinet back into place. He looks back to see Xander's lips moving this time in conjunction with the voices.
"You could never hope to grasp the source of our power, but yours is right here."
Then it seems it's Willow's turn to lip-synch to the Greek Chorus. She speaks Sumerian just as flawlessly as Giles did before. As soon as her lips stop moving, the three drop to the ground. The door slams into the cabinet again knocking it and Spike back. He lands on the floor beside Xander just as the demon enters the room on all fours. Spike kicks out and gets the thing under the chin. Before it can gain its footing again, he's on his feet and slams down his fists on its chest. There is a loud snap and the demon gurgles before going limp.
"Giles! Talk to me!" Spike says rounding on the others.
"We're fine. Just a bit drained. It's over."
The cabinet toward the other door shutters in place. Spike hops over the limp Scoobies and pulls it out of the way so that Buffy can enter, supporting Finn. The man takes in Spike and the scraggly team. He's bleeding from his chest. Buffy is supporting most of his bulk. Spike doesn't offer to help, but to his surprise Riley holds out the knife. It's bloody. Spike glances from the knife to the man's chest.
"Thanks," Finn says.
Spike nods and tucks the knife away silently. He turns to the others and helps Giles to his feet. Willow and Xander steady each other. The noise from the outside of 314 hasn't abated.
"We've still got men out there," Riley reminds them.
Buffy looks over her friends and her eyes end up on Spike. He raises his eyebrow at her and she nods.
"You organize the soldiers, pull 'em back," she says to Riley. "I'll take point. Spike you take clean up."
"Thought you'd never ask, pet. Let's go kick some demon ass!"
Author: Shade
Pairing: S/X
Rating: PG to NC17
Disclaimer: All assorted characters belong to Mutant Enemy and Joss which is fine, because I suspect Buffy's high maintenance anyway.
Summary: AU-The African demon in Grave grants Spike's wish in a way he never planned. Flung back in time, he has to relive the previous three years with all the knowledge of what's to come.
A/N:Beta by the wonderous blinding_sight and lovely 50ftqueenie. Certain bits of dialog are taken from the following BtVS episodes:
4:21: Primeval
Chapter 15: Primeval
Spike hurries toward Adam's crypt. Time is getting short. Giles says that the Scoobies should be ready, but he still hasn't found the spell. Spike's been staying away from the others and hanging out in his crypt. He doesn't want Adam figuring out that he's not one of the bad guys. That thought makes Spike stop dead in his tracks. He curses himself for a few moments before taking an unneeded breath and letting it out. He promises himself that when this is all over, he'll kick a puppy or something to set things right. After he composes himself, Spike swaggers into the cave to see what the tin soldier is up to. He freezes when he sees Riley standing face to face with Adam.
"Bugger," he mutters under his breath, but Adam's enhanced hearing must have picked it up, because he turns to look at Spike.
"I didn't send for you, Spike," he says.
"Yeah, well...I'm not much the being sent for type," Spike responds. "I'd rather have this chip out if you don’t mind."
Riley is standing at attention and not saying a word. His eyes are blazing at Spike when he walks across in front of the man though. Spike frowns.
"What's with Corncob?" he asks.
"I've activated his chip."
"They put a chip in him too?" Spike asks still staring down Riley. "There's some irony for you."
Riley's eyes are threatening murder, but his face is blank. Spike almost feels sorry for him. He continues, "Imagine having a piece of hardware put inside of you against your will. One that prevents you from doing the most natural things that make you...you. That's barbaric, isn't it?"
The fire in Riley's eyes softens a bit. Spike mentally shakes himself. It would be so easy to leave Riley here to Adam's machinations, but it would hurt Buffy. He hates that he still has feelings for her, even after things have changed.
"What of the Slayer?" Adam asks.
"I told you I took care of her friends. She's on her own. Now she doesn't even have the boyfriend thanks to you. I did my part. I want the chip out. Now."
"That wasn't the deal. You were to separate her from her friends and deliver her to the Initiative. We have yet to see her arrive. I need her there to ensure that as many demons die as humans. She will achieve maximum carnage before she's too weak to go on."
Riley's jaw twitches under some strain, he manages to strangle out, "You can't! I knew you were behind this, Spike. There's no way they'd believe-"
"Stop talking," Adam orders.
Spike lets out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. The solider almost gave the whole game away. Adam turns to him in impatience.
Spike says, "You want her in the Initiative. Fine. She'll be there if I have to shove those disks you gave me up her-"
"Then you should go."
Spike grits his teeth. Being ordered around like a servant is not something he's used to, not since Angelus at any rate. How had he not seen the first time that Adam never intended to remove the chip? Spike steps up to Riley as he leaves.
"You should never trust a vampire, mate. They'll double cross you every time," he says slipping the soldier a small knife from his coat. Riley's eyes widen, but Spike turns for the exit in a swirl of leather.
He has plenty of time before the disks are set to decrypt. Giles will only pester him some more about the spell if he goes over there. Spike knows that Buffy would want to know about Finn, but he doesn't want her doing something stupid like rushing in to rescue him before they're ready. So he needs to avoid her as if he wouldn't be doing that already. At a loss for what to do, he remembers that Xander has some things for his crypt so he goes to the basement.
The room is dark, but it's still early evening. There's some horrid country twallop wailing on his cheap CD player. Spike lets himself in and slaps the player off. There's a suspicious lump in the covers. Spike pokes it a bit until it moves. He picks up the covers in order to rip them off, but the sight of a bare flank makes him drop the comforter like it was on fire.
"Oi, get up. I'm here to collect."
There's a muffled mumbling coming from the pillow. Spike sits down on the side of the bed. He gets no reaction.
"Right, what happened?" he asks.
"Gtfbbrd," is the response.
"What?" Spike asks. When a clarification isn't given, he elbows the lump and immediately bends in two, head between his legs as the chip fires merrily. "Argh! That couldn't have hurt him! I didn't even do it that hard!"
The yelling must get Xander's attention, because he rolls over. He pulls the blankets primly over his chest as he sits up.
"You okay?" he asks.
"Lovely. Just lovely," Spike grits out rubbing his forehead with the heel of his hand. "Now tell Uncle Spike what happened while his head turns to mash."
"I got fired."
Spike blinks a few times until his vision clears and asks, "What? From the bike shop?"
"Yeah, the owner couldn't afford having two new employees and since I was the last one he hired, he let me go. Wait, how did you know I was working at the bike shop?"
"S'not important. So why aren't you out looking for another job?"
"Why bother? They don't have anything good, and if I get a job I'll just get fired again. Maybe I should just join the Army like Riley. At least they feed you."
"Yeah and then they shoot you full of drugs and stick chips in your chest."
"What?"
Spike waves him off and lies back on the bed next to Xander. His head is still throbbing. Xander looks uncomfortable for a moment before he lies back too.
"You're supposed to be from the future. Am I always going to be a loser? The whole evil thing means that you'll tell me the truth because it hurts, right?"
"You're not a loser, Xander. You're just a kid. It takes a while before people figure out who they are. I mean do you think I was always the dashingly handsome, bloody cool guy I am today?"
Xander looks over at him and asks, "What were you like when you were human?"
"We're talking about you, not me."
"But you brought it-"
"Shut up! Right, where was I?"
"Dashingly handsome."
"Yes, now all you have to do is find something you're good at. Something you like to do."
Xander looks back at the ceiling and is silent for a few moments. Spike wants to just shove him at the nearest construction site, but Xander won't be any good to himself unless he comes at it on his own.
"I like to fix things. I helped fix Giles' place after he went all demony."
Spike doesn't hide his smile. "Well there you go. Have you looked for jobs where you fix or build stuff?"
"Like a handyman?"
"I suppose that would work, but what about something bigger, something you could make a career of."
"They're always hiring for construction around here, but I could never get a job like that."
"Well why not? It's smacking things with hammers. Doesn't exactly take a college degree, does it? They don't care about things like that. They just want someone dependable that will get the job done. And if there's anyone dependable around here it's you."
"What do you mean? I'm not dependable. I've gotten fired for it, actually."
"Who do your little mates turn to when they have a problem? Who do they know will fix it? They look at you, Xander. You make every stupid Scooby meeting. You're out there every night busting your knackers to keep the idiots of this town safe. If that's not dependable, what is? You've just got to start putting effort like that into the rest of your bloody life and quit feeling sorry for yourself, because, frankly, I'm sick of the whining. I'd eat you just to get a moments peace if I could."
Spike ignores the full on grin that Xander has on his face. It doesn't make his insides feel like jelly at all. Xander rolls on to his side and props his head up on a bent arm. They're very close on the bed and Spike can feel the boy's warmth like a siren call. He stares resolutely at the ceiling.
"Look at you all Advice Vamp."
"Wot? I can't have layers?"
"You're full of oniony goodness."
Spike turns to look at him then.
Xander goes into a full babble. "By onion I mean in the having of layers not in that you stink, because you don't. Well, sometimes you smell like cigarettes, but it's not that bad, and the leather kind of cancels it out. Which is better than smelling like pizza any day, although pizza can smell pretty good and...and..." Xander says winding down at Spike's look. "I'll stop now."
"You do that, pet."
"I just wanted to say thanks."
Feeling silly, Spike says, "I just came because you said you had some stuff for me."
"Right. Of course you did. I'll go and get it," Xander says, but doesn't move. They stare at each other, inches away, for a few moments. "Going. Anytime now."
Spike smiles and since the boy won't, he moves the five inches and presses his lips to Xander's. The kiss is soft because he doesn't want to scare Xander any more than he already has. He's surprised when a hand slides across his chest, takes his shoulder, and pulls him onto his side. They're pressed together from chest to hip. The slight warmth he'd felt before is like an explosion when they touch. Spike pushes his tongue past Xander's lips and runs his hand down the boy's sun kissed back. If it happens to move the ugly comforter off him, well that's just a bonus. Xander wraps around him and moans a bit around Spike's exploring tongue. Spike's hand slides down his hip. Xander gasps softly as if he'd completely forgotten that he was naked under the covers. The night of Lowell House had been dark and fevered. Spike wants to look and take his time. He's moved away from Xander's mouth and has started kissing and sucking at the long throat in earnest when the phone rings like St. Mark's Cathedral in the silent room. They both freeze.
Spike growls, "Ignore it."
"It's probably Willow with an Adam update. I have to."
Spike sighs and rolls away from the boy. Xander sits up and tries to get out of the bed while using the blanket as a cover. He doesn't get very far seeing as how Spike's lying on it and not about to move. After fighting for a second, Xander just blushes and runs for the phone in the buff. Spike ogles the bare backside before Xander grabs a towel to wrap around himself.
"Hello?" he says sounding winded. "No, no you didn't interrupt anything. I was just in bed and had to run for the phone, Willow."
Spike snorts. Xander throws a spatula from the little card table that doubles as his dining room. Spike catches it easily and leers again at Xander while slapping his palm with the spatula suggestively. The colors that the boy turns are very entertaining, and the towel isn't hiding his true feelings very well which makes Spike's leer even bigger. On the phone, Willow tells him that the disks have decrypted and that they're having a Scooby meeting at Giles'. Xander says he'll be there shortly and hangs up. Spike stares at him. Xander's face is a study in conflict. He obviously wants to crawl back into the bed with Spike, but instead, he grabs his clothes and hustles into the bathroom. Spike is waiting for him at the door when he comes out. They walk over to Giles' in silence. When they cross Main Street, Spike steals a copy of the local paper from the coffee shop. He slaps it against Xander's chest with a raised eyebrow. Xander smiles softly and sticks the paper under his arm.
At Giles' Willow and the Watcher are going through spell books again. Buffy is pacing.
"Ah, Xander, I see you brought Spike. Good, I thought I was going to have to go to the crypt to round him up," Giles says.
"Come up with anything yet?" Spike asks and sits in the corner chair across from the couch where Willow is hold up with a lap full of books.
"No, all of Adam's plans were on the disks just as you said they were. Unfortunately, at this point its information we already know thanks to you. There must be some way to stop this thing."
"According to Riley, his power source is a uranium core embedded somewhere inside his chest. Probably near the spine," Buffy says.
"So the magic spell stops that?" Willow asks. "What about some kind of uranium extracting spell?" They all stare at her and she cringes and says, "I know. I'm reaching."
Giles says, "I've been looking at paralyzing spells, but the best choice I can't perform."
"Don't you have to speak Sumerian or something?" Willow asks looking at the book in Giles' hands.
"I do speak Sumerian. It's not only that. Only an experienced witch can incant it, and you'd have to be within striking distance of this object."
Xander smirks and says to Buffy, "See what you get for taking French instead of Sumerian?"
"What was I thinking?" she quips back.
Spike merely shakes his head at them. How do they beat the bad guys when they can't even take themselves seriously?
Xander continues, "So no problem, all we need is combo Buffy-her with Slayer strength, Giles' multi-lingual know how, and Willow's witchy power."
Giles looks at him. Spike sits forward. Xander ducks his head at the scrutiny.
"Yeah," he says, "don't tell me. I'm just full of helpful suggestions."
"As a matter of fact, you are," Giles says. He looks over at Spike who shrugs.
It doesn't take them long at all to get prepared. Buffy leads the way to Lowell House. Giles and Spike take the rear. He's already explained the layout and where they preformed the spell the first go around and about the secret lab. They've gone over it several times, but the kids are still jittering.
"Nervous?" Willow asks.
"No way," Xander replies. "I'm full of that good old kamikaze spirit."
"Xander, just because this is never going to work, there's no need to be negative," Giles says behind them.
Spike shakes his head and says, "Is it too late to switch sides again?"
The others look back at him. They're reflected in the wall sized mirror. He of course doesn't show. There's something symbolic about it that Spike isn't comfortable with.
"Just asking," he says.
Buffy rolls her eyes and kicks in the mirror. They rappel down the shaft, kids first and then Englishmen. By the time he and Giles are at the bottom there's some kind of group hugging going on. Giles gets pulled in and he obviously has no idea what to do about it. They all move as if they're going to include Spike in the loving, but think better about it. He's more relieved than they are. Giles moves awkwardly away and uses a crowbar to get the elevator door open. There are soldiers pointing guns at them before it's even all the way apart. They're escorted to the Colonel's office.
Buffy starts, "Colonel-"
"Shut up. You've got some nerve, lady. You think you and your friends and just keep waltzing into a government installation brandishing weapons like-" the Colonel says pulling out the gourd in Giles' bag.
"It's a gourd," Willow offers.
"Magic gourd," Giles corrects looking a tad embarrassed.
"What kind of freaks are you people? It's bad enough that you're running around with a HST," he says pointing at Spike.
Buffy ignores him and says, "Adam is here, Colonel. In the Initiative."
"The only monster here that shouldn't be is that!"
He makes a gesture and one of the soldiers steps up. Before Spike can react he's hit full force with one of their stun guns. He crumples to his feet in pain as all his muscles start to spasm wildly. Through the thundering in his ears, he thinks he hears Xander and the others yell out. The pain is a hundred times worse than the chip. Two strong hands hook under his arms and he's dragged out the room. He blacks out before they're half way down the hall.
The sounds of klaxons wake him. He's aware of someone going through his pockets. Weakly he strikes out and gets a fist full of fangs. The vampire bent over him falls back on his ass. The room is oppressively white.
"Oh God. Not again," he mumbles rolling over onto his hands and knees. He has the strong urge to vomit, but holds his breath to keep it at bay. He looks around to see he's in one of the Initiative cells, only this time he's sharing it with two other vamps. There are red lights flashing on and off in the hall. The surrounding demons are making a tremendous noise that blend with the sirens to make Spike's head feel like it's going to pop open and spill its candy on the floor.
"Dude, the greens are running all over and I haven't seen a white coat in hours," the vamp by the door says. "Something's going down."
"You think?" Spike says snidely. Slowly he gets to his feet and looks at the panic going on beyond the electrified glass. "Don't worry. We're getting out of here soon."
"How would you know? You're new. I've been in here for a month."
"I know the guy that's trying to take this place down. He's moving tonight. Besides this is not the first time I've been here. Oh, and by the way, shut it!" Spike growls pulling a stake from his coat. The fact that the soldiers didn't search him is unbelievable. It's as if they don't even care anymore. Of course, they have more to worry about now. Spike stakes the vamp on the floor that had been trying to rob him. The one by the door turns with full game face. He makes about two steps before Spike kicks him into the glass. The electricity pops and throws him back further into the room. Spike brings the stake home with a snap. No sooner has the second vamp filtered to the floor than the lights go out. The cell door opens. The hall is full of rampaging demons. Spike follows the wave of bodies. The soldiers are responding at the end of the hall, but there are too many demons for them to hold back. Once they break out into the main floor, Spike starts making his way towards the secret lab. There are guns going off and a few explosions. The crackle of the stun guns and the roars of a hundred different types of demons make it hard to concentrate. He does his best to take out some of the tougher monsters on his way. He gets shot at a few times, but his speed works to his advantage. Half way across the floor, he sees Buffy bashing her way through the crowd. Giles and the others are behind her trying to move fast and not scream target. Spike jumps to the top of some oil drums and flies toward them with a roar. He lands behind a Fyarl that looks surprisingly like Giles had. Spike snaps its neck and stakes a vamp going after Willow.
"Spike!" she yells. "Are you okay?"
"Been better, ducks, now move!"
Buffy takes half a second to look behind her and see that Spike's protecting the others before she pushes ahead toward the lab. They make their way inside 314. Spike helps Buffy barricade the door with a heavy cabinet. He leans against it heavily as she goes to open the access to the secret lab. Giles sits on the floor with Willow and Xander to set up the spell. Buffy looks back over her shoulder at the others with a worried expression. Spike joins her.
"Don't worry about it, Slayer. I've got them. You worry about Adam and your Riley."
"Once I'm in, barricade the door behind me."
"Got it," he says.
She asks Giles, "How long before the ritual kicks in?"
"Five minutes, give or take," Giles replies.
Buffy just nods resolutely and disappears down a small hallway. Spike closes the doors behind her and finds another cabinet to push over the exit. He moves into the corner closest by the door they came in by and crouches down out of the way.
Giles lights a candle. Willow begins to chant.
"The power of the Slayer and all who yield it. Last to ancient first, we invoke thee. Grant us thy domain and primal strength. Accept us in the power we possess. Make us mind and heart and spirit joy. Let the hand encompass us. Do thy will."
She pulls out the tarot cards and places one before her in the center of the circle facing the gourd.
"Spiritus....Spirit," she says.
She hands a card to Xander, which he takes and places in front of him facing the gourd again.
"Animus...Heart," she says.
Giles is handed his card which he also places facing the gourd.
"Sophus...Mind," she says.
The final card is laid for Buffy in the other room.
"And Manus...the Hand."
Spike feels the hairs on his skin stand up as the magic begins to build. He's never been one for the stuff, but it was something that Dru liked to play with. Spike's seen his fair share of spells, but this one is stronger, older and the demon rattles its place inside him. He feels his fangs drop unconsciously.
"We enjoin that we may inhabit the vessel--the hand...daughter of Sineya...first of the ones... We implore thee, admit us, bring us to the vessel, take us now."
There's an upsurge of wind like the breath of god. The other's heads fall back as if they are looking towards the ceiling. Spike can hear a mingle of voices.
"We can. We are forever."
Giles lips start moving but he can hear all the voices as one again speaking Sumerian. He watches entranced when suddenly there is a bash against the door. Cursing, Spike jumps to his feet and leans against the cabinet keeping the door closed.
"Hurry up you lot!"
"Kur," the voices say together.
The door inches in under the constant assault. Spike shoulders the cabinet back into place. He looks back to see Xander's lips moving this time in conjunction with the voices.
"You could never hope to grasp the source of our power, but yours is right here."
Then it seems it's Willow's turn to lip-synch to the Greek Chorus. She speaks Sumerian just as flawlessly as Giles did before. As soon as her lips stop moving, the three drop to the ground. The door slams into the cabinet again knocking it and Spike back. He lands on the floor beside Xander just as the demon enters the room on all fours. Spike kicks out and gets the thing under the chin. Before it can gain its footing again, he's on his feet and slams down his fists on its chest. There is a loud snap and the demon gurgles before going limp.
"Giles! Talk to me!" Spike says rounding on the others.
"We're fine. Just a bit drained. It's over."
The cabinet toward the other door shutters in place. Spike hops over the limp Scoobies and pulls it out of the way so that Buffy can enter, supporting Finn. The man takes in Spike and the scraggly team. He's bleeding from his chest. Buffy is supporting most of his bulk. Spike doesn't offer to help, but to his surprise Riley holds out the knife. It's bloody. Spike glances from the knife to the man's chest.
"Thanks," Finn says.
Spike nods and tucks the knife away silently. He turns to the others and helps Giles to his feet. Willow and Xander steady each other. The noise from the outside of 314 hasn't abated.
"We've still got men out there," Riley reminds them.
Buffy looks over her friends and her eyes end up on Spike. He raises his eyebrow at her and she nods.
"You organize the soldiers, pull 'em back," she says to Riley. "I'll take point. Spike you take clean up."
"Thought you'd never ask, pet. Let's go kick some demon ass!"