Summary: Desperate times call for desperate measures where the First is involved. In order to prevent the end of the world, Buffy asks Willow to do a spell that's supposed to fix everything, and Spike goes along for the ride.
Spike heard the shot ring out, and he cursed fluently. He slammed the Watcher’s head into the ground, feeling the body go limp underneath him. “Faith?”
There was no response, and he scrambled over to the armored vehicle. “Faith?” She was inside, chained up, and with blood and brain matter splattered across her face. But she was alive, and that was all that mattered for the moment. “You alright?”
She was silent, staring at her blood-covered hands.
Spike realized that she was in shock, and he pulled the body off of her, searching the man’s pockets for the keys. Once he found them, he reached for the manacles. Faith scooted back, out of his reach, and he hastened to reassure her. “I’m here to help. Buffy sent me.”
“Get away from me,” Faith ordered in a low voice.
Spike frowned. “You can’t stay here.”
She shook her head. “Go away.”
“I’m not leavin’ you,” Spike said. He swore harshly. “I promised Buffy I’d get you out.”
She stared at him, then slowly held out her wrists. “Fine.”
Spike unlocked the manacles. “Can you walk?”
“I’m fine.”
He climbed out of the armored vehicle, Faith on his heels. “You can come back to my place for now,” he said. “Unless you need a doctor, an’ then we can go to the hospital.”
“I’m not going anywhere with you,” Faith said fiercely.
Spike raised an eyebrow. “Excuse me?”
“I don’t know you,” Faith snarled. “And even if Buffy did send you, how do I know it’s not a trap? The last time I saw her, she was trying to kill me so she could feed me to her boyfriend.”
Spike couldn’t blame Faith for her suspicion. Her relationship with Buffy had been rocky at best, so there was no reason for her to believe that Buffy had her best interests in mind. “It’s a long story,” Spike said. “But she’s got a second chance, an’ she wants to offer you one.”
Faith wiped her bloody hands on her pants. “I don’t need her help. I can take care of myself.”
“And how long do you want to run from the Council?” Spike demanded. “You think they’re just gonna let you go? This group is just the first. You can’t run forever, Faith.”
“I can run for long enough.”
She started for the door, but Spike grabbed her arm. “I can’t let you leave.”
“You can’t hold me,” Faith sneered.
“Wrong.” He was careful of his strength as he spun her around, holding her tight to his chest, one arm across her shoulders. “I’ve got a ring on that makes me pretty much invulnerable, an’ I made a promise to a lady. Now, you can come quietly, get a shower and a change of clothes, maybe somethin’ to eat, or we can do it the hard way.”
She fought him briefly, and Spike kept his grip firm, but gentle. He didn’t want to hurt her anymore than she was already. When she went limp, he let go slowly. “Fine,” she grumbled.
Spike wasn’t sure, but he thought he heard relief in her voice.
~~~~~
Buffy watched her mother impatiently. “What’s he saying?”
Joyce held up a hand, clearly indicating that she should wait. “What do you want us to tell Angel when he gets here?”
Buffy fumed, frustrated. Although the private room had its own phone, it was just a little too far for her to comfortably reach, which is why her mother had taken the call from Spike. Now she wouldn’t hand the receiver over, and Buffy wanted to know what was going on with Faith.
When Joyce had hung up, she turned to her daughter. “Spike said that we should send Angel over to his place to stay with Faith, then he’ll come here.”
She scowled. “Why didn’t you let me talk to him?”
Joyce gave her a severe look. “Buffy, you’re supposed to be resting. You heard what the doctor said. It’s a miracle that you’re even alive!”
Buffy really wished that the doctors hadn’t told Joyce that last part—not that she wouldn’t have been able to figure it out for herself. There were a lot of vital organs in the abdomen, and getting stabbed in the gut was never a good thing. “Did they tell you when I can go home?”
“Don’t push it, missy,” Joyce said. She lowered her voice slightly. “Just because you’re the Slayer doesn’t mean that you aren’t human. You still need time to recover.”
Buffy couldn’t exactly argue that point. Just getting to and from the bathroom required all of her strength, and a little help from someone else. She had a feeling that it was going to be at least a couple of days before the doctors allowed her to go home, and longer than that before she’d be back to patrolling.
Spike would be more than happy to take care of things for her, but she didn’t like the idea of him being out by himself, without anyone to watch his back.
And when she thought of the available alternatives, none of them appealed.
There was a soft knock on the door, and Buffy sighed. “Come in!”
She had known it was Angel before he stepped inside. He looked hesitant, as though he didn’t know how to act around her. Buffy supposed that was only natural, after everything she’d told him. She was really a stranger to him now.
“Is Spike here yet?” he asked.
“I sent him after Faith,” Buffy admitted. “I didn’t know how long the Council would wait.”
Angel looked oddly disappointed. “Did he find her?”
She nodded. “Yeah. He wants you to meet him at his place to baby-sit her so he can come back here.”
“How long are you in for?” Angel asked with a half-smile.
Buffy pouted. “I don’t know.” She glanced at her mother. “Have they said anything?”
“They’re going to let us know,” Joyce said.
Angel nodded. “If you’ll give me directions—”
Buffy looked at her mom. “Could you give us a minute?”
Joyce hesitated for a moment, then smiled. “Of course. I think I’ll get a cup of coffee.”
Angel stepped aside to allow Joyce to pass him, then entered the room.
“Shut the door behind you?” Buffy requested.
He did as she asked and came to take her mother’s place by her bed. “What’s up?”
“Are you going to play nice with Spike?”
Angel gave her a sour look. “We don’t have time for fighting, do we?”
“No, we don’t, but I know how you guys feel about each other,” Buffy replied with some asperity. “Spike’s promised to be civil, but I haven’t gotten the same assurances from you.”
“I think I’m a little more mature—”
“Don’t.” Buffy knew her voice was sharp, but she didn’t care. For the moment, they needed Angel, at least until they figured out Faith’s situation, and what they were going to do about the Initiative. “Look, Angel. I know you and Spike have had your differences. He hasn’t said much, but he’s said enough. Don’t provoke him.”
“Fine.” Angel didn’t sound happy with her order. “I would think you’d trust me by now, Buffy.”
Buffy shook her head. “It’s not about trust. It’s about the fact that everything has changed; nothing is predictable. Spike is the man that I love. I know it hasn’t been as long for you, but—”
“It’s okay.” His pained tone cut off the rest of her explanation. “I get it, Buffy. I left, and you moved on.”
“He was the only man who ever stayed, Angel,” she said softly. “If he’d left—if Spike had given up, we wouldn’t be here right now.” She left unspoken the implication that there was a good possibility that the world wouldn’t be around either, but she knew Angel was a sharp guy. He’d figure it out.
“I should get going.” He rose, striding towards the door and pausing once he’d reached it. “Would it have worked, Buffy?”
She knew immediately what Angel meant, and his question confirmed something she’d always suspected. Angel might have left Sunnydale, but he hadn’t given up hope—at least he hadn’t yet. Down the road maybe he had, but their contact had been limited after Angel had left Sunnydale. “I don’t know.” Then, more honestly, she admitted, “I don’t think so.”
It was closure, the kind she hadn’t been able to achieve until after her resurrection the last time around.
~~~~~
Angel wished that Buffy hadn’t extracted that promise out of him. Not that he would have staked the other vampire, but—well, if Spike had attacked him, he would have been justified in using self-defense.
Spike’s place was fairly easy to find; he slipped inside the building as another tenant was leaving, and headed to the basement level. Angel remembered when he’d lived in a basement apartment in Sunnydale; the landlord had called it “garden level,” as though to downplay the fact that it was underground. Not that he’d minded, since the sun had never been a problem the way it had been in the mansion on occasion.
A long pause followed his knock, and Angel frowned. Spike should know that he was on the way. He knocked again.
“A little impatient, are we?” Spike asked as he opened the door. “What’s your hurry?”
“I thought you wanted to get to Buffy,” Angel retorted.
“I do.” Spike stood aside. “You got any cash?”
“Yeah, but—”
“I ordered pizza for her,” Spike said in a low voice. “Don’t have much here. I was plannin’ on goin’ to the store before…” He trailed off. “Anyway, if you’ve got cash to cover it, I’ll head out.”
“Wait,” Angel said. “Why am I paying for it?”
Spike raised an eyebrow. “Because I’m not goin’ to be here to eat it.”
Angel frowned. “I’m not going to eat it.”
Spike snorted. “That doesn’t mean you can’t. I would have. Blood’s in the fridge. Help yourself if you want it.”
He left, slamming the door behind him. Angel frowned, wondering what he was supposed to do with Faith. While he was willing to help Buffy any way she needed, Angel didn’t know how long she wanted him to stay, especially now that Cordelia’s vision had come true.
Even his presence hadn’t been enough to keep Buffy from getting hurt, although she hadn’t been killed. Not that he thought he could take credit for that. It had been pure luck that Buffy hadn’t been hurt worse than she was.
“Faith?”
“Yeah?” She wandered out of one of the back rooms, meeting his eyes defiantly. “What are you doing here? I thought Buffy had dumped you.”
Angel felt the need to admit that he was the one to leave, and he said as much. “It was for the best.”
“Yeah, right,” Faith sneered. “Seems like Buffy’s a vampire layer, instead of a Slayer.”
Angel didn’t hesitate. He shoved her up against the wall, holding her gaze. “What are you doing here, Faith?”
“He said Buffy wanted to talk to me.”
Angel stepped back, releasing her. “Really? Is that all you want?”
“What’s the deal, Angel?” she demanded. “Why are you here?”
“Cordelia had a vision.” Angel regarded her evenly. “I came to prevent Buffy from getting hurt.”
She looked a little taken aback by that assertion. “What?”
“I think I’m here for you.”
Angel watched as his words sunk in, and her eyes widened. “Fuck you!”
“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” he replied mildly.
Faith’s eyes narrowed. “So, what? You want to save me? Not possible.”
“No,” Angel agreed. “I learned that a long time ago. The only person who can save you—is you.”
Angel didn’t think she was much happier with that idea than she’d been with the idea that he’d been lured to Sunnydale for her. “I don’t need saving,” she muttered sullenly, flopping down on Spike’s couch.
He stayed silent, taking a seat in the comfortable recliner. Angel wondered how he was going to reach her. It would have been easier if she’d reached rock bottom, he reflected. Then, taking another look at her haunted eyes, Angel thought that she might have reached that point already. “What’s the deal with Buffy?” Faith finally asked, breaking the silence.
“She came from the future,” Angel said, hoping that Buffy wouldn’t be too angry with him for breaking the news first.
Faith stared at him. “What?”
“The world was going to end, so she came back to fix things.”
Faith snorted. “That sounds like Buffy.”
“Why? Because she wants to make the world a better place? Because she takes her calling seriously?” He let his words sink in. “Is that what bothers you so much?”
“There you go!” Faith exploded. “Everyone is always talking about how good Buffy is, how wonderful she is. She never—” She stopped abruptly.
Angel wondered what she thought Buffy had never experienced. “She watched friends die, Faith,” he said gently. “She watched people she loved leave. Buffy died to save the world, and her friends ripped her out of heaven. Now she’s back here, trying to save you because it’s what she does.”
“I don’t need her to save me,” Faith said, but her voice was less sullen and more bewildered. “Why would she want to help me anyway?”
“I don’t know,” Angel said honestly. He’d wondered the same thing himself after he’d been disgorged from hell. Buffy hadn’t been required to help him, and yet she had. After everything he’d done to her, she’d had every right to stake him—and she hadn’t.
It was then that Angel had learned how much kindness could sting.
Faith met his eyes, and he could see that she knew. Faith knew that he understood the pain of losing yourself in the darkness, and the even greater pain of fighting your way back to the light.
The door buzzer went off, and Angel stood. “That must be the pizza.”
“Spike stuck you with the bill?” Faith asked with some amusement.
Angel shrugged. “It won’t be the first time.”
But it would be the first time that he didn’t mind.
~~~~~
Graham had never been terribly ambitious. Mostly, he’d just wanted to do his job and go home at the end of the day. Riley had been the one that the others took orders from without question. His death had been a shock, and a reminder that the things they fought were deadly.
He had recognized the man with Buffy as the vampire they had been tracking the week before. The tracer signal had become useless before tracking him down, but Graham was now grateful for that fact. It was clear—to him at least—that there was a lot more going on in this town than they understood. He knew that Spike was a vampire, but Graham had also seen his concern for Buffy after Adam had speared her.
Really, he wasn’t angling for a promotion—not after Riley’s death, not with the discovery of a potentially friendly vampire, or with the capture of the Slayer. Adam was a threat to the civilian population, therefore he needed to be taken out.
In the end, Graham was a soldier, and he’d do what needed to be done, whatever methods needed to be used. Forrest wasn’t quite so pragmatic, which is why Graham hadn’t told him what he’d planned.
“Buffy Summers, please,” Graham told the nurse.
The nurse eyed him suspiciously. “Are you family?”
“A friend.” He gave her his best smile. “She’s been expecting me.”
He probably should have brought flowers to give credibility to his charade, but after a moment the nurse seemed to accept him at his word. “Room 412.”
“Thank you.” Graham wasn’t sure what he was going to say, or how he was going to broach the subject of Adam. He was about to knock on the door when he heard a voice behind him.
“She’s asleep, an’ it had better stay that way.”
He recognized Spike’s voice immediately. “I was hoping to talk to her.”
“I was hopin’ for a quiet evening at home with my girlfriend,” the man replied wryly. “We don’t always get what we want.”
“Can we talk?”
The other man looked him up and down, seeming to weigh his question carefully. “Yeah. Let’s get somethin’ to drink. The name’s Spike, in case you were wonderin’.”
“Graham.” He followed Spike to the cafeteria. “How is she?”
“Pissed as hell that she’s still in the hospital,” Spike said with a smile. “But that’s to be expected. Didn’t get a chance to ask you earlier why you did it.”
Graham knew immediately that he was referring to his choice to hold off Adam while Spike got Buffy to the hospital. “Because she was hurt and needed medical attention.”
“An’ yet you were one of the men who attacked her after she went after that demon,” Spike mused. “Have to wonder why you’d let us go when you had us at your mercy.”
“How did you know?” Graham asked, not bothering to lie.
Spike raised an eyebrow. “I saw you later that night, heard you talkin’ to your friends. You’re goin’ out on a limb, mate.”
Somehow Graham knew that he was in much greater danger at the moment with this man than he had been earlier while facing Adam—if he gave the wrong answer. “That wasn’t my call. I’d have gone after the demon.”
Spike seemed to relax imperceptibly. “And if I told you that not all demons need goin’ after?”
Graham shrugged. “I do my job. Right now my job is taking out Adam. I figure if it doesn’t pose a threat, there’s no point worrying about it.”
“Not a bad policy,” Spike admitted. “What do you know about Adam?”
“It was the professor’s special project,” Graham replied. “You?”
“More than that.” Spike sat down at a small table, and waited for him to do the same. “You’d be surprised at what we know, but that’s a long story. I want to know what you’re goin’ to do.”
Graham knew that the man—vampire—sitting across from him could be dangerous, and he knew that the Initiative’s mission was to eradicate all such dangers. On the other hand, Spike seemed disinclined to hurt anyone, while Adam had already killed one person. Under the circumstances, Graham was willing to make allowances.
If it turned out that this vampire was after the same things they were—why not join forces?
Graham’s father had always told his son that people had a tendency to surprise a person. It looked like he’d been right.
“I’m going to stop Adam,” Graham said quietly. “Will you help?”
Spike gave him a predatory grin. “I think the proper question is will you?”
In this case, Graham was willing to believe that the ends might justify the means, although he wouldn’t be telling Forrest about their new allies.