Fix You by Enigmaticblue

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Chapter 35: Demon's Lair

It was nearly dawn by the time they called it quits for the night, not having had any success in locating Dracula’s castle. “Crap,” Buffy said, slumping down on a nearby bench.

“I’m sorry,” Tara said miserably. “We should have—”

“You should have nothing,” Spike broke in firmly. “Bloody bastard has a dozen tricks up his sleeve. You did your best, an’ that’s all we can ask for.”

He saw the little smile Mairead gave him as Tara seemed to perk up a bit at that. “Now what?” the dark-haired witch asked.

“We go home,” Buffy said. “We’ve been up all night, and there’s no point in continuing. Dracula will have to bed down for the day.”

Spike nodded. “We’ll need to chat with the Watcher an’ the others. Harris won’t be safe yet, not until we locate Dracula. Too bad we couldn’t use him as bait.”

The Slayer frowned at him. “Spike!”

“What? Isn’t that what you did the last time?”

“No, Giles and Riley found the castle. They checked out all the ritzy places.” Buffy rubbed her tired eyes. “I thought we hit them all.”

Spike’s eyes narrowed in thought. “What about churches?”

“What?” Buffy asked.

“You have your fair share of abandoned churches in this town,” Spike pointed out. “I should know, since I mapped out most of them for that ritual I had to do.” At her disapproving look, he hurried on. “Be about big enough, an’ it’s not like you have that many more big houses.”

She frowned. “I guess. Maybe Giles could look into that while we catch some sleep.”

“I think that would be a real good idea.” He reached down to haul her up from the bench, then did the same for Mairead and Tara, since they had collapsed next to her. “You two head on home,” Spike encouraged. “We’ll talk to Rupert.”

Tara grimaced. “I was supposed to talk to Mrs. Summers about the new job today.”

“I’ll call Mom and tell her it’s my fault,” Buffy assured her. “It’s not like she can argue with saving the world.”

Tara shook her head firmly. “I promised, and I’ll be fine.”

Mairead shrugged, as if to indicate that she wasn’t going to be the one to argue. “Will we see you tonight?”

Spike nodded. “We’ll be by when the sun goes down,” he promised.

There was no reason to walk the two witches home; both were more than capable of taking care of themselves, and said so when the offer was made. Spike and Buffy walked with them until their paths split, then headed towards Giles’ apartment.

“He’s not going to be happy about being woken up this early,” Buffy observed as the sun peeked out over the horizon.

“He’ll live,” Spike replied, thinking about their wasted night. “How many times do you think this is going to happen?”

“What’s going to happen?”

“People aren’t going to show up when we expect them.” It hadn’t just been Dracula, after all; the Gentlemen had set up shop in a completely different area than last time.

Buffy shook her head. “Honestly, I don’t know that he has. I was in a fog the last time he was in town, and Xander and Giles weren’t much better. I think that the only person who knew for sure where Dracula was after everything was over was Riley, and he’s—”

“Dead,” Spike finished for her. “Don’t remind me. Never thought I’d miss him,” he muttered.

“When are we going to talk to Graham?” Buffy asked. “It had probably better be soon. If we could get the soldiers to help us out with Glory, or the Knights…”

She trailed off, but Spike followed her train of thought easily enough. The extra firepower could make all the difference. “Soon as we get Drac taken care of,” he promised. “Think we’ve still got a few days before the rest of the soldiers ship out anyway.”

Buffy nodded. “You’re right. First we deal with Dracula, then…”

“Dawn?”

“I think so,” Buffy said softly. “I mean, I can’t be sure, but…”

Spike slung an arm over her shoulders. “We’ll deal with it.”

“Have I told you recently how glad I am that you’re here?”

“You might have mentioned it.”

They stood outside Giles’ door, and Spike pulled her close, touching her lips with his. She deepened the kiss, framing his face with her hands. He knew she was tired, but her enthusiastic response told him that she might not be interested in going straight to bed after they reached his apartment.

“We should knock,” Spike murmured when Buffy broke off to breathe.

“Mmm.” Buffy kissed him one last time, then knocked on the door reluctantly. After a few moments’ silence, she knocked again, louder this time.

Giles came to the door, his eyes bleary. “What the bloody hell is so important at 6 in the morning?”

“We couldn’t find Dracula,” Buffy said. “It could make things more interesting.”

“Indeed,” Giles sighed. “Come in. I’ll make the coffee.”

They filled him in on their activities while he puttered around the kitchen. “I’m not sure how we’re supposed to find him, Giles. Do you think you could—”

“Find it again, just like last time?” Giles thought for a moment. “I don’t know. I suppose we’ll have to try.”

Spike leaned back in his chair and put his hands behind his head. “Maybe we should call a meeting,” he suggested. “Could be that Red and Wolf Boy have an idea of how to find the place, an’ with more of us lookin’ the quicker we’ll find him.”

“Shall we meet back here this afternoon?” Giles suggested. “You both look like you could use some sleep.”

Buffy nodded wearily. “We need it, and so do Tara and Mairead. Spike’s right, but if Tara’s going to be with Mom today, maybe we should let her rest.”

Spike nodded. “Good idea. Anya might have an idea how to find Drac, too, an’ if Harris is with the rest of us, that bastard can’t get to him.”

Giles stood. “Agreed. I’ll call the others, and I will call you this afternoon to wake you.”

“Appreciate it, Watcher,” Spike replied. He rose with Buffy and followed her out of the apartment, shaking his head in bemusement as they headed for his place.

“What?”

“Him.”

“What about Giles?” Buffy asked, puzzled.

“He’s bein’ awfully nice. It just hits me sometimes.”

“Oh. I guess so.” She tucked her hand through the crook of his arm. “You haven’t pissed him off nearly as bad this time around.”

Spike snorted, but he didn’t argue. “Think we’ll actually sleep?”

“We’d better,” Buffy said through a yawn. “Otherwise, I might fall asleep while I’m fighting Dracula, and wouldn’t that be great?”

“I’d be there,” Spike pointed out.

Buffy smiled. “I know, but I’d kind of like to be the one to stake him.”

“Then you will be,” Spike promised.

When they reached his apartment, Spike wasn’t too surprised when Buffy went straight to sleep, nor did he mind all that much. She needed her rest, and he would rather her be fresh and avoid injury, than keep her up.

~~~~~

Anya knew something was up. Every time she mentioned their plans for the evening—which she was hoping did not include tracking down Dracula, or another Scooby meeting—Xander looked bored. While he sometimes was irritated with her, he was never bored, not with orgasms.

Her concern warred with irritation as she watched him. He wasn’t even trying to get out of the meeting. “Xander,” she hissed in his ear. “Aren’t we supposed to be leaving soon?”

“Huh?” Xander glanced over at her. “Why?”

Her eyes narrowed. “Because we had a date tonight.”

Xander smiled weakly. “Oh, right.”

“That’s it,” she muttered. Anya rose and interrupted Buffy and Spike’s conversation with Giles. “Buffy, can I talk to you? Privately?”

Buffy opened her mouth, then shut it again just as quickly, apparently sensing something in her voice. “Yeah, okay.” She glanced at Spike and Giles. “Be right back.”

She followed Anya into the bathroom, which was the only private room in the apartment. “What’s up, Anya?”

“Something’s wrong with Xander,” she said without preamble.

Buffy frowned. “What do you mean?”

“We were supposed to have orgasms tonight, and he’s acting like he doesn’t want them. That isn’t like Xander.”

Oddly enough, Buffy didn’t look disgusted or impatient at her words, the way the others always did when Anya mentioned sex. “Crap. That bastard got to him.”

“Who?” Anya asked. “What’s wrong with Xander? I don’t want anything to be wrong with him.”

“Neither do I,” Buffy assured her. “We’ll get to the bottom of things, Anya, I promise.”

Anya followed the Slayer out of the bathroom. Willow and Oz had shown up while they were talking, and Giles was explaining the situation to them. “I’m not sure how we’re going to find Dracula, since Spike and Buffy were out all night looking.”

“Oh, you know Dracula,” Buffy said. “He’s always been more show than substance.”

“There’s plenty of substance to the dark master,” Xander said. Then, as every eye in the room turned to him, he quickly added, “—bater.”

Anya’s eyes widened as she realized what Buffy had meant when she said that Dracula had gotten to him. “When did you see Dracula, Xander?”

Xander gulped. “At least, that’s what I’ve heard.”

“You know,” Spike said slowly, eyeing Xander with some interest. “Maybe you should stay off the search tonight, luv. Drac may come after you.”

“There’s no way, Spike,” Buffy replied heatedly. “I’m not going to sit back and wait for you to catch Dracula for me. That’s my job.”

“Think about it, Buffy,” he coaxed. “You weren’t with them the last time when they found his place. Could be your presence that’s messin’ things up.”

Anya thought she caught a touch of wry humor in Buffy’s expression, but she couldn’t be sure. “Okay, fine. I’ll stay. But I reserve every right to say ‘I told you so’ when you spend all night looking and still can’t find him.”

“I’ll let you.” He pulled her into an embrace, and Anya could see them whispering back and forth. Clearly, they knew something about Xander being under Dracula’s influence that she didn’t.

“Alright, let’s get goin’,” Spike announced. “Anya, you’re with us. Sorry to ruin your evening, but we need all the help we can get tonight.”

It definitely wasn’t how Anya had wanted to spend her evening, but since Xander wasn’t going to cooperate, she decided that there weren’t any better options. “Yeah, okay.” She glanced back at Xander, hoping that he’d say something, but he was too interested in one of Giles’ plants.

She sighed. Once again, the Hellmouth had ruined her perfectly good plans.

~~~~~

Oz had missed this, which he found strange. Willow was his heart and music was his life, but Sunnydale was in his blood. Now that the wolf was under control, he felt as though he could use the beast within to his advantage, and that he was no longer a liability.

“Here’s what we’re goin’ to do,” Spike said, as soon as they had collected their weapons, ostensibly to hunt for Dracula. “Soon as the sun goes down, Harris is goin’ to take Buffy to that git. We follow.”

Giles frowned. “Are you sure, Spike?”

Spike snorted. “Harris was one of Drac’s bug eaters last time. Buffy thought she’d managed to keep the bloody bastard off his tail, but…” He shrugged. “Think it’ll work out in our favor anyway.” He looked at the two men. “Dracula has brides that he keeps around him. You’ll want to stay away from them.”

“We’ll take care of that,” Willow said firmly, shooting a look at Oz.

Oz smiled faintly, recognizing that tone of voice. “We’ll steer clear.”

Spike nodded. “Then we wait.” He glanced at the sky. “I’d give it an hour.”

“Where are Tara and Mairead tonight?” Giles asked.

Spike shrugged. “They were both out all night last night, an’ Tara was supposed to work for Joyce today. Figured they could use the evenin’ off.”

“Do you and Buffy ever get a night off?” Willow asked.

He shook his head. “Maybe one of these days.”

Oz noticed Giles’ wince, and he wondered if the Watcher felt guilty at times, since he was the one who had pulled Buffy into this business, at least in theory.

They waited mostly in silence, Giles and Spike deep in thought, and Anya with her arms wrapped around herself. Oz kept Willow’s hand in his, grateful as always for his second chance. He hadn’t been sure he’d get one.

“There,” Spike announced.

Sure enough, Buffy followed Xander out of Giles’ apartment and down the sidewalk. “How close do you want us?” Oz asked.

“We’ll stay back far enough so Harris doesn’t see us. Buffy knows we’re back here.”

They followed his lead unquestioningly, and Oz noticed the difference. Before he’d left town, he wasn’t sure that Giles or Willow would have accepted Spike’s orders unquestioningly, although they might have agreed eventually. Things had certainly changed.

~~~~~

Buffy followed Xander, wondering if Dracula was controlling him from a distance, or if the vampire had planted the compulsion to bring her to him at the beginning. She wondered what Xander would have done if she’d refused to go along with the plan.

She also wondered what made Dracula think she’d go down easy. Looked like he was a cocky son of a bitch in this time period, too.

The castle seemed to rise up in front of them without warning, and she wondered if it had been hidden, and if the only reason that Giles and Riley had been able to find it the last time was that Dracula had been distracted with her.

“Here we are,” Xander announced, having been uncharacteristically quiet on the way. “The master is waiting for you.”

“I’ll bet he is,” Buffy muttered. She glanced behind her, unable to see Spike, but she could feel him close by. “Showtime.”

Xander stayed behind, but she wasn’t worried about him. Spike wouldn’t hurt him—too badly, at least.

She could sense Dracula somewhere in the castle, and this time her mind was clear of fog as she walked the torch lit halls. The entrance to the great hall wasn’t that difficult to locate, and she strolled in. Dracula was seated at the head of the table, looking as though he’d been waiting. “There you are. I was beginning to think you were going to hide.”

“Your mother had been warned against me.” His voice was supremely cold.

“What? You think I don’t know your tricks?” Buffy asked lightly. “Spike warned me about you. Too bad that I have all the vampire I need.”

Dracula rose from his seat. “You do not know the darkness you harbor.”

Buffy couldn’t help it; she began to laugh. “Oh, you’re kidding, right?” She pulled a stake out of her waistband. “Trust me, I know darkness. I know it more intimately than you can imagine.”

“I could teach you so much,” Dracula coaxed. “I could show you so much.”

“Didn’t you hear her?” Spike’s voice called from behind her. “She doesn’t need your help.”

Dracula frowned, clearly unhappy about being interrupted. “You’re not welcome here, William.”

“Too bad for you that I don’t much care.”

“It’s okay, Spike,” Buffy assured him. “I’ve got it.”

Spike shrugged. “Right. I’ll just wait here then.” He leaned up against the doorjamb, crossing his arms in front of his chest.

She turned back to Dracula. “Like I said, I’ve got all the vampire I need.”

Dracula took another step towards her, his cold eyes fixed on hers. “You are mine, Slayer.”

Buffy knew he was trying to enthrall her as he’d done the first time around, but he was having trouble getting a grip on her mind. This time, Buffy knew her own power, knew her own darkness, and she had accepted both. He didn’t have a foothold, and she was growing tired of this game.

She sprang into action as he came within reach, her powerful kick catching him upside the head and sending him flying back. He was on his feet immediately, and Buffy knew that he was ready for a fight, no longer certain he would be able to control her. It was fight or flight for the both of them, and Buffy’s lips curved up in a smug smile.

She knew all his moves, and he knew none of hers.

Buffy toyed with Dracula, blocking his punches and kicks without trouble, while making sure to get in some good blows of her own. She could see that he was growing steadily frustrated as she chased him around the great hall, showing no sign of wearing out.

“You know, luv, we would still have the rest of the evening if you’d finish up.”

Spike’s words reminded Buffy that she had better things to do. “Sorry to keep you waiting, honey,” she said sweetly.

“Not a problem,” Spike said. “I’m enjoyin’ the show.”

Buffy knew what that meant—she definitely needed to wrap things up. She hit Dracula with an elbow to the throat; although it didn’t have the same effect as on a human, it did make him gag. It also gave her the few seconds she needed to slam the stake home.

Spike came strolling up, his eyes on the pile of dust on the floor. “He does come back, you know.”

“Yeah.” She frowned. “Is there a way to make sure he doesn’t? I know he didn’t come back the last time, but I’m not willing to take the chance. I think I pissed him off pretty bad.”

He thought about it for a moment, then said, “Water. Wash him away.”

She grinned at the idea. “I like that plan.”

“Buffy!” Xander came running into the hall, Willow, Oz, Anya, and Giles at his heels. “Where is he? I’m gonna kill him!”

Buffy maintained a straight face with some difficulty. “He’s dust, but if you want to get a bucket of water, we’ll see if Spike’s theory works.”

“I can call water,” Willow offered.

She nodded. “Do it, Will.”

Buffy stepped back and watched as Willow’s brow furrowed, her face a mask of concentration. Before too long, a small, black cloud appeared over the pile of dust, and it began raining.

Spike let out a bark of laughter. “Now that’s somethin’ to see!”

“Good job, Willow,” Buffy said, smiling as the miniature downpour washed Dracula’s ashes away. She glanced up at Spike. “Well? Do you think that took care of it?”

As though in answer to her question, the castle around them vanished, and they were left standing in a dilapidated church—not the same one that Spike had used for his unholy ritual, but one much like it.

“I think that did it,” Giles said. “And as we took care of his brides, I do believe that you can say that you killed Dracula, Buffy.”

“I can, can’t I?” she asked. “I guess that’s one for the books.”

Spike sighed mournfully. “Yeah, but I didn’t get my eleven pounds from him.”

Giles snorted. “That’s not that much money.”

“Not that much money?” he demanded. “D’you know how much that would be with compound interest over the last century or so? I’d be set.”

“I thought you had plenty of money from the treasure,” Willow said, puzzled.

Spike lit a cigarette as he and Buffy led the way out of the building. “I do, but it’s the principle of the thing.”

“Hard to argue with principles,” Oz observed.

Buffy let the banter wash over her as she tucked her hand through Spike’s arm. One enemy down, although she knew there were plenty more where Dracula had come from.

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