Her screams could wake the dead. Maybe they were supposed to. A frantic cry out to any corpse that might be able to help. She was stranded. Stuck in that hell of a world, the door sealed off. She was crying, pleading for him to help her. Save her. Why couldn't he save her?

A resonant thud woke Spike up.

As the images of his dream faded from his mind, the first thing he noticed was that Buffy was missing. The place where she had sat was cooling. She'd been gone for a while.

He didn't waste time processing this, however, as he heard yelling coming from across the hallway. Instinct kicked in and he was up and running in an instant.

The vibrant smell of blood assaulted his senses as he entered the wizard's room. A kill just a few days old festered on the bed. Buffy stood over Avery with her hand curled in a fist, shouting.

Okay, that last one took priority.

"You said he was kind to you!" Buffy yelled down at Avery. "Why would you...why?"

Avery held a hand to her bruised jaw with an indignant frown on her face. She looked at Spike briefly before glaring back up at Buffy. She stood, holding onto the wall for support.

"You hit me again," Avery said in a low voice, carefully enunciating her syllables. "And I'll do a spell that liquefies your heart, you dirty whore."

Spike saw the flash in Buffy's eyes before she even raised her fist again. Fortunately, he was faster than her without her powers. He snatched her elbow before it completed its path and shook his head.

"Let's hear her out, shall we?" he said. It never did any good to piss off a witch.

Buffy's muscles relaxed only slightly, but she lowered her fist to cross her arms. "Fine. Please tell us why you murdered your master."

Avery didn't even flinch. "I did what I had to. He wouldn't cooperate with them so they came to me. Offered me a deal."

"Who's 'they'?" Spike asked.

"Dehevret's men. They stopped by here a few days before you arrived."

Fuck. Spike knew they'd gotten the book too damn easily. He just wondered what Dehevret's angle in this was. Never failed. He had a simple goal. Get home. Shouldn't affect anybody else, but of course. No. The universe had to throw curves at him and make things as difficult as possible. Fucking world.

"What did they want?" Buffy asked before Spike could.

Avery shrugged. "Nothing too complicated. Wyver just hated Dehevret. Had some bad dealings with him in the past. Refused to help at all."

"Funny. That doesn't answer the question," Spike said. "What did they want?"

"Information," she said. "On you two. And then they wanted Wyver to make sure Buffy could get back through the portal."

Spike frowned. "They want her to go through the portal? They don't wanna stop her?"

Avery shook her head. "They want her going home. Wyver refused, though. Said he would make sure Buffy was stuck on this side. So they offered me a deal behind his back."

"What deal was that?" Buffy asked.

"What other deal would there be? Freedom." Avery shrugged. "Dehevret could make it happen. Give me complete freedom. Make it so I could walk around and do what I like and nobody would try to kill or enslave me." She laughed. "I couldn't really turn that down, could I?"

Without any warning, Buffy grabbed Avery by the back of the neck and swung her around so she was facing the bloody corpse on the bed. Buffy pushed Avery's head down close to the remains of her master.

"You said he was good to you," Buffy accused. "And you did this to him? Massacred him? So you could walk around freely in this hell?"

Avery gritted her teeth as she attempted to escape from Buffy's grip. She bucked with all her weight, nearly successful in throwing Buffy off. Buffy responded by placing a knee on the woman's back to push her down. Avery scowled. "Funny that you're condemning me when you've probably fucked every demon on the continent for some drug money."

Buffy grabbed Avery's hair, tilting her head to force her to look at the body on the bed. Avery kept trying to avoid it. "You said you were partners," Buffy said.

"We were," Avery said, the anger and resistance leaking from her voice. "We were partners. Please, I don't wanna look at it." Her eyes were shut tight.

Buffy sighed and released Avery, shoving her away from the bed. Avery stumbled but managed to remain standing. She rubbed the back of her neck where Buffy had gripped her. "He was kind to me," she said softly, not meeting Buffy's gaze. "We were happy here together. And as long as I stayed in his house, I was free.

"But it's not good enough." She looked up at Buffy, tears beginning to streak down her cheeks. "Wyver gave me everything he could, but it wasn't enough. Dehevret...he could give me more."

"And so it makes it okay for you to kill him?" Buffy asked.

"A slave with a kind master is still a slave." Avery looked down. "I didn't want to be a slave anymore."

"That's the most bullshit reason I've ever heard for murder."

"Now, pet," Spike intervened finally. Entertaining as it was to watch two women fight it out, this was just wasting time. "Let's give her some slack, yeh? After all, she did help us out. Wyver wasn't going to get us home. She will, though. Right?" He leveled his gaze at the brunette.

Avery nodded. "Of course."

"Now, tell me how we make sure Buffy gets through that portal," Spike said. "And why is it so important to Dehevret?"

Avery's gaze wandered back to the body on the bed. "Can we take this to the lounge?"

Turns out the change in venue also required refreshments before Avery was ready to talk. Spike sat impatiently on the edge of the sofa, tapping his foot while waiting for Avery to take a sip from her coffee cup. Buffy sat fuming across the room.

"I don't know why Dehevret wants Buffy through the portal," Avery said while putting down her cup. "I have a few guesses, though."

"Go on."

"From what I've gathered in my readings, your world is a mirror of this one."

"Complete opposites, more like," Spike said.

"Exactly. And they're linked. Two completely distinct worlds with only one key difference: Your world has a Slayer," Avery glanced at Buffy. "Ours doesn't."

"Okay, so our world has a chosen girl. What's that got to do with anything?"

"It has everything to do with anything. The Slayer is the key between the two worlds." Avery shook her head, pausing to consider her wording. "Because of the Slayer, your world is weighted Good in the grand scheme of things. Ours is just the opposite. It's weighted Evil. In order to cross from one world to the other, you have to 'fit' in with that world's nature."

"Right, that's why I needed a soul to get back over."

"Yes. However, the Slayer doesn't have that restriction. As a warrior for Good, she can cross over whenever she likes."

Well, that was a fucking relief. Buffy still had her soul intact, after all.

"So Dehevret just wants Buffy out of this world?" Spike asked.

Avery shook her head. "I think it's more than that. The portal's like a door. When someone crosses from your side to this side, the door is open. Nobody's allowed to cross over until that person goes back to the other side. The door's just stuck."

Spike rubbed his forehead. "So Dehevret needs Buffy to go back through to unstick the door."

"Right." Avery bit her lip. "I'm not sure why, though. The Slayer has the ability to cross over, even when the door's stuck. But the portal still works the same. Nobody else is able to use it until she goes back. So even if she did cross back over, the portal's just not very useful. It's a small door with limited access."

Spike shrugged, "I've given up trying to figure out why Evil does what it does. I'm just trying to work around it. Now Dehevret didn't say anything about me?"

"Well, he mentioned you were traveling with her. He didn't say anything about making sure you get through the portal, though."

Spike nodded. "Guess I'm just extra baggage then."

"I can still do the spell to get rid of the seal on Buffy's powers tonight. Then I'll give you the information you need for the portal."

"Aren't you just Miss Helpful?" Buffy interrupted bitterly.

Avery turned to her with a shrug. "My deal with Dehevret's still in place. I give you the information you need to get through the portal and then I'll be a free woman."

Buffy laughed. "Right. I hope it's worth it." She stood abruptly and walked out of the room and into the hallway.

With just a quick glance at Avery, Spike was up and following her before she could get too far. She'd stopped, though, and was leaning against the wall with her arms folded, pensive look on her face.

"Okay, Buffy. You do know that we still need her, right?" Spike asked, irritated by her behavior.

"She's just a greedy bitch," Buffy shrugged. "She killed him."

"Yeah, and?"

"He was good to her."

"Like your pimp was to you?" Spike tilted his head.

Buffy flushed, her muscles tensing at Spike's accurate guess. "She would have been better off with her master. Freedom in this world isn't worth it. She's just a murderer."

"That what this is? You're just pissed that you settled for the life of a whore while she had the balls to try to be more than a slave?"

Buffy pushed away from the wall, fist curling, though she didn't throw any punches. Her teeth were gritted though and her jaw was firm in anger. "I had no other options."

"And she did, so she took it. You're just mad that you gave up a long time ago."

"No, I'm 'just mad' that you - "

Spike cut Buffy off with a hand gesture. He wasn't imagining it. There was a noise. A soft scratching noise coming from the guest room. Buffy had the good sense to shut the fuck up.

Vampire senses on alert, Spike entered the guest room. He only had a brief visual flash of a creature clinging to the wall like an insect before he went into game-face, grabbing hold of the being around its neck and slamming it to the ground. He pinned it down and applied pressure to its throat. The thing wheezed.

It was a Yral demon. Even more hated than vampires because of its soul. Spike was surprised to see one out in the world. They ordinarily stayed hidden.

Spike raised an eyebrow. "Why don't you tell me exactly who you are, why you're following us, and who you're working for?"

The demon exhaled through rotted teeth. The Yral were mouth-breathers; they had no noses. Disgusting vermin. "Dehevret."

"What the hell is that?" Buffy peered over his shoulder, trying to get a good look at the creature.

Spike glanced back at her in annoyance, busy processing what the thing had just told him. Dehevret. Fucking bastard had had a tail on them the entire time.

"Hey, you're the demon from Dehevret's chambers," Buffy said.

The demon choked, unable to articulate any words with Spike's hand around his throat. It was strange. Spike thought he sensed his glow telling him not to release the creature. But they needed all the information they could get. Relaxing his muscles, Spike sat up slightly to give the demon room to breathe.

"I am...but a servant," the thing used jagged fingers to rub its throat. "I do as commanded."

"Right, and what were you commanded to do?" Spike was getting really pissed now.

"Observe and report." The demon trembled.

"Do you have a name?" Buffy asked, still standing behind Spike.

Spike barely glanced backwards. "Doesn't matter what his name is. He's gonna be dead in a few moments."

Buffy moved forward as a low gurgle came from the demon's throat. "No, he's not," she said. "He has a soul. He hasn't done anything. Besides, he's our only real link to Dehevret. We should keep him. Make him work for us."

Spike resisted the urge to roll his eyes. "And how do we 'make him work for us'? Ask nicely? And weren't you just having a hissy fit about Avery betraying her master?"

Buffy knelt beside Spike. She ignored him and focused her attention on the other demon. "Back in our world, your kind aren't as hated as they are here. There are safe places for you. I have a friend that could help locate one. You wouldn't have to live in service to another for protection."

"You're asking me to betray my master."

"Yes," Buffy paused. "What's your name?"

There was a long hesitation. So long, Spike was just about ready to reach out and snap the creature's neck. Finally, though, it answered. "I'm called Jigal."

"Well, this is touching. The happy couple taking in their first pet." Spike looked behind him. Avery stood in the doorway, arms folded in front of her. She was staring at the scene with detached amusement. "I hate to interrupt, but there's one more item of importance."

Spike stood while turning to face her. "Yeah?"

"Before he...died, Wyver contacted Ugvan to let him know of your presence here. Ugvan's men will be here soon to collect the debt you owe."

"How soon's 'soon'?"

Avery shrugged. "Hard to say. We probably have a few hours. You'll have to stand guard when I'm doing the unsealing spell on Buffy."

"And you couldn't have told us this earlier?"

Avery rubbed her bruised face, eyes briefly glancing at Buffy. "Slipped my mind."

***

Spike's gaze wandered across the lounge to where Buffy sat conversing softly with Jigal. He didn't like having the small demon among them. However, Buffy had a point. He could be useful. Plus, Spike could kill him if he stepped out of line, so he considered him neutralized as a threat.

It was just damned frustrating to find out that that creature had been tailing them ever since they'd seen Dehevret. It was even more frustrating to realize that there were larger movements at play that might prevent them from getting home.

Except...Dehevret wanted Buffy to get home. To what purpose, Spike didn't know. Spike himself was obviously expendable.

Avery had retreated to the lab to prepare for the spell, and Spike had gathered all the books she had on these portals. He finally had the directions for opening the portal. It required being at a very exact place and reciting some nonsense magical words. More traveling. Fortunately, it wasn't to be a long journey.

Buffy was sympathetic to Jigal. Even when she outright hated Avery. Spike didn't see the difference. Okay, so Avery had killed her master. They were still attempting to get Jigal to double-cross his master. Girl had a fucked up sense of priorities.

She drove him up the bloody wall. He felt an urge to just grab her, shake her, gag her, force her to stop nagging and asking irritating questions. But his glow - no, more than his glow. He couldn't do it. Because, despite what he'd expected from her at the beginning, she was trying.

He remembered being in love with her before they'd been sent to this world. It had been her passion and fervor that had done it. It compelled him. And now that she was trying to be more than just a victim...

Alright, yeah, there might be some feelings of affection coming up. Odd, that. He hadn't felt affection for anyone for so long. He wasn't sure what to do with it.

She was twitchy at the moment, though. On edge. Even now, while talking in hushed tones to Jigal, she fidgeted and looked distracted. Something was up.

Come to think of it, why had she been in Wyver's room? The question hadn't even occurred to him in the midst of the chaos.

She stood. As she did, Spike quickly looked back at the book he had in front of him. Better than to seem like he actually gave a damn.

"I'm uh...going to the bathroom," she announced.

She left the lobby. Spike looked up at Jigal. The other demon was cowering on the sofa, shaking. Damn Yrals. Might have souls, but they lacked backbones.

Well, literally, cause they had an exoskeleton. But metaphorically, too.

Spike leaned over to fetch his duffel. The sound of the zipper caused Jigal to flinch. Spike wondered how closely this thing had been watching them since they'd left Dehevret's. Might have seen some interesting sights.

Spike pulled the length of rope from the duffel. Best to tie it up. Couldn't really trust it at this point. Surely Buffy wouldn't have any objection to that.

It whined as he did the knots. A high-pitched noise like a banshee. Exasperating, and if there were a way to gag it, he would. The jaw wasn't hinged, though. Spike would just have to ignore it. He'd gotten some experience ignoring annoying noises during this trip.

Once he finished, it occurred to him that Buffy had been in the bathroom for a while. The sun was setting outside. Avery should have the spell ready soon. Providing Buffy hadn't snuck off to attack her, that is.

Spike sighed. Things were just never easy.

He left Jigal tied up and entered the residential area of the house. As he feared, the bathroom was empty. There was the distinct sound of Buffy's laughter emanating from Wyver's room, though.

When he walked into the room full of blood, Buffy turned to him with a huge smile. She looked to almost be bouncing out of her skin.

Oh, fuck.

"Spike!" She was on him in an instant, clutching at his chest and pressing herself against his body. "God, you smell fucking good." She inhaled his scent, nose tickling at his neck. "Think we should do it? Here? Fuck me beside the body?"

Her eyes were huge, pupils dilated, and her nose was red. Damn bitch had found some coke. Hadn't they gotten past this?

Ignoring the response of his own body, he gripped her by the shoulders and held her at length from him. "What the bloody fuck are you doing, Buffy? Now is not the time for you to get back on the snow."

She pouted, scratching at his shirt like a cat in heat. "Awww, but I was nervous." She grinned. "If my family and friends are gonna think of me as a whore, might as well go all-out, right?"

Buffy laughed and pulled herself away from Spike to run to the bed in the middle of the room. She crawled onto the mattress, waggling her ass playfully as she laid down beside the brutalized body of Wyver.

"Think we could fuck the death right out of this room?"

Oh, how tempting. And if he were half the demon he used to be, he'd do it in a heartbeat.

But he didn't need the glow to tell him that now wasn't the time. His already throbbing erection might protest, but Spike hadn't survived this long by blindly following that thing.

"I'm not so sure about the Slayer powers," Buffy mused while staring up at the canopy. Her arms were outstretched on either side of her, one of them draped casually over Wyver's corpse. The blood stained her arm. "They probably wouldn't want to give their powers to such a dirty, dirty girl."

This thought apparently amused her. She began giggling, bringing a hand to her mouth. She was soon wracked with delight.

Spike considered his options. Right about now, using the ropes to tie her up seemed good. Bind her, put her through the spell, wait for her to sober up, then leave. Should work.

She shrieked then. Eyes wide and frantically gazing at the corpse beside her. In her reaction, she fell off the bed. As soon as she touched the ground, though, she began ooching backwards into the corner.

"She fucking slaughtered him!" she cried. "It's horrible! And she didn't clean him up so he's just there like it's a kink or something. Cause people do that, you know? They wanna fuck beside dead bodies cause it gets them off."

Spike stepped forward, unsure whether he should try to calm her down or not. She pulled at her hair and pressed herself back against the wall as if she'd be able to go right through it.

"I'm so disgusting. My mom's gonna hate me," she sobbed.

That did it. Spike crossed the room and knelt down beside her.

"Calm down, pet. You're not disgusting." Even though he was sure he'd said so on several occasions.

Fuck, he was a bastard sometimes. The glow always told him as much.

He reached for her in an attempt to bring her into an embrace. Comfort-type thing. Spike didn't have much experience with that, but that was what his instincts were telling him to do.

"No!" Buffy resisted. "Don't! You're poison! Cats don't hug the mouse! Why are we so high up, Spike? It's like I'm gonna fall off and never reach the bottom! My throat is closing up, and I don't even know how to scream. And all the people surrounding me already know that I've failed!"

She gave up trying to push him away as she babbled. Instead she went limp and sobbed openly. Spike held her to him, not sure what to say. Her heart was pounding so fast, Spike actually worried her body wouldn't be able to take it.

Bad trip. Perfect timing.

There were footsteps in the hall. He looked up. Avery was in the doorway. If she was surprised at the scene, she didn't show it.

"There you are," she said. "Spell's set, and sun's down. We need to do this now. You guys ready?"

tbc...