Chapter Nine
 
With only one short pause while Buffy staked two prowling vampires and Spike made short work of the demon accompanying them, they were at what Spike deemed an appropriate place in just over an hour. In reality, their destination was not all that far from where they’d left the Scoobies, but Spike had taken several side tunnels and made a few duplicate loops of those that connected in more than one place.  By the time they got to the dimly-lit side tunnel that he assured Buffy was only a short distance from access to a manhole, the commandoes were both tired and confused.
 
They also had a better understanding of why Maggie was so interested in studying Buffy. Now that they’d seen her easily handle two non-fledgling vampires, quipping and giggling the whole time, and then saw her watch in confident amusement as Hostile 17 toyed with a demon a foot taller and many pounds heavier, they realized that she was a long way from the “trained and strong, but otherwise normal” girl that Riley had insisted was all it meant to be the Slayer. It was also obvious that Hostile 17, a force to be reckoned with himself even when rendered harmless, had a great deal of respect for the Slayer, and was inclined to take orders from her under most circumstances— increasing their respect for her prowess. The fact that she and the vampire had kept them moving at such speed without fatigue was more proof of her status as more-than-human.
 
Buffy told the men to sit down and went over to whisper in Spike’s ear. He hid his smile and nodded. “Take your time, pet. I’ll keep an eye on them.”
 
While Buffy took the light and ran off down the tunnel, seeking a place that felt private enough for her to relieve her aching bladder, he turned his attention back to the three sitting men. Not needing his enhanced eyesight where they were, he allowed his human face to emerge, giving one of the men the courage to ask: “What the hell is she? She can’t be human.”
 
Spike cocked his head at them.  “She’s a human as you are – just a bit more. She’s The Slayer. Didn’t any of you gits study what you were tryin’ to catch?”
 
“Is she a demon?”
 
“Heaven’s Chosen One?” Spike’s eyes widened. They could see that he was not faking his shock. “More like an avenging angel, I’d say.”
 
“Heaven’s Chosen One?” One of the men, who wore a crucifix around his neck more as a statement of his beliefs than as protection against the creatures he hunted, looked sick.
 
“Heaven. The Powers That Be. The Gods.  Take your pick. Point is, the chit’s job is to combat evil wherever she finds it. And when she stumbled across your boss, she found it, didn’t she?” 
 
He wasn’t expecting an answer, and he didn’t get one, but all three men looked very uncomfortable as they mulled over what the strangely chatty vampire had said.  When Buffy returned, punching him on the arm when he couldn’t resist a “Feel better, luv?” he nodded toward them.  “What do you want to leave them with, Slayer?”
 
Buffy shrugged. “Well, we can’t leave them here to die or get eaten…” Spike grinned when the men all flinched at the reminder of what they might encounter without the protection they’d had until now.  “I guess, leave them a light, and the gun.  They can try to unlock the cuffs on each other. I’m sure they’ve got keys somewhere.”
 
“Alright.” He placed the light where it would be on the commandoes, wincing at its brightness.  Setting the weapon beside it, he chided, “Now don’t be tryin’ to pick that up until we’re long gone. I’d hate to have to tear somebody’s throat out after we’ve had such a nice talk.  And I’ll just take those,” he added, snatching the communicators off their belts. Two of the men flinched when Spike snarled at their squad leader who attempted to hang on to his communicator.
 
“You can’t hurt us,” the leader said. “You can act as scary as you want, but we know what’ll happen if you try to hurt one of us… not to mention, you’re afraid of her.” He jerked his chin at Buffy who blinked back at him.
 
“Spike’s not afraid of me,” she said. “We’re pretty evenly matched, actually. He beat me the first time we fought.”
 
“But you’re not dead.”
 
“Well, no. But that’s probably because my mom hit him on the head with an axe.”  She snickered when Spike growled at the memory. “Spike’s a pretty amazing fighter. Almost as good as me,” she added when he started to preen.
 
“Well, if he’s not afraid of you, why is he helping?  The chip just means he can’t hurt you, it wouldn’t make him want to help you.”
 
“It means he has to get his jolies beating up demons and vamps instead of killing humans,” she explained with a shrug. “Spike likes violence and killing. When he’s with me, he gets a lot of chances to do that.” She carefully avoided looking at Spike, although she’d caught the low growl at her words.
 
“You trust him?”
 
“We’ve worked together before,” she said, still avoiding Spike’s gaze although she could feel its intensity. “And he wasn’t chipped then, so… yeah. I trust him.”  She fixed a hard glare on them. “Not that it’s any of your business who I do and don’t trust. I trusted Riley, and what did that get me?”
 
“Let it go, Slayer. Let’s just get out of here.”
 
Buffy shook herself.  “Okay. You’re right. It’s not them I’m mad at…” She put her hands on her hips and faced them.  “All right, guys, here’s the deal.   We’re going to go find our friends. If you come looking for them or us instead of leaving here… Well, I’ll be really pissed off. Got it?” They nodded and Buffy pointed down the tunnel. “Spike says there’s a ladder to a manhole down that way.  Use it. Get out and don’t come back.”
 
She turned and began to run after Spike, who was already a good fifty yards away.  She’d just caught up to him when they turned a corner and the remaining light from the now-distant lamp was gone.
 
“Whoa! Dark!”
 
“Here,” he said. She could sense him shifting as he took her hand and pulled her closer. “Just stick with me. I promise not to run you into anything.”
 
She nodded, not sure if he could see her or not, and held on to his calloused hand as he towed her along, running surely and easily. They ran for a good fifteen minutes, before Spike slowed and pulled her to a halt.
 
“We’re almost back,” he said.
 
“Okay. So why are we stopping?  I wasn’t kidding about being hungry. Giles has food.”
 
“Got something I need to tell you before we get back,” he said, leaning against the wall and pulling her to stand in front of him.
 
“Does this have anything to do with all the mysterious back and forth crap with my watcher?  All the ‘you’ll find out later’ stuff both of you have been handing me since yesterday?” She raised her eyebrows, knowing he could see her. “Is it finally ‘later’?”
 
He gave a deep sigh before responding, “Yes, luv. It’s ‘later’.”  In spite of his words, he didn’t say anything else, just leaned against the wall, his hands holding both of hers as she waited in the dark.
 
“Spike?”
 
He straightened up a little. “Don’t suppose I could get another snog before I tell you?” he asked.  “Just in case…”
 
“Just in case what? Just in case I decide to stake you when you tell me your chip is gone?”
 
“Well, yeah, I— Wait. What?” Even in the complete darkness, Buffy could sense him gaping at her.
 
“You and Giles must really think I’m stupid.” Buffy’s voice was both angry and hurt as she pulled her hands away, reminding him of how upset she’d been when they’d made fun of her academic skills. She remained standing right in front of him, close to, but not touching his body.  “He told me weeks ago that he was hoping the chip might put you onto the path of redemption and that he was going to talk to you about it. I told him he was crazy, but…”
 
“Something you need to know, Buffy.” Spike’s voice was low, his words slow, as if he were forcing them out. “Anything I’m doing’s got fuck-all to do with being redeemed. That’s your ex’s thing, not mine. I don’t regret a thing I’ve done.” He felt her stiffen and reached for her arm. “Hear me out, luv. Please?”
 
She stopped pulling away, but her body remained rigid. He moved his hand to her face and tilted it toward him, even though she couldn’t see his eyes boring into hers.
 
“Don’t care a bloody fig about being redeemed. What I care about is you. I’ll do whatever it takes to keep you willing to have me near you. If it means I become a white hat, then I’ll be the best white hat you’ve got.” Although she hadn’t responded yet, he continued as if she was arguing with him. “I can do this. You know I can, Slayer. I’ve always been able to control my demon – even when I was trying to be the best vampire I could be, I was in control.”
 
He took both her hands again, holding them tightly while he spoke. “Dru saw it, you know. She said I was covered in you. I don’t need that bloody chip anymore. Not now after I… not after I got to know you better. Give me a chance, love. Let me show you I can be—”
 
“You can be what? Good? I can’t be your conscience, Spike.”
 
“Not asking you to, Buffy. I’m asking you to trust me to know right from wrong… and to act accordingly.  That soul the Poof has that’s so precious to you didn’t teach him right from wrong. Vampires know what’s wrong and what’s right; we just don’t care. Got no reason to do right, do we? And wrong is a lot more fun.” He moved his hands to her shoulders.  “But I’ve got a reason. Got the best reason there is.” He leaned in and nuzzled her ear, kissing it softly as he whispered, “Don’t push me away, Buffy.  Let me stay.”
 
Buffy swallowed the lump in her throat and tried to talk, but her throat wouldn’t work at first. She wanted to push him away, to scream at him that she couldn’t let another vampire into her life, that she’d never be able to trust him, but the words wouldn’t come. Instead, she found herself leaning into him, not protesting when his arms went around her and he pulled her closer. He continued his murmurs in her ear as he held her against his body and his hands stroked her back.
 
“Not askin’ you for anything you can’t give me, Buffy.  Know that I’m a monster. Not saying I expect you to love me, all I’m asking is that you let me love you. Let me be here for you. At your side. In your life.”
 
 
He moved his lips across her jaw and to her mouth, kissing her softly until she responded and they fell into another world-blocking kiss that went on until they were both near to collapsing from lust. Buffy could feel him through their jeans, his hard length pressed against her stomach, his low growls of frustration making her shiver.  When his hands went to her ass, pulling her against him even harder she whimpered, pushing on his chest.
 
“No… no, I can’t… stop, Spike.”
 
He growled, but released his hold immediately, dropping his head down to press his forehead against hers.  “Why not?”  He cleared his throat, obviously deciding he’d sounded more like a pleading teenager than a dominant male vampire.  “I mean. It’s alright, luv. Want you so bad I can’t see straight, but I won’t push you. Just… ”
 
“I just meant not now. When people are waiting for us, and the floor is mud and other things I’d rather not think about, and—” His grateful kisses sidetracked her for several minutes, during which she became much less worried about who was waiting for them, or how disgusting the ground beneath them may have been. “I didn’t mean not ever,” she finally gasped out when he let her break for air.
 
They stood leaning on each other, breathing hard and trying to regain some semblance of control.  Finally, Buffy forced herself to push away from him.
 
“Okay. We’ve got to get back and find out what’s going on. This… whatever it is, is going to have to wait.”
 
He nodded, then realized she couldn’t see him and said, “It can. Not saying I’ll be waiting patiently, mind you, but now’s not the time or place.”
 
“Exactly.”  She waited for him to set off, holding the hand he’d extended and following him until they could see a dim glow ahead.  When they emerged from the gloom, they found everyone huddled around one flickering candle. They were sitting on a room-sized carpet that kept them off the packed mud of the floor.
 
“Are we all comfy?” Spike walked past them and unrolled another, smaller carpet, putting it near a wall.  He sat down and patted the space beside him, raising a questioning eyebrow at Buffy. She bit her lip, but walked over and sat down next to him, leaning back against the wall and avoiding anyone’s eyes.
 
“So,” she said with artificial peppiness, “do we know anything yet?”
 
Giles shook his head. “Unfortunately, the mobile phone the Council provided for emergency use does not seem to work underground. I’m going to have to go outside to check in with them.”
 
“Do we know how long it’s been?” In the absolute darkness that was their underground hiding place, everyone’s concept of time had gone wonky. Except one.
 
“It’s about noon,” Spike said. “Was just past dawn when I got back to Sunnydale, and that was some time ago. Sun’s still up high.”
 
No one questioned his ability to know where one of the few things that could kill him might be in its cycle. They just nodded.  Giles stood and stretched.
 
“That means it’s evening in the UK. They should be able to tell me something by now. “ He eyed the newly sturdy ladder that Xander had been working on while Buffy and Spike were gone.  “I’ll just go upstairs and see what I get there. Or I’ll step outside if necessary.”
 
“Not without me, you won’t.”
 
Buffy stood up and glanced down at Spike who was leaning against the wall with his eyes closed.  Without opening them, he murmured, “Go on, pet. I’m just going to catch some kip for a bit.”  With a start she realized that he’d been awake and traveling the entire night while they’d been dozing in his “basement”.
 
“Okay. Get some sleep. We might have a busy night.”  She turned away and stepped in front of Giles.  “Let me go first, just in case,” she said, starting up the much-improved ladder. She reached the top and raised her head very carefully, checking out the dimly lit crypt for any signs of waiting soldiers. Wishing briefly that she had Spike’s ability to smell or hear humans, she crept out of the hole and stood up.
 
“Okay,” she said to Giles. “There’s nobody here. But the door’s still open, so don’t go near there.”
 
He emerged from the lower level and pulled a mobile phone from his pocket and pressed a button.
 
“Got them on speed dial?” she said with a small smile. “I didn’t think you were on such good terms.”
 
“It’s their phone,” he said. “That’s the only number in it.  And, I do not need to be on good terms with them to make use of their resources… and vice versa, I might add.” He gave her pointed look.
 
“I am not one of their resources,” she said, knowing she sounded petulant, but unable to help herself. “They aren’t the boss of me.”
 
“Something of which they are more than aware, I’m sure,” he replied with a wry smile.  He held up his hand for quiet as he listened to the person on the other end. “Yes. Rupert Giles. He should be expecting my call… all right. I’ll wait here.”
 
He flipped the phone closed and sighed. “They will call us back shortly to report on their progress.”
 
“What are they doing?”
 
“I believe they are using Council contacts in this country to alert the Army to the presence of the Initiative. It seems that it’s been a secret even from the organization that has been funding it. And your Dr. Walsh has no official standing with anyone but one rogue general…”
 
”Rogue general?”
 
“Their word, not mine. I suspect there is much scurrying around going on to find who’s responsible for this.  Publicity is not something anyone wants – neither Council nor the military – so it may come down to us to shut things down at this end.”
 
“You mean me. It’s going to come down to me.” Buffy rolled her shoulders and stretched.
 
“And Spike.”
 
She met his eyes until she was sure she’d seen what she needed. “So, you got his chip taken out. Without asking me if I thought it was a good idea.”
 
“I gave him a place to go. The decision was his. And, as you’ll recall, he was somewhat reluctant at the time.”
 
“Why did you do that? It’s Spike! William the Bloody. Part of the Scourge of Europe. The vampire that’s killed two slayers.  That tried to kill me!”
 
Giles sighed. “I talked to Spike, shortly after he received the chip and had realized what it was going to mean for his continued existence as a vampire.  I suggested that the Powers may have arranged for him to be incapacitated so as to make it possible for him to pursue redemption by fighting at your side.”
 
“Bet he was thrilled,” Buffy said, rolling her eyes.
 
“Not initially. He reacted as you might expect.” He peered at Buffy. “However, there appeared to be something else working in our favor. Something that soon had him asking me questions about the Powers and redemption.” He paused, waiting for Buffy to understand what the “something else” was. “I’ve come to know him quite well since then. I don’t know that I believe him to be strongly committed to a path of redemption and atonement, but I do believe he is quite committed to helping you.  Do you disagree?”
 
Buffy sighed. “No,” she grumbled. “I think he’s… yeah, he wants to help me. But you could have told me.”
 
“He preferred to be allowed to show you himself that he could be trusted and useful. I gave him that opportunity.  I take it he has done so?”
 
“Why do you say that?”
 
Buffy’s heart pounded as she waited for Giles to say he’d seen them kissing. Instead, he raised his eyebrows and said, “By the fact that he is not dust.”
 
“Oh.  Oh, yeah. Right. I would’ve staked him if I didn’t trust…  It doesn’t mean you shouldn’t have told me, though.”
 
Before Giles could answer, the phone rang and he opened it quickly. While he listened, offering the occasional “yes, I see” and “we will do our best”, she wandered over to the door and peeped out into the sunshine, narrowing her eyes when she thought she caught movement.  It turned out to be a woman placing flowers on a grave some distance away, and Buffy relaxed.  She left the door ajar, just in case, and walked back to Giles who was just closing the phone.
 
“Well?”
 
“The US Army is sending a new commanding officer and a small platoon of Special Forces soldiers to take over command of the Initiative. However, they want us to ensure that all the surviving vampires and demons have been slain before they arrive.”
 
“So, we’re going in? Without help?”
 
“So it seems.”
 
“Shocker.”  Buffy rolled her eyes.  “If I’m taking Spike with me, it’s going to have to wait until dark.”
 
“He could make his way through the tunnels to the general area of—”
 
“He needs to rest. He’s still recovering from the beating they gave him the other night.”
 
Hiding his smile at Buffy’s sudden concern for Spike’s welfare, he nodded. “Very well. Perhaps we can hold off until the afternoon and come up with a plan that will limit human casualties.”
 
“OMG, I forgot. We’ve got to get past all the Initiative soldiers first!”
 
“Indeed.  However, I have some thoughts on that…”