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No Rest For the Wicked by SMS by slaymesoftly
 
Chapter Six
 
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Chapter Six
 
 
“So, you and Fangface? What’s that all about?”
 
Buffy sighed.  “We don’t know what it’s about, okay? Other than Riley thinks Spike is breaking us up.  Which I guess is right, in the sense that I told him a long time ago to leave Spike alone.... and it’s... possible.... I might have come on a little stronger the last time he tried to do anything about it.” She sighed again. “But I guess I didn’t come on strong enough. He doesn’t seem to get that I was already breaking up with him.”
 
“I saw your face when Riley threw that stake at Spike’s back.  If he knew you like I do, he’d be spending all his free time making sure Spike didn’t even get a hangnail that could be blamed on him.”
 
“Well, apparently his new brilliant idea is that we’re all thralled minions and it’s his job to save us from ourselves.”
 
They broke off the conversation long enough for Buffy to stake a vampire just emerging from his grave, and then take on the three older vamps coming to get him. Xander put his back against a wall and kept the crossbow cocked and ready while he watched Buffy eliminate the vamps with a minimum of quipping.
 
Brushing the dust off her clothes, Buffy continued as if there had been no interruption.
 
“I thought putting that booby trap in Spike’s crypt was crazy – that’s before I found out he thinks I’m crazy!  Or that we all are, based on some stupid thrall that Spike doesn’t even have.”
 
Xander sighed. “You know, Buff, I was really, really hoping Riley was the guy for you.  All pulse-having and normal...”
 
“Are you suggesting that it’s okay for him to want to kill Spike for helping me? Or to haul me off to a shrink because I don’t want him to do it?”
 
“No. No, that’s not what I’m saying. But I think we both know that he doesn’t want to kill Spike because he’s helping you... it’s because of why Spike is helping you. And the whole wanting to take you to a shrink... yeah, I don’t really have a comeback for that.  I guess he doesn’t know you like we do, and he doesn’t get that you’d protect any of your friends just as much as you would a... a....” He shuddered. “I just can’t say it. Don’t make me say it.”
 
Buffy huffed a laugh. “I won’t make you say it. I promise. Not until I’m really sure there’s something to say, anyway.”
 
“Face it, Buffy, if I can see it, there’s something to say.  I don’t mean I think it’s a good idea, but there’s no denying what Deadboy Jr is all about, and it isn’t the insane one anymore. He’s moved on, and you’re ‘it’.”
 
They paused to stake another fledgling that had come upon them while they were talking.  While Buffy handled the newly-risen vampire, Xander kept his crossbow at the ready as he looked around for possible companions.
 
“The question is, do I want to be ‘it’?” Buffy said as they resumed walking. “Can I even do that again?  Let myself be with a vampire?”
 
“You’re the only one who can answer that,” Xander said with a shrug. “I think you know what my vote would be, but I’m guessing you’re not planning to put it to a vote.”
 
Buffy shook her head.  “But if I was, my mom and Giles would be the ones I’d ask.”
 
“Well, that’s not fair! Your mom, for whatever reason, actually likes the bloodsucker!” Xander looked offended. “And the G-man is all about bonding over the fact that they can speak not-American together.”
 
She snorted and pointed towards the exit to the cemetery. “Liking Spike and thinking he’d be a good boyfriend for me are two very different things,” she said, surprising herself with sudden insight.  “It’s just not an easy question, Xan. Not if you’re the Slayer.”
 
“Which you are,” he pointed out, bringing the crossbow up. “Time to prove it,” he added as they were surrounded by scabby little creatures in brown robes.
 
“What the hell—?” 
 
Instead of attacking, the creatures surrounded them demanding to know what she’d done with the “Key”.  Buffy’s face paled, but she kept her expression blank.
 
“What key? Do you have a key, Xander?”
 
“Got my house key, and one to the old jalopy.  Not sharing either one of them with ugly munchkins, though.”
 
“Glorificus wants her key.  She says you have it, Slayer.”
 
“Well, whoever she is, she’s confused. So go back and tell her to forget about it.”
 
When one of them jumped on Xander’s back, only to have Buffy pull him off and toss him into his advancing companions, they hesitated long enough for Xander to begin firing bolts at them while Buffy pulled the sword out of the sheath on her back and began removing heads. They were able to keep the remaining creatures at bay as they backed toward the car and jumped in. Xander had it in motion before Buffy had even slammed her door.
 
“What were those?” he gasped. “And what’s a Glorificus?”
 
“Beats me, but I’m guessing it’s the skanky bitch that threw me through a wall a week or so ago. She was yelling about a ‘key’.”
 
“Do you have a key?”
 
Buffy frowned. “Maybe. I’ll have to look into it.  Doesn’t matter, though. She’s not getting it.”
 
“Does she look anything like her buddies there? Cause if she does....”
 
“No. She was a slutty-looking woman in a too tight red dress.”
 
“Huh.” He cut his eyes to the side. “Threw you into a wall?”
 
“I don’t want to talk about it.  Next time, I’ll be ready for her and I’ll kick her skanky ass back to wherever it came from.”
 
“Of course you will,” he said loyally.  “But if there’s something like that out there, maybe it’s not the best time for Spike to be taking a leave of absence.”
 
“You don’t think I can handle her by myself?  You’ve never even seen her!”
 
“No. But you have, and she put you through a wall and lived to talk about it. And she has... things... doing her bidding.  Things that don’t really die until you cut off their heads, by the way.”
 
“I noticed. So they’re some kind of ugly demon. Doesn’t mean I can’t kick their boss’s big butt. She just caught me by surprise the first time... and she disappeared before I could kill her.”
 
“Uh huh. Okay.  Well, maybe she’ll trip over Riley and his heavily armed buddies and they’ll shoot her.”
 
“I can handle this, Xander.”
 
“Okay, okay. Message received.”
 
They rode the rest of the way back to the Magic Box in silence.  Buffy sighed as they pulled up in front of the store.
 
“I’m sorry, Xan. I know you’re just trying to... but it’s what I do, you know?  Who or whatever this bitch is, I haven’t seen her since we fought. And I was kinda hoping she’d left to look for her key somewhere else. I probably would have forgotten all about her if we hadn’t seen those gross little creatures tonight. But I haven’t run into her again, so right now it looks like Riley is my biggest worry.”
 
“Ah yes. The scorned boyfriend.  The one with big strong friends and lots of guns.”
 
“And on that cheery note...” Buffy opened the door and got out.  “I’ll tell Anya you’re here... and thanks.”
 
“Gotcherback, Buffy.”
 
She smiled at him. “I know you do. And I appreciate it.  Good night.”
 
XXXXXXXXXX
 
 
“Hello?”
 
“Hello, love. Took me while to track you down.”
 
“Spike?  What do you mean, ‘track me down’?”
 
“Called your mum’s, then the watcher’s, then the magic— never mind, pet. Should have thought of your dorm room first. Didn’t realize you were going back on campus.” He made no attempt to hide the concern in his voice.
 
“It’s fine,” Buffy said, the warmth of knowing he was worried about her mingled with her automatic anger at having her ability to take care of herself being questioned.  “I ran into Riley after class yesterday, and turns out he’d already been to your crypt to check on his trap.”
 
“Not to take it down, I don’t suppose?” Spike’s disgusted snort was loud in her ear.
 
“No. I guess he just looked to see if it was tripped or something. But it did give me a chance to tell him I thought you’d gone into hiding or maybe even left Sunnydale.  I told him none of us had seen you for several days and that Willie seemed to think you’d left town.”  She paused, then, “He was pretty pleased with himself.”
 
“Wanker.”
 
“Yeah, well, anyway, it got awkward for a minute or two. He figured if you’d left, then I’d coming running back to him or something.”
 
There was silence.
 
“It took me a while to convince him that wasn’t happening – so now he thinks you’re just hiding out somewhere and watching us and I’m still in thrall. But at least he knows you’re not hanging around me or anybody else.”
 
“Guess I need to stay gone then,” he said with a sigh. “It’s like the watcher said, if I come back too soon, he’ll just reckon we were trying to fool him that the thrall was gone.”
 
“I guess so....”
 
“Miss you, love,” he said. “It’s only been a few days and I’m already going crazy.”
 
“I... I miss you too – in a whole I’m-just-used-to-you-being-around kind of way,” she added hastily, glaring at the phone when he just laughed.
 
“Whatever you need to tell yourself, Buffy.  Have you got paper and pen handy?”
 
“I’m in my dorm room. Where I keep my school stuff.”
 
“The question stands, Slayer. I’ve seen your version of schoolwork....”
 
“Jackass.  What do I need them for?”
 
“Want to give you this number. In case you need me for something... or just want to talk to me... or have phone sex—“
 
“Pig!”
 
“Oink, love. Now write this down....”
 
Buffy scribbled the number he gave her onto the inside of the nearest book. “Okay. I got it.  Maybe in a couple of days....”
 
“Gonna have to be longer than that, Buffy,” he said.  “You know that as well as I do.  I’ve got to stay gone long enough for him to be sure I’m not influencing you in any way.”
 
“Yeah, yeah,” she sighed. “I know you’re right. It’s just....”
 
“Trust me, love. Whatever you’re ‘just...’ goes double for me.”
 
Buffy couldn’t smother a yawn in time and he quickly responded. “Didn’t mean to keep you up.  Just wanted you to have the number.  Get some sleep, Slayer.”
 
“Will you call me again tomorrow night?”
 
“Will. I’ll call you as often as I can. But I’m not coming back until you tell me to.”
 
“’K. Goodnight, Spike.”
 
“Goodnight, Buffy. Sleep well.”
 
XXXXXX
 
 
“Do you miss him?” 
 
Buffy startled and started to protest, then sighed and shrugged, admitting the last several Spike-less weeks had not been much fun. “Yeah, I do. I kinda got used to having him around, you know? It feels like there’s something missing when I patrol.”
 
Willow nodded. “I think we all got used to having him around.  Even Xander was wondering the other day when Spike was coming back. It’s been a long time since you told Riley Spike ran away. Don’t you think it’s safe by now?”
 
“As soon as I’m sure Riley has figured out that he was wrong about the thrall, I’ll tell Spike to come back.”
 
“He hasn’t tried to sneak back here – just to see you?”
 
“Aren’t you all with the nosy questions today,” Buffy said, smiling to show that she wasn’t angry about it. “We talked about it, but—”
 
“Speak of the devil,” Willow said softly.  Buffy stared around in surprise, looking for Spike, then saw who Willow was referring to.
 
“Buffy! Willow!  I haven’t seen you in forever. How are you?”
 
The two girls blinked, taken back at Riley’s exuberant greeting.
 
“Uh, hi, Riley. How’s it going?”
 
“Great. It’s going great. I’m doing a lot of practical research on vamp bites and thralls and—”
 
Practical research? What the hell is that?” Buffy had been going out of her way to avoid Riley in the weeks since she’d told him she thought Spike had left Sunnydale; it suddenly occurred to her that ignoring him might not have been the best idea.
 
Riley looked uncomfortable as he noticed the expressions on their faces.
 
“It’s... it’s nothing. Just looking into stuff, you know.  Not making much progress on the thrall thing – apparently it’s not something all vamps can do – but I think I’m beginning to see the appeal of being bitten.  You didn’t tell me it felt good, Buffy.”
 
Excuse me? Why would I tell you something like that? It doesn’t feel good – it hurts like hell. Even Drac – speaking of thralls_—” Buffy shuddered. “Even that didn’t feel good, just, you know, not as painful as the Master and Ang—Okay, you know what? I don’t know where you got the idea being bitten feels good, but you need to get over it.  It doesn’t feel good and it usually leaves you feeling...dead.”
 
“You don’t have to pretend with me, Buffy. I’ve been talking to people who know better – and I’m about ready to try it myself.”
 
“Have you lost your freaking mind?”  Buffy’s voice was more of a shriek than she’d intended, but she decided the situation warranted it.  Lowering the volume a little, she continued, “Riley, I don’t know who you’ve been talking to, but when vampires bite, it’s because they’re hungry. They really don’t much care if it hurts you because you’re going to be dead!”  Her voice had risen again as she went on, and she stopped to take a deep breath.  Before she could begin again, Giles opened the door of the Magic Box.
 
“Buffy, are you trying to frighten away my customers?”
 
She waved her hand at Riley. “Giles, he thinks he can go get himself chomped on and it won’t hurt and he’ll be fine.  Talk to him!”
 
Rather than add an immediate agreement, Giles narrowed his eyes at Riley and stared for a long minute before saying quietly, “That can be quite dangerous, Riley. I cannot suggest that you explore it any further.”
 
Riley blinked as he realized Giles obviously knew more than the girls did about where he was planning to do his “research”. 
 
“I know how to be careful,” he said, meeting Giles’s gaze with a firm look of his own. 
 
“What? Giles? What are you two talking about?”
 
Rather than answering, he opened the door wider and gestured for Buffy and Willow to come into the store.  He quite obviously closed it before Riley could make any attempt to follow them inside.
 
“Um, Giles?  Just so you know, Buffy and I have no idea what that was just about.”
 
“As well you shouldn’t,” he replied without further explanation.  “Suffice it to say that you will need to be very careful around that young man from now on – and not because he still thinks we’re all in thrall to Spike.”  His derisive snort made them both giggle before they remembered he hadn’t actually answered their question.
 
“Giles, I’m the Slayer. The vampire bites expert?  Care to share? Is there something I should know?”
 
Giles gave a heavy sigh.  “Possibly. ButI don’t intend to share it. If you’re wildly curious, I suggest you ask Spike the next time you talk to him. Perhaps he will enlighten you....” He frowned, adding, “Do make it clear that I mean he is simply to explain it to you. A demonstration will not be necessary, and in fact, will destroy what little trust I have gained in his good intentions.”
 
Buffy put her hands on her hips and tapped one foot. “So, you want Spike to explain why Riley thinks he can get bitten without dying – and why it won’t hurt. But he can’t bite me to prove it.”
 
Giles winced. “Essentially. Yes.”
 
“Why didn’t you just say that instead of talking in some kind of Giles/Spike code?  Do you think I’m stupid?”
 
He shook his head. “No. I do not think you are stupid, Buffy. Far from it. But this is not something I am particularly comfortable telling you about, and Spike, for good or ill, is not likely to have those reservations.” He walked to the back of the store to fix himself a cup of strong tea.
 
“You are going to tell me what you find out from Spike, right?” Willow asked, her unhappy how-can-there-be-something-I’m-not-an-expert-on? expression firmly in place.
 
“Of course I will.  I’m going to ask him as soon as he calls tonight—”
 
Giles came back with his cuppa just in time to hear her.  “Actually, Buffy, I don’t think it would be a bad idea to suggest it’s time for him to return. I doubt our behavior since he left has done anything to reinforce Riley’s ‘thrall theory’, and it should have made it obvious that we were being perfectly normal while he was here.”
 
“Really!” Buffy’s face lit up. “You think he can come home?”
 
“I think if Riley is seriously thinking about getting himself bitten, having Spike here could be a good idea.  He will have access to.... to places you do not.”
 
“More cryptic crap,” Willow muttered, blushing when Giles glared at her. “Oops? I didn’t think you could hear that.”
 
“I’m not deaf, Willow. As much as some of you may wish from time to time.”
 
 
XXXXXXXXXXXX
 
“So, what’s the deal?” Buffy settled back against her pillow for her nightly conversation with Spike. “Is he right? Can he get bitten without being killed? And why would a vamp do that?  And why wouldn’t it hurt?”
 
“Short answers are: yes, because, and it wouldn’t be in the vamp’s best interest.”
 
“’splainy, please.”
 
“Tell me again why the watcher said for you to ask me?”
 
“I dunno. He said he didn’t want to share it with me, but he didn’t think you’d have any problems with it. I’m not sure, but I think that might have been a slam at you.”
 
Spike’s rich chuckle came through the phone. “Don’t doubt but it was, love. Watcher thinks he’s too much of a gentleman, and he knows I’m not.”
 
“Okay – first question is how can that happen, and the second question is still why would it?”
 
He sighed. “Actually all the answers are tied together. He knows he can do it because he’s obviously located a bite house....” When she began her “Wha—“ he hurried on. “Some humans like to live on the wild side, pet. You know that. And they enjoy being bit. And some vamps don’t like to or can’t hunt, but they need to eat to live.  Bite houses are where the two can find each other. The vamp gets what he or she needs, the human gets what he or she wants.  It’s not in the vamp’s best interest to kill the goose that lays the bloody egg – so to speak. So, they take is slow and careful, and they make the bite good.”
 
“Good?”
 
There was silence for a moment until she prompted him. “Spike?”
 
“Sorry, love. Just trying to figure out how to say this. The thing about biting is... if it’s done slowly and carefully, and under the right circumstances... it can feel so good the... bitee... doesn’t notice the pain.”
 
“And those circumstances would be?”
 
He sighed heavily.  “If the parties are havin’ a shag, it can boost the... sensations.”
 
It was Buffy’s turn to be silent.
 
“Slayer?”
 
“I’m here. So that means Riley’s going to—” 
 
“Probably so.”  Silence.   “Are you alright?”
 
“My boyfriend— okay, ex-boyfriend, don’t get all huffy— is going to be getting suck jobs and... other... stuff from vamp sluts.  Awesome.”
 
“Was kind of hopin’ that wouldn’t matter to you anymore,” he said, his voice not as flat and noncommittal as he’d probably hoped.
 
She shook her head, even though she knew he couldn’t see her. “I’m not jealous, if that’s what you mean. Not like I was when that red-headed ho was—” She stopped, realizing what she’d just admitted. “Shut up,” she said before he could crow about it.  “I just meant it’s like every other Buffy romantic train wreck. I should just go into a nunnery.”
 
“Over my undead body,” he growled.
 
She giggled. “I guess that’s why Giles said to tell you to explain it to me but not to demonstrate it.  He said it would destroy his trust in you.”
 
Spike snorted. “Doubt he trusts me any farther than he can throw me,” he said. “But I wouldn’t abuse your trust like that.”
 
“He also said you should probably come back now.  I’m not sure what that has to do with Riley’s ‘research’, but he seemed to think you’d be able to find—”
 
“He thinks I’ll know where the bite houses are,” Spike finished for her.
 
“Uh, yeah. I guess?”
 
“Alright, love. I’ll head home now.  Probably be too late when I get in to see you tonight, but you can come by the crypt in the morning.”
 
“Or, I can just wait there and nap till you get home. My laundry’s probably dry by now. I can just leave Mom a note that I’m heading back to the dorm tonight.”
 
There was a lengthy silence.  “Would like nothing better than to find you waiting for me... in my bed.  But if that’s not what you meant, we’ll probably both be happier if we catch up tomorrow.” He didn’t wait for her to reply before he went on. “Anyway, told you I never took that bloody booby trap down, so I don’t know how you’d get in without being killed.  Finding your body waiting for me wouldn’t exactly make my day....”
 
“Oh, I forgot about that dammed trap. The door’s always closed when I go by to check, so I keep forgetting about it.”
 
“Didn’t get around to it before I left town. Warned you lot, and my buddy Clem, couldn’t really think of anyone else might pay me a surprise visit, so takin’ it down didn’t seem that important at the time.  I’ll take care of it tonight. Soon’s I get back.”
 
“Okay. See you in the morning, then.  I...  I’m glad you’re coming home.  I mean, you know. To help out with... stuff....”
 
There was an audible smile in his voice as he replied, “Missed you too, Buffy. See you soon. Sleep well.”
 
“Bye, Spike.”
 
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