Chapter 14: Little Chaos to Spice up your Day

Buffy and Spike exited the law firm on the street level, deciding to walk instead of taking one of the company cars.

Even though a car would probably be quicker, Buffy knew Spike was enjoying the novelty of being outside during the day. She couldn’t object to that. Not when she saw how happy and excited he was.

It was really nice to be able to walk down the street holding his hand in the warm afternoon. If she didn’t think about the fact they were going off to hunt demons who were ripping people apart, or that they were also searching for a werewolf who happened to be her ex-boyfriends current girlfriend, she could almost pretend they were just a normal couple.

Of course she was beginning to realize the whole normal thing was vastly overrated. She didn’t see too many ‘normal’ people who took the time to enjoy their lives. Most were too caught up in the day-to-day grind to really appreciate what they had.

None of them seemed particularly happy.

She looked over at Spike and grinned.

At least not as happy as she was now.

It didn’t matter what her life was going to be like. She wasn’t alone anymore. Even being a Super Slayer wasn’t so bad with Spike next to her sharing it.

Feeling her eyes on him he looked over at her and smiled.

“Have I told you how beautiful you look in sunlight?” He asked before kissing her lightly.

“Hmmm.” She beamed up at him when he pulled back from her. “Not in the last fifteen minutes or so.”

“I’m slipping up then.”

Her smile brightened even further at his words. She could definitely get used to this.

They both looked around, scanning the area carefully.

Occasionally a passerby on the side walk would stop and do a double take, certain they had just seen glowing eyes on one or both of them, but when they looked again they would realize that it must have just been a trick of the light.

“Nothing?” Buffy asked.

“Nothing.” Spike confirmed.

They moved farther down the street to the next block.

“So what’s the deal with the Shanpoo thingy?” Buffy asked.

“Oh, its just some nonsense. Its about a vampire with a soul, who saves the world, and gets to be human.”

Buffy stopped in her tracks. “WHAT?!?”

Spike stopped, but didn’t seem to notice the extent of her distress as he scanned the area they were in. “Yeah, that’s what has Peaches so bent out of shape. He’s afraid I came back to take his prophecy from him.”

“And you were going to tell me about this when?” Buffy demanded, all but yelling at him.

Spike finally realized something wasn’t right and turned to face her. “What the hell is wrong with you?” He asked, bristling under her tone and the anger he now was acutely aware of.

“Gee, I wonder. You give this big speech about us being together forever and mated and all that, but you forgot to mention that forever might only be until you become a human!!” She stormed off down the street.

“What?” Spike said confused. Wouldn’t that be something she wanted?

“Wait a minute!” He yelled and ran after her, grabbing her arm to slow her down. “I thought you would be a happy if I became human.”

”Right, because I’m such a normal girl these days!”

“I don’t even think the stupid thing was written about me. Angel is the Champion, not me.”

“Really? Which part doesn’t apply to you?” Buffy finally stopped trying to get away and turned to face him again. “Let’s see. Soul? Check. Saved the world? Check. Vampire?”

“Not much of a vampire anymore, am I, pet?” Spike interrupted her gently.

“Yeah, well what if the Powers decide you are? I mean look at the alternative.” She said referring to Angel.

Spike couldn’t help but laugh.

“Oh that’s nice. Just laugh at me. What do I care?” Spike grabbed her and kissed her soundly.

“You are adorable, that’s what I was laughing at. I love that you are worried about losing me, but you don’t have to.” He brushed a small piece of hair that had fallen out of her ponytail off her face. “Do you honestly think I’d let a little issue of mortality come between us?”

“You let being a ghost come between us.” Buffy insisted, unwilling to let him just brush this aside.

Spike sighed, and then he felt something. He and Buffy looked at each other.

“Werewolf.” They said at the same time.

People started to run past them screaming in fear. Next thing they knew a werewolf ran past them, bleeding profusely from numerous cuts running across it. They couldn’t tell whether it was chasing the people or running from whatever had hurt it, but they didn’t waste any time, just ran after it.


Illyria and Wesley sat at a booth in a small diner next to the large window, where they had been most of the night talking.

Illyria had explained to him at great length her world and the atmosphere of the time she lived in. It was strange for her to describe these things to him, because he would ask her questions about things she never paid much attention to, like the lives the lesser beings had or how things came to be the way they were. Things she had always just taken for granted as the way things were. He made her see her previous life differently from the way she had always seen it.

They had also talked about human emotions and concepts such as humor, love, and friendship.

This led into a conversation about Fred.

It was difficult for Wesley, at first, to hear her talk about Fred’s feelings and memories, having seen them in Fred’s own mind. Yet, even though she had first hand knowledge of all these things that didn’t mean she truly comprehended what they meant and this made it easier. Wesley spent a great deal of time explaining to her why it took so long for he and Fred to actually admit their feelings and get together. He found himself having to explain human insecurities and frailties to her.

“Why do humans make things so complicated?” Illyria was asking him.

“Something specific you are referring to or just in general?” He answered with a smile. It didn’t even feel odd to enjoy a conversation with her anymore and he no longer felt the gut wrenching guilt for it either.

She opened her mouth to answer him when the sound of screaming stopped her. They both looked out the window and watched as a large group of people went running past the diner, followed by a werewolf.

“I wonder if Angel decided to try the spell on Nina without us?” Wesley asked dryly.

“The one you choose as your leader is really not an intelligent being.” Illyria told him. “You are aware of this fact, are you not?”

Wesley sighed. “He does have his moments.”

They saw Buffy and Spike run by obviously chasing after Nina.

“Was that Spike?” Wesley asked

“It appeared to be.”

“Perhaps we should see if we could lend a hand.” Wesley pulled out his phone, which he had turned off when they got to the diner. “Eighteen missed calls. I wonder what that’s about?” He commented.

Illyria considered him as they stood up.

“And this dry way of speaking you are doing is called ‘British Wit’?”

“Yes, we also have a fascination with men in drag, for example Monty Python or the Rocky Horror Picture Show. Its something the African American culture has also picked up on.”

“That is the reason behind those films ‘White Girls’ and ‘Juwanna Mann’ that Gunn is so fond of?” Referring to the night she spent with Gunn, when he decided she needed to learn about humor.

“Yes, I’m afraid so.” Wesley left a tip and they went off in the direction Spike and Buffy headed towards.



After Buffy and Spike left, it took a while before Giles could get Angel to return his attention to the situation at hand. Personally, Giles wanted nothing more than to follow Buffy’s example and knock him across the room, but given what was going on, they didn’t have time for those theatrics.

Giles had never really cared for Angel, even before he lost his soul and killed Jenny. He never liked the way he seemed to cling to Buffy and her calling, as if she were the vehicle that could grant him salvation, instead of relying on his own actions. When Angel left her, Giles had been pleased her separated himself, but he was furious at the self-righteous way Angel did it, not to mention the stalking missions he engaged in after he left.

Even though he was upset with Buffy right now for choosing to spend her life with a vampire, Giles was actually a little relieved that she chose Spike over Angel. In his opinion, if she had to spend her life with one of them, Spike would treat her better than Angel ever could hope to.

“Gunn, do you have anything new for us?” Angel asked into the phone.

“Man, people are pouring into the ER down here. Still no confirmed sightings of what’s doing this.” He sighed. “Of course its hard to question someone yelling in pain. It just chaos down here.”

Giles sat up straight and his eyes narrowed.

Chaos.

Of course.

He stood up to leave.

“What is it?” Angel asked him.

Giles glared at him. “I’m going after the cause of this mess.”

“I didn’t think we knew what that was.” Dawn said confused.

“I do now.” Giles began to look around for his brief case and took off his jacket. “This stunt screams of Ethan.” Unable to find his briefcase Giles yelled for Andrew.

“Andrew, I’ll need my things now.” When he didn’t get a response Giles looked around perplexed. “I say. Does anyone have any idea where Andrew ran off to?”

“I bet I can guess.” Dawn answered.



Buffy and Spike finally managed to catch up with Nina and corral her into a dead end alley, but now they weren’t sure what to do with her.

“Don’t suppose you brought anything to knock her out with?” Buffy asked him.

“Do you see a weapon on me anyplace?” He asked her sarcastically.

“Look, just because you got caught keeping secrets from me is no reason to be a pissy jerk.” She snapped.

“I’m not pissy because of that, I’m pissy…” Spike realized at that moment, only children and women who had their monthlies got pissy. “Er, angry.” He corrected himself. “I’m angry you don’t have any faith in me.”

“Its kind of hard when you didn’t even bother to tell me you were back!!” Buffy started yelling again, turning her attention away from the injured werewolf to face Spike fully.

Spike threw his hands in the air and turned towards her. “Just how long are you planning on holding onto to that? Huh?” Nina studied them both, making sure they were both ignoring her. Spike continued. “Because I’d like to know now if I’m going to have to hear about this for the next century.”

“You don’t have to worry, you’ll probably be dead of old age by then Mr. Human Guy!!”

Deciding that both of them were completely unaware of her now, Nina decided to attack.

“Bloody Hell! You really are the most stubborn, insufferable bint!”

Nina leapt into the air, claws and fangs bared.

Wesley and Illyria turned the corner.

“Behind you!!” Wesley shouted once he realized the situation.

Buffy and Spike looked towards him, then up at Nina about to land on them, but by that time, they couldn’t even move out of the way.

Suddenly, Nina let out a yelp and fell straight down, missing Buffy and Spike by centimeters. Everyone looked towards the opposite side of the alley and saw Andrew standing there with a tranquilizer gun.

“I know you guys had that under control, but I thought I would help out anyway.” Andrew said.


Several minutes later Wesley was on the phone with Angel, being screamed at while the others secured Nina with the chains Andrew had thought to bring along with him.

“If you’d just listen for a moment…” Wesley tried to say.

Even though they were a good distance away everyone could hear Angel screaming.

“…Been calling you all night…”

“I was otherwise…”Wesley tried again.

“…People were dying, Nina is missing…”

Spike stood up and grabbed the phone from Wesley.

“Would you quit your damn belly aching!! We have your girly. Percy, Blue and Giles Jr. are heading back now with her. If you can focus on the innocent people dying instead of your control freak issue, is there any word on the other demons?”

It was Dawn who answered. “Giles thinks Ethan Rayne is behind all this.” Buffy stepped closer to Spike to better hear her sister, since she was talking much lower than Angel. “He went out after him a while ago.”

“Oh that’s just brilliant.” Spike sighed and glared at Buffy.

“I didn’t tell him to go out.” She said defensively.

“He wonders where you get it from.” Spike responded. “Any idea where he headed Bit?” He said into the phone.

“No, he said he needed to find the source of the chaos.”

“Is Nina all right?” Angel asked anxiously.

“She has some nasty looking scrapes, but otherwise she seems to be ok.” Spike wrapped an arm around Buffy, happy that she was by his side instead of like Nina. “Slayer and I are gonna go after Rupert, make sure he’s not in over his head. Here’s Percy, back.”

Spike handed the phone back Wesley.

He pulled Buffy closer to him and pressed a kiss to her forehead, all their earlier disagreements forgotten as she allowed herself to find some comfort in his embrace. “Don’t worry, luv. We’ll find Rupert. He’ll be ok. You’ll see.”

She nodded and pulled back looking determined. “If he’s not, Ethan is going to have a very painful experience.”

“That’s my girl.” Spike paused. “Any thoughts on where the source of Chaos might be?”

Buffy looked blank. “In LA?” Her forehead scrunched up as she thought. “The WB studios?” She offered. “Maybe Fox?”

“Actually, I’m willing to bet its someplace close to the hospital. That way he can utilize most of the energy created from the chaos, plus most of the attacks form a circle away from that point.” Andrew said from his position inches away from them. Spike looked over at him sideway and forced a smile.

“Thank you Andrew.”

“No problem.”

“Don’t suppose you want to give us some space?” Spike asked sweetly.

”Actually I was thinking that we should hurry up and get moving, Mr. Giles has quite the lead on us and we don’t want anything to happen to him.”

“What do you mean ‘we’, Andrew?” Buffy asked exasperated. “You are not going anywhere but back with Nina and Wesley.”

“They already left and you don’t want me to wander around out here by myself, do you? What if I get caught by one of those demons?”

Buffy looked over and realized Andrew was right they had indeed gone and left him there.

“Remind me to get them for this.” Buffy told Spike.

“It will be a joint effort.”

“Guys, hurry up, lets go.” Andrew called them already halfway down the block.

“Can we use him as bait?” Spike asked.

“I’m surprisingly ok with that.” Buffy answered as they followed behind him.

Chapter 15: A Father’s Wrath

“I mean, I’m not saying you owe me for saving your lives or anything.” Andrew was saying.

Spike jerked the wheel of the Council’s van to make a hard right and Andrew flew across the back of the fan into the side.

“Maybe I should put on my seatbelt.” Andrew muttered to himself.

“I definitely sense some sort of power up ahead.” Buffy told Spike, as they both ignored Andrew.

“Cool.” Andrew leaned forward in between the two front seats. “Is that one of your new super powers?” He asked excitedly.

Then he looked up ahead. “Red light.” He told them.

Buffy put her hand in front of his face and pushed him back in the back. “Safety first.” She chirped. “Better put on you seat belt.”

“Red light.” Andrew said again pointing up between them.

“And quit distracting the driver.” Spike barked. There was a red light up ahead, but instead of slowing down Spike pressed his foot down on the gas pedal.

“Red light.” Andrew almost yelled this time.

Spike jerked around two cars that were waiting for the light to change. They flew through the intersection and narrowly avoiding two more cars and a floral delivery van.

Once they were on the other side of the intersection and back on their side of the road, Spike began to laugh like a maniac. “Doesn’t it just make you feel alive, luv?” He yelled at Buffy and turned up the radio. Buffy just rolled her eyes and shook her head at him.

Andrew looked through the back windows, dazed.

“Red light.” He said again before collapsing in a heap.


As they drove onward towards the center of the city, Spike’s driving continued to be reckless. Andrew had finally stopped saying red light, but appeared to still be in shock because of the way he was curled up in the back.

On the bright side, he hadn’t spoken at all in the past five minutes.

Just after passing the hospital, Buffy felt a strong tingling feeling inside of her. “Spike.” She said wanting to alert her mate to what she was sensing, but Spike obviously felt it too. He jerked on the emergency brake and the van spun around one hundred and eighty degrees.

Behind them Andrew began to throw up at the sudden movement.

“Oh BLOODY HELL!” Spike yelled as the smell of vomit filled the air. He quickly pulled the van over to the sidewalk and he and Buffy jumped out.

Spike lit up a cigarette, trying to get the disgusting scent out of his nose. Even Buffy leaned close to him wanting to clear the noxious odor out of her sinuses.

After regaining their equilibrium the looked up at the tall building in front of them.

“Do you feel the power coming from inside?” Buffy asked.

“Yeah.” Spike answered. “I also feel a demonic presence, a strong demonic presence.”

“Do you recognize it at all?” Buffy asked him.

Spike concentrated for a few seconds. “No, I’ve never come across anything like it before.” He said with a frown.

“Cool, something new to kill.” Buffy said with enthusiasm.

The sliding door to the van opened up and Andrew lurched out. “Ok, I’m ready you guys.” He looked up at the building. “Is this where we’re going?”

“No.” Spike said firmly. “Buffy and I are going in. You, however, are going to be staying right here and cleaning up the mess in the back.”

“But what if you need me?” Andrew gasped out, hurt.

“Need you to what, Andrew?” Spike turned and demanded angrily. “Need you to scream like a girl or hurl up what may be left of your lunch? What can you do to help? You can’t fight and I don’t think a tranquilizer gun is going to work on a demon that has been terrorizing people all over this city.”

“I could…” Andrew began.

“You could…” Spike cut him off. “You could distract us by getting yourself into trouble and needing us to bail you out. Or maybe you can use your deadly projectile vomiting power. You will be more trouble than you are worth.” He pushed him back into the van and shut the door before Andrew could say anything else.

Without another word he turned and stormed into the office building without a backwards glance. Buffy looked nervously at the window that now had Andrew’s tear stained face pressed against it before hurrying after Spike.

She caught up with him right inside the front door, immediately noticing the quiet, darkness that encased the entire building. They both moved forward cautiously. Both of them were using all their demonic senses to search out any demons or nasties hiding in the dark.

“Don’t you think you were kind of hard on him?” Buffy whispered.

Spike didn’t answer her, pretending he was too caught up in hunting this demon that was terrorizing the city.

“I know he reminds you of how you used to be.” She said, quietly.

Spike stopped, but he didn’t turn around. “I sense the power coming from up above us, but the demons signature seems to be below.” He sniffed the air. “I can also smell the Watcher’s cologne, he’s been here recently.”

Buffy reached out and grabbed his elbow. “Spike.” She said.

He whirled to face her furiously, eyes glowing gold. “What do you want me to say, Buffy?” He demanded.

She just stared at him as he ran his hand through his hair frustrated. “Ok, so maybe I was a little hard on him, but it’s for his own good. He had no business being out in the field like this. He would get himself killed.”

“I know, but still…”

”How many times have has he been told about sneaking out to follow me and yet every time I turn around there he is.”

“Spike, its ok.” Buffy soothed him. She could feel how bad he felt for the way he talked to Andrew and she could also sense that he had said what he had out of concern for Andrew’s safety. “You have to remember, though, that he isn’t you.” She said, gently. Spike glared at her for bringing up the similarities between his human self and Andrew. “He knows what’s out here and the reason he follows after you like he does is because he looks up to you.”

“Fine, I’ll take him out for a bloody ice cream when this is over, ok?” Spike snarled and turned back around, missing Buffy’s knowing grin. “Now what do you want to tangle with first? The unknown demon or the warlock your Watcher is after?”

“I vote demon. That way there won’t be any unexpected surprises when we go up to face Ethan.”
Spike nodded and the headed across the lobby of the building and down the stairs to the lower levels.


Andrew sat outside in the car, tears pouring down his face. He couldn’t believe Spike thought he was so worthless. Didn’t saving them count for anything with him?

Andrew knew he was still just a nerd in their eyes, but he had thought he was much better than he had been. He was a full member of the Watcher’s Council now and had even taken out quite a few demons on his own. Well on his own with some help from the younger Slayers.

Andrew sniffled and then scrunched up his nose at the smell of his puke in the back. He looked through the van for something to clean it up with, but didn’t see anything. He moved farther to the back and happened to glance out the window and notice something moving outside towards the office building. He stopped and stared at it curiously.

It was the size of a large rat and the same color. The only difference was it was completely round and it rolled on the ground instead of walking. Andrew watched as it traveled up to the doors of the building and pushed open the doors and went inside. Several more appeared and also headed towards the office building.

Suddenly, Andrew remembered, a passage he read in one of the books about a certain type of demon. Andrew began to search frantically through the van, looking for his briefcase, amidst the clutter.

Of course he found it under a pile of his spew, he tried to dump most of the liquid off before opening it. He threw the papers on the top out of the briefcase at random, before he found what he was looking for.

Most women kept a whistle on their key chain in case they ran into trouble at night alone. Andrew kept an air horn on him. He grabbed it along with the two back ups he also had and threw open the sliding door on the van.

He hesitated for a moment remembering Spike’s words, but then he shook off his hesitation. They had no idea what they were up against and he was the only one who could save them.

Andrew got out of the van and ran inside after the furry round balls.


Buffy and Spike descended lower into the building, the farther down they went the more they began to doubt their senses. While they still felt the demon ahead of them, they also felt it behind them, and around them. Yet they still hadn’t caught sight of it.

“Are we on a wild goose chase?” Buffy wondered.

“Something ripped into Angel’s woman.” Spike said.

“True, but why is it hiding from us?” She asked.

“Maybe it knows it’s going to get its arse kicked.” Spike said with a grin.

Just then there was movement up ahead of them. They both squinted their glowing eyes into the dark corner.

“Was that a rat?” Buffy whispered fearfully.

Spike turned incredulously. “Tell me a little rat doesn’t scare you.”

Buffy got defensive. “It doesn’t scare me, it just squicks me out.”

”Come Vampire Slayer, I’m sure there are worse things down her than rats.” Spike told her.

“Jerk.” Buffy muttered.

There was more movement off to their left, the both stopped and turned towards it, but again it moved to fast for them.

“Bloody hell.” Spike muttered. “Why don’t you show yourself?!” Spike yelled into the darkness.

Buffy spun around, seeing something moving out of the corner of her eye. The feeling from the demon was much stronger now and it seemed to surround them.

Suddenly the room they were in lit up and they both cringed at the sudden flood of light. When their eyes adjusted to the brightness they looked up and saw a single ball of brown fur in the middle of the room.

“What the hell is that?” Spike asked.

The ball seemed to grow short two-inch legs that it stood up on. Two tiny arms extended out of the fur with inch long claws on the end. It didn’t seem to have any eyes that they could see.

“Are we being attacked by a Furby?” Buffy wondered.

The little ball leaped into the air as high as her head, moving faster than they thought possible. Buffy moved out of the way just in time to miss a claw to one of her eyes.

“Crazy little bugger.” Spike yelled as he followed its flight though the air.

It had barely landed before it immediately jumped up again, this time coming for Spike, who managed to catch it in mid air with his hands. He squeezed it and a green blood ran out of it as it died.

“Well that wasn’t so hard.” He said.

“No, but this might be.” Buffy said. He looked and saw that surrounding them in a circle almost ten feet deep were nothing but more of the little furry creatures.

“I don’t know if we can hold them all off.” Buffy said.

“We won’t know until we try.” Spike said, desperately trying to keep the anxiety out of his voice. The stood back-to-back, moving slowly in a circle, while they waited for the creatures to attack.

“I love you.” Buffy told him. “I’m sorry I got mad at you earlier.”

“I love you, too pet. And don’t worry about it, one of the things I love most about you is your stubborn anger.”

“Jerk.” She said with affection.

A shiver seemed to run through the creatures collectively and as one the all leapt onto the vampire and Slayer.


Andrew ran down the stairs as fast as he could. He was hoping he remembered correctly that these demons preferred dark and damp places low to the ground as opposed to anything high up and bright. The farther down her went the darker it got. He reached in his pocket for his Mag-lite Flashlight and illuminated the hallway. He hoped he wasn’t too late to help Buffy and Spike.

They were covered from head to toe with the creatures. Most of their clothing was ripped and blood poured from the cuts all over them. Spike could smell the Buffy’s blood in the air and it fueled him to fight harder even though he knew it was useless. There was just too many of them. Every time he managed to get hold of one and kill it, ten more took its place. Pretty soon neither one of them would have any skin left.

He felt Buffy fall behind him. He tried to turn to help her, but then one of the creatures managed to cut one of the tendons in his leg and he also fell to the floor. He reached out his hand desperately, but felt nothing. He threw another one of the furry bastards off him and reached out again. This time he felt his way through the fur and managed to grab onto Buffy’s arm and pull her towards him. He wrapped his arms around her, as they both pushed the creatures out from between them. Her face was covered in blood, but her eyes stared into his without fear and full of love.

They both knew this was it, there was no way out for them.


A loud noise filled the room, it made Spike’s jaw ache, but it also seemed to hurt the creatures because they suddenly dropped to the ground shivering uncontrollably. The noise doubled in intensity, then tripled. Spike and Buffy both put their hands over their ears to block out the noise.

The creatures started to explode around them.

The noise went on and on, until every last one of the creatures had blown apart, then it died down and everything was quiet.

Spike and Buffy looked towards the doorway they had come through in shock and awe.

There stood Andrew, looking larger than life with Air Horns in his hands.

Spike couldn’t help it he broke into a relieved laugh. He and Buffy helped each other up and staggered over to the doorway. Spike looked Andrew in the eyes.

“Thanks mate. You saved our lives.” He told him sincerely. Andrew beamed with pride.

“How did you know how to kill them?” Buffy asked him breathlessly.

“They were Tribulamara demons.”

“Uh-huh.” Spike said.

“They were the inspiration behind the ‘Trouble with Tribbles’ episode on Star Trek.” Andrew explained further as he put one arm around Buffy and helped them get to the staircase. “I found them in one of Giles old books and that’s also when I discovered one of the writers for the original Star Trek series used to be a Watcher. That’s why so many of the aliens on there resembled some type of demon.”

“Of course he was.” Spike said as he stared up the dark staircase wearily. “I don’t think we can make it up all those stairs.”

“There’s an elevator behind you.” Andrew pointed out.

The three limped to the elevator doors. “Let’s just hope it works.” Buffy muttered.

“Either way, we aren’t in too good of shape to take on a warlock.” Spike said.

“I think I can help with that, too.” Andrew said, after pushing the button to go up. They were all surprised and relieved when the lights lit up and the elevator began to descend. “I know a simple healing spell that should close up most of those wounds.”

Spike looked at him impressed. “Seems like I underestimated you.” He said apologetically.

There was a ding as the elevator doors opened and the light from inside lit up the dark area they were standing in. They made their way into the car where Buffy and Spike slumped down onto the floor, leaving Andrew to punch the button.

“That’s ok. Even you are allowed to be wrong once in a while.” Andrew said.

Buffy snorted loudly.

“Once in a while.” She muttered disbelievingly.

“Hey now.” Spike said to her offended. She offered him a smile and he returned it with love.

Spike leaned forward and began to carefully lick the blood from her face, similar to a cat. Buffy sighed and leaned closer to him. Andrew knew he should be grossed out by what he was seeing, but instead he found the close tenderness they shared between them endearing and he watched with a supportive smile on his face as Spike cleaned all the blood from her face taking her face between his hands and kissing her lightly. She smiled at him lovingly.

“Hey you.” She said.

Andrew began to chant behind them and they both turned, as the sound of his voice grew louder. A green light surrounded them and they both felt themselves infused with energy and an itchy feeling as their wounds began to heal knit themselves up. By the time the elevator dinged to mark their arrival on the main floor both of them felt on hundred percent better.

“This is my stop.” Andrew said. “I’m going to wait down here and make sure none of the Tribulamara demons try to sneak up behind you.”

Spike and Buffy both looked at him with appreciation. Impulsively, Buffy leaned forward and kissed him on the cheek.

“Thanks, Andrew. We owe you our lives.” She said.

They saw Andrew turn beat red just as the elevator doors closed and they began to ascend to the top floor to face Ethan Rayne.

Buffy just hoped Giles was ok.


As the elevator rose up to the top floor, Buffy’s anxiety increased. She didn’t really know what to expect when facing Ethan Rayne. She knew that when it came down to it, the man was a coward, but it was his magic capabilities that made him a formidable enemy.

The bell dinged signaling their arrival and the doors opened. Buffy and Spike peered out carefully. Seeing no one the stepped out and looked around.

They both felt the power pouring out from down the hall and they began to make their way carefully towards it. They turned a corner and saw in front of them a large corner office that had probably belonged to the CEO of the business they were inside of. Through the glass doors they were surprised to see Giles holding Ethan by the throat on one side of the desk.

When he spoke they could hear him clearly.

“I’ll ask you one more time, Ethan: What was the spell you cast on Buffy?” Giles asked, his voice was cold.

“Come now Ripper.” Ethan wheezed. “You know a magician never reveals his tricks.”

Giles squeezed harder and Ethan began to choke and cough. “Where is the scythe?” Giles demanded. A funny noise began to creep out from Ethan; it took a moment for Buffy to realize it was laughter.

“I sold it, to a nice demon friend of mine. It should be in a delightful hell dimension about three realms over.” Giles threw him across the room into the glass doors.

He lay on the floor not far from Buffy and Spike. Giles walked out and looked down at him. He was so focused on Ethan he didn’t appear to notice Buffy or Spike. Giles kicked the other man squarely in the crotch and watched impassively as he curled up. Behind her, Buffy almost heard Spike cringe in sympathy. She knew he was thinking that Giles wouldn’t mind doing that to him.

“You once again endangered my Slayer, Ethan.” Giles said. “Do you know how angry that makes me?”

“Attached to the girl, are you?” Ethan said through his pain. Giles slammed down his foot on Ethan’s knee. The other man howled in pain.

“You endangered my Slayer.” Giles said again, louder. “I never thought you were that stupid.” Giles all but growled.

Giles leaned down and pulled his head up by the man’s hair. “When you attacked Buffy, it was the same as if you attacked my family. Buffy is like a daughter to me.” He shoved Ethan’s head into the floor and watched it bounce off the tile, before he grabbed his hair and roughly pulled his head up again.

“But you knew that didn’t you Ethan. You knew that out of everything on this planet, hurting Buffy would be the most sure fire way to hurt me.” Again Ethan’s head bounced off the floor. “That girl is everything to me, I would do anything to protect her.” He pulled Ethan up one last time and stared deeply into his eyes. “I know you won’t let this go, you will continue to trouble her as long as you live. You want to punish me for turning my back on our former life.” Giles stood up.

“What are you going to do, Ripper?” Ethan whispered, but Buffy and Spike could still hear him.

Giles calmly pulled a pistol out of his pocket. “I’m going to ensure you never hurt her again. She is going to have a hard enough time, I won’t let my past endanger her more.”

“You won’t kill me.” Ethan said.

Three shots were fired, Ethan’s body jerked and then was still.

“Giles!” Buffy gasped, and ran out from behind the corner.

Giles looked up at her. “How long were there?” He demanded from her.

Buffy couldn’t speak, tears filled her eyes as she looked from the now dead man on the floor to her Watcher, to Spike and then back to her Watcher.

“I love you.” Buffy told Giles.

He gave her a weak smile. “And I love you my dear girl.” His voice was filled with pride. He walked forward and gave her a hug, all the while eyeing up Spike behind her.

For the first time Spike found himself nervous about the Watcher. He recognized the look in his eyes when he killed the warlock. Giles had killed before and he would do it again if he felt his reasons were just and he wouldn’t hesitate to do it.

Giles let go of Buffy and she turned to Spike. “What about you? Are you ready to get out of here?”

“More than.” Spike said.

“I would think it best if the two of you stayed at the hotel with rest of us for now.” Giles said. “There are more than enough rooms that you can get one far from anyone else within hearing range and I don’t think we should be separated right now.”

Buffy looked at Spike in question. He shrugged; he really didn’t care where they stayed. Besides, a hotel room wasn’t much bigger than his apartment.

“Ok, Giles.” Buffy agreed. Giles turned and fixed Spike with the same cold emotionless stare he had on his face when he faced off with Ethan. Spike began to wonder where he got the nickname ‘Ripper’.


”Besides Spike is going to probably need that time to convince me he’s good enough for you.” Giles said, with a tight smile.

Buffy walked over and laced her fingers with Spike’s. “He makes me happy and I love him.” Buffy told Giles. He looked at her with a fond smile, before turning back to Spike.

“If you ever hurt her, I will make you scream in pain for years to come.” He told the vampire, there was no doubting the sincerity of his words when witnessing the fire in the older man’s eyes.

While Spike now understood the Watcher was much darker than he ever gave him credit for, he didn’t flinch under the scrutiny.

“If I ever hurt her, I hope you do worse than that.” He simply said. His answer seemed to please Giles because the cold look left his eyes.

“Uh, guys…” Buffy pulled on Spike’s sleeve, but he was focused on Giles.

“At least you are British.” Giles said as he took off his glasses and began cleaning them.

“That’s right mate. I understand what football actually is.”

“GUYS!!” The alarm in Buffy’s voice finally ended their pissing contest and they turned to her.

“Look.” She said pointing to where Ethan lay.

Except now there wasn’t a body, there was just a stack of papers on the ground where he had been. Three bullets were imbedded in the floor around the papers.

The three inched forward and saw the top paper said in clear writing ‘Ripper - Someday you will thank me.’

Giles picked up the stack and looked through them. “Oh bloody hell.” He said tiredly.

“What is it?” Buffy asked peering over his arm at the papers.

“It appears to be a prophecy.” Giles answered her.


Chapter 16: The Pyramid

Later that evening Buffy and Spike were safely moved into the hotel with the rest of the Scoobies. Most of Angel’s team, with the exception of Angel himself, were gathered in the hotel lobby. Angel was staying by Nina’s side at the hospital until she woke up. Although most everyone suspected he was actually just trying to avoid Buffy and Spike.

It was a wasted effort on his part; however, since the two of them had ensconced themselves in their new suite of rooms to ‘get cleaned up’ before they started the meeting regarding the new prophecy Ethan left for them.

Instead of the somber atmosphere that was expected there was a celebratory feeling in the lobby as the Scoobies mingled with Angel’s team.

Wesley and Giles poured over the prophecy together, arguing over different meanings for some of the words and phrases. Illyria and Dawn sat close by studying each other, while Xander and Gunn traded war stories about their different adventures as the token ‘normal’ humans. Off in a corner Willow sat sipping a strong cup of coffee while Lorne watched over her sympathetically.

“Now what have we learned from this?” He asked her.

“Black magic bad. Pain pills bad. Werewolves bad.” Willow groaned. “Being awake bad.”

“There, there honey. It will get better. You should even be able to think in complete sentences in a day or two.” Willow groaned again and slumped farther down into the sofa she was sitting on.

“Why does she not use her power to heal herself?” Illyria asked Dawn.

Dawn looked over at Willow thoughtfully. “She had a problem with magic before.” Dawn spoke softly so Willow wouldn’t overhear their conversation. “She became addicted to dark magic and almost ended the world. She careful now about how she uses her powers.”

“That is your species biggest weakness, you preoccupation with good and evil.” Illyria said derisively.

“And some would argue that is our greatest strength.” Wesley said without looking up from the aged sheet of parchment he was studying. “I believe this reads that the top of the pyramid is a pair of creatures representing power and wisdom.” He continued without pause speaking to Giles now.

“That would make sense. This speaks of a scholar who was cast out for his controversial beliefs.” Giles paused for a moment skimming farther down the document. “And a collapsed…no, that’s not right. A fallen, that’s it. A fallen God inhabiting a human form.” Giles looked up abruptly his eyes widened comically. “Good Lord!” He exclaimed.

“Hmmm.” Wesley asked. He had only been halfway listening to Giles the main focus of his attention on his pages of the prophecy.

“This is about you!” Giles said loudly.

Conversation around them stopped at his words.

“What?” Wesley raised his head in disbelief. “Where did you get that notion?”

Giles looked directly at Illyria and recited. “A fallen God inhabiting a human form.”

“Wesley rolled his eyes. “That hardly offers concrete proof the prophecy is referring to me.” He scoffed.

Giles shook his head and began skimming down the page for more proof to support his theory.

“So what, G-man? You think Wesley is some sort of avatar of wisdom?”

“What is this pyramid anyway? Its obviously not a structure.” Dawn asked.

“It’s three pairs of individuals.” Giles answered distractedly, still reading through the pages he had.

“What are they supposed to do?” She asked.

Willow stood up and walked over to the other slowly, Lorne followed behind her in case she got dizzy. “Yeah, Giles, are we talking apocalypticy type bad guys or are they helper type good guys?”

Gunn made a sour face and looked at Willow. “Apocalypticy? And they say brothers speak bad English.”

Willow glared at him. “Hey, I’m still recovering from a severe overdose of pain medication here. You’re lucky I can even think of words that have more than one syllable.”

“We haven’t gotten that far yet.” Giles answered Willow’s question. “The first couple of pages primarily discuss the components of the pyramid, not what its function will be.”

“If it came from Ethan Rayne I bet I can guess whether or not its good or evil.” Xander said.

“But if English is part of it, it can’t be that evil.” Gunn said.

“Yeah, I mean Wesley isn’t exactly the diabolical type.” Lorne chimed in. “At least he normally isn’t.” He added weakly, remembering the incident when Wesley took Conner from Angel.

“It isn’t about me!!” Wesley said exasperated.

“I suppose it would depend on the influence of the fallen deity.” Giles said at the same time eyeing Illyria warily.

Illyria glared back at him. “If you believe you are being smart with your comments, you are not. I am well aware of your distaste for me, Watcher. I can feel it pouring out of you, like the buckets of sweat you perspire.”

“Really?” Giles said slowly, not fazed by her venomous nature. “Since you know what I am suggesting, do you have any opinions on my theory?”

Illyria didn’t answer him. Finally Wesley looked up from the papers he had been studying while trying to ignore Giles. “Illyria?” He asked her.


Upstairs Spike was unpacking his few possessions, mainly the TV and game console while Buffy explored their new suite of rooms, specifically chosen for their distance from everyone else.

“Gotta admit, I like this old place.” Spike was saying. “A good deal better than that office building. It doesn’t feel all evil anyways.” He finished setting up the TV and turned around when Buffy didn’t answer.

A slow grin of appreciation crept across his face at the sight before him.

Buffy was naked with her back towards him folding her clothes. “I need a shower.” She said without turning around.

He started to cross the room towards her, but she stopped him. “Don’t even think about it.” She said. “I’m still mad at you.”

Spike could hear the anger in her tone and feel the resolve inside of her. He opened his mouth to make an angry retort, probably going to say something that would ensure he didn’t have sex again in this century, but just then she turned around and anything he was about to say got lost in the sight of her naked beauty before him.

She raised a cocky eyebrow at him and watched him swallow what he was going to say. She sauntered over to him until she was a breath away. The smell of her, the sight of her and feeling of warmth at came from her body had Spike’s mouth practically watering.

“So…” She reached her hand out and lightly brushed it down his chest and over the now prominent bulge in his jeans, pulling it back before the warmth of her hand had time to penetrate the denim. “What are you going to do to make it up to me?”

She expected him growl and throw her across the bed. Either that or pick her up, put her over his shoulder and carry her off to the bathroom.

She never expected him to drop to his knees immediately. Her eyes were wide with shock when she met his and saw the serious emotion in them.

“Buffy Anne Summers, you are the only creature I want to be with for the rest of my existence. If the soddin’ Powers try to separate us by making me human, I will go right out and get turned again.” His eyes flashed gold. “Nothing will ever come between us again.” He swore.

Buffy’s heart swelled with warmth and love. In all honesty she hand only been teasing him when she told him she was still mad at him, but the fears and doubts were still alive inside of her.

Now she knew and she believed without a doubt they really were going to make it work. The strength, love and determination shouting out at her from his gaze, drowned out any of the lingering fears.

“Spike…” She whispered, reaching out to stroke his hair.

He leaned forward into her and ran his tongue through the lips of her sex.

“Spike.” She hissed through her teeth. Her hand tightened its hold on his scalp as he began to eat her like a man starved.

She lost all coherent speech when he moved his mouth upwards and began to suck on her clit in a rhythmic pattern. He brought an arm up and wrapped it around her thighs, grabbing onto the globes of her ass. With his other hand he lifted her leg over his shoulder. Once she was more open to him he began to plunder he warm depths with three fingers.

A whimpering keening began to escape her as she pressed her sex closer to him. Still lost in the blue of his eyes, she swore she could physically feel his gaze as it swept over her naked torso pushing her closer to her release.

“Please, baby.” She whimpered.

He sucked down hard on her clit pushing her over the edge, but before she fell completely he removed his mouth, replacing it with his thumb, rubbing over the distended nub frantically. His face rippled as he bit into the soft flesh of her upper thigh.

“SSSPIIIIKE!!!” She screamed out his name as her orgasm jumped to a previously unknown peak. With a proud grin he let her slowly fall to the floor in his arms, certain that no one inside the hotel’s walls could have missed her piercing scream.


Angel sat next to Nina’s bed holding her hand and talking to her quietly.

“Please come back to me. I’ll make all the bad go away.” He stroked her hair lightly.

Her eyelids began to flicker, as she floated towards consciousness. “That’s it Nina, come back to me, please.” Angel said excitedly.

“Angel?” Her voice came weakly; her eyes continued to flutter open and closed as she tried to adjust them to the light.

“I’m here, Nina.” Angel said urgently, gripping her hand tighter.

“Angel, what happened?” Her eyes finally managed to stay open, but they were only open a slit. Distress and confusion filled her voice.

“Shhh. Its ok.” Angel tried to soothe her. “We were attacked.”

Her eyes drifted shut again and for a moment he thought she had fallen back under, but then she spoke. “In your apartment.” She opened her eyes back up. “But what happened then?”

“You were in a coma. The doctors didn’t know if you were going to wake up or not.”

Nina closed her eyes tight and scrunched her face up as if she were experiencing a bad headache. “I remember bits and pieces, its like a dream. There was a woman…” She paused trying to remember. “She had bright hair and black eyes, she stood over me chanting.”

“That was Willow. I asked her to call out your wolf side, hoping that you would heal faster and wake up.”

Tears formed in Nina’s eyes. “Oh my god!” She cried, her voice suddenly much stronger with her anguish. “I attacked her.”

“She’s all right. You didn’t hurt her. You didn’t hurt anyone.”

“How do you know that? Were you with me the whole time?” Nina asked angrily.

“No. You got away.”

Nina let out a harsh bitter laugh. They sat in silence for few more minutes. “I didn’t hurt anyone.” She remembered. “But there was something out there, something that hurt me again.”

“They’re all gone, too. You’re safe now.” Angel assured her. “In a few days, maybe sooner, you’ll be as good as new.” He smiled warmly at the woman before him. She was going to be his salvation now that Buffy had chosen Spike over him. Nina was much better suited towards him, anyway. Where Buffy was still a child in many ways, immature and demanding. Much more like Spike than he first realized actually, Nina was an adult, a stable presence in his life. She would stand by him and understand him when the others did not.

Nina saw the look in his eyes and quickly pulled her hand back from him and turned away.

Angel looked at her in surprise. “What’s wrong?” He asked her.

“Angel, I can’t do this.” She told him, refusing to meet his gaze.

“Can’t do what?” He asked warily.

“I don’t think I can be with you anymore.” She said quietly.

“What? Why not?” Angel demanded.

“I know that I won’t ever be normal, but if I stay with you, its always going to be something. I don’t need normalcy, but I do need some kind of stability.” She finally looked him square in the eyes. “That’s something you can’t give me.”


While Wesley looked at Illyria expectantly the tension in the room was suddenly broken by Buffy’s voice echoing down from above.

“SSSPIIIKE!!!”

Giles pulled his glasses off, his face red with anger and embarrassment.

Dawn grinned. “That’s my sister.” She said proudly. Willow joined her in her mirth.

“Who thought it was a good idea for them to move in here?” Xander asked still cringing.

“I believe Rupert encouraged them to stay here.” Wesley said smugly.

“How was I to bloody well know that she…er… that he...er…that is to say…er…” Giles really didn’t know where to take this.

“Buffy could scream like a banshee when she was receiving orgasms?” Dawn finally filled in for him.

Everyone in the room stared at her in shock.

“Well, what did you guys think would happen when you let Anya watch me all those times?” She asked.


Back upstairs Spike pulled Buffy back into a standing position.

“Now, I believe you were saying something about a shower?”

Buffy nodded dumbly. “Clean good.”

He chuckled low and she shivered at the sound, her eyes fixed on her bit mark on his neck. She wasn’t even aware that her face changed and she was licking her lips.

“See something you want Slayer?” His voice was husky with desire at the thought of her feeding from him, her fangs buried in his neck.

She looked up into his eyes, her eyes glowing brightly. She let her fingers tease his jaw line and his eyes closed under he gentle caress. That’s when she struck, her fangs unerringly hitting their mark. He moaned in pleasure at the attack.

She wrapped on leg tightly around his waist and rubbed her dripping center up and down the length of his zipper. She could feel his cool essence running through her veins coursing through her body with every beat of her heart.

She pulled her fangs out and leaned back, licking all traces of his blood from her lips.

“I’ll go start the water.” Buffy said as she let go of him. She gave him a toothy grin. “You should definitely be more naked for what’s coming up next.”

Spike watched as she giggled and darted out of the room. He wasted no time in stripping down and chasing her into the bathroom that was now rapidly filling with steam.


On and on they argued loudly downstairs, although the volume was partly to drown out the cries coming from Buffy and Spike upstairs, until Giles finally found the proof he was looking for the prophecy was about Wesley and Illyria.

“AH-HA!!! Here it is!” He cried triumphantly. “Right here in black and white, or yellowed parchment and brownish ink as the case may be.”

“What is it now?” Wesley asked exhaustedly.

“It says right here ‘an Old One returned to this plane after time spent in the deep well, joined with a cast out scholar.’ Could that be anymore clear man?” Giles snapped, slapping the papers down in front of Wesley and turning to face Illyria. “Now suppose you come clean and tell us what you know about this.” He said.

“Fine, but I didn’t believe it myself.” She said defensively. “The whole concept is preposterous.”

“Illyria,” Wesley said warningly. “Tell me what you know about this.”

“There was a prophecy during my time about one of us fighting for the humans, saving them from the destruction they deserve.”

”Why didn’t you tell me about this before?” Wesley stood up angry. “How could you keep something like this from me?”

”You over estimate your importance to me, human.” Illyria said angrily. “The slight emotions this shell retains does not bind me in any way to you.”

“I’m not asking you bind yourself to me, but a little courtesy would be nice. You know, just a little bit of notice that I might play a major part in having to save the world.” He finished sarcastically.

“I TOLD you I didn’t believe it myself.” Illyria all but growled at him. “Why would I lower myself to help your species survive? The sooner you all die out the sooner, I can take back the power you stole from me.”

”If I hadn’t taken your powers from you, you would be gone now and so would the rest of us.”

”Um, not me.” Xander interjected, trying to make the atmosphere a bit lighter with his joking. “I was on a different continently entirely.”

”Oh would you shut up!!”

”Silence.”

Wesley and Illyria yelled at the same time.

Giles sat through their arguing reading farther into the papers, once his point was proved he didn’t care about their personal problems. “I believe that one of the other pairs could be Buffy and Spike.” He shouted out to everyone. “It talks about the Warrior for Good bound to the Vampire with a soul.” Illyria and Wesley both turned to him, interested in what else the prophecy says. “They are to be your guardians.” Giles paused. “No, wait, maybe its Angel.”

Giles read down farther. “Oh dear lord.”

“That doesn’t sound good.” Gunn said.

“It usually isn’t.” Willow agreed.

“I believe we may have a problem.” Giles said.

“Enough with the understatement, G-man. What’s the situation?”

“There are two equal pairs of Warriors who protect the head of the pyramid.” Giles said.

“Which is Wesley and Illyria.” Dawn filled in.

“The only differences between them are that they are complements.” Giles continued. “Contrasting complements.”

“What does that mean?” Lorne asked.

“It means they are like opposites, but make up a whole.” Willow explained.

“So if one is good the other is evil.” Gunn said.

“Right and if the other pair is equal to Buffy and Spike…” Giles said.

“Angel and Faith!” Xander said. Willow looked at him in surprise. “You aren’t the only smart one.”

“And if Buffy and Spike are good that means….”


Angel walked the halls of Wolfram and Hart, lost in his misery. How could Nina have broken up with him? After all the trouble he went through to save her and she just dumps him as soon as she wakes up?

Now Buffy was probably off at the hotel boning Spike into the floor and he was left alone. Why couldn’t he find someone to love who would stay with him and accept him for who he was? So he had a little brooding problem. That only added character.

Not paying attention to where he was going he turned a corner and walked right into Andrew, knocking the younger man to the ground.

“Sorry Andrew, I didn’t notice you.” He held out a hand to help him up.

“Oh! That’s ok, Angel. Its your building, right? You can do whatever you want in it.” Andrew stopped and thought about what he said. “Although, I’d prefer if you didn’t want to knock me around anymore.”

Angel rolled his eyes. “Why are you still here? I though you’d be with everyone else at the hotel.”

“I’m headed over there soon. I just had to check in on Faith first and see if there was any change in her condition, then I had to call and check in back in London and Giles said there was no point in running up our phone bill when evil could pay for it. I mean it wasn’t like it was top secret stuff I had to call on, I just needed to make sure they got the delivery of food for the cafeteria and stuff like that.”

“Wait a minute. Slow down Andrew.” Angel snapped his fingers in Andrew’s face to get him to stop rambling. “Go back to that first part again.”

“What?” Andrew asked trying to remember what he said first. “The heading over there soon?”

“No.” Angel said with forced patience. “The part about Faith.”

“I had to check in and see if there was any change in her condition.”

“Faith is in the city?” Angel asked.

”Yeah, Giles had her sent over when Buffy was healed, I guess he was hoping Spike could fix Faith too.”

”I want to see her.” Angel said.

“Um, I don’t know if I can do that. Mr. Giles said…”

Angel grabbed Andrew by his shoulders. “Andrew, I’ve had a very, very bad week. You don’t want to make it worse, do you?” Andrew shook his head no nervously, he opened his mouth to speak, but Angel spoke before he had the chance. “Now I suggest you take me to see Faith, Andrew. NOW!!”

Andrew nodded his head, in defeat.

“Good boy.” Angel smiled, put his arm around Andrew and lead him towards the elevators that went to the garage.

Spike wasn’t going to be the only one to find his mate.