A/N:Thanks to slaymesoftly for the beta. Also, thank you for all the reviews.

Chapter 2: Buffy:MIA


Buffy didn’t know what had compelled her to take Spike’s hand a few minutes ago. Maybe part of her had reached out to him in that moment, wanting to accept the strength and protection he was offering. Or it was that he didn’t seem scared of her. Buffy didn’t exactly know but something inside her had just wanted to be sheltered from the pain and suffering she was dealing with after being resurrected.

Now, being in Spike’s lap had unnerved her; all the emotions that had greeted her when she first returned were back, and she was too weak to stop them. For the second time that night, Buffy gave in to the Slayer inside her, letting it deal with the feelings that she herself could not.

She began to move around on Spike’s lap, trying to get off. He wrapped one arm firmly around her waist to hold her in place, which only caused to anger her. She started to wiggle and kick, scratching at him as she tried to free herself; growls reverberated through her throat, her nails dug into his shoulder.

The growls and pain in his shoulder intensified with her increase in movement. He growled, hoping it would have the same success as before, but it fell on deaf ears.

Spike’s hand tightened its possessive grip on Buffy’s waist. It infuriated her. Doing the only thing left she could to free herself from his grasp, she punched him. Immediately, he released her and put a hand to his nose.

“Fuck!” Buffy jumped off the bike and took off at a sprint. Spike pulled his hand away to see blood covering it.

Stupid bitch. She always goes for the soddin’ nose!

“Buffy, stop!” Dawn yelled from behind him, her question bringing Spike back to the problem at hand.

“Her mates aren’t going to be happy ‘bout this,” he groaned.

“Crap. Now what are we gonna do?” Dawn asked with a hint of anger in her voice.

They were only a block away from the house and Spike figured going after Buffy right now, without backup, wouldn’t be the best idea. “I dunno, pet. I guess we’ll go back to the homestead and get the Scoobs together. See if we can suss out what to do ‘bout Wild Thing, ” he wiped at his nose, the bleeding had already stopped thanks to his vampire healing.

The blonde sighed. It was going to be a long night.

***

“You what?!” Xander yelled, throwing his hands up in an angry gesture.

“We didn’t mean to! She was different. She was mean, and… she wasn’t Buffy.” Dawn tried to explain to her friends what had happened. She didn’t know how Buffy had come back and frankly, she didn’t care. Her sister was alive and Dawn was no longer alone. Yes, Spike had taken care of her all summer, but it wasn’t the same as having Buffy there.

“What do you mean different?” Willow asked softly; hurt shining through her green eyes.

“She was feral. Growlin’, scratchin’, the like.” the vampire ran a frustrated hand through his hair.

“We didn’t mean to… I thought it didn’t work. Oh, God!” Willow sat down on the couch, her mouth was open in shock.

Spike turned to her, lifting his brows in understanding then pointing an accusing finger at the witch, “You did this, Red?! Without even tellin’ me? I worked beside you all summer. Took care of niblet and… oh, I get it. You knew she might come back wrong and that I wouldn’t let you get rid of whatver came back. Well, congrats, you created a monster and I still found out!” Spike was getting angrier by the second as everything unfolded before him. “You daft bint! She had to dig herself out of the bleeding coffin!”

Willow was shaking her head let the tears fall freely. In the midst of trying to save her best friend, she had ultimately betrayed her.

“If what Spike said is really true, Buffy is probably dangerous right now. I think our first priority should be to find her, before she hurts anyone else.” Tara spoke up from in the foyer.

“And how are we gonna do that?” Xander asked.

“Well, if she is as freaked as Spike says, than we could probably just follow the path of dead bodies.”

“Anya, not helping!”

“What! Just making a suggestion.”

“Everyone shut up! Buffy back and even though she’s a little…different, she’s still my sister. We have to find her.”

Tara walked over to Dawn and put a comforting arm around her, “We’ll find her Dawnie, don’t worry.”

“Look, I know her scent. Why don’t I see if I can track her?” Spike started heading out the door but Xander stopped him.

“What makes you think you’re even a part of this, Evil Undead? You’re the one who lost her in the first place. I think you’ve helped enough already,” Xander said sarcastically.

Spike rolled his eyes, “Look, I really don’t care what you lot think. You’re the wankers who brought her back in the first place, so don’t go blamin’ me for your royal screw up. I’m going to find the Slayer.” He slammed the door behind him and headed off into the night.

“What should we do? I can’t just sit here and do nothing.” Willow’s voice was small and worried.

Dawn, sick of feeling useless, started giving out instructions, embracing her sister’s previous role of group leader, “Xander, Anya, go check out the cemeteries.” Xander nodded and pulled Anya out the door with him. “Tara and Willow, do a locater spell.”

“Dawn, I’m so sorry. I never wanted it to happen like this.” Willow was filled with guilt over the whole situation, taking the blame for the majority of it.

“Willow, just go do the spell. Apologize later.” Dawn was filled with determination. She had lost her sister once already; she didn’t think she could handle it again.

“I’m going to call Giles.”

TBC.