Betad by Carol and dawnofme


Banner by dawnofme


Disclaimer: the characters do not belong to me - they are used purely for fun and not fiancial gain





Chapter Twenty-Three


Connections Made


After Spike had left, Dawn, Giles, Xander, Willow and Buffy ate their breakfast in silence; none of them knowing what to say. Buffy barely ate anything, then got up and walked round to where Spike had been chained. She couldn’t believe that he’d left. She could see why he’d want to - need to - get away from them all, but it still hurt like hell that she couldn’t help him. She knew Spike wasn’t always the most ‘sharey’ of people, but she’d hoped he’d lean on her when he needed to. Lord knows she’d leant on him enough in the past. She touched the chains; she’d never let him be held captive again, not by anyone, she vowed.


“Buffy.” A voice from behind her called.


She didn’t turn around, just kept staring at the chains.


“We really do need to talk,” said Giles, walking towards her.


“I know we do. I’m just not sure that now is the best time, Giles,” said Buffy quietly.


“I think it is, Buffy, if we leave it longer…”


She knew what he meant. The longer they left it, the less chance of making things right between them. The trouble was she didn’t know if she could make things right. She’d attacked him! He’d never been Spike’s biggest fan, nor Angel’s before him, but her emotions were totally screwed up at the moment. She couldn’t believe she’d got Spike back, and then he returned to the Initiative. She’d been terrified when she’d seen him on that table with Michael cutting into him. If she’d been a little later – God, it didn’t bear thinking about. She just couldn’t stand to listen to Giles talk about Spike as if he were the enemy; not after all he’d been through.


“Buffy,” said Giles gently, putting a hand on her arm. “Please, let’s sort this out.”


“Sort it out?” said Buffy bitterly. “Everything is so black and white to you isn’t it? Good – evil, right – wrong, nothing in between. Well, I live in a world made of shades of grey, Giles. Not everything conforms to your way of thinking. Not everything falls neatly into a category.”


“I never wanted Spike to leave,” said Giles, and he meant it. At least whilst Spike was here, they knew he hadn’t been tampered with again. He’d trust him even less when he next saw him.


“Really? Now that’s surprising considering all the crap he had to listen to from you, which was obviously designed to make him feel very welcome,” snapped Buffy.


“Buffy,” sighed Giles. “I just wanted to keep us all safe, Spike included. It would kill him if any harm came to you, especially if by his own hand. We deactivated the chip to prevent them from controlling him, but he’s still got a year’s worth of conditioning in there. Look how he reacted when we said three fourteen for the first time. What if we accidentally hit on another ‘trigger’?”


Buffy looked at him for the first time since he started talking; she could see the logic behind his words.


“I might not like Spike, Buffy, I doubt I ever will, but I do know that he exists for you. I believe him when he says he won’t harm us because that would hurt you; but I’m not convinced that he can put a year of torture and mind control behind him after a couple of days. I’ve handled it badly. I realise that. Knowing he’d drank your blood horrified me, but I do fear for Spike. His experiences have got to have left their mark on him, and that makes him dangerous to us all as well as himself.”


“Oh, Giles, I’m so sorry,” said Buffy. She’d felt something was bothering Spike yesterday. Was that why he’d left today?


“That’s alright, Buffy,” said Giles, putting his arms around her. “We’ll get through it. We always do.”


“I’ve got to find Spike. Something upset him yesterday when I told him what Graham had said. He just said it had been another bad dream, but I felt there was more to it and didn’t press him on it.”


She pulled Dawn’s cell phone out of her pocket.


“Buffy, leave it for a while before you phone him. It would be better for him to come back to you unprompted.”


“OK,” agreed Buffy, remembering Spike’s parting words to her; that it was something he had to do.


Ooooooo


They walked round to the others; three pairs of eyes anxiously watched their return.


“Everything OK?” asked Willow.


Buffy and Giles looked at each other.


“Yes, we’re good,” said Buffy. “I am worried about Spike though. I think Giles is right; that he’s still suffering the effects of the Initiative.”


“I’m sure he’ll be back soon, Buffy. I can’t see him being able to keep away from you for long,” comforted Willow.


“So what’s the plan?” asked Xander. “How do we stop Adam and Maggie Walsh?”


“Honestly?” asked Buffy. “I haven’t got a clue.” She sat down next to Dawn. “We can’t go in there because she must know from Adam and Michael that we were involved in Spike’s escape, but I’m not really liking the idea of sitting and waiting for her to make a move on us.”


“Why is she waiting at all? I expected her to come straight after us,” said Xander.


“Me too,” added Willow.


“Willow, can you see if you can find anything else in the Initiative’s computer files?” asked Giles.


“Yeah, will do. Beats doing nothing,” said Willow, reaching for her laptop.


“Can I help?” asked Dawn.


“Yes, Dawnie, let’s have a look.”


“Buff, do you want me to go get some more blood for Spike? May as well try to stockpile some for when things start to happen,” said Xander.


“Good idea, Xander, thanks,” replied Buffy.


“I’ll come with you and get some more supplies for us,” said Giles.


“OK,” said Xander. “We won’t be long.”


The pair left in Giles’ car.


Buffy wandered around restlessly after they’d gone until she could stand it no more. She picked up her coat and went out of the door.


“Going for a walk. I’ve got Dawn’s phone if you need me.”


She left quickly, not giving Willow or Dawn chance to react. She wandered along the streets pretty aimlessly, just needing to be out of the mansion. She hated this waiting around for something to happen. She wished it was dark. At least then she might be able to find a vampire or two to dust.


Oooooo


Xander dropped Giles off near his apartment; the older man wanted to get some books to help with the research. As Maggie Walsh had used a Lorac Bug, he wanted to check up to see if there were any other things that she might use on them. He was going to meet Xander near the Mall in an hour.


Giles unlocked the door to his apartment and walked inside. He hadn’t spotted anyone watching the place so he thought that it was safe. He was wrong. He was grabbed from behind as he reached for a book from his bookcase. He struggled but to no avail; his hands were pulled roughly behind his back and fastened with plastic ties pulled cruelly tight. He was dragged across the room and pushed down onto his couch. He got the first sight of his attacker – Adam. He couldn’t believe his eyes. The creature was huge and diabolical to look at; like the others had said, he really was Frankenstein’s monster come to life.


“Adam,” he said.


“Mother is very unhappy with you for taking my brother away,” said Adam. “She’s been waiting to speak with you since then, and she doesn’t like waiting.”


“No, I really don’t,” said Maggie, walking into view. “Mr. Giles, how are you?”


“Not as good as you apparently. We had thought that you were dead,” said Giles.


“So many people underestimate me, Rupert. May I call you Rupert?”


“No.”


“Well, Rupert, I hope you don’t let me down like Number Seventeen ultimately did. How is it by the way?”


“Don’t know. He isn’t with us anymore. He left.”


“Oh, that is truly a shame. You will keep me informed if he shows up again though, won’t you Rupert?”


“Go to hell,” snarled Giles.


“Adam, can you please hold him down? He may object to what I’m about to do just a little,” said Maggie with a smile. “Men are such babies.”



She took out a small box, opened it, and removed a strange device. It had a short hollow blade with a little plunger on the top of it. She opened another section of the box and took out a small white object, very similar to a small grain of rice. She looked at Giles.


“I take it you recognise what this is since you removed the one in Number Seventeen?”


“Yes, it’s a Lorac Bug. So are you going to link me to Adam like you did Spike? It failed because Spike managed to tell us what you did to him. Why do you think that I’ll be any different?”


Maggie laughed.


“Oh Rupert, you really are funny, aren’t you? Number Seventeen, sorry - Spike, is a vampire. Surely you know how much stronger a vampire is than a mere human? The demon part could fight it; you won’t stand a chance of resisting.”


She popped the dormant Lorac Bug into the device and brought it up to her neck, just behind her ear. She gasped as she drove the blade into the skin and depressed the plunger. She removed the device and a couple of seconds later groaned as the creature settled itself in position. She wiped the blade and put the second Lorac into the device and walked towards Giles.


“I’m not going to link you to Adam. You’ll be connected to me.”


“No!” cried Giles. “You can’t do this.” He wriggled frantically but could barely move, thanks to Adam’s grip on him.


“I think you’ll find I can do exactly as I please. I don’t think that deep down you’re so different from me, Rupert.”


“I’m nothing like you,” spat Giles.


She plunged the device into his neck implanting the Bug.


“Ow!” he cried as the blade sank into his neck. She withdrew it and a couple of seconds later, he gave out a bloodcurdling scream as the Lorac Bug settled into position.


“You may release him now, Adam, thank you. Cut his wrists free,” said Maggie. “How are you feeling, Rupert?” She stared at her latest recruit.


“Fine, thank you,” said Giles calmly.


“That’s good, because I don’t think you’ve done your homework properly Rupert; otherwise you would have known that a Lorac Bug in a human host will do just as good a job at controlling you as our microchips do the demons. We actually modelled the chip on the Lorac’s influence. Unlike your pet vampire, you will be totally obedient to anything I ask, whether in person or through our mind links. I had hoped Number Seventeen would have told us your location but his demon blocked his thoughts getting back to Adam. You will not tell anyone you are working for me, nor that you have seen me. You will tell me of any changes in your situation as soon as they happen. So what are your plans now?”


Giles looked at his watch.


“I’m expected to meet Xander at the Mall with supplies in twenty minutes,” he replied.


“What plans do you have regarding Adam and myself?”


“We have no plans as yet. We dare not enter the Initiative to attack you there, so we’re just waiting to see if you make a move at the moment.”


“Very wise,” said Maggie. “Now Rupert, I want you to shower and change your clothes before you meet Xander. If Number Seventeen returns to you, I don’t want him to be able to smell Adam on you.”



Giles got up and showered and changed quickly before selecting the volumes he wanted from the bookcase and leaving, carefully locking the door behind him.


Ooooooo


Buffy meandered along, trying to think of a strategy for closing down the Initiative and killing that bitch, Maggie Walsh. Buffy had never killed a human before, but there was no way she was going to live. Her thoughts turned inevitably to Spike. She’d felt that she’d let him down somehow. Why hadn’t he told her everything? Perhaps he didn’t love her as much as she thought he did? No! She shook her head; that was the one thing she had no reason to doubt. He loved her, but his life would have been so much easier if he hadn’t, of that she was certain. He’d loved her when she hadn’t been worthy of his love.


She stood still, suddenly having a feeling that Spike was in trouble. She wasn’t far from his crypt, so she started to run. She had to get to him. She saw the door hanging off its hinges.


“Oh, God. No!”


She dashed inside, but looking around the crypt, she realised if Spike had been here he hadn’t stayed for long - the place stank and was trashed. She pulled Dawn’s phone from her pocket and dialled her own number, praying that Spike would pick up.


The phone stopped ringing. It had been connected but he didn’t speak.


“Spike? Are you there? Spike?” she said into the phone.


“Trick. Just a trick.” She heard his faint reply.


“Spike? What’s a trick? Are you OK?”


“Too late. Always too late. Not smart enough. Let her die again.”


“What are you talking about? Spike, where are you?” she shouted into the receiver.


She heard him say something more but didn’t catch it. Then the line went dead. She stood, trying to think of his old haunts. Willy’s Alibi Room was one, but she didn’t think he was there as she hadn’t heard any noise in the background. Where else could he be?


“My house!”


She left the crypt and ran as fast as she could across town to Revello Drive. Once there, she approached cautiously, alert for any possible danger. She circled the building then when she got to the back door into the kitchen, she saw an old coat on the floor. It must be Spike. She pushed the door and it swung open, the latch broken. Resisting the urge to run in screaming his name, she slowly and as quietly as possible checked the basement. It was empty as were all the downstairs rooms. So she climbed the stairs, avoiding the creaky step third from the top, then stood and listened. She heard something; it came from her bedroom. She walked to the room, opened the door and found Spike.


“Buffy,” he said as soon as she was inside.


“Spike, I’m here. What’s happened? What’s wrong?”


“Buffy,” repeated Spike. “Got to find Buffy. Got to get her out.”


“What? I’m here,” said Buffy.


Spike was in the corner of the room. He was naked, a pink towel on the floor beside him. She realised that he wasn’t here in his mind. He was dreaming or something, even though his eyes were wide open. She was unsure what do. Should she try to wake him? Touch him? Would that make him worse? As she stood there trying to decide what to do, he struggled to his feet, well, foot. For some reason he didn’t use his right leg. He must have injured it. Keeping one hand on the wall to steady himself as he moved round to the opposite wall.


Ooooooo


Spike knew he had to help Buffy. He got to his feet and made his way to the front of the cell, steadying himself by keeping one hand on the wall. He needed to get out. He pummelled the glass as hard as he could. His left leg slipped; instinctively he tried to stand on his right but the broken leg was unable to bear weight. With a scream, he fell to the floor and lay there panting with pain.


Ooooooo


As Spike screamed and fell to the floor, Buffy ran to him.


“Spike!”


He didn’t acknowledge her at all; just resumed banging on the wall from his position sprawled on the floor. She grabbed his shoulders and shook him.


“Spike!”


Still, he didn’t connect to her presence. She was getting scared for him now; she had to get his attention. She looked at his right leg - wherever he was, that clearly hurt him, so she gripped it and squeezed it, hard. With a yell Spike turned to face her, his hands going to his leg. Buffy pushed them away and squeezed again.


“No! Please don’t,” begged Spike, gritting his teeth against the perceived pain.


“Look at me, then,” ordered Buffy.


He looked at her, eyes widening with recognition. He looked back at the wall, through the glass front of the cell he still thought he was in.


“How can you be here? I saw them take you through there.”


“I’m here, Spike, I haven’t been taken anywhere. You came to my house, remember?” said Buffy.


“No, you’re not real. You can’t be real,” said Spike, pushing himself backwards with his left leg.


“I am real,” insisted Buffy. “It’s everything else that isn’t. I don’t know where you think you are, but we’re in my bedroom in my house.”


“Got to save her,” said Spike, trying to get to his feet once more.


“Save who?”


“Buffy,” replied Spike, looking at her. “Save you.”


“I don’t need saving, Spike. I’m right here.”


She went to put pressure on his leg again but stopped as she saw him brace himself against the inevitable pain. That was only reinforcing the images he was experiencing, so she changed her mind and slapped his face instead, not holding back. Spike was half way to standing when she hit him and he fell heavily sideways to the floor with the force of the blow. He laid still; eyes closed.


“Oh, God! Spike!” cried Buffy in alarm.


Afraid that by trying to snap him out of it that she’d done the wrong thing, she knelt by him and stroked his face. There was a trickle of blood on his chin where she’d split his lip. She wiped it away with her fingers then bent to kiss the mark. Spike opened his eyes as he felt her lips on him. He pushed himself up until he was sitting, looking at her.


“Buffy,” he whispered.


He looked around the room, seeing it as it was - Buffy’s bedroom, not a cell.


“Oh, Christ, Buffy. I think I’m going insane,” he said quietly. “You’re all right? They haven’t hurt you?”


“I’m fine, Spike. No one’s touched me.”


She put her arms around him and pulled him close. He wrapped his around her, his left hand moving up her back and neck until it was being rubbed through her hair at the back of her head. His fingers searched for the shaved patch he’d seen in his ‘dream’ marking where the chip had been inserted. When he couldn’t find it, he sagged with relief.


“Oh, thank God,” he sighed and clung to her.


To be continued…