Chapter 15

Keeping her eyes glued to the beeping machine that was tracking Spike, Buffy ran blindly, hoping that she’d get to him before the Initiative.

“Just keep on running, baby,” she panted. “God, I hope I’m reading this thing right.”

Reaching a dead end, she closed her eyes and tried to sense any nearby vampires. “Let me find you,” she whispered, hoping that somehow he could hear her. “Please...”

Feeling a pull to the left, Buffy followed her instincts and pushed herself to move faster.
***

Spike’s energy was running low but he continued to go in circles, shifting from above ground to underground. “Good thing I don’t need to breathe,” he grumbled, scratching dried blood from his forehead. He grimaced and cursed, finding it harder to move his injured arm. Pausing to glance at his shoulder, he picked up the sound of something coming in his direction. “Will they ever let up?”
***

Buffy hid in the bushes once she saw a small group of soldiers ahead. She instantly recognized Forrest and Graham, two of Riley’s campus roommates. “Spike must be close,” she decided. “Those bastards are totally playing with him.” Buffy felt like growling as the men laughed and taunted Spike even though he was nowhere to be seen.

“We know you’re here Hostile 17! Stop hiding and show yourself!”

“Yeah, you filthy parasite, come out! If not, we’ll chase you all night long!”

“Not if I can help it.” Armed with her innate Slayer powers and few weapons, Buffy charged, prepared to save and protect her boyfriend at any cost.
***

“Oh! Hey, guys! Have you seen Riley?”

“We’re busy,” Forrest said, looking through Buffy and keeping his eyes to the trees. “He’s not moving.”

“Who’s not moving?”

“We don’t have time to talk right now.”

“Well, if you won’t tell me if Riley’s around, maybe you boys could help me. You see, I was chasing this three-eyed monster and...I kinda lost it. It’s really dangerous but if you’re too busy...”She shrugged and turned her back.

“We’ve already got the hostile tagged,” one of the men whispered. “We can get him in daylight. Then he won’t have anywhere to hide. He’ll be caught and captured or found extra crispy.”

“Hey, wait!”

“Yes? Are you going to help me? Thank God, because the thing seems really nasty—really, really nasty. I know there’s no way I could take it all by my lonesome,” Buffy said, playing innocent. “I hope it didn’t get too far away though.”

“Which direction was it heading?”

“East. Definitely east and fast.” Once the commandos got on their walkie-talkies and started heading away, Buffy ran after them. “Don’t you need my help?”

“Ah, no. Why don’t you continue to look for Agent Finn? Let the professionals take care of this.”

“Oh, okay. If you say so...”
***

“Spike? Where are you? They’re gone now.” Buffy picked up the tracking device from where she had tossed it while talking to the soldiers. “Just stay where you are and I’ll get you,” she said, seeing that the red flashing light still wasn’t moving on the screen.

Walking slowly, she silently prayed that he was all right and that he was at a standstill by choice. Oh God, she thought, he could be so hurt that he can’t run anymore...

“Oh,” Buffy gasped, seeing a flash of blonde and leather crumpled into a tight ball. “Spike!” She was on the ground instantly, wrapping her arms around him.

“Watch the shoulder.”

“Sorry, sorry. Are you okay?” She struggled to see his face and winced, “I’m going to make them pay so much. We need to hide. I’ve got them diverted but I’m not sure how long it’ll last. Can you stand?”

“Probably, but not well,” he admitted quietly.

“Let me help you.” Holding him gently, she guided him to his feet and propped his weight against her. “You were shot in the shoulder?”

“After I crashed the car. There must be something—a poison of some sort—on the bullet because I can’t move my arm anymore.”

Buffy tightened her hold on him. “It isn’t a bullet. It’s a tag and it makes you show up on that.” She pointed at the machine that was discarded on the ground. “As for poison, Riley never mentioned--.”

“Buffy...”

“Spike!” Buffy whimpered as he passed out in her arms.
***

“Thank you guys, so much. Let me...” Buffy hurried to open the heavy door to the crypt for Xander and Giles as they carried an unconscious Spike. “Hope there are some lights that work. Spike’s been working on...oh my God...” Tears prickled in her eyes upon seeing the furniture and appliances that filled the tomb. “Um, put him on the couch.”

“Looks like bleach boy’s been busy,” Xander said. “This place looks...nice.”

“Yeah,” Buffy said with a discreet sniffle. “I can’t believe he finished it so quickly.”

“Ah,” Giles cleared his throat, “Would you like to take off his jacket and shirt?”

Sitting close to where Spike was sprawled out on his stomach, Buffy undressed him with careful, loving hands. “You’ll be fine,” she whispered, pressing her lips against the back of his neck. “I promise, Spike. Giles will help you.”

“I’ll try my best. I owe him,” Giles said with a reassuring grin.

“Thank you.”

“And I’ll help too. Just,” Xander looked down, “ah, just because I have nothing better to do and I’m pretty sure Anya would hate me if I didn’t...”

They exchanged glances until Giles cleared his throat again. “I think I’d better start operating. Xander, will you hold the flashlight?”
***

“Scalpel.”

“Scalpel.” Buffy lifted up the instrument as she ran her fingers through Spike’s hair.

“I can see it. It’s...blinking,” Giles wrinkled his nose and looked closer.

“Blinking?”

“Yeah, Buff. It’s a red flashing light.”

“Ew. Get it out.”

“I’m working on that. It’s deeply embedded.”

“Spike said he thought there was something like poison on it. Is that possible?”

“I’m sure anything’s possible. The device could’ve been coated with a toxin. It does make sense for the Initiative to want their prey to be weakened for capture... Oh, I’ve got it!” Using long tweezers, Giles held up the tag and smiled proudly. “Xander, can you run and flush the bugger?”

“Wait! Shouldn’t we keep it and examine it?”

“Buffy,” Giles took of his plastic gloves and motioned Xander to go, “we don’t need the commandos coming for us, especially since Riley is still tied up in my living room. If we need information, we’ll get it from our captive.”

“Okay, watch Spike and I’ll beat the shit out of Riley--.”

“No, Spike needs you. We’ll handle Riley. Make sure Spike rests. Dress his wound, feed him and see if you can get him to come to. If there is a poison, you won’t see us again until we have some sort of cure.” He stood and walked to the door, “I will call. Meanwhile, take care of him. I know he couldn’t be in better hands. I feel foolish...what is between you both is not a spell...no, it’s nothing more than love.”

Buffy blinked, watching Giles leave the crypt.
***

“You can wake up when you want to,” Buffy sighed and kissed his cheek. She had bandaged Spike’s shoulder and tried to force him into drinking blood but he didn’t respond to her efforts. Pulling a blanket around them, Buffy snuggled closer to his body as they lay on the couch.

“No rush though, baby. You can sleep.” Putting her hand against his bare chest, Buffy wished his body would reveal how he was feeling. An uneven heartbeat or irregular body temperature would at least give her a hint as to his condition, but his heart was silent and his body stayed it usual room temperature. “God, it would be so nice to think that you were just sleeping...”

Taking his face between her hands, she kissed his mouth, paying special attention to each lip. “But you’ve got to wake up soon because tomorrow’s my birthday. You can’t be comatose. I won’t let you.” She took his arm and draped it over her waist. “You promised that I’d have a good day. You promised. Please, Spike...”

“Don’t cry.”

Buffy’s head shot up, afraid to believe her ears. “Spike?”

“I’m not worth your blubbering.”

“Spike...” Buffy squeezed him tightly and cried harder as he responded to her kisses. “I-I...was so afraid.”

“I’m still here. Most of me, anyway. I’d try to wipe your tears away but my entire left side’s numb.”

“Oh, oh Spike,” she sobbed, burying her face in his neck.

“Hush, kitten. Buffy, don’t cry.”

“I thought I’d lost you.”

“You didn’t.”

“How are you feeling?”

“Ghastly would be an understatement.”

“Do you need something? I’ll get you anything. I’ll warm you some blood.” Buffy tried to get up from the couch and Spike growled in protest. “Or maybe I won’t.”

“Don’t leave me, Slayer. Stay put. That fucking pig shit won’t do a bit of a difference.”

“But--.”

“No.” Once Buffy had her arms around him again, he relaxed. “Something’s not right, Buffy. I’ve been in auto crashes before and I’ve never felt like this. I’ve been shot too. I’ve only passed out one other time and I woke up in a sodding wheelchair.”

“Giles is getting info from Riley--.”

“And why would he volunteer anything to help me?”

“Who said he was volunteering? I tied him up after threatening to cut his throat.

“That’s my girl. It’s about time.”

“I did it for you.”

“You’d do just about anything for me, wouldn’t you?”

Buffy frowned at the sudden change in his voice. “Anything. What are you getting at?”

“Whatever’s happening to me, it has one sure cure. You know that, don’t you?”

“You...you want to bite me.” She searched his face and noticed a hint of shame in his eyes.

“Forget it.”

“Do you think you could?”

“Don’t know. It’s not like I want to hurt you but I shouldn’t have brought it up. Sorry.”

“You’re positive it would help you? I don’t want you to get a headache...but if it went well... Okay.”

“What to you mean okay?” He gave her a doubtful look and swallowed as Buffy moved her hair, exposing her neck. “You can’t be serious. Why aren’t you bashing my head in?”

“I’m very serious, but if you get a shock and pass out again, I’ll be very upset. I want you to feel better—hell, I just want you to have feeling in all your limbs. The numbness is spreading, isn’t it? I know you won’t take too much. I trust you.” Spike opened his mouth to speak but she continued to talk. “I’ll do this for you. You must’ve known I would or you won’t have asked me.” Buffy kissed him slowly and looked him in the eye, “Bite me, Spike. I know you want to.”
***

Buffy closed her eyes and waited for the pinch. Shivers traveled down her body and she clutched Spike’s hand as his lips brushed against her neck. “Spike,” she moaned, her impatience growing.

“I’m trying to convince the chip that I mean no harm. Don’t be nervous, pet. I won’t let it hurt.”

Swallowing, she couldn’t help but feel turned on as he licked her with the tip of his tongue. “Spike...” Opening an eye, she saw as he shifted into vamp face.

“Thank you,” he said faintly before puncturing her skin.
***

“Buffy, I hate to bother you.”

“Giles, it’s fine.” Tucking her hair behind her ears, she looked in the refrigerator as she spoke on the cell phone. “What’d you learn?”

“Well, Riley is exceptionally stubborn.”

“Need me to rough him up?”

“No, no, I let Anya and Xander to the, ah, roughing. They interrogated him.”

“I hate that I missed that,” Buffy said with a laugh.

“It was quite a...performance. We learned that the tag was dipped in a contaminant that causes the body to breakdown. I’m still researching, but I believe that Spike could become completely immobile within a few hours. His muscles will, ah, freeze up in a sense. And Riley was rather smug about this—the cure is sickly ironic. Buffy, he must consume human blood and Riley is insistent that he must bite his victim. And since Spike cannot bite, I fear that his situation may be unpromising. Unless we find a spell...”

“Giles, you can stop researching.”

“No. I’ve got the others here and we’ll work around the clock--.”

“Giles, stop. Close your book and take a nap. Spike’s getting better as we speak.”

“W-what?”

“Um, the chip doesn’t go off every time he bites. Spike and I kinda tested out a theory and all’s quiet on the poison-y front.”

“He bit you?”

“And he was a perfect gentleman, so don’t get all over-protective on me. Speaking of my perfect gentleman, I think he’s getting up. I’ve got to run and tend to the sexy wounds.”

“I-I’m glad that everything seems to be...in order.”

“Pretty much, but we’re going to lay low for the next few days.”

“What about Riley? The Initiative will surely start a search party...”

“Mmmm, let me get back to you on that because if we let him go or not, either way things could get messy. Just keep on milking him for info and I’ll be by tomorrow. I’d say first thing, but there’s no way I’m getting up early on my birthday.”
***

“Feeling better? You look better—less, um, dead—you were white as a sheet before and I mean literally.”

“What did Giles want?” Spike sat up on the couch and unhurriedly swung his legs to the front. He stretched his limbs and motioned for Buffy to come to him. “Catch me if my body decides to make me fall on my ass.”

“Like you have to tell me to do that, Spike,” she snorted. Once he stood, they were nose to nose and Buffy’s heart involuntarily sped up.

“You alright, pet?”

She felt like groaning, their bodies were close but not touching. His face had a few cuts and bruises that she had to force herself not to kiss. “Fine.”

“Why do I not buy that?” he teased, making his voice no louder than a whisper.

“God, don’t do that.” She closed her eyes, not wanting to see him roll his tongue suggestively and knowing that if she did, she’d be forced to attack him.

“Have you been downstairs yet?”

“No.”

“Let’s go then.”

“Can you get down the ladder?”

He brushed his lips against her cheek as he spoke, “You can toss me down if you’d like.”

“Weren’t you near dying a few hours ago? Now you seem so...normal.”

“It’s because of you and now I’d like to thank you properly.” He scooted her back and took her hand. “How do you like my decorating? I know you wanted to give it a woman’s touch so I left a lot of empty spots and just set up the essentials.”

“It’s wonderful, Spike.”

“Good. Ladies first.”
***

“I’ll admit that I had some help. Picked up some minions with experience in remodeling and construction.” Spike lifted his hands from Buffy’s eyes and waited for her response once they made it safely to the lower level. “Do you like it?”

Buffy grinned, taking in the bed, bookshelves and the area he’d made into a bathroom. “I’m moving in tomorrow, okay? I have no idea how you made all this out of a crypt but,” she spun, pulling him into an embrace, “I love it.”

“I’m still working on the air conditioning and heating; but, until then I have blankets to compensate for what I lack in the body heat department.”

“I love it,” she repeated before kissing him.

“Want to try out the bed?”

“You sure?”

“You’ll just have to be gentle with me, kitten. Think you can handle that?”
***

"Satin sheets...slippery."

"I like shirts nowadays." After Buffy freed Spike of his pants, he pulled her on top of him so she straddled his waist.

"Really?" she smirked as he pulled the strings of her halter, causing the fabric to hang loosely in front of her breasts.

"Absolutely.

"You can't get hurt anymore, Spike," Buffy said as she hiked up her skirt. “Since we’ve gotten together you’ve been stabbed, shot, and almost crushed in a car accident. That’s not even counting all the times you’ve been shocked by that damn chip.”

“Doesn’t seem that bad. Not when I’ve got you. You make me forget about all that.”

“I love you, Spike.” After he tossed her halter to the floor, she pushed their chests together and covered his mouth with hers. As their lip lock grew more passionate, a hand was between her thighs and moving her underwear aside. “So, uh, my blood, is it some kinda aphrodisiac? Maybe I should sell it. Blood o’ Buffy, get it while it’s hot: it’ll get you healed and horny.”

“I’d rather you kept such a delicacy just for the likes of me.”

“You’re greedy.” Once his erection was positioned at her opening, she sat back until he filled her to the hilt.

“I won’t deny that.”

“Will you want to bite me again?”

“Do you want me to?”

“Um,” she paused to kiss his chest, “maybe. It wasn’t bad…it made me feel—I don’t know—more connected to you. Not that I don’t think we aren’t, ah, nicely connected now. And I wouldn’t let you drain me all the time…just for special occasions.”

“Like Christmas and Earth Day?”

“Sure. I’ll get you a whole book of holidays, baby.”
***