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Hidden Agendas by angelic_amy
 
Impossible Probabilities.
 
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Chapter 10: Impossible Probabilities.


“That’s not possible!” Willow gasped in shock, turning to Giles for reassurance. “Right, I mean… he’s dead in the never coming back sense right?”

“This is troubling.” Giles said, pondering the information that Xander had gained from Willy.

Anya was currently fawning upon the young man in question; who had retrieved an ice pack from the freezer moments after Xander had returned to the Magic Box.

“Troubling… is that all you can say? Last time Buffy faced the Master she DIED!” Xander ranted. He felt helpless. They now had a lead, something that they could focus their research upon, but it was not a nice possibility.

The Master had been the one foe that had truly scared Buffy. He had killed her when they had last fought, biting her and then dropping her face first into water. She had drowned and if she hadn’t been given CPR in time, then not only would she have died, but the old ones would have returned to rule the earth… the Hellmouth… would have opened.

“We have to treat this seriously… we need to keep the possibility that his followers are trying to resurrect him again open. It’s been tried before.” Giles pointed out.

“Last time they had bones to work with!” Xander cried. “The Master is dust… dust that is spread across the consecrated grounds of several graveyards.”

“Xander.” Giles said gently, imploring him to calm himself. “There are several other possibilities. Spiritual possession for one where they could--“

“We get the picture.” Xander growled. “There are other ways.”

“W-why would they want to resurrect him?” Tara asked. She had been given a brief run-down of the Master and what had happened during Buffy’s first year in town by Willow several months ago, but being the romantic that she was, her girlfriend had tended to focus more on Buffy’s relationship with Angel rather than the foes that she had faced.

“Buffy dead.” Xander said bluntly, but simply.

The entire room was silent. Dawn’s face fell and Xander immediately felt bad for his straightforwardness. He was surprised that Giles hadn’t scolded him for the fact.

“She can’t be left alone. Somebody needs to stay with her at the hospital.

Everyone turned to look at the person who had interrupted the troubling silence.

Dawn.

Giles blinked in surprise, having forgotten that she was no longer in his office working on her homework. Sighing, he removed his glasses and cleaned them thoroughly before replacing them on the bridge of his nose, using those few moments to think. She was right. If these vampires were agents of the Master’s, who were somehow planning on attempting to bring him back to life again, then Buffy’s weakened condition was probably something they would be looking to take advantage of.

“I’ll go.” Willow offered quietly, raising her hand as she offered. “I can continue researching at the hospital. Maybe I can put up some wards so that we can be alerted whenever a vampire tries to enter the building?”

Giles shook his head. “The size of the building will make that difficult. There’s also the fact that Angel and Spike would most likely be making appearances to take into consideration. A spell of that magnitude probably wouldn’t allow for exceptions.”

Willow’s shoulders sagged in defeat. “You’re probably right.”

She gathered together a couple of books and slid them her shoulder carry bag. “I’ll stay with Buffy for the first few hours.”

“…And I’ll take over from you after that.” Xander insisted.

Giles nodded. “Very well. Dawn and I will stay for a few hours after that and I’ll see if Angel is available to take over after us.”

Once it was all agreed upon, Willow left the shop and the others returned to researching now that they had a direction to focus their attentions upon.

~~~

Buffy ran through the field searching for her sister. It was happening again. The moment she had seen the flower filled valley she had known. She broke into a run, screaming for her sister even before the shaking began.

“Dawn! Where are you…”

The ground trembled beneath her and her panic stepped up into overdrive.

A small part of her subconscious was telling her that this was happening for a reason… that she should be searching for whatever it was that her dream was trying to tell her. But the rest of her mind was screaming at her to run faster, to search more quickly before it happened again.

A scream rang out and everything stopped. The world stopped shaking and the roses fell from the sky, falling like missiles as they hit the ground. Buffy’s heart constricted as everything happened again as it had before, exactly as it had before.

She squeezed her eyes shut for a moment, knowing that she was too late… knowing that when she opened her eyes that what she would see before her would break her heart.

Buffy’s eyes blinked open, wet with fresh tears as her gaze focused on the sight before her.

Dawn was standing a few feet in front of her, and Buffy gasped in terror when the reality of what she was seeing before her, even though for the second time, hit her with the force of a Mack Truck.

Dawn was clutching at her abdomen, pain etched across her face. She lifted a hand to examine it and found it to be covered in blood. Fear stamped across her face as her hand fell limp beside her. “Buffy…” she whispered, her voice strangled in her throat as she gasped for air. Her eyes rolled back into her head and she collapsed in a heap amongst the ripped up daisies.

“DAWN!” Buffy screamed, as she dove to the ground beside her sister.

She reached her sisters side, cradling her shivering body in her arms as the tears streamed by her side. “I’m sorry Dawnie… I-I wasn’t fast enough… please just be okay… PLEASE!” she begged.

A sudden realization hit her, the dream hadn’t gone this far last time. Buffy began actively searching, what for she had no clue. Something… a clue… anything that would help her to understand why this was happening…

She looked up into the sky, at the surrounding fields, at her sisters blood stained hands. It was there… clutched in her sister’s enclosed fist that she saw it.

It was blond…


~~~

“Dru…” he murmured as he stirred from sleep.

Blue eyes blinked open and closed several times before the sub level of the dark crypt came into focus. For a moment he didn’t realize where he was… the last thing he remembered was tearing things apart in the factory. His mind was hazy but his subconscious informed him that he had stumbled out of there a little before sunrise. When he looked up and saw the roots of the trees above ground that snaked across the ceiling that his location became apparent. He was in his crypt. Seconds later the remnants of his dream sank in.

Spike sat bolt upright, gasping in horror.

No… this can’t be happening…

Swinging his feet to the side of his bed he hurriedly pulled his jeans up over his hips, dragged his shirt on over his head and slid his boots on as he rushed up the ladder to the crypt proper. He reached for the steel door and yanked it open just as he realized. The sunlight streamed through the open door and onto his exposed hands, instantly causing his right hand to sizzle and smoke.

Roaring in pain and in frustration for his own stupidity he slammed the crypt door shut before stalking towards the small bar fridge he had upstairs and removed a packet of blood, draining it in seconds. The blood would help his hand to heal more quickly. He was just lucky that he hadn’t stepped further into the light. Kicking at a wall in annoyance he began to pace his crypt, waiting for sunrise.

He had to know that she was all right, that his dream had been just that… a dream.

If Dru was back in town…

Spike clenched his eyes shut for a moment before they flashed open again moments later, searching for the half bottle of whiskey he knew was up here somewhere. He should have done it weeks ago… he had had her, shackled and bound. All it would have taken was one plunge -- point side in, and maybe this wouldn’t be happening.

Dru had been his life, his world for a hundred years and he had been willing to sacrifice that… all for Buffy. But she hadn’t taken him seriously. No that wasn’t true, she had taken him seriously; she just hadn’t cared. And Dru had escaped.

It was at times like that the Buffy frustrated him the most. She saw things as black and white. Vampire were evil and if she had anything to say about it they would all one day meet their fate on the pointy end of one of her stakes. Him included until a little over a year ago. Ever since he had been chipped by the Initiative she had no longer considered him a threat. He was in a manner of speaking, neutered. He continued to live his undead existence purely out of pity. And he liked to think because more recently he had helped her.

But he was still evil, not worth her time.

All vampires were evil.

All that is, accept for Angel.

Bloody ponce…

Spike kicked at the wall again, reveling in the pain that shot up his leg before realizing that injuring himself right now, when Buffy would need him most whether she admitted it or not, was probably not the best idea. Refraining from attacking any more of the walls or furniture, Spike sank into the armchair and switched on the television, trying to distract himself with Passions whilst he waited for sunset.

And for the first time ever… it wasn’t working.

~~~

Willow squeezed Buffy’s hand one last time as Xander took over from slayer watching duty, and walked out of the room before tears overcame her again. Willow was not an angry person by nature, and it took a lot for someone to make the very short list of people she would want to take her frustrations out on if she had the strength and courage to do so. Faith, Harmony, Percy’s girlfriend… Are they even going out any more?

Clearing her thoughts of those unnecessary, Willow quickly made her way out of the hospital and began walking in the direction of the Magic Box. If she found out whoever had done this to Buffy, then they would be finding themselves on her list.

Better read up on some magical attacks.

They would need them to use against Glory anyway, so Giles wouldn’t be that mad… right?

~~~

Angel had slept fitfully, vivid dreams waking him every few hours. He was a hypocrite; he knew that. He didn’t need the dreams mocking him, reminding him every time he closed his eyes. But they did, over and over again.

She’s never going to forgive me… he thought desolately.

“Never…”

Trying to push the thoughts out of his mind, he began pacing the great hall of the Mansion. He had to make her see… prayed that she would listen, that she would understand. Continuing his pacing, he waited for sunset.

~~~

The second the sun dipped below the horizon, Spike was out of his crypt like a shot. He needed to know she was okay… that she was still safe in her bed at the hospital. Or better yet, at home and awake.

If she were back in town then she would have made her presence known. Dru wasn’t exactly known for her patience, one thing he was thankful for. She may be batty out of her mind crazy, but at least she was predictable when it came to the important things in life. Sex, Blood, Revenge, Death. She wanted it all, and fast. Always had. It had been one of the many things he had loved her for. But not now, now it only made him worry. Because he knew that the revenge and death would be directed at Buffy.

The walk to the hospital quickly became a jog, and he cursed himself for not thinking far enough ahead to pick up his car.

A few minutes later Sunnydale Memorial came into view and he rapidly made his way towards the entrance. Not bothering to stop at the nurse’s station since he knew which room she was staying in anyway, he made his way to the door. As he had done the previous night, he paused for a moment, inhaling sharply as he prepared himself to enter the room. Seeing her like that… was almost too much to bear. But not seeing her at all… was worse.

He heard a sound of movement behind him, and turned suddenly to see Angel standing before him. He looked just as anxious.

“Spike.” He greeted coldly. “What are you doing here?”

“Same thing as you Captain Forehead.” Spike sneered in response.

Then Angel did the strangest thing, he just nodded in understanding. “Shall we?” he suggested, reaching for the door.

Spike blinked in shock and followed Angel into the room.

She was still there, hooked up to those machines, the constant buzzing and beeping the only indication that she was still alive. She looked like death. He skin was sallow and pasty, where it wasn’t bruised, the bed seeming to swallow her tiny form in it.

Spike inhaled sharply, unable to hide his distress. He would have thought that it would be different, having seen her the night before. But it wasn’t. If anything, it was even more painful.

Giles looked up from the book he had been reading, still trying to gather information on possible demons and vampires that could be responsible for Buffy’s current condition. They weren’t having much luck. He was astounded to see Spike and Angel walk into the small room together, but he managed to disguise it.

Both vampires wore similar expressions of misery on their faces, and Giles couldn’t help but smile at the irony. The two vampires with the most notorious reputations for their evil deeds, were both suffering from the predicament that his slayer was in. His slayer, with her blatant disregard for the ruling and authority of the council, was undoubtedly the most notorious in her field. It was her impropriety and independence that had aided her time and time again in battle. It was her quick thinking and resourcefulness that had averted countless apocalypses. And it was her kind and loving nature that endeared her to everyone around her. Apparently this didn’t exclude vampires.

Placing his book on his seat as he stood to greet the two vampires, he gave them both a curt nod as he gave Buffy a fleeting glance, before looking over his shoulder at Dawn. She was sound asleep, curled up in a little ball in the hospital chair, which could not be at all comfortable. But she had refused to leave when he had suggested it.

“I should take her home.” He told the vampires, directing his comment at the two of them.

Angel nodded silently in agreement.

“She looks worn out.” Spike observed.

“She is.” Giles replied. “Now.” He continued, his voice taking on a business-like tone. “Angel you’re here for your rotation I assume?”

“His rotation?” Spike questioned with a frown. “There’s a bloody rotation now? Why don’t I know anything about it?”

Giles sighed in frustration. “Because you weren’t there when it was discussed.”

“Taking turns watching the slayer.” his brow furrowed with concern. “You managed to narrow down the list of suspects? I told you about the blond hair didn’t I?”

Giles shook his head in response to Spike’s first question, neither noticing how Angel’s shoulders suddenly tensed. “You told me, but I’m afraid I haven’t been able to narrow the list much.”

He sighed, weary from the lack of sleep over the past few days.

“Go home Giles, get some rest.” Angel finally spoke. “I’ll stay until just before sunrise.”

“NO!” Spike blurted out. “I’m not going anywhere… you go hit the street Peaches, someone should be patrolling.”

Angel’s expression became stormy and Giles stepped in before the two vampires before things escalated.

“You are NOT being left alone with her.” Angel stabbed his finger in Spike’s direction.

“And you are? Not bloody likely.” Spike snapped with a roll of his eyes.

“You’re evil.”

“Am NOT!”

“Oh THAT’S mature.” Angel scoffed.

“Spike is chipped now Angel, he can’t harm a living being.” Giles informed.

“HEY! I can hit demons!”

“But not humans.” Giles added.

Angel looked from Giles, to Spike, and back again. “You’re actually going to trust him to watch over her?” he asked the watcher, before turning to Spike.

“And you. Why do you even care?”

“I don’t fancy leavin’ her with you all night. What if she wakes up and you go all ‘perfect happiness’ on her eh?” Spike said with a quirked eyebrow.

Angel clenched his fists and took a step forward, and this was when Giles stepped forward.

“Split the night. Angel, you stay with Buffy for the first half, Spike you go patrol. And then you can switch.” Giles firmly suggested.

“The poof can go patrol first, I’m NOT leaving.” Spike said emphatically.

Giles sighed in frustration, a scathing comment on the tip of his tongue before Angel conceded. “I’ll hit up some old informants, see if anyone’s got anything we can use.” He said calmly to Giles, before turning a threatening glare in Spike’s direction. “But if you so much as--“

“It’s settled then.” Spike said dismissively, moving to the chair that sat beside Buffy’s bed and sitting down on it.

Angel watched Spike examine Buffy’s face for a moment, before he nodded at Giles and quickly left the room. Lifting Dawn up into his arms, Giles gave Buffy and Spike a fleeting look before exiting after Angel.

Now that they were alone, Spike’s expression softened as he gazed at Buffy. His eyes begged her to wake up, shaky breaths escaping his lips as the constant ‘beep, beep, beep’ of the heat monitor reverberated throughout the room. Taking her right hand in his left, he gave it a light squeeze before pressing a gentle kiss to her knuckles. “You gotta wake up pet.”

“Please.”



~~~~~~~~~~

 
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