Danger

A/N: Yay, the site is back!! I'm so happy. I missed you all!


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As he was on patrol that night, he found himself wondering about his meeting with Buffy earlier; contemplating what it meant that she was a little less than human now. Of course, an element of Buffy had always been something other than human and it had always made her stand out from the crowd. He had always been fascinated by the Slayer mythology, by the history of her calling. It was different now though: she was something else. Something that, to the indicators of a very sophisticated device, did not register as human. Did that mean she registered as demon now? Or was it simply that the device did not know what she was?

He wished now that he had been more involved in the Initiative’s scientific pursuits, if only to know a little more than he did. He didn’t really understand magic, but he was sure that must play some part of the chip’s malfunction. Maybe the magic used to bring Buffy back had cloaked her somehow and all the chip could pick up was this magical trace. He really did not know. All he knew was that – for Buffy and Buffy alone – Spike had the power to be dangerous once more. And not so long ago, it might have worried him.

He knew better than that now – had seen the vampire grieve for her – and was certain that Buffy was not in any danger. In fact, in some twisted way, she now had an equal, someone to keep her on her toes – and so keep her safe. He shook his head as he remembered how he had so wanted to be that man. It had been hopeless, even back then when he had still held some power over her heart.



He moved on through the night, surveying his surroundings constantly, even as he lost himself to his train of thought. He knew better than to get completely distracted though – the monsters that lurked in Sunnydale’s darkness would never pass up such easy prey. He rounded a corner and was almost home when a car came flying past him, swerving wildly. He caught a glimpse of Willow behind the driver’s seat and a moment later, the car veered off the road and ploughed into a nearby wall.

He was already rushing towards the wreck when a hard shove in his back sent him tumbling to the floor. He looked up from his spot and spotted a creature trying to get to the occupants of the car – he spotted Dawn now, just coming to. He jumped up and looked around quickly, searching for a weapon. He heard a loud thud and then Dawn screamed and he quickly ran for the nearest weapon – a bin lid. As he turned back, the creature was clawing at the cracked car window as Dawn screamed again, obviously struggling to hold the door closed.

Clutching the metal lid tightly, he rushed the creature and hit it around the head. It reared back, growled, and threw out an arm, sending him to the floor once more.



The creature, successfully distracted, now came after him, attempting to get at him while he was still down. It clawed at him but he managed to keep it at some distance, kicking and pushing to keep it away. It managed to swipe his cheek though, the skin singing with pain as the creature’s claws cut through him. He gave it a sharp kick and it went down, but was up a moment later. Dawn had crept out of the car and was trying to sneak away but as if sensing her, it turned and fixed its attention on her.

“Riley, help!” she cried.

It moved towards her and he rushed forward, only to be thrown out of the way and into a concrete pillar that left him with a ringing in his ears. Through blurry eyes he watched the monster approach Dawn and then, all of a sudden, a shape appeared – Buffy! – and sent the monster to the ground with a roundhouse kick. As she fought the demon, Spike went to Dawn and looked her over worriedly.

His attention snapped back to Buffy though as she went to the floor, struggling to subdue the monster. Spike now jumped into the fray, jumping on the creature’s back and hooking his arm around its throat. Buffy got to her feet and landed a kick to the monster’s gut, sending it stumbling backwards. Spike slipped off and they moved on the monster, but before they could make their next move, it began to twitch and a moment later, it burst into flame and disappeared in front of them. Struggling to keep his dizzy head upright, his gaze moved now to Willow, who stood close by, crackling with magical energy.



The crisis averted, everyone went into motion: Buffy hurried to her sister’s side, examining her with concern. Spike turned and strode over to him, reaching out a hand.

“You alright?”

“Fine,” he got out, letting the vampire pull him to his feet.

They turned towards the women, where Willow now appeared to be pleading with the sisters. Ignoring her, Buffy wrapped her arm around her sister and guided her away from the wreckage. Willow dropped to the floor, crying and pleading – but no-one paid her any attention. Buffy and Dawn drew close and Buffy threw him a teary-eyed look.

“Thank you.”

“Tried my best,” he replied with a shrug, turning his attention to Dawn, “Are you okay, Dawn?”

“My arm,” she got out pitifully, cradling it with her other arm.

“My place is closest,” Riley said, “I’ll get my car and we’ll get her to a hospital. That arm looks broken.”

Buffy nodded and she and Dawn moved off, he and Spike falling in close behind. He took one last glance at the wreckage and a broken Willow before hurrying forward, leading the way to the garage where his car was parked.

As he opened the door, a hand on his shoulder stopped him and he turned to meet Spike’s enquiring look.

“You sure you’re up for driving? You’re not looking so pretty yourself.”

He hesitated for a moment and then relinquished the keys to the vampire.

“Just don’t wreck it,” he joked weakly.

The vampire gave a slight smile and then hoped into the driver’s side, starting the car and backing it out into the street. Riley climbed into the passenger’s seat and the two sisters climbed into the back, Buffy holding her sister close as Dawn tried not to cry. Slipping the car swiftly into gear, Spike put his foot down and they shot off down the road.



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After a quick x-ray, it was confirmed that Dawn’s arm was broken and needed to be set, so she was taken away to a treatment room, Buffy refusing to leave her side. Left alone, Riley and Spike now settled in to wait. Riley had endured a quick check-up on their arrival but after he had been cleaned up, he refused to stay as a patient and had discharged himself. He now sat side by side with the vampire, both of them pensive.

“I still don’t know quite what happened tonight,” Riley spoke up, “I mean, Willow…”

“She’s addicted to magic,” Spike replied, his eyes trained on the corridor where Buffy and Dawn had disappeared, “It’s why Tara left her and it’s why she’s losing it.”

He was taken aback – but not completely surprised. Willow’s abuse of magic had been all too clear to him from the moment she had decided she had the power – and the right - to bring someone back from the dead.

“She could have really hurt Dawn.”

“Yeah.”

Spike ran a hand through his hair agitatedly and sank back in the chair, stretching his legs out in front of him. He fidgeted nervously and then began tapping his fingers on his legs.



Silence fell over them for several long minutes, until Riley spoke up once more.

“Buffy’s taking this badly.”

Spike regarded him for a moment and then turned his gaze back to the floor.

“It’s not just this,” he said, glancing up at Riley, “The Watcher’s thinking about going back to England.”

“What?” he got out, completely thrown off, “Since when?”

“Dunno,” Spike answered with a shrug, “But he told Buffy today.”

And she had gone straight to Spike, it seemed.

“Why would he leave?”

“Missing the homeland, I ‘spect. And not feeling so needed over here.”

“You’re joking, right?”

Spike straightened and looked at him, one eyebrow raised in something that might have been disbelief.

“All the kids are grown up now. Plenty capable of taking care of themselves. Especially Buffy.”

Riley paused, considering this, and then spoke up.

“It would break Buffy if he left.”

“That it might,” Spike said quietly, his eyes drawn back once more to the corridor where the sisters had gone. Not knowing what to say, Riley kept quiet and silence descended over them once more as they waited patiently.