full 3/4 1/2   skin light dark       
 
Trials for Joyce by ginar369
 
Chapter 5
 
<<     >>
 

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Many thanks to my beta Leon Stryfe who stepped up when I was stuck and helped write more than a few chapters with me. For all your help you have earned the title of Co-Author for this story and my sincere gratitude. Thanks to my wonderful friend Sweetprincipale who listens to me and encourages me. And the wonderful ending was all her idea!

I have played with the time-line a bit in this story. The Angel episode “The Trial” actually aired a week after the Buffy episode “Shadow”. For the purposes of this story “The Trial” happened first. I have taken quite a bit of dialog from a few episodes of season 5. Shadow written by David Fury, The Trial written by David Greenwalt, No Place Like Home by Doug Petrie, Checkpoint by Jane Espenson and Doug Petrie, Blood Ties by Steven DeKnight, Spiral by Steven DeKnight and Intervention by Jane Espenson.

I hope you enjoy the story. This is the longest piece I have ever done and hopefully I did it justice.


“You knew this and did it anyway?” Joyce's question was directed at Spike, who shrugged.

“Yeah, I 'ad an idea that was the price. There’s always a price.”
“Why would you do this, Spike?” Buffy’s tone was puzzled.

“Duh, because he loves us stupid!” Dawn declaration was made in full know-it-all teenager mode.

Before Buffy could make any further comments, Spike turned to the man, who was waiting patiently. 

“Deal.”  The vampire finished the walk over to the curator, who began the same process as he did with Joyce and Dawn.

“The Powers have also seen fit to remove the chip that was in your head,” the man informed them as he released Spike. When the man was done and the light had faded, Spike’s wounds had healed and he was fully dressed.

Spike gave a quick, apprehensive look at Buffy. The thought of the chip being gone as part of the deal had never entered his mind.

Buffy heard what the man had just said about the chip, but after what Spike just did for her mother and sister and what she just learned about his soul she realized that she wasn’t too worried about what Spike would do without the chip. Knowing it was going to take some time to process the night's events and what it would mean for everyone she gave Spike a whispered “Later” and turned to check on her mother and sister.

 With a good luck and good bye the man waved his hand and the four of them found themselves back in the playground standing next to the pool.  Xander was the first to notice their return.

“Well what happened? Did Deadboy jr. flake out? You’ve only been gone ten minutes. I knew this was all just a big joke. We never should have come.”

“Ten minutes? We were there a lot longer.” Dawn defended her hero.

“Alexander Harris! How dare you!” Joyce yelled at the young man, but Xander's anger and hatred towards Spike would not be deterred.

“Oh, please. This is just some elaborate scam on bleach boy’s part. I bet nothing even happened. He probably got some of his demon friends to do a little magic just to make you think he was trying to help.” In his anger Xander didn’t notice that he had invaded Joyce’s personal space while he was talking, spittle flying as he yelled.

“Joyce, it’s okay,” Spike said placatingly but with a familiar grin on his face. “I’ll  handle this. Why don’t you go sit down, pet.” Spike gently removed her from Xander's proximity before leading her over to a bench. As soon as she was sitting down, Spike whirled and marched over to Xander.  He looked him over menacingly while Xander just smirked.

“What are you going to do, look me to death?  We both know that you can't hurt m--”

Before Xander could finish his insult, Spike punched him in the face, pulling most of the power behind it at the last second, even though the thought of knocking the head off the puffy carpenter's body sounded good to him, he didn't think it was the best way to start this new chapter of his life. He then moved fast enough to grab Xander before he hit the ground, pulling the stunned young man nose to nose with own, now vamped-out face.

“If you ever speak to Joyce like that again I'll rip your soddin' arm off an' beat you to death with it, got it Whelp!?” Spike snarled in the boy’s face, mere inches from his own.

Giles whipped out a stake when he saw Spike attack Xander. Buffy placed her hand on his arm and shook her head no, calming the Watcher. He was hard pressed not to hit Xander himself for that display, but more concerned with Spike's apparent ability to harm humans. Deciding she needed to take control of the situation, Buffy hopped on a nearby picnic table and waved to get everyone's attention. 

“Show's over.  We need to get back to Sunnydale.  And we need to stop by Angel's hotel.  I've got some bad news for him.”

Upon their arrival, Buffy stopped everyone in front of the door.
“Listen, I only want to say this once, so when we get inside, I will explain everything that happened. But no one stakes Spike. Do I make myself understood?” She glared first at Xander  before turning a softer look towards Giles when she spoke. At their grudging nods, she turned and opened the doors. Everyone followed her in, with Joyce and Dawn, large smiles on their faces, each holding one of Spike’s arms as they walked in.

Angel and his team were sitting in various spots around the lobby when the Scoobies entered.

“You’re back awfully fast,” Angel called out, rising. “I figured Willy couldn’t get the job done.”

“Shut up, Angel, and sit back down.” Buffy's voice would brook no argument. As everyone found seats, Buffy, her mother, and Dawn stood next to Spike.

“Spike completed the trials. He saved my mom’s life. The Powers That Be were so impressed that they offered to make him their Champion.” Everyone  began talking at once, but a loud whistle from Buffy quieted them down again. “He accepted and they returned his soul.” Spike shot Buffy a quick look when she failed to mention the chip being gone. Shaking her head to keep quiet she continued. “The soul is permanent and won't disappear. Spike is supposed to fight at my side in Sunnydale from now on.”

Buffy let everyone talk for a few minutes when suddenly Angel roared. His features became vampiric before he snarled loudly and rushed across the room.

“No!” In his fury, Angel took no care in the direction of his charge.  As his fist struck Spike's unprepared jaw, Angel also sent Joyce and Dawn forcibly to the ground in the process. Seeing their fall enraged the newfound Champion.  He shifted into his own game face and began battling Angel in earnest.

Blows rained back and forth, neither gaining an advantage.  Rather than try to interfere, Buffy made keeping everyone else out of the fray her number one priority.  She picked up Dawn and Joyce and moved them to safety.  When she turned back to see if anyone else needed help, she realized that everyone else had wisely taken themselves out of harm's way, seeking refuge on the stairs.  Buffy then set her feet, ready to repel the dueling vampires if they came too near.

As the battle continued, the lobby began to show signs of wear.  Eventually, the ground became so littered with debris that it became another opponent for both combatants.  Angel was the first to fall to the ground from something other than a blow.

Spike was quick to take advantage of Angel's slip.  He barreled in and kicked his former mentor in the side, sending him flying through the Hyperion's reception desk.

“Hey!  Watch it; I work there,” Cordelia called out angrily but to no avail.  Before Angel could recuperate from the blow, Spike picked him up and threw him through the sliding doors leading into Angel's very own office.

The fight was briefly obscured for the gawking spectators, but blow after blow could be heard from within the office.  Several moments later, Angel came crashing through the wall followed shortly by Spike.  It became obvious who was on the receiving end of the damage inflicted while the battle was hidden from view.

As Angel struggled to get back up, his face no longer displaying its vampiric features, Spike bellowed loudly and rushed him.  He picked up the obviously beaten vampire and threw him across the lobby and into the metal doors of the hotel's elevator, leaving a sizable, Angel-shaped dent in them.

The demon in Spike urged him to finish the fight, to kill the vamp he considered his sire, but his newly acquired soul told him that, even though Angel was no longer a champion, he could still be a force for good in the world.  And a quieter voice in his head reminded him that Buffy might not like it if he dusted the poof. Struggling, Spike changed back to his human face.  He wiped as much blood from himself as he could before turning to the onlookers. “If he ever touches Joyce or Dawn again I will kill him.”

“Get in line, bleach boy.” Cordelia's tone was full of anger, but that anger was directed at Angel. She marched over to the semi-conscious vampire before venting. “What is your malfunction?! I told you this was going to happen, but do you listen to me? Nooo!” Slapping the just waking vampire in the back of the head, she continued railing at the former champion. “I told you that you were losing your way; Lorne told you, too.”

“I don’t know what’s been going on around here,” Buffy said to the barely conscious Angel,  “but just because you lost your way and the Powers don’t think of you as a champion anymore is no reason to attack Spike. He earned this and the Powers agree.” 
          
The phone interrupted the group and Wesley stood up to answer it. When he hung up the phone, he walked over and flopped down on one of the remaining couches. He looked sad, but Cordelia resolved to ask about it later.

“That was my... father.” With a deep sigh Wesley continued. “As some of you know, he is a member of the Watchers Council. Their seers have informed them that the Powers have chosen a new champion. He was passing on a message from Travers. The council will abide by the decision of the Powers. Spike will be in no danger from the council; from what the seers told them, Spike has averted two apocalypses tonight.”

Dawn’s yawn alerted everyone to how late it really was. Seeing that they weren't getting anywhere fast, Joyce decided to play the mother card.

“Can we get home, please? It has been a long day.”  The Scoobies began filing out the front of the Hyperion.  Giles moved and briefly conversed with Wesley.

“I will pass along any further information regarding Spike's new... status.” With that, the Sunnydale crew headed for home.
 
<<     >>