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Chapter 25
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Spikes fingers were healing, albeit slowly.  Buffy carefully turned his hands and checked the progress.  Such beautiful hands!  Even swollen from the fractures, they were lovely.  Long-fingered, like a musician or artist.  Buffy wondered fleetingly how it would feel to have those fingers touching her in ways…naughty ways…that were suddenly quite appealing.  The bastards in charge of this nightmare weren’t feeding him very well or often, so his natural perks, such as rapid healing, were in short supply.  His so pretty hands were going to have to depend on her to make them well again.
 
It felt good to have a pleasant thought for a change.  Sparing a moment to imagine softer moments with Spike of the desirable fingers was a treat no one could deprive her of indulging in.
 
Buffy was numb from thinking about all the mindless cruelty she had witnessed since being taken captive.  It hurt her heart knowing that one of the most vicious of the captors seemed to be fueling his cruelty based on misplaced feelings for her.  Looking back, she had to admit to herself that she could see seeds of it in Riley when they were dating.  He had never even questioned what that first Initiative was doing.  Oh, he’d come to see the horrors that produced Adam and admit how wrong that whole experiment had been.  He had resented having been made a lab experiment himself with the implant and drugs that had come close to taking his life.  But there had never been much, if any, questioning otherwise.  He saw the demons he delivered to the doctors as nothing more than animals.  But even animals felt pain!  Even animals deserved better treatment, compassion.  He never gave that a thought and she realized it now in hindsight.
 
Those character flaws had been set free in this environment where the worst behavior was rewarded and praised.  The things her ex-boyfriend had been doing horrified and sickened her.  That she had ever entertained the idea of building a life with him now made her question her own blindness. 
 
Buffy felt old.  Surely she must be old to carry the wisdom she had been collecting of late!  Life was far more complicated than was comfortable.  Few easy answers and more questions than a person could live long enough to answer.  Maybe that was why so many people settled for the easy path, the black and white/right and wrong dichotomy that felt comfortable but hid the truth. 
 
The demons she had spent the past few years putting down had deserved it, or so she prayed.  She had killed those caught preying on people, the ones out for the kill.  It wasn’t like she could have just made a citizen’s arrest!  There was no court system for handling the sort of evil those types of demons got up to.  She was, by virtue of her calling, the only judge and jury available and had been entrusted to be executioner as well. 
 
Being locked in here had changed her perception.  She had seen great evil in fully souled humans and compassion and love in soulless demons.  Buffy didn’t feel guilty for having done her duty.  She protected people, stood between them and the creatures that had been merely nightmares to most of them back in the day.  She hadn’t sought out demons in their own homes except vampire nests and that wasn’t quite the same thing.  She even left many of them alone as long as they weren’t feeding or trying to end the world.
 
It was one thing to kill, to slay a demon in combat for the right reasons and quite another to collect them and torture them willy-nilly. 
 
Spike could see her furrowed brow and knew Buffy was deeply troubled by something.  This place was bleak enough without adding dark thoughts to the mix.  “Slayer?  What’s got you in a blue funk?”
 
Buffy shook her head as if coming out of sleep only without the restful part of it.  “Just thinky thoughts. “  She looked at Spike and almost laughed.  There was the whole dilemma in the flesh!  Evil vampire without a doubt.  He’d done horrific things and likely would again if he could.  He could also be tender, loving and even kind.  She remembered his interactions with her family and friends, even those who were less than kind to him and had to admit that he was as multi-layered as any human, even with no soul.  How many evil vampires helped a Slayer stop an apocalypse after all?
 
“I’ve had to readjust some thinking while in here, that’s all.  Not the easiest thing in the world for someone you like to call out for her stick-up-the-butt, self-righteous attitude,” she joked.
 
“What kind of readjustment?” He was curious.  He had noticed Buffy was different, but then she had been changing long before now.  She had accepted him into her inner circle after he had kept Joyce from becoming some berk’s dinner and had even listened to him reveal his love for her without breaking any of his remaining intact bones.
 
“You haven’t asked what I’ve been up to in here before we became roomies.”
 
“Figured you weren’t much for share-time with the evil undead,” Spike smirked.  “Got plenty of time to listen if you’ve changed your mind.”
 
“They had me in the fighting arena.  Demon after demon.  They’d send them in and I’d take them out. “Buffy snorted, “Kinda like my average night on steroids.  It wasn’t too bad.  They were feeding me, unlike what they’ve done to you, so my healing was working on hyper drive still.  They were all a blur, you know?”
 
Spike nodded encouragement for her to continue.  Clearly she was troubled by something.
 
“I’d never really killed demons for no particular reason before.  Some of them were scared out of their wits when tossed in there with me, I could see it.  There were a few that I doubt ever fought anybody.  I couldn’t let that stop me though; it wouldn’t have saved them or me.”  She bit her lip and rubbed her arms as though chilled.  “I wonder how many were just ordinary beings before all this?  How many had family that loved them, jobs they enjoyed?”  Her voice shook.  “I’ve never been in that position before and I really don’t like it.”
 
“Sweetheart, that’s why they call it demonizing an enemy,” Spike smiled gently.  “You start to think of your opponent as someone real, someone with feelings and it gets harder to do ‘em.  That’s why in war they make the enemy somethin’ other than human, yeah?”  He leaned his back against the wall and slid down to sit next to the troubled girl.  “You’re the Slayer.  Nothin’ bad or wrong with that.  People need someone like you keepin’ the balance, protectin’ the innocent, makin’ it safe for stupid sods and puppies and all.  You’ve got no reason feelin’ bad for doin’ what you have to.  You’re more fair minded than some I’ve seen over the years, not out to wipe us all out.  What these wankers set you up to do wasn’t right or fair and that’s what’s troublin’ you.  Don’t let it!  The demons you killed knew just like you did that only one of you was comin’ out of that pit alive. And if they had the skills, they’d have made damned sure it was them.”
 
“There were a lot of them.  I lost count.”  Buffy sounded soul tired.
 
“Can’t say I’m sorry you’re the one sittin’ here, pet.”
 
“I’m with you on that,” Buffy agreed.  “I guess I never knew there were so many kinds of demons or that they were so different.  Even the same types of demons are different, just like people.”
 
“Damned straight!  Take the Poof and me,” Spike pulled himself up short after seeing the pained look on Buffy’s face.  “Sorry, reflex habit that.  Truth though, even vampires aren’t all alike, not that I recommend you cozy up to notice the differences.  Good way to end up on the menu.”
 
He was pleased to see Buffy smile genuinely at that.  “I don’t know.  I can’t see you going after Dawn’s jugular.”
 
“Too skinny, need to fatten her up a bit,” he teased.  “See, I’ve got the same problem you now have.  They shoved the chip in me and I started hangin’ about with you lot.  Suddenly you were more than dinner.  Hadn’t spent much time around humans other than in the hunt.  Easy to forget…,” his words trailed off as he thought a bit about what he was saying.  “Yeah, became somethin’ more than food.  Became more…real.  Think that’s what you’re sayin’.  Demons becomin’ more than just somethin’ evil to kill.  Gets you all turned around inside.  I can see why they try to keep you Slayers from thinkin’ too much along that line.  You stop seein’ the evil monster and you get dead real quick.  No time to suss out who’s good, who’s a rotter and who’s just some bleedin’ unfortunate sod tryin’ to survive, not without takin’ too long and endin’ up on some demon’s horns or fangs.”
 
“That’s what you meant about wars and demonizing huh?  If it’s just the enemy in all capital letters you can kill them and still sleep, but if you think of them as someone’s family, someone who likes sunsets and picnics and kitty cats, someone real with dreams and feelings, it’s not so easy.”
 
“Got it in one, pet.”
 
“There were so many of them,” Buffy trailed off again. 
 
“Well, look at it this way…they’re out of here at least.  Venture to say they’d thank you for that bit, all things considered,” Spike reminded her.
 
Buffy thought about it and then had a different thought cross her mind.  “I wonder what they did with the bodies?  I mean the vampires all turn to dust and some of the demons become goopy messes that some poor janitor has to mop up, but some left bodies like people do.”
 
Spike looked at her and caught where her mind was going, “And if they have that many to get rid of its not likely they just stack ‘em about in some room inside here smellin’ up the place.”
 
They smiled at each other as a germ of an idea hit them both at the same time. 
 
“Don’t know why I hadn’t thought about that before,” she whispered carefully.  They were both well aware of the cameras in the cell spying on their every move and likely every word.  “Things come in and things go out all the time.  We just need to know how and where.”
 
“Next time some wanker tries to call you a dumb California blonde, you be sure to land a good right hook on ‘em.  You’re as brilliant as you are beautiful,” Spike grinned.  “Only drawback I can see is findin’ someone with the answers who’s willin’ to share.  Finn runs a tight ship, not likely to have a complete idiot or anyone sympathetic to our cause hangin’ about.  Might have to figure another way to get the answers we need.”
 
“At least we have the start of a plan though,” Buffy smiled and took what felt like her first clear breath in a while.  “Meanwhile, we need to get you in decent shape to take advantage of any opportunity that falls our way.”
 
Buffy didn’t hesitate for a moment before using a fingernail to open a vein on her wrist where the skin was quite thin.  “Drink, Spike.  They aren’t feeding you and you need to heal a lot quicker than you are.  You won’t do either of us any good while totally starved.”
 
***
Quentin Travers avidly watched the pair depicted on the monitor.  He curled his lip in contempt as he watched his personal thorn-in-the-side check the vampire for injuries.  He turned away from the screen and pointed at the offending sight, “Tender with one another, aren’t they, Starling?”
 
His toady showed the proper amount of disapproval, “Disgusting is what it is, a perversion!”
 
“Glad you can see how defective these girls have become,” Travers nodded in approval. 
 
The two former Council of Watchers heavyweights had just spent a significant amount of time watching as the five Potentials had been introduced into the communal holding cell with the female demons and their spawn. 
 
Much to the surprise of nearly everyone, there had been no bloodbath.  Instead the demoness who appeared to be the alpha female had appraised the frightened human girls and had seemingly ordered the others to leave them alone.
 
While that in itself was enough to raise eyebrows, the Potential Slayers, trained though they had been, did not even attempt to eliminate any of the hell-spawn they encountered.  Instead they cautiously and slowly appeared to bond with their fellow cell mates as if they considered them equals.
 
Starling clucked, “I am flabbergasted enough having seen Potential Slayers making nice with demons.  Why, that one girl even went so far as to comfort the scaled spawn of one of them!”  He looked as appalled as he sounded.   “They should have died doing their duty and slain as many vermin as possible before they expired.  At the very least, they should have shunned them and shown a proper amount of disdain.  Now this…the active Slayer is playing nurse to no less than William the Bloody,” he shook his head sadly.
 
Travers nodded in agreement, “Indeed.  Historically, we’ve accepted the choice of an unseen Force in selecting these vessels and gotten acceptable weapons in our long war.  We have seen in our lifetime that there is no regard for tradition, for decency, for duty any longer.  This one,” he gestured at the monitor, “has been the worst of the lot!”
 
“I am aware that she has given you a great deal of grief over the years,” Starling commiserated.  “I had hoped Miss Summers would prove an anomaly.  Hasn’t she been involved with a vampire before this?”
 
“Indeed, yes.  Angelus.  That was when she dared to declare herself independent from Council control.  She turned on her sister Slayer with the full intent of feeding her to that same monstrosity!  Angelus has a history even worse than William the Bloody and you see how she carries on with him!”
 
Starling made the appropriate noises of agreement.  He had been in the field with his own Potential Slayer at that time, but the shock waves had reached him all the way in Nepal.
 
“And Faith…that sister Slayer, was just as bad--killing humans, consorting with a demon she treated almost as a father figure.  She had absolutely no regard for direction from her Watchers; she got two of them killed.”  Travers shuddered in revulsion.  “Completely rogue, no discipline.  Sold herself for hire to that demon, aiding it in its plans to ascend to a more powerful state. 
 
Travers let out a huff of vexation, “Like this one,” he nodded at Buffy who was still gently tending to Spike, “Drawn to vampires…the same one actually.”
 
“William the Bloody?” Starling looked surprised.
 
“No, Angelus.  Faith showed a marked interest in seducing that beast. You know how that turned out.”  Travers frowned, “Girl found herself in a coma.  Utterly useless to us as a Slayer, but too much in plain sight to be properly eliminated with any ease.  No possibility of getting a decent girl to take her place, one who knows what’s what and what her duty is.”
 
“Shame we cannot select the right girl ourselves,” Starling mused.  “My Anu knew exactly what she was.  She didn’t puff herself up with false pride and think she was more than a temporary tool of the Powers to be guided by her betters.  Shame that Licade got her during training.”
 
“Clearly there is something warped in the Slayer line.  Yes, yes, the odd perversion has popped up from time to time.  We’ve always managed to cleanse the abominations before they got too far out of hand.  That was why we developed the Cruciamentum, to weed out the troublemakers.  It served us well for generations.  It was a rare thing to have a willful girl given the power, but we’ve seen indications for years now that the tide has turned.  These last two have been the worst.”
 
Travers lowered his voice as if to impart a deep secret.  “There is evidence within the current crop of Potentials that all the traditions, all the time honored and well proven methods of the Council are no longer enough to control them.”  Travers looked Starling directly in the eye.  “Times change, Crispin, and the wise man changes with them.”
 
“Forgive my being a slow top, Quentin, but why go to the bother of recording this disgusting scene?”  He gestured toward the screen where to the two men’s horror Buffy was seen to cut herself so the vampire could suckle.
 
Travers gave a wolfish grin and rubbed his hands in obvious glee.  “This is splendid.  Better than I had hoped!  This should be proof…finally!” To Starling’s confused look he explained, “I know those traitors who took their Potentials into hiding still rely on electronic communication.  Habits die hard after all.  When I make these videos available, they will see that I was right.  I told them the girls needed to be evaluated and culled.”
 
“I do remember you suggesting just that before we implemented Operation Collateral Damage.  I also remember that there was great dissention.”  Starling backed up a step at the rage he saw coming to the surface in his compatriot.
 
“Sentimental fops with unhealthy ties to their charges,” Travers snorted dismissively.  “Like the five we were watching earlier, all as useless as this one,” again pointing to Buffy.
 
“They hadn’t your clear vision, sir,” Starling shook his head in disapproval.  “Missed the obvious solution or didn’t have the stones for the job.”
 
“All I asked for was loyalty, a proper sense of duty.  Those Potentials whose Watchers sent them to us as requested should have been put into service working with the Human Initiative soldiers as we finally eradicate the demon filth entirely.”  Travers looked thoughtful as he remembered the scene of that last meeting of the Council proper.  “Many balked, some fled and the precious few still willing to follow direct orders managed to bungle most missions as if they were as inept as children!”
 
The former head of the Watchers Council took on the look of a spirit-infused Evangelist as continued, his eyes burning.  “I made my plans clear!  Those who refused to follow my lead, those renegades who withheld their girls are making me look bad, Starling” 
 
The fanatical countenance Quentin Travers had assumed caused no little amount of fear in Starling.  He was not prepared for the raise in voice to match the fervor of this little speech.  “If I cannot demonstrate full control of my own people, then why would anyone accept my leadership at all?”
 
“NO!” he slammed a fist on the desk in front of him, nearly causing Starling to jump out of his skin.  “No, they must be brought to heel, must be made to admit that I was right.  Every one of them must return with tails tucked, bringing their girls with them.”
 
Frankly Travers was beginning to scare Starling more than a bit, “You’d accept them back?”
 
“We’ll deal with their betrayal later.  First, I need to regain control of those girls and their Watchers, have them admit that I was correct in my assessment of how we were to go forward.  Get them on record that the old way of allowing some mystical process to select who we employ as our weapon no longer works.  That the time has come to finish this war once and for all.”
 
Quentin, looking like a prophet of old once more, indicated the screen with Buffy and Spike, “This should be proof enough for even the most stubborn.  They cannot dispute my contention that these so called Powers are no longer providing proper tools for the fight.  These demons must be eradicated!  If the demons are victorious over us, then their crown will be the funeral wreath of humanity and this planet will, as it did thousands of years ago, move through the ether devoid of men!  It’s time for a true leader to accept the challenge and cleanse the earth.”
 
Starling wasn’t sure whether to salute and cheer or to run for the hills.
 
Travers was on a roll and continued his rant, “Discipline, Starling.  Discipline and authority are essential.  They,” he waved his arms in an all encompassing gesture, “Need a strong leader.  One who makes the tough calls.  One who gets the job done and not piecemeal either.”  His eyes fairly glowed with a near religious zeal.
 
He took a much needed breath before finishing, “Only through strength can we be great again.  Only by discipline can we reclaim the planet for pure humans.”
 
Starling struggled to stifle the instinctive urge to cry, “Sieg heil!”
***