Spike waited anxiously while Buffy headed off the goon squad that had invaded his home. He hated the fear he felt every time he saw one of the uniformed bastards, and he hated hiding behind the Slayer's skirts. One day he would be free again, and on that day he vowed he'd get his revenge.

At last he heard them leave and he relaxed slightly. It was then that he began to worry about Buffy. Was she going to return to him? He knew she'd been as worked up as he was, but she was a stubborn little thing. She'd come to break up with him, but he'd been able to wear down her resistance with a single kiss. He just needed to keep her on her back until she was as addicted to him as he was to her.

He cautiously climbed the ladder to the upper level, listening to make sure the soldiers didn't suddenly return, and crept to his front door. Pressing his ear against the thick wood, he tried to make out any sounds from outside. He heard the murmur of voices and sensed Buffy's presence. He decided to return to the lower level for a while until the commandos had time to leave the area.

When he felt he'd waited long enough, he climbed up the ladder and hurried to his door. A quick listen assured him that no one was talking outside, and he couldn't sense Buffy's presence any longer. Carefully opening the door, he slipped out, listening, scenting the air. The commandos had gone one way but Buffy's scent led him in a different direction.

Breaking into a loping trot, he followed the musky scent trail and soon caught sight of Buffy. He slowed up as he watched her walk. She had her arms wrapped around herself and was hunched in on herself.

Poor lamb, he thought. Once she gives over, admits she wants me, she'll be happy again. With that thought in mind, he ran up to her and took her arm, turning her around.

"Didn't think you could get away from me that easily, did you, pet?" he asked with a smile. He stopped smiling when she jerked her arm out of his grasp.

"Go home, Spike. It's over between us."

"It's not, Buffy. You were all over me back there before your soldier boy showed up."

Buffy closed her eyes briefly. "You need to get over what happened in that other dimension. We were forced into a weird situation and it made us crazy, but we're home now and things need to go back to normal."

She turned around and started to walk away from him, but he reached out and grabbed her arm again. The force of his body hitting a tree startled him more than hurt him, and he felt his temper rise. He jumped up, ready to hit back, but stopped. Not because the chip wouldn't allow him to hurt her, but because he saw the tears in her eyes.

"Leave me alone, Spike," she whispered. "I don't want you anymore."

He watched silently as she ran from his sight.

***

Spike spent the next week or so in an alcoholic haze that he didn't come out of until he was beaten bloody by a group of demons at Willy's. They warned him against killing any more his own kind but left him undusted, at least for now. He managed to get home just before sunrise and spent several days healing.

After that, he spent less time drunk and more time hunting. The first ones he tracked down were the demons that had beaten him up. The fights and violence helped him keep his mind off of Buffy. He saw her occasionally from a distance. Sometimes he'd follow her, watching her as she patrolled or hung out with her friends. The lack of Riley Finn in her entourage intrigued him, but he never approached her. The memory of the tears in her eyes tore at him, and he didn't want to cause her further pain.

Sometimes though, he raged at himself for allowing the memory of tears to hold him back. Ever since he'd awakened to his new life, he'd taken what he wanted. Tears had never stopped him. He'd thrived on tears and pain and sex and fear and blood. But now he couldn't take the thing he wanted most. Not just because she was the Slayer he told himself, but because of the chip in his head. He'd do just about anything to get that hated bit of wiring out of his cranium.

***

Winter passed into spring and the buzz in the demon community centered around two subjects. The first was that Maggie Walsh, the bitch in charge of The Initiative, had been skewered by a Polgara demon and was dead. He drank a silent toast in honor of the demon that had put Maggie Walsh out of everyone's misery. The second was that a powerful new unknown was killing and dissecting humans and demons alike. Since very few of the bar's patrons would associate with him - the rather gruesome deaths of the demons that had beaten him up had not gone unnoticed and he was given a wide berth wherever he went - Spike learned this news by overhearing the gossip in Willy's.

Feigning disinterest, Spike listened carefully to the conversations going on around him. He didn't care about the deaths of either human or demon, but he knew that whatever the thing was that was doing the killing, the Slayer would be on the hunt for it. Hearing nothing that would either help or hurt the Slayer, he tossed back the last of his blood chaser, got up, and left the bar.

**

It was late the next morning and Spike was snoozing on the sarcophagus in his crypt when footsteps slowly approached. Just as a hand was about to reach his throat, Spike grabbed it. Without opening his eyes he said with amusement, "From the sound of those massive mud flaps, I'd peg you as a demon. Which means you're in for a world of..." He opened his eyes to see a huge Frankenstein-like demon. "Pain," he finished, his eyes widening. He threw aside his blanket, jumped off the sarcophagus, and looked in shock at the massive monster.

"Spike, I want you to come with me."

"Do you?" he asked with a shrug. "Well, let's go then," he said agreeably. He acted as if he were turning to leave and then swung back to punch the intruder in the gut. It was like punching concrete. He shook his hand as it throbbed with pain. "Ow."

"Come," the monster said taking a step forward. Spike jumped back. "You're going to help me with my problem."

"Why is that, exactly?"

It smiled in pleasure. "I'm going to help you with yours."

***

The lights were on in Giles's apartment. Spike hesitated for a second, then straightened his shoulders, put on his Big Bad, and turned the doorknob. The door was unlocked and he walked in unimpeded by human or supernatural barriers. Giles sat in an armchair reading a book while music played softly from the stereo. A glass of amber liquid sat on a side table within easy reach.

"I wouldn't say no to a drink, Giles. Thanks."

Giles started up out of his chair and frowned when he saw Spike. Taking off his glasses he demanded, "How did you get in here?"

"Through the door," Spike explained with a smirk. "It was unlocked. You should watch that. Someone dangerous could get in."

"Or someone formerly dangerous and now merely annoying," Giles shot back. "What do you want?"

Spike shrugged, walked over to the side table and took up Giles's drink. "This will do for a start," he said, saluting Giles and downing the whiskey. "Good stuff."

"You've had your drink," Giles said coldly. "Now get out."

Spike set the glass down and sighed. "Look, I didn't come here for drinkies, mate. I've got important information I thought you might like to know about. It concerns the Slayer."

"And this information would be?" Giles asked distrustfully.

"I know what's been mutilating the bodies that have been showing up."

"Thank you, Spike, but we're already aware of what it is."

"Oh. Then I guess you know what its plan is."

Giles hesitated. "Are you telling me you do?"

"Yeah, that's what I'm telling you."

"And how would you know this information?"

"Wouldn't mind another taste of your Scotch," Spike said with a smirk as he settled himself comfortably in Giles's armchair.

"And I wouldn't mind driving a stake into your chest, Spike." Spike's smirk turned into a scowl. "So if you wish to avoid that fate, I suggest you tell me what you have to say and then get out."

Spike stood up again, a look of anger on his face. "Fine, Rupert. You want me to leave; I'll go. And when your Slayer is lying dead at your feet, you can blame yourself." He headed toward the door with a swirl of black leather.

"Spike, wait!" Giles called after him.

Spike stopped and glanced over his shoulder at the Watcher.

Giles sighed. "Come back here and tell me what you know. If it's useful, you'll be compensated."

Spike turned back around and said simply, "I had a visitor at my crypt this morning."

***

"So this creature is planning the complete annihilation of the human race?"

Giles was sitting in his chair starting intently at Spike who was sitting is a chair across from him.

"Yeah, nice, innit? No more of you lot clogging up the roadways."

Giles glared at him. "Why are you telling me this, Spike?"

"Think, Giles. I'm a vampire. I may be shackled right now, but eventually I'm going to get rid of my little affliction. And when I do, humans will be back on the menu, won't they? But if this Adam thing gets rid of all of you, it's pig's blood for eternity."

"Why did Adam come to you and tell you his plan?"

"He wants my help, doesn't he?" Spike explained. "He knows I was in with you lot, and he thinks I can lure the Slayer into a trap. Get her to lead the humans into a massacre."

"What did he offer you for your help with his plan?" Giles asked shrewdly.

Spike hesitated, and then decided to stick with the truth. "He said he'd take my chip out."

Giles sat bolt upright.

"Calm down, Rupert. If I was going to go along with him, I wouldn't be telling you all about it, now would I?"

"Forgive me if I fail to put my full trust in your integrity, Spike. I don't see why you would come to me when there's an opportunity, however slight, to get your chip removed."

"I've already told you, Giles. No people equals pig's blood for eternity. Not something I'm willing to sign up for."

Giles looked at him suspiciously for a minute and then stood up and walked to his telephone.

"You calling the Slayer?" Spike asked, also standing up.

"Yes. She needs to know about this right away."

"Look, hold off a second." Spike reached into his duster pocket and pulled out several computer disks. "Adam gave these to me as a lure for the Slayer. I was supposed to use these as a means to get back in good with you lot. There are supposed to be files, design schematics, all kinds of tidbits about The Initiative on 'em. He's says it's all good information about Maggie Walsh's little house of horrors. There's even supposed to be information about him in them." He shrugged. "I guess he's not too worried about anything you find out about him. You can have Willow look at them, and she can figure out if they're useful or not." He threw them down on the coffee table and started to walk to the door.

"Where are you going?"

"Me? I'm out of here. Mr. Bits is going to figure out I double-crossed him, and I don't want to be around when he does, so I'm off for parts unknown."

"You'll stay here and tell your story to Buffy first."

"Look, Rupert, I told you everything I know. Just tell Buffy exactly what I told you."

"You can lead her to him."

"If I do, she'll get killed." He ran his hand through his hair causing curls to pop up all over his head. "Look, you lot need to make a plan before she confronts him. I hit the bastard and damned near broke my hand. He's not your average demon, Giles."

"So that's what this is all about, is it? You're frightened of him," Giles said derisively.

Spike took immediate umbrage. "Sod off, Giles. I'm leaving because the Slayer wants no part of me. I told you everything I know. I gave you the disks, now I'm off."

"And I'll send Buffy right after you. I don't know what you're up to Spike, but until Willow has had a chance to look over those disks and we've had a chance to investigate your story, you're not going anywhere."

Giles turned his back and Spike glared impotently at him. This was not going according to plan. He'd known the Watcher was alone, that was why he'd come in. He was just going to tell his story, drop off the disks, and leave. He watched anxiously as Giles said into the receiver, "Joyce? Giles here. Is Buffy still there?"