*Author's Note: Thanks for all the nice reviews everyone. You really made my day. :) Hope you enjoy!

Watching as Riley turned to make his way back to campus, Buffy waited until she was sure he was out of earshot before turning to Spike. Grabbing him by the forearm, she yanked him close to her. “What’s going on?” she demanded, tugging on him roughly, “Why aren’t you tied up, and why are you looking for me?”

Spike grinned, plucking the cigarette from behind his ear, he brought it to his lips. “Easy with the goods there, Slayer. You break it, you bought it.” His smirk made Buffy realize just how close they were, their bodies lined up, almost touching. Twisting his arm until his smile was replaced with a grimace Buffy pushed him to the ground. “Talk Spike.”

“If I were you, I wouldn’t kill the messenger, luv.” He stood up slowly, dusting himself off and watching her warily. “I’ve got news for you.”

Pulling the stake from her sleeve and twirling it menacingly in her hands, Buffy glared at him. A second later, she lunged, not with her stake arm, but with her left, punching the vampire in the nose. “Oi! What was that for!?”

*Now that felt good. But not as good as it used to.* A small frown playing on her lips, Buffy tossed her hair back. “Felt like it. Now, I swear to god Spike, if you don’t tell me what’s going on, I’ll tie you up and leave you to meet the sunrise.”

“Very well, Slayer. Some boys ‘ve got Ripper. English chaps, looked like he knew ‘em.” Spike must have noticed the confusion on her face because he continued. “Rupes was warmin’ me up a spot o’ blood, when we heard the car outside. He untied me right quick, told me to find you and tell you Travers was here, whatever that means, and that whatever happened you weren’t to go to your house or your dorm tonight.”

The blood had drained from Buffy’s face as he spoke and she suddenly felt herself grow weak. Plopping down into the grass, the stake rolling slowly from her limp hands she looked up at Spike. “You’re sure he said Travers?” God, how she wished she killed humans. Just to rid the world of this one man. Her life would be so much easier.

“You okay Slayer?” Spike asked, an expression of, was that concern, on his face.

“Spike! You’re sure he said Travers?” Her hand was shaking as she brought it to her forehead. Not now. What could he want now?

“Yeah. Bloody Positive. You know the git?”

Shaking her head Buffy didn’t know whether to laugh or cry or kill something. “All to well.”

~*~

“Okay, so no big. Giles can handle himself till we get there, let’s load up and head out.” Xander proclaimed. “I mean, how tough can a bunch of tweed covered Watchers be?” Tossing weapons into a pile, his excited gaze took in his friends gathered in his basement. Wait, make that his friends- and Spike.

“No good, Xan.” Buffy said, pulling the axe out of his hands. Hefting its weight she twirled it expertly before tossing it onto the couch. “We don’t even know where there is.”

She was pacing now, worry etched deep on her brow. She seemed in a perpetual state of worry these days. Ever since Angel left. Didn’t that stupid vampire know he had messed Buffy up royally? What Xander wouldn’t do for five minutes alone with him. *Preferably with Angel tied up very, very tightly.*

“Don’t worry Buff. We’ll find him. I can try a locating spell maybe.” Willow offered.

“No!” Spike half shouted, half growled from his position by the door. “No more spells. Not after that last bit o’ mojo went all wonky on us.”

“Shut up Spike!” Three sets of voices chorused. “Why are you even here?” Xander continued. “It’s not like you even care.” *We should just stake him and be done with him.*

“I’m here, you little whelp. Cuz of all of you, I’m the only who’s seen what we have to deal with.” Pulling a crumpled pack of smokes from his pocket he lit one. After taking a drag, he pointed to his nose. “Plus, I can prolly smell the poncy buggers and take you right to ol’ Rupes.”

Xander watched as Buffy’s eyes lit up at the mention of tracking Giles. “Right. Good. Tracking.” Her gaze drifted to the axe she had thrown haphazardly onto the couch and then back to Spike. Xander looked on intrigued as she shook her head, her lips moving silently before she visibly composed herself. No one seemed to be paying much attention, but Xander was worried. Buffy had been kind of… out of it, the last couple days. He hoped she was up to full slaying potential

~*~

Drawing herself up, she took in her friends. This was what she had to work with to bring back Giles. *Oh god, Giles. Please be alright.* Buffy’s eyes traveled over Willow, her best friend now digging through her bag and pulling out what could only be spell components. Xander stood to one side of the dingy basement, idly fingering a short sword an unreadable expression on his face as he watched her. Finally her gaze landed on Spike. The only one here she wouldn’t consider a friend, wouldn’t consider anything but staking really. *Now, is that really true? SHUT UP! Gotta find Giles.* And yet, right now, Spike was all she had. Sure Willow’s spell might work. *Or it might not and we’ll all be turned into toads or something. I don’t want to be a toad.* It was time to take charge.

Picking up her previously discarded axe she was once again in Slayer mode. “Willow, Xander, you try and do the location spell. If we can’t track them, we’ll need it. Spike, you still have a car right?”

“Sure Slayer. Got the Desoto tucked away right nice.”

“Good then you’re with- ” She stopped suddenly when Spike cut her off.

“Hold it right there Slayer.” The vampire started, his hands coming up in front of him as if to slow her down. “You think that I’m just gonna help you find the buggers who took ol’ Rupes, what? Out of the evilness of my heart?” He snorted. A guttural sound that Buffy sooo did not find sexy. *Pig… Sexy pig,* she amended.

“You’re off your wagon.” He continued, barging in on her mental scolding. “I do this for you, you do something for me. Or the deal’s off.” His eyes had an extremely mischievous look that Buffy wasn’t sure she liked, and there was something else in his expression that she couldn’t quite place. But, right now, she didn’t really have a choice. Giles was her number one priority.

“Oh come on Buff!” Xander cut in. “We don’t need him. Let’s just stake him and put him out of his misery.”

Spike put on a wounded expression, “Oi! I’m hurt Harris. It took you a whole 15 minutes before threatenin’ to stake me.”

“Just try me Dead Boy. See how far you get without going all Chips Ahoy!” Xander was clutching the short sword as if ready to use it, and took a step forward in what she supposed would be to anyone besides the Slayer and a Master Vampire a threatening manner.

“Enough!” Buffy shouted. “None of this is helping Giles.” She turned from Xander to Spike, brandishing her axe menacingly at each of them. “Spike, whatever you want its yours. Let’s. Just. Go.” Turning on her heel she stormed from the basement, fully expecting the bleached vampire to follow.

She wasn’t disappointed.