Chapter 12 – In Her Hands


Sunnydale, 2000


Giles knocked on the door of Spike’s crypt impatiently, not letting up until the vampire opened the door, raising an eyebrow when he saw who was waiting for him. Before he could ask Giles why he was there, Giles pulled a stake out of his coat and aimed it at Spike’s heart.

“Whoa,” Spike said, quickly taking a step back as his eyes widened. “What’re you doing?”

“What did you do to Joyce?” Rupert asked, his eyes flashing with anger, his Ripper side coming to the surface.

“What are you talking about?” Spike asked, confused. “What happened to Joyce?”

“She’s missing,” Rupert said. “And you have something to do with that, don’t you?”

“Get your facts straight before you accuse someone,” Spike growled, walking past Giles and heading in the direction of the cemetery’s gates. “Where is Buffy?”

“At the police station,” Giles answered, following him. “She called me and told me that Joyce didn’t come home from the gallery and that although the gallery was dark, Joyce’s Jeep was still parked outside.”

“And no one has heard from Joyce?” Spike asked, worried.

“What do you think?” Giles snapped. “Where are you going?”

“To see Buffy,” Spike answered, upset. “Where do you think I’m going?”

“If I find out you had anything to do with Joyce’s disappearance, I’ll stake you before Buffy has a chance to,” Giles said sharply.

“Why do you think it was me?” Spike asked. “Why would I hurt Joyce?”

“Perhaps because you’re evil?” Giles suggested heatedly.

“I like the lady, alright?” Spike asked. “I don’t know what happened to her, but I’m going to find out.”

“I find it strange that you said you staked Harmony, who apparently was the main threat, but yet there’s another Summers woman missing,” Giles replied. “Who’s next, Spike? Buffy?”

“Nothing is going to happen to her,” Spike said, his eyes flickering golden as he stopped in his tracks and looked at Giles.

“And what about Joyce?” Giles asked, ignoring the surge of fear that coursed through him when he noticed the obvious change in Spike’s tone.

“She will be alright,” he answered before storming off and murmuring, “She has to be.”

~~~~~~~~~~

Tessa watched as Joyce regained consciousness, sitting in a chair beside the bed that she had laid Joyce on. Joyce’s eyes slowly opened, and she jolted slightly when she realized that her wrists were bound to the bed frame and that she didn’t recognize her surroundings. She noticed Tessa and remembered seeing her earlier but not recalling anything that happened after that point.

“Who are you?” Joyce asked quietly, trying not to sound as afraid as she felt.

“My name is Tessa,” the vampire answered. “And you’re Joyce, yes?”

“Yes,” Joyce answered, moving her wrists around a little to alleviate the ache that was forming in them. “What am I doing here? Why are you doing this to me?”

“You’re a part of a plan of mine.” Tessa stood up and sat down on the edge of the bed. “Just like your youngest daughter was.”

“You…” Joyce trailed off as tears formed in her eyes. “You’re the one who killed Dawn?”

“My minions did,” Tessa answered. “I didn’t intend for her to die… or so fast, at least.”

“Are you going to kill me, too?” Joyce asked. “If you are, I’d rather have you do it now than later.”

“You’re going to be fine here,” Tessa said. “I won’t let anyone hurt you.”

“Why?” Joyce asked. “Not that I don’t appreciate you saying that, but why would you protect me? Don’t vampires like killing humans?”

“Of course we do,” Tessa answered, smiling as she got up and walked to the door of the room.

“Then why are you looking out for me?” Joyce asked, watching as the girl turned and looked at her.

“I wasn’t lying before when I said that you look a lot like my mother.” She opened the door and let herself out before locking it behind her to ensure that none of her minions would get in and hurt Joyce.

~~~~~~~~~~


London, 1884


By the time Tessa returned to London, it had been nearly four years since she had seen William last and she was incredibly anxious to be with him again.

She went to the address she had seen Darla write on the fake letters over the prior few years, deciding it wouldn’t hurt to see if they were really there or not.

When she got to the small apartment building, she stopped in front of the doorman and looked at the exterior, noticing how nice it seemed.

“May I help you?” the man asked.

“Do you happen to know if William Pratt lives here?” Tessa asked.

“If the man you are looking for lived with a dotty, raven-haired woman, then yes, he used to live here,” he answered. “They moved a couple of years ago. I had just started working here when they were thrown out. It seems they were involved in some shady business.”

“Do you know where they went?” she asked, trying to ignore how sad she was that he had moved on and not knowing how she would ever find him again.

“I do not know,” he answered. “But you are probably better off without him.”

“Why is that?” she asked curiously.

“They were accused of murdering some tenants here,” he said, frowning.

“I am not surprised,” she replied, smirking. “Thank you for your help.”

She giggled as she saw his surprised expression before walking away, wondering where William had gone and how she could track him down.

It was then that she began to realize how alone she was and that she didn’t really have a place in life. She walked to a local inn and checked in for the night, thoughts filling her mind as she tried to figure out what she would do from that point on.

“Perhaps it is time to be your own person,” she murmured as she opened the door to her room, closing it behind her and trying to stay optimistic about her future.

~~~~~~~~~~


Sunnydale, 2000


Buffy walked into Giles’ home about an hour before sunrise, her eyes red from crying and a crestfallen expression on her face. She saw all of her friends gathered there, along with Spike standing in a corner, watching her solemnly.

“Have they found her?” Giles asked, walking closer to her.

“No,” she answered. “They don’t have any news or any leads to follow.”

“We do,” Xander muttered, wincing when both Willow and Anya elbowed him.

“What?” Buffy asked, looking at him. “Who?”

“They think it’s me,” Spike replied. “Your Watcher has threatened to stake me good and proper if I’m somehow affiliated with Joyce disappearing.”

“Unless you had someone else take her away, it couldn’t be you,” she said.

“Why not?” Xander asked, watching her look at him before focusing on Spike with a confused expression.

“Didn’t you tell them?” she asked.

“Tell us what?” Willow asked, looking between Buffy and Spike.

“I figured you could do the honors,” Spike said. “I didn’t feel like someone getting stake-happy without you around.”

“Spike and I were hanging out together tonight,” Buffy said, not surprised when everyone looked stunned.

“When you say hanging out-” Anya began.

“We walked around town,” Buffy answered. “And got ice cream. What’s the big deal?”

“I think you being friends with the enemy is a problem, don’t you?” Xander asked.

“Watch it, whelp,” Spike replied sharply.

“Spike is harmless,” Buffy said, frowning when he growled in response. “Sorry, let me rephrase that. Spike can’t hurt any of us because of the chip in his head – you all know that.”

“Before we address why you two are suddenly such good pals, let’s get back to your mom,” Xander said. “What makes you think he isn’t involved? Maybe he kept you out tonight so that one of his vamp buddies could kidnap your mom.”

“Do you really think he’d do that?” Buffy asked, crossing her arms. “Spike and my mom are friends.”

“What Summers woman isn’t friends with him?” Giles muttered, going into his kitchen.

“Guys, there are more important issues to discuss,” Willow said. “Joyce is missing, remember?”

“And if Buffy isn’t careful, she might be next,” Xander replied. “Isn’t that right, Spike?”

Spike charged forward and punched Xander, wincing in pain as the chip in his brain went off.

“Oww!” Xander said, cradling his nose with his hands, blood dripping between them and hitting the floor.

“Look what you did to my boyfriend!” Anya said, angry. “He had a handsome nose! Now it’s going to look weird.”

“Sod his nose,” Spike replied, giving Buffy an apologetic look before leaving.

Buffy began to follow after him but stopped when she heard Giles’ voice.

“We don’t know for sure if he’s on our side or not.” He emerged from the kitchen, cleaning his glasses with a dishtowel.

“No, you don’t,” she replied. “But I do.”

She left, slamming the door behind her, which caused her friends to jump slightly.

“Should we go after her?” Willow asked, watching Anya go into the kitchen to find ice for Xander’s nose.

“She’ll come back if she needs us,” Giles answered, frowning. “Until then, we need to hope that Joyce will turn up and that Spike isn’t involved with her kidnapping.”

“And what if he is?” Willow asked.

“She’ll take care of it,” the older man said, sighing. “It’s in her hands, not ours.”