Buffy clutched onto the boat rail and turned a shade greener. Her hand clutched her stomach as she gulped hard. Her tiny frame shook as she retched again. Spike stood behind her trying not to laugh at the mighty Slayer trying to stop herself from tossing up her cookies. He rubbed his hand in a soothing motion on her shaking back.

The boat hit another wave.

“Oh no…” Buffy yelped as she lurched forward and started to heave.

“S’all right pet, just let it go. Better out than in!” Spike whispered soothingly. He smoothed her hair from her face as he supported her with his body.

“Here, this’ll help.” Fred’s hand appeared clutching a bottle of water. “Sip it slowly and look at the horizon. It’ll settle your stomach.” The skinny brunette smiled encouragingly at Buffy, who sipped the cool water gingerly.

Spike nodded his thanks to Fred. “Any news?”

“Gunn’s keeping an eye on the weird chick,” Fred giggled. “Man it’s cool that there’s someone weirder out there than me! The ship’s captain said it’d be a few more minutes till we are at the co- ordinates.”

“He didn’t want to know why we’re heading there?” Buffy asked curiously.

“Nope…” Fred glanced over her shoulder at the short round man who was manning the vessel. He grinned at the Texan around a short cigar, which was clamped between his discoloured teeth. “I kinda get the impression from him that he does this sort of stuff all the time…”

Buffy and Spike nodded. Buffy clutched her stomach and mouth and whirled towards the railing.

“Bloody hell, luv. At this rate, you’ll be chucking up you’re toenails!” Spike muttered as he steadied her shaking body.

Fred pulled a face and backed away. “I’ll just go and um…check up on Gunn.”

**********

Connor levered himself up and, with an exhausted sigh, leant against the headboard of his bed.

“You feeling a bit better?” Tara glanced up from the Clavian Codex, which she was still trying to translate. Lorne was dozing in an armchair by the window.

“A bit. What you got there?” Connor asked.

“This? Oh, it’s the book I told you about. I’m trying to translate it…” Tara closed the embossed leather book and handed it over to Connor for him to have a look at. She reached up and grasped the small orb that Lorne had given her earlier.

The bruised young man opened it and flipped through the pages. With a shrug he handed it back. “Sorry, not a language I know…but then again I have enough trouble with English.” Connor smiled weakly.

“Would you like to go the High School?” Tara asked cautiously.

Connor nodded. “Yeah, that’d be good…but Dad never offered so I kinda guessed there was a problem…” he trailed off and stared down at the bed covers, unaware the Lorne was awake and watching him through half closed eyes.

“Well, maybe you should talk to someone else? Maybe Lorne or Fred? They could help,” Tara suggested.

Connor’s head snapped up, his blue eyes filled with hope. “You think they would?”

“Of course I will,” Lorne interrupted. “I bet you just want to check out the cheerleaders, huh cupcake?”

Connor frowned. “Cheerleaders?”

“You’ll see and enjoy!” Lorne promised slyly. “They’ll just eat you up…”

“I guess you’d like to make friends your own age and study?” Tara interrupted the excitable green demon.

Connor shrugged. “I guess…”

“Well then, we’ll sort something out. I think Fred’ll be able to help with creating some sort of educational history for you and also help you catch up studywise…” Lorne nodded enthusiastically. He then frowned, remembering something. “I thought Cordy was gonna register you at the school?”

“She never had time,” Connor explained quickly, not wanting to reveal to the others that he had disliked Cordelia and had avoided her as much as possible.

“Oh…” Lorne shifted uncomfortably in his seat. Tara peered closely at Connor and tried to divine what he was concealing.

“So, what are you reading that for?” Connor changed the subject to the book Tara had cradled in her hands.

“Well, an emissary for the Powers gave it to us to help with Willow.” Tara’s fine features were etched with worry over her erstwhile lover.

“Do you think it’ll help?” Lorne interrupted.

Tara nodded. “I think so. There are some fascinating passages in here, it’s a question of getting it all in order in my mind. That and making notes.” Her soft lips quirked into a lopsided smile, which entranced both her listeners. “Oh, I need to get my laptop, excuse me for a second.” With that she stood and vanished out of the room.

“She’s nice,” Connor mumbled and flushed slightly at the grin Lorne directed at him. “You think the orb showing her where the Witch is helped?” He had been a silent observer when Lorne and Tara had enchanted the orb to pick up on Willow’s aura. The young man had been beside himself when Tara had started crying when the small globe that Lorne had given her had emitted a beam of light and a map of the world had appeared on the wall. A small red light had hovered over London showing them that Willow was no longer in America.

“Sure, sweet cheeks. It was a shock, that’s all. I think that the three of them were hoping to catch up with Willow in New York and be home quickly…but I have a feeling they are gonna be after her for a while.”

“I guess…I just wish she wasn’t so sad. Someone as nice as her should always be happy,” Connor mumbled again, embarrassed at being so open with anyone. His experiences in Quortoth had shaped him into a reserved person. But being exposed to Tara and the others had started to allow the barriers to fall slightly.

Lorne eyed Angel’s son. It had been an adjustment for him and the others when the baby they had all fawned over had returned as a young teen. But, watching the boy and his concern for the gentle Wiccan, Lorne was pleased at how quickly he had adapted and was developing into a fine person. A true Champion. “You’re turning into a good man, Connor… your father will be proud of you.” He reached over and pulled the slender boy into his arms and hugged him. Unexpectedly, Connor returned the embrace.

“I hope they can get him back,” Connor whispered.

“One thing I can say about Buffy and Spike, when they set their minds to something, they usually achieve it.” Tara stepped back into the room with her laptop in her arms. She tilted her head slightly and grinned.

*********

“Jesus, Slayer, stop. Cos you’re starting to make me feel rough!” Spike’s face paled even more.

Buffy peered miserably over her shoulder. Tears streamed down her face, the pressure from emptying her stomach had made them water. She pressed her hand over her mouth as she turned to Spike. Her skin was clammy with sweat and her shoulders slumped tiredly. “I can’t help it, Spike,” she pouted.

Spike sighed and took in her forlorn stance. “Come ‘ere pet.” He opened his arms and Buffy flew into them. Her hands fisting in his black T-shirt as she nuzzled her face against his chest. Spike tried not to grimace but his sensitive sense of smell was filled with the sour odour of bile. He sighed and pulled her closer. ‘Didn’t matter, she could smell of week old Zhirgo flesh and I’d hold her…’

Buffy hummed happily as she inhaled deeply. “You smell good…” she nuzzled closer to him and wrapped her arms around his waist, tucking her hands into the back pockets of his jeans and squeezing his butt cheeks gently. The tiny blonde sighed happily.

Spike rested his chin on the top of Buffy’s head and sighed happily. “This is the life, my heart.”

Buffy nodded and sighed happily. “Yeah, snuggling with my honey on the boat from hell while searching for a dead guy in a coffin who’s hanging out with Davey Jones in his locker…Yeah, this is the life.” Buffy giggled, looking up at her laughing lover.

Spike kissed her on the forehead. “You, pet,” he kissed her on the nose, “are the funniest, sweetest girl in existence.” He pulled back slightly and looked into her hazel and emerald green eyes. “I love you, my goddess.” With that he kissed her soft lips.

Buffy happily reciprocated, and when she pulled back to catch her breath she grinned impishly. “Hey, I feel better.”

“You do?” Spike arched his scarred brow. “Bout bloody time, was sure I saw your Christmas dinner from ‘96 come up at one point” he teased.

Buffy rolled her eyes at Spike. “Save me from vamps who think they’re comedians.” She brushed her lips along Spike’s pale throat and sighed happily.

“What stopped the vomitorium?” Spike asked curiously.

“You…well your smell…we should bottle it and sell it as a cure-all.” Buffy chirped.

“Eau de Spike. Yeah, like the sound of that.”

“You two done flirting?” The rough voice of their captain interrupted their musing. “Take this,” he handed over a small bottle. “It’ll stop the seasickness for good, something my old Ma mixed up for landlubbers like you.”

Spike intercepted the small brown bottle and opened it gingerly. He sniffed it carefully and then handed it over to Buffy. “Smells alright to me…go on Slayer, it can’t make you any sicker.”

Buffy took the bottle and downed it in one gulp. Her face lit up, “hey, it tastes like Hersheys Syrup! Yum,” she turned to the grizzled sailor. “Thanks, I think it worked!”

Spike eyed her carefully and noticed the interesting green tinge to her skin had vanished and was replaced with her usually healthy glow. “How did you?”

“My ma! She’s a dab hand with the home remedies, vampire,” the captain casually added.

“How did you know?” Fred appeared from the cabin and gazed at the captain suspiciously.

“The nose knows…” the captain tapped his and smiled at them.

Spike stepped closer to the man and sniffed him. “Not so much with the human thing yourself, are you?”

“Nope, part Bracken demon.” With that the captain’s face erupted with blue spikes.

Buffy stepped forward her hand reaching for the stake which was tucked in her waistband.

Spike’s firm grip stopped her. “It’s okay, pet. They’re generally the good guys.”

“Yeah, we are.” With that, the captain shook his head and the spike’s disappeared. “Actually, one of my nephews used to help out a vampire here in LA.”

“Doyle?” Fred asked. Angel and Cordy had talked about their dead friend often.

“You knew the boy?” the sea captain asked.

“No. He died before I met Angel and Cordy.” Fred explained

“Died saving a lot of folk, he was a good boy… did you say you know Angel?” The captain queried.

The three of them nodded.

“Hell, well anyone who’s a friend of Angel’s…” the captain reached into his pocket and handed over the money Gunn had paid him to Fred. “I’m Patrick…my friends call me Paddie, though.”

“Um… thanks Paddie?” Fred shoved the hand-full of cash into her back pocket.

“So, what are you lot salvaging out here?” Paddie gestured to the sea in the distance- the sun was beginning to set, casting an orange glow over the clouds.

“Well, we’re…salvaging Angel…” Buffy explained.

“What? The vampire? How the hell did he end up out here?” Paddie asked.

“She put him out here…” Gunn appeared and pushed Justine to her knees on the rocking deck. “Sorry. Needed a break, she’s beginning to drive me nuts!”

Paddie reached over and pulled Justine to her feet, he wrapped a large knarled hand around her throat. “You sunk Doyle’s friend down there?” with that he threw the struggling woman overboard.

“Whoa,” Gunn yelled as he leapt after the still bound woman. Fred and Buffy rushed over to the rail and watched anxiously as Gunn dove down after the sinking woman.

“Good one, mate.” Spike slapped Paddie on his shoulder as he sauntered past to watch the excitement.

*********

“So, you ready to go?” Wesley eyed Xander with a small amount of concern.

The construction worker hefted the small axe from hand to hand. “Sure. Ready as I’ll ever be.” He tried to smile but the last few day’s events weighed heavily on his mind.

“Are your legs sufficiently healed?” Groo walked over and placed his hand on Xander’s shoulder in concern.

The last of the original Scoobies in Sunnydale shrugged the Pylean’s hand angrily off his shoulder. “Yeah, I’m fine…man, you’d think I’d never patrolled before.”

“Well, it’s been a very long time Xander,” Anya interrupted pertly.

“What do you mean by that?” Xander snapped. He hated how Anya always managed to hone in on a sore point. He was positive that sometimes she could read his mind. He eyed his girl warily, wondering if she had indeed sensed his guilt from the other day when he’d realised that Spike was the only one who regularly helped Buffy on patrol and that her friends had left her to her own devices as they had gone about their lives and relationships.

“Well, you said it yourself to me that you felt bad about leaving Buffy to patrol on her own. I think finding out that Spike was with her every night protecting her back has made you wonder what sort of friend you are to her.” Anya folded her arms across her chest and waited expectantly for Xander to lose his temper with her- again- for her bluntness.

Wesley and Groo watched the mini confrontation, both of them silently cheering the ex-demon on.

“Ahn, not now…” Xander gritted his teeth. His hands flexed on the axe handle as he tried to keep his temper. Wesley, noticing his actions, stepped to Anya’s side subtly offering his support.

“Whatever, Xander,” Anya snapped. She ran her hand tiredly through her hair. Lately their arguments had become more frequent and her antipathy for her fiancée was growing. She also felt stronger as a result of the friendship and support from Buffy, Tara and Spike. She was unsure as to why she felt more confrontational. But after the incident in the Magic Box, the small woman was more uncertain as to whether or not the two of them had a future. ‘Now is as good a time as any’ she sighed and then turned to Xander.

“Xander, you need to understand something about Buffy. She needed us, she needed you and we all let her down. The only person who helped her and stood by her, helping her adjust to being yanked out of heaven by her so-called best friends, was Spike. A soulless demon, which has essentially saved her.”

“Don’t Anya, please,” Xander begged. He was humiliated that his girl was ripping into him in front of relative strangers, but what was worse was that she was telling the truth and there was nothing he could say to defend himself. “Lets just drop it for now, we can talk later.” Anya sighed, well aware that Xander was going to bury his head in the sand or more likely a six-pack, rather than face up to the harsh reality that Buffy didn’t need anyone but Spike.

Groo nodded. “Indeed, let us go find this vampire that is creating all the fledglings. Clem said he had heard that there was several rising in Restvale Cemetery, maybe we can track their Sire and put an end to his reign of terror?”

Xander nodded his head and disappeared out of the house.

“Coming?” Wesley laid his hand gently on Anya’s tense shoulder. Groo stepped in front of her and smiled encouragingly.

“What? Oh yes, lets go…” Anya turned to leave but then stopped and faced the two men. “I’m sorry that you had to hear that…”

“No, it’s all right, really Anya.” Wesley reached over and gently squeezed her elbow in support. “He is being very unreasonable and rather aggressive.”

“Is this his usual behaviour?” Groo asked curiously.

Anya nodded and sighed. “Yes. He seems to feel the need to be the moral guide for us all, but he can’t seem to accept his own faults. It’s getting harder and harder everyday and after…”

“After what?” Wesley prompted the subdued woman.

“Well he…” Anya hesitated. She was embarrassed and also unsure as to whether it was fair to involve to relative strangers in her and Xander’s problems.

“Go on, it’s alright,” Groo urged her, his concern for the young woman colouring his eyes.

“Well, he grabbed me and shook me…I feel ridiculous. I was Anyanka, patron of scorned women, and I’m getting upset that the man who supposedly loves me, hurt me…if I had my powers he’d be a steaming pile of entrails by now…” Anya’s eyes filled with tears. “I hate being a weak woman.”

“You’re not!” Wesley’s voice was sharp, his anger over Xander’s behaviour etched sharply on his face. “Look…”

“Tick tock, guys. There’s a monster awaiting slayage.” Xander voice drifted through the open doorway as he paced on the porch.

Wes and Groo exchanged a brief look and Groo nodded in agreement to the silent conversation.

“Anya?” He caught her chin with a gentle grasp and urged her to look up from the floor. The Pylean looked deeply into her water-filled eyes. “What he did was wrong. I am very sorry that he felt the need to lay his hands on you, but remember this. You have the power in the relationship, from the little I have witnessed and have been told, he is very lucky to have you. That is, if you still want him?” Groo added. “Wesley shall remain with you while the boy and I hunt, talk with him.” He took her free hand and kissed her knuckles before heading out.

“What do you mean, it’s just us?” Xander’s voice sounded annoyed as he and Groo headed out into the twilight. “Oh, research for Dawnie, guess that’s okay then…”

“Well, now that we have Xander’s seal of approval, lets get rid of the weapons,” Wesley interjected dryly as he returned the stakes and axe to the weapons trunk. He headed over to the front door and swung it shut and locked it.

“Um, why did you lock the door? Buffy never does.” Anya asked as she curled onto the sofa and reached over and stroked the bundle of white and ginger fur. William and Anne purred happily at the attention.

“It’s safer…” Wesley. “Probably a hangover from living in LA…”

“I guess,” Anya picked up William and plopped him in her lap.

“Tea?” Wesley vanished into the kitchen.

“Beer?” Anya asked hopefully. “And something to eat?”

“No problem.” Wesley smiled briefly and disappeared into the kitchen; as he walked he ran his finger over the faint scar on his throat.

Anya curled her legs up under her and glared at Miss Kitty who had appeared next to the couch and was watching over the sleeping kittens with a propriety expression on her feline face. “I’m not gonna eat them or take them for kitten poker.” Anya huffed as she stroked the small furry bodies next to her.

“Sorry, what did you say?” Wesley stood in the doorway with a perplexed look on his face.

Anya blushed. “Nothing. Just reassuring Miss Kitty that her babies are safe from me.”

“Right.” Wesley handed her a bowl of chips and a bottle of ice-cold beer. “Do you need anything else?”

Anya blinked in surprise and she sniffed. Wesley patted her gently on the shoulder. “Sorry, it’s just the last few days, everyone has been so nice to me and not telling me to be quiet. It’s just been too much.”

Wesley stared at the small woman in surprise. “I…I’m really sorry. If you like, I can be mean to you?” He grinned at Anya and sipped his beer.

Anya laughed. “No, please continue with the niceness.” She waved her hand regally and started to giggle.

Wesley’s grin widened to a smile and for the first time in a long while, he laughed.

**********

“Duck!” Xander yelled as he swung his axe at the fledgling that was trying to sneak up on Groo. He swung his axe and began to cough as he was showered with dust. Groo straightened; he nodded his thanks and spun round to dust another newly risen vampire.

The tall Champion methodically staked another three vampires, as he dusted the final one he turned to Xander. “Well done my friend, let us continue.”

Xander straightened; he pounded his chest, “man I need a dust mask, cos this can’t be good for you!” He cleared his throat again and followed after Groo.

The Pylean paused for a second. His sharp hearing heard a twig snap. He turned on his heel and faced a small wooded copse. Raising one hand he gestured to Xander to come closer. “Something is watching us, over there.” He nodded in the direction he had heard the noise.

“Can we get to him?” Xander whispered. His eyes narrowed as he tried to spot their stalker.

“We can but try.” With that, Groo sprinted off with Xander running after him.

*********

“And you say I’m impulsive?” Spike shook his head at Buffy and leant over the rail watching Gunn drag Justine back to the boat. “Paddie, you’re my kinda people!”

“Gunn…Gunn, are you okay?” Fred called out anxiously as she reached over and pulled Justine up with Buffy’s help.

“I’m fine.” Gunn swung onto the deck and rolled onto his back and tried to get his breath back.

“Keep that poisonous bitch away from me,” Paddie growled as he headed to the aft and dropped anchor.

“Why are we stopping?” Buffy queried.

“This is where Hotlz and I dropped off the demon scum,” Justine replied, still under the control of the truth spell. She clapped her hands over her mouth and glared at all of them. “I hate you all,” she yelled as she tried to twist her hands free of their bindings.

“Feelings mutual, psycho,” Buffy snapped as she pushed Justine aside and peered over the edge of the boat.

Spike, Fred and Gunn joined her, all of them trying to spot Angel.

“You do realise that he’s probably at the bottom of the ocean; you’re not going to be spotting him that easily,” Paddie yelled as he swung the salvage crane over the ocean.

All four of them tried not to look too embarrassed at their naivety.

“Right…” Spike ran his hand over the back of his head as he tugged Buffy away from the edge. “Just admiring the view.”

“Yeah,” Buffy added, a faint flush of red to her cheeks.

“These are the guys who are going to save the vampire?” Justine began to laugh.

“Yes we are, so shut up,” Fred snapped angrily at the bound woman.

“So, who’s going swimming?” Paddie reappeared carrying a wet suit and air tanks.

“Buffy and water are kinda unmixy.” Buffy shuddered delicately at the memory of the brackish water that had filled her lungs and drowned her when the Master had killed her.

“Pet?” Spike cupped her shoulders in his cool hands; his concern filled eyes scanned her strained face.

“The Master drowned me once, haven’t really liked swimming since.” Buffy tried to shrug, but Spike’s hands were pulling her to him. He cradled her against his chest and kissed the top of her fair head.

“I’ll go get Peaches,” Spike offered. Buffy smiled up at him in thanks.

Paddie tossed over the wetsuit and set the tanks on the deck.

“Won’t need the tanks, mate. No need to breath here.” Spike disappeared below decks to change into the wet suit. “Hey pet, wanna give me a hand?”

“Sure…” Buffy trotted over and followed her vampire.

“So, what kind of container is Angel in, Justine?” Fred turned to the slumped woman.

“Metal coffin, welded shut with a window for him to enjoy the view.” Justine answered, her eyes flashing with anger at her inability to conceal the truth.

“Nice.” Gunn glared at the woman.

“Right! Anyone laughs and I rip their lungs out through their noses.” Spike stepped out onto the deck followed by a smirking Buffy whose hands were firmly gripping Spike’s rubber clad backside.

“Honey, can we keep this? You look really hot in latex!” Buffy giggled as she danced away from Spike’s grasp.

Gunn bit his lip at the expression of embarrassment and anger on the blond vampire’s face. Fred blinked once and then turned bright red.

“Even though you’re a vampire, I’d do you, shit… I hate this spell!” Justine growled and closed her eyes, trying to block out the image of the vampire’s muscles, which were defined by the form-fitting suit.

“In you’re dreams, skanky!” Buffy snapped as she repeatedly ran her hands over Spike’s six-pack.

“Right, as much as I’d love to see a catfight, I think short round here has a date with the ocean.” Paddie tried not to laugh at the expression on Spike’s face. “Here, take this with you, hook it onto the coffin and give it a yank.”

“Right…and then you’ll crank Barnacle Bill up from his watery grave?” Spike asserted.

“That’s the plan,” Paddie replied as he climbed up onto the crane to adjust the locking mechanism.

“Spike!” Buffy’s eyes filled with tears. “Be careful, okay?”

“Always, luv. Got a lot to unlive for, here”. He ran his fingers over Buffy’s lips before leaning in and capturing them in a sweet gentle kiss.

“That’s kinda cute, crap…” Justine clapped her hands over her mouth.

Spike straightened and pulled on his mask. “Need a torch or something?”

“Here,” Paddie tossed down a large torch. “Now get swimming, shorty.”

“Hey!” Buffy and Spike exclaimed simultaneously.

Buffy turned back to Spike; she smoothed her hands over his shoulders. “Be safe.”

“Will do.” With that Spike turned and dove into the icy cold water.

Buffy rushed over to the rail and stood watching the bubbles that were left in the wake of her vampire.

“Kinda weird for yah, ain’t it?” Fred joined Buffy in her vigil.

“Huh?”

“Your current going to rescue your ex?” Fred explained.

Buffy nodded. “Weirder still is, Spike hates Angel…well, I guess he kinda does…” Buffy frowned and watched the choppy waters.

**********

‘Bloody hell, am gonna have to borrow Peaches superhero cape after this… what the bloody hell am I doing this for? Spike swam downwards swiftly. Buffy’s concerned hazel eyes filled his mind. ‘Oh right, doing it for her and Peaches Jr...’

The dark water was freezing cold- cold enough to register-and Spike’s muscles were beginning to cramp slightly. After almost fifteen minutes of swimming steadily he was beginning to tire.

‘If my balls and dick drop off from frostbite I’m gonna kill the poof, if Buffy doesn’t do it for me! Spike smiled wryly at the image of his girl going medieval on Angel’s ass. He switched on the torch and began to aim it below him. He could feel a tug on his undead heart; his Grandsire was close. He could feel it.

**********

“How long has it been?” Buffy asked anxiously. It had felt like an eternity, but she knew it had only been minutes. The interminable wait was wearing on her. She wanted Spike back and safe in her arms.

“About twenty minutes, wonder what water pressure does to a vamps internal organs?” Justine asked.

“Shut up!” Gunn snarled and he picked up the struggling woman and took her below.

“Good riddance, she is a pain in all of our asses!” Paddie grumbled as he sat with his hand on the rope, waiting to feel the tug when Spike signalled him.

Buffy and Fred nodded in agreement and then turned to face the moonlit ocean.

Spike shuddered as the familial claim became stronger; it was as if icy hooks were pulling on his bones. He swung the waterproof flashlight in an arc and in the distance he could see it. ‘About bloody time!’ With powerful strokes of his arms Spike swam over to the metal coffin. It lay on the sand surrounded by gently waving seaweed.

The blond vampire pushed his face up against the small window. The sight of Angel’s face made him recoil. ‘Sweet Jesus! The effing wankers have really done a number on him.’ Spike patted the window once and then swam to the top of the coffin. ‘Bollocks!’ Spike ran his hands over the smooth top; there was nothing for him to attach the hook onto. Running his numb fingers down the side, Spike found one of the handles. Quickly hooking the rope onto it, Spike reached up and, using all of his vampiric strength, he tugged on the rope.

**********

“He’s found Angel!” felt the rope vibrate under his hand.

“Really?” Fred spun and stared at the rope and a smile broke out over her face as she saw the rope twitch again. “Spike’s found him, Buffy!”

“I know. Was there any doubt?” Buffy smiled serenely at the excited Texan and turned back to watch the ocean.

Her calm face belied the chaotic thoughts that were spinning in her mind. The vigil by the rail of the boat had resulted in Buffy having an epiphany – Spike was hers and she was determined to broach the subject of them claiming each other. She instinctively knew that Spike would be against it – he would say it was too soon after her and Angel’s ritual of un-claiming. But Buffy was determined; one thing she had learned was that her life was too short for delay. She knew it was the right time, now she had to convince the stubborn vamp who was currently deep-sea fishing for his Grandsire.

“Hey, did I hear right? Billy boy found the boss?” Gunn reappeared on deck a broad smile on his face, his delighted exclamation brought Buffy back to the matter in hand.

“Yup.” Buffy smirked over her shoulder at the tall dark skinned man. She turned back and continued her vigil.

There was a roar from the crane as the engine turned over and the pulley began to crank Angel’s coffin up. Smoke billowed out of the exhaust and the noise was deafening.

**********

Spike felt the coffin lurch as the rope began to shorten. He held onto the rope as the coffin began to rise. He could see the sand under the coffin swirl as a vacuum was created, the weight of the coffin shifted suddenly as it broke free. Spike shone the torch downwards and tried to make out what the dark swirls were in the sand. The coffin shifted on its side, dangling from the rope attached to the handle. Spike agilely shifted and stood braced on the coffin’s side. Wrapping one hand around the rope he leant over as far as he could, trying to make out what was trailing out from the coffin’s seams.

‘Bloody buggering hell,’ his blue eyes widened at the stream of blood that poured out from Angel’s coffin. He tugged the rope again, but it was too taut. The blond vampire swung the torch around him, scanning for any unwelcome guests. He reached down and freed the knife that Buffy had insisted he strap to his leg.

**********

“Um, guys, is that what I think it is?” Buffy pointed at an unmistakable pair of fins that broke the water in the distance and began to circle closer to the boat.

Fred and Gunn joined her at the rail and squinted out over the moonlit sea.

“Paddie, you better get that cranked up to the max,” Gunn yelled over his shoulder.

“Why are they here?” Fred asked anxiously.

“Justine said they had cut Angel up, maybe moving the coffin…” Gunn trailed off.

“Let the blood that was pooled inside spill out of the seams,” Fred finished. Her face paled. “Oh no…”

“Spike,” Buffy whispered, a frisson of fear running through her. She spun on her heel and ran over to Paddie and began to yell at him, her voice muffled by engines. Paddie nodded and pointed over to the aft. Buffy smiled and shot off.

Spike hung onto the rope and scanned the surrounding area. He vamped and his golden eyes gleamed in the darkness; he snarled anxiously. His demon could sense something but he couldn’t tell where. A dark shadow moved above him, Spike spotted it out of the corner of his eye. He shifted his feet and growled. His free hand now gripped the hunting knife Buffy had forced on him, ‘bless you Sunshine!’ A dark form shot past him, the pressure of the water forced Spike to his knees, looking up he snarled showing his fangs at the interloper.

*********

“So…” Wesley shifted and ran his hands through his hair.

Anya watched the ex-watcher closely, wondering what he was going to ask her. The ex-vengeance demon was feeling slightly uncomfortable at his close scrutiny. She had heard the stories of Wesley’s first visit to Sunnydale from Xander. She found it hard to equate the hardened and scarred man with the green Watcher that Buffy, Giles and Faith had run circles around. “So…” she echoed.

“You want to talk about Xander?” Wes asked cautiously. He settled back in the armchair and watched Anya stroke Miss Kitty. “I know we are comparative strangers, but it may help talking to someone who doesn’t have a history with Xander and yourself.” Wesley rubbed the faint scar on his throat as he waited anxiously for Anya to respond.

“I…don’t know where to start,” she replied quietly.

“Would it help if I told you about Fred?” he offered.

“Fred?” Anya’s stomach sank slightly, “oh, is he an ex?”

Wesley chocked on his beer, his pale blue eyes watered slightly and a red flush tinted his cheeks. “No! Fred’s a she…” he looked down and fiddled with the label on his bottle.

“Oh, good!” Anya smiled. She tried to ignore the feeling of relief that flooded her. “If you…well…want to?”

“Right… where to start?” Wesley sat forward. “We first met in Pylea…”

For the next hour, Wesley filled in Anya on the recent turn of events in his life, leading up to Buffy and Spike bringing him to Sunnydale. Anya’s face was a mixture of horror and sympathy. She was surprised at his honesty and in turn she began to talk. It was a cathartic experience for the two of them.

**********

Buffy reappeared clutching a harpoon. Skidding to a halt at the rail next to Gunn and Fred she scanned the water. “There’s only one! Where did the other go?” she asked anxiously.

“It went down,” Fred exclaimed.

“Blondie, can you get the other one?” Gunn’s fingers clenched on the rail as he watched the predator circle.

“Not enough light,” Buffy told him as she squinted down the barrel and tried to take aim.

Before she could turn to Paddie to ask if he could help out, a massive searchlight flashed on and focused on the shark’s fin. Paddie stood and waved over at Buffy, a cigar clamped between his teeth. “That help?” he yelled over the crane’s noise.

Buffy nodded and shouldered the harpoon. “It’s too far away!” she muttered.

Fred reached over and grabbed hold of the harpoon and wrapped her hand over the tip, puncturing her skin. She held her hand over the rail and let her blood drip into the water.

“Fred? You okay?” Gunn ran his hand over the small of her back.

“Yeah…but OW!” Fred shook her hand scattering drops of blood into the ocean.

“Good thinking, doll,” Paddie yelled as he watched the fin swim towards the boat. “You’ll only get one shot, half pint!” he bellowed down to Buffy.

The petite Slayer braced her legs apart, her finger flexed on the trigger. “Come on…get closer…” she muttered under her breath.

“Shoot!” Gunn hissed as he watched the shark get closer.

“Wait for it,” Buffy hissed. A trickle of sweat ran down her temple. “Now!” she yelled and fired the harpoon.

There was a dull thud at it speared the shark. It began thrashing in the water. Buffy hit the trigger again and began to reel in the wounded shark.

A net dropped to the deck. Paddie gestured to Gunn to scoop it up.

Gunn grabbed it and for the next few minutes there was the sounds of the three of them wrestling the shark onto the deck. It lay flopping on the soaked deck, its massive mouth gaped open revealing the shark’s sharp teeth opening and closing. Buffy leapt forward and grabbed the harpoon in its side and twisted it down hard, her Slayer strength, pinning the now dead shark to the deck.

“It’s huge!” Fred exclaimed as Gunn wrapped her hand with a length of fabric ripped from his sweat- shirt.

“And it wasn’t alone,” Buffy replied grimly. She stalked over to the rail and gazed apprehensively down. “Its buddy is going after Spike…”

**********

‘Where the bloody hell is it?’ Spike crouched on the lurching coffin as it made its slow ascent to the surface. Before he could swing the torch in another arc, he felt something ram into his side and swim off. He looked down at his side, the wetsuit had torn and his skin looked as if it had been sanded. He pressed his hand to his side and stood shakily, wrapping one of his legs around the rope to keep his hands free to defend himself. The blond vampire growled deep in his chest, his skin felt like it was on fire. Looking up he could see a light on the surface about a hundred feet above him. ‘Almost there mate, just hang on…’

Spike reeled back at the sight of the shark approaching it’s massive jaw open, with his superior vampire vision he could see the rows of sharp teeth. Dropping the torch he braced himself. ‘The bugger’s got bigger nashers than me!’

**********

“Over there!” Gunn pointed to a shape floating to the surface.

“Is it Spike?” Fred squinted out at the dark shape that floated on the choppy water.

“Paddie, swing the light over there!” Buffy yelled and pointed at the dark shape.

The searchlight swung over and illuminated a black form.

Buffy’s hand shot to her mouth as she screamed at the top of her lungs. She climbed onto the rail and tried to dive into the water. Gunn wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her back. “No, don’t. That shark’s still around!” he exclaimed.

“Spike…no!” Buffy yelled as tears streamed down her face – she couldn’t lose him. Not now, not when she had realised that she wanted to him to be hers. Gunn cradled her to his chest as she began to sob.

The crane jolted as the coffin broke the surface.

“Buffy, look!” Fred screamed.

“I can’t, he’s dead…” Buffy mumbled against Gunn’s chest.

“I know that, you dozy bint!”

“Spike?” Buffy wrenched herself from Gunn’s comforting arms and leant over the rail. “Oh god, Spike!”

“Yeah, wot? Give a bloke a hand here, I’m bleeding like a stuck pig.” The blond vampire lay sprawled on his back clutching his side. He grinned up at Buffy’s tearstained face. “Miss me, Sunshine?”

“But how?” Buffy leant over the rail and reached for Spike, their fingers grazed each other. They both felt a jolt go through them at the first touch of their fingers.

“How what, darlin?” Spike asked as the coffin swung over the side.

“The shark… you killed it?” Buffy frowned as she stood on her tiptoes trying to keep sight of Spike. Fred and Gunn joined her.

“Yeah. Stabbed the bastard in the eye and scrambled his tiny brain around a bit, why?” Spike replied tiredly.

The coffin dropped onto the deck and Buffy carefully eased Spike off. She wrapped her arms around him and, cradling him to her chest they sank to the deck.

“Angel!” Fred gasped as Gunn lowered the coffin face up and she caught sight of his emaciated face. Gunn rubbed his hand over his mouth at the rictus like visage of their friend. Buffy glanced over for a second and her face darkened angrily. She could see that Holtz and his minions had nearly dusted him. Their surgical cuts all over Angel’s body had allowed for his blood to drain him almost to the point of death – he looked like a famine victim. Buffy regretted not causing some physical damage to the idiots who had allowed Holtz to brainwash them into becoming vigilantes.

“Spike? How did you manage to kill the shark, the chip…” she frowned.

“Chip stops me from hurting humans; guess the Initiative wasn’t worried about fuzzy animals and soddin great sharks that chomp on unsuspecting vamps.” Spike theorised. He ignored the ringing in his ears and the blood he could feel seeping out of them. He didn’t want Buffy to know just now that when he had defended himself against attack, the chip had fired repeatedly, nearly causing him to black out. The only thing that had kept him conscious and fighting was the desire to get back to Buffy.

“Chip?” Fred’s eyebrows shot up into her hairline.

“We’ll natter about that later ducks. First, someone get these teeth outta me!” Spike

“Oh god!” Buffy peeled Spike’s pale hand away from his side and her eyes filled with tears at the sight of the wound on her vampire. “I’m so sorry…”

“None of that Goldilocks, just yank em out and strap me up…” Spike paused for a second. “Umm, can you keep them for me?”

“What, the teeth?” Buffy gazed down at the bleeding vampire with a complete lack of surprise.

“Yeah, fancy having a nice necklace made out of the bugger’s nashers,” Spike tried to laugh but winced.

“Here.” A first-aid kit landed next to Buffy and Spike. Paddie jumped down from the now silent crane and joined Fred and Gunn by the coffin. He swore under his breath at the sight of Angel’s comatose face. “Lets get Spike sorted before we get Angel out of there. I’m thinking we need to contain the scent of blood here…”

With that the three of them joined Buffy and Spike. Fred reached for the kit; Gunn and Paddie grabbed hold of Spike’s legs, while Buffy wrapped her arms around his chest and cradled him against her torso. Her clothes were soaked with seawater and Spike’s blood.

“This might hurt a bit,” Fred said softly as she reached over and tore the wetsuit exposing the wound. The torn rubber gave easily under her hands, exposing the teeth marks that spanned Spike’s side both front and back.

“Arghhhh…” Spike roared, as Fred began to deftly pull the teeth from the bleeding wound. Gunn and Paddie pressed down hard on Spike’s kicking legs as Buffy held on tight. She pressed kisses to his temple and murmured soothingly to Spike. Her still weak stomach clenched with every bellow that erupted from her vampire. ‘Yup, her vampire,’ she thought as she clutched him closer to her heart. As soon as they had a bit of down time Buffy was determined that they had to have the ‘talk’.

The extraction process lasted for several minutes, Spike’s game face sliding over his features intermitantly. Fred heeded Spike’s request, dropping the teeth into the cover of the first- aid box as she extracted them.

Buffy’s eyes began to glow green as she began to get more and more upset over the pain Spike was in.
“I’m sorry, Spike. I should’ve been the one to go down there.” She cried as Spike whimpered pathetically as Fred daubed the bleeding teeth marks with peroxide.

“Buffy, if you’d gone down there the shark would’ve snapped you in half,” Gunn yelled over Spike’s whimpering as he braced himself on Spike’s still shaking leg.

“Almost done, Spike. Hold on for a few more seconds.” Fred carefully cut around the wetsuit and pulled the top over the wound, which she then bandaged tightly. “There, all done,” she said as she patted Spike on the cheek and straightened. The tall woman rinsed her hands off and then headed over to the coffin. She laid her hand gently on the top. “Can we help Angel now?”

“Give us a sec, luv,” Spike gasped as he nuzzled his head under Buffy’s chin. Paddie and Gunn released his legs and stood. “Thanks, mates.” Spike smiled at the three of them. “Buffy?” He reached up and gently cradled her tearstained cheek with one hand. “Buffy? Sunshine?” he asked as Buffy continued to rock him in her arms. “It’s over, love. Let me up so we can get Peaches out of his tin can.”

Buffy sniffled and reluctantly released Spike. She stood and pulled Spike up as well. Gingerly wrapping her arms around him, the blonde woman kissed him gently. “I’m so glad you’re safe…” Her mind balked at the thought that he could have died. Buffy realised she wanted to share more than fighting by his side and curling up around his cool form in bed. She wanted a commitment – she wanted it all.

“Bit nibbled around the edges but safe here in your arms,” Spike whispered against her lips, before kissing her.

“Okay, enough with the mush, we need to get Angel out.” Paddie growled at the blond pair, a smile on his face. He hefted the acetylene torch and began to cut the bolts free. Once the cover was unbolted all five rescuers hefted the heavy metal away from the coffin.

“Bloody hell…” Spike stared down at Angel.

“Oh my…” Fred buried her face in Gunn’s chest while his arms wrapped around her frail shoulders. He glared down at the carved up form of his former boss.

“Sick fucks, and they say we’re the demons…” Paddie rubbed his face tiredly.

“Angel!” Buffy’s hands hovered over the coffin as Spike stepped closer to her and leant over to check out the condition of his grandsire.

Angel’s eyes snapped open. Startling them all.

Paddie grabbed some pliers and clipped the restraining cables away from Angel’s still form.

“Sire?” Spike’s eye’s locked with Angel’s. Before any of them could react Angel’s hand snapped up and pulled Spike to him. His face shifted and clamped down on Spike’s throat.