A/N: As always, I'm very grateful to my betas for their help. Mable Marsters, Tanit and Slaymesoftly.



In Harm's Way

Chapter Seventeen: Gift Giving


Buffy eyed Spike, standing just inside her closed hospital room door. He didn't seem his usual cocky self. Still, she had no idea if he'd come to kill her or...something else. She held the t-shirt under the covers and shoved it further down, hoping he hadn't seen it; and tried to shake the remnants of the most recent nightmare of being on the Maury Povich show from her head. Every time, the results were the same. There was no way this vampire could be the father. It was physically impossible and he was a killer.

“If you've come looking for a good, fair fight before you attempt to kill me again, you're in for a little bit of a wait.” She leaned back and clutched the bear to her, knowing that it wasn't exactly protection again a big bad vampire with a magical ring of indestructibility on his finger.

She flinched when he took a step forward, looking angry, but relaxed when he stopped and ran a hand through his hair. “Would I bring you a stuffed bear if I was coming to try to kill you?”

Holding the hot pink Care Bear out to inspect it, she asked, “You brought this?”

With long strides, Spike came back to her side and sat in the chair again. “Who did you think brought it, Nurse Night-n-Gay?”

With a shocked expression and a snicker, Buffy said, “Spike! That's not nice. Wait. Look who I’m talking to. I'm not saying he's gay, but even if he was, what's the big deal?”

“I'm just saying,” Spike said, picking up her makeup bag, “all that time making yourself up? It's pretty much wasted on that one.”

Blushing, she snatched the bag from him. “I didn't put my makeup on for him. I just wanted to feel more like, well, me.”

“You don't need makeup to be you,” he said casually, obviously not thinking before he spoke. “You look great without it.”

They both found other things to stare at. Buffy opened the little card-like tag attached to the bear's ear to read it. “Secret Bear?”

Shrugging, Spike said, “I was in L.A. waiting for my own surgery appointment. I went shopping; I needed more t-shirts. Saw the display of bears and thought maybe you'd be lonely at night and need a friend.”

“Surgery?”

“Yeah,” he said proudly, searching his jean pocket. “Got the bleedin' chip out.”

Peeking inside the little gold box that he snapped open for her, she marveled at how small the chip was, but then she remembered what the chip had stopped him from doing. She stared at him in alarm as he put it away.

“What?” he asked. “You thought I was going to keep that bloody thing in my head?”

“No...I mean...” She kept her gaze on the bear. “If you don't have a chip, I'll have to dust you, if you start killing people.”

With a sarcastic snort, he said, “That little declaration has me wantin' to go out and find a bloody human to bite.” When she glared at him, he smiled at her. “I'd love to dance with you again, but we both know that with this gem on, I'd be the victor.”

Buffy rolled her eyes and propped the bear beside her, wedging it against the guardrail. “I got the ring away from you before.”

He narrowed his eyes at her. “Planning to shag me again, are you?”

With a flourish of frustration, she flung her blankets back and scooted until her legs dangled over the side of the bed. “If you're not here to kill me, then make yourself useful and hand me those crutches behind you.”

“Should you be getting out of bed?” he asked, even as he jumped to do her bidding.

“The doctor said I could use the crutches to get myself to the...” She glanced in the direction of the other door in the room.

“The loo?” he asked as he grabbed her elbow and helped her situate the crutches. “Funny thing, but one of the effects of the Gem, it seems that I have a working digestive system again. I've had to get to know the loo after so long. The invention's come a long way since my time.”

He had been walking alongside her as she hobbled to the door and stopped when she did. She swayed a little, but stared at him as she leaned on her good leg.

“Huh? You have to use the bathroom now?”

“Crazy, innit? Tried to get pissed before my surgery. Didn't get the least bit drunk, but by the time I got to the Surgery, I had to use the loo.” He smiled back at her amused look. “Imagine that. No bleedin' heart beat, but I have bodily functions like a soddin' human.”

She shook her head slightly and continued her slow progress to the 'loo', thinking about vampires having to go the bathroom. An image came to mind of Spike standing before Giles and her friends, going on about being the big bad, telling them all that he was going to kill them, and then excusing himself to use the restroom.

She giggled.

“What?”

“Nothing. I'll try not to be in here too long, you know, just in case you need to...”

When she came out, Spike was standing by her bed with his t-shirt unfolded, holding it up and staring at her with a raised brow. “Seems you didn't need the bear after all, seeing as you were cuddled up with one of my t-shirts. This can't be the one I gave Giles to stop your bleeding.”

She could feel the hot blush on her cheeks. “That—Willow brought it.”

“And where did Willow get it from? I don't recall taking my shirt off for her,” he said, putting the shirt down and rushing to her to help keep her steady on the crutches.

Once she was settled, she tossed the shirt to him. “Take it back. I wore it the day I took the Gem from you, since you destroyed my shirt.”

“Well, then, it's only fair that you keep it.” Spike tossed it back to her. With a wicked grin, he said, “Besides, I kept a little souvenir myself.” He brought his hand out from behind him, swinging the black lace panties on his thumb. “You've got your trophy from that morning and I've got mine.”

“Oh my God!” she exclaimed, not believing that he'd been walking around with those in his back pocket all this time. “I want those back.”

“Nope.”

Buffy glared at the smug looking vampire as he sat down and pocketed one half of a very expensive Victoria’s Secret set. “You. Are. A. Pig.”

As much as she despised him at the moment, the deep chuckle he emitted caused her insides to flutter.

“Yeah, I am. But judging by how excited you got, I can tell that you like my particular brand of oink.”

She let a sigh escape her lips and then gazed at him, her stomach fluttering when his smirk faded and he gazed back at her. “I don't know why you saved us, but I want to thank you.” Buffy broke eye contact with him and concentrated on adjusting her blankets. “Giles and Willow both told me the same story and while they didn't come right out and say it, it's very clear that if you hadn't stepped in, none of us would be alive right now.” When he was silent beside her, she glanced up at him again.

Spike blinked slowly and for once, he was speechless. But he wasn’t for long. “We struck a bargain, didn't we? You gave me the Gem; I gave you a dead Adam.”

She didn't know what to think of that. If it was just a bargain, what was he doing here now? None of it made any sense. Spike had made it clear that he wasn't sticking around to kill her, even going as far as getting her a stuffed bear, of all things. “Thank you for the stuffed animal,” she said softly.

“Uh, yeah. Like I said, impulse buy.”

“But, Secret Bear?” she asked him.

He shrugged.

“Are you trying to tell me that you have a secret, Spike?”
He gazed at her and she watched in fascination as his Adam's apple rose and fell with a swallow.

“I don't know, Slayer, maybe we both do?”

The expectant look he gave Buffy unnerved her. If he thought she was going to say anything to that, he was wrong. She frowned slightly and looked away.

Spike inhaled and let it out with what sounded suspiciously like a sigh. “Don't sick people, coming off surgery, need a lot of sleep?”

Grateful for something to do, she lowered the head of the bed with the remote. “Yes. I am very tired. Would you turn off the light for me?”

Buffy turned the TV on, but kept the volume low. The lights went out, and Spike sank back into the bedside chair.

“You don't mind if I sit a spell, do you?”

Actually, she was kind of glad he wanted to stay. She hated hospitals. It felt strange, but she knew that she'd sleep better with him there. “No, but—don't do anything evil while I'm asleep. And, don't assault my nurses.”

When he grunted a reply, she lifted her head to see over the guardrail. Spike had his arms folded across his chest, his beautifully angled face bathed and shadowed by the glow of the TV.

“Here,” she offered, holding out the remote. “Just don't push that red button or a nurse will be in here, and you'll get kicked out.”

“I'd like to see them try.”

“Spike.”

“Right. Don't push the red button. Got it.”

Even with her eyes closed, she could see the light flicker as he channel surfed. Telling herself that she shouldn't feel so safe with an evil soulless vampire in her room, she gingerly turned to her side, leaving her back to him. Willow's question from earlier rang in her mind. “What's going on between you two?” She'd adamantly answered with a definite nothing, but she knew it then and she doubly knew it now. There was something going on between them. Buffy wasn't ready to put a name to it yet.

She couldn't go through this again. Another vampire? And this one without a soul. Could he really feel anything for her? Angelus despised her. Angel insisted it was the soul that made it possible for him to love her. Mentally, she shook her head. The pain, the disapproval, and the disappointment from her friends and family - she didn't want that. And she didn't just have herself to think about now. A baby. Her responsibility. It was going to be her job to keep it safe and give it as normal a life as possible.

But at the same time, the vampire sitting beside her and the pull she felt towards him were too big to be ignored.


~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~



The five o'clock morning news show wrapped up and went to a commercial. Spike hit the mute button and checked on the sleeping Slayer, still buried under the white blankets. She'd been so knackered that she'd slept through the nurse's last two check ups. When the lady in her forties had come in, he expected to have to put up a fight about being able to stay, but she'd whispered an order for him to sit back down. He'd thanked her and she'd made a remark about being at the job so long, that she realized the importance to the recovery process of having a loved one by a patient's side, and because there was no one in the next bed, she'd bend the rules this time.

It was too early for the nurse to be back again. When the door opened, he stood up. Riley slipped in and closed the door.

“Not a word,” Spike whispered the warning. “Understand? She's sleeping.”

With longing, Riley glanced at Buffy before turning a frown on Spike. Whispering, he said bitterly, “Figures I'd find you here.”

The bed whirred as Buffy raised the head of it. “Spike?”

“Yeah, love. You've got company. Want me to get rid of 'im?”

“Buffy, can I talk to you alone, please?” Riley asked as he boldly walked up to her bed.

“Of course. Spike?”

He couldn't believe the audacity. The Slayer looked at him with a gaze that brooked no argument. Spike stood firmly in place and glared at Riley. In two steps, he could have the git in a choke hold and with one crank of his hand, he could snap Soldier Boy's neck.

“Just—come back in a few minutes,” Buffy said, sounding tired.

He bumped Riley as he passed him, and he would have added a great big shove, but the big oaf would have ended up falling on Buffy's wound. Spike sauntered to the door and made a show of closing it behind him, but he kept the handle turned down and waited a few seconds. Then he quietly pushed the door slightly ajar and leaned close to eavesdrop.

Spike rolled his eyes as Riley talked in a soft voice, telling Buffy how glad he was that she was safe. He felt like growling when she invited the git to sit in his chair. Riley declined, saying he couldn't stay long.

Then there was silence. Spike tortured himself with images of Riley and Buffy holding hands and passing looks of longing between them.

Riley broke the silence. “How could you let him in your hospital room?”

“He saved my life.”

“But he's an evil demon. You do remember that, don't you?”

“Yes, but I also remember that he helped you and the others get Giles and me out of the Initiative. You do remember that the supposed good guys held me captive after you told them I was harboring their fugitive.”

“I swear, Buffy, I had no idea they would do that to you. I just wanted Hostile Seventeen to be recaptured.”

“Spike,” Buffy ground out. “His name is Spike.”

“You know, two of my soldiers have concussions and a third is in the infirmary talking insane nonsense about Spike taking bullets, taser guns, and tranquilizers darts like he was invincible?” Buffy was silent, so Riley said, “I don't know what Spike did to them, but that chip couldn't have malfunctioned.”

It was quiet again and Spike really wished he could see Buffy's face.

“And, this. This I can't believe,” Riley was saying.

“What's that?” Buffy asked, sounding wary.

Her tone of voice concerned Spike. What did he show her? He was very close to opening the door and kicking the soldier out, even though he knew that Buffy could handle a mere human.

“We've been going through Professor Walsh's records and found this,” Riley said, almost as if he was accusing Buffy of some crime.

There was a clicking sound, and Spike jumped when he heard Dr. Walsh's voice in the room, but relaxed when he realized it was just a recording.

“So, you kill vampires?”

“Yes. And all sorts of demons.”

“And yet, you harbor one of them and protect it. Why?”

“I…I have feelings for him.”

“You what? Have feelings for a monster? An animal?”

“He’s not a monster all the time. Spike has feelings. He’s…he’s different.”

“That’s ridiculous. You’re projecting human emotions on a creature who has none.”

“You haven’t actually spent time with the vampires you’ve been experimenting on, have you?”

“I’ll admit, they’re usually not awake when I see them.”

“Thought so.”

“So, do you make it a habit of getting romantically involved with vampires?”

Buffy made a noise that sounded like a growl. “No.”

A pause:

“There is something you aren't telling me. Have you been romantically involved with a vampire before?”

“Yes! But, he had a soul.”

“Does Hostile Seventeen have a soul?”

“No.”

“So you have feelings for a soulless monster?"

“Yes. I don't want to talk about it. Can you ask me something else? Anything else!”


"Turn it off!" Buffy insisted. "She injected me with a truth serum."

"I know. That's what concerns me the most, because I know you were telling the truth." There was a pause. "And to think, I had this big crush on you and was making a fool of myself, trying to date you, while you've had the hots for a demon."

The tone of Buffy's voice was very familiar to Spike and he smirked, knowing that the indignation and anger was directed at Riley. "Look. I never asked for your attention and--"

"Hey, it's all right. After hearing this tape, I'm over it. Really."

"I want that tape."

"It's just a copy; the Initiative has the original."

Buffy groaned.

"I wouldn't worry about it too much. The Initiative is top secret and I doubt that tape will ever go public. At least not in your lifetime."

"So, is that why you came here? To shove that tape in my face, because I already know what I said."

"No, I came to say goodbye. The government has decided to close the Initiative down in this town. We’re moving headquarters to Cleveland, so my college career at UC Sunnydale is over."

As Riley continued to talk, Spike moved away from the door with a huge grin on his face. He knew it! Maybe she wasn't in love with him yet, but Buffy had feelings for him. He could work with that. It was the crumb that he was positive could sustain him for a very long time.

Riley came out of the room, frowned at Spike and turned his back on him, walking down the corridor. Spike sneered at his retreating form and said, quietly, "Bloke should know better than to turn his back on a deadly, powerful vampire."

The thrill of the hunt took over as he stalked his prey down the hallways and out into the early morning light. He took a moment to glance around, still in awe with the world awash in light. He quickly caught up to Riley, walking just a few feet behind him. The soldier's body language changed. His shoulders tightened and he slowed his pace. Yeah, the ponce knew someone was behind him. Riley turned right, between two buildings, walked a few steps and then turned on Spike. The snarl Riley emmitted was impressive, but Spike drew the line at having his t-shirt grabbed. Even so, the vampire let his body relax when he was slammed against the wall, knowing that he could take control of the situation at any moment.

"Why are you following me?" Riley demanded, giving Spike a little shake.

Keeping his eyes on Riley's angry countenance, Spike bit his lip and chuckled. It felt great to know he could fight back. He could break the ponce’s arm in one quick move if he wanted to. The power, the knowledge, and the element of surprise were intoxicating.

His smirk morphed into a scowl along with his vamp face. With an ease that belied their respective sizes, Spike lifted Riley off the ground and reversed their positions, slamming the idiot's head against the wall. "I've got a little parting gift for the Initiative and you're just the bloke to deliver it for me."

"Your...your chip. It's not firing," Riley stated with a grimace.

"Noticed that, did you?" Spike flashed him a sharp-fanged smile and released his hold on the man.

Instantly, Riley tried to run, which made Spike very happy, because it gave him another reason to toss the bugger against the wall. "You don't want to go without your present, do you?" Spike handed him the gold box and waited while Riley opened it.

"The chip! How?"

"Just make sure you let your mates know that the chip is out. They want it so bad; there it is. And your soldiers were not going crazy. You'd do well to remember and pass on this bit of information," he growled out as he shoved him against the wall again. "I'm invincible now. Stakes, holy water…" he looked up, "The sun. All have no affect on me."

Riley's eyes widened as he looked up as it finally occurred to him that Spike was out in the daytime.

"My God!"

"He can't help you. The only reason why you are still alive and kicking is so you can take that chip back to your mates. But know this, any one of you bloody soldiers tries to come after me or the Slayer again, you will end up dead. I'd kill any of you in a heartbeat." His face morphed back and he smiled at Riley. "As a matter of fact, I would love to kill you all. Just give me a reason."

Without taking his wary eyes off of Spike, Riley put the box in his pocket.

"What are you waiting for, you git? Run!"

Riley jumped and tried to take off, but Spike grabbed him by his shirt.

"Wait. Before you go, can you tell me where the nearest market is?" Spike said with a straight face. "I need to buy some grapes."