Chapter Seven

Giles decided to risk using his car to get to Restfield, agreeing to Buffy's insistence that they leave it hidden behind the gate at Shady Pines so as to not point the way to Spike's home territory.

As they hustled through Shady Pines, which backed up to Restfield and made a quick – if occasionally exciting – shortcut, Buffy tried to get Giles to tell her where Spike had gone, and why. However, he only said that Spike had gone to get help and that he was leaving it to the vampire to tell her where he went and why – if he chose to. In spite of Buffy's best pouting, Giles insisted that it would be Spike's choice what to tell her and when.

"You know," she said as she opened the doors to the crypt and showed Giles in, "there's something very wrong when my watcher is joining forces with William the Bloody to keep secrets from me. I'm just saying…."

She clicked on the flashlight they'd brought with them and, keeping the beam pointed at the floor, led the way to the entrance to the lower level. Buffy went down first to light some candles, then called to Giles to drop the sleeping bags and other supplies to her. As soon as she had caught and moved everything, he made his way down the ladder, muttering the entire time.

"Just be grateful you've got a ladder and don't have to get up and down the way I did the other night when we were hiding from Riley's buddies." She mimed jumping in the air, laughing when Giles rolled his eyes. "I'll leave you to get set up here while I go find Willow and Xander. Be back soon."

On her way to the gate, Buffy staked two newly-risen vampires and frightened a demon family. She couldn't remember what kind of demon they were, but she did remember that Spike had said they were vegetarians and very peaceful. She smiled and waved as she went by, cringing at the way the parents were clearly trying to shield their children from her. "It's okay, I'm not going to hurt you," she said. "But you don't want to be out here tonight. There are too many soldiers around and they won't care that you're not evil. Go home."

They scuttled off and Buffy continued toward the gate, hearing Anya's voice complaining long before she reached the gate. Sighing at the thought of spending the rest of the night and possibly the next day stuck in a room with Xander's newest girlfriend, she was about to approach them when she heard other voices. She crept forward and peered around the large stone pillar to see Riley and Graham, in civilian clothes but with communicators and tasers hanging from their belts.

"Hey, guys. I've been looking for you. Have you seen Buffy anywhere?"

"H… hey, Riley," Willow said. "No, we haven't seen her. In fact, that's why we're out here. Looking for Buffy. To help her patrol."

Riley sighed and shook his head. "You guys seem so… normal. I don't know what you're doing with somethi— someone like Buffy. How did she talk you into this?" He waved his arm around to indicate their position just outside the gates of a cemetery.

Xander frowned and cleared his throat. "Uh… Riley? I thought you and the Buffster were like… a couple? You're sounding an awful lot like you think she's one of the bad guys."

"Do you know that she isn't?" Riley asked. "How do you know … do you know that she hangs out with a hostile? And so does Giles – the man who's supposed to be helping her fight evil? Both of them spend a lot of time with a hostile."

"With a what? Oh, you mean Spike. Well, yeah, he's been hanging out at Giles's now that he's all neutered and stuff. They talk British to each other, argue about football teams I never heard of and bands nobody ever heard of… oh, and they make fun of Americans. Not exactly demonic stuff."

"Uh huh." Riley seemed unconvinced. "And Buffy? What would she be doing with one of the creatures she's supposed to be slaying?"

"I think Spike helps Buffy out sometimes. He really likes to hit things and if he's with Buffy, he gets to do a lot of that. Plus, Giles thinks the Powers That Be might have picked him to help her instead of An—somebody else." Willow looked quite pleased with her explanation.

"And you don't find that strange? That she's willing to spend so much time with a vampire?"

"Well…"

"Actually….

"Isn't her old boyfriend a vampire?" Anya asked. When Xander said, "No, Ahn. You must—" She interrupted him. "Yes he was. You told me. She dated Angelus. I remember him from my days as a—owww!"

She glared at Xander, rubbing her arm where he'd pinched her, then realized what she'd been about to say. "My days as a scholar of demons, I was about to say. Yep, that's me – 100% human, but a scholar. Not that I'm a watcher, or anything related to Buffy or her work," she added quickly when Riley turned his gaze on her.

"So this isn't the first time Buffy's had a vampire in her life?"

"Well… I don't think Spike is so much in her life as he is… You know what? I just don't think any of us that aren't slayers should be getting into Buffy's business. Am I right, guys—er, gals?"

"That's right," Willow said. "We're just staying out of Buffy's life."

"I thought you were looking for her – to help her 'patrol'," Riley said, gesturing for Graham to move beside the small group huddling in front of him. "I'll tell you what, why don't you just get in the truck with us and we'll help you look for Buffy." He and Graham began trying to herd them toward their SUV. Willow began muttering under her breath, stopping with a squeak when Riley put his hand over her mouth. "I don't think we need any spells or curses, do we, Willow?"

Her eyes wide, Willow nodded until Riley removed his hand.

"That's the right attitude," he said, ignoring the glare she was giving him. He stared at the other two, sensing that Xander was thinking seriously about resisting. "Don't do anything stupid," Riley said, patting his taser. "I don't want anybody getting hurt tonight."

"Too late." Buffy's voice was artificially perky as she stepped from behind the big pillar. "I'm pretty sure somebody's going to get hurt. "

"Buffy! Man, are we glad to see you—" Xander shoved Anya in Buffy's direction and shook off Graham's attempt to stop him from joining her. Willow sucked in a breath and threw a small fireball at Riley as he grabbed for her arm. As soon as her friends were behind her, Buffy relaxed and moved toward the two surprised soldiers.

"You wanted me? Here I am." She waited, while the otherwise unarmed men pulled out their tasers and began moving toward her. "Willow?" she said over her shoulder.

"On it." Suddenly the tasers began to glow and both men dropped them with curses, shaking their burned hands. Xander darted in and picked up the rapidly cooling equipment, handing one to Anya as he stepped back behind Buffy.

With a smile that contained no warmth or humor, Buffy cocked her head at them.

"So, are we going to do this the easy way or the hard way?"

"Be serious, Buffy," Riley said, seemingly forgetting that she'd already overpowered two different squads of commandoes by herself. "You can't beat both of us. Hell, you probably can't even beat me. Not unless you were holding back a little when we sparred—"

Buffy moved too quickly for either man to react, sending a roundhouse kick to Graham's mid-section and a right uppercut to Riley's jaw. As he blinked up at her from the ground, she said, "I was holding back a lot Riley. You're strong and fast, but you're no vampire."

Graham dove at her knees in attempt to tackle her down, but she easily evaded him, leaving him to sprawl in the dirt as she readied herself for Riley to attack. Instead, he backed up and took out his communicator. Before he could get past, "This is—" Buffy had kicked it from his hand. Xander and Anya had jumped on Graham, who easily threw them off, but not until they had taken his communicator also.

Buffy shook her head. "I really hate to do this, but… oh wait, you knocked Giles unconscious a little while ago… no, I don't hate this at all." She stepped up to Riley, her flurry of punches to his mid-section preventing him from using his much longer arms and greater height to any effect. When the barrage to his middle had him bending over to grasp his abused diaphragm, Buffy switched her attention to his face and soon had him lying on the ground, unconscious. She turned her gaze to Graham in time to see Xander apply the taser to the soldier's back. When he'd stopped twitching and was also unconscious, Buffy smiled.

"Good work, guys. Now let's get out of here before they wake up." Leaving the two commandoes somewhat protected inside their vehicle, she hustled her friends into the cemetery. "I hate that they know which cemetery we're in, but maybe they won't be smart enough to figure it out. They'll just think I was patrolling here… I hope."

She led them to Spike's crypt, opening the doors just far enough for everyone to get in, then closing both doors firmly. "Be careful, don't walk too far in until you can see. Xan, help me move this sarcophagus, will you?"

"You're just doing this to build my manly ego, right?" he said, making a face as he shoved on his end while Buffy effortlessly moved hers toward the door. She gave an apologetic laugh. "Sorry, forgot you weren't Spike. I've got it."

"I'm not sure how to take that," he said, continuing to shove on his end until they had the interior door completely blocked. "Do you mean because I'm strong and sexy… or that I remind you of something undead?"

"Uh… I just meant I forgot for a second that you wouldn't be able to do the things Spike can. But, yeah, okay – strong and sexy works if that makes you happy."

"I knew you thought Spike was sexy!" Anya said. "I don't know why you keep denying it. I wouldn't mind watching you and Sp—"

Willow, Buffy and Xander all spoke at the same time:

"I mind!"

"Don't finish that sentence!"

"TMI!"

Grateful for the darkness that surrounded them, Buffy led everyone toward the soft glow coming from the lower level. She pointed to the ladder and said, "Giles is down there. As soon as we're all hidden, I'm going to pull the board over and even if they come in here they won't be able to tell where we are." She tossed the rug into the hole and pointed to the ladder.

"Where are we exactly?"

"This is Spike's crypt," Buffy said. "But Riley doesn't know that, so…"

"How come you know it?"

"Um… because I… he… I need to know where he is… in case I need him for… something."

"Uh huh." Xander started down the ladder. "Holy Moly, vamp-man. Did he put this together himself?"

"I think a friend did it for him."

"With friends like that, he doesn't need any enemies," Xander muttered. "Be careful. It's like climbing down a set of pick-up sticks."

When everyone was safely down and had looked around at the bare dirt walls and floor, Buffy told Giles about their latest brush with the Initiative. "Riley was trying to kidnap them!" she said. Her shoulders sagged. "He seemed like such a nice guy…."

"He probably is – by his standards," Xander said. "There just wasn't anything in Iowa to prepare him for a hellmouth and a slayer. I think he just—"

"Is a poophead," Wilow said with great finality.

Recognizing when he was outnumbered, Xander joined Giles in keeping quiet while the three girls vented about men and their faults. Anya's frequent contributions of how she'd created appropriate vengeances for various bad behaviors through the centuries sent Xander to sit beside the older man and hold his head in his hands.

"She's really very sweet," he said.

"I'm sure she is," Giles replied with a straight face. "As vengeance demons go, anyway."

With only the two sleeping bags that Giles had brought with him, and no other beds except for a few rolled up rugs against the wall, the night passed slowly and uncomfortably for everyone. Giles gallantly gave up his sleeping bag to Anya, and Buffy let Willow sleep in hers.

"I need to stay awake anyway," she said with a yawn. "In case they find us or something."

With all but one candle out, it was dark and quiet in the underground chamber, and even those not lying down dozed off where they leaned against the walls. It was the sound of distant splashing that brought Buffy awake, sending her running into the dark tunnels with whispered instructions to use the tasers if they needed to. Leaving Xander and Giles standing on the edge of the lighted area, Buffy ventured into the darkness, holding a stake in one hand and a larger piece of wood in the other. She held her breath, feeling tingles on her neck that told her a vampire was approaching. Clutching her stake, she dropped the make-shift club and waited.

"Know you're there, pet," came the familiar voice. "I can see your silhouette in the light behind you."

"I knew that," she said, angry at having made such a dumb mistake. "Are you back already?" She hoped he wouldn't take her words to mean she wasn't glad to see him. Because she was. Very. Or, she would have been if it weren't so dark ahead of her.

She felt the air move in front of her and looked up to where she knew his eyes would be. She reached a hand out to confirm what she'd suspected, stroking his wrinkled brow and running a finger across his fangs. "You're cheating."

She felt him smile under her hand as his face shifted back. "It's dark in those tunnels, luv. At least it is near here. Deeper in, there's different kinds of luminescence here and there."

They were standing close together, neither one inclined to move apart, knowing no one behind them could see them. Buffy's hand dropped from his face, but she remained looking up at his barely visible face.

"So, you're back," she repeated.

"I am."

Buffy looked behind him. "I thought you were bringing some reinforcements? Isn't that what Giles said? That you were bringing back more manpower?"

"I did," he said shortly. "In a way." He didn't offer an explanation, just gently turned her around so that she was facing the humans peering into the dark tunnel. "Best get back, pet, before they send out a search party."

He kept his hand on the small of her back until they reached the softly lit area, then dropped it to his side. Buffy found herself missing the contact and unconsciously leaned into him for a second before she remembered who she was. And what he was.

Giles and Spike exchanged looks in which the watcher raised an eyebrow and Spike nodded his head. "It's done," he said. "Couldn't get the other half, though. Things are too busy there. Plus he didn't want to talk to me. Can't really blame him for that."

Giles shrugged. "It was a long shot anyway. I guess you'll have to do."

"Thanks for that vote of confidence," Spike sneered before he acknowledged the others. "Red, demon-girl, Harris. Not that you aren't welcome in my home, but what the bloody hell are you all doing here?"

"Riley tried to kidnap them. They're hiding with Giles and me."

He raised an eyebrow at her. "And you thought this was a good place?"

"Well – yeah, I did." She frowned. "Isn't it… are you okay with that? I mean, I know I didn't ask you, but you were gone and—"

"It's fine, Slayer. Mi casa, su casa and all that. Didn't mean to sound cranky about it."

"We'll pay our way," Xander said. "I'll start with turning that pile of lumber into an actual set of steps, or at least a functional ladder."

Spike grinned. "Yeah, Clem's brother turned out not to be quite the expert carpenter he'd claimed to be."

"If I had my tools with me, I'd start now."

"Extra wood and tools are in the tunnel," Spike said. "Here, I'll show you." He picked up a candle and walked into the darker areas, stopping near the broken fencing. A few woodworking tools were lying haphazardly on the ground near some unused lumber. "Have fun."

Spike went back into the open space, but instead of rejoining Buffy he went directly to Giles and carried on a whispered conversation of which the girls could only hear the occasional "…too bloody right" and "unconscionable prats". Unable to stand it any longer, Buffy went to Spike's side and poked him.

"Are you going to tell me what's going on now? 'Cause all this talking in British code is getting on my nerves."

Spike looked at Giles. "Didn't you tell her?" The other man shook his head. "I left that to you."

Before Buffy could ask Spike what he hadn't told her, there was a loud shrieking noise from upstairs.

"What the—"

"The doors. Something's forcing the doors open. Xander and I put the sarcophagus in front of it. Light's out!" Buffy said. "Everybody into the tunnel. And take all the stuff with you."

Giles snuffed out all the candles, handing them to Anya to carry. Willow took the extra supplies while Xander took the rolled up rugs and hid them under the untidy pile of wood pieces against the wall. Giles used his flashlight to guide them all far enough into the tunnel as to be invisible if anyone pulled the plywood cover away from the entrance. At the last second, Spike grabbed the ladder and threw it into the tunnel while Buffy moved the bookcase around a corner where it would not be visible from above. Spike picked up the desk and carried it into the tunnel, hissing at Buffy, "Move that luscious arse, Slayer. Somebody's bound to wonder what a rug is doing in the middle of an empty crypt. We need to be well away from here."

"The rug isn't there. I thought an old piece of plywood wouldn't be as suspicious as a rug in the middle of a crypt."

"Good thinking, pet. Still, best we get far enough way that they won't be able to find us, yeah?"

Spike led them down the tunnel until they could hear the splash of water in the sewers.

"Ewwwww! What's that smell?"

"What do you think it is? Just watch where you step. We should be far enough away by now. We'll hear them comin' if they try to follow us, and I'm sure I know Sunnydale's tunnels better than they do."

As soon as everyone was huddled against the damp walls, Giles turned off the light and they were plunged into complete darkness. Buffy and Spike had placed themselves between the Scoobies and the dark tunnel leading to Spike's future bedroom. They all waited.

Chapter Eight

Spike stood on Buffy's left, both of them tense and ready as he used his enhanced hearing to listen to the boots tramping around overhead.

"Sounds like a goodly number of them," he said.

"I'm suddenly wishing you didn't have that chip," Buffy muttered almost to herself.

She felt rather than saw him startle and turn to stare at her. His yellow eyes were the only things visible to her human eyes.

"If I thought you meant that…."

She sighed. "Well, I kinda do mean it right this minute, but I guess… I mean that'd be assuming that without it you'd still be standing here ready to help me protect my friends, and that's probably…."

"And you don't think that'd be the case." His voice was flat, and she suddenly wished she could see his face.

"Well… I mean, c'mon, Spike. We're standing together here in the dark, you're the only one who can see, I'm not on my guard – not against you, anyway. Are you trying to tell me that if you were chipless you wouldn't be trying to bag your third slayer?"

She felt his golden eyes on her, then his lids closed over them and he turned away.

"Right. Watcher's an idiot." He offered no explanation, only touching her arm and hissing. Moving forward silently, he kept his hand touching her arm as he led the way closer to latest noise he'd heard. They stopped at a slight bend in the tunnel and peered around the dirt wall. Even Buffy's ears could hear the sound of the plywood being pulled away from the entrance and her arm tensed under his hand.

"Easy, luv," he whispered into her ear, his cool breath stirring her hair and making her shiver. She nodded and unconsciously leaned into his side for a second. They waited, Buffy holding her breath as often as she could, while flashlight beams ran all around the interior. Hoping they hadn't left anything visible that might indicate anyone had been there, she held her breath and waited.

"Okay, I need three men to drop down there and take a look around. That stone coffin didn't put itself in front of the door."

Spike and Buffy pulled back and flattened themselves against the wall as a rope was dropped, allowing three black-clad men to lower themselves to the floor. They could see the reflected light as the men ran their powerful flashlights all around the room and down the tunnel.

"Whoa! I can't even tell how far in this goes," one of the commandoes said, shining his light into the darkness until it grew too weak to illuminate anything. "How about we check for heat signatures?"

Spike spun in front of Buffy, pulling his long coat over his head and sheltering her with his room-temperature body. She kept her arms at her sides, and tried to keep her legs directly behind Spike's, pressing her face against his chest. The leather over their heads added to the darkness as Buffy held her breath.

After several minutes, they heard the men grumbling. "There's nothing down here. Just rats and mud." Buffy stiffened at the mention of rats and felt Spike's chest shake in a silent laugh. She pinched him on the leg in retaliation, which only increased his laughter. The men could be heard pulling themselves back up the ropes, but Spike kept his body pressed against Buffy. Only when she realized that he was no longer laughing, but nuzzling and smelling her hair, did Buffy think about how closely pressed together they were.

Now that she didn't have to hide her body heat behind him, she moved her arms, finding she had no place to put them except around Spike's back. He dropped his own arms from above her head to her shoulders. Something about the complete absence of light made the whole situation seem unreal, and Buffy found herself responding to Spike's nearness in a way she hadn't wanted or expected to. Memories of time spent together while thinking they were getting married fought with the reality of their current relationship.

When Spike said her name, she raised her face, not really shocked to find his lips seeking hers, but surprised by how eagerly she met them. The initially tentative kiss quickly turned into something deeper and more desperate as they both understood they were having a moment that was going to vanish any second.

Vanish it did, when the three soldiers came back down the rope, carrying backpacks, more weapons and brighter lights. They never noticed the slight bump in the wall that was the couple clinging tightly to each other, tensed to go into action if and when necessary. As soon as the grumbling soldiers had moved on, leaving the area behind them in darkness and lighting up the space in front, Slayer and vampire moved silently into position behind them.

They followed the men as they talked among themselves about how stupid it was to send them exploring the tunnels without more backup. And, at the same time, how unlikely it was that humans would be trying to hide in them.

"I can't really image anybody normal trying hide down here, can you?" The leader asked. "Anything we find is just going to be a sub terrestrial of some sort."

No sooner had he spoken, then his light caught the flash of Anya's wristwatch and the men spread out. "Halt! Identify yourselves!" The response was one of Willow's small fireballs, and when the men looked up with rapidly blinking eyes, there was no longer anyone visible. However, the sound of running footsteps was impossible to hide, and they broke into a business-like trot as they pursued Giles and the Scoobies. Buffy and Spike moved into their own easy jog as they stayed close enough to keep the men in sight, but far enough back not to be seen or heard.

When the commando squad increased their speed and began ordering "Halt or we'll shoot", Buffy and Spike sped up and had disarmed the trailing man before he realized he wasn't alone. The other two were so intent on their prey that they didn't even notice their comrade's disappearance until one turned around to ask him a question. Instead of the other commando they expected to see, they saw only Buffy and Spike.

"There they are!" the leader said unnecessarily as, when he turned, his light turned with him and illuminated the two black-clad predators. While their attention was on Spike and Buffy, Giles and the Scoobies crept closer, stopping only when one of the men caught movement from the corner of his eye and trained his light and gun on them.

"Stop right there," he ordered.

With one man facing a vampire and the girl they'd been told could be even more dangerous, and the other one facing four humans who worked with her, it was easy to see the growing worry on their faces.

"Do we have to bring them in alive?" The young soldier holding his gun on the four humans facing him looked extremely nervous. Not sure which of them had been responsible for the unexplained fireball, he kept moving the gun back and forth from Giles to Xander, trying to see what they'd used as a weapon.

Meanwhile, his partner kept his gun focused on Buffy, assuming Spike was harmless. When Spike stepped in front of Buffy, effectively blocking her body from sight, the man narrowed his eyes and tightened his finger on the trigger.

"What are you doing, Hostile? I know you can't hurt me, and you're not bulletproof."

"Not bulletproof, but they can't kill a dead man, you stupid git." Spike began to move slowly toward the frowning man. He could feel Buffy following in his footsteps as they narrowed the gap between themselves and the commandoes.

"Stop!" The man's voice was more pleading than authoritative and Spike went into game face, grinning as he continued moving forward.

"Getting nervous, are you, soldierboy?"

He felt Buffy poke him in the back. "Don't irritate the man with the gun, Spike," she whispered. "Not until he doesn't have it anymore, anyway."

"Spoil-sport," he said, dropping back into his human mien. "Say when, Slayer."

"When," Buffy breathed, tensing. At her word, Spike threw himself on the gun, knocking it and the holder to the ground. Buffy had time to spare one shocked glance at them on her way to tackle the remaining commando who was just turning around to see what was happening at his back. He fell to the ground, attempting to bring the gun around far enough to point it at Buffy, but she was already moving to kick it out of his hand.

"Taser, Buff!" Xander shouted as the man reached for his belt. She grabbed his hand and easily pulled it away from his taser, smiling when his eyes widened at her ability to pin his arm to the floor with no effort. Xander ran forward, taking both weapons and handing the taser to Giles. When the older man grumbled, Xander grinned. "You didn't really think I was going to give you this awesomely manly weapon, did you?" He stood back and pointed it at the disgruntled soldier on the ground.

Buffy released the man's arm and casually backhanded him when he tried to hit her. She flipped him over, pulling the handcuffs she knew she'd find off his belt and using them to fasten his hands behind his back. Leaving him on his stomach, she stood up and turned to see how Spike was faring.

She half expected to find him nursing a headache after the tackle that had taken down both the weapon and the weapon's handler, but he seemed to be fine, holding the man's gun and taser. He had one foot planted on the man's throat and the gun pointed at the first soldier he and Buffy had disarmed and left dazed and handcuffed. He gestured with the gun for that man to join his squad members on the ground near Buffy, grinning at the awkwardness with which he got up and down with his hands behind his back. When he took his foot off the leader's neck, Spike leaned down and flipped him over, letting Buffy do the handcuffing honors.

She heard the "ooof!" as Spike's non-too-gentle flip knocked the wind from his captive and she blinked in surprise when there were no repercussions from his chip.

"How…?"

"Guess I didn't actually hurt him," Spike said with a shrug. He turned away from the frown he could see on Giles's face.

"I guess not," Buffy said, her voice uncertain. "Good thing, huh?"

Spike looked at her confused face and sighed. "If it'll make you feel better, luv, I'll hold my head for a bit and moan."

"No, don't be silly. If it didn't hurt, it didn't hurt. I'm not sorry you aren't hurt, it just…" She shook herself. "Doesn't matter I guess." She turned back to Giles. "What are we going to do with them? If we let them go, they're going to come back with reinforcements. We're going to have to find someplace else to hide."

Giles fixed the three men with the Ripper's hard stare and they began to realize that the "normal" humans who worked with the slayer might be almost as dangerous as the vampire.

"We could just leave them here. I suspect the normal denizens of these tunnels would take care of them for us soon enough."

"Giles! The whole point of this is that they're wrong about us. Do you want to make us as evil as they are?" Willow's shock was genuine and she seemed appalled when no one else seemed as concerned as she was about the soldiers' long-term survival.

"You're right, Willow," Buffy finally said with a sigh. "Let's just drag them back where we were and hope nobody comes looking for them."

"Or," Spike said, putting a hand on her arm. "We could take them so far in that by the time they find their way out, or their mates find them, the Council of Wankers has done whatever it is they're going to do and we can all go home." He carefully didn't mention that their hiding place actually was his home.

Willow glared at him. "Didn't we just decide we weren't evil and we don't kill people?"

"Not planning to kill anybody, Red. Just put them somewhere they won't find their way out of easily. Might even leave them a weapon if I'm in the right kind of mood." His toothy grin emphasized how unlikely that was.

The men lay on the ground staring back and forth between the hostile, the girl they'd been told to bring in, and the seemingly normal people involved with her. The entire group withdrew out of hearing distance and left Spike to watch the captives. Buffy walked over to join the discussion, whispering to Spike as she walked by, "If you want to scare the crap out of them, knock yourself out."

"Wouldn't mind getting a bit of my own back," he said. "Nice to know you're okay with it." He raised a sarcastic eyebrow at her and she glared back.

"Forget it. I just thought—"

"You just expected me not to act without permission. I got it, Slayer."

"Spike… I… " She shook her head. "I can't deal with this right now."

"Not the time or place. You're right, pet. But we are going to have to talk soon."

Buffy squeezed her eyes shut briefly, then continued walking without comment. She really didn't want to know what it was that they needed to talk about.

Shaking off her fears for the moment, she joined the conversation about what to do with the soldiers.

"I actually like Spike's suggestion that they be taken far enough away that they would not be able to find their way back," Giles was saying. "If we allow them to believe that we're familiar enough with the underground here to move to another hide-out, chances are he can release them somewhere that will allow them to find their way out safely. If they think we've gone off through the sewers to somewhere else, there would be no reason for them to re-check the crypt."

"That could work," Buffy chimed in. "And if we don't block the door again, or close the entrance, just keeping it dark down below should convince anybody who does peek down there that we're gone."

Knowing Spike could hear them from where he was alternately laughing and snarling at the captives, Buffy looked over at him to see if he agreed. He shrugged and nodded, going back to his glaring audience and wondering aloud how much blood he could get from one of them before his chip incapacitated him.

Nodding back, she said, "Okay. I'll go with Spike and we'll leave these guys somewhere near an exit. You can pretend to be taking off down the tunnels, then go back to Spike's crypt when we're out of sight. Keep their lights and tasers. You might need them."

Xander clutched his captured gun tightly. "I don't have to give up 'old Bessie' here, do I? We've already bonded."

"Fine." Buffy rolled her eyes. "You can keep your—"

"Penis substitute?" Anya chimed in. "Because Xander really has no need of that. He has quite a nice—"

"And on that over-sharing note…" Buffy walked back to Spike. "You heard?"

He nodded, dropping his vampire mien and staring into her eyes. "Sounds like a plan, pet. All but the part where you come with me. Don't trust me?"

She frowned. "Why wouldn't I trust you? I just thought you might like the company, but if you—"

"Sorry, Slayer. That's my issue, I guess, not yours. I would like the company. You know I would. Was just my insecurities talkin'."

"I don't know what you've got to be insecure about after…" She blushed, remembering the intensity of the kiss they'd shared earlier. "Not that I'm saying I want to…."

He smiled. "To quote you, 'Quit while you're ahead'."

"Right. Okay, let's get these guys out of here so Giles can take everybody else to a new hideout. Someplace harder to find from the outside."

Pleased with the red herring she'd thrown, Buffy nudged the men to their feet. "Let's go. I'm tired, hungry and I need to pee. I'm getting cranky."

"Nothing pleasant about a cranky slayer," Spike said to the men in a deliberately loud whisper. "Better move it." He grinned unrepentantly at Buffy's muffled "Jackass" as she walked away.

Falling into Buffy's attempted misdirection, Willow said, "How will you and Spike find us again?"

"No problem, Red," Spike spoke first. "I should be able to follow your scent. Just rub a hand on a wall when you make a turn or something, and we'll find you."

Buffy could see the men listening carefully and making mental notes, almost sneering to themselves about how stupid everyone was being to discuss their escape plans in front of the enemy. She and Spike exchanged a look behind their backs and he rolled his eyes and shook his head. "Wankers," he said without further explanation. Buffy's giggle made him smile in a way that softened his whole face, and she blushed again as she turned away.

Holding one of the powerful lights and giving the other to Anya, Buffy led the way into the darkness ahead of them. As she passed Giles, she pointed at the branching tunnels and said, loud enough to be heard, "Wait till we're far enough away that they won't be able to guess which direction you take."

"Quite right," he said. "I suspect we will want to go to somewhere with an easy access to the outside—just in case we need to escape quickly." Having planted another seed of misdirection, he smiled in satisfaction as he watched Buffy lead her little group of handcuffed soldiers down the main sewer tunnel. She was careful to keep to the path and out of the water, and the men followed her obediently. As Spike passed where Giles was standing, the watcher spoke softly.

"You're going to have to tell her. If you don't, I will"

"I'm going to," he sighed. "I just hate…" He nodded. "Before we get back, she'll know. I promise." He met Giles's eyes steadily. "Can't promise she's gonna be happy about it."

Giles nodded his agreement. "It may take some time for her to accept it. I think you need to be prepared for that."

Spike gave a mirthless grin. "Best way to be prepared might be to borrow a flak jacket from one of these wankers." He didn't wait for a response, but strode out, catching up to Buffy and their prisoners in a few seconds. He let Buffy lead for a while, then changed places with her when she became less sure of where she was going. Her own knowledge of the vast system underneath Sunnydale was limited, and she rarely went there unless she was pursuing something. Spike, on the other hand, had learned a great deal about them when he first came to Sunnydale, and even more when he'd studied maps and explored side tunnels as he'd searched for the Gem of Amara. In his time since he'd been chipped, he had reacquainted himself with many of the tunnels, using them to avoid going out where he could be spotted by the commandoes.

Chapter Nine

With only one short pause while Buffy staked two prowling vampires and Spike made short work of the demon accompanying them, they were at what Spike deemed an appropriate place in just over an hour. In reality, their destination was not all that far from where they'd left the Scoobies, but Spike had taken several side tunnels and made a few duplicate loops of those that connected in more than one place. By the time they got to the dimly-lit side tunnel that he assured Buffy was only a short distance from access to a manhole, the commandoes were both tired and confused.

They also had a better understanding of why Maggie was so interested in studying Buffy. Now that they'd seen her easily handle two non-fledgling vampires, quipping and giggling the whole time, and then saw her watch in confident amusement as Hostile 17 toyed with a demon a foot taller and many pounds heavier, they realized that she was a long way from the "trained and strong, but otherwise normal" girl that Riley had insisted was all it meant to be the Slayer. It was also obvious that Hostile 17, a force to be reckoned with himself even when rendered harmless, had a great deal of respect for the Slayer, and was inclined to take orders from her under most circumstances— increasing their respect for her prowess. The fact that she and the vampire had kept them moving at such speed without fatigue was more proof of her status as more-than-human.

Buffy told the men to sit down and went over to whisper in Spike's ear. He hid his smile and nodded. "Take your time, pet. I'll keep an eye on them."

While Buffy took the light and ran off down the tunnel, seeking a place that felt private enough for her to relieve her aching bladder, he turned his attention back to the three sitting men. Not needing his enhanced eyesight where they were, he allowed his human face to emerge, giving one of the men the courage to ask: "What the hell is she? She can't be human."

Spike cocked his head at them. "She's a human as you are – just a bit more. She's The Slayer. Didn't any of you gits study what you were tryin' to catch?"

"Is she a demon?"

"Heaven's Chosen One?" Spike's eyes widened. They could see that he was not faking his shock. "More like an avenging angel, I'd say."

"Heaven's Chosen One?" One of the men, who wore a crucifix around his neck more as a statement of his beliefs than as protection against the creatures he hunted, looked sick.

"Heaven. The Powers That Be. The Gods. Take your pick. Point is, the chit's job is to combat evil wherever she finds it. And when she stumbled across your boss, she found it, didn't she?"

He wasn't expecting an answer, and he didn't get one, but all three men looked very uncomfortable as they mulled over what the strangely chatty vampire had said. When Buffy returned, punching him on the arm when he couldn't resist a "Feel better, luv?" he nodded toward them. "What do you want to leave them with, Slayer?"

Buffy shrugged. "Well, we can't leave them here to die or get eaten…" Spike grinned when the men all flinched at the reminder of what they might encounter without the protection they'd had until now. "I guess, leave them a light, and the gun. They can try to unlock the cuffs on each other. I'm sure they've got keys somewhere."

"Alright." He placed the light where it would be on the commandoes, wincing at its brightness. Setting the weapon beside it, he chided, "Now don't be tryin' to pick that up until we're long gone. I'd hate to have to tear somebody's throat out after we've had such a nice talk. And I'll just take those," he added, snatching the communicators off their belts. Two of the men flinched when Spike snarled at their squad leader who attempted to hang on to his communicator.

"You can't hurt us," the leader said. "You can act as scary as you want, but we know what'll happen if you try to hurt one of us… not to mention, you're afraid of her." He jerked his chin at Buffy who blinked back at him.

"Spike's not afraid of me," she said. "We're pretty evenly matched, actually. He beat me the first time we fought."

"But you're not dead."

"Well, no. But that's probably because my mom hit him on the head with an axe." She snickered when Spike growled at the memory. "Spike's a pretty amazing fighter. Almost as good as me," she added when he started to preen.

"Well, if he's not afraid of you, why is he helping? The chip just means he can't hurt you, it wouldn't make him want to help you."

"It means he has to get his jolies beating up demons and vamps instead of killing humans," she explained with a shrug. "Spike likes violence and killing. When he's with me, he gets a lot of chances to do that." She carefully avoided looking at Spike, although she'd caught the low growl at her words.

"You trust him?"

"We've worked together before," she said, still avoiding Spike's gaze although she could feel its intensity. "And he wasn't chipped then, so… yeah. I trust him." She fixed a hard glare on them. "Not that it's any of your business who I do and don't trust. I trusted Riley, and what did that get me?"

"Let it go, Slayer. Let's just get out of here."

Buffy shook herself. "Okay. You're right. It's not them I'm mad at…" She put her hands on her hips and faced them. "All right, guys, here's the deal. We're going to go find our friends. If you come looking for them or us instead of leaving here… Well, I'll be really pissed off. Got it?" They nodded and Buffy pointed down the tunnel. "Spike says there's a ladder to a manhole down that way. Use it. Get out and don't come back."

She turned and began to run after Spike, who was already a good fifty yards away. She'd just caught up to him when they turned a corner and the remaining light from the now-distant lamp was gone.

"Whoa! Dark!"

"Here," he said. She could sense him shifting as he took her hand and pulled her closer. "Just stick with me. I promise not to run you into anything."

She nodded, not sure if he could see her or not, and held on to his calloused hand as he towed her along, running surely and easily. They ran for a good fifteen minutes, before Spike slowed and pulled her to a halt.

"We're almost back," he said.

"Okay. So why are we stopping? I wasn't kidding about being hungry. Giles has food."

"Got something I need to tell you before we get back," he said, leaning against the wall and pulling her to stand in front of him.

"Does this have anything to do with all the mysterious back and forth crap with my watcher? All the 'you'll find out later' stuff both of you have been handing me since yesterday?" She raised her eyebrows, knowing he could see her. "Is it finally 'later'?"

He gave a deep sigh before responding, "Yes, luv. It's 'later'." In spite of his words, he didn't say anything else, just leaned against the wall, his hands holding both of hers as she waited in the dark.

"Spike?"

He straightened up a little. "Don't suppose I could get another snog before I tell you?" he asked. "Just in case…"

"Just in case what? Just in case I decide to stake you when you tell me your chip is gone?"

"Well, yeah, I— Wait. What?" Even in the complete darkness, Buffy could sense him gaping at her.

"You and Giles must really think I'm stupid." Buffy's voice was both angry and hurt as she pulled her hands away, reminding him of how upset she'd been when they'd made fun of her academic skills. She remained standing right in front of him, close to, but not touching his body. "He told me weeks ago that he was hoping the chip might put you onto the path of redemption and that he was going to talk to you about it. I told him he was crazy, but…"

"Something you need to know, Buffy." Spike's voice was low, his words slow, as if he were forcing them out. "Anything I'm doing's got fuck-all to do with being redeemed. That's your ex's thing, not mine. I don't regret a thing I've done." He felt her stiffen and reached for her arm. "Hear me out, luv. Please?"

She stopped pulling away, but her body remained rigid. He moved his hand to her face and tilted it toward him, even though she couldn't see his eyes boring into hers.

"Don't care a bloody fig about being redeemed. What I care about is you. I'll do whatever it takes to keep you willing to have me near you. If it means I become a white hat, then I'll be the best white hat you've got." Although she hadn't responded yet, he continued as if she was arguing with him. "I can do this. You know I can, Slayer. I've always been able to control my demon – even when I was trying to be the best vampire I could be, I was in control."

He took both her hands again, holding them tightly while he spoke. "Dru saw it, you know. She said I was covered in you. I don't need that bloody chip anymore. Not now after I… not after I got to know you better. Give me a chance, love. Let me show you I can be—"

"You can be what? Good? I can't be your conscience, Spike."

"Not asking you to, Buffy. I'm asking you to trust me to know right from wrong… and to act accordingly. That soul the Poof has that's so precious to you didn't teach him right from wrong. Vampires know what's wrong and what's right; we just don't care. Got no reason to do right, do we? And wrong is a lot more fun." He moved his hands to her shoulders. "But I've got a reason. Got the best reason there is." He leaned in and nuzzled her ear, kissing it softly as he whispered, "Don't push me away, Buffy. Let me stay."

Buffy swallowed the lump in her throat and tried to talk, but her throat wouldn't work at first. She wanted to push him away, to scream at him that she couldn't let another vampire into her life, that she'd never be able to trust him, but the words wouldn't come. Instead, she found herself leaning into him, not protesting when his arms went around her and he pulled her closer. He continued his murmurs in her ear as he held her against his body and his hands stroked her back.

"Not askin' you for anything you can't give me, Buffy. Know that I'm a monster. Not saying I expect you to love me, all I'm asking is that you let me love you. Let me be here for you. At your side. In your life."

He moved his lips across her jaw and to her mouth, kissing her softly until she responded and they fell into another world-blocking kiss that went on until they were both near to collapsing from lust. Buffy could feel him through their jeans, his hard length pressed against her stomach, his low growls of frustration making her shiver. When his hands went to her ass, pulling her against him even harder she whimpered, pushing on his chest.

"No… no, I can't… stop, Spike."

He growled, but released his hold immediately, dropping his head down to press his forehead against hers. "Why not?" He cleared his throat, obviously deciding he'd sounded more like a pleading teenager than a dominant male vampire. "I mean. It's alright, luv. Want you so bad I can't see straight, but I won't push you. Just… "

"I just meant not now. When people are waiting for us, and the floor is mud and other things I'd rather not think about, and—" His grateful kisses sidetracked her for several minutes, during which she became much less worried about who was waiting for them, or how disgusting the ground beneath them may have been. "I didn't mean not ever," she finally gasped out when he let her break for air.

They stood leaning on each other, breathing hard and trying to regain some semblance of control. Finally, Buffy forced herself to push away from him.

"Okay. We've got to get back and find out what's going on. This… whatever it is, is going to have to wait."

He nodded, then realized she couldn't see him and said, "It can. Not saying I'll be waiting patiently, mind you, but now's not the time or place."

"Exactly." She waited for him to set off, holding the hand he'd extended and following him until they could see a dim glow ahead. When they emerged from the gloom, they found everyone huddled around one flickering candle. They were sitting on a room-sized carpet that kept them off the packed mud of the floor.

"Are we all comfy?" Spike walked past them and unrolled another, smaller carpet, putting it near a wall. He sat down and patted the space beside him, raising a questioning eyebrow at Buffy. She bit her lip, but walked over and sat down next to him, leaning back against the wall and avoiding anyone's eyes.

"So," she said with artificial peppiness, "do we know anything yet?"

Giles shook his head. "Unfortunately, the mobile phone the Council provided for emergency use does not seem to work underground. I'm going to have to go outside to check in with them."

"Do we know how long it's been?" In the absolute darkness that was their underground hiding place, everyone's concept of time had gone wonky. Except one.

"It's about noon," Spike said. "Was just past dawn when I got back to Sunnydale, and that was some time ago. Sun's still up high."

No one questioned his ability to know where one of the few things that could kill him might be in its cycle. They just nodded. Giles stood and stretched.

"That means it's evening in the UK. They should be able to tell me something by now. " He eyed the newly sturdy ladder that Xander had been working on while Buffy and Spike were gone. "I'll just go upstairs and see what I get there. Or I'll step outside if necessary."

"Not without me, you won't."

Buffy stood up and glanced down at Spike who was leaning against the wall with his eyes closed. Without opening them, he murmured, "Go on, pet. I'm just going to catch some kip for a bit." With a start she realized that he'd been awake and traveling the entire night while they'd been dozing in his "basement".

"Okay. Get some sleep. We might have a busy night." She turned away and stepped in front of Giles. "Let me go first, just in case," she said, starting up the much-improved ladder. She reached the top and raised her head very carefully, checking out the dimly lit crypt for any signs of waiting soldiers. Wishing briefly that she had Spike's ability to smell or hear humans, she crept out of the hole and stood up.

"Okay," she said to Giles. "There's nobody here. But the door's still open, so don't go near there."

He emerged from the lower level and pulled a mobile phone from his pocket and pressed a button.

"Got them on speed dial?" she said with a small smile. "I didn't think you were on such good terms."

"It's their phone," he said. "That's the only number in it. And, I do not need to be on good terms with them to make use of their resources… and vice versa, I might add." He gave her pointed look.

"I am not one of their resources," she said, knowing she sounded petulant, but unable to help herself. "They aren't the boss of me."

"Something of which they are more than aware, I'm sure," he replied with a wry smile. He held up his hand for quiet as he listened to the person on the other end. "Yes. Rupert Giles. He should be expecting my call… all right. I'll wait here."

He flipped the phone closed and sighed. "They will call us back shortly to report on their progress."

"What are they doing?"

"I believe they are using Council contacts in this country to alert the Army to the presence of the Initiative. It seems that it's been a secret even from the organization that has been funding it. And your Dr. Walsh has no official standing with anyone but one rogue general…"

"Rogue general?"

"Their word, not mine. I suspect there is much scurrying around going on to find who's responsible for this. Publicity is not something anyone wants – neither Council nor the military – so it may come down to us to shut things down at this end."

"You mean me. It's going to come down to me." Buffy rolled her shoulders and stretched.

"And Spike."

She met his eyes until she was sure she'd seen what she needed. "So, you got his chip taken out. Without asking me if I thought it was a good idea."

"I gave him a place to go. The decision was his. And, as you'll recall, he was somewhat reluctant at the time."

"Why did you do that? It's Spike! William the Bloody. Part of the Scourge of Europe. The vampire that's killed two slayers. That tried to kill me!"

Giles sighed. "I talked to Spike, shortly after he received the chip and had realized what it was going to mean for his continued existence as a vampire. I suggested that the Powers may have arranged for him to be incapacitated so as to make it possible for him to pursue redemption by fighting at your side."

"Bet he was thrilled," Buffy said, rolling her eyes.

"Not initially. He reacted as you might expect." He peered at Buffy. "However, there appeared to be something else working in our favor. Something that soon had him asking me questions about the Powers and redemption." He paused, waiting for Buffy to understand what the "something else" was. "I've come to know him quite well since then. I don't know that I believe him to be strongly committed to a path of redemption and atonement, but I do believe he is quite committed to helping you. Do you disagree?"

Buffy sighed. "No," she grumbled. "I think he's… yeah, he wants to help me. But you could have told me."

"He preferred to be allowed to show you himself that he could be trusted and useful. I gave him that opportunity. I take it he has done so?"

"Why do you say that?"

Buffy's heart pounded as she waited for Giles to say he'd seen them kissing. Instead, he raised his eyebrows and said, "By the fact that he is not dust."

"Oh. Oh, yeah. Right. I would've staked him if I didn't trust… It doesn't mean you shouldn't have told me, though."

Before Giles could answer, the phone rang and he opened it quickly. While he listened, offering the occasional "yes, I see" and "we will do our best", she wandered over to the door and peeped out into the sunshine, narrowing her eyes when she thought she caught movement. It turned out to be a woman placing flowers on a grave some distance away, and Buffy relaxed. She left the door ajar, just in case, and walked back to Giles who was just closing the phone.

"Well?"

"The US Army is sending a new commanding officer and a small platoon of Special Forces soldiers to take over command of the Initiative. However, they want us to ensure that all the surviving vampires and demons have been slain before they arrive."

"So, we're going in? Without help?"

"So it seems."

"Shocker." Buffy rolled her eyes. "If I'm taking Spike with me, it's going to have to wait until dark."

"He could make his way through the tunnels to the general area of—"

"He needs to rest. He's still recovering from the beating they gave him the other night."

Hiding his smile at Buffy's sudden concern for Spike's welfare, he nodded. "Very well. Perhaps we can hold off until the afternoon and come up with a plan that will limit human casualties."

"OMG, I forgot. We've got to get past all the Initiative soldiers first!"

"Indeed. However, I have some thoughts on that…"

Chapter Ten

When Giles and Buffy made their way downstairs, they found Spike still sleeping, now lying on his side with his head pillowed on one arm. The Scoobies were also napping as much as they could on the uncomfortable floor. Buffy looked at the crowded carpet and walked over to where Spike was, sitting beside his head and placing a hand on his shoulder. "I'm going to take a nap," she said pushing him to his stomach so she could rest her head on his back. There was a muffled growl from the sleeping vampire – a growl which cut off abruptly when Buffy's head and arm landed on his back.

She dozed off, hoping she would wake up before anyone saw her using Spike as a pillow. Long before anyone else stirred, she felt a soothing rumbling coming from beneath her. "Are you purring?" she whispered. She shifted uncomfortably as the vibrations seemed to travel from her arm throughout her whole body, creating sensations she chose not to examine too closely. Spike's chuckle told her he knew exactly how she was reacting, and she flushed, sitting up and moving a few inches away.

He sat up also, stretching his arms overhead and giving her a glimpse of some amazing abs. Without thinking, Buffy grabbed for the hem of his shirt and tried to pull it down, in the process grazing his skin with her fingers. His sudden in-drawn breath was matched by her gasp, and they stared at each other until he finally moved her hand away saying, "If you don't want me purrin', I'd suggest keeping those hot little hands off my body until we're somewhere I can do something about what it does to me."

"I didn't mean to," she said, blushing. Seeing that Giles was also awake again, she sat up straighter and shifted farther away from Spike. "I think it must be night-time, Giles," she said. Giles looked at Spike for confirmation, and when he nodded, began to waken the other three humans.

"Do we have a plan?" Xander sat up and rubbed his eyes. "Can I bring Bessie?"

"The plan is, we must somehow slay as many of the captive demons and vampires as possible, while trying not to harm any of the soldiers who have no idea they are working for a rogue organization…"

Spike snorted. "They know bloody well what they're working for. You don't think Walsh just snaps her fingers and demons and vamps follow her to the lab like baby ducks, do you? Those wankers know what they're working for, they've just been brainwashed to think anything that doesn't look or act like them is sub-human… even Buffy."

Buffy stared at Spike for a moment. "Are any of the captives non-evil?"

"Some of 'em," he said. "Could point them out for you." He held her eyes while the exchange was observed by everyone else in the room. Finally Buffy nodded and turned her gaze on Giles.

"My job is to protect the good and innocent from evil, right? So, if something isn't human, but it's not evil…."

"I'm not sure the Council would approve of such an expansion of your responsibilities, but I suppose that's true."

"Okay, then. Here's the plan…."

"Do you really think that overfed prat is going to do what you want?" Buffy's plan to make Riley release the captives for her was meeting with some opposition.

"If he thinks we're holding all his men hostage, he will. The question is, how many of them can we incapacitate and silence before we're busted?"

"Between the two of us? A goodly number of them, I'd think. They should be bloody afraid of you by now, and I'm a creature of the night that they think is harmless. Piece of cake."

"You know you probably just jinxed us, don't you?" Buffy wrinkled her nose and sighed. Spike's warm chuckle echoed in her ear as he put one arm around her.

"If it isn't easy, then we'll do it the hard way. Either way, they don't stand a chance."

As they approached Lowell House, Spike held up a hand and stopped their small group of infiltrators. "Best let me go ahead and locate any outside guards. No reason to think they have any, being as how they think they're huntin' us, but just in case…"

While everyone else waited in the shelter of a van, Spike moved silently toward the fraternity house that could provide them entrance to the lab area beneath. Buffy crept behind him, stopping only when he turned around to glare at her.

"I think the one with no heartbeat, no body heat and over a hundred years of experience being invisible until it was time to be seen has the best chance of getting past any guards or sensors, pet. Thought we'd settled this."

"I'm not going any closer," she said. "I just want to be where I can hear or see if anything goes wrong."

"I'd appreciate that concern more if I was sure you were worried about my welfare and not what I might do."

Buffy had no response to that. She had been worrying that if he had a chance he might take out his resentment about the chip on the men responsible for capturing him. Filing it away as something to apologize for later, she shrugged and said simply, "Be careful."

"Always."

Without another word or a backward glance, he disappeared so fast she had to blink several times before she could accept that she couldn't see him anymore. Buffy waited, less than patiently, beginning to fidget and wonder if she needed to follow him. She'd just decided she should, when he reappeared as silently as he'd left. He gestured with his head and they walked back to where the others were waiting.

"Alright, here's the situation. I've disabled all the motion detectors and heat sensors that I could find. There's one guard who circles the building every eight minutes. I left him alone for now so he couldn't raise an alarm."

Spike paused and spoke directly to Buffy. "He's going to have to be silenced before we go in. The good news is, I only a heard a small number of heartbeats and most of them were slow and steady, like they were sleeping. I'm thinking that most of the ninja wannabes are out looking for us, and the ones left behind are the ones who've been up all night last night and today. It should be fairly easy to locate and disable them one at a time."

"And the bad news is…?" Xander broke into Spike's narration, earning a grin from the vampire.

"The bad news is, we don't know for sure where the rest of them are. They could be out running around looking for us and getting' lost in the sewers, they could decide to come home while we're still here, or they could be already down in the lab area."

"If there are only a few in the house, it's too good to pass up. We'll worry about what's downstairs when we get there." Buffy pointed toward the house. "We'll wait until the guard has passed us by, then Spike and I will take him down while you guys get to the back door. Giles will open it, and—"

"I could open it," Willow said, just the trace of a pout in her voice.

"Or Willow could magic it open. I don't care, as long as we can get in fast and without making any noise."

"Let's go then," Spike said, moving off. "The guard should be hitting the far corner any time now. As soon as he makes the turn, we'll go after him."

Keeping to the bushes and shadows as much as possible, they all crept forward, crouching down when the lone guard came around the corner and began his stroll across the back of the building. As soon as he was almost to the other corner, they all moved forward, Buffy and Spike taking the lead and moving with deadly speed and silence. They rounded the corner in time to reach the man before he could get very far, Spike grabbing him from behind and putting a hand over his mouth while Buffy took his gun away. It was obvious that the soldier had recognized from the powerful arms holding him that his attacker was not human and he struggled frantically until Spike growled in his ear, "Don't want to hurt you, but if you keep it up I'm not making any promises…"

The man stopped struggling, resigning himself to being temporarily defeated.

"What do you want to do with him, pet? Knock him out or gag him?"

"You just told him we weren't going to hurt him if he stopped fighting, so I guess we'll have to go with a gag." She used the man's own handcuffs to put his hands behind his back, then took a cord from his utility belt, tied his ankles together and looped it up to the handcuffs, leaving him trussed up tightly. Spike's hand was still over the man's mouth, containing the muffled curses now coming from him.

Buffy ripped a strip of cloth off the man's shirt and rolled it up, stuffing it in his mouth carefully. "You don't have a cold, do you?" she asked with sudden concern. He shook his head, eyes wide that his captors would even bother to worry about his ability to breathe. "Good." They left him lying on his side far enough away that he wouldn't be able to kick the house, but close enough to be within a pool of light from a window. "We'll be back for you," she promised, poking Spike when he went into game face and licked his lips as he agreed.

"Asshole," she muttered.

"Spoilsport."

Moving quickly, they joined Giles, Xander, Anya and Willow now hiding in the kitchen of the quiet house. Spike's hearing had him pointing silently to various rooms where he could hear single heartbeats. They split up, Buffy and Spike creeping from room to room, incapacitating the man within and then turning him over to Anya and Giles to tie up and gag. Willow remained in the kitchen, using a small glamour to muffle any sounds. Xander stood at the entrance, gun held loosely, watching as the various soldiers were dragged to the kitchen and left in a heap on the floor.

When Buffy and Spike had made a quick tour of the house, making sure they hadn't overlooked anyone, they returned to the kitchen and stared at their captives. Asking Spike to go get the man they'd left outside, Buffy addressed the tied up men.

"Okay, guys. Here's the sitch – you're going to be shut down. Probably in a day or two. Turns out your boss and her pet general weren't exactly straight with the US Army about what they were doing here and… yeah, heads are gonna roll. In the meantime, my—" She looked at Giles. "What should I call them? I'll be damned if I'll call the Council my 'bosses'!"

"I think the organization that supports you would be sufficient."

"Supports? So they've put the Slayer on salary now?" Spike deposited his burden next to the other men and jumped up to sit on the kitchen counter.

Buffy snorted. "Not that I've noticed," she said, turning her attention back to the men staring at her as if she was speaking a foreign language. "Anyway, these guys who think they can tell me what to do want me to take care of all the vamps and demons in your cages before the regular Army guys show up. So, who wants to help me get down there to do that?" She gave them her best "I've only tied you up for your own good" smile and waited to see if anyone would respond. To her surprise, one of the men she'd left in the sewers made noises behind his gag and she pulled it away from his mouth.

"I'll help you," he said, ignoring the disturbed squirming around him. "I don't know what you are, but I don't think you're evil." The guard that Buffy and Spike had been so careful not to injure when they disabled him nodded his head vigorously.

Buffy released the soldier, helping him to stand and pointing toward the elevator. "You can get us in there?"

He nodded and walked toward it. Xander looked disappointed as he said, "Do I need to threaten to shoot your buddies if you don't cooperate?"

"Would you do that?" The man seemed genuinely curious, and also as if he might be rethinking his offer.

"Well, probably not… but you don't know that. I think you should assume I would." Xander looked embarrassed about his admission, but it seemed to have swayed a few more of the tied up men that they weren't dealing with enemies.

"Good job giving away the game, Harris," Spike snorted. "Remind not to ask you to threaten anyone for me."

"Hey, chipped one, when I threaten to stake you, I mean it."

"Bring it on," Spike growled.

"Cut it out, you two. We don't have time for all your macho posturing. We have to get down to the lab and get rid of those caged demons."

"Let's not leave all this tied up food on the kitchen floor," Spike said. "Just in case their mates get home early." It took only a few minutes for the men to be placed, as comfortably as possible, in one of the bedrooms. Shutting the door, Buffy took her volunteer by the arm and said, "Lead on."

They all followed the man to the elevator, squeezing in and watching curiously as he used voice recognition to gain permission for the elevator to descend. Just as they reached the bottom, Buffy asked suddenly, "Is anyone down here? I mean, like commando guys, not lab workers."

He shrugged. "I think they all went out looking for you, but I don't really know. I've been asleep since around four this afternoon. Might be a few lab rats still working."

He led them down a corridor and through a set of heavy doors into a long, wide hallway lined with white spaces with Plexiglas fronts to them. Spike began a steady snarl as he recognized his surroundings. Ignoring the looks from Willow and Xander, Buffy put a soothing hand on his arm as she gave her orders.

"Okay, guys, Spike and Anya can start at different ends of the cages and tell me which ones are evil and which ones aren't. Our friend here…" She looked at the commando quizzically and he responded with "Bob". "… is going to help me open the doors to the cages with harmless or non-evil demons." She looked up at Spike. "Can you show them how to get out?"

He nodded. "Can point them toward the vent I used to find my way out."

"Okay then. Let's get started." She walked with Spike to the far end of the line of cages, leaving Giles to supervise Bob and the door opening consol. As they walked down the long corridor, glancing from side to side, Buffy could see that all the captives were either drugged or damaged in some way. The vampires and demons looked up at her with resignation and apathy. Many of the demons seemed to be missing body parts and to be in considerable pain. She looked at Spike with wide eyes, and he gazed back saying, "I told you, Slayer. Vivisectionist."

As Spike commented on the creatures in the cells, Buffy would point to the cell and Giles and Bob would open the door. Most of the demons were afraid to come out when they saw Buffy, so she reluctantly went back to stand by the console, leaving Spike and Anya to explain to the freed demons that they needed to get out as quickly as possible.

While Spike led a limping, weak group of bewildered demons to the large ventilation shaft he'd used to escape, Buffy began walking back down the row, stake in hand. She signaled to Bob to open a cage containing a vampire couple, clinging to each other with thin arms. They gave weak snarls when she came in, but seemed unable to generate the energy to do anything about their obvious hunger.

"What the—"

The male vamp looked at her through bleary bloodshot eyes. "She wants to know how long it takes a vamp to starve to death, and what it looks like. I can't remember the last time we had food." They both stared at her neck with undisguised hunger, but were incapable of doing anything but leaning in her direction and whimpering. When she continued to stand there, frowning with indecision, he growled. "Just do it, Slayer. You'll be doing us both a favor. We're too weak to escape and I don't see you wanting to carry us out of here."

Nodding Buffy stepped forward and watched with astonishment as the barely conscious vamps exchange a lingering kiss and murmured pledges of love before presenting their chests to her. Swallowing the lump in her throat, she quickly dusted them and ran out to the next cage. By the time Spike came back, her tears had turned to cold anger as she worked her way through the cages, staking vampires too drugged or weak to fight back and snapping the necks of similarly incapacitated demons.

"They are bigger monsters than anything in here," she said when Spike appeared behind her. She was about to enter another cage where a Fyral demon stared up at her with dull eyes, unable to move his broken and clawless arms or legs. Spike put a hand on her arm.

"Let me do this for you, love. This isn't work for a Slayer."

She bit her lip, then nodded gratefully. "Okay. Thanks." She handed him her stake and a silver dagger she'd brought with her just in case. Rejoining Bob and Giles at the console, she said, "You may as well open them all, Bob. There's nothing left in here that's capable to escaping or harming anyone. And if they try, Xander can shoot them."

He frowned, but did as he was told, joining Anya and Willow as they made sure Buffy was between them and the opened cages. Spike went down the line, offering a murmured apology here and there as he methodically broke necks and slit throats until there was nothing alive left in the big room except the humans clustered around the cage console.

Chapter Eleven

Spike was just re-joining them when he suddenly froze, his head snapping up as he listened. "In-coming, Slayer," he said, pointing at the doors leading to the way out. Buffy stood facing the doors which burst open to admit Riley; behind him were at least two squads of soldiers – all unarmed and only partially dressed.

"I told you, Finn, that something was going wrong." The speaker was the man who had led the squad Buffy saved Clem from. "That bitch got in here somehow. She's probably let everything out…." His voice trailed off as they began to notice all the dead demons and small piles of dust in many of the cages.

"We helped the ones that don't hurt people get out to safety," Buffy said, addressing her words to Riley who was staring at her in horror. "And the other ones are all—"

"Dead," Spike interrupted, his voice cold. "Out of your reach now."

"Hostile Seventeen." Riley reached for the weapon that he'd left in the armory when they returned from a futile search for Buffy and the Scoobies, swearing when he realized he had nothing but his bare hands. Shrugging he moved forward anyway. "I've about had it with you."

"Gonna beat me up again, then?" Spike asked, his eyes alight with glee.

Riley frowned at Spike's lack of fear, but said, "To a bloody pulp. Stand back, Buffy," he added as she moved in front of Spike. "He's got this coming."

While Xander tried to keep his gun trained on everyone at one time, Spike picked Buffy up and moved her to the side. "No, Slayer. He wants me, he gets me."

"But, I can't let you—"

"Won't. I promise. But that's all I'm promisin'."

Riley advanced on Spike, giving Buffy a little shove out of the way and eliciting a snarl from the vampire. Narrowing her eyes, Buffy moved back and nodded. "All yours," she said, not making it clear which one she was speaking to.

She could see the other soldiers muttering and jockeying for position as they tried to work up their courage to charge a man armed with one of their own high-powered weapons and the girl some of them were only too aware was much faster and stronger than they.

"Should I try to wing one? Just so they know we're serious?" Xander whispered, watching nervously. "What if they know I won't shoot them?"

Giles spoke up behind him. "Do what you need to do. The Council will deal with any repercussions from events that occur in defense of their Slayer."

"In American, does that mean go ahead and shoot them?"

"It does." Giles pointed at a small group edging their way towards them. "You may begin with those three."

Xander fired one shot at the men's feet, yelping when the bullet pieces ricocheted off the floor and sprayed the area with metal and concrete. There was sneering at his startled reaction, but the men backed off, one of them bleeding slightly from small cuts.

"I've got an idea," Buffy said, trying not to watch as Riley and Spike circled each other like a couple of fighting cocks. She pointed to the closest cage, the one containing the now-dead crippled Fyral demon. "Get it there," she ordered.

Reluctantly responding to Xander's gestures with the gun, the men moved into the cage. When one tried to turn back, straight-arming Buffy out of the way, he quickly learned why she was in charge. Without bothering to say anything but "dumb ass", she grabbed the arm and had it behind his back and twisted painfully before he could follow through on his thought. She threw the much larger man into the cage, knocking down one of his friends in the process. "I said, 'Get in the cage'," she snapped. As soon as they were all in, she looked at Bob and nodded. He pressed the button that closed and locked the door, leaving the men harmless and safe in one of their own cages.

He looked at Giles and said, "You know, if you guys aren't the real deal, I'm going to be shot for treason."

"No worries. I suspect you'll get a promotion to keep you quiet about this facility and the things that went on here."

A gasp from Willow brought Buffy's gaze back to Spike and Riley. Spike was dancing out of reach as much as possible, acting very much like he was still incapable of retaliating for any of the punches Riley was throwing. Frustration was growing on the bigger man's face as the few blows he managed to get through Spike's passive defenses only made the vampire laugh.

"Is that all you've got?" he asked, blocking a roundhouse kick with a powerful arm that a close observer might have noticed actually struck the leg in the process of deflecting the blow. In the heat of the moment, Riley didn't notice and he continued to press Spike.

"You can dance all you want, Hostile, but we both know you can't keep it up forever. Or have you forgotten what happened to you the last time you tried to fight us?"

Spike stopped laughing and his eyes turned the color of ice. "No. Haven't forgotten a thing." The next punch Riley threw at him, Spike reached up and grabbed his fist, squeezing it until the realization of what was happening showed on Riley's face. While Spike continued to squeeze, bringing the big man to his knees in pain, he said, "But I'm not quite the pushover I was then." He let go of Riley's hand and stepped back.

Riley knelt on the floor, cradling his damaged hand and staring at Spike in horror. He turned his eyes to Buffy. "Did you hear that, Buffy? The chip's not working any more. You have to stake him now!"

"What for? He hasn't killed anybody. He hasn't even hurt anybody except you – and that was self-defense." Buffy shrugged and looked at Giles. "Are we ready to go now? We did what we were sent here to do."

He nodded and they all turned to leave, ignoring Riley – now on his feet and swearing vigorously. Spike touched her arm, leaning down to whisper, "You know he's gonna have them all out of there and on our tail before we get out of the house."

She sighed and nodded. "You're right, let's put him—" She was interrupted as Riley threw himself at the console, but rather than releasing his fellow soldiers, he hit another switch, opening a set of doors at the far end of the hall. Immediately, relatively unharmed and healthy demons and vampires began to pour into the room.

"Bloody fuckin' hell. I forgot all about that holding area," Spike growled as he and Buffy stepped forward. He handed her stake back to her and shrugged out of his coat. "Guess I'm gonna get a good fight out of this after all," he said, meeting the first arrival with a whoop and a leap that planted both boots into the demon's chest.

Holding her stake, Buffy began dusting as many vampires as she could without benefit of quipping or toying with them. The caged soldiers watched in awe as she whirled, kicked and staked her way through the hungry vamps that had all decided their only way out was through the Slayer. When she had run out of vampires, she moved to help Spike who was barely holding his own against a concentrated attack from the remaining demons. The bodies around him were proof of his initial success, but numbers were beginning to pay off and he was being forced back to the console where Riley was watching with mingled fear and satisfaction.

Buffy leapt onto the back of a particularly large and hairy demon, plunging her stake into its eye before it could follow through on its obvious plan to eviscerate Spike with its claws. With an anguished scream, it began to whirl in circles, trying to reach Buffy with its long arms. She jumped off, landing beside Spike and asking, "Are you okay?"

"Never better, pet. Let's do this."

Working together, they had no trouble incapacitating the wounded demon and soon moved on to the few remaining ones large enough to be dangerous. Buffy hesitated when she saw one that looked like Clem, asking, "Is he…?"

"Yep. Let him go. The only ones left we need to worry about are those two slimy things there."

Ignoring the rest of the demons, they advanced on the last two dangerous ones, getting thoroughly slimed in the process of killing them.

"Where's a good sword or crossbow when you need one?" Buffy grumbled, scraping slime from her shirt and flinging it away.

"Thought you brought a sword?" Spike looked at her in surprise. "You knew there were going to be demons and such."

Buffy looked around. "I did… I wonder… Oh." Xander, Giles and Willow were standing in front on Anya and Bob, weapons ready as they waited to see what would happen next. Buffy smiled at her friends in admiration, saying, "They look pretty scary, don't they?"

"Nothin' I'd want to face down," Spike admitted, casting an appreciative glance at the three humans. "I'd be shot, stabbed or set on fire before I got close enough to get a good bite."

"Try to hold that thought, Fangface," Xander said with less venom that usual in his voice.

Spike gave the obligatory sneer then turned to look at Riley, standing defiantly behind the console. His face shifted and his fangs elongated as he met the soldier's eyes. "We're back to what to do with the hayseed," he said through his distorted teeth.

Buffy sighed. "Let's just put him in a cage too. We can be away and out of here before the lab people find them. I think," she added as the sound of alarms penetrated the battle haze and fatigue.

Bob ran to the console and, with an apologetic glance at Riley, he turned off the alarm. "I don't think they're evil," he said by way of explanation as a glaring Riley was pulled none-too-gently into an empty cage.

"Let's get out of here before something else goes wrong," Buffy said. She glanced at the harmless demons, huddled together as far away from her as they could get. "Go on," she said more roughly than she'd intended. "Get out. Spike will show you how."

They held the elevator while Spike showed the bewildered, but grateful, creatures the way to get out that wouldn't involve going through Lowell House and the Sunnydale U campus. As soon as he was in, the doors slid closed and Bob sent the elevator moving. When it stopped, the doors slid open with Buffy and Spike standing guard at the front.

There were universal gasps. On one side of the open door were the Scoobies, their helpful captive and Spike and Buffy. On the other, stood Quinton Travers, a military man with several stars on his shoulders, and the security chief for the university. Behind them were ranged at least two squads of non-Initiative soldiers.

Leaving Giles to explain what they'd done, Buffy and her group edged toward the door, trying to make their escape as quickly as possible. There was an uncomfortable moment as Travers looked at Spike with a cold eye and said, "William the Bloody, I presume."

"I wouldn't be presuming anything, if I were you, mate," Spike said, meeting him stare for stare.

Travers shifted his gaze to Buffy and gave a very uncharacteristic sigh. "Ms. Summers, it appears that you are continuing to be unfortunate in your choice of male companions…"

"Spike just helped me carry out your orders, and it was dammed important help," Buffy said, adding her stony stare to Spike's. "I don't think I could have handled that many vamps and demons at one time by myself."

Travers lifted his gaze from them to Xander, still cradling his large gun, Willow looking much more confident than the last time he'd seen her, and Giles. He ignored Anya and Bob. Shaking his head, he muttered, "Friends, family, vampire boyfriends… this is all most irregular."

"So is having a slayer who's lived long enough to have the experience she needs to do her job," Spike growled. "Or do you prefer them young, inexperienced and dead before they're even through growin'?"

"We've had experienced, older slayers before. One of them didn't survive her encounter with a slayer-killing vampire," Travers said, his gaze steady. "I'm not sure it helps all that much."

"Maybe she just met a particularly strong vamp," Spike said with a non-committal shrug. "Or maybe she was just tired of the fight. Tired of being out there alone every night, riskin' her life for people who weren't worth her little finger. Think about that, Watcher, before you start complainin' about Buffy's friends and family."

"I've got class tomorrow," Buffy said. "I'll catch you after class, Giles. C'mon, guys, let's go."

Anya sidled past Giles to follow Xander and Willow out of the building, but Bob hesitated.

"Where do you fit in, soldier?" the general said, eyeing the government issue sweats in which he'd been sleeping when Buffy and Spike awakened him.

"I live here, sir." Bob snapped to attention and stood rigidly waiting for orders to turn himself in for a court martial.

"Is there a reason you aren't tied up with everyone else?"

"Yessir." He gulped. "I… I believed the Hostile when he called her 'Heaven's Chosen One'. I didn't believe she was evil, so I said I'd help them get into the lab."

"You did, did you?" The general's face gave no indication of what he was thinking. He had a brief conversation with Travers and the Security Chief, then turned back to Bob. "It seems you may have taken initiative—" He stopped and cursed. "Perhaps a poor choice of word in this situation, but you have done the right thing, young man. We will need someone to escort us down to the lab; please remain in the elevator."

Giving their new friend a supportive wave, Buffy led her friends out of the frat house and onto the campus. Xander and Anya split off to go home, assuring Buffy that "Bessie" could blow away any vamps they encountered on the way home. Spike strolled along with Willow and Buffy until they got to their dorm, pausing at the door. Willow began to shuffle her feet and clear her throat before announcing that she had a study session planned with someone she'd met in Wicca group and she probably wouldn't see Buffy until the morning.

Spike looked at her and raised his eyebrows, but Buffy took Willow completely at her word and just smiled. "So, I guess you don't need Spike for a study buddy tonight," she said.

"Uh… no. I… we… it's not Shakespeare tonight, it's… spells. We're going to be studying spells."

"Really? All night? Wow she must be some witch."

"Let it go, love," Spike said, touching Buffy's arm. She frowned at him, but smiled at Willow.

"Well, okay then. I'll see you tomorrow, I guess."

"What did you mean, 'Let it go'?" Buffy said. "Let what go?"

"Red was getting… You know what? It's her story to tell. I'm just goin' to mind my own business." He caressed her face with his hand. "Got better things to do tonight…"

"Oh? You mean, you think we should patrol? 'Cause I think we've done enough slaying for one ni—mmmmmph!"

He kept his mouth fastened on hers until her surprised gasp had turned to a barely audible whimper, then broke off the kiss to nuzzle her ear. "You knew that wasn't what I meant," he whispered, ignoring the curious looks they were getting from passing students. "Didn't you?"

"Kinda," she whispered back. "But I was just checking…"

"Red's out for the night…."

"Yeah, that's what she said…."

"If we don't go up there right now, I'm gonna embarrass the hell out of you right here on the sidewalk." Spike's low growl rumbled in her ear as she tried to move away from him.

Buffy giggled and pulled out of his reach. "I think we've given enough of a show for one night." She started up the steps to the door. "Are you coming?"

"I bloody well hope so," he muttered under his breath.

"I heard that!"

Buffy's face was flaming as she tried to ignore his laughter behind her. She led the way into the stairwell and ran up the stairs to her floor. She could hear Spike's boots right behind her, but didn't turn around to face him until she'd opened her door and stepped inside. He tested the doorway, not sure if the invitation Willow had extended so long ago might not have been revoked immediately.

"It's okay," Buffy said unnecessarily as he stepped through and closed the door behind him.

"I'm surprised you didn't have it revoked the next day. It's not like you knew for sure then that I was harmless."

"We were busy, and Willow didn't seem worried, so…"

"And you weren't worried?" He seemed offended at the thought and Buffy smiled at his pout.

"Why should I be? If you wanted to sneak in and murder me in my sleep, you would have done it when I was still living at home." She grinned at his disbelief that she'd never cancelled his invitation to her home. She moved toward him and tapped him on the chest with her finger. "And if I wasn't asleep when you broke into my room, I'd have kicked your ass. So, see? Nothing to worry about."

"Might have had something else in mind if I came into your room in the middle of the night," he said, moving closer and sliding his hands around her waist. "It's not like my dick never sat up and took notice of you until recently."

"I'm not sure if I think that's flattering or just… icky." She pulled back to stare at him. "Would you have done something like that? Tried to rape me in my sleep?"

"Hell no! That's your ex's MO, not mine." He dropped his hands, genuinely hurt by her accusation. "I just meant I might have preferred to… thought you knew me better than that, Slayer," he said, turning away from her.

"I'm sorry." Buffy's apology was so soft he almost didn't hear it. "I know you wouldn't… " She touched his arm, turning him back to face her. "Can we start the conversation again?"

"Or, we could just forget all about conversin' for awhile and just get to the kissing." He pulled her closer and leaned down to brush his lips across hers. "I'm not feeling all that talkative just at the moment…."

"Kissing is good. If we're busy kissing, we can't say anything that either of us will have to apologi—"

Chapter Twelve

Without breaking the kiss, Spike backed up until the bed hit the backs of his knees. He fell backwards, pulling Buffy down on top of him and holding her there with one hand on her ass. The other hand was roving over her body, caressing and stroking, making her gasp every time it touched bare skin. Not to be outdone, Buffy pushed herself into a sitting position, grinding down on the bulge in the front of his jeans, and pushing his tee shirt up until she could run her hands over the smooth skin of his chest.

While she explored the body in front of her, Spike's hands were busy unbuttoning her blouse. His eyes ran up and down her body, his appreciation plain on both his face and the way his cock was twitching against her. One hand cupped a perfect little breast while the other unhooked her bra and tossed it away. He sat up so that Buffy could pull his tee shirt over his head, the new position leaving her sitting on his lap with her legs wrapped around his hips.

With a groan, he pulled her more tightly against him, taking one nipple in his mouth and sucking on it almost to the point of pain while she arched into his mouth and whimpered.

"Perfect," he gasped, moving to the other nipple. "Knew you'd be perfect, love. Can't wait to see the rest of you." He tried to move her away so that he could reach the fasteners on her pants.

"I don't wanna move yet," Buffy gasped, grinding against him, her eyes wide and unfocused. When he picked her up by her waist and took away the lovely pressure she'd been building she gave what almost sounded like a growl.

"Sorry, pet. We can do this anyway you want, as often as you want, in any position you want… but I want to be in you the first time you come for me. Please, love…"

His fingers tore at the snap on her jeans as she worked equally hard to unbutton his jeans.

"Seriously, Spike?" she muttered. "A button fly?" He gave one of his soft chuckles as he unzipped her jeans and rolled to the side so he could begin pulling them off.

"Sorry, pet. Wasn't thinkin'…." As she worked his jeans open and reached in to wrap her hand around his cock, he gasped, promising, "Nothing but zippers from now on, I swear it."

Taking what they both silently acknowledged was a necessary break, they broke apart to kick off their shoes and remaining clothes. Spike's mouth was trailing down Buffy's body before she'd even finished kicking her pants off, leaving open mouthed, wet kisses from her neck to her hip bone. Her legs fell open when he began to nuzzle the neatly trimmed hair he found as he followed the enticing scent there. When she unconsciously jerked her hips upward, he groaned.

"No worries, love. Not planning to neglect you, I just don't want… but I guess one little lick couldn't hurt…" Following words with actions, he ran his tongue through her folds, smiling when she buried her fingers in his hair and muffled a small scream. Unable to resist both her whimpered pleas and the way she was responding to him, he continued to move his tongue around until she was gasping threats to stake him. He dropped a kiss on her lower abdomen and slid up her body, dropping his hips between her open thighs.

His eyes met hers, waiting until the unfulfilled lust and frustration had faded enough for her to focus on him.

"Know this doesn't mean as much to you as it does to me, but I need to say it anyway. I love you, Buffy. Have for longer than I think I know." He pushed against her, wriggling his hips until he was past the automatic resistance of her clenched walls. As he slid the rest of the way in, he exhaled and dropped his head beside hers, nibbling on her ear lobe. "Never want to be anywhere else but here. Could dust happy just now."

"Now would not be a good time to dust," she gasped, pushing against him. "I think I like you solid and… you know… here." As she spoke, she squeezed him tightly, bringing an answering gasp from the vampire. They were soon moving together in a rhythm older than history, matching murmurs, gasps and whimpers building until, with a soft cry, Buffy arched against him and shook with the force of her orgasm. Spike joined her, pouring himself into her warmth while his mouth pulled on the skin of her throat, leaving a mark that, even with slayer healing, wouldn't fade for days.

They remained lying together for several minutes, breathing in rhythm, her hands moving gently against the skin of his back while he brushed light kisses against her mouth and across her face. Buffy finally let her legs drop from where they'd been clasping his body to hers and stretched, arching against him as she did so. She gave a small gasp when she felt him twitch and begin to grow inside her. With a murmur of appreciation, she wriggled against him, then wrapped her legs around his and rolled them over until she was stretched out on top of him.

"Your turn to drive?" He grinned up at her.

"You'd better believe it, vampire," she said, sitting up and smiling down at him. "The Slayer is a leader, not a follower."

"Works out nicely, then," he said, his eyes rolling back in his head as she began rhythmically clenching around him. "Lead on, love. William the Bloody knows how to follow a woman—ah!" After a particularly hard squeeze, he grabbed her hips and pulled her down against his body, moving his hips until she was tossing her head from side to side, making small gasping noises. In what began to resemble a battle more than love-making, they competed to see who could tire the other first.

It took only ten minutes of vampire and slayer sex to break the first slat in the bed, ten more to kick out the board at the foot, and another few minutes to bend the metal frame. Neither one noticed when they rolled to the floor, still engaged in their battle to be the last to stop from exhaustion. Only after they'd reached another mutually satisfying and vigorous conclusion did they notice the pounding on the floor coming from the room below.

"Oops?" Buffy rolled off his body, blushing all over. "I hope they don't know who lives here!"

Spike's only response was to thump back once with his fist, making a small dent in the floor that he hoped was visible below. He turned his head to look into Buffy's embarrassed face. "Knew we'd be good together, Slayer, but I had no idea…" He shook his head and pulled her next to him where he could hold her while he nuzzled her hair. "You know you'll never get rid of me now, don't you, love? If you aren't planning to keep me around forever, better stake me now. 'Cause I'm not leaving willingly."

Blushing again, this time at his obviously heartfelt words, Buffy whispered, "Considering how long a slayer's 'forever' is, I think you're pretty safe. I don't want you to go away any time soon… or ever."

He tightened his arm around her, taking her unspoken emotion for what it was. They clung together until Buffy started to shiver and they sat up to study the broken bed.

"Crap."

"It's fixable," he said, taking the metal frame and grunting with effort as he bent it back into an approximation of its original shape. He gave a rueful shrug at the broken slat lying on the floor under the bed, and draped his coat over the broken footboard. "See? All fixed." He got in carefully and held up the covers for her, smiling when she didn't hesitate to slide in beside him. She snuggled into his side and yawned.

"Are you staying the rest of the night?"

"Wild horses couldn't drag me away, love. But you know I'm gonna have to leave before dawn. Don't want to be stuck here all day dodging the sun."

"I'll get heavier curtains," she said, yawning again. "Don't want you to have to leave."

"I'm going to fix that bedroom I've got so that you'll never know you're underground," he promised. "I'll make it fit for a… for a beautiful woman who deserves better." He sighed. "It's still going to be a hole in the ground, isn't it?"

"We'll work it out." Her eyes were shutting and she missed the smile that went across his face at her words.

The End