Ties That Bind

Enemy Mine

"Buffy could you please try to pay attention, this prophecy is very disturbing. We are talking about a force that could in fact..."

Buffy rolled her eyes and tuned Giles out again. Blah blah blah. Eventually he would get to what impossible thing she was expected to pull off in order to save the world again. She had other things on her mind. Spike was back. A shiver ran through her just thinking about it. He had come so close to killing her many times and she had come so close to killing him but still he didn't fear her. It was sick and twisted and wrong but Buffy couldn't wait to see him. To fight with him. To look into his crystal blue eyes and face her death. He excited her in ways she couldn't even begin to explain to herself. Fighting Spike was a rush, plain and simple. Giles finally shut up and looked up at her expectantly. She turned to Willow bent over her laptop eagerly tapping away. So willing to help.

"Wills, tell me again what Spike said."

Willow jumped and stared at her like a deer caught in the headlights. "Ummm, well I told you that jock was bothering me and than he was just kind of there and than he was all "Oi Red!, This lump bugging ya?" and I was all "no" and he was all menacing but not at me and I was seriously freaked but then the jock like got all in his face saying that I was with him and that Spike could leave and then Spike looked over at me and asked if he could hit him and I was so wigged I said "Ok" and he laid him out and there was all this blood all over his face, the guys not Spike's, then he walked me to my dorm and really didn't say anything just a lot of smoking and Briticisms that I didn't get," Willow took a deep breath and took off at the speed of light again. Words tumbling one over the other the way that they did when she was really scared or excited about something.

"Something about the Dutch, and Buggering and the Muppets. Oh and he offered to go back and eat that guy and I was all "No" and he was all "Whatever you say Pet" and he asked me if I ever thought about becoming a vampire because he would be honored to turn me and I was all like "NO" and than I told him I was a vampire once and didn't like it and he was all impressed I think because he was all "Bet you were a sight Luv! Let me know if you change your mind and say 'ello to the bitch, let her know I'll be round to kill her next week after I get Dru all sussed out" and I was all "What's wrong with her?" and he was all "Nuttin I can't 'andle" and than we were at the door and I looked up and he was gone. And that's everything."

"So let me make sure I have this right. Spike, Vampire, Slayer of Slayers, Badass Spike, came out of nowhere, defended your honor, walked you home, and made conversation?" Willow nodded wordlessly, her eyes as big as they would go. "What is he up to? Giles do you think he was serious about turning Willow?" Buffy turned back to Giles to find him scowling at her.

"Buffy we have more serious problems than Spike. The Powers that Be are assuming that this prophecy may be lived out within the next few days. And the spilling of slayer blood mixed with that of a master vampire on hollowed ground is not an acceptable aversion." The glasses came off and Giles began to polish them with vigor. His British accent becoming more pronounced. "I don't know what they are thinking, I simply can't allow some vampire to drain you regardless, we must research..."

"Wait, the powers want to kill me? I am so not going to die again, been there, done that. Thank you very much. So they can send their prophecy to that Fruitcake Faith. Nope, this train has no caboose, no Chu Chu when you wave..."

"Buffy, I'm sure no one wants to kill you, I mean other than the Vamps and the Demons and shutting up now." Willow bent back over her laptop and began to type with an unnatural speed. Her own special superpower. We could call her tip tap woman and buy her a cape with letters on it.

"Now that I have your attention, the most direct translation I can decipher is" Giles replaced his glasses and adopted the tone of lecture.

"The Dark Princess Dances
with Her Borrowed Power
Calling Souls into the Abyss
Searching for her lost lover
Her Stolen Life-force is the key
The Master opens his veins
Washed with the blood of the chosen
Mortal enemies bound by purpose
Spill hope on the mouth of hell
And hold the end at bay

There are various shades of meaning of course and there are other references in the A'Decan and the Wic Fableon. Near as I can tell we are probably dealing with a female vampire, Vampire Blood is referred to as Stolen Life-force in many ancient texts including ..."

"Okay so I have to let a vampire bite me and than slit his wrists on the hell mouth. We'll call Angel and get it over with. No big...Buffy saves the world again. Now if we could get back to Spike..."

"Buffy this is not "No Big" The Vampire has to be specific. One of the Vampire's Childe. Her Stolen Life-force. And a Master Vampire. I desperately hope it will not be necessary. We need to find a way to circumvent the whole prophecy. You would be completely helpless. Not to mention, where would we find such a vampire? And it would have to be done within minutes of the Vampiress opening the hell mouth or it would be too late. Better to find her and stake her before she gets anywhere near the hell mouth..." Giles head whipped up at the pounding of the door. "I thought Xander was working tonight..." Giles swung the door open...

And there was Spike, in all his salty Goodness. Leaned casually up against the door jamb, head cocked to the side, blue eyes swimming with mirth. His trademark half smirk on his full lips, cigarette held with precision between his thumb and his forefinger. "Oi, 'ello watcher!" His voice washed over her like waves of darkness. His soft drawl sending tingles up and down her spine. "Might I come in for a cuppa?"

"Spike!" Giles had never looked so hard. Eyes as cold as ice, face frozen in his Ripper Mask. "Buffy, hand me a stake!"

"Well, well, well. So much for Brit hospitality. Get me a Bloody Stake! Is that any way to treat a guest? No mollycoddling for the Vamp that saved your sorry asses not too far back. As if I was just strolling through town and thought I would pop in on the bleedin Slayer," Unable to ever stay still Spike paced around the porch, punctuating his words with his hands, duster flapping. Absolutely no fear. She had just handed her Watcher a stake, she had a stake and he couldn't even get in because of the barrier. It was official. Spike was just as loopy as his girlfriend, he just covered better. "Not a thought in your pretty empty heads, Why a Master Vamp such as myself would come a callin' Polite as Fuck All. Oh I was just feelin' a bit peckish, thought nothing but your stellar company would make me complete! Oi!"

"All right Spike, Enough with the dramatics all ready. And you did not "Save our Asses". You grabbed your loopy girlfriend and ran. And you are not supposed to be here. You and Dru were supposed to never show your faces again. And yet you just keep coming back. Like a Cockroach. What, need another love spell?" Spike stopped pacing, giving her his complete attention. Head tilted to the side, body coiled tight as a spring, fighting posture. And his eyes were almost polite. She was officially wigged out. "Did the little woman run off again? Torture didn't give your sex life the zing it needed..."

"Buffy enough!" She glanced at Giles who was still staring at Spike, the very image of hostility. "We don't care what he wants. He's a Vampire. Kill him already."

Spike flung his hands in the air and than peered into the room. "Hey Red, that you? Listen, throwing up the white flag here. The lot of you make me want to heave, but you are the only White hats I'm on speaking terms with and my Dark Princess needs a bit of help. Her crazy plans usually go round the bend but she's got her a dark wizard and I need your Watcher to look up a thing or two 'bout Soul Calling." He tossed his first smoke and immediately lit his second, as he paced restlessly. "Can't get my girl out because of these anti-vamp charms, and I would be the first bit of flesh ol Angelus would want. And you're the second slutty. And saving the world, that's your soddin' gig White Queen takes King, shows over take a bow, besides...not like I have a soul to lose but you..."

"Did you say Dark Princess? Drusilla may be connected to this prophecy. What is it she intends?" Giles looked no less menacing, but somehow suddenly looked curious as well and Buffy could see that he was struggling with himself not to turn his back on the evil vampire and rush to his books. She couldn't help a small smile.

"Not gonna stand on the bleedin' porch Ripper! Invite me in and we can talk shop." At their incredulous stares he smirked and let out a low chuckle. That laugh should be illegal. Her whole body was strung up tight as a wire and she just wanted to get to the fighting. She felt like if she didn't hit him soon she would just completely snap. "Not gonna eat you, I'll behave like a bloody saint. Feet off the coffee table, help with the dishes and all that rot. No snacking on the A Team, Scouts honor."

Buffy couldn't help the unladylike snort that came out of no where. "If you were a scout we'll go to England and have tea and scones with the Queen."

His gaze focused on her, Smirk in full blown evil mode. "Might 'ave ate one once. Sides isn't that what a blokes supposed to say at moments like this?" It wasn't fair. Evil Undead Vamps were not supposed to be endearing. And comments about eating innocent scouts were not supposed to be in any way funny. Her lips stayed mercifully in a strait unyielding line but her eyebrows rose all on their own. His smirk widened into a small smile.

"Giles let him in." Her Watcher of course began to stutter. "Spike knows I can kick his Evil Ass, if he wanted to eat us he would have waited until one of us was alone and pounced." Spike only let out another low chuckle and bounced on the balls of his feet. Like a child who couldn't sit still.

"There is no smoking allowed in my flat." Giles was deadpan. Spike's eyebrows went up a mile. He took a long drag on his cigarette, tossed it to the side, and held up empty hands. Drama Queen. "Spike" Giles paused and looked like he was going to be sick. Buffy kicked him in his ankle just hard enough to sting. She got a dirty look for her trouble. "Come in."

"Ahh Magic!" He sighed with unholy glee. Then swooped through the door with unnatural speed. He only laughed when we gripped our stakes and spun to face him. He was already sprawled in Giles' chair with a slice of lukewarm pizza halfway to his mouth.

Buffy crossed the room and slapped the lid of the pizza box down. "Vampires don't Eat." Spike took another big bite of his pizza and exaggerated his chewing. Then swallowed. Buffy was mesmerized. She just couldn't look away.

"No, The Bloody Poof doesn't eat. Got to uphold the dignity of Vampires and all that Rot. But an errant evil Childe like me don't give a Fuck. And I like Pizza." He took another large bite and sighed with satisfaction. "Sides eating might actually give the Wanker something to enjoy and can't have any happiness there. Big Brooding Ponce can't have a God Damn taco because there are starving Children in Africa or wherever." He finished off his last two bites and eyed the pizza box. Buffy grabbed it and flounced into the kitchen. She didn't want it but she didn't want him to have it either. She waltzed back in, and sat gingerly on the edge of the couch.

"So Spill, What has your crazy girlfriend done now? And why should we even care?" It wasn't fair that he should be so comfortable, surrounded by enemies. Sprawled in Giles' chair like he owned it, smirking at everyone. He gave Willow a full blown smile and she blushed a crimson wave and immediately turned back to her keyboard with a squeak. "Leave Willow alone." His head swiveled towards her and she shivered.

"Even Vampires know to be friendly to Witches. Isn't that Right Red?" She squeaked again. Buffy rolled her eyes and let out another snort/laugh. God that was embarrassing.

"Yeah, kidnapping her, threatening her with broken bottles. I'm sure she is so impressed." Spike had his head tilted to the side, an almost soft look in his eyes. And his voice was softer, more cultured, his accent closer to Giles'.

"Red knows I was 'round the bend. Love's a funny thing, makes you crazy, makes you quiver, do soddin' anything..."

"Enough!" Giles was polishing his glasses furiously. "Were not here to make friends, or hear about your love life, as sordid as it may be. Now tell me what Drusilla has done so that we can determine whether we need to act upon it or not. And than you will leave and not darken my doorway again." He set his glasses firmly back on his nose, included her in his scowl and swept over to his books. British dignity be damned. Everyone was composed except for her.

"Right, No need to get your knickers in a twist." He sat up and rested his elbows on his knees. He was wearing that red silk shirt she liked on him so much. What, Bad Buffy. No liking anything about the Big Bad Evil Vampire. He jerked his head to the left and popped his neck. Gross! She made a disgusted face but held her tongue, even when he leered at her. "Dru has got it in her skull that she wants Angelus back. She wasn't near as bad as the first time he left us. She was feeding jus' fine, and wasn't cuttin' herself up so I figured she would get over it and we could get on with our un-lives." He snorted.

"Should a known better. Bint came across a spell in Jolly ol England. Pretty wicked spell, too. Causes all the souls in this realty to be sucked into a hell dimension. Dru and me don't have souls to worry us and than Angel would be all soul free, and no one would be left to re-curse him. As all your souls would be in hell." He laughed "Evil little thing she is, I just have to luv her. But it's complex dark magic and Dru's power doesn't run that way. So I indulged her and told her I would look for a warlock or a witch and kept her as far from anyone who could help her as I could. Everything was fine till I woke up in our 'otel room in Arizona and the bitch had cleared out. Stupid ninny had tucked me a sleeper."

"So I tracked her to good ol Sunnyhell, Chit leaves a bloody trail a mile wide. Figured I tie her up, drag her by her pretty hair to Ireland. But she's gone and hooked herself up with a power dealer. Now Dru's power is very rare and I'm thinkin' this dealer will make the trade she needs. And they were countin' on me too because the whole place is bollixed up with Anti-Spike Mojo. And it's not like she'll need to do any traveling to get to the bleeden' hell mouth. Rack's joint moves about as he see's fit. So I need you lot to break in there and drag Dru out and just pray that the trade hasn't already been made because she knows a spell or two that packs a wallop!" He leaned back and crossed his feet at the ankles. By his expression he expected them all to jump and run to do his bidding.

'Whatever. Dru's so loony tunes she couldn't figure out how to draw a circle to cast a spell in. We soooo don't have anything to worry about. Should have known listening to you was a waste of time and pizza." Buffy stood and twirled her trusty stake. "It's time for you to make your fancy exit now because Mr. Pointy has an itch for Spike."

"Oh, I'll scratch your itch little girl." Spike leered at her and then moved to his feet to face her in one smooth motion. "Dru isn't stupid Blondie, She's insane. And that just makes her all the more dangerous. And after one hundred some odd years she knows enough about spell castin' to pull this off."

"Enough, both of you!" Giles was bent over his books a very worried expression on his face. "Everything that Spike says is in alignment with our prophecy. If it is indeed Drusilla that the prophecy portends than we must waste no time in keeping her from the hell mouth." He lifted his head and fixed his gaze on Spike. Eyes like daggers. "What worries me is, Why is this a concern of yours Spike? I've can't imagine you are so afraid of Angelus that you would throw in with the lot of us just to avoid him."

Every inch of Spike went Rigid as steel. His head swiveled like a raven to face Giles, his hands were tight fists and his voice cold as ice. And his accent as precise and cultured as the royal family themselves. "I fear no one Watcher. Without a soul to animate your tasty bodies, you will all die. Just what then will Dru and I eat? Pigs like Peaches? I think not." The blood drained from Buffy's face. She hadn't thought of that. "The Dealer Dru has found is very powerful. He will drain Dru's psychic power and charge her up with Dark Mojo. She won't need to call on any Deity to help her; she will already have the power. All she will need to do is say the words. And she already knows the spell she needs to cast. If I remember correctly the hour before dawn is the proper time to do the casting. That gives us six hours to find her. I already have a tranquilizer strong enough to put her down for days. I'll take her to Ireland or Israel or wherever, and I'll burn that fucking book."

"You are of course correct, Vampire. Where do you think we should begin looking?"