**Hey Kittens!! Here's the update...enjoy!!
Be Prepared for ANGST!!
**thoughts are in
italicsDisclaimer: I don’t own these characters and I am making no money off of
them. I am just having fun. Joss owns all the characters that lucky SOB.
Warning: Graphic sex between women So if you are not over the age of 17 and this type of story doesn’t do it for ya, well get out of here. Shoo.
Feedback: Hell Yes!! Get it? Hell? Oh just slap me.email me at:
Elitetech2004@comcast.netPairings: Buffy/Faith Willow/Tara Dawn/?
Rating: a strong NC-17
Piece of My HeartBy Elitetech2004
Chapter Four, Parts Two and ThreeThe summer flew by and the Scoobies were readying themselves for school and other learning experiences. Dawn would be a senior this year and she was terrified that she wouldn’t be ready.
The first day of school was hectic, Tara was running the kitchen like a short-order cook and she was barely keeping up with the orders. Willow rushed to help her lover. Dawn was unable to find a decent outfit; all her clothes lay in a pile on her bed. She and Buffy were sorting through them in desperation. Finally the sisters found a pair of snug black jeans and a purple button down blouse that looked great on Dawn. The teenager hurried downstairs to get her order of “funny shaped pancakes”. Scarfing them down, she barely finished in time to greet Xander at the door to get a ride to school.
The first two periods went without incident and Dawn figured being a senior would be the same as being a junior. She wasn’t impressed. Then third period rolled around.
“Dawn Summers. Dawn?” Mrs. Nixon, her Government teacher looked questioningly around the room.
“Uh, here!” Dawn called, confused.
“Oh, great, Ms. Summers, you are needed at the office to help a new student.”
“Goody.” Dawn muttered under her breath. She reluctantly got up and headed over to the office.
Dawn walked over to the secretary’s desk and stood defiantly for all of three seconds before she got a good look at the new student.
Oh, my God! She’s gorgeous! Dawn forgot to breathe. Her dazed eyes took in the smooth, honey colored skin of the woman in front of her.
The young woman in question appeared to be possibly of Hispanic ethnicity and she had long flowing black hair and cinnamon colored eyes. Her body was curvy but muscular.
“Hey Dawn, I’d like you to meet our new transfer student. This is Chloe Alvaros. She’s just in from England.” The secretary, Mrs. Thompson introduced them.
Chloe let her eyes travel the length of Dawn’s body, unconsciously licking her lips as she went.
Yummy! Holy Hell, she’s hot! Mmm, leggy and lickable. Mrs. Thompson, who oblivious to the lustful looks the two young ladies were giving each other, smiled gently and simply said, “Well, Ms. Alvaros, I’ll leave you in Ms. Summers’ capable hands.”
Chloe gave a slow, sexy grin to Dawn as she answered softly with a little more than a hint of an English accent.
“Lucky me.”
Dawn blushed and smiled shyly at the new student.
“Ok, well let’s see your schedule. “ Dawn leaned down slightly to read the schedule that Chloe held in her hand. Her face brushed the long black hair and she was assaulted with a mind-blowing combination of patchouli and passion flower. With a shaky breath, she turned to look at the new student, finding Chloe’s interest lay in Dawn’s hands. She blushed and cleared her throat.
“Well it appears we share most of our classes so I can definitely show you where you need to be.” She nervously stammered.
I know where I’d
like to be. Chloe thought with a naughty little smirk. She took another glance at the younger brunette’s legs as they walked towards their next class. Her eyes bulged slightly as Dawn’s hips rolled as she walked.
Oh Yeah.Throughout the day, Dawn got more and more irritated with the boys at school. She and Chloe were…ok, well Chloe was panted after like a tasty morsel. She was relieved when Chloe ignored them in favor of her company.
Maybe she’s not one for the timber as Tara would say. Dawn giggled at the thought.
Then again Doofus, you never asked if she was seeing anyone either. She could have slapped herself as the thought occurred to her. Finally the last bell rang and they exited their seventh period class in relief.
“So…uh, the boys really seem to like you. You don’t seem so uh…interested in them. Do you have a…b...boyfriend back home?” Dawn cursed the stutter but bravely finished.
Chloe laughed and looked Dawn square in the face. “Are you trying to ask if I have a boyfriend or are you trying to ask if I’m a lesbian?”
Dawn flushed red but managed to reply.
“Well both or either…actually.” She shrugged, uncertainly.
“I’ll take KD Lang for a thousand, Alex.” Chloe teased, hoping Dawn got the hint.
“Oh, ok cool…so um…do you have someone back at home? I mean…did you? If that’s not completely classless to ask.” Dawn decided to never speak again as Chloe laughed softly.
“No, nobody is waiting for me in England. You? Are you seeing anyone? Since we’re playing
Twenty Questions.”
“No…got my first kiss last year from a vam...very nice guy who had to leave suddenly.” Dawn quickly looked in Chloe’s direction to see if she heard the slipup.
“Hmm guys are good at that…well I don’t know from personal experience, other than my dad but…in general from what I hear…” Chloe let her voice fade off.
“Oh, we were just starting to date so it wasn’t too bad.” Dawn brushed aside the concern she saw in her new friend’s eyes.
“So, same time, same place tomorrow?” Chloe asked eager to spend more time with the attractive woman who had been her tour guide all day.
“Definitely. Hey, do you have to leave right now? My sister is the school counselor and um…if you need she can give you a ride…home. She’ll be finished in about thirty minutes or so.”
“I really have to get on home but I’ll definitely see you bright and early tomorrow.” Chloe told her, a slight shadow over her face.
“Oh, well oh, ok.” Dawn smiled and waved to her new friend. She was so distracted by the sway of Chloe’s hips, she missed Buffy’s greeting. The Slayer was early for once and dragged Dawn with her towards the car. She wanted to see Faith and get in comfortable clothes.
The first day at school was uneventful. Buffy sighed. Little did she know, her sister was on cloud nine.
Buffy gave her sister an appraising look when they were stopped at a light. She held back a smile.
“Ok, who
is he?” She almost laughed at Dawn’s dreamy eyed look.
Dawn snapped back to reality.
“He who? There’s no he…well not for me. Oh, God I’m rhyming…horribly.” Dawn made a face and shook her head to clear the Chloe fantasies away.
Buffy lost it and started laughing at her sister.
“No he…well then what’s
her name?” Buffy teased, merely trying to get a rise out of her sister.
“Chloe.” Dawn said her voice mushy.
“The transfer student with the cleavage?” Buffy asked, using her hands to mime breasts, slightly impressed. The Slayer had met Chloe before Dawn had and found her intriguing.
“You…noticed her…her cleavage?” Dawn sounded downright offended.
“Kinda hard to miss. But enough about her uh assets…she seemed nice.” Buffy tried to smooth over things with her outraged sister.
“I’m telling Faith you said that.” Dawn huffed.
“That she was nice or about the cleavage?” When Dawn didn’t respond, Buffy teased her further.
“So when’s the wedding?”
Dawn glared silently at the snickering Slayer.
Buffy raised her hands in truce and smiled at her sister.
“I’m happy for you Dawnie.”
“We’re just friends right now. I want to get to know her and find out if she could be like my Willow or Tara. You know, a true happily ever after.”
“I’m calling Disney and suing them for false advertisement.” Buffy laughed, and then she sobered quickly as she caught a glance of Faith practicing her Jujitsu in the front yard.
Or maybe not.A few days later, Giles knocked on the Summers’ door. Dawn greeted him happily and then stared at his companion in surprise.
“Chloe!”
The shorter brunette was slightly taken aback.
“Uh, Hey Dawn. This is a weird situation.” Chloe laughed nervously.
“I see you two have met. Dawn, Chloe is my niece from England.” Giles smiled down at Chloe in affection.
“Ni…niece!” Dawn gasped, her knees buckling.
“Whoa there, Legs. Wouldn’t want you to injure yourself now.” Chloe caught Dawn before she hit the floor. It made for an awkward moment when Buffy and Faith entered to find Dawn being supported by the short brunette and Giles pushing a chair over towards them.
“What happened?” Buffy rushed over to her younger sister in panic.
Giles blushed slightly. “Well, um, Chloe and I sort of sprung a slight shock on her.”
Buffy was as surprised as Dawn was to find out who Chloe was. She laughed a little as Chloe reminded her of Faith when she was that age. Xander agreed that she could definitely be considered Faith Jr. Well at least the old Faith. He glanced at the intertwined hands of the Slayers and smiled.
Chloe was well informed about Slayers and vampires so there was no strange or scary first introduction into the Scooby gang. She was rather impressed with the many demons Buffy and Faith had taken out and she would talk to the Slayers often. She engaged Dawn in trips to the mall and drinking mochas. They ignored Faith and Buffy’s good-natured teasing about their interest in one another. Weeks went by as Chloe and Dawn’s friendship grew deeper and their feelings for each other became stronger. Then one day, Chloe surprised Dawn.
They were standing in the front hallway after a movie and mochas when Chloe spoke up.
“Hey…uh…the Homecoming Dance is coming up and I was kinda wondering if you’d…wouldyoudomethehonorofgoingwithme?” Chloe said, all in one breath.
Dawn stared at her in shock.
“You want to…with me?” She questioned softly, her hand reaching for Chloe’s.
“I’d love to be your Homecoming date, Ms. Alvaros.” Dawn grinned from ear to ear.
She laughed as Chloe pumped one hand in the air and mouthed the word, “YES!”
Buffy and Faith shared a grin when Dawn rushed in and told them the news. Buffy didn’t recall ever seeing her sister this happy about anything before.
“Oh, yeah, she’s gone.” She laughed as Dawn walked right into the doorjamb. The teenager just turned and continued to float up the stairs in a cloud of bliss.
The next two weeks consisted of Dawn and Buffy dress shopping trying to find one that would ‘knock Chloe’s socks off’. They finally found a slinky black velvet dress with a low-cut but not too daring neckline. The back was open but again not racy. The skirt of the dress clung to her hips and thighs before flowing outwards around her ankles.
“Oh, my God, Chloe will be a puddle on the floor when she sees this dress on you Dawnie!” Buffy squealed, excited for her sister.
The night in question came at last and the entire Scooby gang agreed that Dawn would have to fend Chloe off with a stick. The women were upstairs in Tara and Willow’s bedroom helping put finishing touches on Dawn while Xander and Spike were waiting right outside the door for a glimpse. Giles was supposed to bring Chloe to the house a bit later on.
Willow told Xander and Spike that they could each come in but one at a time and Xander practically smeared Spike into the wall in his haste to be first. Willow smiled apologetically at the seething vampire. He waved his hand, letting her know he was okay and not mad, at least not at her.
A few minutes later, Xander walked out and he was holding a digital camera in one hand. Spike growled under his breath but flashed a smile at Willow as she leaned out the door.
Spike walked in the bedroom as Willow granted him entry and his jaw hit the floor. He stared appreciatively at his Niblet. He felt for her what an older brother would. He was at once; in awe at the beauty she possessed but was also wondering if he should tag along to ensure the hormonal teenage boys didn’t try to steal her from Chloe. He growled inwardly at the thought of one of those pimple faced little boys daring to touch Dawn. He would rip them limb from limb and enjoy every second of their pain. Dawn looked at him with excited blue eyes and he felt his anger ease somewhat. Reigning all of his inner chaos in, he took her hand and kiss it.
“Cor, Dawn, you look radiant, Luv. Chloe might need a little help fending off all your admirers once you get to the dance.” He grinned wickedly at her, spinning her around.
Over her shoulder, Spike and Buffy shared a look.
Oh yeah, he was going to the dance. No question about that. Chloe chanted a calming mantra as she stood shaking on the front porch.
Ok, Chloe, get it together. She said, yes, so don’t fuck this up. The English girl inhaled and slowly exhaled and rang the doorbell.
Buffy answered the door and she froze for a brief moment as she stared at the beautiful woman who had asked her sister to the dance. Chloe wore a powder blue dress with a low-cut neckline and a sequined bodice. Buffy knew Dawn’s brain would short-circuit when she saw her.
“H...hey Buffy, can I come in? Am I too early?” Chloe fussed with her neckline slightly.
Buffy shook her head and stepped to the side to allow Chloe in.
“Wow, you look…amazing Chloe.” Buffy grinned.
“T..thanks. “ The younger woman blushed lightly.
Xander walked in the front hallway, a camera in hand and whistled when he saw Chloe.
“Oh, Man, you two are gonna melt my camera when I get you in the same room.” He teased.
Giles came in, after parking the car and eagerly looked around for Dawn.
“She’s getting the final touches done upstairs.” Buffy told him. “It’s a girl thing.”
Giles smiled at Xander. They shared a knowing look. They sat down and prepared themselves to wait.
Dawn finally appeared at the top of the stairs and Chloe squeezed the roses she held hard enough to embed a thorn in her finger. She didn’t even notice the pain.
She felt Buffy nudge her and she snapped out of her trance.
“Oh, Dawn, you look so…breathtakingly gorgeous.” She gasped.
Dawn blushed and ran appreciative eyes over her date. She felt her thighs shake a little when Chloe smiled at her.
She prayed to anyone listening that she didn’t trip or make a fool of herself in front of Chloe.
Xander snapped several pictures before the ladies were able to make an escape.
Giles escorted them to his car and drove them to the dance.
The dance flew by as Dawn and Chloe danced up a storm and were received well by their peers as a “couple”. Dawn realized that her feelings for Chloe were growing harder and harder to ignore. She clasped Chloe’s hand and pulled her away from the loud music.
“Where are we going, Dawn? The music’s back that way.” Chloe asked. Spike made as if to follow them into the hall and Dawn shook her head. He nodded and stood guard at the door, not allowing anyone to disturb the couple.
Dawn pulled her date into the hallway and turned to her in bemusement. The shorter brunette grew a bit concerned but let Dawn say her piece.
“I need…I wanted…to ask you…if this was a one time thing. I mean…I thought I knew but I have to ask…are we friends who went to Homecoming together or are we on a date?” Dawn felt a moment’s fear as her self-confidence plunged.
“Oh. Well, I know how
I’d like to answer that…but what do
you want it to be, Dawn?” Chloe gave Dawn an out and the younger brunette felt her heart swell with happiness and the knowledge Chloe was letting her make the choice.
“I want this to be a date. I want us to be dating.” Dawn whispered, her voice betraying her deep feelings for Chloe. Chloe nodded, feeling immense relief.
Chloe gave her new girlfriend a wicked grin. “We can’t date until we have a first kiss, now can we?” She asked and then slowly leaned up and gave Dawn a gentle kiss.
Dawn felt soft lips on hers and her hands found purchase on Chloe’s shoulders. She twisted a silky strand of black hair between her fingers as the kiss deepened slightly.
Chloe eased away slowly, trying not to lose control and suggested that they go back to the dance before their chaperone found them necking in the hallway. Dawn giggled and took her girlfriend’s hand as they happily re-joined the other students. The dance was still going strong and at 1am as the dancehall began to clear, they heard several people discussing how brave they were and how cool it was that the two women had found each other. Dawn was surprised that no one voiced any negative feelings but she was elated that she and Chloe didn’t appear to have anything to worry about. She knew how hateful some people could be and she was glad that none of them spoke up.
One day as the new couple sat drinking mochas with Willow and Tara, a weird sensation washed over Chloe. It was painful and exhilarating at the same time.
“Chloe, Baby, what’s wrong?” Dawn was freaking out when Chloe doubled over and clutched her stomach in agony.
“Sharp pain, like knives…” Chloe gasped, her pain making the English accent that much stronger. “Get my uncle.” She grit through clenched teeth. Tara and Willow rushed off to find Giles and they were back within minutes.
“I was at the Magic Box…Chloe…? Oh, Good Lord, you’re…”
Chloe’s eyes flashed gold and then back to her normal brown. Dawn had seen that happen once before.
“Oh my God, she can’t be! That means Buffy or…or Faith is…” Dawn spun to race off but Chloe grasped her wrist. She tried to be gentle but was not used to her newly acquired strength.
“Ow!” Dawn yelped.
“I’m sorry Luv, but they’re fine…I can feel them…it’s amazing!” After reassuring Dawn and the two witches, Giles and Chloe convinced them to call a special meeting at the Magic Box.
Giles called the Council and they discovered that while Faith was in a coma, she had died briefly before the medical team brought her back and the Slayer that came into being then had died in her native Scotland earlier in the afternoon. The Slayer had been attacked the previous night and had held on until the time that Chloe went through her transformation.
The rest of the Scoobies were stunned but then elated at the news of having a third Slayer. Dawn still wasn’t sure how she felt but when Buffy suggested that she and Faith could help Chloe adjust to her new powers, she consented.
After weeks of training and patrolling with Buffy and Faith, Chloe felt confident in herself enough to go solo. That disturbed Dawn to no end. She insisted someone tag along and Spike volunteered. Chloe was not pleased with the arrangement but knew her lover wanted what was best for her.
“Come on, Spike, one more before we head for home.” She begged.
“Bloody hell, woman…Fine! One more.” He tipped the shot glass back and enjoyed the burn of the whiskey going down.
Dawn sat up, pacing a hole in the floor when Chloe and Spike didn’t arrive at their usual time. Twenty minutes past and then thirty, Dawn was about to call the hospitals when Spike came in, carrying an unconscious Chloe.
“Oh my God! What happened?” She demanded fearfully.
Spike carefully eased the short brunette onto the couch.
“She dusted all the vamps that rose and the little chit tried to drink me under the table. Kept insisting we drink ‘one more’.”
Dawn was furious at her girlfriend and irritated with Spike but was more worried than anything.
“Oh, by the by Willy said there was a new Big Bad headed our way. He said some vampire warned him of a coming evil—some sort of demon but the little bastard couldn’t tell me what.” He shrugged.
“I’ll tell Buffy and we can research any prophecies or whatever.” Dawn placed a cool washcloth on Chloe’s forehead and set the bottle of aspirin on her bedside table.
As soon as Chloe was settled, Spike went home and Dawn shuffled down the hallway and knocked on her sister’s door. Half-asleep, Buffy opened the door, blinking at the light that sliced through into the room.
“Alrighty, so
Ms-I’m-A-Big-Bad-Slayer is up in my room sleeping off the drunken binge she went on. Spike said Willy said something about an evil demon of some sort coming this way when he dropped Chloe off. Seems our local snitch had no further info on the demon.” Dawn gave her sister an irritated look.
Buffy rubbed her eyes as she processed her sister’s words.
“Ok, ummm, we’ll tell Will and Tara in the morning and have us a research party or something tomorrow.”
“Sounds good. Night Buffy.”
“Night…wait, she’s in your room?” Buffy croaked.
“Yeah, and we all know that drunken, drooling Slayers are
so sexy. Believe me, nothing is gonna happen. And yes, I’m
still a virgin.” Dawn huffed and shuffled back to her room, depressed.
Buffy shook her head and headed back to bed, climbing in next to Faith. The brunette Slayer had warmth radiating off of her. Buffy snuggled closer and sighed.
The gang didn’t actually get moving until almost noon. Chloe not only had to overcome a hangover but get back into her girlfriend’s good graces too. She promised Dawn that she wouldn’t drink unless Dawn was there to monitor her intake. That got her out of the doghouse but not onto the porch. Chloe figured she’d take what she could. Dawn slowly let go of her anger and by the time they were ready to head to the Magic Box, she was smiling again. They went from the Summers’ residence straight to the Magic Box. They each grabbed some books and went about researching. It was nearly dusk when they found something useful. Willow wanted to cross-reference some data she had on her laptop with the information they found in the book. She groaned as she realized she had left it at her parents’ house when she had been to visit them earlier in the week. Because of her PC at the Summers’ house, it didn’t cross her mind until now.
Since it would be a while before the research was done, it was decided since Willow had to pick up her laptop at her house, Dawn would go with her and they would grab some extra clothes at the Summers’ house on the way back.
“You two be careful.” Buffy warned, giving Spike a look as the two nodded and headed out.
“On it, Boss.” He winked as he shouted for the ladies to wait up.
Willow and Dawn laughed at his exaggerated gallantry as he offered each of them an arm.
They were almost to Willow’s when a figure stepped out from behind a tall tree.
“Nice night for a walk.”
“Mr. Rayne…to what do we owe this…” Willow began, she was cut off.
Willow and Dawn each felt a painful jarring before everything went black.
“What the bloody hell?” Spike growled. He swung at the figure and connected with a hard right. His chip kicked in and brought him to his knees. The figure stumbled back and muttered softly under his breath.
“
Convalesco.” The man glowed green before he started hitting the vampire with superhuman strength. Spike fought tooth and nail to get the upper hand and when he was about to, the figure muttered again.
“
Adflicto Affligo!”
Spike, inhaled sharply as bruising pain and the sound of ripping flesh engulfed him. He yelled and cursed as he felt blood seep from his body. The figure motioned to another nearby and they each pick up one of the women and carried them away.
"So if the redhead raises the demon, we let them go?"
"If not, these two will fetch a pretty penny. They look virtually untouched. The demons I have in mind would have fun with them."
“NIBLET! RED! NO!” Spike screamed through the most intense pain he had ever endured.
Finally the agony ebbed to a dull roar and he got up and rushed after the figures. Cursing, he had no real idea where they had gone except that they were headed towards the warehouse district near the edge of town. He had to get Buffy.
“Oh, bloody brilliant, Spike. She’s gonna stake you good and proper for losing those two. Sodding hell, bollocks!” He winced as his battered body shook with his curses.
The blonde vampire felt worse than he had ever felt before. His Niblet depended on him and he had been unable to stop those bastards from taking her right out of his hands. And he knew if Buffy or Chloe didn’t stake him, Tara would. Of course, Xander could always be the one to do the job. The whelp hated him with a passion because Buffy trusted him, a vampire. Spike mused that Chubbs always had a thing for the Slayer. Hey the kid had taste, Spike couldn’t argue that. Look at Anya.
Shaking his head, Spike got back to the subject at hand…his inevitable dusting at the hands of one of the Scooby gang.
“Bloody great.” He sighed. Mindless of the sight he made, Spike tore off running to the Magic Box.
The gang looked up in surprise as Spike came rushing into the Magic Box like the Hounds of Hell were after him. Buffy gasped as she took in the vampire’s appearance. He was covered with bruises and blood.
“Good Lord!” Giles breathed when he too got a good look at Spike.
Chloe stared in shock at her girlfriend’s protector and confidante. He looked like he went ten rounds with ‘Sugar Ray’ Leonard.
Ignoring the other three occupants of the room, Spike grabbed Buffy, Faith, Chloe and Tara and pulled them aside and spoke in a rapid, harsh whisper. Xander, Anya and Giles watched in nervous apprehension as the vampire waved his arms and gave the women a guilty look, his eyes pained.
“WHAT?” They demanded, enraged. Tara, Faith and Buffy held a pissed off Chloe back as she made to run out the door.
Spike lifted a trembling hand in Buffy’s direction but she brushed it aside and pulled the relieved vampire into a hug.
“Cor, I’m
so sorry…I’m sorry.” He muttered over and over.
“Ok, what in the Hellmouth is going on here?” Xander demanded, a healthy dose of fear in his voice, noticing the absence of Willow and Dawn.
“Ethan Rayne has Dawn and Willow.” Buffy snapped. “He plans to sell them to the highest bidder if Willow doesn’t help him raise a demon. Seems like Dawnie's just along for the ride.”
“Rayne?” Giles growled, at once worried for Dawn and Willow. The man had no regard for Giles’ ‘kids’.
“How could you
let this happen, Spike?” Xander shoved the vampire hard. Spike allowed the attack, his shame overwhelming him.
“Xander, stop it! Ethan blasted him with some mojo and he wasn’t able to get to them in time. And take a look at him; does he look like he
let anything happen? He looks like he put up a helluva fight.” Faith growled at the despondent man.
“He
looks like he got attacked by a Greyhound bus.” Chloe agreed solemnly.
Giles took off his glasses and set them down on the nearest table. He rolled up his sleeves and turned to Spike.
“Where was he headed? Can you at least tell us that much?” Spike’s eyes widened as he realized he was looking at Ripper, not the quiet librarian.
“He took off towards the warehouse district over by Willy’s bar. He could be anywhere though, Mate. There are at least two dozen warehouses within the five block radius.” The blonde vampire looked at the floor, unable to look at Tara or Chloe.
The Slayers nodded and Tara went to Spike, her eyes soft and forgiving. The blonde lifted his chin to speak frankly with him.
“It’s
not your fault. Magic is impossible to fight hand to hand. Even without your chip, he’d have found a way to get to them. You know that as much as I do.” She squeezed his hand.
“Now c’mon, let’s get them and bring them home.” Buffy demanded.
Encouraged and more than a little touched at the forgiveness his friends showed him, Spike followed the gang to find their loved ones.
They split into two groups and searched frantically for any sign of Ethan Rayne or his hostages. Xander spotted the despicable man speaking urgently to another figure at the end of one of the alleyways. The other figure, which was mostly hidden in the shadows, nodded and quickly disappeared around a corner.
“There.” Xander whispered, pointing. Tara and Spike nodded and angrily made their way towards the Englishman. Xander stayed behind to inform the others.
Ethan wasn’t aware of their presence until Spike wrapped a hand around his throat and slammed him into the nearest wall. Spike growled, barely maintaining his human visage as waves of agony washed over him as he hurt the human. The vampire’s demon rattled it’s cage despite the pain overwhelming him. The demon wanted this man to pay for daring to endanger Spike’s Niblet.
Ethan mumbled a phrase under his breath and Spike flew backwards. Landing painfully, the vampire growled and vamped out.
“What the devil?” Ethan gasped, having originally assumed Spike was mortal.
Spike leapt to his feet with vampiric speed and grinned evilly. “Exactly.” He smirked.
He lunged forward, hearing Buffy’s warning just a little too late.
“Spike!
NO!” Buffy rushed towards the scene, her heart in her throat.
Spike gave a gurgling shout of agony as the stake rammed home. He gave Ethan a horrified look of disbelief. He barely had time to turn to Tara and Buffy and once again he mouthed the word ‘sorry’.
POOF! He disappeared in a cloud of dust.
“NO!” Tara screamed.
“Oh, God!” Chloe choked with tears filling her eyes, knowing the news of Spike’s dusting would devastate Dawn.
Even Giles was stunned with the loss of the blonde vampire. He had threatened often enough himself to stake Spike but never did he think it would be so easy for it to come to be.
“Well guess you might want to bag him up…wouldn’t want him ‘blowing in the wind’, would we?” Ethan giggled at his own lame joke.
Giles’ jaw clenched in fury as he thought of the agony his ‘kids’ were in over the loss of Spike. He started to step closer.
In enraged grief over losing her friend, Tara slapped the smug grin off Ethan’s face. He merely flinched but then made to backhand Tara when suddenly there was a loud
WHOOSH of air and the alleyway echoed with Giles’ exclamation.
“Good Lord!”
Ethan gaped at the sight before him. There stood Spike in all his glory, not a scratch on him. Spike gave a deep chuckle as he touched his hand to his chest in reassurance. He stared at his hand, turning it this way and that.
“Pet, I think I am really beginning to like this Goddess of yours.” He half-joked to Tara.
Giles, himself, laughed and whispered so low even the Slayers and Spike had trouble hearing him. “Powers of Amarra.” He laughed harder at the shocked looks that were turned his way.
“SPIKE!” Buffy, Faith and Chloe rushed the ecstatic vampire and nearly knocked him off his feet in utter relief.
“I’m immortal!” Spike exclaimed happily with a goofy grin. Off the confused looks of everyone but Giles, he continued, sobering slightly. “Well, yeah, I mean, we all knew that…but I mean totally…not able to be killed as a vampire should be. Not able to be killed. Period.”
Ethan raised his hand and opened his mouth to hit Spike with a powerful blast of magic when he was stopped cold.
“
Constrictum!” Tara growled her blue eyes glowing turquoise, her hand waved towards Ethan in a threatening arc. The Englishman gasped as he felt his powers being bound.
Buffy, Xander, Faith, Chloe and Giles…er Ripper all moved forward as one towards Ethan, their rage barely contained. Rayne gulped and gave them a nervous glance. Anya eyed the man evilly.
Spike smirked and informed him “You might wanna tell them where the birds are
before they get angry.”
Ethan shot him a horrified look. If this was them before they got angry, he was in major trouble.
Tara's blue eyes flashed with rage and power.
"I'll ask you once and only once, where's my
girlfriend? If she's hurt...if either of them are hurt..." Tara let her threat hang in the air.
“They’re in a warehouse off Wilson Street…number 5. They’re not hurt! I swear it!” He trembled as Tara moved closer.
She smiled a cold knowing smile at the scared man.
“You and Giles have some catching up to do. We’ll leave you to
chat.”
Ethan started sweating profusely at Tara’s words. “No! Please! I beg you…”
Tara gestured with her hand, muttering in Latin under her breath and Ethan was unable to speak. His eyes got bigger and bigger as the Scooby gang went off to find the warehouse on Wilson Street and he was left with a very brassed off Ripper. Tara smiled and whispered something else under her breath, her hand waving once again in the direction of Ethan and Ripper/Giles. Xander winced as Ethan’s pain-filled screams reached his ears.
The gang reached warehouse 5 and quickly found a way inside.
“Willow! Dawn!”
“Red! Dawnie!” Faith and Buffy called, trying to pinpoint the two women.
Tara held her hand up as a tiny light blinked in the distance. “It’s Willow.” She smiled and followed the little light.
Chloe shared a look with Faith but the two Slayers shrugged when no one else said anything.
Meanwhile, Willow was praying that Tara and the gang were near enough to see the light and she hoped her lover would figure it out. The redhead glanced at the unconscious teenager and begged her to wake up.
“Dawnie, c’mon wake up. I’ll get Tara to make us funny shaped pancakes if you’ll just open your eyes.”
Suddenly she heard the sound of running feet and Tara calling her name. Then she heard Xander calling Dawn’s name in panic.
“Over here, we’re over here!” She responded, thanking every deity she had prayed to for help.
“Oh God, is she…?” Xander choked off his question as Willow shook her head.
“She hit her head but she’s breathing normally.”
Spike came running in. “Niblet?” He asked when seeing Willow was alright.
Buffy reached them and knelt, quickly hugging her best friend in relief and then turning to aid her sister.
“Dawnie? Honey, open your eyes. C’mon…I’m right here and I have everyone with me…Chloe’s here…she wants you to wake up.” Chloe knelt by Buffy and grasped her girlfriend’s hand.
“Baby, you’re safe now, sit up and open those pretty eyes…c’mon.” At Chloe’s urging, Dawn moaned softly, her head throbbing painfully.
“Yeah, that’s it, Sweetheart…hey.” Chloe smiled softly at her girlfriend with tears shining in her eyes. Dawn smiled then winced as her head thrummed painfully. Dawn squeezed her girlfriend’s hand and turning slowly, saw who hovered anxiously nearby.
“Spike…oh God, you’re okay!” Dawn felt a tear slide into her hair. The blonde vampire hugged her close in relief.
“I hate to cut the reunion short but we’ve got company.” Xander shushed the happy group.
The figure Xander had seen in the alley earlier walked towards them. Closer and closer he came until they could see his face.
“Holy Crap!” Dawn and Buffy gasped. The rest of the gang, with the exception of a very confused Chloe and intrigued Spike, stared in horrified recognition of the man in front of them.
“Daddy?” Buffy croaked.
TBC…
Elitetech2004
Edited by: elitetech04 at: 3/19/05 9:03 pm