Alarum

Author: Jennnillu

Parts: 11 - 20

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~Part: 11~

"I just don't understand why you can't dress a little more with the times." Cordelia's voice floated toward me as the front door opened and closed. I was sitting at a desk, searching the web, trying in vain to find something on The Initiative. Geesh, they make it so hard to trace underground government files.

"Just because I don't look like I belong on the cover of GQ doesn't mean that I'm not fashionably dressed," a man's voice protested in a thick Irish brogue. "And besides, we have a job to do here, and it isn't to stand around look'n pretty."

"No, but just because we fight the evil undead doesn't mean that we have to dress like them. I mean, just look at Angel here who." Cordelia paused in the doorway of the small office area, staring at me in confusion.

"Who now looks very much like a small redhead," the man finished.

"Willow!" Cordelia gasped in surprise.

"Hi, Cordy," I said with a wave, looking around, feeling a little uncomfortable. Where the hell was Angel?

"You two know one another, I take it," the man surmised.

"We went to high school together," Cordelia explained. "Willow, this is Doyle. He gets visions. It's a whole thing, don't ask me to explain. Doyle, Willow. She dated Oz."

"Oh, the fella who brought the Gem of Amara and all that trouble with Spike."

"So glad you remember me." Hearing the British accent, both Cordy and Doyle spun around, each fumbling for the stake hidden in their coat pocket.

"Spike! What an.unpleasant surprise," Cordy stated, holding her stake up high, her hand shaking a little. "What do you want?"

"Blood," he told her, a slight smirk on his face. He watched in amusement as her eyes widened and her heartbeat sped up. Walking across the small room, his arm brushed against her and she jumped back, nearly knocking Doyle over and causing Spike to chuckle. I just rolled my eyes. He's so easily amused.

The blond vampire reached the small refrigerator that Angel kept in the office and pulled out a packet of blood, ripping it open and grimacing as the cold liquid slid down his throat.

"What the hell is going on here?" Cordy asked, when she was at last able to find her voice again.

I rolled her eyes again. "Stop trying to scare people, Spike," I admonished. "Don't worry guys, he can't hurt you, he's harmless."

"Hey! Watch it! I might not be able to bite, but I am far from harmless," Spike reminded me as he brought the back of his hand up to wipe the blood from his lips.

"Right. You're wit, it's a killer," I replied.

"Um.huh?" Cordy mumbled.

"What she said," Doyle added.

"Something's happened and Spike can't hurt anyone," Angel explained from the doorway. "Spike, stop trying to scare my employees."

"Well, color me confused, but last I checked, weren't you and Spike." Cordelia began, trying to find the right words.

"Trying to stake the hell outta one another?" Doyle supplied.

"Yeah, well this is just a temporary truce. Soon as I get all fixed up and back to normal, I'll be on my way, back to maiming and killing as always," Spike assured them, ignoring the frown I was sending his way.

"Look, guys, it's a long story," Angel told them. "Willow and Spike need to hide out for a few days. If anyone comes by looking for them, you haven't seen either one. Actually, maybe it would be better if you both took a few days off, until this all blows over."

"Sounds like a plan to me," Cordy replied with a smile.

"No way, man," Doyle argued. "This is the girl from my vision. I get a vision, it means they need help, and from the sounds of it, this isn't something you'll be able to do on your own."

"Hey," Cordelia interrupted. "What about Buffy? Isn't this more her fight than ours?"

Spike glanced at me, watching as my face hardened a little at the mention of the slayer's name. Moving quietly toward me, he slipped up behind me, resting what I suspect was supposed to be a comforting hand on my shoulder, startling me slightly.

"I'm still trying to get in touch with Giles," Angel told us, not bothering to give any further information. I could see him watching as I shrugged away from Spike, causing the blond vampire to frown at my back.

"Well, I guess that as long as you're here, we can put you to work," Cordelia offered. "Our computer system is a complete mess, and as I recall, Willow, you were pretty handy with those things."

"Cordy," Angel began to argue.

"No, actually, that would be great," I interrupted. "Happy to get my mind onto other things for a while."

Cordelia smiled smugly at her boss. "See? She wants to help. Willow, the computer is over there. If anyone needs me, I'll be doing my nails."

~*~

Standing up and stretching, I closed my eyes, my muscles protesting my movements. I had spent most of the last several days sitting at the computer, dividing my time between building a database for Angel and searching for information on The Initiative. So far, I hadn't come up with much of anything, but I knew that an operation like that had to have computer files, and that once I found them I'd be able to hack into them easily enough.

Researching had its benefits, the top one being my ability to avoid Spike. In truth, I suspected that wasn't such a hard task, since he didn't seem to be too keen on speaking with me either. It made sense. We had both seen each other at our worst, most vulnerable moments, and that wasn't something that either of us was quick to want to relive. I appreciated his help, as I was sure he did mine, though he would never admit it, but the demon still infuriated me to no end with just about every word that he uttered, and I was already longing for our time together to be finished.

Rolling my shoulders and cracking my neck, I glanced back at the computer screen, watching as numbers zipped by at a dizzying rate. I had come across a restricted government site that I thought might lead to information about The Initiative, and was currently running a program to crack the restriction code. Hearing the computer beep, I leaned in, holding my breath as I read over the words that had popped up on the screen. Dropping down into the chair, I began typing quickly, my eyes sweeping across the screen, my fingers barely able to keep up with my brain. Finally, I paused, reading what came up, my eyes widening a bit with each word.

Before I was even able to completely process the last phrase, I jumped up, heading down toward Angel's room. The information that I had just found was not something that could wait. I needed to inform the vampires immediately. Reaching the door, which was opened just a crack, I was about to burst through, when I paused, hearing hushed tones from within the room.

"I don't understand," Angel stated. "Giles should have gotten back to me by now. I want to know what's going on."

"Already told you what's going on," Spike reminded him in a gruff tone. "Slayer's switched sides."

"But Willow, she wouldn't."

"You got an entire army backing you, you don't exactly need the help of a mousy, little witch," Spike explained.

"It doesn't make sense. Buffy wouldn't just join them. She hated taking orders from the council. Why would she align herself with these people? Something isn't right."

"Wake up!" Spike shouted. "She isn't your sweet, little slayer. Tried explaining this to Red; she didn't want to see it either, but the fact is that Buffy has turned the other way. She isn't part of the same team anymore. The sooner you accept that, the sooner we can do something about it."

Eyeing Spike, Angel responded, "Seems like she's not the only one to have switched sides."

"Don't get any ideas," Spike told him. "This is a temporary necessity. Once this is over, we go back to being enemies."

"And for now?" Spike didn't answer.

Angel shook his head. "I have no idea where to go from here. Willow. I don't know what to."

"Forget about the witch. She's a minor player in all this."

"Spike."

"Oh, come on, you know I'm right. If the slayer was able to cast her out so easily, how much use can she really be?"

"I thought the two of you were some great duo now," Angel reminded him.

"Yeah, well I'm not saying she can't be useful when the time comes, but let's be honest, push comes to shove, she'll be more of a liability than anything else. Don't need her getting in the way again. She's been hurt enough."

"I don't know."

"Well, you'd better figure it out, right quick. It's only a matter of time before they track us down, and you'd better be prepared to choose sides when they do."

"You know I'll fight by your side, Spike," Angel told him, his tone fierce.

Turning away from the doorway, I wiped at my damp cheeks with the back of my hand. So that was it. I was nothing more than a liability. Fine. If that's the way they saw it, I'd simply have to prove them wrong.

~Part: 12~

Storming into the front office, I sat began to pace back and forth in front of the desk, my hands clenched at my sides. Stupid vampires! I could feel energy crackling around me, as if the air had suddenly become electrically charged, and I tried to reign in my emotions. I was well aware of my lack of control over the new powers building inside of me.

Closing my eyes, I took several deep breaths, trying in vain to calm myself. Storming toward the door, I was about to pull it open, desperate for a bit of fresh air, when Cordelia beat me to it, trudging into the office.

Glancing back, she lifted one heel up, scraping at the sole with a polished nail. I watched her numbly as the door shut with a dull thud.

"Iwww. I got gum on my shoe! Do you have any idea how difficult it is to get gum out of suede shoes?" I stared at her for a moment, trying to blink back the tears in my eyes, my face flushed red. "Some people have absolutely no consideration for anyone else!"

Letting out a deep sigh, she glanced toward me as I inched toward the door.

Tilting her head to the side, she squinted at me. "Is something wrong? You look a little.puffy." I gave her an incredulous glare. "Okay, okay, I know, lots of stuff is wrong. Where are you going? Angel said that you shouldn't go out anywhere right now."

I rolled my eyes. "Angel said, Angel said, Angel said.blah blah blah," I mimicked, my voice high-pitched and slightly panic- stricken. "Maybe you don't mind taking orders from a vampire, but I do." It was a pathetic bit of false bravado, and she saw right through it.

"Willow, what is going on?"

Sighing, I dragged myself back to the desk and sank down into the chair, my eyes sweeping over the computer monitor. Turning my head, I glanced toward the back door as my eyes once again filled with tears.

"Did he hurt you?" she shouted, startling me. "Willow, if Spike hurt you, Angel will."

"He didn't hurt me, Cordy," I interrupted, my voice cracking a little as I spoke. "And if he had, Angel wouldn't do a thing about it." I firmly believed that. "He's said it. Spike comes first. He's on his side. And, yeah, ok, so I happen to be on Spike's side as well, for the moment, but what about when I am not? What about when Angel has to choose? What will happen when the chip is gone and Spike can hurt again?"

"What are you talking about?"

Grabbing a printout of what I'd found, I tossed it across the desk. I watched as she silently skimmed the information.

"This is great!" she exclaimed, coming to the end of the page. "Did you tell Angel? What did he say?" She was bouncing on her heels, grinning at me like a proud mother, ready to hang a new finger- painting on the fridge.Not that I actually know what that's like first-hand or anything, but I've seen movies.

"I.I didn't exactly tell him yet." And there went the happy face. Before she had a chance to berate me for not bowing to the almighty Angel, I jumped up again, continuing on in a frantic tone. "I know! I know I should tell him, and I will. I just.I should be sure before, you know? I mean, I don't even know what some of this means, and.and I don't know if I could even do anything about it if."

A chip. There was a chip in Spike's head. At least, that's what the files that I'd decrypted showed. It appeared to be a behavior modification chip. He wasn't going to be happy about that.

"Do anything about it? What are you talking about? Willow, if this really is what is making Spike unable to bite, that's great! It makes him house-broken. He's like an annoying little puppy that won't shut up, and happens to drink blood."

"But Cordy, it's not right. He can't even defend himself right now." I understood her point. I really did. But I couldn't just leave him defenseless, could I? I knew what defenseless felt like, and I would never have wished that on anyone.

"What is this other stuff? This 314 thing?"

I shook my head. "Not sure. I need more information. It's not like anything I've ever seen before. It's some kind of weapon, I think. It looks like a soldier engineered to fight demons. If I'm reading this correctly, they're planning on wiping out the entire demon population, starting with the Cruentans."

"Are they a bunch of big bads?" There was a hopeful tone in Cordelia's voice that made me almost wish that I didn't have to tell her the truth. Almost.

"They're a peaceful demon clan," I explained.

Cordelia looked confused. Of course, that wasn't a big surprise to me. She'd spent much of our high school years with the same expression. Do I sound harsh? You spend four years being tormented by her and tell me how you feel.

"Isn't that a good thing? Shouldn't we be celebrating and shaking their hands and sending them thank-you notes?" She didn't get it. I was surprised, working with Angel and all, and being so close to Doyle.although I had a feeling that she had no idea what Doyle really was.I could feel the demon in him, part of my fun, new, expanding powers, but he seemed to hide that side of himself around her. I wasn't about to yank him out of the closet if he wasn't ready.

I shook my head. "Not all demons are bad, Cordy. The Cruentans, for example, are a peaceful clan. They're half demon, half human. They live like we do. They look like us.except for the whole third eye thing, and the blue hair, but still.They're innocents, and The Initiative is planning on massacring them. That's the problem with Professor Walsh and her group. They don't know the difference between good demons and bad demons. They just see something different and they want to hurt it.Like they did to Spike. Like they did to me.Like they would do to Angel if they got their hands on him, soul or no soul. They don't make the distinction. They're just set on auto-destroy, all the time."

Cordelia had the grace to look ashamed as she glanced down at the ground, studying her hundred-dollar shoes.

"I think we need to warn them. We need to help them, and maybe they can help us. Just the five of us.Not going to do so well against an entire army."

"Great! Very noble, and right up our alley. Actually, you know who loves to do stuff like this? Angel. He." Her voice trailed off as I gave her what I hoped was a look of death. Either that or I appeared to have something caught in my eye.

"Angel's a little preoccupied right now," I mumbled, turning and glancing at the back doorway again.

~*~

"I mean it, Spike. When push comes to shove, I'm on your side, as long as you're not dangling Willow between you and the enemy."

Spike growled, glaring at Angel. "What the hell do I have to do to prove that I don't want to hurt the girl? I nearly got myself killed, more than once, trying to save her!"

"Yeah, about that.What exactly is going on with you two?" Angel could tell there was something more than just a convenient partnership, but he wasn't entirely sure that even Spike understood what more lay beyond it just yet.

"Nothing! There is nothing going on! I helped her, she helped me. It's a vicious cycle that we can't seem to break. Round and round we go."

"I know you, Spike," Angel reminded him, his eyes narrowing. Despite his earlier promise, which he meant ever word of, he knew his childe too well to ever trust him completely. After all, he had learned from the best, hadn't he? "You don't help someone unless there's something in it for you. The last time I saw you form an alliance, you ran out of the battle after bashing me in the head, no thought to keeping your end of the deal." The vampire growled at the memory. "You're not exactly known for your loyalty." Unless it was to Dru. He didn't bother to say that part out loud. The truth was that Spike was more loyal to "family" than any vampire he'd known, until the soul had been shoved into Angelus, sending the vampire running from the rest of them. After that, it was every vamp for himself, but even then, he'd stayed by Dru's side for over a century. That kind of devotion was hard to find. But Willow wasn't family.

"Look, I'm not takin' advantage of the girl," Spike responded, his voice low and menacing. "At first, yeah, I thought her magic might come in handy, and it has, on occasion, but that ain't it. She's got nowhere else to turn, same as me, and she's got more strength and courage than anyone'll ever give her credit for, not to mention more intelligence than you'll ever hope to know."

There it was! That was what Angel had been looking for; that look in Spike's eye.that spark.that flame. He knew that look all too well. Spike was falling.hard and fast, and he didn't even know it. The question now was what would Willow do when she found out, and would Angel do anything to stop it?

~*~

"We've tracked them to LA, ma'am. We lost them once they moved into the city, but I'm sure we'll pick up the trail again very soon."

"Anything else?" Professor Walsh was fast losing patience.

"We've tapped the phone lines of all family, friends and acquaintances of Hostile 24. There was one intercepted call from the city. We checked it out, but it appeared to simply be a private detective, maybe someone they had hired to look for her."

"Thank you, Agent Miller." Hanging up the phone, Maggie turned around, watching her baby as he slept. "Soon, Adam. Soon, you will be awake and strong, and you WILL be magnificent."

~*~

"I don't understand." The sound of Angel's voice startled me as he and Spike joined us in the main office. Doyle had come in only a few minutes earlier. "Giles should have gotten back to me by now. Maybe I should call again."

"Don't suppose it could hurt," Spike responded, moving to stand behind me, glancing at the computer screen. He was making me nervous, and more than a little testy, reading over my shoulder. I've always hated when people did that. "What's all this? Found something?"

"Uh, yeah, I was just.uh.just about to come tell you guys," I muttered, glancing back over my shoulder. "I finally got into The Initiative's files."

"Great," Angel said with a smile, clapping his hands together and rubbing them. The truth was, though he appeared to have a lot more patience than Spike, sitting around and doing nothing was slowly making him crazy. It was obvious. "What did you find?"

I quickly explained what I'd dug up on Project 314.

"This thing.This Project 314, it's bad. They have plans.Take over the world kind of plans, and they're starting with the demon population. They've targeted a large demon cult in the city as their first field test."

"A demon cult?"

"A group known as The Cruentus Court."

"The Cruentan's did ya say?" Doyle perked up at the mention of the Court. "They're half-breeds, not even fully demon. They're a peaceful group. Why would The Initiative be targetin' them?" I saw Angel give him a look, and I knew what it meant, but Cordelia seemed oblivious to it.

"I guess they figure this will be a good first test run for Adam," I told him.

"Adam?"

"Adam is 314. He's some.thing that Professor Walsh created. He appears to be some sort of super-demon."

Cordelia set the paper that she was reading down on the table. "Sounds more like this Walsh chick has gone all Dr. Frankenstein-y. I mean, this Adam thing has human parts, demon parts, animal parts and mechanical parts. There is a series of chips in his brain, controlling motor and brain functions, and although the diagrams show an electrical current maintaining blood flow, it still doesn't account for reason and thinking." The brunette looked up as everyone stared. "What? I know stuff."

"I think that we should go talk to the Court," I suggested. "They need to be warned, and maybe if we align ourselves with them."

"No way," Spike growled. He'd been doing that a lot in the last few days. At that moment, I was not in the mood for it. "You are not going anywhere. They'll be out there, lookin' for us. No way I'll let them nab you again."

It was sweet, in an extremely over-protective boyfriend sort of way. Not that he was my boyfriend or anything. He just.never mind. It was sweet.for Spike, at least, but it just served as a reminder of how he viewed me.a liability. Well, I'd show him exactly what I was capable of.

Shoving my chair back suddenly, I suppressed a smile as Spike stumbled backwards, tripping over his feet as he tried to move out of the way. I stood up, hands perched on my hips, trying to mimic a stance I'd seen both Cordelia and Buffy take more times that I could count. It usually meant they were about to fight for something they wanted, and it almost always meant that they got it.

"Here's the deal, Spike," I responded, my tone harsh, as close to a growl as I could muster at the moment, "The Cruentus Court is peaceful, so long as one of their own is not attacked. If they are, it's a whole different story. What they could start in the demon world would make the prospect of World War III look like a fun day at the fair. If we could stop this before it starts, and save a group of innocents along the way, yay us."

"Fine, then, so why don't we just send Angel to talk to these Crouton people?" Cordy asked.

"Cruentans," I corrected, "and we can't send Angel because they would see it as a major threat if another demon came anywhere close to their lair. They're extremely territorial."

"Ok, then let Doyle go," Cordy suggested.

"No way, uh-uh, not gonna happen," Doyle shouted. Cordy gave him an incredulous look, and I wondered how he would explain his way past this one. "I-I'm not a people person, you've said it yerself. I don't make a good ambassador."

"You wouldn't be an ambassador," she scoffed. "You'd be more like a messenger."

"Yeah, did ya ever hear the phrase `don't shoot the messenger?' I'm not entirely certain that The Court is familiar with that sayin'." Again, she scoffed at him. "Well, if you're so sure it's safe, then why don't you go talk to them?"

"Because," Cordelia retorted, "I don't do errands. I'm here strictly for office help, and the occasional demon-catching decoy duty when a large bonus is involved. I'm not making house calls to the Crouton Court."

"Cruentus Court," Doyle corrected. "You could show a little respect when."

"No one is going to The Court!" Angel shouted, reminding us all of who was in charge.

"But Angel." I was more than ready to protest. If he was going to be stupid and stubborn and pig-headed and.

"Willow, gather together all the information you have. We'll send a message to The Court, inviting a representative to come here and talk. After that, the ball's in their court."

"But."

"End of discussion." I hate it when people do that. Giles does that. I never get the last word. Just once, I'd like to get the last word.

"I still don't get why we care so much about a bunch of Croutony people anyways," Cordy muttered.

Pausing, the rest of us turned around, all shouted, "Cruentans!"

~Part: 13~

"Have you heard anything from your contacts?" Buffy paced impatiently.

Giles looked up from his book, wearily watching her for a moment, a frown marring his features. Removing his glasses, he set them down on the desk, rubbing his tired eyes and shaking his head.

"We should have heard something by now!" He understood her frustration, and felt it himself. Helpless was never a happy adjective, especially for a slayer. Useless was even worse. "We can't just sit around waiting!"

"I agree," he replied, "but at the moment I'm at a loss for exactly what to do. Maybe if we."

Suddenly, the door flew open, Riley bursting into the room. He looked around as he swept from one end to the other, peering at books and knick-knacks.

"What exactly do you think you're doing?" Giles questioned, his hands perched on his hips.

"Get the hell out," Buffy hissed.

"Haven't you already done enough?" Xander added, stepping up behind his friend.

Riley glanced back at them, breathing heavily. A muscle in his cheek jumped as he clenched his teeth. After a long moment, he addressed them.

"I need to speak to you, all of you, but not here."

"If you think we're going anywhere with you, you can."

"Outside, in the courtyeard, please."

Buffy wavered slightly, seeing the pleading look in his eyes, and glanced at her watcher, desperate for guidance. Finally, Giles nodded and the small group trudged out into the sunlight.

"What the hell do you want, Riley?" Buffy glared at him, shielding her eyes from the bright light with one hand, the other at her side, her fingers curled into a tight fist.

"The Initiative, they're watching you. They have the place wired, bugged. They're intercepting calls. Anything you say or do to help Willow, they'll know about it."

"Are you certain?" Giles hadn't believed that The Initiative was that powerful, or that interested in their little group. He hadn't believed that they would go to such lengths for one witch. He'd grossly underestimated them.

"What do they know?" He said a silent prayer to anyone listening that he hadn't given them information that might help them find Willow.

Riley shook his head. "I don't know. I'm sorry." He looked down, shame etched in his features. "I wish I could tell you more. They don't trust me."

"They aren't the only ones," Xander reminded him.

Buffy looked back and forth between her friend and Riley, finally taking a step toward the soldier.

"Thank you for the warning." Turning back to Xander, her mind began to swim with thoughts and ideas. "We should go back to your place. It's the safest. We can make a few calls from there, or maybe a pay phone. I.I'm not sure." She looked back at Riley once again.

"I don't think they know about Xander. Not yet, at least. You should be okay there, for a little while. Don't know how long."

Buffy nodded, her thoughts a jumbled mess. They were running out of time.

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

It had been several days since Angel had sent word to The Court about The Initiative and we hadn't heard anything in return. Maybe they didn't care. Maybe they didn't take the threat seriously. Maybe they simply weren't interested in allying themselves with us, or maybe we'd been too late. None of those answers did anything to ease my mind, nor my churning stomach. Sitting in Angel's cramped apartment? That wasn't helping, either. Of course, his décor, or lack there of, was perfect for the occasion.dark, despairing and utterly broody. While I was racking my brain for ideas, Spike was growing restless, and we all quickly learned that a restless Spike was an annoying Spike. For the most part, I tried to avoid him, but that proved to be a difficult task.

When the blond vampire wasn't peering over my shoulder, creeping me out or pissing me off, I was researching his chip.The chip that I had yet to tell him about. So far, I hadn't come up with much in the way of disabling it, at least not without frying his brain in the process, and since it already seemed to be slowly doing that on its own, I didn't think it was the best solution.

Cordelia, for the most part, seemed to have taken it upon herself to find every possible way to get the chip to fire, or more accurately, to get Spike angry enough to attack. She found it utterly amusing. I found it upsetting, though I'd never have admitted that to Spike.

"Maybe we should go to The Court, try to talk to them," I suggested, tossing aside yet another useless book. Our options were painfully limited, and the thought of The Initiative hurting anyone else the way they had me.It made me sick.

Angel shook his head. "We can't force them, Willow. We warned them; that's the best we can do. If they want our help, they'll ask for."

I sank back on the couch, staring ahead, my eyes unfocused. I was tired, I was frustrated and I was worn down. I could still feel the power building in me. I didn't understand why, and I didn't know how to control it. It scared me, more than I would admit, but I was doing the best I could, meditating and trying to let it out in small waves, using simple spells when no one else was around.

"What's burning?" Angel asked, sniffing the air. I didn't catch the scent until several seconds later, as Cordy followed Spike down into the apartment.

"It's not my fault. You shouldn't stand so close to the window. You've been a vampire for how long now? You should know better."

Spike open his mouth, about to say something cruel and scathing, I'm sure, but closed it again, glaring at the woman before looking down at his burnt hand. If anyone could out-snark Spike, it was Cordy.

"YOU tricked me into it. You little.I outta." I could see him tense up, just the thought of what he'd like to do to her being more than enough to bring on a mild migraine. I looked away. I couldn't take the fighting anymore.

"If you can't take the heat, stay outta the sunlight, bleach-boy."

Angel gave me a confused, uneasy look. I could feel negative energy building up around us as I shifted uncomfortably, trying desperately to ignore them.

"Hey, guys maybe you should." Angel tried to stop the fighting, but was quickly quieted.

"You should try blonde locks, luv," Spike stated, walking up behind her and fingering a bit of dark hair. "If you're going to act like a bimbo, might as well look the part."

"You should know, Spike. In fact-"

"Quiet!" The room fell silent and it took me a moment to realize that the command had come from my own lips. I was breathing heavily, trying to calm myself, reigning in as much control as I could manage.

"Uh, Will, what did you just do?" Angel was once again giving me a worried look and I grinned apologetically.

"Sorry," I mumbled. "I just.I couldn't listen to it anymore. I sorta, well, silenced them, magically. I didn't mean to. It just sort of."

"No, don't apologize. I wish I knew how to do it. Handy trick."

I smiled, the stomping of an expensive heel on the floor dragging my attention to an angry Cordelia as she gestured wildly toward me.

"Oh, right.Uh.If I end the spell, will you two be good?" Both of them quickly nodded, though their expressions suggested otherwise. "Speak."

Both Spike and Cordelia glared at one another, their eyes conveying every angry word that I knew they wanted to shout. Finally, Cordy addressed her boss instead.

"Angel, we need you upstairs. There's a client waiting, if Doyle hasn't already scared him off."

Angel gave me an apologetic look before following Cordy up to the office, leaving me alone with Spike.

Throwing himself down onto the couch, the blond glanced at me for a moment before looking away. The room was quiet again. It was an uncomfortable silence, and suddenly, surprisingly, I missed Cordelia and her big mouth. It was the kind of quiet where you'd swear you could hear the energy and static of the air whispering to you. I hate that. I always have. My own breathing suddenly sounded monstrously loud in my ears, as I was acutely aware of the fact that out of the two of us, I was the only one with breath heaving in and out of my lungs.

The room was dark. I'd gotten used to dark places in the last few weeks, finding them somewhat comforting. It was so much easier to hide in the dark.  The silence stretched on for what felt like hours, only broken briefly by the rustling of a hand in pocket and the click of a lighter, followed by the inhaling of a cigarette.

"Angel will kill you if he finds you smoking down here," I said softly. It almost sounded as if the voice had come from someone else, too distant to be my own.

"Bit late for that," he replied, his voice as far away as mine, if not further. "Neat trick, the little no-talking spell."

"The magic's growing," I told him, as if he didn't already know.

"I noticed. You're getting stronger. That's good." I smiled, in spite of myself. I've always been a sucker for praise, and it was highly unusual for Spike to be so giving. "Use it against me again and I'll rip your throat out, headache or no headache." Ah, yes, there was the Spike I knew and loathed.

The silence continued and I tried to focus on the sound of him inhaling and exhaling for habit and pleasure, rather than the sound of my own for need and survival.

"They'll come here, eventually." It wasn't a question. It was a fact. We both knew it. I'd just decided to give voice to the fear.

"I s'pose they will."

"What then?" I looked up. I didn't mean to, but I did, and my eyes fell on his. Memories, too many horrible memories were locked in that gaze, in that silent space between our eyes. We knew things, we'd seen things that no one else could know or see. I'd tried to ignore it, he'd tried to forget it, but there it was, surging back in that moment of silence. That knowing, that understanding, that. something I couldn't quite grasp.

What then? It wasn't a question that either of us could answer, and it haunted my every thought.

"How are you?" I suppose that seemed like an easier topic to him, but then, Spike had barely glanced my way since arriving in Los Angeles. Why did he suddenly care?

I shrugged. What answer could I give, really? Any words that I might be able to force past my lips would be a lie, and we both knew it.

"I wanna go home." I hadn't expected to say it. I didn't know where it came from, and I wasn't entirely sure if I had spoken aloud, or if it was just a whisper in my head.

"It gets easier." I guess that answered my question; out loud it was.

Turning, I gave him a questioning look, watching as he shrugged, taking another drag from the cigarette.

"Leaving, walking away, losing people, finding out they've abandoned you.It gets easier after a while." He was lying. I knew he was and he knew he was.but still.

I shook my head. "I've never felt so.hunted." It was an awful word that left a heavy weight in the pit of my stomach, and I fought to keep the tears from my eyes.

"You know, I won't let them hurt you." His voice was fierce and my head snapped around as I stared at him in shock. His eyes met mine for a moment before he looked away.

"I know that I said it before, but now.Got a little more muscle on our side. They're come'n to our turf.or, well, Angel's, really, and I'll be ready for them when they get here. `Course my head might explode in the process, but I won't let them hurt you. Not as long as I'm still stand'n." Leave it to Spike to threaten me one minute and then pledge to protect me the next.

A small smile tugged at the edges of my mouth and the tears began to push forward. Suddenly, a thought leapt into my head and I jumped up, startling the vampire.

"Oh! The chip!" He gave me that look.The one where I'm sure I must have grown a second head. I hate that look. "The chip! I.I was doing research, you know, searching The Initiative's site, a-and I think I know what they did to you." He arched an eyebrow, tilting his head to the side, and I paused for a moment, struggling to keep my thoughts on task. I wondered if he knew what that looked did. I wondered if he knew how that expression could make a rock melt.How those eyes could.

Bad! Bad, distracted Willow!

"They made this chip.A behavior modification chip that is inserted into the brain, causing neurological pain when you try to hurt someone."

Spike stood up, stomping out his cigarette. I looked down, frowning at the mark he'd made on the carpet. After a moment, I looked back up, waiting for him to erupt. His expression was unreadable. It was the calm before the storm.

Moving faster than my eyes could register, he reached out, grabbing my arms in a bruising grip, shaking me before loosening his hands slightly, wincing at the pain lancing through his head, but not letting go.

"Get it out," he hissed in a low voice. "Open me up and get it out."

"I can't do that!" Was he crazy? As if I was just going to perform brain surgery right there in Angel's living room. Hello! I was just a college freshman. I hadn't even had the pleasure of dissecting a cadaver yet. Not only would it be incredibly dangerous, but I didn't think that Angel would appreciate it if we bloodied up the place. I mean, I knew he was a vamp, and they go for the blood.but I'm thinking, on the couch? Not so much.

"I.I can't just slice your head open and."

"Yes! Yes you can! Get it out of me, now!" His eyes were wild, flickering back and forth between blue and gold. Deep down, I knew that the very object of his anger was the thing keeping him from hurting me, but none-the-less, he was scaring me.A lot.

"Spike, please."

Finally, he released me with a slight shove, pacing back and forth. "How do I get it out?"

"I.I don't know. I'm still trying to find a way. I thought, maybe a spell could."

"Find it," he interrupted, rage etched in his features. "Find a spell to remove it or disable it or.whatever. Just find it."

Before I could respond, he was out the door, heading up to talk to Angel, no doubt, and I was left alone in the silence, once again.

~*~

That evening, I found myself at Angel's desk, pouring over yet another useless magic book, trying desperately to keep from pulling my hair out. Angel must have sensed my agitation. Either that, or he just got tired of hearing my occasional rants as I tossed another book aside.

Opening the back door, he ducked as the latest flying book nearly connected with his head.

"Oops, sorry," I mumbled. "Guess it's good that ya got those great vampire reflexes, huh."

Angel sat down in front of the desk, his grim expression mirroring my own.

"Wanna talk about what's got you so stressed out?"

I arched an eyebrow...One of the habits I had picked up from Spike.

"Me, stressed? What would I have to be stressed about? Just because my friends are in with the enemy, an evil government agency wants to do horrible experiments on me, I'm holed up with a couple of vamps and I'm trying to do research on something that's way over my head? Nah, no stress here."

Sarcasm.The greatest avoidance technique ever created.

"Spike told me about the chip."

"Oh yeah? What did he say exactly? `Cause with me, it was mostly `get it out, get it out.' A-and I gotta be honest.I don't know if I can even do that. And if I can, should I? I mean, just a few weeks ago, he was trying to kill me. But now."

"You'll figure it out, Will." I suppose that was meant to be reassuring, but honestly, I'd heard better pep talks from Principal Snyder. I mean, some great words of wisdom would have been really appreciated at the moment, but leave it to Angel to be trite.

"Yeah, well." I was about to say something witty and incredibly poignant, but was cut off by a sharp knock at the front door.

Angel peeked through the blinds, turning the locks and opening the door a moment later. I watched as three visitors walked in. Actually, they didn't so much walk as float. I glance down at their feet, but was discourage to see that their long robes pooled around them on the floor, hiding their feet. I watched as the tallest of the three stopped in the center of the small office and pulled his hood back, revealing long, thin blue hair, and a third eye set in the middle of his forehead.

The Cruentus Court had sent their ambassador.

~Part: 14~

I felt like I should bow or something. Should you bow to an ambassador? Maybe not. Maybe that's only royalty. Was he.she.it.um.Was the ambassador considered demonic royalty? Well, Angel didn't bow, so I supposed I was fine just standing still as a statue.which was pretty much the only thing I could do as the demons swept into the small office.

Angel quickly summoned the rest of his group up into the office, Spike, Cordy and Doyle settling in around the small room as we all waited to see what the ambassador had to say.

"I'm glad you've decided to join us," Angel stated, hoping to get the ball rolling. "An alliance is really our best chance to."

"We have said nothing about an alliance yet, vampire," the ambassador interrupted. "The news that your messenger delivered was sketchy at best. We have no reason to expect an attack from this Initiative, and we have never aligned ourselves with anyone outside of our own clan."

"But surely you can see that strength in numbers is."

"There is strength in numbers, but be sure that your meager group would add little to our ranks."

"Hey! I'll have you know." Doyle quickly clamped a hand over Cordelia's mouth, giving an embarrassed grin.

"Sorry, Sir. She doesn't know any better," he mumbled quietly.

"You tolerate such insolence in your followers, vampire?"

"Well, they aren't really so much followers as."

"This one has the sight." Apparently, the ambassador liked to point out things that we already knew. "But he is only half demon. His control over his power is weak." And some things that some of us didn't know.

"Shows how much you know," Cordy responded. "Angel and Spike are the only demons here."

"Half demon is still demon, girl. In time, you will have demon in you, as well."

"Is that supposed to be like a bad sexual joke?"  Silence filled the room as she waited for someone to protest what the visitor had stated. Finally, she rounded on Doyle. "Tell him! Tell him that you are human!"

I watched as he looked at his feet, unable to deny what had been said.

"Doyle?" Cordelia wanted answers, but the ambassador wanted answers as well.

"What has given you reason to believe that our clan is in danger?" The booming voice made me nervous, and even Angel didn't look exactly comfortable at the moment.

"We were searching through their files...computer files. Willow, she." His voice trailed off as he gestured toward me and I gave him a quick look of death before glancing back at the demon. It was the first time that the ambassador had turned his attention toward me and I shifted uncomfortably from one foot to the other, trying to keep from staring at the third eye. It's hard to NOT stare at something like that. It's so big and weird and.well, noticeable.

"She is mortal; nothing but a human." I hate it when people talk about you as if you're not there. It's so rude!

"She's a witch," Spike supplied, speaking up for the first time since the demons arrived. "A powerful one."

The ambassador took a few steps closer, staring me down, and I looked around the room, finally settling my eyes on the floor.

"Your power is growing," he stated, as if I didn't already know, "but you still have much to learn, and little time." He was starting to sound like Giles, and I was beginning to get annoyed.

"Yeah, that's great," Spike grumbled. "I don't need a third eye to know that." Angel gave him an incredulous look. "Oh, what? Is it bad etiquette to point out the guest's deformities? Come on, the guy outted the Mick. I'd say all politeness is officially out the window."

"Your insolence is intolerable," the ambassador hissed. "We have nothing to gain from an alliance with you."

"A-actually that's not true." I didn't mean to speak. I was really quite happy with blending back into the shadows, so I was as surprised as anyone else when the words came out of my mouth, but then, I had been the one to invite them there in the first place, and if I had continued to let Spike do the talking, we would be in the middle of a demon feud before the day was out.

The ambassador looked back toward me, cocking his head to the side, waiting for something more to be said. I swallowed hard before speaking again.

"The Initiative, they're bad. The things they did, the things they have planned.At the very least, you need to know what's coming." I paused for a moment, waiting for the demon to say something, but instead he just nodded, waiting for me to continue.

"They've made something, a demon hybrid machine thingy. It's meant to kill man and demon, and from the looks of the plans I found, it's more than capable of slaughtering entire clans.Clans like yours."

The demon's eyes flared, a low growl erupting from somewhere deep in his throat, and I took a nervous step back, continuing on.

"They're planning on attacking you. They have it all mapped out, ready to go. I don't know when, it didn't say, but it will be soon, and you won't be able to stop it, not alone. They have an army, and this new weapon, it's nearly unstoppable."

"Nearly?"

"I-I'm still looking into some possible ways to disengage it. Nothing concrete yet, but."

"How can your clan help ours?" he asked, looking back to Angel.

"Uh, well.My.My 'clan'.We've got muscle, and intelligence. We're hoping to stay one step ahead of them, but eventually we'll have to form a plan of attack."

The ambassador nodded, saying nothing more before looking back at me.

Looking up, my eyes locked on the third eye in the center of his head, and the demon held my gaze. It was hypnotic and I was unable to pull away. It was looking inside, looking beyond where I could see, and in turn, I was seeing its past, where it had been, what it had done...The world spun as I gasped for breath, pulled beneath an invisible undertow and helpless to stop it...Then suddenly, reality rushed back and I swayed on my feet, my own body feeling momentarily unfamiliar.

"Death is coming. You are powerless to stop it, powerless to change it. It is your destiny. The vampires will not alter what is to be." Turning, he looked at Spike and Angel. "You can only aid in its pursuit. You cannot save her."

It was at that moment that all hell broke loose, and it was that very second that I knew, with absolute certainty, that I was about to die.

~*~

"Agent, tell me what you've got, and it better be good."

"You'll be happy ma'am. We've got a lead on our hostiles. We've got several units en route to a hotel in LA, where an informant believes they may be hiding. On your command, we're ready and waiting to storm the premises, do a thorough sweep and detain any hostages found within."

"Good work. As soon as the units arrive, you have the go ahead. I want those hostiles brought back, and I want the witch alive."

"And 314?"

"It's time for a little field test. This will be good for him."

"Yes, Ma'am."

~*~

I took a few steps back, barely noticing as I hit the wall, my breathing labored, my eyes wild and unfocused. I was going to die. He'd said it, plain and simple. I was going to die, and no one could stop it.

As the shock wore off, anger began to seep into me, burning my chest. How could I have gone through everything that had happened in the last few weeks, only to have it end like that? It wasn't fair! I was better than that! Eighteen years on the hellmouth, and I was still alive. I'd be damned if those bastards got the better of me now.

"Red?" I was vaguely aware of Spike stepping up to me, my eyes still darting around the room, focusing on nothing in particular. Angel's voice echoed, distant and distorted.

"What the hell do you think you're doing? I invite you into my home, to help you, and you threaten one of my own?"

"Willow, look at me," Spike whispered, taking one of my hands in his.

"I'm going to die. I'm going to die. I'm going to die." It was a mantra, playing over and over in my head.

"I am not threatening the girl. I am simply telling her of what is to come, as she has told me. It is her destiny."

"I won't let them kill her, understand? I protect the people that belong to me! She's just a girl, and you're trying to scare her."

"Red! Please look at me."

"Hello! She's more than just a girl, Angel." Cordelia yelled.

Spike turned toward Angel. "I say we kill the bastard right now. No need to wait for The Initiative to do it."

"You invite me here and then attack me?" the ambassador shouted.

"Cordy, now might not be the time," Doyle whispered, lightly touching her arm in an attempt to keep her back and out of the way.

The brunette shrugged away from him. "Oh, right, demon-boy, like I'm gonna listen to you." A look of pain briefly crossed his face. "How could you not tell me something like that?"

"Couldn't bear to see that look on your face," he replied softly.

"There will be no killing of anyone, alright?" Angel shouted. "I will protect her, no matter what."

"Protect her? You will be the very one to deliver her at death's door. Consider it a gift."

"I suggest you leave, right now."

"Willow.What." Spike stopped as my head shot up, my eyes trained on the front door. Someone was there.I could feel it. Something bad was.

"Clearly you are not equipped to help us. You have taken enough of our time."

"Spike," I whispered, "something's wrong. Something's."

"Yeah?" Angel yelled, stomping toward the door. "Well, I hope you enjoy being slaughtered!"

I opened my mouth. The words danced on the tip of my tongue, but for some reason I couldn't get them out fast enough. My eyes were riveted on his hands as he grabbed the door knob and twisted, giving it a quick pull.

"No, Angel, don't."

But I was too late. I guess it always works that way. A day late, a dollar short. Should have known, really. The demon had said it, after all. This was my destiny. This was my cup, half empty or half full, and I had no choice but to drink.

Bottoms up!

~Part: 15~

For a moment, time stopped. Everything froze and nothing was real. I wanted to stay in that moment, hold onto it, but of course, I wasn’t able to. The Earth continued to spin, people kept on breathing, and the heavy oak door continued to swing open. I stared ahead as several men charged in through the door. I heard breaking glass as they crashed through the front window, and I felt someone pull on my arm, yanking me backwards. My brain was no longer functioning, and I’m pretty sure that my lungs had stopped working as well. My chest burned as I struggled to take a deep breath, feeling my feet stumble backwards, my ridged body being dragged by an unseen force.

“Get back! Get her out of here!” Voices, distant and distorted, yelled out commands that I didn’t understand as chaos erupted around us. “Take them down! …both hostiles…in range!...Spike…watch behind…she’s…” The words were broken up, several voices blending together and I was unable to decipher who said what. “Red! … Doyle, behind…Target located, ready for…Willow! …”

They attacked from all sides, weapons raised, fists flying. Finally forcing my eyes to focus, I looked up, seeing Spike backing me up toward the basement door. His mouth was moving. He was saying something, but I have no idea what. Cordelia and the Cruentans were standing next to us, watching as Doyle and Angel fought off several of the soldiers.

“You brought us here to attack us!” the ambassador yelled.

“In case you haven’t noticed,” Cordelia countered, “we’re sort of the ones being attacked right now.”

“They found us,” I whispered, clutching Spike’s arm, squeezing hard enough to make him wince. “The Initiative, they found us. How did they…”

“Get Willow out of here, now!” Angel yelled, ducking as one soldier fired a weapon, just missing him. Grabbing another soldier, he lifted him up easily, throwing him through the broken window, out onto the street.

“Doyle!” Cordy screamed, seeing a soldier’s fist connect with the half-demon’s jaw. His head flew to the side as he stumbled a few feet backwards, and he turned, staggering slightly, his eyes briefly connecting with the former cheerleader’s.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered, just before his face changed, long spikes jutting out all over. I watched as Cordy’s eyes widened in horror and shock, just before Doyle let out a growl, grabbing two soldiers, throwing them across the office, their bodies slumping into an unconscious heap after hitting the wall.

“Shit!” The soldiers were closing in on us, and I felt Spike tense up, ready to fight.

“Spike, the chip, you can’t…” I began to whisper, before he carefully pried my fingers from his arm.

“Whatever happens, the second you get a chance, you run and you don’t look back, got it?” His tone was low and serious, his eyes blazing.

“Spike…” I wanted to say more. I wanted to say so much, but I never got the chance. Two soldiers came up behind him, grabbing his shoulders and spinning him around. Both held weapons aimed at his chest.

“Surrender,” one of them yelled.

Spike gave them a cocky grin, just before his demon visage slipped into place. “You don’t actually think I’d make it that easy, do you?”

A hand clamped down on my arm and I looked up, seeing another soldier, weapon raised, holding onto me. Cordelia grabbed the arm with the weapon, but he easily shoved her away, throwing her into a wall, knocking the air from her lungs.

“Spike!” I screamed.

The vampire turned around, seeing the soldier as he began to pull me toward the exit. Reaching out, he grabbed the man, punching him hard before both of them howled in pain. I saw Spike fall to his knees; another soldier kicked him, hard.

We were outnumbered and quickly losing the fight. My stomach dropped at that realization, and my mind began to spin frantically, desperate for a solution. My heart began to pound, along with my head, as I closed my eyes, breathing heavily, struggling against the painful grip of the man pulling me toward the door. It was happening, the magic, the power…It was growing, speeding up, and I had no control over it what-so-ever. Good timing? Sure, as long as I didn’t kill us all in the process of saving us.

And then, suddenly, everything stopped. Silence fell over the room. The man let go of my arm and backed away, along with the rest of them. Angel and Doyle struggled to their feet, Doyle quickly running to help Cordelia. The Cruentans remains huddled in the far corner, glaring at everyone and everything. I ran to Spike, dropping to my knees next to him, checking him over as he clutched his head in pain.

“Oh god, Spike,” I whispered, sweeping my hands over his head, feeling energy crackle from my fingertips.

“Sister.”

I heard the voice and looked up. 314. It had to be 314, standing in the doorway. A mix of human, demon and mechanical parts, the large, lumbering creature moved through the entrance, taking several steps toward me before Angel stepped in front of it.

“I suggest you stop right there,” Angel stated.

Adam gave him a curious, sideways look. “You are a demon.”

“Strong AND smart,” Cordy mumbled. “What a catch.”

Adam ignored her, continuing to address Angel. “You belong to the world of darkness and pain, yet you are fighting with mortals. Why do you do this?”

“I have a soul,” Angel explained. He looked confused, and I couldn’t blame him. I thought we were supposed to fight this thing, not give it lessons in Demon 101.

“You have a soul,” Adam replied, “and it makes you want to be good. I have no such thing.”

“Too bad for you,” Angel mumbled, tensing slightly.

“Your soul makes you weak. It confuses things.”

“I’d say you’re the confused one,” Angel reminded him.

Growing tired of the conversation, Adam turned toward me again as I slowly stood up, stepping in front of Spike.

“Willow, don’t move,” Angel commanded. He needn’t have bothered. I was fairly certain that my shaking legs weren’t going any further forward at the moment.

“You called me sister,” I said in a low voice. “Why?”

“That is what you are,” Adam told me. “Mother, our mother, created us both, cut from the same mold, for the greater purpose.”

OK, now I was fairly confused, and completely freaked out.

“We are not brother and sister,” I stated. “Your mother and my mother, not the same lady, trust me.”

“You are wrong. I can feel it, the things she did to you, the way your powers are changing. She made you what you are.”

Shit.

“Together, we will rule the Earth and bring all inhabitants to their knees.”

Double shit.

“My power does not come from her, and I am nothing like you. I would sooner die than align myself with you.”

“That is a pity,” Adam replied. “We could have done great things together. But it is of no matter, I will easily prevail alone, and you will get your wish and die with the rest of them.”

I felt my body buzzing again, my skin tingling, almost as if my blood was boiling beneath the surface. It wasn’t a good feeling, not even remotely, but I knew what it meant. I was about to erupt.

“Actually, it doesn’t quite work that way,” I told him, my green eyes bleeding into black pools. I began to shake a little, fighting for control of whatever was inside of me, determined to use it and not allow it to use me. I opened my mouth, about to say more, when Angel suddenly moved, taking a step closer to Adam, ready to attack.

“Angel, no!” I heard the words come from my mouth, but they seemed to hover in the air as Adam raised an arm, easily knocking the strong vampire back, sending him across the room and crashing into the wall.

A mixture of determination and pain mingled in Angel’s eyes as he jumped up, running at the intruding creature again, but once more, Adam easily stopped him, gripping his neck tightly, holding him in the air.

I could see his fingers tightening on Angel’s throat. He could easily tear the vampire’s head from his shoulders. Dear goddess, he was going to kill Angel!

“Stop!” I shouted, not entirely sure what my next move would be. “Release him,” I commanded.

“Um, Willow?” I heard Cordy whisper nervously behind me, and glanced down, seeing that my feet were actually several inches from the ground as I floated in the middle of the room.

“Mercy is not an option,” Adam told me, squeezing a bit hard as Angel struggled in his grasp.

“I’m glad you agree,” I replied, taking a deep breath.

Suddenly, his grip on Angel was released, his arm flying back. Adam looked at his own hand in confusion, before looking at me.

“Your tricks and illusions will not stop me,” he growled.

Not bothering with a witty comeback, I held my hands up, watching with satisfaction as Adam flew backwards, out the entrance, the door slamming shut behind him.

“What the hell was that?” Doyle asked.

Before I could answer, the sound of gunfire had everyone scrambling, running for cover. Everyone, except for me, of course, and Spike, who was still huddled on the ground.

After a few moments, Angel looked up, seeing my wide grin.

“Willow?”

“I put up a barrier. They can’t get in.”

“How long will it last?”

I shrugged. “Couple of hours, at least.”

“Then we’d better come up with a plan, quickly.”

It was then that the ambassador finally spoke up again. “A plan is unnecessary. I already know what to do.”

~*~

How we got out of the building is a blur, and not really important. What is important is that I eventually found myself in a large manor on the edge of the city, surrounded by demons, and safe, for the moment. The Court had offered protection, harboring our group in their home. It was a kind enough gesture, considering that we had been attempting to save them in the first place. I just hoped that no one else tried to play fortune teller. One death notice a day was enough for me.

They seemed nice. Well, for the most part they glared and growled as we entered their home, before grudgingly offering a few rooms on the top floor. I was now alone with Spike in one of those rooms. Alone, with Spike…Funny concept, but never-the-less true. The room was dark. I could see the sun threatening to peak over the horizon as I stood before a tall window, gazing over the cityscape. Finally pulling myself away, I drew the heavy curtains closed, a single, dim light the only illumination in the room.

I moved to the bed as I saw Spike stir. He had slipped in and out of consciousness several times in the last few hours, before finally falling into a deep sleep. I performed several healing spells on Angel and Doyle, as well as the blond vampire, making a silent vow that I would find a way to remove the chip, as soon as I had a moment to catch my breath.

“Red?”

I looked down, forcing a smile to my lips as he watched me, slowly sitting up and swinging his legs over the side of the bed.

“It’s dawn,” he mumbled, glancing toward the darkened window. I nodded, though I didn’t think he needed confirmation.

“Where’s Angel?”

I shrugged. “Trying to talk to The Court, I think, figuring out what to do. Cordy and Doyle are in the next room. I don’t think it’s going to be easy for them.”

He paused, tilting his head slightly to the side. He was listening, I knew, and part of me wanted to reprimand him for invading their privacy. The other part of me was jealous that I couldn’t hear as well.

“They’ll be fine,” he mumbled, looking back at me. “How are you?”

“I think I should be asking you that,” I whispered, reaching out to brush my fingers over his forehead.

His hand shot out and I gasped as he gripped my wrist tightly, pulling it away, bringing it to his lap and holding it there.

“I’m sorry,” he said. He wanted to say more, but I wouldn’t allow it.

“Uh-huh,” I replied, shaking my head. “No way, Mister. You don’t get to apologize. You did nothing wrong. I should have…”

“Maybe we should both stop with the sorries,” he interrupted, tugging on my hand and pulling me closer. I stumbled a little as I took a step forward, standing between his legs.

As I looked down, I could feel my heart pounding in my chest, though I wasn’t even sure why. Maybe it was the deep blue eyes staring at me. Maybe it was the chiseled muscles of his bare chest. Maybe it was the heat of the moment or the thrill of danger. Or maybe it was just Spike and just me and whatever connection had been forged between us.

“Maybe we should stop talking all together,” he whispered.

Before I knew what was happening, I was pulled down into his lap, his lips descending on mine in a breathtaking kiss. As my eyes fluttered closed my mind spun. His lips were softer, sweeter than I expected…Not that I had thought about it before or anything. His hands were strong and firm, his chest equally so. As I moaned softly, he deepened the kiss, pulling me closer to his body, his arms wrapping around me tightly. Our tongues tangled in an ageless dance and I sent up a silent prayer to the heavens that this moment might never end.

~Part: 16~

I'd like to tell you that everything was candlelight and sweetness, but that's not really true. It was awkward and confusing. He kissed me, I grabbed him, he held me, I fumbled, he chuckled and I melted. My mind was on overdrive as I begged my own brain to give me that moment, let me have that peace, if only for one night, if only as an illusion in the shape of a vampire.

Afterwards, I wanted to jump up and run. It wasn't about love. It wasn't about tenderness. It wasn't even about friendship. It was about need…Raw, naked need, and it made my gut twist when I contemplated it. He didn't love me, and I didn't want him to think I was silly enough to believe otherwise. Even as his arm wrapped around me, pulling me closer to him, I wanted to cry, to shake my head, to assure him that I expect no such tenderness. Almost as if reading my mind, his hand slipped gently back and forth on my bare shoulder, a gesture meant to be reassuring.

"Relax, luv. Enjoy the moment."

"You don't have to do that," I mumbled, fidgeting against him. "I mean, I don't expect…"

Letting out a sigh, he pulled his arm away and I felt an immediate chill at the loss of contact, regretting what I'd said and despising myself for it.

Sitting up against the headboard, he glared at me while I could do nothing but blush as I looked back at the naked chest that had been pressed against my own only moments ago.

"Why do you do that?" I gave him a confused look. It was easier than answering with the truth. "Why do you insist on believing that no one could want you?"

I opened my mouth, ready to protest, but he stopped me before I had the chance.

"You just don't get it, do you? You're too smart for your own good, and far too stubborn. You're a terrible dresser, you can't lie to save your life, and I mean that literally, and you're more neurotic than anyone I've ever met." So nice of him to point out every fault I had, wasn't it? And if he was trying to make a point, I certainly didn't see where… "And you're wonderful! You're adorably, amazingly wonderful! Why can't you see that?"

I stared in shock. I mean, what else could I do? What do you say when someone insults you to no end and then finishes by telling you that you're the most wonderful person he knows? So, I did the only thing I could, I stared, sputtering, my hand tightly clutching the sheet over my chest.

Finally, after what felt like years, I found my voice and actually managed to form words.

"Spike, I…"

Unfortunately, I didn't get any further, stopped by a knock on the door.

"Spike, we need to talk." Angel. Shit.

Jumping up, Spike moved toward the door, but before he could reach it, Angel had smashed his way through.

"What the hell are you…" Stopping, he stared in shock at the site before him. Spike, naked, in the middle of the room. Come on, that would make anyone stop and stare. And yeah, okay, so I think he was more startled by my presence in the bed, covered only by a thin black sheet, but let's be fair…What kind of story teller would I be if I didn't include the nakedness of Spike?

"Ever hear of knocking?" Spike yelled.

"I did knock," Angel mumbled, his eyes still focused on me. Grabbing the brunette's arm, Spike yanked hard, turning Angel's attention back to him.

"Mind take'n your eyes off the girl?" It was at that moment that I think Angel finally noticed Spike's state of undress.

"We, uh…We need to…We need to talk," he muttered, looking at the floor.

"Right. Give us a few minutes, yeah? We'll be down to your room soon as I can drag Red here from the bed." Turning, he leered at me and I felt a familiar, treacherous tingling in my tummy. He wasn't helping his cause with Angel, but then, I don't think he was very concerned about that.

~*~

As it turned out, The Court had some intel of their own. Apparently, the Initiative had set up shop in L.A., and weren't planning on leaving until they got what they wanted…Namely, me and Spike. This was making the rest of the demon world more than a little antsy, and it had been reported that several other clans, as well as numerous bounty hunters were on the look out, ready to turn us in first chance they had.

This, of course, did not sit well with the Cruentans. Harboring fugitives had never exactly been their thing. In fact, I'm pretty sure that we were the first outsiders allowed within the Court's home. I guess they appreciated our loyalty, and my power specifically, during the fight. They were willing to help, at the moment, but I had no idea how long that would last.

Sitting in the middle of the large, ornately decorated room, surrounded by three-eyed demons, I stared with determination at the floor. No way was I going to be caught in another soul-gaze with one of them. Who knows what they'd end up telling me. At the same time, I really wished that I could get Maggie Walsh in the room, tie her up and let them lock eyes with her…Let them tell HER that she was about to die…And then let me be the one to kill her.

Okay, maybe that's a little overkill, so to speak, but I'm sure you can sympathize with where I was coming from.

There was a lot more said; none of it by me. Angel barked out orders. A few of the Cruentans did as well. Spike complained, Cordelia made a few rude remarks and Doyle mostly apologized for her. The more the meeting dragged on, the more I mourned for days in the library, a computer on the table, my hands gliding swiftly over the keyboard, Giles peering over my shoulder. Those were the good old days, if ever there had been any. I was comfortable there, if not just as terrified. I knew my place, I knew my role, and I got things done. Now, here, I had no idea what to do. I was useless, and I still had all that magical energy zinging through me…That great magic that had apparently been gifted to me by one Maggie Walsh. I reminded myself to thank her for that, once I figured out how to use it against her. For now, though, it just scared me. It was what I had wanted, more power, but I could only think that if she had given it to me, it couldn't be meant for good…Not in the grand scheme of things…Not if it made me anything like Adam.

That thought made me shudder, cold dread sliding down my back.

"We'll do a sweep, Doyle and me," Angel stated as the meeting seemed to finally draw to a close.

"Count me in," Spike added.

"No." Shit. This was not going to be easy. Nothing ever was with those two. "Spike, you can't fight them."

"Dealing with more than just humans at this point, aren't we?" he countered. He had a point, but to be honest, I didn't like the idea of him going with Angel. I had all these new, confusing emotions stirring inside involving Spike, and I needed a little more time to make sense of it all before he turned to dust.

Angel seemed to consider what Spike had said for a moment, before finally nodding his concession. Damn. I was in no position to argue with them, and even if I had been, I lacked the strength and will-power at the moment. Spike wanted to give the Initiative a walking target…who was I to argue?

Don't answer that.

The Cruentans were kind enough to lend me a computer, which I quickly lugged up to my room, plugging it in and settling down for some serious distraction. Pressing the power button, the screen lit up and I sat back, waiting, my fingers itching to get to work. Hearing a soft knock on the door, I let out a sigh before dragging myself back up and to the door.

Spike.

Moving aside, I let him walk in, watching as his eyes darted around the room, never really landing on me. He paced back and forth for several minutes, gesturing with his hands occasionally, but never actually saying anything. Finally, suddenly, he paused, fixing me with a fierce gaze.

"Here's the thing. I love you. I don't know how it happened. I sure as hell never wanted it to, but it did, and bugger all if I can't help it. And you…you might not love me now, but there's something, because I know…You're not the type of girl to just jump into the sack and shag the nearest guy, right? So…So it's coming, and to hell with what that ambassador said. He doesn't know his ass from a hole in the ground. And I've seen you. You're strong and you're smart and you're better than all of them combined. And I'm goin out tonight, with Angel, to kill whatever I can get my hands on, because that's what I am, a killer, but I'm a good man, deep inside, and if you'll let me, when I get back, when this is over, I'll show you, I'll prove to you just how good I can be. I'll still be me, a vampire. Can't change that, and don't plan to try, but I'll love you and I'll protect you and I'll never let you go, and…and I just wanted to be sure that you knew that."

And then he was gone, out the door, the heavy wood thudding shut behind him, leaving me staring in shock, a small smile spreading across my face.

He loved me, and everything else would be okay.

~Part: 17~

Alright, so maybe I was being a tad unrealistic with all the "everything would be okay" stuff. We were far from okay, and I'm smart enough to know that the love of a vampire, even one as dead sexy as Spike…get it…dead sexy? Yeah, bad vampire joke, sorry…Even his love was not enough to make all of our troubles disappear. In fact, it really only complicated things further.

But I'll get to that later.

After the guys left, I settled back down with the computer, determined more than ever to find an answer to Spike's chip problem. It had to be there, somewhere. I just needed to stumble across the right file. If I just…clicked on…and scrolled to…bingo! Okay, well it wasn't really as easy as that, but add a few LONG hours, several cups of some weird drink that the Cruentans had provided, and a lot more typing, and you get the idea.

After tracking down an old printer and hooking it up, I printed the page about a zillion times, reading it over and over again, unable to believe my eyes. It was so easy…So ridiculously easy. Why hadn't I thought of that before? It would be a snap to stop the chip. Ha! The Initiative had nothing on me.

Running from my room, I skipped down the hall, knocking on Cordy's door before bursting in, jumping onto the bed and bouncing happily, waving the paper in the air and smiling like a goon.

She looked up from the old magazine she was reading, glaring at me.

"Do you mind?" I was startled by her harsh tone. I mean, yeah, okay, sure I did sorta burst in unannounced, but I had really great news right there in my little hand, and… "You knew, didn't you?"

Huh?

"You knew what Doyle was, didn't you?"

Wow. Hadn't been expecting that.

Settling down, I slowly sank back onto my heels, giving her a look that I hoped conveyed the sympathy I felt. My head began to spin a little, though I suspected the cause was over-excitement combined with bouncing on the bed.

"You know, it doesn't change who he is. He's still…"

"Did…you…know?" Apparently, Cordelia wasn't in a chatting mood.

Finally, I nodded.

"Why didn't you say something? I had a right to know."

"It wasn't my place to tell," I told her. "It was his secret, not mine."

I watched as the anger drained from her face, leaving her looking sad and lost.

"Why didn't he tell me?" Her voice was soft and small and not at all like I'd ever heard it before.

I shrugged. I had no idea what to tell her. Rubbing my temples, I tried to shake away the haze that was settling over me. "I guess he was afraid he'd lose you before he even had you."

"But I accept Angel, and he's a demon. And there's Oz, and…and…why would he think…" She already knew the answer. I didn't need to respond. "Am I that horrible a person?"

"No! Of course not. It isn't about you…not really. It's about him, his insecurities. You just have to show him, prove to him that you're not going to freak and run away."

"How do I do that?" The great Cordelia Chase was asking me for advice? Wow. And sadly, I had very little to give. "I mean, how do I make him believe something that I'm not even sure I believe yet?"

That was a good question. I'd have to tell her to share the answer with me, once she figured it out.

Wiping at her eyes, she sat up a bit straighter, looking at the paper still held tightly in my hand.

"So, what's that? Some neat new spell for you to horribly screw up and make things worse?" Gotta love Cordy. She never changes.

"Actually, it's…" Before I could say more, I was cut off as the door opened, two Cruentans quickly entering, arms flailing as they both spoke rapidly in a language I didn't understand.

"What the hell are they saying?" Cordelia shouted, jumping up as one of the demons grabbed her arm.

"I have no idea!" The other demon gripped my wrist tightly, continuing to yell.

"We…Can't…Under…Stand!" Cordy screamed at the demons as they continued to jabber on.

I rolled my eyes. Like that was going to help.

"I don't think they understand us either," I told her as I was shoved toward the door and into a dark hallway.

"Where are they taking us?" She yelled as I strained to see through the dark.

Maybe they were escorting us to dinner and just had a really different set of social conduct rules. Or, maybe they were helping us. Maybe the Initiative had found us and they were taking us to a hiding place.

Eventually, we were both shoved through a set of large double doors. Looking up, I tried to focus on the crowd before me, seeing Initiative soldiers filling the room.

Maybe they wanted to help us…Or maybe we were just lambs, being led to the slaughter.

~*~

"What going on with you two?"

"What?"

"Don't play dumb, Spike. You know exactly what I'm talking about."

"None of your business, mate."

"It is my business. Willow is under my protection and…"

"Right, and you've done a fantastic job of protect'n her so far, haven't ya?"

"Guys, maybe we should be concentrate'n on…"

"You want to know what's goin on, ask Willow yourself."

"You shouldn't take advantage of her. She's vulnerable right now. She's…"

"…A smart girl, Angel. She can make her own decisions, and believe me, she doesn't do anything she doesn't want to do."

"She doesn't know…"

"What I am? Like hell! She knows exactly what I am, what I've done, and you know what I think? You're jealous."

"Jealous? How can you…"

"Guys, I really think that we should be look'n out fer…"

"You're jealous, alright, because she accepts me for what I am, unlike your darl'n slayer, who could never get past it."

"You don't know what you're talking about, Spike. Willow is…"

"Ahhhhh!!!!!"

"What the hell is wrong with the Mick?"

"He's getting a vision. Doyle, are you alright? What do you see?"

"Where were the visions when we were attacked before, huh? Where were the Powers that Be then?"

"Not now, Spike. Doyle…"

"Willow, and Cordy…They're in trouble."

~*~

"We're in trouble." Leave it to Cordelia to state the obvious. I had sort of assumed things were about to get bad when I looked up and saw what appeared to be half of the Initiative's army standing in the room. Accusation in my eyes, I turned and looked at the Cruentan's ambassador.

"Why…"

"Preservation," he stated, his face cold, void of emotion. Cordy was not as good at masking her emotions.

"Preservation? Are you crazy?"

"We struck a bargain," the demon told us. "You, for our freedom."

"You can't trust them! You think they're going to just let you be? Your existence goes against everything they stand for! You give in like this and they're going to destroy you!"

I wanted to agree. I wanted to cheer her on. I wanted to insist that they were making a huge mistake, but something in me had snapped. I was broken, unable to say or do anything as I stared ahead at the soldiers surrounding us. Half of me felt cemented to the ground, unable to move, while the other half seemed to be hovering somewhere above, watching the scene, detached.

"Willow, tell them!" she shouted. I felt someone tighten their grip on my arms, yanking me backwards. "Tell them!"

"That's enough," one of the soldiers stated. "We'll take it from here."

Things were moving in slow motion as a soldier began to haul me backwards. I was watching, but I wasn't really there. It wasn't really happening. It wasn't really me.

"Willow!" I heard Cordelia scream, her voice distant and foreign as my gaze slid across the room, catching nothing as it struck every object in its path. Finally, my eyes settled once again on the ambassador's face, and I was surprised to see the smallest amount of sympathy there.

"It is not as I would have wished it," he stated in a quiet voice. "But know that the safety of out people must come first. I am sorry that this is the price, though it will lead to your destiny."

"My death," I whispered back, one lone tear sliding down my cheek.

"Magic, Willow! Use magic!"

My head turned, sluggish and foggy, as I tried to find Cordelia in the crowd of blurry figures. Magic. Why hadn't I thought of…

"Don't bother," the soldier behind me hissed. "You've been drugged. And if you do try anything, she dies." I saw the arm holding a gun gesture toward Cordy just as I slumped forward a little in his grasp.

That was it. That was the beginning of the end, and in that moment, I think, I gave in…I accepted my fate, almost welcoming it, in a way, if it meant the end of running, the end of hiding and of being afraid.

As I was pulled from the building, I heard a soldier yell out a command, just before the rest of the army attacked the demons inside. Screams drifted away with the wind as weapons were fired and I struggled to care, struggled to feel something other than defeat, but nothing within me arose. I saw them shove Cordy aside just before I was pushed into the back of a van, and the world turned black once more.

~Part: 18~

Struggling to open my eyes, I groaned. The room was bright. Too bright, and I knew exactly where I was; the Initiative labs. Damn. Twisting my body a little, I pulled at the thick straps that held me to a chair resembling something you might find in Dr. Frankenstein’s laboratory…Either that or an execution chamber. Both were equal possibilities, and neither one was promising.

I shook my head a little as it hung forward, my mind clouded and heavy, my thoughts blurred and confused. Bits and pieces of what had happened slowly slipped back into place and I groaned again, remembering. Deja vu can be such a bitch.

“Oh, god…Cordy?” I fought to lift my head, looking around, clenching my teeth as my eyes settled on the two figures in the corner of the room, both wearing pristine white lab coats and both staring at me with rapt interest.

“Where is she?” I demanded, my voice raspy, half of the words lost in my throat.

“Who are you looking for?” Professor Walsh asked, taking a step toward me and writing something on her clipboard. I fought the urge to levitate said board and smash it into the nearest wall. I would enjoy it, but it wouldn’t help my cause.

“Cordelia,” I ground out, glaring at her.

Walsh blinked once before looking back at the other doctor.

“Human girl at the scene,” he mumbled, flipping through a few papers. “Your boys left her behind.”

I let out a deep sigh. At least that was one thing working in our favor. I was glad to not have to worry about Cordy.

“I doubt she survived the attack,” he added a moment later, and Walsh turned back toward me, watching with amusement as my eyes widened.

My stomach churned and I fought the bile rising in my throat.

“You killed them,” I whispered, a shudder running through me as tears burned my eyes.

“Why does that concern you?” she asked, general curiosity in her voice. “They were demons. They were evil. They had no loyalty to you. Why should you feel for them?”

I simply shook my head. It would be an exercise in futility to explain compassion to a woman with no heart.

“You can’t understand,” I simply whispered, my head falling forward as a tear slid down my cheek.

“We’re not that different, you and I, Ms. Rosenberg,” she stated, pacing back and forth, her eyes looking toward the bright ceiling. I snorted in response. It wasn’t the most elegant retort, but it communicated my disgust well enough.

“You were so eager to learn from me before. I’m surprised at the change in attitude. It’s really rather disappointing.”

“That was before I knew that you were a megalomaniac out to destroy the world,” I mumbled, not looking toward her.

“Quite the contrary, Ms. Rosenberg,” she replied, before clenching her teeth. I could see that I was beginning to get to her. I just wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or not. “You and I share the same goal…To save innocents. We have different tactics, but I believe that the ultimate goal is the same, no matter how misguided you may be.”

“You think that I’m misguided? You slaughtered innocent HALF-demons, you put a chip in a vampire’s head to slowly starve him, and you’ve got me trussed up to a chair like a lab rat, but you think that I’M misguided? I could be wrong here, a-and maybe it’s the massive amount of drugs that you’ve pumped into me talk’n, but I’m pretty sure that if you look up misguided in the dictionary, you’d see a picture of your smug face right there!”

In hindsight, that may not have been the best moment for my outburst. Before she could say anything in response, there was a loud pounding on the door.

“I’m in the middle of an interrogation!” she shouted, clearly ruffled by my small rant. “I’ve specifically stated that…” The door flew open. “Adam,” she cooed, moving toward him.

“Mother,” he growled, looking at his arm as she inspected a large gash before glancing up toward me, a creepy smile spreading across his face. “Sister.”

Oh goody. A family reunion.

~*~

“Willow! Cordy!”

“They’re gone. Cordy, she…”

“Keep looking, Doyle. They might still be…”

“Look around ya, Angel! Ain’t noth’n left here alive! They’ve been slaughtered. They couldn’t have…”

“Keep look’n! Willow! Wil-Over here!”

“Spike, what is it? What did you…Is that…”

“The ambassador. He’s still…”

“What happened? Who…”

“The Initiative. I’m sorry…We…I…My fault. I thought…My clan…Gone, and your girl…the witch. They have her. I’m…I’m so…”

“Angel! Doyle!”

“Cordy? Oh god, you’re alive! I thought…”

“I know…I…Willow! Angel, they have Willow.”

“I know.”

“We’re going to Sunnydale, now. We are getting her back and then we are take’n them down.”

“Spike, you can’t…”

“Don’t give a damn about the chip. I’ll do what it takes, even if…”

“Oh! Spike, oh…oh! Willow found a way…a way to stop the chip. She had a printout, in her room!”

“Cordy wait! We don’t…”

“Here! It’s right here. She…she was so excited to show you. She…”

“It’s alright, Cordelia. We’ll get her back.”

“This…This looks fairly simple, Spike. I’m know a shaman across town, might be will’n to…”

“Let’s go. Get this finished, once and for all.”

~Part: 19~

"You're sure you wanna do this?"

"Yes. We've waited long enough, but Riley, you don't have to help us. You've already done so much. It'll be easier with you, but I'll do it without, if you don't think-"

"Buffy, I'm in."

"Thank you. Okay, so you take the main entrance, disabling the elevator. I'll take the south entrance, Giles and Xander will be at the north. That should cover things pretty well, right?"

"Right. I've got the security system rigged. It should buy us a good ten to fifteen minutes of time. Get in, get whatever info you can and get out."

"In and out; got it. Xander, you and Giles ready?"

"Check."

"Wait for my signal."

"Roger that. Ready and waiting."

"Okay, let's go."

~*~

"This is it? You're sure?"

"You think I'd forget something like this, Angel? I'm sure."

"Well, maybe the mojo that guy performed on your head scrambled your brain cells, and-"

"Maybe I should test it out on you. He said it would take a day or two for the magic to work, but a little headhead wouldn't-"

"Spike!"

"As if you could-"

"Cordy!"

"What, I'm just saying..."

"Guys, it's kind of a now or never sorta deal."

"Doyle's right. Let's go."

"We don't even have a plan! Shouldn't we have a plan? I mean, seriously, we go charging in without a plan and...Guys? Guys? You're gonna just walk right in, just like that? Hey! Wait for me!"

~*~

I held my breath as Adam stepped closer, looming over me and cocking his head to the side, regarding me with curious interest.

"Sister," he said in a low voice.

I rolled my eyes, fighting back my fear. "Could we stop with the creepy names? I'm not your sister." Yuck.

The monster gave me a confused look before glancing back at Professor Walsh.

"She doesn't understand her place in this," she told him, "but she will."

"What is there to understand?" he asked. "We were created for a purpose, and that purpose must be realized."

"Yes, but I'm afraid that Willow needs a bit more persuasion to see things our way."

"You can persuade until you're blue in the face, lady," I barked, struggling against my bonds for a moment and then slowing down, feeling dizzy and dazed. Stupid mad scientist's drugs. "I won't be...seeing...anything..."

"Your powers have been growing, yes?" Professor Walsh watched as I nodded. "Why do you think that is?"

Was she kidding? Pop quiz, now?

"We introduced certain chemicals into your system which have allowed you to reach a higher potential more quickly. It is because of me that you have become more powerful."

It was as if the woman had never heard of Dr. Frankenstein. I mean, seriously. She'd been in Sunnydale for how long, and yet she still didn't see where this was going?

"If you think that you can control me?"

"I know that I can. Hostile 17 is not the only one that we gifted with an experimental chip."

~*~

"Damn it! Why isn't this code...Oh, hey man."

"Riley. Thought you were taking time off, leaving town for a little while."

"Yeah, well, vacation got cut short."

"Yeah, with the re-capture of Hostile 24, and Hostile 17 still on the loose, I guess we're all working double time."

"Re-capture?"

"Yeah. You didn't hear? Hostile 24 was caught in L.A, brought in last night."

"Is she okay?"

"What? Is she okay? Dude, it's a hostile. Who cares how it is? You ask me, the only good hostile is a dead hostile. That little bitch has caused more trouble than she's-Ow! You broke my - OMPH!"

"What was that you were saying?" Silence. "That's what I thought. Shit, I need to get this code...What the hell? How did I trip the alarm? I didn't...shit! Buffy? Come in, Buffy."

~*~

"Are you sure this is right, Spike?"

"This is the way I came out, so this should be the way back in."

"In theory, but..."

"Just give me a minute to figure out-"

"I think blondie here has got us totally lost in these crappy little army caves."

"Cordy, don't lean against the walls like that. You don't know what you might-"

"Hey! If I wanna lean against the wall while Spike-"

"What the hell is that?"

"I didn't do it!"

"Great, it's an alarm. No more time for guessing. We go this way. Now."

~*~

"Did he say right or left? Right or left? Einey-meany-miney...Shit! I didn't do it! I...Riley? Riley, are you there? Xander, can you here me? How did the alarm...Riley? Stupid walky-talky thing."

~*~

My eyes widened as I felt the blood drain from my face. "What do you mean?"

"There are ways, Ms. Rosenberg, to ensure your cooperation in our operation. Not all behavior modification chips work the same way. I can very easily bring you around to our way of thinking."

I shook my head. "No. You can't mess with free will like that! You're not a god."

"No, I'm not," she agreed, "but I'm a damn fine substitute."

Before I could even contemplate the insanity of what she'd just said, the overhead lights clicked off, red warning lights flashing as a loud siren began to sound.

"What's going on?" Professor Walsh demanded, turning to a soldier at the door.

"Breach in security, Ma'am," he told her, turning and hurrying away, weapon raised.

"Spike," I whispered, closing my eyes for a moment, letting out a sigh. He'd come for me. I knew he would. He-

"The slayer," the other doctor said, looking up at a security monitor.

"What? Are you sure? Buffy was-" Professor Walsh stopped as the signal went out, the screen going black. Had it really been Buffy? I didn't see her. How...Why would she?

"Ma'am, we have intruders at both the north and south end, and all escape hatches have been sealed off."

"Find them. Bring them back alive, if possible, but remember that the slayer is strong and tricky. Do not underestimate her."

"Buffy?" I pulled at the straps holding me down. "Oh, god, you have to let me out of here."

"I don't think so, Ms. Rosenberg. We have a lot more to discuss."

"Mother, perhaps we should move to a more secured area," Adam suggested.

"That is a good idea, Adam. Doctor, call in Alpha A Squad, have them escort Hostile 24 to Security Unit 4. Be sure that she is not intercepted by the intruders."

"Yes, Professor Walsh," the little weasel of a doctor responded, hurrying out of the room.

~*~

"I'm worried. That alarm has been going off for almost two minutes, Giles, and I can't get a hold of Buffy or Riley. Maybe we should go in."

"We'll need to prop the door with something to be sure that it remains open. Hurry. We need to find Buffy or Willow as soon as possible."

~*~

My eyes rolled back as I watched the bright lights whiz by, hearing the wheels of the gurney squeal out of rhythm with the stomping of the soldiers' boots.

"Hey, guys, maybe we could-"

"Quiet," one of them barked. "Alpha A to Alpha B. Alpha A to Alpha B, over."

"I was just thinking that-"

"I said to shut up!" he shouted before speaking into the walkie-talkie again. "This is Alpha A leader, reporting transfer of Hostile 24 to Security Unit 4, over."

"You don't have to do this," I whimpered, still struggling in vain against the tight bonds. Before I saw it coming, the soldier brought the back of his fist down, connecting with my left cheek, my head turning sharply as pain radiated through my head.

"Dude! What the hell? She's just a-"

"Hostile, Agent Brown. Let's not forget that."

~*~

"This door isn't opening. Why the hell isn't this door...Riley!"

"Buffy! They have Willow. I don't know where she is, but they know we're here and we need to get out, now."

"I know, but there were soldiers that way, and this door is-Did you say that Willow is here? I thought that..."

"Stand back."

"What are you doing?"

"Disengaging the lock. There, that should...It's still not opening. Why isn't it-"

"Look out!"

"What are you...Buffy, you can't just ram the door down. It's solid...Okay, maybe you can. Buffy!"

"Agent Finn!"

~*~

I vaguely heard a banging noise behind the screeching sirens as we stopped for a moment. My head was throbbing and everything was drifting further and further away as I desperately struggled to hold onto consciousness.

"Someone's on the other side of the...Agent Finn! Stand down. You are in direct violation of-"

The sounds of fighting erupted around me as I twisted my head back and forth, trying to see what was going on.

"Willow!" Was that Buffy? It sounded like...but it couldn't be. She wasn't...

"Willow!" Xander?

Turning my head the other way, I felt the gurney give a jolt before I was pushed through a doorway. It stopped again on the other side and I lifted my head up just enough to see someone punching numbers into a keypad, the door quickly snapping shut, the sounds of the fight dying away.

"Oh, god, where are you taking me? Please, let me...What are you doing." After pushing me a little further down the corridor, the soldier stopped, pulling out a knife. I watched for a moment, my sluggish mind unable to conjure a single good idea as I saw the bright flashing lights reflect off of the shiny metal. The soldier's hair was rumpled and dirty, the area between his eyes and around his nose puffy, turning black and blue. He's obviously been in a recent fight.

"W-what are you doing?"

"Finishing this," he told me. "You've already caused too much trouble."

"But I, you can't..." Before I could say more, his arm came down, swift and strong, the long blade of his knife sliding easily into my stomach. Pulling it out, his hand rose again, bringing the sharp metal back down two more times, slicing into me easily before I screamed, feeling blood seep out, soaking my shirt.

Stepping back, he regarded me with cool hatred for a moment, before spitting on the ground next to me.

"The only good hostile is a dead hostile," he mumbled before turning and marching away.

~Part: 20~

I was dying and I knew it. There wasn't anything grand or epic about it. I didn't suddenly understand the meaning of my existence, I didn't run toward a big, white light, and I didn't see my life flash before my eyes. It doesn't work that way. At least, it didn't for me. I only died the one time, so I can't speak for everyone, but for me, it was different. I was aware of two things…the fact that I was dying, and the fact that I was alone. I could hear fighting, yelling, pounding…but it was distant. It was in another world, another reality, and it no longer mattered to me. The only thing that mattered, I mean really mattered, was the fact that my life was drifting off, seeping out and ending, with every slowing heartbeat.

And I was terrified.

It wasn't fair. I was aware of that, too. After spending years fighting demons on the hell mouth, to be brought down by a mere man…No, strike that, a boy…A scared boy with a sharp toy…It was wrong. It was humiliating and infuriating and wrong. I was better than that. I deserved a more heroic death, surrounded by loving friends and having the knowledge that my life, and my death, meant something.

But that wasn't how it worked out.

~*~

"She's in there, just beyond the door. I can feel her. I can…She's hurt. Her blood, it's…You can smell it too, right? She's hurt. She's…"

"Spike, stop. It's probably a trap."

"Don't care. I'm going to get my girl."

"Don't be stupid."

"Uh, I don't think he has a choice in the matter."

"Cordy ..."

"What? I'm just saying…"

"You might not care about the witch, Angelus, but I do. Not going to let her die in some filthy-"

"Don't assume for a second that Willow does not mean anything to me."

"Uh, guys, are we gonna stand here and argue all night or are we gonna break down this door and walk into the big trap set up on the other side?"

Angel and Spike both stared at each other for a long moment, before turning, nodding and running toward the door, hitting it with every bit of strength they had.

"Trap it is."

"Willow !" I heard his voice, distant and unreal. I tried to turn my head and look, but everything was a blur and my mind refused to focus on any one thing.

"Willow ! Look at me!"

"She's in shock, man." Doyle? Was that Doyle? Maybe I wasn't imagining that Spike was there. If the rest of them were-

"Spike, be careful. She's hurt." Angel! It was Angel; I was sure of it.

I moaned as I felt someone move me, cool arms wrapping around my numb body. Straining and pulling at every bit of energy I had left, I turned and looked toward the blond vampire hovering over me.

"I'm sorry," I whispered.

"Sorry? Why would you-"

"I wasn't strong enough."

Cradling my cheek, Spike turned my face a little more toward him. "You're still alive, aren't you?"

I laughed bitterly, though it came out as more of a hoarse cough. Turning my head again, I let my hair fall back, baring my neck to him.

"Willow ," Angel warned.

"Please, do it," I whispered, my voice cracking, my spirit broken.

"No!" Spike shouted. "You will die when I say it's time, and now is NOT that time! You will not fade away in this place. When it's time, you will be warm, in my bed, and feel only the most wonderful sensations. Do you understand me?"

"It's too late," I sobbed.

"It's not," he told me, his voice fierce and promising. I wanted to believe him. I really did, but he didn't understand. He didn't know.

"Spike!" Angel yelled, pulling at the younger vampire's attention. Spike followed Angel's gaze as his eyes settled on my stomach, where my blood-soaked hand was clutched tightly.

Gently pulling my palm away, Angel lifted the hem of my shirt up a few inches, revealing several long, deep gashes across my abdomen. Quickly putting pressure on the wound, he listened carefully to my slowing heartbeat.

He knew.

"Spike, she's dying," he whispered, just loud enough for the blond vampire to hear.

"No!" Spike yelled, shaking his head furiously and pulling my body a bit closer. "She's not! She can't! Red, pet, you can't leave me."

"Please," I whispered, again baring my neck to him. "Don't let it end here. Make me like you. Keep me with you, forever."

"I can't," he sobbed. "The chip, the pain, it's not ready yet. We need more time. I can't…"

My eyes drifted closed and I felt my breathing became more harsh and ragged. A moment later, he lifted his head, his pleading gaze boring into Angel. I forced my eyes open again, watching, waiting.

"No! Spike, I can't. Don't ask me to…"

"Ask him to do what?" Cordelia questioned softly.

"Turn the girl," Doyle explained.

"No! Angel, you can't even think that-" Before she could finish, Doyle pulled her back, knowing that now was not the time to interfere.

"Spike, think about it. She would be my childe. She would belong to me, first and foremost, and you know what that would mean," Angel insisted.

"I know, but she would still be here, with me; she would be a part of our bloodline. I can't lose her, Angel. I can't. If we had a little more time, but the chip, I can't…"

"This is not a good idea," Cordelia insisted, looking intently at Doyle. "Angel drinks from her, there's no going back. He's tasted human blood, and you know that-"

"I know, Cordy, but it's not our choice to make," he insisted.

Hedging a bit close, Angel eyed Spike carefully. "Are you sure you want this?"

Spike closed his eyes for a moment, listening to the dying heartbeat. "Do it," he whispered. "Please, just do it."

My eyes widened a little as I saw a tear slip down his cheek. Turning back toward me, he shook his head.

"I'm sorry I can't be the one. It's the only way."

I understood.

A moment later, I felt Angel pull Spike away, settling me against his own strong frame, and I could feel the blond watching as the older vampire gently tilted my neck to the side and leaned down, licking lightly at my throat before suddenly morphing into his true face and sinking his fangs into my flesh. I was too numb to really feel anything, closing my eyes as the world drifted away. He drank for only a few moments before pulling back and biting into his own wrist, holding the fresh wound against my lips, rubbing the back of my neck and murmuring things I didn't understand, encouraging me to drink until my last breath. I did as he asked, feeling my soul slowly pull away, drifting up until I was looking down, an outsider looking in. It was no longer my body, no longer my life. I was a voyeur, watching as the band played on.

Standing up, Angel turned yellow eyes toward his friends. "We need to get her out of here, now, before someone finds us."

"The entrance that we came in should be right back up the tunnel," Cordy told him. "The door should still be open."

Spike reached out for the body, pulling back as he heard a low growl emanate from his sire. "Mine," Angel stated in a low, deadly voice, his demon currently in control. "I'll carry her."

"She's still my girl," Spike argued. "I can-" Before he could say more, he was cut off by another warning growl, and simply watched as Angel stood, holding the precious bundle carefully in his arms.

"Don't think that-"

"In here!" a man shouted from behind the door blocking the other entrance of the room.

"Oh, god, Angel…"

"We need to get out of here now, before…"

There was no more time for talking, no more time for thinking or planning or plotting. With one loud blast, the door broke open, several soldiers running in, weapons raised.

"Stop, right there!" one of them shouted.

Hiding his face against the body in his arms, Angel inched back toward the door, Spike next to him, Cordelia and Doyle already running back through the tunnel.

"Put the girl down and your hands up! Now!"

"Can't do that," Angel mumbled.

"That's Hostile 17," another soldier pointed out, gesturing toward Spike. "Walsh said that we should-"

"Get a thorough ass kicking."

Hearing the familiar, female voice from behind the soldiers, Angel raised his head, demon visage in full view as the soldiers looked back, seeing the slayer standing behind them. Before they had a chance to react, she jumped up, grabbing onto a pipe above her and kicking out both feet, knocking one of the men back and onto the ground. Two more attacked, one of which she easily punched, feeling a satisfying crunch of bone beneath her fist. The second soldier caught her in the stomach, pushing her back before she made a counter-movement, locking her arms around his neck.

"Slayer," Spike growled, catching her attention.

Looking up, Buffy was shocked to see the two vampires, and more importantly, the girl in Angel's arms with the twin puncture wounds on her neck.

"Angel?" Seeing that the slayer was distracted, the rest of the soldiers attacked and Spike saw their chance.

"Let's go, now!"

"Buffy, she's-"

"-the slayer. She can handle herself against a few frat boys, yeah?"

Not giving it further thought, Angel turned with the other vampire and ran, never loosening his grip on the girl in his arms.

Once they were home, Angel headed straight to his room, placing his new childe carefully on his bed before turning toward Spike, who was pacing like a caged lion.

"Spike, I know that this is hard, but you just have to be strong, and-"

"Don't tell me about being strong! I'll show you who's-"

"Get away from her!" Spinning around, Angel was in full game face, snarling at Cordelia as she slowly backed away from the bed. "What the hell were you doing touching her?" he growled.

The young woman held her hands up, palms out, tears filling her eyes. "I was just, I wanted to…She looked so uncomfortable with her head tilted like that and her…I just wanted to make her more comfortable. I swear, that's all I wanted. She just looked so…so…"

Moving quickly, Doyle rushed to her side and wrapped an arm around the crying brunette. "S'all right, Cordy. Angel here is just a little over-protective and out of sorts at the moment."

"I'm sorry," Angel mumbled, running a hand through his hair. An awkward silence fell over the room and eventually everyone but the blond vampire quietly left.

Kneeling down next to the bed, Spike took a pale, lifeless hand in his as he watched her chest, half believing that if he waited long enough he would see the rise and fall of her gentle breathing. He sat there for hours, alone, as I watched from somewhere high above and out of reach.

Finally hearing the small group heading toward the room, Spike looked up and watched as they entered, Cordelia hot on Angel's heels.

"Is this the best idea?" she asked. "Do you even know that it will work?"

Angel turned sharply and glared at her. "For the last time, Cordy, the spell works, and we are using it." Spinning back around, he moved to a shelf and pulled out an old book, flipping through it.

"I'm just saying that magic is a crazy, wonky kinda thing. The only one of us with any real experience is Willow, and she's kinda indisposed at the moment."

I could see suspicion creep across Spike's features as he slowly pulled himself to his feet, stepping toward his sire.

"What type of spell are we talking about?"

At that question, Angel paused in his actions and looked at the blond. "A soul restoration spell."

Clenching his fists at his sides, Spike ground his teeth, feeling the demon surge forward. "You will NOT put one of those in my girl," he ground out.

"This isn't your decision," Angel told him.

"Like hell it's not!"

"Think about it, Spike. Think about Willow , your Willow . Would she have wanted to be an evil, soulless thing? Will she even be the same without a soul? Will she still be your girl?" He had a good point. I would have given him a pat on the back, had I been more than a floaty soul without any arms…or legs for that matter.

Spike heard the words, and knew the truth of them all too well, but anger and grief are wonderful deterrents from rational thought, and at that moment, Spike was high on both of them.

"You put a soul in her, I'll shag it out first chance I get," he threatened.

Angel sighed. "It doesn't work that way. Anyway, the spell I'm looking for doesn't have the clause."

Cordelia's eyes widened at that news. "You know of a spell without the clause? Why haven't you used it on yourself?"

"I deserve my punishment," he informed her, his voice barely audible. " Willow doesn't."

"Well that's all noble and martyr-ish and whatever, but what about us? Do we deserve to be ripped apart by Angelus every time you get a happy?"

Finally finding the book, Angel opened up to the correct page and pulled out a piece of paper and a pen, writing a few ingredients down and handing the list to Doyle.

"This is everything we will need. I have it all in my office. Gather it together. We'll do this now, before she wakes up."

Stepping up until he was nearly nose-to-nose with his sire, Spike growled. "You are NOT doing that spell."

"Step away from me, boy. I AM doing this," Angel replied, his eyes flashing gold.

"Uh, guys?" Cordelia attempted to interrupt.

"Over my dusted body," Spike challenged.

"Don't make this more difficult than it has to be, Spike," Angel told him. "She is my childe now."

"Guys, I really think that…" Cordelia again tried to gain their attention.

"You mighty bastard! This isn't even about her!" Spike shouted.

"What are you talking about?"

"This is about you! This is about you being the only poor, pathetic, vampire with a soul, so you want to create another one, make you less alone."

"Spike, you don't know what you're-"

"Guys!" Cordelia shouted as loud as possible, finally grabbing their attention. Both vampires turned golden eyes toward her. "Is this really the time to argue about that?" They followed her gesture as she pointed toward the slight redhead laid out on the mattress. Both Angel and Spike gaped as they saw a few fingers begin to twitch.

"She shouldn't be waking up already," Angel stated. "It's been less than a day."

"That's my girl," Spike murmured. "Already strong."

"Alright, Cordy and Doyle, go home. You're taking a few days off."

"Don't have to tell me twice," Cordelia stated.

Stepping up to Angel, Doyle asked in a quiet tone, "You want me to do the spell for you?"

Angel ran a hand through his hair, thinking as he watched Spike kneel down by the bed again, holding onto a pale hand. Finally, he nodded. "Take what you need and do it as soon as you get home."

"You gonna be alright here?" Doyle questioned, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah, I'll be fine. Just get that spell done." At that, he turned and addressed the blond vampire. "Spike, you need to leave."

"You don't really think that-"

"Now!" he growled. "She's going to be wild when she wakes and I don't need you here making things more difficult than they will already be. She needs to understand that I'm her sire, now. You being here will only complicate things."

"There's no way in hell I'm leaving, Angelus."

Walking up to the blond, Angel slowly reached out, gripping the back of his child's neck gently but firmly, pulling his face closer to his own. "I know you're worried, Spike, but believe me when I say that this will be easier for everyone if you stay away until she's ready." Spike opened his mouth to reply, but before he could utter a word, Angel's lips crashed down on his, devouring him in a searing kiss. Just as quickly as it began, it ended, leaving Spike standing before his sire, a dazed look on his face. I knew how he felt. If I'd had a body at that moment it would have been tingling and hot all over.

"I promise, as soon as she's ready, you'll be able to see her," the older vampire assured him before Spike finally, reluctantly retreated from the room, leaving Angel alone with his new childe.

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