fic From These Seeds (Chapter 5)

This entry is part 5 of 11 in the series From These Seeds
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Title: From These Seeds (Chapter 5)
Rating:
R to NC-17 mostly for violence, some non-con and allusions to rape, very, very dark in places.
Summary: Angelus decides to take Buffy back to the mansion to begin his revenge upon the Slayer who made him feel human. Captive Buffy gets a close-up introduction to this dysfunctional vampiric “family” that gives her new insight into Angel(us) as well as Spike.
Will Spike be able to sit back and watch this Slayer he grudgingly respects be destroyed by the same vampire who created the tragic mess that is Dru?
Can two enemies, now vulnerable to the greater evil of Angelus, become allies and maybe something more?
Setting: S2 goes AU toward the end of “Innocence”.
Disclaimers: Joss Whedon, ME, WB, Fox are the sole owners of all aspects of “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” and “Angel”. Thanks to Joss; he allows us to play in his sandbox. I derive no compensation for these flights of fancy. The story concept is my “creation”, as is all dialogue not in the original story scripts. Some dialogue from episodes, (specifically Innocence, Passion, Becoming parts 1 and 2) at times altered for my purposes.

~*~
Chapter 5
~*~

Spike was startled at the blank look on the Slayer’s face when he returned to the mansion. The Watcher had fixed him up with a few pints of hospital toss-away and Spike was feeling the benefits. Buffy may not be short on blood, but her spirit was in tatters from the looks of her.

She was still naked and there was no question why she had been screaming earlier. Her bloody thighs spoke volumes.

Spike was a vampire, and evil, but he drew the line at rape. He felt his anger rise at the sight of the girl in this condition. Over the twenty years that Angelus had traveled with Spike and Dru, Angelus had used rape as one of his favored tools when seeking to dominate or to torture. The damage done went beyond the physical and took a toll on the psyche of the victim that time never fully healed.

Spike’s attitude about rape was a matter of pride and loyalty, rather than good and evil. His loyalties had kept him true to Dru and she had been his first. His pride rebelled at the idea of forcing himself on a partner. He preferred to think that, if he so chose, he could find himself welcomed in a lady’s bed using only his charms and talents.

Spike rolled towards the Slayer and sought to attract her attention by snapping his fingers under her downcast face. “Slayer! Buffy! You all right, luv? Not gone all barmy, have you?” He sighed when she didn’t respond. Her quick wit and ebullient personality that led to quips and puns in the face of death had been one of her many endearing traits, in Spike’s opinion. He hated the idea that Angelus had damaged that part of her already.

“Come on, girl, buck up. Not sayin’ what’s been done isn’t important, mind, but you’ve got to survive it first and deal later. Can’t let the bugger win this fast.”

Buffy turned her tear streaked face up towards Spike and drew in a tremulous breath. “He’s not going to win, he’s going to dust.”

“That’s the spirit, luv!” Spike reached up a hand and brushed off some of the still glistening tears from her lashes. “For what it’s worth, he’s only touched your body, pet, not you… not the real you. You’re the only one can let him touch that.”

Spike tilted his head and studied the girl. “You in much pain? Think I could find something the previous owner may have had about if you are.”

“Why are you acting like you care, Spike?” Buffy gasped out. She had spent enough time in this nest of vampires to know that Angel had been right when he had told her that there was no good to be found in vampires without souls. Spike had to be up to something to pretend nicer attitudes, to having emotions of sorts.

“Not really sure why I care. Just seems wrong’s all. Rather see you full strength and fightin’, not tricked, trapped and defeated.” Spike was also not comfortable with the emotions seeing the Slayer in this state were causing within himself, but he wasn’t about to admit that part to her.

“Speaking of our significant others, any idea where they’ve scampered off to?”
Spike had noticed that Angelus and Dru were missing as soon as he had returned from the Watcher orchestrated feeding.

Convincing the Watcher that he needed to be healing a bit if he was going to be able to help in getting Buffy free had taken more than a little work on Spike’s part. Buffy’s screams coming from the mansion were clearly driving her Watcher to the brink of premature action.

“They took that blue demon and headed out as soon as the sun set. I think they’re going to let him loose on the people of Sunnydale. My guess is you aren’t invited to the coming out party,” Buffy snarked.

“Any idea where they were headed, love?” Spike inquired.

“I think I heard Angelus mention the mall, but I don’t think you can wheel yourself there in time for the festivities.”

Spike wheeled himself to the phone and began to dial. “No, but I know a few party crashers that might make it in time to spice things up.”
~~~

“Yes, yes. I fully understand that you cannot be certain of the target.” Giles rolled his eyes and continued, “No, of course you won’t be blamed if the information isn’t spot on. Yes, yes, we read all of that in the Chronicles. ‘No weapon forged by man…’ We have that well covered. Right then. Are you quite certain that she’s all right?” Giles sighed deeply. “Of course that’s a matter of differing opinion. She is physically sound, however? Well, then, we shall take care of this problem and then get her out of there. You are certain there aren’t too many guards there at the moment, because, frankly, I would rather free Buffy and deal with this Judge later if it is feasible…Drat!” Giles hung up the telephone and turned to the gathered Scoobies.

“I say we just bust in there, kill all the vamps and get Buffy out!” Xander was livid when Giles related what he had discovered to the group. He had called a Scooby meeting at the Summers house that evening and emotions were running high.

“You can’t tell me you plan to trust that evil bloodsucker? Spike’s only tried to kill Buffy how many times?” Xander was unable to understand why anyone, let alone the Watcher, was willing to listen to a word Spike said.

“No, of course I don’t trust him. I followed him back and verified everything he said. Naturally he won’t be any part of the rescue team, but at least we know where Buffy is and that she is still alive.” Giles sighed deeply and worried about how he could prevent Xander from going off half-cocked and ruining any chance of saving Buffy. “Spike may be of help from the inside until we are properly prepared to effect an assault that has a chance of succeeding. That is what we want, Xander: success.”

Cordy was talking to Jenny in the corner, begging the gypsy to do a disinvite on her car. “I know I’ve given Angel rides before. The last thing I need is him coming after me while I’m getting in the car at the mall or something.”

“Yes,” Willow said snidely, “Can’t have your shopping trips ruined by a hungry vamp in your car. Meanwhile, what about Buffy?”

“You’re just upset over those stupid fish,” Cordy said dismissively. “This is important. I practically live in that car!”

“I’m sure I can do a disinvite for all the private places Angel has had access to, Cordelia. Don’t worry about it.” Jenny wanted to roll her eyes along with Willow, but there was some validity in the cheerleader’s concerns. It was more likely that Angelus would go after those closest to Buffy first and that meant Cordy was safe for a time at least.

Jenny moved closer to Giles and whispered that she wanted to speak to him privately, away from the all too observant Scoobies. “I have an idea, but I’ll need your help. I really don’t want to involve the children in case things go terribly wrong.”

“These ‘children’ are more capable than you are giving them credit for, Jenny. Xander has even come up with the ideal way of ridding us of this Judge creature. I’m sure anything you may be planning can be shared with the group,” Giles suggested.

Jenny decided to trust Giles’ judgement and told the group, “I’m planning to try to re-ensoul Angel. I got the idea when I picked up the sage for the disinvite spells. I got the supplies at the Dragon Cove Magic Shop and the owner had several Orbs of Thesulah in the case behind the counter. They sell them as paper weights! I think I can translate the original curse from the fragments I’ve pieced together. If we can put Angel’s soul back, he’ll let Buffy go.”

“You can do that?” Xander looked less than joyful at the idea of Angel getting off with no punishment for all the chaos he had caused. “Just shove the soul back in and all’s forgiven?”

Giles looked at the peeved teen and offered the wisdom of maturity. “Sometimes you need to forgive, not because it is deserved, but because it is necessary…for all concerned.”

Jenny added, “My people have a saying. Actually, lots of cultures have the same saying, often with the same words. At any rate, they say before seeking revenge, go dig two graves. That means holding onto vengeful thoughts and plans hurts you as much as the person you hate. You are far too young for that kind of bitterness, Xander.”

“Besides, Angel was our friend and Buffy loved him. If we can fix him, he will be again,” Willow agreed. “This might be the fastest way to get Buffy home safe too.”

“You may wish to research a spell to take off magical enhancement that Angelus has apparently placed on the restraints he has placed upon Buffy. According to Spike, merely having a key will not release her.” Giles pulled out a book with relevant spells and handed it to Willow to place on the table for research.

“Might I suggest that you work on those spells, Jenny, while we deal with the Judge?” Giles was looking over the rocket launcher that the group had “liberated” from the local Army base the night before while he had followed Spike to the new nest. They had decided that they would take out the demon as soon as Angel brought him out to begin the carnage. They now had Spike’s information that the mall was the likely location for Angel to take the demon to begin his campaign.

“Don’t be glum, Xander,” Giles reassured the boy. “If the opportunity presents itself to remove Angel tonight, I won’t hesitate.”

Originally posted at http://seasonal-spuffy.livejournal.com/44101.html

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