Fic: Out of Reach – Chapter 3 (NC-17)

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This is just a preview of Chapter Three. It’s unbeta’d so please forgive the roughness of it. You’re about to find out just how good my beta’s are! Thanks to everyone who gave this story a chance. I had so much fun participating in seasonal_spuffy, and I hope if you liked the story you will look for the coming chapters on my LJ.

Title: Out of Reach
Author: Noelle
Season 6
Rating: NC-17
Genre: Amnesia
Pairing: Spike/Buffy
Summary: Goes AU from “Wrecked”. After an explosion, Buffy is left with no long-term memory. Until her memory comes back, she needs to learn what it is to be a slayer, and why she feels so drawn to the blond vampire.
Author’s Note: This is just an unbeta’d start of Chapter Three.

Chapter Three

Spike was surprised to arrive at the Magic Box before Buffy for their nightly patrol. It was three days since she’d joined him on patrol, and she was regaining her footing quickly. Not that he expected anything different; slaying was in her blood. Staking vampires was as instinctual to her as drinking blood was to him. It wasn’t something you ever forgot how to do.

Striding in through the back door, Spike was glad to see only Giles in the shop. He’d had just about enough of the Scoobies and their disapproving glares. Besides, he had a bone to pick with Giles and he’d rather not do it in front of the others.

“Seems Buffy’s running late,” Giles informed him. “She and Dawn spent the day at the mall doing some holiday shopping.”

Spike completely ignored him. “What else haven’t you told her?”

“I beg your pardon?” Giles asked, looking thoroughly confused by the abrupt change in subject.

“Have you told her anything at all about her life before?”

Giles glared at him, not liking his tone. “I don’t see how that is any of your concern.”

“It wouldn’t be any of my concern if you didn’t send her off with me every night. What, you think we just walk around in silence? You think she’s not asking me all sorts of questions?”

Giles obviously hadn’t thought of that. He’d assumed if Buffy had any questions she’d direct them at him, and he’d decide how much truth to tell her. “What has she asked you?”

Before Spike could respond, the front door chimed and Buffy, Xander, and Anya walked through. Noticing the tense body language, Buffy walked over to stand next to Spike. It bothered Giles to see that Buffy clearly felt more comfortable with Spike than anyone else. Maybe it hadn’t been his best idea that they spend so much time together.

“What’s going on?” she asked, looking up at the two of them. “Did something happen?”

“It’s nothing, pet. Just havin’ a talk with your watcher,” Spike assured her.

“Okay, well I’m sorry I’m late. The mall was a zoo and it took us forever to get out of the parking lot.”

“No worries. I’m sure the whelp’s terrible driving didn’t help.” He ignored Xander’s protests to the contrary. “All set?”

Buffy said good night to her friends who watched her exit with Spike’s hand on the small of her back, leading her out the back door.

“They’re chummy,” Xander observed, not sounding at all happy about it.

“Yes, quite,” Giles agreed, sounding as bothered as Xander.

*****

Hours later they’d only come across a handful of vampires. It was still relatively early, but Spike decided it would be best to walk Buffy home and finish the night by himself. Buffy wasn’t too happy with that idea, but she didn’t argue with him about it. Truth be told she was worn out from the hours of shopping she’d done all day. Dawn had dragged her from store to store in search of the perfect Christmas gifts for their friends.Fortunately, their time and effort paid off and they had gotten something for everyone.

Buffy had even suggested they buy something for Spike, which was obviously unexpected from the look on Dawn’s face.

Rounding the corner of Revello, Buffy felt Spike stop suddenly like he’d heard something. She hadn’t heard anything, but didn’t have time to wonder because in the next second Spike took off running. She ran after him, hearing what he must have heard before, a girl screaming, as they got closer to her house.

It was close to two in the morning, everyone in her house should have been fast asleep by now. Running up the front steps and through the open door, Buffy and Spike looked around to see where the screaming was coming from.

“Willow! Help me!” Dawn screamed from upstairs.

They flew up the stairs. Buffy peeked into Dawn’s room before following Spike into the master bedroom. Dawn was flat on her back on the floor with a demon on top of her. Willow was lying against the wall unconscious. Spike threw the demon off Dawn, crouching down to make sure the teen was all right. Buffy didn’t hesitate, looking around for a weapon while delivering a series of powerful punches and kicks to the demon’s head and midsection.

“Go lock yourself in your room,” Spike ordered Dawn, making sure she was out of the room before turning to help Buffy. She saw his face shift for the first time since her accident, and it didn’t faze or frighten her one bit. He threw the demon backward, straight into Buffy who hopped onto its back. Thrown off balance, the demon didn’t have time to lash out before Buffy was snapping its neck. It dropped to the floor with a thud.

“Buffy?” Dawn called out from her bedroom.

“It’s okay, Dawn. You can come out now,” Buffy called back.

“Oh, Buffy, I was so scared,” Dawn cried running into her arms. “I was asleep, and then I heard Willow yelling so I came in here and that demon was attacking her.”

Willow groaned from her spot on the floor, reminding them of her presence. Slowly regaining consciousness, she opened her eyes and sat up against the wall. “What happened?” she mumbled, still disoriented.

“That’s what we’d like to know,” Spike replied harshly. “Why the hell was a Turba demon attakin’ you?”

Willow looked insulted. “It’s not like he told me before he chased me into the house.”

Spike didn’t look satisfied with her answer, and Buffy wondered what he was thinking. She was the slayer. Demons probably attacked her home pretty often.

Buffy saw Dawn off to bed while Spike dragged the body out of the house. She was standing in the kitchen with two hot cups of tea when he came back. He was reluctant to sit with her, but finally relented after she pouted—couldn’t let perfectly good tea go to waste.

“Why don’t you stay here tonight?” she offered.

“Don’t think that’s the best idea, Slayer.”

“Why not? We have no clue why that Turban demon attacked. There could be others.”

“Turba. And you’re perfectly capable of handling it on your own,” he reminded her.

“I know that, but I think Dawn would feel a lot safer knowing we’re both here in case something happens.”

Buffy knew she had him when she mentioned Dawn. He got this protective look on his face, and nodded. She couldn’t help the twinge of jealousy that he would stay for Dawn and not her.

 

Originally posted at https://seasonal-spuffy.dreamwidth.org/316168.html

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