Where’s the Doctor – Chapter Nine

Title: Where’s the Doctor?
Rating: PG at most
Pairing: Spike/Buffy

Summary: Some time ago, I wrote a short fic called Who’s the Doctor?. It was an AU version of “As You Were” that involved some characters from the recent seasons of Doctor Who. I’m having problems categorizing the current fic, because it’s a prequel from the Doctor’s point of view and a sequel from Buffy and Spike’s. As far as BTVS is concerned, it’s during or after an AU Season 6 where Spuffy is a happy reality and all the characters get along, more or less. In the Whoverse, it takes place during Tom Baker’s reign, when he was traveling with Leela.

Chapter One is here.

Chapter 9

Spike caught up with Buffy just outside the restaurant. “Slayer, calm down.”

She turned to face him. “If you can stop drooling over jungle girl for a minute and realize how serious this is…”

“Jealous, Slayer? It wasn’t long ago that you were hoping a lady might come along in a leather leotard and catch my eye. Or so you said.” He shoved her back against the wall. “But you know very well I’m a one-virago man.”

She let herself be pulled into his arms. “Spike, if Ethan figures out Dawn is the Key…”

“He won’t. No one will. I won’t let them.” His grip was almost too tight. “Don’t worry, love. I’ll help you protect Dawn.”

Sometimes, he really didn’t understand how big the problem was. “I know you will. But I can’t help worrying about her, and worrying about you trying to protect her and getting yourself captured and not staying put so I didn’t know you were safe when I came to rescue you…”

He pulled away for a moment and she realized he was staring at her. She wished she could see as well as he could in the dark, but suddenly she didn’t need to. She knew that he would be wearing that stunned expression he got when he realized that she really did care about him. She pulled him close again, holding him as fiercely as he had embraced her a moment before.

“Love…” was all he said, but she heard the quiver in his voice. She tried to respond, but the words caught in her throat the way they always did, and she hoped he knew they were there, in her heart, for him.

Of course, that realization wouldn’t keep him from risking himself to save Dawn. Not that she would want him to, but… “It’s hard enough loving one person. Why do I have to love so many?”

He took her face in his hands and kissed her gently. “Because that’s who you are.”

Leela, her need for meat assuaged, was giving the waffles a second chance. “Doctor, what does this Key open?”

He looked up from coloring in a map of the United States. “I’m not sure. If it is anything like the Key to Time, it can break down the barriers between dimensions.”

“So using the Key could cause all worlds to exist in one place?” She finished her coffee and tried Spike’s only to find it loaded with sugar.

“Yes, only a madman would try to use it.” He tried to decide on the proper color for Idaho.

She scowled. “It seems to me that only a madman would create such a thing in the first place. Why would you make something that could destroy everything, including yourself?”

The Doctor opened his mouth and left it agape for a moment, as if he were searching for an answer. But before he could say anything, Buffy was at his side.

“You’ve told me what you know.” Her face was calm. Whatever had upset her, she was back in control. “Now, tell me what you can find out. I’m sure you’ve got a fierce research mode.”

He stood up. “I may be able to use the TARDIS to track down traces of whatever energy Rayne was using to search for the Key.”

“Then let’s go to the TARDIS.”

Chapter Ten

Originally posted at http://seasonal-spuffy.livejournal.com/299542.html