Chapter 31

Xander’s butt was getting numb. He’d been sitting on the back steps of the Summers' house for three hours, and he was still sore from the exertions of the night before. He shook his head to dispel the vivid memories, not wanting to lose focus. Spike, Angel, Buffy and three potentials were combing the nearby streets and woods, circling back to the house every so often to check in with Xander. There had been no sign of Dru or any other nasties. They had all long since burned through any adrenaline or excitement, and everyone was tense from the fruitless waiting. Xander stood and stretched. He walked up the stairs and into the kitchen, where Dawn was sitting at the table with Willow, drinking coffee. “No luck?” the witch asked. “Fuck, no,” Xander sighed, leaning against the wall dejectedly.

“I think this patrol is a bust,” Dawn said. She picked up the phone and called Buffy’s cell, telling her to gather the others and come back to the house. They were all perplexed and disappointed by Drusilla’s absence. They’d plotted and planned and prepared, all on the assumption that their target would have the decency to show up, and they were all more than a little edgy. Dawn’s snappishness had finally encouraged Jase to take Sara into the den to watch a video, and the only reason she and Willow were able to sit together was that they’d called a silent truce when they realized that not only were they getting on each other’s nerves, they were getting on their *own* nerves.

The back door flew open and bounced off the wall behind it. Spike stalked in with a murderous look on his face, and then turned and shouted back out the door, “Would you two just shut the fuck up already? One more soddin’ word and I *swear* I’ll kill you both!” He whirled and went to stare moodily into the refrigerator, looking for a beer. Angel and Buffy came in the door with abashed looks on their faces. They were shooting each other dirty looks, and Xander could tell that Spike had cut them off in the middle of an argument. Xander spent a few minutes pondering the safest course of action, and decided that sliding down to the floor to sit quietly was his best option. Spike finished glaring at the food and joined him on the floor, handing him a beer with a sigh. Buffy and Angel sat at the remaining seats at the kitchen table and exchanged foul looks. Willow and Dawn looked deeply into their coffee cups.

The heavy silence of the room was broken when Jase stuck his head in the door. “Dawn, I’m going to take Sara to the store and get some ice cream. Where are the keys?” Dawn looked up with a cross expression on her face, then sighed and ran a hand through her hair. She stood and walked to the door, digging the keys to the SUV out of her jeans pocket. She pressed them into her husband’s hand and kissed him lightly on the lips. “I’m sorry I was so bitchy, honey. We’re all on edge. Will you get a whole shitload of ice cream? And maybe some cookies?” He rubbed his hand over her hair and smiled at her, nodding. Spike drained his beer and pushed up off the floor. “I’ll go with you – no telling what’s out there.” He strode toward the door, then turned back to Xander and pulled him to his feet. The vampire kissed him gently. “We’ll be back soon, then we’ll figure this whole mess out, OK, luv?” Xander smiled and nodded, and Spike followed Jase out the door. Xander took a seat at the table and looked around at all of his friends. “This sucks,” he said.

Spike settled into the passenger seat of the SUV and buckled his seatbelt. Jase started the engine and eased out of the driveway. He glanced over at the vampire. “How are you holding up, Will?” he asked. Spike snorted. “Well, mate, I’d be a damn sight better if I could kill something.” Jase nodded. “I can understand that.” They drove in silence for a few moments, and then Jase cleared his throat and spoke hesitantly. “Will, if you don’t mind my asking, why is Dru after Xander? Is there some backstory that I don’t know?” Spike thought for a moment, and then began speaking. “Dru wants him because she wants him – because the stars told her to, or her dollies like him, or any number of insane reasons – doesn’t really matter. What matters is that she’s trying to follow Angelus’ old system, whereby she will stalk him, destroy everyone and everything he loves, drive him insane, and then turn him.”

“So, I’m right in being pretty glad I never met Angelus, huh?” Jase asked. “That you are,” Spike agreed. “I just want this to be over,” he sighed. “I just want Xan to be free of all of this.” They stopped at a red light, and Jase turned to face Spike. “Once he’s free, what happens?” he asked gently. Spike looked at him, and was struck by the similarities between Jase and William – it was almost like looking in a mirror, he thought. “Well, in my deepest, darkest nancy-boy dreams it means that Xan decides to stay here with me. I don’t know if that’ll happen either way. Even if it doesn’t I still owe him a lot. He made me realize that I was holding back, that I was so afraid to take a chance that I was just muddling through, hiding.”

Jase nodded. “I know what you mean. Dawn did that for me. When she told me about her past, I almost ran. It was a close thing. Finally, I decided that she was worth it – that I wanted to be with her no matter what; whether her life was unnaturally long or unnaturally short, or we couldn’t have kids, or whatever. I decided to embrace the weirdness, and celebrate every day we had together. That was the day she made me free.” The light turned green, and Jase drove on, smiling a little at the sight of a Master Vampire staring at him with his mouth hanging open, and then shutting it with a snap. They pulled into a parking space in front of the grocery store and Jase turned the engine off. As Jase’s hand closed on the door handle Spike’s closed on his shoulder. He turned to see the vampire smiling brilliantly at him. “You know, Jase, I always used to say that I was love’s bitch – I think you might be love’s bitch, too.” From the back seat, Sara spoke up. “Love’s bitch,” she trilled, and both men groaned.

They couldn’t decide which flavor of Ben & Jerry’s was the most appropriate for the situation, so they just got one of each flavor. They stepped out of the market, Spike had Sara in his arms and Jase had four plastic bags full of pint containers looped over his wrists. They were laughing at Sara’s antics when the first fledgling rushed them. Spike pushed Sara into Jase’s arms and whirled, sweeping the hapless vampire’s feet out from under him. Seconds after its back hit the asphalt, it was dusting under Spike’s stake. He turned to check on Jase and Sara, and was dismayed to see Jase being held by two more fledges, Sara screaming in his arms.

“Hello, my bad doggie.” Spike stiffened at the sound of her voice. It still sounded like water flowing – sweet and delicate, with an undercurrent of power. Drusilla stepped into the circle of brightness cast by the overhead lights. She walked up to Spike and cupped his chin in her hand, looking into his eyes. Hers were dark and remarkably clear, and Spike felt his stomach drop. He ruthlessly crushed the fear down and stared back at her, one hand rising to flick her fingers off his face. “Not your doggie, Dru. Not anymore,” he said, his voice tight. She clasped her hands in front of her and smiled. “No,” she said, “not my doggie.” She tilted her head and looked at him quizzically. “All the hardware has come out and your demon is free, except for that pesky soul, eh, Spike? Must be cramping your style something awful.” He gave her a grim smile. “My style is none of your concern. Tell your pet to let my friend go. Now.” His tone brooked no argument.

Drusilla turned toward Jase, and Spike wanted to stake himself for drawing her attention to the human and his child. Drusilla sauntered over to Jase and looked closely at him, grabbing his chin when he tried to turn away. She looked back at Spike with wonder in her eyes. “Oh, Spike! Look at him – he’s just like William. He’s everything you were so long ago. Beautiful and innocent and alive.” She clapped her hands gleefully. “Oh, I must have him! I can make a new Spike, one who won’t be taken from me. No, Daddy cannot have this one – he’ll be all mine. And look at this,” her gaze turned from Jase to Sara. “A little one, so fresh and pretty. I’m sure she’ll be delicious.” At her predatory glare Jase hugged Sara tighter to him.

Fury swept through Spike and he changed into game face. He grabbed Drusilla by the shoulder and threw her backward. Before the two fledges could react, their dust was settling on the ground. Spike grabbed Jase’s shoulder and spun him toward the car. “Go! Get Sara home, now!” Jase took off for the car as the vampire whirled to intercept Drusilla as she bore down on them. In the rear-view mirror he saw Spike crumple to the ground as Drusilla tazered him.

Drusilla stood over Spike for a moment, and then gave him another blast from the tazer as a precaution. She looked off into the darkness. “Come along, dear one, we have a new toy,” she called. A broad-shouldered man stepped from the shadows and hoisted Spike in a fireman’s carry. Drusilla leaned up to kiss him, and his fangs tore into her lips. She moaned, and they both licked the blood from their mouths as they parted. “You’re a naughty boy,” she chided, as they walked into the darkness.

Jase ran into the house still clutching Sara to him, the forgotten grocery bags of ice cream still hanging off of his arms. At the sight of his dusty, tear-streaked face Dawn shot up from the table. “Oh my God,” she cried, “what is it, Jase?” He reached out and pulled her close, so that their bodies were wrapped around their daughter’s. Jase’s eyes met Xander’s over Dawn’s head. “Oh, God, Xander, I’m so sorry – Dru’s got Will.”