Fanfiction

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Previously on Grey Lines:

Spike and Dawn talked. She convinced him to stay a while longer. Dawn and Buffy train and they talk about Spike but are interrupted by a strange noise. Buffy find a street filled with spaced out demons, amongst them Clem. Clem is snapped out of it but can’t explain how he got there. After a talk with Clem, Spike decides to look in on Buffy who senses him but dismisses the thought.

Chapter 3 - Resident Evil

"Bugger!" Spike cursed as for the one-hundredth time since he’d come back a twig pocked him in the eye as he moved between the bushes. "I’ve got to find another way to follow them around." He paused and hissed at himself: "What am I talking about? I have to just leave, forget about them and…" he trailed off as he saw Dawn skulking out the back door. "Bloody hell, what’s the little bit doing out at this hour?"

He watched her as she passed by him, completely oblivious to his presence.

"And just where do you think you’re-"

"Ah!" Dawn shouted as she felt a hand rest on her shoulder.

She reacted impulsively and Spike never knew what hit him. Suddenly, he was on the floor, his nose bleeding and he was still wondering which part of her body had done the damage, her hand or her foot.

"Spike?! What are you doing?"

"I should be the one asking that! What’d you do that for?" he protested, bringing his finger to his running nose.

"I’m sorry. You shouldn’t jump up on people like that." She said helping him up.

"And you shouldn’t be outside at this hour." Spike retorted. "Where are you going? Does your sister know?"

"No, she doesn’t." she answered raising her chin up high. "What are you going to do? Tell on me?"

"Dawn!"

"Why can’t I tell her?" she whined, stomping her foot on the ground.

"We’ve talked about this. I’m not staying." Spike sighed.

"But-but we’ve got all these weird demons wandering around and we can’t figure it out. You’ve got to help us." Dawn quickly argued.

Spike gave her a weak smile: "You know your sis can handle a couple of demons who’ve had a little too much wacky backy."

Dawn frowned at the expression.

"Pot, bit." He explained.

"Oh!"

"You better go inside now." Spike suggested.

"I don’t want to. I want to hang out with you." She protested, pouting.

"Nibblet, stop whinging." He warned.

She looked at him for a while and finally gathered the courage to ask:

"Will I see you again?"

"Of course. I promised you I’d hang around for a while." He smiled sweetly.

"When?" she asked gleefully.

"I’ll come over tomorrow night." He suggested. "Now, go!"

She smiled and made her way up the stairs of the front porch.

"Hey, Nibblet!"

She turned around and he asked: "Where were you off to?"

"I was going to see you. Thanks for saving me the trip." She winked at him and entered the house.

******************************************

"Giles!" Anya whined from behind a large volume of Demonic Trance. "Can’t we just stop for a little while?"

"No." he answered flatly, his eyes never leaving the book he was holding in his hands as he paced around the Magic Shop.

"But, I’m tired and hungry and I hate doing research."

"Anya, we need all the man power invested in this." Giles argue, giving her a serious look.

"Keyword – Man. I’m not a man, not even human. That means I’m off research duty." Anya replied.

"Hey, I’m not going to do research on my own with G-Man over here." Xander protested.

Anya was about to say something but Giles cut her off.

"Anya, you’re going to research whether you like it or not." Giles said, but as he saw the silly grin on Xander’s face he added: "Xander, first off, don’t ever call me that. Second, you’re stuck with this too, so no need to grin."

The door bell was heard as Buffy, Dawn and Willow entered.

"Hey, you guys!" Buffy greeted with a big smile.

"You’re late." Was Giles short retort.

"And hello to you too." The Slayer replied.

"Buffy, I don’t think you realise how serious this is. We need to focus."

"You’re right, I’m sorry." Buffy pouted sitting next to Dawn at the round table. "I’m on total research mode. Feed me!" at her words Xander threw a large book which landed on the table right in front of her.

"Here! Chew on that." He said returning to his own book.

"Gee, could you people be in a worst mood?" Dawn finally spoke.

"Giles just scolded him and now he’s sulking." Anya explained.

"I am not sulking." Xander protested.

"Yes, you are. That’s all you do these days. Just because you stopped the world from ending doesn’t mean you get to mope around every time someone says something." Anya’s rant was cut short by Giles as he spoke:

"Will you two just shut up, for once in your existence." They both nodded and the Watcher added: "Thank you."

"This is going to be one of those days." Willow elbowed Dawn, who grinned in response.

"I heard that!" Giles warned with his eyes glued to his book.

************************************************

Hours had passed and nothing.

"Who wants donuts?" Xander asked as he walked into the Magic Shop carrying a large pink box.

"Me!" Dawn immediately jumped up and reached for a large jelly doughnut.

"You’re eating again?" Buffy asked looking at her sister stuff her face. Dawn simply nodded and took another doughnut in her other hand. "You eat like a pig, you know?" Dawn nodded. "And you’re gonna get fat too." She warned.

"What are you talking about? She always eats like a pig and never gains an ounce." Willow stepped in.

"I know. I hate her for it." Buffy hissed, skimming through a book.

"What? You didn’t bring a chocolate doughnut? You know I don’t like jelly." Anya protested. "You did it on purpose."

"They were all out." Xander explained. "Contrary to what you may think, a lot of people like chocolate covered doughnut and they tend to sell out pretty quickly.

"You…" Anya was about to answer but suddenly she trailed off.

They all looked up from their respective book as they saw the demon stand up. Her eyes were glassy and her gaze distant as she moved towards the door in a zombie like fashion.

"An…" Xander called after her. He was about to grab her and shake her out of it when he felt Giles’ strong grip on his arm. He turned to look at the watcher.

"Let her go. Maybe she’ll lead us to whoever is behind all of this."

"You want us to use my girlfr- ex-girlfriend as bait." He corrected himself.

"It’s the only way of finding out what’s happening." Giles argued.

"What? No! I’m not letting you do that!" He shouted going after her.

"Xander!" Giles called out, but it was too late. Xander had already reached her, grabbed her by her arms and shook her out of her trance.

"Xander?" she asked confused.

Back in the Magic Shop, they all sat around the table and Anya was the centre of attentions.

"What happen?" Willow asked.

"I don’t know. I was talking to Xander in here and then, all of a sudden I was outside and he was shaking me." The demon explained.

"Xander, you should have let her go. We would have followed her and she would have been safe." Giles pointed out.

"I don’t care, Giles. If she is going to be bait I think she has the right to know." Xander hissed angrily.

Giles sighed and nodded: "You’re right, Xander. She has the right to choose."

Xander was ready to continue arguing when the former watcher’s words sunk in.

"I’m right?" he stared for a while then regained his composure and affirmed: "Of course I’m right!"

"Don’t get cocky." Giles warned.

"No, sir." Xander replied with a grin.

"So, Anya do you agree with it?" Giles asked.

"Agree with what?" she questioned still a little spaced out.

"The next time you get… drawn to something, we won’t shake you out off it and you’ll lead us to whoever is causing this." Giles proposed.

Anya thought for a while and then spoke:

"One condition. I get off research duty and Xander doesn’t."

"You’ve got it." Giles agreed.

"But, Giles…" Xander protested as Anya’s tongue darted out provokingly.

"So how do we know when she goes under… the effect?" Willow questioned.

"We don’t. One of us has to be with her every single second. She can’t be left alone at any moment." Giles explained.

"What?!" Anya exclaimed. "That wasn’t the deal."

"Sorry, but it’s for your own safety." Giles explained.

"How do we keep an eye on her 24/7?" Buffy asked.

"She’ll have to move in with one of us." Giles offered. "How about you’re place?"

"My place?" Buffy asked, the discomfort and uneasiness were clear in her tone.

"Yes."

"Well, she can stay in Willow’s room, if she doesn’t mind. She’s sleeping in a king-sized bed." Buffy said looking at her best friend who was nervously turning her face from side to side. "What do you think, Will?"

"But she’s gay!" Anya spoke.

"So…"

"I can’t sleep with her in the same bed. She might come onto me and I don’t like women I like penises." The demon said matter-of-factly.

"Anya!" everyone said in unison.

"What?!"

"Nothing. Then it’s settled, you’ll stay at Buffy’s." Giles resolved the issue.

*****************************************************

"ANYA!" Dawn called out as she entered the bathroom. "Anya!" she shouted once more when she didn’t get an answer.

"Yes." She heard the demon from the next room.

"Could you come here for a second?" Dawn asked as politely as she could, but deep inside all she wanted was to put her hands around the demon’s neck and squeeze reeeeally hard.

"What is it Dawn?" Anya came up, with two towels, one wrapped around her body and the other over her head.

"What are all these towels doing on the floor?" Dawn asked as the anger boiled inside of her.

"Well, I couldn’t find one that fitted me."

"Fitted you? Anya, it’s a towel." Dawn pointed to the mess on the bathroom floor.

"Well, it has to be soft and non-scratchy. Scratchy towels are bad for your skin. Makes it grow older faster." Anya noted with a huge grin.

"Anya! You’re a vengeance demon now, remember? You can’t get old!" Dawn almost shouted.

"Oh! I’m sorry! I keep forgetting." Anya looked at the young teenager apologetically, lightly tapped the top of her head and went back into the bedroom.

"She keeps forgetting? She keeps forgetting." Dawn groaned between clenched teeth as she picked up the mess.

****************************************************************

"My loneliness is killing me; I must confess I still believe. When I'm not with you I lose my mind. Give me a sign. Hit me baby one more time. Oh, baby-"

"Anya! How many times are you going to sing that song?" Buffy asked angrily, turning off the TV. The sound of the demon’s squealing voice made her lose all interest in anything that was on.

"And badly." Willow added in a low voice so only Buffy, who was sitting next to her, would hear it.

"Hey, I heard that!" Anya protested.

"Sorry!"

Anya gave Willow an annoyed look and turned her attention toward Buffy.

"I sing when I’m nervous."

"Why do you sing-" Buffy shook her head as she realised that question would lead her down a path she really didn’t want to go on. "Nervous? Why?"

"New house. I’m not used to it so I get nervous." She explained.

"And why that song?" the moment the words left Willow’s mouth she regretted saying them.

"Oh! That’s the song I used to sing to Xander when we played Naughty School Girl Who-"

"We DON’T want to know!" Buffy immediately stepped in, raising her arm in front of her as she stood up.

"Oh! Ok!" Anya smiled and made her way upstairs.

******************************************************************

Spike looked in through the window, gawking at the Slayer. She looked even more beautiful than last time. She was sitting on the couch talking to Willow and waving her arms up in the air emphasizing what she was trying to say. A sweet smile crept up the edges of his mouth as he noticed the big teddy bear stamped on her t-shit along with the words "Kiss me Good and Proper!". He couldn’t help remembering all the passionate kisses they had shared. His mind wandered from that spell induced kiss, to the first and only gentle kiss they had ever shared after Gloria had beat him up, to the intense and consuming make out sessions they would have during their lovemaking. Eventually the memory of their last meeting assaulted him and he forced his eyes shut as the images flashed in front of him. Immediately, he got on his feet and began to walk away when he remembered:

"The Nibblet!"

He had promised her he would come and see her that night. Slowly, he made his way to the backyard of the house and looked up at the windows. He smiled when he saw a silhouette of a female woman brushing her hair. He bent down, picked up a pebble and threw it. It hit the window dead centre, but he had no answer, so he repeated the gesture a few times before he saw the curtains move. He was about to make a smart comment about his lurking in the dark when he heard her speak.

"Is anybody out there?" Anya’s voice echoed through the garden and Spike immediately jumped back into the shadows, getting pocked by a twig in the process of falling between the bushes.

"Bugger!" he cursed under his breath.

"Hello?" Anya tried once more, but when she didn’t get an answer she retreated back into the bedroom.

"Spike!" he heard Dawn’s voice whispering.

"What the Hell is she doing here?" Spike asked as he brushed off the leaves from his black jeans. Dawn was about to explain when the vampire cursed once more. "Oh, bloody hell!"

"What?" Dawn asked.

Spike moved his hand in front of her to reveal he had a weird brownish substance smeared all over in.

"I got shite on my bloody pants!" he protested.

Dawn chocked back a laugh.

"Don’t even think about it!" Spike warned her.

"I’m not saying anything." She was able to say between chuckles. "Come on, we’ve got to get you cleaned up."

"But your sis."

"She went to bed a minute ago."

"And Red?"

"She turned in too. Come on, we’ll clean that up in the kitchen." Dawn giggled as she guided him towards the back door.

************************************************************

"Willow, you do know I’m not gay. I like penises." Anya said as she prepared to got to bed.

"Only about a 1000 times tonight. I think I’ve actually become immune to blushing at the sound of the word penis just from hearing you say it so many times." Willow sighed covering herself with the sheet.

"Good. That way there will be no funny business." Anya said why her patented smile.

"Good night, Anya…" Willow groaned, turning her back to the demon.

"Good night, Willow!" Anya replied gleefully as she turned off the light on her nightstand.

******************************************************

"What the Hell is this stuff?" Dawn asked as she rubbed the pants with a wet cloth.

"How should I know? It’s your bloody backyard." Spike grumbled.

"Oh, come on. Don’t be such a baby!"

"Don’t be such a baby? Those were my favourite pants!" he spoke loudly.

"Shhh…." Dawn reminded him.

"Oh! Those were my favourite pants." He repeated in a low voice.

"I heard you the first time." Dawn replied as she knelt down next to him to clean the stain.

"Well, I’m bloody tired of losing my favourite clothes around your house. First there was my duster and now this!" he complained.

"You-" Dawn shut up when she heard her sister’s voice coming from the hall.

"Dawn? Is that you?"

"Quickly! Hide!" Dawn whispered.

Dawn and Spike frenetically looked around for a place to hide him, but there was no time.

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