When the Sun Sets-The Vampire Chronicles:Spike

by: Anne Nother

When it came down to it, Buffy needed tops. And she needed it now. It was obvious that Spike had the upper hand as Buffy rolled back onto her feet. Before she could react against him, Spike released a savage kick into her chest throwing her back into a wall.

Buffy jumped back towards Spike kicking him squarely in the stomach. He heaved forward then roundhoused her, sending her to her knees.

He sent her onto her back with a flick of his toe.

Spike smiled evilly creeping down to Buffy’s level. He moved forward then placed a hand on Buffy’s neck. Her pulse beat strong and thick, warming Spike’s fingers as he moved the top of her turtleneck out of his way. Buffy opened her mouth to scream to be stopped by Spike’s hand.

He hit her again to silence her. Slowly he brought his fangs down.

"Summon the soul of William the Bloody." Willow bit her lip, she prayed the spell would work. She nodded to Oz.
"Vocare eum umbre" he said, "vocare eum animus."
"Summon his ghost. Summon his soul."
Giles took over. "Nullus magis necare, nullus magis mortuus. Bestiare abbesse e eum. Nos punire tuus in sagnimen, sea nos punire tuus quad tu necare."

Oz took over again. "Suus mortuus in pacem. Nunc cura."
"Nullus magis immortalis, nunc vitus." Giles read.

"No longer immortal, now alive," Willow finished the spell dropping the piece of material into the water. Suddenly the old spell book burst into flames. Willow leapt to get the fire extinguisher as Oz, Giles and Xander backed away from the fire.

Willow squirted the white foam onto the flames extinguishing them.

"I wonder whether that was meant to happen," she said, staring at the ashes.

As Spike punctured the skin of Buffy’s neck he felt something go through him. Not only the warmth of the slayer’s blood, but a haunting dangerous feeling.

Buffy was whimpering and crying in pain clawing wildly at Spike’s face, slowly losing energy. Then as quickly as he had bitten down he pulled away gasping in pain.

Buffy lay still in the silence, unaware of what to do next. She tensed as she noticed Spike pulling himself to his feet.

Suddenly out of the darkness came a shadow. It was Angelus.

Quickly Buffy closed her eyes, pretending to be dead. Spike got her drift and exhaled pleasurably. He threw his head back, facing away from Angelus.

Angelus recognised the shock of white hair but didn’t recognise the person on the ground.

"Spike!" He said. "I see you’ve just eaten!"

"Yeah I have," Spike replied, "something really good!"

Spike reached down turning the pale slayer onto her side. Buffy held her breath. Angelus recognised the girl’s dainty face. "Buffy!" He gasped.

"Well I never!" Spike turned around to face Angelus who shifted his gaze back to the other. Buffy breathed in quietly.

"Well done mate," Angelus patted Spike on the shoulder.

A dreamy voice came from the darkness. "Angel, what’s going on? Is Spike there?"

"Yeah, I’m here love." Spike said. "So is Angel."

"And an uninvited corpse," Angel said motioning towards Buffy’s still body as Drucilla stepped out of the shadows.

"If you don’t mind, I’ll be back late, I have a present to prepare for the slayerettes!" Spike laughed.

Angelus and Drucilla departed back to their hunting.

"Drucilla love." Angel said once they’d left. "I have something to do, go home."

Angel disappeared back into the darkness. He watched Spike as he knelt down over Buffy’s body.

"Buffy, wake up, he’s gone."

Buffy opened her eyes and looked up at Spike. She took his offered hand and he pulled her to her feet.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

"Yeah." The slayer shook her head then lifted her other hand to her neck. "Ow."

Spike cringed, "Sorry."

"Nah, it wasn’t your fault, you were a demon."

"I know," Spike said. "Was it you? Did you make me…"

"Yes," Buffy said.

Angel was interested in this conversation coming slightly closer to hear Buffy’s words.

"Come. Let’s get you back to the library, we’ll act further on this tomorrow night."

Spike looked at Buffy’s face. It was pale. He fingered her face. Angel lifted an eyebrow as Spike took off his jacket and put it round Buffy’s shoulders. Then he reached out and put an arm over Buffy’s shoulder pressing down to prevent her cuts from bleeding.

I can’t believe this, Spike’s gone too far. Angel thought. I’ll play along though, If he is mortal, he won’t live long.

Spike stumbled into the library and called out.

"Giles? Willow?" The slayerettes and the watcher rose from their hiding places and descended upon him.

"Help," he said passing the limp slayer into her watcher’s arms.

Xander and Oz stepped up taking positions on either side of Spike.

"Can you come with us please?" Xander stuttered, trying to sound tough.

Spike stepped into the librarian’s cage freely and took a seat.

Buffy woke up. "Giles? Let him out! He saved my life, he’s human." She shouted out.

"Okay Buffy, we’ll let him out now okay."

Giles helped his slayer go back to the library. He sat her down on the table then walked over to the cage, gently taking off his glasses. He was nervous.

"Buffy told me what you did," he said. "I can’t say I’m happy about her injury, but thank you for saving her life."

Xander started, "You mean the spell worked?"

"Yep," said Willow.

"Oh Good." Oz crept out from his hiding place and walked up to the cage, sizing himself up against Spike.

"Well I’m sorta glad he saved me." said Buffy, looking up.

"There were some nasty things out last night." She smiled at Spike who returned the gift. "My pleasure," he said, sounding human. He blinked his blue eyes unmoving them from their lock with Buffy’s green eyes. "It’s sunrise in twenty minutes. We’ll find out if it’s true then." Xander said.

He noticed Spike looking slightly uncomfortable. He looked puzzled.

Spike noticed and said bluntly, "This is going to be my first sunrise in two hundred years."

Buffy stood up and walked over to the cage and put her hand on the metal linking. She stood; watching Spike, their eyes constantly met.

Angel watched for ten more minutes before disappearing to a safe distance.

The sunbeam grew across the window, bathing Spike in its glow. He smiled, his smile as bright as the light itself. Buffy still stood staring into his eyes.

Giles sat still, his head on the table.

Suddenly the doors were flung open and Snyder walked in.

Spike looked sideways the only one to notice.

"Okay, jokes over." He broke away from Buffy’s gaze. "Let me out."

"Not funny, Giles," he shook the bars.

"Principal Snyder," Giles looked up.

"I woke up this morning and said to myself 'That’s it. I am going to that library and I’m going to find out what they’re up to.’" Snyder said.

"Mr. Giles has been helping me with history all night."

"Then who is this?" the principal asked.

"Let me introduce myself." Spike said, "I’m Mr. Giles, Rupert’s brother."

"Oh just what we need, another Brit."

"I’m a school inspector."

Snyder silenced himself, "Okay then, I’ll be leaving you."

He backed off abruptly, departing the scene. The three laughed pleasantly, like best friends.

Spike and Buffy walked side by side desperately keeping their eyes off each other. It was dark and there was no one else around. Buffy tensed then turned to face the other. Spike obviously had more self-control as he still battled to face the other way. Eventually he turned around.

"I can’t stand this any more," he said. "We’ve not been able to take our eyes off each other all night." He paused, "so what’s it going to…"

He tensed, Buffy’s lips met his and he was silenced. Spike understood.

Buffy pulled away, then they embraced each other properly, and unable to leave each other’s presence for the chance that one of them might be killed.

Spike was the first to pull back, "Buffy I…"

"Shhh." Buffy lifted her finger to his lips but he pushed her hand away.

"No," he said. "I have to go to the mansion, see if…"

Buffy had descended upon him again and he walked back-wards colliding with the wall. He tensed as their lips met again.

Angel watched from a distance, sickened with their behaviour. He growled then disappeared.

Spike pulled away from Buffy’s grasp. "I have a job to do."

Buffy watched him go then thought better of her-self following in secret.

Spike stepped into the old house and went through the doors into the main hall. Drucilla sat on the bottom step in silence. Angelus was walking up and down in quiet agitation.

"Angelus, my friend, and Drucilla, my love." Spike pulled in towards Drucilla.

"Get away from her." Spike spun around at Angel’s confrontation.

"Why what are you going to do?" Spike walked towards Angelus.

"What I should have done when I first saw you cradling the slayer in your arms." He grabbed Spike by his collar throwing him back into the shut door.

Drucilla looked up listening to what Angel was saying, she couldn’t believe he was describing Spike.

"Or when I saw you looking at each other through the library bars," he picked Spike up again throwing him into a wall.

Angel walked over saying, "Or when I saw you kissing, five minutes ago."

Angel lifted him up and prepared to kill him. A savage kick to the head abruptly convinced him otherwise.

"How about when we kissed so many times before?" Asked Buffy, tears in her eyes. She helped Spike up with one arm then turned back to Angel.

"Go," she said to Spike.

She came down on Angel harshly. "How dare you?"

Spike disappeared.

"How dare I?" said Angel. He looked past her then re-fixed his gaze. Drucilla was moving very slowly, and quietly. He played with words.

"You’re the one who’s gone and fixed your lips on another man."

"And why would you care? You’re the one who left me. Didn’t you expect me to find someone else?"

"Of course I did. But not one of my other friends."

Buffy couldn’t respond, Drucilla flew at her smacking her solidly in the back of the head. Buffy fell forward then rolled pulling herself up. She ran out following Spike’s path. Drucilla and Angel followed the mortals, angrily.

Angel leapt at Buffy kicking her in the head and sending her down. Meanwhile Drucilla came at Spike, throwing him back into the car bonnet. She brought her teeth down into his neck.

Buffy fought, frustrated, desperately trying to save Spike. Finally she managed to get past Angel and knocked Drucilla back. She pulled Spike up and threw him over her shoulder.

Quickly she started running soon pursued by Angel and Drucilla. She ran towards her house, making it there she threw Spike up onto the half roof then followed him up.

Once on the roof, she picked him up again putting him through the window then following, shutting the window for safety. Angel jumped up onto the roof and watched Buffy through the window.

She walked over to Spike’s side and looked down into his eyes.

"Foolish child," she chided.

She took a first aid kit from under her bed and sat on the bed next to him. She chose a cotton bud from the box and took a bottle. She poured a little of the liquid onto the fluffy cotton and then placed it onto Spike’s neck.

He cringed, "Ow."

"Don’t worry, it’s not that bad." Buffy said, he looked extremely pale. "Stay here."

Buffy disappeared out the door and went downstairs. Spike stood up and moved about the room. Suddenly he felt faint and fell to his knees. Buffy came back in to find Spike sprawled out on the floor. Buffy helped Spike up then walked him down the stairs, comforting him.

"Don’t you dare die on me, I love you." Buffy said, tenderly.

Spike looked up, unsure if he had heard right."You do?" He asked.

"I do, I…I can’t live without you." Buffy shifted her gaze back up to join his.

"Neither can I…I love you too."They embraced.

Angel turned away, disgusted.

"I’ve got to get Giles, to get you to the hospital." She picked up the phone and dialled.

Five minutes later Giles pulled up outside the house. He helped Buffy transport Spike to the car then headed off to the hospital.

Spike lay on the hospital bed, unconscious. Buffy sat next to the bed, Giles and Willow were in the room as well. Outside Xander, Cordelia and Oz, spoke quietly to each other.

Giles and Willow looked at each other then retreated slowly pulling the curtains shut. Buffy reached her hand out, placing it down onto Spike’s still, pale hand. Slowly he opened his eyes, conscious of Buffy’s hand on his, her heartbeat strong and fast. Tears streaked down Buffy’s cheeks.

"Shhh." Spike said, looking into her glazed eyes.

"I almost lost you today," Buffy cried the words.

"It’s okay, I’m here." Spike embraced her.

"Shhh." He ran his fingers through her hair.

"I’m fine." They kissed, first tenderly, then savagely, their feelings primal, slayer and ex-vampire, united.

From the corner of the room Willow watched, eyes wide. Buffy looked up. Seeing Willow she ran out after her.

"Willow I…"

"Don’t try to talk to me. I don’t understand it, and I don’t want to."

"You’re right I don’t have to explain myself to you."

Buffy span away from her friend, sweating. Xander stepped up.

"What’s going on?" he asked.

"I just saw Buffy kissing Spike," Willow said.

Giles, Oz and Cordelia stood up. "Is this true?" said Giles.

"Yes, but it’s not like a big deal."

"Not a big deal?" Exclaimed Cordelia. "I can’t believe you Buffy, you have the worst taste."

"I love him."

"You can’t love him it’s strictly impossible. You’re the slayer, therefore…" Giles started.

"Don’t give me a lecture on love, ‘Ripper.’"

Giles boiled, Buffy started walking away.

"Don’t you walk away from me," he stopped the slayer.

"Don’t you dare try to stop me." She brushed him off and walked away.

Drucilla moved through the hospital like a shadow. She went through the curtains and went over to Spike’s bed.

"Spike?" She asked, softly.

Spike looked up, then shuddered.

"Oh no," Spike jumped to his feet and looked around for a way out. Drucilla blocked his path to the curtains so Spike turned the other way and launched himself out the window. It shattered and Spike landed on his feet. He ran off across the green disappearing into the woods. Giles ran into the hospital room to see Drucilla disappearing out the window.
"Oh God…Buffy!" Giles ran out to the front of the hospital.

"Spike…I…" Buffy said.

"I don’t want to talk about it. Buffy, Spike’s gone, Drucilla was in his room."

"Spike! Is he okay?"

"I…I don’t know, he escaped, I hope."

Buffy ran back into the hospital and jumped through the window.

Drucilla crept round the tree, then leapt at Spike knocking him to the floor. Spike rolled over and groaned, he tried to call out but found Drucilla’s hand on his mouth, Drucilla looked down at him.

She chided him sweetly.

"Naughty child. You ran away, to the nasty slayer. She’s bad for you Spike, makes you seem so…human."

She whined.

"But you won’t be for long," she regained her regular voice. "You’re going to come back to me, Not be the slayer’s lapdog forever more."

Spike’s breathing was difficult. He closed his eyes as Drucilla moved in for the kill. He shivered as he felt her face change, her skin harsh and cold against his. He felt her razor sharp fangs and then winced in pain as they went deep into his neck.

Buffy ran through the wood, it was dark and she couldn’t see anything. She chased after shadows and listened for foreign sounds.

Drucilla slapped Spike in the face, waking him up. He shuddered, "Is something wrong love?"

"Yes, shhh." She lifted a finger to his lips, "we’re going to get the slayer!"

Buffy walked back to the hospital, and looked around the grounds for Spike. Something appeared noisily behind her and she turned around to see Spike.

"Oh God," Buffy said.

Spike winced in pain.

"Are you okay, I thought Drucilla…"

"I’m fine. Drucilla’s gone. I’ve got to go back to the mansion. Drucilla said something about killing you…And you know I can’t let that happen."

Spike kissed the slayer on the forehead.

"Please don’t go, if there planning to kill me it really doesn’t matter. So long as I can spend the rest of this life with you…I…don’t want to…see you die."

Her big eyes looked up at him, with speech-less compassion.

"Don’t talk like that, Buffy. I need your help to let us both survive this."

"Okay, I’ll come."

The two disappeared without a word to Giles or anyone.

Spike and Buffy crawled through the top window of the old mansion. They came down the wall and stood at the top of the stairs. Drucilla appeared.

"Hello Buffy, Spike." She said her words ringing out through the building.

Angel came out of nowhere grabbing Buffy and locking her arms in a tight grip. She struggled, crying out.

"Spike, help!"

She watched as Spike laughed and walked away. "Spike!"

"Don’t you get it." He spun around. "You’ve messed with us all for the last time."

Spike walked back and grabbed Buffy by her neck walking her back down the stairs. He lay her down then let go and moved away.

Buffy was puzzled but took the chance to come to her feet. The three demons closed in, having fun with the slayer. Spike double kicked her in the head, throwing her back into Angel’s arms. Drucilla stepped forward and hit her in the face. Angel held Buffy as she hung her head in pain. Spike stepped up to her and lifted her head with his fingers. Buffy breathed heavily and met his eyes.

"Buffy, Buffy, Buffy…You’re so petty. It’s ridiculous." Spike said. "I could never love you in my right mind. I don’t know what I was thinking."

Tears welled in Buffy’s eyes and she struggled to break free. Angel held her tightly. Spike stepped forward and tipped her head onto its side. His face changed and he bit down, finally he felt Buffy’s pain as he fed.

Buffy cried out as his fangs pierced her skin. She immediately felt weakened and gasped for breath. She struggled a few seconds more before succumbing to him and remaining still. Buffy closed her eyes slowly then opened them when Spike pulled away. He smiled at her, still in vampire form.

Spike bit his lip, allowing the blood to flow freely. Then he kissed the slayer, his blood filling her mouth, Buffy choked for air, inevitably swallowing some of the demons blood. She fell still. Angel let go of the slayer allowing her to fall to the floor and walked off.

"Come on Dru," Angel walked out of the door followed by Drucilla.

"Buffy." Spike shook Buffy, waking her up. The slayer looked at him slyly, she growled.

"Spike, my dear sire…"

"Buffy…Are you with me?"

"Yes…but I’m hungry."

"Let’s get you something to eat." Spike and Buffy walked out into the night.

Buffy let the corpse fall to the floor. She smiled, her face vampiric, white fangs gleaming in the streetlight.

"Are you okay love?" asked Spike. "Want to kick some librarian butt?"

Buffy leaned into Spike and kissed him before stepping back saying, "You know what I like!"

They moved off again towards the library.

Buffy walked into the library, her face contorted. Giles looked up hearing her growl.

"Buffy! Oh my God!"

The slayer yelped, "Please Giles!"

She leapt at Giles to come face to face with a cross.

"Leave here," he said. "And don’t come back."

Buffy and Spike left the library to come face to face with Angel and Drucilla.

"Taking her out for the night, Spike?" asked Angel.

"Yeah, but our journey’s over it’s almost sunrise," replied Spike.

They returned to the mansion.

Buffy yelped, and ran for the door. She growled savagely her face changing.

"What’s wrong love?" asked Spike.

"I don’t know, I have to go."

Spike grabbed her kissing her.

"Promise me you’ll not get burnt."

"I promise," she said sweetly, then disappeared.

Buffy fell to the ground in the dark alley. She snarled then fell calm and silent. She felt her soul returning to her.

Buffy shivered she was cold. She lay in the alley unable to move until daylight warmed her skin.

"Giles!"

Giles ran out at Buffy’s outcry. He inspected her.

"Are you…"

"Human? Yes very."

Giles reached down and helped the slayer up.

"Buffy…You have to go back."

"Back?" Buffy asked her watcher.

"To find out what they’re plotting."

Buffy slammed her head into the wall.

"Okay. It gives me a chance to get my own back on Spike."

"I know his change must’ve hurt you…"

"No Giles, it didn’t, it just makes my life easier."

"It does?"

"No…not really."

Darkness fell and Buffy returned to the mansion and greeted Spike.

"Honey, I’m home."

To anyone else it would appear that Buffy was normal, but Spike didn’t realize.

"I’m glad you’re back, I was starting to get worried."

"Yes, I saw Angel and Drucilla leaving and decided now was the best time to come in."

Buffy walked up to Spike and put her hands on his waist, he did the same.

A split second later, Buffy tightened her grip then threw the vampire backwards into a wall.

"You really don’t learn do you?" she said.

"You’re human." Spike gulped down his fear then stood him-self up.

"More than you’ll ever be…" she said. Buffy kissed him on the forehead then moved away disappearing into the night to slay, as she had been destined to, all her life.

THE END

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