Part 1/15: The Big Bad’s Back

Flick was wandering through the graveyard aimlessly looking for vamps.  It never worked so she tended to let them do the hard work and come to her.  
She had this uneasy feeling that she was being watched.  It was probably one of Anna’s men as she rarely went out herself.  She usually sent Faith with messages for her, knowing that they couldn’t kill the rogue slayer, as it was fundamentally wrong.  Flick would not be brought down to ‘Anna’ level, taking a human life was a whole new ballgame.  One that she did not want to play and Anna knew that.
“Okay! Come out; come out, whoever you are.” Flick sang badly, the woods still yielded no response. ”Oh! Come on.”
A vamp launched out from the bushes, “About bloody time!” Flick snapped as she launched a kick to his mid section knocking him back.  He retaliated with a punch.  She got in one of her own, catching him under the chin.  They traded punches for a while.  She let him think he was winning, until she suddenly froze.  The vampire paused to polish his ego and come in for the kill.  He was standing within an inch of her when he erupted into a cloud of dust.  
“Sucker!” Flick stated and then holstered the gun.  One of Stephanie and Willow’s little wonders: a tranquilliser but with holy water and a little magic.  It always took a few seconds to work its magic and the vamp never knew what hit him.  Flick sneezed, “I hate bloody vampires.” She sniffed and sneezed again.  
“So the rumours are true.  Slutty is really dead.”
“Who’s dat?” Flick sniffed.  
“The Big Bad!”    
“The big bad what…?  Dope.” It had been three hours and not a single vampire and now two in a matter of minutes. Sod’s law.
“So you’re the fresh one,” he said looking the new red headed slayer up and down.  All business dressed, sensibly, no fashionable clothes.  
“Yes!  Yes!  The Slayer is dead long live The Slayer!” Flick said impatiently.  
“You’re a long way from home.” He quipped, noticing her latent English accent.
“You also, but can we cut to the chase I not in the business of nattering with soon to be pile’s of dust.”
“Okay.”
Flick readied herself with the gun when he knocked it from her, “Hey!”
“I saw what that thing does, nifty toy.”
“Well, welcome to the twentieth century.”
“Yeah it’s all gizmos and gadgets.  I prefer ripping your head off.”
“Boring but traditional.” Flick said as she pulled out a stake.  In one swift movement she delivered a kick, knocking him back and reached to pick up her gun, but when she turned to fire she couldn’t see him.  She turned full circle looking for the vamp. She then set off running.
“Coward.  Cowardy, cowardy, custard!!” Flick yelled into the woods, as the blond vamp came back out of the forest to reclaim his dignity.  
“Stephanie, Stephanie!” Flick yelled into the walkie-talkie she had with her.  
“Yep.”
“Vamp coming up on my behind.”
“Where?  Where?”
“South of where I was before.”
“Okay, could you be a little less specific?!”
Flick ran around a corner to a crypt. She peered around the crypt to see the vampire being electrocuted.  
“Ouch!” Flick exclaimed.  She was about to go out and finish the job on the fallen vampire when commando types come out from their hiding places and began to drag the vampire off to a camouflaged van that had also appeared from nowhere.  
 
Part 2/15: Family

Henry opened the door to his shop and helped Flick’s Mum, Claire, and her son Daniel, with their bags.  
“Is Flick out?” Claire asked, masking her concern.
Henry looked at his watch, “They should be back…” before he could finish there was the screeching of tyres as the van drew up beside the shop.  Then there was a crash and the slamming of doors.  
“What! They just came out of nowhere?” Stephanie said, questioning Flick. “Well yeah, they were all black opps…MUM!!!” Flick exclaimed and broke into a run.  
“Hiya Poppet.” Claire smiled as she gathered her daughter in a big hug.  
“Hey don’t I get one?” the young boy, at her side, said.
“Danny!” Flick squealed and struggled out of her mother’s grip to give her brother a hug.
“Hiya baby girl.” He said.
“I’m not a baby, oaf!” Flick pouted, playfully swatting him.  He fought back. “Enough! You two.  Let’s get all this inside.” Claire said, motioning to the bags in the doorway.  
Flick deliberately picked up most of the bags, more than Danny, and raced inside.  She reached the bedroom before him. “Slow coach.” She said as she stood on the landing watching Danny struggle up the stairs with the last suitcase.
“You couldn’t lend some of that illustrious slayer strength to this suitcase?”
“Humm let me think,” She paused at the top of the steps looking down at him in a mock thoughtful pose, “No.”
“Pain.” He sighed as he finally reached the top.  
“Well Mum’s staying in with me and you’re staying in with Henry.”
After all the bags were put in to their allotted rooms, they raced downstairs.  
“Will you two slow down before you break something?” Claire snapped, grabbing her son’s arm.
“So what’s this about commandos?” Henry asked.  
“Oh! Yeah.  I was fighting this rather obnoxious bleached blond vampire.  I mean really, calling himself the Big Bad.”
“You don’t think?” Willow asked Xander.  
“Spike?”
“The description fits.”
“Spike?” Flick asked.  
“A problem, a big one,”
“No longer a problem.”
“You staked him?” Willow asked, surprised.
“Nah, sadly not me, that’s where the commandos come in.  I was leading him towards us so that we could all take him and that’s when he got fried.”
“Yeah some kind of electrical tazer blast thing.  He was out for the count.  They then took him away.”
“I’d say this is a vamp taken care off.” Stephanie said.  
“The military though?” Sarah queried.
“So it’s not aliens at area Fifty One but demons.” Daniel said glibly.  
“Daniel!” Flick snapped.  
“Here we go.” Claire said, bringing out a tray of tea and crumpets.  
“Mum, you’re wonderful.” Flick exclaimed, scooping one up off the tray before it even made the table.
“You have guests.” Claire said snatching it back and putting it back on the plate.
“What is it?” Xander asked.
“A crumpet.”
Xander picked it up and looked at it before he took a bite, “Murry goobh.” Xander mumbled with his mouthful, nodding.  
“Xander, can we go have sex now?” Anya asked with a sigh.
Xander began to choke as everyone began to laugh.
“Direct and to the point.” Danny giggled, “They do say that Americans want everything right here, right now.”
“Again, Daniel!” Flick snapped, giggling.  
 
Part 3/15: Problem Solving

Anna was lounging on her bed.  She reached over for the remote to check on her slayer when Faith walked in. “How’s things?” she asked.
“The commando problem is getting out of hand.” Faith answered flopping down on the bed.
“How so?”
“They just took apart Lilith’s team. One got away but they’re really beginning to cause problems.”
“I know, I contend with one problem,” Anna said as she hit the open button on the keypad and the curtains opened to reveal Buffy’s prison. She was curled up in a corner hugging her knees, “And another comes along.”
“I always wondered if the government knew about vampires and such.”
“Does Flick’s bunch know about them?”
“Dunno.”
“We don’t want them to join forces. I say we keep ‘em busy.”
“Can do.”

* * * * *

Spike was pacing around his cell.  The walls were white with a plate glass front, which he had discovered was electrified.  A panel in the ceiling opened and a packet of blood fell out of it.  He grabbed it and went to feed from it.  
“Don’t drink it.  It’s drugged.” The vampire next door yelled.  
Spike threw the pack on the floor frustrated, “Uh-huh.  And who are you, Mate?”
“A rat.  I’m a lab rat, just like the others.  They’re gonna kill us, you know.”
“And how are they gonna do that?”
“They starve you.  When you’re ready to bite your own arm, they shoot out one of those packets.  You drink, and the next thing, you’re gone.  And that’s when they do the experiments.”
“And, uh, they are? The government? Nazis? A major cosmetics company?”
“Who cares? All I know is, one minute I’m running from the slayer, and the next thing, I’m here.”
“The slayer! I knew it! I knew it!”
“Yeah, she took apart my crew, and led me straight to these guys.”
“She set me up, too.  I always worried what would happen when the bitch got some funding.” He slammed his hands into the glass wall briefly in frustration.  
“This new one’s wised up a bit.  Fine! I’ll take her apart.  I don’t care how brilliant she is.”

*****

“I’ll be out in a minute.” Came Henry’s voice from the back.
“It’s only us.” Stephanie called.  
“Hey, Will.” Xander said coming out from behind a stack of books followed by Anya.
“Are you two attached?”
“Only some of the time.”
“Please!”
“Is Flick here yet?”
“Should be and speak of the devil…” Henry said as Flick walked in.  
“Sarah’s not feeling too well so she’ll join us later.” Stephanie said, casting a quick glance at the approaching sunset.
“Oh! We’re going en masse this evening.”
“Oh yeah, I’ve been thinking.” Stephanie said.  
“Dangerous.” Flick deadpanned.  
“Humph! I won’t let you in on my outstanding insight.”
“Oh go on.”
“Well maybe these military guys could be useful, I mean we’re seven, not that we haven’t put our own dent in the un-dead population, but they’re bound to have a little more manpower and if what you say is correct, firepower.”
“You’re talking joining forces?”
“An alliance.”
“Okay they’re capturing vampires and I’d guess that they are also dealing with demons as well.  Which begs the question what are they doing with them?”
“In order to defeat your enemy you must first know your enemy.”
“Thank you Henry for that pearl of wisdom.”
“He does have a point; I mean maybe they’re just trying to find out what they are and more effectual ways to get rid of them.  I’m a scientist at heart and vampires go against everything.  Maybe they’re just trying to find out how.” Stephanie explained.
“Don’t you find it a little fishy that the government is keeping this all one big secret?” Danny chipped in.
“And Danny is being paranoid again.”
“I’d still be careful in how you proceed.” Henry cautioned.
“Okay, first we need to find out exactly what they’re up to.”
“Yep, I’ll give Sarah a call and well see what we can dig up computer wise.” Willow said.
“Anya, Henry, could you see what else you can find out, records, anything.”
“Claire, you feel up to a little research?” Henry asked Flick’s Mum.  
“I’m so excited that all six of my nipples are tingling!” Claire exclaimed.
“MOTHER!” Flick exclaimed.  
Danny was in stitches and Henry was trying not to laugh but the rest just looked at her like she had an extra head.  
“Stephanie, Xander, we’ll go out and see if we can find them.” Flick said, continuing but still looking at her mother.  
“What about me?” Danny asked.  
“You can help Mum and Henry.” Flick answered.
Danny rolled his eyes, “Super.”
“I think Danny should go with you.” Henry said, not noticing Claire’s uneasy look.  
“What! I don’t think he knows which end of the stake to use.”
 
Part 4/15: Showtime

Spike was lying on the floor unconscious.  Beside him was an empty pack of blood.  Two lab-techs grabbed him and loaded him onto a gurney.  They started to strap him down when his eyes opened and he grabbed a lab tech by the throat.  
“Sorry, can’t stay.  Got to go see a girl.”
Spike jumped off the gurney.  A lab tech rushed him and Spike grabbed him by the arm and flipped him over the gurney, sending him rolling to the floor.  Spike followed him, ready to attack, and the lab tech grabbed him and slammed him into the glass wall of the neighbouring vampire’s cell.  
“Let me out!”
“Bit busy right now.”
“Look, I know where the exit is.  You spring me, you’re free, you don’t, and you’re dead.”
Spike threw the orderly off of him and into another with a syringe, which accidentally stabbed him in the neck.  He fell onto the gurney.  The second orderly looked up alarmed.  Spike vamped out, smiled, grabbed the orderly and flipped him onto the floor.  
“Hurry! Hurry!”
Spike ran over to the orderly sprawled on the gurney.  He went through his pockets and grabbed the security card.  He used it to free the other vampire.  
“This way!”
They ran down the hall and quickly dived under the closing security door.  They ran into the next room where army guys were coming out of an elevator.  
“New plan! We split up.  You go that way.” He shoved the vampire into the army guys and fled.  

* * * * *

Buffy sat huddled in the corner of her cell, her arms wrapped around her knees, her head resting on them.  
It had been eight months, three weeks, four days, eleven hours, thirty-six minutes and twenty-seven seconds since she had been brought here.  
It had been eight months, three weeks, four days, eleven hours, thirty-six minutes and twenty-eight seconds since she had seen the light of day.  
It had been eight months, three weeks, four days, eleven hours, thirty-six minutes and twenty-nine seconds and no one had come.  
It had been eight months, three weeks, four days, eleven hours, thirty-six minutes and thirty seconds of Tick Toc Tick Toc Tick Toc Tick Toc Tick Toc Tick Toc.  
Buffy fixed her eyes on the clock as the seconds rolled into minutes and the minutes into hours.  Until the clock proudly announced it was eight o’clock, feeding time, or not, he hadn’t been for the past two days.  The slot had remained firmly shut.  Buffy tore her gaze away from the clock to fix it on the opening.  When a key turned in the lock it seemed impossibly loud in the quiet room.  
“How are we feeling this evening, Slayer?” Patrick asked, setting the tray down.  The twins, who shut the door and stood guard, followed him in.  Buffy didn’t move she just looked all of them and then back at the clock. “Okay then I’ll take it away again if you’re not going to eat.”
“No!” Buffy said just above a whisper.  She was starving, she never thought that it was possible to feel this hungry.  
“What was that?” Patrick said cupping his ear, “Did you hear anything?” he asked the twins who shook their heads.  
Buffy fought back the rage that was welling up inside her, “You can leave the food.” She said quietly.
“Oh the Slayer is hungry, does she remember what to do to get her food?”
Buffy stiffened and a tremor of revulsion swept over her as she saw the cold look in his eyes.  She knew what he wanted her to do.  She licked her lips and took a deep breath. She reluctantly got onto all fours and crawled over to him.  She closed her eyes when she saw his hand on his zipper.  She cried out as he hit her, knocking her to the floor.  He grabbed her hair, pulling her face up to his, “How many times do I have to tell you? Don’t close your eyes.  We don’t want a repeat of last time, now, do we? Now, open your mouth.”
She opened her eyes and looked straight into his sadistic ones.  Buffy couldn’t see them she just switched off.  
“Oi! No zoning out on me.” He said shaking her head by her hair, which he gripped even tighter. “To keep you with us, open it!”
Buffy felt tears of humiliation well up in her eyes as she obeyed him, slowly lowering the zip and his erection sprang free.  
She felt his fingers tighten in her hair as she lowered her head to his cock.   He then pushed into her mouth.  She gagged as he pushed his cock into her; he made her gag again further into her throat, using her tongue to massage his cold cock. Minutes passed as he continued to leisurely fucked her mouth.  Finally, he shot his seed down her throat.  She swallowed, sucking down every last drop.  
“Good Girl.” He said giving her a pat on the head.  Buffy felt completely degraded, “Eat up, your going to need the energy.” Buffy barely heard him, she was devouring the food, “You see Slayer, it’s Thanksgiving and I promised them a show.”

* * * * *

“Patrick seems to be taking his demotion well,” Faith said, turning to Anna.  She was sitting on the bed eating her dinner.  Anna had ordered out, it was Thanksgiving after all; the delivery boy was crumpled in the corner.  
“Too well.” Anna said, admiring the scene before her.  Patrick was pounding in to Buffy’s small frame.  Her screams were loud enough to come through the glass with out the aid of the speaker.     
“How about we go out and see what we can find?”
“Sure.”

* * * * *

“Danny get.” Flick snapped, pointing at the van.  
“But.” Danny glared back.  
“Van.”
“Henry said I was to help you.”
“And you’re helping me by staying in the van.”
“Yeah! We need some one to monitor our communications and bring the van if we need it.” Said Stephanie siding with Flick.  
“It’s a highly important position, a matter of life and death.” Xander said.
Danny just glared at him, “Don’t give me that, it’s an affront to my intelligence.”
“Just because we speak-a the Eingleish and they don’t.  Doesn’t mean that you should show off, now get in the van.” Flick said shoving him towards the van.  

* * * * *

Spike jimmied the lock and the door swung open. He smiled, “It’s almost too easy.” He thought.  He strode over to the computer, sat down and turned it on.  “Time to collect what’s mine.” He said as he scrolled down a list of student dorm names and their housing.  He reached Willow’s name and smiled, she was the only reason that he had even bothered to come back to Sunnydale ever since last year when he kidnapped her to perform that love spell.  He shuddered at his drunken antics back then.  She had agreed but also stood up to him that he had admired. She had shown some of that fire that lurked within and he had fallen for that fire.  
All the time in Brazil with Dru he had been unable to get her out of his mind.  Until, in a fit of anger, he had staked Dru.  It was on his way back that he had found out about Buffy’s demise and the arrival of a new master of Sunnydale, that had killed the Slayer but the next Slayer had still stopped the Ascension.  He’d intended to just drop by and grab Willow and to see what all the fuss was about.  But he’d been in town less than a day when the military guys, who were helping the Slayer, had captured him.  This new one posed a new and different threat.  
 
Part 5/15: Reunion

Willow was in her dorm room, on her bed, listening to music and working on her laptop, talking online with Katie and Sarah.  They were trying to find something about the army guys; she got up to get a book.  The tape player changed to one of Oz’s band’s songs before he died.  Willow let her mind wander.  Sarah was a great friend, someone who matched her intellectually.  But Sarah couldn’t leave the house, though no one would admit it, the illness was beginning to take its toll.  
Willow reached out and picked up her present from Claire, Flick’s Mom, or Mum as they called it in England.  The present was candy and she had never seen candy like it.  It was a traditional English sweet.  It was a foot long cylindrical tube about an inch in diameter.  Rock, and rock it was, Xander had tried to bite his and nearly broke his teeth.  Willow un-wrapped the sweet and began to suck the sugary coating off the outside to get at the peppermint in the middle.  
Willow couldn’t deny it any longer she was lonely.  Okay she had great friends, Xander, which she had known since child hood, the only other surviving member of the original Scooby gang.  They had quite a unique friendship but it would never progress beyond that, not that she’d want it to and he seemed happy with Anya.  They were beginning to build a life together, both working for Henry.  
Henry was the father figure of the group much as Giles had been but he would never replace him and never tried.  He was as unconventional as Giles but still very English.  Flick had been raised to be a slayer but not in the regular fashion of being taken away from her family.  Her mother and Henry had raised her.  She had a brother.  Flick was no Buffy and sometimes she tried too hard to live up to the legacy Buffy had left behind.  
Stephanie had been the head of the, now called, New York branch and was very used to giving orders.  Which lead to friction between her, Henry and Flick.  Usually on who was right when both of them usually were and Sarah was the mediator, a born diplomat and a fantastic scientist.  Even though Willow didn’t like to admit it, she was brighter than her.  There were things that Sarah could do that she’d never of thought of and they were best friends because of it.  Sarah had suffered a come down from joint Little Miss Popular of New York High to someone that couldn’t go out of the house, but she’d still taken it far better than her sister, Anna, ever had.  
Despite all her friends, she was lonely; maybe lonely was the wrong word.  She missed Oz but he was gone and he was never coming back.  He’d been dead for eight months and she was ready to move on though they hadn’t been close near the end because of the whole Xander kiss fiasco.  
Willow had stopped even seeing the words on the screen.  It was all computer jargon.  Willow looked up and saw her reflection and thoughts of doing things to a particular vampire, who was back in Sunnydale, rose unbidden in her mind and of him doing things to her. “Ahh! Stop it.” Willow snapped at herself.  “You can’t go thinking that.”
There was no denying that Spike was good looking, “What’s the harm in a little fantasising?” She asked herself.  “I can’t, its wrong.”  The more Willow argued with herself, the more she tried to stop thinking, and the more thoughts of Spike tilled her brain.  
“Ahh Shut up.” Willow hissed at her reflection, taking the rock out of her mouth and rapping it back up, only to discover that her hands and face were covered in stick.  A knock at the door broke her out of her reverie.
“Come in.” Willow sighed, distracted.  It was probably Flick or one of them.  They had been great friends but she couldn’t fight the gnawing loneliness she felt.  
“Hiya pet.”
Willow looked up, suddenly alarmed, “Spike! Wh-what do you want? Uh, a spell? I can do that.” Willow got up to run past him, but he grabbed her and threw her against her dresser.  
“I’ll give you a choice.” He said as he walked over to her. “Now I’m gonna kill you.  No choice in that.  But…I can let you stay dead…or…bring you back, to be like me.”
“I--I’ll scream.”
“Bonus.”
Willow screamed as Spike threw her on the bed and turned the radio up to a blaring level.  
“No!” Willow screamed. “Goddess, I’m gonna die!” She thought as Spike jumped on her and they battled until he succeeded in pinning her hands to her sides and went to bite her.  Suddenly pain lanced through his skull and he drew back immediately in great pain.  
Willow froze as Spike drew back, “Huh!” Spike tried again and the same thing happened.  After several attempts he pushed himself up off Willow’s frozen form.  He looked down at her puzzled and he then sat down on the end of the bed with is head in is hands, “I don’t understand.  This sort of thing’s never happened to me before.”
Part of Willow’s brain was rejoicing in the fact that she wasn’t dead and the fact that Spike couldn’t bite; where as the rational side of her brain was working over time to try and figure out why, “Maybe you were nervous.” Willow said. “What the hell am I saying?” She thought.  
“I felt all right when I started.  Let’s try again.” Spike said, as he leapt on her but drew back immediately in great pain.  He tried again and the same thing happened. “Ow! Oh! Ow! Damn it!” He got up and kicked the dresser.  He started to pace around the room.  
“Maybe you’re trying too hard.  Doesn’t this happen to every vampire?”
“Not to me, it doesn’t!”
Then a third part of Willow’s brain was disappointed that Spike hadn’t been able bite and was busily trying to quash the rest of her brain, “It’s me, isn’t it?” Willow said, surprising herself.  
“What are you talking about?”
“Well, you came looking for Flick, then settled.  I—I…You didn’t want to bite me.  I just happened to be around.”
“Piffle!” He said getting up.  
“I know I’m not the kind of girl vamps like to sink their teeth into.  It’s always like, ‘ooh, you’re like a sister to me,’ or, ‘oh, you’re such a good friend’.”
“Don’t be ridiculous.  I’d bite you in a heartbeat.”
“Really?”
“Thought about it.” He said as sat on her bed again.  
“When?”
“Remember last year, you had on that…fuzzy pink number with the lilac underneath?”
“I never would have guessed.  You played the blood-lust kinda cool.”
“Mmm.  I hate being obvious.  All fang-y and ‘rrrr!’ Takes the mystery out.”
“But if you could…”
“If I could, yeah.”
“You know, this doesn’t make you any less terrifying.”
“Don’t patronise me.”
“Spike?” Willow asked.  
“Yes luv?” He said.  
“Why did you come back to Sunnydale?” Willow asked.  
Spike looked straight at her, catching her eyes, “To see you.”
“Oh.” Willow gasped then absently tucked her hair behind her ear but her hair got stuck to the stick on her fingers.  Spike reached out to untangle her fingers from her hair.  Willow gasped in shock as Spike began to suck her finger.  He savoured the taste of the syrupy peppermint that coated Willow’s fingers that was mingled with a taste that was uniquely Willow.  Spike stuck his tongue out, reaching her palm.  Willow couldn’t help but giggle as he tickled her palm with his tongue.  Spike smiled around her fingers; “Maybe he’d have her after all.”  He thought. He then returned his attentions back to her finger.  He sucked it and then pushed it out sucking the next one in.  
Willow’s brain was a whirl of muddled thoughts, she just couldn’t form a coherent thought, and she was completely lost in the sensations Spike was causing, just by sucking her fingers.  He’d shut down all rational thought.  Before Willow’s addle-brained head realised what had happened, he was kissing her, exploring her mouth with his tongue to which she responded.
Spike was amazed that Willow was here, kissing him.  The girl that had been that cause of many a sleepless night was here in the flesh kissing him to which he returned with passion.  He began to kiss his way up to her ear and he nibbled her ear lobe.  Willow froze, the slightly more rational part of her brain taking over, but it shattered as he began his ministrations on her earlobe.  
He pounced, pushing her down on to her back until he was straddling her. His very masculine, very aroused body was pinning her to the bed putting a whole new meaning to being stuck between a rock and a hard place.  
 
Part: 6/15: Discoveries

Hiding in the bushes outside Willow’s dorm, three army guys were peering at a temperature sensor.  “I’m getting a picture….  Signature’s locked.”
“What’ve we got?”
“Humans of the freshman variety.  98.6, 98.6…Bingo! Got a cold one.  Thermal output clockin’ in at exactly…room temperature.  Vampire.  Call in a standard triangle flanking manoeuvre.”
“We’re going in.  I need a lockdown on grid 6.”

*****

Flick was hiding in another bush. “Stephanie, found ‘em, it looks like they’ve found a vampire. It’s in, oh my God, Willow’s room.” Flick yelled, shocked, into her walkie-talkie.
“Be there pronto! Xander, Danny, Van!”

*****

The army guys ran in to the dorm wearing night vision goggles.  They raced up the stairs and when they reached the top, students scrambled out of their way.  They headed down the hall towards Willow’s room.  
“What the…?” Flick exclaimed as the lights went out.  
“They must have the whole campus wired.”
“Let’s just get there.” Flick snapped, turning on her torch and ploughing on up the stairs.  

*****

“I’m only 126.”
“You’re being too hard on yourself.  Why don’t we wait a half an hour and try again? Or…” Willow said then frowned, “What am I saying?” Willow thought as the rational side of her brain took over.  “Screw rational you just had sex with a vampire.  Mind blowing sex.  Twice.”
“You want me to bite you?”
“No! Well you don’t seem to be able to.” Willow babbled then the lights went out. “What the hell?” Spike snapped.  
Willow scooped up her dressing gown and ran over to her door, she yanked it but it was locked.  
“What? I didn’t lock it, maybe Spike did.” She thought. “Did you lock the door?” Willow asked.  
“No!” Spike answered, as he hastily got dressed.  
Willow yelped and stepped back, as something hit the door from the other side, trying to break it down.  Spike grabbed Willow, pushing her behind him, as the door splintered and gave way.  Spike rushed out and slammed an army guy into a wall.  Willow cowered in a corner.  Spike rushed over to bite one of the commandos but couldn’t due to a severe burst of pain.  
“It’s on me!” the army guy yelled as Spike rushed over to bite another.  Yet again a severe burst of pain.  
“Aah!”
“Move!”
Spike struggled but was eventually contained.  
“Bag it, tag it.  We’re gone.  Sir…Civilian.  Could have turned.” He said pointing at Willow cowering in a corner.  
“Leave her.”
“We can’t neglect quarantine, Sir!”
Spike broke free.  He grabbed a fire extinguisher and went to smash a commando with it.  Another went to shoot him, but he held up the extinguisher and it was shot, which filled the hall with CO2 gas.  Willow crawled towards her room.  
“Stop her!”
A commando grabbed her.  
“She’s contained.”
“Hey!” Flick yelled, aiming her gun at the lead commando, who had Willow.  He turned to see who it was.  As all the commandos were distracted, Spike slipped into Willow’s room.  
“Who are you?”
“We could ask you the same thing.”
“United States Army and this is none of your concern.”
“It’s very much my concern.” Xander and Danny finally making it around the corner and blocking off the escape interrupted them. “Took your time.” Flick snapped, giving them a look.
“Well humph.” Danny snapped back.  
“Willow, you okay?”
“Fine, nothing broken.”
Flick beckoned Willow to join her and Stephanie.  Putting away her gun, Stephanie did the same as did Xander and Danny.  
“We’re not your enemy, we have the same goal in mind, vampires.  You are capturing vampires and demons for a, here to, unknown purpose.  I am the Slayer if you know about demons, you’ll probably know about my purpose and me.  I can be contacted here.”  She handed an envelope, which the lead commando took.  Flick then turned to enter Willow’s room.  
“We’ll be in touch.”
“Looking forward to it, we have a lot to talk about.”
*****
“I think that went well,” Stephanie said, checking Willow for injures as she sat on the bed.
“Oh yeah! The vampire escaped.” Flick said sarcastically, looking at Xander and Danny.  
“Well, we’ll catch him again.”
“Spike’s one slippery customer.”
“But…” Willow started, then stopped when something cold began to tickle her foot.  She knew instantly who it was.  
Flick knew she would always be living in Buffy’s shadow.  She knew that, though Willow and Xander tried not to, they compared her to Buffy.  It was just awkward, “He’s a vampire much like any other and will be dealt with like    any other.”
“Yeah! But any information we can get together on this one will be appreciated.”
“Okay!” Willow said pained, trying not to giggle as Spike ran his finger around the sole of her foot.  
“You know that lead commando guy seemed familiar somehow.  I’ve heard that voice somewhere before.”
“I’d bet that their base is somewhere on or near the campus.”
“Now I’m tired.  I want to get some sleep.” Willow said.  
“You’ll be okay?” Flick asked Willow.  
“Yep.” Willow all but squeaked as Spike began to stroke the hollow of her ankle.  
“You do know that my offer’s still open, you can move in.  That spare room is just waiting.” Stephanie said, growing concerned, “You spend most of your time at ours anyway.”
“I’ll think about it.” Willow said as she shooed them all out the door.  She had to admit that there was really nothing stopping her from moving in with Stephanie and Sarah.  “But there was.” She thought as Spike climbed out from under her bed.  Willow’s anger dissolved when Spike’s lips met hers.  

*****

They were all walking back to the van.  It was quite a warm evening in the middle of November, which went against Danny’s opinion of winter, having come from the snowed up Lake District.  
“Do you think Willow’s okay?”
“She did seem a little on edge.”
“Yeah what happened to the vamp in her room?”
“The army guys staked it, didn’t they?”
“Flick.” Faith said, coming out from behind a building.  
“Faith.” Flick said, reaching behind her for her gun.  
“I wouldn’t do that.” Faith said, as a vampire came up from behind Stephanie and grabbed her arm, pinning it behind her back.  Danny made a dash for Faith but she caught him, holding him by his hair.  Another vampire also quickly restrained Xander.  
“Flick, I would have thought that you’d have better taste.” Faith said indicating Danny.
“That’s my brother, dufus.”
Stephanie was struggling with the vampire, who was beginning to pay too much attention to her neck.
“And at least I have some, I don’t have to turn to the un-dead for satisfaction.”
Faith lashed out and punched her in the face.  Danny had managed to get a grip on Faith’s arm and was twisting it like a Chinese burn.  The sudden sharp pain caused Faith to let go.  Danny fell back into a fighting stance and with a swift move kicked Faith in the hip; Faith stopped punching Stephanie and turned her attention to Danny.  Danny was no match for an enraged slayer and was soon receiving more blows than he was giving out.  
Flick launched into the fray, pulling Faith off her brother and they began to trade blows but fighting to a stale mate.  
The vampire holding Stephanie finally decided to do more than just admire her neck, “Looks like I get you.” He said as he pulled her close to him pulling her head to the side.  
“Oh God! I’m gonna die!” Stephanie thought as she shut her eyes and began to recite the Lord’s Prayer.  She had got as far as ‘hallowed be thy name’ when the vamp erupted into dust.  She opened one eye, then the other, just in time to see Faith hit by a bolt of electricity and go down.  
“What?” Flick asked, shocked as Faith fell forward knocking them both over.  The vamp holding Xander dropped him and fled.  
“It’s okay ma’am you’re safe now.” An army guy said.  He was standing where the vampire had been seconds before.  Two army guys were examining Faith who was sprawled on the floor and another one was helping Danny up.  
“Everyone okay?” Stephanie said as she began to turn to see who or what had dusted the vampire. “Yeah, fine.” Flick said pushing Faith’s unconscious form off of her and turning to Danny.  
“This isn’t a HST.” The commando announced as he turned Faith over.
“A what?” Danny asked, slowly getting to his feet nodding to Stephanie.
“Stephanie?” a commando asked.
“WHAT!” Stephanie said spinning around to face the army guy that had staked the vampire that had been holding her.  
“Are you okay?” he asked.  
“Huh! Fine what are you doing here?” Stephanie said, recognising him.  
“You know him?” Xander asked.  
“Sorta, he’s my psychology professor’s assistant.  Riley isn’t it?” Stephanie explained.  
“All teaching assistants wander around in army fatigues, with guns and kill vampires. Why didn’t I get that one?” Xander quipped.  
“Riley Finn.” He said, extending his hand.  
“You’re the same lot that were at the halls.” Flick said.  
“Halls?” He queried.  
“Halls of Residence, where the students live.”
“Oh!”
“Riley, what are we going to do with…?” The army guy asked then paused.  
“Oh! That’s Faith.” Flick said.  
“Faith?”
“She works for Anna.”
“Anna?”
“Geez for black opps, your intelligence gathering leaves much to be desired.” Danny quipped.
”Anna, isn’t that what the HST’s call their leader?”
“I think that now is the time we have that conversation, but not here in the middle of the park where any vampire with half a brain could attack us.”
“Forest, you and Graham take Faith back to base.”
“Mr. Finn, you come with us, we’ve got to get Henry.”
“Henry?”
“My Watcher.”
“Watcher?”
“My legal guardian of sorts.”
“We’ve got to get Faith back to base, why don’t you meet us here at this address tomorrow at fifteen hundred hours.”
“Three o’clock.” Danny whispered in Flick’s ear.
“I know that.”  She grumbled.

*****

“I’m sure you’ll understand if I seem far from happy.”
“Yes, ma’am.  If you read my report you’ll see.”
“The Slayer.”
“Who’s to say it’s not possible.”
“A natural born enemy of vampires?”
“Could be of great help.”
“This slayer has allies or at least people that know about her?”
“Yes! Willow Rosenberg and Stephanie Tucker, they’re in the psych.  class.”
“We’ll look into it.  Agent Finn, tell me something good.  My implant?”
“The implant works.  Hostile 17 can’t harm any living creature, in any way, without intense neurological pain.  We’ll bag it.”
“Yes, you will.  Dismissed.”
 
Part 7/15: The Morning After

Anna stood in front of the glass wall that separated her room from Buffy’s cell.  She placed her hands on the cool glass and rested her forehead on the glass, looking in.  Buffy lay on her side, slumped against the wall.  She had passed out after Patrick had finished with her.  Anna watched as Buffy came round, pulling her knees up to her chest and try to sink back into the wall, pushing herself as far into the corner as she could go.  Anna smiled cruelly as Buffy looked at her with hate, and tried to cover herself with the tattered remains of her clothes.  
The door to Anna’s room creaked open and a scared looking vampire stepped in. “What is it?” Anna growled, not taking her gaze of Buffy.  
“Ma’am it’s Faith, the commandos, there were too many, they’ve taken her!”
“WHAT!!” Anna screamed as she spun round and glared at the vampire.
“I’m sorry but they came out of nowhere.”
“You’re SORRY?” Anna screeched, swiping forward and grabbing the vampire by the neck and with a quick twist separated it from his body and all was ash.  Anna marched foreword and yanked open the door, nearly tearing it of its hinges, “OLIVER!”
A small geekish vampire walked towards her cautiously, “Yes ma’am.”
Anna put on a false smile and looked down at the vampire and said in a mock innocent tone, “Have we had any success in tracking down those pesky commandos?”
“Some,” he said then realizing that that was not the right answer as Anna’s grey eyes darkened and flashed yellow, “We’re trying to hack into their data base but we need to move to a direct access point, which is across town.”
“Okay, why haven’t you done that then?”
Oliver shifted uncomfortably under Anna’s gaze, “You said we weren’t to leave the lair.”
Anna remembered saying that and sighed. Sometimes people didn’t use their initiative, not that she didn’t like it when people followed her every command without question.  
“So this direct access is where?”
“789 483.”
“That is?”
“The grid reference, I was just about to look it up.”
“Okay you look it up and I will gather some of the guys and we will all go.”

*****

Willow smiled as she woke. She had just had the most incredible dream, Spike and her doing things that would make the devil gasp.  She stretched out and as she did so, she realized that she hurt in places that she hadn’t before.  As she continued to stretch, spreading out in her bed, she hit something cold. Willow’s sleep addled brain was failing to process the information and kicked at it, hoping to shove it off her bed so she could return to sleep.  
“Oi!” Came a startled shout.
Willow froze, she knew that voice and, “It couldn’t be?” She thought. “Spike?” She said, cautiously opening her eyes to look into the mischievous ones looking down at her, “Oh Goddess, we didn’t?” She gasped, slamming her eyes shut.  
He pounced, pushing her into the mattress, straddling her, “We did.” he said, his hand slowly travelling down her arm, “Many, many times.”
“Oh!” Willow gasped, then added, “What’s the time?”
“Who cares?” Spike said frowning, somewhat surprised by her question and dipped his head and began to nuzzle her neck.  Willow nearly forgot what she was thinking as Spike began to kiss her neck and slowly move up to her ear.
“Spike, I really need to know what the Ti…” Spike’s hand began to massage her breast.”  
“…me is, I have to be at Flick’s by ten.” Spike leaned in to kiss her and Willow placed her hands on Spike’s chest.  “Such a nice chest, smooth and muscular,” she thought as she began to stroke it but then remembered what she had to say, “If I’m late she’ll be over here.”
“Don’t worry Pet, there’s plenty of time.” He said and began to stroke the soft skin of her abdomen, squeezing her hipbones affectionately.  Willow whimpered as she felt his hands brush over the skin of her inner thighs.  He teased her for a few moments; he then slowly parted her soft folds and with his thumb began massaging just below her clit.  Every time she came close he would stop and start again, as she clenched around his fingers, he chuckled and added another finger as he scraped his blunt teeth across her shoulder.  
“Spiiike,” she groaned, “Pleeeeeeease?” All thoughts of what the time was were long forgotten.
“Please, what, Willow?” He asked as lips travelled the length of her neck. She moaned as he circled her clit with his thumb, “What do you want?”
“You know what I want.” She pleaded.  
“You’re going to have to say it,” he murmured against her lips. “I want to hear you say it.”
“I want you…” she whispered huskily.  A bright pink flush came over her skin, making her all the more beautiful.  
“You want me to what?” he grinned, barely tickling her clit.  She cried out as Spike guided his cock just at her entrance, the tip brushing against the edges of her swollen folds.  He pressed his thumb against her clit, “I’m waiting.”
“I want you to make me CUM!” She cried.  
Spike positioned himself at the edge of her passage, the blond vampire looked into her green eyes as he plunged his hard shaft deep inside her and she felt full and complete like she never had before.  Well since last night!
He waited until he felt her move against him, then pulled out, beginning a rhythm that was both deep and slow.  Willow felt her entire body tighten up with her oncoming climax, as the vampire pulled out and pushed into her, again and again.  
She reached back, cupping the nape of his neck as he plunged into her.  She pressed his mouth against her own and began to kiss him passionately.  His game face slid into place.  Spike, feeling her inner muscles clamp around his rock hard cock, couldn’t hold back any longer and joined her in her climax, his cold seed shot deep into her.  
Spike collapsed against her panting for unneeded breath.  Willow’s heart was thundering in her ears as she tried to regain her composure.  

*****

“I wonder where Willow is?” Flick asked and looked at the clock. It was ten past ten.
“Give the girl a chance.” Henry said.
“I’m just worried after last night and the vampire in her room.”
“Yes, yes. Still don’t panic yet, give her five more minutes.” Her mother said as she tried to guide her daughter out of the kitchen and not let her see the cake she was decorating.  
“I’ll call her.”
“She’s probably on her way.”
Willow slowly sat up batting Spike’s hands away as he tried to pull her back down.  Willow squinted in the semi-darkness of her room; Spike had at some time gotten up to cover the window with a blanket.  Her eyes fell on her clock that read ten past ten. “Ahhh! Fuck!”
“What again?” Spike said sarcastically as Willow leaped out of bed, then leapt out of her skin startled by the phone.  Spike reached out to take it but Willow got there just in time.
“Yes.” She croaked. She seemed to be unable to get her voice to work properly, suddenly feeling very aware of her nakedness.
“Willow, are you okay?” Flick asked, concern filling her voice.
“Yes, I’m fine, I overslept.” Willow said, pulling on her dressing gown.
“Oh! Are you sure? We were worried after last night’s drama, I thought that he might have come back.”
“No, no he didn’t.” Willow said and received a hurt look from Spike, “I’ll be over in about thirty minutes.”
“Okay.” Flick said and put the phone down.
Spike got up and grabbed Willow from behind and started to undo her robe, “No!” Willow said, pushing Spike’s hands away.
“I don’t want to let you out of my sight.”
“You’re going to have to, If I don’t go, Flick’ll know something’s up and she’ll be over here and she’ll stake you, no questions asked.” Willow said, without taking a breath. Spike looked at her, she looked to be on the verge of tears, “And I couldn’t…”
“Okay pet.” Spike said, realizing that his little redhead didn’t want to be without him, “I’ll come with you.”
“No, you can’t.”
“Why not?”
“It’s day time.”
“And Steph’s house is so far away.” Spike said, knowing that Steph’s house was just the other side of the campus.  
“How do you know where Steph’s house is?”
“I’ve been watching you.”
“Oh!” Willow gasped she wasn’t sure how to take that. “You can’t come, Flick’ll flip then Steph’ll flip.  They all have one opinion on vampires. Kill them, no questions asked.”
“She let Peaches go.”
“She very nearly didn’t and if she meets him again, she won’t.”
“So I should just sit here and twiddle my thumbs until you get back.”
“Well yes, she won’t here about us from me, I promise.”
“She won’t, you’re mine, remember that.” He said as he kissed her fiercely.
“I will.” She said as she returned the kiss with equal ferocity.

*****

“Uh, so you’re just going to meet them at this address?” Danny said, looking and his sister incredulously, “Can anyone spell trap?”
“Why would the Government want to trap us?” Flick answered.
“You’ve uncovered a secret military operation, they don’t like it when you do that. Even more, you’re the subject of the operation.” Danny said. He was determined to win this argument.
“I’m not a vampire, we’re the good guys they’re the good guys.” Flick spat back.
“Humm?”
“You hummed,” Flick said, remembering her bet with him that he couldn’t go a whole day with out humming, plus she wanted to change the subject.
“Did not.” Danny snapped, defensively.
“Did To.” Flick said knowing she had won this one and she was now up five dollars.
“Did not.” he grumbled.
“Did to, that was a Humm if ever I heard one.”
“Humm.” He said, just to rub it in.
“Ha, cough up!”
“No.” He growled. He wasn’t backing down. He got up to leave.
“What?” Flick was on him in an instant and they began to fight until Henry hauled Flick off her brother.
“Stop it, the pair of you!” Henry yelled. He let go of Flick and gave Danny a stern look, “Flick, go get your coat, Danny go help your mother.” They both stomped off.  Henry sighed, running his hand through his hair.  
“Flick.” Willow called as she ran up the stairs after her.
“Brat brother.” Flick grumbled, as she pulled on her coat oblivious of Willow.
“Flick, I wanted to tell you something.”
“What?” Flick asked.
“It’s about that vampire last night.”
“What’s his name Spoke, Speck…”
“Spike.” Willow corrected, grinning, “He couldn’t bite.”
“And that’s a bad thing?”
“Oh no, I mean he was incapable of biting me. He tried but he couldn’t.  You think that those military guys did something to him?”
“Yeah but why make a vampire unable to bite, what’s the point, Humm?” Flick said, thoughtfully taking it in, “Thanks. I’ll ask at this meeting.”
 
Part 8/15: Discoveries

Flick grew nervous as she descended in the sterile, white lift.  Her slayer sense seemed to have gone in to overdrive.  The place had to be packed with demons and vampires.  But no amount of rational thought seemed to assuage the sense of foreboding, buried deep in the pit of her stomach.  
“You okay?” Henry asked.  
Henry never got his answer as the doors to the lift opened to reveal the vast facility.  They walked out onto a catwalk overlooking the main chamber.  
It was a jumbo hanger sized complex.  In the middle of the floor was a lower section where men and women, in surgical scrubs and white lab coats, were performing tests and operations on several types of demons, strapped to strange looking tables and chairs. “Welcome to the Initiative.” Riley said as they walked out.  
“Slightly large.” Stephanie said.  
“Slightly?” Henry queried.  
“Flick?”
“Humm, yes, large.” Flick said, distracted.  She was taking in every detail nothing was missed.  Flick was more interested in the bay where the demons were being experimented on.  
“Hello.”
“Professor Walsh?” Stephanie asked, surprised to see her.  
“Yes Stephanie.”
“Okay, maybe Danny’s right.”
“Danny?”
“A member of our group.” Henry replied.  
“Are you in charge?”
“It’s more a team thing.” Stephanie said.  
“What exactly do you do here?” Flick asked in a clear voice.  
“All in good time.”
“May we take a look around?” Flick asked.  
“Yes I’ll give you the tour.”
“Fine.”
“What have you done with Faith?”
“She’s in containment.”
“What does that mean?” Flick asked, knowing that was the carbon copy answer, but received no response as professor Walsh began to talk.  
“So, the Slayer?”
“The genuine article.” Flick said.  
“We thought you were a myth.”
“Well yes but the same could be said about vampires.” Henry said.  
“I understand your energies are directed in the same places as ours, in fact.  It’s only our methods that differ.  We use the latest in scientific technology and state-of-the-art weaponry and you, if I understand correctly, poke them with a sharp stick.”
“Well yes a bit old fashioned, granted but it gets the job done.”
“Oh, I’m, heh, quite sure of that.  As I’m just as sure that we can learn much from each other.  I’m working on getting you clearance to come into the Initiative.  I think you’ll find the results of our operation most impressive.  Agent Finn here, alone, has killed or captured…how many is it?”
“Seventeen.  Eleven vampires, six demons.” Riley said pompously.  
“Seventeen, I’m impressed.” Flick said trying not to sound sarcastic but still received a pointed glance from Henry.  
“What about you?”
“Me? Uh? I…a few.”
“How many hostiles would you say you’ve slain?”
Flick looked at Henry. He motioned for her to go on.  
“Two to three daily since I arrived eight months ago and I’ve averted the apocalypse twice.”
“And that’s just the start of it, she’s taken out a whole bunch of demons.”
“Stephanie!” Flick hissed going red.  
“Oh!”

*****

“Danny, would you come over here and hold this.” Claire said as she began to sew up the back end of the turkey, when the doorbell rang.
“I’ll get it.” Sarah said, putting down the potato she was pealing and grabbing a tea towel to dry her hands on. She peaked through the spy hole. “Well what do we have here?” Sarah muttered to herself taking in the man’s appearance, bleached blond hair and a full—length black leather coat.  
“Are you going to peer through the peep hole all evening or let who ever it is in?” Anya asked.
“Huh?” Sarah muttered.
“What’s so interesting?” She asked, pushing Sarah out the way, “Ohh boy!” she sighed as she looked through the peephole.
“Aaaahhhh!” They both shrieked as he reached forward to knock on the door.
“Answer the bloody door!” Claire yelled from the kitchen.
“Are the girlies scared of the door?” Danny said as he came over and began to open the latch. Anya and Sarah pushed Danny out of the way and opened the door.  
“Hi!” they both said.
“Hi.” Spike said with a smirk.
“What do you want?” Sarah asked.
“May I come in?” he asked, he had to see Willow.  He had been out as soon as the sun had set and he had tried to feed several times and the result was the same, a blinding headache. He couldn’t even hit anyone and he’d tried that too.  
“Yes.” Anya said without thinking.
“Wai…” Sarah warned, but it was too late, the invitation had been given and Spike stepped over the threshold. Sarah glared at Anya yanking her by the arm, “What if he’s a vampire?” she hissed under her breath in Anya’s ear.
“Anya who is it?” Xander asked from the hall. When he got no response he got up from the sofa and turned in the direction of the hall “SPIKE!!” he yelled on seeing their guest.  
“What?!” Willow yelped, jumping up and sending the book on her lap flying as she spun round to face him.  
Claire came to see what the commotion was.  Sarah was carefully edging her way towards the cabinet by the door and, sliding open a draw, pulled out a crucifix.  Sarah then launched at Spike and slammed him over the head with it and he vamped out.  
Spike turned to hit his attacker. He grabbed Sarah by the hair, he then screamed and let go as his head exploded into pain.  Sarah crawled back. Danny moved to help her up as Claire snapped the wooden spoon she was holding, turning it into a stake and lunged for Spike. She missed his heart as he brought his fist up to fend her off but was struck with another burst of pain and Claire succeeded in imbedding it in his arm.  
“STOP!” Willow yelled from the other side of the room and rushed over.  
Claire turned and looked at Willow confused, she had just been about to finish the vampire off with the other half of the spoon, “What?” she asked.
Willow had to think fast, she couldn’t lose Spike, “He obviously can’t hurt us and he might have information about the army guys.”
“Yes that’s why I came, I’ve got information, about the soldier boys that you were fighting.  Got the inside scoop.”
They all looked at him warily.
“Willow, tell them what I did.”
“You said you were gonna kill me, then everyone else.”
“Yes, bad, but let’s skip that part and get to the part where I couldn’t bite you.”
“It’s true.  He had trouble performing.” Willow said tying to repress her laughter at Spike’s look.
“Yeah, well, it looks like they’ve done me for good.  Urn…”
“Go on.”
“I’m saying that Spike had a little trip to the vet and now he doesn’t chase the other puppies anymore.  I can’t bite anything.  I can’t even hit people.”

*****

Flick started to walk towards an area closed off by a chain-link fence.  Inside were large caches of guns and equipment of all types.  There was one commando on duty inside.
Stephanie saw a small looking device laying in an open case. “Wow! This must have cost a bomb.”
“About twenty-thousand dollars.” Walsh informed her.  
“It’s a prototype for a com-cam,” she continued as she pointed to the monitor behind them, “Communications camera.  Soon to be standard issue; gives us a direct COM link to Control when we’re out in the field.”
“Also monitors the heart rate of the wearer; a valuable tool for research in stress in combat conditions.”
“A step up from walkie-talkies!” Flick said, giving Stephanie a look as she walked over to the open centre of the complex.  She stopped at the metal railing and looked down.  Flick looked at a pair of green squid-faced demons laying on two tables, while scrub-clad techs worked on them.  
“Much of our hands-on research with the HSTs is performed here.  We call this ‘The Pit.’” Walsh stated.  
“Novel.” Flick said, raising her eyebrows at Stephanie.
“What exactly are you doing with those demons?” Stephanie asked.
“For each new species of demon we encounter, we do a full examination.” Walsh explained.  She then called down to a man in the pit, “Doctor Angleman!”
A man, in a white lab coat, who was talking with another person, looked up to acknowledge Walsh then returned to his conversation.  
“Head of our science team; he’s a leader in the field of xenomorphic behaviour modification.” Walsh explained.  
“Behaviour modification?”
“We’ve made significant advances in reconditioning the sub-terrestrials.  Bringing them to a point where they no longer pose a threat.”
“Why?” Flick asked.  
“Pardon?” Walsh asks taken aback by the question.  
“Why bother, a demon is a demon.  Researching them I can understand but making them so they can’t bite.  I don’t get.”
“How do you know about that?”
“I ran into one of your experiments.”
“Hostile 17.”
“If that’s what you call him.”
“Did you terminate?”
“No, he ran in to a friend of mine.  She only got away because he couldn’t bite.”
“At the Dorm?”
“Yeah, when you all came barging in.”

*****

“G Grrr.  Bloody hell.  You’re cuttin’ off my circulation.” Spike growled as Xander and Danny were tying him to a chair.
“Not a possibility, you don’t have a circulation.” Danny snapped.
“Well, it pinches.”
“Poor didums.  I have more important things to worry about than castrated vampires.”
“HEY! I came to you in friendship.” They all give him a look. “Well, all right, seething hatred, but I’ve got useful information and I feel I’m being mistreated.”
“So tell me everything you know.”
“I’m too hungry to remember everything.”
“Then shut up, I have no time for impetuous vampires.”
“I’m not having a vampire in my house!  I can’t believe you invited him in!” Claire yelled at Anya.
“Calm down.” Willow said, trying to get her to sit down.
“You want me to be calm with that in my house?”
“Claire, he’s harmless.” Willow said.
“Hey.”
“Well, he can’t bite or hurt anything.”
Claire, still fuming, stormed back into the kitchen, slamming the door. “I’ll go.” Sarah said.
“What are we supposed to do with him?” Danny said, jabbing a thumb in Spike’s direction.  
“We’ll have to put him somewhere where he won’t make a nuisance of himself.”
“And out of the sun.”
“Oh no! Let’s just tie him up and put him outside until he either combusts or talks.”
“Flick’ll want to talk to him, so alive he shall stay.”
“Bit late for that.” Danny grumbled.
“We’re gonna have to put him in Sarah’s room.”
“She’s not gonna like that.”
“I’m not gonna like what?” Sarah said from the kitchen.
“We’re gonna put vampie over here in your room.”
“Your right I don’t like that and he’s not staying in my room.”
“Sarah, it’s the only place that he can stay.” Willow said, then regretted it the instant she said it.
“In the bathroom,” Sarah said, furiously, “He’ll have to stay in the bathroom.”
“The person who did this, well it’s ingenuous.” Danny said.
“Why? Point of action.”
Sarah came into the room carrying a small tray; on it was a mug, which was filled with blood. “What are you talking about?” She said as she put the tray on the table.
“Yeah, get to the point.”
“Does anybody remember Babylon Five?”
“Yeah.” Xander said.
“Oh God, I’m being analysed by a nerd.”
“Hey.”
“Oh! Shut up.”
“Garibaldi couldn’t kill Hester, no matter how much he wanted to, because he had implanted a modified version of Asimov’s first law of robotics in his mind.  So he was standing there with the gun to Hester’s head but simply couldn’t get the message from his brain to his finger, to pull the trigger.”
“Dumb question, but who’s Asimov?”
“He was an author and he wrote a book called, ‘I Robot’.  He devised three laws of robotics and the first was: A robot my not injure a another human being, or, through in action allow another human being to come to harm.”
“Don’t worry I’ll gladly watch you all die horribly.”
“That’s why, modified.”
“Okay, Mr. Spike.” Sarah said, changing the subject, wanting to get the vampire out of the way.  She knelt down in front of the chair.  She held up the mug, which had a straw in it.  
“Why though, why bother going to all that trouble?” Willow asked.
“Point?”
“I don’t know. It seems a little defeatist.”
“It certainly doesn’t lack irony.”
Spike looked at Willow but was distracted by smell of blood, it was human and one slurp later confirmed it; it was stone cold human blood. Within seconds he had drained the mug.  He hadn’t realised that his demon visage had slipped into place.  Sarah was frozen staring unblinkingly at him.  Willow was still standing, motionless in the doorway, watching. Xander stepped forward, pushing Sarah’s arm down and taking the mug from her.  
“You okay?” Danny asked, helping her to her feet and escorting her out the room. Xander gave Spike one last look before he followed them out of the room. Only Willow was left watching from the doorway.  Then the doorway tilted and the world began to spin a little.  Then he realised that the blood must have been drugged, it has been a ruse.  It was then that Willow left and the world faded to black.  
 
Part: 9/15: Friend or Foe

“What do you mean?”
“Well someone else is trying to hack into the system as well.” Sarah said, turning around from the computer screen to face Willow, who was sitting on the bed with her laptop, trying to decrypt what they had found.  
“What?”
“Look.” Sarah said, pointing to the screen where figures and numbers were scrolling across, “I didn’t do that.”
“Who else could be trying to get into those files?”
“Pass.”
“It could be a diversion, to throw us off.”
“I thought that a first but…”
“Try tracing the hacker’s connection.”
“Okay, I’ll try anything at this point in time.”
“Okay, who is it?”
“Who’s what?”
“Don’t give me that.  All day you’ve had that far off expression.”
“Have not.”
“Now I’m sure, go on tell, tell!” Said Sarah as she hit a few buttons on the computer and it began to crack down on some more computer code.  
“I can’t.”
“You can tell me, it’ll never leave these four walls.”
Willow looked unsure and cast another glance in the direction of the bathroom and sighed, she couldn’t tell her but she wanted to, she wanted to run around and scream it from the rooftops.  
“I promise cross my heart, hope to die, stick a needle in my eye.” Sarah said, crossing her hands over her heart.
Willow sat up and looked around the room.  She got up and checked that the doors were closed then went, “You tell and I’ll…”
“I won’t tell.” Sarah said slowly.
Spike groggily came round to find him self chained to the shower cubicle.  He looked around; he was in a large white bathroom consisting of a large cast—iron bath, a sink and a toilet.  The only source of light came from the open door that led into the bedroom.  The interesting aspect of the bathroom was the window. It was painted over with a picture of the sunrise but no light would ever get through.  He then remembered Sarah’s angry protests at him being put in her room and the reasoning being that her room was the only place safe for him.  Peculiar, but all thoughts fled when he looked out the door to see Willow’s reflection.  She was talking to Sarah, the one that had attacked him with the cross.
“Come on, I’m dying here.” Sarah said.
“It’s Spike.”
“SPIKE!!” Sarah exclaimed, yelling.
Spike grinned as Willow immediately flamed as red as her hair. “SHHHHH!!!” Willow hissed.
“As in the vampie chained up in MY bathroom?”
“Yes.”
“I can’t fault you for taste, he’s well, drop dead gorgeous, literally.”
Willow frowned she’d been expecting great protests and a lengthy lecture on vampires and how evil they are. “He’s what…a relation of that other vampire.”
“Angel.”
“Yes that one, so the soul’s an inherited factor then.”
Willow had to stop herself from laughing she could just imagine Spike’s response to such a suggestion, “No.”
“If not, then what the hell are you thinking; he’s a vampire for Christ’s sake!”
“I know that, but he’s a vampire that can’t bite me and he didn’t.”
“Last night, I take it that he did a little more than barge into your room.” Willow nodded, “Was it good?” Sarah asked.
Willow was completely taken off guard by the question. “W…Wha…” She stammered.
“You heard me.” Sarah said.
“What, no lengthy lecture on the evilness of vampires?”
“I’ll leave that to Flick, Steph and Henry. When they find out; we’re going to be washing you out of the carpet for weeks.  Plus you are talking to the member of the team that has an identical twin vampire and is slowly losing her mind.”
“Okay.”
“So then, tell.”
Spike’s ego soared as Willow, described to Sarah, their encounter. The conversation went on for nearly an hour until Sarah suddenly exclaimed, “Nice computer, I knew you could do it!” And patted it as the computer beeped and spat out a grid reference. “789 483.” Sarah called out to Willow.  Spread across the bed, were maps of Sunnydale of practically every conceivable type.
“Got it.  It’s a field.”
“There’s an electrical tunnel that runs straight under there, phone and power, whoever it is must be tapping off the system.”
“Great.”
“Now we’ve found out where they are what are going to do now?”
“How are the lone guns?” Danny said as he entered the room, “Well girls, doing anything?”
“We’ve not got any further with getting at the military files but we have found out that someone else is trying to hack the files as well.”
“Are you sure it’s not a rouse, the military are notoriously sneaky.”
“Well there’s only one way to find out.” Willow said looking at Danny, “Is Xander still here?”
“He and his nympho girlfriend left to, well, copulate.”
“Ah!”
“And Mum’s fallen asleep on the sofa downstairs.”
“So it’s up to us three.”
“One of us has to stay behind and keep an eye on vampie in the tub.  That sedative Stephanie gave him will be wearing of soon.”
“Willow, do you mind? I really could do with getting out for a while without Stephanie breathing down my neck.”
“I…” Willow started to protest.
“Come on, Danny here will be doing most of the work and we’ll be back before dawn.” Sarah pleaded cutting off Willow’s protest.  
“Okay but if you get sick, you explain it to Stephanie.” Willow stated and sat back down.
 
Part: 10/15: Porphyia’s Twins

“So what exactly is it that you’ve got?” Danny asked as he removed a manhole cover.
”Porphyia.”
“And that is?”
“How’s your biology?”
“Sketchy.” He said, helping her down the ladder to find themselves in what would appear to be an intersection of three tunnels.  
“You know what enzymes are?”
“Biological catalysts.”
“Yep.”
“Well the enzymes that metabolise haemoglobin don’t work in me so I have too much.”
“Haemoglobin? That’s the red stuff in the blood cells?”
“Yep.”
“Well they say too much of a good thing…”
“It basically means that I’m allergic to light especially the ultraviolet portion.  It’s terminal but the catch is I get to go crackers before I die, hence my twin sister.”
“You have a twin?”
“Had.”
“Oh, I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be.  I’m not.” A hauntingly familiar voice wafted out of one of the adjoining tunnels.
”Anna.” Sarah hissed as her twin came into view.  
“Your twin’s a vampire.” Danny asked shocked, looking from one to the other.
“Yeah.”
“What are you doing out from under Steph’s watchful eye?” Anna asked in a mock sympathetic tone.
“Ma’am, we’re in.” Oliver said from the shadows.  
“You’re the one who’s been hacking into the system?”
“Visa versa.”
“So you came all the way down here to see me.”
“Yeah.” Sarah said, reaching behind her for the gun and cross in her waistband.
“Don’t.” Anna said shaking her head and one of her minions quickly disarmed them both.  
“So tell me, Anna, why are you hacking into the Initiative?”
“They took something that belongs to me and I want it back.”
“Faith.”
“She’s mine and no one else is gonna have her.”
“Oh!” Danny said sarcastically.  Anna’s hand shot out and grabbed him by the throat, slamming him against the wall.  
“DANNY!” Sarah shrieked and she ran to help him but a vampire grabbed her and held her fast.  
“Anna, please?” Sarah asked.  Anna let him go and he crumpled to the floor.
“You know sis, we could always stop fighting?” Anna said walking up to Sarah until she was standing nose to nose with her twin.  She dropped her voice to just below a whisper, “You could join me.” She whispered in her twin’s ear.  
“NO!” Danny said and launched himself at Anna, knocking her to the floor and taking Sarah with her.  
Anna quickly got to her feet in full vamp mode and turned and looked at Sarah.
“Watch me kill your boyfriend.”
Anna yanked Danny to his feet and spun him around as she brought her head down to his neck.  Danny head butted her in the face and spun to face her, dropping to a fighting stance.  Sarah was soon on her feet and standing beside him.  Anna enraged, lashed out, kicking Danny in the groin and he went down clutching his nether regions.  Sarah launched at Anna but was backhanded into a waiting vamp.  She was again held fast by a vamp that was paying too much attention to her neck, while Anna hauled Danny back to his feet and he found himself in the same position as before.  
“Nighty night.” Anna said as she sunk her fangs into Danny’s neck.  

*****

Willow was lying on her front across Sarah’s bed, working on her laptop, trying to decipher the files she had managed to dawn load off the military database before she was booted off.  She hoped that Danny and Sarah would be able to find out who it was and re-establish the connection.  She felt a little guilty about letting them go but once Sarah was determined to do something she did it and there was no stopping her.  
Plus they could do with some time alone, as it was obvious that Danny had the hots for Sarah.  Maybe this would give him the chance.  They had been a while and she was beginning to worry.  Hopefully they had figured it out but she knew that Sarah had to be back soon because Stephanie would kill her if she risked the dawn and so would she, but aside from that Sarah needed someone.  Sarah wasn’t the only one who needed someone.  
Willow had long since stopped seeing the words on the screen.  It was all computer jargon. The person who had encrypted it sure as hell knew what they were doing.  Thought of doing things to particular vampire, which was chained up in the next room, rose unbidden into her mind. And of him doing things to her. “Ah heck.” She muttered.
Spike could hear her muttering to herself as she worked.  He saw her move towards the door and decided to fain unconsciousness.  He watched her through the bottom of his eyes.  He could feel Willow’s eyes looking him over.  He could also smell her arousal drifting over from the doorway.  He could get lost in that smell.  
Willow stood there looking at him, taking in his form.  He was still clearly out for the count.  It must have been powerful stuff Stephanie had given him.  Willow’s feet had minds of their own and she found herself standing before him and looking down at him.  Looking at his face, those cheekbones, before she knew she had done it she had reached out and touched him.  
Spike nearly jumped out of his skin at the contact. It had been so brief, yet scalding.  He willed himself to remain still.  
Willow, emboldened that he hadn’t responded, reached out and ran her finger along his cheekbone, savouring the texture. It was smooth and as cold and hard as marble.  It was like feeling a statue.  She ran her fingers over them again and then down across his chin.  She was committing everything to memory; she would never be this close to him again.  Willow’s fingers trailed over his mouth.  Spike opened it and sucked her finger in.  
Willow gasped in shock as Spike began to suck her finger.  Again she was his for the taking.  Again she had no resistance to his ministrations.  Just like back in the dorm, he took her and made her, his.  
Spike was still amazed that Willow was kissing him.  The girl that had been that cause of many a sleepless night was here in the flesh kissing him to which he returned with passion.  He began to kiss his way up to her ear.  He nibbled her ear lobe and whispered, “Untie me Willow.”
Willow froze, the slightly more rational part of her brain taking over, but it shattered as he began his ministrations on her earlobe.  The key was in her back pocket and she reached round and grabbed it as Spike kissed, licking his way down her neck as soon as the cuffs were off.  He was on her in a flash, hands, mouth, tongue all joined in the fray.  
“Spike.” Willow managed to whisper.  
“Yes luv.” He said against her skin as he kissed his way down to the top of her dress and licked the exposed part of her chest.  
“Why did you come back to Sunnydale?” Willow asked.  
Spike stopped his ministrations and looked up at her catching her eyes, “Didn’t I tell you before? To see you.”
“Oh.” Willow gasped as Spike began to suckle her breast.  
 
Part 11/15: The Initiative

“You’re all doing different and interesting work I’ll give you that but what do you intend to do in the long run?” Flick asked Professor Walsh as she took a seat in her office.  
“You certainly ask a lot of questions.”
“Ask and ye shall find! Henry drilled it into me.  So you have all these demons, more than I’ve ever seen in one place at one time ever, once you’ve catalogued then analysed them, what then? I know that we can never rid the world of all its demons and it’s presumptuous to think that you can.”
Walsh looked pained, her dislike of this kid reaching whole new levels. She knew too much and asked too many questions.  
“I think what Flick is trying to get at is, why have you made it so that this vampire, hostile 17 as you call him, is unable to bite?” Henry asked.  
“As I said, we have been trying to bring the hostile down to a level in which they don’t pose a threat.”
“Then what, I find staking them tends to work, they don’t pose a threat when they’re dust.”
“You can’t go around killing things.”
“They’re already dead, they were murdered by something else.  It is their murderer that you are killing and allowing the victim to rest in peace.”
“Is that so? Did you tell her that?” Walsh asked Henry.  
“Yes, Flick has always lent toward the philosophical.  I’ve just pointed her in the right direction but she came to that conclusion all by herself.”
“You let her, a girl barely seventeen, justify murder.”
“Murder? No and what you’re doing is better? Allowing a vampire to stave to death? At least what I do takes seconds.  I think we have heard enough.  Stephanie, Henry, we are leaving.  Thank-you for your time, it has been a very informative visit, but I will continue on in my own way and advise that you stay out of it.” Flick’s tirade was interrupted by the sound of frantic knocking at the door.  
“WHO IS IT?” Walsh barked.  
“We have a breach in containment.”
“Explain.”
“Someone’s been hacking into the system they’ve double backed and tripled backed, making it nearly impossible for us to trace them.” The officer said and Walsh gave Flick a look. “But we have them at grid ref.  789 483.”
“Let’s go.”
“The civilians?”
“Will stay here.”
“Are leaving.”
“Lieutenant, stay here and make sure they stay put.”
Walsh and Riley left, slamming the door behind them.  Flick huffed as she sat down. “Do you think its Anna?”
“Most definitely.”
“I guess she wants Faith back.”
“Well, as obnoxious as that lady is, we need to help them.”
“Hmm, okay breaking out of military installations wasn’t exactly in the slayer handbook.”
“Air vent.”
“Brill.”
“What about him?” Stephanie asked Flick, nodding in the direction of the soldier.  
“Give me a minute.” Flick said getting up, “Excuse me sir.” Flick said politely then clocked him one with a right hook. “Sorry.” Flick apologised as she turned to face them.  
Stephanie placed a chair on the table and held it still as Flick climbed up and began to pry open the vent.  She scrambled inside and pulled Stephanie and Henry up.  
“Which way?” Stephanie asked.  
“This way.” Flick said confidently, despite the fact that she didn’t have a clue.  

*****

When Sarah came round she was still in the tunnel.  She had been positive that she had been a goner when Anna had knocked her out, but as always Anna delighted in playing with her.  Grateful that she was alive, she got to her feet and that was when she saw him.  Danny was slumped against the wall.  Sarah ran to him, dropping to her knees beside him, she rolled him onto his back and felt for a pulse but her fingers came away sticky.  Sarah looked at her fingers with mute horror.  Sarah wiped it away and again felt for a pulse.  It was very weak but there, it was getting weaker by the second and there was more blood out of him than in.  
Sarah went over to the bag they had brought.  Beside it lay the smashed remains of her mobile phone. “Damn it!” she snapped, pulling the bag over to where Danny lay.  Sarah tipped the contents on to the floor; she snatched up a pack of tissues and a roll of tape.  Taking one tissue she hastily cleaned the wound and with the rest of the pack, she clamped them over it, securing it with the tape.  She sat back on her heals to think of what to do next. He was far too heavy for her to carry. She really couldn’t leave him here but she couldn’t risk moving him.  She looked at her watch; it was eight thirty in the morning.  
“You are not going to die on me dammit.” She informed Danny’s inanimate form as she got up.  She placed a cross on his chest and poured holy water on the floor, she put on her hat, pulling the peak down low, placed her sunglasses on her nose and did up all the buttons on her coat, pulling up the collar and climbed up the steps to the manhole cover.  Once she was out in broad daylight, she began to run as fast as her legs would carry her, back to her house.  
Claire woke with a start.  The front door slammed shut and a frantic Sarah came flying in. “Call 911!” She screamed as she collapsed to the floor.  
“What happened?” Claire asked.  
“Anna, Danny, junction of 4th and south, manhole.” Sarah gasped, then passed out.  
Claire stood stricken, looking down at Sarah.  Her brain shut down and became concerned with one fact; something had happened to Danny, something had happened to her son.  She picked up the phone and dialled 999, when she got no response she remembered that she was in the States.  Cursing her stupidity, she dialled 911.  She quickly relayed the message and asked for an ambulance to come to the house and was just about to dash out the house, when she remembered Willow upstairs.  
“WILLOW!” she yelled as she bounded up the stairs, “WILLOW!” She slammed open the door to Sarah’s room to find her not there.  She turned to check the bathroom but when she shoved open the door, she was greeted by the sight of Willow, naked as the day she was born, curled up in the arms of an equally naked Spike.  
“WHAT THE BLOODY HELL! DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING YOUNG LADY?” Claire bellowed.  
Willow was jerked awake.  She spun round to face an infuriated Claire.  Her whole world spun, as she flamed red and scrambled to cover herself.  Spike on the other hand seemed completely unaffected.  
“There will be time enough to explain yourself later.  Sarah is downstairs; an ambulance will be arriving to pick her up.  I trust that you will be capable of insuring that they are informed of her unique condition.  I, on the other hand, will be tending to my son. Is that clear?” Claire said with restrained rage. Then she turned on her heals and walked out.  
Willow got hastily to her feet and began to pull on her clothes.  
“Slow down pet.” Spike said taking her hands as she tried to put her left shoe on her right foot.  
“No! No, I have to go.” She tried to pull her hands free.  
“Not before you’ve calmed down a bit.”
“You want me to calm down,” she paused, “Why?”
“Because your sweater is on inside out and back to front and you were trying to put your left shoe on your right foot, whatever will the paramedics think?”
“Oh.” Willow said; Spike manoeuvred her so that she was sat down on the toilet seat.  Willow then calmly finished getting dressed, as did Spike.  
Willow left the bathroom and went downstairs.  Claire had moved Sarah and placed her on the sofa.  Willow knelt down and checked her for a pulse and took her hand examining the angry red patches of sunburn and waited silently for the ambulance.  
“Pet.” He said as he came up from behind.  
“Don’t pet me.” Willow snapped.  
“Willow, when I said I came back to see you I meant it.” Spike said. “Okay it was more a case of find you, fuck you, turn you, but hey things change.”  He thought to himself.  
“You did?” Willow asked, “He’s lying.” She said internally.  
“I didn’t come bursting into your room to kill you, well yes I did, but not for long.”
“How do I know I can trust you? How do I know that you’re not just using me so that Flick won’t stake you the moment she comes back? How do I know that, if whatever is stopping you from biting people fails, you won’t kill us all?”
“You don’t.  You’re just going to have to trust me.  I will never hurt you.”
Willow never got the chance to answer as the ambulance sped up the street and stopped outside the house.  

*****

Flick was leading the way through the maze.  Air ducts and yet more air ducts. “Do you actually know where we’re going?” Stephanie asked.  
“Yeah, this way.” Flick responded.  
“And this will lead us, where?”
“How the hell should I know? We have the same chance of finding a way out going that way as we do this and anyway this way feels right.”
“Okay this way it is.” Henry said, trying to quash the argument before it began.  After what seemed like miles of metal ducts they finally came to an opening.  Flick peered through the grating and gasped in surprise at what she saw.  
“What is it?” Henry asked as Flick moved aside.  
“Well?”
“It looks like the military here have been auditioning for Frankenstein.”
“Except a little more advanced.”
“Okay that’s a little creepy.”
“I shudder to hear your description of a lot creepy.”
“I say we slay Frankenstein and move on.”
“Well technically it’s Frankenstein’s monster.”
“Now is not the time to get technical, the not quite human thing on the slab over there.” Flick said as she began to kick the grate out.  
“Wow.” Stephanie said, as she looked at the thing on the slab, “it’s like, well, Frankenstein meets the Terminator.  It’s incredible I mean the biotechnology alone.  This is well ahead of anything.  I mean bionics.  Wow.  Then there is the fact that she’s managed to graft totally alien tissue to human and visa versa.  It’s just incredible.  I wonder if it works?”
“I don’t want to know if it works.” Flick said picking up a pole off the floor.
”You can’t.” Stephanie said.  “Maybe it’s not a bad thing, maybe it’s a good thing, created to fight demons.”
“I don’t know. It’s made of parts of demons.  How can we tell if the demon part won’t take over or if they can control it at all? Besides it’s not natural.”
“And demons are?”
“Well at least they’re all made of the same stuff, I mean what they are doing is fundamentally wrong.  What about the human part of this? What did it ever do, and that vamp that attacked Willow, why did they do that?  It’s cruel, even to a vampire.”
“But…”
“I agree with Flick.” Henry said.
“It’s part demon, part human, part God knows.”
“Yeah, I get your point.  It’s just such a scientific break through.”

*****

Claire watched anxiously as they brought Danny out of the sewers.  He was strapped to a gurney and the paramedics were working on him franticly.  It was by some miracle that he was even still alive.  He had lost so much blood that paramedics were trying to pump it back in.  Claire scrambled inside the ambulance and they sped away.  She held hold of her son’s hand, massaging it, trying to get some warmth back into his fingers.  She listened to the rhythmic beeping of the heart monitor then suddenly a loud continuous beep cut through her like a knife.  
“Danny! Oh God! DANIEL!” Claire cried as she was pushed out of the way.  
 
Part: 12/15: RIP

Henry and Stephanie were standing nervously in the corridor looking out for anyone.  When Flick came out of the room, “One thing that’s not quite human taken care of, they’re going to have a hard time putting him back together.”
“Good.  Now let’s get going.  If Anna’s really here then they’re in trouble.”
“Serves them right.”
“Need I remind you…”
“If you say sacred duty I’ll slay you myself.”
“Well hurry up with it then.”
They went down and round a multitude of white corridors, all the electronic locks had been disabled and emergency lights lighted the whole place.  Just as they were beginning to think that the whole place was deserted there was a commotion up ahead and a commando guy was thrown round the corner by an enraged vampire.  He hit the wall with deadly force and slid to the floor.  Flick launched into action beating the vampire back down the corridor.  Landing blow after blow.  
“A stake would be handy,” she yelled as she realised that hers had been taken from her when she had been searched earlier.  They had all been searched thus none of them had stakes.  Stephanie bent over the unconscious commando picking up his weapon clipped to his belt.  She checked the clip; it was filled with wooden bullets, “Not as dumb as they look.” She thought.  
“Wooden bullets do?” Stephanie yelled as she threw her the gun.  Flick caught it mid air, she took aim and fired, and the bullet hit its target. The vamp exploded to dust and Flick sneezed.  
“Psychosomatic!” Stephanie grumbled.  
“Tis not.” Flick sniffed.  
“Tis to.”
“Ladies.” Henry interjected.  
“Well down here appears to be where the action is.” Flick said taking off down the corridor.  
Anna was in her element.  She whirled, kicked, punched and crunched her way through the commandos blocking her way as she made her way towards the containment cells.  Another commando came in her way she reached out and grabbed him by the throat.  She snapped his neck like a twig.  She would have to thank Oliver when she got back for getting her in.  He had been dying to have a go with the slayer; maybe she’d let him.  
Anna slammed back the door to the containment block.  Oliver quickly rushed forward and began working on the panel that controlled all the doors.  Anna walked down to Faith’s cell and stood in front of the glass.  Faith got up of the bench-like bed and walked up to the glass.  She was wearing a hospital-like gown and she had the most stunning black eye that took up most of the left side of her face.  
“Who did this?” Anna said reaching up to touch it.
“One of the bastards that took me.”
“Oh don’t worry, they’re gonna pay.”
“Pay, who’s gonna pay?” Flick asked as she came through the other door.  
“Slayer, how nice to see you.” Anna said but she didn’t move.  
“The pleasure’s all mine.” Flick quipped as she took aim and fired but Anna moved, the bullet lodging itself in her shoulder.  Anna charged down the corridor and Flick fired again, the bullet just missing the heart and Anna went down.  Flick was standing over her, the gun pointed straight at her heart.  Flick squeezed the trigger and all that came out was a loud empty click.  Oliver was on her in a second, he knocked her to the ground.  The gun went clattering from her grip.  Stephanie and Henry dashed to help her, grappling with the vampire, trying to haul him off her.  
Anna staggered to her feet and went to the panel. “STOP!” Professor Walsh yelled as she came through the door with a group of soldiers all carrying tazer rifles.  Anna reached forward and pressed the button and the doors opened, letting the demons out.  Faith was at Anna’s side immediately.  Then all hell broke loose as the demons turned on their captors.  
Stephanie and Henry had managed to get Oliver off Flick who was now getting up.  Faith and Anna were heading towards, then away from, the carnage.  Behind them was the sound of bones breaking, cracking, the crunching of muscles ripping, tearing and the screams of the murdered soldiers.  
“Oh God.” Stephanie gagged at the scene.  They were weapon less, defenceless and the only thing that was left for them to do was run.  They turned and ran out the door, slamming it shut and shoving a desk in front of it.  Not that it held for long, but it bought them enough time to find their way into the vast main atrium and the stairs.  They didn’t stop running until they reached daylight.  
Then they stopped, only to catch their breath a moment, and walked quickly across the main campus.  Just as they made it to the other side of the green there was a rumbling and the ground shook then a huge explosion. The fraternity house was instantly engulfed in fire and black smoke.  
“RIP the Initiative.” Flick stated.  
 
Part: 13/15: Recriminations

Willow arrived at the hospital, she explained to the doctors about Sarah and she was waiting for Dr. Medcalf to come down and see to Sarah, when she noticed Claire, who was sitting in the waiting area.  
She was clutching a cup of coffee and just starring at it.  Willow knew that look. It was Danny.  She had seen it too many times over the past year. “Oh no.” she gasped.  
“Oh Yes.” Claire said bitterly.  
“I’m so sorry.” Willow said taking the seat next to her.  
“YOU’RE SORRY?” Claire yelled, turning to face her. “YOU’RE SORRY! MY SON IS FIGHTING FOR HIS LIFE AND YOU’RE SORRY!”
Willow shrank back as Claire vented her anger, “I thought that you were supposed to keep in radio contact with them and what do think you were doing letting Sarah out that close to dawn anyway?”
“Sarah asked and Danny said he’d take care of her, it was only simple bad luck.  They should have been back before.”
“Yeah and if you hadn’t been too busy whoring yourself to that vampire you would have noticed.  IT’S YOUR FAULT!” Claire raged, got up and stormed out.  
Willow was left shocked and stunned.  Tears welled up and spilled down her cheeks.  Was she right? Was it all her fault? She should never have listened to Spike, but she had been so lonely, she had whored herself to a vampire because she was lonely!
“Anybody out there?” Flick yelled as she came through the door, realising that the house appeared to be empty.
“Where’d everyone go?” Stephanie queried as she wandered through the living room and into the kitchen to find Spike, sitting at the table, drinking a mug of blood and reading the newspaper.  Stephanie started to speak but stopped and paused a minute to let Flick and Henry catch up.  
“What the…” Henry gasped.  
“Where is everybody?” Flick yelled striding across the kitchen.  
Spike put the paper down and looked at Flick, “Before you get all slayeresque on me, they’re all at the hospital. Something about a run in with Anna.”
“Oh God.” Stephanie gasped moving for the phone.  Flick paled then frowned pulling out her stake, “How did you get in?”
“Willow.”
“WHAT?”
“Shouldn’t you be getting to the hospital, your mother’s there, something to do with Danny?”
Flick paled; worry welling up inside, “And Sarah?”
“Come on let’s go.” Henry said putting his hand on her shoulder.  
“What about him?” Stephanie asked.  
“We’ll chain him up in Sarah’s bathroom.”

*****

Willow crept into Sarah’s room.  Sarah was again stuck in quarantine.  
“Who’s that?” Sarah croaked.  
“It’s me.” Willow replied.  
“How are you doing?” Willow asked as she felt her way through the darkened room to the chair beside the bed.  
“Fine, how’s Danny?” There was a long pause.  
“Putting up a good fight.”
“I should have never let you go.”
“It was Anna, It’s the only reason that I’m alive, if you’d gone you’d be dead or worse.” Sarah said, reaching out to take Willow’s hand, “Does Flick know?”
“She’s still with the army guys, but we’re not sure, there was an explosion on campus.  Claire is calling home.”
“How is she?”
“Distraught.”

*****

“Daniel Grace, Danny.” Flick demanded of the receptionist.  
“Flick, calm down.” Henry urged.  
“You’re here.” Claire said when she saw them from the phone.  
“Mum!” Flick exclaimed and ran over to her, “What happened?”
“Sarah’s upstairs with Willow.” Claire stated coldly, walking right past Flick.  Stephanie frowned, noticing that she said Willow’s name with disdain, “Shouldn’t you be going?”
“Yeah!”
“Mum, where’s Danny?”
“In there.” she said pointing to one of the trauma rooms.  Flick froze, “What?” she managed to say.  
“He went out with Sarah and ran into Anna.”
“He’s not…”
“No.  He’s lost a lot of blood.”
“Why did he go out with Sarah that close to dawn anyway?”
“Because that whore of a friend of yours wanted the house to herself.”
“I thought that Xander and Anya were there and that’s a harsh description.” Henry said, shocked.  
“That would mean Willow and you don’t mean her.  She’s just not got it in her and the only other man would have been Spike.  He’s a vampire, NO!”
“Yes. I know what I saw.”
“You must have been mistaken. He must have escaped and oh God.”
“I’ll kill him, I will.”
“She appeared to have been an all too willing participant.”
“NO!”
“Go ask her, anyway as soon as all the relevant papers are filled out I’m leaving.  I’ll be taking Danny back to England.”
“Mum, you can’t.”
“I can and I will.”
“Claire, don’t you think you’re acting a little rash?”
“Rash, rash isn’t the word, I should have never let him become entangled with this.”
“You knew what was involved.”
“For her, not for him.”
“What are you saying?”
“I was prepared to lose her, not him.”
“Mother!”
“Don’t mother me.  You have no mother as I have no daughter.  I have a Slayer.” And with that she turned and walked away.  

*****

“So what else happened? You’re worried about Flick but we know that she’ll come up trumps she always does, the same goes for Henry and Stephanie.  They’ll come bursting through that door any minute.  What happened to Danny wasn’t your fault, it wasn’t.” she reiterated her last point, “So what’s up, Doc?”
“It’s complicated.”
“Well I’m not going anywhere; anything you say to me will stay that way.”
“Thanks.” Willow said and she composed herself.  It was all going to come out anyway.
”Sarah!” Stephanie exclaimed as she burst through the door followed quickly by a nurse.  
“You can’t come in here.”
“It’s okay,” Sarah said.  
“Really Miss, you should be getting your rest.”
“I will.”
“Okay five minutes.” The nurse said, sternly.  
“What the hell happened?”
A few minutes later Sarah had filled her in on all the details involving their run in with Anna. “Could you have been more stupid?”
“If Willow had gone she’d be dead or most probably worse, Danny couldn’t have gone alone, we all knew the risks.”
“Yeah but did Flick’s Mom? She seemed strange.”
“She’s taking what happened to Danny hard. Thank God he’s still alive.”
“Plus,” Willow paused, “She caught me and Spike having sex.”
“WHAT!” they both exclaimed simultaneously.  
Willow blushed furiously.  
“You’re kidding right?” Stephanie said hopefully but her face fell when Willow blushed even more, “Why?”
“Where?” Sarah suddenly asked.  
Sarah’s question was easier to answer than Stephanie’s was, “The bathroom.”
“My Bathroom!” Sarah exclaimed.
“Again I ask why?”
“It’s complicated.” Willow said, unsure that she even knew the reason.  
“Did he get free and…”
“Oh no! No!”
“You freed him!”
“And again were stuck with the why?”
“Okay, this is going to sound a little strange.”
“I doubt it could get any stranger.”
“Okay, last year, before you ever came here, Spike kidnapped me to perform a spell to get his girlfriend back.”
“And you have a soft spot for hopeless causes.”
“Yes, and you have to admit that he is fine example of the male condition.”
“Okay, so you fell for him but aren’t you forgetting the part where he’s a VAMPIRE?”
“No, I haven’t forgotten that he’s a ‘Vampire’.”
 
Part 13/15: Explanations
Flick stormed up the stairs, shoving people out of the way, until she reached Sarah’s room where she stopped for a few seconds.
“Miss Masters cannot have any more visitors.”
“It’s okay, I don’t want to speak to Sarah, but one of the visitors.” Flick said through gritted teeth.
“Okay ma’am.” The nurse said and pressed the intercom, “Miss Masters, it’s time for your visitors to go now.”
Flick turned and to a deep breath, trying to calm herself. It had to be a mistake. Willow wouldn’t sleep with Spike.  
Stephanie held the door open for Willow and that was when she saw a fuming Flick. “I’ll go down and wait with Henry.” Stephanie said, making a quick exit.  
“Is it true?” Flick hissed.
Willow saw no reason to dance around the truth, “Yes.”
“WHAT THE BLOODY HELL WERE YOU THINKING? HE’S A VAMPIRE FOR CRYING OUT LOUD!” Flick paused a second, thinking, “He didn’t…because if he did, he’s dust, I assure you.”
“Yes, I slept with Spike. No, he didn’t force himself on me.”
“WHY! I don’t understand,” Flick said, slumping down into a near by chair, “Did you really stay behind so you could…”
“No, you know how stubborn Sarah can be. Danny offered to go with her. I tried to stop her but you know how she is when she gets an idea in her head.”
“Okay, I’m going to have words with Sarah anyway, as I’m sure Stephanie has already done so.”
“But I still don’t understand why. Didn’t Spike come into your room to kill you?”
“Well, yes.”
“Nearly being killed is an aphrodisiac?”
“I can’t explain it, but I’ve always had a crush on him, then one thing led to another, I love him.” Willow said, then gasped as she realised what she had just said.
“What! Woa, hang on there a sec you love him? He’s a VAMPIRE!”
“I know!”

*****

Stephanie walked around the corner to find Henry and Claire having an all out row.  
“DON’T YOU THINK I KNOW THAT?” Henry yelled.
“I DECIDE WHAT HAPPENS TO HIM AND HE IS GOING BACK WITH ME, TO ENGLAND, WHERE HE WILL BE SAFE!”
“And what about Flick?”
“As I said, she is not my daughter but your slayer.”
“Claire lets be rational.”
“No, you’re the one that always encouraged him to take an active role, that fighting vampires was a good thing sending him out to patrol with the others, no wonder he went out again and got himself hurt.”
Stephanie slumped back against the wall. It felt like it was all falling apart, things always fell apart.  When her mother died, when they found out about Anna, the horrible fire in which her cousin died as did Junior, they had all pulled together since then.  Could this tear them all apart? She didn’t want the group to fall apart now they had worked so hard to get this far. “STOP IT!” she screamed.  
Claire and Henry abruptly stopped talking turning to look at Stephanie. “Okay a mistake was made.  We all need to calm down a bit, think about things before someone does something they might regret.  We’ve all worked so hard to get this far, we can’t let it all fall apart now.”

*****

“WELCOME HOME!!!!!!!” They all screamed, jumping out from behind various pieces of furniture as Stephanie guided Sarah through the door.
“What you trying to do give me a heart attack?” Sarah scolded but the smile on her face gave it away.
It had been a tough few weeks but things were finally getting back to normal, well as normal as things got in Sunnydale.  Danny was still in intensive care. He had lapsed into a coma and the outlook was not promising but it was a miracle that he was still alive.  Claire though, had started to patch things up with her daughter and they were speaking again but things were strained.  So Flick was taking her temper out on the un-dead population.
After a furious argument with Willow, Flick had surprisingly relented and not staked Spike, it was still touch and go.  For some strange reason Willow and Spike were a couple and she was happy and that was all that really mattered in the end.   It was going to take a lot of getting used to.
 
Part: 15/15: Hopeless Rescue

“I’ve got a lock, she’s in there.” Graham said, pointing to the dilapidated mental institute.
“Good we’ll wait until just after dawn.” Riley stated.  
“Are you sure this is wise?  Shouldn’t we wait until we can bring in the reinforcements?” Graham asked.  
“They might move before then and we can’t let them get away with the Professor’s death.” Forest pointed out.  
The first few rays of dawn approached, as they approached the building.  They crept in but not unnoticed. A sleepy vamp, which was monitoring the cameras, spotted them and was quickly on the phone.  
They proceeded stealthily down the corridor, following the tracking signal.  It led them along endless white corridors of the old mental institution that from the outside looked derelict.  They came to a corridor where the signal was the strongest, “She’s got to be around here somewhere.” Graham said.  
They began to check the rooms, peeking in the windows and pushing on the doors, until Riley came to a grey door that was slightly ajar. Coming from the room was the sound of grunting and someone crying.  He pushed open the door to reveal a male vampire who was forcing himself on a petite blonde girl, who was chained to the floor.  He pulled out a stake from his belt and crept up behind the vamp and rammed it through his back to the heart.  The vamp exploded, dust covering the girl.  
The girl just stared up at him. “It’s Okay ma’am, I’m going to get you out of here.”
“Who are you?” she asked.
“Riley Finn.” He said, moving to her hands to see if he could free them.  
“Buffy Summers.” She said.  For the first time in months she felt hope. Okay she hadn’t expected her rescuers to be the military but at the moment she’d take anything.  
“Riley.” came a voice from outside.  
“In here.” Buffy flinched as they came in, “Don’t worry, they’re friends.”
“What happened here?” Forest asked, just then the tracker went wild.  Riley looked up in time to see a blade come out of Forest’s stomach and to see Graham get his throat slashed.  They fell to the floor to reveal Anna and Faith.  
“I don’t like party poopers.” Anna said petulantly.
Riley got up and lunged at them, they stepped aside and he ploughed into Patrick who grabbed him and held him fast with the aid of two other vamps and pushed him foreword into the room.  
“You see B, no-one’s gonna save you.” Faith said pulling Riley’s head to one side and baring his neck for Anna, who sunk her fangs in and hope died.