Categories > TV > Buffy the Vampire Slayer > Choices of Life
Willow and Tara had managed to get Spike over to Giles' even with the sunlight playing the normal try to burn a vampire alive thing. The two were very grateful, even if he had not been able to stop the demons from coming in. Spike was one giant bruise at the moment. In the back of her mind, Willow still could not help but wonder if Spike was really changing or if the chip was the only reason that he was helping them out so much.
Xander kept a very watchful eye on the vampire, even though all he did was sit in the chair with his eyes closed. He really did not trust the vampire. He did not care what the others were thinking. Spike simply could not be trusted.
Buffy sat next to Riley. There seemed to be this new distance between the two of them. Buffy could not seem to bring herself to trust him. Not that it was his fault that someone has been using him to infiltrate her ranks. But if it had been for as long as he said, than the imposter and she had made love. And she did not even know that it was not him. What did that say about their relationship.
The only two that seemed even mildly happy were Willow and Tara. Although both were worried about the fact that another powerful witch, granted was still stuck in rat form, was out of their and into the hands of the bad guys.
Willow shuddered at the memory. She, Buffy, and Amy were all tied to the stake. The fire was getting so hot, she could hardly stand it. That is when Amy did her thing. At the time, it was the most amazing thing that she had ever seen. One minute, a normal girl. The next, she was a rat. The power that took was amazing. She was not even sure that she had that much power.
After all, she and Tara had been trying, when they were not busy fighting evil, to turn Amy back. And that had been for how long? And with both their combined knowledge and power. And now some bad guy had their hands on the witch.
"This does make things that much more imperative." Giles was busy looking in one of his books. "If whomever is able to turn Amy back to her human self and able to convince her to work for them, they will have a very powerful ally indeed."
"Giles, have you been able to figure anything out?" Buffy stood and began pacing. Partly because she was getting frustrated with the lack of being able to kill things. Partly because she could feel herself drifting further away from her boyfriend. Another one was about to bite the dust. "What on earth could have so much power or control or whatever. I mean, it's like this thing knows what we're going to do before we do it. And to be able to make it sound like I'm talking to my friends?"
"Well," Willow swallowed as everyone turned to look at her. "I could probably do it. If I had the right equipment. It's really rather easy. And as far as blocking the phone lines, again, rather simple."
"Simple for those that have half a brain like you, Will." Xander smiled as she blushed. "The rest of us are kinda, well, not of the smarts when it comes to the computers."
"True." Willow nodded. Her eyes grew bigger. "I think I just thought of something. Something of the not so good. What if there was something left over from The Initiative. I mean, look at Adam and how high tech, at least part of him, was. And you know that Professor Walsh was big on the computer stuff. At least according to Riley she was."
He nodded. "It does make sense." He looked a Buffy. He was trying to concentrate on the latest evil. But he could not help but wonder if they even stood a chance anymore. She had been distant the night before, grilling him relentlessly about what he remembered or did not remember. It had gotten frustrating to say the least. "And we only have the government's word that they went in and cleaned up. Who knows how they really left it. And Adam used other places besides The Initiative."
"I know some bloody caves." Spike coughed as he tried to talk. "Maybe they could be where whoever is hiding out. But I don't fancy meeting up with anyone for a day or two." He looked directly at Buffy. "Your arm isn't quite healed. And I'm not of much use at the moment. You're not sure how much you can trust your boyfriend. And the two powerful ones are being blocked somehow. I think your best bet is to lay low for a few days."
Buffy looked at Spike. She absently put her hand on her cast. The doctors had said it would be four more weeks. She knew with her slayer healing that meant about two. But that was two more long weeks that she was not going to be at one hundred percent. And the vampire was right. Willow and Tara just could not seem to get past whatever it was that was blocking them. Her eyes found Riley staring at her. And the vampire was right about him as well. Hell, she had not been sure if she could trust him ever since she found out about him being in The Initiative.
She had to look away from her boyfriend. But why did her gaze meet with Spike's. Why did she seem to be drawn more and more to the vampire. He was a soulless killer. Yeah, chip. But it was not that he did not want to hurt people. It was that he could not hurt people, wasn't it.
After the long silence, Giles was the first to speak. "I'm afraid that Spike is right. As much as we can ill afford to have Amy in the wrong hands, we cannot afford to try anything in the weakened state that we are in. If Spike or Buffy were alone at one hundred percent, perhaps. But not with both of them being hindered at the moment."
"But I'm a trained fighter." Riley stood up and came behind Buffy. "I know that I can handle myself."
Buffy turned to look at him. "Without all of the fancy equipment that The Initiative provided you? I mean, you are stronger than most humans. But you are used to using those tasors and tracking equipment. We don't have any of those. It's just my fighting and primitive weaponry that get us through."
Riley looked a little miffed, but he did not say anything more. He knew at that moment that there could be nothing between him and the slayer. As much as he had hoped that the two of them could possibly build a relationship, it was not meant to be. He would have to take Graham up on his offer of joining with the special forces as soon as this latest threat was truly over.
Buffy turned towards Spike. "How long do you think it will be before you return to fighting strength?"
"If you supply me with enough blood," Everyone's face turned all ewwy on him. "What? Vampire. Need it to heal, live. Be better if it were human." He looked at Buffy. "Only for the healing qualities. Human blood helps vampires heal faster. Wasn't thinking about the taste or anything." Well, that sound bloody good, now didn't it.
Buffy rolled her eyes. But for some reason, his words actually made her feel better. What was going on. Big evil brewing and she seemed to be having wrong lusty feelings towards, Spike? Ewww!!! Or was it.
Willow watched the whole exchange between Riley, Buffy, and Spike. She knew in her heart what was going on. In a way, she could not believe that her friend would actually choose Spike over Riley. But she long ago learned that love was something that you really did not have any control over. After all, she had fallen for a werewolf. And now, she was so deeply and madly in love with a fellow witch who was going to turn into a demon in a couple of weeks. Life was bizarre. It just seemed that she and her friends life had gotten even more bizarre the past couple years. But they were still friends.
"Well." Giles broke the uncomfortable silence. "I do believe that there is not much that we can do at the moment." He turned to Buffy. "I do suggest that you keep doing your routine patrols. However, I suggest that you do not do them alone. Either Xander or Riley could accompany you until Spike has returned to one hundred percent." He turned to the two witches. "And you two young ladies need to be extra careful. Even though whomever has their hands on Amy, they may not be able to return her to human form. They may very well come after the two of you again. And if you are still being blocked, that leads to the two of you being a little defenseless at the moment."
"We can stay at home." Willow liked the idea of alone time with Tara. "Only go out for our classes and stuff. And we can, since we're pretty much trapped inside, work on breaking through this blocking spell. Maybe if we are able to work on it long enough, we'll be able to break through. It's worth a shot, anyways."
"I agree." Giles looked at his group of young people. He had always been proud of them. They had put themselves in danger more times than he could count. But they seemed to continue to sacrifice everything even though most people would have long ago given up the fight.
With that, everyone went their separate ways. Willow and Tara looked around their smashed up apartment. Xander was going to come over later. He had become quite the carpenter ever since his construction job had become a permanent job. It was going to be handy to have someone that could fix things. With their lives, things often needed fixing.
The two witches went about cleaning up what they could. There were some things that they would have to wait for Xander to show up before they could take care of them.
"I don't think we're gonna get our deposit back." Willow smiled at her girlfriend. The red head had not asked how Tara had come up with the money. She had asked her parents to help and they had actually agreed.
"Doesn't look so good." They finished with what little they could. That is when there was a noise from outside. Both instantly went on the alert, even though it was now daytime and no vampires. Still, lots of demons that could walk in the nice susshiny California sun.
An older man appeared outside the door. He was thin and gruff looking. Tara's eyes widened as she instantly recognized the figure standing in the doorway. "Dad?"
Little Amy the rat spun the wheel faster and faster. She squealed when evil Riley even thought about looking at her. "And they say animals can't judge humans." Ethan walked in. Sweat was still pouring down his entire body. "So, you got the witch rat. A lot of good that will do you. Someone is going to need to turn her human again."
Riley looked over at Ethan. "Yes, they are." He smiled big. Ethan began shaking his head. "Oh, I believe you will, little man. I have the spell. It was, for some reason, in with mother's belongings. I don't think she knew what it is really for. But that's a lucky break for us. I just need an experienced witch to perform it."
Ethan shook his head. "Do you realize the power that calls for? And I've kinda been at my limit doing the blocking spell. And I might add been able to keep it running night and day so far. I don't think..."
Riley lunged for Ethan and wrapped a very strong hand around his throat. "I don't think I asked you to think. I think that I'm the one in control. I'm the one calling the shots. And that means that you will do as I say."
Ethan coughed and sputtered when Riley finally let him go. "I will, but I'm almost burned out. How the bloody hell am I going to perform a spell that requires that much power when I have none left myself?"
"You'll find a way." Riley grinned at the cowardly little man. "Or I'll find someone else that can. And believe me when I say you won't like the retirement plan I have in mind. So do think about it. And don't try my patience again." He turned his back on Ethan.
Ethan limped out of the cave and back to his little cave where he was trying to keep the spell going to keep the two witches blocked. If he did not get help soon, he would die. An idea flashed in his head. One that could get him killed. Well, he was probably dead anyways, so why not.
Xander kept a very watchful eye on the vampire, even though all he did was sit in the chair with his eyes closed. He really did not trust the vampire. He did not care what the others were thinking. Spike simply could not be trusted.
Buffy sat next to Riley. There seemed to be this new distance between the two of them. Buffy could not seem to bring herself to trust him. Not that it was his fault that someone has been using him to infiltrate her ranks. But if it had been for as long as he said, than the imposter and she had made love. And she did not even know that it was not him. What did that say about their relationship.
The only two that seemed even mildly happy were Willow and Tara. Although both were worried about the fact that another powerful witch, granted was still stuck in rat form, was out of their and into the hands of the bad guys.
Willow shuddered at the memory. She, Buffy, and Amy were all tied to the stake. The fire was getting so hot, she could hardly stand it. That is when Amy did her thing. At the time, it was the most amazing thing that she had ever seen. One minute, a normal girl. The next, she was a rat. The power that took was amazing. She was not even sure that she had that much power.
After all, she and Tara had been trying, when they were not busy fighting evil, to turn Amy back. And that had been for how long? And with both their combined knowledge and power. And now some bad guy had their hands on the witch.
"This does make things that much more imperative." Giles was busy looking in one of his books. "If whomever is able to turn Amy back to her human self and able to convince her to work for them, they will have a very powerful ally indeed."
"Giles, have you been able to figure anything out?" Buffy stood and began pacing. Partly because she was getting frustrated with the lack of being able to kill things. Partly because she could feel herself drifting further away from her boyfriend. Another one was about to bite the dust. "What on earth could have so much power or control or whatever. I mean, it's like this thing knows what we're going to do before we do it. And to be able to make it sound like I'm talking to my friends?"
"Well," Willow swallowed as everyone turned to look at her. "I could probably do it. If I had the right equipment. It's really rather easy. And as far as blocking the phone lines, again, rather simple."
"Simple for those that have half a brain like you, Will." Xander smiled as she blushed. "The rest of us are kinda, well, not of the smarts when it comes to the computers."
"True." Willow nodded. Her eyes grew bigger. "I think I just thought of something. Something of the not so good. What if there was something left over from The Initiative. I mean, look at Adam and how high tech, at least part of him, was. And you know that Professor Walsh was big on the computer stuff. At least according to Riley she was."
He nodded. "It does make sense." He looked a Buffy. He was trying to concentrate on the latest evil. But he could not help but wonder if they even stood a chance anymore. She had been distant the night before, grilling him relentlessly about what he remembered or did not remember. It had gotten frustrating to say the least. "And we only have the government's word that they went in and cleaned up. Who knows how they really left it. And Adam used other places besides The Initiative."
"I know some bloody caves." Spike coughed as he tried to talk. "Maybe they could be where whoever is hiding out. But I don't fancy meeting up with anyone for a day or two." He looked directly at Buffy. "Your arm isn't quite healed. And I'm not of much use at the moment. You're not sure how much you can trust your boyfriend. And the two powerful ones are being blocked somehow. I think your best bet is to lay low for a few days."
Buffy looked at Spike. She absently put her hand on her cast. The doctors had said it would be four more weeks. She knew with her slayer healing that meant about two. But that was two more long weeks that she was not going to be at one hundred percent. And the vampire was right. Willow and Tara just could not seem to get past whatever it was that was blocking them. Her eyes found Riley staring at her. And the vampire was right about him as well. Hell, she had not been sure if she could trust him ever since she found out about him being in The Initiative.
She had to look away from her boyfriend. But why did her gaze meet with Spike's. Why did she seem to be drawn more and more to the vampire. He was a soulless killer. Yeah, chip. But it was not that he did not want to hurt people. It was that he could not hurt people, wasn't it.
After the long silence, Giles was the first to speak. "I'm afraid that Spike is right. As much as we can ill afford to have Amy in the wrong hands, we cannot afford to try anything in the weakened state that we are in. If Spike or Buffy were alone at one hundred percent, perhaps. But not with both of them being hindered at the moment."
"But I'm a trained fighter." Riley stood up and came behind Buffy. "I know that I can handle myself."
Buffy turned to look at him. "Without all of the fancy equipment that The Initiative provided you? I mean, you are stronger than most humans. But you are used to using those tasors and tracking equipment. We don't have any of those. It's just my fighting and primitive weaponry that get us through."
Riley looked a little miffed, but he did not say anything more. He knew at that moment that there could be nothing between him and the slayer. As much as he had hoped that the two of them could possibly build a relationship, it was not meant to be. He would have to take Graham up on his offer of joining with the special forces as soon as this latest threat was truly over.
Buffy turned towards Spike. "How long do you think it will be before you return to fighting strength?"
"If you supply me with enough blood," Everyone's face turned all ewwy on him. "What? Vampire. Need it to heal, live. Be better if it were human." He looked at Buffy. "Only for the healing qualities. Human blood helps vampires heal faster. Wasn't thinking about the taste or anything." Well, that sound bloody good, now didn't it.
Buffy rolled her eyes. But for some reason, his words actually made her feel better. What was going on. Big evil brewing and she seemed to be having wrong lusty feelings towards, Spike? Ewww!!! Or was it.
Willow watched the whole exchange between Riley, Buffy, and Spike. She knew in her heart what was going on. In a way, she could not believe that her friend would actually choose Spike over Riley. But she long ago learned that love was something that you really did not have any control over. After all, she had fallen for a werewolf. And now, she was so deeply and madly in love with a fellow witch who was going to turn into a demon in a couple of weeks. Life was bizarre. It just seemed that she and her friends life had gotten even more bizarre the past couple years. But they were still friends.
"Well." Giles broke the uncomfortable silence. "I do believe that there is not much that we can do at the moment." He turned to Buffy. "I do suggest that you keep doing your routine patrols. However, I suggest that you do not do them alone. Either Xander or Riley could accompany you until Spike has returned to one hundred percent." He turned to the two witches. "And you two young ladies need to be extra careful. Even though whomever has their hands on Amy, they may not be able to return her to human form. They may very well come after the two of you again. And if you are still being blocked, that leads to the two of you being a little defenseless at the moment."
"We can stay at home." Willow liked the idea of alone time with Tara. "Only go out for our classes and stuff. And we can, since we're pretty much trapped inside, work on breaking through this blocking spell. Maybe if we are able to work on it long enough, we'll be able to break through. It's worth a shot, anyways."
"I agree." Giles looked at his group of young people. He had always been proud of them. They had put themselves in danger more times than he could count. But they seemed to continue to sacrifice everything even though most people would have long ago given up the fight.
With that, everyone went their separate ways. Willow and Tara looked around their smashed up apartment. Xander was going to come over later. He had become quite the carpenter ever since his construction job had become a permanent job. It was going to be handy to have someone that could fix things. With their lives, things often needed fixing.
The two witches went about cleaning up what they could. There were some things that they would have to wait for Xander to show up before they could take care of them.
"I don't think we're gonna get our deposit back." Willow smiled at her girlfriend. The red head had not asked how Tara had come up with the money. She had asked her parents to help and they had actually agreed.
"Doesn't look so good." They finished with what little they could. That is when there was a noise from outside. Both instantly went on the alert, even though it was now daytime and no vampires. Still, lots of demons that could walk in the nice susshiny California sun.
An older man appeared outside the door. He was thin and gruff looking. Tara's eyes widened as she instantly recognized the figure standing in the doorway. "Dad?"
Little Amy the rat spun the wheel faster and faster. She squealed when evil Riley even thought about looking at her. "And they say animals can't judge humans." Ethan walked in. Sweat was still pouring down his entire body. "So, you got the witch rat. A lot of good that will do you. Someone is going to need to turn her human again."
Riley looked over at Ethan. "Yes, they are." He smiled big. Ethan began shaking his head. "Oh, I believe you will, little man. I have the spell. It was, for some reason, in with mother's belongings. I don't think she knew what it is really for. But that's a lucky break for us. I just need an experienced witch to perform it."
Ethan shook his head. "Do you realize the power that calls for? And I've kinda been at my limit doing the blocking spell. And I might add been able to keep it running night and day so far. I don't think..."
Riley lunged for Ethan and wrapped a very strong hand around his throat. "I don't think I asked you to think. I think that I'm the one in control. I'm the one calling the shots. And that means that you will do as I say."
Ethan coughed and sputtered when Riley finally let him go. "I will, but I'm almost burned out. How the bloody hell am I going to perform a spell that requires that much power when I have none left myself?"
"You'll find a way." Riley grinned at the cowardly little man. "Or I'll find someone else that can. And believe me when I say you won't like the retirement plan I have in mind. So do think about it. And don't try my patience again." He turned his back on Ethan.
Ethan limped out of the cave and back to his little cave where he was trying to keep the spell going to keep the two witches blocked. If he did not get help soon, he would die. An idea flashed in his head. One that could get him killed. Well, he was probably dead anyways, so why not.
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