COME BACK TO ME

CHAPTER 32
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a/n - sorry for the delay (I know, I'm a broken record!) but here's the next chapter. More is written and the delightful Lou has worked her magic, as usual. Hope you enjoy, and I won't keep you waiting as long next time. Thanks for taking the time to read.





“Mr Harris. How perceptive of you to arrive just as I was about to send an envoy to fetch you.”

Xander wiped at his eye, not really listening to Travers' drawling voice. He reached past the Englishman to grab the vodka off the table where he'd left it when he'd gone to honour his bargain.

Bargain. Bottle of vodka, dead friend. Seemed like a good trade.

Xander chuckled, the sound mirthless, but it died on his lips as he caught sight of his bloodstained hands again. Travers stood off to one side, watching his puppet with a calculating gaze.

“I take it the deed has been executed?” Travers was all business. “Angel is no more?”

Another slug of vodka, a hollow laugh. “Not exactly, but something way better. Maybe the third time's the charm, huh?”

Travers' voice was icy. “Am I to assume that Angel is still in existence?”

A scuffle at the entrance to the cavern drew their attention, the hefty body of one of Travers' goons sailing past them as the intruder strode into view. He was radiating menace.

“Wouldn't call this existence, Travers. But it's improving by the minute.” Angel wiped the blood from his mouth, his brow ridged, his eyes golden. “Care to tell me what's been going on, and why I had to put up with being held captive by a bunch of idiots?”

“Angel.” Travers was ill at ease, his assured manner decidedly shaky now as he faced the vampire hovering between good and evil, nearer – it seemed - to the soulless version that struck fear into everybody than to the champion of the Powers. “We were just discussing you.” He struggled to think whether he'd said anything incriminating while Angel was within earshot, but his brain was shutting down with fear.

“Yeah? Well, I'm disappointed – it looks like you’ve been sitting here twiddling your thumbs while I was what… on vacation? Good thing I expect no help.” Angel's nostrils flared suddenly as he caught the scent of familiar blood, blood that had once sung in his veins. He grabbed hold of Xander's hands and licked the red stains on his fingers.

“Buffy?”

“Dead. Or dying. What's the difference?”

“You did it?” Angel's voice was incredulous as he salivated at the taste of slayer's blood.

Xander laughed, a cold sound that echoed in the cavern.

“Yeah, the one-eyed drunk killed a slayer – you know, the one you and Spike never could? Notch up a victory for the soul-having and breathing part of the team.”

Travers was shaking. Harris had killed Buffy Summers? If that was true, it must be mayhem upstairs, more than he'd ever dreamed possible. The boy had proved more useful than he'd ever have hoped.

Although, there was still the ever-present – and suddenly very pressing – problem of Angel, and how to be rid of him.

Xander got to his feet, swaying slightly, eye fixed on Angel as he realised that he had no idea how the vampire was going to react. Time to leave, he reckoned, either way. There was nothing here for him now.

Angel lost his ridges and sat at the table, resting his boots on the surface as he leaned back on the chair legs. His insolent gaze noted the fact that Travers was rattled. It seemed clear that Harris had been sent to achieve somebody's death, and equally clear from the old watcher's reaction that Buffy Summers wasn't the intended target. Add to that the shock on the old man's face when he arrived and it wasn't a stretch to put two and two together. In a flash, the ridges were back, the fangs that rested on his lower lip aching to taste the flesh of the snake that had ordered him slaughtered. Angel licked his fangs deliberately, forcing Travers to watch and thoroughly enjoying the way he tried to disguise his trembling hands by adjusting his shirt cuffs; but the vampire knew, could scent his fear.

It was tantalizing.

“Surprised to see me, Travers? And you, Harris – why are you still here? If you have killed the slayer – which I seriously doubt because let’s face it you’re a mess – do you really think her pet goon squad are gonna let you walk away?”

It was obviously something the boy hadn't thought of, judging by the way he sat down heavily, face pale.

Angel chuckled. “Oh dear! I bet Faith’s chomping at the bit as we speak, and she's kinda vicious when roused. I should know – but then again, as I recall, so should you. Pity I didn't let her carry on squeezing, huh?” Angel paused to allow the taunting to work. “Still, I'll have to thank you for at least trying to get rid of that pathetic obsession of mine. You see I figured something out during my downtime, and taking a bite of Spike's leavings doesn't appeal to me anymore. The Powers lied. There’s no way Buffy is anyone’s salvation. She bewitched me somehow, made me less than I deserve to be. If she really is gone, I may let you live.”

“Hey! That's not the deal! Keep Spike away from her, you said. Bring him to you, get him out of the picture and you'd give me my reward. Well, okay – that's not exactly what happened, but if Buffy's dead, Spike's away from her. I delivered. Now give me Anya!” Xander yelled the final words, lurching to his feet again and leaning dangerously close to the smug vampire who simply stared at him before sucking at his teeth.

“No can do, doughboy. Did you really think I was going to waste valuable resources bringing your ex-squeeze back? Not even sure it can be done, to be honest. But you were my best bet to get rid of the interfering thorn in my side before Giles and his lackey could use him to make me a brooding yes man again. Oh, sorry – did you trust me? The evil vampire broke his word? Awwww, shame. You never did have any balls, Harris. Or brains. Have another drink… ah vodka, solace of the mindless – you may as well finish off what little you had. Enjoy.”

Xander sagged back down, broken. Everything he'd hoped, everything he'd been living for was gone. He'd betrayed himself, his friends, allowed himself to be duped by the one guy he should have known would be duplicitous and it was all for nothing. He wouldn't be starting a new life with Anya. He wouldn't be starting a new life at all. And there was every likelihood that said life had about ten minutes left to run, with an angry slayer heading his way.

In a strange way, Xander thought, it was only fitting. And as he accepted his fate he laughed. He would be with Anya after all...

Angel swung down his legs and kicked back his chair.

“Enough of this. I'll leave you to drool and contemplate your navel, boy - I've got things to do. You too, Travers - catch you later. Don't try to leave. You thought you could control me, but all you've managed to do is set me free. Thanks for that. I'll be back to repay you properly – one way or another – when I've made sure I stay this way.”

Angel sauntered out of the cavern, whistling a tuneless ditty, the sound echoing long after he was out of sight. Travers curled his lip at Xander's pathetic form as the boy muttered to himself and drank more. Despite Angel's threats, Travers figured that he would still have some influence and decided to cut his losses and run. Although, as a servant of Wolfram and Hart, it was doubtful it would ever be far enough.

He disappeared deeper into the fire lit cavern, his followers walking behind him, leaving Xander alone and sobbing at the table.

+ + + + +

When the medics reached Buffy, it was clear from the clinical and cold look they gave each other that they didn't think she had a chance. Giles stood impatiently to one side, already plotting how he could hurt the doormen and receptionists who had delayed the team's arrival at his fallen warrior's side. They knelt, checking her vital signs, displaying some surprise that given the amount of blood surrounding her body, she was still breathing, her heart beating – albeit erratically. The two men started to move with greater urgency as they worked, obviously thinking now that they'd more prospects of dealing with a patient rather than a corpse, as they'd first feared.

The focus was on the efficient efforts to save Buffy's life going on in the middle of the room, so nobody saw the shimmer that heralded Spike's return. He scented Buffy's blood immediately, howling in anguish before he even registered what was going on around her body. He started to move towards her, dragging away the shocked man trying to get her strapped onto a gurney.

Giles grabbed at Spike's shoulder to get his attention, allow the doctors to take care of her, but he was shrugged off unheeded by the vampire. Spike was obviously in no mood to allow anybody but himself near her.

After heart-stopping minutes spent watching Spike check Buffy over from head to toe, the vampire spat out one word.

“Who.”

Giles considered withholding the information, but to be honest, couldn't find a good reason to do so other than the habit of keeping Spike in ignorance. And in any event, given Faith's determined nod as she left in pursuit of Xander, it was likely that he was neutralised.

“Xander. We couldn't stop him... that he’s capable of---”

“Where is he?”

Spike was still fully vamped out, the shock clearly too much for him to control his demon. Giles fought hard to meet his golden eyes, but shakily held his ground. The vampire was set to go on a killing rampage, and that would do no good for anybody, least of all Buffy. And Dawn. If Spike ripped through the halls of Wolfram and Hart, decimating the staff, what was to prevent the Senior Partners wreaking revenge on her helpless form? No. Giles would have to calm the situation down.

“I said – where is he, watcher?”

“Taken care of. He's not your concern, Spike. It was my – I'm responsible for her. It's my sacred duty.” Giles' voice was steely.

It seemed that Spike was mollified by Giles' attitude, even if only slightly, as he smoothed down Buffy's hair and stepped back a little to allow the medics to resume their work. They approached cautiously, but soon had Buffy strapped on the gurney and ready to go, a drip in one hand, clear plasma being fed through the tube to replenish her diminishing blood.

“If she dies---”

Spike didn't have to finish the sentence. His words were only what everybody else was thinking. Uncharacteristically, Giles laid a hand on Spike's shoulder and squeezed it for a moment, lending comfort to a creature he'd as soon have slaughtered not so long ago. He spoke softly.

“Let her go to the hospital, Spike. She's strong. They'll do all that they can.”

Spike nodded, acknowledging the wisdom of Giles' words and the unspoken support given to him. He pressed a kiss to Buffy’s forehead and stepped completely out of the way to allow the medics to wheel the gurney away. He ached to go with her but the sun was up and besides, he had unfinished business here. He'd just have to trust to the watcher to take care of his girl.

“Oi! Doc!'” he shouted after the gurney. “Take that crap out of her vein and give her some real stuff. Type A positive. Lots of it.”

The medic simply nodded. He didn't feel it necessary to ask how the sharp-fanged male knew, and accepted entirely that what he was told was true.

+ + + +

Faith had run out of gory handprints to follow. Tracking Xander had been easy for a floor or two, but now she'd no idea where he would be. But she knew somebody who would at least have some clue...

Changing direction, she pounded down the corridors towards Angel's quarters. The vampire would talk, no matter what she had to do to make him.

The door was wide open, and that filled her with dread – but that was nothing to the blind panic that assailed her when she spotted Lorne's crumpled body heaped against the wall. She rushed to his side, tried to find a pulse, but as she didn't know where it would be or even if he had one, this didn't help. She patted his cheek, “Lorne… Lorne! WAKE UP.” When this had no effect she resorted to slapping him, and eventually he raised his hand to stop the torture.

“No! No more – I'll talk! Whatever you want, just watch the nose---oh, it's you. Sugar, why are you beating on me?”

Faith dropped the hand raised to strike him again and instead gave him an impromptu hug. “You're alive.”

Lorne stood and cracked out his aching limbs, disentangling himself from the dark-haired slayer. “Uh huh. But then again, I never thought I wasn't. Oh.” He recalled the fight he'd had with Angel – and the lack of the said vampire in the room. “He got away.”

“What happened?”

“Not really sure. One minute I'm over there,” he thumbed over his shoulder, “trying to ignore the taunts and harsh words, then I kind of snapped. I just wanted him to shut his filthy mouth. Next thing I know, Angel's free of those so-called unbreakable bonds, his hands are round my throat and it’s hello unconsciousness. Lorney's a lover not a fighter, so it wasn’t much of a contest. And would you look at the boot-marks on my very, very exclusive Valentino suit. Sweetcake’s feet are even bigger than his head!”

Faith was relieved that Lorne appeared not have suffered any serious damage, other than to his hideously shiny yet apparently expensive tailoring, and filtered out his chatter while she thought how she could deal with the rogue vampire, Xander Harris and Spike's impending re-appearance. Not for the first time, she paid silent tribute to Buffy Summers who had been a leader for all of her called life with barely a murmur of complaint. Being in charge, making decisions, didn't come easy to Faith – but at the thought of her downed comrade bleeding out on the white tiled floor, she sucked it up and hit on a plan.

“Lorne; you okay to head back to Giles, clue him in on Angel's escape? That's if he's still there, he might have gone with Buffy to the hospital, I suppose. Anyway, let the others know, tell them I'll deal with Angel when I've got rid of the rat problem.”

“Rats?” Lorne shuddered.

“Rat-like, at least. It'll take too long to explain. Just go, I'll catch up with everybody as soon as I can.”

Faith was already headed out of the door, stopping at the threshold as she tried to decide which way to go. Up or down. Where would Xander be?

Down. She knew it suddenly. And he was going to stay down. She had no idea what she would do when she found him. She had no desire to do battle with the demons within her that would no doubt emerge if she took another life, but as to making him suffer – it would be her pleasure. So far as she was concerned, Xander Harris had crossed the line and it was her job to protect everybody else from him. She started as she felt a hand rest on her shoulder, turning to meet the red-eyed gaze of the empathic demon.

“Sing for me, Faith.” Lorne said softly. “Let us both find the way.”