Some early lines taken from “Doomed.”

--

Riley sat down heavily. “You know.”

I nodded. “It comes with the territory. What about you?”

“I can’t give you any details,” Riley said quickly. “All of my work is classified.”

I grinned sardonically. “Let me guess. You’re part of some military monster squad that captures demons, vampires,” I considered, “Probably have some official sounding euphemisms for them, like unfriendlies or non-sapiens…”

“Hostile Subterrestrials,” Riley corrected.

There was a dark snort from behind us, where Angel leaned warily against the wall, his eyes on the other man.

I smirked. “So you deliver these…HSTs to a bunch of lab coats, who perform experiments on them, which among other things turn some into harmless little bunnies. How am I doing so far?”

Riley frowned suspiciously. “A little too well.”

“Meanwhile, by day you pretend to be Riley Finn, corn-fed Iowa boy. Ever been to Iowa, Riley?” I shouldn’t have been angry, not after what I was putting him through without his knowledge. But it bothered me, being lied to all the time. Even by Riley… “God, if that’s even your name!”

“It is!” Riley said quickly. “Born and raised. And hey!” He turned to glare at the vampire behind me. “Bulletin: I’m not the only one who’s being less than honest here. Hanging out with vampires?”

“My sister’s the Slayer,” I explained.

He stared at me blankly. “Slayer?”

“She kills vampires. It’s a whole sacred calling thing.”

Riley motioned to Angel. “I think she missed one.”

Angel still didn’t speak, doing his best to remain menacing. Riley wasn’t cowed, I noted with a measure of pride. “Yeah, well, she has this whole thing with him because he has his soul. Apparently, that’s supposed to make him a good guy. They work together.” I brightened. “But if you want to take him and do lots of freaky experiments on him, you’re welcome to borrow him.”

“Hey!” Angel objected. He turned hurt puppy-dog eyes to me. “I thought we were getting along.”

I rolled my eyes. “Angel, we couldn’t speak for the past day. That doesn’t mean we’re friends, or distract me from the fact that you’re several hundred and violating my sister.”

“I’m not-“ Angel objected, then thought better of it. “Never mind. Let’s not discuss this.”

“So can I take him now?” Riley asked hopefully.

I shook my head. “Nah, Dawn would probably get mad. I don’t need something else for her to bitch about.” I turned back to Angel, but he’d disappeared. “Plus, you’d have to catch him first.”

“How’d you find out so much about the Initiative?” Riley wondered.

“The Initiative?”

“Damn.” Riley smacked his head. “I don’t usually suck this much at the secret agent thing.” He gave me a warm smile. “You bring it out in me.”

I bit my lip. “Riley…”

He gazed down at me with sudden concern. “Buffy, this doesn’t have to change anything. I’m still me. The Initiative is just a job.”

This was it, finally, the way out of the relationship. He’d lied to me, kept a huge secret from me, and now I could end things because of it. This might even end well. And now you can try to win over the guy you love, who’s been with someone else for a century. Right.

And now that my mind was on Spike… “What did you do to the vampires who can’t feed?” I asked abruptly.

He looked startled. “We put a behavioral modification chip in their brains. It goes off whenever they hurt humans. We’ve only done it to a few HSTs, though. How do you know about it? That information is so classified that-“ He stopped. “Hostile Seventeen.”

“Hostile what?” I asked innocently. Dammit! Not…

“Hostile Seventeen. A vampire who managed to escape.” He scowled. “Billy Idol look, black coat…? We’ve been searching for him for weeks!”

My jaw clenched. “Lay off of Spike.”

“Spike?” Riley repeated disbelievingly. “Your cousin? You’ve been harboring an HST?” He paced back and forth in front of me. “I don’t believe this. When Walsh finds out-“

“Professor Walsh is involved in this?” I demanded. “Is this a whole college-wide conspiracy?”

Riley ignored me, or didn’t hear at all. “That HST has some very expensive technology in its brain! And it’s dangerous!”

“Not anymore!” I retorted. “Thanks to you. You…you neutered him!”

Riley turned to stare at me. “And that’s a bad thing?”

I stopped to contemplate that. Yes, it was horrifying and debilitating for Spike, but for me and Dawn and anyone who might have been his target… “I guess not,” I conceded quietly, horror and gratitude swimming through my mind. “It’s just…”

Riley took my hands earnestly. “Tell me where Hostile Seventeen is. We’ll make sure it’s kept from hurting anyone ever again.”

I shook my head. “You really don’t get it, do you? Spike’s my friend. I’m not giving him up to you.” I met his eyes evenly. “And I’m not the one keeping him safe anymore, so you won’t be able to find him. You soldier-types can’t even begin to imagine the enemies you’ll make if you target Spike.” Okay, I was bluffing, but how was Riley to know that?

He sighed heavily. “Alright. I won’t tell anyone about Hostile Seventeen. But I can’t stop them if they find it on their own. Are we good?” He looked to me hopefully.

I shook my head regretfully. “I’m sorry, Riley. I need some time.”

His face fell. “I understand.”

No, you don’t. But I kissed his cheek and turned to leave the clock tower. Had this really just been one day?

But it wasn’t over yet.

--

Dawn was waiting for me at out house. “Nice work, Buffy,” she said, smiling. “Sorry I was a little obsessed with Ted.”

“Was he a robot?” I asked curiously.

She nodded. “He had his other- dead, I might add- wives in his basement.” She shuddered. “They all looked a lot like Mom. It was lucky I came when I did- I think he was pretty much ready to take Mom away…”

“And Mom?”

Dawn looked down. “She’s not doing too well. I think we’re going to have an ice cream and romantic comedy night.” She looked to me expectantly. “Want to join?”

I concealed my surprise quickly. Dawn hadn’t invited me to do anything with her in years. “I have an early class tomorrow,” I said apologetically. “Another time, maybe.”

Dawn gave me a sympathetic look. “I’m sorry about your boyfriend. Angel told me what happened.”

I shrugged. “He’s not my boyfriend anymore. And it’s actually better this way.”

Dawn smirked. “That’s right. You and Spike looked pretty cozy earlier. What’s with that?”

“He’s got Dru,” I informed her. “We’re just friends.” I gave her a sharp look. “And if you give me the vampire speech…”

Dawn sighed. “I think it’s safe to say that you’re not under thrall. I just hope you know what you’re doing.”

I rolled my eyes and turned to go.

“Wait!” Dawn objected. “Mom can give you a ride back. There’ll be vamps out.”

“I made it here, didn’t I?” I tossed over my shoulder.

I made it three blocks before a hand shot out of the shadows and grabbed me, pulling me to a familiar chest.

“Spike! What are you…?”

He cocked his head. “Angel’s finally gone out. Let’s go.” He headed in one direction swiftly.

“Go where?” I demanded breathlessly, speed-walking to keep up with him.

“I smelled her on him earlier.” Spike slowed down for a moment so I could keep up. “He’s got her somewhere, and my guess is his apartment.”

“Her? Who her?” I asked, my stomach sinking as I awaited the response I knew would come.

He turned to look at me disbelievingly. “Who do you think? Dru!”

“Of course,” I muttered. “He’s holding her captive?”

Spike suddenly looked uncomfortable. “Thing is, Dru might not have been captured, exactly. Angel’s her sire.”

“So?”

Spike quickened his step again. “Sire-childe bonds are strong, stronger than almost anything. Dru’s always been Angel’s,” he said bitterly. “I knew that no matter how close we were, no matter how much time we spent together, whenever she saw her ‘Daddy….’” His voice trailed off.

I looked down, feeling a wave of pity and some healthy jealousy. Why would he bother with someone like that? Why would he stay with her, knowing another man always came first? “I’m sorry.”

“Hey.” Spike stopped short and turned to give me a brief smile. “Not your fault, love.”

The pet name warmed me and I squeezed his hand for a moment. He reached out a hand and stroked my cheek. “You did something incredible tonight, going out there against the Gentlemen without any powers to protect you.”

I managed a smile, more focused on the hand on my cheek and the chills running down my spine than the conversation. “Hey, I can fight. I’m not just a pretty face.”

“And such a pretty face it is,” Spike murmured huskily, moving forward.

Was he going to kiss me? I leaned upward, our lips inches away, when Spike turned away abruptly, letting his hand fall. “We’ve got to get to Dru while the poof is gone,” he said curtly, not meeting my gaze.

I looked away. “Right. Dru.”

We didn’t talk for the rest of the walk.

--

Angel’s apartment was dingy and in a bad neighborhood. “Funny,” Spike muttered. “Angelus always preferred the mansions. Probably some twisted kind of penance for him, living in a hovel.”

He headed for the door, but was thrown aside before he could touch the knob. “What the hell are you doing here, Spike?” Angel demanded.

The other vampire glared up at him. “Where’s Dru?”

“And you finally figured it out,” Angel sneered. “She’s here of her own free will. But you knew that, didn’t you?”

Spike rose, a sudden smile splitting his face. “Have a suspicion, actually.” And he pulled back his fist and let it smash forward into Angel’s stunned face. “Couldn’t help but notice the lack of pain when I jumped you earlier.” He smirked. “I can hurt demons!” He drew back his fist for another punch.

Angel took it, giving back to Spike as well as he took. Soon, they were throwing each other around like they were rag dolls, drawing blood and pounded bruises while I watched, bemused.

“Buffy!” Spike panted, his face bright with exhilaration from the fight. “Get Dru!”

I edged past them, advancing toward the door. Angel tossed me a glance, then shrugged and went back to beating the stuffing out of Spike.

The door was already open.

A woman stood at the threshold, watching the two fight with a measure of glee. And staring at Drusilla, I understood why Spike would stay with her for so long. She was beautiful, dark-haired and delicate with ivory skin and eyes unusually wide and dark. A dangerous sparkle lit up her eyes as she observed, clutching a porcelain doll and leaning slightly against the door.

“Sunshine,” she murmured, reaching out to touch my face. I recoiled. “You burn, burn with the sunshine!” She clapped her hands together. “Put it out, Daddy! Make it stop!”

“Dru?” Spike extricated himself from the fight, running to her eagerly. “Dru, pet, how are you? I was so worried…”

She hissed at him, scraping her nails over his bruised face and drawing blood. “Bad Spoike! Walking in sunshine! Miss Edith is so very cross.”

“Dru, I’ve come to take you home,” Spike continued doggedly. “Spike’s going to make it all better.”

“NO!” she shouted, batting at his chest angrily. “Stay away! Bad Spoike! Bad Spoike! Won’t play with Daddy anymore! The poison is all over you…”

Spike’s eyes darkened. “Come on, love. I was kidnapped. I didn’t mean to leave you. And now I’m back and everything will be like it was.”

“Never,” Dru snapped. “He lies, yes, Daddy?”

Angel moved to her, and she hid behind him. “Daddy’s coming back. Go away!”

Angel sighed. “Get out of here, Spike.”

Spike just stared blankly at Dru. “Pet…”

But she and Angel were both gone, disappeared into the apartment.

I wrapped an arm around his back. “Let go home,” I said gently, escorting him back to the dorm.

He sat down on the bed. He still hadn’t said a word.

“She’ll be back,” I said encouragingly, joining him.

He kissed me.

One moment we were sitting side-by-side on the bed, the next I was lying beneath him, my lips glued to his and his tongue doing things to me that I had never felt before. His hands were running up and down my back, under my shirt, massaging my breasts, making me jerk and thrust up to him. I didn’t care about anything but the sensations he was causing in me, not about breathing, not about thinking, not about what had happened…

What had happened…

No.

I shoved him back hard, tearing my lips away from his with more than a little regret. “No,” I panted.

“Buffy?” he asked, his brow furrowed in confusion.

I regained my breath. “No. Spike, I’m sorry, but…” I was probably going to regret this for the rest of my life. What was I thinking? “I’m not a consolation prize.”

He stared at me, his lips tightening into a thin, straight line. “Fine,” he snapped, and stormed out of the room.

I slunk to the floor, my head bowed in depression. I had made the right decision.

But at what cost?