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Not Beneath Me by Tasha
 
(15) Repercussions
 
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Not Beneath Me - Chapter 15 (Repercussions)

By Tasha


Chapter Summary: Xander made it to Buffy's house just in time to screw everything up in true Xander prejudiced style. He scared Buffy, who screamed, which sent Spike careening down the stairs to throw Xander against a wall. Once Xander proved the chip wasn't working, and Buffy didn't stake Spike, he took it upon himself to handle the deed. Instead of Spike turning to dust though, Buffy stepped in the way, taking the stake to the chest. It didn't hit the heart, but it was bad enough that Spike called an ambulance to get Buffy to the hospital. Spike covered up the injury with an intruder story without implicating Xander's involvement in the deed. As the ambulance arrived at the hospital, so did Willow and Tara who were there to see Joyce. How is everyone going to find out about what happened? Whose side will each Scoobie and/or family member take? What is going to happen to Xander and Buffy?

***Warning: Redemption for Xander seems to be the least thing on most people's minds from the reviews I've received. So Xander on the bad guy list will continue. To what extent, not sure ... but if you really think Xander hangs the moon, don't read on. Cause you won't like it.***

(Disclaimer and Distribution notes are listed in the Prologue of this story. Thank you ahead of time for reading and accepting or abiding by them.)

'Single' quote marks surround thoughts in this story. "Regular" quotes are around spoken words.




Spike followed the paramedics all the way to the operating room doors. A nurse held him back at the OR entrance. "You can't go back there, Sir."

Spike pushed lightly against the nurse. He wasn't trying to hurt her. He only wanted to get past the lady to reach Buffy. "I can't lose her now. I need to keep her safe." It angered him that he'd found a way to protect Buffy from Drusilla, but he couldn't protect her from her own friends. How could Xander do this to her? Sure he didn't intend to stake her, but only an idiot wouldn't realize that Buffy would try to protect Spike after her comments to Xander.

"We'll keep her as safe as possible ..." The stoutly nurse raised a brown in question to get his name.

Spike spoke without thought to the answer. "William Jamison, Ma'am, but most people call me Spike nowadays." He knew he was more fearful for Buffy than he'd like to admit because he just gave the nurse his real name. Even the poofter didn't call him that unless he was seriously trying to tick him off.

"All right, Spike. Let's head back to the waiting room." The nurse extended her arm back down the hall. "If I know where you are at, I can find you more easily once they're done."

"I should probably head to Joyce's room." Spike turned to the nurse. "Buffy's mother, Joyce Summers, is in a room on the neurological floor. I'll be with her. I have to tell her what's going on."

"It sounds like this is quite a stressful time for the family." The nurse said in shock. The professional side of her mind wanted to keep the young man from telling the mother. Being a mother herself, she knew she'd want to know if something was wrong with a family member no matter what though.

"You have no idea." Spike mentally checked off a whole list of concerns for the Summers' women right now. He mentally added Xander to the list, moving him up there with Glory problems and Dru. The Whelp was becoming more of a liability to Buffy than a help. "Please let me know the minute you hear anything or if I can see her." His eyes pleaded with the nurse to understand. "I'm sure her sister and mother will want to see her too. That is if they will let Joyce come down."

"I will come up myself or have the nurse's station up there paged with any news." The nurse, experienced in dealing with the families of emergency patients attempted to convey her sincerity to the man before her. He exuded a sense of power that both frightened and assured her of his concern.

"Thank you, Nurse ..." Spike glanced down at the nametag she wore. "Jacobs. I'm sure her mother will appreciate your help as much as I do. Buffy is my girlfriend."

"We have some very good doctors here." Nurse Jacobs assured Spike. "They've dealt with some pretty severe injuries."

"I'm sure they have." Spike smirked. He wondered if Ms. Jacobs realized even half of the truth behind many of Sunnydale's injured. "This town does seem a bit ... rowdy."

Nurse Jacobs and Spike stood side by side waiting for the elevator. "If anyone can patch her up right, these doctors can. We'll have your girlfriend back at home in no time at all."

Spike stepped into the elevator. "I hope so. She really hates hospitals."

Nurse Jacobs waved to Spike then sighed when the elevator doors closed. "Oh boy. Better warn the doctors." She turned back to the emergency OR ward. She walked right past two stunned looking women: one a redhead and the other a blonde.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Rupert, I'm starting to get worried." Joyce Summers looked up at the man standing next to her bed.

Giles stopped pacing and turned to Joyce. "Something tells me that we have a reason to worry." He removed his glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose. "I can't see what they could have run into on the way to the hospital that they couldn't handle."

Dawn bit the inside of her cheek. "I so can't see Glory using the sewers to get around. They shouldn't have run into her." She too was starting to get worried. Buffy and Spike said they were getting ready to come up to the hospital almost 3 hours ago.

"Quite right. Buffy did explain her to look like a bit of a prissy girl." Giles reached for Joyce's hand. "I'm sure that nothing demony would get in their way right now, and Drusilla can't."

Joyce rested her head against her pillows. She closed her eyes. Her motherly instincts were on fire. She ignored them for a long time before she knew that Buffy was the Slayer. Now that she knew, she tried to listen to the inner voice and feelings that she received. Something wasn't right. She just knew it.

Giles watched the play of emotions cross Joyce's face. He and Dawn explained the ritual Spike performed before they arrived and the reasoning behind it. Surprisingly to Giles, she hadn't flown off the handle at the thought of Spike biting her daughter. He knew Joyce always hated Angel, but apparently the hatred didn't go for the whole family line or even all vampires. He could plainly see that Joyce had a soft spot in her heart for the bleached one.

Joyce squeezed Giles' hand. She needed the extra comfort. The doctor's told her that she was healing remarkably well. They were surprised at her recovery time, but it meant nothing to her if her babies weren't safe. "Will you call them please? See if they've left?"

Giles nodded. After dialing the phone and waiting at least 10 rings without a response, he hung up. "No one seems to be answering. I'll call Xander, and see if he's seen them." He pressed a few more buttons into the hospital phone. Again he received no answer. "Odd, he always keeps his cell phone on him in case Anya wants to talk to him."

"You don't think something went wrong after the ritual do you?" Dawn was starting to get scared. What if something happened to Buffy and Spike after they left? What if they were passed out at the house bleeding to death? "What if we left too soon, Giles?"

"There is nothing that could have harmed them from the ritual after we left." Giles reassured Dawn. "Spike was clear that the blood taken was minimal, and I could see the wounds already healing when we left." When he thought about everything later it occurred to him that he never even considered that Spike could have harmed Buffy after they left. His mind registered the look of love in both of their eyes, and it wasn't even a chance in his mind right then to consider it.

"Rupert, you have to find them. I must know if my baby is all right." Joyce drew Dawn up alongside her on the bed. She held Dawn tightly.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Spike rode the elevator in silence. Several passengers joined him on different levels, but he refused to be drawn into any conversation with them. His mind reeled on what he was going to do next. 'How can I tell Mum about this?' He sighed, rocking back on the heel of his boots then rocking back all the way to his toes. 'She doesn't need this right now, and how can I tell her that I Buffy took that stake for me?" He growled.

Two passengers in the elevator turned around hastily to face the growling man. They edged closer to the front of the elevator. They pushed for the next floor. Something told them they really didn't want to be around this man right now.

Spike beat his head against the back of the elevator wall. 'Bloody, pillock.' He snarled after the elevator was empty again. 'I wish I could twist his head right off his neck.' He kicked the back wall. 'Wait a minute. I can. No chip!' His demon perked up until that little voice of William reason kicked in.

'Remember what we've told her. Chip or no chip, it didn't matter.' William chided. 'We love her, and we can't do anything that might make her have to stake us. Remember Angelus?'

Spike growled, exiting the elevator on the needed floor. 'You of all people know better than to mention that wanker's name.'

'I'm just making a point. Calm down Mr. Beastie.' William sighed. 'She will do what she has to do. She protects those she loves, but her duty to save others will always come first. If we cross that line, we'll lose her.'

Spike scuffed the toe of his boot on the carpeted floor in a little lounge area. 'Yeah, yeah. I know. Doesn't mean I still wouldn't like to do it though. Tis what he deserves. Self-righteous prick.'

'That he is, but we need to have faith in Buffy.' William reassured the demon as best he could. 'She took a stake in our place because she didn't want to lose us. Have faith that she will do what's right by us.'

Spike nodded. He exited the lounge and walked down the hall towards Joyce's room. 'I have faith in her. It's the rest of em that I'm worried about.'

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Willow stared at the closed elevator doors in shock. "Buf ... Buffy?" She turned to Tara. "Buffy was in that ambulance? How? What?"

Tara covered Willow's arm with her hands. "Some ... th ... thing must have happened. At least Sp ... Spike was there to get her here."

"But didn't you hear what he said?" Willow pointed an accusatory finger at the closed doors. "He called himself Buffy's boyfriend. I'm her best friend. I should have known about that. And may I say huh?"

"Sh ... she's had a lot going on Willow." Tara did her best to reassure her upset girlfriend. "We haven't been in touch except brief updates on her Mom for the last few days."

"2 days! It was only two days, Tara." Willow started to walk back to the emergency room in the same direction that the nurse took a few minutes before. "That much couldn't have happened, could it?"

Tara nodded. She wasn't sure what to say. Her and Willow had been dating for over a year already. During that time she'd seen many different interactions between each of the Scoobies, Spike included. Their auras always reacted to each other in ways that she doubted they knew about. "Willow, surely you haven't been blind to the chemistry between those two?"

"They fight all the time." Willow blinked. Did Tara see something that she missed, and how could she have missed something that big? "The only time they really even liked it each other was during that spell gone wrong of mine." She slapped her hand to her mouth. "You don't think he has her under some spell?"

"Spike doesn't like magic, remember?" Tara shook her head. "He may be many things, but he's always wanted things with Buffy to be on the up and up. Even everything you've told me about him from the past says that he wouldn't want Buffy to be anything other than herself."

"I suppose you're right." Willow sighed. "He could have killed her a couple times on her off days, but he said it just wouldn't be right if she wasn't in top form. Very strange vampire." She shook her head back and forth.

"See, he wanted to kill her fair and square." Tara piped in. She knew how ridiculous that sounded, but it was past her lips before she could reel it back in.

Willow chuckled, despite the circumstance. "That sounds really funny when you put it that way."

"You know what I mean." Tara bashfully ducked her head and play punched Willow's upper arm. "As Buffy would say 'Spike and magic, not so mixey'." She smiled warmly at Willow. "Maybe they finally realized just how equally matched they are. Have you seen those two patrol lately? Pretty amazing to watch."

"It's almost like a dance with those two. They fight like each move was choreographed ahead of time, anticipating the other's move." Willow nodded. "I wasn't even really needed the last time we went out to take out a nest. It was weird."

"See, this can be a good thing." Tara smiled. "We just have to figure out what happened and if Buffy is going to be all right. I get worried when Spike looks scared."

"He was so tense." Willow frowned. "He did seem pretty worried. None of his usual snappy comments."

The couple reached the emergency information desk just as the emergency doors opened up again with another stretcher being brought in. The two turned to see what the commotion was about and Willow choked.

"Goddess, it's Xander." Willow rushed over to Xander's side. His face was bruised yet it seemed so pale underneath. Blood was stained on various places of the sheets. She clutched his hand in horror. "Xander?!?"

Xander opened his eyes briefly. Everything hurt. The lights of the emergency room gave him a headache as soon as his lid uncovered his eye. It hurt to breathe, and his head was throbbing. "Will ..." His voice trailed off, sounding like a croaking frog.

"Xander, speak to me." Willow's eyes started to fill with tears. "What happened?"

Tara stood back at the desk watching everything. Xander's stretcher was almost to her when she heard him speak again.

"Spike ... Chip ..." Xander gasped for breath and exhaled raggedly. "Bad ... Buffy ... Sorry …"

The paramedics pushed Willow out of the way. "I'm sorry, but we have to get him in. Leave your name at the desk." His curt voice offered no choice but to obey his instructions.

Tara pulled Willow back to her at the desk. "I think Xander knows what happened with Spike and Buffy."

'I'll bet he went ballistic if he found out the two of them were a couple.' Willow thought to herself. "I almost hope not. He's always had a chip on his shoulder when it came to Spike." Her brain tried to process the tidbits of information Xander got out before being taken away. "Chip. That's it!"

Tara gazed at Willow with curiosity. "What do you mean?"

"Xander said Spike, chip, bad and Buffy." Willow's eyes widened. She quickly pulled Tara along with her back to the elevator doors. "Don't you see?"

"See what?"

"The chip. Spike's chip. It must have failed!" Willow pushed the buttons several times. "Come on. Come on!"

"You don't think that Spike had anything to do with Buffy's injuries?" Tara frowned. "I don't think he could hurt her like that. Willow, I've seen his aura when he's around her. It's full of love."

"I don't know what to think, but I'll bet he had something to do with Xander's. That means Spike can hurt people, and he's headed right now to Mrs. Summers' room." Willow jumped into the elevator before the doors could fully open. "We have to get there and warn them. Who knows what he'll do to everyone else."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Spike pushed open the door to Joyce's room. "There's no need to come looking for us, Mum." He heard Joyce's concerned voice when he reached the door. He wasn't ready to face an angry mother, but he couldn't delay any longer either. They all needed to know.

Dawn bounced off the bed and ran to Spike. She hugged him tightly. "We were so worried." She looked around Spike to find Buffy. She looked back up at Spike in confusion. "Where's Buffy?"

Giles knew something was wrong as soon as Spike walked in. His body language was tense with a hint of defeat in the carry of his shoulders. He was familiar with the way he was holding himself. He saw it a lot right after Spike was chipped. "Where is Buffy, Spike?" He asked calmly.

Spike looked down at Dawn and then over to Joyce and Giles. "She …" He shoved his hands into his duster pockets.

'Uh oh.' Giles thought. 'If Spike is that scared of something, it can't be good.'

"What happened to my baby?" Joyce was frantic. She sat up fully in bed. "Where is she?"

Spike hung his head. "She was injured trying to protect me." What else could he say? Would they even believe him that Xander was the one to send the stake into Buffy's chest? It was still his fault anyways. Xander wouldn't have staked Buffy if he hadn't been trying to kill Spike. The guilt carried over into his facial features.

"What?!?" Dawn shrieked. "It wasn't Glory, was it?"

Spike shook his head. He tried to speak but Giles' voice interrupted first. "Drusilla wasn't able to get to you at the house during the day, was she?"

Joyce rubbed her temples. "My baby. My poor baby." She started to weep. Normally it would take more to get her this distraught, but her emotions were on a roller coast all week long.

Spike was at Joyce's side in an instant. "It's okay, Mum. Well it's not okay, but she'll be fine in a while." He sat down on the edge of the bedside.

Joyce turned to face Spike with tears in her eyes. "What happened to her, Spike? Why did she have to defend you?"

Spike hung his head for a few moments. He twisted around to face Giles first. He didn't want to tell him, but he needed Giles to know that he would be upfront with him. "Watcher, I think you should know that the chip doesn't work anymore. Also, it would seem that some people knew it wasn't working before I did." He closed his eyes and waited for the onslaught to begin. He half expected a stake to come flying his way.

Dawn instinctively stepped back. She wasn't afraid of Spike, chipped or unchipped, but she'd always been warned about vampires without souls or chips. She found herself glad that Spike's eyes were closed. She felt ashamed that she even had a split second of worry.

Giles stood rooted to the spot. All of his Watcher training told him that there was a dangerous creature in the room who could kill them all in an instant. "How do you know that?" He tried to force down his first instincts so he could get the full story. Hadn't Spike said that Buffy was injured defending him? So, it wasn't that Buffy was trying to stake him. He felt he should listen to Spike's story before making a judgment.

Joyce actually hugged Spike in comfort when he mentioned that the chip wasn't working. She'd been around Buffy's friends and Watcher long enough to know what some of them might try to do to Spike. She knew how much Spike loved Buffy, and in her heart she was sure that Spike didn't intentionally get Buffy hurt.

"Xander." Spike summed up all the emotional baggage he was carrying in that one word. His voice was filled with disgust and undisguised loathing. "He surprised Buffy downstairs while I was taking a shower."

Spike continued to recount the whole sordid story to Dawn, Giles and Joyce. Giles removed his glasses from the get go. He even snapped one arm of his glasses off completely when Spike told him about Buffy warning Xander and Xander's subsequent actions that ended in the staking of Buffy.

Joyce pulled Spike tighter to her as she wept. Her baby was downstairs in the emergency room, and she couldn't even get to her right now. She constantly worried about all the demons and creatures that her daughter had to fight. How ironic that the thing to give her one of the worst injuries she ever had was a human in the form of one of her best friends.

"They don't know the extent of the damage yet, but I'd place my bets on a punctured lung." Spike rubbed Joyce's back. He rested his head on Joyce's shoulder that was away from the door. He buried his face next to her neck and ear. His chest vibrated as he spoke, sending cooing vibrations to try and help calm Joyce.

"Please no." Joyce cried harder. He shoulders shook. "Oh god, Spike. No."

At that moment two out of breath Wiccas burst into the room. Willow panicked at the sight of Spike at Joyce's neck. She heard what sounded like Joyce's pleas to Spike not to bite her, and she reacted without thought. "Separate!" She screamed out and waved at Spike.

Spike flew back into the opposite hospital wall. He crashed to the ground with a thud, tipping the chair over too. "Bloody Hell!" He jumped off the floor in a rage. He advanced on the two women. "What the hell is your problem?"

"Willow!" Giles yelled. He rushed to Joyce to make sure she was all right. "What are you thinking? It is dangerous to use magic so frivolously."

Willow ripped the cross off the hospital wall. She held it out in front of her, counter advancing Spike's movements. "I did what I had to do. He was hurting Mrs. Summers."

Tara clung to head of Joyce's bed. If Willow was right then Spike could really hurt them now. She could see just how ticked off he was. His aura radiated brightly from the anger and pain he was feeling. "Willow, maybe we should …" She was cut off by Dawn.

Dawn wasn't in as much shock as she was mad. First she hears about Xander trying to kill Spike, and now Willow was coming around throwing her magic around at Spike to hurt him. She walked over to Willow, slapped the cross out of her hand and punched her in the shoulder. "Leave him alone!"

Spike snarled as the cross flew by him across the room. He stomped to the foot of the bed. "What is it with you people? Do you even think?" He usually liked the redheaded woman. She stood up for the Whelp too much, but usually she wasn't too bad to deal with. The blond Wicca, Glinda, was one of Spike's favorites though. Aside from the demon bird, Anya, she'd never judged Spike on the basis that the rest of the Scoobies did.

"Dawn, he doesn't have his chip! He's dangerous!" Willow wanted to convey her reason for panicking. "Your mother was begging him not to bite her."

Joyce fumed. "I was doing no such thing. He was consoling me."

"How did you know the chip wasn't working?" Giles asked tersely. Spike said how it seemed that Xander knew ahead of time that the chip wasn't working. He seemed prepared to kill Spike all along. The only way that he could know the chip wasn't working was if he had some part in it being disabled. "Did you help Xander with this treachery?"

Spike's eyes widened in realization. "No one should know about the chip except Buffy, the Whelp, myself and anyone else that was involved in whatever happened to it." His demon raged in a fury. He strode over to Willow with a predatory glare in his eyes. "If you had anything to do with this, you will live only long enough to regret it."

Despite his own innate desire to seek vengeance on anyone that had a part in hurting Buffy, Giles knew he had to be the voice of reason right now. Tara seemed shocked into silence. Joyce and Dawn were ready to break down at any minute. Spike looked like he was going to rip Willow's head off. He hastily stepped between Spike and Willow.

Spike gazed into the Watcher's eyes. He saw the determination there, but he also saw the pain. Giles wasn't stopping him because he felt he didn't have a right to be angry. His eyes reflected his need for answers. William noted the kinship that seemed to echo in Giles' eyes, and he helped to calm Spike down along with Giles' next words.

"We need to get to the bottom of this, Spike." Giles voice was tight but even. "Buffy wouldn't want either of us to go off half arsed or hurt anyone … yet." His controlled tone emphasized the yet at the end of his sentence.

Spike nodded. He stepped to the side of Giles, but he moved no further forward. They presented a united front to Willow who was now backed up against the wall.

Giles turned to face Willow when Spike stepped alongside him. "I suggest that you explain how you knew about Spike's chip as quickly and completely as possible." He spoke through clenched teeth.

Willow's eyes were red, and she was crying. "I wasn't completely sure." She sniffled. "But Xander said …" She shrieked at the sight of a vamped out and snarling Spike.

Tara stepped forward to help out her girlfriend. Things were deteriorating rapidly, and none of this was going to help Xander or Buffy. Her and Willow had no idea yet what had even happened with any of them. "Xander was brought into the emergency room when we were down there."

"Pillock!" Spike spat out. "They should have left him at the house to rot. Justice would be served."

Joyce chastised Spike in a stern motherly fasion. "William, none of that. He is still Buffy's … well he was Buffy's friend. I don't know what he is now, but your duty is to help people, no matter who they are." She waggled a finger at Spike warning him that she was serious. He may play the "Big Bad", but she knew that had a good unbeating heart.

Spike's shoulders slumped. His head lowered some and nodded to Joyce. "Sorry, Mum." He sighed. "I've always hated him, and he's given me even more reason to now."

"Hate begets hate, William." Joyce reached out a hand to clasp it around Spike's. "Buffy needs your love, not the anger inside you." She rarely called Spike by his original human name. It felt appropriate to get through to the vampire at this time.

The other occupants of the room stared in wonder at the transformation. How could a mortal woman stuck in her hospital bed subdue such a powerful and "evil" creature?

Tara was the first to speak again. "We saw Spike come out of the ambulance when we arrived at the hospital. So, we followed him." She continued her story. "He was talking to a nurse, and when he was done we saw Xander brought in. He said something about bad chip, Buffy and Spike. They took him away before we could get more out of him."

"So naturally you assumed that I was on my way up here to eat Mum, Nibblet and the Watcher?" Spike growled. "I've done nothing but hang my little white hat on the same hall tree as the rest of you bleeding Scoobies for months. What does it take?"

Dawn wrapped her arm around Spike's waist. She snuggled into his side. "You have done a lot of things to them before though Spike, and there was that thing with Adam." She wanted to encourage him, but surely he could see why some of them would doubt him.

"After Red's spell I was trying to prove to myself that I wasn't a toy for the lot of them. I tried to get back at them anyway I could." Spike slapped his hand to his forehead. "I was going crazy with this chip in my head, and Adam offered to remove it."

Giles nodded. He always wondered what Spike was offered in exchange for his help. He assumed it had something to do with the chip, and it would seem that it did. "You have tried to kill us on more than one occasion."

"It's been a long time though, Watcher." Spike reasoned. He looked over at Willow. "Your spell has haunted me ever since, Red. It showed me things about myself that took a long time to admit. Plus Buffy seemed so disgusted with the feelings that I then knew I felt for her."

Willow listened along with everyone else to what Spike had to say. "I never thought about what effect the spell had on you, Spike."

"Yeah, I never even got a bloody cookie for my trouble." Spike half teased. The tensions in the room started to abate, but many explanations were still in order.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Downstairs a little blond woman was gasping for breath on the operating table. Her Slayer endurance made it harder for her to be drugged or killed with poisons. Therefore it was hard to determine the right amount of sedative to give Buffy to knock her out.

"Bump up the anesthetics." The doctor bellowed. "We can't get this thing out unless she stops moving."

The anesthesiologist picked up the IV line into Buffy's arm. "Doctor, I've already given her double the dosage for someone her size. If I give her anymore, it could kill her."

"She must have an immunity. She is definitely not asleep, Nurse." The doctor added another set of straps to crisscross over Buffy's abdomen. He tightened the straps just as Buffy slumped to the bed.

The anesthesiologist breathed a sigh of relief. He checked her vital signs and nodded to the doctor. "She's resting now. Heartbeat is strong and steady. Breathing is labored, but I'm sure that has something to do with the piece of wood in her chest, and that is not something I can do anything about."

The doctor laughed sarcastically. "No, that is my job. Now, let's get on with it."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"So all of this happened in the last 2 days?" Willow and Tara were now sharing one of the chairs in Joyce's room. They'd both listened to Joyce, Giles, Spike and Dawn explain all that happened in the last 48-72 hours.

The four even told them about Dawn being the key that Glory was seeking. Dawn shifted nervously during that part while Tara and Willow were in shock. It took a few minutes of gasps and confused expressions before anyone was able to continue with the story.

"Yep, that's it in a nutshell." Dawn nodded eagerly. "Buffy and Spike are together. I think I'll be seeing Giles at the house more often." She giggled at that part and both her mother and Giles blushed. "Glory wants to shove me in some lock. Spike's chip is not working, though we doubt it is gone, and it seems that Xander not only knew about it but ended up staking Buffy while trying to kill Spike."

"This is just … It's so much to take in." Willow looked over at Dawn. "I remember everything about you since you guys came to Sunnydale."

Giles, without his glasses since he'd broken them earlier, pinched the bridge of his nose in concern. "I think the less said about that right now the better. We took enough risk even speaking about it here."

Tara understood Giles' concern. "We don't know where Glory is or who might be helping her. That makes sense."

Willow nodded. "I knew Xander didn't like Spike, but why would he push it this far?"

"Maybe because he is a self-righteous, judgmental, arrogant, prick who thinks that he alone knows what is best for Buffy, and I don't get his stamp of approval." Spike piped in. Other than interjecting his thoughts of events that he was first witness to, he remained quiet during the storytelling. He didn't trust himself not to blow up over certain events.

'Spike has some issues to work out about Xander.' Willow thought. She looked at her girlfriend. She was torn between her loyalties to the man who'd been her friend almost all of her life and her loyalties towards what seemed to be the right thing to do.

Tara offered a supportive glance towards Willow. She imagined that Willow was going through a lot of turmoil right now.

Willow's insides burned at the mere thought that Xander would have anything to do with harming Buffy like this though. The magic within her crackled with its energies begging to be set free. If Xander did plot this out with someone, there would be hell to pay. He needed to be taught a lesson; one that he would not forget so easily.

"The only one I can think of who could have done this with Xander would be Riley." Dawn reasoned. "We know Spike wasn't kidnapped for any surgeries. Maybe the Initiative had some sort of back up plan to control those they chipped?"

Giles pondered that thought. "Many electronic devices can be activated or deactivated by remotes." He looked over at Spike. "Wouldn't the Initiative have wanted a means to set their little monsters loose during enemy situations if they could control them?"

"Makes sense, Watcher." Spike nodded in contemplation. "They were always talking about the perfect soldier and finding a way to make us useful weapons." He sat up straighter. "If that's the case then we need to find a way to get this bloody thing out of my head before they activate it again."

Giles noted Spike's agitation. "We don't know how they did this, Spike. Let's not jump to any conclusions."

"You wouldn't be so complacent if the bloody thing was in your head." Spike countered. "Not like I'm going out feeding or hurting people, well except in defense. I won't even be able to do that if they activate it again."

"I didn't say we couldn't try to get it out, Spike. We need to figure out our options first." Giles pulled a notebook out of his jacket pocket and jotted a few things down. He looked up at the smirking faces around him. "You never know when you'll need to write something down."

Dawn giggled. "Sure, Giles. Whatever you say."

The tension that threatened to rise was swiftly broken with the bit of merriment about Giles' research habits.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Buffy tossed and turned on the bed. Several straps remained in place until she was fully awake to keep her from hurting herself. She was in the recovery room with several nurses huddling about her. She was vaguely aware of the voices around her.

"You should have seen him, Delores." One nurse squeaked in glee. "I saw him talking to Jacobs, and man was he hot."

Another nurse, Delores, sighed. "Did you hear that voice, Nancy? That accent was to die for."

Nancy, the first nurse, looked down at Buffy. "She's one lucky girl." She checked Buffy's vitals again.

Buffy opened her eyes. Her face lit up in a smile. She realized they were talking about Spike. "Definitely lucky." She croaked out.

"Welcome back, Miss Summers." Nancy wiped the sweat off Buffy's face. "You gave us all quite a scare."

"Spike." Buffy licked her lips trying to moisten them. She felt like someone left a bag full of cotton balls in her mouth.

"We'll get him down here shortly." Delores worked on the other side of Buffy. She removed the remaining straps. "You need to lie still. Your wounds were pretty serious."

Buffy barely heard their words. She wanted to hear only one thing, Spike's voice telling her it was all right. "Spike. I want him now." She practically begged. She tried to get off the bed, but she was stopped with a sharp pain near her shoulder.

Delores and Nancy both pushed Buffy back down as carefully as possible. "We have to get you to a room. I'm sure he'll be there right after we get you there."

Buffy shook her head back and forth. "Hurry, now. Need Spike."

Nancy motioned her head in the direction of the nurse's surgical station. Nurse Jacobs informed them right away whom they were supposed to notify once Buffy was awake. Delores punched in the code for the neurological section. She relayed the message on Buffy's condition and requested that they get him down there soon. Lastly, Delores gave the nurse station Buffy's new room number before hanging up.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The nurse's station on Joyce's floor hung up the phone. "Finally some good news." The head nurse sighed in relief. She stood up. "I've been afraid that they were going to bring the walls down."

Several other nurses nodded in agreement. Nurse Jacobs called their station before Spike made it to the floor. It was the only reason that everyone ignored the loud yelling and smashing coming from Joyce Summers' room. They all figured that the family was dealing with their grief in a physical way.

Everyone was eager to bring good news to the family, but none were eager to walk into a war zone. After drawing straws, short one being the loser, it was decided that Becca would deliver the message.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Everyone was exhausted in the Summers' room, both physically and emotionally. Each sat silently in their private thoughts trying to decide what should be done next.

There was a light tapping on the door, and a delicate redhead peeked her head around the edge of it. "Mr. Jamison?" She meekly questioned. Her keen eye noticed the haggard looks on the occupants faces, but thankfully the room still looked in order.

"Yes?" Spike automatically responded. He cleared his throat and threw Giles a "Don't ask." look before standing up to head to the door.

"Miss Summers is awake and calling for you downstairs." Becca further relayed the message. "They were able to repair the damage to her lung. It would seem that she was healing quite rapidly even as they operated. She'll still need to stay for observation, but she is free to have some visitors."

Everyone in the room let out an audible breath. Joyce looked at Becca. "Do you think Dr. Kriegel will let me go down there?" She asked hopeful. Even though she knew Spike would take care of her daughter, she wanted to see for herself that Buffy was okay.

"We'll page him Joyce. It shouldn't be a problem. So long as you don't get dizzy." Becca answered.

Spike wrapped his arm around Dawn. "I'll take the Nibblet with me, if that's all right with everyone."

Giles and Joyce nodded. Dawn clung to Spike. "Thank you, Spike." She buried her face into his duster, taking a calming breath.

"I'll be back up as soon as possible to let you all know how she is." Spike calmly opened the door to leave the room. "I'll let her know that you all want to see her." He closed the door behind him, heading for the elevator with Dawn in tow.

Becca breathed a sigh of relief when the elevator doors closed on the blonde man. 'Whew, that went well.' She slumped into her chair at the nurse's station.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Back in Joyce's room the four remaining occupants continued their discussion. "Someone should check on Xander." Tara inputted.

"We should call Anya." Willow added.

"Quite right. I'll have her close the shop and get here." Giles picked up the phone.

"I know how close he is to all of you, but he can't just get away with this." Joyce's voice trembled. "Spike is a caring being, even if he is undead. Xander can't be allowed to continue trying to harm Spike." She looked over at Willow and Tara. "Buffy will keep defending him, or Spike might lose control one time in self-defense and Xander will be killed."

The other three nodded their agreement. "I don't know what we can do about it though. Spike's already covered for Xander with the authorities." Giles intoned. "I doubt we could have him arrested now."

Joyce spoke with conviction. "As far as I'm concerned he is no longer allowed near my house or my family until his attitude changes." Joyce was a very easy going woman, but she was definitely a "mother bear" you didn't want to mess with. "If he hurts Buffy or Spike again, I will be the one to call the police to get him."

No one argued back. A part of Willow wanted to scream out in Xander's defense, but she just couldn't. Xander had a right to his opinions, but this demon hating had gone too far now. He didn't have to approve of Buffy and Spike being together, but he had to accept it as fact or he was going to get pushed out of their lives completely.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Dawn and Spike were directed to a small room in the 24 hour holding area on the first floor. Spike rapped his knuckles on the door frame as they entered. Dawn ran to Buffy, wrapped her arms around her, and buried her face in her neck. "Oh Buffy. I was so scared."

Spike stood at the other side of Buffy's bed. He picked up her hand, cradling it in his own. He lifted it to his lips and kissed it lovingly. "Hey there, luv."

Buffy stroked her free hand through Dawn's hair. "It's okay, Dawn. Slayer healing will make me all better soon." She looked up at Spike with love in her eyes. She spoke only three words, but they were the best words he would ever here. It was all the reassurance he needed to know that she didn't blame him. "I love you."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

(To Be Continued)
 
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