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Chapter Text

Giles slowed without thinking as he neared Ethan’s motel, attempting to focus on his next step. He wanted to beat Ethan into a bloody pulp, but that wouldn’t help him be turned back into his normal self. He would have to carefully control the instincts that urged him to smash and destroy. Still, he’d have to create an intimidating entrance to strike fear in Ethan’s heart, which would be fun.

Giles ripped through the motel door, letting out a guttural roar.

The room was empty. Ethan’s clothes and suitcase were nowhere to be seen, and his magic supplies had been left on the dresser with a note. Giles bent over to peer at the note, which had his name written on it in Ethan’s usual looping handwriting, but he was afraid to pick it up lest he shred it by accident. He could feel strength flowing through him, more than he knew how to handle. Was this how Buffy felt, when she first became a Slayer?

Thinking of Buffy gave him a huge pang. He knew she could have helped him, would have helped him, and maybe gotten him to this room before Ethan slithered away, but he never wanted her to see him like this. It was just so…embarrassing, to be in this form, and to know that he’d fallen prey to Ethan’s chaos magic after spending the evening with him. And the night, too, but I mustn’t think of that right now. Better for her to view him as a Watcher still, instead of a foolish and lonely man.

What am I supposed to do now?

***

Buffy strode toward the motel, Riley by her side. It still felt off, working with him instead of the Scoobies or Angel. She wasn’t used to having to explain her reasoning, not when someone was in danger. Sure, her decisions were always up for scrutiny afterwards, but right now she was in charge.

The door, just like at Giles’ apartment, had been torn off the hinges. Buffy paused in the doorway for a brief moment, surveying the scene. The Fyarl demon was facing her, holding what seemed to be chunks of a dresser over its ugly horned head. It let out a low growl, lowering the dresser to the floor and lumbering towards her with its hands held out in front of it. Something familiar glinted on one of its claws.

“What did you do to him?” Buffy blurted, her voice blistering with the fear and fury that had been simmering all night. “What did you do?”

***

Giles had never felt so panicked.

In a fit of rage, he’d destroyed the dresser, and now he couldn’t even show Buffy the note. He knew that stance she was in, one she assumed whenever she was about to fight. He only had one chance to calm things down.

He stepped towards her carefully, arms out in front of him. It was only then that he noticed he still wore his ring, the one fashioned from the crystal Jenny had left him. Buffy saw it, too.

Her eyes flashed, her face falling into the Slayer mask. She shouted something indistinct, flying at him with deadly precision. He stumbled backwards, trying to keep hold of the instincts that told him to fight back, to smash and bash until the room was in slivers and everyone was dead. Giles had never felt such terror, that the person he loved most was about to kill him, in this humiliating form forced on him by an ex-lover. “Wait,” he pleaded, but it was too late.

Buffy threw him into the wall, and he was too slow to get back on his feet. She lunged at him, raising a weapon in her hand. “This is for Giles,” she bit out as she plunged it into his chest.

“For me?” he asked, staring up at her.

“Oh, God,” Buffy said, her eyes widening. “Giles?”

***

“It’s Giles, I’m sure of it,” Buffy said as she paced back and forth. “Ethan must have turned him into a demon and took off.”

Giles stood quietly in the corner, watching her with laser focus.

Riley gave her a steely look. “That thing, even if you’re right that he’s your old librarian-”

“My Watcher!” Buffy cut in.

“Fine, your Watcher-”

“He’s still my Watcher!” Buffy said, her voice rising and her eyes flashing. She knew she was right about this. Giles needed her help right now and she was wasting precious time arguing while Ethan slipped further and further away.

“That beast attacked Dr. Walsh tonight. I have orders to bring it in.”

“No,” Buffy said flatly. “This isn’t a discussion. You’re not taking Giles anywhere.”

“Well, well,” drawled a familiar voice. “What a fine little lovers’ spat you have going on.”

Buffy closed her eyes. “Spike,” she said through gritted teeth, “What the hell are you doing here?”

“I came here after losing the army squad,” Spike answered. “Your Watcher and I have been having a merry old time tonight trying to track down his former.”

“Huh?” His former? God, Buffy was sick of the Britishisms. “Speak English. You’re helping Giles? How?”

“Did you say his name is Spike?” Riley asked.

Spike gave Riley a dismissive look, then switched his focus back to Buffy. “I am speaking English, you dozy bint. And we were tracking down his old flame, the Ethan bloke, to turn him back.”

Giles lumbered forward, letting out rumbly noises. Spike glanced momentarily at him, then said, “You didn’t have to tell me, it was easy to see. And I’m not your bloody translator, at least without upping my price.”

“You understand him?” Buffy said in disbelief. “You? And you’ve been….helping?”

“Oi,” Spike said, glowering. “I’m here out of the evilness of my heart, no need to be such a bitch.”

“Hey,” Riley said loudly. He took a menacing step towards Spike. “That’s Hostile 17, not a friend of Xander’s. Have you known where he is the entire time?”

God, this situation was getting worse by the second. “Yes,” Buffy said impatiently. “But that’s not important right now.” She refocused on Spike. “Walk me through what-”

“Spike,” Riley interrupted. “The guy you told me you were engaged to was a vampire, and you’ve been hiding him?”

Buffy could practically feel her temperature rising. She didn’t know who was irritating her more, the peroxided pest or her new boyfriend. She forced a smile, trying for patience. “It was a joke,” she said weakly. “I was just using a random person’s name. I almost said Xander instead. And we hid him before we knew you were the good guys. Plus, Spike’s not bad anymore.”

“Hey!” Spike said, looking offended. “What am I, a bleeding broken record? I’m bad. It’s just…I can’t bite anymore. Thanks to you wankers.”

“Buffy, what is this? You’re hiding an HST?”

“She’s been doing more than that,” Spike said, looking delighted. “Has she told you about the great oaf yet?”

Her teeth ground together. “Spike, just…go away.”

“What, and miss this? It’s almost as good as Passions.”

“Now,” Buffy growled.

To her surprise, Spike turned and left without another snarky comment.

Riley immediately resumed their argument. “Buffy, I don’t get it. You slay demons, except when you don’t. And you hunt vampires, unless you’re hiding them. This doesn’t make any sense.”

“Look,” Buffy said, trying to sound more patient than she felt, “This is my call. I told you before, being a Slayer is my destiny. This is what I do, the choices I make. Giles and Spike aren’t a threat, and Giles needs help.”

“You don’t even know if he’s still in there. He looks feral to me. What if he turns on you?”

“Then I’ll handle it.”

Riley took a step back, studying her tense form. “I don’t know what’s gotten into you tonight,” he muttered. “You’ve been reacting on impulse all night and now you’re letting your emotions get in the way.”

“Don’t psych 101 me,” Buffy snapped. “And maybe I’m being impulsive, but you’re so busy following other people’s orders that you won’t even listen to me.”

“Fine, keep him. I’m done arguing about this,” Riley said exasperatedly.

“Are you going to tell Professor Walsh?”

Riley gazed at her a long moment, his expression hard to read. In his own way, he was as much of a blank slate as Angel. The thought made her scowl.

Finally, Riley let out a long breath. “I have to file a report on this, Buffy. It’s part of being in the Initiative. I have my own duties, too, and they’re just as important as yours.”

“What did you just say to me?”

“I think we should table this conversation,” Riley said. “We’re starting to go in circles, and our emotions are running high. Do you have a safe place to go tonight with the demon?”

“Yes,” Buffy said, feeling her stomach slide to her feet. She wasn’t going to tell him where, not when he was being all Mr. Initiative. She hated this feeling, so familiar, of not trusting her boyfriends.

“Right,” Riley said, his face a mask. “I need to head back now. I’ll see you tomorrow in class.”

“OK,” Buffy replied, not trusting herself to say any more.

Riley gazed at her for what seemed like eternity, then left through the broken door, his shoulders stiff.

Giles had been quietly waiting in the corner still, clutching a blanket over himself. He stepped forward, rumbling out something that sounded remotely soothing, and patted her on the back. It felt like being tapped with a sledgehammer.

“Thanks,” Buffy said, her heart in her throat. Why were all her organs moving places they shouldn’t go? She needed them to stay where they were supposed to be. Like boyfriends. She tried to shake off the thought, but it wouldn’t go away.

“Slayer,” Spike poked his head in the door. “What’s the plan, here?”

“None of your business. Why are you still here?”

“Well, there’s all those puffed up military blokes roaming the town, looking for me. Especially now with Captain Cardboard knowing you and I were involved. Are we going?”

“Me and Giles,” Buffy informed him archly. “Not you.”

“Oi,” Spike said, scowling darkly. “There’s a target on my back now, thanks to you and the old man. I need to lie low too.”

Buffy was sick of arguing. “Fine.” She marched out the door, Giles following closely. “Mom’s going to be just thrilled.”

Chapter Text

“Good morning, Mom!” Buffy said brightly as she set down a few thank-you muffins. Joyce had been so alarmed the previous evening when Fyarl Giles had shown up at the Summers’ home with Buffy and Spike in tow. She’d immediately thought the giant demon was attacking and had gone after him with a skillet. It took Buffy several minutes to get Joyce to listen to her, especially because Spike had been egging her on during her assault on a cowering Giles.

Once Buffy got her up to speed, Joyce had been quick to get both demons settled in. Buffy had even felt comfortable enough to head back to the dorm. Still, she had swung by the Espresso Pump for Joyce’s favorite treats.

“Buffy,” Joyce smiled warmly. “Come to take over as warden?”

Buffy snorted. “Sort of. The Scoobies are meeting here this morning to figure out what to do.” She glanced at the basement door. “How was the night?”

Her mom hesitated.

Buffy’s eyebrows scrunched up. “What is it? Did something happen?”

“Well, it’s just…” Joyce wrung her hands. “Giles was so noisy, I could hear him from upstairs. And I thought Spike would have a hard time sleeping in the same room, and since he was so helpful to Giles last night, it didn’t seem fair to leave him down there.”

Dread coiled in her stomach. “Mom. Where did Spike sleep last night?”

“We had a free bed upstairs,” Joyce said defensively.

“You let him sleep in my bed?!” Buffy stormed out of the kitchen, and headed upstairs. Sure enough, Spike was sprawled out on her bed, his head on her pillow, and…..Oh, no. She suddenly realized he didn’t have pajamas here. He’d better be wearing his jeans.

Without a word, Buffy picked up the nearest object without looking and coolly hurled it at him.

Spike’s eyes shot open when the jewelry box smacked him on the forehead. “Oi!” He immediately sat up, scanning the room for a threat. It shouldn’t have been so….appealing, to know she wasn’t the only one on high alert.

“You slept in my bed?!”

Spike smirked at her clear discomfort. “Your mum said I could make myself at home,” he said as he reclined on the bed. “She’s a right decent lady. Got a hell of a throwing arm, too.”

Buffy grabbed her old hairbrush and pointed it at him. “You want to see my throwing arm? I bet I could put a few more dents in your skull. Now get out of my room.”

“I’m right cozy here, Slayer, and anyway, this isn’t your room right now. Aren’t you staying on campus like a good little college student?”

Buffy stalked forward, seizing his feet and dragging him off the bed. The blankets were dragged with him, but it was becoming clear that he wasn’t wearing anything underneath. She frantically repressed the urge to peek. It was bad enough that she was familiar with Spike’s annoyingly muscular frame after Willow’s spell, but it was different when his body was on display.

“Oi! Let a man have some dignity.”

“You’re not a man, Spike.” She clenched her jaw and looked pointedly away from him.

Spike glared darkly at her. “What did you wake me up for, anyway?”

“We’re having a Scooby meeting,” Buffy said shortly. “We need a translator to find out what happened to Giles.”

“And why should I help?” Spike asked, annoyed.

Buffy turned back reluctantly, eyed him narrowly, then smirked. “Should I ask my mom to help convince you? After all, she’s a ‘right decent lady,’ and you owe her for letting you sleep here.”

Spike stared at her for a second. “Fine, then,” he said in a clipped tone.

Buffy hid her surprise at his quick defeat. “Get dressed and get downstairs.” She paused, not wanting to leave him alone in her room but not wanting to see what was underneath the blanket.

At Spike’s snicker, she flushed red and strode out.

***

Spike slowly moved down the stairs, pausing at each step. He didn’t want to be around any of these people, but the sooner those wretched Scoobies solved this, the sooner he wouldn’t have to deal with them. That didn’t mean he had to be quick about it.

Besides, it didn’t matter if he hurried; the Slayer was already in a snit, and he’d be getting attitude from her no matter what he did. Sure enough, Buffy’s nostrils were already flared, and she was glowering in his direction as soon as he arrived. As if it was his fault the Slayer’s mum knew how to treat guests in her home. He dropped onto the couch next to Willow, who smiled uncertainly at him, and a new girl who stared at the ground, her hair falling in front of her face.

“Now that we can get started,” Buffy said pointedly, “I need to know what happened last night.”

“Translating comes at a fee, luv,” Spike drawled. No reason to help for free. He wasn’t a bleeding Scooby.

Buffy gave him a narrow look. “You’re staying in my house for protection. Either help or leave.”

“I vote he should leave,” Xander piped up from where he was sitting next to Giles, who was positioned delicately on a too-small chair that looked like it could collapse at any second.

“We have to keep this quick,” Buffy said, glancing at a clock. “I’m meeting Riley to see the Initiative base in a few hours.”

“You two patch things up already?” Spike’s tongue curled between his teeth. “There are a few moves that can make a bloke forget being mad.”

Buffy glared at Spike, “One more word out of you that isn’t translated from Giles, and I’m throwing you into the sun,” she said venomously

Spike just smirked. Then he turned his attention to the darkish blonde-haired girl, “Who’s the new bird?”

Willow brightened. “Oh! This is Tara,” Willow said, her voice higher pitched than usual. “She’s a witch, and she knows a lot more than me.”

“Hi,” said Tara; she gave a small wave and ducked her head shyly.

“Hi, Tara!” Anya said brightly. “It’s nice to meet people that aren’t Scoobies.” She grabbed Tara’s hand and shook it three times, beaming. “I’ve never understood the benefits of handshaking, but everyone else prefers it as a greeting.”

Tara blinked at her, looking taken aback. “Uh, it-it’s nice to meet you-you too.”

“Don’t worry, we’re all normal,” Xander said, munching on chips. “Except for Giles, who used to look more normal. Can someone catch me up on that now?”

Buffy paced back and forth. “I don’t know what happened exactly because Giles can’t speak English, but it looks like Ethan cast a spell that turned him into a demon, and then left town. Giles, can you tell us exactly what happened?”

“I ran into Ethan at the graveyard right after Willow and Xander left,” the Watcher said in crisp tones. Spike would never get used to a Fyarl sounding so polished and intelligent. “At first, I was planning to thrash him, but he said something bad would happen, and we needed time to prepare.”

Spike rolled his eyes as he translated. He was so bloody sick of being around these people. Especially the Slayer, who smelled like strawberries today. He felt a prickle of irritation at noticing.

“Is that verbatim?” Buffy’s mouth was set in a concerned line.

“Verbatim?” Spike snickered. “Someone’s using her college education. Tell me, Slayer, is that what drew Soldier Boy’s attention? What’s he gonna do when your Word of the Day runs out?”

Giles snarled and sprang to his feet. “Simply because you were helpful last night does not mean you can taunt us. Nor does it make you indispensable, Spike. Start making yourself useful, or you’ll face The Initiative alone.”

“I second whatever Giles just said,” said the droopy boy, still munching away on crisps, crumbs falling on his ridiculous Hawaiian shirt..

Buffy turned a glare on him. Righteous bint. “This is your last chance to be helpful, Spike. Do I have to remind you that Riley’s out for you specifically?”

“Fine. Fine. I’ll play nice,” Spike muttered. He felt a surge of hatred for the chip. Just a few months ago, he wouldn’t have suffered these indignities. He could have dealt with Captain Cardboard without breaking a sweat, or laid waste to this house, if he’d been in a mood to cross Joyce. Which he wasn’t. After all, the lady was a dab hand with an ax.

Giles settled back into his chair and continued with his tale, letting out snarls and growls.

“We went out for drinks while Ethan told me about rumors he’d been hearing. There’s something out there hurting demons, and it has to do with the number 314. We got sloshed, and he joked about poisoning my drink.” Giles paused. “I woke up the next morning as a Fyarl demon.”

“Speaking of that….Wil, do you know of anything that can turn him back?”

“Well, there’s always reversal spells, and we still have all the ingredients from the ‘Will Be Done’ spell. But I don’t know if it’ll work on something this complex. It’s not like this is a glamour or something that hijacks minds. Giles is actually a demon.”

“Plus, it’s r-really, um, difficult to reverse other people’s spells.”

“Yeah,” Willow said eagerly. “Tara’s helped me understand why I haven’t been able to turn Amy back into a human. Certain conditions that mimic how the original spell was cast must be created, and usually only the original caster has any luck.”

“OK, so we track down Ethan, beat him up, and force him to turn Giles back.” Buffy gazed hopefully at Willow. “Is that easier?”

“Uh, well, we’d need a personal object or someone with an emotional connection to the person, and we don’t have that so it could take a while.” Willow anxiously twisted her hands together. “Plus, we need to understand him without, uh, any errors in translation. No offense.”

“I’ll allow it.” Spike sat back down, putting his feet on the coffee table.

Anya immediately leaned over and pushed them off. “That’s against the rules of polite conduct.” She eyed Giles with frank curiosity. “In the meantime, what do we do with Giles? He can’t hide very well and will need to eat.”

“I don’t want him to stay here long,” Buffy said anxiously. “Riley knows that he’s with me, and he’s still operating on Initiative orders.”

“What about my place? My parents never come into the basement,” Xander offered.

“No, he’s already been spotted there, and the Initiative heard the 9-1-1 calls in the area.”

Giles immediately began grumbling and glared pointedly at Spike.

Spike snorted. “He’d never set foot in that hole, anyway. Too dark and dank for his posh tastes.”

“What about Spike’s new crypt?” Anya asked helpfully.

“Haven’t found one yet; the beastie interrupted me while I was browsing. There’s a nice one in Restfield that looks about right. I’m not sharing though.”

“You say that like you have a choice,” Buffy said, eyeing him. “If you want protection, you’ll need someone who can fight back against humans. Giles can.”

“Yeah, until your soldier boy locks him up and throws away the key,”

“Riley wouldn’t. He knows Giles is off limits.” Buffy replied, looking far too confident. As if she didn’t know the college Nazis would bag Giles the second they saw him.

“That’s a fair point, actually,” Willow said anxiously. “They’ve been grabbing demons, and we don’t know if they’re paying attention to the different types. And what do they do with them afterward? Is there a reintroduction program? Do they get them jobs at Walmart? There’s so much we don’t know.”

“You don’t like the Initiative?” Buffy asked Willow.

“Bloody right, I don’t!” Spike interrupted.

“I just think it’s important to be cautious,” Willow replied, ignoring Spike. “I mean, they are anti-demon, and uh…,” She glanced nervously at Anya, who was giving her a sullen look, “pro-human, which is good, but Riley trying to take Giles in after being told he wasn’t a demon isn’t putting him in the trustworthy category.”

“I agree with Willow,” Xander chimed in. “I think Riley is probably an okay guy, in an oafish way. He’s got the whole heartbeat thing going for him and isn’t allergic to sunlight, so he already gets top marks on the Buffy boyfriend front. But he’s in the military. They don’t ask questions or think outside the lines, especially when given orders.”

“Right,” Buffy said decisively. “Will, can you and Tara set up a protection spell or a warning system around whatever crypt Spike decides to squat in, so Giles is safer? Anya, can you and Xander go get whatever Giles needs, like food?”

“Oh, yes,” Anya said enthusiastically. “I always thought Fyarls were so helpful. They don’t waste time with words or thinking; they get straight to the point, which usually involves throwing things, throwing people, or shooting paralyzing mucus from their noses, but I never held that against them.”

***

The afternoon tour of The Initiative was…enlightening.

Buffy had met Riley on the front porch, and he’d been all stiff soldier guy. They’d agreed to talk after the tour because Dr. Walsh was waiting for them. After being checked in, she felt her stomach drop when the elevator descended.

The Initiative lab was massive. Their technology was state of the art, and their approach to capturing and studying what they called Hostile Sub Terrestrials (or HSTs) was so very clinical. The lab facilities had that hospital smell she’d always hated: a mix of blood, fear, and cleaning supplies. She knew instinctively that this was not a place friendly to Slayers. She felt like the place would swallow her whole. It was sad to say, but she missed the familiarity of graveyards.

To make matters worse, Dr. Walsh had been polite but cold, and Riley hadn’t relaxed the entire time. In fact, he seemed to tense every time she asked questions, which wasn’t fair at all. She had the same questions Willow had mentioned: their long-term goals, what they did with the demons they captured, and their overall mission.

Buffy couldn’t get Giles out of her mind. The idea that he could easily have been down here if she hadn’t found him before the Initiative did, or if Spike hadn’t agreed to help, then he would be down here getting poked and prodded or even dissected. Without understanding the supernatural creatures they were messing with, what other mistakes was the Initiative making?

She got that answer soon enough.

Buffy stared wordlessly at the cells the demons were locked in, imagining Giles trapped behind the clear doors. All manners of demons were staring out or crawling on the ceiling. Some were missing body parts or had bandages wrapped around their various limbs. And in the last cell…

“Ah,” Dr. Walsh sounded pleased. “Here’s our most recent Hostile, number 43. He’s unlocked a lot of scientific advancement in the last few days.”

A blaze of white rage coiled in Buffy’s chest as she took in what her eyes were seeing.

“That’s a child,” she said, her voice shaking. He couldn’t have been more than 12. “Why is he locked up like he’s a demon?”

Dr. Walsh studied her, frowning. “He was captured in his other form, a humanoid bestial with venomous teeth and saliva. He can revert to his hostile form under pain or stress.”

The boy in the cell stared at her, a spitting image of a young Oz. She spun on her heel and stared at Dr. Walsh challengingly. “He’s a werewolf! And a child!”

“We don’t use those terms here,” Dr. Walsh cleared her throat and studied her clipboard. “This hostile may seem like a child, but he’s capable of turning other people into his species even as a human, which reflects his inherent nature. We’re in the middle of studying his physiology.”

Buffy stared at her speechlessly, her hands curling into fists.

“It’s fascinating,” Riley said softly. “You should see the lab reports. We’ve never studied a hostile that can switch forms like that. It’s a huge leap forward for our mission. Imagine if soldiers could be modified to transform into walking weapons with our rational brains and humanity still intact while able to switch back to our human appearances?”

“Ri- Agent Finn.” Dr. Walsh said, her eyes narrowing. “That’s enough. She doesn’t have clearance.”

Buffy’s vocal cords unlocked. “That so-called hostile is a regular human child 28 days of the month, and you have him locked up so you can copy him? What’s going to happen to him?”

“That’s restricted information,” Dr. Walsh said crisply, shooting Riley a warning look.

“What about his parents? Are they looking for him?” She remembered how worried and frantic Joyce had been when she’d run away. “They’re probably so scared.”

“Their child disappeared a long time ago,” Dr. Walsh’s eyes flashed. “I thought you would understand; your title reflects that you regularly dispatch these creatures.”

“Vampires,” she said through gritted teeth. “They kill people. This kid hasn’t.”

“He is dangerous and highly contagious. Keeping him here is a benefit to society.”

Riley tried to catch her eye, but she refused to look at him. “We’re the good guys here, Buffy.”

“Of course we are,” Dr. Walsh stated firmly. “Ms. Summers, I can tell you’re having a negative reaction but everything we do here is for the benefit of humanity. Why don’t we move on? Perhaps the rest of the tour will help put your concerns to rest.”

Buffy had seen enough.

***

Riley was quiet as he walked her back to her dorm room. He opened her door for her in his usual Iowan fashion and shut the door carefully behind them. “We need to talk.”

Buffy’s stomach dropped. “What?”

“You embarrassed yourself in front of Dr. Walsh.”

“Are you serious? Just because I disagreed with her? She locked up an innocent person!"

“That thing is not an innocent person. He’s a demon with a highly infectious bite.”

“Who is a child nearly the whole month,” Busy retorted, raising her chin to meet his eyes. When did he get so tall? He was looming over her, making her feel shorter than she usually did. “He didn’t get to choose this. It was forced on him, and he made the best of it. It’s not like he can control what happens to him once a month, and he doesn’t deserve to be locked away and used as an experiment.”

Riley snorted dismissively. “You’re projecting, Buffy. He’s not you.”

“Quit psychoanalyzing me. You’re being really dismissive right now.”

“And you’re taking this too personally.”

“No, I’m not. My calling is to protect humanity, including that kid, even if you don’t agree with me.”

“I don’t, for the record,” Riley said flatly. “You’re acting like you’re responsible for the world, which you’re not. There are other ways of fighting monsters.”

“This isn’t a choice for me like it is for you!”

“No, and maybe that’s the problem. You’ve been doing this too long, and you’re used to being the boss instead of following orders, just like how you quit that Council.”

White noise had started to fill her brain. “You’re really throwing the Council in my face right now?”

Riley gazed at her with his perfect soldier’s mask on. “It’s not to hurt you. I’m just pointing out that you chose to involve yourself in the Initiative, and all you’ve done is complain about how we do things. You don’t accept anyone’s viewpoint or ideas except yours and your friends.”

“Because I’ve had to,” Buffy said angrily. “I’ve stopped monsters and apocalypses so many times, and it was always down to me. Just me, stopping them by myself.”

“And now you don’t have to, and you’re rejecting us because we’re doing things differently than you’re used to.”

Buffy took a deep breath, trying to calm down. “I’m not rejecting anything,” she said carefully. “I just don’t think things are as black and white as you and the Initiative seem to. There’s a lot of gray, like werewolves and witches and Angel.”

Riley’s face flickered and went blank. “Angel? Your ex-boyfriend?”

Could this argument get any worse? “That’s not important,” she said hastily.

“Yes, it is. You just said Angel wasn’t human. What was he?”

“Don’t interrogate me about Angel. He has nothing to do with this.”

“He has everything to do with this. This is why you have a soft spot for demons,” Riley snapped. “Your judgment is completely clouded.”

Buffy studied him for a long moment, trying to remember why she had been drawn to him. He had been so sweet and seemed like the perfect regular guy. And yet, he kept disrespecting her, talking over her, and ignoring her opinions. “You know what? My judgment is clouded. I don’t know what I saw in you. This isn’t working for me.”

Riley’s eyes tightened. “Something we can agree on, finally. This isn’t working for me either.” He turned and left, slamming the door behind him.

Buffy’s eyes were blurry with tears, though she didn’t know if they were from anger or sadness. She didn’t have time for this. There was a child to rescue.

The door opened again.

“Buffy? Riley just blew past me in the hall; he looked furious. What happened on the tour?” Willow’s eyes were round with concern.

Buffy held up a finger, picking up the dorm phone. “Hello? Xander? Can you grab Giles? And bring Anya and Spike too. We need to meet at my house.” She glanced at Willow, who was still watching Buffy. If the Initiative had master keys to stores and listened to police surveillance, they likely were tapped into the phones.

“We have a castle to storm.”

Chapter Text

Buffy paced back and forth. “Are you sure you’re ready for this? We’ve never infiltrated a secret military base to rescue someone.”

“Are you kidding?” Xander leaned back in her desk chair, crossing his arms so very suavely. “Now I get to cross this off my bucket list. Becoming ‘Bond’ rather than just dressing as him? It’s a dream come true.”

Buffy smiled.

The plan had come together almost too easily. Willow and Tara were going to cast a chameleon spell, while Giles and Spike were going to draw out soldiers from the Initiative. Easy breezy, which pretty much guaranteed something was going to go horribly wrong.

“Are you sure this is going to work?”

“Yes,” Buffy said with confidence she didn’t feel. “I should still have my clearance. There’s no reason to revoke it just because I broke up with Riley a few hours ago.”

Xander glanced at her, looking concerned. “Are you sure you’re ready for this, Buff?”

“I have to be.”

“Have to be doesn’t mean you are,” Xander said with his usual tact.

“Speaking of,” Buffy said quickly. “How are things with Anya? She seemed to be very….worried.” Buffy had been given a stern talking-to by Anya about Xander being off-limits. As if Xander had ever hesitated before going into danger at her side. She felt a rush of affection.

“Were we speaking of?”

“We are now.” Buffy eyed him narrowly.

“Message received,” Xander held his arms up, looking apologetic. “Things are going just fine. Anya always says what’s on her mind, so I don’t have to guess. It’s nice.”

“That does sound nice,” Buffy agreed, thinking of certain ex-boyfriends who never shared their thoughts.

She felt a soft wet trickle down her back and tensed up. Xander had clearly felt it too, as he sprang up from the chair. It was suddenly hard to look directly at him; every time she tried, her gaze slid to what was next to him. She let out a long breath, feeling relieved. She was always so bad with the waiting, and every second meant the kid was still down there. She hoisted her favorite crossbow. “Let’s go.”

***

Giles clutched his blanket tighter over his head, cursing his horns and scales and everything that drew attention to himself. His existence in this guise was untenable. Everything felt too delicate and breakable, and he wasn’t even able to read. He was so frightened of picking up one of his precious tomes and accidentally ripping it in half.

Spike kept pace with him, looking positively gleeful with anticipation. Giles had attempted to let Buffy know how terrible an idea it was to encourage Spike to cause mayhem and destruction, but Spike, as was typical, had refused to translate for him. He sighed to himself.

They reached Maple Court, which was full of people. Giles reluctantly tossed his blanket aside, lacking the motor dexterity to fold it properly. He braced himself, then moved forward into the public space, growling loudly.

Spike moved without hesitation, vaulting over the wall into the Expresso Pump in game face. He snarled and began throwing dishes and glasses over the heads of the surprised customers. As the people quickly vacated, Giles plodded forward and began heaving the tables in all directions. To his horror, it was surprisingly fun. He spied the owner, Rebecca, frantically calling the police. With any luck, the Initiative would be quicker to respond than law enforcement.

***

Lowell House was emptier than expected. She stood in front of the mirror, waiting for the biometric scanner.

“Buff, maybe you should check your looks later,” Xander said, stepping up next to her.

Buffy shushed him and shoved him out of the way. He thudded against the wall. “Ow! What’d you do that for?”

“Sorry,” Buffy said. “I’m the only one that can pass the retinal scan.”

“The—ew! I don’t want to see that.” Xander said in horror.

Buffy rolled her eyes. “Retinal scan, Xander.”

The mirror slid to the side as the elevator doors opened. She stepped cautiously inside, Xander flanking her. “This looks like a man-sized microwave,” Xander muttered.

The elevator doors closed behind them.

***

Spike cackled as the humans scattered like ants. The Watcher was even getting into the fun, smashing tables and growling. Who knew the old man had a fun side buried under all that tweed? The closest Spike could remember to this more reckless side to Giles was when he had whaled on the great poof with a fiery baseball bat at the factory.

Spike heard screeching tires and sirens getting closer. ‘Time to really get the show started.’ He was itching to get payback on those army boys for all the humiliation he had suffered. Maybe if he got lucky, he could watch Giles snap a few of the soldiers in half.

***

“It’s this way,” Buffy said confidently. So far, no one even glanced at them, though there had been a close call when they had first got off the elevators. Xander was still making astonished comments every time he saw something remotely tech-like. She’d nearly responded violently when he asked her about hoverboards.

“There are so many cells,” Xander said quietly. He gazed down the glaringly white hallway. “What are they planning to do with all these demons?”

“I don’t know,” Buffy muttered. “Riley said something about using werewolf DNA for soldiers, but Dr. Walsh cut him off before he could say more.” She quickened the pace. The Slayer wasn’t sure how long the cameras would be tricked by Willow’s spell. They had to be fast.

Xander stopped suddenly, to her annoyance. He was staring at one of the few occupied cells. The Fyarl was hunched over, several of its body parts missing or covered in bandages.

Buffy squeezed his hand. “We can’t help that one. We need to focus on the kid.”

Xander blinked hard. “Do you think there are vengeance demons down here, too?”

She felt uncertain. “No,” she said firmly. “They pass for humans really well. And didn’t Anya say they can teleport?”

“I…” He swallowed uncomfortably. “I take it all back. If this is what they do to make those cool gadgets, then…”

***

Giles huffed loudly as they sprinted through the night. Between that and his distinctive figure, it was no bloody wonder the army lads were having such an easy time chasing them.

The Slayer’s little scheme had worked too well, or maybe the head doctor had been supremely brassed off by Giles chasing her a few nights ago. In any case, they had expected a squad and instead it seemed to Spike as if they were being pursued by almost the entire base.

That was all well and good and Spike was enjoying how much the soldiers wanted to recapture him and the Watcher-turned-beast, but now they were getting too close for comfort and the Watcher couldn’t take them by himself. With this sodding chip in his head, Spike wouldn’t be able to defend himself or be much help to Fyarl Giles.

Like all plans that happened around the Scoobies, this bit of fun was rapidly going sideways.

***

Jordy’s cell was empty.

Buffy stared at it blankly. This hadn’t been part of the plan.

Xander looked grim. “Where would they take him?”

Her hands curled into fists and she didn’t bother to answer, just darted down the hallway towards the surgical lab. Xander followed her closely, his breathing labored.

***

For all his waywardness and impulsivity, Spike didn’t leave Giles behind. Once again, he was exceeding Giles’s expectations. It was a fascinating window into how different vampires operated.

This is not the time to think about that. Giles growled to himself reproachfully, and instead attempted to refocus on their increasingly precarious situation. Neither he nor Spike had managed to lose the soldiers, and he didn’t see how he could hide in his currently awkward form. Spike’s hair was not helping; it shone like a beacon in the moonlight.

Under normal circumstances, Giles would have already been rendered unconscious. He had always regretted that, and thought it would be better to be aware enough to fight. Not this time. These spur-of-the-moment decisions were actually very difficult. His instincts were failing him in his current state.

Giles huffed and tried to force his body to move faster. Spike hurdled over the wall to Restfield Cemetery and weaved through the gravestones. Giles scrambled awkwardly over the same wall, wishing he had time to catalog the way his muscle groups worked together.

Why couldn’t he focus on the present situation? Any time he tried to concentrate, his thoughts scattered to inconsequential details. Oh, he thought distantly. This is panic and anxiety. Maybe emotions took a different form when trapped in a demonic visage. Or perhaps this was a unique mind-body duality. Maybe–

Volts of electricity hit him, his Fyarl muscle groups that worked so inelegantly and brutally, all seized up in a kaleidoscope of pain. He toppled to the ground as The Initiative soldiers closed in.

***

Buffy skidded to a halt in front of the lab. She was grateful that Dr. Walsh had been so thorough during the tour she had given Buffy, and to whoever put up directional signs. Guess she wasn’t the only one who struggled with geography.

She kicked the doors open and found Dr. Walsh leaned over the kid who was strapped to the table. Dr. Walsh had a scalpel in her hand. Another doctor in the room glanced up in surprise.

“Step away from the boy,” Buffy said in her best Slayer voice. She shivered as she felt the chameleon spell break in that same moment.

Dr. Walsh glanced up, her brow wrinkled. “Ms. Summers? This is a clean room. You need to leave immediately.”

“I will. I’m taking the kid with me.”

Xander burst into the room, wheezing.

“Ms. Summers,” Dr. Walsh said crisply. “As I have told you before, this is not a child. This Hostile is the property of the United States government. You do not have the authority to take him anywhere and I-”

“Am done talking,” Buffy snapped back as she strode forward. “You have five seconds to back away or I start speaking with my fists.”

“You should listen to her,” Xander managed to gasp out. “You don’t want to see what happens when she gets angry.” Standing upright, Xander continued, “You wouldn’t like her when she’s angry,” then snickered to himself at the reference.

Dr. Walsh’s expression didn’t change as she calmly peeled off her gloves. The other doctor appeared to be listening, as he slowly backed away from the operating table. “I will not be ordered around in my own facility. It’s you who has five seconds. Leave this room at once, or-”

Buffy’s fist connected with Dr. Walsh’s temple. The other scientist gasped and pressed himself against the wall.

She glared at him. “Do you have anything to say about me taking the kid?”

The guy shook his head frantically.

Buffy nodded and began working on the straps while Xander kept the crossbow trained on the other doctor. As soon as the boy was free, Xander handed the crossbow to Buffy before carefully hoisting the child over his shoulder.

“OK, scientist guy,” Buffy said cheerfully. “You’re gonna help us get out of here.” She grabbed his arm and pressed the weapon to his chin.

The trip to the surface was uneventful, and she let the hostage go as soon as they reached the porch at Lowell House. He scrambled back the way they had come without delay. She just hoped Giles was okay. She wasn’t worried about Spike, she knew he would be fine;the pest was basically the vamp equivalent of a cockroach. Nothing seemed to keep him down for long. Not even the Initiative could hold him.

***

Giles spotted Spike laying on the ground, spasming from the Initiative’s vile weaponry. Buffy’s new beau, Ryan or Ricky, or what-have-you, strode forward, barking out orders.

Not that Giles’s situation was much better; he groaned as he was hit with yet another taser blast, his vision blurring. He struggled back to his feet, intent on unleashing terrible violence against the puny humans. This wasn’t a game of chase anymore.

“You know,” Riley said, his mouth grim, “I’m going to enjoy this.”

Spike’s white hair caught the moonlight, as did the stake descending towards the vampire’s chest.

“Spike!” Giles panicked. He was too weak and far away to stop the stake’s descent in time, and then he’d be alone.

He felt a strange tickle in his nose. Before he understood what was happening, snot blew out of his nostrils like a missile, coating Riley in biomatter. Riley toppled to the ground, the snot stiffening and preventing him from moving. The stake clattered to the ground.

Well, that’s useful, if a tad on the unpleasant side. Giles turned towards the other Initiative soldiers, attempting to utilize this new tool. He straightened and tried to force a sneeze in their direction.

Nothing came out.

Giles seized Riley’s dropped weapon and clubbed a soldier on the side of the head. Two down. He turned to the rest of the unit, just in time to be met with more taser blasts. He felt his nose itch again. Ah. It’s a defense mechanism, then. He sucked in a deep breath as the snot erupted again, splattering the soldiers and halting their attack.

Giles lumbered forward, seizing the stake and yanking Spike to his feet. The vampire sagged forward, clearly unable to support himself. With a grunt, Giles threw him over his shoulder, and headed towards Joyce’s house and to safety.