Tying Things Up - Chapter 1

Walking aimlessly up through the woods Buffy let slip a long sigh as she found herself thinking about him again. A week ago Spike had rolled back into town and kidnapped her best friends, spoken truths about her and Angel that then caused her to finally see she was living a lie and broken up a further two relationships when Oz and Cordelia had caught her aforementioned two best friends kissing. Since then, she couldn't get him out of her head.

It wasn't like she hadn't tried--god had she tried and she'd never felt this guilty in her life. As far as she saw it she should be thinking about Angel and their failed attempt at a relationship but something kept dragging her back to thoughts of Spike and his stupidly insightful speech. She'd felt like killing him at first and then she'd realised that what he'd said was so close to the mark it was scary, he could see things that neither her or Angel could.

Kicking at the ground as she walked she tried to remember everything he'd said, she could practically hear his voice resounding in her head. Snapping her head around she realised it wasn't in her head, someone was yelling. Scouring the trees in the dim light she spotted a rocky outcrop and a large dark opening, stepping forwards cautiously, she raised her axe slightly and headed for the entrance.


Spike growled as he tugged the chains again, every muscle in him tensing up as he strained to break them. Shifting he wrapped both hands around one of the chains and pushed his heavy booted foot against the wall for leverage. Leaning back, he pulled as hard as he could until he felt like his brain was going to explode. Giving in for the millionth time he kicked the wall hard then slumped down against it, staring agitatedly at the shiny little key not twenty foot from him, the only problem was the chains bonding him to the wall were a tantalising four foot short from letting him reach it.

Cradling his head in his hands, he heaved a sigh. Life was just peachy, came back to Sunnyhell to find a way to win Dru back only to end up chained to a wall in a dank cave just because he happened to tell his grandsire that he and the Slayer might as well call it quits.

"No use moping, Spike. Be as bad as him next, broody little wanker." Clambering to his feet, Spike stretched again and gave an experimental tug on the chain attached to his neck collar. "Here we go again…"

Pricking his ears up he heard the distinctive noise of a branch snapping outside and a shuffling sound. Looking at his situation and considering the options, he swallowed his pride.

"Sod it…worth a go." Taking a deep unnecessary breath Spike yelled as loud as he could. "Help! Some wanker chained me up in here. Bloody help me!"


Creeping silently into the cave Buffy grasped her axe tighter as she felt it burning inside her, vampire.

Turning around she was about to head back out to regroup herself when she heard a rattle of chains, could it be they had someone locked up in there with them? Knowing she couldn't leave without at least checking she snuck along keeping close to the wall. Nothing prepared her for what she saw in the brightly lit chamber.

Chained to a wall near a flaming torch was an utterly tired and frustrated looking Spike. She covered her mouth to stifle her giggle as he yanked on the chain attached to his neck collar. Looking him over she saw that he was chained to the wall by his ankles and wrists along with his neck--it was thick heavy chain that seemed to be impossible for him to break, even with the strength his demon gave him.

Screwing his eyes shut, Spike froze and hung his head limply. "Bloody perfect. All the people who could've found me…it had to be you."

He turned his head to look at her with the last word and she raised her brows as she giggled. The sight of Spike chained up and miserable was divine until something inside her wrenched. Leaning her axe against the wall, she stepped into the chamber.

"Who did this to you?" The feeling in her stomach intensified as his face turned into that look of disgust he got when he thought about him.

"Bloody well know who." Spike clenched his jaw before tugging the chains violently and roaring at them in seething hatred.

"Angel." Buffy whispered, not quite wanting to believe it. Sure, he'd been upset about her decision but this upset? To chain Spike up and leave him to die, shouldn't he be taking it out on her rather than his own blood?

"Wanker." He spat the word at her but she knew it was aimed at Angel--she just happened to be the only one available for him to abuse.

Pausing for a moment Spike bought his anger under control and inhaled sharply. Turning towards Buffy, he gave her a sweet smile and watched as it disarmed her slightly.

"Be a dear and hand me that little shiny key there." Nodding towards it, Spike watched as she took a step in its direction before she frowned at him, he shrugged. "Worth a try."

"You're a killer Spike…I'm not about to set you free…in fact…" Pulling a stake out from behind her back she smiled wickedly as he backed away slightly, looking mortified.

"Hey. Not fair." He tried to hide the hurt in his voice but it bubbled up so quickly he didn't have time to stop it, she faltered on hearing it.

Looking down at the sharpened wood in her hand then up at Spike she relented, there was no way she could stake him now, not with the pity me look he was wearing and the fact he clearly didn't know he was wearing it made it all the more intense.

Sitting down on the rock near the key Buffy jumped slightly as Spike raced forwards and tried to make a reach for her. Regaining her composure, she raised a brow at him. His jaw tensed and she watched his eyes turn steely.

"Now there's no need for that kind of attitude. See…" Buffy threw her stake to the opposite wall from him and he watched it clatter then fall to the floor.

Sniffing, he eased off and hooked his thumb over his belt in an attempt to look casual and jaunty but the chains got in the way. Shaking her head, Buffy suppressed a laugh at the scene in front of her, the vampire that had been playing on her mind all week now chained to the wall and trying to look like he didn't care.

"How long have you been here?"

"What's with the twenty questions treatment, love?" Having given up an attempt at a cool demeanour Spike patted his pockets and looked up at her with his brows knit.

"Just…forget it." Buffy didn't know why she was trying to make pleasant conversation with him, it dawned on her she wanted him to talk to her, wanted to know what was going on and it scared her. This was all Angels fault.

"'Bout three days…" He mumbled as he fished his lighter out of his pocket and then bit his lip while he calculated how to get to his duster, situated about three foot out of reach.

"What?" She wrinkled her nose at him not quite hearing what he said and it seemed to infuriate him.

"I said…about…" Spikes voice gained volume until she squinted as he leant towards her while shouting. "Three…bloody…days…"

"Cranky." Muttering under her breath she watched him hopelessly trying to reach his jacket, her eyes were drawn to his arms, lean muscles writhing under his pale skin as he struggled to get a hold of the duster. She felt a tingle dance up her spine before she shook her head.

Taking pity on him, Buffy walked around and picked up the jacket, pulling it close to her she searched his pockets knowing exactly what he needed. As she shifted the coat to her other arm she inhaled deeply, something about the scent of leather and tobacco made her heart beat slightly faster. Checking herself as she found his cigarettes, she took them out and threw them to him.

"Thanks." Spike mumbled as he tapped the packet and pulled one of the long white sticks out, slipping it in between his lips he flicked his zippo and tilted his head as he lit up.

Breathing out the blue grey smoke into the room Spike slumped against the wall and sat on the floor resting his arms on his knees, his focus wholly with Buffy.

"Look at us." He shook his head and heaved a sigh; she frowned at him not quite understanding what he was talking about. "I mean, sitting here…in a sodding cave…just because I had the balls to tell you two what you couldn't quite see…bloody idiot that I am…"

"That an understatement…" She sat down opposite him again and smiled as he scowled at her.

He looked exasperated. "Do you have to kick me when I'm down? Am I wearing a bloody sign saying 'kick the Spike'?"

"Sorry, habit." Not quite believing she was actually apologising to him she squirmed on the rock, trying to get comfortable.

"I've got something softer you could sit on…" Voice turning to bedroom tones he patted his knee and watched Buffy's cheeks flush red, at first he thought it was anger but her long pause said otherwise.

"Gross Spike." Finding her voice again she sat defiant of him.

He shrugged at her and continued smoking while Buffy watched him intently. She couldn't believe Angel would do such a thing, not only chain him up and leave him to whither away but to leave the key only a couple of feet from his grasp was just too cruel, it had undertones of Angelus. It wasn't like she didn't know that Spike and Angel seemed to have more bad blood between them than even she and Spike did, it was clear every time they had chanced to meet that they both despised each other. It just puzzled her that Angel would torture Spike like this, her normally brooding quiet man had shown her in this one act that there was still a deadly side to him, a side worse than Spike because at least he didn't hide what he was.

Feeling her body heat up she realised he was looking at her now, brow arched and eyes half closed as he leant his head back against the wall. He looked tired, drained even like he hadn't eaten for weeks. What did happen to vampires if they didn't eat, did they keep on going even when there was barely anything left of them other than skin and bones?

"Think we need to move on pet, pastures new and all that rot. Angels killing you and Dru's killing me. Should've known those two would be the death of me, never could handle seeing them together…"

Buffy looked up as he said that. "Angel…and Drusilla?"

"Angelus and Dru to be precise, she was always his on some level, turned by him, commanded by him…taken by him." He waited for her to bite.

"Taken?" Her voice was quiet but inquisitive and Spikes mouth twitched into a slight smile.

"Yeah, those two were always at it…tried to get me in on it once…but she was meant to be mine you know, he knew that, took her to spite me…to turn me into a monster…" Spike hadn't meant to delve that deep into old memories, he'd just wanted to upset the Slayer and now he was just upsetting himself.

"I thought Drusilla sired you." Buffy leant forward slightly, amazed at how open he was being with her.

"She did…but Angelus made me a monster. Made me the killer you so despise…Dru never wanted that for me…but he saw to it that I learnt how to kill slowly, torturously and all the sick little tricks that went along with it…" Swallowing hard, he thought over his lifetime of killing innocents and when he saw the look of pity in her green eyes for a split second, he regretted it.

Buffy went to say something but Spike stood up sharply, the rattling chains caused her to jump. For a moment, she had completely forgotten where they were.

"Still…hope they both fry." Flicking his spent cigarette towards the wall he reined his emotions in and replaced them with anger, fuelled by the memories of her Dru and the bastard Angelus.

Rising to her feet Buffy took a step forwards and waited, instinctively he moved towards her, pulled by the lure of her blood. When he rattled to a stop a foot away from her she smiled slowly, Spike grasped the chain and strained hard in an attempt to free himself.

Watching his actions closely, she went over everything he'd already told her and put it through the Spike filter she'd devised last year when they had formed a truce. His cocky nature lead him to exaggerate but when it came to talking sense he seemed to be the king of it. Heartbeat accelerating until she could hear her own blood in her ears Buffy hesitantly took another step towards him.

Reaching out, Spike wriggled his fingers and managed to graze her shoulder with them. She was so close to him now that he could feel the heat coming off her body, could practically taste her blood. Gaining control, he looked straight into her clear green eyes and pierced them deeply.

"So what do we do?" He waited for her answer but it didn't come, instead of words, he got actions.

Dropping to her knees in front of him Buffy took a deep breath and deftly unbuckled his belt. Hearing Spike gasp she looked up at him only to see a look of shock on his face.

"Bloody hell you doing?" Not quite believing his own eyes, he wanted an answer from the shiny pink lips that had suddenly become so appealing to him.

"Pastures new…all that rot…" Pouting up at him Buffy willed her heart to even out, it was a crazy move on her part but they both needed this, they both had to put their pasts to bed and go forwards.

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