Chapter 12

 

 

William froze, staring at the vampire that was, and had been his only competition for Buffy… and at one point Dru.

 

Out of the corner of his eye he could see Gunn shielding Darla’s body with his own.  For a millisecond he had to wonder at the absurdity of it. Another human, madly in love with a vampire from the line of Aurelius.

 

Maybe there was something in the blood… or maybe they were all in thrall.

 

He knew that Buffy and Darla were currently. Enthralled by Angelus that was and he had no idea how to break that, didn’t know if he could.

 

Because his own vampire, the one that he was madly in love with, the one that he had finally admitted that love to, was standing in front of him her eyes locked on her sires just like Darla’s were and she wasn’t reacting to his presence at all.  

 

That really should piss him off.

 

But fear was more prevalent than anger. Because he couldn’t remember ever seeing Buffy that way she currently was.

Her normally pale face was sheet white, even whiter than it would normally be. From where he stood frozen, seemingly unable to move even as he tried to force himself to, he could see her muscles trembling with the effort it was taking to keep herself from moving to the door.

 

Her jaw clenching to keep from issuing the entry invite to Angelus.

 

The male vampire scowled, eyes narrowing as his children fought against his control of them. They’d been allowed to run wild for far too long he saw that now, he should have gone with his instincts and dragged them back weeks ago. Because now they mistakenly thought themselves free of him.

 

And that was just not the case.

 

And then his eyes narrowed even further, his scowl deepened and Will knew that the male had seen the fresh bite marks on his neck. Knew from the way that Angelus’ eyes flew to Buffy that he knew she was the one that had placed the mark upon his flesh.

 

“Buffy,” his voice deep, distorted from the fact that he was still in gameface, his crooked a finger at her as he issued his command. “Come.”

 

The whimper was what prompted William to movement. He’d never heard that sound from Buffy before… it was a sound of pain and it broke through whatever was keeping him frozen and he grabbed Buffy’s arms even as one of her legs moved forward as if to walk towards her sire. Turning her to face him he was shocked to see the pain, the despair etched into her features.

 

“William,” she forced out as her hands came up to grip his arms. “William,” he could see tears glinting in her eyes even as she looked away, over to where Gunn was physically restraining Darla to keep her from moving to the door.

 

Grabbing Buffy’s arm he pulled her along behind him, the others leaping into motion at his movements. Riley helping a hobbling Faith, Gunn forcing Darla along ahead of him. Behind them, as they rounded the corner they could hear Angelus’ roar of anger.

 

“Is there another way out of here?” he asked the female at his side in a hushed tone.

 

“Pet?” she looked up at him blankly, the muscles in her body still trembling slightly. Stopping he forced her to look at him, gripping both arms tightly.

 

Seeing her wince in response to hid hold he loosened his grip slightly. Trying to be gentle with her, raising his hands to caress her cheeks gently, the expression on his face softened… he tried to make his tone as soothing as possible. “Is there another way out of here?”

 

“Yes,” she murmured her expression still one of fear that he couldn’t recall ever seeing before. He didn’t like that look on her face. His normally so self-assured Buffy was so terrified that it was rolling off her in waves that even he, dense male that he was, could sense it.

 

When she didn’t elaborate he exchanged an impatient glance with Riley before returning his attention to the vampiress before him.

 

“Do you know the route? Can you show us? Before Angelus finds a way in,” his words came out sharper than he’d intended and he winced, but they had the desired effect breaking through whatever fog that had held Buffy in its grasp.

 

Her back stiffened and she frowned at him as she shook his hands off, anger, at him, flashing in her eyes. Glancing back at where Darla was huddled with Gunn she moved quickly down the hall, entering her room without another word.

 

Flinging her closet door open William saw her duck inside, then back out just as quickly. Rummaging in one of the drawers of her dresser she tossed a flashlight at him, another at Gunn before palming one for herself.

 

Glancing at Gunn Will was surprised to see the backpack slung over one shoulder. He hadn’t even noticed the black man separating from them long enough to grab it.

 

“Slayer carry Darla… Gunn you have your cell right?” she asked as she turned back to the opening in her wall.

 

The objections from the three were loud and abrupt forcing a scowl to her face and her attention back to them. From Williams “Now Buffy I don’t think…” to Gunn’s “I can carry Darla, don’t need no help…” to Darla’s emphatic “I’m not an invalid I don’t need anyone to carry me…”

 

Buffy just raised an eyebrow at them before turning back to the opening ducking inside, Riley and Faith following her shortly after.

 

“Gunn make sure you close it up when you come through,” her disembodied voice said as the three stared at each other.

 

“Right then,” William muttered as he handed the flashlight in his hands to the pregnant female then scooped her up into his arms.

 

“You drop me on a piece of wood and stake me before this baby’s born I’ll bite you,” she warned glaring at him. Her memory wasn’t so short that she didn’t remember Druscilla staking her for him years past.

 

“And how are you going to do that as a pile of dust? Hmm?” he smirked as he ducked his head and followed the sounds of the others. Behind him he could hear Gunn mumbling under his breath as he flicked his own flashlight on and followed, darkness settling on the small crawlspace as he sealed the opening behind him.

 

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Once darkness settled over their escape route Buffy let her face melt away into the demonic visage that was her vampire heritage from Angelus. Tossing the flashlight over her shoulder at Riley she moved with innate grace, she could see better in the dark without the additional light.

 

Unfortunately she couldn’t say the same for the humans behind her.

 

She could hear Faith stumbling along, her sprained ankle hindering her movements slightly and for a slight second she questioned the females’ presence. In a fight Faith could only slow them.

 

Riley swore loudly as he hit his head on a low hanging pipe and Buffy allowed a small smile to cross her face at his inventive curses. He was the reason that they couldn’t leave Faith behind… because he would have stayed with her and she couldn’t allow that. He was one of their better fighters.

 

Behind them she could hear William and Darla conversing softly and part of her wondered what the two had to talk about, nothing good could come of her Slayer and her sibling talking. They only had two things in common. Dru and her.

 

Even further back she could catch Gunn’s rapid mutterings of anger at having been relieved of what he considered his precious burden.

 

All of them, even Darla, held a small part of the heart she wasn’t supposed to have.

 

And if she lost even one of them they would be used as bait by Angelus to lure her to his side and she would go to save them. Because each one of them was worth more than her.

 

If her Slayer confused her with his conflicting emotions, the male vampire that was her sire confused her even more. He had been the one to walk away from her after all.

 

“I have to find my pleasures Buffy. You taste like ashes.”

 

“Poor Buffy… so lost. Even I can’t help you now.

 

She had to wonder when he’d decided that she no longer tasted like ashes to him, when he’d decided that she wasn’t so lost to him after all.

 

Where the hell had he been when she’d needed him? When she’d been fighting the love that she felt for the Slayer, when she’d wanted to be rescued from what she’d felt for the bane of their existence. Angelus had been no where to be found… off gallivanting with some Chaos demon leaving her to fend for herself.

 

Sometimes she thought the gods must be laughing at her.

 

Leading her ragtag little team down the long stairs, creeping through the dark tunnels she remained silent even though she could hear the murmuring of conversation behind her.

 

It would take a while for Angelus to track them; they still had some time before silence would become an issue.

 

She could hear Darla panting unnecessarily in her Slayers arms and knew that the babe was coming fast… they wouldn’t have time to make it the small emergency hideout that she’d arranged for just in case. She’d known Angelus would find them, part of her thought had hoped that it would be after the babe was born and safely wherever Whistler chose to hide him.

 

Keeping her eyes peeled for any place that might be safe enough to hide the Slayer and Darla she was almost surprised when she saw the small utility room off to the right.

 

She’d forgotten it was done here, had only taken half a notice of it when she’d been scouting this tunnel out for the fastest route to the secondary hideout. It was small, but it would do for the small length of time that she would have to leave them.

 

Halting Riley with a wave of her hand she forced the door, glancing around inside before grunting with mild satisfaction and motioning them inside.

 

“You can’t be serious,” Faith muttered, crossing her arms over her chest defiantly she turned and faced the blonde vampiress that hid in the shadows outside the room as the others squeezed into it. “This room reeks of… well something and you can’t really expect Darla…”

 

“To what go to a hospital?” Buffy asked her tone sarcastic as she watched William lay Darla on the blanket that Gunn had pulled from his backpack with a gentleness that belied the animosity between the two. She really didn’t want to know what they’d been talking about. “Yeah because they won’t notice the lack of heartbeat, or body heat or any other bodily functions pet, what with them being trained bloody professionals after all.”

 

“Then what? We just wait here and hope one of us read up enough to help her give birth?” the brunette female glanced down at where Gunn was settling Darla’s head in his lap, stroking her hair ever so gently as he murmured in her ear.

 

“No… the lot of you are goin’ to wait patiently here while I go get us some help,” Buffy stated decisively. Her tone indicating that the decision had already been made and she expected them to follow her instructions.

 

She should have known that William and Darla would fight her on. Neither one of them had ever, or would ever follow her instructions…even if it was the only thing between them and a horrible, violent death at the hands of an extremely pissed off vampire.

 

With a frown she watched from just outside the door, still standing in the shadows as Darla caught the Slayers eye and something silent passed between them. So in tune with each other she had to wonder what they had been whispering back and forth to each other as she has been leading them to safety.

 

Gracefully coming to his feet he moved slowly towards her and Buffy shifted further into the shadows. She hadn’t allowed her features to settle back into her human visage, not having planned on staying with the group past the point of shoving them into the tiny room.

 

She lowered her hand, staring at the floor as the Slayer stopped directly in front of her. Closing her eyes she allowed her features to shift to the human face that he was so used to seeing and as his hands cupped her face raising her eyes to his that was what he saw.

 

Not the vampire that had tried to kill him, but the lover that only hours prior had been sate and happy in his arms.

 

“You’re not going alone,” he said softly. “Don’t think I don’t know that you’d give yourself up to him if you thought it would protect me.”

 

“I wouldn’t…” she protested weakly. So that’s what he and Darla had been discussing.

 

Her.

 

She didn’t like that at all.

 

“Buffy,” he stared at her so intensely that if she’d been able she would have flushed.

 

“And what do you propose we do luv? Wait until he finds us? Because he’ll kill you, all of you and he’ll take Darla and I regardless of what we want.”

 

“And what’s that Buffy? What do you want? Because if you want to go back to him…” William’s voice choked at that and he looked away, running her hands down his arms she could feel apprehension lining his muscles suddenly.

 

“Pet…”

 

“I won’t stop you if that’s what you want,” he whispered closing his eyes. So as to not see her rejection of him just when he’d finally figured out what he wanted, who he loved.

 

“Slayer,” she touched his face gently, her fingertips grazing in a whisper of a motion over the sensitive skin of his closed eyelids, his lips. “Look at me luv,” she ordered and his eyes opened slowly, wariness written over his face. “I told you I’d never leave you, never… Love you pet, more than I’ve loved anythin’ in my entire life and unlife.”

 

“Then why…?”

 

“I couldn’t stand to see anythin’ happen to you. And Angelus wouldn’t let you live, he’d torture you for a while so as to torture me. Especially now…” she murmured her fingers grazing her mark on his neck, the wound was almost totally healed, Slayer healing and all but she could still see the tiny pin pricks of her fangs and hoped that someday she would be able to claim him for her own. “But he’d kill you and I can’t allow that.”

 

“I can protect myself Buffy,” he stated clearly. “And I’m not worried about myself, I’m worried about you.”

 

“I’m not goin’ to do anythin’ stupid Slayer, not when I…” she shook her head not finishing the sentence the words she left unsaid were understood between them though. Now that he had told her he loved her, now that they could try to be together without anger and hatred between them. “Not now at any rate.”

 

“Then…”

 

“I need you to stay here with Darla… protect her just in case.”

 

“You’re not going for help alone,” he said emphatically, the tone of his voice brooking no argument and she relented.

 

“I’ll take Riley with me.”

 

Cocking his head to the side he studied her for a moment. “And Gunn.”

 

“Slayer.”

 

“Buffy,” he countered.

 

“Fine,” she huffed. “I’ll take Riley and Gunn with me.”

 

“Good,” William’s smile creased his face and he pulled her against him tightly as he pressed a kiss to her temple.

 

“You should call Peaches and the Whelp,” she mumbled as she rested her hands on his hips, hooking her fingers into the belt loops of his jeans.

 

“What? Why?”

 

She rolled her eyes against his shoulder before drawing back. “So they don’t go to the apartment and walk into the trap that Angelus has set up there for us.”

 

“Oh… yeah there is that,” he muttered flushing as he pulled her back to him. He’d forgotten all about the other vampire waiting for him, and his best friend. Each probably wondering if his stupidity had ended the world. He really couldn’t find it in himself to care. “Don’t do anything stupid… please,” he murmured in her ear.

 

“We’ll be fine,” she smiled back at him, then yanked on his shirt, pulling him down to her and pressing her lips against his.

 

She ignored the groans from behind them as her Slayer’s arms wound around her pulling her even tighter against him. Through the denim of his jeans she could feel him hardening against her and her lips curved into a smirk.

 

Pulling away from her breathlessly the Slayer laid his forehead against hers, panting as he fought for control. There was no way he could drag her down the short hallway without everyone in that little room knowing exactly what they were doing.

 

“I love you,” she murmured as she pressed an open-mouthed kiss to his chin.

 

“Love you to,” he murmured back as he released her. The more he said those words, the easier they were to say to her.

 

With a smile she stepped into the minimal light afforded by the flashlights, waving at Gunn and Riley, indicating that they should join her. Riley pressed a kiss to the top of Faith’s head and joined her silently; Gunn stroked Darla’s hair before allowing Faith to take his place joining her not so silently.

 

As he turned to join the two females in the tiny, little room Buffy caught his arm and she stared up at him, her eyes flickering between him and Darla.

 

“Don’t let her do anything stupid,” she said softly. William frowned at her, not understanding what she was getting at until he focused on the other vampiress, on the ground by Darla Gunn had left his stake. A stake that Darla’s hand was currently hovering over. .

 

“Don’t worry,” he forced a smile for her benefit. “I won’t let her dust herself before you get back.”

 

“Good, good,” Buffy backed away, her hand lingering on his arm until distance forced it to drop at her side.

 

And then they were gone.

 

William squinted, trying to catch some sight of them in the hall before giving up and entering the room. Faith and Darla both looked up at him somewhat apprehensively as he hovered in the doorway.

 

“So…” he smiled brightly. “Anybody bring cards?”

 

 

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TBC