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    The vampires had them surrounded and Xander flew into action, the hidden stakes ended at least five. Spike himself took out five more. Xander spun on his heel and stopped the stake barely over Spike's heart. "Shit!"

    "Careful nummy, already got a nipple piercing." He grinned.

    Xander grinned back but it fell when he saw the rest of the vampires coming. Spike turned and if possible, went even more pale.

    "Spike?"

    "Darla. M' Grandsire. She's strong pet."

    Xander nodded, "Get Jesse and Willow out of here."

    "But Xan. . ."

    "Please Spike, their my family."

    He nodded and grabbed the two kids, "Come on, this way!"

    "He's one of them! Jesse he's one of them!" Willow screamed and fought.

    "No! Wills! He's a friend of Xander's!"

    "R. . . really?"

    Spike snarled and staked a few strays, "Bloody 'ell you two want to die?!"

    Willow's eyes widened and she ran.

    A yelp from behind them made Spike freeze. His dead blood chilled. "Xan!"

    Jesse grabbed his arm, "The new girl's coming, she's one like Xander right? Go get him! She'll help us."

    The vampire turn his real face on the human children and gave them a grateful look, "Thank you." Then sped toward the sound of his lover's heart, and the smell of Darla, and prayed Angelus wasn't with her.
________________________

    They were alive. Xander was caught, and Giles was explaining it all very rationally as the sun rose and they were wasting time!

    Jesse paced the library floor. Willow was sitting at the central table and the girl slayer was standing over her.

    "Those were vampire? Does anyone find it odd we're talking about 'Vampires' like they exist?" the red head whispered.

    "Oh don't worry those guys weren't vampires, it could have been, uh. . . rabies!" Buffy crooned sarcastically, "And the one that turned into dust? Trick of the light."

    Willow looked freaked, "I have to sit down."

    "You are sitting down."

    "Good for me."

    "Look those things have Xander! What if Spike can't. . ." Jesse's eyes widened and he shut his mouth quickly and looked away.

    "Who's Spike?" Buffy wrinkled her brow and looked at Willow.

    "I don't. . . Jesse? Who's Spike?"

    "The blond. . ."

    "Oh!"

    Giles and Buffy were both looking at them with matching interest.

    "Um. . . Xander's boyfriend." Jesse flinched, "That was So not my secret to tell."

    "No! No we need to know this secret. Did this, Spike guy, go after Xander?"

    Jesse swallowed and nodded.

    "Dear lord they have them both." The librarian covered his mouth in a very British looking gesture.

    Jesse flinched at Willows searching look and sighed, "I don't think Spike's in danger."

    "Another secret?" Buffy guessed.

    "A little one?" He bit his lip.

    They were looking at him again. Why did they have to 'look' at him like that?!
________________________

    Spike cursed when he reached the entrance to the vampire's lair. The master. He was about to challenge the master. //Without Xan I'd rather be dust anyway.// He slipped inside and cringed, //Of course there's worse things the Master can do to me. Great, I'll never get this smell out of my leather. Xander We're talking days of comfort nummies. Break out the toys an' all. I'm not letting you out of my site for weeks, years even.//

    He pressed on. There was never any choice. Xan needed him.
________________________

    "Did you bring me a present?"

    Xander shivered as the ugliest vamp he'd ever seen approached him and his captors. //Calm, stay calm. Spike will find me. They can't sense me, I don't feel like a regular slayer. As long as they stay away from my neck with their fangs. . .//

    The blond was pouting, "We had more sire, but they got away. There was a girl."

    "Oh?" He stepped forward and took Xander by the neck.

    Luc nodded, "She might be a . . ."

    "Slayer!"
________________________

    "Slayer?!"

    Jesse nodded and Willow stared at him with the other two. //Damn!//

    "Jesse Xander can not be a slayer. He's male."

    "Yeah well it's a first time thing I guess. I've seen him in action."

    Buffy frowned, "So why'd he run in the cemetery?"

    "He was helping us get away!"

    "And why'd he get caught?"

    "There were twenty or more of them! He killed over half of them and Spike . . ."

    "Spike's a slayer too?" Giles sighed and set the book he was holding on the table.

    "Nooooooo."

    Buffy and the watcher both sighed in relief.

    "He's a vampire."
________________________

    "If there is a slayer here, find me a new present. I think this one should live." The master smiled, "Because she wants this one back. She. Will come. To us."

    "Congratulations brat. You've graduated to bait."

    "I'm honored." He growled and spit in Luc's face.

    "Insolent. . ." The vampire moved to strike him and was stopped by his master's hand.

    "He has spirit." The oldest one smiled.

    Luc snarled at the boy. "Won't take long to break him."

    "We will play after the slayer is dealt with."

    Xander glared at him and looked back the way he'd been dragged in. //Spike, please get here soon.//
________________________

    Spike was having his own troubles. There were tons of stray vamps in the tunnels and with each one he dusted one thing stood out in his mind. He couldn't pick up Xan's smell anymore. //Must be a shield. I'd smell his blood if. . . no! He's fine! He has ta be!//

    He staked another minion who was lurking in the shadows and rushed forward. They were getting more frequent. He must be near the main room. //Please be ok Xan. I'll never complain about your school days or homework or clothes. . . well maybe your clothes. . . just please be ok.//

    A faint breeze touched his face and he cursed, "Wrong tunnel again. Why don't they have maps of these things?!"
________________________

    "I uh. . . maybe there's another way?" Willow suggested and sat down at the computer.

    Jesse stood behind her grinning, "Ooh, someone's been naughty."

    "I take it these aren't for public viewing." Giles muttered.

    "Uh. . . kind of?"

    Buffy froze, "There! That's it!"

    "So what do we do?" Jesse looked anxiously at her.

    "There's no we."

    "Hey my best friend. . ."

    "Is my responsibility." She turned to grasp her bag, "I let him get caught."

    "You didn't. . ."

    "If you hadn't saved us we'd be gone too." Willow's breathing sped up, "Do you mind if I faint now?"

    "Breath Wills."

    "I want to help." The Willow looked hopeful. "I know I can't fight them but. . ."

    Giles leaned over her shoulder, "You can help me here."

    Jesse stood back from them as thought ran through his head. //They think I'm just going to stand around looking stupid they have another thing coming.//

    When Buffy snuck out, Jesse watched her and fought with himself. He knew where the mausoleum was too. And he didn't feel like he should just let Spike and Buffy handle this alone. //Shit! Spike! She wouldn't. . . I have to warn him!// A quick boost over the fence and he was running toward the monsters lair. //I should be running 'away' from the monsters.// He thought desperately, then he kept running.

<Part Two>

    The uglies holding Xander were closing in. They wanted to turn him! Shit! They wanted to turn him to lay a trap but the minute they tasted his blood they'd know! //No! Spike is the only vamp I'd ever want turning me!// He kicked out powerfully and caught the male, who seemed to be the second in command, hard under his jaw. The crunch of his teeth grinding echoed through the chamber and he glared at the human who'd dared to attack him.

    "That was dumb my little lamb."

    "Me? Lamb? Nah, I don't do that rich meat thing, I'm more a chocolate person."

    "Sweet."

    "Uh. . . I soooo didn't want to hear that."

    "Take him before the slayer gets here." The master ordered.

    A voice broke through the dark and Xander smiled, "It isn't the slayer that's your problem mate, it's me."

    The blond, Darla, 's eyes went wide and she swung around to face the shadows. "William!"

    "Now now grandmum, you know I hate it when you call me that. It's Spike ducks, and that human is mine."

    "Yours?!" The hot headed male growled.

    "Yeah. Mine."

    Xander went limp and shot out of the vampire's grip, sprinting to Spike and grabbing his hand they both rushed out of the main chamber followed by a flood of minions, "You came!"

    Spike swung them both around a corner, "You ever doubt it?"

    He smiled. Saving his breath for running.

    "You owe me so much cuddle time after this!"

    They ran hard into someone and Xander gasped, "Buffy?!"

    "I think we need to talk." She glowered at him.

    Jesse came skidding around the corner and froze, "uh. . ."

    Xander glared, "We'll talk later, there's a ton of nasty thing behind us."

    "But Spike. . . it's daylight!"

    Xander nodded, "That's why he brought a tarp."

    "A tarp?"

    "Good for mad dashes into shadows."

    Jesse slammed the door shut behind them and whimpered, "Uh? Guys! we'd better start dashing!"

    While the vamps pounded on the heavy doors, the four of them made their way up into the light and Spike carefully ducked into shadow, they worked their way back to the school.

    "It's my first week and I'm already missing classes. I am so toast!" Buffy groaned.

    Jesse cleared his throat. "I uh. . . don't think they care."

    She turned to see the bleach blond vampire in deep tongue action with the brown eyed boy they'd gone to rescue. "Oh I did NOT need to see that!"

    Jesse shrugged as they walked into the school library.

    Before anyone could speak Giles was there, "Oh thank heavens, did Willow find you?"

    "Willow?" Buffy and Xander both turned on the Watcher, Buffy finished their thoughts, "Why would we run into Willow, she was here."

    "Well that's uh. . ." He polished his glasses fiercely, "Not exactly correct."

    "Shit!" Xander slammed his fist into the wall, "That's why they gave up on us so easily. They have Wills."

    "Oh dear."

    "No, ya think?"

    Spike held the upset boy while he shook with rage at the Watcher's carelessness. He knew and Xan knew, Willow was gone. They'd tried to turn Xan. They would have no trouble turning the red head. "Xander. . ."

    "I just want to go home Spike."

    Buffy looked at the librarian, "So Giles, have anything to make this day any worst?"

    He lowered his head and answered quietly. "How about the end of the world?"

   "Knew I could count on you."

    Spike growled, "Guess we wont be heading home just yet luv."

    As Giles briefed them on what he and Willow had found before she left, Spike stroked Xander's hair and crooned to him softly. He hated when his boy was hurting. "It wasn't your fault Xan."

    "I should have never let myself get caught. I was sloppy."

    "You were overwhelmed."

    "That's no excuse."

    The vampire growled and grabbed the slayer by his shoulders and shook. "Now you listen to me nummy! You are not going to hide away yourself because you lost a mate. I need you! Hell the God damn fucking world needs you! And it was NOT your fault."

    "Spike. . ."

    "No!"

    Xander smiled, "I just wanted a hug."

    The vampire paused in confusion for a moment then took his boy into his arms. "Ah nummy, I'm sorry."

    Three minuets later they realized the room had gone silent. Xander looked up annoyed, "What?!"

    "Yes, well, we still need to talk about this." Giles said in what was becoming known as his flustered Watcher tone.
__________________

    "There simply can not 'be' a male slayer."

    "And most people in Sunnydale know there simply can not 'be' vampires." Xander rolled his eyes, "You know just because something isn't out in the open doesn't mean it isn't there."

    "I. . ."

    "You're a watcher. So watch me. I'm more experienced than Buffy and I know this town. This is MY town. MY friends and loved ones. "

    "Ah, there is that too. Spike?"

    "Is none of your concern."

    "Is a vampire."

    "Who wouldn't hurt me or you."

    Giles was polishing his glasses again. "But how can we know. . ."

    "Spike has watched my back for almost four years. I trust him more than I trust some watcher toad I just met."

    "Speaking of. . ." Giles cleared his throat, "Where is your watcher?"

    A flustered Englishman with long red/blond hair, huge , round glasses, and his arms loaded with books stumbled into the library, "Xander! I swear if you ever ditch me again I'll. . . I'll. . . Spike! Help me out here!"

    Xander grinned. "Perfect timing Frohike we were just talking about you."

    "We? Oh! uh. . . hello?"

    Giles quickly took the books from the slightly confused man and sat them on the table. "You're a watcher."

    "Of course I am!" He looked momentarily insulted, "Colin Frohike."

    " Colin Fr. . . 'The' Colin Frohike?! Author of the Demonic Encyclopedia and. . ."

    "Yes yes yes, all of that, I really have to talk to my slayer now."

    "End of the world rise of the master, look for the symbol thing on the forehead, aiming for a large crown, probably the Bronze. we got the memo." Xander's grin broadened.

    Frohike glared at him. "I absolutely HATE it when you do that!"

    Spike checked his watch, "Only took you two days to find us again, impressive."

    "Well it would have been much easier if you hadn't WELDED me into my own APARTMENT!"

    "Did 'I' do that?" The male slayer was the picture of innocence.

    "I hate to break up this lovely baiting session, you know I love to watch you work pet." Spike sighed, "But the night is here and that vampire is going to be eating for two any moment now. . ."

    "Shit! Buffy, you have stakes?"

    "Yeah I. . ."

    "Good." Xander opened a utility closet and began tossing things out of it.

    "How did you. . . The school told me that they had no key to that door."

    "I know. I have them all." He locked it again and began stuffing hidden pockets with vamp killing goodies then handed Jesse a backpack. "Stab them in the heart. They aren't human so no worries."

    Spike straightened from pulling a Kevlar vest over his chest, "Hey!"

    Buffy and Giles just blinked as Xander laced the vest then fastened the velcro flap over the lacings. "uh. . . bulletproof vest?"

    The male slayer nodded and rushed out the door, "Stake to the heart can kill him, not much else. Put this on, added protection. I don't want him in a major situation like this without it."

    "Awe!" The blond vampire grinned. "I feel all tingly and loved."

    "You'd better." Xander kissed him long and hard, much to the embarrassment of the others, then led them around to the back entrance of the bronze. "Come on. Jesse, you stay close to the door and lead the humans out to safety. The watchers will catch the stray vamps that get through."

    "But what if. . ."

    "I don't want you hurt."

    "Xander."

    "It'll be ok. If any of you see Wills, try to take her alive. There has to be something we can do."

    They nodded and Xander slammed the door open into pure chaos.

<Part 3>

    Through the mad rush of humans and vampires Xander could see the guy who'd held him captive. Luc. And he had the symbol! "Shit. Already pissed him off."

    Spike looked toward the stage and growled. "Luc."

    "That's the guy I sucker kicked in the tunnels. He knows me."

    Buffy nodded, "I'll handle it."

    A scream pulled them out of planning. "Better do it fast, he's got Cordelia."

    Spike pulled Xander back and staked a vamp that'd been hiding in the shadows.

    "What IS it with you guys and dark places?" Xander staked a couple more and jumped into the crowed, back to back with his lover as they fought.

    "What's that luv?"

    "Dark places. It annoys the people who can't see in the dark."

    "And 'oo chooses ta live in the room o' doom?"

    Five fledges became dust. Xander grinned, "rapid fire cross bow."

    Spike stopped fighting long enough to watch the blond slayer go flying over their heads, shake herself, and run back toward the stage. "Least she's got stamina. Now 'bout the room o' doom."

    "It is NOT the room of doom! It just doesn't have big windows is all."

    "It's a closet luv. And it's got a single bed. Single! You know how hard pure ravishing is on a single bed?"

    "Hello? We've already done it."

    Spike paused, then dusted the minion he was holding. "Oh yeah."

    Xander looked at a couple confused vampires and shrugged, "He's hot, what can ya do?"

    "'ey! You just love me for me body?"

    "It's a perk."

    Spike pouted but Xander had frozen.

    "Pet?" He slew the vamps around his lover and shook him, "Xander!"

    "It's Willow." He ran through the quickly thinning mob to where Jesse was desperately fighting her off.

    "Willow!" The gangly teen backed away from her attack, "It's me! Jesse! Remember? Three musketeers?"

    "Oh I remember. And we'll be that way again once the master turns you both."

    Xander pushed Jesse to safety as Willow attacked again.

    "She's still in there Xander! I can tell!"

    "I know."

    Spike was trying to keep hold of the squirming redhead but she was frantic and the crowd was pummeling both of them in a mad rush toward the open back door. "Xan-pet! A little 'elp 'ere?"

    Xander looked up just in time to see Willow pick of a jagged piece of wood and thrust upward. She was going to hit up from under the vest. "Spike!"

    A cloud of dust enveloped them both and Xander plowed through it and grabbed spike into his arms.

    "I. . . I killed. . ." Jesse dropped the stake and looked at his hands in shock. "I didn't mean. . ."

    Xander quickly led Jesse to the door. "Frohike, Willow's dead. Take Jesse and meet me at the library."

    "But what about. . .?"

    "Please?"

    The Englishman sighed and nodded. "Be careful Xander."

    "Aren't I always?"

    "Oh dear god."

    Spike and Xander made their way to the stage just as Luc cornered Buffy. Xander looked around for something he could do and then realized that the window behind Luc led to a hallway. "Spike the light back there. . ."

    "It's runin'' pet."

    "Buffy!" He threw a mic stand to her, "The glass!"

    She heard him loud and clear. Luc's panic was plenty of time to stake him.

    The tired girl slipped from the stage to Spike and Xander. "I guess you could really be a slayer." She said with a small smile.

    He nodded, "You could be too."

    Her shocked look made him smile a bit, then he turned to Spike, "Wills almost dusted you."

    "Didn't though did she."

    "Don't you 'ever' die on me!"

    "That an order luv?"

    "YES!"

    "'k."

    "Jesse. Oh man, we have to talk to Jesse. He killed her for me. To save you. Willow. . . She's really gone Spike!"

    "Come on luv. Let's go collect your watcher and minion."

    "Jesse is not a minion."

    "your pet then?"

    "Spike. . ." He growled warningly.

    Buffy followed the two men in confusion. //I guess I'm a slayer again.//

__________________

    In the tunnels the master screamed his rage. And he remembered. A dark haired boy with William the Bloody in thrall to him. A boy who had, for a moment, smelled like a slayer.
__________________

    The sun was bright outside. Xander could almost believe that Sunnydale was a normal town. If it wasn't for the blond vampire who had him in a death grip at the moment! "SPIKE! I have to go to school!"

    "You are NOT goin' ta school!" He growled.

    "It's daylight out!"

    "Big fuckin' whoop."

    "Spike! You can't keep me in bed all day!"

    "See if I don't!"

    "Spiiiiiike!"

    "Xaaaaaaaaaan."

    "Fine." He stopped fighting and Spike bent in for a kiss.

    "Love you nummy."

    "I love you too." He breathed, then flipped the vampire over and tied him to the bed. "But I have to go to school."

    Spike roared in anger and Xander kissed his head softly before stuffing a ball gag in his mouth then smiled.

    "See you at three."

    "MRPH!!"

    //I am so getting spanked when I get home.// He blushed and smiled in anticipation.
__________________

    When lunch came around, Buffy met Xander and Jesse in the courtyard with a smile. "Feeling better?"

    Jesse nodded slightly. "I mean, Willow would have never tried to kill someone."

    The blond girl nodded, "It wasn't Willow."

    Xander help his hands in front of him and mimed Giles cleaning his glasses, "It was the thing that killed her."

    Buffy rolled her eyes, "Well at least my watcher isn't a four eyed hippy living in the wrong era."

    Xan made a face and pointed at Buffy childishly, "My watcher's better than yours!"

    Jesse and Buffy both laughed and Xander smiled.

    "So." Jesse asked him after a while, "How did you get Spike to let you out of the house after last night?"

    "I tied him to the bed and gagged him."

    "You're kidding." Buffy blinked.

    "Nope."

    "Spike is so gonna get you back for that!" Jesse's eyes were wide, and went wider at Xander's answer.

    "Oooooh yeah."

    "He uh. . . doesn't sound worried." Buffy noted.

    Jesse made a face, "Oh WAY TMI!"

    Xander smiled dreamily again.

    Giles and Frohike moved into step with them. At Xander's expression Frohike blanched. "I don't want to know do NOT tell me."

    Jesse nodded, "You really don't. So uh. . . why doesn't anyone else seam wigged?"

    Giles shrugged, "People tend to rationalize what they can and forget what they can't."

    "Believe me, I've seen it happen."

    "Well I'll never forget. Believe me." Jesse shivered.

    "Good. It will be good for next time."

    "Next time?!" The tall boy groaned. "No! No next time!."

    Xander patted his back. "Hey, I've got your back. Spike too."

    "And if you're both back there I'll be dead before you can stop swapping saliva."

    "But it's such tasty saliva."

    "XANDER!!!"

    "What?"

    "The master isn't dead." Frohike explained. "We just slowed him down, it isn't like he'll stop trying."

    "So. . ." Jesse reasoned, "More vampires?"

    Giles got an excited look in his eyes and smiled broadly, "Not necessarily, the next threat could be something completely different. How exciting! It's why I wanted this job! We're on a mystical convergence here!"

    "Hellmouth." Frohike translated.

    "We may be all that stands between Earth and total destruction!" He smiled whimsically.

    Buffy licked her lollipop and shrugged, "I gotta look on the bright side, maybe I can still get kicked outta school."

    "Oh yeah, that's a plan. School is Hell but not all of them are on the mouth of Hell right?" Xander offered.

    Jesse nodded. "Maybe you could blow something up."

    "Like Mr. Watouski."

    "Xander!"

    "The gym? The cafeteria!" Xander nodded, "They tend to frown on things like that."

    "I was thinking of something a little more subtle. Like excessive not studying."

    Giles turned worried eyes to his fellow watcher and begged for reassurance.

    Frohike pushed his glasses back into place and shrugged nonchalantly, "The Earth is doomed."

    He watched the long haired watcher go and sighed. "I was afraid of that."
 

~End Episode 2~