Subject: NFS "Buffy & Spike, Lost in Cyber-Space" S/B [R] 17/19 It's finished! I just need to fiddle with 18 & 19 & the tiny epilogue, and get them beta'd. It's a bit discouraging not being able to post on fanfiction.net for the last few weeks, but hopefully they will get going again soon. Thanks to Heather, LML, Scott, justagirl, and Moonbeam for sending feedback. I thrive on feedback. ;-) - Anne Rose ---------------------------------------------------------- Title: Buffy & Spike, Lost in Cyber-Space Author: Anne Rose Email: anne3rose@yahoo.com URL: http://annerose.cjb.net http://www.fanfiction.net/profile.php?userid=47579 Rating: R (but nothing you haven't seen on the show, at 8pm.) Disclaimer: Joss and Mutant Enemy, etc. own BtVS. No infringement intended. Any resemblance to people living, dead, or undead, or to real life events is all in your mind, is downright scary, and means you seriously need to get a life. Spoilers: Season 6, but story is set after 'Once More With Feeling' where Buffy lives, and a little later in Fic-land. Summary: S/B, Willow has been using her computer to do a little inter-dimensional hacking. Spike finds it and wacky Internet hi-jinks ensue. It gets a bit more serious as it goes along. It's become a retelling of the second half of Season 6. Answer to Challenge from Stephanie Honey. Archive: I would be honored if you want to archive it. Please let me know where so I can visit it. Author's Note: time passes differently in different dimensions. So it can be almost end of Season 6 in one place and Season 5 in another. Oh wait, that's syndication. ;-) And don't get on my case about screen names. I'm just keeping them simple. Thanks to the Buffy Dialog Database (http://vrya.cstone.net/index.htm) and the Buffy Guide (http://www.buffyguide.com/episodes.shtml) for help with research and parts of episodes. Thanks to Clare009, Dakota, and Hubby for beta reading. (c) April 25, 2002 --------------------- [Spoiled_Spuffy] fanfiction group challenge from Stephanie Honey Hey fic writes! I got a challenge for ya'll! Here it is: Requirement 1. Humorous Fic!!! Requirement 2. Buffy and Spike find a fanfic group. And can't believe some of the stuff fans write about them!!! Requirement 3. PG-13 or higher Requirement 4. e-mail it to me at honeymajandra@hotmail.com Option 1. Try to mention these members: Honeymajandra (me- Stephanie Honey), Sophie_limbourg (Sophie), Sarafina120 (Melissa), Lochnoir (Jerri) --------------------- Spike and Buffy, Lost in Cyber-Space by Anne Rose Part 17 ~*~*~ The next evening the two groups met up again at Buffy's house. Xander had gone to the airport to pick up Uncle Rory. Yet another houseguest to fill their over-crowded home. Anya stayed behind at the last minute. She had muttered something about the Gnarals teleporting in later, and people being incinerated if she wasn't there to greet them. Angel, and the other's from LA, stuck close to the Magic Box and Buffy's house to avoid the chaos of the final wedding arrangements. But no one was immune. In order to prove she wasn't threatened by Cordelia, or maybe just to keep a closer eye on her, Anya added her as a bridesmaid. Naturally that meant that Groo would be required to escort her down the aisle. Since neither had been involved in the plans before this point, their inclusion generated a flurry of activity. Groo had to be fitted for a tux. Cordelia needed a dress. ~*~*~ All the details slowly came together. The rehearsal and rehearsal dinner were over. It was a relative success. In other words, no one had died. Well, not unless you count Buffy's purse that Xander's dad threw up in. Spike and Buffy sat on the couch in her living room. Her bridesmaid dress was hanging in a plastic sack in the upstairs hall along with his tuxedo, and Dawn's and Willow's dresses. They were safely out of sight where no innocent bystander had to look at them. "So, do you think Anya hates us, or is it just more of her ex-demony 'I don't remember how to be a human' thing again?" Buffy asked as she snuggled into him, and reached for the TV remote. Spike seized the remote, holding it out to the side, away from her. "Could be worse. Isn't the traditional dress burlap covered with blood larva?" "And you're saying that would be worse?" Buffy asked, as she tried to worm her way close enough to grab the remote. Turning more, so she was facing him, she stretched across him, trying to reach his far hand. He smirked and moved the remote slightly nearer, only to snatch is back away as she got close. "Dunno, Luv," he said, as she scrambled over him. He smirked as he watched her concentrating on her goal. He switched tactics and lifted his arm above his head, causing her to reach up after it. Buffy gave a small victory cheer as she finally got hold of the remote. The next moment she yelped, loudly, as Spike wrapped an arm around her waist, dragging her down into his lap, as his other hand pulled her head down, until their lips met..., and the remote dropped from her hand, forgotten. "Get a room!" Dawn exclaimed, as she snatched the abandoned remote off the couch, and flopped into the armchair. "Isn't it past your bedtime?" Buffy asked, turning and giving her an annoyed look. "As if!" Dawn shot back. "Besides, Angel and his friends will be here any minute. And Tara and Willow are gonna be back downstairs any moment." Right on cue, they heard footsteps on the front porch. Buffy sighed and gave Spike a last kiss before she rolled off his lap and back onto the couch. "I'll get the door," Spike said. He got up and walked to the door. "Red! Tara!" He called up the stairs, "Company's here." He saw Willow appear at the top of the stairs as he turned the doorknob. The door crashed open, knocking Spike back. A dark, snarling form launched across the threshold and tackled him, growling, "You were told you'd pay if you double-crossed us!" Spike recovered quickly from the shock of the attack and was now struggling to keep the sharp fangs of his adversary away from his neck. "I've... been... expecting... you...," Spike managed to get out, as he thrashed about, finally clamping one hand around his opponent's neck. Buffy jumped up when she saw Spike fall backward. She dashed across the room and opened the weapons chest, grabbing out a stake and her favorite axe. When she turned back toward Spike, she noticed Cordelia standing in the doorway with Conner. "What's going on?" Cordelia demanded, hesitating to come through the door with Conner. Spike rolled suddenly, shoving his opponent off him, and Buffy swung the axe neatly through his neck. Spike jumped up, looking at the body, and out the door. "Better get inside, Cheerleader. No telling how many friends he has." "Two less than a minute ago," Angel said, ushering the others inside. Gunn quickly stepped over the body, and he and Groo bent down to pick it up and toss it outside. "I noticed at least a dozen more around the house. I'm surprised you didn't sense them," he said, looking at Spike. Spike straightened his shirt and brushed imaginary dirt off his jeans. "Was a bit preoccupied just then," he said, waving toward the demon they had just dispatched. He wasn't fooling Angel for a second, but the rest of the crew didn't need to know all details on his and the Slayer's relationship. "I noticed something, but I just figured it was you. After all, half your crew gives off demony vibes." Buffy added lamely. Lorne raised and eyebrow at that last comment, and he and Angel exchanged a look. Buffy shivered involuntarily as she wondered if Lorne could divine things about a person without them singing. He reached over and patted her on the shoulder, "Calm down, Sweetie." He whispered. "I can't tell exactly what's going on in there, unless you're singing." He wiggled his fingers, indicating her head. "But I've been around the block a few times, and besides, a blind man could read the two, uh three of you." He winked at her and she just stared back at him for a moment. "Hey guys, not to put a damper on anything, but even I can see the baddies now," Gunn interjected. "I'm counting... a whole lot, out there in the yard." They all looked out the windows and now they could clearly see dozens of demons surrounding the house. Groo grabbed a sword and took a position by the door. "We should devise a plan for repelling the demons. Angel, what do you suggest?" He asked, looking at Angel with anticipation and deference. Before Angel could answer, Buffy interrupted. "Uh, guys, my house, my plan." "Oh, of course," Groo replied, bowing slightly. "My apologies. You are the Slayer, so you should lead us. What are your wishes?" Buffy gave Angel an, 'Is he for real?' look. Angel simply shrugged rolling his eyes. "OK, simple plan, after all simple plans always work best. Everybody who can use a weapon, grab one and guard a door or window. Willow and Tara, see if you can do something to keep them outside. Dawn, you'll be upstairs, locked in the bathroom." "Buffy!" Dawn protested, and stomped her foot, as everyone else scurried around grabbing weapons and finding an opening to guard. Tara and Willow were hurriedly arranging items on the dining room table. Tara lit candles as Willow flipped through a book. Buffy turned and grabbed Dawn's shoulders. Cordelia was still standing next to them, in the hallway. "Dawn, someone needs to watch Conner. The upstairs bathroom is the safest spot in the house. We can't fight off the bad guys if we're worried about the baby." Dawn nodded slowly starting to understand Buffy's plan. "Here, take this," Buffy handed her sister a lighter weight axe, with a long handle. "If they get past us, you'll have to protect him until Giles and the others get here. Take the cordless phone with you and call them." "Ok," Dawn gulped. "I'll call the cavalry." Buffy pulled her into a hug, and squeezed her tightly. Letting Dawn go, she patted her on the arm, "Get going. We'll hold them off as long as we can." Cordelia prepared to hand off Conner, as Dawn went to get the phone. As Dawn picked up the phone, she saw a demon crash though the back door and into the kitchen. At the same time, another two broke through the front door, and leaped toward Cordelia and Conner. Cordelia's piercing scream filled the air as the demon lunged at the baby. Angel turned and started to sprint towards them, as did Groo. Buffy raised her axe. Just as the demon reached Conner, Cordelia began to glow. Cordelia hovered just above the floor, the light spreading out from her and into the room, filling the rest of the house, and finally spilling out into the yard. As the wave of light passed through the demons, they melted away, vanishing without a trace. Angel and Groo pulled up short, and Buffy slowly lowered her axe, staring at Cordelia. "Cool trick, Cordy." Buffy gasped. "I don't remember, how was it again that you said you acquired that little ability? Oh wait, you didn't say." Buffy turned and glared at Angel. "What else did you leave out?" Angel looked back and forth between Buffy and Cordelia, "It's a long story. Mortals can't carry the visions. They were killing her. So..." Cordelia interrupted. "So, we made a compromise. The Powers That Be made me part demon, and I get to keep the visions without the migraines or my skull blowing apart." Cordelia sat into a chair, cuddling Conner. "Short story really." "Ok," Angel shrugged sheepishly. "So, short story," he said as he went to close the front door. Amazingly, the door was repaired. The same was true of the kitchen door. The glass was gone from the floor and back in its place in the window. As Angel returned to the living room, he asked, "Anybody know what brought that on?" He watched Spike and Buffy exchange a guilty look, as Spike shifted his weight before she pulled him down onto the couch beside her. "We sort of pissed them off a few weeks ago." Buffy offered. Spike chuckled. "We stiffed 'em on the down payment for those Suvolte eggs. Killed the first batch that came to collect last week. Looks like they weren't discouraged enough." Spike sighed. It had seemed like a great idea at the time. "You dragged Buffy into one of your stupid schemes, and now she's being hunted by these demons," Angel growled, stepping forward. Spike leaned back on the couch, stretching his arms back over his head, and then dropping one arm around Buffy, all the while defiantly maintaining eye contact with Angel. "First of all, it was a brilliant scheme. Slayer and I came up with it together. Second, those demons sell Suvolte eggs, and the like, as weapons, so they needed killing any way you slice it. We just figured out a way to pocket a wad of cash in the process." "Money! You did all this for money?" Angel was flabbergasted. "Buffy, can't you see he's dangerous? He'll bring you nothing but trouble." "Angel, weren't you listening? Demon arms dealers, in Sunnydale." Buffy exclaimed, as she shot off the couch, stalking up to Angel, and standing toe to toe with him, her fists clenched. "And when was the last time some bad guy wasn't hunting me?" Angel looked away sheepishly. "I know you're the Slayer, Buffy, but that's all the more reason to find someone other than *him*." Buffy lowered her voice and said quietly. "That's not what this is about and we both know it. I'm not a normal girl, I'm not going to have a normal life, and I what I need is not a normal guy. You better than anyone else should know I can't just walk in the sun with some normal guy." She caught his eyes and held them. "That didn't exactly work out for us the last time I was in LA, now did it?" Stunned, Angel just stared at her. "How?" "The oracles were very thorough," Buffy answered quietly. "I just wanted you to have a life, and someone to love and grow old with," Angel murmured. "Angel, I swear, you're so bloody thick sometimes, I could just...!" Words failed her and she growled and stomped back to the couch. "Buffy, I'm s..." Angel started. "Save it! Let's just focus on what we do next." She leaned back into Spike's arm and finally noticed he was grinning from ear to ear. "And what are you so happy about?" Spike pulled her close and gave her a quick peck on the forehead, "Nothing, just warms my heart to see us all getting along so well." He chuckled as she glared at him. But she couldn't manage it for long, and quickly her scowl melted into a smile. Cordelia coughed, bringing their attention back to the current situation. "As much as I hate to say it, Spike's calculated risk is probably going to pay off. When I was... doing my light bulb thing, I sensed that they had thrown everything they had at us this time. They tried to overwhelm you with numbers and make an example, instead of trying something clever." "Ok, but there could be more, right? I mean we have no idea how big their organization was," Gunn asked. "Um, no, we got them all. There were the 83 here at the house, and then another two dozen that stayed behind." Cordelia replied uneasily. "Oh," Buffy breathed. "That's some talent you've got there, Cheerleader. Maybe we should keep you around?" Spike said. ~*~*~ TBC...