Fic: Coming Apart (12/?) (Spoiler Warnings)

["buffythebushkangaroo" <buffythebushkangaroo@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Spoiler Warning.

Mild spoilers for episodes:

17 - Normal Again.
18 - Entropy
19 - Seeing Red
20 - Villains
21 - Two To Go
22 - Grave

...Within this series.

*hugs to Stef, Kirayoshi, Spikmeister and Carol*

Hope you're enjoying this...

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Anne-Lise.

--

"Why?" Rupert gasped as he stared at the torn remains of Quentin 
Travers. His incoherent screams of rage had died away, and now the 
numbness was settling in. He'd never really liked Travers, but his 
deep-rooted sense of morality railed at the injustice. Quentin 
deserved... Well, better than this.
Spike grinned. "Because I can. Because he... You... crossed the 
line, Rupert."
"I don't understand." Giles struggled against the bonds that held 
him. "What line?"
Spiked leaned in close. "The moment you stopped simply watching, 
Rupert."
Giles went silent for a moment. Then, "What are you going to do 
with me?"
"Nothing." Spike headed for the doorway. "I just wanted you to give 
your Slayer a message for me." He turned, slightly, and gave Giles a 
wicked grin. "They say Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. 
Well... We'll just see about that."
He walked on out, leaving Giles straining against his leather bonds.

*

Giles woke to daylight streaming from the window, and a damp cloth 
held within the caring hands of Willow Rosenberg.
"Its good to see you," he offered as he massaged feeling back into 
his wrists.
"I'm glad you're okay," Willow replied. "Well... You know what I 
mean."
Giles nodded, then wished he hadn't. "I don't suppose you could 
check the bathroom cabinet for some aspirin?" he pleaded.
Willow shrugged. "Expelliatis."
"Oh..." Giles got to his feet, the headache completely gone. "Thank 
you..."
He didn't like the way Willow'd used magic so casually. Or the fact 
her eyes were jet black, a reflection of the darkness eating away at 
her soul. "Where's Buffy?"

*

"I swear I didn't know!" Jonathon screamed as Buffy viciously 
backhanded him for a second time.
"I don't believe you," she whispered. Upstairs, Dawn was sitting on 
her bed, held in Xander's arms. Her sensitive soul had been unable to 
bear witness to Buffy's approach.
"I mean it, I thought he was coming after your sister... that's why 
I came to you!"
Buffy seethed. "Warren killed Tara. She was my friend!" She stamped 
hard on the instep of Jonathon's ankle, snapping the bone and sending 
him to the floor. "He killed her, and you did nothing to stop it, to 
stop him!" Jonathon curled into a foetal position, and Buffy aimed a 
kick at his stomach that lifted him off the floor with its force. "He 
killed Katrina!" She made to repeat the kick, And Riley caught her by 
the shoulder. 
"Enough," he said.
As quickly as it had come, the rage emptied from her and Buffy 
sighed. Then the tears came. "Riley..." She buried her face on his 
shoulder. "I don't know what to do."
Sam entered and surveyed the scene. Her lips thinned, but she 
decided not to comment and helped Jonathon onto the couch.
"We'll sort it out," Riley said. "Somehow. Together."

*

"Stop the car," Willow's shout caused Giles to pull into the kerb 
without comment.
Willow opened the door and threw herself out, running as soon as 
she'd caught her balance.
Giles, off-guard, and feeling his age a little, started after her. 
What was so special about that black van Willow was running towards?

*

"Dawn?" Buffy called up the stairs.
Dawn slowly came down. "Yes?"
"I've just given Janice's mom a ring," Buffy said. "She's okay for 
you to stay over at her house tonight."
A wan smile lit Dawn's face. "You don't mind?" A puzzled frown 
flitted across her features. "What's happening tonight?"
"Actually, you're going over there right now. Riley and Sam are 
going to check in on Spike's crypt, and Xander's going to be coming 
with me."
"I am?" Xander's voice echoed from the kitchen muffled by the food 
he was munching on.
Buffy grinned, shaking her head. "Yes, you are!" she affirmed, 
raising her voice a little louder. "I need you to watch my back!"
Xander came out of the kitchen, sandwich in one hand. "You can 
count on me," he smirked. "I just love to watch your..."
"Anyway," Buffy threw him a playful glare and turned her attention 
back to Dawn. "I don't want you to be here on your own, not with... 
well... everything."
Dawn hugged her sister tightly. "You just be safe," she whispered.
Buffy leaned into the hug. The first real one Dawn had given her in 
quite some time. It made her feel good, like maybe things could turn 
out right.

*

"There they are!" Xander exclaimed as he and Buffy were passing the 
Espresso Pump. Buffy followed his gaze and saw Giles running after 
Willow, who was about to open the rear doors of a nondescript black 
van.
"Willow!" Buffy called, half in greeting, and half-warning as her 
Slayer senses told her something was wrong with the whole situation.
The blast lifted her off her feet and slammed her backwards into 
Xander, who cushioned her fall to the pavement with his torso.

*

End Part 12.