Fight to the Finish (BTVS, Book Seven)

chapter 9 - Never Leave Me

That same night, due to Spike's wishes so that he didn't hurt anyone, in Buffy's house in the basement, I was tying Spike's wrists to the chair he was sitting in. "We're gonna get to the bottom of this. We just can't take any chances."

Spike sighed. "Don't. Make it tighter. The knots'll give. I get free, someone's gonna die."

We were both worried because we both knew he was right, with whatever this creature was being in his head so much, making him do things that he didn't want to do.

•••••••

The next morning, I sat on the bed, looking at Spike tied to his chair, worried and concerned, but knowing that we had to keep him tied up. "Can I do something?"

Spike was shivering, gasping from withdrawals. "I think you should probably go."

I stood, turning to get something. "Here."

When I turned back, Spike had shifted into his vampire visage, struggling against his restraints.

••••••• 

In the hallway, I was talking to Buffy and Willow. "He's been feasting on humans for weeks. He's having some pretty bad withdrawals. I think we need to get him some blood."

"Do you want me to kill Anya?" Willow asked, pretending to sound excited.

Buffy used her matter-of-factly voice. "No, we should probably try to wean him off humans. He'll have to make do with animal blood."

Willow nodded in understanding, agreement. "I'll go get some."

"You don't mind?" I asked.

"No, I have to get out of the house," Willow answered. "Xander's installing the new windows, and he keeps giving lectures on proper tool maintenance. Tool talk, not my thing."

"Thank you," I told her.

"How're you doing in there?" Buffy asked.

I sighed worriedly. "He's in pretty bad shape, past the point where he can tell me anything."

Buffy shook her head. "I wasn't asking about him."

I nodded. "I'll be okay. Buffy, you called Travers to try to find Giles. Anything?"

"No," Buffy answered. "Travers is trying to look for Giles, but so far nothing. He'll call me back when he finds Giles."

Willow and I nodded, worried about Giles.

••••••• 

Buffy, Dawn, Anya, Xander and I were in the living room, where Xander was finishing installing the new window.

Willow dragged Andrew into the house with the groceries from the butcher's shop. "Look who I found."

We all rolled our eyes.

"Oh, this can't be good," Xander told us.

"Guess who was buying mass amounts of blood at the butcher's shop," Willow told us, gesturing to Andrew with her eyes.

Andrew noticed something about Willow. "Hey, your hair's not even black anymore."

Willow shook him to shut him up.

Buffy walked closer. "What're you doing back in town?"

"You'll get nothing out of me," Andrew told us.