Chapter Text
They had gone through nearly every gem in every pile when they came across a small ring; gold coated and a green dull looking gem embedded into it, the fine gold twisting over it in a delicate pattern holding it in snugly. Spike slipped the ring on and cautiously reached for the cross once again, fully expecting the scolding burn.
He didn't feel it.
Spike gripped the glistening cross tightly, not feeling or smelling burned flesh and no signs of smoke emanating from his fist. He looked up at the surprised slayer til both their mouths curved into approving smiles, this was the very gem they were looking for.
The Gem of Amara.
"This is it!" Spike exclaimed, finally he had succeeded in finding the once fabled gem - with help from Buffy of course. The gem that will now make him and his Slayer unkillable, he generally couldn't wait to have her for eternity. He looked to the grinning girl and wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her flush up against him. "Why don't we go play outside?"
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Back in Giles' apartment, the gang still pin pointing on several maps of Sunnydale to find the bleached menace and keeping track of where they already searched. After a while Oz eventually got bored and found Giles' collection of albums, getting extremely interested in the fine selection.
"Okay, I'm either borrowing all your albums or I'm moving in." Oz mentioned as he glossed over every record he found.
"Oz, there are more important things than records right now." Giles answered not looking up as he did so, still jotting down every location each scoobie member had searched.
"More important than this one?" He held up a Velvet Underground album to show him and the rest of the gang the record he specifically wanted.
Giles finally looked up at this, seeing the album produced from the tattered cardboard box and his face showed some sort of longing for the record. "Yes, well, I suppose an argument could be made..."
Whilst the two conversed over the dusty albums, Xander moved piles of boxes out of the way to find a book for Angel when he noticed an old time-y television set tucked into the corner of the room. "Whoa. Giles has a TV." He turned to the others whom were aimlessly sprawled around the room. "Everybody look. Giles has a TV! He's shallow like us!" He announced, pushing away the boxes to allow them a good look at the small set.
"Gotta admit, a little disappointed." Oz commented from his position next to the box of records.
"I'm - It's not -" Giles stuttered as Xander reached around the TV to put the plug back in and Willow strode up towards the dark-haired boy.
"Maybe it doesn't work. It's like art." Willow added as she didn't expect the Watcher to live in the modern age.
Xander snapped the plug back in its socket and turned it on. It works.
The news channel immediately came on and all eyes went to the librarian.
"I - Public television!" He tried to exclaim innocently but they all looked at him disbelievingly. "Look, everyone, we have vital work to do. Television isn't going to help us now." Even as he said this the news reporter started going on about collapsed tunneling beneath Sunnydale, a helicopter video of a muddy sinkhole with a roadway partially collapsed into it shown on the screen.
"- around noon today in Brookside Park. Officials attributed the formation of the sinkhole to unexplained weakening of the topsoil support nearby. City work crews deny that any tunneling has been done in the area..."
At that point everyone had the same idea on who was behind this.
"Spike... Xander, Willow, Oz go and follow where the tunnels lead and find Buffy. Angel and Cordelia come with me to the school for more weapons, Xander when you find them call us. We're taking Spike out today." Giles instructed, standing up and reaching for his jacket when Angel made a very throaty 'ahem'.
"Um, Giles I'm afraid I'm not much help since it's light out. I can't go out with the sun up." Angel hated that he now couldn't do anything when they just found out where his beloved slayer is holed up with the peroxided menace. The crucial moment of finding the location of the blond couple and he couldn't do anything, couldn't keep Willow away from him and couldn't be there to hold Buffy again when the gang of humans dusted his grandchilde.
Couldn't reassure her that the nightmare was over, never to have Spike holding a degrading control over her, but that wouldn't happen because he was imprisoned inside and away from the scorching sun.
"Right, Angel you'll have to stay here and await for our return." Giles suggested as he slipped into his tweed jacket. Angel sulked and slunk back into the shadows whilst he watched the group leave the apartment, he hoped that they would be able to stake Spike and free Buffy. Only himself and the Slayer were a match for Spike, if they were to defeat the master vampire then they better bring the big guns.
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Taking care, the three teens stepped towards the gaping sinkhole in the street, hoping that the dirt beneath their feet doesn't collapse and engulf them in the mud and earth. They managed to get to the site easily as Sunnydale's finest hardly ever took precautions for these situations, before they met the young slayer they had always thought it was careless but for about a year they had become grateful for these opportunities to slip in and help Buffy out.
They were so used to having her around and explaining most of the situation or plan that they now felt lost or bewildered by the fact they were the ones saving the day, she was the damsel and they had become the rescuers.
It was frightening.
"So, how exactly are we supposed to find them without getting caught or trapped?" Xander asked as he looked down into the crevice, seeing nothing but inky darkness. He was almost certain that as soon as they jumped down they would be stuck in this dark labyrinth and easily get cornered by Spike's minions, or worse Spike himself.
"I guess stick to the shadows is out of the question when the entire tunnel is a shadow itself." Oz tried to sarcastically answer.
Xander turned to face Oz and to tell him that this wasn't the time to joke when he was stunned into silence. His face gaze way to horror and fear by the sight behind the teen rocker, he tried to stutter out a warning to the rest of them but none never sounded. The confused couple turned to see what he was staring at only to find a fist connecting to Oz's jaw, on the other end was the leather-clad master vampire himself.
"Sorry, mate. I need to borrow the little girl." Spike turned to Willow as she pulled Oz up to his feet and half dragged him backwards away from the ditch. "You don't mind, do you?" He wasn't really looking for an answer when he sauntered over to them, Oz produced a cross from his pocket and held it up in front of them to fend off the advancing vampire. Spike, however, was unaffected by the carved piece of wood and flicked it out of the boy's hand easily. He reached for the whimpering Willow and suddenly stopped in mid-stride when Xander took the moment of distraction to pierce a stake into his unbeating heart.
They all looked down to where the wood protruded out from his chest, the teens' relieved smiles turned into frightened gapes when instead of turning into dust, Spike grinned at them and yanked it out without a flinch of pain. "Nice try, whelp. Gotta do better than that." He sneered, then suddenly grabbing a fistful of Xander's Hawaiian shirt and through him backwards, watching gleefully as he skidded across the ground and over the edge of the dark cavern. Not worried at all about the fact that he managed to grip the side to keep from falling in, his attention too drawn on the little, red headed witch.
He stalked back to them and evaded Oz's attempt to tackle him, swooping Willow up and dropping into the nearest manhole without a minute to take a break and taunt them.
Oz looked back and forth between the manhole which Spike just carried Willow through and to where Xander was struggling to keep from falling in the deep, dark ditch, debating whether to go after Spike or save Xander the fall. Knowing that the bleached pest now had the gem, he was no use against him and dove to grab Xander's slipping hand using all of his strength and will to pull him up out of harms way.
They both breathed a sigh of relief when they tumbled onto the dusty surface of the solid ground around the gaping hole. Their relief was short lived when they realized the predicament that Spike had the gem and now Willow as a captive along with Buffy.
"This isn't good." Xander commented in the panicked silence.
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Spike had flung Willow over his shoulder once he began to walk in the direction of his new lair, he and Buffy had found the crypt when they went in search of Willow and had discovered a lower level to use as the bedroom with an entrance to the tunnels. Even though he can easily walk in the glistening sunlight now, he still didn't want the Slayer's scooby gang to go looking for them. The lair was only temporary as he wanted to travel the globe once again with his new morsel, but it would still be their home in Sunnydale whenever they felt like coming back.
He heard a whispered incantation beginning to emanate from the red-headed witch and he reached round to cover her mouth before she finished, not wanting any fiascoes when his plan was nearly complete. Just one last thing to do then the world is his to take, and maybe he might take over the Hellmouth now that Buffy was his to control, a slayer's help to take over the Hellmouth. He could almost see it, the Hellmouth his to control with the Slayer at his side as he watched the bloodshed and carnage at their feet.
Spike strode into the crypt's lower level to find Buffy gathering up the spell's ingredients on the bed, she sensed his presence and turned towards him, giving him a dazzling smile when she saw that he brought Willow with him. Still holding the no-longer-struggling girl, he sauntered over to Buffy and gave her a quick chaste kiss on the lips before he settled Willow back onto her feet.
As soon as she felt the ground beneath her feet once more, she tried to shove Spike away and leg it out of there, but he was too strong to move and he easily caught her wrists and held her gaze steadily. She instantly remembered that Spike had a thrall when she felt her body begin to turn into jello and she tried to tear her eyes away from his, but the soft touch to her chin dissolved her will to move completely.
Spike smirked when she abruptly stopped struggling and continued to gaze into his sapphire, blue eyes; he felt her resolve being stripped away as did Buffy's when he first did this. Her eyes began to droop and turning blank as she gave herself up to the relaxation of his empowering thrall, he could see just a little bit of her will still stubbornly wedged inside and refusing to give in; he decided to remedy that immediately.
"Let go."
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Giles got an urgent call from Xander and Oz just as soon as he and Cordelia arrived at the abandoned school, telling them to meet back at the apartment. He didn't know what to expect when he made his way back, they might of found Buffy and brought her back, or that their lead on their location was a complete bust. He really didn't expect what they had told him.
Giles sat in his recliner as he worked through the shock at the information he was just given by the two teenagers, Spike had the gem and now not only has he claimed Buffy, he has taken Willow. Immediately he thought Spike wanted Willow the same reason he wanted Buffy and before he could comment on the situation they were now facing, Angel let out a loud, anguished groan. All eyes turned to the master vampire, each one confused and somewhat sympathetic even though they had no idea if he developed a relationship with the girl.
"Angel? What is it?" Cordelia finally asked whilst the others continued to stare. Angel lifted his head from his hands and they saw the sorrow and grief in his eyes, the look he gave them didn't ease their worries.
"Spike's planning to force Willow to do a spell." He tried to answer but the waver in his voice gave way to the fear he felt to the situation.
"What kind of spell?" Giles asked, his concern for Willow was more than visible to the others, Oz too became distressed for his red-headed witch, who knows what horrific and horrifying spell he planned for her to perform.
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The now enthralled Willow began preparing for the spell, creating a delicate symbol on the dirt floor with chalk and carefully placing a small bowl of tiny, green crystals in the centre. Spike smirked approvingly at the progress underway, lightly caressing the gem as he waited for the spell to be ready, waiting for the moment that would change the world forever. The immortality of a Slayer - and said one under his claim - would shape the world into the image he now envisioned, streets and cities running red with blood, the Hellmouth constructed to his purposes and Buffy at his side.
It was really the most magnificent vision he dreamed up, and hopefully will soon become a reality for all to see. Buffy sat on the bed as she watched the spell preparations almost ready for them and toyed with the sleeve of Spike's red over-shirt, becoming anxious to get it over with and 'play' in the sun with Spike. He scented her arousal still lingering from just before they entered the crypt, it had been far too long since the minions interrupted every moment they had together, five days of no relief for either of one of the blond duo was really getting to them.
Spike was already contemplating to slip his hand under Buffy's skirt and guide her own hand to his zip when Willow mindlessly announced that the spell was finally ready. He groaned in sexual frustration and sat in the circle as instructed by the parchment, Buffy doing the same sitting opposite him. Spike slipped the ring off and placed it in the palms of his hands and held them over the crystals, Buffy placed her hands underneath and felt a slight tingle shooting through her body, feeling the ring react to the crystals against Spike's cold, large hands.
Willow lit the several blood-red candles circling the symbol beneath them and began to trace the outline with her footsteps, unconsciously reciting the spell.
"Oh, Amara. Facem apel la tine, auzi cererea noastră. Utilizați bijuterie cel mai puternic, energie nelimitată și magie. Creați un copil nemuritor de Buffy Anne Summers. Să nici un rău vină la ei, să nu-i timp de vârstă, da-i un organism care se simte nici o durere, că nu moare. Imortaliza, praf sa fie."
Translation
Oh, Amara. We call on thee, hear our request. Use your most powerful gem, unlimited energy and magic. Create an immortal child of Buffy Anne Summers. Let no harm come to her, let no time age her, give her a body that feels no pain, that does not die. Immortalize, so mote it be.
The crystals hummed soothingly and a green light emerged from within the gem, its glow intensified and flowed from Spike's palms into Buffy, enveloping her in the warmth and power of the gem's magic and energy. Spike watched in awe and amazement as Buffy moaned and closed her eyes at the sensations thriving within her, she felt her body being encased inside a warm, soft cocoon; creating a protective skin.
And sooner than expected, the glow dimmed rapidly and the warm tingle flowing through Buffy stopped abruptly, the air was knocked out of her lungs and she collapsed forwards. Spike caught her in his arms instantly, he worried over her, feeling that the spell wasn't performed properly but sighed in relief when he heard her steady breathing and strong heartbeat. He gathered her limp body up in his lap and looked to Willow, still blank and mindless but now standing still and stared straight at Spike, no expression showed on her face.
"Well?" Spike asked anxiously, hoping that the spell still did its chore and hadn't harmed Buffy in any way he hadn't noticed yet.
"It is done." She replied.
"You're sure?"
Willow merely nodded at his question and stayed in place unless told otherwise. Spike wanted to be sure that the spell had done its job, so he reached over towards the foot of the bed and produced a slender knife from the bag laying aimlessly on the floor. He held it securely and looked down at the unconscious slayer in his lap, sleeping soundlessly and unaware of anything around her. Lifting an arm tenderly, he placed the blade on her forearm and with a "sorry, luv" he made a small slice in the flesh, watching blood seep through the tiny and delicate wound. He was about to sigh in disappointment til the cut healed in a matter of seconds, closing quickly and swiftly. He made another cut to be sure - more shallow this time - and again it healed instantly.
Letting out an unneeded breath he had no idea he was holding, he swooped Buffy into his arms and carried her to the bed, settling her body onto the soft mattress. He brushed a stubborn strand off her face before turning back to Willow who still stared blankly at him. Spike held her gaze and instructed her to go back to the gang of do-gooders and once there, to forget what happened and come out of thrall. Doing as she was told, Willow left the lair quietly, leaving Spike with his newly immortalized slayer. He made his way back over to the bed and stood beside it, waiting for her to wake up from her spell induced sleep.
Buffy shifted slightly when Spike came back to her side, groaning as she came back to wakefulness. She was greeted with a smirking mouth and bright, blue eyes when she finally opened her eyes, she smiled back at him before he covered her soft lips with his own. And too soon, he pulled away and continued to grin at both the spell working and her neediness for him.
"Did it work?" Buffy asked breathlessly.
"It did, pet." Spike answered, crawling onto the bed and hovered over her still limp body. "You're mine, forever." He growled possessively as he licked his marks on her neck, she shivered uncontrollably when he reinstated his claim on her, setting her ablaze once again.
"Yours, Spike." She answered obediently, letting him take his full control and possession of her. "Yours forever."
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Hours later at Giles's apartment, Willow had returned safely and was wrapped in a flimsy blanket, trying her best to answer the gang's questions on where Spike was located and what happened to her whilst she was there. But the memories were so foggy and the more she tried to remember, the more foggy her mind was; they eventually gave up when a headache overcame her poor head.
Angel knew that Spike had succeeded, he knew it was a thrall that caused the memory lost and now Buffy was forever under Spike's claim; forever his. His eyes welling up at the thought, he turned and left the apartment ignoring the astonished humans as he went by. There was nothing for him here now, Buffy was gone and the others wouldn't need him any longer, maybe it was time to leave and become his own hero, find his own redemption; in LA.
If only had the will to leave.
When the master vampire left, everyone became uncharacteristically quiet, all of them deep in thought. The teenagers had given up on trying to save Buffy as they now knew it was far too late for that, Spike won and the Slayer was the one they lost. Giles, however, still kept his thoughts optimistic and turned his attention to his collection of spells. He roamed through each title of each volume til he came upon a book on vampire claims, he frantically flipped through the pages and his eyes fell upon a spell he was sure to get Buffy back.
Even though she was now immortal, still he was certain that this would free her from him, for good.
End of part 2.