As promised here is the third installment in the series Diving Into Destiny.

A New Game

Author: T.Claybourne

Rated PG-13 to NC-17. Sex, Violence and Language

Pairings involve Spike /Original ( as set up in last story) Angel/ ? Wesley/? Faith /?

[ You die hard Spuffy fans you will finally feel some validation in the next story following this one. ( I promise there is a definite and secure Spike /Buffy pairing in Part Four and final story of the series)]

In an attempt to obtain preternatural powers a human Spike and his wife make a trip to the lurker Demon that gave him his soul. Things don't go as planned. What happens next is a trip into a dark, dark tunnel of a carnival type ride. Fun for some and not for others. ( Want to take the ride?)

A/N: Thanks to my Beta, Hawera and my Muses, Kurt Cobain, John Lyndon (AKA Johnny Rotten) and Joe Strummer.

Disclaimer: As always I own only the one character all others are Joss Whedon's, Mutant Enemy's and Fox's. I only borrow them. Although I admit I do borrow Spike a little too often and at strange time's and places.( Maybe I shouldn't admit that.) I guess you'd call it obsession and if you want to charge me for it Fox will you just do it by giving James a job, a starring role type thing. You know make it a big and weekly one. You can name the show after his character and everything then I'll buy the DVD's I promise.

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Here is an excerpt from Afterglow's Epilogue ( Just to give you a quick catch up from where we left off )

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Spike drank down the entire glass of whiskey. "It's vague but I think it's possible. Now, I'm through with the sodding suspense, woman. Tell me what you are thinking."

"Deep down you already know." Mia sat down across from him and looked him in the eyes. "I'm going there and getting my former strength and powers returned so I can deal with Mot again."

"Oh, that's a sodding relief. For a minute there I thought you were just going to ask to become a soulful vampire again and go take on the god of death by yourself."

"No, I just want the strength and power I had and well, I guess I could ask that if I pass the trials you have the strength you had at that time restored when I have mine returned. Seems a fair exchange: all of it together isn't quite as huge as your soul, now is it?"

"So, I guess we'll be asking Angel and Buffy to watch the kids while we're in Africa."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Willow was coming back from lunch. She had gone to a pub nearby as usual, but today she had splurged and had an ale with her meal. She was smiling about her dinner date tonight. She'd been seeing Tina for two months now but still she got a little tingle before a date. Coming round the corner she realized she must have left her office door open. She walked in and cocked her head in confusion: her printer was running. She moved to go around the desk but Spike stepped in front of her.

"Hi, Red."

"Spike, you guys didn't call. I would have met you at the airport."

"No bother."

Willow was confused. Spike looked different, but she couldn't put her finger on it.

"You look different, what…"

"The African sun is a bit brighter than ours."

Willow nodded.

Mia stepped from behind the door and stood just a little to the side and behind Spike. "That and things didn't quite go as we planned in Africa."

Willow knew then what it was about Spike that had changed as she stared at the nineteen year old version of Mia.

"Oh," said Willow.

"Yeah." Mia stepped forward close to Willow. " You know, the minute it turned that color I realized how much I really liked Spike's hair platinum. He's so much more, I'm looking for a word….ah… unconventional or wait maybe I mean… exceptional that way." Mia looked at Spike. "Really… it's both."

Willow glanced at Spike and he smiled. Willow looked back at Mia. Willow had seen so much over her years in Sunnydale but suddenly looking into Mia's eyes she unexpectedly felt a… fear…. like none she had before. Willow searched her friend's eyes and she couldn't find anything else but malevolent evil staring back.

Mia cocked her head one way then the back the other way in a very predatory move, and in a blink of an eye she was behind Willow. "Spike, you were right, honey. I couldn't play soulful for too long." Mia morphed into her demon face and sank her fangs into Willow's neck, just as Spike put duct tape over her mouth.. "Sorry littlest witch, no screaming from you right now or . any noise for quite a while after." Willow recognized a look in Spike's eye's, it was one she hadn't seen since she was in High School.

The physical pain of the bite ripped through her neck and radiated through her shoulder and body. She felt the blood being pulled straight from her heart, and her heart seemed to pound in her head, slowing a bit with each beat. She was growing dizzy and faint.

Mia's voice spoke in her ear. "Spike and I discussed this, and we want to play this game right. Spike agrees that my way will be the most fun for everyone. So, I'm not draining you, just making you weak, so weak in fact you shouldn't be able to do any magic for quite a while. Let's face it, Willow, you are the only real weapon the famous Scoobies have left. There is an elderly watcher, a middle age construction worker, an aging Slayer slash soccer mom and… you. So it'll be you four, against our four. Let's see who wins.

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A New Game

Chapter One Disarm your opponent

Giles stood in the archway of the Council's training center, the cell phone to his ear. He remembered feeling fear like this in Sunnydale many years ago: it had happened just as he found Jenny.

He looked out over the training room floor and there in front of him more than twenty five Slayers lay dead. But even seeing the Slayers didn't affect him as much as the words coming from the other end of the phone. Margaret, Willow's assistant was telling him that Willow had just been found near death in her office. Margret confirmed it was from a vampire attack. Giles's head spun. How had a vampire or vampires breached the Council's security? Who were they, and why?

Giles called the operations' department to take care of the training center as he went to his car; his only plan at the moment was to get to the hospital. On the drive to the hospital he received three separate phone calls, each relaying the same information. Several Slayers had not reported in as expected. Calls had been made to them with no result. On visiting their home, a house equipped with Council security somewhere in London, it had been found that all the Slayers living there were dead: each and every one of the dead slayers had been completely drained by a vampire.

Giles got to the hospital only to find Willow, so very pasty and pale, hanging onto life by a figurative thread. The reports of Slayers being found dead throughout London were flowing in to Giles faster than he could call out. By the time the doctors came to discuss Willow's condition with him, all his London-based Slayers, all except those who were at home in their own countries, on vacation or out on assignment, were known to be dead. Giles was at a loss: he felt devastated. His only hope came when the doctor treating Willow said the words, "Complete recovery."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The Wolfram and Hart pilot looked at the woman.

"We don't have any orders, paperwork or flight plan so I think there is a mistake."

She shook her head. "Well, some idiot made a mistake but it wasn't me." She smiled at him. "I need to get to Los Angeles tonight, my kids are there waiting for me. What should we do?"

The pilot looked into her eyes. "Your children, is that right?"

"Yes, they are sixteen year old twins in L. A., well actually Malibu, you know near the beach. You like the beach, don't you?"

The co- pilot had been watching the exchange. "Captain, I could do the paperwork: trip to the beach tomorrow might be nice."

The woman looked from the first officer to the Captain. "You do like a trip to the beach Captain, don't you? Nice time in the sun, bring a little sun tan back here to rainy old England?"

"It does sound rather brilliant the way you put it. I'll take about an hour or so. We can all walk out to the plane together."

"That'll be great." She smiled.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Willow's eyes fluttered open to see a dozing Giles.

"Giles," she whispered, barely able to raise her voice further.

There was no response. She tried again, but still he dozed. She felt so weak but she had to warn him. Alex and Willa, Mia and Spike's children, were at risk. She felt for the nurse's buzzer: it was there by her side on a chord. She used all her strength to throw it his way. It went only a few inches but hit the bed frame, and the noise woke him. He looked her direction, relief flooding his face. Willow started to cry, a couple of tears running down her face.

"Giles, it was Mia and Spike," Willow's eyes filled with more tears. "You have to warn Buffy. Mia said it'll be your four against ours. I think they are planning on siring Alex and Willa."

"Mia and Spike?" Giles looked confused for a moment, then his face cleared and became very serious. "Something went wrong in Africa."

More tears flowed from Willow. "Yes, horrible doesn't even begin to…." She paused, taking a deep breath. Her eyes were beginning to droop with fatigue.

"Sleep, Willow. We will need you well."

"Ok, I am kind of tired."

Giles patted her hand as Willow drifted off. "'Horrible' isn't adequate to describe it. Right now I can't recall a word that truly expresses the magnitude of this situation."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

"Wait, Giles, this isn't funny."

"Buffy, please? When have I ever made a joke even remotely resembling something like this?"

Buffy still holding the phone to her ear sat down on the couch with the shock. "You haven't. I'm sorry, and right now I can't remember you actually making a joke. Is she ok?"

Giles cleared his throat. "She'll recover, but that isn't the issue. It's the children."

"I can protect them, Giles."

"They took out approximately sixty eight of my London-based Slayers in one day, all of whom were under the highest security. The entire training class of twenty five Slayers were drained, Buffy. You are the best Slayer I've ever seen, but you are not that good."

"So, you want us to run."

"Yes, and tell no one where you are going: not Wesley, not a neighbor and not me. Just go."

"Giles, you are really scaring me. This is Mia and Spike. I mean…."

"Remember Spike when you were in High School? Then think of him really teaming up with Angelus, and after that add in twenty times the strength and intelligence. Run, and not anywhere you've ever talked to Mia about."

"Alex and Willa have a game tonight."

"Well, you probably have time: they do have the disadvantage of not being able to fly commercially. They will have to come by ship."

"At least we have that, I'll call Angel and we'll make plans and leave as soon as we can."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~~ ~ ~ ~

Wes looked at Angel. "It can't be true."

"I've never heard her like this, Wes. She sounds terrified."

"Well go then. We'll make ready the forces here."

Angel looked at him seriously. "I think maybe you should go underground too."

Gunn opened the weapons' locker and pulled his battle axe out. "We did that once with Jasmine, remember? It didn't work. No, I may have a few years on me but I always wanted to take on this legend Spike was before he got all soulful… now I can."

"Gunn, we will assess the situation and …"

Gunn dropped the axe to the floor. "We're going to see how to fix `em, aren't we?"

Wes smiled grimly. "Yes, if it's possible, though right now…"

"Don't say it, Wesley," began Fred. " Let's not give up before we start trying. This is Spike and Mia. Alex and Willa are like the children we never…"Fred's voice cracked and Wes put his arm around her.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Buffy and Angel sat at the table, trying to explain to the children, all of them, why they were leaving and where they were going. They did not tell them that the approaching evil was Alex and Willa's own parents. Angel's cell phone rang, he excused himself from the table, but before he even got out of the room he turned to Buffy. She saw his face and stopped mid sentence.

"Angel, what is it?"

"Wes, he… his contact, he told him, that they got on a private jet, a very fast one. It landed twenty minutes ago."

It was Willa who spoke. "We have to go now right now, don't we? Maybe we kids should go with you, Aunt Buffy, and then Uncle Angel can bring the clothes and things. Uncle Angel is used to fighting evil with Uncle Wes, that's what he does right? It'll be safer for him to stay and get our stuff."

"Willa's right," said Angel. "You need to go, keep the kids away and safe from them. It'll be smarter for me to stay and gather all the things."

Angel walked them all out. He hugged and kissed his two, Joy and Matthew, and then the other two. He held on to Buffy for several moments before she climbed into the SUV.

"See you, kids, I'll be there as soon as I can. And Buffy… be safe."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The sun was setting and the orange globe hung low over the ocean. Angel had finished loading his car and was doing a final sweep of the house. He thought heard a noise at the back deck door, but when he looked there was nothing. He stood a moment watching the sunset, thinking how many of those he, Buffy, Spike and Mia had all shared together, out walking on that beach. He set his jaw in grief. There was a knock at the front door. Angel opened it and felt as if he was literally staring at the past. Spike, with a long black leather coat and white hair, stared back at him.

"Hey, mate," Spike smiled.

"Spike," replied Angel, feeling confident with the invite barrier in place.

"Why don't you invite me in and we'll have a drink." The smile didn't leave Spike's face.

"I don't think so."

"Angel, I've sodding been away weeks in Africa. The least you could do is invite me in, I want to see the kids," Spike's smile became a large grin.

"They're gone, you missed them."

"Last chance Angel, invite me in."

Angel rolled his eyes. "Or what? You'll huff and puff and….."

Angel felt a hand grip his neck from behind and he was lifted off his feet.

"Or someone might force you. Invite him in, Angel!" came Mia's voice.

He tried to move but she was too strong for him.

Spike beamed up at Angel. "Thrall, it does a body good. In'nit funny how it all works Angel, and how sometimes you even forget you've done things. So, you going to invite me in?"

Angel gritted out. "No!"

Mia laughed. "Guess we play outside tonight, Spike." She threw Angel out of the door and all the way up the walk, and was on top of him before he could move. She held him as she and Spike each sank their fangs into either side of his neck. Everything was grey and was getting darker when he heard Mia say:

"So Spike, do you want to do it or should I?"

~ ~ ~

Angel's eyes opened: he heard the echo of a tunnel, and running water. There was a slight stench: he was in the sewer. He sat up. He was hungry. Mia smiled at him.

"Hi, sleepy head. You were a bit obstinate before or you could be waking up in a soft bed."

Spike dragged a young Mexican girl in. "Oi, I still think he should just get…"

Mia turned and looked at Spike. "If you say it one more time, I'll take them all and you won't get any more, ever."

Spike stared at her. "Just you remember who the Slayer of Slayers is."

Mia laughed, then narrowed her eyes just a bit. " Yes, I remember, you slay, lay and love them. You've had plenty. Give that Los Angeles Slayer to Angel."

"Best you remember, YOU were one of those Slayers I did, Mia."

"I could get nasty and remind you that was actually Emma but I won't because I can never forget you did me, honey, and I never ever want to. That's the kind of memory a girl treasures…. forever. Thankfully, I have that… now." She flashed him her fangs briefly to punctuate the last word.

Spike grinned, "Oh you can talk so pretty when you want to. Fine. Angel can have this one."

He threw the small slayer at Angel. The girl tried to turn and flee but Angel stood up and stopped her. The little Los Angeles slayer threw punches and kicks that he blocked then he quickly subdued her and was at her neck, drinking her.

"Glorious! Spike was right, Slayer blood is the ultimate." Angel very overtly looked Mia up and down. "And a bit of an aphrodisiac."

"Not feeling it over here," Mia answered flatly as she stared back at him. "Oh wait, did you think it was just a natural given kind of thing because I have it coursing through my veins?" She shrugged. "It may be natural," she lifted her brow and smirked, " but I'm still not feeling it over here, at least not at the moment. Or more specifically, your moment."

Spike laughed. Angel turned on him and quickly pinned him to the wall. Spike hit Angel and threw him against the other wall. They were heading back towards each other when Mia got between them, grabbing them each by the neck and lifting them.

"This is not a wolf pack. There is no Alpha male here." Mia lifted them both a little higher, morphing into her demon. "If there is anything in this group, it's an alpha female and her lap dogs. I'm running the big game in town. The longest living Slayer is on the run and our team is not yet complete."

Spike stared back at Mia. "Em, put me down."

Mia let go of Spike, but held Angel immobile.

"Lap dogs, love?" Spike lifted a brow

Mia smiled, cocked her head just a little and lifted a brow slightly. "I didn't actually mean it literally, but more…"

Angel was in his demon face, growling and putting up a struggle. "Just what makes you think I want to play with you two?"

"Because, Angel, Spike is your sire and you'll do as he says. If you don't I'll put you down and I won't make it quick and easy. You know the pain you suffered those hundred years after getting your soul the first time? That will be like….a paper cut."

Mia looked at him. He stared through his demon eyes into her human blue ones. He'd been around over two hundred and fifty years and he could tell by the look in her eyes that she knew exactly how to make him suffer the maximum amount of pain. Angel wasn't afraid of pain: that wasn't a problem. In fact, now he was a vampire he knew he'd often really enjoy it. He could see that Mia knew how to do what she threatened, he saw how much she would enjoy it, and that excited him. That was what made Angel agree.

He morphed out of his demon and back to his human face, looking at Mia.

Spike was grinning, "Nice twist of events innit, Angel?"

Mia lowered Angel to the ground.

"You know me, Mia. Do you really think that I'll just…?

"Be a good boy? Please! Not really your style. So, I guess we'll have some fun along the way. Won't we?"

Angel smiled, "So, you said the team wasn't complete? I thought you were after the kids. I know where they are. We can go get them if you want."

"Kids," laughed Spike. "Tell him, Mia."

"Why would we want kids, Angel, when this team could have seasoned players?"

"Well, who then?"

Mia grinned.

"See that, mate? That there is Mia's evil grin. She had that even with the soul, but now if you ever see it directed at you, you need to take cover. Right now it's about someone else, and they are bleeding going to wish they had."