New Game Chapter 4 /16

Sequel to Afterglow and third installment in Dive into Destiny Series

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 /?

Thanks to my Beta, Hawera and my muses, Kurt Cobain, John Lyndon (AKA Johnny Rotten) and Joe Strummer.

[Just a reminder: 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)]

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New Game Chapter 4 Players Rule Book

Spike sat on the end of the couch. Mia was lying with her head in his lap, watching television.

"Does he look anything like that? I wish I'd met him when we went to Romania. I would've asked if he knew you, my slayer of slayers."

Spike chuckled, "He has long hair, pale face and fangs but other than that, no, and he'd probably deny knowing me since he owes me money."

"So, eleven pounds was worth a lot more back then, wasn't it, cause like now ah…that's a trip to Mc Donald's and a pack of fags. Hey, did you like how I used my British speak while spending my English money?"

"It's the principle of the thing, Em. And you calling them fags doesn't sound right. Don't do it again."

Mia laughed, "The principle of it, between two bloodsuckers. Now that doesn't sound right."

Angel walked in, looked at the TV and groaned. "Is that Gary Oldman? Please tell me you are NOT watching Dracula."

Mia sat up. "Ok, we are, not, watching Dracula."

"Spike?" Angel looked at him accusingly.

"Mia's idea: purely a comedic release for me."

"I was wishing I could do that disappearing-in-a-fog thing," smiled Mia as she lit a cigarette and handed the pack to Spike, who lit one for himself. "Now that's an exit line." She blew smoke out into the air, accenting her words.

Faith came bouncing down the stairs, Wes in tow. "Hey, sun's down: let's roll. Mia said we need forty by tomorrow."

Angel crossed his arms over his chest. "Mia, I refuse to make eight more minions while you sit and watch that. It's not even the best version of it."

"Ok. I'll lie back down."

Spike chuckled as he exhaled smoke.

Wes asked, "What is she watching?"

Faith looked at the TV. "Oooooh, a very young Keanu Reeves with a grey streak in his hair. I'd say it's Bram Stoker's Dracula." She motioned her head to Mia's hand and Mia threw her the pack of cigarettes and lighter.

Wes grinned, looked at Angel and back to Mia. "I think I may join you and go out later."

Angel scowled at Wes, making both Faith and Wes laugh.

Spike turned off the TV. "Let's go, pet. We still have find your look-a-like."

"We would have found her by now but you're just too picky. I say any girl with long curly brown hair and wearing a leather duster will work."

" Seems you were bloody particular in picking out my imposter." Spike's brow went up.

"You are our high profile member."

With a grin Faith said, "Profile…that was definitely a major part of your decision, Mia. Admit it, you picked that kid because he had cheek bones and blue eyes like Spike's. You must have because he's actually three inches taller than Spike."

Mia looked away and sighed. "Yeah, imagine me being able to wear three inch heels and still feel small and feminine."

"Oi! Sitting right here."

Angel cleared his throat and lifted his eyebrows, sexual innuendo clear in his voice. "Could do that with me."

Mia laughed and stood up. She sauntered over to Angel and stood facing him. Going up on her toes and placing her hand on his chest, she whispered in his ear, "Then I'd be eight inches taller then your wife."

Angel growled and pushed her back. "Don't call her that."

Mia's eyebrow went up. "Sore spot: let's make a note of that."

"I could get my journal out, record it for a later date if you like, Mia," Wes volunteered, holding back a laugh.

Spike stood up, shaking his head. "Angel, mate, I don't know what you did but she does love to torture you. Maybe I should be jealous."

"Maybe you should. It could be sexual tension, but more likely it's foreplay," answered Angel.

Mia looked at Angel, no emotion showing, and said flatly, "Yeah, that's it." She dropped her cigarette onto his shoe and ground it out with her toe. "Now come on, let's get going."

Mia shrugged into the long black leather Victorian coat replica that she wore now. It had brass buttons and stitching across the chest; it was much more elaborate than the coat Spike had given her twenty years ago, but just as long.

"We have a fake team to assemble so that when the Scoobies come all the way to the Hellmouth they will realize it was all for nothing; well not nothing, they'll battle our minions and bury those Slayers." She threw open the door violently, causing it to slam into the wall with a loud bang, and walked out into the night, her coat billowing behind her.

Wes turned and glared at Angel. "She's angry now, you prat."

"She'll get over it after she eats," chuckled Spike. "'Sides she's probably more upset about getting ribbed over Dracula."

Faith looked at them all. "You three are just stupid: a bunch of stupid vamps. Why are men all alike? Not one of you re-assured her that she is feminine. And it's not enough that Spike and Angel always circle her like she's in heat. I'm catching up with her. You three work without us tonight."

Spike laughed. "Circle her like she's in heat? In heat? Mia in heat? We don't go into heat, do we? Besides, if that were true Wes would be joining us."

"No, Spike, we don't go into heat, but be assured that if Mia hadn't decided to add a new member to the team, a female member…well she did, didn't she. And you of all people missed the point of what Faith said."

"Yes. Seems that big bad Mia likes to feel like a girl sometimes. Imagine that. Having problems in the bedroom, Spike?" asked Angel.

"Now who's the idiot? This isn't about sex." Spike grabbed his coat and strode out, throwing the burning ember of his cigarette down into the yard as he went. Wes fell in behind, and Angel followed.

"So, how do we fix it?" Angel was several paces behind.

Spike glanced back. "We?"

"Yes, we. We are a team. I, of all people, know it's not good having someone in Mia's position upset with the others: it could become very…."

Spike and Wes glanced in his direction, their surprise at his concession apparent.

"Someone on the team upset this early in the game isn't good for it," he stated flatly.

"Well, we find a girl who looks like her and show Emma she is feminine," replied Spike.

"Brilliant," said Wes.

"Now you've done it, Wes. He'll never let us forget you called him that."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Faith caught up with Mia. "Hey, how pissed off are you?"

Mia turned her, brows knit together. "Pissed off?"

"At the guys."

"I'm not pissed off," smiled Mia

Faith stepped back, her eyes widened. "Oh shit, you're not: you just have them whipped."

"I really thought they'd just run to catch up with me," grinned Mia.

Faith grinned back, "Like puppies. That's good, but I kind of told them you were upset because none of them told you that you were feminine."

Mia laughed, then looked serious. "You're right, they didn't."

"I also mentioned that you might be tired of being circled like you were in heat."

Mia laughed again. "Oh, that. That's all just another game. Angelus, or if you prefer to call him Angel, was in charge for years and now he has to assert himself some way. I have to put him in his place, but so far I haven't felt like drawing blood because frankly I think he might enjoy it too much. From what I read about you, well, evil you, I don't understand why you don't do the I-should-be- in- charge-dance."

Faith shrugged, "I know who's smarter here, Mia. This is the big game and you have it all played out in your head. You have gotten farther then I ever did in taking out the goody two shoes group. We are having fun, and I'm all about fun."

"And then there is Wes."

"What?" Faith asked, with mock innocence.

"Yes, I remember he has a very calming effect."

"I'm pretty thankful that's not…" her eyebrows lifted once to emphasize the next word. "…..always true," grinned Faith.

Mia closed her eyes and sighed as if imagining a scene. Opening them, she smiled, "You know, Faith, maybe I am in heat."

Faith laughed. "You could be. I mean, I hear the noise, all that moaning and yelling that comes from your room during the day."

"That's not me. That's Spike."

Faith shook her head and burst out laughing. When she stopped she said, "That is why I have no problem with you being the boss."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Two fledglings brought Spike a girl. He looked at her, then punched them to the ground "You imbeciles. This one has brown eyes."

Wes stepped forward. "She'll make minion number seven then."

Angel came up behind Spike. "We are only a few hours from sunrise."

Spike looked over at him with a half smile, and raised his eyebrow. "You aren't worrying about this, are you?"

Angel looked back with an emotionless poker face. "No."

"We need to get this imposter in place. The unexplained death rate here in Cleveland is rising here with all our fledglings and soon the Council will realize they have lost contact with the Slayer house and Faith. This time line that Mia and I worked out is important."

Two more minions entered the crypt of the cemetery they were occupying for operations. Angel looked up and blinked.

Spike cocked his head as she was thrust in front of him, tears running down her face. The blue of her eyes were lighter, more cornflower blue, but her features were very similar as was her body shape.

He took her chin in his hand. Spike smiled as he cocked his head a bit. "Pet, you are quite beautiful." He wiped her tears with his thumb. "Would you like to stay that way forever?"

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Mia and Faith sat drinking a beer just an hour before sunrise as the guys filed in, the girl in tow.

Angel pushed her gently forward. "Mia, we found your look-a-like."

"Damn!" exclaimed Faith as she stood up.

Mia stood shaking her head. "No, she won't work."

"Mia, earlier this evening you said any brown haired girl would work," stated Wes.

"I don't look like this."

Spike stepped up to Mia, wrapped his arms around her waist and whispered in her ear. "If I saw her pass on the other side of the street I might have to look twice."

"And on the second look you'd realize she was much more…" Mia motioned to her body and hair.

Faith said, "Mia, I don't know where they found her. I've lived here over twenty years and never seen a glimpse of her, but she looks like you, girl. I bet you could trade clothes back and forth: if you did that sort of thing. Ah, her fashion sense not so much the type you'd trade with."

"Take a good look at her, Mia," suggested Angel.

Mia's brows came together. "She just seems so feminine."

"Yes, pet."

"Exactly," Wes agreed.

"Right," added Angel

Mia glanced at Faith quickly and winked. Faith cleared her throat and gave Mia a little backhanded slap on her arm

"OK, she'll work." Mia cocked her head and smiled in Angel's direction. "And because I am in a good mood after watching Dracula tonight, Angel, you get take her and sire her."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Mia straddled Spike and looked down at him. She leaned forward, placing a hand on either side of his head.

"Do you want a threesome?"

He stared at her and was silent a moment. "Is this a trick question?"

"No. Want to try one?"

"Sorry, I'm still wary of answering the question."

"Why?"

"One, it might carry repercussions, and two, you might be teasing….."

With a big smile Mia said, "Well, I can figure out that means yes."

"….three, I worry about the who, and it had better not be… him."

"Please, what did I say about that earlier. No, I was thinking we could try it after the new girl rises."

"Your look-a-like?"

"Yes, my soon-to-be imposter.

"No."

"No? Why not? Should be fun. It would be like having two me-s at once."

Spike quickly flipped them so he was staring down at her. "I have enough bloody trouble handling one of you."

"Oh, you so just scored big."

"Did I? So does this mean I can pick the third?"

Mia's brow went up. "Is it Wes?"

Spike chuckled, "Not bleeding likely."

"Then… no."

Spike nuzzled her neck. "You think I want it to be Faith?"

"Well?"

"I was thinking," Spike grinned down at her. "After the big showdown I sire Buffy and…."

Mia slapped him in the head knocked him off the bed. Spike stood up laughing. "I wasn't serious, woman."

"I could walk out of here right now and into Faith and Wes's room," smiled Mia with lifted brow.

Spike jumped on her. "Better not or you'll miss what I have planned next."

"Alright, it's only because I'm curious."

Spike looked into her eyes, he brushed her hair back. "This big plan of yours is all about killing… her. You have at least three of us that want to make sure of that. I don't know who your choice is for the job, but put my name in the hat."

"No."

Spike cocked his head and narrowed his eyes. "No?"

"That's right. You are not dancing with THAT Slayer ever again…not until I'm dust. It's just too intimate."

Spike grinned, "That sounds a bit like jealousy, love."

"No, it's not. I `m a demon; it's just territorial, and there is the fact I know Dru let you dance and look what happened then. Besides I want you to kill Xander on that day."

Spikes eyebrow went up, "And?"

Mia shook her head. "No ….'and'. Just kill him whatever way you want."

"And who's yours?"

"I don't know yet. I was thinking of stepping back and watching. "

"No blood and guts for you?"

"I don't always need that, Spike. Watching it all come together and all of you having fun doing it will be enough. There is a power in that. That power is yummy. Besides I'll get to smell all that fear and the blood, it'll be fabulous. Just think what it'll be like after, there are rooms right up the stairs from there. We can leave the door open so we can smell it all."

Spike kissed her. "You are so bleeding evil, Em. Can you feel me getting hard just thinking about it?"

"Are you sure about Wes?" Mia smirked

Spike laughed and kissed her again. "Are you saying I'm not enough man in your bed?"

Mia looked at him with a straight face, and with very little emotion answered. "I was teasing."

Spike looked at her, one brow lifting only slightly.

She broke into a smile and then burst into laughter.

Spike smiled just before he crushed her mouth with his.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Giles looked at the faces in his living room. The children had not been invited: they were in a safe house, so it was only the six of them. All of the faces showed grief. So here they were, united in their grief and pain, and preparing for a battle although they had no idea where or when it would be waged.

Willow spoke first. "The Seers are working on this, but so far there has been nothing. The coven did a locator spell because Giles won't let me do any magic yet, but they couldn't find them."

Giles spoke up. "We know nothing. We don't know where they are, who they are killing, or what their plan is. All we do know is that the children are safe."

"So now we wait until they make a move," said Gunn. "Then we try and figure a way to cut them off at the pass before the next one."

Xander looked at Gunn. "There won't be a pass; she's too smart even to go in the mountains."

"Gunn, we have to think more like Wes," Fred said, her voice going quiet with the mention of her husband's name.

Buffy cleared her throat. "The problem is that even one of them as a vampire is a major threat, but now they are working together and their only aim is to destroy us. We are used to saving the world, but when it comes to ourselves directly, well…."

"So, we use our time now to come up with some way to counteract some of their power," said Gunn.

"Yes, that's exactly what we do," agreed Giles

Willow sighed. "I looked into the curse before: it only works for Angel, and I don't know if it will work now Angel has Sanshued."

"Where is that curse stuff, Willow?" asked Xander.

"It's on my computer at work and a disc at home." It was then that Willow remembered the printer running as she entered the office. "Oh my goddess, they were on my computer at work."

"And their invites probably still stand for the house," added Xander. "I hate to say it but my money is on that your copies of the curse are history."

"Willow, I thought you kept a copy on disc in the Council's vault."

Willow sighed, "Yes, Giles, there's one there."

"Well," Fred shrugged, "at least that narrows their team to three."