Title: Pushing an Elephant Up the Stairs
 

Rating: This chapter is PC-13 for language.

Spoilers: Set after 7.14 First Date.

Response to the following challenge: Set anytime during season seven: Spike is back from Africa with the soul that he fought for and won. Make him lose the soul, however you choose: noble sacrifice, random quirk of fate, trick, whatever. Soulless Spike is back. What happens now? How will this effect his relationships with the Scoobies and with Buffy? The fic should be pro-soulless redemption, although it doesn't necessarily have to have a happy ending. Any ship you choose, any length, any rating.

Distribution: Let me know.

Review please.
 

Chapter 9—All The Sights That I Have Seen
 

Spike didn't get any sleep. He was too busy watching the Slayer. He had never seen anything more beautiful than her. She was pure poetry, no matter what she was doing. Sleeping, fighting, fucking, laughing, it didn't matter. He wanted to protect her even as he thrilled with the power of her small body. She had so much strength tied up in her seemingly fragile body, emotional and physical. Did she even know her own strength?

Buffy finally stirred as the rest of the house woke up, and the first thing she did was smile at him. "You didn't sleep at all, did you?"

"No," he admitted.

"I guess you can catch some sleep while I'm at work."

"Not going to train the girls today?"

"You think they'll want you to after last night?" Buffy asked.

Spike shrugged, "If we're going to make sure they know who is the boss around here, we can't let them control the training schedule."

"You sure you're up to it?"

He nodded, "No problem."

"Great, I'll go downstairs and let them know you expect them in the basement in an hour."

"Sounds like a plan."

They smiled at each other, briefly. They were partners now. Spike was the second-in-command. Everybody else had better get used to that fact.

When Buffy finally made it to the kitchen, they were all sitting around eating breakfast silently. They carefully avoided her gaze as she moved around, getting her own breakfast and making a quick shopping list. The silence was tense and uncomfortable, but Buffy let it linger as long as possible. She wanted to make sure that she had their attention.

When she finally spoke, they all jumped. "What you guys did last night was unacceptable."

"We were just doing our sacred duties," Kennedy said bitterly, fingering the bandage on her neck.

"No, you were not. You do not have a sacred duty. You may train like a Slayer, but you guys are not slayers. I am."

"And that makes you the boss?" Kennedy demanded.

"Yes," Buffy answered, "it does. That and the fact that I have stopped numerous apocalypses, and killed more demons and vampires than you could possibly imagine. I not only have the sacred birthright, I have the fundamental knowledge and experience all of you lack. And what I lack in experience, Spike more than makes up for."
Buffy crossed her arms and studied her small army of teenage girls. "Consider this an army. I am the General and Spike is my second in command. You will listen to him, and you will respect him. What he can show you will save your lives one day."

"But he's evil," Kennedy protested.

"Is that right? You do know your girlfriend tried to destroy the world last Spring. She wanted to kill all of you. Is Willow evil?" Buffy didn't wait for an answer. "You girls cannot possibly imagine what we've all been through, what we've all seen and done. Maybe when you've been through half the shit we've experienced, you can tell me about good and evil."

Buffy paused and waited for the next round of protests, but nobody said anything. "Good, Spike expects to see you in the basement in an hour."

With that, she left, dragging Dawn behind her. All the girls looked at each other with wide, frightened eyes. She was going to leave them alone with Spike? The unsouled vampire they just tried to kill? Everybody was frightened over the prospect, but nobody would admit it. Even Kennedy was sweating.

Less than an hour later, they were all waiting impatiently in the basement, eager to get the training started. The faster they started, the sooner it would be over, and they could make their escape. Kennedy wasn't going to show up at all, but Willow made it extremely clear that she didn't have a choice.

"Hey girls," Spike greeted casually as he sauntered down the stairs. "Ready to start?"

Nobody responded.

"Is that a no? That's ok, we don't have to start right away." Spike sat on the bottom stair, resting his chin in his hand, and observing them carefully. "Just let me know."

"Why are you just sitting there?" Kennedy asked, annoyed. "I thought you were going to train with us."

Spike shrugged, "Not if you're not ready."

"Well, we're ready," Kennedy insisted.

"Great," Spike said, jumping to his feet. "We'll start with you." Before Kennedy could move, Spike had her against his body, her head back, neck exposed, and his fangs bared. "You're too slow little girl."

She struggled against him, "I'm not a little girl." He only clutched her tighter as her struggles increased.

"Prove it."

Kennedy simultaneously kicked his shin and tried to head butt him in the face. She missed both times, and Spike flipped her onto the ground. She landed with an "umph" that forced the air out of her lungs. She laid there gasping and Spike grinned at the rest of the frightened girls.

"Ladies, I can spend the all day today, and everyday from now on down here training you, teaching you how to fight, but it won't do any good if you're not on your guard."

"We're not supposed to be on our guard with you. That's what Buffy said," Rona protested.

"No, you should always be on your guard. Every second of every day. All it takes is one vampire one time to catch you when you aren't paying attention, and he'll have himself a real good day."

"Is that what happened when you killed the Slayers?" Vi asked.

"No, they saw me coming. I just got the upper-hand. It happens. Right, Rona, you're up next."

Spike put each girl through her paces in turn. They worked on hand-to-hand combat and with weapons. Spike wasn't gentle with the girls, but he was careful not to hurt any of them. He could sense how nervous they were, especially since several times they were extremely vulnerable to him, but he was careful to never make them feel threatened.

The morning passed quickly, and the girls were so involved mentally with their physical exercises that they didn't even realize that lunchtime passed, and the hours of the afternoon passed quickly. The fights and exercises became fun, and all the girls found themselves enjoying their time with Spike.

"Are you guys still down here?" Buffy exclaimed, catching them all off guard.

"Why are you home so early?" Kennedy asked.

"It's past four. You guys have been down here all day."

Spike blinked, "Really? I guess we lost track of time." He looked at the girls gathered around him, "Go on and get something to eat and some rest. You guys worked hard enough for the day."

They all trooped up the stairs pass Buffy, and she watched them go with a small, amused smile. "I take it things went well?"

"Yeah, it was a bit bumpy at first, but we got used to each other."

"How are they?"

"They keep practicing this hard, they'll be in fighting shape soon enough. Though it wouldn't hurt if I had more help."

"Well, I talked to Wood today and he agreed to cut my hours without cutting my pay."

Spike looked skeptical, "Why?"

"He said he wants to help me."

"Or he wants to have something to hold over you."

"Spike, I'm not going to look a gift horse in the mouth. What is a gift horse anyway?"

Spike ignored her question and began gathering up the weapons. Buffy watched him for a few moments, then started to help. "If you want, I can finish up here and you can go get a nap."

Spike shook his head, "I'm fine, pet."

"You just look tired," she said gently, putting her hand out to touch his face.

He caught it and pulled her closer, "And you look beautiful."

Instead of rolling her eyes like he expected, she smiled. "See, now I know you're exhausted."

"Yeah, why don't you go upstairs," Wood said from the bottom step, "I'll stay here and help Buffy."

Spike grimaced and took a step back from her. "What are you doing here?" He asked. "Don't you have a family or something?"

"I thought I'd help train before we went out on patrol," Wood answered calmly.

"Well, we're done training for the day, so toddle back upstairs."

Buffy frowned; she hadn't seen Spike act so confrontational since before...well, before he got his soul. Wood also seemed taken aback by Spike's bluntness, but then, he had never known the old, snarky Spike. He looked at Buffy for help. "I thought they couldn't train without you."

"Spike trained them today," Buffy answered. "And he really worked them hard."

"And you trusted him? Even after what happened last night?"

Buffy's frown deepened, "How do you know what happened last night?"

"Probably set the girls after me, didn't you? Couldn't do your own dirty work."

Wood ignored him, keeping his attention tightly focused on Buffy, but it was obvious Spike's words met their mark. "You trust this monster after he..."

"What?" Spike interrupted. "Killed your mum."

Both Wood and Buffy gasped, neither expecting Spike to put it so bluntly.

"You think I didn't remember, Robin. You think I didn't remember the sniveling little brat who cowered behind the park bench in the rain? Oh no, I remember you quite well."

Wood's hands clenched into tight fists and he took a step forward, "Why you sonofa—"

Buffy put a hand on Wood's chest, stopping him from getting any closer to Spike. "Stop. Right now. Both of you. Now is not the time for this, we don't have time for this."

"I won't need much time," Wood said menacingly, his face and eyes hard.

Spike rolled his eyes and turned back to the weapons. "Right. Go upstairs with the rest of the ladies."

Wood lunged for the vampire, but Buffy stopped him. "I don't think you want to get in a fight with him, Robin."

"Yes, I do."

"No. You don't," Buffy insisted. "Now go on up and cool off. I'll be up later."

This time he didn't argue with her, just turned his back with disgust and stomped up the stairs.

"Why did you do that?" Buffy asked quietly.

"Because I wanted him to know that I'm tired of his games."

"What games?"

"You don't think he had anything to do with last night's fun and games? He's been lurking around her, congratulating himself on how clever he is."

"We need his help," Buffy pointed out.

"No we don't. We've survived just fine without him before."

"We weren't fighting the First Evil before!"

"Buffy, if he wants to help us, fine. But I'm not going out of my way to make him feel better about plotting to kill me."

"Right, you're right. But this won't be the end of it."

"I know."

"He's going to want to fight you."

"Let him."

"Spike?"

He looked at her. "Yeah?"

She hoped her eyes conveyed the words that she couldn't say. Don't kill him, Spike. He must have understood because he nodded.