A Pirate's Life For Me

By Addie Logan

One

Buffy walked into the Magic Box. Giles had asked her to meet him there after her patrol in order discuss the current situation with Glory after the run-in Buffy had had with her the night before.

It had been a quiet patrol, however, and when Buffy got to the shop it was empty. She sat on the counter, idly twirling her stake as she waited for Giles. After a moment, she looked beside her, seeing an open shipping box beside her. She peeked in, finding it full of books. Needing a way to pass the time, Buffy set the stake by the register and pulled out a book, frowning as she read the title: Skulls, Crossbones, and Desire.

The cover, with its chesty heroine being clasped by an over muscled pirate made the genre of this particular tome quite evident. "When did Giles start selling romance novels?" she wondered aloud before shrugging and turning to the first page.

It was the sort of night that chilled one to the bone. The young maiden wrapped her cloak tightly around her to guard against the cold sea winds, her nipples pressing against the fabric of her bodice.

Buffy rolled her eyes. Two sentences in, and it was already bordering on raunchy. She didn't see why anyone would be interested in this stuff. It was horrible. She kept reading.

"Whatcha readin', Slayer?"

Buffy jumped, her eyes wide. "Spike! What the hell are you doing here?"

"Lookin' for you. Wanted to ask if the nibblet was all right." He gave her a wicked grin. "That must be some book to get you so caught up you didn't even hear me come in."

"I…I was just waiting for Giles. I wasn't really reading it."

"Uh huh. What's the title?"

"It's…I didn't pay attention."

"Right. Give it here."

"No!" Buffy said, backing away from Spike.

"If you're not reading it, Slayer, then you shouldn't mind if I take a look at it."

"I do mind! I mind because…because…you can't be trusted with the merchandise!" Spike rolled his eyes and snatched the book out of her hand. "Hey!" Buffy cried in protest as Spike ran behind the counter to keep her from reclaiming the novel

Spike flipped to the middle, laughing as he read aloud in a breathy falsetto, "Oh, I just can't resist you! I must ride you like the lusty stallion you are!"

"Give it back, you, you—pervert!" Buffy cried, jumping over the counter to get to him as Spike continued to read.

"Her bosom heaved as he wrapped his arm around her to pull her close, his lips descending on hers, overwhelming her with his pleasing, masculine taste. She moaned, melting as he…"

Buffy grabbed the book, trying to pull it from Spike's tight grasp. Suddenly, there was a bright flash of light, and Buffy raised her free hand to shield her eyes.

The book fell to the ground, leaving the Magic Box empty once more.

---

Buffy woke with a splitting headache. And to make things worse, the room was spinning. She frowned. No, not spinning. It was rocking. Why was the room rocking?

And furthermore, why was she in this room at all?

"Oh, thank goodness you are awake. I was beginning to fear you would never come to."

Buffy sat up, clutching her head. At least that voice was familiar. "Giles? Where are we?"

"Try not to speak, Lady Elizabeth. It will only tire you. We can discuss our current situation when you are better rested."

Buffy removed her hands from her head, glancing over at Giles. He looked like her Watcher. He sounded like her Watcher. But why was he wearing those funny clothes? Her gaze darted down. Why was she wearing funny clothes? Had someone gotten into the possessed Halloween costumes again?

Just then, the door burst open, and Spike came bounding in. Buffy frowned. He was wearing funny clothes, too. And why in the world was his hair long? "Buffy!" he announced, his tone scarily chipper, "We're on a pirate ship. And get this—I'm the captain! There's a whole mess of pirates out there that'll do anything I say!"

Buffy buried her face in her hands with a whimper, wishing she would wake up but knowing at the same time that everything was too vivid to be just a dream. Somehow, someway, she'd ended up trapped on a pirate ship with Captain Spike and crazy Giles.

Why did these things always have to happen to her?


Two

Spike knew he should be more concerned about the fact that he'd been sucked into what was apparently some sort of alternate dimension—especially since he'd first appeared in sunlight and had not consequently burst into flames. But as soon as he figured out he was captain of a pirate ship, any possible worries went out the proverbial window. That chip had restricted him from getting his evil on back in Sunnydale, but he was sure there was all kinds of mayhem he could cause as a pirate captain.

The Slayer, on the other hand, seemed less than thrilled. She was sitting on a cot with her face buried in her hands. Spike wanted to just leave her there, go back on to the deck and exercise his newfound captain powers. Instead, he walked over to her, sitting beside Buffy on the cot and putting his hand on her shoulder. "You all right?" he asked.

"No she's not bloody all right!" Giles yelled. "You attacked her ship and kidnapped her, you, you brigand!"

Spike shrugged. He certainly didn't remember doing that, but being a pirate now, he figured it was something he would do. Buffy, on the other hand, looked up sharply. "When did that happen?"

"Oh dear. You must've gotten a blow to the head. It's despicable the way you and your men would treat a lady."

Spike glanced between Giles and Buffy. Buffy seemed to be the same Buffy he'd always known, while Giles was different. "Who are you?" Spike asked Giles.

"I am Lord Rupert Giles," he replied, puffing his chest up. "You seemed fully aware of that when you illegally boarded my ship, pillaging it and taking both my ward and me hostage."

"I'm your what?" Buffy asked.

Giles looked stricken. "Lady Elizabeth, do you remember anything?"

"I…things are fuzzy," Buffy replied. After all, that was partly true.

Spike pulled Buffy up by her arm. "Need to talk to you for a moment."

"You are not taking her from my sight!" Giles yelled.

"Oi—pirate captain here. I'll do what I want!" Spike brought Buffy back on to the deck, shutting the cabin door behind him and leaning on it so Giles couldn't get out, despite his constant banging. "Any clue to what's going on here, Slayer?"

"This sounds a bit insane, but I think we're in that novel."

"Insane is the norm on the Hellmouth, pet. Any theories on why Giles doesn't seem as, um, aware as we do?"

Buffy frowned. "Not unless…not unless it isn't actually Giles."

"Who would it be then? Pod Giles? Clone Giles?"

"No." Buffy chewed on her bottom lip. "We were the only two in the shop when this happened. So maybe we're the only two people who are actually here."

"Then why does he look like Giles? And call himself Rupert Giles for that matter?"

"I don't know! It's all…" Buffy stopped. "You're in the sunlight."

"Yep. Neat, huh? I think my heart's beating, too."

"So you're human?" Buffy asked.

"I suppose. I tried making myself all fangy, but it didn't work."

"Do you have a soul?" Buffy asked quickly.

"Well, no great desire to brood. Still want to cause chaos and destruction. Nope, I'm thinking I'm soulless." He gave Buffy a wide grin.

"This has got to all be superficial," Buffy said. "Something generated by magic."

"Gee, you think."

"Uh, captain, why is the lady outside of the cabin?"

Buffy and Spike turned around to see a dark-haired man with an eye patch. "We were having a discussion…Xander?" Spike replied, recognizing the pirate.

"William, as your first mate, I think I should tell ye—some of the others are a bit concerned to see ya talkin' to the lady so nicely. Not good for the reputation of William the Bloody."

Spike frowned. "Hmm. Good point." He turned back to Buffy. "We'll have to finish this at some other time, luv. I have important pirate duties and whatnot." He grabbed her by the arm again, throwing her back into the cabin. Once he had secured the chain on the door, he turned back to Xander. "That better?"

"Aye."

"So, we planning some big pillage somewhere?" Spike asked, rubbing his hands together.

"We were going to hold the lady for ransom," Xander replied, giving Spike a puzzled look.

"Right. Um, why are we doing that again?"

"Because her fiancé is an admiral in the Royal Navy, and you hate the Royal Navy. Have ye been out in the sun too long, Will?"

"No. It's just…been a long day." Spike started walking off with Xander, ignoring Buffy's yelling from inside the cabin. Sure, they'd figure out a way to get back sooner or later, but right now there were just too many opportunities for fun. "So you think we could work a bit of pillaging into the schedule?" Spike asked. "I want to burn something."

---

Buffy sat on her cot in the cabin, cursing Spike every way she could think of. Lord Rupert had informed her that she was not behaving as a lady should, but the look she'd given him had put an end to that. She had tried numerous times to break the door, but hadn't had any luck. It appeared that her Slayer strength had gone the way of Spike's vampirism. Just what she needed to make this day even better.

Eventually, the door opened and Buffy stood, ready to give Spike a piece of her mind. She frowned when she realized it wasn't him, but a young man who looked strangely familiar, although this one Buffy couldn't quite place. "Where's Spike?" Buffy asked.

The man blinked. "Excuse me? Spike? I don't have any Spikes." He held up a tray. "Just dinner for you and the old man."

"I am not old," Giles scoffed from the corner.

"Captain William," Buffy clarified, rolling her eyes.

"He's dining with the others," the man replied. "Last I saw, they were getting drunk, like filthy men. Er, which I am one of, of course. I am a filthy man who loves to get drunk."

Buffy frowned. This was a very strange person. And the familiar thing was still niggling at her mind. "Do you have a name?"

"Jenkins."

"Well, Jenkins, could you tell the captain that I wish to see him as soon as possible?"

"He said you'd tell me that," Jenkins replied. "Said you'd be whining about your 'accommodations.' He also told me to tell you to 'hold your soddin' horses, and he'll deal with it later.'" Jenkins smiled at the end of the recitation of the message, complete with an imitation of Spike's accent.

"Well, you can tell the captain that if he doesn't come and talk to me soon, I'm going to break his nose—for starters."

"The captain won't like that. I've seen the cruel things he can do, even to pretty women like you."

"I don't care about that, or his stupid reputation," Buffy replied, her hands on her hips. "I just want to get out of here!"

"Oh, don't worry about that," Jenkins said with a smile. "You're going to get out of here just as soon as Admiral Finn pays the ransom money. Unless the captain decides to just kill you, that is. Which is a very real possibility. He's killed lots of people."

Buffy's eyes grew wide as she realized something for the first time. Spike could kill her. She didn't have her powers. There was a good chance he wasn't affected by the chip. And even if he was, he had a whole crew who would be willing to string her up, or make her walk the plank, or whatever else Spike could think of. She was at the mercy of someone who had wanted to kill her for the better part of three years. For the first time in a long time, Buffy felt helpless—and at the mercy of Spike, no less. She sat back on the cot.

Jenkins held the tray in front of her. "Don't you want to eat?"

"I'm not hungry. Give it to Giles."

Jenkins shrugged and complied, bring the tray of food over to Lord Rupert, setting it in his lap. Then, with a smile, the pirate left the cabin, the sound of chains rattling outside letting Buffy know that they were indeed being locked back in.

Giles walked over to Buffy, tray in hand. "You should eat, you know. I understand that it must be difficult with this trying ordeal, but it will not be any easier if you starve yourself."

Buffy looked up into the face that was so similar to the one of her Watcher. Despite the comfort of familiarity, she knew it wasn't her Giles, and it just made this all the worse. Sure, this whole thing may be fun to Spike, but she just wanted to go home. She was stuck in a strange place, at the mercy of a vampire she hated, and the corset she was wearing was really starting to pinch.

Lord Rupert sat the tray down between them, patting Buffy on the shoulder awkwardly. "I won't allow him to hurt you, Elizabeth. I promised your mother on her deathbed that I would see to it that no harm came to you, and I plan to uphold that promise."

Hearing Giles refer to her mother as being dead made Buffy's heart clench. After coming so close to losing her in her own reality, the thought of Joyce being gone in another one scared her. She wanted nothing more than to be home right now, curled up on the couch with her mother and sister. But instead she was trapped on a stupid pirate ship, cold, tired, and wondering if Spike was going to throw her to the bottom of Davy Jones' Locker.

She sighed as she picked up some food from the tray.

---

When Spike finally made his way back to the cabin late that night, Buffy and Giles were both asleep—her on the cot, and him in a chair in the far corner. He knelt beside Buffy, shaking her until her eyes opened. "Spike!" she hissed. "It's about time you showed up."

"Sorry, pet. Got a bit caught up. This whole pirate thing is just as bloody great as I thought it would be."

"Glad you're having a good time," Buffy said sarcastically as she sat up, rubbing her eyes. "I hate it."

"Jenkins said you were a bit feisty when she brought you your dinner."

"Well, yeah, I…wait, did you say she? I thought Jenkins was a boy."

Spike tisked. "Not recognizing your own friends? Now that's bloody pathetic. Jenkins is Anya. I'm guessing she just dressed like a man to get on the ship."

Buffy frowned. Now that she thought about it, Jenkins was the last name Anya had made for herself once she became human. And it did explain that 'filthy men' comment earlier. "Have you seen anyone else around that we know?"

"There's a quiet pirate, was playing music earlier. Think he might be that dog boy Red was into for a while. Other than that, no. Oh, and you're engaged to some admiral. Could be Captain Cardboard."

"An—Jenkins called him Admiral Finn, so I'd suppose so. This is weird."

"Tell me about it."

"So how are we going to get back?" Buffy asked.

"Get back? What makes you think I want to rush back to Sunnydale? I can be evil here." Spike grinned.

"But I hate it here! I'm locked up, this dress is torture, and I don't have my powers!" Buffy clamped her hand over her mouth when she realized what she'd admitted to Spike.

To her surprise, he didn't gloat about how she'd be so much easier to kill now. "Yeah, I'm sort of missing my vamp strength. I forgot how bloody heavy things can be. Oh, and the speed, too. But I also seem not to have the chip, so it's a tradeoff. Although I suppose for you, things are just bad all around."

"I can't even break that lousy wooden door," Buffy replied with a pout.

"Don't worry about it too much, Slayer. You got a fearsome pirate lookin' out for you, after all."

Buffy blinked. "You're looking out for me?"

"Well, yeah. What else would I do?"

"I sort of thought you'd kill me, seeing as you can and all."

Spike shook his head. "We're in this together. Could end up bad for me if you were dead. Besides, if I ever were to kill you, I'd want it to be the right way—vampire versus Slayer."

"Gee, how sweet."

"Look, there's nothing to be worried about. We'll get home soon enough. Just let me have a bit of fun first."

Buffy crossed her arms in front of her. "But what about me? Spike, I need to be back in Sunnydale. What if Glory finds Dawn while we're here? I should be protecting her!"

Spike frowned. He hadn't thought of that. And as much as he hated to admit it, he cared. "Balls," he muttered under his breath. "Fine, we'll find a way out of here. But you owe me, Slayer."

"I owe you? Hey, if anything you owe me for not dusting your sorry ass the moment you showed up on the doorstep."

"Oi! Be nice. You're the damsel in distress here, remember?"

Buffy shifted uncomfortably. She did remember. And she hated it. "Let's just get out of here."

"Any plans?"

Buffy frowned, thinking for a moment. "The book! Did you have the book when you showed up here?"

"No," Spike replied, shaking his head. "And I haven't seen one around either."

"You're not just saying that, are you?"

"Bloody hell, woman, I told you I'd help you get out of here! I'm not gonna go withholding information."

"Fine. No book. Maybe we could just jump off the side of the boat. It might bring us back to reality or something."

"Or it could leave us in possibly shark-infested water. I'm not comfortable with that chance, Slayer."

"But it could…"

"You can't help Dawn if you're eaten by sharks, Buffy."

"You know, I really hate it when you make sense." Buffy pouted, resting her chin on her fists. "This sucks. We have no plan."

"We could look around the ship," Spike said. "Most of the crew is asleep. Well, passed out drunk is more like it. Maybe we could find some way back."

"Like what?"

"I don't know, some sort of swirly vortex or something. I'm not really an interdimensional travel expert, you know."

Buffy stood. It was as good a plan as any. "All right. Let's go exploring."

---

Giles walked around the Magic Box, frowning as he spotted no sign of Buffy. He thought she may be in the training room, but he couldn't find her there either. He went behind the counter and picked up the phone, calling Buffy's house, only to find she hadn't made it home.

Fear gripping him, Giles hurried out of the shop in hopes of finding his Slayer, not noticing as he kicked a small paperback book under the counter in his haste.

Three

Spike and Buffy began their exploration of the ship, searching for anything that might give them a clue as to how to get home. So far, they'd been unsuccessful.

Buffy glanced around nervously as they walked, a slight tinge of fear in her eyes that Spike had never seen there before. He put his hand on her shoulder, and she jumped. "Easy, pet. It's all right. I told you I'm going to help you out."

Buffy pushed his hand off of her. "Somehow the idea of you helping me doesn't exactly fill me with feelings of warmth and security, Spike."

"Look, Slayer," Spike replied, his eyes narrowing. "I may be a lot of things, but I do have a spot of honor. If I say I'm going to help you, then I'm bloody well going to carry through on that."

"Fine. I'll take great comfort in the fact that my mortal enemy is watching my back."

"Had no problem trusting your 'mortal enemy' with your mum and little sis not too long ago."

"That was different. You were the only person strong enough to protect them, and I knew you couldn't hurt them."

"Couldn't or wouldn't, pet? Chip wouldn't have stopped me from feeding them to the first vamp I saw."

Buffy looked at him in horror. "You wouldn't…"

"Exactly. Wouldn't. Not every vampire is as twisted as your ex, Slayer. Some of us are capable of behaving like something other than sadistic psychopaths. Now come on, we have a lot more ship to search."

Buffy stopped short even as Spike walked on. She'd never thought about him being able to cause any real damage with the chip, but suddenly that seemed incredibly naïve. Her mind drifted for a moment to Harmony. Buffy was almost positive Harmony was still around, doing hell knew what with Spike. Granted, Harmony was about as incompetent as they came, but with Joyce and Dawn alone in Spike's crypt, could they have been at the mercy of the blonde vampiress? Would Spike have done anything to protect them then? And what if Glory had shown up at Spike's crypt, looking for the Key. The chip certainly wouldn't have stopped Spike from handing Buffy's family over to the hellgod.

"Hello, Slayer? Planning to start walking again any time soon, or have you grown particularly fond of that spot?"

Buffy blinked, realizing that Spike had stopped and was facing her, arms crossed. "Oh, sorry. I was, um…the stars are pretty."

Spike chuckled, shaking his head. "As tough as you are, you can be such a girl sometimes."

Buffy planted her hands on her hips. "And what's wrong with that?"

Spike leered at her, smirking at Buffy's sudden blush. "Nothing, kitten. Nothing at all."

"What's the little filly doing out of her cabin, cap'n?"

Buffy and Spike both turned suddenly to see a small, filthy pirate eyeing them warily. Buffy's nose wrinkled at the man's unpleasant odor. Spike grabbed Buffy's arm. "Takin' her back to my cabin for a bit of fun," Spike replied.

Buffy snatched her arm away from Spike, almost as a reflex. "I'm not letting you touch me!"

Spike gave Buffy a pained look then grabbed her, throwing her over his shoulder. "Women," he told the pirate, "do not know when it's best to keep their bleedin' mouths shut and just do as they're told."

"Aye," the pirate agreed. "You think maybe you'll be sharin' the lady when you're done with her, cap'n?"

Spike couldn't resist teasing Buffy a bit more, even as she squirmed in a futile attempt to get down. "I might. Although by then she won't be much of a lady anymore, now will she?" Spike and the pirate shared a laugh, drowning out Buffy's cry of outrage.

"Well, you break 'er in real good for us then," the pirate said, slapping Buffy on the bottom.

Spike pushed down the surge of possessiveness that made him want to rip off the other man's arm and beat him to death with it for daring to touch Buffy like that. "Will do," he said, forcing a grin. "Now if you'll excuse us…"

"Course, cap'n. Know you got a long night ahead…"

Spike nodded, walking towards the cabin he'd earlier discovered to be his. Buffy struggled to get out of his grasp until he said, "You know, Slayer, all that's doing is wriggling that cute little arse of your in my face."

"Pig," Buffy muttered. Her wiggling stopped.

Once Spike got her to his cabin, he put her down and shut the door. "That was bloody stupid, Slayer."

"What was I supposed to do with you saying those things?"

"Gee, I don't know—play along?"

"But I didn't want him thinking we're in here doing that."

"What bloody difference does it make? He's probably not even real!"

Buffy crossed her arms angrily. "But the things you were saying were just gross, Spike."

"I was playing the part! What did you want me to say?" Spike affected a slightly different accent, sounding more like Giles than his normal self, "Excuse me, good sir, but we're in search of an interdimensional portal. Have you perchance seen one laying about?" Spike moved closer to her, his tone darkening again. "We're not in your world now, Slayer. You don't have all the power—or any at all, actually. As far as anyone here is concerned, you're nothing but the hostage of a pirate. You can't throw around punches and insults to get your way. You're just a weak, helpless little girl."

Spike expected Buffy to yell at him, or possibly even hit him despite his pointing out that that wouldn't do any good. Instead, she sat down on the edge of his bunk and began to cry. Spike frowned. "Uh, Slayer, when I said you needed to be all weak-like, I didn't mean you had to start right this second."

"But you're right!" Buffy said, sniffling. "I'm weak, and I'm helpless, and my friends and family are out there at Glory's mercy. I can't do anything!"

"Welcome to the club, Slayer," Spike muttered.

Buffy looked up at him, confused for a moment before she realized what he meant. "Is this what it's like for you with the chip?"

"A bit, yeah. Going from the biggest and baddest on the block to not even being able to defend yourself takes a bit of, well, adjusting."

"I think I'm starting to see why you were so happy when you found out you could hurt demons." At the smirk Spike gave her, Buffy quickly added, "Not that I get off on violence the way you do."

"Sure you don't. You can't tell me that our old fights didn't get your motor running at least a little."

Her tears gone for the time being, Buffy rolled her eyes. "Ego much, Spike?"

Spike tapped his nose. "Vampire, luv. I always knew the effect I had on you."

"Ew!" Buffy replied trying her hardest—albeit unsuccessfully—not to blush. "Majorly gross—and also really, really delusional."

"Believe what you want, Slayer, but I'm not the one here with delusions."

Buffy held up her hand. "Can we not talk about this anymore? We have more important things to discuss than your twisted little fantasies. We need to get back out there and search the ship some more."

"We can't."

"What do you mean we can't? You said you'd help me!"

"I know what I said, and I still plan to make good on that. But short an' smelly thinks I'm in here making with the debauchery."

"So?"

"So, if he sees us wandering the ship again, it'll blow our cover."

"But you're the captain! Can't you just do whatever you want?"

"Buffy," Spike said, obviously frustrated, "acting suspiciously will only make this whole thing more difficult. We have no sodding clue what's going on here. I think it's safe to say it has something to do with that book, but we don't know who put it in the shop or why. And as far as this place goes, we don't know who any of these people are. Sure, some of them look like your friends, but they don't seem to be aware that anything's wrong like we do. They could just look the way they do in order to lull us into a false sense of security. We really can't push against the flow right now. We need to play along, at least until we figure a bit more out."

"Oh my god. I'm an emotional mess, and you're making sense. This is hell. That's what happened—that book was a portal to a hell dimension." Buffy frowned. "I wonder if this one has shrimp…"

"Shrimp? What are you… Never mind. And I don't think this is a hell dimension. If it was, there'd probably be little demons eating our livers or something."

"Hell dimension or now, I don't like it."

"Buffy, we'll get out of here, and Dawn will be fine."

"How come I don't feel at all confident about that?"

"Because you're the most pessimistic person in the world despite the fact you always win?"

"Hey!"

"That wasn't really an insult, you know. Not all of it, anyway."

"It still wasn't all that nice." Buffy yawned.

"Tired, Slayer?"

"No." She yawned again. "Okay, maybe a little."

"We probably should get some rest. Keep our strength up. Lie down and scoot over."

Buffy eyes widened when she realized what he meant. "We are not both sleeping here, Spike."

"What? You can't very well go back to your cabin—debauchery cover, remember?"

"Well, you're not sleeping here."

"Where am I supposed to sleep then?"

Buffy pointed to a wooden chair across the room. "There."

"No bloody way. That think looks more uncomfortable than those damn sarcophaguses in my crypt."

"We are not sharing a bed."

"Oh, grow up. I'm not going to try anything. There's enough room in the bed, and there's no reason not to just be adults about the whole thing."

Buffy frowned. "Fine. But you try anything, and I swear you're dust as soon as we get back to Sunnydale."

"And oh, that just makes me want to help you even more. Lie down, Slayer."

Buffy grumbled, lying down and scooting as close to the wall as she could. Spike joined her, closing his eyes without as much as giving her a glance. He tried to sleep, but every few seconds, Buffy shifted. Finally, he opened his eyes again, sighing heavily. "What's wrong?"

"It's this dress. I can't sleep in it."

"You were sleeping just fine in it earlier this evening."

"Well now I can't!"

"Bloody hell," Spike muttered, getting up. He went over to a chest, dug around for a bit, then tossed a long shirt to Buffy. "Here, sleepin in this."

"But it's your shirt."

"You are the most difficult…" Spike's jaw clenched. "Buffy, we've been here for a day. I've never worn the sodding shirt. Put it on."

"Turn around." Spike did as she said, rolling his eyes skyward as he did. A few moments later, he heard Buffy say his name. "What now?"

"I, um, can't get out of this dress."

"Are you going to threaten me for helping you out of it?"

"Um…no. But again, if you try anything…"

"We get back to Sunnydale, and I fit in an ashtray. I've got it. Come here."

Buffy walked over to Spike, turning her back to him nervously. Spike sucked in a deep breath, trying to undress her with as much detachment as he could. It wouldn't do for him to react to Buffy now when he couldn't do anything about it. "Arms up, pet," he said.

"Why?"

"So I can lift the dress over your head," Spike replied, his tone exasperated.

"Oh, right." Buffy lifted her arms, and Spike pulled the dress up. He swallowed at the sight of her bare back. "Can you get the rest of it off then?"

"Yeah. Turn back around."

Spike nodded and turned around, wishing more than anything that he had access to a cold shower. Maybe he would go for a swim in those possibly-shark-infested waters. He heard the bed creak, and a moment later Buffy said, "I'm decent."

Spike nodded, this time taking off his boots and belt before joining her on the bed. "I really hate these clothes," he said.

"I don't know, I think they suit you," Buffy said with a giggle. "And at least you don't have to wear a corset and five million skirts. Walking has been a chore."

"You just be thankful you don't have one of those gigantic wigs to go with them."

"Ugh. I think my neck would break off." Spike chuckled softly, and Buffy glanced over at him. She knew it should be weird, sharing a bed with him, but despite her earlier protests, it really wasn't so bad. And he was—surprisingly—being a gentleman about it. He hadn't even copped a feel when he was helping her out of her dress. "Thank you."

"For what? Taking off your clothes, cause…"

"Stop right there. You were being halfway decent, and finishing that sentence will so ruin that. But I meant thank you for, well, helping me instead of killing me."

"Might need you to get out of here. Just watching my own back, Slayer."

"But you didn't want to leave."

"I could eventually."

Buffy regarded him for a moment in the dim light. For some reason, that answer didn't ring true to her, despite the fact that she knew that should logically be the only reason Spike would bother to help her instead of killing her like he'd always wanted to. "Well, um, thank you anyway," she said.

"You really should get some sleep. Who knows what we'll have to face tomorrow."

"Yeah. Good night, Spike."

"'Night, Slayer."

Four

The look on Giles's face told Joyce as soon as she opened the door that something was wrong. "Is Buffy here?" Giles asked.

"No. You didn't find her either, I take it."

"No," Giles replied, stepping inside the house.

"You didn't…you didn't find any signs of Glory, did you?"

Giles shook his head. "Nothing overt. But if Glory simply grabbed her, then…" He trailed off, noticing the look of worry on Joyce's face. "I'm sure Buffy's fine."

"Which is why you've got that wild, nervous look in your eyes, right?"

Giles sighed. "I am worried, but Buffy's taken longer to patrol before. She may have simply run into something that took up more time than she was anticipating."

"Is that a nice way of saying my daughter is probably somewhere fighting for her life?"

"Well, not quite that extreme… Perhaps we should call some of the others, see if they've heard anything?"

"Good idea," Joyce replied as she and Giles walked towards the telephone.

---

Buffy woke curled up against a warm body, a heartbeat sounding steadily beneath her ear. Strong arms were wrapped around her waist, keeping her in place. For a moment as she drifted through that place between sleep and wakefulness, she found nothing about this position to be out of the ordinary, still accustomed enough to waking up next to Riley.

But as she became more aware, she remembered that Riley was gone. Besides, the body she was nestled against was too tight, too compact to be Riley. The events of the previous day came back to her, and who exactly it was she was currently using as a pillow became blazingly clear. Buffy's eyes popped open, confirming that it was indeed Spike.

Her initial impulse was to jump away from him, but the novelty of hearing a heartbeat emanating from his chest kept her in place. She reached up and touched his cheek, fascinated by the warmth—the life—she felt in his skin.

"That tickles, you know."

Buffy pulled her hand back as if burnt. "Spike! You're awake."

"Wasn't until you started going all Helen Keller on me," Spike mumbled, shifting a little. "Something on your mind pet?"

"You're alive."

"Well, yeah. Would explain the whole 'not bursting into flames thing' when I'm on deck. Besides, we already discussed the fact that I don't seem to be a vampire here—just like you're not exactly in prime Slayer condition."

Buffy winced slightly at his reminder of her newfound weakness, but she decided not to dwell on it. "I know, but now—hearing your heartbeat, feeling your warm skin—makes it seem all that more real, y'know?" Buffy pulled away from him. "But it's not real. None of this is real. We're stuck in some trashy book."

"Can't be all that trashy."

"What makes you say that?"

"'Cause we're not shagging."

Buffy frowned. "You're a pig, Spike."

"Do you ever plan to come up with any new insults for me?"

"I prefer to stick with the classics."

Spike folded his hands behind his head. "Suit yourself. But the timid young maiden being ravished by the sexy pirate captain—sounds like fun to me."

"Hey! I'm not timid—or a maiden for that matter. And that's not my kind of fun."

"It's not, huh? No wonder Cap'n Cardboard ran off to play G.I. Joe in the jungle." Spike could've kicked himself as soon as the words were out of his mouth, and the pain on Buffy's face made the regret even stronger. "Buffy, I'm sorry. I didn't…"

Buffy climbed out of the bunk, picking up her clothes from the floor. She struggled to put the corset back on for a moment before throwing it to the ground, tears in her eyes. Spike came up behind her, putting his hands on her shoulders, but she pushed him away. "Don't touch me."

"Look, Slayer, I'm sorry. I didn't mean anything by it. I say dumb things sometimes. You know me—I just open my mouth and out pops just about anything. I'm sure the git's leaving had nothing to do with your skills in bed."

Buffy made a noise somewhere between a laugh and a sob. "No, you're first observation was probably closer to the truth. After all, why else would he run off to get bitten by vampires?"

"That didn't necessarily have anything to do with sex…" Spike said, wincing as he knew his tone was anything but convincing.

Buffy turned around, tears shimmering in her eyes. "Please. You're a vampire—most of the time anyway—so you know what a bite can do to a human. And don't go trying to tell me otherwise, because I know, too."

"Riley's an idiot, Buffy. Any man who wouldn't be satisfied with you is."

"No man's ever been satisfied with me, Spike. Not Angel, not Parker, not Riley. I don't know what's wrong with me, but there has to be something."

"Or maybe there's something wrong with them, Buffy. Riley, as I've said, is an idiot. Parker was obvious a wanker that did that to all the girls, and Angel…well, if I listed off all his issues we'd both be old and gray by the time I finished."

Buffy shook her head. She hated being this vulnerable around Spike, but at the same time she felt like she couldn't help it. She felt scared and lost, and he was the only person around who she really knew, physical appearances of some of other people on the ship not withstanding. "I'm starting to think I could never be enough for anyone," she admitted softly.

Spike took a step closer to her. "You'd be enough for me."

Buffy's eyes grew wide, and she backed away from him. "What did you just say?"

"I uh…I was just trying to make you feel better. Not like it was a declaration of love or something, Slayer. No point in getting your knickers in a twist about it." Spike chuckled nervously.

"I should go back to Giles. Or Pod Giles. Or whoever he is. He's probably worrying. Pacing, cleaning his glasses, mumbling 'oh dear'—the whole shebang."

"Right. So you need help getting that corset back on, or…"

Buffy looked down at the garment in question in disgust. "I really, really don't want to."

"I have an extra coat. You could throw it over what you're wearing now, should be enough to make you decent. Eighteenth-century style underwear is a far cry from your usual thongs."

Buffy eyed him skeptically. "How do you know I wear thongs?"

Spike internally berated himself for saying one dumb thing after another all morning. The last thing he needed Buffy to know about was his little excursions into her underwear drawer… "Uh…lack of panty lines?" he replied.

"You pay that much attention to my butt?"

"Look, do you want the coat or not?"

Buffy glanced at the corset and her dress again. As much as the idea of running around a ship full of pirates in what was essentially her underwear was unpleasant, the thought of squeezing back into that outfit was worse. She couldn't breathe, and the dress had to weigh a ton. "Fine, I'll take the coat."

Spike went over to the chest and got the coat, bringing it back to Buffy. She muttered a "thank you" as she wrapped it around herself. He then put his boots back on and led her back to the cabin where Giles was, Buffy's face flaming as the other pirates made catcalls and obscene comments. When he started to go into the cabin with her, Buffy put her hand out, stopping him.

"You have a ship to captain."

Spike looked at her, confused. "But what about trying to get out of here?"

"Come back later, when there are less people around."

"Buffy…"

"I'm fine. Go play pirate."

"I'll look around for anything that could…"

"Yeah. Let me know if you find something."

Buffy shut the cabin door, and Spike stared at it for a moment. He cursed himself again for all the holes he'd stumbled into this morning by opening his mouth. He turned around, seeing that most of the crew was watching him. "Get back to work!" he called out, storming angrily back towards his own cabin.

---

"Lady Elizabeth! You're back! I was so worried about what that vile, contemptible wretch was doing to you."

Buffy sat down on her bunk. "I'm fine, Giles. The 'wretch' didn't do a thing."

Lord Rupert looked at her for a moment. "But you're wearing his jacket—and his shirt? Where is your dress?"

"On his cabin floor," Buffy muttered.

Lord Rupert sat down again, immediately proceeding with a thorough glasses cleaning. "He's…he's compromised your virtue?"

Buffy snorted. "Gallons and gallons of no."

"Pardon me?" Lord Rupert blinked, unsure of what to make of her response.

"That was a no. As in he didn't do anything to my virtue."

Lord Rupert scratched his head. He couldn't imagine a situation where a man such as William the Bloody would take a woman for the night and not do anything to compromise her. Perhaps his ward was too unfamiliar with what took place between a man and a woman to understand what had happened. "Are you quite sure? He didn't…"

"Look, Giles, I may be a damsel here with the weakness and the swooning, but I think I'd notice that. We slept. I had my clothes on, he had his clothes on. End of story." Buffy muttered under her breath. This was all enough of a hassle without having someone fretting about her "virtue."

"I am quite relieved to hear that. I have worried since I discovered you were no longer here. I know you have led a sheltered life and know nothing of these things, Elizabeth, but men like him, they do things to women that are dastardly and vile."

Buffy stifled a giggle. She thought that anything Spike would do to her might be a bit on the "dastardly" side, but she doubted it could possibly classify as "vile." When she realized what she'd just thought, any desire to giggle promptly vanished. Anything with Spike would be vile. It was Spike. Current heartbeat not withstanding, he was still as disgusting as ever. They'd get out of here, and he'd go back to being nothing but a soulless vampire—just like the ones she staked everyday. Definitely no reason to think of him as anything else.

Buffy ignored the little voice in the back of her mind that loved to remind her that Spike was not like the other vampires she encountered on a daily basis. That he was nothing if not unique.

"Did he discuss what he plans to do with us?" Lord Rupert asked after a moment, breaking the silence.

"No," Buffy replied. "But he'd not going to kill us, so don't worry about that."

"Are you certain?"

"Yes." And she was. Somehow, any worry she'd had earlier that Spike might take advantage of this situation in order to kill his third Slayer had passed. He'd demonstrated behavior pointing towards the exact opposite.

What Buffy found even more surprising was that she was now wishing she'd remained with him instead of returning to the cabin with pseudo-Giles. Her uneasiness over his comments before had passed, and she felt a desire to see him again. Unbidden, her mind kept replaying everything she'd felt waking up with him that morning, how good it had been to be in his arms.

Buffy shook her head. Those weren't good thoughts to have. Warm, fuzzy Spike thoughts were definitely of the bad. She lay back on the bunk. "I'm going to rest for a while. I have a headache."

"I will keep myself quiet for you, then," Lord Rupert replied.

Buffy nodded slightly, then rolled over towards the wall. She tried to fall back asleep, but found it impossible as her mind kept bringing her back to Spike.


Five

"Are ya not enjoyin' yerself, captain?"

Spike stared into his ale, really wishing the Xander-pirate would go away. "I'm enjoying myself just fine," he mumbled.

"Doesn't look like it to me. Did the wench not please ya last night?"

Spike glanced up. "Wench?"

"Aye. That pretty little filly you brought to you cabin last night. Was she not as pleasin' as she looks?"

Spike growled, reaching up to grab Xander by the throat. "Don't talk about her like that," he snarled. "Lady Elizabeth is a proper young woman."

Xander's eyes bulged as he gasped for breath. When he thought his point had gotten across, Spike let go, staring into his drink again. "I will keep in mind from now on that she is indeed a proper lady," Xander said, rubbing his throat.

"You do that, whelp," Spike replied. He pushed down the urge to hurt Xander some more, knowing that it would accomplish nothing, and that his anger wasn't really at the boy anyway. Part of him wanted to be angry at Buffy, but honestly, he knew he was really angry at himself. Strange circumstances aside, he was away from the Hellmouth—away from that bloody chip—and yet all he could think about was Buffy. He was willing to pass up his chance to do some real violence again, just because she needed his help.

And to make matters worse, he'd just gone so far as to defend her honor. It wasn't like she was a blushing virgin by any means. But hearing someone belittle her—even this strange version of Xander—was enough to set him on edge.

Spike stood, shoving the chair under the table as he did. For a second, all eyes were on him, but as he turned to leave, everyone went back to what they were doing before the captain had made his abrupt mood shift.

Spike stopped when he got on the deck, closing his eyes and sucking in a deep breath. He walked to the side of the ship, looking out over the water. The sun's rays danced on the blue surface, and Spike felt his anger fading. He hadn't paid much attention to it the day before, but now he remembered just how beautiful the sun was. He went to Buffy's cabin, pulling her out by her arm amidst protests from both Buffy and Lord Rupert.

"What's your deal?" Buffy asked as she pulled away from Spike.

"I want you to see this," he said, leading her over to where he'd been standing earlier.

"What? The ocean? It's very, um, watery."

"No," Spike said with a shake of his head. "Not the water. The light."

"The light? What are you…" Buffy stopped short when she realized what he meant. "The sun."

"Yeah."

Buffy smiled. "It must be nice to see it again after all these years."

Spike turned away from the ocean to look at Buffy. His breath caught in his throat as he saw the sun's rays dance on her golden hair. He reached out tentatively, touching a strand that had fallen in front of her eyes. "The smile of her I love is like the dawn whose touch makes Memnon sing. O see where wide the golden sunlight flows."

Buffy blinked, gaping. Had Spike been replaced by one of whatever the Giles-looking thing in her cabin was. "What did you just say?"

Spike jumped back. What the hell had that been? He'd left his habit of spouting out lines of poetry behind long ago. "Uh, nothing. Maybe after not being exposed to the sun for so long, it's, um, sunstroke. Makes you say crazy things. So, any new ideas on how to get back to good ol' Sunnyhell?"

Buffy decided that the fact that Spike had both quoted poetry to her and that he had used the word "love" were best ignored completely. "Nope. Lord Rupert in there has made it impossible for me to concentrate on anything. First, I had to convince him that you had in fact not compromised my virtue last night, and then he proceeded to talk non-stop about the 'horrible predicament we are facing.' I will never, ever accuse regular Giles of being too stuffy again."

Spike was grateful that Buffy had decided not to comment on what, as far as he could tell, had been his temporary possession by his long-suppressed poncy git alter ego. "That bad, pet?"

"Yes."

"You can always join me and the other pirates."

"I would prefer not to. They are no more than savage beasts."

Spike raised an eyebrow. "You'd 'prefer not to?' 'No more than savage beasts?' Where's that special version of Buffy English I've grown so accustom to?"

Buffy sighed. "I've been doing that all day! It's got to be him, and his proper speaking. It's rubbing off on me."

Spike bit back a laugh at her genuine disappointment at speaking properly. "Has Lord Rupes been in there playing Henry Higgins on you, pet?"

"Inadvertently, it would seem. Ah! I did it again! That's it. I'm not talking anymore."

"As if that would even be possible. I don't think I've even known you to keep your mouth shut for more than two minutes at a time." Buffy started to speak, but quickly caught herself, glaring at Spike. Spike laughed. "Had anyone ever told you how adorable you are when you're being defiant? Annoying, yes, but there's a definite adorableness in there, too," he teased.

"And you, sir, are incorrigible."

Spike moved closer to her. "I believe that's what you like most about me, my lady. You've grown tired of men you've known before, and their proper ways. You're seeing now that what you need, is a rogue."

"I dare say not! You stay away from me, you vile…" Buffy stopped in mid-sentence. "What in the—you were doing it, too!"

Spike shook his head. "Yeah. That was…"

"Majorly wiggy." Buffy smiled at her statement. "Yes, majorly wiggy. That's what it was. Much of the wigginess there."

"You're overcompensating."

"Right." Buffy sighed. "We really need to get out of here."

"I'm starting to agree with you there, Slayer. Don't like the idea of something controlling what I say and do like that. With my luck this'll turn out to be like the bleedin' Pirates of Penzance, The last thing I need is to be hit with the uncontrollable urge to burst into song."

"So we need to figure out what's going on here, search the ship some more. There has to be a way out. I will not even begin to consider that we're stuck here forever."

"We can do a little more reconnaissance work tonight."

"And hopefully not run into anymore creepy little pirates."

"I'll come and get you when most of the ship is out then?"

"All right. Hopefully we can get out of this place soon. Again, may I comment on the wigginess?"

"Wigginess noted," Spike said with a wink. Then his expression softened, and he reached out to touch Buffy's hair again. "You really are beautiful in the sunlight, kitten. I should've savored the look of you more when I had that ring."

Buffy stared at him, at a loss for words. But then he quickly reverted back to the Spike she knew, pulling away from her. "Well, back to your cabin then. See you when we can get something done."

"Okay," Buffy replied, surprised to find her voice working. Spike locked her back up with Lord Rupert, then walked away, cursing himself as he did.

He needed to get out of here soon before he made the mistake of saying something Buffy couldn't simply ignore.

---

Joyce and Giles sat on the couch, an uncomfortable silence between them. No one had heard from Buffy. They had decided then to wait for her, both telling themselves that they were worrying over nothing and that the Slayer would walk through the door any moment, perfectly fine.

That had been over an hour ago. As the seconds ticked away, the tension rose. Even on Buffy's longer patrols, she'd usually checked in by now. And with Glory still out there, neither her mother nor her Watcher could help but think the worst.

Finally Giles stood. "I can't take this any longer. I'm going to look for her."

"But isn't that dangerous?" Joyce asked. "Not that I don't want to find my daughter, but…"

"I'll take weapons. And perhaps ask some of the others to accompany me."

Joyce nodded, wringing her hands. "You'll let me know the moment you find her, right?" She couldn't stand the thought of putting an "if" into that question.

"Of course, Joyce. Wherever Buffy is, I'll see to it that she makes it home safely. She will be fine."

---

Buffy gripped the side of the cot as another blast rocked the ship. The fear that she'd felt when she'd first realized she was without her Slayer powers came back with a vengeance. They were under attack, and she couldn't fight.

Her feeling of panic grew when she thought of Spike. What if he was injured—or killed. Who would protect her then?

Wait…did she just think of Spike as he protector? Buffy shook her head. Now was not the time to worry about that. She had to stay strong, remember that with or without her powers, she was still the Slayer.

The boat shook again, and Buffy screamed, flinging herself on the cot. Lord Rupert sat on the floor, his face pale as he mouthed something that Buffy thought was most likely a prayer.

Buffy wished more than ever that she could just go home.

---

"What the bloody hell is going on here?" Spike roared over the sound of cannon fire.

"We're under attack," Xander replied.

"I can see that, you bleedin' idiot!" Spike replied. "Do we know who's doing the attacking? Is it the navy?" Spike felt a cold grip of fear at the thought of "Admiral Finn" coming to take Buffy away from him.

"No. From the look of the colors, it's another pirate ship."

"Why aren't we blowing them out of the water then?" Spike asked.

"We're trying! They have bigger guns." Spike groaned as he watched the other ship come closer. The cannon fire stopped. "It looks like they're preparing to board us, captain."

"I noticed that," Spike muttered as he watched the other pirates clearly begin to board. His thoughts immediately went to Buffy. He may be able to keep her safe from his own crew, but with these new pirates thrown into the mix… His stomach turned at the thought of what could happen to her.

He wouldn't let it happen. He'd protect her with his life if need be.

"Stand your ground, men!" he yelled to his crew as the other pirates started over to his ship. He could see that they were clearly outgunned and out-manned, the other vessel significantly larger than his own.

"Aye, William my boy, no need to get testy. S'not like me cannons did any damage to yer very fine ship here. Just me way of greetin' was all that was."

Spike groaned as he heard the voice. He watched as the first two pirates to come aboard his ship stepped aside, revealing a tall man with a large mustache. That voice, that face—two things he would never be able to forget, no matter how hard he tried. And something told Spike that the other man's presence here was not a good thing.

"Angelus."


Six

"Oh, thank the good Lord! It sounds as if the fighting has stopped!"

Buffy gave Lord Rupert a thin smile. Despite the fact that she was glad to no longer hear cannon fire—and for the fact that they didn't appear to be sinking—Buffy couldn't share his enthusiasm. Something seemed off. "Do you believe the captain is all right?" she asked, the question out of her mouth before she could even realize she was speaking. What surprised her even more than the involuntary speech was the genuine fear behind the question.

"I dare say I hope not," Lord Rupert replied. "A creature such as that… The world would be a better place without the scoundrel in it. I would hope instead that this ship's attackers were the Royal Navy, and that they are taking him to be hung."

Buffy paled at that last word. She had not previously considered that a possibility. What if Lord Rupert was right? She felt tears spring to her eyes at the thought of Spike being hung, and hoped more than anything that he would soon walk through the cabin door and let her know he was all right.

Lord Rupert grew silent again, and Buffy chose not to speak as well. Instead, she sat stiffly on the bunk, wringing her hands as she waited for Spike to come for her. He'd have to. She couldn't accept the idea of things happening any other way.

---

"This is a nice ship ye have here, William my boy." Angelus paced the deck, smiling even as Spike and his crew glared at him with outward hostility. "Not as nice as mine of course, but…"

"That's my bloody ship, Angelus—not yours," Spike snapped, the words coming from his mouth unbidden. Still, somehow he knew he spoke the truth, at least within the boundaries of this world.

Angelus only grinned more. "I claimed 'er fair enough."

"Fair enough! You mutinied against me!"

Angelus approached Spike and clapped his hand on his back. "That I did, boy, but as weak a captain as ye were, I figured ye were givin' 'er to me."

"Well, I wasn't, you git, and if you think…"

Angelus cut Spike off with a loud laugh. "Come now, you're not actually going to dwell on the past, are ye?"

Spike glared as a mixture of memories of the Angelus he'd known and images of a fabricated past with the version here now mixed to fuel his anger. "I want you and your crew off this ship."

Angelus leaned down, a cold gleam in his eye that Spike found all too familiar. "Ye forget, William, that I have the bigger guns."

"Drusilla always said otherwise," Spike growled. Again, his speaking was beyond his control, but this time it was something he was more than happy to say.

Angelus pulled up, as if attempting to intimidate Spike with his superior height. "I'd watch my tongue if I were you, boy. Especially since I hear ye got precious cargo on board."

Spike's eyes widened. Did he mean Buffy? Spike frowned as he realized of course he did. After all, if this really was a romance novel they were trapped in, who else would the villain be after but the heroine? Spike was really starting to dislike this whole thing. "I've got nothing on this ship for you, Angelus."

"Oh, but I think ye do. Show me to the lass, Willie. Knowing you, ye probably haven't even been man enough to properly welcome her aboard."

Angelus's crew laughed raucously behind him, and Spike used every bit of strength he could muster to keep from hurting the man in front of him. As much as he was itching for a good brawl, he also knew it wouldn't help Buffy. Angelus had a larger crew and more weapons. Any fight as things stood would most likely not end well for Spike. He needed to keep himself in one piece in order to protect the currently-powerless Slayer. "You're not touching her," Spike growled.

"And how exactly do ye plan to stop me? Ye always were the weak one, William." Angelus snapped his fingers and two burly pirates came around and grabbed Spike, holding him back.

"Search the ship for the girl!" Angelus bellowed. "Kill anyone who stands in yer way."

Spike struggled against the men who were holding him, but without the supernatural boost to his strength being a vampire gave him, he was helpless. His stomach turned at the thought of what Angelus could do to Buffy. "You hurt her, Angelus, and I will make you regret it."

"And how exactly do ye plan to do that? You're pathetic, and ye always have been. Besides, what sort of gentleman would I be if I left the girl in the hands of a rogue like you?"

"Let go of me! Get your filthy hands off of me right now!"

Spike turned sharply at the sound of Buffy's voice. He watched as one of Angelus's crewmen dragged her onto the deck, pulling on her arm so hard Spike was surprised it managed to stay in the joint. He swallowed hard, wanting nothing more than to go to her, protect her. She looked up at him, the fear and helplessness he saw in her eyes something new to him. It made his heart ache.

"Take the lady and the captain back to the ship!" Angelus barked.

"What about the rest of the crew?" a man beside Angelus asked.

"Leave 'em to rot," Angelus sneered. "We got what we came for."

Buffy and Spike both struggled as they were brought over to the other ship, but it was no use. Buffy watched the man who looked so much like her former love and shuddered. The look in his eyes told her this was not Angel, and she felt the cold fear rise in her at the thought of being at his mercy. She glanced back at Spike, meeting his eyes. There was a sense of determination there, and she felt a twinge of hope. If he hadn't given up, neither would she. He'd get her out of this.

She held her head up high, deciding not to give Angelus the satisfaction of seeing her fear.

---

Giles woke with the distinct feeling of being watched.

And he was—by a very confused looking Dawn.

"Mom? Giles? Care to explain why you're both down here sleeping on the couch?"

Giles blinked, trying to find an answer in his sleep-fogged brain. Then it all came back to him. Buffy was missing, and after a futile search for her, he'd returned to check on Joyce. They must've fallen asleep. He wondered what sort of Watcher he was to allow himself to sleep when his Slayer was MIA.

Joyce stretched from her seat beside Giles, trying to comb her hair with her fingers. "We were waiting for Buffy. Did she never come home?"

"I didn't check, but I don't think so," Dawn replied, frowning. "Did you guys check with the Scoobies?"

Giles took off his glasses for their first cleaning of the day. "We had them looking for her as well last night. Did they not…"

Before Giles could finish his sentence, the front door burst open, and Anya, Willow, Tara, and Xander walked in. "No sign of Buffy," Anya announced. "We looked everywhere. She's probably dead."

Joyce paled at Anya's statement, and Giles moved quickly to comfort her. "I'm sure she isn't dead, Joyce. She's just…somewhere we haven't thought to look."

"Well, I don't know where that could be," Anya said, ignoring the looks Xander was giving her. What was the point of sugar-coating things anyway? "Oh, and Spike's missing, too."

"Spike?" Dawn asked.

"We went by his crypt," Willow explained. "We thought maybe he'd seen Buffy when she was patrolling. But he wasn't there. Tara and I stayed there for a while and waited for him, but he wasn't back before sunrise."

"Dear lord," Giles said, still wiping his glasses. "You don't believe Spike has something to do with her disappearance?"

"Spike wouldn't do that!" Dawn exclaimed. "He wouldn't hurt Buffy!"

"Dawn, he tried to kill her. A lot," Xander pointed out.

"But that was before!" Dawn replied. "Besides, he can't, remember—chip."

"Maybe he got the chip out, and he and Buffy had a big fight to the death," Anya suggested. "Or they could just be off somewhere having sex."

"Anya!" Xander snapped. "Buffy is not dead, or having sex with Captain Peroxide."

Anya shrugged. "They're the two most logical conclusions, Xander."

"Only in your world, honey."

Giles stood. "I think it best that no one jump to any conclusions. Let's go to the Magic Box instead, see what we can come up with. Tara, Willow—can the two of you perform a locator spell?"

"Of course," Willow replied. She frowned. "And now I'm sorta wondering why we didn't think of it before…"

"Yes, well, we'll do it now," Giles said. "Joyce, it would be for the best if you stayed here in case Buffy returns home. We'll call you if we hear anything."

"And I'll do the same," Joyce replied.

Giles gave her a nod and the Scoobies filed out, leaving Joyce and Dawn alone in the house. Dawn went to the couch, sitting next to her mother. Joyce put her arm around the girl and kissed the top of her head. "Buffy will be home soon," Joyce said, comforting herself as much as Dawn.

---

Angelus had Buffy and Spike brought to the lower level of his ship. Spike was thrown into a small cell, the door shut and locked behind him before he had a chance to fight it.

"What are you planning on doing with us?" Spike asked.

"Well, seems there's quite a pretty reward for the girl," Angelus replied. He grinned widely at Spike. "And another one for ye, too—once yer hangin' in the gallows."

"And what, you think they're just going to hand you that money? Come on, Angelus, you're a pirate same as me. They'll hang you, too."

"That's where you're wrong. See, it seems the good Admiral Finn knew that catchin' ye would be a bit of a…difficulty. But not fer me—I knew ye, William. I knew just how to find ye. Finn knew I would. That's why we made this nice little deal. I bring him his sweet morsel of a fiancée, and the man who took her of course, and I get to leave with the money, free as a little birdie." Angelus approached the cell, his hands gripping the bars as he looked into Spike's eyes. "But just so ye know, I didn't do it just fer the money. I did it so I could watch your body swingin' in the wind."

"I'll never give you that satisfaction, Angelus."

"I'm afraid ye don't have a lot of say in the matter, boy. Now if you'll excuse us, the lady and I have some quality time to spend together." Angelus grabbed Buffy by the arm, ignoring her as she hit futilely at him.

Spike rattled the bars of the cage, his anger rising to new heights as he saw Angelus touching Buffy. "Leave her alone," he growled, even though he knew it was useless.

"What, is she yers, Willie? Did ye make this sweet little girl into a woman? She is wearin' yer clothes after all." Angelus brought Buffy in front of him, holding her tightly against his body. "Still, she'll need a proper seein' to, and I plan to make sure she gets one. Ye best think about that while yer waitin' to go to yer death."

Spike glared. "I will kill you, Angelus."

"Promises, promises, boy." Angelus laughed darkly as he dragged Buffy up the stairs and out of Spike's sight.

Spike shook the bars of the cell, letting out a frustrated roar. This was not going very well at all…


Seven

Angelus took Buffy to his cabin and threw her on his bed. She sat up, moving as far away from him as the confined space would allow. "Please, don't do this," she begged him, cowering as she spoke. "Please."

Angelus grinned. "Ye just keep beggin' me, sweet thing. Only makes me want ye more."

"But I'm a lady of the highest reputation! You cannot possibly sully my virtue in such a fashion!"

"I'm a scoundrel—sullyin' the virtue of ladies is what I do."

"Please," Buffy sobbed. "My lord Admiral Finn will surely see you sent to the gallows if he finds you've done such a thing!"

Angelus shrugged. "I'll tell him it was William. Besides, once I'm done with ye, ye won't be makin' much sense anymore anyway." Angelus reached out, twirling a strand of Buffy's hair between his fingers. "Ye ever seen a woman after a man's broken her completely?"

Buffy whimpered, tears rolling down her cheeks. This couldn't be happening to her. She was Lady Elizabeth Summers, daughter of… Wait… Buffy blinked. She wasn't Lady anything, and she was not one for the damseling. She was Buffy Summers, Vampire Slayer. She struck out, her foot landing squarely between the juncture of Angelus's legs. He doubled over in pain, and Buffy jumped up, her eyes scanning the room in search of a weapon. She may have been powerless, but she wasn't going to let that stop her. She'd defeated Kralik without her strength, after all, and he had been more than some slimy, nasty pirate with a bad mustache.

Angelus groaned from where he was crumpled on the floor. "Stupid little bitch! Ye'll wish ye hadn't done that."

Buffy said nothing, instead responding by grabbing a bottle from beside the bed and smashing it over his head. Angelus slumped, unconscious. Buffy knelt beside him, searching his pockets until she found the key to Spike's cell. She kicked Angelus one more time for good measure, then left the cabin, careful not to be spotted as she made her way back to Spike.

The look on Spike's face when Buffy walked through the door was one of pure, unadulterated relief—and that was before she held up the key that represented his freedom. She ran over to the cell, unlocking it and letting Spike out. He immediately pulled her into his arms, hugging her tightly. "Buffy…I was so worried…"

"I'm all right," Buffy said reassuringly, letting herself return his embrace. "He didn't lay a finger on me."

Spike pulled back, although his hands were still resting on her hips. He couldn't stand to let her go, not after what he'd felt watching Angelus drag her away. "What did happen?"

"I kicked him in the groin and then smashed a bottle over his head."

Spike grinned. "Good girl."

"I was rather proud of myself. But now we really need to get out of here."

"No complaints from me about that plan, luv."

"But I may have a wee complaint or two."

Spike and Buffy spun around to see Angelus standing in the doorway, blood dripping down his face from where Buffy had hit him with the bottle. Spike moved Buffy behind him, trying to shield her with his body. "I won't let you hurt her, Angelus."

"Lookit poor William, always trying to play the hero and protect the lassies. Think this time it'll work any better than it did with Drusilla?"

Spike snarled as more of "his" past with the man before him became clear. "You murdered Dru."

"Yes, that I did. And it was worth it, too, if not just for the look it put on yer face, ye poor, pathetic bastard."

Spike could feel Buffy's fingers digging into his arm as she clung to him, and he knew she was afraid. "Again, you're not hurting this one. I'd die before I'd let you touch her."

"Sounds like a deal to me," Angelus said before charging at them, sword drawn. Spike jumped out of the way, taking Buffy with him. He was a second too late, and the sword grazed his side. Spike hissed in pain, but didn't let himself falter. All that mattered now was Buffy's safety. He moved quickly, managing to knock Angelus down. Before the larger man could get back to his feet, Spike took Buffy by the hand, running with her back up to the deck.

Angelus's crew had become aware of the escape attempt, and had gathered on the deck, moving towards Spike and Buffy. "Stop them!" Angelus bellowed as he staggered up the stairs.

As the pirates began to close in on them, Spike looked around for something to inspire a plan. She saw what he needed over his left shoulder. "Hold on tight, pet," he told Buffy before grabbing her by the waist, trying not to wince as her arms wrapped around him and grazed his wounded side. Without another word, he leapt over the side of the boat, taking Buffy with him.

The pirates glanced around and over towards the water, looking confused. "Should we go after 'em, captain?" one asked.

"No point," Angelus replied. "They're as good as dead anyway. With William's side bleedin' like it was, they'll probably be eaten by sharks." Angelus grinned to himself, certain that that was the last he'd seen of William the Bloody. It figured the idiot would leap to his own death. "Now back to work, all of ye!"

As Angelus's crew scrambled to comply with his orders, the pirate stomped off towards his cabin, deciding on a story to tell Admiral Finn that wouldn't cost him his own neck.

---

"One of these books is missing," Anya announced to the group in the Magic Box as Willow and Tara prepared to perform the locator spell. "I ordered fifteen, but there are only fourteen here."

"Anya, Buffy is missing—and quite possibly in some sort of mortal peril involving Spike," Xander snapped at his girlfriend. "Now is not the time to be taking inventory."

"But…"

"We're ready to do the spell," Willow said, cutting Anya off. "I need everyone to be quiet."

Anya crossed her arms over her chest. She really hated it when no one would listen to her.

---

Spike wasn't sure how he managed to bring himself and Buffy to the island safely without a hitch. The water was cold and choppy, and his side was still bleeding freely. Then he remembered that technically, he was stuck inside of a story, and decided to attribute it to the miracles of fiction.

From beside him, Buffy coughed. He could see her shivering in the pale moonlight, and pulled her to him. "I know I'm cold and wet, too, luv, but at least I actually have some body heat to share."

Buffy nodded, her teeth chattering. She looked down and gasped at the large, red stain on Spike's shirt. "You're bleeding!"

"It's not bad. Angelus just grazed me is all."

"Let me look at it." Before Spike could protest, Buffy was pulling off his wet shirt to inspect his wound. He hissed when her fingers grazed it.

"What's the prognosis, doc?" he asked, trying to sound anything but nervous.

"You'll live," Buffy said with a wry smile. "The bleeding seems to be slowing down, and it isn't very deep." She picked up his shirt, wringing it out before tearing off long strips of fabric. She used a wad of the cloth to staunch the wound, then wrapped the longer pieces around him to form a make-shift bandage. "At least my Slayer first-aid skills didn't go away with my strength," she said once she had him all patched up.

"Thank you."

"It was the least I could do for the man who just saved my life."

"You did a bit of the saving, too, pet. Couldn't have done much from inside that cage."

Buffy smiled. "Guess we make a good team, huh?"

"Yeah, I guess we do." Even if she was sporting the drowned-rat look, Spike thought the woman in front of him was absolutely breathtaking. He wanted to kiss her, hold her, make love to her on this beach. He got to his feet, wincing as his side protested the movement. "I should find wood for a fire. It'll help us warm up."

Buffy frowned in disappointment as Spike walked away from her. But he was right—they did need a fire. She stood up, going after him. "I'll help you."

Spike nodded and walked with Buffy into the woods.

---

Buffy stared into the fire, resting her head against Spike's shoulder. He had his arms around her, both of them comfortable with the pretense that their closeness was merely for warmth. Although they both wondered what they were going to do now, neither vocalized the question. There was no reason to, since they knew there was no answer to give.

"You know, as strange as this might sound, I can think of worse people to be stuck on a deserted island with," Buffy said, breaking the silence.

Spike refrained from telling her there was no one he'd rather be on the island with. "True. You could be here with Harris."

"Oh god, I can just imagine the amount of whining Xander would be doing right now—if he'd even managed to get this far." Buffy frowned. "What does that say that I'd rather be here with my mortal enemy than one of my best friends?"

"That your 'best friend' is damn irritating, and I'm bloody good company, whether you want to admit it or not. Besides, I think our relationship has been downgraded from 'mortal enemy' status. At the very least we…share a bond of mutual annoyance."

Buffy chuckled. "You certainly haven't been acting like my mortal enemy—or even the pain in my ass you've been since you got that chip. Just the opposite, really. Hell, you got yourself stabbed for me."

It could've been simply a trick of the firelight, but Buffy could've sworn she saw Spike blush. "It wasn't that big of a deal. Didn't even incapacitate me. I was still able to swim to this island and everything."

"Still… It was very brave of you, Captain. Were it not for you and your daring, I would still be at the mercy of that cruel brigand. I owe you my life, William."

"I could do nothing but fight for you, fair Elizabeth. From the moment I first laid eyes on you, I have been bewitched. You've managed to weave your spell around me, my beauty, making me wish to be nothing more than your willing slave."

"Oh William, I…" Buffy stopped, pulling away from him. "What the hell are we saying? And my god, are my breasts actually heaving?"

Spike glanced down. "Uh, yeah. They are a little."

"Stop staring at my boobs, Spike."

Spike held up his hands in self-defense. "You're the one who pointed them out, Slayer."

Buffy frowned. "We need to get out of here before I slip into a total repeat of Halloween '97 and start hollering about the 'man with the musket.'"

"Your hair's not brown," Spike pointed out.

"Oh, well, that's ever so comforting," Buffy replied sarcastically.

"Look, why don't we just get some rest? Maybe we'll be able to suss things out in the morning."

"Or we could be eaten by rabid land sharks in our sleep," Buffy muttered.

"Doubt it. Land sharks aren't warm-blooded, so they can't contract rabies. Besides, they're also demons, and it doesn't seem like this place is very demony."

Buffy stared at Spike. "Are you telling me 'land sharks' are real?"

"Well, yeah. I mean, I've never seen one knock on a door and yell 'candygram,' but they're real enough. Although if I were you, I'd be more worried about wild boars, or something of the sort."

Buffy's eyes widened. "Wild… Spike, that's really not making me feel any better."

Spike reached out and squeezed her shoulder. "Don't worry, kitten. You've got me to protect you."

Buffy frowned. That did make her feel better, and she still wasn't completely comfortable with that concept, despite what "Lady Elizabeth's" thoughts may have been on the matter. "Fine, let's sleep," she said. "And preferably manage to avoid the wild boars and the land sharks."

Spike lay down in the sand, putting his arm behind his head. "Come here, luv. No point in both of us getting all sandy."

"My hair's already pretty icky as it is," Buffy said in token protest before lying down at his side, her head resting on his chest. Spike wrapped his free arm around her waist, and she closed her eyes, letting the roll of the ocean and the beat of his heart lull her to sleep.


Eight

Buffy woke with every joint stiff and the blinding sun in her eyes. She sat up and stretched, wincing as she did. "Remind me never to sleep in the sand again," she muttered.

"I'm with you there, pet," Spike grumbled, sitting up beside her. "I can't feel my arm." He shook the offending appendage, frowning.

"Your circulation got cut off."

"Oh. I forgot it could do that."

"Wear a corset for awhile and you'll never forget again," Buffy replied, still trying to stretch out her sore muscles.

"I'll pass, thanks." Buffy looked at him for a moment before erupting into giggles. Spike frowned harder. "What's so bloody funny?"

"I'm sorry," Buffy said, trying unsuccessfully to stifle her laughter. "It's just I had this picture of you being all Rocky Horror."

Spike glared. "Watch it, Slayer."

"Sorry," Buffy said again, although the look on her face made Spike believe she didn't really mean it.

"Well, now that you've had a nice laugh at my expense, let's see if maybe we can get our bearings here."

Buffy sobered, biting her bottom lip. "How long do you think we'll be stuck on this island?"

"I don't know, pet, but I figure as long as we're here, we'll need to make the most of it."

"I feel helpless," Buffy admitted softly. "I don't like it."

Spike put his hand on her shoulder. "We'll get out of this, and you'll get back to Dawn. I promise you that."

"But what if we are stuck here forever? What if I'm trapped on this island for the rest of my life, and what if I'm not there to stop Glory from…" Buffy trailed off, unable to say anymore.

"Won't happen, Slayer. You're the good guy, she's the bad guy. You'll win."

"I think you've been in this magical land of make-believe too long, Spike. You of all people should know sometimes the bad guy wins."

"I never won with you."

"We never had our final fight. That was taken from us."

Spike smiled warmly at her. "Maybe that was for the best. You've kind of grown on me."

"Is that the dread pirate William talking again?"

"No. Just Spike."

"Spike hates me."

"Sometimes." He met her eyes. "But recently those times have been fewer and farther between."

Buffy felt her stomach flip. He was looking at her with such intensity, and Buffy realized that if she hadn't slipped into character, then he probably hadn't either. But if that was the case, then why did he have that look in his eyes? She realized she'd seen it before—in the alley outside of the Bronze the night he'd told her about killing the other two Slayers. She'd been sure then that he'd wanted to kiss her, and now…

Buffy jumped to her feet. "We should get going. Find shelter, food, water—you know, the basic necessities for sustaining life." She laughed nervously.

Spike sighed inwardly, realizing Buffy had sensed he'd wanted to kiss her and that she was now running scared. He felt the urge to grab her, to pull her into his arms and show her how good a kiss between the two of them could be, but suddenly he realized he couldn't be sure if these were his own feelings or those of his bloody pirate persona. He knew that in the outside world he'd wanted Buffy for a while, but now he wasn't sure if he had control over his words and actions or someone else, and that bothered him. He didn't like not being able to think for himself. Spike stood, wiping the sand of off himself. "Right. Basic necessities. Let's head off then."

They kept their distance from each other as they began an exploration of the island.

---

Buffy and Spike stopped in a clearing. A small but sturdy looking shelter stood on the other edge, with what appeared to be makeshift cooking supplies strewn about outside about. Spike felt Buffy reach out and grab his arm, and he looked down at her. "What is it, kitten?"

"Do you think maybe we're not alone on this island?"

"I don't know. This place looks like it hasn't been touched in a while. We may as well scout a bit, though—see if anyone's home."

Buffy nodded, her hand never leaving Spike's arm. When they peeked into the shelter and found it empty, they ventured into the woods, wondering if maybe whoever had built this camp was nearby. They hadn't gotten too far away from the clearing when they discovered they were in fact alone—or at least the only living people in the area.

At the sight of the human skeleton lying on the ground in front of them, Buffy cried out, turning to bury her head against Spike's chest. He wrapped his arms around her, trying to soothe her as tremors wracked her small frame. Eventually, Elizabeth looked up, tears still shimmering in her eyes. "Oh, William! Is this the fate that awaits us, too?"

William gently wiped her damp cheeks with his thumb. "No, my sweet little Elizabeth. I promise you that I will never allow you meet such an end. I will do everything in my power to protect you, and I shall fight until my very last breath to see you safely returned to civilization."

"I'm so frightened!" Elizabeth exclaimed, her hold on William tightening. "But…" As she spoke her next words, Elizabeth lowered her eyes shyly. "But I feel safer when I am with you. I once feared you so since you are such a brute of a man, but now I cannot help but feel secure in your strong arms."

"And you will never be anything but secure in them, darling Elizabeth. I feel nothing but remorse for doing such a cruel thing as attacking your ship and taking you hostage. Were it not for me, you would no doubt be safe now. I cannot help but hate myself for putting a precious treasure such as yourself into so dangerous a situation."

"Please, William, don't say that! Don't say you regret what has allowed us to meet! As terrible as our fate seems to be, I do not regret the night you plundered my vessel, and I cannot bear to think you could either!"

"How can you not loathe me for what I have done to you?"

"Because I can no longer imagine a world in which I do not have you."

Her words made William's heart burst with joy. Was it actually possible that his dearest Elizabeth felt even a fraction of the emotions that she stirred within him? He knew what he felt blossoming inside him was a love the likes of he'd never know before. She had planted herself inside of his heart, and the roots had already grown deep. He cupped her face in his hand, marveling at the softness of her skin against his calloused fingers. She was a beauty so rare, so pure, and he knew that he had to feel her lips against his own. "Oh, Elizabeth. My sweet, sweet Elizabeth," he whispered, her name like a prayer as it tumbled from his mouth.

Elizabeth knew he was going to kiss her, and felt her insides trembling in both anticipation and fear. Admiral Finn had never presumed to take such liberties with her, and she couldn't help but wonder what it would feel like to kiss a man, especially this brash, handsome pirate. His slightest touch had made her tingle, and she somehow knew that kissing him would make her soar.

And oh, how it did! The kiss was soft, exploratory, as if he was learning the taste of her. Soon, however, his arms tightened around her, bringing her soft, supple body against his harder one. Despite an initial flash of shock as his tongue entered her mouth, Elizabeth was soon following William's lead, unable to stifle a moan as his touch brought her to a place she'd never dared to explore before. It was like heaven, a deep, magical…

Suddenly, their eyes snapped open, and Buffy and Spike pulled away from each other sharply. Spike watched Buffy's reaction, noting with some satisfaction that this time she managed not to wipe her mouth furiously while screaming about "Spike lips."

"What the hell was that?" Buffy asked when she managed to calm herself down enough to speak.

"Dunno, luv," Spike replied with a cocky grin, trying to disguise how much that little incident had managed to knock him arse over tit. "Seems like William and Elizabeth are getting a bit hot for each other."

"Ugh. Stupid romance novel." Buffy kicked her foot and sighed when she realized she'd kicked the skeleton. "We should move this guy if we're going to stay here. The bones have pretty much been stripped, but there's still a chance it could attract predators."

Spike nodded. This was his Buffy again. No nonsense, practical. Powerless yes, but still able to slip into Slayer mode. He felt more at ease with Buffy in the driver's seat of her body again. "Right. And then we need to take a look around, see what we can find in the way of fresh water and food."

"Yeah. They're the two necessities left seeing as Jolly Roger down there seems to have provided us with the shelter part."

"Pretty convenient that."

Buffy's eyes stayed trained on the skeleton as she muttered, "Gotta love those plot devices."

---

Willow stared at the map in front of her, her brows knitted. "This can't be right."

"What's wrong?" Xander asked, moving to stand behind the witch to see for himself the outcome of the locator spell. "Where does it say Buffy is?"

Willow and Tara shared a look, confirming that they were both seeing the same result. "According to this, Buffy's in the Magic Box," Willow replied.

"What! But we looked here!" Xander exclaimed. "Oh god, what if she's pulled a Marcie! Have we been ignoring her?"

"I don't think she's invisible. She'd probably at least let us know she was around if that was the case," Willow said. She frowned, looking down at the map. "Something must be off with the spell."

"Besides," Tara added, "The spell says Spike's here, too."

"You know, this book is missing, and…"

"Not now, Anya!" Xander snapped, not bothering to turn around and look at her. "Now would probably be the time for you to think about something other than business and money."

"We should do the spell again," Willow said. "Something must have gone wrong."

"You'll just get the same results," Anya muttered, not particularly surprised when no one paid her any attention. Instead, she started to walk around slowly, moving things around on shelves.

"Xander, tell Anya to cut out whatever she's doing," Willow said after a moment. "She's breaking my concentration."

"Anya, sit down," Xander said immediately.

"But I'm looking for the book."

"Well, stop it! Geez, Anya, you'd think that you'd be a little more sensitive to the fact that Buffy's…"

"Wait a minute," Giles said, cutting Xander off. "Anya, which book is missing?"

Anya walked back over to the box on the counter and snatched one of the books out of it, waving it in the air for Giles to see. "One of these."

Giles immediately responded by cleaning his glasses. "Oh good Lord."

Xander glanced rapidly several times between Anya and Giles before settling on Giles. He gestured towards the other man. "It's so not a good sign when he does that."

Tara looked up from her position on the floor. "What's going on?" she asked.

"We need to find that book, and we need to find it now," Giles replied.

"What's the deal with the book?" Willow asked.

"Well, if what I believe Anya is suggesting is correct, then the spell may very well be accurate. Buffy and Spike are in fact in the shop—and quite possibly in some trouble."

"Okay, you need to work on the specifics there a bit, G-man," Xander said.

"It's an enchanted book," Anya announced. "Reading aloud from it takes you, and anyone who happens to be with you at the time, into the story itself."

"Why would anyone want to get sucked inside of a book?" Xander asked.

Anya rolled her eyes. And he told her she never got things. "It's a romance novel, Xander. See the lurid cover?"

"A romance novel? So that would mean people go in there to…oh." Willow's eyes grew wide as she realized exactly what was being implied. "Oh!"

"This is why if Buffy is indeed in this book with Spike we must get her out immediately," Giles said.

"It's Spike," Xander said. "It's not like Buffy's going to do the wacky with the evil undead."

"But that's part of the enchantment," Anya explained. "The book takes over, allowing you to eventually become your characters. There's a basic script for the story, and you will follow it. It allows the user to become more involved in the fantasy and makes everything much more realistic."

"So you're saying that Buffy's stuck in a book that's going to make her to have sex with Spike?" Xander asked, trying to wrap his head around that particular concept.

"Precisely," Anya replied. "Although I doubt she'll really mind. Romance novel sex is always really good."

Giles replied to Anya's last statement by blushing heavily and giving his glasses another thorough cleaning. "Yes, well, that aside, I say we need to find the book and make sure that doesn't happen."

"If they are in the book, how will we get them out once we find it?" Tara asked.

"I'm not entirely sure," Giles replied. "Usually the, um, reader, stays inside until the novel has reached its set ending."

"And by that point, Spike and Buffy are sure to have had lots of satisfying but potentially problematic sex," Anya said.

"We get that, Ahn," Xander said. "No need to keep spelling it out. Giles, what do we do?"

"We find the book. If they are in there, well, we have to see if there's anything we can do to release the magic that's holding them inside before they can advance much further into the plot."

"Although they've probably already had sex," Anya said. "They've been there since last night, and things tend to move a bit faster in these types of alternate dimensions."

"Anya!" Xander yelled. "Stop being so pessimistic!"

"I'm not! If anything, I'm being optimistic. Buffy's been really tense lately, and with Riley being gone, well…"

Giles pinched the bridge of his nose, his eyes screwed shut. "Anya, please, spare us all and stop right there." To Giles's great relief, she did, although her facial expression made it clear that she thought everyone in the room was ignoring obvious logic. "No more discussion until we find this book. We may very well be too late, but for Buffy's sake, we need to try our best to get her out of this situation."

The rest of the room agreed.


Nine

Buffy straightened up around the small shelter that was apparently going to be their new home, while Spike searched the surrounding area for food and water. The inside of the shelter was fairly well-kept, complete with a bed made from leaves that was surprisingly comfortable and undisturbed by nature. She couldn't even find any bugs or other little creatures living in it. It was also big enough for two, despite the fact that Mr. Bones seemed to have been living alone. All very convenient.

As was the fact that she wasn't all that hungry even though she hadn't eaten in well over a day. She also felt clean despite her current lack of bathing, and she didn't stink. Nor did Spike, even with his current pirate status. Neither one of them had bad breath, and her hair managed to be, at worst, a bit tousled. And now that she thought about it, she hadn't had to go to the bathroom once since she'd woken up on the ship.

Buffy supposed those were the perks of living in a work of fiction.

If it weren't for the fact that she periodically lost her free will and felt the desire to jump her mortal enemy coupled with her "trapped" status, this wouldn't really be so bad. Sort of like a tropical vacation. A tropical vacation with Spike, which was turning out to be surprisingly not so bad.

Buffy shook her head. That must be Elizabeth invading her thoughts again. Buffy only tolerated Spike because she had to, not because she enjoyed his company.

Spike walked into the shelter, and Buffy jumped. He smirked when he realized he'd startled her, and Buffy decided that was something else she missed about her slayerness—being able to tell when someone was trying to sneak up on her. "Spike! I thought you were looking around."

"I was. Found some nice, sparkly water. Thought you might want to see it."

"Oh. Well, um, lead the way then."

Buffy's cheeks were slightly flushed as she followed Spike into the woods. While common sense told him it was simply her embarrassment from him being able to startle her, he couldn't help but hope that maybe he was affecting her like she was him. That had been quite a kiss after all, and even if someone else had been doing the thinking, it had still been Buffy's body. She had to have reacted to it physically, didn't she?

When Spike pushed away the low-hanging branches in front of them, Buffy gasped. It was one of the most beautiful places she'd ever seen: a crystal-blue spring set in a tropical paradise. Birds sang from their perches high in the branches of trees that hung heavy with fruit. Vibrantly colored flowers accentuated the landscape, and she longed to feel the rush from the small waterfall on the other side of the pool.

"Oh, William, it's lovely," Elizabeth said as she turned to face him.

"You like it, sweet?"

"Oh, yes! I dare say I shan't ever see a place more beautiful than this, even if I live to be a hundred!"

"I can think of only one thing I have ever seen that rivals it in beauty." William's intense stare made his meaning apparent to Elizabeth, and she blushed and turned her head away.

"William, you flatter me too much."

"I think I do not flatter you enough. You are the loveliest creature I have ever had the fortune of gazing upon. Every inch of you radiates beauty. You're…effulgent."

Elizabeth looked up at his face again, this time with tears shimmering in her bright green eyes. "You are not the course scoundrel I believed you to be when we first met, William. You speak to me with the heart of a poet."

"I merely utter the words that spring to my lips when I gaze upon your beauty." William cupped her cheek, his heart swelling for her. He wanted to touch her, but felt unworthy to do so. She was such a pure creature—what right did he have to taint her? He dropped his hand. "You must be thirsty. Come, the water is fine to drink."

Elizabeth felt disappointment flood her. She had been certain that William was going to kiss her again, and she had already begun to long for the delicious feelings his touch stirred inside of her. As he pulled away, she wanted to initiate a kiss with him, but was embarrassed by even the mere thought of being such a brazen woman. Instead, she let him lead her to the water's edge. Suddenly, she tripped over a root, reaching out and grabbing William as she fell, pulling them both into the water.

"Bloody hell, Buffy!" Spike shook his head, trying to get the dripping white-blond strands of hair out of his eyes. "Are you trying to drown me now?"

Buffy sputtered. "It wasn't me! It was Elizabeth!"

"Well isn't she a right clumsy chit, then?" Spike snapped. He found himself quickly tiring of those schizophrenic moments, especially since Captain William was starting to remind him a bit too much of his pre-vampire self. Had he actually used the word "effulgent?"

"Yeah, well, for all I know, William knocked me in!" Buffy retorted.

"Now you're just being argumentative."

Buffy gave him a dirty look, and Spike then realized that the water had made the clothes she was wearing almost see-through. The wet fabric clung to her skin, and he couldn't manage to do anything but stare. She looked so deliciously indignant, and with her every curve highlighted in such a manner, Spike couldn't hold himself back. He made his way over to her quickly and grabbed her, kissing her roughly.

Buffy's eyes widened. Was this Spike or William? She certainly wasn't Elizabeth, which would lead her to believe that the man kissing her now was not William. But why would Spike do this? He wrapped his arms tightly around her, pulling her flush against him. Buffy could feel him so easily through their wet clothes, and she moaned. Even if her mind was confused by this turn of events, her body knew how to respond. She wondered if the book was controlling only their actions now, instead of their thoughts and speech, too, as it had earlier. That had to be it. She couldn't come up with any other reason for kissing Spike.

She gripped his shoulders, not trusting her footing on the uneven ground of the lakebed. This kiss was different that the one before when they'd been in character. The kiss was bruising, and even at his most passionate, William had never been this rough. She realized then that this was wholly Spike. He kissed her the same way he fought, with violence and passion mingling together as he poured everything he was into a single physical act.

When they broke apart, her whispered her name, tangling soft reverence and rough need in the sound. Buffy's fingers dug into his arms as their eyes met, surprise echoed between them. It seemed he'd been almost as unprepared for that as she had been. He dipped his face towards her again, and Buffy moved to meet him. She wanted to give into the fire that had been stirring in her since the first kiss they'd shared on this island.

Suddenly, Spike lifted her, and she wrapped her legs around his waist as he carried her back to land. He laid her out on the grass, moving to cover her body with his. He tore himself away from her lips, trailing his mouth across her jaw line. "I want you, Buffy," he whispered in her ear, his voice rough with need. "I was you so much."

"Spike," Buffy said softly, barely managing anything more than a whimper. She thrust her hips up, craving contact and moaned at the bulge she felt pressing into her. "I want you, too." And god, she did. Whether it was the book making her feel this way or not, she didn't care. She just needed more of this.

Spike stiffened on top of her, his ministrations ceasing. Buffy frowned. Why was he stopping? He wasn't supposed to stop now. "Spike?"

"Shh." His eyes widened, and he stood up, pulling her with him, then pushing her behind him.

"What's…" She stopped when she saw a large boar only a few feet away from them.

"Elizabeth, go back into the water."

"William, it will surely harm you!"

"Do as I say, Elizabeth, please!" William entreated her as he drew a knife from his belt.

Elizabeth slipped back into the water, wrapping her arms defensively around herself as she watched William. What would she do if something were to happen to him? In such a short time he had gone from her most hated enemy to someone she felt she would die without. She gazed upon the scene with bated breath, her heart clenching as she feared the worst.

William struck as soon as the boar came for him, pushing the creature to the ground as he plunged the knife into it. The beast began to squeal horribly, and William continued to stab it until the sound was no more. He let out a sigh of relief as he looked down at the boar's carcass.

Elizabeth ran from the water and threw her arms around William, seemingly unaffected by the blood that now stained his clothes. "I was so afraid something would happen to you, William!"

"Wouldn't have let that happen," William replied as he dropped the knife and embraced her. "I had to protect you." He looked at her face and saw the tears rolling down her porcelain-smooth cheeks. "Don't cry, lamb. Everything is fine now. We're both safe."

"But…but what if we hadn't been?"

"Wasn't going to happen. I would never allow harm to befall you." William pressed a chaste kiss to her forehead. "Come, darling. Let's get you back to the shelter."

He picked her up, cradling her trembling body in his arms as her carried her away from the spring.

---

"Found it!"

The group in the Magic Box turned to see Anya standing behind the counter, triumphantly holding up the book. "Are they all right?" Willow asked. "Is there anyway you can find that out?"

Anya rolled her eyes. "Well, yeah, read the book."

"You mean the book is telling the story of what's happening to Spike and Buffy?" Tara asked.

"Yes. Once the person enters the story, the pages become blank, only to be written on as the story unfolds." Anya flipped through to the last written on page. "William just killed a boar."

"William?" Xander asked.

"It's what the book says. And that's Spike's real name, isn't it?" Anya replied. "William the Bloody?" She frowned. "You know, a friend of mine knew a guy that everyone called William the Bloody, but he wasn't anything like Spike, at least from what she said. And that was way back in my vengeance demon days, so that guy would be…"

"Anya, that's great, hon, but it's not relevant to Buffy or Spike," Xander said. "What's going on in the story? Are we too late?"

"Too late? They're both fine, and…" Anya trailed off with a sigh. "Oh. You mean have they had sex." She flipped though the pages for a moment before looking up and announcing, "Nope. There's still just lots of unresolved sexual tension."

"Well, that's good, I think," Giles said with frown. "Anya, would you mind keeping an eye on Spike and Buffy's progress through the book while we work on a way to bring them back to this world?"

"No problem," Anya replied. "This looks like a juicy read." She walked over to the table and sat down in one of the chairs, propping up her feet. "If you want to deprive Buffy of great orgasms, you better hurry," she said after a moment. "These two are about to pop. You should read this scene in the water. Damn."

"Anya!" Xander said, unable to handle what his girlfriend was saying.

"What? Giles told me to read the book, so I'm reading the book."

"Anya," Giles said as he furiously cleaned his glasses. "It may be best to keep the occurrences in the novel to yourself unless Buffy and Spike are in grave danger. For all our sanity."

Anya shrugged. "Whatever." She turned her attention back to the novel.

"I'm gonna head out and get some coffee," Xander said. "This looks like it's going to be a long night."

As Xander left, Giles, Willow, and Tara gather together to start discussing how exactly they were going to save Buffy.


Ten

Elizabeth and William sat together outside their new "home," the only light now available that of the moon and the fire in front of them. William had managed to clean and cook the boar he had killed earlier, and Elizabeth had to admit that she was impressed by his culinary skills. The idea of eating the creature had been somewhat off-putting to her at first, but her suddenly ravenous stomach had convinced her to take a chance, and she was quite happy that she had. How William had managed to cook something so delicious with what little supplies they were offered was beyond her, but she didn't question it. She took another bite, hoping that she was managing to still eat like a lady even here in this setting.

Suddenly, Buffy looked down at the piece of meat she was holding and frowned. Something was very wrong. She knew she'd been Elizabeth for a moment, but something was different this time, something more unsettling than usual.

"Um, how did we get here?"

Buffy looked up at Spike as he spoke and realized what the problem was this time. "I have no clue. One second we were walking away from the pool, and then the next thing I knew I was coming off another one of those freaky Elizabeth mind switch things."

"William cooked this," Spike said, holding up a piece of boar meat. "I have no memory of actually doing that. Something's just telling me it happened."

"Do you think maybe our characters took over completely for a while?" Buffy asked.

"I don't know." Spike's brow furrowed as he thought for a moment. "Maybe we're skipping around in the narrative."

"Huh?"

"Well, maybe William cooked this, but it wasn't in the novel. Just mentioned, you know?"

"So we just what, skipped ahead a few pages?"

"No. It didn't happen because the book was leaving out the unimportant parts. But it's part of the story, so we think it happened."

Buffy closed her eyes and took a deep breath. This was getting to be too much. "So now it's not only controlling our words and actions but jerking us around through time, too?"

"I suppose. It's just a theory. I'm not really understanding this anymore than you are, Buffy."

Buffy threw the meat down to the ground and stood up. "I can't take this anymore! I'm weak, all this Elizabeth-Buffy switch stuff is making my head hurt, and I'm wearing really silly clothes!" She started towards the shelter, but Spike ran after her, grabbing her by the arm and pulling her towards him.

"It'll be all right. Things look bad now, I know, but we'll get back."

"But I want to go home now! I've had enough of this stupid book."

"You're freaked out by what just happened, Buffy," Spike said, rubbing her arms as he realized she was trembling. "But you've faced worse, and you've survived. This isn't going to be the end of you, Slayer. I promise you that."

"But what if it is? What if I die here just like that guy we found earlier did?"

"You won't! None of this is real, Buffy. It's just a story, just fiction. And we're the main characters, all right? We're going to be okay. That guy, he was never anything but those bones."

"But it feels real! And what if it becomes real? What if we become William and Elizabeth, and we're stuck here forever, and this is our lives, and…"

Spike silenced her with a kiss. Buffy's eyes widened for a moment before she gave into the sensations he was creating inside of her, moaning against his mouth. He took it as an invitation, and slipped his tongue inside, hers eagerly moving to join. When they broke apart, both were gasping for air.

"William…"

William held on to Elizabeth's arms as if trying to push her away but not quite able to. "Oh, Elizabeth, I want you. I shouldn't, I know, but I cannot stop the tide of my desire."

Elizabeth turned her head, blushing furiously. "I…I want you, too, William. I…I give you permission."

"Elizabeth, my darling, you do not know what you're asking me to do…or how you're tempting me."

Elizabeth looked up, her expression both shy and full of unrealized desire. "I do know. I…I know what you want, William, and I'm willing to give it to you."

"Do you, Elizabeth? Do you know what happens between a man and a woman?"

Elizabeth breathed in deeply. "You could show me."

Her innocent yet lust-filled tone was William's undoing. He scooped her up, carrying her into the shelter. He laid her down on the bed of leaves, then stood again, Elizabeth's arms immediately reaching for him. "Don't worry, my sweet," he cooed as he took off his boots and shirt. "I'm not leaving you."

William dropped down into Elizabeth's arms, covering her face with kisses. "My darling…my angel…Oh, Elizabeth, how I want you!"

"I want you, too, William. I…I love you." The last three words she spoke were soft, conveying her fear at uttering them.

William pushed himself up on one elbow, using the other hand to smooth her golden tresses away from her face. "Do…do you mean that, Elizabeth?"

Elizabeth steeled herself and met his deep, blue eyes. "Yes. I love you, William."

"I love you, too."

Any lingering doubts Elizabeth may have been feeling about what she was going to do fluttered away at the sound of those words coming from William's lips. He loved her! That could only mean that this was right, no matter what the society she had been a part of before may have told her. The rules of the past had no meaning here, on this island. All that matter now was the two of them and their love for each other.

"I want to see you, Elizabeth. May I?"

Elizabeth looked at William with confusion. "See me? I'm right here, William."

He grinned at her innocence. "No, my sweet, I mean see all of you. Without your clothes."

Elizabeth's nervousness returned and she reddened. "You wish to undress me?"

"That is part of this thing that we are doing, darling. Do you not wish to continue?" William started to pull away from her

"No!" Elizabeth protested the loss of his warmth. When she realized he took her negative answer as meaning she did not want more from him, she locked her legs behind him, pulling him down against her. "I don't want you to stop, William."

Her unexpected action pushed William against her core, and he moaned, the heat of her almost too much for him. Elizabeth's eyes widened as she felt his bulge press into her, and she wondered what on earth it could be. Her curiosity and desire boiled together inside of her, and she thrust her hips, her body knowing instinctively what it needed even if her mind did not.

William clenched his teeth, forcing himself to remember that she was untried and that he must take this slowly. It wouldn't do at all to frighten her off now that he had her love. He felt as if he was touching heaven, and he could not allow it to slip from his fingers because of his own carelessness.

As William began to undress her, Elizabeth fought against her fear. Despite their initial meeting, Elizabeth knew this pirate would not harm her. His touch had brought her such pleasure so far, and she could not help but desire more. Besides, it had somehow become unbearably hot within the tiny shelter, and her clothing seemed to only be causing her discomfort. She protested no more as William bared her naked body to his eyes.

It wasn't until William stopped that Elizabeth's nervousness returned. He was looking at her with such unrepentant want that it caused a blush to spread over her entire body. She moved to cover herself, and it was then that the trance that William seemed to be in broke. He grabbed her arms. "No," he said, his voice roughened in a way that sent a shiver through Elizabeth's heated flesh. "I want to see you. You are beautiful, Elizabeth. I feel as honored as if I were allowed to view Venus herself."

Elizabeth admired his perfectly sculpted chest, high cheekbones, and intense blue eyes, now darkened with desire. No man had ever affected her in such a way. He took her breath away. She cupped his face with her delicate hand and smiled warmly at him. "You're beautiful, too, William."

He graced her with a wide smile before he descended again, kissing her with scorching passion. Elizabeth kissed him back eagerly, the embraces they'd already shared making her feel comfortable with this action. Then, he made a move that she had not been expecting. He reached his hand between her legs, stroking her inside of her womanly folds. Elizabeth's eyes grew wide, and she tore away from his mouth, moaning and arching her hips to grind against his exploring fingers.

William moved his lips to her ear, giving the lobe a quick pull with his teeth before whispering, "Do you like that, Elizabeth? Do you want more?"

"Yes! Oh, William, yes!"

He began to move his fingers against her faster, his mouth moving again, this time to kiss and lick her neck. As Elizabeth began to climb higher towards her peak, she grabbed on to his shoulders, riding his hand as her harsh pants became keening yells.

Sensing how close she was, William raised his head, looking into her eyes. He watched as she broke apart, his gaze never moving away from hers as she called his name in her first climax. When he finally took his hand away, she was trembling. Her grip on him was still tight as if she felt the need to hold on to him to keep herself grounded.

Elizabeth had never imagined that she could feel such a thing. She had known very little about what occurred between a man and a woman other than that it was supposed to be rather uncomfortable for the woman—something to be endured. But this…this was a beautiful thing. She decided then that William must know something that other men did not.

"That was wonderful," she told him once she felt her voice was useable again.

William gave her a prideful smirk. "And that was only the beginning, kitten."

Elizabeth gasped. "There's more?"

"Oh yes, my love. So much more. I'm going to teach you how to fly." He stood then, and Elizabeth cried out, rebelling against the loss of his warmth. He smiled down at her. "Shh…I'll rejoin you in a moment, dove." He reached down to the fastening of his breeches.

Elizabeth gasped as the last of his clothing fell to the ground. "What…what is that?"

William couldn't suppress the chuckle that erupted from him at her naïve question. "It's my cock, love."

Elizabeth blushed once again. She had never heard that word used that way before, but she was positive it was dirty. "I've never seen such a thing before. How…how do you fit something so large into your breeches?"

William smiled at that question as he lay back down on top of her, smoothing her hair back again. He didn't think he'd ever get his fill of touching her hair. It was like spun gold. "It's not always like this, sweet. Only when I am full of desire and lust for a woman."

"So it is large because of me then?"

"Oh yes, Elizabeth. All because of you."

With William on top of her, Elizabeth could feel what he had called his "cock" pressing into her, only now without the breeches in the way, she could feel the heat of his velvety skin. Curiosity overcoming her, she reached down and wrapped her hand around his shaft.

William cried out in surprise and then groaned in pleasure. Elizabeth's unpracticed touch was doing more to him than he was sure even the most skilled harlot could do. A few moments only, and he was very close to embarrassing himself. He took her hand away, and she looked at him, her eyes wide and fearful again. "Did I do something wrong?" she asked.

William smiled at her. "'Course not. It's just not the time for that, all right? We'll play later. Right now I need to be inside you."

Elizabeth's brow furrowed. "Inside me? What ever do you mean?"

"Let me show you." William slid his hand between them, stroking her again, rebuilding her pleasure until she was gasping. As her eyes glazed over and he knew she was nearing another peak, William used his other had to position himself at her entrance. He slid into her as slowly as he could manage, his teeth clenched with the strain of not burying himself in her tight, welcoming heat as quickly as he possible.

Elizabeth's eyes widened in surprise. Before there had been so much pleasure, and now it felt as if William had torn through her. She struggled beneath him, but William stroked her body, placing kisses all over her face as he murmured soothing words.

"Shh…it's all right, my darling. The pain will pass. Just trust me, love, trust me to make it feel good. Would never hurt you, kitten. Only want to make love to you, Buffy…"

"Oh my god, Spike!"

They stared at each other, eyes widening almost comically. "I…um…it was William?" Spike said, hoping desperately that Buffy wouldn't kill him for this. Although to be fair, he really hadn't had any control over his actions, and she had been just as amorous as he'd been.

"Damn, who would've thought that chaste little Elizabeth would be such a tramp?" Buffy muttered, trying to take her mind off the fact that Spike was buried so intimately inside of her.

"Must be William's dashingly good looks," Spike replied, making no move to pull away.

"Ego much?" Spike snorted in response. Buffy took a deep breath. "Okay, so we should stop this now."

"Right. Because we're mortal enemies and all that."

"Yes. So not the little lust bunnies that were in our bodies a few moments ago."

"No. We're not them."

"I don't even want you."

"I don't want you either."

Within moments, they were kissing again, Buffy's arms and legs wrapping around his back to pull him closer. Spike moaned, his hips thrusting as he sought his pleasure in a woman he'd craved since the first moment he saw her. Buffy met every movement with her own hips, her body desperate for what Spike was offering. She chanted his name over and over, her nails scoring long, red welts down his back as his relentless pounding brought her to new levels of ecstasy. When her climax hit her, she screamed, the world momentarily growing dark around her.

When she came to herself again, Spike was still moving inside her, his thrusts amazingly controlled and steady. She felt another orgasm riding on the tail of the last, and she whimpered, her brain heading towards pleasure overload. "Spike…oh god, it's too much."

"Just one more, pet," he whispered in her ear, his voice hoarse with the strain of his actions. "I'll come with you this time."

"Yes…" Buffy hissed, the idea of Spike climaxing along with her pushing her closer towards the edge.

Spike increased the pistoning of his hips, his hand working back down to rub Buffy in time with his thrusts. Buffy cried out, her legs tightening around him to the point that Spike wondered for a second if, with her Slayer strength, if she'd be able to crush bones that way. But then all thoughts left his mind to be replaced by blinding pleasure as, true to his word, he lost himself inside of Buffy as she fluttered around him.

The only sounds in the shelter for some time were their ragged breathing, until Buffy finally spoke.

"You're squishing me."

"Oh, sorry." Spike rolled off of her, lying at her side. To his surprise, Buffy followed him over, resting her head on his chest. "Buffy…"

"No. Don't say anything. I don't want to talk about it. Let's just let it be what it was, okay?"

"And what was it?"

"It was…it was that."

Spike bit the inside of his cheek to keep from saying anything else. He wanted more than that, wanted to know if her feelings for him had changed. He'd been in love with her for what seemed like so long now, and what had just transpired between them had been one of the most amazing experiences of his existence. But he knew Buffy, knew how easily she could turn cold on him again. He knew she wouldn't have done this had they never ended up in this book, and he had no illusions of it happening again once they returned to Sunnydale. All he'd have of her right now was this, and if she was willing to stay in his arms for the moment, he wasn't going to open his big mouth and ruin everything.

Instead, he held her, watching her even long after she drifted off to sleep.

---

"We're too late."

The entire Scooby Gang turned at Anya's words, although none of them seemed as if they'd fully processed them. "What do you mean we're too late?" Xander asked for all of them.

"Buffy and Spike just had sex. Good sex, too. Buffy had three orgasms." Everyone but Anya blushed, although she didn't understand what the trouble was. With sex like that, Buffy should be much happier than she had been before going into the book. If she didn't already have Xander, Anya would've asked Buffy if she'd be willing to share Spike. He seemed like a good find.

"Oh goddess, poor Buffy!" Willow exclaimed.

"Poor Buffy?" Anya asked, visibly perplexed. "Did you hear the three orgasms part?"

"Yes, we did," Giles said, predictably cleaning his glasses. "I'd ask for you not to repeat it again."

"But the book made her do that!" Willow said, clarifying her response. "It's…it's like she's been raped!"

"Not how I read it," Anya said. "Okay, well, for the first part they were in character, but that last bit was all Spike and Buffy. You can tell because the names shift—and she was most definitely screaming Spike's name."

"Oh dear lord."

"I'm with the stuffy British man," Xander muttered, sitting down.

"You people can make with the drama if you want, but I'm saying we're going to have one relaxed Slayer when all this is said and done."

"Anya, could you please just not talk?" Xander said.

Anya shrugged and went back to the book. Yet another reminder that she would never fully understand human behavior.


Eleven

Buffy woke up very aware of the warm, naked body pressed up against her. Her eyes opened and then bulged when she saw Spike. The events of the night before rushed back to her, and Buffy turned bright red. How could she have done that with Spike? The very thought was disgusting.

Only it wasn't. It should be, Buffy knew. The thought of letting a vampire touch her like that. Well, a vampire that wasn't Angel. Because he had a soul, and that made him different.

But Angel also didn't make you feel like that… Buffy wanted to scream at the traitorous voice in the back of her mind. The same one that always said things she didn't want to hear when Spike was around. Like how sexy that thing he did with his tongue was, or how hot his butt looked in those tight jeans…

She shook her head. No. She wasn't going to even begin to go there. She was just going to get up, find her clothes, and get away from Spike. She started to, when Spike muttered in his sleep, pulling her closer to him. Her eyes widened when she felt that at least part of him was awake. She was definitely getting away now. There was no way she was going to stay here with him like that.

But instead of moving out of the bed, she moved towards him, pressing herself back against his erection with a low moan. She could still remember the way it had felt to be with him the previous night, and lord help her, she wanted him again…

"Mmm…mornin', pet."

His deep, husky voice rumbling against her was her undoing. She knew she shouldn't want this, that being with him was wrong even if, in this place, she wasn't the Slayer and he wasn't a vampire, but the damage had already been done the night before. She cursed that little brat Elizabeth for getting into this mess. If she hadn't started things with William, then Buffy never would've felt the need to finish them with Spike.

Or want to go again now.

Buffy gasped as Spike's hand snaked down between her legs. "Wet already, kitten? Were you having naughty dreams?"

"No," Buffy replied, the word followed by a desperate whimper as she arched herself into Spike's hand. "It's just from waking up next to you." Buffy's eyes widened at her admission. Why in the world had she told him that? She decided Elizabeth must be affecting her again.

"That so?" he replied, his other hand coming up to play with one of her nipples. He thrust his hips against her backside. "I suppose you can feel what waking up next to you does to me."

Boy could she ever… Buffy decided that right then, she didn't care about right and wrong, or the effects of this stupid novel, or even what would happen once they got out of it. She rolled over, pushing Spike onto his back and poising herself over him. She held herself just above the tip of his cock, watching him as he stared up at her, his breathing labored and his eyes dark with desire. "You want something, Spike?" she asked with a teasing smile.

"You know I do, luv," he replied, his hands trembling from the strain of trying to keep from shoving the hips they were currently holding on to down. He'd let Buffy set the pace. It would make it harder for her to blame it all on him once they got back to Sunnydale. Not that she probably wouldn't find a way…

She lowered her upper body, her hands resting on his shoulder, then slid down slowly, inch by inch. Her head was thrown back, her eyes closed. Spike kept his gaze trained on her, marveling in the look of pure bliss on her face. He'd dreamt about her like this more times than he could ever begin to count, but not even in his most vivid dreams did he ever know she'd be this beautiful being so wanton. She opened her eyes once he was completely inside, looking back down at him with a look of determination as she began to move.

The night before Spike had been so caught up in the experience of being inside Buffy that he hadn't taken the time to really observe her. But now that he could lay back for the ride, so to speak, he did, watching every expression of pleasure that graced her features, hearing every moan, gasp, and whimper. She was amazing, his own golden goddess.

Soon, the movement of her hips got more frantic, her moans turning into keening yells. As much as Spike wanted to keep up his careful study of her, he couldn't anymore, the things she was doing to him overwhelming. He dug his fingers into her hips, meeting her every thrust with a powerful one of his own. Her breathing got harsher, until finally, she stiffened, bucking sporadically, her head thrown back as she came. Spike let the tightening of her inner muscles around him pull him over the edge, and he lost himself inside of her.

Buffy collapsed on his chest, trying to bring her breathing back to normal as Spike rubbed her back gently. She wondered if any of this was real, or if the book had merely put them into a vivid dream state. Maybe Spike wasn't even here, just another part of her mystical romance novel illusion.

But if that were the case, then why on earth would her mind have chosen Spike to be there with her?

Maybe because you've wanted him from the moment you saw him…

There was that damn inner voice again. Buffy decided she really needed to get a gag for that thing. Still, somehow, she knew what was happening now was more real than it should be. She was trapped in a pirate-infested bizzaro land with Spike, and they'd just had sex—for the second time. Her bare skin was pressed against his, and she could feel him softening inside of her.

And then it was all too real. She pushed herself off his chest and began to search frantically around for her clothes. Spike frowned, sitting up. "Buffy?"

"I…I can't," she said, finding his jacket and wrapping it around herself before hurrying outside the shelter.

She hadn't gotten very far before she stopped, her eyes glancing around nervously. She felt disoriented, as if things weren't quite as they should be.

"Elizabeth!"

She turned sharply, pulling the jacket more tightly around her as she saw William striding towards her, clad only in his breeches. She trembled, not knowing if she should move towards him or run away.

The decision was made for her, however, when she felt William's arms wrap around her trembling form, pulling her against his well-muscled chest. He stroked her golden tresses, speaking soothingly. "What is it, my darling? What has spooked you so?"

Elizabeth looked up at him with wide, watery eyes. "I…I don't know, William. I just feel so very confused!"

William steeled himself before asking his next question, knowing her answer could potentially break him. "Do you regret what we've done?"

"No! Oh, William, don't ever think that! I could never regret something as wonderful as what we shared! It's just…" Elizabeth turned away from the intensity of his penetrating blue eyes.

William cupped her chin, turning her face so she was looking at him again. "Then what is it, kitten? Tell me what has made you cry."

Elizabeth sniffed. "I'm scared, William."

"Of being on this island? Elizabeth, my dearest angel, I won't let you become like the man we found. I promise you that."

"No," Elizabeth replied, shaking her head. "I'm not afraid of being on the island—I'm afraid of leaving it."

"Whatever do you mean?" William asked with a frown.

"If we are ever rescued, we'll be pulled apart. No one will understand what we feel for each other, and they won't let us be together. William, I love you! I can't bear the thought of losing you now that I've felt what it's like to be in your arms!"

William's grip on her tightened, as if holding her now could keep her with him always. "I won't allow that to happen, Elizabeth. Never. I love you, too, and I won't let us be separated."

"But what if it's beyond our control? Oh, William, I have a terrible sense of dread when I think about our future!"

William moved his hands to her shoulders, clutching her tightly. "I won't let us be torn apart. I swear to you, I won't allow it."

"But how? How can you promise such a thing? If we ever get out of this place, you'll be a pirate again, and I, a lady."

"I don't have to be what I was before. I'll changed, leave my old ways in the past. I'll be what you need me to be, Elizabeth. I'll do whatever it takes to keep you."

"William, I want to believe you, I do. I'm just so very frightened."

In all honesty, William was frightened, too. Being with Elizabeth made him feel a way he never had before, and the thought of losing her chilled him to his very core. He couldn't fathom anything driving them away from each other, couldn't even contemplate something so horrific. "Let's not dwell on the future, my love. We have each other now. No reason to taint the present with fears about what might be, is there?"

Elizabeth shook her head. William was right, although worry was still churning in her stomach. "Can…can we go back to bed?" she asked softly. "I need to feel you touching me again."

William nodded, a lump in his throat preventing him from speaking. Instead, he simply led Elizabeth back to the shelter to fulfill his lady love's request.

---

Dawn walked into the Magic Box, finally winning the battle of wills with Joyce that allowed her to come and check first hand on the progress made on the "Save Spike and Buffy" front. At the moment, it didn't seem like much. Xander was passed out on a pile of old books, Willow and Tara were talking in hushed tones over what Dawn figured was either ingredients for a spell or soup, and Giles was nowhere to be seen. The only person in the room who appeared to be the least bit animated was Anya, who was reading a paperback book as if it were the most interesting thing in the world. After saying a quick hello to the witches, Dawn made her way over to Anya. "What are you reading?" Dawn asked, peering over Anya's shoulder.

"It's the book Spike and Buffy are stuck in," Anya replied.

Her mother had told her earlier that Buffy was trapped in a book, but Dawn was still having a hard time wrapping her head around that concept. Although really, she wasn't sure why she was even surprised. It wasn't as strange as being told that you were a mystical "key" and your whole life was a lie, after all. "Can I read it?" she asked.

Anya shrugged and started to hand Dawn the book, when Tara and Willow yelled "No!" Xander popped up at that, looking around confusedly and wiping drool from his mouth.

Dawn frowned as Anya pulled the book back from her. "Why can't I read it?" the teenager asked.

"Is Dawn trying to read the Buffy and Spike book?" Xander asked.

"Yes," Dawn replied, her arms crossed in front of her. "And I don't see why I can't."

"Trust me, Dawnie, you do not want to read that book," Xander said.

"I just want to see if Buffy's all right."

"She is," Tara said, trying to quickly reassure Dawn so she wouldn't try to get the book away from Anya anymore. "Anya's been reading so we can keep tabs on her."

"Why is Anya reading it?" Dawn asked. To her, Anya seemed like the last person in the group who would volunteer for that position.

"Because none of them could handle reading the sex," Anya replied matter-of-factly, her attention quickly going back to the book, causing her to miss the simultaneous eye-bugging of everyone else in the shop.

"The sex?" Dawn asked, her voice cracking.

"It is a romance novel," Anya said, turning a page. "Wow. They're right. You are too young to read this. Xander, come here. We should try this later."

"What? No!" Xander protested. "I'm not getting ideas for us from that."

Anya shrugged. "Suit yourself. But it looks fun. Although I guess it wouldn't really work without the seaweed and coconuts."

Dawn gaped for a few moments, trying to process what she'd just heard. "Spike and Buffy are inside that book having sex?"

She got her answer in the form of a yes from Anya mixed with a vehement no from Xander.

"Wow. Go Buffy." Xander, Tara, and Willow all looked at Dawn in shock, while Anya continued to read. "What?" Dawn asked with a shrug. "Spike is way hot."

"Dawn, Spike is a vampire," Xander said. "Vampires are not hot. Vampires are bad. Very, very bad."

"I don't see what's the big," Dawn replied. "It's not like a vampire boyfriend is new Buffy territory."

"Yeah, and it was a mistake then, too," Xander countered. "Spike is evil, Dawn. Anything your sister does with him other than make him dust is a bad thing."

Dawn bit her lip from arguing it further, knowing no one in this room was going to see her point anyway. Well, except for maybe Anya, but she was too engrossed in the book at the moment to back her up. She just hoped that Buffy didn't ditch Spike as soon as they were back in Sunnydale. To be honest, Dawn had a bit of a crush on Spike herself, but she'd be happy to see him with Buffy. At least Spike would treat her better than stupid Riley ever had.

"So have you made any progress trying to get them out?" Dawn asked, deciding a topic change would be the best for everyone right now. Especially Xander, who was looking rather pale.

"Nope," Willow said. "All our spells have gone ker-phlooey."

"But Mr. Giles has gone to his apartment to get a text he thinks might be of some help," Tara added quickly when she saw the disappointment on Dawn's face.

Dawn sighed, pulling out a chair and sitting at the table. "Has anyone tried shouting out a name for the Childlike Empress yet?" she asked with a sigh, resting her chin in her hands.

Anya looked up. "Huh?"

"It's a reference to a movie," Xander explained. "The Neverending Story."

"I'm still not getting it," Anya said.

"It's from the 1980's," Tara added. "There's this little boy who finds a magical book, and he saves the characters inside of the book from this thing called The Nothing by naming the Childlike Empress."

"That sounds dumb," Anya replied. "How can you save a world that's inside of a book by naming someone? And why didn't the empress have a name to begin with?"

"No, see, it worked because by shouting out her name it proved that people still believe in the fantasy land of books," Willow said.

"Still lame," Anya replied. "And I hate it when you guys reference something that everyone knows about but me."

"If it makes you feel any better, I've probably never seen it either and only think I have because some monks felt I should have the memory in order to make me a more convincing little girl," Dawn muttered.

Anya smiled brightly. "It does. Thanks."

"Don't mention it."

The Magic Box was silent for a bit, until Anya looked up again, her brow creased. "So how exactly was the story never-ending?"

---

Buffy had been sliding between herself and Elizabeth so much that day she was barely sure of who she was anymore. All she did know was that she didn't want to be away from the man she was with now. William or Spike, she didn't care, she just needed him, needed him to keep touching her. She realized her words were running together with Elizabeth's, that she was telling him she loved him and he was saying it back. But what did it matter with the two of them alone on this island? Real, imaginary—those words, concepts, meant nothing to her anymore.

All she wanted was for him to keep making love to her, their bodies keeping time along with the steady rhythm of the ocean .


Twelve

Buffy wasn't sure how long she'd been on the island with Spike. Elizabeth seemed to be taking over more and more now, and Buffy had all but given up on trying to fight it. Part of her rebelled at the idea of losing herself like that, but the more time she spent sharing a body with Elizabeth, the less Buffy felt as if they were really two separate people after all.

And Spike… He hardly seemed like the vampire she'd known in Sunnydale at all, and she'd found herself thinking of him as "William," even when Elizabeth wasn't in control. With his long hair and sun-kissed skin, he'd taken on a decidedly different appearance. Furthermore, his behavior towards her had become tender, even loving. So many times he'd held her, stroking her hair and reciting poetry in his rich, soothing voice until she drifted off to sleep.

Which was where she found herself now, pleasantly sated and lounging in the arms of her lover. "I want to hear the one about the people that eat the flowers again," Buffy said, cuddling closer.

"That's the same one as last night, pet."

"I know, I like that one."

Spike chuckled, kissing her forehead. "Then that one again it is."

As she listened to his voice, her eyes drifted shut, a small smile playing on her lips. This was contentment, perfection, and everything else faded away. The darkness that existed outside this island, outside this world, didn't matter anymore. She was safe and warm and loved.

Hateful is the dark-blue sky,
Vaulted o'er the dark-blue sea
Death is the end of life; ah, why
Should life all labour be?
Let us alone. Time driveth onward fast,
And in a little while our lips are dumb.
Let us alone. What is it that will last?
All things are taken from us, and become
Portions and parcels of the dreadful Past.
Let us alone. What pleasure can we have
To war with evil? Is there any peace
In ever climbing up the climbing wave?
All things have rest, and ripen toward the grave
In silence; ripen, fall, and cease.
Give us long rest or death, dark death, or dreamful ease.

---

It had become an almost daily ritual for William and Elizabeth to make their way to the spring they'd found their first day on the island. William watched her with amusement now as Elizabeth carelessly discarded her clothing before slipping into the water, not a thought to the fact that she was exposing herself so brazenly in the presence of a man. If anything, the way she was moving in the water led William to believe that she was flaunting herself instead.

When she turned her gaze squarely on him and crooked her finger, William knew she that was exactly what she was doing. Gone was the shy virgin he'd come to this island with, in her place a gorgeous vixen that he couldn't get enough of.

William shed his own clothes and made his way through the water towards Elizabeth. Just before he was in touching distance of his goal, however, she swam away, giggling as she glanced over her shoulder to see William's look of shock. She stopped, waiting for him to approach her again before escaping a second time. Even with the coolness of the water, William felt as if his skin was on fire, and he wondered if Elizabeth knew what she was doing to him.

He didn't need to question it, for that look on her face told him that she most certainly did…

"Playing the water nymph, are you?" William asked after Elizabeth eluded him for the third time.

Elizabeth giggled again in response, then arched her back, coming up a moment later with her hair now wet, slick down her back, and water droplets traveling down her body. William's eyes turned dark with passion as he watched the display. He then moved through the water faster than he would've thought possible, grabbing Elizabeth before she had a chance to escape him once more. Elizabeth squealed, struggling weakly as William dragged her through the water and back to shore.

He was on top of her and inside her in an instant, and Elizabeth gasped, wrapping her arms and legs around him as William thrust in and out. Her game in the water had made him wild with desire, and he was quickly working her into a frenzy to rival his own. She chanted his name over and over until words had no more meaning to her, and all she could do was scream her pleasure to the woods around them.

---

It was quite some time later before they'd both had their fill of each other for the time being. They lay in each other's arms, listening to the gentle songs of the birds around them.

Elizabeth nuzzled her face against William's chest, a smile on her lips. "I love you," she said softly, feeling his grip on her tighten as she spoke the words.

"I love you, too," he replied, kissing the top of her hair.

They were both quiet for a while longer before Elizabeth announced, "I don't think this is wrong."

"What's not wrong, pet?" William asked.

"Us. People…off this island…they'd tell us this is wrong, that we're wrong. They would have a hundred different reasons why I shouldn't be here with you like this. But William, I've never felt so happy. You make me feel cherished and loved. This can't be wrong, William. It can't!"

William ran his fingers through her golden tresses. "It isn't wrong, my love. Nothing else in my life as ever been so very, very right."

Elizabeth sat up. "So then we can't be torn apart! This is the way things are supposed to be, William. No horrible fate can tear apart what is meant to be!"

"Nothing will tear us apart, Elizabeth," William replied, taking hold of her delicate hand. "I love you too much to ever lose you, my darling."

Elizabeth settled back down against his chest. "I'll love you forever," she vowed, her voice strong and determined. "Nothing shall ever make me stop."

---

Elizabeth's gaze was concentrated on the horizon, her brow furrowed. William approached her, sitting beside her on the beach. "What is it, lamb?" he asked her.

"There's a spot," she replied, pointing. "Out there."

William followed her finger, swallowing hard when he realized what she was indicating. "That's a ship."

Elizabeth's eyes widened, and she turned to him, clutching his arm. "A ship?! William, what if it's Angelus come looking for us?"

That was a possibility, and William knew it. But the look of terror in Elizabeth's eyes made him want to soothe her fears. "It could be. But it could also be the British Navy. Could be your rescue, darling."

Much to William's surprise, that only caused her to become more afraid, her fingers pressing deeper into the flesh of his arm. "The Navy! No! You're—you're a wanted criminal! They'll kill you, William!"

William wiped away her tears with his thumb. "They wouldn't have to know who I was, kitten. We could get them to let us off at the nearest port, and we could start a life together, off this island."

Elizabeth shook her head. "I don't want off this island. Bad things are off this island, I can feel it. We…we have to stay here!"

William gathered her into his arms. "No matter what happens Elizabeth, we'll have each other. I've promised you that."

Elizabeth pulled back, and the sight of her tear-stained face broke William's heart. "I don't want to be rescued. Can't…can't we hide? If they come here, they'll think the island is deserted. Please, William?"

"You honestly want to live the rest of your life on this island?"

"You're here with me—what else could I need? I've been so very happy here! I don't want to leave, ever!"

William felt himself pulled in two different directions. His heart wanted nothing more than for him to live out his days in this beautiful paradise he'd found with Elizabeth. But his mind warned him of what could occur if something were to happen to him. How would Elizabeth survive on her own? The thought of her trapped here alone tore at his gut. "We'll wait, see what colors this ship sails under and even if it stops at the island at all. We can make our decision then."

Elizabeth nodded, appeased for the time being, although the threat of William being taken away from her still seemed all too real. "I want to go to bed, William," she said, disentangling herself from his arms and getting to her feet. "I need to feel you."

William stood without a word and walked with her to the shelter, his need to have her in his arms just as pressing as her own.

---

"A ship's on the horizon. It might be the British Navy coming to kill Spike, or it might be the Dread Pirate Angelus coming to kill them both," Anya announced to the previously quiet Magic Box.

"What?" Xander asked quickly, summing up the thoughts of the other people in the room.

"I said…"

"I heard what you said, Ahn," Xander replied, cutting his girlfriend off. "It just didn't make a lot of sense. You said Angelus is in there with Spike and Buffy?"

"Did Angel lose his soul and then come to the Magic Box and get trapped in the book with Spike and Buffy?" Willow asked.

"No. Don't be insane," Anya replied, rolling her eyes. "I mean, what would they have done, gotten into a fight where in the middle of it all three of them grabbed a book and someone began to read aloud? Please."

Willow crossed her arms in front of her. "Oh, and people stuck in a book is oh so normal?"

"Well, yeah, when it's an enchanted book. Anyway, part of the enchantment involves creating a sort of template based on the feelings and memories of the reader. Makes it more real if the other characters are people that the reader already knows."

"So that's not really Angelus in there?" Dawn asked. "How can you be sure?"

"Well, for one thing when everyone was debating over the order for Xander's latest donut run, I went and read the instruction manual. Also, I'm in the book, and I can't be two places at once."

"Wait—there's an instruction manual, and you're just now telling us this?" Willow asked in shock. "And…and what are you doing in the book?"

"It didn't tell us how to pull them out prematurely, or I would've said something," Anya replied. "Apparently I'm a cross-dressing pirate, and that's rather strange, but at least I'm mentioned—which is more than I can say for you, Willow."

"I'm…I'm not in it? Doesn't Book Buffy need a best friend?"

Anya shrugged. "Guess not. Although from reading how it's supposed to work, I think that part of the enchantment is messed up anyway."

"Why do you think that?" Tara asked.

"Because Spike and Buffy are the lovers."

"So?" Xander asked. "They got sucked into a romance novel together. It's just the book affecting them, making Buffy do things she'd never do if she was herself. It's not like she actually has feelings for Spike."

"Actually, Xander it does," Anya said. "Or at least it should. Remember how I said that the book assigns characters based on the reader's real life? Well, that goes for any other people that get sucked into the book as well. According to the manual, technically, only one person should go into the book at a time, and the default setting is for a woman to be the central figure because that's the demographic of the mystical publisher. But beyond that, well, anyone else brought into the book with Buffy should've blended into the story in a way fitting their relationship in the outside world. So then Spike should be the villain—not the love interest. My guess is that Spike and Buffy have such, um, strong personalities that the book made them both central to the story." The look of horror currently on Xander's face made Anya decide to practice restraint for once and not voice the other theory she had. She was pretty sure that one would make Xander's head explode, and that didn't sound nearly as fun as it would have in her vengeance demon days.

"So what's going to happen with this ship coming towards them?" Dawn asked, breaking the silence that followed Anya's revelation.

"I don't know," Anya replied. "This book is written as Buffy and Spike go along, so I can't flip ahead. I just wanted to give you all an update now that there's something other than hot, sweaty sex going on."

"We need to hurry up our efforts to get them back," Willow said, deciding it best to ignore the last part of Anya's latest comment. "If that is Angelus coming towards them—fictional version or not—then they're going to be in some serious trouble."

"Or it could just be the British Navy coming to kill Spike, so hey, no big loss there," Xander said.

"Well, there is the fact that Buffy and Spike are bound by an enchantment, so their life forces are most likely tied together," Anya said with another roll of her eyes. Honestly, she didn't know how Xander could be so dense sometimes.

"Oh. Well, then that's bad," Xander said.

"Huh. This is interesting."

All eyes in the Magic Box turned to Anya. "What's interesting?" Tara asked.

"Well, it seems that the answer to who's on that ship the Navy or Angelus is, um, both."

---

Admiral Riley Finn stepped out of the rowboat and on to the shore of the island. After taking a moment to survey what was in plain sight, he turned to the man now standing beside him. "Are you certain this is where he would've taken her?" the admiral asked, his voice dripping with distain for his current companion.

"It's th'only island within swimmin' distance from where wee Willie jumped ship with the lass." Angelus replied. "They're here. Grantin' they didn't sink to the bottom of Davy Jones' Locker, that is."

Admiral Finn glared at the pirate. "For your sake, Angelus, you better hope that they are indeed on this island."

Angelus held up his hands. "I was bringin' her to ye, Admiral, just like we planned. It's that bastard William ye should be threatenin'."

"Oh I shall do more than threaten him," Finn vowed. "When I find him, he shall pay dearly for what he was done to my fair Elizabeth." He cleared his throat. "Men! Search the island! If my fiancée is here, I want her returned to me by nightfall. And as for that filth that kidnapped her, bring him to me as well. I want him to suffer by my hand."

---

When the ship had come close enough for them to see its colors, William had been able to identify it as a British naval vessel. He had tried to convince Elizabeth that allowing themselves to be rescued would be the best course of action, but she had refused, telling him she feared too much that that would lead to him being hanged for piracy.

She was right, he knew, but his love for her outweighed his concern for his own life. Elizabeth would be safer back in civilization.

In the end, however, her tears and pleas had won out, and they were now headed deep into the forest and away from the ship that could bring Elizabeth to safety. The strength and depth of her love for him shocked William to the very core of his being as he realized she would give up everything she'd ever known just to be with him.

He gripped her hand tighter as the continued on.


Thirteen

Admiral Finn knew his men thought him mad to order such an extensive search of an island that seemed to be deserted, but he knew his darling Elizabeth was there. And when they stumbled upon the small shelter, complete with evidence that someone had recently dwelled within, he became even more firm in his belief.

He stood inside the shelter, surveying the tiny room. His stomach turned as he noted signs of what most likely had occurred there, and his need to find Elizabeth intensified. The thought of how terrified the poor girl must be in the hands of such a ruthless man as William the Bloody chilled him to the very core. No, not a man… His pure, innocent Elizabeth had been at the mercy of a monster. Finn could only pray that anything that may have been done to her had not driven her to insanity.

"Admiral?"

Admiral Finn looked up as his first Lieutenant, Graham Miller, walked into the shelter. "Yes?"

"They still cannot be located, sir."

"Keep looking! Elizabeth has been here, in this very spot!"

"Sir, if I may…are you certain that it was indeed Lady Summers? Then men, well, they've found the bones of a man, sir. It could have been he who was living her, not the lady."

The admiral turned a cold gaze on the lieutenant. "My fiancée is at the mercy of a cruel, heartless pirate. I do not want to hear anything but a promise that every inch this island will be searched, that no man will rest, until she is returned to me. Is that clear?"

"Yes, Admiral Finn, sir."

"Then go."

Lieutenant Miller gave a terse bow, leaving Riley alone in the shelter again. The admiral's eyes came to the make-shift bed, then narrowed. "Mark my words, William," he said aloud. "You will pay for daring to touch my Elizabeth."

---

Elizabeth's entire body ached. She'd been running with William for hours she knew, and yet, she refused to stop. They had heard voices a few times, and she knew their pursuers weren't far behind. Any wasted second could be just what it took to tear her away from William.

However, her steps were getting slower, her body not responding as quickly as she wanted it to. She was moving now by sheer force of will alone, and she wasn't sure how much further that could take her. She clung to William's hand, giving herself a tangible reminder of why she had to push forward.

Suddenly, she was falling forward, her foot snagged on a tree root. William caught her before she could hit the ground. "Elizabeth?" He frowned, seeing the exhaustion clearly written on her face. "You're tired, my love."

"We can't stop. If we do, they'll catch us." She clutched tightly to his strong arms.

"I could carry you."

"That would only slow you down! We have to move quickly or…"

"Or I may just find ye."

Elizabeth felt cold fear grip her as she turned and met the cold eyes of Angelus. "No…" she gasped.

William moved her behind him, attempting to shield her with his own body. "I will fight to protect her, Angelus," he informed his old rival.

"I'd love fer ye to, Willie. Would mean my new friends here would get to shoot ye." Angelus grinned brightly as several British naval officers stepped forward, their bayonets trained on William.

"You're working with the Navy?" William asked in confusion.

"Told ye I was before ye went and kidnapped the lass off me ship. I was tryin' to bring the girl back to her lovin' fiancé."

"You were not!" Elizabeth exclaimed. "This man is a scoundrel! Don't believe his lies!" she implored the soldiers.

"Life on the island must've made her crazed," Angelus said with a shrug. "Best be gettin' her back to the admiral."

"No! Just let us go!" Buffy pleaded. She clung to her lover in desperation. "William, please, make them leave us alone!"

William swallowed hard. With the number of weapons pointed at him now, he didn't have a chance to fight his way out, even if he had been armed. Still, if Elizabeth hadn't been there, he may have tried, but he would never put her in that kind of danger. "I can't," he said, a helpless expression in his eyes that Elizabeth had never seen before.

And that's when she knew it was over. They couldn't escape, couldn't keep running. Her only choice was to let herself and William be led to the person who would tear them apart—and quite possibly kill the man she loved. With tears in her eyes, she made her way through the woods and back to the beach, William by her side for what she knew could be the last time.

---

"Admiral Finn! I've got the lass and that villain William the Bloody!"

Before Elizabeth could even begin to protest Angelus's words, Admiral Finn had grabbed her, embracing her tightly. Elizabeth's eyes widened. Her fiancé had never shown her such affection. "Riley?" she managed to say, his beefy arms almost squeezing the breath out of her.

Riley pulled back slightly then. "Oh, Elizabeth! My darling! How I have feared that I should never see you again, my heart!"

Elizabeth had never before noticed how cold his terms of endearment left her. They held none of the passion of William's, nothing there to make her feel as if her heart and body were aflame. "No danger befell me," she replied. "William took care of me."

Riley's eyes widened, and his arms dropped to his sides. "Whatever do you mean? William, he's…he's the filthy pirate who kidnapped you!"

Elizabeth winced. "That was before. Things have…changed, Riley. You must understand. I've fallen…"

"No!" Riley snapped, not allowing Elizabeth to finish that sentence. His men were present—what would they think of such a thing? "No, Elizabeth. It's…it's the heat! It's made you go mad!"

Elizabeth felt the urge to roll her eyes, and a small voice in the back of her mind told her to inform Riley that he was a "totally lame freak who needed to turn down the wigging factor," whatever that could mean. Maybe she had gone mad from the heat if she was thinking such nonsensical things… However, she instead looked at Riley defiantly and said, "William is a good man, to whom I own my life!"

"He's a pirate, Elizabeth! Pirates can never be good men!"

"He's right there, lass. We're a mean, cruel lot, we pirates."

Elizabeth turned slowly towards Angelus, the look in his eyes making her shudder. "Why are you working with him, Riley? He tried to kill me when I was aboard his ship!"

"I did nothin' of the sort, Admiral! The chit's gone mad, just like ye said."

"No! Riley, please, listen to me!"

William watched the scene in front of him with a heavy heart. He knew the overgrown admiral would never accept what Elizabeth was telling him. He also knew that nothing he could say would help her. They could both plead all they wished, but Admiral Finn would never allow them to be together. William had lost the woman he loved. The inevitability of losing his life as well seemed to pale in comparison.

Riley glanced between Angelus and Elizabeth before settling his gaze on William. "Take this blackguard to the brig."

"No!" Elizabeth yelled again. She tried to run to William as the Navy men brought him back towards the ship, only to have Riley grab her, pulling her back.

"He's a pirate, Elizabeth," Riley said, his tone a harsh whisper. "A lowlife and a scoundrel. Do not embarrass me by forgetting that."

"You know nothing about him, Admiral," Elizabeth replied angrily. "I owe him my life! He has done nothing but keep me safe since that animal attacked us!" She pointed to Angelus.

"I tried t'save her!" Angelus insisted. "Got the lass off his ship. Tried t'get her back to ye before Willie jumped ship with 'er."

"No! That is not at all what happened! Angelus is lying!" Elizabeth said, her voice almost hysterical.

"Angelus is in my employ," Finn said tersely. "His task has been to help save you, which he has done."

"But he's a pirate, too!" Elizabeth exclaimed, clearly exasperated. "If you won't trust William, why will you trust him?"

"We will discuss this no more!" Finn snapped, grabbing Elizabeth's arm tightly and dragging her off. "We are going to the ship, and you will speak no more of this nonsense."

Elizabeth struggled as best she could, but she had no chance against Riley. Eventually, she slumped, resigning herself to the loss of her paradise.

---

Elizabeth sat in her cabin, her features tired and drawn. Riley had locked her inside, making it impossible for her to get to William. She'd never been frightened of her fiancé before, but the way he'd been treating her since the island changed that.

She was terrified now, for both herself and for William. She knew Riley would have him hanged, and that thought made her feel cold inside. Where would she be without William? How could she survive without the man she loved so deeply?

Elizabeth heard someone at the door and looked up sharply just as Admiral Finn came striding in. "Riley…"

"I want to hear nothing from you, save for the answer to one question—did you willingly lay with the pirate?"

Elizabeth paled. What she had done with William had seemed right on the island, but now Riley was looking at her as if she'd been tainted by the vilest sin imaginable. "I…I love him," she said, her eyes begging Riley to understand.

Finn's expression darkened, and he slapped Elizabeth across the face. "Whore!"

Elizabeth pulled back, shocked. "Riley…"

"You will address me as Admiral Finn," he said coldly. "I will not take such a dishonorable woman as my wife. You have shamed yourself, and you have shamed the memory of your parents."

Elizabeth's eyes filled with tears at the mention of her parents. What would they have thought of her now? "I love him," she said again, her voice soft this time.

Riley sneered. "You disgust me." He stormed from the cabin, leaving Elizabeth alone.

---

"Did ye just find out the lass is less of a lady an' more of a trollop?"

Admiral Finn turned, his eyes narrowed at Angelus. "I should throw you off this ship."

"Ye should, but if somethin' were to happen t'me, well, certain secrets might find a way of gettin' out."

"Don't speak of that on my ship," Admiral Finn replied, his voice barely above a whisper.

"Then ye best be rememberin' out deal, Admiral. I'd hate to see anythin' bad happen to a business partner such as yerself."

The admiral's jaw was tight. "I won't forget our deal, Angelus. I will honor my end of the bargain." He left then, Angelus watching him as he did.

"Oh, I won't be forgettin' it either, Admiral," Angelus said once he was sure Finn was out of earshot. "Only problem is, I'm not one fer honor…"

---

"Okay, now that sounded sinister."

Xander frowned as he picked his head up from the table and glanced over to where Dawn had joined Anya in the book reading. "What are you doing, Dawnie?" he asked. "Didn't we establish that that thing isn't exactly G-rated?"

Dawn rolled her eyes. "Okay, for one thing, I'm old enough to up the rating from 'G.' Secondly, Spike's in the brig, and Buffy's locked in her cabin, so I don't think there's going to be any hanky panky goin' on."

"Spike's in the brig, huh?" Xander said, perking up a bit. "Well, that's good news at least."

"Why are you so dense sometimes?" Anya blurted out, managing to surprise everyone else in the shop. "William is the hero in this." She shook the book at Xander. "And he loves Elizabeth. Therefore, she is safer with him. Duh, Xander."

Xander looked offended. "Look, I don't care what sort of wacky notions that book has, Spike is nothing but bad news."

"Actually, it looks more like Riley and Angelus are the bad news," Dawn said. "They've got some secret evil deal that Angelus plans to be all dishonorable about." She turned to Anya. "How come there are scenes without Spike and Buffy? I thought the book was supposed to chronicle their actions inside of it."

"Because the further they slip into character, the more book-like it becomes. Besides the plot needed to be moved along, and Angelus and Riley certainly wouldn't have had that conversation in front of Spike or Buffy," Anya explained.

"Good point," Dawn replied.

"I've got it!"

Dawn, Anya, and Xander all turned towards the sound of Willow's exclamation. "What did you get, Will?" Xander asked.

"The answer to how to get Spike and Buffy out! This spell will be perfect! It's meant to pull people out of dimensions created by mystical enchantments. It's exactly what we need."

"Yeah, unless it manages to only bring back their toes, or turns them inside out, or something," Anya muttered.

Willow shot Anya a dirty look. "It'll work. I just have to get the ingredients together, and Buffy and Spike will be home before you know it!" Willow grinned as she started getting what she'd need off the shelves of the Magic Box.


Fourteen

William rattled the bars of his cell, though he knew it would do him no good. Even if he could manage to break through the iron, he was still trapped on a ship—from the British naval fleet, no less. He saw no chance of freedom.

Though William would be willing to accept his fate if only he knew that Elizabeth was safe…

"Stop the racket, you pirate scum," the soldier guarding him snapped. "We're not letting you out until we've reached land—and the gallows."

"I need to know about the lady," William said. "I need to know she is safe."

"She's away from the likes of you," the guard sneered.

"That doesn't answer my question," William replied, his patience nearing its end. "Where did Finn take her? Is she away from Angelus?"

"I've been given permission to rip out your tongue should you give me any trouble," the guard said, a cruel glint in his eyes.

William shoulders slumped, his hands falling from the bars. He was helpless here, unable to even be told of the welfare of his beloved. He hoped that Admiral Finn would be able to keep her safe, but the sinking feeling in his gut told him otherwise. That man was fool enough to trust Angelus. Not to mention the obvious ire in his eyes back on the island when he seemed to realize what may have occurred between William and Elizabeth.

William knew his love was in trouble.

And he was helpless to save her.

---

Angelus prided himself on being a patient man. Nothing was quite as sweet as the rewards you had to wait for. Had to work for.

And nothing was quite as pleasing as seeing a plan in its final stages, when everything fell into place.

The ship was quiet, still, aside from the gentle rocking of a calm sea. Admiral Finn had, of course, ordered some of his men to stand watch, but not nearly as many as would be around during the day.

Not to mention the members of his crew Angelus had managed to hide in the hold combined with the number of Finn's men he had in his pocket, which would more than tip the scales. He'd have this nice ship all to himself within an hour. And the admiral had practically handed it to him on a silver platter…

Angelus chuckled as the time came to set his plan in motion. There weren't many things better in this world than taking advantage of a gullible, desperate man.

---

Elizabeth had not slept since Riley had left her. She had been able to do nothing but cry, feeling her heart break for the man she loved so desperately. The fear that she would never see him again wrapped around her like a vice, and she could not bear to face the thought of the inevitable end of her darling William, swinging by his neck in the gallows.

As night fell, the ship grew silent like the grave, the only sound Elizabeth could hear being that of her own sobs.

Then it started. A scream pierced the night, followed by a gun shot. From that, a great commotion broke out, and Elizabeth knew something was happening on deck. She feared to think of what it might be, wondering in a panic if she was going to have to suffer yet another pirate attack.

As the noise above her grew, Elizabeth clutched her head, wanting to block out the horrible sounds. She wished even more to have her William. She knew that no matter what was happening outside the room, with his strength and love she'd be safe.

When the door to her cabin flew open, she thought for an instant that maybe she'd been lucky enough to have her wish granted.

Instead, she found herself staring into the cold, dark eyes of Angelus.

He grinned at her like a predator. "Miss me, wench?"

Elizabeth scrambled backwards, only to find herself against the wall. "You…you get away from me! You're a vile creature, and I won't have you touching me!"

Angelus chuckled. "Vile creature? I love it when ye talk pretty." He advanced on her, pinning her to the wall with his meaty arms on either side of her. He leaned in, licking the column of her neck and making her shudder in disgust. "Yer quite a delicacy, ye know that? I'm gonna have quite a time takin' ye." He pulled back, grinning like the Devil. "But first, I think we should go thank our good friend William fer breakin' ye in so nicely."

Elizabeth gasped in horror. "No…please. Do what you wish to me, but don't hurt William!"

"Well, aren't you the loyal lass? Sorry it won't do you any good. I've been waitin' too long to see the end of William the Bloody. Ye're just a bit o' extra fun." Angelus grabbed her arm. "Come on now, I want to kill yer lover so I can get around to rapin' and killin' ye. Be a good girl and don't make me wait."

Elizabeth screamed as she struggled to break his grip. "No! I won't let you!"

Her attempts to escape only made Angelus laugh again. "Don't see how much say you have in it, darlin'. Seems like ye're at me mercy—which is somethin' I don't have much of." He started dragging her out of the cabin.

Elizabeth knew Angelus was right. He had easily overpowered her, and she had no way of breaking his grip. Desperate, she did the only thing she knew to do.

She called for help.

"Riley!" Elizabeth screamed, hoping that her former fiancé would hear her and that he wasn't so disgusted with her that he'd leave her in the hands of Angelus. "Riley, please! Help me!"

Angelus laughed yet again, his tone mocking. "The Admiral's not gonna come fer ye, girl. See, it seems like the boy got himself in a spot of trouble a while back. Was takin' money from pirates, lettin' them line his pockets in exchange fer their freedom to roam certain areas o' the sea. Only problem was, he ran into one that wanted somethin' other than his gold." Angelus grinned. "I wanted this very fine ship here. And it looks like I'm gonna get it." He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "And killing that lover of yours will be just the perfect thing to top off a perfect day."

Elizabeth struggled as Angelus took her to the brig, though she knew she had no chance at freedom. Angelus was going to kill William and then do things to her she couldn't even begin to think of. Her stomach turned, and she had to fight to keep down its meager contents.

"Oh Willie boy!" Angelus called as they entered the brig, the guard long gone in order to assist in the fray above deck. "Look at what I brought ye."

William snarled at the sight of Angelus's hand wrapped around Elizabeth's delicate arm. "You get away from her."

"If you insist," Angelus replied, throwing Elizabeth hard against the wall, smiling in satisfaction as she slid down, moaning in pain.

William grabbed the bars of the cell. "I'll bloody kill you!"

Angelus pulled out his sword, the blade glistening in the dim lantern light. "Will ye now? Seems t'me like that'll be a little hard since I'm the one with the weapon, and ye're the one in the cage." Angelus approached the cell, poking the sword through the bars and chuckling as William jumped back. "Scared, boy?"

"I've never been scared of you, Angelus."

"Well, maybe it's time you should be."

Elizabeth groaned, lifting her head up as best she could with the pain Angelus's blow had caused. She could see him now, using his sword to taunt a caged William. She watched as Angelus was able to draw blood, laughing as the red liquid began to show through William's shirt.

"That smart a bit, lad?"

William snarled, trying to move away from Angelus's blade, only to be nicked again. The cell was too small for him to really maneuver, and he knew as well as Angelus did that he was trapped prey.

Elizabeth saw the glint of a sword only a few feet away from her. Her only thought being to save the man she loved, she crawled slowly towards it, careful not to attract Angelus's attention. When she had the sword in her hands, she rose to her feet, feeling the weight of it against her palm. Despite the fact she never remembered handling a weapon before, it felt strangely right, familiar somehow. "Hey, Angelus," she called. "Why don't you come over here and pick on someone armed, you big bully."

Angelus turned, the sight of Elizabeth upright and with a sword obviously taking him by surprise. Soon, however, he seemed to decide the whole thing was amusing. "Do ye wish to play, too, wench? I suppose ye'd still be good t'me if ye were all bloody."

"I don't think that's going to what happens here, Angelus." She attacked then, lashing out with a skill Elizabeth didn't know she possessed. Angelus faltered for a moment, but quickly regained his footing, coming after Elizabeth. She blocked with ease as something instinctual seemed to take over, a sense deep inside of her that told her when and how to move.

"I see you have trainin' in the blade," Angelus said, his breathing heavy. "That's…surprisin'."

"As surprising as this?" Elizabeth quipped as she found her opening and plunged the blade into his gut. She frowned, a strange sense of déjà vu washing over her as she watched him slide to the ground.

Angelus choked and sputtered, blood coming from his mouth. Elizabeth wrinkled her nose as she watched him, gasping for breath as he clutched the mortal wound. She gave him a good kick, taking a moment of pleasure in his pain. "Who's all weak now, huh Angelus?" she asked with a grin.

Angelus looked up at her, groaning in pain. He flailed his arm out towards his dropped weapon, only to have Elizabeth kick it away from him. "Nope," she said. "You're gonna just sit there and die now. How's that for a perfect ending to your day, wench?"

"Um, darling? A little help here? We can taunt the dying man later."

Elizabeth turned, blushing a little as she realized that she'd almost forgotten about William in the excitement of the battle with Angelus. "Right. Keys?"

"On that wall, love," William said, pointing weakly. He winced in pain at the wound Angelus had given him on his arm.

Elizabeth ran and got the keys, freeing her lover. She threw her arms around him as he emerged from the cell. "Oh, William! I thought I'd never see you again!"

William held her close, the elation at feeling Elizabeth again allowing him to ignore the pain. "We have to get out of here," Elizabeth said when they finally broke apart. "Angelus's men have taken over the ship."

"We're in the middle of the open sea," William pointed out. "Where will we go?"

"Lifeboat?"

"We wouldn't last long, kitten."

"We won't last long here, either, William. We have to take our chances. Maybe we can make it back to the island…"

William knew their chances of a successful escape were less than slim, especially since that he had wounds that needed tending to. But he also knew they wouldn't last long on the ship either. Even with Angelus dead, Riley would still pose a problem—if he'd managed to survive Angelus's mutiny, that was. The way William saw it, he would either be faced with pirates or naval soldiers who wanted him dead if he stayed here—and neither of those outcomes let him stay with Elizabeth.

"We'll try to escape," William said. "But our chances aren't good, Elizabeth."

She took hold of his hand. "We're together, William. I know we can make it as long as we have each other. Our love is that strong."

William looked into her eyes, and the hope and love he saw there almost made him believe her words. "Come on, kitten. Hopefully we can use the chaos up there as cover."

Elizabeth nodded, clutching tightly to his hand. She glanced back at Angelus once, watching him as he struggled to take his last breaths. She knew she should feel guilt for killing a man, but she had none. Instead, she felt relief knowing that such a creature was no longer in the world with her.

"By the way, luv," William said as they crept out of the brig, "Where did you learn to fight like that?"

"I didn't," Elizabeth replied. "It just…came naturally to me I suppose."

William raised his scarred eyebrow, but said nothing in response. As they left the brig, he noticed that the ship had grown quiet again, and his stomach clenched with dread.

"Going somewhere, are you?"

William heard Elizabeth gasp beside him as they walked out onto the deck only to come face to face with the pistol of one Admiral Riley Finn.

---

"Um, Willow, you might want to hurry up with that spell," Anya said with a frown. "Angelus is dead, but Riley's got himself a pistol, and I doubt he's afraid to use it."

"Angelus is dead?" Xander asked. "How did that happen?"

"Elizabeth skewered him."

"Huh. Go Buffy," Xander replied.

"Well, she did it before," Dawn said. "And this Angelus is even nastier than the other one."

"Okay, all set," Willow announced cheerily, sitting in front of a circle composed of strong-smelling herbs. In the middle were three crystals, leaning against each other to form a pyramid. "Tara?"

Tara sat across from Willow, reaching out to take the other witch's hands. They both closed their eyes, chanting in unison.

Anya, Xander, Dawn, and Giles looked on as the three crystals began to glow, first dimly and then so brightly that they had to shield their eyes. Suddenly, the crystals burst into flames, and Tara and Willow jumped back to avoid getting burned.

"That wasn't supposed to happen!" Willow exclaimed as Xander ran for the fire extinguisher. She coughed and sputtered as he put out the fire, then looked up to catch Giles's not-so-pleased expression as he looked at the burned spot on his floor. "It wasn't! It was supposed to create a portal that would pull Buffy and Spike back into this dimension."

"Maybe they're not in another dimension," Anya said. "Maybe the book simply creates a pocket within this dimension that allows them to both be here and not here at the same time. Which would make sense, considering the results we got from the locator spell."

"I thought you said the book created an alternate dimension," Willow said.

"Yes, but I never said it created a dimension outside of this dimension," Anya said, rolling her eyes.

"So let me get this straight," Xander said, rubbing his temples. "Buffy and Spike are trapped inside a dimension that's in this dimension?"

Anya nodded happily, glad someone was finally getting it. "Exactly!"

"That makes no sense!" Xander exclaimed.

"Yes it does, sweetie," Anya replied. "See, the book has to create a new dimension in order to allow Buffy and Spike to travel through it, yet due to its temporary nature, it doesn't get its own plane of existence. It has to exist here while not existing here. Makes perfect sense."

"In crazy land!" Xander said.

Giles's glasses were in his hand as he pinched the bridge of his nose. "Willow, do you think you can find a spell that would allow you to pull someone out of one of these pocket dimensions Anya's speaking of?"

"I…I could try. It's going to take some more research."

"Fine. Let's get started then." Giles put his glasses back on, sighing heavily as he looked down at the burned spot on the shop's floor. "And do clean that up. It looks atrocious."


Continue


* The poem recited in Chapter Twelve is a stanza from Tennyson's The Lotus Eaters