Chapter four of the nameless fic.

“The old mine shafts are said to have been built on Indian burial ground.” Giles read aloud. He looked at the gathered Scoobies. “It is fair to assume the ground was already sacred in the times of the Aztecs. It would explain why Xander is out there.” Spike shifted around restlessly in his chair. Leave it to this lot to do a locator spell and NOT go find Xander. The location had worried bloody Ripper and so they didn’t move one bloody finger until they knew everything about the bloody mines. He huffed again. Bloody idiots, the lot of them.

“…split up in two teams.” Buffy looked up. “Spike, stop sighing every five seconds. If you want to find him so badly, then go. We’re being safe here and bringing weapons and spells to save Xander. I don’t like it either, but that’s what we need to be doing right now. If you wanna play suicidal vamp, go right ahead.” Her glare made him shrink back mentally, but he pushed himself out of the chair and positioned himself inches from her face. “Fine! I will! Pathetic bunch of cowards,” he murmured, heading out the door.

Right. Bad plan. Really bad plan. He could handle the vamps digging the hole. And maybe the Kracks demons at the cranes. But the really evil looking big guy holding the bad ass looking book and the dagger glinting with blood didn’t look like he was going to be pushed over any time soon. Bugger.

The mine was swarming with demons of all traits and it had taken Spike forever to sneak in close enough to spot Xander. Apparently his history as Builder Boy had him up in the big leagues, discussing plans with some green mushy looking demon. Spike sighed, wrecking his brain for a game plan. He came up blank. At least he’d had the brains not to just barge in there.

Mr. Green finally retreated and Spike saw his chance to draw Xander’s attention. “Hey! Pssst! Xander! Over here!” His eyes met yellow glowing orbs that had apparently replaced Xander’s dark brown ones. A strange roar started coming out of the Builder Boy’s throat. It formed something in the lines of “Intrudeeeeeeer!”

Two pairs of claws grabbed Spike’s arms and though he tried his damnedest to fight them off, his arms seemed incased in concrete. He couldn’t help but find it ironic, being on a building site and all. His resistance earned him a fist in the face, his nose already sensitive from the punch the Slayer had placed there earlier. “That bloody hurt, you wanker,” he spit, blood trickling down his face. A kick followed immediately from Mr. Green and instantly his stomach felt like a bomb had just torn out his guts. He gasped, looking for Xander in the flurry of demons surrounding him. He was almost relieved to find the man looking straight at him. But those eyes. Not his eyes. Spike shivered. “Xander,” he gasped. “Help me.” Xander stepped closer. A flicker of deep brown in the yellow. “Bastard.” Another fist to the face. And then darkness.

Buffy groaned as she saw the demons carrying Spike off to some underground lair. Can’t that vampire just LISTEN for ONCE? She turned to the gang. “Alright, you all remember the game plan. Willow and Tara, you do the spell, Giles, you protect them. I go after Big Ugly Bastard, grabbing the knife before he can use that thing on me. Dawn, you erm… You protect the car.” “Hey, you know, that’s not fair!,” the young woman protested. “No way no how am I letting you in on this fight.” Dawn turned red and was about to make a scene when Buffy clamped her hand over her mouth. “No way, Dawn,” Buffy stressed each word as she looked her baby sister in the eyes. “Now keep it down, these guys mean business.”

Spike groaned as he felt the feeling seeping back into his legs. The fact that they had taken a baseball bat to them didn’t help. His head was throbbing and the sight of Xander raising his fist at him kept blurring his vision. Builder Boy had smacked him. Not Builder Boy Demon, but Builder Boy himself. What did he ever do to him? He distinctly remembered being involved in making the man better. So no evil Spikiness there. Not deserving that kind of punch. No siree. He had to stop thinking, his head was ringing. And he was pretty certain the childish thoughts didn’t help. He needed to clear his head and get the hell out of here. Warn the Scoobies, get Builder Boy and get out.

He noticed movement in the corner of his eye and saw it was Xander, looking at him scrupulously. His eyes were brown. “Why did you come?” “What?” “Why did you come? I expected Buffy, Willow, Giles, maybe even Dawn. But why you?” The question caught Spike off guard as he adjusted his legs to the shackles. He hissed in pain, taking in a sharp breath before answering. “You were sick. I worried.” It was the god’s honest truth. Xander’s eyes changed to yellow and a flat hand smacked across his face. “You worried?! Bull!” Spike felt the blood dripping down his face again. This was getting old. “You weren’t the one nursing your ass for the last three days. You didn’t see that damn wound. You didn’t have to listen to your delirious screams every freaking night.” He felt the anger rising, his blood pumping in his veins. “Yes, I bloody well worried, you walking off like that. Could’ve damn well died, you ponce!” Xander lifted his hand again, ready to strike, his yellow eyes burning like the sun. Then he sighed. “You know, you’re damn lucky these guys gave me enough freedom to be alone with you. Normally, they would be the ones torturing you.” His eyes lost their light suddenly, still yellow, but soft somehow. “I know all about the spell they placed on me. I know that I can’t fight it. I have to build that damn temple for Quetzalcoatl, so help me god. But I don’t have to fight. I don’t have to hurt you.” Brown eyes looked at him pleadingly. “If I let you out of these,” he shook the shackles, Spike moaning as the pain wracked through him, “oh sorry,” Xander added, forgetting how much the peroxide demon had endured from his demon friends. “If I get you out, will you help me break the curse?” Spike smiled grimly. “You’re assuming I can walk.” Xander’s face darkened. “Down, boy, of course I’ll bloody help. Whatever good I can do.”