Make Me
by T. C. McGonigle
Buffy and the gang belong to Joss, Mutant Enemy and the WB. Thanks for the inspiration.
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Part Eight
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Melinda Quick threw the old dusty tome onto the office desk and picked up another book. She rifled through the text and set it down.
"If you tell me what you're looking for, maybe I can help," Giles stood in his office doorway.
"Mr. Giles," Melinda turned to face him, "I thought you were off with the rest of the gang rescuing Willow."
"What are you doing?"
"I got bored after you so rudely ordered me to stay behind, so I thought that if Willow were under a spell then you would need to know how to break it."
"Oh, so you were helping."
"Well, I can only hope I was," Melinda gestured at the books, "I'm afraid that I haven't found anything yet."
"What are you, Miss Quick?" Giles closed the door to his office.
"What I am, you won't find in your books," Melinda dropped the act. Her powers were waning quickly.
"You're weakening," Giles took off his glasses and cleaned them, "First Willow saw you for what you are, then I assume Spike did. And now me." Giles replaced his glasses. "What are you up to?"
"Since I'm so weak, it would be rather stupid of me to tell you, wouldn't it?"
"Yes, I believe it would," Giles moved quickly. He grabbed Melinda's arm and twisted it up behind her back, "If you actually had a choice."
Buffy stood in the now open doorway, letting her eyes adjust to the shadows. Xander ignored her caution and tried to push past her.
"Willow," Xander yelled.
Spike reacted swiftly. He gripped Willow by the arms and stood up. Buffy noticed the movement and leaped down the stairs to the edge of the puddle of light. Spike held Willow in front of him and stepped from the shadows.
"Don't you hate a stalemate?" Spike smiled coolly, tightening his grasp on Willow and making her wince.
"You bastard," Xander barreled past Buffy in blind attack mode. Buffy caught him by the shirttail and pulled him back.
"Are you alright, Willow?"
"I'm fine, Buffy," Willow whispered, "But I think you should let us go."
"Now that sounds like a smashing idea," Spike moved his hand to cup Willow's chin, "One move, Slayer, and I snap her neck."
Buffy stepped aside and pulled Xander with her. Spike had a clear path to the broken down door. He took it, careful to keep Willow between him and Buffy at all times.
"Buffy, what are you doing?" Xander exploded as soon as Spike and Willow disappeared through the door, "How could you let him take her?"
"I'm not sure she was took," Buffy frowned.
"What?" Xander had never wanted to shake some one so much in his life, but he was pretty sure that Buffy would kick his ass.
"Willow wasn't afraid of him, Xander, Miss. . . ."
"If you say Miss Quick was right, I'll. . . I'll. . . I don't know what I'll do, but it'll be childish and embarrassing for the both of us," Xander interrupted.
"I'm going to go talk to her. She was there the night that Spike kidnaped Willow and knows more about what's going on," Buffy walked up the stairs.
"You can say that again," Xander sat down on the cot, "I'm going to wait for Willow and get some answers of my own."
"Fine," Buffy stalked out of the bomb shelter.
Willow stumbled on a fallen tree branch trying to keep up with Spike's evasive maneuvering. "Spike. . . I don't think. . . Buffy's. . .following us," Willow gasped.
"You're right," Spike stopped and turned back to survey their path, "The Manipulator must have her convinced we are in league together."
"We are," Willow trudged back to her house, "Why did you grab me like that?"
Spike shrugged and wanted to leave it at that, but he saw the stubborn look in Willow's eye and knew he would have to answer her eventually. "There's no reason for both of us to have to lie to our friends. After we've vanquished the evil Melinda Quick, you can tell Buffy a part of the truth, that she was under the influence of the Manipulator and her perceptions were off. She'll fill in the blanks for herself."
"And I won't have to lie," Willow smiled and impulsively took Spike's hand, "Thanks, Spike."
They reached Willow's backyard and Spike stopped. He reached for Willow's other hand. He wanted to put into words everything he was feeling. Having his soul back was confusing things, but he knew that even without it he would have felt the same way. Willow looked up at him.
"Well, isn't this cozy," Xander leaned against the door frame of the bomb shelter, "Gonna break her wrist if I get any closer?"
Buffy speed walked her way down the hallway of the deserted school toward the library. Her focus was unmistakable, unfortunately it wasn't on her surroundings. She couldn't believe Willow and Xander. They were supposed to be her friends, not consorting with vampires and questioning her judgement.
"Miss Summers, what are you doing here?" Principal Snyder's voice cut through her inner tantrum, "It certainly wouldn't be to study. You wouldn't happen to have any matches on you, would you?"
"I'm here to see Giles," Buffy ignored Snyder's insinuation of her past pyromania, "He's been tutoring me in English Literature and I forgot my books."
"Help me! Please, someone, help," Melinda Quick's scream deterred Snyder's next comment.
Buffy sprinted the rest of the way to the library with Snyder well behind her. She flew through the library doors and went straight for Giles' office. Buffy stopped dead in her tracks.
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