"Vengeance Is Mine "
Author: A. Price
Email: andramichelle@yahoo.com
Warning: Contains rumors/possible spoilers for the end of season 6.
Notes: I've been working on this fic for a little while now after reading
some rumors about how the season might end. I want to thank Heller for helping
me out with a beta read.
Spike kept one eye on the road as he dialed Buffy's number. Willow sat quietly staring out the windshield, could Spike be right? Maybe someone was trying to make her think she was crazy? Poor Caleb he must be so scared, but Tara would never hurt the little boy - if it were Tara... Willow listened to Spike explain the situation to Buffy, she held back tears as she realized that if anything happened to Caleb she would be responsible, if that little boy had a single scratch it would be her fault. She bit her lip until it bled, how would Xander and Anya ever forgive her for that? Her attention went back to Spike, she heard him say goodbye as he shut off the cell phone.
"She'll meet us there. Dawn will explain to Xander if he and Anya call. We're hoping to get in and get Caleb back before they even know he's missing." Spike noticed Willow's hands were drawn up into tight fists in her lap, tears were forming in her eyes he patted her arm, "It'll be okay, Red."
Willow turned to him and gave a small watery smile, "I hope so."
"It will be. We will figure it out... That's what the Scoobies do isn't it?" Spike smiled, "Course I'm not an official Scooby but..."
"But you should be, I'm sorry Spike. You were there for us and we never fully appreciated it." Willow sighed, "I was so caught up in my grief. I couldn't see anything but my pain. But you saw what was happening, you tried to warn me... to warn everyone."
"Well... yeah that's all water under the bridge now. Let's just concentrate on Caleb now." Spike pulled into a small clearing, "Here we are."
He got out of the car and walked to the opening of the cave. Willow carefully followed him stepping lightly as to not alert Tara to their presence. "Guess we should wait for Buffy?" Spike whispered over his shoulder. Willow nodded her head.
Spike leaned up against the outer cave wall, "I'm really no good at waiting."
"I remember." Willow nodded at him.
From inside the cave a small cry echoed out into the darkness, "Caleb!" Spike started into the cave, "Guess we won't wait!"
Willow followed praying that the little boy was safe.
The crying got louder as they went deeper into the cave. Willow watched as the muscles in Spike's jaw worked she could feel his tension. Despite several signs proclaiming, "Enter at your own risk" it seemed that Sunnydale's youth had took the risk several times. There was a rickety homemade wooden ladder that gave access to a narrow ledge that ran along the top of the cave several feet up.
"Up there." Willow pointed towards the ledge. Caleb was crying and trying to break his hand free from Tara's grasp, "See its Tara!"
Spike looked at the blond on the ledge and frowned, "That's not Tara, Willow." Spike put his hand on her arm.
"Yes, it is look again." Willow whispered anxiously.
Spike looked at the girl on the ledge again, "It's not. It's that Amy girl - the rat girl." Spike spoke softly, "She must be behind this."
Willow looked again and shook her head; "It still looks like Tara to me."
"To you, Red. But that isn't Tara. It's Amy and I don't know what her game is but part of it was to make you think she was Tara so she could get some kind of revenge? But why? I thought she had given up magic too." Spike frowned again, "Doesn't matter, she's going down." He inched toward the ladder, trying to stay out of sight. Luckily Amy seemed distracted with a squirming Caleb.
"Spike, let me go first." Willow pleaded, "Maybe I can talk to her if she thinks I still believe she is Tara."
"I don't like it, but you might be right." Spike moved aside and let Willow begin to climb the ladder, "If it sounds like it's going bad, I'm coming up."
"Okay." Willow nodded as she climbed.
"Willow," Spike called softly.
She paused on the ladder, "Yes."
"Be careful." Spike sighed as he watched her climb to the top. Hopefully Buffy would be here soon.
Buffy and cars were still unmixy things, but with a few lessons from Spike she felt comfortable enough to drive her mom's old Cherokee to the woods. It had taken a lot of convincing to make Dawn stay at the house but she had finally given in when Buffy explained that someone had to be there for Xander and Anya.
Willow could hear Caleb whining to Amy that he wanted his mommy and daddy as she got nearer to the ledge. She carefully stepped off of the ladder and called to Amy, "Tara I'm here."
Amy turned quickly towards Willow. Caleb was still trying to get out of her grasp. "Aunt Willow, I want to go home." His chubby cheeks were stained with dirt and tear tracks.
Amy grasped his hand even tighter and he let out a small cry, "Where are the others?"
"They're coming, I told them to meet me here." Willow explained as she walked towards Amy and Caleb.
"Good, because you do understand they have to be punished right?" Amy asked in a soft voice belying the venom in her heart.
Caleb kicked at Amy and she suddently let go of his hand. He tried to run from her and fell on the rocky ledge his chubby legs dangling over. Spike started for the ladder. Amy stood in front of the little boy, "Caleb, are you scared?" She asked in a sing song voice. "Y..yess.." The little boy cried.
"If you promise to be good, I'll help you." Amy knelt down closer to the little boy.
Willow was unsure of her next move, if she rushed Amy, Caleb might fall, so she tried another tact, "Yes I understand. But why Caleb, he's an innocent in all of this?" Willow asked as she tried to comfort Caleb with a smile.
"I promise." Caleb said softly. Amy lifted the little boy back on to the ledge and he stood in front of her, her hands resting on his small shoulders. She laughed gruffly, "You should know by now, Willow. There are no innocents. Why should I let him go - I was innocent when they let me die."
Spike paused on the ladder when he saw Caleb was safe for the time being, he needed a plan - now!
Willow watched Caleb carefully, she could feel the fear coming off of the little boy. "It's okay, Caleb. Aunt Willow is here. You just do what Am... Tara...what Tara says." Willow hurriedly tried to cover her slip up.
Amy however caught it and laughed, "So you finally figured it out Willow?" Amy asked flashing her true face at Willow then quickly going back to Tara's form, "Are you sure it's not me?" She asked in Tara's voice.
"I know who you are." Willow spit the words out, "Tara would have never done anything so cruel."
"Really, Tara wouldn't have done this?" Amy lifted Caleb and held him over the ledge, the little boy screamed and Willow lurched forward.
"Stay." Amy shouted and Willow was thrown back against the wall.
"Okay, its time for this to end." Spike spoke to the the air as he finished his climb up the ladder.
Willow lie unconcious against the wall of the ledge, Amy had pulled Caleb back and placed him against the wall, " Don't move or I will drop you over." She sneered at the little boy and turned to walk toward Willow.
"Why don't you try picking on someone your own size?" Spike called out when he saw Caleb kneel beside Willow.
"So you are the first to arrive, I should have known, you think your a good guy now don't you Spike? But I've been watching you for awhile now, sure Buffy and Dawn are on your side, but the others they are never gonna let you in are they? Thats why it was easy to convince you that Willow was behind your burned hands?" Amy smiled, raising her eyebrows at him.
"So that was you?" Spike nodded.
"Yes, it was took a bit of planning and luck but it worked. And it proves you are as much on the outside as I am when you get down to it." Amy laughed then, "So I'm wondering do I just get rid of you one by one or make some of you watch the others... "
"You aren't going to get the chance, Ratgirl." Spike lunged forward as Amy muttered something and a stake appeared magically coursing through the air towards him with deadly aim, he tried to dodge it but fell when he felt the wood enter his chest barely missing his heart. "Lousy aim." He taunted Amy, anything to keep her from Caleb and Willow.
"Well, lets see what we can do about that." Amy walked towards him her eyes almost glowing with malice.
Buffy drove as quickly as possible to the woods. She parked the jeep and entered the cave cautiously. She scanned the cave for a sign of Spike or Willow, her eyes went to the ledge where she was surprised to see a girl who looked like Amy apparently stalking towards something or someone. She ran to the rope ladder and quickly climbed it.
"Well any last words before I drive that stake home?" Amy asked Spike her voice eerily cheery.
"Maybe you should rethink that plan, Amy." Buffy called out as she climbed on to the ledge.
"Buffy, you made it." Amy left the now unconcious Spike and turned her attention to Buffy, "Willow and Spike are seem to both be napping, and the little one is tiresome, but I bet I can have some fun with you."
Buffy hid her wince at the sight of Spike, the stake still protruding from his chest. Willow seemed to be out of it and little Caleb was holding her hand and sitting tight up against the wall next to her. Buffy gave him a smile, "It's gonna be okay, Caleb."
"You really think so?" Amy laughed bitterly.
"Amy, think about what you're doing here?" Buffy inched towards the witch.
"Caleb! Come here now." Amy reached one hand towards the little boy, "Now or I will hurt Aunt Willow."
Caleb moved slowly towards Amy she grabbed his tiny hand again. Buffy stopped where she was trying to figure out a way to get everyone out safely, the ledge was narrow and high up, the fall could serioulsy injure or kill someone. Amy made her move, she held Calebs hand making him walk on the outside of the ledge as she walked to Spike.
Buffy's eyes grew large as she watched Amy kneel beside Spike, Caleb still precariously on the edge of the ledge. "Well, Buffy now you have a decision to make, will it be your lover here," Amy ran a red tipped fingernail up the length of the stake in Spike's chest, " Or will it be the son of one of your best friends." She inched Caleb even closer to the edge.
"You can't expect me to decide between them!" Buffy shook her head at Amy.
"You have to choose - now!" Amy's, "Which one?"
Buffy was frantic as she tried to formulate a plan to save both, as she looked between Spike and Caleb, she noticed Willow's eye's open and nodding towards Caleb, then nodding at Spike and shaking her head as if to tell Buffy to take care of Caleb. Buffy wasnt' sure if Willow meant for her to sacrifice Spike or if her friend was going to help the vampire, she took a chance as she spoke, "Caleb. I choose Caleb."
Amy shook her head, "Still the martyr aren't you. Here..." She shoved Caleb at Buffy as she reached for the stake. Her hands almost grasped the stake but were stopped short by Willow. "What?" Amy cried as Willow pulled her away from Spike.
"I guess we aren't done yet, Amy." Willow slapped Amy hard against the ledge wall. Amy in turn turned Willow abruptly and slammed her back against the wall, "I think we are."
Buffy sat Caleb down by the ladder and started toward the fighting women.
"Why Amy?" Willow asked as she fought against Amy to keep her balance.
"Because you have everything! It doesn't matter what you do - all is forgiven and the good ole' Scooby Gang comes back to you. Me! Just because I introduced you to Rack, I was ostracized! And then once he met you he wanted nothing to do with me." Amy got the better of Willow and turned her once again and lunged as if to shove her off the ledge. Buffy grabbed for Willow and spun her away from falling, Amy however was not so lucky as she minsjudged her lunge and went soaring over the edge of the ledge. Willow and Buffy peered over at her body sprawled on the rocky ground below, her neck was at an odd angle and both knew she was dead with just a look.
"You get Caleb, I'll go to Spike." Buffy instructed Willow as she quickly went to Spike's side. "Spike, Spike." She called his name softly, her hand resting on his cheek.
"Buffy?" He stared at her through pain filled eyes.
"It's me." She smiled at him as she began to gently probe around the base of the stake, "I've got to get this out and I have to do it quickly."
He nodded in agreement, "Just do it."
She kissed his forehead and grabbed the stake with both hands pulling straight up, the piece of wood came out in one piece with a large amount of blood flowing from the wound. She took off her jacket and placed it on the wound to staunch the bleeding. "You okay?" She asked worriedly.
He gave her a small smile, "I'll live."
Willow carried Caleb over to where Buffy was helping Spike stand. "Is he okay?"
"He will be." Buffy murmured as she fussed over Spike, her arm around him as the other hand held her jacket in place over the still bleeding wound.
Xander arrived at the cave in a near hysteric state, Anya was okay and with Dawn. Now his worry was with his son. As he walked into the cave the first thing he noticed was Amy's body on the ground, he walked over quickly and felt for a pulse, there was none. He could feel the fear in his stomach, in his throat, in his heart. "Buffy! Willow! Spike!" He called into to the cave.
"Up here." Willow called back as she held tightly to Caleb and navigated the ladder down to the floor of the cave.
"What happened?" Xander shouted as he ran towards his best friend and his son, "Did you know Amy is dead?"
"Long story and yes I know about Amy." Willow sighed as Caleb squirmed in her arms.
"Daddy!" Caleb called as he reached out for Xander.
"Caleb, are you okay?" Xander asked into the little boys hair as he hugged him tightly against his chest.
"I'm okay, Daddy. There was a bad lady though." He pulled away to look at his Daddy's face, " But Aunt Buffy and Uncle Spike and Aunt Willow took care of me."
Xander smiled over his sons head, "Thank you.. Where are Buffy and Spike?"
"They're coming. Spike's not in the best of shape he was nearly dust up there." Willow explained as Buffy helped Spike down the ladder, she rushed over to help Buffy ease him off the ladder.
"Everyone is okay then?" Xander asked pointedly looking at Spike.
"I'll be fine Harris. Take your munchkin home." Spike told him with as much as a smirk as he could muster.
"Willow you want a ride? You can explain everything on the way to Buffy's. I have to pick up Anya." Xander patted Buffy on the shoulder, "Thanks Buffy and you too Spike."
Buffy nodded at him as she turned her attention back to Spike, "We have to call park services and report Amy's accidental death, we can do it anonymously."
Spike nodded, "Payphone up the way by a campsite."
Xander touched Spike's shoulder as he passed him, Spike only nodded at him as Xander mouthed, "Thank you."
"I'll do it." Willow told them as she walked towards Xander's car, "Spike I have to thank you again, for helping me, for risking your life, for making me see that wasn't Tara, for making remember Tara for what she was, kind and loving and not a vengeful bone in her body."
"No problem, Red." Spike smiled tiredly at her as Buffy helped him into the jeep, "Now for the real risk of my life, I'm riding home with Buffy."
Willow and Xander laughed as they said their goodbyes and got into the car. Caleb already sleeping from his adventure.
"Thank you, Spike." Buffy told him as they drove towards her house, "You did good, how did you know it wasn't Willow?"
"Red is smarter then that, she wouldn't get caught look how long she fooled everyone last time and things were just too pat. But when she told me it was Tara I knew somethng was wrong. I guess this Amy girl was very bitter." Spike shook his head as he looked out the window.
"I guess she was, she didn't have friends the way we do." Buffy sighed, "Or someone who loves her."
"No, I guess she didn't." He held his chest painfully as the car pulled into Buffy's drive. Xander and Willow were right behind them.
Xander and Willow made full explanations to everyone as Buffy took Spike upstairs to clean him and bandage his chest. "You scared me, I thought Amy was going to dust you." Buffy finally let her fear out, tears fell as she bandaged Spike's wound.
"It's okay. I'm still here." Spike sat up, "Come here." He said as he pulled her closer to him, his hands on her face as he leaned in and gently kissed her quivering lip.
"Hey - I thought he was hurt!" Dawn called out as she entered the bedroom, "Give the guy a rest, Buffy."
Spike laughed, "Come here, Bit."
Dawn joined them sitting on the edge of the bed, "Are you going to be okay?"
"I'm fine and we're all together just like we're supposed to be." He smiled at his two girls, as he realized just how wrong Amy had been he wasn't an outsider anymore. This was his home now and he belonged...
Meanwhile, in another bedroom across town. Willow touched the photo in the pretty wicker frame, it was Tara smiling back at her. She smiled at the photo once before she crawled into the bed where she had only sweet dreams...
The End