Title: Voyage To BuffyWorld 1/?
Author: Della
Email: blindbadger@blueyonder.co.uk Rating: PG
Spoilers: None At All
Summary: Buffy & Giles are patrolling and come across Lee Crane & Chip Morton fighting for their lives against some Vampires... Soon Buffy & Giles become deeply embroiled in their mission in Sunnydale...
Distribution: Nikki's site: www.nikkisfolly.co.uk ( If she wants it ) Any others, if you think this is your cup of tea, then please take it.. I would be grateful if you could let me know where, though...
Disclaimer: None of the Buffy The Vampire Slayer characters are mine. They belong to Joss Wheddon and UPN and WB and any others that have a rightful claim to them and the programme... Also I have no claim to Voyage To The Bottom Of The Sea and any characters within that programme... No infringement was ever intended with this fanfiction...
Feedback: Yes please... *Constructive* flames keep the fire burning, but the good stuff keeps it alive...

Dedications: To Rari Coss... An Inspiration... To Kimberly... Gosh, look where I am now... To Nikki... Thank you for the biggest compliment one writer can give another and again for so much more... To Heidi for some lovely comments... Thank you...

Two men dressed in jeans and shirts approached a cemetery, furtively looking left and right as they walked.

The first, dressed in a navy T-shirt under a white shirt, was a tall, stocky man with blond-white hair; that stood out in the darkness of night; and pale blue eyes that matched the sea he loved. This man, Charles Philip Morton, affectionately known as "Chip", was Executive Officer of the submarine Seaview... The other, wearing a white shirt that fell over the hips of his jeans, was slightly taller and slimmer, almost emaciated; which caused many a concern for his friends and colleagues that he worked with. He had dark brown hair and dark eyes to match; depending on his mood. He was Lee Crane, Captain of the same sub...

"So, who are we supposed to be meeting...?" Chip whispered to his friend and Captain.

Lee pulled out a card from his shirt pocket and read the name in the dimness of the moonlight, "Umm, Santos Miguel..."

"Where and when...?"

"Here at Restfield Cemetery, at midnight..." Lee Crane muttered, looking at his watch. They'd been in Sunnydale for four days now, never leaving their apartment, until now when they'd received word from their contact where and when a meeting could take place. He smirked when his friend shivered a little. "Something wrong, Chip...?" he queried, trying to wipe that smirk from his face.

"Uh, not really, Lee," Chip murmured as another shiver briefly shook his body, "just a... a cemetery...? At midnight...? *Not* my idea of a vacation..."

"You thought this was a vacation...?"

Chip shrugged at that, "Well, it's away from Seaview, isn't it...?"

Lee Crane started to chuckle and said, "I wondered why you were so eager to come with me..."

"*Not* the reason I wanted to come along for the ride..." Chip strongly stated.

A simple 'uh-huh' of disbelief was on Lee's lips, but he quashed it when he saw the intensity on his friend's face. Instead he sighed. He actually knew why Chip had requested to accompany him and it really *did* have nothing to do with being away from Seaview.

Lee himself had to admit that the last ONI mission he'd been assigned *had* been difficult, even for him, and the look on his friend's face when he'd been found, would always haunt him. Chip Morton, stoic, incapable of publicly showing his emotions, had done just that at the time and it had brought home to him just how serious his injuries had been; the main reason why he'd not taken Doc Jamieson over the coals for confining him to Sickbay... Which, that in itself, had caused both Chip and the Doc to worry...

Lee Cane shook his head at the memory... a catch 22 situation. They both, along with Admiral Nelson, designer and owner of the submarine Seaview; and mentor to him; were always on his case whenever he screamed blue murder at being confined to Sickbay... But then fretted when he didn't... Eventually he turned to his friend and whispered, "Yeah, I know, Chip, and... and thanks..."

Chip shrugged at that and muttered, "Yeah well, that's what Exec's are supposed to do..."

Finally the disbelief was expressed, "Uh-huh..." Lee replied, then turned to the gates of Restfield Cemetery and said, "Shall we...?"

For a brief moment, Chip frowned. He had a bad feeling about this and he was certain, well almost certain, that it had nothing to do with the meeting place or the time of the meeting. Eventually, however, he sighed and admitted, "Well, we're not going to find out anything out here..."

Lee chuckled and started off, making sure that his friend and Exec was right behind him.

# #

"Aww, c'mon, Giles, this is getting boring..." Buffy whined, "We've been to three cemeteries now and not one show of a Vampire. Can't we just call it a night...?"

Rupert Giles, Watcher to Buffy, the Vampire Slayer, shook his head, whilst his nose was deep into the pages of a book he was reading as he walked. He then briefly looked up and wished he hadn't. He could see Buffy pouting at him, but he fought the urge to relent, "And... and you... you know that doesn't work anymore, young lady..." he spluttered, though more to convince himself than her.

"But Gi-iles..." Buffy again whined, increasing her pout by dipping her eyes and then beseeching him, when she looked up through her lashes at him.

Giles swallowed the instant relent that was on the tip of his tongue, straightened and braced himself. He took a deep breath and said, "No!" He then grinned, pleased with himself that he'd managed to *actually* say no, when to say *yes* was so clearly the most dominant factor in him. However, when the power-outage of the beseeching increased, he found himself floundering, until he eventually relented. He sighed and said, "All right, Buffy, have it your way... But..." he sternly added, strengthening his admonishment by raising a forefinger in front of him, "but only after we take a look at Restfield Cemetery..."

The smile of accomplishment lit her whole face and she'd even gotten ready to turn away, but the dark cloud of a frown quickly covered her face as she turned back to her Watcher; when he had told her *after* Restfield. She huffed her annoyance at him, "All right, Watcher-of-mine, but *only* Restfield..."

Giles looked down at her and affectionately smiled, "Of course, Buffy, though... though I had always assumed it was the... er... the Watcher that told the Slayer what... er... what needs must...?"

Buffy started off towards the cemetery and muttered, "'N' do you *know* what assuming did...?"

Giles frowned, "Hmmm...?" he quietly enquired.

Buffy actually blushed. It was a joke, but there was no way on earth she was going to explain it to her stiff upper-lipped, oh-so-British, Watcher. "Uh, nothing, Giles..." she eventually spluttered, "Uh, let's just get on with it...'Kay...?" And with that said, she turned away and started off again; leaving Giles blinking with confusion behind her.

# #

Lee Crane again looked at his watch and sighed. It was ten past midnight and still no show. He looked at Chip and saw tension furrow his friend's brow. "Something wrong, Chip...?" he asked, this time with a note of seriousness.

Chip shrugged, "I dunno, Lee, a bad feeling I guess... He should-a been here by now..."

"I agree..." Lee admitted, "Still..." he added, "let's give them another, say, ten minutes and *then* we'll leave...Sound all right, Chip...?"

No sooner had the words left the Captain's mouth, than another voice entered the conversation, "Captain Lee Crane...?" the voice enquired.

Lee and Chip simultaneously turned and then straightened at the same time. Lee spoke out, "Yes... And you are Santos Miguel...?"

The man in front of Lee and Chip was a tall, though rotund, man, oily looking; even in the dimness of the moonlight; with a moustache that curled slightly at the ends. He nodded in answer to Lee's question, then looked directly at Chip and frowned. Though still looking at Chip, he addressed Lee, "I thought it was to be just you and I, Captain...?"

Lee nodded towards a second man that was behind Santos and said, "The same could be said for you, Miguel..."

Santos laughed at that, his body quivering with the laugh. "Aaah," he said, "such is the trust between our two nations..."

Chip suddenly spoke out, "Look, why here and now...? *Especially* here...?" he asked.

Santos turned away, shrugging his shoulders, "Well, that would be because it is the closest for me and secondly..." He turned back to face the two men in front of him and... Vamped out, "and secondly..." he coldly added, "Who would know...?"

# #

Chip staggered back from Santos, his heart thumping painfully in his chest. "What the...?" he gasped, but had no time to elaborate when he went down beneath the crushing weight of the big man. He struggled wildly at the snarling 'thing' that kept him pinned. He afforded a brief glance in Lee's direction and found his friend and Captain in the same predicament. In fear of Lee's safety he kicked and hit out at the 'thing' above him, over and over until the hold on his arms weakened. He then shoved with all his might and shakily stood when the body was free of him.

He was about to go and help Lee when something hit him in the back. He stumbled and turned, instinctively throwing a punch. He heard the 'crunch' of something breaking and hit out again. The 'thing's' head snapped to the left and right. It briefly doubled over when Chip kicked it in the belly, but that's all that Chip could do.

Before he could retaliate any further, the 'thing' threw it's own punch and Chip felt the inside of his mouth split and his legs buckle; and he fell with the force of it. Before he could turn onto his back, he felt the much needed oxygen leave his body as a boot hit him in the chest. White-hot streaks of fire shot the entire length and breadth of his body. He felt darkness try to take his senses from him, but when he heard a groan of pain from Lee, he fought it and struggled to his feet.

Santos was on him in a moment and forced him to the ground again. Over and over Chip felt the blows to his face and body. He tried to raise his arms to protect himself, but the 'thing' kept them pinned beneath its legs. He arched his back against the heavy body, but to no avail. He could feel the cold touch of darkness make a bid for him again. He frantically arched his back again against his imprisonment, knowing that he needed to get to Lee, but a swift blow to his temple and he descended into a bright light that hid the darkness beyond.

# #

Buffy entered Restfield Cemetery with a sigh. She so did not want to be there and thought of the good time that she was missing with Willow and Xander at the Bronze. She sighed again, but it quickly turned into a gasp. Her spider sense started tingling like mad. She looked up ahead of her and saw a group of men fighting.

She saw the biggest of the Vampires, cos she knew that's what it was, strike the blond haired man beneath it with such force that she winced. She was sure she could hear the 'crack' of something breaking, even from where she stood.

She started to run, pulling a stake from beneath her jacket, and then charged at the Vampire above the blond haired man. She barrelled into him, then rolled and swiftly got to her feet. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Giles attacking the one above the dark haired man, and mentally sighed with relief to see the dark haired man rise with Giles. Believing that Giles would have help in dusting the other Vampire, she concentrated on the one in front of her.

She ducked and hit out at it. When the Vampire staggered she double-hit it in the face and then kicked its feet from beneath it. She was about to stake it when it struck out at her. She grunted and stepped back as the foot made contact with her stomach. Through the fringe of her hair, she saw the Vampire rise and feigned the seriousness of her hurt. She waited until it had taken the required two steps to get to her, before she then flipped her head upwards with force. She'd seen someone on TV do that. It had looked so cool to her that she hadn't thought to take into consideration the pain that it would actually cause *her*. She furiously blinked back the dots that danced before her and attacked again.

Again she ducked under a wildly thrown punch, threw her own at its stomach, then thrust upwards and staked it through the heart; stepping back at the last moment to see it disintegrate into a pile of dust. She turned in time to see Giles block a punch to the face and then stake the other Vampire. She moved towards the blond haired man, but the dark haired man got there before her.

"Chip...?" she heard him whisper.

Buffy looked above the two unknown men to Giles. 'Chip...?' she mouthed, with a frown that held her question; to which she saw Giles shrug his shoulders in response.

# #

Lee was frantic. It wasn't hard to see where Chip had been injured. Already his right eye was swollen with a bruise, as was the right side of his head. The right side of Chip's mouth dribbled blood with each jagged breath; forcing a moan from the unconscious man; and his shirt and T-shirt were torn, revealing several gouges across his chest. "C'mon, buddy, wake up..." Lee quietly urged. He sighed with relief to hear another groan, but knew he would feel a lot better if Chip would open his eyes and wake up. "C'mon, buddy..." he softly re-iterated and gently shook his friend's shoulder.

However, not getting any further response, he turned to the people that had helped them. One was a middle-aged man that was wearing Tweed. He found that puzzling, but not as puzzling as finding that the other helper was a young blonde haired girl. He blinked at her with surprise for a moment or two, but soon found his voice. "Thank you..." he whispered in gratitude to them both.

The man wearing Tweed spoke up, "Um, would... would you like us to call... the... er... the medics for your... er... your friend here...?"

Lee regretfully shook his head. More than anything he wanted to do just that, but he couldn't. Above anything else, no one could know that he and Chip were here and he knew that going to the hospital was the quickest way to alert anyone of that fact.

He looked down at Chip and frowned. He knew his friend needed help, but he didn't know anyone here that *could* help without alerting anyone. He turned back to the man in Tweed and quietly said, "We can't go there..." Lee stopped at that point to see both the girl and the man look at each other with a puzzled frown on their faces. He quickly added, "Uh, do *you* know anyone that *can* help...? That... umm... wouldn't necessarily tell on us...?" He watched as a silent communication occurred above him between the man in Tweed and the young girl.

Again the man in Tweed answered him, "It... er... it would appear that we... er... that we do... However..." the man quickly added, "we... er... we would need to know the nature of your... er... your business here..."

Lee sighed heavily. He needed help, but help that came without explanations. "Look, I *am* grateful for your help as well as the girl's there, but... but I *can't* tell you why we're here..." He briefly glanced at Chip, who still hadn't woken, and wondered if his friend would have done the same if the roles were reversed. He didn't know for sure. He eventually looked back up at the man in Tweed and muttered, "You saved our lives and I wish I could repay you, but I can't..." He looked back down at Chip and said, "I guess we'd better be going..."

Lee then leaned a little closer to Chip and whispered with the pain of regret, "Sorry, buddy..." He then grasped Chip under the armpits and tried to stand with him. He struggled a moment or two when the dead weight of his friend momentarily threw him off balance, but he quickly regained his stance and grunted as he shifted the unconscious body into a fireman's lift. He winced when Chip moaned and did his best to ignore the blood that steadily dripped down his left shoulder.

# #

Giles looked at Buffy and frowned. He wasn't happy to see the dark haired man struggle with his friend. Although he knew he did not know either man, there was something about them that had him believing that they could be trusted. Though the dark haired man had told him nothing, neither had Buffy and he. Thinking a little more on this, Giles suddenly realised that should either man discuss their adventure with the Vampires, they would *have* to mention Buffy... and on that would therefore put her anonymity in jeopardy.

On that thought, Giles took a step forward and placed a hand on shoulder of the dark haired man. "Erm, excuse me, young man," he whispered, "but I b-believe that *I* can be of help..." Giles watched the dark haired man turn to him and could see a look of relief, surprise and gratefulness all warring to be expressed on his face.

"You can...?" he finally heard the man whisper.

Giles returned the smile and nodded, "I do believe that the correct phrase would be, 'your secret is safe with me'..." he said, then took a firmer grip on the young man when he saw his knees sag. "Let... let me help you with your... your friend..." Giles whispered and reached for the blond haired man on the dark haired man's shoulders.

Buffy took a step forward and tugged at Giles' sleeve, but other than a brief glare aimed at her, he ignored her and helped the dark haired man lay the blond haired man on the ground. He looked up when the dark haired man started speaking again.

"I'm Lee Crane and this is my friend, Chip Morton..."

Giles took the hand that was being offered to him and as he shook it he said, "My name is Rupert Giles, though most find it more comfortable to... erm... to call me Giles..." He stopped and chuckled briefly when he heard a muffled whisper from Buffy,

"Aint *that* right..."

However, he pulled his attention back to the young man in front of him and finished with, "And the insolent young lady behind me would be Buffy Summers..."

He watched a flurry of unexpressed and understandable questions furrow Lee Crane's brow and then admired the young man further when none were actually expressed. He saw a smile lighten Crane's features; a knock down, drop dead smile; then frowned when he saw Crane look up at Buffy and softly purr a greeting at her,

"Hello Buffy... A pleasure to meet you..."

"Likewise..." Buffy answered with a huge grin herself.

Giles' frown deepened.

Buffy ignored him by asking a question she couldn't ignore, "Your friend is called *Chip*...?" she murmured with disbelief, emphasising the blond haired man's name.

Lee chuckled and said, "And *your* name is *Buffy*...?"

Despite his own anxieties to Lee Crane's obvious 'interest' in Buffy, Giles did let rip with a snort of laughter; that he tried very hard to cover with a cough, but knew he hadn't been successful when Buffy glared at him. However, if she had thought that it would have silenced him, then he knew she was greatly mistaken because he simply could not stop the guffaw that escaped him.

"Ha, ha, Watcher-of-mine..." she groused and then gasped.

Giles immediately turned to Lee Crane and inwardly cursed his Slayer when he saw the young man open his mouth and a question furrow his brow. He forestalled any questions that might have been on the man's lips by stating, "Perhaps now would be a good time to... er... to get your friend... er... Chip? to er... safety..."

# #

Lee forgot his question and his interest in Buffy in an instant and looked down at Chip. He frowned to see his friend still unconscious, even though the bleeding had stopped and his breathing had evened out. These people were confusing him. Damn it, the whole situation was confusing him. He now realised just how much he needed his friend conscious... No matter the situation, he knew Chip had always been able to alleviate any tension or frustration he felt with a remark or a shrug or just a hand on his shoulder.

Lee looked up at Giles and said, "You got a car...?"

Giles nodded, "Not too far from here..." he said and added, "It shouldn't take too long to get there if... if we *both* carry your friend..."

Lee nodded and again re-iterated his thanks as he took a hold of Chip's legs. He waited until Giles had taken his friend's shoulders and then stood.

Silently, with Buffy leading the way, they made their way to Giles' car.

Lee did a double take when he first set eyes on the hunk of metal that did its best to *look* like a car. He turned to Giles and asked, "It goes, doesn't it...?"

Buffy snorted, "See, Giles, doesn't take a genius to figure you need a new car..." Suddenly realising that she might have just insulted the dark haired man, Buffy quickly turned to him and spluttered, "Uh, not that you're *not* a genius... Uh, I mean, you *could* be..."

Lee Crane interrupted her babbling with a guffaw of laughter, which he got swiftly under control. "That's all right, Buffy," he laughed, "you got it right... I'm no genius..."

"Phew!" Buffy gasped, then added a little uncertainly, "Uh, I think..."

As they reached the doors to Giles' beloved Citroen, Giles snippily said, "Yes, well, now that the capabilities of my car have thoroughly been questioned, I believe it would now be prudent of us to get Chip Morton here, inside and off to my apartment for some help... Wouldn't you say...? Hmmm...?"

Lee Crane looked properly chastised as he nodded, causing Buffy to lay a hand gently on his arm and say, "Don't mind Grumpy here, he's like that with everyone..."

Giles glared at her and severely 'harrumphed' his disapproval, "Thank you, Buffy, for your complete and utter *lack* of respect you continue to afford me... I shall no doubt, some time in the future, be *eternally* grateful..."

Buffy swallowed hard and whispered, "Sorry, Giles, didn't mean it..."

Giles simply shook his head, indicated for Lee to join his friend on the back seat, turned to Buffy, *fiercely* pointed to the front passenger door and then got into the driver's seat.

NEXT