Thanks to JuQuinthe, Tasha & Cordykitten for the reviews... more please? Cya xx
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Words: 4,439
*Lie To Me*
“Why Angel. How great to see you.” The sarcastic voice drew Angel from his thoughts.
“Spike.” He acknowledged. “Spike, leave here. I'm offering you that chance. The slayer won’t.”
“A-yes, the slayer. We’ve met. On numerous occasions.” He practically gloated.
“Stay away from Buffy!” Angel growled jealously.
“Or you’ll hurt me?” Spike let out a sharp bark of laughter. Angel looks down at the ground. “No. No you cant, not anymore.”
“If you don't leave it'll go badly. For all of us.”
“For you, and your honey you mean. I can take care of my little old self.” He sucked in his cheeks and smirked at the elder vampire.
Angel mumbles under his breath. “Old is right.”
“Look, just stay out of my way.” Irritated now, where did Angel get off? He was older than Spike anyway.
“No can do boy. Can’t just let you go round killing innocents.”
“Go back to your slayer, or I’ll send her to you in pieces.” He threatened, trying his hardest to sound menacing.
Angel frowns, and then smiles. “No you won’t. You’d lose her as well.”
“WHAT?” Spike shouted, the noise echoing off the nearest crypt.
“Demons talk Spike. She’s mine.” Angel replied, cryptic as usual. He then walked off, leaving Spike staring.
Buffy is watching from the roof above them. Not being able to hear anything being said, her brow crinkled as she tried to think of possible reasons for the two to be together.
“Angel? And Spike?”
XXX
Buffy walks over to Giles after class. He immediately dives into conversation on the new ‘big bad’.
“Uh, I've been researching your friend Spike. Uh, the profile is fairly unappetising. But I-I still haven't got a lead on why he's here.”
“You'll figure it out.” He smiles encouragingly.
“You alright? You seem a little glum.”
“I'm fine.” Her tone leaves Giles with little doubt that she’s lying. They stop outside the library.
“Why don't you take the night off?”
“Okay. That'd be nice.” She smiles again, and Giles notices it seemed less forced.
“Yes. You could spend some time with Angel.”
“I don't know.” She sighs, thinking back on last night. Then adding, “He might have other plans.”
She walks off to her next class, leaving Giles to wonder what that was all about.
XXX
The three friends headed into the lounge after class. Talking about the Bronze and Angel, and Buffy’s apparent moping. Xander tries to think of way to cheer her up, only to be interrupted by a stranger. Buffy uncrosses her arms and turns around.
“Ford?” She exclaims, the day suddenly looking better.
“Hey, Summers!” They embrace. “How ya been?”
“Oh, my God! What are you doing here?” They let go and hold both hands.
“I'm finishing out my senior year at Sunnydale High. Dad got transferred.”
“This is great!” She practically bounces on the spot.
“I'm glad you think so.” Xander is not pleased, he didn’t need more competition. What’s worse, the boy was human so Xander had nothing to hate him for. “I didn't think you'd remember me.”
“Remember you? Duh! We only went to school together for seven years. You were my giant fifth grade crush.”
Finally, the novelty of being left out wore off. “So! You two know each other.”
“Oh!” She turns to Xander and Willow. “I'm sorry. Um, this is Ford! Uh, Billy Fordham, this is Xander and Willow!”
Buffy and Ford go to sit on the other couch. “Hi.”
“Hey.” Ford replies, reaching out to shake his hand.
“Nice to meet you!” Willow smiles shyly.
“Uh, Ford and I went to Hemery together in L.A.” She turns to Ford. “And now you're here. For real?” Worry crept into her voice. She didn’t want him to show up and go away again.
“Dad got the transfer, and boom, he just dragged me outta Hemery and put me down here.”
“This is great! Well, I mean, it's hard, sudden move, all your friends, delicate time, very emotional, but let's talk about me!” She puts her hand on his knee “This is great!”
Willow smiles “So, you two were sweeties in fifth grade?”
“Not even. Ford wouldn't give me the time of day.” She joked, trying to hide the very small traces of resentment. She’d totally moved on now- it was no big!
“Well, I was a manly sixth-grader. I couldn't bother with someone that young.” He told them.
“It was terrible. I moped over you for months. Sitting in my room listening to that Divinyls song 'I Touch Myself'.” She realises how what she just said could be taken and casts a nervous look at Xander and Willow. “Of course, I had no idea what it was about.”
Ford nervously scratches his temple with his finger. Xander just smiles and nods.
“Hey, are you busy tonight? We're going to the Bronze, it's the local club, and you have to come.”
“I'd love to! But if you guys already had plans... Would I be imposing?”
“No, only in the literal sense.” Xander replies sarcastically.
“Okay, then! I, I gotta find the admissions office,” He gets up. “Uh, get my papers in order.”
“Well, you know what,” she gets up “I'll take you there, and I'll see you guys in French!” she takes Ford's arm.
“It was good to meet you.” And they go together.
Xander smiles at them until they've gone. Next to him Willow has a thoughtful look on her face. Xander says sarcastically “This is Ford, my bestest friend of all my friends! Jeez, doesn't she know any fat guys?”
Understanding suddenly dawns on Willow. “Oh, that's what that song is about?!”
XXX
Later that night at the Bronze, Xander, Willow and Ford are playing pool. Ford sinks his shot and sets up for another as Buffy arrives at the table. She heads for the bar and finds Angel there.
“So. What'd you do last night?” She asks him, trying to sound nonchalant.
“Nothin'.”
“Nothing at all. You ceased to exist?” She prodded again.
“No, I mean I stayed in, read.”
“Giles has been researching Spike.” She mentioned looking for any kind of reaction. When she saw him start at the name she was more suspicious than ever. “His exact words were something along the lines of profile… unappetising. Didn’t say much else though.”
“Oh, um, ok. Does he know why he’s here?” He fidgets.
“No. You don’t know anything, do you? Heard anything?” she asked, keeping a close eye on his face for another reaction.
“No. Sorry.” His face once again blank.
“Oh.” She muttered disappointed. Then she went back to the pool table without another word. Angel stands there confused for a moment then follows her.
“Y'know, it's getting really crowded in here tonight. Um... I'm a little hot.” She turned to Ford. “You wanna take a walk?”
“Um, sure! That'd be nice.”
“Okay, then, um...” She smiled to the others. “I'll see ya tomorrow.” She leads Ford out past Angel
“Good night.” Angel says.
“Take care.” Ford answers.
“Okay, once more with tension.” Xander jokes.
“He just moved here?” Angel inquired, glaring holes in the retreating form of Buffy’s new friend.
“Yeah. And, boy, does he move fast.” He mutters jealous again.
“Well, Angel, we could still play.” Willow asked trying to be friendly. She moves the rack into position, and when she looks back up Angel is gone. “See, you made him do that thing where he's gone.”
Xander dismisses her comment and gets ready to break.
XXX
Buffy is waving away the dust of a recently deceased vampire, when Ford comes running over without her purse.
“What's goin' on?” He frowns at her. Taking Buffy by surprise causing her to spin around and face him.
“Um... uh, there was a, a cat. A cat here, and, um, then there was a-another cat... and they fought. The cats. And... then they left.” She rambled, not at all sounding convincing. She prayed the boy had gotten stupid or at least picked up on the Sunnydale must-have ‘eau du denial’.
“Oh. I thought you were just slaying a vampire.” He commented casually, as if it was the worlds normalest thing.
“What? Whating a what?” She blinked at him stunned.
“I know, Buffy. You don't have to lie. I-I've been trying to figure out the right time to, to tell you. I know you're the Slayer.” He smiles at her, she is taken aback.
XXX
Later on, once Buffy had gone home to phone Willow, Ford is heading to the ‘Sunset Club’. He knocks on a heavy metal door, and the view port opens. It closes and the door opens to let him in. Inside a welder is cutting the knob off of the inside door. Ford goes down the stairs to the main area. Dark gothic music sets the mood, and everyone is dressed in black and pale makeup. "Never Land", by The Sisters of Mercy, is playing.
I had a face on the mirror
I had a hand on the gun.
Diego meets him at the base of the stairs. “Ford? Hi, Ford?”
“Hey!” He greeted, less enthusiastic.
“Well, how'd it go?” The other man was beyond nervous, they needed this to go well.
“It went good.” Ford told him after a pause.
“Good? That's, that's it? That's all we know? Well, when are we...”
Interrupting him, Form muttered; “Soon.”
XXX
After being invited into Willows room, Angel begins to tell her the reason for his visit.
“I want you to track someone down. On the 'Net.” He eyes her laptop. Willow smiles at him.
“Oh! Great! I'm so the 'Net girl.” She sits at her desk and brings up google.
“I just wanna find everything I can. Records, affiliates, I'm not even sure what I'm looking for yet.”
“Good. What's the name?” She asked still typing.
“Billy Fordham.” Angel told her quickly. Begging her not to question him on it.
“Uh, Angel? If I say something you really don't wanna hear,” She swivels in her chair to face him. “Do you promise not to bite me?”
“Are you gonna tell me that I'm jealous?” He asked her already knowing the answer.
“Well, you do sometimes get that way.”
“You know, I never used to.” He cautiously sits on her bed. “Things used to be pretty simple.” He talks while Willow keeps on typing. “A hundred years, just hanging out, feelin' guilty... I really honed my brooding skills. Then she comes along. Yeah, I get jealous. But I know people. And my gut tells me this is a wrong guy.”
Willow nodded at him. “Okay.” Turning back to her laptop, she reaches a compromise. “But if there isn't anything weird... Hey, that's weird.”
“What?” He gets up and moves so he’s standing behind her.
“I just checked the school records, and he's not in them. I mean, usually they transfer your grades and stuff, but he's not even registered.”
“He said he was in school with you guys, right?” He asks as Willow keeps looking. Soon interrupted by her mother, Willow shoos the vampire out of her room, with a promise she won’t tell Buffy and will keep trying.
XXX
Buffy and Ford walk over to Willow, who is on her own by the water fountain. She immediately turned around, hoping to get away. She realizes she'd never be able to get away with it, and so turns to face them. She fidgets nervously with her hands.
“What's up?” Buffy asks in conversation.
“N- Nothing.” Her eyes jump from Buffy o Ford and to the stairs to her right, wanting nothing more than to run up them and away from her friend.
“Do you wanna hang? We're cafeteria-bound.” Buffy smiled at her, as did Ford.
“I-I-I'm gonna do work in the computer lab on school work that I have, so I cannot hang just now.” She muttered, getting jumpier by the second. “Hi, Ford.”
“Morning.” He nodded in greeting.
Not having fooled anybody, Buffy frowns. “Okay, Will, fess up.”
“What?”
“Are you drinking coffee again? 'Cause we've talked about this.”
Willow is surprised and happy that an explanation for her nervousness has presented itself, and laughs out loud.
“It makes me jumpy. I have to go. Away.” She virtually turns and races away. Buffy is taken aback again.
“Nice girl!” Ford comments casually.
XXX
The blonde vampire runs into him as she runs from his office. Jenny draws a startled breath as Buffy comes to Giles' aid, but is knocked to the floor underneath him when the vampire gives him a hard shove. She jumps up onto the table and leaps over the railing, making her escape through the stacks. Jenny helps Giles and Buffy up.
“Are you guys okay?” Jenny asks, shocked.
“A book! It took one of my books!” Giles was flabbergast. He couldn’t believe the nerve of some demons. They should be out slaughtering innocents, not stealing his precious books.
“Well, at least someone in this school is reading.” She tried to lighten the mood.
“He said he killed it. That's the vampire Ford said he killed.”
XXX
Spike walks through the door of the factory, approaching the Master carefully; he coughs to draw his attention from the dead bird in the gold cage perched on the table surrounded by books.
“Lucius tells me that you went out on a hunt the other night.”
“What’s it to you, you wrinkly old bat?” Spike glared at him, he’d only come to see if the newest book had arrived and instead he was getting harassed.
“You meet anyone? Anyone interesting? Like Angelus?” The Master asked curiously, ignoring Spikes previous comment.
“Angel! Git is all soul having now, in’t he?” Suddenly something piked his curiosity. “Why do you have a dead bird?”
“Beats me…” The Master mumbled. “Was hoping it’d sing. It’s so… dull in here.”
“Your equivalent of factory fever?” The Master nodded slightly, he’d always liked Spike a little, mainly because Angelus didn’t.
Before any more could be said, another voice drifted across the factory room.
“This is so cool!” Spike looks up to see Ford standing among some crates. “I would totally live here.”
Spike shouts loudly, trying to get a point across to the minions. “Do I have anyone on watch here? It's called security, people. Are you all asleep?” He walks toward Ford. “Or did we finally find a restaurant that delivers?”
“I know who you are.” Ford tells him, less afraid than he should be.
“Yeah, I know who I am, too. So what?” Spike sneers at him, frowning.
“I came looking for you, Spike. You are Spike, right?” Giving the blond vamp a small smile, he then smiles at the Master, flinching slightly at the sight of him.
“He has that affect on most people. Take no notice of pops.”
“William the Bloody?” Ford finishes.
“You've got a real death wish. It's almost interesting.”
The blonde female vampire comes in, walks up to Spike and hands him the book she stole. Spike begins to leaf through it.
Speaking more to himself than anyone. “Oh, this is great. This'll be very useful.” Then looking at Ford. “So, how did you find me?”
When the boy starts blathering on about tradition Spike grabs him by the ear and lifts him off the floor, his demon reveling in the pain the was displayed across the boys face.
“Wait, William.” The Master commands, being the eldest of their line, Spike obeys and drops Ford. Getting up off the ground he dusts himself off and grins.
“I wanna be like you. A vampire!”
Sighing in irritation Spike looks towards the Master despairingly. “Can I eat him now?”
Realizing he was getting nowhere, Ford decided he’d skip tradition and get to the point. “You make me a vampire, and I’ll give you the slayer.” That grabbed Spikes attention, grinning at the human the blond nodded.
XXX
In casa de Summers Buffy and Angel were in the midst of a heated discussion about Angels past.
“I’m talking about the people I rust. Who’s Spike?”
“Spike? He’s a vampire.”
“Well, duh. I know that part. I meant who is he to you?” At Angels blank look she added; “I saw you two together, in the cemetery.”
“Oh!”
“Yeah, oh. So are you going to tell me? Or should I go ask him?” When Angel didn’t respond Buffy smiled sadly and turned in the direction of the door, she would find out, one way or another.
“Stop! I’ll tell you.” Sighing he motioned for her to sit. “Some lies are necessary, Buffy, live long enough and you’d see that. Sometimes the truth is worse.”
“I can handle the truth.” She told him defiantly.
Nodding, Angel told her thee truth, everything. About Darla, and his turning, about how he sired Dru, who in turn sired Spike. About getting his soul and leaving the last two alone together.
“And Dru? Where is she?”
“She died in Prague. Her and Spike were attacked by a mob, some mad scientist was developing ways to tell vampire to ‘stay out of their town’. He had these torture devices as I hear. She didn’t make it, she was already weak. Spike blames them both. And me.”
“Oh.”
“Yeah, oh.” He repeated. “More truth? Ford's part of some society that reveres vampires. Practically worships them. I don't know what he wants from you, but you can't trust him.”
“Oh!”
XXX
At the Sunset Club, Ford is talking to Diego and another vampire wannabe.
“It’s going to be alright.”
“No.” The three turn to face Buffy, who is frowning at her former friend. “It’s really not.”
~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~
At the factory Spike comes marching out with his troops.
“When we get there, everybody spread out. Two men on the door, first priority's the Slayer, everything else is fair game, and let's remember to share, people.” He looks at the minion in front of him. “Lucius!” He holds up his keys. “Bring the car around.”
XXX
“I'm in. I will become immortal.” Still chasing him around the upper level of what once was a bomb shelter Buffy shouts to him.
“Well, I've got a news flash for you, braintrust: that's not how it works. You die, and a demon sets up shop in your old house, and it walks, and it talks, and it remembers your life, but it's not you.”
“It's better than nothing.” He sighs, rescind.
“And your life is nothing?” She couldn’t believe how he could talk like this. He used to be so life-loving. Instead of answering he just snickers. “Ford, these people don't deserve to die!”
“Well, neither do I! But apparently no one took that into consideration, 'cause I'm still dying.” Buffy begins to realize what he's up to now. “I look good, don't I? Well, let me tell you something:” He’s angry now, arms waving for emphasis. ”I've got maybe six months left, and by then what they bury won't even look like me. It'll be bald and shriveled and it'll smell bad. No, I'm not going out that way.”
Buffy turns away, tears in her eyes.
“I'm sorry, Summers. Did I screw up your righteous anger riff? Does the nest of tumors liquefying my brain kinda spoil the fun?”
Buffy turned back to face him. “I'm sorry. I had no idea. But what you're doing is still very wrong.”
“These people are sheep. They wanna be vampires 'cause they're lonely, miserable or bored. I don't have a choice.”
“You have a choice. You don't have a good choice, but you have a choice! You're opting for mass murder here, and nothing you say is gonna make that okay!”
“You know what, Summers? I really did miss you.”
~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~
“Take them all. Save the slayer for me.” Spike ordered. Meanwhile Buffy was slowly coming back for the edge of unconsciousness. She looked up in time to see Ford swing a crowbar at her head. Reaching up to grab it, she kicks out at him. A small satisfied smiles plays at her lips as he falls unconscious to the ground beside her.
Standing up she watched as a lot of vampires made party snacks on all the idiotic people in here. But people none-the-less. She had to save them, how? Spike was here for Buffy so she figured maybe she could trade him… but she had nothing he wanted. A smile blossomed across her face as she noticed the last vampire in had left the door wide open. Running over to the couch she jumped onto the back of it and flipped over the railing. Standing in the doorway, centimeters from escaping Spike, she drew in a deep breath and shouted.
“Spike!”
Spike stops feeding on Chantarelle and looks over at the slayer. His eyes widen as he saw where she was standing.
“Slayer…?”
“Here’s the deal Spike, you let everybody in here go… and I’ll stay.” Spike looked over at her eyebrows raised. Gasps were heard through out the room, many from the humans but some from the vampires too.
“You’re willing to stay here and die, to save some pathetic humans who betrayed you?” He asked sceptically.
“It wasn’t their fault. Ford was right, they’re just sheep. But yeah, humans are humans, what ever way you skewer it.”
Chantarelle couldn’t talk, she was afraid sure, but her loss of speech was due to Buffy’s bravery. Finally finding her voice she looked over and stepped back from Spike.
“Buffy, no, don’t!” Raising his hand to hit her, Spike growled.
“No, Spike.” Growling again he lowered his hand from the flinching girl. “Deal or no deal?”
“Deal.” At his word, every human in the building ran for the exit, except Ford. Diego went to pull the door closed behind him, but Buffy stopped him.
“Leave it.” At Spikes questioning look she grinned. “Oh come on, fight fair. Me against all of you? No way! The minions are leaving in 5.”
“Enough time for the humans to get away?” He couldn’t help but ask with a leer.
“The smart ones, yeah.”
“I’d rather have you to myself anyway.” Nodding at him, Buffy walked down the stairs, her body brushing against his as she passed. Sitting down on the floor next to Ford unconscious body she sighed. Running her hand through his hair she started singing under her breath.
5 minutes passed soon enough, and the minions were ordered to leave, any former club member stupid enough to be hanging around outside was not her problem. She had bigger fish to fry.
“One thing first.” Slapping Ford across the face she was rewarded with a groan. “Wakey, wakey.” Ford sat up and blinked slowly, trying to remember what was happening. Spike moved the rest of the way up the stairs and shut the door, trapping the three of them inside.
“Buffy? What happened?”
“They’re gone Ford.”
“All of them?” He sounded so pathetic, she couldn’t bear to lie.
“Spike’s still here. He was who promised right?” Ford nodded. “Then…” Waving Spike over she stood and walked to the other side of the room. “…turn away.” At Spikes shocked look she couldn’t help but laugh. “You promised, and he delivered. Reward him already.” Nodding Spike bit into Ford neck, flinching slightly at the staleness of it, but kept drinking anyway. “Ford, before you die, if I ever see you in my town, you’re dead.” Looking away from the two men, she let the tears fall.
~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~
“So I guess it’s my turn now right? Only without the waking up dead part.”
“You want it to be?” He asked her as he slowly walked towards her.
“No… but, that’s your choice.” She smiled miserably.
“You wanna know a secret, contrary to popular belief, I don’t want you dead. Unlife wouldn’t be half as fun then.”
“So what now?” She asked him guardedly, not wanting to wind up on the receiving end of a cruel joke.
“This.” He leaned forward and grabbed her around the waist. Drawing her closer to him, he presses his lips against hers. Instinctively she stiffens in his embrace but soon relaxes enough for Spike to bring her closer still, until every part of her body is flush against his. Pressing a leg between hers, he rubs it upwards against her causing a moan to slip past her lips into his mouth. Grinning as he pulled back, while Buffy drew in deep breaths.
“Wow.” She smiles at him dazed. Then gathering her bearings she gasps, her hand flying to her mouth in shock. “Ohmigod! Spike, you.... I’m a… we… Angel!”
“What’s it got to do with the poof?” He growled at her.
“He’s my boyfriend! Sorta, I think… I guess he is… oh, I don’t know!” She threw her hands in the air and with it tossed all sense of loyalty to Angel, her maybe-boyfriend, grabbing Spike around the back of his head he pulled him down to meet her lips again. “Mmm…” She moaned against him as his hands grabbed her hips and pulled her close again.
“You have a name, pet?” He asked when she drew back to breath again.
“Buffy.” She gave him a look when he raised his eyebrow at her again. “Don’t even say a word.” Pretending to zip his lips Spike couldn’t help but laugh softly. Genuinely amused, not snarky or rude, and Buffy decided she liked the sound of it.
“I guess, if I’m not going to kill you, we should leave, eh pet?” Moving to the door and pressing himself up against it. He looks for the way to open it.
“Uh, luv, where's the doorknob?”
“There isn’t one. It was Fords way of making sure I didn’t escape. It can only be opened from the inside.” Spike jaw dropped and he started to bang on the door.
“This is a joke, right? You’re joking!” Shaking her head Buffy sighed.
“Have a seat; we’ll be here for a while.”
“What makes you so sure we’re ever leaving?”
“My friends know I’m here, they’ll be looking for me.” Spike sat down, only to jump in the air nervously at her words. “Don’t worry I’ll protect you from them.”
Nodding he sat back down next to her, and wrapped his arm around her waist. Looking over at Ford he stuck his tongue out childishly.
“What’s that for?”
“He was supposed to be your friend.” Pressing a finger to his lips she silently begged him to drop the conversation. “So, you wanna keep me amused?” He asked playfully as he pulled her to him again for a good and proper snog.
“What’s in it for me?”
“I let you live?” He offered playfully.
“Liar.”
*The End*
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Author's Chapter Notes:
Please remember Dru is dead since Prauge!