Chapter 2
It was Spike who couldn’t sleep now. A million thoughts ran through his head, he couldn’t pin-point one to worry about most…
You see, for a kick-off, once they’d gone back to 19th century England, he realised that he’d be no use to her strength wise – not being a vampire meant back to being just plain old William………
And plain old William meant a weak, bumbling mother’s boy, who never really accomplished anything in life – admittedly it had been a short life, cut down in is prime of 28 years…huh, ‘prime’ was hardly the word Spike would use to describe his alter-ego.
He stayed in at home to keep his beloved mother company, and mooned over girls he hadn’t a HOPE of even talking to let alone meet, and the one girl who DID deign to talk to him, Cecily Adams, well she spoke to him like he was something nasty on her shoe, treated him with total derision, scorned and ridiculed him at every conceivable moment – so the very LAST thing he wanted to do was be reminded of that and turned into that bloody milk-sop again, that pathetic creature who wrote the most awful doggerel………
Buffy turned over, groped her hand to cuddle up to her hubby – but there was no Spike in bed next to her.
She raised her head and looked at the clock and frowned, she’d only been asleep for an hour and a half, and Spike MUST have been as tired as she was………
She found him in the kitchen, staring off into space, a cup of cold tea in front of him.
“Spike?”
“Hmm – oh hey…what are you doing up pet – go back to bed, it’s early yet!”
“I might ask you the same question………I thought you were shattered, like me”
“Oh I, well I am tired but – this thing, this London job…Buffy – I’m going to be no use to you”
Buffy frowned
“What makes you say that?”
“Well for starters, I won’t be a vampire, I’ll be…I’ll be who I was………I’ll be William”
“I know, and I can’t wait!” Buffy said with a grin, but her face fell when she saw Spike looking far less than happy about it.
“He…gods, where do I start here – he was a mother’s boy, a milk-sop, an idiot, a wimp, no use to man nor beast…and…”
Buffy frowned and took Spike’s sad face in her hands
“And what?”
“And I’m scared that, well you’ll see me for I really was, totally useless”
“Don’t be so silly! William had fire in his blood, a passion for poetry and the classics, he gave you your love of books and music, your sense of commitment, your capacity to love – he’s half of you, and a half I want to get to know better”
She looked deep into his eyes, which were in turmoil; she could see stormy blue mixed with angry black, passionate grey mixed with calm cerulean…
“Buffy I – “
“Shush my love…even if you’re only there for me to come back to every night, that will be enough, just to know you’re there, by my side, that will be enough for me – and besides which, you’ll be able to put me right on how to act”
Spike kissed her like the world was ending, he held her so tight, needing to know the words she’d just spoken were true.
“Bed, come on, and no more silly talk, I want you with me, full stop”
************************
When they got to Wolfram and Hart, they were quickly ushered up to Angel’s office.
Both Buffy and Spike were surprised to see Willow and Xander already there.
Willow pre-empt’ their question by saying,
“Giles phoned us and told us what was happening, we said we’d help”
Angel came over and stood in front of them
“Did you download the notes I gave you?”
“Of course, and yes I’ve read them – so just how did Rack get to steal this book in the first place?”
“Harmony thought he was a big client of ours, she put him in the VIP suite, and he somehow managed to get into the safe and boom – he was gone – with the book”
“Boom, as in he blew the safe?”
“No boom as in figuratively speaking, he just opened the safe like he knew the combination – we just found the door open and the book gone”
“And nothing else was taken?” Spike asked
“Nope, there were very important documents and papers in there, cash and a couple of rare artefacts and relics – all remained untouched – all he wanted, was the book”
“So what was so special about that version of the book, hmm? – I mean I know Giles has a copy, so does Wes”
“Think of it like this, the versions that Giles and Wes have, they’re like having a ‘pocket version’, where as the volume stolen is like having the complete whole 52 volumes of the Oxford English Dictionary, it’s got EVERYTHING ever known about demons – how to summon them, vanquish them-“ Angel explained
“Yeah okay, we get the picture, so any idea what laddo wants it for – besides the obvious to cause mayhem that is, have you narrowed it down?”
“We haven’t been able to, no” Angel said
Spike rolled his eyes. Buffy spoke up
“This…this time portal thing…what’s it like, a time machine?”
“No, well not really, it’s, well - we call it the Blue Room – it’s always been here…it can be set to a date in time, we’d been working with a client in the mid and late Victorian times, so that’s how we know what time-line Rack’s gone back to, it’s January 1886”
“1886? – Two years before I was turned…” Spike mused quietly, then he asked
“And this Blue Room portal…is it safe? – I mean is there a guarantee that we’ll be able to come back safely?”
“That’s why I’m here – I’ll get you back, even if the room goes kerbluey” Willow said with a smile
“Good…so where will be staying?” Buffy asked
“There’s a hotel called the Savoy, have you heard of it? Well, it’s obviously not the modern one it is today, but-“
“Don’t worry about that…I have an idea”
“Oh?”
“In August, 1885, I went to America for 6 months…I came back, empty handed…this time when I return home, I can show my mother I’ve come home with a bride”
Both Angel and Buffy said together,
“YOUR MOTHER?!!!
And then Buffy smiled and said,
“Well I think it’s a fantastic idea!”
“Well I don’t! You need to concentrate on the matter in hand, that is-“
“We know, to get this bloody book back, and we will, but we shall be staying in Richmond Square that’s all”
Angel opened his mouth to say something, but then closed it again
“Angel…about Spike…there won’t be a chance he could encounter the other William there, is there?”
“No, don’t worry, he’ll be there as William, but retaining all of Spike’s knowledge”
“Great, so when do we go?”
“In a couple of hours – Giles will be going with you”
“I’ve just thought, what will I do for clothes – money?”
“It’s all taken care of, don’t worry – you might as rest and have something to eat” Angel said, dialling out for take-away.
*****************
“Spike, I need to talk to you” Giles said
“Fire away Rupes”
“I know it’s going to be very tempting, but you MUST NOT do ANYTHING to alter the course of history while you’re there, do you understand?”
Spike looked at Giles and said,
“Such as?”
Giles couldn’t think of anything specific, so he said,
“Just be careful”
“I will…you do know I’m going to be no use brute-strength wise, don’t you?”
“Hmm…I hadn’t thought about that – but still you should be useful as regards certain places in London”
“Well, you’ll still have to take a street finder map – I DID lead a very sheltered upbringing, I never really strayed much from the bank, my club and home in Richmond Square”
Giles brows rose up
“Richmond Square eh? – Very nice!”
“I’m taking Buffy home to meet my mother, I was in America for 6 months in 1885 until early 1886, mother can think that I came back with a bride”
Giles took off his glasses, cleaned them and put them back on
“I see…well just remember-“
“I know, we’ve to keep our minds on the job in hand, we will”
“Right”
“Spike, Giles, we’re ready to go in ten” Buffy called
They both nodded
********************
Angel opened the door to the Blue room. In the centre was a circle of swirling blue; it sparkled and danced looked like a mass of pure energy
“So what do we do?” Buffy asked
“You just walk into it, one at a time” Angel said
“That’s it? But what about our clothes and that?”
“Don’t worry, Wesley said he popped up the other side in the right clothes for the day, but there’s a caseful each for you to carry, and Spike, Giles, Xander, you should have one hundred pounds each, that should keep you going for a while” Angel assured him
“Shall I go first?” Giles walked towards the heaving mass of blue light, stepped into it and disappeared.
“Me next, then you Spike” Buffy said, and only with a slight hesitation, she too stepped into the light and disappeared.
Spike followed, then Willow and Xander.
************
After the briefest sensation of falling, Buffy felt her feet on solid ground. She felt slightly disorientated, surrounded by a great roaring noise, and smoke and steam.
“What the – oh!”
When it cleared, she saw Giles, then Spike, and her two friends all in proper clothes of the day; they were standing on a railway platform.
The huge monster that had been belching smoke and steam slowly chugged out of the station, and a porter came up to them, doffed his cap and said to Giles,
“Porter sir, need a hand with your luggage?”
“Or er, um, yes, yes - please, and um er a-“ Giles was still slightly taken aback that it had all happened so quickly!
“Summon two carriages please, one for the Savoy Hotel, one for Richmond Square, my good man – come along let’s get on!” Spike picked up two cases and strode out of the station entrance
Buffy and Willow grinned at each other.
“I DO like your hat – that green does suit you!” Buffy said
“Isn’t Spike amazing – it’s like coming home for him!”
“I LOVE his hair – all tousled curls – I can’t wait to get my hands in it!”
“Ladies, don’t let me have to remind you that – “ Giles looked at them over his spectacles
“We know! Are here to do a serious job!”
“Right, come along Xander” The men trotted on ahead carrying the rest of the luggage
“I’m glad the men are being gentlemen and carrying the cases, coz I don’t know what I’m wearing…but I’ll never complain about wearing a thong again, that’s for sure…ow!” Buffy wriggled, grimaced and tried to ease the pressure on her ribcage. Willow and Xander got into the first carriage, followed by Giles
“………And we’ll see you after dinner, come to the hotel” Giles said from the first carriage window.
“We will” Spike helped Buffy into the second carriage
“The Laurels, Richmond Square” Spike said to the driver, who gently flapped the reins and steered the horse into a semicircle to go the direction they wanted
“Spike, do you feel different?” Buffy asked, grinning
“I do indeed, and I think my love, that you will have to start calling me William”
“William, yes I must – oh god, I’ve got butterflies in my stomach, and what ever it is this torture thingie I’m wearing, well I can’t wait to get out of it!”
All the time William gazed at her
“What, what is it? Have I a smut on my nose or something?” Buffy asked wondering what her husband was looking at
William smiled and shook his head and said,
“I’m so lucky”
“Lucky – why?”
“To have met somebody so beautiful as you”
Buffy felt her cheeks redden and she leant forward and gave him a soft kiss
“You are a silly, but you’re MY silly!” William thought he’d burst with pride – he had all of Spike’s knowledge, knew of what he was to become – but he knew it was all worth it, because he had this woman at his side.
They felt the carriage slow and the driver rapped on the carriage side and said,
“Richmond Square, sir”
William got out, helped Buffy out and the driver helped him with the two suitcases
“How much?”
“One and nine pence, sir”
William gave the man half a crown and told him to keep the change
“Much obliged, sir!” the driver touched his hat with his riding crop, climbed back into his seat and set off back towards Kings Cross.
William looked at the house and smiled
“Spike, I mean William…”
“Buffy?”
“Do you, well, do you think your mother will like me?”
William smiled
“She’ll love you – come on!” he picked up the suitcases and walked up the driveway………
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