THE BEST REVENGE
Summary: Well I don’t want to give too much of this chapter away in the summary, so please read and enjoy.
Some of Spike’s personal history will be revealed in this chapter.
(The title might be a smidge of a hint!)
Chapter 3: ‘Getting Out’
Elizabeth felt physically ill as she headed up the long front porch steps of Angel’s beloved mansion. In fact, she felt much the same way the last time she walked down the immense steps away from her ‘fairy-tale’ life two years before.
A part of her was not surprised when she spied Liam ‘Angel’ O’Connor waiting for her in his grand foyer.
“Hello Lizzy,” Angel mumbled in that shy, slight Irish brogue of his that usually melted Liz’s heart. This time, however, Angel’s sweet lilt didn’t even thaw Liz’s icy heart in the least.
“You look great,” Angel added after he gave his ex a once over with his dark, brooding eyes.
“Thanks,” Liz muttered, happily non-pulsed by the nearness of her ex-lover. She patiently allowed him to place a chaste, almost reverent kiss on her flushed cheek.
“I would have come myself, to, you know pick you up, but…..” Angel began hesitantly.
“I understand completely,” Liz interjected casually (okay, a bit snidely). “If I know Cordelia Chase,” she continued blithely, “she’d have had your balls in a vice if you had driven back to LA.”
Elizabeth’s brazen statement broke the tension and even Gunn began to laugh along with her and Angel.
“Yeah, she would alright,” Angel admitted with chuckle that reveal his inner relief. His darling girl, his Lizzy, forgave him for sure.
“It’s enough that you’re giving me a roof over my head until I can move on myself,” Liz purred matter-of-factly. She was trying desperately not to let the resentment and bitterness slip into her casual tone.
“All’s I want is a few days to get myself together and gather up my mother’s china and aunt’s ring. In fact, I’ll call Cordy myself, in Frisco and let her know that I’d rather inject myself with Anthrax then rekindle any kind of romantic relationship with you Angel,” Liz stated evenly.
Gunn snickered and hid a wide smirk behind his hand while Angel turned bright red with some emotion. Liz wasn’t sure if it was embarrassment, guilt or anger. Frankly, she didn’t give a rat’s ass one way or the other.
“Show me to the guest room?” She asked brightly as she breezed past Angel into his huge living room.
“I, I’m sorry Lizzy, truly,” Angel murmured sincerely, showing her to the pleasant guest room she would be staying in. Hopefully not for too long that is.
“I know Angel,” Liz sighed wearily tossing her valise onto the cozy queen sized bed.
With a determined shake of her head, Liz turned and faced her ex with a staunch stance.
“Like I said,” she began evenly enough, “just let me get my bearings and I’ll be out of your hair. Yours and Cordelia’s that is,” she added.
“Cordelia,” Angel began cautiously, “she knows you’re here, Lizzy and…..”
“Don’t,” Liz ordered, successfully cutting him off with a raise of her hand. “I don’t care if you and Cordy are together now, Angel,” she continued quietly. “You’re not my problem anymore and after a few days? I won’t be yours either. Got it?”
“Got it, Lizzy,” Angel mumbled in that annoying dejected manner of his that she had not missed at all.
“Oh, and Angel,” Liz began casually tossing her sweater on the bed, “I’d prefer it if you quit calling me Liz or Lizzy. My name is Elizabeth and I think it’s best if you addressed me as that from now on.”
‘I, I got you this,” Angel mumbled, his dark head hung low.
‘Much like a whipped puppy,’ Elizabeth noticed happily.
Angel held out a sophisticated new cell phone and she eagerly grabbed it from him.
“It’s the least I can…..” Angel began, but quickly ended the sentence when he saw the look in her green eyes.
“I, uhm,” he stammered, unsure what else to say.
Angel truly felt guilty for everything Liz, or Elizabeth, had gone through for him. It was all that damned Ethan Rayne’s fault anyway. Now, because of his mentor, Rayne, everyone in his employ was in an impossible situation.
Elizabeth pursed her lips and eyed the little cell phone happily. This was just what the doctor ordered. She could keep in private contact with Mr. Giles and…..
Before she could thank Angel for the cell phone, Elizabeth caught sight of something out of the corner of her eye.
A slip of a girl, probably no more then seven, sped past the opened door of the guest room where she and Angel stood. Her long dark hair flew behind her as she skipped past the door and presumably down the long hallway.
Momentarily distracted, Elizabeth stood dumb-struck before finally making the connection.
Dawn Mcquire was indeed here in Angel’s mansion; apparently against her will, just as Riley and Giles had claimed.
Elizabeth was in shock; she couldn’t believe that Angel had actually taken this girl into the mansion.
‘What the hell have you gotten yourself into this time Angel,’ she wondered, stunned beyond belief.
“Who’s that?” She asked suddenly, pointing to the doorway. Her sudden impulse to play dumb paid off when Angel stood and responded in a bold face lie.
“Oh, that’s Dawn, one of the new staff’s nieces,” he responded a little too easily.
“Oh,” Liz murmured, still somewhat dazed.
“Since when did you turn the mansion into a day care center, Angel?” Elizabeth asked sarcastically.
“The kid’s supposed to stay downstairs, in the servants quarters,” Angel grumbled, his dark eyes narrowed. “The new cook, she’s…..”
“Oh never mind Oh by the way,” she shook her golden head and pointed back at the open door. “I’ll have my lunch and supper up here, in private. I like steak and salad, remember,” she added coyly.
“I remember lass,” Angel sighed. “You could have supper with me,” he continued wistfully. He was trying that old ‘puppy dog’ look to sway her to have dinner with him.
“No, I don’t think so,” Liz answered with a firm shake of her head.
Elizabeth had some serious snooping around to do and she had hoped that Angel might go out for supper.
“I guess I’ll go to the club then,” Angel muttered with a heavy pout.
Once that pout would have made Elizabeth’s heart melt, but not now. Not ever again.
“Have fun,” she giggled merrily and shooed him out of the guest room.
Angel left, reluctantly, and Elizabeth decided to bide her time until he went out. Then, she would get to work and discover just where Dawn was being kept in the huge mansion.
‘Once he’s gone; I’ll snoop around and find out just what wing Dawn is ensconced in,’ she reasoned silently.
“The servants’ quarters my ass,” she snorted in disgust. She had a sneaking suspicion that this Dawn Mcquire was a nosy little thing. The kid probably knew more about what was going on around here then Angel himself.
Elizabeth certainly hoped the poor kid had an inquiring mind and was prone to snooping about. It would help her if Dawn had overheard some information and it would certainly aid her own plan on getting the child out of here; safely that is.
{In Bath England}
Spike leaned into the long bar of the Tartan Pub and took a long swig of his ale. His best mate, Xander Harris, sat next to him, yammering on about something or other.
For some reason, Spike was in a maudlin mood tonight and…..
‘Oh, bloody wonderful,’ Spike thought to himself in slight disgust. ‘I’m back thinking words up like maudlin and broody and….’
“Why don’t you get out more friend?” Xander asked with a snort as he elbowed his companion, gently of course.
“I get out,” Spike muttered in his own defense. “If you’re talkin’ bout a bird, I haven’t seen one lately that I fancy much…..”
“Are you still moping over that ex of yours?” Xander asked in disbelief. “I thought you considered it a blessing in disguise when Cecily dumped you for Lord Peter Raskale and….”
Spike cut his friend off with a wave of his large hand:
“Best thing that ever happened to me was when Cecily took off with that prat,” Spike explained. “She never really loved me and I have to admit, I probably never ‘really’ loved her either. It was a bloody blessing that I got away from that,” his voice trailed off. He did not want to discuss that stuck up bitch any longer; he‘d gotten over her and that was that.
“Besides,” the blond continued evenly, “I’ve got farming in my blood and that bint’s blood is just a bit too blue for that.”
Spike finished with a sardonic chuckle and finished off his pint of ale.
It wasn’t as if Spike hadn’t ‘seen’ a couple of girls since his split with his ex-fiancé, Cecily Adams after all. He’d been out with a couple of girls but none had really caught his fancy.
“Hope it isn’t because of this mystery dream girl of yours,” Xander mumbled into his own mug of ale.
The blond man was in no mood to discuss his golden haired ‘dream girl’ with his dark companion either. Spike supposed he was truly love’s bitch, just as his dad had been over his mother.
Tonight was about drinking and stumbling home to his farm, nothing more then that. Xander drank less then Spike, always, and would drive them home.
Spike just shrugged in response to Xander and waved at his cousin Wesley Pryce; the owner of the pub.
Wesley was Spike’s only living relative in the world and the two were different as night and day. Wes had married a lovely American girl, Winnefred, and they had opened the pub together a few years ago.
If it hadn’t been for old Wes, the wonderful Walshs and even Xander and his girl, Willow? Spike might never have made a go of his parents farm at all.
He owed them all and would never forget the support any of them had given Spike after his dad has passed on.
Michael William Brenton, Spike’s father, had been barely twenty-years-old when he decided to go on a holiday with his friends. Since Michael and his mates were all from farming families, London seemed like the best place to explore the outside world.
The five young men had traveled to London with the hopes of being exposed to some kind of night life that eluded them in the rural countryside of Bath they had been brought up in.
Farming blood ran through Michael’s blood, although he was well immersed in the arts and had an innate love of good books; the classics mostly.
William and Martha Brenton, Spike’s grandparents, had encouraged their only child, Michael to see the world. At least the world as far as London, England.
So, Michael set out with his four closest chums and headed off to London to see the sights.
Once in London, the five friends soon got caught up in the exciting newness, to them anyway, of the overwhelming city. Of course, Michael could appreciate the wonderful libraries and museums; with their sense of history and art, and he made sure his friends ‘took in’ these special sights as well.
It was on about the fifth night of their holiday when Michael convinced his entourage of friends to attend a production of Shakespeare’s ‘Othello’ on the West End of London.
Although reluctant to attend such a highbrow event, the four friends went along and indulged their good friend Michael Brenton.
This would prove to be a life-altering event for all of them, especially Michael himself. For it was there that Michael Brenton first laid his indigo blue eyes on Drusilla Pryce, his future wife and mother of his only son, William.
Drusilla Pryce was the only daughter of a wealthy, well-known banker in London. She had an older brother, Paul, who had followed his father’s business, however Drusilla had chosen another path in life. She was theatre actress to the core. Tall, darkly beautiful with deep brown eyes, Drusilla was the epitome of mystery and almost unearthly allure. At least Michael Brenton found her so and he was enamored of the beauty the minute she stepped foot on the West End stage to portray the doomed Desdemona.
Michael made it a point to be properly introduced to Drusilla Pryce and somehow he had managed the impossible.
After that fateful night, Michael became a virtual stage-door-johnny and made sure he was available to escort lovely Drusilla home every evening. Within days Michael and Drusilla became lovers and no one was surprised when she quit the theatre and followed him back to Bath.
It was in Bath, a mere month after meeting each other, that Michael and Drusilla became man and wife.
William and Martha Brenton accepted their new daughter-in-law with open arms. Michael was happier then ever before and Drusilla ‘seemed’ to acclimate nicely to the quiet country life of her husband’s family.
However…..
After Drusilla gave birth to Michael and her only child, a son they named William, she seemed to change, albeit gradually at first.
It became quite clear, a couple of years after William’s birth, that his mother was becoming a big ‘off’ as the locals called it.
Poor Drusilla was inclined to episodes of disorientation and then near dementia. Mrs. Brenton would wander off into the hills surrounding the farm and disappear for hours on end and the whole village of Kenton (made up) would be on alert to search for her.
Due to the kindness of their neighbors and the respect they had for poor Michael’s love of Drusilla, no one judged the poor woman too harshly. Instead, they kept on being kindly, caring neighbors and friends to the Brentons and encouraged Michael to care for his beloved wife even more. All of them insisted that young William be a dutiful son to both of his parents. He had been that.
No matter how disillusioned Drusilla had become; usually passing her time at the farm chatting amicably with her favorite dolly, Miss Edith; one thing was for certain. She was a loving, devoted mother to William; adored her husband and his parents and always maintained some semblance of sanity as best she could.
The locals always felt that Drusilla was not cut out for the farm life, but would never speak of this, of course. At least not in front of the Brenton family.
Spike’s mother always encouraged his love of books and poetry and the arts. She never spoke unkindly to him, in fact, she never disciplined him either; left that up to his father.
In the end, Spike’s mum had been a loving woman, even if she was a bit off ; whatever her reasons were.
Drusilla Pryce Brenton passed away one quiet evening when William/Spike was just thirteen years of age. The poor woman had caught the pneumonia one night after wandering off in a rather harsh rain storm.
Even though Spike’s father, Michael, lived on for two more years after, he was never the same without his beloved Drusilla.
Michael Brenton followed his wife into the shadows when Will was fifteen. It was only natural after all; Michael Brenton could not survive without the true love of his life.
Sean and Margaret Walsh, the farm hired help, took over William’s upbringing with a vengeance. If it had not been for the kind, childless couple, Spike would probably never have survived and would have definitely lost the farm.
It was when Spike was about twenty or so that he met up with the American Xander Harris. The whelp (as Spike kindly nicknamed his friend) was in England to start over in his own tormented life.
Spike invited the young man to join him at the farm to work and soon the red haired Willow Rosenberg joined Xander.
Once Willow and Xander married, Spike had given the couple a small portion of the farm as a wedding gift and things worked out quite well for them all.
In fact, it was both Xander and Willow who had convinced Spike that Cecily Adams wasn’t near good enough for him. More then that, the woman would never adapt to farm life and Spike loved his farm more then anything in the world…..except maybe for the golden girl of his dreams.
Yup, William Michael Brenton was truly love’s bitch, but at least he was man enough to admit it. When he felt like it of course.
{Back in LA!}
Elizabeth crept down the great hallway of Angel’s mansion; she had a mission in mind.
After thinking long and hard about where exactly Dawn would be sequestered; an idea had dawned on Elizabeth.
A few years before, Angel’s beloved sister Darla O’Connor had visited the mansion. She brought along her daughter, Janice and Angel had a whole wing renovated for the child. It was at the very end of this hallway and was a little girl’s dream room filled with feminine toys and dolls to entertain.
If Dawn was anywhere in the house or on this floor? She was in that room and Elizabeth was sure of it.
Before she went investigating however, Elizabeth slipped out of the mansion into the backyard gardens. She had no doubt that her room was probably being monitored somehow and she needed to check in with Mr. Giles.
Angel had gone to the club, presumably for supper and Liz thought it was best to snoop around right now. If she knew Angel, she knew she had plenty of time to check things out as he would probably drink heavily before, during and after supper.
As she hurried through the expansive gardens in Angel’s backyard, Elizabeth was reminded of a time when she loved it here.
Back then, the wonderful array of roses, carnations and night blooming jasmine had made Elizabeth feel happy and content. Almost whole again really.
Now, Elizabeth was reminded that the beautiful gardens were just a façade of the horrors and evils that were being plotted inside Angel’s fine mansion. A place where she was soon going to escape from and hopefully take a small, innocent child with her when she did.
Elizabeth hurried back into the mansion and up the stairway to the upper floors. Once she had crept down the long hallway, she came to stand in front of the largest room in the north wing.
She opened the door as quietly as possible and scanned the pink and cream painted room, her green eyes coming to rest on the canopied full-sized bed on the side. There in the middle of the pink and cream frilly comforter covered bed set Dawn Mcquire, playing with a huge doll of some sort.
Dawn looked up from her play and spied Elizabeth at the door, the young girl’s blue eyes were wide with confusion and suspicion.
When Elizabeth looked into Dawn’s beautiful blue eyes, she was overwhelmed with such feelings of protectiveness that it caused her to freeze in place. In other words, Dawn had captured Elizabeth’s heart in an instant and she realized that she would have to gain the girl‘s complete trust.
After shaking off her momentary shock, Elizabeth entered the room, carefully closing the door behind her.
“Who are you?” Dawn asked suspiciously as she watched the pretty blond woman near the bed where she sat.
“My name is Elizabeth Summers,” Liz replied gently and joined the child on the edge of the bed.
“You’re Dawn Mcquire, right?” Elizabeth asked the apparently frightened seven-year-old girl.
“Yes,” Dawn stammered in reply as she continued to brush her doll’s blond hair.
“Why are you here Dawn?” Liz carefully asked the silent child.
“It’s a secret,” Dawn murmured in a hushed voice. “I’m not supposed to tell anyone.”
“Oh,” Elizabeth mumbled, then thought for a moment or two before continuing.
“Well, Dawn,” Liz began cautiously began again, “I’ll tell you a secret of mine first. Then maybe you can tell me some of yours. Would you like that?”
Dawn looked up at Elizabeth and seemed to ponder the mysterious woman for a moment before nodding slowly nodding her head yes. She went back to nervously brushing her doll’s hair while Liz contemplated her next words.
“You see Dawn,” Liz sighed heavily, “I was sent here to help you, by a nice man who wants to see you okay. I need to know your secrets, no matter much it hurts to tell them to me. Okay?”
“Okay,” Dawn answered with a sad sigh, but sidled over closer to Liz anyway. Her doll, Sally, was set aside carefully, not forgotten for long.
“Look at me Dawn,” Elizabeth ordered the child gently.
Dawn did as she was told, however her blue eyes betrayed the suspicion and anxiety she harbored.
Elizabeth gently brushed her right hand through Dawn’s long lovely dark hair.
“My real name is Elizabeth,” the blond woman began quietly, “but my mother called me something else. Now only very special people, people I truly care about, get to call me this secret name of mine. Would you like to know my secret nickname and call me by it Dawn?”
Dawn became quite animated and shook her head, yes, vigorously before becoming still again. The child met Liz’s green eyes with her blue ones and waited patiently for the secret name to be said.
“It’s Buffy,” Elizabeth giggled like a child herself. “My real nickname is Buffy and I would like you to call me that, in secret of course. Do you like it,” she casually asked the girl.
“Oh, I do like it,” Dawn giggled happily, a first genuine smile on her sweet little mouth. “It’s so much nicer then Elizabeth,” she added sincerely.
“Good,” Buffy sighed contentedly and pulled the girl to her body.
“Dawn, I really need to know some of those secrets of yours,” Buffy whispered softly and tenderly stroked the warm dark head again.
“I need to know them, so I can help you; help both of us really,” she added sincerely.
“How can you help us Buffy,?” Dawn asked, her dark head buried into the safe haven of Buffy’s shoulder.
Buffy took a deep breath and snuggled the girl even closer to her before she answered.
“I’m going to be getting both of us out of here as soon as possible,” Buffy murmured in reply.
Tbc…..
A/N: A couple of quick notes and a hint or two for the future plot.
From now on, I will be referring to Elizabeth as Buffy. Everyone but Dawn will be calling her Elizabeth for a while.
A hint to the next chapter: It will have the word ‘escape’ in it’s title.
Another hint to the future plot; see if you can guess where it might be going!!! Wesley’s wife, Winnefred had the maiden name of Burkle, but her mother’s maiden name was Giles!
I hope you guys liked this chapter and didn’t mind some of the far-fetched plots in it.
Thank you for reading and please review if you would like. Constructive criticism is always appreciated…spufette.
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Author's Chapter Notes:
I know some of you wonder why Spike and Buffy have not met yet. I promise, very soon, but I have to work it into the plot line as realistically as I can.