Face to Face
"Okay," Xander said while walking around the table targeting the annoying brit with his glare. Spike back stepped around as well, keeping the table between them. "I don't care whose soul he's got. You just said he was William, but he's Spike. When Angel got his soul, he was totally different." The brunette pointed at the offensive blonde again. "That's Spike."
Buffy was walking ahead of her friend, trying to use herself as an extra barrier. Xander always seemed to gain more muscle over the summers ever since he started working with the construction-company. She was fairly sure he still wouldn't be able to hurt Spike much, but she also knew he might provoke something, that for some reason, Spike was avoiding. "Xander. I know he seems the same, but he's not. He's completely human."
Anya, Dawn and Willow had all moved behind the counter to stay out of the line of fire just in case the two males came to blows.
"Why would you even come back here?" Xander asked, still staring down the former vampire and avoiding Buffy‘s explanation.
Spike kept walking backwards around the table, and looked at him incredulously. "Harris, you 'ave to ask?" His head motioning to Buffy for a brief span of time.
"You had to know this was a bad idea.” The bulky brunette kept speaking, apparently having no desire to be detoured from his feelings. Attempted rape was not going to be overlooked no matter how many times Anya explained the difference between demon needs and human evils. “Go, be alive somewhere else!"
Buffy glared at Xander. Who did he think he was? Telling Spike to leave. That was her job! First Dawn, and now Xander?
"He can't," Dawn pleaded. "He's my teacher."
Xander blinked quickly and came to a stop, causing the two blondes to finally halt mid-step. "He's your what?"
Willow interrupted. "She's telling the truth. Giles even knows all about it, and got him a job at the new high school."
Again his eyes blinked like some rampant tick had invaded his eyes. "What?" Xander twisted his brow in confusion. Then he shook his head. "That still doesn't explain why he's here, in this shop."
Anya was happy to be able to help with this one. "Buffy wished he was here, she was angry, and so I brought him here."
Now, Xander switched his glare from Spike's direction to Buffy's. "You wished he was here?"
Buffy was chagrined. "Well, he had a book. One that would tell us about the new vamp in town." She picked up the yet unopened book. "See? He was helping."
"Really?" Xander said sarcastically. "Well Mr. I'm-human-so-we-should-forgive-and-forget, give me a reason not to use that fact, and have you arrested for attempted rape?"
Spike was just about to answer, when a now familiar tingle went up his spine. He looked behind him towards the training room. Buffy followed his gaze, just as her senses warned her of a nearby vampire.
"Hold that thought, Harris." Spike mentioned offhandedly before sharing a knowing glance with the practiced slayer.
Both blondes headed for the back entrance. All eyes followed them as Spike opened the back door to reveal a vampire listening through the door. The small vampire jumped up, and began to run off.
Buffy sprinted to him, cutting him off before he could leave the alley onto what was now becoming a darkening street as the day was almost over.
"Now, why would you be listening at our back door?" Sarcasm dripped from her rhetorical question.
Spike walked casually to the pair. "When I was here after a Slayer, I listened, and had others listen to find out what she was all about, love."
The vampire looked between the two, scared out of his wits.
"So, you think the new Master sent him here to spy?" She lifted her finger to her temple, acting as though this was all very interesting. "So if we just kill him now, he can't go tell the Master anything, can he?"
"Please, don't. I won't tell him anything." The gaunt blodsucker was nearly crying for his life.
"Not a good idea, mate. Making deals with Slayers is nothing but trouble. Trust me," Spike teased him.
"Well, maybe you could tell us a few things?" Buffy looked as though she was pondering the thought.
"Yes. Anything. Please spare me." The vampire sputtered.
Spike turned the cowering vampire so that he could get a good look at him. It was sad really, the clothing was too filthy to tell what color the tattered T had been and his trousers were in a similar state.
For once he was glad that his nose couldn‘t pick up all the smells that had to be coming from this sad example of a demon, his human nose was bad enough right now. "Where is he hiding out?"
The nervous vampire glanced between the Slayers quickly before answering. "C-cabin, edge of t-town, There a-are caves below it."
"Old man Carter's cabin," Xander said from the still open door. The whole group had followed to see what was going on.
"Sounds like it," Willow added.
Buffy nodded at her friends. "Okay, who is the Master?"
The vampire looked at her not understanding the question. "He is The Master."
"Line? What line?" she asked again. The vampire just looked at her.
"He's not gonna know. He's just a minion." Spike motioned at the shaking vampire.
"Oh." Buffy paced a moment, then turned back. "Why were you sent to spy on us?"
"I was told to find out who was still working with you."
"Why?" Spike asked. Generally when he studied Slayers, he didn't bother with those she aquatinted herself with. Of course, that is why he never could kill Buffy. That and the fact that he was in love with her.
"He wanted to be sure you were not alone."
"Me?" Buffy asked.
"Both of you," the vampire answered.
Spike and Buffy looked at each other.
"Why would he want to make sure we weren't alone?" she asked Spike.
Spike punched at the vamp across his jaw. "You heard the lady. Why?"
"I wasn't told." He sputtered.
"Minions." Spike almost growled, and pulled a stake from his waist. He looked back at Buffy. "You mind?"
She gave him the go ahead, and the vamp's eyes went wide. "But I tol-"
The dust fell before he could finish his plea.
The couple walked back to smiling faces, all but one.
Xander was staring at Spike. "If I didn't know better, I'd swear you sensed that guy first."
"I was just closer to the door." Spike said as the group walked back into the training room.
Anya, Dawn and Willow shared uneasy looks and headed back into the shop so that the others could start round 2 of ‘But Spike is Evil’ and avoid being thrown in the mix.
Xander held up a hand. "Excuse me? If your human then you can‘t ‘sense‘ squat."
Buffy stood by her friend. "Xander, there's a little more to Spike being human."
For his part, Spike leaned against the wall of the training room and listened, smiling as Buffy explained to Xander his new status.
~~`~~
The Master sat surrounded by minions, all reporting things they had discovered. "And she will begin her first day on Monday."
"Very well." The Master waved the minion away.
Jon came forward. "Seth has not returned yet."
"He is sloppy." The Master stood, and walked through the sea of followers. "He is gone. We must begin to set the plan in motion. Their time may be sooner that I thought."
"What of the others?" Jon asked.
"We will leave them, for now." He turned back to his favored childe. "Let them believe they are the only targets. It will make things easier later."
The Master set a cherished reverence to Jon. "And the book?"
"He is in possession of it, but he no longer has the key to read it."
"Good." He walked back to his seat, and lowered himself to the cushioned seat of the heave wooden chair. "Now, we must wait. The opportunity will come, and the new line will never begin."
~~`~~
Xander had seated himself on the well-used couch in the training room.
"He's a what?"
"A Slayer," Buffy said again.
"No, really?" Xander asked again.
Spike pushed himself from the wall. "She's telling you the truth. Call the Watcher if you can't believe her."
"Look." Xander stood up and walked towards Spike. "Vampire or Slayer, you still have a lot to own up to." Xander stopped a few feet from the blonde.
"I'm aware, but I also have to be here. So either we kill each other now, or we deal with it." Spike took a few steps towards him. "As far as what happened, none of it was about you, not on my end anyway."
Xander clenched his teeth, but listened.
"If I could take it back, I would, but I can't." Spike watched as Xander tried to decide to either punch him, or leave.
Spike was upset, more than upset he was out furious. He Hadn’t expected a parade of confetti at his return, but so far every moment had been accusation, arguments and violence.
All those days, months really, he’d just wanted to go home. And when the bloody hell did Sunnydale become home? When did he start thinking of The Scoobs as family?
Willow with her sweet eyes that tore into you with a glance. Anya and her bleeding simplistic insightfulness that ran you around the bend rather you liked it or not? Even that idiotic boy, jeez, he hated Xander with the passion only reserved for the brother you didn’t speak of much but defended when some other bastard dare take a turn.
His feelings for Dawn were obvious. She was the closest thing to family he’d had in so long. The simple feeling of protectiveness, it would never wane. Blood line or not, she was and would forever be a part of his existence.
Then came Buffy. That crazy bitch who cocked up his very reality. God but he loved her.
But there had been no loving welcome. No desperate kiss. No tears of joy. Nothing like you saw in those old movies where tears of joy were shed for long missed loved ones.
He’d have been happy if she’d either pummeled him for being a shit, or love him for nearly dying in her name. Either would have been fine. But neither was downright degrading.
Spike’s mind was dizzy thinking and rethinking his current situation, when Xander decided to ‘man up’.
"Fine." The obviously pissed man stood there for a minute staring again at Spike. Then he looked at Buffy. "I need to be anywhere but here right now.” He sighed, trying to make a decision. “I’ll be back tomorrow after work."
"Okay." Buffy was walking to him, but the brunette turned on his heels, and strode out.
The couple watched. "He didn't like Angel either." Buffy threw out.
Spikes head began to ache. "Not one bit of my situation resembles the great forehead.”
"I was just saying... "
He waved her words off. "No worries. Patrol?"
She sighed. "Patrol."
They headed through the shop, and were gathering supplies when the door jingled again. There stood Jason, smiling wide. He came down the steps to Buffy who was putting on her jacket.
"Good, I caught you before you left."
Buffy looked up at Jason, then back to Spike before walking to the detective. "Jason. Hi."
He smiled. "Hi." Jason seemed so sweet and open and innocent. Also in no way prepared for the situation.
She smiled back, now very nervous.
"I could get in some trouble here, but I figured a few days wouldn't make too much of a difference." The detective explained in a hurry.
Buffy looked at him, curiously. "What won't make a difference?"
"Officially, you haven't been assigned, but I found out today you’ll be under Detective Griggs, so I guess I won't be breaking any rules, technically."
Buffy shook her head, still not knowing what it was he was talking about.
"I'm sorry. I had this planned better in my head, but I'm rambling." He took a breath. "I was wondering if you'd like to maybe go catch a movie. Tomorrow if you're free."
Spike stood at the table blank-faced when Buffy didn't say no immediately.
"Um, uh, hmm… " Buffy stammered.
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Author's Chapter Notes:
a week and a half till the end of the fall semester which means that posts will be random and probably due to the need of a break from massive study time.