Everyone was in the lobby when Katherine burst through the doors about two seconds before the amulet Katherine gave Spike glowed and the vampire fell to his knees.
As the glow spread from the amulet to Spike himself, Angel moved to help him, but stopped at Katherine's insistence. “Angel, don’t.”
Spike felt his insides felt like his insides were being ripped out and placed back in different places. It felt wonderful, and yet, somehow it hurt like hell.
THIS WAS A TEST, VAMPIRE. YOU HAVE PASSED. YOU ARE WORTHY. WE AWARD YOU THE ABILITIES ANY AGENT IS CAPABLE OF.
Katherine was next to him in seconds. “Hey…” she smiled.
Spike returned it as she helped him to his feet. “I feel different.”
“You are different.” Katherine said.
“Well, yeah. I’m an agent for the Powers That Be.”
“So, what exactly happened a minute ago?” Gunn asked.
“I think the Powers That Be chose Spike and he experienced an intermolecular change that altered his supernatural abilities.” Fred answered.
“What?”
“The Powers That Be made him like Katherine.”
“Oh. Cool.”
In both Sunnydale and Los Angeles, the next two days went by without supernatural incident, though Buffy confided in Willow and the others present about meeting Stacy Lynn and research ensued with no answers and a need to ask Katherine or Spike about her.
Katherine went shopping with Fred and Cordelia, on the blonde. Cordelia was giddy at the thought of Vera Wang dresses, though she was feeling totally passed that, or so she said. Katherine bought a few outfits for Dawn, being L.A. could be considered a place she and Spike had visited.
That day at sunset, Katherine and Spike got ready to leave. They later stood in the lobby, the Katherine saying, “We’ve got to go. It was supposed to be a fool and run, anyway.”
Over the past two days, they’d learned something. Katherine was rarely serious, and when she was, her hair was purple.
The petite blonde stepped face to chest with the dark vampire being the demi-god had to look up. She pulled him in a crushing hug. “Love her.” She whispered before pulling away.
Angel thought quickly on what Katherine could possible mean and then looked at her in realization. “ I might.”
Katherine smiled. “Do it.”
She moved on the Cordelia and also hugged the seer to get her message across. “Love him. It’s okay.”
Cordelia laughed. “Yay me?”
Katherine moved on to Wesley. She glanced at Fred for a moment. “Follow your heart. It’ll never steer y’wrong. Promise.” She threw an encouraging smile at the watcher before sliding over to Gunn.
“If you’re still not sure why you’re here, don’t be.”
Gunn gave her a look.
“Take off, a cross-country trip might be in order. Find out who you are, and why you’re here. Trusting someone along the way may even help. They’ll understand.”
She moved on to Fred. “You seem like you’re confused. Have a talk with your heart. See what’s already there.”
Spike glanced at Angel. “So…”
He was trying to think of a way to needle Angel before leaving but he kept hearing thoughts. All of theirs. It put a damper on the Los Angeles trip, Katherine coming to the conclusion that since Spike had this thing with emotions and perceptiveness, he was better at the mind reading. Katherine was more magic. Hands on.
I wonder what Katherine and Cordelia talked about. Not that it matters. I don’t think it’d be a good idea for us to be together.
“Damn it, Peaches, go get the girl and stop pussyfooting around.”
“You changed.”
Spike raised an eyebrow. “Understatement.”
A grin crossed Angel’s features. “It’s good.”
Spike scoffed. “Not really.” He moved on to Cordelia. “I’d give you advice, but one, it’s not really my bloody business and, two, I think Katherine gave you the better part.”
Cordelia gave Spike a smirk that he returned. It gave away to a smile. “Thanks.”
“You know, Percy, maybe what Katherine said is the truth.”
“And you’re so sure, why?”
“Kat told you to follow your heart. Follow it.” Wesley was left standing dumbly as Spike and Gunn talked.
“Heard England’s nice…if you can drive on the left side, or maybe Canada’s your kind of place, if you don’t mind the cold-“
“Spike.” Gunn cut the bleached blond off.
“Yeah.”
“I got it. Get going.”
Spike moved on. “Fred.” She smiled at him and watched him for a moment before hugging him. Spike turned out to be an okay guy after the scare everyone shitless moment. It had been a fun two days.
“I didn’t tell you,” Katherine started as the two left.
“What?”
“I bought a car.”
“What?! Where the bloody hell is my motorcycle going…” Spike’s irate voice trailed off as the doors closed shut behind them.
It took them a moment before Cordelia sat down and picked up her magazine. Fred followed, pulling out her notebook. Wesley began to go through files and Gunn and Angel went over unsolved cases.
It was almost as if Katherine and Spike hadn’t come. Except the different atmosphere was obvious.
In five days, Katherine and Spike had been to China and Australia. They kept in touch with the gang in Los Angeles, via Cordelia and Katherine.
Katherine hadn’t said so yet, but she’d given up two centuries of a normal agent’s lifespan to anchor Angel’s soul to Cordelia's so that the two could be truly happy and together. She loved Angelus like a brother, but the one she knew was never coming back.
“Where to next?” Katherine asked from her position lying next to Spike. If her didn’t agree with her, she could always…
“France. Germany. England.” Spike ticked them off on his fingers.
“And, then back to the states?”
“Back to Sunnydale, yeah.”
“Sure about that?” Katherine asked coyly, kissing Spike’s lips and pulling away.
“Kat…yes, I’m sure.”
“One more day here?” she asked, kissing him again and moving lower.
“One more day.” He relented, losing his interest in the conversation.
Katherine smirked, sitting up. “Beach time.” She left Spike in the hotel room and stopped herself outside. She just left Spike half-naked on a comfy hotel bed for some sun playtime without the half-naked Spike. She continued down the hall with her beach bag, knowing there was something wrong with her.
“Are you lost?” she asked as he finished pumping gas into his truck.
Gunn turned to look at her. She was tall, at least five feet, seven inches. Blue eyes. Long dark hair. Sexual. She wore a gray lace tank and a black leather skirt. A long black leather jacket and boots finished her look. Black lipstick. Black eye shadow. Black nail polish.
“And if I am?” Gunn looked at her warily.
“I’m not here to hurt you, Charles. I’m here to help you find yourself. That is why you’re here and not in L.A., right?”
“Trusting someone along the way may even help.”
Gunn remembered Katherine’s words. “Who are you?”
“Stacy Lynn. I’m a neutral party.” She answered. “I think you know Katherine.”
He got in the drivers’ side. She waited patiently and expectantly as he opened the passenger side. “Getting in?”
Stacy Lynn smiled and his heart almost stopped. She got in. “You bet.”
Buffy was energized. She hadn’t realized before how much energy she put into her time with Spike. She was even patrolling for longer hours. She, Tara, Willow and Dawn had bonding nights every night since Anya and Xander left, plus Katherine and Spike.
Dawn had gotten the call yesterday from Katherine that they’d be home today. She had bounced along, unable to wait for gifts.
“Hey,” Katherine called out, very tanned and relieved looking.
Spike looked just as tanned. Well, not exactly. He didn’t play in the sun like Katherine. There was no way in hell you’d find him frolicking in the water with anyone.
Willow, Tara, Dawn and Buffy greeted them. They talked, telling about the places that Katherine and Spike had visited. About a half-hour in, Dawn got impatient for her gifts, which was surprisingly around the same time Spike suggested them.
“From the City of Angels.” Katherine said. “Los Angeles.” She handed Dawn the bag.
Dawn looked through the bag, grinning as she came across some of the coolest clothes ever.
“And England.” Katherine then handed Dawn a box.
She opened it to a glass figurine of Big Ben, the famous clock in London. “Wow.” She mumbled.
“From France.” Spike handed Dawn a second box.
“The Eiffel Tower.” Dawn stated, holding it up to Buffy and smiling.
Buffy looked at it and smiled encouragingly as Spike picked up a huge box and Katherine said, “Germany.”
Dawn stared at the portrait of the Berlin Wall, grinning. “We can put this in the living room,” she turned to her sister with a hopeful look, “right?”
“Of…of course.” Buffy answered.
“It’s beautiful.” Tara complimented, thinking she’d ask Spike and Katherine where they went later.
“From China.” Spike picked up a scroll. He rolled it out to show Chinese lettering. “Says ‘Dawn’.”
“Wow.” Willow commented. They did a lot for Dawn, forcing her to believe there was more to the blondes.
“And Australia.” She handed the teenager a boomerang that said, “Dawn”.
“We would’ve got you something from New Orleans, but the only thing that comes to mind are-“
“Mardi Gras beads and those were too practical. I get it.” Dawn said, grinning all the while.
“Las Vegas.” Katherine took a deep breath preparing herself for the outburst. “Got you a bank account.”
“What-“ Buffy started.
“Wait, Buffy. I tried my luck, won lots of cash, realized I don’t need the cash, and decided to give it you and Dawn. So…just take it.” Katherine was already a step away from pleading with the slayer to take it.
“How much is in it?” Willow asked.
“At least half a mil-“
“Half a million?” Buffy gasped.
“Yeah…problem? Because, if y’don’t want it-“
“No! No. Thank you, Katherine.” The slayer cut her off. Buffy had her pride, but she needed to think about Dawn. And she couldn’t take care of her younger sister on Double Meat Palace salary.
Sorry if I was a bit of a bitch before.
Katherine grinned. Apology accepted. Same here. The way I acted before was uncalled for. This is a gift. From me. “You’re welcome, Buffy.”
“Oh! We forgot about Stacy Lynn!” Willow said.
“What?” Spike looked up at the mention of the vampire’s name.
“Vampire. Black hair. Blue eyes. Carries a sword hidden…somewhere. Kicked my ass. Told me that she wasn’t here to hurt me. Her name was Stacy Lynn. Now, who the hell is she?” Buffy looked from Katherine to Spike.
“Her real name is Stacia. She was born in 1900 France. In 1919, Will, Dru and I were passin’ through and Spike caught sight of her. She was a seer like Dru. Except, she didn’t run. And she didn’t hide.” Katherine said, looking at Spike since it was really his story.
“In 1920, I turned her. She purposely invited me in, knowing who I was. I didn’t really have a plan outside of turning her.”
“Why did you want to? Turn her?” Dawn asked.
“She was…different. Something about her was just calling out that she was special, important, and that she needed this, now that I think about it. Something told me I had to. So I did.”
“Okay…so you turned her and suddenly she’s Stacy Lynn?” Willow asked in confusion.
“After I turned her, I took her back to Dru and Kat. She and Kat got along and Dru and her just…didn’t. She went by Stacia for two decades, and then in the 1940’s changed her name to Lynia and around the 1960’s settled on Stacy Lynn.”
“After the meet the new member thing, I went off to do what I was supposed to. In 1935, I ran into the trio in England.”
“Doing what?” Dawn asked.
“Let’s just say, they were in England.” Katherine said, a weird look on her face.
Point made. It was an absolute massacre of humans and demons alike. No one was safe. Under Katherine and Spike’s teachings, Stacy Lynn was a walking arsenal.
That alone should’ve have spoken to Buffy and told her that the being in love with an ex-killer on an electrical leash thing was a stupid idea…until said leash is removed and ex-killer becomes an agent for the forces of good.
“Didn’t see her again until 1946, right after World War II. She told me that in 1943, she had to kill a bunch of Nazi soldiers trying to ‘recruit’ demons as war weapons. Also said she ran into Angel on a submarine headed back for the states.”
“Poofter made me swim from the damn thing twenty minutes before sunrise. Dick.” Spike grumbled to himself.
“In 1969, there was this mob in Italy. Damn mob tried to shoot me with an arrow. Oh, and we almost died in a fire.”
“I haven’t seen her since 1995.”
“I saw her from 2000 to…earlier this year.” Katherine guessed that was about right, not that it really mattered. “I think she might have went to see Darla and Dru.”
“So…she’s a walking arsenal?” Willow asked.
“A-and she doesn’t discriminate between humans and demons?” Tara piped in.
“But…she’s soulless.” Buffy guessed.
“Jury’s still out on that one.” Katherine picked at a bit of dirt under nail, thinking she might have to repaint her nails later on tonight.
“What?”
“We don’t know. She can’t have one because she’s just…mini-Angelus sadistic, y’know with the million and one weapons under her clothes…but then again she’s trustworthy. Too trustworthy to not have one. If you can understand that.” Katherine replied. Yep, definitely needed to paint them later.
A long silence lapsed and Dawn was the first to speak, “So…what’s in the other bags?”