This crypt was rather neat.
A lot better than the place he was living at currently, which barely even deserved to be called ‘place’. Spike walked around, taking in the stonewalls, the dusty floor and the spiders’ webs in every corner.
In the back, there was a hole in the floor. Spike peered down into the opening. There was clearly some kind of space under this building. He hesitated for a moment before he jumped down. It wasn’t a very deep drop, but his landing stirred up long-gathered dust and he coughed.
He still held a hand over his mouth as he looked around. A giant chamber with walls of bare earth and roots from a tree or something. It was primeval and impersonal, simply a whole in the ground. Absolutely not a home for people of importance. Or for those who thought they were of importance. This reminded him of a stay he, Angelus and Drusilla had had soon after Darla was dusted.
”For Christ’s sake, Spike! When will you learn?!”
Angelus was truly pissed this time. And Spike wasn’t surprised when the older vampire grabbed his shoulders and pressed him up against the wall. Chuckling, Spike batted the bigger hands away.
“Oh, come on Peaches,” he said, “We’re vampires! It’s not like people will hunt us down; they don’t believe in demons anymore.”
Angelus eyes narrowed. “Don’t push me, boy.”
It was a long time since Spike had had the pleasure of seeing his Sire this enraged. Smirking, he glanced over at Drusilla to see if she was watching. But no, she was off in her own world, looking at some doll and murmuring to herself.
“Oh please! It’s not the corpses you’re brassed off about, mate, you’re crying over your honey. Like you ever were anything more to her than a good shag.”
Next moment Spike was lifted off his feet and a snarling master vampire was in his face. If his heart had beat, it would have been racing by now. He knew better, really. Had it been twenty years ago, Spike would have backed off by now. But this wasn’t twenty years ago. And before they came to New York he’d decided that this was it. This was his last test to see if Drusilla actually gave a damn about him.
He still remembered when he’d killed that Slayer in China. The way the vampiress’ eyes had glittered as she saw what he’d done. She’d been happy with him. If just for a couple of hours. Maybe taking out a second would finally give him her love. Even as Spike thought the thought, he almost laughed. Like that would ever happen. Dru belonged to her precious daddy, he knew that. But it simply wasn’t in him to give up easily. Nor was it in him to be alone. He supposed that was the real reason for why he’d stayed with them for so long.
Last try.
There was a Slayer in this town.
Spike shook his head. They had only stayed at that place for a couple of days, it had simply been a hideaway while they searched for something better. Angelus had hated it. He’d probably have hated the thought of staying in a crypt too.
This place could be fixed up.
“Morning Buffy.”
Giles greeted her with a smile before placing the last book in the bookcase.
“Morning,” Buffy said, “I just want to to talk about the patrol tonight.”
In a very, very quick talk. She was waiting for another speech about how evil vampires were, which for sure would send her off on another trip to guilt land.
Buffy knew she shouldn’t have said to Spike that they would patrol together again. Maybe it wasn’t too late to blow it off. When he showed up tomorrow she could say that she’d changed her mind, or simply refuse to come outside. Or even better, she wouldn’t even open the window.
The problem was that she kind of wanted to patrol with him.
He was an amazing fighter after all. He could watch her back in a way Giles never could. And, he wanted to kill Angelus and Drusilla. He has also killed two Slayers, a voice in her head reminded her.
She would ignore him when he showed up tomorrow. Not open the window. Then he’d probably just...
“Buffy! Are you even listening to me?”
“Huh?”
Giles sighed as he took off his glasses and started to polish them. And sent her off on that trip to guilt land. Without even mentioning vampires.
“Sorry, Giles,” Buffy said, “I just have a lot on my mind right now, slaying and stuff.”
“Indeed,” the man said, “I was talking about tonight’s patrol, I thought we could meet –”
He broke off as someone entered the library. A boy who Buffy recognized from... some class. He nodded to her Watcher, “Morning, Mr Giles.” and smiled at her as he walked by; “Hi Buffy.”
“Morning.”
“Hi.”
When the guy had passed by and disappeared among the book stacks, Giles leaned closer to Buffy.
“I’ll pick you up half past nine,” he whispered “You should probably tell your mother where you’re going.”
“Yeah, alright.” Buffy hesitated a second. “Will... will she be okay with it?”
“Actually I think she will, she is a very... What do you want?”
The boy had come back again, now carrying a book in his hand. He looked confused and held the book up.
“Eh... isn’t this a library?”
“Oh, yes of course! I’m sorry.”
Giles took the book and the three of them walked over to the issuing counter. A smile was brought on the Watcher’s lips as he looked at the book’s title. He didn’t say anything though and a minute later he handed the book back to the boy. After that he suddenly disappeared into the back room. As the guy turned to her, Buffy began to suspect Giles had left them alone on purpose. The boy made no move to leave, rather looked at her pointedly.
Right, she thought. Guy. I can handle this.
“Eh...” she began, then cheered up, “What are you reading?”
“Dickinson,” he said, but she just frowned and he hurried to clarify. “Emily Dickinson.”
“Oh, right!” Who?
“It’s stupid really, but she is kind of like my security blanket.”
“No, it’s not stupid! I had one too, when I was younger... and it was actually a real blanket and I threw it away a long time ago.”
A false giggle ended her line and then an uncomfortable silence followed. They eyed each other for a moment and Buffy swallowed.
“I’m sorry,” she said, “But I can’t really remember your...”
“It’s Owen, we have English together?”
“Right! I remember seeing you, but sometimes... well, I just have a bad name memory.” Another false giggle.
“No problem,” He chuckled too. “You know, I think we’re very alike, I have some trouble remembering things like...”
His gaze wavered to her neckline for a second and she could no longer hear what he was saying. An almost nervous glint had showed in his eyes – one she recognized directly. A glint one of the most popular girls at a high school ought to know. Buffy could practically feel her own widen. He’s going to ask me out. It was a statement and a couple of weeks ago she knew she’d have jumped of joy. Now she found herself licking her dry lips as her ears began to function again.
“...to go out with me sometime?”
No. Absolutely not. I don’t think I can touch you. No, no, no. She wasn’t ready. Didn’t know if she’d ever feel that warm feeling spread in her belly at the thought of a boy. Of a boy she liked kissing her. Just the thought of this Owen’s lips on any part of her body made her ready to throw up.
“Maybe tomorrow night? We could go to the Bronze or something?”
Spike. Who she really shouldn’t meet. Buffy looked up at Owen. Maybe this was what she needed. Something normal.
This was probably the only boy in Sunnydale who would ask her out anyway. Everyone in this town seemed to know she’d been kidnapped. This one most likely went round too much with his head in the clouds to read something as trivial as a newspaper. She couldn’t remember seeing him ever taking a note in class.
“That sounds great,” she said, putting on her biggest smile.
A genuine one spread on Owen’s lips. “Great! I’ll pick you up at eight?”
“It’s a date.”
As the boy walked out of the library Buffy tried to swallow the lump in her throat.
He was thinking about the Slayer again. And his thoughts had very little to do with the revenge. He found himself recalling how her body felt against his. How her skin had felt under his fingertip. How her eyes sparkled when she was angry.
No.
He was not thinking about that. Spike looked up at the black night sky, then rolled his eyes at it. Next moment he almost fell over as something hit him in the back.
“Hey man, you okay?!” A male voice called as Spike tried to keep his balance.
After a second or so the vampire turned around and was met by a man with blue hair. Blue hair and concern in his eyes. It almost made Spike chuckle.
“Yeah, I’m alright,” Spike said, then he let his eyes flash yellow, “Kind of hungry though.”
Next second he had grabbed the man by the throat. Just as he prepared to sink his fangs into the human’s neck, he thought; the Slayer wouldn’t like this.
The man’s eyes were still open wide when he fell dead to the ground a minute later.
When Buffy walked home from school the day before she’d been glad. She had even had a small smile on her face as she stepped into the house. The reason was that she was grounded. There was no way that she could go on the date with Owen. When Joyce asked if anything interesting had happened in school that day, Buffy put on a sad face and told her about the date. She had been absolutely sure that her mother would say “You brought it upon yourself, young lady. I’m sure that boy will ask you out again”. She had been wrong.
”Oh Buffy, I spoke to Mr Giles earlier and he wanted to go patrolling with you tonight,” A smile spread on Joyce’s face, even though a flicker of fear was in her eyes. “He explained about Slayer duties and... honestly, I still don’t understand everything about this. Anyway, I said you could go with him – as long as you’re home before eleven.” Now the fear disappeared and the smile became totally genuine. “So you’re not grounded anymore. Actually I really think you should go on that date, you need to go out more.”
Buffy felt her heart beat faster and a thousand reasons for not going swam to the surface. “Mom, I know you’d just worry about me,” she said “And I’m not sure if I’m ready for... seeing anyone.”
“I’ll be just as worried if you go out tomorrow as the next week and I think you need this. If you don’t feel comfortable, you know you can call me and I’ll come get you.”
Before him Buffy could never have imagined that she would feel so relived at the thought that her mother would pick her up if she wanted her to, but now she felt her fears calming. Maybe mom was right.
Maybe she did need this.
Owen was a man of his word. And eight o’clock sharp he rang the doorbell. Joyce opened the door and Buffy could hear how polite he was. She did not quite smile to herself and glanced in the mirror one more time. The dress felt too short and too glittery. Looking at herself again she decided that it was pretty. Yes. Not too short. Not too glittery. Not exposing half her legs and making her feel naked. No, it was pretty. Sexy.
At least Owen didn’t rake his gaze down her form as she’d expected him to. Instead, he smiled, seeming to be honestly glad to see her. Like he had looked forward to this night. And as he took her hand and bade Joyce a goodnight Buffy found herself smiling slightly.
The Slayer wasn’t inside the house. Spike could only hear one steady heartbeat from the inside and it wasn’t the slower pulse of the girl. Another proof was her scent, not an hour ago she had been outside the house. Of course, she could’ve been out for a short moment, but he doubted it.
So she’d run away, huh? Spike scowled and kicked at the ground. He had actually expected her to meet him, when had he become so naïve? The Watcher must be messing with her head again. Or maybe it was she who was simply stringing him along.
“Spike, right?”
Spike startled and looked up. The Slayer’s mum was standing in the, now open, front door. She had a small frown between her eyebrows as she eyed him. Shuffling a little, Spike nodded.
“Yeah.”
“Are you looking for Buffy?”
He hestitated a second. “Yes, Mrs Summers, but I didn’t mean –“
Joyce broke him off with a wave of her hand. “So why didn’t you knock on the front door?”
“Eh.... I know you don’t approve of me, so I thought...”
“That you’d lurk outside the house?”
Five minutes later he was sitting in the Summers’ kitchen with the Slayer’s mum smiling at him as if he was a long lost friend.
“Would you like something to drink?” she asked, “Hot chocolate, maybe?”
Spike just stared at her. This woman had invited him into her house after that he’d brought her kidnapped daughter home, defended them from Angelus and... Oh. Maybe he shouldn’t be so surprised after all.
She hadn’t waited for his answer and was already moving around in the kitchen. Throwing a look over her shoulder, she asked; “So, did you come to see my daughter?”
“Yeah,” Spike said, “We were gonna discuss some vampire stuff.”
“Oh? So you’re still... spending time together?”
Not good. He was postitive that the Slayer’s mum wouldn’t approve of, as she put it, him “spending time” with her daughter. Last time they had met she’d been close to hysterical about it.
“We ran into each other the other n – day,” he said, hearing his voice taking on a slight upper class accent, “and she told me some... things about slaying and her Watcher.”
“You mean, Mr Giles?”
“Yeah. Anyway, we decided to meet up tonight to discuss it.”
For a moment she eyed him, then she seemed to accept what he’d said and nodded. A couple of seconds later she walked over to the counter and placed a cup in front of him, before sitting down on the other side.
“I really don’t know what to say about this,” she said, “Buffy has been so secretive since she... came back.”
“She probably doesn’t want to worry you.”
The older woman smiled slightly again, but this time it didn’t reach her eyes. “Well, it isn’t working.”
This was almost... kind of... not at all... fun.
The Bronze was jammed. Full of sweating bodies moving to a pounding rythm. Buffy remembered a time when she had lost herself among all the others, and she actually found herself looking longingly at the dance floor. Owen and she were sitting together and he was talking about... eh.... She had absolutely no idea. But she smiled and nodded at what she hoped were the right places.
They had been here for almost an hour. It hadn’t been terrible. She was a little skittish, but it wasn’t like she could have expected anything else. Owen hadn’t tried anything, and he actually seemed like a nice guy... if it wasn’t for the fact that he was totally uninteresting. Her gaze drifted to the dance floor.
“... and it feels like I can understand exactly what she writes,” Owen finished.
“I understand,” Buffy said, smiling, even though her eyes were on the people dancing.
“You want to dance?”
“I don’t think... okay.”
“Well, Spike, I don’t think that woman was worthy of your affection,” Joyce said.
“Yeah, I know,” Spike grinned a little, “Just wish I’d figured that out a centu – when I met her.”
They had been talking for half an hour and somehow drifted from Buffy to Drusilla and Angelus, without all vampiric aspects of the latter pair of course.
“Love can sometimes make it very hard to see clearly.”
“Yeah, tell me about it,” he said, “Anyway, I’d enough with her cheating on me with that bastard so I left.”
“Well that was definitely the right choice.” Joyce patted his hand. “Would you like some more chocolate?”
“No thanks, Joyce.”
Spike saw the woman glance at the clock and found himself giving her a reassuring smile. “I’m sure Buffy is fine,” he said, “Where did you say she was going, again?”
“The Bronze. Have you ever been there?”
“Couple of times, it’s alright. You don’t have to worry about bad guys,” he said, “Was she going with a friend?”
“Actually, she had a date,” Joyce said, “I’m happy she is going out, even though it worries me when she’s out on her own.”
“I’m sure she’s fine.” Spike stood up. “I should get going though, got some things to do.”
“Alright.” Joyce stood as well and took his mug. “It was nice meeting you.”
“Yeah, you too,” he scratched the back of his head and gestured towards the cup with his other, “And thanks for...”
“You’re welcome.”
Nodding to her, Spike walked over to the kitchen door and went out of the house.
He had a Slayer to find.
TBC