The other’s grin turned into a smirk and his nostrils flared. Spike closed his eyes for a second. God, let the booze have covered the Slayer’s scent.
“Spike, my boy, you surprise me,” Angelus said, as he folded his hands in his lap, “You come back to town, don’t even try to steal Dru back but instead head straight for the Slayer.”
Spike stiffened for the fraction of a second before he forced a strangled chuckle.
“What’re you –“
“You see, someone stole her, and I’d planned to make her a part of our happy family.” Angelus rose to his feet. “You don’t happen to know who did it, do you, Spike?”
Spike carefully let out the breath he had been holding and lay back down on the bed, hands beneath his head. With a small smirk he raised an eyebrow. “Why would I know?”
Next second he was pressed down in the mattress, with the older vampire’s hands around his throat. Spike let out a choked laughter.
“How can I tell you anything now?” He was barely able to get the words out and his voice was hoarse. It wasn’t like this could kill him though and all he could feel was relief. He doesn’t know.
The grip didn’t loosen one bit, instead Angelus leant down so his mouth was right against Spike’s ear.
“So you didn’t do it then?” he whispered, “Didn’t decide to take on your third Slayer when she was all frail and powerless? Maybe for Dru’s sake, hoping she’d –”
“You fucking…!” Spike growled and in his anger he managed to flip them over, capturing his Sire’s hands in both of his. “Dru is history, just like you!”
Angelus chuckled and made no attempt to free himself.
“Did I hit a weak spot?” His eyes were wide and face mockingly serious as he spoke before he suddenly ripped his right hand free and gripped Spike’s neck, pulling him closer. “Do you remember the good old days, Spike? Just the three of us. Or, well, Drusilla and me and you as the third little wheel.”
Forcing himself not to snarl as the older vampire’s thumb started rubbing circles into his skin, Spike patted the arm that lay over his shoulder.
“Sorry, Peaches.” he said, “You are not going there again.”
Then he pulled back and smashed his fist into Angelus’ face.
It was not like Spike didn’t know that his Sire had always been the physically stronger one of the two. However, Spike was slimmer and faster and he had the element of surprise on his side. So after that first hit, while Angelus was – hopefully – drowning in dizziness, he jumped up and ran for the door.
“Did you have a good day at school?” Joyce asked.
“Huh?” Buffy blinked. “It was fine... good.”
“So...”
“Um...”
“Well...”
Willow and Xander both turned to her immediately.
“You go first.” They said at the same time.
Like she was fragile. Like she deserved another treatment after ‘what she had been through’. Maybe she did. Or maybe they both could just stop acting as if she’d break down any moment.
The redhead gave her a forced smile and glanced at Xander, who glanced right back. They almost seemed to have a secret communication these days. And she wasn’t invited. Because she could break. Willow looked back at Buffy.
“So, Buffy, um... what did you do… er… this morning?
Buffy stared at the food on her plate, trying to focus on something else – anything else. Her thoughts flew to what had happened last night. Slowly she picked her fork up.
“How are you feeling today, honey?” Joyce asked, leaning forward over the table.
“Fine, I’m fine.”
That vampire really was… odd. Why had he even saved her in the first place? Weren’t vampires supposed to be evil? Merrick had told her that there were no exceptions. There is no humanity left in them, they are ruled by their demons. Still, this vampire had acted completely for his own sake and...
For the first time Buffy noticed the worried expression on her mother’s face and attempted to compose herself.
“Sorry, Mom,” she murmured, “I’ve just got a lot on my mind.”
“I can see that. Anything you feel like sharing?”
“Nah, it’s just… nothing.”
The older woman looked at her, a frown marring her features as she placed a warm hand over Buffy’s. Buffy had to force back a sigh. There were strong signs for that this would turn into a heart-to-heart conversation. They had had too many of those the last weeks.
“You know you can tell me anything,” Joyce said, “I know I can’t understand the things you’re going through. The things that you’ve survived... Buffy, are you sure that you don’t want to talk to the counsellor again?”
“I told you, Mom, I don’t feel like it gave me anything.” Especially since I couldn’t actually tell her anything as I don’t want to be classed with schizophrenia.
An unknown blonde woman, dressed in scarlet, who only was able to say ‘I understand’. It hadn’t gone many sessions before all Buffy wanted to do was yell at her.
“You were only there seven times.” Joyce continued, “And it was straight after you... were rescued. Maybe if you went now, you would have a different perspective on the situation.”
“I didn’t like her.”
“We could try to find another? I’m sure there’s plenty of –”
Buffy rose to her feet abruptly, grabbing her plate. “Can I be excused?”
For a second Joyce just looked at her before she sighed deeply and put her fork and knife down. Slowly Buffy sat again. Joyce just meant the best for her, it wasn’t her fault that she had no idea what had really kidnapped her daughter. Is it really? She refused to listen when... Buffy shook her head, chasing the thought away. Perhaps this was the right moment to... But Giles had said he’d help her find the right way to tell. Memories of white walls flickered before her eyes. Yes, she would definitely wait for Giles’s solution.
“I’m sorry.” Buffy mumbled, “I didn’t mean to... But I’m feeling better now, honestly.”
“I’m not talking about your body, Buffy.”
Buffy lifted her gaze and met her mother’s.
“Me neither.”
Spike was determined to stay on the sidelines.
He was propped up against a headstone, watching the Slayer as she fought for her life. At least that was what she seemed to be doing. She circled the fledgling as if he was a Master Vampire, like she couldn’t take him out in a blink.
He had been surprised when she’d come with him without protests, without saying anything at all really. A nod was all he had got so far. But then, she didn’t really need to speak. Her hammering heart and pale face told him everything he needed to know; she was afraid.
The other Slayers he’d met hadn’t been afraid, not even when he’d killed them. Or maybe they had been and he just hadn’t noticed, but that seemed unlikely, he was a vampire after all.
Now there was irritation burning in his veins. It wasn’t on his timetable for the girl to be afraid. He bloody well needed her! And she was nowhere ready to take on Angelus. Hell, he bet all his possessions that he could do his third Slayer tonight if he wanted to.
Spike hopped down as the blonde staked the vampire and began to dust herself off. When she turned to him she was smiling a little and there was a twinkle in her eyes that hadn’t been there before. Before he could help himself he had a small answering grin playing on his own lips.
“A spot of violence just what you needed, pet?”
“Maybe,” she said.
When she began to walk again he fell into step beside her, one hand going into his pocket in search of his pack of cigarettes.
“Are you evil?” she asked suddenly.
Spike was taken a back by her question for a second, then he shrugged.
“Of course. I’m a vampire.”
“So you’ve murdered billions of people and stuff like that.” She swallowed hard. “Why do you want to kill... him? Shouldn’t you be helping him?”
He put the cigarette in his mouth, lit it and took a deep drag.
“For what he has done...” Spike looked up at the night sky. “He bloody well deserves to be ripped into pieces.”
He could feel her eyes on him but didn’t turn towards her. Instead he shuddered, shoving his free hand deep into his pocket.
“Let’s find some other vamp for you to pummel on,” he said. “Then you can do this on your own tomorrow.”
There was no answer to that, but she kept following him. As he glanced at her small form he thought about just getting out of town. To hell with Angelus and Dru, at least he wouldn’t have this girl to… fix. He was immortal, he could wait until the girl died and a new Slayer was called. It probably wouldn’t take especially long either, not with how she looked. If he chose to he could even drain her right here, right now.
What did he have to lose in waiting really? Some weeks, maybe months, of his eternal life? And if she died, he could just wait for the next... but what if she was in the wrong place? She could be in Japan and Angelus and Drusilla might still be in California.
No, for the moment this girl was it.
Spike sighed.
The vampire at her side was muttering under his breath. He seemed irritated, but Buffy couldn’t tell why. She couldn’t help but look over her shoulder now and then, neither could she help how hard she gripped her stake. The signature of the vampire beside her was stronger than the fledgling she’d dusted, although she wasn’t sure why. She remembered how Merrick talked about how she would be able to feel when a vampire was close by, Giles had also mentioned it that time at the Bronze. So how come that... er...
“What’s your name?”
His head shot up and he turned towards her. For a second she could have sworn he was about to laugh.
“It’s Spike.”
“Spike?” Buffy frowned. “What kind of name is that?”
“Please. You’re one to talk, Buffy.”
She stopped and turned to glare at the vampire. “What’s wrong with Buffy?”
“What’s wrong with...” Spike snorted. “It’s a ridiculous name.”
“You... you...! Like ‘Spike’ is any better!”
He rolled his eyes as Buffy crossed her arms over her breasts. Still, she thought he almost seemed to be... amused. Like he was laughing at her. Stupid vampire.
“I got it after torturing my victims with railroad spikes.”
The world stilled around her and she hastily took a step backwards.
“You... you’re kidding, right?” Buffy closed her eyes. “Of course you’re not.”
She backed another step as he just looked at her, the message clear in his eyes; ‘what did you think?’.
“I’m insane,” she murmured, “Walking around with a vampire in a... of course... I just asked if you’d killed... I’m insane.”
For a second Spike could just look at her, next he burst into laughter.
“Come on, Slayer!” He took a step closer to her. “What were you expecting? That I was different? That I rescued you from Angelus out of the goodness in my heart?”
Buffy pulled her jacket tighter around her as she backed another step, and he didn’t follow. Just because he had saved her... that only meant that he needed her for something, a need he’d already told her about. Vampires were selfish, they couldn’t feel any real feelings. Wasn’t that what Merrick had told her? She’d been stupid to just take for granted that this one was different. Quickly she turned around and began walking away.
A hand around her wrist stopped her after just a few steps. She looked down at the fingers gripping her, pale with black painted nails. The hand was so big compared to hers. Slowly she lifted her face and looked into his eyes. The blue was just thin circles around his pupils.
“You need me,” he said.
Long moments they were completely still, staring at each other.
Then Buffy tried to pull her arm from the vampire’s hold. He refused to let her go. What was he trying now? She felt her heart begin to beat faster and frowned at him as she tugged harder. He placed his free hand on her shoulder and she halted her movements.
“You need me.” He said slowly, as if he was talking to a child – perhaps that was what she was in his eyes. “I’ve already told you, you can’t take Angelus and Drusilla on your own.”
“My Watcher, he can –“
“He can, what? Watchers watch, they don’t fight.”
Buffy thought back to her training with Giles the day before.
“But if I.... with more training...”
He put both of his hands on her shoulders and spun her so she was facing him completely.
“Listen to me, little girl!” he said. He took a deep breath, looking away from her and back again. “You can’t kill them by yourself. I can’t kill them by myself. But together, we can do it! I promised you I wouldn’t hurt you, and I haven’t.”
The grip he had on her was almost painful now, but just almost. Buffy thought back at the hours they’d spent in that motel room, how he’d dropped her on the floor, pressed her up against the wall. Had he hurt her? She wasn’t sure. And now. Now his eyes were boring into hers as his face revealed everything about how he felt; irritation mostly, mixed with the slightest glint of... desperation? One of the first things she’d been taught was that vampires didn’t have any feelings. But then, what was that his face showed right now? And he’d saved her, even it was just because he wanted her help. He had saved her.
“You’re not looking at me, Slayer.” A hand grabbed her chin. “I can get you out of here, if you promise me you’ll help me kill them.”
The hand became rougher and a warning growl vibrated through the air.
“Stupid bint! Are you gonna let Angelus get to you? Come on, you’re the Slayer for fucks sake!”
“Okay.”
His eyes widened. “Did you just say...?”
“Okay.”
She had agreed.
That single word, ‘okay’, echoed in his mind. Spike wouldn’t have thought she would give in so easily. He’d assumed that he would have to talk her into it, maybe even threaten her a bit. Instead... maybe she was afraid. Who was he kidding?! Of course she was afraid. But of what? Angelus and Drusilla? Of getting captured again? Of walking through these cemeteries alone?
The Slayer had been quiet for the last twenty minutes as they’d made their way towards her home. Now, when they were standing below her bedroom window, he found himself running a hand through his hair. Now, what?
“Well –“
“Are you coming with me tomorrow?” she asked.
Maybe that was what she wanted. Someone who would protect her if Angelus showed up during her patrolling. That sounded quite possible.
“One more time, alright?” Spike said. “I’ve got better things to do than hanging around in a cemetery.”
“I thought that was what vampires did.” She raised her eyebrows.
“That’s what fledglings do, pet,” he said. “Toddle back inside now, little girl. Like I said, I’ve got things to do.”
He watched as the Slayer climbed in through her window. Then he shook himself and walked away. He needed a new place to live.
TBC