Dancing In The Dark by ZLB

‘Head…pain….throbbing…pain….pounding…pain…. Bloody Hell!’

The car had slowed down enough so that William had just bounced off its hood, but he still fell to the ground, head hitting the concrete with a sickening smack.

Slowly, he opened his eyes, his head in incredible pain. The owner of the car was out looking down at him. “Man, I’m so sorry. Are you all right?!”

He forced himself to his feet, his eyes narrowing on the driver. His hand shot out and grabbed the guy by his throat, pinning him to his car.

“You almost bloody well killed me, you stupid git!” he growled, leaning in on the man as he tightened his grip on the man’s throat. “I swear if I ever see your bloody face again, I’ll rip your soddin' spine out threw yer bleedin' nose hole. Ya got that?!” He then pulled the guy away from his car and threw him to the ground. The guy quickly scrambled away form him.

Rolling his shoulders and stretching his neck, he walked into the bar. He patted down his pockets, searching, searching...

“Bloody hell…” he grumbled, walking over to the cigarette machine. He bought a pack of Morley and then settled at the bar. “Ya don’t happen to have some matches, do ya mate?” he asked the bartender, who dropped some in front of him. Lighting up a cigarette, he took a deep drag. His lungs burned and constricted in protest as he choked back the smoke, commanding his lungs to cooperate. After a few more forced attempts, his lungs seemed to give in and allow the smoke inside even though the burn remained. He ordered a whiskey and was about to take a drink when a pair of hands glided around him.

“My knight returns… but his armor looks a bit tarnished…” He turned to look at the raven hair beauty.

He raised an eyebrow at the woman. “I ain’t no bloody knight, luv, but I can guarantee that if you stick around me, you’ll need protection.” His eyes flashed with double meaning.

She giggled. “Oh, William is a naughty boy!” She growled and made a biting motion in his direction.

“William? I ain't no William, do look like a bleedin' ponce to you? Name's Spike, luv.” He smirked at her. Woman was sack of hammers, but damn she was sexy. He grabbed her around the waist and pulled her to him. Her arm circled around his waist as she made a noise that sounded almost like a purr as she nuzzled close.

Then he felt a heavy hand on his shoulder. He turned to see a large, dark-haired male frowning down at him. “Watch the leather, mate…” Spike’s voice filled with a warning undertone.

“I think you should be more concerned with the fact you have your arms around my girl,” the tall brooding figure grounded out.

Spike lifted an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed with the guy’s threatening tones. “More like your girl’s got her arms around me, Peaches…” He flashed a taunting grin at the guy before making a show of turning away and nuzzling back on the girl in question.

Angelus frowned at being brushed off. He pulled Drusilla away from the bleached blond and turned to grab the guy just as he slipped off the bar stool out of Angelus’ reach.

“Hey, don’t take it out on me if you can’t keep your girl happy,” Spike taunted, wearing an anger-inducing smirk.

Angelus let out a roar as he took a swing at Spike, who easily dodged the hit.
With each missed swing, Angelus got even more furious and Spike's smirk got cockier. Angelus finally landed one that snapped Spike's head back, splitting his lip, but did not knock him down. Tilting his head a bit, he poked the cut with his tongue. At the taste of his own blood, what could only be described as an evil grin crossed his face. “My turn, mate…”

He let loose with a furry of punches, one busting Angelus’ lip, another his nose. Grabbing him, Spike went for the kidneys, then the stomach. As he bent over, Spike rammed his knee into Angelus’ ribs.

With Angelus a pile of pain on the ground, the Bartender took the opportunity to say something. “Uh, guys, take that outside or I’m gonna have to call the cops….” He stopped talking as Spike gave him a deadly look. When Spike looked back, Drusilla was bent over Angel, making cooing noises as she tried to help him up. Spike rolled his eyes. He didn’t need some crazed bint anyway…

He swaggered back to the bar and shot down his whisky. The burn felt good to him. Between the liquid running down his throat and being juiced up from the fight, he felt alive. He looked over at the door as Angelus and his crazed girl left. He smirked, about to call out a biting comment to the departing couple, when she walked in. The two women’s eyes met as they passed. Recognition etched on both their faces quickly turned to frowns. After the brunette disappeared through the door with The Great Forehead, the blonde then looked about the bar with worry etched across her pretty face.

Her eyes glided over Spike at first, but then she stopped, frowned, and her eyes swung back to him again. As recognition downed in her eyes, they widened, her jaw dropping in surprise. Spike, who had been watching her through the mirror behind the bar, frowned. Now what?

The blonde ran up to him and she threw her arms around him as he turned to meet her. At first he was shocked, but then thought, ‘What the hell? How many beautiful blonds just throw themselves in to your arms?’

So, he relaxed and was about to return the hug when she pulled away. Looking him over, her eyes landed on his lip. “I knew it! I knew when I saw that slut leaving with that stupid jerk there was another fight!” She then looked a bit confused. “Although I must admit I expected you to be in a slightly worse condition….”

This girl was getting more and more confusing with every word. It sure didn't help that she talked like they were friends and he couldn’t for the life of him place her face. She looked a little too innocent compared to the kind of chicks he usually hung out with.

“You know that poofer?” he asked, referring to the idiot he just wiped the floor with.

“Poofer?” She frowned, then he nodded towards the door. Then she finally understood. “That jerk? No, I just remember him and his skank from The Lime Light. When she hit on you the first time to make her boyfriend jealous.”

Now it was his turn to be confused again. “First time? Lime Light?” He looked down at her. “I doubt we hang at the same places, pet…”

Buffy frowned. “What’s going on, William? What’s with the accent? You're acting like you don’t even know me…”

All the sudden he looked like he gained some understanding. “Sorry, luv, my name's Spike. I guess I must be a dead ringer for this William bloke, but he’s not me. You got the wrong guy, pet.” He ordered another whiskey like the conversation was over.

She seemed to sit there and considered the possibility that he could be someone else, but decided that he most definitely was not; this was William, was he acting a part maybe, but it was still him. Well, that was stupid and childish. “I don’t know what kind of reaction you're looking for, but I’m not playing…”

As his whiskey arrived he looked over at her with a bored expression on his face. “Look, luv, I don’t bloody know who the hell you think I am. But I don’t bloody well know you or this ponce, William.” He rested a hand on her hip as he slid a seductive smirk across his face. “Now if you’d like to get to know me…”

She wiggled out of his grip as she faced him stubbornly. “You know my name is Buffy!”

He cocked an eyebrow as his smirk turned more condescending. “Figures, you look like a Buffy…” He knew his words would get a rise out of her, but he obviously didn’t care.

“What the hell is that supposed to mean? I don’t know what game you're playing, WILLIAM, but I’m not playing, WILLIAM!” she yelled, emphasizing his name to drive her point home.

All at once, the look on Spike’s face went from amused to irritated. He grabbed her by her upper arms and held her firmly as he looked her menacingly in the eyes. “Listen, you silly bint! I’m not this Bloody William you think I am… Name's, Spike, learn it, remember it, fear it!” He then released her and turned back to the bar, lighting a cigarette.

Holding back the burning response of his lungs as he slowly exhaled, he refused to cough in front of her. Instead, he threw back his whisky, replacing one burn for another. He hated the hurt he saw in her eyes as he set her straight. Great… she was off her rocker and he felt guilty, when did he turn in to such a nancy-boy?

A cold feeling settled over her. William would never treat her like that, no matter how mad he was at her. She knew this much. Something was wrong. What happened to him? Maybe he hit his head in the fight with that stupid jerk. “Will…Spike?” She softly touched his upper arm. He turned just enough to look at her out of the side of his eye, keeping the majority of his face turned from her. “I don’t know what happened…”

How was she supposed to find out what happened? Questioning him further might just upset him more. And although she trusted William with her life, she didn’t know what Spike was capable of.

Then she got an idea. “Okay, I must have the wrong guy. I mean, I can’t see how, but just for my own piece of mind, can I at least see you driver’s license? I mean, then I’ll know for sure that I got the wrong guy.” She hoped this worked and he didn’t just blow her off. If this was William, he was in need of medical attention.

Spike sighed. Now what was this silly bint up to? He still felt a little guilty for loosing his cool on her, otherwise he would have just blown her off. He got up off the bar stool and patted own his packets, finding the tell-tale lump in his front left pocket. He pulled out his wallet. Flipping it open, his eyes landed on the driver’s license.

“What the bloody hell?!” he yelled. Pulling out credit cards and staff ID, they all had the same name: William Pratt. He picked up the driver’s license, and again the picture showed a guy who was the embodiment of the name William. He looked bookish and reserved with those bloody glasses.
His mind would not accept this, it had to be a trick, somehow someone switched his wallet. He stuffed the cards back inside and shoved it at the blonde next to him. “Funny joke, but I’m not bloody playin'. So take your tricks and give me back my wallet, then you can go sod off…”

“No joke, I swear! When would I have time to slip you a wallet, much less take yours?’ He looked unsure so she pushed forward. “Think, did you hit your head in the fight?”

“Hell, no, I didn’t soddin' hit my…..” He paused as if remembering something.

“Bloody hell…” he whispered. No, things like that just don’t happen. Did they? He looked stricken, then his eyes locked with hers as his face went unreadable. “Say I believe you, what do you plan on me doing about it?”
Her face went from worried to compassionate. “I know you feel freaked, I would, too. But if what I think happened did... well, you're going to need to see a doctor…”

He thought about that. A doctor would solve this little mystery. “Fine, but I choose the doctor.” He slipped off the stool as her face brightened into a smile. It was worth a trip to the doctor to see that smile. She seemed to glow. Spike fought the urge to pull her close into a deep kiss. Figuring she might not appreciate the gesture -- obviously this William guy and her were just friends. Then, remembering the picture, he thought to himself, ‘Definitely no way that guy was anything more than a friend. Too bad…’