[Reviews - 16]
-
Table of Contents [Report This]
Microsoft Word Chapter or Story | ePub eBook Chapter or Story | Printer Chapter or Story

Has been viewed 1587 times

- Text Size +




"William?"

Giles opened his nephew's door and sighed when he saw an empty bottle on the floor. He walked up to the figure in the bed and shook him awake. "William! Wake up!"

Spike jerked awake to see his angry uncle hovering over him. "Aah!" he leapt back, hitting his head on the headboard.

Giles picked up the bottle and swung it back and forth. "I thought you were over this?"

Spike clutched his head, trying to focus through his blinding headache and groaning when he saw the bottle in his uncle's hands. "Oh... that."

"Yes, that. Get dressed, I'll be waiting downstairs."

***

Fifteen minutes later, Spike trudged downstairs and accepted a cup of tea from Giles, who watched him expectantly. "So?"

Spike sighed. "I visited that Joyce lady already... I'm gonna go back today to start doing the job part."

Giles smiled slightly. "As glad as I am to hear that, you know that wasn't what I meant. Care to explain the bottle to me?"

Spike's jaw worked silently for a moment, and he gulped down some tea without answering for a few minutes. Then he shrugged. "The whole locket thing reminded me of Mum, that's all. I was drowning my sorrows."

Giles frowned. "And you expect me to believe that? William, you know you can't lie to me. If you could, you wouldn't be here."

Spike shot Giles a look. "Maybe you don't believe it, but that's all I'm gonna say."

His uncle sighed and changed the subject, knowing when to pick his battles. "Fine. I have a letter from your father."

Spike looked up. "Yeah? How's he doing?"

Giles pursed his lips in disapproval. "Apparently he's doing well... though I'm not sure I'd classify prison as 'well'."

Spike shrugged. "Yeah, whatever. Listen Rupes, tell him I still don't want to talk to him."

Giles sighed, "I suspected so. And please, could you refrain from calling me that ridiculous nickname?"

Spike gave his uncle a genuine smile. "But it's the only thing I can do to annoy you anymore! You didn't even yell at me when you saw the wet towels on the floor Friday!"

Giles smirked. "I was too busy picturing using them to tie you up and leave you laying in the tub, since you spend so much time there every morning."

Spike laughed and stood up. "Speaking of which, I need a shower." he turned to go back upstairs, but paused and put a hand on his uncle's shoulder. "Thanks, Uncle. Haven't said it yet, but I knew I could count on you."

Giles smiled fondly after him. "He's going to be fine." Turning back to the table, he frowned when he noticed his scone had disappeared. "William!"

***

Buffy was woken up by something large and heavy falling on her stomach. "Oof!"

Faith grinned, readying herself for another bounce. "Get up! Get up!"

Buffy sat up, knees to her chest to protect herself from her sister. "God, what are you, six?"

Her sister just grinned at her. "So, how was the date? Get any action in that jeep?"

Buffy scoffed. "Yeah, right! I, unlike some people, want my first time to be special. I don't go around boinking in cars!"

Faith sighed condescendingly. "I think we've hit the nail on the head. You need to loosen up or Riley-boy's gonna dump your ass for someone who will."

Buffy laughed. "Riley wouldn't do that. He agrees with me, idiot."

Faith looked shocked. "Are you sure he's male? Maybe you should check!"

Buffy rolled her eyes. "Very funny. Um, why are you in my room on a Sunday morning anyway? Don't you normally sleep in until after noon?"

Faith shrugged. "Mom got me up. She wanted us to clean house today while she does her gallery thing with that new guy."

Buffy grumbled. "Oh... Spike."

"Spike's the artist dude?"

"Uh-huh. But who cares? I'll get up then, just give me another minute..."

***

Spike stretched his arms above his head tiredly. "All done, Joyce."

Joyce came into the room and blinked in surprise. "Oh."

Spike raised an eyebrow at her, speaking through a yawn. "Whassat?"

She shrugged and laughed a little. "I generally have my daughters help me. It would have taken them another hour to finish unpacking all of this." She mock-sighed. "What on earth am I going to do with you?"

Spike laughed. "Use me as slave-labor?"

Joyce smiled. "That sounds perfect. Speaking of which, since you've finished with these, why don't you go pick up a painting for me? I was going to pick it up tomorrow, but I don't have anything else for you to do here. I'll let you go for the day afterwards."

Spike shrugged. "Yeah, sure."

***

It didn't take Spike long to find the docks and pick up the painting. Driving back, he slowed and stopped at the sight of a boy walking along the sidewalk.

"Harris, need a ride?"

Xander glanced up at Spike in surprise. "Wha – Why?"

Spike frowned, "What do you mean?"

Xander elaborated, stepping a little closer to the car. "Why are you offering me a ride? Just the other day, you were threatening me with scalpels."

Spike chuckled, "Well yeah, but don't you remember? I was just cranky." When Xander didn't laugh, he shrugged. "I'm just offering you a ride. If you don't want it, fine. If you do, get in now before I leave. I'm not gonna have a long discussion about my feelings just because you have issues with accepting rides."

Xander frowned, but got in.

They drove in silence for a few minutes, then Spike said, "I gotta drop something off first, won't take long." Off Xander's horrified look, he groaned in frustration. "What now?"

Xander shrunk away from the other boy. "You're not... you're not dealing drugs or anything, are you?"

Spike clenched his jaw angrily, and pressed his foot flat on the brake. The Desoto screeched to a halt in the middle of the empty road, and he turned to Xander. "NO! I bloody well am not! Bloody hell, I -" Spike cut himself off, jumping out his door with a curse. Once outside, he lit a cigarette and smoked it quickly, only taking a few drags before flinging it to the ground and crushing it.

After a minute, he rejoined Xander in the car and started it up again, breathing a little heavily. "No. I'm delivering a painting to Joyce Summers, lady that owns the gallery. I think she's Faith's mum, right?"

Xander didn't answer Spike, still staring at him in astonishment, and Spike fell back into silence, tension thick in the air.

***

Joyce took the painting from Spike with a smile. "When are you going to get your own work here from overseas?"

Spike shrugged. "I dunno, within a week. I'll call you, yeah? Then you can come over and pick if you want some or not, and I won't have to bring them all here."

Joyce nodded. "That sounds good. I know Rupert has my phone number, so... And I'll have a work schedule for you when you call me, so that you have proper hours here."

Spike smiled at her and turned to go. "See you, Mum."

Joyce smiled at the nickname she'd received, and turned back to her paperwork with a lighter mood than before.

Spike, on the other hand, tensed up again as he got into his car. Xander sat stiffly in the passenger seat, not looking at the bleach blonde. Both were clearly uncomfortable with the situation, and Spike was regretting ever offering the ride.

Xander directed Spike to a rundown house verging on the worse half of town. Once the car stopped, he got out quickly, but stopped and gave Spike a considering look before slamming the door. "Thanks for the ride."

Spike frowned after Xander before driving away. He shrugged and stuck a cigarette in his mouth, but didn't light it. Driving one handed, Spike, ran a hand through his hair and spoke aloud to himself in an attempt to sum up what had happened since moving into this weird little town.

"I pissed someone off, I got a job, Mum's locket got broken, I pissed someone off again, I got vocals in a band, the person I pissed off repeatedly has a boyfriend, I freaked out a possible friend by acting like a psycho..."

Spike shrugged to himself. "Well, it's a better track record than back home."

He never wondered why he had added Buffy dating Riley to the list. It was obviously just a mistake. He didn't care, or anything. His original thoughts upon seeing her were completely gone. Obviously.





You must login (register) to review.