A routine was set for the alumni of U.C. Sunnydale. Each student became acclimated to their schedule and like all the other’s Buffy found herself expecting certain things to happen.
On Monday she would run into Spike as she got onto the bus. There would be an exchange of greetings and smiles sometimes finished off with “Have a good day.” or “See you later.” This was quickly followed by Lorne sharing his opinion on Spike.
Tuesday was another day at school interning and usually lunch with Willow, class time and then dinner and study with Gunn. Wednesday and Thursday followed the same pattern although sometimes it was Willow and Oz, and sometimes Xander for lunch.
When Friday rolled around everyone including Gunn would gather around in the designated home of the night for movies and random discussions that would pop up when in a crowd of people all attending college. Any subject one of the friends was currently studying was game.
Still it was a good routine, and one that seemed to work out for everyone. And as it was Friday all were gathered at Casa de Summers, bowls of popcorn sitting on tables and laps. Xander had planted himself on the floor while Oz occupied the lone chair with Willow curled on his lap. Gunn and Buffy took the couch, his arm laid along the back.
Buffy was leaning against his arm and really enjoying the relaxation time. As much as she liked having her own place and her own life, being alone all the time was still difficult for her to adjust to. It was nice to see her family room full with laughter and jokes.
Yup, this was the life.
“Don’t forget I’m out of town for the weekend.” Gunn reminded Buffy casually.
“You’re what?” She had forgotten. “Out of town?”
He turned in his seat facing her. “Yeah, LA with my friend, remember?”
“Oh yeah. You’re playing chaperone. I remember.” She wanted to pout a little but after a few weeks with him, Buffy knew Gun was just being a good friend. And from what Gunn had shared, a good friend was needed. “I just feel bad for the guy. I hope he’s wrong about the girlfriend.”
The topic of recent discussions had been about the best way Gunn could help his friend, who had remained nameless to protect the innocent.
Buffy knew just about every detail of the drama known as Spike and Dru without knowing Spike or Dru. Or so Gunn thought.
Buffy of course had no idea Spike was the boyfriend hoping to disprove his instincts about a meandering girlfriend. She just knew that Gunn was going to be MIA for two days leaving her to do just one thing, clean the house until she forced herself to study.
Gunn shrugged. He’d done just about all he could do. He even hung out with the scary pair when Dru came down a week ago. Honestly the woman creeped him out, but Spike was completely sucked in by whatever Dru did or said.
That weekend Spike hadn’t said a word about Dru’s possible infidelity. He was mesmerized in her presence. Unfortunately that left as soon as she did.
So this weekend the boys were taking a road trip, unannounced. Dru let it slip she was throwing another party, and now Spike had his car back. All he needed was his wingman, and he would be ready to fight or be welcomed, all depending on what he walked in on.
And the wingman was happy to oblige. Partly because he wanted to know what was going on almost as much as Spike did, but mostly because he knew that if Spike walked in on something bad there was bound to be a fight. Gunn wasn’t going to leave him alone with that.
He stroked Buffy’s hair lightly, smiling at the sweet woman who might be missing him while he was gone and still couldn’t believe his incredible luck. “I should be back by Sunday afternoon, maybe night. It all hangs on what happens.”
She smiled back. He was easy to be with, there was rarely a disagreement and he let her go on about whatever she felt like talking about even though she knew he was bored. He was just a really sweet man. And for the life of her she couldn’t figure out why there was something missing. Some spark when they kissed, that extra string of warmth when she heard his voice.
Some kind of sign.
“Well give me a call when you get back to town if you want. I’ll probably just be here, or tucked in bed for the sleeping.”
He leaned forward and kissed her lips softly. “Maybe I can come by and tuck you in?”
And there were moments like that. Just playful flirting and teasing mostly. Comments that she could answer with a joke or a silly twist in words that would let him blow it off as silliness. Or she could do the opposite and give him the open door to walk through. One of those invisible lines to cross.
“Talk is cheap Mr. Gunn.” She went with option number one. “Besides, you know Mr. Gordo would get mad at you for trying to take his job.”
He didn’t show the slight disappointment. They’d been playing this game the last few days. “Foiled by a pig. What will all the other guys think?”
“Don’t worry.” Xander cut in, mouth half full of popcorn. “We’ll respect you to your face. The mocking’s always done in private.”
“That’s a comfort.” Gunn’s sarcasm was lost on no one.
~~`~~
Gunn tossed his bag in the backseat of the Desoto before settling himself in the passenger seat. “We set, man?” He shut the door and buckled in. Spike could get a little speed crazy when it came to highway driving.
“You bring a change of clothes in case this turns into an overnighter?”
The car lurched forward the instant after the belt latched across his chest. Gunn held onto the door handle as Spike turned a sharp right heading for the nearest exit that would take them to LA. “Yeah. But we need to get this taken care of before tomorrow night.”
All the sudden the serious look on Spike’s face fell away to amusement. “Yeah, I have a class Monday afternoon and I’m only half through the reading.” He kept right as the road eased into the overpass now settling in for the long boring part of the drive at a hefty 85m/h.
Gunn double checked his seatbelt and watched the city fade away to desert. It was going to be a long drive.
And it was long. Spike was quiet and for some reason he didn’t touch the radio. That left Gunn to either break the silence or let his pal keep to his thoughts. And since Gunn could guess what some of the thoughts of the possibly cheating Dru might be, once again he went with keeping quiet.
That whole first hour was spent looking for signs and reading them. Doing the math to see how far they’d come. Watching the desert switch from smooth gray to bright green then to rocky dryness. It was a strange sight as they passed by random homes and small neighborhoods that dotted the landscape.
California was an oddity with blue a ocean against the dry deserts amongst forced greenery. Small suburbs and great cities seemed to sprout from nothing as they drove along.
Then Suddenly Spike spoke, breaking Gunn’s count of red cars that they passed.
“Sorry I haven’t been around much lately.”
It wasn’t what he expected. Quite frankly Gunn hadn’t noticed anything unusual. But these days he spent so much time with Buffy he hadn’t seen the very real absence of his friend. “It’s alright. Been pretty busy myself.”
The blonde nodded. “Well between school, the car and Dru’s antics I’ve just been no good for company.” He couldn’t help but sneer when he thought about Dru.
The last week really had been hell. Ever since she left something was off. Sure, she still hardly ever took his calls, but when she did it seemed she was never alone. And it was no longer just one voice, but a crowd of voices he would hear. He was getting worried.
Although much of his concern still rested on her fidelity there was another nagging worry that had settled in. He was concerned for her. He didn’t like the sounds of the people she seemed to surround herself with. He knew she liked her occasional highs and drinking, but if he was right, she was living in a haze.
The fact that she never seemed to know what day it was when they spoke was another clue. They seemed to have a repeat of the same conversation about his car nearly every call both before and after she‘d last seen him. Then when she finally caught up with reality she would skip off onto a tangent about her last trip to Sunnydale.
He didn’t like any of it.
“I shoulda made her move with me.” Spike whispered to himself more than anything else. His voice was solemn and sad laced with guilt. The emotions inside were leaking out one at a time.
Gunn huffed. “I may not know Dru as well as you, but something tells me no one makes that girl do anything she doesn’t want.”
He started to notice the changing colors of the sky as the sun began to lower. The sky’s watercolor orange and pink was fading to the plum and azure of night and it had all happened while Gunn stared out into the world, yet he missed the subtle switch from day to night.
Spike missed the entire show as he ground his teeth together. Flashes of the same scenarios his mind had ample time to conjure were flying by. Some had Dru held down by a shadow of a man while another captured her passed out in an ally, overdosed and half dead. “She’s too pliable to take care of herself.” He hissed now suddenly angry again.
Another few moments of silence after Spike’s declaration passed while a new set of lights came into sight. LA was ahead, and so was the woman that had been driving Charles’s friend crazy. One way or the other, things would be resolved.
He thought Spike would slow down or make some kind of announcement as to their next move, but instead he drove steadily on. Apparently he was going straight for Dru’s apartment, there would be no passing Go or landing on Free Parking.
In fact when Spike finally slowed down and pulled into a parking garage Gunn noticed how unfree the parking would be. His friend didn’t even scoff at the charge as he took his ticket from the automated vending machine and drove into a space that could accommodate the large vehicle.
Spike withdrew the key and pulled a packet of cigarettes from inside his duster.
Charles stared at him. “Since when do you smoke?”
The look on Spike’s face was unrecognizable, as though an entity had taken over his good friend’s body. There was an emptiness in his eyes and with the square clutched between his lips as he sucked in a breath to light the end. Charles saw, probably for the first time, the man who’d earned the name Spike.
With a flick of his wrist, the silver Zippo clicked shut in Spike’s hand. He took a long soothing drag before he closed his eyes, relishing the feeling of the nicotine invading his lungs. As he exhaled he turned to the still shocked dark face staring back at him. “This is LA mate. The rules change in the city of angels.”
That seemed to be explanation enough to the blonde as he dropped his smokes and lighter back inside his pocket and got out of the car.
Charles sat in his seat for a good 5 seconds trying to decide if going along was such a good plan after all. He didn’t think Spike would get him into any kind of trouble they couldn’t get out of, but then again he wasn’t so sure that was Spike was in there anymore.
Gunn looked behind him through the rear of the car to see the blonde man patiently smoking and waiting. He didn’t seemed worried, but Gunn didn’t know if that was a good sign or a bad one considering Spike’s sudden mood change, or personality shift. Whatever it was.
“There’s nothing to decide.” He finally told himself and stepped out of the car. The sound of the latch echoing into a feint hush. The entire setting seemed ominous and eerie in the dim lighting of the garage.
Spike was eying the reluctant man as he came around to the rear of the car. “You don’t have to go, you know.” He wanted to give his friend an out. Best case scenario, Dru would be happily surprised and they’d have a great time visiting. Worst case would be, well, much, much worse and may involve the police later depending on how hard Spike hit the guy.
“I’m here aren’t I?” Charles asked trying to sound offended at the implication.
“Alright then.” Spike tossed down his smoke and stomped it out before heading forward.
Gunn followed him, having no idea where they were going.
They left the garage quickly and walked swiftly along the empty sidewalks. The entire city was unfamiliar to Gunn so he tried to remember street names and landmarks just in case they were in need of a quick getaway. Luckily they only traveled a few blocks before the two men stopped outside a brick building that to him, looked just like the others.
Spike looked up past the windows and back at the door. There was just one small kink in his plan. “Got to wait for someone to come out or go in.”
“What?” Gunn pulled on the door only to find it locked.
“Security here is crap. You have to be buzzed in.”
Gunn quickly caught on. “And you can’t have Dru buzz ya or she’ll know you’re here.”
“You’re smarter than you look Charlie boy. Don’t let anyone tell you different.”
Unimpressed, Gunn only shook his head and pushed the leather clad annoyance out of the way. “Watch and learn.” He said and looked over the names listed beside the small buttons to announce one’s presence.
With a little chuckle and a smile he pressed one of the buttons, let it buzz and let go waiting, only looking back to nod assuredly at Spike.
“Ahem, Y-yes? Hello?” A woman’s voice sounded, obviously startled by the buzzer.
Gunn cleared his throat. “Yeah, I’ve got a delivery for Anderson, apartment 6F.”
There was a high pitched squeak coming through the small speaker that nearly took the enamel off his teeth before the woman’s voice answerd again. “This is 5F. And my name’s not Anderson either.”
“I know Miss, but they can’t buzz me in, so we were hoping you could.”
“Oh!” She sounded so relieved. “Ok, sure.”
“Thanks, Miss.”
“Sure. No problemo.” she giggled and the speaker went dead as the loud buzzing and a click sounded indicating they could get through the now unlocked door.
Gunn waggled his brows and pulled the door.
Wondering how Gunn had done it, Spike took a look at the list and nearly laughed out loud ant the nametag for 5F.
There, clearly written in bright purple ink in what was obviously lady’s handwriting was the name Harmony, apparently she didn‘t have or need a last name. It was decorated with tiny heart stickers and hand drawn pink and red smiley faces. The woman was an obvious brain trust.
He walked into the hallway with Gunn right behind. Spike contemplated taking the stairs but opted for the lift. He stepped inside the box and pressed the 4 before glaring at the sign over the doors that counted off the floors as the men ascended.
The thumping of Spike’s heart seemed to be taking place just behind his ears as the blood rushed through his system. Adrenaline was fueling him and allowing him some control over his body while his mind was again continuing with the pictures displaying Drusilla in numerous precarious positions. A knot in his gut that had been tightening the last 3 weeks was now taught.
When the doors of the lift opened on her floor, Spike expected some kind of giant sign or a red flag marking her door as either good or evil. But the hallway was as simple and empty as it ever was. The small cracks in the off white plaster were unchanged as was the blinking light halfway down the hall that never did seem to work off a steady stream of power.
So he strode to the third door on the right and stood there, Gunn still just behind him, and rubbed the palms of his hands against his jeans. He was now nervous, and not just nervous, he was scared to death. “Bugger.” He said under his breath at the same time he heard a giggling.
His head shot up and that empty look came back when after another giggle came a man’s voice chuckling followed by quickly paced footsteps and another man’s voice. More voices were joining and now that he really paid attention he could hear low music as well.
Maybe the party was just getting started. It was still pretty quiet, but there was definitely more than just one man inside with his Dru. Maybe she wasn’t cheating.
There was a fleeting feeling of hope in his chest just before he tested the door. Even the loud thumping of his heart seemed to settle down. He turned the knob, glad to find it unlocked and slowly let the door fall open.
What he saw was nothing he’d imagined. It was nothing he’d even considered and yet it was right there laying in front of him, and sitting in front of him.
“Well, shit.” Slipped from Gunn’s lips. At the moment it was the only thing his paralyzed mind could come up with.
The dark entryway to Dru’s home would have been an erotic and stimulating sight to behold if it weren’t for the circumstances. The candles flickering on tables drew shadows on the walls that moved in rhythm with the bodies strewn about on the floor, chairs, a table and the long plush couch.
The quick breaths coming from the orgy’s participants were breathy and quiet but clearly heard even over the sporadic moans and barely audible grunting. The light from the candles gave their skin an unearthly orange hue that glimmered from sheens of sweat
There were blankets and pillows that lay under the grunting and sighing forms on the floor. Both women sliding their bodies along the man apparently on the brink of orgasm while a third woman was blowing him as she leaned between his thighs.
One man sat on a chair gripping himself as he enjoyed the show while another man and another woman were openly screwing on the couch, her on top bouncing like there was a rodeo in town.
Another woman was sitting atop a table, coincidentally the usual dining spot of the resident of the apartment. Her legs were spread wide while two men took turns fingering her and eating her out.
The entire scene was an onslaught and the odor of sex and candle wax mixed with other sweet and smoky scents of smokable drugs had both of the newcomer’s minds swimming.
Gunn was flabbergasted, and judging from the amazing interpretation of a statue Spike was doing, he had not been prepared for this particular moment. What was odd was that no one seemed to notice the open door. The entire orgy seemed quite occupied. Even the man jacking off alone didn’t take his eyes from the floor.
Everything was frozen right up until the moment the woman handing out head on the floor made a soft whimper. That woke up Spike before anyone could prepare. “What the fucking hell is going on here?!?!”
Charles decided that pointing out that was possibly the dumbest question ever asked was a bad idea. Instead he stood beside Spike and waited for the reaction. What happened next shocked him nearly as much as the picture in front of him.
It was the woman lying between the curved legs of a euphoric man relaxing on the floor. It was she who had made the soft sound, and it was she who turned her head to answer Spike. “My silly prince,” She smiled at him and licked her lips. “You’ve gone and ruined the surprise.”
It had happened in an instant. Every fiber of Spike’s body was shaking with rage. Even Gunn took half a step back, somehow worried that Spike could literally explode.
Spike couldn’t move though. He knew that if he did that no one in Dru’s apartment was safe, least of all Dru.
Every wrong she had committed on him, every harsh word, every unanswered call, every single thought he’d had of her seemed to ram into his memory at once. He glared down at her naked body still planted below another man‘s groin. He paid no attention to the others in the room. They didn’t matter.
His focus belonged to Dru. His fury belonged to her, his heart belonged to her. And Gunn was right, he was going to blow. He was going to explode in such gargantuan proportions that his frame couldn’t accommodate it.
“You fu- hore- mother fucking-” The words were there but they sputtered out with such a lack of eloquence Gunn wasn’t quite sure he was going for English. “Dimwitted slut- cunt licking- Fuck damn bitch!!!” He got the last few words out in a yell that made the flames of the candles shake and jitter.
“Do you not like your present?” Dru had the audacity to ask as if put out.
He was detached. His eyes registered the realness of the situation but he couldn’t reconcile it with what he felt for her. Love was blind in so many ways, but right now love was acting as a shield, not quite allowing him to make sense of the situation.
She was there, absently fondling the hard length of the stranger with her delicate fingers. He could see it, but it just didn’t make sense. Even as he scanned the room and saw that the others didn’t seem bothered by the interruption he‘s created. It felt like he’d walked into the wrong apartment.
He briefly looked back at the door to check the symbols indicating the apartment’s designation. To his surprise, it was definitely Dru’s place. And that was definitely Dru. The place reeked of drugs and she was most assuredly not being a faithful girlfriend.
He found his voice when he looked back down at her only to see his beloved girl tugging at another man’s cock. Her eyes were wide and red rimmed with dark circles under her eyes. He’d been worried, he’d been angry but he’d never guessed it wouldn’t be something that might not be fixed.
This? This was beyond repair. She had made her choices and nothing of the woman at his feet reminded him of the woman he’d been so enamored with. This woman was something changed.
And he’d completely missed it. Somehow she had kept him at her feet. Her loyal pup. He’d been an idiot and a fool, never seeing the metamorphosis. And somehow some part of this was supposed to be his present?
His high yelp of a laugh hinted at hysterics. “You can keep your present Dru. I’m through with you, and this bloody freak show.”
With that, Spike took a step back from the doorway, turned, and walked back the way he’d come without missing a beat. Gunn had to jog to catch up. No one had bothered to shut the door, and somehow Gunn didn’t think any of the people within would care.
They went down in the lift without a word and when the doors opened to the main hall Spike simply walked out only pausing to open the door. They were again striding down the sidewalks and Gunn remembered enough to infer they were headed back to the car garage.
It was at the turn just before the entrance to the garage that Spike stopped, leaned against a wall over a trash can and emptied his stomach. The knot had finally let itself go but that knot had been the only thing that kept him upright. It held him together enough to turn his back on Dru, but it didn’t seem that it was strong enough for the walk away.
His face suddenly felt cold and he could feel sweat forming on his arms as he heaved again into the trash can. The image kept replaying. Seeing her there so comfortably naked, having sex in a room fool of onlookers, it only made him feel more ill.
He gripped his middle with the hand not holding him up against the wall. He swore that if he dug deep enough with his fingertips he’d be able to pull the hurt out. It was such a real and pure feeling. It had to be tactile.
“You’ll be alright, man.” A voice called to him through the ache.
Spike tried to stand up a little straighter and wiped his brow feeling the wetness that had sprung up there as well. “Yeah. Was just a bit much is all.” He tried to sound more calm than he felt.
“Would be for anyone.” Gunn said, his voice taking on a faraway quality while he remembered the live porn show. After all, he was a guy.
Spike took a few deep breaths while his stomach settled. There was still a twisting pain but he could manage now that there was no longer anything left to churn. He was able to let go of the wall and stand up. He saw Gunn then, and the look on his face was pensive and appreciative as he stared up at nothing with half a grin on his face.
“You could at least pretend not to be getting off on my pain.” Spike stared at his friend straight-faced with only a hint of the anger in his eye.
Chagrinned and caught, Gunn gave Spike a pat on the back. “Has nothing to do with your pain man. I’m sorry for that, really. But I’m a red blooded male of the healthy variety. I can’t be held accountable for my hormonal perversions.”
By the look on Spike’s face, cheering him up by making light of the situation wasn’t going to work. His friend was broken. The empty look was still there but it was no longer a frightening mask. Now there was just simple sadness and loss.
“Come on, let’s head back to Sunnydale. I’ll even drive if you want.”
“HAH!” Spike laughed. “You must think I’ve gone completely bobble head. No one drives my car but me.” And with that he took off again for the garage.
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Author's Chapter Notes:
There are a couple of pretty good spots in this one. I think the challenge was to move the story along and capture a feeling of dread. Fun times :D
Chapter End Notes:
TADA!! So now tha's done. Everything will go very smoothly from now on. I'm sure. Or, you know, Not.