Friends are supposed to be the type of people where trust shouldn't be a question. Relying on them is to be simple, and easy to do. Getting played by anyone you looked up to is a hard thing to accept. William must think him a fool if he believed his double crossing wasn't painfully obvious. Colton had his doubts and worries, but never could begin to think that they'd become true.
William the Bloody had been feeding him lines ever since he stepped foot in this town. Even when the timing couldn't have been more perfect to execute his long time dream, he had given him yet another excuse, another reason, to prolong the stage of his procreation. Colt was infuriated with his sire's stalling tactics, and sickened by his love for The Slayer.
Unfortunately, Jacob had been correct in his assessment of Spike. He was no longer a vampire, and was not to be trusted as friend or ally. Beyond anything, he wanted to prove his subordinate wrong, and give William the chance for loyalty, but there is a time to say enough. Determination never evolved without action, and now was when the waiting ended.
****
Spike sat alone in the poorly illuminated space of his crypt, nursing a bottle of whiskey he held tight in his grasp. Once Buffy was brought into this mess by his old friend, he was worried. Once Buffy was affected by his mistakes, he was scared. Tonight proved that Colton had grown into a master of his trade. If he was to get his hands on her again, it could very well be fatal. Spike believed he had control of situation and could handle it without The Slayer ever knowing. He was silly if he thought she was that oblivious.
Maybe she didn’t have the full story, but she was gathering her rocks quickly. He could tell by the way she scurried away like a threatened animal when she awoke in his presence. Buffy must have realized Spike’s involvement with Colton. Did she know he was the blokes sire? What was it that spooked her so? He could only make the assumption that she was angry with him for not telling her about Colton in the first place. A few lines about Dawn and having things to take care of, and the lady made her exit.
It was something he tried to avoid, but it seemed as if he was backed into the proverbial corner. Though he hated to admit it, it was time to come clean to Buffy and enlist The Slayers aide. Spike didn’t think there was anything worse than deeming himself weak. However, facing the fact that he was human now, and not nearly as capable in a fight, was what persuaded him into a decision.
****
“Well, well. Thought we were done with these delinquent outbursts of yours.”
Dawn paused, rolling her head back to see Spike leaning against a tree with a lit cigarette dangling from between his lips, peering up at her as she climbed down the lattice beneath her window.
Eyes wide “Spike.” She was a deer caught in the headlights.
He stood his ground until she reached the bottom and hopped onto the grass. "So, where's the small bird off to?"
"To find you."
Those definitely weren’t the words he expected to hear, causing him to push aside the retort he already had in mind. The young girl had her hands planted her hips, something she must've picked up from Big Sis, he wagered. “Me?” What the bugger hell would Dawn be sneaking out to find me for? Buffy. “Dawn,’s she?” I was at the crypt, Colton could’ve... “Where’s Buffy?”
“Buffy’s fine. Well as good as she can be after-” Dawn let her sentence end with a raised brow, seemingly making a point.
Though he was relieved Buffy wasn’t in any harm, he was rather confused still about why Dawn went off to find him. “After wha’...”
“You.”
“Me?” And we’re back to this 'me' nonsense.
Dawn repositioned her weighed onto the other leg, crossing her arms. “I heard her crying in her room tonight. When I went in there to make sure she was alright, I saw the gash on her head. She kept going on about you and how you aren’t what she thought you were.”
This was ludicrous. Girl thinks he did that to Buffy? “Look Dawn, you got your information crossed. I never-”
“She heard you say how you want to kill her.” Spike’s mouth shut as he slowly closed his eyes. “I was coming to let you know that, maybe, I won’t win in a fight with you, but even you sleep. And if you try anything, you’ll wake up on fire.”
God, she was a scary little girl. Dawn wasn’t the one he needed to straighten this out with. He knew now what he had to do. He understood why Buffy left so quickly because she heard them talking. She thought he was going to... How could she possibly believe he would ever hurt her?
“I’d hope you would.” It was all he came up with. There wasn’t any explanation to give. With a slight nod of his head, a flick of his cigarette, he slowly disappeared back into the night of which he came.
****
Rays of sun shined in through the sheer curtains, silently biding Buffy awake. The clock on her night stand read 7:42, and she moaned as she swung her feet to the side of the bed, stretching her arms high, yawning wildly. Though she went to sleep just a few hours ago, Buffy felt awake, energized for the new day. Sleep was only dragging her down. There was this gnawing in her gut that wouldn't stop, and staying in bed was making it worse. Being up at the crack of dawn wouldn’t solve any of her problems, she knew, but it was better to at least try. Filling her time with busy work was the best answer to keep her mind at bay. Besides, the aroma of pancakes and bacon making their way up the stairwell was enough to make her stomach growl.
“Don’t you have school? I thought Xander was going to take you.” Buffy commented as she rounded the kitchen wall.
Dawn gave a half smile while she poured a cup of orange juice, “He is. I guess he’s running late because of the book party last night.”
“We did keep him up pretty late.” Willow put a serving of pancakes on a plate in front of her friend.
"Thanks," she mumbled quickly before reaching for the maple syrup, and drowning her food.
All heads turned towards the door as Xander bustled his way inside, making his grand entrance. “Have you guys read the paper this morning?”
“Not yet, been stirrin’ up some good ole eats for the gang.” Willow was smiling from ear to ear, extremely proud of her morning breakfast making.
Buffy just shrugged, cramming more sugar covered pancakes into her mouth. “I don’t really ever do that.”
“Yeah, I don’t think I’ve ever seen you make breakfast... or any meal really. Mom would always say ‘If you want it blackened, call Buffy’.”
“I’ve cooked before! And she did not say that. Don’t you remember Thanksgiving when I made the entire dinner?”
“That is your best example?”
Feeling the need to voice her own opinion, Willow chimed in, “I agree with Dawnie, bad example. Everything was pretty ruined after the big Indian battle, and Angel showing up.”
“And have we all forgotten about me having syphilis? Pretty sure that equals, bad day.” Xander laid down a copy of the Sunnydale newspaper onto the counter top of the island. “I’m thinking you guys will get a kick out of today’s front page news.”
Above an enlarged photo of three people getting arrested, read the headline: Criminals at Large, Caught at Last.
“Looks like the Nerd Herd that was messing with Buffy get to be jail bait. Says here that, after an anonymous phone call, police surrounded a parked black van near Market and Broadway. Your mystery van Buff. They put them in a holding cell while they searched their property, and recovered the stolen diamond from the museum, money that was robbed from the bank, and other numerous items.” After he finished speaking, nobody else took a turn and he looked around uncomfortable. “Isn’t that good news? No more ridiculous problems to be caused by these guys.”
“Yeah, it’s good. It’s just, well, it seems to... easy. I’ve been tracking them, and nothing. One secret caller and they’re caught with their pants down?” Buffy skeptically spoke as she looked over the article. “This was right by that little diner off Market...” Something wasn’t adding up. She was there; they must have been following her again. But, who would have called the cops? Spike. He was behaving oddly after she returned from the restroom, could he have been the anonymous caller?
“Yeah, I guess it’s by there. Why?”
“Oh, no reason. I’m glad they were finally caught, but Dawn’s late for school.”
“Right, which is why we are leaving now. Dawnie?”
“All ready. Got my books and pencils, so I can properly learn,” she stated while following Xander out the door to his waiting car.
They were alone, and finally Willow could have some best friend time with Buffy. Since last night when she came trudging through the door, Willow had wanted to ask about what had exactly happened for the Slayer to be injured in battle. She had said it wasn't Spike, but then, if this new baddie knew William the Bloody; why not go straight to the source instead of spending all night going nowhere fast? Were Spike and Buffy not getting along only after a day of being together? This down-right, dirty gossiping was the real reason people had best friends. For, it could always make one feel as if their insignificance would lesson by keeping a shared secret.
It was better to go in slow, make the small talk first. "So, The Trio is no longer making plans to ruin Buffy's day. That's good huh?"
"Yeah, great even. I kin already feel that pain in my ass sorting itself out. I just wish I knew it would have been as easy as calling the police on them."
"I think, always fighting the demonic forces, kinda takes the common sense out of us." They both shared a smile, and in Willows eyes, ice had officially been broken. "So, wanna tell me what happened?"
Buffy looked up, halting her fork's trip to her mouth. "About what?"
"About last night?"
Resume the mound of pancakes to their destination. After taking a moment to chew and swallow, she simply shrugged. "Vamp caught me off guard. Nothing more to tell."
Vanquishing demons, casting spells, taking care of a angsty teenager, all pretty simple things when it comes down to it. Willows own knowledge knew, getting that girl to talk when she didn't want to, one of the hardest things to do.
****
Everything was blurred. All senses the body was capable of seemed in disarray. Even his mind was blending memories with dreams, making it impossible to gain an understanding of what was or had transpired. He felt tired, out of energy, but strong. Powerful. Only one thing made itself clear. One sense taking prominence over all others. Taste. An all too familiar, but somehow welcomed, savor coated his tongue. The dull tang of copper.