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NA GRACH CROI


Chapter 19: ‘A Sirim’ (The Search)


Spike and Xander rode hell bent for leather to Balleycastle. Which, in itself was difficult, considering the sun was just about to set on the Irish countryside.

The first thing, Spike noticed, as they neared the Parrish house of Father Giles, is that Buffy’s mare, Suicra and Angel’s steed, Gordian, were tethered to the Priest’s hitching post. This caught both of the eldest O’Hara’s and Harris’s attention.

They pulled into Father Giles’ yard and tossed their steeds’ reins over the posts, next to the other two horses. Spike was somewhat relieved, hoping that his wife was here, in the Priest’s home. Even if she was in the company of his neer-do-well younger brother.

Spike beat on Father Giles’ door, nearly breaking the oaken wood with his strong fist. The priest answered and gave Spike O’Hara a sour look.

“So,” Father Giles rasped, perhaps just a bit tipsy from the drink, “you put the poor girl out then? Sent your idiot brother to take her away from you?”

Xander spoke up first, “no Father,” he explained, respectfully, “Spike, here. He did not send Buffy away. Rather, it was Angel, his brother that took the lass from their home. Apparently he lulled Spike’s wife into leaving with him. With words of comfort and deceit. I’m a witness, Father,” Xander nodded, firmly, “Spike, or William, as it were, wants his wife and child with him. Always.”

Father Giles gave Spike a bewildered look, then motioned the two men inside his home. He bade them to sit and began to pace about the living room.

“You say Angel set Buffy to go off with him?” Father Giles asked with a scowl. “Convinced her that you did not want her with you, William?”

“Apparently,” Spike mumbled, shame-faced and full of remorse.

“It was Angel, brought the two horses here. He said you’d be expecting them back at the farm. Tomorrow at the latest. Your brother made it clear that ‘you’ insisted that Buffy be off your home land first thing possible. I do not know where Buffy was, at the time Angel came here. I suspect she was holed up in Balleycastle?”

“She’s my wife,” Spike muttered, stubbornly enough. “She’s carrying our child and I want them both back. Like I said, yesterday.”

“Right then,” the Priest grinned at his fair-haired member of his flock, benevolently. “But the last train out of Balleycastle was hours ago. I reckon that Angel and Buffy were on it and headed to Heaven knows where. Stay here, for tonight anyway. Get a fresh start in the morning?”

Spike shook his blond head, “no Father,” he muttered, “we leave tonight. Xander and me. We’ll ride to where ever my wife has gone this day. Don’t care if we ride all night or not. Right Xander?”

The dark haired employee nodded his head, “right, Spike,” he opined.

Father Giles smiled at William O’Hara, with sincere affection. “Now,” the Priest chuckled warmly, “now you’re behaving like a man, William. I’m proud of you son.”

The Priest clapped Spike on his back and grinned at Xander. He motioned to the front door of his home with his chin.

“Off you go then,” Father Giles ordered genlty. “God go with you, William O’Hara. You will need God on your side to fix this catastrophe.”

“Yes, Father, I will,” Spike muttered under his breath. Just a tad embarrassed by his obvious inner turmoil. In front of his Priest and best friend, that is.

“A little word of advice, son,” the Priest continued with a slight smile. “When you find your wife, go to her, humbly on your knees. It’ll save time, you know? To beg your wife’s forgiveness and pray to our Lord at the same time.”

“Yes Father,” Spike mumbled with a bright red blush. “And thank you, sir.”

Xander followed Spike to the front door, but turned to nod at the Priest. “You’re a good man, Father,” Harris grinned at the Holy man. “A truly fair and good man. We’re lucky to have you as our Church emissary.”

Once Spike and Xander arrived in Balleycastle, they rode straight to the train station. Mr. Daniel Osbourne was on duty, a good friend to Xander and Spike both.

“I thought your brother brought Mrs. O’Hara to take her from here, O’Hara,” Daniel blushed bright red. It was an odd clash to his bright red hair.

“I mean, we all heard that there was a terrible row at your home. Between you and the Finn-Raynes. The whole town figured that you’d sent your wife to ‘safety’ and…..”

Spike gave Osbourne an evil scowl, “fuck this town and their talk. I want to find my wife, as soon as possible.”

“I understand, Mr. O’Hara,” Daniel sighed heavily. “And,” the slight man added with conviction, “I think you’re doing the right thing, going after Mrs. O’Hara. To bring her back that is. A man’s loving wife should be with him, always. No matter what troubles come to their doorstep. But,” Daniel pursed his lips and looked away from Spike, “that man should stand by his wife, too.”

“Yes, Daniel,” Spike hung his head in shame, “that man should stand by his wife. No matter what.”

“Coleraine,” Daniel Osbourne stated simply. “The train Angel and Mrs. O’Hara took, it was headed to Coleraine. I believe they were to switch to the train that headed to Limavady from there. I’m assuming Londonderry was the ultimate destination. It makes sense, William O’Hara. There’d be a ship to America from that port. Mrs. O’Hara ‘is’ from America. Is she not?”

Spike and Xander rode like demons from Hell all the miles to Coleraine. Miraculously, they made it before daybreak.

The two men with a mission rode into Coleraine and straight for the train station. They found an unobivious but, pleasant enough man behind the desk of the small building.

“My name is Warren Meers, sirs,” the station master shook both Spike and Xander’s hands, respectively. “Can I help you?”

“A woman, small, blond and beautiful,” Spike described Buffy, trying very hard to keep the anxiety out of his tone. “Her and a large dark-haired young man? Did they come through here, last night?”

“Oh, yes,” Meers nodded, “the woman caused quite the stir in the station.” He grinned at the two men, then suddenly frowned when he saw the pained scowls on both their faces.

“Oh dear,” Warren whispered, “I hope this was not a run-away marriage. It was very apparent, to myself and everyone here, that the young man and lady were siblings. The way they behaved with each other, never would suspect an elopement? We believed, last night, that it was a brother escorting his sister to Limavady.”

Spike flinched and Xander sighed loudly. “No, sir, don’t fret,” Xander offered the worried man. “Not a runaway marriage, just a misunderstanding.” The dark haired man glanced at his employer and grimmaced slightly.

“Hold on friend,” Xander muttered to Spike, “I know you’re getting angry and frustrated by all this, but won’t do any good if you go mithear (crazy) on us now.”

“They headed straight out, on the train? To Limavady?” Spike inquired through gritted teeth. He was trying, desperately, to keep a cool head, but he felt his control slipping away.

‘If Angel laid a hand on my Buffy,’ he thought silently, ‘I’ll tear his fucking balls off with my bare hands.’ Spike really ‘knew’ in his heart, that Buffy had not run off with Angel to ‘be with’ him that way. The poor little thing had indeed just needed an escort to the Western coast. To ‘get away’ from himself, Spike.

“They’re probably headed to Londonderry from there,” Spike mused aloud. “Buffy can catch a ship to America and Angel…..”

‘Angel,’ Spike remembered, his eyes narrowed into murderous slits.

‘What about Angel? I know he took off with Buffy for other reasons then hers, but by God, if he follows her to America! My fucking brother has no idea what I’m going to do to him when I get my hands on him. He lied to Buffy, led her to believe that I was still angry with her. Okay, I was still angry with her, kind of, anyway. But we were going to work things out, fix them, Buffy and me. If they get to Londonderry and on a ship to America, I might never get my wife back.’

Spike felt tears begin to form in the corners of his eyes. ‘I’m a fucking fool,’ he sighed softly. ‘I trusted Angel, never should have. He’s hated my guts since that day I pulled him from a mine shaft and saved his life. Should have left the fool down there to die.’

Xander spoke up and broke Spike’s angry reverie. “We best head on, Spike,” the big man said quietly. “There’s a chance we can catch up to them in Limavady, before the next train to Derry town.”

William O’Hara swallowed back his fear and tears, “you’re right, Xander,” he shook his fair head and then glanced at the station master.

“Thanks friend,” Spike nodded at Warren Meers.

“I hope you find the lady, sirs,” Meers said weakly, “I know this situation is not my business, but I can see it’s very important to you.”

Spike and Xander got to Limavady by sunset that evening. Not only were they very weary by this time, but their horses were near exhaustion. Undaunted, the two men headed straight for the train station. If anything, it was the train masters seemed to know most everything that went on these towns and villages.

“Did a small, lovely blond young lady and a dark haired man come through here, friend?” Spike didn’t hesitate, he just blurted out the question to this train master.

“They did,” the old man behind the desk answered the worried looking young man. He gave both Spike and Xander a wary look and adjusted his glasses.

“Got in just early this morning,” the man drummed his right index finger to his forehead. “Noticed them, right off of course, because of the lovely lady. But then, when the brother and sister got into a row, together, really took notice then. Well, assumed they were brother and sister. When they began to argue, though, looked as if it was because the lady was rejecting the big man.”

Spike flinched visibly, “a row!” he gasped at the old man. “What kind of row?” Now O’Hara was really concerned. What had his idiot brother done to Buffy?

“Did they go straight to Londonderry, then?” Spike asked desperately, “when did they go?” He was growing more impatient by the second, but was happy that this nosy little man had overheard the argument.

“She did,” the old man stated quickly, “the young man took off out of this building. Never saw ‘him’ again. The lady bought a ticket to Londonderry and caught the first morning train there.”

“Oh Jesus,” Spike grumbled as his looked at Xander, fearfully. “Buffy’s gone off to Londonderry alone. Can’t say if I’m happier about that or not. I’m afraid for her, Xander,” he rasped.

“I know Spike,” Xander clapped his friend on his back, gently. “We’ll head to Derry town, immediately. Catch up to her there.


“Train there leaves in about two hours, friends,” the old man interjected. “Can’t say for sure, but your poor horses out there look like hell. Much like you two do. Why not board the poor beasts, get yourself a supper and then take the train to Londonderry. Wouldn’t you be better off? All of you?”

The old man made sense, truly, and Spike nodded to him. “You’re right, friend,” he sighed heavily. “We’re done out and I’m afraid our horses’ll die before we get there. We’ll take two tickets to Londonderry.”

Xander smiled, for the first time in hours and Spike felt a little more hopeful.

A thought hit Spike, suddenly, and he asked the old man where the nearest pub was. The train master laughed, heartily, “oh, the nearest is about 50 yards from here, Mister,” he chuckled. “But there’s five within the city mile.”

After thanking the old man for his help and advice, Spike and Xander headed off to the ‘first’ pub, nearest the train station.

“You’re thinkin’ that Angel’s in one of the pub’s, ain’t you Spike?” Xander asked knowing.

“Yup,” Spike replied evenly, his jaw somewhat clenched, however.

“If we find him? What then, Spike?” Xander asked next, his voice tinged with worry.

“I’m going to rip my brother’s throat out and shove it up his arse, Xander,” Spike growled angrily.

“I was afraid of that,” Xander muttered as he kept in step with Spike.


A/N: Kind of a short chapter, huh? Next chapter? Spike confronts Angel and well…you’ll have to read it (tee hee).

Will Spike and Xander catch up to Buffy in Londonderry before it’s too late? Before she gets on that ship to America? After all, America is a ‘big, big place’ and all.

Thanks for reading, please review. Luv, Spuf





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