The Dark, Prologue by jamesmfan

This is a WIP. I didn’t get it done in time. Woe.

Title: The Dark
Rating: This chapter PG-13, fic in generally will be R
Summary: Spike had expected dying to hurt more. Set in Season 6 sometime after Life Serial.
Catergories: Little bit angsty
A/N: Hasn’t been beta’d so there may be mistakes. I’m too tired to notice. :)

The Dark

Prologue

Spike had expected dying to hurt more.

The feeling of a fist hitting his face, the hard snap of the blow, would be a feeling he would miss when he crumbled to only ashes. That fist was followed by a kick to the chest that snapped ribs like dry twigs on a cold winter day. The action brought him to his knees on the hard wet floor. He would remember the feeling of the icy rain sliding under his shirt, down his spine, soaking him to the bone. He wouldn’t remember it for long though.

He looked up at his killer. And he smiled warmly.

“’Bout time,” was all he said.

And Buffy said nothing as she plunged the stake into his heart.

7 days earlier.

“I really don’t think this is it, Spike,” Dawn arched an eyebrow and watched as the vampire attempted to navigate.

Spike glared at her, cigarette dangling between his lips. “It is. Trust me.”

Dawn rolled her eyes and turned to look out of the window of the rusty old Desoto Spike thought was the very height of coolness. She wished he’d steal something more modern – like a Porsche. Or maybe the bike he’d had a few months ago. That had been fun to ride. She didn’t mind too much, though. It had been a while since she’d gotten to hang out with him at all. So she’d take what she could get.

Even if what she could get was lost in a very unfamiliar neighbourhood looking for Buffy.

Her sister had been out on patrol for several hours and Spike, who had been lumbered with Dawn-watching duties, had decided it was time to go check up on her. When Dawn had insisted upon coming he’d let her along just to shut her up. Dawn knew the power of her screechy ways and used it to her advantage. She was about to ask the taboo question – why he wouldn’t just ask someone for directions – when something hit the car and Spike braked sharply. Dawn shrieked a little bit and watched as two figures grappled it out on the hood of the Desoto. It was only when she saw a flash of blonde hair that Dawn realised it was Buffy struggling beneath what looked like…darkness. A shadow.

“Buffy!” Dawn yelled.

Spike was out of the door in moments and then she watched through the windscreen as he grabbed the shadow around the neck and wrenched it off of Buffy. The Slayer rolled off the hood and fell to the ground.

Dawn unfastened her seatbelt and threw her door open, jumping out and down to her sister’s side. She looked pale and wide-eyed but mostly okay.

Buffy scrambled up into a sitting position. “Dawn, get back in to the car. Get in, now! Lock the doors.”

Dawn helped her up and then her sister pushed her back into the car and shut the door. The girl watched as Buffy went to help Spike who was fighting the dark shape. The demon…the shadow…was in the shape of a man but it was darkness, absolute. It seemed to be simply an absence of light. Spike’s pale skin glowed near it.

Buffy leapt at the Shadow but it shot a tendril of black towards her and she tumbled away, skidding over the asphalt of the road. And that was when it happened. Something Dawn would always remember. Would often have nightmares about.

The Shadow grabbed Spike’s face in its hands and sunk its fingers into his eyes. Spike screamed and Dawn screamed and Buffy sprang into action again, knocking the Shadow away. Spike crumpled to the floor, clutching his face. The Slayer shot her fist out to punch the shadow but it was gone. It didn’t disappear exactly, just ceased to be.

But Spike’s screams continued.

He convulsed around on the ground, fingers clawing at his face as he thrashed and rolled about. Buffy ran to his side and clutched his wrists, pulling his hands forcefully away from his face.
Spike opened his eyes. They were the same old shade of pale blue. He looked around, blinking and confused like a newborn. Dawn, breathing erratically, saw the look of relief that crossed Buffy’s face before she dropped his wrists quickly and stood up.

Then she turned and looked directly at Dawn, lit up in the headlights of Spike’s car. She smiled wearily.

+ + +

Originally posted at http://seasonal-spuffy.livejournal.com/157850.html