Last post for the day! I’ll wait and post additional chapters on the final day of the round, the rest can be followed in own LJ.
Title: Old Growth 2/?
Rating: R (maybe higher later, but for now, R)
Medium: Fic
Timeline: Post-NFA
Characters: Spuffy (of course), with some Dawn, Giles, and Drusilla.
“…and you’re quite sure it was him?”
I grit my teeth and try very hard not to scream. “And for the fourth time in the last fifteen minutes, Giles – yes.”
He murmurs, lost in thought. “Drusilla, too… There’s a creature I’m surprised still exists.”
“I know! The crazy hussy. How in the world has she managed to stay alive, or rather, evil undead? She’s… well… crazy.”
“I should’ve finished the job when I had the chance,” he says quietly.
That catches me. In an instant I’m back in Sunnydale, finding Giles bruised and bleeding; muttering incoherently; delusional courtesy of Drusilla’s mind games. “I know.” My voice is small and tinny over the miles between us. But I don’t want that. I want to be strong for him. “She’s doing it again, Giles. She’s doing it to a person that I –that I love, all over again. I have to stop her.” My breath, shuddering, ghosts across the line. “I just got him back. I can’t lose him again. Especially not like this.”
There’s a pause, and I wait. I wait for Giles to start in on why Spike’s not worth it. That’s usually how it goes, after all. We’ve come a long way since I shut that door on him in Sunnydale that last year. A long way that could easily crumble depending on his answer.
I hear him sigh, and then – “You will. You will.”
My eyes fall shut, and the knot in my shoulders eases just a tiny bit. “So you’ll look into it for me?”
“Of course. Though it would speed things along if you could find out more.”
“I’ll see what I can do. I wasn’t exactly planning on letting them go too far from my sight anyway. Do you have any ideas at all on how she might be doing this?”
“Nothing specific, really. Though I do think your instincts are correct in thinking that it’s her influence over him that is the cause of his behavior. I’d also be willing to bet that she had a hand in his apparent lack of soul, as well. Things would be entirely too coincidental otherwise.”
“Maybe I could just kill her and poof – Normal, not quite so evil Spike,” I suggest perkily.
“Yes, well, as appealing as that option might be, do try and restrain yourself. If she did use some sort of spell to bring him back, it could be the only thing sustaining him.”
“Fine. Just spoil all my fun.”
“Besides that, do you think he would actually let you?”
That sobers me up. “I can take Spike, Giles.”
“I know you can, but without him causing a good deal of harm to you in the process? I doubt it. He’s different now, those were your words. His soul might be gone and there’s no telling what other effects might be the product of Drusilla’s influence. Test him, if you can get him alone. You know him better than anyone, Buffy. Use that. In the mean time, I’ll do what I can.”
‘But he’s evil now, Dawnie! And he has no soul!’
‘When was Spike not at least a little evil? And he looked after me that whole summer you were gone, and he didn’t have a soul then.’
‘Ugh, but it’s different now. Now, he’s saying he’s going to kill his third Slayer and – ’
‘Oh c’mon, when was he not threatening to kill you?’
‘I told you, it’s different now. Drusilla’s with him.’
‘Yeah, but – wait, Drusilla? That ho-bag? Really?’
‘Yes, that’s what I’ve been trying to tell you. She’s done something to him. We don’t know what. But I’m going to find out.’
‘Are you sure I can’t – ’
‘No, Dawn. Look, as soon as we get him fixed, you’ll be on the next flight in.’
‘Promise?’
‘I promise.’
If Dawn gets anywhere near Spike in the state he’s in, it’ll be over my dead body. Honestly? I have no idea if he would do anything to her now that he’s like this, but I don’t think he would stop Drusilla if she tried something. I lost Kendra to that witch, and I’ll be damned if I lose my little sister to her, too.
I’d like to think that Giles is right. Right about me being the one who knows Spike best. Either way, I do know that finding Spike has never been a problem. He always finds me first.
So I just do what I do best. It’s kind of nice to get back to the basics; kickin’ it old school style. Small town, cemetery, fledgling vamps that never appreciate my puns, knowing perfectly well all the while that Spike’s doing that whole stalking thing he always did.
My stake finds its mark with ease and the vamp, so newly risen it has clods of dirt in its hair, poofs.
“I didn’t even get a chance to break a sweat,” I grumble, pouting and waving the dust away. “No fun.”
“Is that what you’re looking for here, Slayer? A spot of fun?”
Bingo. ‘With Drusilla now.’ As if. “Nah, you know, I’m just doing that whole Slayer gig. Fighting to save the world from creeps like you. It’s part of the whole Chosen One package.”
He’s circling in that slow, predator’s way of his, but I refuse to turn and follow him. Won’t give him the satisfaction of being a real threat, even though every one of my nerves are blaring, just waiting for him to make a move. “Creeps like me? You’re changing your tune, luv. S’not what you were saying two nights ago.”
“Well, that was before you made big with the jerk.”
He stops in front of me. Skin and hair and coat all gleaming in the moonlight. But still so gaunt. The leather can’t hide it, not in his face. “Why are you still here, Slayer? You came, saw, satisfied your curiosity. Told you I don’t want you anymore.” He grins. “But that’s just it, innit? You just want what you can’t have. Angel, Parker, Riley …and now me. You only want them when they’re gone.” He smiles, thinking he’s scored a hit. “Ain’t that right?”
“Actually, Spike, if you’re as evil as you say you are… then I’m sticking around because it’s my job to put you and Drusilla down.”
He snarls, eyes flashing. “Just give it your best shot.”
“I dunno, Spikey… I’m getting pretty good in my old age. How about you? Think you still got what it takes to bring a Slayer down?”
He doesn’t reply, just lunges. I’m ready, but just barely. I make the mistake of thinking he can’t resist getting in the last word. I roll with his weight and then kick, sending him flying. But he’s back on his feet just as quick as I am.
One second he’s four feet away, the next, I see a flash of fang and that’s all the warning I have before he’s at my throat. Pure Slayer instinct is the only reason I manage to bring up an arm just in time to keep him from getting a chance at a kill. Fucking old vampires with their fucking super speed.
His breath is hot and meaty; moist air rushing over the surface of my neck, just inches away. “Actually, Slayer, I’d say you’re getting slower in your old age.” He snaps his fanged jaws together with audible strength. “Almost had you there, baby.” I buck and squirm, trying to dislodge him as those golden eyes bear down on me. With a shake of the head, his game face melts away, and it’s just Spike. “Say, you think little sis will be as fast when it’s her turn?” He grins, his tongue wagging lasciviously.
“You’ll never touch her,” I manage to growl out, his weight pressing down on my chest. Surging up, I butt my head against his. It throws him off just enough to roll him around and get on top.
But he’s still grinning like a maniac, he won’t stop. “But I will. Got me some unfinished business with you Summers women. What I started with you, I’m gonna finish with her. Unlike perfect, golden Buffy, she won’t have the strength to save her. I’m going to bring her down, drag her through the dirt.”
“Shut up! Shut your mouth!” With two fistfuls of his t-shirt, I bang his head hard against the ground. There must be rocks or branches, because blood’s pooling out, but he won’t stop laughing.
His words pour out in a torrent, like he can’t even help it, “Just think how I’ll make her scream, make her cry. Going to pound into that sweet skin of hers, until it bruises and bleeds and breaks. Think she’ll like it just a little bit? You always liked it rough. Maybe she’s just like big sis after all – just wants to roll in the dirt.”
I hit him, he’s not even struggling now, but I hit him. “Just – shut – your – mouth!” I hit him again and again and again, until that horrible, shrill laugh is broken up by the gurgling of him choking on his own blood. I finally stop, exhausted, holding his leather in a death grip. Tears stream down, falling on his bloody, mangled face. “Why are you doing this? Why are you saying these things?” I cry, voice half strangled. “What did that bitch do to you?”
Steadying myself on his chest, I push up, and look down at him. Barely conscious, his eyes have already begun to puff up, and he struggles to keep them open. My face crumbles as a fresh wave of tears hit. “Look what you made me do.” I scrub my cheeks with the back of my hand. “I didn’t want to do this again. I wanted things to be simple, simple and – and – nice, between us, Spike.”
He gives no answer. Just lays there, limp. Head facing off to the side. Dead leaves and grass, cold with the damp, pressing against his cut up skin. Eyes shut. “Spike. What did she do to you? Tell me, so I can fix it.”
“I love her.” His voice is cool and even, the mania, whatever it was, has left him. And it’s a slap in the face. Doesn’t matter that I know it’s not true. I know this isn’t Spike talking, not of his own free will. But it still hurts. I tighten my grip on him; he’s so skinny I can feel his ribs easy.
“Tell me.”
“Why haven’t you staked me already, you stupid bint.” Bitterness drips from every word. “Haven’t you heard? Haven’t you seen the bodies we’ve left? The cuts? The tears in their flesh? Did we really hide those poor bastards that well?”
I give him a rough jerk, fear creeping into my hands. Fear of what he might have already done before I found him. Fear that he’s so far gone, I can’t bring him back. I grit out the words slowly, deliberately, “Tell me – how she removed – your soul.”
Finally, slow with the effort, he turns to look at me; squinting up through swollen, blood encrusted eyes. “What makes you think she got rid of the soul, Slayer?”
…to be continued.
Thanks so much for the comments on the previous chapter guys! I really appreciate it. Feedback is always welcome.
Originally posted at http://seasonal-spuffy.livejournal.com/133620.html
