A rising vampire stirred Buffy from her thoughts, the earth was clawed aside to …show more content…
free him. The headstone, Beloved Son and Brother, caught her eye for a moment, before the new vampire pushed her aside and ran. She hated when they ran. Running after him, she pulled him back by the shoulders, throwing him off-balance.
"Who are you, lady?" He fended blows with less-than deft skill.
"I'm Buffy, the Vampire Slayer." She smiled, wide and genuine for a frame in time, and then reanimated, punching the vampire again.
Staking him through the heart, ashes scattering everywhere, Buffy brushed her bangs back and a took a deep breath. Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Beloved Daughter and Sister.
And she'd gotten the hem of her pants dirty chasing him. Brushing herself off in more ways than one, she tucked her stake in her back pocket, and set her feet to the next cemetery. She couldn't help but wonder when Spike was going to show up.
Eventually, she heard fighting in the cemetery, and bet her blood it would be Spike. Ears perked for his laugh and growls, Buffy walked towards her best bet; where the yelling got louder.
"Don't know what you're talking about, but the girl's already told destiny to sod off." Buffy heard, and through a set of trees she saw Spike spit blood, shoving a vampire who's back was to her. She'd only seen Spike go forehead-lumpies a handful of times, usually when her blood was in play, but even at a distance she could see he was full-fanged, fury focused on the other's demon's face. It wasn't creepy just watching, she defended herself to no one; she knew he certainly liked to watch her fight. She was just doing that. And eavesdropping. Not that they were keeping the shouting match quiet.
"I'm telling you, William, leave Buffy alone. Leave. Buffy. Alone." The contender punctuated with blows into Spike's face, bashing his head against a nearby tree, nearly splintering it, and now Buffy heard Spike laugh.
Wait a minute, Buffy strained her eyes to see, getting closer with every step towards the fight. First of all, they were arguing about her obviously- and wasn't that-
"Angel?" Buffy took off, throwing herself at Angel, who'd been kicking Spike while he was down.
Tossing Angel back, she remembered something they'd joked about, back when they were flirting... if she could take him. The look on his face of shock and anger didn't look joking now. Eyes glowing yellow, Buffy ignored him, turning back to Spike. Splintered tree everywhere, she bit back a crack about a stake factory, and saw blood running down his nose and mouth; probably his, judging from Angel's knuckles. Spike was up, making a show of licking his lips in a way that made Buffy roll her eyes, and he saw she looked a bit better with rest and time.
"Does that face mean you're okay then?" She hoped she sounded annoyed. Unsure of why, she tried not to question that impulse and sighed, looking between the two vampires.
"Right as rain, pet." He smiled at her, still bloody and vamped out and he saw her want to laugh. Right as rain, he thought.
"So it's true then?" Angel was back on his feet, human face returned, charging back into Buffy's face.
With a hand, Spike kept him at bay, and that made the Slayer smile too, even though she kept rolling her eyes at …show more content…
him.
"What's true, Angel?" She looked him over. That whole 'you look good' thing with exes didn't really work for vampires, Buffy wanted to joke. He looked exactly the same as when he left for LA.
"You two are working together?" Angel looked into Buffy's face, and then at Spike; smelling something off now that he couldn't put his finger on. "Buffy- he's dangerous. He's soulless. He'll turn on you the second you turn your back." Angel's voice strained, a tick in his jaw when he looked at Spike.
"Really? Or will he just run to LA, the exact minute I need him the most?" Buffy crossed her arms, feeling petty but not letting it stop her. For the millionth time, her brain reminded her that she was paying Spike to stay; she was paying for his loyalty and support. Even still, he gave it, and wasn't that what mattered? "Why are you here now, Angel?"
Spike felt like sticking his tongue out at Angel, who's eyes were downcast for a minute. It'd been a long time since he'd seen ole Angelus; one of his first clients, before he'd gotten exclusively into the mercenary business. They'd been sort of a makeshift family- close until they weren't, and nearly always at eachother's throats. Spike wasn't sure of the exact nature of his and Buffy's relationship, or much about the cursed soul that wasn't rumor, and he found himself burdened with just not caring very much about it.
"There are reports coming out of Sunnydale, that you've been working with this animal." Angel looked at Spike hard, remembering their past. "I tried to send him the message to leave you-"
"You're the one who's been sending the bloody graveyard brigade?
Oh you've really got quite the set of-"
"What do you mean tried to stop Spike?" Buffy asked Angel, but her eyes went to Spike.
"Buffy," Angel had explanation in his voice. "I was only looking out for you- I had some Sunnydale contacts look Spike up-"
"Had them assault me, more like." Spike lit a cigarette. "Every night there's nasties waiting for a bloke in his own crypt away from home."
"It was only to get you to get gone," Angel snarled at Spike, and Buffy saw red all over.
Since becoming the Slayer, since the prophecy, Buffy had trusted only a handful of people and a whole bunch of them let her down. Angel had pulled a disappearing act, Giles had drugged her, her family tried but didn't understand- even if she'd had to pay Spike, she'd paid him as an insurance policy on her life and Angel had undermined that from a city
away.
"I get that you two obviously have some sordid, twisted past here, believe me I do, but I'm in the fight of my life. Not even I'm in a fight to my death and don't you think I thought about the risks of an alliance with Spike don't you think I've worried about being the worst Slayer in history to earn her death saving the world? Don't you think I realize it's wrong? I don't care. If Spike helps me live, I don't care. That's the deal we made; so far, Spike's been the best ally I've ever had. Sure, his cigarettes smell and he curses and god the attitude, but Spike's done everything I've asked. He's saved my life. He's saved Dawn's life. You weren't here, Angel."
"Buffy, I was supposed to be your destiny; it was written-"
Buffy swung first, connecting her fist with Angel's face.
"Don't. Tell me about destiny." Buffy took a deep breath and a step back. "If you want to help me and Spike..." She winced as Angel brought his eyes back up to her. "The night of the 13th, the Master's supposed to be throwing a shindig where, you know, I die and stuff." She shuffled through the words like they were a joke, shrugging off her recurring nightmares about Angel holding her body. If he wanted to help, she meant it. She could use every spare cavalry available.
"Buffy... it wasn't supposed to be this way." Angel felt that, even as he watched Buffy's head jerk to the side, towards Spike. "I know about the prophecy. Spike said you've... hired him," Angel smiled at Spike, wicked grin brought back, "To watch your back with the Master. A long time ago, me and Spike could've been that clan in the prophecy. But that wasn't supposed to be, either. You said it yourself, Buffy, you know this isn't right."
"Is that vague for you're not gonna help save the world? Cause we should really go if we're done here. Kind of working on limited time." Chewing the inside of her lip, Buffy wanted to reprimand herself for getting even a shred of a hope up that Angel was here to help. Buffy turned to Spike, the other half of the we, and liked the smile he wore now.
"What're you paying him?" Angel paused. "Word is, William's a hard gun to hire. Especially for a human." Angel glared at Spike, and Buffy froze.
"Merc-client privilege. Sorry, Peaches." Spike stepped between them, and the air changed.
"You're a pig, Will. Always was. Did you tell her about the other Slayer you killed? Did you tell her about the centuries of bloodshed and mayhem? What could a high school student possibly offer you? Who are you really working for, Will? Buffy, I thought you were smart-" Angel spoke til Spike roared, and Buffy turned back to them.
"Oh, we had a long chat about the other Slayer bird, didn't we, pet? Knows about the unsavory bits of my past. Trusts me all the same. Say, Angelus, did you tell her about yours or did you go straight for the knickers?" Spike licked the last bit of blood out of his teeth, feeling much better about his odds with Angel now, and looking for a new fight.
"Buffy he's lying to you. He's probably working for the Master, think about it- think about what he must be offering him." Angel just wanted her to think sensibly. He just wanted her to think.
"My blood." She said quietly, looking awfully sorry to do it. "In exchange for my blood, he protects me. And my family, and my friends, and my life. Apparently he's had to contend with nasty drop by's from friends of yours, too. I told you, I don't care. Spike's my best bet, my only bet, and if you think I'm giving that up because you don't think it's right or you two have this centuries old beef, I don't care about any of that, don't you get it yet, Angel? I don't want to die. Conveniently enough, you're too busy to help me stay alive, right?" Buffy was riled, and angry, now. No fear in her, staring Angel straight down. "I feed Spike my blood when he asks and he's helping me fight destiny." The gleam in her eye touched Spike when it found him, and he could swear it made her smile a little to let go of apples. The truth was out there, in the air. And by her own account, she didn't care. "Goodbye, Angel. This might not be how it's supposed to be, but it is how it is. Reality is surreal, and I'm the thing monsters have nightmares about. It is what it is."
Spike watched Buffy stepping away, and he watched Angel lunge for her. The perfect excuse for a second go. Buffy kept walking ahead.
Grabbing Angel by his collar with one hand, Spike unleashed a number of sound punches, and consequently dropped him to the ground. Then he took off after Buffy, leaving Angelus in his past, like he always had.
"Did you tell her you're in love with her?" Angel called after them, growling, just getting to his feet and watching them go. "Did you tell her you're in love with her?" He called again, louder.
Spike could've felt his heart stop, if it.. you know, already wasn't still. Should've just staked Peaches when I had the chance, Spike couldn't help but think. He watched Buffy's chin drop her to chest for a minute, and he wasn't sure of what to make of that.
"I thought I was just a client?" Buffy turned her head to him, not sure what to believe just then.
"Right. And I'm just a vampire." He tilted his head to her, wanting to explain to himself how the hell they'd gotten here.
"And I'm gonna be dead in like. Not very long." Buffy said, keeping her eyes down and the rest of her thoughts to herself. "So, you know. Probably a bad idea to fall in love now, as ideas go and everything."
Spike wasn't sure what that meant, but he could figure it would've drove Angelus crazy to hear. It wasn't disgust, it didn't feel like disgust. That'd been his fear, mostly.
She shook her head and they walked the rest of the way home in silence; Spike not sure what to say, and Buffy regretting what she hadn't said.