I Never Brood

Chapter One: Why Do I Feel Guilty?





Something moved in the shadowy darkness of Clem's crypt. He looked up from the blurry black and white screen and whispered, "Is anybody there?"

Clem couldn't help thinking to himself what he should have said. Spike- or any other demon, for that matter- would have stood up bravely and said "Who are you?" or "Who's there?" or "Get the hell out of my personal space, demon scum!" But Clem? No. Clem just sat there, still munching on cold popcorn and secretly hoping that it was the Slayer, or the Slayer's sister or somebody that he could actually suck up to so they wouldn't kill him. Not that they would kill him anyway, they knew he was harmless...but anyway. He didn't hear anything else, so he turned back to watching Passions. He felt stupid about that too, but at least he didn't have to feel that bad. Big Bad Spike was the one who'd gotten him hooked in the first place. He couldn't help it. He thought Kay was kind of cute. And how the hell did Theresa get back, anyway?

He'd just gotten settled back into the show when he heard a creaking noise at the door. Deciding to just act friendly and hope for the best, he called out "Come in!"

Since it was dark, he couldn't see anything. But he recognized the smell mixed between burnt cigarettes and burnt toast.

"Spike!" he called out, and waited for a response. The lights flickered on, and Clem looked over at the doorway.

Spike looked different. His hair was nearly back to it's natural brown, and his eyes seemed to stand out a little from his white face. He also looked kind of short.

"Clem..." Spike looked at him, and Clem found himself feeling guilty. He didn't know why he felt guilty, he hadn't done anything for him to feel guilty....so why did he feel guilty? He was under the stare of a vampire, for God's sake.

"Hey there, Spike. What's up? How's it hanging? Want some popcorn?" Clem stood up with the blue bowl in hand and started walking towards his friend.

"No thanks, Clem. Never was one for that stuff, too greasy. Oh, and you have a piece stuck in your arm." Spike pointed out the kernel and Clem picked it out. He stared at his friend after eating the lost popcorn.

"What?" said Spike finally, exasperated.

"Um..." Clem started, then pointed to the basement, "All your stuff is in the same condition down there...I didn't change anything. And your coat's back, in case you needed it."

Spike frowned, "My duster? Why's it here?"

"Cause the Slayer dropped it off with her little sis."

"With her little sis? You mean Dawn? Why was she here?"

"Because Buffy needed somebody to look after her."

Spike's features changed. He looked pensive.

"What?" Clem was dying to know what had happened to the vampire within the time he had left and now.

"Why did she bring Nib here...after what I did?"

"Dire situation. You know that cute red head?" Clem munched on some more popcorn and settled himself on the back of the armchair.

"Willow."

"Yeah...something bad happened with her and Buffy didn't want Dawn to get hurt. But I'm fairly sure she ended up getting hurt anyway because I didn't take care of her too good~"

"What?" Spike had him by the throat in seconds, "What happened to Dawn? What to Willow, what happened?"

"I don't know! I don't know! Come on, Spike," Clem panted, "you know I'd tell you if I knew."

Spike eyed him for a second, and still Clem felt guilty about something. Maybe it was the torture he'd put the teenager through with the cheap cable and taste tests.

Spike loosened his grip, and Clem drew in a breath.

"You could go see her, you know. She looked kind of green when I said you'd left."

Spike's eyes were unreadable, "Did she."

It wasn't a question, it was a statement. Clem at least knew that, but persisted anyway.

"You could find out the whole story, and then talk and be making with the smooches and get back to the way you were before all the brooding came in."

Clem wished he'd picked a better choice of words, for Spike's eyes flashed at the word brooding.

"Brooding...Clem, if it's one thing you should know about me," Spike grabbed his duster and headed for the door, "It's that I never, ever brood!"