Seven Year Slayer chapter 1
Story outline: Seven years is a long time to slay. Something's gotta change!
Timeline: Somewhere a few months into an imaginary season 7; Spike is back with a soul; Willow learning to be a good witch; Giles in Sunnydale
Spoilers: Rumors about season 7
Summary: Buffy's trying to deal with the new Spike; they find a mysterious manuscript
Disclaimer: All ME
Ten o'clock. Buffy strolled between headstones in the cemetery just as she had every other night since being called. Giles had asked her to keep an extra lookout for the new and the strange, because of a serious earthquake last night. All kinds of new subterranean passageways might have opened.
Buffy sensed a presence.
"Spike."
"Slayer." Spike seemed very subdued. "You and the Nibblet get through the quake alright? "
"Sure", Buffy said," we're form California, what's a little earthquake to us?"
"Do you want me to patrol?" Spike asked quietly.
"Don't you always?"
Spike just nodded. The first few weeks after he'd returned he'd been extremely weird; crazy, having visions and hearing voices. Buffy hadn't known how to deal with that, certainly not after she found out he had a soul. Thankfully Spike seemed to want to stay away from her, too. After a few months he'd started showing up on patrol, and at the frequent gatherings at the Magic Box. Buffy'd gotten used to his presence at her side again.
Without speaking they walked their rounds. After a couple of abortive attempts at conversation Buffy couldn't stand the silence any longer.
"What's with the Bashful act? I like him even less then I liked Grumpy!" she snapped.
Spike frowned at her, not getting the reference. Still, a frown was an expression, some progress here.
"Spike," Buffy tried again, "it's not that I don't appreciate the silent support or anything, I do. But we've been patrolling together for weeks now, and you hardly say a word. It's really bugging me! What's up with you?"
Spike gave her ghost of a smile. "It's not as if you appreciated me for my conversation, did you? Look, I don't know what to say to you, so I don't. Then there can be no foot in mouth, no angry Slayer." His voice trailed off. Even talking this much had him close to losing control.
"Spike, look at me! I really think we should talk. You're acting all weird."
Exasperated, Buffy resorted to less subtle tactics. She made a move towards him, her fist already raised.
Spike jerked back. "Hey! None of that now. I'm not your bloody punching bag! No more games, Slayer."
Buffy, stumped, strode on in angry silence. This was so humiliating. And annoying. Spike was supposed to love her forever, even if she didn't return his feelings. They turned the corner of a giant mausoleum and saw a great gaping hole in the earth.
"Guard my back?" she asked.
Spike nodded.
Well, isn't this just great, Buffy thought. First you can't get the man to shut up, now he doesn't talk at all. So not a lot of fun anymore!
But then she reminded herself that it hadn't been 'fun' before either, but an unhealthy addiction to shagging the undead. No. She'd used someone who loved her for sex. She'd abused him. And then the person who loved her had hurt her. She'd trusted him. It was always this same series of thoughts, a vicious circle she couldn't seem to break free from. What did she even feel about Spike now? Uncomfortable, that was for sure! Buffy climbed down the chasm carefully, and got a rip in her suede jacket anyway. The rift opened up into an eerily lit tunnel.
What evil underworld thing will I be fighting any minute now? It was getting kind of repetitive. Well, no wonder, she'd been doing this for almost seven years straight.
As she walked through the tunnel, lost in thought, she ran smack into an evil demon acolyte. Or that's what it looked like, all scaly and got up in crusty jeweled robes. Buffy killed him before he even had had time to register her presence. The demon had been carrying a great big sack. Buffy peeked in. Huge, leathery, old looking books with unreadable lettering printed on it, in what looked like dried blood.
"I'll just take these with me for Giles. Thanks for the speedy delivery! " The demon didn't answer back.
Buffy stepped over the corpse and made her way up to the surface again.
Then she heard the voices. Spike's, and a female voice? More than one? She put the sack down and hurried towards the sound. Spike, vamp face on, was standing with his back to a crypt, apparently having a great time, laughing and flirting with three skanky ho's – no, three skanky vampire ho's.
Buffy didn't know what came over her. She felt an enormous rage welling up inside, and with a roar of fury she sprang in the middle of the little group, stake ready. She dispatched the first vampire within a second.
"Get away from Spike! " she heard herself yelling. "He's mine! " Poof! That was number two turned to dust, then three, and then there were none. Buffy came out of her murderous frenzy, shaking with emotion, or adrenaline, or something.
"What the hell were you thinking, Slayer!", Spike growled, clearly pissed off. "I was just pumping these ladies for a little information, and there you were, like an avenging fury, avenging…nothing!"
"I…I just got real mad, " Buffy said lamely.
"What for? It's not as if I need protection!" Spike looked at her angrily. "And what's more, you were yelling: 'He's mine!?' Like: 'I don't want him, but nobody else can have him'?"
"Hey! Look on the bright side! At least you're talking again! " Buffy tried for perky.
"I was talking just fine with the ladies here, " Spike snapped back. "It's you I have a problem with!"
Buffy's face fell. Spike sighed in frustration and ran his hand through his hair. "Sorry. Didn't mean that the way it came out. Better call it a night, eh?" He loped off into the night.
"What's wrong with you? " Buffy yelled after him. There was no reaction.
Spike hurried off, not heeding to Buffy's call. Yeah, what could possibly be wrong with him? His great love didn't love him back, and never would; the soul was killing him; so his conversation wasn't so gripping anymore? Least of his worries!
*
*
"Prezzies!" Buffy chanted happily as she plunked the two huge manuscripts on Giles' desk. "Got 'em off an evil demon thing in the new earthquake rift in the cemetery."
Giles pushed his glasses up his nose excitedly. "Wonderful, Buffy! Hmm…oracle of…something…books of the …Slayer? Well! Sounds fascinating! I'll get right on to it!"
"Have fun! And let me know when the apocalypse is scheduled…"
Buffy sat down next to Willow. "Hey Willow."
"Hey yourself, " Willow said. "Any action tonight, besides getting the Gilesy goodies?"
"Nah, just dusted the three evil Pointy Sisters, who were having way too much fun flirting with Spike…"
She trailed off. "I really just said that, didn't I?"
Willow looked at her in amusement. "Jealous much?"
Buffy made a face. "Just a little leftover jealousy, maybe, which should go the way of all good leftovers."
"Keep it in the fridge, heat it up the next day and eat it?" Willow asked ingenuously.
"Oh… is that what you do with leftovers? I always just throw them away…that's what I meant. Spike and I should both move on, you know? Don't you think that sounds very mature? Spike should go for the new Drusilla, and me for…"
"The next cute vampire?"
"Willow!"
"Sorry…consider it unsaid!."
Buffy looked down at her hands and toyed with a bracelet. "What you say hits pretty close, though, Will. I think I'm forever spoiled for the ordinary boys."
"You mean that? I thought Riley was pretty cute…Before he, you know, wasn't so cute anymore," Willow continued hastily, seeing the look on Buffy's face.
"He wasn't so bad, at first; but I guess I meant sex with ordinary boys. I'll never be able to settle for that again."
Willow's eyes grew round. "Because sex with Spike was…?"
"Different." Amazing. Mind-blowing. Earth-shattering, totally wild, lasting forever…Buffy looked away from Willow curious gaze.
Willow laughed uncomfortably. "Whoa, Buffy, I'll never be able to look at Spike the same way again…is it just Spike, or do all vampires…?"
Buffy frowned, not looking up. "You mean, like with Angel? Who knows, I was 17, it was the first and only time, it doesn't compare. All vampires have the strength and the stamina, of course, but the imagination and sensitivity…"
"We're still talking about Spike?" Willows voice rose.
"Shh!" Buffy hissed. "No need to advertise!"
"Girl, he sounds like very woman's dream - if you're into guys, that is- what are you waiting for? Go get your soul-man!"
"Hey, you forgetting the hundred years of bloody murder, the stalking, and everything? Besides, it's over".
"Uh-huh. Of course. It's over. You should move on. Good plan." Buffy looked at Willow suspiciously, but she kept a straight face. "Buffy? Is Spike alright? I thought he still looked pretty frazzled?"
"And I should know this why?"
"I thought…. You patrol together again, right? Don't you guys talk?"
"Spike doesn't really talk anymore."
"That sure is different."
"Not to me, anyway".
"Oh."