Series: Taking Time
Title: Wager
Author: Harmony
Rating: PG-13
Description: Buffy and Spike go back in time, and see the events that shaped their lives, and that will change their relationship forever.
Pairing: B/S
Disclaimer: The characters are merely my puppets for the day. Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy are head puppeteer guys. They pull the strings.
Distribution: Free Again (http://www.441creative.com/jo) and anyone else I've given permission to. If you want it, e-mail me: harmony@441creative.com
Feedback: Imagine a world without shrimp. Well, I really like shrimp. Feedback is my shrimp.
Dedications: Well…my family as usual. And you know what? James Marsters, and Sarah Michelle Gellar. Cos they create these characters for me.
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Buffy couldn't sleep. That face hung in her mind. His confused face when he'd walked into the barrier, which she'd told Willow to put up. His hurt, his pain, his anger, his love…yes, she saw love. She saw a million different emotions cross his face, and felt his heart break.
She didn't like him…she didn't like what he'd done to her. He had chained her up, with threats to let Drusilla loose on her. He'd forced her to do something she didn't want to do. Spike was the lowest of the low at the moment. But she'd caused pain she never knew she was capable of causing. Being able to put that expression on someone's face was reserved for Angelus, for Parker, for Spike himself.
Buffy kicked the covers off of her body, and swung her legs over the edge of the bed. She stood and felt dizzy, like someone was playing games with her head.
She walked a few steps, and finding that her legs were resisting.
She managed to get to the top of the stairs, before having to steady herself with the banister
"What's happening?" she whispered to herself. Her hands began shaking uncontrollably, and colours flashed past her eyes. In between the reds and blues, she saw the interior of Spike's crypt through the eyes of someone in a similar situation to herself. They too were shaking.
"Spike?" Buffy whispered as she collapsed on the landing.
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Spike couldn't sleep. There was no way he was going out again tonight. He'd probably walk straight into Buffy, and that'd be it. No more Spike, just a pile of dust.
She might mourn…well, not mourn, but she certainly wouldn't leave without giving the pile of dust a second glance. Maybe a tear…
His eyes hurt. He'd cried a little. Well, a lot actually. He couldn't get into her house anymore. He was deinvited. It made him shudder to think of it.
Cigarettes were good at times like this.
He stood up, and looked around his empty crypt. They were in his duster pocket.
A sudden wave of nausea hit him, and he staggered on his feet. The chip in his head sent out a shock, causing a throbbing in the front of his head. An image of a shaky set of stairs appeared, and hallway with doors…Buffy's house?
Was she okay? His hand began to shudder of it's own accord, and his eyes darted wildly as shivers ripped through his body, sending him crashing to the floor
"Buffy!" he cried, as he slipped into unconsciousness.
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When Buffy woke again, she was laying on wet grass. Spike lay a few feet away, sprawled as if he'd been dumped there.
Not recognising her surroundings, she crawled towards him, and shook him awake.
"Go away…you'll wake Buffy up" he muttered, as he opened his eyes. Buffy grimaced. He'd been dreaming of her. That wasn't a good thought.
"Oh…Buffy. What's going on?" he said, standing up, and looking at the opening they were in "Where are we?"
Buffy's head snapped round to face him, and she threw her arms up
"I don't know. If I did, don't you think I'd be making an attempt to get out of here?" she snapped, feeling confused in the strangeness of the meadow they appeared to be in.
Spike backed away, raising his hands in a gesture of peace. She obviously hadn't forgotten what he'd done. He had a feeling they could be stuck together for while. There didn't look to be a way out of the grassy opening. He may as well attempt to make peace.
"Look, Buffy, I'm sorry…I did some stupid things, but I think we need to work together to-"
"No. We need to get out of here, and you need to leave me alone. That's it. Don't even talk to me unless it's 'Look, a way out', Okay?"
There was that face again. Spike turned away, his eyes becoming slightly watery. Buffy felt sorry for what she'd said, and though her heart told her to apologise, her mind overpowered her. The best thing to do would be getting out of here.
Spike prodded at the thick foliage surrounding the small field, finding it provided a good wall. Experimentally, he ripped at the vines and roots, coming away with a handful. Seconds later they grew back, covering the hole.
"I don't think…" he started and trailed off when he remembered he wasn't supposed to be talking
Buffy turned to face him, having tried the same thing with her own handful of vines.
"No way out. It just keeps growing. So what do we do?" Buffy hugged herself from the cold. She still had pyjamas on. Spike however had his usual outfit on.
"I guess we wait…. I have a feeling that something will happen soon"
Tentatively, he made his way to her side, and slipped his duster off his shoulders. Buffy noticed him attempt to put it around her shoulders, and stopped him.
"Please don't…I can't be going around wearing your jacket. That's not what never wanting to see you again is supposed to be"
Spike slipped it back on, and shrugged
"You look cold. I'm just trying to help," he muttered, moving to stand away from her.
Buffy heard and stepped in front of him
"You chained me up. You threatened to let Dru kill me. Somehow, I'm having bad feelings about that. You just proved to me, that you are an evil vampire. I should just stake you and be done with it. But I think I'm going to need help here. So you remain non dusty" Buffy spat out.
Spike thought her words sounded forced, as if she didn't want to say them. Silently, he nodded, and continued moving away from her.
Eventually, he sat down at the base of a tree, and lit up a cigarette. Buffy herself sat down on the dewy grass, and hugged her knees.
Just as she became engrossed in a slight rocking motion she'd started to keep warm, a cold wind blew from the south, bringing a blue cloud of smoke with it. The smoke seemed to hang in the air, a miasma of swirling blues, examining the surroundings. Eventually, it poured into the form of a man.
Buffy caught a glimpse of Spike's unimpressed expression through the smoke.
The resulting figure was 6 foot tall, with shoulder length brown hair. His clothing was a distinctly unmystical pair of jeans and a sweater. Buffy eyed him warily, as he approached her.
"I'm Eros. Son of Aphrodite. Well, not exactly. That's what my name means…how are you? I am terribly sorry we left you here alone, and confused. My sister is the very spirit of vanity. It takes her hours to pick out a dress. I'm afraid I got quite angry with her, and left early. She should be here soon"
Buffy just stared at him, noticing he didn't sound sure what to say.
As she stared a cloud of red, moved in from the north, bringing a rush of warm air their way.
The smoke didn't pause and simply formed into a woman next to her brother.
Her hair hung in long ringlets down her back, a fiery red colour. She wore a red shift dress, and looked…a lot like Glory.
"I assume Eros filled you in" she said, quickly, nodding at Buffy and turning to smile appreciatively at Spike "Good lord…you're Spike I assume. Eros, he's like a walking statue" The woman turned to her brother, and widened her eyes impressed with Spike. Eros simply smiled back seemingly humouring her.
Spike flashed her a smile as she turned around to face him again.
"'ello luv…who might you be?" he replied, his voice becoming the low purr that turned many women into puddles. The woman was cooler than most, and simply raised an eyebrow, smiling devilishly at him.
"I'd be Kerensa" she replied. Her voice held a tone of confidence.
Eros and Buffy watched as the woman stared fascinated at
Spike. He looked positively stunned by the attention she was giving him, and
Buffy had to stop herself pulling the woman away.
"Is she always like this?" Buffy whispered to the man next to her. Eros shook his head
"It would appear Kerensa is rather taken with Spike," he said, watching Buffy's expression change. She appeared to be jealous "As is someone else, I see" He finished silently.
"Excuse me lady…if you could stop invading Spike's personal space for just a moment" Kerensa turned and regarded Buffy with annoyance.
Spike looked at Buffy with surprise. He could have sworn he could hear envy in her voice
"Yes, of course. You'd like to know why you're here…well, simply put, Eros and I decided to send you on a journey"
Eros shook his head
"Kerensa, you know that's not what happened. You decided to come here. I don't want to do this"
"Oh Eros…brother. You know what I want to do here is right. The good thing to do. You know it is…"
Buffy and Spike looked at each other and both rolled their eyes together.
"Please…can you just tell us what's going on?" Buffy sighed
Eros cleared his throat
"My sister is of the opinion that Spike is misunderstood…that he deserves a chance to love you"
Buffy groaned
"He chained me up! I don't want him to love me! He's a vampire!" Buffy shouted, as Spike looked at Kerensa with suspicion
"That's what I told her, my dear. I explained this. But my sister is strong willed. Believe me, though I will help her, I am completely in agreement with you. Honestly, what a way to treat a lady. I'm used to chocolates and flowers. He seems to favour chains" Eros sighed, and fixed Spike with a glare.
Spike raised an eyebrow back at him. An imaginary line had been drawn. Spike and Kerensa stood on one side, and Eros and Buffy on the other.
"Now now Eros. It's not nice to influence the subjects to your way of thinking" Kerensa chided. Spike gave her a grin
"I like you…you're on my side. Not too many pretty women are on my side lately" Spike bit his bottom lip, in a way he knew women loved, and Kerensa's eyes widened once more. She really was smitten with this vampire.
"Does he really think flirting with her is going to make me jealous?" Buffy whispered to her representative, with very obvious jealousy in her voice
Eros ignored her, instead choosing to watch the vampire who had practically stolen his sister's heart
"You know…Spike, I think maybe I want you for myself. Let Buffy continue her pretence. Let her continue telling herself she has no feelings for you, and I can have fun fun fun with you…I don't mind chains, really" Kerensa licked her lips, and Spike grinned to himself. Buffy's eyes practically jumped out of her head.
"Kerensa!" Eros shouted, "Would you please show some professionalism? It's getting to be quite embarrassing"
Kerensa turned back to him and waved her hand dismissively
"Quiet you" she complained at Eros
"It's very nice of you too suggest, pet, but really, whether she likes it or not, I love Buffy" Spike looked meaningfully at Buffy who couldn't resist a triumphant sneer at Kerensa's back. The sneer quickly turned into disgust as she looked at Spike, once again unable to accept his feelings.
"Oh very well…So we will send you on a journey. I have a wager with Eros that Buffy, you do indeed have feelings for Spike" Kerensa continued her explanation
"And I believe that Spike is wrong for what he did, and that he shouldn't be forgiven. You deserve better" Eros finished
"Hey! I object to that…" Spike said.
Buffy, however, had stepped away from Eros
"You're using us to settle a bet?" she asked, in disbelief "That's ridiculous. You can't make us do anything we don't want to"
Eros lowered his head, and Kerensa rolled her eyes
"Buffy, darling, I can do whatever I like. I am powerful. You've tried to escape and failed. You have no choice. You either stay here, in this field with no food and with a creature you claim to loathe, and die…or you go on our little trip and get home," Kerensa threatened. Spike made his way beside Buffy, and shook his head at the woman.
"You…I mean, you're very nice and all, but I really think you should let Buffy go. I'd rather she wasn't forced to go on this little trip, and for you to be right. If she does have feelings, I'd rather she realised them without any hocus pocus" Spike nodded for emphasis, and he caught Buffy's small smile out of the corner of his eye.
Kerensa shook her head
"Spike, nothing about this would be forced. She wouldn't be forced to feel anything. I can't just let you out now. You either comply with our wishes or die. It's that simple"
Buffy glanced at Eros, who simply moved beside his sister, showing his allegiance.
The slayer turned away from them and signalled for Spike to come closer
"We have to go," she whispered, earning a nod from Spike
"I guess. I mean, how bad can it be?" he asked uncertainly. It could very well be terrible.
Buffy straightened up and looked Kerensa straight in the eyes.
"We'll go then"
Kerensa glanced at Eros, before clapping her hands together, and bouncing on the spot.
"Oh wonderful! You'll visit some places…and people that may be scary, or distressing. But I urge you, and it is of utmost importance, that you do not attempt to make contact with anyone. Let it take its course. You may change things a great deal should you try"
Eros looked up and smiled
"Do not worry about clothing, Buffy. I took the liberty of finding you some on the way. You'll be changed when you arrive at your first destination"
Eros smiled reassuringly at Buffy, and indicated they should link hands. Buffy sighed, and grasped Spike's hand awkwardly. He held hers back, and they shot each other a worried glance. Eros stepped back and allowed Kerensa to perform whatever magicks were required.
"a lua pe ei la spre lor destin" Kerensa chanted, raising her hands high above her head, bringing them together to hold a ball of light "Acum!"
Blowing Spike a kiss, she fired the ball towards them, and they vanished in a blast of colours.
Eros raised an eyebrow
"You didn't need the ball of light trick, Kerensa" he sighed, as he morphed into his smoke form.
"Of course I did…makes the whole thing more dramatic"
TBC…