Author's Notes – Right so this is one of those chapters that for some reason I'm not really happy with. Not sure why, maybe because nothing really happens in it to further the plot.
Summary – Spike shows empathy?
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Don't Feed the Animals
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"Go away before I open the blinds and turn you into something that can be swept under the rug." Not even looking up from her computer screen, Cordelia did her best to ignore the pest that was currently bouncing on the couch beside her desk.
"I can't, the big poof is still sleeping and told me if I woke him again he'd put a stake up my-"
"Don't you have something to do, or perhaps wish to acquire some rest yourself? After all don't vampires normally sleep during the day?" Walking into the room, book in hand, Wesley laid it on the desk with a 'thud'.
"Only sleep because we can't go anywhere. If there's something to bloody well do there's no point in sleeping. And right now I'm bothering you two so thus I have something to do."
"Lucky us."
Hopping off the couch and moving towards the weapons cabinet, Spike was just about to remove a broad sword when a loud scream caused him to jump back before quickly recovering. "What the hell was that?"
"Cordelia." Crouching down beside the young woman, Wesley held her as best he could while she was seized by the latest vision.
"What happened? She fall and hit her head?" Watching as the woman clutched her hair tightly and continue to spasm, Spike was lost as to what had occurred in the last five seconds to cause such a thing.
"F-fine, I'm fine."
"What was that about?" Looking at them like a curious child ready to poke something with a stick, Spike gave Wesley an uncertain nudge with his foot. "Her head gonna explode? Should I put a tarp down?" Jumping back as the recovering woman took a futile swipe at his leg, Spike gave a short laugh but was still at a loss for what had happened.
"Zoo, kids…snakes, big snake, diamond on the head with a red jewel and an egg, big, big egg." Standing and retrieving a bottle of aspirin from her desk, Cordelia popped two before taking a drink of her coffee to wash them down. "It's not going to hatch until tomorrow so Angel can handle it tonight."
"What?"
Ignoring Spike's odd look and question, Wesley retrieved two books from the shelf, placing them on the desk beside the first. "Then we should perhaps try to find out what breed it is before going out to deal with it tonight. It'll be easier to handle if we know just what it's capable off."
"Hey what was all that about, huh? Where's there a snake? Downstairs? Will it eat Angel?" Growing frustrated at being left out of the loop, Spike hopped up onto the desk, knocking the texts off onto the floor much to the annoyance of the two humans.
"It's at the zoo, Spike. Cordelia had a vision that's why she yelled. She receives visions, tells us, we go and help the people or defeat the monsters she sees in them. Understand now?" Picking up the books and retreating to the couch, Wesley hoped the matter closed now.
"So you're a seer than?" Actually seeming intrigued by this, the blonde cocked his head as if studying her closely.
"Yeah what's it to you?" Sitting back down and still cradling her pounding head, Cordelia heaved a weary sigh. The visions were getting worse despite her denying it to the others.
Seeming to ignore the snarky attitude, Spike shook his head. "S'a bad lot in life."
"Yeah what do you know about it?"
"Dru was a seer of sorts. If Angelus hadn't driven her mad I think that would have. Messes with the sanity you know. Makes you hear things, talk to things that aren't there. Though never heard of any having that sorta pain in the head before. Must be because you're human and all."
Swallowing hard and not looking up from her computer Cordy took a steadying breath before daring to answer. "You don't know anything about it bleach boy, so why don't you go bother Angel with your lame theories since it was his bright idea to let you stay here." Pausing as she failed to receive a snippy response to this, she raised her eyes after a moment to find Spike giving her a look of what one might very well interrupt to be pity, something she did not need from a murdering vampire. "Go!"
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(Highland Zoo 9:05 p.m.)
"Don't see why I had to come." Slinking after Angel and not really in the mood to be tromping around a zoo, Spike swung his sword lazily. "S'not even anything to do here. All the animals are sleeping and the food stands are closed down for the night. This is the worst trip ever."
Sighing and resisting the urge to use the younger vampire as bait, like Cordelia had suggested earlier, Angel shook his head. "This isn't an outing Spike. And you had to come because you would have driven Cordelia insane had I left you back at the office again. Either that or she would have staked you."
"She's already gonna go bloody well insane mate, and not because of me either." Feeling a pang of sympathy for the woman as she was beginning to remind him of Drusilla, Spike quickly shook it off, not noticing Angel's pause or curious glance at him. "Not that I care if the bit does or not, just saying you can't blame it on me is all."
"Yeah, but I can blame her being upset on you. I heard about what you said to her. You shouldn't have done that you know. We're all worried about her and looking into the visions. We'll find a way to help her before they get worse, so I'd appreciate it if you didn't bring it up to her again." Feeling like he was talking to a child as Spike's response was an uncaring shrug, Angel was about to go a different route when the blonde's head suddenly perked up in attention.
Sniffing the air for a minute and continuing to tilt his head one way and then the other, it was only when the blonde's vampire features melded over his human face that Angel became anxious and a bit concerned.
Sniffing the air himself, but not finding anything of interest, he was clueless as to what clearly had all of Spike's focus now. "What is it? What do you sense?" Sighing when he got no response, he felt the last of his patience going. "Spike there's nothing there, now come on we have to kill this snake before-"
Suddenly taking off across the grounds in flash of black leather and peroxide, Spike was a good several yards ahead by the time Angel regained his senses and dashed off after him.
"Spike!" Growling at his childe and the cumbersome bag he had slung over his back, Angel nearly missed the turn Spike suddenly took down a row of cages. It was only when the other seemed to vanish into thin air did Angel stop and take in his surroundings. They were supposed to heading to the reptile exhibit, not wherever the hell Spike's short attention span had led them. "Spike? Spike where are you? What the hell got into him? "
Moving through the rows of cages and trying to sniff the younger out, Angel blanched as the stench of dirty animals was well overpowering Spike's mixed sent of blood, alcohol, smoke, and leather. "When I find him I'm gonna…oh you gotta be kidding me."
Turning another corner and spotting the bleached head of his childe, Angel didn't know whether to laugh or stake him on the spot.
Crouched on the railing surrounding the tiger pit was Spike, snarling at the animals who were now growling in response to the late night intruder. If one really listened closely though it might actually be interpreted as a sort of conversation between the vampire and animals.
Taking an unneeded breath, Angel stalked up to him, trying to keep his temper in check as the blonde seemed serious about whatever it was he was doing. "What are you doing? Why did you take off like that?"
"Heard them calling. They don't like it. Want out they do." Listening closely as another series of roars was sent his way, Spike quickly returned a few quieter and almost sorrow filled ones of his own.
"What?"
Still refusing to tear his eyes away from his new friends, Spike tossed back his answer. "They don't like it. Being caged up like this. They want out."
"Spike they're just animals they don't know any different." Unsure why exactly Spike suddenly cared so much about a group of tigers, Angel had to admit he had a theory, but he wasn't about to pursue it until he got more proof from the other.
"They do! They're not just animals, they're living critters and they don't like being locked up to be stared at and taunted by stupid humans. They're hunters, they're big ferocious beasts and look what happened! Now they're stuck here in this prison being tossed handouts and gawked at."
Taking another breath and reaching out a hand, Angel searched for something to offer the vampire in way of reassurance. "Spike you're not-"
Throwing the hand off with a look of self disgust, Spike quickly jumped off the railing before moving away. "Not anything."
To be continued……..
