Coming Through
Chapter Four – Screamed Like a Little Girl
He was staring at the Slayer-shaped creature standing in front of the washing machine, unable to tear his eyes away. When it turned around to stop his music, Spike blinked slowly as his brain finally unlocked. He took a tentative step toward it then shook his head and moved with silent vampire speed to his wardrobe, pulling it toward him. It swung away from his hidden tunnel entrance on silent hinges and he slipped into the opening then pulled the wardrobe back, leaving a small crack. He crouched down and cursed himself for being caught unawares in his own sodding house. 'You're gettin' soft, mate. First you let some… something… sneak up on you in your own bleedin' house, then you scream like a little girl and run away. Some Master Vampire you are. What the bloody hell is that? And why does it look like the Slayer?'
He listened intently as whatever it was walked slowly through the basement, calling his name. 'Sure sounds like her. Especially that annoyed tone. Not like I've never heard that before.' He reached out his senses and flinched again as he recognized the familiar tingles on the back of his neck that screamed Slayer. 'Feels like her. That's what I felt a few minutes ago in front of the dryer. Thought I was losin' my bleedin' mind.' He inhaled deeply through his nose and his eyes widened in wonder. 'Hell, even smells like her… well… underneath the stench of G'vark demon, and there's no bleedin' way in hell that's a G'vark demon. They're bloody huge, and as far as I know they can't shape-shift. Could it be Buffy? Did she finally come back?'
He peeked out from his hiding place and frowned at the look of consternation on her dirty, tear-streaked face as she trailed her fingers over the silk sheets on his bed then picked up one of the framed photos from the top of his dresser. She glanced at it then put it down and turned around. "Spike, I know you're still down here. You know I can feel you, and why are you making with the wiggins? I know I look gross, but it's just demon slime, and it's not like you've never seen me covered in gunk before, so get your pasty, vampire butt out here and tell me what the hell is going on!" She crossed her arms over her chest in typical annoyed Buffy fashion then muttered under her breath, "Stupid vampire." She stood like that for a minute or two then sighed in exasperation and turned back to the dresser as she mumbled, "You've got to come out sometime."
He waited until she turned to look at his photos again, then reached out and lifted the lid of his weapons chest far enough to snake his hand in and grab a dagger. He pulled his hand back then slowly stood and stepped silently out from his hiding place, pushing the wardrobe flush against the wall behind him. "Slayer? Is that you?"
She spun around and beamed a smile at him that would've restarted his heart if he wasn't so completely flummoxed by the sight of her standing in his room. Her smile turned to a confused frown as he raised the dagger just enough to let her know that he was armed. She put her hands on her hips and shouted, "Yes, it's me! What the hell is wrong with you, and why are you in my house? Dawn's sleeping just upstairs, and the last thing she needs is to see half-naked vampires walking around!" 'I don't mind the sight at all, because hey… hot… but my little sister doesn't need to see my half-naked vampire boyfriend.' A blush crept up her cheeks and she beamed that dazzling smile at him again as the word 'boyfriend' flitted through her mind. 'Spike's my boyfriend. I love Spike and he's my boyfriend and he loves me. And he's not dust. I have a hot, not dusty vampire boyfriend. Or I will, as soon as I tell him that he's my boyfriend.'
Spike's sputtering drew her out of her jumbled thoughts, "Niblet's here? But she's supposed to be…" He stopped and tilted his head. "Have you been upstairs since you came in?"
Buffy shook her head in confusion. "No. I heard the music just after I came through the front door and came down here to see who was stupid enough to break into my house, only to see you half-naked and dripping in front of my dryer."
The look of confusion on his face mirrored hers and she started looking slowly around the room, taking in the details. The bed was covered in black silk sheets with a blood red comforter bunched up against the wall, and the dresser had several piles of books stacked on top next to the pictures. The wall above the bed showed the faint outline of where the shelves used to be, but it looked like the shelves had been gone for a long time. There were several weapons stacked on the nightstand next to an open carton of cigarettes, and a half-full ashtray sat next to an alarm clock. A small cabinet next to the dresser had several bottles of alcohol and a few glasses sitting on top. Half-melted candles dotted almost every available surface. She glanced at Spike, who was still standing in front of a large wardrobe on the other side of his bed, gripping the dagger and watching her warily. One of the wardrobe doors was open and she saw his signature black t-shirts hanging over a shelf stacked with pairs of black jeans. Two pairs of scuffed, clunky black boots were tucked into the space between the wardrobe and the nightstand, and his ancient leather duster was hanging on a hook on the side of the wardrobe.
'This is Spike's room. Spike is living in my basement.' She looked over at him and her stomach flipped. He was gazing at her with his head tilted in that way that made her breath quicken and her knees go all wobbly. She gritted her teeth and clenched her hands. 'Not now, Buffy! Focus! Something is a world of wrong here. You have a vampire living in your basement that wasn't living here yesterday. Why? When did he move in here and again… why?'
She turned away from him and looked at the pictures on his dresser again. She picked up one of Dawn and Spike and looked at it closely. Dawn was wearing a cap and gown and held a rolled up piece of paper with a ribbon around it. Spike was standing next to her with his arm over her shoulders, looking proud as they both smiled for the camera. He was wearing a dark blue suit with a crisp white shirt that really brought out his eyes. 'Spike in a suit. A suit! With a tie and everything! Ok, that's bizarre. Did I come back to the right dimension? Or is this some alternate universe where Spike is living in my basement and wears suits?' Buffy spun around and thrust the picture at Spike. "What the hell is this?"
Spike peered at the photograph and smiled warmly, "Niblet's graduation. She was Valedictorian!" His eyes twinkled with pride, "Helped her with her studies and she graduated top of her class. She's a smart girl."
The room suddenly started spinning violently and Buffy turned around shakily then dropped onto the bed. She fell backwards and clutched the picture to her chest as scenes from the night played through her mind. Spike's crypt full of unfamiliar furniture and a kind of familiar demon. A vampire standing in her basement, wrapped in a towel and folding laundry like it was the most normal thing in the world. Dawn's graduation picture.
Spike stepped tentatively forward and stopped at the edge of the bed, shifting uneasily from foot to foot. Buffy lifted the picture from her chest and ran her fingers lightly over the smiling faces then looked up at him and whispered, "How long was I gone, Spike?"