/
/
/
The Career Fair was being set up at Sunnydale High; lots of people were setting up their booths, many different career choices were being advertised. Spike and Oz sat at a table, filling out a career test. Oz ticked the boxes with ease; for Spike, each question was a constant reminder of his lack of a future.
"Hey, Spike," Willow caught his attention, "What did you put for number seven?"
"I ticked C," Spike replied
"What about number four?" Oz asked
"Also C," Spike replied
"What about…?" Xander began
"C," Spike said
Spike's friends noticed the pattern.
"Not interested in your career aptitude?" Oz asked
"It's not like it matters," Spike reminded, "My future's all demons and vampires, and…sharp things."
"But good job security," Willow joked
Xander gave her a weird look.
"I'm just trying to look on the positive side," Willow defended herself
"Why are you even taking the test?" Xander asked
"It's the latest hoop Snyder's getting me to jump through," Spike replied, "Believe me, if it wasn't for that…"
Spike called Snyder something that made Willow gasp.
"…then I'd be outta here like that."
"Aren't you at all curious about what you could have been?" Willow asked
"Do the words 'sealed in fate' mean nothing to you?" Spike replied condescendingly
Willow looked hurt.
"Huh, you know, with attitude like that, you would have been a great DMV employee," Xander said
Spike let out an aggravated sigh.
"I'm sorry, alright? But unless hell freezes over and every vampire in Sunnydale decides to go for a daylight stroll, I don't need to give my future much thought."
/
The Warehouse…
/
Dalton sat at one end of the table, attempting to decipher an ancient code. Angelus and Buffy stood over him threateningly.
"Well, I'm not sure," Dalton said nervously, "It could be, uh... deprimere... ille... bubula... linter."
"Debase the beef canoe?" Buffy asked
Dalton smiled nervously. Buffy held down Dalton's hand while Angelus stabbed it with a pen.
"Aaaaaah!" Dalton croaked
"Somehow, that didn't sound right," Buffy sighed
Angelus clutched his chest in pain; the splinter was getting closer to his heart, and making him weaker.
"You tried putting hot water on it, right?" Buffy teased
Angelus knocked over the table in fury. Dalton and Buffy backed away.
"I-I'm sorry…" Angelus sighed, "It's just…this isn't getting any easier for me."
"It's alright," Dalton said
"I wasn't talking to you, you four-eyed jerk!" Angelus growled
He turned to Buffy.
"Why don't you throw on something pretty and I'll take you to the mall?" Angelus offered
"Cool," Buffy smiled
"And you…" Angelus grabbed Dalton by the back of his shirt, "Here's a little motivation!"
He threw Dalton to the ground, and began to kick him. Nonchalantly, Buffy picked up his book, and began to flip through it.
"Angelus, don't!" Buffy exclaimed
Angelus halted his foot.
"What? Pain is a great motivator!" he reminded
"No, look at this," Buffy turned the book to Angelus, "The key."
"I know the book's a key," Dalton said
"No, that was a bad translation," Buffy said, "It says YOU NEED TO POSSESS A KEY, not YOU NOW POSSESS A KEY."
She turned the page. There was a drawing of a crypt.
"That looks just like the…" Buffy began
"…one in the cemetery," Angelus completed
He shoved Dalton to the ground.
"Excellent…"
/
Later, after dark…
/
Spike patrolled the cemetery, looking for something to kill. The career fair at school was still on his mind. Spike had known for a long time that he would always be a slayer, but it didn't help having it thrown in his face.
"Got it!" someone yelled
Spike turned to the source of the sound, the crypt. He looked inside, seeing a rather bookish vampire (Dalton) raiding it.
"Call me old fashioned, but I'm a firm believer in respect for the dead," Spike announced, walking in
Dalton saw Spike, and panicked, backing against the wall.
"So, doing a little grave robbery?" Spike asked
"W-who are you?" Dalton demanded to know
"Spike."
Another vampire tried to sneak up on Spike; Spike spun around and kicked the guy, then before he could come to his senses, Spike hit the guy in the face, sending him falling out of the crypt. Spike followed him out. The vampire got up and tried hitting Spike, but Spike grabbed the guy's arm, twisted it, then staked him.
"Now, where were we?" Spike asked, re-entering the tomb.
Too late. Dalton was gone.
/
Spike completed his patrol, and returned home. He came in through the front door, as always. To Spike's surprise, the lights were on. Was someone else in the house? Spike didn't know how to handle a burglar. Burglars didn't turn to dust. Spike heard footsteps upstairs. Avoiding the creaks, he made his way up the stairs. Spike kicked open his bedroom door, hitting Drusilla in the face and sending her falling onto the floor.
"Oh!" Spike exclaimed, "Sorry, luv."
"It's alright…" Drusilla said, sounding hurt
"I've been a bit on edge lately," Spike explained, "School, and all that."
"What was it?" Drusilla asked
"What was what?" Spike asked
"School?"
"Career day."
"Oh my god…" Drusilla rolled her eyes, "That's a real thing? I thought it was just something on television."
"They didn't do it in your time?" Spike asked
"No," Drusilla shook her head, "Well, not for girls. It was pretty much our lot in life to marry young and bear children."
The thought of children made Drusilla sad.
"But, anyway," Drusilla changed her mood, "I heard that your mum was out of town tonight?"
"Yeah."
Drusilla leaned forward, and kissed Spike. He reciprocated, then moved his hand behind Drusilla's back, unzipping the back of her dress. It slid to the ground, leaving her naked. Spike kissed her bare, cool skin, starting at her neck and slowly working his way down…
/
A bit later…
/
After a round of sex, Spike and Drusilla feasted on the food that Drusilla had brought. She had made brandied pears and picked up an order of onion blossoms from The Bronze, remembering Spike's liking for them.
"These are great," Spike munched on a pear, "You really made them yourself?"
Drusilla nodded.
"They were an old family recipe," Drusilla explained, "I thought I'd make something special."
"What's the occasion?" Spike asked
Drusilla was uneasy about telling Spike what she had seen.
"I'm getting some strange vibes, from the future," Drusilla explained, "Bad things are going to happen soon."
"Like what?"
"I don't exactly know. I just have an ominous feeling of dread and angst."
"Can't be worse than what I've seen in the past," Spike said, "At least this time I'll have you by my side."
Spike kissed Drusilla. She smiled.
"Ready to go again?" Drusilla asked
"Try and stop me!" Spike climbed back on top of her
/
The Warehouse…
/
Angelus held up the gold key eagerly.
"And this is definitely it?" he asked
"Uh, yeah, it matches the description," Dalton replied, looking at his book
"Right," Angelus turned to face Buffy, "Phase one is complete. Now, we need to deal with the slayer. I've decided to call in the Order of Taraka."
Buffy knew the Order of Taraka. They were fierce, determined, and deadly. Spike wouldn't stand a chance.
"No!" Buffy exclaimed
Dalton and Angelus looked at Buffy, surprised by her outburst.
"Why not?" Angelus asked, genuinely confused
"Because…um…where's the fun in that?" Buffy attempted
Angelus ignored her.
"Their top three guys are already on their way," Angelus announced, "And they'll keep coming until the slayer is dead."
/
/
/
To be continued…