Apology 7
by Colleen Hillerup
He checked the address on the piece of paper in his hand. The small townhouse was a letdown from Giles' old place. Anya had said he'd only planned to be there a month, and took what he could get. He suspected the ex-watcher was strapped for cash, since he had no Buffy to watch. He wondered if he was still working for the Council.
He pressed the buzzer, surprised when the door was opened by the young redhead. "Yes?" she said, cautiously. Then she realized who it was. "Oh. Spike. You're back."
"Yeah. Just. Giles in?"
"In the shower." He knew she'd gone to England with Giles, but was surprised they were still together. Surely not the middle aged librarian and the lesbian school girl? He drove that image from his mind.
"Can I come in?" He shifted his weight. Wasn't sure what to say. "I heard about Tara. I'm sorry."
"So am I. And no, you can't." She pressed her hand against an invisible barrier. "And I can't get out. So if you want to talk, talk here."
"I don't understand. What happened?"
"Well, the official story is that little Willow's a magic junkie. Or a great source of simmering evil. Take your pick." She looked down at her hands. "I just never knew losing someone you love could hurt so much."
"I did."
She smiled at that. "Yeah. I guess you do. Understand." She gestured to the inside of the house. "I've been in England, learning to control my magicks. I'm back, but I'm on probation. Well, house arrest, at the moment. If I'm very good, I get to leave the house tomorrow and take a walk around the block. Supervised. By the way, did you hear I'm a vicious killer?"
"Something like that. Been there."
"Done that?" She sighed. "I should go back inside. The spell keeps me in, but it doesn't keep the bugs out.
"Red?" She paused before shutting the door. "I just wanted to tell you. You've always treated me like a person. Even when I was wretched to you, kidnapping you, trying to kill you. Pushing you away. Surprised you even talked to me. Just wanted to say I was sorry."
She narrowed her eyes. "That the soul talking?"
Spike's lips pressed into a thin line, before letting a breath of air out through his nose. "What? Is it stamped on my forehead?"
"I see things, Spike. Some I want to, some I don't. You glow in technicolour. Couldn't miss it if I wanted to." She reached for the door handle again. "I really have to go."
"Mind if I sit here on the doorstep for a while?"
"Um, I guess not. Why?"
"I want to talk to Giles."
by Colleen Hillerup
He checked the address on the piece of paper in his hand. The small townhouse was a letdown from Giles' old place. Anya had said he'd only planned to be there a month, and took what he could get. He suspected the ex-watcher was strapped for cash, since he had no Buffy to watch. He wondered if he was still working for the Council.
He pressed the buzzer, surprised when the door was opened by the young redhead. "Yes?" she said, cautiously. Then she realized who it was. "Oh. Spike. You're back."
"Yeah. Just. Giles in?"
"In the shower." He knew she'd gone to England with Giles, but was surprised they were still together. Surely not the middle aged librarian and the lesbian school girl? He drove that image from his mind.
"Can I come in?" He shifted his weight. Wasn't sure what to say. "I heard about Tara. I'm sorry."
"So am I. And no, you can't." She pressed her hand against an invisible barrier. "And I can't get out. So if you want to talk, talk here."
"I don't understand. What happened?"
"Well, the official story is that little Willow's a magic junkie. Or a great source of simmering evil. Take your pick." She looked down at her hands. "I just never knew losing someone you love could hurt so much."
"I did."
She smiled at that. "Yeah. I guess you do. Understand." She gestured to the inside of the house. "I've been in England, learning to control my magicks. I'm back, but I'm on probation. Well, house arrest, at the moment. If I'm very good, I get to leave the house tomorrow and take a walk around the block. Supervised. By the way, did you hear I'm a vicious killer?"
"Something like that. Been there."
"Done that?" She sighed. "I should go back inside. The spell keeps me in, but it doesn't keep the bugs out.
"Red?" She paused before shutting the door. "I just wanted to tell you. You've always treated me like a person. Even when I was wretched to you, kidnapping you, trying to kill you. Pushing you away. Surprised you even talked to me. Just wanted to say I was sorry."
She narrowed her eyes. "That the soul talking?"
Spike's lips pressed into a thin line, before letting a breath of air out through his nose. "What? Is it stamped on my forehead?"
"I see things, Spike. Some I want to, some I don't. You glow in technicolour. Couldn't miss it if I wanted to." She reached for the door handle again. "I really have to go."
"Mind if I sit here on the doorstep for a while?"
"Um, I guess not. Why?"
"I want to talk to Giles."