CHAPTER TWELVE (Freeing her spirit)

CHAPTER TWELVE (Freeing her spirit)

Just after sunset Spike made his way down to the lobby of the Plaza with his things. His jaw was set and there was a look of determination on his face as he went through the revolving doors out into the hot night. He lit a cigarette to help calm his nerves as he put his belonging in the trunk of the Desoto save one small duffel bag, which he slung over his shoulder as he walked a slow and steady pace that led him to the street in front of Drusilla's hacienda. Spike stood leaning against a light post right outside the door while he finished his cigarette. Just as he took his last drag and flipped the cig to the ground Drusilla appeared on the balcony and smiled down to him. Spike let the smoke billow out of his mouth slowly as he looked up at the balcony out of the corner of his eye.

"My Spike, the whispering has started. I can hear them. I know why you are here, don't be afraid" Drusilla said in her sing song voice.

Spike just looked up at her standing in the moonlight, his eyes holding all the sadness of his unbeating heart. He took a deep unneeded breath as he launched himself at building quickly scaling up the trellis of roses that was propped up against the side of the building, snagging one on the way. As he hopped over the edge of the balcony, he held out the rose to her "My pet" he whispered as he looked into her deep brown eyes as he set the duffel bag down behind him.

Drusilla took the flower from Spike outreached hand "It will be beautiful in a few days when the life has left it wilted and black" she said as she ran the bloom across her neck.

"Dru, you said you knew why I was here?" Spike asked.

"Yes the fairy ladies told me, they were mean and wouldn't let me nibble them" Drusilla pouted "and I was ever so hungry".

"What did the naughty fairy ladies tell you" Spike inquired curiously as caressed her cheek with the back of his fingers and brushed her hair back over her shoulder.

"They said that my Spike was coming to set me free to the stars" she said holding her arms up into the air and twirling around slowly making her dress flutter around her legs. "They said I could dance in the moonlight forever and live with my family the stars. The stars are twinkling to welcome me," she said happily. "Do you think they will like my dress?"

"You're beautiful Dru, they will love you just as much as I do" Spike said looking down.

Drusilla ran one finger down the side of Spike face to his chin and lifted his head so that he was looking in her eyes "Don't be sad, my love, be happy for me, it's time" Drusilla finished sounding saner than she had ever sounded in the past hundred years. Slowly Drusilla ran her hand back behind Spike's neck and stepped closer to him "Time to say our goodbye" she said as she leaned closer.

"Good bye, Dru" Spike whispered as he leaned towards the vampiress and brushed his lips slowly across hers. As the kiss deepened tears began to slip from Spike's closed eyes. Slowly he retrieved a stake from his duster pocket and plunged it into the heart of his dark princess whose eyes sprang open.

It that split second she whispered "Thank you" before dissolving into a pile of dust at Spikes feet with the rose landing softly on top of the pile wilting instantly.

Spike fell to his knees staring at the dust through his tears for several silent minutes until his tears dried. He then grasped behind himself to get the duffel bag. From the duffel bag he pulled a black porcelain burial urn. Respectfully he gathered the dust and sealed the urn returning it to the bag. "Rest well, my sweet" he said to the sky. Taking another unneeded breath he made his way back down to the street and headed back to the DeSoto. There was still plenty of time to get back to Sunnydale tonight.

He drove as quickly as possible through the heavy traffic back to the border, when he crossed over he grabbed his cell phone from the passenger seat and pressed the number one speed-dial. It rang five times before the answering machine picked up and he heard his own voice saying, "You have reached the home of the Big Bad et. al. leave a message if you dare" Spike pressed the end button on the phone chuckling slightly that no one had yet noticed he changed the answering machine greeting two weeks ago. The one Red had done had no pizzazz at all.

He then hit the number two speed-dial, which rang twice, before he heard. "Magic Box, Willow speaking"

"Good, Red, it me" Spike said "I'm on my way back, I'm about 3 hours out"

"Did you, I mean is it, uhh what I'm trying to say is could" Willow was stammering helplessly.

Spike interrupted "Yeah, it's done" he said flatly.

"Oh, well, uhh" Willow said unsure of what to say to the vampire.

"Just drop it. Did you find out anything about those monk?" Spike said changing the subject.

"Yeah!" Willow said more than happy to change the subject. "They actually had been waiting for us to contact them, I guess an emissary from the powers visited them months ago to deliver the prophesy and their instruction. The ceremony is pretty simple, you and Dawn have the biggest par" Willow was cut off as the cell phone went dead.

Spike took the phone away from his ear seeing that the battery was dead. "Damn bloody rotten contraption" Spike said flinging the offensive object down into the passenger seat. 'I guess I'll find out the details soon enough' Spike thought to himself as he continued speeding down the California freeway.

TBC