Title: The Rules of the Game. (New Life - pt 12)
Author: Nimue
Rating: PG-13
Feedback: Yes, please
Disclaimer: All characters belong to Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, UPN, Fox... Just Borrowing.
Summary: Buffy reaches her destination. Will she be able to rescue Spike and leave Hell?
The Rules of the Game
Buffy clung to the girl's hand as if it were the only thing tethering her to her sanity. It seemed so odd. The Peacemaker was younger, small almost to the point of being frail, but she seemed to carry the wisdom and strength of countless centuries in her eyes. Those pretty, ancient, blue eyes.
"I will take you to the door," the Peacemaker whispered in her melodic
voice, "but you will have to go the distance on your own."
"You know where the red house is? You know where Spike is?" Buffy asked, her heart suddenly pounding in her chest.
"Yes," the girl replied simply.
"Is he... alive... I mean.."
"Yes," she said again. "But he is changed Buffy. This place changes
everyone."
"How?" Buffy stuttered. A million thoughts went through her head. He's
changed. He's evil. He wants to stay here. He doesn't care anymore. He doesn't love me. Doesn't love us. Yet another one Buffy scared away.
"He's breaking," the Peacemaker answered quietly. The words sounded like heartbreak must sound. The girl looked up, staring at the surreal blue sky.
"Breaking?" Buffy asked. "Like into pieces?"
The girl smiled despite herself. "Not quite. If a demon enters this place and refuses its ways, Luke breaks the demon. Takes its reluctance and plays it like a lyre."
"Ok, where I'm from that is not an answer," Buffy retorted.
"Luke has shown Spike things. Done things to try and break what it is that keeps him from his demon soul."
"Like?" Buffy asked, stepping over a large screaming rock. Funny how she barely noticed the screaming now.
"His heart," the girl answered.
"His... heart?"
"Spike," the Peacemaker began, "is truly a Vampire. No human soul, as you know it. But he has done something that few other Vampires, no other Vampires, have been able to do."
"What?" Buffy asked, wide-eyed. " I mean other than..." She looked down at her bulging abdomen.
"Choose to tame the beast. Choose to live like a human. Choose to deny his true nature and let his heart, his vulnerability rise above. His love, Buffy, not just for you but for humanity is killing the demon soul. Replacing it with something else. Quite successfully at that, I might add."
Buffy stopped, looking at the girl for a long moment. "So, he's becoming more human?"
"He's made a choice," the girl answered, "that his heart, his love, you, are more important than his basic self. He can never be truly human. But he has chosen to behave that way of his own will. Luke knows this and Luke also knows that breaking his heart is the key."
"I'm not sure I understand all of this. Not everything." Buffy stuttered. Hunger, anticipation, fear, clouding her mind.
"You will have your answers, but there are more important things to tend
to." With that, the enormous red mansion appeared in front of them. Buffy stared at it in awe and terror, her hand clutching tighter around the girl's fingers.
"What do I have to do?" Buffy asked, her fear being overcome by resolution. He was here. He was alive. She could feel him.
"There are few rules," the Peacemaker said, placing her hand on the Slayer's chin and turning Buffy's faces towards hers. "There will not be much of a fight. You are not the Slayer here. Your strength will win you no battles."
"So what then?" Buffy asked. Afraid. Frustrated. Impatient.
"Be strong. Be courageous. Be honest. Those are your weapons. Remember that little of what you see here is real. When the time comes, you will know the answer."
Buffy nodded, not really understanding but desperate to get underway.
Gently, she lifted her skirt to start up the stairs.
"Buffy?" the girl called after her.
"Yeah," Buffy answered, craning her head.
"Sometimes you have to make a deal with the devil. Make sure to ask for his word in blood. Luke is a terrible liar."
Buffy nodded, again, not quite understanding. Didn't matter much. Spike was in there. He needed her. Buffy climbed the stairs to the front door and looked back. The Peacemaker was gone.
*****
Spike hung bonelessly against the chains. No witty banter. No daring plans for escape. No wishing for rescue. Who was he fooling? He got his good and proper sentence and this is where he'd stay. Not demon enough to be here, not human enough for salvation. That's what you get for straddling the fence, mate, he thought.
Something moved in the dark basement. Spike's eyes slowly opened, but
nothing was there. He let them swim shut again. Probably some little hell beastie in the shadows waiting for an opportune moment to rip apart my hide, he thought.
He smelled vanilla and his eyes flickered open again. Nothing. Emptiness.
"Spike?" A restless whisper in his ear. Warm breath on his cheek. The
girl.
"Where are you, love?" he whispered, feeling quite insane speaking to the thick, dank air.
"Do not talk," she said and he felt his restraints loosen. Unseen hands
held his arms in place. "Do not move. When the time comes, you can pull free." She felt him begin to speak, the lightning rumble in his throat before the words were formed. "Do not speak," she chastised. His mouth snapped shut. "She is here. Luke will have her soon. There is no way to avoid it, I'm afraid. He will bring her here to hurt you both. She will be very, very frightened." Spike's face slackened. Not this. This he could not bear. "No matter what you see, Spike, you must go. Without hesitation. Do you understand?"
Spike moved again to speak, but thought better of it. Slowly, he nodded.
"Trust me," the girl whispered.
*****
Buffy stood in front of the door, staring at the heavy wood. The shade of red. It was nothing she had ever seen in nature. Should she knock? Barge in? Was there a doorbell? Fear had always set off stupid questions and sarcastic remarks in her mind. Defense mechanism. If you can't slay it, annoy it to death.
The question answered itself as the heavy door creaked on its hinges and a small man in a red suit appeared. Like a tiny evil Santa, Buffy
thought, realizing how odd it was before she even finished thinking it.
"Ms. Summers?" the little man said.
"You can call me Buffy," she answered.
"Please come in," Evil mini Santa stepped from the door, allowing her safe passage. Well, passage, at least.
The entrance hall was enormous. Marble floors covered in red carpet. Odd statues in even odder poses along the corridor. Enormous mirrors on every wall. The house gave off a strange vibration, one that made the dragon coiled around her spine squeeze that much tighter and that made her child stir within her womb.
"This way please," the man said. Buffy did not really want to follow, but trying to fight the little man who had said nothing but pleasantries and politeness didn't really seem the optimal thing to do. Slowly, she padded barefoot after him, her toes sinking into the carpet. It felt sticky, like blood.
"Where are we going?" Buffy asked as they weaved through halls and
corridors, past room after endless room. If nothing else, the trip was
making her feet ache and keeping her from remembering which way was out.
"Master Luke would like to see you now."
"Wasn't he that Star Wars guy," Buffy chuckled. Why did such random things go through her head?, she wondered.
The little man stopped, shooting a warning glance at her that, at his
height, sizzled right about chest high. " The master does not take kindly to jokes."
"Oh," Buffy said, nodding sarcastically. "My bad."
They stopped at a room with an enormous set of double doors. Red, of
course. The man had no originality. "Wait here," evil Santa said, darting into the room. She could hear humble murmurings and various and assorted groveling before the doors swung completely open.
The room looked as if it had been stolen from a honeymoon suite in Vegas. Enormous red plush couches. Heart shaped bed. Fireplaces glowing in each corner of the room. Ooh, and even a martini glass shaped hot tub. Always a sign of class.
Buffy stood in the doorway. Suddenly, just like everything else in this
dimension, a man appeared in front of her. He was tall, beautifully built, with short rakish dark hair, long black eyelashes and deep brown eyes. His suit was well fitted and clung to him in almost an undeniably appealing way. Not at all what she had been expecting. Guess it makes sense that a hell god is hot, Buffy thought. She groaned at herself.
"Hi," Luke said, stretching out his hand. "I'm Luke and I'm guessing you're Buffy."
"Master of the obvious," she said, avoiding his hand.
"Just as impolite as your little Vamp," Luke said, grabbing Buffy's
shoulder. At first the touch was gentle, but he began to squeeze until she felt a pop and a sharp pain radiate down her arm. She wrenched herself away.
"Speaking of, " Buffy began, trying to ignore the fact that she thought that her arm might spontaneously fall off her shoulder. "I'd kind of like to see him."
"What makes you think I'll let you?" Luke asked.
Buffy thought for a moment. Because I need to tell him I love him? Because I need to see his face? Because my baby needs a father? Buffy chuckled to herself. How well would that go over? "Because I want to kick his ass for leaving me high and dry with his little demon spawn." Buffy answered.
"Might like you after all," Luke said. Buffy sighed imperceptibly with
relief. "This way,"
Luke chattered incessantly as they walked through the maze of corridors.
About humans and the Earth and how sorry all the little pansies were for
living there. How Willie, which Buffy finally figured out was Spike, was an even bigger pansy because he chose to be a wussy-little-human-wanna-be rather than be true to his breed. Buffy agreed with Luke on every count. If it would help her find Spike, she would agree to Martha Stewart being a hell god from a neighboring dimension and chicken snot being a tasty appetizer. Hmm... food.
Finally, they came to a dark brown oak door. Luke stopped and Buffy skidded to a halt next to him, almost too caught up in agreeing with his little tirade to notice. "This is our stop," Luke said, putting his hand on the knob. Buffy exhaled, her heart racing as if she was about to go on her first date. Long past that, she thought, hand instinctively pressing on her belly, feeling the baby throw a right hook into her palm. Buffy looked up at Luke and saw his countenance shift from annoying but basically pleasant to something dark, hollow, empty.
"Think I believe a word you say, bi**h," Luke said. Buffy felt a sharp pain at the back of her skull and crumpled to the floor.
To be contd.
Author: Nimue
Rating: PG-13
Feedback: Yes, please
Disclaimer: All characters belong to Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, UPN, Fox... Just Borrowing.
Summary: Buffy reaches her destination. Will she be able to rescue Spike and leave Hell?
The Rules of the Game
Buffy clung to the girl's hand as if it were the only thing tethering her to her sanity. It seemed so odd. The Peacemaker was younger, small almost to the point of being frail, but she seemed to carry the wisdom and strength of countless centuries in her eyes. Those pretty, ancient, blue eyes.
"I will take you to the door," the Peacemaker whispered in her melodic
voice, "but you will have to go the distance on your own."
"You know where the red house is? You know where Spike is?" Buffy asked, her heart suddenly pounding in her chest.
"Yes," the girl replied simply.
"Is he... alive... I mean.."
"Yes," she said again. "But he is changed Buffy. This place changes
everyone."
"How?" Buffy stuttered. A million thoughts went through her head. He's
changed. He's evil. He wants to stay here. He doesn't care anymore. He doesn't love me. Doesn't love us. Yet another one Buffy scared away.
"He's breaking," the Peacemaker answered quietly. The words sounded like heartbreak must sound. The girl looked up, staring at the surreal blue sky.
"Breaking?" Buffy asked. "Like into pieces?"
The girl smiled despite herself. "Not quite. If a demon enters this place and refuses its ways, Luke breaks the demon. Takes its reluctance and plays it like a lyre."
"Ok, where I'm from that is not an answer," Buffy retorted.
"Luke has shown Spike things. Done things to try and break what it is that keeps him from his demon soul."
"Like?" Buffy asked, stepping over a large screaming rock. Funny how she barely noticed the screaming now.
"His heart," the girl answered.
"His... heart?"
"Spike," the Peacemaker began, "is truly a Vampire. No human soul, as you know it. But he has done something that few other Vampires, no other Vampires, have been able to do."
"What?" Buffy asked, wide-eyed. " I mean other than..." She looked down at her bulging abdomen.
"Choose to tame the beast. Choose to live like a human. Choose to deny his true nature and let his heart, his vulnerability rise above. His love, Buffy, not just for you but for humanity is killing the demon soul. Replacing it with something else. Quite successfully at that, I might add."
Buffy stopped, looking at the girl for a long moment. "So, he's becoming more human?"
"He's made a choice," the girl answered, "that his heart, his love, you, are more important than his basic self. He can never be truly human. But he has chosen to behave that way of his own will. Luke knows this and Luke also knows that breaking his heart is the key."
"I'm not sure I understand all of this. Not everything." Buffy stuttered. Hunger, anticipation, fear, clouding her mind.
"You will have your answers, but there are more important things to tend
to." With that, the enormous red mansion appeared in front of them. Buffy stared at it in awe and terror, her hand clutching tighter around the girl's fingers.
"What do I have to do?" Buffy asked, her fear being overcome by resolution. He was here. He was alive. She could feel him.
"There are few rules," the Peacemaker said, placing her hand on the Slayer's chin and turning Buffy's faces towards hers. "There will not be much of a fight. You are not the Slayer here. Your strength will win you no battles."
"So what then?" Buffy asked. Afraid. Frustrated. Impatient.
"Be strong. Be courageous. Be honest. Those are your weapons. Remember that little of what you see here is real. When the time comes, you will know the answer."
Buffy nodded, not really understanding but desperate to get underway.
Gently, she lifted her skirt to start up the stairs.
"Buffy?" the girl called after her.
"Yeah," Buffy answered, craning her head.
"Sometimes you have to make a deal with the devil. Make sure to ask for his word in blood. Luke is a terrible liar."
Buffy nodded, again, not quite understanding. Didn't matter much. Spike was in there. He needed her. Buffy climbed the stairs to the front door and looked back. The Peacemaker was gone.
*****
Spike hung bonelessly against the chains. No witty banter. No daring plans for escape. No wishing for rescue. Who was he fooling? He got his good and proper sentence and this is where he'd stay. Not demon enough to be here, not human enough for salvation. That's what you get for straddling the fence, mate, he thought.
Something moved in the dark basement. Spike's eyes slowly opened, but
nothing was there. He let them swim shut again. Probably some little hell beastie in the shadows waiting for an opportune moment to rip apart my hide, he thought.
He smelled vanilla and his eyes flickered open again. Nothing. Emptiness.
"Spike?" A restless whisper in his ear. Warm breath on his cheek. The
girl.
"Where are you, love?" he whispered, feeling quite insane speaking to the thick, dank air.
"Do not talk," she said and he felt his restraints loosen. Unseen hands
held his arms in place. "Do not move. When the time comes, you can pull free." She felt him begin to speak, the lightning rumble in his throat before the words were formed. "Do not speak," she chastised. His mouth snapped shut. "She is here. Luke will have her soon. There is no way to avoid it, I'm afraid. He will bring her here to hurt you both. She will be very, very frightened." Spike's face slackened. Not this. This he could not bear. "No matter what you see, Spike, you must go. Without hesitation. Do you understand?"
Spike moved again to speak, but thought better of it. Slowly, he nodded.
"Trust me," the girl whispered.
*****
Buffy stood in front of the door, staring at the heavy wood. The shade of red. It was nothing she had ever seen in nature. Should she knock? Barge in? Was there a doorbell? Fear had always set off stupid questions and sarcastic remarks in her mind. Defense mechanism. If you can't slay it, annoy it to death.
The question answered itself as the heavy door creaked on its hinges and a small man in a red suit appeared. Like a tiny evil Santa, Buffy
thought, realizing how odd it was before she even finished thinking it.
"Ms. Summers?" the little man said.
"You can call me Buffy," she answered.
"Please come in," Evil mini Santa stepped from the door, allowing her safe passage. Well, passage, at least.
The entrance hall was enormous. Marble floors covered in red carpet. Odd statues in even odder poses along the corridor. Enormous mirrors on every wall. The house gave off a strange vibration, one that made the dragon coiled around her spine squeeze that much tighter and that made her child stir within her womb.
"This way please," the man said. Buffy did not really want to follow, but trying to fight the little man who had said nothing but pleasantries and politeness didn't really seem the optimal thing to do. Slowly, she padded barefoot after him, her toes sinking into the carpet. It felt sticky, like blood.
"Where are we going?" Buffy asked as they weaved through halls and
corridors, past room after endless room. If nothing else, the trip was
making her feet ache and keeping her from remembering which way was out.
"Master Luke would like to see you now."
"Wasn't he that Star Wars guy," Buffy chuckled. Why did such random things go through her head?, she wondered.
The little man stopped, shooting a warning glance at her that, at his
height, sizzled right about chest high. " The master does not take kindly to jokes."
"Oh," Buffy said, nodding sarcastically. "My bad."
They stopped at a room with an enormous set of double doors. Red, of
course. The man had no originality. "Wait here," evil Santa said, darting into the room. She could hear humble murmurings and various and assorted groveling before the doors swung completely open.
The room looked as if it had been stolen from a honeymoon suite in Vegas. Enormous red plush couches. Heart shaped bed. Fireplaces glowing in each corner of the room. Ooh, and even a martini glass shaped hot tub. Always a sign of class.
Buffy stood in the doorway. Suddenly, just like everything else in this
dimension, a man appeared in front of her. He was tall, beautifully built, with short rakish dark hair, long black eyelashes and deep brown eyes. His suit was well fitted and clung to him in almost an undeniably appealing way. Not at all what she had been expecting. Guess it makes sense that a hell god is hot, Buffy thought. She groaned at herself.
"Hi," Luke said, stretching out his hand. "I'm Luke and I'm guessing you're Buffy."
"Master of the obvious," she said, avoiding his hand.
"Just as impolite as your little Vamp," Luke said, grabbing Buffy's
shoulder. At first the touch was gentle, but he began to squeeze until she felt a pop and a sharp pain radiate down her arm. She wrenched herself away.
"Speaking of, " Buffy began, trying to ignore the fact that she thought that her arm might spontaneously fall off her shoulder. "I'd kind of like to see him."
"What makes you think I'll let you?" Luke asked.
Buffy thought for a moment. Because I need to tell him I love him? Because I need to see his face? Because my baby needs a father? Buffy chuckled to herself. How well would that go over? "Because I want to kick his ass for leaving me high and dry with his little demon spawn." Buffy answered.
"Might like you after all," Luke said. Buffy sighed imperceptibly with
relief. "This way,"
Luke chattered incessantly as they walked through the maze of corridors.
About humans and the Earth and how sorry all the little pansies were for
living there. How Willie, which Buffy finally figured out was Spike, was an even bigger pansy because he chose to be a wussy-little-human-wanna-be rather than be true to his breed. Buffy agreed with Luke on every count. If it would help her find Spike, she would agree to Martha Stewart being a hell god from a neighboring dimension and chicken snot being a tasty appetizer. Hmm... food.
Finally, they came to a dark brown oak door. Luke stopped and Buffy skidded to a halt next to him, almost too caught up in agreeing with his little tirade to notice. "This is our stop," Luke said, putting his hand on the knob. Buffy exhaled, her heart racing as if she was about to go on her first date. Long past that, she thought, hand instinctively pressing on her belly, feeling the baby throw a right hook into her palm. Buffy looked up at Luke and saw his countenance shift from annoying but basically pleasant to something dark, hollow, empty.
"Think I believe a word you say, bi**h," Luke said. Buffy felt a sharp pain at the back of her skull and crumpled to the floor.
To be contd.