Now We Know
Spike had never felt so angry before in his entire life and that was a long time. If he didn't kill something, he honestly thought he might burst. Instead, he turned viciously on a trashcan. He slammed the thing into a brick wall so hard it crunched like a beer can on a frat boy's forehead. Somehow, the trashcan failed to avenge Nell's death. This was too fucking far. The chip in his head caused him unspeakable torment for years of his life, keeping him trapped in perpetual limbo and fucking with his emotions much more deeply than anyone else could ever hope to understand. He had finally gotten over that. He found a new life and new friends and was actually starting to feel content for the first time in years and now…those eyes. Her face was burned into his memory, and it was not the way he wanted to remember her.
He had loved her. It wasn't the same sort of love as Dru or Buffy, but you never really love any two people the same way. She was just bright and energetic and just so happy to be here. He, Buffy and even Angel were constantly fighting their station in life and here was this person who took it as it came. She loved who she was. She loved her work. She loved her roommates. She loved this city. Hell, her passion even extended to lousy pop music. And after 500 years, she didn't even have the dignity of going out on the hunt. If she had been killed in a fight or while after a meal it wouldn't have been so bad. She would have died by the same sword she lived by. But sucking blood out of a Ziploc bag in a hospital freezer….God! Spike kicked the next thing he saw which happened to be an alley cat. The thing shrieked wildly and wrapped itself around his leg. Spike yelped and fell backwards, kicking his leg out and sending the thing sailing into the dumpster.
"Going after the smaller game now, huh Spike?"
Spike leapt to his feet and saw Riley glaring at him. He was wondering how fate could be so sick as to have them coincidentally run into each other twice in this huge city when he looked up and noticed he had wandered to the Deep End. OK. That wasn't too coincidental, then. He would have been searching for them there after the altercation with his army mates. "I am the last person you want to pick a fight with right now," Spike glared.
"Oh, really. So did you and The Goonies figure out what we were doing?"
"Experienced it first hand, thanks."
"So we got one of your own, huh?"
That did it. Spike vamped out and attacked brutally, knocking Riley to the floor in three punches. He immediately placed his foot on his neck as he stood over him. "The only thing that kept me from killing you long ago was her," he growled.
"That and that little chip," Riley choked out.
Spike smirked and then lowered himself until he was inches from his face. "If my head exploded, it would have been worth it. But that's all over now."
"It is."
"So let's go." Spike released his foot from Riley's neck and he immediately jumped to his feet and started swinging. Spike let him connect a few times, knocking him repeatedly in the face. Spike just smiled, his teeth getting bloodier with every hit until the sight was disturbing enough for Riley to pause.
"What are you waiting for?!?"
"I don't want to rush this. Precious and few are the moments we can share," Spike winked and then gave him a roundhouse to the head. Riley retaliated and managed to throw Spike up against the wall. Spike braced against it and pushed both feet in the air, nailing Riley in the gut. Stunned, Riley staggered back and Spike started wailing on him with his knee. He got his wits about him and flipped Spike over his shoulder, pile driving his elbow into his gut. A large crowd began to gather around and no one was brave enough to step between them. Eventually though, Riley zigged when he should have zagged. Spike nailed an unprotected part of his stomach, which stunned him enough for Spike to be able to grab his head. Before Riley even knew what was happening, Spike had sunk his fangs into his neck. All at once he felt that old, exhilarating feeling of being so close to death and being able to do nothing to fight it. But this time, there was no teetering at the edge and climbing back up. This was for real. He was going to fall this time. He suddenly felt very scared as his legs went out from under him and he slumped against the wall. Spike still had him in an awkward embrace. He could faintly hear the shocked cries from the onlookers fading in and out like a wave. He couldn't believe it would be Spike. He thought of Buffy and he felt sick. It couldn't end this way. Not like this. Suddenly, he felt Spike release him. His head slammed against the wall but he was too numb to care. He stared weakly up at Spike, who was grinning a bloody, gruesome grin. Then Spike did something totally unsuspected.
In one quick motion Spike yanked an army knife out of Riley's pocket and slashed his own wrist, barely flinching as he did so. "You want it?" he asked.
Riley tried to turn his head, but not before he caught the scent. It was one of the greatest smells he ever smelled. It was sweet and warm and everything he needed right then. It was his life hanging in the balance. Spike waved his bloodied wrist in front of him like some twisted forbidden fruit. "Think of it, champ. You'd be immortal. You'd be strong. You'd be just what Buffy needs."
Riley closed his eyes. No. He couldn't do that. But at the same time, the threat of never seeing her face after catching a glimpse of it after all these years….he felt his body getting weaker. Maybe if he fed, she wouldn't have to know. Maybe he could say what he needed to say and then wait for daybreak. At least, this was a decision he could take back. He could end himself if he wanted. He would have the strength to do that, he knew he would. Spike had his wrist inches from his nose now. Slowly, as if being led by some unseen force, Riley leaned in to drink, the thick liquid a mere inches from his eager lips…
And Spike yanked his wrist away.
Riley stared at him like a child begging for candy, but Spike held firm. "Now we know," he said in a near whisper. "You would have done it. Think of that, next time you try to fuck with us." He stood up and grabbed Riley's fallen cell phone off the ground and dialed 911.
"Yeah, I'm in front of 2344 Bowery. I gotta heavy bleeder here in the alley behind the Deep End. I'd suggest you hurry."
Spike pressed End and then stared at the phone for a second. Then he dialed his own number. "Tell the Slayer she might want to come down to the bar. Her boy here is in bad shape." He tossed the phone at Riley's feet and strode off through the hordes of people; everyone too terrified to act. He disappeared behind the corner like some sort of dark Desperado. Slowly, the patrons came forward and attempted to stop the bleeding from his neck, no one wanting to discuss what they had just witnessed.
Spike had never felt so angry before in his entire life and that was a long time. If he didn't kill something, he honestly thought he might burst. Instead, he turned viciously on a trashcan. He slammed the thing into a brick wall so hard it crunched like a beer can on a frat boy's forehead. Somehow, the trashcan failed to avenge Nell's death. This was too fucking far. The chip in his head caused him unspeakable torment for years of his life, keeping him trapped in perpetual limbo and fucking with his emotions much more deeply than anyone else could ever hope to understand. He had finally gotten over that. He found a new life and new friends and was actually starting to feel content for the first time in years and now…those eyes. Her face was burned into his memory, and it was not the way he wanted to remember her.
He had loved her. It wasn't the same sort of love as Dru or Buffy, but you never really love any two people the same way. She was just bright and energetic and just so happy to be here. He, Buffy and even Angel were constantly fighting their station in life and here was this person who took it as it came. She loved who she was. She loved her work. She loved her roommates. She loved this city. Hell, her passion even extended to lousy pop music. And after 500 years, she didn't even have the dignity of going out on the hunt. If she had been killed in a fight or while after a meal it wouldn't have been so bad. She would have died by the same sword she lived by. But sucking blood out of a Ziploc bag in a hospital freezer….God! Spike kicked the next thing he saw which happened to be an alley cat. The thing shrieked wildly and wrapped itself around his leg. Spike yelped and fell backwards, kicking his leg out and sending the thing sailing into the dumpster.
"Going after the smaller game now, huh Spike?"
Spike leapt to his feet and saw Riley glaring at him. He was wondering how fate could be so sick as to have them coincidentally run into each other twice in this huge city when he looked up and noticed he had wandered to the Deep End. OK. That wasn't too coincidental, then. He would have been searching for them there after the altercation with his army mates. "I am the last person you want to pick a fight with right now," Spike glared.
"Oh, really. So did you and The Goonies figure out what we were doing?"
"Experienced it first hand, thanks."
"So we got one of your own, huh?"
That did it. Spike vamped out and attacked brutally, knocking Riley to the floor in three punches. He immediately placed his foot on his neck as he stood over him. "The only thing that kept me from killing you long ago was her," he growled.
"That and that little chip," Riley choked out.
Spike smirked and then lowered himself until he was inches from his face. "If my head exploded, it would have been worth it. But that's all over now."
"It is."
"So let's go." Spike released his foot from Riley's neck and he immediately jumped to his feet and started swinging. Spike let him connect a few times, knocking him repeatedly in the face. Spike just smiled, his teeth getting bloodier with every hit until the sight was disturbing enough for Riley to pause.
"What are you waiting for?!?"
"I don't want to rush this. Precious and few are the moments we can share," Spike winked and then gave him a roundhouse to the head. Riley retaliated and managed to throw Spike up against the wall. Spike braced against it and pushed both feet in the air, nailing Riley in the gut. Stunned, Riley staggered back and Spike started wailing on him with his knee. He got his wits about him and flipped Spike over his shoulder, pile driving his elbow into his gut. A large crowd began to gather around and no one was brave enough to step between them. Eventually though, Riley zigged when he should have zagged. Spike nailed an unprotected part of his stomach, which stunned him enough for Spike to be able to grab his head. Before Riley even knew what was happening, Spike had sunk his fangs into his neck. All at once he felt that old, exhilarating feeling of being so close to death and being able to do nothing to fight it. But this time, there was no teetering at the edge and climbing back up. This was for real. He was going to fall this time. He suddenly felt very scared as his legs went out from under him and he slumped against the wall. Spike still had him in an awkward embrace. He could faintly hear the shocked cries from the onlookers fading in and out like a wave. He couldn't believe it would be Spike. He thought of Buffy and he felt sick. It couldn't end this way. Not like this. Suddenly, he felt Spike release him. His head slammed against the wall but he was too numb to care. He stared weakly up at Spike, who was grinning a bloody, gruesome grin. Then Spike did something totally unsuspected.
In one quick motion Spike yanked an army knife out of Riley's pocket and slashed his own wrist, barely flinching as he did so. "You want it?" he asked.
Riley tried to turn his head, but not before he caught the scent. It was one of the greatest smells he ever smelled. It was sweet and warm and everything he needed right then. It was his life hanging in the balance. Spike waved his bloodied wrist in front of him like some twisted forbidden fruit. "Think of it, champ. You'd be immortal. You'd be strong. You'd be just what Buffy needs."
Riley closed his eyes. No. He couldn't do that. But at the same time, the threat of never seeing her face after catching a glimpse of it after all these years….he felt his body getting weaker. Maybe if he fed, she wouldn't have to know. Maybe he could say what he needed to say and then wait for daybreak. At least, this was a decision he could take back. He could end himself if he wanted. He would have the strength to do that, he knew he would. Spike had his wrist inches from his nose now. Slowly, as if being led by some unseen force, Riley leaned in to drink, the thick liquid a mere inches from his eager lips…
And Spike yanked his wrist away.
Riley stared at him like a child begging for candy, but Spike held firm. "Now we know," he said in a near whisper. "You would have done it. Think of that, next time you try to fuck with us." He stood up and grabbed Riley's fallen cell phone off the ground and dialed 911.
"Yeah, I'm in front of 2344 Bowery. I gotta heavy bleeder here in the alley behind the Deep End. I'd suggest you hurry."
Spike pressed End and then stared at the phone for a second. Then he dialed his own number. "Tell the Slayer she might want to come down to the bar. Her boy here is in bad shape." He tossed the phone at Riley's feet and strode off through the hordes of people; everyone too terrified to act. He disappeared behind the corner like some sort of dark Desperado. Slowly, the patrons came forward and attempted to stop the bleeding from his neck, no one wanting to discuss what they had just witnessed.