*KNOCK KNOCK*
She tapped her foot impatiently outside of the crypt. People were bringing flowers to their family members and Buffy definitely didn't want to be seen going into a crypt in broad daylight on a mid-Sunday afternoon. But she needed answers, especially after Willy called her. How he'd even got her number was a mystery to her.
*KNOCK KNOCK*
Buffy looked around cautiously to make sure that no one saw her as she pushed open the crypt door and stealthily walk in.
"Spike?" Buffy walked in slowly . "Spike?"
Spike was a non-moving lump covered by a blanket on a makeshift bed. With a sudden movement, he turned over violently. Buffy jumped back in surprise, but he quickly settled down. He is still sleeping, Buffy observed.
"Spike, wake up." Buffy slowly moved toward him, standing on his left side. "Spike, wake up." Louder. But he still slept.
"Spike?" Buffy reached over and shook his shoulders. Spike immediately jumped into defensive mode.
Spike grabbed the intruder in a bear hug, pining their arms behind their back. A quick twist, and he rolled so that the intruder was slammed to the bed, arms pressed painfully into the worn mattress and a pissed off vampire hovering above. Spike's eyes snapped opened.
"Slayer?"
Within the space of seconds - before her slayer abilities could even react to the surprise attack - Buffy found herself in a precarious position. Her body was pinned underneath his and a deceptively smooth white hand held both of her wrists trapped behind her back . Spike's legs straddled hers, pinning her at the knees, and making Buffy virtually immobile. His eyes looked deep within hers. A part of her wanted him to kiss her and the other part wanted the dulling ache beginning to form in her shoulder to stop.
"Spike, my arms." Buffy gasped. Spike immediately let go but didn't move. She's probably come here to kill me, he thought. She must know.
"Why you here Slayer?" He asked, easing his weight onto his elbows.
Buffy made sure her voice was steady before answering, "Willy called me and told me about the fight with some demons at the bar."
"So?"
"What's going on Spike? Friday night you're like on your second deathbed, and now your demon fighter extraordinaire. What's going on?"
"I don't know what you mean." He raised his eyebrow at the unsteadiness of her voice. He could hear her heart racing. He dipped his head down to her ear and whispered, "What do you want to be going on?"
Buffy closed her eyes and shivered as his cool lips brushed her ear. Spike smiled at her reaction and lifted himself up and sat on the edge of the bed. He turned back to look at Buffy who seemed both grateful and regretful that Spike had moved.
"I just needed to blow off some steam, Pet, that's all." Spike shrugged as he walked to his fridge and pulled out a bottle of blood. He popped the cork, and then looked at Buffy who was now standing. Her blond hair was pulled back in a tight ponytail, but their impromptu tussle had loosened some strands around her face.
"Anything else , Slayer?"
"No."
"Then see you on patrol ," Spike said , ending the conversation. Buffy walked out of the crypt more confused then when she'd came in.
Part 8
The last week had been a real test of will for Spike. He had hunted on and off. A large part of him was enjoying this return to life before Sunnydale. But he sat quietly in the Scooby meetings as Buffy and the gang wondered whether there was a new vampire in town. He acted just as curious as the others about the strange attacks and the quietness of the demon population. But the true focus of his curiosity was the unanswered question: which side would ultimately win? His love for Buffy or his demon?
Spike was sleeping deeply, drugged by blood and tired from the hunt. A strange noise entered his slumber - a buzzing, a rattling, a squeaking, a shuffle and then silence. He opened his eyes. He didn't expect to see anyone. Despite the noise, he had not felt a presence. But someone – not human or vampire, but something – was in the crypt with him.
Spike stood up cautiously and looked around. A cool breeze brushed past his arm, chilling his already cold skin. Spike shivered, something he hadn't done in over 121 years. The crypt door rattled and then the room was quiet.
On top of the tomb was a metallic blue piece of paper – letter - and a box. Spike picked up the letter. "William" was written across the envelope in gold ink. Spike stared at the fine handwriting, then ripped it open to find a note inside.
'William you have your pecuni . More than you can ever need. Open the box.'
Spike opened the box slowly to find in it a driver's license, credit cards and three bank account statements making William Wesley Montgomery III a multimillionaire textile tycoon from London, England. The rest of Mr. Montgomery's life history was also provided. Where he'd lived, school records, birth certificate, and even tax returns. There was even a version of his family tree. His mother had become his great-great-great-great- grandmother. He himself was his great-great-great-grandfather. Spike chuckled. He was now the only surviving family member and sole inheritor of the family millions.
"Pecuni." Spike didn't need a Latin dictionary to know that meant 'money'.
Spike roared with laughter. He hadn't really meant for this to happen when he made the second wish. But hey, this would work, he thought.
Buffy had patrolled for hours before deciding that no new vamps or demons were on the rise. Buffy headed to the Bronze, walking down Main Street.
She turned as she heard a scream, immediately in combat mode. A girl and her boyfriend leaving the movie theatre were tickling each other into hysterical laughter.
Buffy rolled her eyes, but stopped in mid-sigh as she saw a familiar blond vampire walking down Main Street. She couldn't believe her eyes as Spike, dressed expensively in a pair of brown leather pants and a black silk mock neck sweater, nonchalantly swung into a real estate office. Hey, no duster! This is too weird. Buffy thought as she crept to the window of the mostly empty office. A heavy set bald man sat at a picture-strewn desk, typing into a computer. Spike was alternately riffling through the photos and looking at the computer screen.
"So you're a voyeur. Who would have thought it?"
Buffy spun around to see the last person that she wanted to at that moment or any other, to be a matter of fact.
"Why don't you get a life, Parker? I was not spying and since when do you give a damn what I do." Buffy scowled at him.
"I heard about you and Riley. Real sorry." Parker replied flatly .
What did I ever see in him? Buffy thought . "Don't you have some other freshman girls to go and abuse?"
"Buffy, I don't abuse . I pleasure. I gratify and satisfy . I . . ."
"Have fun." Buffy finished for him . I should break his nose. That would pleasure me. It would bring me great satisfaction. "Why don't you go somewhere where some wants you? Oh sorry, that would be nowhere. Besides, I thought you said you were graduating. Oh poor baby, didn't have enough credits? All that gratifying n' satisfying make you fail a exam or two?"
"Being bitter doesn't become you, Buffy." Parker smiled . "You shouldn't regret what happened between us, it was . . ."
"If you say fun, I swear to god I'll . . ."
"Buffy!" Spike sleekly walked up to her side and kissed her on the cheek. Buffy turned to look at Spike as if he were crazy. But then realized what he was doing.
"Hi Spike." Spike slipped his arms around Buffy's waist then looked at Parker as if he just noticed him standing there.
"Hey mate," Spike said glaring at Parker . "I just bought the house you liked over on Rushmore Drive near Monaco Crescent. I wanted to take you to go see it. I just put down the deposit on it."
Spike entwined his fingers with Buffy's.
"I thought you said that there was nothing going on between the two of you ," Parker protested.
"That was over a year and a half ago , Parker. Plus we just knew that we would always be together. All the temporary THINGS that got in the way couldn't break what we had." Buffy exclaimed as Spike grabbed her closer to him . "We should go." Spike licked a trail along her neck, smirking at the boy as he and Buffy headed off.
Parker stared blankly after the couple. He only moved aside as the receptionists and agents from the real estate office passed by.
"The drinks are on me, girls," said the real estate agent. "After the commission that I'm going to get from this sale, I could retire."
"I know Mr. Godfrey, that mansion is beautiful. I can't believe that young man could afford it. A half million dollar deposit," one of the receptionists twittered.
Parker stood there stunned .
"You k' Pet?" Spike asked as they reached the Bronze.
"What's with you and the real estate agent?" Buffy asked curiously.
"Nothing. I have to go Slayer. I see your chums over there." Spike pointed to the other side of the Bronze. "I've got things to do."
With that Spike abruptly left, leaving a bewildered Buffy. She stared after him bemusedly.
Spike walked through the mall, a few bags in his hand. He had bought a couple of items of clothing, but nothing big. He walked past the food court and observed some teenage girls staring at him and smiling shyly. He gave them a slight grin. They giggled , and then, out of nowhere, she was in front of him.
"What are you doing here?" Buffy demanded.
"What does it look like I am doing? Shopping, Slayer. You?"
"Getting a present for Dawn's birthday." Buffy lifted her bag to show him. "What did you get?"
"Stuff. I'm leaving now Slayer." Spike brushed past her, but she grabbed onto his arm.
"What's with you? Since when do you go to malls? And since when do you help me ward off eviler men than you?"
"Unibrow boy? He was a gift. The only one that you'll get from me."
"Something is going on with you, and I am gonna find out what if it's the last thing I do."
Spike rolled his eyes brushed past the slayer. "You better watch what you say Slayer. It might come true."
"What the hell is that suppose to mean?" Curious mall patrons turned at her blare, but Spike just walked away, infuriating Buffy even more.
Part 9
Spike played pool, slowly checking out his meal possibilities. His craving for human blood was at its highest, but for now he was planning to limit himself to snacking, not draining. A part of his psyche still throbbed in sympathetic pain at the thought of killing. He knew it was all psychological. The defunct chip was incapable of hurting him now.
A petite blonde girl walked in with a group. Spike wasn't sure they were her friends . She seemed oddly out of place with them, as if she was just trying to fit in . Her laughter was a beat behind theirs and she seemed isolated even when she joined them on the dance floor . He quickly deduced from her pale skin that she wasn't from around Sunnydale nor were the others in her group. Eavesdropping, he discovered that they were driving to Tijuana from Tacoma and had decided to stop off in Sunnydale for the night.
Spike leered at the young woman's supple body, her curves accented by skintight jeans and a sheer black top. She danced seductively to the music and turned her head and her eyes locked with his, mesmerised. She tore her glance away, but within a few seconds she looked back.
The by-play did not go unnoticed. A brunette woman sidled up to her, whispering and checking out the vampire with appreciation. With a smirk, she abandoned the blonde on the dance floor and walked purposefully towards Spike.
"So you are checking out my friend, huh?"
"What's it to you?"
"Well, I what to know why you are going after hamburger when you have steak right in front of your eyes?" The brunette leaned in closer to him in definite violation of personal space, giving him a good view of her breasts. She quickly wrapped her arms around Spike's neck and played with the fine hairs on the back of his neck. He looked back at the shy girl he had wanted, but she was on the verge of tears and had bolted from the dance floor.
"Steak, huh?" He thought of her words carefully.
"Yeah. How about we go somewhere and talk?"
"Sure pet. I need to go out for a smoke. You want to come?"
"Let's go."
Spike walked toward his crypt, his demon still rejoicing at the taste of the pretty little brunette's blood. He had left the girl near the back room sleeping. The vampire slowly licked his lips , still tasting the tangy remnants of the substance.
Buffy sat quietly as she felt Spike approach.
The door opened and he prowled into his home. Spike exuded confidence and power , something she had rarely felt from him since the Initiative put in the chip.
Spike eased off his duster and hung the worn leather on his couch.
Buffy watched in admiration as his body tensed as he realized that he was not alone. His body rippled with anticipation, his senses suddenly alert. The fresh blood in him stirred the natural predator within. His body instinctually fell into a fighting stance.
"It's just me , Spike." Buffy said quietly, expecting Spike's body to relax , but if anything , he just tensed up more.
"What do you want, Slayer?"
She didn't understand what was making him so tense. It looked like he was anticipating some sort of attack. But that wasn't why she was here.
"I don't know," she admitted. "I just wanted to talk."
Finally he relaxed and moved over to where she was sat.
"It's not like you to make social calls. Did something happen?"
As he sat down beside her, Buffy shook her head. "I should be asking you the same thing. You've been acting really weird the last couple of weeks, Spike. Is something going on?"
Immediately he tensed again. Did she know what he'd been doing? About the chip and the money?
"Nothing's going on pet. Why do you ask?"
Buffy sighed and shook her head again. Maybe she was being paranoid about all this. It wasn't like she could put her finger on what was different about Spike.
"Forget it," she said, climbing to her feet. "I should go."
Before she could move, Spike's hand curled around her wrist and pulled her back.
"No need to run off. You know, I never really thanked you for helping me out when I was sick the other week."
Buffy smiled and sat down again. "That's ok. You made it even by helping me out with Parker."
Spike snorted. "I dunno what you saw in him . I can smell his sort a mile away."
Buffy grinned. "Well at the time you were more focused on trying to kill me than you were on giving me love advice."
Spike sighed wistfully and smiled. "Yeah, those were the good old days."
"And now here we are." Buffy mused. "You can't bite people and I'm here spending time voluntarily with you."
"Funny how things change, isn't it?"
With a smile , Buffy nodded. "Yeah . I thought that after the whole Angel thing that it would just be a case of seeing a vamp and staking it. But I guess things are never as simple as you want them to be."
Glancing over at Spike she saw that he was staring at her intently .
She smiled nervously and shifted in her seat. "What?"
The next thing she knew, he had caught hold of her arms and had pulled her into a deep kiss. She didn't respond at first, too stunned to even form coherent thought. Slowly, however, she relaxed against him returning the kiss until a glimpse of rational thought entered her mind.
She instantly pulled away from Spike.
"I gotta go," she muttered to Spike, running out before he could reply.
With a sigh Spike sat back. That hadn't gone quite the way he'd intended.
TBC.
