A/N: Okay, first I wanna apologize for taking SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
long to update... But Real Life interfered... you know... band
contests, jazz band contests, National Honor Society things,
registration for SAT's, registration for AP exams.... band
auditions...the list goes on and on... I'll try not to be so
late with the next one...
Within My Heart Are Memories
Part Two
"Spike?" Anya asked surprised, causing the others to stop what
they were doing to look.
Before them stood a man dressed in khakis and a blue button-down
shirt undone to reveal a white t-shirt underneath. His slightly
wavy, light brown hair fell across his forehead. Glasses framed
his bright cerulean blue eyes. Eyes that currently displayed a
look of genuine confusion. But those eyes also looked like Spike's.
Dawn stood up and approached him, "Oh, my God, Spike! Is that you?"
He took a step back as she reached out to embrace him and she looked
slightly hurt.
"I'm sorry. You must have me confused with someone else." His accent,
though very similar to Spike's. was slightly more refined.
Dawn's face fell. "You don't know me?"
Buffy slowly approached this man, her expression unreadable. "You're
not Spike?"
He looked at her and felt a tinge of familiarity and... love? "No,
ma'am. My name is Will. I just arrived here from England, so it's
very unlikely we've even met."
"Of course, you're not Spike," she said. "Spike's dead," she added
quietly, as if to remind herself of that fact. Her face quickly
clouded over with pain.
"I'm sorry," Will said, hating to see her in pain, though he couldn't
understand why he pain affected him so much. He didn't know who she
was or anything about her. He looked at the whole group, who were
all staring at him, making him feel uneasy. "I should go now."
And he left the building hastily.
Willow looked at Buffy. She watched as several emotions flurried
across her face: surprise, confusion, love, before finally settling
on pain. Willow realized the man, Will, who was like Spike in every
way, had reopened wounds that had barely even begun to heal.
Buffy cleared her throat, "I need to go..."
"Buffy, are you okay?" Xander asked.
She nodded, "Yeah. Just haven't been sleeping good lately. Catch
you guys later at the Bronze. Oh, Dawnie, you can get yourself
home, right?"
Dawn nodded, "Yeah."
"Okay." She left.
Will wandered around the streets of Sunnydale aimlessly. He was
lost. He had forgotten to ask how to get to the UC Sunnydale campus
when he was at the magic shop. Speaking of magic shops, what the
hell happened back there? Why did he feel the way he did? Why did
that woman have such an affect on him? He shook his head. No point
in dwelling on it now. Chances are he'd never see her again anyway.
He rounded a corner and almost shouted with glee when he saw the
campus. Finally. He discovered his dorm was empty. His roommate
had stepped out. He decided when Darren came back, he would let him
know that he accepted his invitation to tag along with Darren and his
friends to the Bronze. He needed to get out and clear his head anyway.
Buffy pushed the heavy door open with a loud creak. She knew it was
stupid but she was kinda hoping she would see Spike sitting on his
sarcophagus, smirking with a bottle of Jack Daniels in one hand. Of
course, he wasn't. And, of course, despite looking exactly like Spike
and having the same human name Spike had, she knew Will wasn't Spike.
He couldn't be. He was human, first off. he had just moved here from
England. No matter how much she wanted him to be Spike, she knew he
wasn't.
But seeing him today...that tore a new hole in her heart. She leaned
against the pillar in the middle of the crypt and cried.
After crying for thirty minutes, she dried her tears and managed to
get herself home. She took a shower and now she was at the Bronze.
Time to put on her happy face. She found the Scoobies and her sister
at their normal table. She approached them.
"Hey, guys," she said.
"Hey," Willow replied.
Buffy sat in the empty seat, "So, what's going on?"
"Nothing much. Just Anya trying to figure out what our bridesmaid
dresses are going to look like," Dawn said.
"I can't decide if I want to go with this one or this one," Anya said,
presenting Buffy a bridal magazine with two pictures of bridesmaid
dresses.
Buffy studied the two pictures. One dress was a simple black color,
as well as, a simple design. Velvet top with a satiny flowing skirt.
The other one...was...well...bright green....and frilly...
"Well, uh, it's a tough decision, Anya, but if I were you, I'd go
with the black one," Buffy said as she handed Anya the magazine.
"That's what we told her," Willow said.
"Are you sure? 'Cause the green one sure is calling out to me,"
Anya said.
"Oh, we're sure," Willow replied.
"I'm going to get a drink. Anyone want?" Buffy said, standing up.
"Nothing for me."
"I'm fine."
A few shakes of the heads.
"Okay, then, I'll be right back."
Buffy proceeded to the bar. She ordered a diet coke from the
bartender. He filled a glass and handed it to her.
"Thanks."
She turned around and ran into a man, splashing her drink on him.
"Oh, I'm so sorry," she said. She reached for some napkins on
the bar.
"No, it's okay."
She froze. That voice. She turned around slowly.
Will stood before her, smiling. "Hey, you were at that Magic shop
earlier, right?"
She nodded, "Uh, y-yeah."
"I don't think we've been properly introduced," he held out his
hand, "I'm Will. And you are?"
She took his hand and shook it, "Buffy."
"Buffy," he rolled her name across his tongue. "I like it."
She smiled.
The Scoobies watched quietly as Buffy talked to a man who's face
they couldn't see since he back was turned to them.
"Who's Buffy talking to?" Dawn asked.
"I don't know, Dawnie," Willow replied.
They saw her smile. They smiled too. Perhaps, just perhaps, this
man, whoever he was, could lift the veil of sorrow surrounding her.
Will studied Buffy's face. Cor, she's beautiful, he thought. And
sad. Great sorrow seemed to be coming off her in waves. He tilted
head, looking exactly like Spike, studying her. She shifted under
his gaze.
"You're so sad," he stated simply.
She looked down. "You noticed, huh?"
"Of course, I did. I could eel it a mile away... But your mates
don't. You hide it from them. Why?"
She shifted uncomfortably.
"Look, I know it's probably none of my business... In fact, it's not,
because I did just meet you...but...I don't know...I feel drawn to
you for some reason."
She shook her head," No, it's okay, really. Besides, it might help
to talk about it. Let's find somewhere to sit."
"Lead the way, love."
They found a vacated secluded sitting area in the corner of the
Bronze, away from prying eyes and ears.
"so, I'm guessing this has something to do with the man you confused
me with earlier... this Spike?"
Buffy nodded, "You look exactly like him. I mean, exactly. Right
down to that scar on your eyebrow... Except he didn't wear glasses
and he insisted on bleaching his hair, though I never understood
why."
"What happened?" Will asked quietly.
"He died protecting me. I didn't realize how much I loved...love
him until it was too late."
"But that doesn't explain why you hide your grief from your friends."
Buffy sighed. She knew she couldn't tell him the truth because
then he would think she was a nutcase...so she decided a little
improvisation was needed. "He wasn't exactly the kind of guy you
could bring home to Mom. He'd been in trouble with the law a few...
dozen times. Done some really horrible things. He fell in love with
me but I wouldn't give him the time of day. But...towards the end,
he started to change...turn away from the path of destruction...And
then he died..." A single tear made its way down her face and she
swiped it way.
"I'm sorry."
She looked down at her lap. It was too painful to look at him.
"You know, I-uh-I really need to go," Buffy said suddenly, standing
up.
Will stood up too, catching her arm. "Why?" he asked gently.
She looked anywhere but Spike's eyes. No, she chided herself.
Will's eyes. Not Spike's. He was dead. "I'm sorry. I really am.
But...this is...this is too much. I'm sorry."
He nodded, understanding. "Can I see you again sometime?"
She nodded, "I'd like that." And she left.
"Hey, wait!" Will called out to her. "You didn't tell me-" She
was gone. He sighed.
"Denied," a voice behind him said.
Will turned to look at Darren. "Whatever."
"So, man, what did ya do to make her cry?" Darren asked as the two
wordlessly agreed to play pool.
"What?"
"Don't deny it. I saw those tears."
Will sighed. "I did nothing."
"Uh-uh. Sure. If ya say so, man."
Will sighed again, "All I did was bring up memories."
"Whatever, man, lets just play," Darren said as he prepared to
break.
"What's wrong with Buffy?" Dawn asked worriedly as they watched
Buffy rush out of the Bronze.
"I don't know, Dawnie," Willow said.
"Shouldn't someone go see if she's okay?"
"I think she needs to be alone right now," Anya said, her eyes
focused on Will and his friend playing pool.
Will was sleeping. And he was dreaming. An unusual dream.
He was surrounded. By...demons? There was no other word for
the creatures before him. He lashed out at them, punching and
kicking. There were vampires. Chaos demons. M'Fashniks.
Mohras. Hold up. How did he know the names of the demons, he
wondered as he snapped off a Chaos demon's slimy antlers.
He knew the Scoobies (Scoobies? What the hell?) wouldn't last
forever. Hell, even the Slayer and he wouldn't be able to.
Slayer. He felt an overwhelming feeling of love for her. Where
was she anyway?
Will looked around. He found her. Her back was turned to him.
But he knew her. Buffy...
He saw, hidden from her view, a demon grab one of her abandoned
stakes. William saw the demon aim the stake at her back.
Panicked, Will ran at her, screaming her name. He pushed her to
the ground as he felt the stake enter his flesh, piercing his
heart.
Will jerked awake, panting. What the hell?
End Part Two
long to update... But Real Life interfered... you know... band
contests, jazz band contests, National Honor Society things,
registration for SAT's, registration for AP exams.... band
auditions...the list goes on and on... I'll try not to be so
late with the next one...
Within My Heart Are Memories
Part Two
"Spike?" Anya asked surprised, causing the others to stop what
they were doing to look.
Before them stood a man dressed in khakis and a blue button-down
shirt undone to reveal a white t-shirt underneath. His slightly
wavy, light brown hair fell across his forehead. Glasses framed
his bright cerulean blue eyes. Eyes that currently displayed a
look of genuine confusion. But those eyes also looked like Spike's.
Dawn stood up and approached him, "Oh, my God, Spike! Is that you?"
He took a step back as she reached out to embrace him and she looked
slightly hurt.
"I'm sorry. You must have me confused with someone else." His accent,
though very similar to Spike's. was slightly more refined.
Dawn's face fell. "You don't know me?"
Buffy slowly approached this man, her expression unreadable. "You're
not Spike?"
He looked at her and felt a tinge of familiarity and... love? "No,
ma'am. My name is Will. I just arrived here from England, so it's
very unlikely we've even met."
"Of course, you're not Spike," she said. "Spike's dead," she added
quietly, as if to remind herself of that fact. Her face quickly
clouded over with pain.
"I'm sorry," Will said, hating to see her in pain, though he couldn't
understand why he pain affected him so much. He didn't know who she
was or anything about her. He looked at the whole group, who were
all staring at him, making him feel uneasy. "I should go now."
And he left the building hastily.
Willow looked at Buffy. She watched as several emotions flurried
across her face: surprise, confusion, love, before finally settling
on pain. Willow realized the man, Will, who was like Spike in every
way, had reopened wounds that had barely even begun to heal.
Buffy cleared her throat, "I need to go..."
"Buffy, are you okay?" Xander asked.
She nodded, "Yeah. Just haven't been sleeping good lately. Catch
you guys later at the Bronze. Oh, Dawnie, you can get yourself
home, right?"
Dawn nodded, "Yeah."
"Okay." She left.
Will wandered around the streets of Sunnydale aimlessly. He was
lost. He had forgotten to ask how to get to the UC Sunnydale campus
when he was at the magic shop. Speaking of magic shops, what the
hell happened back there? Why did he feel the way he did? Why did
that woman have such an affect on him? He shook his head. No point
in dwelling on it now. Chances are he'd never see her again anyway.
He rounded a corner and almost shouted with glee when he saw the
campus. Finally. He discovered his dorm was empty. His roommate
had stepped out. He decided when Darren came back, he would let him
know that he accepted his invitation to tag along with Darren and his
friends to the Bronze. He needed to get out and clear his head anyway.
Buffy pushed the heavy door open with a loud creak. She knew it was
stupid but she was kinda hoping she would see Spike sitting on his
sarcophagus, smirking with a bottle of Jack Daniels in one hand. Of
course, he wasn't. And, of course, despite looking exactly like Spike
and having the same human name Spike had, she knew Will wasn't Spike.
He couldn't be. He was human, first off. he had just moved here from
England. No matter how much she wanted him to be Spike, she knew he
wasn't.
But seeing him today...that tore a new hole in her heart. She leaned
against the pillar in the middle of the crypt and cried.
After crying for thirty minutes, she dried her tears and managed to
get herself home. She took a shower and now she was at the Bronze.
Time to put on her happy face. She found the Scoobies and her sister
at their normal table. She approached them.
"Hey, guys," she said.
"Hey," Willow replied.
Buffy sat in the empty seat, "So, what's going on?"
"Nothing much. Just Anya trying to figure out what our bridesmaid
dresses are going to look like," Dawn said.
"I can't decide if I want to go with this one or this one," Anya said,
presenting Buffy a bridal magazine with two pictures of bridesmaid
dresses.
Buffy studied the two pictures. One dress was a simple black color,
as well as, a simple design. Velvet top with a satiny flowing skirt.
The other one...was...well...bright green....and frilly...
"Well, uh, it's a tough decision, Anya, but if I were you, I'd go
with the black one," Buffy said as she handed Anya the magazine.
"That's what we told her," Willow said.
"Are you sure? 'Cause the green one sure is calling out to me,"
Anya said.
"Oh, we're sure," Willow replied.
"I'm going to get a drink. Anyone want?" Buffy said, standing up.
"Nothing for me."
"I'm fine."
A few shakes of the heads.
"Okay, then, I'll be right back."
Buffy proceeded to the bar. She ordered a diet coke from the
bartender. He filled a glass and handed it to her.
"Thanks."
She turned around and ran into a man, splashing her drink on him.
"Oh, I'm so sorry," she said. She reached for some napkins on
the bar.
"No, it's okay."
She froze. That voice. She turned around slowly.
Will stood before her, smiling. "Hey, you were at that Magic shop
earlier, right?"
She nodded, "Uh, y-yeah."
"I don't think we've been properly introduced," he held out his
hand, "I'm Will. And you are?"
She took his hand and shook it, "Buffy."
"Buffy," he rolled her name across his tongue. "I like it."
She smiled.
The Scoobies watched quietly as Buffy talked to a man who's face
they couldn't see since he back was turned to them.
"Who's Buffy talking to?" Dawn asked.
"I don't know, Dawnie," Willow replied.
They saw her smile. They smiled too. Perhaps, just perhaps, this
man, whoever he was, could lift the veil of sorrow surrounding her.
Will studied Buffy's face. Cor, she's beautiful, he thought. And
sad. Great sorrow seemed to be coming off her in waves. He tilted
head, looking exactly like Spike, studying her. She shifted under
his gaze.
"You're so sad," he stated simply.
She looked down. "You noticed, huh?"
"Of course, I did. I could eel it a mile away... But your mates
don't. You hide it from them. Why?"
She shifted uncomfortably.
"Look, I know it's probably none of my business... In fact, it's not,
because I did just meet you...but...I don't know...I feel drawn to
you for some reason."
She shook her head," No, it's okay, really. Besides, it might help
to talk about it. Let's find somewhere to sit."
"Lead the way, love."
They found a vacated secluded sitting area in the corner of the
Bronze, away from prying eyes and ears.
"so, I'm guessing this has something to do with the man you confused
me with earlier... this Spike?"
Buffy nodded, "You look exactly like him. I mean, exactly. Right
down to that scar on your eyebrow... Except he didn't wear glasses
and he insisted on bleaching his hair, though I never understood
why."
"What happened?" Will asked quietly.
"He died protecting me. I didn't realize how much I loved...love
him until it was too late."
"But that doesn't explain why you hide your grief from your friends."
Buffy sighed. She knew she couldn't tell him the truth because
then he would think she was a nutcase...so she decided a little
improvisation was needed. "He wasn't exactly the kind of guy you
could bring home to Mom. He'd been in trouble with the law a few...
dozen times. Done some really horrible things. He fell in love with
me but I wouldn't give him the time of day. But...towards the end,
he started to change...turn away from the path of destruction...And
then he died..." A single tear made its way down her face and she
swiped it way.
"I'm sorry."
She looked down at her lap. It was too painful to look at him.
"You know, I-uh-I really need to go," Buffy said suddenly, standing
up.
Will stood up too, catching her arm. "Why?" he asked gently.
She looked anywhere but Spike's eyes. No, she chided herself.
Will's eyes. Not Spike's. He was dead. "I'm sorry. I really am.
But...this is...this is too much. I'm sorry."
He nodded, understanding. "Can I see you again sometime?"
She nodded, "I'd like that." And she left.
"Hey, wait!" Will called out to her. "You didn't tell me-" She
was gone. He sighed.
"Denied," a voice behind him said.
Will turned to look at Darren. "Whatever."
"So, man, what did ya do to make her cry?" Darren asked as the two
wordlessly agreed to play pool.
"What?"
"Don't deny it. I saw those tears."
Will sighed. "I did nothing."
"Uh-uh. Sure. If ya say so, man."
Will sighed again, "All I did was bring up memories."
"Whatever, man, lets just play," Darren said as he prepared to
break.
"What's wrong with Buffy?" Dawn asked worriedly as they watched
Buffy rush out of the Bronze.
"I don't know, Dawnie," Willow said.
"Shouldn't someone go see if she's okay?"
"I think she needs to be alone right now," Anya said, her eyes
focused on Will and his friend playing pool.
Will was sleeping. And he was dreaming. An unusual dream.
He was surrounded. By...demons? There was no other word for
the creatures before him. He lashed out at them, punching and
kicking. There were vampires. Chaos demons. M'Fashniks.
Mohras. Hold up. How did he know the names of the demons, he
wondered as he snapped off a Chaos demon's slimy antlers.
He knew the Scoobies (Scoobies? What the hell?) wouldn't last
forever. Hell, even the Slayer and he wouldn't be able to.
Slayer. He felt an overwhelming feeling of love for her. Where
was she anyway?
Will looked around. He found her. Her back was turned to him.
But he knew her. Buffy...
He saw, hidden from her view, a demon grab one of her abandoned
stakes. William saw the demon aim the stake at her back.
Panicked, Will ran at her, screaming her name. He pushed her to
the ground as he felt the stake enter his flesh, piercing his
heart.
Will jerked awake, panting. What the hell?
End Part Two
