Part Nine
Disclaimer: Creed own the song. I don't.
Spike shook his head, "Oh, no. Anything but that."
"You want me to read you or not?" Lorne asked.
"Well, yeah, but-"
"So, sing. You have to sing so I can read you."
"But, why?" Spike knew he was whining but he was not about to humiliate himself. "Surely, there's another way."
Lorne shook his head.
"Come on, Spike," Buffy said, "Your singing is not that bad. Besides," she pointed to Stan who just finished the last note of his song, "there's no way you could be worse than him."
"Yeah, Spike. Come on. It'll be fun," Dawn said, grinning.
"For you maybe. You all will no doubt be having a grand ol' time laughing at my expense. Sorry, but I'm not about to go out like my pathetic excuse of a grandsire."
Buffy turned to him, "William Crawford, do you or do you not want to know why you were brought back?"
"Yeah, but-"
She pointed to the stage, "Then get your ass up on that stage and sing."
He grumbled but got up.
Xander smirked, "Spike, I've got two words for you and one of them is 'whipped.'"
"Yeah? Well, I've got two words for you as well and one of them is 'off.'"
"Don't worry," Anya said, "We won't laugh. Now, hurry up and get this over with; I want to hit the casinos and win my money back."
Spike smiled, "I'm sure you'll have no problem doing that."
"I hope so. It was so unnerving to watch it get taken away from me by greedy people."
He shook his head in amusement and he and Lorne went to pick out his song.
After much discussion and debate, they jumped up on stage, or rather Lorne jumped and Spike slowly climbed up as if it was Mt. Everest.
"Ladies and gentlemen, give it up for Spike. He'll be performing 'My Sacrifice.'"
The audience applauded with the Scoobies cheering the loudest. Spike nervously approached the microphone. He regarded it as if it were some sort of hideous demon. The intro music began and he took a deep breath, waiting to begin.
"Hello my friend we meet again
It's been a while where should we begin...feels like forever
Within my heart are memories
Of perfect love that you gave to me
I remember"
Buffy watched Lorne who settled back against his chair. A few nods here, a few 'uh-uh's' there.
"When you are with me
I'm free...I'm careless...I believe
Above all the others we'll fly
This brings tears to my eyes
My sacrifice"
The longer he continued to sing, the more comfortable Spike became. The fact that audience wasn't booing him off the stage help calm his nerves, too.
"We've seen our share of ups and downs
Oh, how quickly life can turn around in an instant
It feels so good to reunite
Within yourself and within your mind
Let's find peace there
When you are with me
I'm free...I'm careless...I believe
Above all the others we'll fly
This brings tears to my eyes
My sacrifice
I just want to say hello again."
When he finished, every single person in the club applauded. Spike nodded his thanks and stepped down, returning to the table. He took Buffy's hand in his and squeezed. She returned the gesture.
"Wow, Spike, didn't think you had it in you," Xander said.
Buffy nudged Spike in the shoulder playfully, "See, everyone loved it. Told you you weren't bad."
Spike smiled and kissed her gently. He turned to Lorne, "Okay, give it to me."
Lorne nodded, "First, let me just say 'congratulations' on your outstanding performance." He cleared his throat, preparing himself for a speech, "Well, basically, this is what I got. That night you threw yourself in front of that stake that was meant for Buffy, you threw off the Powers' story." He looked at the Slayer sympathetically, "Sorry, sweetheart, but you were supposed to die again that night. That's how the story was written."
Spike and Buffy tightened their hold on each other's hand.
Lorne looked at Spike, "Your story wasn't supposed to end that night. The Powers had plans for you. But your actions forced them to rewrite your story. And everyone else's around you. You are in the third book, or part, so to speak."
"What do you mean?" Spike asked.
"In the Powers' stories, most people have only one part: their lives. Those that have more than one are usually-"
"Vampires," Buffy interjected.
Lorne nodded, "And you, honey. You're in your third part, too. As well as Angel. You three are the only ones with three parts." He pointed to the couple in front of him, "Yours are interconnected. Angel's is separate."
"Why?" Buffy asked.
Lorne shrugged, "The Powers don't tell me everything."
Spike nodded, "Okay, so I'm in my third...part as you call it. What is it?"
"To help the Slayer. Be there for her. I don't know if you this, but your strength and healing powers from your vampire days are still intact. The Powers knew you wouldn't be satisfied without them." He shrugged, "I know you were probably expecting something bigger like a prophecy." He shook his head, "No. Not this time."
"Why did they bring me back with no memories?"
"To make sure they weren't making a mistake. You know how it goes, love conquers all, even amnesia."
"So that's it? I'm here to stay. Live out the rest of my mortal life with Buffy?"
Lorne nodded.
"Alright. I can live with that." He nodded to Lorne, "Thank you."
"The pleasure's mine."
Spike shook his hand.
"Next time you guys are in town, look me up," Lorne said.
"Sure thing," Spike smiled.
The gang stood and Spike put his arm around Buffy's waist. They proceeded to the exit and Lorne called out.
"William, the Powers have one more test. Vous prenez garde de la princesse noire."
Spike's eyes widened when he mentally translated what Lorne had told him. He nodded slowly, and he and Buffy followed the others who had gone ahead.
"What was he talking about?" Buffy asked.
"He was just telling me to be careful, is all. Nothing to fret about."
The trip back to the hotel was a quiet one, not that it was a terribly long trip. Anya looked longingly at the doors of Harrah's but Xander pulled her away, promising her that they would hit the casinos again before they returned home. She relented, although reluctantly. She was determined that she would win her money back.
Spike opened the door and entered. The rest of the gang bumped into him when he stopped dead in his tracks.
"Spike, what is it?" Buffy asked.
He motioned in front of him with his head. She looked and gasped.
"Hello my sweet sweet William."
End Part Nine
A/N: I hope I got the French right....since I didn't take French...
Disclaimer: Creed own the song. I don't.
Spike shook his head, "Oh, no. Anything but that."
"You want me to read you or not?" Lorne asked.
"Well, yeah, but-"
"So, sing. You have to sing so I can read you."
"But, why?" Spike knew he was whining but he was not about to humiliate himself. "Surely, there's another way."
Lorne shook his head.
"Come on, Spike," Buffy said, "Your singing is not that bad. Besides," she pointed to Stan who just finished the last note of his song, "there's no way you could be worse than him."
"Yeah, Spike. Come on. It'll be fun," Dawn said, grinning.
"For you maybe. You all will no doubt be having a grand ol' time laughing at my expense. Sorry, but I'm not about to go out like my pathetic excuse of a grandsire."
Buffy turned to him, "William Crawford, do you or do you not want to know why you were brought back?"
"Yeah, but-"
She pointed to the stage, "Then get your ass up on that stage and sing."
He grumbled but got up.
Xander smirked, "Spike, I've got two words for you and one of them is 'whipped.'"
"Yeah? Well, I've got two words for you as well and one of them is 'off.'"
"Don't worry," Anya said, "We won't laugh. Now, hurry up and get this over with; I want to hit the casinos and win my money back."
Spike smiled, "I'm sure you'll have no problem doing that."
"I hope so. It was so unnerving to watch it get taken away from me by greedy people."
He shook his head in amusement and he and Lorne went to pick out his song.
After much discussion and debate, they jumped up on stage, or rather Lorne jumped and Spike slowly climbed up as if it was Mt. Everest.
"Ladies and gentlemen, give it up for Spike. He'll be performing 'My Sacrifice.'"
The audience applauded with the Scoobies cheering the loudest. Spike nervously approached the microphone. He regarded it as if it were some sort of hideous demon. The intro music began and he took a deep breath, waiting to begin.
"Hello my friend we meet again
It's been a while where should we begin...feels like forever
Within my heart are memories
Of perfect love that you gave to me
I remember"
Buffy watched Lorne who settled back against his chair. A few nods here, a few 'uh-uh's' there.
"When you are with me
I'm free...I'm careless...I believe
Above all the others we'll fly
This brings tears to my eyes
My sacrifice"
The longer he continued to sing, the more comfortable Spike became. The fact that audience wasn't booing him off the stage help calm his nerves, too.
"We've seen our share of ups and downs
Oh, how quickly life can turn around in an instant
It feels so good to reunite
Within yourself and within your mind
Let's find peace there
When you are with me
I'm free...I'm careless...I believe
Above all the others we'll fly
This brings tears to my eyes
My sacrifice
I just want to say hello again."
When he finished, every single person in the club applauded. Spike nodded his thanks and stepped down, returning to the table. He took Buffy's hand in his and squeezed. She returned the gesture.
"Wow, Spike, didn't think you had it in you," Xander said.
Buffy nudged Spike in the shoulder playfully, "See, everyone loved it. Told you you weren't bad."
Spike smiled and kissed her gently. He turned to Lorne, "Okay, give it to me."
Lorne nodded, "First, let me just say 'congratulations' on your outstanding performance." He cleared his throat, preparing himself for a speech, "Well, basically, this is what I got. That night you threw yourself in front of that stake that was meant for Buffy, you threw off the Powers' story." He looked at the Slayer sympathetically, "Sorry, sweetheart, but you were supposed to die again that night. That's how the story was written."
Spike and Buffy tightened their hold on each other's hand.
Lorne looked at Spike, "Your story wasn't supposed to end that night. The Powers had plans for you. But your actions forced them to rewrite your story. And everyone else's around you. You are in the third book, or part, so to speak."
"What do you mean?" Spike asked.
"In the Powers' stories, most people have only one part: their lives. Those that have more than one are usually-"
"Vampires," Buffy interjected.
Lorne nodded, "And you, honey. You're in your third part, too. As well as Angel. You three are the only ones with three parts." He pointed to the couple in front of him, "Yours are interconnected. Angel's is separate."
"Why?" Buffy asked.
Lorne shrugged, "The Powers don't tell me everything."
Spike nodded, "Okay, so I'm in my third...part as you call it. What is it?"
"To help the Slayer. Be there for her. I don't know if you this, but your strength and healing powers from your vampire days are still intact. The Powers knew you wouldn't be satisfied without them." He shrugged, "I know you were probably expecting something bigger like a prophecy." He shook his head, "No. Not this time."
"Why did they bring me back with no memories?"
"To make sure they weren't making a mistake. You know how it goes, love conquers all, even amnesia."
"So that's it? I'm here to stay. Live out the rest of my mortal life with Buffy?"
Lorne nodded.
"Alright. I can live with that." He nodded to Lorne, "Thank you."
"The pleasure's mine."
Spike shook his hand.
"Next time you guys are in town, look me up," Lorne said.
"Sure thing," Spike smiled.
The gang stood and Spike put his arm around Buffy's waist. They proceeded to the exit and Lorne called out.
"William, the Powers have one more test. Vous prenez garde de la princesse noire."
Spike's eyes widened when he mentally translated what Lorne had told him. He nodded slowly, and he and Buffy followed the others who had gone ahead.
"What was he talking about?" Buffy asked.
"He was just telling me to be careful, is all. Nothing to fret about."
The trip back to the hotel was a quiet one, not that it was a terribly long trip. Anya looked longingly at the doors of Harrah's but Xander pulled her away, promising her that they would hit the casinos again before they returned home. She relented, although reluctantly. She was determined that she would win her money back.
Spike opened the door and entered. The rest of the gang bumped into him when he stopped dead in his tracks.
"Spike, what is it?" Buffy asked.
He motioned in front of him with his head. She looked and gasped.
"Hello my sweet sweet William."
End Part Nine
A/N: I hope I got the French right....since I didn't take French...
