Day One
It's playing out all over again. I'm stuck behind the Scooby's impromptu barricade, rather pissed that one of those nut job wankers of Glory's hit me in the bleedin' face with a brick, when I look up. I see Dawn, my Little Bit, all trussed up like Joan of friggin' Arc. Even at this distance, I can see she's terrified. Hell, I don't blame her. I'd be a little worried too, if some skank Hell God wanted to slice me up into Spike kabobs, which of course, she actually did try to do. Then, I see something else moving up there. I can't quite make it out, but there's something up there with Nibblet. I try to point it out to the others, but they can't see a damn thing. Damn humans with their poor eyesight. 'Course, Red sees something too, guess she's got a better vantage point, being that she's collapsed near a corner of the tower, huddled up with Glinda. Despite myself, I can't help but hope that Red's little stunt helped reverse the damage Glory did to Tara. I rather like the bird. She doesn't say much, unlike the rest of the Scooby's, who I swear talk simply for the pleasure of hearing their own voices. So, anyway, I'm sitting here, minding my own business, when WHAM! Red starts speaking to me inside my head! Where'd she learn that trick, the Whelp's comic books? So she tells me to get my ass in gear, and go save Nibblet. Which of course I have no problem with, but how do I get past the humans, who conveniently I can't hit due to the government hardware that neuters your beloved hero. Apparently, Red don't like it when I ask questions, 'cause next thing I know, she's screaming inside my skull so loud, I've no choice but to get a move on. I go running towards the staircase, and just when I reach it, Red and Glinda work some mojo. Everyone goes scattering like bowling pins, clearing a path for me to get through.
I bound up the stairs as quick as I can, which is real damn fast. I only take my eyes off my goal for a second to steal a peek at Buffy, who's putting a beat down to Glory of which the likes I've never seen. She's really got her on the ropes. Glory's not even fighting back anymore. Good for you, Slayer! I knew when push came to shove, the bitch had nothing on you! But, I continue on, my mission clear. Protect her. Till the end of the world.
I make it to the top of the scaffold, bounding onto the platform where Dawn is tied up. And who should I see but Doc, holding a knife to Bit! Damn thing just doesn't know when to die, does he? "Doesn't a fella stay dead when you kill him?" I ask, truly quite annoyed that I have to deal with this thing again.
"Look who's talking", he replies.
"Come on, Doc", I say, "Let's you and me have a go." Then the ponce actually has the gall to say he's got another appointment! So, I tell him it won't take but a minute, and he agrees, a little too quick for my taste. Wanker's got somethin' up his sleeve. In this case, literally. As I rush him, he sidesteps me and puts his knife in my back. Ooh, now he's got me pissed. Don't really care so much for the stab wound, it'll heal, but the bastard put another hole in my coat! Poor thing's taken way too much abuse over the years. So from here we struggle a bit, neither of us really getting any sort of advantage. The guy may look old and feeble, but he's strong as all else, and he's quick as me. I got myself in between Dawn and Doc, like that Roman soldier, can't recall his name, at the bridge. I can hold him off from this position. I don't even have to win this fight to beat him, just outlast his sacred little schedule. Then, he'll have about as much use for Dawn as I do suntan lotion.
I tell the pillock, "You don't come near the girl, Doc".
"I don't smell a soul anywhere on you", he says back to me, that stupid grin still on his face. "Why do you even care?" Why do I care? Why? Simple, you git.
"I made a promise to a lady." At that, he just says oh and shoots his tongue out at me. Ah ah, I've got you scouted here! I grab that tongue with as firm a grip as I can muster and yank him forward. Huh? That's not what happened. I tried to dodge and he swept my legs out from under me. Oh well, I'm likin' this a lot better. So I let go of his tongue and grab him up over my head like a pro wrestler. He's squirming, confused. I like that a lot too. I carry him over to the ledge. Just before I throw him off, I say a few more words to him, just to get my point from earlier across. "Like I said, you twit, I made a promise to a lady. An' when it comes to that lady, I always keep my promises!" Then I launch that son of a bitch damn near into orbit. I particularly enjoy his little scream, then that oh so pleasant splat sound he makes when he hits pavement. Not so tough after all, are you?
I turn to Dawn, looking her over, making sure he didn't hurt her. She's shaken and cryin' her big brown eyes out, but unhurt. I breathe a sigh of relief and step over to her, freeing her from her bonds. Once she's untied, she throws herself into my arms, holding on for dear life. She looks into my eyes, tears streamin' down her cheeks.
"Thank you, Spike! I knew you'd save me!" Damn, she had more faith in me than I had in myself. I lean forward, putting my forehead to hers.
"Told your sis that I'd protect you till the end of the world, an' I meant it. Now let's get you down from here." I help her down the stairs, moving as quick as we can. We get to the halfway point and run into Buffy. She had no clue I'd made it up there, from the look on her face. To say she was overjoyed would be an understatement. She starts bawling right there, which of course sets Nibblet off. She reaches out for Buffy and they embrace in a hug. I turn away, to let them have their happy reunion when I see Giles kneeling before Ben. So, Buffy couldn't go through with it, taking a human life. I never thought she would anyway. She's too good for that. Business like that is best left to me.and apparently Giles, who's currently suffocating the boy. Can't say I'm too broken up about it. Bastard led Glory right to us, and from what I can figure, he knew all about Buffy's little secret from the get go. Least the wanker could've done was tell us about him and Glory's timeshare plan. Would've saved us a lot of grief. Even so, I place my body in direct line of sight with Giles' secret party. Wouldn't want the Slayer and kid sis to see Ripper at his worst.
Buffy's looking at me now. She's got Dawn wrapped under her right arm, and she reaching out with her left, putting her hand gently on my face. She smiling at me. At me!
"Spike, you remember what I said to you, in your crypt after we got you out of Glory's condo?" I nod dumbly, too astonished by the fact that she's touching me so lovingly. "I said what you did then, for me and Dawn, was real. This", she nods her head back up to the scaffold, "was more than real. It was brave. And noble. Possibly the noblest thing anyone has ever done for me. I'll never forget. Never."
"What can I say, luv", I reply stupidly, "I love you." She looks down for a moment, like she's still trying to process that bit of info.
"I get that now", she says, lookin' back into my eyes. "I get that this isn't some sick game, or a twisted obsession brought on by the fact that you can't kill me. I really understand now that you really love me."
Then she kisses me. It's more than the soft peck she gave me in my crypt that day, and it's gentler than the snogs we engaged in when we were under Red's 'Do My Will' spell. It's a full blown, Adam Sandler-Drew Barrymore- Wedding Singer kiss. It's perfect.
After a too short time, she breaks the kiss, pulling back from me slightly. "I don't love you, Spike. I don't know if I ever will, or even if I could. But one thing I do know is that from this point on, you are one of us. Family." She moves away from me now, taking Dawn down the stairs back to the ground and into the arms of the waiting Scooby's. Everyone's okay, if a little roughed up and worse for wear. They all join in a great big mushy group hug that makes me think of heaving, crying and laughing and all that other rot the white hats do when they win. They start swaying a bit, and I'm expecting them to bust out with a no doubt off key rendition of 'We Are The Champions' when they break up the formation and begin to leave, talking animatedly about everything that just happened. I take my cue from them and go to leave too, when I realize, due to the smoking corpse that is my body, that it's morning. Bugger all, the sun's out, and me without my blanket. I go to sit in the shade to wait for my chance to make a break for it, when the whelp, Red and Buffy come back. Whelp has something in his hands.
"Here ya go, Captain Perox- uh, Spike." He hands me a heavy duty blanket. "I had it stashed in my car, just in case." I take the blanket slowly, unsure if this is some sort of joke. It isn't.
"Thanks, Whelp. No, sorry. Xander. Thank you, Xander. It's much appreciated." Hey, I've got to be civil now. Families don't argue and call each other names in public. Besides, if he's willing to stop with the insults, I can too.
"You did real good, Spike. Way to go!" pipes up Red. "I am so proud of you. You saved Dawnie and stopped the world from ending! We owe you our lives."
"Nah, it's nothing. I just kept my word, s'all." Listen to me, being all modest. I love to brag, it's what I do.
"Whatever you say, you big hero you!" Red then kisses me on the cheek before she and Xander head back to their autos. Buffy's still standin' here, though. I guess she's waiting for me. Well, best to oblige her before she starts hitting me again.
We walk around to the waiting vehicles the long way, sticking to the tower so I'm still under shade and we won't have to make with the forty yard dash. Apparently she's got something else to say.
"Spike, there's something else I need to say. You said I treat you like a man, and that that's-well, whatever you were going to say, it doesn't matter. 'Cause from here on in, no matter what, you are a man. A good man. And no one can ever take that away from you."
I am struck dumb once more. This girl, whose death I plotted, whose incessant meddling had ruined all of my most wicked plots, whom I love with all my unbeating heart, just gave me the greatest gift I could ever receive. "Luv", I tell her, "you have just now officially killed the Big Bad."
"Death is my Gift." And on that rather cryptic comment, we do the forty in four flat, leaping into my beloved DeSoto Sportsman and head home, together.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
My eyes spring open. I'm lying on the sarcophagus in my crypt. For a moment I'm bewildered, wondering how I got here. Then it all comes back to me. Buffy is dead. I failed her, and she paid the price for that failure. It had all been a dream. I look at the clock on my table, though I don't really need to. It's 5:47 PM. Sunset. Tonight we bury her. We're burying her in the forest, away from prying eyes in a little grove of trees. Watcher said that we can't let the demon community, or the humans for that matter, know that the Slayer has fallen. Apparently, the Call's a one time deal, so since Faith is in prison, there will be no Slayer. Red's gonna fix the bot, reprogram the twice damned thing to make everyone believe that Buffy's still around. That way, the Hellmouth won't get overrun with nasties, and Nibblet won't get sent to live with her absentee dad. Guess in the end, I did a good thing, having that Nancy Boy Warren build it. Won't ever look at the thing again though.
Tears pour down my face as I leave for the rendezvous. They're burying her at night, partly to avoid suspicious nosy folk, and partly for my benefit. Right kind of the lot. Still, have to put on the Big Bad face. Can't have the Scooby's seeing me cry like a school girl. Probably break their spirits, seeing as how I'm the strongest person they got.
The Slayer's dead. I can't change that. What I can do though, is do her work for her. Carry on in her name. It's only fitting, I suppose. And Dawn will never, never be in danger again. I swear this to you, Buffy. I will keep my promise.
I'm almost to the site. In the distance, I can see Nibblet and the Scooby's, standing around a casket. Her casket. And the one thing I can't get out of my mind is this:
Will I save you tomorrow, Buffy?
It's playing out all over again. I'm stuck behind the Scooby's impromptu barricade, rather pissed that one of those nut job wankers of Glory's hit me in the bleedin' face with a brick, when I look up. I see Dawn, my Little Bit, all trussed up like Joan of friggin' Arc. Even at this distance, I can see she's terrified. Hell, I don't blame her. I'd be a little worried too, if some skank Hell God wanted to slice me up into Spike kabobs, which of course, she actually did try to do. Then, I see something else moving up there. I can't quite make it out, but there's something up there with Nibblet. I try to point it out to the others, but they can't see a damn thing. Damn humans with their poor eyesight. 'Course, Red sees something too, guess she's got a better vantage point, being that she's collapsed near a corner of the tower, huddled up with Glinda. Despite myself, I can't help but hope that Red's little stunt helped reverse the damage Glory did to Tara. I rather like the bird. She doesn't say much, unlike the rest of the Scooby's, who I swear talk simply for the pleasure of hearing their own voices. So, anyway, I'm sitting here, minding my own business, when WHAM! Red starts speaking to me inside my head! Where'd she learn that trick, the Whelp's comic books? So she tells me to get my ass in gear, and go save Nibblet. Which of course I have no problem with, but how do I get past the humans, who conveniently I can't hit due to the government hardware that neuters your beloved hero. Apparently, Red don't like it when I ask questions, 'cause next thing I know, she's screaming inside my skull so loud, I've no choice but to get a move on. I go running towards the staircase, and just when I reach it, Red and Glinda work some mojo. Everyone goes scattering like bowling pins, clearing a path for me to get through.
I bound up the stairs as quick as I can, which is real damn fast. I only take my eyes off my goal for a second to steal a peek at Buffy, who's putting a beat down to Glory of which the likes I've never seen. She's really got her on the ropes. Glory's not even fighting back anymore. Good for you, Slayer! I knew when push came to shove, the bitch had nothing on you! But, I continue on, my mission clear. Protect her. Till the end of the world.
I make it to the top of the scaffold, bounding onto the platform where Dawn is tied up. And who should I see but Doc, holding a knife to Bit! Damn thing just doesn't know when to die, does he? "Doesn't a fella stay dead when you kill him?" I ask, truly quite annoyed that I have to deal with this thing again.
"Look who's talking", he replies.
"Come on, Doc", I say, "Let's you and me have a go." Then the ponce actually has the gall to say he's got another appointment! So, I tell him it won't take but a minute, and he agrees, a little too quick for my taste. Wanker's got somethin' up his sleeve. In this case, literally. As I rush him, he sidesteps me and puts his knife in my back. Ooh, now he's got me pissed. Don't really care so much for the stab wound, it'll heal, but the bastard put another hole in my coat! Poor thing's taken way too much abuse over the years. So from here we struggle a bit, neither of us really getting any sort of advantage. The guy may look old and feeble, but he's strong as all else, and he's quick as me. I got myself in between Dawn and Doc, like that Roman soldier, can't recall his name, at the bridge. I can hold him off from this position. I don't even have to win this fight to beat him, just outlast his sacred little schedule. Then, he'll have about as much use for Dawn as I do suntan lotion.
I tell the pillock, "You don't come near the girl, Doc".
"I don't smell a soul anywhere on you", he says back to me, that stupid grin still on his face. "Why do you even care?" Why do I care? Why? Simple, you git.
"I made a promise to a lady." At that, he just says oh and shoots his tongue out at me. Ah ah, I've got you scouted here! I grab that tongue with as firm a grip as I can muster and yank him forward. Huh? That's not what happened. I tried to dodge and he swept my legs out from under me. Oh well, I'm likin' this a lot better. So I let go of his tongue and grab him up over my head like a pro wrestler. He's squirming, confused. I like that a lot too. I carry him over to the ledge. Just before I throw him off, I say a few more words to him, just to get my point from earlier across. "Like I said, you twit, I made a promise to a lady. An' when it comes to that lady, I always keep my promises!" Then I launch that son of a bitch damn near into orbit. I particularly enjoy his little scream, then that oh so pleasant splat sound he makes when he hits pavement. Not so tough after all, are you?
I turn to Dawn, looking her over, making sure he didn't hurt her. She's shaken and cryin' her big brown eyes out, but unhurt. I breathe a sigh of relief and step over to her, freeing her from her bonds. Once she's untied, she throws herself into my arms, holding on for dear life. She looks into my eyes, tears streamin' down her cheeks.
"Thank you, Spike! I knew you'd save me!" Damn, she had more faith in me than I had in myself. I lean forward, putting my forehead to hers.
"Told your sis that I'd protect you till the end of the world, an' I meant it. Now let's get you down from here." I help her down the stairs, moving as quick as we can. We get to the halfway point and run into Buffy. She had no clue I'd made it up there, from the look on her face. To say she was overjoyed would be an understatement. She starts bawling right there, which of course sets Nibblet off. She reaches out for Buffy and they embrace in a hug. I turn away, to let them have their happy reunion when I see Giles kneeling before Ben. So, Buffy couldn't go through with it, taking a human life. I never thought she would anyway. She's too good for that. Business like that is best left to me.and apparently Giles, who's currently suffocating the boy. Can't say I'm too broken up about it. Bastard led Glory right to us, and from what I can figure, he knew all about Buffy's little secret from the get go. Least the wanker could've done was tell us about him and Glory's timeshare plan. Would've saved us a lot of grief. Even so, I place my body in direct line of sight with Giles' secret party. Wouldn't want the Slayer and kid sis to see Ripper at his worst.
Buffy's looking at me now. She's got Dawn wrapped under her right arm, and she reaching out with her left, putting her hand gently on my face. She smiling at me. At me!
"Spike, you remember what I said to you, in your crypt after we got you out of Glory's condo?" I nod dumbly, too astonished by the fact that she's touching me so lovingly. "I said what you did then, for me and Dawn, was real. This", she nods her head back up to the scaffold, "was more than real. It was brave. And noble. Possibly the noblest thing anyone has ever done for me. I'll never forget. Never."
"What can I say, luv", I reply stupidly, "I love you." She looks down for a moment, like she's still trying to process that bit of info.
"I get that now", she says, lookin' back into my eyes. "I get that this isn't some sick game, or a twisted obsession brought on by the fact that you can't kill me. I really understand now that you really love me."
Then she kisses me. It's more than the soft peck she gave me in my crypt that day, and it's gentler than the snogs we engaged in when we were under Red's 'Do My Will' spell. It's a full blown, Adam Sandler-Drew Barrymore- Wedding Singer kiss. It's perfect.
After a too short time, she breaks the kiss, pulling back from me slightly. "I don't love you, Spike. I don't know if I ever will, or even if I could. But one thing I do know is that from this point on, you are one of us. Family." She moves away from me now, taking Dawn down the stairs back to the ground and into the arms of the waiting Scooby's. Everyone's okay, if a little roughed up and worse for wear. They all join in a great big mushy group hug that makes me think of heaving, crying and laughing and all that other rot the white hats do when they win. They start swaying a bit, and I'm expecting them to bust out with a no doubt off key rendition of 'We Are The Champions' when they break up the formation and begin to leave, talking animatedly about everything that just happened. I take my cue from them and go to leave too, when I realize, due to the smoking corpse that is my body, that it's morning. Bugger all, the sun's out, and me without my blanket. I go to sit in the shade to wait for my chance to make a break for it, when the whelp, Red and Buffy come back. Whelp has something in his hands.
"Here ya go, Captain Perox- uh, Spike." He hands me a heavy duty blanket. "I had it stashed in my car, just in case." I take the blanket slowly, unsure if this is some sort of joke. It isn't.
"Thanks, Whelp. No, sorry. Xander. Thank you, Xander. It's much appreciated." Hey, I've got to be civil now. Families don't argue and call each other names in public. Besides, if he's willing to stop with the insults, I can too.
"You did real good, Spike. Way to go!" pipes up Red. "I am so proud of you. You saved Dawnie and stopped the world from ending! We owe you our lives."
"Nah, it's nothing. I just kept my word, s'all." Listen to me, being all modest. I love to brag, it's what I do.
"Whatever you say, you big hero you!" Red then kisses me on the cheek before she and Xander head back to their autos. Buffy's still standin' here, though. I guess she's waiting for me. Well, best to oblige her before she starts hitting me again.
We walk around to the waiting vehicles the long way, sticking to the tower so I'm still under shade and we won't have to make with the forty yard dash. Apparently she's got something else to say.
"Spike, there's something else I need to say. You said I treat you like a man, and that that's-well, whatever you were going to say, it doesn't matter. 'Cause from here on in, no matter what, you are a man. A good man. And no one can ever take that away from you."
I am struck dumb once more. This girl, whose death I plotted, whose incessant meddling had ruined all of my most wicked plots, whom I love with all my unbeating heart, just gave me the greatest gift I could ever receive. "Luv", I tell her, "you have just now officially killed the Big Bad."
"Death is my Gift." And on that rather cryptic comment, we do the forty in four flat, leaping into my beloved DeSoto Sportsman and head home, together.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
My eyes spring open. I'm lying on the sarcophagus in my crypt. For a moment I'm bewildered, wondering how I got here. Then it all comes back to me. Buffy is dead. I failed her, and she paid the price for that failure. It had all been a dream. I look at the clock on my table, though I don't really need to. It's 5:47 PM. Sunset. Tonight we bury her. We're burying her in the forest, away from prying eyes in a little grove of trees. Watcher said that we can't let the demon community, or the humans for that matter, know that the Slayer has fallen. Apparently, the Call's a one time deal, so since Faith is in prison, there will be no Slayer. Red's gonna fix the bot, reprogram the twice damned thing to make everyone believe that Buffy's still around. That way, the Hellmouth won't get overrun with nasties, and Nibblet won't get sent to live with her absentee dad. Guess in the end, I did a good thing, having that Nancy Boy Warren build it. Won't ever look at the thing again though.
Tears pour down my face as I leave for the rendezvous. They're burying her at night, partly to avoid suspicious nosy folk, and partly for my benefit. Right kind of the lot. Still, have to put on the Big Bad face. Can't have the Scooby's seeing me cry like a school girl. Probably break their spirits, seeing as how I'm the strongest person they got.
The Slayer's dead. I can't change that. What I can do though, is do her work for her. Carry on in her name. It's only fitting, I suppose. And Dawn will never, never be in danger again. I swear this to you, Buffy. I will keep my promise.
I'm almost to the site. In the distance, I can see Nibblet and the Scooby's, standing around a casket. Her casket. And the one thing I can't get out of my mind is this:
Will I save you tomorrow, Buffy?