"Laughing."



"Laughing."
Part eleven of the "What Am I?" series.
Rating: R. for the entire series.
Spoilers: I don't have the time or the energy to go through and state exactly what spoilers are contained in my fics just assume that anything that has aired in the US is fair game.
Disclaimers: Joss owns everything fun. I only borrow it for a while.
Feedback: Let me know what you think. (ladyduvessa19@icqmail.com)

He had gotten to the hotel up the street from the magic shop faster than he thought possible. He didn't have any idea what room Aurora was staying in so he found himself in the hotel lobby.

"Can I help you sir?" The person behind the counter at the hotel asked completely puzzled by the mad standing in front of him covered in a quilt.

"I need to know what room Aurora is staying in."

"And the last name, sir?" he asked as he was typing into the computer.

"I don't know her last name." Spike was growing impatient.

"I'm sorry. We won't be able to give you that information. We'll have to ask you to leave." The man said gesturing Spike towards the door.

"I'm not going anywhere." Spike said just as he pushed the man into a room behind the counter and shut the door blocking out the sunlight. He dropped the quilt on the floor and pinned the man up against the wall. "You're going to tell me what room she's in or I'm going to have to hurt you." The chip was sending sharp pains through his brain, but he could hardly feel them. He was so worried about Buffy that someone could cut his head off his body and he wouldn't notice.

"I can't get the information you want if I don't have a last name."

"Well I told you once before I don't have one. I'm sure you're a smart man. There can't be that many Aurora's in your registry. Why don't you go have a look?" Spike pushed him towards the computer that was in the office. He clicked and typed and finally came up with an answer.

"Room 212."

"Alright, now you're going to get me the keys."

"I can't do that sir. I've already broken the rules by telling you what room she's staying in." there was fear in the mans voice.

Spike shifted his face to reveal the demon within. "You're going to get me that key or you won't see anything you love ever again."

The man didn't speak, but he got Spike the keys. The second the keys were in Spikes hand he grabbed the quilt, wrapped it back around himself and headed back into the lobby to climb the stairs to the second floor.

Standing outside room 212 he could smell Buffy's blood. She was there. It was all going to be over. He stuck the key in the door and opened it. What he saw inside was horrible. The walls had been written on with Buffy's blood. "Go to 318 W. 77th St."

She knew that he would come to find her. She left him a message. This was all so wrong. She wanted him there. She must want him to watch her when she killed Buffy. She had another thing coming. He wasn't going to let Buffy die again. He would get there and stop everything.

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He decided to get his car before he went looking for 318 W. 77th St. He knew that it was on the other side of town, but he wasn't exactly sure where. When he got to 77th St. he took a right. There was a big abandoned church on the corner and the address on the sign read 318. He parked the car in front of the church and stepped inside. When he entered he saw Buffy's body. She wasn't moving. There was no color in her face. She looked empty. She was lying on a table surrounded by white roses. She was no longer in the bridesmaid dress, instead she was wearing a beautiful white one. A cross was laid across her chest. Aurora had wanted him to find Buffy like this. He moved closer to Buffy's body. Afraid that she was already dead. He didn't have the chance to find out. Something hit his back sending shocks through his whole body. He couldn't move. His vision started to blur. He heard voices from behind him. Then it all went black.

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When he woke up he noticed that he had been locked in a cage. He could see the spot where her body had been laid out. The flowers were still there, but she was gone.

"'Bout time you woke up." he turned around and saw her. Her cage was right behind his. He tried to reach out his hand to touch hers but they were to far away.

"What did she do to you?" he asked not knowing what to expect.

"I was drugged. I think. I don't really remember. I remember being in the bathroom getting ready for the wedding and then someone came up behind me and then it all gets kind of blurry. I'm not in the hideous green dress anymore and there's a really big gash on my leg. Don't know what it's all about." she shrugged and sat down on the floor in her cage.

"You mean you haven't seen Aurora?" he didn't understand why Aurora would drag them there and then disappear.

"Nope. There hasn't been anyone. What happened at the wedding?" she was avoiding something. He could tell from the sound of her voice, but he decided not to ask about it.

"The wedding didn't happen. I don't know what they told everyone. I guess we'll both find out when we get out of here." he looked at the bars of his cage trying to find someway to get out. He pulled on the bars and nothing happened.

"I all ready tried that. It's no use." She said in a tone that stated she had given up.

"We're going to get out of here Buffy."

"How?" she asked, but he didn't have an answer. He sat on the floor and leaned against the bars.

Just as he was about to tell her that they would figure something out Aurora entered the room.

"It's so nice to see that the both of you are awake." she said as she walked towards Buffy's cage.

"You let us go. Or I'll......" Spike didn't get to finish his sentence.

"Or you'll what? Stare at me until I do? No I think I like you right where you are." she glared at Spike as she spoke, but didn't move towards him. She instead moved closer to Buffy and put her hands on the bars of Buffy's cage.

"You leave her alone." Spike got up off the floor and walked closer to where Buffy was, but the bars prevented him from getting very close.

"What do you want from us?" Buffy asked Aurora.

"I don't want anything from you. You're not what this is about. You're not like them anymore. You're like me." Aurora looked over at Spike as she spoke.

"I'm not like you." Buffy replied.

"Maybe not exactly like me, but you aren't like the other slayers anymore and you were never like your friends." Aurora turned back to face Buffy.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Buffy asked.

Spike heard laughing. It was coming from behind him. He looked, but he couldn't see anything. It was quiet and disoriented laughter, but it was laughter all the same. Someone was watching, finding it amusing. Aurora wasn't doing this all alone. There was someone else. Someone Spike had heard before he blacked out. He didn't know who until he heard this laughing. It was so familar. Just then Aurora started to answer Buffy's question. "It means that..."

Spike cut her off. "Sod off Aurora. You don't have any idea what you're doing do you? You're just following orders." He looked at Aurora and then turned around and yelled "Come out, come out, where ever you are." Then he saw movements in the shadows. They were coming closer. And then she stood in front of him. Laughing.


Part 10 || Part 12