Title: L.A. Woman
Summary: Buffy goes to LA; We meet Spike's new friend?
Spoilers: Post "As You Were"; "Hell's Bells" and "Normal Again" didn't happen and won't.
Pairing: Who do you think?
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: You know the deal. Even though I wish I owned Spike, I own nothing. All belongs to Joss. I just play. Lyrics to "Welcome to the Jungle" by Guns 'N Roses; Lyrics to "Every Rose Has Its Thorn" by Poison.
Tara helped her with the location spell. Because Buffy had been with him, they didn't need any of his personal belongings, which was good because there were none left. Since it was still in the driveway at the Summers' house, Xander fiddled with Joyce's old car and was able to get it up and running again. After a few quick seat-grabbing lessons (Xander's description of them), Buffy was able to get the basic stop/go techniques down pat. That's how she found herself driving around LA by Sunday night.
Bars…need to find bars… Buffy thought. She figured he was probably hanging out at a rough place like Willy's or someplace like the Bronze. Yeah, that narrows it down a lot. So she drove around looking for any possible place he might be, humming along to 80s night on a local radio station.
Welcome to the jungle
It gets worse here everyday
Ya learn ta live like an animal
In the jungle where we play
If you got a hunger for what you see
You'll take it eventually
You can have anything you want
But you better not take it from me
In the jungle
Welcome to the jungle
Watch it bring you to your knees, knees
I wanna watch you bleed
Every now and then she'd pull over to check out a few places, but she always got the same answers. It was either, "Nope, haven't seen him." Or "Girlie, you just described half of what the guys in LA look like!" Arrgh! It's only my first night, and I'm already getting aggravated! I knew I wasn't going to find him right away. Be patient!
She pulled up to another strip of bars. She entered one called Cagney's. This might be a good place. Reminds me of the Bronze. She walked over to a middle-aged guy sitting at the bar. "This seat taken?"
"Nope. S'all yours, honey."
"Are you a regular here?"
"Sometimes. I go all around."
"Maybe you can help me out. I'm trying to locate a friend who recently moved to LA. You might have seen him around."
"Got a picture or something?"
"No… he's….uh….. camera shy. But he's kinda tall, bleached spikey hair, always in black, and has a British accent."
"Has an eyebrow ring and big black
coat, too?"
Buffy started to get excited. "Yes! Have you seen him?"
"Yeah, he comes here every now and then. Hasn't been here in a while. You might want to check Reno's a few miles down the strip. I've seen him there too."
She had grin on her face. "You've been a great help," she said, slapping a $10 dollar bill on the bar. "Next round's on me!"
*****
When Buffy pulled up across the street from Reno's about 10 minutes later, uncertainty started to cloud her thoughts. What if he was in there? What would she say to him if he were there? Would he even listen to her? She closed her eyes and sighed, leaning her head on the steering wheel. I'm not going to give up now.
"BLOODY HELL! What did you have to do that for?"
Buffy's head snapped up. That distinct voice (and curse heard so often) belonged to one person only… Spike!
She looked out the window to see him standing outside of the bar. With a raven-haired woman hanging on his back.
"Because I felt like it," she replied, laughing. She kissed him on the cheek and hopped off. "Sing my song again?"
"No! You know the rule, only once a day. And tonight, you got me to do it in public! I shouldn't have to sing it for a week!"
She stuck out her bottom lip and pouted. "Pretty please?"
"Don't give me that look!"
"PLEASE?"
Spike groaned. He never won when she pouted. "Fine! But only when we get home. I'm not singing like a poof on the streets of LA."
"Thank you, baby," she said, hugging him.
He dropped a kiss on the tip of her nose. "You're an infuriating little bint, you do know that don't you?"
"Yes, William, and you love me for it."
He sighed and put his arm around her. "I don't know what I'd do without you, luv."
Buffy could barely watch the playful scene outside Reno's. Her eyes were too clouded by her tears. She tried to catch her breath, but was unable to. The pain in her chest was unbearable. She calls him 'William'. And he loves her. He doesn't want me anymore.
She thought the pain was bad when she found out that he had left her. This was 500 times worse. She barely registered the song that was playing on the radio as she sped back to the motel.
But now I hear you
found somebody new
and that I never meant that much to you
To hear that tears me up inside
And to see you cuts me like a knife
Every rose has its
thorn
Just like every night has its dawn
Just like every cowboy sings his sad, sad song
Every rose has its
thorn
End Part 5
TBC
* 'Kay I lied. Next part, Cecelia's history and the
tattoo! I already started it.... I got a
little sidetracked because we just installed a brand new computer. Sorry, I'm the short chapter queen! LMAO *