Part 11: Falling Off the Wagon

Spike sighed, pacing the length of the dingy motel room. He could just see the glow of daylight around the edges of the heavy curtains in his room and he growled in frustration, willing away the light so he could venture out into the town and find Bri. He had to talk to her, or even just watch her from a distance, anything but sit around in this room which seemed to get smaller and smaller by the minute, thinking of how much he missed her.

Spike never thought anything could hurt this bad. Since they met they'd never spent a night without the other and the vampire had never realized how much her absence agonized him. He closed his eyes, imagining her in his mind and thinking of all the little things that he loved about her- the way she screamed at the TV when something bad happened on her favorite shows- the way she liked to pummel a vamp just a little longer than necessary when she was in a bad mood- her soft rippling laughter- her smooth lips against his- her shy smile over her shoulder as he'd slip one strap of her sun dress down her arm, then the other, kissing the exposed skin of her back as he did- her soft shiver as he pushed the rest of the silky fabric to the floor and ran his cool hands over the gentle curves of her body- the mischievous glint in her beautiful green eyes as she freed him of his T-shirt and jeans- the feel of her smooth, warm skin against his cold, setting his body ablaze with desire. The vampire groaned, burying his face in his hands. 'Clean thoughts. Clean thoughts.' He urged himself, glancing down at his jeans that felt painfully tight all of a sudden.

He fell back onto his bed, staring up at the white stippled ceiling in anguish. Concentrating hard, he tried to think of wholesome thoughts. Puppies. Daisies. Lollipops. Christmas. Girls in white dresses with blue satin sashes. Beautiful blonde girls stripping out of white dresses with blue satin sashes. "Oh bloody hell."

"So there's a new slayer in town, eh?" Mayor Wilkins said, folding his hands and placing them on the desk in front of him. "I suppose it would be too much to hope she could be persuaded to our way of thinking."

"You never know, sir." Stephen Johnson, the new deputy mayor, said. "You thought that about Faith originally and you were wrong."

A pained expression crossed the mayor's face at the mention of the slayer's name. "Well…that's not exactly true is it? In the end…she betrayed us. It hurt me, you know, to have to order the committee for her." Stephen was silent, knowing how the dark slayer's death and betrayal still upset his boss. "So!" Mayor Wilkins exclaimed, his voice returned to its usual cheerfulness. "Tell me some good news!"

The young sandy haired assistant sighed, averting his gaze. "I'm afraid all I have is more of the bad, sir."

"Well…I suppose it can't be helped. Out with it, then."

"William the Bloody was spotted at the Bronze last night. He seemed to be following the new slayer."

"Do we know why?"

"Probably out to kill her. Why else would a vampire be stalking a slayer?"

Mayor Wilkins chuckled. "Of course. Hey, maybe we'll get lucky and they'll end up killing each other…two birds with one stone." Stephen nodded. "Although…that would be more like two birds just killing each other…like a cock fight."

"Yes, sir. Just like that." The young man stated, humoring his boss.

Bri took a deep breath and rose to her feet. She took one bold step forward then stopped, sinking back to the ground she'd just risen from. The slayer was sitting on a sidewalk, her back pressed to the brick wall of the building beside her. This is where she'd been all night, just staring across the street at the grungy motel she'd followed Spike to.

She had come across him on her way back home from the third cemetery she'd patrolled. He was coming out of a convenience store, a bag in his arms of what was no doubt some kind of liquor and cigarettes. Bri immediately ducked into an alley to avoid being seen but she couldn't resist following him to see where he was staying. She kept up with him from a safe distance, knowing that if she got too close he would smell her or maybe even just feel her presence. He'd always seemed to be able to do that.

The slayer had fully intended on going home after she saw were he was staying but as she walked, the urge became greater and greater to talk to him. Bri knew her resolve was weakening and she fought to retain it. That's how she ended up spending the night on a street corner, unable to walk across the street to his motel room or get up and go home.

"Ugh! I'm so stupid!" she shouted to herself, earning an odd look from a passerby. "What're you looking at bitch?" she shot at the old woman. Then she groaned, burying her head in her hands and realizing she was cranky from going a whole night without sleep. "Sorry." She called weakly without looking up. "That's it. This has got to stop or I'm going to grow old and die here on this street corner. And then I'll probably come back and haunt it when I'm dead!"

Bri lept to her feet, her eyes squinting in determination. Then she marched forward, hurrying across the street and into the parking lot of the motel. She passed Spike's Desoto, the ice machine and walked up the stairs to the second level. But as she drew closer and closer to his room, she began to hesistate. Just as she thought she couldn't make it, she found herself in front of his door.

Taking a deep breath, she raised her hand and knocked lightly on the door then stood waiting, resisting the overwhelming urge to bolt. The sound of the chain being slid across came to her ears and she braced herself as the door swung open. Her eyes grew wide as she saw the leggy brunette standing before her in nothing but a towel.

"Can I help you?" the woman asked.

Bri just gaped at her, on the brink of tears. A woman…in a towel…in Spike's room… Anger swelled within her and she gritted her teeth. "Is Spike in there?" she demanded, her voice low and vehement.

The brunette look at her oddly, slightly taken aback. "Nooo. No one by that name in here. Maybe you got the wrong room."

Bri furrowed her brow, turning to look at where she'd been sitting then glancing up with a sigh that was a mixture of relief and embarrassment. "I'm on the wrong floor!" she cried, shaking her head at herself. "Sorry to disturb you."

The slayer ran to the stairs again, going up the next flight to the third floor. When she reached it, her pace slowed and she made her way to the vampire's door. A glance at the 'Do Not Disturb' sign to keep the maids away verified that she was in the right place this time. She took a deep breath, preparing herself for the second time as she knocked softly on the door.

When she received no response after a few moments, she leaned against the door. "Spike…" she called. "Spike, it's me."

Spike's head shot up when he heard the familiar voice from outside his room. He practically lept off the bed, hurrying to the door. Unlocking it, he opened it slowly, careful to avoid the harsh rays of sunlight that poured in. Bri squeezed through, quickly shutting the door behind her.

"Um…I don't have vampire night vision." She said light-heartedly and Spike chuckled, switching on the ceiling light. Bri smiled gratefully and then shifted uncomfortably on her feet, biting her lower lip nervously. Now that she was here, she couldn't for the life of her remember why she'd come.

Spike gazed at her expectantly, daring to hope that the slayer had come to her senses and was here to apologize and let him ravage her. OK…so that probably wouldn't happen but a vamp could hope right? A long uneasy silence fell over the room as Spike stared at Bri intently and Bri gazed at anything but Spike.

Suddenly the vampire realized how worn and tired she looked. Her hair was disheveled and her clothes were wrinkled and dirty- it looked like she'd been slaying in them. He furrowed his brow in concern. "Love, you look tired…what's going on?"

"I…uh…didn't get much sleep." She said, then sighed. "None at all, as a matter of fact. I…ugh, this is so embarrassing. I followed you here last night and I couldn't bring myself to talk to you but I couldn't bring myself to go home either so I've been sitting on the corner across the street all night, staring up at your room and I screamed at an old lady and I scared the woman in the room below you." Bri explained in one breath, sinking onto the bed. She laid back, covering her eyes with her hand when suddenly she heard a low rumbling sound and realized that Spike was chuckling. She looked up and glared at him, only making him laugh harder. "It's not funny!"

The vampire held his sides as he laughed. "Yes…it is…actually." He managed to get out between chuckles. "Here I thought I was the one going insane. But you're completely daft!"

Bri growled, jumping up from the bed. "Well I didn't sit on a street corner all night just to be laughed at!" she declared, heading for the door. This sobered the vampire and he grabbed her arm before she could even reach the doorknob.

"Why did you then?"

"I don't know. I just…I had to see you. Ever since I left Virginia…" Bri sighed, tears coming to her eyes. "Nothing ever hurt this bad. I know its wrong but if I could ignore it for two months, why can't I keep ignoring it? I-I just…" Bri wavered, growing dizzy from lack of sleep and food.

Spike noticed this and was at her side in a flash. "You're tired love." He said, touching her arm to steady her.

"I'll be fine."

"Yea, once you get some sleep. Here," he guided her to the bed. "Rest for a while and we can talk when you wake up."

The slayer wanted to protest but the large bed looked so soft and inviting. So she merely nodded and sank onto the soft mattress with a sigh of relief. Spike grabbed a blanket and pulled it over her, but when he moved to step away, Bri's hand shot out, grabbing his wrist. "Stay with me?" she begged meekly.

The vampire grinned, climbing onto the bed behind her and spooning against her back. He threw an arm over her and she took his hand in hers, rubbing lazy circles over the cool skin as she drifted off to sleep.